Forgotten Language by Shel Silverstein

Forgotten Language by Shel Silverstein
Once I spoke the language of the flowers,
Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,
Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,
And shared a conversation with the housefly
in my bed.
Once I heard and answered all the questions
of the crickets,
And joined the crying of each falling dying
flake of snow,
Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . .
How did it go?
How did it go?

In the poem Forgotten Language by Shel Silverstein, he uses a central metaphor to compares childhood to a forgotten language. He describes the forgotten language as something that he once had but lost. "Once I spoke the language of the flowers..../How did it go?" (10-11).Shel Silverstein writes about how he didn't want to lose this special language but somehow it got away. Childhood is something one doesn't realize is slipping away, until it is gone forever. He uses peaceful thing to compare this language to, like a "flake of snow"(9), and a "catipillar"(2). This gives the poem a feeling of softness,but at the same time a little sadness because the thought of losing these preciouse gifts is somewhat sadning. Once childhood is gone, their is always a want to go back to being a child.

I found this poem interesting because of what its trying to say to the readers. I was always told as a child, "Don't grow up too fast", but all I wanted to do was the opposite. I wanted to do what the older kids were doing. I never thought about what I would be losing. Although the diction if this poem is not negative, or sad, it gives off a vibe of sadness. It shows the realization that once your an adult, you are not a child anymore which seems obvious. But as you grow, the question, "where did my chilhood go?" comes up and one wonders how they came to be an adult so fast.

quarter One Reflection

In this class, I feel I did pretty well. My first paper was a bit shaky because I was just getting back into the routine of school. In this class I feel I have learned alot about writing overall. Enriched English has really pushed me to write stronger thesis statements because coming into this year, I really felt I was lacking in that area. One thing I learned was how to analyze photographs. I never thought aobut how much thought is put into creating a single photo or movie scene. Some techniques I learned were medium, long and close shots, which can really create different feelings from the photo. I feel that, again, writing a good thesis statement is something I have somewhat imporvied on but I feel that I still need to work on it to be a good writer. Something I'm struggling with is organizing my ideas when writing a paper. I know what I want to say but putting it into words is more difficult. I think my class environment is pretty good. I feel I learn as well as enjoy the class and my classmates really help me because they have really good ideas. I feel like I can share more of my thoughts to the class which in turn will benefit me and my classmates. I really struggle with this aspect becasuse I tend to be shy around new people, but now that I've gotten to know everyone more I hope I will learn to speak up. My goal for quarter two is to get a decent grade on the big research project coming up. I'm happy with my grade in this class so hopefully I can keep it there.

outside reading post 5

the novel a thousand splendid suns , like in many pieces of literature, the themes of stuggle and conflict are presented throughout the story. Towards the end of the Book, Rasheed, has now married Laila, because she thinks her love, Tariq is dead. Mariam is greatful to have another person to talk to, but Rasheed doesn't treat either of them well. He frequently beats them both and criticizes them constantly. And in this time periode woman had barly any rights. They were basically proporty of their husband. They were not allowed to have any contact at all with the opposite gender. In public, they had to wear veils so no other man could look at them . Rasheed was very stricked about these policies, so when Tariq shows up at Laila's door, Rasheed does not take that too well. After hearing that Laila talked with Tariq, he starts brutally beating her. Laila is near death, when Mariam steps in and hits rasheed over the head with a shovel, and kills him. In this time periode, even diobeying your husband is unheard of, so killing him is beyond belife. Mariam went against the rules of society to save both her and Laila's life. And although Rasheed had never suffered any consiquences for beating his wives, becasue of this societies unjust rules and beliefs, Mariam will suffer execution for merly defending herself and Laila.
This novel I feel is similar the the film we watched in class called, On the Waterfront. In this film, the main character Terry goes against societies better judgment and stands up to the mob of his community, Just like Maiam stood up the beating of her husband. They both followed their own instincts instead of those of their society, and although they both sufferred major consiquenses, they also both saved lives as well.

outsde reading post 4

Later in the book another main character is introduced, her name is Laila and she is Mariam and Rasheed's neighbor. she is a young, positive and smart girl whos life isn't an easy one either. The story slowly moves from Mariam's to Laila's. Although Laila's harships are not a sever as Mariam's, she still sufferes from the impacts of war and a broken family.
Laila's brothers left for war when she was just a small girl, so all she knows of them is their pictures on the walls. Their departures creats a tension between her mother and her father, to a point where Laila didn't enjoy being at home, "the truth was Laila loves eating meals at Tariq's house as much as she disliked eating them at hers" (116). Tariq is Laila's best friend, and he is the key to Laila's happiness. They have been friends since they were little and have grown inseperable. So when Tariq has to leave for a little while, Laila is crushed, and there is one point when she doesn't believe he is coming back.
Ever since her brothers have left, her family hasn't been the same. Her mother is easily angered, and her father is usally the one she takes it out on weither it his fault or not. Their usual quarrels were something Laila got used to, but one day the news came of her brothers' death. This killed a part of Laila's mother that Laila herself would never be able to replace. All Laila's mother would do is lay in her bed, weap and pray. "Laila had to sholder more and more chores" (127). After finishing the chores Laila would lay in bed with her mother, and her mom would tell her stories about her brothers. And with more and more of these stories Laila began to realize that she would never mean as much to her mother as her brothers did.

a. What are the major struggles and conflicts that your characters encounter? How do the characters face the conflicts and how does going through these conflicts help the characters to learn more about themselves?

In the book A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam's struggles develope early in the book. From whne she was little she had been told that she was nothing, "this is my reward for everything i've endured. An heirloom-breaking, clumsy little harami."(4). Her mom blames Mariam for all her hardships, but Mariam doesn't believe that she is the reason for the hard life her and her mother live until she hears it from someone else. Unfortunetly, that doesn't take long to happen. Her father soon gives her the impression that he too is ashamed of her and doesn't want her in his house.
Another conflict that Mariam is forced to struggle with in her young age is her mother's death. When Mariam goes to her father's house, her mother yells and scream at her, "Don't leave Mariam Jo. Please stay. I'll die if you go." (26). Mariam leaves anyway because she is tired of her mother's constant negativity towards her. But when she finds that her father is ashamed of her as well she comes back to find her mother had hung herself. So now not only does Mariam have to cope with the fact that she has no one , but also with the feeling that she had that the death of her mother was her fault.
Through these struggles, Mariam's self esteem is shattered believing that she is a nobody, and that nobody loves her. But with the reassurance of her long-time mentor, Mullah Faizullah she finds that these struggles have also made her stronger.

Outside reading post 2

Another one of the main characters in the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a man named Rasheed. Rasheed is the man Jalil forces Mariam to marry after her mother's death, at the age of fifteen. He is a forty year old shoemaker who lives in the city of Kabul. Like Mariam, He has alsp suffered loss, Rasheed once lived happily with a wife and son.
Now, long after his son's death, rasheed longs for another, which Mariam can give him. At the beginnig of thier marriage, Rasheed is very nice and sympathetic. He complimetns her on her cooking, "It's good, maybe even better than good". He also offers to show her around the unfamiliar city. He does this all out of hope that one day Mariam will give him a son.
Soon the moment came where Mariam was expecting a child. Tjis made Rasheed overjoyed, he started right away on building a crib, and invited all of his friends over to celebrate, he even bought a baby-sized leather coat. Just as soon as the excitment came, it was lost, when Mariam found out she had what is now called a miscarage. Throughout the next four years of their mariage there would be 6 more miscarages, and lost hope.
These miscarages dashed rasheeds dream, and so he had no use for Mariam now that she couldn't give him another child. He slowly became more snippy and mean. He soon would ignore Mariam, and disaprove of everything she did. "His ridicule, his insults, his walking past her like she was nothing but a house cat...she lived in fear of his shifting moods, his volatile temperments". He would soon result in puches, kick and slaps when Mariam disobeyed, or her cooking wasn't good enough. He even made her eat rocks, cracking her teeth.
One almost feels pain and sympathy for Rasheed even though he is mistreating Mariam, but after all he has gone through, to see his dreams dashed makes you feel sorry for him.

my photo

a. Who are the main characters of your book? Describe their personality and what seems to motivate them.

In my outside reading book, A Thousand Splendid Suns the main character is Mariam Jo. She is a young girl growing up in Afganistan. She is a very positive girl for what her lifestyle is like. She lives with her mother, who she calls Nana. Nana is not as positive and is always upset. She has had a hard life. Although Mariam is not allowed to attend school, she has a tutor, Mullah Faizullah, who she feels is the only one who truly understands her. Mariam's father who she calls, Jalil doesn't live with mariam and her mother. Mariam was not an expected child. Jalil is the wealthiest man in the city, Herat, and nana was one of his maids. But when they found out she was pregnant, she was forced to move out of the city into the plain outside the city, what Mariam calls the Kolba. Mariam loves Jalil, and comes to visit her once a week, which is what keeps mariam motivated. Nana doesn't like that she gets so excited because Nana knows that Jalil is full of lies. Mariam refuses to believe her, but when Jalil doesn't come one day, Mariam decides to go to his house. There she realizes that Nana was right all along when he doesn't let Mariam in his house. But this realization comes too late, and when Mariam get back to the Kolba she find Nana dead, she had killed herself.

I feel that people write memoirs, not just to tell a story, but to also teach something valuable, or make a point. At the same time reading someone's story is entertaining, the message the reader gets from the memoir is usually something worthwhile. The thing that makes memoirs so different from other forms of writing is that not one will ever be the same. Even if more than one memoir is written about the same event, because everyone sees things differently, and everyone's point of view is different. Memoirs range from sad and seriouse, to funny and imbarrassing, but no matter what its about there is still something to learn, no matter how stupid it may seem.
telling your own story has a lot of power and weight to it. When you are writing about something that acctually happened to you, chances are it has happened to someone else. And the better a reader can relate to a story the more they will learn from it. Memoirs are also easier to believe than novels just because of the fact that the reader knows the event of the memoir acctually happened.Memoirs I feel are one of the best forms of writing and expressing yourself, because they are interesting and fun to read, and you usually learn a lesson in the process.

In the novel Black Boy, Richard is hungry for food as well as other things. Richard lives in a time of injustice, and violence, where Richard has to basically fend for himself. He hungers for knowledge in the beginning of the book, and also for respect. He longs to provide for himself and leave his abusive family.
Richard is denied the opportunity to a good education. He is unable to go to school for a long time, and even in school he is not taught properly how to read or write. His interest in books and reading was sparked when Richard’s family moved in with his grandparents. His grandma hired a housekeeper named Ella, who Richard begged to read to him, and she did. Richard became engaged in these stories and wanted to read more of them, but after Ella was fired, there were no more storied to be told. Richard taught himself how to read through trying to decipher the words in old books, and eventually he was able to comprehend them enough to know what was going on. Later on in the book, Richard enjoyed writing stories during his prayer hour.
Richard also hungered for respect from his classmates. He moved around from one place to another quite frequently so at each school he needed to regain his respect. He would do so by showing his strength and fighting with the other students. Sometimes there would be a reason to his fighting, like kids making fun of his straw hat but other times he just fought for the sake of fighting. This was his way of pointing out his territory and setting his place in the society of school.
Richards longing to be on his own grew as he got older. He searched for jobs that he could do under his grandma’s rules. He took any job that fit, like selling newspapers, working for an insurance salesman, and working in white people’s households. With these jobs he was able to have a social life with his classmates, and he was able to buy thing for himself. Although all these things taught Richard something valuable the effect that they made on him were not always good. He became more independent and wouldn’t listen to his family. For example when his grandma tried to beat him for doing something wrong he dodged he swing and it ended up hurting her back. He would also threaten his aunt with a knife if she ever came too close to her. This behavior eventually leads to the family shunning him. But although his grandmother and aunt are not happy with him, Richard’s mother is grateful to have such a tough and independent son.

In the novel Black Boy, Richard leads a hard life. He lives in a time period where black and whites are not treated equally, and parents treat their kids badly. It is a difficult time for everyone Richard and his mother, both. But the environment that a person is living in cannot always be blamed for their behavior.
Richard does bad things at times, but that doesn’t make him a bad boy, for example, when he lights the curtains on fire. He is very young and didn’t really know the damage fire could do. He also wasn’t lighting the curtains on fire to be bad or because he wanted to burn the house down, he did it because he was curious, and because he was bored. Also, beating the gang of boys with the stick would normally be considered bad behavior, but considering the situation Richard was in, hitting them was acceptable. The boys were harassing him, and beating him. Richard had no other choice but to defend himself with the stick his mother gave him. These examples show that sometimes a person cannot be blamed fully for their behavior, but that their actions also depend on the circumstance and situation they are in. Although situations can take some of the blame, they cannot take all of it. When Richard killed the kitten he was fully aware of what he was doing. He was trying to take his father’s words literally, when he knew all the while what his father meant. Everyone cannot be perfect, and everyone makes bad choices once in a while, but there is a difference between making a bad choice and knowing you are doing something bad, but doing it anyway.