Becca's Website

Extra letters (team)

• Song lyrics (Letter 5c,Jarvis)

  Life is a Highway (Rascal Flatts) and Walked Outta Heaven (Jagged Edge) are two of my favorite songs and I decided to take some of my favorite figures of speech for each of them.  I will start with Rascal Flatts. In the song “Life is a Highway” my favorite figures of speech were,  “Life's like a road that you travel on” (simile), “Life is a highway” (which was used as a metaphor; most effective figure of speech as the chorus of the song), and “Knock me down get back up again” because of its strong personification. These three figures of speech were very effective in creating the lyrics in such a powerful song. My next song I choose was Walked Outta Heaven (Jagged Edge). My favorite figures of speech in this song were “Feels like I just walked right outta heaven” (simile; most effective figure of speech as the chorus of the song). This simile shows that the guy in the song lost the best part of his life. My next lyric I really liked in this song was, “I'm scared just like a child that's lost at seven”. I think similes like these are what made the song very effective. The last lyric I picked in this song was “The nights as black as, black as it's ever been”(simile). There is also a lot of irony throughout the song. He says that she was the best thing to ever happen to him, but yet he is the one who hurt her

   

• Letter 4B, Jarvis
  The setting of my new story that I have created would be placed in outer space. All of the characters in my new setting would have very similar experiences. There is still a rich part and a poor part of the economic spectrum even though it’s based into space. The rich people would still run the hunger games. The poorer people would still not really have anything and continue to struggle throughout their daily lives. The divide and economic status can be seen on different planets. The people in my new setting are on different planets. One planet is fully renovated and technology advanced with no problems on their planet. This would be my rich spectrum. Consequently, the hunger games would be on this planet. They think because life is more luxurious at the hunger game facility, they feel like they belong there.  The other planet is not renovated and technology advanced. This planet would be made to seem very gloomy and depressing.  The poorer spectrum planet really appreciates more of the simple things in life such as food and other necessities.  As such, Katniss still would represent her family hard work values and the incredible pride and courage she always shows.  Since Katniss is on the poorer side of the spectrum she still would have a great appreciation of things that she gets.  Finally, It would be hard for a person to advance because it would be hard to move around so the divide would continue to remain the same.
   

• Letter 2a by Dan

  In Mulan, the first scene is very important; a lot can be inferred about what will happen based on the beginning alone. Signals along the Great Wall of China go off to indicate they are being attacked by the Huns. One soldier says, “Now all of China knows you’re here,” and the Huns’s leader replies, “Perfect.” The Chinese Emperor then talks to the General about how they need to recruit more people to defend the people. From this, it is obvious that the play will be about war, and someone named Mulan will play an important role throughout the play and war. After finding out she is a woman, one can tell that there will be problems because women cannot fight in the Chinese culture. The play is divided into scenes based on where and when the play takes place at that time. Usually if the setting changes, a new part of the play begins. By splitting it into scenes, it is easier to keep a timeframe and understand when something is happening. Having different scenes also makes it easier to separate the five stages of plot development. The first scene gives an idea of what will happen throughout the movie, and then Mulan is introduced and background information is given. Rising action occurs while she is training for the war, and then the actual battles happen. Once Mulan saves the Emperor and China’s people from the Huns, the play winds down and concludes. The five stages of plot development are easily recognized based on the different scenes, and the play is much easier to understand and follow.
   

• Letter 5a by Margot

   The title of the play is short and direct, Mulan. There are many different possibilities for the reasons for this title other than the fact that the protagonist is named Mulan. In the chinese language Mulan means Magnolia Blossom which is very gentle and kind. These particular flowers are known for meaning part of Yin and Yang. In their particular case they are the Yin or the feminine side of a relationship. This is ironic given the gender roles that are present throughout Mulan and the title even points to gender themes but in a very subtle way. Magnolia Blossoms are seen throughout the movie but they are very subtle. These blossoms are seen on Mulan’s hair clip and in her garden. Both of these things point back to the title but in a way that the viewer would not necessarily find completely obvious. The Magnolia Blossoms are also found within the movie in other ways because of the feminine quality. Feminism is an important theme throughout the play and it is prevalent that gender roles are something that should not hold as much importance as they do. The way that what is expected of Mulan in the beginning of the movie is solely contingent upon her looks as well as other polite mannerisms and determines so much about her life. This shows that gender roles play a large development in the plot. She is able to leave this behind in a lot of ways but not leave behind who she is because in the end her ability to be lady-like is not something that really carries very much value.
   

• Letter 6A by Jarvis

  In the story of Mulan I think honor, loyalty, and bravery is a significant theme in the story. When Mulan’s character is first recognized, Mulan is fulfilling her duty as a daughter and a woman by impressing the matchmaker. In this story and the time period that it is based in, this act will bring her family honor and gain Mulan a husband to protect her and children to carry on the family name. After Mulan saves China and conquers Shan Yu, This show the honor that she has towards her family and her country. This can be seen in the last scene of the movie when she brings her father back the sword of Shan Yu and the emperors medal. The emperor gives Mulan these things, so that her family will know what she has done for the emperor and for China as a whole. Therefore Mulan brings tremendous honor towards her family. She bring honor to her family by being a strong and brave warrior and not by marrying a man and conforming to her female duties. At the end, Mulan’s father realizes that the greatest family honor is having Mulan as his daughter and not by the social norms of China in that time period. Throughout the whole story of Mulan, Mulan also showed a lot of bravery. Before Mulan came out, bravery was not a quality that was portrayed in princess movies. The story of Mulan is a great story of bravery to younger girls who think that being bravery is only a job for boys.