Conclusion to my Blogs

Looking back at all of my blogs throughout the year it was difficult to pick out a running theme or meaning to blogs including one examining the romance of Hey Arnold and another talking about violent imagery in For Whom the Bell Tolls. But one thing I have noticed is my tendency to try to relate the topic in the way I see it, through my writing, what I reference, even how I say basic themes I've tried to do it in my own way. I may not have understood everything or had my own "unique" thought but even then I tried to compare it to something I did understand or through terms that allowed me to relate. When I compare the love theme of Romeo and Juliet to a kid's TV show it's because that was a place where I noticed it, albeit in a basic form, but in remembering it and seeing that in something I did understand helped me know the work better. Even with themes I could understand like dissatisfaction, friendship, the want for something better I had my own personal viewpoint on them. And I think my viewpoint has tried to show the theme of being an independent being in control of yourself. In examining Romeo and Juliet use of dream's I agree that dreams have meaning but more as a warning, a warning to change your future not just to mindlessly bore onwards into any obstacles. I blamed Pip in Great Expectations for his lot in life, as he chose his path. He should try to change things instead of constantly moaning. He eventually changed and did right but that was his duty in the first place. I think that people should live life to their own ends, and to get what you or they want they have to strive to achieve it. In my examination of Somewhere to Paris I say that being happy with your lot in life is of the utmost importance, and if that's not true it's up to you to change your situation. I think this is what I've shown, on purpose or not that is the running theme, one that I agree with as well.


Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.
-William James

Essay Writing

Speaking of the skills relevant to essay writing, I believe I have gained and/or refined those skills throughout the year. Which I hope will be relevant in my essay. The skills involving both literary terms and how to express my thesis and opinions in a manner both relevant and succinct. I have learned how commentary should relate to the concrete details, and what commentary should be like, original and new. Gaining these skills has helped quite a bit in essay writing, and writing overall, learning what makes a piece of work easy/fun to read, how the pacing of a work should play out and many other things.

I do think that on occasion I have problems in expressing the original thoughts I do have. I have a hard time condensing all I want to say into a single essay and I will have problems both relating commentary to solid examples. I think I have a few things to learn but overall the year has taught a lot.

Summer Reading List

This Summer I plan on reading both The Candle of Distant Earth by Alan Dean Foster, it's the final book of a trilogy I've been reading and I want to get into it. I really love the story and each new book introduces completely new ideas and environments so they stay fresh and reading never feels boring.

I will also read Lord Sunday by Garth Nix, it's the seventh book in a series I've read and even though some of the magic has been lost I need to see how it ends. Garth Nix has always been one of my favorite authors and even if this series has been drawn a little thin I still love the writing style.

There will probably be a few other books as well as the required reading but those are first on the list.

Theme and motif: Dreams

Throughout the play characters have dreams and get feelings of what will happen in the future that they sometimes believe and sometimes don't. The characters almost always ignore these signs though, and that ends up bringing them harm. I had a dream when I was starting this year and had failed a biology test. The dream was a few days before the following test and I had dreams and constant feelings of failing and then failing the class and the trend continuing to the point where I fail school and my life is completely destroyed. It was strange and I completely believed it even though it's nay on impossible to fail because of test corrections. But I was very worried about failing and studied hard for the following test and was completely satisfied with a B. Which I would normally dislike.

I would also align myself more with Romeo's view of dream's the belief in the power or at least relevance of dreams seems unavoidably real. Your mind can tell you a lot and I don't think it is always random nonsense. Dreams have to come from somewhere.

This motif carries a lot of weight in the play, and this is shown very clearly in act III. Romeo's feeling that he will die because of that party is beginning to come to fruition and though this was not a dream the Friar's warning not to rush into their love was not heeded and this has produced severe consequences, some might even say it caused Tybalt's death and Romeo's banishment. The motif of dreams is significant both in what it produces and in the fact that it help represents the immobility of fate. And the destiny of "the star-crossed lovers."

Culture Shock

Romeo and Juliet is referenced in a TV show I loved growing up, Hey Arnold, throughout the entirety of the series Helga and Arnold liked each other but never thought they could show it. But, in the episode where their class actually performs Romeo and Juliet Arnold gets the part of Romeo and Helga goes to great lengths to be Juliet. Her mom tells everyone that the only reason she's not Juliet is so she doesn't have to kiss Arnold. And Arnold's grandpa argues with her to no end. But Helga makes it so the other girl cannot be in the play and she becomes Juliet, getting to kiss Arnold and showing their love.

Link: http://www.bigvidpro.com/?v=VxCFWCOZQYOUgqap9nPrLw

Plot summary: The school is doing the play "Romeo & Juliet." Arnold lands the role as Romeo, so Helga will do anything to beat out the other girls to get the part of Juliet, so that she can kiss Arnold in the final scene.

Arnold and Helga never showed their love because they were too embarrased to do so, they both wanted to be together but because of their friends and their family they never were. And though they wanted to be together they never felt able to. Helga's family moves away after they try and change the neighborhood while Arnold's family trying to stop them. The fight goes on until Helga says she wants to mave to see Arnold stop suffering from the fight. While this isn't them killing themselves their love is ended as is the feud and it's because of their love. This is a very clear reference to Romeo and Juliet throughout the season.

Great Expectations Skit Post

I think that the dialogue and proceeding action of Miss Havisham throwing herself in a fire (404) would be excellent to act out because it is not too boring and involves things that would be fun to act out. Another scene that would be fun to act out would be the beginning where Pip first meets the convict, this scene has a lot of action and I think would be entertaining to watch. A final scene

i would like to perform would be when Trabb's boy ridicules Pip, I like the scene and think it would be fun while it, like all of them, is important to the story and compares Pip to

Wopsle.

Another Great Expectation Question

The Question I have right now is: why is the other convict, Compeyson, trying to find Magwitch? Is he trying to seek revenge? This doesn't make sense because it was Magwitch who tried to stop him and he had tried to flee him, Magwitch even sacrificing his freedom to stop him from profiting. Maybe something happened in between theses time periods but it seems unlikely as he was sheep farming. If he is free again why would he want to find Magwitch?

Question about a passage

The question I have was brought up by this passage on page 270, "I should have been chary of discussing my guardian too freely, even with her, but I should have gone on with the subject so far as to describe the dinner in Gerrard Street, if she had not then come into a sudden glare of gas. It seemed, while it lasted, to be all alight and alive with that inexplicable feeling I had had before; and when we were out of it, i was as much dazed for a few moments as if i had been in lightning." Firstly, I don't understand what is going on, it seems as though she farted but that seems against her character and Pip's reaction "as if i had been in lightning" doesn't seem like a reaction to a fart. More importantly though I don't understand if this was supposed to have relevance on their relationship, Pip being caught before he said too much of his guardian and realizing how he is unable to control himself in front of her. It seems very out of place.

Great Expectations: Photo Post

I chose a picture of a wooden signpost because the signpost in the story is the object that Pip touches as he leaves his home and all that he's ever known. He never cried before about his coming trip to London or his leaving of Joe and Biddy, but as he's walking alone and he finally realizes all that he's giving up he stops by a wooden signpost and finally cries and feels his emotions about going somewhere new with a possibility of never returning. He may have always wanted to leave but he realizes the good things about his life just as he loses it all. The signpost represents his leaving and his accepting of that fact. The signpost is the place and the thing to which he reveals his true emotions.

Great Expectations: The First Stage

The chain that Pip refers to is his relationship with Miss Havisham and Estella, the formation of the link is how he was draw into this relationship by complete coincidence and how it linked him to the chain forevermore. Pip is altered in many ways, how he sees himself and his home, he gains unknown feelings for these two people and in his aspirations in life. Pip now thinks of himself as to "common", in being looked down upon by Estella he gains a very harsh self-image and he looks upon his home life and his guardians badly as well. Even Joe, who was his closest friend and saviour from his sister, seems to common to Pip. He wants to impress both Miss Havisham and Estella, but particularly the latter, for he wants them to look upon him well and feels that they're better for being "oncommon." His former profession, to be apprenticed to and later become a blacksmith, seems horrible too him now, he feels that it's not good enough and feels that Estella and Miss Havisham would look down on him for it.

I joined a link the day my first brother was born and it made it's second circle around when my second was. Those were the days that made me an eldest child and gave me two family members that I feel responsible for and feel that I owe them something. On those days I didn't realise the significance of them but I do now, two people I'll know for my entire life and will, if everything goes well, be here after I'm dead came into the world on those days. They're the only people I feel I owe help or assistance too . This chain altered my life immensely and changed my perspective forever. I will always be linked in this chain and am glad of it.

Group Collaboration Paragraph

In my paragraph I have my intro start talking about the characters using deception to get what they want so, Michael, if you could tie that in to your conclusion it would be great.

I use CDs about the character's reactions and uses of deception on page 50, 80 and 88. I know we aren't overlapping so that is good. Michaela if you could mention how your small ways are used to pursue pleasure it would bring the essay together well.

Being Earnest and Victorian research

Victorian Era research has enhanced my understanding of The Importance of Being Earnest by giving me and understanding of a woman's position in Victorian Society, the class system and the differences between the social institutions of then and now. The Victorian Era research helped me understand why some things in the play seem a little dated or strange, and why some of the stuff happened or why it happened like it did. Being written in a different age than now sometimes the woman's character or the discussion of classes is hard to relate to or understand so the research spread some light on why that is. Jack says "Oh! One doesn't blurt these things out to people." on page 30. He doesn't want to tell Gwendolen about his ward, partly because of what issues that'll bring up but also because Gwendolen is supposed to be sheltered as she is a lady and shouldn't be in the light of the bad or dishonest things people do. The same applies to Cecily, the entire reason Jack bunbury's is because he feels he needs to be a positive role model to Cecily and show the utmost proper behaviour. Woman are supposed to be protected and sheltered and not have to live in the real world or see it for what it is. This applies because in the Victorian Age woman were subservient to men and were not treated as equals or allowed to make their own decisions.

The research also gave me insight on the class system. I learned that all actions made during the Victorian Era, particularly by the upper class, were made in the attempt to gain social standing. Lady Bracknell says "You can hardly imagine that I and Lord Bracknell would dream of allowing our only daughter-a girl brought up with the utmost care- to marry into a cloak-room, and form an alliance with a parcel?" on page 27 showing that she will not allow her daughter to marry someone with no family connections and is does not have a good name to bring to the table.It matters not the love between Jack and Gwendolen, it only matters what strength the family will gain from a union. This is a deep segregation done by the people of the upper class who feel they shouldn't fraternize with those below them. The research helped me understand why she wouldn't allow her daughter to marry Jack and has given me insight into the play's happenings as a whole.