Mark Foster, lead singer in “Foster the People”, introduced a hit song called “Pumped Up Kicks” in 2010. Not only does he create a song so catchy for the audience, but he sings about an issue that has been becoming so common in America: school shootings. Foster explicitly states during an interview with CNN why he wrote it and what he wrote it about: “I wrote Pumped Up Kicks when I began to read about the growing trend in teenage mental illness. I wanted to understand the psychology behind it because it was foreign to me. It was terrifying how mental illness among youth had skyrocketed in the last decade. I was scared to see where the pattern was headed if we didn’t start changing the way we were bringing up the next generation…” And then began to say he wanted to get inside the head and wanted to know the psychology of that child. School shootings have been becoming more common as days go on, and Mark Foster’s purpose was to make that known.
In Class Writing 9.19 – First Draft (not finished, first page only)
Singer, songwriter and musician Mark Foster wrote a song with deep meaning, titled “Pumped Up Kicks”. Foster’s meaning is expressed in the lyrics, showing the audience the sadness and dangers of a school shooting. In “Pumped Up Kicks”, the lyrics are being read from the point of view of the shooter, for example: “all the other kids with the pumped up kicks, you’d better run, better run, out run my gun”. In an interview with cnn, Foster clarifies that the song is about gun violence, and wants something to be done and is stating that our resources should be limited due to how common school shootings are becoming.
Ethos: Mark Foster was inspired to write “Pumped Up Kicks” after the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Gunman Adam Lanza open fired at Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 20 children and six adults before turning the gun on himself. Foster then said, in an interview on cnn, “I wrote Pumped Up Kicks when I began to read about the growing trend in teenage mental illness. I wanted to understand the psychology behind it because it was foreign to me. It was terrifying how mental illness among youth had skyrocketed in the last decade. I was scared to see where the pattern was headed if we didn’t start changing the way we were bringing up the next generation…” And began to say he wanted to “get inside the head of an isolated, psychotic kid”, which encouraged Foster to write the song “Pumped Up Kicks”.
In Class Writing 9.17 – Introductory Paragraph
Singer, songwriter and musician Mark Foster wrote a song with deep meaning, titled “Pumped Up Kicks”. Foster’s meaning is expressed in the lyrics, showing the audience the sadness and dangers of a school shooting. In “Pumped Up Kicks”, the lyrics are being read from the point of view of the shooter. “All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, you’d better run, better run, out run my gun”. In an interview with cnn, Foster clarifies that the song is about gun violence, and wants something to be done and is stating that our resources should be limited due to how common school shootings are becoming.
In Class Writing 9.4
10 values that are important to me:
Achievement, compassion, challenge, determination, equality, friendship, growth, happiness, security, stability.
In Class Writing 9.3
Who are you as a person? It’s difficult to explain who I am as a person. I believe I am just like every other 18 year old who is trying to find out who they really are and their place in this world. So right now, I don’t really know who I am as a person.
Who are you as a writer? As a writer I have always been interested and fond of poetry.
Who are you as a student? I am a college student who is just trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life.
What roles do you play in society? There are many roles that I and everybody else play in society. I am a daughter, an aunt, a best friend. I am a student for a few different teachers. I am an employee and a coworker to those I work with. I am also a sister to my six other siblings.
“Texas Gunman” Homework for 8.29
Shooting rampage on Saturday, August 31st, caused seven people to be killed and 25 left wounded. As I heard about it on the news, I was obviously outraged. I was saddened for the families who have to go through such an event, and I was scared for knowing how the world is becoming. I wish those who were harmed a safe recovery.
“News Piece: Hurricane Dorian” Homework for 8.28
“Strengthening Hurricane Dorian is a growing threat to Florida Labor Day weekend”. According to The Washington Post, Hurricane Dorian started in the U.S. Virgin Islands as a tropical storm, but intensified to a hurricane on Wednesday, August 28th. Going 115 mph, Dorian is approaching the Florida coast as a major category 3 hurricane. Although the article states that Dorian is about four days away from hitting land, residents in Florida are starting to prepare, and to stay safe.
Alex Reid: Benefits of Doing a Blog
According to Alex Reid, author of “Why Blog? Searching for Writing on the Web”, he believes that one of the benefits of blogging is that it is a good way to develop and grow as a writer. He also says that writing in a blog is an excellent opportunity for exploring and developing motivation for writing. I never considered myself having a blog, but my feelings about this aren’t bad. I think it’ll be fun.
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