Reflection of English 102

Throughout English 102, I have learned so many new things about literature that I didn't know before. The stories and poems we read were interesting and I have a new understanding of literature. Some of the stories we read, I read in high school and I didn't understand them nearly as much as I do now. I finally know how to interpret a poem, which was one of my biggest struggles in english. English 102 has taken what I have learned from English 101 and has transformed it into a completely new valuable source of education. I usually hate blogging but I actually enjoyed this assignment and I am glad that I was able to finally learn how to to do it properly. As a writer, I feel I have grown, I no longer look at a writing assignment with hate, I am more comfortable with my writing and look forward to continue growing as a writer. What I enjoyed most about this class was the short stories. "A&P" by John Updike was my favorite, I thought it was so interesting that an author can use the narrator to describe the characters but in the end the narrator is the one being characterized. What I will take away from the class is how to understand the deeper meaning behind literature and to stop forcing a meaning out of a story and let it come together on its own. In five years from now, I hope to gain more skills in my reading and writing and English 102 has put me on the right track to do that.

"What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger"

"What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger" is a quote that I have followed through each hardship in my life. Through death, loss, sickness and any other issues that I have faced in my life I have followed this quote and it has gotten me through a lot of hardships in my life. I decided to get this quote tattooed on my arms to continuously remind me that everything that I go through is only making me a stronger person. I love tattoos, and its definitely true that they're addicting and I look forward to getting more soon. 

My Heritage

Growing up with an Italian family is always fun, filling, and loud. I am 100% Italian, my ancestors are from Sicily so I am 100% Sicilian. My grandparents are extraordinary cooks, when all my grandparents were alive, I would never leave their homes with an empty stomach, and the more I would refuse to eat, the more they would insist. They each used the same reason "you're a growing boy, have another". When my entire family gets together for occasions, it's a blast, I am so thankful for each member in my family, we are always laughing and causing chaos and I wouldn't want it any other way. 

My Hobbies

When I don't have school work and Im not at work, I enjoy a few things to pass time. I love to hangout with my friends, I love to pick a sporadic destination and just go. If I'm not roaming the Island then I like to relax and watch movies and television, my all time favorite movie is Good Fellas, and my favorite show is Friends. Whenever I'm stressed or if I just need a break, I turn on music and block out my surroundings. Music is definitely the greatest form of therapy. My favorite band is Coldplay. I love my 2014 Hyundai Sonata more than I probably should, which most likely contributes to why I enjoy driving so much. My hobbies are what gets me through the good and bad times in life and I'm grateful for everything that I have and I try my hardest to never take it for granted.

My Future

I am the most indecisive person I know, I can never make up my mind for what I am going to do in an hour, let alone in the years to come. The things I am certain that I want is a house, a wife, and some kids. I want a house and a successful career. I am currently majoring in Business Management at Farmingdale, but my real goal is to transfer to New York University and simultaneously major in Business and Film in hopes to become a Television/Movie Producer. I love movie production and all the work it takes to make a movie and I also love the aspects of business so I combined the two and decided where I would like to see myself in the future. One of my biggest dreams is to move to Manhattan, I love the fast-paced atmosphere and all the opportunities that the city has to offer. 

About Me

To start off, my name is Joe Giannino. I was born on March 19th, 1995 so I am currently nineteen years old. I currently live in Seaford, New York with my mother and father, Annette and Joe, my older brother Charlie, and my younger sister Angie. My family is the most important aspect of my life. They are there for me through thick and thin and I wouldn't want it any other way. Along with my family comes my friends, my friends are my family outside my house, they're some of the most important people in my life and I would do anything for them. When I'm not home with my family or out with my friends, you can find me working at Starbucks as a shift supervisor. I love my job, there is a lot of work and responsibility but I am a hard worker and I actually love being at work. I was a concession supervisor up until the beginning of April, I quit when I got promoted at Starbucks after working there for only six months. I like to believe that I am a leader and If I'm going to do something once, I might as well put my all into it.  I am currently a freshman here at Farmingdale State College and I am majoring in Business Management. I understand life is crazy and things don't always go as planned but I am taking life as it comes and trying to enjoy it regardless.

"Fire and Ice"

"Fire and Ice"

Some say the world will end in fire,  

Some say in ice.       

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.        

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate  

To know that for destruction ice       

Is also great     

And would suffice.

This is my personal favorite of the many poems written by Robert Frost. Robert Frost is displaying how some say the world will end in fire (which symbolizes desire) or ice (which symbolizes hate). Frost then goes on to say that he believes that desire will be the one to end the world but he knows enough hate that its destruction could also be great. Frost is saying how hate and desire are two extremely strong passionate feelings that can indeed end the world. Desire could easily end the world and hate would cause so much destruction that it would be adequate enough to end the world.

"The Road Not Taken"

"The Road Not Taken"

 Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is one of his most popular poems. It’s also very relatable, in my life I try to make decisions that don’t always follow social norm. This poem is about choosing paths and taking direction, it’s about making decisions in life and choosing between different paths that are laid out for us. One of the paths has been used by many other people, therefore, the outcome is obvious. The other path isn’t chosen very often, the outcome is a mystery. The person in the poem chooses to take the poem less traveled by and they claim it has truly made a difference.

"Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening"

"Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening"

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   

To stop without a farmhouse near   

Between the woods and frozen lake   

The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

Frost is talking about how beautiful the woods are especially when they fill up with snow. However, as beautiful as the snowy woods may be, he must continue home because there are many other responsibilities in this long life that he must complete. This poem is believed to relate back to a Christmas that Frost couldn’t afford gifts for his children. Frost sat in the woods not wanting to move because of his ordeal, however, he realized that he had to go do something for his kids because he made promises to them that knew he had to fulfill. 

The Death of Robert Frost

On January 29^TH 1963, Robert Frost died of complications from prostate surgery. Frost was 88 years old, he was buried in Bennington, Vermont under a self written epitaph that stated “I had a lover’s quarrel with the world”. Just a month before his death, President John F. Kennedy spoke at the inauguration of the Robert Frost Library in Amherst, Massachusetts. Robert Frost lived a long life, he accomplished so much and achieved much recognition for his work, recognition that was obviously very well deserved.