This Semester

As I am sitting in a hotel room 5 minutes of walking distance from The White House, I am reflecting back on this semester and scrambling to get some work done. But I decided to stop scrambling and take the time to say, wow. This is by far the smartest group of kids I have ever shared a classroom with and it is awesome. The ideas and thoughts you guys put into your projects and work is crazy to me because they are all just so good. You guys are awesome and capable of many things and I am confident that each and every one of you will do great things no matter what. I have gathered a lot from you guys this semester and I thank you for that. With that, keep up the hard work and I am excited to see what the next semester will bring.

Intro to Poetry ( Working Together by David Whyte)

1. The significance of the title is that it tells the central theme of the poem. The central theme of the poem is how working together is important and how it is beneficial. 

2. The tone of the poem is optimistic in which it is very hopeful and confident. 

3. My mood when I read this poem is hopeful about the future. 

4. There is a little bit of a shift but not a complete one. The poem starts out slow then later becomes more optimistic about how working together can do great things. 

5. The theme of the poem is that if everyone works together, many things become more achievable. 

Hamlet Act 3 Remix

Our group collaborated with phonar to find a way to remix the central theme of Hamlet. Phonar sent us a picture that sums up the central theme. In the picture, Hamlet is there but he looks like a ghost. This is exactly how Hamlet feels because he is going through a struggle dealing with his family. The picture is dark and depressing in which Hamlet's situation is. My interpretation of the picture is that it is foreshadowing Claudius' death. The dark grave to me represents Hamlet's father who has already been killed while the lighter grave foreshadows Claudius' death. Hamlet wants to revenge against Claudius for killing his Father and then marrying his mother so the lighter grave represents Claudius' future death by Hamlet killing him. 

Hamlet Essay(the madman?)

    Everyday teenagers are faced with major problems that they have to deal with and their escape seems to be social media. Hamlet, a teenager living in a time with no social media, has to deal with his problem in a different way. Hamlet is faced with a major problem which the death of his father and the betrayal of his uncle and mom. Hamlet deals with this problem by himself through his soliloquy's. Hamlet is planning to revenge against his uncle and mom but it seems as if he has gone nuts about it. Although it may seem like he has gone nuts, his maturity shows that he hasn't. Through the way that Hamlet deals with the situation presented by his uncle and mom, he shows that he has not gone nuts but rather is pretending to be mad.
    Hamlet, faced with trouble, does a good job at keeping himself serene. Hamlet deals with many negative emotions since his dad has died and his uncle, the killer of his dad, marries his mom. Many teenagers in this situation would go nuts or, nowadays, post their emotions on social media. Hamlet on the other hand, does not go nuts and he would not post his emotions on social media if it were active during the time. He remains calm throughout the play rather than going nuts so he is able to create a play acting out the scene of his fathers death making his uncle guilty by expression. His maturity and cleverness to stay calm while going through a major problem is what shows that he is not a madman.
    Many think that Hamlet has gone nuts but there is evidence that shows that it is not true. Hamlet has said things in the play that make him seem like a madman but it is all for show. He pretends to be a madman to create his plot of revenge. Hamlet pretends his actions around others so that he is able to create this play, especially the characters in his play. Another example that could lead many to believe Hamlet has gone nuts is when he goes off on his mom. He has so much anger and discontent built up inside of him that it finally just lets lose on his mom and he tells her what is going on. Another incident that could lead many to believe he has gone nuts is when he kills Lord Polonius. This may easily make it seem that Hamlet has gone nuts but the death wasn't intended for Polonius. Hamlet was shocked to see he had killed Polonius which shows he wasn't nuts but it was an accident.
    Hamlet's so called madness was merely an act. While stuck in a horrible situation, Hamlet does not reveal his real self, but rather a different self which helps his plot. Hamlet's cleverness and maturity were key traits that showed he is not a madman.

Hamlet Act 2

Hamlet

- By indirections find directions out 

- Hamlet is acting weird

- Claudius and Polonius are trying to get people to "comfort" Hamlet but they really just want to get information from him 

- brevity is the soul of wit

- Though this be madness, yet there is method in't 

- For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so

- What a piece of work is a man! 

- Hamlet knows what Rosencrantz and Guildensern are trying to do

- Hamlet is acting "sort of mad" to test them so they will report it 

- Hamlet is changing the play 

- the play's the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King 

Ending Hamlet soliloquy 

- starting to beat himself up

- comparing himself to the actor with his life

- Hamlet's situation is real while the actors isn't 

- The play within the play 

- He wants to make a play about his life and his fathers death to make Claudius and Gertrude guilty 

- Trying to get Claudius and Gertrude to reveal themselves not him revealing them 

Vocabulary #6

abase - verb cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
abdicate - verb give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
abomination - noun an action that is vicious or vile; an action that arouses disgust or abhorrence; a person who is loathsome or disgusting; hate coupled with disgust
brusque - adj. marked by rude or peremptory shortness
saboteur - noun someone who commits sabotage or deliberately causes wrecks; a member of a clandestine subversive organization who tries to help a potential invader
debauchery - noun a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity
proliferate - verb cause to grow or increase rapidly; grow rapidly
anachronism - noun an artifact that belongs to another time; a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age;something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
nomenclature - noun a system of words used to name things in a particular discipline
expurgate - verb edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
bellicose - adj. having or showing a ready disposition to fight
gauche - adj. lacking social polish
rapacious - adj. excessively greedy and grasping; devouring or craving food in great quantities; living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey
paradox - noun (logic) a statement that contradicts itself
conundrum - noun a difficult problem
anomaly - noun (astronomy) position of a planet as defined by its angular distance from its perihelion (as observed from the sun); a person who is unusual; deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule
ephemeral - adj. lasting a very short time; nounanything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form
rancorous - adj. showing deep-seated resentment
churlish - adj. having a bad disposition; surly;rude and boorish
precipitous - adj. characterized by precipices;extremely steep; done with very great haste and without due deliberation

Everything is a Remix

- remixing started with music 

- taking another piece to remix it 

- creativity 

- light bulb represents a moment of insight

- copy- taking a piece and copying it in the same way  

- transformation- creating variations from an already existing thing such as the steam engine, type writer, light bulb 

- combinations- taking existing stuff and merging them together such as the World Wide Web 

- movie scenes are very similar in different movies such as the  Tin man and Tin women 

- implications on originality of remixing the work of other people 

- two distortions 

- lone creator- romantic idea. dominance idea in the culture 

- ideas are property- ideas are not property. You can't take the idea from someone else. Chain of events happen

- ideas contain other ideas 

My New and Improved Characters Journey

Here I am, stepping foot on the college I dreamed of going to, and it has finally become a reality. All of these years of stress from not only schoolwork but my own personal works have finally paid off. The college campus seems a little intimidating because it is so big and there are so many people I don't know. There are many thoughts and questions running through my head because it is not only a step onto the campus but another step closer to my future. There is so many people here I don't know where to start. I see a kid that looks lost too, I introduce myself to him and he introduces himself to me too. We eventually become "lost" friends trying to find out where to start. His name is Josh and he just so happens to be my roommate. After we chatted for a while we find someone who knows directions and ask them where to go to get started moving in to the dorms. I have all of my essentials ready to go to move in. The person we found for help guided Josh and I to the dorms where we were staying at. This is it, I finally reached my room and it was time to start unpacking.
After finishing setting up in my dorm room, it was time to explore. I walked around the campus with my roommate and friend Josh, and he and I saw some amazing things on campus. The transition from high school to now is unreal and everything is so much bigger. I saw some amazing building and sports complexes. I also met some new people which was good because it is what I'm going to need to do in order to survive college. After exploring the campus for a while, Josh and I headed back to the dorm because it was late and we had class the next day. As we got back, we got into our beds and got ready to sleep. I had a hard time sleeping because many thoughts were running through my head about what I was getting myself into. I finally fell asleep and got lost in my dreams. Morning came and it was time to get ready for class. As I was walking to class, I witnessed what a normal school day looked like by all of the different people I saw. I walked up to the door of my first class, which was history, and I had butterflies in my stomach. I walked into the classroom and introduced myself to the professor and went to my seat. Class went on and my butterflies started to die down. As the day went on and I jumped from class to class, my butterflies were gone. School was finished and I felt good about my first day. I went back to my room where I saw Josh and he and I talked about our first day of school. Both of us had a good day at school and we wanted to celebrate it. We decided to go get some food and then float the river that was right next to the school. We went to the store and bought a raft and then bought and ice chest to bring on board. We started to float down and the scenery was unreal. After floating the river, we got tired because it was late and it was a long day. We headed back to our room where we relaxed until it was the appropriate time to go to sleep. After relaxation, it was time to sleep. I got in bed and my thoughts came back to me about my journey to this school and what my future has in store for me. This is where I start my new journey.

Character Study 3

After finishing setting up in my dorm room, it was time to explore. I walked around the campus with my roommate and friend Josh, and he and I saw some amazing things on campus. The transition from high school to now is unreal and everything is so much bigger. I saw some amazing building and sports complexes. I also met some new people which was good because it is what I'm going to need to do in order to survive college. After exploring the campus for a while, Josh and I headed back to the dorm because it was late and we had class the next day. As we got back, we got into our beds and got ready to sleep. I had a hard time sleeping because many thoughts were running through my head about what I was getting myself into. I finally fell asleep and got lost in my dreams. Morning came and it was time to get ready for class. As I was walking to class, I witnessed what a normal school day looked like by all of the different people I saw. I walked up to the door of my first class, which was history, and I had butterflies in my stomach. I walked into the classroom and introduced myself to the professor and went to my seat. Class went on and my butterflies started to die down. As the day went on and I jumped from class to class, my butterflies were gone. School was finished and I felt good about my first day. I went back to my room where I saw Josh and he and I talked about our first day of school. Both of us had a good day at school and we wanted to celebrate it. We decided to go get some food and then float the river that was right next to the school. We went to the store and bought a raft and then bought and ice chest to bring on board. We started to float down and the scenery was unreal. After floating the river, we got tired because it was late and it was a long day. We headed back to our room where we relaxed until it was the appropriate time to go to sleep. After relaxation, it was time to sleep. I got in bed and my thoughts came back to me about my journey to this school and what my future has in store for me. This is where I start my new journey.

Canterbury Tales 2

Character: The Cook
The Cooks prologue:

•  Indirect characterization because it was giving his appearance and his environment

The Cooks tale:

•  Indirect characterization because he was the one talking which showed his character
• Direct characterization because it directly states the man in the story resembles the cool

Chaucer's tone:

• Chaucer's tone at first consisted of him making fun of the Cook and his life. He made fun of it in a sarcastic way but then realized the cook had lost certain qualities that made him. Chaucer then felt a little guilty and told the Cook to let it go.

Chaucer's humor:

• Consisted of irony because the Cooks wealth and happiness in the beginning later crashed towards the end. Chaucer made fun of the Cook and how the Cook let himself fall.

Canterbury Tales 1

Bede

• A time of illiterate people
• Latin Language
• made up of a lot of cities and long days and nights
• study in god and faith
• Migrants inhabited Britain

Canterbury Tales

• a series of tales told on a pilgrimage to Canterbury
• each story is told differently and through different perspective
• Characters have different social classes such as aristocracy, upper class, middle class, virtuous lower class, and degraded lower class
• Tales have a diversity in personalities with roles in society
• the lower class is described in indirect characterization
• the characters tell stories to Canterbury and on the way back and whoever tells the best Tale, decided by the host, gets a free supper paid by all of the other characters

Some Characters

• The knight- honorable and heroic
• The knights son -the same as his dad
• The monk- ironically fat as he was supposed to live in poverty
• The friar- knew a lot of people and was the best beggar
• The merchant- was in debt but didn't show it and he was respected for it
• The cook- selfish man who lacks in morals
• The doctor- good at his job but was more in it for the money. Science and religion at this time crashed and he didn't read the bible
• The host- was a very kind man and gave advice

Phonar

• Phonar is photography narrative
• It is about habits
• Thinking through doing
• The habits define us and we can inherit habits
• What is a photograph? It is physical, it ages, 2-dimesnional.
• The photograph is about the experience
• The photograph is a square made to ship
• If you want to change the world you have to start describing it differently
• It is all about different perspectives
• Being connected and trusted

Apollos Hester

Stressed out and need some motivation? Watch this kid...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7ymriMhoj0

Green Eggs and Hamlet

a) I don't know much about Hamlet but I do know that is was written by Shakespeare.
b) I know that Shakespeare is an intelligent writer. I also know that he has important messages in his writings.
c) Students frown when they hear the name "Shakespeare" because they know that Shakespeare can be hard to understand/read. I frown when I hear Shakespeare as well because his work is hard for me to understand/read. People who study Shakespeare are able to understand his work and tell us that his work is advanced and intelligent.
d) Well since it is probably going to be hard to understand individually, I would like to tackle this play with some groups so that we can all help one another on questions or confusions we have.

Vocabulary #5

shenanigans- silly of high-spirited behavior
ricochet - noun a glancing rebound; verb spring back; spring away from an impact
schism - noun division of a group into opposing factions; the formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences
eschew - verb avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of
plethora - noun extreme excess
ebullient - adj. joyously unrestrained
garrulous - adj. full of trivial conversation
harangue - noun a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion; verb deliver a harangue to; address forcefully
interdependence - noun a reciprocal relation between interdependent entities (objects or individuals or groups)
capricious - adj. determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason; changeable
loquacious - adj. full of trivial conversation
ephemeral - adj. lasting a very short time; noun anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form
inchoate - adj. only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
juxtapose - verb place side by side
perspicacious - adj. acutely insightful and wise; mentally acute or penetratingly discerning
codswallop - noun nonsensical talk or writing
mungo-things that tend to be incorrigible reprobates and are best avoided
sesquipedalian- to using long words
wonky - adj. inclined to shake as from weakness or defect; turned or twisted toward one side
diphthong - noun a vowel sound that starts near the articulatory position for one vowel and moves toward the position for another

Character study #1

Here I am, stepping foot on the college I dreamed of going to, and it has finally become a reality. All of these years of stress from not only schoolwork but my own personal works have finally paid off. The college campus seems a little intimidating because it is so big and there are so many people I don't know. There are many thoughts and questions running through my head because it is not only a step onto the campus but another step closer to my future. There is so many people here I don't know where to start. I see a kid that looks lost too, I introduce myself to him and he introduces himself to me too. We eventually become "lost" friends trying to find out where to start. His name is Josh and he just so happens to be my roommate. After we chatted for a while we find someone who knows directions and ask them where to go to get started moving in to the dorms. I have all of my essentials ready to go to move in. The person we found for help guided Josh and I to the dorms where we were staying at. This is it, I finally reached my room and it was time to start unpacking.

My Dashboard

I like the idea of the whole netvibes but I don't think it is necessary for me. I have everything I need already in my folders stored on my phone. All of my apps are organized and right in front of me as it is. I have my apps organized in folders such as my school folder. I also have my calender, weather, alarm and all of the necessities organized and on the go so I feel as if the netvibes isn't necessary for me. 

Vocabulary #4

obsequious - adj. attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
beatitude - noun one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with `beatus' (blessed); a state of supreme happiness
bete- noire- a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded
bode - verb indicate by signs
dank - adj. unpleasantly cool and humid
ecumenical - adj. of worldwide scope or applicability; concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions
fervid - adj. extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion
fetid - adj. offensively malodorous
gargantuan - adj. of great mass; huge and bulky
heyday - noun the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
incubus - noun a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; someone who depresses or worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream
infrastructure - noun the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; the basic structure or features of a system or organization
inveigle - verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
kudos - noun an expression of approval and commendation
lagniappe - noun a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)
prolix - adj. tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length
protege - noun a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
prototype - noun a standard or typical example
sycophant - noun a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
tautology - noun useless repetition; (logic) a statement that is necessarily true
truckle - noun a low bed to be slid under a higher bed; verb yield to out of weakness; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering

Literature Analysis #1

The Stranger by Robert Camus

1. A man named Meursault lives in the Algiers but takes a trip to Marengo, where his mom was living before she died. As he is there for his mom's funeral, his behavior was odd in which it seemed like he did not care about his mom’s death considering he “remembers little of the funeral.” That same night he returned back to the Algiers where things get heated. The day after he gets back he goes to the beach for a swim where he runs into Marie Cardona, his former co-worker and he eventually gets engaged to her. As things progress on he runs into a lot of friends but the key friends he runs into is Raymond Sintes and Masson. Raymond invites Meursault over for dinner, where Raymond talks about how his mistress cheated on him and so he beat her up. Raymond also had gotten into a fight with his mistresses brother and needs help from Meursault in this situation. Later on, Meursault, Marie, and Raymond go to Masson’s beach house and that afternoon, Raymond, Masson, and Meursault run into two Arabs on the beach. One of the Arabs was Raymond’s mistress’s brother, and they all got into a fight which led to a stabbing of Raymond. Later that night, Meursault goes back and shoots Raymond’s mistress’s brother for no reason. He then is thrown into jail and is forced to forget about his social life while he is in there. The inciting incident is that Meursault shoots an Arab on the beach 3 times and is arrested and put in jail for murder. He then is sentenced to death and gets beheaded.  Meursault is forced to think about his actions before his death and has figure out what he did wrong and try and find a God in which he does not believe in. Before his death he was showing odd behavior especially seen when he showed that he did not really care about life.

2. The main theme is the irrationality of the universe and or the meaningless of human life, or importance of the world. It is a universal theme in which I described. This is shown through Meursault’s behavior and attitude before he dies. He finds human life meaningless and does not believe in a god.  

3.  The tone of the book to me was plain, ironic, and depressing

“I had only a little time left and I didn't want to waste it on God.”

“There is not love of life without despair about life.”

“My dear,
In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.
In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.
In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.
I realized, through it all, that…
In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.
Truly yours,
Albert Camus”

4.Symbolism- There is symbolism in the overall trial of Meursault’s murder case. The    trial symbolized society’s attempt to figure out the universe.

Flashback- There is flashback when Meursault flashes back on life itself and establishes that life is meaningless. He accepts the “gentle indifference of the world.”

Point of View- Meursault is the narrator and he narrates in the first person. His narration is of his own thoughts and not the other characters.

Imagery- Imagery is used in this novel when Meursault sees the world in a much different way. He questions life and believes it is meaningless but finds greatness in the physical world.

Inference- An inference is shown when Meursault’s behavior was odd because he was questioning life and its meaning. He showed that he did not really care about life which led him to kill the Arab which eventually led to his death.

Irony- "For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate." This shows that Meursault’s life was very absurd and his indifference to the world led to this.

Metaphor- “But the heat was so intense that it was just as bad standing still in the blinding stream falling from the sky. To stay or go, it amounted to the same thing. A minute later I turned back toward the beach and started walking.” The sun was uncomfortable to Meursault.

Simile- "The sound was like the muffled jabber of parakeets."

Pathos- There is pathos throughout the whole story in which it is very emotional and depressing.

Setting- The story takes place half the time in Algeria and the other half is Meursault’s trial in jail. This all occurred in the early 1940’s just before World War 2.

Characterization

1. Meursault- the main character who is a man who views and describes a lot of what occurs around him from a removed position. He also is refusal to his order of society. He was deathly and quite absurd as an overall man. He is an indirect character in which he is characterized by his thoughts, words, and actions.

Raymond Sintes- Meursault’s neighbor who is a local pimp who gets very angry at a girl that cheated on him. He abuses her with Meursault’s help which contrasts Meursault’s calm detachment. He is a violent man. He is characterized by indirect characterization in which the author includes what he thinks about other people and his actions.

2. Diction- reflects of Meursault’s attitude throughout the book in which he acts on basic instincts. The way he talks in short and simple sentences are an example on word choices that do not think much on instinct.

Syntax- The words are used to show how basic Meursault is. The way the author writes it is also how Meursault is a basic person.

3.The protagonist, Meursault is a dynamic character in which he does not change throughout the story. Throughout the story he is constantly stuck on his fact that life is meaningless and he shows this through his basic attitude throughout the story. His behavior throughout the story is also very absurd in which he views the world a lot differently than others.

4. I did not come away from this book feeling I had met someone or a character because it was very basic and somewhat boring. I did not know most of the characters feelings either because it was mostly about Meursault’s feelings, which were dynamic.

 

 



Vocabulary #3

accolade - noun a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
My student athlete award was an accolade of my hard work on and off the field.
acerbity - noun a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
He showed complete acerbity by his explicit language in his writing.
attrition - noun the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction; a wearing down to weaken or destroy; sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation; the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice; erosion by friction
The attrition of the cars tires sliding on the street created a rubber smell.
bromide - noun any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs; a trite or obvious remark
The statement "I am entitled to my own opinion" is bromide.
chauvinist - noun an extreme bellicose nationalist; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
The movie American History X is very chauvinist.
chronic - adj. being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
The chronic earthquakes in some areas limit the types of structures that can be safely built.
expound - verb add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; state
We expound in class when we do Socratic seminars.
factionalism- existence of factions: the existence of or conflict between groups within a larger group
Frequent internal splits have produced great factionalism.
immaculate - adj. completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error
I try to be immaculate with my room and my school work.
imprecation - noun the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult); a slanderous accusation
The boy muttered imprecations about a man that killed his brother.
ineluctable - adj. impossible to avoid or evade:"inescapable conclusion"
The car crash was ineluctable.
mercurial - adj. relating to or containing or caused by mercury; relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury; relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury; liable to sudden unpredictable change
Everyone stayed away from him because his temper was mercurial.
palliate - verb provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
The advil helped my headache palliate.
protocol - noun code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state; (computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data
The military uses protocol.
resplendent - adj. having great beauty and splendor
The flower was resplendent.
stigmatize - verb mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
People seen as traitors are universally despised and stigmatized.
sub - noun a submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes; different names are used in different sections of the United States; verb be a substitute
The sub was very nice.
rosa - noun large genus of erect or climbing prickly shrubs including roses
vainglory - noun outspoken conceit
Don't com off sounding to boastful or vainglorious.
vestige - noun an indication that something has been present
The trace, or vestige, of the dinosaur proved its existence.
volition - noun the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
He didn't need anyone to tell him what to do because of his volition.

Beowulf Essay

    A hero is a person who shows courage or ability, and is admired for their brave deeds. These characteristics are seen in the hero's Beowulf and Batman. Both of these men are seen as a "god" in their society in which everyone looks up to them. Though these characters have a lot of the same traits, they also have many differences as well. Past hero's such as Beowulf encounter a monomyth, which means they have to "answer the call" to fix a problem. When the future hero "answers the call" they go on a journey to fix the problem and later come back and tell the monomyth to their people. Modern hero's such as batman have to hold a lot of bravery and be willing to risks their lives. Modern day hero's also make a choice to be a hero.
    Beowulf and Batman are two hero's that have a lot in common. These characters are both very strong because they are able to fight off enemies without any superpowers. Beowulf shows off his strength when he rips off the monsters(Grendel) arm with his bare hands. Although Batman has some gadgets in order to help him fight off enemies, he is still very strong because he is able to survive with no superpowers. Batman and Beowulf show great endurance along with their strengths because they both come across a numerous amount of enemies at once and still manage to fight them off. An example of Beowulf's endurance is when he fights off multiple sea monsters while swimming for days. Batman shows great endurance throughout when he fights off multiple gangs. Both Batman and Beowulf also care for their people and defeat evil for them. Evil is not a threat to these characters but evil is a threat to their people, so they fight off the evil to protect their people. Beowulf travels to Herot in order to fight off Grendel, the monster that was threatening the people their. The King needed Beowulf's help to kill Grendel so that the people in Herot will no longer be endangered, and so Beowulf ends up defeated Grendel and Grendel's mother. Although these were not Beowulf's people, he knew that as a hero he needed to protect them. Batman knows that he needs to fight off evil in Gotham City, in which he does. Batman fights off many criminals in the streets and he also defeats the Joker. This was Batman's job as a hero.
    Although Beowulf and Batman have a lot in common, they also have some differences. One major difference in these two hero's is the different periods they are in and the traits that come along with it. Batman is from a modern period therefore having updating accessories as a hero. Batman wears a cape and a mask along with a lot of gadgets. This shows more of a "superhero" look, even though he has no superpowers. Beowulf on the other hand is from a period that wasn't as updated as the modern Batman's period. Beowulf barely wore anything besides shields on his body and he used a sword as a weapon. He figured out he didn't need any shields or weapons because he was confident in his strength. He showed this when he fought Grendel naked and defeated him. Another difference between Beowulf and Batman is their goals as hero's. Beowulf was interested in glory and he was on his pursuit to it. He was rewarded for his heroism and those rewards included wealth and being made a king. Bruce Wayne(Batman) was the complete opposite of this. He already has wealth and power and he just wants to do good deeds for society. He does not get rewards for his heroism, it is all of his choice to do what he does. In the time of Beowulf, self-confidence was what he and his people followed. Beowulf has a lot of self-confidence and a little bit of arrogance which his people looked up to. He showed his self-confidence/arrogance when he put his protection away to fight Grendel. In modern times, it is much more about humility.
    Overall a hero is a hero, no matter what differences they have. Both Beowulf and Batman were iconic figures in their time period. Their similarities in heroism overcast their differences. They both did good for their societies and protected the people in it. Their similar traits were their best traits in which they achieved in protecting people.

WILL STUDY FOR FOOD

The scholarship I am applying for is called the WUE and it has some basic requirements. This scholarship brings tuition down by half. The college I want to attend is out of state and it's original tuition is $18,000. This scholarship will bring my tuition down by half saving my family $9,000/year. This scholarship's requirements include:
1) Being a U.S citizen
2) Have permanent residence in the states surrounding the college(California is one)
3) Must have at least a 3.2 accumulative non-weighted high school GPA and ACT composite 21 or SAT critical reading and math combined 980
If I can get passed this scholarship I could also apply for the GEM. The GEM requirements are the same except for the GPA and SAT/ACT score. It requires at least a 3.6 accumulative non-weighted GPA and an ACT composite 26 or SAT critical reading and math combined 1170. This scholarship will save my family $12,000/year.
I need scholarship money to not only help myself out financially, but my family as well. The more we can save the better and that is why I am trying to get at least one of these scholarships. Scholarship money will also help me pay for the things I need when I go to school such as books and other items. The money I save will go towards the books and other items.

Vocabulary #2

accoutrements - noun personal clothing, accessories, etc.
My friend was very stylish with his accoutrements.
apogee - noun apoapsis in Earth orbit; the point in its orbit where a satellite is at the greatest distance from the Earth; a final climactic stage
He was the apogee of his reign.
apropos - adj. of an appropriate or pertinent nature; adv. by the way; at an opportune time
The apropos employee was never late and always prepared.
bicker - noun a quarrel about petty points; verb argue over petty things
My friends and I bicker over petty things.
coalesce - verb fuse or cause to grow together; mix together different elements
The chemist coalesces different chemicals together to create a reaction.
contretemps - noun an awkward clash
He had a contretemps with his ex-girlfriend.
convolution - noun the action of coiling or twisting or winding together; a convex fold or elevation in the surface of the brain; the shape of something rotating rapidly
There is a convolution in the brain that serves a purpose.
cull - noun the person or thing that is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality; verb remove something that has been rejected; look for and gather
Some people cull the unfit from a population.
disparate - adj. including markedly dissimilar elements;fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
The papers in this session look at bringing together disparate data in a variety of ways.
dogmatic - adj. characterized by assertion of unproved or unprovable principles; relating to or involving dogma; of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
Many people are dogmatic and refuse to listen to others opinions
licentious - adj. lacking moral discipline; especially sexually unrestrained
Some of the older decades were very licentious.
mete - noun a line that indicates a boundary
There is a mete that splits up the states.
noxious - adj. injurious to physical or mental health
Poisonous snakes are very noxious, so do not get bit by one.
polemic - adj. of or involving dispute or controversy; noun a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma); a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology)
Polemics are used in politics.
populous - adj. densely populated
Major cities are very populous.
probity - noun complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles
He was a gentlemen of high probity.
repartee-noun adroitness and cleverness in reply
Their repartee set the tone for the evening.
supervene - verb take place as an additional or unexpected development
Social properties supervene on the properties of individuals.

truncate - adj. terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off; verb make shorter as if by cutting off; approximate by ignoring all terms beyond a chosen one; replace a corner by a plane
Some sentences are truncated to prevent run-on.
unimpeachable - adj. beyond doubt or reproach; completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach; free of guilt; not subject to blame
If you have an unimpeachable evidence, you will most likely win in court.

The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski

http://youtu.be/VNUYCseJ70k

MY OPINION ISN'T (A) RIGHT

• When people use the phrase "I have the right to my own opinion" it means they do not have facts and they can not back up their opinion. This phrase is also used to change the subject because the person has no back up.
• Many people get offended if someone challenges their opinion when they should really be listening to the ideas the other person has to say to help their opinion gain more value.
•  Your opinion has to be earned by having a back up
• Overall, if you don't have facts to back up your opinion just don't say anything at all because you will come to a situation where someone has a counterargument and you won't have a comeback but "I am entitled to my own opinion" which does nothing for you

Montaigne/Wallace Essay

    Imagine how many thoughts go through your head a day. Now the question is, would you write down all of those thoughts? Montaigne believes that you should write down all of the thoughts that run through your head everyday. David Foster Wallace once said that what goes on inside is too fast and huge for words to barley sketch the outlines of a little part of it. Michael Montaigne was the inventor of the essay and in his essays he would write down everything thought that ran through his head. It may be good to write down some of your thoughts so you won't forget them but at the same time, it is very hard because the mind thinks too fast. Both authors contradict each other and both have a valid point.

    Michael Montaigne believes in writing all of one's thoughts down on paper. Writing all of my thoughts down on paper would take me a long time and it would never end. Although this seems crazy, it could actually help. If we write down our thoughts, we could go back and read them to remember them. Writing down our thoughts could actually help us in the long run, especially if our thoughts could be worth money. Someone could think of an invention and write it down, go back to it and possibly make money. There has actually been times where I thought of an invention that I could get money for and forgot to write it down. Therefore, sometimes it might be useful to write your thoughts down so you don't forget them.

    Wallace has a very different approach. Wallace has a more realistic approach because he believes it is too hard to write down all of our thoughts down on paper. Wallace believes that it is difficult to focus on one thought, because of all of the other thoughts running through our heads. If we focus on one thought, that thought can turn into a very complex thought. Wallace basically says that our thoughts are all interconnected inside and we can't even understand the power complexity of our own thoughts. Although he says this, he also believes we should focus on one main idea and try to develop it as well as we can.

    While both authors contradict, they both hold valid points. I personally think if you have a great thought that could benefit you, write it down but if you try and write down all of the thoughts that run threw your head, you will just be struggling on rambling on about pointless thoughts. Whichever author you agree with, you have to realize that our minds work in mysterious ways and they are capable of many things.

REFLECTIONS ON WEEK 1

1. I do not think anything will affect my participation in this class. I have full access to a computer and a smart phone. I am also good on transportation. Family and friends are not a problem as well. In the first semester, my schedule is more open in which I have more time to get things done. In the second semester, I start baseball and I will be having long practices and road games that could maybe get in the way. I don't think this will get in the way too much but I will make sure to complete what needs to be completed.
2. One awesome learning experience that changed me was being able to be myself. I learned that being yourself is the best way to go through life. Being yourself is the best way to go through your life because it does not cause stress. Starting out my freshman year of
high school I was not myself. I tried too hard to impress others and it was all so stressful. As I went into my sophomore year a lot of that went away and I was becoming more mature. By my junior year, I was even more matured and started to be myself, which made junior year a breeze. Being myself has helped me in all aspects especially in school. I am more comfortable now with being myself and I'm sure others around me are too.
3. I am excited for this class because it seems like it is going to be collaborative and fun. I like the idea of the open source learning as well because everyone can share their ideas and other people can get new ones. I look forward to learning more vocabulary words because I need to improve them. I am just looking forward to whatever we learn in this class because I am sure it will be beneficial. This class can make a difference in my life because of the collaboration. The more my classmates and I collaborate and share ideas, the more knowledge and communication skills I gain which will help me in the future no matter what I do.

Vocabulary #1

Definitions

Adumbrate - verb give to understand; describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
Apotheosis - noun the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god); model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
Ascetic - adj. practicing great self-denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; noun someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
Bauble - noun a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
Beguile - verb attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
Burgeon - verb grow and flourish
Complement - noun something added to complete or make perfect; either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; number needed to make up a whole force; a complete number or quantity; one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; verb make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
Contumacious - adj. wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
Curmudgeon - noun a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
Didactic - adj. instructive (especially excessively)
Disingenuous - adj. not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
Exculpate - verb pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
Faux - adj. not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article
pas - noun (ballet) a step in dancing (especially in classical ballet)
Fulminate - noun a salt or ester of fulminic acid; verb cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
Fustian - noun a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap; pompous or pretentious talk or writing
Hauteur - noun overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
Inhibit - verb limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
Jeremiad - noun a long and mournful complaint
opportunist - adj. taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; noun a person who places expediency above principle
Unconscionable - adj. greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience

Sentences

The dark clouds adumbrated the blue sky and the sun.

His brief life reached an apotheosis here.

I can appear ascetic and stiff.

A bauble gets passed down to a family member.

He had to beguile the college scouts in order to get a scholarship for baseball.

He really burgeoned these past few years.

He always complements women as he walks by them.

I don't like his behavior because it is very contumacious

He is apparently a curmudgeon who thinks everyone is intellectually beneath him.

It is didactic to compare the two projects.

How am I supposed to understand you if you are so disingenuous.

Do not try and exculpate the situation because you are indeed guilty.

I made a faux pas when I stuttered.

All fulminated against the officer who shot Mike Brown.

She was very fustian because she believes she is famous.

His parents show their hauteur towards him.

The officers inhibited the fearless and crazy protestors.

The book is a sort of jeremiad against the environmental threats to the great wilderness areas of the country.

He was an opportunist in which he does whatever he can to benefit himself.

Advocates for the poor consider such cuts unconscionable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I CAN READ!

http://youtu.be/DPidXjpKAxw

I love to laugh and this sure made me laugh. Although it was 6 minutes and I had 15 mistakes it was a fun challenge. 

1987 AP Exam

Essay #1

    Exile can be one of the hardest obstacles to overcome. While exile is hard to overcome, it can also be enriching at the same time. In the novel, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, the Price family experiences exile . The four girls and their parents leave the United States and go to the Congo to spread the word of God to their people. Nathan, the father who made this decision, is a Baptist Minister who wants to spread the word of God to the Congolese people. The Price's experience faced many hardships and have to overcome them.

    One character that faced the most hardships was Adah Price. When Adah arrived to the Congo, she was very young. Also, Adah suffers from a disease called hemiplegia that prevents the whole left side of her body to function. Having to go from the United States to a third world country would be very hard for any one her age. Adah experienced things that no one her age should experience. Adah witnesses her sisters death while in the Congo which puts sadness in her as you could imagine. Adah also witnesses her parents not caring for each other which also hits her hard. After all of these horrible things happen, Adah doesn't let it effect her too much. Adah matures greatly and starts to value her life. Adah then attends a college in the Congo and becomes a brilliant researcher in science, something she loves and truly believes in. She loves studying the life of viruses and it has also helped her look at the world at a much different angle. Although exile can be alienating and hard, it can also be enriching, just like Adah's experience.

    Overall, this novel does send an important message about having to overcome hardships. Hardships can actually help one look at life differently and help them in the long run. This novel also allows the readers to relate to having to overcome hardships. Everyone has faced some sort of exile or change that they have had to overcome. Whatever the exile or change someone faces, it is important to benefit from the situation just as Adah did, which is enriching.

Poisonwood Bible Notes

My Big Question

My big question is, and I know it was used for an example in class by someone else, is what happens after you die? I have always wondered this and it is interesting to think about. Is there resurrection or is it totally the end? If it is totally the end, what happens? What goes on?

Poetry 1

1. The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski
2. The use of this poem by a corporation is ironic because the poem talks about life and being free which has no correlation to Levi Jeans.
3. The poem does not reflect the author's reputation because it mentions that his daily routine consisted of alcohol abuse, sex, and violence. Although it does mention that he is a truthful writer, that doesn't necessarily reflect on his reputation as a whole.
4. For number one I typed some of the words from the poem into Google and it popped up. For number three, I typed in the authors name then "reputation" and I found all of the information I needed.

Catching Up

I fell behind in my summer reading and did not quite finish it up. I have fully read Pride and Prejudice but I have not fully finished the others. I hope to get the other readings done very soon since I am almost done with them. This will definitely not happen again and I hope I did not get off on the wrong foot I am just being honest. After your introduction to the class today, I am now interested in this class and I want to try and improve myself. I know not completing my summer work helped but I am hoping to finish that up and post the essay very soon. There is a lot of room for improvement for me so I hope it all works out.

Pride and Prejudice Notes

Characters
- Elizabeth Bennet- The protagonist and the second oldest of the five sisters. She is very outgoing. She falls in love with Fitzwilliam Darcy.
- Fitzwilliam Darcy- Wealthy, proud man who falls in love with Elizabeth. He has a rough attitude but is secretly generous.
- Mr. Bennet- Father, unhappily married and failed to support his family
- Mrs. Bennet- Foolish, tries to hook the daughters up with husbands
- Jane Bennet- oldest and most beautiful of the sisters and she is very kind. She falls in love with Bingley
- Mary Bennet- Third sister who prefers reading over socializing
- Catherine Bennet- The fourth sister who joins her sister Lydia in flirting with the soldiers
- Lydia Bennet- youngest sister who is immature and irresponsible. Mom's favorite daughter. She runs away with Wickham
- Charles Bingley- Good- natured wealthy man who falls in love with Jane. Easily influenced by others
- Caroline Bingley- Charles' stuck up sister who befriends Jane. She attempts to attract Darcy's attention and is jealous that Darcy wants Elizabeth
- George Wickham- Handsome and personable fortune hunter to whom Elizabeth is initially attracted. Runs off and is forced to marry Lydia
- Georgiana Darcy- Darcy's very nice but shy sister
- Mr. Collins- Mr. Bennet's ridiculous cousin, who will inherit long bourn after Mr. Bennet's death. He seeks a bride and he first proposes to Elizabeth then to Charlotte Lucas
- Charlotte Lucas- Elizabeth's sensible and intelligent friend, who disappoints Elizabeth by marrying Mr. Collins for money and security.
Plot
- A man named Charles Bingley buys some property by the Bennet's house. The five unmarried sisters have a chance
- Jane and Elizabeth meet Bingley and his friend Darcy. Jane and Bingley seem like a good fit but Darcy and Elizabeth do not have a fit.
- Jane goes to visit Bingley and ends up having to stay there because she got sick
- Elizabeth meets a soldier named Wickham and Wickham tells her Darcy is bad because Darcy owes him some money
- Bingley leaves and Jane gets upset
- Elizabeth finds out Darcy told Bingley to not marry Jane because her family is poor. Darcy then tries to confess his love for Elizabeth but Elizabeth rejects him because of what Darcy told Bingley.
- After that, Elizabeth's sister Lydia wants to marry Wickham but doesn't have the money for it but Darcy pays for it which makes Elizabeth start to like Darcy and fall in love with him and they end up getting married along with Bingley and Jane.
Theme
- One of the main themes of Pride and Prejudice is a women's role in society. Women were more like property than anything else. Women's father's would sell their daughter to rich men. Women also did not speak out against men in relationships. Women were definitely not equal to men
- The title says a lot about the theme as well