Blog #4: AP Literature Multiple Choice Test Reflection

Reflection
Multiple choice has always been my least favorite part of every English test I've always taken. Finding them unfair due to how students must interpret the literary pieces the same way the test writer does- to which is unfair. This is because every individual has different background, interests, beliefs, and thought patterns, so reading the same thing to each can be considered a different reading for each. And yet, after all these  years of English testing we will have them. As my 5 Steps to a Five AP English Literature 2017 edition states, "a flawed method of gauging understanding because... it forces you to play a cat-and-mouse game with the teat maker" (32). Even the study books for the test agree with me here.

My benchmark test was no where near the place I would want it to be, and yet it was at a better standing than I was expecting, 37/55 (67%). Which to be fairly honest, is still pretty high for me to expect for never taking a AP Lit test before. It was a good place for me to start with, by heading face first into uncertainty. Then followed with group comparisons and evaluations we were able to work through the problems together, to come to a more centralized line of reason for the correct answers. When we collaborated and worked together we came to a much better grade of 54/55 (98%). I'm glad my table was willing to slow down and have us al work together on the same problems and explain the correct answers so that I would be able to take notes to help me understand my flawed reasoning.

After reading through the section about the Multiple Choice Test in my study book I had learned that some of the steps I was already taking were good skills to be using: Underline key words, rereading, crossing out for sure wrong answers. While they also suggested new strategies for me to improve my score in the future. Such as reading while pointing at the words in order to make myself focus, to which will help. Also paying attention to the background information provided, which could centralize my thinking with the test writers. Along with many other techniques I found that paraphrasing information in the margins might help with over all concept work for the questions.

I just hope with further practice I can study and prepare to knock the AP Multiple Choice section out of the park this upcoming May. No matter how unfair or overly complicated it may be.

Blog #3: AP English Literature Benchmark Poetry Essay & Reflection/Revision & Reflection

Draft 1

A family tree, a common day representation of the growth and vast ties and lines of our own blood, a symbol of life, love and devotion. In “The Black Walnut Tree” by Mary Oliver she speaks of a literal tree that ties herself to her own family past, with shifting tones of angry pride and pleasure, specificity of places and names, along with the works of comparison of the tree to her own family. With the pain and commotion they hear, but the love and devotion that they show.

Family discussions are often harsh, deep discussions that trifle in the well being of a family, “My mother and I debate” (l. 1). The tone starting neutral as a debate is not a blood lusting fight but a civil discussion. Though further along the words give off an essence of paranoia and stained anguish, “Likely some storm anyway will churn down its dark boughs, smashing the house” (ll. 6-8). The fear twisting to anger as they try to recall of many reasons to sell the tree, “Roots in the cellar drain… leaves are getting heavier” (ll. 11-13). The lines how having a line of logic and a poetic near rhyme rhythm to them.

For logic to flow it must have a rhythm and a work behind it to make sense, the poetic near rhyme rhythm of this poem adding a commitment to how the tree may be causing all their misleading family problems, “Two women trying in a difficult time to be wise” all these words of “trying” and “time” and “wise” adding a sense of distress as with their lives. This technique is repeated all throughout the poem. But riddled with their distress comes harsh choices, and harsh choices bring about guilt and shame to themselves and to the family.

The tree is a representation of the family, “something brighter than money moves in our blood” (ll. 16-17). She explains about her family ties, that their pride and relationship is more above money then so is the tree. “So we talk, but we don’t do anything” (ll. 20-21), when they discuss the mortgage problems and the solutions at hand but their pride they feel within stops them from doing the absurd, of killing off their family, of killing off the tree. This tree is a personal connection to that of their father, “we’d crawl with shame in the emptiness we’d made in our own and our father’s backyard” (ll. 26-28). It would be a sad thing to have the space filled by the void their father left, empty, by cutting down the tree they take away their tie to their father.

With stubborn and prideful disregard they do keep of the tree of the “blue fields of the fresh generous Ohio” (ll. 23-24), in their yard, “so the black walnut tree swings through another year” (ll. 30-31). The tone replacing that of a sigh, the specifies of the tree and the earth's blessing the importance of it before us. This tree is their family and they love it and suffer through the burdens of it. For by the end it goes in a full circle with the burden of the mortgage;  starting with neutral “payoff the mortgage” (l. 5) yet ending with the accepting yet painful “whip crack of the mortgage” (ll. 34-35). The whole work of poetry a long continuous thought pattern of tortured thoughts. From neutral to anger to distress to shame to acceptance and encircling on forever.

The tree, the black walnut tree, the one thing keeping the family from living comfortably, yet is the one thing really they anguish. For the tree represents their past family and they love it, though it brings them into trouble.  

Score: 6

Revision

Family trees and family sorrows both grow on burdening branches. In The Black Walnut Tree by Mary Oliver she entwines the physicality of monetary value and the mental thriving of family pride and how they both pull her and her family to ends, a tree being the center pinpoint and focus of their joy and sorrow. As through poetic allusions, and entrancing diction she emphasizes the shifts in her and her mother's tones and feelings about the tree and their own family. As the pain and communication they have changes to the love and devotion they show.

Starting with neutral displeasure she arises both the issue and the unwanted solution to both her and her mother’s pain, “We could sell the black walnut tree” (ll. 2-3). As Oliver would “debate” (l. 1) with her mother on their plight to “pay off the mortgage” (l. 5). These simple words of restrained dictions emphasize the distance she tries to keep herself from the situation. Describing it as a civil debate rather than a ferocious fight or a everyday talk. It holds a higher importance but is weighed down by grief that they must keep themselves level in this discussion of selling their tree. The tree, their tree, is upheld to bring them money and ease their pain, but no definitive choice to sell the tree is yet made, why?

The “black walnut tree” (l. 3) still has no tie or sentimental connections to this family, no tied memories that can be interpreted, no love or hate yet expressed for this tree, just the cold monetary value held to it, in order to sell it “to the lumberman” (l. 4). Who is just as ambiguous as the tree to the audience. Though it is not just a tree either, the tree has a specific name to it, a “black walnut” (l. 3), it is not just an ambiguous tree in one's lawn, it has a title and it is known, providing to the audience that this tree, though held so distinctly from the family, is important. Not even to mention that this tree is the title of the entire poem, “The Black Walnut Tree” (l. 0). Though distance can only be held so far when being tamed back from anger and passion, the discussion with her mother and alluding memories quickly follow suit as the poem continues on.

Deadly the tree is, capable of “smashing down the house,” in a “storm (that could) churn down its dark boughs,” (ll.6-8). Two women are faced with the conflicting decision whether or not to slash the The Black Walnut Tree to its roots in order to pay the rent. Referenced to be hard for women to make “wise”  decisions this opening conflict sets the tone for the beginning of the poem. Between the lines five and fifteen, a dreary tone illuminates the conflicts the Walnut Tree puts upon these two lonesome women. “The leaves are getting heavier every year, and the fruit harder to gather away,” (ll.13-14). Mary Oliver uses the negatively connoted adverbs, “heavier” and “harder” to elaborate on the distressed tone of the poem.    

    The debate extends on into the evening as to whether or not the walnut tree should go down. As they get deeper and deeper into their thoughts about the gains and losses they’d face giving up the tree, they start to feel a certain pressure that has nothing to do with monetary value or practicality, “an edge so sharp and quick as a trowel that wants (them) to dig and sow,” (ll. 17-19) It’s written almost as if this pressure is taking them hostage, or something to that extend of hostility. And due to this pressure their debate is still inconclusive. As she sleeps on it, Oliver dreams of her “fathers out of Bohemia.” (l. 22) As this occurs, the contrasting end of the debate introduced in the beginning of the poem is revealed. There is conflict that if the tree were torn down, a piece holding mass amounts of sentimental value would be forever lost, creating a void in the landscape that both her and her mother have been a part of for so many years, and there’d be no overcoming the floods of guilt they’d receive if doing so. They’d “crawl with shame in the emptiness (they’d) made in (their) own and (their) fathers’ backyard,” (ll.27-29).

    Oliver and her mother come to the realization that they must choose what they value more: the sentiment of the Walnut tree, or the financial satisfaction they need in order to pay the mortgage. “What my mother and I both know is that we’d crawl with shame in the emptiness we’d made in our father's’ own backyard,” (ll 26-29). The extent to which their ulterior motive preserves the tree still affects Oliver and her mother. In this circumstance, they cannot evade both afflictions of moral guilt and financial struggle. They both assess that their consciences will not allow them to dishonor their fathers or other forefathers by removing the tree, and thus Oliver specifically emphasizes that they have made their decision that “...the black walnut tree swings through another year of sun and leaping winds, of leaves and bound fruit, and, month after month, the whip-and crack of the mortgage,” (ll. 30-35). Oliver symbolizes the burden of the mortgage to a whip crack in order to convey the intensity of their lingering burden. Although they still have their tree, they have not alleviated their debt, Oliver and her mother have acted as martyrs to maintain the tradition of their family.

    In family, the internal feelings boil and change their states, from neutral to displeasure, to distress, to pride, to remembrance, ending in reluctant content. As Oliver and her mother return full circle from “mortgage” (l. 5) to tree to “mortgage” (l. 35) their emotions and family ties are caught in the “leaping winds” (l. 32) of fate, held in the bough of “the black walnut tree” (l. 3). The literary element personification occurs throughout, in order to symbolize the tree and its surroundings as a member of the family, instead of a nuisance that is described in the beginning. The tree left to stand “through another year” (l. 31)  implying the relationship between the tree and Oliver’s family is stronger than monetary plight.

Reflection

      Even though I live and breathe and love poetry I feel the first time I looked at this prompt it just went over my head, which while reading the first draft of my essay I find completely true. I have never done a prompt after a poem so this was a good first time experience with this.

     My overall work and analysis was spotty but did demonstrate many points, to which did get translated to the revision just with more clarity. As well as many of my stylistic ways of writing coming back to work with me in the revision. Sounding still like me, just a more awake and focused me. Filled with caffeine and understanding.

    Being able to work in a group with other people is very nice, for we each can connect our viewpoints and comfortably share new ones amongst ourselves. Expressing our idea and interpretations to the piece in a much broader sense.

    As I come to see and meet with these poetry prompt essays I do hope to being more acquainted them and find it easier to respond to them. Though I do find that the shifts cart is a great way to go about any unknown work or essay. I will continue to use this method for it is simple yet effective.

Blog #2: AP English Literature Benchmark Prose Essay & Reflection/Revisions & Reflection

Draft
Edward P. Jones writes of Moses in the novel The Known World. Through the characters odd and simplistic actions along with the deep monologuesque trails of thought, a reader is able to interpret Moses’s gentle and thoughtful way of life. As he tends to leave his family and others to seek solace and relief in the natural world.

Great detail placed into a common thing can give life and meaning to an almost meaningless thing. To some readers dirt may be just a nuisance that dirties one’s carpet, yet Moses studies and worships the dirt of the field he works. Knowing it by testing it for he “ate dirt” not for the sustenance but for the knowledge and for the ties to the earth “Discovering the strengths and weaknesses of the fields.” While studying how the falls and springs affected the soil, “This was July, and July dirt tasted even more like sweetened metal than the dirt of June or May” being able to hold the knowledge and work for the land of his own past owner brings him pride and blissful thoughts of knowledge.

While Moses sends his workers bac, “sent them back with hunger and tiredness to their cabins” being kind to the hard worked individuals and sweet for the children allowing them “to play in the few minutes of sunshine that was left.” His compassion for the people expresses his leadership and love of mankind for he thought of “bondage women” and “slaves” and the sadness of the world and wanted to better it in his own community, “he could see some of the smoke rising from the world… home.” For he valued his family but also needed his solemnly peaceful times.

Connecting himself with nature in the confined chains of human life, he used nature to quell the pains, “blame the chains on evenings such as these alone nights when he lost himself completely fell asleep… covered in dew.” Using nature as his bed with hope and serenity. Finding home life lovely but constricted he often did not return home, “his wife knew enough now to not wait for him to come and eat with them.” He found happy life and community in connection with the nature in his past state of human reality, “He turned his head slightly to the right… was the sound of children playing… he could hear far more clearly the last bird of day as its evening chirped in the small forest far out to his left.” Seeing the forest and it’s natural beauty more clearly than the playing children turning to the beautiful world he rests naturally in “his nakedness” to rest in the forest. “Believing he was alone, he smiled” comforting from the natural world  but of the opposite of its inhabitants. Being untainted in the natural world was his living paradise.

         While he “ate dirt” to bring himself down to the proper running of the fields, he did it to form his connection to “his small world that meant almost as much as his own life” to burrow and love and devote his life to earth before his own family. Revealing his devotion to the natural world and the simplistic and blissful blessings he receives from it.

Score: 5.5

        Story board

        Shifts Chart

        Three Sentence Thesis

             In The Known World,  Edward P. Jones expands about the human concept of personal freedom and the irony of human social oppression. As Moses, a slave to man, seeks his socale in the dangers and serenity of nature. With a detailed and personified tether of metaphorical love to the earth and the faux sense of freedom left within its grasp. The author follows Moses along with his deep monologues of intellectual triumph over the land, a mourning tone of the loss of true humanity with the bondage on his life loosed by the sentimental and melancholy call of nature.

        Revision

In The Known World,  Edward P. Jones expands about the human concept of personal freedom and the irony of human social oppression with development of his main character, Moses. A slave to man, he seeks his solace in the dangers and serenity of nature. With a detailed and personified tether of metaphorical love to the earth and the faux sense of freedom left within its grasp. The author follows Moses along with his deep monologues of intellectual triumph over the land, a mourning tone of the loss of true humanity with the omission point of view on bondage with this Moses’s life is loosed by the sentimental and melancholy call of nature.

With reluctant revelation it is shared with the audience that Moses finds no freedom within the confines of others like himself but finds his freedom within the loneliness of nature. While coldly compassionate he sends his fellow men and women away from work to the home, “he ended the day for the other adults, his own wife among them, and sent them back… to their cabins. The young ones, his son among them, had been sent out of the fields an hour or so before” (ll. 2-6). Expressing this love and care for his people we learn he is not spiteful nor hateful of family but is just not entranced by the companionship of others.

The reader's perspective changes from the past time to the present hour with him standing alone in the field, our omissive third person view watching down on Moses as he had “been working in the fields for all of fifteen hours” (ll. 14-15) with the last “five-inch-long memory of red orange laid out in still waves across the horizon” (ll. 11-13) changing to a “strip of sun [which] fade[d] to dark blue and then nothing” (ll. 22-23). The symbolism of the sky reflecting how Moses is viewed by his fellow slave men and the audience, during the day he is strong, hard working and has a fiery passion for the right of the land, though as we move closer to the dark of night he becomes more secluded, mysterious and secretive, just himself in the cool of night. With fellow man in the broad daylight, alone in the dark of night.

A man in solitude, a man who is oppressed in shackles and held captive by other men. Moses finds clarity and freedom in the intimate surroundings of nature. A relationship with the earth so pure, detached from other humans, Moses gets closer to the earth by eating “ the only thing in his small world that meant almost as much as his own life,” (ll.30-31). The dirt. A tonal shift of spite within the lines 23 through 31 represents the emotional connection Moses has toward the earth. When it is described that pregnant women too eat dirt, Jones shifts to an angry tone, reflecting how Moses feels there is an “incomprehensible need,” (l. 26) for these women to do so. The earth is Moses’ life, those pregnant women do not hold the same appreciation, the same intimacy with the earth that Moses does.

As the sun disappears within the horizon, darkness captures Moses. Yet, unlike the captivity of man, Moses feels comfort in the outside realm. Away from man, consumed by earth and the solitude of darkness. Accompanied by his faithful mule, a symbol for the appreciation of earth and animals more than fellow man. In the blackness of night “Moses smelled the incoming of rain,” (ll. 47-48). A rain also a symbol, a symbol of purity and cleansing. Jones uses such symbols in his writing to elaborate the connections that Moses does have in his life. Not to man. But to the faithful creatures, animals, and nature.     

    In his mission to seek bliss with his natural surroundings, he reluctantly disregards his family, friends and the creature comforts they provided. This wasn’t unusual behavior for him, however, for he had “turned away, for the third time that week, from the path that led to the narrow lane of the quarters with its people and his own cabin” (ll. 52-54) and that “His wife knew enough now not to wait for him to come and eat with them.” (ll. 55-56) His reluctance is then made obvious as he “turned his head slightly to the right and made out what he thought was the sound of playing children, but when he turned his head back, he could hear far more clearly the last bird of the day as it evening-chirped in the small forest far off from the left.” (ll. 60-64) But despite his doubts about whether or not what he was doing was right, he still treads on towards the forest to find solace in his intimacy with nature.

As Moses immerses himself within the area of woods, he is rained on by an overhead storm. “Well into the forest the rain came in torrents through the trees and their mighty summer leaves, and after a bit Moses and stopped and held out his hands and collected water that he washed over his face. Then he undressed down to his nakedness and lay down.” (ll.77-83). Moses, now in what could be considered his sanctuary, embraces the pouring rain to be present within the moment while he is in the woods. Rather than moving away from the rain, he completely undresses so that he may fully experience the storm within nature. His nakedness- parallel to when “...he finally freed himself of the ancient brittle harness that connected him to the oldest mule his master owned” (ll. 9-10) representing Moses finding freedom, physical freedom from slavery and emotional freedom from his burden of interpersonal relationships. “When he was an old man and rheumatism chained up his body, he would look back and blame the chains on evenings such as these, and on nights when he lost himself completely and fell asleep and didn’t come to until morning, covered with dew.” (ll. 85-90) Moses equally distributes the blame of rheumatism on evenings when he worked in the field, and when he “lost himself completely”. Although he never finds consistent freedom from all of his problems, his rheumatism is undermined by the significance of the emancipation from other people- and himself- when he ventures into his metaphorical haven of the woods.

    People operate in different ways, including how they see themselves as oppressed. Despite his serfdom, Moses sees himself in chains by his lack of solitude rather than his actual entanglement in metal shackles. He is content with the life he lives, toiling away, day by day, for no pay. His true north, however, lies in nature, and that’s where he’d rather be, sleeping naked to absorb its essence, enjoying his solitude.

Score: 24/25

       Reflection
       From moderately organized to a more well organized essay I am proud of the shared results. The chronological order of the essay following along with the passage was a well executed plan. The discussion in class about the shifts and the major importance's about them helped open my eyes to breaking the habit of the five paragraph essay. Expressing that an essay is just a critical line of thought with a logical background and evidence. This skill of noticing shifts will help me expand my essay in length and deepen it in knowledge and understanding.

      Though it was odd at first to have a shared essay with my group, the visualization and separate expressions of the piece let of each modify and clarify our own works and ideas. Come round circle to a more self expressive and cohesive piece to which would be better scored and more understood by a grader.

      This was a good exercise in expressing new ways to intercept a writing prompt (visualization of storyboards), new ways to think of conflicts within the prompt  (abstract and concrete opposites) along with new form of organization (the shifts chart) will help me expand upon my previous essay writing knowledge from AP Language and Composition. Urging me along with my English writing future long term and getting a five on the AP test in short term.

Blog #1: AP English Literature Benchmark Open Question Essay & Reflection/3x3, Revisions & Reflection DRAFT #1 with Score

Draft 1: Original

Nature vs nature has always been a lareh division in the scientific field. While in literature it’s surroundings vs fate. In almost all plays a fate is to be brought about to the main character, the surroundings are what in result causes the fate, as the characters grow in their world their moral traits and psychological thoughts follow. The fight of fate is well brought about by the talented lyrical warrior, William Shakespeare. In all his play scripts is foretells of such tragic fates and harsh beginnings that it is to no surprise the surroundings brought such madness to the tainted world. Even tainting love in the story of Romeo and Juliet.

    Growing up in a land with harsh fights between two houses in it is to no surprise that Romeo grows to have a desire to mess about in the actions of the Capulets. But still fate brings him to question the fighting. As he and his friends change scenes to a capulet masquerade the surroundings fill with joy and delight as it brings the two love birds of Juliet and Romeo together. Fate said it would happen but the surroundings affected it here.

The cultural surroundings of Romeo and Juliet brings them closer in secret for though shy at first they love each other and fate draws them together, with a secret wedding, midnight  kisses, and balcony calling. Romeo’s surroundings of Juliet’s love brings him to be softer towards the Capulets advisory towards his family, his moral obligations becoming switched. Evaluating his life and the lore around the hate and trying to correct it. Though finding he can't, he plans to run away.

The fate of death just longing to bloom as the gangers grow ever so near of being found out, Juliet takes some dramatic decisions in order to be with her Romeo. Obtaining a sleeping medicine from the Abbey to have her acted as death itself had kissed her. With the aroma of loss and grief surrounding the town the Capulet’s turn even more hostile. Blaming the Montague, Romeo, for the loss of their daughter. The mood of the actions of Paris sounds as he fights to Defend Juliet’s body from Romeo and dies in action.

          As the ending draws closed with the end of the next generation with Romeo, Juliet and Paris ak dead in a single room, both houses fall into grief and sadness. It is with the deep pain they each have and the blame of death echoing in their surroundings the fate is quelled by Montague and Capulet making up for the war and leaving the tomb, no longer as enemies. Due to the consequences of the actions surrounding them their moral values of friendship change to foretell and complete the fatal prophecy. The meaning of love showings the path to a better  path and a better

moral filled future.

Score: 5

           Draft 2: Revision

Nature vs nature has always been a large division in the scientific field. While in literature it’s surroundings vs fate. In almost all plays a fate is to be brought about to the main character, the surroundings are what in result causes the fate, as the characters grow in their world their moral traits and psychological thoughts follow. In Romeo and Juliet,  by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet must hold their love in secret due to the harsh and destructive state of the social system they live in, bringing an ironic state to their moral values as they sacrificed themselves to keep themselves away from their families who were trying to protect them. Juliet and Romeo begin to question who really are the people and trust and love and would only disregards them.

    Growing up in a land with harsh fights between two houses in it is to no surprise that Romeo grows to have a desire to mess about in the actions of the Capulets, including to raid a Capulet party with his friends. But still fate brings him to question the fighting ironically at the point he had previously planned to continue to mess making; yet it had transformed into merry making. This beautiful and happy feeling of the party brings the two love birds of Juliet and Romeo together, “Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take. Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purged” (1.4.108). Fate said it would happen but the surroundings affected it here “O dear account! My life is my foes’ debt” (1.4.120), when their psychological opinions of love are set in stone at this party and do not change even Romeo learns of his love for the enemy. .

The cultural surroundings of Romeo and Juliet brings them closer in secret for though shy at first they love each other and fate draws them together, with a secret wedding, midnight  kisses, and balcony calling. Though as Lord Capulet finds this out, he is no longer pleased and lashes out at his daughter, “God’s bread it makes me mad” (3.5.177). For he had already gave Juliet her promised future to which he had tried so hard to get for her, “Hang thee young baggage! Disobedient wrench! I tell thee what- get thee to church a Thursday Or never after look me in the face” (3.5.161). The truth and moral obligations of love towards his daughter changed to anger and spite as he wishes to strike her dead if she does not obey.

The fate of death just longing to bloom as the gangers grow ever so near of being found out, Juliet takes some dramatic decisions in order to be with her Romeo. Obtaining a sleeping medicine from the Abbey to have her acted as death itself had kissed her. With the aroma of loss and grief surrounding the town the Capulet’s turn even more hostile. Blaming the Montague, Romeo, for the loss of their daughter. The mood of the actions of Paris sounds as he fights to Defend Juliet’s body from Romeo and dies in action. Though the irony is the deaths and sacrifices were brought about by the overprotective love from Romeo and Juliet's own families, “O brother Montague, give me thy hand. This is my daughter's jointure, for no more Can I demand” (5.3.296). The logical paths of truth skewed and the morals cleared at the face death.

As the ending draws closed with the end of the next generation with Romeo, Juliet and Paris all dead in a single room, both houses fall into grief and sadness. It is with the deep pain they each have and the blame of death echoing in their surroundings that the fate is quelled by Montague and Capulet making up for the war and leaving the tomb, no longer as enemies. Due to the consequences of the actions surrounding them their moral values of friendship change to foretell and complete the fatal prophecy. When both houses come to accept that it was their own fault for the sacrifices of their children, ““As rich shall Romeo’s by his lady’s lie- Poor sacrifices of our enmity!” (5.3.303). The meaning of love showings the path to a better  path and a better moral filled future.

Score: 6

Reflection:

Writing and reading my first draft it was found that my thoughts bounced and jumped and went everywhere while being predictable and repetitive, with the added quotes and more/different character perspective it illuminates all parts of the writing as a whole, not just one or two characters independent scenes.

While trying to form even my new more developed thesis I had to rethink it more and more, over and over again, I am hoping I am able to develop and polish off my ability to be able to write stronger thesis sentences and points of reasoning. Though I do believe my new points in my new and revised edition of my essay has shown more of my potential and my stronger senses of logical literate reasoning. Taking a new direction and looking at more characters than Romeo and Juliet has vastly benefited my piece.

A Shakespeare piece may be safe but the other approved pieces of literature I have read recently were either foggy or harder to explain because of the vast differences in scenarios and complex outcomes that finding the correlation between the two would bring about a nasty spider web of thoughts to untangle. Thanks to the High School Play and my personal experiences with it, and re-reading Romeo and Juliet over the summer, I was well prepared for the comprehension of this prompt but not manually ready for the writing or proper execution of my essay.

I know this year, with endurance and practice I will brush off the cobwebs and write some masterful essays as preparation for may.

     

The Force Awakens Party Extra Credit

Parties are great, amazing even, but what the complete opposite is, is missing a party for a hospital trip. None the less I still did my appropriate work and brought my delicious cookies to school as well as wore my costume from class to class, and even at the hospital. Even if I wasn't at the celebration I still had quite a journey in the preparation. I know what you are thinking... why would I prep for countless hours the night before for a party I wouldn't even attend? The proper response would be Because I care about my fellow class mates and feel that doing these preparations would being me closer to them but let us be blatantly honest, with the words "EXTRA CREDIT" posted on my AP lit paper, how could I resist. Though to be just as honest, I was hoping my cookies would make my friends and class smile and have a yummy in their tummy.

I was up for three hours the night before making the "Chewy Chewbacca Wookie Cookies" up until the point of my mom calling from the couch Kay, it's one in the morning, are you almost done so we can go to bed already? With all desperation I looked at my half decorated cookies and laughed nervously responding with the answer I knew she was hoping for, Yes, mom, I'm almost done while hastily spreading a chocolate sash across an oatmeal cookie. The recipe prep was easy enough and took about 2 hours over all, then baking was half an hour followed by an hour of decoration with melted chocolate sashes, chocolate chip eyes and candy bones fangs (Click Here for recipe I had used). Naming the cookies weren't that hard. I personally love alliteration it’s like a beautiful bowing of breath upon my body whenever I read it, and "Chewy Chewbacca" worked, paired up with "Wookie Cookie" for a poetic rhyming touch. As the cookies were adorned as Chewbacca, who is a Wookie, and as the cookies were chewy, the name just fit.

(Here are some pictures of my Chewy Chewbacca Wookie Cookies!)

Also, a fun fact about me, I love baking almost as much as I love dressing up; for parties, for school, for Halloween, for no reason at all. So when provided a chance to do what I love for extra credit then of course I would do it. With my ruffled blonde hair and love for boots, jeans, and vests of course Han Solo was a perfect Choice. Complete with a double sash belt, knee high leather boots, tight dark jeans, tan long sleeve, a black vest and my dear companion Chewbacca himself, to which I had dressed up my sister's stuffed animal, my outfit was complete. It was comfortable, casual, and I looked out of this world. Even if I wasn't the star of the party I was the comet of the halls (And, yes, that was a school pride joke).

I am a upset that I missed the party but at least the preparation was fun.
                                                                                                                                  
(Here are a couple Pictures of me in my Han Solo Outfit)