Acting Out Culture Post 11

Prompt: On Monday we analyzed Cinderella and Snow White. For this week I want you to choose a fairy tale/fable/parable to analyze in your blog. You should do the following: 1) Summarize the fairy tale, 2) List all the themes you can see, & 3) Analyze one to two of the themes and discuss how you see them effecting the larger audience and yourself.This should be a longer blog since it takes up 3 blog entries.


I think that The Lion King is a very powerful movie. It tells a story about a lion named Simba and his journeys through life. After being born, he grows up with another cub named Nala. They are the best of friends and have crazy adventures together. Simbas father, Mufasa, is the leader of the pride and is Simba's biggest role model. One day, Simba's evil uncle, Scar, takes him down to a valley where the wildebeast stampede is going to come. He then sends for Mufasa to come save Simba because Scar wanted to kill Mufasa so that he could rule all of the land. Scar's plan worked and he blamed the death on Simba so he was then banished. After a little while in exile, Simba is found by two other animals. One was a meercat named Timon and the other was a warthog named Pumba. Simba is then taken into the friendship and is taught how to survive on his own. After having grown up and become an adult, he runs into Nala one day and they catch up. Simba finds out that his uncla has ruined the Prideland and that he needs to come back to get the throne. Simba was reluctant and after having "seen" his dad in the water and in the sky because of the witch doctor/baboon, Rafiki, he decides he will go back. With the help of Timon, Pumba, Rafiki, Nala, and all of the other lions, Simba is able to defeat Scar and his group of hyenas.

There are quite a few themes in this movie. Friendship, perserverance, responsibility, love, and adolescence are the ones that I am able to point out the quickest. I think friendship is definitly one of the biggest themes. All of Simba's friends were able to help him throughout the movie. They risked their lives at the end to help him gain what was rightfully his. I think that many people in the aufience relate to that and it helps teach younger children to always be tehre for their friends. It is kind of like the saying "giving the shirt off my back". If someone says that about another person, they think really highly of their friend. I think that responsibility is also a very important theme from the movie. The movie is aimed at younger children and it teaches them that you must do what is right and what you have to do in order to make your own life better and to improve the lives of others. When Simba was convinced to go back to the Prideland to defend what was rightfully his and to make the lives of others better, that showed alot of responbility.

The movie, The Lion King, has many good themes and a great story line. It is one of my favorite childhood stories and I plan on my children growing up watching it. I still enjoy it to this day.

Acting Out Culture Post 10

Prompt:Today we practiced exploding the moment. For today's blog I want you to pick one sentence from your personal narrative and explode the moment. Remember to use descriptive details; bring the moment alive for the reader.

Orginal Sentence: Over the next couple of days, we went to the range and made sure everything was fine with the equipment, practiced, and then we came back to the resort and spent the rest of the day just hanging around, napping, and swimming.

Revised: For the next two days, we would go to the range in the morning to check on our equipment and to get some good practice time in. I had heard so many horror stories of international travel and equipment issues. A girl from the United States team actually had to go for three days without her own equipment and without her own clothes. I was really excited that none of my things had been lost or damaged en route to the tournament. After we did everything that had to be done for the day at they range, the team would go back to the resort and disburse into our own little social groups for the afternoon. We ate lunch and then would go swimming, tanning, napping, or just spend time in each others rooms talking and enjoying ourselves.

Acting Out Culture post 9

Prompt: If you had to choose between yesterday and tomorrow, which would you pick and why?

If I had to choose between yesterday and tomorrow, I would chose tomorrow. I have already lived yesterday and know what it held which was nothing to special. I want to look towards the future. Plus, tomorrow is one day closer to the weekend! ...and it means that I have gotten more homework done already. :)

acting out culture. post 8

Prompt: It has been eight years since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Thoughts?This is a very open ended free write. You can discuss what you remember about that day, if you lost any loved ones in the tragedy, if you feel the country is safer now than it was pre-9/11, etc. The main goal is just to remember that day, the lives that were lost, and the ways in which those of us who survived have carried on. The rest is up to you.

On September 11, 2001, I was in the 4th grade at North Harlem Elementary. I had stayed inside from recess to do some stuff for 4-H and to hang out with some friends. We were sitting in Ms. Kamariotis' class and she had the news on. I remember not knowing what the Twin Towers were but I could tell that they were something very important with a lot of people in them and that those people were suffering and dying. I was so scared that the next place that would be hit was my little classroom in Harlem, Ga. I remember yelling at some kids because they were laughing about it and making jokes. That afternoon, I got off the bus and realized that I had forgotten my key to the house so I went next door and watched the news with my neighbor and her boyfriend. Over the next few weeks, I wore red, white, and blue alot, emptied out my piggie bank for families who had lost their loved ones, and made a really pretty American flag sign for our front door. There are alot of little details that I remember from that day but the main thing was there were many people who lost their lives in the wreckage and while trying to pull people out of it. It was probably one of the most tragic days in my life so far and I hope something like it never happens again. I knew a family and the mom's brother was one of the firefighters who lost his life that day so that is when it really hit home to me. September 11th is a day that many people will remember and I hope everyone pays their respects to it.

Acting Out culture post 7

Prompt: M&M Candies "Melt in your mouth, not in your hands." Miller Lite "Tastes great, less filling." Describe yourself (or your writing) with a catchy slogan in ten words or fewer.



You Can't Top A Samantha

Acting Out culture post 6

Prompt: I would like you to reflect on the essay you just wrote (1st Draft of Personal Narrative). What was your writing process like? Did you find the assignment difficult? Why or why not? How did you end up deciding on a topic? What specific questions or concerns do you have about the draft? ....etc.

My process was fairly simple. I decided on a topic that I knew very well and that I knew would be interesting. I then decided what kind of format I wanted to write this in; journal, five-pargraph essay, or story form.


I thought that they assignment was kind a good one. There was not a lot of research or other things that had to be done for it. It was just sit down and write about an experience of our own and I liked that.

My only concern is, did I write for a purpose, and if so, does the sentences transistion well?

Acting out culture post 5

Prompt: Now that you have written a letter with Dr. Leland as your audience, I would like you to write a similar letter but with your peers as the audience. What sort of persuasive arguments will they want to hear that are similar or different from the evidence you provided for Dr. Leland? How will you need to change your approach in order to accommodate this new audience?

Dear Fellow Students of Georgia College & State University,

I would like to tell you all why I think that we should have Luke Bryan as the artist for the school-sponsored concert on front lawn. As many of you already know, Luke Bryan is a country musician who writes a lot of really upbeat, fun songs and some of his songs even have to do with college. He has one song that is written about sorority girls specifically. Bryans concerts are exciting and fun and most of his songs are really relative to our lives as college students and young adults. I have personally been to one of his concerts and it was alot of fun. There were tons of university students and they were all having a great time. If you would support me in my request to have Luke Bryan as our guest performer, I doubt that you would be dissapointed.\

Thanks,
Samantha