Stuff Stuff

to.

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:36:22 -0500

Mr. French, I remember that at one point in time you said that you could never end a sentence with the word “to”. I’m writing an essay and I’ve ended a couple of sentences with the word “to”. I am very confused because to me they make perfect sense. For example: “The best lessons are learned from those you look up to.” Does the rule only apply to certain situations?? I am very confused because I am almost 100% positive that I’m right, but then again, I may not be.

Macbeth

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:07:58 -0500

The teacher is having us read it for class. She explained it and it pretty cool. She said how there are superstitions tied to the play and how you should never say Macbeth to a theater person. I don’t know if you’ve heard that one but I’m pretty sure you have.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 20:37:14 -0500

I finished the book today. I can say that I really did like it. The answer to the mystery really did surprise me. The ending was in a way sad because i can see where Lisbeth is coming from. She finally eels something and the hope is immediately crushed by what she sees. I can see why she chooses to not eel anything. Feeling brings pain along with it, so is it worth not feeling nothing at all? Lisbeth never reveals anything about herself to anyone for fear of betrayal. Her whole life she has been as “weird” and I can see why. She refuses to answer any questions when she doesn’t feel like it. She shuts herself from the world and its pain. It’s a miserable life but if you never experienced happiness then how can you be miserable? You can’t.

Rani review

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 23:46:39 -0500

Ok so I just read your review and i am so eager to read it. I forgot that you guys are still in school. I’m going to go to the public library tomorrow. Oh yea, something else that is different here (don’t think I’m bragging because I’m not) we started our Christmas break last Thursday.

Another thing, I finishes Rebbecca. The ending was very confusing. I thought it was written amazingly; there was just so much description! I liked it a lot. Like I said, the ending was confusing; I felt like I missed something. Right now, I am reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson (I’m pretty sure thats how you spell it). I haven’t gotten very far but I don’t feel like I should stop yet. I want to watch the movie but I’m going to wait until I finish the book.

i don’t know your emails.

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 18:37:31 -0500

i don’t know your emails.

I have officially finished my story. It turned out good. It is 23,476 words long and 31 pages in...

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 22:06:39 -0500

I have officially finished my story. It turned out good. It is 23,476 words long and 31 pages in length. Are you guys sure you want to read it?

I’ll let you guys read it when I finish. I’m getting all funkily inside because the dead...

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:01:49 -0500

I’ll let you guys read it when I finish. I’m getting all funkily inside because the dead line is so close. I’m excited some people want to read it. Now instead of finishing it because of a grade, I’m motivated into finishing it so you guys can read it. I was getting bored with it but now I have random ideas popping into my head that I’m going to use. I love the word epiphany.

I think I would totally freak out if Hunger Games came out into a movie. I truly think I would go crazy. I freakin love the series. Unfortunately, I haven’t read the third one yet. It’s on hold in the libraries and it’s kind of expensive on hard cover. I might just have to wait a while until it becomes available in the library.

I’ll read the Nicole Krauss books when I finish Rebecca. So far, I think it’s a great book. I use all my free time for writing so I haven’t gotten too far into the book yet. I suggest you and Rani read it though. It had that creepy vibe going on. I like it.

Update

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 23:35:50 -0500

I currently have 14,178 words in the novel I’m writing. I can’t say I love it but I don’t hate it either. I have to say that I had no idea I could create a story out of no where. At first, it seemed very scary because my creativity is very boring. Right now, I’m just writing and sticking with what I write. It’s almost over so I have to wrap up the story soon while still completing the word count.

I started a new book. I can’t remember whether I told you or not. The book is by Daphne du Maurier and its called Rebecca. Have you read it Mr. French? I haven’t gotten very far because I’ve been focusing on writing. So far, it’s pretty good. I don’t believe I’ll have to struggle to finish it. The real struggle was One Hundred Years of Solitude. Random thought: my story sucks. =D

Harry Potter

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 23:28:05 -0500

I have never watched a harry potter movie in my life. I can’t say I really want to though.

NaNoWriMo

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:38:56 -0400

Mr.French!!!! My English teacher has assigned us to participate in National Novel Writing Month!!!! She has set the word goal minimum to 18,000 words. I have to write a novel in a month. When she said this I almost cried because I’m not good at coming up with ideas. I’m horrible at it. What if I can’t make it to 18,000?? The teacher is going to do it too but her word count is 50,000 because she is an adult. I wanted to tell you for some reason I don’t know why. So yea, I’m going to write a novel! I’m excited but worried at the same time. I’m scared about not meeting the 18,000 minimum but I want to aim for the 50,000 goal. Does it make sense?

I started a new book for the quarter. Ms. Conti assigned us to read a different book every quarter. I think I told you already. I started to read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Have you read it?

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:23:07 -0400

The book was a major drag. It took me about a month to be able to finish it. All in all, I can say it’s a wonderfully written book. As far as the story itself, I didn’t find it very captivating. The events that happened were randomly introduced and the time given to process the previous events didn’t exist. What im trying to say is that at one moment it would be stating what a certain person was doing, and all of a sudden it would describe their death. After having a character die, Gabriel Garcia Marquez would immediately start to describe the actions of another process. The shock of having someone die wasn’s given time to sink in.

For the project I was given I was told to identify the climax of the book I was reading. I was confused as to what it was beccause there isn’t a major conflict stated in the book. The various stories included had their own conflicts but none of them were complicated enough to last throughout the whole book. In the end, the climax that I could find was when the last Aureliano was able to understand the parchments that Melquiades left behind. It seemed wrong because after the climax there is supposed to be a falling action and finally the reasolution, right? Well the book ended right at, my supposed, climax. There was no faling action and no resolution because everyone dies.

I did, however, love the ending. All the books I have read have some kind og happy ending. This one has the ending I have always dreamed of where every single person ends up dead. The death of the baby was somewhat comical. I feel cruel saying this but I found it funny and ironic how his dad, Aureliano, said that he would win thirty-two wars. He didnt even have a chance to take thirty-two breaths. The ending also felt very deserted. I felt how there was barely in the town. It wasnt mentioned often but the whole “ghost town” feeling was definitely there.

I honestly thought the book would never end with all the new characters ever so often. I enjoyed the ending, but I don’t believe I will ever again read the book. I’m glad I read it though because I had never read a book that explains the history of a family in novel form.

my email

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:01:10 -0400

mackenzie_nieto@yahoo.com

Waddell

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 16:34:08 -0400

I’ve heard that they want to close Wadddell. What exactly is going on? I wish i was there so I could know all of the drama. Mr. French could you fill me in?

Do you have any kids that remind you of Rani and me? That would be kind of cool. The teacher I have...

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:56:11 -0400

Do you have any kids that remind you of Rani and me? That would be kind of cool. The teacher I have for english now is the one I’ll have for Junior and Senior year. That I know of, she’s the only IB English teacher. A lot of the IB kids say that she’s a really good teacher, so I’m hoping it’s true. Have you read “Love in the Time of Cholera” by Marquez? My teacher uses that book for the Juniors.

I really am excited about doing IB next year. I’ve always wanted to challenge myself academically. At Waddell, it didnt feel like that much of a challenge. At my school right now, it’s so different. When teachers ask questions, I find myself thinking “I don’t know” most of the time. I love it!

I want to suggest something. You should ask more questions that require thought in your regular class. It really helped to get us talking after school. If more people participated in your regular class I think they would pay more attention. My teacher here also asks for our opinions. It really helps when you’re trying to understand something. If you hear another person’s point of view, you may begin to understand something that you didn’t before. Am I making sense? You don’t have to be in Honors to have thoughts on a certain story. I don’t know if you can fit it into what you teach. I just feel like it really helps.

IB

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:27:23 -0400

I got it cleared up. The school I go to offers the IB Diploma Programme. When they saw my transripts and saw that I had all Honors classes and “A”s the lady was like “Would you like to be in IB?”. I knew what it was since Myers Park is an IB school. Apparently the IB they offer is for Juniors and Seniors. The classes I’m taking now is IB Prep. My English teacher is cool. She’s young too so she isnt like those old grouchy english teachers. As opposed to Waddell, all the kids in my class are Honors so I don’t stick out like I did in your class. It’s awkward, I had gotten used to being the one answering the questions. I hardly ever talk, in any of my classes. From what Ms. Conti (my english teacher’s name) explained today, IB is all about essays on how well you deliver your opinions. Mr. French, you know how much I dislike writing essays. When she mentioned essays I was like “Oh no!”. I’m up for the challenge though.

I finished Wuthering Heights. I have to say I REALLY liked it. It had a happy ending. Heathcliff died a miserable grouch. I do feel sorry for him though. I place all the fault of Heathcliff’s misery on Catherine. All because she cared more about money than she did about Heathcliff. She never once thought about how her marriage to Edgar would make Heathcliff feel. It’s all Catherine’s fault. It’s always the chic’s fault. Just like Juliet with Romeo. I never even knew that Catherine’s illness was pregnancy. All of a sudden it said that Cathy was born and then Catherine died. At that point I was like “She was pregnant?”. I now understand who Cathy was when she was first introduced in the beginning. Is Wuthering Heights one of those books that starts in the middle of the story? I think the term was “In Medias Res” or something like that. Like The Odyssey. I find it strange that it was okay to marry your cousin back in the day. I’m glad both Cathy and Hareton had a happy ending. The ”pose” Heathcliff died in made me laugh. The grin seems to go with his character. I really enjoyed the book.

Ms. Conti assigned a book report every quarter in which we have to read a 400-page book. I was going to read “The Woman in White” but it seems too long for now. I don’t think I’ll finish it in time. I’m going to see if my school library has “100 years of Solitude”. It sounds like a very interesting book.

I’m confused too. IB English 3 is what my schedule says. The syllabus my teacher gave me says...

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:23:38 -0400

I’m confused too. IB English 3 is what my schedule says. The syllabus my teacher gave me says “Pre-IB/Honors Sophomore English”. Thank you for all the books. I had to leave most of my books behind, so now I have books to look for in the school library. The books you’re pretty sure I read, I haven’t read. I only read the first line to Pride and Prejudice and disagreed instantly. I’ll give it a try eventually. I read Night by Weisel already. The images described in the book were harsh. The sad part is that I know they truly happened in real life. Most of the books you mentioned I have seen but never read.

I really enjoy Wuthering Heights. I think Catherine is beyond crazy. She always finds a way to make herself the victim of problems. I want to slap Catherine. Heathcliff is hard to understand. Nelly talks more about Catherine than she does about Heathcliff, so I can’t see who he really is as a character yet. The little bit said hasn’t really “clicked” yet. I left off where Catherine has locked herself in her room for three days and Nelly has just come in to give her food. It’s hard to put my thoughts about the book into words. All I can say is that I really like it.

School

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:29:41 -0400

Mr.French, here in Arizona I was put into IB English 3. The class seemed okay. I can’t tell yet because today was my first day. They started school here the 16th, but I had some problems registering so I just started today the 18th. The teacher gave us a list of books we will read. The books listed are: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. I was wondering if you had read any of these books. It would be cool if you gave me a list of books to read. So far, I’m really enjoying Wuthering Heights. I regret not getting farther into the book the last time I tried reading it.

Wuthering Heights

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:33:00 -0400

I am farther into the book now than I was last time I stopped reading it. Mr. Lockwood is so nosy. He broke into Wuthering Heights when the gate was locked. He also forced his company upon Heathcliff and the girl living there. I’m confused as to who she is though. Heathcliff said she was his daughter-in-law. I’m guessing that it will be explained later on in the book.

Mr. French, I am sad to say that I won’t be able to visit you next year due to the fact that I...

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 15:21:36 -0400

Mr. French, I am sad to say that I won’t be able to visit you next year due to the fact that I am moving. I am going away to live in Arizona. If you don’t mind I would like to still post my thoughts on any books I read. I am planning to give Wuthering Heights a try again. I also recently got The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. Is it a good book? It sounded interesting but I’m not sure.

Reading

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:14:17 -0400

So does that mean I got a 98? I don’t understand the percentile thing.

It is kind of cool to be reading at a college level. I used to HATE reading books. I remember in elementary school, every time I was told to read a book, I would stay away from it as much as possible. The book that actually got me reading was Twilight. I don’t even know how I managed to start reading a 500 page book. Once I finished all four books, I started “exploring” more books. Sometimes, my mom tells me I read too much. I just laugh because she doesnt understand how beneficial it is.

Next year, I’ll try to go say “Hi” to you Mr. French. Wait, I have ROTC in that hallway so I will see you. So far, you’ve been my favorite English teacher.