Of Mice and Men Section 2

In section 2, George and Lennie went to find a job, they met their boss and his son, Curley, and his wife, they also met their colleagues, Candy and Slim. They all have very different personalities. Candy and Slim are very nice to George and Lennie, different than them, Carlson, Curley and his wife are very mean to them. I saw some foreshadowing in this section, one is that George want Lennie always to remember to hide in the brush by the river to wait for George to arrive if he get into any trouble, why down in the brush? Is Lennie still going to get into troubles? Another foreshadow in about Candy's dog, Steinbeck described his dog specifically, "And at his heels there walked a drag-footed sheep dog, grey of muzzle, and with pale, blind old eye. The dog struggled lamely to the side of the room and lay down, grunting softly to himself and licking his grizzled, moth-eaten coat. The swamper watched him until he was settled." I thought that there is something similar between Candy's dog and Lennie, Steinbeck wrote that Lennie dragged his feet a little when he walks, just like Candy's dog. They are both someone who cumbers someone that cares for them. If Candy's dog represent Lennie, than at the end of section 2, is Steinbeck trying to tell us that something is going to happen between Curley and Lennie? Candy's dog also represents Candy when Carlson asked that why can't they just get rid of  the dog because he is too old, he can't do any thing anymore, that is what Candy's afraid of because he is also old, he don't want the boss to fire him and hire someone that is young and strong, he wants to be a part of the ranch. My character is Slim, so I payed the most attention on him. According to section 2, he appeared after Curley's wife went for looking for Curley. "A tall man stood in the doorway. He held a crushed Stetson hat under his arm while he combed his long, black, damp hair straight back. Like the others he wore blue jeans and a short denim jacket. When he had finished bombing his hair, he moved into the room, and he moved with a majesty only achieved by a royalty and master craftsmen. He was a jerkline skinner, the prince of the ranch, capable of driving ten, sixteen, even twenty mules with a single line to the leaders. He was capable of killing a flu on the wheeler's butt with a bull whip without touching the mule. There was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke. His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love." He is really nice and polite to George and Lennie and he have a dog named Lulu who just slang nine pups, he drowned four because Lulu can't feed that many. George and Lennie are very happy and exited because they might get to have one or more puppies from Slim. Will he help George and Lennie in the future?

Part 2

I have continued to enjoy the book, "Of Mice and Men."  During part two, I followed the character Curley.  In the book, he is described as, "A thin young man with a brown face, with brown eyes and a head of tightly curled hair.  He wore a work glove on his left hand, and, like the boss, he wore high-heeled shoes."  We also learned that Curley is the boss's son and that he got married two weeks ago.  From what I have told you about Curley so far, he probably seems like a decent character.  His personality shows that he is the opposite.  When Curley saw George and Lennie, he glanced coldly at them.  "His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists.  He stiffened and went into a slight crouch.  His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious."  He acted extremely rude towards Lennie and George and even said to George, "By Christ, he's (Lennie) gotta talk when he's spoke to.  What the hell are you gettin' into it for?"  Candy also revealed that Curley hates big men, because he is small.  Because of how Curley acted toward George and Lennie, George is concerned that Lennie, or even himself, is going to have trouble with Curley.  "I hate his guts," George said about Curley.
Foreshadowing was also represented in part two when Lennie said, "I don' like this place, George. This ain't no good place.  I wanna get outta here."  George tells Lennie that they need to stay so that they can make money.  This tells me that later in the book, something bad will happen, such as George and Curley getting into a fight.  If this happens, it will be a representation of irony.  Lennie has been described as forgetful and often making mistakes, and George has been described as a leader and taking care of Lennie.  If George makes a mistake and causes himself and Lennie to have to flee from where they work now, readers will be surprised and irony will be represented because of how George shows leadership and acts as a father figure towards Lennie at times.

In part two of OMAM, I chose to follow the character Curly. This young man had a brown face, brown eyes, and tight curly hair. He is also, handy, somewhat rude, and of a higher status. It said in the book "He wore a work glove on his left hand, and, like he boss, he wore high-heeled boots." From this passage I am assuming that Curly is of higher status then the swampers. I can support my thought further because, it also stated in the book that Curly gave Lennie and George aggressive looks, and talked to them rudely. If Curly was a swamper, he wouldn't have talked or looked at new people like that.
A few pages later it reads, "That's the bosses son." From this mans attitude and stature, I can conclude that he is rude and unwelcoming to others because, he thinks that he is too important. He is also mean because, Curly knows that his dads the boss, so he can do almost anything and not get punished.  In the book, another reason why Curly was being overly rude to George and Lennie was because, he apparently hats big guys, such as Lennie. He hates them because, he's a small thin boy. Once again, another reason why curly may be rude surfaces. Maybe he's showing off for his newly pronounced wife.
Both men George and Lennie are nervous that Curly will hurt them. I think this is foreshadowing because, the author wouldn't have put so much detail into how scared of Curly they were, if he isn't going to do anything later in the book. So, I think that Curly is going to do something to either phisaclly or mentally hurt probably Lennie.

Part Two: Of Mice and Men

Hanna Wurdack

                 During section two of OMAM, I observed a lot of foreshadowing and symbolism. I mostly saw symbolism through the old man or Candy and his dog. "The old man came slowly into the room. He had his broom in his hand. And at his heels there was a dragfooted sheepdog, gray of muzzle, and with pale, blind old eyes. The dog struggled lamely to the side of the room and lay down, grunting softly to himself and licking his grizzled, moth-eaten coat. The swamper watched him until he was settled," was a part on page 24 that showed true symbolism to me. I believe that the dog symbolizes Lennie, and Candy symbolizes George. In this paragraph from OMAM, it explained how the dog followed the old man at his heels, like Lennie following George everywhere he goes. It said he was blind, and Lennie doesn't really always know what he's doing, so George guides him, as if Lennie is blind. It also says the dog grunted softly to himself, like Lennie does when he's trying to remember something. The old man watched the dog until it had settled, like George always watches over and makes sure Lennie is OK.

                Then throughout section two, I observed a great amount of foreshadowing. "Well... tell you what. Curley's like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He's alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at 'em because he ain't a big guy," on page 26, this foreshadows what will happen later. "Well, he better watch out for Lennie. Lennie ain't no fighter, but Lennie's strong and quick and Lennie don't know no rules," on page 27 also adds to what might happen in the future. In this chapter, Curley showed a lot of hatred towards Lennie. I think these quotes from OMAM foreshadow Curley and Lennie getting into a fight or something bad will happen between them. Maybe this bad thing will have to make them run from their new job. I also think this might happen because George reminded Lennie many times to stay away from Curley and if he gets in trouble to run to the place they slept the night before and hide in the brush.  

      On page 37, I think the foreshadowing and symbolism was connected. On this page, Curley shows up again and asks George and Lennie where his wife was, and George responds with anger, disrespect, and rudeness. "Ya know Lennie, I'm scared I'm gonna tangle with that bastard myself. I hate his guts," shows foreshadowing. "After a moment the ancient dog walked lamely in through the open door. He gazed about with mild, half-blind eyes. He sniffed and then lay down and put his head between his paws. Curley popped into the doorway again and stood looking in the room. The dog raised his head, but when Curley jerked out, the grizzled head sank to the floor again," shows foreshadowing and symbolism. I think in this section the author led his readers to believe Lennie would eventually get in trouble with Curley and George and Lennie would have to run. But, on page 37 it seems the opposite. George explains how even he was scared he might get into it with Curley. Plus, when Curley comes in the old dog raises his head but doesn't get up. Still thinking of Lennie as the dog in this section, Lennie doesn't attack Curley but just raises his head. Will George get into a fight with Curley and will he and Lennie have to flee?

              

In section 2 I tracked Curley. Curley is a thin, brown, man with a head of tight curls. He has a very grumpy disposition and seems to have something that's always bothering him. He also seems to be very aggressive and belligerent. George was worried that Lennie might pick a fight with Curley because Curley hates big men. Towards the end of the section George starts worrying he might try to mess with Curley.

I thought that Curley's grumpy disposition had to do with his wife. Curley's wife was not loyal to him, and she was always flirting with other men. He would never get fired due to the fact that his dad was the boss. Bullies usually have a reason to be so angry and put other people down. Maybe Curley's past affected the way he is as an adult. Some days when I'm really mean to my sisters it's because someone was mean to me, or I did poorly on an assignment. 

I've also noticed that OMAM is centered around outcasts, and what happens to you when you are an outcast. Curley's wife's name never seems to be revealed. This might be because of her sex. The black man in the barn is forced to sleep there because of his race. Candy, the old man, is an outcast because of his age. And lastly, Lennie. There may be a debate about this but he is an outcast. Yes, he is a very important character, but so are all the other people I just listed. The people on the farm seem to be scared of Lennie because of his physical appearance and his way of thinking. The other characters are shy towards Lennie because he is very different physically and mentally. For example, he kills mice, and doesn't seem to interact with people. Do you think Lennie is an outcast?

WALSH Part 2 Qs (optional)

Part 2:

(REMEMBER: These questions are OPTIONAL; you can respond to them in a post, or just used them as direction for what to focus on while you read)

1. We meet several new characters. Choose one to discuss. What did we learn about them - - physically and their disposition? HOW did we learn about them? What do you think this character’s role in the story is?
 

2. Of the new characters that were introduce, does anyone stand out to you as different from the others? How so? What do you think Steinbeck’s rationale (thinking/planning) was here?
 

3. Steinbeck often reveals important information at the end of each section. Reread p 37 again closely. Analyze what is said about George and/or about Candy’s dog. What foreshadowing and/or symbolism is being addressed here?

I thought the first section of Mice and Men was very interesting. I found it interesting how Lennie kept repeating himself and George would get very angry at him. I also found it interesting how George was not very nice to Lennie, but when Lennie refused to leave, George said he was kidding. George obviously cared about Lennie enough that he was worried for him to go out n his own.

Section 1 Of Mice and Men

I thought that it was kind of odd that Lennie would want to hold on to the dead mouse. If I had a dead mouse, I would not keep it. I was wondering if it reminded him of his family? because in the story he explained that his aunt used to give him mice to pet while she was still alive. I was thinking that maybe it had to do with his family. Even after George told Lennie to put it away back into the nature, he still went back to go find it.  I thought that this was kind of strange. Another thing that I thought was strange was how Lennie immitated everything that George did. When George sat the way he did, Lennie followed. To me this kind of seemed like George had more power than Lennie did and George was kind of more in charge. Any thoughts? What do you think?

Of Mice and Men Section 1

In section one, we were introduced to two characters, Lennie and George. George was a small man with strong hands, slender arms, and a thin and bony nose. He is irascible, and snaps at Lennie frequently. Lennie is the exact opposite of George. He is larger, has big hands, large pale eyes, and sloping shoulders. He was described as "crazy" and has bad memory. He is more gentle than George, and has a love for animals, despite the fact that he accidentally kills many of them. Despite being completely different from each other, the to men truly care for each other. Lennie offers to go on his own so that George may have a better life, and when Lennie was feeling down, George offers to buy him a puppy when they get more land. I would like to see this relationship grow throughout the rest of the book.

Sections 1 - Salinas Valley 1930

Salinas Valley in the 1930's

The Salinas Valley was a big agricultural place and had lots of farms and ranches for people to work on.  Most of the people who worked on these farms and ranches lived in camps or trailers.  Many of the workers who lived in camps were immigrants.  The Dust Bowl in the South caused for a bad planting season and it made lots of people leave their homes in the Southern Plains.  Most of them moved West.  The Salinas Valley was one of the places they went.  It became over crowded and and everyone was looking for jobs.  This would impact George and Lennie in the book because it would be hard for them to find a job if everyone was looking for a job.

OMAM Part 1 Blog

Danielle Kain

1/27/16

      I think it's interesting how different Lennie and George are from each other and how different their appearances are from their personalities. Lennie was described as a huge man with wide sloping shoulders. His walk was compared to that of a bear because of the way he dragged his feet. On the other hand, George was described as small and quick with restless eyes. Even though George was small, he was imperious. He was more of the leader while Lennie submissively followed behind. Even though Lennie was a very big man his personality was the exact opposite of George's. He was  obedient and did what George asked (if he remembered).

Of Mice and Men Section 1

     Section 1 introduced the two main characters to us. One is George, he was smaller and quicker than other people, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. He has a short temper and he was always really brusque to Lennie, which is his friend, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders, and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little and his arms hung loosely. Unlike George, He likes animals very much because his aunt Clara give him every mouse she got when he was little, but she stopped giving them to him because he always accidentally kill them. He is really nice and kind, and he always listen and do what George says, which is the opposite of George. He forget things in a short time, so that's why George always get annoyed by him, he always call him crazy bastard, but when Lennie is not there, he call him poor bastard. Lennie always like to imitate George. Even though George seems very annoyed by Lennie all the time, and he always use mean words to speak to Lennie, but he really cares about him, he wished to be rich, but he can't leave Lennie alone to grant his wish, so he have been caring for Lennie for a long time even though he always get him into trouble and make him loose his job, in the book, George said:"No-look! I was jus' foolin', Lennie. 'Cause I want you to stay with me. Trouble with mice is you always kill'em. First chance I get I'll give you a pup. Maybe you wouldn't kill it. That'd better than mice. And you could pet it harder." They felt lonely because they are the people who work on ranches and have no family and home, but they also got each other. The author used really beautiful sentences that made me feel like there is a colorful picture appear in my head.

Salinas Valley in the 1930's

          I have decided to answer the 2nd prompt of the questions on Salinas Valley. When the dust bowl happened many immigrants moved to Salinas Valley in hope for a new life. The migrants that moved here were frowned upon because lots of the jobs were taken and migrants often stole food/supplies. The residence that lived around them were hostile and made sure they knew they were unwanted. This could effect the plot of the novel because they could be unwanted and have problems with the people who lived in Salinas valley, George and Lennie's plan was to live and farm on a ranch,but there is a possibility that people will not accept them because they are immigrants. this could create great tension between the initial residents and George and Lennie.

1st Blog

Hanna Wurdack
1/27/16


Morgan Weber, oh my, your blog was insane. Your blog really made my brain tick, and was amazing. It truly helped me understand more about George and Lennie. I really liked the way you described how George was like a mouse and Lennie looked like a bear, yet their demeanors were the opposite. Lennie acted like a mouse because of his unknowing, and George acted like a bear because he was protective and confident. I wasn't really thinking that much about this, but when you said this it really helped me understand the characters of OMAM. I also really enjoyed your foreshadowing sentence. I don't want to give away anything but I wonder if Lennie will kill someone (we both know who we are thinking of).

Section 1 OMAM

I have really enjoyed this first section of the book Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck is an amazing author that has really painted images in my mind about the characters and the setting. I love the language he uses to describe Lennie and George. It amazes me how much these two are exact opposites, besides the fact they are both males. I learned that George is small and slender while Lennie is a huge man. Steinbeck also compares the way Lennie walks to a bear dragging his paws. I envision Lennie as a man who looks and walks like a big bear. I imagine George is more like a mouse because he is small, slender, and quick, with restless eyes. But those specific animals are only like their physical appearances. I believe they have the opposite demeanors. I believe George’s demeanor is more like a bear because he will protect his cub or in this case Lennie, and he is irascible. Lennie is more like a mouse because he is unaware of his surroundings and his future is uncertain. I also have a prediction that something will happen to Lennie because on page 13 the book says, “Trouble with mice is you always kill ‘em.” Their demeanors don’t reflect their outer appearances but they still both love and care for each other as brothers… Even though George has a rough way of showing it.

Section 1 OMAM

In section one of OMAM I learned a lot about the personality and way of thinking of Lennie and George. Lennie was interested about the world around him, but he had a hard time doing that. He had a wider imagination than George, and a better attitude. George needed to care for Lennie and help him through this journey, but he didn't seem to be very patient or understanding with Lennie. He referred to him as a "crazy bastard". This would be like someone's mom calling their kid an idiot. I predict that George will develop a more parental figure as the story goes on.

Elle Haines

Part One

             

         In Part One, the reader learned more about who Lennie and George were. Lennie is short, 

small, and quick. But the second man, George, a complete opposite, was large, walked heavily

and sulked, and dragged his feet. We also learned that Lennie seamed to be unaware of his surroundings, and isn't too worried about his future. While on the other hand, George is almost always criticizing Lenny, and telling him that what he is doing is wrong. We read that George is easily annoyed with Lennie, but from this we can tell that they love each other so much, that they disagree on almost everything, just like siblings. In the book it states, "George took the mouse and threw it across the pool to the other side, among the brush." This gives the reader proof that George is easily aggravated by Lennie and almost everything else. Lennie seems to not be careful around animals, and doesn't pay attention to them and their needs. George is the one who has to step in between Lennie and his crazy ideas. George makes Lennie do most of the work, and Lennie doesn't talk back. Even though George gets mad at Lennie he still cares about him. In the story is reads, "His anger left him suddenly. He looked across the fire at Lennie's anguished face, and then he looked ashamedly at the flames." George and Lennie dream together about what their wonderful future will be like together as they go to sleep.

AG Q2 (honesty)

A true friend will tell you the truth, even when you don't want to hear it.

I totally agree with this. No matter how long someone will lie to you to protect you, the truth will always come out. So don't you want your friend just to tell you instantly instead of putting it off. The longer the truth is put off, the more it will impact you. Also, you get upset with the people who lied to you about it. A true friend will tell you the truth so you don't get hurt more later and so you will get over it faster. It may hurt then but your friend (who told you the truth) will be there to help you. No lie can replace the truth.  

There are definitely people out there who want to postpone the truth for as long as they want. They believe that ignoring the problem will make it go away faster. Having it haunt (ding!) you isn't better also. Again, I disagree. Facing the problem  head on will make it go away. Without truth, there will be people upset and angry all the time so it's better to tell the truth then lie. 

Would you rather put of the problem? 

Part 1

So far, I have enjoyed the book, "Of Mice and Men."  Throughout the first part, I feel like I have gotten to know the two main characters, Lennie and George, pretty well.  In the book it said, "Lennie chocked with pride.  "I can remember.""   Because of this, he seems to have positivity, optimism, and dreams, which I think, are crucial in happiness and hope.  In my opinion, Lennie acts like a big kid! Although Lennie seems like a kind and caring character, he is also very forgetful.  Later in the book, I hope to learn more about why Lennie likes mice and rabbits so much.
George seems to be very rude and unkind to Lennie.  He even said, "I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn't have you on my tail," right to Lennie!  Although George acted to be so tough, and rude to Lennie, some parts in Part one proved that he may have cared about Lennie and felt ashamed that he said such nasty things to Lennie.  For example, when Lennie said that he would leave George to stop bothering him, George said that he wanted him to stay.  The narrator also said that George looked ashamedly at the fire after the rude things that he had said to Lennie.  Even earlier, George said to Lennie, "I been mean, ain't I?"  I think that these examples prove that George really does care about Lennie and does not want Lennie to run away and leave him (George) by himself.  Later in the book, I hope to learn why George says such unkind things to Lennie.  I also hope to learn if Lennie and George are friends, or if they are related.
Part one proved that Lennie and George have big dreams and plans for themselves.  In the book, Lennie said that they were not like other guys that worked on ranches, "I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after."  George was telling Lennie, "Someday-we're gonna get the jack together and have a little house and a couple of acres an' a cow and some pigs-"  Even though Lennie and George are just normal men looking for a job on a ranch, they have faith and hope that they will one day have a nice life together on a farm.  Lennie and George are dreamers, which I think, will get them far!  "Red and blue and green rabbits, Lennie.  Millions of em'."

Annalisa Goot

WALSH - Part 1 Q's (optional!)

Part 1:

(REMEMBER: These questions are OPTIONAL; you can respond to them in a post, or just used them as direction for what to focus on while you read)

1. There are examples of symbolism, foreshadowing, AND irony within just this first section! Identify one of these and explain.

2. We know that the story takes place in Salinas Valley, California during the 1930’s. Do some outside research and share with your classmates something that you learned about this setting (time and/or place). Then discuss how that might affect the plot of the novel.

3. List some words that Steinbeck uses to describe Lennie. List some words that Steinbeck uses to describe George. How do these descriptions compare and/or contrast to one another?

Is Being Rich More Important Than Having Friends?

Having people who love and care about you is more important than money. Friends are people that support and keep you going. You need friends to be there to pick you back up when you get hurt or prevent you from getting hurt. Although money can do a lot of thing it can not give you love it can't show compassion or give you helpful advice. Riches are not alive and they can go away at anytime. Good people that admire  you will stay as long as possible. Have you ever heard the saying "You can't buy happiness"? This statement  is very true, friends  give you happiness & completion/meaning to your life. Surrounding yourself with good people makes you a better person but surrounding yourself with money makes you greedy. Ask  yourself this, would you rather live a lush life style with a big lonely house or an average/ poor life with lots of people to surround and comfort you? People might argue that you can buy a friend or someone to love you, but fondness from money and sincere admiration is different. Real love is felt from the heart and can be sensed. It is more important to have friends that appreciate you than Money/Riches

Anticipation/Reaction Guide (Dreamers)

Dreaming is for dreamers, and dreamers go nowhere.  Be real.

I disagree with the statement that "Dreaming is for dreamers, and dreamers go nowhere.  Be real." Mankind would be nowhere without dreamers because no one is a "doer" without dreaming first.

First of all, dreams are goals that people work towards and achieve.  Some dreams you may have could be very unrealistic, but if you have dreamed of being a veterinarian since you were five years old, it is not a great fantasy that you could someday work as a vet.  If people have big goals or dreams that they want to achieve, they will work very hard to get there and achieve their goals.  For example, I know someone that has dreamed of being a surgeon since she was very little.  She has worked very hard towards this dream by taking lots of science classes and working at summer jobs related to it.

Secondly, even dreams that are not accomplished are valuable.  If someone wishes for world peace even the smallest contribution to it helps someone.  Peace is an important thing to have so even if you just helped two people to get along you are helping them and everyone around them.  Another example is many people have the dream to eradicate infectious diseases.  In science class, everyone is learning about a different disease and how to eradicate it.  Although I am not going to be able to find a cure to Yellow Fever, I am now very educated about it and I can educate others.

Whether or not dreamers have achieved their dreams, they have taken all of us somewhere.  Dreams, realistic or not, cause people to do things that will make a difference in our lives.

Anticipation Guide

Dreaming is for dreamers, and dreamers go nowhere. Be real.

This honestly is the exact opposite of what I believe. I believe that dreamers are the ones that go the distance. Dreamers are the ones who believe in something, and they want to see it happen in our society. They are the ones that want change for the benefit of themselves and others. Dreamers are the ones who believe that if they can dream it and work hard enough toward it, then eventually, they can see their dream become a reality, whether in their lifetime or another. 
Many people believe that dreamers are lazy and dream because they can't do anything else. I can see how they might think that. Some dreamers only dream about something but they don't spend time trying to make their dreams become a reality. But to some people's dreams are their inspirations, what motivates them, what pushes them to their limit. Those types of dreamers are the ones who will work to achieve that dream, the ones who want to change. Before you insult dreamers, stop and think. Dreamers are the ones who have made our world the way it is.

Anticipation Guide Question 3 (loneliness)

Of the many feelings that hurt - grief, anger, jealousy, loneliness - loneliness hurts the most.

    I completely agree to this statement. You can be mad at someone or grieving or jealous but, these emotions hurt like nothing compared to loneliness. Loneliness is the raw emotion that no one cares for you or no one wants to be with you or help you. You are trapped in the dark waiting for someone to be your light but, not knowing when or if they will come. With anger and jealousy you are upset with someone or someone might have caused you pain. There is no pain greater than loneliness, no one to help you bear your burdens or wipe your tears away. No one is there to help you through a tough time, make you laugh, or to put a smile on your face. Even though you may be upset with a friend or even a group of friends, they will still be with you and you can find a way to resolve your problems. If you are lonely as so many people are, the issue is not resolved until you find a friend. Find someone that will help you become a better person and brighten your day, let them help take the pain away. If you are not lonely but someone else is, go be a friend. If you understand how they feel or even if you don’t, just make sure they don't feel like that anymore. Talk to them, be kind to them and make them smile. No feeling of anger, grief, or jealousy could ever amount to the hurtfulness of loneliness so, be the one who helps stop it.

Have you ever felt lonely? If so, does that time when you were lonely still haunt (ding!) you? Do you agree with me? Why do you agree or disagree with me?  

AG Q10 (dreaming is for dreamers; dreamers go nowhere)

Dreaming is for dreamers, and dreamers go nowhere. Be real.

Dreams are truly amazing. They bring to life the even smallest ideas that end up to make history. I remember when I was little, I had big dreams. Dreams to be a figure skater, a soccer player, owner of a restaurant. But at the age of 3, my biggest dream was to become a doctor. I played doctor everywhere I went, with my parents, with my cousins, with my dolls, even with MY DOG. And my dream of being a doctor still lives on today. Becoming a doctor is why I work so hard in school, and why I try my hardest to succeed. Everyone has dreams, for dreams are what most people use as their life goal. Dreams give you hope, and hope brings you happiness. It has been scientifically proven that when you stop dreaming, you start dying. Why? When you stop dreaming, you go into a state of depression, for you don't have any hope or happiness. Depression causes you to doubt your purpose in life, and you slowly lose your soul. "Dreamers go nowhere." Dreaming gets you places in life, and not small places. Dreaming is not just for dreamers, because everyone dreams. People who do not dream, those are the people who go nowhere.

A true friend will tell you the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it.

A true friend will tell you the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it.

I really agree with this statement because a true friend always want you to be good, they will do their best to help you. If you make a mistake, of course you don’t want to hear about it, it might because you still think what you did was right or you just don’t want to talk about it for a while, usually, someone who is not your true friend will say that you did nothing wrong, it was someone else's fault, and that might make you make another bigger mistake. But your true friend will tell you the truth even though they know that you might be mad after they tell you, but they’re just trying to let you know that what you did was wrong before you make a bigger mistake, and they will also help you to fix the problem and make sure you don’t make it again.

Think about this, if one of your very close friend was very mad because someone else told her that there are somebody talking behind their back, will you say “Yeah, I heard they talking about you too! They are so mean, come on, let’s go talk back to them!” or “Calm down, we don’t know if it is truth yet, do you want to wait or go ask them kindly? It might be a misunderstanding.” If you are a true friend, you will definitely choose the second choice because you don’t want your friend to lost other friends or become enemies with her classmates.  

But sometimes, your true friend will tell you the truth when they know it is the best time, because they don’t want you to become more angry and do something bad. Remember, your true friend will never lie to you and will always tell you the truth.

Do you agree with me?

Angela Shiang

AG (Mentally impaired people are NOT worthless)

"Mentally impaired people are worthless, and cannot function like "regular" people."

People who are mentally impaired are most definitely NOT worthless.  Even though mentally impaired people may act differently than you, they may be just as smart, or have unique talents that make them special.  In fact, mentally impaired people are more similar to you than they are different.  They have their own opinions, feelings and personalities.  People who are not accepting of mentally impaired people, are missing out, in my opinion.  You never know, if you get to know a mentally impaired person, you might find out that they are hilarious, kind, caring, and they may even become your best friend!  Because of how many stereotypes there are about mentally impaired people, I think that some of them may become discouraged, think that they are worthless, and therefore feel that they cannot get a job.  If more people today encouraged mentally disabled people, they might feel wanted, and more motivated to get a job.
In the statement, it says "regular people."  What is the meant by "regular people?"  In my opinion, everyone is unique, different, and has their own personalities.  Therefore, I think that no one should be considered regular, and that everyone should be thought of as a different person.  For these reasons, I completely disagree with the statement, "mentally impaired people are worthless, and cannot function like "regular people."

Annalisa Goot

Mentally impaired people are worthless, and cannot function like "regular" people.

I believe that mentally impaired people are not worthless and should be valued in our society just as much as people who are not mentally impaired. These people may think in a different way, or see things differently than people without a mental disability, but they are people who should have a chance to be successful in life. This issue is similar to slavery, these people are treated like a worthless object because of a characteristic about them. People like this are undervalued about what they are capable of, they are classified as worthless by the society.

In the second part of the second part of the sentence, it is stated that mentally impaired people cannot function like "regular" people. What is qualified as regular? Every person has different opinions, and sees things differently, and function in a different way. It should not be that if a person  doesn't think in a specific way they are classified as worthless. If everyone on earth was "regular"life would be boring, colorless, and have no point. Mentally impaired people may need more help learning, and reading, but they shouldn't be undervalued by citizens on earth.

What do you think is qualified as "regular"?

Mentally impaired people are worthless, and cannot function as regular people.

I completely disagree to this statement. There are hundreds of people such as, Abraham 
Lincoln, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and Edgar Allan Poe whom had mental illnesses, but grew up to be wonderful, amazing people who  helped the world. In fact, when you think of Abraham Lincoln, the first thing that pops into most people's heads, well, my head at least, is defiantly not that he was disabled. I remember him as a strong figure in our past that represented the United States well. Also, if this caption is stating that mentally impaired humans are worthless, then your saying that Isaac Newton did nothing for us, when in reality, he changed our lived towards the good. This man even influenced Albert Einstein. In the end, I believe that humans with metal disabilities are extremely useful in the world, and they can function exactly the same, and sometimes even better then regular humans.

People that are poor should get a job rather that relying on friends, family, or church to help.

     My opinion on this statement is that I think people who are poor should definitely try their best to get a job. I also think that if a poor person is really in need of help that they should be able to depend on these resources for help sometimes. Basically, I think that as long as this person is trying their best to get out of this difficult situation, then it's okay for them to ask for help sometimes.

     Think of a poor person who isn't doing anything to try and help his or herself out of their situation or problem(whatever it may be). If this person is continually asking and receiving money or shelter from their friends, family, or their church but isn't planning to get back on their feet at some point, then it isn't really fair to those sources who keep sending out money or shelter. On the other hand, if a poor person is trying their best to get out of their problem but is in need of a little money or a place to stay until they can find a job, or a way to get money, then I think it's completely okay to ask for assistance.

A true friend will tell you the truth, even if you don't want to hear it.

True friends will tell you the truth, even if you don't want to hear it. Sure, If a friend hears something negative a different friend said about you behind your back, they might not tell you the full truth. But, they might say something like, "Stay away from that person. They're not who you think they are." When you're in a real situation, a genuine friend will tell you the real truth. If you ask a good friend a question, they should respond truthfully. "Do you think I've studied enough for the math test, "a friend might ask. You'd want to respond truthfully. If this person needs to study more than tell them. It might hurt their feelings, but at least you saved them a bad grade on an important quiz or test. If your friend is depressed and in a bad state, you need to tell them to get up and get their life back together. You can't just watch them because they're sad. Be truthful in a kind, compassionate way and help them through their problem. You cannot lie to them and say you're doing great today. Real friends will always tell you the truth, no matter what. 

People that are poor should get a job rather than relying on friends, family, or church for help.

I think that poor people should get a job, or at least try the best that they can. I think that they should get a job so that they can earn their own money and not have to borrow from others any more. If they earned their own money, then they could help those in need until they are ready to get their own job. This would be a thoughtful thing to do. This way, their family and friends could keep that money to maybe get food for the children, or buy clothing for their families. They could rely on others for a little while, but at some point, they would need to get a job.

I think that there are people out there who would argue for the other side of this statement as well. Most definitely think that you could rely on your friends and family for money, but that is costing them money to. If they could, I think that they would need to get a job to support there family instead of draining others' money.

What are your thoughts? Do you think that those who are poor should get jobs? Or should they stay relying on family, friends, and church?

Ant Guide Q3 (feelings)

Of the many feelings that hurt - grief, anger, jealousy, loneliness - loneliness hurts the most.

Wow. I couldn’t disagree more!  Loneliness is the most painful feeling imaginable. It’s the feeling that no one cares for you, or even knows you exist; the feeling that you are the only one who cares. It’s knowing that no one wants to help you, hang out with you, or even talk to you for that matter! It’s when you know that you’re completely alone. No one can help you but you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. It is the most horrifying, painstaking experience someone can go through and it makes you feel like nothing can ever be good again. I hope no one here has or ever will go through that. Grief, anger, and jealousy all have their downsides too, I can talk about it all day. But they go away with time! The only cure for loneliness is the love, care, and time spent with friends and family. Yeah, that short amount of time we usually take for granted, that we sometimes wish would just be done and over with! I guarantee you that someone here would do anything to take your spot in the MAC with your friends. Anything at all, no matter what. So please, the next time you see someone by themselves in the hallway or the MAC and they look like they need cheering up, talk to them! Hang out with them more often. It may seem small to you, but it means the world to them. So trust me when I say that, out of all of the feelings that hurt, loneliness is the most painful feeling of them all.

Do you agree?

AG Q1

People that are poor should get a job rather than rely on their friends, family, church. I agree on this because many people work hard to support themselves and their families. I believe it it okay for someone to get financial help from their families, but not to rely on them for paying every single one of their bills. Even though some people are either ill or inescapable of getting a job they should at least try something because getting a job is also helping our community and our economy. Even if it is as simple as working at a drive thru window or bagging groceries at the store, it is still helping the community. It also is nice to get paid and treat yourself to something nice after all the hard work is finished. It is nice to rely on people, but people need to take responsibility and work to support themselves.

Ant Guide Q6

Being rich is more important than having close friends.

Wow. I could not disagree more! Given the 1.5 billion dollar lottery that was just up for grabs, this statement is quite fitting. I, just like everyone else, had fun dreaming about winning that insane amount of money. However, you have to also consider the horror stories of people who have won in the past and ended up losing everything. And by everything, I don’t mean the money. They invested well and spent responsibly, BUT… surely it caused strife amongst family and friends who suddenly needed to borrow money. No amount of money is worth replacing the support of friends and family.

Considering friends specifically, I could not function without them. I love my family, but there is something different about the support of a friend. I am so lucky to have many amazing friends in my life – some of them are people I work (or have worked) with, some of them are people I met back in college, and some of them are people who have been in my life for as long as I can remember. I have two life-long friends whose friendships date back to 3^rd grade! We went to school together from 3^rd grade all the way through college. We were in each other’s weddings, and even though we live in three different states, we talk often and visit when we can. Sometimes months go in between visits, but when we’re together it’s like no time has passed. Those are the best kind of friendships, where you know each other so well that you don’t have to explain and justify things; you just get each other.

I think there are definitely people who would take the other side, who believe that money trumps everything. Surely you can maintain (or create) happiness if you are rich… money provides big houses, fancy cars, and amazing trips. But again, I disagree. If you don’t have friends to share your big house, fancy car, and especially those amazing trips with, what’s the point? I argue that it is true friendship that brings about joy, confidence, adventure, support, and all-around happiness.

What do you guys think? Does money ultimately trump all things? Or do you hold the greatest value on your friendships?

Welcome!

Hey Tigers!

Welcome to our Blog J   

I'm so excited to get this going! You ladies blew me away with your commitment to class discussions throughout Chains, so I wholeheartedly believe you are ready to take it to the next level - - putting your thoughts out into the blogging world. With this comes a bit of added responsibility, but I know you all will meet and exceed expectations (and we will talk much more about this in detail in class).

LOGISTICS: Instead of submitting answers to Walsh-created discussion questions on Canvas for each section of our novel Of Mice and Men, you all will be engaging in discussion here on our blog! But here's the catch... this means I need YOU to spur discussion. This could be done by posing profound (ding!) questions, by writing a thoughtful reflection that encourages your classmates to respond, and/or by writing a insightful response to a classmate's post. You will find more information about the requirements below.

***Confession: I will still post some discussion questions J This will be to get your mind focused on certain ideas & topics as you read. You are welcome to respond to them, but you are also encouraged to create your own questions to pose to your classmates. 

TIPS for Blogging:

• Please use professional font (style, size, color)
• There is a spell check option (use it!) and be sure to reread your post before publishing to make sure it reads fluently and professionally.
• Unlike your google docs, blogger does not auto-save! Be sure to click save several times while you are working on your post.
• When your post is finalized, you must publish in order for your classmates & teacher to view/comment.

Grading (4-point scale):

To receive full credit, you will be expected to complete one blog post or comment per section of the novel (there are six). Please note: the requirements for comments are the same as blog posts – comments on a classmates’ post should be just as long and thoughtful as the blog post itself. Posts & comments should be at least one paragraph in length and should include profound thinking that serves to further your own understanding of the book as well as your classmates’. While blogging certainly has a more casual feel and tone, you must remain professional in language (no technology slang - - i.e. LOL, OMG, u instead of you, etc.)  Blogs will be graded on thoughtfulness & effort as well as grammar and conventions. **Please see my example posts for clarity. 

4	3	2	1
Meets all expectations. This is shown through a complete post/comment that shows deep thinking that is fully explained. Professional language is used.	Meets most expectations. This is shown through a complete post/comment that shows deep thinking, but may not be fully explained. Professional language is used.	Meets some expectations. This is shown through a blog post/comment that shows signs of deep thinking, but a lack of explanation leads to the reader with questions. Some slang is used.	Not meeting expectations. This is shown through an incomplete blog post that lacks signs of deep thinking. Slang is frequently used.