Blogging Around

This was my response to Marika's post about the process of writing her poem:

Marika-

I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on your poem, especially because I've read your poem and know what it's about. I can definitely relate to your confusion about the "widowed images" part. I spent hours trying to come up with a widowed image of my own! I think sometimes with poetry you just have to wait for an idea to come to you. I disagree with how you described your poem though. I think it's a lot deeper than you think it is!

-Kate

I also read Margot's post about her poem, and I found it really interesting to compare different people's strategies to revising their poems.

Margot-

Infinity and vastness scare me too! I'd be interested in reading your poem, or at least hearing your thoughts on the subject, because I think it's a fascinating topic. You seem to have a great idea for your poem from a "form is content" perspective. I really liked reading your post because I've had a lot of similar feelings about the revision process. I think sometimes it's difficult to part with pieces of your writing that you've grown attached to. While I was writing my second and third drafts, I often had to remind myself that the changes were just for Mr. Allen, and I could keep a copy of my poem just the way I wanted it. However, now I like the "Mr. Allen" version of my poem better than the original! That may not be true for you, but I think sometimes the initial response to criticism is feeling defensive, but once those feelings have calmed, you might realize that the changes really were for the better.

-Kate

Metacognition: Poem

I think it's important to note that, unlike a lot of other people in Academy, I enjoy writing poetry. I'm not going to pretend to be some master poet (I have just as much difficulty understanding poetry as anyone else--trust me!), but I can say that something about it really moves me more than any other from of writing can.

The fact that I like poetry is important because, I have to admit, I have a difficult time motivating myself for things that I do not enjoy. For example, in English, it was much harder getting myself to sit down and read King Lear than The Kite Runner, simply because I enjoyed The Kite Runner more.

I think my appreciation for poetry was a big factor in the process of the assignment. As soon as Mr. Allen explained the requirements, I rushed home to my computer, eager to start writing. I write poetry occasionally in my free time, so I looked back at some of my previous poems for inspiration. I also read some poetry online and flipped through some of the handouts we got in class. I think this method was helpful because it got me thinking about writing style and the essential elements of a poem.

While reviewing my previous poems, I stumbled across one I had recently written, and it struck me as a subject matter that fit the assignment. Basically, I took that concept and re-worked it into my first draft.

The first draft wasn't difficult. However, it was difficult for me to edit the poem for the second and third drafts. I think I was just so opposed to changing any of it, which I now realize was completely wrong of me. This assignment helped me realize that writing is a process, and you can always improve your writing.

Next time we have a writing assignment, I think I will apply the strategy of looking at other pieces of writing for inspiration. It just seems to put me in the "writing mood" when I read the work of really great writers.

My main goal for future assignments is to be open-minded to the draft process. I have to realize that constructive criticism exists for that very reason: to construct, or edit my writing and make it better.

Best of Week: King Lear/Edgar Relationship

When I was trying to reflect on what insightful comments or ideas we discussed in class, only one stuck out in my mind. I forget who brought up the topic to begin with, but I remember discussing the relationship between King Lear and Edgar. During the discussion, a few important observations were made, leading us to establish several conclusions:

1. Lear is actually going mad, while Edgar is only pretending
2. Lear benefits from seeing aspects of himself (or who he is becoming) reflected in Edgar
3. Edgar benefits when Lear looks after him

While these points may seem obvious, organizing them like this really helped me understand the Lear/Edgar relationship better. I think these observations show Shakespeare's brilliance with character development and contrast.

This also connects to another good point of the week, which was one of Mr. Allen's. He said something to the effect of, "As writers, we always want to look after our characters, make sure they take the right path. To be a good writer, you have to let go and see where the characters take you."

I think Shakespeare did exactly that. He probably didn't map out all this madness beforehand, but since that's where the story took him, he decided to place characters in Lear's path that would help him see who or what he was turning into. This is only one of the thousands of reasons Shakespeare is still considered some sort of literary god.

Connection: Cordelia and Cinderella

While trying to understand the family dynamic of King Lear and his daughters, I thought of Cinderella. In the well-known fairytale, Cinderella is kindhearted, but her stepsisters are greedy and insincere. Even though Cinderella is the only pure one of the three, her sisters are favored and showered with gifts, while she is left with nothing, forced to stay at home doing housework. Eventually, with the help of a fairy godmother, she attends a ball and meets her Prince Charming, and one lost slipper later, she lives happily ever after.

Although this differs from the storyline of King Lear, I saw a strong connection between the characters Cordelia and Cinderella. In the beginning of King Lear, the king decides to divide his land among his three daughters. His only requirement is that they all proclaim their love to him. Cordelia's older sisters, Goneril and Regan, immediately rant about how much they love their father, without the faintest sincerity. Cordelia, on the other hand, refuses. She believes that it is dishonest and wrong to exaggerate just to please someone else or just to get some reward. When she doesn't say what her father wanted to hear, he withdraws his offer, and Cordelia gets nothing. Despite this misfortune, Cordelia eventually is married to a man who loves her despite her lack of possessions.

Clearly, the plots and settings of King Lear and Cinderella are entirely different, but the central characters share similar qualities and endure similar situations. Both are honest and good, despite being surrounded by fake, selfish people. Both suffer unfair consequences, regardless of their good natures. Both eventually find their true loves, who appreciate the kindness that they possess. This connection helped me better understand Cordelia as a character and appreciate the circumstances she struggles through. I haven't finished King Lear, so I don't know what will become of Cordelia, but I can only hope that she will have the same fairytale ending that Cinderella did.

TED Presentations

Overall, I think the TED presentations were a success. I was sick for the presentations last year, so I can't really make specific comparisons between last year and this year. Nevertheless, I can generally say that the process was much smoother this year. The criteria for grading was less subjective, so we were more aware of what was expected of us. Google sites was an efficient tool that we learned to use to communicate with our group members and organize our thoughts.

Still, the project wasn't without complications. First of all, the video selection process seemed inconsistent, since many got their first choice topics, but some people didn't get any of their three choices. In addition, there was a lot of confusion among the upperclassmen. Juniors and seniors seemed to think less was expected of them, so in the earlier stages, they didn't feel the need to contribute as much.

I also disagreed with some aspects of the grading system. I don't think it's fair for this grade to have such a huge influence in some of our subjects, especially foreign language. We didn't use Spanish at all throughout the whole process, so I don't think it makes sense to make the TED project worth a test grade in that class.

Despite these issues, the presentations were interesting to watch and listen to. I think we all were inspired by these TED presenters and their ideas to improve our future. I would be interested in continuing this project in the coming years, as long as these issues are addressed and solutions are developed.

Captured Thought: "This too shall pass"

To say I've been stressed lately would be the understatement of the century. The end of the quarter means extra tests, extra projects, extra homework...extra stress. Sometimes, it seems like it's never going to end, and I wonder why I ever joined Academy, or how I manage to stay alive through all this.

Recently, when I was having these overly negative thoughts for about the thousandth time, I remembered a saying my mom used to tell me. "This too shall pass." It sounds simple and obvious, but, as I reflected on the phrase, I found deeper significance. Isn't it true that almost every cause of stress eventually ends? For me, marching band just finished, which is a huge relief. After this week, the TED project will be over. That's another thing to cross off my list. Of course, more stresses will appear. Pessimists may call it, a "vicious circle". However, if you come to accept that stress is unavoidable and emphasize the fact that every worry, every burden, will eventually dissolve, life seems much more bearable.

I'll admit that at times I can be more of a "glass-half-empty" kind of person, so I'm going to try to remember this saying every time I feel overwhelmed with demands. For instance, tonight I have about ten different things I have to do...but now I get to cross my English blog off the list!

Metacognition: TED Presentation Project

I'll admit, when I first heard about the TED project, I was less than thrilled. I remembered the confusion associated with the project last year, and I expected the same to be true this time around. Whatever little excitement I had was dimmed further when I found out my topic, "Building a Commodities Market in Ethiopia", which wasn't any of my three choices. My video focused on the economy, something I've never understood or had an interest in. The other members of my group only made things more complicated, since it seemed some of them had no intention of committing to the project.

Of course, I was disappointed in myself. I wanted to care about the project beyond my own grade. I wanted to find the deeper meaning, but I was just so hung up on having a topic that didn't even slightly interest me or seem relevant to my life. As I struggled to focus on doing the best I could to prepare for the presentation, I realized how ridiculous I was being. School isn't all about doing the things you like to do, it's about learning, and in life, you don't always get what you want. So, now I'm just going to do the best I can to do my part and give a good presentation. Maybe, somewhere along the way, I'll even learn to appreciate the subject matter.

Blogging Around

This was my response to Kyle's 360 degrees post about the ethics behind weaponry. He brought up some questions to think about such as how the world would be if weapons were never invented, and whether there is a way to control the use of weapons today.

Kyle-

Your blog post was very interesting. I've seen Iron Man too, and although I can't honestly say I made the connections you did, you've really made me think about the moral questions behind weapons. I personally think we'd be much better off if weapons were never invented, or at least not so advanced. Of course, the ideal situation would be that nobody would have the desire to harm others...but, we all know this is ridiculous. The fact is, weapons do exist, and they have advanced rapidly and will continue to advance, causing more and more destruction. The sad thing is that there is no simple solution. Otherwise, it would have been discovered. People are going to do what they want to do with whatever's available to them, and if nuclear bombs are available, then there's no way of getting them out of the wrong hands. It's just going to happen.

-Kate

My next response was to Emily's 360 degrees post on different thoughts she had about the academy and how it is perceived. It really caught my attention because I had been wondering a lot of the same things!

Emily-

Great point! I wonder about this all the time too! So many people have wrong stereotypes about the academy...I've had people say things as ridiculous as, "Academy kids shouldn't be able to run for class board because they're at South for half the day." Not sure how that relates, but anyways, the point is that people just plain don't understand what the program is! I've also met people for the first time who were like, "I've never seen you before." Jokingly, I reply, "I'm in Academy." The typical response is, "Well that explains it." Seriously, it's almost like we're invisible to the rest of the student body! It makes me angry sometimes, because we're not all the super-intelligent, socially awkward people that others assume we are.

But anyways, great job! You really summarized your thoughts well, and definitely thought about the topic from "360 degrees" :]

-Kate

360 Degrees: Soulmates

You know that theory that for each person, a perfectly compatible person exists? Someone who understands you, who knows what makes you happy, who loves you despite all your faults...a soulmate, if you will. Well, most of my life, I've been a firm believer. I don't know if it's because it actually makes sense to me, or simply because I want to believe that some day I will find that "perfect" person. As I've thought more about the possibility, though, I've become more and more skeptical. Actually, I know a lot of people who question this belief, and with good reason.

Think about all the marriages that end in divorce. I don't know any exact statistics, but I'm fully aware of how prevalent divorce is in today's society. Considering how many people think they're in love at some point (whether they actually are or not), and then later fall out of love, or realize they never were in love to begin with, I just don't know if the whole soulmate theory fits.

On top of that, there are thousands of nice, attractive people who never get married. I guess it's possible that marriage just isn't something they're interested in, but if they really found that ideal person to spend the rest of their life with, wouldn't they want to?

Another fear I have is that I might one day find someone I think is my soulmate, and they won't feel the same way. How frustrating would it be to meet a person who possesses all the qualities you've ever wanted, and it seems like you're destined to be together, until you find out that they're in a serious relationship, or just not interested?

Or, what if that "perfect" person exists somewhere, but your paths never cross? What if the person lives in China, or Italy, or Mars? Ok, maybe not Mars, but really, isn't it too much to expect if you truly think that you'll just happen to run into your soulmate randomly on the street?

There's a song I know by Natasha Bedingfield that's entitled "Soulmate". The lyrics of the chorus go, Who doesn't long for someone to hold, who knows how to love you without being told? Somebody tell me why I'm on my own, if there's a soulmate for everyone. This song really touched me when I first heard it. It's filled with emotion, a desperate cry of loneliness, and I can't help but wonder, if a beautiful, famous person like Natasha Bedingfield has these concerns, what are the odds of an ordinary person finding their "other half"?

Another song that touches on the soulmate topic is "Gotta Be Somebody" by Nickelback. The chorus goes, 'Cause nobody wants to be the last one there. 'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares. Someone to love with my life in their hands. There's gotta be somebody for me like that. 'Cause nobody wants to go it on their own, and everyone wants to know they're not alone. Somebody else that feels the same somewhere. There's gotta be somebody for me like that.

These songs make me think that I'm not the only one who wonders about this, or wants to believe that their soulmate is out there somewhere. Though there are countless reasons not to agree with the idea, I try to focus on the positive. For one, there are so many happy, lasting relationships. I look at my parents, and many of my friends' parents, and it amazes me how these couples have been able to stay together for so long. Personally, I think it would be difficult to do so if they weren't made for each other.

I also look at the ways married couples first met...at work, at parties, through mutual friends. Isn't it comforting to believe that God (or maybe fate, if you're not religious) determines the course of these events, leading you to your true love? The Rascal Flatts song "Bless the Broken Road" goes, Every long lost dream led me to where you are. Others who broke my heart, they were like Northern stars, pointing me on my way into your loving arms. This much I know is true: that God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you.

Maybe that's a naive approach. Maybe it's stupid to think that I'll stumble upon that "perfect person" one day. Maybe. But I hold onto that belief.

Metacognition: Kite Runner Essay

So I haven't actually started writing my Kite Runner essay, but I've been planning out my thoughts through an evidence plan. Mr. Allen helped me come up with my thesis, which is: Memories from the past negatively shape the characters' lives because they need to be resolved. As I was working through my evidence plan, I searched the book for key passages that supported my thesis. I think my thought process was especially effective because I depended on my post-it notes, which contained reactions I had while I was reading. These thoughts further strengthened my thesis.

I was surprised by how well I seemed to subconsciously form a structure for my essay. I've just found four pieces of strong evidence and explained how they connect to my argument, but already, the format of my paper has started taking shape, since each piece of evidence makes a different point relating back to my thesis, which is something we discussed in class.

To improve my thought process, I think I should plan out what I'm trying to express before I select my evidence. It almost seemed like a coincidence that all the evidence I found both supported the thesis and introduced a new idea or perspective. So, I was lucky, but next time I might not be so successful with such a random, spontaneous approach.

I'm excited to start working on this essay. My thesis seems to address several of the crucial themes of the novel: time, memory, and resolution. This pertinence makes me eager to see what signifance I can draw from the story through writing my first English essay this year.

Best of Week: Short Sentences

I think the most interesting and valuable topic we covered in class this week was how to write and recognize short sentences. Though I have used short sentences for emphasis in my writing in the past, I think Mr. Allen's insight paired with the examples shown in our Artful Sentences book really helped me understand this tool even more.

Now I find that I'm noticing short sentences everywhere, in everything I read! Best of all, I'm eager to apply this lesson to my writing. I thought it was a good point that Mr. Allen made about short sentences 'giving the reader a break'. It does get tiring reading lengthy sentences over and over again. You feel like the author's cramming detail after detail down your throat.

The amazing thing about short sentences is how they can have such an impact with so few words. In Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini uses short sentences repeatedly. For example, on page 192, it reads:

Come. There is a way to be good again, Rahim Khan had said on the phone just before hanging up. Said it in passing, almost as an afterthought.

A way to be good again.

That last sentence struck me more than the three paragraphs before it combined, which is an incredible feat considering it is only six words.

Short sentences are powerful.

Carry It Forward: Kite Runner

I think the most powerful message from Kite Runner is not to run from your past. The whole story centralizes around how to preserve memories, how to bury memories, and how to create memories. Even the form, memoir, references the significance of memory in one's life.

In this past reading, chapters 13-15, the nature of memory has been further investigated. As Amir continues to try to forget that winter in 1975, his memories repeatedly resurface. For example, on page 171, it reads, I remember wishing Rahim Khan were there. And I remember wondering if Hassan too had married. This passage supports the idea that no matter how hard he tries, and no matter how happy he is with his present life, Amir will be ultimately unsuccessful with his efforts to escape his painful past.

To me, this concept was almost reassuring. Of course, like anyone, I have had my fair share of mistakes. I have hurt others, and others have hurt me. Though I, like Amir, have tried countless times to conceal my past, I have never fully done so. Kite Runner has helped me realize that it's okay to be ashamed of things you have done, and it's okay to relive the hurt you endured. I've determined that healing cannot occur without facing the obstacle. In the future, as more monumental events occur in my life, some that are bound to cause distress, I will remember this message. I will accept that I may never forget, but I can forgive. I can move on without letting go.