AP Prompt Question

Read and analyze the following poem carefully. Emily Dickinson uses the topic of death for her poem. Analyze how poetic devices conveys the author's attitude towards death.



                                          Because I Could Not Stop For Death


Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.
We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.
We passed the school, where children strove
At recess, in the ring;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.
Or rather, he passed us;
The dews grew quivering and chill,
For only gossamer my gown,
My tippet only tulle.
We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.
Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.

                             -Emily Dickinson

Dear Mrs. Havisham

                 Mrs. Havisham, our lives as human beings is made up of several events that make us who we are. In your case, the moment of your intended's betrayal guides all of your actions. Never moving  on from that moment and being frozen in time seems to be what you chose for yourself. But really, stopping your life and becoming an old shrew because f one man? A man who left you at the alter and swindled money from you? Although love is an important aspect of life, loving others and being loved, agonizing over a criminal is rather sad. And, as a woman, I have to say that your conduct is detestable. As the saying goes: there are plenty of fish in the sea. One heartbreak and humiliation shouldn't disrupt your whole life. You need to get over it. And see what a mess your causing in everyone's lives. Young Pip who loves your Estella and yet you encourage her to break his heart. And Estella may seriously need some sort of therapy due to your influence. She is cold and manipulative. She may never fully love anyone because of you.You have effectively  distorted a young girl for your own purposes. Your life is a selfish self centered disease that affects everyone it comes in contact to and am disturbed by a woman like you.

The Test

             I feel I didn't do so well on the benchmark because of time management. I spent too much time on one section and not on the others, therefore I don'r think I got a good grade But since I'm actually good on tests and quizzes I feel that this is a one time problem and I don't have to worry about it as much. I just have to keep it in mind when taking the test. I did have a problem with the vocab, especially when the questions asked about which sections of the readings showed (insert vocab word in). I had vague ideas but I didn't quite remember. I get the reading comprehension questions so I have to make my vocabulary stronger. Vocab!!

You Get A Car!!!

                   Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved is a unique story that sets itself apart from the rest through its vivid narration and characters. Although the movie had a more interesting medium to work through, visuals, I felt that it wasn’t up to par with the novel. The movie lacked something, maybe depth, which was clearly in the novel. The novel had a phantasmal and mystic atmosphere about it with characters who were well thought out.. The movie was more horrific with lack luster acting from its male and female leads. The film, in my opinion, doesn’t measure up to the book. Maybe it was due to the book having many qualities that cannot translate into a film. Maybe there was a miscast. Though for all it’s faults the film is a must see.

                The two versions of Beloved begin in very much the same way. After the first scene involving Sethe’ dead baby attacking their family, Paul D. arrives. After exchanging pleasantries and nostalgia Paul D. and Sethe enter her house. In the novel an unseen force overwhelms Paul and he becomes frightened. In the film however, Paul becomes awash in red light that covers the home. Although they both convey the haunted nature of the home I feel that the novel relays it with subtlety and the film is blatant and in a manner of speaking: tacky. The novel relies on dark undertones while the film is brazen with the ghostly nature of the story.

            Another scene that the novel and film share is the arrival of Beloved herself. Instead of lying on a rock as her novel counter part did, she looks crucified on a wooden tree in the film. Beloved, a central character is not portrayed as the enchanting and mystical being she is in the novel. In the film she has more of a demonic quality, as if she were from a low budget horror movie. The scene where she spells her name really focuses on the horror aspect.  When Thandie Newton recites the name with a gravely quality that seemed inhuman.  

       The final scene that really stood out to me was Baby Suggs’ gathering. The film actually conveyed the joyous attitudes of the people more fluently than the novel. What we have at a few paragraphs there is a whole scene. The movement of the people and the music gave he movie an authentic quality when it came to black culture. I feel that without it the film wouldn’t have the air of reality and be another movie about black Americans without knowing how they lived or what they valued. I commend the film for portraying black people as people, flawed, human, and with their own minds.

             The film could have been more novelistic. It could have stuck more to the novel and played up the dark, mystic atmosphere than make it outright horrific. I feel that if the film were made now, and a script given to more talented actors, it would be a success. As of now, however, the film cannot stand alone when compared to the novel.

( Through the whole thing I kept expecting Oprah to leap up and yell" YOU GET A CAR!!" )

Prejudice: It Ain't No Unicorn

             Prejudice has existed from the dawn of time from the cro -magnons to the first humanoids. Simply  creating a few laws and having recent reform isn't going to stops eras of oppression like a band aid. It's like a cancer that if ,left unchecked, grows. Most people think it's gone, but it's not, they simply don't chose to see it or are blissfully ignorant of it. It's not some mythical notion that primitive societies believed in: it's not a unicorn. If anything it's like a lion and shark, dangerous to it's prey and destructive if ;eased upon the general population. So during the debate I thought my side, that prejudice still exists and matters, has won. I enjoyed the debate because not only am I concerned about prejudice (because I am a double minority: black and a girl) but it was a good way to get other perspectives on it and learn. I even got to get up and say something worth value this time. I also feel that mostly everyone enjoyed the debate and worked collectively and cooperatively. There was a good balance of group numbers, outspoken people were placed in different groups, and it was a good discussion topic.My group also brought up good topics and rebutted some of the other sides claims, so I though we won. P.S I was so glad to be laced on my team because if I were on the other, I wouldn't know what to do.

It's Storming Outside

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/-white-slaves-used-for-1860s-fundraiser-propaganda-1330466217-slideshow/

        This very very brief article is about slavery and race, which is a recurring topic in Beloved. Sethe wants to escape her past as a slave and tires to live her life in freedom. The article relates to this as well because it's about half black children who don't want to be slaves and want to be free. Only they won't do it by running away, they'' do it through education. Even though the children are being used as a sort of propaganda to raise money the benefit is that they will(at least partially ) free. The circumstances about slavery is very disturbing and sad,  if you are born to a certain race you are automatically a slave. You will have to live a life without opportunities and have extreme hardships. Which is the life Sethe survived and the life the children are trying to avoid.

Sometimes They Come Back

                       Does the past really die? Well yes and no. When something has happened it is forever in history. It has existed and become real. In that way the past is still alive. As long as the little boy fell off the monkey bars that moment will always exist for him.  It will exist in history because it happened. However when the people who are directly by the past die, and when toe who are affected by them die, then the past is forgotten and nonexistent. The past, I think, is always with us. It's apart of our personal history that's ours and makes us who we are. And no matter what we can never truly forget ( unless you have soap opera amnesia). Human beings can move on, and learn form their past, but complete erasing is impossible. Take Sethe for instance, she'd rather not remember her time at Sweet Home but can't forget it. It's something that took place and shaped her. What I do disagree with is not letting go of the pass. It's not dismissing it or looking through rose colored glasses, it's accepting it and moving on. Berniece didn't do it and she was unhappy and bitter for a good portion of her life. Dwelling on the past can often can often blind you to the future (cliche). Now, I will provide a little sad story on this subject. Once upon a time I lived next to a boy who's mother treated him pretty badly. I didn't know this, and was focused about why he spent a lot of time over my house and around me. But one day I moved away and it wasn't until I was older and when my mother told me that I realized the truth: he was being abused. All of a sudden I nitpicked all my memories of him  to try to spot the warning signs, and I blamed myself for not noticing and not getting help. But I realize that I was just a kid, what could I do?I don't harp or obsess about what happened but have made up my mind to stop and get help for abuse if I ever come across it. Therefore my past hasn't really dies, I keep it in my memory to serve as a caution and reminder to do better in the future.

Benchmark Assessment Test

4.) Answer: D. What I put :C. Now knowing what the correct answer is I realize the error of my choice.The "vilely phrased" quote is pretentious because it's a round about way of sating Oxford Street. Why not just say Oxford street instead of "the street which borrowed it's name"? And now looking up the definition of pretentious, which means excessive or unjustified claims, I realize that the speaker is pretentious and so is his tone. This may be difficult because if the reader didn't know what vile or pretentious is and how it relates to the speaker it would be hard to understand.
7.) A ; B. Question asks to evaluate the way a particular sentence is used and how it is used in relation to other sentences, which I'm not really good at. I thought it was introducing an exception to the rule that everyone in the world is thinking except England, but that's wrong. I really don't know why it's the wrong answer( but I hope I learn tomorrow!) I also think that the reader had to know specifically what rhetorical and digression means.
9.) E ; A. I chose A because I thought that some the answers have some ti-bit of truth in them, so I chose the more broader answer because that process  has worked in the past. But I do see why the answer is right because reflecting on it this answer is found in the passage.
13.) C. I got this question right. I think the question is difficult because of the answer. Compared to A which is simple. C is very complicated. The combined words of "paradoxical", "inversion" and "conventional " all in one sentence is very confusing. But because I knew what these words meant I applied them to the passage and got it right. Paradoxes are contradictions that are circular. Inversion is like the opposite . And conventions are commonly perceived ideas. The speaker talks badly(inversion) about something everyone seems to like(convention): nature.
21.)D ; B . Grammatical questions are a hassle and are so out of the mainstream norm of level 2 questions it feels tedious to do them. People (me) don't give them any introspection and want to quickly get it over with so they'l go with their first instinct, which may not be right.
24.) E; D. If you don't know what idiosyncratic means you are really in a jam. Idiosyncratic means unique about an individual. The question states which is LEAST idiosyncratic , which is the meter, everything is pretty unique( capitalization, tone, diction).
54.) E ; D. I can't believe I got this wrong. I guess because the reader is so focused on Louisa, the main character being so subtle and quiet, I automatically assumed that Dagget is. Especially because of the sparse dialogue and quiet mood. Dagget is very straightforward and I realize I made a not so smart mistake.

Debate: Should Huck be Taught in Schools?

              I found the debate today to be very intresting. I haven't been in many debates but I think that is the best one yet due to the subject matter and how everyone was devoted to winning. Personally, I think Mr. Beddingfield won, but that was because he is super eloquent and knows how to spot hole in our argument.I also think he choose his stance purposely so that his chances of winning are higher. The student side had alot of information and ideas, but I feel that we were a bit unorganized and didn't work as a team. Though I feel that if we had that we could have won, we had evidence and good points. For all the controversy involving Huck Finn, I think schools should read it. It's got plenty of merits and in my opinion Heart of Darkness is much worse(Jim actually was an individual, not a swirling mass of elderich abomination). And, at the end of the day, the book is just a book. It won't change a person's life, except maybe a fledging black panther, and it's not going to give soemeone a great epiphany.

Toni Morrison's "This Amazing Troubling Book"

                      In the selection of articles written about Huckleberry Finn I find the Toni Morrison article to be my favorite. Not to totally disregard the other articles but I find it very interesting to hear an opinion of the book from someone who's black.I wanted to see how they felt about the book. Like Morrison, I too was a bit uncomfortable with reading the novel, it's odd seeing how people felt about other races back then. When I first started reading the article I expected it to be one that was against Huck Finn, instead I was totally wrong. It's not so much about race as a whole but the characters and their relationships with each other.Prior to reading the article I never knew that Huck was a bit depressed and suicidal, it was something I didn't notice while reading. I also didn't understand the relationship between Huck and Jim properly. I always saw Huck as the dominant one in their relationship, and that is true, he is dominant. But I failed to see Jim's paternal nature. I knew he was affectionate towards Huck, but I wrote it off as something someone like Jim would do to a white child, that he had to do it.I also realized that Huck and Jim's relationship had a time limit to it due to who they were, a black man could not act as a paternal figure to a white child. The characters knew it and silently accepted it, giving the novel unexpected depth. Another thing I learned was about Huck's chosen isolation from civilization at the end of the novel. He has a home, and money, and a best friend, but because he is disgusted with society he chooses to leave.Plus the article was a breath of fresh air from the other articles and their sole focus on race.

Comedy and All His Cohorts

http://www.cracked.com/article_19549_5-old-timey-prejudices-that-still-show-up-in-every-movie.html
             The article, 5 Old -Timey Prejudices That Still Show Up in Every Movie, to be hilarious because it tells a truth. It explains the rather idiotic conventions of Hollywood. Such as there not being any female sexuality, little to none black male lead characters, and white washing history. These are all inequalities in the movie industry that everyone seems to either ignore or not care about. The article is humorous because it presents the flaws of Hollywood in a sardonic light. They point out the flaws and state the current system, such as a part of the article that reads: If It's A Blockbuster the Actor Better Be White (Or Will Smith). It's funny because it's true. Will Smith is one of the few minorities that can actually star/act in a movie without being killed off half way through it or being someone's best friend. Presenting the issues in a humorous way lets more people understand and relate to the article. If it was in the New York Times or something serious many people wouldn't give it the time of day, but because it both informs and entertains us we like it. It has a very serious message, that prejudice still exists,that is presented in a funny way.

Dear, Mr. Twain

            Well, Mr Twain, as of right now I'm reading the novel you wrote called "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". Though I am not finished I find the novel entertaining and thrilling. I am often on the edge on my seat because of all the scrapes Huck get's into, like his almost lynching . Tell me, who did you model Huck after? He's an interesting bright little boy who's wiser than most around him. Is he like you when you were a child? And were his experiences, like abuse, running away, and witnessing murder like yours? I also have to commend you the adventures Huck goes on, each one builds or adds to his character and each adventure is different. It gives the novel a epic and archetypal presence. A novel of self discovery. Jim seems to stand out to me. As a black person I am slightly offended by his portrayal. But as I think more about it, this is what people thought of black people at the time. And even worse , some were this way. As I read more of the novel Jim is revealed to have more depth, which is a relief for me because I wouldn't find your novel very enjoyable. And as of right now, I do find the novel entertaining. It has made me laugh at the absurdity of people's logic, cry at the senseless death's of children, and scare me when Huck is close to death.  You've written a novel that will last through the ages.
Sincerely, Maugrette

Huckleberry Finn

                I think "Huckleberry Finn"  is one of the most interesting novels I've read in class. It's unique that the reader is told a complicated story from a child's eyes. The novel plays out so far as episodic.Huck and Jim are traveling and they meet new people. I feel that if this were a movie or a t.v series or even a cartoon(!) I would watch it. As Huck and Jim go to a new place they grow and experience new things (kind of  like "Star Trek").Huck is the main character, he isn't good or particularly bad, he's just a kid who likes to have adventures. He's a mischievous, cunning, and (sometimes) caring little boy. And I like him well enough, he's surprisingly wise for someone so young. I also like his shifting views on Jim. Jim, a runaway slave is supposed to be property, yet how can someone care for and befriend property?Huck sees the little cracks in society that most people pretend not to notice. I think Twain wants to say sometimes is that " There's something wrong with you and the only person who realizes this is a kid."  I like Jim, at first I didn't but now after having some kind of back story(his wife and daughter) I've changed my mind. In the beginning  though that he was a black stock character stereotype. He is superstitious, simple, and is a sidekick to Huck.  But then I realize that he's a person. He isn't just a slave without feelings and emotions, he didn't choose to be a slave and he can't control what others feel about him. So maybe his superstitions and things like that are his ways of dealing with his life.(But this may be me adding my own thoughts and opinions on slavery to Jim's character) A theme I see in the book is failure to conform to society will make one an outcast. As Huck fails to conform to Miss. Watson's teaching and other standards and longs to be away from it all. Another theme is that  hate is an irrational emotion that can only lead to violence. Exampled in the feud between the warring clans and hatred towards black people. I also want to learn more about Huck's relationship with Tom. I know that Tom is a foil to Huck, but so far I don't have much of a back story. To me Huck seems to admire him in a childish way, I think Huck sees Tom as a sort of father or older brother figure. Also, where are the police? People are dying left and right and I've only seen one policeman.

Othello Questions

Act 4
1.) Besides Iago's lies to Othello and the handkerchief Iago stages a conversation between he and Cassio about Cassio's mistress, Bianca. Othello however interprets this as Desdemona.
2.) The handkerchief is very important because it is the physical "proof" that Desdemona is cheating on Othello and one of the first clues that leads to Othello suspecting her. The handkerchief symbolizes Othello and Desdemona's love, the purity of their love (strawberries could symbolize innocence) , and betrayal. I find that Emilia's actions are far too convenient and may have been deliberate.
3.)Othello believes she is unfaithful and thinks that anyone who married him has some kind of flaw.(Also Emilia walks in as he's about to have a turn around).
5.) In their conversation Emilia is revealed to be more worldly and more aware of the problems between men and women. Desdemona is more pure and more devoted to her husband.
6.) A scene that has dramatic irony was when Desdemona says her sheets are her death bed, they actually do become her death bed in the next Act.
Act 5
1.) After Othello kills Desdemona and Emilia walks in the story is told. Emilia reveals that she found the handkerchief and gave it to Iago, who gave it to Cassio. She also relates Iago's deceitfulness and the purity of Desdemona, and then Iago is caught in the act. He really is revealed to be guilty when he attacked his own wife.
4.)Othello kills Desdemona because he cannot deal with the shame and humiliation that she "cheated" on him. He wants revenge on her and everyone she is involved with(Cassio), I don't think this is avenging other men she's hurt but kills her for himself.
5.)Othello's flaw was that he was trusting of everyone, which includes bad people. These people took advantage of Othello's love and used him.
6.) I think that the Othello's ending speech helps clear him of most of his crimes but not all of them. Just because he's really sorry he killed his wife doesn't mean that all the damage he'd done is gone.But I do think the speech restores some of his original glory and valiance that he possessed at the beginning of the play.

Othello

                     Othello is such a dramatic and suspenseful story that it makes me feel like I'm watching a soap opera. Not only does it have drama, but it also has elements of comedy (at least in my perspective). Which I think makes the story more likable than other tragedies. The tragic hero, Othello is a Moor in Italy. He is brave, noble and kind, but he is also very gullible. He trusts Iago so much that he believes that his own wife is cheating on him, based on hearsay. Sadly this happens very much in reality and I like that this is featured in the play. It makes the play and Othello more relatable. As Othello listens to more and more of Iago's lies he becomes more enraged and threatens to kill Desdemona. This shows the quick temperedness of men. I think Othello will actually kill Desdemona because this is a tragedy, someone has to die. Though if I had it my way it would be Iago who dies. I don't get why he has this obsession for Othello. Personally I think his excuses to hate Othello, such as him getting the job that Cassio supposedly deserved, highly unlikely adultery with his wife, or the fact that Othello is a Moor, are not adequate reasons to hate Othello. Iago is borderline sadistic and psychotic. I know he's a fictional character and instrumental to the plot but his hate for Othello is unnerving. The lengths he'd go to cause the fall of Othello. Making his wife his cronies (by the way he doesn't even seem to like her, so why is he so worked up if she cheated on him?) and double-crossing all his friends (Roderigo and Cassio). Does that not seem odd to anyone? I'm searching for some deep psychological motive and I can only come up with one (and please don't think I'm stupid or totally off on left field): that Iago is gay. That's all I have. Also there's some racial angst, almost all the characters refer to Othello not by his name but as "The Moor". All the other characters are called by their names but Othello is not. He’s known as his race or ethnicity like something sub-human. You don't see Othello calling everyone The Italian".

The Destiny of Oedipus

         I find the article written by Sigmund Freud about Oedipus the King fascinating. Not only does he break down the dynamics of the play but he also uses Oedipus' experience and relates it to the every man. He explains the psychological undercurrent that's in the play. Though I do not agree with the idea that as children we want to marry our mothers and fathers (Oedipus and Electra Complex) on some subconscious level I think the idea is interesting.I like that Freud doesn't focus on the metaphors and literary analysis (that tends to get boring after a while) , he applies a real life understanding to the play. Why the protagonist acted as he did and how everyday people can do the same because we are human beings with primal urges.

THEME!!!!!!!!

     A theme that I can apply to Oedipus The King is that humans can never escape their fate and when they try to disaster or tragedy can be the only outcome.

Oedipus The King Questions

1.) Although Tiresias does not out right accuse Oedipus of killing his father , he heavily implies it through his reluctance to tell Oedipus and his warnings. I think that the realization is neither a defect or stupidity, the drama and mystery had to enfold as if an actual person was finding this out. (it also adds to the tension).

3.) Yes I agree with the interpretation but I do not find him completely blameless (he did kill a man and is prideful). 

5.) I do not think that Jocasta is a flat character, she seems to have a little complexity but could have given more depth. When she tries to persuade Oedipus when he tries to learn about his parents after she realizes it's him shows complexity, perhaps she would have kept it a secret and lived with the knowledge. And when she commits suicide after Oedipus realize who they really are and what they've done shows complexity, she feels great shame that can only be solved in death.

6.) Dramatic irony is knowing something that the characters of a play or novel do not know, like secrets or their fate. Dramatic irony in the play is that Laius tried to get Oedipus killed and inadvertently started the prophecy? Another instance of irony is that Oedipus thinks he's avoided the prophecy, but we the reader knows he hasn't. This makes the play more tragic because we know that for all Oedipus tries to avoid the prophecy he can't escape his fate of doom.

7.) Not having the scenes in the drama makes the reader or audience imagine for themselves how the gruesome scenes played out , so it's an advantage. A disadvantage is that it leaves the audience wanting and does not create a finished affect (in my opinion).

8.) Oedipus states that "Nothing he could see could give him joy" (1425), the gouging of his eyes may be atonement for his sin(he was metaphorically blind and now he is physically blind). His surgical instruments are his own hands and might show his free will, his desire to hurt or punish himself.

9.) I feel pity because Oedipus couldn't escape his harsh fate, and besides his hubris I feel that the end of his life was cruel.

11.) I feel that the gods are cruel and besides saying prophecies have no real or substantial role in the lives of their followers.I think the play shows reverence to the gods because it show cases their power and their affect in human lives.(albeit it is shown to make one fear them that is a sort of reverence. Also, if the gods hadn't said the prophecy to humans and let Laius raise Oedipus properly as his own son would the prophecy even come true?)

12.) To me the play ends in total doom , Oedipus' wife committed suicide, he's maimed himself, and his daughters will never be accepted in society due to the reasons of their birth.  

Oedipus Rex

               Oedipus, the King of Thebes, is a very prideful man. After saving Thebes he becomes the ruler and doesn't rule very well. By the time the tragedy starts his kingdom is in horrible condition. He thinks a curse is upon the land, but I think that if he took things into his own hands and actually ruled (because who chooses their king because he defeated a monster? that doesn't mean he can lead a nation.) he would get better results. But then again Oedipus' society heavily believed in the forces of nature like the gods. So it’s odd that when he sends for Tiresias and hears his fragmented prophesy he doesn't want to hear it. A lot of foreshadowing indicates that he's the guy who killed the former king, and I think it is very foolish of him to decree all these curses when he doesn't know who the culprit is. He's practically digging his own grave. And for some reason he knows it's not himself, even though there is a slight chance because he has killed someone before. The hamaratia is that he killed his dad, but also that he proclaimed this grand curse in front of his people. This may be due to his tragic flaw of pride and impulsiveness in my opinion. This definitely has pathos appeal because you kind of sort of like the character, or feel sorry for him, but you know that all these bad things are going to happen to him. Sort of like Romeo and Juliet. The tragedy may have a karthsis moment at the end when Oedipus can finally absolve himself of the crime he committed all those years ago. I don't think I would happy towards the end of the play, the whole thing is about a man who couldn't escape a fate determined by others and doomed to suffer. That in itself, is something dismal.