Thursday, 23 January 2014

Purple Hibiscus

The book I am responding to is Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. If I could ask her one question eh? I would as her how her childhood life was in Nigeria compared to the book she wrote. There are a couple reasons that I would ask her this. One reason is because Purple Hibiscus is a book filled mainly by a traumatic home life with only some parts of happiness. I'd want to know if she wrote her book out of personal experience, not the whole thing just the main parts. If she said that she had not used personal experience I would then go on to ask her where she had gotten her ideas, but if she had said that the book was filled mostly from her own experiences I'd be curious to know how she has reacted to living in the USA today. The reason I would ask these particular questions is because of the extreme difference between a developing third world country such as Nigeria, where the book is set, and first world countries such as Canada and the USA.
This was also the first book I have read by Adichie. Although it doesn't particularly inspire me to go out and find another one of her books, I didn't mind reading it when I got started. The reason that I wouldn't want to find another one of her books is because I found that some of the time the plot jumped around a little quickly and it was slow (to a teenage guy) at times. In the end I didn't mind reading Purple Hibiscus, but it wouldnt be my first choice to read again.

The novel Purple Hibiscus has introduced me more to the general struggle of developing third world countries. Even though I already knew about this subject, I went on a Free the Children trip to build a school in Kenya, reading about the things that happen in countries such as Nigeria and the emotional and physical struggles still move me. One thing in perticular that exposed me to something new was just how extremely religious some families can be. I come from a family that doesn't practice a lot (or any) religion. It made me feel as though I was discovering something new. I think that the novel Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a book that anybody who enjoy's reading emotionally dominated novels with a strong female lead should read.

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Book Talks

I thought that all the book talks presented in class went very well! Although I'm not the most comfortable public speaker I thought that my talk went alright. When watching the other book talks it seemed like most of the class was comfortable up in front and didn't have any trouble presenting. It seems to me that most people feel comfortable with and in our class as a whole, which creates an even better atmosphere in discussions or when reading aloud. Although speaking in front of people isn't my greatest strength I think it's something everyone should and could improve on. Still, hopefully we don't have to present alone again soon.

Sunday, 24 November 2013

Five Original Poems

When we were first ask to write five original poems I thought, "This is going to be a piece of cake!" Little did I know just how tough poetry is to write! Anyways, 
My first poem is about how witnessing a positive crucial moment in someone else's life can influence your own outlooks. 
My second poem is written on the abusing of racial profiling in the justice system. 
My third poem is a description of my favourite place, Blue Mountain, which is a ski / snowboard hill.
My fourth poem is about my love for the crisp feeling of an early morning.
My fifth poem is related to death, the topic of my groups poem, and how you can benefit positively from realizing it is inevitable. 

Poem #1 – Public Proposal

A night starting out like any other,
Over priced dinner,
Extremely low lightning,
Surrounded by annoying people,
This would be a night like any other.

Oh,
What is this dreadful interruption?

With a sudden urge of delightful assurance,
He gingerly slid down onto one knee,
And out of his pencil sharp black tuxedo side pocket,
Came a magnificent vow.
It was like his eyes had given birth to two new suns,
Sun’s that shine out rays of happiness onto an earth of pleasant surprise.
One knee was all it took to light up her face,
To change the face of her life forever.

Oh,
What a beautiful and inspiring moment!

A night that ended like no other,
Amazing dinner,
Perfect lightning,
Surrounded by interesting people,
This has been a night like no other.


Poem #2 – Distinction
By: Nicholas Pavanel

Hurtling through the air,
It doesn’t care,
Who picked it up,
Who put it on it’s course.
It came from five fingers,
A body with two arms,
Two legs,
Two eyes.

Shattered glass,
Lying amongst glass.
A lump of rock stands out,
Squatting amongst its more valued cousins.

Five fingers move amongst the pieces,
Separating glass from glass,
Distinction is deemed desirable,
But it is corrupted beyond distinction.

Red glass,
Blue glass,
Green glass,
All are grasped, groped,
Greedily taken.

Sirens too greedy for apprehension,
Use distinction to apprehend.
“Mr. Parks,
 Will you please get in the back of the car.”

When distinction is mixed with apprehension,
Destruction is made.

Poem #3 - Blue
By: Nicholas Pavanel

The cold bites, I won’t fight,
We shall date until night.
I slash straight in the middle of the hill,
A cloud of snow meets my snowboarding fill.

We careen down the slope,
Laughter filling our throats.
We arrive at the bottom yet again,
No hesitation to keep going with friends.

Chairlift sway from the breeze,
We’ll spend all day on hill,
Only going in when we feel it in our knees,
Only going in when we feel that final chill.

The bottom of the hill,
Still time for one more, still.
Curious to see what next run will hold,
Anticipation to feel weightlessness,

 If we become bold.

Knowing this is the best,
I can feel that feeling deep in my chest.

The feeling that you get when you know you’re at a home away from home.

Poem #4 – Morning Light
By: Nicholas Pavanel

The sweet scent of clean air penetrates the room,
Sunlight dances through the slits of the blinds,
The morning is a time like no other kind.

Burning light extrudes nighttime gloom,
Happily groggy, darkness retreats against the sun,
Giving birth to a time that too many shun.

A beautiful mind has chance to bloom,
The bold become greeted by unshared air,
Crisp thoughts crystalized, come forth with care.

 Break out of your warm cocoon,
With a charge break forth unto radiant morning light,
Could it hold what you dreamt of , it just might.


Poem #5 -  Withering
By: Nicholas Pavanel

From the moment we start taking in those earthly nutrients,
We begin to bloom.
From the moment we start to bloom,
We begin to wither.
Whether we will focus on the fact of blooming,
Whishing we could keep growing towards the light,
Concentrating on blooming so hard,
We instead whiter away,
Wasting our beautiful bloom.

Or,

From the moment we start taking in those earthly nutrients,
We begin to bloom.
From the moment we start to bloom,
We begin to wither.
We can savor with an air of satisfaction,
From the moment we begin to bloom,
We will also be withering for the rest of our lives,
With the knowledge that everything withers away,
We can bloom to full potential.