Car Culture

~The car war between hummers and prius was very intriguing. Hummers are definately associated with people that have money, and prius with older money, which is kind of a Great Gatsby theme. The ending point that Mr. Drake made was absolutely hilarious, and an actual valid point. If your going to be a "green freak" then you need to pay attention to all aspects of your life not just a few points.
~The fact that women are not as involved in car design as men is not hidden, and mostly clearly known. More men are crazy about cars than women, but women do still drive cars so it makes perfect sense as to why the companies are wanting women designers to do more than just interior patterns. It would make them sell more vehicles to the women population, if there was something made "for women by women."
~ I am not quite sure of the idea that ugly cars sell faster, nobody in their right mind is going to buy a car that they think is ugly if they have the money. That is absolutely absurd.
~ I absolutely agree with girls wanting to drive pick up trucks, because both my dad and brother have one and I wanna do nothing but drive them any chance I get. Guys really appeal to girls driving pick-ups as well, and it does make me feel very powerful.

I. Are you a Mac or PC fan? Why?~ I would say a PC, mainly because I own one and have more experience with it making me know how well it works.
What about the design of the computer of your choice makes it attractive?~ I believe Mac has been more recently updated, and it makes it look more technological such as something out of the future being thrown into this time. I like the PC more, because its design is so simple.
What about the design of the software?~ Mac is definately more easy to use once you get used to having to, so I am just still more comfortable to a PC. If I used Mac more, I would definately like it more because it would save a lot of time.
How about the advertisement campaign?~ I really don't appeal to technology advertisements, just because of the purpose of them is to get a person to buy it. I prefer to buy a computer off of its quality.

Movie Quote

From Juno, "He is the cheese to my Macoroni." This line sticks out in my head and I use it a lot, because Juno had so many wonderful witticisms as her lines, that I thought it gave sarcasism a whole new level. I was very inspired, and just like to quote it.

Short Writing Assignments

• First writing assignment:
  1) Which text have you chosen? Mark Sibley-Jones' "Ducks on a Pond"
  2) What would you say is the text’s central claim or argument? In other words, what would you say is the text’s main point? For a man to meet who saved his fathers life, it seemed sort of a closer for the man.
  3)Identify one short yet compelling passage that you feel is central to understanding the text. Remember, the more difficult and rich your selection is, the easier it will be for you to do the close reading. Make sure the passage isn’t too long. Indicate the passage by line or page numbers. Pg.259 "I couldn't shake...me of what we'd lost"
  4)Identify examples of important choices of grammar, punctuation, metaphor, alliteration, tone, diction, words, figures of speech, symbols, and/or images. Identify recurrent patterns. Words that were significant are spinner,careening, circulated,mutiated,...
  5) Does your passage have significant instances of rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, etc? What are the effects of these? Little bit of repetition and imagery. To add to the depth of impact on the story.
  6) In what way do the features you’ve identified in 4 and 5 (above) contribute to or undercut the message you identify in 2? Shows why and how the story about the man saving his fathers life impacted his own life so strongly.

Thesis~ A child always is wonderous at the lives their parents led before they existed in the world, especially those hidden stories that their parents seem unable to even speak.

• Second Writing Assignment: In "Ducks on a Pond" a man is finally given the opportunity to discuss his dads favorite sport, baseball, with the man who saved his father's life. The man has always wanted to meet the guy who sacrificed his hand, which also means his whole career in baseball, for someonw else. The story is quite understandable, for a child always is wonderous at the lives their parents led before they existed in the world, especially those hidden stories that their parents seem unable to even speak.

Handout 3/ Sonny's Blues!

Handout 3:
1) Character
by Taslima Nasrim

You’re a girl
and you’d better not forget
that when you step over the threshold of your house
men will look askance at you.
When you keep on walking down the lane
men will follow you and whistle.
When you cross the lane and step onto the main road
men will revile you and call you a loose woman.

If you’ve got no character
you’ll turn back,
and if not
you’ll keep going
as you’re going now.

2) My first impression of this poem was that it would be good for any girl to read, and it would probably make them reflect on their character. If only all girls realized that men will do whatever you let them, but if you don't let them you can not only respect yourself, but the men will respect you to. You will be able to walk by the men without worrying about what their saying, and eventually they will stop saying profane things.

3) That a girl can not forget that as soon as you leave the house some man is going to say something to you, and try and get your attention. When you don't give them what their looking for they will insult you, and some girls will cave in and do what they want. But those girls that don't can keep walking until they find the good one.

4) I believe that the narrator is the author Taslima Nasrim, and she is speaking to all girls living. The author is probably speaking for a grown up point of view, to a younger girl who still has some maturing left to do. The relationship is strictly that the speaker or author was at the point of life the girl was some years previous.

5) I think the poem is about girls becoming promiscuous because they are being wrongly influenced by men who don't mean anything. The need to stand your ground and what for something that is actually real.

Another post!

James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues”~ Interesting how the narrator knows that the guy will ask him for money, and is aggravated by it, by offers him a cigarette and gives him $5 which is way more than what he usually gives to him. I find it interesting also that the narrator hasn't talked to his brother in a year, but felt he could make the assessment that his brother was smart enough not to get hung. I like how the brother tells of their bond being closer because they are seven years apart so he saw his brother first walk and talk, which is why he would feel like a parent figure. Its intriguing that the narrator never had heard his dad's brother died, and that the mother waits until he is leaving to tell him the story.