Beckett's American Literature Blog

Describe one thing that makes you different from other people. Prompt Response:  One thing that I believe makes me different from other people is the fact that I believe all life is equivocally invaluable. I have seen many people treat and audibly state that animals, plants, or really any other group of living beings are inferior to them as they aren't humans like they are. I find this belief to be rather disgusting, as I can clearly see the life and beauty behind every living thing and the consciousness within them. I like to see the value in everything, and even if I can't understand or see the life within a living thing, that in no way means it's not there. Those that assume it's not as a way to make them feel more than what they are is a very selfish thing indeed. Summary: Today we took notes about poetry and read a a poem by Emily Dickinson. Reflection:  I hope next time we take notes I pay better attention as I found myself doodling more than I should on my paper....

  Prompt: Dickinson uses the metaphor of a funeral to describe her inner struggles. What metaphor would you use to describe your own mind? Prompt Response:  A metaphor I believe that could describe my mind is my mind is a solar system, with many planets (each representing different aspects of myself) rotating solemnly around a sun that represents my conscious mind. Each planet works separately, but they each perform their function to the best of their ability in order to keep order. Even if my conscious mind is unaware of something, a part of myself will always know what to do regardless. Summary: Today we completed several assignment on CommonLit in absence of our teacher. Reflection:  I thought the assignments were about mildly interesting subjects which brought many things to my attention that I did not know before. I especially found the passage about phone sensors to be quite interesting, as I didn't know how invasive they can potentially become.

Prompt: Write about an adventure you would like to go on . Prompt Response:  One example for an adventure I would like to go on is a vacation to another country. I've always wanted to see what life was like outside of the US, especially in distant continents like Asia, Europe, and Africa. If I were able to choose which country I would like go to, it would be between Japan, Malaysia, Spain, Italy, Croatia, North Macedonia, or South Africa. But even if I were given an opportunity to go to another country besides those I've listed above, I would still go as it would be a very impactful and informational experience that would allow me to better understand another culture. Summary: Today in class, we took a "quiz" on vocabulary, which was actually a test on pattern recognition. Reflection:  I was genuinely scared to find that all the answers I was getting were A, for a second I thought it was an error on the test maker's part. However after the true intention of the ...

  Prompt: Describe something you will never fully understand. Prompt Response:  One of the things that I will never fully understand is why people refuse to empathize with others. This is often not a problem for most people, but some I feel lack the ability or desire to even try to understand other individuals. You can see this in the great political divide of our country, where the biases people have led to a sort of unconditional hatred regardless if they know each other or not. I just hope in the future more people will be willing to get to see each others views in hopes to reach understanding instead of resentment. Summary: I'm not exactly sure what we did today as I am home sick, but hopefully I will catch up tomorrow. Reflection:  Today I woke up feeling quite bad and decided it would be best for me to stay home and rest. Although I was quite miserable initially, I think I'm feeling better as the day goes on.

  Prompt: Write about something that you wish you had more of.  Prompt Response:  I'd say I'm pretty content with what I have now, but I suppose it would be nice if I had more money. With said money I would be able to buy more clothes among other smaller things that I would want without bothering my parents. I may also want more time, as I could get more work done and also relax and or sleep more without guilt. With this extra time I could also join more clubs while still having time to myself at home. Summary: Today we worked on our visual representations of our origin stories in the program Adobe Express. Reflection:  Although I did finish my project, the program was very laggy on my part, and constantly shut down my computer. However I now realize it may be a problem with my computer as others were able to complete it without issue.

  Prompt: What is the most creative thing you have ever made? Share what it was and explain why it stands out as your best work. Prompt Response:  The most creative thing I've ever made is a fantasy worldbuilding project that I am still currently working on. The reason I would say this project is the most creative thing I have ever made is the fact that it continues to interest and inspire me to this day, filling my head with fantastical scenes and other improbable scenarios. I often imagine stories that take place in my world as well as characters and other systems that are trademarks of fantasy, including magic systems and other fictional creatures/elements. All of the information I have on my world(s) spans over multiple digital organizers that are many pages long, dating back to my days in middle school. This fact is especially interesting as I can see where my head was during a time I've long forgotten. Eventually I would like to start expressing my world in a visual form...

  Prompt: Everyone has burning questions about life. Mysteries we wonder about but don’t always have clear answers for. Think about your biggest questions about existence, purpose, or the world around you. Write a blog post where you share at least two of your most burning questions about life and explain why these questions matter to you. Prompt Response:  Some of my biggest questions about life often lie in what happens (if anything at all) after death. When I was younger, I wondered what really happens after you die, and came out the realization that know one really knows. I know now that it's best to really live the life you have now, and not trouble yourself with problems that simply don't have answers. Another question I had was why we were here in the first place, and for that I came to a similar conclusion. There isn't a defined purpose, we're simply here, and we should make the most of that as is. Summary: Today we started writing our own creation stories after...

  Prompt: Describe a time you felt completely lost.  Prompt Response:  There aren't many times where I've felt completely lost and without directions, however there are a few times where I've been quite close. In certain classes I've had certain teachers who make me feel entirely incompetent and lost no matter how I try to focus on understand. During these moments it can be very hard to look on the bright side and I can experience very negative emotions and be extremely hard on myself. However, I know that even though I don't understand now, that doesn't mean I will never be able to, and this mindset often allows me to try again at a later date with more success. Being lost isn't a bad thing by itself, but it can become very harmful if you take it out on yourself in a personal manner. Summary: Today in class we presented our PowerPoint presentations on "The Jealous Father," with my group going over the conflict resolution. Reflection:  I believe I ...

  Prompt:  Analyze how you’ve adapted to the demands of this course over the past week, and evaluate one strength and one challenge you anticipate as we progress, justifying your insights with personal examples. Prompt Response:  One way in which I've adapted to the demands of this course over the past week is by becoming more active and aware of any assignments posted in canvas and by being on time in my submissions. Previously I could be somewhat forgetful of incoming or active assignments, and I sometimes assumed that all teachers are lenient when it came to late work. However now I'm getting back into the rhythm of school life and academia in general, so hopefully these skills of mine will improve. One strength and challenge I see myself developing is the fact that I can do well under pressure and tight deadlines and the fact that I can be forgetful when it comes to new assignments. Something that exemplifies this strength lies in the previous year around the AP exams...

Prompt: Describe a real-life situation in which jealousy negatively affected a relationship you experienced. Prompt Response:  I don't believe I've had a large amount of jealous experiences that affected my personal relations in a negative manner, but I can describe some smaller ones. Often times I experience jealousy in the classroom in the form of grades. Certain people and friends of mine that often score high on tests, and who barely study the material at home, receive higher grades than myself, even though I study and review the material multitudes of times. During these moments I sometimes question my abilities, as even though I study hard, someone who barely tries can get a better score than myself. During these moments of envy, I try to refocus myself and realize that everyone has different ways of learning and experiencing the world, and I shouldn't be as hard on myself. Summary: Today, we read over the Native American story titled "The Jealous Father," e...

Prompt:  Write about a meaningful object or place in your life that carries a story. Prompt Response:  One meaningful place in my life that carries a story is my old house around Stone Mountain. When I was born, I originally was in Tampa, Florida, but for a variety of reasons my parents decided to move up with my grandmother and step grandfather. I vaguely remember the drive up and being tired when finally arriving at the house. I stayed there for my entire pre-elementary education and it carries a lot of pretty powerful memories whenever I drive through the roads connected to it. Summary: Today we learned about the Navajo Creation Myth and the characters, lore, and themes that surrounded it. Reflection:  I found the myth extremely intriguing, especially the diverse ideas and personalities the characters brought with them. I found that I really like creation myths, and look forward to finding and studying more of them.

Prompt: Write about a time you felt connected to nature, like the kinship in Native American myths. Prompt Response:  I often feel connected to nature, in respect to the kinship in Native American myth, when I'm out riding my bike alone behind my father's condo. During this time I often look up at the trees and observe any animals or interesting plants I find along the road. I especially feel connected when it's cloudy or slightly rainy, as I can directly see the power nature has over us, even when we've distanced ourselves so much from it. I also go on hikes and trails occasionally, which also yields a similar connective feeling for the same reasons. Summary: Today we took notes and learned about Native American literature and the many forms it can take. Reflection:  One of the main points that I took away from the lecture are the differences between  myth, religion, and urban legend. I really enjoyed learning about aspects of Native American culture, and I wish that i...

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