Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Thinking Outside the Box

Plato and Satre share a strong similarity between their idea of what the human limitations are and how to overcome them.  The greatest example comes from the fact that in order to conquer one's own fears, it is the responsibility of that certain person to find who they truly are.  For Plato this self enlightenment came in the form of being released from the shadows of misconception that we as human beings all too often fall into.  He believed that in order to find the true morality of one's own being, one must escape from the beliefs and values the world delegates and rather pursue a destiny in which the "true being" is found.  On the other hand, Satre affirmed that the cultivation of life itself can only be discovered by liberating oneself from the evils that others seemingly force upon each other.  Understanding that one must sift through the many people that he or she encounters until finding the one that only conveys positive desires is the final step into finding who we really are.  Although both portray very dynamic views on life, Plato and Satre ultimately share an unbreakable bond.

Both authors make great use of hell as an extended metaphor.  Plato's immediate setting is without a doubt a cave, however by further analyzing the setting one can find that it is without a doubt hell on Earth.  Satre instead directly makes use of the setting of hell as an extended metaphor.  Without the reader even perceiving a different setting Satre makes use of numerous literary elements to describe his wicked setting.  In conclusion, both authors create a sense of how we as humans are often faced with the challenges of an overwhelming life. 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

No Exit

1.  If I was to create a hell I believe it would be filled with things that I hate the most or find most annoying.  This could be quite a long list but I will try to narrow it down.  Disrespecting others, having constant worries, and feeling lost would be elements that would make up my own hell.  I certainly believe the mind can be in hell in a beautiful place.  Yes, I believe there is a way to find peace in a hellish environment.
2.  Hell can certainly be described as too much of anything without a break.  Whether a negative or positive constant, too much of one thing often looses its own value.  Once it looses a sense of humanity, hell begins to take over.
3.  Satre creates a sense of place through dialogue by simply giving a brief description of the setting around the characters.  "To my uncle's place. He's the head valet here. He has a room on the third floor."  Certainly knowing that you can't leave a specific place is an overwhelming tortuous event, however also knowing that the ability to close your eye's is impossible makes for a truly perfect hell.  Garcin surprisingly remains relatively calm throughout the entire scene.  If I was in Garcin's position my ability to function would be completely shut down.  I would never like to twist my daily activities around so that everyday habits become hell, however if I had to I believe my utter need for perfection would truly make my life a living hell.  If I constantly made sure every aspect in my life was perfect, I would certainly create a hell on Earth for myself.  There is most certainly a pattern of circumstances that reinforces the experience of hell and I believe that is simply repetition of a certain event that destroys one's self morals.  

Friday, November 23, 2012

Allegory of the Cave Sonnet

Where can the realities of life be found?
Quite possibly in a dark and solemn cave
Lit by shadows that truly astound
Overcome only by the brave

He who leaves the cave has a moral duty
To renew the lives of those prisoners within
And show them life's real beauty
Though they prove not even kin

For this is the life a great leader must pursue
To take the challenges and obstacles at hand
And be able to make do
In order to discover life's everlasting land

So it is with great hope that one must admit
That the realities of life are spread by those who prove fit.


Monday, November 19, 2012

Weekly Music Video: 11-19-12

Dear Mama- 2Pac
Since this week is all about being thankful for what we have, I thought this video would definitely be appropriate.  Hope you enjoy!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Literature Analysis #3: The Old Man and the Sea

1. The Old Man and the Sea is a novel about the struggle between an aged fisherman and the catch of his life.  Santiago has gone eighty four days without catching a fish, bringing his hopes down as well as his apprentice.  Manolin, Santiago's prodigy, is forced to no longer fish with Santiago due to his overwhelming bad luck.  Santiago continues to fish even without his most trusted assistant.  One day Santiago once again travels the ocean waiting for even a nibble.  Finally after much time an enormous marlin gets caught on Santiago's hook.  They fight for many days until Santiago is finally able to reel the monstrous fish in.  After he spears the marlin, he decides to make for land excited to see the reaction on the villagers.  On his journey back however numerous sharks approach the huge fish, taking large pieces of flesh right in front of Santiago.  Santiago manages to fight off most of the sharks however by the time he reaches land the prized marlin is nothing but a skeleton.  Although very distraught, the villagers marvel at the size of the marlin and praise the old man's fortitude.

2. I feel as if the theme of the novel greatly expresses self encouragement.  Through out the battle with the great marlin the old man constantly reminds himself never to give in.  Joe DiMaggio, Santiago's favorite baseball player, gives the old man the confidence he needs to carry on, asking himself constantly, "What would Joe do?"  Even after the great fish is ravaged by the constant flow of sharks, Santiago always reminds himself to finish what he has started.

3. The tone of the novel is that of great sympathy for the old man.  It is obvious that the author feels something for the main character.
  • “Let him think that I am more man than I am and I will be so.”- At this point Ernest Hemingway is showing the reader the main character's weaknesses.  But instead of mocking Santiago, Hemingway instead builds the main character up in a way.
  • “It's silly not to hope. It's a sin he thought.”- Again Hemingway reflects his sympathy towards Santiago by portraying the message that in order to finish what he has done, Santiago must hope."
  • “If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy. But since I am not, I do not care.”- Finally, Hemingway could be mocking the character but instead he decides to reinforce the idea of the strength and will that Santiago possesses.
4.
  • Rhetorical Question-“Luck is a thing that comes in many forms and who can recognize her?”  The reader is not meant to answer this question but simply ponder on it.
  • Symbolism-“Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio.” Joe DiMaggio is a symbol of strength and courage throughout the entire novel.
  • Antagonist- “Why did they make birds so delicate and fine as those sea swallows when the ocean can be so cruel?” Most readers might believe that the marlin would be the antagonist when in reality I believe it is the ocean itself.
  • Connotation- “I hate a cramp, he thought. It is a treachery of one's own body.” Instead of directly stating what a cramp is, Santiago instead decided to elaborate on a different definition of what a cramp means to him.
  • Allusion- “But I think the Great DiMaggio would be proud of me today.” When Hemingway wrote this novel I believe he thought most would know who the "Great DiMaggio" really was.
  • Personification- “The fish is my friend too," he said aloud. "I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars." For some reason Santiago thinks of the marlin as his friend, almost treating it as a cherished relationship.
  • Diction-  “Fish," he said softly, aloud, "I'll stay with you until I am dead.” The diction throughout the entire novel is very simply, however it often packs a very powerful punch.
  • Syntax- “But man is not made for defeat," he said. "A man can be destroyed but not defeated. " Again the syntax is very simply however because of the way Hemingway arranged these elementary words, he created a powerful and everlasting quote.
Characterization

1.
  • Direct Characterization- "Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated." Hemingway decides to use direct characterization here in order to inform the reader on just how vivid the eye's of the old man were.
  • Direct Characterization- "Why did they make birds so delicate and fine as those sea swallows when the ocean can be so cruel? She is kind and very beautiful. But she can be so cruel and it comes so suddenly and such birds that fly, dipping and hunting, with their small sad voices are made too delicately for the sea." Although a form of personification, Hemingway again uses direct characterization when describing the personalities of the ocean.
  • Indirect Characterization- "Do you believe the great DiMaggio would stay with a fish as long as I will stay with this one? he thought. I am sure he would and more since he is young and strong. Also his father was a fisherman. But would the bone spur hurt him too much?" From this quote the reader understands that Hemingway is describing Santiago's pain without directly stating it.
  • Indirect Characterization- "After he judged that his right hand had been in the water long enough he took it out and looked at it.  "It is not bad," he said. "And pain does not matter to a man."  Although this might seem as if this represents a direct characterization quote, it in fact portrays the extreme pain Santiago is in without being candid about it.
2. Hemingway is known for his simple syntax, therefore when he starts to describe Santiago's character his syntax does not change. "He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women , nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach They played like young cats in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the boy."  It is obvious that Hemingway's light syntax is carried throughout the novel even when describing the main character.  "But the old man always thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld great favors, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because she could not help them. The moon affects her as it does a woman, he thought."  Again Hemingway's syntax and diction does not change when he portrays the feelings of Santiago, they simply describe exactly what Santiago is feeling in that very moment.

3. I believe that Santiago is without a doubt a static character.  Most readers would find a static character to be boring or dull, however it is Santiago's positive spirit that makes him such an interesting character.  Even when the ocean and the entire world is against him, Santiago remains calm and ready for the next challenge.  He is given many opportunities to quit but decides to carry on because of how far he has already gotten.  Santiago also feels deep emotions for the sea even when it tears him down into submission.  He respects the ocean and understands the actions it takes against him.  I also find Santiago to be a flat character.  He remains true to himself, for there is nothing to change about Santiago.  If Hemingway was to make Santiago a round character I do not believe there would be such a lovely appeal to Santiago's character.  Therefore there is not a doubt in my mind that Santiago is a flat character.

4. Honestly I feel as though I have met Santiago after reading the novel.  He is a person I have always wanted to meet.  Santiago has a strong will and an everlasting positive personality.  I hope that someday I will meet a persona exactly like Santiago.  "Fish, I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends."  This might seem like a very gruesome example, however it shows the main characters true honesty.  Most fisherman would not announce that they are going to kill a fish for fear of a bad omen, however Santiago declares it knowing that in order to succeed in his task he must stay honest.  Although a very simple character, Santiago is a character I hope to meet one day.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Big Question

What is the definition of success?


Oh and by the way, the answer to the meaning of life is 42

Sonnet Analysis Part I


Introduction

The sonnet is one of the most enduring and influential poetic patterns in the English language. The form's relatively short length (14 lines) and intricate rhyming structure has inspired poets as diverse as Dante, Shakespeare, Spenser, Rilke, Auden, Dylan Thomas and Elizabeth Bishop. One of the sonnet's greatest virtues is its ability to force the poet to use condensed language in a lyrical structure . The form's limitations, instead of being seen as a disadvantage, should be seen as an opportunity to refine and deepen your thoughts. As Wordsworth said in his famous poem:
Nuns fret not at their convent's narrow room
Nuns fret not at their convent's narrow room
And hermits are contented with their cells;
And students with their pensive citadels;
Maids at the wheel, the weaver at his loom,
Sit blithe and happy; bees that soar for bloom,
High as the highest Peak of Furness-fells,
Will murmur by the hour in foxglove bells:
In truth the prison, into which we doom
Ourselves, no prison is: and hence for me,
In sundry moods, 'twas pastime to be bound
Within the Sonnet's scanty plot of ground;
Pleased if some Souls (for such there needs must be)
Who have felt the weight of too much liberty,
Should find brief solace there, as I have found.
--by William Wordsworth

History

The word sonnet derives the Italian word sonneto which means "little song." The earliest sonnets date from about 1200, and were probably sung as expressions of romantic love in Italian courtyards. The 14-line form was popularized by Petrarch in the 14th century with his work "Canzoniere" a sequence of 366 poems, most of which were dedicated to an idealized lover. Petrarch's work influence many European writers such as Dante and Boccaccio and eventually spread to England influencing Chaucer.
ShakespeareBy Shakespeare's time, the English version of the Sonnet had diverged slightly from the Italian form breaking into three quatrains and a final couplet rather than the octave, sestet structure of the Italian version. Both varieties usually contain a shift in tone, stance or viewpoint , called a volta, after the 8th line, and sometimes in the final couplet in the Shakespearean version.
In the early Renaissance, the sonnet was primarily used as an expression of courtly love, but by the late Renaissance, it had evolved to encompass passionate religious, philosophical and political themes.

Contemporary usage

Many contemporary poets still use the sonnet structure occasionally, although few write exclusively in this form. The sonnet's relatively short length and ability to create tension between narrative and lyricism is well suited to a culture that values brevity and storytelling. However, some poets find the iambic foot and fixed rhyme scheme too forced for contemporary usage.

Advantages of writing in the sonnet form

The sonnet is a wonderful vehicle to explore shifts in tone, viewpoint or argument. It allows the poet to develop a position or mood in the first eight lines and then shift to a different mood or position in the last part of the poem. The structure's ability to develop a story is offset by the musical nature of the rhyme scheme creating an interesting tension between narrative and lyricism.

 

Key Points

The sonnet is an example of accentual-syllabic verse. This means that the form has a fixed number of stresses (or accents) and syllables in each line.
14 lines
Usually iambic pentameter
Contains a marked shift in tone or argument called a volta
Two main types
Petrarchan (also called Italian)
  • Octave (8 lines) (abba abba) or (abab cdcd)
  • Sestet (six lines) (cdc cdc) or (cde cde)
  • The rhyme scheme has several variations
Shakespearean
  • Three quatrains & a final couplet (or all 14 lines in one stanza)
  • Rhyme scheme (abab cdcd efef gg) (varies)
  • Final rhyming couplet is defining feature
One of the easiest ways to recognize a sonnet is to count the number of lines. Rhyme scheme and meter vary depending on the type of sonnet, but if a poem has fourteen lines, it is a clue that the poem may be sonnet or is evoking some aspect of the sonnet.

All of this information was found here

An interesting article for Sonnets can be found here





Monday, November 5, 2012

Vocabulary: Fall List #11

Affinity- relationship by marriage
"If this affinity did not exist,  I believe I would have no relationship with this woman."


Bilious- of or indicative of a peevish ill nature disposition
"My bilious towards the peculiar man was something I could not hold back."

Cognate- of the same nature
"The cognate discipline was used by all of the teachers."

Corollary- A proposition inferred Immediately from a proved proposition with little or no additional proof
"The corollary after being shot in the head is most certainly death."

Cul-de-sac- a pouch
"I have lived in a cul-de-sac my entire life."

Derring-do- a daring action
"Evil Kenevil committed many derring-do's during his lifetime."

Divination- The art or practice that seeks to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge due to the interpretation of omens
"My mom has become very interested in divination."

Elixir- A substance capable of prolonging life indefinitely
"I hope to never find an elixir due to the idea that we as humans are supposed to die eventually."

Folderol- a useless accessory
"Many athletes purchase folderols because of their competitive spirit."

Gamut- an entire range or series
"The gamut of weapons in the artillery would have frightened any opposition."

Hoi polloi- the General populace
"The hoi polloi all agreed that Obama should continue to be our president."

Ineffable- incapable of being expressed in words
"The love I have for my girlfriend is ineffable."

Lucubration- to study by night
"Most lucubration is done by prominent inventors."

Mnemonic- intended to assist memory
"The mnemonic device was infective when trying to bring my grandfather's hearing back."

Obloquy- abusive language
"Parents who use obloquy are often bad parents."

Parameter-
guideline, boundary or outer limit
"The parameters of the castle where unknown to the architect until he realized how large he had made it."

Pundit- a learned man
"I find pundits to be quite interesting."

Risible- provoking laughter
"The risible joke to one might not seem so funny to another."

Symptomatic- having the characteristics of a certain disease but arising of a different cause
"Symptomatic of a lack of good judgment."

Volte-face- a reversal in policy 
"I was surprised by the volte-face until I realized that it would benefit my future actions."

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Weekly Music Video: 11-4-12

"Wings"- Macklemore
This was me growing up.  Enjoy:)

Sonnet

Light 
by Willis Barnstone

 Light is my end. Born when a few cells fuse
in a big bang of love, from nothing I 
become a mass living in time, and lose
my black aloneness for the unseen eye
of mind catching you. We two think and burn. 
Back in 1905 Albert Einstein, 
a clerk in the Patent Office in Bern,
found we electromagnetically shine,
which means that I am charged with being me,
discharging like the sun. And when my mass
and time slow down to zero gravity,
dismembering me to be infinite night,
Albert's mc2 tells me though my ass
will disappear, I shall turn into light

GROWING MY PLN

Finding resources for Hamlet was a lot more difficult than I expected.  I have to admit that I found more rabbit holes then resources.  Every time I clicked on a link I would expect it to take me to a land of endless information on Hamlet, yet for the most part I usually came across a website of dull facts and lame advertisements.  However after some time, I was finally able to discover five resources which I could proudly proclaim offered valid information on Hamlet. 

AP HAMLET: PLN

http://aplove.blogspot.com/2007/11/ap-lit-hamlet-actscene-notes.html
  • Great summaries of scenes throughout Hamlet.  Can't wait to use this as a resource.  
http://quizlet.com/subject/composition-literature-ap-hamlet-act/
  • Vocab, vocab, vocab.  I know Dr. Preston would definitely appreciate this!  Will help when I am reviewing Hamlet and find words I am unfamiliar with.    
http://gallagherseniorhonors.blogspot.com/2008/03/hamlet-study-guide.html
  • Links to many students who are studying Hamlet.  Although this class is a year old, it might still prove useful.  
https://sites.google.com/a/wjps.org/apliterature-wjps/hamlet-by-william-shakespeare
  • Full list of resources for Hamlet!  From study guides to lectures. ***
http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xHamlet.html
  • Amazing study guide for Hamlet!  Even has essay topics, which is perfect because we now have to write an essay for Hamlet.