- Eliot uses a lot of symbolism: such as the yellow fog/ smog.
- Both Hamlet and Peufrock are similar in the manner that they can't bring their decisions to actions.
- But both are different in that one knows what to do but struggles and the other struggles to decide what to do.
- Prufrock's inability to take action makes him depressed and lonely.
- The poem is called Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock not because it's romantic or lovey-dovey (in fact, it's mourning and depressing). It's called that because of the possibility of Prufrock's life if he were to take action.
- Was Prufrock suicidal?
- Prufrock imagining himself "bald" and old proves his fear for his inability.
- The women coming and going could represent their status in society.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
SOCRATIC SEMINAR NOTES
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
LITERATURE ANALYSIS # 3: THE ROAD BY CORMAC McCARTHY
1) Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to elements of plot that you've learned in the past courses. Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose.
a) Introduction/Exposition: The beginning of the novel introduces the father, the son and then the setting they were currently in. The event of the apocalypse is revealed. Even though the apocalypse had occurred, and both the characters suffer from freezing weather with no food, they hadn't encountered danger in the initiation of the story. They both decide to head south because of another approaching winter in the mountains.
b) Rising Action: Both the father and son were resting in a car. Father was awoken by a noise and they both flee to the woods. The fathers spots a goon clutching the boy's throat and fires a bullet from his gun, hitting that man right in the middle of his head. The man lies dead while the father wonders about only one bullet in the gun.
c) Conflict: The repetition of food shortage and struggle for survival.
d) Climax: The moment the arrow is shot in the father's leg.
e) Falling Action: The father struggles to continue their journey and finally dies in a forest, the boy next to him.
f) Resolution: Another family progresses towards the boy and takes him (helps him).
The author uses a mixture of point of views (narratives) but mostly, it's third person omniscient. This third person omniscient perspective not only assisted the author in characterizing his characters and explaining their personalities, but also allowed him to shift his perspective towards the father. It allowed him to have descriptive settings, paragraphs of father's emotions, thoughts, and struggles, and also have justice towards the son.
2) Succinctly describe the theme of the novel.
Of course, like most novels, there are multiple themes of the book but what stood out to me was the strength and determination of both of the characters. They both had experienced so much from a near death to murder of someone else but their dedication to achieve what they had strove for did not decrease. They weren't discouraged by defeat or broken by sickness - they kept moving to survive. The author uses the relationship between the father and the son to increase the effect of the theme and the meaning behind it.
3) Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrates your points.
The author has multiple tones, just like narrative. But the two most important ones are tender towards the duo - father and the son, and factual towards the the entire setting and situation. McCarthy is extremely talented in that his shifts in tone is noticeable and understandable at the same time.
4) Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers.
1) Foreshadowing: "But he knew that if he were a good father still it might well be as she had said. That the boy was all that stood between him and death." (Pg: 25)
2) Symbols: The revolver containing two bullets: the bullets could represent "life" and "death."
3) Imagery: "They crossed the river by an old concrete bridge and a few miles on they came upon a roadside gas station." (Pg: 5)
4) Irony: Throughout the entire book, the readers anticipated death by starvation of a character but the man ended up dying by an arrow (or his sickness, not cleared!).
5) Flashback: "They are going to rape us and kill us and eat us and you wont face it. You'd rather wait for it to happen. But I cant. I cant." (Pg: 48)
6) Personification: (The Woman) "I've taken a new lover. He can give me what you cannot."
(The Man) "Death is not a lover."
(The Woman) "Oh yes he is." (Pg: 48)
(The Man) "Death is not a lover."
(The Woman) "Oh yes he is." (Pg: 48)
7) Metaphor: The road - collapse of capitalism (McCarthy clarified in an interview).
8) Simile: "Drawing down like something trying to preserve heat. In time to wink out forever." (Pg: 75)
9) Characterization: "He stood up. I'm begging you." (Pg: 49)
10) Point of View: "When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he'd reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him." (Pg: 1)
CHARACTERIZATION:
1) Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization. Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end?
"He mistrusted all of that. He said the right dreams for a man in peril were dreams of peril and all else was the call of languor and of death." (Pg: 15) - Direct Characterization. "He was gone longer than he'd meant to be and he hurried his steps the best he could, the water swinging and gurgling in the shrunken swag of his gut." (Pg: 104) - Direct Characterization.
(The Boy) "Yes."
(The Man) "Dont pay any attention. There's no one here."
(The Boy) "Are they dead?"
(The Man) "I think so."
(The Boy) "I wish that little boy was with us."
(The Man) "Let's go." (Pg: 110-111) - Indirect Characterization. "You wanted to know what the bad guys looked like. Now you know. It may happen again. My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand?" (Pg: 65) - Indirect Characterization.
The author uses both direct and indirect characterization to develop both the characters more thoroughly. He uses indirect characterization more than direct because he 's the kind of writer that makes his readers interpret the characters and their personalities.
(The Boy) "Yes."
(The Man) "Dont pay any attention. There's no one here."
(The Boy) "Are they dead?"
(The Man) "I think so."
(The Boy) "I wish that little boy was with us."
(The Man) "Let's go." (Pg: 110-111) - Indirect Characterization. "You wanted to know what the bad guys looked like. Now you know. It may happen again. My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand?" (Pg: 65) - Indirect Characterization.
The author uses both direct and indirect characterization to develop both the characters more thoroughly. He uses indirect characterization more than direct because he 's the kind of writer that makes his readers interpret the characters and their personalities.
2) Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character? How? Example(s)?
The author's syntax changes when there is a dialogue between characters. They're brief, precise, and to the point.
(The Man) "We need to get out of the road.
(The Boy) "Why, Papa?"
(The Man) "Someone's coming."
(The Boy) "Is it bad guys?"
(The Man) "Yes. I'm afraid so."
(The Boy) "They could be good guys. Couldn't they?" (Pg: 87)
In terms of diction, it's doesn't change in terms of the elevation of the words, but it gets more innocent with the young boy.
The author's syntax changes when there is a dialogue between characters. They're brief, precise, and to the point.
(The Man) "We need to get out of the road.
(The Boy) "Why, Papa?"
(The Man) "Someone's coming."
(The Boy) "Is it bad guys?"
(The Man) "Yes. I'm afraid so."
(The Boy) "They could be good guys. Couldn't they?" (Pg: 87)
In terms of diction, it's doesn't change in terms of the elevation of the words, but it gets more innocent with the young boy.
3) Is the protagonist static or dynamic? Flat or round? Explain.
The protagonist is a round, dynamic character because of the conscious choices that he makes and emotions that he shows towards his son and his protection. The manner in which he gives hope, strength, advice, and shows affection towards his son shows that he, as a character, is capable of making strong decisions just as a live individual in real world.
The protagonist is a round, dynamic character because of the conscious choices that he makes and emotions that he shows towards his son and his protection. The manner in which he gives hope, strength, advice, and shows affection towards his son shows that he, as a character, is capable of making strong decisions just as a live individual in real world.
4) After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character? Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.
I felt that I met a person not because of the plot, or setting or even theme, but only based on the characterization of the man. He seemed like my father, ready to protect his child at any moment - even if it meant him losing his life. This is what connected me to the book the most and made me believe that the story, the characters, and their situations and choices made to get out of the situations - victorious.
I felt that I met a person not because of the plot, or setting or even theme, but only based on the characterization of the man. He seemed like my father, ready to protect his child at any moment - even if it meant him losing his life. This is what connected me to the book the most and made me believe that the story, the characters, and their situations and choices made to get out of the situations - victorious.
Monday, December 8, 2014
KUDOS TO YOU!!!
Hey guys! So the Kudos blog is up and the link is here! We are giving authorship soon and there is an intro on the blog explaining everything. So please check it out and leave questions, comments, concerns, suggestions, etc. as comments for now and pretty soon, you will be able to post any kind of kudos you wish!
LOVE SONG OF ALFRED J. PRUFROCK BY T.S.ELIOT - QUESTIONS
1) What is the role of time in this poem?
Time plays a great role in this poem because it is the one aspect in his life that pushes him to keep moving but at the same time pulls him back from taking action.
2) What is the significance of Eliot's allusions to Hamlet and the "eternal Footman"?
Prufrock is characterized to be the kind of character that struggles not only to convert his emotional and mental process to physical action but he's also characterized as someone who fails to understand many of his duties and responsibiliyies and also becomes a little procrastinating to bring about the desired action and results. He differs from Hamlet in this because Shakespeare characterized Hamlet to be an extremely intelligent young man who knows what is expected of him but he's troubled in the manner about what his actions will bring about for him and how it will affect him in the "unknown" future. But both these characters are similar in their struggle with time and the necessity to produce an action.
3) Choose a moment when Eliot uses figurative language and:
Time plays a great role in this poem because it is the one aspect in his life that pushes him to keep moving but at the same time pulls him back from taking action.
2) What is the significance of Eliot's allusions to Hamlet and the "eternal Footman"?
Prufrock is characterized to be the kind of character that struggles not only to convert his emotional and mental process to physical action but he's also characterized as someone who fails to understand many of his duties and responsibiliyies and also becomes a little procrastinating to bring about the desired action and results. He differs from Hamlet in this because Shakespeare characterized Hamlet to be an extremely intelligent young man who knows what is expected of him but he's troubled in the manner about what his actions will bring about for him and how it will affect him in the "unknown" future. But both these characters are similar in their struggle with time and the necessity to produce an action.
3) Choose a moment when Eliot uses figurative language and:
- interpret the image
- explain how the image and its meaning contribute to your understanding of the theme of the poem.
This moment in the poem contributes to the overall theme of the poem because it shows how Prufrock knows his inability to take action. His "baldness" and "thinning of the hair" foreshadows that the future is going to be same as how he is now.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
COMPARISON OF POETRY
Poetry and ocean both require effort and analyzation to understand: both, at the shore, seem to be similar to their other respective kinds; but if "traveled" deeper and deeper, it is realized that they're as different as the polar ends of the world. Similarly, the poems "Everything is going to be alright" by Derek Mahon and "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein have similar themes approached through different paths of the road.
Mahon defines life to be hard with obstacles, pain, negativity, crime, etc. but he explains to his readera about the natural beauty of life and how hope and happiness arises from it - "the sun rises in spite of everything/ and the far cities are beautiful and bright." Throughout the entire poem, Mahon uses the sun as hope and how its rays of sunlight will shine bright over the darkness in everyone's life. He admits that life will one day end, "there will be dying, there will be dying, but there is no need to go into that," but he encourages the readers to not think about death while there can still be hope to acquire happiness in life.
When he starts the poem, he asks to his readers about how can they not be happy when the dark clouds move aside and clear the sky for sunshine to shine through - "How should I not be glad to contemplate/the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window..." The clouds could symbolize the obstacles in one's life and he gives hope to the readers by making them realize the importance of the "clouds" clearing the "sky" one day and "sunshine" making the world a brighter place to live. Mahon achieves his theme of hope and standing up to the problems and having faith on life itself by using symbolism, rhetorical question and himself.
Silverstein, in his poem " Where the Sidewalk Ends," also highlights the theme of hope but instead of having faith on life and that the problems will end one day (Mahon), he asks the readers to seek for the positivity in their own life. He symbolizes the street as the normal, painful life and the end of the sidewalk is the place of happiness. He initiates a sense of movment and a requirement of taking action in the readers' hearts to find their own happiness. He admits there is pain, crime, negativity in everyone's lives but he also admits that there is a place (might be only emotional or mental, not necessarily physical) that we all need to approach to get what we want.
Unlike Mahon, Silverstein urges his readers to take action walk where the sidewalk ends - "Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black..." He also uses symbolism to increase the effect and intensity to his poem. Both the poets gives hope to their readers, assure them of the happiness the future consists and ask them to "hang on" but Silverstein, in particular, tells his readers to walk towards their own happiness if they want it. All in all, these two poems are like oceans: different temperature, different species present, different islands surrounding, but serves similar purpose to the world.
Mahon defines life to be hard with obstacles, pain, negativity, crime, etc. but he explains to his readera about the natural beauty of life and how hope and happiness arises from it - "the sun rises in spite of everything/ and the far cities are beautiful and bright." Throughout the entire poem, Mahon uses the sun as hope and how its rays of sunlight will shine bright over the darkness in everyone's life. He admits that life will one day end, "there will be dying, there will be dying, but there is no need to go into that," but he encourages the readers to not think about death while there can still be hope to acquire happiness in life.
When he starts the poem, he asks to his readers about how can they not be happy when the dark clouds move aside and clear the sky for sunshine to shine through - "How should I not be glad to contemplate/the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window..." The clouds could symbolize the obstacles in one's life and he gives hope to the readers by making them realize the importance of the "clouds" clearing the "sky" one day and "sunshine" making the world a brighter place to live. Mahon achieves his theme of hope and standing up to the problems and having faith on life itself by using symbolism, rhetorical question and himself.
Silverstein, in his poem " Where the Sidewalk Ends," also highlights the theme of hope but instead of having faith on life and that the problems will end one day (Mahon), he asks the readers to seek for the positivity in their own life. He symbolizes the street as the normal, painful life and the end of the sidewalk is the place of happiness. He initiates a sense of movment and a requirement of taking action in the readers' hearts to find their own happiness. He admits there is pain, crime, negativity in everyone's lives but he also admits that there is a place (might be only emotional or mental, not necessarily physical) that we all need to approach to get what we want.
Unlike Mahon, Silverstein urges his readers to take action walk where the sidewalk ends - "Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black..." He also uses symbolism to increase the effect and intensity to his poem. Both the poets gives hope to their readers, assure them of the happiness the future consists and ask them to "hang on" but Silverstein, in particular, tells his readers to walk towards their own happiness if they want it. All in all, these two poems are like oceans: different temperature, different species present, different islands surrounding, but serves similar purpose to the world.
EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT - REMIX
Here is the link to our project remixing the poem "Everything is going to be alright" by Derek Mahon. Group members are: Lilly Navarrete, Susel Garcia, Antonia Arredondo, and me. Hope you enjoy!!!
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
INTRO TO POETRY
Everything is Going to be Alright
by Derek Mahon
How should I not be glad to contemplate
the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window
and a high tide reflected on the ceiling?
There will be dying, there will be dying,
but there is no need to go into that.
The poems flow from the hand unbidden
and the hidden source is the watchful heart;
the sun rises in spite of everything
and the far cities are beautiful and bright.
I lie here in a riot of sunlight
watching the day break and the clouds flying.
Everything is going to be all right.
1) The title is significant because it foreshadows the purpose, meaning, tone, and mood of the poem. The author might have chosen this title to get his readers thinking even before reading the poem and analyzing how the author will structure it.
2) The tone of the poem is hopeful, encouraging, assuring, inspiring, and calculating.
3) Our mood was hopeful, acquiring strength, and motivating.
4) Yes, there is a shift. The shift is "the sun rises...beautiful and bright." It shifts from darkness, pain, and negativity surrounding him to all of a sudden positivity, happiness, and calmness around him. It not only shifts tone and mood, but it also shifts to the actual theme, resolving the main conflict and progressing towards climax.
5) The theme of the poem, what we discussed, is it encourages his audience to not give up based on couple hardships going around. We also discussed how he initiates movement and motivates his readers by involving himself and saying he has suffered through dark times too but they ended and joy and light came: from "How should I not be glad to contemplate the clouds..." to "I lie here in a riot of sunlight watching the day break and the clouds flying."
P.S. At first, we thought the author was creating juxtaposition by using a negative word with a positive one to create effect - "riot" with "sunlight" but then when we searched for the different possible meanings of riot, we came across this (which was perfect!!!): Riot: an impressively large or varied display of something; like "the garden was riot of color".
Sounds a lot similar to "I lie here in a riot of sunlight..." The author was getting his point across about how just as pain, darkness, and problems come together at the same time, happiness and hopefulness can also come together at the same time.
by Derek Mahon
How should I not be glad to contemplate
the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window
and a high tide reflected on the ceiling?
There will be dying, there will be dying,
but there is no need to go into that.
The poems flow from the hand unbidden
and the hidden source is the watchful heart;
the sun rises in spite of everything
and the far cities are beautiful and bright.
I lie here in a riot of sunlight
watching the day break and the clouds flying.
Everything is going to be all right.
1) The title is significant because it foreshadows the purpose, meaning, tone, and mood of the poem. The author might have chosen this title to get his readers thinking even before reading the poem and analyzing how the author will structure it.
2) The tone of the poem is hopeful, encouraging, assuring, inspiring, and calculating.
3) Our mood was hopeful, acquiring strength, and motivating.
4) Yes, there is a shift. The shift is "the sun rises...beautiful and bright." It shifts from darkness, pain, and negativity surrounding him to all of a sudden positivity, happiness, and calmness around him. It not only shifts tone and mood, but it also shifts to the actual theme, resolving the main conflict and progressing towards climax.
5) The theme of the poem, what we discussed, is it encourages his audience to not give up based on couple hardships going around. We also discussed how he initiates movement and motivates his readers by involving himself and saying he has suffered through dark times too but they ended and joy and light came: from "How should I not be glad to contemplate the clouds..." to "I lie here in a riot of sunlight watching the day break and the clouds flying."
P.S. At first, we thought the author was creating juxtaposition by using a negative word with a positive one to create effect - "riot" with "sunlight" but then when we searched for the different possible meanings of riot, we came across this (which was perfect!!!): Riot: an impressively large or varied display of something; like "the garden was riot of color".
Sounds a lot similar to "I lie here in a riot of sunlight..." The author was getting his point across about how just as pain, darkness, and problems come together at the same time, happiness and hopefulness can also come together at the same time.
WROTE IN JUNIOR YEAR FOR A WRITING CONTEST: BY ME
"Dream and give yourself permission to envision a you that you choose to be."1
Quote repeatedly aggravating me.
Irked and unnoticed by everyone,
What else could I have done?
My life wasn't the way people saw it,
Just a girl on a string performing a skit.
"What're you planning?"
"Debating."
Hope in the heart abolished,
Following what everyone wished.
I walk alone, fall alone,
Get up and try again alone.
In the midst of all the hubbub about my future,
No one noticed that I viewed myself as a failure.
Just someone ordinary,
No talent viewed as if extraordinary.
Destiny wanted my hope alive,
Magic entered my life.
Only a beginner,
Now being noticed as a winner.
Confusion, Anger, Suspicion,
My idol said, "Go achieve your mission."
"What did you do?"
"Gave the happiness that belongs to you.
Your writing, your passion can inspire"
"I trusted you with it; it's you I admire.
You published my life through my work,"
She said, with a smirk,
"You never believed that dreams could come true,
but you never realized that your passion did accrue."
My life took a different course,
Surprised - not a hint of remorse.
Suddenly, I was looking at myself,
I saw my sister lose hope in her own future self.
"Sister, do dreams come true?
If they do, you be my guru."
My chance to pay forward,
"Yes sister, like me you'll be spurred."
1 Quote by: Joy Page
Quote repeatedly aggravating me.
Irked and unnoticed by everyone,
What else could I have done?
My life wasn't the way people saw it,
Just a girl on a string performing a skit.
"What're you planning?"
"Debating."
Hope in the heart abolished,
Following what everyone wished.
I walk alone, fall alone,
Get up and try again alone.
In the midst of all the hubbub about my future,
No one noticed that I viewed myself as a failure.
Just someone ordinary,
No talent viewed as if extraordinary.
Destiny wanted my hope alive,
Magic entered my life.
Only a beginner,
Now being noticed as a winner.
Confusion, Anger, Suspicion,
My idol said, "Go achieve your mission."
"What did you do?"
"Gave the happiness that belongs to you.
Your writing, your passion can inspire"
"I trusted you with it; it's you I admire.
You published my life through my work,"
She said, with a smirk,
"You never believed that dreams could come true,
but you never realized that your passion did accrue."
My life took a different course,
Surprised - not a hint of remorse.
Suddenly, I was looking at myself,
I saw my sister lose hope in her own future self.
"Sister, do dreams come true?
If they do, you be my guru."
My chance to pay forward,
"Yes sister, like me you'll be spurred."
1 Quote by: Joy Page
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)