Hegemony

In Speak, Mr. Neck calls the kids to a debate, but when some of the kids try to argue his side of the argument, he decides that the debate is over then ends the debate. Some, but not all, of the teachers at school show this form of hegemony. Sometimes in music class my teacher gets out a recording of our band to listen to. While we listen, we are to write down the scores we think the piece would receive in certain categories (musicality, tone, style, etc) on a scale of 1-4. After the piece was finished, he had us raise our hands to show what we had chosen for the scores. I was the only person who wrote a score of 3 for one of the categories and was asked to explain my reasoning. At the beginning of class, my teacher said that there were no "wrong" opinions and that discussion was open, but after I tried to explain why I chose the score I chose, he explained why my opinion was "technically" incorrect. Although he did so in a respectful and kind way, it still aggravated me that at first he said there would be no "wrong" opinions, but when I spoke my opinion, that rule seemed to bend.

Self-Expression

I express myself mostly though my music. I love to make music and play instruments. When I'm feeling down, I like to play songs in a blue style. When I'm in a great mood, I like to play up-beat and cheerful music. I also express myself through my clothes. I have many different kinds of t-shirts that have logos on them such as "Eat, Sleep, Play" that represents my love for band and music. I have other t-shirts that I have gotten from various youth retreats and other church events that show I am also very involved in church and am a Christian.

Ten Lies about High School

1. The football team will win 2. We are a non-violence school. 3. We are a drug free school. 4. Cafeteria food is edible. 5. Our campus is friendly and safe. 6. Teachers are here to help you. 7. We genuinely care about your future. 8. Grades are important. 9. Tobacco is not permitted on school grounds. 10. There is no eating in class.

Classmate Interview

My Letter

How Hester has changed

Hester was an outcast. She committed adultery and was forced to wear a scarlet "A" on her clothes for the rest of her life. She was not a particularly "bad" person, but the one bad decision that she made in her life has branded her forever. Hester lives in a cottage on the outskirts of town because she feels that she doesn't deserve to be a part of the town and the ridicule from the townspeople is too much for her to bare. As the story continues, we see that the townspeople are changing their minds about Hester and she is beginning to became a part of society again. She soon is not seen as an outcast but as a member of the community. Hester proves to be helpful and very gracious as she helps people throughout the community, offering her services whenever possible.

One day, a guy in my 7th grade class was having a birthday party. He was really "popular" and only invited a select few people to his party. I just happened to be good friends with a guy who was Mr. Popular's close friend, so I hung-out with them often. I remember wanting to get an invitation so bad. I had talked to Mr. Popular a few times and thought we got along pretty well as friends. Then, the moment I had been waiting for finally arrived and I received an invitation. I was ecstatic. Soon after I made plans to go to the party, I found out that the only reason I got an invite was because my close friend had begged Mr. Popular to let him bring me. I felt horrible. In the end, I didn't go to the party and my friendship with that crowd didn't last very long. I personally think that the worst feeling in the world is when a person is lead to believe one thing, only to find out later that whatever they were led to believe wasn't true all along.

Character Valentine's Day Card

Conversation Hearts Poem

I will love you forever
Your hugs fill me with joy
Your smile is brighter than the sun
My love for you will never fade

You are the best thing in my life
I can't imagine a day without you
I love you more than sugar cookies
You are the one for me

Newsletter

Tom Walker

Tom Walker was a very greedy man. He was married, but he was very stingy and never shared anything with his wife. He lived with his wife in a little run-down house. Realizing how much a little riches could change his life, he became wealth-thirsty. He made a deal with the devil (which says an awful lot about his character) that stated that he would sell his soul for the devil in exchange for riches. Tom was not to be trusted and evil. As a broker, he appeared as a friend who wanted to help you with anything you needed, but in reality, his clients left his office dryer than when they had first walked into his office. He was also very spiteful. In the beginning, when he first tells his wife about the deal he is thinking about making with the devil, she thinks he should do it. Before she told him this, he was leaning toward making the deal with the devil. He then decides not to make the deal, just because his wife said she wanted him to. Lastly, Mr. Walker was self-centered and had no heart. When he realizes that his wife has disappeared, he goes searing for the valuables she took with her, not for her. When he finds a liver and heart tied up in an apron in a tree, which is believed to be his wife's, he doesn't shed a single tear. This finding only disappoints him because it is not his valuables.

My newspaper article on the story "Of Plymouth Plantation".