Literary analysis 3:

Topics and Events
1.) The book is about a high school class that overcomes the cards they are dealt. They all live in a rough city and each have had to deal with an unusual amount of tradgedy. Almost every student in the class is involved in some type of gangs. The class is far from peaceful due to all of the opposing gangs, races and cliques. Most teachers within the school have lost hope in all students but Mrs.Gruwell, a new teacher, has decide she is going to do whatever it takes to help the students. If I had to boil all this down to one statement I think I would say that the book is about overcoming obstacles and statusquos in life. 

2. The book wasn't really written by an author. It's a collection of the journals that had been written by the students. It was published because it's truly an amazing story. The teacher was very passionate at getting the best for her students and when she realized how touching their story was and knew that publishing the books would give each student a sufficient amount if money to live on.

3. I chose this book because I saw the movie a few years ago and loved the story behind it. I didn't realize it was a true story until i actually saw the book and read the foreward. Usually I start books but right about page 12 I stop reading, but for me this book was way different. I think the fact that it was people my age, in a completely different world, that kept me reading and interested.

4. Yes, I found the book very realistic. At the same time I didn't once compare the characters situation to my life. I would never say it was relateable. The things they went through were tradgic. Reading about the things they went through disturbed me. I grew up in a town where you smile at strangers, the. Pthey grew up in a town where strangers could jump you at anytime. They lived in the ghetto. Some even saw family and friends being murdered or beaten. I can in no way, shape or form relate to what these teens went through.

People

1. Usually I would agree with the fact that the author always tends to fabricate characters but in this case I'm going to have to disagree. The book uses actual entries from the characters journals. It gives us a sense of the person as an individual and their thoughts. Instead of the author having to give us their view on someone we directly get to see their opinions and feelings.

2. Mrs.Gruwell is a young woman with brown hair and light skin. She was like a mother to each of her students. She did whatever was necessary to see eachone of  them overcome theirs struggles. She also never gave up. Even when the principal had given up on the students she never backed down.

    Eva was a student. She was a dark haired Latina and was short. She was very resistant toward Mrs.G but she also had the hardest life. Once she opened up she never left Mrs.G and was ble to trust her with everything and anything.

3. These two people were probably the biggest characters within the book, they probably both had the biggest part in the story. Each of their life stories are crazy and almost completely opposite any the same time.

4. Being that most of the book is journal entries it's almost all direct characterization. An example of indirect characterization is when they talk about reading Anne Frank and we learn how they all really do want the best for themselves 

5. Not really. The author loved all her students so much that you could tell she didn't change tone. She kept it pretty steady throught the entire story. She did seem to have a more sympathetic tone when talking about Eva though.

6. I do feel like I met the characters. The book did such a good job at giving me a glimpse into each persons life and even gave me a look into each persons personality. The journals were so effective at getting great characterizayion.

Style

1. It was definitely a journalistic style. Rather than using a lot of tools they used hard evidence (journal entries) 

2. The story had a lot of describing. It described so many events that the students went through. I think that the book did a great job at creating mental pictures.

3. The author attitude was defiantly positive to the characters and the readers. She has a very empowering tone to her writing. Not only was the book made to praise the student for overcoming their struggles, it also lets the reader know that they can overcome their own stuggles.

***Bonus Question

The people learn that their surroundings don't limit  them. They were able to make the best of their lives when they were almost guranteed a life of gangs and violence. They did it by working together rather than pulling each other down. They all graduated and most even went on to college and be successful in life.

Value of Life

Activity #11

1. The big issue in Hamlets soliloquy is the argument going on in his head between deciding to live on, in a world he finds cruel, or deciding to commit suicide to ease the heartache and pain that he had tried to endure.

2. He claims that life is not worth living. He makes it seem as though the only thing holding him back from committing suicide is the fear of not knowing what happens after you die.

3. I think his claim was very wrong. Life is always worth living if you make it worth it. At the end of the day you decide whether you look back on your day positively or negatively. The value of life is decided by one's own opinion. His opinion was a negative one.

Activity #13

1. Title: Hamlets Soliloquy
    Author: Shakespeare
    Genre: Play

2. The texts big issue is deciding between life and death, and not only deciding death but overcoming the fear of what is to come after death.

3.  The text claims that he sees life as a ominous and torturous thing. He hates living and feels as though the world is an extremely cruel place.

4. Text that proves the claim:
    "For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time,
     The Oppressor's wrong, the proud man's Contumely,
     The pangs of despised Love, the Law’s delay,
     The insolence of Office, and the Spurns"

5. The texts claim is both right and wrong in my opinion. I agree with the fact that it is scary not to know what is to come after death but i disagree when hamlet makes life out to be not worth living. Only he decides what is life is gonna be like. If he wanted to be happy he could turn the negatives into positives.

 6. In my life  try to be as positive as possible, but at the same time i keep mind that sometime things wont work out the way I would like the to. I make it so that I can go through life without dwelling on my past and continue moving forward. Life goes on.

** Activity 9 is done but i didn't realize i needed to take notes make highlights on the text, i will have it turned in Monday.

Hamlet Speech

That time of year has come. Its finally over. No more repetitive days. We are now able to live life the way we want, making our own decisions and taking our own path in life. Highschool was our transition from childhood to adulthood. Now we are adults. From this point on its our decisions. We decide what we make out of it. Will you make something out of it? Or will you let it pass you by. Make your dreams come true. Dont wait for your life to be over to live it. No one knows what truly happens after we die, so live now well we have the chance. Remember as you take this journey that your life is truly in your hands. Make the most of it. Overcome all the future obstacles in life and make your life succesful.

Literary Analysis 2

Topics/Events

1. The story is mainly about the struggles of being an illegal immigrant in the United States. The book shows us a first hand account of someone that travels to America to achieve the "American Dream". Its starts out with Francisco as a child in his home and mexico and takes you through all the challenges he endures. I think that this is a book that is truly about being able to overcome obstacles in life with out being stopped.

-the theme of the book is that all obstacles in life can be overcome.

2. The author chose to write about this topic because clearly he felt that his life story would make an impact on other peoples lives. His life was truly a struggle. I think that he probably also wrote to be able to look back at his hardships and show the world that he overcame them and made something out of his life.

3. I chose this book because I had head about it from one of my teachers at my old school but I never got around to reading it. I think it mainly appealed to me right off the bat because the book is based in Santa Maria, Guadalupe and all up and down the central coast. Once i began reading I think that the author was able to appeal to my emotions through his writing. He had a way of putting the reader (me) in his shoes. Once I began to see the story from his point of view I could not stop reading it!

4. I definitely found the story to be realistic. Everything in the book seemed to be told from the heart and it never seemed as though he was bending the truth. Looking back at the book I definitely can relate some of the events of the story to my life and the people around me. My grandparents immigrated here for the "American Dream" and it definitely wasn't all sunshine and butterflies for them. I cant imagine how hard it must be to be an immigrant. I understand that it is not right to sneak in to America illegally but how can we stop someone from trying to live a better life?

People

1. Considering that most of the characters in the  book were his family he very well may have given us an impression that may not be entirely true. I cant imagine that he would purposely paint one of his relatives in a negative way so im sure the personalities were tailored a bit. The authors tone throughout the book is definitely motivational. He never gave up on anything and his style of writing reflects that.

2. Pancho(Francisco)- small and skinny, young child and was very attached to his home and doesn't like having to move all the time. Wishes for the America Dream

3. I chose Pancho because he is the author and his character is the most dynamic character in the story. I chose Roberto because he remained very static throughout the story and he never changed to much.

4. In the story he talks very openly about himself being very angry with the prejudice that would go on, he directly characterized himself as outspoken.At the same times he would give us the impression that he was very emotional person and he never really openly admitted it.

5. I dont think it changes all that much. He did use a lot of dialogue in the story but it never seemed to change that much.

6. The protagonist is definitely round and dynamic. He changes a lot during the book. Not only mentally and emotionally but physically too. He becomes more aware of his situation and began to take it into his own hands.

Style

1. I think he used a journalistic style. He didn't use much foreshadowing or symbolism but he did incorporate it a bit. Most of it was journalistic though. It was mostly just real life events and accounts that were told in a way that didn't make you feel as though you were reading a book.

2. He mostly would use dialogue. I think it helped give the story more body and the dialogues gave us a better sense of who the character were and how they felt. The dialogue also made me understand the situations easier.

3. He would use a lot of his own thoughts to set the tone and he would also use the feelings reflected through dialogue to show what everyone was feeling and what they wete expressing.

4. The author probably wanted us to see that we can do whatever we want if we set our minds to it. He seemed like he wanted to inspire the reader to never give up and to always work through obstacles in life.

5. He used a lot of locations. He would saybwhere they would travel to and what jobs they would get there. I think that it did make an impact on the story because it gave us a sense of all the moving and hardwork they did. They never really had a "home".

To Be or Not To Be

Life or death?
Should we suffer the tragedies of our our lives?
Or end them all now and take our own lives?
Ending our own lives: death, suicide.
Ending our paint and heartache.
What will happen after death?
What do we dream after death?
We have left the evil in the world
We need a pause.
Who would live through this painful life?
The insulting words of others,
The hurt of broken love, injustice
Crooked governments,
Why wait through this torturous Life when I can end it now
End it now with a knife?
Why would anyone want to live through this life.


I think that i would most likely go against the current in order to change myself or the world. I don't think suicide would ever be a choice of mine. I wouldn't ever be able to just give up. I tend to take everything as a challenge and want to do the best at whatever i can. Committing suicicde is giving up and i hate giving up.

I would choose to live. I wouldn't give up and i would fight until the end.