Reading Jane Eyre was a refreshing change to the previous books we have read this year. Unlike Sophie's World and Heart of Darkness, it wasn't overwhelming. I didn't dread having to read it every night, and the storyline was captivating. I couldn't help but wondering why this book was so different.
I have decided it is because of the overall slower pace of the novel. Not every sentence was jam packed with information, and many pages were devoted simply to the setting and descriptions. The slower pace obviously slowed my thinking, allowing more knowledge, feelings and opinions to be absorbed while reading the text. It was a nice change to not feel so rushed while reading.
I was surprised to find out how engulfed I became in the story. I felt both sympathy and anger towards the characters, which usually doesn't happen to me while reading school books. Being so involved in this story greatly improved my comprehension, and with increased comprehension comes increased overall enjoyment.
To improve my thinking, I wish I had annotated my book with more care. When the time came for small group discussions, I felt as though I had forgotten my initial reactions and thoughts, and it was hard to look back and know what I was thinking.
Overall, reading Jane Eyre was a good experience with many opportunities to relax and fully enjoy and interpret the story.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
360 Degrees: Our Future
As I am beginning to recieve more and more college letters in the mail, I am also beginning to feel more and more guilty about not preparing for college yet. I have no idea where I want to go or what I plan to do in the future, and sometimes this scares me.
I know people already enrolled in ACT prep classes. My friends are already signed up to take the ACT at the end of the school year. They're counting how many volunteer jobs they can put on their applications. They are doing all of these things while we are only sophomores in high school.
This is sometimes viewed as a positive thing: we are beginning to take control of our own lives as students and learning to make our own decisions to benefit us in the future. We are becoming independent.
Yet our college preparation can also be seen as a looming stressor, sucking up our time, thoughts and energy as teenagers and forcing us to grow up too soon. As sophomores, we still have mistakes to make and lessons to learn before we have the power to plan our own futures.
Despite this, one thing is for sure. We must think and plan our futures, but it is our decision how much this planning controls our lives.
I know people already enrolled in ACT prep classes. My friends are already signed up to take the ACT at the end of the school year. They're counting how many volunteer jobs they can put on their applications. They are doing all of these things while we are only sophomores in high school.
This is sometimes viewed as a positive thing: we are beginning to take control of our own lives as students and learning to make our own decisions to benefit us in the future. We are becoming independent.
Yet our college preparation can also be seen as a looming stressor, sucking up our time, thoughts and energy as teenagers and forcing us to grow up too soon. As sophomores, we still have mistakes to make and lessons to learn before we have the power to plan our own futures.
Despite this, one thing is for sure. We must think and plan our futures, but it is our decision how much this planning controls our lives.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
An Inconvenient Truth: Suburban Bubble
We often complain about how we are trapped in our own small surbaban bubble and don't get to experience the world outside. Sometimes I do feel this way, and that is one of the reasons why I was so excited to fly away to the Caribbean for spring break. My family and I went to St. John in the US Virgin Islands, and the culture and atmosphere could not be more different.
I love it on that island. It's small, crammed, and loud. There are no sidewalks, small one way streets, and it's always a challenge to get around. You don't always feel safe. There are bright colors, exotic smells, and beautiful scenery. I think that I enjoy it so much there because of the large contrast between there and home. Being in that different surrounding made it frighteningly clear that their is so much more outside of our bubble than we could imagine.
The truth is we are in our bubble. It's annoying to believe we are missing out on the diversity of the world just because of where we live. It's bothersome to think about all that is going on that we don't see. This is the reality of the bubble.
But then again we must also appreciate where we live. We are almost always safe. We have food, homes, water, good schools, and an immense amount of luxuries. Some are satisfied with the suburban life, for it provides stability and security. This is also the reality of the bubble.
No matter which way you look at it, we all know of life outside of the suburbs. Yet by traveling, exploring, and gaining knowledge about the rest of the world, we might not feel so stuck.
I love it on that island. It's small, crammed, and loud. There are no sidewalks, small one way streets, and it's always a challenge to get around. You don't always feel safe. There are bright colors, exotic smells, and beautiful scenery. I think that I enjoy it so much there because of the large contrast between there and home. Being in that different surrounding made it frighteningly clear that their is so much more outside of our bubble than we could imagine.
The truth is we are in our bubble. It's annoying to believe we are missing out on the diversity of the world just because of where we live. It's bothersome to think about all that is going on that we don't see. This is the reality of the bubble.
But then again we must also appreciate where we live. We are almost always safe. We have food, homes, water, good schools, and an immense amount of luxuries. Some are satisfied with the suburban life, for it provides stability and security. This is also the reality of the bubble.
No matter which way you look at it, we all know of life outside of the suburbs. Yet by traveling, exploring, and gaining knowledge about the rest of the world, we might not feel so stuck.
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