Blog Post Assignment 6 (Late)

Good Friday is a Christian holiday to honor the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death. Many will say, "Jesus died for our sins," so Good Friday is a holiday for people to show acts of kindness to another and the best way to do celebrate is to help others when they need it. To show kindness to somebody means to be generous and considerate to those less fortunate than others. In return for the act of kindness, the giver receives a two-word gift which shows appreciation: "thank you." In addition, the act of kindness gives a warm feeling inside because of the notion that someone is grateful for the gift they are given and it shows that someone cares about them. If I had an opportunity to have a million dollars to help people, I would use that money to distribute it evenly across the United States so I could efficiently help as much people as possible.

Blog Post Assignment 9

When students take Advanced Placement classes, they are taking college-level curricula which allows the students to gain insight into the experience of classes beyond high school before they graduate. An example of such a class at B.C. Rain is the AP English Literature and Composition class that is offered to junior students who want to gain college credits that may exempt from taking the same course in college. While taking the course, I learned many things in the class including literary devices, rhetorical analysis, synthesizing, works by famous poets and novelists, and writing strategies. Overall, the course well prepared me for the AP Exam and I liked many things about the course, such as being given opportunities to voice our opinions in class and share our thoughts about each novel, essay, article, or short story that we have read. If I had a chance to take the course again, I would likely do so because if I learned anything about AP English, it involves a deep level of critical thinking and is all about expressing oneself in terms of writing and how the author's choice of words can help express those thoughts and emotions. 

ACT Reflection

    The ACT is the most important test in determining which college or university one will attend or want to attend in the future. For this reason, those taking the test are encouraged to do their best and try to answer all of the questions, even if the student does not know which answer is correct. Communicating with other students, using technology that will disturb the testing area, sharing answers, and getting out of the seat is not allowed to ensure that the testing room will be as quiet as possible and that students will have an opportunity to think without distractions. The test covers four basic school subjects which covers a wide variety of questions based on lessons that the students should have learned.
    When I was taking the ACT, I used a variety of strategies to help me conserve time so I could carefully answer all the questions. Doing so also allowed me to spend more time to answer the harder questions which involved a deeper level of thinking. To prepare, we spent many days in intervention covering the majority of the test, timed ourselves while we were taking the test, and looked at the questions we got wrong to see why we missed it. If I had any significant struggle with any aspect of the test, it was the time which we were given. Knowing my weakness, I spent most of my time to try and read a passage quickly and recall what I have read.

Blog Post Assignment 7

The American Dream is a notion in which Americans are free to pursue what they desire to accomplish or aspire to be during their lifetime through the use of hard work and determination. Whether the goal is to become a doctor, engineer, firefighter, or architect, the American Dream stresses the idea that anything is attainable and there is not an obstacle to difficult to overcome. My concept of the "American Dream" is to participate in the Engineering Physics major for Stanford University, obtain a Master's Degree in engineering and physics, and use the skills to make an impact that will benefit humanity.

Dear Governor Bentley,

    My name is John Keith. I am a professor who teaches astrophysics at the University of Louisiana. I have a double major in cosmology and architectural engineering which I attained upon my graduation in December of 1940. There are many who are judged by the color of their skin and may have a misconception of what that person may be capable of. Through my hardships and successes, I hope to become a shining example to not just the black community, but the society which also chose to believe that colored people do not have equal rights or opportunities.

    As I have inspired many people throughout my life, Jefferson had intentions to get a degree in the same field as I did. He first began college in August 1946 as a freshman. Though Jefferson was a very quiet individual, he aspired to be someone great, to a degree that even non-colored people would see that African Americans should have the same respect as anyone else. Jefferson was amongst the brightest students in my class while remaining an average of a 4.18 GPA.

    With Jefferson's inspiration and personality, I do not believe that Jefferson would have been the one to plan the murder. However, the jury already founded him guilty and is sentenced to death. Knowing this, I am not writing this letter to you to release him, but to alleviate the magnitude of the punishment and choose to keep him in prison for the remainder of his life. I deeply ask of you to consider those who you will hurt if they execute him.

Sincerely,

John Keith

Chapters 16 and 17 Quotations

Chapter Sixteen - #1

“Young man, I pray for you every night, and I know the Lord is hearing my prayers. Put all your faith in Him, and He’ll bring you through.” - Page 99.

This quotation relates to the theme of the final act of redemption. With Reverend Ambrose constantly referring to Jesus Christ when trying to speak to Jefferson, he believes that Jefferson still has an opportunity to change himself and have an impact on the black community by being executed with a positive outlook. Those who opposed Jefferson because of his color wanted him to perceive himself as a wild animal, but Grant and Miss Emma were trying to convince him that he is a human being. By dying as a man, he will sway the hearts of his fellow African Americans by defying society until his heart stops beating.

Chapter Seventeen - #1

“You can talk like that; you know you go’n walk out here in a hour. I bet you wouldn’t be talking like that if you knowed you was go’n stay in here.” - Page 105.

This quotation relates to the theme of empathy. Grant revisits Jefferson in his cell to talk to him about Miss Emma and wants Jefferson to do something for Miss Emma before she passes away. Eventually, Grant asks him if doing one last thing for Miss Emma is too much to ask and begins talking about how he does not know when he will die and that he does not want to hurt those closest to him. However, Jefferson believes that the only reason why Grant thinks like this is because he is not the one who was wrongfully accused of murder and sentenced to death by execution. Grant, Miss Emma, and their aunt were only sympathizing, not empathizing. To sympathize means to comprehend another's problems and providing comfort, but empathizing means to truly understand another's situation by sharing the same perspective. Without similar experiences, Grant will never know what it is truly like to be in Jefferson's shoes.

A Lesson Before Dying: Chapter 14 Quotation

According to chapter 14 in the novel A Lesson Before Dying, it states, "In the kitchen was a black four-lid wood stove, a five-foot-tall white icebox, a handmade table with four wood-bottom chairs around it, a safe with screen doors for the dishes, a broom that had seen better days, an ax in the corner, and several black pots and aluminum pans, hanging from nails on the wall." Even if one did not know the exact setting which the story took place, it could be easily deduced that it was between the early and mid-1900s. As an aspect of history and as a theme, it is most related to racism and segregation in the southern states. After the end of slavery in the United States, Congress ratified a few amendments which gave blacks citizenship and the right to vote. However, the Supreme Court also made decisions which completely contradicted the acts of Congress and ended up separating the two races by making different facilities that were supposed to be "Separate but Equal."