The reader is the protagonist

This section of this passage sets how the life of the main character changed! And how her ex husband  is a killer. The reader can determine how the killer is a hero or not. Because she sets up the events and  she gives vivid details on what exactly happen. The fear that she tried running away before the divorce happened. She is basically showing how her life shifts from a past tense view and what she have went through. Talking about rape allows the reader to feel empathy with each character knowing how intense this problem is. It makes you want to read more and more to know how she is doing! The author uses what she went through as a baseline on how her life and the actions that she will take will be affected based on what she went through.
Like for example, if she haven’t heard that her husband was a murderer she would of just stick with the job even after reading all those books. She won’t have the fear like she did! And she would read them as if it’s normal books stack there for entertainment.

Meghna Tuladhar

Reading through " the reader is the protagonist" the author came up with a really good suspenseful story, which made the readers really get into it. i personally enjoyed reading it, the story was very catchy, how her husband supposedly killed a man and felt no remorse after whatsoever she didn't believe him. maybe because she was in denial or she was really scared of him. either way she never brought it up and what really caught my attention was how she left the readers wondering and switched the topic to new subject where she talks about how theres multiple other murders in a whole new state.

      Based on "The Reader is a Protagonist", the text we read portrays the background of the narrator and her violent ex-husband when they were once together. We also learn that the ex-husband is a murderer and is capable of hurting people around him, which sheds light on the upcoming events in the text. His past also foreshadows reasoning to why him and his ex-wife are no longer together.

response to reading in class

The author presents herself as the victim of an abusive relationship. She describes how her now ex-husband used various fear tactics in order to control her feelings, by grabbing her by the wrist and cornering her in her bedroom. He also goes on to talk about a time he murdered somebody, but then justifies it by claiming the man he murdered is a rapist, painting a picture that he is the hero. The irony in the situation is that he "defends" a girl in her honor by murdering a rapist, but here he is abusing his own wife. The author then goes on to describe how bitter husbands can commit heinous acts, even from a long distance away. She tells a story about a man who hired a hit-man to kill his ex wife, her disabled son, and her disabled son's caretaker all to get the insurance money protecting the sons life. Because of this knowledge she has, she believes that her ex-husband could legitimately cause her and her children harm.

structure in "the reader is the protagonist"

             The author is telling her story of dealing with domestic violence. She structures it by making a timeline of her relationship with her ex-husband. the author begins with their meeting and the naive outlook she had at her husbands manner of being. it then moves to the threats and psychological mind games the husband plays such as hem recounting a murder he committed when he was younger. It just escalates to the dishes breaking and the manhandling. it is a constant progression of the ex husbands anger and her ensuing fear and paranoia of his capabilities.

Answers to questions about "working the city"

The author and Cato rebook their flights every week because it makes their dream seem real to them,it makes it tangible. The essay is written in the present tense because the author is still in Africa trying to "work the city" into funding he and Cato's dream of an American education. He refers to his hustling around the city, going door to door of banks and offices, dressing up to manipulate gaurd's perceptions of him as "working the city". I know they refered to USA as America for several reasons, first being they called it the "American dream" which we all know refers to immigrants coming to the USA in the pursuit of life,liberty, and happiness. Secondly the author mentioned that the scholarships he and Cato received were for universities in Ohio. Last but not least you never hear anyone refer to Canada, Guyana, or Honduras as America, its the short version of USA like calling Dunkin' Donuts "Dunkin". It is a literacy narrative because the entire story revolves around the letters they bonded over,write and deliver daily, and how the writing of the letters have given them purpose and hope in a country full of filth and despair.

Korina Gialamboukis

    After reading the syllabus, I thoroughly understand and comprehend the class requirements, rules, and assignments that will be done within the course. Most sections in the syllabus are self-explanatory and fair. I am looking forward to reading The Best American Essays 2017, and learning skills that I have not yet acquired throughout the years of reading and writing.

 

    My experience with writing has always been positive. Growing up, I loved writing down not only my thoughts and events that took place, but even essays and more. Reading has always been one of my interests, and through the course of high school has helped improve both my vocabulary and writing skills.

"Working the City" & "The Reader Is the Protagonist"

These are just some questions that I have. It is not necessary for you to answer all of these questions. Choose which ones you find most interesting to explore. You may have others. Ask them!


"Working the City":

• Cato and Matambo (the author) rebook their flights to America every week although they don't have the money to buy them yet. Why?
• They refer to the USA as "America," but America is really a continent comprising North, Central, and South America and is made up of 35 countries. Why is it that we know what they mean? 
• What does going to school in the US symbolize for Cato and Matambo?
• On p. 107, Matambo quotes from Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist:

What is the significance? 

• What does it mean to "work the city"? 
• Why is the essay written in present tense? 

"The Reader Is the Protagonist":

• How is this a literacy narrative?
• What is the significance of The Monster at the End of This Book?

Syllabus entry

          I’m really excited for this class because of the theme of this course!! It seems like we’re not just going to know about others, we will also learn about ourselves too! For the first assignment we will write something that talk about our personal experience! And I feel like the atmosphere of the class is not as I was expecting it to be, it’s actually better and feels more as a place where it’s easy to let your thoughts out! I’ve struggled with writing pretty much so I’m looking forward to improve it with professor John! :) 

The first day of the class went very well. The time i entered the class there was a good vibe. professor john introduced himself and let everyone of us know what has he done in his life.Then we had a littile activity in which we had to get to know our neighbors and share that out load later after that professor john hand us in the syllabus of this semester after reading the whole syllabus i get to know what he wants us to do in the class and i really get to know about him through syllabus because it shows how passionate he is with his job.The syllabus shows all the activities we have to do and on what days which i really find haven’t experienced anything like that in high school.Then we got an assignment do we discussed the writing super man and me and the we had to write a response and i find it really interesting way to check the ability of the student.

Syllabus Entry

After reading the syllabus, I found myself eager to start this course yet overwhelmed by it at once. I think the excitement stems from my love of books and admiration for writing, but the stress of it comes from the fact that this is my first semester in college. I had a year after graduating high school to figure out what I wanted to do career-wise, and as I start this new semester still unsure of what exactly that is, I can say I'm ready for the challenge. Trying new things, although sometimes intimidating, can be good, I've learned. Challenging yourself builds character.

That's why I look forward to having the discussion on opinions and what the repercussions for them are, if any. I realize that not everyone has the same outlook on certain topics which makes me curious to hear from different perspectives. I believe it's important to learn to have conversations that matter, ones that make us think, and ones that leave us thinking. The more informed we are the better. After all, knowledge is power, isn't it?

I know that this class will not only make me a better writer, but a better reader. I'm excited to dive into books I never would've thought to pick up myself. Although it is my first semester, it is bound to be an interesting one. I look forward to working together, Professor Talbird!

Syllabus entry

                  I never would've considered myself a blogger, say for the one or two anti-trump rants i may post around election time on Facebook. Be that as it may this blog may just help cure my writers block and help me adjust to writing again. Not having been in school over a decade isn't helping much either. If given the choice i much prefer reading over writing. I usually come up short with words since i like to keep things as short and concise as i can. Yet after meeting professor Tailbird and going through the syllabus i feel informed confident and knowledgeable going into the semester. I look forward to improving my writing and reading comprehension and interacting with you all this year.
                                                                               

syllabus entry

I've always enjoyed reading and writing and also the subject English itself, as each day goes by I'm enjoying the class a lot, i enjoy that at the end of the class we have "free writing", we get to write what we want to. as I read the syllabus the first day of school, I had gotten the idea that were going to be writing a lot and I for one am very excited, writing is a form of expressing feelings and a lot of us are not comfortable but I hope this class gives us the courage to change that.

I also enjoy that there's these blogs, I feel like its important to say how we feel about what we've been doing for the past week, whether we enjoyed the topic or not, we can say how we feel upon it. I'm looking forward to learning more things as the day goes by.