9/18 - Difference of movie vs book

Choose one character or scene that appeared differently in the movie than you imagine while reading. What was different, and did the movie change how you understand the scene?

Response: I’d say the scene of Cory walking over Troy in the stairs was different as I thought it was in the house and I feel like the ending was played differently too.

Summary: This is due to changes in how they fought over their place in the house.

Reflection: Overall it’s still the same, but does have some differing notation. 

9/17 - Trust and chances

Do you think one major lie or betrayal can permanently change how you see someone, even if you have known and trusted that person for years? Explain your reasoning and how trust can or cannot be rebuilt.

Response: I don’t think one major lie should set back a constructed network of friendship through years of knowing each other.

Summary: A true friendship is one that stands even through the hardest obstacles thrown at it and even if enough betrayal can crumble it down, it can be rebuilt with forgiveness, which is the ultimate power here.

Reflection: Trust should be put more care enough there to make it strong enough to be rebuilt from one betrayal; anybody had the ability to change.

9/15 - Parental requirements

Beyond providing food, clothing, and shelter, what do you believe a parent owes their child emotionally? Should love, encouragement, friendship, and support be expected, or are those things separate from a parent’s responsibilities? Explain your perspective.

Response: I do expect my parents to show, at their core and in general, a showing of love, care, and acceptance of what I’m becoming so long as we both know it’ll make me truly happy and this them happy.

Summary: And we share this trust because we love each other and care for each other, we know we make each other happy if we are truly satisfied with our ventures and this they themselves are satisfied that their child is happy.

Reflection: A show of care for their child is integral for the parent as to encourage their child to be the best versions of themselves.

9/14 - Need vs Want to do

Have you ever had to choose between something you wanted to do and something you needed to do? What influenced your decision, and were you satisfied with your choice?

Response: Yes and it is deciding to play any games during a school week, as it distracts from my chores and schoolwork.

Summary: It’s something I always want to do as my family has always loved games and half of my family, my brothers, love playing video games, and followed suit, but I know I had to focus on the work ahead when being in school, including my chores as well.

Reflection: I have been able to avoid playing any video games or games of any variety for my four years in high school, providing satisfaction to me as now I have happily accepted the conditions I put on myself, something I have a severely hard time ever doing in anything else.

9/11 - Parental love

In Fences, Troy makes it clear that he believes his main responsibility as a father is to provide for Cory, not necessarily to like him or make him happy. Do you think parents have to like their children, or is it enough for them to love, provide for, and take care of them? Explain the difference between loving someone and liking someone. Do you agree or disagree with Troy's view of parenting? Explain your response and make a personal or real-world connection.

Response: Yes a parent should love their children and showcase it. A child needs all the love they need.

Summary: Being cold with your care just never works, it creates problems, your child wants to know that their parent cares about them deeply enough to motivate them to do good.

Reflection: I believe even an embarrassing parent is better than a deadbeat one, everytime.

9/10 - Dealing with Financial situations

In Fences, Lyons asks his father, Troy, to lend him money. Do you think adult children should ask their parents to borrow money, or should they be expected to handle their financial problems on their own? Explain your opinion and connect it to your own experiences, observations, or beliefs about family and money

Response: Adult children should be able to assess their own financial decisions, they can learn it through time as their just starting to be adults, and they can have their parents help, but otherwise, they can assess it themselves.

Summary: It is expected for the child to assess the financial situations when they’re older, and with enough experience they can learn starting to become an adult, with some help either parent, they should be able to help themselves.

Reflection: Adult children should be capable of taking care of themselves.

9/8 - Fences

In Fences, the fence is a physical object, but it can also represent the emotional or personal barriers people create. Think about a “fence” you have built in your own life. What were you trying to keep out or protect yourself from? Did that fence help you or hold you back? Explain.

Response: I’ve built a fence around. My emotions at all time, hating whenever I show them, as I want to show I’m mature in every situation.

Summary: This counts not only as a barrier for me, but against others, as I also hate sharing anything about me too personal.

Reflection: Build fences for stuff that can’t be explained, for the sake of yourself and everyone.

9/4 - Masks

After watching your classmates present their identity masks, think about how people are often more complex than what we see on the outside. What did the presentations teach you about looking beyond the surface when getting to know someone?

Response: We saw many students have religious aspects to their lives, as sign of morality and family tradition of continuing to practice religion; we also see a strong representation of their nations.

Summary: A lot of students because they don’t really seem to care in the first place, and seem very distant and cold, but their showcase presents a new view, they’re capable of being nice and kind.

Reflection: Everyone looks cold, but once you get to know them, and their values, you get a very nice person.

9/3 - Belonging

In “Missing Your People,” Tracy Brower explains the importance of belonging. Describe a time when you felt like you truly belonged. What created that feeling?

Response: I felt the most a part of my lunch table in my freshman year, because the only friends I had made at that point that I k ew well enough were a lot senior friends, who we were in a table sitting other seniors, making the experience better.

Summary: A lot of the seniors I knew were quirky, funny, smart, and wise, they were mature to hang around with, which made me like them so much as I looked up to them.

Reflection: In a group with those you admire and even look up to, you’ll always belong.

9/1 - Overcome Fear

Write about a fear you have overcome.

Response: I used to fear dolls so much, especially because of Chucky, who made me scared even more of any doll, so much to the point that I had wanted my mom to sell off any doll we had in our house.

Summary: I got over this fear through actually watching Chucky and I actually became a fan of the franchise for a while before I dropped the series, plus I just started looking at dolls as more so of a nuisance.

Reflection: I feel like anyone can overcome anything, including fears, they just need to come to terms with it and not let them hold them back from doing what they want to do.

8/31 - Change of thoughts on a single story

Reflect on a time when you discovered a new perspective that completely changed how you viewed a person, group, or place. How did your previous “single story” shape your thoughts or actions?

Response: I learned that Russians were actually not all very strong and buff because of the many images and videos I saw (which were clearly photoshopped at the time or edited too) through seeing actual touring into Russia by people who actually wanted to research Russia and its people.

Summary: The previous single story shaped my mind into thinking this simple stereotype was simply a thing all Russians had, but through other realistic videos, Russians can also be skinny and funny looking, not just through the real life tour videos I’ve seen on Russia.

Reflection: This was when I was super young, so this makes for me to be affected but it doesn’t mean I should’ve sticked to this idea, I was able to learn and move on from this bettering my view for good.

8/28 - Experience in my Lit Class

With 4.5-week grades posting on September 2, reflect on your experience in AP Language so far. What has been going well for you, what has been challenging, and what is one thing you need to improve moving forward?

Response: it’s been going well and I’ve really known my peers well enough including g my teachers too.

Summary: I have trouble in turning in my assignments, but I’ll try to turn them on time.

Reflection: I need to improve on how to handle my assignments, but otherwise everything is going great.

8/27 - What part of my culture travels with me?

Judith Ortiz Cofer says, “The Island travels with you.” What part of your culture, family, or identity do you feel “travels” with you everywhere you go?

Prompt Response: My identity goes with me wherever I go because it’s what represents me truly and what people will see of me anyway.

Summary: It’s the only way I can recognize myself and differentiate myself from everyone else and it’s a memorable thing both in a good and bad sense, since it’s how people will remember by and will off from.

Reflection: Aside from my culture and family, my identity truly stays with me forever, no matter where I go.

8/25 - Which work format is better

Which learning method do you enjoy the most? Class discussions, worksheet work, or hands-on activities. Select one and tell why.

Prompt Response: My favorite learning method is through working on hands on activity since it feels so much more lively and more active working on paper or computer assignments.

Summary: Computer and paper work are just stale and plain, it gets so boring usually, so I think changing it up with using material to liven up the work would do much better at appealing than those other two forms of work.

Reflection: Hands on assignments just require more fun than computer or paper work.

8/24 - Experiencing a stereotype

Prompt: Write about an experience when someone assumed something about you because of a stereotype. What was the situation, and what did you do?

Prompt Response: In my sophomore year, I had only a couple of friends in my Algebra class where we would make petty jokes at each other, but nothing we wouldn’t take so seriously over, and one of them just joked about me border hopping meant being able to climb walls easier.

Summary: It was just a joke and sure I could have taken it seriously but I didn’t, and I did so, and our mini group was fine throughout the day, no sign of the anger in us anywhere between us.

Reflection: I think this a more relaxed version of what happened, but I’m honestly fine with that, some things are just so petty, that you don’t need to actually get mad at it, just move on, and it’ll become a non-issue with time.