In Character

Hannibal Lector: Many see this character as an abrupt cannibalisitic serial killer however he is much more than that. Both sopshisticated and witty, Dr. Lector carefully chooses his victims, and shows those whom he has no interest in the respect and dignity a human being deserves. This is peculiar because unlike the typical serial killer, he shows a sense of maturity and respect. He has had an impact on our society as a die hard cannibal who needs to be locked up forever. I feel he is greatly misunderstood due to his great intelligence and how he carefully chooses his victims. The only one who truly understands him is Clarice, who he shares a special police officer-serial killer relationship.
Eric Cartman: Eric Cartman is the epiphany of a foul-mouthed troublesome youth. He is so corrupt it provides entertainment for many and is ranked in the top ten cartoon characters created. I find Cartman hilarious, however many find his behavior absolutely apalling. Part of his appeal is knowing that he offends so many people. I think this makes him even more funny because he provokes such diverse reactions. In my opinion much of society sees him exactly as what he truly is, an annoying corrupt child. He is constantly behind some evil in the city of south park and acts as the demonic one of all his peers. He is hands down the non-conformer and his attitude will never change, no matter the reaction he gets.
A character that has appealed to me in the past is Connor Mcnamon from the Boondock Saints. He is like my other two characters, a non-conformer in which he goes around killing all the Russian mob bosses scattered throughout Boston. Him and his brother Murphy, two die hard irish saints residing in Boston are on a mission. They fight evil by brutally murdering all the negative figures in their surrounding area. Having their best friend killed by a man, they track him down at his trial and put three gun barrels to the back of his head in front of a courthouse full of people and do the final deed. After that they make a vow to rid the city of each and every negativity. I feel that there are many mixed feelings on these characters based on the work they do. Although they constantly kill, it is almost for good. They rid the streets of those who claim the lives of hundreds and fight the drug and mob war. Depending on ones political views, they may have a skewed perception of these brothers.

Characteristics of A Well Told Story

Part 1: Stories are important to childhood because they provide us with alot of entertainment and teach us many lessons in which we carry out through our adult lives. I also used stories as a source of ispiration as a child. I vividly remember being obsessed with Dr. Seuss and trying to make green eggs and ham all the time. It was fun but it always tasted like dirt.
Part 2: I believe that high schoolers and adults read stories to bring them back to their childhood. I think this because childhood is one of the best times in ones life. Although it goes by way too fast I think stories in a way bring one back to those wonder years and allow them to recall many good memories in which they would otherwise have forgotten. Although I have not read a story in god knows how long, I still feel many people do this and it is very effective for them.
Part 3: Stories are so important in our nation becuase they can and often times are very influential. They tell the stories of deprived individuals who often make it large and have wonderful lives. I think they are very motivational due to this aspect and many read stories to gain a sense of confidence within themselves. I also think it is a way to pass time. Lets face it, at some point or another we are always bored and reading stories can prove to be an excellent way to pass some time.
Part 4: Some stories that I vividly remember as a child were anything by Dr. Seuss. I was a very oddball child and the format of his stories were right up my alley. I would always make my mom read me these stories over and over before I went to bed. I remember having a huge selection of his stories and every morning I would alphabetize them for easy access to my favorites later. They were my prized possessions, at one point and time I think I nearly owned every Dr. Seuss publication.
Part 5: I believe there are many characteristics in which make a story excellent. The characteristics I believe are the most important are as follows: The characters need to have something distinguishing about them, the story needs to pull the reader in and want to keep reading, there needs to be many detailed illustrations of what is occuring in the story, the tone needs to be very suitable for the context of the story, there needs to be clear cut evidence of much planning and revision of the story, needs to contain a disntinct beginning middle and end, and ultimately there needs to be a significant amount of suspense. Without these aspects I really feel no need to read a story and would have no desire to continue reading it once started. In my mind, these characteristics can either make or break a story.

Cars

I have been obsessed with cars for as long as I can remember and have surrounded myself with them constantly from a very young age. I was always in awe as loud trucks or fast muscle cars would go zooming by me on the highway. It didnt matter if I were working on cars or just staring at them, I could not get enough. As soon as I could I got a job at a local auto shop and began learning basic auto maintenance. I think this job has been incredibly beneficial to me becuase it has not only taught me all the basics of auto workl, its showed me how to operate a sucessful business. Getting this job has been one of the best decisions I have ever made and it has only increased my love for cars. As a result of working in the auto business I am now not only impressed by the cars appearance, but also the mechanics that allow the cars to go so fast and operate so well.

Poetry Critique

A Dream Within A Dream by Edgar Allan Poe

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-dream-within-a-dream/

Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, Thus much let me avowYou are not wrong, who deem That my days have been a dream; Yet if hope has flown away In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none, Is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sandHow few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep - while I weep! O God! can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?

2. I selected this poem because I found the meaning of it very interesting. It took a few times reading it to fully understand however with time, I feel I understand what Poe was attempting to convey. After understanding the poem, it made it much more likeable because the complex meaning and intersesting narrative.
3. This title fits this poem perfectly. The whole meaning of the poem is how we are not living real lives; we are forever stuck in such a meaningless dream in which nothing is ever true. After reading the poem the title makes much more sense and comes together to work well. I could not think of a more suitable title for this poem and I feel without the title it has, the poem would not be so much what it is now. It would be missing something.
4. In this poem, Edgar Allen Poe does an excellent job of using imagery. In the lines: "I stand amid the roar, Of a surf-tormented shore." I think that little pieces of imagery such as this that are short yet describe so well are what makes Poe such an excellent poet. In this instance, I believe he is creating this imagery to portray sort of a dark environment to go along with the poem. I think this is suitable because in a way he states that we aren't even living. We are constantly dreaming and nothing is real. I thought this correllated well with a battered shore. Another poet device Poe uses is personification. In this poem her personfies a handfull of sand. I thought this was very intrigueing because he talked about how humanlike the sand was and explained it in vivid detail. The point of this unique personification was to create an analogy. He used the sand to symbolize all that is true and real slowly slipping away no matter what. Nothing can last forever no matter how hard we try or what we do.
5. I believe the tone used in this poem is somewhat dark and depressing. I interpreted it this way due to all the analogies to things gradually slipping away of rough terrain. There is little to no happy portions of this poem; it typically focuses on the false lives we are all living. I found this tone very suitable for the message at hand because becuase its severity made the reader realize Poe was telling this the way he viewed the concept.

Writing Territiories

I like to mostly read writing that is either very informative or very entertaining to read. I really see no benefit to reading anything that is neither enjoyable or educational. Although informative writing is not very entertaining to read, I feel the marginal benefit of what you get from the reading far outweighs the time spent. Although I typically do not write all too much on my own, I enjoy writing informative pieces such as reports or documentaries. I cannot typically bring myself to write anything fictional however on occassion I find it enjoyable. When school is not involved; I write little to none. This is not due to a lack of motivation, moreover simply not having enough time. The only writing I can remember doing outside of school in the past six months were the countless college essays and applications. They were not in the slightest bit enjoyable in any way. I am nearly scarred from the experience.

There is nothing more enojoyable on a hot summer day than being out on the water. No matter what there is always something to do. Whether it be wake boarding, fishing, tubing, or simply having a good time on the water, the options are endless. One activity I particularly enjoy is wake boarding. A few friends and myself are the first on the water nearly every summer weekend. No matter the temperature we are still eager to get on the water. There is nothing more energizing than jumping in a lake of freezing water at 9a.m. The same group of people has been wake boarding for nearly five years. Tragically, this tradition will be ended this summer. Two of the participants no longer have their cabins and are moving. Although it won't be the same, we are still going to have an excellent time on the water and spend our last summer home having a great time.

Toward the Future/From the Past

1. After completing my first play I found it something to be very interesting. With limited ways to express your ideas, it proved itself to be very difficult. The one thing I had a problem with was that it was very difficult to establish the plot line without narration. I was forced to lay out the plot and all the characterization strictly through stage directions and dialogue. To my surprise I actualy found this type or writing enjoyable. I liked having the power to construct my own on set piece of work and control all the stage directions. One negative surprise I came across when writing the play was again the diffciculty in establishing a detailed plot and the frustration of typing dialogue.

2. If I were to give advice to a ten year-old I would give them as much advice as I could regarding high school and how to make it through successfully. In order to provide them with the best advice, I would compile many thoughts and ideas from various people who seem to succeed throughout their high school years. Naturally, some of the information would come from my personal experiences however I would also give him advice regarding some of the mistakes I have made in which could be avoided. I feel this would both give them the positives and the negatives in which would aid them in completing their high school life. I wouldn't want to scare or overwhelm anyone however, it would be stricly beneficial.

3. In my opinion, great literature is either derived from something that is enjoyed by everyone who reads it and is passed on continually due to its popularity or a piece of literature that expresses a significant idea or breakthrough that is accepted by everyone. Personally, I have only read classic novels that were composed with the intent of entertainment however in the near future I hope to read classic novels regarding philosophy or politics. I could never see myself composing something like this because with every widely accepted piece of work comes controversy. The authors at times get into trouble for the works of art they have composed.

Luigi Pirandello Blog

1. Theme is of upmost significance when I write. Honestly, what is the point of writing something if it's not going to get a message across? It's simply pointless, a good piece of writing always needs to portray a central idea and in some way benefit the reader. To write with no theme is like writing a book about nothing. It not only will benefit the reader none, it will be an atrocity to read. In a way theme is what keeps the reader hooked. An example of a book with an excellent theme that kept the reader's attention was The Great Gatsby. This book was such a marvel due to the way the theme was laid out and eventually concluded.

2. A theme that I am considering writing about for my play is confidence. Not only will it be very easy for me to relate to and write about, it would also be very interesting to the reader. I believe confidence is a huge problem with many teenagers and self doubt is an ongoing problem. Many with elder siblings to keep up to, academics get very competitive and having the self confidence needed is necessary to succeed. This theme is important to me because I see and hear too many people who have doubts in themself and I feel this should be addressed because it is not a healthy lifestyle.

3. One conflict I am choosing to write about in my play is that between two friends. One is always right and the other always wrong and typically contributing nothing. They are in constant argument regarding who is better at what and the outcome is typically one sided. They have been best friends for a long while however they are constantly fighting. The constant fighting builds up the personality of the characters and introduces the audience to who they are and how their lives are played out. Characters become more and more developed through everyday conflicts.

Im a Thinker, and I Think Thinks

1. The role of reading to a writer is one of the biggest influences they will ever come across and posseses the capability to sculpt a writer's style. In order to aspire to become a writer, one must be an avid reader who has a true love for good literature. Lets face it, it is impossible for an excellent writer to arise with no history of reading. Their work would in a sense be lacking something, they would have no defined style in writing due to the lack of influence and experience in the subject. Reading also lays the groundwork for a successful writer. It will teach them much about organization and how to convery messages effectively.

2. Something that I see in the world that poses a potential problem is the vast economic disparity among developing countries. This is a serious issue in which is contributing to the loss of thousands of innocent civilians. I interpret this topic as us (being such an economic powerhouse) not contributing enough to these countries. Surely we are giving them money, but thats not what is necessary. We need to step in and lay a foundation for a productive future within these countries and possibly assist in avoiding these devastations in the future. I have such a strong opinion on this topic strictly because it isnt moral to have so much money and do nothing to help those in need.

3. A piece of art that has inspired me is the film "A Beatiful Mind." The story of a schizophrenic man who graduates from an ivy league university with honors, winning one of the prestigous awards for developemental concepts. He soon suffers the effects of his schizophrenia and believes he is working for the CIA when in reality he is cutting clips out of magazines. This was such an influential movie to me because it just showed how quickly something great can fade away. In this case, his beautiful mind. I also enjoyed this movie because it sent a message of acceptance to the audience. No matter how crazy or how obsurb the ideas of the main character, his friends and family still accepted him for who he was. This was particularly important to me because no one under any circumstance should be downgraded due to a medical condition. Certain stereotypes are often associated with those with medical disabilities and it is in no way anyones place to judge someone based on that fact.