tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45876555499656702762024-03-05T17:47:15.718-08:00Joshua Ng's AP Lit Comp BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-74241961541431589562013-06-06T01:50:00.000-07:002013-06-06T01:50:26.116-07:00Close of BusinessGraduation is tomorrow. It's a bit surreal, to be honest. This blog has been fairly quiet for the past month or so, and for good reason. I've been keeping busy with the <a href="http://2013peerassessment.blogspot.com/search/label/Showcase">2013 Peer Assessment</a> (to a degree of both success and failure) and our senior project. Last night I pulled one final all-nighter to close out high school. This year has been a crazy mess of ups and downs. Fortunately, for the past few weeks the ups have definitely outnumbered the downs. For all that's happened, I'll look back on these past four years in a positive light.<br />
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So what now? For me, this blog has rarely transcended its origins as a "simple" course blog. Because of that, it would be odd to continue it after the year has ended. Ultimately, the best use of this blog has been as a portfolio of sorts for my work. That said, I'm not done with blogging altogether. I intend to continue posting on my second blog, <a href="http://stillawip.blogspot.com/">Stilawip</a> now that summer has all but begun.<br />
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One last thing:<br />
For my fellow classmates in the graduating class of 2013, thanks for the memories!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-10145149279272048152013-05-27T04:16:00.002-07:002013-05-27T04:16:31.459-07:00My Top 3 Posts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
At 442 page views, my <a href="http://jngrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/2012/08/1987-ap-english-exam-multiple-choice.html">1987 AP Exam practice</a> was by far my most visited page. Granted, this can probably be attributed more to Google than the quality of the post.<br />
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My<a href="http://jngrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/2012/10/literature-analysis-all-pretty-horses.html"> <i>All the Pretty Horses</i> literature analysis</a> garnered 128 page views, and I think it was actually one of my better posts.<br />
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Finally, my <a href="http://jngrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/2012/11/hamlet-essay-performative-utterance.html">essay on performative utterance</a> was one of my favorites. I think it was one of the few that was both relatively well-written, and completed in a reasonable amount of time.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-64463479567297151652013-05-03T23:30:00.001-07:002013-05-03T23:30:55.736-07:00AP Exam Essay Practice #5Both "When I Have Fears" by John Keats and "Mezzo Cammin" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow deal with the theme of life's potential. At first glance, they are extremely similar. Both seemingly mourn the loss of dreams. However, careful inspection reveals that the poetic techniques used by both poets points to two distinct messages. Broadly speaking, the core of these differences is in perspective. Keats writes of the future, while Longfellow writes of the past. This relatively small difference cascades into many more<br />
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"When I Have Fears" begins with hypothetical wording right at the title. The entire poem is written looking toward a possible future. Despite the speaker voicing fears, merely looking at the future rather than the past holds an inherently optimistic quality. Everything is represented as a worst-case-scenario dread rather than an absolute certainty. Keats expresses this through carefully structured sentences such as "I may cease to be" and "I may never live to trace." All these phrases point more toward potential than certainty. Keats uses other more subtle methods as well. Compared to "Mezzo Cammin", "When I Have Fears" contains a much more dream-like tone. "Faery power", "magic hand of chance" and "fair creature" all indicate an almost whimsical tone. At the same time, they are ambiguous enough to connote the unsure nature of the future. Keats may be despairing for what the future holds, but he is certainly not admitting that it is an eventuality.<br />
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Where Keats looks to the future, Longfellow mourns the past. As is to be expected, the result is quite different. Interestingly, the speaker in "Mezzo Cammin" indicates that life is at a halfway point. Despite this, Longfellow writes in a perspective looking back over the past. The line that reads "half-way up the hill, I see the Past" is an almost literal representation of a glass half full mentality. There is really no realistic reason given why the speaker would prefer to wallow over a gone past rather than celebrate an approaching future. However, this pessimism results in a weary, almost jaded tone. Once again, the diction is aimed at supporting this tone, and in the process enhancing the theme. The inclusion of words such as "killed", "smoking", and "twilight" all point towards a decline or decay of some kind. This is of course very appropriate as the speaker is contemplating lost opportunities of the past.<br />
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Not only do "When I Have Fears" and "Mezzo Cammin" discuss the same topic, they evidently take the same stance on that topic as well. However, the perspective this theme is approached from makes a huge differences in each poem's individual meaning. Keats writes of the future. In his mind, failure exists only as one possible future. Longfellow, on the other hand, writes as if this failure has already happened. He concedes that he may still be able to accomplish things, but the poem's focus is focused very solidly on the past and losses associated with it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-45705607931408963832013-05-03T03:04:00.000-07:002013-05-03T03:04:01.941-07:00AP Exam Practice Essay #4Given that <i>The Road</i> by Cormac Mccarthy takes place in a barren wasteland, it is remarkable how richly developed the characters are. However, this is at the heart of the novel's theme, as McCarthy explores what it takes to cling to humanity in an inhumane world. With so few characters to work with, he needs to make them count. He does this by making the two only main characters -- the nameless man and his son -- foils that play off each other and in the process enhance their development.<a name='more'></a><div>
The man is the first half of the tragically heroic duo and serves as the primary protagonist. He is driven by the singular desire to keep his son safe, and it is this drive that both advances the plot and reveals the theme. Through the grisly struggles the man and the boy encounter, McCarthy poignantly shows that goodness and love persists in even the most bleak circumstances. The differences between how the two handle their situation is instrumental in showing this theme. The man is a representation of the wasteland's savagery. He is pragmatic and realistic to the point of cynicism. Throughout the novel, it is shown that he has no qualms with getting his hands dirty if that's what it takes to keep his son safe. Indeed much of his behavior (killing and not helping strangers for example) would seem quite villainous outside the context of saving his child. This is why using the boy to contrast the man is of such importance to understanding the theme.</div>
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Beginning even at the physical age difference, the boy already has an inherently inferred innocence when compared to the man. Despite not being the central character, he is vital to understanding the man's character and through that the theme. Where the man is the unflinching ferocity of a post-apocalyptic world, the boy is the last vestiges of humanity. Not only does the boy give the man something "good" to fight for, his interaction with his father places emphasis on the theme. The boy wants to help the fellow survivors they encounter, but the man refuses. Even this relatively simple interaction is packed with thematic significance. On one side, the reader is shown that kindness still exists after the world's end, if only in an extremely naive form. On the other, McCarthy breaks down the basic instinct of paternal protection into a desperate act of survival. The interaction between these two contrasting sides is at the heart of what McCarthy intends to communicate.</div>
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Often times the most contrasting characters in a work are by default the protagonist and the antagonist. <i>The Road</i> both refutes and supports this. It can be argued that the man, as a personification of a savage world, counts as an antagonist. At the same time, his heart-warming relationship with his son is not the behavior of a typical antagonist. The duality of this relationship serves to show all sides of McCarthy's story of humanity while also fleshing out characters in a way impossible independently.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-85588695577133065922013-05-02T01:48:00.001-07:002013-05-02T01:48:10.594-07:00AP Exam Essay Practice #3When describing what would initially appear to simply e a windy street, Ann Petry goes to great lengths to craft a vibrant setting in the opening of her novel, <i>The Street</i>. Despite the introduction of Lutie Johnson taking place only after several paragraphs of exposition, this sequence is instrumental in establishing her relationship to the world around her. This methodical set up is accomplished through masterful work of both vivid imagery and extended personification.<a name='more'></a><div>
Given nothing else (as is generally the case with novels' introductions), the reader automatically adapts the initial impression given to Johnson's perspective. This makes the imagery in the opening lines crucial to understanding Johnson. The reader may know nothing about Johnson's character, but what is described generally could reasonably be a applied to any character. In this case, the reader is given the information that it is a particularly windy day. That means that Johnson is presumably not enjoying the weather. Nowhere in the text are Johnson's feelings about the day explicitly stated. All of this knowledge is derived from the imagery, such as the paragraph detailing the chilly touch of the wind on Johnson's neck.</div>
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Although necessary, the imagery that establishes the basic mood of the scene is not sufficient to show something more intangible, like the rage of wind. Petry uses personification to accurately convey ow extreme the wind is. Because of personification, phrases such as "IT found every scrap of paper along the street" become more descriptive and less fanciful. it is also worth noting that Petry does not use any direct or simple words to show the nature of the street or how people react to it. heavy use of personification allows the author to use indirect characterization as a fluid means of communication. The technique also has another aspect to it. In the process of turning the wind into a character, Petry makes the entire image of the street much more personal. This is significant, especially when considering the attitude of a single character such as Lutie Johnson. With the street's wind personified, the inconveniences it causes for Johnson shift from minor annoyance to willing malice. Through this, the reader's understanding of both Johnson and the street is enhanced.</div>
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The opening of <i>The Street</i> is interesting in that it introduces two characters, one of which supports the other. Fundamental imagery creates the structure of the setting, while personification puts a personal spin on it The use of wind as a sentient being exploring the world adds significant amounts of depth as to how Johnson feels about the town, without explicitly stating anything.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-25554617075933509012013-05-01T00:56:00.004-07:002013-05-03T15:56:51.692-07:00AP Exam Essay Practice #2<i>Here's my essay for today (meaning April 30, so yesterday?), in all its flawed glory. I cleaned up little mistakes as I found them, but I likely created even more with typos. Admittedly, I was really sleepy today so the essay is a lot less focused than I would have liked. Regardless, I would appreciate feedback!</i><br />
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Sir Philip Sidney explores the confusing complexity of desire in his poem "The Blind Man's Mark". This analysis in prose of a complicated human emotion is only possible because Sir Philip Sidney employs a variety of different techniques whose cumulative effects result in something unique. Sidney explores the two conflicting faces of desire. One is the ambition it inspires, and the other is the frivolous mindset it results in.<br />
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Through much of the poem, Sidney characterizes desire in an almost drug-like fashion. It is ultimately a personal choice to pursue these desires, but by definition they posses a certain magnanimous <i>[this word is misused here, but I was more or less writing based on instinct at this point, despite having a decent pre-write] </i>attraction that makes resistance difficult. Desire is at once sought out and destructive. An emphasis is placed on this illogical phenomenon through the persistent use of contrast. Phrases such as "fond fancy's scum" and "self-chosen snare" are bizarrely contradictory when independent of the poem. However, coupled with the theme of desire's decadent tendencies, all of the pieces support each other.<br />
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Sidney not only addresses the abstract incongruity associated with desire, but also the concrete effects it has. A choice of frenetic words and phrases such as "scattered thought" and "price of mangled mind" infer a certain level of confusion. Added to the assertion that desire is generally vain, the reader is given a very deliberate impression of desire as an emotion that does little but cloud thoughts. If this polarizing diction is not enough, Sidney uses emotionally charged diction to drive home his stance. The poem shifts at line 9 to a much more personal account. At this point, desire is actively trying to "ruin" the speaker. By the poem's end, desire is personified so heavily that the reader wishes to actually kill it.<br />
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In the poem, desire is evaluated both objectively and subjectively. An unbiased look at desire addresses its strangely contradictory split between free will and addiction, so to speak. At the same time, Sidney inserts the speaker as a highly personal warning against desire. Both of these methods results in a different perspective, but both clearly indicate the dangers of desire's allure.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-83721510269766519362013-04-29T15:57:00.000-07:002013-05-03T15:57:26.208-07:00AP Exam Essay Practice #1Part bildungsroman and part allegory, <i>The Poisonwood Bible</i> follows the radical changes a vicious environment inflicts upon young Leah Price. While the characters are certainly strong and well-developed, the alien jungle the Prices find themselves in is ultimately what drives the plot and theme of disillusionment. The influence of this powerful setting is seen best through Leah Price. Her evolution is cleanly broken down into a phase of sheltered idealism and one of bitter cynicism.<br />
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To understand the profound impact of the African village on Leah, one must first analyze the environment she comes from. From the information given in the novel, it can be inferred that this environment is defined largely by her family. Leah creates an identity relative to her siblings. She is more active than Rachel and more expressive than Adah. More importantly, she forms her defining idea of Nathan's infallibility because of the environment formed by her family. Before the village, Leah is defined by her relation with her family. All of this sets up her character for a change which the entire novel centers around.<br />
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In a way, Leah's experience is very characteristic of any child growing up. Practically everybody wants to think the best of their parents, bu time always reveals the truth. However, Leah's disillusionment is extreme by merit of her environment. An important fact to remember is that because of the strictness of her father, Leah is relatively sheltered upon her arrival at the village. Of equal importance is how impressionable she is, as evidenced by how eagerly she follows her father. With those two characteristics combined, it is unsurprising how profoundly she is affected by such a radical change in environment. In a very short time, Leah's carefully structured life encounters injustice, prejudice, death, and other formerly foreign ideas. With such an onslaught of disparate ideas, Leah undergoes one of the most extreme forms of character change -- a crisis of faith. In the end, it is the cumulative effects of a strange world that unsettles her beliefs and triggers a cataclysmic character change.<br />
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Leah Price's transformation is simple, but with complex causes. There is not one event or person that causes the change. Rather, all the different elements and ideas that pervade the environment clash with those she has already established. The result of this psychological brawl is the metamorphosis of a chracter.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-13830807555476179862013-04-28T22:50:00.002-07:002013-04-28T22:53:09.300-07:00Prose and Open Essays<i>Once again, I'll be imposing a loose time limit on myself, for the sake of both exam practice and my sanity. I'm aiming for forty minutes, but I'll spend as long as I need to finish the essay. Pre-writes are on a separate piece of paper. I'll post them if anyone really wants to see them, but they're mostly incoherent scribbles. The passage and prompts can be found on the <a href="http://drprestonsrhsenglitcomp12.blogspot.com/2013/04/time-to-party-with-two-essays-like-its.html">main course blog</a>.</i><br />
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<i>PROSE ESSAY PROMPT</i><br />
<i>In the following passage from Cormac McCarthy's novel, </i>The Crossing<i> (1994), the narrator describes a dramatic experience. Read the passage carefully. Then, in a well-organized essay, show how McCarthy's techniques convey the impact of the experience on the main character.</i><br />
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Because emotions are by default difficult to describe with simple words or statements, complex scenes such as ones described in <i>The Crossing</i> by Cormac McCarthy necessitate the use of a combination of techniques. Taken alone, the passage does not provide much background, but within the context of inferred information, the reader is given a fuller picture of the main character's experience. This information is derived almost entirely from the unique style and literary devices that McCarthy uses. It essentially boils down to the use of both vibrant imagery and communicative syntax.<br />
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Before McCarthy can even begin to convey the main character's emotional or psychological state, he must set up the physical elements of the scene. His heavy use of concrete imagery establishes the fundamentals. Simple descriptive language such as "he reached the first talus slides under he the tall escarpments" create a housing for the less tangible aspects of the character. Even abstract suppositions like the relation of a hanging sheet to the rituals of an occult sect serve to establish a believable setting. Besides this basic scene setting, McCarthy provides details that hint at the character's past experiences and current state. A strikingly brutal example of this is the blood that covers the character's trousers. This inclusion connotes a whole range of experiences. For one, there is the obvious inference of violence. Even though additional information is lacking (it is not even known for sure whose blood it is), the reader already knows that the character was engaged in some kind of struggle. Even beyond that, the fact that the blood is dried conveys that this struggle took place some time ago. In this way, vivid imagery infers that the character has faced something that left him worn and weary.<br />
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McCarthy's use of syntax is somewhat more subtle. Stylistically, it is quite unusual. McCarthy makes frequent use of drawn out sentences, such as the one that describes the process of him transporting the wolf and preparing the fire. The rolling fluid structure gives off a strong sense of continuity, which in turn mimics the character's stream of consciousness. For instance, the routine procedure of preparing camp is completed in one long rambling sentence. Coupled with the knowledge that the character has been through some kind of conflict, McCarthy is able to convey a "one step at a time" type of mentality without explicitly stating any physical condition. A similar method is used at the end of the passage, as the character's pensive and philosophical mood is shown with vaguely worded questions.<br />
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The experiences of a character can be effectively broken down into two aspects -- the physical and the intangible. McCarthy effectively handles both facets with life-like imagery and carefully worded sentences. Through these methods the reader is presented with a detailed description communicated almost entirely through inference.<br />
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<i>[I'll admit, this essay was really shaky for me. It's questionable whether I actually answered the prompt at all.]</i><br />
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<i>The eighteenth-century British novelist Laurence Sterne wrote, "No body, but he who had felt it, can conceive what a plaguing thing it is to have a man's mind torn asunder by two projects of equal strength, both obstinately pulling in a contrary direction at the same time."</i><br />
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<i>From a novel of play choose a character (not necessarily the protagonist) whose mind is pulled in conflicting directions by two compelling desires, ambitions, obligations, or influences. Then, in a well-organized essay, identify each of the two conflicting forces and explain how this conflict within one character illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole.</i><br />
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Bernard, the outcast Alpha from Aldous Huxley's <i>Brave New World</i>, is a complex character marked by extreme internal conflict. However this conflict parallels the larger theme of individuality versus society that pervades the entire novel. In the case of Bernard, this is manifested as a struggle between his own ideals and acceptance by his peers (which in turn corresponds with an end to his bitter loneliness).<br />
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At the novel's start, Bernard is immediately characterized as fiercely individualistic, to the point of being shunned by others. Whether this isolation was a resulted in his personality or his personality caused his isolation is not entirely clear. Regardless, it is evident that Bernard is not only independent, he is proud of it. After a talk with the Director, he relishes in being persecuted, fancying himself as a society maverick of sorts. In short, Bernard represents everything his society hates. However, because Huxley writes for a diverse audience that generally favors independent thinking, this phenomenon is flipped for the reader. Even though his character is actually fairly pitiful, his role as a rebel makes him a hero, at least as far as the novel's theme goes. This serves to form the first half of Huxley's warning. Bernard is essentially a placement of the reader's values within the context of a twisted, albeit prophetic, society.<br />
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In spite of all his bluster and plucky rebellion, Bernard is corrupted later in the novel when he is finally given the chance of acceptance. It can be inferred that despite all his anger at society, Bernard had always secretly wished to the same as everyone else. Because of this, the pull of finally reaching this elusive goal would be inherently strong. On one hand, Bernard is offered a chance of "normalcy" among the people of <i>Brave New World</i>. On the other, Bernard would have to give up the identity he spent his life making -- his individualistic ideals, the few friends he had, and his reputation for better or worse. By having Bernard turn his back on his values (and having it backfire dramatically), Huxley drives his point home.<br />
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Being the skilled essayist that he was, Huxley could have easily written a more pedantic piece on the dangers of conformity and mob rule. However, by creating the pitiable character of Bernard, he adds a poignant personal side to the message. In doing so, the warning becomes immediate, realistic, and potent. Bernard is essentially a scaling down of an abstract theme into human terms.<br />
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<i>[I actually finished this essay within my time limit. Whether it was because I am more comfortable with open essays or I was rushing to get it over with, I'm not sure. Also, it's worth noting that I chose </i>Brave New World<i> yet again. I'm pretty comfortable with writing about the novel, but I'm hoping I didn't bottleneck my exam practice by choosing a novel I've written about so many times.]</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-1927026497074028482013-04-27T13:02:00.001-07:002013-04-27T14:53:28.105-07:00At Least Two Essays<i>Since time restraints have typically been the most difficult part of AP essays for me, I'm limiting myself to forty minutes per essay. Otherwise, I'm liable to keep writing for far longer than is possible on the actual exam. Besides that, I'm honestly not too keen on spending my </i>entire<i> weekend practicing essays.</i><br />
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<i>Pre-writes are included in the forty minutes, although I will be doing them on a separate piece of paper to facilitate my rather haphazard pre-writing method.</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;">POETRY ESSAY PROMPT #1</span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">[1994] Poems: “</span><a href="http://www.online-literature.com/poe/578/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue;">To Helen</span></a><span style="color: #222222;">” (Edgar Allan Poe) and “</span><a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/175877" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue;">Helen</span></a><span style="color: #222222;">” (H.D.)</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prompt: The following two poems are about Helen of Troy. Renowned in the ancient world for her beauty, Helen was the wife of Menelaus, a Greek King. She was carried off to Troy by the Trojan prince Paris, and her abduction was the immediate cause of the Trojan War. Read the two poems carefully. Considering such elements as speaker, diction, imagery, form, and tone, write a well-organized essay in which you contrast the speakers’ views of Helen.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite Edgar Allan Poe and H.D.'s respective poems "To Helen" and "Helen" dealing with the same subject matter, their unique usage of subtle literary techniques allows them to communicate two very different messages. Poe's "To Helen" is a sentimental piece that alludes to imagery commonly associated with Helen and classical works in general. H.D., on the other hand crafts a much darker picture of Helen and the tragedy she instigated. How the two poets manage to do this by focusing every aspect of their poems, from the title to the conclusion and everything in between, at communicating a specific theme.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">"To Helen" is much closer to what one would expect a poem about a legendary Greek beauty would resemble. It is flowing and reverent, with a hint of</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"> sentimentality. Poe begins to form this impression from the start. The inclusion of the word "To", which differentiates Poe's poem from H.D.'s, immediately implies a much more personal message. The audience is clued in that this is not necessarily a poem for the masses, it is almost like a glimpse into the exchange of secret letters. This is reinforced further in the first line, where Poe establishes a first-person speaker. Both the poem's structure and Poe's diction narrow down the poem's emotional range. The syntax in "To Helen" is evidently made to flow as much as possible. Methods such as the alliteration in line four (the weary, way-worn wanderer) help facilitate this. Breaking down the poem further, the reader finds several allusions to ancient Greece and Rome, or words associated with the two civilizations (hyacinth, Naiad, Nicean, and Psyche are a few). Because Poe establishes a retrospective point of view by referencing "the glory <i>that was</i> Greece" and "the grandeur <i>that was</i> Rome", these allusions are almost like throwbacks to a bygone golden age. All these things combine to make for a wistful poem that marvels at not only Helen's beauty, but the beauty of the entire time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">H.D.'s "Helen" is radically different from both Poe's poem and what the reader would expect. The most telling difference is communicated through anaphora. The repetition of Greece's attitude toward Helen at the beginning of each stanza indicates to the reader what the overall tone of the poem is. Because Greece's attitude is defined by words such as "hate", "revile", and "unmoved", the context of the entire poem is changed. Independently, the description of Helen H.D. gives seems delicate and refined. However, when this is juxtaposed with such overpoweringly negative language, Helen seems fragile and sickly more than anything else. The poem's primary shift is the last nail in the almost literal coffin of Helen's condemnation. In the final three lines, H.D. switches from description to action. Greece not only hates her, it actively wants her dead. In this way, H.D. quite bluntly communicates his more cynical take on Helen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Because Helen embodied both beauty and violence, Poe and H.D. were able to write two poems on her at opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. Where Poe writes in an idealistic tone, H.D. writes bitter<span style="font-family: inherit;">ly. Both poets strive to convey an attitude toward Helen using every element of their poem, be it flowery syntax or venomous descriptions. Because the writing is so tightly knit, the reader can easily understand complex feelings without them being explicitly stated.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><i>[I went ten minutes over my time-limit on this one, but I guess that's what practice is for. My understanding of the two poems was actually pretty loose, and I may have grossly misunderstood one or both of them. If you've got a different interpretation, please let me know in the comments!]</i></span></span></div>
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__________<br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><i>POETRY ESSAY PROMPT #2</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>1982 Poem: “<a href="http://allpoetry.com/poem/8601757-The_Groundhog-by-Richard__Eberhart">The Groundhog</a>” (Richard Eberhart)</i></span></span><i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prompt: Write an essay in which you analyze how the language of the poem reflects the changing perceptions and emotions of the speaker as he considers the metamorphosis of the dead groundhog. Develop your essay with specific references to the text of the poem</span></span><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;">.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">__________</span></i><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Essay 2:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In Richard Eberhart's poem, "The Groundhog", the stanzas are unified into a discussion of death, both literal and figurative. Each season that is detailed by the speaker's visits to the groundhog are characterized by their diction and tone. Because the poem is structured sequentially, the reader can compare the technical differences in each of the poem's parts and better understand the speaker's evolving perceptions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first and most lengthy stage of the poem is the discovery. These first few stanzas are marked mostly by the speaker's confusion. The corpse is both frightening and saddening, evoking hatred as much as it does pity. Eberhart is able to explain this uncanny experience through juxtaposition and parallelism. This is most obviously evident in line 11 as the speaker struggles with both loathing and "strange love". In an effort to add to the emotional overload, Eberhart also makes heavy use of personification. "Vigorous summer", "senseless change", "nature ferocious", and "angry stick" are just a few. All these words together connote feverish incomprehension.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The speaker's return to the groundhog in Autumn marks the second step of both the groundhog's decay and the speaker's mindset. In this visit, the fervid emotions of the previous stanzas have cooled off into observational </span>detachment. Although this segment is significantly shorter than the first, Eberhart still communicates a distinct attitude of emptiness. The diction provides much aid in this regard, such as in the phrases "lost its meaning" and "bony sodden hulk." The brevity of this section actually plays into the the theme of loss as well. In the wake of such primal turmoil from the first stanzas, the lack of any emotionally charged statements in the second leaves the reader distinctly aware of the void.<br />
<br />
The last transformation of the speaker takes place over two more time-changes. The first is another summer visit, and the other is the speaker's reflection three years later. This final shift, following the confusion and detachment of the first and second visits respectively, is one of catharsis. Appropriately, this reconciliation is achieved with many of the same elements used to describe the speaker's original shock. Eberhart juxtaposes a summer that is "massive and burning, full of life" with the groundhog of which "there was only a little hair left". There is more juxtaposition still as the speaker contemplates the beauty of sun-bleached bones. The poem is ended with a sudden shift into the future, while at the same time the speaker alludes to influential people and civilizations of the past. Through these techniques, the final few stanzas signal an acceptance of conflicting emotions encapsulated within an overall melancholy mood.<br />
<br />
It could be said that in spite of the title, the main subject of "The Groundhog" is the speaker. With each visit, the groundhog's increasing decay triggers a new set of feelings. A myriad of techniques are used to differentiate each visit from the other, and it is because of these that the reader can discern the speaker's fluctuating perception.<br />
<br />
<i>[I was fifteen minutes over the time-limit this time. I'd blame fatigue, but unfortunately that is likely to be an even bigger problem on the actual AP test. Out of curiosity, I decided to read the comments on the poetry site that I linked (after my writing my essay) to see how my understanding lined up with others. It is actually very similar to what another person posted -- to which another user promptly replied "shut up" -- but I can assure you that the ideas I used were all my own at the time of writing.]</i><br />
<i>__________</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Thanks for reading (or skimming) my essays! As always, honest constructive feedback is appreciated.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-11366291178072580052013-04-25T23:33:00.000-07:002013-04-25T23:33:21.627-07:00GroupthinkOur Groupthink today in class was more helpful than I expected. I thought I had a decent grasp on the poems already, but the group as a whole brought a lot of insightful thoughts to the table. In particular, the discussion of "Eldorado" taught me a lot of things that I wouldn't have found otherwise (to be fair to Kris, "Epigram for Wallstreet", which he worked on, was easy enough to understand that there wasn't much room for his own analysis).<br />
<br />
The gist of "Eldorado", is fairly easy to grasp. However, in my individual reading I did not notice the subtleties to the poem. For one, Poe uses the word "shadow" to shifts in each stanza. In the first, it is used in the literal sense of a shadow. In the second, it is used figuratively to represent the growing doubt in the knight's heart. The third stanza's use becomes even more obscure, as the knight meets a pilgrim's shadow, symbolizing his death. Finally, the final stanza makes reference to the Valley of the Shadow and Death when describing what it takes to reach Eldorado.<br />
<br />
One other thing came up on the subject of Eldorado that I found amazing. Apparently, Poe chose a poem structure that had stresses imitating the cadence of a horse's gallop. In this way, he hoped to convey the sense of a journey through both the words and raw sound of the poem. I enjoyed the poem before learning this, but now it's even more amazing.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-60514139137244329072013-04-24T18:07:00.000-07:002013-04-25T23:16:16.461-07:00Gridlock<i><a href="http://jthompson2rhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/">Justin Thompson</a> and I will be analyzing "Enigma" by Edgar Allan Poe. <a href="http://kgreenrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/">Kris Green</a> is analyzing "Epigram for Wall Street." <a href="http://ablundellrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/">Gus Blundell</a> and <a href="http://www.jreinwaldrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/">Jason Reinwald</a> are working on "Eldorado."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Eldorado" analysis is <a href="http://ablundellrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/2013/04/vendler-grid-eldorado.html">here</a>.</i><br />
<i>"Epigram for Wall Street" analysis is <a href="http://kgreenrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/2013/04/vendler-grid-for-epigram-for-wall-street.html">here</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Since we were having difficulties understanding "Enigma" at all, we've decided to use the simpler TPCASTT grid. Once we have a more solid understanding, we may revisit with the vendler grid.</i><br />
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<b>Title: </b>"Enigma"<br />
The title immediately suggests a sense of mystery. It lets the reader know that the content of poem is ambiguous and relies on inference more than concrete facts.<br />
<br />
<b>Paraphrase:</b><br />
Poe makes several references to literature and writers. He gives hints to attributes that made these writers legendary and has the reader guess who he is writing.<br />
<br />
The noble man from the Allegory<br />
The writer who caused anger<br />
...<br />
A man convicted by the culture he wrote for<br />
...<br />
<strike>The man whose name represents all writers</strike> Shakespeare is the symbol of expressionism (happy, Justin?)<br />
<br />
<b>Connotation:</b><br />
Indicted --> Persecuted<br />
Prince --> Authoritative Figure<br />
Paints --> Evokes images in audience's mind<br />
Departed hours --> Times passed<br />
Hand that traced inexorable rage --> One whose writing caused anger<br />
<br />
<b>Attitude:</b><br />
Poe's attitude is whimsical. He's writing a riddle, and thematically there is not much of a message beyond that. On the other hand, he has chosen a fairly serious subject to write the enigma, especially given that he is a writer himself. Within this fairly playful structure, he writes with a reverent and dramatic tone.<br />
<br />
<b>Shift:</b><br />
The poem has awkward shifts in that since it is a riddle about several people, there is a shift in subject practically every other line. However, there is a more overarching shift in the line "The prince of harmony and stirling sense" when the reader begins to realize that Poe's writing is focused on different types of people. At this point, Poe is helping to clue the audience in that "Enigma" is more than just a poem.<br />
<br />
<b>Title Revisited:</b><br />
Plain and simple, Poe is saying that he is literally writing an enigma. It's a riddle.<br />
<br />
<b>Theme:</b><br />
Writers and all united in the form of expression.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-33085898336851024692013-04-23T19:45:00.002-07:002013-04-23T19:51:26.009-07:00Seventh Reading<a href="http://jthompson2rhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/">Justin Thompson</a> and I chose to read poems only by Edgar Allen Poe. For one, I usually enjoy Poe's writing. Additionally, we figured that by choosing three poems by the same poet, we would be able to analyze the differences in prose of each one. The ones we chose differ in rhyming scheme, theme, or both. Here's what we read:<br />
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<div>
<a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/epigram-for-wall-street/">"Epigram for Wall Street"</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/eldorado/">"Eldorado"</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/enigma-13/">"Enigma"</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I'll be honest, we didn't read all of them the full seven times, but we did read them out loud several times. The order I have listed them is more or less in order of comprehension. "Epigram for Wall Street" was short and straightforward. There was, to my knowledge, very little room for interpretation. "Eldorado" was also fairly straightforward, but there were also layers to understanding it (what does Eldorado represent to the main character?). "Enigma" was extremely difficult to understand, to the point that I have only a very vague idea of what Poe was going for. We'll make sure to pay more attention to "Enigma" when working more with the poems.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-73411961651504405222013-04-21T19:08:00.004-07:002013-04-24T03:10:45.121-07:00Responses to Lit Circles<i>100th post! Well, actually this is post 101, but I still have </i>Pride and Prejudice <i>notes that I haven't published.</i><br />
<u><br /></u>
<u><i><a href="http://www.csmrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-picture-of-dorian-gray-questions.html">The Picture of Dorian Gray</a></i></u><br />
<div>
1. D</div>
<div>
2. B</div>
<div>
3. A</div>
<div>
4. D</div>
<div>
5. A</div>
<div>
6. C<br />
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<u><a href="http://sgarrisonrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/p/fyodor.html"><i>Crime and Punishment</i></a></u></div>
<div>
1. D</div>
<div>
2. D</div>
<div>
3. D</div>
<div>
4. A</div>
<div>
5. E</div>
<div>
6. A</div>
<div>
7. A</div>
<div>
8. C</div>
<div>
9. B</div>
<div>
10. B</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><a href="http://www.esnellrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/2013/04/open-essay-prompts-carrie-by-stephen.html"><i>Carrie</i></a></u></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">1. In some works of literature the insanity (or period of insanity) of a main character plays a central role. Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write a well-organized essay in which you discuss the mental illness of a central character and the specific ways in which that character’s mental illness relates to the larger themes of the work.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><i>I'm just going to answer this in a general outline/pre-write. I'm fairly sure I will be fine with the mechanics of the essay once I get a few core ideas.</i></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><i>Lord of the Flies</i></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">growing insanity of the children</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">go from carefully formed society to primitive</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">animals in both appearance and behavior</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">killing humans</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">degradation from rational to supernatural</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Theme? The darkness in humans</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"><u><i><a href="http://bredmanrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/2013/04/five-people-you-meet-in-heaven-essay.html">The Five People You Meet in Heaven</a></i></u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; text-indent: -48px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Explain how the author’s presentation of details is intended to shape the reader’s attitudes toward the place he describes. Give specific attention to the function of word choice, imagery, phrasing, and sentence structure.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; text-indent: -48px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #222222;">Story takes place in several different "heavens"</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #222222;">different realms in which Eddie learns unique lessons</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222;">each heaven has a tone that reflects the theme of that section</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #222222;">acceptance, forgiveness, etc.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222;">phrased to suggest something otherworldly, but still immediately relevant</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><u><i><a href="http://kgreenrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/2013/04/life-of-pi-literary-questions.html">Life of Pi</a></i></u></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222;">1. <strike>D</strike> C</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222;">2. C</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222;">3. E</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222;">4. C</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222;">5. C</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-80513161832843703552013-04-18T23:16:00.003-07:002013-04-19T02:13:09.868-07:00Life of Pi Literary Terms<i>Here's Jason Reinwald and Gus Blundell's work on lit terms from </i>Life of Pi<i>.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
-Epigram<br />
“It's happened to all of us: there's sunlight and shade, spots and patterns of colour, your mind is elsewhere - so you don't make out what is right in front of you.”<br />
Chapter 18<br />
-Metonymy<br />
“Tigers go woof when they are caught unawares, a short, sharp detonation of fury that would instantly make your legs jump up and run away if they weren't frozen to the spot.”<br />
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<li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX122318380" style="font-size: 8pt; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="Paragraph SCX122318380" paraid="1488011910" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
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<span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">in</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Winnipeg, red lights were blinking on consoles, alarm bells were ringing, eyes were opening wide in horror, mouths were gasping, "My God! The </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; background-image: url(data:image/gif; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tsimtsum</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> has sunk!"</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span><span class="EOP SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX122318380" style="font-size: 8pt; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="Paragraph SCX122318380" paraid="2057458613" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">O</span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">nomatopoeia</span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">- “</span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">it went yip </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; background-image: url(data:image/gif; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">yip</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; background-image: url(data:image/gif; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">yip</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; background-image: url(data:image/gif; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">yip</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; background-image: url(data:image/gif; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">yip</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> in a high-pitched way</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">”</span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun EmptyTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"></span><span class="EOP SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
<span class="ListGhost SCX122318380" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></li>
<li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX122318380" style="font-size: 8pt; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="Paragraph SCX122318380" paraid="1260921173" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Metonymy</span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">-“ </span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Beholding a vast expanse of shifting water</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">”</span></span><span class="EOP SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
<span class="ListGhost SCX122318380" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></li>
<li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX122318380" style="font-size: 8pt; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="Paragraph SCX122318380" paraid="1996169156" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Simile and or Metaphor -</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It is ugly beyond redemption. Its thick neck and high shoulders that slope to the hindquarters look as if they've come from a discarded prototype for the giraffe, and its shaggy, coarse coat seems to have been patched together from the leftovers of creation.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
<span class="ListGhost SCX122318380" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></li>
<li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX122318380" style="font-size: 8pt; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="Paragraph SCX122318380" paraid="409801184" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Direct Characterization -</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Father would be unshaven and </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">disheveled.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
<span class="ListGhost SCX122318380" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></li>
<li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX122318380" style="font-size: 8pt; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="Paragraph SCX122318380" paraid="1504079835" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Indirect Characterization- </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">I imagined Ravi would greet me first and with a tease. "What's this?" he would say. "You find yourself a great big lifeboat and you fill it with animals? You think you're Noah or something?"</span></span><span class="EOP SCX122318380" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
<span class="ListGhost SCX122318380" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX122318380" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX122318380" paraid="235635971" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
Chapter 57<br />
-Indirect Characterization<br />
“I burst into hot tears. I buried my face in my crossed arms and sobbed. My situation was patently hopeless.”<br />
Chapter 58<br />
-Metaphor<br />
"Tell me, what is coconut yam kootu?"<br />
<br />
"Nothing short of heaven, that's what.”<br />
Chapter 90<br />
-Anaphora<br />
“I fished with a variety of hooks at a variety of depths for a variety of fish, from deep-sea fishing with large hooks and many sinkers to surface fishing with smaller hooks and only one or two sinkers.”<br />
Chapter 66<br />
-Motif<br />
“Salvation. An hour of heavy, delicious, beautifal rain.”<br />
Chapter 89<br />
-Personification<br />
“The clouds looked as if they were stumbling along before the wind, frightened.”<br />
Chapter 83<br />
-Paradox<br />
When it is day, you are hot and wish to be cool and dream of ice cream and pour sea water on yourself. When it is night you are cold and wish to be warm and dream of hot curries; and wrap yourself in blankets.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-1322429882277286012013-04-18T00:20:00.000-07:002013-04-18T00:20:46.248-07:00Macbeth Act IV Notes<br />
<ul>
<li>"Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble"</li>
<ul>
<li>the reader's first introduction to the witch's actual wickedness, if it was not already assumed</li>
<li>is there any symbolism to the items being placed in the cauldron, or are they there simply for weirdness sake</li>
<ul>
<li>also, were these actually things believed to have magical/evil properties?<a name='more'></a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>Enter HECATE</li>
<ul>
<li>from the ultra reliable source of Wikipedia: "an ancient goddess often shown holding two torches or a key, or depicted in triple form...associated with crossroads, entrance ways, fire, light, the moon, <b>magic</b>, <b>witchcraft</b>, herbs and poisonous plants, <b>necromancy</b>, and <b>sorcery</b></li>
<li>Macbeth references Hecate earlier in his soliloquy about murdering Duncan</li>
</ul>
<li>"Something wicked this way comes."</li>
<ul>
<li>more lines integrated into popular culture</li>
<li>interesting that the witches have a perception of wickedness</li>
<ul>
<li>even more interesting is that they are referring to Macbeth</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>"Beware the thane of Fife"</li>
<ul>
<li>blatant foreshadowing</li>
</ul>
<li>Was it common to have music when Shakespeare's plays were performed? It is not mentioned often in the script.</li>
<li>"Thou liest, thou sag-hair'd villain!" ... "What, you egg!" ... "Young fry of treachery!"</li>
<ul>
<li>Shakespearean insults are awesome</li>
</ul>
<li>Why do Shakespearean characters have a tendency to declare they have died ("He has kill'd me")?</li>
<ul>
<li>to make it more obvious for the audience perhaps?</li>
</ul>
<li>Malcolm uses "luxurious" in the same context as "malicious" and "smacking of every sin that has a name"</li>
<ul>
<li>Is there a different meaning?</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-35008053997038213662013-04-17T01:18:00.001-07:002013-04-17T01:19:05.308-07:00Jane Eyre Questions<i>The following answers are in response to <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/136244858/M-C-Questions-Ch-1">this</a> document. In the spirit of AP test prep, I did my best to move through the passages and questions quickly and didn't look for an answer key.</i><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
1. b<br />
2. d<br />
3. d<br />
4. b<br />
5. c<br />
6. a<br />
7. b<br />
8. d<br />
9. e<br />
10. e<br />
11. a<br />
12. d<br />
13. b<br />
14. d<br />
15. d<br />
16. b<br />
17. b<br />
18. e<br />
19. d<br />
20. b<br />
21. e<br />
22. b<br />
23. c<br />
24. c<br />
25. a<br />
26. a<br />
27. b<br />
28. -(missing)<br />
29. -<br />
30. -<br />
31. -<br />
32. -<br />
33. e<br />
34. e<br />
35. a<br />
36. bAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-15204376145562461792013-04-14T23:11:00.002-07:002013-04-25T23:15:02.756-07:00Macbeth Notes Act II<br />
<ul>
<li>Macbeth identifies himself as a friend to Banquo</li>
<ul>
<li>does Banquo feel the same way?</li>
</ul>
<li>Banquo's dream of "three weird sisters"</li>
<ul>
<li>is he talking about the witches here?</li>
</ul>
<li>Macbeth's soliloquy</li>
<ul>
<li>marvels at how unreal the situation feels</li>
<ul>
<li>an indication that this is not something that Macbeth truly feels comfortable doing</li>
<li>he feels that this is out of character for himself</li>
<li>many allusions to mythology to enforce the mystical surreal tone</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>Why does Shakespeare choose not to show the murder itself?</li>
<ul>
<li>too gruesome for the audience? Or perhaps too offensive to the king?</li>
</ul>
<li>the Macbeths have, apparently, fooled everybody</li>
<li>"Is't known who did this more than bloody deed?" ... "Those that Macbeth hath slain."</li>
<ul>
<li>Macduff and Ross are ironically correct here, although they do not know it</li>
<li>They conclude seconds later that Macbeth is next up for the throne</li>
<ul>
<li>how do they not connect Macbeth and his "thriftless ambition" to the crime?</li>
<ul>
<li>Macbeth ma have too good of a reputation. It is stated earlier that he is well liked throughout the land.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-38779488052109117362013-04-12T22:45:00.002-07:002013-04-12T22:45:26.026-07:00"Nature can do that?"At the beginning of the school year, <a href="http://jthompson2rhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/">Justin Thompson</a> started a blog to showcase the various wonders of nature. Eventually, I joined in and lent a hand with research and writing. There are some genuinely bizarre things showcased, ranging from <a href="http://jthompson2rhsenglitcomp2.blogspot.com/2013/01/socotra-island.html">trees of dragon blood</a> to <a href="http://jthompson2rhsenglitcomp2.blogspot.com/2013/03/fried-egg-jellyfish.html">fried egg jellyfish</a>. If you've got some free time and are looking to be amazed, give the blog a look!<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<a href="http://jthompson2rhsenglitcomp2.blogspot.com/">Nature Can Do That?</a></h3>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-80532935100030822252013-04-12T01:17:00.001-07:002013-04-25T23:15:02.758-07:00Macbeth Act I: Thoughts and Notes -- Barely Awake Edition<i>I'm tired right now, so apologies if this post falls short. And no, this late night (early morning?) post is not because of procrastination for once. Well, not mostly.</i><div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Macbeth is an interestingly contradictory character</li>
<ul>
<li>apparently peerless warrior, but is submissive to his overbearing wife</li>
<li>has ambitions for the throne, but still has morality (or he at least lacks the disregard for human life of Lady Macbeth)</li>
<ul>
<li>Why does he want the throne? Political? Egotistical?</li>
</ul>
<li>Described as being fearless, but recoils at the witches</li>
<ul>
<li>Either Macbeth is not what he appears, or the witches are really just that horrendous</li>
<ul>
<li>could be both, obviously</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>The witches are certainly not a pretty sight, but are they actively malicious?</li>
<ul>
<li>there's allusions to their wicked deeds, but what do they gain from the telling of Macbeth's future?</li>
<ul>
<li>Maybe not, could just be a convenient method of both foreshadowing and establishing a context for morality</li>
</ul>
<li>Banquo is less disturbed by the witches</li>
<ul>
<li>indicates that he is more used to their evil?</li>
<li>What does Banquo think of Macbeth?</li>
<ul>
<li>friendly, rival, etc.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>Lady Macbeth is arguably more evil than the witches</li>
<ul>
<li>does Macbeth realize how easily he is goaded and manipulated?</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-5839020148736608232013-04-07T16:21:00.000-07:002013-04-18T22:00:21.702-07:00Lit Circles: Life of Pi Prose Essay PromptsThe following AP style essay prompts are made for <i>Life of Pi</i> by Yann Martel.<br />
<br />
1. Authors often use unusual plot structures to draw attention to important story elements. In <i>Life of Pi</i>, Yann Martel inserts short italicized chapters written from his point of view. What literary techniques within these chapters contribute to the overall theme of the novel?<br />
<br />
<i>2. Life of Pi</i> is a story as much about the psychological and spiritual aspects of Pi as it is about his worldly struggles. Analyze the literary devices that Martel uses to separate the physical and the metaphysical.<br />
<br />
3. Stylistically, <i>Life of Pi</i> has characteristics of both a fable and a biography. What devices does Martel use to create this effect?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-85442012364486571302013-04-04T20:46:00.001-07:002013-04-04T20:46:49.820-07:00Literature Analysis: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor DostoevskyOnce again, <a href="http://jthompson2rhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/">Justin Thompson</a> and I worked on a Prezi for March's literature analysis on <i>Crime and Punishment</i>.<br />
<div>
<br />
If the Prezi isn't showing up for anyone, <a href="http://prezi.com/gmgyjla_untw/untitled-prezi/?kw=view-gmgyjla_untw&rc=ref-1786084">click here</a>.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" src="http://prezi.com/embed/gmgyjla_untw/?bgcolor=ffffff&lock_to_path=0&autoplay=0&autohide_ctrls=0&features=undefined&disabled_features=undefined" width="550"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-37756036755275244962013-03-25T00:49:00.002-07:002013-03-25T00:49:50.846-07:00AP Resources<h3>
<a href="http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/2123.html">College Board AP Central</a></h3>
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Why not just go straight to the source? The College Board actually has quite a few informative resources ranging from scoring guides to tips and practice.</div>
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<a href="http://www.funnelbrain.com/sid-181-ap-english.html">Funnel Brain</a></h3>
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Here's a bunch of user made flashcards. Given that they are not "official" the quality may vary. However, there is a decent selection to choose from -- just make sure to do a little fact checking.</div>
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<a href="http://appass.com/calculators/englishliterature">AP Pass</a></h3>
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This is a calculator to figure out your AP score. It's a pretty neat way to visualize how exam scoring is done.</div>
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<a href="https://benchprep.com/blog/category/high-school/ap-literature-composition/">Bench Prep</a></h3>
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This blog is orientated for long term preparation, so it may be a bit late at this point. Regardless, there are a few useful things that can be gleaned from it still.</div>
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<a href="http://www.apstudynotes.org/english/">AP Study Notes</a></h3>
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This website has a massive collection of examples and study topics. It's hard to do better than this if you're going for the classic "study 'til you drop" method.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-3140257347559143812013-03-20T00:41:00.000-07:002013-03-20T00:41:57.042-07:00Brave New World Essay Draft 1Loneliness is among the most potent of human conditions. From it stems sadness, bitterness, and all manner of melancholy temperaments. However, it can also bring enlightenment. This is the case of John, "the Savage", from <i>Brave New World</i> by Aldous Huxley. As an outsider in every culture he encounters, John has a unique perspective of the world he lives in. This position allows for a brutally honest assessment of societies' customs. It is only though the eyes of an exile that the world's madness is fully revealed.<br />
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By design, John is an oddity even upon his introduction to the novel. What is immediately visible is that he is a young white man in a village of Native Americans. As the reader soon learns, the differences are far more than skin deep. John's mother raises him in accordance to the ideals of the massive World State she grew up in. Unfortunately, these ideals are completely contrary to those of the village. In this interesting case of nature versus nurture, the other villagers cannot overcome John's differences and he is shunned. Despite his obvious willingness to live by village customs (he practically begs to be whipped, a point that later becomes symbolic for John's own rejection of society) he is still viewed as an outsider. One could rightfully assume that whatever offense John committed must have been significant in order to warrant such cruel treatment. By analyzing the reasons for exile, the reader can discover what is of cultural importance. John is an outsider more because of his mother's actions than his own. His mother, Linda continues to live by the brave new world mantra of "everyone belongs to everyone else" even after entering a society rooted strictly in monogamy. The results are (quite literally) not pretty. Going a step deeper reveals even more about the village's values. The savages are not particularly angered by Linda's promiscuity, they are upset that she has chosen to be promiscuous with men already in relationships. From this the reader can infer that while monogamy is important to the society, family is really what matters most. All of this stems from an inspection of John's alienation.<br />
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In the second half of the novel, Huxley flips things around. When John is introduced to the brave new world, he is still an outsider. However, this time he is faced with an intrusively curious city, not a spiteful village. In the World State, John's oddities make him an object of interest, not hate. Still, these differences keep him apart from others. In the end it is John who reject society himself. This inversion presents some interesting points. The reader presumably already knows that the key characteristic of <i>Brave New World</i>'s setting is moral decadence. It is explicitly stated many times that the citizens enjoy soma, sex, "sports", and not much else. With all these details of morality and value already given, what does the introduction of John add? Simply put, he adds context. Being a satire, <i>Brave New World</i> is fairly ludicrous. Without the inclusion of a truly human character for the reader to identify with, Huxley's message would have remained strictly theoretical. John's reaction to the moral decay he sees around him parallels that of the reader. He is, more or less, a placement of the reader within the novel's setting. John's perspective shows the magnitude of the values already introduced. In a way, he serves as a living foil to the world. Again, this is only possible because John is so thoroughly separate from society. For example, Bernard is initially similar to John. He is an outsider who is able to clearly see the faults of society. However, once he accepted by others (during his showcasing of "the Savage"), he quickly abandons reason. The life he had previously despised with such vehemence suddenly becomes normal. It is for this reason that John's character is so important to understanding the workings of the brave new world. He is the reference point from which all things are relative.</div>
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From a mechanical standpoint, characters' isolation provides remarkable insight into the society they are cast out of. John shows both sides of the story. At the village, he is rejected by others, but in the city he is the one doing that rejection. In one case, alienation is a means to reveal the moral nature of the savages. In the other case John becomes the social context the reader uses to judge values. Each circumstance provides uniquely different information about the society.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-43948996597496947552013-03-07T00:05:00.003-08:002013-03-07T00:06:39.166-08:00Brave New World Notes (Ch. 8)<br />
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<li>Memories of Linda trying to assimilate to the new culture, John trying to understand the unfairness of the world</li>
<li>Huxley directly connects alcohol to soma</li>
<li>Linda's treatment of John is a contradiction</li>
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<li>Part BNW, part "savage"</li>
<li>Nature vs. nurture?</li>
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<li>Her instinct is to care for John, but her hypnopaedic-twisted mind hates him for what he "made" her</li>
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<li>Linda's stories build up what the BNW is like</li>
<li>John calls his mother by her first name</li>
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<li>Linda does not want to be called "mother" because she has come to think of it as an insult, or at least an embarrassing phrase</li>
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<li>"A man can smile and smile and be a villain."</li>
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<li>Huxley links the scene back to the theme that happiness is not everything</li>
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<li>"If one's different, one's bound to be lonely."</li>
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<li>thematic isolation an conformity</li>
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<li>John shows a propensity for self-punishment, not unlike Berard's enjoyment of persecution</li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"O brave new world," he repeated. "O brave new world that has such people in it. Let's start at once."</span></b></span></li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587655549965670276.post-218376253960181752013-03-06T23:53:00.000-08:002013-03-06T23:53:09.922-08:00March Literature Analysis ChoiceI am reading <i>Crime and Punishment</i> by Fyodor Dostoyevsky for March's literature analysis. I'll be doing another collaborative analysis with <a href="http://jthompson2rhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/">Justin Thompson</a>. Generally, I prefer to read novels that I will enjoy for literature analyses, while Justin would rather read one that maximizes AP test preparation. Last time, we went with my choice of <i>20,000 Leagues Under the Sea</i>, so Justin got to choose this time (for the sake of fairness; there wasn't really any formal agreement). <i>Crime and Punishment</i> appeared on many exams, and the story seemed interesting enough to me.<br />
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I'll admit that I haven't started reading yet. My expectations as far as raw entertainment go are not terribly high, but I'm hoping it'll surprise me. If nothing else, I hope it will be thought provoking. There a few things worse than a book that neither entertains nor educates.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17536821730568787871noreply@blogger.com0