SK8 Notes

SK8 Notes Round 1
Shocked that Gimpy betrays Charlie even though he used to stand up for Charlie.
Alice and Charlie: How is that going to play out? It would be awkward and CHarlie doesn't deal with awkward well.  Alice seems more like a maternal figure than a love interest.  Charlie begins to feel angry and bad when she doesn't want to date him.  Alice has been a teacher and guide, so she's maybe not the best person to date because he's not emotionally.  To whom would he turn?  He doesn't deal well with rejection and he can't handle the feelings that he has.
Technology threatens medical and ethics-- he's totally changed due to technology.  His emotions are tender and young.
He CHOSE this, but did he UNDERSTAND it?
By May 9 (since March), his writing is chock full of figurative language, which he coudn't do at all before.
At Central Park, he was overly worried about putting his arm around Alice.
His emotions are stunted. 
Technology has just led to confusion, even though it's supposed to be academic.
Reading books has become an outlet for Charlie.
Surgery has not helped him, it's just created problems with... Alice, Gimpy, family.
Did Strauss and Nemur have grounds to ask Charlie for permission when he couldn't understand the consequences or possibilities of his surgery?
Technology as a violation isn't confined to computers and phones.  It's about progress, so Charlie is a product of his time.
Flashbacks of childhood: His memory is opening up.  Bad. :(
Rose cared and tried to help, but she became mean and tried to do it in the wrong way.  She should have accepted him and been more patient in helping him to learn instead of forcing him along.  He has been influenced by her so much that he is scared of women and doesn't want to be punished and spanked. Norma=normal
Personal past: It makes you a complete person, but his old self keeps coming up (hallucinations). Rose denied that he had a problem, but if they had admitted it, they could have helped him along.  She may be a large part of why Charlie wants the surgery and to be so smart.  Isn't it sad how much he wants to please her even though she was so mean?  Love is so confusing.
Matt was interested in helping CHarlie, but he couldn't have a say with Rose's crazy role.
His idea of family has been tarnished because of the surgery.  Before, they were a non-entity.  Rose punished him and wouldn't help him (bathroom example).
Charlie had high expectations for the surgery.
Academic vs emotional knowledge: Academics can be stressing him out, just like students now.
The prostitute in the park. 
Round 2:
Charlie's frustration--> yelling and making a scene (like he learned from Rose)
Charlie has become intelligent, but he can't understand what other people feel.  You can't learn those skills in books. 
The bakery guys became resentful that Charlie was acting smart.
Matt could have, and should have, done a lot more than he did.  He leaves Charlie alone, which is better than yelling at him like Rose did.
Mom and dad-- Is she out of the ordinary for being aggressive?
Charlie being fired at the bakery.  Not his fault. 
Rose seemed to be very self-centered and only when out in public did she act like she cared.  At home, in private, she yelled and wasn't helpful.
Why did Charlie get the surgery?  He told Alice that he did the surgery for her outright.  That would make her very uncomfortable (social awkwardness).
Changed himself to please those around him.  We need past to understand why we are the way that we are.  We can learn from what we've already experienced.  Understanding and responding to emotions comes over time.
His life has restarted at 32. 
Intelligence has opened his eyes to the world and to the relationships going on arund him.
Charlie has learned "be careful what you wish for."  He has misconstrued that smart = likeable.
Charlie had friendships with people prior to the surgery, but now he follows rules, which interfere in his relationships. 
His mom makes his self-esteem very low when he is yelled at.  He whimpers and crouches.  He has the spinner.
The bakery guys have become jealous because they aren't as smart.  They influence Donner's decision to fire him... what does that say about Donner after all those years?
Raising a kid with a disability requires patience and kindness. 
Charlie is back in a cycle of bullying at work now instead of at school.
Gimpy (think of what a "gimp" is) is caught, but why isn't he grateful that Charlie didn't tell on him?
Temple Grandin's parents prove that kindness and patience are the key.  Rose and Matt would learn from them.
Ignorant that Gimpy was stealing. 
Norma=normal but she is a mean one!
Surprising that after Charlie confronted Gimpy he asked if he wanted some of the money.  That would be out of character for him because he's not a money-driven person.
Wouldn't it be just as likely that a person was bullied

Socratic Egg Notes

7Eleven:
Surgery is harming Charlie because... he has become too smart and others are noticing it.  Good: he can write and read well.  Bad: he realizes that people are making fun of him.  The more intelligence a person has, the fewer worries that they  have: Charlie is actually worried and has concerns about his past and his flashbacks.
A person should be paid based on their IQ: It's all about work ethic.  86- Gimpy was skimming some money off the top and he was an average guy. 
Ignorance is bliss, to a point.  He realizes that the Donner's guys are making fun of him.
Alice encourages him to trust himself and have some confidence.
IQ measures knowledge of analogies.  Motivation and dedication are not measured by the IQ test. 
Alice is being helpful amongst the doctors who are concerned about the experiement, whereas she is concerned about his well-being.
Charlie's past could hold keys to his future by helping him discover from where he's come. 
Technology is making Charlie feel like a lap rat.  It's a risky surgery and could be very harmful... they've only tried it on a mouse!
Without your past, you can't understand why you are the way that you are at this moment in your life. Question: How does his family play into that?
Past helps you to learn from your mistake.  He doesn't want to get in trouble because he remembers that his mom used to spank or smack him.
Raising a person with a disability requires time and patience... which Rose does not have.  Temple Grandin was being helped by lots,  but only a few understood her and were able to be supportive.
Society judges each person, and so Charlie has become convinced that he is "dumb."
Alice and Charlie: He acts like a teenage boy instead of a 32-year-old man.  He is reliving what he missed out on in his childhood.  HE's almost reborn.
Dating Alice is a bad idea... she had a different role as teacher, not as a GF.  She understands that it's not time for him since he's struggling so much.
Charlie==lab rat.  As if he has no feeling or emotions and that he's going to be going through a lot personally.
Alice understands him and has been encouraging all along.  She's his only support system and real friend. She gives him time to adjust to his new life and perspective.
Charlie was a victim of technology.  They took advantage of his prior state by preying upon his desire to be smart.  He was convinced.  Strauss and Nemur knew the options and went to his sister, who clearly doesn't care about him. 
Surgery fears-- the setting was not that technologically advanced, a lot could have gone wrong.
If Alice goes away, he loses his one person.
Emotions and intellect-- as one goes up, does the other go down?
Alice and Charlie: Charlie didn't like Alice before, now he likes her.
Intelligence makes a person more likeable: "You've got beyond my intellectual reach.  In a few weeks you might become a different person."
Alice is helpful and gives advice.
Charlie has become impatient, even though she is being patient with him.
Charlie has been fired because of his intelligence and what he notices now about what's going on (Gimpy).
Why wouldn't Charlie tell Mr. Donner about Gimpy?  Mr. Donner has been loyal up until this point. Charlie doesn't let others walk all over him like he used to when he was in the dark.
The dreams and flashbacks of his family.  They put these feelings into his mind.  His dad abandoned him when Rose was picking on him.
His realizations about his childhood may morph him into someone new-- good or bad?
Rose was trying to support him... but was it too much??  Matt supported and accepted him, but he abandoned him... ??
They approve surgery only to make him smart... who cares if something goes wrong.  Socially awkward --> flashbacks
His mind is being renewed and refreshed.  The world is really all new to him.
Families of disabilities: It's a neverending committment.
So... how IS Charlie a product of his childhood?  Can you relate Charlie to other character about which we read this year?
We learn from life, but Charlie's has been a large void physically and developmentally.
Self-confidence: Before surgery, somewhat confident.  After, he loses... do you think it's possible for a person to have TOO much confidence?
Rose's role as mom is BAD.  She was pushy and ignored the obvious instead of teaching him with patience (like Temple's mom).
Why is Charlie both a man and a teenager?  As a man, he carried a job.  As a teen, he's exploring his feelings for Alice.  As a child,  he's overeager to learn.  Think about when little kids learn something-- they want to do it and show it again and again.
Fewer worries? If you're smart, you can go to college and get a job... which, really, he sort of has, right?
He missed out on a chunk of his life and his foundations.
Academic development has sky-rocketed, but he's like a robot.  He's not really very human.  He is under surveillence and study all the time.
Rose: Roses have thorns and can be harmful.
Norma: "normal" there's nothin "wrong"
Matt: like a doormat, and Rose walks all over him.  He doesn't stand up to her.

"Flowers for Algernon" Animoto

http://animoto.com/play/2Dex0axzyC4fg07gJQI0ig

Literary Analysis: Paired Text response

Selection #1 An excerpt from Flowers for Algernon By: Daniel Keyes

progris riport 1 martch 3 Dr Strauss says I shoud rite down what I think and remembir and evrey thing that happins to me from now on. I dont no why but he says its importint so they will see if they can use me. I hope they use me becaus Miss Kinnian says mabye they can make me smart. I want to be smart. My name is Charlie Gordon I werk in Donners bakery where Mr Donner gives me 11 dollers a week and bred or cake if I want. I am 32 yeres old and next munth is my brithday. I tolld dr Strauss and perfesser Nemur I cant rite good but he says it dont matter he says I shud rite just like I talk and like I rite compushishens in Miss Kinnians class at the beekmin collidge center for retarted adults where I go to lern 3 times a week on my time off. Dr. Strauss says to rite a lot evrything I think and evrything that happins to me but I cant think anymor because I have nothing to rite so I will close for today...yrs truly Charlie Gordon. progris riport 2-martch 4 I had a test today. I think I faled it and I think mabye now they wont use me. What happind is I went to Prof Nemurs office on my lunch time like they said and his secertery took me to a place that said psych dept on the door with a long hall and alot of littel rooms with onley a desk and chares. And a nice man was in one of the rooms and he had some wite cards with ink spilld all over them. He sed sit down Charlie and make yourself cunfortible and rilax. He had a wite coat like a docter but I dont think he was no docter because he dint tell me to opin my mouth and say ah. All he had was those wite cards. His name is Burt. I fergot his last name because I dont remembir so good. I dint know what he was gonna do and I was holding on tite to the chair like sometimes when I go to a dentist onley Burt aint no dentist neither but he kept telling me to rilax and that gets me skared because it always means its gonna hert. So Burt sed Charlie what do you see on this card. I saw the spilld ink and I was very skared even tho I got my rabits foot in my pockit because when I was a kid I always faled tests in school and I spilld ink to. I tolld Burt I saw ink spilld on a wite card. Burt said yes and he smild and that maid me feel good. He kept terning all the cards and I tolld him somebody spilld ink on all of them red and black. I thot that was a easy test but when I got up to go Burt stoppd me and said now sit down Charlie we are not thru yet. Theres more we got to do with these cards. I dint understand about it but I remembir Dr Strauss said do anything the testor telld me even if it dont make no sense because thats testing. Selection #2: Poem 28 By: e.e. cummings My Thoughts: Structure, sentences, grammar, figurative language, paragraphing, etc. as joe gould says in his terrifyingly hu man man nner the only reason every wo man should go to college is so that she never can (kno wledge is po wer) say o if i ‘d OH nlygawntoco llege Use what you have learned from reading “Poem 28” and the excerpt from Flowers for Algernon to write a paragraph that provides an analysis of how theme of knowledge is depicted in the two pieces addressing the writers’ use of style and diction. As a starting point, you may want to consider what is emphasized, absent, or different in the two texts. Develop your paragraph by providing textual evidence from both texts. Use the provided lined paper to compose your response.

Lit Analysis: These are awesome student examples!

Equality is a key phrase when it comes to talking about human life. In these two pieces, equality is something that is shown in both of them. The first piece, Let America be America, is a poem about America being the dream land of equality, which everyone is striving for, when in fact it is not equal for everyone. This poem takes place in a time where racism was still a pretty large part of society. “I am the Negro bearing slavery’s scars,” is a quote from the poem. This quote directly talks about slavery, which is clearly not being equal. “From those who live like leeches on people’s lives,” is another quote from this poem. This simile is used to show that people were relying, almost living off of other people to make it through their lives. I don’t think that equality should have one person holding someone else’s life in their hands. The second piece is “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” by Mildred Taylor. This piece has a different view on equality than the other piece. First of all, the dialect from this piece hints slightly at a medium-lower class person. For example, “You see that fig tree over yonder?” The use of the word yonder is one of the reasons that I believe that. The major thing that this story contains is a different outlook on equality. The man in this story seems to believe that even though someone may not be as fortunate as others, they can and will keep on going, because life is life. This is almost like saying everyone doesn’t have to be equal, just happy with where they are in life. Comparing this to the other piece, they both bring very different ideas to the table.

 All men may be created equal, but they do not live equal lives in America. Both Langston Hughes and Mildred Taylor clearly believe minorities do not receive equal treatment to whites. Hughes seeks "a land where a liberty is crowned with no false patriotic wreath." He believes that total equality should be attained. Although Taylor would like total equality, she explains that, "they're (whites) a lot bigger and they take up more room and give so much shade, they almost overshadow that little ole fig (African Americans)." However, she argues that even though they'll never be as powerful as whites, African Americans should never give up. Both authors stress that it is the minorities who made America strong. Langston Hughes creates a strong visual image of minorities at work building America when he uses phrases such as "sweat and blood," "hand at the foundry," and "plow in the rain." Mildred Taylor also creates a visual image with her metaphor of a small fig tree with deep roots battling oak and walnut trees for sunlight. Hughes's most effective literary device is his repetition of words and phrases about "America never was America to me." Taylor's most effective literary device is her use of a metaphor in a conversation with dialect, which includes words such as "ain't," and "yonder." She also employs parallel structure with the words "blooming," "knowing," and "growing." Freedom will ring throughout America when all people have equal opportunities. 

The equality (or inequality, one might say) of humans is clearly depicted in Let America Be America Again and Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry. Both of these sources use repetition to support the cause that even though inequality is prevalent in society, the minority can never give up hope. In Let America Be America Again, there is a clear example of just how powerful repetition can be, “Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain…” Repeating the same sentence beginning makes it as clear as day that the author, Langston Hughes, believes that although America may be in a rut, it can restore its former greatness. America is no longer the go-getter nation that it was, but that memory is a hope looming on the horizon. Even though these works of literature were written in different styles, one a poem, one an excerpt from a novel, they both include strong figurative language to back up their beliefs. It states in Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry, “ [The fig tree] keeps blooming, bearing fruit year after year, knowing all the time that it’ll never get as big as them other trees.” Through its resilience, the minority represented as the fig trees will never give up, despite others casting a dark shadow over them. In our society, there is not quite yet an equality of citizens, but those who feel scammed by life will not stop hoping and working towards their goals of prosperity. The two documents and my statements support this claim. No matter what, no matter the southern dialect in Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry or the formality of words in Let America Be America Again, it has shown that equality is non-existent but hoping to be achieved. Those at the bottom will never give up until they sit on a golden throne.

Equality is something that we are all promised as America, but we don’t always get it. In “Let America Be America Again”, Langston Hughes uses many different methods to show inequality. One way he does this is by using parenthesis to change perspective. He starts with saying what America is supposed to be but then says how he never felt equal or like he was an American who was promised these rights. He also describes how he represents everyone but the rich white man showing how the rich overpowers and has more respect than the lower class citizens. Hughes writes, “From those who live like leeches on people’s lives, we must take back our land again, America!” What he means by this is that without the lower class, America wouldn’t function but the upper class is just using them. In “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry”, Mildred Taylor shows in the writing how if people aren’t born with money or land, they will have to fight to survive. She uses a metaphor with a fig tree and an oak tree. Papa tells the children how the fig still shares the soil and keeps blooming year after year producing more and more fruit. This is like people in society—even though some might be more important than others, if they don’t accept it, they won’t survive. Both of these passages convey the message of inequality and describe messages of equality.  

The idea of equality is depicted in the two pieces. Both pieces are mainly on how in America the idea of inequality stands there in some eyes. “Let America Be America Again” it talks about how in America the wealthier people are missing out on the inequality. This poem is questioning equality in America. There is repetition in the poem. An example is, “I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching hope I seek…” In many of the stanzas they have dashes, indicating that they have more to say. Also in the stanzas the words are kept short, sweet, and to the point. Figurative Language is found in this poem about taking back America and changing it to its more equal form. An example is, “From those who live like leeches on the people’s lives, We must take back our land again, America!” It is saying we need to take back America and stop living attached to others. The setting relates to the mood of this poem. It was written in 1936, a period when segregation went on and not everybody was treated equally. In “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” it shows the inequality found in America. The why this piece is written relates to the mood. This piece has a certain dialect. An example of the dialect is, “It’s hard on a man to give up, but sometimes it seems there ain’t nothing else he can do.” There is an extended metaphor in this piece explaining how the fig tree keeps doing what it doing even if the other trees take up space. The other trees are a lot bigger and powerful than the fig tree, but it has bigger roots and belongs as much as the others. It explains how they are equal even if they are different. The metaphor is, “ Them other trees all around… that oak and walnut, they’re a lot bigger shade they almost overshadow that little so much shade they almost overshadow that little ole fig. But that fig tree’s got roots that run deep and it belongs in that yard as much as that oak and walnut.” That first sentence of the metaphor is a run on sentence that catches the reader’s eye. “We keep doing what we gotta do, and we don’t give up. We can’t.” That quote is an example of repetition and what we have to do to get our equality. In the end, both of the pieces are about inequality and that we have to fix it here in America.