Revision: Open Prompt #4

1976. The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays. Select the work of an essayist who is in opposition to his or her society; or from a work of recognized literary merit, select a fictional character who is in opposition to his or her society. In a critical essay, analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications for both the individual and the society. Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.

           Dystopian novels are commonly written throughout ages of change and political commotion. Authors of those types of novels write them to warn readers what may happen in the future if things continue to change for the worse. In the novel, 1984, the author, George Orwell, uses themes to show people what moral and ethical implications a totalitarian government may have on its citizens.
            One theme that Orwell uses is the control of the mind. The Party (government) alters the news and books to change the history that portrays them in bad light. The Party also monitors the citizens carefully and 24/7. The citizens are not allowed to think or speak rebellious thoughts (thoughtcrime) and are forced to suppress sexual urges. Children are turned into Junior Spies to rat out people that commit those crimes. In addition, the Party creates a new language called Newspeak that contains no rebellious words so that people won't think or speak rebellious thoughts.
            Another theme that Orwell includes is the control of the mind. The Party uses immoral and unethical tactics to crack Winston Smith (protagonist). The Party takes Julia (Winston's secret girlfriend) away and forces Winston into Room 101. They threaten to let a bunch of rats (Winston's biggest fear) eat his face unless he gives up Julia. Winston tells the Party to do it to Julia instead and in the end, Winston loves the Party. The Party also forces citizens to do physically demanding workouts every morning. If anyone defies the Party or commits a crime, the Party punishes them severly until they learn to love the Party (like what they did to Winston).
              These themes serve as warnings to what may happen if countries convert to totalitarianism. The citizens and society will be oppressed morally and ethically.

Response to Course Materials #6

        Over the past few weeks, we have done so much! For one thing, I was so happy that the final was changed from a terms test to an acting final. I acted a little in British Lit last year, so it was quite fun to act this year again and to watch the other groups interpret different scenes. I wonder if anyone chose to take the terms test and if so, how they thought it went.
        We have also worked more on the multiple choice practice. I think that, albiet very slowly, I am improving! It was great to take the practice test myself and then listen to Ms. Holmes explain and analyze the poems afterwards. If only she was there to help us during the AP exam...
        Last week, we watched a very modern version of Hamlet. That was quite an interesting movie. It was definitely the most different and absurb version that I had ever seen. I still don't know quite why the director would choose to have Ophelia die from a heroine overdose, but hey, I guess everyone has a different interpretion of this play!
        This week, we have just started reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Although it is a bit confusing, this is by far my favorite play this year! It's refreshing to read some of the humor in it and nice to see Ms. Holmes laughing along with us. I can't wait to finish reading it!

Summary/Analysis: Hamlet

Author:
William Shakespeare is a famous English playwright and poet. His notable plays are Macbeth, Othello, and Hamlet. He was married to Anne Hathaway and partially owned the Globe Theater.

Setting:
This play takes place in a castle of Elsinore, Denmark (mostly in the throne room).

Significant Characters:
Hamlet-
He is the son of Gertrude and Hamlet Sr. and the nephew of King Claudius. He misses his father and is unhappy with his mother, his uncle, and the society he lives in. His father's ghost persuades him to take revenge on Claudius. Hamlet is very well-liked by the people of Denmark and is also in love with Ophelia.
Claudius-
He is the current king and brother of Hamlet Sr. He took over the throne after he killed his brother by putting poison into his ear. Although he is very cruel and manipulative, he truly loves Gertrude.
Gertrude-
She is Hamlet's mom, Hamlet Sr.'s wife, and Claudius's wife. She committs incest, but definitely loves Hamlet and tries to protect him. She ends up dying from drinking a poison that was intended for Hamlet.
Ophelia-
She is Laertes's brother and Polonius's daughter. She was also in a relationship with Hamlet, but breaks things off with him on her father's orders. She seems innocent, but many people think she had already lost her virginity to Hamlet and may have been pregnant. She goes crazy and committs suicide in the end.
Horatio-
He is Hamlet's best friend, as Hamlet picked him and wasn't ordered by his parents to be friends with him. He went to college with Hamlet at the University of Wittenberg. He is a loyal friend and decides not to committ suicide after Hamlet dies so that he can tell Hamlet's story to the people.

Narrative Voice:
N/A because it is a play.

Plot:
The ghost of the previous king, King Hamlet, comes to talk to Hamlet about revenging his father's death. Hamlet acts crazy, prompting Claudius and Polonius to spy on him. Ophelia decides to follow her dad's orders and goes along with the plan. Hamlet sees right through the plan and insults Ophelia, ordering her to a nunnery. Later, Hamlet tries to make Claudius guilty by having him watch a play alluding to his father's murder. Claudius does feel guilty and goes to pray, while sending Hamlet to be killed in England. Before Hamlet leaves, he confronts Gertrude, killing Polonius after he thinks it's Claudius that is evesdropping. After Hamlet leaves for England, Claudius's plan fails and Hamlet returns, only to find that Ophelia has committed suicide. Laertes thinks it's Hamlet's fault that his sister and father has died, so he agrees to Claudius's plan of fencing with Hamlet in order to kill him. After the fencing match, Laertes dies of wounds, Gertrude dies of poison, Hamlet kills Claudius and then dies, and Fortinbras takes over as the new King. Horatio is left to tell the story of Hamlet.

Quotes:
"To be, or not to be: that is the question:/" (Shakespeare Act III Scene I Line 56)
This quote is one of the most famous lines in English literature. Hamlet debates on whether it is better to live or die. He struggles with the decision to committ suicide, but in the end, realizes that the afterlife's uncertainty and dread is the reason why people choose not to kill themselves. This quote is meaningful to the play, as it includes the theme of death and suicide. It also shows insight into Hamlet's thoughts.

"'Tis brief my lord./ As woman's love./" (Shakespeare Act III Scene II Lines 121-122)
Hamlet's bitterness towards women is shown through this quote. He says that a woman's love is very brief, as he has experienced that with Ophelia. Ophelia obviously did not love Hamlet enough to disobey her father and continue her relationship with him. Hamlet also thinks that Gertrude's love for Hamlet Sr. was brief as after he died, Gertrude immediately fell in love with Claudius.

Style:
Shakespeare uses imagery, detail, tone, symbolism, and diction in this play. There is no point of view since it is a play and there is no narrator. Imagery is used many times, especially when the ghost is describing how Hamlet's father died. Detail is also frequently used. One example is when Horatio was describing the ghost's actions, "...A figure like your father,/ Armed at point exactly, cap-a-pe,/ Appears before them, and with solemn march/ Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd/" (Shakespeare Act I Scene II Lines 199-202). This detail enhances the play's imagery. Shakespeare includes tone to show how a character feels about another character. For example, Hamlet has a harsh tone when speaking to Ophelia, as he is shocked that Ophelia would betray him. However, towards Horatio, Hamlet has a very kind and trusting tone for his best friend. Symbolism is also used in this play, like violets that represent Ophelia's grace, beauty, and innocence. The diction in this play like "impious", "inky", and "fruitful" add to the detail of the events and personalities of the characters.

Theme:
One of the main themes of this play is uncertainty. This is shown through the ghost, as Marcellus, Bernardo, and Horation are unsure of what it wants and what its identity truly is. This theme is also expressed in that Hamlet is uncertain of what to do and who he is. Should he take action and kill Claudius immediately or should he wait?

Revision: Open Prompt #3

2009. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

           The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald is a novel about an extremely wealthy society. Although the elite and upper class may seem happier and better than lower classes, Fitzgerald uses symbols to show that this is not the case.

          One of the most significant symbol is geography. The society is broken up into two places: the East Egg and the West Egg. The East Egg is where the "old rich" live. It represents a classy, fashionable, and elegant society. The West Egg is where the "new rich" live. It represents an extravagant, lavish, and unfashionable society.

          Although the characters of the East Egg are considered better than the characters of the West Egg, they are not as satisfied nor happy. For example, Daisy was from the East Egg and even though she loved Gatsby (from the West Egg), she chose to marry her second choice, Tom Buchanan, because Gatsby was at war and Tom was extremely wealthy. Also, Gatsby orginally thought Daisy was the definition of perfection: beautiful, graceful, charming, and wealthy. This was partially because she lived in the East Egg, but was also primarily because Gatsby put her on a pedastle (since he was in love with her). However, Daisy's personality was far from perfection. She was cynicle, uncaring, and shallow. Although Jay Gatsby was from the West Egg, he was a much better person: loyal, kind, and persistant.

          In addition, Nick Carraway from the West Egg was an honest, hardworking man while the lady he was pursuing, Jordan Baker from the East Egg, was dishonest and selfish. At the end of the story, Nick realizes that the glitz and glam of the Eggs in New York were not worth the immoral people and events that also happened. Nick moves back to the Midwest for a calmer and more modest lifestyle.

         The differences in the characters of the two Eggs are extreme. It is evident that Gatsby lives a better and happier life, although he is of the West Egg. Fitzgerald uses these symbols to show that no matter where you are from and what social class you are, you can still live a great life.

Response to Course Material #5

           As of tonight, I have just finished annotating Hamlet! It was a relief to know we had gotten an extension on those annotations because they took forever. I'm glad I did them though because it really helped me understand this play (Shakespeare's use of old English has always been hard for me to read and translate). I thought it was quite interesting to see how Hamlet became more and more crazy, but my favorite part was when Ophelia started singing (it was especially amusing in the Hamlet movies we watched in class).
         Also, I have read over our AP Lit semester final review. Not going to lie, I am quite scared for this. It is like the Terms Test Part Two, which I know the terms test for me did not go quite as well as I hoped it would. I will be definitely studying for this final, as now I have a sense of what it will be like.
         This week, we have also gotten our Jago Ch.4 essays back. Ms. Holmes's comments helped me a lot. I wouldn't have even thought of half the things she had suggested! I think this past month has been filled with reading Hamlet, so I am pretty excited to move on and see what we are going to read next.

Close Reading #4: Victoria Soto

http://www.ibtimes.com/victoria-soto-connecticut-shooting-victim-praised-facebook-being-hero-sandy-hook-941668

           The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. It's a tragedy that has shocked the world. However, while everyone is talking about the shooter and why he would commit such an evil act, some people are able to see a sliver of light in a dark time. The author of the article "Victoria Soto, Conneticut Shooting Victim, Praised on Facebook for Being a Hero at Sandy Hook", Maria Vultaggio, uses diction, detail, and tone to share a story about a hero: Victoria Soto.
          Honorific diciton is used to describe Soto. Words like, "praise", "bravery", "heroism", and "dedication" are some of the things that embodied Soto. Because she protected the lives of many students, she is being commended by the nation for her act of bravery. Vultaggio uses these words so that readers immediately learn who Soto is and what she stood for.
         Detail is used to explain what heroism that Soto displayed in a frightening time. For example, "'She hid her first graders in the cabinets and closets after hearing the gunfire,'" described exactly how Soto quickly reacted to the shooting. These details are also used to create an unthinkable image, where readers are more likely to sympathize, remember, pray, and commend for Soto and all of the other victims in this tragedy. Another detail, "'You have a teacher who cared more about her students than herself," shows Soto's selflessness and caring nature.  Details like these can bring hope to family's who lost a child and to the nation who is grieving along with those in Connecticut.
         The tone that is used in this article is similar to the tone after other shootings, like the Aurora movie theatre shooting. Vultaggio uses a confused and sad tone that is probably also being used around the country. No one really knows why the shooter would do this. People are wondering if he was psychologically sick. Others are wondering what can be done to prevent this in the future. Not surpringly, many people's tones about this tragedy are sorrowful and depressing. In this article, words like "apparently true" and "believed" are used to create a confused tone. Other words like "devastation", "condolences", and "memorial service" are used to create a sad tone.
            Although this is a time of great mouring and greiving, it is a little uplifting to know that there is still courage and love in the world. As Vultaggio described Soto's bravery, the nation can only commend Soto for the devotion that she displayed.
          

Open Prompt #4

1976. The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays. Select the work of an essayist who is in opposition to his or her society; or from a work of recognized literary merit, select a fictional character who is in opposition to his or her society. In a critical essay, analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications for both the individual and the society. Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.

           Dystopian novels are commonly written throughout ages of change and political commotion. Authors of those types of novels most likely write them to warn readers what may happen in the future if things continue to change for the worse. In the novel, 1984, the author, George Orwell, uses themes to show people what moral and ethical implications a totalitarian government may have on its citizens.
            One theme that Orwell uses is the control of the mind. The Party (government) alters the news and books to change the history that portrays them in bad light. The Party also monitors the citizens carefully and 24/7. The citizens are not allowed to think or speak rebellious thoughts (thoughtcrime) and are forced to suppress sexual urges. Children are turned into Junior Spies to rat out people that commit those crimes. In addition, the Party creates a new language called Newspeak that contains no rebellious words so that people won't think or speak rebellious thoughts.
            Another theme that Orwell includes is the control of the mind. The Party uses immoral and unethical tactics to crack Winston Smith (protagonist). The Party takes Julia (Winston's secret girlfriend) away and forces Winston into Room 101. They threaten to let a bunch of rats (Winston's biggest fear) eat his face unless he gives up Julia. Winston tells the Party to do it to Julia instead and in the end, Winston loves the Party. The Party also forces citizens to do physically demanding workouts every morning. If anyone defies the Party or commits a crime, the Party punishes them severly until they learn to love the Party (like what they did to Winston).
              These themes serve as warnings to what may happen if countries convert to totalitarianism. The citizens and society will be oppressed morally and ethically.