Response #9 - Motif Analysis

   Edgar Allan Poe had one goal in all his stories. He wanted his readers to feel a certain way. He controls the mood in all his stories. The one thing that I notice he uses a lot in his stories (the Motif) is darkness and death. In Poe stories or poetry there is almost always a character who's insane who ends up murdering something or someone. In the first story a guy killed an elderly man because his pale eye made him uncomfortable, in another story a man scooped the eye of his cat out because he was drunk then he hung the cat and killed his wife. His imagery is also very specific. There is always something creepy and dark about how he describes settings and objects in his stories. They always include dark lighting, fire, & pure darkness. 

    I think Poe has an important meaningful message behind all the gory, dark, depressing stories. He wants us to know that there is evil within us all, it doesn't matter how nice you are there will always be something that will set you off and unleash the beast. In another story he wants us to know that life after your childhood sucks, there is no happiness after you've lived your years as a child. I honestly think that Edgar Allan Por is a genius.

    

Response #6 - Irony Analysis

            Alfred Hitchcocks well kown film "Psycho" has changed movie watching experiences. He uses many cinematic techniques to manipulate the audience, from camera angles to specific props. One of the techniques he uses repeatedly is Irony. There are three types of irony, dramatic irony, verbal irony, and situational irony. One example of irony is in the scene where Marion Crane was in the shower and the mothers shadow was on the shower curtain. That was dramatic irony. This scene was ironic because in dramatic irony the audience know something that the characters in the film don't. In this scene the audience knew that Marion Cane was going to die right when we saw the shadow, Marion had no idea because she was smiling away in the shower.

       Dramatic Irony in the film "Psycho" really had an impact on the audience. Every time the audience knew something was going to happen to a character they would shout at the screen repeatedly. The fact that they knew what was going to happen made the movie even more suspenseful, which is a good thing if you want your audience to be hooked on the film. 

          

Response #5 Film Reaction

 I personally dislike scary movies, I hate to be scared and/or feel frightened. I've only literally watched five full scary movies during my 14 years of life. I get nightmares every time I watch something scary because before I go to bed the whole movie starts to replay in my mind. The only movie that truly traumatized me when I first saw it was 'The Poltergeist'. The Poltergeist is one of the creepiest ,and in my opinion , most disgusting movie I've seen. I first watched the movie when I was 8, it was raining and my family decided to watch it since it was playing on tv , I was curious about it because I saw a little girl in the movie and I thought it was going to be okay. Keep in mind that at the time I had no idea it was a scary movie. I vaguely recall the movie. I just remembered I was scared to death but I wanted to keep watching because curiosity was getting the best of me, I also didn't want to go to my room alone and I thought it was better to be by my moms side than to be alone in my room thinking about the little girls clown. The one thing that truly traumatized me was the clown in the closet that was talking to the little girl, ever since that movie I've been terrified of clowns and creepy looking dolls. 'The poltergeist' has this creepy feel in it because of the music they play, the music in a movie can tell a story , the music can signal when something is about to happen. For example when I was watching 'The Poltergeist' there was music playing in the background as the camera was panning through the little girls room, the music began to go at a faster pace and it became louder and louder until the camera stopped at the closet and the clown popped up, I don't really remember. 'The Poltergeist' almost made me vomit. The one thing that makes me gag everyone I think about it is the part where a man from the paranormal team goes to the kitchen and since the poltergeist is in the house it makes the man hallucinate, so when he sees a raw steak on the kitchen counter he hallucinates maggots crawling out of the center of the steak, then he starts screaming and hallucinating more. Then he goes to the bathroom to wash his face and once he looks up at the Mirror he touches his skin and he hallucinates that his skin is de solving and he ends up scraping his face off and that's all I clearly remember from that scene. After watching the maggots crawl out of the steak I stopped eating meat for a week. The last scene that I remember clearly is the little girl touching the tv while static noise is heard from it and her being pulled into the television. Since I get scared fairly easily I obviously was traumatized from that movie and to this day I hate to see raw meat because I think of maggots. I've only seen that movie once and I think that was enough, I don't plan on watching 'The Poltergeist' again any time soon.

Characterization

   In all stories there are archetypes/ certain characteristics that each character is categorized in. In these three stories I was introduced to three very similar characters, La Guera (Priscilla), Payasa, & Marin. The three girls are unique only in the part of the situations they are placed in but in their appearance (butterfly colored eyeshadow, raccoon style make up, big "green apple" like eyes) and attitude they are extremely alike. They are all Latina & once you read the stories you get the image in your mind that they are what people call cholas.  They all have the typical chola attire, from the high teased hair, to the tight short skirts and heavy make up. They all want something in life and they find a way to get it. They all come from a broken home/family or they face difficulties .

   La Guera is a 14 year old girl who stole sweets to fill in an empty void in her heart. She started out stealing a little candy here and a little candy there but over time she became an expert and the amounts of goods she stole gradually became bigger and bigger, she started from liquor stores to well known candy shops such as Sees Candies. She thought that by stealing candy her heart would feel somewhat full due to the fact that candy was literal sweetness and that's what she needed. In the story there was never a mention of a father figure in her life, she had a bad relationship with her mother, and she lived in a ghetto neighborhood therefore seeing bad all around her and getting bad influences from so called friends. In the end she came to the realization that sweets weren't giving her full satisfaction, she realized that she needed real love, so she stole her friends boyfriend. That of course made her friend furious and they fought. After that fight any chance that La Guera had of changing herself for the better was gone, she turned cold, nothing was ever going to be the way it was again. The second character is named Payasa. Payasa is the street name for a teen who liked to get high. She huffed, meaning she sniffed aerosol spray to get high. Payasa comes from a home full of abuse. Her two brothers are old gangsters or "veteranos" therefore she gets the influence from her brothers and was taught to be tough. They would always fight her on purpose and whenever she lost a fight between her brothers they would slice her tounge with a razor. That being said , Payasa always got meaner, tougher, more boisterous after each fight she's lost. She always felt empty and longed for the feeling of being high. The emptiness and toughness in her soul stopped her from being intimate, it stopped her from going to school. She didn't care about anything, she had a mindset that she'll get over it... Eventually. Due to her careless acts and huffing her boyfriend Luis broke up with her because she was " getting to be too much" , after all that she enrolled herself into Teen Rehabilitation to hopefully get better. The last character in these stories is Marin. In the story it doesn't mention her age but judging by the fact that she sells Avon I would say she's around 18. The story also doesn't mention where she lived exactly other than saying that she had a boyfriend in Puerto Rico, they planned on getting married, and she lived with her aunt and took care of her cousins. The interesting thing about Marin is that she doesn't get High nor does she steal to fill in the void in her heart. The one thing that she longs for is love. She wants a wealthy handsome man to sweep her off her feet and change her life. She wants to wear nice clothing, get a job downtown, & live in a huge house. Marin was always pretty, she had beautiful green eyes & she always wore tight skirts. She always got compliments from men & her younger female relatives looked up to her. According to her cousins she always had great advice because she was more "experienced" & "knows lots of things". Marin is never phased by all the attention she gets by her appearance. She just wants a car to drive pass sweep her off her feet and change her life forever.  

   In my opinion I think these three girls fit perfectly into particular archetypes. Marin is the damsel in distress because all she longs for/ all she wants in life is to be loved by a wealthy man. Payasa would be the trouble maker or the "bad ass" because she was always mindless, she didn't care about what was going on. She had a boisterous demeanor & a very empty soul. La Guera , in my opinion, is a villain with herself. Now I say she's the villain because she never tried to make herself better. All she did was get worse. She knew what was going on, her own mother begged her to stopped but she just got worse. She was a villain to her own conscious. All her actions made her even more empty inside at the end even though she felt like she was completed. She tore herself down, all hope was lost. I also came to the realization that all these characters also fit in a category in society now a days. They are part of a stereotype of what Latina/Hispanic girls are thought out to be, cholas, drug addicts, school dropouts, & girls with sassy attitudes.The Authors reinforce that stereotype & they reinforce those archetypes very well in those three stories. 

"Friend"

 Allyson Mordrake was just a little 6 year old, she was homeschooled for most of her life. She never had friends.... Human friends at least. It was May 24, 1995. The day was glum as usual, dark clouds in the sky, the occasional sound of thunder threatening of rain, no sunshine. Allyson was having her afternoon class, her mom , Susan Mordrake, was teaching her daughter how to write proper sentences. Allyson was sitting on a white chair Infront of the wooden table at the dully colored burgundy kitchen, writing on her lined piece of paper. She suddenly stopped and looked up at her mom with her big blue shining eyes.

"Mommy, why can't I go to a regular school? I want friends" Allyson told her mom. Her mom stopped for a moment thinking of what to say. Allyson has never asked that to her mom before. Susan came up with a quick answer.

"Honey, you have enough toys you don't need any friends, you have me and your father to play with" Her mom replied to her calmly. 

Allyson wasn't a normal 6 year old. She had psychological brain problems. Because of her conditions no schools would accept her. Susan and her husband Robert decided not to tell Allyson about her problems because she was too young to understand. Susan had to homeschool her so she wouldn't miss out on education. Due to Allyson being homeschooled she never communicated with any kids. She never had friends. 

"Mommy I want friends, I want someone to play with me and my dolls" Allyson told her mom.

"Honey sit down we'll discuss this later, now focus on your sentences" Susan replied. Allyson didn't say another word, she just hopped off the white chair and walked to the living room. She took out her dolls from the bright pink colored toy box and started to play. 

After that day Allyson asked her mom about school frequently. Susan gave her the same answer. She continued to do as she was told and just played by her self. One day Allyson was casually brushing her dolls hair in her room alone when she heard voices. The voices were incoherent at first so she assumed it was her mom talking to her dad in the other room, she continued brushing her dolls hair. She got bored and just laid back on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. That's when she heard her name. Allyson sat up and looked around but saw no one, then she heard it again. 

"Allyson...Allyson..." the voice whispered she didn't respond. 

"Allyson you want to play with me?" The voice asked. This time she got excited. She decided to respond.

"Who are you?" Allyson responded innocently. But this time she looked at the wall. 

" I'm your friend" the voice said. 

"Where are you ?" Allyson asked , her voice filled with curiosity 

"I'm right next to you" the voice said "turn around"

Allyson turned around and saw a pretty little girl around her age, she had a smile on her face. Allyson smiled wide, she was filled with joy. She finally had a friend. What Allyson didn't know was that she was a figment of her imagination and that each day that "friend" will get stronger and stronger. Allyson grabbed her dolls and started to play with them, only this time she wasn't alone. Susan always heard Allyson talk in her room but she always assumed it was because she was playing with her toys. She was wrong. 

It was 12:30am one night, Susan & Robert were laying in bed calmly sleeping. That's when Susan heard Allyson talking , but she heard her talking alone. Susan got confused but continued to listen. She heard Allyson's footsteps walking , but they were only walking among her own room. She was still talking. Susan decided to wake her husband. 

"Robert, honey, wake up" Susan said shaking her husbands arm slightly 

" what's wrong dear?" Robert asked in a groggy voice, eyes still shut, body still covered in blankets. 

" I can hear Allyson talking to herself" Susan said 

"Honey don't worry she's probably sleep talking, she's having a dream, calm down and come back to bed" Robert said grabbing her arm gently trying to bring her back to his side.

"Robert you know how she can get. What if something is wrong? I'm going to go check on her" Susan said shaking Roberts hand off her arm, getting out of bed, and walking out of the room.  She walked slowly and quietly just in case Allyson was indeed sleepwalking. She slowly opened Allyson's bedroom door. There she was, Allyson, starting vaguely at the closet door. Not saying a word. 

"Allyson, sweetie, is everything okay?" Susan asked her daughter, Allyson seemed so distant, just staring off into space. 

"Mommy, I made a new friend" Allyson said with a monotone voice. "She's right next to me" Allyson said extending her arm as to signal to someone next to her. But Susan saw nothing, just empty space next to Allyson. 

"Honey there's nothing there" Susan said softly 

"What are you talking about mommy? Don't you see her? Her names Olivia." Allyson said still with the same monotone voice. Susan just stayed there wide eyed carefully looking at her daughter not saying a word. She looked as if she was frozen , she felt cold. Olivia. The named sounded familiar to Susan. But it wasn't good. 

"Allyson go to sleep." Susan said with a stern voice, she had a bad feeling about 'Olivia', she knew there was an encounter with her before but she couldn't clearly remember when... Or how. 

"Okay momma" Allyson responded only this time she said it in her regular perky voice. 

Susan walked slowly back to her room. Her mind reminiscing on the name. Olivia. She went back to bed and her husband wrapped his arms around her. She tried to sleep and forget about what just happened but as much and as hard as she tried her mind went back to that scene, and that name. 

It was 3:33 and Susan was sound asleep she suddenly felt a restraining feeling on her chest as if she couldn't move a bone in her body, she couldn't breathe , her eyes shot open and she saw Olivia's smile right in front of her... A sinister smile. Susan was gasping for air but she was frightened by watching Olivia just stare at her , blood around her neck, pure black eyes, & that same sinister smile. That's when it hit her, Olivia used to be her imaginary friend, but Olivia tried to make her kill herself when she was young. Susan left Olivia when she was 8. Now Susan had a feeling Olivia was back but this time, to haunt Allyson. Susan got even more frightened and reached out to her husbands arm, shaking it violently but not being able to say a word. 

Allyson was next to her sleeping dad, watching her mom suffocate helplessly. Susan felt a rush of panic and paranoia go through her body, she closed her eyes shut and when she opened them again everything was back to normal, she could breathe, Allyson wasn't inside her room, Robert still had his arms wrapped around her. It was Morning Susan woke up confused.

"What just happened?" She whispered to herself. She decided to get that "dream" out of her mind and try to continue with her day. Susan got up and saw her husband still laying down, covers still over his resting body. She got ready to go grocery shopping before Allyson & Robert woke up. 

Allyson was in her room, her eyes shut, her body laid still in bed. 

"Allyson..." Olivia whispered in her ear. Allyson's eyes fluttered open and there was Olivia, floating above her with a 'sweet' smile or so Allyson thought. Olivia was pure evil. But due to Olivia being her first ever "friend" she didn't pay attention to anything but her. 

"Hi Olivia, what are we gonna do today?" She asked, her eyes weren't bright and shiny, there was no life in Allyson's blue eyes anymore, they were as dull as a rock. 

"Let's go give your dad his morning coffee" Olivia said with a now devilish smile, eyes turning pure black. 

"Okay let's go" Allyson said putting on her slippers and rushing to the kitchen to make her dad some coffee, Olivia followed, she continued to whisper sinister things in Allyson's ear. 

Once the coffee was done Allyson put the coffee mug on the table. 

"Now what?" Allyson asked standing on her tippy toes.

"Let's put some of this on the coffee, it'll make it 'extra sweet' " Olivia said, she had a little bottle of Cyanide Poison & squirt a tad bit on the coffee. Allyson smiled and Olivia nodded. Allyson walked upstairs and saw that her dad was still sleeping. 

"Daddy wake up, I made you coffee" Allyson said with an innocent tone pulling the dark gray covers back and tapped her fathers shoulder. 

Robert woke up and sat up in bed. He saw Allyson with extended arms handing him a cup of coffee. He was a little confused because Allyson has never made him coffee.

"Thank you sweet heart" Robert said. What he didn't know was that those were his last words. He started to suffocate and Allyson didn't say anything just sat there watching his dad slowly die. Olivia sitting down next to her telling her to stay still. Robert was now dead, body completely still, no heart beat. Dead. Killed by his own daughter. 

"Now let's go give mommy her coffee" Olivia whispered. Allyson obeyed and went downstairs, not looking back. Susan pulled up in the driveway and entered the house. She saw Allyson sitting quietly at the kitchen table. 

"Hi mommy" Allyson said looking up to her mom

"Where's you dad?" Susan asked confused 

"Oh, he's okay...he's...sleeping" Allyson said, but with a monotone voice.  " I made you coffee mommy" Allyson said handing her the mug. 

"It's okay Allyson I don't want coffee" Susan said refusing the mug still remembering what happened last night. Susan took out strawberries to dice and put on oatmeal. She turned around to grab a knife but it wasn't there she turned back to go to the utensils drawer but there she was... Olivia. She was floating above Allyson with a knife in her hand. She gasped. 

"Allyson come here with mommy" Susan said calmly to not provoke Olivia.

"No mom I'm with My friend" Allyson said with a demonic voice. Susan froze with fear, not being able to move. 

"Olivia isn't real Allyson, this needs to stop now!" Susan yelled 

"Mom, she is real...and she's coming for you..." Allyson said, demonic voice still present, skin pale, eyes black. Olivia was floating towards Susan , Olivia had a bloody face, in her hands was a knife , she had claws, and a destroyed blue dress. Olivia was now floating in front of Susan, sinister stitched up smile on her face. 

Susan couldn't scream she couldn't move, she just saw Allyson sit still on a chair looking dead at her, not saying a word just watching patiently. 

"Remember me...Susan?" Olivia whispered. Susan gave her last scream and everything went black. No one heard of the Mordrake family ever again. 

Lincoln Pledge Response #1

   Lincoln students over the years have been stereotypically seen as ghetto students and a bad influence. They have been seen as trouble makers & the school over all has been seen as a bad school , where the school doesn't care about the students or the academics. I have to admit I have thought that Lincoln was a bad school, I thought that all those stereotypes were true. My past thoughts on the school was based on the fact that we don't live in a rich neighborhood where everything seems safe, we live in a neighborhood that's the complete opposite to that. I am now a freshmen and by the looks of it all those stereotypes are wrong, yes there are people who are trouble makers and refuse to learn but after all we don't live in a perfect world, there will be people who act that way everywhere. I got offered to go to Gompers Prep Academy, my parents had a state of mind where I won't learn as much as I would if I go to Lincoln. I'm giving Lincoln High School a chance because I truly believe that this school is great. I've heard of the history and yes it's pretty bad but students stood up for what they believed in and they made a change to get rid of the bad and get the education that they needed and deserve. I believe that there are no bad schools, I believe that there are great students , you can learn in any school "bad" or "good" if you really put your mind into it.

   I want to be a student who proves those stereotypes wrong, I want to show people that Lincoln is just like any other school, maybe even a little better. I want to make a change like the students in Lincoln History. I want to fight for what I believe in. I will be a student to graduate and get into a prestigious University. I want to graduate Lincoln and show the critics that Lincoln isn't a "bad" school and put the schools stereotypes to rest. I pledge to make a change and give my 100% to my studies. People will change their minds about Lincoln and think of hard working students when they hear "Lincoln High School" instead of bad influences. I am proud to be attending Lincoln High School & I'm proud to be a Hornet.