Analysis of Fifth Business

author: 
Robertson Davies, born 1913, Canadian


Setting:
A small town in Canada named Deptford. Very quiet, but yet very gossipy. Also many places in Europe.


Summary:
 In Fifth Business  by  Roberston Davies, Dunstable Ramsey retells his life story to the current headmaster at the college he works at. Throughout this novel, Ramsey interacts with many different people and tries to analyze the lives of many saints. Ramsey ends up discovering not only who he is, but what his purpose is in life. Ramsey ultimately learns that he is the fifth business and hasn't lived his own life, but rather simply played a role in the lives of others. 


Plot
1. Snowball thrown by Boy hits Mrs. Dempster: Paul is born. The Ramsey family starts to care for the Dempster family.
2. Mrs. Dempster is missing and is later found with a tramp. Mrs. Ramsey and the rest of the town turn their backs on the Dempster family. 
3. Ramseys older brother Willie is severely sick and dies for a brief period of time. Ramsey freaks out and gets Mrs. Dempster who then prays at Willie's side and Willie is miraculously alive again. This sparks the idea of saints in Ramsey's head.
4. Ramsey goes to war and is shortly injured. While he is about to lose consciousness, he thinks he sees the face of Mary Dempster on a statue of Mary and Jesus.
5. Ramsey is nursed back to health by Diana and receives the Victoria Cross for his heroic actions.He denies Diana's idea of marriage and changes his name from Dunstable to Dunstan. He shortly returns home to realize Boy and Leola are to be wed, Paul has run away, Mrs. Dempster is in the care of a relative because of her sanity, and Mr. Dempster died.
6. Ramsey returns to college and becomes a teacher and he visits Europe and begins to learn more about the saints.
7. Ramsey finds Mary Dempster and sees Paul on stage in Europe with the travelling circus.
8. Dunstan moves Mrs. Dempster to a hospital for the insane. 
9. HE goes to Europe and meets Padre Blazon and they discuss saints and Ramsay's life. 
10. Leola tries to kill herself on Christmas and Ramsay then helps her recover.
11. Leola dies and Ramsay is denied the spot of Headmaster, and travels to Mexico and sees Paul Dempster again, but this time as Magnus Eisengrim. 
12. Ramsay accepts the offer of writing a biography for Paul, and befriends Liesel and has her become one of his confidants. Liesel brings it to his attention that he is actually the fifth business and that he hasnt been living his own life. 
13. Mary Dempster dies and shortly afterwords Boy is found dead with suspicion of foul play. 
14. Dunstan Ramsay then dies at Paul's show of a heart attack. 


significant characters:

-Dunstable Ramsey: (name changed to Dunstan: nickname Dunny or Ramsey) Ramsey is the main character of this novel. He grew up as kind of an outcast from caring for Mrs. Dempster. He went to war, did a "heroic" action and received the Victoria Cross. He becomes a college professor and studies saints and writes many books about them.He is unsure about God, but he is very spiritual. He helps and occasionally cares for Mrs. Dempster, Leoyla, Boy, Paul, and Amassa Dempster, at the end of the novel we learn that Ramsey is the fifth business. 
-Mary Dempster: The mother of Paul and wife of Amassa. She is viewed by the town as very simple, and at sometimes the devil. By Ramsey, she is viewed as a saint. She is seen as the sacred feminine (she preforms three miracles), as the mother figure (she listens and is lauded by Ramsey), and as the fool saint (she does good but does not show prudence). She eventually goes crazy in a mental institute once she receives word about her son being alive. 
-Liesel: Liesel is a strong woman who helps Paul in his magic show. She is one of the only people in the novel to know about Ramsey's entire life and forces him to look inside himself and realize his role in life. She is also one of the few people to match Ramsey intellectually. In the jungian perspective she is seen as the high priestess. 
-Padre Blazon: He is another character that matches Ramsey on an intellectual level. He helps him deal with the quest to know about saints and what makes a saint. 
-Boy Staunton: He is the ultimate business man and what would be known as the golden boy. He is successful, dominant, masculine, and a long time friend to Ramsey. Boy (originally Percy Boyd Staunton) was the one whose rock-snowball hit Mrs. Dempster starting off the whole novel. 
-Leoyla: She was the first love of Ramsey, and later the wife to Boy Staunton. As she tries to keep up with her husbands upward climb socially, she realizes she can no longer satisfy him both publicly and sexually. She tries to kill herself, is unsuccessful, but later dies of pneumonia. 
-Paul Dempster: He is the premature son of Amassa and Mary Dempster. He grows up in an awkward situation by being seen as an outcast by the other townspeople. He idolizes Ramsey growing up and learns many magic tricks from him. He runs away to the circus at a young age and eventually becomes a successful traveling magician in Europe named Magnus Eisengrim. 
-Amassa Dempster: He is viewed as an outcast for having a simple and demonic wife, and a strange child. 
-Mrs. Ramsey: She is one of the only people to show love to Mrs. Dempster at the beginning of the novel which also influences Ramsey to show affection for her. 
-Diana: She is the woman that helps bring Ramsey back after his war injury. She teaches him how to walk again and is seen as a mother figure in Ramsey's eyes. She originally wants to be married to Ramsey, but after he rejects the idea, they become very close friends. 

Narative voice/style/point of view/tone/imagery/symbolism:
Narrative voice: very heavy, influential, opnionated
point of view: First person
tone: simple
Imagery:vivid actions, very detailed, describes when
Symbolism:  the stone = fate/start-stop button/karma, name changing = rebirth of a new self/different period in life, victoria cross = shows that Ramsay is the hero model and not just fifth business


Quotes:

- "We are public icons, we two: he an icon of kingship, and I an icon of heroism, unreal yet very necessarry..." (page 77)
    This shows Ramsay's sense of discovery throughout his life and shows that although we know of his life as a fifth business, this proves that he could have been the hero role, but we don't know of the story that goes along with it. 
-"No, Ramsay, I wont promise anything of the sort...You are too old a man to believe in secrets. There is really no such thinf as a secret; everybody likes to ell, and everybody does tell." -Liesel (page 204)
      This quote shows how Liesel is both a confidant and of an equal level intellectually. This quote shows how Liesel causes Ramsay to see the truth in his own life and in life in general. 


Theme & Support:


Humanity is the author of its own story.
Claim 1: God's actions are done by humans and they are simply being viewed as holy or spiritual over time due to their recreations and re-occurrences. 
Claim 2: the human story is all about perspective in deciding what character role you are playing and depending on  who is looking at your role and in what story.

Analysis of Death of a Salesman

author: 

Arthur Miller born. Prominent playwright in America.

Setting:
late 1940s: Willy Loman's house, places in NYC


Summary:
This play looks into the life of a tragic man named Willy Loman. He is a man who has been striving for success and achieving the American dream, but has never been able to accomplish either of these goals. With his health deteriorating due to a lack of success, he has vivid hallucinations of past events where things were happier. In his weakened condition, Willy picks fights with his wife and two older sons.  His sons Biff and Happy are not successful as well, although both claim to try and make him happy. Biff and Willy constantly clash over the dispute of what Biff should do with his life, the city vs the country. Willy feels let down by Biff and constantly remembers when his life was going to be great. These flashbacks of times where the future looked promising, highlight the failure in Willy's life. Once the family convinces Willy that he has something to live for, the family goes to bed and Willy is "greeted" by his older brother once again telling him to go into the jungle and make something of himself. Willy is killed. The play ends at Willy's funeral with his wife Linda saying "We're free" due to their family being debt free finally.
      
Plot
Willy Loman comes home one night to his worried wife. Willy complains about driving back from his unsuccessful business trip. They discuss his failure, broken appliances, and debt. As they fight, Biff and Happy overhear. They then talk about their father's mental state and what they can do to please him. They then argue with Willy. Biff decides to go in for a job interview, and Willy decides to go talk to his boss. Willy is fired, and Biff is unsuccessful. Later when the three Loman men meet up for dinner, Willy is outraged at Biff's actions that day were unsuccessful and starts to have a flashback about when he cheated on his wife and Biff found out. Happy and Biff return to the household and are scolded by their mother Linda for disappointing their father. Later that evening when Willy returns home, Biff confronts Willy about him trying to kill himself. They both talk about their failures and tell each other that they love each other. After everyone is asleep, Willy is ushered by the hallucination of his older brother Ben to try and make something of himself. Willy goes out and is killed. The tragedy ends at Willy's funeral. 


significant characters:

Biff: Willy's oldest son, wants to be working with his hands and outdoors, conflicted between disappointing his father or disappointing himself. He had a bright future as a businessman/football player. He saw his dad cheating on his mom, and promptly lost all respect for him. He loses respect for him once again when he discovers that he wants to kill himself. Often steals items of worth and value because he feels that it makes him appear successful. 

Happy: The second son to Willy and Linda. He is always trying to live up to Biff, but is still not successful. He sleeps with betrothed women to feel affection. He doesnt put any effort into becoming a success. Tries to grab his parents attention by saying that he's going to loose weight and that he's been working out and that he will get married. 

Linda: Linda is Willy's wife and the mother to both Biff and Happy. She is the only one in the novel who truly understands Willy and is also the most realistic. She acts as a mother figure to Willy by babying him, defending his actions, and protecting him out of love. 

Willy: Willy is the main character. He is the salesman of the play. He has tried all his life to be successful, but has never succeded. Willy is not a stable character and is over dramatic. He changes to hopeful and happy to disappointed and angry in seconds. he often thinks of the past vividly and acts as if the past events were happening in real life. 

Uncle Ben: ben is Willy's older brother who went to the jungles of africa and became rich. He is an inspiration to Willy as well as a father figure. 

Charlie: Charlie is Willy's neighbor and a close friend. He tries to help Willy out financially, but he is pushed away by Willy's pride and vivid hallucinations. Charlie is considered to be a friend of Willy's.

Narative voice/style/point of view/tone/imagery/symbolism:
tone: shifts from overjoyed to overwhelmed and upset
Imagery: bright colors show happier times (which are often times of the past)
Symbolism:  the red corvette = youth/joy/success, the jungle = the city life/success


Quotes:
- "He's liked but he's not well liked" -Willy
    This shows Willy's materialistic views on the American dream and how hard work isn't as             important as good looks and natural charm
-"Figure it out. Work a lifetime to pay off a house. You finally own it, and there's nobody to live in it." - Willy
      This quote shows how Willy is not satisfied with his current life and wished that he could have had the opportunity to pay off his house sooner. This is also foreshadowing the end of the novel.  


.Theme & Support:
Not everyone can obtain the American dream.

Analysis of Pride and Prejudice

author: 

Jane Austen: 1775-1817, English novelist, feminist, wrote several novels. 

Setting:
In Hertfordshire, Meryton, Longbourne, and London, England in the 1800's. 


Summary:
This novel is about the 5 Bennet sisters and their trials and tribulations in and out of love. All of the sisters are to be married off in order to save themselves from destitution. At the first ball of the book, the 5 sisters meet Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. The eldest daughter, Jane, and Mr. Bingley hit it off where as Mr. Darcy takes an interest in Elizabeth, but doesn't show it. The relationship between Mr. Bingley and Jane continues to grow, and Elizabeth and Darcy struggle to see eye to eye. Throughout the novel, we see the relationship of Elizabeth and Darcy to grow and the rest of the sisters form relationships of their own. Ultimately in the end Elizabeth and Darcy look past their pride and end up together. 


Plot
1. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy meet the Bennet sisters. Jane becomes infatuated with each other and their relationship grows, Darcy and Elizabeth however do not get along.

2. Jane stays at the estate of Mr. Bingley and falls ill. Elizabeth rushes to her side and spends some more time with Mr. Darcy while there. 
3. Mr. Bennet's cousin Mr. Collins arrives in hopes of marrying one of the Bennet sisters. He pursues Elizabeth because Jane is technically spoken for. 
4. Elizabeth forms a realtionship with Wickham causing her disdain for Mr. Darcy to grow.
5. Mr Collins proposes to Elizabeth, she says no. Mr. Collins then asks the Bennet's family friend, Charlotte, to marry him - she accepts. Mr. Bingley leaves with his sister and Mr. Darcy leaving Jane devastated.
6. Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr. Collins and meets up with Mr. Darcy again and learns that he broke up Jane and Mr. Bingley and learns the truth of Mr. Wickham.
7. Elizabeth and her Aunt and Uncle visit the home of Mr. Darcy and recieve news that the youngest Bennet sister, Lydia, has run off with Mr. Wickham. 
8. Darcy smooths over the situation with Lydia and Mr. Wickham and the two are wed. 
9. Darcy's Aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, confronts Elizabeth of the attraction between her and Mr. Darcy and claims for them  not to be wed.
10. All is resolved. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth wed, and Jane and Mr. Bingley wed as well. 


Significant Characters:

Elizabeth Bennet: She is the second oldest Bennet sister and her father's favorite. She is very prideful and believes in living her life in her own way. She isn't fond of Darcy upon their first meeting, she then develops an attraction to Mr. Wickham, and is proposed to by Mr. Collins. She learns the truth of both Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy and feels herself being attracted to Mr. Darcy. In the end, she marries Mr. Darcy and ends up the wealthiest of all of the sisters.
Jane Bennet: The oldest of the Bennet sisters. She is very shy and modest and does not show affection as easily as most. She is closest to Elizabeth. She ends up marrying Mr. Bingley.
Mary Bennet: Mary is the middle Bennet sister and doesnt have any inclination to marry. She is an outcast from her two younger sisters because she thinks their antics are silly and childish. Mary is very intellectual and is seldom seem interacting in the book unless at home. 
Catherine Bennet: SHe is the second youngest Bennet daughter. She hangs out with Lydia mostly and dreams about settling down with a rich man. 
Lydia Bennet: She is the youngest of the Bennet sisters and the first to be married. She is naive and only wants to settle down with a rich man. She ends up running away with Mr. Wickham and is eventually married to him.
Mr. Bennet: Mr. Bennet is surrounded by women: his five daughters and his naggy wife. Mr. Bennet puts up with his wife's antics because she means well and because he has no energy to try and stop her. Mr. Bennet favors Jane because she is the most intellectual and has the ability to think for herself.
Mrs. Bennet: Mrs. Bennet is a meddlesome mother who dreams of having her daughters all married and financially stable. She enjoys gossiping and is very over dramatic. She wants her daughters to have the same views as she does which is why she is overjoyed and not upset when Lydia comes back married.
Mr. Darcy: Mr. Darcy is an awkward man and very close friend to Mr. Bingley. He has an attraction to Elizabeth but pushes it away because he is too prredjudiced against a woman of her class. He is also very prideful and has a hard time admiting his mistakes to Elizabeth and Mr. Bingley.
Mr. Bingley: He is a close friend to Mr. Darcy and listens to everything Mr. Darcy says. Mr. Bingley is very timid and has an immediate attraction to Jane. Darcy convinces him that the marriage is based off of money alone, and Mr. Bingley backs out. Mr Bingley eventually marries Jane after hearing of Mr. Darcy's mistake.
Mr. Wickham: He once was a family friend of the Darcy family. He is very greedy and is always looking for money. He tried to elope with Mr. Darcy's younger sister, had an attraction to Elizabeth, and ends up running away with Lydia and marrying her  in return for a hefty sum from Mr. Darcy.
Mr. Collins: Mr. Collins is Mr. Bennets cousin. He visits in hope of marrying one of the Bennet sisters. He originally wants Jane, but is then directed to Elizabeth. After he proposes to her and she rejects him, he ends up marrying Charlotte.
Charlotte Lucas: Close family friends to the Bennet family. Closest to Elizabeth and Jane. Ends up marrying Mr. Collins in fear of never having another opportunity.

Narative voice/style/point of view/tone/imagery/symbolism:
tone: light, descriptive - remains constant throughout the novel
point of view: Limited Omniscient: told by Elizabeth
Imagery: describes the actions of people and the levels of class
Symbols: eyes = a sign of interest, emotion, constantly used in moments between Darcy/Elizabeth


Quotes:
- "Its a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" (page 1)
    This sets the mood of the entire work. This shows how society and especially the women in it react to wealth and the different levels of classes. This sets up the precedent that the more money you are the more well liked you will be and explains the action of many female characters in this book.
-"With a strong prejudice against every thing he might say, she began with his account of what had happened at Netherfield." (page 138)
      This quote shows how Elizabeth starts to question her judgings of Mr. Darcy and begins to question her prejudice against him.


Theme & Support:
People's opinions of people can easily be changed whether it be changed by one's actions or a reflection of one's pride and actions.Claim 1: Elizabeth's actions throughout the novel change when  she reviews her own actions and overlooks the true nature of Mr. Darcy.
Claim 2:  Many relationships/marriages may stay constant or change for better or worse. 

Analysis of Hamlet

author: 

William Shakespeare 1564-1616, famous playwright in England, world renowned 

Setting:
Elsinore, Denmark 



Summary:
This play is about a prince, Hamlet, who returns from his stay at school to see that his father has been killed and his mother has remarried to his uncle. Hamlet meets the ghost of his father and finds out about the truth of his death and is asked to kill his own uncle. Throughout the entire novel, Hamlet debates whether or not to kill his uncle or whether to believe the ghosts accusations. All hell breaks loose and the palace of Elsinore slowly turns into a slaughter house  as the late Hamlet is avenged and many accidental deaths happen in the process.


Plot
1. The gaurds and Horatio see the Ghost of the late Hamlet and decide to inform Hamlet himself. He is told and the Ghost tells Hamlet that he was murdered by his brother and to avenge his death by killing his uncle.
2. Laertes leaves for France but not before giving some brotherly advice to Ophelia and receiving some fatherly advice. Polonius warns Ophelia of Hamlet. Shortly Ophelia tells her father of Hamlet's estranged behavior.
3. Polonius tells King Claudius and Gertrude of Hamlet's behavior and the king sends for Rosencratz and Guildenstern to find the cause of Hamlet's insanity.
4. Hamlet is betrayed by Ophelia when they meet and Polonius and Claudius listen to their conversation.
5. Hamlet asks the players to perform a play similar to the situation in Elsinore and watches the Kings behavior as they watch the play. Claudius loses his cool and Hamlet sees that the Ghost must have been telling the truth.
6. Hamlet confronts Gertrude for her incestuous actions Thinking that the King was behind the curtains Hamlet stabs the body, and accidentally kills Polonius. The Ghost appears again and Gertrude promises to help Hamlet.  
7. Hamlet is sent to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The two friends have a letter from the King saying that Hamlet is to be killed. Their ship is attacked by pirates and Hamlet is on his way back to Denmark. Laertes returns to deal with his fathers death and sister's madness. He blames Hamlet.
8. Ophelia commits suicide by throwing herself into a river. Upon her burial Laertes throws himself into her grave who is then followed by the returned Hamlet. Claudius then suggests a fencing match between the two. The king has a secret plan with Laertes to cheat and use poison both on the sword tip and in a cup meant for Hamlet.
9. The two battle. Hamlet is wounded by the sword laced with posion and then wounds Laertes with the same sword. Gertrude drinks the poison meant for Hamlet and dies. Laertes dies and warns Hamlet of Claudius' actions. Hamlet then kills Claudius.
10. Hamlet tells Horatio to pass on his story, and names Fortinbras the kind of Denmark. Hamlet dies. 


significant characters:

Hamlet: The main character in the play. He is in his thirties. He is the son to the late King Hamlet and Gertrude. He is nephew to Claudius. He is a very intelligent man who can talk very quickly and is talented in the department of very witty rhetoric. His closest friend is Horatio, and he was having relations with Ophelia. Throughout the play he struggles to go against the societal limits.
Ghost of Hamlet's father: A loved and noble king. Husband to Gertrude, father to Hamlet, and brother of Claudius. Killed by Claudius by receiving poison through the ear. He asks his son to kill his brother Claudius so he can rest.
Gertrude: Wife to the late Hamlet, but current wife to King Claudius. Mother to Hamlet. She is accused of committing incestuous acts and betraying her first husband.
Claudius: The current King of Denmark. He is brother to the late Hamlet, husband of Gertrude, and uncle to young Hamlet. He killed his brother and then took over the throne.
Polonius: He is a lord and adviser to King Claudius. He is also father to Ophelia and Laertes. 
Laertes: Son of Polonius, brother to Ophelia.Ophelia: Daughter of Polonius, sister to Laertes, lover of Hamlet. She eventually loses her mind and commits suicide. 
Horatio: Hamlet's trusted friend. He is the only character to remain loyal throughout the entire play.
Rosencrantz/Guildenstern: They are childhood friends of Hamlet. They are mistaken for each other multiple times in the play and are simply there to push the plot along. They are the fifth business of the play.
Fortinbras: He is the Prince of Norway and eventually takes the throne of Denmark at the end of the play.

Quotes:
- "To be, or not to be: that is the question..." -Hamlet
    This shows Hamlet's constant questioning over the point of living and death itself. 
-"Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; and so am I revenged..." - Hamlet
      This quote shows how Hamlet struggles with the idea of killing his own uncle. This quote also shows how Hamlet struggles with the religious rules of his society and his inner desires.


Theme & Support:
A single action can cause a landslide of actions.Claim 1: Every action is intertwined.
Claim 2: Every player is important.

Analysis of The American Dream

author: 

Edward Albee

Setting:
the apartment of Mommy and Daddy


Summary:
This play looks into the differences of the two american dreams; one regarding the old and authentic american dream and the other regarding the current materialistic american dream. The play starts with Mommy, Daddy and Grandma talking and arguing about the evenings upcoming events and grandma's boxes. When there guest arrives we see more strange behavior and look into the lives of both the contrasting generations and the contrasting dreams. As the play continues we see that Mommy is the one in charge, Daddy has next to no power, and Grandma is the one with the most sense playing as a satirical guide throughout this play. We learn about Mommy and Daddy's child and its upbringing and more about Grandma's opinions of everything. At the end of the play a young man enters the picture and is thought to be Mommy and Daddy's long lost adopted son. He is the ideal man of the time both successful and picture perfect. The young man enters as Grandma leaves the picture for good and 


significant characters:

Mommy: She is the daughter to Grandma. She is petty, immature, and is the most masculine being in the family.

Daddy: He is the husband of Mommy and lacks all essences of masculinity. He is often made un of and compared to a child.
Grandma: SHe is the smartest in the novel and has a solid understanding of what is important in both life and dreams. She can be seen as both masculine and feminine. She represetns the classic and true american dream.

Mrs. Barker: She works with mommy and is apparently very important  in their world. She is very confused in the play and was originally the basket woman who delivered the child of MOmmy and Daddy.

The Young Man: he is the ideal man in their society, someone who appears to be successful (but actually isn't). he is supposed to be the long lost adopted son of Mommy and Daddy. He represents the new materialistic version of the american dream.

Narative voice/style/point of view/tone/imagery/symbolism:
motifs: boxes, baskets, satisfaction, old people, consumerism
Imagery: the absurd events that take place to show that this in fact is not an ordinary family. 


Quotes:
- "Don't be to sure; it's every man for himself around this place" -Grandma
    This quote shows the reality of the new dream and the loss of morals from generation to generation. This highlights Grandma's hatred of the current dream.
-"Then it turned out it only had eyes for it's daddy." -Grandma
      This quote shows how Mommy is the more masculine figure in the household demanding the attention be on her. THis quote also shows the unrealistic aspects of this play and Albees focus on their baby.


.Theme & Support:
Views can alter from generation to generation.
Claim 1: Grandma's sense of work versus Mommy's sense of work
Claim 2: The lifestyle of Mommy Daddy and Mrs. Barker in comparison to Grandma.

Synthesis of Course Materials

After thinking about everything I have done for the first 50 minutes of my day at school and the wee hours of the night trying to finish my work, I realize that it can be broken down into four broad yet basic categories: class discussions, annotating, improving essays, and understanding the main idea. 

(This is a DIDLS free entry. Yes it is important but every other response to course materials has listed DIDLS. What was said in past posts is still relevant, but it is not as necessary to write about because these elements have become second nature to me by now.)

Class Discussions
  If there is one thing the class discussions has taught me is to be quick on my feet, which is harder than it sounds at such an unreasonable time in the morning. The topics often change rapidly that I have a hard time interjecting my two sense into the discussion. As we continue to discuss as a class, I feel that I have not only gotten better at finding the right time to speak, but also putting in thought provoking ideas which can branch out to new discussions. I have come to love class discussions because I enjoy hearing other people points of view and being able to discuss with them why they see things the way they do. The best part of these discussions in my opinion is when everyone adds a little to a main idea, and the class as a whole comes up with a generalization about the piece of work. This has taught me to look at others ideas, take them  into consideration, and decide how they fit in with my current thought.

Annotating
  When I say to people that I have to annotate a book for homework, most people cringe. However, I secretly enjoy annotating. I  like being able to write on the pages and take note of things that are important. I feel that this also helps with my understanding of the piece because I am a very visual person. Whats great about annotating is that it really forces you to read every thing the author is giving you. When reading the first time, so many things can be missed or overlooked as arbitrary details, but when doing a second read/annotating, when you have a basic understanding of the plot, connections, comparisons, and conclusions can  easily be made.

Improving Essays

  Essays, can be very intimidating when looking at the prompt, but this year I've learned to really understand the prompt before I start writing my essay. I remember getting half way through a prompt at the beginning of the year and realizing that I was answering a completely different question. I learned the hard way to really look at the prompt and figure out what I need to pull from the text and what inferences I need to make. While revising my essays the past few days, I was a bit proud of my introductions and theses. I felt that this year my theses have improved immensely in comparison to prior english classes.

Understanding the Main Idea
  In every prompt and discussion, we end up talking about the piece of work as a whole. I've been used to looking at fragments or thinking about how this one aspect can relate to another, but never really looked into connecting everything into one giant idea. All of these have forced me to look at how these different elements of each poem, play or novel we read are so delicately intertwined with each other in the piece of work resulting in one stream of ideas.

the end.

Revision to Open Prompt #5

1988. Choose a distinguished novel or play in which some of the most significant events are mental or psychological; for example, awakenings, discoveries, changes in consciousness. In a well-organized essay, describe how the author manages to give these internal events the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax usually associated with external action. Do not merely summarize the plot.

       Waking up after a very vivid dream can be very disturbing, that is, until we realize that it was only a dream and everything is okay. But what if you couldn't distinguish the difference between reality and these vivid occurrences? In the play a "Death of a Salesmen" by Arthur Miller, the main character Willy often goes into very vivid flashbacks allowing the audience to understand Willy's struggle and constant strive for perfection and an overall feeling of success. 

       Willy Lowman seems like an average man, until you observe his actions for more than a couple of minutes. One minute Willy is over-the-moon extatic, and the next minute he is screaming and yelling. But these are not the strangest of his actions. The strangest is when Willy begins to talk to himself about the past or repeats his words from very intense moments in his life and imagine that these moments are happening over again. Although these actions are not always kept inside of Willy's head, the hallucinations and flashbacks are purely a creation of Willy's mind. 

       Miller uses these "internal events" to shape the entire plot of the play. When Willy sees, thinks, or hears about something that reminds him of a past event, he automatically segues into a memory. In the beginning of the play, when Willy is talking about driving, he starts to think about the past. He thinks of the red car, Biff and Happy's youth, and successful business days. Then, later on in the play, when Willy is talking to Biff and Happy at the restaurant with their dates about Biff's current failure, Willy is reminded of Biff discovering Willy's affair. This shapes the play by tying the current issues of the play with the issues of the past allowing the reader to understand the tribulations of both Willy's life and his family's life. 

      These "internal events" put a great deal of strain on Willy, and allow us to understand the breakdown of this man. We see both the up and downs in his life and realize that even in his happiest moments, he still is not successful. These events cause the reader to visualize the events in his life and how they have influenced the present day Willy Lowman. Because Miller puts in these events, and because they are often the most dramatic parts of the play, we are able to look further into the mind of Willy Lowman and see how this man has died before reaching success. 




Original: Open Prompt #5

Revision to Open Prompt #3

1995. Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from that culture or society because of gender, race, class, or creed. Choose a novel or a play in which such a character plays a significant role and show how that character's alienation reveals the surrounding society's assumptions or moral values.

      In the popular TV show Glee, the main characters constantly step out of their comfort zone to highlight the other boring high-schoolers that attend their high school. People who are different often contrast how others are the same and are perceived. In "The American Dream" by Edward Albee, the Grandmother is an older and wiser character used to juxtapose the younger characters to show Albee's opinion of the old and new American dream. 

      Many times in the play, we see that Grandma was raised in a different environment and age period in comparison to the younger characters like her daughter and her daughters husband, their son, and one of their friends. The Grandma in this play is contrasted to the younger characters such as Mommy and Daddy by having conversations full of substance and truth instead of talking about the color of a hat. Grandma's monologues are consistent in the way that she is always pointing out the truth and being honest. In comparison, the young man seems to only talk about ideal and about things that seem to be good. By contrasting these two, Albee represents the old American dream as truthful and full of substance. 

      One major comparison of characters in this play is the comparison between Grandma - the old american dream, and the young man - the new american dream. Grandma is old and worn down and is always complaining about how old she feels. The young man appears handsome and both full of energy and life. This comparison between the two dreams represents how Grandma was once like the young man both promising and full of hope. Another major comparison between the Grandma and the young man, is their morals and values. While Grandma throughout the play hints towards her ideals of structure, value, worth, and hard work, the young man waltzes into the play all talk (and show) but no action. These two characters are further contrasted causing the ideals of both the new and old American dream to be compared.

     Albee's comparison of these two types of characters, the young generation and the old generation highlight the differences of the two types of dreams and the way they are used and viewed in both current and past societies.


Original: Open Prompt #3

Revision to Open Prompt #2

1977. In some novels and plays certain parallel or recurring events prove to be significant. In an essay, describe the major similarities and differences in a sequence of parallel or recurring events in a novel or play and discuss the significance of such events. Do not merely summarize the plot.

     Each time we revisit a familiar place, new memories are created; no two visits are exactly the same. In our minds, we view these revisits as normal experiences, but in literature, these occurrences are almost always symbolic. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester's visits to the scaffold represent both the progression of the novel and the unraveling of the novel's biggest secret. 
     There are three instances in which Hester stands on the scaffold. Each time she stands there Hawthorn is emphasizing a major event. In the beginning of the novel, Hester stands before the town with her baby Pearl in her arms. She is stoic as she stands alone and refuses to say the name of the father of her child. This visit to the scaffold emphasizes how brave Hester is and how cowardly Dimmesdale is. This scene is important to the plot because it gives the audience a sense of curiosity of who the father is and allows them to see the type of community Hester lives in. 
      In the middle of the novel, Hester, Pearl and Dimmesdale meet on the scaffold in the middle of the night by chance. In this scene, Dimmesdale is acknowledging the fact that he is Pearl's father and also a sinner. In comparison to the first scene on the scaffold, this scene has both Hester and Pearl again with the addition of Dimmesdale, except the towns people are missing. This scene represents the start of Dimmesdale's acceptance, but because this meeting is in the  dark of night with no witnesses besides Hester and Pearl we can see that he has not fully forgiven himself. Hawthorne's use of imagery in this scene allows us to understand who Dimmesdale feels comfortable to share this information with. By being in a public place with the  absence of people and the cover of night, the readers have a strong image of Dimmesdale's emotions towards his secret.
     In the final visit to the scaffold, both Hester and Pearl are present once again, as well as the towns people and Dimmesdale. Here, Dimmesdale reveals his secret to the entire town and then shortly dies afterwords. While the three are standing on the scaffold, they are all free of their secrets as they are displayed in front of the entire town. This scene is free of secrecy as compared to the first encounter on the scaffold where Dimmesdale remained hidden from the public. By having Dimmesdale stand on the scaffold in front of the town, Hawthorne is emphasizing the fact that Dimmesdale has come clean and accepted his sin.  
     These three visits to the scaffold are emphasizing the beginning, middle and the end of the novel by comparing who is on the scaffold and who they are in front of. These scenes cause the novel to tie itself together and creates a better sense of what is going on in the novel.

Original: Open Prompt # 2

Revision to Open Prompt #1

Prompt: 1991. Many plays and novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Choose a novel or play that contrasts two such places. Write an essay explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.

       Our location can influence our actions, emotions, and thoughts; you wouldn't act like you do in your house like you would at school, would you? In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is influenced by the actions of others on land, but is able to think on his own on the raft in the river. In this novel, the contrast of the Mississippi River and the land surrounding it represent the difference between both the innocence and corrupt values as well as how Huck is portraying himself. 

On the river, Huck is alone on a raft with Jim, a runaway slave, which would be considered absurd to anyone who saw the two of them. If anyone were to know the truth of their relationship, the two would be judged severely and punished. However, none of this matters to Huck because on the river, he is his own person. Huck has no one to tell him how to act or how to think. Twain writes these river scenes to allow Huck to interpret Jim’s words and treat him as an equal.

However, when Jim and Huck stop on land, Huck is suddenly influenced by everything and everyone around him. Not only does he treat Jim differently, but he lies, cheats, and ventures around as if he were a parrot repeating someone else’s words. Huck’s actions are directly related to his location. Each time Huck steps his foot on land, he is back to thinking like a typical southerner of the time period would.

Twain's juxtaposition of the land and the river contrast the ideas found in each location. On the Mississippi River, Huck and Jim are out of sight from everyone else leaving there minds free and untainted. But on land, these two deal with blending into the expectations of society. Twain uses this method of comparing the two places to put emphasis on Huck’s actions when he is being watched, and when he is not. By emphasizing Huck's actions both on land and off, Twain is showing Huck growing up and developing his own personal view of people and life itself. 

Original: Open Prompt #1

Response to Course Material #4

      Each time I write a response to what we have been doing in class, I feel that I have been focusing purely on  close readings of what we are supposed to be reading. You would think by now I would write about something else or mention something more important. I think that is a hard task to do, because looking at the text this closely truly enhances both the reading experience and the overall meaning of what you are reading. By doing a close reading of both Death of a Salesman and The American Dream, I was able to make better and deeper connections and comparisons between the two pieces. However, I think I have a better understanding of The American Dream.
     Another thing we have been doing is looking at the multiple choice questions that will be on the AP test. I think that I will be able to understand these questions better with more practice. 

Closed Reading #4

UC Davis Pepper Spraying: a Symbolic Response to Occupy Wall Street BY Russell Amor

     This article, when read, can strike up many different opinions. A person could wonder if they agree with Amor's idea that the policemen were simply acting on behalf of a higher power or if this act should be compared to the acts of Nazi soldiers. Amor evokes these questions by using diction, details, and syntax.
     When you begin this article, you immediately know which side the author is on. Amor uses diction to portray his emotions about the event. Instead of using neutral words, Amor uses words such as "tragic" and "appalling" to describe the event in the first sentence of his article.  Also, while voicing his opinion that the policemen were 'forced' to act this way by a higher power, he uses words such as "manipulate" and "compromise" to sway our opinions of the matter. While it may seem that these words are just used to describe how the situation happened, these words are actually affecting readers opinions because of their negative connotations. This connotation leads to further disappointment in the situation and affects the tone of the article as a whole. 
      The main focus of this article is Amor's comparison to the policemen's actions at Davis and the actions of others who were listening to authority figures. Amor makes this comparison very powerful by using details about how these past events are similar to the events this past week at Davis. Amor uses details about how authority affects people by saying "they must proceed" and that these people will respond this way "even if it compromises our [their] own personal vaules" allowing the reader to see that the act at UC Davis have been done before. These details provide Amor's piece with meaning by elaborating on his idea that these acts were "normal". 
      While reading this article, I felt as if the author was talking to me, explaining why these events happened while giving his opinion of the whole ordeal. The syntax in this piece gave me that personal and conversational feeling. The sentences were long, but had multiple breaks in them making it sound as if the author was speaking directly to me. 
      Amor's article portrays both his emotions and his theories about why this happened with the use of diction, detail, and synatx.

Open Prompt #5

1988. Choose a distinguished novel or play in which some of the most significant events are mental or psychological; for example, awakenings, discoveries, changes in consciousness. In a well-organized essay, describe how the author manages to give these internal events the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax usually associated with external action. Do not merely summarize the plot.

       Waking up after a very vivid dream can be very disturbing, that is, until we realize that it was only a dream and everything is okay. But what if you couldn't distinguish the difference between reality and these vivid occurrences? In the play a "Death of a Salesmen" by Arthur Miller, the main character Willy often goes into very vivid flashbacks allowing the audience to understand Willy's struggle and constant strive for perfection.

       Willy Lowman seems like an average man, until you observe his actions for more than a couple of minutes. One minute Willy is over-the-moon extatic, and the next minute he is screaming and yelling. But these are not the strangest of his actions. The strangest is when Willy begins to talk to himself about the past or repeats his words from very intense moments in his life and imagine that these moments are happening over again. Although these actions are not always kept inside of Willy's head, the hallucinations and flashbacks are purely a creation of Willy's mind. 

       Miller uses these "internal events" to shape the entire plot of the play. When Willy sees, thinks, or hears about something that reminds him of a past event, he automatically segues into a memory. In the beginning of the play, when Willy is talking about driving, he starts to think about the past. He thinks of the red car, Biff and Happy's youth, and successful business days. Then, later on in the play, when Willy is talking to Biff and Happy at the restaurant with their dates about Biff's current failure, Willy is reminded of Biff discovering Willy's affair. This shapes the play by tying the current issues of the play with the issues of the past allowing the reader to understand the tribulations of both Willy's life and his family's life.

      These "internal events" put a great deal of strain on Willy, and allow us to understand the breakdown of this man. Because Miller puts in these events, and because they are often the most dramatic parts of the play, we are able to look further into the mind of Willy Lowman and see how this man has died before reaching success. 

Open Prompt #4

2007, Form B. Works of literature often depict acts of betrayal. Friends and even family may betray a protagonist; main characters may likewise be guilty of treachery or may betray their own values. Select a novel or play that includes such acts of betrayal. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the nature of the betrayal and show how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

    The reason why someone betrays us can sometimes never be clear, but authors leave their readers with the ability to analyze why a character did something with the help of context clues. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, betrayal plays a huge role in the ending of the novel. Through analyzing the novel we are able to understand that the murder of Lenny was based off of protection and love.

     George and Lenny begin the novel on the run looking for a new life. Lenny has once again caused problems where they were, and George decides that they should be relocated. At first it seems as if George is stuck with a dim witted friend who is constantly reeking havoc, but as the novel continues we see that George actually cares for Lenny.  Because of these emotions, most readers are in pure disgust when they read about George killing Lenny for doing something he has no control over. 

     This act of betrayal was out of love and protection. By killing Lenny himself, Geoge spared Lenny from being tortured by the people who didn't know the truth about Lenny. However, the first time reading this novel, many people are caught up in how vile and repulsive George's actions are until they look through his eyes and see what he saw. George knew that he had to kill his best friend, to spare him the pain and torture that was coming, even though it would cause himself pain as well. George's act of betrayal was not driven by hatred or disgust, but by love and fear. George wanted Lenny to go peacefully, so he betrayed his own best friend to spare his feelings.

Response to Course Material # 3

      These past few weeks have been reinforcing the idea of  even more with our reading of Albee's  "American Dream" and our class discussions. When I found out that I would  have to annotate every single page, I was immediately overwhelmed. I was never forced to read into the text like this. I have always been guided in what passages to look at why I should be looking at them. This close reading of the "The American Dream" was basically the cutting of the rope of teacher-guided    reading and set me to wander through this book on my own. 
      I feel that by analyzing "The American Dream" I am going to be able to analyze both "Death of a Salesman" and prompts on the AP test with confidence. 

Closed Reading #3

The 'Let Women Die' Bill - Ross Becht


      In this article, Ross Becht discusses the bill in women would be potentially forced to die, rather than abort their babies in the case of complications. In this article, Becht uses diction, syntax, and imagery to express his opinion on this bill.
      As soon as you begin the article, you can sense the tension and complete disgust in the idea of this bill by his choice of words. By using words such as refusing, unfortunately, and ridiculous to describe how he feels about thisbill Becht, is automatically setting the tone of the article.
     Another way we can understand Becht's point of view was his syntax. He easily got his point across by asking the readers questions and using phrases to express his view. Another way he uses syntax to make his point clear to the readers is by using long sentences with the most powerful piece of information at the end to shock his readers and influence them to have the same opinion that he does.
      Finally, the most effective thing that Becht uses to express his opinion is the strong and vivid images. Becht begins the article talking about his own personal experience with his wife and the hardships all women face either during or after pregnancy. This really allows the reader to embody the physical pain that these women go through leaving the reader feeling sympathetic. The strongest use of imagery is at the end of the article he starts three sentences with "As a ..." and follows each phrase with a reason why he is appalled when he is this certain type of person. By doing this we can see how different readers may react to this bill, based on their background.
     By chooisng what he put into his sentences and carefully picking his words and memories, Becht is able to influence his readers and make them see the error in this bill.

Open Prompt #3

1995. Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from that culture or society because of gender, race, class, or creed. Choose a novel or a play in which such a character plays a significant role and show how that character's alienation reveals the surrounding society's assumptions or moral values.

      In the popular TV show Glee, the main characters constantly step out of their comfort zone to highlight the other boring high-schoolers that attend their high school. People who are different often contrast how others are the same and are percieved. In "The American Dream" by Edward Albee, the Grandmother is an older and wiser character used to juxtapose the younger characters to show Albee's opinion of the old and new american dream. 

      Many times in the play, we see that Grandma was raised in a different environment and age period in comparison to the younger characters like her daughter and her daughters husband, their son, and one of their friends. The Grandma in this play is contrasted to the younger characters such as Mommy and Daddy by having conversations full of substance and truth instead of talking about the color of a bag. Grandma's monologues are constitent in the way that she is always pointing out the truth and being honest. By doing this, Albee represents the old American dream as truthful and full of substance. 

      One major comparison of characters in this play is the comparison between Grandma - the old american dream, and the young man - the new american dream. Grandma is old and worn down and is always complaining about how old she feels. The young man appears handsome and both full of energy and life. This comparison between the two dreams represents how Grandma was once like the young man both promising and full of hope.

     Albee's comparison of these two types of characters, the young generation and the old generation highlight the differences of the two types of dreams and the way they are used. 

Response to Course Material #2

     After the 25th of September, we did multiple things such as continue to learn about the aspects of DIDLS,  continuing to practice how to write an introduction for our essays, and learn about types of comedy by reading "The American Dream" by Edward Albee.
    One thing I really enjoyed about these past few weeks was being able to fully understand how to use syntax. Before this class I understood that syntax is about the structure of sentences, but in the packet we reviewed in class I was able to actually look at specific examples of how it is used and the affect it has. By learning about how syntax can be used in pieces, I was able to use syntax for my closed reading response. By using it I felt that I was able to go more into depth of how the author was portraying his point.  
    The constant repetition of dissecting prompts and creating introduction paragraphs seems very tedious to me, but I know that in the long run that this will be a very good skill to have practiced multiple times before the AP exam this may.
     Finally, another thing that has really stuck with me is the reading of Edward Albee's "The American Dream". I enjoyed reading this play because of how absurd it was. I thought it was a very clever way to get his point across. While I was reading this I thought about how parents can make up absurd stories to get children to learn life lessons. Also, another reason I enjoyed this reading was because I took an active part in the play by reading the part of Mrs. Baker Barker. Overall I think that these past few weeks have expanded my knowledge of both tactics to approach literature as well as the AP exam.

Close Reading #2

"Up From Ugliness" - Ross Douthat


     When I first looked at this article, I expected it to be about the late Steve Jobs and every one of his accomplishments. However, as I continued to read the article I was mesmerized by how Jobs had affected not just the products we use, but how they are perceived. By the careful use of diction, imagery, and syntax Douthat convinces his readers that Jobs was more than just a successful business man, but a man who shaped the modern world into something beautiful.
     In this article, Douthat uses positive words to emphasize his opinion of Jobs. Words such as glories, allure, grace, style and beautiful all create a positive and innovative impression of the work Jobs has done. The sentence ". . . Jobs revived the romance of modernity — the assumption, shared by Victorian science-fiction writers and space-age dreamers alike, that the world of the future should be more glamorous than the present" is loaded with words that appeal to the reader making Jobs sound like a glorified  inventor. The positive words sway the reader to listen to Douthat's perspective of Jobs and begin to see the impact that Jobs really had.
     While reading this essay, I was constantly comparing both fantasies and realities of the world and what it was envisioned to be. Most people had an ideal image of what the future would be when they were younger; in this essay I was able to compare what I had expected to what Steve Jobs had created.  The author evokes this thought process by comparing strong images. Douthat describes a less innovative and ugly world as "Our cities had crime-ridden towers and white elephant shopping centers where the neighborhoods used to be. . ." and then switches to describing the current world by saying  ". . . a return to walkable neighborhoods, human-scale housing, and pleasant public spaces. . . our cars more curvaceous, our civic architecture less offensive." The contrast of these different images followed by a description of the type of work Jobs did causes the reader to imagine the two types of lifestyles and the impact Jobs had on it.
     Another reason this piece causes a strong sense of admiration for Steve Jobs is the use of syntax in the article. A common tactic used in this piece is the pairing of short sentences followed by a long sentence. This allows the reader to learn some quick information about Jobs and then go onto hear how this affected the world. Syntax, imagery, and diction are all used in this piece to highlight the contributions that Steve Jobs has left this world with. 

Open Prompt #2

1977. In some novels and plays certain parallel or recurring events prove to be significant. In an essay, describe the major similarities and differences in a sequence of parallel or recurring events in a novel or play and discuss the significance of such events. Do not merely summarize the plot.

     Each time we revisit a familiar place, new memories are created; no two visits are exactly the same. In our minds, we view these revisits as normal experiences, but in literature, these occurrences are almost always symbolic. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester's visits to the scaffold represent both the progression of the novel and the unraveling of the novel's biggest secret. 
     There are three instances in which Hester stands on the scaffold. Each time she stands there Hawthorn is emphasizing a major event. In the beginning of the novel, Hester stands before the town with her baby Prim in her arms. She is stoic as she stands alone and refuses to say the name of the father of her child. This visit to the scaffold emphasizes how brave Hester is and how cowardly Dimmesdale is. 
      In the middle of the novel, Hester, Prim and Dimmesdale meet on the scaffold in the middle of the night by chance. In this scene, Dimmesdale is acknowledging the fact that he is Prim's father and also a sinner. In comparison to the first scene on the scaffold, this scene has both Hester and Prim again with the addition of Dimmesdale, except the towns people are missing. This scene represents the start of Dimmesdale's acceptance, but because this meeting is in the  dark of night with no witnesses besides Hester and Prim we can see that he has not fully forgiven himself.
     In the final visit to the scaffold, both Hester and Prim are present once again, as well as the towns people and Dimmesdale. Here, Dimmesdale reveals his secret to the entire town and then shortly dies afterwords. While the three are standing on the scaffold, they are all free of their secrets as they are displayed in front of the entire town. This scene is free of secrecy as compared to the first encounter on the scaffold where Dimmesdale remained hidden from the public. By having Dimmesdale stand on the scaffold in front of the town, Hawthorne is emphasizing the fact that Dimmesdale has come clean and accepted his sin.  
     These three visits to the scaffold are emphasizing the beginning, middle and the end of the novel by comparing who is on the scaffold and who they are in front of. These scenes cause the novel to tie itself together and creates a better sense of what is going on in the novel.