"Dirty Mouth, clean it up with Orbit gum"

I think that obscene language can be ok if the author uses it effectively. Maybe the author writes a story with a certain character using obscene language. This could possibly allow the reader to understand the personality of the character more accurately. If a book uses obscene language a ridiculous amount, I think it can be distracting from the actual plot.

April 24th-Kite Fighting

Obviously kite fighting is an important part of Afghanistan society. I think that the author of The Kite Runner included kite running in the novel because it represents a bond between Amir and his Father. Even in the video, they discuss how the families have different recipes for the shards of glass that are passed down from father to son. I would assume that kite fighting in Afghanistan would be analogous to baseball in America. The Afghanistan people must have been very upset when the Taliban banned kite fighting.

The soldier stumbled down the bank of the river, strategically looking for an area of cover. Meanwhile, the soldier's two comrades fire back at the Taliban who are well up the mountain. The lengthy and arduous trek up this valley has posed many life threatening obstacles. The ambushes are becoming more common and he group has become uncertain whether to continue this particular mission. Hopefully, a radio call will arrive with news about helicopter assistance.

Walk the Line

Many books contain powerful and even disturbing scenes. Authors do this because they want the reader to feel the emotions associated with these events, so that they may more accurately connect with the characters. I think it is debatable whether or not they are necessary. Some authors may or may not believe that shocking events are needed in order to grab the attention of readers.

To Atone or Not to Atone

I think that we all make mistakes that we will regret. Atonement for these mistakes is usually possible unless you do something that is extremely harmful to other people. While I cannot recall a very specific event, when I do something wrong, generally I try to apologize (if necessary), and do something friendly to make up for that mistake.

Decisions...Decisions

Every time I make important decisions I really try to analyze what the outcomes will be for each decision. My next important decision will be to decide what college to go to. While this will primarily affect me, I will look for advice from my parents. I have also spoken with and taken advice from people who have attended the various specific colleges.

A Walk in the Woods - The Title - Chapter 20 - #18

"I had discovered an America that millions of people scarcely know exists. I made a friend. I came home... So Katz was right after all, and I don't care what anybody says. We hiked the Appalachian Trail."(pg 274)

These are the last words of A Walk In the Woods, and perhaps, the most entertaining and moving. Prior to this, Bryson describes the many beautiful aspects of the woods that few people even know are right outside their door. Having had a similar experience in New Mexico, I can definitely relate to how he feels. When I walk in the woods, I do not simply see trees, but I have this feeling of adventure and curiosity, and most of all, appreciation. I think A Walk In The Woods is a fabulous title because it draws attention to the fact that people can have a similar experience by simply walking in the woods. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in the outdoors of America.

A Walk in the Woods - connection to Che- Chapter 20 - #16

It is interesting to read books like The Motorcycle Diaries and A Walk in the Woods. They are similar in numerous ways. For example, both books are narrated by the author. In doing so, the author conveys the impact the various experiences they have had on their life from a personal point of view. In the Motorcycle Diaries, Che is influenced by the many poor people he meets on his journey. In A Walk In The Woods, Bryson is describing what has influenced him through the beauty he witnesses. Also, both books go into detail about the people they meet. Bryson decribes the many intersting, stupid, and intelligent people he meets that essentially make the jouney so intersting.

Write Your Own Do Now

After reading the Motorcycle Diaries, and watching the documentary, do you think Che made the right decision in joining the Cuban revolution? If not, write an alternative to what Che should have done after his experiences in South America. Also, comment on why you think people (primarily Latin American) idolize him.

I chose this topic because, as a reader, I was forced to think about the person Che became during his adventures in South America. After reading detailed descriptions about his experiences, I constantly questioned the route he took in terms of helping these people afterwards.

A Walk in the Woods - American Chesnut - Chapter 10 - #15

"But until quite recent times - painfully recent times - one thing remained in abundance that preserved the primeval super-Eden feel of the original forest: the massively graceful American chesnut"(pg 121)

In chapter 10, Bryson comments on one of the most beautiful trees that was once in the Appalachian mountains. Many times Bryson will go off onto a science or history lesson about the environment (which can be very interesting). Bryson usually comments on how some unique aspects of the trial are diminishing due to disease and negligence. The American Chesnut, as Bryson explains, was once one of the most abudant and amazing aspects of the trail. However, recently an Asian fungus eradicated the American Chestnut to extinction. This fungus killed four billion chestnuts on the Appalachian in only 35 years. Bryson draws attention to how we should be grateful for what the Appalachian has to offer.

"... when I tell you that there wasn't a day in the Appalachian woods when I didn't give passing thanks for what there was."

A Walk in the Woods - Murders along trail- Chapter 13- #12

When Bryson and Katz take a short hiatus from hiking during the beginning of Summer, Bryson draws attention to the fact that two women were murdered on the Trail very close to the location and time they themselves were hiking. Bryson seems very saddened by this, finding it hard to look at photos of the woman on one of the trail notices. I think Bryson has only a short discussion on this topic because he does not want to discourage people from hiking on the Appalachian Trail. In fact, I might have omitted some of the detail he goes into. It is very disturbing, and scary (the brutality of the murders is horrifying). Overall, I think it is important he mentioned it because it is reality, however, I think he could have had a shorter discussion on it, but it part of his experience -a walk in the woods.

A Walk in the Woods - The Chase - Chapter 11 - #13

Katz, Bryson's traveling companion begins to talk with and get to know a woman at the laundromat. Bryson descries the woman as over 200 pounds and ugly. Katz inform Bryson that they have a date, and he wil not be eating with him tonight. Shortly afterwards, a dejected Katz strolls into the resturant informing Bryon that he is being chased by the husband of the woman he was supposed to go on a date with. The rest of the night at the hotel, Katz keeps his eyes out the window to make sure that the man dosent come into the motel. He is truly terrified becuase he knows that men in hte South always carry guns. My advice to Katz would be identical to the advice Bryson gave him - stop talking to fat ladies in laundromats.

A Walk in the Woods - An observation - Chapter 6 - #5

In about the middle of the book, Bryson and his buddy go into the town of Gatlinburg Tennessee. They have been hiking for several weeks, and just left Great Smokey Mountain National Park. While in the town, they decide to get something to eat, then go into a store because Katz needs a strap for his backpack. There, Bryson comes upon a map of the entire Applacian Trail. He notices where they are now in comparison to the rest of the trial. They have only completed a tiny amount of the entire trail. Then Bryson makes the comment "One thing was obvious. We were never going to walk to Maine".(pg 105) This part of the book moved me because for the first time Bryson admits that they will not be completing the entire trail. I feel upset because I really want them to complete the trail, but at the same time I agree with them. I knew that they were not moving fast enough to make the seasons coordinate with their hiking. It was ineresting to think about how many experinces they had already went through, yet they had only completed a fraction of the trial.

March 17- Columbia & Venezuela

ether, howling like one possessed, acrid smell of gunpowder

In this section, Che is essentially explaining how he is changing and what he is going to become. Ethers are chemical compounds that are known to be very pleasant smelling. The change is very attractive when it starts - maybe this trip lured him. z
"I don't know how to explain it - as if everything solid melted away into the ether..."

At the end of this chapter, Che uses vocabulary such as "howling like one possessed" and "acrid smell of gunpowder". It is evident that he wants to fight for change. He ends this section with references to war and wolves. He says he has a new sense of energy and hope. the little paragraph that describes this change has a very socialistic attitude.

A Walk in the Woods - Mary Ellen (intersting charater) - #17

In Chapter 5, the two men meet Mary Ellen (probably not the real name of the person they met) who turns out to be a very goofy person. This is how Bryson introduces her: "I have long known that it is God's plan for me to spend a little time with each of the most stupid people on earth, and Mary Ellen was proof that even in the Appalachian woods I would not be spared. It became evident from the first moment that she was a rarity." I have never read a book where the author has characterized somebody so crudely and honestly. Mary Ellen follows them for a couple days. Soon afterwards, they make a plan to escape from her presence. After finally escaping her, they are almost remorseful they left her alone on the trail. Overall, I liked the detail and characterization Bryson gave Mary Ellen.

A Walk in the Woods - The magic of Woods - #10

In Chapter 4, Bryson introduces how he feels, in general, when he walks in the woods. First, the woods make you feel vulnerable. They are unique in that trees surround you from all directions. Bryson comments on how if you are in the dessert, or a prairie, you can see the big space around you, but in the woods, you feels like you are in a "vast, featureless nowhere". (pg 44) In the summer of 2007 I went on a ten day backpacking trip with my Boy Scout troop to New Mexico, so I can connect with Bryson. When you spend so much time exclusively in the woods, you begin to notice how alive and wonderful it is, but also how intimidating it can become (especially at night). Even Daniel Boone said the Appalacian mountains were "so wild and horrid that it is impossible to behold them without terror".

Theme #6 Introduction

I found the sdst very helpful because it begins with the attributes of a thesis statement. Then it has a checklist of questions you can test with your thesis to see if it is on the right track.

After leaving medical school to go on a great expedition throughout Latin America, Ernesto saw many aspects of society relating to poverty and government that dismayed him, which eventually encouraged him to become a contentious revolutionary figure - Che.

Peru Diction Quiz

Che begins his journey in Peru by attempting to get rides on various trucks. They almost get into a TIRADE with one of the drivers when he requires them to pay after they loaded all their belongings on. They are also upset by the way the MESTIZOS are treated. Che makes reference to how they are carried in the truck like cattle on the INERMINABLE truck rides. After getting off a truck, they are forced to walk in the cold, SWATHING themselves with thin blankets. Che then enters Manchu Picchu, where he describes the unique architecture and IDYLLIC setting. They eventually get to the ancient town of Cuzco, where Che admires the ingenuity of the people that once lived there. For example, the fortress of Cuzco, a RELIC of this civilization, was built so that it could control the two steep valleys. It was also designed very well to protect from invaders. After leaving Cuzco, they decide they would like to visit a leper colony. They wanted to discover the disease that is BEFALLING these people. When they arrive in the colony, it is obvious that the lepers are not receiving adequate medical attention, and are living in ABHORRENT conditions. They simply do not have the tools to perform surgery that could help the lepers, which EXACERBATES the situation. They leave this leper colony and go to a town and see a bull competition. Towards the end of Peru they see another leper colony. The INDGENCE here is similar to the other leper colony. He gets to know both a doctor and a dentist there. Alberto, Che’s friend on the journey who is also a biochemist, proclaims himself a doctor and an expert in leper colonies. He is a bold INTERLOCUTOR. During this part of the journey, Che is suffering from his athsma due to the massive amount of mosquitoes that bite him.

A Walk in the Woods - An old friend - #4

While contemplating his walk in the woods, Bryson realizes that he will be traveling alone. He fears that if or when he runs into trouble nobody will be there to help him. He decides to write on his Christmas cards that year that he will be traveling the entire Appalachian Trial, and would like somebody to come along with him. Of course, nobody wants anything to do with this cumbersome adventure. Then, about a month before leaving, an old friend, Stephen Katz, calls to inform him he would like to participate. Bryson comments on how he went with Katz on an adventure around Europe years earlier, but has since lost touch with him. Bryson admits "In the twenty-five years since, I had run into him three or four times on visits home but hadn't seen him otherwise". (pg 19) I find this a surprising aspect to the book. Why would he loose virtually all contact with someone after traveling with Europe with him? Although Bryson does explain the various drug/job issues Katz had, he does not connect how the European trip will be at all similar to this trip. You would think Bryson would go into detail on how Katz acted or what type of person he was on their previous advenutre.

March 9 - Essential Question #2

While Ernesto was living in Argentina, before he left on his trip, he had a goal of becoming a physician. He did not become a physician before he left on his trip. Throughout the book so far, Ernesto has made it clear that he wants to help people that are suffering due to the government. For example, when he meets the woman who has severe athsma, he feels very frustrated that this woman has to suffer when prior to her illness she was very hard-working. He makes it clear that he would make changes if he were in charge of the government. In the documentary we watched, Ernesto goes as far to help cause this change by leading a revolution in Cuba. In his journey so far in the book, Che has little impact on the people compared to what he does later in his life.

A Walk in the Woods - Buying Expensive Gear - #3

The narrator to the book, Bill Bryson, is a very interesting character. The book starts off with Bryson describing the various scenarios one will face on the Appalachian trail. He recalls ridiculous stories that include owl attacks, snakes in your sleeping bag, Lyme disease, lighting strikes, etc. While l these stories could have actually happened, it is definitely not a daily occurrence on the trail. Bryson immediately shows that he is a funny character through the embellishment of these stories. Later in the chapter, Bryson decided that he is going to hike the Appalachian trail, so he goes to a local outfitter. There he discovers very quickly that equipment for hiking (specifically backpacking) is very expensive. Having backpacked myself, I can definitely relate to this. For example, because you want to keep everything light, you are encouraged to buy a light sleeping bag. These are always expensive, and in addition to the sleeping bag you must also buy the pouch that it comes with. The 250$ backpack does not come with the necessary straps, nor is it rainproof. Bryson makes an comment on how the backpack developers may have wanted to design the backpack so you could take it outside. Bryson shows his displeasure in the store. Overall, I think I will see this ignorance continue throughout the book, onto the trail.

Chile

"It is at these times like this, when a doctor is conscious of his complete powerlessness, that he longs for change: a change to prevent the injustice of a system..."

This is Che's reaction to the condition of a woman he is treating in Chile for asthma. He feels very strongly about how this should not be allowed to happen. She was previously a waitress who earned enough money to live, now she is "surrounded by an atmosphere of barely disguised acrimony."I think this had a tremendous impact on the person he was to become in terms of shaping his political ideals. He wants to change life in a way so that a woman like this would not have to suffer and would be able to receive sufficient medical treatment.

six word memoir for our country

Not really sure where to start.

Apples to Apples

Although the two examples are similar, I feel there are important differences. When Che wanted to start his revolution, he was fighting against the existing government. Once in power, however he killed many people connected to the previous government. What threat did they pose to Che? The U.S. is trying to defend there country from those would could destroy it.

Argentina - graded blog post

"sitting on the dune, we watch the continuous ebb and flow, each with our own thoughts...the sea has always been a confidant, a friend absorbing all it is told and never revealing those secrets; always giving the best advice." (pg 34)

This is a combination of detail and imagery. Che describes a deep connection he has with the sea, and how this differs with other people (like his fellow traveler Alberto). Alberto does not sea the sea as a thing beyond beauty. I think that the sea simply represents, for Che, adventure. He is intrigued by the vastness and greatness of the sea. He later states that there are an endless amount of paths you can take in the sea to any end of the earth. This only makes the sea more attractive and irresistible to him. Che obviously is fascinated by adventure.

The letter that Che wrote to his mother was also very interesting. Up until that point, Che's writing was very descriptive and full of life. Che's letter, however, is very basic and only describes the significant things that have occurred. He refers mostly to medical things, such as when he got sick, and how he diagnosed a tumor in somebody else. This brings up the question of how many of the stories Che embellished.

"For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn.", Ernest Hemigway

The third phrase, never worn, indicates that a someone died. The first two phrases hint that a child died. Hemingway is probably reflecting on an experience that he had in his own life. Previously we read Hills Like White Elephants, which describes a story about an abortion (there could be a connection).

Who do I want to become and what impact do I want to have on the world around me?

I do not know exactly what I want to become but I do know that I want to have a positive impact on society. I think that if I go to college and work hard I can become a person beneficial to society. I think it is interesting to read books such as Into the Wild, to see what people become.

First or Last Line - graded blog post

As I walked through the snow capped mountains of New Mexico, I was awed by the serenity and beauty of the world around me. The clear streams, lush forests, and incredible vistas make New Mexico a remarkable location. This was the fifth day of our trek and our adventure was wearing down on our bodies. Today we hiked up the second tallest mountain on Philmont Scout Ranch; Mount Phillips. As we hiked up the mountain, I can vividly recall feeling the air getting thinner and colder. Having already hiked ten miles, the exhaustion was great. When we arrived at the top, I took my first step on snow, realizing, ironically, today was the fourth of July. However, there were no fireworks or parties, only the rush of cold air and the setting sun over the distant Colorado mountains. There is nothing lonelier than adventure.

Ideology

I think if I lost basic rights, like the ones we have in this country, I would go to great lengths to defend them. Unlike Che, I would not join an organized communist revolutionary group and try to overthrow the government. I think there would be other options to defend my rights.

El Che

I think it was interesting to learn how he became involved with Fidel Castro. Yesterday it became apparent to me why he wanted to join the revolutionary group. He worked with a woman who was associated with the Marxist views. I found it surprising to learn that he had severe asthma. At times this asthma was even life threating, which showed how much he cared about the movement in Cuba.

TMD Timeline Post

The clip of Easy Rider shows two men on motorcycles who are riding cross country. They find a vacancy sign on one of the motel signs and ask for a room. The manager quickly changes it to no vacancy, thus showing that he did not want those bikers staying in his motel. The wikipedia article describes that this movie goes into the discrimination during he 1960s of people such as hippies, who engaged in drug use. Das Kapital was a book written by the German socialist, Karl Marx. I guess the Easy Rider movie shows the adventurous side of Che, but at the same time he is developing socialistic views.

TMD Bio & Intro Post

From previewing the novel, we noticed that Motorcycle Diaries has separate chapters/sections for the different places he travels. In terms of writing styles, it will be in first person. I have never actually read a book that was a travel memoir, but I have read books such as Night which recounts a person's experiences. Because Che decided to write this book, I expect that he will describe experiences that changed his life. The two prefaces differenced in terms of emotion. The first one, written by his daughter, is very positive and encouraging. The daughter admires her father. The second one was not very specific, nor did it seem like there was a strong connection.

TMD Preface Comparision

In the Great Gatsby, I found it very useful to read the short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and also gain a basic understanding of America in the 1920s from a historical respect. For the Invisible Man, I found it helpful to read about he life of Ralph Ellison. Reading primary resources such as the interview with Ralph Ellison were very helpful in understanding the thought process behind the book. I think the most useful and important thing in understanding the books from he last two marking periods were to learn about the life of the author, and the time period in which it was written. For The Motorcycle Diaries, I think it would be beneficial to read about Che and his background.

TMD Preview Post

Specifically, an epiphany relates to celebrating Christ. In general, an epiphany can be by definition, "a manifestation of a divine or supernatural being". When I think of the word epiphany, I relate it to the celebration or realization of something religious.

Glen Beck : Che

Glen Beck starts his presentation with a newspaper clipping stating that Che's execution forty years ago today, brings back a positive spirit. He specifically uses vocabulary such as propaganda, communism, leftist, Stalin, and killer. Using these words, he tries to paint a very negative picture of Che, pointing out significant facts about him, including that he was an executioner. Beck is frustrated with the fact that people wear shirts with his face (which he compares to wearing a Hitler shirt) and are making a Hollywood movie about him in a positive light. Because I have no idea who Che is, right now Beck has done a very good job of making me think Che was a bad person.