Title: Harrison Bergeron
Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Date: 10/16/08
Prereading: What is equality?
--> My belief: equality is when all people are treated equal and have the same oppoturnities no matter what race, gender, belief, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, or their history. Equality will never be reached because mankind is jealous and envious as a whole. Equality is what we should always be striving for, something to better ourselves and the world as much as possible.
--> Class list: -lack of discrimination for nay reason other than the reasons you bring upon yourself
-equal chances and opportunities for everyone
-no prejudice and everything is uniform
-treatment based solely on personal character
-no one above or below anyone else in society
-communism
-all people are treated equal and everyone has the same opportunities
-same rights and same treatment
-everyone gets the same respect
Summary/Reaction: Its far in the future and the U.S. has created a Communistic Government designed so no one gets their feelings hurt and no is more intelligent than anyone else. It is designed so no one can achieve more than others and no one will then therefore ever feel jealous because they are not as good as that other person. Hazel and George Bergeron had a 14 year old son named Harrison that was taken away and put in jail because he was dangerous. Harrison could not put to any limits no matter how many handicaps they put on him. The Handicapper General weighed him down with 300 pounds of lead balls he had to carry all the time, a buzzer that made noise every 20 seconds to ensure he never had any thoughts stay with him, and glsases that made him half blind and gave him horrible headaches. George and Hazels televison dance show was interupted by a news report that Harrison had escaped from jail and he was dangerous. Harrison was at this dance studio and told everyone that he was the emperor and he was going to become what he could potentially become. He then took off all his handicaps and choose an emperess, the prettiest and leanest dancer there. They had musicans play real music and danceed gracefully across the stage. Then the Handicapper General came in and shot them both dead, the spot. She gave the musicians 10 seconds to put their handicaps back on or to die. Then the television went black and George got a huge gun shot sound in his ear. Hazel was crying but couldn't remember, and George was trying to recover from the recent loud noise. One of the greatest things their country had seen in ages had just occured, and neither even remember what they saw.
Questions:
- If the society is equal, how is it that the government controlled the equality?
- Why is it that if you want equality do you focuz on outside characteristics?
Quotes:
- "And she had to apologize at once for her voice, which was a very unfair voice for a woman to use." p. 23 This demonstrates that it is drilled in all of the peoples minds that you can not stand out and that you have to make yourself stupidier, or uglier or average so no one gets hurt or feels bad.
- "The music began. It was normal at first—cheap, silly, false." p. 25 This shows that when the musicians had their handicaps everything was boring and nothing differed from each other. It also displays that if they know the difference between good and bad music then something must be better and that is not equal as intended.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Quotation Sandwich - 2
2. Claim: In the middle of the story, Tom concludes that if he was to die, no one would evre know who he was or what happened to him. Ironicly, this is the exact opposite he was trying to do by retreiving this paper and creating this magnificint project.
Quote: "He understood fully that he might actually be going to die; his arms, maintaing his balance ont he ledge, were trembling steadily now. And it occured to him then with all the force of a revelation that, if he fell, all he was ever going to have out of life he would then abruptly have had." p. 18
Commentary: This realization of Tom's displays that if he was to die right then by falling off the ledge, no one would ever know what happened to him, because he had nothing to prove who he was. No one would ever remember him after his death and this is precisely what he was making an effort to stop from happening. Tom wanted to be remembered and known by as many people as possible.
Quote: "He understood fully that he might actually be going to die; his arms, maintaing his balance ont he ledge, were trembling steadily now. And it occured to him then with all the force of a revelation that, if he fell, all he was ever going to have out of life he would then abruptly have had." p. 18
Commentary: This realization of Tom's displays that if he was to die right then by falling off the ledge, no one would ever know what happened to him, because he had nothing to prove who he was. No one would ever remember him after his death and this is precisely what he was making an effort to stop from happening. Tom wanted to be remembered and known by as many people as possible.
Quotation Sandwich - 1
1. Claim: In this initial pages of htis short story, Tom Benecke's avarcious nature drives him to follow the yellow sheet of paper on the ledge of his apartment.
Quote: "They were the way to change from a name on the payroll to a name in the minds of the company officials. They were the beginning of the long, long clumb to where he was determined to be, at the very top. And he knew he was going out there in the darkness, after the yellow sheet fifteen geet beyond his reach." p. 9
Commentary: Tom's impulse to go retrieve this yellow paper is driven by his want to be promoted and rise his way to the top of the company he works at. By this paper eating up 2 months of his time it shows that hes doesn't care how long and time consuming it may take all he wants in the end is to be known and to have the money to prove it.
Quote: "They were the way to change from a name on the payroll to a name in the minds of the company officials. They were the beginning of the long, long clumb to where he was determined to be, at the very top. And he knew he was going out there in the darkness, after the yellow sheet fifteen geet beyond his reach." p. 9
Commentary: Tom's impulse to go retrieve this yellow paper is driven by his want to be promoted and rise his way to the top of the company he works at. By this paper eating up 2 months of his time it shows that hes doesn't care how long and time consuming it may take all he wants in the end is to be known and to have the money to prove it.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Contents of A Dead Mans Pocket - Plot Line
Exposition:
Tom describing the Yellow paper, himself, his apartment, his job, and his wife are all apart of the introduction. The conflict begins when he opens the window and explains what he intends to complete that night with the information on the paper.
Rising Action:
Tom's wife Claire leaves for a double feature at the movies.
His yellow paper flies out the window.
Tom mentally complains to himself about losing 2 months of hard work for all the information on that paper.
He runs on impulse and climbs out the window to retrieve his paper.
Tom gets to the corner of the ledge where the paper is and pick it up. He also accidently looks down and sees the street hundreds of feet below him.
Tom is frozen from fear and panic because of the realize of what he's doing up there.
He slowly talks himself in to gradually getting back to the window.
On the way to the window Tom realizes that he truly could die up there.
He also realizes how much time he's wasted on other things instead of being with his wife and doing the things he loves with her.
Tom tries to pull open the window but is unsuccessful.
Tom, then slips and is barely hanging on to the ledge now.
He shakely pulls himself up onto the ledge once more.
He clenches his fist and swings to break the window.
Climax:
Tom gets into the apart by breaking through the window.
Falling action:
Tom gets up from the floor right away and sets the yellow paper on the desk.
He then gets his coat on and leaves to go join Claire at the movies.
Conclusion:
The pen slips off the yellow paper and it flies out the window anyways.
Tom describing the Yellow paper, himself, his apartment, his job, and his wife are all apart of the introduction. The conflict begins when he opens the window and explains what he intends to complete that night with the information on the paper.
Rising Action:
Tom's wife Claire leaves for a double feature at the movies.
His yellow paper flies out the window.
Tom mentally complains to himself about losing 2 months of hard work for all the information on that paper.
He runs on impulse and climbs out the window to retrieve his paper.
Tom gets to the corner of the ledge where the paper is and pick it up. He also accidently looks down and sees the street hundreds of feet below him.
Tom is frozen from fear and panic because of the realize of what he's doing up there.
He slowly talks himself in to gradually getting back to the window.
On the way to the window Tom realizes that he truly could die up there.
He also realizes how much time he's wasted on other things instead of being with his wife and doing the things he loves with her.
Tom tries to pull open the window but is unsuccessful.
Tom, then slips and is barely hanging on to the ledge now.
He shakely pulls himself up onto the ledge once more.
He clenches his fist and swings to break the window.
Climax:
Tom gets into the apart by breaking through the window.
Falling action:
Tom gets up from the floor right away and sets the yellow paper on the desk.
He then gets his coat on and leaves to go join Claire at the movies.
Conclusion:
The pen slips off the yellow paper and it flies out the window anyways.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Contents of A Dead Mans Pocket
Title of Selection: Contents of A Dead Mans Pocket
Author: Jack Finney
Date Read: October 8, 2008
Pre-reading: List top 5 priorities in my life
- Family
- Friends
- School
- Volleyball
- God
Plot/Reaction: [Summary of story, short and sweet]
-In the beginning of the story, the main character, Tom, says goodbye to his wife as she leaves for a double-feature movie. He is going to stay home and work on a project that he thinks could hopefully somehow promote him and get him a raise at his job. This paper has months and hours of studying and hard work put into it; if it was to be lost theres no way he could do it over because the timing of presenting the finished product would not be there. Then the paper gets blown out the window and it gets hooked to the corner of the outter ledge of the apartment building. He decides his paper is worth too much to let it go and redo it, even though he knows its crazy to climb out the ledge of the apartment building. Tom talks himself into getting out the window and on the ledge of his 11th floor apartment outter wall. While slowing stuttering his way to the edge where his paper lie, he realizes that the bricks aren't as thick as he thought they were. Tom gets to the corner and gets his paper. He finally sees the street below him and panics, hes on the ledge of the 11th floor of his apartment building. Finally he talks himself into getting himself back into his warm apartment. When he gets to the window, its not opened enough. He tries throwing his coins and things inside of his pocket to get the attention of people below him but no one realizes where it comes from. He tries breaking the window by tapping it. Tom figures out the only way is to either let go, and have no one know who he is because his wallet with everything is inside on his bed, or crash himself into his window. Tim pelts himself into his window and breaks the glass. All of that crazy nonsense for a paper. He gets up from the floor and sets the yellow paper on his desk. Tom then goes to join his wife at the movies.
Questions: what dont you understand?/what doesnt make sense
-What exactly is the on the paper that is so important to this project he wants to complete that night?
-What is his wifes reaction when she finds out he broke the window and was out on the ledge of their apartment building for a paper with such contents?
Significant Quotes: page number and explain quote
- "He waited, arm drawn back, fist balled, but in no hurry to strike; this pause, he knew, might be an extension of his life. And to live even a few seconds longer, he felt, even out here on this ledge in the night, was infinitely better than to die a moment earlier than he had to." p. 19
This quote shows how much Tom changed by being in a life threatening situation. Before he went out on the ledge, risking his life to get this paper didn't even matter because that paper was his whole life. By realizing how much he would lose by falling off and letting go of the ledge and splattering onto the ground, this is where he changed in his being.
-"In the back of his mind he knew he'd better hurry and get this over with before he thought to omuhc, sand at the window he dind't allow himself to hesitate." p. 10
This quote displays that even before Tom went out the window onto the ledge to get this paper he knew it was a stupid idea. He knew that the only way he would be able to successfully go through with this is if he did it on impulse and not by thinking about it like he should.
Author: Jack Finney
Date Read: October 8, 2008
Pre-reading: List top 5 priorities in my life
- Family
- Friends
- School
- Volleyball
- God
Plot/Reaction: [Summary of story, short and sweet]
-In the beginning of the story, the main character, Tom, says goodbye to his wife as she leaves for a double-feature movie. He is going to stay home and work on a project that he thinks could hopefully somehow promote him and get him a raise at his job. This paper has months and hours of studying and hard work put into it; if it was to be lost theres no way he could do it over because the timing of presenting the finished product would not be there. Then the paper gets blown out the window and it gets hooked to the corner of the outter ledge of the apartment building. He decides his paper is worth too much to let it go and redo it, even though he knows its crazy to climb out the ledge of the apartment building. Tom talks himself into getting out the window and on the ledge of his 11th floor apartment outter wall. While slowing stuttering his way to the edge where his paper lie, he realizes that the bricks aren't as thick as he thought they were. Tom gets to the corner and gets his paper. He finally sees the street below him and panics, hes on the ledge of the 11th floor of his apartment building. Finally he talks himself into getting himself back into his warm apartment. When he gets to the window, its not opened enough. He tries throwing his coins and things inside of his pocket to get the attention of people below him but no one realizes where it comes from. He tries breaking the window by tapping it. Tom figures out the only way is to either let go, and have no one know who he is because his wallet with everything is inside on his bed, or crash himself into his window. Tim pelts himself into his window and breaks the glass. All of that crazy nonsense for a paper. He gets up from the floor and sets the yellow paper on his desk. Tom then goes to join his wife at the movies.
Questions: what dont you understand?/what doesnt make sense
-What exactly is the on the paper that is so important to this project he wants to complete that night?
-What is his wifes reaction when she finds out he broke the window and was out on the ledge of their apartment building for a paper with such contents?
Significant Quotes: page number and explain quote
- "He waited, arm drawn back, fist balled, but in no hurry to strike; this pause, he knew, might be an extension of his life. And to live even a few seconds longer, he felt, even out here on this ledge in the night, was infinitely better than to die a moment earlier than he had to." p. 19
This quote shows how much Tom changed by being in a life threatening situation. Before he went out on the ledge, risking his life to get this paper didn't even matter because that paper was his whole life. By realizing how much he would lose by falling off and letting go of the ledge and splattering onto the ground, this is where he changed in his being.
-"In the back of his mind he knew he'd better hurry and get this over with before he thought to omuhc, sand at the window he dind't allow himself to hesitate." p. 10
This quote displays that even before Tom went out the window onto the ledge to get this paper he knew it was a stupid idea. He knew that the only way he would be able to successfully go through with this is if he did it on impulse and not by thinking about it like he should.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
showing statements
Telling Statement : It was really hard.
Showing Statement : My brain was oozing of pus from so much usage. I had never thought so hard in my life. You could wring out my brain like a sweat towel and it would fill a gallon jug of milk. I had not done anything in my life that had ever been so difficult to complete.
Telling Statement : I liked it alot.
Showing Statement : "This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me!", I said to my friend. "I knew you would be overjoyed when you saw it. I'm relaly glad.", she replied. "I can't believe how spectacular this looks. It really is the the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I love this more than anything!", I replied in excitement.
Showing Statement : My brain was oozing of pus from so much usage. I had never thought so hard in my life. You could wring out my brain like a sweat towel and it would fill a gallon jug of milk. I had not done anything in my life that had ever been so difficult to complete.
Telling Statement : I liked it alot.
Showing Statement : "This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me!", I said to my friend. "I knew you would be overjoyed when you saw it. I'm relaly glad.", she replied. "I can't believe how spectacular this looks. It really is the the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I love this more than anything!", I replied in excitement.
Friday, September 12, 2008
specific life experiences
3 months - adopted :) :) :)
1 yrs old- getting tubes put in my ears because of my chronic ear infections.
2 yrs old-
3 yrs old- obbsessed with Barbies and pink.
4 yrs old- getting tested to go to Kindergarten
5 yrs old- Kindergarten Graduation
1st grade- pretty much dying at soccer practice with hope.
2nd grade- may crowning
3rd grade- making a club house in the summer
4th grade- stations of the cross
5th grade- pillow fight at recess
6th grade- first middle school dance!
7th grade- erin hitting me in the face with tetherball
8th grade- graduation
9th grade- my 5 year old fish died!!!!!!!!!!!
summer of 2008- PARIS! Le Tour Effiel
1 yrs old- getting tubes put in my ears because of my chronic ear infections.
2 yrs old-
3 yrs old- obbsessed with Barbies and pink.
4 yrs old- getting tested to go to Kindergarten
5 yrs old- Kindergarten Graduation
1st grade- pretty much dying at soccer practice with hope.
2nd grade- may crowning
3rd grade- making a club house in the summer
4th grade- stations of the cross
5th grade- pillow fight at recess
6th grade- first middle school dance!
7th grade- erin hitting me in the face with tetherball
8th grade- graduation
9th grade- my 5 year old fish died!!!!!!!!!!!
summer of 2008- PARIS! Le Tour Effiel
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