This is myself during school.
http://prezi.com/xhx7zsh3dxig/as-part-the-prologue-of-my-senior-year/
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Reading List For 2012
1984 (1948) by George Orwell was read by multiple friends and I never thought of finding the book when I required a replacement for a book that was ending. 1984 takes place in a dystopia where the freedoms of the people have been taken away. The book is an average length. I have already seen Orwell's style in Animal Farm. His style was not hard to keep myself caught in the story of the first book by Orwell that I read.
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1917), a partial autobiography, by James Joyce shows the life of Joyce's alter ego and a connection to the myth of Daedalus. The novel is written with little dialogue and a third-person view. The book should not take a long time to read but appears to be a possibly interesting story of a man who resists the ideas he had been raised to believe.
King Lear was written around 1606 by William Shakespeare was found on a reading list for the past AP Literature exam questions. The play is considered one of Shakespeare's best works. The play is based on the legend of King Lear, who was a king of pre-Roman Britain. I have read Shakespeare's plays in the past, which means there shouldn't be a large amount of wondering what is going on during my reading.
Main Street (1920), written by Sinclair Lewis, is a story about a woman who moves from the city into a rural town in Minnesota. The physical appearance of the small town cause her to want to change the place, in her view, for the better. The people who had already been living there resist the changes and collect in their established group. I hope that the connections between this aged novel and today's events can be found by myself through this long story.
All Quiet on the Western Front (1929) by Erich Maria Remarque details the first World War as seen by the eyes of a German youth who enlists in the war. The book attempts to show the evils of the war as millions of the young men died in the war. Remarque, a German, can vividly show the events of the book due to his personal experiences as he served in the war. The writing style and length should allow this novel to hopefully be a painless read.
Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) by Kurt Vonnegut takes place during World War II as a soldier is captured by the Nazis and placed in an abandoned slaughterhouse called slaughterhouse number five. The soldier, Billy, later travels through time and becomes captured by aliens. The novel is fairly short. The story, however, touches on different themes and gained the title of one of the best antiwar novels of the twentieth century.
Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play by Arthur Miller. The play follows a failing salesman, who believes he is living the American dream. He attempts to influence his thinking onto his sons. One son begins to see the false lifestyle as a lie and resists falling into the society that his father believed was best. The play finds important themes in American society that should be able to be seen even today.
Things Fall Apart (1958) by Chinua Achebe explains two stories that both center around a man of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first story contains the man, Okonkwo, and his separation from the tribal world. The next story is modern with a clash between the tribal worlds and the European missionaries. The fairly short book appears to be structured simply with a more complex meaning underneath.
Catch-22 (1961) by Joseph Heller is a satire on World War II that follows a pilot as he's caught between a suicide bombing mission and the inability to remove himself to the situation. The author fills the pages with bits of comedy to lighten the atmosphere of the novel. The book may be a challenge due to the length but, I should be able to find some enjoyment from the story.
Oedipus Rex was written by Sophocles was the second of the Theban tragedies that show the events of Oedipus the king. The play is part of the tragedy of the man who was cursed from birth and survived his parents attempts to save themselves from the curse. The style of the play may be a challenge at some times due to the extreme age of the play, although most of the versions of the play may have some help to reduce the aging.
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1917), a partial autobiography, by James Joyce shows the life of Joyce's alter ego and a connection to the myth of Daedalus. The novel is written with little dialogue and a third-person view. The book should not take a long time to read but appears to be a possibly interesting story of a man who resists the ideas he had been raised to believe.
King Lear was written around 1606 by William Shakespeare was found on a reading list for the past AP Literature exam questions. The play is considered one of Shakespeare's best works. The play is based on the legend of King Lear, who was a king of pre-Roman Britain. I have read Shakespeare's plays in the past, which means there shouldn't be a large amount of wondering what is going on during my reading.
Main Street (1920), written by Sinclair Lewis, is a story about a woman who moves from the city into a rural town in Minnesota. The physical appearance of the small town cause her to want to change the place, in her view, for the better. The people who had already been living there resist the changes and collect in their established group. I hope that the connections between this aged novel and today's events can be found by myself through this long story.
All Quiet on the Western Front (1929) by Erich Maria Remarque details the first World War as seen by the eyes of a German youth who enlists in the war. The book attempts to show the evils of the war as millions of the young men died in the war. Remarque, a German, can vividly show the events of the book due to his personal experiences as he served in the war. The writing style and length should allow this novel to hopefully be a painless read.
Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) by Kurt Vonnegut takes place during World War II as a soldier is captured by the Nazis and placed in an abandoned slaughterhouse called slaughterhouse number five. The soldier, Billy, later travels through time and becomes captured by aliens. The novel is fairly short. The story, however, touches on different themes and gained the title of one of the best antiwar novels of the twentieth century.
Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play by Arthur Miller. The play follows a failing salesman, who believes he is living the American dream. He attempts to influence his thinking onto his sons. One son begins to see the false lifestyle as a lie and resists falling into the society that his father believed was best. The play finds important themes in American society that should be able to be seen even today.
Things Fall Apart (1958) by Chinua Achebe explains two stories that both center around a man of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first story contains the man, Okonkwo, and his separation from the tribal world. The next story is modern with a clash between the tribal worlds and the European missionaries. The fairly short book appears to be structured simply with a more complex meaning underneath.
Catch-22 (1961) by Joseph Heller is a satire on World War II that follows a pilot as he's caught between a suicide bombing mission and the inability to remove himself to the situation. The author fills the pages with bits of comedy to lighten the atmosphere of the novel. The book may be a challenge due to the length but, I should be able to find some enjoyment from the story.
Oedipus Rex was written by Sophocles was the second of the Theban tragedies that show the events of Oedipus the king. The play is part of the tragedy of the man who was cursed from birth and survived his parents attempts to save themselves from the curse. The style of the play may be a challenge at some times due to the extreme age of the play, although most of the versions of the play may have some help to reduce the aging.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
That Happens in the World? (Reading Assignment VII)
1. Mansfield seems to be showing the difference between the wealthier class of Laura with their perfect garden parties and lack of needing to care about the outside world and the poorer class of Mrs. Scott who now faces the loss of a husband and possibly the ability to feed her children. I believe this shows the differences between the wealthy and the poor classes of the story and the fact the wealthy class may not care for the plight of the poor class until something drastic happens.
2. The perfect weather and setting of the garden at the beginning of the story shows the quality of life for the wealthier class of the story. The fact that the roses were able the only type of flower to be known by the majority of guests can show that the class cares for nothing outside the normality of their life. The darkness of the poor people's section of the road contrasts the beauty seen earlier at the Sheridan's house.
After reading the other three responses, I would think that I began to the social differences and the fact that the wealthy avoid contact with the poor down the road. I could point out a few of the details leading to this conclusion such as the roses being the only flower the guests cared to recognize.
The comparison between Laura and Persephone adds to the idea that Laura's class believed themselves to be better then the poor below them. The comparison between the descent of Laura from her Olympus and Persephone gives a greater representation that she now entered a world unknown and different from her own. The comparison between Demeter and Mrs. Sheridan creates the character a greater meaning to the growing independence of Laura rather then simply being Laura's mother.
2. The perfect weather and setting of the garden at the beginning of the story shows the quality of life for the wealthier class of the story. The fact that the roses were able the only type of flower to be known by the majority of guests can show that the class cares for nothing outside the normality of their life. The darkness of the poor people's section of the road contrasts the beauty seen earlier at the Sheridan's house.
After reading the other three responses, I would think that I began to the social differences and the fact that the wealthy avoid contact with the poor down the road. I could point out a few of the details leading to this conclusion such as the roses being the only flower the guests cared to recognize.
The comparison between Laura and Persephone adds to the idea that Laura's class believed themselves to be better then the poor below them. The comparison between the descent of Laura from her Olympus and Persephone gives a greater representation that she now entered a world unknown and different from her own. The comparison between Demeter and Mrs. Sheridan creates the character a greater meaning to the growing independence of Laura rather then simply being Laura's mother.
Scars Show Meaning (Reading Assignment VI)
Interlude
An archetype can be thought of as a strong part of a story that other creators reuse in their own story as the archetype helps their own story and creates a connection between the other stories and the story being seen or read by the audience.
One archetypal story that can commonly found in fiction would be an unlikely hero fighting against a returning evil from the past. The Lord of the Rings may be one of the most famous versions of the story. Frodo, a normally peaceful hobbit, must rid the world of the ring to stop Sauron while the evil lord returns to hunt for the ring.
Chapter 21
The scar on Harry Potter's forehead sets him apart from the other characters in his world and even gives some sort of insight into his character. The shape also gives more distinction from a normal scar.
The scar on Harry Potter was given to him when he was a baby by the evil lord Voldemort. The evil wizard attempted to kill the child along with his mother and father. The lightning bolt left behind represents the second that the great evil was destroyed. The speed at which Voldemort was destroyed can be compared to lightning striking during a storm.
The placement of the scar on Harry's forehead may give a reason for the whispers of Voldemort to directly affect the young wizard's concentration and cause a headache. The scar's place on Harry's body shows where the connection between him and Voldemort lies.
The lightning bolt shape of the scar can give a representation of the reason Harry makes such an impact on the characters around him. Lightning announces itself in a great flash that nearly all in the immediate area can see. The loud crash of thunder that follows certainly disturbs the people that are close enough. Harry commonly becomes noticed in his environment and creates an even greater reason to be noticed after he has appeared.
An archetype can be thought of as a strong part of a story that other creators reuse in their own story as the archetype helps their own story and creates a connection between the other stories and the story being seen or read by the audience.
One archetypal story that can commonly found in fiction would be an unlikely hero fighting against a returning evil from the past. The Lord of the Rings may be one of the most famous versions of the story. Frodo, a normally peaceful hobbit, must rid the world of the ring to stop Sauron while the evil lord returns to hunt for the ring.
Chapter 21
The scar on Harry Potter's forehead sets him apart from the other characters in his world and even gives some sort of insight into his character. The shape also gives more distinction from a normal scar.
The scar on Harry Potter was given to him when he was a baby by the evil lord Voldemort. The evil wizard attempted to kill the child along with his mother and father. The lightning bolt left behind represents the second that the great evil was destroyed. The speed at which Voldemort was destroyed can be compared to lightning striking during a storm.
The placement of the scar on Harry's forehead may give a reason for the whispers of Voldemort to directly affect the young wizard's concentration and cause a headache. The scar's place on Harry's body shows where the connection between him and Voldemort lies.
The lightning bolt shape of the scar can give a representation of the reason Harry makes such an impact on the characters around him. Lightning announces itself in a great flash that nearly all in the immediate area can see. The loud crash of thunder that follows certainly disturbs the people that are close enough. Harry commonly becomes noticed in his environment and creates an even greater reason to be noticed after he has appeared.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Beaten Awake (Reading Assignment V)
*Spoilers are possible*
The recreation of a character through a experience that they could have died from allows the character to do what they may have otherwise not done. In the movie, Kung Fu Hustle, the main character, Sing, desires to be a member of the murderous Axe Gang, who have become the biggest gang in Canton, China. Sing and his friend, Bone seem to be hopeless in their attempts to impress the Axe Gang due to a lack of ruthlessness. Sing eventually gains membership into the Axe Gang after using his ability to pick locks and releasing an assassin from prison.
Sing becomes the accidental target of the escaped assassin. The fight between the two men results in Sing's face being smashed deep into the ground. Two kung fu masters save Sing from the monstrous assassin and bandage the beaten Sing. When Sing emerges from the bandages, he has now become one of the greatest kung fu geniuses in history. Sing transforms into an entirely new person with skills and the desire to perform good deeds.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Fears for the Future (Reading Assignment IV)
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World can definitely be considered a political novel. The story of the novel contains a world full of pleasure and lacking unhappiness and a world where the people live on the land with little technology. The world of pleasure contains a place where humans are grown in test tubes and the young children are conditioned accept sex as a recreational activity. The adults use a drug called soma in order to escape the world and have their own paradise.
The novel can be seen as a reaction to the growing use of sex and drugs in the culture of America. The novel was completed in 1932, after the flappers of the roaring twenties finished their rebellion of the traditional ideas of what a women should wear and do. The book, however, was written before a time where sex and drugs would almost resemble the society of Brave New World, the 1970s. The use of LSD and other drugs as a escape from reality into a personal paradise resembles the activities in the novel. Huxley warned of the change from reproduction to recreation for sex and the increased use of drugs in the every day society of the world. The novel targets the society of the world and attempts to show a new world that may deter or encourage the culture from the path it now began to follow.
The novel can be seen as a reaction to the growing use of sex and drugs in the culture of America. The novel was completed in 1932, after the flappers of the roaring twenties finished their rebellion of the traditional ideas of what a women should wear and do. The book, however, was written before a time where sex and drugs would almost resemble the society of Brave New World, the 1970s. The use of LSD and other drugs as a escape from reality into a personal paradise resembles the activities in the novel. Huxley warned of the change from reproduction to recreation for sex and the increased use of drugs in the every day society of the world. The novel targets the society of the world and attempts to show a new world that may deter or encourage the culture from the path it now began to follow.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Lurking In the Fog (Assignment III)
The use of fog in the novel, Dracula, that accompanied the areas of Dracula's interest allowed a further detailing of the diabolical count. Each of the hero feared for their life as the fog dispersed the evil, allowing the monster to plan for their next encounter. The fog symbolized the mystery of the count as another part of the plan to infiltrate London began to appear following some of the fog. Van Helsing and his companions were generally ignorant on how to handle the situation. The count's fog trapped the fighters of evil in the ignorance until the fog dispersed. The departure of the fog allowed the men to discover a new knowledge for the fight against Dracula.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Linked Thoughts (Reading Assignment II)
Chapter 5
Intertextuality is the connection between two separate pieces of writing that uses already used ideas or previous works to add to the meaning of the more recent writing.
The controlling of a person's life and position in the world are both parts of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Anthem by Ayn Rand. Both of these worlds contain a government that controls the job and status of a person, which they must continue to be part of for the rest of their life. The world places characters that are part of this world in social structures that try to disconnect the character from a certain group in the story.
The use of intertextuality can also be found between Anthem and The Giver by Lois Lowry. Both of these stories contain a person who has come of age in the society of the book. The main characters both gradually begin to believe that their society restricts the people from some of the joys in life. The main characters dream of a world that has regained the pain and enjoyment of the world today.
Intertextuality is the connection between two separate pieces of writing that uses already used ideas or previous works to add to the meaning of the more recent writing.
The controlling of a person's life and position in the world are both parts of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Anthem by Ayn Rand. Both of these worlds contain a government that controls the job and status of a person, which they must continue to be part of for the rest of their life. The world places characters that are part of this world in social structures that try to disconnect the character from a certain group in the story.
The use of intertextuality can also be found between Anthem and The Giver by Lois Lowry. Both of these stories contain a person who has come of age in the society of the book. The main characters both gradually begin to believe that their society restricts the people from some of the joys in life. The main characters dream of a world that has regained the pain and enjoyment of the world today.
Chapter 7
In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George's dream of a farm where they can "live off the fat of the land" relates directly to the Garden of Eden. This connection gives their farm a greater relation to what the two men want. The dream of the farm represents the desire for a true paradise where neither have to worry about their own survival and can be happy for the rest of their lives.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Reading Assignment I
The Enterprise of Death
1) The quester: an ex-slave Moorish female necromancer, Awa, who escapes all of her masters and captors but may die after ten years. The necromancer finds herself in western Europe after the Reconquista.
2) A place to go: the hiding place of the book used by Awa's tutor and last master who taught her necromancy. The book may be hidden anywhere the necromancer could convince the wind to carry within a few days.
3) A stated reason to go there: a curse placed on Awa will cause the necromancer to steal her body while destroying the girl's spirit. The book may hold the key to saving Awa before the necromancer kills her.
4) Challenges and trials: the Inquisition causes European commoners to afraid of the heretics and witches supposedly hiding in their world. Awa must also hide her Moorish appearance from the people. The training that made Awa into a necromancer and her history of slavery caused her to become disconnected from average people. The necromancer must also find her master's book before ten years when her body will be stolen.
5) The real reason to go: Awa finds friends and a family within the world that hates both her Moorish appearance and necromancy. The ex-slave becomes a part of the world rather than only befriending the dead.
2) A place to go: the hiding place of the book used by Awa's tutor and last master who taught her necromancy. The book may be hidden anywhere the necromancer could convince the wind to carry within a few days.
3) A stated reason to go there: a curse placed on Awa will cause the necromancer to steal her body while destroying the girl's spirit. The book may hold the key to saving Awa before the necromancer kills her.
4) Challenges and trials: the Inquisition causes European commoners to afraid of the heretics and witches supposedly hiding in their world. Awa must also hide her Moorish appearance from the people. The training that made Awa into a necromancer and her history of slavery caused her to become disconnected from average people. The necromancer must also find her master's book before ten years when her body will be stolen.
5) The real reason to go: Awa finds friends and a family within the world that hates both her Moorish appearance and necromancy. The ex-slave becomes a part of the world rather than only befriending the dead.
Friday, April 1, 2011
To Raise the Status of Teachers
The lower status of teachers originates from deep, enrooted problems of society, such as the ability and want to switch out products that still work effectively. Timothy Daly in his response to the article ", How to Raise the Status of Teachers," called the switching of teachers the "widget effect." Teachers at Batesville High School educate more effectively than their peers, yet those teachers appear the same as the other less efficient educators. The teachers with better abilities can be switched with less effective teachers. The habit to switch out an old product with a newer one has bled into other parts of the world. This habit causes teachers to be tossed around by the school system even though their method of teaching outstandingly works more than their replacement. If teacher abilities affect their job position, teachers who are not able to perform as well may become jobless and add to more problems of the country and the world. The teachers underperforming, however, should be even more encouraged to do well in order to not be caught in a switching and trash society.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Gatsby Analysis
Fitzgerald's shadowy reflections defines a epiphany that the flow of time pushes back against the world's progression forward. Time cancels its own flow and leaves the world in the past with no true ways to proceed forward into the new future. The world as a whole has not changed in a great way like in the past such as the discovery of the new western hemisphere.
The famous final line of The Great Gatsby " , so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past, " causes the world as "boats" to sail against the ongoing flow of time in an effort to reach a new future as the flow of time continuously pushes the world backwards. Ideas from the past stay current without the forward movement of new ideas to replace the defunct ideas. Progression forward can not be achieved without new ideas to break the world out of the trap that keeps old ideas at the front and new ideas never form to conquer the old way of thinking.
As the world unknown to civilization came "face to face" with the old world in Europe, humanity stared ", for the last time in history," at a new opportunity to find a break in the current of time and the future. The Americas created a renewed longing for discovery and expansion. The following centuries all became plagued with ideas, products, and resources stemming from the entire continents before unknown to the majority of the populace. Our world now must find a new grand discovery in order to create a massive wave that places humanity in a future without any of the ideas or ways dominating the world stage.
Fitzgerald details the place the world now finds itself rapped and weakly fighting against. The faceless torrent of time shoves the population back. The reaction and push against the rush of time only allows the world to stay in the current time. The world must find a new discovery to quickly advance against time to bring new ideas and create a shining future for the world.
The famous final line of The Great Gatsby " , so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past, " causes the world as "boats" to sail against the ongoing flow of time in an effort to reach a new future as the flow of time continuously pushes the world backwards. Ideas from the past stay current without the forward movement of new ideas to replace the defunct ideas. Progression forward can not be achieved without new ideas to break the world out of the trap that keeps old ideas at the front and new ideas never form to conquer the old way of thinking.
As the world unknown to civilization came "face to face" with the old world in Europe, humanity stared ", for the last time in history," at a new opportunity to find a break in the current of time and the future. The Americas created a renewed longing for discovery and expansion. The following centuries all became plagued with ideas, products, and resources stemming from the entire continents before unknown to the majority of the populace. Our world now must find a new grand discovery in order to create a massive wave that places humanity in a future without any of the ideas or ways dominating the world stage.
Fitzgerald details the place the world now finds itself rapped and weakly fighting against. The faceless torrent of time shoves the population back. The reaction and push against the rush of time only allows the world to stay in the current time. The world must find a new discovery to quickly advance against time to bring new ideas and create a shining future for the world.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Reading List
I read 3 books, the equivalent of 6 books.
- Dracula, 364 pages
- Stormage, 452 pages
- Yu Yu Hakusho Volume 12, 208 pages
The twelfth volume of Yu Yu Hakusho begins at the end of the semifinal rounds of the Dark Tournament. Yuusuke faces Togure in the final round with the surrounding arena being demolished. I enjoyed this book since the show disappeared when I attempted to watch the series and the volume takes place during the highest action points.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Quote On Consumerism
Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of its filling a vacuum, it makes one. If it satisfies one want, it doubles and trebles that want another way. That was a true proverb of the wise man, rely upon it; "Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure, and trouble therewith."
-Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
The people before the 1960's were not part of the mass consumerism. The poverty faced in the world before brought happier people, but now that much of the world can take part of buying large amounts of superflous items. The "Affluenza" disease has created a world vacuum that may possibly consume the world in a rampant devourment of everyone's wallets and happiness.
-Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
The people before the 1960's were not part of the mass consumerism. The poverty faced in the world before brought happier people, but now that much of the world can take part of buying large amounts of superflous items. The "Affluenza" disease has created a world vacuum that may possibly consume the world in a rampant devourment of everyone's wallets and happiness.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Recession Opportunities
The economic recession affects the spending of many people around the world. The recession and a fast paced world created a opportunity for the gaming industry. With the possibility of content being sold online, companies began to sell all of their game's online content for a bundled price for those that wait or had no given the game a chance. The large game of the year tag also drags in more customers during the recession.
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