VOCABULARY
1. capitulated (131) - to have come to terms, given up resistence. (verb)
2. abhorrent (182) - causing repugnance or aversion, loathsome, detestable, in conflict. (adj.)
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "'Hey," he said as someone behing me beeped angrily before whizzing past" (145). This is an onomatopia because the words beeped and whizzing sound like the noises they represent.
2. "Driving into that dark bay, the water suddenly whooshing down like the biggest and most sudden thunderstorm ever" (240). This is a similie because it compares the car wash to a thunderstorm using like or as.
3. "I had a flash of my mother's face an hour earlier, how her eyes had widened when Whitney pushed back her chair, then slammed it against the table, making all our plates jump" (252). This is personification, because a plate can't really jump.
QUOTE
"'Totally honest, totally opinionated. But I guess you already know that.' Whitney just looked at me as he said this, and I knew what she was thinking: that this was not me at all, not by a long shot" (181). Owen sees Annabel as the person she has become and in the few weeks they've known eachother they've learned a lot about eachother and I think that it's interesting that Owen knows her better than her own sister does.
THEME
A theme in this novel is discovering yourself; ever since the first night of the summer in June, Annabel has reinvented herself without really realizing it and Owen made her see that change in herself.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Quarter 2 Post 6B
I'm reading Just Listen by Sarah Dessen and I'm mad about how many unnecassary commas she uses.
Annabel is finding herself very alone right now; she has no best friend, in fact she has no friends at all, and her family is focused on her sister's eating disorder. She has just met Owen Armstrong, an outcast at school and she is slowly finding out that Owen is a very nice and caring person, not at all like people say he is. While getting a ride home from him, she finds out something very interesting: Owen doesn't ever lie.
"'Yeah,' he said. I must have lookes doubtful at this, because he added, 'I don't lie.' 'You don't lie,' I repeated. 'That's what I said.' 'Ever.' 'Nope.' Sure you don't, I thought. 'Well,' I said. 'That's a good policy. If you can stick to it.' 'I don't have a choice,' he replied. 'Holding stuff in doesn't really work for me. Learned that the hard way'"(109).
Is never lying a good thing or a bad thing??? Does it work to your advantage? Does it work towards others advantages? I think that lying is fine if it's a little white lie, like telling someone that they look pretty because they tried even if they look hideous. However, I may want the truth, so I think it would be to other people's advantage if you never lied. The only problem would be that people's feelings would be easily hurt. I don't think it would be to your advantage because people could find out anything from you and others would never trust you.
Annabel is finding herself very alone right now; she has no best friend, in fact she has no friends at all, and her family is focused on her sister's eating disorder. She has just met Owen Armstrong, an outcast at school and she is slowly finding out that Owen is a very nice and caring person, not at all like people say he is. While getting a ride home from him, she finds out something very interesting: Owen doesn't ever lie.
"'Yeah,' he said. I must have lookes doubtful at this, because he added, 'I don't lie.' 'You don't lie,' I repeated. 'That's what I said.' 'Ever.' 'Nope.' Sure you don't, I thought. 'Well,' I said. 'That's a good policy. If you can stick to it.' 'I don't have a choice,' he replied. 'Holding stuff in doesn't really work for me. Learned that the hard way'"(109).
Is never lying a good thing or a bad thing??? Does it work to your advantage? Does it work towards others advantages? I think that lying is fine if it's a little white lie, like telling someone that they look pretty because they tried even if they look hideous. However, I may want the truth, so I think it would be to other people's advantage if you never lied. The only problem would be that people's feelings would be easily hurt. I don't think it would be to your advantage because people could find out anything from you and others would never trust you.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Quarter 2 Post 6A
VOCABULARY
1. Wholly (97)- (adv.) entirely, totally, althogether
2. Barbed (116)- (adj.) capable of wounding
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Owen Armstrong looked like a giant, his hand enormous as it stretched toward me" (89). This is a similie because it uses the word "like" and compares Owen to a giant.
2. "I wondered why she was my best friend, when more often than not I was either tiptoeing around her or having to ignore one barbed comment or another" (116). This is imagery because it describes how Annabel is very careful about her and Sophie's relationship and the power Sophie had on Annabel.
3. "While Sophie claimed that Will was sweet and funny and hot and smart (as well as a million other adjectives) none of these things really came to mindwhenever I found myself face-to-face with him" (122). This is a hyperbole because a million is an overexageration.
QUOTE
"'I mean, when you really think about it,' he continued,'music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common'" (96). Owen believes that music unites people. I agree with this. Most people I hang out with don't understand why I love classical rock so much, yet people who are almost opposite of my love classical rock.
THEME
An emerging theme in this book is to not believe everything you hear; Owen turns out to be a completely different kind of person than Annabel expected, he is nice, sincere, and is determined to never lie.
1. Wholly (97)- (adv.) entirely, totally, althogether
2. Barbed (116)- (adj.) capable of wounding
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Owen Armstrong looked like a giant, his hand enormous as it stretched toward me" (89). This is a similie because it uses the word "like" and compares Owen to a giant.
2. "I wondered why she was my best friend, when more often than not I was either tiptoeing around her or having to ignore one barbed comment or another" (116). This is imagery because it describes how Annabel is very careful about her and Sophie's relationship and the power Sophie had on Annabel.
3. "While Sophie claimed that Will was sweet and funny and hot and smart (as well as a million other adjectives) none of these things really came to mindwhenever I found myself face-to-face with him" (122). This is a hyperbole because a million is an overexageration.
QUOTE
"'I mean, when you really think about it,' he continued,'music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common'" (96). Owen believes that music unites people. I agree with this. Most people I hang out with don't understand why I love classical rock so much, yet people who are almost opposite of my love classical rock.
THEME
An emerging theme in this book is to not believe everything you hear; Owen turns out to be a completely different kind of person than Annabel expected, he is nice, sincere, and is determined to never lie.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Quarter 2 Post 5B
I'm reading Just Listen by Sarah Dessen and it is getting very good!
Annabel is friends with Sophie and Clarke, but Sophie wants to go off and be more wild and Clarke does not. Annabel is stuck in the middle of it. This may be only one night, but it defines their personalities and interests on a larger scale and this is the night and decision that changes everything.
"She started toward the front door, and for a second, I just stood there. Everything about the Reynoldses' kitchen and this night was so familiar: the smell of pizza in the oven, the two-liter Coke on the countertop, Clarke in her spot on the couch, my spot open and waiting for me beside her. But then I looked down the hallway to Sophie, who was now standing in the open door. Behind her, it was just barely dark, the streetlights flickering on, and before I could change my mind, I walked toward her and stepped outside" (72). Annabel makes the ultimate decision to go with Sophie and go to a party where she knew there was going to be alcohol and older guys at the pool which they aren't allowed to be at night. She didn't know that this would ruin her friendship with Clarke, but it eventually did. She regrets this night now and thinks that her life would be completely different if she hadn't followed Sophie. Would you have been tempted to follow Sophie if you had no way of knowing that one decision would drastically change your life?
Annabel is friends with Sophie and Clarke, but Sophie wants to go off and be more wild and Clarke does not. Annabel is stuck in the middle of it. This may be only one night, but it defines their personalities and interests on a larger scale and this is the night and decision that changes everything.
"She started toward the front door, and for a second, I just stood there. Everything about the Reynoldses' kitchen and this night was so familiar: the smell of pizza in the oven, the two-liter Coke on the countertop, Clarke in her spot on the couch, my spot open and waiting for me beside her. But then I looked down the hallway to Sophie, who was now standing in the open door. Behind her, it was just barely dark, the streetlights flickering on, and before I could change my mind, I walked toward her and stepped outside" (72). Annabel makes the ultimate decision to go with Sophie and go to a party where she knew there was going to be alcohol and older guys at the pool which they aren't allowed to be at night. She didn't know that this would ruin her friendship with Clarke, but it eventually did. She regrets this night now and thinks that her life would be completely different if she hadn't followed Sophie. Would you have been tempted to follow Sophie if you had no way of knowing that one decision would drastically change your life?
Quarter 2 Post 5A
VOCABULARY
1. garnered (65)- (v.) to have gathered and stored, aquiered
2. glib (84)- (adj.) fluent, loquacious, smooth, talkative
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Beep" (77). This was the noise symbolizing the answering machine. It is an onomatopia because that is what it actually sounds like.
2. "His size, of course, you saw first: the height, the big wrists, the enormity of his mere presence. But there were little thing, too, like his dark eyes, which were either green or brown, and the two identical rings-- each flat, wide, and silver-- he wore on the middle finger of each hand" (66). This is imagery because it describes certain aspects of Owen in detail.
3. "A breeze blew across me then, catching the edge of my notes, making them flutter, the sound like litlle wings" (85). This is a similie comparing the noise of the wind hitting her notes to the sound of little wings.
QUOTE
"Even though I remembered smiling each time the flash popped, my expression in the final product is not one I recognize, my face caught somewhere between Kirsten's broad grin and Whitney's gorgeous hauntedness" (79). This is symbolic because it is like how Annabel is between her sisters in personality too, not just in the picture. Their faces match up perfectly with the personality descriptions too.
THEME
A theme in this novel is friendship; Annabel was great friends with Clarke, then Sophie, and now she has no one.
1. garnered (65)- (v.) to have gathered and stored, aquiered
2. glib (84)- (adj.) fluent, loquacious, smooth, talkative
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Beep" (77). This was the noise symbolizing the answering machine. It is an onomatopia because that is what it actually sounds like.
2. "His size, of course, you saw first: the height, the big wrists, the enormity of his mere presence. But there were little thing, too, like his dark eyes, which were either green or brown, and the two identical rings-- each flat, wide, and silver-- he wore on the middle finger of each hand" (66). This is imagery because it describes certain aspects of Owen in detail.
3. "A breeze blew across me then, catching the edge of my notes, making them flutter, the sound like litlle wings" (85). This is a similie comparing the noise of the wind hitting her notes to the sound of little wings.
QUOTE
"Even though I remembered smiling each time the flash popped, my expression in the final product is not one I recognize, my face caught somewhere between Kirsten's broad grin and Whitney's gorgeous hauntedness" (79). This is symbolic because it is like how Annabel is between her sisters in personality too, not just in the picture. Their faces match up perfectly with the personality descriptions too.
THEME
A theme in this novel is friendship; Annabel was great friends with Clarke, then Sophie, and now she has no one.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Quarter 2 Post 4B
I'm reading Sarah Dessen's book Just Listen.
The section I just read was all about Annabel's family falling apart and then attempting to recover which is a work in progress. Whitney has an eating disorder and her mother refuses to believe Kirsten until it is so serious that Whitney passes out a second time and is hospitalized. She enters treatment and then comes back home. She is slowly overcoming her anorexia. Kirsten decides that she doesn't enjoy modeling anymore and this upsets their mother greatly because she always took pride and joy in her daughters' modeling jobs. Kirsten decides to go back to school so she can get a "real job".
"Again, my sisters were at extremes yet similar at the same time: Each was starting over, but only one by choice" (62). Whitney and Kirsten are polar opposites, but they are going through changes in their lives and have torn their family apart with their problems. Kirsten has full control over her life and is happy while Whitney is forced through treatment and has barely any control on her life currently. They are angry at eachother and refuse to talk even though it could be beneficial to both of them to have eachother to turn to and help. "As different as my family was that night it all began from what we appeared to be-- the five of us, a happy family, sharing a meal in our glass house-- to anyone passing by on a roadside, looking in" (63). Their family looks perfect from the outside and no one knows how much they have been through. Annabel believes that the whole situation has changed her, yet she is the only one who can see it. This is similar to their family issues because only they know about it.
The section I just read was all about Annabel's family falling apart and then attempting to recover which is a work in progress. Whitney has an eating disorder and her mother refuses to believe Kirsten until it is so serious that Whitney passes out a second time and is hospitalized. She enters treatment and then comes back home. She is slowly overcoming her anorexia. Kirsten decides that she doesn't enjoy modeling anymore and this upsets their mother greatly because she always took pride and joy in her daughters' modeling jobs. Kirsten decides to go back to school so she can get a "real job".
"Again, my sisters were at extremes yet similar at the same time: Each was starting over, but only one by choice" (62). Whitney and Kirsten are polar opposites, but they are going through changes in their lives and have torn their family apart with their problems. Kirsten has full control over her life and is happy while Whitney is forced through treatment and has barely any control on her life currently. They are angry at eachother and refuse to talk even though it could be beneficial to both of them to have eachother to turn to and help. "As different as my family was that night it all began from what we appeared to be-- the five of us, a happy family, sharing a meal in our glass house-- to anyone passing by on a roadside, looking in" (63). Their family looks perfect from the outside and no one knows how much they have been through. Annabel believes that the whole situation has changed her, yet she is the only one who can see it. This is similar to their family issues because only they know about it.
Quarter 2 Post 4A
VOCABULARY
1. emaciated (52)- (v.) to have been made extremely thin by starvation
2. palpable (53)- (adj.) obvious, plainly seen
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "So while it seemed like you were seeing everything, you really weren't. Just bits and peices that looked like a whole" (49). This sentence is suppossed to be referring to Annabel's house, but in the paragraph before she had been tlking about how her family looked so perfect from the outside, so this is a metaphor comparing her house to her family.
2. "Her eyes looked sunken in her face, and you could see all the tendons in her neck, moving like puppet strings whenever she turned her head" (52). This is an example of imagery because it is very descriptive, yet it also has a similie comparing puppet strings to her neck tendons.
3. "As she shifted again, though, I saw it, the one thing that would stick with me forever: the sharpness of her shoulder blades as they rose out of her skin, looking like the wings of a dead baby bird I'd once found in our backyard, hairless and barely born, already broken" (57). This is a similie comparing Whitney's anorexic shoulder blades to the broken wings of a baby bird.
QUOTE
"But still, my mother didn't go. This was the biggest mystery, the one thing, that looking back, I could never quite figure out. For whatever reason, she chose to believe Whitney. It was a mistake" (52). Annabel thinks that if her mom had flewn out to New York and followed Kirsten's warning about Whitney, then everything would have been different.
THEME
A theme in this novel is family dysfunction and repair; Whitney and Kirsten destroy their happy family and now they are both reinventing themselves.
1. emaciated (52)- (v.) to have been made extremely thin by starvation
2. palpable (53)- (adj.) obvious, plainly seen
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "So while it seemed like you were seeing everything, you really weren't. Just bits and peices that looked like a whole" (49). This sentence is suppossed to be referring to Annabel's house, but in the paragraph before she had been tlking about how her family looked so perfect from the outside, so this is a metaphor comparing her house to her family.
2. "Her eyes looked sunken in her face, and you could see all the tendons in her neck, moving like puppet strings whenever she turned her head" (52). This is an example of imagery because it is very descriptive, yet it also has a similie comparing puppet strings to her neck tendons.
3. "As she shifted again, though, I saw it, the one thing that would stick with me forever: the sharpness of her shoulder blades as they rose out of her skin, looking like the wings of a dead baby bird I'd once found in our backyard, hairless and barely born, already broken" (57). This is a similie comparing Whitney's anorexic shoulder blades to the broken wings of a baby bird.
QUOTE
"But still, my mother didn't go. This was the biggest mystery, the one thing, that looking back, I could never quite figure out. For whatever reason, she chose to believe Whitney. It was a mistake" (52). Annabel thinks that if her mom had flewn out to New York and followed Kirsten's warning about Whitney, then everything would have been different.
THEME
A theme in this novel is family dysfunction and repair; Whitney and Kirsten destroy their happy family and now they are both reinventing themselves.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Quarter 2 Post 3B
I'm reading Just Listen by Sarah Dessen.
What drives someone into depression or into developing a disorder? How does a person recover from such trauma? In Just Listen, Annabel's mother was very depressed after her mother, Annabel's grandmother, died and withdrew herself from family completely. She would sleep most of the day and not speak to anyone about her sadness. "My mother's condition quickly grew to dictate our lives. It was the barometer by which we judged everything" (32). Her family was very careful not to upset her and everything they did orbited around her. Her father took up cooking which he was terrible at and he normally didn't do it. Annabel and her sisters quit modeling for awhile because there father couldn't handle it and they wouldn't dare ask their mother to take them on go-sees. Their lives were altered completely due to thier mom's depression. However, the daughters' modeling was exactly what brought their mom back into the real worls and out of her depression. She felt like that needed her and her life had meaning once again.
Annabel's sister Whitney, the middle child, took modeling very seriously, as she did everything in her life. She had always been quiet and withdrawn, yet always ambitious. When she moved away to New York to see wht she could become she tried to do everything and ran in overdrive. It was too much for her to handle and she developed an eating disorder. "To Whitney she said, 'Like we talked about on the plane. Either you tell them, or I will'" (44). Kirsten is concerned by Whitney's behavior and weight loss. She told their family and now Whitney is in denial while the family tries to help her.
What drives someone into depression or into developing a disorder? How does a person recover from such trauma? In Just Listen, Annabel's mother was very depressed after her mother, Annabel's grandmother, died and withdrew herself from family completely. She would sleep most of the day and not speak to anyone about her sadness. "My mother's condition quickly grew to dictate our lives. It was the barometer by which we judged everything" (32). Her family was very careful not to upset her and everything they did orbited around her. Her father took up cooking which he was terrible at and he normally didn't do it. Annabel and her sisters quit modeling for awhile because there father couldn't handle it and they wouldn't dare ask their mother to take them on go-sees. Their lives were altered completely due to thier mom's depression. However, the daughters' modeling was exactly what brought their mom back into the real worls and out of her depression. She felt like that needed her and her life had meaning once again.
Annabel's sister Whitney, the middle child, took modeling very seriously, as she did everything in her life. She had always been quiet and withdrawn, yet always ambitious. When she moved away to New York to see wht she could become she tried to do everything and ran in overdrive. It was too much for her to handle and she developed an eating disorder. "To Whitney she said, 'Like we talked about on the plane. Either you tell them, or I will'" (44). Kirsten is concerned by Whitney's behavior and weight loss. She told their family and now Whitney is in denial while the family tries to help her.
On the Waterfront film review
On the Waterfront
In the movie On the Waterfront, directed by Elia Kazan, Terry Malloy struggles with his morals trying to decide if he should turn the mob in for their wrong doings. I think that this movie was extremely entertaining and effective. It showed Terry’s moral struggles and was a great example of ‘whistle blowing’. Both sides of the ethical dilemma were shown, but in the end Terry did the thing that was right and moral: he took down the mob. Not only did On the Waterfront excite and interest me, it helped me understand the ‘whistle blowing’ concept, and in that sense, the movie was effective.
Three literary elements depicted in the film are point of view, symbolization, and theme. The point of view was third person because there were no voice over narrations and no one character was present in every scene. However, even though the film is in third person, Terry’s emotions were conveyed well and he was made out to be the hero of the movie. Symbols in the film include the doves, Terry’s hook, and the work tickets. The doves symbolize the tender side of Terry and show that he is different from the rest of the mob as the other mob members would think raising doves to be a waste of time and child-like. Terry’s hook shows unity with the other work men since they all carry one, but it is also symbolizes the rights of the work men that Terry stood up for. The work tickets symbolize the power that the mob has over their workers. The tickets show that the mob controls the money that the men make and therefore control their lives. A theme depicted in On the Waterfront is that one man can make a large difference. Terry brought down the mob that was doing so much injustice almost single-handedly. He was just an average guy, as he referred to himself as a ‘bum’, yet he was able to make all the difference for the many people the mob affected. Another theme is justice; the mob got what they deserved for killing innocent people and committing illegal actions. Not only are there literary aspects present in the movie, dramatic aspects are as well.
Dramatic elements in On the Waterfront include actors, their performances, and costume and make-up. Marlon Brando, who played Terry Malloy, did a great job at his role and kept the viewer’s attention throughout the film. He had the ‘I’m just an average Joe’ attitude down perfectly and was a character that people could relate to and like. Lee J. Cobb, who played Johnny Friendly, the mob boss, was also a great casting decision because he had the whole mobster accent and fit the stereotypical idea of a mob boss. He was cold-hearted and had only his best interests in mind. He also looked the part: physically fit, middle-aged, and a square jaw. On the other hand, a casting decision that I disagreed with was the role of Edie, played by Eva Marie Saint, because she seemed cold and laid back. I would have liked to see some more emotion and passion from her, especially because she was the only main female role, but I don’t think that she embraced Edie’s character. Edie was supposed to be a nun, but she didn’t follow the rules of the church and she contradicted herself more than once which angered me. As for the costumes and make-up, I think that the film makers put a lot of thought into it. The blood on Terry’s face at the end was fake looking and a bit disgusting, but there were other aspects that can make up for that. The clothing that the characters wore was popular in the late 1940s and greatly added to the time period of the film. Pieces of clothing included fedoras and trench coats which contribute to the overall mob feeling and draw you into the movie. Johnny Friendly was smoking a cigar in at least one scene and it emphasized his “big man” character and showed how he didn’t have any remorse for the death of Joey Doyle. Dramatic aspects of the film pulled the movie together and set its dark, secretive mood.
Cinematic aspects, such as the use of shadow, camera movement, and camera angle, add meaning to On the Waterfront. In more than one scene, there will be a shadow on someone’s face or the scenery, giving the feeling that there is a secret. Closer to the beginning of the film, Edie and Pop Doyle are standing in front of a brick wall having a conversation and their shadows are cast upon the wall. The shadow gives the notion that their conversation is to be private and not overheard by anyone. As for camera movement, there is a rack focus when Terry is walking to the pier. The camera shakes around when it is showing Terry’s view, demonstrating how beat up he is and how hard it is for him to walk each step. The rack focus helps show how much effort Terry is putting forth and the kind of determination he has, making him a hero. Lastly, there was a definite flat angle when Terry and Edie were talking at the restaurant. The angle shows that they understand each other and trust one another. By analyzing the cinematic elements in depth, we are better able to comprehend the main idea of the movie.
Both On the Waterfront and Arthur Miller’s All My Sons deal with the concept of ‘whistle blowing’ and many similarities can be drawn between the two works. Parallels between Joe Keller and Charley Friendly are that they both knowingly committed wrong doings, resulting in the deaths of innocent people. However, Joe Keller feels remorse towards the end of All My Sons and Johnny Friendly shows no remorse throughout On the Waterfront. Terry and Chris are alike because they both had to make the ultimate decision of whether to blow the whistle or not in the end of the play and movie. Terry followed his morals by standing up for the working men and turned the mob in while Chris’s decision was tougher to make because it was his own father he would be selling out. Chris told his father that he had the intention of turning him in, yet he wasn’t able to go through with it because Joe shot himself. Both Terry and Chris were heroic because they followed their morals and blew the whistle. Edie and Annie can also be compared because they were stuck in the middle of the moral dilemmas and helped the protagonists, Terry and Chris, come to conclusions as to the actions they should take. Annie loved Chris despite the fact that Joe had put her father in jail and Edie fell in love with Terry even though he was associated with the mob that had killed her brother. However, as the movie continues, Edie realizes that Terry had a role in Joey’s death and she refuses to speak to him until she sees that he never meant to hurt Joey and he wants to fight the mob. Annie still loves Chris because they find the truth about the planes and Chris knows that his father’s actions were wrong. The story lines and issues that each character deals with are extremely similar in On the Waterfront and All My Sons.
I recommend this movie, On the Waterfront, to everyone mature enough to comprehend it. The film describes an interesting time period in American history and will captivate the audience. The movie gives the viewer a lot to consider, like, what would you do if you were in Terry Malloy’s situation? Terry was just an average guy who wanted to see justice served, and with his determination, he succeeded and brought down the mob. On the Waterfront is a classic movie that teaches the idea of doing the right thing no matter how difficult it may be and I think that is a great life lesson that people struggle with every day.
In the movie On the Waterfront, directed by Elia Kazan, Terry Malloy struggles with his morals trying to decide if he should turn the mob in for their wrong doings. I think that this movie was extremely entertaining and effective. It showed Terry’s moral struggles and was a great example of ‘whistle blowing’. Both sides of the ethical dilemma were shown, but in the end Terry did the thing that was right and moral: he took down the mob. Not only did On the Waterfront excite and interest me, it helped me understand the ‘whistle blowing’ concept, and in that sense, the movie was effective.
Three literary elements depicted in the film are point of view, symbolization, and theme. The point of view was third person because there were no voice over narrations and no one character was present in every scene. However, even though the film is in third person, Terry’s emotions were conveyed well and he was made out to be the hero of the movie. Symbols in the film include the doves, Terry’s hook, and the work tickets. The doves symbolize the tender side of Terry and show that he is different from the rest of the mob as the other mob members would think raising doves to be a waste of time and child-like. Terry’s hook shows unity with the other work men since they all carry one, but it is also symbolizes the rights of the work men that Terry stood up for. The work tickets symbolize the power that the mob has over their workers. The tickets show that the mob controls the money that the men make and therefore control their lives. A theme depicted in On the Waterfront is that one man can make a large difference. Terry brought down the mob that was doing so much injustice almost single-handedly. He was just an average guy, as he referred to himself as a ‘bum’, yet he was able to make all the difference for the many people the mob affected. Another theme is justice; the mob got what they deserved for killing innocent people and committing illegal actions. Not only are there literary aspects present in the movie, dramatic aspects are as well.
Dramatic elements in On the Waterfront include actors, their performances, and costume and make-up. Marlon Brando, who played Terry Malloy, did a great job at his role and kept the viewer’s attention throughout the film. He had the ‘I’m just an average Joe’ attitude down perfectly and was a character that people could relate to and like. Lee J. Cobb, who played Johnny Friendly, the mob boss, was also a great casting decision because he had the whole mobster accent and fit the stereotypical idea of a mob boss. He was cold-hearted and had only his best interests in mind. He also looked the part: physically fit, middle-aged, and a square jaw. On the other hand, a casting decision that I disagreed with was the role of Edie, played by Eva Marie Saint, because she seemed cold and laid back. I would have liked to see some more emotion and passion from her, especially because she was the only main female role, but I don’t think that she embraced Edie’s character. Edie was supposed to be a nun, but she didn’t follow the rules of the church and she contradicted herself more than once which angered me. As for the costumes and make-up, I think that the film makers put a lot of thought into it. The blood on Terry’s face at the end was fake looking and a bit disgusting, but there were other aspects that can make up for that. The clothing that the characters wore was popular in the late 1940s and greatly added to the time period of the film. Pieces of clothing included fedoras and trench coats which contribute to the overall mob feeling and draw you into the movie. Johnny Friendly was smoking a cigar in at least one scene and it emphasized his “big man” character and showed how he didn’t have any remorse for the death of Joey Doyle. Dramatic aspects of the film pulled the movie together and set its dark, secretive mood.
Cinematic aspects, such as the use of shadow, camera movement, and camera angle, add meaning to On the Waterfront. In more than one scene, there will be a shadow on someone’s face or the scenery, giving the feeling that there is a secret. Closer to the beginning of the film, Edie and Pop Doyle are standing in front of a brick wall having a conversation and their shadows are cast upon the wall. The shadow gives the notion that their conversation is to be private and not overheard by anyone. As for camera movement, there is a rack focus when Terry is walking to the pier. The camera shakes around when it is showing Terry’s view, demonstrating how beat up he is and how hard it is for him to walk each step. The rack focus helps show how much effort Terry is putting forth and the kind of determination he has, making him a hero. Lastly, there was a definite flat angle when Terry and Edie were talking at the restaurant. The angle shows that they understand each other and trust one another. By analyzing the cinematic elements in depth, we are better able to comprehend the main idea of the movie.
Both On the Waterfront and Arthur Miller’s All My Sons deal with the concept of ‘whistle blowing’ and many similarities can be drawn between the two works. Parallels between Joe Keller and Charley Friendly are that they both knowingly committed wrong doings, resulting in the deaths of innocent people. However, Joe Keller feels remorse towards the end of All My Sons and Johnny Friendly shows no remorse throughout On the Waterfront. Terry and Chris are alike because they both had to make the ultimate decision of whether to blow the whistle or not in the end of the play and movie. Terry followed his morals by standing up for the working men and turned the mob in while Chris’s decision was tougher to make because it was his own father he would be selling out. Chris told his father that he had the intention of turning him in, yet he wasn’t able to go through with it because Joe shot himself. Both Terry and Chris were heroic because they followed their morals and blew the whistle. Edie and Annie can also be compared because they were stuck in the middle of the moral dilemmas and helped the protagonists, Terry and Chris, come to conclusions as to the actions they should take. Annie loved Chris despite the fact that Joe had put her father in jail and Edie fell in love with Terry even though he was associated with the mob that had killed her brother. However, as the movie continues, Edie realizes that Terry had a role in Joey’s death and she refuses to speak to him until she sees that he never meant to hurt Joey and he wants to fight the mob. Annie still loves Chris because they find the truth about the planes and Chris knows that his father’s actions were wrong. The story lines and issues that each character deals with are extremely similar in On the Waterfront and All My Sons.
I recommend this movie, On the Waterfront, to everyone mature enough to comprehend it. The film describes an interesting time period in American history and will captivate the audience. The movie gives the viewer a lot to consider, like, what would you do if you were in Terry Malloy’s situation? Terry was just an average guy who wanted to see justice served, and with his determination, he succeeded and brought down the mob. On the Waterfront is a classic movie that teaches the idea of doing the right thing no matter how difficult it may be and I think that is a great life lesson that people struggle with every day.
Quarter 2 Post 3A
VOCABULARY
1. petulant (28)- (adj.) showing sudden impatience and irritation.
2. rudimentary (32)- (adj.) fundamental, elementary, initial.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "The next time we saw Whitney, though, the change in her was obvious. Before she'd looked lithe, elegant; now, she was gaunt, and her head seemed too big for her body, weighing down her neck" (43). This is an example of imagery because it gives a detailed description of Whitney.
An emerging theme iin Just Listen is the stress to be perfect; Whitney tries so hard to do everything and to be a great model that she has made herself sick and now she has an eating disorder.
1. petulant (28)- (adj.) showing sudden impatience and irritation.
2. rudimentary (32)- (adj.) fundamental, elementary, initial.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "The next time we saw Whitney, though, the change in her was obvious. Before she'd looked lithe, elegant; now, she was gaunt, and her head seemed too big for her body, weighing down her neck" (43). This is an example of imagery because it gives a detailed description of Whitney.
2. "...my heartbeat loud in my ears, thump thump thump" (24). This is an onomatopia because a heart beating makes a thumping sound.
3. "A million red jeeps must have passed before my eyes in the last few months..." (24). This is a hyperbole because a million is a far off exaggeration as to how many red jeeps she had seen in a matter of a few months.
QUOTE
"And while it is hard enough to take away something that makes a person happy, it's even more difficult when it seems like it's the only thing" (36). Annabel is afraid to tell her mother that she wants to quit modeling. She feels that it could send her mother back into depression since she is the only one of her sisters still living at home.
An emerging theme iin Just Listen is the stress to be perfect; Whitney tries so hard to do everything and to be a great model that she has made herself sick and now she has an eating disorder.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Quarter 2 Post 2B
I'm reading Just Listen by Sarah Dessen and it is getting really good and interesting even though I haven't read too much of it yet. I found a qoute that I would like to comment on for this post because I haven't had time to read very much this week.
"'Honey, I know,' she said, as if she actually did, which was totally not the case. Having raised three daughters, my mom was well versed in the politics of girls, which had made it easy for me to explain Sophie's sudden and utter disappearance from my life..." (26).
Annabel's mother is trying to sympathize with her because she is having a bad day and her best friend recently stopped hanging out with her because of something she did. (I must say that I am really mad that I don't know what happened to their friendship and what Annabel did to Sophie yet!!! Maybe the author would like the reader to see Annabel as a friendly person that they like before she writes anything that could make the reader dislike Annabel's character.) However, back to the quote, Annabel realizes that her mother knows what it is like to be a girl and what goes on in her daughters' lives, she feels that her mother will never understand what it feels like to be her and have her unique problems. I think most teenagers feel this way, that their parents don't know how stressful their life can be, but I think that normally parents can have a lot to say about something and some good advice to offer because they too were a child at some point in their lives. I think it is a bit odd that Annabel's mother didn't think that there wasn't anything deeper than Sophie just acting weird and not being Annabel's friend anymore. Good friends don't let stupid little issues come between them, and it seems like Annabel's mom would know this. It may just be that her mother is preoccupied with her three daughters and their modeling careers and if that is the case I feel sorry for Annabel because I know how preoccupied parents can get with their work and it can be hard on kids if their is something exciting or scary in their lives at the time.
"'Honey, I know,' she said, as if she actually did, which was totally not the case. Having raised three daughters, my mom was well versed in the politics of girls, which had made it easy for me to explain Sophie's sudden and utter disappearance from my life..." (26).
Annabel's mother is trying to sympathize with her because she is having a bad day and her best friend recently stopped hanging out with her because of something she did. (I must say that I am really mad that I don't know what happened to their friendship and what Annabel did to Sophie yet!!! Maybe the author would like the reader to see Annabel as a friendly person that they like before she writes anything that could make the reader dislike Annabel's character.) However, back to the quote, Annabel realizes that her mother knows what it is like to be a girl and what goes on in her daughters' lives, she feels that her mother will never understand what it feels like to be her and have her unique problems. I think most teenagers feel this way, that their parents don't know how stressful their life can be, but I think that normally parents can have a lot to say about something and some good advice to offer because they too were a child at some point in their lives. I think it is a bit odd that Annabel's mother didn't think that there wasn't anything deeper than Sophie just acting weird and not being Annabel's friend anymore. Good friends don't let stupid little issues come between them, and it seems like Annabel's mom would know this. It may just be that her mother is preoccupied with her three daughters and their modeling careers and if that is the case I feel sorry for Annabel because I know how preoccupied parents can get with their work and it can be hard on kids if their is something exciting or scary in their lives at the time.
Quarter 2 Post 2A
VOCABULARY
1. Bravado (31)- (noun) courage, bragging or boasting.
2. Rifle (38)- (verb) to search, rob, or ransack.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Like clockwork, if you came into the kichen at ten thirty, you'd find her in the chair facing the window, stirring cream into a mug, the phone cocked between her ear and shoulder" (30). This is a similie becasue it is comparing the mother's actions to that of a clock, perfectly on schedule. It uses 'like'.
2."'I would have been happy to have them making mud pies in the backyard,' I'd hear her tell people a million times" (30). This is a hyperbole because a million times is overexaggerated.
3. "Whitney was the beauty, with the perfect bone structure and haunting eyes, while Kirsten was somehow able to convey her bubbly personality with just one look" (29). This is imagery because it is very descriptive and analytical.
QUOTE
"'Goog luck,' my mother called out, and I nodded, then looked back at Whitney. But she'd slid down in her seat and disappeared from view, leaving the mirror empty" (40). This is the beginning of her family realizing that there is something wrong with whitney, I think. She seems quiet and is described as rail thin. She may have an eating disorder due to the pressure of being a model.
THEME
An emerging theme in the novel is finding out what you are good at and what you want to do; this is shown through Annabel's modeling work and how she followed her sisters.
1. Bravado (31)- (noun) courage, bragging or boasting.
2. Rifle (38)- (verb) to search, rob, or ransack.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Like clockwork, if you came into the kichen at ten thirty, you'd find her in the chair facing the window, stirring cream into a mug, the phone cocked between her ear and shoulder" (30). This is a similie becasue it is comparing the mother's actions to that of a clock, perfectly on schedule. It uses 'like'.
2."'I would have been happy to have them making mud pies in the backyard,' I'd hear her tell people a million times" (30). This is a hyperbole because a million times is overexaggerated.
3. "Whitney was the beauty, with the perfect bone structure and haunting eyes, while Kirsten was somehow able to convey her bubbly personality with just one look" (29). This is imagery because it is very descriptive and analytical.
QUOTE
"'Goog luck,' my mother called out, and I nodded, then looked back at Whitney. But she'd slid down in her seat and disappeared from view, leaving the mirror empty" (40). This is the beginning of her family realizing that there is something wrong with whitney, I think. She seems quiet and is described as rail thin. She may have an eating disorder due to the pressure of being a model.
THEME
An emerging theme in the novel is finding out what you are good at and what you want to do; this is shown through Annabel's modeling work and how she followed her sisters.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Quarter 2 Post 1B
Dear Sarah Dessen,
I am having a great time starting to read your book! In the first few pages of Just Listen, there seems to be a lot of emphasis on Annabel's family. Do you believe that family is very important? Annabel and her two sisters seem close, both age and relationship-wise. My brother and I are similair. We are 18 months apart and he is basically my best friend. Sometimes it seems that Annabel and her sisters don't get along, but in the end, they care very much for eachother.
"'That's my sister,' Kirsten said, pointing at me, 'and you were just a total bitch to her'"(p. 14). Annabel describes her sister as the dramatic, loud one of the family, however when Annabel didn't have the guts to stand up for herself, her sister stepped in and helped her.
Also, your characters go against a lot of the stereotypes I have heard of. I've heard that the oldest child in a family is the quiet leader, a thinker, and role model and that the younger children are more spontaneous and wild, 'doers'. Obviously this stereotype doesn't fit all families, one being Annabel's. The oldest, Kirsten, is loud and puts her feelings out there, while the middle child, Whitney, is quiet and reserved. Annabel, the youngest, is described as being the perfect mixture of the two.
"One opened, one closed. It was no wonder that the first image that came to my mind when I thought of either of my sisters was a door" (p.12). The open door is Kirsten and the closed door is Whitney. For people reading this, does your family fit the stereotype or are they more like Annabel's? Or completely different?
I am having a great time starting to read your book! In the first few pages of Just Listen, there seems to be a lot of emphasis on Annabel's family. Do you believe that family is very important? Annabel and her two sisters seem close, both age and relationship-wise. My brother and I are similair. We are 18 months apart and he is basically my best friend. Sometimes it seems that Annabel and her sisters don't get along, but in the end, they care very much for eachother.
"'That's my sister,' Kirsten said, pointing at me, 'and you were just a total bitch to her'"(p. 14). Annabel describes her sister as the dramatic, loud one of the family, however when Annabel didn't have the guts to stand up for herself, her sister stepped in and helped her.
Also, your characters go against a lot of the stereotypes I have heard of. I've heard that the oldest child in a family is the quiet leader, a thinker, and role model and that the younger children are more spontaneous and wild, 'doers'. Obviously this stereotype doesn't fit all families, one being Annabel's. The oldest, Kirsten, is loud and puts her feelings out there, while the middle child, Whitney, is quiet and reserved. Annabel, the youngest, is described as being the perfect mixture of the two.
"One opened, one closed. It was no wonder that the first image that came to my mind when I thought of either of my sisters was a door" (p.12). The open door is Kirsten and the closed door is Whitney. For people reading this, does your family fit the stereotype or are they more like Annabel's? Or completely different?
Quarter 2 Post 1A
I'm reading Just Listen by Sarah Dessen and I love it!
VOCABULARY
1. Stony (12) - (adj.) Hardhearted, unfeeling, unemotional.
2. Adenoidal (7) - (adj.) pinched /nasal in tone quality due to enlarged adenoids. This is normally(like in this book) due to allergies.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1."As people streamed past,"(p. 3). This is a metaphor because it is comparing people to water or something that flows, such as a stream or creek.
2."While he poured my drink I could feel the girl behind me, her presence like a weight," (p. 5). This is a similie because it compares her presence with a weight using like or as.
3."I turned my head, and there was this girl, a total stranger, standing there in a skimpy orange bikini and matching thick platform flip-flops. She had olive skin, and thick, curly dark hair pulled up into a ponytail, and was wearing black sunglasses with a bored, impatient expression" (p. 4). This is imagery because it paints a picture of Sophie in the reader's head.
QUOTE
"The camera moved in, closer, closer, until all you could see was my face, the rest dropping away. This had been before that night, before everything had happened with Sophie, before this long, lonely summer of secrets and silence. I was a mess, but this girl- she was fine"(2). Annabel is watching a commercial of her that was filmed before her big drama with Sophie. She sees a perfect girl with friends and everything that you could want, and now she doesn't have anything.
THEME
An emerging theme in the novel is friendships falling apart; Annabel was good friends with Sophie until she did something that Sophie could not forgive her for (I don't know yet!).
VOCABULARY
1. Stony (12) - (adj.) Hardhearted, unfeeling, unemotional.
2. Adenoidal (7) - (adj.) pinched /nasal in tone quality due to enlarged adenoids. This is normally(like in this book) due to allergies.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1."As people streamed past,"(p. 3). This is a metaphor because it is comparing people to water or something that flows, such as a stream or creek.
2."While he poured my drink I could feel the girl behind me, her presence like a weight," (p. 5). This is a similie because it compares her presence with a weight using like or as.
3."I turned my head, and there was this girl, a total stranger, standing there in a skimpy orange bikini and matching thick platform flip-flops. She had olive skin, and thick, curly dark hair pulled up into a ponytail, and was wearing black sunglasses with a bored, impatient expression" (p. 4). This is imagery because it paints a picture of Sophie in the reader's head.
QUOTE
"The camera moved in, closer, closer, until all you could see was my face, the rest dropping away. This had been before that night, before everything had happened with Sophie, before this long, lonely summer of secrets and silence. I was a mess, but this girl- she was fine"(2). Annabel is watching a commercial of her that was filmed before her big drama with Sophie. She sees a perfect girl with friends and everything that you could want, and now she doesn't have anything.
THEME
An emerging theme in the novel is friendships falling apart; Annabel was good friends with Sophie until she did something that Sophie could not forgive her for (I don't know yet!).
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Post 5B
I'm reading Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez.
Earlier during the school year we discussed tragedy transforming from September 11th in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Deborah Rodriguez hopes to do the exact same thing, only in Afghanistan instead of the United states.
"Still, I felt a new burst of determination. I wanted to make sure that the beauty school- and the chance that it offered the women of Afghanistan- would be one of the good things to come out of September 11th" (97-98).
The beauty School that Debbie wants to create an atmosphere would empower many Afghan women because they would have the ability to earn a living. They wouldn't feel like they were under the control of their husbands so much if they were able to be financially independent. Women would learn how to be beauticians and learn how to keep the products and tools sanitary, which is a large issue in Afghanistan. She also creates strong relationships with the women and is someone that they can confide in. Debbie believes that the Beauty School originated around September 11th because that is why she went to Kabul in the first place, to help rebuild their city and society.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was the first book I read that really discussed a positive impact of September 11th. I didn't think that this book would discuss it so much, but it does and Debbie sees the positive aspects which is nice because I hear and read a lot about the negative aspects.
Earlier during the school year we discussed tragedy transforming from September 11th in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Deborah Rodriguez hopes to do the exact same thing, only in Afghanistan instead of the United states.
"Still, I felt a new burst of determination. I wanted to make sure that the beauty school- and the chance that it offered the women of Afghanistan- would be one of the good things to come out of September 11th" (97-98).
The beauty School that Debbie wants to create an atmosphere would empower many Afghan women because they would have the ability to earn a living. They wouldn't feel like they were under the control of their husbands so much if they were able to be financially independent. Women would learn how to be beauticians and learn how to keep the products and tools sanitary, which is a large issue in Afghanistan. She also creates strong relationships with the women and is someone that they can confide in. Debbie believes that the Beauty School originated around September 11th because that is why she went to Kabul in the first place, to help rebuild their city and society.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was the first book I read that really discussed a positive impact of September 11th. I didn't think that this book would discuss it so much, but it does and Debbie sees the positive aspects which is nice because I hear and read a lot about the negative aspects.
Post 5A
I've been reading Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez.
VOCABULARY
rotary (164) - (noun) a traffic circle
pandemonium (120) - (noun) wild uproar, unrestrained disorder, chaos
APPEALS
1. "The I whirled around, flipping up my burqa, and punched him full in the face" (167). This is an emotional appeal. Debbie was upset because a man had groped her and women normally do nothing when this happens in Afghanistan.
2. "After we hung around and ate some dinner, I thought back to my disaster relief training in 2001, before I'd even known where Afghanistan was on the map" (100). This is a logical appeal because Debbie is remembering a specific date.
3. "We had a lot of fun that night, getting away for a few hours from the dusty, crowded, complicated Kabul just outside the gate. We went back two days later, and it was all gone" (93). This is an emotional appeal. Debbie remembers how much fun she had at a club that was owned by 'westerners'. However, it was shut down by the government in less than two days.
QUOTE
"Suraya was taking notes and translating, and I kept asking her why each woman had been imprisoned. One of them was there because she had been raped. One was there because she had been raped and her husband had killed the rapist. He was also in prison, but her term was longer. Several young girls were there because they had tried to run away with their boyfriends... (the stories continue).... The stories wereall horrible, but the young girl weeping in my ear- imprisoned because she had fled her abusive husband-did me in. I cried and cried, until I embarrassed Suraya" (107-108). I think it is terrible that all of these women are in prison. The laws in Afghanistan are so different than the laws here. Abusive husbands and rapists are sent to prison here, not the abused and the raped. This was appalling.
THEME
An emerging theme in this book is love; Debbie felt like she had friends in America, but found so many characters that she befriended and loved in Afghanistan.
VOCABULARY
rotary (164) - (noun) a traffic circle
pandemonium (120) - (noun) wild uproar, unrestrained disorder, chaos
APPEALS
1. "The I whirled around, flipping up my burqa, and punched him full in the face" (167). This is an emotional appeal. Debbie was upset because a man had groped her and women normally do nothing when this happens in Afghanistan.
2. "After we hung around and ate some dinner, I thought back to my disaster relief training in 2001, before I'd even known where Afghanistan was on the map" (100). This is a logical appeal because Debbie is remembering a specific date.
3. "We had a lot of fun that night, getting away for a few hours from the dusty, crowded, complicated Kabul just outside the gate. We went back two days later, and it was all gone" (93). This is an emotional appeal. Debbie remembers how much fun she had at a club that was owned by 'westerners'. However, it was shut down by the government in less than two days.
QUOTE
"Suraya was taking notes and translating, and I kept asking her why each woman had been imprisoned. One of them was there because she had been raped. One was there because she had been raped and her husband had killed the rapist. He was also in prison, but her term was longer. Several young girls were there because they had tried to run away with their boyfriends... (the stories continue).... The stories wereall horrible, but the young girl weeping in my ear- imprisoned because she had fled her abusive husband-did me in. I cried and cried, until I embarrassed Suraya" (107-108). I think it is terrible that all of these women are in prison. The laws in Afghanistan are so different than the laws here. Abusive husbands and rapists are sent to prison here, not the abused and the raped. This was appalling.
THEME
An emerging theme in this book is love; Debbie felt like she had friends in America, but found so many characters that she befriended and loved in Afghanistan.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Post 4B
I'm currently reading Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez and find it fascinating!!
Dear Debbie,
WOW!! You are so corageous, driven, and motivated! When describing your younger life, you sounded as if you had no life goals and would be stuck in an abusive marraige forever and become another stereotype. I'm amazed by how much your life has turned around and how inspired you have become when you seemed a bit lazy earlier in the book. Who knew you were such a go-getter?!
You seem to really know what you want and I think that you have very good priorities. I can imagine it was no easy task trying to get started all by yourself and probably only one in a million would be able to handle it as well as you did.
On of the largest hurdles for you was your husband. "'I hope you die in Afghanistan,' he said. 'I'd rather die than live here with you,' I replied. A door in my heart opened, and the tiny peice of him left inside me tumbled out" (65). I know that that took guts for you to say that because you spent most of your life living in fear and always felt like you needed his (or another male figure's) permission to do something important in your life.
I'm so excited to see how your beauty school turns out! I bet it will be amazing and you will find something that you truly enjoy doing. I'm also excited to hear about more of your Afghan friends' interesting stories. It was hard for me to put the book down whe I was reading Roshana's story. Keep up the hard (yet fun) work you are doing in Kabul!!!
Annie
Dear Debbie,
WOW!! You are so corageous, driven, and motivated! When describing your younger life, you sounded as if you had no life goals and would be stuck in an abusive marraige forever and become another stereotype. I'm amazed by how much your life has turned around and how inspired you have become when you seemed a bit lazy earlier in the book. Who knew you were such a go-getter?!
You seem to really know what you want and I think that you have very good priorities. I can imagine it was no easy task trying to get started all by yourself and probably only one in a million would be able to handle it as well as you did.
On of the largest hurdles for you was your husband. "'I hope you die in Afghanistan,' he said. 'I'd rather die than live here with you,' I replied. A door in my heart opened, and the tiny peice of him left inside me tumbled out" (65). I know that that took guts for you to say that because you spent most of your life living in fear and always felt like you needed his (or another male figure's) permission to do something important in your life.
I'm so excited to see how your beauty school turns out! I bet it will be amazing and you will find something that you truly enjoy doing. I'm also excited to hear about more of your Afghan friends' interesting stories. It was hard for me to put the book down whe I was reading Roshana's story. Keep up the hard (yet fun) work you are doing in Kabul!!!
Annie
Post 4A
Vocabulary
1. mullah (p. 77)- (n.) a male religious teacher or leader in Islamic countries.
2. grit (p. 82)- (n.) tiny rough granules, often in sand or from stone.
Appeals
1. "And that was it- the last big hurdle before I left for Afghanistan early in 2003 to meet the shipping container" (72). Debbie is determined to open a beauty school in Afghanistan and recalls the last few steps before leaving. This is a logical appeal because Debbie is chronologically retelling events.
2. "'Hey, Ms. International Hairdresser,' the voice on the other end said. 'This is J.P.'" (68). This is an emotional appeal because the reader is happy and excited for Debbie, and Debbie is shocked. J.P. is the owner of Paul Mitchell and he wants to help Debbie and be on a first name basis.
3. "So instead of flying to Kabul, I wound up flying to New York for a week of special training in makeup application at M.A.C. Cosmetics, which had donated about thirty thousand dollars worth of makeup to the school"(72). This is a logical appeal. Rodriguez is crediting M.A.C. Cosmetics and this quote shows how much prgress she has been making on her school and what a big deal and accomplishment it is.
Quote
"'Do you have anyone to unload this stuff?' he said, jerking his thumb at the huge truck that was fuming at the bottom of my driveway. 'Just me,' I said. He looked me over and sighed. 'You don't happen to have a forklift, do you?' 'Just a wheelbarrow.' I moved the cars, the snow blower, and the lawn mower out of the garage as my husband watched from the living room" (69). Debbie starts out with nothing, but she won't let anything get in her way. Her husband is very unsupportive and stands and watches her and another person unload a large truck without even offering to move his car.
Theme
An emerging theme in the book is perseverance; Debbie starts out with nothing but never gives up on helping the Afghan women, no matter what problem she is facing.
1. mullah (p. 77)- (n.) a male religious teacher or leader in Islamic countries.
2. grit (p. 82)- (n.) tiny rough granules, often in sand or from stone.
Appeals
1. "And that was it- the last big hurdle before I left for Afghanistan early in 2003 to meet the shipping container" (72). Debbie is determined to open a beauty school in Afghanistan and recalls the last few steps before leaving. This is a logical appeal because Debbie is chronologically retelling events.
2. "'Hey, Ms. International Hairdresser,' the voice on the other end said. 'This is J.P.'" (68). This is an emotional appeal because the reader is happy and excited for Debbie, and Debbie is shocked. J.P. is the owner of Paul Mitchell and he wants to help Debbie and be on a first name basis.
3. "So instead of flying to Kabul, I wound up flying to New York for a week of special training in makeup application at M.A.C. Cosmetics, which had donated about thirty thousand dollars worth of makeup to the school"(72). This is a logical appeal. Rodriguez is crediting M.A.C. Cosmetics and this quote shows how much prgress she has been making on her school and what a big deal and accomplishment it is.
Quote
"'Do you have anyone to unload this stuff?' he said, jerking his thumb at the huge truck that was fuming at the bottom of my driveway. 'Just me,' I said. He looked me over and sighed. 'You don't happen to have a forklift, do you?' 'Just a wheelbarrow.' I moved the cars, the snow blower, and the lawn mower out of the garage as my husband watched from the living room" (69). Debbie starts out with nothing, but she won't let anything get in her way. Her husband is very unsupportive and stands and watches her and another person unload a large truck without even offering to move his car.
Theme
An emerging theme in the book is perseverance; Debbie starts out with nothing but never gives up on helping the Afghan women, no matter what problem she is facing.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Post 3B
I am reading Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez and I am enjoying it very much!!!
Debbie has a lot of problems trying to figure out what to do with her life in the beginning of the book and is unhappy with her life. She married her high school sweetheart and had two kids, but later got divorced because he was a jerk. She also didn't know what she wanted her occupation to be, so she worked as a prison gaurd and then followed in her mother's footsteps and became a hairdresser. However, she didn't believe that she really had a purpose and didn't enjoy her life.
"All the time I had been married to him, my only salvation was that he had no idea how much money I made. I stashed it away, saving up for my freedom. I figured that the salon business would be even better in Afghanistan, where the men aren't allowed to step inside the salons" (55).
Women do not have to be living in a place like Afghnaistan to feel like their lives are in the control of men. Debbie had limited freedom in her earlier life because her husband had been overpowering. Having her own means of making a decent amount of money helped her become an independent woman. Debbie is right when saying that salons would be a good way for a woman to gain control over her life in Afghanistan because they are operated and seen only by women and men have no business in the industry. I think that Debbie's idea is great and inspiring!!!
Debbie has a lot of problems trying to figure out what to do with her life in the beginning of the book and is unhappy with her life. She married her high school sweetheart and had two kids, but later got divorced because he was a jerk. She also didn't know what she wanted her occupation to be, so she worked as a prison gaurd and then followed in her mother's footsteps and became a hairdresser. However, she didn't believe that she really had a purpose and didn't enjoy her life.
"All the time I had been married to him, my only salvation was that he had no idea how much money I made. I stashed it away, saving up for my freedom. I figured that the salon business would be even better in Afghanistan, where the men aren't allowed to step inside the salons" (55).
Women do not have to be living in a place like Afghnaistan to feel like their lives are in the control of men. Debbie had limited freedom in her earlier life because her husband had been overpowering. Having her own means of making a decent amount of money helped her become an independent woman. Debbie is right when saying that salons would be a good way for a woman to gain control over her life in Afghanistan because they are operated and seen only by women and men have no business in the industry. I think that Debbie's idea is great and inspiring!!!
Post 3A
Vocabulary
brawling (59)- fighting loudly, noisily (verb)
vestibule (51)- a passage or hall beteen the outside and inside of a building (noun)
brothels (51)- prostitution houses (noun)
Appeals
1. "Two hairdressers turned to greet us. One was young and thin with deep-set dark eyes; the other, older woman had frizzy, chin-length hair" (p. 51). This is a logical appeal because the descriptions of the two women help you imagine them while you read.
brawling (59)- fighting loudly, noisily (verb)
vestibule (51)- a passage or hall beteen the outside and inside of a building (noun)
brothels (51)- prostitution houses (noun)
Appeals
1. "Two hairdressers turned to greet us. One was young and thin with deep-set dark eyes; the other, older woman had frizzy, chin-length hair" (p. 51). This is a logical appeal because the descriptions of the two women help you imagine them while you read.
2. "It seemed that I had discovered the one thing that I could do to help the Afgans- and only I, out of all the talented and dedicated Westerners I'd met here, could do it" (p. 54). This is an emotional appeal because Debbie is feeling confident and excited about helping the Afghan people and realizes what she must do.
3. "But after a few months, I was on compassion overload. I was just too much of a bleeding heart to work in the prison" (p. 59). This is an emotional appeal because Debbie is realizing that she could never be an authoritative figure in a prison. She even befriended the inmates!
Quote
"Whenever I do something, I do it to the extreme, so in a couple of months I knew every club in the area and every person an every barstool" (p. 60). Debbie is a very dedicated person and a real go-getter. This is a good trait in life because if you know that you want something, you'll do it and not let anything hold you back. However I think Debbie's priorities in her earlier life were a bit messed up, so I'm glad that she finally channeled her traits of dedication and perseverence in a good way to help the people of Afghanistan.
Theme
One emerging theme in this memoir is finding yourself; Debbie overcame a lot of obstacles in her younger life and finally found something that will make her happy.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Week 2, Post B
I'm reading Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez.
Dear Debbie,
I'm enjoying your book Kabul Beauty School very much! I'm amazed by how similar yet different life is in Afghanistan and I'm so glad to hear that you have finally found your calling. It was very corageous and selfless of you to go to Afghanistan and try to make a difference and help the world become a better place. I can imagine how being a hairdresser in a group full of doctors, nurses, dentists, and many other people who were considered more accomplished than you must have made you feel small and insignificant. I would be completely bored and angered if I had to do their laundry and other household work like as a maid when I had other goals and intentions in mind. I think everyone knows what its like to feel inferior, unimportant, and that you can not make a difference.
It must have been so exciting to hear such an applause from the CFAF audience that you were so shy (and somewhat afraid of!) with earlier that night!! Did you ever think that you would still be a hairdresser in Kabul? Did you ever think that there was a need for people in the beauty professions? With all of the make-up that the women wear, I was surprised that the women in Kabul said that there was no decent salon in town. I've never really thought about it, but your book makes me realize just how important all of the professions are that people don't consider very important or accomplished. Your book is very well-written and an easy read, yet extremely thought-provoking and eye-opening for me.
Sincerely,
Annie
Dear Debbie,
I'm enjoying your book Kabul Beauty School very much! I'm amazed by how similar yet different life is in Afghanistan and I'm so glad to hear that you have finally found your calling. It was very corageous and selfless of you to go to Afghanistan and try to make a difference and help the world become a better place. I can imagine how being a hairdresser in a group full of doctors, nurses, dentists, and many other people who were considered more accomplished than you must have made you feel small and insignificant. I would be completely bored and angered if I had to do their laundry and other household work like as a maid when I had other goals and intentions in mind. I think everyone knows what its like to feel inferior, unimportant, and that you can not make a difference.
It must have been so exciting to hear such an applause from the CFAF audience that you were so shy (and somewhat afraid of!) with earlier that night!! Did you ever think that you would still be a hairdresser in Kabul? Did you ever think that there was a need for people in the beauty professions? With all of the make-up that the women wear, I was surprised that the women in Kabul said that there was no decent salon in town. I've never really thought about it, but your book makes me realize just how important all of the professions are that people don't consider very important or accomplished. Your book is very well-written and an easy read, yet extremely thought-provoking and eye-opening for me.
Sincerely,
Annie
Week 2, Post A
VOCABULARY
Flanked (47)-gaurded on both sides. (v.)
Gingerly (40)- carefully, warily, with caution. (adv.)
APPEALS
1. "Inside, there were about 150 people milling around, eating cookies and introducing themselves, passing out business cards and telling one another about the projects they were involved in" (38). This is a logical appeal. Debbie feels inferior compared to the 150 accomplished people in the room.
"Daud and Muqim would let themselvesfly off the swings at the high point, timble on the grass, and joke about who had gone the farthest. I'd have to laugh, remembering that these were the scary Afghan men that half the world was afraid of" (p. 41). Debbie is trying to prove that the stereotypes put on Middle Easteners are very rarely true. The world is not as dark and terrible as people may think.
THEME
A theme in this novel is that everyone one has a talent and can use it to make the world a better place; Debbie thought that she was a useless hairdresser at first and now she realizes how important and needed she can be.
Flanked (47)-gaurded on both sides. (v.)
Gingerly (40)- carefully, warily, with caution. (adv.)
APPEALS
1. "Inside, there were about 150 people milling around, eating cookies and introducing themselves, passing out business cards and telling one another about the projects they were involved in" (38). This is a logical appeal. Debbie feels inferior compared to the 150 accomplished people in the room.
2. "'We're so glad you're here!' said the woman who got to my side before any of the others" (39). This is an emotional appeal. Debbie is relieved when the women express the need af a good salon in Kabul. This is the turning point of her night and purpose in Afghanistan.
3. "I planted my feet and stared back. 'Have you taken a good look at the Afghan women? They wear a lot more makeup than I do'" (43). This is an emotional appeal. Debbie takes her first stand against one of her accomplished colleagues. She believes he has no right to tell her how to look.
QUOTE"Daud and Muqim would let themselvesfly off the swings at the high point, timble on the grass, and joke about who had gone the farthest. I'd have to laugh, remembering that these were the scary Afghan men that half the world was afraid of" (p. 41). Debbie is trying to prove that the stereotypes put on Middle Easteners are very rarely true. The world is not as dark and terrible as people may think.
THEME
A theme in this novel is that everyone one has a talent and can use it to make the world a better place; Debbie thought that she was a useless hairdresser at first and now she realizes how important and needed she can be.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Outside reading post B
I'm reading Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez.
I love this book so far. One large focus of the book is marriage traditions in Afghanistan. Their traditions are so different from the average American wedding. In America, if you are a virgin when you get married, many people think 'wow'. However being a virgin on your wedding day is expected of you and possibly mandatory in Afghanistan. Another difference is that here, in America, you have the choice of marrying who you want and you date and get to know eachother before becoming engaged. In Afghanistan culture the process which comes before an engagement is that the mother of the groom finds a girl she would like her son to marry and then she contacts that girl's family. The groom's family makes an offer in exchange for their daughter to marry their son. They also promise certain items and money to the bride. At the engagement party the nika-khat (Islamic law document the legally binds them as husband and wife) is signed. The men and the women are not allowed to party, socialize, or rejoice in the same room. The women dress very differently at weddings then their normal gray garments worn on the street. Rodriguez describes the Afghanistan wedding look as a 1950's drag queen. However this look is supposed to symbolize virginity in their culture. Also their dancing is suggestive at weddings, both the men and the women. They do these dances in seperate rooms, divided by gender once again. These dances in America, would never happen at weddings, especially if your grandparents are there.
I love this book so far. One large focus of the book is marriage traditions in Afghanistan. Their traditions are so different from the average American wedding. In America, if you are a virgin when you get married, many people think 'wow'. However being a virgin on your wedding day is expected of you and possibly mandatory in Afghanistan. Another difference is that here, in America, you have the choice of marrying who you want and you date and get to know eachother before becoming engaged. In Afghanistan culture the process which comes before an engagement is that the mother of the groom finds a girl she would like her son to marry and then she contacts that girl's family. The groom's family makes an offer in exchange for their daughter to marry their son. They also promise certain items and money to the bride. At the engagement party the nika-khat (Islamic law document the legally binds them as husband and wife) is signed. The men and the women are not allowed to party, socialize, or rejoice in the same room. The women dress very differently at weddings then their normal gray garments worn on the street. Rodriguez describes the Afghanistan wedding look as a 1950's drag queen. However this look is supposed to symbolize virginity in their culture. Also their dancing is suggestive at weddings, both the men and the women. They do these dances in seperate rooms, divided by gender once again. These dances in America, would never happen at weddings, especially if your grandparents are there.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Outside reading Post A
I've been reading Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez.
VOCABULARY
1. errant (p. 17)- (adj.) straying from a regular or proper course.
2. divulged (p.13)- (v.) to have made something private or secret known.
APPEALS
"I wipe my fingers back and forth on the handkerchief, then hand it to her. 'Here's your virginity,' I tell her"(30). In Afghanistan a woman must be a virgin on her wedding night and then must show blood as proof. Rodriguez's friend Roshanna was not a virgin and she saved her friend embarrassment (and possibly death) by clipping down her fingernails and helping her fake her virginity.
THEME
One emerging theme in this novel is culture; the Afghanistan culture is so different from our American culture.
VOCABULARY
1. errant (p. 17)- (adj.) straying from a regular or proper course.
2. divulged (p.13)- (v.) to have made something private or secret known.
APPEALS
1. "Whether they shared the fanaticism that had propelled the 9/11 terrorists to kill three thousand people in New York City or whether they feared it even more than we did"(33). This would be a logical appeal because it is more factual and states the date of 9/11 and an estimated number of people that were killed.
2. "I must say that, in all my time in their country, I've never met a rude Afghan. Even when they're pointing a gun at you, they're polite"(33). This is an emotional appeal. People could disagree over this statement. Rodriguez is stating an opinion and it mentions a gun being pointing at you.
3. "A live sheep was tied up next to it. As we rolled by, I imagined that the live sheep was hoping that everyone would fill themselves on his dead, dried up, fly-covered brother"(35). This is an emotional appeal. Here in America, we do not butcher animals on the side of streets in public. This quote gives the sheep feelings and tells the reader more about their culture.
QUOTE"I wipe my fingers back and forth on the handkerchief, then hand it to her. 'Here's your virginity,' I tell her"(30). In Afghanistan a woman must be a virgin on her wedding night and then must show blood as proof. Rodriguez's friend Roshanna was not a virgin and she saved her friend embarrassment (and possibly death) by clipping down her fingernails and helping her fake her virginity.
THEME
One emerging theme in this novel is culture; the Afghanistan culture is so different from our American culture.
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