If my English blog is a body of work, I would say that it would be about an average middle school writer growing up into a 10th grader. The beginning of my blog was very low-key, almost uncaring about the blog assignments, as if they are just some easy 10 point thing. For example, the very first sentence of my blogs is "I enjoy reading a lot." The whole post was about how I like reading, when I like reading, and my favorite book.
The next two posts were about irony in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Very basic, but my knowledge was increasing a little bit all ready. After that came my earliest memories, life lessons, best friends, and character symbol. My symbol for the post was a gavel for a judge, which is most likely the most obvious thing you can think of. But none the less, I was thinking! After that came the motif of a Mockingbird. I really liked that book because it was not to hard to read, it had a good storyline, and when you helped us figure out the symbols and motifs and what those things meant, then we were able to start realizing the in-depth-ness of some of these novels.
The next thing that we did was the Animal Farm theme project. I really wish that there would me more projects like this throughout the year. They take a lot of work, but if they are assigned a month or so in advance, (and you don't procrastinate), then they are much more fun. I learn a lot better when I have fun, and this assignment helped me understand what the point of theme is.
After that it was 2010 already! We did our new-year's resolution post, which I have kept more or less, and it was to be more self-motivated. We then read The Importance of Being Ernest. I sort of liked that book, but I didn't like the whole Victorian Era research part. It didn't help me understand the book any more. But we wrote our first portion of an essay with that book! I sort of liked the group essay idea, but mostly it was just chaotic trying to make sure everyone's parts fit and they all do the right thing and we get them in the right order... sheesh. But then came Great Expectations, which I loved because I got 95 on the essay, and it was a great book. I was finally getting a good grasp on picking out themes, motifs, and symbols. The skits were fun, too, and I got to dress up as Miss Havisham, with the sheet as my dress.
The blog about finding something in the real world that relates to Romeo and Juliet was very pointless. So was the one about fate. The summer reading gave me some good ideas for this summer, but with the honors 10 book and the AP World assignment, I think I am pretty set. Nearing the end, in the essay writing skills post I talked about how much I love the Gilman Method, and that has been the most helpful thing for me this year.
Altogether, this blog could be summed up as an average writer growing in his interpretation and writing skills over the course of a year. A theme could be that you won't get anything unless you work hard for it. If you plant seeds, but you don't water them, then what is the point of planting the seeds in the beginning? Thank you so much, Mrs. Gilman, for being such a great teacher this year! You have taught us all so much, but we never felt pressured to learn too much too quickly. I really hope you will be teaching AP 11th, so that I may have a chance to get into your class a second year! For my quote, it would have to be "Something (tsk tsk) reeeal nice!" Cousin Eddie says this in WalMart in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I think this has been a (tsk tsk) real nice 27 posts!
