It Was The Custom

"She said that very often-- ' It was the custom.' The native servants were always saying it. If one told them to do a thing their ancestors had not done for a thousand years they gazed at one mildly and said, ' It is not the custom' and one knew that was the end of the matter,"

(Burnett, 19).

I really like this quote so I decided to do an entry on it... It kind of brings to mind everything that I've learned about in my LING 307 class this semester. It's a class about language and culture and so this quote is very applicable to the class, as it discusses varying cultures. In India, Mary had a very easy life. Everything was done for her. She didn't even have to dress herself. When she is uprooted her life is turned upside down. She has to learn to do things for herself, she has to grow up.

Likewise, when people move cross country they have to adjust to a new life as things are different. For instance, in the south I've found people to be more friendly. When I went to D.C one time I found people to be extremely rude. When ordering food at a fast-food restaurant in a mall the people working there kind of snapped at us. They weren't polite and instead of greeting us and asking us what we wanted they merely asked us what we wanted. It doesn't sound too bad, but they really took a serious tone with us. I remember after that that someone in our group ran into a guy's wife and he got very confrontational with the kid in our group. I know that I shouldn't make my assumptions based off of this one, or these two experiences but I guess I have. And it wasn't just that one experience; I make that judgement based on other experiences...

When people move across oceans and continents the culture shock is big. It isn't just that people are unfriendly- people are completely different. For instance, we were talking about hospitality in varying cultures in class recently and someone mentioned that they had known of a missionary family who had gone on furlough. When they got back the friends of the missionaries greeted them and cooked for them. The meal consisted of the missionaries pet dog, I think. I don't remember if it was a dog or another animal but they did eat the meal. They wanted to show that they were polite and thankful for the hospitality. In another culture, I think this happened in Samoa, a man served his wife, to a guest. It's gross huh?

Anyway, my point is that customs differ from one place to another. I was stoked to find this quote as it kind of fit within the realm of LING 307 and that I could write about this... And I am glad to say that Mary does change. It was kind of a relief that she did, because it seemed kind of annoying that she was so unwilling to change. But, I postulate that she acted how she did because she missed her parents and her home. Rebelling was kind of way to embrace her past and to keep to what she knew.

So, I think that wraps it up for now... I should go.

Fun With My Friend Jack; I mean C.S Lewis

Extra Outside Reading

" Once there were four children living in London whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. During the Second World War, because of air-raids, they were sent far away into the country into the country to stay at the house of Professor Kirke. This story is about their adventure there" (C.S. Lewis, 1).


So, I went through the drive through at the new Chick-fil-A a few weeks ago with my friend... We got kids meals and this book is what came with the kids meal. I thought it was interesting that we should get books instead of a toy. I don't ever remember getting a book when I was younger and got kids meals at fast-food restaurants. All I ever got were toys... But, do not misunderstand me. I think it's neat that we got books. In an age where children watch more TV and read less it is uncommon that a fast-food-restaurant would give aways a book. I must applaud Chick-fil-A for doing this, for promoting literacy.

Now for the actual post...

I never realized that these books, The Chronicles of Narnia, had been altered in any way. I did see the movie The Chronicles of Narnia but I did not read the book. I don't remember why but I just didn't. These adaptations appeal to children which is great. The original version of the book is aimed for older children, and adolescents but these adaptations would probably work just fine. They are break up the story that we are familiar with, and make it easier for children to read. It is a long book, if I'm recalling correctly. These shortened versions make it more manageable for younger children to read.


But, I must point out that the book does actually have a lot of text. So, children who are unable to read the book should have a parent read it to them. Nonetheless, it does work. It's a good story, and gives parents and children options. Moreover, this story works because, as stated previously, it appeals to children. When children are are able to engage because the book is good, they learn. When they learn they are better off.


And also, as stated in previous posts, when a book appeals to a person they are better off because they relate to the literature and their own little world in general. In short, the realatiblity( sp?) factor is very important as people need to feel connected and affiliated.
Anyway, it was a good book, and a good option over the real unabridged version. I would definitley suggest it to children if they were trying to find something to read... I think that about wraps it up for now...


I should go.

Subversion of Authority In Children's Literature...

"Kids Will Be Kids."

This might just be the shortest entry I've written yet. I'm tired, I want to go to bed and I'm getting over being sick... Anyway, with that said I turn towards my focus for this post... Subversion of Authority in Children's Literature.

Basically, I liked how it was mentioned that Peter and Max are alike in that they both rebel against their mothers. I don't know why, maybe it's that I can relate... I don't claim to be a rebel, but I do call myself a little stubborn. Therefore I liked the discussion that we had on Monday. Futhermore, I think that children can relate too. Sooner or later a kid is going to get into trouble, no matter how good the child is. Peter and Max are no different, even though the books are vastly different. Max is both wolf and child. Peter on the other hand, is both a little boy and a rabbit. Both, lose it for a bit but at the end they kind of come back to reality and the parent wins. But yeah, I think that kids need to read things that they can relate too. If we want children to read, and to be literate then we should write things that appeal to them on a personal level.

So in response to the above statement, here's to Louise Fitzhugh's book, Harriet The Spy and to good ol' Louise herself. To explain, we learned in class that this was one of the first books where there was conflict between the mother and the child... And here's to Potter and Sendak and the many others who have written similar stories. Hats off!

-Amanda

Aliens For Breakfast

Outside Reading

"Well, Dranes can look like anything they want to. The one here has blond hair, blue eyes, and a smile no one can resist. He is in your class. He just showed up two days ago." Etra and Spinner, 11.

"Dorf? Dorf is an alien?" Etra and Spinner, 11.

First off I should clear the air by saying that the information I gave is based on the version of the book that I read. I couldn't find the original image of the version of the book that I read... Now then for the actual blog entry...

Apparently I've read this "chapter book" but I have no memory of having read this whatsoever. I'm at home this weekend and my mom was asking if I remember reading this book. I told her that I've never read and well she thought otherwise. So if I have read this, I have no recollection of having done so. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that I have nothing to really compare it to... When I write on books that I have already read I make it a point to comment on how I felt about the book when I read it before verses how I feel about the book now. I can't do that with this book since I don't have any memory of reading the book before. I can only comment on my observations of the book at present.

Here goes, in short, I really liked the book. What I mean is that I think that it was suitable for children or rather its intended audience. It' s fresh, new and orginal and I like that a lot. One thing I hate in reading a book is when I read a book and think, " this has been done before" or " this isn't an orignal ideas." This book isn't like that at all- like I said it's good and new. I judge how good something is by whether or not it reaches its intended audience... For instance, when I go to the movies and see a scary movie I like it if it scares me. If a "scary movie" makes me laugh then it isn't good. If a comedy doesn't make me laugh I'm not likely to like the movie. Likewise, if a book does well and reaches many I like it. I'm defintley not a kid, but I can imagine that a kid would like this book.

Why do I think that??

Simply put, a person needs an escape sometimes and a book provides the perfect opportunity to do so. It is in reading, and watching movies of course, that we get to travel to worlds we never knew existed. We get to fight in battles against overwhelming odds, we get to sail down the mighty Mississipi with Huck and Jim, and get to fall in love with a handsome prince. Who wouldn't like that?? It sounds like so much fun. In Aliens for Breakfast, readers get to fight, with the aid of a space alien from the planet Ganoob, in a battle to save Earth. How do we fight? We feed the enemy red pepper flakes. Ha ha ha. That's funny and so unexpected. This is what I liked, that I didn't expect it to be so easy to depose the enemy.

Others might have a different opinion but I thought that it was great. Like I said, it fun , fresh and new. We may have read about aliens before but we haven't read this. It defitley isn't your typical alien story. No, it's different and unique and marches to the beat of it's own drum. And in my opinion, that's what it takes for a story to be a success. Like I said, nobody wants to read about a story that lacks in originality. It just isn't good...

So, yeah I think that's it for now. It's late I need to go.

Back to Tears Of A Tiger

More thoughts...

I don't exactly have a quote for this entry but as usual I do have a picture. I know that it seems as if I'm really harping on Sharon Draper and Tears of a Tiger but I liked this book and like the author. There were also a lot of resources provided on her website and in the book as well.

In the back for instance there is a "Readers Guide to Tears of a Tiger. The guide poses a lot of questions for the readers to consider... With that said, here are some of those questions that are asked as well as my answers.

1. Tears of a Tiger begins with a tragic accident- a fatal car crash caused by drinking and driving. The story is then told from the points of view of the group of friends involved.

• How does this method of telling the story affect the reader's response?


• What advantages and disadvantages does this method of narrative offer?

I think that this method does in fact change the reader's response. It allows the reader to get a more detailed perspective on the incident which changes the lives of the characters in the book. It lets us get to know them on a deeper level and gives us a varied perspective. As far as advantages and disadvantages... Personally, I do like this method. However, some do not. I recently wrote a story which used a similar method and it wasn't received as like I hope it would be. People called my style muddled and confusing. I think that some people might call this method confusing but I do like it, personally speaking. Lastly, we get more information about the event by getting several people's account of the event.

2. Many teenagers drink and then drive without thinking about the consequences.

• How is Andy like many young people today?


• How is he different?


• What makes this book more than just a moral warning to readers about drinking and driving?

Andy is sometimes thoughtless and not mindful of others... Better said, Andy is kind of selfish. When he commits suicide, he is being selfish. At that point, he isn't thinking about anyone but himself. While many teens do care about others, I feel like a trademark of all people is that they are naturally selfish. Andy is too. He is different on the other hand in that he never forgives himself. He takes this harder than most and suffers because of the guilt. I can imagine that anyone who kills thier best friend would have a rough time but not like this. This book isn't a moral warning in the least. It may cause people to think about it, it goes deeper than that. It explores the thoughts and minds of the characters in this book. It harps on feelings, not on how wrong it was to drink and drive.

6. Andy's family had many problems. Andy's parents loved him, but seemed preoccupied with their own lives and were helpless to see his pain. Andy could talk to his younger brother, Monty but the six-year-old was unable to help with Andy's problems./

• How can families learn to cope effectively with tragedy and difficulties?


• How could Andy's family have dealt more successfully with Andy's situation?

I think that families really need to be honest. Andy wasn't honest. His pain was so great and he masked it because that was easier for him than sharing with everyone. In a sense, that was a way for him to save others from the pain and to save himself as well. To be honest, however, a person has to be realistic. There was no way that Andy could have improved as much and as quickly as his parents wanted him to. He lost best friend because HE killed him. They had unrealistic goals for their son, and didn't attempt to read between the lines or to see the heart of the issue from Andy's perspective. I think if they had stopped and really, truly considered the situation they might have been able to help him more. When his grades started to decline they should have been concerned and asked him if he was okay. They should never have threatened to punish him. Also, I think that maybe family counseling would have been optimal. That sounds a little strange I know- but the event( the crash) that Andy was involved in effected everyone in the family, not just Andy. Andy was partly responsible for lying, but I think that it was the parent's responsibility to read between the lines.

So, that's it for now. This is getting really long and I need to go.

Next Year I'll Be Special

Extra Outside Reading
" Next year, mean Miss Minch will still be in first grade. I'll be in second grade with Miss Lark and everything will be different. Giff


I decided to do another post over a picture book since that is what we're going over in class. I just got done reading another book for outside reading and wanted to compare an illustrated book with a picture book so that I could come to a better understanding of what the difference is. I think that helped to clarify...


So about the book. I definitley remember my mom reading this book to me when I was younger. I don't know if I had an opinion on the book to be perfectly honest. I do have a few now. In short, I thought that the book was good. I enjoyed it. I think it's good because children can relate. Everyone, elementary to high school aged children of course, wants to be popular, to be part of the in-crowd. In college there really isn't an in-crowd and so a person is in some ways a lot better off. But for children the pressure to fit in can be overwhelming. Those who are in the in-crowd have it easy, or so it seems. Those who aren't in the in-crowd want to be. At least most of them do.


This, is what the book is about... In the story, Marilyn dreams about the second grade and imagines it to be sooooo wonderful compared to first grade. She imagines that she will be liked by everyone and that people will fight over her. The teachers will give her special attention - I guess I could say that she imagines herself as the teachers pet. She expects that she will get the very best that life can offer.



My only compliant about the book is that it's a little unrealistic. It's probable that some of these imaginings would come into fruition but not all of them. I think that it's great to dream but that it could be potentially disappointing in the end. If a person sets their self up for disappointment, has unrealistic expectations, then they will end up disappointed. I know this sounds negative and I'm not against having dreams and aspirations but their comes a time when those dreams become unrealistic, or rather kind of inflated. In the end, this comes to bite a person in the butt.
On the flip side, I have to say that I've maybe been a Marilyn at times. I remember times when I was younger and in school that I had similar thoughts. That eighth grade would be different than seventh that I would wear the trendy clothes and be liked based on what I wore. I imagined that I would become more popular and more loved... And the thing is that I thought this more than once.


But now, I've grown up. I do have dreams and all but I guess I've learned to look at the situation more realistically. Maybe this makes me sound like a cynic but if that's the case then I rather be a cynic then someone who isn't as down-to-earth.


So yeah, I think that's it for now. I should go. I'm tired...

Tears of A Tiger

Outside Reading

" But I'll always love you, and I'll always miss you, and I'll never forget that it's okay to put dragons in the jungle and tears on a tiger." Draper, 180

I'm not exactly sure that this is a book for kids...But, in my defense I have to say that I didn't exactly think that The Giver was appropriate for young children. The Hobbit is a little mature for a younger child as well. Anyway, I definitley wouldn't let a six year old read it, but I'd consider letting an eight year old read this book. On the website, it says it's for teens but when then again, children's liteature has gotten darker. Still though, like I said, I would be really leery of letting a young child read this. To explain, it deals with several really big issues, such as drinking and driving and suicide.

In the book, Andy and his friends decide to celebrate the win of a basketball game by drinking beer. Andy the driver partakes in the fun, and drinks too... Bad idea. The car crashed and his best friend dies... To put it lightly, Andy has a hard time dealing with the situation and an even harder time forgiving himself. As time goes by, he becomes more and more withdrawn until he withdraws himself completley and kills himself.

He leaves his friends and family behind to deal with the grief... His mother cries, apparentley that's all she does. His ex-girlfriend doesn't want to believe that it's true; she's in denial. His friendsare at mad at him, as can be imagined. I guess what I'm trying to say is that everyone deals with the situation differently... And this to me is the most realisitic thing in the book. People deal with grief differently.

It was Andy's inablity to grieve effectively that caused him to suffer most. He wasn't real with other, he lied. Because he lied, others were unable to help him. I know that it probably sounds strange that I could argue that someone can grieve ineffectivley but I think that this would be a good example. To be honest, I never really thought about that until now.

What I have thought about is survivor's guilt... I'd never heard about it until this semester. My ENGL 345 class has a focus on horror and post-millenal tensions. 9/11 is a common topic that people write on. Most of the time there is a character in the story who feels guilty because he/she lived and their loved one did not. It seems to me that this is how Andy feels. Time and time again, in this book, Andy remarks that it should have been him instead.

Anyway, this made for a good story, and was just as good the second time I read as the first time. I read this a long time ago, and remember liking it. I only a few complaints, but they're more about the syntax and the dialogue than the actual prose. For instance I don't like that dashes replace quotation marks when dialogue is written. I've never really seen that done, and I can honestly say that I don't like that. What I do like is that it's kind of like a piece of mixed-media art. It's not straight prose. It starts off with a newspaper article and ends with "Monty's Goodbye to Andy." It makes for a more interesting piece and a more dynamic one at that.

So, I think that's about it for now... I gotta run.

-Amanda

The Amazing Sharon Draper

"I am a creator, an educator, a visionaryI approach the world with the eyes of an artist, the ears of a musician, and the soul of a writer. I see rainbows where others see only rain, and possibilities when others see only problems. I love spring flowers, summer's heat on my body, and the beauty of the dying leaves in the fall. Classical music, art museums, and ballet are sources of inspiration, as well as blues music, dim cafes, and the jitterbug. I love to write; words flow easily from my fingertips, and my heart beats rapidly with excitement as an idea becomes a reality on the paper in front of me. I use all of these elements to encourage my students as well as myself. I'm a learner and a seeker of knowledge, and I take my students along on my journey. I smile often, and laugh easily, and I weep at pain and cruelty. I love what I do, and I'm good at it. I learned to dream through reading, learned to create dreams through writing, and learned to develop dreamers through teaching. I shall always be a dreamer."


Alright, so where do I begin? I guess I should start off by saying that I didn't know how amazing this author is until yesterday. I'm reading a book for "outside reading" and wanted to find out more information on this author so I searched for her online. I was really surprised and impressed by what I found. Her website is awesome!

To explain, the above quote that I used for this post is what Sharon Draper says of herself and her writing... I thought it was a really neat and poetic statement so I wanted to include it, even though that's a long statement and takes up a lot of space. Now then, here are some other details on Draper that describe her. Rather, here is a list of accomplishments that describe and let others know what about her:

• In the mid 90's her first book was published., I think it looks to be this way based on what her website says


• She is the winner of various awards including but not limited to: Ohio's Outstanding High School Language Arts Educator, Ohio Teacher of the Year, and was chosen as a NCNW Excellence in Teaching Award winner; she has won the Coretta Scott King Award five times for five different books and well the list goes on from there.


• We obviously know now that she is/was a teacher for 30yrs.


• The list doesn't stop there but I think that's good and is representative to what kind of a writer/ person she is.

Also, on the website she is a tab titled, "for new teacher" where she gives advice to new teachers. I think that it's neat that she did that and so I just thought that I would mention about that in my entry...

I think that does a good job of explaining who she is and how amazing she is as well. If not here is the link to her website: http://sharondraper.com/home.asp .

So that about wraps it up. Gotta run.

-Amanda

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

" Once upon a time their were four little Rabbits, and their names were- Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-Tail and Peter. They lived with their Mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir-tree," Potter, 7

We haven't discussed this story in class yet but I figured that I would go ahead and write on it anyway. So, here goes... Onward with the entry.

First off, this story kind of reminded me of Little Red Riding Hood. Peter goes to Mr. McGregor's house even though his mother warns the little rabbits not to. On the same token, LRRH strays from the path even though her mother tells her not to.

In some tales Red wins; in other versions she doesn't make it out alive. Luckily, Peter gets out of the garden alive. For a while we are not so sure if he will get away. I was hoping he would, and he did. It makes sense though, why would you kill off the main character? That doesn't make sense. It would certainly make for a much shorter story, and less interesting if it came out any other way, if Peter was caught and killed by Mr. Mc Gregor.

Furthermore, I think that if the ending had been different and Peter had been caught, and killed then this story would not be suitable for children. In my opinion, it just isn't right to make children read about characters who are murdered, whether or not they are animals. Children are not ready to deal with death, on a psychological level that is. I think that the idea of death, and sufferering are a little too mature for a child to deal with, so an author should keep that in mind when he or she writes.

Next, I think it interesting that the mother seems so detached when she speaks of the father/ husband. I know I just got done with saying that children don't need to read about death, but I still think that she's insensitive. But perhaps, the mother does grieve, but maybe she does so when the kids aren't around. Maybe she feels like she has to be strong for them. Who knows?? Or, it could be that this aspect of Mrs. Rabbit's life just isn't important to the book, and would do nothing to further the story. Personally, I think that's the right answer. In the end though, I don't think that there is any one right answer to these questions that we pose. As I've said before, I think it would be bold of me to say that I am right, and that everyone else is wrong. That would be selfish...

So, yeah, I think that's enough. Gotta run.

-Amanda

The Robots in The Community, Lack of feelings in The Giver

" Jonas, you and I are the only ones who have feelings," Lowry, 154.

Alright, so I got the idea for this post in class. It's a culmination of random thoughts and hopefully this all makes sense... So here goes, there's no turning back. Onward with the blog entry.

In my notes I have written, "lack of feeling empowers ppl. in The Community to 'release' others." Then as I listened to the lecture I thought some more. I postulate that, maybe this lack of feeling, or apathy even is what has led others to commit such atrocities against their fellow brothers and sisters... I cited the Holocaust as an example. Other examples of this happening, people commiting such horrible violent acts against mankind, are someone abundunt. In the early 90's the Rawandan Patriotic Army invaded northern Rwanda and eventually a genocide ensued. I believe that these people whether they be Nazi soldiers, or members of the Rwandan Patriotic Army are alike in that they put any feelings aside, if they had any, so that they could "release" or relinquish others of their lives and love.

I also thought about my psychology classes that I've taken and remembered about the Zimbardo prison experiment. In short, in this experiement college students were empowered to play in a role, of "prison guard", where they could abuse those students who were not empowered. After a few days, the students who had assumed the "inmate" roles begged the experimenter to end the experiement and eventually they were forced to do so. I used this example because it seemed fitting. People are cruel and what's scarier is that they don't feel as if they're doing anything wrong.

In The Giver, Nuturers as well as those who care for the old are given permission to kill others. The euphemism used throughout the book is "release." Infants who do progress get released. Old people are released if they want to be... Those who break the rules three times are out. On The ones who carry out the act of releasing are like robots, they have no feelings. They don't feel for those they kill and are able to be living, thriving members of the community because they do not love one another.

So, I guess that we can see how easy it has been for these people, both real and imagined to commit such acts. All they to do is hear that it is okay for them to release X person and then they don't feel bad when they do release X person.

And so, I think that this is fine now. There's enough for now... Gotta run.

My Life as The Giver

" You do understand, don't you, that this is my life? The memories?" Lowry, 103.

I realized that the title was somewhat deceiving after I titled this entry, but it is fitting and it does apply. So here we go... Onward with the installment.

First, a story. During Spring Break I think it was I was just being silly and mouthing off and said something like " I hold all the memories of the world, it's a hard burden to bear." To which my mom replied " you sound like The Giver." It took a minute for me to remember what she was talking about. I read this book when I was in sixth grade so I understood...

That's the story. Now for the rest of the installment.

I liked this little sentence alot. This part of the book, this chapter even. It was interesting. In my other blog, I once wrote abt. the topic of self-definition and how one defines oneself. In this book the giver defines himself by what he does. I noted that a person isn't their job... But, that doesn't define them. I believe that a person is defined by their characteristics, in what kind of a person they are. For instance, The Giver is an elderly person and a great person. In a world where no one love, he has a warm and loving personality. However, like others he defines himself by what he does,he receives memories.

On the flip side, a person sometimes gets so englufed in their work that it kind of becomes a part of them. A workaholic for instance spends so much time at work, wherever that may be and after a while that person kind of becomes their work. The Giver is kind of the same. He becomes his job due to the nature of his job description. He is isolated because he has the memories. There is no one else who understands him. It's kind of a sad thought that there would be no one who could understand him, that can share in the pain. So, it's really no wonder that Jonas, the new receiver feels like he must escape. No one understands him, therefore he shouldn't have to care how anyone else feels... It's kind of selfish but he doesn't care. So, I guess I'm saying that either idea is correct. I realize that people have different idea and interpretations of this work. It would be selfish of me to say that my interpretation is correct and that the differing ideas of someone else are wrong.

I think that's it for now. I'm exhausted.

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

"A dream is a wish your heart makes

When you're fast asleep

In dreams you will lose your heartaches

Whatever you wish for, you keep

Have faith in your dreams and someday

Your rainbows will come smiling through

No matter how your heart is grieving

If you keep on believing

the dream that you wish will come true

A dream is a wish your heart makes

When you're feeling small

Alone in the night you whisper

Thinking no one can hear you at all

You wake with the morning sunlight

To find fortune that is smiling on you

Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow

For all you know, tomorrow

The dream that you wish will come true

A dream is a wish your heart makes...

A dream is a wish your heart makes...

You wake with the morning sunlight

To find fortune that is smiling on you

Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow

For all you know, tomorrow

The dream that you wish will come true

No matter how your heart is grieving

If you keep on believing

The dream that you wish will come true."

David, Hoffman and Livingston

I didn't realize it but this song was written specially for Disney's version of the Cinderella movie. That is at least- the truth according to the Internet. But, I have no doubt that this is true. Regardless, it is a great song and a classic among many. So, I decided to write on it. I'll be frank I didn't know what else to write on. I feel like I'm running out of ideas...

I was writing a story for my Advanced Prose class last night and for some reason I started thinking about Disney movies and songs. This, Cinderella was one of the first Disney movies that I watched when I was younger. And by young, I really do mean young. I put myself at the age of maybe four or five. But honestly I'm not sure. I do remember however, that I liked this song.

It has a good message. But, in looking at the song again, I'm not sure I totally agree with it. I don't think that your dreams will always come true. You have to do more than believe that they will come true. You have to be proactive. You have to get out there and work and be willing to do whatever it takes to make these dreams come to fruition. Even then, dreams don't always come true.

Sometimes, things just happen and your dreams don't come to pass. Maybe for instance you know someone who has dreams of becoming an astronaut but may not be able to get into the program. Maybe a child dreams simply dreams that they will go to college, graduate, marry, have kids and then live happily ever after. For whatever reason, this person doesn't get married or maybe he does marry but his spouse isn't able to have children. Others have hard lifves, their childhood is troubled... It is much harder for this kid than it is for the one who has the money and supportive parents. And in all likeliness their dreams will not come to pass. It's sad but it's reality.

Anyway, my point is that I don't agree with ALL of this. I agree that a person's dreams can come true, but by the same token that they may not come true. As mentioned, previously a person has to work hard to bring their dream into fruition. Even then, that may not be enough. I feel bad saying that, but it is truth of the matter and I find it important to be truthful with others and with theirself.

On the other hand, this song is good in that it has really sold and transcends through time. It wouldn't have done well had it been changed. In a sense, a person needs to hear that even their most wild, most vivid dream can come true. It's a harsh world- just watch the news. Sometimes people need an escape, and can find that escape in watching a movie or listening to a song. Moreover, children are not prepared to face the realities that their dreams may be too bold or too big. They need to feel like they are supported and like they can do anything. This song speaks that message of hope...

Not Up For Adventures

In regards to adventures, " 'I should think so- in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them'" Tolkein, 7

So, I was reading this part of the novel, the earlier part, a few days ago and thought that it was interesting and something that I could write about. Here I am writing- once again....

Now for the installment/ post-whatever you want to call it.

My first thought when I read this was how funny or ironic that Bilbo makes this remark. The novel is after all, a story about the adventures of a hobbit and his rise to heroism, etc. But, this remark is made earlier on so it would be normal for Bilbo to talk like this. It would be expected. Also, it is interesting and thought provoking when you think about how this comments relates back to the whole little hobbit world in general. The hobbits are normal little creatures, marked by the plain, quite nature.

But, the story would be boring and lackluster if it stopped there.

And I am almost certain that Tolkein knew this when he was writing. The story and novel would have never been published had it merely been about a boring little hobbit who lived underground in a little hobbit hole. How boring is that?? Instead, he opted for a story rich in adventure. To add to the fun and adventure, Bilbo encounters various obstacles along the way. He fights goblins and trolls and whole host of other vile creatures.

At the end, he is a better person for having gone off on his adventure.

He is a hero, a burglar and a warrior. He is toughened up significantly and is has become known by many more people than before. He means a lot to the people he's traveling with; better said, he plays an invaluable role to his peers. He get them out of sticky situations many a time... And the book make note of the changes. But, that's not what I'm writing about. Perhaps, I'll write about that in a future post.

For now though, I think I'm going to go. I've still got a lot to do. It is after all that time of year when things are winding down... Gotta run.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Outside Reading
“When I was safely inside I looked at myself in the mirror. I wish Fudge had never been born, I thought. Everything good always happens to him! If he had to be born I wish he could be nine or ten- like me. Then Mr. Vincent wouldn’t want him to be the one to ride the Toddle-Bike in his commercial.” Blume, 94.
“It was disgusting. Presents and kisses and attention for Fudge. I couldn’t even look at him. He was having fun! He probably wasn’t even sorry he ate my turtle.” Blume, 123.

I vaguely remember my mom reading this to me as a child. I could even be mistaken, she may not have but I think that she did. What I do know, and remember is that I really liked Ramona Quimby and those books by Judy Blume. I loved them…Anyway, I decided after reading this book that I like it. It has an interesting feel to it. If anything, I can definitely see why Blume has done so well. It’s something that children can relate to. I personally cannot. I am the youngest, but I imagine that my brother felt this way when I was growing up. I never thought about it until now but I certainly can see the disadvantage in being the oldest kid. It just seems to me that a person is better off being the youngest. But, that just my opinion. I don’t think it matters when siblings are grown but it seems to matter when children are younger.

Anyway, this book was a delightful read and a quick one at that. I really enjoyed getting to know the character. He seems to be a good storyteller and really does a good job making his points. Sometimes, an older child wishes that they were alone again, that they were an only child. I know I don’t, I like that I’m not the only-child. However, it’s different for others. So more on the story… Like I said, I liked it. The pacing was good, the wording and syntax worked. It really did seem as if it was a 9 year old who was telling the story. Sometimes writers don’t do a good job with the narration and it really messes up the story. It just doesn’t work if the narrator, who is say 7 uses words that a 7 year old wouldn’t use. Here, Peter Hatcher- the 9 year old storyteller tells his story as he sees fit and does not use words that he would not use…

I honestly think that’s it for now. I know this is a short installment, but I just don’t know what else to say… Gotta run.

-Amanda

Prose: Nothing Short of Amazing

"Prose is the language of everyday life, or narrative fiction, of informational books... Poetry is the language of the imagination, of feelings, of emotional self-expression, of high art." Russell, 176

"Prose explains, but poetry sings." Russell, 176.

I read this little chapter, in "the Russell text" about poetry a while ago, and felt the need to write a blog entry about this... You see, I'm an English major and well- I didn't agree with Russell... In fact I thought it was kind of harsh. Maybe even a little mean. To really understand where I'm coming from you have to understand that I really like to write. At A&M, when you're an English major you get to choose from one of several tracks... I'm on the creative writing track- and chose the prose option instead of doing the poetry track.

With that said, I think it is understandable for me to be just a bit upset, or rather disappointed in the author. And so you're asking yourself, why... Why do you disagree??

Well, simply put I believe that prose can sing just like poetry can. I believe it to be just as good and interesting and sometimes even better. Poetry can seem to be stuffy and over done. In my opinion prose appeals to more people, more often. Moreover, if a writer does a good job- it can be just as clever and imaginitive as prose. It sings too! Take J.K Rowling for instance. The face that her books are being read, and have been read by many kind proves my point. The language is good, the syntax works too. Also, I've read lots of other, novels and stories even- that keep my attention and get the job done.

On the flipside, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. That is what is so great about living in the United States of America. Here, we are free to express our own opinion and not get punished for it. That is something that is truly remarkable. So, basically Russell is free to write whatever he wants as am I.

So, I think that about does it. I think that this is sufficient enough... Gotta run.

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog

Outside Reading

“It’s me again, Hank the Cowdog. I just got some terrible news. There’s been a murder on the ranch. I know I shouldn’t blame myself. I mean, a dog is only a dog. He can’t be everywhere at once. When I took this job as Head of Ranch Security, I knew that I was only flesh and blood, four legs, a tail, a couple of ears, a pretty nice kind of nose that the women really go for, two bushels of hair and another half- bushel of Mexican sandburs.” Erickson, 1

“But what the heck? You can’t be safe and cautious all the time. If you’re too timid in this life, you’ll miss out on all the fun and adventure.” Erickson, p.34

“Funny, how good it felt walking away from everything- the job, the responsibility, the constant worry. When I crossed the road there by the mailbox, I felt free for the first time in years.” Erickson, 59

It’d been a long time since I’d even given a thought to Hank the Cowdog. Now, I never read these books but I do remember that my brother read them. See, these really are books for young boys. Back when I was growing up girls were into books like The Babysitters Club, and other books of that nature….So I guess, I wouldn’t have read these books… I don’t know that for sure but I could be right for all I know.

What I do know is that I liked the book, and the main character, Hank.

He is a good dog who takes his role, as Head of Ranch Security very seriously. It’s kind of like how a CEO takes his/her job seriously. I like that. It’s not often we read books where dogs are portrayed as anything more than pets. When they do take on a human like role, they are different; they are not portrayed as mature fully developed adults. It’s kind of refreshing in a sense, but it’s also refreshing that he still acts like a dog. For instance, in chapter 4 Hank and Drover jump into the back of Loper’s, their owner, truck after he tells them not too. When they get into town they both see another dog, his name is Bruno, in the truck next to them and taunt him by urinating on the truck… This is what I imagine that a dog would do.

However, I didn’t imagine that Hank would abandon his post/position. But, I kind of like it when I’m reading and taken by surprise. I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t like a story to be predictable. If I can predict the ending of the story and know what will happen the story will lose my interest… It was neat reading about how Hank went to live as an outlaw and moreover that he ended up living with coyotes. That’s just not what I expected to happen, therefore, the story kept my interest.

Lastly, I liked the ending. As much as I liked that he was living with coyotes, I was happier that Hank made it back home. In a sense, his little journey was kind of like Irene’s journey. Her thread took her on an adventure and eventually, it led her back home and to her great-great grandmother. I’m sure that she would have liked it the thread led straight back to her great-great grandmother but the story wouldn’t have been as interesting and she wouldn’t have learned as much. I think that Hank grew because he went on a journey of his own. He grew into a more mature dog, and learned that sometimes you need adventure. He took himself too seriously in the beginning. He was better off after having stepped away for awhile.

That about wraps it up for now. I’m spent and tired… Gotta run.

Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance and Such

"Shadows on the wall/ Noises down the hall/ Life doesn't frighten me at all." Maya Angelou, 6-7

"Well, son, I'll tell you,/ Life for me ain't been no crystal stair." Langston Hughes,124.

Onwards with the entry:

So, I think it was in my first entry that I mentioned that poetry, and prose as well, can serve as a reflection into the past, kind of a time capsule even. When others open the capsule in the future they will be able to get a glimpse of what life was like in the past. Such is the case with the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance and other poetry by African American authors. In reading, this exceptional poetry readers are really able to get an idea about what life was like for African Americans living in the time of the Harlem Renaissance.

For instance, I can really see that in Angelou's poem Life Doesn't Frighten Me, the speaker feels powerful and as if she has control over her life. Formerly, barking dogs were scary, so were the boys who pulled on her hair. Now, these things are not frighetening. And it is in this moment, that the speaker says that she is not frightened that she is most empowered. It is the best moment and the most memorable...

Furthermore, I feel as if the reader is also empowered. It's almost as if Angelou is trying to give strength or courage to the next generation of readers. If anything, I can really guess that life was still very hard for African Americans at this time. When the speaker repeated the mantra " life doesn't frighten me," she seems to be becoming a stronger person.

Langston Hughes poem Mother to Son kind of confirms what I'm talking about. For the speaker, life has obviously not been a cakewalk. It's been hard, but I feel like this mother is better off for having suffered. I just sense that this speaker is a better person for having been through it all... Life hasn't been easy, and that's fine. It kind of helps her and her son even... In struggling she is made a better encourager. She is able to pick up her son when he falls and is able to cheer him on from the sidelines....

So in the end, after having opened the time capsule readers can really see what it was like for poets of the Harlem Renaissance. And I really think that we should count ourselves as lucky for having read these poems.

Alexander's- The Creation

"All things bright and beautiful,/All creautres great and small,/ All things wise and wonderful,/ the Lord God made them All." The Creation, Cecil Alexander

So, we were talking about this poem in class the other day and I rembered that I knew this poem... I was in various choirs growing whether it be in the church or in the community. This song, which I know as All Things Bright and Beautiful , was a song that I sang. I remember liking it, it's a unique song with a good melody.

But, there were a lot of things about this poem that I didn't know...

For instance, at the time I sang this song, I had no idea that it had first been a poem. I guess that makes sense though, songs are essentially poems set to a melody and music. Well, kind of. Another thing I didn't know, was who this song was written by. Honestly, I don't know that I cared. I just sang the song that we were supposed to sing and hoped that it sounded good.

One thing I didn't like...

One thing I don't like is that the poem is so different from the song. As I've said before, I like the song. I'm not so sure that I like the poem as much. It's just that it's not concise. I feel like if it were shorter it might be a better poem.

And that, is the rest of the story... haha. That is it for now; I have to go.

Horton Hears a Who

"A person's a person, no matter how small." Horton Hears a Who

"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful, one hundred percent.” Horton Hears a Who

Last weekend I went and saw the movie version of Horton Hears a Who and so I decided to go ahead a write a post over the movie. In short, the movie is about an elephant who discovers a microscopic universe that lives on a speck of dust. To further complicate things, he is the only one who believes that this little world exists. Throughout the movie the viewers see Horton standing up for himself and what he believes in. In the end, Horton wins and the movie ends happily. The ending it seemes, as well as the book, is suitable for children as everything ends happily ever after. I just can't imagine that this story would be suitable if Horton had been captured and the sour kangaroo had won. It wouldn't have done as well that's for sure. I for one, would have been disappointed...


What strikes me is that, unlike other stories for children it isn't something that people can relate to. This, is what I find to be the attraction. This is what makes the story good. Every once in a while, I think that people need to watch a movie that is different, and something that they don't expect. Or sometimes a person may find that they need an escape and may pick up a book where they are whisked away to an imaginary world where they can talk to sharks or play with bees. While it is good to be able to relate, I think that it may be equally as good to just get away sometimes... And one way of "getting away" is to get captured in a book, or a movie...


Also interesting is that I read that "A person's a person" quote is used among anti-abortionists which seems silly to me. I just don't like that people take something out of context and use the story/quote/idea to suit their needs. A person should come up with their own ideas. Still though, this is really interesting. I'd never thought to associate this movie with the pro-life campaign.

Last thing, I on Saturday morning I think it was, I was watching television and happened upon seeing an interview between CNN, I think it was, and Steve Carell who did the voice of the Whoville mayor. He said that his kids thought that he was pretty cool for taking on this role... In short, I think it's great if people are brought together by reading this work or because of watching the move.


That about wraps it up for now... Gotta run.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Outside Reading

"As far as anyone could tell, Imogene was just jlike the rest of the Herdmans. She never learned anything either, except dirty words and secrets about everybody. Twice a year we had to go to the health room to get weighed and measured, and Imogene always managed to find out exactly what everybody weighed." Robinson, p. 8

"Everyone had been waiting all this time for the Herdmans to do something absolutley unexpected. And sure enough, that was what happened. Imogene Herdman was crying. In the candlelight her face was all shiny with tears and she didn't even bother to wipe them away." Robinson, 77

"As far as I'm concerned, Mary is always going to look a lot like Imogene Herdman- sort of nervous and bewildered, but ready to clobber anyone who laid a hand on her baby. And the Wise Men are always going to be Leroy and his brother, bearing ham." Robinson, p. 80

So, I've read this before, or rather it was read to me... I just got done rereading it and was thinking about how Princess and The Goblin is considered to be a bildungsroman. I also remembered this time when I was in high school and reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. What does this have to do with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever?? Well, in reading this book again, I realize that it is a bildungsroman. And it isn't one person who grows up it's everyone.

What that's outrageous, this can't be right...

Well, it seems to me that everyone grows in this book. Rather, by the end of the book the town comes to love and accept the Herdman family. At the beginning everyone loathes them. And you can understand why... They are... nosy, rude, they scare people. They just aren't the type of people you'd want to associate with. Then, the book takes an unexpected turn and the Herdmans go to church and decide to take part in the pageant. It ends up going really well, for both the audience and the Herdmans. In the end, everyone says that it really is the best pageant ever. It's different, and memorable and something everyone of the fictional characters will remember forever. But how do they grow?? I think one thing that people are, and I hate this, is judgemental. By the end, they have learned that the Herdman family isn't as bad as they once made them out to be.

Then we get to talking about Imogene...

In the beginning she is kind of a monster of a child. She was intrusive, and nosy. She was a person everyone feared. When she decides to take on the role of Mary she changes, just a little. But, the change is quite remarkable. She learns that she can be calm, and maybe even sweet. She cares enough to listen when she hears the story of Jesus birth. She also cares about Jesus the infant, she cares about his well-being. She learns to hate Herod, and wants to know more about what happened to him. Then the day of the pageant rolls around and its amazing. Imogene cries. She is filled with the spirit of Christmas. Her brothers offer their ham, that was donated to them by the church, as an offering to the "baby Jesus." When the play is over, they all seemed to have grown as a result of being in the play.

Now for the narrator, I think that she grows up too. Just a little but as it is with Imogene, the change is significant. Like the others in the town, she loathes the Herdman family. Since Imogene is in the same grade as she is, she loathes her most. By the end, she grows to admire her and even respect her. She says that when she thinks about it she will always picture Mary as Imogene. That rather touching... Moreover, the conflict is resolved. It doesn't seem as if people fear Imogene anyomore, not even the narrator. No they are fine, and maybe even decent.

Well, I think that's it for now. Just wanted to write... Later.

I Will Go Sailing No More

"Out among the stars I sail

Way beyond the moon

In my silver ship I sail

A dream that ended too soon

Now I know exactly who I am

And what I'm here for

And I will go sailing no more

All the things I thought I'd be

All the brave things I'd done

Vanished like a snowflake

With the rising of the sun

Never more to sail my ship

Where no man has gone before

And I will go sailing no more

No it can't be true

I could fly if I wanted to

Like a bird in the sky

I believe I can fly

Why I'd fly

Clearly I will go sailing, no more." I Will Go Sailing No More, Randy Newman.

Disappointment. Disbelief. Shame. These are things this song deals with. These are the emotions that Buzz Lightyear is filled with as he realizes that Woody was right. He is a toy, he can't fly. In diselief, he tries to forget what he was told and attempts to fly out of a window. Sadly he fails and is broken. This seals the deal, it affirms the truth that he is a toy.

What does this have to do with anything? How does it relate to children, and children's literature?? Well, it is or rather was a very popular movie when I was younger. But what I think is interesting is that deals with issues that children deal with... What it does differently however, is it presents the story from a doll's/toy's point of view. All children grow up and eventually grow up, and leave toys behind. We often think nothing of it, why should we?? It wasn't until I watched Toy Story 2 that I thought about this. In the second movie Annie, a toy cowgirl sings tells the story of her life through song. She was once owned and loved. Then the girl, Annie, grew up and got rid of her. She was deeply saddened and very hurt at being forsaken by somebody she had loved...

Secondly, all children are disappointed at one point or another. Sometimes this disappointment deals with falls... What I mean is that sometimes children dreams are improbable and impractical. I think the movie The Kid sums it up well. While having coffee, the older Russ Duritz talks with an acquaintance who speaks eloquently and really sums it up well... Who of us grow up to be the ballerinas, or firefighters we thought we'd be when we got older?? Not many... This isn't to say that children shouldn't dream. They should, children should dream and believe in themselves. But, realisitcally speaking the change, stuff happens and along the way we grow up. We are disappointed in ourselves, in others, in the choices we make while growing up. When we are "Up" or grown, we look back and remember the time when we imagined what we would be like when we got older. In a sense this is disappointing as we're not the people who hoped that we would become.

That's what this song, and movie for that matter have to do with children and by way of children children's literature. Now then, I'm spent and tired from travelling. Gotta run.

Irene The Humble Princess

" To Irene the summer was as full of pleasure as ever, and for a long time, although she often thought of her grandmother during the day, and often dreamed about her at night, she did not see her. The kids and the flowers were as much her delight as ever, and she made as much friendship with the miners' children she met on the mountain as Lootie would permit; but Lootie had very foolish notions concerning the dignity of a princess, not understanding that the truest princess is just the one who loves all her brothers and sisters best, and is most able to do them good by being humble towards them." George MacDonald, The Princess and The Goblin, p.199

"People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'" Mark 10:13-15

Just as the disciples discourage the children from seeing Jesus, so too does Lootie discourage Curdie and others from associating with Irene. It seems an imporant connection to make, being that this is supposed to be a spiritual bildungsroman. But what strikes me is that it seems as if it is Lootie who is the one that needs to grow up a little. Irene, though young is on the right track. This would makes sense though. In the metaphorical sense, Irene who is a princess is related to the Jesus. She is a daughter of the king.

Therefore, she would be humble...

She knows that she is a princess but that she is no better than anyone else. So, she finds adventure in rescuing Curdie and obeying her grandmother. Lootie or the others would never find such adventure, and happiness because they do not have "spiritual eyes" or rather it seems if everyone else lacks faith. Also, she finds adventure in simply associating with others her own age even if they aren't on the same level as her.

Lastly...

Irene thinks about her grandmother a lot... If her grandmother is a symbol for Jesus or an angel then this is refreshing as well. I am glad to read a book where the character is fixated on something, or someone good as opposed to reading about a character who has an unhealthy fixation on something or someone who bring the character harm. I guess this just goes to show that 1. Mac Donald did a good job in writing this work and 2. Jesus really is the answer...

I think that's it for now. I just wanted to write... Later.

More On The Light In The Attic in The Princess and The Goblin

"The great-great grandmother in The Princess and The Goblin […] is a face of God, welcoming, loving and motherly. She baptizes Irene in a bath of stars, reveals herself at will, and guides children where they need to go. Linked with the moon, she is the poetic, mystic, hidden face of God—a motherly nurse and not a power- wielding triumphant king. She is the left hand, as the Father is the right." William Raeper, George Mc Donald

"I think what first attracted me to George MacDonald was his blend of pagan and Christian mysteries in a single figure. […] I shall call her goddess, for I believe that MacDonald found her among the goddess served by […] pagan priestesses […] As Irene, she is one of the three goddesses of Greek mythology who control the seasons…" Nancy Willard, "The Light in the Belfrey: Grandmothers and Wise Women in George MacDonald's Books for Children

First off, I just have to say that I am glad that I was right. I'm glad that I was because I would have felt kind of silly/stupid for assuming that "Queen Irene" is a symbol for an angel or even God. But now, as I read and reread these quotes I feel it bold and inappropriate to even liken the great-great grandmother to God, as in Jesus Christ. I don't know why I feel that way, I really can't explain. I guess it's because I have been raised in a Christian home and taught to love and fear God above all others and above all other things. Therefore, likening someone to God would mean that someone else, a human or a character in a novel is on the same level as God or is close to being on the same level. It just feels wrong to me.

But…

If I'm just reading it and I say hey it's just a book and you should just remember that it is a book and nothing more than perhaps I can understand why Mac Donald might use the techniques he does. I'm not saying that we shouldn't read critically but one should not be offended. I am not offended just a little taken aback. But what's interesting to point out is that others, Willard, basically calls the Great- Great Grandmother a pagan. But she also calls this character a Christian. Simply put, the two ideas seem a bit conflicting. I know that Mac Donald probably did this because he himself was a Christian mystic but the idea of blending the Christian and the mystic just seems wrong. Maybe that's because we don't know many "Christian mystics." If I'm correct, which I may not be, there were more sects/denominations, if you will, under Christianity in the time in which Mac Donald lived… I know that there were some people with some pretty interesting beliefs who had really taken the Christian faith and changed it somehow… For instance, Milton, John Milton who wrote Paradise Lost, was an Arian. If I'm remembering correctly, this means that he did not believe in the godhead or The Trinity. Instead, he believed that the Father, the Son and The Holy Ghost were three separate beings. Mac Donald had different beliefs but what I'm really trying to get across is that people had different ideas on Jesus Christ/God back in the era in which Mac Donald lived. At least I think. I could be wrong and that would be kind of embarrassing since I'm writing a post over all of this. It seems to me, that, today in the present era, there are still lots of denominations but that within the Judeo-Christian tradition people believe more or less the same thing. I am not including Mormons here. But, that's another story and not really the focus of my installment.

Wrapping it up…

I used these quotes because well- I could write about them but because I think they were rather interesting. For interesting, Raeper calls great-great grandmother Irene "loving" and "motherly." I agree with that, but I still feel like she's a bit creepy. On the other hand, I feel like she's a good character and cares for her great-great granddaughter more than anyone else does. So, I guess I'm a little confused on the great-great grandmother and her position in the story. If anything else, after reading this I do agree with what I've said in previous posts… When readers write they should remember to look at the time in which the story was written and look at it from that point of view. For instance one might ask him or herself- What does this story tell us about the Christians who lived in Mac Donald's era/time?

So, that about wraps it up for now. My brain is fried…

Thoughts on the Attic and the Light in Princess and The Goblin

" While the princess stared bewildered, with her head just inside the door, the old lady lifted hers, and said in a sweet, but old and shaky voice, which mingled very pleasentley with the continued hum of the weel: ' [c]ome in, my dear; come in. I am glad to see you'" (Mac Donald 12).

So, I got the idea for writing this post while sitting in class today. I had some thoughts on the attic and the great-great grandmother and decided to write about it. I don't know if I'm over-thinking here, I could be, but I think that I'm at least partially right. Now then, here's the post... the meat and potatoes of my words and thoughts...

First off, if Mac Donald is the father of the spiritual children's story, then perhaps the great- great grandmother could be seen as a metaphor for God, or an angel. Like Cinderella, she seems (so far) to fuction like a fairy-godmother. It's a bit of stretch, but as pointed out in class when Irene sees light, she often knows or is able to figure out that this light is from her great- great grandmother. Furthermore, is this... Would it really be possible for a person to live well over 100 years? It just doesn't seem to be realistic. That's why I thought that she could serve as a metaphor for God or an angel.

Maybe is she is real, I haven't finished reading, maybe -she is real to Irene. Perhaps, the great- great grandmother is as real as Irene makes her out to be. I guess I'll find out. Also, if she is really as old as she says she is why does she appear as she does. Her voice is shaky and what not but Mac Donald doesn't describes Irene's great great grandmother as "beautiful." I would imagine that someone that old would not be beautiful... My first thought in reading this was that she was a goblin. I don't know why I thought that, but I did. The great great grandmother knows all about Irene, and is beautiful so why wouldn't she be a goblin. I don't know if these goblins are magical but if so then maybe she could change her appearance. It would just make sense to me... Then, I thought, that perhaps Irene was descended from goblins. I guess I'll see.

But in general, as stated previously I see the great great grandmother to be a metaphor for God or an angel. Lastly, maybe the attic symbolizes heaven. Again, it's a bit of a stretch, but for all I know I might be right... Who knows.

The End of Recess

So, I don't have a quote for this post. But, I do have a picture. Now for the inspiration behind the post. I was at Breakaway on Tuesday night, I'm a volunteer. I had to sit out so that I could study, and was listening to my friend talk about a paper about recess that he wrote for a class. I didn't realize it, but apparentley there is controveresey over whether public schools should stop giving children a recess period...

I was thinking about it after Breakaway, and thought that this would make a good post. Rather, that my thoughts on the subject might make for a good post. There, so that's my inspiration for the post. Now for the meat and potatoes of this installment.

Simply put, I am a fan of recess. I only have three reasons but I think that they're excellent. Reason 1. for why schools should give their students a recess period- Children, being... well children are young and vivacious; they're full of life and energy. Anyone who has a younger sibling, or has spent time with them knows what I mean. Moreover, children have very short attention spans. What does all of this mean?? They need a chance to get rid of some of that energy or restlessness. When children are able to go out and play for awhile they are able to take a break, and kind of calm down a bit. When they get back into the class room, they are more focused and are more prepared to listen.

Reason 2. Is this. Learning can take place outside of the classroom... What I mean is that, children can learn a lot on the playground, or on field trips, or somewher else. When students spend time together on the playground they're kind of being socialized and learn how to play well with others. This is sooooo important. A kid whose lacking in social skills, or hasn't spent a lot of time around other kids is at a huge disadvantage.

Reason 3.- Children need excercise. I'd heard a while ago, I'm not sure where, that in some schools they're closing/ taking away P.E. Programs. If this is the case and I'm right about this than recess is a decent option. Besides that, kids need to get out some, and by out I mean outdoors. The sun is good for children. The same is true for everyone... Seasonal depression is actually fairly common. It's especially common in areas of little sunlight, or areas where it is colder. So, it's simply good for children to get out some.

I realize where administrators could be coming from. State mandated testing makes it harder for some. When these the issues become worries, or when schools fail to meet state requirements it causes adminstrators to look and find solutions. One solution might be to cut back on recess, or to cut it completely. However, for the reasons listed above, I think that it would be a huge mistake to make that decision.

The Berenstain Bears Go To Camp

Outside Reading

"It's vacation time. Hooray! Hooray! Let's spend it outdoors. Let's get away!" Stan and Jan Berenstein, The Berenstain Bears Go To Camp

These Berenstain Bear books were just about my favorite growing up. I don't remember why but I think maybe I liked the idea of reading about tamed bears who acted just like humans. It was unnatural, kind of unique. Whereas we usually read about HUMANS in other children's books we get to read about bears in these books. Best of all, these books do more than entertain. They teach. I guess this one teaches children about cooperation and that they shouldn't take themselves too seriously. Sometimes it's necessary to have fun. Without relaxation one would cease to function effectively. For the Berenstain bears the way to relax is to go to day camp.

At camp, they learn to do arts and crafts, they learn how to do the "dead bears" float and how to canoe. More importantly, they have a chance to socialize with other bears their own age. And at the end of the camp Sister Bear has a chance to overcome one of her fears. In rereading this book I come to several conclusions that I failed to make earlier in life…

1. This is a minor realization but I notice that in an illustration that Sister Bear gets a chance to gain revenge on Freddy Bear who hit her on the head earlier second day of camp. Basically I thought that this might teach children to seek revenge when someone does something to them. This isn't good, it doesn't teach children to do the right thing.
   

1. Another thing I now notice is that Brother and Sister Bear have this unusually close relationship. They not only get along but they're friends as well. He's a good brother. But they have to share a room and frankly I think it's kind of unfortunate. Nonetheless, they have this amazing relationship and it's good to see a brother and sister relationship that works.
   

For Sale

Not Exactly Outside Reading

"One sister for sale!

One sister for sale!

One crying and spying young sister for sale!

I'm really not kidding,

So who'll start the bidding?

Do I hear a dollar?

A nickel?

A penny?

Oh, isn't there, isn't there, isn't there any

One kid who will buy this old sister for sale,

This crying and spying young sister for sale?" Shel Silverstein

Alright, so I couldn't resist writing on this poem. I vaguely remember my childhood; it's been a long time. But, one thing that I do remember is that I read and that I was read to… I remember my mom reading this poem to me. She read me lots of poems by Silverstein. He is after all, one of the most popular poets for children. He seems to capture the essence of a child, which for some can be hard. I love to write, and am having fun writing for my advanced prose class this semester. Writing has always been something that I'm good at. But, what I write is not for children. Anyway, I really like this poem. After all, what child doesn't wish that he or she could auction off their sibling??

I'm sure that my brother wanted to at some point. Now that we're older, we get along. But we didn't we were younger. He was mean. The thought of auctioning him off never crossed my mind; he did annoy me, but I kind of learned to live with him. When he left for college I missed him a lot. It's like I was suddenly an only child and the center of attention, which means that you can get into more trouble.

Looking back at the poem, I don't remember what I thought. As with my childhood, it's been a long time. What comes to mind when I reread this poem is another story of one brother who was sold. This story takes place in the Bible. I am definitely thinking of Joseph. But, the story is a lot different. Joseph was actually sold; in this poem the character merely wants to carry through with the act. It doesn't actually happen. I can only imagine what would happen if it had. That would be another story/poem altogether.

In writing, I am also remembering something else. I've touched on this before, and earlier in this post. I think what makes this poem popular among others, is that it is easy for others to relate to. Any poem which is relatable is successful in evoking a particular emotion in its reader. This poem, like others of Silverstein's in relatable. As I would say in ENGL 345 "It just works." In LING 307 I would say that appeals to peoples positive face needs, in making them feel more affiliated. It also, appeals to the need for independence. The brother wants to be independent of the sister. He wants to get rid of her so that he can live worry and hassle free. It sounds good, but in the long run the risks outweigh the benefits.

In the end, this poem by Silverstein "works" because it appeals to others and speaks to them in a variety of ways.