Syntax in the Shadows

We all want to be special. To lead your team to victory. To have your name known by all. To be wanted. To be needed. To be special. Bean has always wanted to be special, but he has always known he is.

How will the world react when threatened by an alien force?

Orson Scott Card explores this idea in the story Enders Shadow by following the character Bean through his life in this militarized and science fictional world. When the Buggers invaded the world banded together. The common ideology became we are no longer many the many countries of Earth; rather we are the people of earth together. The best and brightest and strongest and fastest and smartest and so on we're to be sequestered in space. Learning how to fight, defeat, to end the buggers once and for all. 

Bean grows up on the streets, he was trash to the military commanders and the testers for the program. He learnt to survive, using the incredible and unnatural intelligence he possesses. As he climbs the lader into the military and beyond he notices there is only one person who is like him. Ender. The one who is slated to lead them against the Buggers. As Ender and Bean become  closer Bean will struggle with the questions.  

When do I lead? When do I follow? Who do I choose to follow?

3rd Quarter Independent Reading Reflection

I have read 10 memorable books this quarter. These books were amazing books and I recommend them to anybody who like to read and is looking for new genres to explore. The first book will be the most difficult read and the last, the simplest.

The Witch at Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth  Speare

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Enders Shadow by Orson S. Card

Red Dragon by Thomas Harris

1984 by George Orwell 

The Confidence Game Maria Konnikova 

Pathfinder by Orson S. Card

The Gift of Fear by Gawn de Becker

My goal for this quarter was to read ten memorable books and 2 books from each genre including nonfiction. I met my goals perfectly. My goal for next quarter is to read 5 nonfiction books and 5 fictional of various genres. Each book should be 200 pages to 799 pages.

Point of View- Marilyn Stasio

    Marilyn Stasio’s pov in her columns is crime novels. All of the columns that I have found are written in the same format. Three crime novel reviews. This is evident in the article due to the liberal use of crime related terminology such as “hot shot of heroin”(Shutter Man) and “popped him (Drawing).” I chose this columnist because I love to read crime novels. Her descriptions of the authors and their works are truthful, highlighting the good and the bad in every novel.

     Marilyn Stasio uses many forms of diction and syntax in her columns to show her pov. She mainly uses allusions, elevated language and contrasting positive and negative diction. Stasio alludes to many crime related incidents in her pieces. Using common cop language such as “hot shot (Shutter Man)” and “smuggling (Shutter Man).” Stasio also often uses elevated language and contrasting diction. Words like “civilian (Shutter Man)”, “clandestine (Drawing)”, and “murder (Shutter Man)” frequent her works. 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/books/review/richard-montanaris-shutter-man-and-more.html

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/books/review/drawing-a-bead.html?_r=0

Things I Learned Last Year

The universe is constantly moving apart. 

High school is a life-changing that doesn't truly change anyone.

Some friendships can last long periods of time, through separation and fights. Others are ment to crumble away Thoth time.

4.5% of conjoined twins survive birth. 

Death affects more living than dead.

Relationships are ever changing. One may start a friend, become an enemy, and eventually family.

6:13 women are stalked while 2:49 men are stalked. Doesn't that show popularity. 

Abraham Lincoln once said, "What ever you are, be a good one".

Reflection:

The lay year was a challange to face. There have been many changes. I moved, my uncle is in the hospital, I'm going to a new school. I think the most profound thing that I must remember is that I haven't changed. My poem has a serious tone. I fell that it reflect the past year very well. Each and every topic is a serious facet of life. I feel it is also begins a little melancholy and ends with a little hope. My poem has no structural pattern while Staffords has a pattern. His tone is snarky whilst mine is more subdued. We both separate our topics by a line in between. Staffords poem and mine share similarities.