New Semester

A new semester has been in full swing for the past few weeks at school, and of course I got a new AP Lang teacher: Mr. Jackson.  I prefer Mrs. West, but he's not that bad. 
We're currently working on another book analysis, and I'm doing another Maya Angelou novel from her biography series.  This one is called "All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes".  I'm not very religious my self, but its a great book so far, and I can honestly say that Ms. Angelou has become one of my all time favorite authors, and my own personal hero :)

It's been a while.....

It has been a while since I've put anything out here about my AP Lang class. 

So what we've been doing recently is working on a paper Mrs. West calls our Profile Papers.  We're all writing papers our the future job and/or collage we want to have or attend to.  We are currently working on compiling the research part, and I will be conducting my interview tonight. 

I'm actually supposed to be working on compiling the research right now, so I should probably get back to that. 
Happy Blogging!

My AP Lang Book

So we have to pick a book to read and do a report on, and it must be non-fiction.  I picked "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou.
I picked this book because:
#1 it was on the list, and I knew it would fit the standards
#2 I like personal, in-depth things that people write.  It helps shape my own opinion and see through someone else's eyes
#3 I knew it would be something like this just by the title, and that's what really attracted me to it
#4 I know how it feels to be oppressed
#5 Maya Angelou is one of the most refferenced authors EVER

Why do I write? By: Me

Before I get going on this, I just want to say, it took me ages to answer such a simple question.  If you were to see the crossings out and annotations all over the draft, you'd be shocked.


Why do I write? I write to ask questions, and answer them.  I write to re-shape things.  I write to turn heads and change minds, to persuade and instigate.  I write to feel like I'm somebody, to pretend I'm a better person than I am; maybe I'm slimmer, smarter, or a crime-fighter.  I write to do and be anything.  
I write to ease my pain, to heighten my joys, to create a better world....to escape my own harsh reality.  
Writing makes me feel like a god.  I control what happens next, who goes where, who lives, who dies, everything.  When I write, I am in control of fate.  
When I write, I can make the seemingly impossible a reality.  When I write, there is a cure for Cancer, love always prevails, life is how I wish it was....everyone I love that has died is still alive, there is no such thing as hate, and everyone has basic human compassion.  (Now a days, that seems like to much to ask for.) 
Writing is like my drug; it numbs me and I pretend I am somewhere else when things are bad.  
When I write, it's like an entire movie, full detail and action flowing from my soul and through my fingertips; my characters leap out of my head and become something real. 
I write to educate, inform, and inspire you to think "What if...?"  I can make you feel anything when I write.  I can make you stand right along side the hero as he commits a crime of passion, I can make you spectate an entire battle, I can make you feel the pain of death, the estecy of love, the betrayal of a friend--all with out you ever leaving current location. 
I write to make magic in the hearts of others.  I write to feel free, I write to feel....real.  I write to feel like I'm not just having some overly long, crazily realistic dream.  I write to be me.
I write to do all this, and to make myself and others see through someone else's eyes, and feel through their heart.
 

#2

So from the National Writing Project, I picked the twin brothers Al Mills and Nnamdi Chukwuocha.  They each wrote a poem about why they write, and.... both poems were absolutely beautiful.  I teared up a bit for both, they were just that moving.  True, neither used big words, or other fancy bits of language, but I feel like that's what made it better for me.  It was very heart-felt, but conversational.  It felt personal, and I feel like that's why their writings moved me they way they did.  they both discussed the way that people are easily screwed over where they're from, and the intentions are usually innocent to begin with. 

To find these excellent writings go to this link:
http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3660

#1

When I first read "And then I Read," I actually felt kind of sorry for Myers.  I felt bad because he wanted to go to collage, and when he realized that money would be an obstacle, he just gave up, and dropped out of High School.  It made me a bit sad inside to know he just gave up hope like that.  I did feel better in knowing that he did eventually go to collage, and I couldn't help but share his pride. 


After reading "Why I Write" by Orwell, I really felt a connection.  I felt like he described MY childhood in a way.  I haven't done writing for the school paper, and I defiantly wasn't alive for WW1, but I was "that kid" too.  I had doesn't of imaginary friends, I liked to read, write, and tell stories.  I could memorize the lines of entire movies, and recite them back to anyone that asked.
 I did alot of the things he did, and his write really hit home for me.  I could connect with it.


I also really liked "Why I Write" by Williams.  I know many people in my class didn't like her repetition, but I really liked it.  It gave off a poetic, passionate tone, and that type thing appeals to me.  I also liked all the deep comparisons such as "I write knowing I can be killed by my own words, stabbed by syntax, crucified by both understanding and misunderstanding."  She is speaking metaphorically of course, but still.  I like it.