Brooke's Still I Rise poetry assignment

Still I rise

Out of the three poems that we read this one stuck out most in my head. I could almost see her writing this poem and I could imagine the struggles she went through and how she took everything as an opportunity to rise. The whole poem flowed very well and I can tell the effort put into it. She really knows how to create imagery and really make you feel what she is feeling. I really liked the part where she said “Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops. Weakened by my soulful cries.” I can picture a girl in my head that is just very depressed and down but she just stands up and walks it off. That line is specifically just seems like a fuck you to me. The part where she says “Shoulders falling down like teardrops. Weakened by my soulful cries” is a beautiful use of a simile, you can just imagine her shoulders falling slowly like the first tear drop falling from your eyes. When she said, “Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I've got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs?” It is shocking because women don’t usually talk about there sexuality. I respect her for saying this because your sexuality is nothing to be ashamed of and It’s not socially accepted for girls or women to be sexual. 

Brooke's House Contents assignment

House contents and the big wide world

Does Susan's character and voice feel authentic, and real? Why or why not? Give examples.

I usually don’t like when people use humor when talking about serious issues especially if its something you cant control. I think that in this case the author did it in a very respectful way and it was very cute and light. It made what is very sad conditions seem livable. The characters voice is very friendly and through out the whole story the way she spoke never changed. She is a very sassy silly person who has seen the world and is now trapped. The way she spoke when she spoke about loneliness and restlessness made me feel it. I really enjoyed this story and the character because she learned to live with such a hard illness and she remained wild and free in a way. 

Brooke's Lamb to the Slaughter assignment

Lamb to slaughter

Newspaper article

Mistress charged with the murder of Patrick Maloney!

A year after the tragic death of Toronto police officer Patrick Maloney justice has been served. Weeks after the murder Patrick’s alleged girlfriend came to police saying that she had been seeing him for months and she was pregnant. She said that the night of his murder he was supposed to leave his wife who was six months pregnant. Police took Mrs. Maloney into questioning. She denied hearing anything and said that Mr. Maloney was just to tired to go out. Police talked to the local grocer and said “She seemed very normal, cheerful, wanted to give Mr. Maloney a nice dinner”. Later on that day Mrs. Maloney was released from custody. Still remained anonymous Mr. Maloney’s alleged girlfriend was seen taken into custody. The story is that she was waiting outside the house waiting for Mr. Maloney to tell his wife. When Mrs. Maloney left to the grocer she entered the home and hit him across the head with an unidentified object. She is pleading not guilty to the murder charges. She will be serving life in prison and her child will be under the care of her mother. 

Adira's House Contents assignment

House Contents and the Big Wide World

I think that the character in this short story is very believable. She adds humor into a very sad situation. I think it’s very effective and authentic. It shows you that just because she has agoraphobia doesn’t mean that she changed her personality and it helps you realize she’s an ordinary person with an unordinary problem. I think Susan’s voice is very authentic. Before she was agoraphobic she was completely normal girl and “used to do crazy things” and all of a sudden she became the person her mother was. I also thinks it believable because even though she feels best in her home she still feels lonely and want to be social for example when she ordered food in the middle of the day or when she made a sale in her house so people would come to see her she did all this just so people would talk to her and she could socialize. It also helps you understand that the character is trapped with this problem and she want to escape but doesn’t know how.

Adam's poetry assignment

Still I Rise

I enjoyed the poem, as it did have the idea of rising from a downfall that I liked, such as;

“You may trod me in the very dirt”
“But still, like dust, I'll rise.”

This gave a sort of lasting impact on me, as it had a bit of relation for whenever I may be in a bad spot, or feels bad about some things; it has that sense of encouragement to be able to lift you out of it.  This poem also makes reference to today’s society, with the mention of people having an overuse/abundance of diamonds. It also talks about some of the types of aggression shown in our society, such as visual, emotional, and physical aggression towards other people. But despite the amount of negativity shown throughout, there is still the positive return. The Rising happens afterward, in every verse, using certain imagery such as “like air”, or “like hopes springing high”.

                                                                                                            -By Adam Trillwood

Short Story Assignment- House Contents and the Big Wide World

House Contents and the Big Wide World by Camilla Gibb

Read the short story (in the handouts)

Answer these two questions in a paragraph: 

In the story, the author deals with the main character, Susan's agoraphobia in a humorous manner.
Do you think that the humour works, given how serious the problem is? Is it effective, why or why not?

Does Susan's character and voice feel authentic, and real? Why or why not? Give examples.

Adira's poetry assignment

Still I rise

I love this poem “still I rise.” It gives you hope that even if you’re feeling down and feel like you’re alone it’s not a bad life just a bad day. It makes you keep dreaming for a better tomorrow and that one day you’ll turn to all the people that didn’t wish you well and who tried to push you down and say “watch me”. I think this poem is very effective it helps you keep believing in yourself and the future which is a theme in this poem.

There are many examples of imagery in this poem. My favorite of favorites is “'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines Diggin' in my own back yard.” I think it means that am I so happy and laugh as If I have no worries that it makes you want to hurt me? There are also many similes in “still I rise” but my favorite is at the end where it says “but still like air I rise” which means but still one day I will rise and be better then you!

Ari's poetry assignment: reaction to Bukowski's the Crunch

The Crunch

            In the poem, The Crunch, by Charles Bukowski uses a lot of repetition and different things to make his poem more interesting.  I feel like he uses a lot of repetition because he wants to get his point across.  I also feel like he does it because in a depressing story like this one, he needs to make it a little bit more interesting.  The writer also uses simile; a simile is comparing two things with like or as.  When using simile, it makes a story more interesting by using comparisons and more real-life examples to make the story better.  This is most likely why the writer used simile to write his poem.    

            Charles Bukowski also uses metaphors a couple times to shorten what he is trying to get across. I feel like he does it for other reasons too, (e.g: making the story shorter, better written and more interesting)

How I Reacted To The Poem

            I found the poem to be very depressing and a little bit hopeful at the same time.  I liked the poem, but not enough to read it again.  I really did like how the poem talked about how people can’t love each other and there are a lot more haters than lovers. It also talks a lot about people judging other people which I really like as well. 

            After reading the poem, I felt like I should do something about all the haters in the world, but then I realized I have no power to do anything.  This made me feel kind of depressed.

r, better written and more interesting)