Short Stories

Stormbreaker:
10/22    pp. 78-106    40 min
10/24    pp. 106-111    10 min
10/26    pp. 111-127    20 min
10/28    pp. 121-136    20 min

Short Stories:
10/25    The Sniper    30 min
10/26    The Return    30 min

Total time: 150 min


            The three stories that I read outside of class were "Hills like White Elephants," "The Sniper," and "The Return." I think the two that have the most potential for a strong thesis are "The Sniper" and "The Return." I had some trouble understanding "Hills like White Elephants." I think point of view would be a good aspect to focus on to make a thesis for either one of these two stories.
            In both "The Return" and "The Sniper," I think point of view is the most important aspect. In "The Sniper," the point of view is 3rd person omniscient. If this were a different point of view or if the narrator was limited, the reader might have not known that he had just shot his brother. The story could have been a lot different. In "The Return," I think the point of view is 3rd person limited. It is limited because there was basically no background information given about the main character or the camps that he was returning home from. In both of these stories, point of view was a very important factor.

Reading Times

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz:
10/16    pp.1-5    5 min
10/21    pp.5-78    125 min

10/15    Hills Like White Elephants    20 min

Total Time: 150 min

Reading Times

Short Stories:
10/8    Dry September    45 min
10/9    And of Clay are we Created    45 min
10/10    Harrison Bergeron    20 min
10/12    Waltz of the Fat Man    40 min

Total time: 150 min

Literary Elements in Short Stories

            In the short story "And of Clay are we Created", the literary element that stuck out to me the most was point of view. It was a strange point of view because it changed from first person to third person (omniscient) multiple times throughout the story. At one point in the story, the narrator would be stating her thoughts and where she was and what she was seeing, but then it would change over to where Rolf Carle was and whtat he was thinking about.
            The reason that I think the third person point of view was omniscient was because of the part in the story where Rolf Carle talks about how the girl trapped in the mud reminded him of his bad childhood. He talked about what it made him feel like to see the girl trapped, and there is no way that the narrator (his wife) could have known all of that just by watching him on teh TV screen. I think this point of view worked well in this piece because it let you see what was going on in two characters' minds.

First Qarter Participation Evaluation

            Overall, I think my particapation was pretty good this quarter. I took all the notes that we were supposed to take and made some comments about the short stories when we discussed them in class. I don't remember a time coming to class without something I needed. However, I do feel that i could have improved in some areas. For about a week, I din't have a free reading book. I had finished my last one and just never got around to getting a new one. Also, all my free reading times added up to either the bare minimum, 150 minutes, or only a little bit above that. For the next quarter, I should read more each week and do more than the minimum.
            For the next quarter, I am going to try to do more than the bare minimum in most of the assignments that I will have. I will put more detail in my writing. Also, I need to always remember to study for vocabulary quizzes because I forgot to learn the words a couple of times. I don't want to loose points on small assignments like that. Hopefully, I can do even better in all of these areas next quarter.

Reading Times

Short Stories:
10/2    Da-duh    30 min
10/3    A&P    30 min
10/4    A very Old Man with Enormous Wings    30 min

Hero:
10/2    pp. 237-255   20 min
10/3    pp. 255-270   20 min
10/5    pp. 270-289    20 min

Total Time: 150 min

I am a Writer Who...

            I am a witer who can come up with good ideas and write a paper pretty efficiently. I find that I write the first draft of my papers in a relatively short amount of time. This might not be the best strategy because it leaves little gaps in detail and ends up making my following drafts not as detailed as they should be.
            I should start trying to take my time a little bit more on my papers. Being more careful and putting more detail into my writing would probably help me make a better writer. Hopefully I will remember to do this the next time I write for this class.

Reading Response (Plot Structure)

Hero by Mike Lupica:
9/25    pp. 132-151    15 min
9/26    pp. 151-160    10 min
9/27    pp. 160-202    40 min
9/28    pp. 202-237    35 min

"To Build a Fire" by Jack London
9/27    50 min

Total time: 150 min


            In Hero, I think I am still in the rising action portion of the plot structure. The main character, Zach, has just learned that he is special and has powers. He is trying to figure out how his dad died.I am more than halfway through the book, so I am not sure when I will reach the climax.
            If I were to draw a graph of the plot structure of this book, it would have a short exposition and a long rising action. I find the plot structure of this book to be a little bit strange. I feel like the author isn't getting to the point fast enough.