Bobbys English Blog

Doing the annotated bibliography helped me understand my topic way better because I saw different viewpoints instead of just one side. My sources connect because they all talk about the same issue but focus on different parts which is helping me figure out my main argument. We finished the annotated bibliography I got the hang of doing the annotated bibliography.

Which part of the annotated bibliography (summary, reflection, or evaluation) was the most challenging for you, and why? Explain how that challenge helped you grow as a researcher and how it will help you when writing your research paper.

The evaluation part was the most challenging because it was hard to judge if a source was truly reliable or just sounded good. It helped me grow as a researcher by making me think more critically and it will help me pick stronger sources for my research paper. Today we actually started our annotated bibliography I learned how to write an annotated bibliography even though i was absent.

As you gathered sources, you were expected to find multiple perspectives on your topic. What differences did you notice between your sources? Explain how these differences helped you better understand the complexity of your issue.

My sources had different opinions like some were more supportive of the issue while others were more critical or showed problems with it. Seeing both sides helped me understand that the issue is more complicated than it first seems and there are multiple factors involved. I found more sources and put them in a google drive with my group I used google drive when i dont really use it

Think about your experience using GALILEO to find sources. How was this different from how you have searched for information in the past? Explain how using specific search strategies and evaluating sources impacted the quality of what you found.

Using GALILEO was more structured than just Googling stuff because I had to use better keywords instead of random questions. It helped me find more reliable sources and the information was way more useful since I actually checked if the sources were credible. We used Galileo to find more sources I found out how to use galileio

Political cartoons often use exaggeration and symbolism to make a point, and they can also serve as important visual sources for analysis. What is being criticized in this image? What does this source suggest about the issue, and what does the cartoonist want the audience to question or reconsider?

April 17, 2026

The cartoon is criticizing how Donald Trump is distracting people with a foreign conflict instead of focusing on problems in the US like immigration and government spending. The “big beautiful bill” elephant and ICE agent show issues at home being ignored while attention is pulled somewhere else.It suggests the government might use big global events to take focus off controversial policies. The cartoonist wants people to question what’s really getting attention and if important issues at home are being overlooked. Today we worked more on our research I finally found some sources

Think about how you have searched for information in the past compared to what you practiced today. How is creating specific search phrases different from just “Googling” a topic? Explain how this strategy will improve the quality of your research.

April 15, 2026

Before I would just look up something basic like plastic surgery and click whatever popped up. Now I use more specific phrases like effects of plastic surgery on teens or risks and benefits so I get better info.This helps cause the results are actually about what Im researching instead of random stuff. It makes my research way more accurate and saves time. Today we did a commonlit I searched up some stuff about plastic surgery.

Your research question is designed to explore a complex issue. What makes this topic difficult to answer or solve? Identify at least two different perspectives or factors related to your topic and explain why understanding multiple viewpoints is important.

April 14, 2026

This topic is hard to answer cause plastic surgery can be seen in totally different ways depending on who you ask. Some people think its good for confidence and fixing injuries while others think it creates fake beauty standards and pressure especially from social media. Understanding both sides matters cause it helps you see the real impact not just one opinion. If you only look at one view you might miss how it actually affects people mentally and socially. Today we chose our research question I found out how to use the Galileo website better.

Reflect on your past experiences with research in school. What challenges have you faced when working independently or in a group, and how did you handle them? Explain how those experiences will influence the way you approach this current research project.

April 13, 2026

One challenge I had was staying on track when I worked alone cause its easy to procrastinate and get distracted. In groups sometimes people didnt do their part so I just tried to step up and keep everyone on the same page.Now Im gonna plan stuff out better and not wait till last minute and if Im in a group Im gonna communicate more so we dont fall behind. We learned about the research process and got into groups I learned more about how to research.

If you could plan the perfect spring break with no limitation, money, time, or responsibilities—what would it look like? Where would you go, who would you bring, and what would you do?

If I could go anywhere for spring break with no limits, I would probably hit up a private island in the Maldives with all my best friends. We would just spend the whole time swimming in clear water and hanging out by a massive bonfire on the beach every night with endless food. Since money and time would not matter, we could even fly to Tokyo or Paris whenever we got bored just to see something new. It would be the best trip ever because we could just have fun and see the world without worrying about school or a budget. Today we did a common lit I learned about how to get through college.

McCandless set out to live independently in the wilderness, but his death reveals the harsh reality of nature and survival. In your blog post, analyze how his desire for independence contributed to his death. Then, connect this idea to your own life by explaining a time when you wanted complete independence or control over a situation. Did things go as planned, or did you face unexpected challenges?

Chris McCandless died because his obsession with being totally independent made him refuse to bring a map or a radio that could have saved his life. He wanted to prove he could survive without any help from the outside world, but that meant he had no backup plan when things actually got dangerous. I felt something similar when I tried to finish a huge school project entirely by myself without asking for any help. It did not go as planned because I got overwhelmed by the workload and realized too late that I actually needed someone else to help me with the parts I did not understand. Today we finished the book and the movie I learned about how both of the movies end

How does watching the film version of Into the Wild change or deepen your understanding of Chris McCandless compared to reading the book? In your response, explain one key difference in how his character or experiences are presented, and connect this to a time when seeing something visually changed your understanding of a situation.

Watching the movie makes Chris feel more like a real person because you actually see him interacting with people instead of just reading his old letters. One big difference is the film shows his emotions in the moment, which makes his loneliness feel way more intense than it does in the book. This is like when I watched a video of a storm and seeing the actual wind and rain made me realize how scary it was way more than just reading a weather report. Today we watched the first half of the into the wild movie I saw how differently Chris is represented in the movie than the book

Chris and his sister Carine McCandless had a very close relationship, even when he struggled to connect with others. Write about a relationship in your life where you feel truly understood. Explain what makes that relationship strong and how it compares to the connection between Chris and Carine in Into the Wild.

I have a really close relationship with my sister because she is the one person who actually gets my sense of humor and knows when I am stressed without me having to say anything. Our bond is strong because we have a lot of shared history and she never judges me for being myself. This is similar to Chris and Carine in Into the Wild because they had a special connection that was way deeper than the relationships they had with anyone else. Today we read chapter 13 and answered some questions I know more about the book

In your opinion, what builds trust in a relationship, and what can damage it? (pg. 121)

March 28, 2026

Trust is built on honesty and being who you say you are. In the book, Chris trusted his father because he thought he was a good man with high standards. On page 121, that trust is damaged when Chris finds out his father lived a double life and had a secret family. This makes Chris see his father as a hypocrite, and that big lie ruins their relationship because Chris feels like his whole life was a trick. Today we read chapters 11-12 and did questions on them I learned more about Chris and how he sees his family

Based on the first 40 minutes of the film and Chapters 1–11 of the book, does the visual version of Chris’s journey make his choices seem more justified or more reckless than the text does? Explain how the medium (film vs writing) shapes your perspective. image.png

March 28, 2026

The film uses beautiful scenery and a sad soundtrack to make his trip feel like a meaningful quest for freedom. Seeing his parents fight on screen gives a clear reason for why he had to leave home to protect his mental health. However, the book feels more like a police report. It uses facts to show how unprepared Chris really was since he didn't even have a map. This makes his choices seem less like a cool adventure and more like a dangerous mistake. Today we watched the film "Into The Wild" based on the book. Today I learned the difference between the film and the book

Think about a moment when your understanding of your family changed as you got older. How did that shift impact your perspective, and how does that connect to Chris’s realization about his parents in Chapter 11

March 27, 2026

As I got older, I realized my parents were just normal, flawed people instead of perfect authorities. This shift made me more independent but also more critical of them. This connects to Chris McCandless in Chapter 11 because he discovers his father, Walt, had a secret second family. Like me, Chris stops seeing his father as a moral leader, but he takes it much further by becoming angry and completely cutting his parents out of his life to head into the wild. Today we read chapter 9-10 and did a couple of worksheets about family and connections I connected the book to real life

If you had to describe how you show love using only three objects (for example: a playlist, a hoodie, a late-night snack, a long text message, etc.), what would you choose and why? Explain what each object represents and how it connects to your personality.

I show love using a long text message, buying snacks, and giving someone my clothes. I would choose clothes because that's very important to me. But a long text message shows my care for the person, clothes shows how important to my they are because clothes are as Important, buying snacks is just making sure my partner or anyone ate and is nourished. Today we wrote a valentines poem for our parents I wrote my parents a great poem.

Now that you have completed the rhetorical analysis essay, reflect on your growth. Explain how this experience impacted your confidence as a writer and whether you feel prepared to continue analyzing complex speeches and texts in American Literature. Support your reflection with specific references to the writing process.

This experience impacted my confidence as a writer because it helped me do better with writing on a timer as well as brainstorming and coming up with a plan before writing my essay. I do feel prepared to analyze more text in the future. We wrote the rhetorical analysis essay. I wrote my rhetorical analysis essay in a timely fashion.

Today, you learned how to complete a rhetorical analysis planning guide step by step, from identifying the rhetorical situation to analyzing devices and effects. Reflect on one step of the rhetorical analysis process that helped you understand the process more clearly. Explain what you learned during that step and how it improved your ability to analyze a speaker’s message.

One step that helped me understand the process more clearly was the brainstorming because it was the foundation for my essay to help me know what I am writing We finished out rhetorical analysis essay prep work I finished the brainstorming part of my essay.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day week, describe your idea of a perfect day spent with someone you care about (a friend, family member, or significant person in your life