Who I'm Thankful For

I'm thankful for more than one person in 5th period English but mostly Takavia Moshai Evans. She's like a sister to me and we have two class periods together. Second period Honors Chemistry with Ms. Rehak and 5th period honors English II with Mr. Locks. She helps me with class work when I ask and also makes me laugh. Her birthday just passed and it seems as if she had a lot of fun. I love her with all of my heart and she deserves the world.


Word Count: 87 words

Community Stories

The Jilting of Granny Weatherall page 848

• What is the connection between her experience of having been jilted sixty years ago and her experiences in the final paragraph?
• When Granny was jilted 60 years ago, her sweetheart George left and abandoned her, she wanted to see him to show him how well off she had been.  But when Hapsy left the room, Granny felt abandoned for a second time.  She was even more depressed and sad that she just "let life go" and blew out the light.
• In Granny's eyes, how/is the community dissolved?
• The community has "dissolved" by the respect and manners no longer being evident.  The kids aren't as nice or caring and don't go to see Granny.  The gardens weren't tended to and it made her want to plant flowers, trim hedges, and put the place to rights again.
• What is the difference between a dissolving/disappearing community versus a changing one?
• A dissolving/disappearing community doesn't have involvement in things going on around it.  It's fading into the past and new things aren't being done.  But, a changing community is just growing and becoming better than it was before.  If the community is changing for the good, then the community is advancing.

University Days page 548 (old book)

• Write about a specific way Thurber;s university classes did not live up to his expectations and one way he did not live up to their expectations,  How did these expectations form his experiences in this community?
• In the college, Thurber disappointed his Science teacher because he was not able to see any of the flower "particles" in the microscope.  He even had to retake the class because he took a pass to drop it but it was a required class to finish college.  But, in his last year, he had to do the military drills again and when he was there, the captain complimented him because he was the only one in the whole program that was walking the correct way.  Even though he wasn't very good at the sports, he passed gym by cheating and he was embarrassed because he was the only last year college student still in the military drills.  He said he had an ok time in college because of all of his struggle but then there were some factors that made it better.

Crucible Response

The Crucible was a very interesting story.  Throughout the text, I started to forget that the story was about the Salem witch trials.  I focused more on the drama than the story behind it.  Although everything was leading up to the ending, I enjoyed the parts with Elizabeth and John Proctor because of how intense their relationship was.  They truly loved and cared for each other, and in the end Elizabeth had to live on without her loving husband.  The fact that each person in the script was more focused on saving themselves than proving a point upset me.  When Abigail and the girls accused known and respected people in the town of witchcraft, they crossed the line.  But, when the other townspeople believed them, it upset me even more and caused much chaos.  Everything could have been avoided if John Proctor did not have an affair with the young girl.  She wouldn’t be infatuated, wouldn’t have run away, wouldn’t have accused others, and wouldn’t have been as disrespectful.  Everyone in the town could have listened to their gut instead of following along with everyone else.  The focus on the church in court was certainly unfair, just because you are a part of the Puritan community, doesn’t mean the court can’t be fair.  Hale was an independent mind towards the end and he tried to help the accused get free and not be killed.  Danforth was very unwilling and he wouldn’t listen to reasoning because he was so focused on God’s word and church that even if he thought something went against the commandments he wouldn’t allow it.  The overall story of The Crucible was interesting and helped me learn more about what would specifically happen during the Salem witch trials.

Words: 291

Outline

The railroads ran through much of the South Loop area, between the 1800s to present day, and provided a place for immigrants to move and create small communities to expand in later years.

      1. Railroads provided transportation to access the city better.

• Swedes, Scotts, Welsh, and Germans provided labor for the railroads and lumber industries.
• In the 1850s, railroads entering Chicago were mainly passenger and freight.
• Homes were built on Dearborn Station so more residents could move into Dearborn Park.
• Along with the railroads, many celebrities and idols helped the population of the South Loop increase.

       2. Celebrities and Idols brought politicians and fans to the area.

• Common moved into a condo in the area.
• Mayor Daley lived in the area while in office.
• Buddy Guy has a Blues' bar in the area and also his many awards bring him fans.
• Celebrities/Idols brought a larger population and wider range of people with different interests helped expand the entertainment and nightlife in the area.

       3. Entertainment and Sports bringing in people from across the country.

• College kids had a sport's bar to go to when they wanted drinks, food, and a casual place to hang out with friends while watching their favorite game.
• There are sport's games in the area, such as a Soccer Game that was at a Hotel in the South Loop.
• The music group ICE has a connection in the South Loop.

Conclusion: The railroads ran through much of the South Loop area, between the 1800s to present day, and provided a place for immigrants to move and create small communities to expand in later years.

Notes

1. Buddy Guy's Club "Buddy Guy Way" gives him a place to perform in Chicago.  He goes on tours around the world about 16 shows per month.  To help the youth he's teaching a 13 year old aspiring Blue's artist in Massachusetts.  He's been in Chicago for 55 years and brought many awards and honors with him. (7 - Celebrities/Idols)
2. Celebrities are threatened with foreclosure even though they have "money".  The rapper Common sold his condo in the South Loop area because of foreclosure.  He bought the condo originally for 400k, but he sold it for 350k.  Bad investments brought upon the foreclosure of the home. (9 - Celebrities/Idols)
3. A place for college kids to go for drinks, for food, and to watch sports.  Small casual group outings are held at The Scout Waterhouse and Kitchen.  There are televisions available for personal use which are turned to the viewers choice of a sport.  There's a sport's package with a minimum of 5 guests, $15 for each person. (6 - Nightlife/Entertainment)
4. The Loop/South Loop is near downtown, a portion of State Street and of Lasalle Street.  There are shopping districts, "Chicago's wall street", and "the world's 1st skyscraper".  Became popular after the completion of the Chicago Union Elevated Railway in 1897.  There's outdoor artwork for tourists and people who pass by. (5 - Railroads;Architecture)
5. Chicago lies on what used to be the bottom of Lake Michigan.  The city's divided into thirds by North, by South, and by the West sides.  Downtown Chicago occupies in between the Lakeshore, north end of the South Branch, and 1 mile South of the river.  The Loop was given it's name in the 1880s. (4 - Description;Location)
6. Properties were less expensive in the late 1900's compared to now.  There were a lot of condos for people who just came to live in the area.  There were more town-homes than condos, and more houses with 3+ rooms.  The owners were just trying to sell the property so they could have it off their hands, (hence the low prices). (13 - Homes)
7. A new grocery store for convenience.  A place for locals to get pizza, coffee, and sandwiches.  Will bring more people in the fall of 2013.  Has organic products, for people who don't use a lot of processed foods. (17 - Retail)
8. A Soccer team brings in fans from around the city and Wisconsin.  More revenue and business for the hotel.  Big Ten Tournament, for colleges.  Parking reservations could be made, so you would have a space.  (20 - Entertainment)
9. A bar for regulars and calm people.  Homey, comforting, and a bathroom floor made of pennies.  Range from classy foods, to bbq type of meals.  For all types of people in the area. (19 - Entertainment)
10. Fees won't be increased for the city in next year's budget.  There will be spending cuts, and better tax collections.  No tax loopholes.  Parking meter prices will rise. (18 - Economy)
11. Mayor Daley was more powerful than people thought.  He bought a $410k town-home at the housing development by soldier field.  Near South - "powder keg of potential growth".  Construction is everywhere so new homes will be built for incoming buyers. (14 - Celebrities/Idols; Politics)
12. Many loft conversions and construction sites.  The housing market dictated when the Museum Place was to be built.  2,000 - 4,000 homes could be built in the new Chicago Bears stadium.  Mayor Daley's presence helped with popularity of the area. (11 - Houses: Construction)
13. Almost 6,000 people moved to the south loop since 1993-1997.  Most successful of urban redevelopments.  More construction was needed for the massive amount of citizens moving in.  (12 - Population Increase)
14. Former head of Cleveland Public School is the new Chief of CPS.  Ms. Barbara Byrd-Bennett used to be a New York superintendent and ran Detroit's public schools.  She has a lot of experience.  Ms. Byrd-Bennett knows how to build a team as a CEO to get the job done. (15 - Education)
15. The South Loop was one of the first residential districts in Chicago.  By 1900, trains were carrying passengers and freight, down to central station.  Dearborn Park built in 1979.  Architects started to make lofts in the 1980s. (2 -House: Construction)
16. Originally a rural settlement for fishermen and farmers.  The Swedish, the Scottish, the Welsh, and the Germans provided a lot of skill in industrial labor.  The Polish, the Italians, the African Americans, and the Mexicans moved to the South Chicago before WWI.  There were ethnic ties. (1 - Immigration)
17. A strike against the U.S. steelers occurred in 1919.  The Roman Catholic Church helped bridge the ethnic divisions.  Refuges from Serbia and Croatia came to South Chicago after WWII.  African Americans contributed to almost half of the population in South Chicago.  The decline in South Works, caused a decline in local businesses. (1 - Railroads;Immigration)
18. Cook County is 28 miles South of the loop.  People in the immediate area started local businesses along the railroads.  Property taxes and 3 saloon licenses were $500.  In 1910, the community had it's own fire department. (3 - Description; Property Costs)
19. In 1910, the south area had it's first police officer.  A section of the Chicago Road was apart of the Dixie Highway.  There were only 4 gas stations.  There were mostly only houses for people who worked in the area. (3 - Safety; Architecture)
20. Lake Calumet borders the industrial part of Chicago.  This lake is connected to Chicago's sanitary and ship canal.  Chicago's Loop is the financial "heart" of the city.  (4 - Description)
21. The South Loop had a very scarce population in the previous years.  Large community of college students, business people, and the former Mayor Daley.  The 1836 Clarke House is located in the South Loop.  A raving location for nightlife and clubs. (8 - Celebrities/Idols;Nightlife/Entertainment)
22. Going through a large-scale redevelopment.  The area was spared during the Great Chicago Fire.  18th street and Prairie are main areas for residential businessmen. (8 - Description/Background)
23. A new dorm building is in construction for East-West University.  Jones College Prep's new building was being constructed in the South Loop Area.  There will be a new 398 unit apartment complex for more residents to live in.  Golub & Company is planning to build a 39 story, 392 unit complex. (10 - Houses: Construction)
24. ICE was at Columbia College for 4 years.  The 33 musician full group occasionally plays at Columbia Museum of Contemporary Photography.  This provides a connection in the South Loop for musicians.  Brings more revenue for music lovers. (16 - Entertainment)
25. Brizard's presence was a "distraction".  Rahm Emmanuel commends Ms. Byrd-Bennett for accepting the job offer.  Ms. Byrd-Bennett wasn't required to take this job, with all of her background experience.  Formal announcement was held at South Loop Elementary in Dearborn Park. (15 - Education)
26. The Chicago Stock Exchange was founded in 1882.  The Midwest Stock Exchange was used in 1949-1993.  The Willis Tower was completed in 1974 and is 1,450 feet tall.  There are many colleges and universities in the area. (5)
27. The area adjacent from North Avenue is the financial heart of the city.  Mostly used for the streetcars or elevated train railroads.  The area was swampy before the 19th century.  Lake Michigan is 579-600 feet deep. (4)
28. The Chicago Fire of 1871 spared the Loop area.  Chicago was the nation's printing center.  People moved to Dearborn park in 1979.  There were 51 acres of railroads tracks in the Dearborn area. (2)
29. Buddy Guy will receive the Kennedy Center Honor, December of 2012.  Blues music is ignored.  Guy developed his recording career in 1971.  Mr. Guy won half a dozen Grammy awards. (7)
30. A need for more construction of lofts near the South Loop area.  Construction bagan on 30 different lofts.  Displaced lower class families who couldn't pay rent and property taxes.  Area bound by Jackson and 16th street. (12)
31. Residential construction was at the top of the list.  There weren't enough retail stores.  The rich and famous were moving towards the Gold Coast.  30% of Chicago's major housing projects were in the South Loop. (11)
32. Chinatown square had almost 400 residents.  Lasalle Park was 23 acres.  There were 200 rowhouses being built in Dearborn Village.  There was a 2- story loft on Michigan Avenue. (11)
33. In the South Loop, people achieve success.  Property values were less in the South Loop compared to other places.  There was a rebirth in this area.  Mayor Daley unintentionally produced a boom in the South Loop's economy. (14)
34. Former junk yards were converted to houses.  New townhouses were built.  High-rise condos are going skyward.  Old lofts were converted into condos.  Since the Mayor arrived in 1993, there was an exponential rise residential renaissance. (14)
35. In 1907 there was a merger of farm businesses.  Chase was at 500 W. Cermack in an old spice factory.  ICE is a group of 33 musicians that play all types of contemporary classical music.  If you're a MacArthur genius, you get 500k bucks with no strings attatched. (16)

Act 3 Response

In Act III of The Crucible, many of the characters were frantic.  The accusations were outrageous and I was shocked by most of the things some people were saying.  Elizabeth Proctor’s lies about her husband’s affair with Abigail caused much confusion in the court.  Although Proctor had already confessed, she was clueless and didn’t know that she didn’t have to lie anymore.  This frustrated me because if she would have just told the truth, her husband would not have been in so much trouble.

When Abigail and the other girls were accusing Mary Warren of witchcraft in court, I became irritated.  They were planning to put her out on the line so they wouldn’t be in as much trouble for their lies.  When Mary Warren turned her accusations onto Proctor so she would be out of the hot seat.  She basically snaked him so she wouldn’t have to be against the girls.  Act 3’s drama resulted in my excitement and frustration.

162 Words.

Act II of The Crucible Response

Act II of The Crucible made me think of Mary Warren as a manipulator.  She set Elizabeth up with the doll stuck with a needle, to frame Mrs. Proctor of witchcraft.  Abigail was really being immature by trying to find her way back in Mr. Proctor’s like by framing his wife.  Abigail and her friends were very conniving with their tactics to accuse the women of Salem.  Hale is being very stubborn and it’s causing me to become very annoyed with him.

Although, Mr. Proctor was trying to help, he made things worse by his yelling and cursing while Elizabeth was being hand-cuffed and taken away.  The reasoning for Rebecca’s arrest was not logical because one man was angry about his pigs’ death.  Witchcraft has caused Salem to “go up in flames” and the people have gone crazy.  Many want power, and others just want to be popular and known.  Some people will do anything they can to get what they want in this town, even if that means they must betray people they know.

176 words.