5a group 1

Write the story title and author name:
909 by Percival Everett

Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph:
In this essay the author is describing to people what the 909 is and has been. The author begins the story by giving brief examples of the area codes around the 909 and what the 909 means to them.(Just space between other locations). The author talks about how the land once rich with beauty is now low income housing. The main idea of this article is describing how different this area was compared to the common thoughts of Southern California. There were mountains and horses everywhere around. The author finishes off this story by saying that to him the 909 will always be the hills not the homes.

Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)?
“ For me it is these rugged hills. Hills that defy human occupation. Hills that are on the way to nowhere. Hills that will let you know you’re welcome. 909.” (pg 125)

What did the reading make you think of?
This reading made me think of the land behind my house. I remember when I was a little kid I would ride my bike up and down the hills that were there. Now there is a giant barn there and little to no room to ride my bike.

What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)?
I had never heard of Mystic Lake. The story refers to it as “not a lake at all, but a huge wet spot that has diminished every year of the current drought.” (pg 124). Sounds like that lake is disappearing.

Write the story title and author name:
The Line by Ruben Martinez

Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph:
This story is about the border. The author begins the story by describing the area in Tijuana where people would cross the border. The author talked about all the things that concerned the people who were crossing the border. The author also made fun of the situation by making it seem that the immigrants were more concerned with scoring goals and meeting women than being worried about how hard it was to cross the border. The story also mentions the coyotes, or the people who helped people sneak into this country The story ends with the author saying that the US put up a new fence in Tijuana and now the immigrants just must turn to the left to get around it.

Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)?
“The border wasn’t really a border. The line was broken. It was an idea, not a thing’ (Pg 129)

What did the reading make you think of?
Obviously the reading made me think of the immigration problem we have now. It almost seems like the story is poking fun at the way the problem is being handled. The author talks about it being almost like a party and the coyotes draw straws to pick which route they will take. This makes it seem like it is all way to easy.

What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)?
I did not know there was a soccer field along th border. According to the book, the fence along it had been penetrated too many times to count.

Write the story title and author name
Flirting with urbanism by Patt Morrison

Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph :
This one starts out the writer telling us that we have all seen downtown LA. He states that it has appeared in many movies. He also talks about how New Yorkers get upset with him because the building that Seinfeld took place in was actually in LA. He talks about how people want to restore downtown LA, but he reaction is restore it to what? He talks about how the city has only been enhanced and has not gone away in any shape or form. The city hasn’t changed it has just urbanized.

Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number):
“There are lots of reasons to be fond of downtown Los Angeles, not the least of which-its us” (Pg 134)

What did the reading make you think of?
This reading made me think of my trip to Los Angeles. Alll the places described in the book such as the house where Seinfeld took place, i have seen. It is quite amazing how a place that seems to have changed so much is still very much the same.

What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know:
I was not aware that people from Los Angeles were not too fond of downtown. When I visited there I thought it might be an okay place to live, but this story makes it seem like such a bad place to live

Write the story title and author name
Waters of Tranquility by Carolyn See

Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph:
This reading was about lake Shrine and what it meant to the author. She talks about how all there was to really do at the lake was walk around it. There was no eating or drinking, but an occasional wedding. Her life partner was really sick and she would go around the lake as almost as a religious experience. She would jog around it at first and then use the second and third laps to think about losing her husband. And finally the fourth lap she would use to just watch the lake.

Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)?
“ The only thing to do is walk around the lake,…and around it again…and again” (Pg 143)

What did the reading make you think of?
This lake described in this story is the authors place to get away. We all have a place we like to go to, to remove ourselves from reality and just relax. This reading made me think about my place. The beach.

What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)?
Lake Shrine wanted the natural beauty of the lake to stand out. That is why people are not allowed to use the lake recreationally. Weddings only add to this beauty which is why they are permitted.