Prompt: What items did you pick for your final project?
Prompt response: I picked these items for my final project.
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Prompt: As the first semester comes to an end, take time to reflect on your learning and growth in this course. In a well-developed response, explain what you enjoyed most about the class, identify the project or assignment you found most engaging, and discuss which aspect of the course you connected with the most (such as poetry, fiction, writing, or discussion). Finally, reflect on one area where you feel you need additional support or improvement as we move into the spring semester.
Prompt Response: What I enjoyed most about this semester was the reading as a group. I enjoyed discussing as we read a book or discussed a play like Fences or The Color Purple. Literature is one of the few areas were I feel discussion is almost required for you to better grasp the material with your classmates. Therefore when we were in groups talking about what we thought about the novel it allowed us to highlight things each other hadn't seen. It gave us an opportunity to expand our view in an easy way. One area I would wish to improve on is my comprehension of what questions are asking me on a test. Its not whether I know the facts about the book. Its more of, okay can you decipher what we are trying to ask you in this specific manner? I need some improvement there. Summary: I didn't come to class since I had 7th period final exempt so I stayed home to study for the finals I have to complete. Reflection: Its surreal how quickly this year as flown by. I felt like yes...
Prompt: Many holidays center around traditions. Describe one tradition that is important to you or your family and explain why it still matters (or why it no longer does).
Prompt Response: A family tradition my family still does is opening your stocking before anything else. It may seem small but my family taught to pace yourself and to always be grateful for the little things. So we open the little stuff first like stockings. Summary: In class we listened to another group present their literary circle project about The Color Purple, and continued to watch the movie. Reflection: My family isn't too big on tradition in general. We switch and move stuff around depending on how it can benefit us in the year so it took some time thinking about what we keep the same. Then it clicked. We always unwrap the stockings first because we need to be appreciative for the little stuff to cherish the bigger stuff.
Prompt: How have the holidays changed as you have grown older? Compare your experiences of the holidays during childhood with how you experience them now, focusing on shifts in perspective, responsibilities, or emotional meaning.
Prompt Response: As I have grown older there has been a noticeable shift for me to get my family their presents. As a child my parents would buy gifts for my siblings and sign for me. Now I'm older and I have my own money which I'm expected to spend for my family on my own. That was something to get used to, but now I enjoy it. I like to get odd or random gifts and so far they've loved them so I think I'm pretty good at gift giving now. Summary: In class we finished up the group presentations about The Color Purple, and started our viewing of The Color Purple movie. B- so far. Reflection: I went Christmas shopping the previous day so this blog post was very well targeted. I went with my friend Heath and spent hours shopping and by the days end I had nearly finished a bit over half of the people I need to buy for. I look forward to going again.
Prompt: At the end of the novel, Celie reconnects with Nettie and forms more peaceful relationships with people who once harmed her. Reflect on the theme of reconciliation. Have you ever restored a relationship, forgiven someone, or been forgiven in a way that changed you? How does the novel’s ending shape your understanding of forgivenesses across different cultures or families?
Prompt response: I have forgiven my older sister from her transgressions as we were kids. She did some wild stuff to our family but once I saw she was changing for better I couldn’t help but give her a second chance. Forgiveness is never the same but true forgiveness always involves moving on yet not forgetting. Summary: In class we worked on our final assignment before finals and I started to work on my final. Reflection: Forgiving is hardly ever easy if the transgression was meaningful. I find it hard to forgive people and I have let many go because of that. These days I don’t know whether I’ll forgive or not because those feelings will always be real.
Prompt: Write about a song that brings back a specific memory.
Prompt Response: Ragdoll by Aerosmith. The first time I heard this song was on my Papa's playlist when we drove from Tampa, Florida to Oklahoma. He started the journey with this old song, and now whenever I hear this song I associate it with going on a road trip with my Papa. Summary: In class we answered some questions about the letters we read in class. Reflection: Music is a very important thing to me so thinking about songs comes easy to me. Although trying to pick a specific memory was hard. I decided on Aerosmith and my Papa's road trip because music I often experienced alone but this was with my grandpa on a journey I will never forget.
Prompt: Write about the best gift you have received.
Prompt Response: The best gift I ever received was the funds to make sure I was able to pay for a gym membership. I spent countless days and hours inside there breaking a sweat, trying to better myself. It gave me an escape from reality while building both my body and mind's resilience. I am forever grateful I found the gym. Summary: In class we read letters 76 to 81, then we had to translate six lines from both Nettie and Celie's language to the other. Reflection: I'm happy in these later chapters Celie is becoming more comfortable in her skin and seems to be finding her place in the world. It is also strange how Mr.__ is improving himself after Celie leaves him. I wonder if Celie has a fallout with Shug, would she return to Mr.__?
Prompt: When Celie says, “The God I been praying and writing to is a man. And act just like all the other mens I know,” she expresses disappointment, betrayal, and disillusionment. Discuss a moment in your own life when something you believed in turned out to be different than what you imagined. How did this realization shape your identity or worldview?
Prompt Response: I had a similar moment to Celie when I realized I was atheist. I had gone to church all of my childhood and prayed to god I felt no connection. I remember when I prayed for something very dear to me to improve. The next day it worsened. Then I realized I didn't need prayer and belief to guide my life. I needed to take control myself. Summary: In class we read more of The Color Purple and turned in our questions from the previous days. Reflection: I understand Celie's fall from belief in her concept of god because I have had that same falling myself. Falling from faith when you do not agree with it is alright, but you need to make informed decisions about what you will do with your life.
Prompt: Pretend you are writing a blog entry as Celie; the moment you uncover the hidden letters. Describe what you would think, say, and do, and how this discovery would reshape how you see Mister and yourself. Reflect on why this moment would matter so much and how it would change your next choices.
Prompt Response: I would be furious. How dare he hide this information from me. The person I care about most he hides from me. I would confront him on the matter that instant. I couldn't live with myself if I had spent years believing in this lie created from him. My view of him would drop to the lowest view of a person. This moment means so much because it betrays any trust Mr.__ could have earned and demonstrates the disconnect between Celie and Mr.__. Summary: Today in class we read more of the Color Purple and went over answers from the previous day. Reflection: I cannot imagine the betray Celie felt when she found Mr.__ had kept Nettie's letters from her. I am surprised she didn't lash out more against him. I can't decide if it shows her mental fortitude or weakness to act in this moment.
Prompt: In Letters 46–50, Celie begins to see Albert more clearly—his flaws, his regrets, and the ways he changes when he is no longer in complete control of her. Their relationship slowly shifts from fear and dominance to honesty and distance. Write about a relationship in your life that changed over time as you grew older or more aware. What made the dynamic shift, and how did your understanding of that person evolve?
Prompt Response: When I was younger I used to get angry with my brother. We bickered and fought a lot. As we grew older our relationship changed from foes to friendly jerks. As we got older it became less about who got the Tv and making sure each other were doing alright throughout life. Summary: In class we reviewed our answers from yesterday's work, and read letters 51-60. Reflection: There's something special about sibling relationships you don't realize until you are older. You always have each other's back but you are the first one to insult them when they mess up and pick them up.
Prompt: Discuss something meaningful or memorable you experienced over the break, or reflect on what you felt most thankful for during that time.
Prompt Response: During this Thanksgiving the thing I was most thankful for was my friends. I spent pretty much all my time hanging out with my friends and during break I meet more people who soon became my friends. We didn't do anything revolutionary either it was just spending time with one another. I'm really lucky to have such a solid group of friends. Summary: In class we read more of The Color Purple and answered some questions on it after going over what had been happening in the book as a class. Reflection: My friends are my world they have carried me throughout high school. Life would have been so much more boring without them.