The End is Here

Graduation is only a week away! It is weird to think it is all over. I've been waiting for this for a while now. It seems like just yesterday I was a shy little freshmen lookingup to the seniors on my baseball team, and now the tides have turned and I'm in their footsteps. I look back and can't help but wonder what could have been different, better or worse. It is interesting to look back and see how much I have grown over the years, and how different I have become. As much as I didnt think it would, high school helped prepare me for the future. I am excited for the future, as I can't wait to move out of Rancho to Santa Barbara. Not that Rancho is a bad place, but I am ready to move on. College is a new beginning. New people, new lifestyle, new location. This brings to mind the theme of English class-To live a life worth living. This is the beginning of our own lives, and how do we live it? It all makes sense to me now, why Mrs. Elliott chose to teach from that perspective since we are confronted with the future now. It will be interesting to see where all of our classmates end up and how they do. Wish you all the best for the future!
Andrew V

my research project

The Kite Runner

            Khlad Hosseini’s The Kite Runner is a beautiful story that depicts important aspects of not only literature, but of life as well. This story is narrated by Amir, the main character, who gives insight to the reader about the culture in the Middle East during the “last days of the Afghanistan monarchy,” as Lisa Winkler puts it.  The story of Amir and his childhood best friend is a tale of friendship, culture, strength and courage; it exemplifies the drastic transition of an Afghan boy who learns how to cope with the struggles of his adolescence as he faces the challenges of adulthood. 

Lisa Winkler is a writer and a critic; she explains in an article/hand guide the historical events that the Middle East, Afghanistan specifically, was going through.  This type of historical background is essential to any reader who happens to be a non-native to Afghanistan.  As Californians we are introduced to the history of our state in the 4^th grade, and as Americans we are taught the history of our country. This national history is taught throughout the entirety of our public educational career; however, the history of Afghanistan is not thoroughly emphasized.  Winkler offers an additional insight to the historical aspect of the story, as well as additional information about the author, Khaled Hosseini.  Although The Kite Runner is not an autobiographical story, there are compelling similarities between Amir and Khaled Hosseini.  For instance, in the story Amir and his father are forced to leave Afghanistan because of the violence the country is undergoing as a nation and eventually came to the United States; this is similar to Hosseini’s scenario who came to the U.S. in 1980.  Both Hosseini and his narrator, Amir, are very well educated and have very strong and loving relationships with their wives.  It is because of these similarities that, I believe, Hosseini identifies with Amir in the hardships of growing up in Afghanistan, the hardships of identifying with the Afghanistan culture while becoming an “American” and while gaining a sense of success. 

Frederic Lyman Wells explains in his article, A Statistical Study of Literary Merit, that literary merit can be determined “according to their importance to the fulfillment of the highest function of literature” (27).   These “fulfillments” of literature are also what Arthur N. Applebee refers to as basically what is being taught across the nation. Applebee argues in his article, Stability and Change in the High School Canon that for the most part the English Curriculum is “Eurocentric” or in other words focuses narrowly on white males and excludes minorities such as women and ethnic studies.  The Kite Runner offers a huge emphasis on ethnic studies and the Afghanistan culture.  Even though the story doesn’t contain many female characters, it still contains historical background, an insight to Afghanistan culture and allows readers to engage in the life of a Middle Eastern immigrant.  Hosseini’s novel also deals with the concepts of trust and friendship; each of which he takes for granted and later learns to regain as an adult.  Even though there is vulgar language and graphic scenes that include homosexual intercourse, The Kite Runner offers moral ideals such as honesty, integrity and courage. 

The Kite Runner might not yet be considered canon but I think that it should at least be recommended to other AP literature students because not only is it an engaging story, it is also very well written.  There are patterns and examples of stylistic writing that Khaled Hosseini uses repeatedly throughout the story.  For example, Hosseini uses a metaphor to create an illusionistic style of a new change coming.  He writes, “"Because when spring comes it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting" (Pg. 372).  This quote is on the very last page of the book and it is referring Sohrab smiling for the first time.  At this point in the story Amir has literally physically fought for Sohrab and eventually brings Sohrab home.  He and his wife Soraya take care of Sohrab like a son, who ironically is Hassan’s (his late best friend) son.  There is a cyclical ending in the story where Amir finds humbling strength in Sohrab.  It is because of Hosseini’s writing style and thoughtful metaphors that The Kite Runner should be read by all student writers. 

Another reason why The Kite Runner should be read by or suggested to AP literature students is because it broadens a reader’s knowledge on “foreign” literature. Timothy Aubry, a professor of English at Baruch College believes that reading foreign fiction such as The Kite Runner helps Americans understand history “Through its evocation of everyday life in Afghanistan and its frequent use of Farsi vocabulary, The Kite Runner foregrounds its foreignness” (Aubry, pg 26). This type of “foreignness” displays how culturally different pieces of literature, such as The Kite Runner, can be to Americans. 

It is possible that the lack of knowledge that some Americans have for different cultures can basically paralyze their outlook on literature. I think after reading The Kite Runner students would be able to grasp an understanding of foreign literature and realize that although cultures may differ in beliefs, they as human beings still endure the same type of emotions and struggles that Americans do.  These emotions can include love, redemption, honor, guilt, etc. and are shared by all human beings.  Not only does foreign literature, specifically The Kite Runner, help students become historically well rounded, but it is extremely well written as it uses analogies, metaphors, illusions and archetypes to engage the reader with the text. 

6 word memoirs

I am more than six words.
My life's complicated, but it's mine.
I live to love, always dreaming.
I live for pink and diamonds.
Prayers go up, miracles come down.
Never ever walk a step alone.
Living in sun-dresses and a smile.
Good at a lot, never great. 

Brittany Delaney

My Mark on High School

This past weekend, I went to my friend’s birthday party. It was the end of the year and I thought I deserved to have some fun; with no regrets, I went to release my mind from all this academic stress. To my surprise, the experience I got there, remarkably not from the partying, was beyond satisfactory.

Throughout the night, the people became more intoxicated and the party more enjoyable. Every now and then I would greet someone I knew and would talk to them until one of us had to leave. Most of these conversations started off with the question, “Simon? Simon’s at a party?” with an awkward yet appropriate chuckle following.

A couple of hours into the party, I bumped into a friend of mine that I had not talked to for four years, maybe with the exception of glancing and nodding at each other in the hall way. With the music booming in one ear, my friend and I began to have a conversation through the other ear; regardless of his state of mind, I listened to every word he had to say. He remembered how we played on the school basketball team in eighth grade, how that seemed so long ago, when in reality it was only four years ago and unfortunately how we have not kept in touch. But what hit me the hardest was what he said next.

Stumbling over his feet, he asked me if I had picked up my yearbook yet. Before I could reply, he brought up how I had won Most Likely to Succeed in eighth grade and how I won the same award this year as a senior. Even though he was rather inebriated, I took these next words to heart. He said that no matter what the future held in store, he knew from eighth grade that I was going to be successful. It was then that all the thoughts I had tried to forget about before the party flooded into my head. It astounded me how the impression I had formed on people so long ago was still prevalent, even for someone I never kept in touch with.

For some reason, even though my friend was just a kid, not someone of wisdom or age, his words impacted me. I do not know if it is because of graduation goggles, or because I truly felt this way, but it was at that point when I realized that all of us are going to miss high school for our own personal reasons. These reasons can range anywhere from being the center of attention at high school parties to being one of the few distinct academic “celebrities” of the senior class.

Regardless of what happened in high school, I believe we should embrace our past four years and let them guide us into what will make us happiest these next four years. Whether you are a nerd, jock, band geek, skater, or any other member of a clique, I hope you can separate the positive experiences from the negative ones in high school and incorporate what you loved in high school into your college years. After all, college is meant for students to find their passions and interests. In other words, whatever makes them happiest. You only go to college once, so make sure it’s worth it.

As for the rest of the night, it was just a memory for the history books.

~ Simon L.

The end is near

As my last year of high school will soon be over.

I don’t know what to do now that the end is so near.

I can see the days winding down and it will soon be tomorrow.

Leaving all my friends behind fills my heart with sorrow.

The things we have done and the moments we have shared.

Starting all over makes me feel so scared

I wanted my final year to be the best one ever.

To burn in the memories so they will last forever.

I love to cheer and dance and know that I will leave them behind.

As I move on to college where my future path will be defined.

The time for such activities won’t be part of the deal.

I must focus on more mature things and keep it real.

I am anxious for the future and don’t want to be afraid.

But there are so many choices that need to be made.

I am not afraid of tomorrow and my future will be bright.

But I’ll worry about it tomorrow since I am still a senior tonight.

Brittany Delaney

Procrastination

Almost everyone has procrastinated some in school and find themselves with only a few days left to finish a major assignment.  When Mrs. Elliott assigned the literary merit research project with a due date a month later, I know a lot of people, including myself, that weren't worried at all about starting it.  A lot of those same people were the ones scrambling to finish it at the last minute and when they asked for more time, Mrs. Elliott refused.  I think the reason she does this is because that is how college is like.  She wants us all to realize that in college, there are no checkpoints to ensure your keeping pace and there are no extended deadlines.  It is up to you to keep track and get whatever assignment done.  For me, that project made me aware that larger projects are even worse for procrastinating.  Small assignments, although still bad to put off, are a lot easier to do in just one night.  Many teachers divide large projects into smaller assignments with guidance along the way.  Apparently in college the professors don't do that.  Now I know that they assign something so far ahead of the due date for a reason and I will definitely use that time more wisely.

Zach Y.

Of Literary Merit

As a freshman, I wondered who picked these books we read.  As a sophomore, I was curious why we had to analyze books with such depth.  As a junior, I questioned why we had to learn about so many literary devices.  Now, as a senior, I have learned that the literary devices create depth in a book that impact the reader and add to the book's literary merit, making it a good book to study in school.  After four years in high school, I'm beginning to grasp how the analysis of a book shows what exactly the author did to create the work of literary merit and write something with more depth than a book for pure entertainment.  Also, this research project where we need to pick a novel and decide ourselves if it's of literary merit or not, will help me better understand how a novel becomes of literary merit.  It shows the process all the novels read in school had to go through to be considered good to read and taught in school.  When a work of literary merit is fully understood, it leaves a larger and longer lasting impact on the reader and gives the reader something to think about society or leaves a moral about mankind.
Zach Y.

My Spring Break in Mexico

As I stepped out of the airplane, the cool breeze of Mexico crept up and as we drove to the city, Zapotlanejo, I could already smell the cows 5 miles away. The new scent in the air did not bother me because it was a reminder that I was back to my second home. When we arrived to the welcoming city of Zapotlanejo, our first stop was not my aunts house, but instead it was straight to some enchiladas, tamales, and posole. While we finished devouring the delious food, I new that this was only the begining because there were lots of foods that I was waiting to consume.  During the week I went to a small town where everyone knows not only their neighbor but the family ten blocks away. While I was there, I visited my grandfather where I helped him milk a cow. I have to say that was a bit scary but worth all the fright. While I was there,  I could see the river that connected the industrialized city of Guadalajara to the unindustrialized village of Atengo.  I was able to experience the two different lifestyles while I was there, which made me more aware of the different lives that people live within a small radius. During the week, I had a great time with my family and as the last day in Mexico arrived, I was sad that I had to leave,  but I knew that I had enjoyed my break.

Cynthia Navarro

A Jewel to the World

As we live our daily lives we seek truth.

It is what surrounds us that we most cherish.

We unfold every pedal of a rose

Until we find the inner beauty.

This hidden gift begins to glow like a diamond jewel,

because it begins to lighten the world with color.

Ever y moment in our lives adds to the spectrum of life a different color.

Through every rise and fall we discover meaning and truth.

Every barrier we overcome makes us cherish

What we become—a blossomed rose.

It is then we discover the beauty

Of life because to the world we become a valuable jewel.

Like a rose, we flourish and add color to the world.

Like a jewel we are cherished because we bring beauty to life.

Like life itself, we bring about truth to those who seek it most.

♥  Cynthia Navarro

What's Your Personal Philosophy?

“What the hell is a Hegel?”

“Dude, that’s the philosopher’s name. Your personal philosophy is philosophic history.”

As I read the description, “You’re not right, but neither am I. You understand that the world is made up of opposing ideas, and no person is 100% correct. This is Hegel’s idea on thesis (the original idea), antithesis (the opposing idea), and finally, synthesis (the truth). We’re all just looking for truth in the world, and using the past to help us understand the present and the future,” I began to notice how easily people believed in this apparent nonsense.

While I understand that this is just an educated guess on our beliefs, how is it possible that people easily accept their philosophy from a fifteen question quiz, where half of the questions would never happen in reality? Personally, I have no clue what I would do if I saw a man about to jump off of a bridge or if some person came up to me and said, “God does not exist anymore! You have all been duped!” I mean, have I really been duped? Or is this person the crazy one?

After discussing with my team however, I realized this “educated guess” about my personal philosophy was indeed relatively accurate. As a representative of Hegel’s beliefs, I am the type of person to question everything to find the truth. By breaking down and criticizing these questions, which at first I thought were beyond ridiculous, I was able to understand why I share similar beliefs with Hegel. My curious desire for truth and understanding had inadvertently proven my personal philosophy to myself.

Even though I may be over thinking the whole situation, I am a Hegel: I do this to understand and find truth in society.

~ Simon L.

In Their Shoes

Today in class we had a discussion about the main characters in the novels we are currently reading. The novel I am reading is Native Son, with a protagonist by the name of Bigger. However, Bigger did not turn out to be the protagonist I assumed he would be because of the archetypal protagonists in other novels.  Rather than developing a fondness for him, I started to loathe his very being because of his brutal behavior. Then I stopped to think about the conditions which he's under. During that time whites were portrayed as the superior race and blacks were inferior. He felt defenseless and had fear of the whites, whom he felt ran his life. Any little taste of power he got he felt he had authority and importance, and he would abuse that power. Imagine what it would be like if you were in Bigger's position, if you were part of an inferior group and you were constantly belittled and condemned. Wouldn't you build up anger inside as well? And if you had no sense of authority in your life, wouldn't it feel good when you did have power, even for a moment? Bigger's way of expressing his anger or his use of power was possibly not the wisest choice, but from all of this I learned that before prejudging somebody it is best to try to put yourself in their shoes and see where they're coming from.

-KAYLEE H.

Victorian Era vs. Common Era

The times were very different then, and I'm quite sure I'm glad I live today. Despite the fact that the men were the ones with power, I dont think I would enjoy any part of their lifestyle. Their society seems to proper and uptight, and it seems that their life is already planned. The beauty of life in this era is the ability to create your own path, and choose what you want in life. Everyone is different, and I think we value individuality a lot more now than in Jane's time. Another aspect is the openess of our culture, as opposed to the rigid nature of Victorian society. Todays world also is much more open to all religions. It's amazing to have all the worlds religion and culture in one country, and sometimes the diversity makes us realize how much we have in common. People are all different, but we all go through struggles or situations common to all man, similar to archetypes. For example Jane's emotions are present in all humans, but the situation may be different.

-Andrew V

Birth Rights by Cynthia Navarro

While our group discussed the themes in Jane Eyre, birth rights was the theme that was prevalent throughout the novel. Jane Eyre grew up with her aunt, Mrs. Reed, who greatly despised her because she considered her less valuable than a servant. Since she was only a young girl, she had no control over her social status, but because her parents we not wealthy, Jane did not have the same social status as the Reeds family. Also, being a female with little or no attractive features, made it harder for Mrs. Reed to accept her in the family. During that period, Jane had little value in society beause she was a women, poor, and uneducated until she was taken to Lowood. At Lowood, she overcame many of those barriers by becoming an independent, educated, and wealthy women. Although she belonged to the lower social class, she became more successful that her cousins because her cousins had the advantage of belonging to a wealthy family that could provide them with the best education.