FDR speech

After reading both FDR's speech and the two chapters in writing analytically, I would have to say that his speech was very evolved and well written. Throughout his speech his thesis was to show America that our country was in grave danger. That we needed to prepare for the worst. He told the people that this war was beyond our boundries, that we've never been in this much danger. He thoroughly shows and tells the people that times may get hard. It was a war and although he had pride in his country he did not sugar coat the true damage that this second world war could cause. His thesis leaves room for debate and thoughts, he tells them what he believes without telling them what to believe.

Elie Wiesel

After I seen Elie Wiesel speak, I noticed how much more weight it carried then reading Night or any passage. Night brought me to tears practically when I read it but watching him speak showed pain and strength all over his face. Watching an actual survivor speak of these horrendous and unthinkable events make the Holocaust that much more real. However no one could ever understand or even comprehend the events of the Holocaust unless you were there. It broke my heart so much to hear him speak of these events and to hear him have to relive these events in his stories. I was really touched to hear him speak about these events because of all the emotion in his speech and in Night. He just shows pain and suffering and almost longing in them. It was an incredible and devastating thing to both watch him and to read the novel because both showed his strength to survive.

Midterm Evaluation

So far in this class I have learned some major differences between high school writing and college writing. For one they are complete opposite. In high school I was taught to never use I, always do book report style, and now I am learning more and more about analyzing and putting myself in the writing. I like this style much more, my mom says I analyze anything and everything. I think that although I have not even come close to being proficient at college writing, I think I am gaining a better grasp on this form of writing. I do however wish to learn more and more about this writing and how to not summarize and how to prove my facts more. That I believe is my biggest issue. Overall I believe the class is being beneficial to myself and my writing style. I also now have a new favorite book, well a book tied for first with two others.

stats

I made the realization today as I was doing my statistics homework that I do not like statistics at all! I have never been a major math person but this is my worse. I am not a good problem solver and that is tending to be a little bit of a problem. Grr. My friends warned me yet I still took it. Oh well, eventually it has to click...right?

Forrest Gump

I watched Forrest Gump for the first time Monday and it was amazing. It was amazing. It also held so much history. I now want to watch it again. :)

Haunted Housing

I went haunted housing in Toledo with my best friend, Chelsea, and about eight other people, apparently Chelsea becomes easily bored even if she is spooked. There were three that we went to and Chelsea became my hero when we went into the asylum one. The asylum one was a black maze type with the average spooky people that jumped out.Well our group, being the intelligent people we are, could not find our way out and were wandering around for like twenty minutes. We actually crossed paths with the group that came in after us. Chelsea was becoming impatient and so the next time one of the crazy people or whatever jumped out, Chelsea said to them," Okay so we have been walking around here for like twenty minutes and I really want to get out, so do we go left or right." And if thats not great enough, when the monster stayed silent and walked away Chelsea responded with, "See this is why people don't like monsters!" I was dying of laughter. We finally did find our way out shortly after that with Chelsea making small talk with the crazy people along the way. She was practically making new Facebook friends-lol- So I just found that interesting Chelsea, the one who was most nervous, became friends with the monsters-lol- I guess thats why I love her-haha-

Love or Hate

As I finished reading the Book Thief I started to consider what drove all the events that unraveled in this book. Was it love or hate or something else? Yes, hate is what most people believe drove Hitler's actions, but maybe it was love. His love of power. His love of being held up as a divine figure in the German citizens eyes. Maybe it was his love of the words and their power alone or it was his love with the occupation of puppet master.

What about Hans Hubberman? He slaps Liesel for saying she hates the Fuhrer, but doesn't Hans hate the Fuhrer and the Nazis and everything they stand for? His love for Liesel and her safety trumps his hatred. He knows the consequences of her statement, most likely death. He loves Liesel more than he hates the Fuhrer. I also think to Hans and the NSDAP. He hates the thought of going into service with the Nazis, thats his motive for not joining the Nazi regime right away and also for punching the window and door of the NSDAP building. He hated that they were torturing and marking the Jews, he even helped a Jew by repainting his door. Hans Hubberman is a tough call on whether he is drove by love or hate.

Liesel Meminger makes a powerful statement in the book when she thinks," I don't want to pray that Max is alive and safe. Or Alex Steiner. Because the world does not deserve them." (pg 521)
This is where I wonder which is stronger, love or hate. Liesel hates the world. She hates the war and bombs. She hates the Nazis. They took her papa, Alex Steiner, her mama, and Max. Her hatred of the Nazis is only slight compared to her hatred for the world. This is evident when she thinks, " The world is an ugly stew." But while she hates the world she loves Max and Alex Steiner, yet she doesn't want to pray that their alive. Does this mean that she hates the world more than the nazis? I don't believe so. I think that she knows that Max and Alex would be in a better place if they died. They wouldn't be surrounded by hate and bombs. They's be in Heaven. She is also punishing the world by taking those wonderful people from it. I think it's eveident that her love for Alex and Mas is stronger than her hatred.

Just a few thoughts off the top of my head. What do you think?