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.