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      “No one move! No one move!” my aunt exclaimed as me and my cousins posed for yet another photo. Camera’s, you could always find one at any of my family gatherings, I even bring my special camera for events. My polaroid camera represents one main thing, memories. Each polaroid picture serves as a physical representation of who I am in society, and how my culture is reflected in something as simple as a polaroid camera. “No one move! No one move!” my aunt exclaimed as me and my cousins posed for yet another photo. Camera’s, you could always find one at any of my family gatherings, I even bring my special camera for events. My polaroid camera represents one main thing, memories. Each polaroid picture serves as a physical representation of who I am in society, and how my culture is reflected in something as simple as a polaroid camera.   Growing up with a lot of cousins, aunts, and uncles there were constant family gatherings. We had at least one birthd...

  By Leah 🥀 “A Rose For Emily” 🥀  "A Rose For Emily," written by William Faulkner tells the story of a mysterious woman, in a small town. Throughout the passage, the theme of isolation is highlighted, and greatly emphasized through the careful use of syntax and diction. Read the excerpt from my essay below to see how this is demonstrated in the text:       Miss Emily’s firm attachment to her home provides understanding to the reader by highlighting themes of solitariness as well as confinement.  This may be demonstrated when Emily composes a letter in response to the sheriff, regarding meeting with him to discuss her taxes. She simply responded with a letter, which informed the sheriff she would not be leaving her home. The narrator emphasizes this when stating, “A week later the mayor wrote to her himself, offering to call or send his car for her, and received in reply a note on paper of an archaic shape, in a thin, flowing calligraphy in faded ink,...

  Authors Note: To begin, I would like to offer my opinion on this story. While I was confused initially by the organization, I realized it was part of the stories plan, one that William Faulkner explored and employed in order to add a shock factor to the overall shocking and gloomy story. I highly recommend reading the story and taking the time to re-read and understand Faulkner's writing. Enjoy! 

         In the cabinet that stands tall in my grandmother dining room there sits a cake topper. It has been there since before I was a thought. A young woman in a white gown with lace around her shoulders, in-front of an alter deigned in a hear shape with white and lilac flowers surrounding her feet with just a tad too much lace for my personal taste. This cake topper came from my aunts Quinceanera, or her fifteenth birthday party, a party that represents a promise to her family and faith. For me, this cake topper represents an event I wanted, resented, and never had. To understand my story, and stories similar, I need to explain a Quinceanera. The word Quinceanera incorporates the word Quince, which is fifteen in Spanish. In many Latin countries it is custom for a girl to celebrate her fifteenth birthday as passage of becoming a young woman and signifying her faith will remain strong her entire life. The faith, usually being Christianity or Catholic, incorpora...

By Leah 🐊 San Jacinto Plaza🚎 The San Jacinto Plaza, not only a two acre piece of land, but a place for people to interact, has affected the identity of the city of El Paso. From the purpose it served long ago, to the historical significance it provided today, the Plaza continues to impact the way El Paso is viewed, and has gifted a historical location for the population of the city to connect. For instance, the San Jacinto Plaza was opened to the public in 1883, making it an establishment impactful to the community since over a century ago. The San Jacinto Plaza, opening opportunities for new establishments to form, brought in many people, making businesses such as the Plaza hotel and the Plaza Theatre as successful and popular as they are today. Its convenient layout and purpose have drawn much of the population together in one iconic area.  During the late 50’s, my grandmother worked as a maid, crossing the border every day to take the streetcar to the Plaza and arrive at the h...