Final Presentation

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Group: 

Danny George

Jason Limon

Laruen Lascina

Uriel Palacios

Nakesha Willis

Lissette Villalobos

Alfredo Arriaga

Matthew Berumen

Carlos Serrano

Project Punishment.

Good luck guys !

I think this about sums it up.

Practice Essay.

Think of a small boy, he has spent most of his life being cared for by his parents and sheltered from the harsh realities of the real world. Now picture that same small boy as a young adult who is moving out for the first time, still having spent his life underneath his parents wings. The first few days on his own are the worst. He is out of his comfort zone and forced to adapt to a way of living that he is unaccustomed to. This new world is overwhelming and he desperately wishes to return to his parents home. A few weeks, later the young adult begins to accept the new world around him and even begins to learn from it. The young adult is very similar to the cave prisoners featured in Plato's The Allegory of the Cave. Each of them were born into a certain way of living that over time, they became very accustomed to. When one of the prisoners was released from the cave, he was blinded and overwhelmed from what surrounded him. The world around him was so new from what he had grown up with, the prisoner was forced to adapt and eventually began to learn from it. 

We all have trouble adjusting when out environment and atmosphere have been shifted. It takes a strong heart and mind to be capable of  becoming comfortable outside of our comfort zone. The young adults reaction is one that many Americans can relate to today. When we venture out of the known and begin the

long and grueling journey into the unknown, we are stripped of what we know and handed a blank slate. 

Everything we have ever come to know and understand is no longer valid to what is to come. Over time, we begin to gather and collect from the endless mystique that surrounds us and fill that slate with our new found knowledge and experience. A select few opt out of pertaining this newly understood information to themselves and choose to share and expand what they have learned in order to benefit the less courageous. After his enlightenment, the prisoner had chosen to return to the cave so that he could share his understanding with the other prisoners. Regardless of the freed prisoners didactic intentions, the cave prisoners choose not to believe what they could not see and continued to hide from the light.

Plato's Allegory of the Cave is very similar to Sartre's No Exit in this sense. Just as the cave prisoners refused to accept the words of the freed prisoner, Estelle had also constantly refused to accept the words of Garcin and Inez. Both Garin and Inez were very similar to the freed prisoner, they had both entered hell without fear, making their ability to believe what they could not see very high. Garcin and Inez had come to accept their unknown reality rather than to shove it away as Estelle had done. Throughout the play Estelle refuses to acknowledge the new reality that is presented before her and even attempts living in the past at one point. Satre's character Estelle decides to embrace the good, ignore the bad and avoid her true feelings. She would prefer to be miserable and unenlightened then step out of her comfort zone and lose grasp of what she knows. Estelle's standing on the tip of an iceberg and refuses to accept what lies underneath.

Both Plato and Sartre manage to capture the difference between the enlightened and unenlightened. The enlightened sacrifice their comfort for freedom and understanding while the unenlightened choose to live a life of misery in order to stay where they are. Both writers successfully reveal the sad truths of society. Many people would rather live a familiar life of darkness than to journey off and live underneath an unfamiliar sun.

Kids React : Gay Marriage

I was on Youtube and I happened to stumble upon this video. Considering gay marriage is such a controversial topic, I found it interesting to see a child's perspective on the subject. Though these children are only between the ages of 5 and 13, they manage to shed so much light on such a tender subject. The video is a bit lengthy but it's definitely time well spent.

Work in progress

My blog has been a bit empty over the break so I'm just clarifying that I have been giving these assignments MANY attempts. They haven't been working out too well . . But I am definetly trying. Hopefully I can get it together soon!

Wish me luck ♥

Thinking outside the box.

"Hell is other people." 

Think about the place you have chosen as your hell. Does it look ordinary and bourgeois, like Sartre's drawing room, or is it equipped with literal instruments of torture like Dante's Inferno? Can the mind be in hell in a beautiful place? Is there a way to find peace in a hellish physical environment?

My hell would be somewhat a mixture of both ordinary and torturous. Though I like to consider myself exempt of showing it, there are two things I fear greatly; failure and loneliness. My hell would be similar to a small white room. No windows or door, no ability to grow and transcend. The only thing this room would contain is a television stuck on replay. It would play nothing but my past mistakes and failures. The room would be so small that I would be unable to escape, having to consistently watch my self fail time and time again. Voices would echo throughout the room but none of them would be able to hear me. I'd be all alone, no source of comfort or refuge. Forever confined to isolation and failure until the day I died. It's ordinary because my hell is so simple but torturous due to the amount of pain it would inflict on me, having to endure it every single day with no sense of relief. I suppose you could say that the mind could be hell in a beautiful place considering that hell is different for everyone. "The mind is a beautiful place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven." (John Milton). We go through day to day life thinking that certain things are hellish and unbearable and never stop to look at the beauty in every struggle. Every struggle makes us stronger regardless of how weak we may feel at the moment. I feel like their is peace in a hellish physical environment depending on the extremity of the hell. For example, let's say someone's version of hell would be having to work out and diet almost all day every day. Physically, their body is going to feel like they are being tortured, but once they find a way to escape this hell, won't they have come out stronger? Not only would they be physically conditioned but mentally as well. Learning to endure and press through the pain of physical and mental beings is a very valuable when it comes to overcoming a challenge.


Could hell be described as too much of anything without a break? Are variety, moderation and balance instruments we use to keep us from boiling in any inferno of excess,' whether it be cheesecake or ravenous sex?

Most definitely, too much of anything is considered to be dangerous, let alone compared to hell. There needs to be a balance in everything that one does. Some high school students like to describe finals week as a form of hell because they all know that they will be spending the previous week cramming and studying without proper breaks.If most students studied throughout the year in moderation, would studying for finals really be so bad? Eating massive amounts of cheesecake without time to regroup is something of the sort that would make someone never want to eat cheesecake again. Just as having excessive amounts of sex could tire or hurt a person to the point where just the mere though of it would be pure torture. Keeping a balance and variety is what keeps us sane. If you keep a pot of water over a burning flame, would it not too burn into nonexistence?

How does Sartre create a sense of place through dialogue? Can you imagine what it feels like to stay awake all the time with the lights on with no hope of leaving a specific place? How does GARCIN react to this hell? How could you twist your daily activities around so that everyday habits become hell? Is there a pattern of circumstances that reinforces the experience of hell?

The dialogue is somewhat descriptive, it gives a sense of setting when Garcin and the Valet talk about the room and what it's like to stay in it. It actually sounds somewhat similar to my hell, no escape. Though the staying awake part sounds quite dreadful, my imagination on being confined is very colorful. Garcin reacts much better than I would. At least he managed to calm down. I can honestly say my life is already curbing to into hell. I'm home alone quite frequently and a majority of my friends live in different regions of California. I have a car but nowhere to go, I'm confined in a box with no exit. Though being in school for the entire day would also be considered hellish on my part, I cannot sleep or roam in my box freely when I'm at school. Repetition reinforces hell. Without change we can not develop and without development we are stuck.

Lit Project

Group Etherpad link.

Be sure to create an oovoo guys !

I'll create the Prezi soon.


~Jasmine.

Allegory of the Sonnet

Dear Darkness, you've been there with me from the start

Your glorious shadows dance forever within my heart;

Your presence always suffocates this room

That your gloomy atmosphere tends to consume.

But lately your presence has begun to fade

After the bright Light had entered and left you dismayed.

This bright Light pains me so

Oh sweet Darkness, where did you go?

You raised and brought me to life

But your new found absence has caused us strife.

Dear Darkness, The Light wasn't so bad in the end

Since our meeting, Light has enabled me to transcend

I'm sad to tell you that this is our goodbye

The Light has taught me new things like the birds, the bees and the sky.

1. The Allegory of the Cave represents humans inability to comprehend and believe what they can't see.

2. The shadows and the fire were key elements of he imagery used. The fire represented enlightenment and understanding while the darkness represented the doubt that prevents us from understanding the unknown.

3. The Allegory shows how difficult it can be for people to feel comfortable accepting and believing in the unknown.  Enlightenment shines light or "sun" unto those whose thoughts are clouded by the shadows and allows them to believe in things they can't fully comprehend.

4. The prisoners are confined to the cave and prevented from expanding their mental horizons. All of the prisoners are incapable of understanding anything but the cave. Even their fellow freed prisoners could not convince them of the world waiting around them.

5. Failure. I really am my biggest enemy. I allow my fear of failure to cloud my mind and prevent myself from achieving all that I am capable of.  It's not over until I say it's over but once I convince myself that I can't do anything, the outcome has already been decided.

6. The freed prisoners are open minded and overjoyed while the cave prisoners remain narrow minded and pained.

7. Intellectual confusion and lack of clarity can occur from "too much or too little light". In other words, knowing too much or not understanding enough.

8. The prisoners are typically freed by outsiders of the cave. By working with the prisoners, they are able to free them from the cave . (Interdependence)

9.  There is a distinction between reality and appearance. Looks can be deceiving and lead us from the truth.

10.

To speak, or Not to speak. (Hamlet Remix)

Apologies for some of the video defects. The video had played differently on my computer and had changed when uploaded onto my blog/youtube.

The quote at the end is "If you have nothing positive to say, don't say it at all."

Hamlet Essay

Everyone can talk the talk, but it takes a true individual to walk to walk. Hamlet was all talk and no walk. In the end, all his talk lead him to talk straight to the grave. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29). Words are powerful tools that influence and predict future actions. The way we speak and what we speak of, they're all important factors of action.  Actions are for but the moment, word's will carry on for a lifetime. It's important to be aware of what we say and pay attention to the way we announce it. As individuals, we have the ability to speak life and death unto others. We each posses a powerful gift that can allow us to speak blessing or curses unto those around us but tend to forget that we get what we give. Throughout the play Hamlet only speaks of death and negativity . He remains skeptical and unpleasant from the moment he is introduced to the audience.  Hamlet's character remains mentally corrupt throughout the play, speaking in a tone of hate and disgust from the moment we meet him. The bible states that the tongue is sharper than a two edged sword. It's ability to destroy is more painful that any weapon. This being said, Hamlet was his own poison. Harsh words and vengeful thoughts not only killed those around him but they also caused the final blow that ended his life.

Words are weapons, they are intended to protect but in the wrong hands they often destroy. Hamlet used words as a defense mechanism.  Standing up for himself and what appears to be his fathers honor, Hamlet single-handedly  manages to corrupt the palace. After analyzing the play I came to realize the cause of every ones death was Hamlet. Once he had spoken everything began to descend.  "O that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself to dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God!" In Hamlets first soliloquy, Act I Scene II, he debates whether or not to kill himself. Though he does not act these claims out, they are the beginning to the train wrecked tragedy that is Hamlet. 

Think about it. The tragedy all starts with a few words. Hamlet claims that he will kill Claudius for murdering his father, he soon creates a play to expose Claudius for the swine he is. Once Claudius has been exposed, Hamlet soon confronts his mother which then transcends to Hamlet killing Polonius. Ophelia then commits suicide due to the melancholy of losing her father and Rozencratz and Guildenstern are killed in Paris. Hamlet then returns home bearing more negative words that lead to the death of Laertes, Gertrude, Claudius and Hamlet himself. The entire tragedy was caused because Hamlet didn't know the power of words and how they can affect the life of others as well are himself. By allowing his self-overhearing to remain negative, his negativity soon landed on those surrounding him and caused them to suffer as well. Though the results of Hamlets negativity we're a bit extreme, we all suffer or have suffered the same problem. As a student, it's common to being to doubt myself in my work. The more I doubt my abilities, the more realistic my doubts become. While learning To be, or not to be, I began to doubt whether I could memorize it in time and recite it as well as my peers. It soon became difficult to memorize what I was reading and I keep mispronouncing and stuttering my words. I got to the point where I became unable to progress. My frustration soon began to frustrate others and they too began to face difficulties. 

Words are the gateway to actions. If misused and abused, the words go from letters on paper to problems in reality. We cannot achieve our goals and reach for great things if we don't have the mindset for it. Hamlet's words were driven by death instead of life, now he's dead and so are his loved ones. Had Hamlet been more positive, his story would have ended differently. Hamlet had a theme and an important message hidden within the text. that expressed the importance on the way we speak. We must strive to keep positive and ensure that our self-overhearing is encouraging us to live better. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29).

Tools that change the way we think.

I feel as if there are pros and cons on how the Internet changes our thought process. We are in a time and generation where information is just a click of the search button away. Are thoughts are no longer "our thoughts" but more so of a remix of the things the Internet brings to our attention. Though the Internet brings a lot of current events to our attention, the price comes with a bountiful list of distractions. Music, videos, games, social media; all of these things are factors to the list of distractions that may keep us from doing productive work. You go from thinking about the issue of ObamaCare to thinking what crazy outfit is Miley Cyrus rockin' that day.Time seems to melt away when you're tuned into the internet. "Just checking your Facebook" leads to an hour of "Reading through my Newsfeed and recruiting more friends for Candy Crush." It becomes more difficult to focus on non-stimulating priorities when you're constantly having entertaining and euphoric interests popping up in the sidebar. The Internet is a tool that provides an endless amount of information for each individual without ever having to leave the comfort of their own home. This information is only resourceful if the individual can manage to steer away from the "wants' and prioritize the "needs". It takes a certain mental endurance to stay focused while on the Internet. Considering the Internet is now shaped around our interests, it's not uncommon for two or three of the things we like to be suggestions while we do our research. These interests also filter and tailor our results to relate most to the things we enjoy most. For this reason we most likely wont get accurate results for Shakespeare if we spend most of our free time on the Internet trying to figure out "What the fox says." Aside from distractions, the Internet/technology also seems to limit our learning experience in some ways. For example, most teenagers seem to lack the understanding of proper grammar, punctuation and vocabulary because we have become accustomed to technology doing it for us. I being one of those teenagers can vouch for my accusation of technology being both the pro and antagonists of education. I spent years growing used to auto correct editing and filtering my spelling mistakes and using text abbreviations to write. For this reason, my English skills have been diminished. Even now I'm sitting here clicking on auto correct to edit all of my spelling mistakes. All this rambling aside, the Internet is a setback and a advantage at the same time. It allows us concrete and limitless sources for research and informational purposes but has terrible side effects of laziness, short term memory, grammar mistakes and lack of full understanding. We've become a generation dependent on how fast our browsers can refresh and how accurately Siri can follow our commands. Internet/Technology are such powerful and resourceful creations that were designed to make our lives easier. Too bad nobody ever put a warning label on the negative impact it can have on our future generations if it's not utilized right.

THOUGHTS ON HAMLET

My memory on my feelings towards the beginning of Hamlet are vague but I'm almost positive I didn't feel that he was evolving into a psychopath. The story of Hamlet is beginning to somewhat remind me of my favorite murder show "Dexter". Dexter becomes a serial killer after witnessing his mothers death. He vouches to find the man who killed his mother and kill him too. Dexter ends up killing many people on the way to finding the man who kills his mother. In the end, Dexter loses everything he loves and cherishes due to his blood lust and is forced to retreat to a life of solitude as a lumberjack. (I know, the ending was terrible but you get the gist.) To me Hamlet has become Dexter. He has found out his father was murdered and swears to kill the man who killed his father (Claudius). As a result, he ends up killing others before he gets to the killer (Polonious) until he loses the ones closest to him (Ophelia) and is killed for his actions. They're so different yet I see them as so similar. Hamlet started off as a character people could love and grow to care for, now he appears to be delusional. He no longer cares who he has to hurt or kill in order to get revenge. I once believed that Hamlets insanity was just a pseudo to fool those around him so that he could mourn for his father. It appears that Hamlet has fooled all of us. Now that his true colors are revealed he has nowhere to hide. The consequence for his  will pay in bloodshed.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT ACT III

Act 3 was somewhat as I had interpreted. I felt like this part of the play would be the rising action or climax of Hamlet.I was a bit surprised to see the outcome of Hamlets "play within a play". I truly felt that Claudius would have been smart enough to hide his reaction. My original analysis was that Claudius would watch the play and remain silent, his face would lack expression and he would appear to be very observant. After the play ended he would either choose to be alone so that he could think out loud in order to figure out how Hamlet became aware of his dirty secret or confront Hamlet about knowing of his wrong doings. I was disappointed to see the Claudius reacted almost instantaneously and left so abruptly after he came to realize that Hamlet had known that he was his fathers murder. Normally those capable of murder are mentally prepared to tactfully escape accusations of their crime if someone is to find out. Apparently Claudius isn't as intelligent as I had assumed. This Act was really all over the place. Hamlet seems to be losing sanity at an accelerated rate, this results in lack of empathy. It becomes apparent that Hamlets mission for revenge soon turns into an uncontrollable blood lust that will only lead to his own death. Something really is rotten in the state of Denmark.
"Before there is peace, blood will spill, and the lake will run red." - Erin Hunter

Literature Analysis #3

The book I'm about to do my literature analysis on was not my first choice. I started off reading Memoirs of a Geisha (Which I had seen previously approved by another student) but ended up dropping the book when my attention was brought to another while I was in the library. Though the book was simple and short, it had properties that had spoken to me in various ways and I feel as if it should be shared. If this book is not approved, I will gladly choose a different book and do a different literature analysis.

1. The book I read is called "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake. As stated earlier, though this book was a simple read and had a few flaws, it's theme tied to a personal struggled I had spent many years battling when I was younger. This book is about a girl named Maleeka who struggles with self confidence issues. She is constantly picked on and bullied by kids around town and at her school due to the complexion of her skin. Ever since her father had passed she has been surviving off of his social security money with her mother. Filled with grief and heartache, Maleekas mother began to sew all of Maleekas clothes. Due to her mother's lack of sewing skills, Maleeka was also picked on due to her clothing. This strays her to "befriend" a churlish and immature young girl named Charlese. She lends Maleeka clothes in exchange for her completed homework. As a result Maleeka begins to fail her classes due to the lack of time she has to do her own homework. Everything seems hopeless for her until a new teacher, Ms. Saunders, makes her way into Maleekas life. She suffers a skin condition that caused her many insecurities in her past. With her experience of what it's like to be the little guy, Mr. Saunders gives Maleeka some much needed tough love that will enable Maleeka to love the skin she's in.

2. Though I was told to avoid cliches, the theme is rather simple. I apologize ahead of time for the amount of cliche themes I am about to throw together at once. Sticks and stones may break ones bones but word's should never hurt you. Love who you are because it's what's on the inside that matters. Maleeka had to learn that our first and last love should be self love. Though I cannot seem to phrase the theme in the articulate way that I would like to, the entire book is about loving oneself.

3. The author was speaking as Maleeka. Maleeka's tone throughout the story was very negative. She took anything and everything negative that came her way and never stood up for herself regardless of if she truly thought otherwise. She's always talking down on herself and second guessing everything she does. Every time the author says something positive she shoots herself down with something negative.

*Please keep in mind that this is written in Maleekas perspective, the vocabulary and wording of the story aren't very structured.*

-"Before I know it, three more boys is pointing at me and singing that song too. Me, I'm wishing the building will collapse on top of me."

-"It's bad enough that I'm the darkest, worse dressed thing in school. I'm also the tallest, skinniest thing you ever seen."

-"Skin the color of potato chips and cashews and Mary Jane candies. No Almond Joy colored girls like me."

4.
Characterization: Though this isn't the most descriptive book, the way the author describes some of the characters helps me picture the story better so that I can make connections with my life as well.
"She's tall and fat like nobody's business, and she's got the smallest feet I've ever seen. Worse yet, she's got a giant white stain spread halfway across her face like somebody tossed acid on it or something."

Setting: The setting is what made this story so easy to relate to myself. Most of my struggles being an African American woman have come from a school area, especially in Jr. High.

Antagonist: The main antagonist of the story, Charlese, reminds me a lot of a girl I spent time with in Jr. High. She pretended to be my friend because I helped her with homework and bought her stuff, then threw me under the bus and made fun of me in order to make herself look better.

Flashback: There are times that the main character has flashbacks of things certain people had told her to help her keep it together even when times get rough. This is also something I experienced a lot when I was younger.

Conflict: The entire book is filled with conflict. The struggle of loving who you are instead of hating what people say and think you are.

Diction: The authors tone and style of writing is what made this character come to life. Though we have different speech levels, I felt as if I was speaking and expressing my similar struggles with the character.

Irony: The book was rather ironic. The characters making fun of Maleeka for her dark skin tone were also black. Though they may not have been her exact shade of black, their skin tones we're simlar.

Point of view: The author told this story in Maleekas point of view instead of her own. Seeing through the characters eyes and thinking her thoughts helped the reader better sympathize for her.

Satire: Maleeka was made fun of for her dark skin tone, though it made her weak in the beginning. She learned to overcome it and come out as a better person in the end.

CHARACTERIZATION
1. Direct Characterization:
-"Charlese is the baddest thing in this school. She ain't gonna forgive you or loud talking her."


Indirect Characterization:
-"When she does, her Gucci watch flashes."

-"Seem like people been teasin gme all my life. If it ain't about my color, it's my clothes. Momma makes them by hand."

Flake uses both direct and indirect so that the reader can understand who the reader is and also see how they are. This allows the reader to develop stronger feelings and opinion towards certain characters.

2. The author uses diction to better outline a characters voice. It's easier to distinguish a characters educational background and develop a better understanding on how the character thinks.

3. The main character starts off very static, it isn't until the end where she seems to make more progress and become an dynamic character. She has a few erratic dynamic moments of change but they quickly fade as she resorts back to her old ways of thinking. After the character develops a better understanding of who she is and what she's capable of, she is able to make permanent changes to her personality.

4. I read this book because the character was me. Maleeka and I share very similar Jr. High experiences. We both have different backgrounds that put us on different paths but in the end the intertwine. I was the darkest girl at my junior high. There wasn't a day where someone didn't make a rude comment on how dark my skin was or crack a joke about how black I am. None of my friends were really my friends, they all used me and took advantage of my longing to have friends.People often took advantage of me and made me believe that they cared about me and went around telling others the opposite and belittling me around others. I spent my entire Jr. High will self esteem issues. My "friends" made me believe I was ugly and worthless and often told me how pathetic I am. It got to a point where I became so lost in their words that I had become delusional. After so many months of being used and abused I had reached my breaking point and become very suicidal. I looked in the mirror and saw black as a hideous color that doesn't blend in. I spent my nights dreaming of what it would be like if I had a lighter skin tone and eventually started to "punish myself" for being such a wretched color. I'd hit myself and cry myself to sleep wishing to escape into the fantasy land of being "Light skinned." It wasn't until I had met my best friend Kaylan at the end of my eighth grade year that I had snapped out of that negative state of mind and realized that black is beautiful. It took me three years to gain the confidence to love the skin i'm in and embrace every inch of it. Just like Maleeka, I had onced believed that black was nothing more than the ugly color that stains everything it touches. It wasn't until I met my Ms. Saunders that I learned to love the way God made me. Her struggle was so different yet so similar to mine. That's why I felt so compelled to do my Literature Analysis on such a gut-wrenching novel. This was more than just a book I needed to read for a grade, this was my life.

Project Etherpad

Click Here.!

Vocab #8

Abase (v.) : to reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation or estimation; humble degrade.
It's common for ones grade to abase after a bad test score.

Abdicate (v.): to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, especially in former manner.
The amount of trust my parents had given me was abdicated after getting in trouble.

Abomination (n.): great loathing or dislike.
She had the mindset of a perfectionist, anything below a ninety percent was an abomination.

Brusque (adj.): abrupt in manner; blunt; rough.
I'm often known for my brusque honesty.

Saboteur (n.): a person who commits or practice sabotage.
People with personal vendettas often become saboteurs in the process of getting revenge.

Debauchery (n.): excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures.

Proliferate(v.): to grow or produce by multiplication of parts, as in budding or cell division, or by procreation; To increase in number or spread rapidly.
Mice are known to proliferate in very large numbers.

Anachronism (n.): something or someone that is not in its correct historical history or chronological time.
My character Jasmine is an anachronism time traveler from the future.

Nomenclature(n.): the names or terms compromising a set or system.
Nomenclature is similar to genre.

Expurgate (v.): to purge or close of moral offensiveness.
Radio stations place expurgated music to avoid explicit content.

Bellicose (adj.): inclined or eager to fight.
Alcohol is a common gateway to bellicose thoughts and feelings

Gauche (adj.) : lacking social grace, sensitivity or acuteness; awkward, tactless.
I had a gauche presence in middle school due to my shy personality.

Rapacious (adj.): very greedy.
Many children become rapacious during their toddler stage.

Paradox (n.) : a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd.
Superheros are often designed with paradox personalities so that they can selflessly defend their loved ones.

Conundrum (n.): a riddle, the answer to which involves a pun or play or words.
Conundrums help people think outside of the box.

Anomaly (n.): a deviation from the common rule; someone abnormal who doesn't fit in; an odd or peculiar condition.
Girls who wear shorts and dresses in the winter are common anomaly's at Righetti High School

Ephemeral (adj.) : lasting a very short time; short-lived.
House flies are ephemeral insects, they have a lifespan of one week.

Rancorous (adj.): full of or showing resentment.
It's not uncommon for people to be rancorous towards those they are jealous of.

Churlish (adj.): rude behavior.
I make an effort to refrain from being churlish towards those around me, you never know who you may be speaking to.

Precipitous (adj.): extremely steep.
Riding a bike down a precipitous hill can result in a serious injury.

Dear Ophelia

Dear Ophelia,

It sounds like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, aren't you sweetie? You've come to the right girl, I've helped many of my friends through similar situations and look forward to bringing you mental peace in your hardships. Before we get sentimental and sweet let's get our facts straight first, shall we ? My first and foremost question is, do you really think it's worth it? If you're to choose the prince that is. What has he done to show that he really loves you and that this whole thing isn't a scheme for personal gain? You need to weigh out the pros and cons and consider your options. You're basically choosing between your family, which is forever if i might add, and the maybe not so love of your life. Are you really willing to give up a blood bond for someone who can so easily change their thoughts and opinions towards you? I've always felt that fathers and brothers should have a small dislike towards their sister/daughters lovers, that being said they should also approve of them at the same time. Whether you like their opinion or not, they know a lot more about your man than you may think they do. Don't make your decision solely on what your dad and big brother say, but also don't make your decision without giving consideration and consent to what they think and feel about the prince. Love is something that takes time but also something you have a whole lifetime to find. Don't rush into anything. Don't forget to be realistic, we're talking about a prince after all. You can either become his queen or his concubine and sadly, the decision is not yours. Once you become the prince's lover, you can have no other chance at finding love. Make sure you think this over thoroughly and consider every possibility. This decision will determine your future. Choose wisely.

The Art of Hosting Good Conversations Online

Fiction novels are prominent in getting readers to think. By using both Direct and Indirect Characterization, Fiction novels use the readers thought process to develop thoughts and feelings towards specific characters. In Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Shakespeare allows the reader to understand Hamlets mental struggles and current situation. By doing this, the reader is given the ability to try to understand what these actions are doing to Hamlet and make an assumption on how they will affect him later on in the story. After spending a decent amount of time reading books that allow you to read and profile the character, it's only natural to begin to start profiling people outside of books as well.

GREEN EGGS AND HAMLET

a. Honestly, I don't have much knowledge on either. I do know that I've been meaning to watch the Hamlet movie before we dive into the story. Visuals always help me become more engaged with the story.

b. If I recall correctly, Shakespeare is a famous poet and playwright whose work is known around the world. He has written many famous stories that have been taught throughout high school for decades. Though his work is genius and creative, the language used can be so difficult to decode that many high school students won't see or understand the true nature and purpose that is hidden within the vocabulary.

c. Many students frown on ready Shakespeare mainly because of the language used. It is uncommon and difficult to interpret. Considering high school students like to think that they know everything, being introduced to such difficult literature is hard for them to process thus resulting in their hatred towards the poet.

d. I'm actually not too sure about this one, but I look forward to brainstorming with the class about it !

Vocab #7

Click here to view our group Etherpad! It contains Vocabulary definitions and also our group story !

IF I JUST HAD MORE TIME !!

Honestly, lack of time isn't an excuse for why I did poorly on my midterm. Reality is, if you really know you stuff, time isn't an issue. If I had all the vocabulary memorized like the back of my hand, I would have almost had all of it down in thirty minutes and the essay knocked out in twenty or less.  It's a matter of familiarization and understanding. Giving me all of the time in the world would not have guaranteed myself a better grade. Thus my title should not be "IF I ONLY HAD MORE TIME !!" it should be "IF I ONLY STUDIED HARDER !!" Because how much I really knew is what it boils down to in the end.

Lit Analysis #2 : Of Mice and Men.

1. Of Mice and Men is the story of two unemployed travelers named George and Lennie. George is a smaller man, but his size in height doesn't account for the size of his heart. Regardless of George's constant ranting about how life would be so much easier without Lennie, he continues to watch after and care for his friend. Lennie's size is very different from George's , somewhat like a giant. He 's bigger than the average man but due to his lack of mental abilities, this strength can be dangerous due to the fact that he isn't fully aware of how strong he really is. In the beginning of the book, Lennie unintentionally killed a small mouse due to his lack of control. Regardless of Lennie's lack of self-control, he is a overall sweet and innocent character. These two friends both share a dream to own land and grow crops of their own when they can obtain more money. Sadly, finding jobs isn't so easy with Lennie's illness, he constantly hurts others unintentionally and it makes it very hard for the two to secure a nice job. Eventually the two find work on a ranch where they quickly befriend the other laborers with the help of Candy, a man who too shares the friends dream. Things seem to be running smoothly for Lennie and George until they meet Curley and his coquettish wife.  Curley's wife makes advances on both George and Lennie, these flirtatious actions soon lead to the death of Curley's wife, unintentional of course. Her death was caused by her attempts to flirt with Lennie. Due to Lennie's lack of self-control, he end's up breaking Curley's wifes neck and becoming the target of every laborer on the ranch. He flees the scene in a panic and is later found by his friend George. George is aware that Lennie's only chance of freedom is death. George mercifully kills Lennie himself to save him from a brutal murder by the ranch laborers.

2. The theme is friendship. George sticks by Lennie through thick and thin even in knowing he could be more successful without him by his side. Even though George killed Lennie in the end, it was still out of compassion to save him from a more brutal death by other workers.

3. The book was pretty depressing and somewhat lonely ? Every character seemed so lost and isolated, as if they have nothing to really live for.

*"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They ain't got no family. They don't belong no place . . ."

The character Lennie is probably what made this novel so depressing. For one he was mentally handicapped and his handicap caused him to hurt and kill animals and humans accidentally. It's somewhat cruel and twisted, the fact that he can't control himself even if he really tried. It's a terrible way to live.

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. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.) 

-Imagery
-Personification
-Flashback
-Foreshadow

~

CHARACTERIZATION

1. DIRECT

George: "The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features."

Lennie: "- A huge man, shapeless face, with large pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders-"

INDIRECT

Lennie: Speaks as if he's uneducated. The author uses broken English for the characters Dialogue

Curleys Wife: She constantly throws herself towards other men, making her seem desperate for attention from others.

I feel like the author uses both to help the reader form an opinion of the character. Direct characterization provides the imagery that allows the reader to create a visual image of the character. Indirect allows the reader to build an opinion of that specific character.


2.  The author appears to use both syntax and diction during character dialogue. They speak in a very uneducated and improper way. The words are all over the place and barely put together. The quote
"You now shut up." appears to be the best example to represent both syntax and diction.

3. I consider George to be a very round character, mainly because Lennie's mental illness makes it difficult for him to evolve. In the beginning he has a dream to own his own land, though he only sees it as just a dream. Candy then provides money for his dream making it seem like a reality but it is then crushed to pieces when he is force to kill his best friend  to spare him from suffering.  Basically he goes from hopeless, to hopeful, to hopeless again.

Lennie on the other hand, is a very static and flat character, he has the same mindset throughout the story and it makes it difficult for him to grow or acquire various hopes and dreams.


4. I had somewhat felt like I met Lennie, mainly because I have a handicapped uncle. When he killed Curley's wife I had felt incredibly sad for him because I knew that he really couldn't help it. Alas, the connection was somewhat breif, mainly because I didn't have the "connection type mindset". My only goal was to finish the book and that's what I did. Connections can be difficult to achieve in only two weeks. I feel like I could have really connected with this character had I allowed myself to read deeper.

The Comparison Tale

I feel like all of our characters were the same in the aspect that they all go against their stereotypes. The knight wasn't noble and the cook was always wasted off of his own wine. Chaucer's characters were so different yet so similar in so many different ways. Each character had a different story and tale but they all share the same diversity when it comes to the groups they're stereotyped in. In my point of view, each character shared the same tone/theme/style. I saw all of their themes as Chaucer's way of saying not everyone is who they seem or say they are and that their true colors reflect who they really are, regardless of their title and rank. Of course the style was the same,considering Chaucer wrote and created all of the characters, the tone just happened to be a bonus. Every tone was basically describing who they say they are and who they really are. I suppose you could say my outlook on the Canterbury Tales as different and somewhat simple minded. But, I honestly feel like Chaucer used all of these characters to prove a point about human nature and who we really are, not the title that covers our true identities.

Tales of the Canterbury Tales.

Click here to view our answers.

Character Study 2

She arrive at the Teleport with her fiance Josh sometime in the afternoon. They both stared at the teleportation area nervously, questions building rapidly but none could escape their lips. Jasmine turned to her fiance and smiled, though leaving his side once more pained her, she knew this is what she wanted. What she needed. She kissed him sweetly then put her forehead against his and closed her eyes. They held each other for a few minutes feelings as if no amount of time was enough. They looked into each others eyes to transmit words they could not seem to muster out the courage to speak and both smiled at each other. Josh's face gave her a warming confirmation that eased her mind and gave her the strength to part from her loving fiance once more. She had nothing to worry about, she had time traveled many times before. She stepped into the teleporter beam and waved to Josh one final time. A florescent blue light illuminated her body and she was off.  While swimming through space and time her teleportation device began to spark rapidly. The electricity burned her skin and caused the loophole through time to glitch and shake in a painfully sharp way. Jasmine closed her eyes and braced herself for impact. The loophole soon disappeared and she found herself falling from the sky, it didn't take her long to realize what year she was in. As her acceleration down to earth increased, Jasmine began to position herself to make the impact as light and painless as possible. She closed her eyes and seconds later heard a loud crack and felt a sharp pain shoot up her arm and leg. When Jasmine opened her eyes, she realized that she was in a bush, covered in smoke and soil. Her teleportation crystal had broken into miniature pieces. "Dammit!" She swore loudly. "I can't contact Josh or travel through time as long as my crystal is damaged." She continued to swear with the foulest words she could think of then began to think of ways to fix her device. A stick broke behind her, she swung around quickly and prepared for a fight. Jasmine profiled the group of people standing in front of her; a beach bum, a klutz and some teenage couple who looked as if they were about to elope. "Great." She thought to herself, "I'm stuck in the year 2013 with a bunch of inexperienced humans who probably haven't even learned of the science behind time travel." Jasmine stepped out the bush then walked towards them and sighed loudly. She had no idea how she was going to get home.

Character Study. ( I )

I'm very tempted to go all Disney crazy on my character and name her Princess Jasmine due to my love of the movie Aladdin but i'll try my best to refrain from doing the cliche over the top character that most teenagers have a tendency to create.

My characters name is indeed Jasmine, but she is no Princess, she's a scholar from the future. She has an endless love for knowledge and won't go seen without at least two holographic eBook. Jasmine possess as great knowledge of both book and street smarts, this skill makes her very resourceful when it comes to finding ways out of a sticky situation. She is embarking on a journey through time for the sake of learning. She is hoping to acquire more knowledge on this adventure and for this reason most of the belongings that she takes are for the sake of research. Her belongings consist of the necessities such as clothes and shoes that are easy to move freely in and lack restrictions. Her everyday wear consists of dark green, baggy cargo pants and a semi tight black crop top with comfortable black shoes. Around her waist is a black satchel purse in which contain books, water, trail mix, a camera, and a notebook with three black pens. With these basic needs and a few extras, she is ready to set out on her journey.

"Do you have everything? Double check to be sure that you have packed extra food, clothing and currency. You need to be overly prepared in case anything goes wrong." Jasmines fiance, Josh, paces back and fourth ensuring that she has everything prepared for her long journey. "Yes." says Jasmine calmly. She is sitting on her couch reading the the heroic epic of Beowulf. "I wonder if even the great Beowulf had to deal with such worrying from his loved ones." She smiles sweetly then closes her holographic eBook so that she can kiss her fiance an ensuring kiss on the cheek. "You worry too much, It's almost offensive. Do you not believe I can endure such a journey ? As you know I plan to meet up with others, I will not be alone." Josh gives her a faint smile but his eyes are still filled with grief and longing to accompany her on the trip. "Don't give me that look." she states in a pouting tone. "You and I both know that your commitment to our nations safety comes before your commitment to me. Didn't you just get a letter from your Commander recruiting you for the upcoming war? What will they think if you have gone off to accompany your fiance on a trip with an unknown destination and return date? Surely you mustn't think that is okay. You must stay behind and continue helping with the wedding preparations before your departure and free your mind from the troubling thoughts that cloud your judgement." Jasmine kisses Josh once more and he sighs in despair then begins to pace again. "You act as if i'm never going to contact you. Telepathy should work regardless of my location, era or even universe, and there's always holographic video calls. It'll be as if I had never left, so please don't act as if this is forever." Jasmine sits back down on the couch and continues reading. Josh stares at her as if his fiance has gone insane. "You act as if time traveling is the safest form of travel. Just because your friends prefer to live in different eras doesn't mean your journey is going to be easy. Not to mention my return from the war is also uncertain. Once i'm relocated I won't be able to talk to you as easily." Josh sighs once more and resumes double checking the luggage. "I just want you to be safe." he mutters under his breathe in defeat. Jasmine gives a small chuckle and smiles softly once more, " I didn't learn how to master martial arts for nothing my love." Josh laughs along with her then sits by her on the couch. He looks into her eyes and sighs once more, his eyes heavy with worry and pain. Jasmine looks up from her holographic eBook and frowns, his despair makes her uneasy but she refuses to let it change her mind. Sensing her sadness, Josh turns to her and smiles. "So how about you tell me about this Beowulf character you won't stop raving about?" Jasmines eyes glitter as the joy of literature fills her body. She then goes into a deep explanation on her book and all the worrying and doubt melt away from both her and her fiances mind as they share one last special moment before her departure.

I drew my character for a few reasons, mainly reasons that revolve around being a nerd and I figured if I was going to procrastinate I might as well relate it to something i'm participating in at school. I also drew my character for the sake of imagination. With this drawing I can imagine adventures and create story line a lot better compared to simply creating things from the top of my head. The blue that is circulating throughout her hair, clothing and body are all part of the era she comes from. Her eye's are a little funky looking but aside from that, this will create a sturdy template for my imagination to flow. 

Netvibes

I created a Netvibes account, though it's taking me quite awhile to learn and understand it. I don't care for the format too much though. Netvibes is giving me weird vibes instead of helpful ones. So far I have only accomplished understanding how to change the weather location. Personally I don't see this gadget of much use as for helping me with managing my time on the internet but I intend on humoring the website with high hopes to hack it to my advantage. I will spend more time figuring it out throughout the week and see if it becomes any more helpful.

Canterbury Tales

I don't have too many observations or questions about the Prologue of the Canterbury Tales. I figured this  mainly because of the format in which it is written. This older piece of literature is composed differently than the types of literature I understand and comprehend best. There was nothing supremely memorable about this story. Though some of the characters were interesting, I had no inner wish to pursue their stories any more than I already have. If I remember correctly, the only thing that truly made this story unique to me was the flaws each character possessed. They were all of different ranks and titles but all had certain flaws that connected them together as humans. This connection in flaws came off as a reminder that they are all human regardless of their social status or rank. Personally I feel like in adding this twist, Chaucer helped the characters relate to modern people today. Though the characters are far from like the people we see day to day, their sins, differences and flaws intertwined Chaucer's characters to those of us today. This also gave off a small theme and somewhat of a reminder that all men are created equal. Chaucer highlighted that color, occupation, financial situation, etc.is irrelevant when it comes to what makes us human. Though somewhat cliche, this was one of the only things I was able to configure from this poem.

accolade: any award or honor notice.
BET bestows accolades to African Americans in the entertainment industry.

acerbity: harsh or roughness of taste.
She became aware that the food was expired due to its acerbity and foul smell.

attrition: a reduction or decrease in numbers, size or strength.
The graduating class suffered attrition due to massive amount of student failures.

chauvinist: a person who is aggressively and blindly patriotic.
My family has come in contact with a few chauvinistic cops in their pasts.

chronic: constant and recurring.
I'm suffering from chronic laziness.

expound: to explain.
She expounded her opinion in great detail.

factionalism:

immaculate: free from moral blemish or impurity.
It's rare to meet someone who is immaculate from the worlds sins.

imprecation: a spoken curse.
Witches are known for casting imprecations.

ineluctable: unavoidable.
Making mistakes is ineluctable.

mercurial: changeable.
Mistakes are mercurial if written in pencil.

palliate: to relieve or lessen without curing;alleviate.
Cold medications palliate cold symptoms. 

protocol:  customs and regulations; etiquette.
Managers go over company protocol with new employees.

resplendent: gleaming; shining brilliantly.
Many pregnant women have a resplendent radiance during their pregnancy.

stigmatize: to set some mark of disgrace; to mark or brand.
Companies often stigmatize their products so that they will sell better.

sub rosa: confidentially; secretly.
Passing notes is supposed to be done sub rosa.

vainglory: excessive pride over ones achievements.
After receiving many awards, she presented herself with a strong vainglory.

vestige: a mark or trace; visible evidence of something no longer present.
The young girl left a vestige of cookie crumbs after she devoured the sweets

volition: the act of willing, choosing or resolving.
She was rewarded with an allowance for her volition in doing her chores.

Obsequious: overly obedient.

The class pet was known to be obsequious for the teacher.

Beatitude: supreme happiness.

Good food fills my mood with pure beatitude and joy.

Bete Noire: a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded.

The SAT is known to be Bete Noire in high schools.

Bode: an omen.

Black cats are considered to be bad bodes.

Dank: humid.

The weather had been hot and dank lately.

Ecumenical: the whole Christian church.

The Holy Bible is an ecumenical object used throughout Christianity.

Fervid: burning; glowing; intensely hot.

The fervid fire was warm and bright during the bonfire.

Fetid: Having an offensive odor.

He rolled the windows down in hope to rid his car of his fetid smell.

Gargantuan: gigantic; enormous.

Anacondas are gargantuan snakes.

Heyday:The stage or period of greatest strength or success.

Incubus: a nightmare.

I had an incubus of the zombie apocalypse 

Infrastructure: basic structure needed for a system or organization.

America is known for its strong infrastructure. 

Inveigle: to entice or lure by flattery.

He won her heart by using excessive inveigle and over the top compliments.

Kudos: glory or praise.

We give kudos to our soldiers in my government class.

Lagniappe: Gratuity or tip.

I would like to work as a waitress part time in order to receive lagniappe.

Prolix: tedious length.

AP English books seem to be boring a prolix.

Protege: A person under the guidance and care of a mentor.

She had to train as a protege before she could inherit the company.

Prototype: Original or model on which something is based from.

The IOS7 prototype was leaked during the summer before its release.

Sycophant: self-seeking in order to gain an advantage.

It's common for competitors to become sycophants in order to win.

Tautology: Unnecessary repetition of an idea. Saying somthing twice with different words.

It's not uncommon for people to use tautology in order to get their point across.

Truckle: To submit, suck up.

A lot of students attempt to truckle to the teachers for extra credit.

WHAT A CHARACTER !

Last year I read a book called Tyrell, it was the story of young African-American teenager from the Bronx. Hes live in the homeless shelter with his mom and younger brother ever since his father was incarcerated, due to his mothers refusal to work he is forced to try to find ways to earn money. While seeking ways to earn money, he seeks shelter from his girlfriend. The book shows all of Tyrells tests and trials and how he never gives up or stops trying to overcome them. This book spoke to me in many ways on multiple volumes and I've carried Tyrells character in my heart since the day I began the book. Tyrell was a very dynamic character, he learned from his mistakes and always kept fighting for what he believed in. He faced many trials and tribulations but never let them hold him back. To me he symbolized strength, he never gave up or stopped trying, even when it seemed like there was no escape. In many ways he was an inspiration, though not all of his decisions were good, he never lost his focus and his strength gave me strength.

You can read more about Tyrell here.

Vocab #5

Obsequious: overly obedient.

Kids become obsequious towards their parents when they are in need of a favor.

Beatitude: supreme happiness.

I was overcome by beatitude when I received my first car.

Bete Noire: a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded.

Vocabulary quizzes are one of the many bete noires of high school.

Bode: an omen.

Bad weather is considered to be a bad bode.

Dank: humid.

Georgia weather is very dank in the summer.

Ecumenical: the whole Christian church.

The Holy Bible is an ecumenical object used throughout Christianity.

Fervid: burning; glowing; intensely hot.

Her passion for the arts was fervid intensely as she danced in the ballet concert.

Fetid: Having an offensive odor.

There was a strong and fetid smell coming from his gym clothes.

Gargantuan: gigantic; enormous.

Many people claim my earring are gargantuan and exceed the average size.

Heyday:The stage or period of greatest strength or success.

Incubus: a nightmare.

My brother still has intense incubuses of the car crash he was involved in.

Infrastructure: basic structure needed for a system or organization.

Without a solid infrastructure on how the country is run, we will surely fall into another depression.

Inveigle: to entice or lure by flattery.

Many insecure women are easily inveigled by men .

Kudos: glory or praise.

The Golden Warrior is used to give Kudos to overachievers.

Lagniappe: Gratuity or tip.

It's common courtesy to leave a decent lagniappe for a good waitress.

Prolix: tedious length.

It's important to refrain from being overly prolix when producing an essay.

Protege: A person under the guidance and care of a mentor.

Becoming a protege can be great for first hand experience on a job.

Prototype: Original or model on which something is based from.

Creators have to test their prototypes before they can distribute the product.

Sycophant: self-seeking in order to gain an advantage.

Children often become obsequious sycophants when they want something from their parents.

Tautology: Unnecessary repetition of an idea. Saying somthing twice with different words.

Some authors use tautology throughout their novels to point of important factors of their stories.

Truckle: To submit, suck up.

My sisters attitude subsides and she begins to truckle to my parents when she is about to be punished.

Literary Analysis

1. Lord of the Flies is a story about a group of young boys who are stranded on an inhabited island that their plane crashes into. They we're leaving their homeland due to a unnamed war that has taken place there, the children were supposed to be flown to safety. When the plan crashes, the pilots are killed on impact while many of the boys survive. The boys are forced into survival mode as they begin their fight for power of leadership.  The main characters of the novel are: Jack, Piggy and Ralph, the power struggle consists and grows between Jack and Ralph. In the beginning of the book, Ralph wins the election between the boys on who should be the leader, unsatisfied with this answer, Jack parts from the group with the children who voted for him to be their leader. The power struggle between Jack and Ralph grows throughout the book, their arguments and fights result in disastrous and tragic outcomes such as the death and injuries among the boys. Though the boys fight constantly, they share a common fear, a mysterious beast the roams the island. One of the boys, Simon, discovers that this "beast" is really a dead pilot who had also died during the impact of his landing. As Simon rushes to tell the others that there is no beast stating that the beast "live in all of them", he is unintentionally killed by Ralph and Piggy. Mortified by their wrongdoings, they blame the instincts that they have formed while living on the island. This part in the story makes it clear to the readers how even the purehearted can become filthy in tough situations. As the book progresses, the struggle between Jack and Ralph incline. Ralph loses all of his "men"to Jack and Piggy is later killed by one of Jacks followers. Outnumbered, Ralph flees the scene as the rest of the boys attempt to kill him as well. In the end, Ralph finds a naval officer on the shore who shames the boys for their savagery claiming that they had all been playing around. Ralph begins to weep at what he and the other boys have become and they begin to weep with him. The officer turns his back to the boys allowing them time to calm down then brings them all home.

2. Even the innocent get their hands dirty. We are all born into sin, even a child who knows of no wrong can do evil. All of the children in this book start off as civilized and innocent, once the shelter they had become so found of was stripped from them, the evil of the world makes its way into their hearts. The boys are forced to turn into men but their young age and inexperience leads into savagery instead of civility and maturity. One of the characters state that the beast of the island isn't a single monster that roams the island, it is the inner evil that resides inside of all of the children. They boys should not have been afraid of what may roam the island, but themselves. In the end, the worlds evil consumed every single one of the survivors of the plan crash, their biggest fears were not the unknown but themselves. Purity is only pure until it's cleanliness is striped away by a stain. Unfortunately, these boys hand's were stained with dirt, they were stained with the blood of their peers.

3. The authors tone was very dark and violent, somewhat of the reason I couldn't get a feel for this book. The authors tone was only dark because it revealed and opened eyes of what the world can really do. Adolescents were murdered and blood was spilled, there's no other tone to address a story line such as this one. In the end there was no bright side of the story, even when the children were rescued, there were tears of sadness instead of joy and relief.

* "Kill the beast! Cut his throat ! Spill his blood !" I found this very dark and disturbing, the fact that children would chant such a thing, not as a game but in all seriousness. The violence and blood lust in the tone is almost blinding.

* "[Jack] began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling." This quote is somewhat of a transition of Jacks innocence slipping away, he starts off dancing and ends up acting like a wild animal who craves nothing but the blood of others.

* "The Maurice pretended to be the pig and ran around squealing into the center, and the hunters, circling still, pretended to beat him. As they danced, the sang. "Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in." Regardless of the fact that young boys are known to play around rather violently, the tone of these children are not playful, just violent.

4. Imagery- this played a large role in this novel. The images that the author created really brought out the tone and theme for this story. "The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist."

Symbolism- Another literary element that played a important role in this books story line. The fire for example, it represented the boys hope. That's why they tried so hard to preserve it, even the reality that it might go unseen, they continued to try to preserve it, hopeful that they would be rescued.

Dialogue- Dialogue helped the readers get a better understanding of the character and somewhat help relate to their thoughts and feelings. It also revealed the theme, when Simon was talking to the pig head and discovered who the real demons were, it became obvious to the reader what Golding was trying to say.

Setting- The setting built the entire story. The island and its landscape caused a lot of arguments between the boys which was the first sign of their savagery.

Diction- Diction helped me discover the authors tone. The way Golding worded everything made his dark tone easy to identify.

Metaphors- "What I mean is. ..maybe it's only us." This quote was used when Simon attempted to explain that there was no real beast, that the beast lived inside each of them.

Allegory- Each of the characters had different hidden meaning within them. In a way I saw Ralph and Jack as a battle between purity and impurity. From the get go Jack was somewhat of a lose cannon, Ralph was calm and level headed. Up until Ralph took place in killing Simon (by accident) he came off as the character who stuck true to who all the kids started off as and Jack was the blood lustful monsters they had all turned into.

Dynamic Characters: Every character grows as they face new challenges, in the beginning Jack couldn't kill a pig because he thought of it as too violent but in the end he had no problem killing, even if it was one of his own.

Characterization: "The fat boy glanced over his shoulder, then leaned toward Ralph." Golding's descriptions of the characters helped me visualize the story better.

Protagonist/ Antagonist: Big BIG elements of the novel.Without the constant bickering between Jack and Ralph, many of the tragedies could have been prevented. The main reason the children divided in the first place was because of the quarrel between the two.

ALL OF THE ABOVE.

My score was rather low, but it was expected. I have never taken an AP exam before, the content and format were foreign and unknown to me so I supposed I cannot be too hard on myself. AP is a new experience for me. Though this course very much resembles last year, I still find it very challenging. The people and the way certain things are executed, it's all so hard for me to process. Last year I was one of the elite students in the class, always ahead of the game and always full of ideas. This year is so different, I go unnoticed, almost like a "No Loitering" sign in a parking lot. This has definitely curbed my idea on how to go about this class, my expectations aren't as high as they used to be simply because I feel smaller. I no longer expect to get outstanding grades on tests and quizzes and lack my motivational drive that got me through those rough spots in the year. My own perspective on my part in this class shows in my work and I am sad to say that it is not up to par. My work reflects my confidence and until I regain it I fear that I'll be stuck in this educational rut for quite some time. The process will be long and difficult, but I will run til i finish. Even if that means taking my last step to get there. I cannot and will not allow myself to fail, I am hopeful that I will be back on track very soon. My exam may have been a failure, but my efforts will not go to waste.

Vocabulary #4

accolade: any award or honor notice.
Golden Warriors are accolades given out to recognize students with good grades.

acerbity: harsh or roughness of taste.
Her tone had a certain acerbity when the topic of bullying was brought up.

attrition: a reduction or decrease in numbers, size or strength.
There was an attrition of members in the school after the seniors graduated.

chauvinist: a person who is aggressively and blindly patriotic.
I think Beowulf is a chauvinist when it comes to battle and retaining his glory.

chronic: constant and recurring.
Her cough became chronic when she left it untreated for two weeks

expound: to explain.
Sentences are used to better expound the definition of a word.

factionalism:

immaculate: free from moral blemish or impurity.
Some churches have purity ceremonies to encourage immaculate youths pledge to abstinence.

imprecation: a curse.
Witches used imprecations on their enemies.

ineluctable: unavoidable.
Making mistakes is ineluctable.

mercurial: changeable.
The mistakes on her essay were mercurial and easy to fix.

palliate: to relieve or lessen without curing;alleviate.
Apologies palliate but do not completely erase what has been done.

protocol:  customs and regulations; etiquette.
Texting in class is against school protocol.

resplendent: gleaming; shining brilliantly.
The brides expression was resplendent throughout the wedding.

stigmatize: to set some mark of disgrace; to mark or brand.
Her test was stigmatized due to her excessive mistakes.

sub rosa: confidentially; secretly.
My mom likes to speak to me sub rosa when I am in trouble.

vainglory: excessive pride over ones achievements.
My little sister tends to have vainglory whenever she gets praised for her good deeds.

vestige: a mark or trace; visible evidence of something no longer present.
Detectives search for vestiges in order to help solve crimes.

volition: the act of willing, choosing or resolving.
Cheaters are in volition of their wrong doings.

Beowulf Essay

Beowulf of the heroic epic of a Scandinavian hero who journeys to the Danes to defeat the terrifying monster Grendel. Beowulf's story has been passed along time for centuries, glorifying his heroism and bravery to all who read his story. During the time Beowulf was created, he was considered to be a great hero of that time. Over the years, legendary hero's have evolved into superhuman beings with the intentions to fight evil without killing their enemies. In the twenty-first century, superheros are all about the greater good, giving help where it is needed but always remaining cautious about preserving everyone's life, even if that life is a bad one. One of my favorite superheros is Batman, he's one of the few superheros without any superhuman powers and defeats villains with his wit, intelligence, special made technology and his bare fists. He is brave, courageous, fearless and maybe even a little foolish when it comes to conquering evil. Though his methods are brutal he is a very lenient hero and fights as clean as possible. In a sense Batman's personality is very similar to Beowulf's, their bravery and courageousness has resulted in the safety of many people. Though their actions may have similarities, their intentions are very much different.

Though Batman is the man with the mask, Bruce Wayne is the man who makes it all happen. Bruce became a hero when his parents were shot and killed by a jewelry thief when he was only eight, he then made it his sole purpose to protect his city and make sure no child loses their parents to some "punk with a gun". Regardless of the fact he is only human, Batman continues to fight various villains who sometimes greatly outnumber him. Though he may be beaten before the battle even begins, he never stops fighting and won't give up until his mission is succeeded. He is fearless and his bravery excels in ways most people could only fantasize to have. Beowulf is also but a man, he took on monsters and dragons that overpowered him in both size and strength. In his last battle, Beowulf fought a dragon until he drew his last breathe. The dragon was clearly more powerful from the start and Beowulf was greatly unequipped to fight it on his own, regardless of these facts he took the dragon on in order to save his people. Even at defeat, Beowulf fought on until he dragon was slain, risking it all to save those surrounding him only to lose his life in the end. His sacrifice was his greatest heroic act that Beowulf had ever preformed.

Beowulf and Batman are both considered to be characters of irony in this generation. Due to the fact that many hero's aren't considered real hero's unless they have superpowers that help them defy the odds, their success in battle speaks great volume. They are both only human beings, just like those who surround them, but they differ in the sense that they do things many people might see as impossible. During Beowulf's battle against Grendel, he strips of his armor and fights him as an equal, no weapons or protection. Many might say he was crazy and that there was no way he could survive, but in the end he walked out victorious and barely harmed. This same concept applies to the caped crusader, Batman. He's in a league of super powered hero's who assume that he is the vulnerable link in the team, yet there have been many cases when they thought Batman was close to death or even dead and he ended up saving the rest of them. They defy the odds and never let others doubts stop them from doing what they believe they can do.

Though Batman and Beowulf have similarities (besides the fact their names both start with a B), they also differ in what they fight for. Batman fights for the greater good and expects nothing in return, that's the whole point of wearing the mask. He doesn't want glory or praise for what he does, he does it out of the goodness of his heart allowing his mask to symbolize that anyone can be a hero, regardless of who you are and what you're capable of. Unlike Batman, Beowulf fights for glory. He fights so that his story will be told for centuries to come and that all will know his name. Beowulf also seems to fight out of anger sometimes, the violence in his fights are so intense that it seems impossible for him to be having pleasant thoughts of peace and safety. Both hero's tones differ when they fight as well, Batman's tone is very calm and collected, though his character is known to be a bit of a negative Nancy, he never fights out of anger. When reading Beowulf's fights, the tone is often filled with rage and results in violence, the author of the story uses a great amount of imagery to express this rage and violence in Beowulf's fights. With different outlooks come different outcomes, both Beowulf and Batman have different ideas about going about things as well. Beowulf believes killing a monster is the way to go about things, while Batman refuses to take a life. This speaks a lot about both characters and their values. It makes one wonder whether a hero should have the right to take away a life or if they should find a way to preserve that life and possible coexist with one another. It's easy to eliminate your problems, the real challenge is facing them day to day.

In the end, it's fair to say that modern hero's today have taken some traits from Beowulf the Great, his courage and bravery still lives on and will continue to be passed on for generations to come. Hero's have evolved in many ways since Beowulf's legend has come to existence, their numbers have grown and their values have changed greatly. As long as villains roam the earth, there will be a Beowulf to bring them to justice, though death might not be their choice in resolving this evil, Beowulf's bravery and courage will live on in each hero as they make the world a safer place.

WILL STUDY FOR FOOD

Literally, I will legitimately take time to study if I am fed properly.

All humor aside, this post is about scholarship money in order to help aid paying for college. I've had a little trouble with the whole scholarship process. I haven't started filling out applications and I'm not entirely sure how to search for them. I hope to attend Cal State Northridge next year so that I can be close to my grandparents and assist my grandmother in taking care of my grandfather. God has also placed it in my heart to help build my families church back up in population, over the years the members have left for college, passed on or moved. The church is slowly dying and they have been struggling to bring it back to life. With the help of my boyfriend, Joshua, we hope to bring in more youth and events to accumulate more members and help my grandmothers church as a whole. I am aware that I qualify for Cal State Northridge but I have yet to figure out the proper scholarships needed to cover the costs. I plan to live on campus and hope to join a sorority for the first two years, than move into an apartment or into my grandparents house until graduation. A full year living on campus is estimated around $21,758, off campus is around $23,952. Four years at Cal State Northridge will cost almost $80,000. I hope that I can accumulate scholarship money every year so I can limit applying for loans as much as possible . Once I learn the scholarship process I plan to set up a application strategy and apply for as many scholarships as I can every month. Many of you may not be religious, but I believe that God has blessed me with great things and that his gifts will be overflowing when I begin applying for scholarships and colleges. I may not be ahead like I would have preferred, but with the grace of God I will make it through and come out Victorious.

Vocab #3

Apostate: abandoning political or religious belief .
The big bang theory caused her to apostate Christianity.

Effusive: expressing feelings of gratitude , pleasure or approval.
My moms words were effusive after i cleaned the kitchen.

Impasse: a situation in which progress is impossible.
The road was impasse.

Euphoria: a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.
Wingstop sends my mind into euphoria.

Lugubrious: looking or sounding sad and dismal.
My mom thinks my face looks lugubrious when i don't smile.

Bravado: a bold matter or show of boldness intended to impress and intimidate.
My brother uses his muscles as a bravado to scare people.

Consensus: general agreement.
The class came to a consensus to learn using open source learning.

Dichotomy: a difference or contrast between two things that are being represented as different.

Constrict: to make narrower
I get claustrophobic when my space is constricted.

Gothic:

Punctilio: a fine or petty point of conduct or procedure.


Metamorphosis: the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult in two or more distinct stages.
Butterflies start off as caterpillars before their metamorphosis changes it into a butterfly.

Raconteur: a person who tells stories in skillful and amusing way.
My family is full of raconteurs when it comes to talking about past events.

Sin qua non: absolutely necessary.
Studying is sin qua non in order to pass this class

Quixotic: unrealistic and impractical.
I found the Zimmerman trial quixotic based on the evidence provided.

Vendetta: a blood feud in which the family of a murdered person seeks vengeance on murderer.
Murder shows often include twisted vendettas between families and friends.

Non Sequitur: a conclusion or statement that does not logically follow argument or statement.

Mystique: a fascinating aura of mystery.
Magic shows try to create an ambiance of mystique when performing.

Quagmire: land with soft muddy surface.
Islands tend to be quagmires.

Parlous: full of danger or uncertainty.
Certain parts of Los Angeles are parlous and not recommended.

WHY THIS BOOK ??

I chose "Lord of the Flies" for my literature analysis book this semester, according to the course blog we are supposed to give the reasoning why we chose our books for this assignment. In the end, it all boils down to the fact that we really weren't left with any other choice. Don't get me wrong, I used to be a book nerd a few years back, but my reading choices have always been very different compared to what schools assign. Many books that I have been assigned in high school have been rather dull and dreary in my point of view, the advanced vocabulary and the unrealistic story lines (for the most part), I've never been able to fully get into it. The books i prefer to read are often related to real life events, if you check my previous blog ( Jasmine Beebe English Lit ) , my focus on reality is apparent. I prefer to read about problems that go on everyday that most people fail to pay notice and bring them into the light. This year I had to take a big step out of my comfort zone and explore different genres of literature, so far i'm still not a big fan of the literature I have explored. I will say that the experience, though slow and painful, was important to my growth. Anyways, I got a little off topic from the requirements for this post.  I chose Lord of the Flies because it reminded me of a TV show was about a group of teenagers who had been stranded on an island after their plane had crashed on their way to camp, the teenagers are forced to survive off the wild in order to survive and record their experiences on a video camera. Though the rest is rather blurry, I have the gist in mind and it very much resembles Lord of the Flies. I'm hoping to find the name of the TV show and do comparisons of the two, though they aren't exactly similar, I would like to compare the teenagers decisions compared to the young boys and see the maturity difference in the two. I look forward to sharing my journey into this book and hope that you will stick around to see what I discover.

Vocab #2

Accouterments:  additional items of dress or equipment.
It's common for people to bring accouterments such as jackets and blankets to football games.

Apogee:  the highest point of development; the climax.
Some people consider the apogee to be the best part of a story.

Apropos: at the right time; being appropriate and timely; concerning. 

Bicker:  to argue about petty and trivial matters.
My little sister is known to bicker when she is proven wrong.

Coalesce: come together and form one mass or whole
Mindmaps are used to coalesce and bring a better understanding to certain topics in the course.

contretemps: an unexpected and unfortunate occurrence.
The death of family member can be a difficult contretemps to accept.

Convolution: a coil or twist; confused matter or condition.

Cull: to obtain from a variety of sources.
It is recommended to cull information when writing.

Disparate: not allowing comparison.

Dogmatic:  based on assumption rather than observation.
Most opinions are dogmatic and difficult to change.

Licentious: lacking moral discipline.
Many criminals are licentious and don't see the consequences in their actions.

Mete: a boundary line; limit.
Rules are set to mete the amount of wrongdoing.

Noxious: poisonous or harmful.
Overdosing on medication can be noxious.

Polemic: an argument or controversy.
Politics are the cause of many of polemics between people.

Populous: having large population
Santa Maria is not a populous town.

Probity: confirmed integrity.

Repartee: a swift, witty reply.
I find it important to have a repartee in mind while in an argument.

Supervene: to follow immediately.
An essay for the summer reading supervened when summer ended.

Truncate: to cut short.
I find it enjoyable when classes are truncated due to minimum days.

Unimpeachable: unquestionable.
Dr. Preston's teaching methods are unimpeachable and undoubtedly helpful.