LAQ's #5 Of Mice and Men

General:

1. The book Of Mica and Men tells of two men who have know each other since they were kids. George is the smaller one of the two and the one that is mentally fit. Lennie is tall and slim but he suffers from mental retardation. The two set off and seeking work and do eventually find it. The work in a farm along with Candy, Slim, Curley, Curley's wife, Crooks and a few others. Lennie has the tendency of getting in trouble and that he does at this new working place. He had gotten in trouble once before when he had wanted to touch a woman's dress and was then accused of rape. At this new place Lennie kills the owner's son's wife forcing him to flee once again. He wasn't a murderer but rather a mentally retarded person. He was unable to measure his strength and so killed the woman. George flees with Lennie but kills him in an act of Mercy.

2. Brotherhood describes the theme of the book. Although Lennie and George were not biological brother of related at all for that matter, the were "brothers." They loved each other and each had a different way of showing it. George was the protective one and the stronger one, mentally speaking. He played the role of the older brother. Lennie was the brother who had to be looked over. He was the one that got in trouble and George was the one that bailed him out. Lennie was completely dependent of George and wouldn't have survived without him.

3. The author uses a tone of pity. He wants the audience to pity Lennie. Lennie does horrific things but the audience knows he doesn't mean to do them on purpose. Lennie cant help being who he is. The audience pity's this poor retarded man. Lennie can basically get away with anything through the audience's eyes but in the eyes of the rest of the characters he is a sick evil man.

4. There is a major symbol toward the middle of the book. Candy's dog is old and useless. The dog is a burden and is suffering due to his old age and being a handicapped dog. He is Candy's companion and best friend. The men on the farm think that killing the dog will place him out of his misery and first Candy is reluctant. He soon comes to realize that killing the dog is what is best. At the end of the book Lennie finds himself in a difficult position but George's situation is worse. George finds himself forced to kill Lennie just like Candy's dog was killed. He shoots Lennie because he knows that letting him live would bring an even greater amount of pain.

Characterization:

1. Just by reading about the actions of Lennie, ,the audience knows he is a mentally retarded man. Now the fact that Lennie is tall and George is short is seen through direct characterization. Lennie is unable to control his strength due to his mental illness. He kills animals and this very thing causes his eventual death. Lennie kills a woman and this only comes to show how there is not limits to the amount of harm he is able to cause and does cause. George is the protective older "brother." He look over Lennie because he is aware of what Lennie is capable of doing and how much trouble he can get into. He want him to be safe and is forced to kill him in a final effort to protect him.

2. The setting is on a farm and the characters are all farm workers with little to no education. They have lived lives of ignorance and know not of the importance of school. They focus on working and making money. They like getting drunk and having the company of women. The more they flirt the better. Their diction is that of uneducated individuals. They don't know about manners and if they do they dont think they are important enough to apply them to their lives. All those on the farm speak like your typical farm workers. You can imagine their voice by the simple reading of their words.

3. The protagonists are static. The audience doesn't see a change in them throughout the book. They start off as a hard headed short guy and a tall retarded one. They end up the exact same way and in fact its their not changing that gets them into trouble and directs the story in the way it does end up going. Lennie can' t become healthy out of the blue and so he kills the woman and is forced to flee. George loving him as much as he loves him form the very beginning of the book, leaves with him and puts him out of his misery.

4. I really didn't feel like any of the characters presented could ever be anyone I would know. They live in such different times and in a very different place from where I live. There are mentally ill people at school but none I doubt any pf them would go to the extremes of murdering someone. These characters were completely fictional to me.

Thinking Outside the Box

The "Allegory of the Cave" and "No Exit" demonstrate two very distinct ways of viewing the same concept. The "Allegory of the Cave" intends to show how humans can be their own saviors. Instead of waiting for salvation one can simply be his or her won salvation. The prisoner walked out of the cave in an effort to be enlightened but at the time he did not know this would be the outcome. He struggled to adapt to the light but after he did he was open to a new world that had always existed but he had been deprived of. He was his own savior and was able to escape "Hell." In "No Exit" there is also the idea of salvation but at a different level. In "No Exit" there is no salvation hence the name. Here Sartre creates an actual Hell in which three sinners find themselves. They do not seem to understand their situation at fist but soon enough they realize it is worse than what they thought it would be. They were expecting fire, torture, the works but what they found was much worse. They became their own punishment and there was no escaping themselves, obviously. They saw how hateful of humans they were because they saw themselves reflected in the people they were grouped with. All of the "Allegory of the Cave" is one big metaphor. It seems to be an even greater metaphor than "No Exit." Hell is created and shown as a character in both works of literature but in different ways.

"No Exit" Notes

"No Exit' Notes

LAQ's "No Exit"

General

1) "No Exit" is a play about what Hell truly is according to the French writer Jean Paul Sartre. He sets the play in a room lacking windows and personal grooming utensils. Garcin, Inez and Estelle find themselves locked up in this room. They know they are dead yet they can still see what goes on in their lives. At first everyone is filled with confusion and no one has the courage to confess the reason why they were sent to hell. But the truth is eventually uncovered. Inez had slept with her cousins wife, Garcin had run away form "justice" and Estelle had killed her unwanted child. As these truths were uncovered so were the true personalities of each person. They soon understood the reason behind their grouping. Each one had the other two as polar opposites or enemies. Each one was surrounded by two "torturers." The people in that locked room would make Hell itself.

2) People make Hell. We create what Hell is. It is a place filled with the most disgusting of beings and once you find yourself in this place you start to realize you to form part of this repugnant group of people. All your sins are uncovered and you learn of others. You being to distrust those accompanying you in this locked room of putrid. insanity catches up to you and those around you and now you find yourself in a room with the the most hateful of people and slowly losing your sanity.

3) Sartre creates a tone of confusion that slowly morphs into one of clarity. From the very beginning the three individuals in hell no nothing of what comes next. They have the idea that Hell is a place of torture and pain but are quickly drowned in a state of confusion when nothing happens. Slowly they begin to learn of one another and the reasons for their sending to Hell becomes apparent. Each one was guilty of committing intolerable sins. At the end it ll becomes clear for they have fallen into the trap of Hell itself. They themselves create a Hell they cannot escape for they are Hell itself.

4) Sartre does a vidvi description of his setting. "No mirrors, I notice. No windows. Only to be expected. And nothing breakable." This comes to show the simplicity of the room the three individuals find themselves in. A room where all you could use as entertainment are you very own thoughts. The very same thoughts that drove them to madness. We also see the use of indirect characterization through each person. Estelle shows an arrogant attitude toward the others and everyone in her life for that matter. "Please Mr.Garcin!......You're sitting on my sofa......I was setting my life in order. You may laugh but you'd do better to follow my example." Inez is cruel. She says things as they are. She informs the others of their true fate. Garçon is "introspective." He reflects on the reasons for his being sent to Hell. He slowly realized he's a coward and nothing more. The tone is one of mystery. From the very beginning the characters know where they are and deep inside they know why. It is unknown to the audience until they continue reading. The audience becomes aware of the situation for the three characters and it all becomes clear.

Characterization

1) Sartre doesn't seem to use direct characterization throughout the play. He focuses on the usage of indirect characterization. He has each character describe the sin that had them sent to Hell. Each sin describes the personalities of the characters. Inez is cold and cruel. She is the one who breaks the news to the group about them themselves being the "torturers." She live under the same roof that his uncle and his wife lived under. She ran away with her not caring about her cousin. Estelle killed her child because she didn't want to ruin her perfect life with her husband. She wasn't about to leave him for a poor man who had gotten her pregnant. Garcin was fighting the wrong battle for the right reasons and when things got out of hand he became what he was from the start, a coward. He also hurt his wife emotionally and physically and she took it all in without a single complaint.

2) The diction changes completely when Sartre goes from one character to another. Each character is completely different from the other two. This I part of what helps create their Hell. Estelle has a proper way of speaking. She was from Paris and her husband was well off. Garcin speaks like any man of his condition. He doesn't seem to have any trace of respect for women for he was unable to treat is own woman right. Inez is just obsessive. She wants Estelle for herself and the sight of her with Garcin hurts her. She yells and speaks aloofly no matter what it is she is speaking about.

3) The three protagonists seem to be dynamic characters but they are actually static as far as the audience knows. They committed terrible sins and were sent to Hell for it but they don't regret it. They start knowing about their sins and end up revealing them but they don't change their personalities or seem to regret the sins committed.

4) These three characters didn't seem to be like anyone I would know but they do seem like people I could possibly meet in the future. The sims they committed are things that people out of their minds actually do. Of course the story and setting itself is unrealistic and not capable of existing in real life. Estelle killed her child and women who cannot handle a child take the easy way and kill or abandon it. People I would surround myself with wouldn't take such an abominable action.

Allegory of the Cave Sonnet

Happiness and sorrow these prisoners will know not of
For their lives are limited to the inside of a cave
Not depression nor love
Will hinder the minds of these men much less than brave

One soon sees the opportunity to leave and live
But finds the barrier of light blocking his path
He had a lot to gain and little to give
But chose to return to the cave and its wrath

Not an act of cowardice this man showed
But rather a man of knowledge he had become
Acquired knowledge to the prisoners this man owed
For they were trapped in that cave dark and fearsome

The prisoners blinded by disbelief
Kept their thoughts, ignorant and brief

Plato Study Questions

1. The allegory of the cave represents all that is maintained hidden from people throughout their lives due to their close mindedness an maybe even ignorance.
2. The cave represents the separation of some people minds from the outside world. The chains hold them from ever seeing beyond what they have chosen to believe. The outside world are those new ideas waiting to be discover and understood.
3. The prisoners re restrained from leaving the cave. They no nothing more than what they have been allowed to see. They have to chance at "enlightenment" for they no nothing more than a cave wall and vague unknown shadows.
4. The prisoners have a limited perspective on what they can experience. They have been seeing only what the people who have them captive have wanted them to see. Their world has become the cave an will never be anything more unless they seek it.
5. School is a perfect example of shackling the mind. You are taught what teachers are told to teach you.You take tests to measure how much information you were actually able to retain and if you don't pass then you are taught once again. Now there are ways in which students can free themselves from the shackles of school. They can take AP courses that take them out of their comfort zone and challenge them with more difficult concepts and ways of viewing things. Student do have the option of taking the regular courses but some like taking on challenges and leaving the cave.
6. The freed prisoner is exposed to the outside world. When he first walks in to the sunlight his eyes burn due to the brightness of the sun. The burn is all that is different for people. It the things they are scared to experience. The freed prisoner now knows the is a different world outside of the cave and can now choose between the two.
7. A person can choose to experience different things or they can stay in their circle of comfort forever. They can walk out into the light or they can stay hidden in the cave.
8. Prisoners are freed if they are shown the way out. If they are lead to the cave exit then they can be free. one must be shown the way. One must be taught the different paths there are in life but it is up to us to choose which one to follow.
9. There is definitely a distinction between appearances and reality. You can't know how real something is through only appearances. You can start with appearances but it must not stop at that for once you do you are already limiting the amount of knowledge you can acquire through learning more. Appearances don't always tell the truth but they often give insight into the truth.
10. People will only gain knowledge through what they see without ever gaining any true certainty of whether it is real or not. There will never be any change or improvement of any sort for prisoners will remain prisoners and never know what wonders are found outside of the cave.

The Tortilla Curtain LAQ's

General
1) The novel begins with the introduction of Delaney Mossbacher and Candido Rincon. The two, from very different backgrounds and social standings, cross ways when Delaney runs Candido over near Topanga Canyon. From here on we see two lives unfold. Each life is affecting the other but the men involved are blinded to this. Candido is an illegal immigrant trying to get by with his teenage wife America while Delaney is an American citizen living a life of comfort alongside his wife Kyra and her stepson Jordan. While Delaney finds himself struggling with obstacles of minor importance, Candido and his wife are striving to survive and find work. Candido, injured, can't stop his wife from seeking work and when she does find it it is underpaid and she is overworked. America is raped and this adds to the tension building in the couples lives. The building of a wall around Arrollo Blanco is approved and Delaney is frustrated by such decision but get over it quickly. In the meantime, Candido's source of labor is shut down and so him and his wife are forced to move to Canoga Park where they are robbed of their savings and belongings. On Thanksgiving a series of unfortunate events, including a fire and some more vandalism, unravel. Delaney is determined to find the culprit and even when he knows it hasn't been Candido causing such mischief he still chases after him with a gun. America has just given birth to a blind baby and a flood sweeps Candido, America, Delaney and the baby Socorro away. At the end we see Delaney fighting for his life and Candido saves him.
2) The theme of the novel ends up being the willingness to survive. Although Delaney spends his life facing insignificant obstacles to him they are life changing. The construction of a wall around his neighborhood, his relationship with his wife, and his relationship with "friends" are all part of the life Delaney finds himself fighting for. Candido fights for a life in which he can stay alive and can provide for his wife. He had to face the difficulty of finding for, shelter, and safety. These things are taken for granted by Delaney and the things Delaney has are only present in Candidos dreams.
3) The author uses a tone of despair. Delaney finds himself struggling to continue living the life he once knew. Him and his family moved to Arrollo Blanco because he wanted to be close to nature but the building of a wall would only separate him form nature. He is forced to give in since he has no power to change decisions made by the leaders of the neighborhood. He has no voice yet is desperate to continue living the life he dreamed up for himself.  Candido is in urgent need of money to sustain his wife and grant her the life he had promised her before moving out of Mexico. He is looking for shelter and, just as Delaney had, he has dreams and aspirations that seem impossible to reach.
4) The author used two different settings combined into one. Delaney lived near Topanga Canyon but inside an American neighborhood where people lived lives of luxuries and commodities. Candido lived in Topanga Canyon where he was faced with starvation and homelessness. Even though both lived in pretty much the same location, their surroundings reflected their social standings. Blind baby Socorro, introduced at the end of the novel, served as a sybmbol of all obstacles faced by Candido. The baby was born blind and died at the end of the novel just like Candido's dreams of bettering his life. The flood served as symbol of how, no matter what social class, people are people and struggle through life but some remain good even when they have all the reasons in the world to hate.

Characterization
1) The author uses indirect characterization of a group of people through a character of a different ethnicity. America befriends a white women seeking work such as she is doing. This white women is alcoholic and a US citizen but still helps characterize the situation illegal immigrants often find themselves in. The women is intoxicated and vulnerable. Immigrants are also weak and vulnerable in the United States for they have no stability nor do they have safety. The only reason the white women finds herself looking for work with immigrants is because she has chosen to live a dirty and useless life otherwise one would never see a white women looking for work. It shows how low illegal immigrants are categorized by whites. Only the dirty whites mix with immigrants according to this. Although Delaney and his democratic ideals give us some insight into his personality it doesn't show all of it. He was raised in a white people environment nonetheless. He has those views in him and we see them appear when he sees the stability of his life threatened. His inner selfish self wants his life to continue being comfortable and so so he blames the nearest vulnerable person, Candido.
2) There were major diction changes in the novel due to the cultural differences between protagonists. The syntax was fairly constant. The Mexicans introduced in the story were all fairly vulgar and uneducated. They came form a low social class and so a poor education if any at all was expected from them. Delaney and his family, on the other hand, were educated people with higher ranked jobs that required skill and knowledge. They were also surrounded by people just like them if not higher on the social scale.
3) There are two protagonists. Candido is a static character. He has dreams, he works to fulfill them, he fails, and he starts all over throughout the novel. Delaney starts off as a laid back man. He has a job that doesn't require him to leave his house, he has set democratic ideals, and he loves his family. His life is almost carefree but we see his perspective on life change once he sees his own threatened. Instead of trying to resolve his problems he seeks people to blame them on. He goes from understanding to blinded. He knows Candido isn't the one responsible for all the problems in his life but he decides to take his anger out on him and chases him down. The very Candido ends up being his life saver.
4) This novel definitely introduced me to real life characters. The situations laid out in the novel are current. They are things that are happening right now. We see people like Candido and Delaney everyday. Many immigrants move into the United States in search of better lives and just like there are immigrants like Candido there are also white people like Delaney who live carefree lives filled with commodities. These are the two extreme of the spectrum. There is a middle class made up of both immigrants and whites among other ethnicities that don't live like the characters in the novel but these characters served as very good portrayals of such.

Sonnet Analysis Part I

The sonnet I chose, "Let me not to the marriage of true minds" by Shakespeare, speaks of what is classified as true love. Love must be kept unchanged even when the loved one is not present. Love is never shaken. Love serves as guide. Love's value cannot be determined for it is much to valuable. Love is not controlled by time but time does control the appearance of those involved. Love is everlasting. If this is proven false then Shakespeare never wrote and man never loved.

Big Question

What causes an individual to use traumatic events as motivation to succeed whereas others use them as excuses for their failure?

What is truly worth fighting for?

Vocabulary List #11 Remix

Affinity:



bilious:



cognate:



corollary:



cul-de-sac:



derring-do:



divination:



elixir:



folderol:



gamut:



hoi polloi:



ineffable:



lucubration:



mnemonic:



obloquy:



parameter:



pundit:



risible:



symptomatic:



volte-face:

Vocabulary List #11 Definitions

affinity: a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc.
bilious: peevish; irritable; cranky
cognate: related by birth; of the same parentage, descent, etc.
corollary: a preposition that is incidentally proved in providing another proposition
cul-de-sac: any situation in which further progress is impossible
derring-do: daring deeds; heroic daring
divination: perception by intuition; instinctive foresight
elixir: a sweetened, aromatic solution of alcohol and water containing, or used as a vehicle for, medicinal substance
folderol: trivial or nonsensical fuss
gamut: the entire scale or range
hoi polloi: the common people; the masses
ineffable: incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible
lucubration: laborious work, study, thought, etc., especially at night
mnemonic: assisting or intended to assist the memory
obloquy: censure, blame, or abusive language aimed at a person or thing, especially by numerous persons or by the general public
parameter: a variable that must be given a specific value during the execution of a program or of a procedure within a program
pundit: a learned person, expert, or authority
risible: causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous
symptomatic: pertaining to symptom or symptoms
volte-face: a turnabout, especially a reversal of opinion or policy

Sonnet

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove.

O no, it is an ever-fixèd mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wand'ring bark,

Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.

Love’s not time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle’s compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

  If this be error and upon me proved,

  I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

"LOVE THIS SONNET!!!!!!"

Growing My PLN

I actually used a link that I found on Ming Chen's blog instead of the ones I found because I liked hers more. The link is http://aplove.blogspot.com/2007/11/ap-lit-hamlet-actscene-notes.html . This blog was designed to help senior's taking the AP Literature course and in the blog there was a section for help on Hamlet. The section summarized scenes from the play in note form. I started by commenting on how well organized the section was. They took the main points from each scene and placed them on bullet points with the least amount of words possible.

"AP Hamlet PLN"

http://www.artsvivants.ca/pdf/eth/activities/hamlet_guide.pdf

This study guide gave a major analysis of the play. It started off by giving background information about the play itself and then went into the analysis of it. It had quotes and explanations that went along with the quotes. It wasn't written by students but it was directed toward them.

http://www.novelguide.com/hamlet/biography.html

This site had background information about Shakespeare himself and then went on to summarizing the entire play scene by scene. This was followed by an analysis of the scene, analysis of themes, and important quotes.

http://itintegrationsg.blogspot.com/2009/01/hamlet-study-chart.html

On this blog there was a chart with all the information you would really need to know from Shakespeare. The chart provided things such as characters, plot summaries, themes, etc. It was a general amount of information from the play placed on to an organized chart.

http://itintegrationsg.blogspot.com/2009/01/hamlet-study-chart.html

On this site there were AP questions about the play that went scene by scene. These questions helped direct the study of Hamlet and helped students review each scene while they answered the questions.

http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/discuss/students-studying-hamlet-55205

This source went on a question answer format. Students studying Hamlet asked questions they were having trouble on and other students that had a reasonable explanation replied. This was a student run study site in which students helped students. Some had different view points of course but for the most part they were able to help each other out.

"State Secrets in the Age of the Internet" Notes

• politicians such as Sarah Palin have want the government to take extra-legal steps against the website WikiLeaks disclosures' founder
• government employees warned not to download leaked documents
• some organizations that trade with WikiLeaks have taken away the services they once provided
• US arrested Julian Assange (founder) who is currently in custody in the UK and may face charges in Sweden
•  US wanting to prosecute Assange but he may not have committed an offense under US jurisdiction since he has the right to freedom of speech
• Assange aimed at attacking secrecy
• plan of no secrets in the states in impossible since it could be dangerous if some of the states information was disclosed to the public
• US shouldn't punish Assange in order to solve the problem
• it is better to debate laws rather than bend those that already exist
• US should do a better job at keeping secrets  

Literary Analysis The Kite Runner

General:
1) The kite runner tells  the story of a boy named Amir who grows up to be a man filled with regret and guilt. He experiences the rape of his servant but more than his servant Hassan was his best friend. Hassan and Amir shared a brotherly bond throughout their childhood even though they were aprt of different social classes. Baba, Amir's father, takes Hassan in like a son which he later turns out to be. Baba had had sex with  Hassan's mother who at the time worked for Baba. She was impregnated by Baba and he always felt the need to look over Hassan for he was his illegitimate son. Ali took Hassan in as his own son and raised him. Baba only provided shelter and essential necessities for Hassan and always gave him special treatment just as he did for Amir. Assef s the boy who rapes Hassan and the cause of such trauma in both the lives of Hassan and Amir. Hassan and his wife Farzana are killed and leave a son by the name of Sohrab. Amir finds this boy and takes him in as his own son. Sohrab is actually Amir's nephew and so the story ends with the opening of traumatized Sohrab to Amir.

2) This novel demonstrates the theme of guilt and compassion. Amir feels guilt because he did not help the young Hassan while he was being raped by Assef. For a while Amir also felt anger toward Hassan since he blamed his feeling of guilt on Hassan but Hassan had had no control over what had happened to him. Amir learns the feeling of compassion as he becomes older and begin to see the world in a different way. He sees how evil it can be and takes in Sohrab in order to finally appease his feeling of guilt. He pays Hassan by taking in his son and treating his as his own.

3) The authors tone is one of at times fast paced and at others serene. When Amirs faces Assef and fight him in order to take Sohrab with him the action is clearly described  The author tells of the ball in Asseft eye and the blood that gushes out. He describes Amir's wounds and the way the room was slowly being destroyed by each man's blow. The scene in which Hassan is being raped is described fully. Each move Asseef made on Hassan was painted in the mind of the reader by the author. The blood that dripped out of Hassan could be seen in the authors mind. The novel ends with Amir and Sohrab flying a kite together just the way Amir and Hassan used to do. The string is cut and Amir runs to retrieve the kite for Sohrab just like Hassan did for him. Amir is taken back to the day in which Hassan ran the kite for him and he screams out to Sohrab "For you a thousand times over."

4) Setting: The author describes the blood running down Hassan and painting the snow red. He creates the setting of an ally in which Hassan is raped. It is secluded and believable.

Indirect Characterization: The author makes Amir appear to be a spoiled and cowardly child. He hides his watch under Hassan's pillow in order to rid himself of him because he cant deal with the guilt of not having helped him when he needed it most he knew. He knew Hassan would have been brave enough to help him if he were in danger but he couldn't muster up the courage to do the same for him.

Symbolism: The pomegranate fruit and tree play an important role in the novel. The pomegranate tree becomes a place in which Amir and Hassan are close to one another and away from the world. It represents their friendship for at this tree they are one. The tree gives off the fruit that become the guilt and frustration that Amir feels toward Hassan after Hassan is raped. Hassan dares not fight back and takes in the dark feelings in form of pomegranates that Amir throws at him for he is loyal to Amir and loves him more than he loves himself.


Characterization:

1) In the novel Hassan in indirectly described as a loyal friend. He stands up for Amir when Assef and his friends are harassing both Amir and Hassan. Hassan also lets Amir take his anger out on him when AMir throws the pomegranates at him. Hassan does not deny having stolen Amir's watch for he does not want to make Amir appear as a liar and Hassan enjoys learning from and serving Amir. Amir is a coward but redeems himself as he gets older. Amir does not help Hassan when he need him most. He blames Hassan for getting raped and making Amir feel such guilt. Amir becomes a strong man and returns to Kabul where he finds and takes Sohrab only to make him his own child and give back to the dead Hassan.

2) The only time the diction really changes is when different characters are speaking. Assef is one that speaks cold and perverse words. Amir is a mixture of good and unintentionally bad a Hassan is completely good. Hassan speaks wise and peaceful words of love and loyalty toward Amir. The novel shows things from Amir's point of view and so showes a biased side of things. We see what amir is thinking and feeling and learn about hte character through his eyes. The book shows a mixture of emotions adn changes fro Amir goes through these changes as he gets older.

3) The protagonist Amir is a dyna,ic character. He starts off as a spoiled boy who is incapable of dealing with pain and problems. He is used to having life easy and to getting what he wants without having to try hard to get it. He has luxuries and he has servants who do as he pleases. After Hassan's rape he becomes angry with the feeling of guilt and takes it out on Hassan.  As he grown up to be a man he realized what he did was wrong for now he know the world and sees it in a different way. He faces his problems and fights to redeem himself  He fights for Sohrab and triumphs.

4) I absolutely love this novel. I couldn't directly identify with the characters, but they were definitely true characters. The problems they were facing such as war and discrimination are problem that exist in modern times. they show qualities humans posses such as anger, fear, and pain. The rape scene was a true painting of what occurs during war. Children are hurt and corrupted by the evils of war. Some become so messed up they commit unspeakable things and their childhood is taken fro their hands. The characters were able to portray the effect of war and the different reactions of people to different problems.

Tools That Change the Way We Think

As technology improves we become more and more dependent on it. We use it for homework, we use it for work, we use it for entertainment, etc. For some technology is a life saver and for others it consumes time that could have been used on something productive. Internet and media broaden your view on issues of the world. Some of these issues include things that matter such as politics and natural disasters but others only fill our minds with things we could easily go without knowing. These are mostly seen in media where they discuss the lives of those "famous" individuals. We fill our lives with the problems of others simply because they are "famous." Internet can serve as a huge distraction just as much as it can serve as a great source in which one can go to for help. Our entire AP English course is based on using technology and our blogs but at the same time i often find myself wasting time on YouTube. Technology can be as harmful as it can be helpful. You can learn so much from the internet. It can help you understand the world around you, it can help you achieve goals, and it can help you through obstacles. It makes the finding of information a lot simpler than it used to be back when people had to read through large books in order to find answers. Today one can just type in a topic they want to read more about and thousands of results are just a click away. People in the past went far with the limited amount of tools they had. We can get far but some may find it difficult to do if they did not count on the tools offered. It is true that we have become lazy and we rely greatly on finding easy ways out. Technology has created these easy ways out and most of us use them on a daily basis. It is good to keep it all balanced. We continue to rely on textbooks in school which requires us to search for answers we need. We can combine the search in books with search in the internet and this keeps gives us balance. Technology, internet, and media serve as ways of entertainment. Entertainment often lowers our stress levels and can have a positive effect on our lives. 

Notes on Hamlet

     I was never reluctant to reading Hamlet. I actually looked forward to reading it. I spoiled the play completely from the very beginning because I read a quick summary of the play but this helped me understand it a bit more. I haven't been surprised by the events but still like the play. It's not as difficult to understand as Romeo and Juliet was (in my opinion) but I liked Romeo and Juliet a lot more. This is mostly because it's a tragic yet romantic play whereas Hamlet is just tragic and full of desires for vengeance. It was a bit obvious that Hamlet was going to seek revenge against Claudius, the man who killed his father but the way he went about it was surprising and awfully clever. He set him up with the play he has the players put on and went from there since this helped him make sure he wasn't committing an injustice. I see us continuing the play from here, obviously, but the tragic side of the play will now begin to unfold bringing it to its end.

Who was Shakespeare

     William Shakespeare, from Stratford-upon-Avon, England, was an English playwright and poet. Born on April 23, 1564, Shakespeare became a popular figure due to his numerous plays and sonnets. He was born into a family that was well off. William, Shakespeare's father, was a successful local businessman and his mother Mary was the daughter of a landowner. At age 18 Shakespeare married a woman by the name Anne Hathaway. He had three children with Anne but one of his boys, Hamlet, dies at age 11. Shakespeare spent most of his life in London writing and preforming his plays. He did not mind spending time away from his family to which he came to only during lent when theaters were closed. He wrote 154 sonnets that dealt with things such as lost love. Shakespeare's plays dealt with tragedy, comedy, and history. They have been studied more than any other piece of English writing and have been translated into an innumerable amount of languages. He died in 1664. His life is not very clear to use to this day but his plays and sonnets have been left only to be discovered by generations to come.

http://www.biographyonline.net/poets/william_shakespeare.html

     From what I have seen, most student dislike Shakespeare because they find his work challenging. There are exceptions to this of course. Some students enjoy Shakespearean work and enjoy trying to understand it.  It's all about learning to read the words of Shakespeare. It's about learning to make connections to literature that is out of most students' comfort zone. After is is understood students can see that it isn't such a difficult concept to grasp.
     I have always found Shakespeare's work to be mysterious and puzzle like. It is not easy to understand but the more of his work I read in school, the more I understand it. His plays are not to complicated when it comes to plot analysis. It's the language understanding that used to throw me off. I have improved a lot in my Shakespeare understanding.

To Facebook or Not to Facebook

     I started using Facebook not to long ago. At first it seemed pointless and extremely boring. I began to acquire friends and Facebook became an addiction. I spent hours on it. Hours thrown to the trash because nothing I did on Facebook helped me in any way. I continued to use it and I continued to waste more and more time every time I logged on. I got over it though. I spent hardly any time on Facebook now.
     Facebook can be beneficial though. Some of my classmates have created groups in for our AP courses. In these groups people exchange information and help each other out om homework and studying. Facebook can also be used as a place in which one can network and meet people that can actually contribute to your life in a positive way.
    With the article I see most pre-teens and teens join Facebook just for fun. They want nothing more than to interact with friend and view pictures of each other. Although this seems like fun, some of them fall victims of bullying and harassment. Things like pictures and videos of teenagers can be uploaded to Facebook and can lead their their lives to ruin or maybe even end them. Parents must be very careful and must monitor and limit their children's activity on Facebook.

Vocabulary List #9 Remix

     During the time of ancient Rome, great creatures roamed the Earth. Creatures responsible for destruction but mainly for their infamous Saturnalian sabotage. These creatures were called Pythious. They were at the peak of activity during the month of December for during this month, the Romans were greatly engaged into their celebrations in honor of Saturn. Pythious needed humans in order to have their babies. They used human blood to feed their young but they themselves ate humans whole. The Romans had been trying to rid themselves of such demonic creatures for hundreds of years but were abortive each time. Pythious continued to raid their days of festivities with loud bruits and violence.Romans had also tried making peace with the evil creatures but this only resulted in contemptuous treatment from the Pythious since they were uncivilized creatures and were unwilling to  compromise.
     Romans were tired of the violence and mistreatment and so the King made a dictum against the Pythious. This dictum would surely ensconce the problems between the Romans and the Pythious but the Pythious would not give in without a fight. The iconoclastic Pythious cared not for human power. Young Romans found themselves in medias res for they were the Pythious' main target but they were also the ones that would be facing the creatures in battle.
     The young Roman soldiers were maladroit yet brave and honorable. Some were even found to be a bit maudlin but these were the younger soldiers. All the Romans wanted was to modulate the situation but the creatures wanted war and war they got.
     The portentous beginning of the war was only prescience into how bloody it would be. Many Pythious and men were killed. Both sides fought hard and with passion. The war was insalubrious for even those that were not actually fighting.  The traumatic war finally came to an end.
     Both sides came to a quid pro quo in which the Romans would sacrifice only one human each December to the Pyhtious god and the Pythious would stop tormenting the Romans and would search the world for other people to feed on. This was the ultimate touchstone for both sides which turned out be successful. The deal was later vitiated and the only ones that truly benefited from the whole issue were those waggish individuals who did not care about it in the first place.

Vocabulary List # 9 Defiinitions

abortive: failing to succeed; unsuccessful

bruit: noise; din; clamor

contumelious: insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or humiliating treatment

dictum: an authoritative pronouncement; judicial assertion

ensconce: to settle securely or snugly

iconoclastic: attacking or ignoring beliefs and long-held traditions, etc., as being based on error, superstition, or lack of creativity

in medias res: in the middle of things

internecine: of or pertaining to conflict or struggle within a group 

maladroit: unskillful; awkward; bungling

maudlin: tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental

modulate: to regulate by or adjust to a certain measure or proportion 

portentous: ominously significant or indicative

prescience: knowledge of things before they exist or happen; foresight

quid pro quo: one thing in return for another

salubrious: favorable to or promoting health

saturnalian: the festival of Saturn, celebrated in December in ancient Rome as a time of unrestrained merrymaking  

touchstone: a test or criterion for the qualities of a thing

traumatic: of, pertaining to, or produced by a trauma or wound

vitiate: to impair the quality of; make faulty; spoil

waggish: roguish in merriment and good humor 

Hamlet Act III Scene I Remix

Claudius can't seem to understand why Hamlet is acting so strangely not that he truly cares but must look like he does. He's confused.

Gertrude doesn't understand what is wrong with her son. She wants answers because Hamlet is her son. She's a concerned mother. She's confused. 

                                           

Guildenstern and Rosencrantz have tried to help the King and Queen by talking to Hamlet and trying to cheer him up but the are now in a worse position than they were before. They are worried. They are confused.

Polonius thinks he knows why Hamlet is acting strange. He thinks he is love sick but he really doesn't know. He's confused.

Ophelia is just standing by following orders and being used to decipher Hamlet's gloominess. She's confused.

So  these characters are all being played by the clever Hamlet who has them all wondering why he's been acting weird and why he's been so sad lately. They are all just completely confused. 

Midterm Autopsy

I think I did alright on my vocab midterm. I could have done better but i guess that was my fault. I studied but maybe if I had studied a bit more then i could have obtained a perfect score. There isn't a different approach I can take to do better on the final other than study study study. Practice makes perfect and so practicing the words over and over again will surely get me a perfect score on the final.

Vocabulary List #8 Hamlet Summary Act 1

     A the beginning of the play we are introduced to Bernardo, Francisco, Marcellus, and Horatio. These characters are watchmen who seem to be standing in abeyance when they should be keeping watch. Bernardo tells Horatio of a ghost that has been beleaguering the watchmen during midnight. Horatio does not  believe Horatio but is quick to change his mind when he witnesses the ghost. Horatio is in a state of shock and seems queasy at the sight of the ghost. The ghost seems to be a fastidious spirit since he will not speak to the watchmen even when they dare demand it. The ghost gambols away every time the watchmen want it to tell them what it wants.
      Back at at the castle, Hamlet's uncle Claudius has recently married his mother even though it has only been two months since his father's death. There is no trace of ambivalence in Hamlet's words for he knows he is against his mother's marriage, but is willing to deal with it. Hamlet viewed Claudius as a debauch affecting his mother for she used to be a pure and happy being while she was with his father but now she is a n incestuous women.  Hamlet was told by his mother and Claudius to get over the death of his father. Claudius thought it was unmanly of him to continue mourning the deceased king.
     Claudius gave Laertes permission to go back to France since the wedding was over and he had a life to continue. Before leaving, Laertes told Ophelia she opt to stay away from Hamlet because he was only going to hurt her. He told her Hamlet was young and only looking for fun. She told Laetes she would and then Polonius joined in. Polonius also told her to stay away from the young Hamlet. He said he would do her no good. He described him as an inchoate teenager who didn't know what he wanted. Hamlet would only use her for eclat and and self-satisfaction. He thought of Ophelia as being a malleable young girl who would fall victim to Hamlet's devious plans. The secretly refractory Ophelia said she would stay away from Hamlet but inside she had different plans.
     Hamlet was told by the watchmen that a ghost of his father had been haunting around and so he was quick to investigate such claims. Hamlet encountered the ghost and talked to him privately even tough the watchmen advised him not to. What the ghost claimed would mark the beginning of a cataclysm. The ghost claimed to be Hamlet's father. He told Hamlet that eh had not died from a snake bite like people had claimed. He had actually been poisoned by his very own brother who had now become his true nemesis. With his words, the ghosts imbued Hamlet into avenging his death. Hamlet now had carte blanche and had to keep it.The philistine Claudius had betrayed his own brother and had married his former wife. Hamlet told the ghost he would please him and would make Claudius pay. No simple lampoon would ever be enough to avenge the king. Hamlet would have to take more drastic measures. Hamlet's savior-faire allowed the ghost to leave in peace for he knew Hamlet would obey his request.
     The watchmen wanted to know all that was said between Hamlet and the ghost but Hamlet would not budge. He made them swear they would keep quiet about the ghost and the less than picaresque watchmen swore they would not say a word.

Vocabulary List #8 Definitions

Abeyance: temporary inactivity

Ambivalent: simultaneous and contradictory feelings

Beleaguer: trouble, harass

Carte blanche: full discretionary power

Cataclysm: a momentous and violent event marked by overwhelming upheaval and demolition; event that brings great changes

Debauch: to lead away from virtue or excellence

Éclat: ostentatious display; publicity

Fastidious: having high and often capricious standards; difficult to please

Gambol: to skip about in play

Imbue: to permeate or influence as if by dyeing

Inchoate: being only partly in existence or operation

Lampoon: a harsh satire usually directed against an individual

Malleable: capable of being extended or shaped by beating with a hammer or by the pressure of rollers

Nemesis: a formidable and usually victorious rival or opponent

Opt: to make a choice especially to decide in favor of something

Philistine: person guided by materialism and is usually disdainful of intellectual or artistic values

Picaresque: of, relating to, or being a type of fiction dealing with the episodic adventures of a usually roguish protagonist

Queasy: causing nausea

Refractory: resisting control or authority

Savior-faire: the ability to say or do the right or graceful thing

Midterm Reflection

1) Most of it went quite well actually. I was happy to see the entire midterm was matching. It could have been more difficult but it wasn't. There must be some kind of vocabulary god that convinced Dr. Preston into making the test so simple.
2) There were a couple of words I was a bit hesitant on but i gave it my best shot and hopefully got them right.
3) I'd say about 2/3 of the content will stick to my mind but sometimes I come across vocabulary words I think I don't know anymore but I surprisingly remember.
4) I think I did a good job studying but I guess next time I could study a bit more to eliminate all hesitation on any one answer that may throw me off.

Dear Ophelia,

I understand you are having boy trouble. It's common among teenagers so don't worry yourself to much. Although it may seem like a polemic topic it isn't really that much of a problem at all. Boys are noxious beings but not all of them are the same. You must choose wisely. I'm sure you are a resplendent young lady and any boy would be lucky to have you. Now, if you feel the right one is Hamlet then go for it. If he's the one that makes you go into that rare state of euphoria then he's worth it. Love can sometimes be seen as an impasse for one cannot escape it once one has fallen into it. No vendetta can possibly defeat love. It doesn't matter what size the grudge may be. Your brother has a different perspective from what you are telling me. He doesn't see what a flamboyant young man Hamlet is. These fervid feelings you have for Hamlet must be fulfilled and being with him will bring you that self-fulfillment. Your gargantuan love is all you need to overcome any obstacle no matter how big it may be. Kudos to you for having the courage to share this with the world.

Best of luck,
Liz

Midterm Study Strategy

I like the old-fashioned way of studying, flashcards! I find it simple and effective. You write the word on one side and the definition on the other. I go through all of them once s separate them into three stacks. The first stack has the ones I don't have to study because I know them well. The second stack has the ones I kind of know but could study a bit more. The third stack has the ones I don't know at all and need to be urgently studied.

Hamlet Learning Communities

http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/q-and-a/

- This site has people ask questions on Hamlet others respond. Questions range from simple scene explanations to deeper analysis of passages and characters.

 http://danhutton.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/hamlet-by-william-shakespeare/

- This site discusses Hamlet plays that have been acted out in different ways. At the bottom of the commentary there is a discussion about opinions on such plays and their effect on the audience.

http://federalistpublicola.com/2010/02/04/shakespeares-the-tragedy-of-hamlet-prince-of-denmark/

- This commentary on Hamlet was done by a person majoring in Political Philosophy and American Studies. In it he discusses ideas in the soliloquies found throughout the play. The comments simply add to the ideas previously presented.

"Pre-Will" Questions

a)     Hamlet was the prince of Denmark who lived a life of grief, hence the nickname "Melancholy Dane." His father died and his mother remarried Hamlets uncle. A ghost in the Castle (Hamlet's father) told Hamlet that it had been the uncle himself that had killed his own brother and the death had to be avenged. Hamlet took on the challenge and although he was a bit skeptical about following the orders of a ghost, he ended up proving it was true. Towards the end Hamlet and his ex-friend had a sword fight but the uncle (now king) tries to kill Hamlet by cheating. At the end Hamlet, the uncle, and the friend end up dead. (the mom had died before them from poisoning) ------ (yes I researched it:)
b)     William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon . He was an English poet and playwright. his work has been translated into  every major language. Oh, and he writes in iambic pentameter. okay, that's all I know.....
c)     Humans are fear what they don't understand. Shakespeare's writing is one of those things people don't really take the time to understand so they live fearing it. Most students are not fond of reading and when they read Shakespeare they have to work twice as hard for now they are reading but they are also having to look up what they don't understand. When a reader  reads modern English, they can skip over some words they don't understand and still understand the text fairly well, but when reading Shakespeare, it is crucial for the reader to understand the language and what is being said for if they don't then they miss the meaning of the writing.
d)     A simple summary of the text as we read along would be of great help in the understanding of the play. I think that's all that is really needed to take the stress off of reading any one of Shakespeare's intricate plays.

Vocabulary List # 7 Sentences

1. He had killed three women and hurt two. It was do to an aberration in in his mind.
2. More employees will be hired in an ad hoc situation.
3. We found the little girl to be the bane in the fight that ended the man's life.
4. The student became bathos when the class became aware of his wealthy parents.
5.4. The cantankerous child was driving his mother crazy.
6. The teenage boy's bad  behavior was straightened out through casuistry.
7. He seemed kind but de facto he could be a very angry man at times.
8.  The pirates were engaged in an act of depredation against the opposing pirates.
9. He felt empathy for the girl who had just lost her mother since she herself had gone through the same pain a couple of years ago.
10. The harbinger had encountered a man who claimed to know where the group of explorers could spend the night.
11.  Those engaged in hedonism seem to live a life of happiness and peace.
12. The boy showed a lackluster personality when he was at school but transformed into a bundle of sunshine once he was home.
13. She seemed malcontent after the funeral was over even though she had not met her grandfather.
14. The mellifluousness of the story gave in clarity.
15. The job was passed on to the following employee based on nepotism.
16. The man was liked and known for being a pander.
17. She let the peccadillo slide  the first time.
18. The fireworks were definitely the piece de resistance of the night.
19. The case seemed to be getting a bit more serious and so it was remanded.
20. She showed the facial characteristics of a person with down syndrome.

Vocabulary List # 7 Definitions

Aberration: unsoundness of disorder of the mind

Ad hoc: for the particular end or case at hand without consideration of wider application

Bane: a source of harm or ruin

Bathos: the sudden appearance of the commonplace in otherwise elevated matter or style

Cantankerous: difficult or irritating to deal with

Casuistry: a resolving of specific cases of conscience, duty, or conduct through interpretation of ethical principles or religious doctrine

De facto: in reality

Depredation: act of plundering or pillaging

Empathy: action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to and experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another

Harbinger: a person sent ahead to provide lodging

Hedonism: the doctrine that pleasures or happiness is the sole or chief good in life

Lackluster: lacking in sheen, brilliance, or vitality; dull

Malcontent: one who bears a grudge from a sense of grievance or thwarted ambition

Mellifluous: having a smooth rich flow

Nepotism: favoritism based on kinship

Pander: to provide gratification for others’ desires

Peccadillo: a slight offense

Piece de resistance: an outstanding item or event

Remand: to send back to another court or agency for further action

Syndrome: a group of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterize a particular abnormality or condition 

The House on Mango Street Literary Analysis by Sandra Cisneros

GENERAL
1.   The book The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is about the process of maturing through the eyes of a twelve year old Chicana girl named Esperanza. Esperanza moves to a house on Mango St. with her parents, two brothers, and younger sister. She soon sees the separation of sexes in her neighborhood when she observes the way in which boys stay away from girls while they are outside. Her own brothers ignore her since it is not "right" for boys to interact with girls. She starts school and finds little friends. She befriends two sisters by the name of Lucy and Rachel. Together they go through various experiences that helps then mature each time. Esperanza dreams of a better house. She is ashamed of her on bedroom one bathroom house. Throughout the story she meets people that add to her knowledge of what adult life is like. She finds her first love to be a boy by the name of Sire who already has a girlfriend. She wants to be just like this girl but her mother is quick to try and convince her otherwise. Toward the end of the story, Esperanza is faced with an event that changes her. She is sexually assaulted by non-chicano boys at a carnival. Her first sexual experience is nothing like she had imagined. At the end of the story we see how what Esperanza truly wants is to leave Mango St. to one day come back for those who are unable to escape.
2.   The theme of The House on Mango Street is the coming of age. Esperanza starts off as a curious girl searching for acceptance among other children. She has grown up in a society in which women are thought of as less. Men as seen as the superior sex. Her father does not enforce this idea in their family so we see how Esperanza and her sister have a greater amount of liberty than other girls, such as Sally, have. Esperanza goes through a journey in which she changes and grows into a young lady. All of the people she meets add to to her view on life. Most of the girls she meets seem to be a lot more mature than her and her younger sister Nenny. Some await marriage others are already married and have children. Esperanza is beginning to flourish  but the people around her seem to be fast forwarding the process.
3.   The House on Mango Street has a hopeful tone (hence the name Esperanza) although at times it seemed to also show the sense of hopelessness. Esperanza  is a quick learner. She is bright on an intellectual level as well as on a worldly level. She learns a lot from Marin who teaches her about boys as well as how girls act and how they should be seen. Although there seems to be a dead end when it comes to escaping Mango St., Esperanza still has hop that someday she will escape its hold on her and she will discover a world different from the one she is so accustomed to. The story tells about some unfortunate events but ends on a good note. The most tragic event, Esperanza's assault, leads to the closing of the story in which we learn of Esperanza's plans to  leave Mango St. and return for those who could not leave. Esperanza's very name means hope. "In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means to many letters." Esperanza hopes to one day live in a house better than the one she lives in with her family. She hopes for this to one day come true. "...a real house that would be ours for always..."
4.   The House on Mango Street  uses a very simple/readable style of writing. It has no complicated text and Cisneros seems to make it as easy to read as possible. The book also consists of symbolism. "Four skinny trees with skinny necks and pointy elbows like mine. Four who do not belong here but are here." (Four Skinny Trees) Here the trees symbolize how out of place Esperanza feels in the neighborhood she lives in. The setting also plays an important part in the development of the story. It is set on the house on Mango St. which is Esperanza's overall problem. "The house has only one washroom. Everyone has to share a bedroom-..." (The House on Mango Street) The story is filled with minor conflict that makes up a greater conflict. Each character adds to the maturing the Esperanza but some bring confusion and doubt to her. The climax of the story occurs when Esperanza is sexually assaulted for this marks the end to her childhood. "He said I love you, I love you, Spanish girl." (Red Clowns) The resolution occurs when we learn that Esperanza has decided to leave Mango St. and then come back for those who are unable to leave. (Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes)

CHARACTERIZATION
1.    Esperanza is described through indirect characterization when she tells us about how she views her current situation at the beginning of the book. She tells us about the places in which she has lived before finally buying their house on Mango Street which is just as bad. It is small and later on we see how embarrassed she is because she lives there. She is a girl with dreams,  her main one being to leave Mango Street. Sally is also described indirectly. We see through her actions with the boys that she is a bit of a pervert and way to ahead for her age. I didn't see any real direct characterization in the story. Most character descriptions were made through the descriptions of others or through the descriptions of their surroundings. I think the author decided to only use one approach because she wanted to incorporate the physical surroundings of the characters into the story, since they played such an important role, and describing characters through descriptions of surroundings would accomplish this.
2   The author doesn't really tend to change the syntax/diction when focusing on character since. again, its a simple book. The story is viewed entirely through the eyes of Esperanza. She describes the settings and gives the reader insight on the characters. The story is biased toward the smaller characters since it is all told through the eyes of thirteen year old Esperanza.
3.   The protagonist, Esperanza, is definitely dynamic and round. She starts off as a naive girl who slowly learns about growing up as the story unfolds. At the beginning all she wanted to do was play and interact with the children living in the neighborhood but then she begins to interest herself in boys and sexual matters. She becomes curious and is disappointed at the end because it isn't what she expected so she goes on to worry about greater things like leaving Mango Street.
4.   I met a character through this story. A character that went through stages of life everyone experiences. She was a curious girl filled with desires and dreams. She had set goals that became stronger as the story unfolded. She wanted to become something greater and learned a lot along the way. I viewed her as a really character after she is abused by the boys at the fair. She tells of how much anger she feels toward Sally because she left her alone. She tries to place the blame on someone which is a common human reflex.

                                 

The House on Mango Street Notes

house on mango street notes

Vocabulary List # 6 Sentences

1. The obsequious child told the teacher every bad action made by his classmates.
2. He found himself in state of complete beatitude on the rare days he went to church.
3. She turned herself into a bete noire thanks to the way in which she treated others.
4. Her bode act was useless for I was unable to understand what she was trying to indicate with her signs.
5. The dry dirt became dank mud with the rain.
6. The internet is an ecumenical device used by millions of people.
7. There honeymoon was filled with fervid emotions.
8. Dead bodies in state of decomposition give off a fetid smell.
9. His love for her was pure and gargantuan.
10. His heyday was over after he graduated form high school.
11. The child tormentor was seen an incubus to him so he was suspended.
12. The building collapsed due to its weak infrastructure.
13. It was easy to get what I wanted as a child for I relied on inveigle tactics.
14. Kudos to Tony for his links to the site.
15. With the purchase of a set of plates, you receive a fork set lagniappe.
16. His speech seemed more like a pointless prolix.
17. My little sister seems to be on the way to success thanks to me so I feel like she's like my protege.
18. The wheel was once a prototype that lead to what we have today.
19. Sometimes being a sycophant to the right people can benefit you greatly although it can be annoying to others.
20. The professor seemed to be speaking in a tautological form the entire year which is why I failed the class.
21. Sometimes you have to hold your pride and truckle in order to get what you want.  

AP 2011 Essay Scoring Guidelines Notes

AP 2011 Essay Scoring Notes

Notes pg.64-82

Notes pg.64-82

Vocabulary List #5 Sentences

1) His political acumen wasn't enough for him to defeat his opponent.

2) Her trial was fairly adjudicated in the state courts.

3) The anachronisms found in the novel made it difficult to understand.

4) Her excuse for being late seemed very apocryphal.

5) There seemed to be a strong disparity between the girls on who had truly discovered American.

6) She was trained to dissimulate for her dream was to become an actress.

7) The empirical data collected was used to develop a proper experiment.

8) Her flamboyant personality scared boys away.

9) Her happiness was so fulsome when she was with her best friend.

10) Men used to immolate other men to the Gods.

11) The amount of pain she was going through was completely imperceptible to the rest of the world.

12) The lackey was treated with disrespect and was often pushed around by his superiors.

13) She offered herself as a liaison between her two best friends. This way they would continue having some kind of contact. 

14) All the pieces became monolithic once completely assembled.

15) The word "arrogant" seemed to serve as a mot juste when describing her boyfriend.
16) His nihilistic viewpoint was depressing and of great harm to his children.
17) The patrician ordered that all men be killed.
18) He tried to settle the dispute in an attempt to propitiate the angry mob.
19) She could not contain her anger and so she sicced her dog and it obediently attacked.
20) She tried to sublimate her pain by fully engaging in her homework but it was all done in vain.    

Vocabulary List #5 Definitions

Acumen: keep insight; shrewdness

Adjudicate: to settle judicially

Anarchism: an error in chronology

Apocryphal: of doubtful authenticity

Disparity: made up of different and often inconsistent elements

Dissimulate: to hide under a false appearance

Empirical: originating in or based on observation or experience

Flamboyant: marked by strikingly elaborate or colorful display of behavior

Fulsome: characterized by abundance

Immolate: to offer on sacrifice

Imperceptible: not perceptible by a sense or by the mind; extremely slight or gradual

Lackey: someone who does menial tasks and runs errands for another

Liaison: a close bond or connection; interrelationship

Monolithic: consisting of or constituting a single unit

Mon Juste: the exact, appropriate word

Nihilism: a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless

Patrician: a person of high birth

Propitiate: to gain or regain the favor or goodwill of

Sic: to incite or urge to an attack, pursuit, or harassment

Sublimate: to divert the expression of from its unacceptable form to one that is considered more socially or culturally acceptable