Biggest obstacles, challenges, mistakes, and successes

The biggest mistake I made was initially writing my thesis about characters with physical disabilities because there was barely any information for a twenty page paper. The biggest challenge and obstacle is choosing which works to to use and which to discard because I have found a vast amount of information regarding my topic that easily can exceed twenty pages. I do not want to use too much so I have to choose the best. Although this a challenge I have succeeded in finding many works portraying characters with mental disabilities in literature.

Topic has grown

My topic has grown and my Thesis and bibliography will remain the same. 

Thesis: Mental disabilites in literature: roles the mentally disabled have played in literature over time.  
Tentative Bibliography:
Keyes, Daniel. Flowers for Algernon. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1966. Print.

Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. New York: Vintage, 2004. Print.

Kesey, Ken. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest: A Novel. New York: Viking, 1962. Print.

Matos, Angel Daniel. "Daniel Keyes'[Flowers for Algernon] - On Disability, Animality, and Structure." The Ever and Ever That Fiction Allows. Angel Matos, 25 May 2013. Web. 08 Dec. 2015.

Cox, F. Brett. "Flowers for Algernon." Novels for Students. Ed. Diane Telgen. Vol. 2. Detroit:

Gale, 1997. 44-63. Novels for Students. Web. 2 Feb. 2011.

Whyte, Nicholas. "Flowers for Algernon/"Flowers for Algernon"" Nicholas Whyte's Web-site: Science Fiction Reviews. Nicholas Whyte, 7 July 2002. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.

Mcinerney, Jay. "The Remains of the Dog." The New York Times. The New York Times, 14 June 2003. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

Bartmess, Elizabeth. "Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon." Disability in Kidlit. Elizabeth Batmess, 04 Apr. 2015. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

Olear, Greg. "When Popular Novels Perpetuate Negative Stereotypes: Mark Haddon, Asperger's and Irresponsible Fiction." Web log post. The Huffington Post. Greg Olear, 18 Nov. 2011. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.

McDonald, Riley. "Character and Caricature in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" Re. of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" Character and Caricature in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" 09 Sept. 2012: N. page. Bright Hub Education. Elizabeth Gromisch, 09 Sept. 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

Géfin, Laszio K. "The Breasts of Big Nurse: Satire versus Narrative in Kesey's 'One flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'." Modern Language Studies 22.1 (1992): 96-101.

Larsen, Janet. "Stories Sacred and Profane: Narrative in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'." Religion and Literature 16.2 (1984): 25-42.

Sklar, Howard. "The Many Voices of Charlie Gordon: On the Representation of Intellectual Disability in Daniel Keyes's Flowers for Algernon." Disability in Science Fiction: Representations of Technology as Cure. Ed. Kathryn Allan. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. 47-60. Print.

Covino, Ralph. "Star Wars, Limb Loss, and What It Means to Be Human." Disability in Science Fiction: Representations of Technology as Cure. Ed. Kathryn Allan. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. 47-60. Print.

Cape, Robert W., Jr. "Disabled Hero, Sick Society: Sophocles's Philoctetes and Robert Silverberg's The Man in the Maze." Disability in Science Fiction: Representations of Technology as Cure. Ed. Kathryn Allan. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. 47-60. Print.

Essay withstanding 20+ paper

I believe I will be able to write a 20+ paper with the works I have begun to research. I also may add a couple extra sources just in case I do not surpass the twenty page paper mark. I have researched many different essays and books and have concluded it will be enough. If there is a work that does not work so well with the essay I can always substitute it for another to make my essay better. I can delete a work if it hurts my essay and can add a work if it enforces my essay.

Tentative Bibliography

Tentative Bibliography:
Keyes, Daniel. Flowers for Algernon. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1966. Print.

Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. New York: Vintage, 2004. Print.

Kesey, Ken. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest: A Novel. New York: Viking, 1962. Print.

Matos, Angel Daniel. "Daniel Keyes'[Flowers for Algernon] - On Disability, Animality, and Structure." The Ever and Ever That Fiction Allows. Angel Matos, 25 May 2013. Web. 08 Dec. 2015.

Cox, F. Brett. "Flowers for Algernon." Novels for Students. Ed. Diane Telgen. Vol. 2. Detroit:

Gale, 1997. 44-63. Novels for Students. Web. 2 Feb. 2011.

Whyte, Nicholas. "Flowers for Algernon/"Flowers for Algernon"" Nicholas Whyte's Web-site: Science Fiction Reviews. Nicholas Whyte, 7 July 2002. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.

Mcinerney, Jay. "The Remains of the Dog." The New York Times. The New York Times, 14 June 2003. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

Bartmess, Elizabeth. "Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon." Disability in Kidlit. Elizabeth Batmess, 04 Apr. 2015. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

Olear, Greg. "When Popular Novels Perpetuate Negative Stereotypes: Mark Haddon, Asperger's and Irresponsible Fiction." Web log post. The Huffington Post. Greg Olear, 18 Nov. 2011. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.

McDonald, Riley. "Character and Caricature in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" Re. of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" Character and Caricature in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" 09 Sept. 2012: N. page. Bright Hub Education. Elizabeth Gromisch, 09 Sept. 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

Géfin, Laszio K. "The Breasts of Big Nurse: Satire versus Narrative in Kesey's 'One flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'." Modern Language Studies 22.1 (1992): 96-101.

Larsen, Janet. "Stories Sacred and Profane: Narrative in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'." Religion and Literature 16.2 (1984): 25-42.

Sklar, Howard. "The Many Voices of Charlie Gordon: On the Representation of Intellectual Disability in Daniel Keyes's Flowers for Algernon." Disability in Science Fiction: Representations of Technology as Cure. Ed. Kathryn Allan. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. 47-60. Print.

Covino, Ralph. "Star Wars, Limb Loss, and What It Means to Be Human." Disability in Science Fiction: Representations of Technology as Cure. Ed. Kathryn Allan. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. 47-60. Print.

Cape, Robert W., Jr. "Disabled Hero, Sick Society: Sophocles's Philoctetes and Robert Silverberg's The Man in the Maze." Disability in Science Fiction: Representations of Technology as Cure. Ed. Kathryn Allan. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. 47-60. Print.

A 

Reaction to another work

I read Sahar Farajun's blog and he has chosen to write his research paper about conformity. Sahar's thesis is, people conform to society to be socially accepted, but if are not accepted they will reject it. His research includes Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, William Golding's Lord of the Flies, and essays discussing conformity. He believes with the works of literature he has gathered he will be able to write a 20 page paper.

Beginning Research

The topic I chose is mental disabilities: roles the mentally disabled have played in literature over time. I decided to research characters with mental disabilities in works of literature and reject authors with mental disabilities unless their works consist of disabled characters. I have taken steps to start this project by going to the librarian Mrs. Geller for assistance and searching the web for the best work about a disabled character. I have not chosen a set work to research yet, but am narrowing down my choices.

Topic and Goal

The topic I chose is physical disabilities and equality: roles the disabled have contributed in literature over time. This topic speaks to me due to the ideas of disabled figures playing parts, something that has become my life. I work with those with special needs including disabled and my best friend is disabled so this topic is important to me. The driving question is, "What are the roles displayed by the disabled in literature over time." The next step is researching the topic and accumulating information to form an essay. The broad category has been chosen and is set; now it is time to look deeper into the subcategories.

Starting Point Topics and Generating Ideas

The topics discussed last week are the samples. These topics are interesting concepts able to be deeply deciphered into an essay. A topic has to be intriguing to a certain fellow in order for it to be considered. Each person thinks differently, so one topic will be more interesting than another depending on the fellow. From a personal standpoint these topics are all interesting, but each one discusses a various category. One needs to choose what category he/she wants to invest his/her time into researching. Each topic represents a problem or idea and gives examples of works to look into to find where it is. If a sample is not one that raises interest there is a possibility of creating new topics. In order to generate new ideas for a topic one has to think of a problem or idea that has a history in literature. Also it has to be clearly found in works of literature and explained into a well developed essay. The possibility of ideas for essay topics is vast, so make sure an intriguing topic to the individual is chosen. If a new topic is created it must be cleared with the teacher in order to dig deep into literature. An essay topic is only the beginning of writing an essay; the choice is critical in committing one to discuss a certain topic.

Topic Ideas and Examples

The first stage of this project is to find a topic. Multiple options were given as examples to research. Initially there was confusion on what to pick, but after being briefed on the project, it became easier to choose. The topic has to be interesting and give off a valid reason to be researched. Students are all different so varied options are more valid and interesting than others to each individual. In order for a topic to be considered for this project it has to be a challenge, underlying question, or investigating impetus stemming from literature that passes into the real world. Examples are gender equality in "A Doll's House," post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/war insanity in "The Things They Carried," amoral behavior in "The Stranger," and the horrors of slavery in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" Each of the examples listed are real life problems that authors wrote about in their works hoping through their works they could get their message out. For some authors society did listen and heed their sorrows, unfortunately not for all. The next step is choosing one of the many problems stressed in a work of literature that crosses into reality.

Reaction To Assignment

The English assignment given to complete an essay over the course of the semester through blogging has stunned the students. A big assignment in senior year? Does the teacher know high school is over? As seniors and applying to college it seems that since junior year and all the hard work that was put into it has passed, it is now time to lay back and relax. But on the contrary it is just beginning; there is no time for slacking. It is odd that the teacher would assign a lengthy strenuous assignment for the students to complete, but that is the teacher's intention. This assignment it to make sure the students are focused for the remainder of the year. This assignment is different then any other the students have ever been tasked with. The culmination of completing an essay through blogging is new to the students and baffles them. They have never or rarely blog, even the more so blogging in order to complete an essay. This assignment will test the students' skills of finding information, following directions, blogging, asking for assistance when needed, and preparing a well developed essay from all that he/she gathers on his/her topic. Students who do not fall to the disease of senioritis and are able to stay focused on the task at hand will succeed on their project.