In Class Essay #1

Every person is willing to believe the things he/she sees. In “Allegory of a Cave”, a few prisoners are forced to believe in what they see in the shadows on the wall. This way of life has psychologically shaped their minds into believing only what they see and thus hindering the existence of their creativity. This reinforces the meaning of the work because it tells the audience that the things one see shouldn’t always be the first thing one believes in.

            The men in “Allegory of a Cave” believe only what they see; therefore, the prisoners' minds have been molded to fit the expected mindset of the prison keepers. By showing them images of things, the men have become completely narrow minded and refuse to believe anything else. Their sense of individual creativity has been stolen from them.

            The theme in “Allegory of a Cave” is that every person should be more open-minded towards everything he/she does, and this theme illuminates the meaning of the work. A prisoner gets released into reality, and when he comes back to tell the others about it, the other prisoners don’t believe anything that the man tells them. The rest of the prisoners are too closed off to believe in anything else, especially something they have not seen. The shadows on the walls tell them all they need to know, and the prisoners refuse anything else.

            “Allegory of a Cave” shows an instance where prisoners are psychologically forced to believe in only what they see. Because of this, the characters have become really narrow-minded and closed off from any outside thoughts. Even when introduced to a new idea, the prisoners refuse it because they can’t believe what they do not see. This yields a theme and enhances the meaning of “Allegory of a Cave”.

*I know the "Allegory of a Cave" wasn't on the list, but this is the work of literature I chose to write about.

Poetry Essays

Prompt number one:

[1994] Poems: “To Helen” (Edgar Allan Poe) and “Helen” (H.D.)

Prompt: The following two poems are about Helen of Troy. Renowned in the ancient world for her beauty, Helen was the wife of Menelaus, a Greek King. She was carried off to Troy by the Trojan prince Paris, and her abduction was the immediate cause of the Trojan War. Read the two poems carefully. Considering such elements as speaker, diction, imagery, form, and tone, write a well-organized essay in which you contrast the speakers’ views of Helen.

"To Helen" by Edgar Allan Poe conveys a positive feeling about the goddess, Helen. His use of language was different than H.D., who conveyed Helen as a hated figure. Poe uses literary techniques to show that Helen is a goddess, but on the other hand, H.D. uses demeaning language as a way to show that Helen is in fact a figure that all of Greece hate.

In both of the poems, the use of diction and imagery was effective in portraying what the poets wanted to tell about Helen. Poe diction and imagery was very glorifying towards Helen, and he used words such as “holy”, “beauty”, and “grandeur” to describe the goddess. Poe shows the reader of a side of Helen that is beautiful and perfect by saying that Helen compares to the most wonderful things in life. Contrast to Poe, H.D.’s diction in his poem conveys Helen more as a demonic character than a wonderful goddess. H.D. uses words like “white face” and “funeral” to describe Helen. The imagery that H.D. utilizes shows Helen as a dank being. Having the beauty of cold feet and the slenderest knees, Helen is portrayed in a negative sense.

Poe’s tone toward Helen is loving, and the audience can clearly see that Poe’s tone is almost revering of Helen. When Poe uses words like “beauty” and “holy”, it gives Helen a sense of wonder and love. Contrary to Poe, H.D.’s tone towards Helen is more of disgust. Using diction like “cold” and “reviles”, H.D. negatively portrays Helen and gives the goddess a feeling of disdain.

Poe and H.D. both differ greatly in their depictions of Helen. Poe’s “To Helen” gives the goddess a sense of glory and wonder; however, H.D.’s “Helen” makes the goddess an antagonist to Greece. Through the use of diction, tone, and imagery, both poets show Helen in different perspectives. 

1970 Poem: “Elegy for Jane” (Theodore Roethke)

Prompt: Write an essay in which you describe the speaker's attitude toward his former student, Jane.

In “Elegy for Jane”, Roethke’s attitude for his former student Jane is of caring and love. Jane’s death has made Roethke emotional state become unstable. The poem shows how Jane is a subject of Roethke’s care and love, and because of her death, he is emotionally hurt.

            In “Elegy for Jane” Roethke’s attitude towards Jane is one of love. He has fallen in love with his student, and since this is shunned upon in society, his attitude is also slightly angry. Roethke says, “If only I could nudge you from this sleep, my maimed darling, my skittery pigeon. Over this damp grave I speak the words of my love” which shows that Roethke fell in love with his student so much that he would want to bring her back from the dead. But he is angry because he has no rights to that love since he is not a father or a lover. Roethke’s nostalgic memories of Jane show that he cared for Jane, and eventually fell in love with his student.

            “Elegy for Jane” was Roethke’s inner emotions about his former student. His attitude in the poem was love and care for a dead student that he had feelings of love for. However, Roethke also had a slight hatred for her as well because of the fact that he didn’t get to legally love her. Overall the attitude of Roethke towards Jane is love.

 

Micro AP Test Feedback

The main thing that I got from today's exam was that I am so incredibly slow. I found myself skipping so many questions during the test because I couldn't keep up, and that is something I really need to work on now that I know.

Other than that one problem, I knew the material having read the book so I wasn't banging my head against my desk because I didn't know what I was doing. I'm becoming more comfortable with pressured writing because of the 5phinx.

Responses to Lit Circles (multiple choice)

Slaughterhouse Five
1. d
2. c
3. a
4. b
5. c
6. c
7. b
8. b
9. d
10. a
11. c
12. b
13. c
14. b
15. b
16. c
17. a
18. b
19. c
20. a

21. b

22. d

23. b

24. c

25. c 

26. a

27. d

28. b

29. a

30. b

31. c

32. c

33. b

34. a

35. a

36. c

37. b

38. d

39. a

40. a

41. d

42. b

43. a

44. b

45. a

46. c

47. b

48. a

49. b

50. c

Kafka on the Shore

1. c
2. d
3. a
4. d
5. a
6. c
7. b
8. d
9. d
10. d
11. d
12. c
13. a
14. c
15. d
16. c
17. a
18. c
19. a
20. a
21. d
22. b
23. a
24. c
25. c
26. a
27. a
28. c
29. d
30. a
31. a
32. d
33. c
34. b
35. d
36. b
37. a
38. b
39. b
40. c
41. a
42. a
43. c
44. a
45. b
46. a
47. b
48. b
49. b
50. b

Life of Pi

1. b
2. a
3. c
4. d
5. c
6. a

Macbeth Act V Active Notes

Scene 1
The doctor and a gentlewoman overhear Lady Macbeth confess to killing the king, and they are shocked because no one should have found out. Lady Macbeth did this in her sleep and sleepwalking.

Scene 2
Malcolm's army is drawing near and Menteith, Caithness, Angus, Lennox, and soldiers are going to join Malcolm because at this point, everyone hates Macbeth, the tyrannt. They intend to take down Macbeth along with Malcolm.

Scene 3
Meanwhile in the castle, things are chaotic because war is upon them. Macbeth refuses fear and prepares to fight the thousands of soldiers.

Scene 4
Nothing really critical happened here. A soldier, Malcolm, Menteith, Siward, and Macduff are just discussing what to do and they end up advancing their army forward.

Scene 5
Macbeth is basically doing some sort of siege on the advancing enemy. "Till famine and the ague eat them up"
The Queen died. (assuming murder, but so far unknown cause of death)

Scene 6
Malcolm has made it to the castle and is basically saying "CHARGE!!!"

Scene 7
A young Siward comes in and gets himself killed by Macbeth. Siward called him a tyrannt.
In the next scene... *drumroll* Malcolm vs. Macbeth!

Scene 8
Macduff tells Macbeth to stop the fighting but Macbeth refuses because if he does then Macduff will just make Macbeth into a freak show.
Thus, Macbeth hath been slain
Macduff cuts off the head of Macbeth and celebrates in victory as the evil tyrant is dead.

Macbeth Act IV Notes

Since the thought of taking notes while reading in class didn't cross my mind, I'll give a summary as best as I see it

The witches, along with Hecate, are planning on cursing Macbeth once again because in the past the three witches messed up. Hacate stepped in and, from the sidelines, supervised the witches.

Macbeth is losing respect from the people around him because they think he has gone crazy which leads to suspicion. Without trust, the people around Macbeth don't revere him as much

Lady Macbeth's son gets stabbed. (it happened out of the blue)

Macduff and Malcolm talk about how angry they are at the tyranny of Macbeth. Instead of crying their eyes out and hiding, they are going to take their swords and uphold their honor. Basically revenge.

"Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware of Macduff!"

Macbeth Act II Notes

Scene one:
Banquo seems bothered by the witches but Macbeth doesn't. I find that a little unusual since "thane of cawdor" should make him think. Maybe his ego is just too big?
 Macbeth see a bloody dagger but it is only his imagination. He lied about not thinking of the witches and the prophecy because clearly it is bothering him, and the last lines suggest that he is going to kill his father.

Scene two:
Macbeth hears voices telling him not to sleep anymore but he has "murdered sleep" (what ever that means)

Scene three:
Duncan, the king of Scotland, has been murdered which has put the whole castle in disorder. While all except Donalbain and Malcolm go to investigate, Donalbain and Malcolm think about running away somewhere to be safe.

Scene four:
Since Donalbain and Malcolm fled, they are under the suspicion of killing the king. Because of that, Macbeth has been named the king to replace Duncan. Part of the prophecy has been filled. Though personally I thought Macbeth was going to kill Duncan himself. 

Macbeth Act I Active Notes

 Scene V- End of Act I
It seems to me that Lady Macbeth is some sort of super whore. It was hard to pick out specifics but I get the feeling that her character is really shallow in the sexual spectrum.

"we but teach
Bloody instructions" - interesting because Shakespeare is revealing the dark nature of Macbeth

"False face must hide what the false heart doth know." - not sure what this means but its sounds important.

It seems like Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are discussing the prophecy that the witches told. But I caught a glimpse of murder and sex somewhere in there.

Main point. I need help understanding this. 

Brave New World : 7

I always thought of soma as a drug that just made you feel happy, but now I'm starting to get the feeling that soma is some sort of hallucinagen to make you see happy things in place of unhappy things. For eample, Lenina saw ropes instead of snakes at first.

I can see the signifcance, plot-wise, of the director telling Bernard an ancedote. From what I just read, Linda was the girl l that the director couldn't find, and she got picked up by the reservation and she got placed in that society. Linda was saying how difficult it was for her to adjust. I'm getting the vibe of foreshadowing from Linda because I don't know if i should call it coincidence that Linda and Lenina have small similarities both in their name and personas.

Brave New World : 6

Bernard Marx- Karl Marx? I figured that there would be a connection there because the names are too similar to be unnoticed. How about George Bernard Shaw? The playwright/economist. He was also into the whole socialist movement and advocated for equal rights for women.

Bernard and Lenina's difference of opinion in way they see the sea, moon, and night. Lenina cried because it was horrible, but Bernard got reminded of himself. *this disturbs me* Just how different is Bernard even though he is still an Alpha? Beyond just a mix of alcohol in his test tube.
Then immediately after that, (suddenly) Bernard fondles Lenina's breasts and sleeps with her. I'm confused

Malignant- very dangerous in influence
Solecism- a breach of good manners

Lit Terms Applied

I walked out of the classroom thinking that I did the best that I could. But I know I could have done better now. I need to get over all the pressure that I am under in those circumstances because I know the terms, but i couldn't put it on paper when I needed to. The test did frustrate me because roughly a minute and a half on each slide to read, identify, and analyze was too short and frankly it was unrealistic. Granted the fact that if we trained under that pressure for the rest of the year, the AP test would be over in an hour.

Brave New World : 5&6

On page 64, I found indirect and direct characterization of Bernard.

On page 78, there is an allusion to the clocktower in London, but in the case of the book it is called Big Henry

On page 85, personification of Big Henry by saying the clock sung 11

On page 85, synesthesia by saying the night was calm and warm

Those were the only terms I caught while reading

Brave New World : foreword/chapter 1

This book is beginning to become one of those books that are boring to me.The only thing that us still keeping me in is the dark nature of the book.It is very dystopian in my opinion, but it has a slow start. Most of the novel so far is just plain rambling about the hatchery they are at, but don't get me wrong, the book was excellent at setting the setting and the type of society that the book takes place in. The novel hasn't introduced the protagonist yet, and I would have expected the novel to introduc him or her in the beginning. Overall, the book seems interesting but it has a slow start and that makes me lose interest.

I also found it difficult to fully understand when the novel uses anatomy terminology because I have to stop reading to figure out what words those are.

WRITINGAS5PECTATORSPORT

Some of the videos haven't all been uploaded but the source of all the essays I read are located on Christa Weston's Blog.

Ashley- She didn't do a pre-write so that is going to be a problem during the AP test. From past AP tests, pre-writes are really really helpful and I suggest that she get into the habit of doing them. I was told that spending 10 minutes on a good prewrite can save you 20 minutes on an essay.

Mackenzie- She did have a prewrite but I suggest that she go through the whole essay. She needs to write whatever she is going to put into her essay in the prewrite. When I read the prewrite, I should get an outline and not a summary.

Pablo- his prewrite is really like "BAM!". He just put thoughts down, and things that he knows. It's a start but not an effective prewrite. In effect to that, he rambles a little in the beginning before he gets started.

Iliana- although she didn't write the essay portion, I can tell that the essay will be well written because her prewrite was really well done. She took the whole ten minutes to write a good prewrite and that will help her a lot.

Preston- his prewrite makes me a bit lost. I wouldn't know where he is going without being him, but judging from all the scratching out of words and sentences, he was rushed and a little too unprepared.

Myself- I need to work on my prewrites and the fact that I ramble a lot in my writing. I need to get straight to the point without dragging along.

Vocab 101-133

Resolution- point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out; denouement

Restatement- idea repeated for emphasis

Rhetoric- use of language, both written and verbal in order to persuade

Rhetorical Question- question suggesting its own answer or not requiring an answer; used in argument or persuasion

Rising Action- plot build up, caused by conflict and complications, advancement towards climax

Romanticism- movement in western culture beginning in the eighteenth and peaking in the nineteenth century as a revolt against Classicism; imagination was valued over reason and fact.

Satire- ridicules or condemns the weakness and wrong doings of individuals, groups, institutions, or humanity in general

Scansion- the analysis of verse in terms of meter

Setting- the time and place in which events in a short story, novel, play, or narrative poem occur

Simile- a figure of speech comparing two essentially unlike things though the use of a specific word of comparison

Soliloquy- an extended speech, usually in a drama, delivered by a character alone on stage

Spiritual- a folk song, usually on a religious theme

Speaker- a narrator, the one speaking

Stereotype- cliche, a simplified, standardized conception with a special meaning and appeal for members of a group; a formula story

Stream of Consciousness- the style of writing that attempts to imitate the natural flow of a character's thoughts, feelings, reflections, memories, and mental images, as the character experiences them

Structure- the planned framework of a literary selection; its apparent organization

Style- the manner of putting thoughts into words; a characteristic way of writing or speaking

Subordination- the couching of less important ideas in less important structures of language.

Surrealism- a style in literature and painting that stresses the subconscious or the nonrational aspects of man's existence characterized by the juxtaposition of the bizarre and the banal

Suspension of Disbelief- suspend not believing in order to enjoy it

Symbol- something which stands for something else, yet has a meaning of its own.

Synesthesia- the use of one sense to convey the experience of another sense

Synecdoche- another form of name changing, in which a part stands for the whole.

Syntax- the arrangement and grammatical relations of words in a sentence

Theme- main idea of the story; its message(s)

Thesis- a proposition for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or disproved; the main idea

Tone- the devices used to create the mood and atmosphere of a literary work; the author's perceived point of view

Tongue in Cheek- a type of humor in which the speaker feigns seriousness; aka "dry" or "dead pan"

Tragedy- in literature any composition with a somber theme carried to a disastrous conclusion; a fatal event; protagonist usually is heroic but tragically flawed

Understatement- opposite of hyperbole; sating less than you mean for emphasis

Vernacular- everyday speech

Voice- The textual features, such as diction and sentence structures, that convey a writer's or speaker's persona

Zeitgeist- the feeling of particular era in history

First Quarter Review

I've been slacking a lot lately, so I wouldn't consider my performance the best. I feel like I barely managed to get my assignments posted. Dead Writers Society is still stagnant because there is still a topic out that I have not received enough stories for yet.

I have two main goals for the upcoming semester. One is to get finished with three more stories and post them onto the group blog. The other is to get into school mode once again just for the home stretch. Even though I'm really busy, I want to make sure I get my school work done.

The course is really relaxed right now because we are still in the scholarship phase so I have no complaints but once we get into books and more AP prep, then I'm sure that I will have suggestions.

I Am Here

I'm trying. I really am. Somehow my collaborative group has found itself to the back of my mind. I keep telling myself that I would write stories, but it isn't happening. I feel like I'm giving myself false performative utterances. So far I've made some progress, but that progress is staying stagnant. I can't blame my group for it either because I'm the one being lazy.

We have about two topics of stories written, but that isn't close enough to put into a book.

Ubi, Wake up!

Lit Terms 81-100

Oxymoron: a figure of speech in which two contradicting words or phrases are combined to produce a rhetorical effect by means of a concise paradox.

Pacing:  rate of movement; tempo.

Parable:  a story designed to convey some religious principle, moral lesson, or general truth.

Paradox:  a statement apparently self-contradictory or absurd but really containing a possible truth; an opinion contrary to generally accepted ideas.

Parallelism: the principle in sentence structure that states elements of equal function should have equal form.

Parody:  an imitation of mimicking of a composition or of the style of a well-known artist.

Pathos:  the ability in literature to call forth feelings of pity, compassion, and/or sadness.

Pedantry: a display of learning for its own sake.

Personification: a figure of speech attributing human qualities to inanimate objects or  abstract ideas.

Plot: a plan or scheme to accomplish a purpose.

Poignant:  eliciting sorrow or sentiment.

Point of View: the attitude unifying any oral or written argumentation; in description, the physical point from which the observer views what he is describing.

Postmodernism: literature characterized by experimentation, irony, nontraditional forms, multiple meanings, playfulness and a blurred boundary between real and imaginary.

Prose:  the ordinary form of spoken and written language; language that does not have a regular rhyme pattern.

Protagonist: the central character in a work of fiction; opposes antagonist.

Pun:  play on words; the humorous use of a word emphasizing different meanings or applications.

Purpose: the intended result wished by an author.

Realism:  writing about the ordinary aspects of life in a straightfoward manner to reflect life as it actually is.

Refrain:  a phrase or verse recurring at intervals in a poem or song; chorus.

Requiem:  any chant, dirge, hymn, or musical service for the dead.

Lit Terms 57-80

Genre: a category or class of artistic endeavor having a particular form, technique, or content.

Gothic Tale: a style in literature characterized by gloomy settings, violent or grotesque action, and a mood of decay, degeneration, and decadence.

Hyperbole: an exaggerated statement often used as a figure of speech or to prove a point.

Imagery: figures of speech or vivid description, conveying images through any of the senses.

Implication: a meaning or understanding that is to be arrive at by the reader but that is not fully and explicitly stated by the author.

Incongruity: the deliberate joining of opposites or of elements that are not appropriate to each other.

Inference: a judgement or conclusion based on evidence presented; the forming of an opinion which possesses some degree of probability according to facts already available.

Irony: a contrast or incongruity between what is said and what is meant, or what is expected to happen and what actually happens, or what is thought to be happening and what is actually happening.

Interior Monologue: a form of writing which represents the inner thoughts of a character; the recording of the internal, emotional experience(s) of an individual; generally the reader is given the impression of overhearing the interior monologue.

Inversion: words out of order for emphasis.

Juxtaposition: the intentional placement of a word, phrase, sentences of paragraph to contrast with another nearby.

Lyric: a poem having musical form and quality; a short outburst of the author’s innermost thoughts and feelings.

Magic(al) Realism:  a genre developed in Latin America which juxtaposes the everyday  with the marvelous or magical.

Metaphor(extended, controlling, and mixed): an analogy that compare two different
things imaginatively.
Extended: a metaphor that is extended or developed as far as the writer
wants to take it.
Controlling: a metaphor that runs throughout the piece of work.
Mixed: a metaphor that ineffectively blends two or more analogies.

Metonymy:  literally “name changing” a device of figurative language in which the name of an attribute or associated thing is substituted for the usual name of a thing.

Mode of Discourse:  argument (persuasion), narration, description, and exposition.

Modernism:  literary movement characterized by stylistic experimentation, rejection of tradition, interest in symbolism and psychology

Monologue:  an extended speech by a character in a play, short story, novel, or narrative poem.

Mood:  the predominating atmosphere evoked by a literary piece.

Motif:  a recurring feature (name, image, or phrase) in a piece of literature.

Myth:  a story, often about immortals, and sometimes connected with religious rituals, that attempts to give meaning to the mysteries of the world.

Narrative:  a story or description of events.

Narrator:  one who narrates, or tells, a story.

Naturalism: extreme form of realism.

Novelette/Novella: short story; short prose narrative, often satirical.

Omniscient Point of View:  knowing all things, usually the third person.

Onomatopoeia: use of a word whose sound in some degree imitates or suggests its
meaning.

The Time of my Life

I was gone on Friday, so I missed out on a chance to experience the time of my life. I would have probably used that time to rest because the night before, I was up late doing homework and working on my art project.