Reading Log Questions #1

Louise Castillo
ENGW 1001
2/4/16
Prof. Young

Reading Log Questions #1

Part I. 

1.) The meaning of the good lord bird is that it can bring understanding. "They say a feather from a Good Lord Bird'll bring you understanding that'll last your whole life."(McBride, 33). I believe that the good lord bird connects to the title because the bird itself is black-and-white and it can represent the tranquility one day of blacks and whites together.

2.) Henry's new nickname is Onion. John Brown took out his good luck charm which was an onion. "Dried, dusty, covered with feathers, cobwebs, lint, and other junk from his pocket.(McBride, 23). Henry did not know what to do with the onion when John Brown gave it to him. He mistakenly thought that the Old Man wanted him to eat it. When Henry bit the onion, he described, "That thing tasted foul as the devil."(McBride, 24).

3.) Henry wanted to continue with the lie that he is a girl because his "arse" was on the line. Henry even states, "Plus, he was an outlaw, and I was his prisoner."(McBride, 28). He did not want anything to happen to him or to anger John Brown. John Brown gout out a dress and bonnet for Henry to change into from the potato sack he was wearing.

The Flaws Of Lies

Louise Castillo
English 1101
2/1/16
Prof. Young

The Flaws Of Lies

There is always a valid time and place to do everything. Other times it can be acceptable to act upon some particular actions and say certain things. When it comes to lying, it can bring a great amount of danger and trouble. It can be permissible to lie at times only if it is necessary in the situation. Like in the book The Good Lord Bird, Henry is caught in a sticky situation. When John Brown goes into Dutch Henry's Tavern for a haircut, he was speaking to Pa and reciting bible versus to drop hints that he was going to help set all the blacks free. The slave owner Dutch Henry Sherman notices John Brown and starts asking questions on if he needed work and what he name was. A gun was pulled out and John Brown remained calm but started to grow angry once Dutch Henry says the Good Lord names in vain and curses his name. John Brown pulls out a gun and tells all the slaves to skedaddle and that they are free to go. All the black in the barber shop ran except for little Henry and Pa. Pa is confused and not really wanting to leave his slave owner due to Pa being Dutch Henry's first slave so Pa has always been privileged because of it. When John Brown tells Pa to come along with him and for Pa to bring his daughter, Pa tried correcting him by saying, "Massa, my Henry ain't a-" but he got caught off with all the commotion happening. John Brown only heard the last part of what Pa said and it sounded to him to be Henrietta. Pa dies unfortunately in the barber shop by having part of the door that was shot hit him in the chest. John Brown runs out with Henry and now Henry is in this lie that he can't get himself out of because all his life all he has grown up to knowing was to always follow orders from white folks. Henry goes along with the lie that he is a girl for his own safety, but wouldn't you if you were kidnapped by a man that was known for killing people? 

Getting To Know You

Louise Castillo
English 1100
1/26/16
Prof. Young

Getting To Know You

If you play a sport. what type of sport do you play? 

  I have never been the athletic kind of person. I've always been the lazy one on the side in gym class doing nothing besides just standing there. 

What are you passionate about? 

  Ever since I was a toddler, music has always been a part of my life. I sang in my 5th grade chorus, I was part of the school band playing the clarinet, I was one of the liturgical dancers in 6th grade for church, I was in competition for show choir all throughout high school, joined band my sophomore year playing the clarinet all throughout the rest of high school, I was part of the plays for the spring and fall for my freshmen year and sophomore year,  joined production crew my freshmen year and became the light crew captain junior year and senior year, and helped out with make up for the plays my junior year and senior year for the spring musicals. Music and the arts have always been a forte for myself. It is something I have always been comfortable in. 

What is the most ridiculous lie you have ever told?

  I can recall the day when I was about 8 years old, my daddy told me not to eat any candy because it was already late at night. Someone was at the door and my dad went to go answer it so I took that as the opportunity to try to eat some candy in the kitchen. I heard my dad coming back into the kitchen so I panicked. In my worrying, I quickly swallowed the hard candy once he stepped foot into the room. He asked if I was okay and I did not realize that I was choking. I shook my head like I was alright. My daddy all frantic asked if I ate any candy and I shook my head no while I was coughing a lot and gasping for air. I collapsed onto the ground and my dad had to rush over to me and pried my mouth open to see what was in my mouth to make me this way. My daddy saw I swallowed the candy whole and that was the reason of me dying a little bit. I can recall he called the police to come help and I do not recall what happen after that but I do remember myself waking up in the police car and closing my eyes again. The ending result was that I went to the hospital for them to help me stop suffocating on the candy. I went through all of that just because I did not want to get in trouble for eating candy. 

When it comes to writing, I found it challenging to make an outline of the topic at hand. I feel it is just a very stressful having to force my thoughts into an outline. The best way I found that I can write is if I just go with the flow of with what I'm thinking.

How would you describe your writing experience so far?

  With the experience I have as a writer I feel as if I can become a better writer even though I believe that I am pretty average. I have grown as a writer throughout the course of the years. Hopefully from this course I can learn how to be a stronger writer and learn how to fix my papers through my rough drafts. 

What was the name of the most recent book you've read?

  Growing up I have had an on and off love for reading. Due to my ADHD it became quite challenging to read some books because it can be difficult for myself to completely understand what I read. The only time I read anything is online especially on Facebook. 

How often do you write on social media?

  I don't really write that much on Facebook. I have a tendency of sharing a lot of things on Facebook and I have people tell me that the things that share makes up their whole news feed. I have a Twitter account but I am not active on it whatsoever. Snapchat and Instagram are the two social medias apps that I use to take pictures of my dog and post them. I also use Tumblr but it comes and goes. I can be on it all day for two weeks and then I would not use it for at least two months. 

What is most important for you to learn this semester?

  I feel like I generally need to learn this semester is to better my time management. I also need to learn how to not procrastinate so much. So far it has been going pretty good. I'm going to be trying my absolute best to fix these flaws that I have been dealing with since for however long.

What is your definition of a hero? 

  A hero is someone who other can look up to. It is someone who is a great example for others to follow their foot steps. It is a person who is caring of others, wise, and strong. It is someone who you should be so extremely proud of. 

When was the last time you failed at something? 

  It was over break and my mom sent me to the store to buy stuff from the store for the snow storm. She told me everything we needed and asked if I wrote it down. I told her no and that I got it. I went to the store and bought everything but the most important thing, womens body wash. Once I got home my mom helped me unpack everything and asked me where the bodywash was. I forgot to even buy it. I learned that you have to write everything down because if you don't, you might have to use your brothers body wash.

As a writter I think I can rate myself as a C. I do put my great efforts into my writting but sometimes I feel like I can be a little over the place when I write.