Yay Blogs

I looked through the blogs that my classmates have written and chose the ones that stood out to me the most in terms of economic advice to Obama, literary analysis, and historical writing.

Economic advice to Barack Obama; From Diana Barlow's Blog

So in the declaration, it is made clear that all humans have the civil liberties to learn, so that they can prosper and become the future of America, as it has been meant to be. But how can that be achieved if something so little as money can stand in the way? According to the biennial report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, with the rising cost of tuition, even before the the recession, many Americans can't afford college. The college tuition fees have increased an enormous amount of 439 percent from 1982 to 2007, while the median family income only raised 147 percent. College loans has more then doubled in the last 10 years, and students from lower class families usually get smaller grants from the colleges they attend then more prosperous families.

What stood out to me about Diana's blog was how her thoughts were so organized and she referenced history and current statistics. She proposed the problem with a question and everything was in logical order.

Literary Analysis; From Jacob Harris' Blog

The last literary device in this book is symbolism. I think that the biggest symbol in the book is the rabbit. It shows up in every chapter that I can remember, and is usually symbolic of the ideal lifestyle that they, or maybe just Lennie wanted. Towards the end of the book though, it turns to a more sinister symbol, telling Lennie about how bad of a person he is and how George doesn't need him. I see it as a symbol of what the title of the book was derived from. I see the rabbit as the great plan all laid out, then going awry like every great plan does. Also, in my experience at least, the rabbit has always been the thing to escape anyones grasp, which supports the theory of what it symbolizes.

I really like how Jacob explained the use of symbolism in Of Mice and Men. He thoroughly described how it is used as a literary device and what it meant to him.

Historical Writing; From Evan Lott's Blog

Military ventures played a big role in the 1896 election because both candidates were involved. William Jennings Bryan was an active member of the Anti-Imperialist League. This was Americas first citizen organization that challenged the governments foreign policies. The anti imperialist believed that "nations that sought to control colonial empires inevitably ended up embroiled in bloody wars far from their homes--wars that would eventually lead to the collapse of the empire." Bryan, a representative on behalf of the anti-imperialist argues the point that"imperialist actions are counterproductive for the success and health of the United States". He then goes on to make a very good point that "the extension of American power to foreign lands does not make sense financially, is illegal under American law and will inevitably lead to war".

What I liked about Evan's Blog was how his writing was so understandable and to-the-point. He incorporated quotes and evidence, and avoided it becoming too confusing. It was easy to read and gain a lot from.

Anything else that makes blogs great; From Sydney Lampe's Blog

March 4, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered his first inaugural speech to the citizens of America. Within his speech, he spoke to Americans with a sense of hope and encouragement. In 1933, America was in a time of need; “Taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen… the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone.” Citizens were unaware of where to turn, and with America hitting rock bottom within the first month Roosevelt took his oath as president, “ We must act and act quickly.” The concerns of first inaugural speech of Franklin Delano Roosevelt can be compared to those of present times, full of loss of jobs, bank foreclosures and the overall quality of our economy causing America to be in a state of panic.

Sydney's blog about FDR's inaugural address stood out to me because of her strong introduction. She set the tone of the essay and it was easy to understand what she would discuss in the following paragraphs. She also wrote a great thesis statement, which made the rest of the blog structured and easy to understand.