ELA Portfolio

Expository Writing
Critical Analysis Response #1 - Perspectives on Ideologies
http://laughatyourselfbeforeanyoneelsecan.blogspot.com/2010/11/critical-and-analytical-responce-1.html
Critical Analysis Response #2 - Peter Jackson's Return of the King
http://laughatyourselfbeforeanyoneelsecan.blogspot.com/2011/03/critical-and-personal-responses-2.html

With the analytical response number 1 I found that I did not really put that much effort into it and since we, the students, could bring in a seperate piece of paper I chose to write it out before hand and just copy it word for word during the timed class. I did not go into enough depth and went off topic as I read it back now. For the second analytical response I decided to only write down the key points that I must center around which was Aragorn. I feel that this improved my writing skills because it made me focus during the timed class to write it. Not only did I stick to my main points the majority of the time but I went in depth and provided specific evidence from Return of the King to verify my reasoning. I could still improve by saying the points first then providing evidence for it instead of the other way around.

Personal Response

Personal Response #1- On the Rainy River
http://laughatyourselfbeforeanyoneelsecan.blogspot.com/2010/11/personal-responce-1.html
Personal Response #2- Falling on Cedars
http://laughatyourselfbeforeanyoneelsecan.blogspot.com/2011/03/critical-and-personal-responses-2.html

For timed personal response it may not seem like I have improved mark wise as they both received the same mark of 73%; however, I feel that I have improved on my writing of personal responses in that I have, like the analytical responses, thought it out during the class while only using a few jot notes unlike how I had wrote out the whole paper the first time and copied it word for word. I can still improve on supporting my thoughts with more personal knowledge or experience.

Creative Response

Poetry to Film Comparison - The Swimmers (Aragorn's) Moment
http://laughatyourselfbeforeanyoneelsecan.blogspot.com/2011/03/swimmers-aragorns-moment.html
Response to Hamlet
http://laughatyourselfbeforeanyoneelsecan.blogspot.com/2010/12/to-be-or-not-to-be-hamlet-responce.html

I chose to use the Swimmer's (Aragorn's) Moment as my ability to work with visuals becasue it was done using editing photo softwear. At the beginning of the year, I was not good at doing visuals in that I was hoping that the marker (Kabachia) would think deeper than I did when looking at a visual and get it, but for this visual I made it go deep but in a simple way. The way of putting certain objects at specific places with other important things makes the visual even better.
For the Response to Hamlet I took a phrase from Hamlet and put it into my own words, which is modern terms. Each word can mean something different from what the sentence is saying and I think that I cleary depicted what William Shakspear was trying to get across.

Individual Novel Study
http://laughatyourselfbeforeanyoneelsecan.blogspot.com/2011/01/1984-story-board.html

Story Board of 1984. I got a 5/5 on it becasue I made sure that the main quotes I had were acturate and were important parts of the novel 1984 by George Orwell. This novel was boring and slow at first but it gives a certain perspective of a citizen (Winston) of how they view living in a totaltarian regim. The middle-end part of the novel was really interesting in that it makes you want to read more to see what Winston's and Julia's fate will be. Remember, Big Brother is watching you.

Humanities 30.....Thus Far

Ah humanities, the class for the academics and homework lovers. I found that in this class there was a large amount of projects given with class time to complete them but it was still trying to find the balance of doing humanities assignments vs studying for my other courses. Last semester was busy for me and even stressed me out at a few times. However, this class is a really great class for me. For myself I learn better when the class discusses things and I just listen and I have been with this class for two years now and so I feel comfortable doing things outside of my box although I am still extremely opposed to presenting. Mr. Kabachia is one of those teachers that are serious (most of the time) about what they are teaching which is a major help, even though it makes it slightly harder to accomplish assingments as you have to really think of everything. In the end I think humanities is a fantastic class because it suits me and my learning style even though I am not, nor will I ever be a fan of english or social studies but the content is important and will never leave me. This class makes me think more intellectually everyday and so I rate humanities 30 and Mr. Kabachia 9/10 (not a 10 because of the Grapes of Wrath and the presenting).

Critical and Personal Responses #2

Critical Analysis Response to Text: Return of the King

Peter Jackson had directed the movie Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King with characters that consider making important personal sacrifices by taking responsibility that may mean their own demise. Aragorn is one of the characters that take such a risk and learn to take responsibility for the good of mankind and if he should fail then mankind would not exist. He takes responsibility for the great of mankind and that of Arwen. Only he has the power to bring victory to the battle at Minas Tirith.

Throughout the movie series Aragorn had resisted the idea of becoming King of Gondor because he felt that if he should be in a moment of temptation, he might give in like his ancestor did with the Ring. He had ended up being one of the main people who had made the decisions based on war and such, this proved that he was King material. When Aragorn made a decision, it was based on what was good for the people and of mankind. Before the eve of the ride out to the final battle, Aragorn had a dream in that Sauron took over Middle Earth and then Arwen died from Sauron’s evil rule and he woke up angry. Peter Jackson put this in because it showed how much Aragorn wanted to put an end to Sauron and the evil. It was at this point that Aragorn is determined on saving Arwen by winning the battle against Sauron but his hope was lost since they did not have enough men. Just as he had awoken he was brought to a visitor: Elrond. Elrond had explained that if they were to win this war they had needed more men and that there is an alliance that dwells in the mountain. However, Aragorn only states that those in the mountain are murderers and traitors. They don’t believe in anything and answer to now one. Elrond then says that they will answer to the King of Gondor; then presents Aragorn with Anduril, the reforged shards of Narsil (the sword that removed the Ring from Sauron by his ancestor). With this blade, Aragorn and summon up an army that even Sauron cannot withstand. Elrond stated to Aragorn that it is time to put aside the Ranger, and that it is time to become who he was born to be; the King of Gondor. Aragorn had been pushed to this moment by many people in that he would not have made this choice in the first or second movie. Elrond may seem like the person who did give Aragorn the biggest push toward becoming King but it was Arwen. Aragorn loved her and he wanted her to live so he made this decision based on the victory of mankind, but mostly for Arwen to live through this darkness. Aragorn took responsibility for his people and for Arwen and accepted his destiny to be the King of Gondor.

Now that Aragorn had accepted the responsibility of becoming King, Aragorn went into the Dead Mountain saying I do not fear death. This is significant because he does not care what happens to him as long as it benefits the good of mankind and is taking on his responsibility. When Aragorn is talking to the King of Dead he says that he can fulfill their oaths but the King of Dead replied back only the King of Gondor may command him. Aragorn showed his blade to that army and got their attention by showing that Anduril is real and orders them as their master to join him on the battlefield of Minas Tirith and once they destroy the enemy, he will fulfill their oath. The Black fleet was on its way South of Minas Tirith and when the boats stopped, Aragorn, along with Legolas as Gimli right behind him, headed straight for the crowd of Orcs right in front of them. Then the Army of the Dead appears. Peter Jackson has Aragorn leading the way because that shows that Aragorn is wanting to take the lead, which is a King’s duty.

After winning the battle, Aragorn fulfills the Dead Army’s oath. If he was not ready to be King then the oath would not be fulfilled because then Aragorn was not serious about becoming King but the oath was fulfilled and so this proves that he has taken responsibility. Peter Jackson had also shown how Aragorn will not stop part way but go the full length to save his people by his self sacrifice. Aragorn takes responsibility as a friend to Frodo and Sam by planning to distract Sauron long enough so Frodo and Sam could make it to Mount Doom without being seen by the Eye. Late at night, Aragorn used the Palantir to tempt Sauron by saying that the Dark Lord had haunted him and has long eluded him but no more. He shows Sauron Anduril and then Sauron shows a vision of Arwen dead and that Aragorn drops the seeing stone and shatters the Evenstar. Aragorn’s trick worked and the fields of Mordor emptied. He builds an army of the remaining armies and heads to the Black Gates, leading them while wearing a King’s amour. When there, Aragorn makes a speech saying “I see fear in their eyes, the same fear that would take the heart of him. But not this day, as today, the age of men won’t fall, as today – they fight!” The Eye of Sauron then glares at Aragorn, taunting him. Aragorn had walked slowly toward the Eye as if in a trance. He then turned slowly around to face Gandalf, and said this is for Frodo. Then he charges at the Mordor army, which is about 10000 times bigger than their army. He had taken responsibility for his people and for Frodo and Sam, his friends even when his own demise was not looking good.

Aragorn did not suddenly choose to take responsibility but rather he was pushed towards it. With every event that had occurred over time and the people around him, it made him realize that he must take responsibility for the good of mankind, the outcome of the war, and the success of Frodo and Sam by becoming King. Peter Jackson refers to Aragorn taking responsibility for others by becoming the King of Gondor.

Personal Response to Falling on Cedars

When one takes responsibility, it is normally through the guilt one has about what he or she has done. In the short story Falling on Cedars by David Guterson, Hatsue is a young woman who is about to deal with her childish decisions and so she must take responsibility from her actions and decide how to fix the issue(s). Her mother, Fujiko, had found about her love affair with Ishmael Chambers and feels deceived about Hatsue’s actions and forces Hatsue to make a decision of what she wants in life, Ishmael or to grow up and move on.

When Hatsue was a young girl, she started seeing Ishmael Chambers and the “couple” never told anyone about them. Perhaps a reason for them not telling anyone would be because the parents would not allow it or they felt this affair gave them the feeling of being on the bad side. The bad side always seems more tempting because as a teenager all you want is freedom from parents and self liberty. Being bad is great for a bit but then the guilt starts to set in. Hatsue and Ishmael had been seeing each other for a few years but during that time Hatsue was starting to feel guilt towards Fujiko. Fujiko felt that Hatsue was deceiving Fujiko in that Hatsue did not tell Fujiko about Hatsue’s romance. Hatsue wanted to tell her mother, but never had the guts to do it. It’s almost like when you are skydiving and at the jumping moment, you cannot bring yourself to do it. Of course skydiving is physical and not mental but it is relatively has the same feeling. For years Hatsue wanted to tell Fujiko but never could do it and every time she had failed to do so the guilt grew more and more. When Fujiko read a letter addressed to Hatsue from Ishmael she felt very deceived but her daughter. She had confronted Hatsue and told that she could no longer receive letters from his or write to him; but worst of all Fujiko told her that not only had she deceived her but also Hatsue herself. There is no worse feeling as a kid, teenager and even as an adult is when you disappoint someone you love very much. Hatsue had disappointed her mother. It is almost like a rock crushing you from the inside out while falling indefinitely.

After the mother-daughter confrontation Hatsue started to realize many things. She realized that she must take responsibility of her actions and it was the mature thing to do. First, she had to acknowledge what was done and know that there is no way to change the events that happened. This is where the stretched out stories come in and trying to make the events look not as bad or to his or her own fault. For Hatsue she knew that her affair was childish and it was not right to keep her mother or his parents in the dark about them. Secondly Hatsue had to know how she felt about everything. While she was on the bus on the way home all she could think about was Ishmael and how she felt about everything and whether or not she loved him. This is important when accepting responsibility because it is done on a personal level. Only the person themselves know what is right and what is wrong for them so the external forces will not change their mind about how they feel. Once they know how they feel then the person must make a decision on his or her own accord to what they must do in order to achieve responsibility. Making a decision is never as easy as it looks. The stress builds up along with the different emotions which makes it more difficult to make the choice. Hatsue had to choose if she wanted to stay with Ishmael even though she did not fully love him or to move on in life; she chose to move on in life. Hatsue told her mother that it never really felt right with him and she knows that he would not end up being her husband later in life. She and Ishmael had their fun as children but they were now adults and things would be different and not the same. The process of becoming an adult is stressful in that people are always watching you to see if you choose the right thing to do in that society. To Hatsue and to Fujiko, she had made the wise choice; she had thought about her future and her present. All that was left was to do something about the situation. Hatsue had decided to do the mature thing and write him an honest letter. A letter that contained her honest feelings about how she felt guilty of deceiving her mother, her lost feelings towards him even though he was a great guy, and about how it was better for both of them. Hatsue had took responsibility of her actions through acknowledgment, assessment of her feelings and her choice that she made to put her error behind her and to move on in life.

Taking responsibility is not an easy thing to do because the truth hurts and it is never easy to admit that you have done something wrong in your life. It may take losing a friend for someone to realize that it was their mistake and they must act upon their responsibility to fix the mess they have caused. Hatsue had taken responsibility of her deceitful actions with Ishmael and had reconciled with her mother Fujiko. Everyone learns from their mistakes and after taking responsibility the individual will feel much better as they have done the right thing.

Tragedy of The Common Man - Group Assignment

The Common Man and Humanites 30 on Prezi

The Swimmers (Aragorns) Moment

For this visual I chose to use a whirlpool as the background to represnt the poem The Swimmer's Moment by Margaret Avison (page 186 of Imprints), and Aragorn as the foreground main object from the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. The saying at the bottom is refering to Aragorn in that the right thing to do (become King) will not be easy or possibly successful but it is a risk worth taking. Aragorn is faded because during the movie, the outcome of man kind was not positive nor negative, and so he is faded and must take a chance to risk everything in order to have everything.

There and Back again

Frodo Baggins’ journey in Return of the King certainly was certainly not short, sweet nor easy but protracted while he struggled his way to Mordor to destroy the one ring. His quest changed who he was in a much deeper level. While he carried the ring he did not remember the feel of grass nor the taste of strawberries but once the ring was destroyed, the memories of the Shire slowly found its way back into his mind. He had completed his task then he returned back to the Shire. Sam did not let their terrifying journey there stop him from moving on with his life. However, Frodo’s stab wound still hurt even though it was roughly three years ago that he had acquired it. A part of him still wants the ring, even though Frodo is happy to be done with it. Frodo’s mind was still encased in the past of his journey there even though he tried to move on. In conclusion, Frodo did not come back from his quest because of what had happened on the way there; the war, the suffering, the pain, and mostly the Ring. Frodo could not let it go.
Arogon is the aire to the throne of Gondor. Through-out the movie series, Arogon starts off to be a ranger and does not want to become the King of Gondor. With Middle Earth in harm’s way of Sauron, mankind unites together. The last hope of man is Gondor, if it shall fall then so shall man. Arogon is slowly taking on the leader roll of many situations and in order to save mankind and defeat Sauron, he must lead the people of Gondor as their King. Arogon is afraid of becoming king because his ancestors had the weakness to succumb to the Ring’s power and he does not want to even be tempted to take that chance. Arogon’s journey was to realize who he was, the aire of Gondor, and what he must do, become King of Gondor. He found himself at the most crucial moment of the war. Like Frodo, Arogon did not go back to the way things were but take on a new journey as the King of Gondor. Arogon acknowledged his past, present and future and went for his destiny in life.

Iran: Contemporary Rejection of Liberalism

Iran: Contemporary Rejection of Liberalism on Prezi