Fahrenheit 451; Part 2

Part three of Fahrenheit 451, Burning Bright, opens as Montag gazes at Clarisse's empty house, and Beatty is berating him for "falling under Clarisse's influence." This part of the book is where Mildred's betrayal of Montag is complete, and Montag realizes that she will soon forget him as she drives away, consoling herself with her Seashell radio. I knew she was crazy from the moment I started reading about her. What a nut! Also, this part of the book is dominated by the final confrontation between Montag and Beatty. Montag remains surprisingly detached in this section of the book. He enjoys burning his own house as much as he enjoyed burning those of others, and he begins to agree with Beatty that fire is removing his problems. He begins to imagine Midred and his previous life under the ashes, and feels that he is really far away and that his body is "dead." Bradbury's writing style is particularly poetic in this section. He uses many figurative language extensively and often bends the rules of grammar, such as using sentence fragments, to convey the breathlessness of Montag's flight. His use of figurative language and misuse of grammar seems to be one of Bradbury's strongest writing tool. Bradbury also seems to use several different devices to heighten the tension of the chase sequence. For example, he uses dramatic pauses, such as when the Hound pauses on Faber's lawn and the countdown to the "look out" in which everybody is to open their doors. That was probably the most never-racking part of the book for me! I had no idea what was going to happen! Finally, the track leads him to a fire with five men sitting around it. The leader, Granger, invites Montag to join them. Granger then gives Montag a bottle of colorless fluid to drink and explains that it will change the chemical index of his body so the Hound will not be able to track him. As the men gather around the TV, they see the Hound pounce on a man the announcer identified as "Montag." The men reflect that the police probably chose the man to be their scapegoat because of his habit of walking by himself, a clearly dangerous habit. As the men continue to chat, they suddenly see jets flash over the city and drop their bombs. The city is vaporized by the explosion. As the men walk upriver to find survivors, Montag knows they will eventually talk, and he tries to remember passages from the Bible appropriate to the occasion. He thinks of Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To everything there is a season," and also Revelations 22:2, "And on either side of the river was there a tree of life...and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

I'm glad that the novel ended in a shocking but slightly optimistic tone. All and all, Fahrenheit 451 has topped my list of favorite books we have read in this class.

Fahrenheit 451; Part 1

Fahrenheit 451 was the one book I was most excited to read in this class. I've heard so much about this book, and I couldn't wait to start it! From the beginning of Part 1 to the ending of Part 2, Fahrenheit 451 kept me on my feet. Part 1 ("The Hearth and the Salamander") focuses on Montag's job as a fireman and his home life while Part 2 ("The Sieve and the Sand") focuses on Montag's quest for knowledge. The opening scene of Fahrenheit 451 describes the pleasure he experiences while burning books. He loves the spectacle of burning and seeing things "changed" by fire. However, in Part 2 of the book, Montag begins a quest for knowledge to answer questions such as the true reason behind why books are burned. Ray Bradbury paints a clear picture of a futuristic society that has abandoned books in favor of hollow entertainment and instant gratification. It is later that Montag meets Clarisse. She is extremely inquisitive and thoughtful. She becomes a enigma to Montag because of her constant questioning of society and his beliefs. I hated the fact that Clarisse is forced to go to a psychiatrist because of her behaviors such as hiking, catching butterflies, and thinking independently. She is forced to go see a psychiatrist because she thinks independently? Seriously?! Speaking of characters of the books, I am not a big fan of Mildred, Montag's wife. Up to the end of Part 2, Mildred seems completely distant and unreadable. Her suicide attempt seems to suggest that she was trying to escape something. In short, I'm not a big fan of her. Who knows, I might change my opinion of her later on. I also didn't like Clarisse's quick death. Her sudden death kept bothering me while I continued reading. I didn't understand why Bradbury would introduce such an intriguing character so early on in the story and then kill her off so suddenly? I guess Bradbury wanted to show the readers how society reacts to "unusual" people such as Clarisse.

Overall, I am certainly enjoying Fahrenheit 451 so far. Bradbury's attempt to paint such a society keeps me interested to keep reading. I look forward to the rest of the book!

Life of Pi, Part 4

Ahhhh! The book has finally come to an end, and I have to admit, this one is definitely one of my favorite books I have read in a while! This final reading assignment was one of the most nerve racking because I didn't know how it was going to end! Was Pi and Richard Parker going to be saved? Or were they both going to die from starvation and dehydration? However, once Pi and Richard Parker land on Mexico, I had a feeling everything was going to be okay for the both of them. I didn't, however, like the fact that Richard Parker trotted away into the jungle before Pi could say good bye to him.

However, in part 3 of the book, this tale takes a new and even more tragic meaning when Pi reveals another version of his story, one in which the animals are replaced by humans. Once we learn this, we understand and assume that Pi probably made up the animal version as a way to cope with the tragedy. Both versions of the story, with and without animals are viable, and Pi never reveals to the reader which version is true. Still, Pi seems to confess in these last chapters that he has made up his entire story as a way to cope with the shocker series of events. This part of the book was truly heartbreaking for me.

Nevertheless, this book definitely goes on my "Top 10 Favorite Books of All Time" list! I can't wait to read Martel's other books!

"Astounding story of courage and endurance in the face of difficulty and tragic circumstances."

Life of Pi, Part 3

This reading assignment opens as Pi is using his resources to survive. As Pi reads the survivor manual, he finds the lifeboat locker. He realizes that he needs to fish and create a shelter. Hungry and thirsty, he decides to go back to the lifeboat. Hesitantly, Pi pulls up to the raft and sees Richard Parker has marked his territory by spraying urine all around the bottom of the boat. Pi then drinks some of the water from a puddle and urinates on the locker lid to mark his own territory. Now, Pi must find a way to find food. He decides that he will try to fish. His first attempt using a leather shoe doesn't work very well. However, soon enough, a school of flying fish swim by the raft. Some hit Pi and Richard Parker while others fall into the boat or jump over the hull. Being a vegetarian and pacifist, Pi hesitates and then cries when he finally breaks the fish's neck with his hands.

After eating the fish, Pi busies himself with miscellaneous tasks. He creates a daily schedule that consists of different chores and activities. This repetition of activities necessary for life proves distressing for Pi. Because there is no regular source of water, the compulsion to drink water every day has become a nuisance. Also, because Pi must wear the same clothes every day, they disintegrate and fall off his body. Pi continues to read the survival manual and continues to fish. When he isn't reading or fishing, Pi spends hours observing the sea life. Pi also begins to keep a diary, mostly writing about his observations.

A terrible storm then rolls in and sends Pi scrambling into the lifeboat where he lies flat on a bench, farthest away from Richard Parker. The storm seems to rage on for a day and a night. During this storm, Pi seemed sure that this was when he was going to die. Then, the appearance of the tanker holds the potential for rescue, but ends in hopelessness. The real conclusion comes without any warning. Without warning, the lifeboat lands in Mexico, and Pi is saved. That was definitely one of my favorite chapters! It was so suspenseful! It kept me on the edge of my seat with every page flip! I can't wait to see what happens next!

Life of Pi (Part 2)

Part 2 of Life of Pi opens with the ship sinking, and Pi finds himself in a lifeboat in the midst of utter chaos. This chaos includes seeing a Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker in the water. After Richard Parker boards the lifeboat, Pi then realizes the dangers of sharing such a lifeboat with an animal as a tiger. This realization leads Pi to throw himself into the water. This section of the book reminds the reader the power and strength one has to avoid death. The reader reads about many near fatal incidents, and yet life continually surprises us with its might and will power. For example, Pi survives his forty foot fall through the air and lands unharmed on the lifeboat's tarpaulin cover. Then, the zebra survives the fall but with a broken leg. As Pi analyzes his surroundings, he realizes that he must become more mature and strong willed if he wants to survive the waters.

Even though I liked the first part of this reading assignment, I am not a big fan of what happened next. As the animals and Pi are stuck on the lifeboat, the hyena becomes restless and bites off the zebra's broken leg. Not only does the hyena eat that broken leg, it then decapitates the orangutan's head. This violence and brutality teaches Pi a lesson: the qualities a human or animal exhibit when unprovoked can vary extraordinary from those that same human or animal will show if attacked or threatened. Also, after Orange Juice strikes the hyena, he realizes that personality is something separate and distinct from instinct. After the brutal deaths of the zebra and the orangutan, Orange Juice, Pi fears that Richard Parker will kill him. Pi then devises a plan to increase the distance between the two by building a raft. This raft proves to be sea worthy, and Pi tries to prove he is stronger than the tiger by using a whistle from one of the life jackets as a whip and shouts across the water.

This reading assignment has been by far my favorite. I just couldn't stop reading after Pi throws himself into the water. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Life of Pi, Part 1

Part 1 of Life of Pi was more than I expected. Just through the Author's Note, I was pulled into the story. In the Author's Note, the author gives the reader a clue into the book's origins even as it blurs the boundary between fact and fiction. The Author's Note blends facts and fictions about Yann Martel's own inspiration for the book to illustrate the central theme of the book: storytelling. After two unsuccessful books, Martel meets Francis Adirubasamy in a coffee shop. His meeting with Francis Adirubasamy later turns into a long conversation as Francis tells Martel a story about Pi Patel. At this point, I became a bit confused. Does Pi Patel really exist? However, after re-reading their meeting and continue reading the Note, the answer is no. I'm glad that I read the Author's Note of this book. It revealed a lot of interesting information that I probably will need to fully understand the meaning behind this book. From this point forward, I'll be sure to read the Author's Note of books before I jump into the actual story.

In the book, the reader can sense that Pi has endured something devastating, but we, as the readers, do not know what exactly happened. I was a bit confused. Did I miss where he told the audience what happened? Or is the author keeping this event a secret for a while? One of my favorite parts of Part 1 was when Pi talks about the zoo. Pi grew up in the zoo which, in the end, shaped his belief system, taught him about animal nature, and taught him many significant lessons about the meaning of freedom. I also loved how Pi uses the zoo as his outlet when he needs a place to think. I also loved how this book makes me think about what is actually going on. Usually, when I read a book, I can follow along easily and know what is going on. However, while reading Life of Pi, I found myself re-reading many parts of the book to fully understand the meaning and what is going on. Life of Pi so far is definitely a good read. I can wait to see what else this book has in store of me!

Final Color of Water Blog

The final reading assignment opens with Ruth talking about her blooming relationship with James's father, Dennis. Dennis and Ruth start to get to know each more; however, their happiness is put on hold when Ruth's mother becomes sick. Ruth temporarily returns to Suffolk to help her family. Soon enough, Ruth's father's mannerisms around his own family start to disgust Ruth. He continuously demands Ruth's mother for a divorce, but she never acquiesces. Finally, he leaves home to get a quick divorce. Ruth does as much as she can; however, in the end, she decides to return to New York. This was a pivotal point between Ruth and her sister Dee-Dee. Dee-Dee pleads with Ruth to come back and live in Virginia. Ruth promises her that she would. However, Ruth breaks that promise, and this creates a painful tension between Dee-Dee and herself. 

Switching to James's point of view, James continues his story as he takes a road trip down South to seek out his mother's past. James is now at a place in his life where he is seeking to uncover the origins of his mother's family. He wants to understand his mother's past to better understand his own. Armed with only the location of his mother's old house, and her best friend's name, Frances, James heads into town. Rather than finding his grandparent's old store, he finds a McDonald's, and behind the McDonald's, he finds an old house. A sixty-six year old Eddie Thompson answers. When James questions him about the Shilsky family, Eddie Thompson recalls many memories of the Shilsky family. Later that night, James walks down to the river where he feels a remarkable connection to his family's past. As James continues to explore the city of Suffolk, he walks down the Nansemond River, imagining what it must have been like to live her life. Here, James experiences one the closest connection to his past. This connection allows him to pay tribute to his past and to move past it.

One of the most emotional chapters of the book for me was chapter 21. In this chapter, Ruth vividly captures the image of her crippled mother playing with birds and singing to them "birdie, birdie, fly away."  This image is such a symbolic point in the book. Mameh's warning never to catch "a bird who flies" seems to connect to Ruth's frequent wanderlust. Ruth is like a bird who flies and should not be caught. Just the image of Ruth's mother singing "birdie, birdie, fly away" continued to play in my head as I continued reading the rest of the book.

Finally, the book ends with both Ruth and James discovering themselves. James recognizes that of all the extraordinary elements of Ruth's life, her children are what most define her. In the end, the epilogue adds to the sense of closure and of having come full circle. Ruth's entrance into the synagogue marks her ability to accept her own heritage, while sticking to her own, different, path. This book is definitely one of my favorites. Both of James's and Ruth's stories will forever stay with me for the rest of my life. Their stories of self discovery are inspiring for all those who read this incredible book. I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a good read!

The Color of Water (Part 2)

Chapters ten through eighteen focus on the ups and downs of both James's and Ruth's transition into adolescence. For example, James becomes more aware of his race and once again questions his mother whether he is black or white. Furthermore, James finally comes to the realization that it doesn't matter whether he is one color or the other. He quotes, "I thought it would be easier if we were just one color, black or white. I didn't want to be white. My siblings had already instilled the notion of black pride in me. I would have preferred that Mommy were black. Now, as a grown man, I feel privileged to have come from two worlds." James went from resenting his mother's race to feeling blessed to have come from a mixed race union. Also, through James's chapters, James shows how his mother emphasized the importance of education. She instills this emphasis in each of her children because after being suffocated by the strict rules of her family and religion in her past, Ruth naturally cherishes the freedom that education provides. Even though James went through a period of crime (ie. stealing), drugs, and alcohol, he soon comes clean and focuses more on his education. His mother's constant persistence to push her children to success led James to who he is today. 

For Ruth's transition into adolescence, she soon becomes close friends with a young girl named Frances and has a boyfriend named Peter. However, she later becomes pregnant, and her mom sends her to New York to live with her aunts and grandmother. After her abortion and graduation, Ruth realizes that Suffolk, Virginia, wasn't where she belonged anymore. Ruth's argument with her father about the location of her graduation ceremony was a pivotal moment. After her father told her she could not attend the ceremony, Ruth becomes determined to go. She ignores her father's prohibition, rather than seeking his permission. However, in the end, she never enters the gentile church. As she attempted to enter the church, Ruth realizes that even though she ignored her father's prohibition, she realizes that she has not completely shed her father's restrictive, religious faith. This realization is one of the key reasons why she leaves her family and moves to New York, trying to become independent. It is there where she meets her future 1st husband, Andrew Dennis McBride.   

Through the straightforward prose style and transitions between James's and Ruth's stories, this book has allowed me to jump right into storyline. With every page flip, I am eager to learn more about both James's and Ruth's lives. Contrary to popular belief, I find The Color of Water a great book. Rather than focusing on the minor details, one should focus of the big picture: James's and Ruth's lives. Each of their stories are bits and pieces that, when put together, tell a remarkable story of a bi-racial family who succeeded and achieved the American dream, despite the societal obstacles placed in its way. 

The Color of Water (Part 1)

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother is significantly different from Stephen King's On Writing. Whereas King's On Writing focuses on the process and technicalities of writing, The Color of Water is an autobiography. James McBride, the author, writes this book as a tribute to his mother, Ruth. The novel parallels between the story of the author's mother's young adulthood with the story of his own young adulthood, manipulating time so that the reader can compare Ruth and James at similar ages.

The book opens with James's mother describing her early life. Ruth was born into a Polish Orthodox Jewish family with firm religious beliefs. Ruth explains to the reader that she has become "dead" to her family as a result of her decision to marry Andrew McBride, James's African-American father. She states, "My family morned me when I married your father. They said kaddish and sat shiva. That's how Orthodox Jews mourn their dead..." Ruth then describes her parents as polar opposites. Her father, an Orthodox rabbi, was as "hard as a rock", whereas her mother was "gentle and meek".

The next chapter switches views as James tells his story. James begins his story describing his mother's two new hobbies: riding the bicycle and playing the piano. James particularly focuses on his mother's love for riding her worn out, blue bicycle around the neighborhood. Her care free mood as she rode up and down the neighborhood street was an enigma to James; he couldn't figure out why his middle-aged mother was doing such an activity in the middle of the day. He believed that it was her way of grieving after her second husband died. However, I think that her bicycle has more significance than just a way to part ways from grievance. I think that her bicycle shows her constant need for movement. From the day James's mother was born, she was always on the move. After migrating to America in her early childhood, her father's job of a traveling preacher made her family move often. Ruth describes, "Tateh (her father) would sign a contract with a synagogue and after a year the synagogue wouldn't renew it, so we'd pack up and move to the next town." Her family moved everywhere from Glens Fall, New York to Suffolk, Virginia. Therefore, these constant moves became instilled in her, and the bicycle symbolizes her need to be constantly moving.

The next seven chapters continue to transition between James's childhood and his mother's. Each chapter hits a major point such as religion and racism. Also, I have to admit, this transition becomes rather confusing. Every time I start a new chapter, I have to remind myself that the chapters in italics is Ruth's while the other font is James's. However, with every page turn, I learn something new about James and his mother's lives. Even from the first nine chapters of this book, both James and his mother have endured more than many people have endured in a lifetime. I look forward to what the rest of the book has in store for me!

On Writing Essay

As Stephen King so bluntly stated, "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot." Throughout King's novel, On Writing, King emphasizes the importance of reading and writing to become a good writer. King seems to believe that aspiring writers can only "learn" to be good writers by the very act of writing and rewriting. In the CV, King uses several personal experiences as examples to further his argument that if one wants to write well, one must write abundantly. 


In his early years, King published The Village Vomit, his own interpretation of his school's newspaper. This newspaper showed King's satirical, witty humor for writing fictional stories. Soon enough, his love for writing fiction developed. This early development allowed King to focus on what he loved most: writing. He wrote and wrote until he was satisfied. From contributing articles to his brother's newspaper, Dave's Rag, to his first published novel, Carrie, Stephen King never gave up on his dreams of becoming an accomplished, published writer. King's continuous perseverance through tough times shows his dedication to his writing. Furthermore, after receiving one rejection letter after another, King's determination to pursue his passion continued through his childhood and into his adulthood. 


Even through a dark period of drugs and alcohol, King overcame this endeavor with not only with the help of his family and friends, but with his rational thinking and dedication to writing. His dedication to writing allowed him to overcome one of the darkest periods of his life, but this dark period has formed King to who he is today. King shows that despite the many potential pitfalls in his life, he is still a very much active writer, writing almost everyday. 


Throughout On Writing, King allows the readers to see writing in a new light. He shows the audience how words and phrases are bits and pieces of a meaning that can create a whole new world. However, one must constantly write to achieve such an accomplishment. King definitely changed the lives of those who read On Writing, and he will continue to change the lives of those who will read this book in the future. His use of personal experiences and literary advice continues to support his theory: to write well, one must write abundantly. As King asserts, "Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up."

Stephen King's On Writing: The End

Ahh! I finally finished the book, and I must admit that I've learned so much more about writing than I've ever had before. 


King opens the final reading assignment by talking about symbolism and themes coming into action at the second draft of your writing. King states, "Symbolism (and the other adornments, too) does serve a useful purpose, though - it's more than just chrome on the grille. It can serve as a focusing device for both you and your reader, helping to create a more unified and pleasing work. I think that, when you read your manuscript over, you'll see if symbolism, or the potential for it, exists. If it doesn't leave well enough alone. If it does, however - if it's clearly a part of the fossil you're working to unearth - go for it. Enhance it, You're a monkey if you don't." He advises the readers that they should focus on the story itself and only explore symbolism and themes if they become apparent. 


King than discusses other tools and road blocks of the writing process such as thematic thinking, writer's block, and over-logic. He reminds the readers that, "Writing is not life, but I think that sometimes it can be a way back to life." 


Finally, one of the greatest lessons King has taught me is to write for the right reasons. Don't do it just for the money or success or fame. Do it for the joy and excitement of writing. I couldn't agree more with King. 


On Writing is an instructive novel that will continue to transform thousands of reader's ideas about writing. This book is filled with useful information for those who wish to further their writing. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the craft of writing or just wants a good read. Once again, King's continuous, witty humor left me laughing out loud as I read each chapter. King's creative writing has made me want to write more and see where writing will take me.


"Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up."  -Stephen King

State of the Union Address

Now, I am going to go ahead and admit that I am not a big fan of Obama and his administration; however, after listening to Obama's State of the Union address, I've come to have more respect for Obama and his dedication to this country. I'm not saying I agree with everything Obama said in his address, but what I am saying is that Obama has many positive goals he wants to achieve for our country.

First and foremost, I would like to commend Obama on his excellent social and public speaking skills. He was respectful when he entered the chamber, shaking hands and greeting many congressmen and women. His eloquent speaking was fantastic; he came across as a confident, engaging, and persuasive speaker.

Now, moving on the actual speech. Obama began his address by addressing the current bipartisanship issue within congress. He uses pathos to appeal to the emotions of the listeners by correlating the bipartisanship issue to the Arizona shooting. In his opening remarks, Obama stated, "But there’s a reason the tragedy in Tucson gave us pause. Amid all the noise and passions and rancor of our public debate, Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something greater – something more consequential than party or political preference. He reasons that both Republicans and Democrats must work together to ensure the future prosperity of the United States. Both parties must move forward together to make the decisions of tomorrow.

Obama later jumps right into the economy of the US. He forecasts three major points, and the first is INNOVATION. Creativity and imagination are two key components to advancing into the technological world we are transforming into today, and Obama clearly understands this. He mentioned the growing influences China, Russia, and other countries have to indicate growing competition within the global community. For example, China is now the home of the largest solar power research facility and the fastest computer while the US is trying to play catch up. Obama references the Sputnik and the infamous Space Race the US had with the Soviet Union. Obama is calling this era our "Sputnik Moment", and I couldn't agree more. The US must catch up with other countries, especially China and Russia, in the fight for not only global dominance, but global innovation. From my experience from debate, the US is currently number one of the global hegemony list with Russia and China right behind us. Whatever we do in this country will set the global scale. No one is going to build to two standards, just like the bumper in Japan cannot be lower than a bumper in the US. To improve our innovation, Obama set certain goals to achieve:

• "We'll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean-energy technology - an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet and create countless new jobs for our people."
• "Become the first country to have 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015."
• "By 2035, 80% of America's electricity will come from clean energy sources." 

Obama's next main point was EDUCATION. Our education system is in murky waters right now. As the NCLB Act continues to leave hundreds of schools without proper funding and college tuition skyrocketing for the past years, I'm glad Obama made a point to discuss this issue. Obama discusses abolishing the NCLB Act and reforming the US education system with a new program called Race to the Top. Race to the Top is essentially a point system that will nationalize public education. I'm not sure if this program will actually work or not. I guess we will have to see. Furthermore, I wish Obama would have gone further in depth with the proposed Race to the Top program. He then asked congress to make permanent the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which can provide up to $10,000 for four years of college. Education is key to a prospering country such as the US. I think this is a great proposal. Our generation is the future of the US, and we must ensure our future generation is educated. Obama's goals for education are:

• "Over the next 10 years, we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math."
• "I ask Congress to make permanent our tuition tax credit - worth $10,000 for four years of college."
• "By the end of the decade, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world."
• 
  

Next, Obama talks about INFRASTRUCTURE. This is Obama'a third step in rebuilding America. This point also correlates with Obama's mention of our "Sputnik Moment" and how the US must catch up with other countries. He states, "Our infrastructure used to be the best, but our lead has slipped. South Korean homes now have greater Internet access than we do. Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and new airports. meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation's infrastructure, they gave us a D." I completely agree with this point. With the growth of new jobs, people need a means of communication. Our infrastructure must be reformed. His goals for insfrastructure are: 

• "Within 25 years, our goal is to give 80% of Americans access to high-speed rail."
• "Within the next five years, we'll make it possible for businesses to deploy the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage to 98% of all Americans."

"All these investments - in innovation, education, and infrastructure - will make America a better place to do business and create jobs."

Moving on from his three main points, Obama talked about the Health Care Reform. I'm glad that he is open to reforms of his proposed health care bill. For example, those with pre-existing conditions will continue with medical services without worrying too much about money, and in business, small companies will still be able to compete. He also talks about freezing government spending for the next five years. I wish he would've gone a bit more in depth with this proposal. What are we going to cut? Who will be affected? He listed possibilities, but I needed some reassurance. Obama also brings up leadership and diplomacy. At the Nuclear Security Summit in April, 44 nations will come together in Washington DC behind a clear goal: securing all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world in four years, so that they will never fall into the hands of terrorists. This will not only benefit national security for the US and other countries, it will help the US's diplomacy towards other countries. 

Finally, after over 45 minutes in the address, Obama finally addresses a major issue: the war on terror. I was anxiously awaiting for this topic to come up. As a debater on the forensics team, I have debated about the Afghanistan war numerous times now and have now come to become more interested in this area. Obama talks about his current withdrawal plan from Afghanistan on July of 2011. Obama wasn't clear whether this is a complete withdrawal or not. I'm hoping he means that on this date, we will begin a gradual withdrawal from Afghanistan. A gradual withdrawal will better enhance the COIN and counter terrorism strategy in Afghanistan. The US leaving Iraq is a strong proposal. Iraq is in a strong nation building momentum and leaving now will allow Iraq to become more dependent on itself, rather than depending on the US and our aid.

I'm glad that I got a chance to listen to the State of the Union address. I certainly learned a lot more about what is going on in our government system and potential reforms in the future. However, I hope Obama keeps true to his word, and this wasn't just mindless babble. As the saying goes, "If you're going to talk the talk, you better be prepared to walk the walk." Overall, Obama communicated well at the emotional level, and his confidence for a prosperous future leaves me optimistic for what is to come in the future.

"Fuhgeddaboudit!"

As I continued to read On Writing, I continued to not only be more amused by King's witty humor, I learned more about writing than I could in any high school English text book. For example, King's innovative use of a metaphorical tool box to teach the essentials of writing was ingenious. He teaches the readers the important tools needed to become a prolific writer. His critical analysis of writing left me thinking of my own writing and of how much more I needed to learn to grow as a writer. He analyzed every aspect of writing from one's vocabulary to the actual story plot.

Before I read the toolbox, I always had the mind set that the more complex the sentence was, the better the sentence is. For example, I would sometimes add an adjective or two to make a sentence more intellectual or interesting. King, however, argues that this is unnecessary. He argues that a good writing is cutting out useless words and getting straight to the point. He points out that "simple sentences provide a path you can follow when you fear getting lost in the tangles of rhetoric."

King later gets further in depth with writing and its techniques. King's use of extended metaphors to describe certain aspects of writing kept me interested and eager with every chapter. For example, he portrays fossils as stories, and a good writer must learn how to undercover these precious fossils using his or her toolbox to produce a good story or book. He argues that writing and reading are key components to a good writer, and I couldn't agree more. Writers must read in order to improve his or her writing. Also, his belief that stories make themselves, and it is the writer's job to give them a place to grow is a great observation.

King's writing continues to astound me. With every page turn, I learn more and more about writing and how to improve myself as a writer. I look forward to the rest of the book.

"Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world. The writer's job is to use the tools in his or her toolbox to get as much of each one out of the ground intact as possible. Sometimes the fossil you uncover is small; a seashell. Sometimes it's enormous, a Tyrannosaurus Rex with all those gigantic ribs and grinning teeth. Either way, short story or thousand-page whopper of a novel, the techniques of excavation remain basically the same." -Stephen King

"This Is Not An Autobiography."

As a beginner to any of Stephen King's books, I didn't know what to expect as I read the CV. However, as I read more into King's life, I couldn't help but to follow him through his journey to becoming who he is today. King's sense of humor is shown throughout the CV through his childhood stories and use of swear words. Yes, the CV has many swear words; however, King only uses these words when he thought the timing was appropriate. Also, King did not "sugar coat" anything as he told his story. A clear example was when he recalls the period in his life where he fell into the hands of alcohol and drug abuse.

One of my favorite quotes from the CV was right after King's mom encouraged him to start writing some of his own stories: "I remember an immense feeling of possibility at the idea, as if I had been ushered into a vast building filled with closed doors and had been given leave to open any I like. There were more doors than one person could ever open in a lifetime, I thought (and still think)." This realization led King to who he is today. From contributing to his brother's newspaper, Dave's Rag, to publishing The Village Vomit, King's own interpretation of the school newspaper, King prospered in putting his ideas on paper. Even when he was rejected hundreds of times before, King's determination to pursue his passion continued throughout his childhood and into his adulthood.

Soon enough, King met his future wife, Tabatha (Or, as King refers to her, Tabby). She is later one of his most loyal supporters as King tries to get his books published to support his family. King soon has his biggest break as the rights of his book, Carrie, goes for $400,000. However, his success was followed by a period of drugs and alcohol. King soon overcomes this with not only the help of his family and friends, but with his rational thinking. ("Any claims that the drugs and alcohol are necessary to dull a finer sensibility are just the usual self-serving bullshit.")

While I found King's On Writing a great piece of literature, I couldn't help think of the excessive amount of chapters. Just from the CV, there were 38 chapters. I felt that King left many "empty spaces" from his story. I know that he left many periods of his life out for different reasons; I couldn't help but feel that King would leave me hanging after a chapter or two. Nevertheless, King left a great impression on me. Just from the CV, he showed me that hard work and determination can lead to whatever my imagination can take me. I look forward to reading the rest of the book and learning more about not only King but more about writing.

"This is not an autobiography. It is, rather, a king of curriculum vitae - my attempt o show how one writer was formed. Not how one writer was made; I don't believe writers can be made, either by circumstances or by self-will (although I did believe those things once)." -Stephen King