Farewell!

Wow! What a year it has been! I admit, English was a challenge, but boy, was it fun! Although the blogs were a hassle, writing about all those topics really gave me a chance to do some deep thinking. Writing those weekly ongoing pains actually helped me discover myself a little bit more. There is a lot more in-depth significance in doing these weekly assignments than what really appears.
Remember the hectic commotion of starting our blog and remembering our password and URL address? Boy, was that fun to watch (Being the techie myself, it took me only a few minutes to get this thing on the roll)! And look how it’s paid off! Adding my personality into my writing style has been much improved since the beginning, and viewing the comments my friends have made, I have learned how to improve my ideas and techniques in writing (all thanks to da blog!).
Sitting next to the fire writing this blog, I have realized that free writing can steal you away from reality. You can dream awesome things, you can imagine those most amazing places. You think outside the box when you have so much freedom writing. Maybe it wasn't Mrs. Gilman's intention, but blogging really helps you open your mind and discover.
Now that I have gotten super hot, I am reading all my blogs I have posted for my blog. Wow. I'm coming across many with good quality, some with good quantity, and some with not much quality or quantity (let me remind you of my Animal Farm Project). Reading all the posts since September 24, one specific post stood out.
On October 20, I posted "My Earliest Memories". Reading it right now made me stop and think. If I had been a closer friend to Derik, he could have been hanging out at my house the day he died. I could have stopped his death that day. But all I did was lie on my bed, drenched in tears, asking myself why. If I ever get a chance to fix one thing wrong in my life (here goes my imagination again), it would be saving Derik's life.
You might think I'm getting off track from this assignment, but I think I'm straight on. Writing this blog really helps me say what I feel deep inside. Blogging helps me say what I wouldn't normally say in front of other people (I'm actually pretty shy...). I always feel more comfortable when doing blogs. More safe.
Well, I guess I'm gonna wrap up my blog now. My stomach just flipped over. Wrapping up. For the whole year. Aaaahhhhh!!!!! Well, for all the people who actually read my blog, I've had fun! But don't worry! I'll come back; I promise! With newer and fresher blogs that will blow your mind! Oh, just you wait! I'm gonna have a bigger and better blog (and audience)! I swear! Miles's English Blog will have some new bams and whams waiting for you, so just wait! So long, folks! I'll miss you all! Asta lavista! Blog y'all next year! Toodleloo! Bye bye! See ya later, Alligator! (After while, Crocodile!) Farewell! Adieu! Sayonara! Aloha! (I'm pretty sure that means hello and goodbye...) Adios, amigos! So long! Cheerio!


"It well may be that we will never meet again in this lifetime, so let me say before we part: So much of me is made of what I learned from you, you'll be with me like a handprint on my heart. And now whatever ways our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend."
-Wicked The Musical

Essay Writing

Ya right! I'm definitely not an accomplished essayist! I admit, I have learned a thing or two, but "accomplished"? Not likely. I understand the citation stuff and the structure of the essay, but all my essays turn out really choppy and wierd. And usually when I pick a topic to write about, I don't have enough evidence. My (plural of thesis) are really good, but that's only when Mrs. Gilman leads me in the right direction. I think the part I've really got down is the voicing. I think what I would normally say first, and then I copy it on a piece of paper. Voicing really keeps the essay interesting.
Well, my hook kinda sucks. That's probably the thing that will bring me down to a B or lower. But how do you find a hook for the theme of religion being used for the romance in the play? If you got any ideas, please post! I also had some hard times proving my thesis with a lot of evidence. My thesis is really specific, so it's hard to find all the citations that I need for my essay. My title seems really boring. Mrs. Gilman said it sounded very sophisticated, but I just think it's stupid. But, I guess if the teacher says it sounds good, you're gonna get a good grade on that part. I hope Mrs. Gilman doesn't read this. She might change her mind...

Fate and Dreams

I don't much about astrology, so I guess that means I'm stuck with dreams. Well, let me tell you, I have the crazyist dreams when I actually remember them. Did you know, kinda off topic, that you always have dreams when you sleep. It's just when you wake up, you don't remember them! Anyway, a couple weeks ago, I had the strangest dream known to man! I was sitting in my awesome car on the beach. Dont ask me why, just read! And then for some reason, two hippos slowly walk out of the water. Wierd, but in my dream I figured it was kinda normal since hippos swim and all that. But then two zebras come out, then two giraffes, then two elephants! Wierd, huh? Well, I was freaking out! Then two lions come out and instead of just passing my car, they slowly came toward me and tried to get in it. Oh, and by the way, my car door was open. Whoops! And that was the end of my wierd nightmare...
So, even though my dream made no sense whatsoever, I agrre with Romeo. I think dreams and reality are somehow tied together and that dreams are signs for the future. Remember when Romeo had a dream before the party that something bad would happen if he went. And obviously, Romeo and Juliet die at the end. Well, I don't think that's a coinkadink!

Culture Shock

I know this is not everyone's favorite story but I'm gonna compare Romeo and Juliet to Twilight, so I'll make this short and simple. Twilight is a basic Romeo and Juliet with a bit* of vampire in it. Get it? *Bit*? I just made a pun right there! In Twilight, Bella falls in love with Edward, who Bella later finds out is a vampire. Bella and Edward are from two different worlds, and they have to keep their love a secret in order to stay together. Edward risks his life trying to save Bella, just as Romeo risks his life multiple times to see Juliet. The two families are also partially enemies too. Bella's father and the whole town hear rumors about the Cullen family. But the Cullen family accept Bella into their lives instead of despising her as the Montagues and Capulets despise each other.

Summer Reading List!

Although I'm fond of Honors English and the reading we do, I feel as if I don't get to enjoy the modern novels in the world because I'm translating the shakespearean language. I feel as if we should read more modern novels since we aren't living in the Victorian Era! I mean, authors build their stories off of other great novels, but if we don't read their novels, how are we ever going to improve?

I started reading some James Patterson books over Christmas break and I really like the Daniel X series. The story is about this boy called Daniel. Daniel has secret abilities, you could call them "superpowers" if you must, and he uses these powers to exterminate alien assasins that invade Earth and create havoc. Daniel has a list of all the aliens he has to exterminate and the one alien murderer who killed Daniel's parents is number one on the List. And the interesting thing about Daniel is that the reason he doesn't have a last name is because he is an alien himself. I'm waiting for the next book in the series. I've read the first two, The Dangerous Days Of Daniel X, and Daniel X: Watch The Skies. They are really good and I highly recommend it to all those guys who love action books!

If you can't figure it out already, I love action and fantasy books. That's why I'm always dreading reading those boring books in English where the only conflict in the book is romance, class and popularity, or friendship and that sort. One of the books I loooovvvvveeeee has so much action and thrilling mythology in it! I'll give you some clues. It's based on greek mythology, but in modern time. No? What about there are five books in the series and they all tie into one dangerous but exciting conflict. Still haven't got it? Written by Rick Riordan, my favorite books are from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series! It is filled with amazing action with thrilling monsters and the plot makes me almost cry when I just think about it! Don't tell. I've read the series already but I'm still amazed by this series and I ant to read the series again and again and again! The movie sucked though...

I hope you consider reading these two series over the summer. This is high quality stuff I'm talking about, folks! Join in next time for Miles's Blog!

-Miles

Skit Prep

There are a lot of great scenes in Great Expectations, giving me a lot to choose from. If I had to pick three, I would have the scenes be scattered throughout the book, not just all in the same chapter. So, for my first scene I might want the scene where Mrs. Joe beats Pip with Tickler after Pip comes backs home in chapter 2. That scene would be really funny to watch, especially with a 9th grade english class! I would also want to do the "fight" scene where the pale young gentleman challenges Pip. That would be hysterical! To calm things down, I probably would want to do the scene where Estella reveals her engagement to Pip. That scene has a lot of drama in it and would be a unique skit. Well, those are three skits so, farewell! So long! Asta lavista! See ya later! Goodbye! =P

More Questions

So... In chapter 40, Magwitch says"Blast you every one, from the judge in his wig to the colonist a-stirring up the dust, I'll show a better gentleman than the whole kit on you put together!" Well, I know the judge and the colonists he was talking about was from his trial and all that, but I don't understand how that fits in with showing a better gentleman... So, I guess tht's it for today folks! Blog y'all later! Toodleloo!

Book Questions

One thing I really just dont understand is why Joe was scared of Miss Havisham on chapter thirteen. Is it because she's like, filthy rich or is it because her mansion is like dark and creepy?
Also, in chapter 26, Pip is at Mr. Jagger's house and he says"I know what kind of loops I thought they looked like." So... what does that mean?...

Conclusion

In this comedic play, there are different relationships that have an important role in the play. As Jack and Gwendolyn share a genuine relationship, Algernon and Cecily produce an exaggerated connection. A tentative and awkward relationship is used between Miss Prism and Chasuble as well. Evidently, the words expressed by the individual couples unveil the stereotypes of romance in the Victorian Era. Wilde clearly shows that little words have a great meaning in a relationship. Lies are a perfect example. If you state that your name is Jack in the country and Ernest in town, there are likely to be some problems in your love life. Great impacts can be created by small words.

Group Essay: Topic 5

Chasuble and Miss Prism's relationship relates to another stereotypical relationship in the Victorian Era, showing a unique style which uses awkward and childish communication between a high class male/ female relationship. Oscar Wilde relates this exaggerated couple to a couple in the Victorian Era.
Both Chasuble and Miss Prism are tentitive toward each other, but eager to e in a relationship. In Act II, Miss Prism tries to persuade Chasuble to get married. Obviously, Miss Prism is attempting to make a next step into the relationship. This can be similar to a couple in the Victorian Era, but Oscar Wilde greatly exaggerates this style of relationship.
In the play, Miss Prism and Chasuble can end up in awkward conversations. On page 39, Chasuble explains, "Were I fortunate enough to be Miss Prism's pupil, I would hang upon her lips." He takes a deep pause, noticing the awkward silence, and quickly recovers "I spoke metaphorically. My metaphor was drawn from bees." This shows timid and shy communication between the two. This most likely did not occur often in the Victorian Era mainly because relationships were meant for buisness, not so much actual affection.
Although this couple shares a childish communication between each other, they do show some high class in their "classy" diction. "I do not deserve so neologistic a phrase. the precept as well as the practice of the Primitive Church was distintcly against matrimony." Words such as neologistic and precept show that these people are higher class. This was very common in the Victorian Era.

The Importance of Being Earnest/ Victorian Reasearch

The Importance of Being Earnest was written by Oscar Wilde, a man who struggled to survived in the Victorian Era by doing what he did best. Writing. The Victorian Era had much segregation from the social classes. The higher classes frowned upon the lower class and the lower class could never have much contact with the upper ones, creating seperation between the lowere, middle, and upper class. Oscar Wilde came from the lower class, working his way up the social ladder writing plays and poems that excited many people, including the upper class. Similar to the character Jack in Wilde's play, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar began at the lowest class and managed to climb the ladder to the top. There was as little contact between classes, although Lane and Algernon seem to be having a ongoing relationship that is more suitable for similar classes.



Researching the Victorian Era has given me a better understanding between the roles of men and women. Men seemed to be in more control of the relationship and the women were greatly encouraged to marry men who had money and could support a family. It was very typical to marry someone within your class. And similar to Jack and Gwendolyn and Algernon and Cecily, the men will manipulate the women, lying to them to keep a healthy marriage. Ironic, isn't it?