Just Ten More Minutes: What AP English Has Taught Me About Hitting Snooze

Going to any class first period proves a struggle for high schoolers as our beds become increasingly more comfortable the older we get. Waking up has always challenged me as my mom used to physically drag me out of bed. I have progressively gotten better with only a few yanks from mom, yet I still struggle to process that people mandate me to go to school so early. As I wake up every morning, my only motivation to get out of bed flashes on the screen of my phone; an alarm that reads that I cannot arrive late to AP English. Hearing the annoying ringtone reminds me that I should not press the snooze button ten more times because I have something to get up for. While the internal conflict between the semicircle of desks and my bed that occurs every morning continues to prove a daily struggle, I never fail to get up and take my place in the seventh seat on the left. This quarter, Ms. Seresnky’s English class has encouraged me to set priorities for myself and has taught me to find something in life to motivate me to get up rather than hit the snooze just one more time. In the world today, people tend to do what they want to do rather than what they need to, resulting in an unproductive and generally lazy society. If our world had to go to first period AP English then I think everyone would function a little differently. The world would finally understand the heart-pounding fear of desks in straight rows and pens unexpectedly running out of ink and the question of the contents of a soapstone would never arise again. In addition to new fears and facts learned, I believe that people would also learn the importance of self motivation and the ability to honor a commitment by not sleeping through the class. This skill will undoubtedly help me as I continue my struggle to wake up in college. Without my mom pulling the covers back or the looming threat of having truancy filed on me, finding the motivation to attend an eight AM class would have the old Blythe pressing snooze and going back to bed. Yet with the skills that Ms. Serensky has taught me this quarter and from experiencing first period English, new Blythe will use this newfound self motivation to get out of bed and pursue more important things than just ten more minutes.

Happy Birthday Ann

After finishing Olive Kitteridge, I have gained knowledge on multiple different characters throughout the book and how they live their lives to a point where I now feel like I know them. In fact, as the time of year rolls around, I believe that I could accurately purchase a birthday gift or two for Ann Kitteridge, Chris's new wife. As Ann and Olive discuss Ann's anniversary day  with Chris, she describes it as "a little moment to reflect" while Olive states that she just liked the presents (224). This juxtaposition of the two women alone gives me enough insight to know that Ann would most likely not want to make a big deal out of her birthday. So, in a very discreet and simple manner, I would give her two presents that she desperately needs as to not overwhelm her. First, I would give her every yoga enthusiasts dream package complete with a yoga mat, a how to book, and some relaxing music. This gift would greatly improve Ann's "meditation time" with a clean and pure activity such as yoga that would minimize her smoking and drinking, improving the health of her baby (209). By stating that she needs meditation time, Ann indirectly characterizes herself as stressed and overwhelmed with her life and multitude of children.By doing yoga, her harmful substance use will decrease and her spirits will lift. However, no one can do yoga in a dirty, stressful environment. So as my second gift to Ann, I would get her a cleaning service. The maid would take care of all of the "pots…open boxes…grimy sock[s]" and other imperfections in her home to make it livable for her ask well as keeping her stress level down (205). Ann's filthy home again indirectly characterizes her as stressed as well as inexperienced. The pressure of marriage and raising a family has proven a bit too much for her, therefore, an experienced main to come and help Ann clean would lift that pressure right off of her downward dog shoulders. These gifts would improve the quality of Ann's life as well as her new family's as s clean, stress-free environment would make anyone happier and more easy going. Happy birthday Ann, an Ohm a day and the maid will stay. 

Don't Judge a Book By It's Cover

When I first picked up Olive Kitteridge I questioned whether or not I would enjoy it. The cover did not appeal immediately to me, therefore I assumed that I would have to suffer through reading and painfully annotating a book that I disliked. However, as I finish the second third of Olive Kitteridge I can say that I truly enjoy this book. The same applies to my feelings towards the main character, Olive's, actions. At the beginning of the book I could not stand Olive and found her a pretentious and overbearing woman. Now, after further reading and understanding more about her, I find that I judged Olive too strongly and now judge her actions as defensive and hurt rather than outright mean. Pulitzer Prize winning author Elizabeth Strout sets her book in a modern era with events such as 9/11 occurring. During this time, racial stereotyping and judgement of all kinds became prominent in our society. Olive Kitteridge faces this judgement from me while reading about her odd parenting style as she often yelled at her son, Chris. In the midst of my judgement she cries out inside as she recognizes that "she had loved him" (145). The somber almost defeated tone indirectly characterizes Olive as exhausted from trying to love her son the best she could. I realize that Olive had grown up without very much love and support from her own parents and therefore had no model to base her parenting off of. Strout implies that Parents love their children as best as they can in the way that their parents loved them. While not always right and kind towards Chris, I now understand that her constant pressure and over bearing attitude only means that she loves him. For instance, her want for Chris's full attention and presence at home. Initially, I took this as selfish and over protective however when she states that Chris's fiancé acts "as mean as a bat" I understood the deeper meaning (113). This simile shows Olive's true emotions through an almost child-like tone. This indirectly characterizes her as sensitive under her hard exterior as she feels victimized by the woman Chris will marry. This hidden softness comes up once again when Julie Harwood explains to her little sister, Winnie, that Mrs. Kitteridge, her future math teacher, says "weird things…very powerfully" (195). Through Julie's reassuring tone she calms Winnie by indirectly characterizing Mrs. Kitteridge as wise and knowing. Julie Harwood broke the judgement in my mind about Olive's sternness in the classroom from mean math teacher to insightful woman trying to improve children's lives. Olive's actions, while undoubtedly questionable at times, always have a deeper rooted motive or past experience that gives her her personality. I judge Olive's actions as commendable as she tries to deal with the pressures of modern life as best as she can. 

Soul Food

Typically, when you hear the words hungry or starving, you think of food: a granola bar in your backpack or the lunch you forgot to eat. That persistent nagging in your stomach that won't go away until you devour your PB&J and satisfy your hunger. However, as Elizabeth Strout writes Olive Kitteridge set in her native home, Maine, she looks deeper into different meanings of the word hunger. Though only directly addressed in the chapter rightfully titled "Starving", Strout shows a kind of hunger in almost every one of her complex characters. This hunger, however, does not make Olive Kitteridge reaching for a doughnut. The aching feeling of starvation that these characters face lies in their heart and soul. Strout uses the longing that these characters face in order to address the timeless and universal truth that people crave what they cannot have. For instance, when Henry Kitteridge first encounters Denise, he also meets her "strong, young husband" (11). The glorifying diction of "strong" and "young" creates an envious tone from Henry as he longs for his youth and young love. His envy asserts that people do not appreciate their youth and let it fly by. In his heart he craves the time when he and Olive had a passionate love, a hunger that Denise and her husband filled for him, however not completely. He shares this hunger with a man named Harmon who finds satisfaction in having an affair with his close friend Daisy. Exclaiming "such abundance…next to him", Strout indirectly characterizes Harmon as depressed as he looks on to what he most wants (77). This connection of Henry and Harmon in their similar desires further supports Straut's universal truth. The fact that both Henry and Harmon feed they hunger by either imagining or engaging in an affair indirectly characterizes both of them as desperate. However, Strout does not dismiss the idea of fueling their hunger. She almost makes it seem acceptable when Olive suggests "sure I am [hungry]. We all are" (96). Here Olive suggests that everyone feels hunger, yet Strout implies that the hunger does not always lie in a mid morning snack. She indirectly characterizes Olive as insightful as she seems the only one who has figured this out. Using a young, anorexic girl, Nina, Strout shows that not indulging in hunger can lead to demise and one's ultimate end in order to urge people to feed themselves. She notices as the modern world continues to grow, more people fall into the daily hum-drum of life, finding themselves not pursuing their passions and trying to please those they really do not care about, metaphorically starving themselves. Strout includes the universal truth of people wanting what they can not have to urge people to go after what they want and not settle for less. Through the first third of Olive Kitteridge, Strout encourages people to eat. Not only literally eating a bowl of cereal before school, but finding what truly makes one happy and indulging in it ravenously. 

Illusions, hopeless humans, and cocky America

As I came to the end of Cat's Cradle, author Kurt Vonnegut left me with several new concepts to think about. Throughout the book, Vonnegut has used his characters and storyline to comment on mankind and their plights in order to strive towards a more modern and perfect world. However, the perfection does not always prove more than a nice illusion. For example. when Jonah checks in to the Casa Mono, his room had air-conditioning and "there were fresh flowers" at his bedside table, yet his bed went unmade and the room had no other amenities in it (156). The "flowers" serve as a symbol for the nice, perfect exterior while beneath the false reality, something goes missing and it seems empty once the illusion melts away. Vonnegut displays this false reality yet again after the storm hit San Lorenzo and the survivors sit in the remains of Frank Hoenikker's house. They all act pleasant and carry on every day activities, yet Jonah notes that underneath the "cozy conversation" the "nagging SOS transmitter" reminded him of the reality of their situation (277). Through these examples, Vonnegut indirectly characterizes humans as weak creatures who always need to feel good about their situation, even if the end of the world goes on around them. This challenges humans, especially me, to look beyond the surface to see the deeper and more realistic world. This more realistic world, Vonnegut also suggests, only exists under a certain condition. Ambassador Minton realizes this as well as he gives his wreath dedication speech to a crowds of many different people. He recognizes that for a more realistic and prosperous world to exist, humans must make a concentrated and ceaseless effort to "reduce the stupidity and viciousness" of mankind (255). through his urgent tone, he indirectly characterizes mankind as ignorant and prone to repeating history. Yet although Ambassador Minton sees hope for humans, Bokonon foils him as "'nothing'" can a man hope for after taking past history into account (245). I tend to agree more with Minton as I see our past history as a learning and growing opportunity rather than a foreshadowing of our planets ultimate future. If humans can learn from the past and apply the knowledge gained from the experience to the future, then this world will prosper. However, if humans remain ignorant to the past and refuse to learn, the Bokonon will have made an accurate prediction of the fate of the human race. A final insight I gained from reading Cat's Cradle came from Claire Minton. Claire suggests that "'People are hated" and that "Americans…were foolish" in thinking that no one hated them, yet she received punishment for her brutally honest opinion (98). During this summer, the olympics often bring that feeling to every American home. American pride soars and with every gold medal, our country believes ten more that we stand as the greatest. If Claire Minton sat and watched the Olympics, she would cheer evenly for every victory and mourn every loss. Claire's words have shown me the ridiculousness in some Americans that they believe themselves better than the rest. Through Vonnegut's masterful novel, I have gained insights about not only myself but about human nature as well.

Warning: Not for the opinionated or outwardly optimistic

Optimist: a word defined by dictionary.com as a person disposed to take a favorable view of events or conditions. Optimist: a word defined by me as a person who should not read Cat's Cradle. Author and essayist, Kurt Vonnegut writes his dark humored satire, Cat's Cradle in order to entertain, question, and criticize. However, although entertaining, Vonnegut heavily criticizes and reveals the bleak nature of mankind. For example, when arriving at San Lorenzo, Jonah discovers that "everybody was bound to fail" (133). No one likes to hear that inevitably, their endeavors will fail, however there exist some people who have accepted that fact. This could prove too cynical for the optimistic mind who believe themselves able to do anything. Optimists also find themselves bothered by little Newt's impending question "'See the cat? See the cradle?'" (179) Newt daily takes the sacredness of life and marriage and compares it to a child's game, indirectly characterizing both of those things as meaningless and futile. The fact that the cat and the cradle never exist implies that marriage and even life prove man-made entities with no real purpose but to entertain and trick. The cynic as well as the thoughtful, open mind will enjoy this thoroughly, however it may disturb those who think happy thoughts or can not see past Little Newt playing with a piece of sting. Which leads to another group of people who should not read this book: the close-minded. At the beginning of the book, Jonah warns that people who can not understand his point of view will not understand the book, which proves very true throughout the second third. Jonah serves as the main example of an ope-minded person as he asks if the Hoenikker's have a "copy of The Books of Bokonon" (190). His eager tone and readiness to learn more about Bokonism despite his Christianity indirectly characterizes him as open-minded to things outside of his comfort zone. I know I had to take a step back in order to see the deeper meaning of the book as I tended to only see the literal meaning. Vonnegut writes in such a way that one must take on the attitude of Jonah himself, a pessimist and willing to learn, in order to truly understand and enjoy this book.

Just My Style

Author and essayist, Kurt Vonnegut writes his dark humored satire, Cat's Cradle in order to entertain, question, and criticize. However, I find his style of writing very helpful to all of the meaning of this book. Written shortly after American released the atomic bomb on Japan, Vonnegut sets his novel  through writer,  Jonah and his mission to write a book about Dr. Felix Hoenikker, one of the minds behind the atomic bomb. He proves able to keep the reader involved in the book through his use of short chapter that very often pose a statement about humanity. The short chapters allow the reader to stop and think of the implications and digest Vonnegut's various claims and assertions. Though the chapters divide, they also run together and read as one long chapter, making it easy to follow the story and understand it. Along with an interesting plot, Vonnegut discusses real world issues at the time having to do with the bomb. For instance when Jonah travels to a headstone shop, the owner discusses his nephew and how he worked as a scientist, yet when the bomb dropped, "'kid quit, and he got drunk'" (71). I found the frequent discussion of people's drastic reactions to the bomb intriguing as it kept me reading. Vonnegut's choice of narration, although not my favorite, proved interesting as well. At the beginning of the book when Jonah puts a disclaimer that no one "will…understand this book" if they can not grasp a beginning concept, excites in the reader a desire to continue and understand the concepts as it poses a challenge (6). in addition, Vonnegut included stereotypes in his work while evoking a sense of dark humor  to appeal to different kinds of readers. Throughout the first third, Jonah only addresses Newt Hoenikker as "Little Newt" (51). This directly characterizes Newt as "Little", shedding light on his midget status. While somewhat offensive, it also seems almost endearing that he refers to him as that. A sort of funny nickname that makes it seem as though he has known him for years. All of these characteristics combined makes the style of Vonnegut's book very easy and enjoyable to read.