Should high schools require students to read the "classics"?

    High schools should require students to read the classics because you can learn many new things you haven't experience or known yet like new words, history, characters,imagination, etc. For example, Reading books that were written long ago but are still admired and educated people is partly how students learn the history of literature and important ideas. Another Reason, Students who have read "classics" are better prepared for college literature classes, because they will have background knowledge of works that other writers refer to; without that background knowledge, a student's reading comprehension is compromised.

MLA Format, Guidelines, and practice (1st Activity)

1.) (8)

2.) (226), (Tolkien 365)

3.) ("Time")

4.) (Lee 11)

5.) (Report to the Teagle Foundation on the Undergraduate Major in Language and Literature 5)

6.) ("Noko")

7.) (Kidder 3)

The Uneven U (1st Paragraph)

   C.)Frances Bents, an expert on the relation between cell phones and accidents, estimates that between 450 and 1,000 crashes a year have some connection to cell phone use (Layton C9). A.)In a survey published by Farmers Insurance Group, 87% of those polled said that cell phones affect a driver’s ability, and 40% reported having close calls with drivers distracted by phones. D.)Many cartoons have depicted the very real dangers of driving while distracted (see fig. 1).
 B.)Expert testimony, public opinion, and even cartoons suggest that driving while phoning is dangerous. 


1st Paragraph in order:

1st sentence: C

2nd sentence: A

3rd sentence: D

4th sentence: B

Applying Academic Writing to our own

• How can you apply the concepts of academic writing to your own writing? 

We can apply the concepts of academic writing to our own writing by gathering and organizing our ideas to build our skill of academic writing and to be creative in our writing process.

The Underworld

1.) What about Ancient Greek culture & values is reflected in their beliefs towards the underworld.

The Ancient Greeks believed that the underworld is another world where souls go after death. The underworld is sometimes known as Hades, after its patron god. It is described as being either at the outer bounds of the ocean or beneath the depths or ends of the earth.

2.) Do you recognize any similarities between the Greek's beliefs towards death and the underworld and those which are held in your own religion?

I recognize some similarities between the Greek's beliefs towards death and the underworld and those which are held in my religion. In my religion you have Heaven, Purgatory and Hell and in Greek Mythology you have Elsium, The Asphodel fields and Tartarus. The soul of a person goes through different stages.


3.) The journey of the soul is described to be an elaborate process, why do you think that is? Why can't it be more simple?

The journey of the soul is described to be an elaborate process because the soul is being transferred to an unknown place whether if that place will end good or bad. This depends on what you did in your life before you died. It cannot be more simple because it is the only elaborate process that the soul goes through.

4.) Looking back (to The Epic of Gligamesh) this will be the 2nd text in which the protagonist journey to the underworld to confront death, why do you the hero "needs" to visit the underworld.

The hero needs to visit the underworld so he/she can confront his/her fears upon others and death.

Accessing Your Goals

I achieved my Sensitivity by handling the pain physically, and having progress of letting go of my problems from back then. However I did not achieve Sensitivity with the stress of school with a lot of schoolwork and labs that gets in the away from studying. 

If they were more long term - I will not have made the appropriate steps to reach those goals.



2-3 subjects / interests you would like to major at college: 

• Nurse

• Veterinarian 

• Psychiatrist 

2-3 colleges you are interested in attending:

• Queens College

• St. John's University

• Berkeley College 

2 Memes about the Odyssey

Aristotle's Criticism of The Odyssey

1.) The claim that Aristotle makes about The Odyssey is that it can be easily summarized. He speaks about the events that happen in the story. The rest is just upcoming events in the story.




2.) I felt that Odysseus's, Telemachu's, and Penelope's are all in a very difficult and unfortunate situation. Odysseus was trying to get home to his family while his son "Telemachus" was trying to protect his mother "Penelope" from a mob of suitors. Penelope was remaining faithful to her husband "Odysseus". I would want to see them  resolved in the "episodes" that Aristotle references because I'm curious to see how they are going to solve their situations whether it was an easy or a difficult option. I'm also willing to see if they made a good decision.




3.) We read the story because we learn about people's experiences in their situations. We listen to stories retold by friends and family because we find it interesting to learn about their past. The experience of hearing or reading a story in full helps us get to understand the meaning of the story.

More Research

1) choose a topic you are most passionate for 

The topic that I'm most passionate for researching for this project is Puerto Rican literature. 

2) List foundational work/texts you plan on using for your project (these texts should be "old" as in foundational to the civilization/ culture you are studying) 

The foundational texts that I plan on using is Manuel A. Alonso because he was a writer, poet and journalist. He was also considered to be the first puerto Rican writer for noble importance. This work is the result of a profound sense of Puerto Rican cultural identity, produced under the overriding censorship and oppression of Spain's colonial regime. The work reveals that Puerto Rico's early writers were beginning to consciously exert true historical and cultural vision, and rally behind a great sense of patriotism. 

website: (https://enciclopediapr.org/en/encyclopedia/the-puerto-rican-literature/) 

3) Research and list modern texts from the same culture/civilization. 

Some of the modern texts of Puerto Rican Literature are: 

-Alonso's work comprises of 13 essays, which are portraits of criollo daily life, in addition to right short poems. 

-Alonso transcribes and imitates rural speech patterns, describes the criollo view of the world, and exalts the jibaros, or rural poor, who are seen in his works as people who could be educated, employed, and effectively directed toward the island's national causes, alebeit, within a plantation  economy. 

-In 1882, Alonso published a second expanded edition of El Gibaro, where he builds on earlier themes and cultural critiques, most notably in the short story/essay "Perico Paciencia."






4) Using the question activity we did in class, generate a list of questions you will use for your research and learning. 

Some Questions that I'll be using for my research and writing are 

-When did he became interested in literature?

-Were there any well known works?

-Was there anyone else inspired by his work?

Research Project: Reinventing the Cannon

Think of 2-3 civilizations / cultures whose literature you would want to research. After you have your 2-3, I want you to pick the one you are most interested in, and explain to me why.

   
I would be interested in researching, Cuba, France, and Puerto Rico. The one that I would be interested in researching would be Puerto. I chose Puerto Rico because my whole family is from Puerto Rico. I would like to learn more about my family's culture, history, and language they speak. I am also interested in the types of foods they eat, and clothes that they wear in Puerto Rico. I've only been to Puerto Rico for five hours during the summer (Cruise) and would hopefully go next summer for a longer stay. 

Development

1.) The 3 strengths that I have are: 

a.) kindness- I support my Grandmother when she's sad. 

b.) Caring- I care a lot for the people I love 

c.) Hard worker- I take my schoolwork very seriously and work hard to get good grades 


2.) Three major long terms I have are: 

a.) A veterinarian 

b.) being an animator 

c.) being more stronger 


3.) I would like to improve on: 

a.) My flexibility 

b.) Eating more healthy things 

c.) My sensitivity 


I plan on achieving these goals by studying hard, exercising more, and working on my emotions. My tiredness and busyness gets in my way of achieving these goals. I can be cleared on this obstacle by taking vitamins, sleeping early, and learning how to be more confident.