Thankful

When we were told we had to do a blog about 'thanks,' I thought I would do the typical, 'I'm thankful for my friends and family' and stuff like that.  When it was specified that we had to do it about a person in the class, I imediately knew who I was going to do!
PHEOBE of course!!! When I found out that we were going to be in a class together I was so happy! We are always amazing group work partners (and I can't forget Bebe).  She is so funny, amazing, cool, awesome, gorgeous, and helpful.  Whenever I forget to do something or don't understand anything she is right there either helping me do it or confused alongside me!
We have done 2 amazingly beautiful shows at Company and I can't wait to do my remaining one's alongside Pheobe! Even though we are on different crews (props is better) We still love each other and I'm so happy she is my 7/24ths sister in Company (or something like that :) ).
I couldn't survive without her and I can't wait to spend the rest of the year in English with her and the rest of my high school career with her in Company!!

I celebrate myself

I was told that this blog was supposed to be about something I value, and I had to connect it to some of Thoreau's, Emerson's, and Whitman's ideas.  One thing I value that is in common with their ideas is Nature.  Not to the extent of writing multiple poems and essays about it, but I do value it quite a lot.
One reason I value nature so much is because of a trip I went on about a year ago.  It was a FIVE week  'roughing it' camping trip around the Pacific North West, in the USA and Canada.  We could only pack the bare essentials, because they went through our bags and we had to much they took stuff away from us.  We had to make all our own meals, pitch our own tents, and basically survive in multiple difficult types of weather.  As an added bonus, we only showered about 5 times on our whole trip.
I compare this trip to the adventure Chris took in Into the Wild.  We both were living with what we had in nature, and learn to appreciate it so much more than we did before.  I can't begin to explain how much more I appreciate the "simple beauty and freedom of nature" after this trip.  You can never truly be grateful for nature and all it has to offer you until you have to depend on it.
I can also compare this to some of the ideas Whitman had.  In Whitman's poem, 'Song of Myself,' he talks about the grass and how every blade is different and individual.  I don't believe you can truly grasp this concept until you live it, like how I watched miles and miles of beautiful mountains in the badlands go by but I couldn't take my eyes off of them because they were all so different and beautiful.
 I don't think you can feel the way Chris, I mean Alex Supertramp, or how Whitman did in Nature, without experiencing something similar to what they did, where your life depends on nature. I believe this is why I value nature as much as I do.          

Poe

When I think of Edgar Allan Poe, I think of mystery.  Most of his writings, including the ones we have read in class, always seem to have a eerie and mysterious vibe to them.  Such as in The Raven, where the questioning of whom the Raven represents leaves readers with more questions than answers.
         This idea of being mysterious followed him to his grave, literally.  There are many theories as to what caused Poe to died, but no one knows for sure.  It is said that he was found on the street, delirious,  not able to tell what had happened to him.  It was also mentioned how he wasn't even wearing clothing that was his! I find it interesting how Poe, in both his writing and his life, leaves everyone with questions.  I mean, whose clothes was he wearing!?!
          And the mystery involving Poe's death doesn't even stop when HE dies! Every year on Poe's birthday starting in 1949, a person referred to as only "Poe Toaster" visits his grave.  When there, he or she makes a toast to Poe and leaves three red roses.  It just goes to show you that not only was Edgar Allan Poe a mysterious man when he was alive, but his legend continues on.
          The mysteriousness behind Poe and his writings is what makes his stories so unique and different.  It is what set him apart from other writers in his day, and it is why we still study him in schools to this day.

What is an American?

     To be honest, I didn't really know where to start with this question, so I decided to looked up the definition of an American.  Most of the answers were simply "a citizen of the United States of America," or something of that nature. With some time to think, I decided that this definition was only half right.

I had first thought about how I identify myself as an American.  I realized that not only do I identify myself as an American because I am a citizen, but also because I embody the things that I believe most Americans embody.   For example, most Americans are not only 'American,' but instead they have a very reach cultural background and their families often come from all over the world. Along with being an American, I also consider myself German because thats where my ancestors came from.   You are still able to identify yourself as an American even if your Family hasn't lived here for generations.       

I also believe that 'American' can't be put into one set definition.  Whom I may think qualifies as an American may differ from your idea of an American.  So, I think that the questions 'What is an American?' is really an opinion-based question.  So my Opinion is that to be considered an American, you simply have to identify as an one.  

The Modern Puritans

      In this modern society, I don't believe there are any groups, at least none that I have heard of, that are as strict as the Puritans were.  With that being said, there can be some similarities between the old Puritan ways and our society nowadays.
      In the Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne gets shunned and publicly humiliated because of an act against the law.  She had to stand on a scaffolding for hours, while people stared at her, and she also has to wear a scarlet letter "A" on her chest to show everyone of her sin.  This still happens in our society today, even though it isn't for the same reasons.  Hester committed adultery, which back then was one of the worst things you could have done.  If someone today were to do something bad, they would also be publicly humiliated.  Even though  they wouldn't have to stand on a scaffolding, everyone would know what they did because the media makes it so that everyone knows.
      For Hester, the scarlet letter follows her where ever she goes.  For the people who may do something bad, their "scarlet letter" follows them around, too.  They aren't able to apply for jobs or to be accepted in society because of what they did.  So in this way, I believe our overall society is like that of the Puritans.  We still aren't able to accept people for their mistakes.  

John Proctor: Hero or Stooge?

John Proctor is made out to be the tragic hero throughout The Crucible.  The dictionary defines a tragic hero as " a literary character who makes an error of judgement or has a fatal flaw that, combines with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy" (dictionary.com).  Personally, I couldn't of explained John Proctor better myself.  Proctor is portrayed as good man, with his error in judgement being that he had had an affair with Abigail Williams. The external forces, better known as Abigail Williams,  then accuses Elizabeth Proctor ( John's wife) of witchcraft, in the better hopes of having her hanged and having Proctor all to herself.  Proctor cries out about Abigail, saying " She thinks to dance with me on my wife's grave!"(page 1333.)  The tragedy to Proctor is (1) his wife may get hanged and (2) his good name may be ruined if anyone finds out about the affair.  I don't believe proctor should have been executed either, even though he made a mistake,  it just unravels and creates a bigger problem not only for Proctor, but for the people around him as well.

Arrivals....There goes the Neighborhood

We all remember how the old elementary school rhyme goes "Christopher Columbus sailed to ocean blue in 1492."  Christopher Columbus, the guy we can thank for a day off of school, the incredible guy who we give credit to finding America, but was he really such a great guy?  When Christopher Columbus arived in America for the first time he did not treat the Native American's very well.  He wrote in his journal "They should be good servants .... I, our Lord being pleased, will take hence, at the time of my departure, six natives for your Highnesses."  On his second voyage to America, he sent many Native Americans back to Spain to be used as slaves.

On arrival in the Indies, Colmbus had taken "some of the natives by force in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts." What he wanted most, was gold and treasures since he was entitled by the King and Queen of Spain to 10 percent of all profits.

Overall, Christopher Columbus did not respect the Natives.  He even went as far as destroying Native Communities.  Even though Columbus' arrival was hazardous to the Natives, some arrivals are benficial to a neighborhood.  You could take my neighborhood for example.  A couple years ago, a new family moved into the house next to mine. Sometimes neighbors can be annoying or rude, but I got lucky because my new neighbor turned out to be my new best friend, who I'm still best friends with to this day.           

ME!

From preschool until 7th grade I went to Alcott Elementary, and in 8th grade I switched to my neighborhood school, Lincoln Elementary. My favorite part of Whitney young is The Whitney Young Company Theater program. I joined the props crew last year, but may join stage management this year for the upcoming Fall play.  I was in the guitar program last year, and was supposed to be in intermediate guitar this year, except that my guitar class got cut for 3RD lunch, which is basically breakfast.  Anyways, on the weekends I work as a teacher's aid at the Sunday School at my Temple.  I am also involved in JTFN, which is a jewish teens philanthrophy group.  I have one sister, Talia, who is a freshman at Lincoln Park High School.  I have a Guinea Pig named Zeus.  I would love to go to Stanford and study to be an Environmental Engineer.  I'm also very interested in Forensic science, and CAN'T WAIT to take Forensics my senior year! My favorite television shows are Grey's Anatomy, The Big Bang Theory, SNL, and Dance Moms ( Don't judge me!).  My favorite band is Imagine Dragons and my favorite song of there's is On Top of the World.  I also love shopping and hanging out with my friends, if I ever get time inbetween the loads of homework and projects I have to do for school, and all the tests I have to study for!