Food Memoir

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The Rainbow Timed Essay (Blog Post #19)

1. What is your initial essay score? Using the language of the rubric, why did your peer (name the individual) score your essay in this way? Do you agree or disagree? Why? (1 chunky paragraph).

                 The score my initial essay received (from Sunny Chen) was a 7/8. This was because, while it did address complexities to some extent and offer "a reasonable analysis" of Lawrence's employment of literary devices, it was not quite as "persuasive" as a nine essay. Though the essay was higher than a 6 but not quite as developed nor complex as a nine, it received a middle score of a 7/8. In addition, the essay included some unnecessary summary or excessive "quote-bombing" and lacked depth in analysis or original interpretation, falling short of a nine essay. Grammatically it was nearly error free but could have "demonstrated more effective control of language" in general, placing it in the 8 range. For the most part, I agree with this scoring. In my opinion, certain aspects of the essay or single paragraphs were deserving of an eight and others of a seven; there were also individual lines that may have shown the complexities achieved by 9 essays but most definitely also lines representative of a much lower scored essay. I agree that the essay could have been more effective in contributing a clear and solidified point and perceptive analysis even though it had successfully addressed all parts of the prompt and included a variety of literary devices used by Lawrence. I also agree with the idea that this essay lacked consistent in-depth interpretation of embedded quotes. Though many quotes were used and generally with purpose, they could have been better explained or accompanied by more analysis. Overall, with its components in each score range, I believe that a 7/8 is fair for this essay.

2. After researching D.H. Lawrence, discussing his concept of "blood knowledge", reading through the "Prose Passage" chapter in 5 Steps to a 5, participating in class discussion, and norming the essays from 1-9, discuss what you would do to improve this essay. (3 chunky paragraphs)
                 First and foremost, to improve this essay, I would spend more time on the thorough explication of quotes rather than only including them for the sake of including a reference. Certain quotes found in The Rainbow are very powerful and the analysis provided by this essay simply fails to do them justice. For example, further interpretation of "his soul was master of the other man's" (64-65) could have strengthened the final paragraph surrounding the woman's fascination with knowledge and the power it provides. Additionally, this could have delved deeper into the meaning of "soul" versus the physical state of being that is so emphasized by the Brangwen men's lifestyle. Had these two paragraphs been flipped, this single quote could also have provided for a smooth transition between the two that also connected the ideas within each individual paragraph. The transitions themselves would also require some additional work. Though I am mostly satisfied with the paragraphs themselves (aside from the issue regarding the explication of quotes), the essay as a whole does not flow as well as it could. Transitions are blocky and somewhat awkward-sounding as they semi-introduce new ideas but fade out before any real connection is drawn. Furthermore, as with the previously referenced quote, I would pay more attention to the significance of Lawrence's idea of "blood knowledge" as it relates to the earthy lifestyle of the woman's family, specifically the Brangwen men. Blood is a reoccurring theme throughout the passage and is undeniably significant. However, my current essay scarce addresses the topic of "blood" nor the primal lifestyle and mentality it represents.

                 Secondly, I would further develop the thesis and the complexities within it. This would include elaborating on what the woman is characterized as and/or what her situation is as opposed to simply listing the literary devices that made such characterization or description possible. The listing is somewhat loose and fails to establish the specific effects of individual devices. Though it answers the prompt, the thesis is overly concise and lacks in persuasiveness. The thesis is the core of the essay and should establish the main points of the argument. Essays given a 9 ranking all included a solid thesis that was convincing and original, often going above and beyond the requirements directed by the prompt. They were creative and incorporated elevated diction throughout which only served to intensify the points it established. However, the current thesis fails to provide a foundation for either of the three points it introduces. Without a solid foundation, these ideas are ungrounded. Thus, as the reader progresses through the essay, the thesis may be easily forgotten and only recalled when a certain point readdresses it. Furthermore, the diction and syntax of the thesis is not very captivating not particularly persuasive. Though it offers an argument, it is not declarative. This lacking conviction contributes to a weak thesis that drifts rather than roots itself in the reader's mind.

                 Finally, I would further enhance the introductory and closing paragraphs of this essay. The current introduction is lackluster at best and non-existent at worst. Rather, the paragraph consists only of the thesis statement, which in and of itself is not exactly shocking. The introduction should, ideally, be intriguing and draw the reader's attention to the rest of the essay while guiding the main ideas and arguments presented throughout. However, it should not be over-embellished but be instead organized and give a sense of definite structure to the remainder of the essay. In order to achieve this, the introduction would require a depth of thought and perception that is not currently displayed. Furthermore, the ideas it presents should be both original and captivating, so as to provoke thought and encourage the reader to read actively rather than skim the body paragraphs of the essay. A similar concept can be applied to the conclusion paragraph. While the introduction is the essay's first impression, the conclusion is the lasting thoughts that should follow a reader throughout the day. Whether it be fully satisfying or leave some degree of fascinating ambiguity, the conclusion should readdress complexities and end with a noteworthy finale. While the current conclusion does offer some level of insight, it is not memorable nor does it connect well with the preceding paragraphs. Instead of gradually leading into a smooth transition, the essay jumps rather abruptly from body paragraph and argument number three to a crude restatement of the thesis. This leaves the reader with not only little time to think but also little to think about, as the obvious has been stated and restated without any remarkable impression.

On my own in life and in death (Hamlet Extra Credit Post #5)

On My Own
Les Miserables

And now I'm all alone again nowhere to turn, no one to go to
without a home without a friend without a face to say hello to
And now the night is near
Now I can make believe he's here

Sometimes I walk alone at night
When everybody else is sleeping
I think of him and then I'm happy
With the company I'm keeping
The city goes to bed
And I can live inside my head

On my own
Pretending he's beside me
All alone
I walk with him till morning
Without him
I feel his arms around me
And when I lose my way I close my eyes
And he has found me

In the rain the pavement shines like silver
All the lights are misty in the river
In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight
And all I see is him and me forever and forever
And I know it's only in my mind
That I'm talking to myself and not to him
And although I know that he is blind
Still I say, there's a way for us

I love him
But when the night is over
He is gone
The river's just a river
Without him
The world around me changes
The trees are bare and everywhere
The streets are full of strangers

I love him
But every day I'm learning
All my life
I've only been pretending
Without me
His world would go on turning
A world that's full of happiness
That I have never known

I love him
I love him
I love him
But only on my own

           How tender is this melody, how it speaks to my soul! In the days preceding my death I have learned that "all my life I've only been pretending" ("On My Own") that the world was pure. Indeed it is not, the innocence I had come to know "is only in my mind" ("On My Own") and now I walk alone. My dear father "dead and gone" (4.5.31), my brother abroad, my very lover "blasted with ecstasy: O, woe is me!" (3.1.151) I hear Hamlet's echo, "I did love you once" (3.1.113) and wonder about the "tenders of his affection to me" (1.3.99) and the "holy vows of heaven" he had proclaimed (1.3.112). "Love! his affections do not that way tend" (3.1.153). Am I bitter? Very much so. But my sorrow drowns this bitterness, for one's heart does not have space for both. Could he not know I love him still? My love for him never died, though stamp it out I tried. Instead it rots my soul to know that "without me, his world would go on turning" ("On My Own") while I am driven into outright madness. Though this melody holds cynical joy, this "world that's full of happiness" ("On My Own") surely does not exist. Exist it had in my own mind for such a brief but bright period but now that liberty has too been stripped from me.
           "Denmark has become a prison" for my lonesome soul (Seng 218) and "I'm all alone... nowhere to turn, no one to go to" ("On My Own"). "O heat, dry up my brains!" (4.5.149) the passion of grief has overwhelmed my very mind continues to devour me in "a world that's full of happiness that I have never known" ("On My Own"). "Without him, the world around me changes" ("On My Own") and this change I can no longer stand. I feel as if I were a blind man violently exposed to light. Grown old, by now this harsh light is none but blinding! To flee, I took cover in my mind, "I [lived] inside my head" ("On My Own"). My very thoughts were my sanctuary. However, as of late I have lost this small comfort; it has been wrenched away by "the poison of deep grief" (4.5.71). To know that "I, of ladies most deject and wretched" (3.1.146) have lost my place in my very consciousness is a knife stuck in my heart which Hamlet's rejection twists. "How should I [know] true love?" (4.5.23) is the question I ask, day after miserable day. Ha! I never should know his true love again, if ever I did.
         This melody could relate no more than it already does, it is the song of a broken soul, the death of unrequited love. I can only pray that God may one day look upon Denmark with peace. As I am lied to rest I have at last accepted that "I love him...But only on my own" ("On My Own").

And the rest was silence. . . (Blog Post #18)

          The Exam Reflection forced me to confront the challenges I would face throughout the trimester. Up until this year English has been a relatively relaxed class and I knew AP English and Literature would take this subject to the next level, forcing me to be more analytical and to develop better close reading skills. Though this Exam was slightly demoralizing, it revealed a truth about my current understanding (or lack thereof) of complex literature. This came as a sort of reality check but the blog post preserved my sense of initial shock following the exam so that throughout the trimester I could continue to revisit this post to keep track of my progress and the goals I had set. Though this post had originally pried me to find my weaknesses in each area of study, it became an immensely helpful resource that kept me focused throughout this course. The strengths in this post are the tone I maintain throughout the multiple paragraphs and its organization. The tone made both writing and future reading of the post come more naturally as it is somewhat comedic and conversational though still stylistically elevated while formatting with paragraphs and numbered goals helped to organize a lengthy post. The most prominent weakness would be its lack of focus. Throughout the post, I often found myself rambling, either about the amount of work I had yet to do or the amount I had already done. This habit adds unnecessary length to what could have been a rather concise blog entry. This may also have been the result of unfamiliarity with the blog format. Since then I have learned that though blogs address an audience and should be entertaining, posts should still be professional and purposeful.

          The American Drama video, featuring our rendition of Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare was by far the most involved task we tackled this trimester. The cast and crew of Cathy, Shivank, Emily, Jessica, and myself spent thirteen hours over a weekend on filming alone and countless more on editing and effects, not to mention the class time spent on script-cutting and the write up. This required a massive group effort as well as individual contributions from everyone. This level of involvement and time commitment revealed both strengths and weaknesses in our collaborative skills, time management, and work ethic. From the start we made a fairly solid group but finding the time to film was the most difficult as each member had personal commitments and miscellaneous conflicts stemming from participation in clubs and/or other events. Schedule shifts revealed our individual levels of dedication and determination. Often we filmed and refilmed a specific scene, varying from a few lines long to a few minutes long, until we achieved a satisfactory effect. This pursuit showed each member of our group would settle for nothing less than our best, a strength it turns out we all shared. The weaknesses of this project would be the flow of the video itself. While filming, we struggled to keep track of time while technology introduced a new obstacle. We often assumed the audience would infer a certain plot detail from our acting or the summary sheet and, as a result, the video itself is slightly jumbled. However overall this was a wonderfully challenging project as it heightened collaborative skills and, simply put, was very fun to create.

          AP English and Literature, being one of my more involved if not the most involved class, has dared me to expand my participation both in and out of the classroom. Entering the class I was well-aware that the classwork would be more vigorous than any other previous English course and that individual papers would be meticulously picked apart. The class itself was enjoyable and participation came naturally for the most part as we analyzed and discussed various pieces of literature with other classmates, a small group, or the class as a whole. The multitude of presentations throughout the trimester also served a double purpose. While they introduced new pieces of information and literary backgrounds, they also served to increased our participation habits and revealed a little about our classmates presenting. Though I have always done the required classwork in class and for written essays, this trimester challenged me to bring the same work ethic home as I sat down each night to begin the assigned homework that often involved collaborative projects or simple creativity. Here I often found myself spending far too much time on nightly assignments and it struck me to hear that we should only be spending one to two hours each night on homework. It was here that I realized it was not a matter of the workload but rather my efficiency. I realized that no matter how many hours of sleep one sacrificed, time was the commodity that always ran out.  Thus, throughout the trimester I have pursued the highest quality of work done in the lowest quantity of time, increasing my involvement in the course as I went. AP Lit raised the bar for success and forced me to climb both faster and higher to achieve it.

          The extensive group work throughout the trimester also demanded a higher level of in-class participation and interaction with my peers. It is easy to sit off to the side and to mind my own business but much more difficult to introduce and explain ideas to a group. Working in a group forced me to ask questions, stay on task, and overall increase my level of participation. Furthermore, working in a group and acknowledging the various perspectives has encouraged me to become more open-minded towards different perspectives and more inclined to accept suggestion. Though it made me accepting of other views, it also helped me in establishing my own. In a group, while it is important to hear the voices of others, it is equally important to make your own voice heard. Thus I pursued roles of both leader and follower within the group, adapting appropriately to maintain productivity and group participation. Most of the classmates I worked on various projects were similarly motivated to achieve a higher level of excellence through the work we created. Consequentially, group work was an enjoyable approach towards many challenging projects that continuously introduced new perspectives and increased my participation throughout the course.

          The measurable time-stamped goals I had set for myself at the beginning of the trimester have, for the most part, been met! These goals included developing “good habits as an attentive reader while cutting my skimming habits”, “making more markings while close-reading”, and “reading fourteen unfamiliar pieces of literature”. These I planned to achieve by reading every piece of material that requires analysis at least twice to avoid careless errors, annotating each sentence with a quality marking, and actively seeking out new pieces of literature. As I tried to improve my reading skills throughout the past twelve weeks I have found that, indeed, they have improved. In hindsight, my reading skills had been very poorly developed as they were inefficient and ineffective—involving a slow skimming of the piece without extensive thought or annotation. Since then I have developed greater skills for active reading and an increased attentiveness to detail.

          The third and final goal I had set for myself, to seek out and analyze unfamiliar pieces of literature, has been the most challenging. This was simply a matter of motivation and time management. A challenging academic schedule, club participation, and college apps made reading and analyzing an extra poem each week sound outrageous.  Oftentimes by the time I had finished schoolwork and was ready to look for a poem/essay/article, all I wanted to do was sleep. In all honesty, I have skipped a few weeks in October and then scrabbled to make up for lost time in later weeks. If reading one poem at a time was a challenge, reading three as the result of procrastination was torturous. I realized that procrastinating would only catch up with me later and frankly was not worth the panicked scramble it brought. The quality of my analysis had deteriorated in these “last-minute” pieces and the complexities lost. As a result, this third goal had done more than expanding my literary awareness. It had also expanded my thoughtfulness and analytical skills while discouraging the procrastination habits I maintained at the beginning of the school year.

Hamlet AP Prompt Essay (Hamlet Post #6) (Blog Post #17)

A most proper grave for sanity (Hamlet Post #4) (Blog Post #16)

I have just read the strangest thing! Queen Gertrude had retreated to her chambers following my visit and picked apart every ballad I had hummed, scribbled notes upon an embroidered pad in ink laced with gold.

It had appeared most clearly she had been fearful of me during my visit. O how silly of her. What, surely, could a mad maid do? For I only sing to express my thoughts, my inklings, pay me no mind. What is there to fear rather than the truth? Perhaps it is this indeed that causes the Majesties of Denmark to pale. Ah, I see here Queen Gertrude has also made note of my first ballad, "How should I, your true love know, from another one?" (4.5.22-23)), and by it placed a photo of Hamlet Sr. Does this indicate some hidden guilt for her hasty remarriage? It very well should, if I say so myself. Such a wedding where "the funeral bak'd meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables" (1.2.179-180), have they no shame? Their motions have driven dear Hamlet to mindlessness.

But this madness of my own, what is its source? I have joined my love beyond the realm of sanity. At least we are united if nothing else.

Grieved I am over my father's grave. Lord Polonius was my father after all, surely this grief is firmly rooted, and "buried without loving rites" (Seng 217) but is this the sole cause of this craze? Not long before his death had he spoken to me with such harshness, o such sting that I shall never forget! Cautioned me he did against Hamlet's love, asking if I "believed his tenders of affection" (1.3.104). Indeed I had, as he had mportun'd me with love In honourable fashion" (1.3.110-111), "With almost all the holy vows of heaven" (1.3.114). However, Lord Polonius would believe me not. Could it be he himself who tore me from my youthful innocence? No not my father alone. My dear brother Laertes, with good intent, hath stained my childlike trust, having claimed Hamlet's love was fleeting and nothing beyond the trifles of a man with good fortune. My love for Hamlet and his for me was nothing but pure, nothing but holy, yet my father and brother slandered it to no end. Now I see my wrong. I had "known [myself to be in love with Hamlet and had thought [he] had loved [me]" (Seng 218) and I had been right. "For indeed, [I] had believed in Hamlet...and as it turns out...[my] trust was not misplaced" (Seng 220-221). The efforts made had sullied my mind, prompting me to reject my dearest love, beginning this chain of grief. O father, thou art a fool! Could thou have seen this purity, thou may still have breath.

This sudden death has tipped me over the edge of some unseen cliff but the climb has been quite a journey. "I cannot choose but weep, to think they would lay him i' the cold ground" (4.5.66) but this affliction runs deeper than the rivers carved by these tears. Indeed I am alone now, for "Denmark has become a prison" for my soul around which my father's death has fastened the barbed gates of grief (Seng 218-219). In a state as rotten as Denmark, the sane exist no more. 

Alas, in madness I have found my sanity.

To Be or Not To Be. . . (Hamlet Post #3) (Blog Post #15)

1. SOLILOQUY ANALYSIS: 

Imagery that refers to the uncertainty of death: 

"To sleep, perchance to dream-- ay, there's the rub. For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause...there's the respect that makes calamity of so long life" (3.1.66-73)
This quote by Hamlet is his ponderance of death. Since death is better than living by far, he wonders why people do not commit suicide to quickly end their suffering and concludes that "the rub" (aka "the catch") is our uncertainty in death. This leads to our hesitation and fear of the afterlife which, for all that is know, may be worse than life itself. Hamlet concludes that it is this uncertainty that prolongs our suffering in life.

Imagery that refers to the negative experiences of life: 

"The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" (3.1.60) 

"To die, to sleep...to end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to" (3.1.62-64)
"Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th' unworthy takes" (3.1.70-76)

Hamlet considers a range of worldly sufferings and questions why we should live through this when a simple solution is readily available at hand. In his list, he includes wrongs others have inflicted upon us, luckless events, and the continual heartache the living is subject to. He tries to reason that, with these negative experiences, death should be much easier than life.

Appeals: 

o Ethos: Appeal to the character of the speaker
"Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought."
Here hamlet questions his own character; he weighs his bravery and realizes that thought has condemned his previous resolution to kill himself to cowardice. In this, he decides that man is inherently courageous enough to carry out any action but hesitation and prolonged thought stunts action.

o Pathos: Appeal to the emotions or interest of the audience 

"For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

Th' oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,

The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,

The insolence of office, and the spurns

That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,

When he himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin?" (3.1.70-79)

This is Hamlet's questioning of the audience, asking who would rather bear the burdens of life than seek the peace found only in death. He appeals to the audience by creating a list of relatable sufferings through which the audience may draw connections between Hamlet and themselves, sympathizing with his character and his predicament.

o Logos: Appeal to logic  

"Who would fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscovered country from whose bourn

No traveler returns" (3.1.79-83)

Confused as to why men do not simply kill themselves, Hamlet reasons that, logically, the only reason for our perseverance in life is our "dread of something after death" (3.1.81). Rather than our dread of death itself, Hamlet has concluded that men are turned weak instead by their fear of an afterlife and the possibility that this afterlife may be worse than their current condition.

Literary Devices:

Paradox: The prevalent paradox throughout his soliloquy is the weighing of life and death. It is paradoxical that Hamlet, while living, should so ardently pursue death. Driving to death by life itself, he is also driven from death by the fear of what may follow. 

Parallelism:  Hamlet compares life and death, repeating the phrase "To..." as in "to live....to sleep....to die....to dream...." to emphasize the active doing each action requires.

Synecdoche: Hamlet uses synecdoche is used to generalize Hamlet's pessimistic view on life as he uses recent events as an umbrella over a spectrum of unfortunate events.

Tone: Hamlet's tone throughout his soliloquy is predominantly contemplative as he riddles out the paradox of life. However, at certain moments, he becomes more emotional (especially when considering all the sufferings of life) and the tone shifts to frustrated or melancholy. Still, by the end of his soliloquy, Hamlet has shifted back to a pensive and contemplative tone as he ponders the meaning of life versus the gains of death. 

Diction: The diction used is very specific and carefully selected. An example of this diction in use is when Hamlet interchanges "sleep" with "death". This develops a peaceful outlook as well as Hamlet's yearning for death, establishing death not as a morbid tragedy but a reprieve from life.

Metaphor: The two primary metaphors Hamlet uses are comparing death to sleep and the afterlife to an unknown world from which "no traveler returns". This establishes a peaceful view of death but also a mysterious and terribly shrouded vision of the afterlife.

Evidence of the following comparisons: life on earth, afterlife, death, humans, thinking. 

When Hamlet lists all the worldly ailments that befall the human race, he compares them to the safe haven that would be found in death. Drawing from this, he continues to state that this sanctuary is not permanent but rather uncertain as we do not know what will follow (aka the afterlife). He questions the purpose of humans in living and wonders why suffers do not simply end their suffering but concludes that it is our thought that restrains us from doing this very deed. The more we think upon an issue, the more "cowardly" our resolution becomes. 

Identify at least three oppositions present in the arguments Hamlet makes. 

1. Hamlet wants to escape the suffering of life but hesitates, considering if it is nobler to suffer than it is to simply die.

2. Many people suffer yet do not simply end their suffering: This is because, though they do not fear death itself, they fear the afterlife and it is this uncertainty that stumps them.

3. Though Hamlet thinks of death as sleep, this sleep comes with its own dreams, some of which may be worse than those offered by reality.

What eternal philosophical questions does Hamlet ponder? 

Hamlet ponders whether is is nobler to suffer through life as others do or to take it upon himself to end his suffering early. He also wonders why more people do not take this course of action as it is, to him, the easy solution.

What conclusions does Hamlet draw? 

During his soliloquy, Hamlet concludes that it is our fear of the unknown- the suffering beyond life on Earth- that restrains our will to end our worldly suffering.

2. ACTING ANALYSIS 

In LAWRENCE OLIVER's delivery of Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy, music is the leading mis en scene component. In the beginning of the scene, the music is very suspenseful as the camera winds up a spiral staircase, speeding up as it ascends until it pans to the sky. From there it zooms down and we see a view of a toiling sea with Hamlet standing at the edge of a cliff or outcrop overlooking the waves. The costume is very specific to the time-period and includes the full ensemble worn by the men of Shakespeare’s time. The music here is slower paced as the camera zooms into his mind, showing his brain to emphasize the mental rather than physical struggle taking place. To make his speech itself stand out amidst the rest of the scene, the music abruptly stops when he begins speaking. However, though we hear his voice, throughout much of his soliloquy, Hamlet is not verbally speaking; instead we are hearing his thoughts speak. His eyes are closed and he speaks at a slow and measured pace, with a contemplative tone that is not deeply emotional. At the end of the scene, after he has dropped the sword into the ocean, Hamlet stands, turns, and walks into a fog at the edge of the screen and descends into the fog as the music restarts. The use of music and visual effects establishes the mood of the piece as it begins sharp and suspenseful but fades into contemplative mystery.

The beginning of this version of Hamlet’s soliloquy begins with MEL GIBSON (Hamlet) walking down a flight of stairs. Here lighting is very important as it visually shows Hamlet descending from light and into darkness as he sinks into the depths of his darkest thoughts. There is no music and the only sound is that of Hamlet’s footsteps occasionally breaking the silence. His soliloquy begins gradually as he whispers, “to be or not to be…that is the question”. He speaks slightly faster than Olivier had but this does not seem rushed, it simply matches up with his body movement throughout his speech. He is also more emotional and ranges from morose towards the situation to frustrated at himself as he wanders through the morgue. The setting itself is another important aspect of mis en scene. It is only fitting that Hamlet be contemplating death in a place of the dead; this juxtaposes Hamlet’s own life with the stillness of those around him.

In ETHAN HAWKE’s portrayal, Hamlet is seen wandering through the aisles of a local Blockbuster with a knitted cap upon his head. It had been the director’s choice to modernize the setting while maintaining the traditional plot. However, this effect is not as efficient as the others had been in exposing the serious nature of this soliloquy. Though his verbal delivery is thoughtful, the setting detracts from the severity of the scene—for after all, he is contemplating suicide. The music present throughout the scene is grave and very low which fuels a mood somewhat contradictory to that established by the setting. Throughout the scene, the camera occasionally pans to a movie screen on which a war movie is playing. Explosions blast the air and the scene is of chaos and destruction; this may go to show Hamlet’s mental state as it contrasts with his outer physical control.

The dominant mis en scene component in KENNETH BRANAGH's “To be or not to be” soliloquy is the setting. Hamlet stands in front of a mirror in a stately room within the castle rather than outside or in another depressing setting as had been portrayed in Olivier and Gibson’s scenes. The room is clean and very bright, with white as the most prevalent color; the effect of this is in highlighting Hamlet’s dark mourning attire as well as the figuratively darkened state of his mind as he delivers his soliloquy. He speaks towards his reflection which lends a somewhat literal effect of self-reflection to the scene as well as establishing the internal struggle rather than the external as the camera focuses on Hamlet confronting himself rather than another character. Throughout the scene, he interacts with no one aside from his reflection, drawing a sword at it at one point. After he begins to speak, music gradually begins-- one note at a time-- and adds to the intensity of this pivotal scene. Hamlet’s voice fades towards the end of his soliloquy though he stands still, observing his reflection, when Ophelia enters the room and ends the scene.

OPHELIA:

O Hamlet, to whom I had been so close, he now stands speaking as if to air, swearing to himself, and contemplating eternal rest. He looks into a mirrored wall and brandishes a sword, I do hope he means no harm. However his tone suggests quite the alternative. How bright and clean this castle seems, struck quite against his grieving robes and darkened mind. May his plague pass by him soon, the grief tearing at his soul strikes daggers at my own. I cannot stand this sickly spirit, this madness that has possessed his bright mind. He quiets, near the end of his speech. Aware is he that I stand beyond these doors? Silent shall I stay? Nay, I will join him.

The one element of mis en scene this portrayal of Hamlet lacked is music. Though the few notes played encourage a grave mood, sound could have more effectively been utilized to set Hamlet’s mental state. He is conflicted, frustrated, and depressed- such emotions cannot be conveyed through only a few notes. Were the music varied, the mood of the scene would have shifted with his tone as Hamlet progressed through these various emotions through the duration of his speech. His speech itself was very emotional as well as contemplative and this could have only been further enhance by the presence of slightly more music. The lighting could also have been varied for effect. Throughout the scene, the setting and lighting remain static and unchanging though it is obvious to the audience that Hamlet has morphed through numerous emotional phases just in the course of his speech. Were the setting varied to mirror these progressions, his growth would have been more highlighted as the audience could visually observe his mental development throughout the soliloquy.

"I will find you. . . and I will kill you." (Hamlet Post #2) (Blog Post #14)

"I will find you...and I will kill you."
This is the tagline of Pierre Morel's 2008 film Taken, about a retired CIA agent seeking revenge on his daughter's kidnappers. The theme of espionage is prevalent throughout the film as protagonist Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) utilizes his "very specific skill set" (Taken 2008) to track down the men that have taken his daughter Kim and intend to sell her as a prostitute. Revenge fuels the plotline as Bryan travels to Europe, beginning his journey with a phone call to the kidnappers in which he famously states, "I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want... I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills... Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you." (Taken 2008) This scene exhibits both his ruthless pursuit of the villains as well as his love for Kim, who "[he] would sacrifice anything for" (Taken 2008). The father-daughter relationship mirrors that between Polonius and Ophelia. Though Polonius may often be harsh, the protectiveness he maintains towards his daughter reminds the audience that he cares for her nonetheless. Having discovered what he believes to be the cause of Hamlet's madness, Polonius is genuinely concerned and "sorry" that he had not quoted him with "better heed and judgement" (2.1.109).

Ophelia: I sometimes wonder how much Sir Polonius would sacrifice for my name. Would he lay down his life in place of my own? For after all he has become the source for Hamlet's madness. Hamlet, dear Hamlet, do forgive him. For though he commanded me to "repel [your] letters and deny [your] access to me" (2.1.107) he is truly repentful. I know father loves me as much as you do and would never act with foul intent. He meant not to "cast beyond [himself] in [his] opinions" (2.1.113) but to caution our courtship out of love when he commanded me to "not believe [your] vows" (1.3.126). Sacrifice he will commit and as we speak he goes to "seek the king" with your "ecstasy of love" (2.1.99-100) in our sake. T'is a godly blessing, his change of heart!

The quotes embedded above draw similarities between the paternal concern both fathers feel towards their daughters. Bryan Mills had been mistaken in allowing Kim to travel alone and Polonius's fault had been in forbidding Ophelia from interacting with Hamlet. However when the situation becomes severe, both fathers recognize their missteps and are determined to make ammends, with Mills directly seeking revenge and Polonius seeking out King Claudius with his theory. Both fathers declare their willingness to sacrifice for their daughters out of love as they embark on their respective journeys. However, while Mills is more confrontational in his pursuit of revenge, Polonius does not seek revenge but simply to make ammends. Mills' love for Kim may be seen as more consistent as, throughout the movie, he is unwavering in his stance. Contrastingly, Polonius oftentimes treats Ophelia in a condescending manner and utilizes a gender stereotype as well as age bias while speaking with her, making the audience question the true extent of his care for her.

Hamlet Blog Post #1 (Blog Post #13)

This has been a most wretched day. I am conflicted. I know Hamlet loves me, as he has "given countenance to his speech...With almost all the holy vows of heaven" (1.3.113-114) yet my brother holds his doubts. Hamlet is a prince, he reminds me, but dear brother...to judge dear Hamlet on such basis of name alone! For I know for many things "His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own" (1.3.16-17) yet his will to love me is no one's but his own. Surely one cannot feign such affection. Laertes warns me to fear his love, to take caution in belief "if he says he loves [me]" (1.3.23). Your intent is sincere, but I am not a fool, dear brother. I know fair well he loves me, while you scarce "reck [your] own rede" (1.3.51). Nonetheless your word I will consider, as you are most certainly wiser than I. Our father agrees in full, though need he be so harsh? He scolds me as a fool, a young child lost to meaningless affection and easily swooned. Father, can you not see what I have become? I am no longer a simple child. Yet I say Hamlet has "of late made many tenders Of his affection to me" (1.3.99-100) and you pay no notice, ignoring these proclamations as if they were mist existing solely to shroud my senses. Words you have said not to Hamlet, judgement of his character is sure not yours to make. Yet Laertes is my brother, and Sir Polonius is my father...Have you advice to give me? I shall most graciously accept any outside words on this, for my father's solution is not one I desire. Yet it is my duty to obey their words. "I shall the effect of this good lesson keep, As watchman to my heart" (1.3.45-46). If my father so forbids me to cut these ties...this I shall do in full. O Hamlet, do forgive me!

Hamlet Ophelia Rationale (Blog Post #12)

I have chosen to embody the character Ophelia throughout the reading of Hamlet. Ophelia seems to be a fairly standard teenage girl, easily swooned but also swayed by the influences and admonishes of her older brother as well as her father. Her 'typical teenage' persona would make her an interesting character that is easy to relate with and naturally embeds herself into the world of social media, loyally reporting the slightest fluctuation with regards to her love life to her band of dedicated followers. Ophelia's character is also an opportunity to analyze gender roles within the time period of Hamlet. Amidst social customs and family relations, Ophelia's youth and female status qualify her as the perfect outlet for an examination of various roles as well as their places in society. Furthermore, Ophelia's perspective offers insight on both Hamlet's as well as Polonius' idea of their relationship. She serves as the link between the two and gives the audience an impression of the actions and reactions taking place on the two conflicting sides. This would allow the audience to either passively observe events or to actively draw individual conclusions based on the events that take place. This makes her a versatile and captivating character that draws the audience into the more serious issues that plague Denmark throughout Hamlet.

American Drama Assignment- Six Degrees of Separation (Blog Post #10 and #11)

MLA Title Page with AP Prompt Text & Academic Honesty Statement and Summary Sheet
Rationale

Script

MLA Works Cited

15 Storyboard Frames (5 for each scene)

Life of Pi Creative Project (Blog Post #9)

Text: Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Essence: Human nature contains two sides: peaceful innocence and violent savagery. Only when balanced and controlled can this duo act to benefit the whole and sustain life.

Synopsis: In Yann Martel’s award-winning novel Life of Pi, sixteen year old Piscine (Pi) Patel boards a cargo ship headed for the US with his family. However, a few days into their voyage, the TsimTsum sinks, killing Pi’s family and sending him into the open Pacific with only a lifeboat and an odd assortment of animals, amongst them a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Coexistence on the lifeboat proves a challenge and before long only Pi and Richard Parker remain; a fierce competition for dominance ensues in which Pi eventually triumphs. Having tamed Richard Parker, Pi continues to search for land. Meanwhile, his limits are tested by the hunger and relentless elements plaguing both himself and Richard Parker. During this journey, Pi discovers a side of himself beyond feasible imagination and is forced to confront a violent nature exposed by his interaction with Richard Parker and the obstacles of the Pacific. Near Life of Pi’s conclusion, Martel reveals another account of the events aboard the lifeboat. Involving only human inhabitants, this story seems far more believable than Pi’s retelling and brings up questions about who or what Richard Parker really is.

Prompt: 1978. Choose an implausible or strikingly unrealistic incident or character in a work of fiction or drama of recognized literary merit. Write an essay that explains how the incident or character is related to the more realistic of plausible elements in the rest of the work. Avoid plot summary.

Thesis: In Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, protagonist Piscine Patel’s extraordinary oceanic voyage is doubted when another more realistic version of the story is revealed. Parallels drawn between Pi’s original and its retelling expose a confrontation within the coexisting duality present in human nature and its savage quest for dominance.

Creative Project: A quote journal with illustrations of Pi embodying himself, Richard Parker, and finally the duo that leads to his survival and quotes distinguishing between the three stages.

Explanation with 5 quotes:
          The essence of Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi revolves around the inherent duality of human nature and the balance essential to survival. Within each individual there resides an apparent everyday passivity; however, extreme situations may push us over the edge of this innocent façade and into a deeper animalistic savagery arising from raw desperation. In the case of Piscine Molitar Patel, an arduous journey across the Pacific and all the trials involved trigger the release of his violent alternate nature, embodied by the fictitious Bengal tiger Richard Parker. Throughout his voyage, Pi fluctuates between maintaining his usual peace-loving self and transforming into a violent and unrestrained alter ego. The imbalance between the two puts Pi at a constant risk of destruction: were one to overpower the other, the implications could be fatal. However, as he discovers more about each identity, Pi learns to control the two and manipulate certain aspects of both so as to assist his own survival. It is through this mental development within each individual persona and eventual mastery of both that the core of Martel’s story is revealed. This quote journal captures the essence of Life of Pi by separating the personas of Pi and Richard Parker through their actions and then linking certain element to illustrate a vitally advantageous combination.
          In the beginning of Martel’s novel, Pi is introduced as a slightly timid, decidedly bookish, sixteen year old boy living a typical teenage life in Pondicherry, India wanting little more from life than “to love God” (69). This all changes with his plummet into the oceanic depths of the Pacific and the life-or-death crisis that ensues. However, much as his circumstances have changed, throughout the beginning of his stranded voyage Pi is very much the same boy he had boarded the TsimTsum as. The quotes on Page 1 of the journal portray Pi as he enters his journey. He is uncertain of his abilities and easily frightened by the sight of the weakest tiger, “a wet, trembling, half-drowned, heaving, and coughing three-year-old…”, throwing himself overboard with little deliberation (99-100). He believes his prospects at survival are dim and flights far before any notion of fight is conceived. Pi epitomizes his nonaggressive self even when faced with potential starvation. Though he had successfully caught a fish, “several times [he] started bringing the hatchet down, but couldn’t complete the action” (183). Pi later weeps for the fish he had killed, noting it was the “first living thing he had ever killed” and condemning himself “a killer” (183). This sensitive spirit seen in a young boy contrasts sharply with the coldhearted killer introduced in the following page of the journal.
          Though the same person, life of the boat has forced Pi to adopt certain aspects of his Richard Parker counterpart. This integration of violence is emphasized most clearly in another fishing scene reminiscent of Pi’s first flying fish encounter. Here he has caught a dorado after a day’s work and kills it with “no problem”, taking the hatchet and “vigorously [beating] the fish to death” (185). He attempts to defend his transition from “weeping over the muffled killing of a flying fish to gleefully bludgeoning to death a dorado” with the woes of hunger but eventually concedes that “it is simple and brutal: a person can get used to anything, even to killing” (185). This is extremely out-of-character but can be explained with the adopted savagery of his tenacious but uncontrolled Richard Parker complex. Violent as he is, Pi as Richard Parker pushes himself onwards when the individual Pi would have given up, so much that Pi admits he would not have survived if not for Richard Parker’s companionship. In the journal, Pi’s photo has been replaced with that of Richard Parker, symbolic of his transformation into a savage beast with an undefeatable will to live.
          Richard Parker’s will and endurance forces Pi onwards in terms of survival but at a “terrible cost”: when attacked by another sailor, Richard Parker saves Pi, giving him “a life but at the expense of taking one” (251). With events such as the encounter with the French sailor, Pi realizes that certain aspects of Richard Parker must not be left uncontrolled and vows to train him, aware that a tame Richard Parker may be his only chance at survival. Richard Parker initially opposes this effort but eventually becomes compliant, feeling “a need to oblige” (274). It is shown that, if left alone, the persona of Richard Parker would devour itself. It must be combined with the peaceful nature of Pi himself in order to serve any purpose. Pi decides that instead of “running away from him”, he would “carve out [his] territory” and hold his ground, asserting his own values when challenged (202). In the journal, the combined photo of Pi and Richard Parker embraces two halves of a whole, two halves of Pi Patel. Though one may be less used than the other, both are clearly defined and the photo is seen in color as opposed to the grayscale images that previously left space for ambiguity.

 Works Cited
• Davidtoc. "SparkNotes: Life of Pi."SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. . 
 • Martel, Yann. Life of Pi: a novel. New York: Harcourt, 2001. Print.

Namesake Compare/Contrast Essay (Blog Post #8)

Labyrinth Timed Writing Sept. 20

2009B Poem: “Icarus” (Edward Field) Prompt: The following poem makes use of the Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus. Read the poem carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze how Field employs literary devices in adapting the Icarus myth to a contemporary setting.. The Labyrinth, a mythical maze of ancient times in which the Minotaur, the ashamed half-human stepson of King Menalaus, was imprisoned, remains a strong literary inspiration in modern times. An example of its modern influence is seen in The Labyrinth by Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986). In his poem, Borges uses figurative language and allusions to the Greek Labyrinth to develop the setting, enjambment and assonance to encourage the poem’s flow, as well as a tone shift from the speaker’s quiet misery to an outward panic, forming a relationship between the speaker and the reader while rebuilding the mythical Labyrinth in today’s world. Much of The Labyrinth is dedicated to developing the speaker’s surroundings as an intimidating maze of “galleries” and “nets of stone” (Lines 1-2) that “Zeus himself could not undo” (Line 1). In its description, Borges combines the use of extensive figurative language and allusion to enhance the setting, drawing the reader into the poem itself and beginning the intimate speaker-reader relationship. The poem begins with “Zeus, Zeus himself could not undo these nets/ Of stone encircling me.” (Lines 1-2), an allusion to the original labyrinth, the inescapable trap in Ancient Greece. In this allusion, the setting is primarily introduced as a place so inescapable that the greatest god of myths himself could not conquer it. Borges then uses personification to enhance the formidable and oppressive nature of the setting, creating a place in which “galleries seem straight/ But curve furtively, forming secret circles” (Lines5-6). Such description turns the realistically inanimate setting into a menacing beast with “hollow air/…[that] brings a bellowing,/ Or the echo, desolate, of bellowing.” (Lines 10-11) cunningly plots the speaker’s demise. The personified Labyrinth and flow of Borges’ poem is largely enriched by Borges’ subtle hints at rhyme as well as his manipulation of structure through the use of enjambment and caesura. Though the poem does not follow a consistent rhyme scheme, if read aloud, the passages flow nevertheless due to the use of assonance. For example the “a” in “way” (Line 3) resurfaces repeatedly throughout lines 4 and 8. The passage reads “My mind forgets/ The person I have been along the way,/ The hated way of monotonous walls,/ Which is my fate../…the parapets/ Have been worn smooth by the passage of days.” (Lines 2-8) and the rhyme of “way”, “fate”, and “days” unconsciously propels the poem. The rhyming is also made less obvious by the use of enjambment and caesura throughout the poem; instead of forming lines in which the last words of a phrase rhyme, Borges splits flowing sentences up between lines and then inserts breaks within the line itself. This can be seen throughout the poem where there is rarely a period or finalized thought at the end of a single line but instead merged into the next. (Ex.“Zeus, Zeus himself could not undo these nets/ Of stone encircling me. My mind forgets/ The person I have been along the way, …” (Lines 1-3)). In addition, Borges uses parallel structure between sentences describing the setting (“The galleries seem straight/ But curve furtively…/…the parapets/ Have been worn smooth by the passage of days./ The hollow air/ Of evening sometimes brings a bellowing…” (Lines 5-11)) as well as the speaker’s enemy whose “task” is “To crave my blood, and to fatten on my death.” (Line 16). The repeated “the”-subject-action structure of sentences describing the setting as well as the repeated “to”-verb-“my” patterns seen later are multi-purposeful, emphasizing the passages while aiding the poem’s flow. The combined effect of enjambment, caesura, and parallel structure helps the poem read as a consistent progression rather than pieces with breaks in between as it draws the reader’s attention through the line and to the next with little disturbance between individual thoughts. The poem’s progression can also be tracked through the first person point of view as well as the tone shift in the last five lines. Written in first person, the reader is drawn into the speaker and placed in his shoes, experiencing his fear viscerally. The close relationship between the speaker and the reader established by the first person point of view, in effect, highlights the speaker’s tone shift when it occurs in line 13, shifting from a passive quivering to a cry for help; the alarm experienced first-hand by the speaker is passed onto the reader. Through much of the poem the speaker is trapped in the labyrinth and describes it with dread but not in an outward way. He is frightened and his “mind forgets/ The person I have been along the way” (Line 2-3) but only exhibits a quiet inward panic as he wanders the “curving” “galleries” (Line 5) of the Labyrinth. This changes with the last six lines when the tone shifts from quiet misery to a desperate cry as it is revealed to us just what is so threatening to the speaker aside from the setting itself: a companion. In the original myth, this fellow occupant is the Minotaur which would understandably heighten the speaker’s panic. As the speaker dawns on the reality that “hidden in the shadows there/ Lurks another, whose task is to exhaust/ The loneliness that brains and weaves this hell,/ To crave my blood, and to fatten on my death.” (Lines 12-16), the reader too realizes that the speaker’s enemy seeks him as they “seek each other” (Line 17) just as the speaker himself enters a frenzy of fear. This shift is solidified with the speaker’s final exclamation of “Oh, if only this/ Were the last day of our antithesis!” (Line 18). Through the use of literary devices including figurative language, structure, and point of view, Borges brings The Labyrinth to an audience two thousand years after its creation while maintaining its integrally imposing atmosphere.

Fairy Tale PPT (Blog Post #7)

Mythology PPT (Blog Post #6)

Literary Theory (Blog Post #5)

Literary Periods (Blog Post #4)

Here in Wonderland (Blog Post #4A)

Slaying Dragons in Wonderland (Blog Post #3)

In the world of fiction, anything is possible. This limitless imagination accounts for much of the allure we find in legends/myths/fairy tales/etc.; it has come to be an accepted fact that by opening a work of fiction, we are allowing our imaginations to run rampant. However, once the book is closed, our minds are as well. But how many have stopped to ask: who told us anything was not possible in reality?

In the story of Alice in Wonderland, just about everything we've deemed impossible seems, well, possible. The inhabitants of Wonderland expect the unexpected and have come to live in a perpetual daydream. In a group setting, I am very much a "contributive daydreamer". In my mind there is the world as we see it and there is the world as we can see it. The second is much more interesting. Sometimes this world graces us with some sliver of itself too extraordinary to believe; we call these small wonders "theories", "myths", "coincidences", "impossible". We neglect what we can see in favor of what we want to see, or rather, what we are comfortable seeing. In writing, the possible and impossible are sewn together and our comfort zone invaded. The basic elements of a story often adhere somewhat to accepted beliefs but a captivating author will sprinkle in elements too fantastic for reality- the fictional pieces- and therefore thrilling. However, a fine line must be established: there must be enough creative artistry to pique our curiosity but not enough to trigger our obstinate rejection, our mental veto. The dragon-slaying myths of old offer a picturesque example of such balanced mastery. Few people believe these myths but even so, how many would like to? The way we see things is often dull, traditional, and overwhelmingly lackluster. Simply enough, we get bored. How incredible would it be to think such mystical creatures once did inhabit this place? But no, our skepticism deems it "impossible" and so the closest the world as we know it ever got to a dragon was a dinosaur.

While working with a group, I offer new ideas that beg an audience. As a student and group member, I do not actively seek nor particularly like attention, but many of my ideas to. Some of these can be risks, unneeded even. Just for fun. However, this adventurous novelty allows me to be the Initiator/Contributor of unconventional approaches to what may seem to be a very conventional prompt. I believe that every small artifact has the potential to be anything but small if viewed from the right perspective. As such, aside from proposing my own ideas, I consciously remain very open to those of others. When you have the potential of four minds to utilize, what would be the benefit of employing only one? With this, I often gravitate towards a Supporter/Encourager role while working within the dynamic of a group. I am also a pacifist when it comes to dissent. As Alice does during her stint in Wonderland, I try to mediate differences and take on the role of a Harmonizer when and if necessary. To be frank, the trivial arguments and complications are just not worth it. Only through cooperation could we achieve a set goal and only through cooperation could we explore the land of fiction, a hop-skip and rabbit hole away from the plains of conventional thinking. I suppose we will see where that journey gets us.

After all, we're all mad here aren't we?

Practice Test Afterthoughts (Blog Post #2)

Today in class we were given a timed assessment, modeled after none other than the feared AP English Literature and Composition test all Lit students are expected to take in May. However, much to our relief, this was only a practice multiple choice section and- giving thanks to all things holy- ungraded. Nonetheless, it was an hour long and comprised of 47 multiple choice questions regarding a number of essays and poems, courtesy of the 5 Steps to a 5 study book.

Going into the practice test, I actually felt okay. Not great, not weak-at-the-knees, just okay. While it is true that nearly every AP Lit veteran had christened Lit as one of the most challenging courses offered at Mason, I was convinced that surely at least half of that was just talk. After all, you just had to read a poem and answer some questions, just like the past seventeen hundred English tests we've taken by now. How bad could it be? Thus I embarked on my 60minute quest of deciphering prose. The first question asked about the form of the poem-or-lyric-or-sonnet-or-ballad-or-dramatic monologue we had just read. "Nauseous", I believe, would have been an appropriate adjective for how I felt at that moment. Promptly following the first question were a series of interrogations surrounding the implications of certain words, phrases, and motifs that I had mostly brushed over while reading. This skimming turned out nearly fatal: by far most of the questions I missed were involved with the first reading. Midway through, I had decided that this test had been much more challenging that I had expected, involving much more in-depth analysis and hair-tearing than anticipated. However, this hour-long assessment had given me a good idea of my strengths and weaknesses while tackling "actual literature". Analyzing these qualities proved to be a relatively simple task: Weaknesses- absentmindedness, poor analytic capability, even poorer figurative capacity, rich illiteracy; Strengths- nil. In all seriousness, I realize that both pros and cons are involved in my reading prowess. Let's start with the bad news first, shall we?

From my earlier comment with regards to skimming, it can be said that a none-too-forgiving weakness I possess while reading is carelessness. Utter lack of acute attention. For example, when asked about specific words, I often found myself rereading the passage just to make sure that the words of question were actually included, surely some of these had to be a printing error on the test writer's part? When asked later what "darkness" had referred to in the another passage, I realized that I had hardly noticed the word "darkness" once. Upon closer examination it became apparent that darkness showed up not once, twice, nor thrice, but a whopping four times. By then, I had come up with a fifth idea of what darkness could reference: my fate. Another con may be that while reading anything I find "uninteresting", I tend to zone out particularly effectively. Consequently, I have fallen into the habit of reading only pieces that captivate my immediate interest. As a reader, I have become inflexible as far as different writing styles and their comprehension are concerned (Ex. Shakespeare. Over yonder light window--what?). I realize this is just about an English teacher's worst nightmare but- though I take full responsibility- I would like to address the lack of experience students nowadays have with reading challenging or "un-modern" literature rather than simply entertaining stories. There are techniques that need to be learned and mastered before we are ready to take on pieces that require extensive analysis or involve heavy symbolism and many such techniques that are only perfected through practice.

As such, I have devised three personal goals to hopefully set me on the right path in literature analysis:

1. To develop good habits as an attentive reader while cutting my skimming habits. This I would like to accomplish by reading every class-related piece that requires analysis at least twice to ensure that nothing, big or small, has been missed due to the silly carelessness that makes me want to kick myself. 
2. To make more markings while reading. This sounds simple since we have been "annotating" every piece of writing we've received since setting foot into the high school. However, I realized that when I "annotate", oftentimes I am not truly annotating. My notes are shallow, and many fail to build the deep connections with the writing needed to fully understand anything not directly stated. For the rest of the trimester, I have made a goal to make at least one quality marking per sentence while annotating a piece of literature to help further my understanding of the piece at hand. These markings may include writing, underlining, bolding, starring, highlighting, cartoon illustrations if that's what it takes.
3. To have read and fully analyzed fourteen (one for each question missed) pieces of literature that I do not particularly like or have experience with by the end of the year. This would not include school assignments but rather focus on poems/essays/articles I find myself. Who knows, maybe I'll even come to enjoy the challenge. Try new things, right? 

And now that my reading skills have been subject to sufficient [constructive] criticism, I would like to acknowledge some "esteem-boosters". Though I tend to miss the details in a passage, I am more apt at capturing the "big idea" being conveyed. As a result, I usually miss few questions regarding the overall purpose of a text or the mood being conveyed. This skill is helpful as I continue to learn and experiment with developing mood in my own writing. Another strength that came as rather surprising was my ability to pick out figurative devices. Of course these questions have cropped up on past assessments and are arguably the area of literature that we as students have spent the most time studying. Nonetheless, I did not stumble as much as I'd though I expected to on this particular area of the test. The AP exam is legendary for being jam-packed full of figurative devices- whether it be identifying or analyzing them- hidden in poems written in what might as well be a foreign language. It has also been said that you are better off "going with your gut" than actually wasting precious minutes reading and rereading a passage to find these ambiguous clues (for the record, the number of times my "gut" has been correct in any testing scenario may be counted on three fingers). However, it was a pleasant surprise when I answered most of the questions regarding literary devices correctly after taking the time needed to think through them.

Now that my performance has been thoroughly analyzed, I would like to leave a final thought: that test was by far the worst assessment I have ever taken in any English class setting. And with that, it seems safe to say, that while grading my test and closing the book afterwards, I still felt distinctly nauseous- but hopefully that will wear off by May.

Construction and Interior Design (Blog Post #1)

A blog is meant to be your stake on the internet. As such, fengalisaapenglish2014.blogspot.com has become my little plot of internet-land and, figuratively speaking, I have built and customized every aspect of my viral residence.

The font of a blog is comparable to bricks: it is often the most obvious, small and very extensive, and generally not too flashy. Thus, the font employed in this blog is basic and commands neither attention nor praise. Its primary priority is functionality. Quiet fonts make for easy reading and a clear passive mind; they avoid interference with content and other graphics that may be present. Especially if an image or background is the primary focus of the page, a simple font encourages it to stand out (Cousins, "Establish a Mood with Typography). These neutral building blocks keep ideas and the mood clean, pure, and free from the predispositions we mentally attach to certain fonts and colors. For example, Times New Roman must mean politics, Calibri is fastened to the economy, and anything bolded in red larger than a size 16 is surely breaking news. Although the body text is characterized by its lack of character, the title is written with a slightly more decorative penmanship- a stone entrance-way, if you will. This is multi-purposeful: it manages to contrast with the body text, add a bit of adornment, as well as lead visitors straight inside the house by connecting it with the outside.

The interior color scheme of this particular house is bright and modern, but not so much that it contradicts with the wallpaper's unimposing grace. The wallpaper of choice, an artistically-blurred and washed-out photo of a telephone booth encompasses all aspects of the room and sets the mood. The effects used on the particular photo result in a dreamily rustic cottage-y atmosphere that reminds us of something homey but not quite commonplace, of something suspended between the ordinary and the extraordinary. Welcoming warm colors paired with delicate blue lettering and the scarlet of a telephone booth forms the ideal mix between coziness, coolness, and vitality as the three shades lend their individual effects to create an overall mood for the blog/house (Cherry, "Color Psychology"). Though the booth itself is red, it is not an eye-searing shade; though the background isn't exactly clean, it avoids looking clustered or grimy. Hints of the robins-egg title lettering linger- almost subconsciously- in the wallpaper, which basks in the same gently-worn lighting as the smaller profile picture. All of the text backgrounds are transparent so that the wallpaper is seen as continuous rather than having been paused and then resumed. The color of the body text matches so precisely with the background that it looks to be neatly engraved in the wallpaper itself rather than plastered over it, further promoting openmindedness and serenity. Though there is color, the effect remains modest and comfortably natural. Consequentially, the dynamic of the house is demure and peaceful, but not uninteresting. This, I hope, will reflect the ideas planted on this plot of land-- they are to be reveries immune to judgement, fleeting whispers to be pondered.


Reference Sources:
Cousins, Carrie. "Establish a Mood with Typography." Tympanus. N.p., 19 Feb. 2012. Web. 25 Aug. 2013. <http://tympanus.net/codrops/2012/02/19/establish-a-mood-with-typography/>.
Cherry, Kendra. "Color Psychology." Psychology - Complete Guide to Psychology for Students, Educators & Enthusiasts. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2013. <http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/colorpsych.htm>.

A Game of Telephone

It can be said that I harbor an obsession with London's old-fashioned telephone booths. In the 21st century, London has developed like any other major city; oil lamps have evolved into strobing lights and posters into glittering life-size billboards. Yet along the streets, the little red boxes still stand. They are simple, timeless, a subtle reminder that the world's classical past still endures in today's minimalist present. They are old-fashioned, yes, but not expired. The telephone booth represents an age in which thoughts and ideas grew and were transmitted, though not as efficiently as they are today-- today, wifi and smartphones dominate communication and much of our meaning is easily lost through a text. However, there are still ways to maintain our thoughts in the buzz of our technologically-savvy age. Blogs serve as that meeting point in between eras, where printed newspaper clippings are out-of-date but the idea of voicing ourselves is not. A blog is where ideas are introduced to the internet, where ideas will continue to grow and be transmitted just as they were in the phone booth. Sometimes the original idea may be lost through static in translation, but that's okay too. And so, where else better to begin our game of Telephone?