Masque of the Red Death

Symbolic Writing for “The Masque of the Red Death”

            In the story, “The Masque of the Red Death,” Edgar Allan Poe uses several different colors to distinguish the different rooms in the mansion and also the many stages of man. One of the colors he used was orange, to symbolize power and growth. He also used orange to symbolize the ages of 18-40’s/50’s. Along with the other colors in the story, the color orange has a great deal to do with the “clock of life,” and it relates to me, in my everyday life.

            Orange plays a major role in the advancement of life and has much to do with the clock of life. The clock of life is the seven stages of man in a nutshell. The color orange is a huge part of the advancement in life because it covers an extraordinary amount of the human life. This span of life would be from the ages of 18-40/50. Much happens between this period in life, such as: college, career opportunities, marriages, families form, children are born, adulthood, new responsibilities, independence from home, and most of all, finally realizing life and its purpose for human beings. As for the clock of life, the ages that are associated with orange are the ages that are the core of most people’s lives. These years are the years when most people are still young, yet successful.

            Between my parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, even family friends, I have many people that are apart of the orange area. Many of these people are huge inspirations to me and I depend on them for numerous things. Without the people that belong to the orange age, my life would be extremely hard and I wouldn’t be able to survive. Most children and teens live off of the people of the orange stage in life. Without the people of the orange group, I would not have wants or needs, such as: money, food, transportation, family, friends, shelter, clothing, and the most extreme of them all, I might not even be alive.

            In, “The Masque of the Red Death,” the room and the color orange notify the people of the ball that this is the core of their life, the years of life that should be enjoyed and cherished most. In reality, the color also symbolizes independence and the power to make your own positive decisions. This stage in life is the middle stepping-stone, so to speak, down the path of life. Once you’ve reached the ages in orange, it’s time to appreciate life, because life on earth is half way over. It’s not a negative point in life because life is almost over, but it’s more of a time to sit back and relax, as you take all your effort and hard work in life and turn it into something you want it to be. As I said before, myself and many other children my age, older and younger, depend on the orange era to take care of them in life until they become a part of the orange stage themselves. Orange is a tremendously important part of the story “The Masque of the Red Death,” life advancement and the life clock, along with my life and many others. 

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Learning Their Language

By: Marta Williams

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      Have you ever heard someone say all animals have a personalities of their own? "Learning Their Language," by Marta Williams, truly teaches you how to communicate with animals, along with their special personalities. After reading the first 2 chapters of this book, I already feel as if I can relate to my pets extremely more than I could before. Before reading this book, I was a complete skeptic of being able to talk to animals intuitively, but now I'm an absolute believer of being able to tell what's wrong with your dog when it's not acting the same, or how the monkeys in the zoo feel about being caged all day, every day. I think this is a 5 star book for being able to make me have a closer relationship with my pets, and wildlife in general. 

O. Henry.

• His real name is William Sydney Porter and he was born and raised in North Carolina
• He was a licensed pharmacist 
• He lived on a sheep ranch in Texas
• He got his pen name, "O.Henry," from the Harrell family that he lived with in Austin, Texas for 3 years
• He then worked in 2 different banks for many years.
• After working for the banks, he started an unsuccessful comedy newspaper called the Rolling Stone.
• He then wrote a column for the Houston Daily Post.
• He was accused of embezzling funds from when he worked at banks, so he left his daughter and wife and fled to many different states and countries.
• When he returned to be there when his wife died, he was found guilty of the charges and spent 5 years in prison.
• He wrote hundreds of short stories while in prison, and when he was free from prison he kept his identity of O.Henry and wrote many more short stories in New York City until he died in 1910.

http://www.lsjunction.com/people/porter.htm

http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/cvc/historic/ohenry.htm

Edgar Allan Poe

Source

1, Birthday: January 19th, 1809, Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, Death date: October 7th, 1849

2. The childhood events that influenced Poe's writing were that his father left when he was a child, and a year later his mother died. He was then sent to live with a wealthy family that didn't care much for him, and he was sent to several boarding schools.

3. There are 13 theories on what caused Poe's death. List five of them. Beating, Epilpsy, Dipsomania, Diabetes, or Rabies. 

4. According to the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, what state did Poe call home? Virginia 

6. What famous military academy expelled Poe in 1831? US Military Academy, West Point

7.Who did Poe marry? How old was she? His cousin Virginia, 13 years old.

8. What do you think about the marriage? I think that it's extremely weird and wrong to marry your cousin, especially when your 21 years apart.
10. When was "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat" written? The Tell-Tale Heart:1850, The Black Cat: 1845

11. When was "The Raven" published? 1845

17. Who is the Poe Toaster? The Poe Toaster is an unknown figure who visited Poe's grave from 1949 to 2009 on his birthday every year and left 3 roses and a partially-filled bottle of French cognac

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe

 http://www.poemuseum.org/index.php\

 http://poestories.com/

http://www.catalogs.com/info/books-music-dvd/the-life-of-edgar-allen-poe.html
http://www.nndb.com/people/469/000022403/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe_Toaster

2nd Quarter

Welcome to my English blog. :) This is the 2nd quarter and we're learning about Edgar Allan Poe! He's one of my favorite writers and I can't wait to read all his stories and learn about him!

Position Research Paper

Teenage Depression

            Teen Depression has spread majorly throughout the United States within the last few years. There are many different treatments for depression, but lately one in particular has been standing out the most. Research shows, that antidepressants, medication prescribed by a professional to treat depression, have been ineffective and show an increase in teen suicide for the teens who take them. Antidepressants are dangerous to teenagers, and they should not be distributed among teens unless they are proven to be completely effective to depression.

Many people believe that antidepressants aren’t fixing this huge problem with teens in America. People think that doctors are only using antidepressants to speed up the diagnoses and recovery process. Also, research and real-life observations show that antidepressants aren’t always effective on teens. "Right after starting an antidepressant, some kids do become more anxious or restless and a few may have an increase in suicidal thoughts"(Bostic). Health-care professionals believe that anti-depressants give a negative effect, because the brain of a teenager isn't fully developed yet. This can result in major depression increase and an increase in the rate of suicide.

Observations and research shows that antidepressants make depressed teens more depressed or even go to the extent of taking their own life. "According to FDA data, a young person suffering from depression is 15% more likely to commit suicide than peers not suffering from depression"(Docksai). Some doctors warn that antidepressants will not only affect your child now, but also give an effect later in life. The teen suicide rate has tripled since the 1960's, and many of those teens either had or were treated for depression. Since the huge increase in the teen suicide rate, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had to add a public warning label on all antidepressants, warning the public that these antidepressants might trigger or increase suicidal thoughts. This caused many parents and doctors to stop prescribing or giving their patients and children antidepressants, and as a result they had to resort to a new way of treating depression.

Some doctors, parents, and patients think that the only way to treat teen depression the best is to take antidepressants. But, a survey shows that counseling is the top treatment recommended for depressed children. Teens could be seen once a week for parental bonding, therapy, or anything else they need help coping with instead of taking a pill. Also, by getting the depressed teen involved into something they love, it will ease the teen's mind and help them with their depression. "The symptoms of childhood depression are often different than those of adults. As a result, childhood depression was- and continues to be- misdiagnosed” (Youth Depression). This statement proves that the doctors that are prescribing antidepressants to teens are treating them like they are a depressed ADULT, which says even if antidepressants work great for adults, it doesn’t mean it’s the best decision for depressed teens.

Even though antidepressants have many down sides, many people still support them. Some doctors and parents feel as if antidepressants have been a “life savior” for their patients and children (Youth Depression).  Antidepressants help families give their depressed children treatment if they aren’t financially stable enough to afford to see a therapist. But, Health care professionals are realizing that there is a huge spike in the amount of teenagers taking antidepressants that have not been approved for teenage use. Most antidepressants for teens have not been tested on people under the age of 16. Yet, some doctors still support them.

After the FDA established a warning label on depressants, doctors spoke publicly to patients and parents to inform them that antidepressants are completely harmless, if prescribed the right amount. Even after doctors went public, the FDA still went to the extent of "black-boxing," or stating all the warnings and symptoms, on the antidepressant labeling to show the public that the FDA is concerned about the people. Due to all the warning labels, parents finally refused to give their children antidepressants, but they also stopped getting them treated for their depression all together. “Approximately half of the teenagers with untreated depression may attempt suicide, which remains the third-leading cause of death in this age group” (Bostic). At this time, antidepressants made life harder for all the depressed teens in America, who weren’t receiving treatment at all, because of a label for a dangerous product.

As shown, antidepressants are extremely unhealthy for depressed teenagers. They don’t help teens with depression, and usually, they make teens more depressed. Other treatments are proven to be effective, and truly do help depressed teens with everyday life. Even though antidepressants are covered in warning labels and cautions, there are many people who still support them today. But, that doesn’t make them the right choice for these helpless teens. Why take a chance of harming depressed teen by giving them antidepressants? Get them REAL help, through therapy or getting them involved with an after- school activity. Teen Depression is still a major issue in America, but many professionals and parents are looking for new ways to help their children and patients, instead of using antidepressants.

Works Cited:

Bostic, Jeff Q., and Craig C.Miller. “When Should You Worry?” Periodicals. Newsweek. Web.

            28 Sept. 2010. <http://periodicals.grolier.com/php/ebsco/ebsco-go2.php?product=go2-

            passport&editfield1=teen AND depression&StartRecNo=6&NoRec=1>.

Docksai, Rick. "Youth Depression and Suicide." Futurist Vol. 43, No. 1. Jan/Feb 2009: 16-

17. SIRS Researcher. Web. 24 Sep 2010.

"Youth Depression." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On

File News Services, 28 Apr. 2000. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://www.2facts.com/article/i0500920>.

Teen Depression Article 3

Teen Depression

Gathering Information- Notes

Bostic, Jeff Q., and Craig M. Miller. "When Should You Worry?" Periodicals. Newsweek. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. <http://periodicals.grolier.com/php/ebsco/ebsco-go2.php?product=go2-passport&editfield1=teen+AND+depression&StartRecNo=6&NoRec=1>.

·         About 1 out of 12 teens will suffer from depression before becoming 18.

·         Girls are twice likely to have depression then boys when they hit puberty.

·         “Approximately half of the teenagers with untreated depression may attempt suicide, which remains the third leading cause of death in this age group.”

·         Just because a teen is upset for a few days doesn’t mean that they are depressed, depression will last for weeks or months and can come out of no where

·         Depression isn’t always shown through sadness, if can be through stomach aches, headaches, easily irritated, and not from bad moods.

·         “Right after starting an anti-depressant, some kids do become more anxious or restless and a few may have an increase in suicidal thoughts. But depression itself carries greater risks”

·         Antidepressants don’t take the place of a doctor, the depressed teen should still see the doctor that prescribed the medication regularly, and should be closely watched.

·         Also, antidepressants only HELP depression; they don’t get rid of it completely.

·         Depressed teens should still go to the doctors, therapy, or anything else that helps them relax

·         Getting the depressed teen involved into something they love eases the mind and helps with their depression.

2nd Teen Depression Article

Teen Depression

Gathering Information- Notes

Docksai, Rick. "Youth Depression and Suicide." Futurist Vol. 43, No. 1. Jan/Feb 2009: 16-17. SIRS Researcher. Web. 24 Sep 2010.

·         “The study finds that suicides of Americans under 20 years old rose 18% between 2003 and 2004—the largest single-year increase in more than 15 years.”(pg.16-17)

·         The increase in suicide led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to add a public warning label on all antidepressants that informed the public that the medications might trigger suicidality.

·         Even after the warning label was established, all drug companies were ordered to “black-box,” or state the risks and warn doctors to keep careful observation on their patients, while prescribed antidepressants

·         The agency that ordered the warning labels on the products simply said that cautions were used to, “fully inform doctors about the risks and benefits of antidepressants, not to discourage appropriate prescribing.”(pg. 16-17)

·         But, after the cautions went public, some doctors felt as if the people who were prescribe the antidepressants weren’t taking them due to the black – box label.

·         Due to the parents’ hesitation, children were not getting the correct help that they needed, which could lead to the risk of more suicide.

·         “According to FDA data, a young person suffering from depression is 15% more likely to commit suicide then peers not suffering from suicide.” (pg.16-17)

·         Doctors began to publicly speak to patients about the antidepressants and how they’re perfectly fine to take when prescribed the right amount.

·         After all the trouble doctors were receiving due to the warnings, the FDA still expanded the warning to all patients less than 24 years of age.

·         Doctors still supported the label even though they caused much panic to patients and parents throughout, they agreed that the label was to help patients, parents, and doctors alike.

1st article for social issue

Teen Depression

Gathering Information- Notes

"Youth Depression." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 28 Apr.

2000. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://www.2facts.com/article/i0500920>.

• Research and real life instances show that medications are necessarily effective on depressed teens.
• The suicide rate has nearly tripled since the 1960's.

• "Suicide is now the third- leading cause of death among people aged 14-19, claiming more young lives annually then AIDS, diabetes, and cancer combined." (pg. 1)
• Some health- care professionals feel as if some of the medications prescribed by physicians give a negative effect on young people with depression or mood disorders.
• Also, health-care professionals believe that these antidepressants give that negative effect because the young peoples' minds aren't fully developed.
• People also think that doctors are using medicine just to speed up the diagnoses process, instead of using counseling or parental bonding.
•   But, some doctors and even parents feel as if the medication has been a "lifesaver"(pg. 1) for their young adults.
• One of the reasons child depression wasn't studied as much before was because people believed that depression was caused by repressed childhood events, therefore children could not be depressed because they lacked the experiences.
• "The symptoms of childhood are often different then those of adults. As a result, childhood depression was- and continues to be- misdiagnosed." (pg. 2)
• About 6% of young people, ages nine to 17, suffer from some type of depression, and 4.9% of those people suffer from major depression.

Social Issue Paragraph

Book: “The Story Of A Girl” By: Sara Zarr

Topic: Teen Depression

Search Terms:

1.      “Teenagers”

2.      “Signs of Depression”

3.      “Aches and Pains”

4.      “Symptoms of Depression”

5.      “Psychotherapy”

6.      “Teen Depression Self Help”

7.      “Antidepressants”

Teen Depression

In the book, The Story of a Girl, Deanna Lambert suffers from teen depression due to her father practically hating her and most of her friends disowning her. Teen depression is an extremely serious problem in today’s world. Sometimes, depression leads to teens hurting themselves or even committing suicide. Others, usually isolate themselves from everyone else or are easily irritated. Some people feel as if medicines help these troubled teens, but some people feel as if the medicine either doesn’t work or takes too long to be affective compared to other treatments. (http://www.depression-guide.com/teen-depression.htm). In my opinion, antidepressants aren’t necessary for teenagers. Many medications used for depression increase weight which I, personally, think could be more depressing. I believe that psychiatric help would be best for the teens suffering from depression. As it is stated in the article, many people don’t know if the medications are truly affective on depressed teens. That is how I think teen depression should be handled in today’s world.

(http://blog.timesunion.com/breakfastclub/rip-crcs-senior/4166/)

3 research questions about teen depression:

1.       What are some ways you can prevent teen depression?

2.       How is teen depression diagnosed?

3.       What gender is generally more affected by teen depression? Why?

Pen Pal Letter

Dear Deanna Lambert,

            My name is Kelly, and I had a crazy summer. I spent my summer days at my new farm in Jarrettsville trying to prepare the barn for my horse. Also, I worked at a local horse farm in Kingsville, called Hawk’s Hollow. I’ve been working there for 2 years and love spending time with the horses. Besides the horse business, I took 2 trips to Ocean City and 1 trip to North Carolina. I love the beach just as much as I love the farm work.

While enjoying my summer vacation, I read the novel “Story of A Girl,” by Sara Zarr. Your role in the novel really made me rethink the way I handle things in life and the decisions I make. At first, you just absorbed everything everyone, especially your father, was saying and thinking about you and held it all in. Then, you finally confronted the issue to your father, who then began to slightly think different of you. Being the person that I am, I could never let everyone say things about me behind my back AND in front of my face, and just let it go. I give you major credit for the way you kept yourself together during that rough period of time.

            I believe that Sara Zarr told your story extremely well. I felt as if I were walking in your shoes while reading the book. The way Sara placed the events and described your life truly brings the story to life and gives the story meaning to 13-16 year old girls. Sara writes to the reader as if they were the character’s best friend, and I really appreciated that.

            When you kissed Lee’s boyfriend, did you feel like you did the right thing by telling her? It takes a major amount of courage to tell your best friend you kissed her boyfriend, so I can only imagine how hard it was for you. Also, when you started working with Tommy, did you think it was the start of something new or the end of an old problem? When I try to place myself in your position, I feel like it was the start of a new life for you and the end to the rumors about you being crazy. Obviously, anyone who can work within 2 ft. of someone that ruined their life is definitely the opposite of crazy.

            Strained family life seems to be a popular issue in today’s world. Since so many families have become dysfunctional and divorced, I feel that we could start an organization that could help kids understand that their family problems aren’t their entire fault. Many kids feel as if their parent’s divorces are all their fault and they’re the reason their parents don’t get along. These kids need our help to show them they can live a perfect and healthy life even if their families don’t work out.

            Thank you for taking your time reading this letter and I hope it meant something to you. Just remember: Other people in the world have done extremely worse things then you did in the novel. There is always time for forgiveness.

                                                                                Love,

                                                                                        Kelly

My Unique Profile

            I’m probably the most unpredictable and complicated person you will ever meet. Some days I’ll care about what my hair looks like, but not what I’m wearing. Other days it’s the complete opposite- I won’t care about what my hair looks like, but my outfit has to be PERFECT. Believe it or not, I’m not really girly at all. I don’t have a normal label, such as: Preppy, Goth, Punk, etc. I consider myself the Surfer-Cowgirl. I could spend all day at the beach with my friends, or spend all day at my farm with my pony in the barn. I love John Deere, and I could wear Roxy clothes anywhere. Horse competitions are how I usually spend my weekends. I’m very excited to be a part of the John Carroll Equestrian team this year, too. I’m easily amused. I’ll laugh at almost anything and I appreciate the little things in life the most. My friends are what keep me going in life. I’ll miss all of them from my old school, St. Michael the Archangel, but I’m ready to branch out and meet new people. I’m extremely outgoing and I can never be the quiet one in the group no matter how hard I try.  I love to have a good time, but I also know when it’s time to be serious. I’m proud of the family I’m from and they mean the world to me and they always will, no matter where life takes me. I’m Kelly, and that’s my life.