Literature Analysis The Alchemist

• The story revolves around the world of a boy named Santiago, and his quest for a hidden treasure. The inciting incident is when Santiago meets Melchizedek, and Melchizedek tells him about his treasure that awaits him.
• The central message in this book is following your dreams.
• The tone of the book is hopeful and reflective. It made feel think about my life more analytically, and made me want to read more to find out what was going to happen next. 

Characterization:

1. Santiago- is an Andalusian shepherd boy, which has a dream about finding treasure in the Pyramids of Egypt. Coelho uses indirect characterization to describe him because he is the protagonist, and the story revolves around him. The Alchemist- not much is known about this man except that he is 200 years old and he is the owner of the Philosopher’s stone and the Elixir of Life. Coelho uses indirect characterization to describe the alchemist because he plays a big role in the end of the story.
2. Coelho’s syntax is that he uses a wide variety of sentences and his diction is that he uses mostly simple vocabulary words.
3. The protagonist (Santiago) can be considered a dynamic character due to the fact on how we see how we see his changes as a person throughout the book.
4. When I read this book long ago, I felt that I was reading about someone than meeting them.

Literature Analysis Les Misérables

• The story revolves around ex-convict Jean Valjean and the struggles he faces throughout his life. The inciting incident is when Fantine dies and Jean Valjean goes to jail.
• I think that the central message of the story is the fight for freedom.
• The tone of the book is criticism towards society.

Characterization

1. Jean Valjean is an ex-convict and has different names that he goes by. Cosette is the daughter of Fantine and lived with the Thénardiers until Valjean saved her.
2. The diction and syntax of Hugo is early English from the 1800s.
3. Valjean is considered a round character because we follow his journey and are able to see his thoughts.
4. When I read this book long ago, I felt like I was reading about the sad tales of people, than actually meeting them.

Masterpiece Academy Essay

Angel Vega Dr.Preston Expository Writing and Composition 6/1/14 Masterpiece Academy I can't and don't want to believe it, but my senior year in high school is finally going to come to an end. I've learned so much from this past school year I feel as if I changed as a person. I've been willing to do more things compared to my previous years. I am more open minded to situations and topics. Reason being the several different exercises we have done together in this class. Like the current health issues and our personal lives after alked about earlier in the semester. Trust. Its very hard to gain trust and even harder gain back someones trust. You seemed to have confidence in everyone of your students and seemed to trust in our decisions. But I'm not sure if I deserved your trust. To me it seems that I have let you down and your expectations of me as a student a part of Open Source Learning. For that I say I'm sorry to have let you down. On another note, each person has something or someone that drives them to do or be something great. Throughout the course of this schoolyear, I have rekindled a passion of mine which is helping people in need. It took me longer than I had anticipated but it worked out in the end. I will be attending classes at Allan Hancock College in order to prepare myself for actual EMS classes, if I get accepted into the program. Something made me laugh out loud was how we treated the class. Now I don't mean I thought this class was a joke, but how us as students were able to change the course, or as you'd probably say hack. I enjoyed teaching my colleagues about the subjects that were supposed to becovered in a regular style class. For example, the value of a life. Me and a group were able to go into detail about the subject and then give our own proper opinions on the subject. If there was one theme or idea that all the masterpiece projects it would have to be flow theory. I had just learned about it recently when Shane Cheverez brought it up in his presentation. What I got was that flow theory is putting all your focus into one single thing your doing, or being in sync with what you are doing. Everyone was passionate about what they talked about, whether it was Jorge Garcia and breakdancing or Bobby Rucobo and Xavier Navarro's clothing line. A technique that I liked was Veronica Cavazos' where she asked for feedback from the audience. Not everyone did that, and only spoke about their masterpiece. .i.The last time I talked about the hero's journey was back in my freshman year learning about Odysseus. Compared to him, I've had much easier life. But seriously I'm not sure if I had a complete hero's journey. Sure I've had my good days and my bad days, but nothing too bad that I couldn't handle. I did find a mentor, I've known him most of my life, but he was the one who help me realize my goal of becoming an EMT. In the end, I believe that my life has changed for the better. I'm sure that I am not the only on that feels that way. So from myself and everyone in the class you Dr.Preston.

EMT MASTERPIECE

For those of you who missed my presentation in class earlier this week, here is a link to my prezi.

http://prezi.com/l9g4lzyibujf/emergency-medical-technician/

FICTION ANALYSIS

Fiction Analysis: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

1. Robert Louis Stevenson's story revolves around the point of view of Gabriel Utterson, a lawyer. As he tries to discover the problems of his fellow friend Dr. Henry Jekyll, and a murder case involving a suspect named Edward Hyde. As the story continues, we find out slightly more information about the two and how they relate.  At the climax of the story, it is assumed that Mr. Hyde had murdered Dr. Jekyll, and locked himself in Jekyll's home. They find Mr. Hyde had killed himself, and with Dr. Jekyll no where to be find. However it was discovered that Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll were the same person based off letters that Utterson read from Dr. Lanard and Dr. Jekyll.
2. One of the themes that I got from this story is the problems of addiction. The concoction/potion that Jekyll would drink would allow him to morph into Hyde. Even after he told himself that he would quit turning back into Hyde, he still did it. Until at one point he couldn't change back into his regular self.
3. Stevenson's uses both a mysterious and unsettling tone.
1. "The last, I think; for O my poor old Harry Jekyll, if ever I read Satan's signature upon a face, it is on that of your new friend." - Gabriel Utterson
2. "...and then came the horrible part of the thing; for the man trampled calmly over the child's body and left her screaming on the ground." - Richard Enfield
3. "...and in that case, can we venture to declare this suicide? O, we must be careful. i foresee that we may yet involve your master in some dire catastrophe." - Gabriel Utterson
4. Literary Elements/Techniques:
1. Symbolism - Concoction/potion symbolizes a form of addiction.
2. Oxymoron - "...trampled calmly..." - Richard Enfield/Page.6
3. Irony - It is ironic that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are the same person because they have two completely different features and characteristics.
4. Point of View - Third person, limited
5. Setting - England in the late 1800s
6. Genre - Thriller, Mystery, Drama
7. Allusion - "'I incline to Cain's heresy,' he used to say quaintly: 'i let my brother go to the devil in his own way.'" Refers to Cain and Abel of the Bible.

PEER REVIEW

Valentina Alvarado (http://valvaradorhs14exposcomp.blogspot.com/): I can see a lot of her own personality expressed in her blog. For example, the color font she uses. I can't remember the last time I saw Tina turn in an assignment without there being some type of color in it. 9/10

Maggie Guia (http://maggie-guia.tumblr.com/): I like what she did by using Tumblr instead of using the generic Blogspot that everyone uses. She has all of her assignments organized in her archive section. Font is a little too small, but besides that it looks good. 8/10

Matt Reynolds (http://mattrey18exposcomp.blogspot.com/): Matt seems very open with expressing his opinions. Like the fact that he added a bio, and a link to his Twitter page in order to keep up with his activities. It seems as if he is keeping his blog up to date. 8/10

Alina Ramirez (http://alinaexpository.blogspot.com/): I like the ideas she expressed in one of her most recent post, where we must live on making decisions and how they will effect us. Just like me, she needs to update her blog. 7/10

Daniel Alvarez (http://danielexpository.blogspot.com/): For Daniel's blog I was expecting him to take about his passion, food. The font and the background are almost the same color, so it makes it a little hard to read. 7/10

MY OWN VOCAB #2

Behooves - it is a duty or responsibility for someone to do something

Extremities - the furthest point or limit of something

Immobilization - fixation of a body part in order to promote proper healing

Outpace - go, rise, or improve faster than

Anatomy - the branch of science concerned with the bodily structure of humans, animals, and other living organisms

Physiology - the branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts

Paramedic - a person who is trained to do medical work, esp. emergency first aid, but is not usually a fully qualified physician

Interpersonal - of or relating to relationships or communication between people

Technician - a person employed to look after technical equipment or do practical work in a laboratory

Adaptive - characterized by or given to adaptation

Intravenous Therapy - is the infusion of liquid substances directly into a vein

Trauma - a deeply distressing or disturbing experience

Echocardiograms -  test of the action of the heart using ultrasound waves to produce a visual display, used for the diagnosis or monitoring of heart disease

Practical - of or concerned with the actual doing or use of something rather than with theory and ideas

Esoteric - intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest

Cornerstone - a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls

Synthesis - combination or composition, in particular

Analogue - a person or thing seen as comparable to another

Emblazoned - conspicuously inscribe or display (a design) on something

Chlorination - the addition or substitution of chlorine in organic compounds

FAILURE TO LAUNCH

I'm not talking about the romantic comedy starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew McConaughey. However I might have gotten the title of this post due to this movie. As you may have already seen/read not much work has been done on my blog. Nothing important has been posted. I feel like I'm missing the rocket fluid I need to finally take off. I do have some fellow rocket scientists trying to assist me with the system failure, but I'm not really taking their advise into consideration. I continue to ignore the fact that work has to be done, and distract myself with other things I value to do than the work I'm expected to do. I question myself periodically wondering if I have made the right decisions. Where have these decisions led me? Do I want to continue doing what I'm doing? I like it here on Earth and I'm not ready to venture into space...yet.

MY OWN VOCAB LIST #1

Insanity - the state of being seriously mentally ill; madnessFit- in good healthRepetition - the action of repeating something that has already been said or writtenResistance - the refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument
Endurance - the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way
Oblique - a muscle neither parallel nor perpendicular to the long axis of a body or limb
Respiration - the action of breathing
Cardio - of or relating to the heart
Sprain - wrench or twist the ligaments violently so as to cause pain and swelling but not dislocation
Warm Up - prepare for physical exertion or a performance by exercising or practicing gently beforehand
Muscle Fatigue - is the decline in ability of a muscle to generate force
Pace - the speed or rate at which something happens, changes, or develops
Competent - having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully
ASVAB - The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States Armed Forces
Aptitude - a natural ability to do something

VOCABULARY 8

Definitions:

cursory - hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
impetus - the force or energy with which a body movea
pinnacle - a high, pointed piece of rock
contumely - insolent or insulting language or treatment
bereavement - mourning: state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
cache - a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place
consummation - the point at which something is complete or finalized
calamity - an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster
avarice - extreme greed for wealth or material gain
fortify - strengthen (a place) with defensive works so as to protect it against attack
erratic - not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable
ubiquitous - present, appearing, or found everywhere
fortitude - courage in pain or adversity
nonchalant - feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm
affect - have an effect on; make a difference to
effect - a change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause
misappropriate - dishonestly or unfairly take
pragmatic - dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations
metacognition - awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes
devoutly - having or showing deep religious feeling or commitment

THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY SHORTCUT!

I just recently put up my literature analysis about The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. If you however don't feel like reading a long literature analysis (like me), then lucky for I found a TED talk with A.J. Jacobs where he talks about his biblical journey

LITERATURE ANALYSIS: THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY

Nonfiction Analysis: The Year of Living Biblically

TOPIC(S) and/or EVENT(S):

• The Year of Living Biblically was written by A.J. Jacobs and he speaks of how he lived an entire year following the words of the Bible in a literal meaning instead of the metaphorical meaning.
• Jacobs gives several reasons on why he chose to embark on his journey. From changing his agnostic views on religion, to taking inspiration from his ex-uncle Gil that would also take what he learned from the Bible in a literal meaning.
• Such as my last nonfiction analysis, this novel was also recommended to me by sophomore English teacher Mrs. Byrne. Since the last novel she gave me truly entertained me I wondered if she could help me choose another novel. Long story short, she did.
• To be honest, it is truly hard for me to find this novel realistic. Reason being is that I have never heard of anyone deciding to live their life to the literal meaning of the Bible.

People:

• Throughout the novel, Jacobs gives his own interpretations based on his own personal observations.
• Main Characters:
• A.J. Jacobs - the main protagonist and author of The Year of Living Biblically. His physical appearance changes dramatically from the beginning to the end of the story. First we have this average clean cut looking guy with a nice suit. In the end however, we don't see this guy anymore. We see a shaggy bearded men who looked like he lived off the street and never had a chance to shave. Going to a nice formal suit to a one piece clothing attire and sandals. He likes to challenge himself and questions his own abilities. If I were to rewrite him as a fictional character, I would use direct characterization because he tends to speak out his mind throughout the novel.
• Julie Jacobs - is the wife A.J. Jacobs. Julie is shorter then her husband by a couple of inches, and based on the way she dressed you wouldn't think that she was married to a man devoted to living to very little thing the Bible says. She is willing to put with all the shenanigans that her husband does. If I were to rewrite Julie as a fictional character, I would use direct characterization. Reason being because we don't really get to know what her exact feelings were towards her husband during the entire year.
• I think what is interesting to write about these people is their struggle. One living his life based on the words of God (A.J. Jacobs), and the one who has to put up with it (Julie).
• Jacobs uses both direct and indirect characterization in order to represent his view towards other character and his views toward the audience.
• Direct Characterization:
• "A lot of my friends expect me to speak like a walking King James Bible. They want me... to spout words like thou and woe unto and whosoever shall"" (Page 99)
• "I was reading in one of my Bible commentaries about how the flood is such a tragic story...and how strange it is that it's always made into cute kids' toys." (Page 116)
• Indirect Characterization:
• "Yea, I shall rejoice in a feast of pizza." (Page 99)
• "I had tried to show off my biblical knowledge, and I ended up insulting my only friendly neighbor. The Bible tells us not to be know-it-alls." (Page 116)
• Jacobs changes his syntax and diction as often as he can when they focus on a character. One moment Jacobs will talk philosophically about a topic and then talk about his child to a fellow character.
• Jacobs is a very dynamic and round character. Dynamic in the sense that he goes through his own biblical journey, and round because we get to learn with Jacobs and his journey.
• After reading this novel, I would think that Jacobs was a fictional character that I just read about. While I was reading this novel, I was completely baffled that someone who grew up in a not very religious household would decide to dedicate a year of their life living almost word by word of what the Bible said.

Style:

• Jacobs uses fictional writing techniques in his novel. One of these techniques is allusions. Throughout his novel he makes allusions to the Bible (kind of obvious). He just doesn't do it to show the rules of the Bible, he uses these excerpts when they are necessary. Whether to show a point or to show that it relates to the previous topic that he was talking about.
• This novel has his fair amounts of dialogue, but when it comes to how the majority of the novel is written, Jacobs is very meticulous when it came to writing this because of lengthy descriptions. To someone like me, I am not fond of reading about descriptions. I find it rather boring, and prefer more action and dialogue.
• From just the front cover of the novel we can tell that Jacobs tone is going to be sarcastic. Holding the ten commandments in one hand and holding a cup of coffee in the other.
• I think that Jacobs like to torture himself. I don't mean that he hurts himself physically, but he likes to make things harder on himself. I came up with this due to reading this novel, and hearing about his previous book where he tried to learn everything by reading an encyclopedia.
• At the end of the novel, Jacobs gives a list of the works he has cited. Jacobs uses different versions of the Bible, and using works of others and their views on religion. Actually this hasn't affected me. Most writers tend to use different resources in order to support their ideas.

Enduring Memory:

An idea that I learned from this novel is that when reading a book like the Bible, make sure to distinguish the literal and metaphorical meanings. Not everyone tends to pick up the Bible daily and live life as if it is portrayed. Well that's how God may want it, It sounds impossible! We as humans will always make mistakes, and cannot be perfect.

"And he shall read it in all the days of his life..." - Deuteronomy 17:19

VOCABULARY 7

Definitions:

cursory - hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
impetus - the force or energy with which a body movea
pinnacle - a high, pointed piece of rock
contumely - insolent or insulting language or treatment
bereavement - mourning: state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
cache - a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place
consummation - the point at which something is complete or finalized
calamity - an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster
avarice - extreme greed for wealth or material gain
fortify - strengthen (a place) with defensive works so as to protect it against attack
erratic - not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable
ubiquitous - present, appearing, or found everywhere
fortitude - courage in pain or adversity
nonchalant - feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm
affect - have an effect on; make a difference to
effect - a change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause
misappropriate - dishonestly or unfairly take
pragmatic - dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations
metacognition - awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes
devoutly - having or showing deep religious feeling or commitment

NETVIBES

So supposedly Netvibes has everything that has everything you wanted as soon as you open your web browser. You can personalize it yourself to your own liking. It has everything from games, news reports, weather,etc. I decided to try it out. On my Netvibes account I have my local weather, a couple Sudoku games when I'm bored, a link to Dr. Preston's blog for quick updates. Since I just started this I'm looking for to new widgets that will show my personality. I truly recommend checking this website out.

VOCABULARY 6

Definitions:

Adroit - clever or skillful in using the hands or minds

Amicable - having a spirit of friendliness

Averse - having a strong dislike of or opposition to something

Belligerent - hostile and aggressive

Benevolent - well meaning and kindly

Cursory - hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed

Duplicity - decitefulness

Extol - praise enthustiastically

Feasible - possible to do easily or conveniently

Grimace - an ugly, twisted expression on a person's face; showing disgust or pain

Holocaust - destruction or slaughter on a mass scale

Impervious - not allowing fluid to pass through

Impetus - the force or energy with which a body moves

Jeopardy - danger of loss, harm, or failure

Meticulous - showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise

Nostalgia - a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past

Quintessence - the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class

Retrogress - go back to an earlier state, typically a worse one

Scrutinize - examine or inspect closely and thoroughly

Tepid - only slightly warm; lukewarm

Accede - to give consent, approval, or adherence

Brandish - to shake or wave, as a weapon

Comprise - to include or contain, consist of

Deft - dexterous, nimble, skillful, clever

Destitute - deprived of, lacking food, clothing and shelter

Explicit - cleverly developed or formulated

Extirpate - to remove or destroy totally, do away with

Inopportune - inappropriate, inconvenient, untimely

Ironic - using words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning, mockery

Musty - having an odor or flavor suggestive of mold, as old buildings, stale food, dull

Officious - volunteering one's services where they are neither asked nor needed

Ominous - being or exhibiting an omen, foreshadowing evil

Pinnacle - an upright architectural member generally ending in a small spire and used especially in Gothic construction to give weight especially to a buttress

Premeditated - to think about and revolve in the minded beforehand

Rampant - flourishing or spreading unchecked

Solace - to give comfort to in grief or misfortune

Stately - a marked by lofty or imposing dignity

Supple - compliant often to the point of obsequiousness

Suppress - to put down by authority of force, subdue

Venal - capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration

VOCABULARY 5

Definitions:

adroit - clever or skillful in using the hands or minds

amicable - having a spirit of friendliness

averse - having a strong dislike of or opposition to something

belligerent - hostile and aggressive

benevolent - well meaning and kindly

cursory - hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed

duplicity - decitefulness

extol - praise enthustiastically

feasible - possible to do easily or conveniently
grimace - an ugly, twisted expression on a person's face; showing disgust or pain
holocaust - destruction or slaughter on a mass scale
impervious - not allowing fluid to pass through
impetus - the force or energy with which a body moves
jeopardy - danger of loss, harm, or failure
meticulous - showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise
nostalgia - a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past
quintessence - the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class
retrogress - go back to an earlier state, typically a worse one
scrutinize - examine or inspect closely and thoroughly
tepid - only slightly warm; lukewarm

Sentences:

I am quite adroit when it involves working with cars.

After meeting several of the new foreign exchange students, I noticed that they all had an amicable attitude.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, several of the soldiers had an averse views towards the Japanese.

Most consider pit bulls to be belligerent animals, however they lack to see their true nature.

Even though his actions were dangerous, I knew he had benevolent intentions.

I finished my essay in a cursory manner because I had set off my essay until the end of the week.

Julius Caesar was murdered brutally due to the duplicity of Brutus and his accomplices. 

The valedictorian of my school was praised quite extol for his academic status.

How is it that others can write essays feasibly, while I struggle to make an introduction?

Isn't it ironic that Grimace name means to have a twisted expression, while Grimace himself is always smiling?

Anne Frank's Diary is one of the most popular books about the life during the Holocaust.

Creating dams were essential in the twentieth century to provide energy, but they had to be impervious so water would not leak.

My teacher's encouragement was the impetus that led me to attend college.

My drivers license and life were in jeopardy because I was driving while intoxicated.

Those who put time in drawing, must have a meticulous attribute.

Some adults show nostalgia when they play music from when they were growing up.

How boring would it be to be in a quintessence classroom with the same type of people? 

The survivors of the nuclear explosion retrogress into a state of anarchy.

Edgar Allan Poe was a harsh critic, who scrutinized the works of several authors.

I don't like showering in scorching hot water, I prefer more tepid water.

LITERATURE ANALYSIS: TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE

Nonfiction Analysis: Tuesdays with Morrie

Topic(s) and/or Event(s):

• After graduating from Brandeis University, Albom says goodbye to his professor Morrie Schwartz. Promising to keep in touch with Morrie, Albom's career has him break this promise. Years pass by and Albom is living a very successful life, meanwhile his old professor Morrie has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). While flipping through TV channels he found that caught him by surprise. Morrie was being interviewed on TV. Now knowing that Morrie had very little time left, Albom decided to go visit his former professor and made it a habit by visiting him every Tuesday.
• I believe that Albom chose to write about this to keep the memory of his former professor alive, and hoping that Morrie's final lessons could help others.
• This book was recommended to me by my former English teacher Mrs. Byrne. After several different recommendations, I decided to read this book due to the fact that it seemed more interesting than the rest. The reason that this book caught my attention was the introduction. In the introduction, Albom describes the "curriculum" of the class and the final exam was to write a long paper that was later called Tuesdays with Morrie.
• I found this book to be realistic. In a way I was able to make connections between this book and my own life. The death of Morrie reminded me of the death of my grandfather. Even though my grandfather did not have ALS, he suffered from prostate cancer. But like Morrie, my grandfather did not want me to see his death as a bad thing.

People:

• It is true that we see Albom's perspective of himself and other characters. Based on what he says about others he never speaks down on them, but has at least good things to say about them.  As for his tone it changes throughout the book, but the tone I seemed to identify was quite remorseful, especially when he has a conversation with Morrie.
• Main Characters:
• Mitch Albom: In, the story we get two see both sides of Albom. The eager student in college and the final student of Morrie. He is about six feet tall with black hair. In a fictional story I would use direct characterization because I have already read the story through his perspective.
• Morrie Schwartz: A former college professor of Albom with a enlightened view on life. Physically he is a small man with blue-green eyes and thinning silver hair that spills onto his forehead. If I were to rewrite this as a fictional story, I would use indirect characterization for Morrie's character in order to reveal Morrie's true emotions and thoughts of his final moments.
• What is interesting about these two characters is their relationship with each other. Even after the several years that gone by, they tend to keep a good attitude towards each other and share their views openly.

Style:

• Albom used a bit of tools of fiction writing. For example he used allusions in certain parts of the book. One of these allusions was about Job. The man from the bible that God made suffer in order to test his faith.
• I would say that Albom uses lengthy description mostly on action and dialogue. Because of these choices the overall effect is that we focus on the lessons that Morrie teaches.
• A tool that Albom uses to demonstrate tone and to create a mood is a simplistic writing format.
• I believe that Albom's attitude toward the audience was to not just inform them about Morrie's final moments, but to let them identify their own perspectives when it comes to death and farewells.
• While writing the story, Albom interviewed other close relatives and friends of Morrie. This helps contribute the story because it helps reveal more about Morrie the just his final moments. We get to see Morrie's past and struggles that led him to where he was.

Enduring Moment

An idea I picked up from this book was that death ends a life, not a relationship. To me it means that the death of someone will not mean that the person is truly gone.  Each persons life is valuable and should not be taken for granted. All of the memories that you have shared with someone will not be diminished, but will continue to live on through others. 

"As long as we can love each other, and remember the felling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away" - Morrie Schwartz

VOCABULARY 4

Definitions:

Accede - to give consent, approval, or adherence

Brandish - to shake or wave, as a weapon

Comprise - to include or contain, consist of

Deft - dexterous, nimble, skillful, clever

Destitute - deprived of, lacking food, clothing and shelter

Explicit - cleverly developed or formulated

Extirpate - to remove or destroy totally, do away with

Inopportune - inappropriate, inconvenient, untimely

Ironic - using words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning, mockery

Musty - having an odor or flavor suggestive of mold, as old buildings, stale food, dull

Officious - volunteering one's services where they are neither asked nor needed

Ominous - being or exhibiting an omen, foreshadowing evil

Pinnacle - an upright architectural member generally ending in a small spire and used especially in Gothic construction to give weight especially to a buttress

Premeditated - to think about and revolve in the minded beforehand

Rampant - flourishing or spreading unchecked

Solace - to give comfort to in grief or misfortune

Stately - a marked by lofty or imposing dignity

Supple - compliant often to the point of obsequiousness

Suppress - to put down by authority of force, subdue

Venal - capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration

Sentences:

I acceded with Dr. Preston's view on Syria, but our ideas about handling the situation were very different.

In order to frighten the children, the actor brandished his sword.

The cake for Julio was comprised of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

Using my deft mind, I was able to deduce the riddle before time had run out.

Lately there have been an increase of donations at the food drive for those that are destitute of necessities.

Thanks to modern technology we are able to maintain our children from watching explicit material.

In order to move on with my life, I extirpated all the photos I had of Harry Styles.

Some people might consider throwing a tantrum in the store is inopportune.

Don't you think it's ironic that she won the lottery, but lost her ticket.

As I passed by the kitchen I noticed a musty scent near the bread.

While I was in Las Vegas, an escort kept offering her officious services.

Mount Everest is the Earth's highest mountain, with a pinnacle peak of 8,848 meters.

After premeditating, Beyonce was ready to perform at her sold out concert.

The popularity of The Dark Knight series have increased rampantly.

After my uncle passed away, we solaced my aunt during these hard times.

Justin Timberlake looked rather stately in his suit and tie.

After taking orders from others, I just became supple and did whatever I was told.

In order to suppress my cravings, I just ate bread and water.

I don't usually take orders from people, but I'm quite venal when there is food involved.

VOCABULARY 3

Definitions:

accomplice - a person who helps another commit a crime

annihilate - destroy utterly; obliterate

arbitrary - based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

brazen - bold and without shame

catalyst - spark, cause for something

exodus - a mass departure of people

facilitate - make (an action or process) easy or easier

incorrigible - incapable of being corrected or amended

latent - existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden

militant - combative and aggressive in support of a political or social cause

morose - sullen and ill-tempered

opaque - not able to be seen through; not transparent

paramount - more important than anything else

prattle - talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way

rebut - claim or prove that (evidence or an accusation) is false

reprimand - rebuke, scolding

servitude - the state of being a slave or completely subject to someone more powerful

slapdash - done too hurriedly and carelessly, careless

stagnant - having no current or flow 

succumb - fail to resist

Sentences:

The student who was caught cheated due to his accomplice, the teacher's assisstant.

United States plan to stop World War II was to annihilate the city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Teams were put together in teams arbitrarily by an app.

During rallies, students wear purple brazenly to show their support.

During the lab, the catalyst discovered was heat that allowed oxygen to expand.

Due to the concert being cancelled, there was an exodus of disappointed fans.

In order to facilitate the needs of his students, Dr. Preston made them only write one essay.

Due to Dr. Cooper's incorrigible attitude we had to sushi last night.

Many video game designers keep their projects latent to keep fans anxious and waiting.

In Peru, citizens showed militant behaviors during one of their protests.

Even though mirrors are opaque, one-way mirrors are an exception.

The varsity football players are more paramount, then the freshman team.

An old teacher of mine would used to prattle during a lesson about his fishing trips.

A defense attorney's job is to rebut the accusations of their client.

After spilling the water for the third time, my mother began to reprimand about wasting water.

I was put into servitude, after losing a bet to my cousin.

The employee at the car wash did a slapdash job when it came to cleaning my windshields.

The pool became stagnant after we all got out of it.

I succumbed to the temptation of eating freshly made cookies.