Which one is cuter?

                           Simba ⬆
                              or
                           Buddy ⬇

Essay

                 The American dream has always been a thing many Americans strive to accomplish. It's almost like imprinted in our brains as soon as we are born. If you ask any American what they think the American dream is I can guarantee that they will all say close to the same thing every time. The American dream, what I believe it is, is that a family that has been poor (from what society says) can work as hard as they can and possibly make all the way to the top. An example of this is the Jackson family. They were pretty poor and then they started creating music. Then out came the Jackson 5. After that came Michael Jackson (the King of Pop) and Janet Jackson.
                 In the book, The Great Gatsby (by F. Scott Fitzgerald) many people have mentioned that Gatsby is the living walking American dream. He started off as a boy from a poor family and became a man who is very rich that he can throw big lavish parties every week. He lives in a huge mansion with servants that will do anything that he pleases instead of the other way around where he would've been the servant. Gatsby can start drink at anytime that he wishes (which he does) instead of working. When you finish knowing all of this then you would agree and say that yes he is the American dream. But can this whole American dream just be a façade from his hidden obsession.

The American dream is what so many Americans strive to do. It is starting off on a low point such as Gatsby did and working your way up to being able to afford all the riches or things your heart desires. Although there is a very fine line between an obsession and the American dream. To many people it would seem that Gatsby has achieved the ultimate success. But has this so called American dream just been an illusion of his obsession.

The Great Gatsby Chapter 7 Notes

• Daisy cheats on Tom with Gatsby
• While in her house with Tom just in the other room, Daisy kisses Gatsby. Just to makes things a little bit more awkward is that Daisy's daughter (forgot her name) walked into the room just a few minutes after they kissed. Talk about awkward. Doesn't it feel uncomfortable that the person who you were just kissing kid just walks into the same room. Also that Daisy's husband was just in the other room.

The Great Gatsby Quiz

The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 Quiz

1. In what city/state does the story take place?

            a.  Long Island, New York                                          c. Boston, Massachusetts      

            b.  Chicago, Massachusetts                                        d. Los Angeles, California

2. Who is the narrator?

            a. Jay Gatsby                                                              c. Daisy Buchanan

            b. Tom Buchanan                                                        d. Nick Carraway

3. The two areas in which the characters live are

            a. East Beach & West Beach                                       c. East Egg & West Egg

            b. East Sound & West Sound                                      d. East Island & West Island

4. The following set of adjectives BEST describes Tom Buchanan’s personality

            a. Assertive, compassionate, caring,                           c. Docile, calm, timid, subborn

            b. Aggressive, condescending, arrogant                       d. Destructive, belligerent, hateful, intolerant

5. What is the main difference between the houses in East Egg and West Egg?

            a. In East Egg, the houses look like brand new hotels, and in West Egg, the houses are older and more

                colonial looking.

            b. In East Egg, the houses are older and more colonial looking, and in West Egg, the houses look like

                brand new hotels.

            c. In East Egg, the houses look like rich mansions, but in West Egg, the houses look more poorly built

                and “run down.”

            d. In East Egg, the houses look more poorly built and “run down,” but in West Egg, the houses look like

                rich mansions.

6. What does Daisy want her daughter to grow up to be?

            a. a “beautiful little fool”                                                        c. a “modern woman of the times”

            b. an “intelligent, capable woman”                                         d. a “gorgeous little jewel”

7. Who reacts strangely/curiously when Jordan Baker says to Nick that she knows a man named Gatsby?

            a. Nick himself                                                            c. Daisy Buchanan, Tom’s wife

            b. Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s husband                           d. Pammy, Daisy and Tom’s daughter

8. What color is repeatedly used to describe Daisy and her friend Jordan?

            a. Yellow                                                                     c. Black

            b. Purple                                                                     d. White

9. Who says the following quote: “Well, these books are all scientific…This fellow has worked out the whole

    thing. It’s up to us who are the dominant race to watch out or these other races will have control of things.”

            a. Nick Carraway                                                        c. Tom Buchanan

            b. Daisy Buchanan                                                      d. Jordan Baker

10. Who telephones Tom at the dinner at his house?

            a. His wife, Daisy                                                       c. The main character, Jay Gatsby

            b. The narrator, Nick                                                  d. Tom’s “other woman on the side”

11. Who reaches out his/her arms across the water at the end of the chapter?

            a. Daisy Buchanan                                                      c. Jordan Baker

            b. Jay Gatsby                                                             d. Tom Buchanan

12. As Nick looks to see what this character is reaching for, what does he see at the end of a dock?

            a. a woman reaching back in a green dress      c. a green boat tied to the dock

            b. a green light on the dock                             d. an eerie, green light lighting the water under the dock

Poem Discussion

Theme: In the very beginning I thought the theme would be freedom. However continuing reading, the theme changes. I feel as though the theme is just Change.

Tone: The tone of  the beginning is hopeful/curious. Towards the end it is devastation/ monotone.
Mood: Discontent.

I skimmed through Jessica's post, it was very easy to understand. I agree with her on this being a poem on people coming to a new country in hopes of better things. I liked her main image on comparing people coming to a new world to prison. Re-reading the poem it does feel like prison then a new country. 

Stanza 1: 

• Description of their travel to a new land i.e. doctor, papers, court, jobs
• Jobs in different country (what they're meant for) they won't be able to do in this new country
• The tests they take remind me of history where immigrants from Italy going to New York would need to have a painful eye exam  
• Baca states "...counselors orient us to the new land we will now live in." I feel like it sounds like school where counselors show you the new school. From the stories I've heard of my people migrating here from Mexico, the officers don't show you around. It's a double meaning of some sort.

Emerson's Child

                            It has been almost 2 weeks since the presidential election. In this election there were two candidates who you could say not a lot of people were very pleased about. But we still had to pick a new president for our country and for our future. The two candidates were Hillary Clinton (democrat) and Donald Trump (republican). To many peoples' shock, Donald Trump won the election. He will be our next president starting in January.
                        I believe that Emerson's thought on the election would almost be a positive one. He probably wouldn't of liked what the presidential candidates were saying. But Emerson would've liked that they were being themselves. He was a big believer on people being themselves and not straying from it. Emerson wanted people to be their true selves and show the whole world that.