My active reading so far is going about as can be expected for someone who doesn't read or write at all. I have managed to trail along, not getting to far behind but being sick this past week has cost me some valuable time. I approve the use of highlighting and the marginal notes. It helps the story stick in your head and for me that is a good thing. I can actually say I'm enjoying it to an extent. There hasn't been to many words that I don't understand and that makes it tough to pull words out if there aren't any. If I read one book a year that is more than I used to so I am benefiting already in my mind.
I feel that the two books fall into categories THOMS is more for women and a long way gone is more for men. Both books are great if you enjoy books although I almost feel that Cisneros writing style is almost juvenile or a little uneducated. I don't really have an opinion on strengths and weaknesses. Who am I to judge something I don't have any real knowledge in. I feel I should probably read a book before I talk about something like that. I prefer a long way gone over THOMS. I'm not in to emotions or feelings and hate to talk about things of that nature.
A theme I noticed in a long way gone is loneliness.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Journal Three from Maddy
Overall I would say my active reading is going well. Active reading has helped me notice things that I wouldn't have noticed if I was just reading through the book like I normally would. It gives me the chance to really think about what I am reading. I would say that it has been a bit harder for me to pick out themes in chapters that we have been reading.
Both of the books have many strengths and weaknesses that can be found when reading them. In The House On Mango Street and A Long Way Gone both authors have been able to give us a better realization as to what it was like growing up in the conditions that they grew up by simply being honest. Their honesty though it is sometimes a bit much has really helped them tell their stories in a way that can be better understood to those who will never completely understand. With strengths in each book there are also weaknesses. In A Long Way Gone I would say a weakness would be the fact that the events he has gone through in his life are very frightening to talk about and to even read about sometimes. After reading multiple chapters from each book I can say that I prefer to read Cisneros over Beah because The House On Mango Street is easier for me to connect to and a little easier to understand.
While reading chapter 8 in A Long Way Gone I began to notice a reoccurring theme of constant fear throughout the book for various reasons. Each day as Ishmael was constantly walking and or running in hope of finding people and a safe place to stay he constantly feared for his life. When I read " I walked for two days straight without sleeping. I stopped only at streams to drink water. I felt as if somebody was after me." I began to pick up on the unsafe feeling he felt even when he was okay for the time being. Another passage that helped me see this was " Once again I was with a group of boys. This time there were seven of us. I knew this was going to be a problem, but I didn't want to be by myself anymore." To me that was Ishmael telling us how no matter what he was scared. He was scared to be with people and he was scared to be alone.
Both of the books have many strengths and weaknesses that can be found when reading them. In The House On Mango Street and A Long Way Gone both authors have been able to give us a better realization as to what it was like growing up in the conditions that they grew up by simply being honest. Their honesty though it is sometimes a bit much has really helped them tell their stories in a way that can be better understood to those who will never completely understand. With strengths in each book there are also weaknesses. In A Long Way Gone I would say a weakness would be the fact that the events he has gone through in his life are very frightening to talk about and to even read about sometimes. After reading multiple chapters from each book I can say that I prefer to read Cisneros over Beah because The House On Mango Street is easier for me to connect to and a little easier to understand.
While reading chapter 8 in A Long Way Gone I began to notice a reoccurring theme of constant fear throughout the book for various reasons. Each day as Ishmael was constantly walking and or running in hope of finding people and a safe place to stay he constantly feared for his life. When I read " I walked for two days straight without sleeping. I stopped only at streams to drink water. I felt as if somebody was after me." I began to pick up on the unsafe feeling he felt even when he was okay for the time being. Another passage that helped me see this was " Once again I was with a group of boys. This time there were seven of us. I knew this was going to be a problem, but I didn't want to be by myself anymore." To me that was Ishmael telling us how no matter what he was scared. He was scared to be with people and he was scared to be alone.
Journal Three from Maci
So far I think my active reading is going very well. I practiced active reading my senior year of high school so I have a little background in doing the task. It helps me slow down and truly develop an idea of the characters as well as the scenery. I do catch myself not actively reading sometimes so I tend to look over important detail. I love talking through the books in class because I am able to realize things that I have missed before. I enjoy our open discussion and the encouragement of active reading.
Both books, The House on Mango Street and a long way gone, have numerous strengths and weaknesses. The rawness and honesty told through the life of Esperanza hit home in a universal theme of identity and empowerment. The feelings in the book are ones that anyone can relate to leaving it a very powerful novel. With many strengths in this book, one weakness is that we are only looking at things through Esperanza's eyes. Being said, If the story was told through multiple perspectives we could get a better understanding of round characters and the setting. For the other novel, a long way gone, it also has many strengths. A big strength that stands out are how Beah conveys his emotions. He is a young boy but spends a lot of his time not expressing how he feels. A weakness that stands out to me in the book is how gruesome and traumatic Beah's experiences are, I tend to feel that they are fiction. I know that it is true story's being shared, but I am incapable of wrapping my mind around the thought of such terrible events. Between both the novels we are currently reading, I prefer The House on Mango Street because I feel like I can relate to Esperanza more.
In chapters 7 and 8 of a long way gone, I noticed the themes of isolation and a search for hope. These themes are very crucial in the understanding of the book because Beah explains how haunted he is during his time alone and he has nothing to do but hope for better days. In his introduction with the "old man", he uses the following direct quote to describe him,
Both books, The House on Mango Street and a long way gone, have numerous strengths and weaknesses. The rawness and honesty told through the life of Esperanza hit home in a universal theme of identity and empowerment. The feelings in the book are ones that anyone can relate to leaving it a very powerful novel. With many strengths in this book, one weakness is that we are only looking at things through Esperanza's eyes. Being said, If the story was told through multiple perspectives we could get a better understanding of round characters and the setting. For the other novel, a long way gone, it also has many strengths. A big strength that stands out are how Beah conveys his emotions. He is a young boy but spends a lot of his time not expressing how he feels. A weakness that stands out to me in the book is how gruesome and traumatic Beah's experiences are, I tend to feel that they are fiction. I know that it is true story's being shared, but I am incapable of wrapping my mind around the thought of such terrible events. Between both the novels we are currently reading, I prefer The House on Mango Street because I feel like I can relate to Esperanza more.
In chapters 7 and 8 of a long way gone, I noticed the themes of isolation and a search for hope. These themes are very crucial in the understanding of the book because Beah explains how haunted he is during his time alone and he has nothing to do but hope for better days. In his introduction with the "old man", he uses the following direct quote to describe him,
His face was too wrinkled to still be alive, yet his dark skin was shiny and he spoke slowly, gobbling the words in his jaws before he let them out. As he spoke, the veins on his forehead became visible through his skin.(56)
The great description in the simple human he met shows Beah's search for hope. If this old man who is barely living is still managing to stay alive, so can he.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Journal Two from Clayton
Clayton Tackett
English 1109 at 10:30, T-Th
1/12/2020
My Introduction
Hello class my name is Clayton Tackett. I’m thirty two years old and was born on August thirtieth in nineteen eighty seven. I have three daughters starting with the oldest Maddison who is eleven, Anna who is five, and Jude at four years old. Unfortunately I only have custody of the two. I’m a freshman in my second semester here at OSU at Marion and am very proud to be able to say that. A fun fact about me is I’ve been with my spouse for over ten years and have two daughters with her. I’m scared to death of writing and blogging doubly so, but I am confident that this class will help me learn to overcome those fears.
I feel the theme so far in A Long Way Gone in my opinion is that not only is war frightening but the aftermath is also sometimes too much to handle. This is something that no child should ever have to experience. I believe that it was important to start the book like this so the reader can understand how big of an impression or impact the writer’s first introduction to war had on them. I think that Ishmael wanted the reader to know that it was was worse that he could have ever imagined. I have never experienced this with war but I have experienced this in the opposite direction with college. I always thought it was an impossibility, that I would hate it and that it was too difficult for someone like me, but in fact I’ve found out that I love it and I can get pretty good grades too.
English 1109 at 10:30, T-Th
1/12/2020
My Introduction
Hello class my name is Clayton Tackett. I’m thirty two years old and was born on August thirtieth in nineteen eighty seven. I have three daughters starting with the oldest Maddison who is eleven, Anna who is five, and Jude at four years old. Unfortunately I only have custody of the two. I’m a freshman in my second semester here at OSU at Marion and am very proud to be able to say that. A fun fact about me is I’ve been with my spouse for over ten years and have two daughters with her. I’m scared to death of writing and blogging doubly so, but I am confident that this class will help me learn to overcome those fears.
I feel the theme so far in A Long Way Gone in my opinion is that not only is war frightening but the aftermath is also sometimes too much to handle. This is something that no child should ever have to experience. I believe that it was important to start the book like this so the reader can understand how big of an impression or impact the writer’s first introduction to war had on them. I think that Ishmael wanted the reader to know that it was was worse that he could have ever imagined. I have never experienced this with war but I have experienced this in the opposite direction with college. I always thought it was an impossibility, that I would hate it and that it was too difficult for someone like me, but in fact I’ve found out that I love it and I can get pretty good grades too.
Journal 2 from Maddy
Hi, my name is Madison Barber, but ever since I was little I have gone by Maddy. I am 18 years old and I was born in Marion, Ohio. I've grown up here in Marion and went to school here all my life. I graduated from Harding High School and Tri-Rivers Career Center in 2019 where I spent my last year of high school. While I was at Tri-Rivers I was in their FFA chapter and my main focus of study was veterinary science, which was really fun because I got to work with so many different animals,
but I quickly began to realize I didn't want a career in the animal science field. Tri-Rivers helped me realize that I don't want to work with animals, but it actually helped me realize the passion I have for working with children and helping them along with working in with the children at my church every Wednesday and Sunday. I am a freshman at OSUM , but I currently am still exploring and trying to find my calling in life and how I want to work with children. I've always struggled in my English classes, but I'm excited to learn and grow with you all.
The idea of family and friendship quickly caught my eye in the first chapter of a long way gone. I noticed this the more I read because I was able to pick up on the fact that the brothers wanted nothing more than to keep each other safe as well as their friends and find their family. I relate to this because when my grandmother had gotten really sick a few years back not only did my family come together more, but my closest friend was there with my family the whole time we were going through that.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Journal Two from Maci
Hi, welcome to my first blog! My name is Maci Morgan, I am 18 and I was born right here in Marion, Ohio. I grew up in a small town called Cardington about 20 minutes away. I graduated from Cardington-Lincoln in 2019 with a 4.5 GPA and an honors diploma. I played Varsity Volleyball for 9 years where I played the position of libero(person in the back row with a different colored jersey). I am currently a freshman at The Ohio State University at Marion and am working on obtaining my Bachelor's in Science to become a nurse. I recently became an aunt to a beautiful nephew on December 12, 2019, this is Jayden. I live at home with my mom and two cats, this is blu(he is very large). I am happy to be in this class and look forward to getting to know you guys!
Two themes that stood out to me in the first chapter of a long way gone was Family and a Loss of Childhood. These two themes stood out to me because within a day, Ishmael had experienced a situation that changed his life forever. His family had been separated and he was no longer the same kid that he was 24 hours prior. He thinks about his family during the worst times, which shows his true connection and values he has. I relate to these themes in the sense of valuing family as well as the sense of a loss of childhood due to my father passing away at the age 14. I enjoy the book and look forward to learning more about Ishmaels experience.
Welcome from Mike Lohre
Hello students, and welcome to our blog! Today in class we'll work to
join the blog and become familiar with its basic features. See my
handout for more, but our main goals for your first post here are to get
to know each other, respond to our texts so far, and to start a
conversation.
My fun fact on the first day was about taking a trip to Norway and the idea that we may have to go back sometimes to go forward. As part of my continuing introduction, I'll share a bit about my wife. Irene is my best friend and we are coworkers on our three small regenerative farming locations. She loves gardening and really has a heart for elderly people. She works at Willow Brook Assisted Living which is south of Delaware. I'm proud of Irene for her heart and service to others! We do our small farming together, and she is a huge blessing in my life.
Look forward to reading all of your work on our blog, and remember that every chance to write is a chance to write well.
Mike
p.s. See the handout for your prompt for Journal Two. The first paragraph will be a self-introduction, and the rest will be a reading response for one poem in the texbook.
My fun fact on the first day was about taking a trip to Norway and the idea that we may have to go back sometimes to go forward. As part of my continuing introduction, I'll share a bit about my wife. Irene is my best friend and we are coworkers on our three small regenerative farming locations. She loves gardening and really has a heart for elderly people. She works at Willow Brook Assisted Living which is south of Delaware. I'm proud of Irene for her heart and service to others! We do our small farming together, and she is a huge blessing in my life.
 |
| My wife Irene and I in the garden. |
Look forward to reading all of your work on our blog, and remember that every chance to write is a chance to write well.
Mike
p.s. See the handout for your prompt for Journal Two. The first paragraph will be a self-introduction, and the rest will be a reading response for one poem in the texbook.
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