I realized when I was reading the story that it's actually a retelling of Cinderella. My book is about a girl who lives in China with her step mother and step sister, her step mother has bound her step sister's feet so that she will be married, while the main character must work and serve her family. Throughout the story so far it describes her as very pretty, but because her step mother doesn't like her she must work and clean all the time, which sounds a lot like Cinderella to me. And also there is supposed to be a huge party comming up in honor of the new emporer so I think I have an idea of what's going to happen.
I have began to wonder why Xing Xing's (main character) step mother doesn't like her. I'm not sure if it's because she's prettier than Wei Ping (Xing Xing's step sister) and is jealous, or if it's because of something Xing Xing has done in the past. But I don't really understand why she would hate her so much because Xing Xing is very obediant and does everything that her step mother asks of her.
I'm surprised with my book because Wei Ping has become ill, and Xing Xing's step mother has sent her off to find a doctor in the city. Which is surprising because this whole time I've been thinking it's a retelling of Cinderella . But in Cinderella she wouldn't have let Cinderella leave at all. So I'm surprised that this isn't exactly the same because throughout most of the book it's been the same. Now I'm begining to doubt my hypothesis that this is a Chinese retelling of Cinderella.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Concerte poem: The Moon
The darkness of the night peirced by an ivory light. The beam shines down on the darkened face of the Earth like a spot light. Like the mother of Earth she watches her child sleep. The moon casts her ghostly glow around the world. She is the symbol of mystery, horror, and romance. Always admired from a far, she shares her beauty with all.
Riddle Poem
I am made up of everything,
But people know little about me
Nobody knows how I came to be,
or hardly anything aobut the things I contain inside me
I am dangerous and beautiful
I've puzzled mankind for centuries,
Like a well kept secret, I am unknown
I am ever changing
I am so vast, I have no end
I cannot be destroyed
I am everything
Undoubtabley, I am the world's greatest mystery
But people know little about me
Nobody knows how I came to be,
or hardly anything aobut the things I contain inside me
I am dangerous and beautiful
I've puzzled mankind for centuries,
Like a well kept secret, I am unknown
I am ever changing
I am so vast, I have no end
I cannot be destroyed
I am everything
Undoubtabley, I am the world's greatest mystery
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Parent Letter
Dear Mom and Dad:
Do you ever get sick of me having to take the car to go places or of having me ask you for rides? Well I have the perfect solution to that problem, a car for me. Having a car is no longer just a want; it is needed for me as well as the rest of the family. I should have a car becase it'll teach me responsibility and it can help everybody out.
I already know what you're thinking "This is out of the question, a car is too expensive and it's just not the right time for it". On the contrary, although cars can be expensive, they aren't always. I'm not asking for a Ferrari, Porsche, or anything like that, we just need a decent car that works. Now is the perfect time because with everybody's different schedules it's going to become nearly impossible to negotiate rides. Having this car will relieve a huge amount of stress off the entire family. We can accomplish this just by buying a simple used car and makign small payments each month. You can see that this is not an unreasonable request.
The first reason why I should get a car is because it'll give me more resonsibility. Aren't you both always saying you're willing to help those who can help themselves? Well I am willing to help myself, I've gotten a job, I'm doing well in school, I'm able to spend time with my friends, and I'm also playing softball, which proves I'm already responsible. Having a car won't be an obstacle for me, it'll only help me because I'll be able to become more focused on these things because I'll be able to leave to go out and do things related to these activities. I also know that you guys want me to become more grown up and take more responsibility, having this car will teach me practical life skills like: saving money and taking car of my car, which is an obvious need I'll need to learn.
The next reason why I should have a car isbecause not having an extra car causes stress on the family. Everyone in our family lives very different lives, and with that we all have very different and busy schedules to follow. For the time being it's been fine, but in the near future Angela and Tim will be moving out so that'll be 2 cars gone, and dad works in Arkansas during the week so that's another car gone, leaving mom and me 1 car to share. And whenever mom has to work and I need a car or vise versa, it will cause conflict. So as you can see with one extra car, it will help the entire family.
Obviously, I'm not asking for a lot. A car is not just a want, it has become a need. The car doesn't have to be some brand new sports car or anything like that, just a decent one that runs well. With the car it'll show me practical life skills and bring more freedom to everybody in our family.
Love,
Rachel
Do you ever get sick of me having to take the car to go places or of having me ask you for rides? Well I have the perfect solution to that problem, a car for me. Having a car is no longer just a want; it is needed for me as well as the rest of the family. I should have a car becase it'll teach me responsibility and it can help everybody out.
I already know what you're thinking "This is out of the question, a car is too expensive and it's just not the right time for it". On the contrary, although cars can be expensive, they aren't always. I'm not asking for a Ferrari, Porsche, or anything like that, we just need a decent car that works. Now is the perfect time because with everybody's different schedules it's going to become nearly impossible to negotiate rides. Having this car will relieve a huge amount of stress off the entire family. We can accomplish this just by buying a simple used car and makign small payments each month. You can see that this is not an unreasonable request.
The first reason why I should get a car is because it'll give me more resonsibility. Aren't you both always saying you're willing to help those who can help themselves? Well I am willing to help myself, I've gotten a job, I'm doing well in school, I'm able to spend time with my friends, and I'm also playing softball, which proves I'm already responsible. Having a car won't be an obstacle for me, it'll only help me because I'll be able to become more focused on these things because I'll be able to leave to go out and do things related to these activities. I also know that you guys want me to become more grown up and take more responsibility, having this car will teach me practical life skills like: saving money and taking car of my car, which is an obvious need I'll need to learn.
The next reason why I should have a car isbecause not having an extra car causes stress on the family. Everyone in our family lives very different lives, and with that we all have very different and busy schedules to follow. For the time being it's been fine, but in the near future Angela and Tim will be moving out so that'll be 2 cars gone, and dad works in Arkansas during the week so that's another car gone, leaving mom and me 1 car to share. And whenever mom has to work and I need a car or vise versa, it will cause conflict. So as you can see with one extra car, it will help the entire family.
Obviously, I'm not asking for a lot. A car is not just a want, it has become a need. The car doesn't have to be some brand new sports car or anything like that, just a decent one that runs well. With the car it'll show me practical life skills and bring more freedom to everybody in our family.
Love,
Rachel
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Caesar's Letter
Rachel Gruenenfelder
English II
Mr. Allam
March 10, 2011
Caesar’s letter
What is Friendship? Friendship is defined as is the cooperative and supportive relationship between people, or animals. After the events that have taken place and by being backstabbed (literally) by the people I thought I was closest to, I have learned one of the greatest lessons of all. I’ve learned what true friendship is, it is: loyalty and being supportive
Others who don’t know what real friendship is might say it’s being kind and compatible, but they would be mistaken. Friendship isn’t just about being kind and compatible because just because you get along with somebody doesn’t mean that they’re really concerned about you. People can get along, but to be a friend to someone you must also be loyal and supportive.
To be a true friend you must be loyal to that person. Brutus had told me that he was loyal to me and that we were friends. But he disagrees when he says, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.”(III.ii.21) In other words, Brutus believes that he killed me because he was more loyal to Rome than myself. In making this comment, Brutus urges us to believe that he was a friend to me, but that he was more loyal to Rome, which is true. By killing me he proves that you must show a person loyalty, to truly be a friend. Brutus obviously is more of a friend to Rome, than myself. He is no friend of mine because of this. Antony on the other hand, had confronted the conspirators after my murder and said “I shall not fine myself so apt to die; No place will please me so, no mean of death, As here by Caesar” (III.i.160) Antony’s point is that he is so loyal to me, he is willing to die by my side than any other place. Antony who begs my murders for my body and asks for me to be properly buried, he is obviously loyal to me. He, unlike Brutus and my other “fellow Romans” is a true friend.
To be a True friend, you must also be supportive. People I had called my friends, planned and plotted against me, because they were not supportive of the respect and virtue I had gained from the people of Rome. Out of jealousy they had slain me. Brutus states “I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king.”(I.ii.78). In other words, Brutus is worried about me becoming king. By being unsupportive and jealous of the power I had gained, he decided the best way to deal with the situation was to murder me in a brutal manner. Which is something a friend should never do. Even in my death Antony still supports me, Antony states “Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood.”(III.ii.258) Basically, Antony is saying that there will be revenge for my death, which shows that even though I am dead his still views me as a friend. And even in death he is still there for me. This again proves real friendship.
` Real friends are hard to come by, those who I can actually count as friends in life, were loyal and supportive of me. Murders that I once had considered friends acted false to me, they deceived me by acting kind and agreeable to me. I now can clearly see the error of my judgment, but now I’m able to pass the information I have learned about real friendship.
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