AP Lit Term

Style- Style is the manner of putting thoughts into words; a characteristic way of writing and speaking. It not only reveals the author's personality and voice, but it shows how they percieve the audience. Style is basically the image in the author's mind.
For example the book "The Catcher in the Rye" is written through the eyes of Holden Caufield... a sixteen year old boy. The writing style was basically Holden's personality.. which was pretty negative and depressing most of the time.

"Thinking Outside the Box"

When I first read "No Exit" by Sartre, I actually thought it was pretty different than the "Allegory of the Cave" by Plato. One was about prisoners chained up in a cave, and the other was about three strangers in a room meant to be hell. However, as I looked into it more, I saw similarities. They both had to do with the human mind and thoughts, and how we perceive things. In Plato's "Allegory of the Cave", it contrasts what we believe is true..to what is actually reality. It gives the idea that everything we see and think is reality is just an imperfect reflection of something bigger. In Sartre's "No Exit", it basically showed that people create their own hell, either in their mind or because of other people. All three of the people were waiting to be tortured...they didnt realize that they were already in the midst of it. They began to wonder if this situation was random, or if everything was planned out to lead all three of them to that very moment. In that room they had to "live without eyelids" or in other words they couldnt blink and get a temporary break. They were stuck there forever without rest or freedom from one another.
When Garcin was asking the valet if it was daytime outside, he acted like the concept of outside didn't exist to him. All he knew were the rooms and passages inside those walls. This reminded me of the "Allegory of the cave". One of the prisoners knew of something bigger. Something beyond what everyone else could see, but people are so closed minded that they arent willing to consider the idea that there could be something more. Garcin had the chance to leave when the door opened but he didnt do it. This relates to the prisoners not wanting to go out of the cave into the light. People are scared of the unknown. This reminded me of what Inez had said earlier. -"there was some point in being afraid before, while one still had hope." The three people didnt know what was going on, but they knew they were there to be tortured. It seems like they already would have lost hope...so what did they really have to be afraid of?...

Ap Lit Term

A Cliche is a phrase or situation that is overused in society. It originated from the french. A cliche is not just something a lot of people say, but it also conveys some sort of idea or message. If you think about it a cliche is basically a metaphor characterized by its overuse. Cliches are often used for a comical effect. Some examples of cliches are "I'm not made of money."- implying that that person does not have very much money... or "It is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all."..or "whatever happens, happens."... 
For a long time whenever I would say anything, people would reply with- "That's what she said."  At first it was funny, but then it just became too repetative.

Literature Analysis #3: Lord of The Flies

Lord of The Flies shows the major struggle between your civilized morals, and how far someone is willing to go to survive. In the midst of a war, a plane full of young boys was shot down and crashed on an island. In the beginning the young boys are overjoyed with the feelings of independence and freedom. Two of the boys, who were about twelve years old, named Ralph and Piggy were together and decided to use a conch shell to call anyone else on the island over to them. They picked a leader, assigned jobs, and appeared to be efficient. After exploring the island, they felt like they had discovered their own land. That feeling soon fades to fear. The struggles of hunting, keeping up a fire, and surviving on their own set in. When they don't have food and the fire went out right as a ship was passing, they start to blame each other. A fear of a monster starts to spread and soon enough all the boys are paranoid. They start turning on each other, and trying to kill each other. Before everyone dies.. they are rescued by a British naval officer.

A major theme is the loss of innocence. In the beginning all these boys were carefree. They didn't really worry about their situation. They would go swimming all day, explore the island, and play games. As time went on they soon had to grow up and start thinking about their situation which was literally life or death. As the struggles of surviving started setting in, their insoucient lifestyle was traded in for fear, betrayal, and paranoia.

William Golding's tone was very dark. When he would describe the boys it was very violent and chaotic. The details he used when describing the death of animals gave it a creepy feel almost. The way Golding writes definatley adds to the suspense. The way he describes things makes it seem like something bad is always gonna happen.
"Within the irregular arc of coral the lagoon was still as a mountain lake-blue of all shades and shadowy green and purple."

Literary techniques:

*Imagery- imagery was really important in this book because it helps you to really grasp the concept of 6-12 year old boys on an island killing each other.
"Then he leapt back on the terrace, pulled off his shirt, and stood there among the skull-like coconuts with green shadows from the palms and the forest sliding over his skin."-pg 10

*Metaphor-  "The beach between the palm terrace and the water was a thin stick.
The island in itself is a metaphor to hell. Also the pig head on a spear that the boys began to worship and refer to as "lord of the flies" because of all the flies that swarmed around it was pretty creepy...

*Foreshadowing- "Beyond the platform there was more enchantment. Some act of God- a typhoon perhaps, or the storm that had accompanied his own arrival-"

*Symbolism- A huge symbol in the book was the pink conch shell. It symbolized community, it was the one thing that brought them all together in the beginning and created a sense of civilization. When the conch shell was broken that showed that any sense of community and civilization was gone. The one thing that brought them together was been destroyed.
"The conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist." pg. 181

*Characterization- The character of Piggy was described as a fat, twelve year old boy, who wore thick glasses. His real name was never mentioned which adds the book's sense of mystery and darkness.
"He was shorter than the fair boy and very fat... looked up through thick spectacles."

"Allegory of the Cave"

    The "Allegory of the Cave" by Plato represents an extended metaphor that contrasts what we believe to what is reality. Everything we percieve is an imperfect "reflection" of the ultimate form. An allegory in itself is a symbolic story. You can infer by the title alone that the cave is going to hold some kind of representation of something else. Throughout the story Plato helps us understand the significance of the cave through figurative language, imagery, and symbolism.

     The "Allegory of the Cave" mirrors the philosophers journey. Socrates felt like he was seeing the bigger picture in the world, and when he tried to go out and tell people they killed him. The freed prisoner from the cave is a direct relation to Socrates life as a philosopher. In the cave the prisoners were wearing shackles. They saw only the shadows of workers on the back of the cave wall caused by a burning fire, and they thought that was all there was. They didn't know that the shadows were a mere reflection of something else. When one of the prisoners got free, he discovered that there was an entire world out there that he never knew. He saw the light and the sun for the first time. When he tried to go back and tell the other prisoners, they resisited. They did not want to believe that everything they saw and knew was a simple reflection of something bigger.

     This relates to our society today in so many ways. Sometimes I feel like we are shackled by ignorance. Learning is interactive and instead of shutting out new information we should embrace it, not let it hold us back. What if we came from a perfect world, and what we see in front of us is just a reflection of that. It would explain why we get glimpses of perfection at times. What we believe might not be reality. We never learn anything "new".. we simply rediscover what was already there. By not exploring the possiblity of these new ideas, we are acting just like the prisoners who stayed in the cave. The world we see in front of us is the "world of senses", which could also be looked at as the inside of the cave. The "world of ideas" is the outside of the cave. It's the perfect world where everything originated and everything exists. Sometimes we get glimpses of the world of ideas because we are by nature always trying to reach or get back to that place. Just like how an artist can have an idea in his head, but after he paints it, it doesn't turn out right. To someone else it might look perfect, but unless you're that artist you won't see the idea that could have been.

    

"The Big Question"

The topic I finally decided to choose was emotion. As humans we have such a wide range of emotions. Why are some people more emotional and sensitive than others? How can actors drastically change their portrayal of emotions within seconds? Certain memories might bring back those same emotions..or your emotions could change over time?
Are there qualities or skills that enable people to remember change or cope with their emotions more effectively than others?

Hamlet Essay Revision

     J.L. Austin's theory of performativity explains how certain language does not merely describe action, but it acts in being spoken. Performative Utterances have a big impact on Shakespeare's play Hamlet. It adds a level of suspense and also gives insight to the characters. Hamlet appears to be very indecisive and unsure for the majority of the play.  When Hamlet is talking to the ghost of his dead father, he realizes that his father was murdered and promises to get revenge. By promising revenge Hamlet has made a fact in the world through his words. You can also infer that his words will be followed by actions. Using Austin's theory of Performativity, we are able to see another side of Hamlet completely; his thought life.
     When reading "The Performative Utterance in William Shakespeare's Hamlet" by Fredrik deBoer, I disagreed with some of the points he made. He said Hamlet was "unable to move that duty from the mental to the real." I don't think Hamlet couldn't act, I just thought he was being cautious. There is no doubt that his motive throughout the entire play was to kill Claudius. It might have seemed like Hamlet was hesitating but I viewed it as, 'why do something if you don't do it right?' I don't think Hamlet was all talk and no action. He seemed completely capable of killing Claudius. We see with Polonius, if Hamlet was given the right opportunity he would not hesitate to kill!
     Hamlet has a lot of power in his words. An example of this is his faked madness. Hamlet created a situation where he was able to persuade and convince the people around him because they thought he was crazy. Hamlet's speeches relate to Harold Bloom's idea of "self overhearing". It allows us to gain an understanding of Hamlet's inner most thoughts. We see how Hamlet reflects on the past and how that can affect the future, which is one way to describe learning. By memorizing Hamlet's "to be or not to be" soliloquy, I was able to gain a better understanding of Hamlet's current state of mind and the play in general. It showed me how much depth Hamlet actually had and made me look at his character in a different way.
     In relation to the "self overhearing", I think when you take the time  to reflect on your past experiences, you create a memory. You remember how you felt in that situation and almost automatically create a sense of expectation for the future. An example of this that comes to mind is a first date. I know girls that remember practically every detail and are already planning the future relationship in no time. When in reality the couple might break up within a few months. The real world results is the outcome you get after mistakes and unexpected experiences come into play.
     The fact of telling yourself something creates not only an expectation but a fact. Which makes me wonder, do you think and achieve differently because of what you told yourself? I think you do because your giving yourself a standard. Your creating a goal and that becomes your main focus and driving force. Just like in Hamlet, his main goal throughout the whole story was getting revenge on Claudius. It was the driving force and it all stems back to that promise he made to his father's ghost. By Hamlet setting a goal for himself, it kept him more on track and focused.

Hamlet vs. Beowulf

   The use of language plays a huge role in Shakespeare's play Hamlet, because the language ties in directly with the thoughts of the characters. Not only do we as the audience get to see how they spoke to one another, but we were also given the chance to see how they spoke to themselves.  Through Harold Bloom's concept of "self overhearing", we were given insight to Hamlet's innermost thoughts and struggles. When Hamlet promised himself that he would get revenge for his father's death, he not only created an expectation but he created a fact in the world. Hamlet has a lot of power in his words and thoughts.
   Sometimes it appears that his thoughts get in the way for Hamlet. He over analyzes everything and becomes so indecisive that he ends up making irrational decisions that come back to hurt him. An example of this is when Hamlet doesn't kill Claudius when he has the chance because he is praying. He goes back and forth wondering if it is a worthy revenge and if he will go to heaven. He ends up not doing anything at that moment, which later leads Hamlet to kill Polonius by accident on a whim. Another example of how language has a huge affect on Hamlet is when he faked his madness. The language Shakespeare used showed Hamlet's diverse character and how he could use his words to manipulate people for his own benefit.
   Hamlet's use of language makes him very different from epic heros such as Beowulf. The writing style in Beowulf was almost predictable to me, whereas in Hamlet the uses of irony and plot twists keeps us guessing until the end. Hamlet was somewhat of a mystery and harder to figure out. He seemed to change his mind a lot and different layers of his thought process were revealed as the play progressed. When I first read Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy, I viewed him as someone who couldn't make up their mind. Someone who was debating suicide and whether living with the struggles he had was better or worse than facing what was after death. -"To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death; And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?"
Later, I realized that Hamlet had already planned the play to test Claudius's reaction. He might have been thinking about suicide but he wasn't really considering it. This showed me Hamlet's level of intelligence and how cautious and wise he was with his decisions.
   Hamlet's life was mainly driven by his conscience and morals. He relied on his faith as a guide for many things. When he was sent to England and saw those men in war dying, Hamlet reconsidered his motivation. He was killing Claudius for a noble cause in his mind. He needed to get revenge and Claudius deserved death. Hamlet was willing to die if he achieved what he felt like he owed to his father. This was different from Beowulf because his motivation was honor and fame. Beowulf was inspired by the challenge of killing Grendel, where Hamlet was never really given an option, it was more of a requirement.
   In a way Hamlet and Beowulf are similar. They both represent qualities of bravery, independence, and loyalty but in different ways. By the language used we can see that Hamlet over thinks a lot of his actions. Beowulf acts a lot faster. He knows what he needs to do and he doesn't hesitate. People could argue that Beowulf was an honest man but Hamlet wasn't. I can understand this perspective because Hamlet did decieve a lot of people and make them believe he was crazy. Beowulf was very simple and clear in his speaking. It was obvious to everyone that he wanted fame and recognition for his accomplishments, but he did a lot of great deeds. Beowulf was easy to figure out because when he spoke it didn't require too much analyzing. It was pretty obvious where he stood, which made Hamlet more complicated to read but also more interesting in my opinion.

"Major Concept"

This video totally reminded me of our English class. It just goes to show that technology is becoming a huge part of learning and it makes class time more efficient.


I feel like I have learned so much in this class in such a short period of time. Whether it be deciphering old English literature, memorizing "To be or not to be", or analyzing the growth of technology. One thing that really stood out to me was the quote "Doing it yourself is an opportunity not an obstacle", from our live chat with Roy Christopher. This class challenges me to reach my full potential. There is a lot more independent work that allows you to grow on your own, while still being held accountable. I feel like this quote can relate to many things but one major concept I have learned in this class are the pros and cons of technology. The whole "program or be programmed" thing got me thinking. We are responsible for our own knowledge when it comes to the growth in technology. No one is going to force us to stay updated, but we can't change the fact that technology is becoming more prevalent. People are so concerned that technology is ruining our society when really it is allowing us the opportunity to improve. I feel like people become scared of technology when they don't understand it. Our generation is the future of technology, which is why getting the chance to learn about it now is an opportunity.. not an obstacle.

Notes: Live Chat with Roy Christopher

Q: How did Roy get involved in the internet?
A: His friend started doing web design. He got more involved in the culture and experience of it because he began writing in a magazine. The first thing Roy said to himself was "I don't want to get involved in this whole internet thing.." (I thought that was funny) After a while he just got sucked into it.

Q: Balancing the internet?
A: It wasn't much of a struggle it was just natural for the most part. It became a struggle when Roy was trying to get something done and email, facebook, and twitter become distractions.

*Roy was surprised by the late response to his book. It's becoming more popular now that social media is picking up, but it took four years to catch on.

*Roy doesn't study social media.

- "A fish knows nothing of water"

• We live in this web culture
• Advent Horizon - tv already there when we were born
• Technology breaks up generations (tv, computer, smart phones)

-We have become aware of our "water"

*Medium is no longer message?
-medium and message are always connected
-medium is always important/ can't get passed mobile technology

Q: How can we train ourselves to protect and participate in the networks?

• "Program or be programed"
• ex. -Managing weight or your lawn.. some will, some won't.
• Using a computer use to be programing a computer
• learning the back end of what your using is not always necessary but the better you know how things work the better you can reach digital machurity.

Q: What do you see happening in the future? 5-10 yrs?
A: Finish his book by next summer. He has another book on the way. Finish school and find a job (consulting, speaking, writing).

*Roy doesn't even have a smart phone
-Doesn't have the money to pay for that kind of plan
-Wants to come home and be able to check his email

*Sometimes we want to look at a screen that isn't always in our pocket.

Challenges-
-born into certain technology.. have to learn it
  
-Generational Pinch

• Oppertunity for younger kids to teach their parents.

-"Trust the youth with this stuff"

• Don't worry about it. Everyone else grew up fine with the new technology they had.

*What is our online identity?
- Paper for English Vs. Email for friend (it is a different language)

Q: Do you think we should be embarrissed by our behavior with technology?
A: The older generations need to put a little more faith in us. Trust taht we understand it.

-Multitasking with digital media?

• I multitask a lot! I can be txting five different people while I am having a conversation with my mom.. (my mother's not usually too happy about it)
• This generation is big on multitasking but I see how it can be a negative thing. I have tried to do homework while on facebook and txting peope and it just doesn't work. I get distracted and lose concentration.

Q: If we are digital natives now, what will happen in ten years? Digital tourists?
A: Ray said: Digital is constantly evolving. It is up to us if we want to stay updated. We might even create the next big thing.

Q: Ted asked: How do students like how you put digital technology into the class?
A: It is a good way to develope new tools for society and it helps us stay up to date and we are able to contribute at a different level.
-Being able to post directly to the blog is convenient for me because it feels like the class is always available. We can continue discussions outside of class and we don't have to wait for the next day if we have questions about something.

Q: Do we like technology?
A: I agree with Nicole Montoya that technology can become a distraction because I go online to do my homework for the blog and somehow I end up on Facebook checking my notifications. So I think there are pros and cons to it.

Q: Are we starting to see ourselves as life long learners?
-I feel like media is always changing and it can be hard to keep up with, so I do see ourselves as life long learners in a way.

-Future?
-I see the future as being super technologically based.
-Because of the economy it's harder and more competitive to get into college.. more online classes.

-"Doing it yourself is an oppertunity not an obstacle"

• Everything your doing.. you are creating

* We get to choose what technology we want to use. We don't have to adopt new technology and stay updated if we don't want to.

*The only difference between spectating and participating is how we conceive our roles.
-We're not on the side lines we are in the game.

* This English class is faster paced, more advanced, and has less busy work.
-It is real world learning.
-It is a more mature environment.
-We are all here because we chose to be.

Literature Analysis #2: The Catcher In The Rye

This story was set in Pennsylvania and New York City in the 1950's. Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year old boy who just got kicked out of his school Pency Prep. He can be bitter and have a negative outlook of the world. Holden doesn't like that his older brother D.B. is a writer because he feels he is giving his ideas away for money and refers to it as "prostituting his talents". Holden mentioned that he was recently at a mental hospital near L.A. getting checked out and having some tests done. Pency Prep is a high class school for smart, rich kids but it makes Holden feel like they're all being fake. Holden was failing four classes there.. all but English. Holden is alone a lot and always isolated. He goes to say goodbye to his history teacher Mr. Spencer because he won't be returning after Christmas break. Ackley is a really annoying kid that went to Holden's school with him. He has acne all over his face, never brushes his teeth, his ears are gross, and he always cleans his nails. Holden is pretty mean to Ackley sometimes. -"I don't feel like stepping on your crumbly nails all night." Holden is roommates with this other guy named Stradlater. Stradlater is taking out one of Holden's old friends Jane. Holden is very protective over Jane.. ever since they use to play chess together when they were little and Jane would keep all her kings in he back row, which fascinated Holden. Jane was also abused by her father when she was younger. Holden is lying in bed thinking about Stradlater on a date with her and he is cleary bothered by this idea. He knows Stradlater is kind of a cocky guy, and he doesn't want him to take advantage of Jane. While Stradlater is on his date with Jane, Holden begins to work on the English assignment Stradlater asked him to do. He didn't know what to write about so he starts talking about his little brother Allie's old baseball mit that had poetry written on it in green ink. Allie died of leukemia 3 years ago but it is clear that Holden hasn't moved on. When Stradlater comes home and reads it, he complains that it has nothing to do with the assignment and so Holden gets upset and rips it in half. They get into a fight and Holden ends up running out of Pency with a bloody face. He is tired of waiting and figures it's pointless to stick around because he's already been kicked out. Holden is crying when he leaves from all the built up emotions. While on the subway he meets this really nice old lady named Mrs. Morrow. He lies about every question she asks him because he doesn't know who he can trust. Once he tells one lie, they just start pooring out and he can't stop. Once he realizes how nice she was he starts to feel bad for lying. Holden is very respectful of girls in general. He doesn't want to make them do stuff they'll regret. He had plenty of oppertunities but when the girl says no he stops. Holden gets a hotel room and talks to some guy in the elevator who convinces him to get a prostitute sent to his room. When she gets there Holden is really surprised at how young she is. He tells her that he will still pay her but he only wants to talk. This just shows how lonely he really is that he needs to pay a prostitute to just listen to him talk. Another thing that just shows how lonely Holden is..is when he calls his old friend Sally and asks her on a date. The whole time he keeps saying how annoying she is. They go ice skating and then while they are eating in a diner Holden starts telling Sally how they could just run away together and get married! He is so desperate that he would marry someone even though they really annoy him. She thinks he is crazy. Eventually Holden makes it back home and finds his ten year old little sister Phoebe. She is so mature and very wise for her age. She is super happy to see him. Holden takes a trip to the Museum of Natural History. He loves that place because everything is the same. Nothing changes.. he is the only thing that is different from the last time he was there. Holden likes the stability he feels there. Holden tells Phoebe that he is leaving and she can't come with him. She starts to cry and so he brings her to the marry go round and watches her ride it. Holden ends the story by saying he is not going to tell us what happens next. He's not going to explain how he went home and got sick.. he just felt like stopping there.

Isolation is a major theme in this book. Holden always feels isolated and like can never belong anywhere. He is constantly lonely and searching for somewhere to fit in.

The author's tone really gives personality to the characters. Holden seems like he has given up and just doesn't really care anymore. -"I forgot to tell you about that.. they kicked me out." This just shows how careless he is. He forgot to say that he got kicked out of school! Holden also curses a lot and just has a negative attitude towards everything. He doesn't like change and is often his own worst enemy. He always says he is going to do something and then changes his mind and says he is not in the mood.

*Irony- Holden Caulfield calls everyone "phonies" because he feels like they are being fake or insincere. -"I'm the most terrific liar you've ever seen in your life." He gets mad at everyone else for being fake and yet he does it himself and admits it which is very hypocritical.

*Metaphor- the ducks at the pond is a metaphor because through out the book Holden keeps asking everyone where the ducks go when the pond freezes over. This relates to Holden because he feels lost and doesn't know where to go when things in his life start changing. The pond was -"partly frozen partly not frozen". This also relates to Holden's world. Part of it is changing and some parts are staying the same and he doesn't know how to deal with that.

*Symbol- Allie's baseball mit was a symbol for Holden because it reminded him of his past. His little brother Allie was a part of him. Even though Holden was older, he seemed to look up to Allie because he was supposedly the best child and always friendly and nice. When Allie died.. so did a part of Holden. The baseball mit represents all those old memories that Holden can't let go of.

*Characterization- Throughout the book you can definately see different sides of Holden. He is a dynamic character. In the beginning he seemed really negative and rude. He didn't seem to care about anything or anyone. As the story went on you saw a different side. When he goes to talk to his History teacher he says-"It is alright with me if you flunk me though.. as I am failing everything else except English anyways." This shows that Holden has compassion and he cares about his teacher's feelings. Holden also really cares about young people. He wants to be a catcher in the rye because he wants to protect little kids and if they are about to fall off the edge.. he will catch them. Holden also shows that he has a lot of respect for women. You learn throughout the book that Holden has his negative views because of events that have happened in his life but those don't have to define you. He also has good qualities and is respectful. You can see Holden discover who he is and realize that the choices he makes can affect everyone else around him.

*Tone- Throughout the story Holden's tone is very casual. He can be mad or happy but either way he acts like he doesn't care about what might happen. I think he does this as a defense mechanism because he is scared of getting hurt. Deep down Holden is his own worst enemy because he wants to be with someone so bad and he is so tired of being alone, but he is too scared of losing someone else he cares about so he pushes people away. By the end of the book Holden learned that certain things in your life will always hurt. Sometimes the pain doesn't heal in time, and keeping memories doesn't help because it just reminds you of the pain you felt when you lost it the first time. Everyone is different and they handle life in different ways.

"Tools That Change the Way We Think"

"Back in 2004, I asked [Google founders] Page and Brin what they saw as the future of Google search. 'It will be included in people's brains,' said Page. 'When you think about something and don't really know much about it, you will automatically get information.'

'That's true,' said Brin. 'Ultimately I view Google as a way to augment your brain with the knowledge of the world. Right now you go into your computer and type a phrase, but you can imagine that it could be easier in the future, that you can have just devices you talk into, or you can have computers that pay attention to what's going on around them and suggest useful information.'

'Somebody introduces themselves to you, and your watch goes to your web page,' said Page. 'Or if you met this person two years ago, this is what they said to you... Eventually you'll have the implant, where if you think about a fact, it will just tell you the answer."

-From In the Plex by Steven Levy (p.67)

It seems like the extensive internet/media/technology use is basically helping us become lazier. It is replacing our thoughts with computers that can think for you. However, it also makes it a lot easier to obtain information that I would have otherwise been too lazy to figure out. By the click of a button I can have my questions answered. It makes learning more appealing because it is simpler. I have also noticed that I become impatient when the computer is going slow. It annoys me and I feel like I'm just waisting time. In reality when you think about it.. waiting a little longer for the internet is still so much faster than going to the library and looking something up. It is hard to stay concentrated on subjects that don't interest me. I get bored very easily. I actually like thinking and analyzing things, and I feel like the internet makes it a lot easier to access useful information. According to http://lang-8.com/31381/journals/90875 the social issues in our society at that time have a great affect on the generation. It said that we are a more open-minded and clever generation, but it also says how we have an easier way of life and are given more facilities than previous generations got. Because of this it is said that we are less likely to value and enjoy the simple things in life. Which I think is true to a point.
Nicole Anderson
Period 2

"In Search Of"

I actually learned a lot from this video. I found out that we don't really have a say in what gets edited out for us on the internet. The internet is running on algerithms and showing us what it has caluculated that we want to see. It throws off the balance because it's mainly looking at the first thing we click on. I also learned that two people could look up the same thing at the same time and get different results. That was really weird to me.
  This makes me question what I see online now. I'm not going to feel like I am getting a good sense of what is going on because I don't know what has been specifically edited out. It makes me feel like I am being closed off to parts of the public life.
  When it comes to the internet in general.. I just wonder how far this "filter bubble" thing will go. Like the video said, you can't have a functioning democracy if people didnt get a good flow of information. It also makes me wonder how many people are clueless to the fact that this is even happening.
  When I search for something now I am going to make sure I have gotten a well rounded understanding on what I am looking for. It might mean I have to go to more than one sight and look up multiple things. I also need to be more aware on the specific things I click on because that will effect what pops up next time.

When I re-did my Shakespeare search I payed more attention to the suggestions that popped up as I was typing. It said some weird things.. that didn't even make sense. I was also more careful as to what I clicked on because I wasn't sure how that would affect my "filter bubble". I realize now that the internet is always being edited to fit me better. In the video it said the best editing gives us a little of both sides and has variety. This made me think about the Hamlet search I just did because the first thing I saw was the argument that Edward De Vere was the real Shakespeare. I had to look a little harder to find actual info on Shakespeare which just made me wonder if it was my computer and "filter bubble" that made it do that.

"Notes on Hamlet"

Up until the latest discussion of Hamlet I pretty much had the same way of thinking.. Hamlet couldn't make up his mind and make a decision. Was Hamlet crazy?? How do we know? I realize now after completing act 3 that what Hamlet was doing took tramendous patience. He is actually very cautious with his actions. My view of him changed from someone who wasn't sure whether to kill himself or not, to a guy who is willing to take time to make sure something is done right. Creating the play within the play to see Claudius's reaction took a lot of effort on Hamlet's part. Also, the main driving force since the beginning was that Hamlet was seeking revenge on Claudius for killing his father and seducing his mother. Seeing his father's dead ghost wasn't enough for Hamlet, he wanted reassurance. Then once he saw his uncle's reaction to the play he still didn't kill him when he had the chance because Claudius was praying and asking for forgiveness which means he would go to heaven and that is not sufficient revenge. If anything, I have realized that Hamlet has a lot of restraint and knows what he wants. He isn't willing to settle. In a way Hamlet has created the perfect situation because Claudius knows that Hamlet knows but Hamlet hasn't actually said he knows yet. Claudius is basically stuck so it will be interesting to see if/how he can get out of it.

"Who Was Shakespeare?"

When I did my search on Shakespeare, I went to google.com and typed in "who was Shakespeare". A bunch of options come up and I scrolled down until I found one that seemed decent. After reading about him, I realize just how respected Shakespeare was as a playwriter. He was referred to as "the greatest poet and dramatist the Western world has ever seen" by About.com. The questioning of Shakespeare strikes up a lot of controversy which might be a reason for his popularity. I also found that no one really knows very much about his life. We know that William Shakespeare was an incredible writer but how did he become that? What life experiences made him the way he was? Who shaped his writing? For the longest time when I would hear about Shakespeare in school I would instantly get bored. It just seemed like a bunch of old writing that I couldn't understand. I knew how famous he was for his writing but I just never took the time to figure out why. I still struggle now with the style of writing because it is challenging to understand, but I have a whole new appreciation for his works. Throughout high school I have had to read some of Shakespears stories and I really like them when I'm done. The idea that Shakespeare cared so much about every syllable he was writing really makes you think. I look at Shakespeare differently now because I'm not blinded by the weird writing and language anymore. I see that all his stories have deeper meanings and it can actually be really fun to figure out what they are.

"To Facebook or Not to Facebook?"

When I first joined facebook freshman year, I was a little hesitant to say the least. I was never good with technology so learning something besides Myspace seemed difficult. However, it was surprisingly easy for me to understand. I liked how simple things were and changing the settings seemed obvious. I understand that with any social networking site there comes a risk. I do think it is important to be of a certain age before you get a facebook. It reminds me of the journal we did today talking about "common sense". It does seem like younger kids might not have the same common sense to know what to post and what not to post. My little brother is 13 and just got a facebook, and sometimes he posts things that are just stupid. I definatley think it's risky to have facebook at a young age. I have also noticed that people take great pride in the number of friends they have. It almost seems like a popularity contest. I could see young people adding "friends of friends" just to increase the number.  It is also true that there are people out there who do not have your best interests at heart. You have to be very careful and I think the younger you are the easier it would be to fall into a trap. Also, there is so much cyber bullying going on.. which is why I wasn't allowed to have a myspace for so long. The problem with not allowing it though is that I also knew a lot of kids who would make Myspace accounts and not tell their parents. So it almost seems safer if they are going to have an account for the parents to just regulate it. Reading the article just made me realize how many young kids are on facebook. Technology has gotten so prevelant today. I couldn't believe that social media was illegal in Missouri. That seems like such a big part of our culture today, it would be weird not to have it. In the class discussion I felt like it was a little onesided because everyone basically agreed. I would have wanted to hear a little more about why having a facebook is a positive thing.

"(Don't) Be Hamlet"

   "To be or not to be, that is the question". In Hamlet's soliloquy it is evident that he is being torn in two different directions. He is struggling with what he wants to do and what he feels he should do. "Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them." Hamlet is basically saying life is hard. It is overwhelming, he is stressed, and the easy solution would be to take his own life. However, he feels a sense of responsibility because he is a prince in the noble family and wants to live up to his title. "-And by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to." If Hamlet were to die he feels his pain would end.
   "Who would Fardels bare to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death." Hamlet is concerned about the unknown. What if he dies..and it is worse than what he was dealing with in life? He is being forced by his own conscience to deal with the struggles of life because of his morals, and the question that the after life could be more painful. "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all."
    I definately think fear is a driving force for Hamlet. His beliefs are conflicting with his emotions and thoughts. The fear of damnation makes him reconsider his choices. The fear of letting people down and losing respect also causes him to second guess killing himself. I can relate to Hamlet in a way. I understand what it is like to not want to disappoint people, and I see how it affects the choices and decisions you make. Hamlet has a lot of pressure to deal with at a young age. The revenge he is seeking on his uncle for murdering his father, his mother's quick remarriage to his uncle, Hamlet seeing his father's ghost, and of course his love for Ophelia. I can understand why Hamlet is feeling overwhelmed. He has a lot on his plate, but I don't think suicide would solve his problems. That just seems like quitting to me. He will find out what death is like soon enough but he needs to realize that there is a purpose for the pain in life. Everything happens for a reason and Hamlet should not just give up when things seem to hard. He needs to overcome his challenges and see what the purpose of this whole ordeal was.

Literature Analysis Questions: Broken For You

1. Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos is about two women who are completely broken, but in different ways. Margaret Hughes is an older woman who just found out that she has brain cancer and only two to three years left to live. She was married but recently divorced her alcoholic husband Stephen. Margaret lives alone in a big house in Seattle with nothing but her own thoughts and the quiet buzzing of her porcelain dolls to keep her company. She talks to her dolls and they talk back to her. Margaret does not like going out in public and hates socializing with too many people. However, after her doctors appointment she randomly decides to put an ad out and rent out a bedroom and part of her house for a very cheap price. A women named Wanda Schultz ends up getting the room, but when she first came to look at the house she was a mess. She was clearly broken in a million pieces. She had absolutley nothing and had just moved out west to search for her "ex" boyfriend. As she talked about her past it was so clear how in love she was with her boyfriend Stephen. They had been living together in New York. They had amazing jobs, a good amount of money, and everything seemed perfect. One day Stephen told Wanda that he felt trapped. It wasnt working for him and he wanted to get out and travel and see the world. He intended that as a break up, but I guess Wanda misinterpreted. Her life was in New York, her passion and her theatrical dreams, but she loved Stephen and was willing to give up the world for him. She quit her job and sold everything in the apartment. She didn't realize until the damage was done that Stephen was breaking up with her. She was in shock. She just gave up her whole life for this guy and he wanted nothing to do with her! As Wanda is explaining her story to Margaret, who she just met, she is crying like crazy. Both these women are broken, and throughout the story you see that strengh is something you choose, and being fragile doesnt make you weak.

2. There is a purpose for the pain! Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes by getting hurt, you learn the true meaning of love. You learn something by living and by going through tough experiences.

3. The authour's tone is very relative to the main message in the book. She almost seems defeated or broken in her own way. Stephanie Kallos does an excellent job of developing the characters and showing their feelings through her writing. It almost seems like the characters dont care about trying anymore, they have given up.. which ties in perfectly with Kallos's effortless writing style. She is brutally honest and graffic in her descriptions.
"I might look like a nice, diffident old lady, but I'm not about to be treated like one." pg 6
"what a person invisions is what a person attracts." pg 33
"All of us lie to ourselves all the time, so why not tell positive lies- known as "affirmations"." pg 34

4. "The woman hears this language always, even in her sleep, because she is guilty, and because those who speak to her are never silent." -foreshadowing

"If you found out that you had only a short while to live, maybe a year or two, how would you spend your time?" - "I suppose i'd think about whatever it is that scares me thre most- relationshipwise, I mean- and then do it. Do the opposite of what I've always done." -Irony.. why do you have to wait for your life to be ending to do what you really want?

"The light does not beautify what is already beautiful"- tone

Symbol- broken glass in the book relates to the broken people.

Characterization- You can definatley see the characters grow, develope, and change throughout the book.