INTRO TO POETRY

1. What is the significance of the title?

- I chose to reflect on the poem "Working Together" by David Whyte. The title of this poem reflects on how intangible (non-touchable) things positively work together with tangible things to create an outcome in our world. 

2. What is the tone of the poem?

- The tone of the poem is very uplifting. It's positively optimistic, yet true. 

3. What is your mood as you read it? 

- As I read the poem, I feel very content thinking about how everything in our world works together to produce a positive outcome. Yet, it also makes me question this idea and question how things truly work in our world.

4. Is there a Shift? Where? From what to what? 

- Yes, there is a Shift. It is located where Whyte says, "I am thinking of a way." Here, the poem shifts from talking about tangible things working together to intangible things. 

5. What is the theme of the poem?

- The theme of the poem is to trust in the things you can see along with the things you cannot. 

Thinking about and answering these questions helped me to better understand the poem. By reflecting on my answers, I was able to understand the meaning behind the author's words and his purpose for writing this piece. 

HAMLET (THE MADMAN?)

     The definition of sanity is the ability to think and behave in a normal and rational manner.  The definition of insanity is the state of being seriously mentally ill. Therefore, is Hamlet sane or insane? This is a controversy that intrigues the minds of many scholars. Many people ignorantly believe Hamlet to be insane. Meanwhile, I disagree. After reflecting on Hamlet's life, comparing it to my own, and putting myself into his shoes, I believe Hamlet to be sane without question. 

     Within a short matter of time, Hamlet lost his father, was betrayed by his mother, and was forced into a hateful relationship with his uncle. Hamlet was betrayed by the only people in this world who are supposed to be there for you no matter what. The one man who he looked up to and truly loved as his father was taken away from him by cruel and selfish murder. His mother and uncle never took his feelings into consideration and only thought of themselves and their meaningless power. Feeling all this betrayal and loneliness at once, wouldn't the sane thing to do would be to go crazy? Although, the definition for sanity is the ability to think and behave in a normal and rational manner. Going crazy while being thrown into such a dark world would be the normal thing to do. Remaining calm in this situation label you as insane. 

     In my life's experiences, I have also been through some very challenging times that have made me question my own sanity. Like Hamlet, I have lost someone very close to me and have felt betrayed by someone I once loved. When you go through hard times like this, it's human instinct to feel isolated and helpless. 

Literary Fiction and Empathy

How can reading fiction help you understand others?  Use Hamlet as an example to explore your own thinking process and reactions to a character's innermost thoughts/struggles. 
      Reading fiction can help you to better understand yourself, others, and the world around you.  It helps you in this way as reading fiction has the capability of bringing the reader much emotion and letting you feel apart of a nonexistent world that can feel very real.  You begin to feel attached to some of the characters as you read through their life experiences and struggles and see yourself beginning to relate to the characters' personalities and lives.  Also, giving the reader the power to step out of the picture and become an outside witness alters their thinking when they step back into the picture, making them more understanding of why people say and act the way they do.  As I am beginning to read Hamlet, I am able to relate and feel a connection to the story in this way.  As I read through Hamlet's thoughts and inner struggles with not being able to effectively express his emotions, I can really relate to this as I have a hard time showing emotion all the time.  When someone hurts me, I usually don't show it and bottle things up until I break.  In this same way, Hamlet bottles up all the emotions he is experiencing with the loss of his father and the betrayal of his mother and uncle.  You'd expect him to break, but he doesn't.  In this way, we are alike.  Hamlet seems to be a very strong-minded character and I hope to be able to relate to him more as the story goes on. 

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

HAMLET: ACT III SCENE I

 

To be, or not to be: that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;

No more; and by a sleep to say we end

The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause: there's the respect

That makes calamity of so long life;

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,

The insolence of office and the spurns

That patient merit of the unworthy takes,

When he himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscover'd country from whose bourn

No traveller returns, puzzles the will

And makes us rather bear those ills we have

Than fly to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;

And thus the native hue of resolution

Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,

And enterprises of great pith and moment

With this regard their currents turn awry,

And lose the name of action.--Soft you now!

The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd.

VOCABULARY #6

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

Vocabulary #5

1. shenanigans - secret or dishonest activity or maneuvering.
2. ricochet - a glancing rebound; spring back; spring away from an impact
3. schism - division of a group into opposing factions; the formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences
4. eschew - avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of
5. plethora - extreme excess
6. ebullient -  joyously unrestrained
7. garrulous -  full of trivial conversation
8. harangue - a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion; deliver a harangue to; address forcefully
9. interdependence - a reciprocal relation between interdependent entities (objects or individuals or groups)
10. capricious - determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason; changeable
11. loquacious -  full of trivial conversation
12. ephemeral - lasting a very short time; anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form
13. inchoate - only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
14. juxtapose -  place side by side
15. perspicacious - acutely insightful and wise; mentally acute or penetratingly discerning
16. codswallop -  nonsensical talk or writing
17. mungo - cloth made from recycled woven or felted material.
18. sesquipedelian - characterized by long words
19. wonky - inclined to shake as from weakness or defect; turned or twisted toward one side
20. diphthong - a vowel sound that starts near the articulatory position for one vowel and moves toward the position for another

Everything Is A Remix

• remixing started with hip-hop music
• taking an original piece and altering or changing the image of it
• traditionally, creativity was divine
• remixing takes much creativity
• light bulb represents a moment of insight
• 3 elements: copying, transformation, and combinations
• copying- taking a piece and copying it in the same way  
• transformation- creating variations from an already existing thing  
• combinations- taking existing stuff and merging them together
• Star Wars is the monomyth
• ideas contain other ideas within them

Character Study 1

       As I'm reading my acceptance letters from Cal Poly and Santa Clara University, I can't help but feel lost in my inability to decide for my future.  Cal Poly is within my comfort zone.  My sister has attended that school for two years now, along with many of my other friends.  It's so close to home and I know that town and school like the back of my hand.  My whole family is hoping I choose to go there so I can stay as close to them as possible and be safe living in the same town as my sister.  After a couple years of attending Cal Poly, I would share an apartment with my sister, something we have always wanted to do.  But, what if I want to go out of my comfort zone? What if I want to try something different and start my own path?  It'll allow me to branch out and start a life of my own on such a beautiful campus that offers the major I aspire to study. The only thing holding me back is the idea that I will be so far away from my family and the small town that has always been all I've ever known.  Once I make my ultimate decision of which college to attend, I will begin my journey.

My Dashboard

After reading about and looking at the new idea for the website "Netvibes", I have decided not to use it.  I do appreciate Dr. Preston's effort in helping us to become more organized and showing us the future technological styles of our college education.  But, I feel like taking the time to make this new website will only overwhelm me more with all of the school work that I already have. I feel that I am already well organized other than the fact that I am a huge procrastinator when I comes to some of my schoolwork. But, overall, I get my work done eventually because I always have it in the back of my head until I do.

Canterbury Tales 1

• written documents were rare 
• most people were illiterate
• characterized many cities, castles, long days
• Latin- the unifying language at the time 
• a series of stories that make up a larger story
• about a pilgrimage to Canterbury 
• each story is told through a different characters perspective 
• characters vary from all social statuses (aristocracy to peasants) 
• tales filled with contradicting personalities with roles in the society 
• his son was very much like him
• the Knight- honorable and heroic 
• the monk was ironically fat (supposed to live in poverty)
• the merchant was knowledgeable but in debt; portrayed as a very honorable man 
• the cook- arrogant, pompous, selfish man
• the lower class- mostly described with indirect characterization. 
• the doctor- knowledgeable but in it for the money; wasn't religious as the bible frowned upon science 
• these stories told the irony in society in the way that societies expectations were lived down through the dark side of human nature 
• very complex characters throughout

VOCABULARY #4

1. obsequious- (adj.) attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
Her obsequious way of winning people over is a bit over the top with overwhelming compliments and flattery.
2. beatitude- (n.) a state of supreme happiness
In heaven, you will be in absolute beatitude.
3. bete noire- (n.) a person or thing that one particularly dislikes
My bete noir is racism.
4. bode- (v.) indicate by signs
Bode the way to your destination.
5. dank- (adj.) unpleasantly cool and humid
The dank weather was horrible for my frizzy hair.
6. ecumenical- (adj.) of worldwide scope or applicability; concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions
The church confederations were known for being ecumenical.
7. fervid- (adj.) extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion
The candidate made a fervid speech that held the audience's attention.
8. fetid- (adj.) offensively malodorous
The fetid water of the marsh made me sick.
9. gargantuan- (adj.) of great mass; huge and bulky
Big foot was a gargantuan monster.
10. heyday- (n.) the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
The paper has lost millions of readers since its heyday in 1972.
11. incubus- (n.) someone who depresses or worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream
Don't be such an incubus to others. Contrarily, make others happy!
12. infrastructure- (n.) the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; the basic structure or features of a system or organization
Access what damage you can and rebuild the critical infrastructure system.
13. inveigle- (v.) influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
The girl was able to inveigle her father into letting her buy an expensive dress.
14. kudos- (n.) an expression of approval and commendation
Kudos to everyone that put the event together.
15. lagniappe- (n.) a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)
The store owner gave me a lagniappe for being such a loyal customer.
16. prolix- (adj.) tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length
He found the speech too prolix and repetitive.
17. protégé- (n.) a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protégé's career
Michael Jordan made a starting basketball player his protégé.
18. prototype- (n.) a standard or typical example
Mean Girls is a prototype of high school life.
19. sycophant- (n.) a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
Sycophant friends only look for you when they need something from you.
20. tautology- (n.) useless repetition; (logic) a statement that is necessarily true
My English teacher told me to avoid tautology in my essay.
21. truckle- (v.) yield to out of weakness; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
The boy truckled to the bully who would constantly push him around.

MY BIG QUESTION

My big question is, what is the purpose of life? While this is a very common and general question, it is a question that regularly crosses my mind. Why do we spend so much time worrying about what others think of us, stressing about school and our futures, and working on our self image? One day, we will all be gone and none of it will matter. So, what's the point of it all?

LITERATURE ANALYSIS #1

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
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.)

CHARACTERIZATION
1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?
2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?
3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.
4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction. 

1. This novel, "Push" by Sapphire , takes place in Harlem, New York in 1987. Our main character is a sixteen-year-old, named Claireece Jones, who goes by her middle name Precious.  She is an illiterate, overweight, African-American welfare child.  She is constantly emotionally and physically abused by her mother and sexually abused by her father.  She is pregnant with her second child, both children fathered by her biological father, who has continually raped her since she was a child.  Her infant daughter, Mongo, who has Down Syndrome, lives with Precious' grandmother. Precious lives with her abusive mother, Mary. Mary does nothing but smoke, watch television, and collect welfare through fraud.  She believes that education does nothing for Precious, who she would rather also collect welfare to bring money into the household. To escape her life, Precious often daydreams of herself in glamorous situations. She often imagines herself as a white pretty blonde with a white boyfriend to escape the horror of her life. Because of her current pregnancy, Precious' principal transfers her into an alternative school. In dealing with the school's sympathetic and encouraging teacher, Ms. Blu Rain, Precious begins to believe that she can have a future by learning how to read and write. Precious begins to believe she can escape the grips of her abusive mother, who, up to this point, was Precious' only real support.  After getting into a horrible argument with her mother, Precious is abandoned and left to begin life on her own.  But, with the help of Ms. Rain, she is able to stay in a halfway house.  Although this may not be the most ideal living space, it gives her the opportunity to start over and have independence from her dark past.  After learning that her father passed away from aids, Precious tests positive for HIV and is left to join support groups and continue on with her journey.  The reader is then left to imagine Precious' whereabouts and future as the novel ends with Precious' writings about her life.
2.  Central themes to this novel include independence, self-confidence, and determination.  Precious uses these characteristics to become independent from her dark past and to create a better future.  She never gave up on herself.  She began to stop imagining herself as an appealing white girl and began to accept herself for the person she really is, making herself someone to be proud of.  Rather than being controlled by circumstance, Precious chose her future: one where her self-image depends wholly on her own decisions, rather than by the oppressive surroundings she grew up in. Because of her decision to part from those oppressive surroundings, Precious ultimately discovers from her newfound confidence and her self-respect that her identity is only what she makes of it.  Together, these all tie in the central themes to this novel.
3. Precious begins the novel functionally illiterate.  She spells words phonetically.  She uses words such as "nuffin'" for nothing, "git" for get, "borned" for born, etc.  She also uses an array of four-letter words and harsh details that reflect the life she has experienced. The following is an example of the poor grammar she uses in the novel:  "Last week we went to the museum.  A whole whale is hanging from the ceiling.  Bigger than big!  OK, have you seen a Volkswagen car that's like a bug? Um huh, you know what I'm talking about.  That's how big the heart of a blue whale is.  I know it's not possible, but if that heart in me could I love more?  Ms Rain, Rita, Abdul?" (p. 138).  This lack of education contributes to the tone's ignorance. Also, throughout the novel, Precious describes traumatizing events as if they were a mild crime-like running a red light.  But, her childish tone up brings the emotions of sadness brought on by a lack of understanding.  The following is an example of her childish tone: “I'm alive inside.  A bird is my heart.  Mama and Daddy is not win.  I'm winning.  I'm drinking hot chocolate in the Village wif girls--all kind who love me.  How that is so I don't know.  How Mama and Daddy know me sixteen years and hate me, how a stranger meet me and love me.  Must be what they already had in they pocket” (p. 152).  A self- destructive tone is used by Precious as the struggles in her life have caused her to have such low confidence and self-esteem.  This brings a somber tone to the entire course of the novel as you feel sympathy those someone who look at themselves so harshly.  This is portrayed as she states, “I know I’m stupid.  I know I’m worthless, but I coulda been a star-a stupid worthless star.  What I can't be I kill” (p. 143).  
4. The following are 10 literary elements/techniques I observed that strengthened my understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or my sense of the tone:
1) Illeism is used as it conveys the understanding of a child stuck in a 16-year-old's body.
Example: "Precious wandered what the file said..." (pg. 30).
2)  Epithets are used to allow the reader to understand how Precious first categorizes people based on the first impression.
Example: "...the cornrow head said smiling" (pg. 32).
3) Flashbacks are used to help the reader understand the events that played out in Precious's entire life in "sneek peaks".
Example: "She is 12 no was 12? She is 16 now" (pg. 23).
4) Problematic dialect is used by Sapphire.
Example: “I bite my fingernails till they look like disease, pull strips of my skin away.   Get Daddy's razor out cabinet.   Cut cut cut arm wrist, not trying to die, trying to plug myself back in” (p. 111). 
5) Tragedy is a main device seen by the audience from the series of rapes, to the Down Syndrome child, to the revealing of HIV positive in the family.
Example: "I'm not happy to be HIV positive" (pg. 141).
6) Precious is presented as being illiterate, representing her poor upbringing and lack of education and childhood.
Example: “Last week we went to the museum.  A whole whale is hanging from the ceiling.  Bigger than big!  OK, have you seen a Volkswagon car that's like a bug?  Um huh, you know what I'm talking about.  That's how big the heart of a blue whale is.  I know it's not possible, but if that heart was in me, could I love more?...I would like to” (p. 138).
7) Imagery is brought upon by Precious' daydreaming and imaginings of a "better" life as she imagines herself to be a white blonde with a white boyfriend.  She does this to block out her dark past and dream of a better future.
Example: "My name is Claireece "Precious" Jones. I wish I had a light-skinned boyfriend with real nice hair. And I wanna be on the cover of a magazine. But first I wanna be in one of them BET videos. Momma said I can't dance. Plus, she said who wants to see my big ass dancing, anyhow?"
8) The tragic and somber mood simulated in this novel contributes to the overall tone by creating a sympathetic aura for the readers.
Example: "I'm walking across the lobby room real real slow. Full of chicken, bread; usually that make me not want to cry remember, but I feel like crying now" (pg. 40).
9)  Another literary device used is Stream of Consciousness.  The novel itself is basically a diary of Precious's life events and thoughts on every aspect of her life from her beatings to her fantasies.
Example: "I want to tell her what I always want to tell someone, that the pages, 'cept for the ones with pictures, look all the same to me.." (pg. 50).
10) Biblical/ religious references used:
-“...something like that make me feel what Rhonda, what Farrakhan, say - there is a god. But me when I think of it I'm more inclined to go with Shug in The Colour Purple. God ain' white, he ain' no Jew or Muslim, maybe he ain' even black, maybe he ain' even a 'he.' Even now I go downtown and see .. I see those men in vacant lot share one hot dog and they homeless, that's good as Jesus with his fish. I remember when I had my daughter, nurse nice to me too - all that is god."
-“If God made anything better than Coffee and Chocolate, he kept it to himself.”  

CHARACTERIZATION
1. Direct characterization of Precious:
"I should be in the eleventh grade, getting ready to go into the twelf' grade so I can gone 'n graduate. But I'm not. I'm in the ninfe grade" (pg. 1).
“I know I’m stupid.  I know I’m worthless, but I coulda been a star-a stupid worthless star.  What I can't be I kill” (p. 143). 
Indirect characterization of Precious:
"My father don't see me really. If he did he would know I was like a white girl, a real person, inside" (pg. 14).
“I changed the past by walking back into it” (p. 163).
Sapphire uses both approaches of direct characterization and indirect characterization to give you a broad sense of what the character is like and to then give eventful support and reason.  As a result to both of these approaches, I see Precious as a strong girl who has been through a lot of hardship at such young age.  I see her as having a lot of potential for a great future if she remains determined to stay completely independent from her dark past. 
2. The author's syntax and diction alternate between each page break.  Precious speaks of herself in an illeism stance, or in first person, while another section could be told by an outside third person perspective.  When the story is told from Precious' perspective, the style of writing is not as literate and educated as that of the author's. Example: "'Precious!'  That's my mother calling me'" (pg. 9). "This time she knew Mama knew.  Umm hmm, she knew.  She brought him to me.  I ain' crazy, that stinky hoe gave me to him" (pg. 25).
3. The protagonist, Precious, is a dynamic and round character.  She changes dramatically over the course of the novel.  In the beginning, she lives life in fear and in hatred of herself and the realities of her troubled life.  She lives in fear of her abusive mother and father and in hatred of her worth and self-image.  But, once she joins the Each One Teach One alternative school, she realizes that there is opportunity for her out there.  As long as she set her mind to it, she could make a difference for herself and change her life for the better.  She goes from hopeless to independent and optimistic over the course of the novel.
4. After reading "Push" by Sapphire, I came away with feeling like I really got to know and feel for Precious.  After reading about all her life struggles, how she dealt with them, and her thoughts along the way, she was a character I didn't want to let go of. When Precious says, "I'm alive inside. A bird is my heart. Mama and Daddy is not win. I'm winning. I'm drinking hot chocolate in the Village wif girls--all kind who love me. How that is so I don't know. How Mama and Daddy know me sixteen years and hate me, how a stranger meet me and love me. Must be what they already had in they pocket," you realize that Precious is just an innocent girl who seeks love just like anyone else. Sadly, she does not recieve this from the ones she should be closest to. This caused me to feel sorry for her and want to help her find the life she deserves.  Ultimately, I respect her for looking past all her life struggles and seeking to create a better future for herself. Many people, including myself, may not have been as strong enough to triumph over her situation. 

VOCABULARY #3

1. accolade- (n.) a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
My student athlete award was an accolade of my dedication to sports and my studies.
2. acerbity- (n.) a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
The Lemon Head candy has an acerbity.
3. attrition- (n.) the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction; a wearing down to weaken or destroy; sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation; the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice; erosion by friction
The attrition of the two rocks caused them to become very smooth and flat.
4. bromide- (n.) any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs; a trite or obvious remark
"I am entitled to my own opinion" is a bromide.
5. chauvinist- (n.) an extreme bellicose nationalist; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
England's monarchy is generally made up of chauvinists.
6. chronic- (adj.) being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
Her chronic headaches caused her to have to see a doctor.
7. expound- (v.) add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; state
We expound on many literary topics in this class.
8. factionalism- (n.) existence of factions: the existence of or conflict between groups within a larger group
Factionalism within a state can destroy its government.
9. immaculate- (adj.) completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error
My mom wants the house to be immaculate for when the guests come over.
10. imprecation- (n.) the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult); a slanderous accusation
The witches recited imprecations upon innocent people.
11. ineluctable- (adj.) impossible to avoid or evade: "inescapable conclusion"
The love Blair felt for Chuck Bass seemed ineluctable to her, no matter how much she tried to hide it.
12. mercurial- (adj.) relating to or containing or caused by mercury; relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury; relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury; liable to sudden unpredictable change
Everyone tried to stay away from him because his temper was mercurial.
13. palliate- (v.) provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
The ice palliated the pain of my sprained ankle.
14. protocol- (n.) code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state; (computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data
Our government and the military uses protocol.
15. resplendent- (adj.) having great beauty and splendor
The view from the top of Mount Everest is resplendent.
16. stigmatize- (v.) mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
Criminals are universally stigmatized.
17. sub- (n.) a submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes; different names are used in different sections of the United States; (v.) be a substitute
The sub was so lenient and clueless to what the children were doing.
18. rosa- (n.) large genus of erect or climbing prickly shrubs, including roses
The rosa sharply poked my skin.
19. vainglory- (n.) outspoken conceit
Don't come off sounding to boastful or vainglorious.
20. vestige- (n.) an indication that something has been present
The trace, or vestige, of the dinosaur proved its existence.
21. volition- (n.) the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
Choosing the right college is a volition that I must do myself.

BEOWULF ESSAY

     What makes a hero the epic icon it is brought up to be?  According to a dictionary definition, a hero is a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.  A hero also withholds the outstanding qualities of bravery, determination, loyalty, selflessness, and sacrifice.  Two heroes that truly embody these heroic characteristics are an Anglo-Saxon hero, Beowulf, and a political hero, Martin Luther King Jr.  While the remarkable stories of these two heroes remain very different in plot and general theme, they both remain very similar in other aspects.
     In the story of Beowulf, he courageously saves King of Hrothgar and his kingdom from the terror they received from Grendel, a horrible and bloody demon, along with his vengeful mother.  Beowulf vigorously fought Grendel without armor and finished him by ripping his arm off.  This embodies the heroic qualities of bravery, selflessness, and sacrifice.  Beowulf put the safety of his kingdom before his own.  In comparison, just as Beowulf fought against a legendary flesh and blood monster, Martin Luther King Jr. selflessly fought against the insidious and more subtle monster of racism.  During the Civil Rights Era, standing up against racism took a lot of courage and sacrifice, considering the possible harsh consequences of doing so.  Although, King willingly took the biggest stand in history against slavery and segregation, changing the fate our nation forever.
     As said before, heroes obtain many qualities. Although, bravery is the quality that has to be the most profound and most common.  In Beowulf, he displays countless actions of bravery. One that really stands out in the text is when he has to face the monster that is terrorizing his kingdom; “I won’t shift a foot when I meet the cave-guard: what occurs on the walls between the two of us will turn out as fate, overseer of men, decides.” Through this text, you can feel the incredible bravery withheld by Beowulf that is found throughout his story. Similarly, Martin Luther King Jr. displays bravery just as well as Beowulf does.  Although, being that he was a leader of the civil rights movement, King displays bravery in a different way. King had to stand up all around the world to get his message of equality and anti-segregation out.  He had to do this while knowing many people did not support him and were willing to get rid of him.  His bravery was unimpeachable and something to strive for.  King is described in "Marks of Modern Sainthood" as the following: “A hero, he confronted death with courage: a saint, he enriched the souls of even his bitterest enemies.”
     Overall, Beowulf and Martin Luther King Jr. both embodied the characteristics of an extraordinary hero in various ways.  Both strove to free an oppressed people through sacrifice and stood for what was right even though it may not have been necessarily popular or safe.  They are both incredible heroes that should never be forgotten for their remarkable bravery.

WILL STUDY FOR FOOD

I would like to apply for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF).  They administer over 150 different types of scholarships and $470 million in scholarships.  The only requirements for this scholarship fund are for you to be a U.S. citizen with a Hispanic background and a minimum GPA of a 3.0.  I easily meet all of these requirements and really hope to apply myself to begin applying for scholarships like this and really take advantage of all this help offered to students like me.

VOCABULARY #2

1. apogee- (n.) apoapsis in Earth orbit; the point in its orbit where a satellite is at the greatest distance from the Earth; a final climactic stage
2. apropos- (adj.) of an appropriate or pertinent nature; (adv.) by the way; at an opportune time
3. bicker- (n.) a quarrel about petty points; (v.) argue over petty things
4. coalesce- (v.) fuse or cause to grow together; mix together different elements
5. contretemps- (n.) an awkward clash
6. convolution- (n.) the action of coiling or twisting or winding together; a convex fold or elevation in the surface of the brain; the shape of something rotating rapidly
7. cull- (n.)  the person or thing that is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality; (v.) remove something that has been rejected; look for and gather
8. disparate- (adj.) including markedly dissimilar elements; fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
9. dogmatic- (adj.) characterized by assertion of unproved or unprovable principles; relating to or involving dogma; of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
10. licentious- (adj.) lacking moral discipline; especially sexually unrestrained
11. mete- (n.) a line that indicates a boundary
12. noxious- (adj.) injurious to physical or mental health
13. polemic- (adj.) of or involving dispute or controversy; (n.) a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma); a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology)
14. populous- (adj.) densely populated
15. probity- (n.) complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles
16. repartee- (n.) adroitness and cleverness in reply
17. supervene- (v.) take place as an additional or unexpected development
18. truncate- (adj.) terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off; (v.) make shorter as if by cutting off; approximate by ignoring all terms beyond a chosen one; replace a corner by a plane
19. unimpeachable- (adj.) beyond doubt or reproach; completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach; free of guilt; not subject to blame

The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski

Sorry this is so late. My computer has been down and that's the only place that would let me post videos. But, we finally got it up and working again!

Right to Your Opinion

     The question is, do Americans have the right to their own opinion?  I believe this is somewhat true and somewhat not.  Yes, we all can think whatever it is we want.  We are all very different individuals and will all have different viewpoints on certain subjects.  Although, this does not mean we can just state our opinions without fact or reason. I respect those who state their opinion if they good backup and reason for it.  But, if they just state their opinion in a biased fashion or say it without reason, I cannot respect that.  As said by one of my classmates: "Saying one has the right to their own opinion is like saying one has the right to be stupid."  Don't be the person with the stupid or racist opinion who just says "I have the right to my own opinion" when someone confronts them.  When in reality, no, you do not have the right to degrade others to make yourself feel superior.  When it comes to having the right to your own opinion or not, I believe it depends on the situation and circumstance.  

Reflections on Week 1

1.  The one thing that has already affected my participation in this class is the unreliable technology I have at home. My computer works fine but isn't the fastest, making it somewhat annoying to try to get my homework done this way.  But, I will not let this affect my performance in my schoolwork as I always find a way to get a reliable computer.  Another factor that may affect my participation in this class is when college application time and soccer season comes up.  Those are both things that will keep me busy and may take me away from studies.  But, overall, I plan to stay focused and not let much take me away from succeeding in this course.
2.  My best learning experience came from the summer when I was 13. During that summer, I had two surgeries and was hospitalized for one month and in recovery for many months later. I had these surgeries for a ruptured appendix and complications that followed the first surgery.  The doctors told me many times that I was lucky to be alive.  If I had waited any longer to go to the ER, I may not have been so lucky. This really got me to thinking. It made me realize that the many things I thought were important in life, like material things and what others thought of me, were no longer so important. What was important was my family, education, faith, and my overall health.  Since then, I have been determined to be the best person I can be and make the best life for myself.
3.  I am very excited to start this school year with "open source learning".  I think it is a great way to prepare us for our futures and how college will be like.  It interests me to be able to interact with my classmates on a daily basis and be able to hear their opinions on so many different topics.  Meanwhile, I hope to stay open-minded and understanding of other peoples' viewpoints and contribute to class discussions.    

Vocabulary #1

1. adumbrate - (v.) give to understand; describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
2. apotheosis - (n.) the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god); model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
3. ascetic - (adj.) practicing great self-denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; (n.) someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
4. bauble - (n.) a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
5. beguile - (v.) attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
6. burgeon - (v.) grow and flourish
7. complement - (n.) something added to complete or make perfect; either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; number needed to make up a whole force; a complete number or quantity; one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; (v.) make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
8. contumacious - (adj.) willfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
9. curmudgeon - (n.) a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
10. didactic - (adj). instructive (especially excessively)
11. disingenuous - (adj). not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
12. exculpate - (v.) pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
13. faux - (adj.) not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article
14. pas - (n.) (ballet) a step in dancing (especially in classical ballet)
15. fulminate - (n.) a salt or ester of fulminic acid; (v.) cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
16. fustian - (n.) a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap; pompous or pretentious talk or writing
17. hauteur - (n.) overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
18. inhibit - (v.) limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
19. jeremiad - (n.) a long and mournful complaint
20. opportunist - (adj.) taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible
21. unconscionable - (adj.) greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience
Sentences:
1. I adumbrated the main plot of the story.
2. The apotheosis given to all those celebrities did not interest me.
3. In order to fast during all of Lent, you must have an ascetic nature.
4. Material possessions and baubles will not make you any better than the person next to you.
5. The sound of the ice cream truck beguiled the children to run it.
6. She burgeoned into a beautiful young lady.
7. The red lipstick complemented the red shoes.
8. The contumacious student was suspended from school.
9. My neighbor, the curmudgeon, hated whenever I played music too loud or drove too fast down our street.
10. I'm happy to have a didactic teacher who willfully helps and instructs us students.
11. The use of this blog is somewhat disingenuous to me.
12. I was so happy when the innocent person was exculpated in court.
13. The faux pair of jeans tried to imitate the Miss Me brand jeans.
14. The dancers were perfecting their pas moves.
15. Do not fulminate others by their appearances.
16. That quilt is made of fustian.
17. Seniors should not present hauteur towards underclassmen.
18. Parents should not dramatically inhibit their children.  They should let them flourish to be the person they want to be.
19. When it comes to school, I can say jeremiads all day.
20.Be an opportunist when it comes to applying for colleges and receiving all the financial aid you can.
21. The amount of homework I've had these first two weeks of school is unconscionable.

MONTAIGNE/AUSTEN ESSAY- revised to Richard Rodriguez

      Humans are often thinking a mile per minute, reflecting on everything going on around them. But, through all this thought, how often do humans get to express all their thoughts? David Foster Wallace once wrote in his 2001 story "Good Old Neon": "What goes on inside is just too fast and huge and all interconnected for words to do more than barely sketch the outlines of at most one tiny little part of it at any given instant."  This idea of words not being able to justify our thought process can be found in the writing style of Richard Rodriguez.  He reflects on this idea directly and indirectly in his autobiographical essay, "The Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez".   
      As you read Rodriguez's work, you feel the way his internal struggles have affected him and changed him as a person.  Growing up as a bisexual Mexican Roman Catholic in such a prejudice world while aspiring to become a successful educated writer has been a huge challenge that he has faced during his lifetime.  You can sense his doubts, fears, and insecurities as he tries to convey his thoughts to his audience through his works.  Although, words could not always justify and express all he is thinking.  Words could not capture his feelings of depression, the hatred he had towards himself, and the emotions he went through after being disapproved of by so many people, including his family.  While he stated what his struggles were, he did not always state how they made him feel or what thoughts they brought to his head, supporting the fact that thoughts cannot always be expressed effectively.
      Rodriguez directly reflects on the way words can be expressed in his work, "The Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez".  This reflection can be found in his quotation, “Intimacy is not trapped within words. It passes through words. It passes. The truth is that intimates leave the room. Doors close. Faces move away from the window. Time passes. Voices recede into the dark. Death finally quiets the voice. And there is no way to deny it. No way to stand in the crowd, uttering one’s family language.”  The first line of this quotation: "Intimacy is not trapped within words," supports the fact that words do not always efficiently express emotion and internal feeling.  Our minds are capable of retaining endless knowledge and thought, making it impossible for simple words to express.  This is why humans are not be able to fully grasp ideas such as religion, human existence, and some of the ideas reflecting the internal struggles faced by Richard Rodriguez, passed down through word of mouth.  Therefore, while there's only so much words can express, mindful thoughts are endless.  

1987 AP Exam

I found the questions that asked you the general idea of the text to be pretty easy along with the questions that asked you questions based solely on your own knowledge.  I found the vocabulary based questions to be pretty challenging, showing I need some practice on expanding my vocabulary. Relating one passage to another was also pretty challenging for me along with questions about tone and poetic style. I did have a few questions that I absolutely dreaded and ended up having to just guess. These questions included answers that all seemed right to me or all seemed wrong or had two answers that I could not choose between.

I CAN READ!

About 5 minutes and 30 seconds long without the delay in the beginning and end/10 mistakes

Poetry #1

1.  This commercial borrows a poem written by Charles Bukowski called The Laughing Heart.
2.  The use of the poem, The Laughing Heart, is very ironic in this commercial made by a corporation.  The Laughing Heart inspires people to break free from the detainment of the people in power and encourages people to be their own individual person.  Ironically, corporations represent the exact opposite of this as they are the ones who typically abuse their power and try detain humans and restrict their rights.
3.  This poem reflects the reputation of the author, Charles Bukowski, as he is known for writing on the ordinary lives of poor Americans.  Through many of his life experiences, he has come to understand the struggles Americans go through and reflects on the idea of the light shining at of the end of the dark tunnel. 
4.  I can thank google for finding the answers to #1 and #3.  For number one, I just typed in the first few lines of the poem into my search engine and the name of the poem and the author came up.  For number 3, I typed in the name of the author and many different sites came up about him that helped me answer the question.