Ideal High School Bookshelf

Yousef Abou Areda                Class 811

Ideal High School Bookshelf

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Smile by Raina Telgemeir

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Topics:

Books on World War Two

Books on Third World Countries

Books about the Middle East

Books about Egyptian history

Letter to 811 and Ms.Galang

Yousef Abou Areda Class 811

Dear 811 and Ms.Galang,

I have shared many memories with this class, whether it was good or bad. It kills me that the year is about to end because I’ve shared so many fantastic memories with so many of you, but as a wise man once told me, all good things must come to an end. Overall, I have a couple of memories and activities that I clearly remember. First of all, I really enjoyed doing book club in the very beginning of the year. I was in a group with Kimberly Nunez, Jennifer Cruz, and Steven Sinchi. Together, we read The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. What I liked most about book club was the freedom we got. We as a group got to decide what projects we were gonna do, who does what, how many pages to read each week, etc. I also really liked my group mates. We all made sure to do all the work assigned to us and most importantly, we all kept up with the assigned readings.

In addition, I also recall the trip to the MET at the end of the year. The museum had many projects to explore and many things to learn. The trip tied in nicely with our Romeo and Juliet unit. It taught me more about that specific time period like the food people ate, the clothes people wore, and the roles people played in society. This allowed me to assess Romeo and Juliet’s positions’ in their society. Moreover, the paintings in the museum were very creative. The lady who gave us the tour always kept us thinking and entertained. She made us closely observe the paintings and pinpoint specific details that could further help us develop an understanding. The museum had many exciting exhibits.

Lastly, I have many hopes for reading and writing after I graduate. I hope to continue reading a lot more over the summer and in high school. In addition, I will continue to take notes every couple of pages in my books and try to annotate the text to the best of my abilities. Moreover, I hope to continue making synthesis pages to better understand characters and the test. All in all, I will try to utilize many skills that I have developed throughout the course of the year.

Post Performance Reflection

Yousef Abou Areda      Post Performance Reflection Class 811

1. Describe your character. What did you want to communicate about her/him in your performance?

My character was Page. Page was the servant of Paris. Throughout Act 3 Scene 5, I think that there are multiple times where readers can see how loyal Page is to his master, Paris. First of all, he agrees to go to the spooky, creepy tombs with Paris so he can see Juliet one last time. One of my lines during the performance was, “I almost afraid to stand alone here in the churchyard. Yet I will adventure”. This shows that despite the fact that Page is afraid to accompany Paris, he will still follow his master’s orders. These are the key qualities I attempted to portray throughout the duration of the scene. I wanted to show how afraid Page was, and I did this by making my physical body smaller and changing my facial expression so I looked frightened.

2. How did your performance go? What did you do well? If you could have changed and improved something in your performance, what would it be and why?

Overall, I believe that the performance went very well. Everyone in my groups had their lines fully memorized and worked together on stage. I enjoyed working with my group members. I think I knew how to convey Page’s fear and loyalty to Paris very well during the scene. I made sure I looked afraid the whole entire, like a ghost was going to come out of the blue. I also took advantage of the props like the flowers and torch to add extra emotion into the scene. Lastly, I knew my stage directions very well. I knew when to whistle, and I had to be sharp with my cues for that. If I could have changed something in the performance, it would have been to look at the audience more often. Although I portrayed Page’s fear throughout the scene quite well, I was looking at the ground very often. Making eye contact with the audience is very important because your eyes hold a lot of emotion. I personally have very big eyes, so I always hold a lot of emotion in my eyes. This could have further displayed Page’s terror in the scene.

3. What did you learn and gain from the Romeo and Juliet unit? How can you apply the skills and lessons to high school English?

To sum up, I learned a lot from this Romeo and Juliet unit. My annotating have really improved. The language used in Romeo and Juliet is very different than the language used today. Sometimes, it could take a very long time to figure out what a specific line means, or what specific words in a line mean. The text was very difficult to comprehend at times. However, using post-its to annotate the text was very useful because when you go over it to review for a test or memorizing lines. This is a valuable skill that I hope to retain in high school. In addition, my synthesis pages have majorly improved. A major thing I learned during this unit was comprehending Shakespeare, and doing synthesis pages majorly helped with that. I can apply the skill of making synthesis pages when I have to write essays in high school or trying to further understand a character.

Journal Entry: Romeo and Juliet (Page)

Dear Diary,

It is now 11:00 pm. These graves frighten me. Ever since we made it to the tombs, I’ve felt this dark force shadow over me. My master hath been gone for quite a while now. I fear something terrible has happened to him. Footsteps. I hear footsteps. The footsteps are getting louder. Someone’s approaching. Why did my master have to bring us here? I have a feeling something very bad is going to happen. I shall warn my master at once.

*5 minutes later*

I’ve finally gotten the courage to put my pen to paper. The screams I have just heard. What has happened to my master? Is he the civilian that shrieks pain? I feel as if a spirit has just been awakened and put to rest at the same time. Do I dare approach the tombs in which my master explores? I doth not. I have been given strict orders to stand aloof. But what if master needs my help? Do I follow orders? So many decisions. My mind hath gone mad. Oh Lord, please insure my master hath not been slain. How will thy live with no master? Shall I run and never look back? No, I must be loyal and obey Master Paris, no matter the cost. If there is one thing I live for, it is to insure my master’s happiness. Thy bond and thy promise shath not be broken. Oh please Lord. Please insure his safety.

Blog Post 13- Poetry Project

Yousef Abou Areda Poetry Project      Class 811

Original Poems

Enjoy it While it Lasts

There was a man and woman

Who had a son

They played a lot

Boy that was fun

Time went on

And the boy grew

He had no idea

His father’s time was almost due

One day the man grew sick

He wouldn’t be better

As the days went on

He wrote his son a series of letters

He kept getting worse

Until he couldn’t get out of bed

When his son saw this

There was nothing to be said

Until the day came

Where his father passed away

The boy no longer saw brightness

Just black and gray

As he looked through his father’s things

He found the letters

It had the scent

Of his father’s sweaters

As he read the first letter

Tears filled up in his eyes

He couldn’t take it

He started to cry

The letter read

You are the sunshine to my darkness

You are the strength to my muscles

You are the honey to my bunch

You are the dreams to my truth

You are the foundation to my goals

And most importantly

You are the love to my heart

I’m sorry

Reflection: In order to write this poem, I payed special attention to the rhyme scheme. I did this so the poem would have a nice beat (with the second and fourth line of most of the stanzas rhyming) and would make reading the poem smooth. I also used imagery to incorporate the five senses and help readers have a better sense of the poem overall.

The Beauty of It All: A Series of Haikus

I hear the thunder

I see the lightning

I feel the rain

The steadiness of the water

I want to jump

But I can’t swim

The water

So powerful

Yet so gentle

Reflection: To write this series of haikus, I used an illusion and was inspired by the Japanese poet Jack Kerouac. I used an illusion from Macbeth in the first poem. Jack Kerouac had a surprising ending in the last line of the haikus, which I incorporated in the second and third haikus.

Sonnet

The Beginning of the End

It all started when my mother left us

And let my poor little heart simply break

And so my father left me in the dust

How much would my lonely heart have to take?

I never put a smile on my face

There was never again a sign of joy

Oh sure I was being a stubborn case

I’ve felt like life’s little slave since I was a boy.

Soon enough my father left us as well

Leaving me all alone with our black cat

Nobody understands. What could I sell?

All I had was my cat to eat the rats

Although my living parents had just gone,

In my heart they’d always linger on.

Reflection: In order to write this sonnet, I payed special attention to the line break. I did this so that each line is  powerful and could stand by itself. I was also inspired by “Another Sonett for Stephan” by William Shakespeare because it helped me develop a theme and more smooth structure.

Reading Response

Reading Response on Hanging Fire by Audre Lorde (Heart Poem)

Negligence, pressure, suicide, depression. All issues that currently exist in our society. These matters are constantly repeated in “Hanging Fire” by Audre Lorde. The poem is about a fourteen year old girl suffering from depression and negligence from her peers and mother. The girl gives readers a sense that she wants to commit suicide. The poem by Audre Lorde is a truly beautiful poem that informs readers about how teens feel about current issues in our society.

To start off, the main character in Hanging Fire constantly suffers from negligence throughout the poem. The main character repeatedly states “ And momma’s in the bedroom with the door closes” (lines 10-11, 22-23, 34-35) after questioning if she will live until the next morning. This shows readers that the main character is being neglected by her mother. Throughout the whole poem, the main character talks about all the problems she’s currently confronting, showing signs of serious depression, and her mother is clearly not there to support her daughter through her difficulties. The author’s craft is especially important with this line. The majority of the stanza is about the teen’s problems, and Audre lorde purposely ends each stanza with this line, showing readers’ that the mother is not there for her child.  The author also hints to readers that this teen wants/ is thinking about committing suicide. The main character says line such as “ What if I die before morning” (line 8), “ Suppose I die before graduation” (line 15), and “ While I live long enough” (line 32) to show the main characters thoughts about death. Each line is interpreted as a question, portraying that this teen wants someone to hear her pain and help her. All in all, negligence and suicide are frequent issues in the poem.

Moreover, depression and pressure are continual matters found in each stanza of the poem. The main character shows readers that she is ashamed about her body and the way that the world treats her overall. The main character states in the first two lines “ I am fourteen and my skin has betrayed me” and “ How come my knees are always so ashy” (lines 7-8). Right off the bat, readers get the sense that this teen is not proud of the way she looks. This is not the only sign that the main character is suffering from depression and under a lot of depression. The main character gives readers a sense that she is constantly treated badly by her peers and society overall. The poem states “ Nobody stops to think about my side of it. I should have been on the math team my marks were better than his”. This conveys that the main character believes that nobody cares about her opinion. The part about not making it to the math team shows readers that despite how hard she works, it always ends up in vain. Finally, the main character says

“ Suppose I die before graduation they will sing sad melodies, but finally, they will tell the truth about me”, again indicating that she is ashamed of something. In her mind, there is some ugly truth behind her, although she doesn’t show any signs of a wicked personality. Overall, the main character shows multiple signs of depression and a lot of pressure.

In retrospect, this poem really speaks out to me as a teenager.  At the age of 13-19, you always need the comfort of your parents, especially your mother. The main character is constantly being neglected by her mother throughout the poem despite her difficulties. This has a negative effect on her. This makes me appreciate my own mother more because she’s always there for me when I need her. The author also teaches readers that you should always treat people with kindness because you never know what they’re going through. If people in the main character’s society knew she was depressed, they wouldn’t treat her in this wicked way. Her mother also wouldn’t neglect her and the main character wouldn’t feel so insecure about her body. Depression isn’t always so easy to notice, which is why  you should always think twice before you say something to someone.

Macbeth Extra Credit

Yousef Abou Areda                 Macbeth Extra Credit                                          Class 811

Macbeth was a long process for everyone in Drama. We spent over 3 months rehearsing for the play, trying to perfect every single piece of the play. Whether it was after school rehearsals or countless hours trying to memorize lines, everyone in the class worked really hard, especially the leads, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Over the course of the 3 months, I took a special interest in learning about the character of Macbeth.

Macbeth is portrayed as a determined and ruthless throughout the play. In the very beginning, Macbeth is rewarded Thane of Cawdor and Thane of Glamis for protecting Scotland’s borders and getting rid of the former Thane of Cawdor who betrayed the country. He then hears a prophecy that he will become king. This makes him become hungry for power. He is very determined to become king. He goes so far that he even kills the king, showing just how ruthless he is. King Duncan had always treated Macbeth right, and Macbeth repays him by killing him. After King Duncan is discovered to be murdered, Macbeth’s best friend Banquo almost becomes king. Macbeth is again portrayed as ruthless after he orders Banquo’s gruesome death. Macbeth doesn’t let anyone get in his way. He is determined to become king, no matter what.

Macbeth wasn’t naturally evil. Lady Macbeth, his wife, had a major influence on him. Lady Macbeth was the one who convinced Macbeth to kill the King. Macbeth was at first hesitant about killing King Duncan. Lady Macbeth then gives him the final push after says he’s not a man. Lady Macbeth is portrayed as a gentle and loving woman in front of other people, but greedy and ruthless in front of Macbeth and alone. All she was seeking was money and she always wanted to be queen.

Although Macbeth is a ruthless and greedy character, he was heavily influenced by his wife Lady Macbeth, which shows how Lady Macbeth was the true reason behind the whole tragedy by William Shakespeare. For this reason, it’s hard to determine who the true or ultimate villain is in the tragedy. So the real question remains, was it Macbeth’s original character traits that was the reason behind his actions, or was it the negative influence of his wife, Lady Macbeth?

Blog Post 11- Reading Response on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Yousef Abou Areda                                                                                                  Class 811

                                                            Reading Response

            Violence and foul language have become more widely used and integrated within every day speech in our society. This behavior has become a big issue that affects many people around the world such as the main character, Chris in the “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon. In the book, Chris tries to find out who killed his neighbor’s dog, Wellington. Chris feels like it is his responsibility and obligation to find the murderer. Throughout the course of the book, violence, foul language, and death are recurring issues that affect the main character in many ways.

            Throughout the course of the book, we see violence as an active issue. This issue is quickly portrayed on the very first page of the book where Chris describes how Wellington was murdered. In the text, it states,

                        “The dog was dead. There was a garden fork sticking out of the dog. The points of the fork must have gone all the way through the dog and into the ground because the fork had not fallen over” (1). This shows how much violence has conformed into this society. It is extremely gruesome to murder a dog in such a bloody way and leave it there for everyone to see. This affects the main character and drives him to find the murderer. This signifies that murder could be a possible motivator to people in the text. All in all, violence is a big issue portrayed in the story, but not the only one.

            In addition, foul language is a repeated issue conveyed throughout the course of the novel. A particularly compelling example of this is when Mrs. Shears, Wellington’s owner, sees Christopher holding the dead dog. In the novel, it reveals, “Let go of the f****** dog for Christ’s sake” (4). This demonstrates how cursing has assimilated into the every day speech of members of society as with the example of Mrs. Shears who does not hesitate to curse. She doesn’t even take a moment to scream out in pain for the loss of her dog instead she turns to swearing in order to characterize and capture her thoughts and feelings. Another example of the use of foul language is depicted when a police officer questions Chris about Wellington’s murder. In the text, it states, “I strongly advise you to get into the back of the police car, because if you try any of that monkey business again, you little shit, I will seriously lose my rag” (9).  This reveals again how much foul language has affected the society. A police officer that is supposed to be a role model and protect the citizens of that city, is cursing. Overall, the use of foul language is a widespread issue in the story.

            Lastly, death is seen to be a vital issue in the book. This is exemplified through the scene where Chris’s mother dies. In the story, it states, “Mother died two weeks ago. Father said that she died of a heart attack and it wasn’t expected. How could mother be dead?” (27). This is how death is an extremely difficult situation that Chris is forced to face in the book. Losing one’s mother is not an easy thing, and Chris had to deal with this tribulation all on his own because of his introverted personality that makes him keep to himself. All in all, death is a vital issue portrayed in the story.

            In retrospect, these three main issues are not only problems found in the society depicted by this novel, but also these issues are very much present in our society today. Many countries are currently engaged in war and everyday, people are seen to curse at one another for ridiculous or irrational reasons sometimes. Also, most individuals are faced with the death of a loved one at least once in their lifetime. Through these countless examples, these issues can therefore not be specified to one region for their prevalence in societies and countries all over the world. Overall, these are all issues that have become a present and a commonality in our society today.