Final Reflection

1- What are the three most important things you learned this year?

2- What is something we did this year that you think you will remember for the rest of your life?

3- What was the nicest thing someone in our class did for you this year?

4- What is something you taught your teacher or classmates this year?

5- In what area do you feel you made your biggest improvements? What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of?

6- What was the most challenging part of this year for you?

7- What was the best piece of writing that you did this year? Why do you think it is your best?

8- Of the books you read this year, which was your favorite? Why?

9- What advice would you give students who will be in this class next year?

1) Three of the most important things that I would have learned this year would have been definitely been working with TIQA formatting. Never before had I worked so often with one type of writing format. TIQA has truly allowed me to organize my writing in an effective manner that has allowed me to improve my writing. Another important thing that I have learned this year would be the importance of remembrance, as shown throughout our Holocaust unit. Never before had I experienced such a great focus on possibly one of the most terrifying parts of our history. This unit has taught me not only more, factually, but also on an emotional grounds in regards to the society we live in and the one that was lived in. Despite this, I believe that the most important things I have learned have been taught through our AoWs. The AoWs that we have received have allowed me to become a more worldly person and much more empathetic with the situations of others. I feel that this is a very important thing for people to learn and I am glad that I am aware of this. 

2) There were several memorable moments that were part of my eighth grade experience, but without a doubt my favorite would have been our To Kill A Mockingbird "feast." As is my reading of To Kill A Mockingbird was fascinating as was but it was even more so when I was able to share that with my friends. There was something about the ability of enjoying a book and the idea of simply having a true example as to what the characters experienced and the time period in which they lived that was amazing. It is truly something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. 

3 & 4) Trying to pinpoint one of the nicest moments someone in our class did, proves to be difficult. If I were to find an exact portrayal of this would be saying it's like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles (in a good way of course.) There have been several occurrences this year and the one previous, that while surrounded by about 20 other caring people it's difficult to say one exact thing. I think a huge thing would definitely have been simple jokes that we've made either in class or with people from class. It's something rather unmemorable to some but it has definitely caused a huge turn on my outlook about my day, knowing a new joke or adventure is waiting for me. A very special thanks to Jenna and Gustavo for being a strong source of this year's laughter! This in return leads me to lessons I feel have been learned mutually from both my classmates and myself. I feel that we, as a whole, have been able to understand the importance of finding a joy in everyday life and the importance that not everyday is a good day but there is something good in everyday. This lesson would definitely have been impossible if it were not for the kindness of my classmates and friends.

(To Jen & Gus) When I felt like this:

And days were like this:

You made me feel:

5&6&9) Personally, I feel that one of the most challenging portions on this year was staying on top of my work. Due to the several events that have occurred in the seemingly busy eighth grade year, it took a bit more effort to manage my time. With this in mind, I feel that it is important that future eighth graders and seventh graders understand the importance of time management. One must always be aware of what there workload will be like. Along with this, one must be willing to place an extra effort into things and work ahead if possible to avoid later frustration. This extra effort has also allowed me to immensely improve. Personally, I feel that trying to be proactive at times can be a strenuous task. At times it may be difficult to juggle several things at once, because of this I am definitely proud that I have been able to turn in all projects and assignments on time. Though this is a small accomplishment it is something I have truly been proud of.

7&8) This year, I believe, was one of my best yet in regards to my writing. Personally, my favorite piece this year was my ending of "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe. Through my personal spin off, "The Bitter Taste of the Drink" I felt that I was truly able to somewhat impersonate the writing style of Edgar Allan Poe. Due to the large amount of effort I had placed into the piece, I feel that it also truly embodied the type of writing style I most enjoy. In addition, The Cask of Amontillado was definitely one of my favorite reads this year. There is a certain uniqueness in the manner in which Edgar Allan Poe writes that allows one's mind to imagine freely. Due to this rare trait, I feel that it is nearly impossible to surpass the value of Poe's work. 

Tuesdays with Morrie: Final Project

"Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent."

Without Tuesdays with Morrie  a large variety of aphorisms are offered to us from the point of view of Morrie. Without a doubt, I feel that the aphorisms offered throughout "The Sixth Tuesday - We Talk About Emotions" speaks in volumes. Throughout the sixth week of Mitch's class with Morrie, they speak of detachment. Morrie informs us of the importance of detaching one's self from the objective world. Morrie informs us that by detaching ourselves from the materialistic world allows us to be fully penetrated by the experiences we have lived and that of others.  In order to be fully penetrated by these experiences, Morrie says, "Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent." This ideology, offered by Buddhists, means that if we would like to truly experience the world, we mustn't let ourselves be held down. In the world we reside in, it is easy to hold onto the materialistic world, but we cannot live this way. We must understand the importance of letting go the materialistic side of life and experiencing all of life, the good and the bad.

A song that I believe that relates to, "Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent" is "Wings" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. The song itself is based upon feelings upon anti-consumerism told from the view of a young boy. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis tell the story of a boy who grew to have an intense love for shoes. For this boy, the shoes he wore had made him feel unique, he also felt that they enhanced his ability to play. After a series of events that the boy experiences such as when his friend's brother is killed for shoes, "my friend Carlos' brother got murdered for his Fours, whoa." The boy's who life is detailed in the song demonstrates the pain that materialistic things may cause (though all things will not lead to death) due to our clinging. We must see that, such as Morrie says, clinging to objects, especially those that give us short term happiness is not for the better. We must learn to see that anything we hold onto at some point will be taken away such as the shoes in the music video or such as the sand in the image of my aphorism. 

Personally, I believe this aphorism to be rather telling and inspiring. I feel that it can be taken into account when dealing with both the subjective world (memories) and the objective world (shoes, clothing, money, etc.) The quote contains a great truth that I completely agree with both out of personal experience and the experience of others.  Morrie seems to show a great dependence upon this aphorism as he says, "if you don’t allow yourself to go all the way through them—you can never get to being detached, you’re too busy being afraid." As we read the story we see the importance of controlling emotions for Morrie. The older man seems to always make a point of properly handling his feelings by never letting them overwhelm him. I feel that this ability is the key to live a happy life. By detaching oneself and by not clinging to things we are able to truly understand the lives we live, which will in return, help us improve our lives. 

Personal Aphorism: Lead your own life or others will lead it for you. 

Tuesdays with Morrie: Week of 4/27

Based on the 6 Tuesdays you have read about in Tuesdays with Morrie, choose which topic (The World, Feeling Sorry For Yourself, Regrets, Death, Family, or Emotions) that has had the most impact on you or inspired you. On your blog discuss the importance of this topic with your own opinions, including textual evidence (direct quotes) from the book.

Throughout the book Tuesdays with Morrie, several topics of important interest have been brought up. Morrie has covered important topics of such as worldly conflicts, sympathy for one's self, regret, how to deal with death, the importance of family, and dealing with emotions.  These chapters have been a true insight as to the type of person Morrie was and the manner in which lived his life. The topics have offered a profound impact for the reader and have allowed them to realize the importance of the topics listed above.

Morrie's explanations and view on life are something I have never previously seen. Due to this and his rather interesting point of view on death, I have found fourth Tuesday to be on of the most important. Throughout this section we are able to see the importance of accepting death and the number of years we have been given. As Morrie portrays through Tuesdays with Morrie, there is an importance in realizing, “once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.” Meaning that previous to our impending death, it is best we come to terms with the life that we have lived in order to improve what is left of it. Personall, I have always found a certain importance in appreciating life, something that Morrie constantly does. In several levels, I find it easy to empathize with the older man, seeing as I understand several of his points. 

In further detail, I also found "The Fourth Tuesday - We Talk About Death" to be important due to the change in Morrie's character. Morrie himself is a rather dynamic person, but there is a certain essence to him that has been captured through this section. I feel that this is the first section in which both Morrie and Mitch have come to a true concensus on death. It feels that for one of the first times they are on the same page, in regards to Morrie's illness and the outcome of it. We are shown this as we the comparisons between the situations Mitch can appreciate and the one Morrie can appreciate. It seems that Mitch is finally able to understand the toll death has on a person but the change in manner seeing as they are more grateful, in the end.

Tuesdays With Morrie: Week of 4/20

The Curriculum- The Second Tuesday
Location 621 of 2081 (29%)


It seems to me that we have  merely taken a glimpse into the life of Mitch and Morrie, and I am already captured by their characters. Without a doubt, the idea of this memoir to some maybe, cheesy, but in fact it's better that one could imagine. When beginning my reading of Tuesdays with Morrie, I was unsure as to what the story would involve and found myself completely unprepared. Despite this, once beginning my reading it seemed that several ideas simply aligned. I truly believe that  Tuesdays with Morrie, is the type of reading that seems to come once in a lifetime that completely changes your thinking. Morrie's aphorisms such as, "“Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do,” has allowed a different thought process when reading his story. I feel that Tuesdays with Morrie is not so much of a reflection of Morrie's life as much as it of ours. We, simply a few pages into the book, have been thrown into a chasm forcing to think of the life we have led. Morrie's story is simply a calling to all people, a reminder, a reminder to enjoy life and to care for others. The elderly man has seem to struck a chord in my heart, as I find him to be rather similar to my own grandfather.

A rather relevant theme throughout Tuesdays with Morrie, seems to be the idea of a death wish and what seems to be a bucket list. Something that we would like to be completed after our death or previous to it. It seems to me that Morrie's would be to give his final course, no longer on sociology, but on the philosophy, something that he seems to major in, without a degree. Morrie, through experience, has focused on the importance of living life to fullest. In my opinion, one of the most easiest manners in which he could keep track of this would be through a bucket list. In honor of Morrie, I would like to share with you my current bucket list:
1) Travel around the world. (To at least three other continents & 15 other countries)
2) Go to at least 10 different concerts, for different bands.
3) Write a book, have it published.
4) Ride a ferris wheel.
5) Ride a ferris wheel, without freaking out after I remember my fear of heights.
6) Get a tattoo.
7) Live in another country, for the minimum of a year.
8) Attend Oxford University for at least a semester.
9) Be on T.V.
10) Write a skit with Jimmy Fallon.
11) Meet Jimmy Fallon.
12) Creating a painting, have it placed in an art museum.
13) Meet Ed Sheeran! 🇬🇧
14) Read the Harry Potter series in spanish.
15) Spend a Christmas in New York City.
16) Inspire someone to follow their dreams.
17) To follow my dreams. Do what I want because I want to. Not let myself become another person in another business suit.
18) Improve the lives of my parents and grandparents, whether that be financially or in any other way.
19) Live a life I won't regret, while being happy.

Life Is Beautiful vs. Night: Week of 4/13

Based on the Holocaust literature and poetry we have read, what connections can be made between Life is Beautiful and our reading?  What events, scenes, or situations are similar or different? What is similar or different about the mood or tone of the pieces?

How is life shown as beautiful throughout the film. Pull out at least two examples from different parts of the film and explain your rationale.

     Throughout both Life is Beautiful  and Night, an abundance of connections may be made between both the media and the novel. These similarities may be categorized between the physical examples and the ones perceived by the audience. For example, throughout Night there is a strong focus on the bond between father and son. In Night Ellie and his father have a nearly identical relationship as to the one that Guido and Joshua maintain in Life is Beautiful. The role this father-son remains to be one of the most important, due to the fact that through this bond, the main characters survive. As Guido takes the steps to protect young Joshua's innocence he starts a game and is always sure to feed him extra food he may come across by. This relationship is nearly identical to that between Elie and his father, except in reverse as Elie attempts to find extra nourishment for the older Wiesel. 

     Despite the emotional connections between the characters of both sources, there is also a difference in tone and mood portrayed through both movies. Night contains a rather melancholic tone and a never ending feeling of depression. This shown through Elie's loss of faith and the loss of innocence as he faces the unthinkable. In contrast, Life is Beautiful offers a bittersweet tone with an occasional touch of appropriate humor. This is also shown by the different thinking among characters, for example Elie Wiesel believes, "Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere." Yet, Uncle Leo seems to believe the complete opposite as he states, "Silence is the most powerful cry." The ideas portrayed in the movie such as the protection of innocence and the power of silence is a stark difference to that offered to us by Wiesel. In several way, it seems that Wiesel has given up on the person he used to be and embraced the new character he has gained. Guido, seems to be an exact foil of Elie. Guido fights the change that may overtake him in order to protect the things he cares more about than himself, his family.

     The difficulty to maintain life beautiful throughout one the possibly the darkest of moments in our history, seems to be one of the most impossible things to occur. Despite this, Guido constantly strives, throughout the film to better life for his son, wife, and others around him. In the beginning of the film, we quickly witness the joy that falling in love with Dora has caused for Guido. We are able to view the upside that has been brought by a series of surprises and the power of will, as demonstrated through "surprising feats" acted out by Guido himself. As the film continues on, for some, life does not continue to be beautiful once he is in the camps with Joshua.  Despite this notion, I feel that this is when the beauty has truly begun. The fact that a father is willing to protect his son and able to make an evil into a game in which he can possibly win, is truly amazing. A bond between father and son so strong that despite leading him to his demise is his ultimate goal. One must be able to surpass the death of Guido and focus on the joy of a child that has been brought through sacrifice. In truth, I feel that Guido understood his chances of survival, in spite of this he was willing to love and care for his son more than he ever did himself. This self-sacrifice allowed one of Joshua's greatest wishes to come true, a tank, thanks to his father. Guido, from the beginning and up until the end was an optimist in the darkest of times, this certain faith and will is what truly makes life beautiful.