Author: Nicky

Irje8

There are many themes that are explored in “Stargirl”, including individuality and acceptance. An unconventional high school student named Leo meets Stargirl Caraway and falls in love with her. He must confront his own feelings of conformity and social pressure as he grows fascinated by Stargirl’s unique personality and behavior. I believe that readers of all ages will be captivated by the author’s thoughtful narrative throughout the book.

In the novel, one of the most significant quotes to me was: “She was elusive. She was today and tomorrow. She was the faint scent of a cactus flower, and the flitting shadow of an elf owl. In our minds, we tried to pin her to a corkboard like a butterfly, but the pin merely went through and away she flew.” I think this perfectly captures Stargirl’s mysterious and captivating personality. The novel also displays Stargirl’s ability to defy categorization and cannot be easily defined.

It’s clear from this quote that Stargirl has impacted Leo’s life – “She shone around every corner of my day.” This quote shows how brightly and uniquely she illuminates his world. Stargirl shines love and positivity in a dark and oppressive world.

In my opinion, Stargirl should be for anyone who’s ever felt different or had a hard time fitting in. This novel will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page because of its beautiful prose and poignant themes.

The flicker of temporary Love PW #7

We rely on something temporary to survive the day. Like an important person, caffeine or drugs. Not realising that by needing to be pampered with love, or cuddled like a crying baby is the main craving that removes this feeling of despair. This craving that you think you need will cause you pain, maybe not physical pain, but just picture an empty room with one light, the light is off. The light is off until the switch is flicked. Someone flicks that switch. As you watch the electricity in the walls travel to the lightbulb, you can see. You can finally see that dark empty room. But what you don’t realise is that the room is still empty. Love is a drug and you’ve heard that before. But turning the light on in an empty room is like falling in love with someone who doesn’t love you back. The light might be on, but theres nothing there. Love may feel like it’s just as important as life, but it’s not. It’s temporary. And maybe the reason we feel warmth when we’re in love is because it’s winter and we put a coat on. Maybe the crave for love we have comes from the unrealistic standards of an average couple. Dating doesn’t mean love. It means companionship, friendship and caring. The craving for physical touch, feeling ones body next to another, the hands of one crossing another’s body. Body is the meaning of love. Not the real meaning of course. But thats what we crave. The arms of one us to lay in when we feel down and knowing that we have one more body to protect us. But all of this is just a flicker, it’s temporary. The light bulb will eventually  go out or someone will flick that switch again, leaving that room empty and dark. Until someone new replaces it or turns it back on. You can’t expect anyone to replace the lightbulb or fill that room for you. So you have to do it. Because the only thing that isn’t temporary or just a flicker is the love you have for yourself.

Romeo And Juliet Personal Response

My initial reaction to Romeo and Juliet was that it was enchanting and romantic, but as the film progressed, my perception changed. In some respects, i believe that one could say that it was rather frustrating at times. There are some problems in some scenes that could have been easily resolved if the situation had been handled differently. When Romeo was running away from Verona, for example, it is obvious that he could easily have taken Juliette with him, since they were madly in love with each other after all. In addition to all of this ‘what if’ speculation, I found the movie to be very emotional for me. The fact that they were so in love that they were willing to die for each other was something I found really moving to watch. It is at the end of the play when the two families find Romeo and Juliet dead that the king makes the two households realize what is much more important, and that is to love each other. Despite this, I was really mad because it was too late to resolve this issue despite the fact that they had already realized it, and had they put aside their ridiculous hatred, the two lovers could have been together. As a whole, I really enjoyed this film and can understand why it is so popular as it portrays a perfect concept of forbidden love.

irje 7

“It Starts with Us” focuses on Lily Bloom, a young woman who seems to be living a perfect life. Her career is successful, she has a close family, and her husband, Ryle Kincaid, is a neurosurgeon. While she has buried a dark secret from her past deep within her, Lily still harbours a dark secret from her past.

In the beginning, Lily went to a school reunion where she reconnected with Atlas Corrigan, her first love. After years of traumatic events shaped Lily’s life, she is forced to confront her past. As a result of her abusive father and a successful businessman, she struggles with emotional scarring. Even though she is married to Ryle, Lily is drawn to Atlas once again, despite her best efforts to move on.

Ryle exhibits signs of controlling and abusive behavior during the course of the story, causing Lily’s relationship with him to become strained. As her feelings for Atlas grow, she is torn between loyalty to her husband and her growing attraction to him. To protect herself and her loved ones, Lily has to confront her past and make difficult choices.

Before reading this book, I had no idea domestic violence could be so difficult for women, but the description of it in this book has already left me very emotional.The author demonstrated how difficult it is for some women to cope with it and how difficult it is to take action. Despite being an emotional book, so far I have enjoyed it very much and found it very interesting.

Brave New World

The book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley introduced me to the concept of utopia or dystopia. Despite my expectations, I found the book to be enjoyable. I was initially apprehensive about it since the plot was futuristic and dealt with stuff similar to the Hunger Games, so i thought it might be mind-bending. In some cases, I found it manageable to read. Occasionally, I had difficulty following the plot, but most of the time, I was able to do so. It was an uncomfortable and psychedelic experience for me as a reader to sometimes comprehend this book. It was evident that some aspects of Huxley’s writing were too familiar with the way people are acting today in terms of their behaviour. This was the most impressive part of the experience for me. The explanation was a little dramatic in nature, even though it was a simple one. There was a sense of realism in the book and, therefore, the book was creepier because of it. Additionally, i was irritated by the mindlessness and repetition of phrases that are only attributed to civilized people, as well as the constant repetition of their own phrases. It is, however, something we do as well, and we do it in a similar manner. People are always repeating the same things over and over again. It is the combination of what you have learned, heard, or have been taught that forms all of it. In the present, we live. It is the way the world works today and we are used to living in a world like that. It is possible that civilization is not at all bad in the long run. I dont think they had any reason to question the validity of your explanation if you weren’t too smart. We are also not subjected to any questions regarding the knowledge, schools, or parents that we have. This is not to say that we are bad people. It is just a matter of how we see the world in which they live in compared with the modern civilization described in the book from our perspective.

Wheels vs. Windows PW#6

It is difficult to determine whether there are more wheels or windows in the world despite the fact that both are ubiquitous. They are found across cultures and sectors and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Every day, millions of wheels are used in vehicles, machinery, and equipment all over the world, and their number varies depending on factors like these. Likewise, how many buildings, homes, and vehicles there are around the world affects how many windows there are. As far as I know, there are more wheels in this world than windows. Considering the fact that the toy car manufacturer ‘Hot Wheels’ produces 500 million cars every year, I am inclined to believe this. That is approximately two billion wheels.

Utopias

In utopias, there exists an imaginary or idealized society that is free from social, economic, and political problems. Each and every individual has the right to be happy, to be treated equally, and to be fulfilled. It can be viewed as a place where poverty, hunger, and violence don’t exist, and people live together harmoniously and in harmony with the environment and with one another. There is a general belief that utopias are unattainable in reality, despite the fact that many works of literature and philosophy have been written about them.

irje#6

I am currently reading a book titled The Summer I Turned Pretty that i am really enjoying. There is a story that tells the story of Belly, a young girl who only lives in the summer.

Since she was born, she has been going to Cousins every summer since she was a little girl and she possesses everything she could possibly need in that town. For as long as Belly and her family have lived in the Fisher house, they have always been considered part of the family. During the summer, Belly comes to find out that there are two Fisher brothers who are in love with her and that she has to choose between the two.

Personal Writing #5

The scorching sun shone, as I stepped out of the plane. I felt the heat as if it was a surge of waves rushing through my body; as i felt the salty tear running down my forehead. Up ahead in the sky i saw the mythic birds, native to New mexico, their wings were as majestic as the Boeing 747 that i had just stepped off, the emerald glint of their eyes; their yellow torturous talons patiently waiting for the next victim, of the glowing predator that causes such a barren wasteland. As i looked past the busy pollution into the peacefulness of the serenity of New Mexico, also known as the airport. My mind went silent as i saw the brick red mountains of the desert. The elegant shadow of horses were running up the side. `Why did they run? I thought to myself. I found peace in the tranquillity of such majestic creatures descended from Poseidon. Why did they run? I thought to myself. I found peace in the tranquility of such majestic creatures descended from Poseidon. They didnt run for any reasons, No prey dared to attack them, they ran for the purest type of freedom, for a form of independence from the ever growing virus, humanity. What could i do to reach such freedom.

¶ – Brave New world Chapter 3

“Mother, monogamy, romance. High spurts the fountain; fierce and foamy the wild jet. The urge is but a single outlet. My love, my baby. No wonder those pre-moderns were mad and wicked and miserable. Their world didn’t allow them to take things easily, didn’t allow them to be sane, virtuous, happy. What with mothers and lovers, what with the prohibitions they were not condititoned to obey, what with the temptations and the lonely remorses, what with all the diseases and the endless isolating pain, what with the uncertainties and the poverty-they were forced to feel strongly. And feeling strongly (and strongly, what was more in solitude, in hoplessly individual isolation), how could they be stable?

This passage comes from Chapter 3, when Mustapha Mond is explaining the history of the World State to the group of boys touring the Hatchery. “Mother, monogamy, romance” can be seen as a concise summary of exactly the issues with which John will be most concerned. And “feeling strongly” is what drives John to self-flagellation, insanity, and suicide. Mustapha is saying that by doing away with these things, the World State has finally brought stability and peace to humanity. John’s critique of this position is that stability and peace are not worth throwing away everything that is worthwhile about life “mother, monogamy, romance” included. Another facet of the World State is an enormous system of production and consumption in which humans are turned into machines for further productions and consumption. By forbidding people from choosing truth over soma, the world ” allows” them to be happy.

It ends with us – IRJE #5

It ends with us is about a girl who grew up witnessing her mother being abused by her father and was determined to move forward so she moves to Boston where she meets a guy called Ryle and fall in love. Everything is perfect until she sees her first love Atlas. This book really moved me because its a story about  choosing oneself over someone they love deeply. Its about choosing to end a cycle of violence that hurts more people than it helps. This book taught me how women in situations of domestic violence may feel torn between someone they took a vow for and their own personal well-being and safety.

Candle – Personal writing poem PW #3

The ferocity of the desert complex No more

Explain the prison to the polar bear

Contaminate the polar bear with Rothschild virtue

Affix all desire

To the polar bear

Hoist him to Afghanistan

Let him chastise the propane tank

Now

Gift him the candle

As you have gifted him greed

Watch him play golf in the storage unit

IRJE #1

The novel Picnic at Hanging Rock By Joan Lindsay is about a group of female students at an Australian Boarding school. they vanish at Hanging Rock while on a Valentines Day picnic. Their disappearance has  intense effects  on the on the school and the local community. Two things that stood out to me was how Lindsay presents the ideas of freedom and control in different manners, exploring the motivation behind control, and its consequences. Control is portrayed as futile, as the strict regime at Appleyard college and societal pressure at the Fizhubert manor only exacerbates the character’s desire for freedom and exploration, rather than repress it. Freedom is presented as an inevitability. The more a character is controlled and made to conform to a certain set of behaviours, the stronger their desire to escape said control becomes.

One way Lindsay presents ideas of freedom and control is through the portrayed futility of control, ultimately resulting in freedom. This notion is depicted through the change of behaviour in Micheal and the three girls, and the consequent disappearance of the girls – excessive control and restriction being  being the catalyst for this. Mrs Appleyard’s instructions to the girls before the picnic depicts the stern control the girls faced daily.

I have instructed Mademoiselle that as the day is likely to be warm, you may remove your gloves… Once again let me remind you that the Rock itself is extremely dangerous and you are therefore forbidden to engage in any tomboy foolishness in the matter of exploration

This furthers the idea that control is futile, because the girls ignore Mrs Appleyard’s warnings and proceed to explore the rock, leading to their disappearance. Mrs Appleyards meticulous control backfires, as it only exacerbates the curiosity of the curiosity of the girls, from a very traditional, very wealthy English family.

Personal Writing

Some call it the wasteland, others the apocalypse, but to me, its just home. Its all I’ve ever known home to be. As I feel my consciousness ebbing away at night, my head is strained from the violent sight of bloodshed as the gunshots continually replay in my mind. Drifting off to sleep, all things begin to fade to silence at last. Screaming, my chest immediately lifts to ninety degrees, and my eyes widen with fear. Sweating profusely, shallow rapid breathing and my heart pounding frantically against its cage of ribs.

Two twenty two am. Letting out a deep and steady breath, I relax my eyes shrunk back into my own skin and attempt to regain my sanity. Exhausted by it all. I fall back onto my rigid mattress and lay my head down against my cold pillow. ” Think of anything”, I mutter under my breath. Anything to relieve myself from the disturbing images that are fused into my brain. But it was something about the brutal and perilous sound of cannons in the distance that compelled me to envision the complete opposite. I visualised a meadow on a quiet spring day full of vivid and unique flowers that glimmered against the beaming sunlight and caught the smooth brush of wind every now and then. Tranquil and serene, peace flowed through the meadow like an effortless ribbon of water that streams through a river. I had never experienced this before, but the idea of it lay so close to my heart.

Eight thirteen a.m. I awaken to the normality of gunshots and the nauseating smell of death that was just another everyday occurrence. The feeling of my brain shifting gears between unconscious and fully aware is draining. It consumes every ounce of right and wrong and leaves my soul feeling empty. Standing on two feet I begin to circle around my room pointlessly while trying to ignore the outside surroundings. Eventually, I give in as my curiosity takes over. Tenderly drawing the curtains aside, the sight of war is unveiled infront of my eyes. Chaos and ferocity is staring at me. The wailing sirens struck fear into the struggling crowd of panicking civilians. Children crying. Buildings collapsing. Corpeses rotting. Bullets were not moving through the air, they were simply atmosphere. The screams outside were silenced for longer than normal. A chilling sensation runs through to me bones but before I had time to take another breath, a deafening bang caused the city to rapidly warp into flames. Explosions. Speechless I stood my heart dropped. Struggling to gather myself I took notice of a young child. He lay on the rubble helpless and restricted. Apprehensive, I needed to see him. My mother clutching onto my wrists, desperate for me to get him. I stopped instantly when I saw it. Two bullets to the heart, the little boy lay in his fate. I turned away, shaking my head in disbelief. Trembling, I took a step closer, my lips began to quiver as I quietly whimpered. Hesitantly turning back, a single teardrop rippled down my cheek. For moments earlier a child had walked the street but now there was only blood, crumbling walls and a sense that all that was good in the universe had cried out in pain.

He was too young. Too innocent. Kneeling down, I caught a glimpse of his deep, green eyes. I gazed intently at them as they reminded me of something familiar. Tilting my head, I paused to think. My face lit up and I half smiled. My visions of the peaceful meadow came back to me. Butterflies filled the air with new changed and beginnings. Nature gave animals a habitat to be able to live and survive. Flowers blossomed gracefully as they brought a sweet fragrance to the atmosphere. Something about these visions gave me hope. A hope that maybe one day I can experience it. A hope that maybe one day I can call it home.

Soldiers Home and All quiet on the Western front.

One similarity of Soldiers Home and All Quiet On The Western Front is their fundamental challenge of the Romantic image build on the war. When Krebs returns to his town. He is forced to address their liking to hear ” heroic war exploits” He is left to deal with the truth all alone. War essentially changed him into a person where the future is overshadowed by the conditions of a war-time past. Likewise, Pauls attitude towards the ” heroic exploits of war” is much the same. Paul holds resentment and bitterness towards the teachers and adults that praised the war to younger people, disfavouring their minds and sending them off to an early death. For Paul he sees his generation, motivated by the romantic construction of war as one that is “weary, broken burnt out, rootless and without hope”. The desire to “fit” what others wanted has caused both soldiers to feel “utterly alone” in the world.

All Quiet on the western front- Personal Response

I enjoyed reading the book All quiet on the Western Front to a large extent as it has depicted the verisimilitude and reality of the war. To go into more depth the true trauma is exhibited highly in the book as Eric Maria Remarque quotes “We are so completely played out that spite of our great hunger we do not think of the provisions. Then gradually we become something like men again.” The effective use of a short sentence at the end conveys the reality that the soldiers weren’t just affected physically but mentally aswell. They are so tired of the fear that somehow that distracts them from the wounds of their long and ever lasting pain of their trauma.

I also admired the picture the novel paints of the inhumane reality of the war as it reflected the experience of millions of soldiers. I believe this makes the reader visualise and empathise with the soldiers in the war especially when the author states “The man gurgles…every gasping breath is like a cry… but it is not only my heart pounding.  I want to stop his mouth, stuff it with earth, stab him again, he must be quiet…” This demonstrates and proves to the reader that the soldier in any other situation would help this man regardless of what side they are on, but needs to put himself first as the mans screams are giving him away. In my opinion I believe that the orders the soldiers were given at war was going completely against humanity especially as Paul and his friends were so young.

 

Description

  1. Introduce yourself: Where are you from? What do you like to do?
  2. What are your hopes and expectations for English this year?

My name is Nicky and I am half British and half Mexican. I like to play tennis and watch movies. In english I hope to broaden my vocabulary and to read more books.