Beckett's American Literature Blog

 

Prompt:  As the first semester comes to an end, take time to reflect on your learning and growth in this course. In a well-developed response, explain what you enjoyed most about the class, identify the project or assignment you found most engaging, and discuss which aspect of the course you connected with the most (such as poetry, fiction, writing, or discussion). Finally, reflect on one area where you feel you need additional support or improvement as we move into the spring semester. Prompt Response:  Throughout the semester, I've learned about many things that I feel have bettered my understanding of literature as a whole. I have most enjoyed the format of the class, as it has definitely made all of the information seem more palatable and intriguing. I found the personal poem to be the most engaging as it really challenged the creative aspects of myself. I believe to be connected with the writing part of the class as it is something I want to get better at. One area in whi...

Prompt: Many holidays center around traditions. Describe one tradition that is important to you or your family and explain why it still matters (or why it no longer does). Prompt Response:  One tradition that is important to my dad, brother, and I, is going to Chattanooga Tennessee every year on winter break. We've been doing this now for many years, spanning long before my parents got divorced. I think it still matters to us as it is a way for to be around each other more than we usually are at home and start the break off right. Summary: I was not present in class today, so I do not know what transpired. Reflection:  Today I still felt pretty sick, and so I went to the doctor with my mom. We figured it out it was the flu, and the practitioner told me that I should probably stay home for the entire week.

Prompt: How have the holidays changed as you have grown older? Compare your experiences of the holidays during childhood with how you experience them now, focusing on shifts in perspective, responsibilities, or emotional meaning. Prompt Response:  As I've grown older, the holidays have certainly felt a whole lot less magical. Back then, I truly felt excited and happy throughout the season at just the thought of all the little things that come with them. However now I just feel guilty, as I don't really feel anything at all even when it's this close to Christmas, pinnacle of all the festivities. I suppose it doesn't really mean as much to me as it used to, as now I have so much more going on in my life all year round. My changing perspective about many things such as consumerism may have also impacted my view on the increasingly commercialized celebrations. All in all, even though things are changing I should still try to enjoy them one way or another and just appreciate...

Prompt: Write about something you’ve outgrown but still miss. Prompt Response:  One thing that I've both outgrown and miss is recess. I really miss that time when all of my friends were able to go outside and play during school, which to me was really special. I feel that even though we're in high school, we should still have something similar that would allow us a time to go outside and enjoy nature, whether that involves sports or just walking around campus. I know it would be hard to implement, but still, I think it would benefit us in more ways than one, boosting moods and allowing us a break that would then help us refocus in the classroom thereafter. Summary: Today in class we took the vocabulary test on lessons one through five. Reflection:  I did very well on the test today, receiving a one hundred which I was definitely not expecting. I'm glad I put a little bit more time in last night studying, as I may have not been able to do it without that.

Prompt:  Write about something that you can't stop thinking about.  Prompt Response:  One thing that I can't stop thinking about is a certain video game I'm currently going through. For a while now I really haven't been playing many games, but after this specific one released I haven't been able to stop. I think it's good that I'm really enjoying it, but at the same time I shouldn't let it get in the way of my work and life. All in all, I just have to make sure my other responsibilities come first before I turn on the console, or things could get out of hand. Summary: Today in class we were introduced to our final project and had our electives chosen. Reflection:  The meeting with my counselor today seemed to go quite well, and I should hopefully get into all of my desired classes. However, there are still some adjustments that need to be made in the near future.

  Summary:  Today in class we presented our cultural identity masks. Reflection:  I felt I presented my mask fairly well in comparison to other presentation I've done in the past. My mask does somewhat represent who I am, however if I were to do it again I would add some other smaller details.

Prompt:  Write about the best gift you have received.  Prompt Response:  I think that one of the best gifts I've ever received has to be my computer. Before this time, the laptop I had was quite old, especially compared to my brother's which was a new gaming PC he got for his birthday. After asking for a while, Christmas day eventually arrived and my hopes were high. After opening a few presents I saw a larger box that seemed to be hiding behind the tree. After much anticipation, I finally opened it and discovered it was in fact a new computer which I have to this day. All in all, this is definitely my most prized possession, but I still appreciate my friends and family more than any material object. Summary: Today in class we did a short vocabulary activity and worked on our identity mask. Reflection:  I was semi-familiar with many of the words in the activity. I'll still probably have to study hard in order to get a good score on the upcoming vocabulary test.

  Prompt: After watching the short film  Identity , write a blog post reflecting on how the masks in the film represent the pressure to fit in and the struggle to discover who you really are. Choose one moment from the film that stood out to you and explain why. Then, connect the film’s message to Langston Hughes’ poem  “I, Too”  and to the mask you are creating in class. What part of your identity do you want your mask to reveal? Prompt Response:  The masks in the film seem to represent the various personas people try to exhibit in order to fit in. We see many of them in the film, with some students taking off masks when approaching certain groups only for a matching mask to be underneath. A scene that stood out to me was a yellow mask approaching a group of red masks, with the yellow mask being taken off to reveal red. This film connects to the poem "I, too," in the way that the main character accepts their identity in order to be content with themselves. Summ...

Prompt: In  “I, Too,”  the speaker expresses pride in his identity and his rightful place in America. Reflect on your own life: What aspect of your cultural identity are you most proud of, and why? Prompt Response:  I feel that the part of my cultural identity that I'm most proud of is my mom's heritage. That side of the family is from Macedonia, which is a small Balkan region in southeastern Europe. My great grandfather Boris fled to the US in order to escape conflict which was prevalent in the area. All in all, I'm quite proud of my lineage, and I'm glad that I was able to learn about it from my mom. Summary: Today in class we completed the "We Real Cool" assignment in absence of our teacher. Reflection:  I completed the assignment fairly quickly today. I would've started on the cultural mask but I wasn't provided the proper paper.

Prompt: In  “ We Real Cool ,”  the speakers make choices that seem exciting, bold, and rebellious, even though those choices lead to consequences. Write about a moment in your own life when you followed what looked cool or fun, only to realize afterwards that it wasn’t the smart or responsible path. What influenced your decision, and how did your perspective change later? Prompt Response:  One moment in which I followed what was "cool" at the time was in elementary school. During this one particular phase, many of my peers were beginning to learn and use swear words when adults wren't in the room. In my juvenile mind, most of the swears I "learned" didn't feel like real words, which left me skeptical of those who taught me them. Regardless, I too began to use some of the words, albeit much less discretely. One day at home I accidentally said one right when my mom was outside my room and unfortunately she came in and scolded me. I was grounded for a few days ...

  Prompt: What did you do over break? Prompt Response:  Over the break I simultaneously did a lot of things as well as nothing at all, which is kind of hard to believe. For the first few days I really didn't do anything except play video games and watch shows, with the exception of my friend's birthday party which I went to. At Thanksgiving I went to my grandmother's house and stayed there for the whole day, eating dinner a bit earlier than usual. I surprisingly didn't overeat which was a nice feeling, especially seeing by brother complain about the very thing. For the last few days I put up the decorations at my moms house and brought out the Christmas tree, which I sadly had to help light. All in all, my break was pretty enjoyable and I look forward to winter break which should hopefully come soon. Summary:  Today in class we completed vocabulary lesson five and fulfilled some of its related activities. Reflection:  I found a lot of the new words to be somewhat fam...