On the Ela trip to the museum of the city of New York I noticed most of the museum that our class saw expressed the point of view of a local of New York. One part that expressed this was the social activism exhibit. This exhibit really made me wonder about how far people will go to enforce something they believe in. For example in the exhibit there were displays on womens rights, gay rights, African American rights, and more. The museum displayed these issues by how they were handled in New York. It made me wonder how many changes can be made by many people coming together and making a big community of people that have the same opinions and beliefs that they have.
What I learned from this trip is it is okay to express what you believe in. This trip also made me realize how many important issues were taken care of in New York. This trip made me think about how our history has been constructed to be what it is today. For example in the social activism exhibit it showed how women rights was accepted and african american rights were accepted and even recent things such as gay rights were accepted. The museum had speeches on display that expressed an issue like African American rights or another issue. The Jeff Liao exhibit also gave me a different point of view of New York. It made me wonder how he took photos so accurately so he can put them together without any troubles of capturing the same thing twice. His photos made me think how much I should apprciate the beauty of the city. The whole trip overall showed me how New York has been a place of history and beauty.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Demitrius Hilerio Class 810 Divergent Book Club Reading Response 11/6/14
When reading books there are lots of things the author hides for the reader to find out. The author does this to make the reader figure out the meaning of something that seems simple, but is really complex and expresses a theme or a change. What the author usually does is includes a symbol. For example in the book "Divergent" by Veronica Roth the main character Tris changes throughout the book. Tris goes from being polite and scared of doing something like jumping off a building to being a rebel and a risktaker. The main charcter is forced into joining a new faction, which in the book requires you to have the same characteristics as the people in that faction. In Divergent there are symbols that represent this change throughout Tris's journey.
One example of a symbol that expressed character change is Tris's Tatoos. At the beginning of the book she would never be aloud to get a tatoo or even want a tatoo because of the faction she was in. She was taught to care about others and not herself. Later in the book she gets a tatoo,which shows she has changed from when she was in her old faction. A good part that showed this change was when she visited her brother and he is suprised that she has Tatoo's. "....I run at him as fast as I can and throw my arms around his shoulders. 'You have a tatoo,' he says, his voice muffled." This part is important because her tatoos are meant to show the reader how much Tris has changed and the author hints this in this part by making Tris's brother realize how much Tris has changed since the beginning of the book. Of course there are many more symbols that express Tris's character change like the Abnegation faction and the Dauntless faction.
Another symbol that expressed Tris's character change is the Abnegation faction and the Dauntless faction. In Divergent the Dauntless faction and the Abnegation faction are described to be factions with a opposite set of characteristics in each. Tris goes from Abnegation to Dauntless, which really shows a important change. "My father calls the Dauntless 'hellions.' They are pierced, tatooed, and black-clothed. Their primary purpose is to guard the fence that surrounds our city. From what, I don't know." This part is important because it is a symbol of what she initially was and what she turned into, which was something she never thought she would be. In Divergent even people are symbols of Tris's character change.
Another symbol that expresses Tris's character change is Tris's parents. Tris's parents tell Tris things and do things that that influence her change and the new characteristics she picks up. For instance Tris's mother turns into a very brave person throughout the book. This influences Tris to be brave as well. "She smiles. 'Be brave, Beatrice. I love you.' I feel her lips on my forehead and then she runs into the middle of the street. She holds her gun above her head and fires three times into the air. The Dauntless start running." This quote shows that Trsi's mom gives her advice to follow even though she dies.
In Divergent most of the time there were symbols that influenced Tris's character by the end of the book. This book shows that many things can influence a persons behavior. In this book people factions and small things like tatoos influenced Tris's character. This book could have been banned because some parts were a little graphic, but besides that the book was normal. This book could also teach that a person can be motivated to overcome the hardest goals.
One example of a symbol that expressed character change is Tris's Tatoos. At the beginning of the book she would never be aloud to get a tatoo or even want a tatoo because of the faction she was in. She was taught to care about others and not herself. Later in the book she gets a tatoo,which shows she has changed from when she was in her old faction. A good part that showed this change was when she visited her brother and he is suprised that she has Tatoo's. "....I run at him as fast as I can and throw my arms around his shoulders. 'You have a tatoo,' he says, his voice muffled." This part is important because her tatoos are meant to show the reader how much Tris has changed and the author hints this in this part by making Tris's brother realize how much Tris has changed since the beginning of the book. Of course there are many more symbols that express Tris's character change like the Abnegation faction and the Dauntless faction.
Another symbol that expressed Tris's character change is the Abnegation faction and the Dauntless faction. In Divergent the Dauntless faction and the Abnegation faction are described to be factions with a opposite set of characteristics in each. Tris goes from Abnegation to Dauntless, which really shows a important change. "My father calls the Dauntless 'hellions.' They are pierced, tatooed, and black-clothed. Their primary purpose is to guard the fence that surrounds our city. From what, I don't know." This part is important because it is a symbol of what she initially was and what she turned into, which was something she never thought she would be. In Divergent even people are symbols of Tris's character change.
Another symbol that expresses Tris's character change is Tris's parents. Tris's parents tell Tris things and do things that that influence her change and the new characteristics she picks up. For instance Tris's mother turns into a very brave person throughout the book. This influences Tris to be brave as well. "She smiles. 'Be brave, Beatrice. I love you.' I feel her lips on my forehead and then she runs into the middle of the street. She holds her gun above her head and fires three times into the air. The Dauntless start running." This quote shows that Trsi's mom gives her advice to follow even though she dies.
In Divergent most of the time there were symbols that influenced Tris's character by the end of the book. This book shows that many things can influence a persons behavior. In this book people factions and small things like tatoos influenced Tris's character. This book could have been banned because some parts were a little graphic, but besides that the book was normal. This book could also teach that a person can be motivated to overcome the hardest goals.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Second Reading Response by Demitrius Hilerio
In the book "Bystander" by James Preller the main character Eric is a Bystander in a few bullying situations because he is friends with the bully himself. Eric doesn't know this at first then discovers this later on in the book. The bully is Griffin. Eric's feelings for Griffin change throughout the events that occur in the book. Griffin does things that makes Eric think different of him and avoid him.
At the beginning of the book Eric feels that he can trust Griffin and that truly he is his true friend. Eric felt that he couldn't reveal something about himself so secret like his father to anyone but Griffin. "Sure, Griffin was a different kind of guy, there was no question about that. He had his rough edges. He wasn't like his old friends back in Ohio. But for one day, during those few hours, Griffin was what Eric needed. He was, Eric believed, a friend." (Page 60) This quote is important because it explains what Eric wanted whiches was a friend but it also explains that he thought Eric was a different type of friend, which is something he needed. This quote also explains only during that time of that day was when Griffin was actually acting like a true friend towards Eric. This shows that even though Eric didn't know much about Griffin for that time in the book he really thought he could trust Griffin.
During the middle of the book Eric gets suspicious and starts to find out a little more about Griffin that changed his feelings towards Griffin. For example during one part of the book Griffin beats up a boy name David Hallenback and Eric stands on the side and watches and talks to Griffin after the situation is over. " 'Hallenback's fine,' Griffin snapped. 'Besides, he won't say much. He knows better than that.' Eric measured his words carefully. 'It just seemed . . . unnecesary.'" " 'Shut up, Eric. Or maybe next time it will be you.' " (Page 82) This part of the book shows that Griffin be very aggressive when enraged. This part of the book also shows that Eric is starting to see that Griffin has another side that Eric doesn't know about until this part of the book. At this point in the book Eric knows how Griffin can act towards people and he is a little more alert of what he says or does around Griffin.
During the end of the book Eric is irritated with Griffin's act. Eric learns that Griffin will go very far to bother and enfuriate someone and make them furious until they feel publicly embarrassed. I know this because in one part of the book Griffin reports to the principal that Eric has a knife in his locker. Then the pricipal checks Eric's locker and sees that he doesn't have one. Eric then shows that he is angry with Griffin. "His body vibrated with anger, knees pumping, feet tapping. Why would Griffin, if it was Griffin, put Eric through that? Just to embarass him?"(Page 176) This part of the story shows that Eric now knows the truth about Griffin and how far he will go to embarass Eric. By this part of the book Eric knows Griffi is the good listener or good friend that he thought he was.
All in all Griffin does things throughout the book that changes the way Eric feels about him. Eric goes from thinking Griffin's a good friend from being a little alerted about what he says around to completely being annoyed with Griffin. The character change in the book can relate to my life because this book shows that a person can seem like something they're really not. This book also relates to my life because it tells to find a friend that you can really connect to not a friend that can be aggressive towards you.
At the beginning of the book Eric feels that he can trust Griffin and that truly he is his true friend. Eric felt that he couldn't reveal something about himself so secret like his father to anyone but Griffin. "Sure, Griffin was a different kind of guy, there was no question about that. He had his rough edges. He wasn't like his old friends back in Ohio. But for one day, during those few hours, Griffin was what Eric needed. He was, Eric believed, a friend." (Page 60) This quote is important because it explains what Eric wanted whiches was a friend but it also explains that he thought Eric was a different type of friend, which is something he needed. This quote also explains only during that time of that day was when Griffin was actually acting like a true friend towards Eric. This shows that even though Eric didn't know much about Griffin for that time in the book he really thought he could trust Griffin.
During the middle of the book Eric gets suspicious and starts to find out a little more about Griffin that changed his feelings towards Griffin. For example during one part of the book Griffin beats up a boy name David Hallenback and Eric stands on the side and watches and talks to Griffin after the situation is over. " 'Hallenback's fine,' Griffin snapped. 'Besides, he won't say much. He knows better than that.' Eric measured his words carefully. 'It just seemed . . . unnecesary.'" " 'Shut up, Eric. Or maybe next time it will be you.' " (Page 82) This part of the book shows that Griffin be very aggressive when enraged. This part of the book also shows that Eric is starting to see that Griffin has another side that Eric doesn't know about until this part of the book. At this point in the book Eric knows how Griffin can act towards people and he is a little more alert of what he says or does around Griffin.
During the end of the book Eric is irritated with Griffin's act. Eric learns that Griffin will go very far to bother and enfuriate someone and make them furious until they feel publicly embarrassed. I know this because in one part of the book Griffin reports to the principal that Eric has a knife in his locker. Then the pricipal checks Eric's locker and sees that he doesn't have one. Eric then shows that he is angry with Griffin. "His body vibrated with anger, knees pumping, feet tapping. Why would Griffin, if it was Griffin, put Eric through that? Just to embarass him?"(Page 176) This part of the story shows that Eric now knows the truth about Griffin and how far he will go to embarass Eric. By this part of the book Eric knows Griffi is the good listener or good friend that he thought he was.
All in all Griffin does things throughout the book that changes the way Eric feels about him. Eric goes from thinking Griffin's a good friend from being a little alerted about what he says around to completely being annoyed with Griffin. The character change in the book can relate to my life because this book shows that a person can seem like something they're really not. This book also relates to my life because it tells to find a friend that you can really connect to not a friend that can be aggressive towards you.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
September Blog Post 33 Minutes by Todd Hasak-Lowy Reading Response
In the book "33 Minutes" by Todd Hasak-Lowy the main character Sam Lewis is the cliche of a nerd and a confused eighth grader that has a former best friend (Morgan Sturtz) that doesn't like him anymore. Sam still tries to hang on to a friend he had really good times with. Throughout the book Sam turns into a person that is confused about their friendship with a person they care about his best to a person that has to end that friendship for the better. At the beginning of the story Sam thinks about the times him and Morgan were best friends and about what they used to do. For example "Just this last September, me and Morgan were still together all the time. Or at least a lot. He was over at my house on the weekends, his playbook filled with Xs and Os opened up on our living room floor, while I helped him memorize plays." (Pages 23-24) The author included this into the text because he wanted the readers to see that Sam cannot let go of the fact that the days when he helped Morgan with his Football plays are over even though they weren't that long ago.
In the middle of the book Sam starts to remember why Morgan sometimes wasn't a good friend and starts to think about why they still were friends after those events. In the book Sam remembers when the principal made an announcement about the math rally team winning and Morgan laughed about it even though he knows Sam was on the team that won. "All five of whom stopped when, a couple seconds later, Chris yelled: MATH SUCKS! At which point everyone laughed. Except Amy and (most of) the teachers. Everyone including Morgan."(Pages 42-43) Sam remembered this as one of the times that Morgan ignored one of Sam's math tournaments for a football game.
At the end of the book Sam's school is forced to go outside because of a fire in the school. When they're outside Morgan beats Sam up because Sam says he dumb earlier in the book. "I turned to a blank page in my notebook. I wrote Morgan is so dumb right in the middle." (page 109) Even though Sam seems like he would never do such a thing he did it because he was mad at Morgan for laughing at him and making fun of him, which is also mentioned on page 109. "Maybe I finally got sick of Morgan laughing at me then and at the pep rally and about twenty times in between." This quote explains that Sam got fed up with Morgan making fun of him and took action about it. Maybe he took action the wrong way but he still stood up to Morgan. As a result of this Morgan beat Sam up and everyone was cheering to fight and beat Sam up. At the very end Sam realizes that he cannot be Morgan's friend anymore for the better. "My mouth and jaw still hurt, but I have no problem saying the word as clearly ad I've ever heard anyone ever say it: 'Good-bye.'" (Page210)
This book is so unique because it shows the point of view of from a person that has social issues more specifically having trouble making friends. This book is also an example of character change because not only does Sam change from a person that doesn't want to lose a friend to a person that is better off losing that friend but Morgan has also changed because he used to be best friends with Sam and recently he has changed to a cliche of a jock. Which relates to real life because in real life people do change which makes the characters Sam and Morgan so believable.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Demitrius Hilerio Class 707 Literary Essay
Demitrius
Hilerio Class 707 Literary
Essay
Page
1
There are two poems that have the same
theme and have something in common. These poems are “Those Winter Sundays” by
Robert Hayden and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke. These poems are about
fathers that are in the working class. And even though these fathers are in the
working class they still express their love and in general love their close
ones. These fathers express their love to their children in different ways but
they both succeed.
In the poem “Those Winter Sundays” by
Robert Hayden we’re introduce to the father of the speaker in the poem. The
speaker’s father is in the working class (As mentioned in the introduction). In
the poem the readers infer the father works a lot and very hard because
according to the text the father has “…cracked hand s that ached/from labor;”
The author described the father’s hands to give the reader a hint about the
father’s job and it takes a toll on him physically. Not only does the father work
a lot but he also does many things for his family. In the poem the speaker
thinks about the regret for not thanking his father for the things his father
did. “…made/banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.”, This quote explains
that the father got no appreciation from anyone in the house hold and the
speaker regrets not thanking his father. Speaking indifferently to him, who had
driven out the cold/and polished my good shoes as well./What did I know, what
did I know of love’s austere and lonely offices?” The author included this part
in the poem to inform the reader that the father does many things and works for
the family because he loves them and wants them to live in a hard time like the
one they’re in.
Page
2
In the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore
Roethke” we’re introduced to a father that is in the working class and likes to
drink a little bit of alcohol after work as seen in the first sentence in
paragraph one. “The whiskey on your breath/could make a small boy dizzy;” Paragraph
two says “We romped until the pans/slid from the kitchen shelf ;” This quote
means that the father drinks alcohol but still has fun with his son (the
speaker) by dancing with him. Later in the poem it says “The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;” and “With a palm caked hard by
dirt;” The author gives a physical description of the father’s hands to show
how his job has effected physically and to make the reader infer that the
father does work hard for his family. The father expresses his love to his by
dancing and having fun in more of a playful way.
These two poems are
related because they both contain working class fathers. These poems teach no
matter what a close person to you does they still love you. In “Those Winter
Sundays” by Robert Hayden the father expresses his love by working a lot and
doing lots of stuff to make his family’s life much more easier. And in “My
Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke the father expresses his love through dancing
with his son in a playful way. From this it’s clear these two poems are
similar.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Sold last blog post about sold
Lakshmi has lost many new friends and lots of things has happened but Mumtaz is still asking for money and Lakshmi is at the point where she will do anything just to get out of the happiness house. Lakshmi is not scared anymore she is just focused on one thing and that is getting out of the happiness house. She wants to do this so badly that she wants to take Shilpa's customers and make money off of them.
The happiness house has made Lakshmi very strong as a person and has made her more desperate for money. Lakshmi is not scared of much because she has been through so much already. Hopefully this bravery will carry on with her for the rest of her life.
The happiness house has made Lakshmi very strong as a person and has made her more desperate for money. Lakshmi is not scared of much because she has been through so much already. Hopefully this bravery will carry on with her for the rest of her life.
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