3U with Mrs. Le was a great time for me!

Over this past semester, I have had a great time! I am usually not too hot on English due to the fact that there's never one right answer and it requires alot of in depth thinking, but I had a better time than I expected. From chalk drawings on the blackboard, to viewing cultural eye openers in the Rez Sisters, to winning the Macbeth Meme Challenge 2013, to a (SPOILERS) Dq party, and everything inbetween, I have been looking forward to this class everyday. Thanks for the great semester Mrs. Le, wish you were teaching 4U.

ISU summary

My ISU is a novel called Perks Of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, about an odd boy who is scared to go into highschool after the death of his best friend, but ends up making friends with a group of misfits. This book is very eye opening to the abuse that some people go through, and the effects it has on their life afterwards. IN this book, Fifteen-year-old Charlie is about to begin his freshman year of high school—without his best friend, Michael. Charlie’s only close friend, committed suicide several months before the narrative begins. In an attempt to cope with Michael’s death and his own anxiety of entering high school alone, Charlie begins writing letters to an anonymous stranger. Charlie does not feel that he can lean on his parents or older siblings for support because they never truly understand him. He laments that the only relative that he ever felt close to was his Aunt Helen, who was killed in a car accident on his seventh birthday.
At school, Charlie befriends two seniors, Sam and her stepbrother Patrick. He soon develops romantic feelings for Sam, but he believes that he has no chance with her. Sam and Patrick introduce him to many new experiences and a group of upperclassmen friends. Charlie writes about situations that he gets into with his new friends, including going to parties, driving through his town's tunnel and feeling "infinite," seeing and performing in Rocky Horror Picture Show, going on his first date, and trying various drugs. After one party, where Charlie takes LSD, the police find him passed out in the snow. In a conversation with the police and his parents, Charlie reveals that he often has visions, which implies that he is not mentally well.
Bill, Charlie's English teacher, also plays a significant role in his life. After giving Charlie a C grade on his book report, Bill begins lending him books to read outside of class and encourages him to write essays about them. He then critiques the reports to help Charlie develop better diction and syntax; with this guidance, Charlie's writing improves in the book's later letters.
Despite his feelings for Sam, Charlie briefly dates Mary Elizabeth, another girl in their clique. She takes him to their school's Sadie Hawkins Dance, and they go on a few dates. At first, Charlie does not mind how one-sided their conversations are. Even so, after Mary Elizabeth buys him a book of poems, he senses a change in their relationship that he does not like. In a game of Truth or Dare at a party, Charlie is dared to kiss the prettiest girl in the room. He kisses Sam, which officially ends his relationship with Mary Elizabeth. Patrick then decides that Charlie should stay away until their relationship drama calms down.
Sam also starts a relationship with an attractive older boy named Craig. Charlie does not think that Craig appreciates Sam; he explains that if Craig took a good photo of her, he would think that it was good because of the way he took it, instead of the fact that Sam was in the picture. Sam and Craig soon break up, after Sam learns that Craig had been cheating on her with numerous girls.
Later in the novel, Charlie writes about Patrick's relationship with Brad, the quarterback of the football team who is secretly gay. One day, Brad's dad catches Patrick and Brad having sex in the basement and Brad's dad beats up Brad in front of Patrick. A week later, Brad returns to school and during lunch, calls Patrick a "faggot." Patrick reacts by throwing a fist, which escalates into a physical fight between Patrick and Brad's friends. Charlie bravely comes to Patrick's rescue and fights Brad's friends. Taught how to fight by his older brother, Charlie seriously hurts two of Brad's friends which ends the fight. Charlie helps Patrick up and warns Brad's friends that if they ever hurt Patrick again that he will blind them.
After a disturbing family secret surfaces that Charlie's Aunt Helen had molested him prior to her death, Charlie has a severe mental breakdown and is hospitalized. Still, his final letters close with a feeling of hope and determination. Even if he does not have the power to choose where he comes from, Charlie will choose where he goes in the future. A possible thesis about this novel is that after going through times of abuse, one can find the ability to grow stronger. I found it to be a terrific book, unfortunately, however, an awful movie.

Memes

Macbeth Memes

Aiden, Branson, Marjone and Cody

Judgement

I believe that the weird sisters are to blame for the murder of Duncan. This is because when they inform Macbeth that he will be king it clouds his judgement and causes him to inform his wife, who plots the murder against Duncan. Since Macbeth's judgement is clouded he commits to the plan and kills Duncan and two chamberlains, ultimately regretting it.

Jail Time

Thought everyone would like this article about the races in Ontario jails, even Ms.Le.

http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2013/03/01/unequal_justice_aboriginal_and_black_inmates_disproportionately_fill_ontario_jails.html

Masculine vs Feminine

I believe that a masculine role involves someone to be independent, emotionally stable (men never cry), to be the provider for their family, and protect others. They must be a strong,  smart individual with rights over women. In contrast, I believe the feminine role is dependant on males for food, money, etc. Their roles are to make food, clean, and make the men happy. And finally, they are expected to have and raise children, and to require assistance from males for all their problems.

Rez Sisters

I believe a good thematic statement for the play would be that friendship bonds create a powerful team that can overcome challenges for a common goal. I think this is because when the sisters want to go to Toronto, they all group together as a team and put away their differences to raise money for gas, food, a hotel and most of all, bingo. Since they are all so driven to win THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD, they are willing to do jobs around the reserve. Ultimately, they never could have done this alone and have accomplished it through friendship and teamwork.

Native Life in Canada

I believe that the Canadian government has been ignoring the state of the natives for too long and need to do something for them. Also, there needs to be more publicity on the quality of life for the natives, as they do not get all the attention they deserve, and I think most Canadians are unaware of the state they are in. Even after the teenager from up north started a large movement and protested on parliament hill, that was just enough too get her hometown a new school. I feel the natives are in need of less racism and more help from the government of Canada. I hope to learn more about the native's feeling when reading The Rez Sisters.