AP Test is approaching!!!!

 Just a heads up, the AP Exam in on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 which is only 9 days away.

Ok so I don't want to end up like that! I want to know how you guys manage to cope with time because that seems to be my biggest issue when writing. Are there any tips and tricks?

 

Intelligence Control Within Our Society? (Media, etc)

"Just to give you a general idea,' he would explain to them. For of course some sort of general idea they must have, if they were to do their work intelligently – though as little of one, if they were to be good and happy members of society, as possible. For particulars, as every one knows, make for virtue and happiness; generalities are intellectually necessary evils. Not philosophers but fret-sawyers and stamp collectors compose the backbone of society. (1.5)"

This excerpt from the book depicts the idea that the longevity and order within a society is maintained by intelligence control, since thinking outside the box leads to questions about God and Philosophy. Do you think this at all relates to our own society?

Happiness or Truth?

It seems as if happiness and truth cannot work hand in hand in the lives of the people in Brave New World.  People do everything that they can to avoid facing the truth about their own situations or realize that they're living without purpose  The common use of Soma reveals the universal agreement of the wanting of delusion and the absence of critical thinking. The people lie to themselves and think that drugs and sex will make them happy. However, it is making them empty and they are left addicted and unsatisfied. Is it possible in our society to find happiness and truth together? Are we able to make them compatible or would we have to live with one and without the other? 

The Power of the Words

"He hated Popé more and more. A man can smile and smile and be a villain. Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain. What did the words exactly mean? He only half knew. But their magic was strong and went on rumbling in his head, and somehow it was as though he had never really hated Popé before; never really hated him because he had never been able to say how much he hated him. But now he had these words, these words like drums and singing and magic. These words and the strange, strange story out of which they were taken (he couldn't make head or tail of it, but it was wonderful, wonderful all the same)–they gave him a reason for hating Popé; and they made his hatred more real; they even made Popé himself more real" Chapter 8.

I believe that these scenes highlight the concept that words are a powerful thing. John, or better known as the Savage, uses the book of Shakespeare to create and specify his emotions. He claims that he "never really hated Pope" until he heard the words "Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain". Even though he does not know the true definitions of the words he feels the emotions they cause him. I want to know what you guys think about this ? Can the power of worlds be so strong ?

Openning/Closing

i have been having some dificulties starting my essay. i know what i want my body paragraphs to be, but my opening and closing are proving difficult to get going. any suggestions?

Thesis Statement

Looking back at my reviews on my thesis statement i decided to start from scratch. I now rewrote my thesis statement and I wanted to know what you guys think on my new one? Also, any suggestions on how I should set up my paragraph?

       Through the use  of similes, caliginous imagery, and desolated tone, Anne Sexton is most known for her confessional poetry such as “ 45 Mercy Street”, “ Admonitions to a Special Person”, and “ A Curse Against Elegies.”

We Are Linda.

"With the radio and television always on"

In today's world, we live in a place constantly filled with noise. The engines of cars, the videos from our cellphones, the blaring music from surround sound systems. We live in a world where we can't really escape, and where we don't want to escape. (that is a generality, I know. But, just hear me out)

We hear, but we don't listen. We are never in quiet. We are always doing one thing or another, never taking the time to relax and wonder. Even when we aren't doing work,  we feel guilty and stress about not completing our tasks.

Linda loves the "brave new world". She loves "soma." In fact, she doesn't want to stop taking soma. In this instance, soma could represent modern day technology. When schools take phones away from their students, for the most part there is a negative response. When you go out to dinner, it is not uncommon to see people on their devices instead of talking with each other and having full conversations. While, I am happy that we have so much information at our fingertips, It can also be very harmful. Harmful in the sense that people aren't communicating as much and state that they "hate people" and "hate society", without realizing that they are people and they are a part of society.

It's crazy to think how we separate and distance ourselves from Linda, yet in a sense we are her. We want technology. We are constantly in a state of noise. It's rare to see someone sitting down without any technology - just thinking, without being stressed without a care in the world. I don't know where I was heading with this, but do you agree? Is life with technology only going to get worse? What are your thoughts?

Symbols

The drug soma is used for instant gratification to control people. I think it symbolizes the use of religion to control society.

Do you agree or could Soma represent something else?

Have any of you found other symbols throughout Brave New World?

Examples of People

Reflect on this passage of Brave New World when Henry Foster and the Director are talking about Bernard and his public announcement of being exiled.

 "The greater a man's talents, the greater his power to lead astray."

I was thinking of examples of people in the world who emanate the Director's philosophy. What came to mind were ISIS leaders who send members on suicide missions. I'm sure those leaders have many persuasive talents that convince ISIS members or others to kill themselves for a "good cause" or sacrifice. We also can't forget Hitler. Hitler had a great talent of arousing, persuading, and exciting people about genocide. Now, the Director's idea of "leading people astray" is giving them new ideas beyond the conditioning. Much different to how ISIS leaders and Hitler lead people astray. Can anyone think of other examples of people who use or have used their great talent to lead people astray?

Chapter 8: food for thought.

"'As though we were living on different planets, in different centuries. A mother, and all this dirt, and gods, and old age, and disease...' He shook his head. 'It's almost inconceivable. I shall never understand, unless you explain.'"

It's interesting to think that there are so many different places on earth that we have not travelled to or seen. So many different cultures we haven't experienced - and will never experience. Some people are so uneducated about different cultures and come to false conclusions based on things that they've heard or seen from their acquaintances or social media. It's crazy to think that there are people who are very uncultured and don't know much about the lives of people who are outside their immediate surroundings. 

It's also odd to think that we can never really understand something until we experience it. Like, sure sympathy is strong, but empathy has so much more power. When you can empathize with someone, there is a much deeper level of understanding. It's crazy to think that we also don't know much about people in general. Someone could portray themselves one way and be the complete opposite in actuality.

"A man can smile and smile and be a villain. Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, mindless villain." 

Looks can be deceitful. It's super fascinating and daunting that we only ever see what is exposed to us. We only ever see as much as someone want to show you. When you meet someone, you get a first impression but that can be the total opposite of their true character. Is this a good thing or bad thing? I feel as if it could be argued either way. 

The Value of Human Life

"The greater a man's talents, the greater his power to lead astray. It is better that one should suffer than that many should be corrupted...Murder kills only the individual, and after all, what is an individual?"
This quote just shows how human life means nothing in this society. One life is nothing to them because they can make so many more lives. It's shocking how desensitized they are to death. Also how a man's power can corrupt their system. Much like how in this society, being different is looked down upon because they are affecting the stability. What do you guys think of this quote? Can you see any similarities from this society and ours?

Connection

In chapter 10, we read about Bernard showing his follow coworkers Tomakin's  (the Director) true feelings. The feelings in which he actually cared for Linda. We previously could see ourselves in his shoes but with this action I feel like most of us cannot relate anymore. For one, I say that I would have not put the Director on the spot and would have rather blackmailed him. Telling him that if he would send me away I would show the world his secret. What do you guys think ? Should we condone or condemn his actions ?

Lenina & Henry's Conversation

In chapter 5 part 1, Lenina and Henry have a conversation about the Crematorium:

" 'Do you know what that was?' he said. ' It was some human being finally and definitely disappearing. Going up in a squirt of hot gas. It would be curious to know who it was--a man or a woman, an Alpha or Epsilon... there's one thing that can be certain or; whoever he may have been, he was happy when he was alive. Everybody's happy now.' "

Well, that just makes me question whether everybody was truly happy in Brave new World's society. I'm glad some curiosity struck upon Henry Foster; however, this scene represents how their society is conditioned to think little about death as something to mourn about. Also, remarks to questioning death are put aside fast as they believe "everybody lived happily and died happily", but can everything in this book (so far) go back to the idea of being happy or feeling happy. I know this could be a touchy topic for some, but what if this society were in any way capable of having people with suicidal thoughts or intentions? Can soma really resolve anything or anyone?  Also, can Bernard show symptoms of being suicidal or depressed based on how he acts towards everything?

(I just also wanted to say sorry again for bring in such a touchy concept. I don't know how a variety of you guys will act upon this, but I'm just apologizing in advance)

The Arts of Selling

Sadly I wasn't able to participate in the discussion in class; but I still want to explain what I found interesting in the reading. This reading made me view my life in a different light. It basically explains the process of selling by targeting at the naïve minded people and using their ignorance against them. I see this a lot with not just every day news, but with ads for products, politics, and entertainment. It made me realize how I have such a lack of knowledge for everything and I only do or buy anything because of the simple facts I know that I want to hear and the looks. They display with so much action and in a short amount of time using the right loaded words that make me want something I probably don't need and I end up choosing that I don't need to know anymore. To live life were ignorance is bliss is scary, but then I also question if it's for the best. Is ignorance bliss to an extent?

Tone and Attitude

We are taught that both tone and attitude refer to the author's perception and presentation of the material and the audience. I've always had trouble with distinguishing the attitude and the tone, so it's always good to go back and review what they really are.

Tone is synonymous with the word "mood." In fact, the tone reinforces the mood.

Attitude not only creates the mood, but it also represents the stance or relationship the author has toward their subject.

You think of how parents say, "Don't use that tone with me" or "I don't appreciate your attitude". So what's the difference? If I yelled at my mom, "I don't want to do the dishes!!" she would comment on my tone. But if I sluggishly said, "I don't want to do the dishes" she would comment on my attitude; on my view of not wanting to do the dishes.

Siddhartha's Recovery

Siddhartha became a rich merchant and started to become addicted to gambling and greed. He would think about the man he has become and before he can be fully aware of who he has transformed into he would go gamble and drink more wine to forget the issues that surrounded him. he repeated this cycle over and over and became sicker with greed of money consuming his mind and clouding his reasonable self inside. Yet, he had the power to still confront the issue and once and finally decided to finally walk away rather than repeating the cycle. The strength it must of took to come back to the man he was once before is a true symbol of strength that not everyone has. This touched me deeply because compared to our reality we always see people get caught in a cycle the makes their lives revolve around that cycle until they escape or die within the cycle. I think one thing I learned from this is that true strength doesn't come from staying away from the bad influences and addictions, but knowing when to walk away. It seems we forgot that we are all human and we are not always going to do the right things, but that doesn't mean they should be shun upon and be called weak because they fell for the temptations, but instead congratulate them when they leave the cycle and be told they are stronger in heart and mind then they ever were before. Is there anything else that could be added or shared from my view?

Buddhism

I find the whole religion of Buddhism astounding. Even though, by themselves, all religions are perfect in thought (like government), but practice it is much more difficult. Anyways, Buddhism gives us the equal opportunity to reach our best--to reach our own point of holiness. Even though we can praise others who've reaches this Enlightenment, believers must strive to reach that equal level of understanding. I really respect the religion and its aspects of equality among all even the critters ans and crawlies. I just wanted to post my appreciation. Can anyone give me other religions that can be compared or contrasted to Buddhism?

Siddhartha's transformation

Siddhartha has changed his view of his live,of age, of the non ending cycle. Since he has been a puple of the Ferry man. He has learned that like the river his life as a boy and as a old man is all connected. Like the river that has been through many decades; it is still living in the present.

Siddhartha

Although Siddhartha has become wealthy among merchant men

 He has developed ownership for material things, but what i admire about Siddhartha is that even though he lost himself he eventually found himself. 

Everything is Transitory

As I was reading reading the chapter of  Siddhartha, By The River, I saw an amazing amount of thought provoking quotes. One of my favorites was from page 93, the bottom paragraph: "Remember, my dear Govinda, the world of appearances is transitory, the style of our clothes and hair is extremely transitory. Our hair and our bodies are themselves transitory."

This quote really stood out to me because of how true it is. Everything in this world is not permanent. We are constantly changing, constantly evolving. Whether it's how we style our hair, what culture we practice, popular music, popular clothing-- the list is endless. One day listening to obscure music and dressing in clothes from thrift shops is "in", the next listening to all the current hip-hop and wearing Jordan's is what we perceive as "cool". Each day, week, or month, there are new trends shoving out the old ones.

Also when Siddhartha says "Our hair and our bodies are themselves transitory." Our hair thins and falls out as we get older, or even now. As we age, our bodies slowly deteriorate, losing the muscle, the elasticity, the suppleness, that we contained when we were younger.

I never really thought about these things in such great detail until reading this chapter. Siddhartha has opened my mind to many new ideas. I feel like I myself, am going on this journey of self discovery alongside Siddhartha.

Have any of you guys felt this way also?

Train From Rhodesia** The marriage

What stood out the most for me in this short story was the relationship between the "young" couple. It was stressed enough times they were young to assume they are newly-wed. When the women begins to wonder how the figures she just bought are going to become a part of her life, and where exactly they would fit. She also wonders if they'll just represent a memory... i think she's thinking the same of her husband; just realizing he is permanent part of her life. However she has also just realized he is very different than her in the way he felt no sympathy for the poor artists.

Articulation and Blame / Train From Rhodesia

Although, the man should not have bargained for the lion, he thought he was doing what his wife wanted. She stated that she "liked" it and "wanted" it -- she even stated that it was too expensive. The lady did not articulate her thoughts correctly. She thought the lion was a lovely craft, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she wanted to buy it. She became upset with her husband because they, in a sense, stole from the native. They cheated him of 2 shillings. The woman hated that apartheid was taking place, but she didn't realize that she was also part of the problem; this is much like Orwell. Orwell hated oppressors yet he himself was one.  Would you blame them for what they did?  

The Train from Rhodesia

Although i have already shared in class, i would like to talk about it again. One of the key elements that really struck me about the short story was the use of imagery and personification in the work. I love how the author creates intense emotion in the woman and her inner struggle to accept what her husband did. Although i think that she was changed as she saw in the conditions the people were in, I think that seeing her husband buy the lion at such a low price really determined her change. It was something that would stay with her and every time that she rides that train, she well be reminded of it. What do yo guys think happened to the young couples relationship?

The Train from Rhodesia

We can infer that the couple were newly weds which is a new chapter in their life's. Wouldn't you think that a vacation would bring two people closer than ever? In this case, it was the exact opposite. When the man bargained with the merchant, the woman realized that she couldn't see him the same as before. As the trip comes to an end, she realizes that this chapter of her life with her husband is also ending. The couples connection will never be the same. What would you have done if you were in this woman's position? Would you forgive the man? Would you pay for items original value?

The Train From Rhodesia: The Lion

Although I agree with everyone in class who said the wife was disappointed in the husband for purchasing the lion for a cheaper price because she felt sorry for the seller, I also think that the wife feels the lion lost its beauty. She thought it was beautiful, the only reason she didn't purchase it was because they already bought many other souvenirs. She was willing to pay the original price, even a little more, but when her husband bought it for less she felt that all the poor man's hard work went down the drain.

Reborn

When I read the first couple of pages of the chapter 'By the River', I was astonished with how much emotion Hesse but into that chapter. In the beginning of the chapter, one is introduced to Siddhartha after he left Kamala and went again on the path to find himself. As he is walking in the forest, he begins to have flashbacks of his life and is angered with how his life has unfolded up to this point. His anger gets to the point to which he actually wishes that he should die. I think what makes this a lot more symbolic, is the use of similes to describe the gruesome anger that Siddartha is enduring with in himself, self vs. self, "he was full of ennuifull of misery, full of death; there was nothing left in the world that could attract him, that could give him pleasure and solance". I would like to compare this to the short story we just read in class. Just like the woman who was on the trainride, after her husband dis-honed her for having bought the lion at such a low price, she could no longer live her life the same way. Just like Siddartha, Siddartha could not live the same life much longer. One thing that stood out to me the most, was when Siddartha ended up arriving at the river in which he is able to gain his peace again. It is in that river in which he slept alongside in which he was able to discover who Siddartha really was, he was reborn. It was at that same river in which Siddartha was able to meet up with Kamala and meet his son. What do you guys think will happen with Siddartha and his son know that Kamala has passed away. What teachings will he pass down to his own son?

Life, Fear, Death.

"Weariness was written on Kamala's beautiful face, weariness from continuing along a long path which had no joyous goal, weariness and incipient old age, and conceals and no yet mentioned, perhaps a not yet conscious fear -- fear of the autumn of life, fear of old age, fear of death"


Kamala is having a mid-life crisis. She seems tired of her daily routine and discontent with the way her life is at the moment. I think that is why we can all relate to her. We don't want to be her. We stress about choosing a career path because we don't want to be in our 30's or 40's regretting our decisions. We want to live and be happy with the way our lives our. Kamala also fears aging and death - which I don't know about you, but I fear greatly ((not necessarily being dead but dying - and what, if anything, comes after death)).

Is it possible to evade midlife (or existential) crisis'? If so, how so? What is the best way to live? Is there a best way to live? What role should death play in our lives? Should we fear it, ignore it, acknowledge it??

Shooting an Elephant - Alexandra, Briana, & Stefany

(A) How fairly does Orwell evaluate his own actions? (B) Do u think Orwell comes across as an admirable man in this selection. Explain.

Orwell chooses to evaluate his actions wisely  thinking about the advantages and disadvantages. He personally doesn't want to kill the animal but he knows that the multitude of people are pressuring him to. 

We believe that Orwell has a lot of guts writing about his personal experience of shooting an elephant which makes him admirable. His entire story was the truth and was unbiased to his own action. He didn't leave out important details and is aware of the consequences. He accepts that he was just a puppet to the people trying to give them what they wanted. Although he told the truth, that doesn't make it right for shooting the "wild animal."

Shooting an Elephant--Melissa, Jasmine, & Daisy

So we found two passages--We had to analyze the style, sentence lelength, and word choice to state the overall tone of "Shooting an Elephant". 

First one: "When I pulled the trigger I did not hear the bang or feel of the kick--one never does when a shot goes home--but I heard the devilish roar of glee that went up from the crowd". This quote really caught our attention with its various line breaks using the dashes and overall descriptive dryness of the sentences. The line breaks gives the reader a sense of Orwell's racin thoughts as he kept still on the ground--how they all kept silence in awe. What we mean by "descriptive dryness" is how Orwell dissects his past memory with such truth but no mercy for himself. There's a polarization with the gun's silence and the crowd's "devilish roar". Using the words "devilish" and "glee" for the crowd after Orwell shot the calm elephant swiftly furthers the impact of Orwell's tone of repulsiveness for himself and perhaps his fellow humans. 

Second one: "But in falling he seemed for a moment to rise, for as his hind legs collapsed beneath him he seemed to tower upward like a huge rock toppling, his trunk reaching skyward like a tree. He trumpeted, for the first and only time. And then down he came, his belly toward me, with a crash that seemed to shake the ground even where I lay. I got up. The Burmans were already racing past me across the mud". We think this quote was similar to the first in the way Orwell sends his tone across. However, Orwell contrasted the description of the elephant's fall with the simple sentences in the end: "I got up. The Burmans were already racing past me across the mud".  The elephant's fall seems so important (which is to Orwell) with the lengthy sentences, descriptive words, and similes. You can envision the fall and sense the impact it had on Orwell. However, this image collapses (or rather solidifies the cruelty of humanity) with the last two sentences. The world continues to spin, life continues to pursue blindly on despite this critical point of Orwell's life. Overall, these two quotes supports Orwell's tone of solemnity, shame, and remembrance. 

Shooting An Elephant: Freedom & Saving Face // Guadalupe, Cynthia, and Julia

"When the white man turns tyrant, it is his own freedom that he destroys"

My group and I came to the conclusion that having freedom meant that one has the ability to make choices without having to go through anyone else first. 

The white men essentially gave up their freedom because  they are constantly trying to look powerful in front of the "natives". By killing the elephant, Orwell went against his natural intuition (or will) so that he could please the mob of "natives".

"The crowd would laugh at me. And my whole life, every white man's life in the East, was one long struggle to not be laughed at"

The natives are truly the people in power because they have the most influence on the tyrants. The tyrants try so hard to not look like fools, that they don't realize that they are essentially basing all of their actions off of the emotions of the natives. 

If Orwell had not shot the elephant the theme of the essay would have remained the same, but the tone would have been different.

We can empathize with Orwell because in the moment he was trying to "save face" and gave into peer-pressure. At some point in our lives we have all tried to do that.

If you haven't, imagine being the President of the U.S. (or any country, really). People are depending on you to make decisions that will help improve their lives. Now imagine that you made an incredible mistake. Would you point out your flaw and tell your nation that you messed up? Would they think that you're under-qualified, that they shouldn't have voted for you? OR would you keep it to yourself, and lie to your nation? Most people, wouldn't (in the moment) admit to their mistakes. Instead, they would try to hide it or brush it off. 

"Shooting an Elephant"

There is a stylistic analysis of "Shooting an Elephant" by Nellufar Yeasmin that brings up the topic of imperialism. The author of the article says, "Orwell uses various literary techniques to convey the emotion and situational irony of the whole shooting scene, which ultimately leads to a satirical presentation of imperialism. The young officer felt like a stupid person pushed to and fro by the imposing wills of the crowd."

My question to you all is how Orwell uses satire toward imperialism. Perhaps the crowd that was following Orwell symbolizes dominating countries; countries that pressure people such as Orwell to do something they don't necessarily want to do. What other ways does Orwell use satire toward imperialism? Let me know what you guys think!

Siddhartha

Firstly, I find it very interesting and true how Siddhartha believes experience is his best teacher. If anything, every teacher must insert some part of their personal beliefs in their way of teaching. Siddhartha, in a way, was held back by all these ways of teaching because they didn't completely correlate with himself and his frustrations. He looked inward to teach himself, to stop running from himself.

Counter cultures

Counter cultures are important - and in some way define a generation. The beatniks pushed for a wider acceptance of sexuality and drugs (they were more expressive), the hippies yearned for peace, the b-boys popularized urban art (such as, graffiti), punks stood up against government and were non-conformists (they stood up for individualism and equality).

I guess what I'm trying to get at, is: what counterculture in our society is going to 'define' us to other generations.

Would you agree that it's the "hipster"? I mean they go against mainstream consumerism and try to find Eco-friendly alternatives to products

Grapes of Wrath...good ideas?--daisy a.

So, I reread the book and started my report, however I'm feeling iffy on my topic. Perhaps I can have some reassurance on it. I decided to discuss about how society starts to push out the "beggars" at a certain point of "asking for too much"-- that no one (or hardly anyone) can give everything up for another, especially strangers. The other topic I could discuss, after Ross mentioned it, is how Steinbeck uses nature to show the conflict or situation in his novels like Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men (sorry about the underlining--iPhones)

Macbeth's Fate

Act 4 scene 3 Malcolm stated

"With this there grows

In my most ill-composed affection such
A stanchless avarice that, were I king,

I should cut off the nobles for their lands,

Desire his jewels and this other’s house.

And my more-having would be as a sauce
To make me hunger more, that I should forge

Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal,

Destroying them for wealth."
 

He says that he would have become to greedy as king and destroyed all the loyalty nobles and everyone would have had for him. So I had a thought today when someone asked if the prophecy would have still occurred if Macbeth would have not taken action upon his own fate. Maybe when Malcolm would have become king things would have turned out the way he states in the passage shown. Meaning Macbeth would have the duty to the take action as a noble and Thane to save the crown. This action could have eventually led him to becoming king earnestly. What do you guys think ?

Symbolism in Macbeth

Hey guys, so my group is doing our project on the symbolism in Macbeth. Can you guys think of any types of symbolism that you noticed while reading Shakespeare? I'd really appreciate.

Lady Macbeths OCD

Ok so I guess I'm kind of happy I didn't get to read my article in class because it would have ruined the ending for everyone. My article was written by Wray Herbert who is the editor and chief of Psycology Today,  he describes Macbeths obsession with cleanliness as a type of psychological OCD where the "stubborn blood stains" that wont wash off leads her to suicide." The compulsive washer has become a symbol of the human mind's deep connection between morality and cleanliness -- and between immorality and filth. ". Basically what I got out of the article was that Lady Macbeths guilt was all too much... So much so it drove her to suicide 

Shakespearean Tragedy Article

"A central group of four plays—Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear— offer Shakespeare's fullest development of tragedy, and they are sometimes collectively labeled the great or major tragedies. These plays focus on a powerful central character whose most outstanding personal quality—his tragic flaw, as it is often called—is the source of his catastrophe. He is the victim of his own strength, which will not allow accommodation with his situation, and we are appalled at this paradox and at the inexorability of his fate. " I want to relate this to MacBeth because seen as a hero at the beginning of the play and then turning into the villan for his own selfish reasons, we can see that this flawed character is at the "the point of no return" because of all the damage that he has done and we can only wait and see how his future takes course.

MacBeth

Hey guys ! I have a few questions about MacBeth. So Lady Macbeth is dead. I want to know what you guys think about this . Was it suicide or murder? Is MacBeth still seeing Ban quo ' s ghost ? And also the messenger told MacBeth about the trees moving and he didn't believe him, right ?

Macbeth coming to a end.

I am looking forward to the ending of Macbeth, even though Mrs.Ross already told us the ending. I wanted to keep on reading today. Lady Macbeth has died. I think she killed herself. She could not handle the guilt of assisting in the assasinations. Lets see what will happen next.

Article On Macbeth

Its really interesting how Shakespeare constructed Macbeth. He want the people not know what will happen next. The way Macbeth became a loved character even though he was the murder was because the people  did not see the murder occur, so they wonder how he did it. I found this on icurve.org it is written by David Chandler : "Death is important in expressing tragedy because it is at the very heart of the paradox of disappointment. For secular man and even for many religious men death brings final conclusive disillusionment to every meaningful hope. "

Vocab studying

Okay, so I'm studying for the vocabulary test but I still have a hard time trying to remember syllogism. The definition is logical argument involving three propositions:  formal deductive argument made up of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion. If anyone could interpret it in another way, that would be helpful.

My favorite sonnet would have to be Sonnet 18. Although he makes false conparisons it is still found so romantic in my perspective . My favorite lines are the 1-2 "shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate." Although one can see the difference between sonnet 18 and sonnet 130 where sonnet 130 is more reasonable where he knows her eyes Dont shine like the sun but he still loves her . For me Sonnet 18 will be my favorite even if it's not so reasonable . What's your guys opinion between the two sonnets ? Which one would you prefer?

Sonnet 145 rethought

So today in class i had mentioned how much i enjoyed this specific poem. I liked it because of the playful side of love and romance it portrayed, however the more i think of it, the more I am confused on its true meaning. I believe it can also be interpreted as how manipulating, how encaging love sometimes is. To see how much power the women has, how she can ruin his life with one word, then I start to wonder if she purposely let him believe she was going to say "I hate you" rather than "I  hate not you"... Either way, it is still my new favorite. 

Sonnet 18

I wasn't in class today so I didn't get to hear the discussion. One that stood out to me was Sonnet 18 because the first line is very popular "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"I love how Shakespeare compares "her" to summer. Everything beautiful stops being beautiful at some point in time but he's saying how much greater she is and how her beauty will never go away unlike summer. I just thought that this sonnet was very adorable and heart warming!

Sonnet 145

From the packet, I found Sonnet 145 to be my favorite. The playful yet adorable tone of the sonnet really called to me. It showed how Shakespeare's wife's words can have such an impact on him --as it is perhaps for anyone in love with their beloved. It shows how another's opinion can affect one just because of their significance. ""I hate" from hate away she threw./And saved my life, saying "not you."

Sonnet 130

Out of all the sonnets sonnet 130 stood out the most to me because like we discussed in class I love how honest he is. He isn't comparing her to false things that no one can live up to, he's being honest and noticing her flaws but is also saying that with her flaws he still manages to fall in love with her and I love this because this can apply to today and show girls that we don't have to live to this expectations to get someone to like you, if someone honestly likes you he would think of your flaws as perfections and love you either way.

Feminine/Masculine Characteristics

   When I was researching an article, I came across this passage that I found interesting and thought that played into where we are with Macbeth right now. " Defining masculine and feminine characteristics allowed writers like Shakespeare to draw males with certain "feminine" characteristics and females with certain "masculine" characteristics. This merging of masculine and feminine in both males and females might help to explain how easy it was for the Elizabethan stage to employ and accept all male casts and utilize men to play strong female characters like Juliet, Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra, and Kate, the Shrew. Contemporary audiences, so set on separating female from male, would have great difficulty returning to this standard practice of the Renaissance". I guess the reason why this passage struck me so much, was the fact that I do find some "feminine" characteristics in Macbeth as he is more compassionate. When it came to Lady Macbeth" Masculine" traits appear to all of us in her strong  personality and at times seeming cold hearted . What don you guy's think about it. 

Sonnet 130

Out of all the sonnets in the packet, sonnet 130 had to be my favorite.

At first I didn't know it was about love because in the first 8 lines Shakespeare doesn't comment on his lover's beauty, but instead on all her imperfections: her breath reeks, her hair looks like wires, etc.

It wasn't until line 9 I realized he actually loves her, 

before I thought he was just bashing on one of his ex girlfriends.

He names all her imperfections because he adores her from head to toe,

 including all the not-so-pretty parts.

Which is why I love this poem so much!

It reminds me of the quote:

"perfection is an illusion, imperfection is beautiful" - anonymous 

An example Alejandra gave during class was society's standards on women's body size.

A perfect example is how today in society a model's size two waist equals beauty,

but Marilyn Monroe is considered one of the most attractive women in history. 

Her waist size is wasn't a size two, her waist size was average.

I make this connection because although she isn't today's average model size,

she was still gorgeous.

"perfection is an illusion, imperfection is beautiful" - anonymous 

Lady Macbeth

I don't know if it's just me but to me Lady Macbeth seems so powerful especially I this time period. A women was never allowed to talk to her husband like that or even have an opinion in his choices but she does, she has a voice in macbeths life but what really fascinates me is how Macbeth listens to her he listens and technically obeys what she says and although she may use her power over Macbeth for evil and for her own good it still amazes me how she is able to have all of this control over him.

Comparison Post

So, it struck me the other day how Lady Macbeth acts very similar to another character I knew and the discussion lead on Jesus' post also made me think of this I thought I should bring up. Did it occur to any of you the Lady Macbeth and Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing seem very similar in some way. Not fully as both characters have completely different motives and more likely get different results towards the end of their stories. What do you guys think, could they be in any way similar or are they completely different and shouldn't even be compared? (By the way, sorry for typos and incorrect grammar usage in advance! )

Lady Macbeth

Hey guys, so while reading macbeth in class, I've been very intrigued with Lady Macbeth. I love how she's so conniving and manipulative. I love how Shakespeare made Macbeth weaker than Lady Macbeth instead of the other way around. It's a nice twist. What do you guys think about Lady Macbeth? Do you love or hate her? How do you think she became so power hungry?

The Witches

 Act I Scene i

 FIRST WITCH: When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

  

SECOND WITCH: When the hurly-burly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won.

 THIRD WITCH: That will be ere the set of sun.

FIRST WITCH: Where the place?

  

SECOND WITCH: Upon the heath.

 

THIRD WITCH: There to meet with Macbeth.

 

 

We read in Act I that it was the witches who spoke a prophecy to Banquo and Macbeth about the heir of the throne. Prophecy and supernatural affairs always seem to spark an interest in the minds of humans. It could be interpreted that the prophecy from the witches is what planted the seed of ambition in Macbeth, or may have even watered it. We debated in class about who was to blame for the murder, but we never mentioned the witches. Should they be blamed for putting the idea of being king in Macbeth's head? Would Macbeth even consider killing Duncan if he never heard of this prophecy? Also, do you guys think that the play resembles "Game of Thrones?"

Who is more guilty?

In class, Mrs. Ross posed the question, "Who is more guilty, Macbeth or Lady Macbeth?". For the most part, it seemed as if the class either blamed Lady Macbeth, or blamed them equally. On the other-hand, I find Macbeth to be more guilty. Macbeth was the first to contemplate killing King Duncan, if he didn't want to do it - or if he felt it was completely out of question, he wouldn't have mentioned it to his wife. Lady Macbeth urged Macbeth to kill Duncan, but she did not commit the murder herself. In fact during this time period she really didn't have much power, the only power she had was over Macbeth (which he essentially granted to her). Every person is responsible for their own actions. No one can "force" you to do anything (psychological speaking).
If this were tried today, Macbeth could be charged with 3 murders (thus far:first degree murder [duncan], third degree murder x2 [the two guards]). Lady Macbeth can only be charged with conspiracy to murder (however, it is rare that they could find evidence to back this up). If they were both pronounced guilty, Macbeth could be sentenced to life in prison or given the death penalty; Lady Macbeth could be sentenced (at most) to life in prison.
Also, it seems as if Lady Macbeth is beginning to feel remorse and she'd probably plee guilty, which could result in her receiving a lighter sentence. Whereas Macbeth is feeling paranoid and is conspiring to murder Banquo. What are your thoughts?

Understanding Macbeth

Hey guys! So, I know Shakespeare's words are beautiful but sometimes I don't know what the heck he is saying. Something that REALLY helped me as I read it the first time was No Fear Shakespeare! My former English teacher encouraged us to use it when we were having trouble understanding. On one column it has the original text of the play and on the column right next to it is modernized text! It's a great way of understanding the play because not only do you have modern and simplified text, but you have the original right next to it so you can still reference yourself. The link to the website is below! Happy reading!

http://nfs.sparknotes.com/macbeth/

Mcbeth

I am a bit frighten how a women such as Lady Macbeth can be a cold hearted person. I find it a bit cruel how she can breast feed a newborn and then murder it in that same instant.

T.S. Eliot

I am still obsessing over T.S. Eliot and his poem "Preludes". So I decided to look up more of his work and I found one of his poems titled
"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock".

Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question. . .                               10
Oh, do not ask, "What is it?"
Let us go and make our visit.

In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.

The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening
Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,
Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,
Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,                               20
And seeing that it was a soft October night
Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.

And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the window-panes;
There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and create,
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate;                                30
Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions
And for a hundred visions and revisions
Before the taking of a toast and tea.

In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.

And indeed there will be time
To wonder, "Do I dare?" and, "Do I dare?"
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair—                               40
[They will say: "How his hair is growing thin!"]

My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin—
[They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!"]
Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.

For I have known them all already, known them all;
Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,                       50
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;
I know the voices dying with a dying fall
Beneath the music from a farther room.
  So how should I presume?

And I have known the eyes already, known them all—
The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase,
And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin,
When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,
Then how should I begin
To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways?                    60
And how should I presume?

And I have known the arms already, known them all—
Arms that are braceleted and white and bare
[But in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!]
Is it perfume from a dress
That makes me so digress?
Arms that lie along a table, or wrap about a shawl.
And should I then presume?
And how should I begin?
        .     .     .     .     .

Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets              70
And watched the smoke that rises from the pipes
Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows? . . .

I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.
        .     .     .     .     .

And the afternoon, the evening, sleeps so peacefully!
Smoothed by long fingers,
Asleep . . . tired . . . or it malingers,
Stretched on the floor, here beside you and me.
Should I, after tea and cakes and ices,
Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?                  80
But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed,
Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter,
I am no prophet–and here's no great matter;
I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,
And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,
And in short, I was afraid.

And would it have been worth it, after all,
After the cups, the marmalade, the tea,
Among the porcelain, among some talk of you and me,
Would it have been worth while,                                             90
To have bitten off the matter with a smile,
To have squeezed the universe into a ball
To roll it toward some overwhelming question,
To say: "I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all"
If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say, "That is not what I meant at all.
That is not it, at all."

And would it have been worth it, after all,
Would it have been worth while,                                           100
After the sunsets and the dooryards and the sprinkled streets,
After the novels, after the teacups, after the skirts that trail along the floor—
And this, and so much more?—
It is impossible to say just what I mean!
But as if a magic lantern threw the nerves in patterns on a screen:
Would it have been worth while
If one, settling a pillow or throwing off a shawl,
And turning toward the window, should say:
"That is not it at all,
That is not what I meant, at all."                                          110
        .     .     .     .     .

No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—
Almost, at times, the Fool.

I grow old . . . I grow old . . .                                              120
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think they will sing to me.

I have seen them riding seaward on the waves
Combing the white hair of the waves blown back
When the wind blows the water white and black.

We have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown               130
Till human voices wake us, and we drown.

What do you think the poem is about?

Do you have any favorite lines in the poem? — Anything stick out to you?

Pardon Me

Do you guys have any REALLY good examples for the usage of iambic pentameter? Also, could you guys sample some for me in the poems you wrote.
                    Please & Thank you...

Bonfire Night

Today in class we discussed Guy Fawkes Day, also known as Bonfire Night. I found it quite interesting that the UK celebrates this holiday to commemorate the failure of the gunpowder plot. They basically spend a day rejoicing over something that didn't happen. Do you know of any (are there any?) other holidays celebrated over things that didn't happen?

Petrarchan Sonnet

Hey guys ! I was wondering if any of you had trouble writing the poem ? It was hard for me to begin it but I finally got it in the end. I wanted to know if I'm the only one who had this problem.