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)