My Expectations for High School

I hope to be able to be accepted into a good college when I'm done with high school. I want to have experience in my fields of interest. I want to learn skills that will help me with whatever I might choose to do later on, and I want to learn how to seem professional. I expect that high school teach me important things.

Within four years, I expect I will know how to manage my time, finish projects before deadlines, and so on. I also expect to be prepared for college and a work environment. I think that the culminating project will help me learn how to give presentations, another skill I may need for a job. Basically, I want high school to be worthwhile and hope that I come away with many useful skills.

Poetry Out Loud

I chose the poem "Dancers Exercising" by Amy Clampitt. I chose this poem because, for one, it made me think about its meaning when I read it, and two, I liked the word choice. It doesn't hold any particular significance for me, but I do enjoy reading complex poems and thinking about what they are meant to be saying.

I'm preparing for the competition by memorizing my poem, for start. After I have it fully memorized, I plan on recording myself for practice or maybe reciting it for my family. Even after preparing for the competition, I still like the poem. I've noticed that the line divisions in it are kind of irregular, though, which makes it a hard poem to recite.

Poems by Robert Frost

I think that the poem, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost symbolizes a person making a difficult decision. The speaker of the poem is choosing whether to follow a crowd or to take the "less traveled" road. I believe it refers to making a decision because of the line, "I doubted if I should ever come back". The speaker isn't aware of what either path might lead to, but he is forced to choose between them anyway. He chooses the unique path, and it changes his life.

I chose this poem because I like the meaning. It encourages others to be thoughtful and make decisions wisely. It makes me think of choosing careers in particular, something I have thought about a few times. I think the poem is encouraging people to choose hobbies and interests they enjoy doing rather than based on which others have, another idea I think about a little more often.

The Movie

A scene that stood out to me in the the movie was the trial. Some parts were very different from my mental picture, and others were similar. The inside of the courthouse was close to how I had pictured it, especially Jem and Scout's seats on the balcony. However, in my mind, there was a little more space in the building in general.

The way Mayella was depicted in the movie was different from my image of her from the book. I imagined her to be a little more collected at the beginning part of her testimony. Tom Robinson was different as well; I thought his left arm would be more obviously unusable. I also imagined Atticus's closing statement being said differently than it was.

This Book Changed My Life

To Kill a Mockingbird made me think more about others. I especially liked Atticus's quote, "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view" (P.30). I learned that prejudices aren't always correct. Sometimes, people have preconceived notions about others, and they will need to be proven wrong. People can let their incorrect judgments stop them from thinking things through, and this can cause them to treat others unfairly.

I also thought a little bit about equality. I wonder whether people are treated similarly to Tom Robinson today, although in milder forms. Based on situations I've heard about, there most likely are quite a few cases of this. I learned that society has always been unequal, and that there should be more impartial, accepting individuals around to change that.

Life Lessons

Scout learns an important life lesson through her aunt. During the time that they are visiting with other ladies from around the town, Atticus calls Aunt Alexandra and Scout into the other room to tell them that Tom Robinson was killed. Afterwards, they return to talking with the townspeople; Scout notices that Aunt Alexandra is not visibly shaken by the news and, towards her visitors, pretends that nothing is wrong. She resolves to do the same, saying "if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I" (P.237). Scout learns that there are certain times that she will have to act strong throughout her life, even if she doesn't truly feel the same way.
This kind of situation is something that everyone experiences. Learning to control emotions is a part of growing up. This event shows that Scout is maturing and starting to take a more adult outlook on life; she is beginning to think about others' opinions rather than only her own. I've experienced the same thing at several points in my life, and my reactions were probably very similar to Scout's.

Themes in To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird has a strong overall theme of prejudice. This theme is shown in small forms throughout the first section of the book; the strongest example being Scout and other characters consistent judgment of people based on their family backgrounds. Jem, Scout, and Dill's fascination with Boo Radley is also based partly on prejudice, as most of their opinions about him have been formed by listening to gossip. There are also a few small references to racial segregation, most of which are the result of the case Atticus has decided to defend.
In the second part of the book, the theme narrows specifically to racism. Prejudice is very obviously present throughout the trial, specifically. However, this is not the only example; before the trial, Jem and Scout attend Calpurnia's church. They meet a spiteful woman there named Lula, who tells Calpurnia that she should not be bringing the two children to "their church", (P.119) in reference to their different races. The theme of prejudice seem to intensify throughout the book, finally leading up to climaxes. There may be another peak later on in the book.

Atticus as a Father

Atticus seems to be a somewhat unconventional, relaxed parent, but he has strong moral values that he wants to pass on to Jem and Scout. He tries to teach his children to treat everyone with respect, as is shown when he tells Scout, "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view" (P.30). He also allows them to learn through experience rather than directly telling them what or what not to do. An example of this is his reaction to Jem ruining Mrs. Dubose's garden. Instead of punishing Jem himself, he sends him over to her house to apologize. Atticus seems to want Jem and Scout to learn the right way to behave through the consequences of their own actions.

Atticus is both similar to and different from my parents. My parents aren't as lenient as he is, but they share some of the same values. I think I would enjoy having a father like Atticus. is personality seems like it would be compatible with mine.

Impressions of Boo Radley

In recent chapters, Boo Radley has done quite a few things that prove the rumors about him false. He has been "communicating" with Scout and Jem in a way, first of all. He left several items for them in a tree, until his brother sealed the hole with cement. Boo appears to have mended Jem's pants when he lost them in the Radley yard, and he also gave Scout a blanket when she and Jem were outside after Miss Maudie's house burned down. Boo is starting to seem like a kind-hearted person instead of a "phantom".

Scout had a length discussion, also pertaining to Boo, with Miss Maudie which added more insight into his true character. She learned that Boo's father was very conservative, which may have some role in his current behavior. In this discussion, Scout asks about the accuracy of the rumors, and Miss Maudie says that they are not true. Miss Maudie also states that she remembers Boo as a child and he "always spoke nicely" to her, which further suggests that Boo is not the person Scout and Jem thought he was.

First Impressions of Boo Radley

My first impression of Boo Radley is that he's somewhat peculiar, because he stays inside his house all the time. However, he also has reasons for hiding, because of what happened to him when he was younger. I think that a few of the rumors may be somewhat true, but most of them are not. In the middle of the first chapter, on page 11, Scout says, "Jem received most of his information from Miss Stephanie Crawford, a neighborhood scold, who said she knew the whole thing", which supports this theory. The people of Maycomb probably tell rumors about Boo Radley because he is eccentric.
I am probably most similar to Scout. Scout seems afraid of Boo Radley and nervous about getting involved with him. I would probably react similarly to her after hearing the stories; I wouldn't particularly want to try to make him come out of his house. In a way, though, I'd also be a bit similar to Dill. I'd get a little excited as well as nervous after talking about all the rumors.

I enjoyed reading "A Christmas Memory" by Truman Capote. The characterization in the story was well done and I found the writing style very creative. The description throughout the story was unique, and the story as a whole was quite thought-provoking. I especially liked the metaphor used at the end; it was a poetic way to close the story. I hope that we read more short stories like it in the future.