bold.

Bold? "Not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring"? How many of us can really say that we are truly bold? I sure can't. That's why for my one little word in English I chose the word bold. Maybe if I can think about it, see it, I will eventually feel and live it.
Mrs. Elliott told us in class that once an idea, or in this case a word, stands out in your mind, it starts to stand out everywhere you go. And while I was expecting to eventually  begin to recognize it in random places, I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon. Coincidentally, I am reading Jane Eyre in class, which from cover to cover is a story of a truly bold woman considering her time period. Jane didn't listen to what was socially correct or succumb to selfishness, but was led by her own intellectual mind, singling her out from the rest of the women in her time.
Bold. After reading this novel, the word doesn't seem so crazy or rebellious. Boldness is really just being able to follow your own mind even if what you want isn't socially correct. I accept the challenge. :)
-Sapir L.

Lasers

March 8th is coming soon, which means Lupe Fiasco's new album, Lasers, is just around the corner. In my excitement of this new album, I recalled to mind my friend saying "Instead of analyzing poems in class, we should analyze Lupe's lyrics." I, first, reminded him that lyrics are, in fact, lyrical poems, then I began to wonder how well I'd be able to analyze the lyrics I hear playing from my iPod almost everyday. Surprisingly enough, there were many metaphorical comparisons and satirical references in his lyrics. His song "American Terrorist" is a satirical song exploiting all of the corrupt and "shady" acts that we Americans have committed in order to achieve our current status and all of the acts we tend to repeat today. "Go to Sleep," another song of Lupe's, refers to sleep as the "cousin of death" which draws a connection between the two. In addition to his unique, one of a kind style in his raps, he has also been able to add depth and meaning into his songs, which is something that many of today's rappers/lyricists seem to ignore and exclude from their works.


- Nick B.

Analysis and Comparision

"The Solitary Reaper"
"Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang
As if her song could have no ending,
I saw her singing at her work
And o'er the sickle bending i-,
I listened, motionless and still;
And,as I mounted up the hill
The music in my heart I bare,
Long after it was heard no more."

First off, if you did not read this eight-line poem it is by Wordsworth written in 1805 in the form of the author addressing the reader about a young woman who is singing while she is working. The author is explaining the song and valley and guessing why she might be singing because it is either in a different language or the author does not understand.
While reading this nineteenth century poem I produced a connection between this Maiden and Tess from Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Both of these protagonists are very similar in physical and mental aspects. They are young women stuck in a society that is prejudice against them because of their beauty, positive outlook, and folkways, which are informal mores although they are not strictly enforced or put into law they are characterized through imitation and social pressure. Although this causes these women depression and oppression, they are still optomistic. Among other attributes both Tess's family and town and the Maiden's author do not understand why these young women are still happy while they are working. The women are laughed at yet keep working in the fields particularly happy due to the less than decent circumstances, Tess being pregnant and the Maiden reaping.
Although these works of literature are simliar in characters and authors, they are also very different. This poem presents a possible transcendentalistic and feminist view that is a very inspirational work. Wordsworth, though questioning the maiden, still has a positive look on the Maiden and admires her beauty, strength, and voice; while Tess's society frowned upon others' beauty due to jealousy.

If I missed anything please comment :) 

Depressed Much?

I know it is not my week to post, but I can not stop thinking about Tess. Yes, I sound a little bit like nerd and overachiever, but wow! Women during the nineteenth century were incredible. They took garantuan mental and physical abuse by that of having to deal with unfair treatments,unjust political situations, and becoming prostitutes like Melia in 'The Ruined Maid'. Any women before the ratification of the nineteenth amendment who went through such tramatic events of rape, neglect, and unequal rights must have gone through some difficult times... good thing things have changed. Reading this novel and the in class poems have really enlightened me that womens suffrage still has not really be achieved;although I am not complaining I do not want to be forced to enroll in the army when I am 18, but you still see women being controlled by their husbands, not being able to prosicute the people who rape them, having to sell their body's to make end's meet, and not having equal rights as men(even though the constitution states everyone has equal rights and the federal government can not deny anyone's right to vote based on sex). I admit women's contributions to the world and how they are viewed has dramatically changed, yet of miniscule advantage. Alot of what is going on today is parallel to an author's character in the nineteenth century. I'm sorry, but it is still somewhat rediculous and depressing.

But overall good book.
-Vaness C.

Off Balance

       Today supposedly, is Senior Ditch Day.  What is interesting is that many seniors look forward to some kind of ‘ditch day’ to go hang out with friends and be excited about missing school.  Quite honestly, I don’t blame the seniors who ditch.  Don’t get me wrong, people shouldn’t be ditching school, it’s illegal and we are supposed to be there, but as we all keep saying: this is it.  We have five months until we are allowed to do whatever we want to, but now the pressure is on.  Many of us are still taking many AP classes while working on college applications, scholarship applications, along with homework.  We need some time to relax, to chill out, a balance of sorts.  In class, we are talking about what one little word we will focus on this year, to incorporate more into our lives and writing, and I picked balance.  Not just because this year, the last, balance in school and social lives is needed, but also because as everything changes, balance is going to be even more crucial.  To learn how to balance college work, a job, and balancing salads with deserts in the college cafeteria.  I don’t think it’s so bad to have to take a break from the insanity of this year, but only to step back for a moment, to enjoy the last five months, to find a little balance.  After all, don’t we all have to find some balance in life to be happy?

Emily S.