The Stranger - Journal #1: Tabbing Methods

Sticky Notes:

I will be using... 

• yellow for thematic elements, possibly relating to how Mersault reacts to the world around him and/or how he is affected by the world itself.

• blue for symbols (ie, sky), motifs (ie, time intervals, body language vs. lack of word use), and repetition among words/phrases and ideas (ie, laughter, comfort, likes vs. dislikes).

• green for setting (ie, beach, Mersault's house), atmosphere (ie, dark vs. light), and tone (ie, understanding of facts and detail, rather than emotional effects).

• orange for characterization, specifically Mersault's thought process and how he interacts with his surroundings.

• purple for syntax (ie, listing format, variety of sentences) and foreshadow (ie, ambiguous phrases which later tie into the story).

• pink for language, specifically diction (ie, use of simple/complex words) and dialogue (ie, importance of interaction between characters).

• magenta for figurative language (ie, metaphors, usually a comparison between two nonhuman entities), imagery (ie, lack of the senses/images), and description (ie, deep descriptions of humans and his surroundings).

(The large yellow sticky notes were used for the summer for any inspiration that came to me. I will keep those in there to work off of while tabbing this time through.)

 Highlighting:

I will be using...

• orange for the lack of verbal communication between Mersault and others, focusing on what effects those contribute to in the scenes.

• magenta for emotions (ie, reactions Mersault has to socially accepted emotional situations) and daily routine (ie, Mersault's normal destinations/actions).

(I highlighted using these colors during the summer, so I will highlight more as I begin to see and understand the book better.)

TEWWG - Journal #10: Theme (w/ quotes)

Theme: One's character is not defined by the people they surround themselves with, but instead how they choose to react to their community.
(As of now, the wording still feels a bit off in my opinion. I need to find a way to better define character and community, but for now the general idea is there. My goal is to find evidence to support the idea that Janie grows through the different ways she reacts to the people she encounters, rather then letting the people impact her.)

Quotations:

1. "She went through many silent rebellions over things like that. Such a waste of life and time. But Joe kept saying that she could do it if she wanted to and he wanted her to use her privileges. That was the rock she was battered against." (pg. 54)

2. "She had no more blossomy openings dusting pollen over her man, neither any glistening young fruit where the petals used to be. She found that she had a host of thoughts she had never expressed o him, and numerous emotions she had never let Jody know about. Things packed up and put away in parts of her heart where he could never find them. She was saving up feelings for some man she had never seen. She had an inside and an outside now and suddenly she knew how not to mix them. " (pg. 72)

3. "The years took all the flight out of Janie's face. For a while she thought it was gone from her soul. No matter what Jody did, she said nothing. She had learned how to talk some and leave some. She was a rut in the road." (pg. 76)

4. "The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place. She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there. She took careful stock of herself, then combed her hair and tied it back up again. Then she starched and ironed her face, forming it into just what people wanted to see, and opened up the window and cried, "Come heah people! Jody is dead. Mah husband is gone from me."" (pg. 87)

5. "Janie laughed at all these well-wishers because she knew that they knew plenty of women alone; that she was not the first one they had ever seen. But most of the others were poor. Besides she liked being lonesome for a change." (pg. 90)

6. "It was so crazy digging worms by lamp light and setting out for Lake Sabelia after midnight that she felt like a child breaking rules. That's what made Janie like it. They caught two or three and got home just before day. Then she had to smuggle Tea Cake out by the back gate and that made it seem like some great secret she was keeping from the town." (pg. 102)

7. ""'Tain't so big uh chance as it seem lak, Phoeby. Ah'm older than Tea Cake, yes. But he done showed me where it's de thought dat makes de difference in ages. If people thinks de same they can make it all right."" (pg. 115)

8. "Janie never thought at all. She just acted on feelings" ... "She cut him short with a blow and they fought from one room to the other, Janie trying to beat him, and Tea Cake kept holding her wrists and wherever he could to keep her from going too far." (pg. 137)

9. "Janie turned from the door without answering, and stood still in the middle of the floor without knowing it. She turned wrongside out just standing there and feeling. When the throbbing calmed a little she gave Logan's speech a hard thought and placed it beside other things she had seen and heard. When she had finished with that she dumped the dough on the skillet and smoothed it over with her hand. She wasn't even angry." (pg. 32)

10. "Of course he wasn't dead. He could never be dead until she herself had finished feeling and thinking. The kiss of his memory made pictures of love and light against the wall. Here was peace. [She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see.]" (pg. 193)

TEWWG - Journal #9: Mini Pastiche (2)

Journal Prompt #9: Write a pastiche of Hurston by duplicating a theme that she uses and three stylistic elements. Use these elements with your own characters, setting, and conflict. After you finish your pastiche clarify what theme and techniques you used and how they were used in a way that mirrors Hurston's own use of them.

On Olivia's seventeenth birthday, she sat in reminiscence in front of her sister's grave. The crisp autumn wind danced around her, causing her to pull her teal scarf tighter around her face. It had yet to begin to rain, but the flowing clouds overhead signaled its arrival. Still, the weather did not disturb Olivia's presence. She gazed upon the white rose in which she had laid at her arrival. An arrival which was now lost in time's daze, among many thoughts and emotions. Olivia was locked in remembrance as she recalled that fateful day.
Every time Olivia closed her eyes the picture swam through her head as though she was being held under rapids. Cecilia was so young, a brilliant fifteen-year-old. She was unlike any other. The way her long cocoa brown braids would fly high in the air as we laughed taking turns on the swing, the way she would chuckle and her freckled cheeks flush a light pink as she teased me about the boys I like, the way she was always there at night when I needed someone to hold me through the storm. I was her, she was me; intertwined at the heart. So. Why did it have to happen to her? Why was she taken away by the hatred of others? Why, could it not have been me?
Awakening from her trance, Olivia looked up at the sky just in time for a droplet to splash on her glasses. The rain had come, and yet she did not budge from her spot. She had always been tied to her sister in an unimaginable way. Olivia came to visit the grave often, but she never once came during a storm. A steady drizzle poured around her as she stopped to notice her surroundings. It had become a habit. Every time Olivia came to the cemetery she would go directly to where the burial had taken place. She would never forget that sorrow-filled path which lead from the walkway to the place where Cecilia lay at rest. Only this time did Olivia notice how many graves lay in the same cemetery as her sister. Ten, twenty, fifty, eighty. Those were as many as she could count with the stream of water fogging her vision. Slowly, she rose from her spot and step by step she made her way around the outer edge of the field.
Overlooking the ledge, another field lay before Olivia towards the left, and yet another on her right. As a bolt of lightning struck and a gust of wind passed through her hair, for the first time in her life Olivia did not cringe. She stood motionless and took in the awe which lay before her. She was not the only one who had lost someone dear to her. Just in this very cemetery at least one thousand others had left family and friends behind. Mothers, fathers, children. Sisters. Olivia was not alone in the world as she had believed. No, she still had her mother and her father, her aunts and uncles, her cousins and her friends. Although none of them could ever fill the permanent burn in her heart, she could not give up on her hopes and dreams. Cecilia would want me to be happy. She wouldn't want me to choose to end my life when she didn't have a say.
As the rain continued to soak her hair, she made her way back to he sister's grave. With a soft smile, Olivia took a card out of her pocket and rested it gently next to the flower. Standing upright and readjusting her scarf, Olivia set off with high spirits. May both our dreams live on through me. Happy birthday, Cecilia.

Theme: The death of someone who plays an important role in an one's life reveals a new perspective in which they better understand themselves and the world around them.

Techniques:

To portray Hurston's theme, I initiated a motif of the rain and storm which held strong meaning to Olivia. In the beginning the rain demonstrates her fear of storms which she had always turned to her Cecilia for help. As Olivia comes to the realization that there is more to life than her twin, she sees the rain as something not to fear, but as a new challenge in life in which she must take on. The atmosphere also ties into Hurston's theme as the heaviness of reminiscence sets up this pastiche. Much like Janie, Olivia is forced to face the reality in which she could have never imagined. Third person omniscient gives the reader a deeper understanding of Olivia's character. If there was no omniscience to this piece, one might view Olivia as a solemn character instead of one who is truly hurting on the inside, and has the potential to change. Even in the short passage, one is able to see Olivia grow and learn about herself and her life. Rhetorical questions also give emphasis to the confusion in Olivia's life. She feels as though it is her fault that Cecilia died, and by questioning herself she takes the next step further to answering those questions. Although Hurston would probably not use it as a major technique to tie directly to the theme, the use of the simile where Olivia is "underneath the rapids", it allows for a deeper understanding of the traumatic situation Olivia has gone through. The simile gives life to the idea that it is not easy to escape the torturous nightmare Olivia has to live through day after day. Even in Their Eyes Were Watching God, some similes and figurative language strongly emphasize a character or scene which can relate back to Hurston's themes.

TEWWG - Journal #8: Stylistic Attributes

Journal Prompt #8: Find quotations for three different stylistic attributes of Hurston's writing. Explain the context of the passage (where does it occur in the book, what is happening, who is involved). Identify and describe the literary technique used in the the passage, and explain how you think it affects the text and how you read it.

"It was so crazy digging worms by lamp light and setting out for Lake Sabelia after midnight that she felt like a child breaking rules. That's what made Janie like it. They caught two or three and got home just before day. Then she had to smuggle Tea Cake out by the back gate and that made it seem like some great secret she was keeping from the town." (Hurston, pg. 102)

* In this passage Tea Cake takes Janie to go out in the middle of the night to go fishing. Janie begins to feel youthful through Tea Cake's young and care-free nature.
* Hurston once again brings in the motif of youth and age. In this passage Janie is overcome with the feeling or excitement as she recalls how it is to feel young. The need to not worry about responsibility gives Janie a sense of freedom from the life she has been restricted to. Although her community continues to judge her based on her age, she does not let it get in the way of the ecstatic feeling she encounters. This reoccurring youth in which Janie finds when embracing Tea Cake's lifestyle helps her escape the idea that her character is defined by her age.


"Then Tea Cake went to the piano without so much as asking and began playing blues and singing, and throwing grins over his shoulder. The sounds lulled Janie to soft slumber and she woke up with Tea Cake combing her hair and scratching the dandruff from her scalp. It made her more comfortable and drowsy." (Hurston, pg. 103)

* This passage includes an exhausted Janie and Tea Cake as they conclude their adventures for the day. Tea Cake finds a way to relax Janie and she finally finds an exit for the stress of the town which she has been dealing with.
* Hurston accentuates a shift in the story by manipulating the atmosphere in this passage. After the spirited day Janie has, Hurston shifts an upbeat atmosphere to a calmer one. Tea Cake begins to play music which relaxes Janie, as seen through her the phrases "soft slumber" and "comfortable". This atmosphere makes the reader slow down from the more recent fast-paced scenes.


"At the newel post Janie whirled around and for the space of a thought she was lit up like a transfiguration. Her next thought brought her crashing down. He's just saying anything for the time being, feeling he's got me so I'll b'lieve him. The next thought buried her under tons of cold futility. He's trading on being younger than me. Getting ready to laugh at me for an old fool. But oh, what wouldn't I give to be twelve years younger so I could b'lieve him!" (Hurston, pg. 105)

* In the passage above Janie begins to ponder on the age difference between her and Tea Cake. She second guesses his feelings for her as she forgets the youthfulness she encounters early, and instead sees herself as an older woman.
* Hurston uses third person omniscient view to emphasize the internal conflict Janie faces about who she is and how she views herself. By looking into the thoughts of Janie, one can see how she is torn between her love for Tea Cake and the realization of her age. Janie's dialect comes out through the text as if she is speaking to herself. The comparison between the ages shows how strongly Janie is impacted by the community. Janie is torn between her independence and who she wants to be, alongside the definition of her person in which she is given.

TEWWG - Journal #7: Mini Pastiche

Journal Prompt #7: Create a pastiche, matching Hurston' style and themes as closely as possible. After you complete your pastiche, write a statement explaining some of the decisions you made in order to match Hurston's writing and objectives.

 Soon after Violet contemplated Satisfaction. Satisfaction, that unreachable apple with the utmost importance unlike anything else who lived at the zenith of the heart. The powerful one who withholds the key to what humans strive for like a child who yearned for the sun to return on a rainy day. What need has Satisfaction for a lock, and who would dare attempt to break the seal with force? She awaits on her mountain top for those worthy of reaching her. Motions hopefulness and determination with her swaying pendulum, wondering if her challenge will ever be met. Only someone with perseverance and dreams could ever pass the test. She saw the light in the distance in which she knew her eminence was signaling her arrival. She was dedicated and strong-willed as well. Mundane Micah! He should not have to stay frozen like the others. She made a compelling argument, but Micah did not budge. These chillun' wuz right in deciding their own destiny, and he should listen to. He'd had no zeal burning at him as long as he stuck to what he knew. He did not care to change the way he was. His opinion stood. But by the constant denial, she knew he wanted to reach his goals. And if he did not voice the words to her, his positive attitude shined through the morning mist. Unspoken dreams which had never been shared before slid in through the shadows and lingered around him. Stood strong and were poised and ready to face the new day. Confidence, the glimmering sun, took root upon the horizon.

In addition to the use of sentence structure, I mimicked Hurston's reoccurring topic of dreams. The way to reach dreams are hinted at throughout the novel, which I strongly emphasized in the mini pastiche. I picked satisfaction and confidence because they come hand in hand. Satisfaction is an aspect of life in which can not be reached without understanding oneself as well as the desire to change. This can be seen through the novel as Janie becomes slightly more satisfied with her life as she learns more about herself as an individual. Hurston's use of nature and tying it into human life is also incorporated into this passage.

TEWWG - Journal #6: Death

Journal Prompt #6: Read closely Janie's description of Death in chapter 8. Make a list of the stylistic choices Hurston makes in the passage that begins "Death, that strange bird with the huge square toes..." and ends with "Rumor, that wingless bird..." Along with listing the decisions Hurston makes in this passage, identify the effect of each of each of these decisions. You can do this in list form: technique/stylistic choice, effect, technique, effect, etc.

"So Janie began to think of Death. Death, that strange being with the huge square toes who lived way in the West. The great one who lived in the straight house like a platform without sides to it, and without a roof. What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him? He stands in his high house that overlooks the world. Stands watchful and motionless all day with his sword drawn back, waiting for the messenger to bid him come. Been standing there before there was a where or a when or a then. She was liable to find a feather from his wings lying in her yard any day now. She was sad and afraid too. Poor Jody! He out not to have to wrassle in there by himself. She sent Sam in to suggest a visit, but Jody said No. These medical doctors wuz all right with the Godly sick, but they didn't know a thing about a case like his. He'd be all right just as soon as the two-headed man found what had been buried against him. He wasn't going to die at all. That was what he thought. But Sam told her different, so she knew. And then if he hadn't, the next morning she was bound to know, for people began to gather in the big yard under the palm and china-berry trees. People who would not have dared to foot the place before crept in and did not come to the house. Just squatted under the trees and waited. Rumor, that wingless bird, had shadowed over the town." (Hurston, pg. 84)

Technique #1: Death is personified.
Effect: Death becomes an entity with power and authority, capable of judging other humans.

Technique #2: The motif of judgment occurs as Death "overlooks the world".
Effect: It becomes apparent that people are not the only ones who can be judgmental, but nonhuman entities as well.

Technique #3: A simile is used to describe Death's house.
Effect: The image of Death watching over day and night because there are no walls gives greater power to Death.

Technique #4: The word choice of "watchful" and "motionless" shifts the mood of the passage.
Effect: The passage becomes solemn and focused on the idea of death, rather than its personification.

Technique #5: The metaphor of death looking over the "world".
Effect: The "world" is not Earth itself, but instead an individual life. Janie's life can be seen as a world of its own, and have greater importance than before.

Technique # 6: Describing the setting previous to the world ambiguously.
Effect: Death is present in any time, whether it be the past, present, or future, and is inevitable. Janie understands this, knowing she will have to let Joe go.

Technique #7: The motif of the tree is used and this time there are more people underneath the trees than Janie.
Effect: Another link to nature illustrates how everyone is tied to nature, as a gathering spot. The tree also marks an important change in someone's life.

Technique#8: Foreshadowing the death of Joe as the "wingless birds shadow over the town".
Effect: Death has been mentioned as in his "high house", which could be in the sky, such as birds do. Since death is not a bird itself, it can still cast a wingless shadow of despair over the people who know are awaiting Joe's death.

Technique #9: Janie's dialect is used in the narration of the passage.
Effect: Janie's character stands out, emphasizing her feelings momentarily. Her fear and sadness can be seen through her worries of the doctors.

Technique #10: Repetition of "knowing" (understanding the situation).
Effect: Janie's insecurities stand out as she is not sure what to make of Joe's illness. On one hand, she believes the doctors do not know what they are doing, and on the other hand she is quick to believe Joe is okay based on her observations.

TEWWG - Journal #5 (Part 2): Blog Commenting

I commented on the following blogs: Nikki Yoke, Travis Eurick, and Ben Webster

TEWWG - Journal #5: Thesis Rough Draft

Hurston begins at the end of the story then proceeds in a chronological order, which allows the reader to see the drastic changes Janie has gone through during life. Hurston uses this technique to show how personal growth can be achieved when independent decisions are made in life.

TEWWG - Journal #4: 3 Patterns

1. Janie loses her independence and power as a woman as Joe restricts her to what he wants her to be. In chapters six and seven, Joe is the main anchor holding Janie down.
 ex. ""Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her place is in de home." Janie made her face laugh after a short pause, but it wasn't easy." (pg. 43)
""You oughtta be glad, 'cause dat makes uh big woman outa you." A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away from things and lonely." (pg. 46)
"There was one of those big blow-out laughs and Janie was wallowing in it. Then Jody ruined it all for her." (pg. 69)

2. The community perceives death as inevitable; they pay respect, but move on quickly. During chapters six and seven, the death of the mule is made a big deal, but not dragged out. Later in the novel Janie shows little reaction to Joe's death.
ex. "He had seen Death coming and had stood his ground and fought it like a natural man... Death had to take him like it found him." (pg. 59)
"Out in the swamp they made great ceremony over the mule. They mocked everything human in death." (pg. 60)
"The yaller mule was gone from the town except for the porch talk, and for the children visiting his bleaching bones now and then in the spirit of adventure." (pg. 62)

3. Although the men act as if they have power over the women, the men give in when they want to please the women. Chapter seven refers to the men of Eatonville struggling to get Daisy's attention. Throughout the novel men attempt to sway Janie, giving her the power of decision.
ex. "They all beg the girls to just buy anything they can think of. Please let them pay for it." (pg. 67)
"The boys had to act out their rivalry, too. Only this time, everybody knew they meant some of it." (pg. 68)
""And you know if Ah wuz ridin' up in uh earoplane way up in de sky and Ah looked down and seen you walkin' and knowed you'd have tuh walk ten miles tuh git home, Ah'd step backward offa dat earoplane just to walk home wid you."" (pg. 69)

TEWWG - Journal #3: Harlem Renaissance/Dialect

Harlem Renaissance figure: W.E.B. Du Bois
Du Bois was an African-American civil rights activist of the early 1900s. He attempted many different strategies, such as propaganda, national self-determination, and human rights, to put an end to racism in the United States. Also, he was the first African-American to earn a PhD in history at Harvard, which shows how far he went to achieve his goal of making the country more educated and accepting of others. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1910 by Du Bois; he carried through as the editor of the NAACP's journal The Crisis, giving him the chance to interview famous Harlem Renaissance writers and publish their work.

Dialect: Boston (-ish)
List of rules:
Pronunciation-

• Cannot pronounce "r", instead use "aw" sound (ex. hard --> hawd)
• Emphasis on vowels, drawn out longer (ex. path --> paath)
• "o" changes to a "uh" sound when not the beginning syllable (ex. Oregon --> Oregun)

Grammar-

• Verbs ending in "ing" drop the "g", leaving "in'"
• Often ends a sentence using someone's name/title/nickname
• Contractions used frequently

Vocabulary-

• "gonzo" = crazy
• "spa" = convenience store
• "jimmies" = ice cream sprinkles

 Conversation:
"Excuse me," W.E.B. Du Bois questioned a young Boston woman, "would you happen to know where Boston University is? I have not been to this area in quite a while and cannot seem to find my way."
"The Univahsity, you say?" the young woman echoed. "Shaw thing. In fact, I was just headin' baack theaw; I wawk theaw."
"Thank you very much. You are far too kind," Du Bois thanked her as the two began walking down the streets of Boston.
"If you don't miind, we caan pick up a bite to eat befoaw reaching the campus, saw," she said. "Theaw's a nice little spa up alung the road."
Du Bois, confused, asked, "Now why in the world would we be going to a spa for a midday meal?"
"You really awn't frum this pawt of the Staates, aw you?" the young woman laughed.
"Lets just say that I come from a time when things were a bit different," commented Du Bois.
Upon entering the convenience store, the woman pointed to a machine in the corner and told Du Bois, "Fawst off, this is the spa," she stated. "Secundly, I come heaw evawy Friday faw my vanilla soft seawve and some colawful jimmies to puut on top."
Eying the ice cream machine, Du Bois and the woman walked over where Du Bois, wide-eyed, decided what he wanted. "Such a magnificent machine! I have never seen anything like this. Though, I do believe I will give chocolate a try since I am always open to trying new options."
"You'aw gonzo, saw!" cried the woman. "I might be a vanilla faan, but evawyone has had some chocolate in theaw life."
"Well, I suppose the world has finally opened their eyes and come to see there is more than one color in the world, " a delighted Du Bois commented as the two made their way out of the store.
The woman smiled and glanced down at her multi-colored sprinkles. "Colaw is loved by evawyone," she explained. "As lung as rainbows leave people in awe, a colawful wawld's shaw to keep us togethaw."

Comment:
I commented on Isabella L's blog - journal #3.

TEWWG - Journal #2: Analytical (Ch. 1, 2)

Prompt:
(Analytic): Pick a passage from your reading (between one paragraph and half a page). Copy the passage onto your blog and make a list of the decisions that Hurston made in writing that passage. What techniques, what patterns, what questions, what tone, what word choice, etc.

Response:
"It was a spring afternoon in West Florida. Janie had spent most of the day under a blossoming pear tree in the back-yard. She had been spending every minute that she could steal from her chores under that tree for the last three days. That was to say, ever since the first tiny bloom had opened. It had called her to come and gaze on a mystery. From barren brown stems to glistening lead-buds; from the leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom. It stirred her tremendously. How? Why? It was like a flute song forgotten in another existence and remembered again. What? How? Why? This singing she heard that had nothing to do with her ears. The rose of the world was breathing out smell. It followed her through all her waking moments and caressed her in her sleep. It connected itself with other vaguely felt matters that had struck her outside observation and buried themselves in her flesh. Now they emerged and quested about her consciousness." (pg. 10-11)

1. Motif of nature when referring to the "blossoming pear tree" presents itself.
2. Third omniscient point of view is used to illustrate Janie's thoughts and feelings of the time spent under the pear tree.
3. The tone of this passage indicates a gentle side to nature, which is like Janie as a child, care-free and light-hearted.
4. Descriptive imagery is used to reach three of the five senses.
5. The tree is personified to bring the passage to life and give it more dimension.
6. "Bloom" is repeated to show how new life can come about, which ties into Janie blossoming into a woman.
7. The simile comparing the tree to the flute illustrates the tree as something that will always remain beautiful.
8. " The rose of the world" symbolizes Janie's dream which is carried out through life.
9. A calm rhythm allows the gentle tone of this passage to stand out.
10. The phrase "snowy virginity" is a connotation for a fresh beginning, such as Janie's transformation into womanhood.
11. Ambiguity is demonstrated through "the rose of the world" as Hurston never clearly defines what she means, and how it ties into the following sentences with "it".
12. Setting is clearly shown by the descriptive language used.
13. Consonance can be seen through the repetition of the "b"-sound throughout the passage.
14. "Now they emerged and quested about her consciousness" foreshadows Janie's change from a child into a woman, as she begins to see life in a different light.
15. Theme: Transitioning from one stage in life to the next is the same experience for all living organisms.
16. Thesis: Zora Neale Hurston uses imagery and personification to demonstrate the similarities all living organisms share.

TEWWG - Journal #1: Life Reflection

Prompt:

"(Reflective): If you could tell your life story to one person, to whom would it be? Where would you begin (moment that changed your world view)?"

Response: 

If I could tell one person my life story I would share it with my twenty-five-year-old half-sister, Heather. Adopted at birth through an open adoption agency, I have only gotten to see her twice, at the young ages of two and seven. Heather is my only sibling, as I am an only child in my small family of my father and I. Although I talk with my biological grandparents on a regular basis, Heather never seems to be around. I feel that there is great potential for the two of us to get to know one another and understand the difficulties we each faced in our lives growing up. There is a bond between us as sisters and I believe she would be open to hearing what I have experienced in life so far; hopefully she would be able to relay her experiences and wisdom to me so I will know a little bit more before heading into my next step of life.

My life story would begin at the very start of the summer after my freshman year. This was a time of loss, hurt, and confusion for not only me, but my father as well. The last week of my freshman year my mother passed away after suffering from a severe case of dementia for a prolonged period of time. Although she was finally at rest, the impact it had on me was an immense shock. Those months leading up to that point had taken a toll on me and forced me to adapt to change very quickly, changing me as a whole.  This point in time was the turning point in my life; I experienced something that most of my friends and peers would not face until adulthood. I find this moment the most essential to making me who I am today. If I were to start telling my life story here, I could compare and contrast the care-free, outgoing Elizabeth of the past to the reserved, critical thinking Elizabeth of the present. By examining my life both pre-event and post-event, one can tell that everything up until this moment in life has made me who I am today.