El Final. La Fin. Alla Fine. 最後に. Lopussa. The End.

 This year, I have come such a long way. At the beginning of the year, it seemed like I was very timid with my writing as well as my opinions, almost afraid to voice what I was thinking. That, in other words, is not me. I am a very vocal individual, who expresses her thoughts and emotions in various ways, in some that may not be most articulate or subtle. With the writing of the blogs, I believe my writing creativity as well as literary horizons have expanded than I ever believed they could. The style of my writing seems to bounce around from very strict and formal to free-flowing, full of my personal opinions as well as most-inner thoughts and memories, depending on what the blog theme was for the week. With the blogs, it has made my view on writing change. Partly because when I would first stop and think about having to write because that was what I was assigned to do, I would get the picture of me sitting at a desk for hours writing about a very pointless and boring topic that had no importance whatsoever, because the teacher hated kids and wanted us to sit and suffer, possibly getting carpal tunnel from writing for so long. But now, I enjoy the minutes where I sit and ponder, "How will I write this today? Shall I write it in free-form, essay, poetically?". The possibilities are endless. I know that I will always be able to keep my experiences from Honors English with me for the rest of my life, as well as carry it with me into my classes for the rest of high school and probably college.

 Now onto my other blogs, the different topics have also expanded my horizons as well. So many different techniques that I had to use to be able to accomplish the task at hand. As I said before, I am going to be able to take so many different skills with me next year and the years beyond because of all my writing of the blogs. I have written about To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee to Animal Farm by George Orwell to Romeo and Juliet by the ever famous William Shakespeare. While writing these many blogs (30 in all!), I can reflect that through it all, I can definitely tell that in the end I have improved with my writing. It did depend on the topic though, because after looking back, I have several blogs where my writing is very strong and unique while some other blogs I read it seemed like I struggled a little with the higher level of diction required or thoughts. Some of my best were in the middle of the year, and especially toward the end where I was really improving my most in writing (could it possibly be while learning the 5-part essay rubric?). My quote for the end of my blogging experience as a freshman is this:

"I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end".
Abraham Lincoln

 I do believe Mr. Lincoln knew what he was saying, due to the fact at how true that statement really is. I intend to do that very thing- keep doing the very best at everything I can and try to do...until the very end. I hope that throughout the year you have enjoyed reading my many blogs and have gained some insight on the type of writer as well as person I am. I have enjoyed being able to write, and intend to keep on writing.

Most Memorable Assignment

My favorite assignment from this year in Honors English was probably the first essay we wrote at the very beginning of the year, on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I absolutely loved the novel, and after being taught the structure of writing an essay, I was so excited to start writing it. After completing my essay, I was so proud. I spent a countless number of hours revising and editing, going back and changing font to font size, to even paragraph spacing. I do not believe I have honestly taken that much time on perfecting a piece of my work on anything else.

After all of my hard work, I (of course) got 100% as well as Mrs. Gilman asking to use my essay at a conference. I cannot thank you enough Mrs. Gilman for helping me on it and taking the time to show us how to write quality pieces of writing. It definitely has paid off not only in your class, but as well as in my other classes when I have had to write essays on different subjects. Thanks again!

My Experience With Poetry

My experience with poetry starts off with my first memory, as a child, listening to my mom read me poems from a Robert Frost book. When I actually began to analyze poetry was in seventh grade, when I had Mrs. Schooler as my teacher. We started off simple, just by recognizing patterns in the poems. I believe without the help of Mrs. Schooler, I don't think I would be as prepared with the work you are giving us as I would be without her help. I also remember she taught us a lot of different styles of poetry, and we actually had to keep a poetry collection, with our different poems. I remember loving writing haikus, because I tend to write about nature when writing haikus. My other favorite style is free verse, because I love being able to have the freedom of writing whatever I like, however I can.
This has made a positive impact upon my life, because I feel like I am prepared more than some of the other students, due to the fact I feel like I have more knowledge with terminology and expertise with styles as well. When we get into writing our own personal collections, I have a feeling I will not only enjoy getting back to writing but also enjoy interpreting others writing as well. With Mrs. Schooler's advice and knowledge, I also feel if I go into an English demanding career, I will be more prepared than others who may be applying for the same job.
Right now, I feel like I don't appreciate poetry as much as I could, due to the fact that I have not written, much less read any for more than a year, excluding earlier this year.

Romeo and Juliet: You Belong With Me- Taylor Swift

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw

While reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, I've realized how many similarities there are between the famous plot, and that of the lyrics of You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift.
In the music video, Taylor plays the part of the nerdy neighbor, to her highschool's hot running-back. Every night she watches him quarrel with his girlfriend, the glamorous cheer captain, over the phone. They then communicate to each other using notepads, and every time they do, Taylor seems to never show him the one page in which she wrote, 'I Love You'. It made me realize the almost forbidden love between the two, when they are sitting on a park bench making each other laugh, and his girlfriend pulls up, and starts making out with him, making sure Taylor knows that he's hers. Also, at the football game while she's in the stands playing with the pep band, and he's on the field playing football. It very obvious that the motif is the 'forbidden love' between a geek and beauty, until the night of prom in which Taylor shows up looking drop-dead gorgeous, without her nerdy glasses and with her hair done.
The elements that also gave evidence to this song being linked to Romeo and Juliet was when they finally got to be together, even though his ex-girlfriend did not want them to be, and they kissed. It showed how happy they were being with each other in each others' arms, but it did not solve anything besides the fact that they were together.

Connecting with Romeo and Juliet

After beginning Romeo and Juliet, I began to recognize certain characteristics in some of the characters, especially Benvolio. He is a very calm, peace-keeping, individual and friend of Romeo. In any of the scenes that include conflict, he suddenly appears, trying to convince his friend or ally to calm down and not to fight. I connected with him on a similar level of 'peace-making'. Out of my friends, I am the person who makes sure everyone and everything is all good; everyone happy, not mad because of some pointless drama. That is ideally what I want for all of my friends, that everyone gets a long and is content. Benvolio wants something very similar, but he interacts with his friends when things turn violent. Besides seeing Benvolio's character, I have also seen the conflict in Romeo and Juliet's romance. With the unreasonable conflict between their families, I see it almost impossible for them to be together. I know that they will some how find a way to solve their troubles, but I see it almost a mistake. If you are enemies with someone, would you not stay enemies and stay true to your family morals? This may just be the romance though, making them commit these foolish 'sins', but I would probably follow the same path as them if I were in their shoes. Even though it would be a dumb act because of love, I would only do the same as the desperate couple, because if the love is strong enough, then it would be the only option that I would see open. Also, with this 'forbidden romance' between Romeo and Juliet, I've noticed a very feminine side to Romeo. He does not relate to most boys of his age now, because he seems to be very vulnerable and very emotional. The guys now (at least in the freshmen class) are all emotional and hormonal like Romeo, but in a sense that does not let you see their 'soft side' very often.

I am really happy with the way we are reading Romeo and Juliet at home, because it gives us (especially myself) an extra opportunity to comprehend the play in a different way than any of the other novels we had read this year. With being able to annotate and read to myself at home, it gives me a better understanding when we are able to read outloud at school, as well as annotate because it gives you yet another way to interpret the text. Also, with the help of Ms. Smith, I definitely feel like I am able to reach my goal of understanding and actually enjoying the play. So thank you, I really love the way we are doing class right now.

Wrapping Up Great Expectations

The overall message I thought was never turn your back on the ones who love you. First of all, Pip's family (Mrs. Joe, Joe, and Biddy) were always there for him, even when it seemed the most like they weren't. Without them, Pip really would not have gained the 'knowledge' from them. Plus, he saw how their lives were, and wanted to make a better life for himself. Once he turned his back on them, Pip never really truly felt guilty about it until he realized that he had treated Joe terribly, but Joe still loved him with all of his sweet heart. Pip had to go through many things, to realize that once you lose your family, there's never really any chance that you will get them back. Luckily for him though, Joe and Biddy both welcomed him with open arms as well as naming their first born child after him! If Pip would not have had such a supporting and caring family, he never would've been able to get back to his feet after becoming sick as well as broke.
 How I connected the moral of the book to myself, I realized this: last year, I decided to skip out on a family birthday to go and hang out at my friend's house. After I came back home the next day, no one would talk to me. I went about for the next couple of days without anyone in my house addressing me, or even looking at me. I realized that I had completely messed up, that I had blown off something much bigger than a friend's birthday. Little did I know that that would have been my great-aunt's last birthday before she died last fall due to double breast, lung, and brain cancer. I really truly am grateful though, because after I apologized to my entire family as well as my great-aunt, they accepted my apology and realized that I seen my wrong-doing as something to never repeat. I, like Pip, have a loving and supportive family that I love very much.

Thoughts on Great Expectations

I was not a fan of the book at all. The ending definitely made the decision for me; it was boring, inconclusive, and overall just an unsatisfying close to a very long story.  One major disappointment was the fact that Pip and Estella did not end up together. I am pretty sure that a lot of people would agree with me on that on . Even though I did not thoroughly enjoy the book, I believe it helped me evolve as a better student. One thing I did notice was at times, I could read for hours. Then, at other parts I could hardly stay awake and had to keep forcing myself to sit down and read.  The storyline was a classic one, one I could personally relate to. As a child, each kid has a dream. You start out as wanting to be an astronaut, or a ballerina, or a fireman. As you grow older though, you take into account your strengths and weaknesses and what job you can apply them to. Also, you eventually convince yourself that you are completely satisfied with the life you are living and wish nothing more but to continue living that way.  It is a sad but true fact, one that Dickens captures perfectly in Pip.  Pip's life story was one with many turns!  I have to admit, I didn't guess the answers to any of the mysteries before they were revealed.  I was surprised by each and every outcome.
Honestly, reading Great Expectations was a chore for me for the majority of the novel.  I usually ended up reading late at night after I had finished my homework, so I didn't absorb much compared to if I sat down and had more time like on the weekend, with nothing occupying my mind.  Each time I sat down, I would force my eyes along the page so that I could finish and go to sleep.  Only when I reached an exciting part did I get lost in the story.  I wish that we could have read less each night, because for me it would have been much more enjoyable and less tedious.  It was all very achievable unless I didn't understand somethin.  I tried looking on Sparknotes, but the site  doesn't add details and is sometimes wrong.  I would end up forgetting what I didn't understand, which would lead to further confusion later on.  Another thing that slowed me down was annotating.  I strongly dislike having to stop reading every 45 seconds, get out my pencil, and shove a little sticky note into the book.  It required so much hassle that I would usually lose my place and have to start at the beginning of the page again.  I began simply writing in the book with pencil--I am not looking forward to erasing it all!  I understand that it is important to mark important events in our books for later reference, but it reduces what I absorb during my reading sessions!    I wish there were another way to keep track of certain places in the story without distracting myself and making it impossible to get lost in the Pip's world.