Aibileen !

Famous line of Aibileen while talking to Mae Mobley.

This chapter that I just finished came after the Skeeter chapter I just got finished blogging about last week.  Of course, I still have a lot of questions about Skeeter like what happened to Constintine but I will have to read about two more chapters to even find out.  Aibileen is a maid for a white family as well.  As said before, she takes care of Mae Mobley which is the baby of the household.  Mae's mother does not treat her very well and if nothing like the motherly figure towards her child.  The maid, Aibileen is more like the mother.  Because she is a black maid, she has a separate bathroom in the garage where she can go to the bathroom, it is actually a privilege to have a bathroom at all to use.  Mae Mobley just got to the age where she wants to start going to the bathroom by herself.  But, Mae being a stubborn yet sweet kid as always, wanted to see Aibileen go before she would learn how.  That sounds weird, but I guess that is the only way of learning how to potty train a baby.  So, Aibileen took Mae out to the black bathroom outside in the garage and that is how Mae learned to go to the bathroom.  She was potty trained, a fast learner for sure.  When her mother got home from work or where ever she was, I honestly forget (It wasn't that important), Mae Mobley was showing her mommy how she could go to the bathroom by herself like a big girl.... in the black person bathroom.  Her mom began beating her baby for going in there.  All Aibileen could do is sit in shame because she had no control over what her mother was punishing her for.  As Aibileen was talking to Skeeter, she brings up the topic of starting a new book of what it s like working for a white family.  This has to be top secret, or they could lose there jobs, houses, and possibly die.  SCARYYYY!!!

Skeeter !!

Minny, cleaning for a new white family in hopes the husband doesn't find out

****THIS WAS SUPPOST TO GET POSTED THURSDAY NIGHT BUT I WENT TO MY DRAFTS INSTEAD********

Okay, so I just finished my chapter on skeeter and its really getting me sort of mad because the chapters switch characters every time and leave you hanging.  Like, the next time I am going to read about Skeeter is in like three chapters, and I still do not know if Minny got caught cleaning that one husband that did not know a black lady was cleaning for his house, only his wife knew.  Right now all I know is Minny is hiding in the bathroom praying to God know one comes through that door.  But Skeeter has a completly different story.  She was rasied by someone named Constintine.  He taught Skeeter everything about life, all life manners, how to get through life, was always there for advice, sort of like a role model through his childhood.  All of the sudden, Constinine quit.  Skeeter did not know why, and her parents were not giving her the answers she wanted.  I know how frustrating that can be because sometimes parents don't think you can handle the truth, but really that is all you want.  Slowly, Skeeter is getting answers.  Turned out Constitine was fired! Which was a big shocker because her family absolutly loved him and had him employed for about 29 years!!! That is a long time.  So far, they know Constintine had a white child, who with blonde hair.  He was sort of embarresed due to the different skin colors.  And also, Skeeters mom does know where he went, but she refuses to tell any information.  Skeeters dad is giving the good old excuse of "Ask your mother, she knows" excuse.  I hate when parents say that to me, it even happens in books! I hope I find out what happened to Minny soon!!

****THIS WAS SUPPOST TO GET POSTED THURSDAY NIGHT BUT I WENT TO MY DRAFTS INSTEAD********

Weakness

Baker describes the escalators themselves that rise to his office, “They were the free-standing kind: a pair of integral sins swooping upward between the two floors they served without struts or piers to bear any intermediate weight.” 
-This blogger used a long quotation.  This could have been broken apart and simplified as two sentences or more.
http://thelostmessageofwords.blogspot.com/ 

"H e also uses figurative language when he mentions the escalator"
 - This blogger said the verb "uses" and if makes his observations sound weak.  
http://mbutchko.blogspot.com/


It also seems manipulating and compulsive like there is a hidden problem within the character that is expressed through sharp abrasive language.
- This blogger began to use past tense.  At the beginning he/she used present tense.  This sentence would sound better if he/she said expresses instead of expressed
http://wowfaktor.blogspot.com/

J. D. Salinger is an author who uses very low and denotative words to write his stories.  
- THIS blogger, says the verb "use" when describing the diction.  I think if the writer would say "conveys a low and denotative type of diction" instead of uses.  
http://vikingdeathmetal.blogspot.com/  

Practice Diction

In the excerpt from Nicholson Baker's writing, The Mezzanine, Nicholson Baker portrays a very straightforward and scholarly type of diction. At the same time, he uses a figurative type of language when describing objects such as the lobby.  Baker said the lobby was filled with "towering volumes of marble and glass.  Baker refers to the escalator as the "escalator of daylight" which conveys a poetic yet highly elevated sound.  

Help! - Dedicated to Maddie (:

I am dedicating this blog to the one and only Maddie Clay.  This is because yesterday she did her book talk on the same book I am reading.  I think she liked reading it more than I am but that is probably because I have had a busy week and its hard to read while enjoying it and having homework on your mind on top of that.  But, It is still a very good book! I am so excited for one of the black maids.  She just got hired from a new family and they treat her much differently than most do.  This lady is younger than her.  I think that is weird that a younger girl is hiring an older woman to work for her, it should be the other way around.  But anyways, Minny, the newly hired maid, was SO nervous for her interview.  I understand where she was coming from because when I was at my first interview, I was so nervous! I couldn't even sleep the night before.  But turns out, this lady was actually being rejected by five previous maids that were black as well because of her situation.  She just wants a maid Monday-Friday to clean the house a little for a couple hours while her husband is at work.  She does not was to disappoint her husband and not keep up with the house.  The only problem is, if her husband were to come home to an African American in his home, he would grab his pistol and shoot her.  That is what happened to the last maid.  Minny was the one to actually accept the job unlike the other 5 ladies.  I would not take it if I were Minny but I guess some people just need the money.  I am guessing there will be problems involving Minny and the young couple that just hired her, but Minny is too sweet of a lady for that to happen to, so I hope it doesn't.  I think this week I will be able to find a good time to just sit and read this book more.  There is just not enough hours in the day to find time!

Currently 10/21

Steinbeck uses a picturesque, attractive connotation of nature, an elevated yet familiar altitude, and a melodious sound producing a beautiful scene filled with wildlife. - XC Hoosier 3366
I liked how this blogger used vocabulary words from this weeks list to describe Steinbeck's book. 

The adealine injected cheering of the crowd and violent spasisms of the bull give a noisy claging sound to this excert. - The Chief
 This is a very detailed description that paints a very good picture of the style of writing the author portrays.

The Mud Below is poetic yet basic, it impliments common language with a simple country twang, and it has a sweet and musical sound.- I need a Nap-
I need a nap too.  But when this blogger was describing the Mud Below, they use descriptive tone to describe a very basic type of writing style. 

Pages read this week:: 110
Pages read this semester:: 1120

The Help !

Okay, I am starting another book but this time I am going to finish it.  I don't think this one will be too easy or too hard and will be funny.  I heard it is a very exciting book to read that keeps will keep me addicted the whole time. It says on the cover it is #1 New Yorks Best Seller so that must mean some people like it.  And yes, I did judge this book by its cover but thats okay.  I also am reading it because Maddie told me to read it and she talked about how good of a book it is all the time while reading it.  My sister had a convention thing last night and while she was down, she came back home to take back the CD I had been using the whole time she was in grad school, whoops! But she came home with this book in her hand and asked me if I wanted to read it and then go see the movie with her.  I heard the movie was good, but I guess I can't see it until I read it.  But so far last night, I read the first chapter and I just read it before I went to bed.  It was about a black women who is basically very talented in taking care of babies and she cares for a baby named Mae Mobley, also known as the church baby because it was born on a Sunday.  This was set in a time though where black and white women were treated in the same.  They would have to do different things such as use different bathrooms, drink out of different fountains, etc.  This angers her because she used the white mother's bathroom and it was made a big deal.  I don't blame her though because it is not fair in any way to be treated differently because of how they look.  I am glad things have changed since those times, people would be so different. 

Style Mapping

In the excerpt from The Help, the language seems to be more in a connotative and musical tone.  The narrator talks in a low blunt and course way which conveys straightforward and literal.  Words are used such as "colic" and "chilluns." Chilluns is a slang term for children.  This is an example of why this excerpt is not a denotative tone.  On the other hand, Neil Gaimean's excerpt, Stardust, he uses a denotative and low tone.  His writing uses familiar and common words such as old, native, and treacherously.  The excerpt is very straightforward and literal as it explains the town of Wall.  Cormax McCathy's excerpt titled, Blood Meridian, is written in a poetic way that sounds very musical and harmonious.  That except is the most different compared to the past two passages I had read.  He used phrases such as "yond an endless swale" and "the sun that rises in the color of steel."  This creates a high tone that is elevated and ornate when describing objects such as the sun in the previous sentence.  All diction is different in the styles the author writes.

Another Blog...

Looking back at what I read, I realized I have not read much more from when I blogged last time, I think Tuesday? Some where around that time.  Its because I have been working at my new job and it has been super stressful learning all the new stuff is so stressful! And because it has been the last week of the quarter, there has been a lot of quarterly's to study for to make sure I get my final quarter grades up.  But that is still no excuse I guess.  But from the little I read, it has made me think about some things.  I keep wondering if something traumatic event, such as getting bit by a shark, if I would have the determination to keep doing that.  I remember on Spring Break, we visited a family friend's house down in Florida.  Their brother was an Olympian and a professional cliff diver.  He was one of those kind of people who ramble on and on about determination and strength and self discipline.  I asked him if he ever has got hurt when cliff diving and if he gets scared every time he is about to jump.  He obviously said yes, he does get scared and yes, he has got hurt.  He said every time he jumps he is so scared and sometimes he can't even jump because he freaks himself out.  He later explained that his fear is a good thing.  That is because fear can help keep him safe in dangerous situations.  Without fear, he would never know what to do when he was jumping and his care-free attitude would lead him to get hurt.  I think if Alana who got bit by the shark would be more fearful she would have been more aware of her surroundings.  But on the other hand, you have to make sure fear does not overcome yourself and what you do. 

Quarterly

This year I have surprised myself with how much I have been reading.  At the start of this class and the beginning of the year, I had not even picked up many books before besides the boring books I had to for school.  I think school made me think that all books are hard and complicated to understand.  Now I realize those books are just the way they are because it is not what I like to read.  My favorite book I read so far, the one I am going to do my book presentation on in a couple weeks, was Heaven Is Real.  It was easy and something I was very interested in.  I found this class most challenging on the review days of vocab.  I think it is because by the time the test comes around, I forget the list of words from two weeks ago.  Next semester I am going to try to read more and study harder for extra credit.  The more I read, the more I find myself finding extra credit.  I am happy with this class even though I was doubting it at first, I am glad I am taking it.  I helped a lot during my PSAT test this Wednesday when I had to choose vocabulary words and during the writing portion.  The "SAT boot-camp" was useful to do at the beginning of the year because I could better eliminate answers when choosing the correct sentences. 

Surf without Fear- Currently

It is hard to believe that this soul surfer is still going to keep on surfing after her long recovery.  I am scared of sharks just from watching Shark Week on the TV once a year, let alone after getting my arm completely bit off.  Recently while reading, she described the pain and the way she reacted was incredible.  She said when she was out with her family, all she felt was pressure.  And then red she saw blood red surrounding her.  Then she simply and calmly said, "I got bit by a shark." No screaming, no panic, and no fear.  She just started swimming with one arm back to the shore, even though it was a quarter of a mile away.  There was people there on the beach that called the ambulance.  On the way back, she prayed over and over out loud.  That is probably something I would be doing but I would also be crying and panicking at the same time.  I would also be scared that the shark would come back and attack me and bite off another arm or leg or anything.  According to shark week, the shark usually wants to come back and attack the same person once they get a taste the first time.  It amazing what people can learn just from shark week! When I went to Florida last Spring Break, and when I was relaxing on the beach one hot afternoon and because it was so hot, I sat my chair in the water just a little bit so I would stay cool, while still laying out on the beach.  I was closing my eyes so they would not look directly into the sun, and when I opened them, there was a surprise by my feet, A stingray! It was so scary! I did not know if I should get my feet our of the way but that would scare the sting ray, so instead I just watched it sweep by my feet waiting for it to sting me.  I am so glad it didn't! For the majority of the rest of the day, I just stayed on the sand where no sting rays could sting me.  If I was scared of a little sting ray that did no harm to me, I don't understand how "soul surfer" isn't afraid of sharks who did actually hurt her.

One Less Arm

        As I was reading, I started thinking.  I started thinking about how weird it is that we all started out not be able to read a single word at all, or even speak a single word.  Now we are required to read hundreds of pages a week, all within about ten years ago when I first started to learn to read.  I guess my mind started drifting while I was reading, Soul Surfer, because it is so easy to read.  I sometimes start thinking about something completely random like that and I have to remind myself of what is going on in the book.  But anyways, as this surfer is training her arm to get back in shape she finds it had to do certain things.  Simple things that we hardly think about such as buttoning your shirt, tying you shoe laces on tennis shoes, anything that requires two hands.  But she has learned that she is a strong person and can last through challenges such as those.  She explains her perspective on her situation.  People often ask her why she is home schooled or why she decides to live thousands of miles away from the rest of the United States.  But she wouldn't wanna live any other way! All her other friends, especially Alana, are also home schooled and she already has a busy schedule when she is out surfing all day.  Her responses sounded a lot like my cousins who are home schooled as well.  They just always loved being independent and learning by their parents who became their teachers.  Whenever they were put in a public school, they would feel out of place, especially because they were much more smart than most other students.  I love that the "soul surfer" is not boy crazy like a lot of people seem to be these days.  She is perfectly content with her friends, and family.  She does not need anyone else to make her happy.  I think that is a strong characteristic that is hard to find sometimes, especially if you attend a public school.  This girl is for sure different than most girls, and there is something about her that still has me wondering. 

Soul Surfer

Soul Surfer is a book that was reccommended to me by Kirstin, the same person who usually wants me to read half the books I read for this class. She always reads and we like the same type of material that is easy, yet intresting.  For this book, it is one of the easiest book I have read in awhile.  It is easy to just sit down and read this book while relaxing without thinking very much.  It is about a young girl who has loved surfing since the age of five.  She loves the water, loves the sun, and loves the beach.  When reading it, I felt myself feeling cold and missing summer because the book reminded me of vacation and this summer spending my days out on the beach and at the pool.  I miss those days and the winter is just beginning.  But, this girl one day while surfing was just gliding across the water when suddenly a shark came by and ate her arm.  Literally, the whole arm up to her armpit.  There are pictures of the arm and the huge shark that was caught with the exact teeth marks.  Her arm looks so weird now! But that does not stop of from working hard to keep surfing.  She has the determination to pass through the healing process.  She worked many hours a day getting back into shape after recovery and becoming stronger just so she will be able to do the same type of activities as she did before the accident.  I am halfway through the reading this week and the book is off to a slow start, hopefully is starts to pick up soon tonight when I finish my reading for the week.