Is school the place to learn a language?

There are two ways to learn language. The first is from birth, where you grow up learning a language and it is ingrained from the beginning. The second is when you learn a second language, normally in school. I think that both methods can be beneficial. In the past, new languages were taught just in school or just in family. Now they are taught both places. I was first introduced to Spanish when I was in kindergarten. I've learned it all throughout school, but I feel as though if I were introduced to it in my family I would have developed a better sense of the culture and a better understanding of how to actually speak the language. Culture to me is the most important aspect of a language because it helps you to be imersed into all of the language. Language should be taught in both places, school and the family.

But sometimes there are other places to learn. I researched learning languages on youtube, and now there are different ways of learning languages in school. Some people have started using Skype to learn languages. This gives students the opportunity to learn all types of languages over the internet while giving them one on one attention.

Here is the youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynvgJr9HbfI

Tradition and Power

The ending of the novel Power was interesting to me but I liked it. I really enjoyed reading this novel and even though it was a little confusing at times, I was happy with the end result. Omishto finally ended up deciding for herself what was right. In class we discussed what Power was to each of us and what were the most important power's in the novel. I believe that the power of belief was the most important and apparent throughout this novel. Omishto finally started to believe in her old traditions and I think that is important to point out. Traditions in this novel were very apparent and are seen throughout the whole story. Throughout the novel, Omishto was very confused as to what she actually believed, but in the end and through all of her troubles in the novel, she came to a conclusion on what she believed. I think that she got much of her independence from Ama, but I also think that by witnessing what happened, she found her own personal way of deciding what she actually believes.

The meaning of the storm and panther

In the novel Power, many things lead up to the killing of the panther, like the storm. I think the storm was written into this novel to build suspense, but also give us a view of what Omishto was truly like. Although we see a little bit of her personality through the beginning of the novel, her identity is shown when she is put into complex situations. During the storm, while she was all alone trying her hardest to get back to Ama's house for safety, all she could think about was that if this was a dream. I think this may have been the first time she was ever put into a situation like that, but I thought it was interesting that she kept mentioning her mom and sister and wondering if they were safe. Before that, her mother and sister were not too high on her list of people she really liked, but when it came down to what really mattered, they were there.

While reading about the storm, I started to get jumpy when I would hear things around me. I think this novel is meant to do this and I think the storm brings a scary feeling into the picture while the panther hunt starts as well. The panther hunt also shows a characteristic of Omishto we haven't really seen. I saw that throughout the novel she was influenced by many peoples decisions, and still is during this hunt, but she at least tries to give Ama a sense of her mind. Omishto tries to tell Ama to stop and asks her what she is doing.

I think the storm and the panther hunt are significant throughout Power because it gives us a sense of who Omishto really is, and who she can be. I think since she is only 16 she is also going through self-identity issues and isn't sure what she thinks and maybe if what she thinks is right in their minds.

Nature in Power

There are many different ways that nature is seen throughout this novel. I see it the most when I read about Omishto's description of Ama's house though. I think it is important to point out that earlier in Ama's life, her house was bright blue, just like the sky. And now it is covered in leaves and is a dark brown. Ama lives out in the wilderness because she likes to feel independent. Nature brings out Ama's identity and is important to her character. Nature is also important throughout this novel because it is a way that Ama and Omishto relate. Even though they do not talk much, they usually observe the wonders of nature together and do not have to even say much in order to communicate. They both sometimes know what the other is thinking. Although we haven't read much so far, by next Tuesday I'm sure nature will play a much bigger role in the novel. Nature seems to be brought up very spontaneously, which gives me the idea that it plays a significant role in Omishto and Ama's lives. I feel that Omishto's family does not give mother Earth and nature credit and Ama does. Omishto realizes that and also realizes that Ama has the power to go against what everyone thinks, which gives her a sense of Power. I think the title of this book has several meanings to it, and one of them I am almost certain about is Ama's ability to go against everyone in order to do what she wants.

P.S.-I know the picture above is a cartoon, but it reminds me a little of Ama's house because of the big tree that is above her house. Also, there are a couple things outside this house that reminds me of Ama's house like the porch and the actual color of the house.

Lucy and Peggy

Lucy and Peggy's relationship is much different than that with her and Mariah's. Mariah reminds Lucy of her mother more and more with every conversation they have. I feel that Peggy and Lucy's relationship brings up Lucy's mother sometimes, but usually they do things that Lucy has never done. I feel that Peggy brings out the bad or promiscuous side in Lucy while Lucy brings out the good side in Peggy.

When Lucy goes with Peggy to the party, she see's that Peggy has many different friends. Some of them are artistic and smoke a lot of marijuana, which now is normal to Lucy. I think Mariah does not like Peggy because she knows she is much different than herself and Lucy. Mariah wants to direct Lucy down the right path, while Peggy might be throwing her off.

I think Peggy and Lucy's relationship is good for her and even though Mariah does not like the fact that her friend is Peggy, she is happy that Lucy has found a friend. I feel the same way, because I feel that Lucy needs someone she can be a young woman with, and with Mariah and her family it is hard for that to come out when she is taking care of the children and conversing with a mother. What do any of you think about this? Do you guys think Peggy and Lucy's relationship is good for Lucy? Or do you think it is taking away from the whole reason Lucy came to the United States?

Putting on a show for others

One of the questions we were left with at the end of class on Tuesday was one that has always struck me. Is everything you do a type of performance?

To me, I would have to say 80% of the time, yes and 20% no. Usually for class, I try to most importantly perform to the best of my ability for the teacher and then because I want my classmates also to think I am somewhat intelligent. Like someone else mentioned in class, our papers for our teachers are performances in a way, too. How we dress and present ourselves in class is another type of thing we do that shows that everything is a performance. If a student is attentive and shows respect towards others and the teacher, she will portray a much better image than one that is sleeping and shows no class participation.

Out of the classroom and in social environments, I would agree that that is its own performance as well. If your just sitting in a corner all alone and not socializing it does not give off the same type of vibe as if you were up and about talking amongst others.

With parents or siblings, there is always competition. Brothers and sisters, or sisters and sisters or brothers and brothers are always wanting to do better than the other. There is most of the time a want from children to perform to their best of their abilities to impress their parents. Sometimes this is not the case, but also if the child is lazy or just unmotivated that would be a type of performance as well. They are showing their parents they do not care about the particular thing.

So when asked the question is everything you do type of performance, I would have to agree. Do any of you ever have to compete or put on a performance for your parents? or teachers? or siblings?

This Blessed House

I thought this story was really interesting. I thought the actual read was good, but I couldn't understand some of the personalities of the characters. The thing that I thought was the most important was the vinegar. I thought although it was found in the pantry at first, I feel like it was an important metaphor. I feel that it was not only put there for the cooking aspect, but I feel like something in the couples live might have been missing and the vinegar symbolizes it a little bit. I'm anxious to go to class because I want to get some of my questions cleared up about the story, which might help me analyze this metaphor, but I do not think the vinegar was just there as a cooking ingredient. Does anyone agree or disagree with this statement?? I'm not too sure if this was right, but I took a guess.