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Sp reflection Senior project has been a lot more work than I expected. My outsourcing topic was somewhat difficult to research, but I believe it was definitely a challenging, beneficial experience. Since my topic has a lot to do with business and economics, it was timely that we were learning related topics in Economics. At first when I began researching my topic I looked at the situation close minded; I was completely opposed to outsourcing. Luckily, Mrs. King assigned me an Economics project dealing with “The Wealth and Poverty of Nations.” I soon realized that even though I don’t believe outsourcing is ethical, it’s vital to our persistent economic growth. When I attend the University of South Florida next year, my field of study will be accounting. Since accounting is one of the jobs at risk to outsourcing, because bookkeeping can be done electronically, this topic really interested me. My mentor, Todd Reilley, is my co-worker at Outback Steakhouse and a displaced accountant due to new technology. Todd went back to school to further his education, as I had researched, like many other displaced workers. However, one of the most eye-opening aspects of my project was seeing how many Americans rely on products from other countries. I did my neighborhood clothesdrive and American-based product list so my community would become more aware of their consumption. I donated these items to the Salvation Army. I know senior project is a small example of a college product, but it definitely prepared me and gave me insight into dedication and thorough research. I feel like my community and I are more aware of products made in our country. In addition, I’ve learned a lot about economics and the necessity of modified outsourcing regulations.

Dear Todd Reilley,
Thank you so mcuh for being my mentor and friend voer the course of this project. I know you took your valuable time to meet and interview with me outside of work, while you were attending USF classes. I appreciate your recurrent e-mails and forwarded articles concerning outsourcing.

Also, thank you for helping me direct my focus for my career in accounting. Not only did you give me wonderful, realistic ideas for my clothesdrive product, but you guided me in broadening my research. I was surprised you participated in my clothesdrive and donated yours suits and shirts to the Salvation Army a couple days ago.

I am very grateful for all of you time and help organizing my product and focusing the research of my paper. Your patience was crucial to the finishing details of my project.

Sincerely,

Erica Sells

Erica Sells Mrs. Sisemore English III Honors, Period 3 4 June 2009 Final Exam Shackled Characters In “A Pair of Silk Stockings” by Kate Chopin, the main character, Mrs. Sommers, is shackled by society and family. Before she married, Mrs. Sommers had more money, and throughout the story she reminisces about the “better days.” Society looks down upon Mrs. Sommers because she's poor, but I believe that Mrs. Sommers exaggerates her lack of wealth. In the beginning of the story, Mrs. Sommers imagines the clothing she’ll buy for her children with her money. This suddenly changed when she bought a pair of silk stockings. Once Mrs. Sommers wore the silk stockings she seemed to be in her own fantasy land. She was dining in a fancy restaurant and spending foolishly. If she was truly struggling, I can't imagine her spending a much-needed $15 on such ridiculous, selfish items. Mrs. Sommers resents that upon marrying her husband she became poor and has to take care of her family. On the other hand, maybe Mrs. Sommers is a sincerely selfish, materialistic person. I believe that Mrs. Sommers represents how material items can change someone's attitude. She was trying to be someone she’s not upon buying the stockings. Laura from //The Glass Menagerie// by Tennessee Williams, is shackled physically by her disability, her mother Amanda, and fantasy. Laura doesn’t have any confidence in herself because of her constant embarrassment in school that continued into college. She eventually quit college and pretended to go in fear of what her mother would say. Amanda is always pressuring Laura to have a gentlemen caller come over. Amanda is overprotective of Laura and controls Laura’s vulnerable emotions. She’s extremely sensitive and when her collection of glass animals, her obsession in which she centers her attention and focus on, breaks it’s as if her shackles are released temporarily. The fantasy animal, the unicorn, loses his horn, making him a real animal. Amanda’s controlling and unrealistically expects much from Laura, and this prevents Laura from living reality. Tom, realizing his shackled situation with Laura would never better, leaves his mother and Laura at the end of the play.

//The Glass Menagerie// 10. How is the fire escape a symbol that reveals something about Laura's personality? In Scene 1, Tom describes where they live and how there are fire escapes from human desperation in each apartment. Slipping on the fire escape, Laura cries out when she stepped out to go to the grocery store. She slipped on the fire escape because she's crippled. Laura can't escape from her "defect", or from Amanda who demands much from Laura and Tom. The fire escape is the escape from their desperation, their situation as a family. Vulnerable Laura slips even when she steps out onto the fire escape, proving her dependence on her family. Laura's dependence and sheltered life from the outside world helps her escape from her reality to the fantasy of her glass menagerie.


 * //Erica: Good point about Laura not being able to escape. You need to look at the situation at home. She is being told to charge the food and the manager of the store makes her feel bad when she does this. This is an example of how desperate their situation is. Does Laura slip because she is "crippled," or does she slip because she is basically trapped forever. Mrs. S//**

2nd Response: The fact that Laura and her family have to charge food, a basic necessity of life, shows how dependent they are on Tom. Also, Laura slips because she's trapped forever.

**Responses: //Tyler, Nikita and Lauren: These are not good responses. You add nothing to the discussion. A pat on the back is not a good response. Mrs. S//**
I beleive you hit every angle on this question. The response on this question is extemely detailed and I would honeslty not have though of the fire escape as you did Erica. :) **Nikita Ladyzhensky**
 * I think this is an excellent response and I think she hit every point. I have nothing more to expand on. **** Tyler McCarthy **

Lauren: Couldn't have explained it any better. I really like the way you took every aspect of this scene and translated it. I agree with you on the way you look at what happened. I also think this scene happened to make a point, but wasn't said directly. Therefore; erica did a great job on pointing out what exactly this part meant, which was a closer look at the dependence Laura rely's on from her family. Awesome job Erica!

=**SHACKLES**=

How are Mrs. Sommers and Frederick Douglass alike or different? They are both alike because they are shackled by society. Unlike Douglass, Mrs. Sommers, before she married, had more money. Society looks down upon Douglass because he was a slave and his race. Society looks down upon Mrs. Sommers because she's poor, but I think that Mrs. Sommers exaggerates her lack of wealth. If she was truely struggling, I can't imagine someone spending a much-needed $15 on such ridiculous, selfish items. On the other hand, maybe Mrs. Sommers is a sincerely selfish, materialistic person. In Douglass' autobiography, Mr. Covey treated Douglass inhumanely, like an animal. Douglass responded to this by defying Mr. Covey, leaving the plantation and bravely went to see his master. I believe that Mrs. Sommers represents how material items can change someone's attitude, and I believe that Douglass represents courage in the terms of life and death. They're both not satisified with how they're stereotyped by society and how wealth and their situation shackle them.

Lennie


 * What does he look like? ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Basic psychological characteristics || Lennie obviously has a mental disability, which makes him lack some comprehension of his action and reality. He has the mind of a child. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * How does he speak? || He’s repetitive, simple, and monotone. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * What does he want? || He wants to tend for the rabbits on a farm George and him dream of owning one day. Also, he likes to pet soft things. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * How does he get what he wants? || Since Lennie is disabled, others like his Aunt Clara and George had to help him. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **What does he do when faced with problems? ** || George always helps Lennie with his problems and they usually have a designated safe haven to meet up at if Lennie causes trouble. ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **What is his emotional state? ** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **What do other characters say about him? ** || They think he’s trouble, a burden, dumb and strong. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **What does he represent? ** || He represents an animal and his actions symbolize the efforts of achieving a dream. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **What is his station in life? ** || He was basically made out to fail because physically he’s strong, but mentally he’s weak. With his animal like characteristics, he’s at the bottom of the “food chain” in comparison to the other humans in the novel. Also, he's a migrant worker. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **What is expected from him? ** || He’s expected to do hard work; have little to no intelligence, cause trouble, and fail. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **What does he expect from life? ** || He believes that one day George and him will save up enough money to get the farm so he can tend to some of the animals, especially the rabbits. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **Additional information ** |||||||| George killed Lennie to rid him of his own misery. Lennie was somewhat of a burden to George, but it was better that George killed Lennie to save him from the angry mob. ||  ||

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twitter: Lennie: Ima ‘memba to not say nothn tomorrow & go hide if I start trouble but I ain’t gonna cuz George’ll lemme tend the rabbits & have ketchup