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"Traci started to cry. He was phony all right, but the tears and shaking were real."

Johnson writes this story to portray a real event. While reading this story it was struggle to me. I found it a struggle because I did not know to believe that story or not. When reading this I did not think too critically. I stayed on top of the words and sentences. I felt like this story was very straight forward. There was not much where I could analyze.

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"Hills Like White Elephants" by Hemingway 

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"Hills Like White Elephants" by Hemingway 

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"Then I'll do it. Because I don't care about me."

Hemingway challenged me through these story. While the women in this story has a hard time showing her dominance. I was not able to connect to this story whatsoever. This is because I am a very confident and outspoken individual. The women in this story was so content following the male. I could never find myself following anybody therefore alone a male. As well all women should have their say in their own body. Although the story did help me see the challenge the women faced. She had to make a choice, and in this way I am able to connect. Trying to make a choice makes individuals think of what are options.

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"When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease - of joy that kills."

Chopin describes a story of a wife who thinks she loses her husband. Furthermore she realizes that the feelings of losing her husband become happy. I can see through this story that this wife had a difficulty with her husband. Even though the story does not describe, the emotions are blatant. Even though her husband does not really die, Mrs. Mallard does end up passing away. The story was a tragedy in a way because Mallard was happy to live her life. Through this story it made myself think of "enjoy every day like it is your last."

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From this class I was able to expand my writing. I engaged in countless interactions with classmates and professor. Therefore those interactions only helped through the class and will help me further on. In the beginning of this semester I struggled being confident in my writing. However I am able to see my strengths and weaknesses as writer. Now knowing these I feel confident to improve my writing. I have opened myself to writing more and I find myself doing just that.

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As an educator I always have believed in that an essay can be improved. As a fan of writing and reading I found a hard time rereading or revising my papers. Furthermore from this class I was able to find the time to revise peoples. I made this necessary, not just to get a better grade but to improve. Every essay can be improved and it takes practice. Just like learning a new sport or music instrument. I will not get better just by looking at the equipment and instrument. Revisions helped me look over my strengths and weaknesses. From these I was able to see what I need to work on and what I do not.

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"that you can never repay your mother
but the rueful admission that when she took the two-toned lanyard from my hands,
I was as sure as a boy could be
that this useless worthless thing I wove out of boredom"

Through this poem I was able to see different literally characteristics. From looking over this poem I was thinking deeply. Instead of just looking straight at the words. I begin to think about what the repetition meant, the symbols, and imagery. I enjoy reading poetry because it is a strong way of expressing feelings. I was able to reflect on my own life through this poem. Knowing that the poem is for the mother and being grateful. I was able to be grateful for what my parents have done for me.

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Society has taught individuals to question their own beliefs. When looking at commercials it is very easy to see discrimination. Stereotypes have taken over in society. This assignment made me develop new eyes. I have taken the time before to look at social media. Throughout commercials, kids books, Disney movies, and other visual illustrations stereotypes of thriving. Throughout my two commercials there is evidence depicting sexism and ageism. While a good deed of people do not see these negative messages, I did. While analyzing these commercials and other commercials with classmates all perspectives were different. While my perspectives were different from others, this assignment helped myself and classmates developed arguments.

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Betty White Snickers Super Bowl Commercial 2010

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"The people had done it so many times that they only half listened to the directions: most were quite. wetting their lips. not looking around. "

Jackson wrote this story to challenge readers. After reading this story it made me question about traditions. While the people may have this tradition, is it really okay? While reading this story I was focused on thinking about the Hunger Games. Within the Hunger Games there is illustration of tradition. However, this story and Hunger Games makes readers and viewers question what they believe. Furthermore it can be seen how some traditions are beneficial and some are aggressive.

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"You beat time on my head,
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt."

As told by a boy who experienced a relationship with a father who was an alcoholic. Through this poem it showed the feelings the individual was feeling. While the narrator depicted the relationship through a dance, "The Waltz".  It describes the dance, but the feelings that are associated. Through this poem I was only able to interrupt my perspectives and feelings. I really thought about Ed Sheeran's music video and song "Thinking Out Loud". I thought of this song because through this song the lyrics are descriptive. As well he uses a dance to describe the song just like this poem.

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Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud (Official Music Video)

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"Goodbye, Daddy, I said, and I went down the stairs and got my train, and that was the last time I saw my father."

Cheever writes this story in the sense of the readers trying to think positive. When I first saw the title of this story I instantly thought of a family reunion. However when reading this my idea changed. Learning that this story was about a boy who was re-meeting his father after three years. After reading this story I took the time to reflect. I thought about the diagloue through this story and how different it is. When realizing this I opened my mind to the fact that individuals come from all different areas. People come from a wide range of families. Being the story was reunion and myself being a family person I know my story is different.

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"Where are you Going? Where have you Been?"by Oat 

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"Where are you Going? Where have you Been?"by Oat 

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"She thought, I'm not going to see my mother again. She thought, I'm not going to sleep in my bed again. Her bright green blouse was all wet."

While reading this story and after this story it strongly made me think of criminal minds at first. It sound exactly like an episode from this show. Looking more into the story I started to think about Lovely Bones. There is blatant differences but in the general message there are similarities. In the short story Connie struggles with accepting the age she is. She is more interested in being older and living on her own. While Susie in Lovely Bones did not struggle with her age she did struggle with escaping. Furthermore this goes the same with Connie. While both of these young girls accept the behavior f the male figures they were not thinking. Throughout the short story the message of being naive is constantly thrown in there. Within the Lovely Bones although Susie did not struggle with her age. she was naive. When looking at both these stories there is an emphasizes on being cautious. While I do not know what happen to Connie I can only imagine. More so it can be seen in the Lovely Bones of what could of happened.

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"The Yellow Wall-Paper" by Perkins-Gilman 

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"The Yellow Wall-Paper" by Perkins-Gilman 

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"John is practical in the extreme. He has no patience with faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs openly at any talk of things not to be felt and seen and put down in figures."

Perkins-Gilman story depicts the struggles between man and women in the olden days. While Perkins wrote this story about herself, she emphasizes on the idea that she did not have a say. In the olden days it is shown that women are emphasized to not say much. Throughout the story the women is strongly suggested to just go along with John. This idea was a struggle for me. I am all about having all individuals at a equal level. However this story opened my eyes through dialogue and description of the challenges women faced.

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"Fell ill in the house filled with dust and shadows, with only a doddering Negro man to wait on her."

Faulkner challenges his readers to stay on top of this story line. While it shows a messed up life because the Emily challenges with her interpersonal self. While reading this story challenged me because I struggled with staying with it. After reading this story and discussing about it, it opened my eyes to mental illness. Through this I was able to develop different views of illness. It also showed how Emily got what she got because of her name.

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"her voice reminded me for a minute of what heroin feels like sometimes - when its in your veins. It makes you feel sort of warm and cool at the same time."

When reading Sonny's Blues it made me reflect on personal relationships. Baldwin uses the description of classism when explaining the brothers relationships. The challenges between drugs, way of life, and expectations made an impact on their relationship. After reading this story I was able to reflect on my personal relationship with my sister. I know the struggle of dealing with having individuals take drugs. Furthermore through this story is constantly sent the message of never letting go of dreams. Sony was able to stay to his dreams even though his brother constantly challenged him.

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"How carefully she will look after you! She will never allow you to be tired, to sit in a draught, to neglect your food. If you are an hour late she will be terrified. She will think you are killed, or that some siren has caught you."

Collier challenges the idea of love, obsession, and power. Because love is such a tricky thing, everybody is so fond of it when they can get it. Alan is naive enough to trust an individual who he does not know. He does this just to get a girl to fall for him. Instead of Alan he takes a different approach. With this approach there will be consequences that Alan will deal with. In this story it makes readers like me to think of what is a right choice or what is not. It helps myself and others realize who to trust and who to now. It also opened my eyes to selfishness of how Alan is being.