Define Regionalism

Regionalism is a word that you think would be pretty easy to define, and it is. I think the first word that pops into your mind when it comes to the definition is region, and when you look up the definition you find that region is said in the definition. Regionalism was in an era following the civil war ("Regionalism" 487). I believe that the reason regionalism writings started was because they were trying to write about all of the different locations that were in the civil war and be able to picture those very well. Also, I think they wanted to show in a very detailed way all of the regions that might have got affected by the civil war. The American writers would concentrate on characteristics, local color, or a particular region of the country. The writers attempted to show the landscape, customs, speech, and other culture details of that chosen or their chosen region ("Regionalism" 487). Regionalism is different from naturalism and realism, because it deals with a specific region or place, and really describes that place.When I break down this definition I really feel like i understand regionalism the best. These writers pick out a region or certain landscape that they like and they write about it. They talk about the different colors, customs, speech, and even cultures in that certain area. I know from reading these definitions from regionalism experts, that regionalism writers are very graphic in their writings and give details about all of the little things. I like this type of writing style, because I like to know all of the little details. Sometimes the little details are very important, and regionalism writers know that. Out of the three words that we had to define, regionalism, realism, and naturalism, I thought regionalism was my favorite. I think it was one of the best to write about, and I think its one that I would relate to the most, because I am a very graphic and detailed person.

"Regionalism and Realism." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Douglas FIsher, Beverly A. Chin, and Jacqueline J. Royster. American Literature ed. Coulmbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 487. Print.

Define Naturalism

Naturalism is a word out of the three words that we had to define that I knew I was going to enjoy writing about. I know a lot about naturalism, because I have leanred about it in other classes. "The naturalist movement dominated the second half of the period, from 1890 to 1914" (Quinn). Naturalism was more of an extreme movement than realism or regionalism was during this time. It was a movement that affected human beings a lot more than any other style of writing did at that time, and a style that still affects us today. Naturalism writers believed that we, humans, are shaped by heredity and environment. Naturalists were also the ones to believed that we were dominated by economic, social, and natural forces ("Regionalism" 487). Naturalism is a big thing that a lot of people, most, believe in our time now. People believe that we are truly shaped by our heredity and our environment around us. For example; if you were born into a family that did drugs and raised you around that, you have a bigger chance of following in those footsteps, because you have never learned anything else or know any better. I personally think that I am a believer in this. I think that people can also change though if they do not like the way that they were surrounded their whole life. Some authors that were big on naturalism, wrote about it, and are among the most important American Naturalist writers are Stephen Crane, Harold Frederic, Frank Norris, and Jack London (Quinn). These writers are ones that really changed naturalism, and are on cites like Bloom's Literary Reference getting credit for all that they did. Also, like it says in our American Literature books, there were scientists that affected and influenced these writers. Charles Darwin is a scientist that influenced a lot of naturalist writers, with his ideas of humans being shaped by their environment and their heredity. That influence that he shared with him was big deal, and what this whole thing is focused on.

Quinn, Edward. "realism and naturalism in American literature." A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gfflithem0707&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 27, 2011).

"Regionalism and Realism." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Douglas FIsher, Beverly A. Chin, and Jacqueline J. Royster. American Literature ed. Coulmbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 487. Print.

Realism Project- Define Realism

"Realism is the attempt to depict life as it actually exists, not as the author wants it to be in the present or the future, or imagines it was in the past. A realist carefully chooses details that illustrate this vision" (Werlock). When I read this definition of realism, it seems that realism is just the interest in something is more real of something that could actually happen. Like it says in our American Literature books, writers during this period were turning away from romanticism because they wanted to write about something that was closer to ordinary life ("Regionalism" 487). I think they were just wanting to show things that were actually realistic and something that actually seemed real and important in their lives. You can get that just by looking at the word. People that wrote on realism were known as realists. Realists did not want to transcend reality, but to show the experiences that we go through everyday ("Regionalism" 287). American realism was from the end of the Civil War to the beginning or our World War 2. That period of time was a big period for American Literature, and also it was a time that we still go back to for writings. I think that realism was a topic that would be better to write about after and during these periods, because it would be something that would show detail and real things that were going on. I think they stopped writing the romantic literature and went in to realism, because I do not think a lot of people would want to here about love and all that goes along with that right then. Realism did not happen really fast, it was a subject that developed gradually. Realism was spread by scientific and rationalist thought (Quinn). Bret Harte and Sarah Jewett were two of the first writers of realism. They were the ones who emphasized the facts of daily living (Quinn). Realism seems to be a very important topic, and one that I would really love to read a lot more about. I like to hear things that are real and would affect the daily living of everyone.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0575&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 25, 2011)

"Regionalism and Realism." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Douglas FIsher, Beverly A. Chin, and Jacqueline J. Royster. American Literature ed. Coulmbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 487. Print.

Quinn, Edward. "realism and naturalism in American literature." A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gfflithem0707&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 27, 2011).

Journal #34- Argumentative Essay

ACT is always an intimidating thing to here. I think that sometimes we think about it too much, even though I have not taken it yet. I hope that I will just be able to remember all of the things that I learned and try to make it as easy as possible. I thought that writing an argumentative essay was going to be hard, but then once my partner Brandon Kuhl and I got started it seemed to be pretty easy. I think that it would be easy to explain and teach someone how to write a proper ACT argumentative essay. If the topic is something that you can find relation to at your school, then it would be even easier to write an argumentative essay about. I think the main thing about the essay is read the problem that they give you at the top and pick the side that you think would be best or believe in, first. After you pick your side, you need to figure out your support for deciding to be on that side of the argument. In the beginning of the essay you need to state the problem that has risen. Then, you need to state what you believe in. After that, you have to explain what the other side of the situation is so that the reader understands both sides. After you have explained the problem and both the sides that are possible to be on, you need to use your next couple paragraphs to add some reasoning and real life events that would add support to your side. In the ACT writings, they want you to use examples that you have been through or that your school has been through or discussed. They want you to be able to show support that you know would happen or has happened. You do not just want to say your side but then you have no reasoning, you have to show them why you believe in what you do.

Journal #33- Something That Started in Springfield

It is always cool to hear all of the things that different towns have started, and you would be surprised to hear all of the different and cool things thathave started in our town Springfield, Illinois. Springfield is a really big city that has a lot of history living in it. I have not been able to learn all of the different things, because I have only lived here for about six years, but I do know that our city is filled with a lot of things. I know that a lot of things started in Springfield. It is a city that you hear about even when you are studying history. I think a lot of people know about Springfield, Illinois. The big reason that most people know about our city is all the things that it has to do with Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln has started a lot in our town, and he is one thing that the city of Springfield still focuses on. We have a lot of things in our town that are about him. I think one thing that started in our town was the Abraham Lincoln Library and all of the things that we have to go along with that. Not a lot of cities have things to do with Abraham Lincoln or any president for that matter. I mean all most everything in our town has Abraham Lincoln behind it. I have not even been able to go to all of those different things. I am sure that there is also a lot of things that Springfield has started or brought to us. A lot of kids in my class had a lot of different things that they were yelling out that they knew that Springfield had started. I thought it was pretty cool to hear all of the different things that were started here. Some things really amazed you because you never would have thought something like that would have been started in our town.

Journal #32- Memoir of Winter Break

I always hate that winter breaks always go by so fast, and even though you rememver every thing that happen, you just wish you had so much more time. Winter break two thousand and ten was a winter break that I remember a lot from. It was really one that I will remember forever, and I think that it was probably the one that was my favorite. I thought the first part of the break lasted forever, because I was just waiting for Christmas day to come. I would work during the day with all of my animals and do fun things during the day. Christmas day was awesome, and I got so many great things! I got all I wanted, and I also got big things that I did not even ask for which was really fun. After Christmas, the best part of Christmas break was New Years Eve. New Years Eve was by far the best one that I have ever been through. I went to a get together at a friends house, and all of my other friends were there. I had a blast and made a lot of memories. We were dancing and hanging out and having a good time. Also, I got a new years kiss! That is always good. All the girls spent the night together, which was fun and we were just acting crazy together and had a lot of fun! I loved New Years Eve and hopefully it is just as great next year! I tried to hang out with all of my friends over break because that is when I have the most time to hang out with everybody, because during school I am always so busy with cheerleading that I do not really have a lot of free time in my life for everybody. Christmas break was pretty awesome I must say. It went by so fast like always, but I always will remember it.

Journal #31- Write About A Daydream

I am not much of a daydreamer, and in fact I can not really think of very many times that I have daydreamed. I can only think of a couple of times that I have daydreamed. I think that I daydream the most whenever I am at school, and now that I think of it I guess that I do daydream a lot more than I thought I did, because I am usually in another world when ever the teachers are teaching, especially if it is a really boring class. There was one time that I daydreamed that really sticks out to me the most. I think that it sticks out the most because I saw something in this daydream that I actually went through later on and it helped me get through that tough situation. I was daydreaming about cheerleading, and thinking about competition and all of the stunts that we were doing and also ones that needed some work. I was flying in this daydream and I saw that I was going to fall and hurt myself really bad at the next practice. I knew it was really going to happen, so I knew I would have to be extra careful. I knew which one it was that I was going to fall in right when I stepped into my bases arms. I knew that I was going to lose balance up there, and to make sure that I did not fall I was going to have to be careful, and if I was to fall I needed to fall in cradle position into my bases arms. It worked out perfectly too, just when I knew it was going to all come tumbling down, I cradled right before I could feel it coming down. I am so glad that I had that daydream, because it really saved me from what could have been a serious injury. I never knew a daydream was going to save me like that! I am so glad that happened to me!

Journal #30- Pleasant Plains Uniforms

Uniforms is a very touchy subject that comes up a lot in schools. I am not really a fan of uniforms at all. I have a lot of things that I have against them. Granted there is one or two things that would be good about uniforms, they do not help because of all the bad things.

I think that there are a lot of things that are not so good about uniforms. I think that the main thing for me is everybody looks the same. I like to see different things each day and different outfits. We all have our different opinions and values when it comes to close and I think that we should be able to express those. Another thing that would be bad about uniforms, is it does not help the issues that girls have with clothes or the issues that boys have. Girls would still roll up their skirts, and they would always be in a competition for who had the best shoes. I know this is true, because i have talked to girls from SHG and they told me all about it. They told me that they just roll the skirts so that they are not so long. They also said that they still always compete to see who has the best shoes. So, I know that the girl issues would never be solved. Also, boys still "sag" and do not wear their uniforms at appropriate levels.

I think that the uniforms would help for one thing for me. I think that it would be nice to not have to worry about what you had to wear, spend time picking that outfit out, or worrying if someone was going to judge you for that outfit. I know that girls who have went to private schools really like this, because they do not have to worry about what to wear. They also have told me that they do not have to worry about having the best clothes.

Uniforms really are not something I like.

Journla #29- Buying My Favorite CD Album

Music is a topic that usually comes up a lot in school, and it especially comes up a lot in english class. The boys are always talking about their favorite music, and it sometimes comes to argument about who is better. They usually have different opinions and will argue with who they think are right. I love music, but not as much as some people do. I am not obsessed with it and I could probably take it or leave it. I do have my favorite artists and I do have my favorite albums if I had to pick though. I am more of a country fan, but I do listen to a lot of pop and popular music right now. I think my favorite album would have to be Taylor Swift's new album Speak Now. The thing that I like the best about Taylor Swift's cd is that she has written all of the music, and is always talking about things or events that meant a lot to her in her life and really stood out to her. I like that because a lot of the things she has went through, a lot of kids our age have been through the same things. So, we can always find a song of hers that really relates to our lives. I think that she is just honest, and is not trying to impress anyone but herself when she is writing her songs. She is just letting out what was in her heart at the time, and she hopes that everyone listens. I think that she is really a talented person, and especially for being the age she is. I can not imagine the talent that we have yet to see from her. I think this is just the beginning of some great music that is to come from Taylor Swift. I think that everyone should listen to her new album, because they might actually learn a lot from it.

Journal #28- Convincing Someone

Convincing someone to do something that I wanted to do is something that I have done a few times. I do not do it to everyone, but I do do it to some people. The person that I think of first that I convince to do things a lot is my sister. I usually am either telling her to do something in a bossy way, or I am telling her to do it because I am just giving her good advice. I think sometimes I might do it too much to her, but I know that it will be worth it. A lot of times I am just telling her to go feed the pigs or something simple like that. I will tell her when to do it or that she has to do it at some point because I will not be at home that night. I have to convince her sometimes, because she will not always understand why that I can just not do it myself. My sister and I do not always get along, so sometimes it takes a lot more to convince her to do something that I wanted her to. I do like to convince her to do things that I want her to in more of a way that I am advising her to do so. I feel like I have already been through some of the things that she has went through, so she should listen to me when I try to tell her how to behave in that kind of situation. I try to tell her the things that I did when I had to go through that and that she should do the same things, because it seemed to work out for me. I convince her these things, because I feel like she should not have to make the same mistakes that I did or go through the same things that I did. I think at times that I try to convince her to do things too much, and it comes across as I am trying to be bossy. Even though, I am really not trying to be that way.

Journal #27- Persistence

Persistence is kind of a confusing word. When I thought of persistence a lot of things came to my mind. The first thing that came to my mind about it was doing the same things over and over again. Then, I thought about how it also means that you keep on doing things even when you may not need to it just becomes a habit. Persistence in my eyes is really related to a habit in my eyes.

I am persistent with some of the things that I do from day to day. The things that I am persistent with are sometimes good, but they can also be not as good too. One thing that is a big example of not so good persistence is when I pop my knuckles. I have a really bad habit of doing that, and I am very persistent with that even when I do not need to be. I am also have examples of things that were good for me to be persistent. I am good about making sure that I have all of my homework done, and also all of the work that goes along with the being the president of the FFA here at our school. I am persistent because I do my work/ homework every night and always make sure that everything is done and caught up.

Being a persistent person is usually always a good thing. I think that it is sometimes a hard thing to accomplish. I do not think that you can become persistent in something in just one day. I think that you really have to work on things to become persistent at them, and it could take weeks or months. It is pretty much like a habit. You develop it over a period of time. I think that being persistent is something that everybody should have a little bit of in their lives. I think we all could be more persistent at times, especially when it comes to school. I do not think that there are very many people that are not persistent though, it is a very common thing.