The Finale

It's over. It's actually over. Senior year is done, High school is done, Honors English IV is done. We were so young and naive when we embarked on this adventure in September, but now we graduate with a profound knowledge of the English language. This day marks the last day of the blog. That's right, the Blog Cabin is shutting its doors. No more insight, no more rhymes, no more personal opinions on anything. I am now forced to keep my thoughts to myself for how could I possibly reach my listeners in a blogless world. All in all, it was a great experience. There were some good times and there were some bad times. There were some easily constructed blogs, and there were some that frankly, were difficult to get through. The experience started on a very low note with "Herland," possibly the worst novel ever written in my opinion. It soon picked up, however, once "A Clockwork Orange" reared its head into my life. That is when it hit me that this whole blogging world I had been thrusted into may not be so bad after all. From there on, the ideas just flowed, the rivers of the Amazon. I am going to miss you Blogger.com. I hope you all remember the Blog Cabin, as it shuts its doors for the last time. Farewell all.

Sincerely,
Jacob A. Strasser

Time to Write

Well it's been a great year. We had some laughs, we had some tears. We had some seat changes. We had some more seat changes. But now it's time to get serious. No more Hamlet. No more novels. No more Socratic Seminars. This is it, the big time, the show; this is the the culmination of an English class to be remembered for years to come. Baseball players give a hundred percent all season to get to the playoffs, the second season, as some call it. This, in a sense, is the second season for our English class. It's time to take all of our knowledge, all of our grammar notes, and all of our experiences and bring it all together for one final project. Now it is time for me to embark upon my epic journey and compose the screenplay formerly know as (drumroll please) SOULVAL OFFICE. Yes, it is time for the wheels to start turning, the wood to start burning, the butter to start churning. It is time for the ideas to spark, for me to make my mark, as I embark. I will write and compose, and tonight, my flows... of screenplay genius will be exposed. That was just a little taste of the place that you will be able to embrace when my movie is ready for all to see and love, with help from the big man above. So for now I am out, I'm gone, off to the lab, to write you the most incredibly and incredulously wonderful screenplay you will ever get a chance to have.

Successful Last Week

The week spanning May 5th to May 9th was a huge success for me and my final marking period journey. I have discovered exactly what I am going to write about. I have chosen to discuss how hollywood has become increasingly racist over the years, to a point where many of the tv shows and movies exposed to the general public are downright racist. For this piece, I will discuss Chappelle's show, Soul Plane, and other racist forms of entertainment. I also used this week to watch a dvd of a famous comedian by the name of Eddie Murphy. In this video was proof that one can be entertaining while using racial stereotypes but can avoid crossing the line into racism. Here is what my next week will look like.

Tuesday: Write paper
Wednesday: Continue writing paper
Thursday: Wiki and finish paper
Friday: Begin the writing of the greatest and most epic screenplay ever.

A Breakthrough Has Been Made

I've done it. Yes, I've finally had a breakthrough and decided what I am going to write my final paper on. Considering that my project is writing a screenplay that tinkers on the edge of racism and entertainment, what better topic to compose an essay about? I plan to research and discuss that blurred boundary between the two aspects of my script. Unfortunately, there have been some roadblocks, but hey, no one ever said this would be easy. While I am having almost no trouble at all coming up with examples of gray area instances that have been deemed entertainment, finding examples of people or shows that have gone too far with the racism is hard to find. I have no doubt in my mind that I will overcome this obstacle. One such occurance that will help me is the Michael Richards outbreak, now a famous and thouroughly mocked issue. My schedule for the upcoming week is as follows.

Tuesday: research essay topic
Wednesday: see tuesday
thursday: Wiki madness
Friday: see tuesday or wednesday

Weekend: Begin writing the legendary essay

Screenwriting is a Lot More Detailed Then I Thought

Here I am, one week into the screenwriting process. I know what you're thinking. How hard could it be? You have an idea for a movie; write down some ideas and run with it. Well, contrary to what I also believed before I dove into hollywood's literary world, writing a screenplay is a very scripted procedure (no pun intended). While reading the book "Screenwriting for Dummies, I have realized how much effort and attention to detail is necessary for composing a useful script. There are so many formats and outlines that are necessary to use in this process. One of the most important things that I have learned is the difference that must be noticed in writing a play as opposed to a movie. It is imperative to separate the two styles of writing and assure that they do not cross. Another interesting fun fact I learned dealt with how much time to spend on the setting of a movie. In the olden days, the 1930's, setting was a key aspect to a properly written screenplay. Many films would open up with an instrumentall accompanied panoramic view of where the movie was to take place. Perhaps rolling hills or busy city streets would clutter the movie screen for the first five minutes or so. Now, however, times have changed, and more modern movies do not pay that much attention to the setting as it is more common to jump right into the story. These are just a few things that I have already learned through my screenplay writing research. I now plan to read the other novels I have talked about and learn even more. For now, goodbye.

My Fourth Marking Period Goal

As we embark on a journey through the fourth marking period, we have been given the freedom to come up with our own project that will better ourselves as students. Something that I have always wanted to do is to write a screenplay; that is why I have decided to compose one based on an idea I have had for about a year now. The movie will be called "Soulval Office." To ensure that I am doing a proper job, there are two books I am going to read and study, hopefully guiding myself on a path to a succesful script. The first book is called "How to Write a Screenplay." This straight forward titled book will hopefully assist me in my goal. I plan to learn some important lessons and key aspects of writing this type of literature. The next book I will read in an effort to help my plan is called "How Not to Write a Screenplay." This novel boasts 101 mistakes to avoid when writing a script. I will then research other screenplay tips. Along with this assistance, these pointers will also help. With my creativity and hopefully a newly acquired knowledge of screenplay writing, I plan to write a good movie that will entertain all viewers.

The Last Blog

Wow. As I sit here on this dreary and dismal rainy Friday, all I can think about is who will I be when my blogging career is over. Retirement is a funny thing; some can do it, while some just can’t step away from the game. Michael Jordon is a hero among men, yet the only thing he could not handle was walking away from basketball. He did in fact walk away, but right into a baseball clubhouse, then back to basketball, and then finally to the comfort of his own home. I feel like I have something in common with the greats like him as it will be hard to leave the blogging world that has treated me so good. Like Jay Z, I Can't leave rap alone the game needs me. In my case however, it is not the rap game, but the game of spitting out your feelings about anything onto a webpage that millions and millions of people can access. This idea of the “blog” that Mr. Saxon has incorporated into the curriculum has greatly increased my interest in English class. I’m gonna be honest, English has not always been my subject; but I feel more connected to it this year because in the integration of blogs. I love you world of blogging; see you soon.

The Last Blog

Orange Eaten: Dominates Herland

Upon concluding the novel A Clockwork Orange, I have come to the very non-shocking conclusion that is was a thousand times better than Herland. Clockwork was a phenomenal read as it was something I could actually connect with, rather than a terrible novel about an all woman society. I must reiterate my hatred for Charlotte Gilman’s novel. She may be one of the worst story creators in American literature history. Granted, I may be a little harsh on her work, but it just angers me that a book like that can get pushed through the publication process and haunt the bookshelves of America. If A Clockwork Orange and Herland were in a fight of literary prowess, it would be similar to me fighting Mike Tyson, before all the ear biting and what not. Take a look at this website of the worst books in American history. It is a mockery that Herland does not take the top two spots. I realize again that I am being incredibly mean, but I am livid about my hatred for this author. She may be a nice person at heart, but when it comes to an occupation, she should probably find something new. Anthony Burgess on the other hand, Clockwork’s creator, is a literary genius. We shall bow at his feet for his accomplishments in book world. He has taken a theory about the future and molded it into a thrilling tale of lost souls residing in an unsure world. In conclusion, I love Anthony Burgess and I despise Charlotte Gilman; thank you for your time.

Police Brutality at Its Finest

NWA says it best in arguably one of the group's most famous songs when they announce to their listeners, "***k the police!" For those who do not know, NWA is a rap group from the nineties who declared their hatred for law enforcement in this classic hip hop composition. If the future is anything like Anthony Burgess makes it appear in A Clockwork Orange, than NWA may have had the right idea when they bashed the "pigs," as NWA refers to them, of the world. When Alex is caught breaking into a home, the police come and violate his basic human rights by beating him mercisly. This is described as the trend of the future, as it is the norm in the time of A Clockwork Orange. Police brutality is an evident problem in this country and is not often dealt with. The violations persist nationwide, in rural, suburban, and urban areas of the country, committed by various law enforcement personnel including local and state police, sheriff's departments, and federal agents. As this article states, there have been a countless number of cases where cops have "engaged in unjustified shootings, severe beatings, fatal chokings, and unnecessarily rough treatment." Watch this video that was captured and placed on Youtube. It gives an eyewitness account of how rough police brutality actually is. If the problem is not fixed now, who knows if we will actually see a future like the world is presented in A Clockwork Orange.

First Bite of the Orange; The Real No Country for Old Men

Upon reading the first several chapters of A ClockWork Orange, I have observed a stunning aspect of the novel. In my opinion, Anthony Burgess accurately predicts the road that this country is headed down with respect to the elderly. It is no secret that many cultures revere the aged more than our own. Over the years, the appreciation for the old aged has decreased dramatically. As Tyler Wayne Roach, the author of the above article states, "The situation of older Americans is beginning to look more dire as politicians in Washington D.C. get ready to slash government spending on Social Security, Medicaid, etc." Society once revered the elderly as monumental figures; they are now being pushed aside to avoid any inconveniance. In many of America's classic novels, the old aged are always treated like gold because at the time when these books were written, that's how they really were viewed. SECURITY DISCLAIMER: the following youtube video that I am about to post could be the most annoying thing anyone has ever seen. The two girls in the video make me feel embarassed to be a teenager. If I ever see them on the street, it will take a very strong person to keep me from trampling them. However, once you get past the 30 seconds of babbling, the video does help prove my point that today's culture does not care about the elderly at all. This video sickens me because not only does it mock the people that should be respected the most, but it also depicts what many of the youth of this country are like: annoying and immature. These girls, who live in a youtube world where every rambling thought can now be documented, unfortunately for us, epitomize how socially backwards this nation is. It is a sick world to live in when the people who have come before us are treated as poorly as they currently are. So whether or not this situation escalates to the point it has reached in the novel, where Alex and his droogs, or friends, are beating up on random old people, something must be done to help the treatment of the elderly.

A Clockwork Orange: Orange You Glad It's Not Herland?

A Clockwork Orange will make Herland look like Great Expectations; a book that any class of 2008 member will tell you was the epitome of terrible literature, as we were forced to read it freshman year. Herland was not an interesting read in my point of view; it failed to keep my attention with its sorry excuse of a plotline. After reading up on Clockwork Orange, it only took a few sentences of summary to ease my mind, as I realized I am about to begin a book that will be much better than Herland. This story, from what I have discovered so far, follows the life of a 15 year old kid named Alex in a futuristic society overrun by hoodlums and moral lacking citizens. Not that I myself am a hoodlum like Alex and his cronies, but this novel already reaches out to me more than Herland ever could. There is no mythical all woman society that can bore any reader to tears, instead Clockwork revolves around teenagers close to my age that I can actually relate to. From simply reading the summary provided by Sparknotes, I am already intrigued by the story line. I can't wait to read a novel set in a vaguely Socialist future (roughly, the late seventies or early eighties) -- a dreary, routinized England that roving gangs of teen-age thugs terrorize at night instead of one taking place in a an all woman environment. Upon further review of the summary of A Clockwork Orange, the plot just seems to entice me. This fifteen year old boy, Alex, is sentenced to fourteen years in jail after one of his rape victims has died. I would much rather discover how that turns out opposed to finding out if a group of three men will have a good time in feminist land. I hope and expect A Clockwork Orange to excel past Herland in any and ever aspect, then again, most books can do that in my point of view. It will surely be an interesting read; my only fear is that I am hyping it up too much in mind and it will not live up to its reputation. I'll be back in a couple days to analyze the early goings of the novel.

Herland: What a Joke

Charlotte Gilman's "Herland" is a book that I did not even care to finish. For me, it was hard to look past all the unreal explanations and happenings of this ridiculously impossible novel long enough to enjoy what I was reading. To start off, a society made of only women is just dumb. It could not happen, as the society would not be able to sustain itself. Now this is not a chauvinistic comment, but let's be realistic; it just wouldn't happen. On top of this, when there is an explanation made about how this male-less society came about, the ridiculously unbelievable claim is accepted by the three adventurous men. Apparently, there was a woman with Virgin Mary-like powers who is able to self reproduce. Yeah, that's how this disgrace to American literature accounts for a civilization of nothing but women. Assuming the woman was not an asexual insect that can reproduce with no male partner, and considering she wasn't Godzilla, the ferocious creature that has haunted Japanese and New York streets for years who can also independently spawn offspring, Gilman has given a random girl the powers that only the Mother of God should possess. Way to go Gilman, now your pissing off your biblically enthusiastic readers. Pretty soon, you'll be down to no fans. And just a quick side note Gilman; How much thought did you actually put into developing the three characters who visit Herland? It seems you drew a blank and resorted to picking three of the most stereotypical male-like personalities out of a hat. The characters just happen to represent the three most typical reactions to a society full of women. Terry possesses the male dominance personality of women as objects and nonsense like that. We get it Gilman, your a feminist. Congratulations, yet I bet you still let your date pay for everything. Hypocrite. And then there was Jeff; this softy represents the type of man who idealizes women and worships the very ground they walk. He is on the complete opposite side of the spectrum as Terry. And then Gilman could not resist bridging these two opposing personalities with a perfect middle man; Van is the one who does not really have a set in stone opinion, but is "willing to entertain new and even radical ideas." On your next go around, I'd recommend you put at least a couple minutes of effort into your characterization. One more thing Gilman, and this one really gets me. In a world where every nook and cranny of land has been mapped out, every attempt of a civilization has nothing short of a textbook written about it, and every living person is intimately known by the government, the idea that this society can exist in secret for over 2000 years is unfathomable. Gilman insults the reader with her explanation of certain aspects of this novel, hoping that we will just accept what ever she spit out onto the page. We as a people who desire good and sensible literature do not appreciate this joke of a novel. If Gilman put any thought into the unrealistic characteristics of this novel, maybe it would be a bearable and enjoyable read. 

Herland; Good Amount Read

Herland is a tale of three adventurous friends who decide to voyage into an unknown territory in search of a land that supposedly only contains women. Vandyck, Terry, and Jeff leave their search group and use Terry's airplane to find this mysterious place where it seems the women are evidently technologically advanced. When reading this book, I can't help but think of the "lost generation," an idea that frequents many of Earnest Hemingway's short stories. I am not sure if this book takes place during the same time, but the similarities are striking. The Lost Generation refers to "the generation of young people coming of age in the United States during and shortly after World War I" (Wikipedia.com). Prevalent mainly in Europe, these post war young men decided to roam and live a nomad like lifestyle. When I first read that these three men were going on this adventure into Herland, that is the first correlation I made. There is no discussion of women at home or any obligations for these men; they are just three friends who decide to act on their ambition and take this journey. Not one of the three men know what lies ahead, but as in the spirit of members from the Lost Generation,, they venture out anyway. Because I am a youth in current society, I relate most books I have to read to movies or some other aspect of pop culure. The connection that I made was to a movie called Without a Paddle. This tale also follows the journey of three men who explore deep in the back woods of America; in their case, they are searching for money. In both stories, a treasure is being searched for, whether it be a financial gain, as in Without a Paddle, or the discovery of a new culture unknown by man. This book has been interesting so far; I yearn to find out why they're are no men in the society because I am not buying the idea that the women can self-reproduce, as some claim. I look forward to finding out the answers to the questions I seek and until then, I will keep you all posted on what this book means to me.