Blog Post #42

Answer.
That you are here- that life exists and identity,
That the power play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

Oh Me! Oh Life!
Walt Whitman

6th hour, room 547, Mr. Allen. I was greeted everyday, always welcomed with an awesome atmosphere. This year in all honesty has been the most signifgant growth in English. When Ap test time rolled around Lit was the only class I felt truly prepared for. Every single day in English I felt as if I have prepared just a bit more for May 4th, even if yes it was a mere improvement, every class was indeed for my benefit of learning and preparing for the test. Ap Lit was the first class that pushed me to do work outside, although I fell short numerous of times on that aspect I now know what it takes in college. I really do believe that Ap Lit was the class that can be best compared to a college course. I am forever thankful that I have Ap Lit under my belt, it was a good little taste of college.

I can come out and say that truthfully when asked to read novels in previous classes I did not take it as seriously as I did an Lit. Lit required deep thought, analysis, and we were tested if we if we actually did that. We were asked to write and talk about everything, and that cannot be done if I didnt truthfully comprehended the work. Jane Eyre for sure was my favorite read. Although at some points long and tedious, a deeper understanding could also shine through from Bronte's work. I also kind of have a soft spot for cheesy happy endings.

In terms of the essays we wrote I learned about myself that it is easier to write striaght from my brain and heart rather than from reading and research. My college essay of course was more of a fun and easier essay to complete than the critical lens. Although yes I am thankful for the critical lens again because I feel as if college will offer more essays similar to that.

Ap smarty pants challenges were always my favorite days in 547. The atmosphere and game and costume and noise. But little did us students know Allen's master evil plan was still education driven. Ap smarty pants prepared me like no other for the multiple choice. During the test my mindset was confident, without the 10 challenges I know it would of been different. I still need to work on my speed however because I had to "C it out" on the last couple :( In terms of the essays on the test. I.C.E although somewhat dreaded was completely helpful. My average was always around 6 or 7 and very hopeful for that to continue to my test score!

Overall I have grown as a reader and a writer immensly. I have learned to appriecate books I would of judged as "boring". I plan to read over the summer which honestly is scary because that is just not me! As a writer I learned my strengths and weaknesses. While I read this summer I plan to continue jounaling, yes I have indeed started journalling. So I mean all I can say is thanks. Thanks for preparing me, entertaining me, pushing me, and helping me grow. Three power claps on three.

Blog Post #41

Rochester and St. John Rivers are both extremely interesting characters. They have deep personalities so that it requires some thought to fully understand their actions. They can both do the same thing, under the same circumstances, with different motivations and in different ways. Rochester was born into a wealthy family, of high rank. The Rivers name was also well spoken of and highly respected. Both men had highly intellectual minds. Each, in their own way, thought themselves superior over other people. Rochester bluntly behaved in a proud manner, whereas St. John quietly held himself above others Rochester is an unkempt bachelor, owner of several estates. He is a globetrotter who rarely stays in one place long. He has a tendency to be loud and demanding. St. John Rivers is a well-kept minister in a small town who feels called to work as a missionary in India. He is quiet, if he says anything it is to the point and very clear.

Bronte associates Rochester with fire and passion whereas she associates St. John Rivers with cold and detachment. I think Bronte does this basically to display Jane's feelings toward each. Simply put Rochester is associated with passion because Jane is passionate toward him, "I think it is a glorious thing to have the hope of living with you, Edward, because I love you." (Brontë, 264). In contrast St. John is juxaposed with ice and cold. "the cloak that covered his tall figure all white as a glacier." (Brontë, 353). This ice and cold compared to fire and passion are comparsions between the two men who asked for her hand in marriage. It's only up to Jane to chose which route to take.

Blog Post #40

Jane Eyre... Such an interesting gal for sure!  She challenges the class structure of British society in various ways such as, switching of gender roles and defying the proper Victorian woman's attitude and way of life. Victorian women are expected to keep to themselves and be very proper. Jane challenges these roles because she is a powerful character, she defies these expectations. The switching of gender roles becomes apparent when Jane is accosiated with Mr. Rochester. When there is a fire in Rochesters room Jane is the one who saves him, which somewhat represents a gender switch between the two because generally speaking the male comes to a heroic rescue for the "helpless female".(Bronte 120) Again, Jane takes on the masculine role when Rochestor and Jane are to be married, Rochestor becomes the wedding and wardrobe planner while Jane stays unworried about it and wants simplicity. (Bronte 268)

The use of a governess as a protagonist allows the novel to criticize class structures because it challenges the traditional thinking of what a women's role was in society during this era. In the book Jane receives an education and later on goes to teach. She has grown from a broken household to become independent. Bronte's use of this strong independent interpretation of Jane challenges traditional thinking about the social role of Victorian women, and creates a thought in the audiences head about rethinking the role of women in this time era.

Blog Post #39

Foil characters are alike in someways however differ in a very critical way. Shakespeare portrays Glouster and Lear as foil characters toward one another. The main reason for their similarities is because both of these characters participate in a downfall. Lear and Glouster both lose power in their kingdoms. Lear has gone mad, as Kent states, "..his wits are gone" (Shakespeare 155) Lear loses the respect everyone had for him and it was replaced with a crazy old man. Glouster loses his power and sight. Both attacked by people they trusted. Their difference is expressed figurtively. When Glouster loses his power he is also blinded. His blinding actually causes him to see the insight Lear lacks. Although Lear has full sight he lacks insight, understanding and direction. It is evident that these two characters that clear vison is not derived solely from physical sight. Lear's failure to understand this is the principal of his demise. While Glouster learns to achieve clear vison, and consequently avoids a fate similar to Lear's. Glouster's character undergoes more of a physical change he discovers truth; Lear goes through more if a physoclogical change, from fantasy to reality and from insanity to sanity. The similarity is that both men are obviously not mentally stable from their downfalls.

Blog Post #38

What Do I Notice?

Hm, well a lot is occuring in this painting. It seems as if everyone is doing their own thing, a fisherman, a hiker, a merchant? Many ships traveling, other towns and mountains in the distance, yet no one seems concerned about the drowning person? 

What is the artist trying to portray? 

The artist along with Williams and Auden try and display how nobody notices Incarus' fall. 

Upon comparing the two poems and the painting, I have found that they each are in a way about Icarus' famous fall. The first poem by William Carlos Williams specifically focuses on Icarus and his story and the second poem by W. H. Auden uses Icarus' fall to contribute to their overall message. Most importantly, each of the poets talk about how nobody notices Icarus. Upon first looking at the painting, you don't even notice Icarus until you look a little closer and see two legs in the water. The painter and poets did this on purpose and from this we can see that the important theme of the tree pieces is "the ignorance of the comfortable many when faced with the obvious suffering and peril of the helpless few".

But how does this all relate to King Lear? The answer to that can best be found in the poem by W. H. Auden when he says,"The old Masters: how well they understood its human position: how it takes place while someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;.." This line is very powerful because it emphasizes how in the painting and the poems that the death of Icarus goes unnoticed. People don't realize the value of a moment until its gone and even though the Flight of Daedalus and Icarus is the most well known greek story, it is ironic that nobody in the poems or the painting seem to care or notice that it happened at all. This is similar to King Lear because  as the play goes on Lear slowly realizes the mistakes he has made and how he could have and should have done things differently because it would have prevented the chaos that has consumed their lives. Irony also plays a big part in this Shakespearian play as it does in these three works as well. People can be ignorant at times especially in King Lear when the audience sees or notices something that the other characters do not when they are faced with hard decisions or suffering and peril of the helpless few.

Blog Post #37

"Among iconic images from King Lear, the portrayal of Lear in this scene, an elderly isolate angrily and determinedly shaking his fist at the heavens, is certainly the most famous.
The famous shaking the fist at the gods, oh Lear you crazy ole fart. This scene is famous because Lear has offically lost it, he's sad, but wow oh wow he is so angry. His anger reigns on more than his sadness for sure, he is sad his daughters betrayed him but he is more angry about it. He believes its the Gods fault.. "Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! Spout, rain! Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire are my daughters. I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness. I never gave you kingdom. called you children; You owe me no subscription. Then let fall your horrible pleasure..." (Shakespeare, 128) He doesn't understand why his daughters are so vile to him. A higher power must be in charge of why they do the things they do. Fate is very prominent in Shakespeare Lear is furious that his Fate has lead him here. Lear expresses, "I am a man more sinned against than sinning." (Shakespeare, 131) He believes more bad things happen to him than bad things he commits. He's angry that that is the way it is for him. He confused, he confusion leads to a very angry outburst on the Gods because he reflects on his life.

Blog Post #34

A soliloquy occurs purely for the audience's benefit to know and learn what a certain character is thinking. Edmund, the bastard son of King Lear's close friend Gloucester, is not allowed to speak unless spoken to do so by somebody else. Edmund resents the fact that he is unable to inherit anything from his father because he is not his legitimate son. He also resents his brother Edgar because he recieves everything when his father dies and he respected unlike himself. Edmunds soliloquy is as follows:


Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound. Wherefore should I Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me, For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines Lag of a brother? Why bastard? wherefore base? When my dimensions are as well compact, My mind as generous, and my shape as true, As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us With base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base? Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take More composition and fierce quality Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed, Go to th' creating a whole tribe of fops Got 'tween asleep and wake? Well then, Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land. Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund As to th' legitimate. Fine word- 'legitimate'! Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed, And my invention thrive, Edmund the base Shall top th' legitimate. I grow; I prosper. Now, gods, stand up for bastards!

Edmund's soliloquy is a true reflection of all his built up internal anger. He is not allowed to speak and his soliloquy releases this anger at once. Compared to the scene his speech is very similar in the way where it shows his intentions, in the scene he writes a fake letter and is plotting an evil plan. Both his speech and his scheming show the hatred he has in his heart for his brother and father. The difference is in the scene he stands in the back quiet, everyone unaware, in his soliloquy he does not hold back.