Melissa+Utrecht

Melissa Utrecht October 12, 2012 English Period 5/6 Zodiac Sign Is it really true that people are the exact same as their zodiac sign? Well, not me! I have numerous traits of a Gemini, but not all. For example, I am witty, cunning, lively and nervous. On the other hand, I am not inconsistent, superficial or eloquent. I am one of a kind as I do acquire some traits of a Gemini. I do possess other traits as well. Having the Gemini sign makes me very witty. Sometimes I can’t regulate it, which is not a good thing. For example, I can turn something someone says into a hilarious situation. It’s like I’m a comedian and I need to keep my audience laughing. My wittiness helps ease bad situations into awesome ones. On the opposite side, when I try to be serious, sometimes I can’t because of my wittiness. For example, my mom came home from the hospital, and she cried “Melissa stop making me laugh. It hurts!!!” But of course, since I am witty I kept making her giggle. On both sides, it is a virtuous characteristic to have, but can also be a little harmful at times. In addition, to being one of a kind, I am totally not inconsistent. I do not possess this trait as I always tell everybody what I’m doing and stick to it. For example, when my friend and I went to the mall, she wanted these expensive sneakers, but did not have the money. Since her birthday was coming up, I announced, “Of course, being your best friend for life, I will buy them for you.” Sadly, she didn’t believe me. When her birthday came, she was surprised. I shouted with my head held up high, “I always keep my word!” This is only one example of how I am not inconsistent. When I say I am going to do something, I do it. Therefore, this is not a Gemini trait that I possess. Of course, I am lively! What Gemini isn’t lively? I am lively, in my own special way. For instance, when I come home from dance, I start jumping all over and dancing. I never get tired. My mom calls me a “Bubbly Ball of Bursting Energy!” In addition, I am like a monkey. I love to climb the walls and do all kinds of tricks. This is my special way of being lively. Unfortunately, one of the bad traits I possess from being a Gemini is nervousness. For me, it is a Gemini curse to be nervous. I have the tendency to always be nervous when I’m in the doctor’s office. Even though I know why I am there, I still become nervous. If I have a sore throat, a million questions will go through my head. For example, is the doctor going to give me a shot or what is she going to do. Therefore, the Gemini curse of nervousness always happens when I’m in the doctor’s office. My worst enemy is being eloquent! Tragically for me when it comes to the holidays and my whole family is dressed up for an extravagant party, I rather have on my baggy sweatpants and ragtag t-shirt. Also I’d rather just chill and lay back and not use my unsurpassed manners. I surely do not retain this attribute of a classic Gemini. As well, I am not superficial! In school I appear to be shy and quiet, but the thing I hate the most is people tell me I am a goody-goody. But…the truth is… I love to be boisterous and wild. The humorous thing is when I’m on ooVoo my mom says I need to “calm down” and to “stop acting like a retard”. When I’m with my friends or on ooVoo that is when the beast comes out of me. RAWRRR!!! I’m glad I have the best of both worlds by possessing good and bad traits of the Gemini sign. I feel being one of a kind is a gift as well as possessing some of the Gemini traits. At the same time, I’m glad I do not have all the Gemini traits. I like being me, one of a kind. There is no one like me out there!

Melissa Utrecht December 19, 2012 English Period 5/6

Have you ever been so excited to see something that you actually might cry? Then you don’t see it and you feel like your whole world just smashed into one million pieces. You feel like there is a black hole in your heart, just sucking out every little tiny piece of happiness, until there is nothing left but, a speck of dreams that will never come true. In the story “__All Summer in A Day__,” by Ray Bradbury he portrays Margot as a very depressed person trying to fit in. The gloomy depressing setting affects and shapes her personality. In the story, “__All Summer in a Day,__” sadly the black hole in Margot’s heart takes control. The cold, wet and darkness of Venus symbolizes Margot’s feelings. “Margot stood alone. She was a very frail girl who looked as if she had been lost in the rain for years and the rain had washed out the blue from her eyes and the red from her mouth and the yellow from her hair.” (Ray Bradbury) This represents that she feels trapped there; she also feels like a lost soul trying to find the light. Sadly, in the story the opportunity to find the light disappears right in front of her eyes. Also, since it takes place on Venus, it symbolizes that she is far away from her true home on Earth. When she was little she used to live on Earth where she belongs and fits in. On Venus she feels like she is different from all the other kids. She feels trapped in her own body with no escape. This setting of wet, dark and coldness definitely impacts the mood and development of the story. It makes you feel sad for the main character (Margot). In addition, it intensifies the story when they lock her in the closet, so she can’t see the sun, which only comes out every seven years. “ They surged about her, caught up and bore her, protesting, and then pleading, and then crying back into a tunnel, a room, a closet, where the slammed and locked the door, They stood looking at the door and saw it trembling from her beating and throwing herself against it. They heard her muffled cries.” (Ray Bradbury) This makes you feel a loss for hope. The hope you have for the character is now gone. Now, this makes you envision that one moment when you felt like Margot and can relate to it. The setting helps you picture the gloominess of the surroundings. The surroundings take a toll on Margot’s emotions. She wishes she could feel the warmth of the sun, instead of the dark pit of despair called Venus. In conclusion, this setting of the story is the way the author decided to express Margot’s feelings. He did that so the reader can envision the emotion she has like sad, depressed, lost and gloomy. He took feelings and turned them into a real life nightmare that Margot has to relive everyday of her life. You can actually envision what she feels like. All in all, this is the author’s way of showing the setting, in order to make the reader visualize a true nightmare of all your deepest, saddened emotions combined together.