The Final Blog For This Year (a reflection)

      It's the final countdown blog!! It's a reflection with nine questions to "really make us THINK!" I have no clever segue from one part to the next, so let's just go to this question: What advice would you give students who will be in this class next year? The advice I would give is, "Manage your time well, as you will never truly see ahead and the homework shows up out of nowhere frequently." Another thing to add is, "Never procrastinate or your evening is going to be overloaded with homework."  I would also say, "Make sure to check Edmodo nightly," as I need to remember that myself. The last piece of advice is a simple one: "Mrs. Larson's in-class parties are full of food, so make sure not to be full as you enter." Those three tips will help the new seventh graders survive and thrive (the survive part is a joke). 
      
       The next question to answer is What was the best piece of writing that you did this year? Why do you think it is your best? The best piece of writing I did was arguably "An Apology by a Toxic Metal" because it was the first time I'd ever written outside of my own point of view, and I liked it. Also, I did one of my favorite things: Bashing Trump. There was also the apologetic tone I took, which is another thing I don't do (most of my writing is happy or objective).  I should probably do that more often...hey, that just gave me an idea! Also, here's the link if you wish to see it.  Question three is Of the books you read this year, which was your favorite? Why? I would have to say The Dresden Files because it's set in Chicago, which makes landmarks more understandable  Also, Harry Dresden's a powerful detective/magical consultant who goes through enemies easily. The series is epic. Continuing along, question four happens to be What is something we did this year that you think you will remember for the rest of your life? The answer is that epic Christmas party we had. The way to my memories is through my stomach and that food was delicious. Also, any party in your class is epic because of the sheer amount of food we all end up bringing. However, this one will be the most lasting due to it being the first.
      
      I have decided that question five is What was the most challenging part of this year for you?
My answer:Somehow managing the homework. It was hard given my busy schedule, but I pulled it off by strategically dividing it according to this algorithm: Take homework, divide by days,  and rebalance so that you end up doing the minimum amount and it prevents overload on Thursday. If you need a picture demonstration of the algorithm, here you go:
 
 
       Advancing smoothly along, we have question six, which is What was the nicest thing someone in our class did for you this year? The nicest thing someone did for me this year was Anthony being my elevator buddy, as well as generally helping me out in class, as I can be a bit clueless sometimes. However, he never is. I hope we're seated next to each other next year, or it will be a very dull class.
Also, we are good pals and when we put our heads together, things get done. As we are nearing the end, I'm running out of segues, so here we are with question seven: What are the three most important things you learned this year? Those three are "don't toss papers unless the unit is over" (you keep referring back to them), "manage your time precisely" (I have an absurdly busy schedule), and "get stuff done so you don't cram and destroy your grade" (self-explanatory). Those three things have been the core tenets of this class since I got here, and probably have been and will be forever.
        
      Question eight is What is something you taught your teacher or classmates this year? I'd have to say "No matter how much class you miss due to abnormal circumstances, you can still be a good student." I miss much of this class (sorry, Mrs. Larson) and yet I still have respectable grades. However, I have seen other people in other classes just not do the work and not care, even though they were in class the entire time (which I find odd). Perhaps it's that they don't understand the significance of it...? Regardless, everyone here knows it now, and that should be enough. 
      
      The concluding question is In what area do you feel you made your biggest improvements? What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of? I think my biggest improvements have been in research. Before this year I barely understood how to do respectable research, much less the point. But now, I can hammer out an essay with the research that would make [pick an essay writer] happy, if not proud. Something I'm proud of is my argumentative essay, because it was so much work that culminated in something well-written and worth reading. That is all from me, for now. See you next year, etc. Bye!

For now...

Of Mice and Movie

      After watching the movie version of Of Mice and Men, I have some questions to answer. This blog is said answer. Anyway, the first question: In the film, the director shows us “the incident in Weed” differently from how we find out in the book. What’s different? Why do you think he chose to do it that way? How does it change the story? The only different thing is that we see it as a flashback to kind of show how we got onto this train at the beginning of the movie. Otherwise, the incident is exactly the way it was in the book. I think he chose to do it this way because it was harder to do scenery montages in a 1990s-era movie than it was in a book, and because it would give a bit more introduction to Lennie and George, which we need because it's a movie. This changes the incident's story from being a "Noodle Incident" sort of thing until later in the plot to being an exposition piece.
      The next question is The book begins with the “stage” set by the pond. In the film, we see George on a train first. Why would the director do this? What is the director telling us about George’s life? The director did this as a traveling metaphor. As we know, George and Lennie (before the events of the novella/movie) traveled around frequently to escape Lennie's mishaps.  The director is trying to tell us that George's life is fluid, never routine, because of this.
      The third question is What do you think of the director’s choice of Sharilynn Fenn to play Curley’s wife? Does she look the way you imagined her in the book? Whom would you have chosen? I think it was a pretty clever choice overall, though she looks way different from how I imagined her. If I were the director, part of her costume would be red hair, but the same actress would be Curley's wife because she really fits that role.
      Now then, my opinions as asked for by this question: What are your general thoughts, feelings, reactions of Of Mice and Men? What had the most profound impact on you or your understanding of the novella? Who would you recommend this  book to and why? Generally, I thought it was pretty good until the depressive downer ending. Curley's wife had the biggest understanding once she developed. I'd recommend this to people who like twist endings, as this book is one.  

Fin

Dream Blog (Sorry it's late, please don't be mad)

"A Foam-Made Dream"

My dreams are many:

Go to a good college, get a good job involving robots, and so on.

But if I had to pick just one?

It's simple:

Attend a Nerf war in a certain place in Georgia.

Why?

It's because those people are really cool (like [insert celebrity] for you normal people)

and shooting them with my creation (or getting shot back) is like them signing your face.

But it may not come true.

Why?

Well, it's hard to walk and other whiny things.

But that doesn't matter.

Why?

Well, my dream shall not be deferred like others

Because I do

What I must

To make it

Real.

It's important that I do

What I must to make it

Real.

This dream

Keeps me going

Until it is

Real.

Of Mice and Men...Versus Men

      Of Mice and Men has many conflicts. Said conflicts serve as plot hyper-acceleration, and if you know the types of conflict, then you'll understand the pun in my title. For those who don't: Great job finding my blog from the outside world! Here's a refresher as to what is what:

• Man vs. Man
• Man vs. Self
• Man vs. Nature
• Man vs. Society

Those are all self-explanatory, so I will skip that part and now move back to Of Mice and Men,  and two large conflicts within: Lennie vs Curley and Carlson vs Candy.  
      Lennie vs Curley is a physical conflict that has a large effect on the plot, being Man vs Man. In the book, it states, "He cried, 'Make 'um stop, George.'" This shows that the matter has gotten physical, whatever the matter was. Lennie losing anything is serious business because he's mentally disabled. However, this is quickly and crushingly brought around. A page or so later, it says, "He started crying, his fist lost in Lennie's paw." This reveals Lennie's strength, and the first rule of being a minor character: Don't attack the hero(es) unless you want your butt handed to you heartily. This advances the plot a chapter and a half.

      Carlson vs Candy is a less noticeable conflict, but it kills off a minor character and advances the plot forward as well. In the book, Carlson says he'd, "'...shoot him right in the back of the head...'" Candy protests a while, but eventually gives in. Later, he brings it up. He says, "'I shouldn'tve let a stranger shoot my dog.'" This quote reveals that Candy wishes it occurred differently, which goes with my position of Carlson being evil.
   

Yes, this cat is starting a conflict, and with the end of the year fast approaching, I thought some humor best be added.

Of Mice, Men, And A Bunkhouse

      The atmosphere of the bunkhouse is very much like sharing a bedroom with a stranger: you each have your own reason for being there, you keep your head down, and you don't engage in any true friendships. Sure, there's the occasional card game around a "big square table" and an even more occasional side conversation, but that's just to pass time from payment to payment between working hours. They stay apart because they have no reason to unite.
      I think the reason Curley's wife is nameless is that she's such a minor character she doesn't get a name. We know next to nothing about her personality, but we know something about the personality of every other minor character. Perhaps it's that she's just a set piece we don't need to know about, as she has had few lines thus far, and they've just shifted further focus onto Curley, Lennie, and George (i.e. "I'm looking for Curley" and "You're the new fellas...") rather than trying to develop her as her own character.
    But what message was Steinbeck intending to send with this? I believe that the message was, "Not all minor characters are needed to ensure a rich story." She is literally used just to explain Curley's behavior, as shown by "Seems like Curley is cockier'n ever since he got married.") That is her only purpose, and my point.

EDIT:Edited to focus less on the creepy aspect of Curley's wife. 

You and I both know who this is supposed to be...