APLAC 2013-2014

I struggled big time with the argumentative essay. I think I struggled more with H.E.L.P. than with the essay itself. I felt that if I knew more literature and history I would have done better in this area. 

The easiest essay that I had to write was the synthesis. I think what helped more was that we had more time to practice writing this essay. I usually don't like writing essays, but I would prefer writing a synthesis essay than any other essay. Out of all the novels I can remember, I enjoyed reading The Things They Carried the most. I liked reading this novel the most because we were also learning about the Vietnam War in APUSH and I could connect some of the events that were happening in the book. I also enjoyed the curse words in the book. I disliked The Devil in the White City the most. The book was so boring to me and I couldn't keep up with the reading. But besides all of that, I really enjoyed your class. Even if I had APLAC early in the morning, I didn't fall asleep. I really like how you connected with us, and you're honestly one of the coolest teachers I have this year. Thank you for being my teacher, Mr. Thomas. And sorry for being such a huge procrastinator. I will do better next year even if you're not my teacher. Thank you for such a great year :) 

What Do I Carry?

The things we carry help us shape who we are and who we would like to be. They distinguish us from the crowd. They help us make a name for ourselves. Whether it's a physical item or a simple dream.

The "physical" item I could never leave home without is my cell phone. Typical teenager, right? My phone makes me feel connected in a way that I don't quite understand myself. I call it an obsession. It's a bad obsession but it's just something I can't like without. I guess I also use it as a distraction. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, my music. All part of something I use to get through the day, sometimes.

Everybody has that one dream they wish would come true. Mine is being able to say "I made it." My mom didn't finish high school and my dad just went to college for a year. Why? They had me. My biggest dream is to able to accomplish everything they couldn't and hand them my college diploma and tell them thank you for everything they did and every sacrifice they made. I also would be the first person in my family to go to college. But that also is a weight that I have to carry and I can't wait till the day that I can finally take it off.

My relationship has to be no other than my parents. They're my inspiration and my role models. They push me to do the best I can every day and to never give up. They are my rock. They're the people that at the end of the day I can come home to and not be judged. I wouldn't trade them for the world and I am lucky enough to have them in my life.

I'm never really good at saying who I am. I guess I haven't "found" myself yet and I don't know who I want to be. But I know I want to be someone good, then again who doesn't? Three adjectives that come to mind when I think about myself are cautious, easy-going, and optimistic. I am cautious in a way that I don't let me people in easily. I take my time opening up to people and even longer in order for me to trust them, but that's better than getting hurt, right? But once I start trusting someone I'm more easy-going and I'm more open to them. Kinda like I am right now, opening up to the people that might or might not look at this blog. So, I guess that's a start.  I believe I'm a very optimistic person. I want to believe that there is a brighter side to any solution. Even if it's the ugliest situation, there always has to be a better outcome.

My memories are a part of who I am. Whether good or bad, they have taken me to where I am now. Sure, I am not proud of some of them but I have managed to move past them and made something better for myself. I believe memories are something that will always be there whether to haunt you for the rest of your life or they can be used as a motivation to help one move past the "has beens." If that even makes sense. But for me, my memories are used as a motivation and that's why they are so important to me.

Mexican and Proud.

Personally, cultures are interesting. Getting to know what other people eat, what they celebrate, their language. It is all so interesting to me.

Both my parents were born in Mexico and so was I. I don't remember much since I moved to the United States when I was just 3 years old. The way my parents describe Acapulco (where I was born) makes me want to visit the place. All the beaches and different places to go sound so intriguing. Despite the fact that I've lived in Houston for about 13 years doesn't mean that I have forgotten about where I came from and where I was born.

Sure being in America for so long has shaped my roots a bit different. But I still interact with my Hispanic culture. From food, dances, and music, I can't leave my roots behind. I feel like kids should somewhat be aware of what culture they want to grow up in. Leave their roots behind and start new ones? Or keep their roots and just keep adding more to the plate. Personally I wouldn't leave mine, ever. I love being Mexican and being part of the Hispanic Culture. I've never been so proud of where I came from and I am certainly not ashamed. Viva Mexico!

A Haunted House

Many haunted house stories usually contain a creepy setting, a house in the middle of nowhere, and of course a group of mislead teenagers. Nowadays haunted house stories are so predictable it makes the story boring. But not in The Fall of the House of Usher. Edgar Allen Poe uses many tactics to make his story eerie and full of mystery. In order to make a great haunted house story I would surely copy some of his tactics.

I would like to copy the detailed imagery that Poe uses. Personally, imagery is what defines a good haunted house. Without imagery a story would be dull. "Black and lurid tarn that lay in unruffled luster by the dwelling." This kind of description not only gives the reader a picture but it creates a sense of gloom.

 Like most haunted house stories, the setting is used to inform the reader of where and when the story is taking place. "During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens." The description that Poe uses surely does establish the dark and creepy setting I could use in my story. So tactic one is down and ready to use.

Now, who wouldn't love having their significant other coming back from the grave? Roderick would. I would definitely use this tool in my story. The coming back from the dead just adds more dark spice to the story and sure is a thriller.

Lets not forget the mood. Ooooo. Poe's mood in the story is totally a must have. What haunted house story would be complete without a chilly, eerie, and dark mood to tie everything in? Like the setting, the mood is everything.

All of these are some tactics that I would use to write my haunted house story.

American Horrors

Every once in a while everyone enjoys a good horror story, especially Americans. Whether it is a campfire horror story or a TV show, the "occult" has no way of vanishing. The supernatural is something many people are intrigued with, whether based on a true story or completely made up. The occult never fails to entertain or better yet, horrify. Literature, film, and a TV show are just a few ways we can see the occult.

A good American film that we all know is Paranormal Activity. Paranormal Activity uses the supernatural world and engages in some religious aspects. The movie touches on supernatural happenings such as people being possessed and one of the characters being engaged in some sort of which trials. This American story is very well known to connect the supernatural world and religion.










Besides movies, the occult comes in literature. Occult books tend to have an eerie atmosphere which makes the book even more interesting.  The Exorcist is an interesting novel by William Peter Blatty. This book also touches on religion and possession. When young Regan MacNeil is demonically possessed, her parents send out a Jesuit psychiatrist priest to aid her. This dark, twisted novel is one of the many literature examples of an American horror story.

Many other resources also have the same characteristics of and American story. The supernatural and religion are just two of the few aspects that American stories tend to bring and connect with. It's the many cultures and beliefs that truly make up an American story.

Anti-Hero

I'm pretty sure we all know or at least heard of Shrek. The big, green ogre that lives in the swamp? He is depicted as a loner since he has no friends or anyone close to one. He lives all by himself in his swamp, happily showering in nothing but mud. We probably all know that deep down inside Shrek is actually loving and caring despite what he shows. An antihero that shows similar traits to Shrek is no one other than Ichabod Crane.

Both Ichabod Crane and Shrek are greedy. Shrek cares about no one but himself. He shows no affection for anyone and thinks about no one else but himself. He seems to take advantage of his physical features to get what he wants. Ichabod Crane is no different than he is. When courting Katarina he is only focused on getting rich. Nothing else matters to him but her money, and maybe her beauty. Both Ichabod and Shrek are greedy and put themselves first before anyone else. 

Carelessness is another characteristic that Shrek and Ichabod share. Shrek does not care about hurting anyone else's feelings. In the movie when Donkey tries to befriend him, Shrek shows no mercy in turning him down. Even after Donkey follows him around, Shrek shows no feelings towards him and doesn't sugar coat anything. Like Shrek, Ichabod is as careless as it gets. Ichabod doesn't care about anyone. He just cares about the wealth he would receive if he were to marry the beautiful Katarina Van Tassel.  So in this case, Shrek and Crane are careless and selfish men. 

Last but not least, both Shrek and Ichabod both share a sense of pride. Despite his living conditions, Shrek never thought worse of himself. He felt he had it all, that he was living the dream. Either he didn't want to admit that in reality he had very little to boast about or he really did think he had it all. He is confident in all he does and doesn't think bad of it despite being made fun of. But both characters are filled with too much pride to realize anything that's wrong with them. 

Sure, Ichabod and Shrek may seem like harmless characters with simple personalities. But in reality there's more than meets they eye with these two. Greedy, careless, and full of excessive pride are just some of the few characteristics these anti-heroes have.