Revision: Open Prompt #1

2008, Form B. In some works of literature, childhood and adolescence are portrayed as times graced by innocence and a sense of wonder; in other works, they are depicted as times of tribulation and terror. Focusing on a single novel or play, explain how its representation of childhood or adolescence shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.
      
           In the series of Harry Potter, many characters' childhoods affected who they became and the decisions they made. Harry Potter, Severus Snape, and Tom Riddle all had troubled pasts, but each of them chose a different path to take in their later lives. 
            Although Harry was raised by his rude aunt and uncle and was buillied by his cousin, he didn't let them affect him. In his childhood, he chose to ignore his family and stayed out of the way by spending his time in his room under the stairs. Later on, he relied on his friends to help him reach his destiny of defeating Lord Voldemort. He pushed his sad past away from his mind and focused on his goals.
             Severus Snape also had a broken family. His mom and muggle dad constantly fought, but like Harry, he chose to avoid them. His parents arguments led him to hate muggles and join the Death Eaters. But, his choice of joining the Order of Pheonix to spy on the Death Eaters helped Harry win the war against Lord Voldemort.
           Although Tom Riddle had a sad childhood (he lived in an orphanage) like Harry and Snape, he chose a different path than them. He spent his childhood bullying other orphans and leading them into dangerous situations. He continued to gain followers as he grew older and used dark magic to obtain his goal: to avoid death. Unlike Harry and Snape, Riddle showed how a troubled childhood can lead to a even more troubled life.
            JK Rowling's representation of these unfortunate childhoods enforces her theme of the importance of choices. Like the wise words of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, "You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be,"  it does not matter if one doesn't have a happy childhood, but rather how he lets that affect him and his choices (Rowling 708). Rowling uses this theme to not only teach readers about growing up and making good decisions, but also to develop her charcters and create her storyline. As a whole, the different choices of different characters shape the story of this series by creating a hero, villian, and a helpful spy.

Summary/Analysis: R&G

Author:
Tom Stoppard is a famous Czech-British playwright of the National Theatre. He has translated some plays into English and co-wrote the screenplay of Shakespeare in Love. He also wrote Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead which is based off of the play, Hamlet.

Setting: 
This book takes place in the middle of nowhere, in Hamlet's court, and on a boat.

Significant Characters:
Rosencrantz-He is Guildenstern's best friend and Hamlet's childhood friend. He is more carefree and easygoing than Guildenstern. He is a very simple man and doesn't delve into meanings or solutions in depth. He is usually pretty positive and always tries to cheer up Guildenstern.
Guildenstern-
He is Rosencrantz's best friend and Hamlet's childhood friend. He is more practical and reasonable than Rosencrantz, and always tries to see the implications, consequences, and meanings of actions and events. He often gets angry and frustrated with Rosencrantz, but nonetheless is a loyal and good friend.
The Player-
He leads the Tragedians in performing plays. The Player understands more than others think. He is very witty, confident, and mysterious. He isn't just an actor, acting is his life.
Hamlet-
He is the childhood friend of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He is the Prince of Denmark, the Queen's son, and nephew of King Claudius. He misses his father and is unhappy with his mother, his uncle, and the society he lives in.

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

Plot:
R&G are flipping coins when the tragedians approach them. The player asks them to participate in their play, but Guildenstern makes a bet with the player. The player loses the bet and because he cannot pay, he has to perform his play for R&G. Later, Claudius tells R&G that he wants them to spy on Hamlet, so R&G play a question-answer game to practice finding out why Hamlet has gone mad. After the play is performed, R&G escort Hamlet to England on a boat. R&G can't decide what to do with the letter that Claudius gave them, so when they are sleeping, Hamlet rewrites the letter ordering R&G's execution instead of his. Guildenstern reads the letter and tells Rosencrantz that they are going to die. Guildenstern stabs the player with the player's knife, but it turns out that it was a fake knife and the player faked his death. The scene shifts to where all of the dead bodies are lying on the floor back in Elsinore.

Quotes:
"'I'm talking about death - and you've never experienced that. And you cannot act it,'" (Stoppard 123).
This quote refers to Shakespeare's theme of a play with in a play. The player and the tradegians think that they are in a constant play and they are continuously acting. But, Guildenstern said that as much as they can try to act out death, they can never truly and accurately act it out because they have never experienced it. This sets up the next event where Guildenstern tries to kill the player with the fake knife.

"'Now for a handful of guilders I happen to have a private and uncut performance of The Rape of the Sabine Women - or rather woman, or rather Alfred-'" (Stoppard 26).
This quote shows that there are no women characters in this story (besides the Queen, but that is because she is a character in Hamlet). This may mean that women weren't cast as actors in that time period, so they had to have males play female roles. It may also show indicate that women had little respect, authority, or identity as they are barely represented in R&G.

Style:
Stoppard uses imagery, detail, symbolism, tone, and diction in this play. There is no point of view since it is a play and there is no narrator. Imagery and detail frequently used in this play, especially in the stage directions, to show what R&G are doing, "Guil takes another coin, spins it, catches it, turns it over on to his other hand, looks at it, and throws it to Ros, who puts it in his bag," (Stoppard 15). Stoppard uses tone to show how the characters are feeling. For example, "Guil (explodes): 'Don't be stupid,'" indicates that Guildenstern is feeling frustrated with Rosencrantz. Symbolism is also used in this play, like how the coins represent the opposite sides of the personalities of R&G. For example, Rosencrantz is optimistic and happy, while Guildenstern is pessimistic and concerned. Diction like "moroseness", "convulses", and "gleaned" add to the description of characters and events in the play.

Theme:
One of the major themes is the inability to make decisions. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are always lost and cannot decide which direction they want to go or why they are there. One decision that they have the opportunity to decide is what to do with the letter. Unfortunately, they can't decide on anything and this leads to their death, as Hamlet sneakily changes what the letter says to order their death.

Response to Course Material #7

           So far this month, we have finished reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. After class discussions and explanations from Ms. Holmes, I realized that R&G actually had more depth and meaning to it than I had originally thought. I liked how this play was not only comical, but also had great themes in it, like death. After annotating, I could definitely see how R&G related closely to Hamlet.
           We have also done some closed essay prompt practice. I think with each practice we have done, I have gotten better at pointing out claims and evidence within the text, but the analyzing and explaining is the hardest part. The prompts are quite tricky as well, since Ms. Holme's has pointed out that there could be more than one meaning behind a prompt and that you have to talk about both meanings to recieve a decent score. This scares me a bit because I am great at finding the obvious meaning, but it takes me a while to find the second and deeper meaning to the text.
            Finally, we have just started reading Ceremony. I like how Ms. Holmes taught us history about the culture of the tribe. It definitely cleared some of my confusion about this story. I think this book is one of the harder texts we have read this year and I am looking forward to finishing the book, as it is quite interesting to read!

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.