Amanda Lee, Period 2, 2/2/2021, Day A

1. Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class

    I never thought I would learn so many valuable lessons from pieces of fiction/nonfiction in an English class before. Out of the many valuable lessons learned this year, my favorite so far is the story of Job. I have been a Christian for 8 years, so I have heard of Job at my church and in my family as part of my own personal faith. But to be completely honest, and this is probably considered shameful as a Christian, I never even read the book of Job before this class - I didn't even fully know the story of Job before reading it in mythology class. Job was a man who, despite losing everything in his life, still remained faithful to God. Because of his faithfulness even in suffering, Job was blessed with two times more than he originally had. Everyone suffers in life, some more than others. No matter what hardship someone is trialed with throughout their life, losing a loved one, physical sickness, mental sickness, etc... This story teaches us to keep pushing. You do not have to be religious to grasp a lesson out of this biblical story. We ALL suffer. Though we may not receive two times as much cows or land at the end of our suffering, we can gain insight through loss. The best lessons learned in my life was through losing something. Of course, just like Job, we may not see the reason why bad things happen to us, but there is always a reason behind it. God, the universe, whatever you believe in, has a plan for you. Remain faithful to it even through hardship and you just might gain something more valuable than what you lost. 

2. Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

Studying various religions and beliefs of cultures influences my critical perception greatly. Though many students, including myself, have our own beliefs, it's amazing to study other ones as well! Instead of looking at other religions through the lens of our own, we studied the similarities between various religious beliefs. By looking at life after death in both Christianity and Ancient Egyptian religions, we saw that many philosophies of life overlap each other. Just as in Christianity there is a Judgement Day in front of God, in Ancient Egyptain religions, there is a weighing of the heart to a feather after death. Both forms of judgement are used to determine whether the person (who is dead) deserves happiness in two versions of paradise after death. This example of looking at religions through a philosophical lens portrays how this class has influenced the way I analyze topics. Instead of looking through one focal view, I have begun to compare things previously learned to each other, as well as looking at topics in a philosophical way.

3. How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you

    As I mentioned before, I view all forms of literature/non fiction in a much more philosophical way than I did before. But perhaps the biggest application is the lessons learned from the literature and of course, from the students and Ms. Fusaro. I constantly find connections in absolutely every historical thing I see. One of the biggest lessons we learned this year is that nothing is original. So many stories overlap the same lessons, concepts, and ideas, but in different ways. This is especially true with religion, so in my own readings and studies in other classes, I see that this idea holds true in history. Also, hearing from other students and many different viewpoints has shaped me into a more well-rounded human being. I enjoy actively participating in discussion more than I ever have before.

Amaanah Othman, 2/22/21, PD 8, Day C

Amaanah Othman, Period 8, 2/22, Day C

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or
power?

- Recently Texas was hit with a snowstorm that left many shivering, struggling, and

some even dead. The brutal temperature and harsh weather caused millions to

lose power. Since I am always on social media because I love to learn more about

what's going on around the world, I've come across many people laughing at

those in texas. People were mocking those suffering and saying it is what they

deserved for being a red state. However, many people in texas are low

income/minorities that did not vote red that are going to suffer EXTREMELY

due to the extremities of the storm who will be in the worst conditions after this

storm. Nonetheless, even if you voted red or not, that should not be a

determining factor to whether people freeze to death or not. Texan infrastructure

is not made to withstand such extreme cold harsh weather since it's unusual, so

peoples houses were completely frozen, their ceilings cracking, no insulation, no

electricity, and the water systems were not working. People from texas were all

over social media telling of what is happening and begging for help. What made

me even more upset is when Ted Cruz, a senator for Texas, decided that during

this storm he was going to leave the struggling people of Texas AND his own

poodle behind and take a trip to a nice warm Mexico. This caused an uproar

amongst both Texans and non-Texans, so much that he packed his bags again

and returned. Amidst his journey to Mexico and back, a child in Texas passed

away due to the conditions. This highlights the power inequality and the

inequality of struggles between classes, and between politicians and the average

person. What type of system do we have in place that a politician is so

inconsiderate as to run away to Mexico as the people in his state are hurting and

dying from the storm? What type of system do we have in place that even

ALLOWS a senator to do such a thing? I was so deeply disappointed with Ted

Cruz's actions, though i'm not surprised, and I am very upset at how many people

were just simply left with no help or aid. Something that was also pointed out was

that refugees were left freezing on the border. This absolutely disgusted me. So

Ted Cruz decided to cross the border for the “safety of his family” and for a better

“life” till the storm leaves, however, when those leave war torn or struggling

countries, this excuse is not one taken seriously and is often mocked. The

inequality of classes, ethnicities and races, and politicians compared to the

common people is starting to be exposed a lot more and it should be dealt with

and abolished.

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences,
and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

- I use my beliefs, values, and experience to fight for those struggling against

the system and to educate others to do as well. I have always been one to

tell people that politicians are not our friends and definitely not the type of

people to “stan”, because at the end of the day they are not perfect and

going to disappoint many. This is especially true in my opinion with

american politicians. Texas is a perfect example of how the system in place

allows for the millions who suffered and for Ted Cruz's selfish trip to

Mexico. Forty seven people were reported to be dead, a number that could

have been avoided or at least reduced if the system we have in place

actually cared for the common people. Though America is a country that

loves to brag, we're far from perfect and were definitely not prepared for

most (as you can see with Covid and the extreme change in weather). More

people need to unlearn that America is the “best” with the “best”

politicians. People need to demand change and people need to fight

together against a harmful system.

Nethya Samarakkodige, 2/25/21, PD 8, Day C

Nethya Samarakkodige
Period 8
2/25/21
Day C
Modern Mythology 2021 

Goal Setting and Growth

1. At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

At this point in time, my goals mostly revolve around improving myself in terms of how I spend my time, my mental health, and staying motivated. About a year ago, I was enjoying quarantine by spending most of my time watching movies and killing time however I saw fit, without worrying about myself or being productive. After months in the same situation, I’ve chosen to create new goals for myself and improve aspects of myself that I previously accepted without trying to change. For example, a challenge that I used to disregard was my self-confidence, which was made worse with all of the time I spent on social media. Currently, one of my goals is to pay more attention to my self-care by improving my diet, setting aside time to exercise everyday, and making changes to my daily routine to improve my mental health and self-image. In terms of academic goals, I want to focus more on the upcoming AP Exams and continue putting effort into my school and classwork. As the end of the year comes closer, it is difficult to stay motivated and continue working, especially since college applications have already been submitted which is one of the most difficult parts of senior year. 

2. How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I demonstrate resilience towards achieving my goals by finding ways to stay motivated and reasons to keep improving, both academically and personally. I try to stay resilient by allowing myself to take breaks in order to maintain my positive mindset about improving and prevent myself from burning out. By knowing when to stop and taking mental breaks to do things that help me de-stress, like listen to music, I maintain my motivation and push myself to keep going. I found that one of the most draining aspects of quarantine was that every day followed a very similar routine and it felt like an endless cycle. This routine becomes boring very quickly and it’s difficult to stay productive when it feels repetitive. In order to avoid falling into a boring routine, I try to find different activities to incorporate into my day or plan something that I can look forward to. I also try to plan ahead by creating schedules for each day with time allocated for both productivity and to relax. Most importantly, I try to keep a positive mindset and trust myself to make progress. 

3. How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

In terms of my personal goals relating to my self-confidence and mental health, the world around me has both positive and negative effects. Social media provides a lot of resources to improve mental health and yourself, but there are also a lot of intimidating standards and expectations that are challenging. It is also a huge distraction from school work and is one of the reasons I procrastinate so much. Also, remote learning and staying at home for long periods of time have changed my perception of my goals because I am more optimistic about achieving them. I feel like I have more than enough time and energy to make my goals become a reality, which keeps me motivated and gives me more to look forward to in the future. 

Eve Mooney, Period 2, Submitted 2/18/2021, Due 2/23/2021, Day A, Modern Mythology 2021

Eve Mooney

Period 2

Submitted 2/18/2021, Due 2/23/2021

Day A

Modern Mythology 2021

Goal Setting & Growth

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why

At this point in time, my goals mainly revolve around college and my next steps in life. Since I will have to decide which college I am committing to very soon, as well as what major to pursue within the college, figuring out what I want to do in the future, or at least narrowing it down to a field, is a major goal for me. Other related major goals are trying to further understand myself so that I can understand what college/field would be best for me, and trying to obtain scholarships. In general, I want to focus on trying to understand myself, so that I can understand what would suit me best to pursue later on. My other major goals are staying fit, specifically exercising everyday for at least a half hour, eating healthier, and continuing to do well in classes so that I can keep up my current responsibilities and stay as healthy as possible to set routines I can keep up in college when I will likely be living away from home. Outside of responsibility oriented goals, I would also like to pursue my creative hobbies more often, like crocheting and creative writing, because I feel I have not had much time for them in recent months, due to college applications, college interviews, and my senior SERP project dominating my time since September.

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I demonstrate resilience towards achieving my goals by planning for them. I try to complete all of my schoolwork the day it is assigned if possible so I have more time to pursue other things, and for exercise I have a routine that I plan to add to and have been making time for every day. For more college and future related goals, it is more difficult to accomplish them, since the task is very large and intimidating, with no clear answer. I have been trying to schedule a time to work on these goals each day, and making many lists and charts to fill out like what classes each college major offers or what programs are ABET certified for example, to help achieve this goal.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

The world around me affects my perception of these goals greatly. Since we have been at home and completing remote learning for nearly a year now, the idea of living at college away from home and going to in person classes is harder to comprehend, which makes it harder to decide what I want to do and where I want to go. Also, my perception of the college workload is also difficult. Remote school has made it more difficult for me to complete assignments, and I have found myself procrastinating much more often. This is likely partially because most of school is done in my bedroom so there isn’t a clear distinction between school time and rest time, which has also made life more stressful. When we were in school in person, the library was an invaluable resource for me that kept me ahead with my schoolwork. In college, if we are in person, it is hard to understand how difficult the workload will be and how much time I will have to get involved with extracurricular activities like clubs, teams, or organizations, therefore making it harder to plan out what resources of a college I would be able to use and what I should plan for. The world around me also affects my perception of my other goals, as doing remote learning and its effect of blurring the lines between home and school has made it more difficult to complete tasks outside of homework with a due date, therefore affecting my other goals.

Nicholas Lofaso, 2/11/2021, Period 5, Day B

 Nicholas Lofaso

February 11, 2021

Literacy & Learning

Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.

I’ve really enjoyed Beowulf so far; it might not be written in the most understandable way, but the fact that most of the stories are 5 pages at most means that I can spend more time annotating and trying to find hidden meanings. A good example of this came up today, where I noticed that Grendel’s Mother is one of the first times that God was used as reasoning for a plot point. This led me to believe that the story is less authentic than some of the others—since it was written down by Christian monks, they may have taken some creative liberty with the retelling. I think I enjoyed the original Norse mythology stories more since they focused on more than just one person, but Beowulf is still really interesting. 

Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

I mentioned this above, but the realization that Grendel’s Mother was one of the first times God was mentioned/utilized and realizing that it was probably due to the Monks’ personal beliefs really made me think about the impact authors can have on history and the way we perceive it. If this was such an easy and nondescript detail, what else has been changed in other stories that we don’t know about? By understanding the background of a source and the biases that they might have, I can get better at spotting instances of revisionism. This skill is useful in all sorts of scenarios, from reading school texts to trying to find bias in news sources. 

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

While Norse mythology itself might not be directly applicable to most aspects of my life outside of school, the skills that I’m picking up on while reading these historical texts definitely are. The language that they’re written in is very different from language today, and requires me to focus more on what I’m reading to be able to understand them—I’ve gotten much better at deciphering complicated texts, which will help me in both college and practically any field that I go into after. Understanding the history of different cultures also allows me to better understand different cultures today, being able to connect to more people and potentially relate to them. 

Sandra Lu, Period 5, 2/11/21, Day B

Sandra Lu

Period 5

2/11/2021

Day B

Modern Mythology 2021

Socio-political Consciousness

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

These issues thrive with our history of systemic racism, normalizing racism and stereotypes towards people of color in many aspects of our lives. Up until last year I wasn't very aware of any of the issues going on around me. Sometimes in the history textbooks I'll wonder why are we celebrating this person if what they did are considered horrendous in modern day standard. Why are we celebrating Columbus if he initiated the Atlantic slave trade and the American Indian genocide and he wasn't actually the first to discover America. As much as these issues are uncomfortable to talk about, it is very important to start and continue this conversation in order to have a chance at change. During the beginning of the BLM movement, we all remember watching an account of police brutality that took a young mans life because of the color of his skin. I felt very furious that this was happening and there were many more cases like this buried 10 foot deep, we've only seen the tip of an iceberg. None of the cops were held accountable until the media blew up, that really blows my mind that they can and have gotten away with murder. This generation gives all of us hopes that things will and can change. 

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

I come from a first generation immigrant family, my parents have very little knowledge about these ongoing social issues along with the stereotypes and racism they have absorbed. I grew up being fed stereotypes about other ethnic groups, they mostly negatively effect people of color, I don't blame my parents as they are also learning since then. Now I am learning to undo these personal bias along with listening to the voice of others who are deeply impacted by these issues. The Tiktok communities has really helped me in the process of learning about all these issues and ways I can amplify the voices of people who are affected by these issues. 

Theresa Luo, Period 2, 2/10/2021, Day A

Theresa Luo 
Period 2
2/10/2021
Day A
Modern Mythology 2021

Literacy & Learning

Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.

When we were first introduced to Norse Mythology, I automatically made the association to the Marvel comics and movies. However, besides the obviously strong and confident Thor and the extremely cunning Loki, I had no real understanding of what Norse mythology entailed. Most importantly, I never assumed any type of Norse mythology or lessons within these pieces of literature had any impact on my day to day life. However, once I indulged myself in “Thor’s Journey To The Land of The Giants” and “The Apples of Immortality”, I understood just how prevalent Norse lessons are entrenched in society. One of the largest lessons I learned was the acceptance of failure and the outlook on failure. When Thor ventured to the land of the giants and competed with the giants, he automatically accepted failure. He assumed his inability to lift the cat all the way or drink the entirety of the horn defined his incompetence and weakness. However, it was revealed these were tasks that no man, warrior, and a human being could possibly do, but he did it! This taught me just how important perspective is to your own day to day life. Even if you view failure as a linear function, it never really is. Failure means trial; it entails giving your all even if you don’t succeed at first. These lessons were so personal and impressive to me and I finally understood why such topics are covered in this course. 

Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

I recently learned the connection between Beowulf and the Book of Genesis. More specifically, I learned the linkages between Grendel, the all evil monster, to his father Cain. This piece of information definitely surprised me as I would’ve never picked out these underlying influences. However, once I learned the first groups of people who physically turned the previous solely oral stories of Beowulf to pieces of literature were monks, my perspective of the book changed. At first, I read the story without much background information or historical context. I was essentially reading at the “frosting” level. However, understanding the connections between different pieces of literature or through the New Historicism theory, I gained a deeper comprehension of how the story came to be. I finally understood why Grendel is so deeply hated since his murderous intentions have roots in his own father. This essentially hints at how killing is in his blood. Seeking these historical linkages gives reading context. It allows so many people, including myself, to read at a deeper level. These takeaways will forever change my perception of stories. 

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

All these stories are so much more than just stories. They contain life lessons that can aid our personal growth and development. They can change our influence and outlook on other pieces of literature, work, and even everyday life. As mentioned above, reading “Thor’s Journey To The Land of The Giants” and “The Apples of Immortality” changed my perspective on failure and showed me the similarities between humans and gods. From Beowulf and Norse pieces, I understood how important historical context is. There are so many connections to the Book of Genesis, such as the apples of immortality to the apples of Eden. By seeing just how much a reader can take away from simply reading, I’ve learned to take in the world and my other classes with greater appreciation. I will constantly try to see what lessons in class can influence my everyday life and will always examine everything with context. I will no longer jump to conclusions without understanding such context because this will never draw the full story. This goes for other stories and understanding people’s experiences as well. Such lessons from this class will forever shape my perspective on the rest of the world.