Formal vs. Informal Diction

     This Wednesday morning was very pleasant if I do say so myself. The television had broadcasted adequate weather and my intuition was feeling high. Up to the point that I recalled that the day was Wednesday. Wednesday was the day in which metal appliances would be positioned on my teeth. It is not unheard of that peers would often fuss about the discomfort that these appliances would cause. This fact that made my day decline drastically. I was to be acquiring braces. These metal pieces would result in two entire years of agony and distress, but I would have to learn to compromise.
    Stepping into the building in which I would receive such torture, I instantly began to posses a feeling of dread. I ran my tougue over my horribly angled teeth and thought to myself that this might very possibly be the last time I will ever be complete this action with such an ease. The process would be quick, around a hour or so, and before I thought possible, I ran by tougue over my teeth again. This time, they were bound by many metal pieces held by wire. The pain was not at all as expected. It was much more desiarable. These metal appliances were to be cemented onto my teeth for a few years, and that is that.

Writing About Writing

     I like writing. Just not with barriers. Writing with barriers frustrates me because of how limited your ideas have to be. I enjoy it when I have something to start off of, like a spark of inspiration, not a specific format you have to follow. Having barriers with writing is like having to fence in a bull. You try and try, but the bull just keeps trying to ram into the fencing to get out.
     With that said, the best piece (or pieces) of writing I think I have ever done is in my journal. I keep a journal every summer. It's not just a place where I practice writing, but a place where I can vent about an event in my life without stop. And no one there to grade my writing with a big fat letter. My journal is my journal and no one else's. I write about the things that I'm interested in, not what other people are interested in.
     I am proud of all the journals that I have kept because they reflect my true self. And over the journals, I see just how much I have grown as a person and as a writer. My first journal was in the 1st grade. It was written in a princess pink notebook with diary written on the cover and a tiny lock on the side. I wrote in it with sloppy red crayon and a dull pencil. My first page had an introduction about myself and the reason why I was writing in the journal. The reason was that it was an assignment from girl scouts that had attempted to teach us how to vent our feelings on the page and not by our attitudes. After a few years and more then a few journals, I found that it does help me vent. In a way it feels like a friend always standing by you... in the form of a notebook.

Outside Reading

     When we were told to select a outside reading book, The Bean Trees by Barbra Kingsolver definitely stood out to me. I had wanted to read this book ever since middle school but had never gotten the chance. Now that we have to read it for an assignment, it seemed like a even more appealing idea. When I finally got myself settled and had the book at hand I read the first chapter and had already put down seven sticky notes with literary annotations on them. I guess this had to do with the fact that the novel is so full of literary strategies that make it the wonderful book it is. Not only this, but The Bean Trees also has an extremely page-turning plot outline, that makes you want to keep on reading.
     The Bean Trees compared to other, more modern realistic fiction books that I have read seems much deeper in its development of theme and other literary devices. Specifically comparing this novel with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, both have many meaningful themes and have all used literary devices that are helpful to the development of the novel. Also, both novels have the tight ideas of family and friends. In The Bean Trees the idea is more focused on friends, and in To Kill a Mockingbird the ideas are more focused on family.
     I haven't gotten loads of time to think about what I plan to do for the creative project, but from what I see so far in the plot, the theme is finding home and a place that you feel comfortable in. During the course of the plot so far, the main character has gone from one home to another trying to find a place where she feels comfortable to settle down. An idea for my project could be to draw a road map to home. While doing this, I would highlight the main theme (the literary element that will be included in my project) and develop a storyline with a map of Taylor's life. Of course this is just a temporary idea, as I read on, I might come up with a sudden burst of light and have a brilliant idea.

Extending the Theme

   The author of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee, tries to tie elements that might happen in the reader's life into the plot so they can connect their own life with that of the story. In my case, this story reminded me about the summer days in elementary school when I didn't have a worry in the world except what I wanted to play the next day. In this novel Scout, Jem, and Dill had a similar situation in the summers when they played together and imagined stories of their neighborhood gossip.
   To Kill a Mockingbird was a very inspiring novel that I will remember forever because it had its own special meaning to me. For example, it taught me many life lessons that had already heard of but never really thought about. This story made me think about the lessons such as how not to judge a person by first impression and  that racism is a horrible idea.
   Overall this novel has given me a different perspective in life and also has reminded me of the days of childhood. These are the two components that a fantastic book is required to have and To Kill a Mockingbird is a perfect example of it.