MLA American Literature Spring 2011

Atilla The Hun

2011-04-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

Atilla the Hun was th ruler of the huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was the leader of the Hunnic Empire that streched from Germany to the Ural River From the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. He was a ruthless leader and very much feared.The Roman Empire considered him their highest and most dangerous threat. he was known for sensless killings,and for leaving devistation on on the face of victoms.

On the subject of evil you could also talk about the Crucible. Theres something thats very dark and eary in the story. take the girl named Abigal for instance. She once said "I danced for the devil,I saw him,I wrote his book." That right there shows how something evil can posses a person. She saying that she worked with the devil and shared in his evilness.

2011-04-27T06:48:00.000-07:00

Muammar Gaddafi would be considered today as evil, he was a traitor to america, and ended up killing his own people during his times of being dictator.
he is now being attacked by American forces, and is being surrounded.
Muammar Gaddafi was an ally of America, America had funded him to help him build his own country, when he became dictator of his own country, he had a lust for more power. He was in power for 42 years.

2011-04-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

My modern day example of evil is Saddam Hussein. Everybody knows who he is. He is responsible for over 200,000 civilian deaths in Iraq alone. He's the reason the U.S. went to war with Iraq. He was eventually captured and executed on December 30, 2006. He dictated the Iraqi people for decades. He is also the reason for the Gulf War in the early 90s. This man was destined to do evil from the very minute he stepped into power.

Salem, Massachussettes was not quite as evil as Saddam Hussein and his ridiculous campaign but The Crucible helps to demonstrate how dangerous it was. "She comes to me every night to go and drink blood." Now thats something that just demonstrates evil. People were getting accused and executed in large numbers routinely; kind of like what happened in Iraq. The Crucible is just as bad because they were all innocent just like the civilians from Iraq. Evil is demonstrated all around us, but these are two big sources that can compare to eachother in several ways and they're both horrible incidents of unnecessary mann slaughter.

Tech N9ne is nuts!

2011-04-27T06:45:00.001-07:00

I believe if somebody has characteristics such as Tech N9nes' creative lyrics in his songs like:
"Threw her in the trunk
Was tryin to smash
Get her cash
But her mouth was hella fast
So I threw her ass (in the trunk)
And even though she had a big plump rump
I threw her in an let the beat bump (threw her in the trunk) "

......then they probably have something evil in their mind that makes them come up with rhymes like this. Tech's raps are sick but they make him seem crazy. He definitely has issues but unlike his rapper friend Brotha Lynch Hung, Tech does have songs that have sentimental value. Some songs like 'The Rain' talks about his kids and his family and how fame affects his personal life.

I think Brotha Lynch Hung is way more evil then Tech N9ne just because he raps about killing people while Tech focuses on flowing the right words together as fast as he can to make a sick track. Tech raps about real shit for the most part but Brotha Lynch is always on crazy shhh. lol

Taste Evil

2011-04-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

Adulf Hitler,was one of ther most evil diabolic person that has lived in the pace of the earth besides few other pople out there.As he tried to rule over the world by creating the perfect race,he wrote a book sayign the things he would do and the actions he will take,tho no one really listened and believed him.

Hitler had failed to rule over the world,tho he still hurted many jews and if you didnt had blonde hair blue eyes you where out and sent to the concentrate camps,he had sent many women man children rich poor to the gas chambers and to the concentration camps.

As willing to fail on his ruling plans,he had no apriciation in life whats however he killed innocent kids older women mothers normal people to him they where nothing and no one tho his actions where evil i also think his mind and sould where as he tried making the world perfect on his comand epic fail he had commited suicide as his plans failed and people where looking for him after all ther bad things he had done in the world.

As people before use to drink blood to kill some one.Hitler just said one to 2 words to kill and entire family at once.

Mr. Happy

2011-04-27T06:44:00.002-07:00

"Child, you are certain this be your natural memory? May it be, perhaps, that someone conjures you even now to say this?" -Hale. Hale is talking about Mary being corrupted by the devil and his evil ways. Even when we all have free will the choices we make could be good or bad. We could choose to kill or love, break hearts or mend them, yell or sing. But remember our choices have consequences.

Insane Clown Posse has a lot of evil characteristics. With the way they talk in their lyrics and they way they live their lives. For example "Ill twist and squeeze your neck like a wet noodle, cuz I'm so happy ill stab your ass, and lay down next to on the grass and sing, oh, it feels so good every time i murder i get happy". They talk about murding people and being happy about it. The rappers of ICP were in poverty and had difficult home lives so they found a way to express themselves by writing songs. I think its the choice to look at their lives bad and then it started building up more and more. From my experience i know how hard it is to forget evil when you have been consumed in it for so long.

Does your environment influence your behavior?

2011-04-27T06:44:00.001-07:00

The Excorcism of Emily Rose is evil because it is showing people possesed by the Devil. I honestly don't think that it's christian like to try and take the devil out of somebody.I don't think that it's real and I don't like the fact that people actually believe that the devil could be in someone's body physically controlling them. In Salem people believe that the devil are making people do things and that people who are being controlled by the devil are controlling other people and making them do things that are not considered holy.

Another thing is that when people believe that certaint things are happenning they begin to do things they normally wouldn't do. People in Salem are pretending to be possesed because if they don't pretend that they were possed then pretend that they were all of a sudden saved and turned christian again then they would be hang. This shows that their environment got them in trouble for being accused and they had to get themselves out of trouble by pretending that they were possesed. I don't believe in any of that because it's wrong and there is no real proof that people can be posssed by the devil and become evil.

evil or not

2011-04-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

Rich people are evil the reason why i say that because they do certain action that show evil in them. the things that they do that show evil is treat people that not in their class bad or make fun of poor people because they dont have the money they do. they also think they to good to give to people that need help they just care for they sevle.

the people in salem are evil to me. the reaon i say that is because they wanted people to get hang. abigail wanted ms.procter to die because she thought she was evil and had powers. to me abigail is the evil one because she want to take some ones life over false info.

The Case Against Religion in Society

2011-04-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

"Proctor, I cannot think God be provoked so grandly by such a petty cause. The jails are packed-our greatest judges sit in Salem now-and hangin's promised. Man, we must look to cause proportionate. Were there murder done, perhaps, and never brought to light? Abomination? Some secret blasphemy that stinks to heaven? Think on cause, man, and let you help me to discover it. For there's your way, believe it, there is your only way, when such confusion strikes upon the world. Let you counsel among yourselves; think on your village and what may have drawn from heaven such thundering wrath upon you all. I shall pray God open up your eyes." (Hale 205)

The evil I see from this quote is that Hale thinks it upon himself to judge others' faith even though he consistently claims that that is not his place. He chastises Proctor for not having good Christian character and his house for not housing enough "Holy" charms. He feels that because he came all the way to Salem from Beverley that he must have a good purpose and as such he must find evil or witchcraft somewhere in the village. His blind hunt leads him to falsely accuse good people, ostracize townsfolk, like the Nurses, Proctors, and Tituba, and go on a hunt to kill those that don't confess to a crime they never committed. Hale cannot stand ideas different from his own and he feels that he must compensate through hard discipline and Christian Zealotry.

I find this to be evil because in American society we have religious freedom but it seems as though the only religions that can preach and practice freely are Christians, Jews, and some times more spiritual beliefs like Paganism and Buddhism. I feel that when pressured to answer what our faith is we have to come up with a label to identify ourselves as and when we come up with an answer the others don't like they shun us from society or incessantly put our ideas down as false. To an Atheist, having no belief is just as valid as having one. For people to defend themselves by attacking others is wrong and we should just allow others to freely believe and practice what they want without forcing it upon others or fearing actions or reactions from others.

An Endless Battle

2011-04-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

Good and evil have become famous because of the Bible - God's will being good, and evil being against it. In the town of Salem this notion was more potent and accepted than in today's society; nobody wants to be the intolerant one now. But an interesting idea is introduced in The Crucible by John Proctor: "I wish you had some evil in you so you might know me!" (p. 220). It seems as though he's suggesting, maybe for the first time, that evil can exist in anyone. Francis, to whom Proctor was talking, probably wasn't the perfect example of a Puritan, but then again, a lot of Puritans seem to have either ignored or subconsciously rejected any thought of themselves being evil. So from that, Proctor finds it hard to get the people of the court to relate to him and understand his story.

As many people today are adamant on equality, they often forget what they're trying to preach to everyone else: there is no cookie-cutter human. The same perfect person cannot be manufactured, and no living human can expect to fully fit into that sharp image. Protesters against racism often find themselves developing a hatred for people who were raised to belittle minorities. In Salem, the accusation of witchcraft became a weapon. Terms like 'homophobic' or 'narrow-minded' are used very similarly now. The suggestion that there was pure evil in Salem is a far fetched one, but the idea of evil spreading thin, maybe even transparent, enough to cover all its citizens wouldn't be too far off.

The Crucible Blog Post #2: Evil

2011-04-27T06:06:00.000-07:00

In your final writing assignment for The Crucible, focus on the theme of evil. In a detailed two-paragraph post, discuss something or someone from today's society that you would a) consider evil, or b) others may consider evil, though you believe it's misunderstood/mislabeled. Use your Google and your noodle. In addition, compare this present day example to the "evil" that may or may not have been present in Salem (be specific - mention characters!) during the events of the play. Be sure to include a creative yet appropriate title, a suitable picture, a link to an outside web site, and a quote from the play. Questions to get you thinking:

Can a person be completely evil? Or is it just that their actions are evil? Or their mind?
Who, if anyone, was evil in Salem, in your opinion? Explain your position.
Do people commit evil acts of their own will or does their environment influence them?
Why was Danforth so sure that Proctor was evil when he was just trying to tell the truth?
Does evil exist in our world today? How is it different from how it seemed to pervade in Salem?

Don't forget to put your initials in the 'Labels' section before you publish your post!

Alcohol and impulsive behaviors.

2011-04-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

In The Crucible the characters are so stuck on the religious aspect in their lives that they let it consume their whole lives. As soon as one person gets accused of being a witch, everyone points the finger at whoever seems to be acting weird in any way. Its funny how they think they're all pure when really they arent civilized enough to understand what purity means.

Like in The Crucible, alcohol is a huge role in teens lives these days. They let it consume their lives in ways similar to how religion affected the people of Salem. Alcohol makes people make poor decisions based on impulses like witchcraft did back then.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001940/

The Crucible and government

2011-04-15T06:59:00.001-07:00

How the crucible puritanism relates to modern day puritism is the laws that they pass down and the religon today, for example christianity wants to be pure and perfect and wants you to not break what you belive in. Being christian means you don't smoke, don't do crime, don't break the law, and dress proper. It almost applies the same with modern day government, as long as you don't smoke, don't break the law for any reason you won't be put in jail.

In the Crucible, if you broke the law you would be put to death by the hands of their own government. The same rules of the government applied the same as there religon back then, but if there was dancing, rituals, or even anything that they thought had to do with the devil, and not being pure, you would be put to death.

Wtf?

2011-04-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

The goverment of the U.S has had lied their pople from big lies to little lies,though they always try to cover up their guilt in other people they have think they are always right when they actually had done wrong not saying everyone is guilty but so far from what ive seen things dont get any better wars ,scam's cover ups you nqme it they they had done it.

as the U.S government wants to take control about enything from nucler weapons to a simple dime bag of pot,they think by been strict bout situations like that everything will go ok around them though they dont care about poeples situations as long as they get what they want they act like nothing ever happened or simple as that they blame it on some one else like if they were still childs from elemntry school,though power makes poeple go crazy the government wants to be as powerfull as it can get even more though they see they do nothing but hurt their own people to their problems,as every problem happens there will always be a consecuence,we had seen so many promisses from every president though none had done nothing but hurt the country with their stupidity but who are we?to them we are no one but citizens that just fallow qas we cant do nothign bout it they always get it their way i guess the love burger king cause they always have it their way.

Crucible vs. Blood Diamond

2011-04-15T06:58:00.001-07:00

A modern day example of The Crucible is Blood Diamond. Some of the citizens got tired of listening to the corrupt government so they decided to abandone it. They abandoned their government and tried to take their own country into their own hands. They tried to take over all the trade buisness, all the work force buisness, they tried to take the whole thing. They formed a rebelion. Thousands of people died, even more were forced to dig for diamonds at gun point. Thousands lost their homes. It lasted for several years. It ruined Sierra Leonne and many other countries in Africa. That's how it was in Salem, Massachussettes in the 1600s. Everything was so strict that kids had to get away, they had to go out and dance in the woods, they had to break away from the rules and laws and their whole community just to have fun. Then they were accused of witch craft. And all those accusations ruined Salem.

Puritanism of The Crucible compared to modern Day School

2011-04-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

In the play people try really hard to be perfect that they become stressed and have a break down.Today people tend to try so hard to have straight a's that they start to stress themselves and they become tired and they might drop out of school or just give up after all the hard work they did.

Another thing is that in the play the people try to point the finger at other people, this is also true today because when people become stressed and their grades start to slip they blame it on home or family problems even if they know it wasn't that bad they just don't want to admit that they didn't work hard in the end to achieve their goal. When people act bad in The Crucible the priest called them witches or say that they have been possesed by the devil so they get punished.Today when kids grades slip they have to face their parents and they also get punished.Either way trying to b perfect can have many different outcomes and even though they aren't as harsh any more the outcome of getting in trouble still exists.

The purest of them all.

2011-04-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

People in our modern day society have rules and traditions that they have followed for centuries. Just like in the cruciable where they follow the bible exactly, Upper middle class families do also. Raised in a upper middle class family, i always have had rules to follow, like "treat people with respect, don't have sex before you are married so you can be pure for your husband, and do the best you can whenever and whereever!" These are rules that have led my life and formed who i am today. Until i fell into temptation and peer pressure about 4 years ago.

In my situation even with me living the perfect life, sin got ahold of my heart with the worlds help. The world corrupted me and I learn so many other rules and traditions, I lost sight of what I cared so much about in the begining. I have lost respect from friends and family because of these bad choices. Suprisingly i have found the courage to go back to the old me that made good decisions. Many people would disagree with alot of what my family has tought me but i believe it is the best way to stay happy, healthy and safe.

So called perfect

2011-04-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to be completely pure or perfect?

To me it can be possible to be perfect. But the question is how long can somebody be perfect for ? Try to be to perfect will mess up your mind and having you losing your mind. Everybody can be the best person they can be but kno one is perfect.

The mondern day!!!!

Today as i type this everybody try and be the best that they can be. The people that try and be perfect is sometimes mess up by the influnce of their's friends. To the people that are so called perfect that did something or said something that make them just a reagular person. The kids that don't want to live a bad life are influnced by gang members or people that just do bad things.

Being Perfect

2011-04-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

In The Crucible, the obsession with purity and necessity to be a perfect, whole community becomes an ugly source of blame and possible death. Today's teenagers are much the same. Depending on the region, "normalcy" usually calls for being comfortable in one's own skin, being able to break the law without being caught, or having the same sexual orientation as everyone else. Where one would accuse someone of witchcraft in the play, one out a group of friends might start a rumor or talk the others into being against them. There aren't specific "rules" for the perfect normal teenager, but a lot of girls and boys find themselves going through misery just to look good for their peers.

Reverend Hale said, "What victory would the Devil have to win a soul already bad? It is the best the Devil wants..." (p. 186) And there is some truth to that; in most cases, the one being accused is the one who was supposed to be perfect. For example, the pretty girl friend is accused of being anorexic out of jealousy for her figure. The other friends begin to believe this, as anyone would - people are drawn to negative conclusions more easily than positive ones. In a puritan society, and today's society with puritan roots, a community as small and close as Salem will soon fall apart in attempt to be as perfect as their God.

The Crucible Blog Post #1: Puritanism/Purity

2011-04-15T06:04:00.000-07:00

The first act of The Crucible shows us a town whose Puritan residents believe in being absolutely pure and perfect Christians. Of course this doesn't actually mean they are pure or perfect. Your job is to write a detailed 2-paragraph blog post comparing the events and characters of The Crucible thus far to a modern day example of a type of person that attempts to be pure and/or perfect. Besides religion, think of other ways people define or group themselves and try to achieve a flawless or ideal lifestyle. Use your Google and your noodle and include a link to a page that helped you come up with your connection. Also include a quote from The Crucible (with page number and character cited) to back up your opinion as well as a picture, a creative title, and your initials in the 'Labels' section. Consider the questions below when writing your two paragraphs:

Is it possible to be completely pure or perfect? Why did the Puritans think this was possible?
What happens when one person in a tightly knit community does something wrong? Does it affect the group as a whole?
Do people end up doing wrong because they've been forced to act such a conservative lifestyle? Explain.
Why are people in this type of community so quick to accuse others of doing wrong or going against their lifestyle?

Stuck? Do not hesitate to ask me for help! Check the board for login/password info.

2011-03-10T06:43:00.000-08:00

i miss you

By; G E M

the reason i picked this song by eminem is because it shows that you can only take so much before you snap. the bond between the family is a very great thing, and has lots of power. the song said that he missed one of his frends that was like family to him. it says that some people have your back (family, and fans) and theres people that dont. (the haters)there are those people in life and sometimes you just need to walk away or take a deep breath because its not worth it. this song shows the aftermath or fealings after a funeral.

i think that this is the best song i could of chose because it is perfict for topic. the don was a guy who went threw allot of deaths and i think that it would be different if his kids were still alive. eminem said " i wonder what proof is on now, i know he'd be proud". this explains the motive of missing a loved one.

It would be so fine to see your face at my door...

2011-03-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

"So far away; doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore? It would be so fine to see your face at my door; doesn't help to know you're just time away; long ago i reached for you and there you stood; holding you again could only do me good; how i wish i could, but you're so far away..."-Carole King. Carole King probably had to deal with death and separation for a while. She probably struggled with both as she traveled around the world. In her time they didn't have cellphones where her family and friends could just talk to her whenever they pleased. She had to write letters or find a phone in a local place. But with her busy work schedule probably didn't have time to do that all the time.

"Mikey not gonna write, you no gonna hear from Mikey. He hide two-three years. Maybe more, maybe much more" -Mrs. Corleone(pg.235). Just like Carole King missed someone so does Kay Adams for her love Michael. Kay has no clue where he is and if i was in her situation i would be worried to death about him. Don Corleone probably has similar feelings like Kay except he's fortunate to know where Michael is. Separation is a big burden to deal with, but sometimes it just has to be. That's when you have to keep your head up and know it will not be forever.

Seperation

2011-03-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

I picked "Landslide by Stevie Nicks" as my song that relates to seperation. It's about losing your loved one and no matter what brings you down, you can always make your own life. Even if you're afraid, life will work out as it should. I think behind the words, it really touches people's hearts and most people can find themselves relating their own experiences to this song whether you lost a loved one by breaking up or if they died. This song is a way to cope with rough times. I think it's simply perfect musicly and lyricly and a classic!

"I've been afraid of changing cause I built my life around you, but time makes you bolder, children get older. I'm getting older too."

I think the Corleone's have lots on their plate more often then one of them dies. They have respect for their deceased loved ones but they don't know how to deal with grief or put time aside to heal themselves. Maybe someday the Don will have closure for his son's death probably when the murderers are caught. If they let music into their hearts they could probably get closure without having to put somebody to their death because violence won't bring Sonny back. Grief is a personal thing, everybody's measure of grief is different depending on the relationship they had with the loved one they lost.

"None of you are to commit any acts of vengance, none of you are to make any inquiries to track down the murderers of my son without my express command."

Semi-Accidental

2011-03-10T06:31:00.000-08:00

"You've got a barb through the heart,
And slowly went under.
What an awful way to finish the summer"

The Wonder Years, Through Two Hearts

"Tonight we must do what we can for Santino, we must bury him as a Christian."

The Godfather (p. 270)

The Wonder Years' Through Two Hearts, written in honor of the late Steve Irwin, conveys the lyricist's own feelings about the Crocodile Hunter's surprising death. It actually took me a few times listening to the song before I realized it was about Irwin, and not just a girl who left. It's at times comical with lines like "And when I miss you, and I'm lonely, Steve, I just watch Crocodile Hunter" and "It seems Australians have been mangling stingrays - I guess they feel like me. 'Cause man, we really miss you, Steve" but the way the singer's voice croons over the lines betrays his honest emotion - there's reason to believe Irwin was a significant person in his life.

Another surprising death was that of Sonny Corleone. Not that it was unheard of; a lot of the people who knew him justified the murderers on account of Sonny's rash behavior. It was more the unforeseen suddenness of the murder that sent a few heads reeling. No one was emotionally prepared. Still, after the fact, barely anyone would weep or show any kind of sorrow except for one or two women. The men of the Corleone family, as is most likely the case for men of any family, were inclined to carrying on without the eldest son as if it was anticipated. Truly, they treated death as something that was inevitable - and it is, for anyone involved in a business like theirs. It's doubtful that anyone involved in Sonny's death, even third-parties, would write a song as heavyhearted as The Wonder Years', but one does not have to express sorrow in order to feel it.

Love Like Mine Is One Of A Kind

2011-03-10T06:30:00.000-08:00

This song is talking about how its hard to break up. The reason why people make these type of song is because they been hurt. Some people might just do the song for their fan. So they can show them that they know how the love life is.

when we were together
We never turned our backs on each other
But now
that we’re separated
We can’t stand one another

Love song can be good or bad at times. The reason why i say that is because some people make song about falling in love other falling out of it. Break up songs can be like what somebody need to help them threw what they are going threw.

Lucy have things in common with the song. The reason why i say that is
because that she lost somebody that was her life and joy. When she lost sonny. Her world change she thought she will never find love again.

Lucy said "it was love of the coarsest nature, a fleshly love, a love tissye
for opposing tissue." ( 302)

The Godfather Blog Post #2: Separation

2011-03-09T13:32:00.000-08:00

As we have recently read in The Godfather, there have been at least three different examples amongst the characters of severe separation between loved ones. Your assignment: find a song about separation (breaking up, losing a loved one, etc.) and write a two-paragraph blog post analyzing and comparing both the song you found about separation and one of the characters dealing with separation in the book. Your post should include a creative yet appropriate title, a picture, a quoted lyric (see quote button above) from your song, a quote from The Godfather that you can connect to your analysis, and your initials in the 'Labels' section. Some questions to consider when typing up your post:

Which is worse - geographical separation or separation by death? Consider what Kay Adams does/does not know about Michael's whereabouts before jumping to the obvious conclusion!
Why is separation (such as getting dumped or breaking up) such a popular theme in the field of songwriting? How does it affect the characters of The Godfather unlike the other themes discussed?
Can songs communicate emotions about separation that perhaps the characters of The Godfather are unable or unwilling to admit? What do they do instead of expressing their grief?
What's the absolute worst part of separating from a loved one, whether by death or otherwise? Which character seems to have the most trouble dealing with separation? How about in the song you chose?

Without an iPod or ideas? Try searching via Google for song lyrics about the topic or anything related (like break-ups or losing a loved one). Let me know if you have trouble finding something!

What makes people do the things they do.

2011-02-23T20:36:00.000-08:00

What makes society so corrupt? it's the economy; were at a recession and we can't do anything about it.Also, it's the feeling people get when they or their family member is down in the gutter; They'll do whatever they feel is necessary at the moment. Its just like what Sonny said to Michael when their dad was shot "Whatya gonna do? Nice college boy, eh? Don't wanna get mixed up in the family business? Now you wanna gun down a police captain because he slapped you in the face a little bit, huh? Whataya think this is, the Army, where you shoot 'em a mile away? You gotta get up close like this... badaBING! you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit. C'mere... you're taking this very personal." Michael wanted to kill Sollozzo after hearing that his dad almost got killed; also, because he got hit in the face.I'm going to talk how these two different stories relate to each other and how they have their differences.

What makes Michael and this old man in the video so similar, is that they weren't doing it for their own greed. They were doing it for their family, because they felt obligated to the situation they was in. Michael felt he was the only one that could get the meeting head to head with Sollozzo and McCluskey; The old man felt it was his responsibility to put food on table no matter what the cost was. They were both very good mens, until they felt this was the only way to support their family.

What makes these two difference, is their doing two difference things. Michael doing it for family (the mafia) and for revenge for the shooting of his dad; The old man is doing it for his family. Also, Michael intention was to kill someone, as for the old man his intention was to just rob a store without anybody getting hurt. Michael had everything planned out, so he could get away with the murder; The old man probably didn't have any plan, he just went in their without and thinking and id what he was suppose to do.

the corlione family bissness

2011-02-16T06:53:00.000-08:00

i think that curroption has a big deal on the corleone family. the reason i think that is the way that no matter what any one person does, they cant stay out of the family bissness. anyone in the family could go to collage, military or move far away. but still when they come back they end up messing up there life with this illigale money and mobster killings.
there is michel who was a smart graduate and stayed out the family bissness for about 25 years. but then the week he comes back into town he is doing deeds for the bissness. he thought he would always keep himself out of this kind of stuff. but now he is doing hits and other illigal stuff that has to do with the family bissness
for example if a kid went to school for all four years of high school, then just randomly droped out. this would mean that this kid corrupted his life. there is no reason to do things like this. get your head to do something and just continue it tell its done. dont just stop half way into things.

Fame and Murder

2011-02-16T06:42:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Mee Charged with Murder

Jennifer Mee, an innocent fifteen-year-old in 2007, was known nation wide as the "Hiccup Girl". Her five-week case of hiccups got her numerous television spots and features in talk shows. In 2010, to the disbelief of her loved ones, she plead guilty to and was charged with first-degree murder. Her mother has said "...[Doctors] call it a case of the hiccups, but I call it the curse of the hiccups," blaming the limelight for her downward spiral.
Michael Corleone's murder involvement could also be a result of pressure, fame, and even embarrassment. Mee had no "connections" in court, causing her to end up in jail. But Michael, like Mee, was first thrust into the environment of violence. His being around the Family and their inner-workings, comparable to the two friends who convinced Mee to go through with the crime, slowly swayed Michael into doing what he now thought was right. "'I've been riding the gravy train all my life, it's about time I paid my dues.'"Michael isn't in jail paying for what he did, but most likely it in itself was a kind of payment, though not for a murder. It was rather for all of the help his family had given him his whole life. Redemption isn't always about the government's justice system.

Miley Cyrus did what?!

2011-02-16T06:29:00.000-08:00

The spark of corruption is caused by insecurities or anger. Miley for example had become a popstar and got consumed in that, that her simple life became courpted. sometimes it can become concious and they choose to change and somtimes its just happens by living a different life style.

Loved ones probably didnt know about the choices miley was making because she wasnt under the rules of her family anymore, she was under the rules of the world. In our society being courpted by anything is never a good thing but some things like courpted by christanity is not necesarily bad in our society.

The Godfather Blog Post #1: Corruption

2011-02-16T06:05:00.000-08:00

As we have just seen in finishing Book I of The Godfather, Michael has finally officially become corrupted by the Corleone family. Your assignment: research an act of corruption in the news or from history and conduct a 2-3 paragraph compare/contrast analysis between the real-life story of corruption you read about and Michael's unfortunate transformation in The Godfather. Your post should include a creative yet appropriate title, a picture, a link to the page (NOT Wikipedia, please) where you read about your subject, a quote from The Godfather that you can connect to your analysis, and your initials in the 'Labels' section. Some questions to consider when typing up your post:

What sparks the desire to become corrupt within someone? Is it something they're conscious of or does it just happen? Explain.
How much does one's environment and loved ones affect whether or not someone engages in corrupt activities? Explain.
Are there some levels of corruption that are more accepted in our society than others? Why or why not?
Does Michael still have a chance to redeem himself after his big act of corruption? Did or does the person(s) you researched? How or how not?

Some places to research corruption in the news, around the world, or from the past: Google News, Star Tribune, BBC, and History Channel. Let me know if you find an article/information elsewhere!

Song Lyrics

2010-11-15T06:55:00.000-08:00

"Freedom or jail, clips inserted, a babys being born same time my man is murdered the beggening and end"-"Nas is like"

I think this means when you are born you get freedom and if you slip up you get jail, that is when Nas says "Freedom or jail". Also I think when Nas says " A babys being born same time my man is murdered the beggening and end", I think he means you began to live your life the way you want then there is rough times ahead and you could end all your freedom and be left with nothing.

I think this lyric is related to "The Great Gatsby" It refers to all of the people in the book but mostly to Gatsby because He started out with freedom was doing really well until the past came back and killed his freedom! It also relates to "The Great Gatsby", by they all start out with freedom and a lot of them do not get to see life anymore and die.

I think The American Dream is you just live life and make the best of it. It doesnt really matter if your rich or poor just live life to the fullest. I also think you should always try to succeed but if you cant don't stop trying just try harder!

Time Will Tell How Long His Kingdom Stands

2010-11-15T06:53:00.000-08:00

The American Dream, this is described in the song American Dream by Casting Crowns. The song talks about the kingdom we will be in one day when we leave this earth and go to heaven. It talks about how "He works and he builds with his own two hands and he pours all he has in a castle made of sand. But the wind and the rain are coming crashing in. Time will tell how long his kingdom stands". So it explains that even when times get hard we can never give up because we have a better place to go in the end if we just believe.

The American dream is described in The Great Gatsby a few times. Nicks liked the rich life in the beginning of the book so he hung out with rich people. Gatsby's dream was to also have money so he has been a bootlegger to accomplish that dream. so the dream in The Great Gatsby is to be rich.

I think the American dream is everyone living in peace and harmony. I want everyone to love, have joy, be in peace, have patients, kindness and goodness. I want people to have a faith, be gentle and have self control. I wish that was how people lived every day of their lives. No anger or sadness. This would be my American Dream.

The Road To Riches

2010-11-15T06:52:00.001-08:00

"It seems like we're living the American dream

But the people highest up got the lowest self esteem

The prettiest people do the ugliest things

For the road to riches and diamond rings"

-Kanye West (All Falls Down)

I think Kanye West really touches on the big issues that we have read about in The Great Gatsby. Everyone that was held at such high esteem by people in their rich community but the fact is that no one in the book was truly happy in their situation. Gatsby was filthy rich but he was also a huge liar. Jordan was also a cheat in her golf tournaments and she did it to become part of this magical world of the wealthy but she lost her self respect along the way.

The American Dream in the book isn't as obvious to me as some may think. You have to look deeper then the fact that they are all just rich. Every single one of them had already achieved what the general definition of the american dream is which is to be rich and powerful yet they strived for more. Everyone had something else that they wanted and money had nothing to do with their biggest desires. Gatsby wanted love, Nick wanted a companion, Daisy wanted love, and Tom just wanted sex.

The american dream doesn't have a clear definition for everyone. It depends on who you are as a person and what your situation is. The largest reason why we have a huge immigrantion rate is because people here about this american dream of being a corporate billionaire and having celebrity friends. Driving fast cars, going to clubs and having the time of your life is what most call the american dream but I personally think the american dream is making yourself truly happy. Money can definitely help lift your srpirits and make life easier ut after reading The Great Gatsby it's obvious to me now that mooney is not the key to a good life.

Farmers Dauter

2010-11-15T06:52:00.000-08:00

The song I chose about the american dream is "Farmers Dauter". The reason I chose this song is because I love contry first off. The second reason I did this is because it pritty much explains that if you want the amreican dream.Then you need to work one sentince I like is "In the middle of the night i snuck her back to home and started work, I was on the trackter she was on my mind and I cant wait tell quittin time". This just about perfectly explains the amreican dream.

The way this goes with Gaspys book is because they not only needed to have money to invest to get more. But they had to work for every penny. Now a days we dont do nothing like that and we get allot of stuff just handed to us. But the one time you accually work for something and its yours you will understand that all the energy you put into it was worth it.

I think the american dream is very true and a very good thing. Think about it you can do whaterver you want. or like anything you would like too. You can have everything you would ever desire if your not to lazzy to go do the work. Just remember when your done working for that money and you spend it on something you want like a car. It is an american dream come true and you will be very proud that you can call it yours.

Fear Itself

2010-10-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

The most important theme thus far for me is Fear. Atleast everyone is scared of something. No matter how tough you be, no matter if you're a girl or a boy, and no matter your age there is always something that makes you feel fear. You can feel fear of your self. It doesn't have to be nessesary that it's a living that you are afraid of. For example, You can be afraid of who you will become and loose that one special person that is important in your life and walksaway from you.

In the book the theme fear is the one that plays the most important role. For example, Bigger is afraid of telling the truth just because he's black and feels that they're not going to believe him. And they're going to accuse him of not being an accident. Also Bigger is afraid confessed his crime to Bessie. Now that she knows he is not in it alone he doesn't feel lonely. She knows and she is involved. He knows that if she tries to rat him out, there will be a consequence:" i'll have to kill you. So help me God."(pg.181) (Tan)

Anothet quote that caught my eye was the one from when Bessie is having a conversation where she is trying to convince Bigger not to send the ransom letter and not to make her get involved in his stuff. "Yeah; i killed that girl,"he said."Now, you know. You got to help me. You in it as deep as me! You done spent some of the money..." There is where he knows he has her dominated.

Ready to fly high

2010-10-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

The important theme in this book so far is flight. It is important because in this book almost every character shows flight atleast once. The turning point in this book was when Bigger took flight and ran away from the crime scene of the investigation of the murder of Mary Dalton, and then hid away.

"His desire was naked and hot in hand and his fingers were touching her" - Pg 270

This shows flight because since he had her like that he took flight and raped her. After this, he was done he took more flight into action and killed Bessie with a brick. Then he took more flight and disposed of her body down the shaft in the abandon building.

"He reached out and grabbed a paper and in the act of grabbing it he turned and looked at the man who was looking at him, a ciggerette slanting whitely across his black chin." - Pg 280

He took flight because he stole a newspaper just to see who they have pinned the murder of Mary on and what their doing about the situation so far. Once he got away and read the newspaper he found out that the law was sweeping the whole Southside looking for him, they even went to his house to look and confront his mom about him. He immediately took flight left the spot and found a new place to hide, so he can figure out a plan to get away.

Had Big Sight So He Took Flight

2010-10-04T06:33:00.001-07:00

I think the most important theme In the book so far is flight, because it is where all the action is happening. This is where bigger takes flight and kills Mary then plots to get more money out of it then kills Bessie for the fear that she knows too much.

"He avoided the car line, turned down dark streets, walking more rapidly now." (pg. 221)
He took flight because he knew that he was going to get caught. So he when to streets that were dark with no one walking down them. Then when he got to Bessie's house he got her, and went to a empty building. I think he is dumb. he should have left right after he killed Mary so he would have a few days head start. he didn't though because he felt like he was unstoppable, and he was getting a rush from it.

"Jan came forward again and Bigger drew his gun" (pg. 172)
He has more confidence now that he thinks that he is on top of the world. Bigger doesnt care who he kills, even Jan, or Bessie. It is because he won't let anyone get in the way of him and his freedom.

blindness in the world

2010-10-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

The most important theme of the book thus far in my mind is blindness. I say this because we already know Bigger a little more and find out what kind of a person he really is when faced with the kind of situations he's in.

Bigger starts seeing things & people differently. He see's himself differntly & has to try to act like everyone else to not get caught, do what regular people do. (pg.106) "Things were becoming clear; He would know how to act from know on. The thing to do was to act just like others acted, live how they lived, and while they were not looking, do what you wanted". Bigger cant see how to act really making him blind.

Bigger also see's people as blind now. Blind as in not seeing things cleary or not seeing the whole picture as he can. (pg.107) what he had done last night had proved that. Jan was blind. Mary had been blind, Mr. Dalton was blind. And Mrs. Dalton was blind;". They are blind because they do not see/know what really happened to Mary or that Bigger is involed.

Thats why this theme is the most important to me. We see what kind of a person he becomes after killing a person. We see how he thinks, acts, & feels now.

blinded by boldness.

2010-10-01T07:09:00.000-07:00

Native Son's most important theme is blindness because the characters' blindness plays a big part in the main events. Bigger is blind to the way white people live their lives, which ultimately shows his fear because white people always treated him like property. He is also blind to the fact that not all white people believe in treating black people poorly.

Bigger ends up killing Mary Dalton out of his own fear based on his blindness to Mary's intentions. Mary intimidated Bigger because not only was he in a new atmosphere but he was surrounded by whites controlling his every move. But because she treated him like a human, he was thrown off and didn't know how to react. Mary represents blindness on the count of her boldness towards Bigger. Questioning him, and trying to get to know him shown through Bigger's fear because he never interacted with whites before. Therefore leading up to his murderous actions.

-"The guarded feeling of freedom he had while listening to her was tangled with the hard fact that she was white and rich, a part of the world of people who told him what he could and couldn't do."

Because Bigger felt intimidated by what Mary was saying to him and how she treated him, he was unsure of how to behave. He was almost afraid which was shown through his anger. nobody, and a white girl at that, spoke to him like Mary had ever in his life.

-"He stared at her in a long silence; it was the first time he had ever looked directly at her, and he was able to do so only because he was angry."

False Evidance Appearing Real

2010-10-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

Fear is the most important theme of the book thus far because of three reasons. The first reason is because Bigger is the black man and doesn't know what white people are capable of doing. The second reason is the Dalton family fear for their daughters life. The last reason is Bigger's fear of whats going to come in his future since people are starting to know he was the killer. These are three examples in the book of fear.

"Bigger please.... I don't want to do it."(pg 174, Tan). Bessie has fear in helping Bigger with his scheme. She is forced by bigger to help him with it . Bigger makes her leave the note. which has a possibility of getting her caught. Bessie fears Bigger and what he could do to her. So out of fear Bessie helps Bigger.

"Mr. Dalton's face was dead - white and his blood - shot eyes were deep set in his head"(pg 201, Tan). Mr. Dalton is in fear if where his daughter is. In his mind he probably thinks of horrible things happening to his daughter. the rest of the Dalton family are in fear as well. Mary Dalton is a mischievous girl and could get in a lot of trouble because of this they realize they could never see her again. Fear is a big part of Native Son in every ones mind. They might not show it on the outside all the time but the fear in them is still there. That's why fear is the most important theme in the book thus far.

Fear leads to murder

2010-10-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Fear Leads To Murder

I think the most important theme of the book is fear. Fear plays a big part in the book. Fear also has alot to do with Bigger's actions like killing Mary and Bessie.

"He paused, hysterical. He wanted too run from the basement and go as far possible from the sight of this bloody throat. But he could not. He must not. He had to burn this girl." This really shows how Bigger is afraid and wants to leave and not do what he's doing. This also shows how fear is a huge part in this book because Bigger killing Mary is huge part of the book.

"He wanted to move from the bed, but was afraid he would stumble over something and Mrs.Dalton would hear him, would know that someone besides Mary was in the room." This shows how Bigger was scared that Mrs.Dalton would find out he was in Mary's room with her. The fear of Mary talking and Mrs.Dalton coming to the bed is what made him put the pillow over Mary's face. Out of fear is why he killed Mary.

This Is Fear

2010-10-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

Fear is a good theme of the book because bigger runs into a lot of fear. First when Bigger kills the daltons daughter and he what he is going to do about it. He never has done something like this befor but he knows if he gets cought he will be killed by the white people. This is why he is so scared about it. Its like the first time you stold something, where you affraid. Also Bigger thinks they will think he rapped her. So there is more fear deep down inside he can not let out.

Even though he did not really rape her he is black and they will not beleave him. So he thinks he will need to cover it up just so he does not get in trubble. So he throws her body in the firie hot fernice to burn and cover up the evedence. (Not the best idea but what he thought in his panic) deep down inside he knows he wrong but sence of his manley figure he can not think he is in the wrong with things. So he yells at bessie tring to get himself to beleave he is not wrong. "Well i aint wrong now!!!! just like i have never been." Now is when the chriminal inside of him kicks in and he desides that he did it so he should make some money off of it. He fears veing cought all though he still sends the ransom note.

Bigger also fears his girl bessie knows too much about the situation so he can not leave her behind. so his chriminal mind desides he IS GOING TO KILL HER. Not the best idea but he has so much fear deep down inside of him that he thinks this is the best way to cover everything up. I do not know why he does this but i beleave that it is becaus he is so deathly scared for his life. So Bigger trys to over power people that have less strangth. (girls)"Id never thought it would be like this, me running from the cops with you. OH WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!" Bessie said this in her fear of what she has got herself into. Bessie beleaves she has chosen the wrong path now. This guy is a CREEPER that has a lot of energy and fear inside that he cant find a way to let out like a normal person. So Bigger desides to just kill to make himself think he is in the right.

Clouded Sight

2010-10-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

Blindness(to be blind literally and figuratively speaking)occurs in 'Native Son' throughout the whole book. Blindness is the most important theme of the book, because its a main factor in 'Native Son'.

In 'Native Son' blindness occurs in two ways. Mrs.Dalton, Biggers employer's wife, is literally blind feeling her way around when she walks with her hands. The second kind of blindness occurs in 'Native Son' figuratively."She responded to him as if he were human, as if he lived the same world as she."(pg.65)Mary is blind to the fact that she is treating him differently than he's used to, which makes him uncomfortable.This kind of blindness keeps happening throughout Bigger's actions.

Bigger accidentally kills Mary in her room and gets rid of her body in the furnace. Bigger is blind to the fact that he's digging himself deeper into trouble than if he'd just come forward and turn himself in. "He could,he-he could put her in th furnace. He would burn her!"(pg.91)

Actions such as this clouded and blinded him from what he was actually getting himself into. Blindness is an important theme in Bigger's life. All of his actions he commits he becomes blind everytime he trys to cover up his mess

Ever so Blind

2010-10-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

Blindness is more then being literally blind. There are all types of blindness, for ecample Mary Dalton being blind to the fact that Bigger is black. Blindness is one of the most inportent thems in this book because there ate several people in this book that are blind, eather to the facts of life, or to the matter at hand, or being literally bling. Throughout the story blindness is a key factor.

Early in the story Bigger was suppost to be taking Mary to school but instead of going to school she wanted to go to her boyfriends house. She told Bigger to turn off cours to go away from school and this made him nurvis because he did not want to get in trouble for not taking her to school and somewhere else instead. As they got to the house Jan came out and instead of being a typical white man and ignoring him like everyone else or talking down to him, he introduced himself ( Jan smiled broadly, then extended an open palm toward him - p#66 tan ). this made Bigger vary uneasy because this has never happened before. He was blind to the experience, as was Jan blind to Bigger being black.

Almost everyone in this book is blind including Mrs. Dalton being litarlly blind. The Dalton family including Peggie is blind to the fact that Bigger was the reason that there doughter was missing, and blind to the fact that he had killed her. There was also Britten and the media that were blind for a little bit because they belived that Jan kidnaped Mary. They belived this because of the randsom not that Bigger had left, sind red and had the communist party simbol.(the main thing was keeping their nids turned in another direction, Jan's direction, of that of Jan's friends. p#212 tan)

Sonny - Morality

2010-03-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

I do not think Sonny's morality has changed much yet. I think the best example of this is on page 74 when Sonny speaks out during his fathers meeting with Sollozzo. After the Don says no to Sollozzo Sonny asks "The Tattaglia family guarantees the return of our investment without any percentage from us?". This quote shows how Sonny doesn't really know his right from wrong or if he does, he doesn't care.

What's Sonny's penalty for speaking out of turn and saying what he said?
Does Sollozzo take Sonny's speaking out of turn as a chance to get what he wants?

The Famous Jhonny Fontane

2010-03-18T06:53:00.000-07:00

Jhonny did not struggle with the loyalty towards his Godfather. He had always been loyal too him. The godfather loved him like a son. Jhonny did not care that the whole world know that he went to his godfather funeral. He gave a tabloid that he was attending to the funeral. " Vito Corleone was his Godfatherband the finest man he had ever known and that he was honored to be permitted to pay his last respects to such a man and didn't give a damn who klnew about it".(pg.407)
Why do you think Jhonny made that statement to the newspaper about his Godfather funeral??
Do you think it was for more fame or because he really felt like to be sharing his personal problems??

Tears of Sorrow..

2010-03-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

Amerigo Bonsera loves america and also loves Sicily in fact him and the don are both from the same town Coroleone but things in that town arent as good as being in america in Sicily you would have to constantly watch your back and people were always trying to get something from you.In America better opportunites you have an easier chance of becoming something so i think Amerigo Bonsera Knows that and thats why he wanted to go to america and he kinda started living the american dream. So to me nationlism for Amerigo is going pretty good he doesnt miss his country and he wanted a better life for him and his family.

Amerigo doesnt even really talk about his past in Sicily so maybe to him Sicily was his old life and he doesnt look back on what happened their he's only focusing on whats happening in america. Loyalty to amerigo bonasera is always there for the don even when he had to pay back his debt for the don he did it without questions or hestation so for amerigo loyalty is without a doubt. When you have to bury someone that you held so high its going to bring Tears and there's also going to be alot of Sorrow.

"Amerigo Bonasera had never done finer work,had discharged all obligations,by preparing his old freind and Godfather as lovingly as a mother prepares a bride for her wedding."

Do you think amerigo bonsera will stay happy in america?
how will amerigos life change when his idol dies?

What Happens in Vegas...

2010-03-18T06:42:00.000-07:00

Now that Michael is starting to take over the family business he has plan to go legit in Las Vegas. His family already has some business in Vegas, but Michael thinks they can make more money by making his empire bigger. Will he still have ties back innew york? What will happen if he leaves New York?

Moving to Vegas seems like a good plan money wise but what about the other mobs that run it? I think michael will runs into problems with them. I dont think they will like Michael coming in town taking money from them. I think in part two some of the Mob boss's we met in the meeting with the Don will come in the picture.

Vito Corleone

2010-03-18T06:33:00.001-07:00

the godfather enjoys America and how better business is here and they can raise a family here also. but at the same time he want to live the Sicilian lifestyle and never forgets where he comes from and that's a part that make him HIM. he will never say he is a American, he will say he is a Sicilian with a American citizenship.

i feel that people experience nationalism because they are to proud. they are proud of where they come from and how they are because of it. they consider where they come from always home.

the don struggles with loyalty alot in his life. he has to keep the peace going with the other new york families, also in his own family to. making sure everybody is at peace with each other by letting Carlo and Connie live at the mall after sonny was murdered. he doesn't have to worry about Micheal and tom Hagen for sure, or his wife.

i feel that the don feels like loyalty is everything or almost everything. you have to be able to have total faith in your allies or you could end up in prison or dead if anything. loyalty makes business run smooth rather than making sure everything is running smooth, I'm not saying don't make sure it running smooth or not, I'm saying you don't have to worry as much.

Tom Hagen

2010-03-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

Nationalism ......Not

I don't believe Tom Hagen struggles with nationalism, because he is adopted and grew up on the streets of New York and never felt that America was superior.Nationalism happens when you live somewhere where you know a lot of people, feel close to the people and believe your country is the best. If you were to leave a country where everyone is close and family is very important, you would probably miss your family and friends you left,but this isn't the case for Tom Hagen as he was a Orphan living on the streets of New York, so he hasn't experienced anything that made him feel nationalism. "I believe in my family", Micheal said,"I believe in you and the family we may have. I don't trust society to protect us, I have no intention of placing my fate in the hands of men whose only qualification is threat they managed to con the block of people to vote for them .But thats for now . My fathers time is done. The things he sis can no longer be done witho;ut a great deal of risk." pp 363. Here Tom was explaining to his wife that times had changed and new ways had to be had. America was not allowing the Italian mob and they had to be more discrete. Tom did not have a sense of Nationalism like his father did for Italy. Tom had a true first loyalty to family and then to neighborhood, a much smaller level that his father.

The Godfather Blog Post #4: Nationalism and/or Loyalty

2010-03-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

For your final blog post on The Godfather, once again follow the same character you have been following throughout your blog posts. If your character has not been around in the past 40-50 pages, choose someone else to focus on. Consider both how you think they will end up (write as if it's just a theory if you've already read ahead or seen the movie!) and at least TWO of the following questions, relating back to the final two themes of the book, Nationalism and/or Loyalty...

How is your character struggling with nationalism, or their love/dedication of Sicily vs. America?
Why do people experience nationalism? Why do they often feel so connected to their home country?
How is your character struggling with loyalty? Towards who and why or why aren't they struggling?
Why is loyalty so important to your character? If it isn't, why not?

Come up with a CREATIVE TITLE for your blog post and don't forget to include A QUOTE W/ PAGE NUMBER in your 2 paragraphs to back up your opinion! And remember, the more detailed you are in your opinion, the better the post! Bold any class vocab words you may use to earn extra credit points!

Finally, don't forget to leave at least TWO COMMENTS on your classmates' blog posts (you can do more for extra credit)! And please LEAVE YOUR INITIALS both in your post and in your comments!

Where is mike?

2010-03-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

For Kay Adams nothing makes scince right now. The person that she was ready to marry just up and left her. For all she knows he is laying in a ditch somwhere dead. She has no clue that Micheal is halfway around the world back in his fathers home country. She trys to find answers from ma Corleone but get no where. Ma Corleone thinks its best the slip any way, seeing that Kay is not Italian.
Micheal is going through the same thing. he wants to be with Kay. But he knows that he must take care of whats going on in the family business first. He still hasent broken the new that him and Kay are going to get married. Will they? After all this gets cleared up and there is peace in New York, will Kay still want to marry a mobster? Will she forgive him for his mobster ways and him leaving her?

"Do you know where Mike is?" (Asks Tom Hagen)
"I dont believe Mike is guilty of anything." (says to her father after they talked with the detective)

Carlo Rizzi

2010-03-04T06:48:00.000-08:00

I think carlo rizzi is angry because he does not have a good pay job. He also angry because of what sonny did to him durning when he was working. I do think carlo has some anger issues just because he is not satified with the job he have. Especially because his wife's family have a good position on money and better jobs. Then just being the Don's bookman. Carlo thinks he desevers what sonny has he thinks he's a better man then sonny."it never occurred to carlo that because of this he was a better man than Sonny Corleeone, if such terms could be used; he envied Sonny his awesome savargery, a savagery which was becoming a legend." He knew that sonny could've killed him but he wasn't going to because carlo was going to have a baby with connie and sonny does not dare to doing it because he will leave an unborn child without a father. Do you think that carlo had set atrap for sonny that caused his death? Why do you think carlo dind't fight back when sonny confronted him? why does he envied Sonny?

Tom Hagen

2010-03-04T06:38:00.000-08:00

Tom Hagen controls his anger well, he isn't hotheaded and doesn't let his anger make his decisions.I think he learned a lot from Don Corleone since he basically grew up with him,
Don Corleone believes he shouldn't show his anger because that shows weakness to people,and Tom learned that from him and it made him a smarted and a stronger minded man. -Spencer Norris

2010-03-04T06:37:00.000-08:00

Santino is a hot heated person he has alot of angry im thinking thats the reason he died. Beceause he was rushing to go get his sister he was mad he was gonna hurt carlos he could of just setteled down and let his body gaurds go get her or tom. But he wanted 2 do it his self then he go cought up at the express stop and was sxhot and killed. He has alot of angry but he dont kno how to controll it mabey if he had controlled it he would of not have been killed.

2010-03-04T06:36:00.001-08:00

SONNY CORLEONE

Why did Sonny go after Carlo and beat him up? How was Sonny killed and who found him? Sonny had beaten Carlo up because he had beaten Sonny's sister (Connie) up, who is also Carlo's unborn baby's mother. "He let the blows rain on his unprotected head and neck until Sonny's rage ebbed", Sonny looked down at him and said, "You dirty bastard, you ever beat up my sister again I'll kill you" (p. 243 & 244). A while later Carlo had beaten Connie up again so Sonny was on his way to get her. On the way Sonny was shot in the head and neck. "The two men each fired shots into Sonny's body, then kicked him in the face to disfigure his features even more, to show a mark made by a more personal human power" (p. 265). The security guards that Hagen had sent to follow Sonny were the ones that had found him slumped and shot dead. C.H.

Amerigo Bonasera

2010-03-04T06:36:00.000-08:00

Amerigo Bonasera doesnt reallly have angry hes really just worrying more about his saftey because of what he has to do because of the favor the don did for him. And that relates to the theme respect he had soo much respect for the don so when the time came he wouldn't even doubt returning the favor yea he regrets going to the don he even says it on P.g 256 "he cursed the day he went to the Godfather and begged for his vengeance".

Amerigo Bonasera issues come from Fear he didn't want to help the don he was scared if he did that the other mafia familes would kill him and his family.He was all about being a good american so he didnt want problems when he was just tryin to make it in america and he didn't want his buisness to be messed with i wouldn't what it to happen to me either if i had worked so hard for something i owned.

Should Amerigo Bonasera be scared for his life why or why not?
Should Amerigo Bonasera Feel Guilty why or why not?

Sonny Corleone - Corruption

2010-03-03T13:34:00.000-08:00

I believe Sonny Corleone is corrupt. I think the best example of this so far is at the end of page 15 and the top of page 16, it says "Sonny Corleone, despite the presence of his wife and three small children, had plans for his sister's maid of honor, Lucy Mancini." Then later on pages 27 and 28 the two of them (Sonny and Lucy) have sex in the Don's "office". Before reading about Sonny's affair with Lucy you find out that Sonny's wife strongly believed that people had to be married to have sex, which makes Sonny seem even more corrupt when you find out he's having an affair.

Does Sonny change his ways later in the book?
Why does Sonny seem so corrupt? and the Don's other kids not so much?

Godfather Blog Post #3: Anger

2010-03-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

Before you begin your new blog post (or after you complete it), publish two detailed comments on your classmates' blog posts. Answer a question they ask or offer your opinion: do you agree or disagree with what they say and why or why not? Be sure to include your initials at the end of each comment!

For your third blog post on The Godfather, continue following your character from previous posts and focus on the theme of anger. If your character is dead or hasn't been followed lately in the book, pick a new one. Some new characters to choose from: Carlo Rizzi, Connie Corleone, and Fanucci.

In your detailed 1-2 paragraph post, include the following: 1) Would you say your character has anger issues? Why or why not?, 2) Which other theme do you think your character's situation most relates to? Where does their anger (or lack of) stem from?, 3) A quote (w/ page number) that backs up your opinion, and 4) Two open-ended questions about your character you can ask of your fellow classmates to answer.

Lastly, come up with a creative title for your post this time: don't just put your character's name!

Make sure to put your initials in the 'Labels' section of your post!

Jhonny Fontane

2010-02-23T06:47:00.000-08:00

Was Jhonny more mortal or currupt? How did his life change when he got the part in Jakes Woltz movie? In my oppinion i think jhonny has change from a currupt man to a mortal. I say that because after talking to the Don he realized that he still loved his first wife,and that he wanted to spend more time with his children. Now that he is older woman don't follow him that much like they used. In order for him to go sleep with a girl now he has to be drunk because he has done it so many times that he does not enjoy now is has become a routine for him now. "he never slept with any girl unless there was something about her that he really liked,sometimes when he was very drunk and found him self with a girl he didnt remember."(p.161) Jhonny hated the hollywood "piece of meat" approch. i thimk he might change too a better man now that he is older.

Welcome to the dark side

2010-02-18T06:46:00.001-08:00

Micheal has crossed over now there is no turning back. He is now apart of the family, and there is nothing he can do to stop it. Now that he has gone along with the plan to take out his familys newest enemys, Micheal is now faced with the question of is he coroupt?

I think he is because after the shooting there is no going back to his normal life. People are going to try to get at Micheals head for revenge, and Micheal is not just gonna lay down and die. I dont think that he will go to school, but he will start to take over for the Don.

santino

2010-02-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

Santino dosent really have any good morails. He is a hot headed kid he doesnt really think be fore he does or says something like when they were meeting with sollozo for the first time when sollozo asked the Don if they wanted to get involved with the drug money the Don said "No but santino asked how much money are we talking about any way so that showed disrespect to the Don is own father. He also doesnt have morails beceause hes been cheating on his wife its a tration in the family not to cheat on there not to disrespct there wifes or cheat on them. thats why he doesnt have any good morials.

1. Is sonnys hot heatedness going hurt him in the long run? explain why .

2. What is gonna happen with micheal is he gonna take over the family buissness or take a diffrent route explain why.

McCluskey

2010-02-18T06:42:00.000-08:00

Was McCluskey mortal or corrupt? How was his life while growing up? McCluskey was helping 'Sollozo' out, their plan is to get 'Michael. They say "McCluskey is slower and dumber," (p.141). McCluskey was an officer who did not make much so he took this offer that was given to him by Sollozo. While growing up his family didnt teach them good from bad, they just taught him and his siblings how to survive when you have not very much money coming in.

Mccluskey

2010-02-18T06:40:00.000-08:00

Mccluskey even though we just ment him is still corroupted and has no morals. How is he corrupted hes basically takes peoples bet tickets and hopes he gets lucky and i mean thats how he was when he was a little kid hes goes like you learn from example.Like his dad use to take him to get the protection money and by doin that he use to get 10 dollars and money just because his dad is giving them protection.

He doesnt have morals he knows its wrong to me the main reason for him doing this and he even said it was because he couldnt live on a police sallary and thats where he gets the money by doing that and helping sollozzo so he's corroupted i mean if i was him and i needed the money i would do that to hes a cop basically hes invincable so why not? And thats probably another reason to why he does all the corrouption because hes above the law and he can't be stopped or even caught.

My Quote: "Just because the police department didn't pay its people enough money to live and take care of their familes properly" (P.g 137)

Do you think its right for him to think hes above the law why or why not?
Do you think he deserved what happened to him why or why not?

Morality: Tom Haugen

2010-02-18T06:30:00.000-08:00

I think Tom Hagen still has some thoughts about the importance of his morals . In Tom's job it's clear that he isn't involved in the dirty work of the family business he can justify his role .Tom is to high in the family business and to important to the Corleone's to risk his life or risk going to prison. Another reason he shows thoughtfulness about his morals is he is loyal to his family. He won't trade on them when things get tough, for example; when Sallozzo kidnaps Tom he said he will setup the deal with Corleone's but instead they make a plot to have Sollozzo killed. "It's not too late to back out, mike,we can get somebody else, we can go back over alternatives. maybe it's not necessary to get rid of Sollozzo."(p.144) Tom said to Michael. Hagen questioned the morality of killing Sollozzo,and whether it is the right thing to do. Hagen knows his family is dirty but he wants so bad to have a family that he over looks the most immoral actions by the family.

The Godfather Blog Post #2: Morality

2010-02-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

Before you begin your new blog post, scroll below and read some past posts about the previous topic of corruption. Comment on two posts of your choosing, either responding to the author's opinion or answering one of their questions. Be sure to include your initials at the bottom of each comment!

For your second blog post on The Godfather, focus again on the character you wrote about in your first post. Scroll below to remind yourself. If you do not have a post below or that character hasn't been around lately (i.e. Johnny), then you may choose someone who's been introduced recently, like Sollozzo, McCluskey, or the Tattaglias. Your character's name can be the title of your post, or you can be a little more creative.

The question to answer for this 1-2 paragraph blog post is: "How do you think your character's morality has changed throughout their life?" Back up your opinion with a quote from the book about your character (or said by your character) with the page number in parentheses. At the end of your post, include two open-ended questions your classmates could respond to about your character and/or the topic of morality.

Feel free to include a picture as well, though it is not necessary. Don't forget your initials in the "Labels" section of your post!

Johnny Fontane

2010-02-05T07:02:00.000-08:00

In away Johnny is kinda of a corrupted man and at the same time not. For example Johnny totally had power over his wife he would physically abuse her hitting her when he came home drunk. He was also being unfaithful to her. He was cheating on her with a hollywood actress. and with many more he chased anyone who he seemed to be atacted to. But After talking to His Godfather he realized he still loved his wife. He had gone to the Don because his singing carrer was going off the drain also with his acting carrer. He was loosing his voice "My voice is weak, it's got some sort of sickness." (pg.29)The Don was going to help him if he took his advice by getting his life back together.

How is Johnny going to get his life back together?

god father currpt

2010-02-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

santino is a corrupt man becase he has a lot of power be he doesnt follow the family rules he is cheateing on his wife. He also is a hot heated person in the long run that might hurt the family and the don. It's gonna hurt the family because he cant controll his anger and might slip up at A job and get the family or the don cought up and have to surve jail time.

He is also currpt becase he does things the other family doesnt do just because he is the don son that doesnt mean anything if the done catchs this and doesnt think hes loyal he could take santino out for doing these things. The godfather doesn belive in currpt things that could end up
hurting the fam or getting them in trouble with the law.

Kay Adams

2010-02-05T06:49:00.000-08:00

I think that Kay Adams is a currupt woman because she knows that michael is so very deeply in love with her that hes willing to do anything for her. she makes him tell her family secrets that shouldnt be told to anyone outside of the family. When she says things like, "Youre not hinting that a man like that works for your father?" when her and michael were having a conversation about Luca Brasi. I think when she was saying that she was trying to get it clear about his father doing some type of dirty work but she didnt want to seem to know too much about it yet. she knew michael would tell her more." your trying to scare me" she said. " did he really kill six people." i think that the less and less she acts like she knows the more michael will tell her without her even having to ask directly. i think shes playing herself down like this because she works for someone thats trying to get information from michael about the family and more importantly the Don by setting the two up. knowing the type of man that michael is he is willing to share because he doesnt really care who knows, hes not mixed up in the family buisness as much as the others.

Heir To The Throne

2010-02-05T06:46:00.000-08:00

After being wouned in the war Micheal Corleone is next up to his father place as The Godfather. But it seems that he has other plans... his own. While he plays apart in the family bussiness, he also wants to go to college. Will he take over if his father were to die?

Micheal also seems to be the smart one out of his brothers and sister. could this be why the Don wants him to take over one day? He is loyal and he is smart, but is that the only thing you need to run a maffia?

Tom Haugen

2010-02-05T06:45:00.001-08:00

I think that Tom Haugen is corrupt because he grew up with the Corleane family, and the Corleane family taught him their ways of life. Tom became the consigliere for the family business,Tom goes to people and tries to negotiate and persuade their decisions and if he has to he will threaten them.
The Corleane Family took him under their wings and wanted him to have a good life. The Corleane's family knew only their corrupt business as a way of life, just as a gang member would do in these times. Survival a way of life and a job.

Amerigo Bonasera

2010-02-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

In the book the godfather the way he wrote it made it seem like a movie how they make you switch from scene to scene. But in the book you can read and see how big the corrouption is and Right in the begining you read right away about corrouption by what happened to Amerigo Because at first he didnt want them to get hurt he wanted them to pay by jail time and to him that would be what a good american does but when it doesn't happen like that and the guys get off free he had to turn into corrouption and thats where the don comes in.To me he's not corrputed he just wanted something done and i understand where he is coming from.

Quote: "You will weep as I have wept-i will make you weep as your children make me weep"(Pg.10)

Do you think that Amerigo should feel Guilty for what Don did for him why or why not?

Do you think Corropution should be the way you get justice why or why not?

Godfather Blog Post #1: Corruption

2010-02-05T06:15:00.000-08:00

For your first blog post on The Godfather, choose a character to focus on. Based on what we've learned about them thus far in the book, would you consider them to be "corrupt"? Explain why or why not and include a quote that backs up your opinion (with page number) in your 1-paragraph response. Think about what why your character might have become corrupt, or if you don't think they are, what has kept themselves from giving into corruption?

Skip a space after your paragraph response and include two open-ended questions (why, how) relating to your character. They do not have to be directly related to the theme of corruption, but consider the way your character acts, what we know about their background, and what role they might play later in the novel.

Put your initials in the "labels" section of your post so I know you wrote it! Thanks!

B-Billy Bb-Bibbit

2009-12-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

Billy Bibbit is suppose to be insane and needs help most of you have read the book does it seem like he does? To me it doesn't because it can talk almost perfectuly all he has is a studder problem he doesn't hallucinate like Bromden and he's not hiding his sexuality either like harden so why do they rule him insane? but in the book it even says " You must be Committed,for christsakes!" McMurphy basically is sayin you should be able to leave the place and the only reason hes in there is because his mom is good freinds with the nurse i think the reason Billy Bibbit is in the hopsital because of his anger issues like this part where he lashes out on McMurphy "Sure! if we had the g-Guts i could go outside to-today if i had the guts. My m-m-mother is a good friend of M-Miss Ratched and i could get an ama signed this afternoon you think i wuh-wuh--wuh want to stay here pg.168?"

That is the only reason why he has to stay is because of his anger issues. So really hes not insane he just gets angry and has a studder problem. I mean its kinda like harding he has a collge degree just the reason hes in the hopstial is because hes hiding his sexuality so not everyone in the ward is insane there only reason the people get put into the hopsital is because either there mom and dad can't help them they and people don't know what to do with them. To me Billy Bibbit is not insane and shouldn't really belong in the hopstial.

Cuckoo's Nest Vocab 3 (of 3)

2009-12-13T08:05:00.000-08:00

Here's the last set of vocab for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. You may leave a comment here to earn points (either extra credit or toward your final blogging grade) - just use a word correctly in a sentence of your creation.

Indigent = needy, impoverished

"I finally told him I was one of the indigents." (p. 189)

Jouncing = to move joltingly or roughly up and down

"...and her hair, roped in a long twist at the back of her head, jouncing up and down..." (p. 195)

Cormorants = seabirds that have long necks and a pouch under the bill for catching fish

"'Those fellas, those cormorants, they go after a school of candle fishes...'" (p. 210)

Effrontery = shameless or brazen boldness

"He would take it as a direct effrontery to his craft." (p. 223)

Solemnly = gravely, seriously, or earnestly

"'These things don't happen,' Harding said to the girl solemnly." (p. 250)

Is Harding Insane ?

2009-12-11T06:34:00.000-08:00

The charcter i choose to talk about today is Harding. I dont think harding is crazy nor insane. Ithink he just is confused of what he wants. He has a wife but he seems to be actracted to men, So in that case Harding is just in denial.He doesnt want to believe that he is gay. He doesnt want to have the feelings he has for men so he blames his wife.He talks ish about her like its her fault that he's in there. Harding is very smart. He the smarts one out the bunch thats why he is the bull goose loony.

" He's president of the patient's council on account of he has a paper that says he graduated from college." (pg 23) so we would assume that harding is smarter then the rest because he graduated from college seems like he had the perfect life before the ward.

Until McMurphy came alone. He is a big influence on Harding and the rest of the acutes.Although McMurphy tells everybody that they dont belong in there , and their not crazy which most of them are probably better off in there, but he inflence them that their something better then the big nurse is making them seem to be.She's taking avantage of the patients. she's scarying them where to if they dont wanna speak she looks at them and that makes them feel they have to because they all are scared of her. but every since McMurphy came along things are changiing and there not going the way the big nurse is used to them going.All the patients are being influenced.

Do you think its better for harding to be in denial then to let himself believe whats real ?

If you were one of the doctors at the ward and seen how harding was acting would you say he is insane? Do you think harding belongs there?

McMurphy

2009-12-11T06:24:00.000-08:00

I think that McMurphy is in fact going a little insane.. when he came to the ward he himself was already a little tainted from doing shady things and coming from jail, getting thrown into the loony bin just helped the cause i think.

"Mr. McMurphy... my friend... i'm not a chicken, i'm a rabbit." (Harding, p.60)
Things said like this make people go crazy. Imagine waking up everyday to people that couldn't go about their day normally, it's like working backwards. I think that because McMurphy realizes that and so he lets himself get a little crazy sometimes because he knows he's not the crazy one but acting like it gets what he wants and he finds it amusing.. maybe a way to get through this.

Its like that one time their in the rec room and their playing cards and the music in the background is blasting over the speakers everyone acts like its normal but McMurphy is the only one complaining that it is too loud and annoying.

How did you feel when you were done researching for book did the way you think about things changed at all?

Cheswick

2009-12-10T07:54:00.000-08:00

The ward is like a school Mcmurphy being the most popular person in the school and cheswick is kinda like the nerd. That Mcmurphy took under his wing and made him stand out more then the other patients and get him to act out thats how Mcmurphy persuaed him to act out in meetings and agree with whatever he wants.

Mcmurphy plays a big influence on the acutes in the ward and the way the acutes handle things or there reactions to the big nurse and the people on the ward too. Cheswick and the rest of the acutes couldn't be leaders or couldn't think on there own and when someone with as much will power to act out and do what he wants it kinda persuase people and makes them feel tough like cheswick feels. Before he wouldn't say anything in the meetings or wouldnt even agree on anything but as soon as McMurphy goes to the ward Cheswick says something about the carnival the quote is "Uh-I personally believe that a carnival is a real great idea something to break the monotony". that quote is one of the examples that shows how Cheswick got persuaed by McMurphy to want to do the carnival.

To me this book is kinda all about persuasion and insanity because every event has to do with someone getting persuaed or even getting influenced to stick up for there selfs and be an actual person

Cuckoo's Nest Blog Post #2: Insanity

2009-12-08T06:42:00.000-08:00

For your second and final blog post on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, you are focusing on the theme of insanity. While it's an obvious one, try to dig deeper than just "is your character crazy?" to help define what it means to be "insane" in a place like this. Please make sure you do the following...

- Offer an argument as to whether or not you believe your character (pick a different one from the last blog post you wrote) is insane, based on what you've read about him/her thus far in the book. Consider a) their surroundings, b) their peers, and c) their oppressors (if applicable).

- Make sure to cite a specific event/description from the novel when explaining your opinion. Include a quote (with page number) to help prove your point.

- If you had one question to ask Ken Kesey about the time he spent working in a mental hospital researching for this book and/or the time he spent writing this novel, what would it be and why?

- Leave two comments on classmates' blog posts on Persuasion, either responding to their argument(s) or their question(s).

- Include your initials in both your post and in your comments!

Cuckoo's Nest Vocab 2 (of 3)

2009-12-05T14:24:00.000-08:00

Here's the second set of vocab for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. You may leave a comment here to earn points - just use a word correctly in a sentence of your creation.

Geriatric = of or pertaining to people of old/elderly age

"You'll get him a uniform this instant, Mr. Washington, or spend two weeks working on Geriatrics Ward!" (p. 89)

Maudlin = tearfully or weakly emotional

"Anyway, to put an end to this maudlin display of nostalgia, in the course of our conversation McMurphy and I wondered what would be the attitude toward a carnival?" (p. 97)

Lien = the right to keep another person's property until a debt owed is paid

"The guys all go to signing liens at once; he's beat them so many times at poker and blackjack they can't wait to get back at him, and this is a certain sure thing." (p. 110)

Recrimination = a countercharge against an accuser

"If somebody'd come in and take a look, a fifty-year-old woman hollering and squealing at the back of their heads about discipline and order and recriminations, they'd of thought the whole bunch was crazy as loons." (p. 128)

Curtail = to cut short

"If you'll curtail your literary pursuits a moment I'll introduce you to my counterpart and Nemesis..." (p. 153)

Chief Broom

2009-11-25T06:42:00.000-08:00

I chose Bromden. Bromden is quiet and keeps to himself, he persuades others in the ward by making them think that he is a mute and deaf but in reality he only does this to be left alone.

Bromden is afraid of alot of things and he thinks plenty of bad thoughts and he also keeps to himself faking being a mute and deaf. But in watching McMurphy walk around the ward basically taking control, i think Bromden is maybe starting to realize what actually goes on and is becoming less afraid or no.. more open. Like right before lights out when McMurphy said to Bromden that it was almost lights out and the black boy was coming to tuck him in "why you sure did give a jump when i told ou that coon was coming, chief. i thought somebody told me you was deef." Because Bromden reacted quickly to what he said when he suppose to be "deaf"

Will Bromden speak out revealing that he can hear and talk?

Will Bromden change the way he acts in the ward because of McMurphy?

The Hard Times of Harding

2009-11-25T06:36:00.000-08:00

The group meetings, headed by Miss Ratched, are where the Acutes share with eachother any little gripe, any grievance, anything they want changed should be brought up before the group and discussed, or else that anger will build up inside and they will never be healed. It's been thought that if men learned how to get along in a group, he'll be able to function properly in society. The group's purpose is to help show him where he's out of place; how society is what decides who's sane and who isn't, so you got to measure up.
At the meeting, Harding becomes the patient chosen to share his past and talk about it. Instead of the discussion being open and helpful, poor Harding is being accused of not only being gay, but he is blasted by the others because he could not please his attractive wife. McMurphy brings this up to Harding and tells him that these group meetings are nothing but a "pecking party". If one chicken in a whole flock has a wound, the others will attack the wounded one and all the chickens could wipe out one another. He points out that Miss Ratched is the chicken who pecks first and Harding is merely just the wounded chicken. Harding completely disregards what McMurphy is saying, and says that the group meetings are therapeutic and that Miss Ratched is not a monster, but a sweet-loving nurse who only wants what is best for the patients. However, McMurphy does not believe for one second that the nurse is caring. Rather, she is the ball-cutter of men; emasculating them of any manhood they once had, and leaving only a patch of hair behind where the balls used to be.

"The hell with that; she's a bitch and a buzzard and a ball-cutter, and don't kid me, you know what I'm talking about." (Kesey 58)

Harding then continues on to telling the other patients that Miss Ratched is a "veritable angel of mercy" and that everyone knows it. That she is unselfish woman who helps the unforunate by doing generous volunteer work. When Harding is finished telling a story about Ratched's unyielding kindness, he looks around and sees that everybody's watching him. He does his best not to laugh and moves around uncomfortably, making small noises under his breath until he finally whispers out through his teeth, "Oh the bitch, the bitch, the bitch." (Kesey 59)

Do you think McMurphy can help Harding?
Is Nurse Ratched really the ball-cutter of men?

Whos Being Persuaded The Most ?

2009-11-25T06:35:00.000-08:00

I think the main person who is trying persuade is McMurphy. He's trying to persuade harding and the rest of the pateints that their not really crazy and their letting the big nurse take over everything. Hes questions her authority.Who she is ,and what she is capable of. i also believe that most of theacutes are trying to persuade McMurphy. Letting him know that he cant when when it comes to the big nurse aka nurse rachet. Thats why the made the bet that McMurphy can get inside of nurse Rachet mind.McMurphy is also messing whit the aids and dctors making them think he's something he's not just so they can go back and tell the nurse.

"Friend...you....may be a wolf."
"Goddammit , I'm no wolf and you're no rabbit."(pg 63)
McMurphy trys to persuade them that their no animals, since they believe that they're are rabbits and think that McMurphy is a wolf because he has more anger. He's more tougher. I believe itmeans they think McMurphy is taking over because a wolf is way stronger then a rabbit. Wovles are usually the leaders of packs and groups.

If you could choose a animal for Mcmurphy what would you say he is ?
Do you think that McMurphy is going to win the bet?

Cuckoo's Nest Blog Post #1: Persuasion

2009-11-24T13:18:00.000-08:00

For your first blog post responding to One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, make sure to include the following:

-An appropriate but creative title referencing the character you have chosen to focus on

-A brief paragraph offering an example of how your character has persuaded others (or attempted to) thus far in the book

-A brief paragraph offering an example of how your character has been persuaded by someone else (or the attempt has been made) thus far in the book

-A quote from the book (with page number) used in one of your two paragraphs

Two open-ended questions about your character for your classmates to respond to the next time we blog

-Post a comment to the first post of vocab words with a sentence of your creation that proves me you understand the meaning of the word

-Don't forget to put your initials both in your post and in your comment!

Cuckoo's Nest Vocab 1 (of 3)

2009-11-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

Here's the first set of vocab words for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. You may leave a comment here to go toward your blogging grade using one of the words below in a sentence that shows me you understand the meaning of the word.

Dandyism = The act of paying excessive attention to the smartness of one's appearance & clothes

"'My dear sweet but illiterate wife thinks any word or gesture that does not smack of brickyard brawn and brutality is a word or gesture of weak dandyism.'" (p. 44)

Id = The part of the unconscious that is the source of instinctive impulses that seek satisfaction

"'Yes, with your talent, my friend, you could work subconscious miracles, soothe the aching id...'" (p. 56)

Matriarchy = a social organization in which women have the most authority

"'We are victims of a matriarchy here, my friend, and the doctor is just as helpless against it as we are.'" (p. 59)

Placate = to appease or pacify; to bring to a state of calm

"'You don't lose your temper and shout at her; she'll win by trying to placate her big ol' angry boy...'" (p. 66)

Stoicism = repression of emotion and indifference to pleasure or pain

"'Gentlemen, already I seem to detect in our redheaded challenger a most unheroic decline of his TV cowboy stoicism.'" (p. 73)

American Dream?

2009-11-12T07:07:00.000-08:00

The American Dream isn't an american dream unless the person that lives it dies For example Gatsby was living he threw parties he had money boats cars clothes everything that a person that was living the american dream had But when you live the dream for a long time like all dreams it ends. "It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the Gardner saw wilsons body a little way off in the grass the hollacaust is complete" that quote shows you that living the american dream has alot of consquences and the choices you have to make.

Gatsby made the american dream look easy because he lived like he was rich and did things that rich people that live the american dream do and didnt have any regrets. Gatsbys only reason to get rich was to find daisy and by doing that he lived the american dream he could have had all the girls he want but all he wanted was to get the girl he loved and wanted to recreate the past with her so when you want something like that and you live the lifestyle of being rich and having no regrets.

2009-11-10T07:01:00.001-08:00

The American Dream

2009-11-10T06:49:00.000-08:00

What is the american dream to you? Some people consider the American dream to be different things based on what they want in life. For instance Gatsby, all he wanted to do is get rich so he could find Daisy and be with the one he love, but the dream doesnt alayz go the way u want it to go. Something alwayz has to stand in the way, make it harder for you to get what u want in life. For you to reach your goal. Gatsby almost had Daisy, but at the end of the day his life was tooking for something he didnt do just for covering up for the girl he loves.
"My family all died and i came into a good deal of money."(pg 70)
This is what i think the american dream is , well for most people. They want money or fam and when u have money then u get fam. but i think it all depends on what your goal is in life as of what your specfic american dream is. i think that most people dont usually get what they want.They just dont work hard enough for it or just not cable of doing what they gotta do to get it. So for most cases i dont think the ending turns out all that great.

What is your American dream?
If Gatsby was still alive do u think Daisy woulda went with him unstead of tom ?

A Way Out

2009-11-10T06:35:00.000-08:00

"I raised him up out of nothing, right out of the gutter."(Wolfshiem,179)

I think the American dream means to kind of go and get what you want out of life and make lots of money while doing so. Like living a certain lifestyle and then taking a complete turn and moving on from that to make something out of yourself.

I believe that when you want something so bad that you should go out and get it and i think thats why most end in tragedy because people are so consumed in their thoughts about what they're working for that they start to not care about other things in life, these things that got people out of the gutter eventually come back to send them right back.

Living The American Dream

2009-11-10T06:34:00.000-08:00

" [Dan] Cody was fifty years old then, a product of the Nevada silver fields, of the Yukon, of every rush for metal since Seventy-five. The transactions in Montana copper that made him many times a millionare found him physically robust but on the verge of softmindedness, and suspecting this an infinite number of women tried to separate him from his money." (Fitzgerald 105)

The American Dream is a term first coined in the 1930s to describe a dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for anyone to attain it. Of course, not everyone believed this to be true. In Fitzgerald's book "The Great Gatsby", living the American Dream meant that in order to rise in social status, it had to be done by any means necessary. However, this is not true for Dan Cody who became extremely wealthy during the Gold Rush, but he was often used by women for his money. On the other hand, we have Jay Gatsby who attained his wealth by bootlegging for selfish reasons. Gatsby had become so absorbed into being more and more wealthy, I believe that he gradually detached himself from the world and the people around it because it trully controlled his world and how he lived.

Great Gatsby Blog Post #2: The American Dream

2009-11-09T11:21:00.000-08:00

For your final blog post on The Great Gatsby, focus on the idea of The American Dream. Think about what you consider to be "the American dream" and then in your blog post, include the following...

A creative yet appropriate title that hints at your answer to "What is the American Dream?"

A quote from the novel that helps you answer that question (with page number).

Your personal interpretation of what "The American Dream" means and how that may or may not be similar to the interpretation of one of the novel's characters (Gatsby, Nick, Tom, Daisy, Wilson, etc.).

Your explanation of how and/or why "The American Dream" often ends in tragedy, such as it did with Gatsby.

When you are done, publish, then write three comment responses to your classmates' posts and/or my vocab posts. Don't forget to include your initials in everything you post!

Great Gatsby Vocab 3 (of 3)

2009-11-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

Here's the vocab for pages 120-189. One of your comments may be left here with a sentence of your own creation using one of the words below correctly.

Boisterous – rough and noisy; noisily jolly or rowdy

“‘Plenty of gas,’ said Tom boisterously.” (p. 127)

Presumptuous – unwarrantedly or impertinently bold; forward

“I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over.” (p. 142)

Redolent - having a pleasant odor; fragrant

"There was a ripe mystery about it...fresh and breathing and redolent of this year's shining motor cars and of dances whose flowers were scarcely withered." (p. 155-6).

Incessant – continuing without interruption; ceaseless

“…he began to pull so incessantly at his sparse grey beard that I had difficulty in getting off his coat.” (p. 175)

Vestibule – an enclosed space at the end of a railroad car, serving as a sheltered entrance from another car or outside the train

“We drew in deep breaths of it as we walked back from dinner through the cold vestibules…” (p. 184)

Great Gatsby Vocab 2 (of 3)

2009-11-04T06:19:00.000-08:00

Here's the vocab for pages 60-120. One of your comments may be left here with a sentence of your own creation using one of the words below correctly. If you want to contribute a vocab word to the final list, turn in your gold vocab slip by Monday Nov. 9.

Incredulity – inability to unwillingness to believe

“My incredulity was submerged in fascination now…” (p. 71)

Somnambulatory = of or pertaining to sleepwalking

"He was starting and lapsed into a somnambulatory abstraction." (p. 74)

Obstinate - firmly or stubbornly sticking to one's opinion, way of life, etc.

"Americans have always been obstinate about being peasantry." (p. 93)

Pompadour – an arrangement of a man’s hair where it is brushed up high from the forehead

“‘The pompadour! You never told me you a had a pompadour – or a yacht.’” (p. 99)

Septic - infected; contaminated

"But what had amused me then turned septic on the air now." (p. 112)

Don't forget to put your initials in your comments!

Great Gatsby Vocab 1 (of 3)

2009-11-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

Here's the vocab for pages 1-60. One of your comments may be left here with a sentence of your own creation using one of the words below correctly.

Fervent = Having or showing great warmth or intensity

"Daisy winked ferociously toward the fervent sun." (p. 18)

Turbulent = Being in a state of agitation; disturbed

"I saw that turbulent emotions possessed her." (p. 21)

Supercilious = Highly scornful or arrogant

"The supercilious assumption was that on Sunday afternoon I had nothing better to do." (p. 28)

Prodigality = Wasteful extravagance in spending

"Laughter is easier, minute by minute, spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word." (p. 44)

Convivial = Friendly or agreeable

"Girls were putting their heads on men's shoulders in a puppyish, convivial way." (p. 55)

Money to Blow ??

2009-10-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

"Since i got famous b**** , i got money to blow, getting it in, letting these bill fall all over your skin, i got money to blow." This song is called money to blow by Drake. i beleive Drake purpose for this song and all his songs is he made it. He's rich and and cant nobody stop him. His on the top. i dont necessarly think that his putting everybody down just he ppl who doubted that he could make it or do anything wit his life. Money can get you to do crazy things, like blow it. spending it on nothing or stuff you dont even need just because your rich and you know you have it.

"ill tell you gods truth i am the son of wealthy ppl, i was brought up in america but educated at oxford." this what Gasby says to nick. Gasby trys to make it seems like he was born rich that he was gonna be rich all along .He lies about the school he went to and he use to b a soilder. He became rich bootlegging bear all just to impress daisy. Gasby has everything but daisy and thats all he really wants. As for Drake his not trynbna make it seem like he knew he was gonna be rich. He is telloing ppl about his life and how hard it is to get on top when you got haters and ppl who dont believe in you, then when u make it they wanna try to be your friend and act like they knew you was gonna make it when they were the main ones puttin u down, even drake females.

Money can make u do crazy things trynna get girls or get whatever u want not all ppl are stuck up or greedy when the get money. some help out ppl who needs to b helped.

What would you do if you were Nick? would you help gasby out ?

If you became rich would you do all this just to be wit a man/woman and yall might not even have the same feelings ?

If you became a song writtter what would you right your songs about?

Rich and Famous

2009-10-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

i think just my title fills you in about what im going to be talking about. The song is called money to blow by drake Birdman and lil wayne. One of the lyrics says that "since i got famous B**** i got money to blow" that line from the song tells you that he basically can do whatever he wants because of how famous and how rich he has gotten. The money is affecting him in a bad way and a good way don't get me wrong bein rich would be great but if your an artist would you write your muisc for the money or because its something you love doing or it was your dream.

The song lyrics realate to Gatsby because when they would throw a party it does include alot of liqour and in Gatsby in almost every get together there was liquor involved and the host either provides the liqour or they get it somehow its always the host that provides or has to keep the party going like in a quote "Anyhow he gives large parties" Pg.56. Money is basically the center of everything t artist don't perform unless money is involved thats what it comes down to even artist that are just coming up depend on money and when they do make it big they want people to recognize their struggle thats why artist like drake rap about there money thats why you don't see the new artist talking about selling drugs and how long they have been on the streets.

1.Do you think that Gatsby is like drake in any way? Explain
2.does the rich people back then relate to the rich and famous people now?

Mo Money, Mo Problems

2009-10-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

Money.

Money...

Lie for it

Spy for it

Kill for it

Die for it

So you call it trust

But I say it's just

In the devil's game

Of greed and lust

They don't care

They'd do me for the money

They don't care

They use me for the money

- (Money lyrics by Michael Jackson)

Michael Jackson wrote these lyrics because he knew that money created monsters out of people whose life revolved around money and getting as much as they could. Money didn't change Michael, it changed the people around him. Michael was very spiritual and caring and he was not a lustful, greedy person because he saw that people would want to use him for money and he didn't want greediness to control another human being.

"The only crazy I was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake. He borrowed someones best suit to get married in and never even told me about it..." - Myrtle (p 39)

Myrtle is venting out her anger to Catherine about her husband. She thought he was a gentlemen who had lots of experience and training with horse breeding, but he didn't. Myrtle is now saying that her husband is not fit to lick her shoe and regrets ever marrying him. What I believe she expected was her husband to have a lot of class and wealth. When he couldn't meet these requirements, she has an affair with Tom, who actually is very wealthy. In my opinion, money makes people not just greedy, but lustful as well, because that's why Myrtle is attracted to Tom. "Money" lyrics by Michael Jackson describe just how money can change people, and how it irrevocably draws people into this lifestyle completely revolved around money.

Do you think Myrtle would leave Tom if he didn't have money?
Why is Tom so boring?

Great Gatsby Blog Post #1: Lyrics

2009-10-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

For your first blog post on The Great Gatsby, first search online for lyrics that relate to money. Specifically, look for lyrics to songs that either show what money can do to people or how much people (or the singer themselves) might obsess over money. Once you've found your lyrics, compose your blog post and include the following...

Title your blog post something creative yet appropriate about money.
Include a quote from the song you've chosen (be sure to mention the artist's name) and an interpretation of the lyrics. How does money affect people, according to the artist, or how do you think money's affecting them, being successful a musician?
Include a quote from The Great Gatsby (with page #) and an interpretation of how money seems to affect 1-2 characters in particular. Consider how it causes men to treat women, if it turns them into bad people, and/or if it leads to selfish behavior. Is there any similarity between the song's lyrics and how Fitzgerald portrays the rich (or those that desire to be rich)?
Form two open-ended questions you have about the character(s) you blogged about that your classmates can answer in the comments section.

Don't forget to put your initials in the labels section of your post!

A Black boys fate

2009-10-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

"In number 666-983, indictment for murder, the sentence of the court is that you, Bigger Thomas, shall die on or before midnight of Friday, March third, in a manner prescribed by the laws of this state."(417)

If Bigger was a white man they may have let him off with life in prison or maybe even something lighter then that, but because back in these days whites and blacks were segragated the role of hatred played in his sentencing. Whites hated blacks just because of their color and becuase a black person committed a crime they would throw anyhing on top of it to make it so he would have. If Bigger didn't act so Listless about things towards the end maybe he could have gotten life in prison, but his hate for whites and how they were treating him overtook hi thoughts and he stopped caring about how things would turn out.

Biggers race connected with the hatred the white people had for him. Him being black was a big disadvantage for him in court. If he wasn't black they wouldn't have tried to pin rape on him or mobbed out in front of the courtroom like they did.