All I asking for is my body Part II

Why does Kiyoshi believe Obaban is a substitute for his mom?

     Kiyoshi believes that Obanban is a substitute for his mother because the bachi from Obanban has fallen on his mom. Obanban didn't practice traditional ways when it cam to relationships. She didn't wait the mourning period of forty five days she eloped right away and then again after that in an untraditional manner left him and married another. 

     This is why she was looked at as the black sheep. Whether someone likes it or not there is a family member that is always looked at as "black sheep" of the family. With so many old traditions, rules, and restrictions it was easy to get this title back then especially when dealing with such a old established culture. Obanban also seemed like a mother figure the way she interacts with mama and the kids. Her maternal instincts seemed like they kicked in while mama is sick.

All I asking for is my body 1st response

     Makot is a teenager living in Hawaii with his parents who are wealthy or have a good amount of money. He seems slightly weird or different which isn't bad he just seems like a loner even though he has people around him a lot. I kinda feel bad for him because it seems like he tries to win people over with money and material things instead of genuinely making friends.
     He acts immature and this might be the lack of real friends or lack of interactions with his parents. I think this left a bad taste in his mouth because it felt like he was holding somewhat of a grudge against his parents. The apple did not fall to far from the tree. The family over all seemed kinda odd but I think we will find out why.

Rules for Writers Chapter 8

     Writing with active verbs can help bring your writing to life and have more impact on your reader. It will help emphasize action words in a story maybe a narrative or descriptive essay. You would want to use active verbs when writing about a main character or actor. Its good to "make the actor the subject of the sentence" (pg 81) and you do this by using active verbs.

     Using passive verbs works as well but in different situations. For example when writing a research paper or a scientific paper passive verbs sometimes work best. Passive verbs or passive writing can be more wordy than active ones so using active can make your writing more effective but simple at the same time.

     I plan to use this information to help clarify my writing. I think in my writings in the past I would jump from active to passive within one paragraph but maybe it would be better to stick with one. I will try in our next relevant writing assignment and see how it reads.

Smoke Signals

What role does forgiveness play?


Had trouble with this assignment maybe writers block. Essay's where you have to analyze information are harder for me so as much feedback as possible would help. Thank you so much for your time.

Brian Friedfel

English

Professor Servias

April 20, 2011

Forgiveness in Smoke Signals

            In the film Smoke Signals the theme of forgiveness has a role throughout it. The majority of relationships whether they were blood related or just friends required different levels of forgiveness in order for the film to reach resolution. Forgiveness played a huge role in Smoke Signals so the plot could have more substance and reach the audience and teach that to forgive and forget is the right thing to do.

            The first relationship I will look at is between Victor and Thomas. During the film Victor shows little positive emotion especially towards Thomas but he continues to live with his heart on his sleeve and a good attitude which means he was constantly forgiving Victor because he loved him like a brother and looked up to him. At one point Victor beat up Thomas because he crossed the line when he spoke about Victor’s father abandoning his family but Thomas almost instantly forgave him or so it seemed. At the end of the film it was Victor’s turn to forgive Thomas because that night the fire had happened Thomas was the one saved by Arnold (Victor’s dad) and Victor was always jealous and mad. He realized Arnold was like both of their father because Arnold was responsible for the fire he forgave Thomas by giving him some of his dads ashes which is a very special point of forgiveness.

            Another important part of the movie that showed a great deal of forgiveness was when Victor had to forgive his father which was very hard for him. He did this by traveling to his father’s trailer to go through his belongings and see where he was living to get some closure. His father abandoned him and his mother when he was a young boy so to let go and forgive his father he had to let the resentment and hate leave his heart. This process was aided and expedited by traveling with Thomas which was somewhat of a little struggle and tuff times can create good character in someone or open their eyes because of the experience. Forgiving his father was the peak of forgiveness in Smoke signals making the moral of the film forgiving is the correct path.

            One other aspect of forgiveness that popped up was that Victor’s mother had to forgive as well. She had to forgive Arnold for leaving them behind and she also had to forgive Victor for being angry young boy who was acting out but was sad inside so mother forgave him.

            I believe forgiveness was one of the main roles of the film. If one cannot or refuses to forgive it lays heavy on the heart and can make you bitter and angry. You can lash out on loved ones and even become depressed which is how Victor’s character was portrayed. This film was about Victor growing up and learning to forgive close people in his life in physical and spirit form. The plot came to a final forgiving moment when he gave Thomas some of the Ashes this showed that Victor had learned to forgive and in the process had become a man by learning on his own and not being taught by his dad. There were other themes in Smoke Signals but forgiveness and growth was the most prevalent. 

This is what it means to say Phoenix, Arizona

     I was more impressed with the story. The movie changed some things that I thought would be good in the movie. I dont make movies but maybe they changed some things for a reason. I liked Victor and Thomas's relationship better in the story. Victor didn't seem quite as bitter or resentful. Like the fight in the movie was because Thomas upset Victor by talking about his father but in the story they fought because Victor was drunk this makes for a better movie to me.
     A couple other parts that I would of liked to have seen in the movie. One part was when Victor was interacting with the council trying to allocate funds and the other part was when Thomas thought he could fly and jumped off the school roof flapping his arms. The story seemed kind of of rushed or for maybe a younger crowd than  the movie but overall the story was more impressive and I'm basing this decision primarily on Victor and Thomas's relationship. I would like to see an exact depiction of the written story on film.

Rules for Writers Chapter 52

     You must form a tentative thesis by researching both of the issue you are writing about. This will make your thesis solid. A professional opinion will give your argument or issue much more weight but don't rely on other to make your opinion for you. Do a lot of research and cite them when appropriate. You can use opposite opinions to contrast your own to help show key points on your own issue backing you up even more.
     Once you reached a point in your research its a good idea to organize in a simple but bold fashion making your own research more available when it comes time to write your thesis and paper. Treat every reader like they have no knowledge of your issue. Providing background information by using facts or statistics will make your writing very strong same with quoting and paraphrasing as long as you cite.
     The way i would use this information will be in every essay hereafter. Hopefully it will help me write my solid informed thesis. Once again it seems like more repetition from Ms. Hacker but that means we will remember it more.
    
    

Smoke Signals

     Victor and Thomas had a relationship like brothers. They loved each other but they showed it in different ways. Thomas showed his love by wanting to be with Victor all the time and he loved telling him stories and reminiscing about old times. Thomas loved his Native American brother and made it obvious through sharing time together. Victor was different he also loved Thomas like a brother but showed it in a strange way but its also a common way brothers care for each other. Victor resented Thomas and that became apparent when Victor said "My father saved you not me". After he had said this I believe Victor started feeling better after he got that off his chest in conjunction with saying goodbye to his father and getting some closure. Victor showed Thomas tough love.
     They were not blood brothers but this doesn't always matter. The relationship between these two was a common relationship or I would say a stereotypical one. One brother was like a little shadow (Thomas) always following the bigger one (Victor) around. Then the bigger brother loved his little brother very much but at times acted like he wanted nothing to do with him but if Thomas wasn't around Victor would miss him. You never realize what you really have till its gone.

Rules for writers Chapter 48

     Generalizing when making an argument in your writing is not an effective way to get inside your readers head. In order to legitimately create a reasonable argument you must steer away from being completely biased. A good writer can explain both sides of an argument but still stay true to their side of it. Being fair and reasonable is a big part of it.
     There are many different ways to generalize but one that stands out to me is is assumptions which could miss-lead the reader. The way the writer explains the opposing argument tells a lot and also the level and credibility of their sources. This is a good way to tell if the writer is being biased and too extreme.
     Using the readers emotions in your gain can sometimes be used unfairly and I believe I have done this in the past. After reading Hacker's take on argumentative writing will help me write my next relevant essay. I will try to clearly explain both side while I still get my message across. Multiple chapters in Rules for Writers sound repetitive but are very different also. I understand with repetition comes knowledge and mastery. If you want to write good you need to try try try again.

Happy Endings, Obituary, and Oompah Loompah

     The way the author uses humor is pretty interesting. Humor is always in one way or another at someones expense. In the case of her stories the humor is at Lovey's expense. The author used families as a way to amuse the reader through banter between its members.
     In the first story a part that was funny to me was when the preacher thought he was getting through to them but really they were showing emotions because of they're game they play. They would make up endings to the Shirley Temple show. She was never able to see the real endings so from I understood her and grandpa would make them up.
     In the second story the humor was darker. The author joked about the level of intelligence of main characters including Lovey once again who was the victim of the jokes. Her fake obituary read something like "Lovey was stupid stupid stupid" in a humorous manner. It was making death funny in a weird way. It made me think of this quote my mom once told me "Death is completely okay and safe". I also recently witnessed a death in my family so it was hard to see past the obituary talk and see the humor in it but i understood the use of dark humor.
      In the last story once again it was at Lovey's expense and dealt with family. Her mom gave her a perm that was too tight and she looked like a oompah loompah and got that nickname at school. That was a reoccurring theme as well Lovey getting heckled at school. Lovey was the brunt end of majority of the humor in these stories. 

Rules for Writers Ch. 47

     In chapter forty seven it broke down how to get the reader on your side. By the end of your essay you want your reader to either change their mind or even make them biased in your favor. To do this you have to have concrete details to back up your examples and instances. Whether your argument is of good nature or not if you correctly use solid information and in combination with citations use should be able to get them on your side. Sometimes its good to babble but not in this type of debate or argumentative essay you want to be clear, precise, and focused and to do this some extensive research on the writers part is probably required.
     I have a tendency to change me tense of writing and by that I mean, sometimes I go from second to third person point of view which could really mess up my chances for winning over the reader. Besides an analytical essay I find it challenging to write an essay with a focused argument. I want to be a better researcher on my topics and I will focus on it and thats how I plan to use this info from chapter forty seven. Im going to buckle down and concentrate on the research aspect.

Integrity & Honesty

     To achieve integrity its harder than just being honest. To have integrity you must above and beyond honesty. Integrity is like your skin it will always be with you and being stripped of it would hurt. honesty is like your hair it can come and and be changed constantly
 You could move to a new town or country and lie all you want and no one would know but your integrity would shine right through and thats only if you have any.
    To acheive integrity you must be true to yourself and others and have morals and goals and follow through with them. Also you might want to listen to that little voice in the back of your mind its called a conscience and for the average non criminal human being it usually is on the right path. Lying will infringe on your integrity but wont destroy it. To compromise your integrity you got to be cruel to fellow human beings and have a pattern or habit of lying to yourself.

Relation To A Character

Home

            The story Coming Home Again written by Chang-rae Lee felt like it was written directly to me in many ways. It spoke of a family and relationships and within it including love, regrets, frustration, and change. My story doesn’t exactly directly parallel it but it definitely had some similarities.

            About six years ago my grandfather passed away. He lived in Florida with grandma and she was his primary caretaker he wasn’t in bad shape or anything but she would do laundry, cooking, and organizing all aspects of their lives. So when he passed away she felt kind of useless and lonely so we moved her out here in California to live with me and my dad. I was living on my own in Santa Rosa but when she moved out here but I moved back home to help with family. The majority of the time while she was here she was doing pretty well. She went to her luncheons every other Monday and she also loved going to the River Rock casino every Tuesday for senior day. She also enjoyed cooking and taking care of family very much.

            During her time with us in California she taught me how to cook some of her favorite dishes and the recipes were not written down or recorded in a physical manner but the were in her mind. She didn’t have the best memory but some things she never forgot. She taught me how to make matzo ball soup, a family recipe for brisket, and some potato pancakes or latkes. The time we shared in the kitchen was priceless and it meant a lot to both of us even if she was a tough little lady from Brooklyn and she wasn’t always patient I knew she only meant well in her words and actions. As time went on she would get sick for a month or so but then make a full recovery. It wasn’t until the last six months she was here that her health really began to decline.

            She was always on oxygen but it wasn’t until this time that she started taking liquid medication and began losing her appetite. At night I could hear the rhythmic sound of her oxygen machine and with each pump of the machine I would envision that it was her lungs and when it would take a long gap between pumps I would get silent and still until I heard it again. Near the end of her life she would call out the names of passed loved ones as if she was getting closer to them or could feel their presence. The name calling would disturb me because I thought she was in distress or sad but when I would go check on her she was sound asleep laying in bed peacefully. It was when she got sick the role change completed its transformation from her being a caretaker to me and my dad taking care of her. It was hard for her she didn’t want to let go and change was a very hard thing for her to deal with. In fact she completely fought change and acted tuff about it but I believe she was sad and depressed. She would come in the kitchen as we would be preparing and cooking food and she would begin to get bossy and demanding but I took it with a grain of salt out of respect and love. In Jewish families the grandmother or bubby as I would call her is the matriarch of the family like in a herd of elephants. She was the strongest woman I have ever known besides my mother.

            She had always felt as if here in California with us wasn’t her home. The only time I had felt as if she could call it her home was when she was teaching me and telling me how to cook and take care of things in the kitchen. As if the kitchen brought her back to life a little bit or maybe it was the bond we had it made it feel like she was home.

            This feeling represented home much more than the physical structure with lived under. Just like in the story told by Chang-rae Lee home wasn’t an actual location it was the act of sharing time and space with loved ones. The kitchen and bond we both shared was home to her and me as well. Change is inevitable and she fought it most of the time except when cooking she was comfortable in the kitchen. But she didn’t accept change until the time she passed away. Now that she is gone the house feels very empty. I still listen for her oxygen machine but it is never on anymore. Like a life-force was ripped away from us and left us with an empty room but I know she is in a happier place and doesn’t have to suffer anymore. The bond in the kitchen though still remains I know she is with me. So please accept change or it will leave you behind. 

Rules for Writers ch. 4

     In chapter four it focuses on paragraph development and different patterns of organization. In order to have a effective and clear essay you want to start your paragraphs with a good topic sentences and you want the following sentences to stick to that main point. Developing the main point is crucial to persuading your reader to think about your topic in such a way that you alter their process of thought.

     The other part of chapter four explains the use of different patterns of organization. There are quite a few but my favorite is description. Descriptive words really stimulate the brain and can even give you vivid images in your mind or activate your other senses. I would like to use other patterns though because I'm comfortable with descriptive essays so I think I should try a different pattern once in a while so I can activate my brain so I can learn something new and very useful. A analytical essay seems to be the biggest challenge for me.

Shooting Dad

     The significance of this title is that her father wanted to cremated and shot out of a cannon because he loved his art so much. He wanted his family to take his ashes and the homemade cannon into the mountains and make a ceremony out of it. In the ceremony I believe that he wanted all the things he loved to be apart of it.
     On the other hand the other significance of the title is that she finally decided to be apart  of a shooting session in the mountains but she was filming him on camera using his new cannon. Filming being another word for shooting.To me it was more significant that he wanted his ashes to be shot out of a cannon and the shooting of the film would be the runner up.

Rules for Writers ch. 3

     In chapter three Diana is sounding a little bit repetitive but there is a reason for this. I also repeat myself every time I respond to Rules for Writers by Diana Hacker. I always say an essay should be focused and clear in order to stimulate thought in the reader. Chapter three is all about revising your essay. When looking over your first draft you want to keep certain things in mind and make notations.
     By the end of reading your essay you want to persuade your reader by being focused and you want to have good supporting material and good transitions between paragraphs. A good way to persuade your reader in any way is to treat them as if they have no idea about your topic and you must make them an expert on it. Use citations as well with a MLA format citation page to one hundred percent legitimize your argument or side.
    Another very important way to make your essay more focused is to eliminate and remove any writing that is distracting from the main point or idea and maybe some writing is obviously of topic then remove it immediately. Sometimes a paragraph can be too long and if thats the case you can shorten your sentences by being to the point with no complications. I over complicate sometimes because I might be trying to sound more sophisticated or use big words but this isn't always the best way to go about things. Simple and focused with a clear thesis statement is much better. I plan on paying more attention to my own revisions. By that I mean most of the time I get a second set of eyes to read and make notes on my essays about possible improvements. Then I go about revising it and totally focus on my peers revision and push my ideas to the side and forget about them and this makes my focus slowly start to drift away from my original ideas.

Coming Home Again

     The importance of food in this essay was very clear in a few different ways. First of all the opening sentence  "When my mother began using the electronic pump to feed her liquids" (pg 11) hit me pretty hard because at that point in his mothers life she was being fed a mostly liquid diet because she had no appetite. She had swapped out a colorful, spicy diet for a lifeless machine that pumps liquids and medication in her.
     Food and cooking in many cultures is a bonding experience between families and they had a bond in the kitchen since he was a little boy and she used to take care of him but now the rolls switched and he was in a way taking care of her now. What I got from it is that change is inevitable and roles change as well. Him going to college leaving his mom her life force leaving her because she mentioned how he was her life therefor dissolving that culinary bond. I felt as if the kitchen or the sharing of cooking represented their relationship.  

Rules for Writers ch. 2

     In rules for writers chapter two Diana Hacker explains how to use all your information you collected (chapter 1) and apply it to a first draft. First create an outline to help organize your information or ideas. Once you have your outline you can start drafting and a good way to do that is to come up with a focused thesis and create your body paragraphs from that and come back to do your introduction and conclusion after. You might want to change your thesis slightly after you do this.
     When writing a a essay or paper I use these steps to help create a focused and clear essay but I don't exactly agree with everything. Diana was implying that the thesis is best when included in the introduction but i disagree. In the past I have given hints of my thesis in the introduction but I don't clearly state it until the conclusion. It just feels right to me to write this way. I believe it helps the reader become more involved and brings them possibly a new realization. I don't feel as if I'm wasting the readers time by stating my thesis at the end. It seems like high school writing to force my thesis on the reader in the introduction but what feels right isn't always correct. Maybe I need to try what feels wrong.

The Ways We Lie

     The lie that caught my attention the most was ignoring the facts. The example that Stephanie used was a perfect one but tragic and twisted. Is it possible that a church was dishonest? Well according to her definition yes. I believe that all the ways of lying she described are all common but ignoring the facts is probably the most common. Everyone does this and I don't care if you say you don't lie but everyone ignores the facts.
     It was also very interesting to me because I learned something new. I had never really made a connection between lying and ignoring the facts but Stephanie bridged the gap. People ignore facts of their own lives all the time so they are lying to themselves more than anything and thats why I think its the most common form of lying because there are so many people doing this every day. Maybe they think by ignoring it that things will work themselves out. Some could call this skeletons in the closet or fear of shame but now I see its flat out lying.

-B

Essay #1 Rough Draft

Opium

            This picture was taken in Washington Square Park in San Francisco. It was almost dusk and the air was cool and fresh. This image has a great significance to me it was a turning point in my life. Just one night changed my outlook on today’s world. When you look at this picture you probably don’t see much or you might see a lot but regardless of what you see it reminds me of a story. When I close my eyes and concentrate I can re-live that night like it was yesterday the sights, smells, and sounds are still vivid in my mind.

We drove down in my sisters Ford Explorer with my sister, brother, brother-in-law, and niece and we were planing on meeting friends down there. We booked two rooms at the downtown Hyatt Hotel off Market St. near the Embarcadero district. But before we headed to the hotel we had to drop off Isabella (my niece) at her grandmothers.

            The show we were attending was on 6^th street at Club 6. Before the show we had to check in at the Hyatt. This place was elaborately elegant. It had massive ceilings with layered balconies inside and out with white Christmas lights cascading from the top balcony. The lobby was sparkling clean and had a fresh smell and feel. Not to mention the staff was top notch meeting all of our needs with a smile. When we got to our rooms we were blown away. We had plasma flat screen television, pillow top queen beds, and marble floors. Best of all we had a view overlooking the bay from our balcony and every once in a while a refreshing cool ocean breeze would blow across the building. Where we were headed was somewhat the opposite.

Club 6 located in the heart of grime city a.k.a. 6^th and Market. In order to get there we had to walk down a block of 6^th and let me tell you the ground and air was littered with the sight and smell of garbage, feces, urine, and eccentric shouting and mumbling. I felt sad for all the street people scattered down the block but at the same time wanted to get to the destination as fast a possible with the least contact as possible. Once we arrived we got right in with no problems. It was a small hole in the wall club that smelled like perfume, sweat, and beer. There were two performers before Opium, they did their thing then left the stage as if they were scared of someone. Op (nickname for Opium) got up there and killed it. He had a fog machine, professional dj, and an entourage which made his performance very effective at capturing the audience’s attention. So two ringing ears and six beers later it was time to head back to the hotel for the mini after party.

We had about five city blocks to walk. It was about 1:30 in the A.M. at this point. The corona was running through me pretty quickly and I had to find a bathroom fast before my bladder popped. Our group was rolling twelve heads deep taking up the whole sidewalk. Just a couple blocks away from the Hyatt and we passed a homeless couple sitting on the ground in front of a seven eleven. The man on the ground said “you want some of my sausage?” and in unison we said “what!” and that’s all it took we gave him some attention. He started to follow us down the street asking if we wanted some of his nasty looking half eaten sausage with relish and mustard on it. This didn’t sit to well with the crew. It got to the point where he was in our face trying to push his food on us. He didn’t know what he was getting into. Enrique (my brother in law) slapped the food out of his hand and things got serious, he wanted to knock dudes head off because he was raised in  the city and doesn’t take back talk from no one. At this point a couple of us got between them so he didn’t kill this dude because he’s an ex-boxer with the golden gloves. Right as we dispersed the SFPD pulled up and “said keep it moving and head home now” so we did we just wanted to get back as soon as possible. Finally we made it back to the telly and I collapsed onto a bed.

Now back in the room I was relieved somewhat. It was now 2:27 A.M. The rest of the night was a blur of hops, noise complaint calls from the front desk, and drug encrusted faces. Would I do it again? For sure. What did I learn? Sometimes the journey is the destination.

Rules for Writers ch.1 Summary

     Chapter one covers every basic aspect on how to prepare to write a paper. First you want to come up with a subject or maybe you were given one. After you have your subject you want to gather multiple sources or maybe your writing from personal experiences.  A refining of your subject or a "subdividing of your subject" (pg 5) might be necessary in order to reach a specific audience. Diana Hacker also explains the different ways an instructor looks at your paper as a judge or as a student.
     There are multiple ways to gather information. You can ask questions and discuss your subject, or you can take notes (highlight, annotate), or you can free write and create a cluster diagram. Next you want to come up with a thesis. You want your thesis to be tentative and propose an argument or chose a side then use the body and conclusion to back it up.
     I would tell you how I would use this information to my advantage but I already do. I usually gather as many sources as possible or as many that were assigned. I also love writing from my own experiences as well because its really easy when you know every little detail. When writing about personal experiences i found that free writing helps a lot by getting your own ideas and thoughts down on paper to develop your own voice or fingerprint. Coming up with a solid thesis can be challenging but I usually brainstorm a while before I zero in on one. The past couple papers I wrote I found it easier to put my thesis near the end.

The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me

     How could it be dangerous to be smart? Well lets see a lot of people are afraid of change. Intelligence and change go hand in hand and there are basically two types of smart, book smart and street smart. Either way you are dangerous to someone or something.

     The general public in most cases is attracted to smart people and listens to them and follows them. The control over the free public scares the government and to them is very dangerous but in other cases having different color skin and being smart scares the public and is dangerous in their eyes. The government likes to be in control and when they feel like their losing it they feel as if they are in danger. 

     What I consider street smart is a normal person with a conscience and common sense. Consider book smart  being able to pick up a textbook and teach yourself that subject with no help. When you posses both of these like our President you become dangerous in the eyes of the public and government plus he has different color skin. The combination of all this really divides this country into two groups smart people and ignorant people. Being too smart for your own good can divide nations. 

Free Writing Exercise

     A freewrite is a writing exercise that helps you write a interesting paper or essay. You should only freewrite for ten to twenty minutes and its compiled of whatevers on your mind or a specific topic. A lot of people edit while they write but a freewrite is a good way to let of this bad habit. Editing while you write will make your paper choppy and incoherent unlike a flowing freewrite which is more pure and carries your personal writing fingerprint.
     When writing a freewrite sometimes you write something that has more feeling or a deeper meaning then the editing while you write method because it came out more based on felling rather than over thinking which creates a much stronger point or arguement. After practicing freewrites over a good period of time the coherent, sensible writing will start crossing over into your regular writing and your words will flow together to make a more effective essay.
     I found it very interesting that when you freewrite sometimes you come up with "less random, more coherent, and highly organized" (pg 4) writing. I usually over think things and edit while I write so this chapter from Writing Without Teachers by Peter Elbow really hit home with me. I found the idea of keeping a freewrite journal intriguing so I plan to keep one hereafter.

Rules for Writers ch.46 Summary

     In chapter forty six of Rules for Writers Diana Hacker explains how to actively read, summarize, and analyze text. To actively read you should annotate the text by writing questions and statements about the meaning and mood of that sentence, word, or paragraph. You could also annotate portions of the text that you thought were most interesting to you. 

     Another way to actively read is to reread Diana asks "What do you notice on a second or third reading that you didn't notice earlier?" (pg 347). From your annotations you can "sketch a brief outline of the text" (pg 350). In your outline you should state the authors thesis, unbiased main ideas, and contrasting ideas. These steps lead you into analyzing a text which will ultimately teach you how to write an analytical essay.

     Analyzing a text is similar to summarizing but different. Analyzing is more than just stating a thesis and main ideas its the process of understanding the texts roots and getting inside the authors head. You can do this by annotating the text but this time ask deeper questions like "How does the author structure the text? What are the key parts and how do they relate to one another and to the thesis?" (pg 353). Diana wrote this to help you distinguish the difference between summarizing and analyzing. These skills will help you one day to write a successful analytical essay.

     The way Diana wrote chapter forty six it was very easy to read and understand. The way I plan to integrate this information into my own writing is to annotate, summarize, and analyze myself. I will write an essay then a day later come back to it and reread and annotate to see if its clear and focused. Using these three processes will also be helpful when I read other writings from students in class because I believe the better you get at summarizing and analyzing the more improvement in your own writing you will see. Repetition is key to success. 

Brian's Blog

     Hello everyone my is Brian I live in Santa Rosa and I am a 27 year old SRJC student and I work part time as line cook. As far as educational and career goals I want to complete the SRJC culinary program and possibly pursue further education at a private culinary school to eventually work my way into a kitchen that puts out high quality delicious food in small quantities. I love all different kinds of food but my two favorite kinds are Mexican and French food. I also love music, cars, family, and the show It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
     First I want to mention English is my favorite class and when I'm done with this class I wish to be able to write a fully interesting and functional essay that would impress a professor teaching English 1A. I also wish to improve my reading and by that I mean my ability to focus and interpret what I'm reading. My final goal in this class is to never repeat it again its nothing personal towards the students or professors but I'm ready to move on. When homework gets assigned I like to start right away and pace myself it always works out better in the end this way because life can be hectic and stuff or situations can arise so I'd rather be prepared. I always haven't been this way when I was younger I was somewhat of a slacker.
     So I hope some of you have found what I wrote to be interesting and maybe have something in common with me. I'm going to watch some It's Always Sunny in Philly now and you should all do the same as long as you have finished your homework.