Analysis Of The First Day Of Senior Year For Dinah Jane

My first day of the second grade, I knew no one except the teacher and my younger brother. Kindergarten and first grade had been easy enough, but I was scared of the upcoming year. The only thing I knew about being the new kid was that it hadn’t panned out too great for Addie from the American Girl books. Mrs. Henson’s class was fairly quiet throughout the day, for most kids were nervous or tired. We neared the end of the day and I was ecstatic over the fact that hadn’t made a complete fool of myself. I hadn’t met anyone yet, but I thought that that would be a challenge for another day. Unfortunately, that’s not what Mrs. Henson had in mind. She sent us all out to recess with a grin plastered on her face and with me practically kicking

Since the day she was born everyone knew she was something special, but she didn’t know it herself. Annie had a pretty normal life for a 16 year-old girl. She was tall with hazel eyes and light brown hair that turned golden in the sunlight. Annie was extraordinarily smart, smarter than everyone in her grade. Growing up in New York City has tought her to be strong on the outside and hold your emotions on the inside, she lives with her mother, father, and her brother. As Annie took the subway home from her last day of Sophomore year she taught to herself about all the adventures Sophomore year had given her and all the academic challenges she had overcome. She got off the subway in a rush to get home and start planning her summer out but instead she saw her parents sitting cautiously on the couch as if

The fresh faces of the 2016-2017 sophomore AP English class looked up at Mrs. Belles, some expectantly, some apprehensively. Among those faces is Francine Lamasko, a girl of 15 years of age, newly refreshed from summer and carrying her completed summer work. Decidedly, she thinks to herself, this will be a meaningful year of learning, of growth, and of fun. She is ready.

Mrs. Wilson instilled a love for reading in me. In first grade this didn’t seem like much, but as the years went on I saw her impact on my life in many different ways. In fifth grade I was given the opportunity to be “student leader”, presented the opportunity to go to the young grades and read to the kids. I of course chose to read to Mrs. Wilson’s class. This

As I read this novel, I could not stop crying. The way that the characters persisted moved me, the ending was a perfect mix of joy and pity, and the imagery was far beyond amazing. This quote, specifically, speaks to me because I can apply it to any aspect of my life, especially throughout my metaphorical journey in seventh grade. This book of poetry is not a series of poems that I tell my story through, but rather a biography written about the challenges and successes in my life. I have changed and evolved into the scholar and young woman that I am today throughout one school year, which is remarkable and overwhelming all at once.

"Okay, I guess," she muttered, trying her best to ignore his gaze. She felt his clammy hand being

A shallow gasp escaped her throat. “Even if I am—it’s no concern of yours.” She retrieved her

In my freshman year of highschool, I can without a doubt say that I have been pushed beyond my limits when it comes to writing. Not only have all of my previous English teachers ensured me of literary success, but I’ve always been rewarded in numerous ways for my writing prowess. So, it may seem odd for me to say that I very much enjoy this test of my abilities, and I greatly appreciate this opportunity to push myself to become even better. I’ve always been both physically and mentally bored with the numerous amount of teachers who have attempted to reel me into their lesson plans. Their desperate searches were in vain, for I never truly felt a tug on my mind until I stepped into Mr. Thoma’s class. The material isn’t exactly hard to grasp, but it forces your mind into a plane of insightfulness;

Learning to read and write as a child was a big deal in Katelyn Howard’s life. Reading Junie B. Jones, learning her address and tracing letters in her kindergarten class was monumental. Her parents were constantly working with her and pushing her to strive for excellence. She is also continuing to grow as a writer and reader through being enrolled in college. Katelyn is the writer and reader she is today because of the teachers she had, her parents, and the competition she has with herself.

Their battlecry was, "the personal is political," they gave people two choices: to perpetuate the system or to challenge it. Folk music and folk rock, anti-authoritarian by tradition and anti-commercial by default, became the soundtrack of a generation and a voice for many burgeoning feminists, fighting (without a blueprint) for visibility and empowerment: Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Grace Slick, and Janis Joplin. Later on, around the time when punk rock came around, it wasn't just what you sang that was political, but how you sang it. Just having a prominent artist be female is not enough to break down gender roles and stereotypes; the Spice Girls may say "Girl Power!" but in the meantime they're reinforcing every popular stereotype and narrowly defined beauty standard the mass media have ever come up with. Styles where women can un-self-consciously express themselves are sparse; if you cross certain lines your novelty status as a woman will suddenly attract more attention than the content of what you're doing. "It's okay to be a nappy-headed Tracy Chapman or a hairy-legged Michelle Shocked, as long as you're a gentle folkie singing about moral integrity in a reassuringly feminine voice. No raspy Janis Joplinisms or Patti Smith surrealism allowed, and God forbid that Chapman's tell-it-like-it-is lyrics might actually make reference to her sexual orientation." (Mifflin 77) Women systematically explored and challenged social

One day, I came across such a beautiful beast, poetry. It raised me, raised my soul to live better. Feeding me its wisdom every day, but it wasn’t always like this. In 9th grade, the beast held no significance to me, and we soon departed. In 11th grade, our paths crossed once more, holding the key to the door that remained locked in my heart. With my close friend, Angela, we’d unlock that door, only to find my true humanity. Through the months, my poetry and I would have evolved in many different ways.

As a child, I wrote constantly . From pirate ships to my school’s playground, the settings of my pieces varied, but my main character always remained the same. Jenny Rose, my young heroine, was daring and an explorer at heart. I created Jenny when I was in third grade, along with a series that centered around all of her expeditions. When I faced intimidating or troubling situations, I reacted as if I was Jenny. For years I continued to write about Jenny and her exciting encounters. And eventually, I realized that Jenny’s characteristics were quite similar to mine. Jenny was always someone I admired and wanted to be, but I eventually came to the realization that she was a reflection of who I already was. All of Jenny’s discoveries and experiences

Having grown up in a household headed by a former English major father and a mother with her master’s degree in teaching, the English language always seemed like a breeze. From age two, my brothers and I were taught to read, write, and to speak properly. I reveled in the complexities of poetry, going so far as to compose my own thoughts onto the page. However, entering into high school would prove to be detrimental to the creative seed planted from youth. As the years went on, sensitivity to ridicule caused writer’s block like I had never experienced before; many poems left unfinished, short stories thrown aside, and communication hit an all-time low, all due to the fear of ostracization. As quickly as my poetic ideas were born, they were snuffed out, and left to wither away. This all culminated until I discovered a quaint little school program that would change my life for the good.

Back in those days it was very unlikely for women to go to college. Likewise, Margaret’s mother did; she is a former college-educated dietitian (Atwood). While learning that education was the key to the future door in life, Margaret had been very interested in English literate. So she decided at the age of five-years-old she was going to started writing comic books and many short stories (Gale). At the age of sixteen-years-old she began to become very serious about her big goal in life, becoming a poet. Before she started her dream, she fulfilled her “wild side” by exploring the wilderness with her father Carol Atwood, an entomologist (insect scientist). Spending much time with her father, Margaret learned about nature and the world around her (Gale). At one time she lingered back and forth about her future and what she really wanted to do. Like most at her age, not knowing what they want their future to hold. She knew it would be one of the two, nature scientist or writing. However, she chose to be a writer.

My immediate response was, wow, to how high her results were in the category of self- concept as a reader. I immediately thought that she must love reading, does it frequently, and is very proud of that. Though, it was opposite. Reading did not amuse Alexis, it was not cool, and not something that she would do in her free time. So, it is very interesting that she thought that she was a good reader, it was easy, and that her friends would perceive her as a good reader.