Thankful

I personally think that everybody in Mr McCarthy's 7th period class is great and worthy of written appreciation. However, if I had to choose one person I would probably say that I am most thankful for Frankie because he never fails to make not only me, but the entire class laugh. I am most thankful for him when he

• Reads aloud 
• Answers questions aloud
• Says absolutely anything aloud.

He always has something important and enriching to say and he does nothing but add his very inquisitive thoughts to our class conversation. He is truly  ball of untapped potential.

I Celebrate Myself

What does it mean to celebrate yourself? It doesn't mean that you're arrogant or full of yourself and it does not give a person the authority to brag about themselves. Celebrating yourself simply means that you are secure enough as a person to acknowledge your own accomplishments and humble enough to understand that you are not a god. The act of celebrating one's self is often thought of with a negative connotation, but I think that it is only healthy. People love it when other people complement them, so why isn't it acceptable for a person to complement themselves? Every person has their insecurities and their downfalls. When I am personally feeling down about myself I try to find one strength in my personality for every downfall that dampens my spirit.

Poe

Edgar Allen Poe is a revolutionary writer. I personally prefer his poems because they are open to interpretation. He uses very dark Gothic themes and tones that make you want to keep reading. For example, in The Raven, Poe is very vague and ominous and there are many different things that the raven could signify or what "nevermore" could mean, at times, his writing can be confusing and hard to decipher but when you finally do figure it out, you can relate to it and appreciate his writing style

What is an American?

What is an american? If you were to ask a European this question, they would likely tell you flat out, it is a person who is born in America. If you asked an actual American this question, they would probably tell you it is a person that lives in America,watches football and loves hotdogs and Clint Eastwood movies. But I think that an American is a person that was not necessarily born in America but a person that came to America or was born into America in a time of need. They came to America for refuge and survival and along the way, they learned to love it and call it their home. I think that all of those American stereotypes have nothing to do with being an American and neither does where you were born. If you love America for good reasons than you are an American.

Modern Puritan

The modern puritan may not be as strict as the traditional puritan but I think that all in all, they still share the same virtues and values when it comes to their beliefs- no matter how diverse. An example of a modern day puritan is the Amish, they share a lot of the same beliefs as the christian puritans in terms of religion and they try to live very similar, wholesome lives, as did the puritans. They live in very subdued little villages in rural parts of the world and they live their lives modestly and humbly. By this, I mean they use no electricity, plumbing or modern day technological commodities. They are agricultural and they do not use processed products for cosmetics or health, they are for the most part, 100% self-sufficient. However, in this fast-paced world, it is impossible to live completely outside of the modern times and so there are some differences, but besides those small differences, they still believe in the puritanical-like life.

John Proctor: Hero or Stooge

I believe that John Proctor is a very odd mixture of both a hero and a stooge because as stooge-like as he handled his problems, he stood up for what he believed. He was brave enough to stand in front of the court and admit to having an affair with Abigail in order to save his wife, albeit no one believed him but it's the the thought that counts, right? That part him is quite heroic but that part is only a fraction of who he is. The issues with Abigail or with Parris and the court were not  handled very eloquently and he often times made situations worse. I can admire Proctor because in a puritanical society, it cannot be easy to stand up for your beliefs But he did anyway. No matter how much of a stooge it made him.

There Goes The Neighborhood

When two cultures are first introduced to each other, no matter how similar they are, they will clash. They will clash and there will be conflict because as humans, we have a need to assert our dominance, to let every one else know who's in charge. And in this town, every one wants to be in charge. So we will fight to be in charge, and it's just a matter of who comes out on top. When the explorers came to America, they came to prosper and to be on top, so naturally, when they came across the Indians, they had no plans of sharing their new discoveries. They thought of the Indians as savages because they were not as advanced and they thought of each other as inferior because they thought of themselves as superior. The explorers decided that the land was theirs to destroy and the people were theirs to enslave and they could do whatever they pleased. And so they did.

ABOUT ME
My name is Lissette and I am a sophomore at Whitney Young high school and i live in Chicago. I love books, movies and music. I aspire to someday be a great film director and producer (and maybe even writer). My favorite subject in school has always been English because with subjects like math and science, there is really only one answer but in an English class, you are forced to think outside the box and evaluate the tones and themes and feelings shown by the writer. My favorite book is Looking for Alaska by John Green for precisely those reasons and my favorite artists are The killers, The strokes, The kooks and Lana Del Rey. I love to write if I am given an interesting enough topic. This year in my American Literature class, I hope to expand and sharpen my writing skills.