MiNd MuNcHiEs

East of Eden pt. 7

2008-06-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

East of Eden's next 50 pages (275-325) contained a lot of the novel's emotions. In this passage, the speaker, who turned out to be a grandchild of Samuel, wrote about his experiences with his uncle Tom, and he went in depth into Tom's character. Also, in this section, Samuel's eldest daughter, Una, died, and it tore Sam apart and he was never the same. Lee and Sam talked to Adam and finally told him that they knew where Cathy was. They had a long and meaningful conversation about the book of Genesis and about Cain overcoming his evil after killing his brother Abel, all because of what God tells Cain: "Timshel!", which is Hebrew of "Thou Mayest." After Sam said goodbye to his friends, he and Liza went to visit their children, and as Sam had predicted, it was his final journey, for he died after leaving the farm. In this section, we also finally got the long-awaited confrontation between...............*drum rolls*............Adam and Cathy! I half expected Adam to be a coward and all that, but he was awesome! *WOOT WOOT* he never let Cathy get to him, and that actually made HER lose control! :) In my opinion, this was one of the best sections of the novel.

Question: Will the word "Timshel" hold more significance later on in the book? Why was the discussion about that subject so long? :)

East of Eden pt. 7

2008-06-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

The next 50 pages (pgs. 225-275) of East of Eden focused on two things: Cathy aka Kate's life at the whorehouse, and Adam's life after Cathy left him. Cathy's departure left Adam stunned and he became almost a zombie because he never did anything and he never cared for his twins. Lee, Adam's servant, called Samuel and he paid Adam a little visit and knocked some sense into him *insert evil laugh*. Finally, after Adam started acting normal again, they helped him name his sons (they DIDNT have names! lol). They named the boys Aron and Cal (BIG shocker.....NOT!). Meanwhile, Kate managed to manipulate Faye and then killed her (again, BIG shocker......NOT!). As a result, she became the owner of the whorehouse.

Question: Will Kate (Cathy, whatever she's called) ever be beaten down? Who will do it?

East of Eden pt. 6

2008-06-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

The next 50 pages (pgs. 175-225) of John Steinbeck's novel describe the birth of Adam and Cathy's twins. Samuel is called to deliver the babies, but when he gets to the house *this is where it gets weird*, Cathy's room is dark, and when Sam tries to turn on the light, Adam tells him not to because it hurts her eyes. (PUH-LEASE!! we know shes a demon, lol). Anyway, she just pops the kids out real fast and she even bites Samuel!!! A couple of months pass, and Cathy doesnt even want to se her kids! One afternoon, she tells Adam she is leaving him, and when he tries to stop her, she SHOOTS him *gasps*!! She then runs away and goes to a whorehouse, where she uses her fake innocence to trap the owner, a woman named Faye.

Question: Will Adam's face off with Cathy change his personality? Will it affect his relationship with his children?

East of Eden pt. 5

2008-06-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

John Steinbeck's East of Eden pt. 5 (pgs 15-175) picks off when Adam and Cathy, the newlyweds *shudders*, moved to California. The relationship between Adam and Charles broke down after Cathy, but Adam only had eyes for Cathy. They moved to a ranch close to the Hamiltons, and Adam began to work on his ranch, with the help of Samuel Hamilton. Meanwhile, Cathy, now pregnant *yippe!!......not!* , stayed at home with Lee, their Chinese servant, who begins to play a significant role in the story. Steinbeck also described Samuel Hamilton's daughters, Olive in particular, and he discussed her strict personality. In this section, more and more people started to see Cathy for what she really was. First, Lee felt the uneasiness about her, and when Samuel met her, he felt the extreme hatred and evil.

Question: Why is it that Lee and Samuel could REALLY see Cathy, and Adam couldnt?

East of Eden pt. 4

2008-06-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

In the next 50 pages of East of Eden (pgs. 75-125), we learn more about where Cathy came from and how she's grown into.......drum roll..........A MONSTER! *gasps* She kills her parents, burns her house down, runs away, becomes a prostitute, and the whoremaster she works for, Mr. Edwards, falls in love with her. However, she ends up killing him, but not before he beats her half dead. In this section, her path crosses with the Trasks, when they find her beaten and take her into their house, where Adam takes care of her. Charles, who has always been the more observant and cautious, does not fall for her fake innocence, but Adam does. He falls in love with her and convinces her to get married, to Charles' anger.

Question: Will Adam's love for Cathy improve him or destroy him? Can Adam change Cathy?

East of Eden pt. 3

2008-06-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

The next 25 pages of John Steinbeck's novel East of Eden describes the relationship between Adam and Charles after Adam comes back from the war. Charles missed his brother a lot when he was gone, so when Adam returned, their relationship became less tense. They talked a lot more than they had before and bacame closer. In this section, Cyrus, the brothers' father, died and left them rich, so the brothers begin to discuss what to do with their money. They have an argument on whether Cyrus earned his thousands honestly. Additionally, we are introduced to a new character: Catherine Ames. Cathy was a lonely, inhuman girl who lied and manipulated for her personal gain. Steinbeck goes into detail about her past and how there was always something uneasy about her.

Question: If Cathy ever met with the Trask brothers, would she change the relationship for better or worse?

East of Eden pt. 2

2008-05-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

In the next 25 pages of John Steinbeck's East of Eden explains Adam's experience in the war. The 25 pages start of with Adam's intimate conversation with his father, in which Cyrus reveals his reasons on why he insists that Adam go to the war and for Charles to stay at home. This part of the novel is when one can clearly see the tense and violent relationship that Charles and Adam have, because Charles fights Adam since he believes that their father loves Adam more (which he does). This passage also describes the Hamilton family, in more detail. Steinbeck writes about all the Hamilton sons and daughters: Tom, George, Will, Joe, Olive, Una, Lizzie, Dessie and Mollie. The passage ends with Adam returning from the war and then re-enlisting in the Army again.

Question: Is the war going to change Adam's behavior? If so, will the change in behavior affect his relationship with his father and brother?

East of Eden pt.1

2008-05-26T14:59:00.001-07:00

John Steinbeck's East of Eden vividly describes (in its first 25 pages) the major setting of the novel, which is the Salinas Valley in Northern California. He also introduces us to the two major families in the story: the Hamiltons and the Trasks. Samuel Hamilton is an Irish immigrant coming to the United States with his wife Liza. Both are educated and hard-working people, and their lives are eventually entwined with the Trasks, particularly Adam Trask. Adam comes from a strict, orderly military family, and his father, Cyrus, takes great pride in that. However, when Adam's mother drowns herself in a puddle, Cyrus gets re-married and Adam gets a new brother: Charles. As both boys age, their relationship because very cometitive and tense, resulting in the separation of the brothers (Adam is enlisted in the army and Charles remains at the farm).

Question: Does sibling rivalry happen as a result of how the children are raised or is it a mental issue?

Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God

2008-05-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Edwards' sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God", complains on the sinful and destructive nature of human beings, speaks out about the the wrath and anger of God, and explains our opportunity to change ways and turn towards God. Edwards warns about the sinful weight we carry and how the earth loathes having to carry us. He describes God holding us in his hand like a spider over the fire, and that it is by the sheer mercy of God that we have not fallen into hell.
This sermon was one of the most enjoyable texts I have ever read, because I believe every word it says. I also enjoyed the imagery created by Edwards and the metaphors involved.
The argument made by the writer is that mankind can depart from their evil ways and turn to God.

Question: Does the way religion influence a person differ as locations (city, ctate, country) differ?

Gonzalez and Daughter Trucking Co.

2008-05-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

Gonzalez & Daughter Trucking Co., written by Maria Amparo Escandon, expresses the journey faced by a woman in search for individuality and the hardships that sometimes come with belonging to two cultures. The novel describes Libertad Gonzalez, a prisoner in Mexico, as she creates a weekly Library Club and reads to her fellow inmates. Instead of reading books from the lirary, she ends up telling the story of her life on the road with her father, the situations she faced as she grew older and the encounter with one man that made her rebel against him. Escandon writes about the independence that individuals begin to feel as they approach maturity.
This novel was enjoyable because it connected with me as a Mexican-American girl, and the plot, characters and situations were great as well.

Question: Is a person's decision to rebel influenced by the people around them or is it an inward desire?

I Can't Believe its not American Butter

2008-03-04T17:51:00.000-08:00

The second chunk of T.R. Reid's "The United States of Europe" continues informing its readers on the fast and powerful rise of the European Nation. The part of this chunk that got my attention the most was the chapter that talks about how many of our "American" brands are actually owned by European businesses. European ownerships range from comsumer products and retailing to transportation and heavy manufacturing. Reid continues on to list some of the brands that are owned by European companies: DKNY, Hawaiian Punch, Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, LA Dodgers, Welch's Grape Juice, and many other companies. The author uses a direct and informative tone, while being humorous at the same time, and his writing style is literal yet picturesque.

Simile- "In essence, the U.S. economy is like an addict that needs a sizeable fix every day." (Pg. 122)

Repetition- "The grand old palaces, the stunning new architecture in the big cities, the rolling rural downland, the lush green parks, the cheery village pubs, the charming street markets, the sweet voices of the boy choirs in the majestic cathedrals, the roomy black cabs, the red double-decker buses..."( Pg. 144)

Clarification: How could European ownership of "American" brands create tension between both world empires, and how could that affect our relations with them?

The Butt of Every Joke

2008-02-19T18:33:00.000-08:00

The first section of my book, T.R. Reid's "The United States of Europe," informs readers on the attitude of the Europeans toward us and the views they hold about us. It also explains how the Europe has decied to come together and how they've worked hard for decades to become not more powerful than the U.S., but equal to it, so that there is some balance in the level of power. The author's tone is a bit amused, but serious, and a bit offended, and his writing style is concrete.
Repetition- "The Italians make fun of our pizza. The Norwegians make fun of american sports. The English make fun of American accents. The French make fun of Americans' French.." It emphasizes the many views and jokes Europe has about America.
Anecdotes-"The Lardburgers were going at it again. "Ah got no gas in mah SUV," Stacey Lerdburger screamed at her husband, "And you spent all our money buyin' ammo for your stoooo-pid rifles. So how'mah goin' to git to the welfare office? Will you tell me that?". It is used in order to explain the image that comes to British minds when they think of Americans.

Application- How might European views of America affect our interactions with them in the future?

The One Environmental Issue

2008-01-01T18:37:00.000-08:00

In the New York Times article The One Environmental Issue, the author discusses the critical issue of global warming and the fact that it is mostly the Democratic candidates who are taking those issues into their own hands by creating methods of transforming the way America uses and produces energy. The [unknown] author also goes on to state how the Republicans haven't gone much far with this issue, with the exception of John McCain. More than half of the state senators are now reaching agreements to lower greenhouse gases. Democratic candidates are also stating that they will "seek global accord" in order to reduce emission, and some are even willing to join with big emitters like China, early on in their administrations. The author uses a direct tone to emphasize how much we need a candidate who is willing to give honest accounts on the issue.

Questions
Clarification- Has the issue of global warming been taken into consideration more because of the presidential elections?
Application- If the issue of Global Warming was ignored, how would we be affected (as a nation)?

L.A.'s Low Homicide Rate

2007-12-29T12:26:00.000-08:00

LA Times' Editorial entitled L.A.'s Low Homicide Rate explains how LA's homicide rate has decreased substantially and how they have the lowest homicide rate since 1970. Perhaps the biggest reason for this decrease, the (unknown) author states, is the police's effort to catch street gangs. Another reason for the drop in homicide rates is that rising home prices have brought in wealthier people, causing gang members to move to cities like San Bernardino or even other states. However, even with these good news, the battle with gangs-the main cause of killings in Los Angeles- is far from over. Even though the rate might still be a little high, with more solutions being created in order to keep that rate from increasing, its possible that in the near future, our homicide rate will be even lower and our streets safer.

Tone- optimistic, cautious, direct

Clarification- Why have homicide rates increased in cities like San Bernardino or the Bay Areas?
Applcation- Is it possible for one problem to arise as a result of solving another (like gangs)?

"The Common Defense"

2007-12-27T11:12:00.000-08:00

In the LA Times editorial "The Common Defense", the author (unknown) informs his audience on the "problems" and situations that the new president will face as a result of all the actions of our current president. the author states that one of the biggest challenges that the future president faces is defending the United States, "particularly how they would combat international terrorist networks and how they would restore American prestige and leadership in the aftermath of the Iraq war." The author also writes that the next president will also have to assure America that it will not launch a preemptive military attack on a sovereign nation without clear evidence of an impending attack. The author uses examples of past events to support his claim and utilizes a direct and serious tone in order to reach his audience and communicate his purpose.

Questions:
Clarification: Have the presidential candidates specifically stated their plans for dealing with America's issues?
Application: Do all of America's "problems"-and the fact that most people expect the next president to fix them-increase the pressure of the presidential campaign?