Life of Pi - Question 1

          Although the main character of Life of Pi may seem irrational, I think his irrational ways are understandable considering the traumatic events that occurred. No one but the author knows which story is real, but both stories are tragic either way. Pi, mathematically speaking, is an irrational number. I think the choosing of Pi’s name was absolutely intentional, meaning even the author perceives Pi as irrational. The significance of Pi’s madness is that even though his way of thinking seems irrational to us readers, everything makes sense to him and that’s what matters.

          Pi has three different religions. Completely irrational.  But even though he has all these religions, he has reasons as to why he does. Irrational means the same as unreasonable. Pi’s religion isn’t unreasonable because it makes sense to him. Religion is personal and everyone has different views and beliefs. Religion is all about what the INDIVIDUAL believes in.  Just because Pi’s beliefs are different doesn’t make them unreasonable. He believes in God and has respect for people who at least believe in something/someone even if they’re beliefs are different. Religion, just like the truth, is open to interpretation. Pi understands that other people have different beliefs and justifies his way of thinking when he explains that he doesn’t respect people who have no religion. He talks about how everyone should at least believe in some kind of God. This shows he at least has some reason behind his beliefs. He chooses to believe in God because he feels not having a religion is wrong and the combination makes sense to him.

          I believe Pi’s “lying” about his story is absolutely justifiable. Regardless of which story is true, he made up the other version to cope with the real one; as explained by the author in an interview. Just like much of society, Pi sugar coated his story to make it easier to accept. We downplay and twist things around all the time to make them easier to cope with. When something big happens at my house, we usually tell my younger brother a less intense version of the story or a version that won’t have as much of an effect on him. I don’t find this irrational at all because it doesn’t change what happened and it helps from causing more pain with the situation. I think this easily relates to Pi in the way that, if he changed the story to animals instead of people it made him a little more detached emotionally from the chaos. The actions of the characters would also be easier to accept because animals are supposed to act savagely, while it is not acceptable in society for a person to act like the characters in Pi’s stories did. I think Pi was just trying to loosen the emotional attachment to the story to ease his mind. Mainly because instead of having his mother killed, he would have an animal killed in the story. Although Pi loved animals and had plenty of respect for them, a family member would have more of an emotional attachment for him. Pi changing the story doesn’t change what really happened and doesn’t harm anyone. If anything it helps him overcome and accept his traumatic experience. Pi’s lying may be irrational but in his instance I think it is totally justifiable due to the severity of his experience. The officers would still get the information they needed about the ship sinking. The changing of the stories affects no one but Pi, so if he wants to make it easier to process and live with, I think that’s justifiable. 

Girls found - Mayes Dead. (Current event 4)

This story has been a hot topic for the past two weeks or so. As explained in my previous current event, Adam Mayes kidnapped a mother and her three daughters in Tennessee. The oldest daughter and mother were found dead, both strangled. Mayes was found recently with the two younger girls in Mississippi. He killed himself before authorities could arrest him. His wife and mother are being charged as being involved as well. I think it's horrible what these girls have witnessed. Not only did they see their mother and sister killed, but they watched Mayes kill himself also. I also think it's pathetic that someone gave false information in order to try and get the $175,000 reward. I can't believe someone would be selfish enough to do that. What if the police would have followed that tip & Mayes would have gotten away? Its repulsing to think that someone could have the will to do something so horrible. The story is already tragic enough for someone to try and make it worse. I hope they feel horrible about themselves. I have up most sympathy for the little girls who made it alive. They didn't deserve any of those events to happen to them. They won't ever be the same. They won't ever have the mindset of normal young girls. Its sad to think that Mayes and his accomplices could so easily ruin these little girls lives. I also feel bad for their father. He lost two of the most important women in his life & he still has two more to look after. He must be struggling endlessly to stay strong for his girls.  What makes me mad is that the few people involved could cause so much pain. I can't understand what would ever justify taking someone elses family. Mayes had a family of his own, why didn't he care for the pain he was inflicting? Why did he do it? Some people can be so cruel, it'll never cease to amaze me. Ever. The stories seem to get worse and worse as time goes on. I don't know if it's because I'm older now and I'm more aware, or if society is crumbling before our eyes.


Source:
Rich, Phillips, Sutton Joe, and et al. "Girls 'within inches' of kidnapper who turned gun on himself." CNN. N.p., 11 May 2012. Web. 14 May 2012. <Girls 'within inches' of kidnapper who turned gun on himself>.

Just a reminder:

My last blog was accidentally the rest of the book, so I have 3 blogs rather than 4.

Current Event - Mother & her daughters abducted in TN

A mother and her three daughters were abducted recently in Tennessee by Adam Mayes. Two bodies were found in relation to the abduction, but the bodies have not yet been identified to the public. I've been hearing about this story all day. It's all over the media and it's all anyones been talking about. I was a little scared hearing about it. Even though I hear about little kids getting taken all the time this one scared me because one of the girls was only two years younger than me. Not only did they take her but her mom as well. I can't imagine the horror they are going through. I pray that they're found and that their abductor put in prison. Some of the rumors say he plans on taking them to Mexico and using them for money, probably prostitution. It's so sickening. There are so many other ways to make money. He's scarred those girls for the rest of their lives. I hope they make it through their crisis alive. My heart goes out to them. It breaks my heart to think that this could've happened to my family. It makes me think twice when I'm out of the house, I'm more alert now. I appreciate having my family around. Even though my mom is really strict and protective, I understand. If she wasn't the way she is with us, the probability of a situation like this happening to us would be much higher. I wish we lived in a world where things like this didn't happen. I guess that won't ever happen... For now I've just got to worry about my family and hope that these girls and their mother are found alive soon.


Source:
CNN Wire Staff, . "Bodies found in probe of alleged abduction of 3 Tennessee sisters, mother." CNN. N.p., 2012. Web. 5 May 2012. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/05/us/tennessee-missing-children/index.html?npt=NP1>.

Part Three - Life of Pi

WOAH.

Not only did I get caught up in reading the book as if Pi was real. I got caught up thinking that the story with the animals was true! I didn't see the change in stories coming at all. The book never tells which story is true, but I think it's safe to assume that the one without humans is the accurate story. I make this assumption with the thought that, we humans like to "sugar coat" things, make this seem better than they really are. Pi changed his story as a way to cope with the tragedy I think. At the same time... part of the stories don't match up. Pi trains Richard Parker  in the version with animals. If Richard Parker symbolizes Pi for the story without animals, who does Pi symbolize in the story. If Pi is Richard Parker, there needs to be someone who is Pi. Was that just an added character? A figment of his imagination maybe? Someone to keep him company? That's the only mismatch I see, but that doesn't necessarily mean the story without animals isn't the real story. I think the way the author wrote the book was very thoughtful. It points out how savage we are in nature although we hate to admit it. When worst comes to worst, thats what happens. The story sounds a bit extreme, with the cook butchering the sailor and all, but I can see how the desperation could cause a person to do something so horrible. Now, I don't know if I would be able to do that, but I can see how someone else would. After all, the first level on the Hierarchy of Needs is Survival. People will do whatever it takes to save themselves. It's sad to think that Pi would have to witness all the events first hand and its mind boggling to think of what he must've been thinking. He grew up around animals, he understood them and he understood how dangerous they were in the wild. Altering the story from humans to animals is probably the only way he could accept what had happened. I think the story with the humans is right, but I could see the animal story being true as well.

Part Two - Life of Pi Analysis

I really didn't think I would like this book. It's actually really interesting to me. Pi becomes almost an animal himself. He kills fish with his bare hands even though it's totally against his beliefs. His character completely transforms. I think its ironic how he knew so much about animals and now he's almost like one himself. His only focus is survival. Before he talked about how animals usually prefer the zoo to wild life. Now I know why, even though the animals are caged up they still have food and shelter and all the other necessities. Out in the ocean Pi and Richard have to fend for themselves. Its better in my opinion to live a somewhat controlled life than one that is unmerciful, unreliable, and savage. Atleast the animals in the zoo don't have to worry about survival. They can enjoy their lives. I remember in class you said that sometimes people forget Pi is a fictional character because they're so into the book. It's so true! You can feel his desperation, his savageness, its all so real. It's a wonder he didn't kill himself long before he discovered Richard Parker was even still on the lifeboat. And the cannibal guy who tried to eat him.... that was probably the freakiest part. I complain at school how hungry I am, but none of us really know what hunger is. I can't imagine being hungry enough to kill someone, someone who's trying to survive just like me. I don't really understand why Richard Parker chooses not to harm Pi. Without Richard Parker, Pi would be long dead. Is it destiny? A god given miracle? Luck? Animal Instinct? I don't know, but I think it's pretty cool. Im curious to find out if Pi ever explains his interpretation of why.

Current Event 2 - New charges relating to 2010 oil spill

This article is about a former BP engineer who is being charged with destroying evidence that ties him to charges relating to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill back in 2010. He deleted text messages off his phone that clearly said that the oil flow rate was too high. The company also lied about how much oil was really spilling into the gulf each day. The way I see it, deleting the messages wasn't going to make a difference. If anything, it made him look more guilty. I don't know much about off-shore drilling, but it seems pretty dangerous. I think its completely irresponsible for an oil company to drill knowing that its not safe. They cost themselves more money repairing the gulf and cleaning up, than they would have if they would've sold the oil. These companies need to be better regulated and supervised. This incident was feels like it occurred so long ago, I can't believe employees are just now being charged. It's really disappointing to think that these people ruined the gulf and its environment, and there are people at fault who are just now being charged.


Source:
Matt, Smith. "First Criminal Charges filed in BP oil spill."CNN. N.p., 2012. Web. 26 Apr 2012. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/24/us/gulf-oil-spill/index.html?hpt=ju_t4>.

Life of Pi - Part One Analysis

I think its kinda cool how we get to know Pi before we know what the mystery event is. The story reels you in. Pi's character has a certain aura that reels the reader in, making you want to find out more about him. The way he thinks is simple but unique. Animal rituals and instincts seem basic, but he uses it to explain human life which gives the concept a whole new twist. I was a little hesitant and cautious while reading the part about his father feeding a live goat to the tiger. At first I thought his father must be crazy. There had to be another way to make his point. It's so vivid in my head when I think about it, it's kind of scary. I guess Pi's father knew what he was doing, because if I'm the reader and I got scared... I can't imagine a little boy like Pi watching it in real life. Its a harsh way to teach his kids a lesson, but he got his point across at least. We forget how truly wild zoo animals are. It's almost as if humans had no religion and no government. We'd all be savages. Pi also talks about how zoo animals rarely run away. I applied that to the whole "religion and government" idea. People may complain here and there, but I think if given the choice we'd all stick with religion and government anyway. Without religion, life has no meaning. Although the government might control us, we're better off that way. Just as the animals are safe at the zoo, rather than fighting for their survival in the wild. This book makes me think about Disney's "the Jungle Book". Pi reminds me a little of Mowgli, they both have respect for the wild. At the same time they understand animal life and its a part of them.

Trayvon Martin (R.I.P.) - Current Event

I realize this probably isn't the first blog you've read so far about Trayvon Martin, sorry in advance :P


I was completely speechless when I heard about the shooting a couple weeks ago. I didn't understand why Zimmerman wasn't in jail and why he even shot Trayvon in the first place. I lived in Florida for nearly 15 years and I knew vaguely about the 'stand your ground' law. The way I always perceived it was that you could only shoot if they were on your own property. I thought that if you were able to remove yourself from the situation that you were supposed to do so. This man pursued Trayvon even after dispatch told him not to (which is what makes me mad the most). On top of that, Trayvon wasn't even armed. He had a pack of skittles and an ice tea, he didn't stand a chance! Just because you see a African-American teenager wearing a hoodie doesn't mean they're automatically a danger. The cops had already told him that they were going to take care of the situation. Why on earth would he think taking this kid's life was in reason? Did he think he was going to be some kind of neighborhood hero? Neighborhood watch people aren't even supposed to have weapons, let alone use them! Not only did he violate that rule, he disobeyed orders given to him by dispatch police. This whole incident is just....... Everyones whooping and hollering now that he's charged with second degree murder. What I'm saying is, wasn't Casey Anthony charged with murder? And didn't she get away with it? There's so many loop holes and flaws in the laws we have it makes me wonder what's really going on with our government system. The 'stand your ground' law is incredibly vague, who knows how many people have avoided murder charges with this law. I won't be satisfied until Zimmerman's behind prison bars and the 'stand your ground' law is repealed. There's way too many people getting away with murder, way too many innocent lives being lost. It's not right...


Source:
Kelly , Frank, and Smith Matt, eds. "Task force to consider 'stand your ground' after Trayvon Martin death."CNN. CNN, 19 April 2012. Web. 19 Apr 2012. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/19/justice/florida-stand-your-ground/index.html?hpt=hp_c1>.

The rest of Fahrenheit 451 - Analysis

Throughout the book, Bradbury emphasizes the negative effects of technology and societies dependence on it. I think it’s ironic how the book ended, with the atomic bomb destroying the city. The people in Fahrenheit 451 were consumed by technology. They didn’t have time to think, they were constantly either in their parlors, or listening to their seashells, or speeding down the highway. I think what sparked Montag’s way of thinking was Clarisse, and also Faber. They both seemed to overlook the fact that he was a fireman and tried to enlighten him to the world of independent thinking rather than a world consumed by technology. Faber told Montag that the only way to achieve happiness was exposure to books and other forms of quality information, leisure to think, and freedom to act. I totally forgot about him saying that until I re-read a couple parts of the book. Now in the countryside Montag actually had time to think and the freedom to do what he wanted. He finally transformed into his true-self. He always talked about how he didn’t know what caused him to make some of the decisions he did (talks about how his hands acted one their own). He actually has room and time to reflect and realize his true purpose, memorizing the bible to preserve and pass down for the benefit of society. His purpose is to spread the knowledge of books and help others achieve happiness like he did. Even though the hobos only have some technology, they aren’t overwhelmed by it. They know about books and are knowledgeable. If the society in Fahrenheit 451 was more like the hobos on the countryside (technology in moderation) they possibly would have survived.

About Dover Beach:

“For the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain”

I think the connection to Fahrenheit 451 in this is that the society seems to be perfect and happy, but it’s only the illusion of happiness that they see. They don’t have love, perfect example being Montag and Mildred. Their country is at war, which shows there is no peace. And the last part, in Fahrenheit 451 they have no remorse or care for those who have passed. When Clarisse died, no one cared. That one friend of Mildred’s talked about how if her husband died she would simply remarry. None of it matters, their life has no purpose; once someone dies everyone moves on and no one cares. They don’t leave anything behind in the world to benefit society either. Technology dominates their thoughts and blinds them from the realization that they are not happy and their society is covered in flaws.

The Hearth and the Salamander - Analysis

First off, I really like this book. It reminds me of the Giver which is one of my favorite books. The people in this society are so brainwashed. They're like uniformed puppets. Technology is one of the main causes. People stopped reading books because they lost interest in them with all the different forms of entertainment. Books make people think and question within themselves. Books have meaning and symbolism that affect the people that read them. With all the different ideals in books it only makes sense that books would cause the people that read them to have different ideals as well. Which is why the society in Fahrenheit 451 has outlawed books. Books cause controversy and abstract thinking. If people all think the same and don't question the society they live in it eliminates unhappiness. Mildred towards the end of this section of the book says that she is "happy, and proud of it". She's so brainwashed that she actually believes she's happy. She sits around all day and has conversations with the characters in her TV parlor living a meaningless life, but she's content nonetheless. She's content because she doesn't know what she's missing. There's no controversy that troubles her, everyones the same. Those that are different are casted out, like Clarisse. She questions everything and is very observant, while Mildred on the other hand couldn't care less about anything other than her "relatives". The people who built this society had a fear of being inferior. They took away all meaning and purpose of life. When a person dies they are insignificant. Since everyone is the same they don't have anything to leave behind in the world; all their ideals are the same, they have no impact to make on the world. Montag realizes the true value of books and what they represent later in the chapter when he ponders on how long it probably took these writers to write their books and how much effort went into them. These author's life purposes and ideas are all thats left behind from them in the world, in their books. The firemen torch these books without a second thought, believing that they are preserving the happiness in society but there is no true happiness in this society just the illusion of it. They're wearing the mask of happiness Montag mentioned in the beginning pages after his first meeting with Clarisse. Without individuality they all live meaningless lives. No one will care when they die, there will be no funeral for them. Life itself has no purpose, which should be a sad thing; but to the society in Fahrenheit 451 this is just the way their society works.

Withering of The American Dream - The Great Gatsby

               In a picture-perfect America, the American dream is the pursuit of happiness. In a materialistic society like East and West Egg in The Great Gatsby, the American dream is more about pursuit of wealth. Money and happiness are not one in the same which is what diminishes the American dream. The change in ideals of the American dream took place during the roaring twenties when the economy was booming and people started gaining interest in materialistic things. People pursued wealth in their lives with the idea that money would bring them happiness, but happiness doesn't come from materialistic items. Happiness comes from being content with yourself and your decisions. 
               Gatsby believed the way to achieve his dreams was through acquiring as much wealth as possible. To Gatsby being part of the wealthy class was everything, because in order to get to Daisy he had to be on her same level socially. The only problem with that concept is that East Egg is about old money, Gatsby won't ever belong in that part of the New York. He will never be accepted because he wasn't born into the same lifestyle of the old aristocracy. The American dream is the idea that anyone in our country can become anything they want as long as they have the will to achieve that success. With the materialistic social class system in The Great Gatsby that is merely impossible. Gatsby had all the money and possessions he intended on having but his dream still wasn’t fulfilled. His dream is ruined when Daisy finds out the means to which he acquired his wealth. Not only was Gatsby considered new money, but he made his money illegally which was just not good enough for Daisy. He put Daisy on a pedestal and was disappointed when he realized his dream wasn't fulfilled as he wanted it to be. His dream didn’t work out for him because of the morals and fundamentals it was based upon. His dream was more about wealth than anything else. No matter the amount of wealth he possesses he will never be good enough for Daisy. Daisy has no morals and only cares about the materialistic side of the spectrum. Neither Daisy nor Gatsby understand the idea the true meaning of the American dream. 
               The corrupt views instilled in them because of their social class make them out to believe in the pursuit of wealth rather than happiness. Gatsby tried endlessly to make his dream a reality but the more he tried the farther from his dream he got. Gatsby replaced his morals with greed, without the right morals the American dream is unattainable. As time passes society seems to become more and more materialistic and as this happens the American dream continues to diminish, just as Gatsby’s dream became more and more materialistic which ruined his chances at true happiness. The original morals of happiness in the American dream have now turned into that of greed and wealth as shown in The Great Gatsby.

The Great Gatsby (ch 7-9)

I knew Daisy was going to pick Tom! The fact that her and Tom left town with no regard for Gatsby, Nick, Wilson, or anyone else in the story proves just how shady they both are. Tom still doesn't really care for Daisy and she's a complete idiot for believing that he does. He passed her on to Gatsby to drive home with to prove his point, show how secure he was. She is just a possession to him. He'll probably start another affair wherever it is him and Daisy ran off to. Daisy seemed completely indifferent to Gatsby's death which is a whole new level of shallowness for her. Even though she picked Tom she could've showed the least bit of respect towards Gatsby by attending his funeral. Gatsby's dream was ruined by social status. Not only was he 'new money' but he acquired his wealth illegally. Daisy on the other hand was old money, which explains her lack of empathy for others. She doesn't know what it's like to be poor and doesn't care for those that do. Daisy symbolizes the old aristocracy's lack of heart and morals. Even though Gatsby was wealthy and a criminal he still had those qualities the people of East Egg lacked. During this time the American Dream turned from the pursuit of happiness to the pursuit of wealth. Gatsby may have become as wealthy as he wanted but that wealth didn't get him Daisy. He was chasing wealth to get to Daisy but failed to realize the fault in his plan. Daisy lacks the morals to live up to his expectations; after all, she is from East Egg what more could he expect from her? He should have realized that if she wouldn't date him because of his social status then she obviously didn't truly love him and things wouldn't have worked out between them anyways. He learned that the hard way, and even through the end of his role in the book he still loves Daisy, like a fool. Even with all the wealth he had, Daisy still chose Tom. She doesn't care that she betrayed him. She doesn't care he died. She simply doesn't care about anyone but herself.

The Great Gatsby ch 1-6

As the book goes on, I come to dislike Daisy more and more with each page. The part of the book where her and Gatsby finally meet again in Nick's home seems like Fitzgerald is trying to get the reader to like her. Gatsby thought she wouldn't want to see him and since she stayed and cried and got emotional we're supposed to feel sorry for her. She's 'stuck between the two'. But the thing is.. she didn't wait for Gatsby like she was supposed to. She married Tom, why? He was wealthy and seemed like a good husband. At the time. He's cheating on her, which I think serves her right to some extent. She's stuck-up and materialistic. She wants Gatsby now that he's rich and has this big house and throws all these wild parties. Why didn't she just wait for him when he went to war if she loved him so much? It's not like she was madly in love with Tom at the time anyways. Which is why I don't feel sorry for her and I don't trust her character at all. She's shallow and a complete tease to Gatsby. She's not going to choose him over Tom. I don't mean to make Gatsby seem like the victim either. I like him, but at the same time his expectations are way too high. He spent 5 years dreaming about Daisy. Now he's disappointed because she doesn't meet his expectations. Life isn't a dream and it was foolish of him to think they would have a perfect reunion. Daisy is stuck-up and set in her ways. She's not going to leave Tom. I know it. She's all about appearance and materialism. Even if she knows Tom's cheating on her, she won't leave him. Even if she loves Gatsby more, thats just the way she is.

The Birthmark - Summary & Comparison to the Crucible

A scientist named Aylmer got married to an 'almost perfect' woman. He is obsessed with perfection, and cannot stand the hand-shaped birthmark on her cheek. She is so near perfect, he can't stand the way it ruins her face. Other men have liked it and found it special, which is why she never thought to remove it. Seeing his disgust of the birthmark makes her soon hate it too. She rather die than continue to live with the birthmark ("Either remove this dreadful hand, or take my wretched life!"). After her fainting episode, he is intent to get rid of the birthmark. She finds his book of experiment recordings and later finds out he had been doing experiments on her the whole time. When she goes into the laboratory and finds him and Aminadab working on something (probably for the next experiment), he tests a liquid planned to rid of the birthmark on a plant, it got rid of the spots on the plant. She drank the liquid and the mark started to disappear. He thought the experiment was successful, but she started dying as the hand faded.

The relation in theme between the Crucible and The Birthmark, is the obsession of perfection. Anything odd or different is looked down upon and cast out. Salem tries to rid of its impurities (the witches) as Aylmer tries to rid of his wife's impurity (the birthmark). Both attempts to "purify" resulted in tragedy. In the Crucible hundreds of innocent people are killed, in the Birthmark Aylmer loses his wife. Both thoughts of imperfection were relative. Others thought Georgiana's birthmark only added to her beauty, Aylmer thought the opposite. His obsession with perfection ruined his life, as the obsession with perfection ruined Salem village.

Stephen King - On Writing - Essay

Practice makes perfect, but in the eyes of Stephen King practice shouldn’t feel like practice. A writer should write often and enjoy doing it, “if there’s no joy in it, it’s just no good” (page 150). A writer has to take writing seriously but be passionate about what they’re writing at the same time. Throughout his life King has always written, even when situations were tough, and that’s why he’s such a successful writer.

At a young age King was writing his own short stories and submitting them to magazines. With as many rejection notices he King received, most other adolescents would give up. He took the rejections and used them to build his determination. He looked forward to little critiques on the slips; these pieces of advice formed him as a writer. Critique shouldn’t break you down, it should build you up, and Stephen King is a great example of this. No matter how many rejection slips he had to pin on that spike, he never stopped writing.

Writing doesn’t always come easy, as King learned while writing Carrie. He lost emotional connection with his story, which is never good (Page 76). He just about gave up on the story, threw it out even. All he needed was a little encouragement from his wife to get him back on track. Even though writing Carrie was difficult from the start, his determination to finish the story is what caused his prolonged breakthrough to success. Carrie was his first major publication. The advice he got as a child, and all the practice he got from non-stop writing contributed to Carrie’s success. Had he given up on this story for good, there’s the possibility he never would’ve gotten his taste of fame. It’s important to keep writing no matter what because you never know if your next story could be the one to “make it big”. King never would’ve thought Carrie would achieve as much as it has. He kept writing, just as every good writer should.

Even after Stephen King’s horrific accident he continued to write. He was an immense amount of pain, definitely not in a writing mood, but he got back to work anyway. With determination and passion anything is possible. Success come to those who persevere, King of all people should know this concept well. If you’re writing for the right reasons, with the right amount of drive, and as often as time allows success should be an evident outcome.

Part three - Steven King's On Writing - Analysis

Most essays I’ve written, there were no second drafts, so it’s interesting to see how much of a difference that second draft makes. That whole equation (2^nd draft = 1^st draft – 10%), pure genius. Cutting out 10% seemed like a bit much to me, until I saw the revisions he made to The Hotel Story. There are details that sound necessary and fitting in the moment, but when you go back and take some of those out it actually does flow better. I thought it was funny when he made the joke about everyone having a history, but most of it isn’t interesting. I immediately thought of that one person in class that has an impulse to tell any story even the slightest bit related to something the teacher has said. They drag on for what seems like forever, and in the end nothing is gained. No one paid attention and everyone would’ve been just fine not having to endure one more of the countless stories. The same applies to writing; though it may sound good to you it’s important to remember that no one really cares as much as you do. Cut out the unnecessary details and move on, you’ll be doing yourself and everyone else a favor. I’ll definitely remember this concept in my future essays.

State of the Union Address 2012 response

Stephen King - On Writing Analysis - Part Two

The idea that writing is form of telepathy both surprised me but fascinated me at the same time. The concept makes sense. When you write you really are transmitting your thoughts to another person in that special way, I never would’ve thought of it that way though. I never would’ve compared writing skills to a homemade, wooden toolbox either. In his advice on vocabulary and descriptions he says the first things that come to mind are usually the best choices. Writing is creative and in the spur of the moment which I thought justified that advice. The words you remember first are usually the most vivid. Most of these things I never thought of but knew all at the same time; like he said, like cleaning the rust off of drill bits. I always used to think description of the characters was really important. King’s explanation of the show don’t tell kind of opened my eyes. After a few characteristics the rest usually go in hand with the previous, there’s no need to add in unnecessary details. When he started writing about not having a plot, I was a bit skeptical. I thought about how unorganized and all over the place the story would be. Just like all the other advice in this book, I eventually ended up agreeing with him. I originally thought the writer plans out the story, but I like the way he sees the story as already there just waiting to be written; as if the story writes itself. He’s truly passionate about what he does and he’s more than good at it. Many of the tips and explanations contradicted my original thinking, but now I see why he’s so great and what makes his writing just as great.

Stephen King - Part 1 of On Writing - Response

Stephen never gave up on his writing which I thought was really significant. He was constantly being rejected when he was young. He took criticism well, and used it as motivation. That motivation and persistence is what attributed to his success. He saw the world in a different perspective. His imagination got him in trouble more often than not as a child, but came to his advantage later in life. Most of his books come from random off the wall ideas that only he could think of. He wrote through periods of poverty, mourning, and addiction. I think only a true writer like King can do so and still have great pieces as a result. His mother and his wife were the two people that always motivated him, I highly doubt he would've gotten his life back on track without them. Even as a struggling single mother, King's mother always encouraged him to do better and keep writing. In moments of doubt his wife seemed to give him that extra push to keep him going on with his career. Writing always helped him at the right moments. The points in his life where he thought he’d hit rock bottom his writing always seemed to help him back up to his feet. He never gave up writing, and writing never gave up on him.