The Analysis of Poems

     This quarter, we are moving into the unit of poetry. We have already begun to delve deep into them and analyze each important phrase methodically. Our first poem was called "The Fish." And, as the name suggests, it is about a fish. The poem is fairly long and has many contrasting features such as dark/light and white/black. We analyzed it alone but also as a class, and the poem has so many meanings.

     I think this will be a good quarter for me. Not that I'm a poem enthusiast, but I don't hate them. I hear a lot of people saying poems are like puzzles or they are a mystery for Sherlock Holmes. Personally, I don't usually find poems difficult to decipher. Most of them are interesting, but the poems that rhyme are the best in my opinion. I didn't really find the first poem we analyzed, "The Fish" interesting, but, to each his own. I guess I should start going to English class ready for poetry, in a poet state of mind.

Outside Reading: 30 minutes "The Fish" 30 minutes "Hanging Fire" 30 minutes "Turbulence" 20 minutes Human Legacy: Modern Era  40 minutes Biology

Poem Analysis: "Hanging Fire" by Audre Lorde

     The poem I chose to analyze, Hanging Fire, is separated into three stanzas and has 35 lines. The poem as a whole seems to be about a 14-year-old girl who is worried about dying early. In each stanza shes says something like "what if I die before" or "suppose I die before." As you read through the poem, she seems to be the average teenager girl: saying she has nothing to wear tomorrow, saying she doesn't like her skin (since she is a teenager, this phrase made me visualize acne on skin), and that she doesn't want to wear braces. This poem also has quite of few line breaks, and all of them are caesuras. This seems to emphasize the phrase right after the line break and makes a new possible way to interpret the poem.

     The poem has more repetition than just her worrying about dying early. The last 2 lines of each stanza say "and momma's in the bedroom with the door closed." This could mean many things, but one that struck me was perhaps her mom is never there for her like a mom should. The closed door could represent her not caring, and the repetition could mean that she never does. Throughout the poem, she complains a lot about things about herself or her life like "why do I have to be the one wearing braces." The way she says "the one" could mean that she has a sibling that doesn't have to have braces. Like most poems, this one seems like just some words until you try to figure out what it means, and find out it can be deep on varying levels.

The Hunger Games

     Recently there has been a lot of craze over the book, and brand new major motion picture, The Hunger Games. I have not read the book for myself, but I have heard from friends and acquaintances that the book is good. Many people have read the book and the movie appears to be equally popular. A lot of people who liked the book are going to see the movie. I have heard from people who have seen it that it is exactly like the book, but they still recommend you read first.

     The Hunger Games is not just a book, but a series. Yes, this New York Times best-selling series is amongst the most popular. Many of her fans agree that Suzanne Collins did a wonderful job. With the hoop and holler all over the book made into a movie, I'm almost positive that it will be #1 most seen in theaters currently. As for myself, I don't really have a direct interest in seeing the movie. I haven't read the book and I'm not clear on what it is about, so I'll stick to my action movies.

Outside Reading Response: Fade

     I have informed you that I am reading the Trilogy of Fade by Lisa McMann. Well, I am finished with it.
I am pleased to report that it was just as fantastic as the first, and I am looking forward to reading the last book in the series: Gone. I have noticed a pattern in the trilogy, however: all the books' titles are four letters each. While McMann, may or may not have done this on purpose, I think she did. It could be that she just wanted to, or maybe it is supposed to someone connect to the context (but I haven't seen the relation).

     I won't spoil anything just in case someone is interested in reading the book, but I will share a little more of what has happened in the plot. Janie and Cabel have a relationship like any other teens: drama. They have hit a few ups and downs recently and both went into a depressed state. After looking through Miss Stubin's (another catcher) files, Janie has found out the positive and negative aspects of being a catcher, and there are more bad than good. I guess I'll have to wait until I read Gone to find out if Janie will see it through.

150 minutes - Fade by Lisa McMann

Hard to Write About Anything

     So, here I am, writing about not being able to think of a topic to write about again. I remember when we used to all have to write 4 paragraphs on the reading response. I don't know if anyone liked doing it or not but I must say it seems a litter easier than what we do now.

     It's nice that we get the option to choose about whatever we want to, but you don't always have a topic in mind. At least we used to already know what to write about before. I guess this could potentially help out in the future though. And I'm not sure how many other people are having this problem but to show you how bad it is: this is my second time writing about not having a topic to write about.

Outside Reading Response: Fade

     I began reading Fade by Lisa McMann this week and again I must reiterate that it is such a great book. Recently in the book Janie Hannagin (the main character) has been learning more about her power as a "catcher" with Miss Stubin as her mentor. Janie has a job of using her power to be able to enter people's dreams to help the police. Miss Stubin was the former holder of this position and has died but helps Janie while she dreams.

     Some interesting new things have surfaced as well. Recently, Janie has lost vision and had to get glasses. Miss Stubin, when she died, was blind. I believe using her powers (going into people's dreams) has a side effect. My prediction is that if Janie continues to to this, her eyesight will continue to wane until she is blind, like Miss Stubin was. I also think that her secret boyfriend, Cabel, is thinking this as well based on some happenings in the plot. Well, the only way to find out is to read, and I will be doing so.

    

Outside Reading: Fade

     As some of you may remember, I finished reading Wake by Lisa McMann. On my second response to it, I mentioned how I finished and planned to read the rest of the trilogy. I kept true to my word and checked out Fade, the next book in the trilogy, as soon as I could. I will not mention any details of the book in this update because I haven't read a lot of it.

     I can tell you this, it is not like one of those instances where you read a the first book or watch the first movie in a series and say, "Wow that was good! I must look at the next book/movie in the series!" Lisa McMann does as wonderful a job in the Fade as she did in Wake. If you have read Wake, I urge you to read Fade. Although, if you read one, then you know for yourself what a wonderful job Ms. McMann has done with this trilogy. I look forward to finishing this book and moving on the read the last in the trilogy.

A Breath of Relief

     It's finally over. We are all done reading Nervous Conditions and we lived to tell the tale! We have been through ten long chapters of a very thought provoking, complex book. It seems like we have a project to do every week but we are all doing seemingly well.

     On another note, we got through our third quarter of high school! I don't about anyone else but this was definitely not  my best (grade-wise). So hopefully we can move into our fourth quarter excited, ready to learn, and attempting to make up for out faults from third quarter! Let's all try to come back strong and finish Freshman year. Good luck everyone!

Outside Reading:

150 minutes Fade, by Lisa Mcmann