West Egg, East Egg and Everybody Else

At east egg, you are considered to be more classy than those at west egg because you were born into your wealth. I think that this is ridiculous because the people that live in west egg have actually worked at earning what they have while the east eggers have had everything handed to them on a silver platter since the day they were born. everyone of those east egg families started out at west egg in some sense, they were all poor at some time and they all had to build their empire on their own (or "luck into it"). it is also aggravating that while people from east egg have so many hard opinions on those from west, they still find time to go to Gatsby's parties and marvel over everything he has. Meanwhile the everybody else in this scenario would kill to live at either of these "eggs", the other people who range from low to middle class and cannot understand the problems of the rich because they actually have to work to keep their meager homes and humble lifestyles. This book focuses mainly around the rich and their flashy lifestyles so it is easy to get caught up in the illusions that it was like this for everybody in the twenties but it was most certainly not, the twenties may have held a lot of opportunities but it was also a time of depression and financial struggle throughout the US. The only character in this book that can even slightly resonate with this is Nick because he is actually trying to be self-sufficient. All though he lives in West egg, Nick understands somewhat of the financial struggles that some people have to deal with.

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.