5a Group #1

1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point

~909 by: Percival Everett

2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent

~This story is about how Los Angeles is all about area codes. Depending on what area code you live in, you are considered, rich, middle class, lower class, or poor. It also stereotypes you into urban or country. Everett lives in the 909 area code. He discusses taking his mule, Monk, up the mountains and looking over the beautiful landscape and lake.

3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent

~"We say, 'This here is horsey area.' And we have signs that depict basketball-headed silhouette humans seated on silhouette horses. That means go slow." pg. 122

4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent

~Reading this story, I couldn't help but imagine the rivalries of the different area codes. I can imagine the "rich" snubbing their noses up at the 909 people. Also, when Everett was describing riding his mule, it made me imagine all the times I have gone horseback riding.

5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent

~One thing that I did not know before reading this was that segregation was by area codes in L.A. I knew that they have very different areas of the city, but I never knew it came down to area codes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point

~The Line, by: Ruben Martinez

2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent

~This story is about the life and culture of the Mexico/California border. Martinez discusses a local park. He says it is completely deserted in in the daytime, but once the sun starts setting, hundreds of people come out for their chance to make it across the border. He compares it to a fiesta. Back when he was watching this, he said that the chances of getting across the border were more than 50%. And if you did not get across the first time, you would definitely get across the second time.

3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent

~"And families, entire families, from grandmothers with crinkled faces and braided white hair down to wide-eyed tots in arms." pg. 127

4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent

~Living in California, you can't go a day without hearing about immigration. So I guess this story reminded me of everyday life. This is a huge part of living in California, so it was nice being able to read a story from the "other" side of the line.

5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent

~One thing that I did not know before reading this was that the crossing of the border is kind of a big party. There is excitement and hope.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point

~Flirting with Urbanismo, by: Patt Morrison

2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent

~Morrison also discusses Los Angeles. Like Everett, she discusses how different areas of L.A. tell you your income/social status. (She also discusses area codes). Morrison focuses on downtown L.A. She says that this has become a taboo place to live. Once you are close enough to walk anywhere (eg. grocery store or work), then you need to move. She says that people move way too often just because they do not want to be in downtown. She also talks about the different movies and T.V. shows that have been filmed in L.A.

3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent

~"Downtown is the perfect plastic heart of a plastic city-- plastic in the meaning of changeable, moldable. Its blocks are the most versatile, and thus the most filmed in the world; it can play almost anything-- just as Angelenos can make themselves into what they wish to be." pg. 134

4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent

~This story made me think of all the movies that I've seen and realize how many have been filmed in L.A. I have been to L.A. many times, but I never realized how versatile the city really is. It makes me want to go back and experience the city all over again.

5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent

~Before reading this, I did not know that Seinfeld is actually filmed in Los Angeles and not in New York.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point

~Waters of Tranquility, by: Carolyn See

2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent

~This story is about The Shrine Lake in Pacific Palisades. This shrine is dedicated to world peace. It has statues representing the major religions on the world. See talks about how this is one of her favorite places, and how it got her though her husbands illness. The fist time around the lake she would be furious, but after a couple of times around, she was calmed. She says that it is a big tourist spot.

3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent

~"Unemployed dads shepherd their kids around the lake and around again. Tourists from Germany, France, Russia, Japan, and India clump around in raggedy groups taking pictures of each other." pg. 144

4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent

~This story made me think of my families and my travels to different countries. I have experienced many different cultures and religions, and it brought back all those memories, good and bad. I thought that this story was very interesting.

5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent

~Before reading this, I did not know that there was a shrine like this. I think that it is a great idea. It gives respect where respect is due, without offending anyone.