Vocabulary #9

aficionado: an enthusiast. somebody who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about something

browbeat: to bully or intimidate somebody sternly
commensurate: equal in size
diaphanous: transparent, delicate or gauzy
emolument: a payment for work done
foray a sudden attack or raid by a military force
genre category of artistic works
homily religious lecture: a sermon or other piece of writing on a moral or religious topic
immure imprison somebody: to confine somebody
insouciant carefree attitude: cheerful lack of anxiety or concern
matrix: arrangement of connected things
obsequies rites or ceremonies carried out at a funeral
panache  a sense or display of spirited style and self-confidence
persona assumed identity or role
philippic condemning speech: a verbal attack on somebody
prurient having or intended to arouse an unwholesome interest in sexual matters
sacrosanct sacred: very holy and sacred
systemic relating to or affecting a system as a whole
tendentious trying to influence opinion
vicissitude unexpected changes

FILTER BUBBLES

a) What new information did you learn from the video?
I learned that our searches, and what we are exposed to are filtered, not necessarily by the user either. Big sites filter them for us, thus controlling the information I can see due to my few searching habits.

)How does this information make you think differently about what you see online?
Makes me feel like the internet is becoming less of a tool, I would like to be able to reference to something online and have a friend be able to find it. But I never asked for my stuff to be personalized either.

What questions does this video raise about the Internet in general?
Does this customization of the web search really benefit users? Why do they feel the need to personalize my searches if either way I can get access to information but one way it can be more beneficial?

d)How can you improve the effectiveness of your searches?
Improve the effectiveness of my searches by not surrounding myself with junk searches and letting it get personalized to that. In order to accomplish this I have to actually go through the searches not just the first few links that pop up I do not even recall a time where I turn to page 2 for Google searches.

Performative utterances in Hamlet ****

- betray little
- do not waver him from his duty (kill uncle?)
- certain language does not merely describe action but acts in being spoken

- real self vs. self creation
-Hamlet displays a disconnect for what he says and what he does.
-Hamlet never swears to avenge his father.
-Tablet of mind?
-Hamlet only swears to remember

-Feeling is a process going through mental process then a verbal process

What is language?

• Locutionary force: ability to deliver a message
• Illocutionary force: whatever is done when being said
• perlocutionary force: what is achieved by whatever is said

THOUGHTS ON HAMLET (IN PROGRESS)

My thoughts on act III Hamlet, I have different opinions of Gertrude since within the play it never states Gertrude's opinion, her responses and reactions could be interpreted many ways. It is possible that Hamlet is more sane than Gertrude. Since Gertrude didn't see the fault in marrying her dead husband's brother, could it be she's in on the ruse? King Hamlet only appears before Hamlet to steer him on the right path and leave Gertrude to heaven.  Because of the ghost I questioned the sanity of Gertrude and Hamlet. My thinking evolved over the course of the acts due to me interpreting it the first time then hearing the interpretations of others, and thinking "oh, that makes sense." From Act IV I see things getting more troublesome, but eventually I believe Hamlet will get Claudius.

WHEN I THINK OF ACT III

when I think of act 3, I think of The king and queen getting ready for the play and them finding out his love for Ophelia is not the source of his behavior due to him claiming to loving her but then not. Claudius' reaction makes horatio and Hamlet believe that Claudius is guilty. So I found that to be expected. The whole reason for waiting on killing Claudius since he's praying just confuses me, I understand he doesn't want him going to heaven but the opportunity was there. Well the death of Polonius I think he deserved it for being nosy

To be, or Not to be.

Sing it so loud, all the world can hear. ♥

Literature Analysis #3 - The Color Purple

Pocket fiction.

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
The story begins with Celie who describes herself negatively and how she is a good girl in other words, submissive. Then we find out her age, and how her father has raped her and she has had two children. She believed her children are dead or Alphonso went out and sold them. Later, Mr. ____ shows up to try to get Celie's sister Nettie as a wife, but Alphonso refuses and offers Celie instead. Mr.__ agrees and Celie obeys him submissively. Later Shug ( Mr.___/albert's lover) shows up in the picture and treats Celie harshly at first. Later Shug and Celie become closer and establish a friendship where her and Celie talk about love, and why Celie lets Mr. ___ beat her. Shug engages Celie in great conversations to finally express her own feelings, later Shug helps Celie find letters from her sister Nettie. Nettie was thought to be dead, but Albert was keeping letters from Celie for a long time. Celie hears about her children, and her sister's whereabouts. While hearing the concept of her children she finds out Alphonso wasn't her real dad.. Celie ends up moving with Shug and Grady to Memphis and when Alphonso dies, she claims her home.

Exposition: This takes place at the very beginning of the book when Celie describes herself and the events leading up to her position then.

Inciting incident: The inciting incident to me is when Celie witnesses Sofia and Shug stand up to their partners, Harpo and Mr.___. Where Shug even bosses Albert around. Witnessing Shug and Sofia made her realize she wanted a mutual love relationship.

Conflict: Celie vs her obedience/ submissive role.

Climax: For me, It was when Celie finally stood up and became outspoken with her own thoughts when talking to Albert, how Shug didn't expect it either.

Resolution: Celie gets confidence, finds herself and she finally gets what is truly hers, her land.

2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
The most obvious theme even more than racism in this book is Men are dominant, girls are nothing. The sexism is described in a number of scenes ".. ast his daddy why he beat me. Mr. ____ say, Cause she my wife. Plus, she stubborn. " pg. 23 This displays that dominant mentality men had during this time and he has the privilege to beat Celie just because she is his wife. This mentality is passed down to Albert's son Harpo who tries gaining an enormous amount of weight in order to be the same size as his wife, Sophie just so he can make her listen and beat her into submissiveness.

3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
Curious- "Is she the same old Shug like in my picture? How her hair is? What kind lipstick? Wig? She stout? She skinny? She sound well? Tired? Sick?" Celie is intrigued with Shug since she captivated men with her promiscuity.

I found the tone to be very curious, honest and personal.

Personal- " Dear God, ..." Prayers are usually very person and one's inner thoughts just like Celie's letters they were personal feelings. "

"Dear Nettie,.." pg. 184 The letters are intended for her sister's eyes, to catch up on all the letters that were intercepted. Making these letters private and personal as well.

4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.)

Dialect- The dialect demonstrates how common people held conversations before woman had gained the same equal rights. "by the time I git back from the well, the water be warm." pg. 3

Comparison- "I work on her like she a doll or like she Olivia- or like she Mama." pg. 55. This signifies her idea of Shug and the resemblance shug has of people important to Celie.

Foil- Sofia and Celie act as foils. Sofia is a dominate female who stands up for herself and does not take a beating from her husband. Where as Celie, is a submissive woman who gets beaten by Albert. "Sofia don't even deal in little ladyish things such as slaps." pg. 87

Symbolism- The color purple signifies beauty, when Shug is shown the remodeled home. " Everything in my room purple and red cept the floor."

Repetition- "You ast yourself one question, it lead to fifteen. I start to wonder why us need love. Why us suffer. Why us black. Why us men and women." pg. 289 This curiosity is left from the suffering Celie has received from Alphonso and Mr. ___.

Hyperbole- "I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it" pg. 203 This could be taken literally, but the truth in it is when you don't notice beauty and don't acknowledge it God is angered.

Allusion- "Honor father and mother no matter what"  pgs. 43-44 Demonstrates how religion is a key element of this book and how high up Celie places God despite the horrid things her father has done.

Oxymoron- "Hm, she say, look like a little fat white woman was on one." pg. 123

Personification- " For six months the heavens and the winds abused the people of Olinka." pg. 159

Imagery- "Every piece of furniture they got is turned over. Every play look like it broke. The looking glass hanged crooked, the curtains torn. The bed look like the stuffing pulled out." pg. 39 This leads up to the man and woman fighting, him trying to beat her into submissiveness, but Sophia standing up for herself. Making Sophia an inspiration to Celie.



CHARACTERIZATION
1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization. 
 Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result
"I'm big." pg. 3
This describes how Celie saw herself in a negative light, felt useless, or ugly etc. in the beginning of the book.

"I am fourteen years old. I am I have always been a good girl." pg. 1
This demonstrated the yes sir, yes ma'am mentality Celie has through nearly the entire book. She is submissive to all men she encounters, such as Alphonso, Harpo, or Albert.

"He beat me today cause he say I winked at a boy in church." pg. 6
This incident describes Alphonso as a character, he feels like he has to dominate all aspects of Celie, showing he is a domineering character, but this also shows his lack of trust in Celie as many men lacked in this time period.

"And us run off to my room like two little prankish girls." pg. 82
This describes through the course of the story Celie progresses and opens up to Shug


2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)? When Alice walker describes a character usually the sentences become simple, and nearly fragments. They go from simple to simpler so the change isn't too drastic. "He tired. He sad. He weak. He cry." pg. 27

3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.
Celie is definitely a Dynamic round character due to her HUGE CHANGE! She was a submissive and obedient woman through out the story until Shug began to have some influence on her. These influences made Celie more expressive with her thoughts and feelings and about her role as a woman. Eventually Celie, speaks out to Albert and says no.

4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction. 
I feel like I met a person after reading this book due to Alice Walker's portrayal of Celie, a woman with flaws due to her lack of backbone but she over comes that and speaks her mind. Her difficult past and her attachment to one person draws a connection to me. Making Celie realistic and likeable. " Some women can't be beat, I say." pg. 66 This is one of the quotes that made me love Celie so much. This quote represents how some women of the time period refused to be submissive and Celie to acknowledge it despite her own position.

Vocabulary # 8

abase: belittle somebody: to make somebody feel belittled or degraded
abdicate: resign position: to give up a high office formally or officially, especially the throne
abomination: an object of intense disapproval or dislike
brusque: abrupt, blunt, or curt in manner or speech
saboteur: somebody who sabotages: somebody who commits sabotage
debauchery:  unrestrained self-indulgent immoral behavior, or an instance of this
proliferate: to increase greatly in number
anachronism: chronological mistake: something from a different period of time, e.g. a modern idea or invention wrongly placed in a historical setting in fiction or drama
nomenclature: a system of names assigned to objects or items in a particular science or art
expurgate: to censor
bellicose: warlike: ready or inclined to quarrel, fight, or go to war
gauche:socially awkward: lacking grace or tact in social situations
rapacious: grasping: greedy and grasping, especially for money, and sometimes willing to use unscrupulous means to obtain what is desired
paradox:something absurd or contradictory: a statement, proposition, or situation that seems to be absurd or contradictory, but in fact is or may be true
conundrum: something confusing: something that is puzzling or confusing
anomaly:irregularity: something that deviates from the norm or from expectations
ephemeral:short-lived: lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace
rancorous: marked by an angry feeling of hatred or dislike for someone who has treated you unfairly
churlish:marked by a lack of civility or graciousness ; vulgar; not polite
precipitous: done rashly: done or acting too quickly and without enough thought


Dear Ophelia,
    You  are in quite the conundrum due to your family possibly seeing your relationship with Hamlet as an abomination. You also probably believe you're quite gauche compared to Hamlet but I think other wise. Your family was precipitous and brusque for prohibiting you from seeing hamlet. I also believe your rancorous brother is a saboteur for your relationship. You need to expurgate their harsh remarks from your mind and go after love. So you must behave in a bellicose if you truly  are in love and believe your love has the chance to proliferate. They believe the relationship is bound to not work, but it can also be an anomaly. If Hamlet and you are truly in love he should be willing to abdicate his title. Never let Him treat you in a churlish manner, never let him be rapacious toward you or especially never let him abase you because that is not what love is. You might find yourself in a debauchery from love.This risk might lead to a ephemeral relationship, but it will be worth trying.

Literary Fiction & Empathy

How can reading fiction help you understand others?  Use Hamlet as an example to explore your own thinking process and reactions to a character's innermost thoughts/struggles.

Reading fiction can help you understand others since you can infer information about the characters from their action so that you can establish connection to the character. Like the article said, it is more up to the imagination which leaves audiences to make inferences. You are able to relate to the character's struggles and challenges using your own thought process. When Hamlet has the struggle of his mother marrying his uncle, thinking of suicide but contains his anger, the reader predicts that Hamlet cared about his father so he's angered by the actions of his mother.

So my main point was..

In the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer mocks the upper class for the general public to read, using irony, direct and indirect characterization in The Cook's tale and Prologue to demonstrate reputation versus character.

Green eggs & Hamlet

a) What do you know about Hamlet, the "Melancholy Dane"?
To be brutally honest, I have no idea about Melancholy Dane but I can assume It is about a ghost since references about Hamlet on TV and some ghost appears. Although I am unsure if it is about this specific work.
b) What do you know about Shakespeare?
I know that Shakespeare wrote a famous play such as "Romeo and Juliet" or "Julius Caesar." His work was known for using play on words. I also know that he wrote in iambic pentameter or he created some of the words used in his works.
c) Why do so many students involuntarily frown when they hear the name "Shakespeare"?
I think students frown and groan when they hear the name "Shakespeare" because the language is really difficult to understand. When something is difficult to comprehend, it brings frustration and one can end up hating the subject/matter. I know me especially, I have trouble even getting the gist of the readings due to the way words are formatted or the odd words such as thy, thou and so on, so I end up being frustrated and looking up modern versions of the text.
d) What can we do to make studying this play an amazing experience we'll never forget?
In order to make studying this play amazing, I would love to understand the themes, or the language in a simple manner. Having the definitions of the commonly used words of thine, thy, thou would be a good tool to understand and break down the sentences to contemporary English I understand. I would like to do some of the reading in class or going over the events that occurred from the previous reading that was done at home so I can be assured I did not miss any key events.

Vocabulary #7

shenanigans: trick or prank: a playful trick, mischievous prank, or other display of high spirits
The meddling kids along with their dog Scooby, always got in trouble for their shenanigans.

ricochet:rebound: to hit a surface and bounce, traveling away in a different direction.
The bullet ricocheted off the fence and shot my cousin in the leg.

schism: a major split within an established religious denomination, usually on the grounds of differences in belief or practice, leading to the setting up of a separate breakaway organization

eschew:abstain from. to avoid doing or using something on principle or as a matter of course
Elisia attempts to eschew from Kevin, but he persists on bugging anyways.

plethora: large or excessive amount or number: a very large amount of something or number of things, especially an excessive amount
Velma was filled with plethora when she found the final clue to solve the mystery.

ebullient: lively and enthusiastic: full of cheerful excitement or enthusiasm
Ebullient Daphne clapped when she realized it was the very first mystery, she was not caught by the villain.
garrulous: talking too much: excessively or pointlessly talkative
Garrulous Elisia would not stop stammering on about how much she could use a cup of joe.

harangue:  a scolding or a long or intense verbal attack
When Elisia is displeased with Kevin's behavior she begins a harangue on Kevin.

interdependence: depending on each other: unable to exist or survive without each other
Kevin and Elisia's relationship could be described as interdependence, he needed her to cook the food and she needed him to pay for the food.

capricious: given to sudden changes: tending to make sudden unexpected changes
Capricious Elisia went from being completely content to foaming with rage.

loquacious: talkative: tending to talk a great deal
The loquacious Kevin we know today was not like that until he met Elisia.

ephemeral: short-lived: lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace
Did you hear that a man spent $10 on stick of gum everyone considered it ephemeral, and stupid.

inchoate: chaotic: lacking structure, order, or organization
Kevin's inchoate hair was all over the place!

juxtapose: put side by side: to place two or more things together, especially in order to suggest a link between them or emphasize the contrast between them.
The author juxtaposed the social status of rich and poor by having the two brothers be placed on opposite extremes.
 perspicacious: perceptive: penetratingly discerning or perceptive
The perspicuous of the AVID classes' situation was not looking bright, missing three days of school took a toll on their grades.

codswallop: Nonsense.
Her codswallop just cost us the entire game.

mungo: wool-like fabric made from recycled materials.
The colorful and gaudy sweater was made from mungo I believe.

sesquipedalian: using long words
Tom was considered a sesquipedalian speaker whose speeches confused the crowd to the point no one could understand.

wonky: wrong, crooked.
Her tooth appeared wonky, so she decided to ask the dentist about braces.

dipthong: gliding speech

Midterm exam relfection

In order to do better for the midterm simple as that, study more. I found myself during the exam remembering the definitions more than the words. I used the words as a trigger for the definition. But in the end, I could remember what the word started with but couldn't spell it close, for ex lugubrious I was like lu- and lost from there knowing it meant gloomy but couldn't spit out the words. From now on I should learn the words both ways, looking at definition and looking at the word.

The Comparison Tale

The theme of the cook's tale was about thieving, drinking, gambling, and prostitution while in the tale of the miller the themes were tricks, adultery, and thieving. The common themes is thieving in the tale of the miller, Nicholas stole the carpenter's wife while the cooks tale had thieving from the master. Both had characters that should have been easy characters to trust, your apprentice, or your colleague/friend, In the end Chaucer makes both characters betray the master/colleague for their own personal desires. Loss of trust takes place after the master finds out and the gullible carpenter finds out. I find these stories to follow the same themes, people one should have been able to trust, but ended up deceiving for personal gain/pleasure. While they were supposed to be trusted personalities/characters reputation vs. one's character plays a role in this story.

Tale of Canterbury Tale (absent work)*

The Cook's Tale

 

Summary: The cook was a happy man, short, good-looking, a good dancer so much that he was called  Perkin the Reveller also he was full of love and game. He loved to dance, so when the processions arrived he would not go to the shop. At night he reveals himself, chasing women, gambling and thieving. Due to Reveller's  thieving, his master lets him go. Then, Perkin the Reveller meets an accomplice.

 

 Explain the central character of the tale by analyzing five (5) examples of indirect characterization:

 

"he loved the tavern more than the food-shop" Was he a drunk? Tavern a place to drink?

 

 "At every wedding party he would sing and dance" He was sociable with others, and lively.

 

 "no apprentice in the town who could cast a pair of dice more handsomely than Perkin " This demonstrated that perkin was a gambler,

 

 "apprentice that spends all his time with dice, reveling, and chasing women," He attempted to ignore work, but want to go out and have "fun."

"who had a wife who kept a shop for the sake of appearances, and made her living as a prostitute" He had no values or didn't sanctify marriage.

 

The purpose of Chaucer's characters was to demonstrate reputation versus your character. Your personality may be extremely vary from the reputation, or what you're expected to be due to your family or you job title. Which is demonstrated by the cook and other characters such as the nun, the filthy cook and materialistic nun were not as their reputation.

Literature Analysis # 2 - The House on Mango Street

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
The book beings with a young girl named Esperanza, constantly moving from place to place but no place to call hers. She describes the run down neighbor hood throughout the story, the house and the people who live in them for example Earl the jukebox repairman. Along with her day-to-day experiences of playing with Rachel and Lucy, she slowly becomes aware of women attributes, and the loss of innocence. Her younger sister, along with their friends learn from older girls about cosmetics or how girls get pregnant, or what are hips supposed to be for. Eventually she gains more experience with her sexuality, a kiss, crushing on boys, etc. While this goes on, Esperanza decides to become a women who attracts all the men, then refuses them. Esperanza meets Sally, a beautiful girl who gets beat by her father due to the record of the past sisters who ran off with men, and brought shame. In an attempt to save Sally from boys, Esperanza undergoes sexual assault. But due to this experience she wants to leave the neighborhood and have her own house. She will come back someday for the ones who cannot out themselves.

Exposition:
When Esperanza describes the house and the rundown neighborhood, I knew problems were going to arise.

Inciting Incident: When the boys tells sally he will give the keys to her for a kiss. Esperanza is angered by this quickly causing her to act and end up in trouble herself.

Conflict: Esperanza versus the neighborhood. Esperanza verses her puberty/loss of innocence.

2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
I believe the theme of the novel is losing innocence, and becoming aware of womanhood. Throughout the novel the young girls, Nenny Lucy, Rachel and Esperanza learn about make up,  how girls get pregnant, how high heels influence the way men look at them and also how negatively men look at their role as 'making tortillas early in the morning for school lunches." After Esperanza explores the heels and hips she get interested in other things, such as boys, kissing and soon gets her innocence taken by force.


3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
The author's tone is always changing, but throughout the novel it is accepting, frightened The tone is There is no tone that continues through the entire novel. The author's tone changes with her mood hence the name of some of the chapters, "Our Good Day" "Beautiful and Cruel" "Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes"

Frightened/helplessness: "Sally, make him stop. I couldn't make them go away. I couldn't do anything but cry." pg. 100

Happiness: "Down, down Mango Street we go. Rachel, Lucy me. Our new bicycle. Laughing the crooked ride back." pg. 16

Curiosity: "Sire. How did you hold her? Was it? Like this? And when you kissed her? Like this? " pg. 73
4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.) 

Imagery-"Its small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath.  Bricks crumbling in places, and the front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in."  pg. 4.This quote has a specific diction where the house is seen in a negative light, from this the audience knows Esperanza wants a home nothing like the house on Mango Street. She has the ambition, along with her family to have a nice house down to their preferred detail. Characters with ambitions make them appear to be realistic.

Simile-  "My papa's hair is like a broom, all up in the air." pg. 6 This quote is not only used to describe the hair of her father, but she describes each of her family members hair and her own.

Symbolism- "My papa's hair is like a broom, all up in the air." pg. 6 The comparison of hairs between the family is not just a comparison it is a characterization of the family's personality. When she compares his hair to broom, she compares his personality. He is strict, and stiff.

Foreshadowing- "She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow" pg. 11 This foreshadows the life of  women that appear in the book such as Sally. This shows the life women were expected to have during this time if they were married.

Personification- "...windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath." pg. 4 This is used throughout the novel to make the objects disliked intensely or liked intensely, by Esperanza.

Humor- "A very fat lady crossing the street says, you sure got quite a load there ( three girls on a bike ). Rachel shouts, You got quite a load there too. " pg. 16 The characterization of Rachel is present here. Her witty remarks is used to give the reader an idea of her clever, yet somewhat rude attitude.

Rhetorical questions- "Friends and neighbors will say, What happened to that Esperanza? Why did she march so far away?" pg. 110 These questions show how Esperanza desperately wants to get out of the neighborhood to find her own home.

Hyperbole- "They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones I left behind. For the ones who cannot out." pg. 110. Also characterizes her personality, but she is not just going to back to bring them out of the bad neighborhood, but to let them escape the hardships/problems that lay within there.

Repetition- "Sally, you lied. Why did you lie to me? Sally, you lied, you lied." " He said I love you, I love you, Spanish girl. " pg. 100 This is just after Esperanza goes through a dramatic change due to the sexual assault. She feels betrayed since she was left there without the help of Sally.

Setting- "I knew then I had to have a house. Its small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath"

CHARACTERIZATION
1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?
"She was a horse woman too." This was used to describe Esperanza's grandmother who also has the name Esperanza.
"She is very sassy." used to talk about Rachel's comment about the fat woman's wide load.

"... first annual Tarzan jumping contest. Meme won. And broke both arms." From this you can infer that Meme was extremely reckless and paid the price.

" He worked two jobs. He came home late and left early. Everyday." From this you can infer that the man is a hard worker, and he does what he can to support his family with two jobs.

The author uses both approaches in order to make the character realistic, when people talk about them selves they have direct approaches, "I am lazy, stubborn" and from their actions you can infer other attributes of their personality. The lasting impression of the characters were realistic, they had thoughts, flaws and you were able to create your own opinion about them.

2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?
The author's syntax/diction changed when focusing on characters, it went from longer and more lengthy sentences, to shorter sentences with more periods. She wrote this way involving indirect and direct characterization.
"She is sassy." straight forward, cutting out the unnecessary words.
"... first annual Tarzan jumping contest. Meme won. And broke both arms." This demonstrates how in her characterization of characters she types. a specific. way. < ex.


3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.
The protagonist Esperanza is a dynamic and round character. One who undergoes an important inner change, as a change in personality or attitude. Esperanza undergoes a change in innocence. The older girl explains to her about women's clothes, make-up. Esperanza starts off only associating with girls, then begins to crush on boys, and soon a kiss is stolen from Esperanza. Lastly the most dramatic change in Esperanza is after she was sexually assaulted, she declared to be a women wanted but refused to ever give in to a man.

4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction. 
After reading the book, I felt like I had met a person. Esperanza like anyone else had flaws, ambitions, observed others' lives, and went through a change. Someone her character traits were closely related to mine or they were the same, making Esperanza appear to be more realistic.

"I am an ugly daughter. I am the one nobody comes for." When reading this quote feelings of being wanted or loneliness come right off the page. At some point everyone can relate to the feeling, and made her a relatable and a realistic character.