Wendell's final essay of the year

Wendell Frink

Mr. Salsich

9-English

26 May 2009

Looking Through the Looking-glass:

An Essay on Two Poems and My Life

How we view things is important. When looking around this world, we need to notice the good things in life, and notice the bad things too. When we view our past, we need to not dwell on it, look toward the past and present. We view the theme of viewing in William Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey,” my return to Pinepoint in five years, and in Richard Wilbur’s poem “The Writer.”

Throughout the lines of “Tintern Abbey” by William Wordsworth I noticed the theme of viewing. First of all, Wordsworth is viewing Tintern Abbey for the first time in five years. He’s noticing the new ‘look’ of the church-desolate, destroyed ruined, gone [tetracolon climax]. The abbey holds a “somewhat of a said perplexity,” with its overgrown walls and courtyards and is “laid asleep.” Also, Wordsworth is able to view his past life at the abbey. He sees in his mind when he was a kid, what the abbey was like, what life was like, and how it has changed [parallelism]. Unfortunately, these visions are “dim and faint” and “half-extinguished,” like a small fire-that fire being Tintern Abbey. Viewing the Tintern Abbey, Wordsworth reflects upon the new and old church.

Upon my return to Pinepoint in five years, I’ll be viewing all of the changes the school has undergone. I’ll be viewing new faces at the school. Teachers and students and parents [polysyndeton] change throughout the years. Some of the same teachers probably won’t be teaching in five years, some of the students will be different in five years, and some of the parents will be different in five years [parallelism]. In addition, the structure of the school will change. In the near future, a wind turbine will be built and there will be additions to the buildings. Seeing this in five years is possible. As I step through the doors to Pinepoint in five years, I will view many new changes.

In the “The Writer” by Richard Wilbur, viewing is also a prominent theme. First, throughout the poem the father views many scenes. He has seen many things, from a “dazed starling” to his “daughter writing a story” to “life and death.” These scenes are a portion [FAST] of regular life. Also, he views his daughter as a ship. His daughter’s life is a “great cargo” and sometimes this cargo can be “heavy.” She carries the memory of the “dazed starling [...] humped and bloody” with her, too. Yet even with this heavy weight, she trudges on with her story, plunking away at the “type-writer keys.”

Viewing scenes occurs all the time. At the moment, reader, you are viewing my essay. Around you people are viewing other scenes, other actions made by people, and other events taking place [parallelism]. View life the same way you view scenes, as an excellent thing.

Shad's Final Essay of the Year

"Acts of Kindness" are completed by almost everyone in the world. William Wordsworth and myself are both contributers to this kindness. In "Tintern Abbey" Wordsworth talks about the kindness that has shaped the Abbey into the "beauteous form" that it is today. The kindness that has inspired Wordsworth has also inspired me to perform the acts of kindness in my life also.

With all the themes in "Tintern Abbey" there were only a few that stuck out to me. The one that stuck out the most was the "acts of kindness". Everyone, I don't care who you are, performs acts of kindness. Whether its holding the door for someone or making them a card on their birthday. Theses acts can be life lifting, depending on the mood of a person these acts of kindness can uplift the spirits of a depressed person. The acts of kindness can bring a sense of love and tranquility. This is exactly the reason why William Wordsworth used these very words in his poem. He was at a moment of peace and felt happy when the words flowed onto his paper. Each act that we do can change a life, bring someone at peace with their self or simply brighten up some ones day.

There have been countless moments in my life when an "act of kindness" from me has brightened someone's day. The first, when I was last year, in eighth grade there were many moments when accidents happened in the English classroom but today someone had spilled water all over the desk. This person seemed melancholy about this so I quickly got up and helped them with the mess, after this the person kindly thanked me and we continued on with our class. One of my best friends at Pine Point, Gabe Campbell, once asked me to help him move some soccer goals during the off-season. This was completely voluntary and was not something that he was forcing me to do. Being myself I kindly told Gabe that I would help him out, therefore lightening the load off his back. The kindness that I have shown in the English classroom and also with my friends has benefited no only me but also the people who I helped.

Kindness is something that we all encounter and interact with. William Wordsworth has has seen and experienced kindness in his life as have I. We contribute to the kindness everyday by performing small acts that help move people on from their downsides. Where will you decide to use your kindness to brighten someone's day?

gabe's final essay of the year

Gabriel Campbell

Mr. Salsich

English B

5/26/09

 

            Once the future has come, all we have left is the past, but people don’t realize how precious the past is. The past contains memories of everything that we won’t possess again. Memories of friends, memories of homes, and memories on how places used to be (parallelism). Overall, memories has persisted as a recurring theme in the poem Tintern Abbey and my own life.

            A persistent theme in the poem Tintern Abbey was memories. Upon his return to Tintern Abbey, he was flooded with images of how the church used to be. He remembered the “hedge-rows” and “pastoral farms [that were] green to the very door”. In essence, all he had left of the church was his memories. With the church being destroyed, everything he had known of the church was gone. It had been shrouded (fast) in “joyless daylight”. Now, all he had was his memories of the “beauteous forms” that gave him “tranquil restoration”. Without his memories, his Voyage to Tintern Abbey would have been pointless.

            Visiting Pine Point in five years will bring back memories similar to Wordsworth’s. Almost certainly, when I return changes will have been made to the school. There will be areas that have been renovated or destroyed in the past five years. All that will be left of those areas will be the memories I’ve kept. Similarly, walking the hallways of Pine Point will trigger some memories. Even today, I can walk down the hallways and remember jokes Parker and I made in 7^th grade on the way to French class. Walking down these hallways five years from now (participle), I am certain that memories will be present. Finally I frequently reminisce about my class. While we have yet parted, it is pleasant to look back on they five years they and I have spent together. People have matured, people have left, and people have grown closer (parallelism). When visiting Pine Point in five years, all the classes, lunches, tests, and jokes will persist in my mind (tetracolon climax).

            In the Writer by Richard Wilbur, Wilbur hopes his daughter’s dreams won’t die. While listening to his daughter type, he hears frequent stoppages due to frustration. He then states that “it is […] a matter of life or death” for his daughter. What this means is that if his daughter gives up, her dreams will die and become memories. Similarly, he compared his daughters dream to a bird trapped in a room. This bird was flustered and disoriented, and even though it was hurt severely, it kept getting up and attempting to escape. The comparison was that his daughter frequently struggled with her work, much like the bird struggled to escape. The bird never let its dream of escaping the tomb disappear and Wilbur hopes the same for his daughter. Overall, in the poem the Writer by Richard Wilbur, a story of struggles and dreams is present.

            Time passes faster than we think. Five years has passed for both William Wordsworth and myself and the outcome is shocking in some aspects. Cherishing those memories of past life is important. To summarize, the memories that William Wordsworth had of Tintern Abbey and the memories I have of my life have recurred frequently.

Shad's Post

Have you ever been transformed? If so, was it similar to that of a rock being cut into tiny stones to be placed into a garden? Rainer Maria Rilke speaks about undergoing (FAST) transformation in many different ways. My life, a simple stone, and the meaning of this passage are all parts of the different ways I have transformed.

In the first part of the passage Rilke talks about transformation, we transform our lives everyday when we make decisions that do not seem significant (FAST). Rilke seems to be talking about how in life everyone goes through changes so maybe life is just one large scale transformation. Though the little good things you do in your life everyday may not be very important they still change you. The bad things that you do everyday also change you. The more large scale mistakes and acts of kindness have transformed you in a bigger way than you could think of. You can and will become a different person if you continue to make these small decisions that shape our worlds. However, it is up to you how how they will be shaped, good, bad or neutral. It is your choice and your choice only.

Shaping your life is similar to shaping a rock. Old and grey, the garden stone in Mr. Salsich's room has been "transformed" throughout time.(Appositive Sentence Opener) Millions of years ago that rock could have been formed, it could have even been a boulder at one point. Who knows what could have happened to the stone: other rocks colliding with it, people sitting on it, moved in an ice age or even cut by a mason. Being shaped by a mason is very different than nature, in terms of tool. The transformation from a normal into a beautiful masterpiece is very complex, precision cutting, shaping, and piecing, and presenting the rocks together are all factors that affect the outcome of this rock.(Tetracolon Climax Verbial) Just like us the transformation can be a long and painful process but in the end we come out even more beautiful than before. No doubt the garden stone on Mr. Salsich's desk does not get the credit it deserves for all of the things its been through therefore we should recognize that the stone is no different than ourselves.

We transform almost exactly like the stone itself but, the only thing that is different is the tools that shape us. The first way I was transformed was when I was introduced to Pine Point School. Here at Pine Point I have been shaped by the wonderful teachers and core values that surround the school itself. From the first day I set foot in Pine Point I had felt that I was different, my mind being tethered to my now caring heart.(Participial Phrase Closer)Second, I have had to go through my parents separation for the past two years. It has been a hard road from switching back and forth to my dads house and my moms house. Although, it has made me a better person knowing that I survived something that can be one of the hardest challenges for a family. Just like the garden stone the transformation may become long and painful but the outcome is what is worth the strain.

We all go through our lives transforming frequently, from the cells in our bodies, to the people around us. If we do not have the correct appearance or skill for a particular task we can change ourselves to "fit the boot". Sometimes it can be hard for us to survive these transformations but they are usually worth the hardships and rejection.

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Self Assessment

Recently I have been trying to improve on making my opening and closing paragraphs more grabbing. Another thing I am trying to do is use my requirements in the correct locations. Some strong points in this essay is the umbrella that does not seem to stray too far off of the main point. I see some weak points with my second body paragraph and trying to get it to "flow" with the rest of the essay. I would probably give myself a C+/B- for this essay.

Wendell's Essay

Wendell Frink

Mr. Salsich

9-English

13 May 2009

What are Transformations For?

An Essay on a Rock, a Passage, and my Life

Are transformations good or bad? Do they help you in life or are they just an annoyance [FAST]? How you look at transformations depends on whether they will help you, if the transformation is good or bad. In a passage by Rainer Maria Rilke, a garden stone, and in my life we find transformations or changes.

The great poet Rainer Maria Rilke’s words are filled with power and wisdom. Firstly, he says that “all that is good is transformation and all that is bad as well.” Change in our lives, or “transformation[s]” are an everyday part of living. Without transformations, our lives would be dull and unlivable. In addition, to gain something or reveal it, we must “intensify” our actions. We must have full participation in our actions, so you can concentrate with your entire mind. When we show we are “avid[ly] interest[ed]” in something, we can reach the essence of that item. This wonderful thinking by a wonderful poet is filled with much meaning.

My life is also filled with many transformations. First, when I switched [FAST] schools for the 8th grade year, my life "transform[ed]" drastically. I had to find new friends, receive new teachers, a new locker, and a new life [parallelism]. My daily routine was altered drastically; instead of walking to the bus each morning, I was driven to school, instead of a 350 person class, it was downsized to only 27. Also, when we grow up, we change. I am not the same person I was last year. I am taller, my voice is deeper, and I have slowly become stronger [participial phrase]. Overall, changes in my life happen all the time.

Deep inside the earth, materials go under huge transformations that create rocks. A rock used in a garden is probably many thousands of years old. Before it was formed, the rock was just magma deep in the earth, but as time passed it was shaped into this garden stone. This process took time, and much energy. Also, this rock has probably been cut off of another rock. The larger rock was transformed into “something good.” Each little rock symbolizes what the larger rock one was, large, majestic, beautiful, and everlasting [tetracolon climax]. Each transformation of materials creates majestic works of nature-rocks.

In the context of these three items, transformations are good. Without transformations we wouldn’t have the stone to walk on in the garden, without transformations our lives would be dull, and without transformations we wouldn’t meet new people and see new places [parallelism]. These transformations help you in life, and you can help transformations [antithesis]. Without transformations, what would we do?

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Self Assessment:

Recently, I have been making sure my FAST words are apt. I have been going to my parents and asking them if each FAST word works with what I am saying. My sentences and paragraphs have started to flow better, but a weak point I see is that I sometimes include sentences that aren't necessary to what I am saying. I would give myself a B for this essay.

gabe's essay

Gabriel Campbell

Mr. Salsich

English B

5/13/09

 

            Life itself is filled with pros and cons. Something could transform to better the world or simply make it worse. Life can even relate to a garden stone. Overall, the ambiguous (fast) passages by Rainer Maria Rilke can relate to the garden stone in our classroom and my own life.

            One passage in the writings of Rainer Maria Rilke that stood out to me was “good is transformation and […] [it] is bad as well.” This quote could mean that with all bad things, good follows. For example, if a close one was dying of an illness, their death would be the good that follows because they would be out of their misery. While it may be depressing, it is comforting to know they aren’t in pain. Similarly, this quote could mean that while transforming is wonderful, bad can come out of it. For example, some one could “transforms” into a hard working person whose work brings them wealth. The bad about this transformation could be that with this new-found wealth, the person could become more selfish and greedy. Overall, the passage  “good is transformation and […] [it] is bad as well” was one of many ambiguous passages that caught my attention while reading the writings of Rainer Maria Rilke.

            While reading the passages by Rilke, it occurred to me that the line “the world happened […] within […] his center” could relate to the garden stone in our classroom. For starters, this garden stone has experienced all of the natural elements. It has experienced rain, snow, hail, and wind (tetracolan climax). Essentially, the garden stone has experienced the ways of earth. Similarly, while it cannot hear, see, or feel (appositive), it has endured (fast) the weight of us. It has stood firm day after day, tolerating us walking back and forth (participle). In essence, we are the world, and the stone has experienced us. To summarize, the passage “the world happened […] within […] his center” can be easily related to the garden stone in our classroom.

            The quote “good is transformation and […] [it] is bad as well” from the Rilke passage can be related to my life. In my life, there have been transformations that have turned out well. For example, me becoming more responsible with my work. Instead of going home and procrastinating until late hours, I have gotten my homework out of the way immediately. Unfortunately, there have not-so-good transformations. With my growing age, I have become more disagreeable with my parents. I dearly love my parents, but I often get into pointless arguments with them. To summarize, the quote “good is transformation and […] [it] is bad as well” is an example of my transformation during life.

            My whole life has consisted of transforming. The smallest changes have had an important impact (antithesis), for example growing older and maturing. Some things could have also been overlooked, like a garden stone. Similarly, the passages by Rainer Maria Rilke could be applied to my life as well as the garden stone in our classroom.

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Self Assessment:

I have been working on making my concluding sentences better. I am also trying to use apt transitions. Some strong points I see in this essay are my use of the special tools. I thought i used them correctly and they enhanced the writing. Some weak points I see are definitely my concluding sentences. Some are good but others are boring. I would give myself an 82-84 on this essay because I feel I met the requirements of the essay.

Wendell's Essay

Wendell Frink

Mr. Salsich

9-English

11 May 2009

Parting Ways:

An Essay on Two Poems and a Movie

We experience the act of parting, or goodbyes, everyday. It’s as though saying goodbye is like tying your shoes- an essential part of your day and routine. When we say goodbye, we know that we will see that person again, like how we know that when we tie our shoes, they will come undone again. We notice parting in the poem “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye, a poem by Emily Dickinson, and in the movie “Armageddon.”

In the movie, “Armageddon,” directed by Michael Bay, the main character Harry Stamper experiences many instances of parting with things and people he loves. First, he has to part with the place that he loves the most-Earth. His mission, along with several others, is to fly to an asteroid, drill 800ft. into it, insert a nuclear warhead, and destroy it [Loose Sentence]. To do this, they must leave Earth and meet with the asteroid in space. In addition, each person on the mission parts with something in their life. The things left behind include a loved one, family members, a favorite thing, or in some cases, their life. Each person may or may not “disappear.” Everyone that leaves the earth must say “adios to you[r]” to everything and everyone.

In the poem “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye, the entire poem is about parting, not just a part of it. In the poem, Ms. Nye tries to explain why you must say “adios.” You can’t explain why you are leaving, for “the word explains itself.” Remember that everyone always parts with someone (it happens everyday), and is never explained. Also, when you say “adios,” let “everything, easily go.” Keep yourself free from everything, let things “disappear” within you. Instead of getting caught up in it, “think of what you love best” and build on that, make it a part of you and hold on for dear life. Whenever we sever [FAST] the ties with something, or say “adios,” let yourself be free.

Emily Dickinson’s idea of parting, saying goodbye, leaving, and sometimes never seeing again is very different from Ms. Nye’s [Periodic Sentence]. To Dickinson, parting is “so huge, so hopeless to conceive.” It seems as though she is saying that you can part with someone, but only for a moment. Never can you permanently be away from someone close to you. In addition, Dickinson says that parting is like a “hell” on earth. It seems as though it troubles her when she says goodbye, like there is some part that is missing. She believes goodbyes can last forever. Lastly, it seems like Dickinson has “died” twice- “my life closed twice.” Some small part of her passed on when she lost a loved one. Some small, vital part. Overall, Dickinson expressed vast [FAST] amounts of parting, of inconceivable hopes, and death.

Through every moment of our lives, through every blip in our lives, we say goodbye. We say goodbye to everything when we put our heads on the pillows at night, when our shoes come off and are untied. We know that tomorrow, our shoes will say hello to the ground we walk on once again. We know that tomorrow, we will be able to see the people who we have parted ways with in past days.

Rashad's Post

Rashad Young

Mr. Salsich

English 9

May 11, 2009

Saying Goodbye:

An Essay about two Poems and my Life

What would you do if you lost someone who you were very close to? Would you think about them constantly? Or would you happily say adios? Parting happens everywhere but in instances from Emily Dickinson, Naomi Shihab Nye and myself we speak about we speak about parting in our own lives and even in literature.

Emily Dickinson's poem that is mysteriously unnamed is connected to parting in multiple ideas. First, when Ms. Dickinson uses discovers that "parting is all we know of heaven" she comes to a reality that parting may not be as bad as we conceive (FAST) it to be. Going away can mean that you are bringing forth new challenges and obstacles that will eventually be tackled. When tackling these hardships you will come to a new point of revelation. Therefore Ms. Dickinson had revealed that even though you must part to go to heaven, it is "all we need [to continue on to] [...] hell. As parting can usually be good, most believe it to be a sign of bad luck or even hell itself. Some believe when you do something particularly cruel in the world, when you part from here you will not go to the most happy place you thought of. Depending on the situation parting can be a particularly happy or a not so happy thought but Emily Dickinson seems to blend in the two within one poem.

Naomi Shihab Nye also blends some the word adios with marriage and love. Ms. Nye wants you to “Marry it” because adios has one meaning but multiple interpretations. To wed with “goodbye” could also mean to embrace your parting and accept the fact that you will be leaving. You can become a better person by marrying someone and you can also improve yourself by leaving and saying adios to someone significant (FAST) to you. Naomi Shihab Nye then continues on to say “Lessons Following Lessons, like silence following sound.” This passage is very important because before you part with someone there is noise in your life and much emotion. Though when you finally do part with the person the noise is instantly shattered into a cloud of overbearing silence.

I have had many moments in my life when I have parted with someone and have almost been completely shattered from the experience. The first was when I lived at a cousin’s house for the summer. I stayed at her house for about three and a half weeks in July and August, but the only thing is she lives in Florida. While staying here I developed a stronger relationship not only with my cousin but also with the state. Therefore, parting with the two of them was not the easiest thing in the world. Upon leaving I had proposed that I come back next summer because I had not had enough of the beautiful state. Another thing that was hard for me to part with was my pet turtle, Cup. About eight years ago my dad found a painted turtle in our pool, while swimming, diving and floating. (Loose Sentence) Instead of letting him go to be eaten he bought a tank and filter for our new pet. Up until not even two years ago he had lived peacefully but he had receive a rare bone disease that caused him to die within two weeks of his diagnosis. All of these moments had been difficult for me to handle but upon coming through them I have become stronger even while saying adios.

Parting is something that we all will experience in our lifetimes. How you handle them will determine whether you can overcome this time of sorrow? You could also look at parting in a good way such as Naomi Shihab Nye did while saying “adios” and also did Ms. Dickenson in her poem about parting from this world. Leaving, Parting, Dying, Falling, no matter what situation you are in don’t forget to shout ADIOS at the top of your lungs. (Suspentence)

gabe's essay

Gabriel Campbell

Mr. Salsich

English B

May 4th, 2009

                                                The Road to New Beginnings:

                                                      An Essay on Parting

            There is some form of parting in our lives everyday. We all have experienced this, whether it was losing a family member or a best friend (loose sentence). Parting is even in the poems we read. Overall, “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye, “My Life Closed Twice”, and my life can be related to the theme of parting.

            There were three prominent (FAST) ways that the poem “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye can relate to the theme of parting. Firstly, the word “adios” means goodbye in Spanish. A goodbye symbolizes parting. In a sense, this poem is coated in the theme parting before the poem even starts. In addition, Ms. Nye wrote “ letting everything, easily, go” to indicate parting. She is saying that once you come to peace, departing becomes easier. For example, when we all became close to the French kids, it was easier to see them leave because we knew we would see them again. Overall, from the title to the last sentence of the poem “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye, the theme parting is very conspicuous (FAST).

            In the poem “My Life Closed Twice” by Emily Dickenson, the theme of parting is subtly mentioned in the lines “Parting is all we know of heaven, and all that we need of hell”. Firstly,  the lines “parting is all we know of heaven” means that all we associate with heaven is dying. It is impossible for some one to come back from the dead to tell us what they’ve seen. Therefore, Ms. Dickinson is stating that the only information we have about heaven is the departure to this godly place. Similarly, when we depart from earth we leave everything behind. When Ms. Dickinson says “all we need of hell”, she is almost implying that life on earth is hell. This being said, when we die, we are leaving the “hell” that is earth behind. Overall, while the poem might only be eight lines long, the theme of “parting” is everlasting (FAST) in the sentences “Parting is all we know of heaven, and all that we need of hell”.

            Through my life, I have experienced parting in three ways. The first was when I moved to Rhode Island. I had to part with my school, my friends, and the place I grew up. In the end, while it did take some time, I was able to “let[…] everything, easily, go.” The other time I experienced parting was when my grandfather died. It was difficult for me because I never got to know him personally. This was similar to the quote “all we know of heaven” because him dying is all that I have known of heaven. Finally, I am about to experience parting. Once this year is over, we will all go to our respective schools. Even though we  might all keep in touch, it will be difficult not spending nearly everyday with the same 21 people I have been with for five years. Overall, even though my life is only 15 years in I have experienced parting in three substantial ways.

            While the clocks keep on ticking, the days keep on passing, and the future keeps approaching, we continually part (periodic sentence). We have each experienced this, and will continue to experience parting for the rest of our lives. Right now, we are experiencing parting through the themes of two poems. Overall “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye, “My Life Closed Twice”, and my life can all be connected to the theme of parting.