Sierra Logan reflection

Reflection of Course/Cover Letter

Eng 102 this semester was one of my favorite classes I have taken through Yavapai up to date. This class was fun and full of themes and topics that I felt were a good choice to talk about, plus the amount of work was just enough. Skills that I feel I gained by taking this class are far from just a few but the one thing that stuck out the most involving my improvement was my ability to create a paper using both my ideas and themes while also being able to construct a product that someone would want to read. In the future I will not be shy with adding quotes and personal ideas and flares to make a paper really good. Writing a professional paper is also something I would be better at just due to the different types of paper formats you need to use; this class has helped me with that. When the idea and topic can be made personal I find it’s easier to make words flow together versus trying to write about something you are not especially passionate about. The poems in the class we got to choose from were all beautiful and held a meaning that had depth which I felt was important. Frankenstein was a great book and I was really excited to be able to read it again for this semester; this book had many great lessons about relationships and doesn’t end well, which I feel was a different way to end most stories you read in school. To have beauty and happiness you need to feel sadness and disappointment.

The syllabus asked for hard work involving improving your personal goals as well as ways to develop yourself into a more confident writer. My personal effort I put into this class I feel really paid off and that I have taken a lot from this class and all it had to offer. I really enjoyed using blogger.com and am happy with the creativity used by the others in this class. Being able to add images and have personal profiles made the class more personal and that was essential since we are all online trying to pass this together. Having the option to go back to students profiles and read more of their work was inspiring and motivating at times; I feel although it was on online class we still all worked together and got to share our work with others and receive constructive criticism.

I faced many challenges with every class this semester and I feel I have gained better study habits and methods for writing papers. My main flaw was missing punctuation or adding extra words, one way I overcame that recurring problem was by printing out my papers when I feel they are complete and proof reading a copy that I can edit without having to mess with it on the computer; when I read my paper on the computer I tend to miss mistakes versus reading and editing a physical copy. It nice to then have a map pointing out the little changes and being able to go back and fix them; I found myself making more mistakes than I thought and am now paying more attention to my loose fingers and the keys the accidently hit.

            This was a wonderful class and I have really enjoyed all that I learned this semester; this class gave me confidence in my writing again and I feel like I want to go and take a creative writing class just to enjoy the process of writing some more. Being creative is what keeps me going in school and I’m really glad I got to keep that going in this class. 

*Image: Nov 30, 2011 <http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lumkch2ZN01r4jnbko1_500.gif>

Sierra Logan Final paper - Zombies

Sierra Logan

November 13, 2011

Ms.Cline

Eng 102

Zombie Nation

“Zombies are humans who have lost track of their souls”[1]

The word “Zombie” has imprinted many definitions onto society due to the topic being a popularly used in tales throughout history. Zombies in the modern day have changed widely since the first talk of zombies centuries ago; the term “zombie” stems from the Haitian culture based in the country of Haiti. Zombies (or pronounced “zombie” to the Haitian culture) were created from a type of black magic spell, it was meant to be something that mortal beings feared. The transformation from being human to being a zombie was said to be fast and painful, the ritual that would take place would include spices, powders, and forms of poisonous fish and frog. The people who felt the side effects of the “curse” would remain in a vegetable like state, barely alive; however, sometimes these spells and practices would end up killing the person the Haitian voodoo was practiced on. Haitians culture practiced and preformed black magic with Voodoo; the Bokor Sorcery was a black magic term used to summon or request the desire to turn someone who is alive, or dead, into a zombie creature.

"He comes from the grave, his body a home of worms and filth. No life in his eyes, no warmth of his skin, no beating of his breast. His soul, as empty and dark as the night sky. He laughs at the blade, spits at the arrow, for they will not harm his flesh. For eternity, he will walk the earth, smelling the sweet blood of the living, feasting upon the bones of the damned. Beware, for he is the living dead” –Obscure Hindu Text, Circa 1000 B.C.E [2]

Zombies made their way to the big screens during the early years of 1932, when Garnett Weston released a movie about the Haitian zombie culture called “The White Zombie”.[1] This movie was the start of zombies on the big screen; people seemed to fear the idea of being zombified, but they were also curious and intrigued by the subject. Throughout the 1930’s and 40’ more movies were released with the zombie topic at hand. The term “zombie” had now moved its way into the fantasy horror genre and was being compared to creatures like, ghouls, vampires, witches and all around dark spirits. It wasn’t until the late 1960’s when George A. Romero (Godfather of zombies) released his movie “Night of the Living Dead” that the view of what a zombie was changed forever. George earned the nickname because of the vivid horrible image of what a human can become after being infected by a zombie. Versus viewing a zombie like a half dead, mindless, poisoned person who did something wrong to deserve the treatment, zombies had taken on a whole new meaning. Romero wanted zombies to reflect on society and the people who make up the world, he wanted to also instill fear that was hard to redirect, he then chose to make this fear hit closer to home. “Night of the Living dead” shows families being torn apart by a flesh eating virus that if, let into your blood stream, will turn you into an undead, brainless, human monster who just wants to kill whatever is near it. By using human grief and the power death possesses, Romero was able to create the perfect creature that had every way of being able to mentally and emotionally break down a society.

Zombies have come a long way since being a black spell cast down by generations of witches, and our modern day zombies play a bigger role in society than they ever have in the past. The modern zombie is split into two different types of categories; society treats it as a scare tactic or a lifestyle fad. Some of society is living in the fear of zombies and the possibility of an infection or virus causing something so horrible. Since day one zombies have been portrayed as fear full creatures of the afterlife that wake the bodies of recently dead; the emotional madness that a life altering disease causes will easily drive people crazy. The major terrifying things you go through besides having to watch every step you make, is having to answer implicit questions about your future and what you’re going to do if you find yourself alone in a world that is no longer safe. The infection is irreversible, death and disease surrounds you everywhere, without any ways to escape it; civilization is done. You over think everything, and questions start working their way into your mind, questions like; is anyone trying to help stop this? Is this really it; is this the end the human race, were going out at flesh eating monsters? Being alive and being completely filled with fear would be too much for people, and living would seem like the wrong option. The pain something this tragic does to the human mind can drive someone mad, every day from this point on is a fight for the next, to many these challenges may be too much to deal with. “Sometimes dead is better off” – Jud Crandell, Pet Semetary. [3] Since zombies are such a popular topic in society, movies and T.V shows are popping up everywhere with zombies being the base of the show. Apocalyptic setting go along with world tragedy like an infection being started and many shows and movies such The Walking Dead, 28 Weeks/Days Later, and Dawn of the Dead support the idea of a zombie apocalypse. The producers of the show want to capture human fear and this is fed off of human suffering and being surrounded by terrifying, unpredictable monsters. Modern shows keep the fear alive by keeping zombies as the most grotesque evil creatures you will find yourself hearing about. 28 Weeks Later does a great job at keeping people on their toes; the virus has spread all over the world and no civilization is safe. The zombies that are delay with are terrifying; they follow directions of sound, they are hungry for living human flesh, and when they need to they can charge down something they want. The zombies leave little room for mistakes, getting bit is all it takes to infect someone and zombies usually win 100% of the time when working in swarms.

[4]

Zombies haven’t only made their way onto almost everything in media, they have worked their way into lifestyle of many zombie enthusiasts. As zombies have gained popularity, people have been forming groups of other zombies loves to come together to bring a great cause; “The Zombie Walk”. Big cities all over the country, such as Chicago, New York City and San Diego, have been participating in a “zombie walk” which usually takes place in the heart of a city. These walk consists of thousands of spectators and walking dead fans who support the cause. People dress up like zombies and run from block to block as a sort of mob looking parade. This is a fun way to get the public involved in a community event and defiantly counts as being something I’m sure will be remembered forever if experienced. There is a public website called www.zombiewalk.com[3] that contains anything you could possibly want to know about traditional zombie behavior, local zombie walk events, and even how to do your own zombie makeup. This website holds walk as an assists in a charity event and usually bring a lot of attention to the cause and anyone viewing the fiasco.

The undead in society has been used as a comic relief in many situations due to the up rise in fear the topics seems to bring. Many people have started preparing for what is to be a “zombie apocalypse” which will leave society in ruins, most of society dead or at, half dead. Individuals, families, and groups of people have started storing up on food and supplies for when the “zombie apocalypse” hits our earth. Many are firm believers that someday we will need to protects ourselves from an undead nation and survive in a world that will never be the same for as long as we continue existing. Books, guides and T.V. shows are everywhere that are aimed to help someone survive an apocalypse. This information helps inform the community on steps to take to prepare in case something horrible happens. Most of society is not prepared to deal with a tragic even and zombies have inspired people to take action and prepare themselves. “The Zombie Survival Guide” written by Max Brooks was a New York Times best seller; this book includes helpful survival tips, ideal weapon choice for different scenarios, and horror stories of the past. The author gives an in-depth description of different types of zombies and how they react depending on the landscape and climate. The books most intriguing part of the whole book is the “Recorded Attacks” section. Stories of the living dead have dated back all the way until 60,000 B.C all the way up until 2002 A.D;  stories of short outbreaks all over the world that lead to deviation. Plague has also has the same effects on society and acts the same in a lot of ways as well. Plague will wipe out a society but usually moves on or disappears, the zombie virus would act the same, but nobody knows a cure for the disease, or if the disease is even prevalent. The book believes the virus will not last forever and it will be earth’s way of resetting itself. Some people believe that if this were to occur it would be natures doing, a form of natural selection that was unpredictable.

In the world of fashion, the undead has made its way to the top of the food chain, the desire to look undead is taking over the runway and fashion all over the place. From tights to hair clips, zombie themed clothes and accessories are a part of the new trend. Punk Rock and Goth themes have adopted the new trends into their daily styles and this theme is not only used during October. It seems zombies have taken over our lives, even down to effecting how we dress every day.

Zombies have come a long way since being a mythical tale and will continue climbing to the top; zombies have set the totem for all other dark creatures. The rise in popularity with zombies since the early 1900’s has kept going all the way through our present day. The impact “zombie” have had on our culture is outstanding and is almost a mystery as to why we all are so fascinated with the idea of the living dead. As of the looks of things, society wants to keep the creature around, as far as for the future, society may become what we all desire in the end; just a matter of time until we know for sure.

Work Cited

                        

1.DavidMurphy.Forum.Bodybuilding.2011,5November.2011.  http://forum.bodybuilding.com/archive/index.php/t-130133323.html

2. Brooks, Max. The Zombie Survival Guide. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2003.

3.StephenKing.BrainyQuote.com.XploreInc,2011.6November.2011. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/stephen_king.htm

4. Tumblr.com.”Zombies Were People Too”25 Oct 2011. 13 Nov 2011

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa379/SierraDawnAZ/tumblr_lqjg4iRSQn1qk7mjmo1_500.jpg.

5. Zombiewalk. 14 Aug 2009. 11 Nov 2011

<http://zombiewalk.com/forum/blog.home>

Sierra's final project idea

I as little worried when I read about option 1 and found it to be more of a research paper than option 2 so I am going to option number 2. Many reasons led me to this decision and the first one is, I get to expand my ideas and interpretations of what history and I think this topic is based around. I love doing outside research on a topic that I fancy as well because I believe it really helps make the paper in the end; the more passion behind it the better, the more effort the better as well.  I choose to pick zombies out of the lineup because they have many different options as to what they represent to society. One primary text I may use is the “zombie survival guide” they speak about belief in zombies since the dawn of time. Another source I feels helps this topic would be Stephen Kings “Pet Semetary” this book may not define a modern zombie but it has a unique way of describing life after death. With this prodject I hope to get a better understanding of monsters and what different ones truly mean. Doing the research on zombies and configuring all the ways zombies have been used throughout time will be fun and a good topic for me to keep focused on. As for the other sources, I have so many movies, t.v shows, articles and books to read about zombies I’m sure I will find something somewhere. I am eager to see if I can find a zombie book at the local library…

Midterm check in for Sierra Logan

During this semester I was really nervous to get started with school. This has been the most credits I have taken at once while working full time but I have been working really hard towards my Associates of Arts degree. The biggest challenge English 102 has caused me is just within the extra credit, I really wish I could make it to the main campus more but I live so far away it’s hard to commit to that. Otherwise this class has been great and I have been managing my time well. The biggest success has been using the blog; I truly think having a class on a blog role together is a simple and fast way to have everyone communicate with each other while reading each other’s work. Reading Frankenstein the second time was more fun that the first time I read it a few years ago. This time around I really understood parts of the book better and followed Mary Shelley’s way of writing much better than the last time. After taking this class I realize I really enjoy writing literary analysis much better than any other style of paper English has had me write in the past. My Eng 101 class was based on Pop Culture and throughout the whole semester I feel like I had no idea what was going on or what was the point of writing based on Popular Culture. It’s good to have a class that you feel confident in writing papers in and feel you are grasping the lesson at hand.

This second half of the semester I plan to keep on keeping on;  working  towards good grades and eventually graduating from Yavapai then transferring to NAU for my BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Improving my vocabulary and sentence flow is the number one thing I am going to work on the next few weeks but I already have seen am improvement since the start. 

Sierra's essay Shelley and Frankenstein

In the book Frankenstein there is a section called “Modern Criticism” which gives writers the chance to analyze specific parts of the book. The first story in this section is by a man by the name of Christopher Small; his essay is called Shelley and Frankenstein. It’s written in modern time and tells and about Smalls opinion on who Mary Shelley was and how her and Victor Frankenstein may be the same person. Small opens up talking about how he feels Shelley is not the only one who deserves credit for Frankenstein but her mentor Byron, who told her to “write a ghost story”. He also believes the personality types of the two (character and author) are extremely similar; for one he talks about the age being similar and having had Shelley speak about similar wants and need, such as Victor desires. Characters in the book, such as Elizabeth, which was the name of Shelley’s mother, resemble aspects in Mary’s life which Small believes she did on purpose. Physically Victor and Shelley were the same age and possibly had the same mindsets, Small mentions that maybe she did all of this not intentionally but without knowing, stating, “Frankenstein himself is clearly and to some extent must intentionally have been a portrayal of Shelley, and Shelley can scarcely have been unaware of it, if only on account of his name.”[Small 205] It may have been possible that Shelley created a story from an idea that bloomed. She may have taken issues going on in her life out of the book, and created a wonderful story without such a wonderful ending.

Reading all the sections in this book made me look at the story in a different view than I had before. It opened my eyes to see the real meaning behind the relationships going on in the book and how things like deep thoughts and grotesque creatures can add more to the emotion in the story.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein: the 1818 Text, Contexts, Nineteenth-century Responses, Modern Criticism. Ed. J. Paul Hunter. First ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1996. Print.

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa379/SierraDawnAZ/tumblr_lslug2BaAf1qmganao1_400.gif

Self Revision - Sierra Logan

Just hearing the world revision make me cringe. I have always enjoyed writing but have never been good at looking it over or sharing it with people. Until my first year in college I had a really hard time going back and reading over my papers to make sure they not only sounded good, but made sure the flow and organization was spot on. I learned the hard way when I was getting papers back that were graded not to my expectation but I knew I was at fault as to why I was getting these grades. I had to make myself once re-read a paper and improve what I saw. I found I made a lot of mistakes where I though some of the best ideas were coming from and to me if I would have left it messed up the power of my statement might not hold nearly the same gratitude If the reader cannot understand it. I have begun letting others read my papers to as long as they agree to give an unbiased opinion and judge it for what makes sense and if they understand the point I’m trying to convey.

In the end proof reading and revising your paper with organization, argument, thesis, and flow in mind the paper should come out better that expected. I believe it is worth putting in the extra time to get a better grade and also develop good writing skills.

Frankenstein Quote

Frankenstein Quote

“But I have one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy, and the absence of the object of which I now feel as a most severe evil, I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection. I shall commit my thoughts to paper, it is true; but that is a poor medium for the communication of feeling. I desire the company of a man who could sympathize with me, whose eyes would reply to mine. You may deem me romantic, my dear sister, but I bitterly feel the want of a friend. I have no one near me, gentle yet courageous, possessed of a cultivated as well as of a capacious mind, whose tastes are like my own, to approve or amend my plans. How would such a friend repair the faults of your poor brother! I am too ardent in execution and too impatient of difficulties. But it is a still greater evil to me that I am self-educated.”[Shelley 10]

This quote I personally believe sets the scenery for the whole first half of the book. Victor is clearly a bright, yet weird man who feels very alone compared to who surrounds him in his life. He yearns for the friendship of another man who will have the same taste in topics as him, who shares common hobbies, and I’m sure who is on the same intellectual level as himself. He compares not having a friend to being the “most severe evil” one can withstand. To him he would rather verse anything than verse being lonely for all of his time. This is the quote when I believe the idea is also planted in his head to create another person to his likings that would fill this void he has been feeling. Victor being the scientist that he is knows that there is always a reaction to the actions we choose to make. This being said, Victor wonders if a reliable friend would be able to help him through his faults. 

Work Cited
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. A Norton Critical Edition ed. London: W.W. Norton &, 1996. Print.

Essay #2 Sierra Logan

Poem evaluation

Mary Karr’s writing “Field of Skulls” is a short but vivid poem that delves into some of the deepest of human thoughts. I choose this particular poem because of the depth and darkness that is represents. When reading poetry I almost expect it to either rhyme or use small subtle words to get their points across in a simple sounding flow. This poem changed my expectations for writing and reading poems and gave me new insight on how to form and read a poem. The poem contains many big words that helps create the image of human fear and the mental thought process. Words that made the paper in this poem were such as, predisposed, disgruntled, azaleas, intricate and scrim.

            The tone of this poem is fast pace but has many pauses to let what is being said really sink in. The beginning of the poem starts of by stating “Stare hard enough at the fabric of the night and if you’re predisposed to dark- let’s say the window you’ve picked is a black postage stamp you spend hours at.”[Karr lines 1-4] The poem doesn’t have any form of rhyming present but Mary does reuse words like “black” and “night” to create a darker image for the setting. Since the poem is based on the visuals of a field full of bodies, Karr doesn’t hesitate to bring up past leaders who we know killed many people, most being innocent. She mentions how “our history lists monsters like Adolf and Uncle Joe who stalk the earth’s orb, plus minor baby-eaters unidentified, probably in you very midst.”[Karr lines 13-17]

            This poem is all about imagery and not just physical imagery but mental emotion. A good example of this is the detail he uses to explain what a field of skulls would look like. She writes “For you: a field of skulls, angled jaws and eye sockets, a zillion scooped-out crania. They’re plane once you think to look.”[Karr lines 10-12] All of your senses are being talked about throughout this poem which really adds to the imagery. Although it describes someone sitting and staring at a dark window, the thoughts Karr creates are heavy and distressing. She gives you an image but leaves spaces empty for the reader to personally connect with the emotion and fill in the blanks themselves. The questions asked are very open-ended and makes you think about the reality of the situation and the fear we live with daily. Most of us just don’t let ourselves dive into that thought process and this poem does a phenomenal job at opening up that side of our existence. The poem finishes stating “Let’s say they do press towards you against night’s scrim- could they not stare with slack jawed envy at the fine flesh that covers your scalp, the numbered hairs, at the force your hands hold?” [Karr lines 29-33]

Work cited

Karr, Mary “Field of Skulls” Viper Rum. New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1993. 15 September, 2011 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171884

Mary Karr - Field of Skulls

When looking for a poem to read I was really eager to choose something that wasn't necessarily nice and has emotion. I found Mary Karr's "Field of Skulls" to be honest and disturbing in all the right ways. The author starts off with a dark emotion that doesn't involve his feelings, but the readers. The image painted is black, like Mary writes, "Stare hard enough at the fabric of the night, and if you're predisposed to to dark." As she writes, their are few pauses; the story keeps going and keeps you reading. The use of detail a human feels is extreme in this poem, Mary does a great job creating this when describing a field of skulls. They are "A zillion scooped out crania." created by monsters from our past and our present, some which are "minor baby eaters unidentified- probably in your very midst, stalking the earth's orb." She creates the reality of the fear we feel we have to deal with on a daily basis, and how everyone is affected by the choices made by society. People tend to paint dark images when feeling self pity, Mary describes this by making the dead jealous of our living corpse. She finishes the written images with "could they not stare with slack jawed envy at the fine flesh that covers your scalp, the numbered hairs, at the force your hands hold?"

I really enjoyed this poem for more than the fact that is was not a fairy tale nor was it a story. It was a reality check of what really goes on inside of a dark mind and how everyday life can be twisted and formed into something completely different.

Summary VS Anaysis

When I think of the use of each work, summary and analyses, I think of the type of conversations people have and who uses which set-up when talking. I find that when two friends are having a conversation about how work was, the whole tone of the conversation is based on (the person who is answering) personal feelings of the day and the whole situation. Summary is based more off emotion that truth. Analysis is what science uses when conducting an experiment. This is more of strait facts and serious answers to hard questions. Analysis is more reliable and trustworthy than a summary but both are ways to simply get a point across.

I have no video, but here are some pictures and things about me!

 I am from Steamboat Springs, Colorado and I try and visit any chance I get. I enjoy Arizona but I really miss the 4 seasons.

I spent my Summer in NYC and I had a BLAST! I really liked visiting and learned alot about the culture and about myself. I would personally never live there but I will always go visit.

I am an artist and I really enjoy doing art. I think it helps me deal with many things and it's something I find I am confident in. Any medium, I will work with it. In high school I was in many shows and live art sessions. 

I want to travel and have it as a main priority on my bucket list.

I like to think outside the box. I am very open-minded as well and am always willing to work it out or help someone. 

I have an inspiration and his name is Jonathan Davis. He is known as the lead singer of Korn but he lives for alot more than that. He represents determination and the fight to never give up on yourself, no matter how many times life tries to take you down.

I am a big gamer, any game, any system, I have probably played it. I do not think that video games rot minds or turn people into violent beings. I think they help with hand eye coordination, mental process, and invention. 

Hometown, I love to snowboard this mountain.

I hope to have a great semester and feel free to write me whenever!

Sierra Logan

Hello Class!

My name is Sierra and I have finally figured out how to create the proper blog site. I like using Tumblr but nobody else is so I decided to keep things simple. I hope to have a great semester and look forward to a great fall.