Short Stories

       When we started this short story unit, I was not excited, but overall the stories have been pretty good!  My favorite was "Waltz of a Fat Man," and when Dr. D told us to read three more, I wasn't really sure what to annotate for.  I guess that's kind of the point of the assignment, but I feel that when you have something specific to read for, it makes it more interesting.  The three stories I read were "The Sniper", "Araby", and "The Endless Streetcar Ride into the Night, and the Tinfoil Noose."

       I liked "The Sniper" a lot, but the only thing I found interesting about it was that he accidentally shot his brother.  "Araby" was really confusing- I didn't follow it or like it at all.  I think there may have been two story lines, but I honestly couldn't even tell.  However, I did enjoy "The Endless Streetcar Ride into the Night, and the Tinfoil Noose".  Despite the long title, the story is rather short, and it is about a boy who goes on a double date, but it is a blind date.  The first part of the story is about how we are all born normal, but how some people turn out to be extraordinary and successful in life, and others stay normal, and the second part is about the date.  The story is in first person, and he says that everyone has that moment when the light of truth shines on them, and he got his shining moment on the blind date.  I guess he was trying to say that when these extraordinary people get their shining light of truth, it turns into something great, but his just ended in a bad date.  

       When describing the events leading up to and during the date, the author uses characterization to create these two sides of Scott.  One before the date, and one after.  When Scott is getting ready, he says, "That night I set out wearing my magnificent electric blue sport coat....My pleated gray flannel sacks began just below my breastbone and indeed chafed my armpits.  High-belted cascading down finally to grasp my ankles in a vise-like grip.  My tie, indeed one of my most prized possessions....It was of a beautiful silky fabric, silvery pearly colored...Hand-painted upon it was a magnificent blood-red snail.  He is very confident about his outfit, but then one his date, he gets the shining moment that his date hates his outfit, and him, and he says, "My new shoes are like bowling balls with laces.  My great tie that Aunt Glenn gave me is two feet wide, hanging down the the floor like some crinkly tinfoil noose.  My beautiful had-painted snail is seven feet high, sitting up on my shoulder, burping.  Great Scott! It is all clear to me in the searing white light of truth."

       "I'M THE BLIND DATE."

Short Stories:

The Endless Streetcar Ride into the Night, and the Tinfoil Noose: 30 minutes, 6 pages

The Sniper: 25 minutes, 4 pages

Hills Like White Elephants: 30 minutes, 4 pages

Total: 1 hour, 25 minutes, 14 pages

Reading Times

Girl With a Pearl Earring: 10/17- 120 minutes, 53 pages, 10/21- 30 minutes, 23 pages
Total: 150 minutes, 76 pages

Short Story Literary Element: Theme in Harrison Beregeron

       I have noticed that most of the short stories we have read so far have ended in death.  Some slow and painful, others abrupt.  The second description of death is what happens in "Harrison Bergeron".  The Handicapper General cannot seem to make Harrison keep his handicaps on, those which are supposed to make him "equal".  But Harrison takes control of the room, taking off the handicaps of the ballernina, lifting her into the air, and of the musicians, forcing them to play music.  Harisson, the "emperor," and the ballerina, his "emperess," are almost touching the ceiling kissing.  After hagling from the Handicapper General, Harrison refuses to come down, and is then shot with a double-barreled ten-guage shot gun.  It seems that the only way the general can make harrison equal is to kill him, because the handicaps just don't work on him.
       But let's rewind a bit.  While reading this story, many questions are raised whose answers help to proclaim the theme of this short story.  Why must everything be equal in the first place?  This story is set in the future in a distopia society.  Society seems to think that everybody must be equal and fair.  The story begins with the words, "The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal.  But are they really equal?  To the reader, things certainly do not seem equal.  If you are smart, you have to wear a device that makes loud sounds that disrupt your thoughts, and if you're strong and athletic, you are required by law to wear a canvas handicap bag with birdshot in it.  The average people don't have anything to help them be smarter or more athletic, only the exceptional are punnished. 
       When George considers taking his handicaps off, he says to Hazel, "If I tried to get away with it, then other people'd get awy with it- and pretty soon we'd be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else.  You wouldn't like that, would you?"  She replies, "I'd hate it."  This society thinks that by having the handicaps, everyone is equal.  But they're really not.  The bags are only making the strong stronger, and the government transmitters are making the smart even dumber than the average.  In reality, nothing can ever be perfectly equal.  And by trying to make things equal, we are taking away the joy in life.  People with gifts and talents should be able to share those with others without jealousy, and also use their gifts and talents to help those that struggle.  That is a better way to try to make things "equal".

Reading:

Short Stories- 36 pages, 120 minutes
The Girl With a Pearl Earring- 21 pages, 30 minutes

First Quarter Evaluation

       Man, has the first quarter gone by quickly!  I remember all of the high schoolers telling us that high school goes by quickly, but I didn't think the very beginning would!  So far, Engish class has been really good.  I forgot my materials a couple of times at first, but now, I'm pretty consistent about bringing my belongings to class.  I have never packed up early in class because we are always busy!  I feel like I am doing well at taking notes when Dr. D lectures and I contribute appropriatley to class discussions.  This year, I am participating more in class.  I think that is due to the fact that I find our discussions more interesting than those that we had last year.  I really  like the group work that we have done so far, and I believe that the groups that I have been in have worked well together, and we stayed on task most of the time.  The only thing that I think I need to work on in the second quarter is not falling asleep in class.  I know that I always do on Fridays since I have swim practice in the morning.  I find myself falling asleep other times too, and I should probably take note of what time of the day it is that we have class, so I can see when I am the sleepiest. 
       My goal for the second quarter is to not fall alseep in class.  I know that when I find myself falling asleep, and I start to answer more questions, it helps to wake me up, so maybe I will try to participate even more in class.  Also, I am becoming more confident in my writing, and I want to do even better on our next few assignments.  I know we have learned a lot, and I want to put my knowledge to good use!  I really enjoy blogging, and I hope we have more interesting posts to come.

Reading Times

Short Stories- 75 minutes- 13 pages

The Girl With a Pearl Earring- 75 minutes- 42 pages

Total: 150 minutes, 55 pages