Plato vs Sartre Practice Essay

How you respond to an event says a lot about your character. In "Allegory of the Cave" by Plato a prisoner leaves the cave and is exposed to a different environment than he has known. Plato explores the idea of a true reality when the prisoner takes his life into his own hands and does something different.

Sartre takes the same idea of doin something different but how in the opposite of what the allegory showed. The prisoner was enlightened by gathering more information than what he prewiosuly knew. In Sartre's "No Exit" Estelle, for example, didn't try anything new and didn't learn anything or become enlightened. Estelle is trapped in her world just like the prisoners who remain in the cave. The prisoner who escaped represents people who are enlightened and want to share their experience with others. When the enlightened ex-prisoner tries to talk and share his new discoveries with the prisoners in the cave, they don't understand because they are still trapped in their own thoughts of the world. 

Plato used his philosophical thoughts to create the prisoners and display how sticking to te normal, ordinary ideas will not help you develop. "No Exit" is based off the same theme but the opposite effect. "Allegory of the Cave" and "No Exit" go hand in hand explaining to people that exploring the mind and questioning what is out there can enlighten you into finding a true reality. 

I Can Read!

Video of me saying Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss as fast and as best as I can.

Thinking Outside the Box

Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" and Sartre's "No Exit" both imply a greater knowledge and enlightenment idea. To Plato a person can achieve greater knowledge by experience and exploring new ideas on their own. Sartre's story shows that people learn by torture by others. Sartre used imagery through dialogue to create his picture and Plato used questioning dialogue to represent his views.

No Exit

1) Think about the place you have chosen as your hell. Does it look ordinary and bourgeois, like Sartre's drawing room, or is it equipped with literal instruments of torture like Dante's Inferno? Can the mind be in hell in a beautiful place? Is there a way to find peace in a hellish physical environment? Enter Sartre's space more fully and imagine how it would feel to live there endlessly, night and day

- My version of hell would be more based on Dante's Inferno with the layers of hell and different punishment at each level. Another type of hell can be one's mind in that they trap and torture themselves by over thinking. To attempt to find peace in a hellish physical environment would be to accept and adapt, then center yourself and thoughts so you can feel more free. If I lived in Sartre's room I would probably become a claustrophobic and have an anxiety attack. 

2) Could hell be described as too much of anything without a break? Are variety, moderation and balance instruments we use to keep us from boiling in any inferno of excess, whether it be cheesecake or ravenous sex?

 - Certain things without a break can be described as hell, but if you love doing something and you do it a lot and still love it then you wouldn't consider it hell. Depending on the person one thing can be hell and one thing can be joy. Everything is based off an individual and their ideas.

3) How does Sartre create a sense of place through dialogue? Can you imagine what it feels like to stay awake all the time with the lights on with no hope of leaving a specific place? How does Garcin react to this hell? How could you twist your daily activities around so that everyday habits become hell? Is there a pattern of circumstances that reinforces the experience of hell?

- Sartre creates a sense of place through the dialogue with the characters talking about their frustrations in the room. I cannot imagine being in the characters situation, not being able to sleep and always having the lights on would make me very cantankerous. Garcin reacts to this hell by denying its existence. If my daily activities were twisted to become a hell they would probably be more tedious and never ending or if I wanted to do one of my daily activities I wouldn't be able to.

Brain with 10 Legs

In my literature group (Whitney, Amara, Rachel, and Breanna) we are reading Catch 22 (approved by Dr. Preston).
We are using group messaging to help each other with any questions on the book and Dr. Preston said it was his favorite book so we can also ask him for clarification on any symbols or meanings.
Our reading schedule is up to the individual as long as our group as a whole has completed the book before December 1st.

Plato's Allegory of the Cave

1. According to Socrates, what does the Allegory of the Cave represent?
- The allegory of the cave represents what we know and what we don't know. When we don't know something we become lost and confused.

2. What are the key elements in the imagery used in the allegory?
- The cave itself is imagery and also the use of the shadows, plus light and dark.

3. What are some things the allegory suggests about the process of enlightenment or education?
- The allegory suggest that exploring and stepping out of your normal comfort zone can benefit you more even if you don't know how to handle the situation, the exposure can bring a new perspective or learning opportunity.

4. What do the imagery of "shackles" and the "cave" suggest about the perspective of the cave dwellers or prisoners?
- "Shackles" are restraints holding the prisoners back from seeing new things. The "cave" suggests a surrounding that they have always known and want to leave but are afraid.

5. In society today or in your own life, what sorts of things shackle the mind?
- In today's society, I feel like the mind shackles itself. People over-think and care too much about what others say or do that they don't free their mind.

6. Compare the perspective of the freed prisoner with the cave prisoners?
- The freed prisoner's perspective is more creative and imaginative now that he has seen something new. The cave prisoner's are still closed minded and don't believe anything besides what they know, which is the shadows on the cave wall.

7. According to the allegory, lack of clarity or intellectual confusion can occur in two distinct ways or contexts. What are they?
- Lack of clarity or intellectual confusion can occur when someone doesn't have an open mind about new or different ideas or when someone isn't exposed or have enough background to grasp what is being said.

8. According to the allegory, how do cave prisoners get free? What does this suggest about intellectual freedom?
- Prisoners get free by freeing themselves, this is difficult because you are leaving everything you have ever known behind to explore a new world. Intellectual freedom is the same concept, if you want it you cannot be afraid to explore.

9. The allegory presupposes that there is a distinction between appearances and reality. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- I agree that there is no distinction between appearances and reality because seeing a shadow on a wall doesn't explain what the real figure is.

10. If Socrates is incorrect in his assumption that there is a distinction between reality and appearances, what are the two alternative metaphysical assumptions?
- Two alternative metaphysical assumptions could be; that you have not gotten an opportunity to see a difference or you are pushing the opportunities away.

Hamlet Essay Remix

 is Hamlet mad or sad?

A Poetic Inquiry

I chose this sonnet because it is the only one I could find that semi related to my desired topic of being and individual in society. The connection I made with the sonnet and my question is Shakespeare is asking why this girl wears makeup and why she wants to be like everyone else. I found the sonnet by going through pages of Google and looking up different key words I was searching for.
Sonnet and Big Question

Sonnet Relating to My BIG

BIG Question

Ah! wherefore with infection should he live,
And with his presence grace impiety,
That sin by him advantage should achieve,
And lace itself with his society? 
Why should false painting imitate his cheek,
And steal dead seeming of his living hue?
Why should poor beauty indirectly seek
Roses of shadow, since his rose is true?
Why should he live, now Nature bankrupt is,
Beggared of blood to blush through lively veins?
For she hath no exchequer now but his,
And proud of many, lives upon his gains.
   O! him she stores, to show what wealth she had
   In days long since, before these last so bad.

Fall Vocabulary #9

aficionado- somebody who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about something

browbeat- intimidate someone into doing something, with stern or abusive words

commensurate- corresponding in size or degree; in proportion

diaphanous- light, delicate, and translucent

Hamlet Essay

  The main question asked about Hamlet in Hamlet what is wrong with him. Everyone in the play wanted know why he was unhappy. The performative utterances in Hamlet begin here. Hamlet utters a performative utterance when he says he will kill Claudius. Learning about performative utterance and reading Hamlet impacted my self from the way Hamlet speaks and interacts with the other characters throughout the play.

  Hamlet is a wise young man and displays his knowledge through his vocabulary and word choice. When Hamlet is speaking to other characters, for example his mother, he gives more elaborate words for what he is saying than is needed. Using more fluffed words to decorate what you are trying to say shows that Hamlet is more mature than his family and peers perceive him to be. I believe this idea reflects into AP English, studying vocabulary and "To Be Or Not To Be" soliloquy is just words until we put them to use and fluff what we say to embellish a point and give a better impression to others of ourselves.

  Actions speak louder important than words and Hamlet's actions lacked in comparison to his soliloquies. Hamlet says he is going to kill Claudius at the beginning of the play but his action of actually killing Claudius doesn't occur until the end of the play. The delay in Hamlet acting on his words creates a different interaction between Hamlet and the characters in the play which causes them to think he is crazy. Friends and family also delayed Hamlet's action since he was waiting for the perfect time to strike. In life there is never a "perfect time" for anything, there is a gut feeling, your intuition guides you and you can feel a perfect moment but nothing is ever perfect. Hamlet found his perfect time to kill Claudius as he himself was dying.

  Performative utterance is strung through Hamlet like it is in reality. People, in general, don't lie but don't tell the truth either. In "To Be Or Not To Be" Hamlet isn't saying he isn't happy or unhappy, he is reflecting on his experience and self-overhearing his emotions. Comparing Hamlet's thoughts in his soliloquy to my reflecting on reading Hamlet I created a schema to hold my knowledge I have learned through reading and discussing the play. This knowledge will help me in the future like Hamlet's knowledge helped him outsmart Claudius and escape his planned death escorted by his friends. 

Thoughts on Hamlet (in progress)

Right now reflecting back on what I have read and the discussions that have been held in class Hamlet knows how to keep his cool. Other sites say Hamlet is crazy and his emotions are out of control but, Shakespeare gives examples throughout the story that Hamlet isn't "crazy" but he is actually emotionally stable and has a set plan and his "out of control" emotions are never shown to anyone. I find it typical Shakespeare and I should have seen it coming that practically everyone in the stories dies. Hamlet is a tragedy. So let's see who is going to die or kill themselves next in this play shall we?

To Be or Not To Be

Hamlet's soliloquy recital is found here. Group members are: Breanna, Rachel, and Amara.

Tools That Change The Way We Think

" "Back in 2004, I asked [Google founders] Page and Brin what they saw as the future of Google search. 'It will be included in people's brains,' said Page. 'When you think about something and don't really know much about it, you will automatically get information.'

'That's true,' said Brin. 'Ultimately I view Google as a way to augment your brain with the knowledge of the world. Right now you go into your computer and type a phrase, but you can imagine that it could be easier in the future, that you can have just devices you talk into, or you can have computers that pay attention to what's going on around them and suggest useful information.'

'Somebody introduces themselves to you, and your watch goes to your web page,' said Page. 'Or if you met this person two years ago, this is what they said to you... Eventually you'll have the implant, where if you think about a fact, it will just tell you the answer."

-From In the Plex by Steven Levy (p.67)


Answer this not-so-simple question: How does use of the Internet, media, and/or technology change the way you think?
Focus on your memory, your ability to concentrate, your sense of time and priorities, and the subjects/topics that interest you most. If you find "thinking about your thinking" difficult to assess, try the following strategies: compare yourself with older people who did most of their formal learning before smart phones and 2.0 existed; compare yourself with contemporaries who don't use those tools much today; read up on what education leaders and thinkers have to say about generational differences in thinking (and remember to cite your sources). "

Technology and more specifically the Internet has influenced my life and the way I think immensely. I go on the internet at least 10 times a day! Checking emails, blogs, news, fashion, social media, something random, homework, blogs again, emails again, applications, news again, weather, etc. The Internet and technology can be positive because of the different ideas and perspectives you are open to (with avoiding filter bubbles online) through research and connections made via online communities. A negative of technology is laziness, technology makes humans put in less effort than just a few generations ago. If my grandpa had to write a report on Abraham Lincoln he would have to go to the library, check out 3-4 books, and ask a teacher for more information, if I were to write a report on President Lincoln I would just search a few biographies online and a couple of other Lincoln related sites. Using the internet requires less effort for today but it also opens so much more possibility of what one can find because of how vast the internet is and how much it has grown. Having so much knowledge at the end of your fingertips or in a thin box can be dangerous, I don't know how but, "knowledge is power."

What I Think About When I Think About Act III

When I think about Act III of Hamlet, I think of the previous Act when Hamlet is discussing how he will know if Claudius killed his father by from the way he reacts to the play. Claudius does react in an extreme way to the reenactment of the ghost's death. I was taken aback when Hamlet saw Claudius kneeling and praying for forgiveness and that Hamlet didn't take the opportunity to do his deed that moment because Claudius was alone. Also I think about the scene where Polonius is being his typical nose-y self and spying on Hamlet and Queen Gertrude, Hamlet thinks Claudius is behind the curtains and kills Polonius. In my eyes, these are the most important moments in the story because they describe Hamlet's character of good planning, knowing his opportunities, and sometimes poor judgement.

Literature Analysis #3

For my literature analysis I wanted to compare and contrast "The Great Gatsby" book and movie. After recently  watching the movie all I talked about was how minor instances were missing and I knew I had to read the book again.

Last year in class reading "The Great Gatsby" and discussing the novel made aspects of the book and movie stand out. For instance, in the book reading it the first time in class we discussed how the billboard of the doctor symbolized society in the valley of ashes being watched. My second time visiting the book alone I noticed how Fitzgerald brings up and takes the time to describe something that seems as simple as a billboard which grabs your attention due to the simplicity of the object but the complexity of what the meaning may be. The eyes of doctor TJ Eckleburg are in the film a couple of times but if I were watching the movie, without having knowledge about the story, the billboard would seem pointless to have in a shot.

Dear Ophelia

Dear O, this seems like a classic young love situation. If your family disapproves of this "prince" then I suggest to stay away because your family wants what is best for you and usually has a sense about these things. If you have strong feelings for the prince then I would say to see where the situation goes and stick your toes in first before jumping into the water, as the saying goes. No one has the same reactions and emotions about everything so just follow your tuition and have faith in yourself, however, never put yourself into an uncomfortable situation. Good luck and best of wishes!
- Sarah

Fall Vocabulary #7

Thank you Rachel!!!!
-Rachel posted our vocabulary we worked on in class to her blog.




[also blog posts are late due to them being saved as drafts and not published...silly me for not checking and catching that mistake sooner]

Literary Fiction and Empathy

The connections this article made were very interesting in how reading a fiction book can improve social skills. I found this very intriguing because reading about different characters opens your eyes to how different personalities react to situations. "Walk a mile in my shoes" applies to this article because the fictional characters represent people you may encounter in life and reading about a character that shares similar qualities to the person helps you understand where that person is coming from and why they might act or say what they do. In Hamlet's first soliloquy this concept also applies because while reading I imagined myself  in his situation and understand why he is feeling depressed, frusterated, and suicidal. 

Green Eggs and Ham(let)

a) What do you know about Hamlet, the "Melancholy Dane"?
- Off the top of my head this has no meaning to me. I know Hamlet is a tragedy written by Shakespeare, that's it.
b) What do you know about Shakespeare?
- I know that Shakespeare is an author who wrote in the late 1500s and early 1600s, he is a poet and playwrite. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is my favorite epic-tragic-poem.
c) Why do so many students involuntarily frown when they hear the name "Shakespeare"?
- I think students don't like Shakespeare because it takes brain power to read it but I personally don't despise reading Shakespeare.
d) What can we do to make studying this play an amazing experience we'll never forget?
- To make studying this play (Hamlet) an amazing experience we could do traditional school (not Open Source Learning) and OSL combination or have an expert video chat us and have them give their insight and a (I'm blanking on the word) circle.

What I Meant to Say Was-

Instead of: "Canterbury Tales gives readers insight into his purpose for writing through subject matter, tone, and characterization techniques." 
a better introduction paragraph would be: Chaucer's ground breaking poem satirized the upper class to relate and write towards all people. The subject matter, tone, and characterization techniques are literary elements that give the audience an insight into the purpose of the story. 

I feel like this thesis statement would work better because it sounds better than something a Jr. High student would write.

Please comment any tips or suggestions so that I can improve my thesis statements :)

So.. My point was-

Friday we had a mid-term and part of that mid-term was to write an essay. My thesis statement for the essay is:
"Canterbury Tales gives readers insight into his purpose for writing through subject matter, tone, and characterization techniques."
This is not an AP thesis for sure but with the time constraint I didn't want to focus so much on making the thesis "pretty".

If I Just Had More Time

On Friday we took a midterm in class and our directions were to write and define as many vocabulary words as we could remember and write an essay on Canterbury Tales. If I had more time on the test I could have defined more vocabulary words because I wanted to focus more on the essay.

Literature Analysis #2: Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella

1. The story starts off with a girl, Lexi Smart, and her friends waiting outside after a party in London. Lexi's boyfriend forgot to come pick them up and there are no taxis in sight. Lexi decides to walk down the street while it's pouring rain to hail a taxi and when she sees one she runs down cement steps, slips, and hits her head. That was in 2004. When Lexi wakes up it's 2007 and she is in the hospital. The doctor diagnosed her with amnesia because she does not remember the last three years of her life. Everything has changed, she's married, she is boss of her department, she lost weight, fixed her teeth, died her hair, and lost her friends. Lexi thinks her life in 2007 is perfect but under all the gloss it is more complicated then she knows. Lexi from 2004 doesn't know why she decided to change her look or what drove her to become a top business woman. Her husband, Eric, and her new best friend, Rosalie, don't leave her many answers, but her "lover" and Eric's best friend, Jon, knows basically every detail and wants Lexi to love him again.

2. The theme of the story is there is more than meets the eye. At first glance Lexi thinks her life is perfect but as she experiences it more there are just as many flaws as her life in 2004.

3. The tone of the story is confused and stubborn.
"What else can I do? Defuse a bomb? Assassinate someone with one blow of my hand?" p. 106
"'Are you Gianna?' I say cautiously. 'Oh my Lord in Heaven.' She crosses herself and kisses her fingers. 'Eric warned me. You're not right in the head, poor girl.'" p. 120
"Okay, I need my memory back. I've had it with amnesia. I've had it with people telling me they know more about my life than I do. It's my memory. It belongs to me." p. 204

4. Foreshadowing- "I just wish" p. 177
Alliteration- "'I'm not the kind of person who wears beige suits! I'm not the kind of person who wears her hair in a bun everyday. I'm not the kind of person who pays a thousand quid for wine. I'm not the kind of person who. . . who sells out her friends. . .'" p. 281
Cliche- "'I nearly had a heart attack,'" p. 55
Epiphany- "'Mum, I've got amnesia.'" p. 45
"Okay. Things are starting to make sense." p.. 327
Hyperbole- "Here I am, zooming along the Themes Embankment, with my handsome husband, in his open-top Mercedes. I say zooming. Actually we're going at about twenty miles an hour." p.
Imagery- "Metal grilles are descending everywhere, over the windows, the paintings, the waterfall. All the rich guests are clinging to each other in the middle of the space like hostages, apart from one portly man who's trapped next to the waterfall." p. 260
Personification- "From huge yellow monsters reaching up to the sky, down to young flowers," p. 337
Rhetorical Question- "How can you just stand there?" p. 275
Symbol- "'The Cobra,' I say wincing. I still can't believe I got nicknamed after a snake." p. 330

Characterization
1. Kinsella used direct characterization by describing the characters through Lexi's thoughts and how she saw them. "This man is seriously, achingly good-looking. Like, Armani model good-looking. He has medium-brown curly hair, cropped short. He has blue eyes, broad shoulders, and an expensive-looking suit. He has a square jaw, impeccably shaved." p. 61 Kinsella used indirect characterization to describe supporting characters. "'Now, let's go and say hello to Simon and the others. You remember Simon Johnson, the MD?'" p. 135
Kinsella uses both approaches to get a visual of the character and to get the esssence of that character.

2. The authors syntax and diction doesn't change when describing different characters. The syntax and diction remain the same throughout since the story is told through one perspective. "Bastard. He didn't even bother waiting until he was out of earshot." p. 146 "'He's Hitler. If he could round up every loaf of bread and put it in a camp, he would.'" p. 200

3. The protagonist (Lexi) is a dynamic character, she changes throughout the story from a free spirit to confined and then becoming free again. Lexi is a round character and has different opinions and is in her late twenties so she has developed different traits but her character is tricky and some of her ideas change because of her amnesia.

4. After reading this book I feel like I have met a real person. The troubles she faces happen to real people and her story is intriguing. I love reading stories that are told in first person because I am interested by the characters thoughts and ideas which made Lexi more real to me. "'Now, don't worry.' Rosalie's hand is on my arm. 'Eric and I have a plan. Everyone's going to stand up and introduce themselves to you at dinner.' Her brow wrinkles. 'Sweetie, you look freaked.'
'No!' I manage a smile. 'Not freaked!'
This is a lie. I'm totally freaked. As i find my place at the long glass dining table, nodding and smiling as people greet me, I feel like I'm in some weird dream. These people are allegedly my friends. They all know me. And I've never seen them before."

Tale of a Canterbury Tale

The Wife of Bath's Tale-

This section is talking about how men look for specific things in women and are so picky and want a perfect girl. Then women want men to do all these tasks that women believe show a man loves her. Women question what a man really thinks because he tells the truth when he is drunk and men think women are controlling. The last few lines surprised me and I think she said she's a prostitute.

Indirect Characteization: "I would no longer in the bed abide 

If I but felt his arm across my side, 
Till he had paid his ransom unto me; 
Then would I let him do his nicety. 
And therefore to all men this tale I tell,"

It was not specifically said that she is a prostitute but from the text that is wha I interpreted. 

Purpose: The purpose for Chaucer including this in the tale is to get the perspective on this character and how she feels about people. 

I believe Chaucer was trying to unveil to everyone what people think they want (in a relationship) but don't publicly share it because it is not proper. 

Character Study (3)

Once Princess Rachel and Connor had picked us up in her motor home and Thunder, Whitney's horse, was in the trailer we were on our way to Candyland. Candyland and Iceland are neighboring kingdom but the drive from one to another is far. About 2 hours into our journey as we approach the border there is an interesting figure in the distance. Being the curious and helpful people we all are we ask Connor to pull over the vehicle and ask what this creature needed. The one-body-three-headed-human came to the passenger window to talk. Breanna started the conversation by asking, "Why do you have three heads?" In the motor home we all look at her and in unison say "Breanna!" she replies "What?! I just said what you were all thinking."
The conversation continues by the body introducing each individual head. The one on the left is Eeee Eeeeeee, the middle is Dan Smith, and the one on the right is Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace. They explained that they were on their job of dragon hunting when they each got bit by a three-headed dragon. Professor A chimes and adds, "When bit by a three-headed dragon and whomever else was bit share one body but each have their own head." The Revengers being so intrigued by one person with three heads they beg the Princess and I to let them travel with us since they are, ironically, dragon hunters.
As we then make room for our new passenger... passengers I notice in the rear view mirror Connor has a short smirk on his face as he drives on. No one is really talking, but our new traveling companion seems a little antsy the closer we get to the castle. Whitney noticing my suspecting facial expression whispers to Professor A that I was noticing something off about the boys in our vehicle. Rachel and Breanna soon catch on and before we get to the castle walls they are kicked off the motor home.

Character Study (2)

 After I ended the phone call with my sister, Rachel, the Princess of Candyland, I had to immediately call in my noble team, the Revengers. This group of girls are the smartest and bravest people of my land.  As Queen of Iceland it is my responsibility to provide my people with superior protection. Professor  A, the brains of the Revengers, comes up with brilliant plans and co-leads most operations. Whitney and her horse Thunder are key to the team because they know how to sneak up on the enemies and take them out. Our secret weapon, Breanna, is human but can transform to her bird form in the day and fish during the night. This eclectic group will help my sister win back her castle in Candyland from the  dragon who killed Whitney's father. Rachel drives a few hours to Iceland in her motor home with her driver, Connor. After myself and the Revengers get settled into our seats we create a plan of attack for when we encounter the dragon.  And our journey begins.

Canterbury Tales (1)

• Geoffrey Chaucer (1343?- 1400)
• "contemporary picture of fourteenth- century England"
• fiction
• audience: commoners
• satire- criticizes stupidity (in Canterbury Tales the satire is aimed towards the "holy" characters)
• the Pilgrimage begins in spring
• Chaucer made himself a character in the poem

I'm most excited to read about the materialistic nun because that is not the stereotype for nuns so I find it interesting to see how Chaucer is describing her point of view.

Prologue vs Preface:

• Prologue- background information before the story this describes events that occur before the actual story (could be a flashback)
• Preface- author talks directly to reader about things the reader needs to know before reading (discussing what happened since the first edition)

Netvibes Dashboard vs. Windows 8 Dashboard

I just recently got a new laptop and it came with Windows 8. I didn't know how I was going to feel about it since I have used Windows 7 for almost my whole online life. When you turn on the computer it goes to your Windows 8 Dashboard that you can customize by adding, deleting, and moving apps. Netvibes has the same gist but you see a snapshot of the page instead of an icon and creating more tabs or folders is an option to further organize your space. On Netvibes you can add your own website if the selection doesn't have it, but for some it may not work.  I found that customizing Netvibes was difficult. Netvibes and Windows 8 are like most new things, hard to use at first but you learn how to use it and hack it.Windows 8 is very handy for keeping everything for your computer right there in front of you, same goes for Netvibes but it is strictly for the Internet and can help people prioritize how they actively spend their time online.

Character Study (1)

On the morning of the journey Sarah was scurrying around the house to gather her belongings. The previous day she had made a list of everything she had wanted to bring with her, which is practically her whole room. Not knowing where this journey is taking her or what the weather is going to be like she grabs clothes and launches them into her suitcases. Being a shopaholic she has many clothes to choose from but also being indecisive she chooses them all. Prepping for this is stressing her out because she doesn't know what the plan is or what to expect, sometimes playing it by ear is fun but other times Sarah cannot handle the unknown. Later in the day after Sarah has finished packing she takes a sigh of relief says, "I love you and I will call you when I get there," to her parents and heads out the door ready for this who-knows-where journey to begin.

Fall Vocabulary #6

Accolade- an award or privilege granted for special honor

Acerbity- a sharp bitterness

Attrition- the action of weakening by attack or pressure.
 
Bromide- an unoriginal idea or remark.

Chauvinist- a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.

Chronic- on going.

Expound- present and explain systematically and in detail

Factionalism- relating or belonging to a faction

Immaculate- perfectly clean and tidy

Imprecation- a spoken curse

Ineluctable- unable to be resisted or avoided

Mercurial- subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind

Palliate- severe or unpleasant without removing a cause

Protocol- the official procedure or system of governing affairs of state or diplomatic

Resplendent-attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous


Stigmatize- describe or regard as worthy of disgrace pod great disapproval

Sub rosa- "under the rose" and is used in English to denote secrecy or confidentiality

Vainglory- inordinate pride in oneself or one's achievements; excessive vanity

Vestige- a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists

Volition- the faculty or power of using one's will

Obsequious: (adj) obedient; dutiful; fawning

Beatitude: (n) exalted happiness

Bete Noire: (n) a person or thing that one particularly dislikes or dreads

Bode: (v) to dwell.

Dank: (adj) unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and, often, chilly

Ecumenical: (adj) general; universal: promoting Christian unity throughout the world

Fervid: (adj) heated in spirit, enthusiasm; intensely hot, burning

Fetid: (adj) having an offensive odor; stinking

Gargantuan: (adj) gigantic, enormous

Heyday: (n) the stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success, etc.; prime

Incubus: (n) a nightmare

Infrastructure: (n) the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organisation

Inveigle:(v) to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk; to acquire by beguiling talk or methods

Kudos: (n) honor, glory, acclaim

Lagniappe: (n) tip, bonus, gratuity 

Prolix: (adj) extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy

Protege: (n) a person under the care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare.

Prototype: (n) the original or model on which something is based on for formed; someone who serves to illustrate the typical qualities of something

Sycophant: (n) a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite

Tautology: (n) needless repetition of an idea
 
Truckle: (v) to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely

All of the Above

http://snstevensenglitcomp13.blogspot.com/2013/08/1987-ap-essay-question-2.html this is my original post for the 1987 AP Exam with my corrections.

What a Character

A fictional character that made an impression on me was Juliet from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Juliet's character will do anything to be with her true love, Romeo, who are family enemies. Juliet's character stands out to me because of what she did so Romeo an her can run away and be in love. The plan they had didn't work which ended up with both young lovers killing themselves so they wouldn't have to live without the other. I cannot remember any literary techniques that are used but I do know there are a few like direct and indirect characterization.

Fall Vocabulary #5

1) Obsequious: (adj) obedient; dutiful; fawning
- The servant was obsequious because she did everything she was asked.

2) Beatitude: (n) exalted happiness
- Her beatitude was shown when she started laughing and jumping up and down.

3) Bete Noire: (n) a person or thing that one particularly dislikes or dreads
- The test was the bete noire of the day as nobody wanted to take it.

4) Bode: (v) to dwell
-The news bodes evil days for him.

5) Dank: (adj) unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and, often, chilly
- Nobody ever went into the dank cellar as it was cold and damp.


6) Ecumenical: (adj) general; universal: promoting Christian unity throughout the world
- The ecumenical organization preached about Christianity.

7) Fervid: (adj) heated in spirit, enthusiasm; intensely hot, burning
- Her fervid attitude really got the crowd cheering.

8) Fetid: (adj) having an offensive odor; stinking
- The fetid dog was in great need of a bath. 

9) Gargantuan: (adj) gigantic, enormous
- The gargantuan crowd filled up the whole entire street. 

10) Heyday: (n) the stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success, etc.; prime
- The team reached their heyday when they won the championships. 

11) Incubus: (n) a nightmare
- She had an incubus after she watched that scary movie.

12) Infrastructure: (n) the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organisation
- After they created the infrastructure, they were able to start building the system.

13) Inveigle:(v) to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk; to acquire by beguiling talk or methods
- He inveigled the girl into doing his homework. 

14) Kudos: (n) honor, glory, acclaim
- He received kudos after winning the spelling bee. 

15) Lagniappe: (n) tip, bonus, gratuity 
- The waitress received a lagniappe from her table as she was a fantastic waitress. 

16) Prolix: (adj) extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy
- Her prolix essay was almost six pages long!

17) Protege: (n) a person under the care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare.
-He was a protege as he was under the care of his career.

18) Prototype: (n) the original or model on which something is based on for formed; someone who serves to illustrate the typical qualities of something 
- She is the prototype of a perfect student as she always does her homework and gets A's on tests.

19) Sycophant: (n) a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite
- He was a sycophant as he praised everybody.

20) Tautology: (n) needless repetition of an idea
- It's a tautology when the teacher says to stop talking. 

21) Truckle: (v) to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely
- Don't truckle to unreasonable demands. 

Definitions and Sentences from Micaela Hellman's blog. I thought they were lovely and gave me a more crisp sense of the words.

Literature Analysis #1

1) The main character, Emma Corrigan, ruins her promotional opporunuty at a meeting and on the way back to England from Scotland, Emma has anxiety on the plane. The man sitting next to her on the plan hears all her secrets during her anxiety attack. Once off the plane, her current boufriend asks if she wants to live together. The next week at work Emma realizes the man on the plane was her corporations co-founder. She couldn't stop thinking about him and as a reader I thought it was obvious the boss, Jack, was interested in her. Emma breaks up with her boyfriend and she goes out with Jack. She claims to be in love with Jack but her roommate queations what she knows about his personal life. Emma believes that faite had brought her and Jack together. The rising action of the story begins when she sees him at work and realizes who he is.

2) How much infromation is too much information? What secrets should be kept to yourself and what secrets can be shared?

3) Most of the book the authors tone is rushed, paranoid, and trying to relax.

"Why is the plane bumping? Oh, God. An avalanche of fear hits me with no warning. This is madness... MADNESS!" p.20

"Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh... OH.. NO. NO .NO. We're falling. Oh, God, we're falling." p.21

4) Foreshadowing- Emma states some of her secrets on the first page that come back later. "Inside my head, my own voice from the plane is babbling away inncoently ... 'just skimmed the back and pretended like I read it'" p. 91

Foreshadowing- Man from the plane ends up being a huge part of Emma's life. I catch a glimpse of dark eyes, stubble, a deep frown stiched on his forehead." p. 16  "OK, keep calm, maybe he won't remember me. It was just one short flight," p. 69

Speaker- Emma is the narrator of the story, refferring to herself as 'I'. "My mind is blank. I can't think of anything. All I can think is that Jack is sitting four feet away" p.298

Language- There is cursing to emphasize anger and that the setting is in England, same with the voabulary. "And they never chivvy you-" p. 203  "Fuck. My head lerks up.." p. 21

Setting- "It's a bit out of the way, in South London." p. 203

Mood- Tension/ anger " What does he think? That I'll just meekly say 'Thank you?' and get in? That just because he's got a fancy car he can behave how he likes?" p.182

Alliteration- "We're going to die. We're going to die" p.23

Imagery- "I did have the odd imaginary scenario in my head, ranging from dreadful (he doesn't turn up; it turns out he's a Nazi) to fantastic (we end up making love on a speedboat on the Thames and he asks me to marry him.)" p. 185

Satire- "'You can't play a bus fare with American Express' I say 'Don't you know anything?'" p. 184

Echoing- "She leans forward confidentially, 'and I mean, the top guy' 'The top guy?' echoes Jack."

Declaration of Learning Independence

Collaborative Working Group: www.californiacountrydiy.blogspot.com Rachel Nolan and I made a blog that is going to have DIY craft projects, fashion, hair and makeup, and food tips and how-to's. 

SMART Goal: I want to be accepted and enrolled to major in Business at California Lutheran University for the fall 2014 semester.

BIG Question: What makes a person an individual in a society where everyone seems relatively the same. 

Fall Vocabulary #4

accolade- an award or privilege granted for special honor

acerbity- a sharp bitterness

attrition- the action of weakening by attack or pressure.
 
bromide- an unoriginal idea or remark.

chauvinist- a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.

chronic- on going.

expound- present and explain systematically and in detail

factionalism- relating or belonging to a faction

immaculate- perfectly clean and tidy

imprecation- a spoken curse

ineluctable- unable to be resisted or avoided

mercurial- subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind

palliate- severe or unpleasant without removing a cause

protocol- the official procedure or system of governing affairs of state or diplomatic

resplendent-attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous


stigmatize- describe or regard as worthy of disgrace pod great disapproval


sub rosa- "under the rose" and is used in English to denote secrecy or confidentiality


vainglory- inordinate pride in oneself or one's achievements; excessive vanity


vestige- a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists


volition- the faculty or power of using one's will

Beowulf Essay

   All heroes put others before themselves. Beowulf put Hrothgar's people first to kill Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon. A modern day hero that is selfless and puts the people of a city before himself is Batman. Batman protects the citizens in Gothem City by killing the Joker and stopping robbers and murderers. Beowulf and Batman occur in different time periods but both heroes have the same intent to stop "monsters" from causing mayhem and taking lives.

   Beowulf defeats three monsters and Batman takes crime off the streets. Both acts are great deeds that take confidence and strength, which both heroes possess. Batman represents the time setting because of the crime that is occurring is a problem in big cities and that law enforcement just isn't enough to handle it and the city needs a super hero to make the citizens feel safe. Beowulf contrasts Batman by encompassing the old myths of how one person can take on fictional creatures and always be victorious. The defeats both characters have are strong and make a difference in the lives of the people they protected. The triumphs of both heroes are emphasized through the diction the author uses and the syntax in which the events of the fighting scenes are described to illustrate for the reader how successful the defeat of Grendel or the Joker was.

   Everyone has a hero inside them fighting off demons which is what Beowulf represents, where as, Batman symbolizes the heroes in our city. Beowulf symbolizes inner conflict because the monsters get bigger as as the story progresses. The monsters symbolize Beowulf's fears or faults that he is overcoming. Batman shows the outer world how destructive and twisted can be. Batman is a person who wants to protect people from harm. Batman hides who he really is with a mask and Beowulf presents himself oozing with pride and ego. Batman is more humble about his defeats than Beowulf is because Beowulf shares his stories with everyone so people will know of his success and strength

   Both epic and modern day heroes have similar qualities as well as differences, and both represent the times in which they were created. Beowulf and Batman have superhuman characteristics which make them the heroes they are but the way these heroes go about their life saving business reflects that the heroes are from different periods. The way the stories end also share similarities by having both the heroes end in different ways; Beowulf dies from old age and injury, Batman confesses of not wanting to continue his heroic duties.

Will Study for Food

I found this scholarship on a blog 

http://www.scholarships360.org/collegeprowler-no-essay-scholarship-program/

I thought it was really cool that you don't have to write an essay for this and it's a $2,000 scholarship. In the blog post it says that money would go towards books or even a new laptop for college. I need to do more research on this scholarship but if anyone else has any thoughts on this scholarship or others similar please share! 

Why This Book

I chose Can You Keep A Secret by Sophie Kinseller. I chose this book because my mom read a different series by the same author and said I would enjoy her writing. 

Fall Vocabulary #3

Apostate- someone who abandons faith and rejects it

• He is known as an apostate because he  abandoned his church.

Effusive- unrestrained in emotional expression

• The effusive love of the mother is shown by her constant bragging about her children. 

Impasse- a road, passage, or situation having no exit

• He reached and impasse when his lies unfolded. 

Euphoria- a feeling of intense excitement

• The team oozed euphoria when they won the championship. 

Lugubrious- looking or sounding sad

• The baby's cries are lugubrious when she is hungry. 

Bravado- a bold manner or a show of boldness

• John Wayne movies are popular because they are full of bravado.

Consensus- general agreement 

• The jury reached an unanimous consensus and was about to declare the defendent guilty or not. 

Dichotomy- a division or contract between two things (either or choice)

• 

Constrict- make narrower

• The constricting road can only fit one car at a time. 

Gothic- language or type of style

•

Punctilio- a fine point of conduct

•

Metamorphosis- a change of form

•

Raconteur- a person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way

•

Sine Qua Non- an essential condition

•

Quixotic- unrealistic and impractical

•

Vendetta- bitter quarrel

•

Non Sequitur- a conclusion or statement that does not follow previous statement

•

Mystique- a fascinating aura of mystery

•

Quagmire- a soft boggy area of land

•

Parlous- full of danger or uncertainty

•

Fall Vocabulary #2

accoutrements: personal clothing,accessories; the equipment including weapons and clothing of a soldier

- The soldiers marched onto the battle field carrying their accoutrements.

apogee: the highest or most distant point; climax

- The best part of a book is when the reader teaches the apogee, the most intense part of the book.

apropos: opportune; pertinent; at the right time

- His arrival was apropos as he came right when it was his turn to go on stage.

bicker: to engage in petulant or peevish argument; an angry dispute

- My grandparents always bicker about what happened in the past.

Beowulf Questions

I worked in a group with Amara Sharp, Breanna Timmons, Connor Albright, Rachel Nolan, and Whitney Houg. We divided the questions into 6 sections and each took one to complete and share with the group.

[Further Celebration at Heorot] (lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71)

1.What does Beowulf give to Hrothgar?

1987 AP Essay- Question #2

 A Doll is Changing Tradition

   Breaking the rules, traditions, and social norms are apart of the changing world, in the play A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen Nora Helmer breaks the social norms and more specifically the marital norms of the nineteenth century. First Nora broke the rules by borrowing money by forging her fathers signature and without her husbands consent or knowledge. Secondly, she leaves Torvald because they did not understand each other, in this time period divorcing was almost unheard of.

   Ibsen expresses his want for change in tradition through Nora and her actions. Nora making her own decisions to borrow money and forge

My Opinion Isn't (A) Right

These notes are from my reading of "The Right to Your Opinion" and an in class discussion about the reading. 

The 1987 AP English Literature and Composition Test

Multiple Choice:

1. C

2. A

3. C

4. E

5. D

6. E

7. D

8. B

9. E

10. C

11. B

Reflections on Week 1

1. I think my public speaking will affect my participation in this class but I am working on that not being a problem. Also my iPhone will affect my participation but in a positive way so I can look up definitions of words I don't know or read of my phone for the journal or a text we are reading. My family also may affect me because my sister took tis closures last year and can help me if I can't contact anyone else.

2. My best ever learning experience that changed me is everyday. This is sort of a general answer but I do believe that everyday I get another chance to live my life and learn something new or further in depth. Everywhere I go I can learn something whether it be an interesting fact or an actual lesson. In life a lot of times I don't know what is happening but that is part of the "awesome best ever learning experience".

3. I am most excited for focusing on college applications and scholarships in this class. That is also what I am most concerned about since I will most likely be stressed out of my mind. This will definitely make a practical difference in my life and it will decide or lead to a decision of what and where the next four years or so of my life are going. 

Fall Vocabulary #1

adumbrate- to produce a faint image or resemblance of; to outline or sketch.

The author adumbrates in the book to give hints of what is coming next.

Essay #1

The Exile of Leah Price

  Edward Said- "Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience.  It is the unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place, between the self and its true home; its essential sadness can never be surmounted." Exile can be an enriching and potent experience because being thrown outside of your comfort zone will force you to adapt and grow like Leah Price did in the Poisonwood Bible. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver focuses on an American family moving to Congo, Africa this move causes many changes in the family as a whole and individuals. Leah Price shows how this exile effected her views and life.


   When the Price family moved to the Congo for the father, Nathan Price, to spread the idea of God to the people of Kilanga. The religious beliefs differed  between the natives and the foreigners, causing Leah and the rest of her family to be alienated from their new home. Throughout the novel Nathan keeps pursuing his idea of baptism and religion on the natives the wedge grows bigger between the family and their neighbors. Leah is also exiling herself from her father's beliefs and changing her morals. "I felt the breathe of God go cold on my skin." At this point in the novel Leah's faith in her father and his view of God was changing and being replaced.
   Out of all the Price family Leah adapted and grew the most from their experience in Kilanga. Leah is still living in Africa without a lot of Western influence. Never being attached to the materialistic ways of the west, like her sister Rachel is, Leah seemed to happily be exiled from the American culture, therefore, an open mind of living in Kilanga. Although the transition was rough and once Leah got married it was still hard because she was still not accepted by all because of her skin. Leah's life shaped from being forced out of her home in America to find her true home in Africa.
   Leah Price was exiled from the fourteen years of life she originally knew in the United States, but she grew with an open mind and heart to accept and learn about the new culture she lived in. Her new home and self have been found because of the difficult times Leah and the Prices' went through leaving their comfort zones. This enriching experience of exile aided Leah to adapt and develop her views and life.

BIG Question

How can one's mood change by a small thing (picture, word(s), lyrics, melody, name, etc.)?

-Please comment any websites/articles/opinions :)

Poetry #1

1. From what poem/author does this commercial borrow (without credit)? 
- The Laughing Heart by Charles Buwoski
2. Why might the use of this poem by a corporation be considered ironic?
- The commercial is ironic because the poem has a deeper more complex meaning and the commercial is advertising blue jeans which are simple and straight forward.
3. Does the poem reflect the reputation of the author? Why/why not? 
- I believe the poem reflects the reputation of Buwoski because he had a hard life but still searched for the good moments.4. How did you find the answers to #1 & #3? Describe your research process and your sources in detail.
- I searched "your life is your life" in Google and then my blog from last year remembering this assignment.

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