The ACT Test- Reading Portion

After taking the reading test I feel pretty confident about how I did. I used all the strategies I have learned. I love to read so reading the passages that were required in this section was no problem for me at all. I got through every reading passage quickly and answered every multiple choice question carefully as I was taught. I feel that there are only a couple of things I could work on to improve my score for the reading portion of the ACT.
I believe that my strengths when taking the ACT is my reading speed. I was able to get through every passage and complete the entire reading portion with no problem at all. I successfully analyzed and comprehended everything. The questions were actually pretty simple to me. I am confident that I did a great job and I feel that with more time, I would have done even better.
My only weakness with the reading portion was that I should have taken a little bit more time to fully understand some of the information that i read so that I would have to keep looking back to the passage. I should have put a little bit more thought into the questions and my answer to them. I don't think that this is a very big weakness but it did effect my chances of getting a higher score on the reading section. it is good to be able to point out your own strengths and weaknesses. Now that I found my own strengths and weakness I can now apply these things when I take the ACT again.

English Portion of ACT

I feel that my only weaknesses when taking the english portion of the ACT were managing my time on questions and using the strategies that were provided. I feel tht if I was given more time to take the English portion that I would have a much better school I would also be able to better comprehend things without having to worry so much about time. I feel like whenever I take a practice ACT test, I am so concerned and focused on getting through the test with enough time that I forget to use the ACT strategies. I think that eventually I will remember to use these strategies when taking the test. They are very helpful and do make things easier. I hope to remember everything when I take the ACT in December.
My test score will be better because I have taken many ACT prep classes to help me. The things I learned in these classes were things to help me with time management and remembering things. These will really help me out alot. I also think that i could improve my score by answering question faster so that I can get through the test completely because it is not good to leave anything blank on the ACT. I want to get as many points as possible.
My strengths in this portion were definetly the pace of my reading and question answering. I answer questions as went along to save time so that I wouldnt have to read the whole passage then waste time going back over the passage again. This was very effective in my opinion. The Next time I take the ACT I will use the same strategy but I will include the strategie that will improve my score and help me answer questions accurately. I look forward to getting a much better score in the English section.

Courage In The Illiad

The story of the Illiad is a story of courage, love, and bloodshed. Men fought for love and honor. The battle of Troy was fought over the Helen who was the wife of Spartan King Agamemnon who was taken from him by Paris of Troy. This then started a huge battle between the Greeks and Trojans. All of these men fought a battle over a woman they probably would never meet. They display great courage and so do the other main characters of this story.

Achilles, Son of a goddess, had nothing but courage. He didn't fear anything. He was a very skilled warrior in the trojan war and fought as if he and death were the closest of friends. When his brave friend Patroclus was killed in battle, Achilles was fueled with rage and killed Hector, the Prince of Troy. Hector was another brave character in the illiad because he fought to protect his city and Helen. He trusted in the goddess, Athena, that she would protect him. he fought courageously but died. Any man that risked their life in a fierce battle back then was courageous.
When I read the Illiad I was surprised that a huge battle was started all because of one woman. I couldn't believe that these men fought a battle that really had nothing to do with them. Achilles, a skilled warrior and son of a goddess was wasting his time fighting over a woman he didn't even care about when he could be doing something else. Hector surprised me because he didn't have to face Achilles but he did anyway. It's almost like fighting was a normal routine for people back in these times.
Men and their armies were patriarchal and they were competitive. They all wanted to see which nation was most strongest and most powerful. Many lives were lost in the process thoughout history. I feel that conflicts used to occur for the wrong reasons. In the eyes of the trojans and greeks, war was fought to honor their gods and their women.
I feel that back in the time of the Trojan war, all men wanted to do was fight and honor their gods. They didn't value their lives much at all. In my opinion Achilles just wanted to fight in the battle of Troy before his friend Patroclus died because he liked to fight and needed something to do. I guess he felt that because he was half-god that he needed to show off his power. Men took love and relationships very seriously back in these times too. i think it would be interesting to travel back into these ancient times.
The story of the Illiad was a great one. There are many stories like this of which a death of a loved one is avenged or a battle is declared because of a woman. Although noone is sure that these events took place, it gives readers a history lesson. Readers can learn about the lifestyle and personalities of people in ancient times. I have learned that you should always be courageous and fight for what you believe in.

What Inspires Courage?

I feel that in order for courage to be inspired within someone, they would have to see a situation in which another person displays courage. They would have to see it in action so that it can build inside. Courage also can be inspired by actually being put into a situation where courage is needed. It is built from experience and observation. These are the only ways a person can overcome a fear or muster up the strength to be courageous.
people who feel strongly about what they feel or what that stand for are the people who have courage. The people who don't allow fear or worries to manifest their brain and control the decisions they make are the true courageous ones. the soldiers in Iraq have courage because they are serve the United States of America everyday just to protect the country from terrorists. The soldiers are protecting people who they haven't even met yet and it is all because they love America and feel strongly about it. They have courage because they are doing something that many could not even attempt to do.
Courage is something that does not come from birth. it is something that is gained throughout your life as you experience new things. When you are now able to do something that you used to fear very comfortably without hesitation, you have built up courage. Courage can also come from having self-confidence. Courage is believing in yourself that you CAN do something.
Courage is needed in those times where there is something that needs to be done that others are afraid to do. You have to take the initiative to fulfill that task so that if it ever needs to be done again you can do it easily. Courage is also needed when something is required of you that you feel like you can't do. You have to focus your mind to believe that whatever is required can and will be done by you. I know in my mind that i have the courage to do anything I put my mind to.
Everyone has the ability to be courageous but they have to find it in themselves. Even the most fearful people can believe in themselves and be confident. I have seen it person and also have experienced it for myself. Courage was inspired in me when I observed and also participated on my school debate team. I didn't believe I would be very successful but after only a year, I am captain of the debate team and I am a varsity debater.

What is Evil?

What is Evil?

Evil is that one thing that hides behind anger or jealousy. whenever you can look at a person and feel nothing but disgust, you are really being infested with the evil that builds up inside from your surroundings or from personal life experiences. Another example is when all a person enjoys doing in life is causing pain on others. i believe that evil is just a result of the things a person has been through from their childhood to adulthood. Evil can be built up inside or passed genetically which sounds ridiculous but is very real.
Evil can also be a second personality for some people. For Grendel in the epic story of "Beowulf", being evil was a full-time job. Grendel killled men out of anger, jealousy and hunger. The monster's motives are very familiar to those of today's criminals. This shows that evil has been around for thousands of years and probably even more. Evil is being jealous of another person's happiness. This makes sense because killers are jealous of those who lead healthy, happy lives so they take it away from them because they have never been as happy a day in their life.
Grendel killed the Danes in the mead hall because he was jealous of the gatherings and celebrations they had. Grendel basically hated the sound of the Danes celebrating because it was the sounds of happiness that he could not have. This is an example of how evil motives make evil people.

What is the effect of comparing a ship on the horizon to a man's dream?

What is the effect of comparing a ship on the horizon to a man's dream?

When you think of a horizon, you think of that imaginary border that lies far out acrossed oceans or land that you can try your hardest to chase but can never reach. It is impossible to touch the horizon. Comparing a mans dream to a ship on the horizon is basically saying that men dream the impossible alot of times and expect for them to actually happen without working at it. Sometimes if a man is lucky, the dreams that are out on that boat on the horizon might just drift ashore but that is only because the man makes the attempt to make the dream a reality. This was a very creative way of explaining how men dream. For example, when I dream of doing something important in my life, I dream big, and that is what alot of men do. Men have been having big dreams since childhood and either stick with it and fulfill it or lose hope and give up on the dream. Either that tide will bring the ship to you from the horizon or the ship will stay right where it is forever. This comparison of a horizon to a man's dream can be a good way to inspire men to go out a make their dreams happen and not hold back from what they have been chasing all their lives since childhood. This is also a stern, non-sugar coated way to say either you make something of your life or you will be another average american working minimum wage jobs while working two others on the side.

What are the first two paragraphs saying about the differences between the dreams of men and women?

What are the first two paragraphs saying about the differences between the dreams of men and women?

I feel that the first two paragraphs are basically saying that men wait for their dreams to happen most of the time and don't make alot of effort to achieve them. The only way men stop dreaming is if they give up on them completely. For the women, they find something they want or dream about and they go for it head on with full determination. Janie was determined to fulfill her dream of finding someone who loved her. Men like Jody Starks do follow their dreams but Jody and Janie did not have the same dream. Jody was more concerned with expensive things and wealth while that was totally different from what janie wanted. Sometimes men do follow their dreams but sometimes are never able to reach them or aren't working hard enough. This would then make the man turn away from the horizon in resignation as Janie said. The hotizon represents the dreams a person has and how far they are from you. A horizon is impossible to reach because it keep moving further and further away but Janie was able to pull the horizon in closer towards her. i feel that Tea Cake and janie Had the same dream because they both wanted love. Tea Cake found Janie, which truley made him happy inside and Janie found Tea Cake. They lived a happy life in the everglades together. Janie lived way better in the Everglades than she did in Eatonville.

Why are dreams and dreaming important to self-discovery?

Why are dreams and dreaming important to self-discovery?

Dreams and dreaming are important to self discovery because when you dream about doing something in life or have a dream about fullfilling a particular goal, it lets you know what kind of person you want to be in life and how you want to live. Dreams show that you are imaginative and ambitious and that is part of the self discovery that come with dreaming. In the story "Their Eyes Were Watching God", Janie had dreams about finding love and she discovered from her journey to find love that she was beatiful and that marriage didn't make her love a person. Janie also discovered that her dreams were different from those of her Mayor Ex-Husband Joe Starks. He dressed her up in nice clothes and bought her many things but it wasn't satisfying her and her dream of actually being in love with someone. Janie discovered also that most of her life she was living the way her grandmother wanted her to. Her grandmother always wanted her to live as if she were a rich white woman because during her childhood, white children were all Janie's mother allowed her to hang around and it even got so bad that she thought she was white herself. When I have adream about something, I always try to figure out why it is my dream and from there I realize what type of person I want to become in life. At the end of the book Janie discovered that she had fulfilled her dreams with Tea Cake.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 20

"Let 'em consolate theyselves wid talk. 'Course talkin don't amount tuh uh hill uh beans when you can't do nothin' else. And listenin' tuh dat kind uh talk is jus lak openin yo mouth and lettin the moon shine down yo throat."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote says that talking and gossiping all the time about what other people do in thir life will get you nowhere. people don't lead the life janie has led through sitting on a porch talking about others. Janie was saying that sayiong negative things about people is just like showing people how ugly your personality is and how bad of a person you truely are inside and out.

"She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder."(Hurston, 1937)

To me this quote is saying that all the days of thinking about when she would reach her dreams out on the horizon and all her days of comparing the dreams of man and women were over because she felt that her life with Tea Cake was the key to getting to the horizon she had been chasing most of her life. She found love and found the one thing that made her happy. Janie became satisfied with her life at that moment.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 19

"And then again Him-with-the-square-toes had gone back to his house. He stood once more and again in his high flat house without sides to it and without a roof with his soulless sword standing upright in his hand. His pale white horse had galloped over waters, and thundered over land."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote talks about how the hurricane swept the Everglades and killed many people. The water washed through the community fiercely causing destruction all over, wrecking homes, killing animals, and threatening the lives of Tea Cake and Janie. By saying the pale horse galloped over waters, she was referring to death. Tea Cake and Janie underestimated the hurricane.

"look lak dey think God don't know nothin' 'bout de Jim Crow law."(Hurston, 1937)

When janie said this, she was saying that God knows everything that goes on in this world that he created including the poor treatment that blacks recieve from the whites. During this time, whites felt that they were superior to blacks and didn't treat them equally as they would on of their own. That is why they dumped the black bodies and gave the white bodies a casket.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 18

"The time was past for asking the white folks what to look for through that door. Six eyes were questioning God."(Hurston, 1937)

When the storm that noone believed was going to come started to brew up in the sky, people realized that the indians were right and that it was too late to find them and get help. The depended on God to make a miracle happen and end the storm that was about to happened. Tea Cake was used to seeing this kind of weather because he is always their but janie hasn't always been in the Everglades.

"If you kin see de light at daybreak, you don't keer if you die at dusk. It's so many people never seen de light at all. Ah wuz fumblin' round and God opened de door."(Hurston, 1937)

When Tea Cake asked janie if she were to die, would she be mad at him for bringing her to the Everglades she said no. i think that with this quote, janie was letting Tea Cake know how grateful she was to even be able to live to see the Everglades and experience the things that she has experienced. She was saying how she had been locked up from the rest of the world and God helped her see the better things in life.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 17

"Before the week was over he had whipped Janie. Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but it relieved that awful fear inside im. Being able to whip her reassured him in possesion."(Hurston, 1937)

Tea Cake whipped janie because he was afraid that she would leave him for someone else one day. He felt that by whipping her, she wouldn't step out of line with him or challenge his authority over her. Janie was so lovesick over tea Cake that she never fought back or tried to leave or anything like that. Even the whole community knew he beat up Janie.

"Dat Turner women is real smart, according tuh her notions. Reckon she done heard'bout dat money yo' wife got in de bank and she's bound tuh rope her in tuh her family one way or another."(Hurston, 1937)

Sop-de-bottom was telling Tea Cake how he suspected that the only reason Mrs. Turner wanted janie to be with her brother was because she knew about all the money Janie had in the bank and probably thought that if Janie became her new daughter-in-law, that she would be given some of that money in Janie's bank account. This really made alot of sense to me.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 16

"He was a vanishing-looking kind of man as if there used to be now he hadn't a thing about him that wasn't dwindled and blurred."(Hurston, 1937)

The author was saying that Mr. Turner looked as if he used to have alot of life to him but it was all drained away because of something that amy have happened in his life. Mrs. turner was stressing Mr. Turner out and making him extremely depressed. This is the reason why he hasn't been himself for a long time and why his physical description was given the way it was.

"All Gods who recieve homage are cruel. All Gods dispense suffering without reason. Otherwise they would not be worshipped."(Hurston, 1937)

In my opinion, this quote says that a God can't make people believe in him unless he inflicts pain or suffering to people to let them know that they are real or in charge. to be worshipped you first have to be feared. This is how the author compared black people to white people. She says how Mrs. Turner is so nice and understanding to janie because she is light skinned and quickly apologized to her for trying to get Janie to be with her brother.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 15

"A little seed of fear was growing into a tree."(Hurston, 1937)

A heavy set girl named Nunkie began to flirt with Tea Cake and play around with him alot. Janie and the other workers saw this and she was becoming afraid that she would lose him. She was jealous and started to wonder about the two. her insecurites were small at first, then they grew larger and larger until she finally couldn't take it anymore.

"She ain't good for nothin' exceptin' tuh set up in uh corner by de kitchen stove and break wood over her head. You'se something tuh make uh man forgit tuh git old and forgit tuh die."(Hurston, 1937)

Tea cake was saying how Nunkie meant nothing to him and how he never loved her. She flirted with him but he had no interest in her what-so-ever. he compare the two by saying Nunkie doesn't do much of anything and janie is special enough to make a man forget about everything. he was saying that when he is with her, nothing else around them matters at all.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 14

"Men made big big fires and fifty or sixty men selpt around each fire. But they had to pay the man whose land they slept on. He ran the fire just like his boarding place-for pay. But nobody cared. They made good money, even for children. So they spent good money."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote talks about how close the people in the environment in this new community in the Everglades was so different and big. Everyone was close and looked out for eachother and were friendly. The people worked during the day and had fun later on during the night. tea Cake and janie were enjoying their life in the Everglades. She liked it better than living in Eatonville where people always talked about her.

"She was sorry for her friends back there and scournful of the others."(Hurston, 1937)

janie was living such a happier life in the everglades that she started to think about Eatonville and what it would be like if she went back their. She thought about her friends and the old men who sat on the porches. She felt sorry that her friends had to stay their in that town. What she didn't miss was the rumors and the rude comments from the people who were jealous of her.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 13

"She had waited all her lie for something, and it killed her when it found her."(Hurston, 1937)

The author talked about Annie Tyler and how she ran off and got married to a man and he took all of her money. The man left her with nothing and she became poor and started begging people on the streets for money. She then died alone. She waited all her life for a husband and it didn't out like she hope. Janie was afraid she would end up this way with Tea Cake.

"Dem wuzn't no high muckty mucks. Dem wuz railroad hands and dey womenfolks. You ain't usetuh folks lak dat and Ah wuz skeered you might git all mad and quit me for takin' you 'mongst'em."(Hurston, 1937)

When Tea Cake took janie's money he bought food for his fellow workers and had a party. he didn't invite her because he thought she was more used to being around wealthy people and living the high life that she wouldn't want to be surrounded by people of a lower status than her. It was jody that made it seem as if she enjoyed living a prosperous life. janie didn't care what kind of people Tea Cake brought her around and wanted to be included.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 12

"It was after the picnic that the town began to notice things and get mad."(Hurston, 1937)

People started to get ideas about janie ever since she attended a town picnic in a color other than all white which was what she wore when she was "mourning". people started to start their rumors up again and this time they were about her and Tea Cake. People started becoming angry and feeling as if janie was moving on too quickly. Janie couldn't pretend to be sad anymore because everyday she still felt tied down to joe Starks.

"Ah done lived Grandma's way, now Ah means tuh live mine."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie didn't have a normal childhood. She was brought up by her grandmother to live as if she was a white girl. She went to a white school and live in a white, wealthy household and even thought she was white herself but it was only because her grandmother wanted her in that type of environment. Janie realized that that wasn't the life She wanted.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 11

"Umph! umph! umph! Ah betcha you don't never go tuh de lookin' glass and enjoy yo eyes yo self. You lets other folk git all de enjoyment out of'em 'thought takin in any of it yo'self."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie is beautiful and has alot of nice features but she doesn't recognize them as much as Tea Cake or anyone else does. She has never stopped to look into the mirror and admire herself. janie never really stopped to take a look at her long hir, her eyes, or her lips and just thank od for what she was blessed with because she never really saw the beauty in her.

"Ah'm born but ain't dead. No tellin' whut Ah'm liable tuh do yet."(Hurston, 1937)

When Tea Cake said he reckoned Janie didn't bet money, she said that just because she hasn't done it yet doesn't mean she won't do it at some point and time in her life. Janie was basically saying that there are alot of things that she hasn't done yet but she is bound to give them a try one day. Maybe Tea Cake thoughtt hat because Janie was a women that she didn't make bets.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 10

"People wouldn't know me lak dey would you."(Hurston, 1937)

Tea Cake says this because not only do people know her as the mayor's wife who works in the store but also as many other things. He knows about the rumors and negative things people say about her. Everyone knows about those things. Because people are so nosey and jealous of her beauty and the life she leads, her name is always at the tip of all the towns people's tongues.

"Ah don't ned no pocket-full uh money to ride de train lak uh women."(Hurston, 1937)

janie made it clear that when a women wants to take the train home or anywhere, they always make sure they have money with them. Tea Cake was saying that he would ride the train whether he had money or not. During their time, alot of men rode the train by sneaking on a train cart and get off when the train reached their stop.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 9

"She had been getting ready for her journey to the horizons in search of people; it was important to all the world that she could find them and they find her. But she had been whipped like a cur dog, and run off down a back road after things."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie has had dreams of finding love for many years of her life. her grandmother always wanted her to find a man who could give her material things instead of what she really wanted. After Jody died, she was finally able to go after her dreams on the horizon. Jody never tried to see the world as she did. He only bought her nice gifts but it wasn't enough because material things don't make a person love you.

"Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships."(Hurston, 1937)

People with a broad imagination can turn the smallest things into something huge. Janie had big dreams and wanted to expand on them. She was able to make the impossible, which was chasing the horizon seem possible. Everyone doesn't think as hard about things as janie does they don't want to take the chance a go after their dreams out on the horizon.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 8

"What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him?"(Hurston, 1937)

I feel that Janie was saying in this quote how unpredictable and powerful death can be. Death cannot be prevented when it is time to die. Joe could not stop his kidney failure from happening. His death was something that was just bound to happen eventually whether he wanted it to or not. Death is invisible and makes it's moves stealthily.

"People who never had known what it was to enter the gate of the mayor's yard unless it were to do some menial job now paraded in and out as his confidants."(Hurston, 1937)

Alot of the towns people didn't really think much of her at all. they just care about Joe and looked at him as if he were some kind of savior. When he was ill in bed, towns people were keeping tabs on Janie and reporting everything she did to him as if they were expecting to recieve some of his wealth as a reward for their unneccessary services.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 7

"The years took all the fight out of Janie's face. For a while she thought it was gone from her soul."(Hurtson, 1937)

This quote says that througout the years spent trying to alter her life to fit jody's, Janie loses energy and hope of a good relationship because of all the mistreatment she recieved from Jody. He never really bothered to get to know her personally. She was more of a trophy wife to him than someone who he cared alot about and who he loved.

"For what can excuse a man in the eyes of other men for lack of strength?"(Hurston, 1937)

When Janie insulted Jody in front of all the customers in his store, he lost alot of his pride and vanity. His entire image was made a mockery of. He was copmpletely embarassed and humiliated in the most degrading way. She made a joke of one of the most important assets of his masculinity. The people in the town didn't look at Joe the same way after that.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 6

"Every Morning The World Flung Itself Over And Exposed The Town To The Sun."(Hurston, 1937)

janie always noticed alot of things about the world and nature. This quote talksa bout how every day the earth rotates and the sun shines on a different side of the earth. The side of the earth that the sun was shining on in the story was the town in Florida where everyone was. this is a creative way to describe the transition from day to night and I would think that the only way to come up with something like this is if someone was thinking really hard about it.

"You have tuh have power tuh free things and dat makes you lak uh king un something."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie was saying that you need power to be able to free something which is true. She mentioned Abe lincoln freeing the slaves. if you free something then it originally wasn't yours to free but you had enough power to make it yours and free it yourself. Alot of times, when we think of something being freed we think of a ruler freeing something.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 5

"There's Some Women Dat Jus Ain't For You To Broach."(Hurston, 1937)

To me this means that finding a decent is not at all easy and you have to present yourself in a certain manor in order to have a quality women in your life. A good women won't come to you. Tony didn't really understand that. He was over confident in himself. Women don't go for just anything that they see. Tony thought Janie would fall for him instantly.

"God Is Everywhere."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote is very true. alot of times when bad things happen all over the world, God is there and he is ridding the earth of those bad things. God can see everyone and everything and he protects us alot and sometimes even speaks to us. God created everything so he has the power to be everywhere around his creation all at once.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 4

"Long before the year was up, Janie noiced that her husband had stopped talkin in rhymes to her."(Hurston, 1937)

The man janie knew from before that loved her and cared for her alot changed since then and has been a little more strict with her. He is being more like a parent to her than a husband and she was noticing that. She wasn't seeing the man she married a while ago.

"Janie pulled back a long time ago because he did not represent sun-up and pollen and blooming trees, buth e spoke for far horizon."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie and her husband did not share the same thoughts at all. They both had completely different visions and were not always on the same page. Her husband doesn't look at nature the way she does. He sees a far horizon. She wishes he saw things the way she did on a daily basis.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 3

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote is saying basically that sometimes you won't fully understand why some of the things that went on in your life occured until later on in your life. Maybe when you were a child you didn't understand alot of things, but when you get older and become an adult, you will start to learn more.

"She knew that God tore down the old world every evening and built a new one by sun-up."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie said this because everyday is a new day and all your mistakes are left behind once the day is over and a new day begins. You will then have the chance to live better than you did the day before. Janie understood this because she thinks about alot of things.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 2

"What? How? Why?"(Hurston, 1937)

Janie spent alot of her time outside exploring and thinking about God's creations and their purpose for being here. It was like whenever she began to wonder, she saw visions and entered her own world of curiosity. It almost seems that she is most at peace when she alone with her own personal thoughts.

"She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her. Where were the singing bees for her?"(Hurston, 1937)

With this quoteI feel that Janie wants to take on life byt he horns and live her dreams but she has nonoe to help her accomplish that because of the bad things people say about her. She has such a false image built up of her by others that she is having a hard time with life.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 1

"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board."(Hurston, 1937)


To me this quote means that the things men dream or wish for are so far away that all we can do is watch them fade away from us. Our dreams look great far away but we never think about what is keeeping us from reaching that boat full of dreams. Men are seperated by a sea of discouragement and doubt.

"They don't need to worry about me and my overalls long as Ah still got nine hundred dollars in de bank."(Hurston, 1937)

With this quote Janie was saying that as long as she still has her money in the bank, she knows who she is and it doesn't matter to her what other people think of her because they aren't doing anything to support her in her life. They just want to bring her down with their words. They don't know what she has been through in her life.

Satire

Satire is used in my life many different ways. My parents use satire towards me whenever we are discussing school and grades. I also use satire sometimes when i'm helping out a fellow classmate. Alot of times when im on a sports team satire is the only way to get me and the other players to learn how to be the best at what we do. Teachers use satire as a helpful teaching strategy because the students relate to what they are saying and the humor in helps the class understand things better. i think satire makes alot of things less stressful. The President of The United States, Barack Obama, uses satire when talking about the economy during address speeches. The way things are in the U.S., everyone could use a little satire in their lives. Sometimes the only way to get through to people is by including real world experiences or making jokes.

Francis Fredric - Entry three

Ever since I found out about the Emancipation Proclamation I have been hearing news about alot of angry uproar from the south. All the plantation owners and slave masters made a living having slaves work and pick cotton and harvest crops for them and now that all slaves are free they have nothing. This is exactly what they deserve for treating me and my people like animals for all of our lives. The tables finally turned on them and now they have to work for themselves the way God intended. The south is becoming really poor and isn't making much money. All they can really do is sell all of the crops that the slaves left behind for them. All of the acres of land full of plants of all kinds that us slaves worked hard and long on won't make it through the winter. The slave masters definetly won't be able to take care of all that land just by themselves. more and more blacks are coming up to Canada everyday. Everytime I go into town I look into the windows of the shops and all i see are black men and women working behind the counter. In some shops i even see black men and women working along side white men and women. i could not believe my eyes. i looked like a miracle to me. when i think about the South and then think about canada, its almost like i've been to two different worlds. I have never seen so much change in my life. I am happy because when i have children, they will have more opportunities in life and won't have to grow up into slavery and feel the cracking of a whip on their backs like i did. my children won't have to be afraid to live in this world.

Francis Fredric - Entry Two

I found a small cottage up in Canada and ever since I first came here it has been the safest place i had ever been. i was able to leave my home and return peacefully without the fear of being chased by hounds or the cracking sounds of whips. one day i went into town and I got a newsletter that was talking about something called the Emancipation proclamation. It said that this document had been signed and passed on to the south. The Emancipation proclamation said that all slaves in the south were to be freed. i was so happy that i cold have cried right there at that moment. All the years of my life that i had wasted living life as nothing more than an animal had finally ended not just for me but for everyone who was a slave. President Lincoln freeing the slaves was the topic of almost everyones conversation up north where I was. There are plenty of times where I sit and wonder if things would be different in the south if I went back, but going back would be the dumbest decision of my life because I would be going back to a place that i've worked so hard to get away from. I never thought the day would come where a white man would allow millions of slaves to be free. I know that my family, where ever they may be, is celebrating right now. I hope that one day I can tell my children about my life and the day black people were no longer called slaves and became normal human beings. Later on I found a well paying job as an author and I still write novels to this day. I look at this new start as a reward for all of my pain and suffering back in Kentucky.

Francis Fredric - Entry One

Hello, my name is Francis Fredric. I was born Faquier County, Virginia. I was born into slavery and when I became older my master sent me away to Mason County, Kentucky. I met my new master's wife and became very well aquianted with her. My master made me a house slave. This was alot better than what I was used to back at the other plantation. Late one night I decided to go to a meeting that was being held by the other slaves. I was told that the meetings are inspirational and uplifting. Lord knows I need all the uplifting I can get. So i went to this meeting and It was like nothing I had ever seen before. Everyone was so happy and It gave me a sense of hope. the songs that all of the other slaves were singing were actually messages to plan an escape. I wanted in on the plan as soon as I caught on. On the morning after, I decided to make a run for it! As soon as my master turned his head I ran as fast as I could to the swamps. my heart was racing. Once I started I couldn't stop because my master set three hounds after me. Luckily I fed them so often that I knew how to get them under control and calm down. I individually called each of their names with a clap and they slowed their pace and went in different directions. I saw this successful escape as the beginning of life as a free man. I managed to stay in hiding for about nine weeks. While in hiding i met a women who had told me that my master put out a $500 reward to whoever turned me in. I was very frightened. The women gave me food and I slept in her home for the night. When I awoke, I saw my master walking into my room with a whip in his hand. i was brought back to the plantation where I was whipped 107 times. After a few days of work I met a abolitionist and told him about my experience. I asked if he would take me to canada where I could be free and so he did and I was finally able to live the rest of my life as a free man.