Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Masterpiece Essay


   "Frankly, I'm not sure how far I would get if I attended public school today. It's not just that public schools aren't producing the results we want - it's that we're not giving them what they need to help students achieve at high levels. " I quote Eli Broad as a start to my essay. He, like I, agree that there needs to be something done differently in classrooms to enhance the thought processes and abilities of students. If near every class on Righetti campus were run with an Open Source Learning mindset, I believe that it would lead to more success. 
   I feel like I have definitely espoused learning this year. Before coming into this class all high school was to me was "BS" your way through all your classes just to get the points and just to get the letter grade. It doesn't matter if you don't remember the material a couple years from now, as long as you get the points now, then that's all that matters. That mindset completely changed once i set foot in Dr. Preston's class. At first, I guess you can say that I was completely lost. We didn't need a text book, we could use our phones whenever we want, and do all your work on a blog. Baffled and still attempting to take it all in, I didn't know what to expect. I always thought learning was just memorizing, or math. Although, this class taught me furthermore. I really didn't think it was possible to grow and expand my mind this much in just one short year. I honestly think that it's a shame that we have to wait to take this class until our senior year. This class, to me, is more like a privilege. I believe if students were to take this class Freshmen or even Sophomore year, then they would go through the rest of high school with a completely different mindset. Maybe they would even actually want to learn. 
   I love this class because you expand your own mind. The learning is totally up to you, leaving room for more and more material to be taught. Although, not all of it is taught by Dr. Preston. Some of it is, but a majority is taught by your classmates. I feel like we learn it so much better this way. Instead of a teacher's monotonous voice going over a verse of Hamlet or Macbeth, we are allowed to have discussions on what we think, or why a character committed to a certain action. It's easier to remember lessons and occurrences by collaborating. 
   Throughout the year, I did see some students not putting in the effort they should have. At one very short point, that included my self. Although, I quickly turned that around and started posting more and more on my blog. It got really easy to get off track because you don't have a person at your side constantly nagging you for your work. With the blogs, you finish your own work at your pace and stress free. It's a really convenient way of working because, for example, if you're not sure about a story you just read or need clarification, you can check someone else's blog and gather their interpretations. You quickly understand it, and you learn from your peers. 
   A piece of literature that really stood out to me this year was Hamlet. He went through a lot of situations that were very relatable to us as teenagers. This story can really be described as "the lie that tells the truth." The same goes for Macbeth. He goes through the same things teenagers collide with. For example, peer pressure, sticky situations, and friends. Also, Brave New World open my eyes to a different mindset. It was sort of a freaky story that reminds you that there is a cost to happiness. 
  I feel like I had a lot of laughing moments in this class. Maybe it's because a lot of my close friends were in the class with me. Not being able to think of them all, I'll list a few. One of my favorite non-literature 'laughs' is when we were writing our name on the Kudos board. Bridgit was doing Val a favor and writing his name for him. The class was dead silent watching Bridgit write Val's name when Val says, "Bridgit, my name has a 'T' at the end. The 'T' is silent though." So Bridgit goes on to writing 'Valt' on the board. I'm pretty sure the whole class was in tears because we laughed so hard. I
  When listening to masterpieces, I got the same thing out of nearly all of them: passion. It's a very cliché theme, but just watching everyone present so fluently, it's all i could think of. Whether it was Laike with her beautiful art, Edgar with his Warhol Experience, or Haley K with interior designing. Everyone was so passionate about their topic that it did nothing but intrigued the entire class. It was almost like a relief watching everyone talk about what the love because it seems like everything is perfect at that time. You're just so happy for that person because they're doing exactly what they love and you feel like nothing else matters at that moment. 
   I don't think I'm a hero... yet. I think that one day I'll be one, just not quite yet. I'm still young so that leaves lots of time for me to be a hero. I plan to be a physical therapist and help people get back to where they used to be. Whether it be simply walking, or playing the sport they love once again. In this way, I hope to be someone's hero. 
   In ending this essay, I'm happy and so relieved, yet sad at the same time. This is my last assignment of high school EVER. I'm super excited to go off and experience a completely different world where I finally conquer my dreams, but I'm sad to let this all go. Four short years, and I have loved everything about them. Both the good and the bad, I've learned to embrace it all, and I've grown so much doing that. As I ready myself to graduate on Thursday, I keep this class in mind. Not just for graduation, but for the rest of my life as well. This is the class the changed my life. 













Friday, May 1, 2015

TPCASTT - Richard Cory

Title- The title is Richard Cory and is very straight forward. It is talking about a man in the poem (Richard Cory). 

Paraphrase- This poem is talking about a man who always seemed so happy. Almost like he had the perfect life. He looked good, was always glowing, was rich and was the ideal mean. Although, he ended up shooting himself in the head because even though he seemed to have it all, maybe he didn't. 

Connotation- The author rhymes every other line, creating a rhythmic beat. He uses words like fluttered and glittered to make the people around Richard Cory feel insecure. 


Diction- The writing is simple and blunt that creates a schocking and serious atmosphere. The diction is proper and provides aspiration. At the same time you can call it journalistic because Robinson uses words like glittered and fluttered. 


Attitude- The attitude is serious. It creates shock because it's not what you expect. 


Tone- The tone of this poem is blunt. All details are straight to the point and you know exactly what happens right when you read it. 


Shift- This poem shifts towards the end in the last stanza. The last two lines. It's very happy and describes an ideal man, then quickly transfers to him shooting himself in the head. 

Title Revisited- The title is about the people who look at Richard Cory and want to be him. Richard Cory is a mirror. 

Theme- I believe the theme is: Just because you're happy on the outside, doesn't mean you're happy on the inside. 

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

MY MACBETH RESOURCES

Resources for Macbeth:

1. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/macbethresources.html

2. http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/macbeth/summary/macbeth_summary.htm

3. http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/play-summary/macbeth/

4. http://macbeth0260.blogspot.com/?m=1

5. http://m.william-shakespeare.info/shakespeare-play-macbeth.htm

MEET MACBETH

Off of the bat Macbeth is introduced as a character who is a very gory and bloody killer. The three witches do set up some foreshadowing for the reader. They foreshadow that Macbeth is to become of higher power and it startles Macbeth. Macbeth's tone is bloody and glory from what has been read so far and that is all through direct and indirect characterization.

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Lit. Analysis #3

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

1. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest it begins with a new patient entering the facility and his name is McMurphy. He is not afraid like the other patients and is the only naughty one who begins to rebel. As the story progresses he makes some friends and continues to defy Nurse Ratched. As the story comes to an end McMurphy goes to far and tries to choke Nurse Ratched. She then sends McMurphy to have a sugary and when he returns he is not the same so Chief Bromden suffocates him and then escapes.

2. The theme of the book is to challenge authority because not everything is done right and things can be different.

3. The author's tone in the book is serious. This is because McMurphy is dealing with a very strict Nurse who has no room for and fun or jokes.

4.
  • Symbolism- McMurphy is a symbolism of hope because he shows that the other patients that Nurse Ratchet can get upset and break.
  • Indirect Characterization- When McMurphy enters the facility and begins to laugh. It is the first laugh that has been done in a long time. This shows that the place is not fun and very plain with nothing funny going on.
  • Narrator- The narrator is Chief Bromden and this is important because he was a patient with McMurphy.
  • Conflict- McMurphy faces conflicts with Nurse Ratchet. She does not allow him to do anything and is not letting him off easy.
  • Antagonist- Nurse Ratchet is the antagonist in the book because she is the "mean" one. All of the patients are scared of her because of her power and authority. 
  • Juxtaposition- McMurmphy and Nurse Ratchet are an example of this because they both cause tension between each other throughout the book.

Characterization
1.  Indirect Characterization- An example is when McMurphy says that he will try and make Nurse Ratchet loose her temper. This shows that he is willing to break the rules and defy them. 
Direct Characterization- An example is when McMurphy breaks the glass because he can't get his cigarettes. It shows that he is stronger than the other patients.

2. No, the authors syntax and diction do not change because the author wants to keep the seriousness of the situation the same between the two main characters.

3. The protagonist is a round character because he knows how to control his emotions to get Nurse Ratchet mad. McMurphy is a Static character because he only has one goal in the book and he sticks with it all the way through the end.

Pac-man on Google Maps

Did you know you can play Pac-Man on Google Maps?! You just go to Google Maps, it'll bring up your area and on the bottom left hand corner you click on the "Pac-Man" icon and you get to play Pac-Man on a layout of the nieghborhood you're in. It's pretty awesome! 

Poetry Matters- Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold



Monday, March 30, 2015

Choosing Schools

Recently, i was constantly struggling with which college i was going to attend. My top two options resulted in Fresno State and San Diego State. I've always wanted to attend Fresno State, all the way from the age of eight when I first fell in love with the campus and the school.  Although, visiting San Diego State left me in awe. I absolutely loved the campus and the surrounding area! My parents really wanted me to attend Fresno State because it's much closer to home and because it's been my dream school. After contemplating for about a month, stressing about where I'm going to be for the next four years, and pulling aside both the pros and cons of each school, I have decided to attend Fresno State. Weighing out the measures has allowed me to see that Fresno State will be the best fit for me. It fits me financially, economically and environmentally. Telling people that I chose Fresno State over San Diego State, I usually get that "really?" reaction, but I've slowly overcame people's opinions and have identified that as long as I'm happy and it's what I want to do, then it's all perfectly fine!

Friday, March 27, 2015

TOBERMORY EXPLAINED

Theme: After reading this story more than once, it became clear to me that the theme is that the words you say can be passed along a group of people in just a matter of time. Throughout the whole story it seems as if all everyone is doing is gossiping about each other. And in only a short period of time, a rumor you started about a person ends up in their lap. Tobermory is the symbol of the whole concept of how gossiping is so common. 

Tone: To me, the tone is sanguineous/optimistic at first. It talks about a rain-washed afternoon and a chill August day. It's almost like someone is being granted a new beginning and is being rejuvinated. It's blunt and straight to the point, wasting no time to give you details and immediate points of the story. I feel like later in the story it transforms into a negative tone that senses bad things. 

Characterization: 
-Lady Blemley- host, has parties, doesn't see Cornelius Appin's cleverness
-Mr. Cornelius Appin- negative personality, vague repuation, he's looked at as clever by other people. He doesn't look smart, but doesn't look dumb either. He's known as "Mr. Appin". He is said to have invented gunpowder, the printing-press, and the steam locomotion. 

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Brave New World Essay

   Conforming into society is easy for one who is ineligible and banned from thinking outwardly. This is what happens in the novel Brave New World, where a character, Bernard Marx, struggles both internally and externally. Bernard contstantly struggles throughout the book, physically and mentally. The tension of his outward conformity and his inward questioning creates a sense of foreshadowing in the author's tone. Bernard is already at loss, with his physically ability not matching up to his peers. He is smaller and weaker than everyone else in his society, and he struggles with fitting in. He also holds very different beliefs than everyone in this "New World". Because of his body type and his separate thoughts, Bernard is not only insecure of his physical presentation, but of his mental beliefs as well. 
   Throughout the story, Bernard conforms to society and the world he lives in. He goes to work like everyone else and does what he's supposed to do. He does this besides the fact that he doesn't agree with it and the way the world is being ran. He obviously disagrees with society, but continues to conform to society anyways. For example, he takes the drug soma and involves himself in orgy-porgy. He tries to shy away from society, but is instead conformed to it outwardly because of his struggles inwardly. This constant tension causes a foreshadow in the author's voice. 
   The world that Bernard is in exalts people from being alone and thinking for themselves. Whenever Bernard is alone, he tends to question the society he's in. He sees everything that is wrong with the world, but he never has the guts to go against the word of society and its beliefs. Since Bernard questions so much, and they are forbidden to think for themselves in this society, Bernard is looked at differently, causing him to struggle with himself outwardly and inwardly. 
   The constant tension of Bernard's outward conformity and inward questioning creates foreshadowing in the tone of the author. When Bernard is introduced, you have that feeling, as a reader, that something is going to go wrong. Not to mention Bernard's last name, Marx. His lastname takes after the capitalist, Karl Marx. Also, Bernard can be a cruel character when he's threatened. From the beginning, Bernard's struggles were a foreshadow of what was coming next in the novel. 

Brave New World- Prewrite

-Bernard Marx is the troubled character
-he is struggling
-he doesn't fit in physically
-he has completely different beliefs than everyone else in the society 
-he's insecure of his body type and it makes him insecure about the world around him
-he's constantly trying to fit into society
-he questions the way the world is being ran


-he works in hatchery and genetically engineering children -- this conforms him
-obviously he disagrees with society, but continues to do what he's supposed to anyways
-for example, he takes the drug "soma" and involves himself in "orgy-porgy". This is what conforms him
-he tries to shy away from society, but is conformed because he is struggling within himself

-the world that Bernard is in exalts people from being alone and thinking for themselves. 
-sometimes Bernard is alone and questions the society he's in. 
-he sees all these things that are wrong, but he never has the guts to go against the world and its beliefs. 
-since bernard questions so much, and not a lot of people in his society dare to even think, bernard is looked at differently. 
-

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Aldous Huxley

This is a link to a website pretty much giving a bunch of Aldous Huxley quotes. Pretty interesting. 

http://www.huxley.net/ah/

Lit. Terms: List 6

imile - noun a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with `like' or `as')
soliloquy - noun a (usually long) dramatic speech intended to give the illusion of unspoken reflections; speech you make to yourself
spiritual - adj. lacking material body or form or substance; concerned with or affecting the spirit or soul; resembling or characteristic of a phantom; concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church; noun a kind of religious song originated by Blacks in the southern United States
speaker - noun someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous); the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly; electro-acoustic transducer that converts electrical signals into sounds loud enough to be heard at a distance
stereotype - noun a conventional or formulaic conception or image; verb treat or classify according to a mental stereotype
stream of consciousness - noun the continuous flow of ideas and feelings that constitute an individual's conscious experience;a literary genre that reveals a character's thoughts and feeling as they develop by means of a long soliloquy
structure - noun a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; the manner of construction of something and the arrangement of its parts; a particular complex anatomical part; the complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinations; the people in a society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships; verbgive a structure to
style - noun a slender bristlelike or tubular process; a particular kind (as to appearance);editorial directions to be followed in spelling and punctuation and capitalization and typographical display; (botany) the narrow elongated part of the pistil between the ovary and the stigma; a pointed tool for writing or drawing or engraving;distinctive and stylish elegance; how something is done or how it happens; the popular taste at a given time; a way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period; verb make consistent with certain rules of style; designate by an identifying term; make consistent with a certain fashion or style
subordination - noun the quality of obedient submissiveness; the grammatical relation of a modifying word or phrase to its head; the state of being subordinate to something; the act of mastering or subordinating someone; the semantic relation of being subordinate or belonging to a lower rank or class
surrealism - noun a 20th century movement of artists and writers (developing out of dadaism) who used fantastic images and incongruous juxtapositions in order to represent unconscious thoughts and dreams
suspension-of-disbelief
symbol - noun something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible; an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
synesthesia - noun a sensation that normally occurs in one sense modality occurs when another modality is stimulated
synecdoche - noun substituting a more inclusive term for a less inclusive one or vice versa
syntax - noun the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences; studies of the rules for forming admissible sentences; a systematic orderly arrangement
theme - noun a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work; (music) melodic subject of a musical composition;(linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed; an essay (especially one written as an assignment); the subject matter of a conversation or discussion; verb provide with a particular theme or motive
thesis - noun an unproved statement put forward as a premise in an argument; a treatise advancing a new point of view resulting from research; usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree
tone - noun (linguistics) a pitch or change in pitch of the voice that serves to distinguish words in tonal languages; the quality of something (an act or a piece of writing) that reveals the attitudes and presuppositions of the author; a steady sound without overtones; a musical interval of two semitones; the quality of a person's voice; a quality of a given color that differs slightly from a primary color; (music) the distinctive property of a complex sound (a voice or noise or musical sound); a notation representing the pitch and duration of a musical sound; the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people; the elastic tension of living muscles, arteries, etc. that facilitate response to stimuli; verb give a healthy elasticity to; change to a color image;change the color or tone of; vary the pitch of one's speech; utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically
tongue-in-cheek - adj. cleverly amusing in tone; adv. not seriously; in a bantering fashion
tragedy - noun drama in which the protagonist is overcome by some superior force or circumstance; excites terror or pity; an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
understatement - noun a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said
vernacular - adj. being or characteristic of or appropriate to everyday language; noun the everyday speech of the people (as distinguished from literary language); a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)
voice - noun a means or agency by which something is expressed or communicated; the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech; the ability to speak; the sound made by the vibration of vocal folds modified by the resonance of the vocal tract; something suggestive of speech in being a medium of expression; a sound suggestive of a vocal utterance; (metonymy) a singer; (linguistics) the grammatical relation (active or passive) of the grammatical subject of a verb to the action that the verb denotes; the melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music; expressing in coherent verbal form; an advocate who represents someone else's policy or purpose; verb give voice to; utter with vibrating vocal chords
zeitgeist - noun the spirit of the time; the spirit characteristic of an age or generation

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Lit. Terms: List 5

parallelism - noun similarity by virtue of corresponding
parody - noun humorous or satirical mimicry; a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way; verb make a spoof of or make fun of; make a parody of
pathos - noun a quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow); a style that has the power to evoke feelings; a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
pedantry - noun an ostentatious and inappropriate display of learning
personification - noun the act of attributing human characteristics to abstract ideas etc.;representing an abstract quality or idea as a person or creature; a person who represents an abstract quality
plot - noun a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal); the story that is told in a novel or play or movie etc.;a chart or map showing the movements or progress of an object; a small area of ground covered by specific vegetation; verb plan secretly, usually something illegal; make a plat of; make a schematic or technical drawing of that shows how things work or how they are constructed
poignant - adj. keenly distressing to the mind or feelings; arousing affect

postmodernism - noun genre of art and literature and especially architecture in reaction against principles and practices of established modernism
prose - noun ordinary writing as distinguished from verse; matter of fact, commonplace, or dull expression
protagonist - noun the principal character in a work of fiction; a person who backs a politician or a team etc.
pun - noun a humorous play on words; verbmake a play on words
purpose - noun an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions;the quality of being determined to do or achieve something; what something is used for; verbreach a decision; propose or intend
realism - noun the attribute of accepting the facts of life and favoring practicality and literal truth; (philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that physical objects continue to exist when not perceived; (philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that abstract concepts exist independent of their names; an artistic movement in 19th century France; artists and writers strove for detailed realistic and factual description; the state of being actual or real
refrain - noun the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers; verb resist doing something; choose not to consume
requiem - noun a Mass celebrated for the dead;a musical setting for a Mass celebrating the dead; a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person
resolution - noun finding a solution to a problem; a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner; analysis into clear-cut components; a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote; (music) a dissonant chord is followed by a consonant chord; the subsidence of swelling or other signs of inflammation (especially in a lung); (computer science) the number of pixels per square inch on a computer-generated display; the greater the resolution, the better the picture; the trait of being resolute; something settled or resolved; the outcome of decision making; a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem; the ability of a microscope or telescope to measure the angular separation of images that are close together
restatement - noun a revised statement
rhetoric - noun study of the technique and rules for using language effectively (especially in public speaking); using language effectively to please or persuade; loud and confused and empty talk; high-flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation
rhetorical - adj. concerned with effect or style of writing and speaking; of or relating to rhetoric
question - noun the subject matter at issue; an informal reference to a marriage proposal; an instance of questioning; a sentence of inquiry that asks for a reply; uncertainty about the truth or factuality of existence of something; a formal proposal for action made to a deliberative assembly for discussion and vote; verb pose a question; challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of; pose a series of questions to;conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting; place in doubt or express doubtful speculation
rising - adj. newly come into prominence;advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status; coming to maturity;sloping upward; noun organized opposition to authority; a conflict in which one faction tries to wrest control from another; a movement upward
action - noun something done (usually as opposed to something said); the most important or interesting work or activity in a specific area or field; an act by a government body or supranational organization; the operating part that transmits power to a mechanism; the trait of being active and energetic and forceful; the series of events that form a plot; the state of being active; a military engagement; a judicial proceeding brought by one party against another; one party prosecutes another for a wrong done or for protection of a right or for prevention of a wrong; a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); verb institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against; put in effect
romanticism - noun impractical romantic ideals and attitudes; an exciting and mysterious quality (as of a heroic time or adventure); a movement in literature and art during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that celebrated nature rather than civilization
satire - noun witty language used to convey insults or scorn
scansion - noun analysis of verse into metrical patterns
setting - noun the context and environment in which something is set; the physical position of something; the state of the environment in which a situation exists; arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a play or movie is enacted; a mounting consisting of a piece of metal (as in a ring or other jewelry) that holds a gem in place; a table service for one person


Saturday, February 7, 2015

It Doesn't Have To Be Sunny To Be A Nice Day

I wake up today (as always) thinking of Bree. Although, today is different. It's raining. The rain was Bree's absolute favorite weather. She thought it was completely beautiful, especially after the "evanascent" clouds have removed themselves. Ironically, today is the day of her Celebration of Life. I belong to a Native American tribe. My indian tribe has this philosophy that when someone close to you passes, and it rains, then that person is already in heaven. With this being said, it doesn't have to be sunny to be a nice day. 

Monday, January 26, 2015

Lit. Terms: List 3

exposition - noun (music) the section of a movement (especially in sonata form) where the major musical themes first occur; an account that sets forth the meaning or intent of a writing or discourse; a systematic interpretation or explanation (usually written) of a specific topic;a collection of things (goods or works of art etc.) for public display
expressionism - noun an art movement early in the 20th century; the artist's subjective expression of inner experiences was emphasized; an inner feeling was expressed through a distorted rendition of reality
fable - noun a short moral story (often with animal characters); a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events; a deliberately false or improbable account
fallacy - noun a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
falling - adj. becoming lower or less in degree or value; decreasing in amount or degree;coming down freely under the influence of gravity
action - noun something done (usually as opposed to something said); the most important or interesting work or activity in a specific area or field; an act by a government body or supranational organization; the operating part that transmits power to a mechanism; the trait of being active and energetic and forceful; the series of events that form a plot; the state of being active; a military engagement; a judicial proceeding brought by one party against another; one party prosecutes another for a wrong done or for protection of a right or for prevention of a wrong; a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); verb institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against; put in effect
farce - noun a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations; mixture of ground raw chicken and mushrooms with pistachios and truffles and onions and parsley and lots of butter and bound with eggs; verb fill with a stuffing while cooking
figurative - adj. (used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech;consisting of or forming human or animal figures
language - noun the mental faculty or power of vocal communication; a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols; the cognitive processes involved in producing and understanding linguistic communication; a system of words used to name things in a particular discipline;the text of a popular song or musical-comedy number; (language) communication by word of mouth
flashback - noun a transition (in literary or theatrical works or films) to an earlier event or scene that interrupts the normal chronological development of the story; an unexpected but vivid recurrence of a past experience (especially a recurrence of the effects of an hallucinogenic drug taken much earlier)
foil - noun a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button; a piece of thin and flexible sheet metal; picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projector; anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities; a device consisting of a flat or curved piece (as a metal plate) so that its surface reacts to the water it is passing through; verbcover or back with foil; enhance by contrast;hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
folk - noun people in general (often used in the plural); the traditional and typically anonymous music that is an expression of the life of people in a community; people descended from a common ancestor; a social division of (usually preliterate) people
tale - noun a trivial lie; a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
foreshadowing - adj. indistinctly prophetic;noun the act of providing vague advance indications; representing beforehand
free - adj. not literal; unconstrained or not chemically bound in a molecule or not fixed and capable of relatively unrestricted motion; able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint; not held in servitude; not occupied or in use; not fixed in position; not taken up by scheduled activities; costing nothing; adv.without restraint; noun people who are free; verbfree or remove obstruction from; grant freedom to; free from confinement; free from obligations or duties; make (information) available publication; make (assets) available; let off the hook; remove or force out from a position; part with a possession or right; relieve from; grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to
verse - noun a piece of poetry; a line of metrical text; literature in metrical form; verb familiarize through thorough study or experience; compose verses or put into verse
genre - noun a class of art (or artistic endeavor) having a characteristic form or technique; a kind of literary or artistic work; an expressive style of music; a style of expressing yourself in writing
gothic - adj. characterized by gloom and mystery and the grotesque; of or relating to the Goths; of or relating to the language of the ancient Goths; characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German; as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened; noun a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches; a heavy typeface in use from 15th to 18th centuries; extinct East Germanic language of the ancient Goths; the only surviving record being fragments of a 4th-century translation of the Bible by Bishop Ulfilas
tale - noun a trivial lie; a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
hyperbole - noun extravagant exaggeration
imagery - noun the ability to form mental images of things or events
implication - noun an accusation that brings into intimate and usually incriminating connection; a relation implicated by virtue of involvement or close connection (especially an incriminating involvement); a logical relation between propositions p and q of the form `if p then q'; if p is true then q cannot be false;something that is inferred (deduced or entailed or implied); a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred
incongruity - noun the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate
inference - noun the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation
irony - noun incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs; a trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs; witty language used to convey insults or scorn

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Lit Terms: List 2

Circumlocution - noun an indirect way of expressing something; a style that involves indirect ways of expressing things
Classicism - noun a movement in literature and art during the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe that favored rationality and restraint and strict forms
Cliché - noun a phrase or situation overused in society 
Climax - noun the decisive moment in a novel or play; arrangement of clauses in ascending order of forcefulness; the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding; the most severe stage of a disease; the moment of most intense pleasure in sexual intercourse; verb end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage
Colloquialism - noun a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
Comedy - noun light and humorous drama with a happy ending; a comic incident or series of incidents
Conflict - noun an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals); an incompatibility of dates or events; opposition between two simultaneous but incompatible feelings; opposition in a work of drama or fiction between characters or forces (especially an opposition that motivates the development of the plot); a state of opposition between persons or ideas or interests; a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war;a disagreement or argument about something important; verb go against, as of rules and laws;be in conflict
Connotation - noun an idea that is implied or suggested; what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression
Contrast - noun the act of distinguishing by comparing differences; the range of optical density and tone on a photographic negative or print (or the extent to which adjacent areas on a television screen differ in brightness); the perceptual effect of the juxtaposition of very different colors; the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared; a conceptual separation or distinction; verb put in opposition to show or emphasize differences; to show differences when compared; be different
Denotation - noun the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to; the act of indicating or pointing out by name
Denouement - noun the final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work;the outcome of a complex sequence of events
Dialect - noun the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people
Dialectics - noun a rationale for dialectical materialism based on change through the conflict of opposing forces
Dichotomy - noun being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
Diction - noun the manner in which something is expressed in words; the articulation of speech regarded from the point of view of its intelligibility to the audience
Didactic - adj. instructive (especially excessively)
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
Elegy - noun a mournful poem; a lament for the dead
Epic - adj. very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale); constituting or having to do with or suggestive of a literary epic; noun a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
Epigram - noun a witty saying

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Great Expectations

Tuesday, January 19th
-Novel of education- abulding's romon
-Pip is an orphan imagining his family life, but doesn't have one
-He feels different
-He reacts more intelligently to situations than others his age
-He looks at people who apprentice, work for a living, and has family, and believes his above that because that's not enough for him
-He's not too sure about himself, he thinks he's not very good to start off with because why would his parents leave him
-He feels being fatherless and adopts role models like Joe and Maguitch
-Maguitch- bogey man, adult that parents want to protect their kids from
-Meets Pip at the church, he's a prisoner, eats like a dog (he's an animal) 
-Maguitch represents the potential for Pip to be alone again, fear of abandonment
-Pip sees a version of himself in Maguitch and thinks he could become him, but knows he doesn't want to
-Ms. Havasham (have shame?)- witch-like, adopted Estella, women of means, fairy god-mother like
-Her house is a memorial that represents fertility
-Hasn't moved anything in the house since she was left at the alter
-Pip plays "begger your neighbor" with Estella. 
-Ms. Havasham has brought Estella up to destroy men. Estella is Havasham's revenge. 
-Pip looks at Havasham as a good person because she's rich and adopted Estella. 
-Ms. Havasham and Maguitch fade away in the book
-Pip goes to London
-Joe and Jaggers come into perspective as father figures for Pip
-The letter is J is interchangable for the letter I. As the story goes, Pip seems himself in those characters. 
-Both characters power lies in potential than actual use
-Joe is strong, Jaggers could blackmail
-Joe- blacksmith, looks at situations and applies his feeling, doesn't judge people by their appearances, not a success with money, but is happy in life
-Jaggers- lives by the letter of the law, and breaks everything down into evidence
-Joe and Jaggers = foils?
-Wemmick is different at home than work. At home, he's a gentle son and is more like Joe's world. At work (Jagger's office) he's cut and dry and thinks of money as an advantage. 
-Maguitch comes back in Ch. 42 with a different perspective
-Estella is not intended for Pip, he was apart of her training process
-She's a daughter of a criminal
-Pip's expectations weren't his own, he adopted suggestions from Maguitch
-Pip was happy Orlic attacked Mrs. Joe cause he saw she was evil
-Orlic then attacks Pip
-Pip is a fantasist, not a realist
-Pip wants the benefits of life without the risks
-He separates himself from people who care about him and turns into a snob
-Pip confesses the problems of his youth and says he'll tell us his history so he doesn't have to repeat it
-Pip paints a portrait of himself so he knows what he looks like
-Pip and Estella are a middle aged couple who's failed, at best
-Joe has married Bitty and produced a child name Pip
-A Pip is a seed that hasn't yet become
-We watch something grow in real time (as a protagonist)

Friday, January 23rd
-When Dickens wrote, his neighbors frequently called the cops
-Dickens would play out his characters by yelling, screaming, jump on top of his piano and yell in character
-"I'm just taking notes at this great concert inside my head." - Jim Morrison, The Doors
CHARLES DICKENS
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Thursday, January 15, 2015

Literary Terms: Week One

Allegory: a tale in prose or verse in which characters, actions, or settings represent abstract ideas or moral qualities; a story that uses symbols to make a point

Alliteration: the repetition of similar initial sounds, usually consonants, in a group of words

Allusion: a reference to a person, a place, an event, or a literary work that a writer expects a reader to recognize

Ambiguity: something uncertain as to interpretation

Anachronism: something that shows up in the wrong place or the wrong time

Analogy: a comparison made between two things to show the similarities between them

Analysis: a method in which a work or idea is separated into its parts, and those parts given rigorous and detailed scrutiny

Anaphora: a device or repetition in which a word or words are repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences

Anecdote: a very short story used to illustrate a point

Antagonist: a person or force opposing the protagonist in a drama or narrative

Antithesis: a balancing of one term against another for emphasis or stylistic effectiveness

Aphorism: a terse, pointed statement expressing some wise or clever observation about life

Apologia: a defense or justification for some doctrine, piece of writing, cause, or action; also apology

Apostrophe: a figure of speech in which an absent or dead person, an abstract quality, or something inanimate or nonhuman is addressed directly

Argument(ation): the process of convincing a reader by proving either the truth or the falsity of an idea or proposition; also, the thesis or proposition itself

Assumption: the act of supposing, or taking for granted that a thing is true

Audience: the intended listener or listeners

Characterization: the means by which a writer reveals a character’s personality

Chiasmus: a reversal in the order off words so that the second half of a statement balances the first half in inverted word order

HACKING MY EDUCATION

I'd love for this semester to flow as smoothly as last semester did. As we come to a near end of our senior year, I'd like to go out with a "bang" and not only get a 4.0+, but pass the AP exam. In order to do this, I know I'm going to have to read different types of novels like Macbeth or Great Expectations.  

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Masterpiece Talk - Stevie Wisz

Hers is about spreading quality Medicare via doctors and medical facilities to countries that are scarce of it. To do this she is going to speak to teachers and doctors and ask for help in her quest and also to see if they have any links that could help her be even more successful. 

Masterpiece Talk - Courtney Reyburn

Her's is about special Olympics. She wants to make it so that the "normal" society can look at those with special needs as normal people. So in order for this to happen we need to have more inclusion so she is going to plan some events and get as many as we can to attend alongside those with special needs so one thing she wants to do is a dance where each student with special needs gets asked by one of us and then we have a big dance and another thing is a big soccer game but have everything normal like a regular soccer game just special needs kids are mixed in the some of the regular soccer players and then finally at the end of the year during the summer she wants to get a big group of kids to go and support them at the world games and raise money to stay for a few nights in a hotel. 

Masterpiece Talk - Ashlyn Bishop

Her topic for her masterpiece is body image (media advertising, competition, effects, goal/attitudes).

As a teenage girl in high school, she feels like our appearance and body image is really important to (most of) us and feels like this topic has become even more important over the past year. Every social media site gossips about body types and features, what makes someone "hot" and what makes someone "ugly". It's a competition out there that has highly impacted many people (specifically teens) emotionally, mentally, and physically. She wants to create an online survey and ask personal questions in order to show society how it has an effect on individuals. 

Monday, January 12, 2015

My Masterpiece

• Growing up in a small town like Santa Maria, I've quickly realized that there isn't many "fun" things for teenagers to do. Many times, hanging out result in drugs, alcohol, and getting into trouble. There are constant questions between friends, "What should we do tonight?" "What is there to do this weekend?" The most popular answers would either be nothing, or to go to a party. The few things that there are to do cost money that most of us don't always have. My goal is to create a positive atmosphere where teens can have fun sober. I'm not quite sure what direction to go in because there's already places like the Abel Maldonado Center and such, but I would like to collaborate with someone, like CJ from Fighting Back Santa Maria, to get something started.
• I've became so engaged in this topic because there's been a countless number of times where I've been with my friends searching for hours for things to do. We always result in settling to stay at home, bored, or do something we probably shouldn't be doing. I care about this so much because I don't want younger kids (like my younger brother, or even my younger cousins) to grow up like this. I'd rather have them hanging out at a place where they can have fun other than out getting into trouble with drugs/alcohol. 
• This topic can both enrich my life and others in this community. I can abhere a positive environment for kids and end drug and alcohol abuse for teenagers. I know it's a struggle in this community and with this project, we can be one step closer to engaging awareness to end it. 
• I believe the academic discipline needed for this will be social experience. I'm definitely going to have to talk to a bunch of different people to make those connections. Also, maybe some experience in Recreational Studies. 
• My whole plan is still all up in the air, but I know the CJ (Chastity Johnson) who works for Fighting Back Santa Maria will definitely be more than happy to help me out with this. I already know her at a personal level as well. 
• Resources I'll need are positive attitudes for one! I won't be able to accomplish this if kids don't want to listen. Being one myself, I know teenagers take the "cool" route and just shake off anything that is told to them about alcohol and drugs because they're too stubborn to listen and think they know it all. Major resources I'll need are something like a recreational building and equipment for activities. 
• For my project, I can continue using this blog as both my lit&comp blog and a blog for my idea. I have some ideas that would be cool, but I'm not sure what's out there.