Six Word Memoir

"Growing through love in unimaginable ways"

        I came up with this for my six word memoir because of the ways that I have been shaped by my love for other people and things, as well as their love for me. My first 18 years of life have been completely shaped by the love and sacrifices of my family, especially my mom. Without her support I don't know how I could have survived high school and gotten into college. My friends have gotten me through some of the darker times of my life, and I can only hope that I have done the same for them. My boyfriend is not only there for me 24/7, but inspires me to be a better person every single day. The passion of some of the teachers I have been lucky enough to have for both education and students has inspired me to pursue life with joy and compassion for others.Without these people in my life, I would not be the same person and I would not care about the world as much as I do. I only hope that as I leave high school and maybe lose some of these connections that I can continue to make more and continue growing to be more connected with my humanity. 

-Elise P.

Leah's Where I'm From Poem

I am from The Verse,
from Betty Crocker cakes and soybeans.
I am from requited love
   (disastrous and unaccepted).
I am from Independence Day memories,
the protruding bellies
that yearn for the taste
of protein and compassion.

I'm from Lumumba and refuge,
   from languages and curious questions.
I'm from malarial parasites
  and mosquito nets,
  from "freedom" and "I love you".
I'm from white skin
 with African heart
 and politics on the mind.

I'm from the hunt and the primitive,
from metamorphosis and sin.
From delirious fever,
that convoluted innocence,
the name Price, strewn across Georgia and Kilanga.

--Emily T.

50 days left

"The future lies before you
Like a field of driven snow,
Be careful how you tread it,
For every step will show."- Author unknown

We are down to 50. 50 days left until graduation. As the time to say goodbye to our high school experience approaches, we can’t help but feel anxious, nostalgic and excited. The time to leave behind our miniature high school world and take over superior things outside of Rancho Cucamonga is among us. Sure, we will miss our closest friends, all the school dances, and how easy it was to get along with our teachers, but we will also leave some open space for the brand new experiences college will bring us. We will always remember our first day of freshmen year, and the last day of our last year as seniors. We have seen each other grow up to become more mature, pleasant human beings instead of small and kind of annoying freshmen that we were four years ago. I believe we should enjoy the rest of the days we have left and make the most of them because we will not live them again for the rest of our lives.   


-Heidy Garcia

Opening of Invisible Man rewrite- Daniel Hawkins

Well, I try to make fun out of everything that I do, so I decided to do the assignment where we rewrote the opening paragraph of Invisible Man with a little twist... I hope you like it :)

I am the most interesting man in the world. No, I am not a normal person that does ordinary things; nor am I one of your egotistical jerks. I am a man of class, of manners and indulgence, good taste and a sophisticated sense of style - and I might even be said to be "the chosen one". I am interesting, understand, simply because I'm not afraid to endure adventure. Like the bodiless heads you see in the ancient ruins of the Mayans, it is as though I have been surrounded by curious and perplexed tourists. When they approach me they see only my awesomeness, my stunning looks, or the hero of their wildest dreams - indeed, everything and anything except the real, normal me.

Stay thirsty my friends.

Tess Response

I find it very ironic that Tess encounters Alec on a tombstone when she is with her family. Hardy is foreshadowing Tess' outcome through this. Alec subsequently brings on the death of Tess Durbeyfield--literally and figuratively. Her murder results in her execution. Yet, Tess seemingly died earlier in the novel. She was never "whole" and "pure" after he incident with Alec. Tess simply morphed into a ghost of her former self after being taken advantage of. She became listless, distant, and incapable of true happiness. The meeting in the graveyard is Hardy's message of Tess dying via Alec's actions.

Though Hardy establishes Tess as a strong female protagonist, I feel that he also left her tragically flawed and actually weak. She was not able to forgive herself, and she was not able to recover from Angel's departure. It makes me ponder if Tess was really as strong and as independent as she was perceived. Tess almost walked into her grave due to her lack of mental strength and naturally distraught nature.

--Emily T

Tess Response

"She knew how to hit in a hair's-breadth that moment of evening when the light and the darkness are so evenly balanced that the constraint of day and the suspense of night neutralize each other, leaving absolute mental liberty."

This quote is discussing the exile Tess has placed upon herself after her fall from grace. Light and dark are archetypal for good and evil and because she is no longer innocent, but is still a moral person, she prefers to hide from the world in plain sight when the two meet and balance each other out. The light of day makes Tess feel like an outcast because it emphasizes how she no longer encompasses the light, but the darkness is too much for her because she has not fully embraced immorality. In essence, Tess is stuck between the two because society foolishly tells her that she can never go back to the light.

I think the use of darkness and light here adds depth to her character, and I also feel that it makes her more relatable. We all have this mixture of light and dark within us and we have to choose how we balance it. Will we let one side win, or will they be equal, as Tess feels is her situation?

-Elise P.

Tess

Poor Tess. It's so frustrating to see such a young and innocent soul being destroyed by something that wasn't even her fault. Alec has raped her and that led to the conception of her child. First of all, what a horrible way to get pregnant, second of all, that immature and foolish boy didn't even realize that he had literally destroyed this girl. As the book pointed out, it seemed as if Earth was the blighted apple of the tree, and the whole universe made her fate to consist of nothing but sorrow. Now that she meets the love of her life, Angel, she still can't get past her tainted past. Why does she take the blame for her horrible past? Yes, it is hard to look forward after such traumatic experiences, being her rape and the death of her child, but it seems as if though she is taking all the blame for her horrible life story. The only way for her and Angel to have a good and successful relationship is for her to realize that she wasn't responsible for the wrong in her life and that she can't do anything to change her past. All she can do is look forward and make her life the way she wants it to be. That's why this book is so frustrating: because no matter how close she is to attaining happiness, the darkness of her past comes crawling to haunt her. I haven't finished the book yet, but I am eager to find out if her and Angel have a successful relationship and to see if she finally forgets the past. I dearly hope both of these come true.

Benefits vs. Limitations of Drama in Time Flies

The play Time Flies written by David Ives chronicles the story of two mayflies, Horace and May, as they discover that their entire lifespan is only one day and they have just hours left to live. Because it is a play, it is meant to be performed by actors on a stage and the emotion they convey can add to the sense of despair and confusion felt by the flies. There is also the added visual element of a giant clock in the back of the set that becomes more and more noticeable as they realize their time is running out and contribute to their increasing hysteria. Also, the element of the audience and the shared experience and emotions increase the impact of the meaning in a way that is not possible with any other type of written work. These elements enhance the emotions felt by the characters and the audience to convey its themes of valuing time and breaking social conventions to inspire change in those who see the play. However, the play is limited to some degree by the constraints of drama. The actors can't safely and convincingly fly around on stage (obviously) and events and sets are limited by what is even possible to act out. Imagination is limited because even in a comedy about flies there still has to be a sense of realism in the play, but if it was in the form of fiction the reader would be willing to accept anything as true. In the end, the impact of the meaning combined with entertainment value greatly outweigh the limitations presented by the dramatic genre and Time Flies is definitely meant to be seen as a play.

-Elise P.

From Childhood to Responsibility (Old Repost)

  One of the more subtle, but powerful, issues Alice deals with in the novel "Alice in Wonderland" is the transition from the blissful ignorance of childhood into the realization that every action has consequences, and that the world is a much more dangerous place than previously thought. This is shown by the carefree actions Alice takes, not entirely worrying about the dangers they possess. This continues to slowly deteriorate until the breaking point where the Queen declares "Off with it head!" It is here that Alice awakens, and fully realizes the consequences of he actions. While this point in our life is almost never as severe, and always varies, the realization of this concept can often be scary and hard to take. However, as we mature, we learn to cope and simply deal with our actions and become more responsible human beings, in order to perhaps avoid a fate which almost befell upon Alice.

-Jordan H.

Our Society and Frankenstein

Frankenstein has a knack for closely and accurately depicting and displaying how our society reacts to things which are different from ourselves. This is shown by the creatures curiosity leading to his constant harassment. While he had the most gentle of intentions, his appearance causes society to rebel against, and reject, him. This causes one to wonder about their own choices in life, and how they view other human being. What if we were quick to judge someone that could end up becoming our best friend just because they appeared different than what we expected? We could go through our whole life without knowing these people, only because of our immature judgments. I don't know about anybody else, but I believe that this would be a pretty miserable existence for any of us. Yet, we all do things similar to this, on a smaller scale.While we usually do not realize it, discrimination and judgmental behavior is everywhere. Frankenstein truly causes the reader to pause and re-evaluate their life, but most importantly, their behavior.

-Jordan H.

Frankenstein Reading Response

I find it very interesting that both Victor Frankenstein and his monster share the same desire for knowledge, yet are repulsed when they discover what they had searched for. Frankenstein had pined for the knowledge of creation, yet the monster which he created disturbed him. The monster desired to know the details about his creation/creator, as well as the De Lacey family, whom he considered his own in certain respects. He yearned to know what company felt like and how/why humans behaved the way they did. The monster, however, was deeply upset by the knowledge of his creator abandoning him. Certain aspects of human nature that were presented in novels that the monster read also confused and bewildered him. Shelley draws a strong parallel between the creator and the creation that distinctly resembles a father-son relationship. A large part of Victor's persona seems to be alive within his creature, despite the lack of actual blood connection. Shelley's voice also comes through in this comparison. She is linked to her novel, yet distances herself from its contents. Her eagerness for knowledge appears to dissipate as she discovers the horrors that her writing presents.

I also think it is interesting that in his narrative, the monster speaks eloquently. He uses proper grammar and sophisticated speech. He also possesses rather human emotions despite his rather inhuman appearance. Shelley is questioning the nature of creation by using this to her advantage.


--Emily T.

Literary Periods

Literary Periods

This past week in AP English our class studied the various literary periods throughout history. At first I struggled to find the importance of this assignment, but as I saw the values of this assignment as our group gathered information and we saw how the different literary periods where a reflection of the time periods. Seeing how different literary movements had a relationship to history made me think about the importance of literature to society. Our society has seen the benefits of literature, and they have seen the power of literature to spark ideas and movements. However, a part of literature that if feel that we tend to overlook is the value it has as being a looking glass into to the past. While we were looking at this different literary periods in class I couldn’t help but to see how what authors were writing about were the problems that were faced at society in that time. When we where talking about the lost generation I saw how writers were concerned with war and wanted peace, and how during the enlightenment period how authors wrote about the reason and order in society. I feel that literature is more than just a tool to spark an idea, but it is more a tool to give the present generation a look into to the past. The real value of literature is that it preserves the ideas of many different generations so that the current generation can read, learn, and understand the problems of our past and not repeat them in the future.

-          Jordan Gray

"The world is too much with us"

"Modern technology

Owes ecology

An apology."

~Alan M. Eddison

As time has passed by, we tend to rely more and more in technology. We can't do a homework without using the internet, we can't talk to our friends if its not through a cellphone, and we can't go out with our friends without having to update our status in a social network. Technology has made our lives easier but it is not entirely beneficial. We don't show any kind of appreciation for nature anymore. We're always complaining if our grass is too long, if the weather is hot or cold, or if the flowers in our backyard grow too much. Every action that nature takes has a benefit behind it. Without any vegetation, we would not be able to breath the pure air that gives us life. Without the rain, our crops would be dry and we would not be able to eat any food. Nature is more essential to us than technology is. I don't think anyone would die without checking their email or Facebook for a day, but all of us would be dead if we don't breath for 24 hours. According to the author of the poem, we should care more about whats behind our industrialized life. We should give a break to technology and start running under the rain, going out and having a picnic in a park, or simply enjoying the smell of flowers. Lets bring back a little part of the time we've given to technology and bring ourselves closer to the naturalistic side of us.  

-Heidy Garcia

Science vs Religion

As we begin to read Frankenstein, one of the many questions posed from the novel is that of science vs. religion. In the 17th century (the time that Frankenstein was written) many people were firm believers in their religions. However, the book challenges religious beliefs as a scientific creation is developed. Another question posed by the novel is that of creationism. If you created something, are you ultimately responsible for its actions or behaviors? Or, do you allow it to be at fault for any and everything that it does? As we move through life, these are questions that we are likely to ask ourselves. 


-Bree Griffith

"To be of use" Response

"The pitcher cries for water to carry / and a person for work that is real"

In her poem "To be of use" Marge Piercy explores the value that work has in our everyday lives and how the work that we do as individuals shapes how we perceive ourselves. Particularly the last two lines bring forth ideas of people actual needing work to reach fulfillment, and not just any work, but work that plays to each of our strengths. Not everyone is strong, intellectual, or social, but playing to our strengths increases the benefit our actions have for society and the self worth that we feel as a result. We all strive to stand out and be accepted by those around us, and the best way is to "jump into work head first" and create a splash to make everyone notice. How you work can show your true character and earn the respect of others, which often leads to respect of yourself. We live our lives to find purpose, and sitting around does nothing to aid in the search. Struggling and persevering through work adds depth, passion, and meaning to every aspect of our lives, without which life would be easier, but not nearly as worthwhile. As we work through our senior year of high school, maybe thinking of work as yet another facilitator of growth can help us in fighting off the senioritis and help us appreciate our last year at Los Osos, rather than wishing it all away.

-Elise Pertusati

Big Fish

As we English students now know, Big Fish has many examples of archetypes and symbols that are used to put a theme together. Some of these archetypes are the witch, mermaid, giant, werewolf, circus, Spectre, and the list goes on. These archetypes are what the father, Edward, uses to compose a story of his "history", which leads to the frustration of his son, Will. However, although the main focus of watching the movie was to analyze the archetypes, I think the message the movie had to offer through these archetypes was just as important, if not, more so. A prevailing theme of the movie is that we are all made up of our "stories", and the "real" self that we see everyday may not be our truest one. Each one of those archetypes that we analyzed all had a significant meaning in Edward's life, and the importance he gave to those things is what made him who he was. Each person likes and gives importance to different things, and that is what makes up each persons core or soul. What we show people everyday is very different from the person we all are inside, and these stories are a way of symbolically expressing that inner core and getting people to know what the human soul is made up of. Perhaps the existence of symbols and archetypes came by the want to be able to show people what we feel instead of explaining it or to express what we feel without using formal definitions. Regardless, maybe it's not the study of the archetypes themselves that's as important, but rather what they mean instead.

-Daniel Hawkins

Alice Reading Response #1

"Alice replied, rather shyly, 'I-I hardly know, Sir, just at present--at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.'"

-Chapter 5 (Advice from a Caterpillar)

***

Growing up, I felt like this a lot. I didn't quite know who I was, what "label" I fit under, and what I even desired to be. I'd change my persona day to day--even class to class. How I was in first period definitely was not consistent with how I was sixth period. It was all unconscious and very confusing. Random forces that I still can't accurately identify seemed to toy with my very own identity.

***

By having Alice try to identify herself to the Caterpillar, Carroll explains the confusion involved with the entrance into puberty and maturity. Carroll uses Alice's chaotic dream to serve as a parallel to the "adult" world that children are thrust into at a certain age. Wonderland's talking creatures and various other eccentricities resemble new responsibilites, ideas, fears, and opportunities that present themselves to those entering the "adult" world. Alice's confusion and uncertainty with who she is (and who she is supposed to be) is universal amongst children at that age. She has yet to truly define herself and cannot properly answer the Caterpillar. Her consistently evolving size adds another dimension to her self-pronounced changes. Pubery changes identities of children physically, extending the realm of confusion. Alice's answer resounds with anyone experiencing drastic life change.

--Emily T.