The Catcher in the Rye

This block I chose to read The Catcher in the Rye. If you have not read it, I encourage you to do so. A coming of age story, it primarily speaks of a teenager's struggles with external as well as internal conflicts. Is society "phony?" It may well be but this book allows us to enfocus our determination to rectify its malstructure. "We're taking over the world", am I right? Well why not start by learning a few things about yourself, through Holden Caulfield's experiences? We can all sympathize with his struggles to understand man's logic, and a teenager's grasp on reality.

Presentations and Music

I really liked the Idea's everyone discussed in their presentations, it really brought some perspective to all of the intricate themes that are explored in Shakespeare. i had some questions on Mario's presentation though: (if you're reading this Mario) I didn't understand how you said supernatural forces didn't pick sides and how that statement could be made in the case of Hamlet's fathers ghost, and also you said that the witches used Macbeth's ambition just to cause trouble and I was wondering what they had to gain from doing that. I really liked your use of the diagram though, it was really insightful. on another note, APE has made me start appreciating music on a whole new level, the amount of literary devices that go into some of the lyrics and I'm not just talking about similies and metaphors commonly found in rap and hip hop, but consonance, aphorisms, asyndeton, epiteth, imagery, periphrasis, puns, syllepsis, and more! i smile when i recognize some of these and am able to understand how the artist uses these to make the song more meaningful.

Presentations

I think the presentations were really insightful on themes and perspectives in which I had never perceived Shakespeare's tragedies from. Jose's presentation was especially insightful though in stirring up a topic that I thought I knew a lot about, Hamlet. What I found most interesting about his presentation was that, he quoting a scholar, said that Gertrude married Uncle Claudius merely to not fall more deeply in love with Hamlet. Before this I had always seen the incestuous love as one sided coming only from Hamlet towards his mother. But as I continued thinking about this inference it does seem that her hasty marriage was not because she was 'whore' but because her desire to avoid beginning a relationship with Hamlet, her son. My question is though, if Hamlet motives were based upon jealousy towards the Uncle more than through the death of his father, did he ever really love Ophelia as a lover or was it limited to a strong friendship?

The Invisible Man

This block for my independent reading book, I read The Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison. As a young man, in the late 1920s or early 1930s, the narrator lived in the South. Because he is a gifted public speaker, he is invited to give a speech to a group of important white men in his town. The men give him a suitcase containing a scholarship to a black college but only after humiliating him by forcing him to fight in a battle. With this, he begins his painful journey through life recieving endless rejection. This character reminds me a lot of Bigger Thomas because they undergo very similar struggles. I don't want to give away much but I really recommend everyone to read this book!

The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin

So for my independent reading book, i chose to read the Adventures of Huckleberry fin and frankly, im loving it. Huckleberry is just the kind of boy that doesnt know any better about his actions and is just very naive, mostly due to the fact that he used to have no home or education, or manners. This book would have been a great addition for us to have read in class because along with Native son, it ties into racism, discrimination and dissaproval toward Huckleberry and his household's black servant Jim. Since huckleberry doesnt know the rules of society, he is unaware that befriending Jim is frowned uppon and even after Jim tells him that their friendship can't be, huckleberry doesnt care.

There's a Fork In The Road To Humanity

Mary Shelley was an atheist, yet she still brought the duality of biblical and secular ideals in her noval. Frankenstien's creation was born uninformed, with no one to teach it, yet it yearned for acceptance and approval while also being capable of distinguising and developing its own moral compass without the help of religion. It studyied the cottagers and lusted for their interaction, gaining knowledge without the aid of its creator... becoming more human. Is Shelley trying to emphasize that the only way to achieve an actual human life is through self- realization, self- euducation and interaction with civilization while also being blind to religion forcing you to develop your own spiritual and moral path?

The Role of Religon.

Frankenstein was written during the time of the Enlightenment; the literary movement for authors who wrote based on "evidence of their own eyes and ears, human understanding, and logical reasoning." They would then reject scientific and religous ideas. If this is the case, why did Mary Shelley have Justine portray someone who beleived so ardently in her faith? She went through with the claim that she had murdered William to obtain absolution, even though she had no part in the murder. She was more fearful of being excommunicated from the church then she was of death itself. My question is what was the intent behind Justine's scene of religious conviction? If the Enlightenment's focal point was to stay clear of matters concerning religon.

Macbeth: The Man Who Threw Away His Soul

It's not the bloodshed that makes me feel like Macbeth is a tragedy. It's the loss of humanity that's so heartbreaking. All those lives would have been saved if Macbeth would have held on to his soul. At the begining, one couldn't help but to feel sympathatic towards him. He had guilt stronger than Lady Macbeth's. In confliction with his morality, he continued to massacre the innocent. He lost his wife, a dear friend (Banquo), and the devotion of his army. Didn't he realize it was all in vain? Does Macbeth stay a sympathetic characeter throughout the play or has he lost your sympathy?

The Meaning of Words

Did Hamlet in fact look for revenge or was in a quest for retributive justice? Revenge seems to imply anger,which i understand Hamlet did characterize. However, at which point did Hamlet's moralites alter? Was it for his deceased father's sake or did the presence of his disloyal mother with his murderous uncle flip the switch within Hamlet?

The Oppressed Find a Voice

Why is it that Shakespeare portrayed Lady macbeth as he did; a tyrannical, ambitious female that emasculates her husband to attain what she wants? No offense ladies, but I am incredulous as to why Shakespeare a man of the Renaissance presented Lady Macbeth as this powerhouse in a time when women were "supposed" to be ladies both in the house and in public. Could this be like Jane Austen's portrayal of Elizabeth Swan. A self-righteous and independent minded female, or to showcase females' frailty if in power. By which I mean that in the last scenes of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth had become insane uttering her displeasure of the actions taken after the murdr of the King. What is Shakespeare's purpose? What inspired him to do this?

The difference between Hamlet and Macbeth.

As we continue to read Macbeth one can start to see the difference between the two male characters. Hamlet was more misogynistic, he seemed to dislike women. One can see this with the way he reacted to his mother saying that a lioness would be more considerate of her dead lover. However, at the other end of the spectrum, Macbeth seems to need acceptance from his counter part. This can be seen through his actions, where he does any thing that she says. All in all, one can see the difference between Hamlet and Macbeth Hamlet does not need as much acceptance from women as Macbeth does.

True Essence

The book Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind, is truly an exquisitely written tale about a character named Grenouille. He isn’t an ordinary human being, and during eighteenth century France, fitting is in is a must among crowds. The instant I read the first few lines of the book, I was captivated chapter through chapter. Though the plot itself is interesting, the creation of each persona and character has an instant affect upon the character Grenouille. It takes you throughout his life, since the day he was born. The author is constantly distinguishing Grenouille from the rest of society. Ever heard of Sweeney Todd? Frankenstein? Even Edward Sissorhands is an example of Grenouille’s persona. They all appear like monsters among society. This is a must read. But if you don’t like gory and grotesque thoughts, actions, the book might not be for you. Every word was chosen to create a sensual yet, evil thread among the entire plot. Definitely a book I will remember.

Those Meddling Witches

The Witches in Macbeth are incredible troublesome for reaveling Macbeth's prophecy. Do you beleive that the Witches predictions came true because of them telling Macbeth his fate? Fate doesn't sound very humanistic to me. Is Hamlet more humanistic than Macbeth or is it the other way around?

Macbeth Vs. Hamlet

Although we are still in the early acts of Macbeth, I think we know enough context to make a comparison to Macbeth's characterization opposed to Hamlet's. Are there any distinct similarities or differences? I think both Hamlet and Macbeth seem very vulnerable emotionally--they where their hearts on their sleeves. As far as a difference goes, Hamlet was more brazen in his actions. While Macbeth has been more timid, weak in mind, and allows himself to be haunted by his guilt over the murders of Duncan and Banquo.

The Color Purple

For my independent read I just finished reading The Color Purple, an altogether highly interesting and controversial read I recommend it to all of you. But I really wanted to talk about an aspect that I really found interesting in the development of the main character, her exploration of her sexuality. In modern times it is very common for people, at least in the area we live in, to be okay with coming out, or being curious about who they love. Having a similar experience, Celie really comes off as a modern 2011 character which I found interesting especially since it was written and placed in the 20th century. With her exploration of sexuality she dismisses the bible and the 'white man with white robes' image that is commonly conjured up with thinking of God or a divine figure but believes in a transcendental view of divinity as an omnipotent force in everything, not secluded to the sky. My question is, do you guys think that modern (20th and especially 21st) century literature has more of an unorthodox transcendental religious themes than previous literature?

The house of night series

Hello classmates.I have been reading the above mentioned series for i think the past two years (if not three). the reason for this is that they have been coming out since, i just read the ninth book DESTINED and i so loved it! i love every single book that has come out, the 10th will probably be out sometime next year:/ so until then i"ll know if its the last book or if it truly is never ending. Anyways, has anybody read this series? if not, i highly recomend it, its a ficiton about the power of friendship, love and overcoming great obsticles. Its sort of a twilight vampire sort of series but i like that its based on the world we live in and the essence of it feels almost normal. If anybodyhas read these books please comment:) i would love to hear your opinion on them. if you haven't,then i woud love to hear about your favorite series and the story behind them. Thank you:)

The defendant is found... Guilty?

The biggest concern in Macbeth was originally whether Macbeth himself was completely guilty for the murder of King Duncan. My feelings at that point were "no" because Lady Macbeth was the sole reason for him even thinking of such actions. However, I now see the kind of scheming person Macbeth can be. He had one of his close friends, Banquo, murdered for the sake of guaranteeing his successful "ascension" into greater fortune. McBeth has become more committed to pursuing his fortold future. He has a will of his own and as a human being is not impervious to making mistakes. However, Macbeth has chosen to take fate into his own hands and disrupt a balance in nature. This has swayed me to believe he was full fledged guilty of killing King Duncan and should blame no one else but himself.

What do we think about Hamlet?

Do we think he is insane? Do we think he is an intellectual? Both sides are equally able to be argued.

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Android Blogging

I just want to let you guys know that if you have a smart phone or device of such, you can download the blogspot app to post from your phone. (:

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Are You Hungry?

Bigger isn't just a representation of the "Black Struggle" during his time. He embodies us all or better yet WE embody him. Personally, there are countless times when I just ACTED do to impulse and never fully grasped WHY until the very end. Punches have been coming at me left and right, but like Bigger, I haven't learned to dodge yet because the first thing I FEEL I need to do is strike back and where do I land?... flat on my back. If I want to master the obstacles ahead I first need to master myself. "Men starve from the lack of self-realization as much as they can from a lack of bread"- Richard Wright. All I can SAY is that I'm hungry... VERY HUNGRY! But to say it is only the key to the lock. To actually DO something about it...well THAT is the hand the turns it. Thus opening the door. So... Are You Hungry?... then you KNOW what to do next.

Do You Think That it was Bigger's Fate to End up Where he Is?

Was there a way out? IS there a way out?
Can Bigger's character change positively even though he is black, in the 1930s, committed double homicide, and has little faith in himself?

A Changing Bigger

I for one have been a main advocate against Bigger being a sympathetic character. However, my view has changed. . Although, we are not at the end of the book I now believe that his character will change too. What do you guys think? Can Bigger become a dynamic Character?

Bigger a sympathetic character?

Although suppressed and limited by his color, Bigger, doesn't seem to give himself a lot of room for us to be able to sympathize with him. Marked with a great intelligence, Bigger could have, with the right upbringing been the hero of the story. Yet, his need for control and web of outrageous lies in my eyes suppress any good there is in him. There are instances in the story, where guilt does consume him but for the most part, he seem to gloat and take pride in his murder. Do you sympathize with Bigger, although he is a murder? Or do you see him as a broken tyrant? Neither?

Blacks over Reds

In Native Son, Bigger Thomas convinces himself that his fabrication of Mary's murder is easily believable not because Bigger is brilliant in his deception --rather Bigger believes that his word as a colored person is more credible than Jan's, who is a Communist sympathizer. The question is, does Bigger, who is blatantly guilty of murder, have a reasoning behind his belief? Does Bigger's plan really hold up, despite the fact that Bigger actually did commit the crime? Historically speaking, the story takes place around a turbulent ideological state where Communism is being picked up from one side of the society and the other side is strictly against it. If Bigger lucks out and manages to convince enough of the right people, Bigger could possibly get off of his crime. (Honestly I'm doubtful of this because of Bigger's furthering plans of taking ransom money, perpetuates the tangling web of lies Bigger caused for himself.)

Can one family really make a difference?

Bigger doesn't know what it's like to be white, but he dreams of equality. He hopes to be equal, but when Jan offers him the opportuinity he feels offended. The reader can see that Bigger is just as hateful to the whites as they are to him. He even goes as far as to ruin a good chance in the Daltons home by commiting murder. Instead of feeling guilty about the act of violence, he feels impowered. An enviroment that wants to help Bigger improve his standings in life isn't enough to make him feel comfortable in his own skin. Besides violence, is there another way for Bigger to gain confidence? In other words, is there a way to stop the violence from escalating or is it too late?

Mary Dalton

Altough Mary Dalton is only alive through the beggining of Native Son, her character is full of meaning and significance. Not only is her attitude towards Bigger contradicting to her "ideals"but her death also symbolizes a turning point in Bigger's life. Do you guys think that it is really Mary the one showing subtle rascism or is it all just in Bigger's head, product of his own self doubt?

Bigger than Death

In the novel Native son, the self-esteem issues which affect Bigger are usually him having to commit the act of crime, or something much bigger. Do you feel theres Irony in his name because he is doing all the acts that society would have thought unacceptable at the time or anytime time by that and finds it in himself is the correct thing to do?

Mrs. Dalton

what is your opinion on Mrs. dalton's blindness? I think that Mrs. Daltons blindness is ironic since she is able to SEE Bigger for what he is unlike people at that time who were blind by the color of people's skin.

Mrs. Dalton

Addiction..

Is anyone starting to become addicted, like Facebook?
Maybe we don't need this App.

Controversy Back in the Day

Before we began reading Native Son, we were told this book had caused an outrage among certain communities due to its telling of African American oppression in the 1940s. Many thought Richard Wright could have done a better job by telling a story where colored folk were shown as rising above, transcending, this oppression, but he took a risk and was successful. What do you guys see as the most controversial points in this book from what we've read? Do any of you believe that the gruesome murder of Mary Dalton had something to do with this controversy?

What is up with this change?

I do not know if anyone caught this but the first time Richard Wright brought up the white cat, it had "large black eyes" (page 60 in my book). However, the second time he brought up the cat (page 91) it had "round green eyes". Now i don't know alot about cats but i'm pretty sure their eyes don't change colors. Could there be any deeper meaning to this? And if so, what is it? I've discussed it a bit with another student but she was uncertain too.

How Does Native Son Connect to the Situations in Your Life?

Does anyone draw parallels between their life and Bigger's? How do you compare you life to his? And does learning about his situation make you want to do better in life?

Bigger and Racism

Richard Wright has an interesting way of using "Bigger" to unveil the problems with racism. The reader gets a hint early on about how big of a problem racism is when wright talks about the overwhelming whiteness in the Daltons house. The problem is in fact racism, racism that has manifested itself so deep within his being that he cannot help but see the world the way he does. Wright highlights the problem with racism when Bigger ends up killing Mary in an attempt to save his own behind. In Bigger's eyes, if he brought Mary home Drunk, even to one of the nicest white families, he wouldn't only lose his job but possibly also his life. I'm sure that the Daltons would have probably pardoned Bigger because Mary is known for being wild, yet he is convinced that he HAS to keep her quiet so he doesn't get caught just like he HAD to fit her in the trunk, and to burn her body, and HAD to cut her head off. Wright, using this situation, makes a statement as to how bad the things are that racism can lead to.

Who Is Bigger Thomas?

As we continue to read Native Son we see thatBigger has three different personalities. One can see his violent side with the smashing of the rats head. However, we also see what a dreamer he is as he looks up at the plane and dreams of one day flying it. Then we finnally see towards the end of the first book the horrible senseless choices he makes. It is confusing. Is bigger a violent man, or just a dreamer who wants to advance himself in the world, but cant because of the rasicm that perpetuates his society, or could he be both. It seems that you can only be one or else you would truely loose who you are. However, That may be the awnser to my question he does these things because he does not know who he is as a result, of him refusing to find out.Bigger Thomas should just discover his limits so that he may live a happier life.

Bigger and Joe Christmas and Lenny

Bigger Thomas reminds me of another character we were introduced to around this time last year, Joe Christmas (From William Faulkner's A Light In August) Can it not be said that the two are similar in character? Not only are both out-casts from white society, but they are both murders (assuming Christmas did commit the crime). But not only that, they are both considered "brooders" or someone whose deeply lost in thought. They are both questioning their identity throughout their stories. Does that mean that those who are evaluative state are murders underneath all their brooding? Not necessarily. It doesn't take a lot of thought to commit murder; remember Lenny from Of Mice and Men, anyone? If anything, Bigger's action of killing Mary was more similar to Lenny's action against Curley's wife; both did not seem intentional. If anything, the circumstances that were given to both Lenny and Bigger were conducive to their separate, isolated incidences. Honestly, things do not look well for Bigger, remember how Christmas's story ended as well as Lenny's? It doesn't look like things will turn out better for the Native Son protagonist.

"Bigger?" As in better?

As we continue to read "Native Son" it occurs to me that Bigger is no longer a literal adaptation of his name. He has become an embodiment of cowardice to the limits and boundaries put before him by white society. He has himself internalized the segregative status quo.

What is the "Bigger" Picture?

Could Bigger be one single character meant to represent the entire American black community, during the 1930s? Why do you think Richard Wright gave these certain qualities, of fear and anger to Bigger, and why did he choose specifically a man with cowardly actions and no self-confidence? What exactly is Wright's point in trying to connect the reader with a killer? What do you feel about the way he killed Mary?

By the way, has anyone thought of how Mary's name could be a biblical reference to Virgin Mary? Her reappearance, according to Bigger's view, on page 89, could have a stronger meaning than the whiteness of her skin, since all he saw was blur. Or maybe I am just way off...let me know what you think.

Let me know what you think of the novel, so far as well!

To Jose R.

I first noticed who you were in Trigonometry as one of the only people that had scored as high as me. You were extremely quiet and that troubled me. All I knew was that you were smart, but I didn't know how extensive your knowledge was. My first conversation with you consisted of something about violins and basses and even then you still puzzled me. It was when I talked to you about Light In August that I glimpsed your true genius. You spoke profoundly about the novel, which provided me with enough insight to be familiar with the book. This is how I know that you will grasp every concept taught fully, and then probably further that. I would honestly love to discuss some of Kafka's work with you, because I am confident that maybe you could help me understand it better. A couple of tips, sir:

• Even though writing is cool, there's something about verbalizing your thoughts that prove to be beneficiary.
• If something frustrates you to a point were you can't take it, know that it's okay to take a break and have a little fun.
• Know that development involves reflection, so it's okay to have time to yourself.
• Never give up an anything.
  

I believe that you could be great. I know that you have what it takes to accomplish all of your dreams, and change the lives of those around you. In the words of the Activist Maggie Kuhn, "Speak your mind- even if your voice shakes."

To the lovely and brutal Autumn Bonner

Autumn, as a one of your previous peers, I am glad, if not honored to communicate the commendable action you are about to take that I guarantee will progress your future. In all honesty, AP is hands down, one of , if not the best, classes I have ever taken. I know that you will take advantage of every piece of literature that will grace your presence. May that be the the gruesome and vindictive actions of Bigger in Native Son or the reflective mind transversive plot of Brave New World . Future tips:

• If Mrs. Hill says take notes, TAKE NOTES.
  
• Don't wait last minute for anything.
• Buy two flash drives.
• Read more than what is assigned in class. Any individual reading will make for great outside connections and discussion starters.
• Be open to extremes on every level.
• Blog. Blog. Blog. Blog. Blog. Blog. BLOG.
• Start college stuff early on so that the end of senior year can be just a little less stress free.

Autumn, I have great faith in your success, may it be getting a five or accomplishing timed writing, which I never got down. Whatever you do, work hard for what you want, never sub comb to failure and stay grounded. In the words of Kanye West, yes Kanye West, "Sometimes giving up is harder than trying."

Love and Luck,
Jasmine Cutright

To my brother, Aaron Phan

Aaron Phan,

This post is dedicated to you bro. If you are reading this then you are taking the AP English course, and in that case I am proud of you. I believe you might enjoy the variety of literature that you encounter as a result of taking this course. From Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner (My personal favorite) to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, the perspective that you would gain from these pieces will impact your life, as it has mine.

Now I want to finish this post off by saying just one more thing: No matter what hardship you face, no matter what urge you have to falter from the course, fight on. Keep true to the cause of intellectualism, and it will remain true to you.

With love,

John Christopher Brannan

P.S. Please, if you are not Aaron Phan, do not comment on this post. I understand that it is sweet but there is nothing to really say about this.

Teach Me How To Dougie...err, I Mean SURVIVE!

I've had a myriad of juniors come up to me and ask "What kind of advice do you have to offer me for my upcoming Senior Year"? So, like the video we watched during 21st century week said "let's COLLABORATE" and compile a couple of tips, tricks, and hints ;) for the Class of 2012 to implement in their upcoming year.

-Organization is key! I definitely recommend buying a planner if you don't already have one so that you can write down specific dates and deadlines.
-Research, research, research college and universities. This is probably one of the most important things that you should be doing from the beginning of your summer and up until about October. Make sure what it is that each college wants from you & make sure to organize it so that you have it ready to go. You DO NOT want to be scrambling a week before the deadline to write out your personal statement and collect recommendation letters.
-Recommendation letters! Get them from your teachers in advance. This does NOT mean 1 week before it's due. *A piece of advice ;) ask Ms. Hill*
-SAT! Eeeeeeekk this scary test should be attacked in the months of October, November, and December. If you decide to take it during the summer in June then that's PERFECT! If you are having financial difficulty then go make bffs with Mrs. Rodriguez because she can get you a FEE WAIVER! Hooorah!
-College applications.... :| Yeah that face describes our experience with applications. If you're applying for any in-state universities like NAU, ASU, and UA then homegirl Mrs. Rodriguez can hook it up! She has application waivers in the front office to these schools that you can use to save yourself some cheddarr $! If you have more money in your pocket then you can use it to spend on books, and pencils, and AP tests :p Oh who am I kidding! (We would NEVER do that!) haha anyways some applications require you to pay a ridiculous price such as $80 o_O and then there are others that have NO FEEEE!!! I <3 no fee! Make sure to do some research because usually those schools are small and private universities and colleges that have little to no publicity and A LOT of money to cajole us into attending their school.

Since I still have to finish my homework (procrastinating) for Pre Calculus because I was (procrastinating) I am done for the night. One last piece of advice do not (procrastinate) like I am doing right now. :D

Who, are, you?

The Metamorphosis by Kafka was truly a peculiar piece of work. While we were reading the book along in class I found it hard to really connect with what Kafka was trying to say. Although I knew better upon going into this book that Gregor might not play the same role in which dynamic characters I typically read of do, I was still far too focused on how Gregor would react (although he never really did) to such a tremendous change. "Yet this is not what I should have been focused on" is the conclusion that I came up with when I was writing out the Journal Response for Ms. Hill.

I came to the conclusion that the most important thing in the story was how one can best serve those who they are most close to. If this means that one must turn into a bug, become even more alienated, and even die in the end so those that you love can learn to prosper on their own, then so be it.

Im curious to hear what everyone else got out of the story. Please comment below. :)

Summer reading

Summer is just coming around the corner. Some students have around two months of summer; whereas, others has one month or less. This is a post for students for this class to start posting summer reading suggestions. Please place Author and Book Title together.

Existentialism

From my understanding, existentialism is the philosophy that there is no innate meaning to life. It is a common misconception that this a somber philosophy; rather, it is an uplifting perspective because it allows the follower to create and appoint their own meaning and purpose to their life. Therefore, existentialism is freedom.

Short-Story-a-thon

Alright, so I decided to utilize a post dealing with members of this blog to make a continuous story. How this works is that one person posts no less than two sentences with new vocabulary words. There is no direct theme just that you don't go off topic of the post above yours.

So here are the rules:
1) Post no less than two sentences
2) Use new vocabulary
3) Stay on topic
4) No profanity
5) Be nice
6) Keep it intellectually appropriate
7) Keep it in third person
8) Have fun

Ms. Hill will be the moderator and is free, as always, to edit, comment. etc.

The purpose of this exercise is to have you practice using vocabulary in preparation to the AP English exam and have fun.

If you would like to post in the tone and voice of one of your favorite authors, please do so.

If there are characters as well within the story, please don't change their names or roles (if their roles are evident within the story already).

Happy Posting.

-Jacob Ray

"Oh, happiness!"

If there is one thing that Brave New World makes me think about above anything else, it would be happiness. In BNW, happiness is present but at the cost of truth, science, and art. Personally I would never want to live a life that is a lie, being made happy by things that bring only momentary enjoyment. John says "I'd rather be unhappy than have the sort of false, lying happiness you were having here." I agree with him. If I must blind myself to be happy, I'd much rather be unhappy. Ofcourse that is not everyone's opinion.

"What's yours?"

A World of Bliss... ? Please Explain!

If there is one thing that I have learned from taking this AP English course, it is that each person has their own view on the significance of certain details within literature. Brave New World is rich with a more abstract viewpoint on society and the course it heading to. From religious cults to 'conditioning', Brave New World presents a world meant to be 'perfect', and yet is anything but. Why is this so? Why is it that the thought of acting out is coming from those whom have been conditioned the most, and not from those whom have been treated the worst?

This concept of acting out is a result of the conditioning being taken to a fine line that represents the divider between 'freethinking' and 'conditioned'. All of those in which act out have 'defects'. Characters such as Helmboltz and Bernard are unhappy with the society presented to them, and begin to act out from it. (Yet as the story goes on the reader can see Bernard giving in. Such is reflected through his increased usage of soma.)

What type of things have you guys/gals found?

One more block, one more paper.

Hey fellow students... friends.. FAMILY!... I can't believe it... this is THE last block of our Senior Year. And there is one final paper we must complete before grabbing that diploma: Our Senior Thesis. I'm dabbling with a plethora of ideas right now... but I'm wondering, what exactly are you guys interested in writing about?

I'm thinking of writing a paper encompassing the concept of Light vs. the Darkness as it pertains to the literature we've been exposed to, especially "Frankenstein". Feel free to post your ideas here! :D

Objectivity VS Subjectivity

The fight for the best scoop is an ongoing battle that ever since the dawn of time has been apart of the lives of the human race. A question that is as old as such competition is the perspective in which the story is given from. Should the story be objective, being more of an on look including a more vast spectrum, or subjective, being more precise and direct usually varying from person to person.

Personally, I prefer the subjective view rather than the objective view due to this increase in focus. This focus allows more important details within conflicts such as the Egypt uprising. By learning about the individual details one can imply the objective view.

Inspiration In Words

Hello everyone,

We should all be done with research on our Non-Western World Leader paper, so I think that we should all share with each other a couple of our favorite quotes from our leader. As you can see I ended up switching from Arundhati Roy to Desmond Tutu! I found millions of quotes that I would absolutely love to share with all of you, but here are a couple that I picked:

"In the land of my birth I cannot vote, whereas a young person of eighteen can vote. And why? Because he or she possesses that wonderful biological attribute - a white skin" (Desmond Tutu).

""But they are sinners," I can hear the preachers and politicians say. "They are choosing a life of sin for which they must be punished." My scientist and medical friends have shared with me a reality that so many gay people have confirmed, I now know it in my heart to be true. No one chooses to be gay. Sexual orientation, like skin color, is another feature of our diversity as a human family" (Desmond Tutu).

What quotes have you found that stood out to you? Share with us!

The Fall of Amir

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

OH my goodness. You must agree with me when I say that in this last chapter, this is exactly what happend. Evil triumphed. I am so astounded by what Amir did, I knew he was jealous and selfish, but I never thought of him as beign capable of abandoning his best friend, even if he never said it. When I was reading the book, there was a part when I just couldn't go on. I feel so letdown by Amir and the way he acted and the worst part is that if he had been the one in trouble and it was Hassan that found him, he would have defended him. The worst part about it is that in the proceeding days Hassan doesnt show himself any more, and all he does is sleep. Amir doesnt even go confort him, and when Ali askes him what's wrong, he even had the nerve to tell him that he doesnt know and that if he;s just going to stand in the door way and let him freeze. The nerve of the kid.

I hope that in the future he at least tells Hassan the truth and then never speaks to him again. If it were me I would forgive Amir but I'd never want to see him again. What do you guys think?

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

Hi there, ho there. I know we have barely started "The Kite Runner" but I just could not resist starting a post on it...

First off, there was a myriad of passages that stood out to me, especially when pertaining to Amir, the protagonist, and his relationship with his father:

"Of course, marrying a poet was one thing, but fathering a song who preferred burying his face in poetry books to hunting... well, that wasn't how Baba had envisioned it" (Pp. 20)

That one passage touched upon a very serious situation that many young people go through with their parents: a misunderstanding of one another. Amir alluded to "... a past of unatoned sins" (Pp. 1). What could he possibly be saying by correlating his relationship with his father and these "unatoned sins"? A lot of questions arose within me while reading these first three chapters... but one thing is for sure; We're in for a bumpy ride alongside this troubled character, Amir.

Were there any specific portions in the book that stood out to you guys?

The start of your outside reading book

As i started reading The Alchemist, there were parts that started to interest me and gave me thoughts of foreshadowing, the main characters view in life, and religion that consisted of finding ones own path. The beginning of this book leads me to the hope that it will be similar to Siddhartha as i liked that book i actually read Siddhartha rather than skimming a few chapters. The Alchemist has shown a few details of what the main character will face in up coming events, Which maybe a journey to Egypt for the main character in the search of hidden treasure. So try to look for any foreshadowing, and try to see the different views that the main character of your book sees.

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
- Greek Proverb

When I first saw this qoute it shook me and made me realize that it's so true that in a way, it is what we all thrive aspire to. We all want to leave something important in this world that will some day inspire future genorations and at the same time create a legacy for us. It also reminds me of the project we are working on, because the people we will find all did this, they only thought about making the world a better place and fighting for what was right, and in the end, they did more than that.

It also makes me reflect on the fact that the very smart people should share their knowledge with the world; otherwise, what's the point of knowing all they know and keeping it to themselves? It also reminds me of Mr. Blankenship's favorite saying: "bright man's burden" because it's so true that bright men have to suffer with the fact of knowing too much, but I think that can be watered down if everyone cooperated in making the world a better place and not just leaving all the work to a few whom we think know best. The only way to improve society is to pitch in, even if we know that we may not live long enough to see the fruit of our work.

Humanity's Poisionous Tusks

For those of you that stayed on Friday watching "The Elephant Man" I would love to discuss the themes that the author implements through his use of imagery, symbolism, etc. These begin to quickly unravel in the opening scene of the Elephant Man's mother giving birth & the stampede of elephants! Here are a couple of things I found:

a. Imagery of Light & Darkness
b. Symbolism of Mirrors
c. Humanizing Light Shed on Elephant Man
d. Society's Masked Personality

Feel free to elaborate on the following :) or to add your own interpretation of the movie and bring in original perspective.

Siddhartha

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm really enojying Siddhartha. I love Hesse's diction and syntax, to a point where I'm constantly finding passages I want to memorize. For instances, "One must find the source within one's Self, one must possess it. Everything else was seeking- a detour, error."(pg.7). I also noted some atithesis sprinkled within the couple of chapters we have read. "In sunshine or in moonlight, in shadow or in rain..."(16). And, "The young men spoke of well and in ill,in praise and in scorn."(20). Anyways as Gotama said, "Be on your guard against too much cleverness,"(35), I hope that Siddhartha doesn't drive hiself mad with this journey of self- realization.