I think that is the name of a store in Southdale, too, but in this case, you were asked to find a piece of writing that has had some kind of impact on your life. It should be a piece of writing that you have remembered or will remember as being important to you.
Almost eight years ago, after my first year of teaching, I participated in a summer workshop in Massachusetts with about 20 other teachers from around the nation. We all came together to study Herman Melville, who is best know for his novel Moby Dick which is about a somewhat crazy ship captain who is in pursuit of one single white whale who bit his leg off. I really had no love of Melville at the time, I just applied to go because it was a free trip to New England, and it sounded fun. We toured New England, slept on a whale ship, and ate lobster. I figured I could get though the book in order to do all this.
When I started to read the gigantic novel (550 pages in my edition), however, I fell in love with the first page. In the chapter called Loomings, the narrator states:
"....Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off- then I account it high time to get to the sea as soon as I can" (Melville 1).
Who hasn't felt this way at some time? I think the image of the "dark, drizzly November in my soul" is perfect in describing what it feels like to be alone or confused or just sad. The book was written 150 years ago but speaks to a human condition that is very present today.
Your Prompt: Select ONE of the following and respond briefly (leave a post):
1. Briefly (four-five sentences) describe a time when you have been surprised that you have liked a book or specific piece of writing (or type of music). Describe why it was surprising.
OR....
2. When it is a "dark, drizzly November" in your soul, what do you do to get out of that state? Do you even try to make yourself feel better or do you prefer to let your feelings come and go without putting forth effort to change them (four-five sentences)?
After you have left a post.....
ASSIGNMENT #2
Using my entry about Moby Dick as a model, write a brief description of the piece of writing you brought into class today:
1. Tell the story of the writing (When did you first read it? Were you a little kid? Was it just recently? Who introduced you to it?).
2. Then, explain why it "hits" you the way it does.
3. Include a brief passage from the piece and explain its significance.
4. Come up with a one or two writing prompts about the passage. This could be tough, so look back at the ones I provided about Moby Dick.
5. Visit the blogs of the three-four other people who you been grouped with. Read ALL of the entries.
6. Read their entries specifically from today and respond to their prompts. Post a comment on each of their sites. Comments should be four-five sentences each.
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36 comments:
I read a book called Smack, which was about a girl who was addicted to drugs and had a very hard time getting over them. I was surprised I liked this book because it was written in poem form. There was only about five or six lines on each page and it was about 500 pages long. I ended up really liking the book though and finished it in about two days.
prompt 2:
i usually listen to uplifting music or call one of my friends. If i choose music i usually listen to Gofish or Newsboys or just turn the radio to KTIS. The thing i appreciate most about my friends is that they will always find time to talk to me when i'm feeling low.
When it is a "dark, drizzly November" in your soul, what do you do to get out of that state? Do you even try to make yourself feel better or do you prefer to let your feelings come and go without putting forth effort to change them (four-five sentences)?
When it is a "dark, drizzly November" in my sould what I do is I rant about my emotions in a personal blog. Most people don't read them, but they make me feel better about myself if I can do that...I try to make myself feel better, I used to write when I was mad or sad or anything bad happened to me. I would write, and whatever came out, was the expression of my emotion. I like trying to do release my emotion without hurting anyone, it makes me feel better about myself.
When i am down, i love to listen to ac/dc. I also like to play games on the computer. I talk to all the friends i made online. And i eat cheese it always make me happy.
I read a book called The Power Of One by Bryce Courtenay. I was given it by my mother for english class. It was thick, and about 500 pages. When I first saw it I expected very little from it but It actually was an amazing book.
I remember a few years ago i was with my friend and her dad on vacation out in colorado. We were heading up to her mountain house a couple hours north of her dads house in denver. At the time i hated country music i thought it was bad music and thought people who listened to it were crazy. But after listening to Toby Keith's greatest hits 2 for 2 hours nonstop, the genre started to grow on me. I know actually love country music because it is very inspirational and fun to sing a long to.
When i am in a "dark, drizzly November" I really dont try to get out of it. I hate being miserable but when something is getting me down i dont know how to get rid of the thoughts from spinning around my head. I just gave up and pretty much just let it take over my life. I dont listen to music to cheer me up i listen to music that fits the mood and how i am feeling. I first try to talk to people to see if they can help but normally i still have to figure things out for myself.
In the summer before 7th grade, i was signed up for enriched language arts, and so they assigned us two books to read over the summer. They were Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and Warriors Dont Cry. i was really bummed out at first because i didn't want to waste my summer reading and analysing books that are going to be BORING! so i waited till the last couple weeks before school and started what i thought to be the worst last weeks of summer ever. but when i picked up Warriors Dont Cry and started reading, i realized that it was actually a really good book! It's about a little african american girl during the times right after the Civil War when racism was really a struggle and desegregation was gettin started. I hadn't known a lot about this at the time, and i ended up really liking both the books i had to read.
I was really surprised that I actually like the play Les Miserables. Even though it's really long and all singing. But since I read most of the book in AP French, I actually got most of it but would've gotten all of it if it was in english. I loved how the play ended and how it's really a love story with different small stories inbetween.
When I am in a depressed state, I like to listen to R&B. It sort of makes me calm and sort of happy. I usually am not depressed though, I remain happy most of the time. Probably because I listen to R&B even when I am not depressed.
When i'm in a rut and feeling down i try to relax or listen to some relaxibng music. Or i just zone out and think of a happier time in my life which usally works for me.
This year in world lit., we started reading a book called "Brave New World." The book tells of Aldous Huxley's radical view of the future in the near 2540. The story of how the world works during this time is quite wild considering the fact that the book was written in the 1930s and the fact that in Huxley's biography, Brave New World isn't even considered his most controversial book. In the future, all women all sterile and instead of hospitals, children are basically grown (like a farm) in large quantities and learn through hypnopaedia.
I sleep. lay in bed and doze away.
thinking. (2)
I read a book called "Catcher in the Rye" by J D Salinger last year for outside reading. I was suprised how much I liked the novel because I really liked the main character Holden. I like HOlden because he is independent and free to do whatever yet he still cares and looks after for his youger sister Pheobe. I slso liked the novel because the author made the novel comical through Holden thoughts and emotions.
Promtp 2
If eZy is feeling down and glommy eZy will get some ice cream and sit in front of the TV and watch something that eZy really Likes.
It really depends on how down im feeling sometimes i just let it pass because something will end up taking up my mind thought. But if its really bad i will listen to music, talk to someone that i have trust in their words who will take my mind of the glommy day that im having or just sleep.
I remember my sister reading that book you had to read for your trip Moby Dick. She was saying it was a nice book it seemed like she liked it.
Prompt 2:
I usually write in my prayer journal, listen to upbeat music, or call my best friend. My prayer journal is personal and I love getting my emotions out and looking back on everything that has happend. I listen to upbeat music that can kind of relate to what is going on. My best friend is always there to talk, never judge,and it's really nice to have someone who knows the real me adn can help.
Its funny, but when i'm down I listen to depressing music which makes me feel more down.I listen to sad love songsit ridiculious, but I can't help it. Then I usually stop feelins sorry for myself and try to convince myself that i'm better than thesituation.But I never stay down for to long, maybe a few days.
I read a book called walk to remember it is about these two teens that are very different from each other. They met and they fall in love with each other. It was an awsome book to read it was very long but once you are in to it you read it fast. I loved the ending it is very beautiful
I'm not in a "dark and gloomy" mood to often. But on that rare occation, i just listen to some up-beat music. It usually consists of Dave Matthews Band or the "dance mix" in my car. Otherwise i just get out of the house and go do something active.
Prompt 2:
When I am feeling low or sad, I like to listen to music that makes me happy. I like to choose music that reminds me of a time when I had a lot of fun, or when I was with my friends and really enjoyed myself. Also, I like to call my friends to talk to them so that they can distract me from whatever it was that was bothering me.
I read a book called blue is for nightmares which i had borrowed from friend. I thought that this would be another weird fantasy book that she lended me often. But the suspence kept me reading. I ended up reading the eintire book (300 pages) in one night and the next day i went and got the sequel.
When it is a "dark, drizzly November" in my soul, I usually call a friend and talk on the phone for hours. Though if I can't get a hold of someone I usually go into my bed and get a whole bunch of blankets. Maybe grab something to eat and I read one of my favorite books. I usually dont try to get out of the mood, I let my feelings out. Though I guess when I read, It's as if I am ignoring the problems at hand and focusing on something I know will make happy.
A book that I never thought that I would like was "Their Eyes Were Watching God". That book blew me away. I loved how the book seemed so real. Nothing was held back in writing it. It was such a "true" book. The way we see each other, the way we see women in society; it really was a great book.
Prompt 1:
I read a book last year called "The Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison. I at first thought of it as a dumb summer reading assignment, but as I read I began to find a real meaning to the book. I think that I pre judged the book because I don't usually read outside of school. I thought that it was extremely intersting reading about the experiences in which the narrorator went through. It was appealing in that you could find your own meaning to everything that he said or did. I overall ended up really enoying the rest of the book as well as the assignments to follow.
When it's a "Dark, drizzly November" i like to go outside, because it's better than being inside. Honestly, it doesn't matter what the weather's like outside I still prefer it to sitting indoors. Climbing trees and jumping in puddles is probably the best thing to be doing on a dark, drizzly day because there's no way anyone could be unhappy when they get to act like a kid again. Dark, drizzly November days may not be my favorite thing in the world, but they're a lot better than sitting inside in class.
When I feel like a "dark,drizzly November" in my soul, I tend to sulk in that state for awhile. But once I really start to get sick of being sad, I listen to some music, maybe write in my journal. Then I call a friend and talk to them about life, and how things are going. Hopefully I can even laugh a little bit with them. Then I like to get up, go outside and DO something. Once I start to move on, I feel much better.
I read the book The Invisible Man. This book was relevant on many different levels, and I like how the story progresses in a way that not only moves along the plot, but also touches on different morals that Ralph Ellison is trying to get across. It almost seems that some of his comments are of a subliminal nature, that he is not explicitly trying to convince you of his point of view, but he does so in a meaningful and convincing manner nonetheless.
"Dark, drizzly November":
When I'm usually in one of these kinds of states. I usually just listen to music. Otherwise sometimes I'd write down what I'm feeling at the moment. Sometimes as a journal or like poetry. But at times I find it better if I just let all my feelings out without writing or listening to music.
When I am having a "dark, drizzly November" moment I hate feeling that way. Because of this I usually try to snap out of it as soon as possible. I do something I enjoy to take my mind off of it like watch TV or hang out with my friend. When I can't lift my mood because I am so sad I vent to someone I trust or take a nap so I don't have to think at the time.
prompt 1..
to get out of the state of mind i just think of the time that there isnt nothin so bad that i cant get myself out of..
I dunno. I kinda feel that its a little sappy... i mean sure, its classic, but... i geuss i dont really do anything. i just try to cheer up.
When it's a "dark, drizzly November" in my soul, i like to sit alone in my room and listen to music. When I'm feeling sad i like to listen to Bright Eyes. It makes me feel happy for some reason. I don't like feeling sad so i try and compensate for it, and doing things that make me feel happy.
prompt1:
Strangely, I was surprised at myself when I finished the first Harry Potter book, and actually enjoyed it. Previously, I had thought magic, and wizards were very corny and cheesy subjects. Thus, I often veered away from those types of books. But, anyway, I am grateful for Harry Potter because they were the first books that I actually enjoyed reading, other than comics.
Prompt:
Iread a book called The House of the Scorpion. NOrmally those kinds of books don't interest me at all but thisone really did. The book was about a clonewhowas raised by a rich crime lord, but later he finds out his purpose is to be used for transplants when his caretaker is in need. I thought it was really interesting.
these poem has changed me because one of my rwandan friends back home was affected during the rwandan genocide, i oppose to me war has affected memy family badly and trauma of it was bad.
i remember i was in 2nd grade and it was black history month. my teacher told me that i would be reciting this poem in front of the school called phenomenal woman. at the time i was just exited to be on stage, but i was re introduce to the poem in 6th grade we read it as a literature assignment and i fell in love with that poem. it inspired me to wanna be a poet, it made me feel proud of who i am, and gave me so much confidence. i love the usage of the words and the feeling that went into it.
"pretty woman wonder where my secrets lies. im not cute or built to suit a fashion model size. but when i tell them they think i'm tellin lies. i say it's in the reach of my arms, the span of my hips,the stride in my step, and the curl of my lips
i'm a woman
phenomenally
phenomenal woman thats me."
1. Think about a time when you had low self-esteem, what inspired you to accept yourself, and inspired you to be confident?
2.What peace of literature inspires you, whether its a poem, quote, or your favorite line from a song, write about it.
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