Blog for Week 4/27/15

Prompt: Brainstorm the different types of conflicts via your Google doc, creating a chart that addresses the conflict, types of conflicts, and the effect that the conflict had had on a plot so far. From your brainstorming session, choose at least two conflicts explore more in depth in this blog. Be sure to include textual evidence and support and also identify the effect that the conflict has had on the plot so far. 

            One of the conflicts in the book Of Mice And Men by John Steinfield is that Curley and Lennie get in a big fight. This is a Man vs. Man type of conflict because this situation was between two people. The effect on the conflict could be that Curley wants to get back at Lennie. He could get them fired because he is the son of Lennie's boss. In the book the effect on this is that Lennie's face had cuts and bruises. Curley ended up getting his had crushed by Lennie, because George told him to fight back. Lennie now is scared of Curley

            Another conflict in the book is that Lennie kills Curley's wife. This is also a Man vs. Man conflict because it was between two people. In the book it states, " 'But Curley's gonna want to shoot 'im. Curley's still mad about his hand.' " This shows that one of the effects on this could be that Curley finds out and gets mad, and would want to kill Lennie. Since Curley is still mad about Lennie hurting his hand, this would just make the situation much worse. 

            The last conflict to talk about is how Candy decided to end the life of his old dog. This is a Man vs. Self conflict because Candy is the one who has to deal with it. The effect on this is that Candy felt very upset. He also felt lonely because he has had that dog for a long time, and his dog was very important to him. Also the effect on this was that he felt regret. He felt regret because he thought that he should have been the one to kill him and not someone else. 

I commented on Justin's, Nick's, and Emily's blog.

Blog for Week 4/20/15

Prompt: Describe the atmosphere of the ranch and bunkhouse. Be sure to include characteristics of different characters that were formally or informally introduced to us in this chapter. Support your choice with textual evidence and interpretation.  Why doesn't Curley's wife have a name?   What message, if anything, is John Steinbeck  trying to send by not giving her a first name?  Support your choice with textual evidence and interpretation.

           The atmosphere of the bunkhouse and ranch is usually negative. Mostly because Curley doesn't seem to like George and Lennie. George and Lennie seem to dislike Curley a lot too. In the book Of Mice and Men, Curley says that he does not like big men. I think this goes to Lennie as a bad thing since he is big. I think more into the book their will be more problems between them. Some of the characters are suspicious of them because they think George is going to take away the money that Lennie earns from working. The people in the ranch seem like they are always arguing. 

           I think Curley's wife doesn't have a name because of the time period they are in. In this time period women were not treated very well. Since she doesn't have a name, maybe Curley wants everyone to know that they are married and together. In the book the characters call Curley's wife some mean names. Showing that women didn't have the same respect they had for men.

          I think the message John Steinbeck is trying to send out about Curley's wife not having a name is to make the story more realistic. In this time period there was discrimination between men and women. If they treated Curley's wife like she was gold, it wouldn't make sense. In that time period women were called the names they said in the book. It would be more realistic if the characters acted and thought this way about her in the book.

I commented on Mia's, Sebastian's, and Emily's blog.

Blog for Week 4/13/15

Prompt: Draw four objects that represent your reading. Write a paragraph for each, telling what each item says about what you've been reading.
A Dog's Life by: Ann M. Martin

             The first picture is of a stray dog. I picked this picture because the main character, Squirrel, is a living as a stray dog. The book is in the perspective of Squirrel. Squirrel has gone through some hard times as a stray dog. Throughout most of the book, she is a stray dog. Squirrel wasn't always alone. She had a mother and a brother. The mother left both of them in the shed. The brother, Bone, was there for him after that, but then was taken by a girl. After that, she eventually found a friend.

             The second picture is of a highway. I chose a highway because more than once has Squirrel ended up on the highway. One time was with his brother. That's when George and Marcy found them, and took them home. Marcy wanted to keep them, but George did not. This is a very dangerous place for them to be, because they could get hurt by the cars. 

             The third picture is of a mall. At a mall is where Squirrel was separated from his brother, Bone. While they were staying at George's and Marcy's house, George did not want them. George then took them to a mall and left them there alone. They had injuries after being thrown out of George's car. A girl then came and saw Bone and Squirrel. She only took Bone, and left Squirrel there at the mall.

             The fourth picture is of a trash can. Squirrel loves to go through the trash to find food. The first time he went through he trash was with his mother and brother. After he was all alone he always went through trash. The time he was with his brother in Marcy's and George's home, they both ran to the trash and got in trouble for making a mess. For some reason, Squirrel loves the smell of garbage. Every time he smells it, the garbage lures her toward it.

I commented on Emily's, Jeremiah's, and Rebecca's blog.