Formal vs. Informal Diction

   As of my report about this week, there wasn't much exciting things that I thought was exciting. All through out the whole week, I felt that there was an abundant load of homework on Thursday. Plus the fact that "we" the Orchestra people had a concert that very same night. Although I made sure that I did all my homework before preparing for the concert, I found later when I came home that I  still had some homework left to do. I finished my other homework but then I forgot that I had to do my "Tone Worksheet". Before going to bed, I tried to finish the homework; but then a thought occurred to me that I have a Japanese test the following day. So I studied my vocabulary for Japanese. Along the way as I was finishing studying, I remember that I also have a Word Power quiz on the same day as my Japanese test. Instead of doing my homework, I studied for the Word Power quiz and when I finished it was already 11:00 PM. I was thinking, since it's only 11:00PM I still can do my homework instead of doing it in the morning. Sure, I finished my Tone worksheet homework but then when I got to school and Mrs. Gilman said " Let's collect your homework from last night." I was thinking am I smart or what? I finished my homework. But then when I tried to look for my homework it wasn't there. I remember then that I forgot to put the homework in my backpack before going to school. Doomed thought I, I am going to get a F for the assignment! 

  

   Well, lets drop that thought; my mind went floating back to what I have that is due on Monday. Shocking I didn't finish my novel for my honors English class do I have to somehow cram the book in and finish my project by Saturday. On top I still have to make my brochure about a scientist, so far my research is finished; but I still need one more source. I wonder how am I going to fit all these things in during the weekend. Finishing blow, I am to bring the fake baby from health home this weekend and have to care for the baby. If I can finish all this assignments and projects, I am indeed proud of myself.

Writing about Wrighting

   One of my proudest writing would be when I was in 8th grade writing a book review. The book was called Stravaganza: City of Flowers, by: Mary Hoffman. In eight grade, we had to write a book review on the book that we read about once every one or two months. Usually I am really worried about my grammar, punctuation and other things when I write essays. But in that particular one, I think I did the best on.Also, most of the books that I read for essays, I didn't know what to write and I end up rambling on about the book. In my best writing, I actually made a pretty balance of my opinion about the book and the book's plots.


   I was really into the book because the book was mainly full of fantasy, romance, action, and history throughout the whole novel. The novel would be what I call a perfect combination of my favorite type of novel. Also, the plot was very exciting that I couldn't stop reading the book. The setting would go back and forth between the present and the past with a item called a talisman. The talisman would be something that is from the past and when you sleep you can drift off into the past. But as exciting as it is for the characters, it was dangerous; one could be lost forever between time space if they were to somehow end up in the wrong time space. There is all this action with all kinds of people across the whole plot; but the most I was interested in was the events that happened with the royalty. There are almost other people that are from the present world that go back in time to help solve mysteries.


   I don't remember what I got for the score of that one particular essay, but I was really glad that I read the novel. At first I hesitated because when I saw how the novel was when I was randomly looking at novels. But, I thought why not I give this a try? If I didn't like the novel then I would return the novel and get another one. Other than that essay about City of Flowers, I don't really remember what other essays that I was proud of.

Jane Eyre By: Charlotte Bronte

  First off, the novel I'm reading about talks about a orphan girl who was taken in my her uncle's wife but later was sent to school and never see them again. So far in the novel, I haven't gone that far so there isn't really anything big happening. I am looking forward to when Jane meets Mr Rochester. That is because from the description of Adele about Mr. Rochester, it seems like he is a very outstanding and good natured person. But, currently I think that the book is boring to be blunt. I could lose my train of thought about the novel in a couple of minutes, so  I tend to reread the paragraphs or pages. What I was looking forward in the book was the romance between Jane and Rochester from the summary on the back of the book.

   I suppose that I will probably reflect the plot or character in my creative project because I believe that I will most likely fall into the plot or the character more than the theme and other literature terms. The plot would contain a very smooth rise of the conflict till when Jane encounters a big problem that will somehow put the thing that she is doing at that time in danger. Also, it will be something that she enjoys or loves to do. But, If I were to reflect on the characters, the main focus would be Mr. Rochester, because I will find myself engrossed into the romance and events that happens between the two of them. Also, the conflicts that Jane will have with her relatives, family members, or friends.

   There was one book that I read during my 8th grade year called  Chinese Cinderella  By: Adeline Yeh Mah. The novel was about an unwanted daughter named Yeh Mah( the author), who has talents but was unrecognized by her family, especially her stepmother Niang( mother in Chinese). Yeh tried her hardest to please her Niang but her Niang didn't recognize her talents. Instead her Niang was trying to send her away from the family. Also, Niang was treating Yeh and her stepbrothers/ stepsisters unequally. Similarly to one of the themes from Jane Eyre, the theme of trying your best to please someone but that someone doesn't even recognize you.

   At this point, I am thinking of making a poster about the plot and events throughout the novel. Also, I would add character information and details about their life and personality. Or I can write a essay that I can turn in to the teacher.

Extending the Theme

When I was reading this novel, there didn't seem to have anything that stood out to me. That's because my childhood was completely different from Scout's childhood. I just had regular parents who just stood there and let me do what I wanted to do. Although my parents opened a restaurant when we were still in China, I was only at kindergarten which during the time I didn't understood any philosophy. I wish I had parents like Atticus, who's wise and guides his children to the right road in the future. But, I am content with the parents I have now, because even though they don't give me guides, when I go the wrong path they will tell me. I remember my mother told my things about how I should act because when I was little, I was more outgoing and now she thinks that I changed a lot by the way I act. In "To Kill a Mockingbird" , the novel shows me that not all people aren't what you expected them to be. Also, that some people can be evil to no ends or kind and big-hearted to no ends. But I find that in this whole world there are many that are in the middle of the scale of good or evil. There are rarely anyone who is really evil or really big-hearted. We human beings aren't perfect so we have different sides to our beings. Maybe somewhere out there is our other half where we learn things that are completely opposite from ourselves.

Another thing would probably be a way a person is easily angered. In the novel, Jem and Scout gets angry at each other and make up. Where as I get angry at my brothers for being annoying but later or sooner we make up. Although the way that Jem and Scout gets mad of each other is different than the way I get mad at my younger brothers, we still get mad easily when one of us does something that is annoying to the other person. One thing, when we were little I didn't like to play with my younger brothers because they kept me behind when I was doing something and I never get the thing I wanted to get done.

I feel that the family/friendship that Atticus and his children have is very special. Mainly because they don't hide things from each other and they treat each other like equal beings. In my family, when the adults are talking about things that are deeper in thought than how we kids think, they would say that we are short-minded. I think that the adults should tell us the same thing, just because we aren't as old as them, we still have the right to know the same things. If we didn't know the things that should be known how do they expect us to grow up? Atticus tells Jem and Scout things that happen in his life and shares philosophy with his children. I hoped that my parents would do the same. But I feel that I don't learn much philosophy from my parents.

My Boo Radley

There wasn't really a Boo Radley in my life, but there was someone that I heard a lot from adults that an aunt was going to visit us. At first I heard that she was very strict and mean. I wondered how she was like for days before she came to visit us. I pondered at school and at home when I was doing my homework. That aunt was what I would call "Si ma", they said that she was rich and she opened a restaurant in Norway. Then the day that she actually arrived, I was scared to meet her face to face. When she came it was when my great grandmother's 90+ birthday, which was a great call for celebration. At first sight, she dressed like we do and it seemed like she wasn't that mean. At that point, depressing news came on the same day during my great grandma's birthday. My second aunt's father has passed away. I didn't know what was going on, but I saw that my second aunt and my cousin Ying and Mei were crying. My second aunt wanted to get back to HaiNan right away, but she didn't have enough cash with her. Then Si Ma gave her $400 to ride the boat to her father. I thought it was weird that she would give my aunt money for something. I heard something about "....take this money to ride the boat and see your father." But, my aunt didn't accept the money, she kept pushing it back and forth; on as they go pushing the money back to each other. I actually thought back on the situation and came to the conclusion that she wasn't mean at all. Although she looked mean and strict, as they say you can't judge a person by their appearance. 

       After a couple of years later, she came to visit my grandma because she heard that she wasn't feeling well. She kinda changed over the years but not so much, she came with another relative to visit my grandma and I was glad to see her. She became a lady who changed my views on people, especially if you don't know the person, then you shouldn't judge them just by their appearance.

Introduction

First off, My name is Ting, from Mrs. Gilman's 9th grade honors class of period 1. I don't really know what kind of English student I am, but I do like to read. If someone clicks my blog, I feel that they will mostly see the answer to Mrs.Gilman's blog prompt. Although I don't think that I  willl have anything that is intresting, I hope that everyone will visit my blog from time to time. I think that the meaning of a English calss would be to practice and learn the ways of the tradition of English so that we will acquire more knowledge of English and use them. Why would English be a 4 year requirement for college students? I don't know. But I'm guessing that it is because there would be many terms that have different meanings in other subjects. In order to get what the context is, we would have to learn and understand all the meanings that one word could contain. Exceclling in English can first help me understand what the job or whatever I'm doing wants me to do. Besides, imagine a person not knowing English, how would you understand whatever that you are doing and the situation that you are in?