Q2 Week 2 Comments

I commented on Merritt's blog
https://mernaaaaa.blogspot.com/2016/10/human-nature.html?showComment=1477509613950#c7019720019969468850

 I commented on Sydney's blog
https://sydneysenglishonework.blogspot.com/2016/10/human-nature.html?showComment=1477529101091#c414776135608424605

Lord of the Flies Reading Response

The book Lord of  the Flies is about a group of pre-pubescent boys stranded on a possibly unknown island without adult supervision.  The author gives most of the boys on the island a purpose which adds an abstract sense to the story.  This story is written in a third person omniscient perspective letting the reader see what some of the older characters are thinking at the time.  The age mentality of the boys is apparent because of the choices they make when interacting with each other. The writing methods previously mentioned help to create a very enjoyable book.

Lord of the Flies is a book that I would recommend to people who enjoy books with abstract details.  Most of the abstract details are not truly noticed until looked back upon.  Some of these abstract details include the older boys' personas, the island where the story takes place, and the events that take place due to the boys' actions on the island.  An example of an abstract detail would be how Piggy is compared with common sense. Common sense and rational thinking are unappealing, and unfortunately often ignored by others, just like Piggy is mistreated by the other boys.  This particular abstract detail,  along with others, makes a very engaging story.

Lord of the flies Human Nature

  In my opinion, human nature is naturally self-centered.  Starting from birth humans will do what they believe necessary to survive.  The instinct of survival often means making decisions that only benefit one person.  A human's instincts are meant to ensure their survival in the unwelcoming wild.  Humanity's selfishness excludes the need to  protect one's offspring.  

  

My observations of the animal kingdom have to lead me to the belief that humans are selfish.  Whether humans were brought into being by a God or evolved from primates the self-centered need to survive would still have been evident.  I myself am Christian and believe that humans started off as humans who multiplied and throughout the years have fought against each other and nature to survive.  Humans have faced many challenges and while proving the superior species have also shown their selfishness. Most humans attempt to get rid of what they believe poses a threat, even if the threats are other humans.

Q2 Week 1

I commented on Ricky V's blog
   https://rickyenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/10/reading-response.html?showComment=1476923910262#c6937176121145080032

I commented on Megan N's blog
   https://potatogirl101.blogspot.com/2016/10/five-nights-at-freddys.html?showComment=1476924312551#c1405382615583804904

Free Post

    This fall break I didn't accomplish too much besides imprinting my image in my bed.  Everything I did was super chill and mellow because I wasn't in a rush for any reason.  This was by my standards a pretty good change of pace from my usual routine.  I'd stay up late binge watching all the shows I've been missing then I'd sleep  in even later.  Upon waking up I'd eat a bowl of cereal and then lay around some more.

    Every afternoon I'd run including the days that practice wasn't designated with the team so I'd feel less guilty.  All the same though once I return home ; shower, eat, binge, try not to sleep.  This became my routine for all the days except two ; Saturday and Sunday.  That Saturday a friend invited me to the LSU game which was pretty fun in my opinion.  Sunday was my signal to get back to work,  I had to wash, dry and iron my clothes for school in the morning.

Reading Response

    The book I am currently reading is called Selected Poems this book was written by Derek Walcott.  In the book, I'm reading , Selected Poems the author doesn't have a single main character for the whole book.  Unlike most books I've read where there is  a single main group ,instead, there are multiple stories having no connections to the previous ones.  The method of varying stories the author employs in the book Selected Poems is fine by me.  In my opinion, the multi-story method makes the book appealing by keeping things moving instead of staying on a single story.

    Other readers may also find this book appealing because each story has its own meaning.  These meanings within the story add depth and make readers want to concentrate and better understand what they're reading. The different meanings within the stories range from themes to a side-note about everyday life.  The reasons previously stated are what I find entertaining and refreshing about the book Selected Poems.  I encourage other readings to give the book a try even if they are not big fans of poetry.

Comments week 7

I commented on Sophia's blog

  

 https://sophia-english1.blogspot.com/2016/10/q1-week-7.html?showComment=1476394354043#c5606998864806870337

I commented on Caroline's blog

  https://caroline-english1.blogspot.com/2016/10/procrastination-article-response.html?showComment=1476394735785

Comments Week 4

  I commented on Danny Kim's Post

https://english1danny.blogspot.com/2016/09/my-literacy-narrative.html?showComment=1476115313797#c7584121763680623710

  I commented on DJ's blog

https://djsbloge1.blogspot.com/2016/09/dear-11-year-old.html?showComment=1476115854764#c6398068501065023586

Procrastination: Is Your future Self Getting a Bad Deal

  The article "Procrastination: Is Your future Self Getting a Bad Deal?"  by Timothy Pychyl states the idea that procrastination is a lack of concern for our future selves. His conclusion that our future selves take the buck is a first for me.  This article opens my eyes to the fact that passing on the task may be pointless because its completion is inevitable.  The same person, me, will be completing it, which just sets me up for loss of time in the future.  My future self may or may not have things on his plate by the time he gets around to doing the task.

  I tend to procrastinate on a daily basis usually not thinking about the possible consequences.  My procrastinations usually are a result of my boredom at the moment.  Usually, I don't try to avoid procrastination because most of the time I'll remember to finish what I had started.  There is always the chance that I will  forget about a problem altogether.  By the time I finally remember a problem it's usually because I'm being scolded.

Comments Week 6

I commented on Sophia's blog

https://sophia-english1.blogspot.com/2016/10/free-response-week-6.html?showComment=1475801333711#c2471044837408484948

I commented on Gautam's blog

https://gautamenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/10/reading-response.html?showComment=1475801576947#c4094480103835358009

Reclamation period.2

  In the midst of all the animals was an alpha gray wolf known as Ian'.  His silver coat glistened from the dew that the grass had passed on to it.  He was who the other animals looked to for instructions because he was the leader of his pack.  In time the animals of prey came to respect his methods of getting things done.  A feat he was known for was adjusting the food chain to support all of the animals.

 
  Instead of eating animals of prey he instructed the members of his pack to attempt to open the humans' processed meats.  Upon success, they soon discovered they had a large supply of food for the carnivores.  The change was hard, but within time they all adjusted for the sake of peace. Earlier they had noticed the absence of trees, and this wouldn't normally be a problem for the animals.  Except, in this case, only humans could cut down trees. This indicates the presence of humans and it was now clear they had returned.

Michael Cunningham Specimen Days A Novel

   In the book, Specimen Days the author uses a book composition new to me.  He divides the book into three different stories.  Each story takes place in a different time period but encompasses three similar characters.  A young boy named Luke, an older man named Simon, and a woman called Cat  go about their lives throughout the decaying worlds of each story.  Simon and Cat are seen as a couple in all the versions, and Luke is the boy they take care of.
 
   This writing method allows the reader to see the characters from different perspectives. This makes the book interesting in the long run because each character's role changes in each of the three stories.  The author's style prevents the characters and their choices from getting repetitive and annoying.  The author's use of vivid details gives readers a rich set of mental images.  These features are what made the book an enjoyable choice for me.