Poem Analysis- TPCASST

"Out, out --" by Robert Frost

Title
The title can refer to the casting away of something, here the boy's life, as a consequence of an event.

Paraphrase
A boy doing a "man's work" is using a buzz saw to cut pieces of wood, when his sister calls supper the saw seems to "leap" from the boy's hands and cuts one off. By the time the doctor arrives it is too late, he dies, and they continue with their lives.

Connotation (of some of the words)
"the meeting"-- the saw cutting off the boy's hand
"life from spilling"-- pouring blood
"the dark of ether"-- absence of feeling, perhaps even of being
"he saw all spoiled"-- the inevitable (death) was approaching
"no more to build on" -- nothing else they can do for him

Attitude
There is a somber tone, yet the attitude is almost apathetic. The tragedy occurs, however due to the lifestyle they lead they are made to treat the death as natural/common and as a seemingly trifling event for they have other things to take care of.

Shift
The shift occurs after the line, "Call it a day, I wish they might have said", this seems like foreshadowing to me and consequently a few lines down the saw has the fateful meeting with the boy's hand. Before the shift, there was a calm atmosphere "Sweet-scented stuff when the breeze blew across it"; "Under the sunset far into Vermont".

Title Revisited
The death of the boy is almost shown as uneventful, and since they had other things to do it must be put aside as fast as possible (out, out).

Theme
The suddenness of death and the callousness that can follow as a consequence.

Masterpiece

After many ideas and failed attempts, I have discovered my Masterpiece. I was sitting in AVID on a seemingly normal Tuesday morning and it hit me in the face like a basketball one was not expecting. Here it goes...


Words of Wisdom

One question, two parts, different faces, numerous stories, and one common theme.

I am approaching both random and familiar individuals requesting if they are willing to answer one question for me, a question that has two parts.
A. Would you be willing to share one important thing you have learned in your life so far
AND/OR
B. What advice would you share with younger generations

This seems like a fairly simple, straightforward question, yet when I deliver it the individual's face changes into one of utter concentration, minutes pass, and the response is given slowly and carefully. The responses have all been different so far (I have already started), yet by the end I will illustrate how all the different experiences these individuals have overcome and all the things they have learned can be tied together. For these responses are not just empty words, the responses are all connected with past personal experiences. Not only will I show how our struggles and learning is more similar than we think, but I will also provide these words of wisdom to others so that we may receive little bits of treasure, ponder deeply about them, and utilize them if desired.
I will be approaching complete strangers and after a few minutes I may leave getting a little glimpse of their own story.

Differences

Differences are what make us beautiful, yet we all share more similarities than we think. It's about time we learned to celebrate the different facets of the human race and find those things that connect us together: love, pain, sacrifice... the human heart.

Brave New World Essay

A chaotic world with unstable foundations is less than ideal, yet a world devoid of sadness and love is inhuman, bleak. A society so “perfect” as to embody only happiness, order, and stability is a dangerous one in which one sole vision presides over the rest. The act of conforming to a society which has eliminated pain, sadness, and truth in exchange for efficiency strips us of everything that makes us human. We cannot have humanity without sharing its pain and truth, its happiness and love, and Bernard from Brave New World understands this concept. He sees past the pretenses and understands that they have been conditioned to be less than human in a world that is less than perfect.

Bernard Marx is forced to conform to the society in Brave New World due to his social standing as an Alpha and the conditioning that has been administered to him as a consequence, however he begins to question and wonder. He observes a world in which soma and hypnopaedia control minds and in which individuality is a thing of the blasphemous past. He is pressured to join the mass, to take part in that which is considered essential, yet everything that makes him different leads him on a distinct path. His physical appearance and his refusal of soma and other practices isolate him from the rest. It is in this isolation that Bernard faces his inner struggle. The struggle to conform and be part of the whole or to feel alive, human, an individual.

Bernard wishes to disengage himself from soma, hypnopaedia, and everything that keeps them from thinking freely and feeling deeply. The contrast depicted between Bernard and Lenina, whom is perfectly content living off of her hypnopaedia, illustrates the deep chasm dividing them and serves to show the tension arising from the struggle. Yet Bernard does not necessarily stand up for his beliefs nor does he embrace his individuality, for he hides behind John and Helmholtz, and rather is simply consumed by the bitterness arising from his isolation and disparities. Nonetheless, he is able to identify the flaws in his society and the sense of nothingness which engulfs them all.

           The conditioning of the human race can lead to a cold, empty existence. Love, truth, and pain are irreplaceable components to the structure of mankind and when they are erased from existence they take with them much more. They take our humanity. Human nature is not perfect and once you try to will it to be so, it loses its essence.

Independent Project

Over the course of about a month I, along with other REACHers, have been working on a project concerning a career of interest. This project consisted of doing research on a certain field, interviewing a professional from that field, and preparing a presentation on our findings. Before this project I had a very broad idea of what I wanted to do with my future. Of three things I was sure: I want to help people, I enjoy working with children, and I want to incorporate language and its importance in whatever field I choose. With the guidance of REACH, the help of my mother, and the interview process which I underwent I was able to achieve a much clearer vision of what I truly want.

I combined my interests together and now know that teaching is something I would like to pursue. Specifically, elementary level teaching under the Dual Immersion/ Bilingual Developmental Program. Teachers greatly influenced me as a child and have contributed immensely to my love of learning. Also I was part of the Bilingual Developmental Program when I was in second grade and benefited greatly from it. This program serves the purpose of helping children, whose native language is Spanish, be able to read and write in both their native language and in their second language which in this case would be English. Thus becoming bilingual and biliterate. This program is different from the Dual Immersion program, in which students of different native languages are placed in the same classes from an early age and by the time they reach high school they will be fluently bilingual.

I interviewed Ms. Camelia Ortiz-Alvarez, a second grade teacher with 18 years of experience under the Bilingual Developmental Program. I learned valuable information and am extremely grateful for the advice I received. Ms. Ortiz shared with me the challenges and rewards of teaching, what it takes to get there, and the great importance of knowing more than one language. After the interview I left with a much clearer vision of what I wanted and with more determination. I want to help people, and what better way to help than by guiding children in their pursuit of learning. I will work to keep the curiosity that characterizes children alive and in full blaze, I will work to help them along their growth, and I will work to serve as motivation and as a support system for them.

Journal Topic- Rain!

"Write a vignette in which rain plays a role."

The child stood outside, arms outstretched and chin lifted towards the sky. The rain began to softly patter on the child’s cheeks, shoulders, and hair with its icy cool fingers. The drops, now trickling down her neck, greeted her like a long lost friend. After years of only dust and sun, the child and the rain were reunited…

Now the rain picked up its tempo and drummed a little faster, a little harder. Everything that it had been holding back all these years came rushing forward: laughter, memories, and joy greeted the child once again. The child’s lips broke into a smile and her eyes regained their sparkle.

The curtain of rain engulfed her in a watery embrace.