Focus Tracking: Psychological Setting

       While tracking an element of the book every time I read may be tedious and annoying, it helps me keep on track when I am reading, and focus on specific things so I don't get distracted.  My topic is Psychological setting.  I chose this topic because I find it interesting to observe how people react when they are put in certain situations or circumstances.

       I have found that throughout the book, it seems like the psychological setting changes when conflicts arise and diminish.  As soon as a conflict starts, tensions builds, and as a result, arguments are created.  On the contrary, when conflicts are resolved, the psychological setting changes, and suddenly everyone is more accepting of other's ideas, and people work well together.  As an example, in chapter 2, they are trying to make a fire.  The boys know that to be rescued, they need fire. And not just fire, they also need smoke. Everyone is very tense trying to get the fire right. When they realize their fire isn't good enough, they are upset because they won’t get rescued. But when they get a good fire going again, they have new hope and are very excited.  Here are some quotes from pages 41-44 that support that.  

“The flame flapped higher and the boys broke into a cheer.”..... “That was no good. There wasn’t any smoke. Only flame.”.... “At the sight of the flames and the irresistible course of the fire, the boys broke into shrill, excited cheering.”

Lord of the Flies by William Golding:
11/19- 31 pages, 50 minutes
11/21- 25 pages, 40 minutes
11/23- 36 pages, 60 minutes
Toal- 92 pages, 150 minutes

Semester 1 Exam

       I cannot believe that we are almost to exams!  It seems like just yesterday that the second quarter was starting, and our teachers well telling us to make sure to get off on the right foot and turn in all our assignments.  Middle school exams weren't too bad, but I don't know how they will compare to high school exams.  However, I have learned how to study and I'm confident that if I study and do my work, I will do well.
       This semester in English has been good, and we have certainly learned a lot.  I know that the exam will have a lot of writing about it, just like the test.  I feel good about literary analysis because we have been doing that throughout middle school.  I think that I will need to review the short stories- maybe read over them or discuss the plot a little just to refresh my memory.  Also, it would be helpful if we discussed literary elements again.  Finally, I would like to know how we are going to be tested on summer reading, and I plan on reviewing that in and out of class.

LOTF Intro in Class

       When Dr. D first said get on the floor without your binders, you could tell our class was excited.  Maybe a little too excited.  She warned us that even though we didn't have our stuff, we still had to work, but our class kind of took that warning lightly.  We started off in chaos.  Everyone was talking over each other trying to come up with a plan.  Somehow, we came to an agreement that we need a leader(s), and we tried to complete the task of choosing them.  Still, we were talking over each other, and we tried to vote a couple of times, but that didn't work.   Then, Aaron got a stapler, and it was named the talking stapler.  Finally, our savior.  Or so we thought.  Sadly, the talking stapler didn't really work, and we were back to square one: no leaders, and no plan.  Every one was annoyed, and we were all blaming each other.  A group succeeded from our island nation, and I'm not really sure what they did after that.  Then the rest of the boys and girls divided, and it seemed like the boys were going hunt for food and look for water.  The girls, still trying to gain control, were hopeless, and figured we should make housing and watch the kids.
       Now, all of these plans were not finalized, so if this was real, I'm not sure if these tasks would be carried out.  Our island nation would probably be divided in some way- the boys doing their thing on one side, and the girls on the other.  Would the boys really come to our aid and bring back food?  That is a question that may never be answered.  Eventually, I think they would have realized they needed us and that we needed them, and we would have worked together. 

Reading:

11/7/12- The Memory Keeper's Daughter- 10 minutes, 5 pages
11/10/12- Lord of the Flies- 2 hours, 20 minutes, 32 pages

Total- 2 hours, 30 minutes, 37 pages

Free Post:City

      Finally, we have reached our championship season.  Two meets, the most important ones of the year, to prove all of our hard work has paid off.  Sixteen races; that's all I have left.  And for some who don't final in their events, its less.  That's counting two individual races and two relays, each swum twice over the course of two days.  Eight races at city, and eight at state.
       Today, we had prelims at city.  As I walked in the building, the familiar smell of chlorine fell over me.  Excitement filled my body.  Chatter between teammates traveled to my ears, and I was ready to do work.  I was expecting to be really nervous, but the little nerves I had only helped me.  I finaled in both my events, barely missing top 8, and have to settle for consolation finals.  In total this season, I have 12 races left.  Four tomorrow, and eight at state.  Hopefully, tomorrow I will win the consolation finals, and place 9th in my individual events.  I swam really well today, hopefully better tomorrow, and I can't wait to swim my heart out at state. 

      

Reading Response

       I started a new book this week called The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards.  I have read the first two chapters, and so far it is really good, but sad.  It starts off on a cold night, and a couple are talking and getting excited about their baby that will be born soon.  But later that night, Norah, the mom, goes into labor early, and has twins: one beautiful, healthy boy, and one girl with Down Syndrome, which will cause her to have problems in the future.  The husband is a doctor, and delivers the children, but when he delivers the girl, he gives her to the nurse and doesn't tell his wife.  It is not until later that night that he tells his wife that they had a girl that died at birth, but really he told the nurse to bring the baby to an institute. 
       I can understand why he doesn't want to tell the wife, because his sister had Down Syndrome, and he doesn't want to see her suffer like his mom did watching the child grow up.  But, I think that he should have told the wife as soon as she woke up out of labor, and they should've made a decision together.  Even if they didn't feel like they couldn't take care of the baby and needed to send it to another home, that would've been fine if they had disscussed it.  I would not like to have my husband keep a secret like that from me.
       I think that trust is one of the most important things in a relationship.  You have to be able to trust that your husband or wife is telling you the truth all the time, and that is something that should be established early on in the relationship.  Also, you need to be able to trust your spouse with your money, because many couples get into fights over that.  Finally, there should be the highest level of trust that your wife or husband won't go cheat on you.  That is the purpose of marriage, so that you are bound together forever.  I hope that this couple figures this out and are able to trust eachother in the future.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards:

10/29/12- 10 mins, 3 pgs
10/30/12- 10 mins, 6 pgs
10/31/12- 10 mins, 7 pgs
11/1/12- 10 mins, 6 pgs
11/3/12- 1 hour, 30 pgs
11/4/12- 50 mins, 26 pgs

Total: 2 hours and 30 minutes, 78 pages