I am finally finished with high school. I still have to attend graduation though and earn my diploma.

LOTF Act.3

Create 10 interesting “what if” questions, and answer one of them. 1). What if Jack asked Piggy for his specs rather then take it without permission to build a fire for his group? Piggy would have given Jack the specs and Jack may have been more positive to Piggy. 2). What if Jack and the big kids stayed with Ralph’s group in the first place, and not run off on their own? 3). They would have been able to gain survival and look more like civilized boys rather then beasts. 4). What if the setting of the book was in a desert? 5). What if all the characters in the book were woman, would they act the same way as the boys? 6). What if there was not a boar on the island, would a boy be sacrificed and turned into the lord of the flies? 7). What if a character did not wear glasses, how would the children make a fire instead? 8). What if the island had no tree-like landscapes, how would the boys make a dwelling to keep them safe? 9). What if forces of Mother Nature attacked the island, how would the children hide from it. 10). What if this was all a dream? Would these boys still be at school or at home?

Letter to Golding

Mr. William Golding, The novel you wrote called Lord of the Flies, deals with how nature is fundamentally bad to the schoolboys who are stranded on an island that is inhabited by what the boys call as the beast and a boar roaming on the island. As the book progresses to this point, I can see that the children are beginning to gain animal-like characteristics. Since the boys are all alone without any adults giving them a direction to how to live, they have trouble cooperating to work together and bring something useful to everyone. Jack starts a fire using Piggy’s specs and the schoolboys do not keep an eye on the fire. Without using proper judgment, the fire burns down a tree. When Piggy tries to get the group together, nobody listens to him but Ralph, Sam, Eric, and the littluns. No one listens to him because he is plump. When Jack states that Ralph should not be a leader anymore, Jack asks the others to vote him out. No one listens to Jack, so Jack and the other kids leave Ralph’s group and form their own organization. The schoolboys do not cooperate, so survival for everyone is complicated. When the boys are fighting with each other, they begin to act like animals. Animals do not have class, but humans don’t if their behavior is juvenile. Humans have class if they know the right from the wrong. If the schoolboys want to gain survival, they need to work together in order to support each other. Sincerely, Mr. Matthew Yang

INDEPENDENT READING BLOG

In the novel, Lord of the Flies, the setting is taken place on an island filled with British schoolboys. It matters because the story starts off during the war, and a plane is shot down carrying these boys and it lands into the ocean. The setting affects the characters because they need to gain survival on their own. The characters of the story are Piggy, Ralph, Jack, Simon, Sam and Eric, Littluns, Roger, and the pilot of the plane. The pilot went to a nearby rock and jumped into the water, committing suicide. I like Piggy, Ralph, Sam and Eric and the littlluns. I do not like Jack, Roger, or Simon. Currently, Ralph was declared leader of the children and Piggy as his assistant who carries the conch. Jack, however does not like the way Ralph rules, so he, Roger, and the other older kids form their own group and begin to look like kids without any manners. On the other hand, Simon, I feel is this really weird kid of the group. I anticipate that Jack is going to be brutal to the kids who follow him, just like the way he talks to Ralph and Piggy. They will be significant to the story because currently they need each other in order to survive.

So, the schoolboys land on this deserted island after their plane gets shot down during the war. The boys find different alternatives to survive. Ralph is made leader by the group and is accompanied by Piggy, who holds the conch. The conch is used for anyone who wishes to speak. They make homes using palm trees and a fire with Piggy’s specs. The fire is made, but it goes out of control when none of the boys keep an eye on it. In Chapter 4, Jack and Ralph have a fight. Jack leaves Ralph’s group and begins to form his own with the older kids. Ralph continues to rule with Piggy, Sam, Eric, and the littluns. I see that a brutal war will begin between the two groups. Technically, there are actually multiple people narrating the story. In some portions of the story, the author is talking, and then in other parts, Piggy or Ralph is speaking. I feel that the point of view is omniscient. The narrator does not have a distinct personality.

The narrator's voice is different from the voices of the characters. The narrators, William Golding, Piggy, and Ralph. Golding uses a strong language throughout the book when mentioning a specific situation. Ralph also uses a strong tone towards the characters since he is the leader of his group. Golding and Ralph both use strong language in the book. The other characters have a decreased tone when talking to each other. The littluns are extremely shy towards the situation because of their age group and also the advanced content that Jack and the other characters share. The littluns like to make sandcastles on the beach or play. The style and language affect the way I perceive the characters, narrator, and the events of the story because each person who speaks has a different understanding towards each other.

The fire made by the children, the conch, and the painted faces are things that I have seen so far as symbolic. The fire is symbolic because it provides the only light during the night to get around the island and to lessen the fears that the children have. The conch signifies leadership because in order for a person to speak, they must hold the conch in their hand. The painted faces show uncivilized behavior. The images so far that gives me a specific picture are the painted faces. I sense that some of the people are becoming savages, and those people are part of the group led by Jack. I see that the story is showing a greater theme also known as not being civilized in any way. Since the story is about children stranded on a deserted island, children feel that it okay to get all crazy and wild. There would not be anyone telling them what to do or wear.

Blog 19

I feel that the session I did fulfilled my expectations, but the session that my group was assigned to do, did not. The other sessions completed by my fellow students met the requirements that I thought were necessarily important. The activities that they chose focused mostly on the feelings of my class and me. I feel that my participation in my classmate’s session is at the top. I was able to fully understand the stories that they were given to do and the activities they used to apply what they learned from to us. The reason is because I read the stories before the presentation, so that I can get a better idea of what their presentation will be discussed about. I feel that I can re-use what I learned in order to explain the themes, point of view, tone and style in order to relate to this work of fiction. The things that my classmates included touched up on the necessary elements of literature that were required by our instructor. The way my friends demonstrated their understanding of the stories, allowed me to focus on the point of view and tone of how the stories are written. Each story had a different point of view as well as tone. When my friend presented the stories: “Stockings”, “Style”, and “Nightlife” or “The Man I Killed”, “Ambush”, and “Good Form”, they asked us to tell a story about what would it be like if we were in these character’s shoes as well as the meaning of survival. Another point is that the other students questioned our mind, about any memories that we thought were heroic or horrific just like the Vietnam War. That is how I am able to apply these comments to a more in-depth discussion of the stories in “The Things They Carried. “

Pre-Essay Prompt

I am going to write about the stories “Speaking of Courage” and “Notes”. The theme I will discuss is Courage vs. Cowardice. The elements I would use are character, setting, plot, symbol, and theme. The setting I would use is the sewage field in the war and the lake that he drives around several times. The character I would use is Norman Bowker because he shows both courage and cowardice. The field swallows Kiowa literally. The plot I would choose is the flashback at the Sewage field and the lake. The symbol is the lake (war) and sewage field (death of men).

Group 5 Blog 1

I would take the respected route of Dobbins. I would respect the person who was horrified by a situation that he or she was in. If someone would to taunt them, I would tell them to stop, and if they refused, I would just eat them up. Eating them up is really a figurative language meaning that I would beat that person up.

The Field

Explain the importance of the field. How would you feel if your dad brought back to an important memory?

The importance of the field was the place where the men who was led by Jimmy Cross went to fight. The field represents several themes and symbols. The field trip revolves around the narrator and his daughter. His daughter is unfamiliar with the background and its location. Her father explains to his daughter about the field and what it was like about 20 years ago. The field was the place where Kiowa, a man of the team was killed. The field is filled with mud, sewage, and mortars. Bowker is a coward because he was unable to save Kiowa in the sewage field because of the horrible stench and the things that are in it. And again, Tim O Brien made the story up. If my dad were to bring back an important memory, I would feel regretful towards the memory.

Group 2

How would I feel if I killed someone?

I would feel horrified about the situation and I would have a difficult time overcoming it. I would also plan on committing suicide to not suffer from guilt and karma.

I would just tell the truth because guilt and lies will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life.

Group_1 Blog

Vietnam

Seeing Vietnam as a war zone during the 1970s.
Violent.
Courage is shown.
Soldiers do not leave their soldiers behind.

Vietnam Tourist

A place filled with a tourist zone.
Exciting, full of shopping opportunities
Citizens ride their mopeds or bikes across town.

Blog 18

1. Create a strategy and a plan of action for how you will relate your session to the first,
second, and third.

2. Why is the story called “Speaking of Courage?” (Consider that the title could be both
ironic and not ironic).

The story is called “Speaking of Courage because the following story revolves around Norman Bowker who had just recently came home from the war. Bowker shows his father that he received seven medals, but Bowker’s mind is troubling himself. Bowker comes home with nothing to do. All he does is sit in his father’s Chevy, ride in it for 12 revolutions around the lake, and think about himself being a coward rather than courageous. The revelation around the lake is a metaphor referred to fighting in circles during the war. In the war, he shows that he is courageous by hearing Kiowa’s scream, but he is unable to save him because if he does, he will also sacrifice himself and the stench coming from the field haunts him. If he sacrificed himself to save his friend and faced his fears, he might have been honored with the Silver Star. The title of the story is ironic because if someone has the courage to do something, they will do it. The irony is that if the situation is life threatening, the person may have the courage to go to it, but the sissy ness behind this is to ignore the situation and run away from it. Speaking is difficult to Bowker. He has a hard time talking to his girlfriend and his father. He talks to the intercom at Mama Burger, which is in his fantasy life.

3. Describe the narrator’s (not Bowker’s) transition from military to civilian life.

The narrator does transition from military to civilian life. The narrator returns to civilian life by moving from Vietnam to graduate school at Harvard. The way he tells the story of the war is by getting the attention of the people. He says that he got himself into this mess and the mistakes he has made. Since the war has several memories and life, the narrator has a hard time overcoming what happens during the war.

4). Like other male characters in the novel, Norman Bowker develops an active fantasy
life. Why does he need fantasy? Is his fantasy life different in any way from the real
one?

In the novel, Norman Bowker develops an active fantasy life by talking to the intercom at Mama Burger. He needs fantasy because he has no one to talk to. His is unable to communicate with his girlfriend as well as his father. His fantasy life is different from the real one because in the real one, he has no one to communicate with.
Later, he hangs himself with a jump rope at the Y.

5. How do these two stories show us the way that fiction relates to real life?

These two stories show us the way that fiction relates to real life by the fiction of the lies that tell the truth. O’ Brien uses several metaphoric quotes throughout the book, including these two stories. The historical background about the war does not reveal the truth as much as how the characters experiences during war in Vietnam. In the last line of “Notes”, Tim O’ Brien says “Norman did not experience failure of nerve that night. He did not freeze up or lose the Silver Star for valor. That part of the story is my own.” This means that the author made up this story meaning that Norman letting go of Kiowa is false.

6. Why does Norman not try to relate to anyone? Why does his father not engage? How
do you understand Norman’s action, all the way to the end?

Norman does not try to relate to anyone because they will not understand the traumatic experience in war at Vietnam. He father does not engage because his son Bowker feels pressured by him that he needs to win medals during the battle. I understand Norman’s actions. The fact that he will not talk about his war experience to anyone, he tries to talk through the author, which turns out to be a failure. At the end, Bowker dies.

7. Do medals matter – in military and/or civilian life? For whom, why, and how?

For Norman Bowker, the medals were really important because his dad pressured him into one thing, which was bringing a lot of medals after the war. After his experience in the war at Vietnam, he realized there were many solders that got medals without doing any important. Bowker mentioned that "..many brave men do not win medals for their bravery, and that others win medals for doing nothing. "

8. Describe the evolution of Norman Bowker's character. (Consider how he was
introduced in the beginning of the book.) Explore the reasons why O'Brien might have
chosen to change his narrative stance in “Speaking of Courage.”

In the beginning of the book, Norman is considered to be a gentle soldier who carries a thumb that was given by Mitchell Sanders and a diary. Later, he feels pressured by his father to win medals in Vietnam. Once he leaves war and heads home, he is unable to communicate with his father or his ex-girlfriend because they will not understand the harrowing experience that Bowker has been though while fighting in Vietnam. Eventually, he commits suicide at the Y with a jump rope.

9. How does “Notes” expand the reader’s understanding of “Speaking of Courage”?

In this account, Bowker has the failure of nerve. He does not save Kiowa, even though he could have. The title makes the story “Speaking of Courage” more ambiguous. Bowker does not believe that he is as courageous as he turns out to be. The revolutions around the lake relate to the boredom that Bowker feels relating to the death of Kiowa.

10. Have things changed since the Vietnam War? Are there similar (or different) stories about the war we are fighting in Afghanistan or the one we recently ended in Iraq?

All of the wars are very similar. The only thing is that we might have gotten new weapons or new military, but the human feelings are still the same. A lot of people died during the war at a specific cost. All of the wars has been influenced by the government and nowadays the people are realizing that the war is unworthy anymore.

11. What kind of multi‐media, documents, and sources can you use to make your
presentation a solid, coherent, in‐depth, and challenging? Keep in mind that you have to
use the book, no matter what.

My group could design a short assessment in a Power point presentation. I would have the audience write the answer to the question provided on the slideshow. Then, I will collect the papers and hear my audiences’ responses. Once, the audience responds, I will listen to their comments towards the question provided by my group.

12. How will you ensure that the audience participates attentively throughout?
To ensure that the audience participates attentively throughout my group’s presentation is to have all the students be separated from their friends facing me with their laptops put away and their cell phones on the teacher’s desk. Another thing, I will do is randomly call on people to answer questions, so that I know that they are focused and paying attention. If they are unable to answer my questions, I will put them closer to me. These choices I feel should ensure that my audience participates attentively during the presentation.


13. Do you want to assign a blog or homework (to be done in advance or after your session)?

I want to assign a blog or homework to be done in advance or after my group’s session. Even though, the students may have been focused throughout the situation, I would still like my classmates to understand the chosen sections better. If they are able to utilize this activity, the possible assessment may be a breeze to them.

"March 2007 flyingsnail.com Archive."News & Views for Remnants of Paradise, Tell-A-Vision: Why Not Try Love Again?. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. .





I would like to see my session proceed by having each of my fellow students that are part of the audience to complete my activities at the best of their ability. As the activity begins, the students will not be allowed to use the book, sparknotes, shmoop, or any other resources that can be used as an advantage to get the answers. The activities that my group should ask the rest of the students to do is complete the activity at the best of their ability to ensure their knowledge of knowing the material by heart. These activities will help the students to think about the questions that my group has tried to answer by whether they know the stories or not. It will also determine if they used reading resources rather than the novel to unravel the answers to their personal questions. In order to make the students accountable for my lesson is to be prepared upon the fact of knowing the two listed stories at the full extent. They should be able to understand the main idea, supporting details, figurative languages, symbols, tone, and, of course style.

Blog #17

My expectations relating to this tends to side with what my classmates are going to say during our discussion sessions. In my expectations, I would like to make sure that I know what I am going to tell when it is my turn to do so. I expect that my group will have the necessary information needed to gain my expectations and that I give them the necessary information needed for them. I expect that the other students should also have information to share to my group and I. I would also like them to listen to what I have to say and shut their mouths. I would also like to make sure there laptops and cell phones are powered off and put away, so that they will not have the tendency to touch it. That way that I will know that they are paying close attention to my group and I. I would like them to demonstrate their thoughts about the novel The Things They Carried in a way that will make sense to them and that I am able to interpret how they think. I expect that the teacher will look at me as though I know what I am doing and that the things I speak are what the teacher thinks is correct.

The Shaper

A modern day shaper that paints a similar picture of the world is Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson is like Grendel because as a child he was raised by his mother. His father was around, but he was called by his sons as their manager and not their dad. He emotionally and physically abused him. Michael Jackson is the king of pop that not only thinks he is the best, but also that he is above most people. Grendel is like him because he believes that any human being or creature is beneath him. The other point that shows that Jackson is similar to Grendel is that Jackson does not care about people's criticism about him. When many thought that he molested children, he did not care about what they say. He knows that he did not commit the crime,and that he really likes children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdxUFDoQe0&ob=av2n

A modern day shaper that paints a similar picture of the world is George Lucas for directing the movie Star Wars. Star Wars was a film that was fought between the good and the bad. The Jedis were the good and the Sith were the bad. When I read Grendel, I think about the monster being both good and bad. The good thing about Grendel is that he has emotions and cares about his mother. The bad thing is that he kills the Danes for no reason and does it for the fun of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5psCjg5-cI&feature=related

Blog 16

I believe what the narrator says when he insists regarding “stories are for those late hours in the night when you can’t remember how you got from where you were to where you are.” My experience towards this takes me seven years back, when I was just an elementary student at a primary school. As the time of a seven year old, I was still able to remember the things that go through my mind when I think about the immediate situation that surrounds me. One warm summer day, my family gave me a task. They wanted me to attend a ceremony for a friend. As I think about this moment, I can sense the things that go through my mind. The things like what will I do there and when will I need to be there. I am unaware of the immediate past and consequences that I may see when I get there. As I appear at the ceremony, I can feel the pressure on me for attending this event. I am not sure what is the point of coming to this event, when I am not a friend of this person. I am unable to question this, since my parents have already told me that I needed to attend the ceremony and that I cannot escape this task. All I can think about is the time spending on listening and paying my respects to the person. After about an hour, I departed from the event and took a ride home. After paying my respect for this person, I begin to experience the event and the point of it. I can look back at myself for being an arrogant and selfish kid towards this situation. Even though, this happened when I was seven years old, I still think about the positives and negatives relating to my past.

Blog 15: The Things They Carried

If I am going away and could take five things, I would take with me a knife, radio, canteen, clothes, and rifle. I would take these things because they are very important and can guide you through life. A knife can be used to chop, cut, sharpen, reflect, and stab things. Some examples that the knife is used is for chopping trees, cutting wood and animals, reflecting it as a mirror, sharpening tools, and stabbing living organisms. A radio can be used to call for help when you are in a tough situation. A canteen can be used to carry water or medicine in. Since I can only take five things with me, I would not be able to take a first-aid kit or a bowl. Clothes can be used to keep me warm and dry in various weather conditions. The rifle can be used to hunt and kill enemies that I may come across. For example, deer, horse, buffalo, and cows. All of these things are placed in a knapsack that is carried with me. These things would tell someone that I think before I do anything and that I know what I am up against in order to survive in tough conditions.