Simply Sincere Sentiments

     There have been two times so far in my English class career where I have been forced to read a book I thought I would never like, but ended up liking. The first time was in 8th grade when I read Oliver Twist . I had always hated classics, but that one I LOVED! Now I even like to use the phrases "the former" and "the latter" to channel my inner Dickens. Dickens is one of the geniuses I am referring to in the title. He created a character (Scrooge) whose name is now a noun in everyday language - ever heard someone being called a Scrooge?      The second time was in junior year when I read The Great Gatsby. I think the symbolism Fitzgerald created in that book is phenomenal! Thus, "X-Raying Gatsby" was one of the most fascinating things I have ever read! My favorite part was the "Right Word" section. Fitzgerald was such a talented writer that he used the perfect, rare word, and an editor actually thought it was a mistake and reprinted it! As

I love poetry, especially spoken word poetry. That is why I loved Meera Dasgupta's poem "My Poems as Victims of Gun Violence." One of my favorite lines is "This is where my poems go to pen their eulogies." Not only is it beautiful personification, but it reminded me of a message I've been seeing everywhere lately. No eulogist says:  "Sebastian had the most expensive mansion."  "Everyone wished they had Lucy’s Lamborghini."  Instead:  "Sebastian always spent his time generously helping others. "Lucy spread happiness wherever she went. Her smile and laugh immediately brightened days."  I recently discovered Michigan native and national youth speaker, Jim Tuman . One of my favorite messages of his is that nobody remembers someone for the house or the car she had after she dies. Someone remembers you for who you were as a person - how you treated people and what you contributed to the world.     Jim Tuman I realized that I,