BLOG POST 12

Shared Inquiry Discussion“Up In Michigan,” Ernest Hemingway

Emma Syring

2/6/15 

Period 6

1. 
   

1) I believe the main message of this story is that rape is something that can occur outside of the stereotypical setting. People who know each other, and someone you can be deeply attracted to can rape you. It's never a clear decision about what happened.

2) This story suggests that gender is not equal. Men are dominant over women and women always need a man to feel satisfied and accomplished in life. Whereas men, on the other hand, have hobbies and drinking to keep them happy; they are never dependent on women. 

3) The setting works to accompany the emotions at play. During the rape scene, they are out on a misty dock at night, eerie and unsettling. Overall, a small town in Michigan is interesting because you wouldn't expect something like this to happen. 

4) My opinion about this scene is that, this is undoubtedly rape. Never once did Liz give an honest and concise, 'yes',  said no in many forms. This was in my mind, indefinite rape. 

5) Why does Liz place a coat over Jim; her rapist? 

BLOG POST 11

    Spinning in circles, barefoot, across chestnut hardwood floors. The scent in the air is strong and sharp. Acoustic guitar music is resonating from the high quality speakers. My father’s impeccable ears for music allowed me to live in a world of ranging notes and melodies, a symphony of chords to provide company for my childhood. My parents were always lounging, legs crossed, heads tossed back, laughs rolling off their tongues, on nights. Red wine filled halfway in their glasses, while my sister and I had chocolate milk. 

    The neighbors were always close, apart from distance. Decadent chocolate chip cookies, piping hot soup, homemade bread and a collection of food always in the arms of neighbors, smiling and giving. 

    Home may have been the old walls that contained old memories, or the white porch where humid, Summer nights were spent. But in reality, along with that, my mother, my father, my sister, my neighbors, their arms, support, affection, I made a home within their love. 

BLOG POST 10)

PART 1)

Scene selected: The lunch room scene after the picnic-with-a-boy auction.

Character: Fellow students of Julie and Bryce.

Script: Was it finally happening? 

We all knew it was going to happen soon enough. 

Julie and Bryce had been on-and-off, head-over-heels, relentlessly stubbornly in love with each other. They just didn't realize it. 

They were so completely oblivious as to how strongly they felt about each other. 

We all knew the timeline...Julie was infatuated with Bryce since the second grade. At that point, Bryce was, no doubt, disgusted with Julie. He could make her his easily. So then he pursued that other blonde, popular, girl. But of course, that didn’t last. 

He loved Julie.

Rumors soon spread around the school that Bryce had been daydreaming into Julie’s eyes. 

At this point, it was clear. But for some reason…

for whatever reason the student body wasn’t sure of, Julie’s eyes didn’t light up around Bryce anymore. 

They were filled with hate and loathing. 

It was so frustrating to watch them take affections to one another on different timelines. 

But here we were. All sitting in this lunchroom, aware of the competition between the blonde girl and Julie to win Bryce’s lunch basket. And Julie didn’t bet? Was she really over Bryce? No, it couldn’t be. We were all rooting for them since second grade, she couldn’t give up now. 

Bryce: Julie, I need to talk to you.

Julie: What is it, Bryce?

We all eagerly lean in as she see Bryce awkwardly grab both Julie’s shoulders to steady her and squeezes his eyes shut. As a look of confusion plasters across her face, he slowly leans in, lips puckered, ready to steal, what was rumored, Julie Baker’s first kiss. 

Suddenly Julie breaks from his grip and turns around and darts out of the lunchroom. 

Bryce: Julie!!

Though we didn’t want to, we all knew it was middle school normal behavior. 

We could feel a plummeting drop from our hearts into our stomachs as shallow, cold hearted laughs erupted from our mouths. 

As soon as they escaped our mouths, we could seen the ashamed and hurt expression upon Bryce’s face. 

He bolted after Julie, his friend Garrett following. (Who we all hated for his opposition to the Julie and Bryce love affair.)

Garrett: No, Bryce stop!

As soon as they left, the lunchroom fell silent. 

We all looked at one another, repulsed by the agonizing behavior we had just produced. 

Eddie Truman, the boy Julie Baker bet on, looked sad. 

We all felt horrible. Julie and Bryce were meant to be together, yet silent support was all we knew. 

QUESTIONS

The movie does a phenomenal job with telling different perspectives throughout the story. At times, it would get confusing to have to realize that the director was backtracking the story to retell at scene from the other main character’s point of view. But overall, they did a wonderful job successfully using alternating viewpoints.

I believe Bryce’s family was more uncomfortable than the Bakers. They had a more dysfunctional social aspect to them. The overbearing judgment of the father, and his abuse towards his daughter, it ultimately differentiates from Julie’s father, and their acceptance and help towards his brother. 

I believe character is ultimately more important in Flipped. I think the plot relies on character. As Julie’s affections towards Bryce evolve, the plot follows those changes. Without her realization from her father about the entire painting having a completely different meaning from the small aspects of it, the plot would have nowhere to go. Overall, without that, the movie would be of Julie’s continuing infatuation for Bryce. 

BLOG POST #9

How to Write About Twins; How to Have Twins

When the amount of care is doubled with having twins, so will effort. First thing's first, no matter the circumstance it is crucial to dress a set of twins in the same outfit. Color coordination is vital. If the same outfit is not available, resort to the same color. When your children grow up into young adults, they will love looking back in the heavy scrapbooks you made and see the consistent outfit pattern you followed. 

Next, gifts galore! Make sure any holiday shopping you set out to do involves sets of the same gift! Here's where you can get a little crazy. Instead of repeating the same color duo, you can buy the same present but purchase the gift in different colors! This is so convenient because, seeing as they are twins, meaning they must have the exact same interests and personalities, will be ballistically ecstatic! 

When knowing a set of twins who aren't your children, comparing them is also something they really love. As if there isn't enough unwritten competition in their lives against one another already, you should spice it up just a little bit more and point out their similarities and differences! It's so fun to have people acknowledge ways that your twin exceeds you! 

Have fun with your insanely satisfied clones!

P.S. I was fortunate enough to grow up NOT living with these sort of things, not saying that they are wrong or displeasing, but in my eyes, this is a sort of childhood I'm glad I was not objected to. Having an identity of my own is satisfying; although some aspects of being a twin is inevitable. Of course, it should be pointed out that I'm not an identical twin so I cannot relate to that perspective. 

BLOG POST #8

I have noticed the language between the lines in life

 and it says that I'm exhausted. 

I have collected a few people 

- or rather they have collected me.

 I feel like a monster - I love them entirely, but they tire me out to a point of identity crisis. 

I have to take them in doses, like prescription pills.

 But I feel terrible for my constant leaves of absences. 

We are all in this disoriented stage of limbo because of the hanging time between the phase from child to adulthood. 

They do not understand, I have to get back what they drain. 

My tendencies offend; they create tension.

 It seems all my life I surround myself with people who are in the same position and we all take rather than give, there a few rare neutrals. 

I find myself as a giver. 

Some are drawn to me and unfortunately;

 Its starting to make me wilt; 

there's this illusion of alienation tailing my heels. 

BLOG POST 7

PERSUADING A THREE YEAR OLD TO EAT THEIR BROCCOLI:

   Yes, the broccoli is green and smells funny and isn't sugary and sweet like everything else you love. But compare it to other foods you look! Don't you like other foods that happen to be green? For instance, remember when that green apple looked kind of weird but then you tried it and enjoyed it? Maybe broccoli will be the same! You'll never know unless you try it!! And it might smell bad but so does sweet potato and you love sweet potato! Don't try things just because they scare you and you don't know them that well, try it and be brave! You might end up liking it, or hating it. Either way, you will be confident in your decision for future notice. 

BLOG POST 6

BLOG POST: LANGUAGE, POLITICS, AND REGIONALISM

• My results were fairly accurate. Its actually really intriguing because I have family in Lincoln, Nebraska and maybe that’s why I pronounce some of the same words differently, or name some of the same terms distinctly.

• I think someone would want to take a quiz like this to see if they are true to their hometown. Also, just out of pure curiosity. I think we all are itching to see where we could fit in; where we could be accepted along. Its a crazy concept.