Tabria: Beyond Class Activity- What's Funny About School?

On November 19, 2013, I went to go see a comedy show that featured three African American comics named Joe Torry, Arvin Mitchell, and Alex Scott. It lasted about two hours. Of course since it was a comedy show, they based most of their jokes on the college life and making fun of campus living. What I wanted to know was, what was their reason for making fun of college, why is campus living funny? The last guy Alex Scott, asked each person in the audience about their major and where they lived, only to make a joke about it. Some people think that college life is funny and a waste of time, but what they don't know is that it's totally worth it, when looking for a job. If a person is currently in college or has a college degree, it looks better on a resume'. If someone went to prestigious college or university that really looks good too. People say all around that college isn't for everyone, but everyone has a talent deep within them.

TSA: Essay #3

Essay three was very different than the others. This time we get to choose our own topic. I chose to use the story, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven." The actual topic I'm comparing the story to is sleep disorder. I felt that sleep disorder compares to it exactly. The protagonist has in fact expressed sleep problems/sleep disorders. We all know relationships have their problems, but why does the character experience bad dreams? Is his sleep being affected by his relationship or is his dreams trying to tell him something? This is how I came up to use sleep disorder as the main topic; he is losing sleep because of his violent and horrible dreams.

Tabria A: Elizabeth Bishop's Fish

Fish written by Elizabeth Bishop, who actually became an inspired poet since she was young. This particular poem reflected on survival and sympathy. The fish as a survivor symbolizes strength. His sympathy for the fish was some what strong; seeing the fish's weak expression. Somehow there was a line that was broken, and the fish attempted to get away from that. The fisherman realized that the fish wanted to get away, when he hesitated and eventually the fish escaped from the line. A sudden rainbow appeared and the fisherman realized that the rainbow might of symbolized the fish escaping from his problems or maybe the fish's life will end in another certain way.

TSA: William Wordsworth's Lines

William Wordsworth who was named poet laureate, also a worshiper of nature. His poem Lines  was described in various ways, in this case it's described in his perception. The way he puts the words has a relaxing quality to them. Wordsworth expresses his emotions through his description of nature. His love for meadows, woods and mountains are all so special. Through his eyes everything around him has a certain meaning to him. He travels around and observes that many things are in unique forms. By reading this poem, I've learned that admiring and thinking positively about the special things put on earth is better than thinking about all the  negative things revolving around else.

TSA: Poetry

Poetry has been the main topic in English for the past week. Before we started to read the poems, the professor and students created a list on the board. Anything that comes to mind when it comes to poems. Poetry has many genres: romance, horror, humor, and etc. A poem can be short or long, lines can consist of two words or more. Most poems have rhythm and few may not. Some poems may have a general understanding, and others may be a little confusing. There are many different authors out there that created many types of poems. List of authors: Emily Dickinson, John Donne, Robert Frost, Wilfred Owen and Dylan Thomas. One of Emily Dickinson's poems is called "After great pain, a formal feeling comes."  Death, be not proud," was one of John Donne's famous work. Unlike the others, I've realized that Robert Frost has three poems, After Apple-Picking, The Road Not Taken, & Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. A different type of poem written by Wilfred Owen focuses on violent side, war. Another poet named Dylan Thomas was best known for his poem called Do not go gentle into that good night. All these poems are described differently in perspectives seen by these poets. These poems are viewed differently to readers and their meanings could have an effect on many readers.  

TSA Week 7: Understanding of the Characters

The Glass Menagerie is a memory play about the Wingfield family. This play is told through one of its own character,

• Tom Wingfield(the hard worker in the family.) The narrator
• Amanda---> mom of Tom and Laura; bitter from her husband's early leaving from the family and no friends to keep her company. Expectations for her children ate too high
• Laura---> older sibling, no confidence, very shy, and devotes herself to old records and her collection of glass figures. Keeps away from the outside world, in other words less acquainted 
• Tom---> pressured from being the supporter of the family. Works at shoe warehouse, frustrated with his mother; tries to escape all his worries and troubles by drinking and going out; ends up making a hasty decision
• Jim---> old friend of Tom and Laura, works with Tom in the warehouse too, devoted to goals of success.
• Mr. Wingfield---> husband of Amanda; father of Tom and Laura. Abandoned his family earlier. A piece of him is still left behind in Wingfield home. He never appears on stage in scene

This is just a small outline to help me know a little about each character in this play. 

TSA Week 6: Beginning Process

Last week in English, the class watched a movie called, "The Glass Menagerie." Also written as a play, but with slight differences. Students were assigned to do an analytical paper on this story, and are required to include a thesis/claim with supporting examples. Since the audience is quite different and broader from the last essay, we have to think harder and research or resources have to be credible. After observing the provided ideas, I've decided to do a thematic or character comparison with a story we have already read. I chose to use Laura from The Glass Menagerie, and Elisa- the wife from The Chrysanthemums. They both seem to have a hard time with relationships in general. Even though Elisa is already married, she still has a difficult time staying happy. In Laura's situation, she isn't married, but hopes to find someone. She ends up with an old crush for a short period of time, but realizes it doesn't go as she expected. They both kind of have no confidence except that Elisa may be a little stronger than Laura is. With her mother always down her back about everything, may be the reason why Laura feels the way she does or is used to her mother doing things for her all the time. Elisa knows that her one true talent is planting flowers, but that's all she really is good at. Laura on the other hand, was enrolled in school for short period time, but ends up dropping out because of her shyness.