Essay # 9

Jade

English 9

Mr. Salsich

11/30/10

Main Point/Thesis of Essay- Sydney Carton knows what he is, doesn't try to change it. However, is still changing.

Bell Word- Change

Paragraph 1 -- Opening

TS- Kind of person who thinks cant be changed

     CM- Doesn't know how to live any other way

     CM- Changing, not realizing

CS- Becoming someone better

Paragraph 2 -- First Body

TS- Does not think he can/will ever change.

     SD- Thinks he is a bad person 

          CM- Repeatedly tells people this (Lucie, Darnay etc)

          CM- Does not think too much of it, almost accepts it

     SD- Inside he wants to change

          CM- Doesn't know how

          CM- Subconsciously reaches out to people

     SD- Doesn't realize he's changing

          CM- Loves Lucie, started to change when he realized this

          CM- Becoming different person, Lucie might like more

CS- Starting to change because of one person

Paragraph 3 -- Second Body

TS- I would tell Carton to stop fighting what's happening

     SD- Though he doesn't realize completely, he is changing

          CM- Needs to learn to let go, stop trying to be the recluse

          CM- Go with whats naturally happening

     SD- Acting like a martyr, needs to stop

          CM- Behavior not good, drawing neg. attention from everyone 

          CM- Everyone except Lucie, who cares for him 

     SD- Lucie is making him a more sensitive person

          CM- Needs to use that, become that person fully

          CM- Stop pushing feelings away (for Lucie) try to get her by being better

CS- Need to accept what's going on, denial not good

Paragraph 4 -- Closing

TS- Everything always changing

     CM- Even if same pattern still changes

     CM- Learn to embrace change, part of everything

CS- Make him (and us) find new us

TS There are people in our world, both fictional and non fictional, who believe they will never change. In the book A Tale of Two Cites, by Charles Dickens, Sydney Carton is one of those characters. SD He is forever seeing himself as a bad person, and on more than one occasion has not refrained from expressing these thoughts. CM Both Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette have witnessed first hand his rants on how he is a  "self-flung away, wasted, drunken, poor creature of miss use" (Dickens, 156). CM With this being said, most would strive to become something else, something better. However, Carton is different. He acts with indifference, almost acceptance when this subject is brought up. SD Even with this being said, deep down inside he craves to be a better person. CM The only thing prohibiting him from doing do is his lack of information regarding how to make connections with people. CM However, since his conscience is not strong enough to pull him out of his dark little hole, his sub conscience still reaches out the only way it knows how, by spending time with Lucie. SD This small action is one that proves he is changing. CM Lucie has been the key since he realized he loved her. CM It is this love that is changing Carton into a different person, whether he struggles against it or not. CS And it is because of this one person, a seemingly boring character in Dickens entire plot, that is provoking such large reactions out of some of the more regular characters in the novel.

TS I only have a few pieces of advice for Sydney Carton, for I only see a few things that I feel need improvement. He may choose to live his life as an antisocial misanthrope, ignoring those around him and the advice they give, but he must not avoid or try to put a stop to who he is changing into to. SD Even if he doesn't realize it now, Carton is changing into someone else. Who this person is, only time can reveal. CM He needs to accept the fact that change is on the way for him and not put up a fight, for it will only disfigure his personality further. CM By letting go of his grasp on his version of "control" he will be able t flow more freely down the path he is destined to take. SD Being the modern day martyr is something that Carton also needs to work on. CM Though he is opening up to people like Lucie and Charles, he is working diligently to make sure he sounds like the one suffering constantly. His behavior is drawing negative attention to all those except for Lucie, who is remarkably able to see the good in him.  

Essay #8

Jade

English 9

Mr. Salsich

11/16/10

TS What would we be without contrast and balance? CM Without contrast, we are left with gray lines. Nothing would be distinguishable anymore. CM Without balance, we would be falling into a dark pit of nothingness and chaos. CS As Charles Dickens says in his novel A Tale of Two Cities the essence of balance and contrast is one that is everywhere, but also one we cannot live without.

TS In the novel, A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, the idea that everything can seem insignificant when in contrast to something else is one that toys with the human tendency to think we are superior. SD For every one thing, there is something greater, something incomprehensible. CM As Dickens makes clear, for every hut there is a chateau, for every village there is a country, for every planet there is an immeasurable night sky. CM No matter how large or how small something is, there will always be something else to make it look almost dull in comparison. SD Even the most intelligent of us can be limited by the "mere human knowledge" (Dickens, 183) we possess. CM We often do not conceptualize what is going on around us, for we are too busy using our "mere human knowledge [to] split a ray of light and analyses the manner of its composition" (Dickens, 183). CM Because of this we miss so much, making us look so feeble in comparison to what could be out there in the night sky. SD Dickens is trying to make it clear that we shouldn't be narrow minded when it comes to anything we do, whether it be as small as a hut or as large as the vast expanse of stars that are revealed to us when the sun goes down. CM Obsessing over one thing, perhaps even a ray of light, is something that will only cause further confusion. CM Balance is something we all need -- something that can level out the bumps in the road, something that can help the burning in our eyes once we are done staring at a ray of light, something that will hold us together. CS Breaking the never ending cycle of always finding something of greater excellence is impossible. However, remembering the importance of an open mind will not only give you balance, but help you step away from your analysis and see things in a deeper light.

TS Learning to balance out your life is something of great importance, for without balance, we are left alone and discombobulated. SD When it comes to my school life, finding self control is essential. CM Spending too much time enjoying the more favorable things in life will only further disrupt the equilibrium of leisurely and proactive activities.  CM Finding the appropriate time for both aspects of my everyday life is something that I continue to work on every day, whether it be by cutting time spent on the computer to increasing time spent on studying. SD I also find that when I monopolize my thoughts around what people think of me, my life becomes unbalanced. CM Worrying about what people think of me, whether good or bad, is something that takes too much time and effort. CM Even with this being said, you need to find a place in between the two extremes that is suitable for your life style. SD Even in my everyday life I find myself struggling with balance. CM It is often difficult to be harmonious when there seems to be a war going on around myself and others. CM This is one of many setbacks that a few simple words cannot find an answer for. CS Even though balance is something of great importance in my life, there are certain things that can make it more difficult, make it more tiresome, make me work harder.

TS Balance, and all things that come with it, is something that truly is unachievable for great lengths of time. CM We are a naturally violent species, and when you as the extremes that contrast presents on a daily basis, some wonder how we will ever find peace. CM However, there is a silver lining, a tight rope we may be able to find and walk on if we are open enough to see it. CS If we can understand what our world  would be like without balance and contrast, we might be able to see the severity of the situation called life we are in.

Essay #7 Peace

Jade

English 9

Mr. Salsich

11/2/10

Graphic Organizer (Poem)

TS: Can we answer the question "What is peace?"

CM: Everyone has different perspective on peace, we all have different answers

CM: Whether answers are different, must remember subject of question

Thesis: Must be peaceful inside before can answer question

SD: In A Tale of Two Cities, some characters try to answer question, some don't

CM: Lucie and Doctor Manette trying to, if haven't already, find peace.

CM: Mr. Carton is pessimist, doesn't care to find the answer

SD: In the poem A Rainy Morning, the woman had answered the question

CM: Had to overcome obstacle in life, in doing so found peace

CM: To her, peace is learning to accept who you are, don't try to change, embrace peace

SD: I have yet to answer question

CM: Still hold onto wars in life

CM: Wars make me blind, like sunglasses on a cloudy day, need to take them off to see colors

SD: Must have peace within to answer question

CM: Because we are all different, views of peace are different

CM: Remember the meaning of question, don't let is lead to violence just to make your point

Thesis: Must have sunglasses off before we can see the peace outside

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Jade

English 9

Mr. Salsich

11/8/10

What is peace?

One question that has a million answers.

With the different perspectives and points of view that make us unique,

there are an infinite number of answers .

Whether our answers are drastically different from one another,

we must remember to hold onto the subject of the question we are trying to answer.

We must be peaceful within ourselves

before we can answer the age old question.

What is peace?

Novels depict characters that struggle to solve this problem,

while others show not an ounce of interest.

Lucie and Doctor Manette,

characters from the novel A Tale of Two Cities,

endeavor to,

if they haven't already,

find peace within themselves and those around them.

Such strength and effort are displayed in this battle for tranquility.

Few ever find something of that much significance,

Something worth such belligerent behavior.

A lonely soul,

Mr. Carton displays his pessimistic side by making it unmistakably clear

he doesn't care to find out what peace is.

For the lucky few,

the ones who have found their peace,

life abruptly takes a new turn,

creating a new,

open,

inviting world with many experiences waiting to be discovered.

Ted Kooser's poem,

A Rainy Morning portrays a woman who has found her inner peace.

Obstacles that have been conquered and overcome

have helped her find the peace that looms inside us all.

The acknowledgement of her imperfections,

her defects,

her uniqueness,

helped her discover the peace within herself.

Essay #6

Outline for 4-Paragraph Essay

Main Point or Thesis of Essay- What people think/see when they look in the mirror

Bell Word- Acceptance

Paragraph 1 -- Opening

Hook- What do you see when you look in mirror?

Comment on the Hook- Something good/bad?

Comment on the Hook- See just yourself?

Thesis (With Bell Word)- What does your reflection mean to you?

Paragraph 2 -- First Body Paragraph

TS (Main Idea, Topic, or Thesis)- What would Mr.Lorry, Lucie Manette, and her father see when they looked in a mirror.

2 Echo Words to be Used- Satisfaction, approval

SD- Lucie Manette, someone who has endured the impossible.

CM-Thought her father was dead

CM- Now is happy

SD-Mr.Lorry, happy with what he sees

CM- Has become all he can be

CM- Living happy life

SD- Doctor Manette, someone who isn't sure of his past.

CM- Can see physical features, but not sure of the person he is looking at

CM- Not sure whether good or bad

CS- Characters for the most part accept who they see, still might have some things they would like to work on

Paragraph 3 -- Second Body Paragraph

TS (Main Idea, Topic, or Thesis)- What do I see in the mirror

2 Echo Words to be Used- Approval, doubt

SD- Unsure what I will become

CM- Not sure of my path

CM- Have to trust I will be able to make the right decisions

SD- Times when I don't like the person int he mirror

CM- Remind myself that no one is perfect

CM- Accept my faults and move on

SD- Happy that the person in the mirror is strong

CM- Can handle almost anything

CM- Can support herself and will always be able to do that

CS- Don't need to obsess over what I think I see, need to keep moving forward

Paragraph 4 -- Closing

Hook (The same as paragraph 1, or different)- Mirror can help people see themselves clearly

Echo Words (Could be bell word)- Acceptance

Comment on the Hook- Makes you reflect on who you are

Comment on the Hook- Can't use to often because you will forget to move forward

Re-statement, in Slightly Different Words, of the Thesis- Helps you answer the question "Who am I?"

TS What do we see when we look in the mirror? CM Do we see something good? Something bad? CM Everybody sees themselves in a different way, whether it be in a positive, negative, or neutral way. CS Our reflection means so much to us, too much to us.

TS What would Lucie Manette, Mr. Lorry, and Dr. Manette think when they looked in a mirror? Each would see something different because each character is unique in their own way. SD Lucie Manette would probably see someone who has endured the impossible. CM For her entire life she was under the belief that her father had died many years ago. CM Having made it through this hard time in her life; Lucie Manette is probably at a very happy place in her life right now. SD Mr. Lorry would probably see someone very happy with himself and his life. CM He is successful and has become all that he can be so far in his life. CM He has gotten to a good place in his life and is happy. SD Dr. Manette would probably see a person with a mixture of emotions, but ultimately someone who is happy. CM He would not be completely sure of the person he was looking at, not sure if he was good or bad. CM However, the mirror would also tell a story of someone who has been saved by someone he loves. CS For the most part, Lucie Manette, Mr. Lorry, and Dr. Manette are happy with the faces they see in the mirror. They approve of the people they have become and are ready to move on from the past.

TS When I look in the mirror, I am quite often insecure of what I see, but at the same time, I have accepted who I am. SD There are times that I am uncertain of what I will become, not wanting to make mistakes along the way. CM The path that I am on now is extremely unstable, twisting and turning at the slightest sign, giving me a moments notice or less to re-adjust. CM I have to have faith, however, that life will keep me on my feet as long as I try to keep moving forward. SD There is also times that I don't like the person staring back at me when I look in the mirror. CM I have to remind myself that no one is perfect, and that obsessing about the traits I cannot change will not help me what so ever. CM By accepting my faults and reminding myself of these things, I am able to move on and try to become a better person. SD I am also content knowing that the person on the other side of the mirror is strong, just like me. CM I know that I can handle almost anything, from change to drastic occurrences. CM I have the luxury of knowing that I can support myself as well as others. CS By taking a step back from the mirror and looking at everything I can do, I know I will be able to continue to move forward, taking everything I do to another level.

TS The mirrors that we look at ourselves in can be useful in as many ways it can be destructive. CM For some, the mirror brings acceptance to who they are. They can see what everybody else sees, imagine what it would be like to meet them for the first time. CM However, the mirrors that grant us a way of seeing who we are can make us become obsessed with what other people think. Worrying about how you look or who you are perceived is one of the disadvantages of having this tool. CS Though there are more than two sides to a mirror, it can help you ask, and maybe answer the question, "Who am I?".

Martha's Vineyard

Day 1

Pain

Looking out the bus window, confined to the edge of the small seat, I am in pain.

Pain because part of me doesn't want to be on this trip, pain every time I think of my dog who recently died, pain from fear that my horse wont recover from his mysterious illness, and pain from the numbness in my leg from sitting still to long.

My mind is revolving around these four catastrophes, save the fourth, while I watch the minutes go by on the clock.

Every once and a while I am unwillingly snapped back to reality, becoming more impatient and more unhappy.

How can I break this spiteful circle?

How can I rid myself of this pain?

Calm

Green fields and clear skies,

Blue water and sandy shores,

Not a person in sight.

It is calm here.

It's not because of the sights,

And it's not because of the reputation,

The smell, the air, the feel of the Earth,

Everything here breathes "calm".

No traces of war or hate,

Just peace and calm.

Is there any other place like this?

Anywhere closer to home so I can spend my stressful days there?

Probably not.

Places like this are far and few between,

Usually packed with wishful people.

But somehow this little island is empty.

The streets are full and the stores are occupied,

but this field, this beautiful wonderful field, is somehow empty.

Where are the people?

How can they not see what is so obviously here?

This land is clean, innocent,

Calm.

Day 2

This Island of Mine

They say this place is wonderful.

They say this place has beauty.

But to me it's just an island.

What's so special about this place?

The grass is green, the sky is blue.

These are all things we have back home.

Beaches with white powder sand and two ton boulders like polka dots on a velvet blanket.

Forests with a thousand shades of green and brown.

Air so pure you head is wiped clean of any infectious thought it might hold.

Maybe they were right about this place and it's secret beauty.

Maybe this little island of mine is something more, something that has the power to make us stop and stare.

They say this place is wonderful.

They say this place has beauty.

But to me it has so much more.

Man Hunt

The darkness presses on me, suffocating me.

The cold makes me numb, makes me slow.

The occasional screams unnerve me, gives everything a new edge.

Why we play this game, I have no idea.

Hiding and searching for people in the dark, never knowing if someone is going to jump out and grab you.

Intentional fear, that's why we do this.

A prescribed dose of adrenaline for our hearts.

All of us need a good dose of fear every once and a while.

But even with this being said and understood,

I can't help but be scared.

Day 3

Aquinah

I just got the perfect shot, and I owe it all to Aquinah. With it's spectacular beaches and magnificent sunsets it has provided me with the perfect photo opportunity. I can't give all the credit to Aquinah, however. There were a few people who participated with this amazing shot. Placing the rocks precariously on top of each other, trying time and time again until... Ah! Perfection! The timing couldn't have been better either. The sun, bright and fiery orange was directly behind the stones, casting an orb of light around it. The sea was dark and the sky blue. I couldn't have asked for more. And I owe it all t0 Aquinah.

Day 4

Home Sick

As much as I hate to admit it, I am home sick.

I remember when I was younger, and leaving home was something to fear, something to dread.

Now, of course, that all seems ridiculous.

But I can't help but feel home sick.

I miss my room, my bed, my mother.

Even though I know I will be home tomorrow afternoon I can't help the longing I feel.

Even with this being said I will miss this beautiful place.

It seems I can't win.

An even though I hate to admit it,

I am home sick.