Reading Log

• The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe
  
  The Tell-Tale Heart tells the story of a domestic who murders is master. As the story begins, this man tries to first convince the reader that he is not mad. He then gives the readers the purpose of the assassination; the old man vulture eye; “Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees – very gradually – I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.” He then describes how he managed to enter the old man room for several nights before he actually kills him, hiding the parts of is body under the floorboard. A few moments later, the police arrived at the old man’s house and the killer invites them to enter, confidence that them wouldn’t suspect anything. However, while chatting with the police, the murder began to hear the heart of is master. Loosing control over him, he admits is murder.
  
  Hills Like White Elephants – Ernest Hemingway
  
  While reading this story for the first time, I did not understand the purpose of the author. The short story is a discussion between a man and a woman waiting for the train to arrive. What I didn’t understand was the discussion they were having. Very unclear, it is hard to understand what the man and the woman are talking about. I then made my research by asking my friends what the story was about and I found out that the couple was talking about abortion. Rereading the story, it all made sense. The girl is pregnant and is not to sure about keeping or not the baby while the man is totally clear about aborting the baby.
  
  The Lottery – Shirley Jackson
  
  The setting of the story is in a small town of 300 people. On June 27, the population seems to have a celabraty mood as they gather for they annual lottery. For this lottery, a person from each family of the town as to draw a small piece of papre. One of the paper is marked by a black spot. The family who gets the black spot is the chosen family. This family, the Hutchison family, as to draw again to have the final choice. The mother of the Hutchinson family is the final choice. She is then stone to death by everyone of the village including her own family.

• The Veldt - Ray Bradbury

Upon doing a research on Ray Bradbury short story, The Veldt, I learned that the story was written at the time were many American families were acquiring their first television set. No one really knew what impact this new technology would have on the relationship of the family members. Some people were afraid that watching too much television would lead to the total breakdown of the family unit. This fear is directly reflected in The Veldt, but in the story, Bradbury heightens the odds by creating a machine that not only allows children to detach emotionally from their parents, but one that can also physically destroy the parents, as well.

• The Story of an Hour - Kate chopin

Kate Chopin gave her short story the title “The Story of an hour” because the reader only gets a very brief peek on the life of of Mrs. Mallard character. Mrs. Mallard dies of a heart attack at the end of the story. While the other characters of the story thinks she died because she is so overjoyed to see her husband is still alive, the readers truly know the real cause of her death; she only had a glimpse of the freedom she had without living with her husband. The shocking view of her husband alive kills the poor lady who would have preferred him to be dead.

Vocabulary journal

1) Acute: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “Above all was the sense of hearing acute.”
Meaning: Pointed; sharp
Ex) I had a very acute sense for listening to people conversations.

2) Foresight: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “You should have seen […] with what foresight […] I went to work.”
Meaning: The act or capacity of foreseeing, of looking forward.
Ex) I had the foresight to plan my travel in advance.

3) Latch: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “I turned the latch of his door […] oh so gently!”
Meaning: A catch for fastening the door, lid, shutter, etc.
Ex) I silently pushed the latch of his door so he wouldn’t hear me.

4) Sagacity: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “Never before that night had I felt the extent […] of my sagacity.”
Meaning: The possession of exceptional judgment and perceptiveness.
Ex) My parents were proud of the sagacity I showed them.

5) Deed: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “I could scarcely contain my feeling […] of my secrets deeds or thoughts.”
Meaning: Anything done; an act. An exploit, a notable achivement.
Ex) my most amazing deed was to save my brother’s life.

6) Hearkening: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “He was still sitting up in bed listening – just as I have done night after night, hearkening to the death watched in the wall.”
Meaning: Listening with intent.
Ex) He was quiet, not making a sound, hearkening for the unsupportable fly.

7) Groan: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “Presently I heard a slight groan […] of mortal terror.”
Meaning: To utter a low, prolonged sound of or as of pain, sorrow, etc.
Ex) The boy groan seeing his dog hit by a car.

8) Stealthily: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “So I opened it – you cannot imagine how stealthily […] and fell full upon the vulture eye.
Meaning: Moving or acting secretly.
Ex) I stealthily walked toward my sister to scare her good.

9) Burst: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “I thought the heart must burst.”
Meaning: To break open or come apart suddenly and violently.
Ex) The girl was about to burst when her mother managed to calm her down.

10) Concealment: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “If still you think me mad, you will think no longer when […] I took for the concealment of the body.”
Meaning: To hide, secrete; keep from sight, discovery or knowledge.
Ex) The murderer was very organized for the concealment of his victim body.

11) Suavity: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “There entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of the police.”
Meaning: Diplomatic, politically correct.
Ex) Suavity is important for political person.

12) Vehemently: The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe; “I talked more quickly- more vehemently; but noise steadily increased.”
Meaning: Acting with great force or energy; energetic; violent; furious.
Ex) The robber start running more vehemently when to police officers released their dogs.

13) Forestall: The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin; “ He had only taken to time to assure himself […] to forestall any less careful […] bearing the sad message.”
Meaning: To hinder, prevent or guard against by taking preventive measures.
Ex) Jimmy forestall what he had to say to his mother to keep her from having a sudden heart attack.

14) Wept (Weep): The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin; “She wept at once […] in her sister’s arms.”
Meaning: To manifest grief or other strong emotion by shedding tears.
Ex) I wept of joy when my parents told me we were leaving for Europe for the summer.

15) Acquiver: The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin; “She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all acquiver with the new spring life.”
Meaning: That trembles or quivers.
Ex) My cats is acquiver from the sight or dogs.

16) Wares: The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin; “In the street below a peddler was crying his wares.”
Meaning: Products that are bought and sold in businesses.
Ex) The fishermen presented their ware next to their boats.

17) Bespoke: The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin; “She was young, with a faire calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength.”
Meaning: Indicate, show
Ex) Claudia face bespoke her happy thoughts.

18) Elusive: The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin; “She did not know; it was to subtle and elusive to name.”
Meaning: Hard to understand
Ex) The reaction of my dad was to elusive to describe.

19) Scent: The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin; “But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air.”
Meaning: An odor, pleasant or unpleasant.
Ex) The scent that comes out of this bathroom is horrible.

20) Bosom: The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin; “Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously.”
Meaning: A person’s chest, which contains emotions
Ex) The wife bosom lightered at the sight of her husband.

21) Warmth: The Lottery, Shirley Jackson; “ The morning of June 27th was a clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full summer day.”
Meaning: The state or quality of being warm.
Ex) Most people prefer summer to winter because of the warmth.

22) Boisterous: The Lottery, Shirley Jackson; “School was recently over for the summer […] they tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play […] of books and reprimands.”
Meaning: Cheerfully loud
Ex) When John and Alex play together, we always end up hearing boisterous shouts.

23) Clung (Cling): The Lottery, Shirley Jackson; “The girls stood aside […] the very small children rolled in the dust or clung to the hands of their older brothers or sisters.”
Meaning: To hold fast, to keep close.
Ex) The boat clung to the coast.

24) Grasping (Grasp): The Lottery, Shirley Jackson; “Bobby Martin ducked under his mother’s grasping hand and ran, laughing, back to the pile of stones.”
Meaning: To seize hold of firmly with the hand.
Ex) My sister ran away grasping my hand so I would follow her.

25) Scold: The Lottery, Shirley Jackson; “[…] people were sorry for him, because he had no children and his wife was a scold.”
Meaning: A woman who habitually displays noisy or abusive behavior.
Ex) We are now use to be humiliated by my grandmother who is a scold.

26) Stool: The Lottery, Shirley Jackson; “The postmaster, Mr. Graves, followed him, carrying a three-legged stool.”
Meaning: A backless and armless seat.
Ex) A stool was placed beside her bed for her little lantern.

27) Paraphernalia: The Lottery, Shirley Jackson; “The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago […]”
Meaning: equipment, accessory
Ex) Lot’s of paraphernalia were placed in honor of Nathalie 59th anniversary.

28) Shabbier: The Lottery, Shirley Jackson; “The black box grew shabbier each year […]”
Meaning: Looking badly worn.
Ex) The itinerants clothes grew shabbier every year.

29) Veldtland; The Veldt, Ray Bradbury; “Now the hidden odorophonics were beginning to blow a wind of odor at the two people in the middle of the baked veldtland.”
Meaning: A grassland of southern Africa.
Ex) My aunt who travels a lot in Africa went a few time to the veldtland.

30) Jaunt; The Veldt, Ray Bradbury; “[…] but for yourself when you felt like a quick jaunt to a foreign land […]”
Meaning: A short trip for pleasure
Ex) A jaunt would be perfect to forget what happened.

The Tell-Tale Heart - Creative ending

The Tell-Tale Heart… “ Villains! I shrieked, dissemble no more! I admit the deed! – Tear up the planks! Here, here! – It is the beating of his hideous heart!”

The police officers stood in disbelief before shouting: “Sir! You are under arrest! You have the right to remain silent! Put your hands on your head and turn around!” I followed his orders without resistance, unable to think of an escape.One of the police officers proceeded to tear up the floorboards while the other one handcuffed me. Fortunately, I was too skinny due to my anxiety disorder and was able to slip through and escape through the window.

I landed in the bushes and quickly got back on my feet. I then ran through the streets until I reached a 7/11. Without thinking twice, I entered the store and murdered the cashier, taking his clothes and hiding the dismembered corpse under the floorboards. I played the cashier’s role until the police officers came in to buy a box of donuts. Despite my costume, they were quick to recognise me and I admitted to my second murder. However, before they could react, I pulled out a shotgun from under the counter and killed them both. Then, I kept the tradition alive and buried the bodies under the floorboards.

Several minutes later, a customer entered the store and walked slowly through the isles. When I looked at him closely, I realized that his earlobe was attached. This detail repulsed me and sparked the desire to do away with him. When he approached the cash, he made a fatal remark: “The floorboards are cracking more than usual.”-“I didn’t kill anyone! I’m innocent!” I screamed.Without warning, I pulled the trigger and the deed was done. I dismember the body, as usual, and hid it along with the others.

Soon after, a second customer walked in. As he walked towards the back of the store, he dropped his keys and bent down to retrieve them. I was scared that he might discover the bodies, so I took the necessary precautions and did away with him like the others. I felt calm and content, so I turned on the radio and listened to an old country song. It had a particular drum line that disturbed me greatly. I proceeded to gun down the radio to relieve my discomfort and buried it.

To my great disbelief, the drumming sound persisted. It was barely noticeable and much too regular. I began to sweat as it grew louder and louder. Soon, it was a choir or beating noises. Suddenly, I realized that the sounds were in fact the beating of the multiple hideous hearts hidden in the floor. There was only one option left. I ran outside to the nearest cemetery, found a shovel, and dug a large hole in the soil. I jumped in and with a pull of the trigger, my agony was over.

The End

Valérie David, Laurence Labelle, Marie-Lyne Lapointe

Creative writting - My proposal

A TV program should always capture the attention and interest of the viewer for the following episodes. As the director of the new TV program based on the story of Ernest Hemingway, A Day's Wait, I will do my best to do so by creating a proper setting for each episode and by enlarging the internal conflict of the story with different contradictions that people could be part of from a country to another.

In the story of A Day’s Wait, the setting is an important aspect since the internal conflict is based on it. There is a contradiction between the French Celsius and the English Fahrenheit. The story takes place in the 1930’s in Europe, probably in France. To create this setting, the costumes of the actors will be important. Since the great Depression just began, families had no money to spend on clothes or shoes. Men and women would only get the clothes they could afford. In this case, the costumes of the actor would not look to expensive. The house in which the story will take place would be with smooth white walls and a sleek streamlined appearance. They would be cube-shaped homes to express the spirit of the machine age. With this setting, the Europe 1930 will be dissimulated threw the viewers eyes. But the TV program would not only refer to the 1930 years in Europe, but all around the world. The TV show will present the differences between a lot on country. In this case, a lot of different setting will be presented.


The internal conflict of the boy will be showed as something very popular in children mind. Every episode would show this conflict in a different aspect always in the mind of a child. For example, a child could make the mistake between miles and kilometres as mentioned in the story. Furthermore, not only children form Europe or America would be conscientious of this conflict but children from all around the world. Each episode would last thirty minutes. In this case, the TV program would then intensify the internal conflict of A Day’s Wait. The whole TV program would be developed around this idea. However the first episode of the TV program will be the story as describe in A Day’s Wait. It would keep its originality so the viewers understand clearly what the TV program is trying to make them realize. The first episode will then stick with the setting as mentioned before and with the same ending of Hemingway story.


Hemingway’s story, A Day’s Wait, is a capturing story that will keep the viewer attention.

Assignement #1- "A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf

In A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf points out a multitude of facts that brings one to reflect. Woolf points out the importance of having an active life to be satisfied. Staying at home during the day to cook or clean is an absolutly boring life. A fact that she also focuses on is the non-gratitude the society had toward women. Women were considered inferior to men. This is why it was unthinkable for a woman to make a vital discovery. She then explains how a great mind must be androgynous. An opinion is very different from men to women and it is essential to consider both.

Virginia Woolf points out that human beings cannot be satisfied with tranquility in their life. “ It is vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.” A person needs exercise for their faculties and a field for their efforts. Women in the 19th century were supposed to be generally calm. They were famous only for making puddings or playing piano but women could accomplish many activities that men did, if they weren’t condemned to have a calm life. Women need action in their life just as men do. In the fifth chapter, Virginia Woolf says that in the 19th century there was no measure for women’s capacities of making a discovery or being a genius, because such an achievement was unthinkable for a woman of that time. “ There is no mark on the wall to measure the precise height of women.” One could not point on the map and say Columbus discovered America and Columbus was a woman or say that a woman discovered the laws of gravitation. There was no award or any kind of gratitude attributed to a woman for being a spectacular mother or an excellent housekeeper. She then states that a great mind is androgynous. “A great mind is androgynous” In the world, one is created in such a way that everything has it’s opposite. This is why our world is perfect. For every ying, there is a yang. For every life, there is a death. For every man, there is a woman. If, in order to attain perfection, both the positive and the negative sides of something must be combined then humans need both aspect to be perfect. Virginia Woolf gave hope to women and made them realize how writing can change society.

My Smart Goal

By the end of this course, I would like to be better in expressing myself in english for my every conversations. I often have conversations with my english friends in wich I am not completely able to express myself fully.