November: Novel Writing Month

Potential Story Line:

After researching my ancestral tree for our most recent project, I was inclined to learn more since I do not know many facts pertaining to my relatives' lives. That being so, for this current project/challenge our class is assigned, I will write a fictional novel based on my Chinese-Filipino Grandmother's upbringing post - World War II to the time her first child was born.

Main Character: Cresencia Estrella-Magat
Genre: Historical Fiction


This is not a definite storyline.

Huckleberry Finn

Is Mark Twain speaking through Huck, or do you think Huck's point of view is different from Twain's? Explain.


Numerous characters in novels, fiction or nonfiction, are molded by some form of inspiration be it a historical figure, society or personal experience. Many authors try to convey their personal opinions through allegories, satire, metaphors…etc. brought upon through the characters with examples being Animal Farm by George Orwell and Candide by Voltaire both carrying some controversy along with them.

Thus being said, written in the 19th century, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is also a novel that carries immense controversy since the time it was published and even today. The book has received controversial criticism because many believe that the main character portrays extensive racism. Though Huckleberry Finn may be an ambiguous character, I find it credible that Mark Twain did embody his voice through Huck without developing Huck’s character through personal experiences.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, controversial or not is noted as one of The Great American Novels. “The Great American Novel is a book that tells a fictionalised story that is set in a certain period in time, which uses real life events and beliefs as a means of highlighting the era it is based on. 1 ” Though Huck’s character is seen as a stealing, lying, and uneducated boy those are the “values” that are imposed from his father.

I believe that Mark Twain purposely tried to portray his beliefs in this novel in a discrete way by using Huck, a boy of naïve innocence. Huck would have opinions thrown at him such as stealing is borrowing, one must strive to be good in order to be in heaven, superstitions, and many other beliefs that many other characters in the novel bestow upon him. However, Huck does not immediately accept them but questions and reasons what he thinks is right. Mark Twain had beliefs that was not accepted by most of society, hence being in the story, Huck’s journey along the Mississippi River to free his friend Jim from slavery. Mark Twain opposed most of society’s views and tried to characterize his views through Huck.

_________________________________________________
1 "The Great American Novel." 2007. 20 Oct. 2007

Vocabulary: Week 10

Precipitous, meaning, extremely steep is what is being depicted through this image. A very precipitous cliff is overlooking the vast ocean.

Plagiarism, though I do not agree to the extent as this picture does "plagiarism is murder" I believe it is morally and lawfully wrong. When it comes to the arts and media many have been accused of plagiarism from dubious Shakespeare works to Timbaland's song called Do It.




Incognito, disguise, basically to conceal one's identity. This woman appears to be wanting to be unnoticed with her clothing and the big shades. She reminds me of celebrities dressing incognito so as to not be disrupted by paparazzi.

accord: agreement
bias: to cause favoritism (a person); unfair influence
deduct: to reduce
paradigm: a pattern
objectivity: unbiased judgment
recapitulate: summarize
reciprocate: interchange; give and receive
empathy: identifying and understanding with another's situation

Aspiring Anthropologist

The picture above is the basis for my story, which is taken from
Bill Sullivan's Turnstile Photography Project. His photography project is a compilation of pictures taken of a stranger's first moment going through the turnstiles to ride the subway.



Gratified, complacent, self-satisfied; these feelings of accomplishment rushed through Jane's head as she walked out the doors of the American Museum of Natural History. She had conquered her dream of graduating with a BA in anthropology and had just recently been placed at AMNH as one of the researchers of African Ethnology. That was how her day began to end as she walked toward the subway station after a long day of reading books at Barnes & Noble. She was a rather frugal person and found it to be very convenient to be sitting on the comfy couches and delving into a book about the conspiracy theories of the disappearance of the ancient Mayans. People's way of life always interested her as a child, for her upbringing was in a very diverse neighborhood in Queens, New York. However, she always thought there was a difference between learning about ones way of life and gossip. For a moment, while walking past the ticket booth and on her way to the subway she reminisced of her childhood. Out of mind and with her head in the clouds, contemplating of how her life would be and how far she's gone, she walked through the turnstiles on her way to visit her mom to tell her about the good news, and soon enough a slight smile began to form.

Vocabulary: Week 9

Tranquility, a moment of calmness and peacefulness. I think there are different perspectives of what tranquility is for each person, but I personally find it most in nature. When I went on a trip to Germany this summer, it was a place that flourished with trees and I resided in a lodge placed in between mountains. It was a peaceful & tranquil setting.





Symbiosis is a term used in the sciences, meaning a relationship of mutual benefit. The world and the environment is supposed to be a symbiotic environment. However, with our selfishness and greed throughout the history of mankind, our environment is slowly degrading and as of now we are trying to recant the damage that was done by trying to find a sustainable and symbiotic way of living with the environment.





Flourish. Thrive. Prosper. Growth. This is what is being depicted in the picture above. I did not make this image however, the fact that the tree is depicted in front of a desert made it a perfect picture. At one point, the desert could have been a jungle and over time it turned into a desert. Perhaps there could be a way that a tree can flourish in an area that is completely desolate of trees.


guerrilla - a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment
renegade renegade or outlaw
repose - being at rest
stereotype - a generalization; preconceived notion
tariff - bill; cost; charge
tempo - rate, rhythm, or pattern of work or activity
tumult - a general outbreak; riot
tundra - vast treeless plains
unanimous - sharing the same opinions or views; complete agreement