Hey guys, so just checking in to report on class today. Well just as we settled in to discuss The Raven, the fire bell rang and so we all had a pleasant outing into nature. Anyway, when we returned to class we got a start on analyzing the raven. Deirdre shared that Lenore, the name of the narrarator's lost love, means "light". The story told in The Raven takes place at midnight, signifying darkness. It seems that for the narrarator the "light of his life has gone out".
In our discussion the word "creepy" also came up regularly haha. While some believed the raven's eerie repetitive response was the main cause for "creepiness"? Mr. Lazarow shared his thoughts that what bothered him most was the narrarator torturing himself with his grief over his dead loved one. The narrarator seemed to be deranged by his grief. As Mr. Laz said, it seems that he was aware that the raven would always give the same response and so he molded his questions appropriately to ones that would twist his grief stricken heart.
The dark contrast of the black raven against the white pallid bust of Pallas a contrast similiar to that of emotion to reason. The bust and the library/study symbolize a tendency towards the neoclassic age of reason and logic while the Raven represents nature and emotion. The raven bursts in from the wild storm outside to intrude upon the narrarators thoughts. The scene is set up realistically as the narrarator is at first bemused by the chaotic entrance of the bird but then because he has failed to find solace in classical writings he decides instead to face his pain by having a conversation with the bird. His masochist tendencies make the focus of the story again on the psychological games a person is capable of playing.
At the end of the story the narrarator tries to rid himself of the Raven but he can never rid himself of the pain of losing his loved one. The spectre of his grief, the raven, will never leave him.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Class Summary- The Fall of the House of Usher
So today we discussed Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher." While once again there was an awkward silence in the beginning before anyone began talking, attention was brought to the condition of the house as well as the lyrics to the "wild fantasia" of Roderick Usher. The house overall seems to be perfectly intact, but the individual parts (stones) are all decaying and crawling with a white mold. The windows are described as vacant and eye-like, while the mold is seen to be hanging from the roof. This description calls to mind a head- the head of Roderick Usher! Since he has a twin (Madeleine) her "head" appears reflected in the tarn above which the physical House of Usher is set. Going into the house, then, represents a psychological tour of Roderick's mind. A hypochondriac and a man terrified of anybody finding out about his mysteriously ill sister, Rodney is also extremely guilty for what he is doing to the single line of the house of Usher- he refuses to...er...partake in incest with his sister to continue the lineage. Thus, he locks her in a tomb choosing to believe that she is dead in the hope that everyone will forget about her.
Freud's "iceberg" philosophy also come up during discussion. While Freud theorized after this story was written, "TFOTHOS" nonetheless is parallel with his ideas. An iceberg only reveals its top section to the world- this is the "ego," represented by Roderick, since he is the dominant individual in the Usher lineage and his "head" stands above the water. The sister is the "id," or the basement of the brain, characterized by instincts and basic emotions. Not surprisingly, she is locked in the cellar and her "head" is in the water. The narrator represents the "superego," which retains the collective sense of what is acceptable by society's standards (based on the ego and id). The three are inseparable, and all exist at all times at varying degrees. It is important to note how the House of Usher falls apart in the end once Maddy "awakens" and kills Rodney, spreading its broken parts into the tarn.
Freud's "iceberg" philosophy also come up during discussion. While Freud theorized after this story was written, "TFOTHOS" nonetheless is parallel with his ideas. An iceberg only reveals its top section to the world- this is the "ego," represented by Roderick, since he is the dominant individual in the Usher lineage and his "head" stands above the water. The sister is the "id," or the basement of the brain, characterized by instincts and basic emotions. Not surprisingly, she is locked in the cellar and her "head" is in the water. The narrator represents the "superego," which retains the collective sense of what is acceptable by society's standards (based on the ego and id). The three are inseparable, and all exist at all times at varying degrees. It is important to note how the House of Usher falls apart in the end once Maddy "awakens" and kills Rodney, spreading its broken parts into the tarn.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Billy Bud
Hey, it's Amy.
So Billy Bud got us thinking about justice, and is it justice to obey the law, even when you're morals are leading in the opposite direction. One of the last lines of the movie was something like "The law will exist as long as the mind exists." The law is carried out by reason, but we cannot base our decisions on reason alone, or else we are nothing more than computers. There are two types of reasoning, logical and moral. Comparing the case to a case a couple years ago, a woman and her daughter were constantly abused by her husband, and after many years of marriage and this abuse, the daughter hit the father over the head with a pan and killed him. Although the mother and daughter rejoiced the girl still served jail time, just a lesser sentence. Was it right for Billy to receive the full punishment, even though everyone considered Clagat(?) an abuser?
However, I agree that this is not a normal case and that once in uniform, an officer relinquishes his own morals and adopts those of the king or country. It's no longer his decision, he is not an individual. Just like the army willingly accepts the loss of some rights when joining the military, the officers take an oath that they serve not themselves, but the ruler or country. When Billy killed an officer, it was an attack against the king, and he should be punished for the crime from an officer stand point, even though our moral compasses point in the opposite direction.
But I did not want Billy to die and I'm really upset that he did.
So Billy Bud got us thinking about justice, and is it justice to obey the law, even when you're morals are leading in the opposite direction. One of the last lines of the movie was something like "The law will exist as long as the mind exists." The law is carried out by reason, but we cannot base our decisions on reason alone, or else we are nothing more than computers. There are two types of reasoning, logical and moral. Comparing the case to a case a couple years ago, a woman and her daughter were constantly abused by her husband, and after many years of marriage and this abuse, the daughter hit the father over the head with a pan and killed him. Although the mother and daughter rejoiced the girl still served jail time, just a lesser sentence. Was it right for Billy to receive the full punishment, even though everyone considered Clagat(?) an abuser?
However, I agree that this is not a normal case and that once in uniform, an officer relinquishes his own morals and adopts those of the king or country. It's no longer his decision, he is not an individual. Just like the army willingly accepts the loss of some rights when joining the military, the officers take an oath that they serve not themselves, but the ruler or country. When Billy killed an officer, it was an attack against the king, and he should be punished for the crime from an officer stand point, even though our moral compasses point in the opposite direction.
But I did not want Billy to die and I'm really upset that he did.
CLASS REVIEW!
Alright, so the school year is almost over so it's time to review the class!
What I found most helpful about this class in terms of preparation for the AP test (after all, it IS an AP class) were the class discussions. Oftentimes (cough cough during the Puritan packet cough cough) I didn't really understand what the writers we had to read were saying, so it really helped me to gain perspective both through classmates' and Mr. Lazarow's input.
It seemed to me that we were very prepared for the AP test, especially for the rhetorical analysis essay (they posted the essays online by the way). By having timed essays throughout the year, I gained a sense of time so I knew how to start, develop, and wrap up my ideas for an essay. However, I didn't often find myself using the Toulmin model, even though I know that this strategy would have benefited me and that by avoiding it I hurt myself in various parts of the research paper construction. My one criticism, then, would probably be to introduce the Toulmin model earlier in the year. I felt that having semantics at the beginning was appropriate and necessary, but maybe having the Toulmin model follow would be more helpful in helping students to retain the structure Toulmin created. What do you guys think? Am I the only one who didn't use the TM as much as we were supposed to?
On a side note, I would suggest having lots of pictures in the literary packets for...umm...educational purposes?
What I found most helpful about this class in terms of preparation for the AP test (after all, it IS an AP class) were the class discussions. Oftentimes (cough cough during the Puritan packet cough cough) I didn't really understand what the writers we had to read were saying, so it really helped me to gain perspective both through classmates' and Mr. Lazarow's input.
It seemed to me that we were very prepared for the AP test, especially for the rhetorical analysis essay (they posted the essays online by the way). By having timed essays throughout the year, I gained a sense of time so I knew how to start, develop, and wrap up my ideas for an essay. However, I didn't often find myself using the Toulmin model, even though I know that this strategy would have benefited me and that by avoiding it I hurt myself in various parts of the research paper construction. My one criticism, then, would probably be to introduce the Toulmin model earlier in the year. I felt that having semantics at the beginning was appropriate and necessary, but maybe having the Toulmin model follow would be more helpful in helping students to retain the structure Toulmin created. What do you guys think? Am I the only one who didn't use the TM as much as we were supposed to?
On a side note, I would suggest having lots of pictures in the literary packets for...umm...educational purposes?
Death on the Cross (or Mast?)
SAILutations!
Hey everyone - Stephanie here.
As I thought about the movie we just finished watching, Billy Budd, I noticed some underlying themes (or stuff I just thought was a theme but is actually a neat coincidence, you decide...).
I think Cristy mentioned that Billy was going to die for his crew, in a most Jesus-like way according to the Christian faiths. In fact, it almost seemed to me that Claggert was like the Devil, tempting an innocent Jesus-like Budd into evil and seeking to destroy him. Even when he is sentenced to death, he takes it calmly and dies for the sake of the whole crew, who were conspiring to kill Claggert and might have died in Billy's place. This may be taking it a little too far, but Captain Veer and the men at the trial seemed to me like Pontious Pilate and the rest of the citizens that stood by and let Jesus be crucified for the sake of duty and maintaining respect and honor, not for justice.
However, I do not believe Billy Budd to be a direct allegory to Christianity. If Budd were Christ-like, he would have surrendered himself for the people, and would not have struck Claggert down and killed him (whether intentionally or not). I believe Melville wanted a more human figure, so we could empathize with Budd, and perhaps create a more tangible redemption.
Just as a quick side note, the bible was probably the most frequent prop throughout the whole movie...
Hey everyone - Stephanie here.
As I thought about the movie we just finished watching, Billy Budd, I noticed some underlying themes (or stuff I just thought was a theme but is actually a neat coincidence, you decide...).
I think Cristy mentioned that Billy was going to die for his crew, in a most Jesus-like way according to the Christian faiths. In fact, it almost seemed to me that Claggert was like the Devil, tempting an innocent Jesus-like Budd into evil and seeking to destroy him. Even when he is sentenced to death, he takes it calmly and dies for the sake of the whole crew, who were conspiring to kill Claggert and might have died in Billy's place. This may be taking it a little too far, but Captain Veer and the men at the trial seemed to me like Pontious Pilate and the rest of the citizens that stood by and let Jesus be crucified for the sake of duty and maintaining respect and honor, not for justice.
However, I do not believe Billy Budd to be a direct allegory to Christianity. If Budd were Christ-like, he would have surrendered himself for the people, and would not have struck Claggert down and killed him (whether intentionally or not). I believe Melville wanted a more human figure, so we could empathize with Budd, and perhaps create a more tangible redemption.
Just as a quick side note, the bible was probably the most frequent prop throughout the whole movie...
Saturday, May 24, 2008
My friend, Billy Bud
Hey you guys! This is Cristy. I hope everyone had an awesome time at prom and is enjoying the long weekend. I just thought I'd jot down some notes I had on Billy Bud. Mr. Lazaro mentioned that the name of the ship, im guessing, "the rights of man" had been changed from in the book? So maybe this was done to make a theme more obvious to the viewers. Billy Bud is taken from "the rights of man" onto a ship where the rights of man are almost non-existent under the tyranny of Claggert. This fact becomes obvious almost as soon as Billy steps foot on the ship, when a man is flogged in front of the entire crew. No one knows why the man is being punished. The only answer Billy receives is - well, maybe it was just "his turn". One of the crew speculates that even the man who is being flogged probably doesnt even know what his crime was. This gives the impression of opression and injustice. (it also reminds me of 1984, when people would just dissapear at any time, for the slightest reasons.) Mr. Claggert is almost omniscent on the ship, always just a few steps away at any time. He is always lurking in the shadows, ready to step in and deliver discipline. Mr. Claggert's authority on the ship seems endless and he almost seems to take on a god-like role (or more like devil) on the ship, controlling the fates of the lower crew members. He ends up killing one of the main characters. Billy's character, on the other hand, seems to portray innocence, goodness, and generosity as he quickly becomes very popular with his shipmates. He seems very pure, like he has nothing to hide.
The question comes up as to wether Bud's goodness is a result of wisdom or of ignorance. Mr. Claggert cannot believe that Billy could be that kind to him unless it was in irony or in ignorance. It seems like an analysis of human nature. Myself, I also find it hard to believe that Billy can keep neutral feelings toward Mr. Claggert after he caused the death of his friend. The devil believes that man is innately evil and is always there to tempt man and bring out the worst in him. Mr. Claggert is always trying to find out the men in the middle of a mutiny. He even dares them to murder him. all in all, Mr Claggert seems mad. Then when Billy is tempted to join in as part of a mutiny, he refuses. Mr. Claggert hears of his loyalty and instead of being grateful for his loyalty, he frames Billy for a crime that would have the penalty of death.
As we more recently saw, Billy ends up killing Mr. Claggert (when emotion overcomes reason), a triumph of good over evil. But as the trial plays out, Billy might not be exalted as a hero who has vanquished the devil but instead end up receiving an unfair punishment. If he is found guilty i would believe that he would accept his punishment and become a jesus-like figure, sacrificing himself for the rest of the shipmates. But i can only guess, I guess we will see Tuesday! Let me know what your predictions are?! Okay see you guys later.
The question comes up as to wether Bud's goodness is a result of wisdom or of ignorance. Mr. Claggert cannot believe that Billy could be that kind to him unless it was in irony or in ignorance. It seems like an analysis of human nature. Myself, I also find it hard to believe that Billy can keep neutral feelings toward Mr. Claggert after he caused the death of his friend. The devil believes that man is innately evil and is always there to tempt man and bring out the worst in him. Mr. Claggert is always trying to find out the men in the middle of a mutiny. He even dares them to murder him. all in all, Mr Claggert seems mad. Then when Billy is tempted to join in as part of a mutiny, he refuses. Mr. Claggert hears of his loyalty and instead of being grateful for his loyalty, he frames Billy for a crime that would have the penalty of death.
As we more recently saw, Billy ends up killing Mr. Claggert (when emotion overcomes reason), a triumph of good over evil. But as the trial plays out, Billy might not be exalted as a hero who has vanquished the devil but instead end up receiving an unfair punishment. If he is found guilty i would believe that he would accept his punishment and become a jesus-like figure, sacrificing himself for the rest of the shipmates. But i can only guess, I guess we will see Tuesday! Let me know what your predictions are?! Okay see you guys later.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
May 21st Class
Hey guys, it's Jasmine.
Today, we continued to watch Billy Bud. A couple of us were at guidance for the first couple minutes of class, but when we got back, we found out that Jenkins had fallen and died. When asked what happened, Billy contradicts Claggart. The captain then promotes Billy, although Claggart objects. Billy also tries to befriend Claggart one night, without much success. Later, Squeak wakes Billy up and asks him for help in a plot against Claggart, but Billy refuses.
That's all I can remember right now! Of course, the final draft of our term papers are due tomorrow! Good luck!
Today, we continued to watch Billy Bud. A couple of us were at guidance for the first couple minutes of class, but when we got back, we found out that Jenkins had fallen and died. When asked what happened, Billy contradicts Claggart. The captain then promotes Billy, although Claggart objects. Billy also tries to befriend Claggart one night, without much success. Later, Squeak wakes Billy up and asks him for help in a plot against Claggart, but Billy refuses.
That's all I can remember right now! Of course, the final draft of our term papers are due tomorrow! Good luck!
Monday, May 19, 2008
May 19th
Hey! It's Amy. Today we started to watch Billy Budd, based on a novella by Herman Melvile. Billy, a boy of about 19 years old, has been taken from his merchant vessle by the British navy, which is constantly forcing the best sailors from these ships into service in the military. Billy quickly makes friends on board after leaving the Rights of Man and is introduced to an entirely different life style. Mr. Laz's internet was not working over the weekend, but he will have all sent in term papers read by tomorrow, so if you have any questions see him tomorrow or wednesday, because the date of the term paper has been moved to Thursday. Last friday we had a sub and had a couple choices of how to spend the period. See you tomorrow!
P.S. Term paper heading is
Name
Teacher
Course
Date
P.S. Term paper heading is
Name
Teacher
Course
Date
Saturday, May 17, 2008
The House of Usher
Hey you guys this is Cristy. So I thought I'd do a little preliminary analysis of The Fall of the House of Usher. From the moment that the narrarator encounters the Usher house a heavy darkness descends upon the setting of the story. The house becomes a character itself by the fantastical descriptions that Poe uses. "vacant and eye-like windows." He says that upon seeing the building he is overwelmed with a "sense of insufferable gloom" and he likens the feelings to the dissapointing return to harsh reality after the wonderous dreams brought on by opium use(gothic). The house seems to represent the family in its decay. The poem/song called "The Haunted Palace" referring to the Usher Mansion adds more superstition to the plot. The poem may describe the past prosperity of the family and mansion that then fell into decline. The cause for this decline in the song is only vaguely explained by the the arrival of "evil things, in robes of sorrow" who "assailed the monarch's high estate". Perhaps this was when the first Master Usher fell to the disease and died after suffering from the mental illness.
After the narrarator re-tells the poem he tells us how his friend persists that there is "sentience of all vegetable things". Sentience means consciousness or the capacity for sensation or feeling. So Usher believed inanimate objects to be conscious? He hints that he believes therefore that the Usher house is conscious. The house seems to mirror the state of its masters. The idea of a spirit being in everything seems to connect to the idea of romantics with nature and the omnipotent holy spirit.
On another topic, Poe mentions books that he and his friend read to pass away the days.I was interested why these particular books were chosen to be mentioned and looked up a few.Directorium Inquisitorum by the Dominican Eymeric de Gironne- was basically a manual on how to torture Catholic heretics.
Another book was "Belphegor of Machiavelli, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote Belphegor, a satire on marriage in which a demon comes to earth to prove that women damn men to hell."
Blue Distance of Tieck - Tieck was a romantic poet of the 18/19th century.
Chiromancy - is the art of palm reading (superstitious art connects to Gothic beliefs)
Also at the beggining of the story are a few lines in Latin? that I was unable to translate on my own. But I did find that De Beranger was a French poet.
Here's a site I found helpful and interesting in dissecting and understanding Poe's terminology.
http://www.poestories.com/wordlist.php
In this story the idea of being buried alive appears again. In this case,Roderick Usher's sister was buried alive by mistake. It seems that the words from a story the narrarator reads are actually bringing her back to life. The failure of reason and logic on the part of the doctors to diagnose and treat the Usher disease is contrasted with the supernatural power literature seems to have over the Usher sister. The Master of Usher claims he heard her alive in the coffin but was too scared to do anything about it and dreads her anger. Finally the woman reappears with blood on her gown, mysteriously having broken out of the screwed iron coffin which suggests some magical force working to achieve her return. Also I think the fact that they are twins and have a special connection adds to the mysticisim in the story. The superstition and mystical elements of this story fit perfectly with Gothic beliefs in the Romantic era.
Okay, those were just a few things I had on my mind and I look forward to discussing all the other details of the story with you in class.
After the narrarator re-tells the poem he tells us how his friend persists that there is "sentience of all vegetable things". Sentience means consciousness or the capacity for sensation or feeling. So Usher believed inanimate objects to be conscious? He hints that he believes therefore that the Usher house is conscious. The house seems to mirror the state of its masters. The idea of a spirit being in everything seems to connect to the idea of romantics with nature and the omnipotent holy spirit.
On another topic, Poe mentions books that he and his friend read to pass away the days.I was interested why these particular books were chosen to be mentioned and looked up a few.Directorium Inquisitorum by the Dominican Eymeric de Gironne- was basically a manual on how to torture Catholic heretics.
Another book was "Belphegor of Machiavelli, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote Belphegor, a satire on marriage in which a demon comes to earth to prove that women damn men to hell."
Blue Distance of Tieck - Tieck was a romantic poet of the 18/19th century.
Chiromancy - is the art of palm reading (superstitious art connects to Gothic beliefs)
Also at the beggining of the story are a few lines in Latin? that I was unable to translate on my own. But I did find that De Beranger was a French poet.
Here's a site I found helpful and interesting in dissecting and understanding Poe's terminology.
http://www.poestories.com/wordlist.php
In this story the idea of being buried alive appears again. In this case,Roderick Usher's sister was buried alive by mistake. It seems that the words from a story the narrarator reads are actually bringing her back to life. The failure of reason and logic on the part of the doctors to diagnose and treat the Usher disease is contrasted with the supernatural power literature seems to have over the Usher sister. The Master of Usher claims he heard her alive in the coffin but was too scared to do anything about it and dreads her anger. Finally the woman reappears with blood on her gown, mysteriously having broken out of the screwed iron coffin which suggests some magical force working to achieve her return. Also I think the fact that they are twins and have a special connection adds to the mysticisim in the story. The superstition and mystical elements of this story fit perfectly with Gothic beliefs in the Romantic era.
Okay, those were just a few things I had on my mind and I look forward to discussing all the other details of the story with you in class.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
A Day in the Life
Today, our class took the first step in the post-AP exam world. And although past events are no indication of future probabilities, the home stretch promises to be a wild and invigorating ride. First period opened today with the whimper of cautious peer to peer term paper advice and ended with the roar of gold coins jingling in the pockets of Disney executives and the innocent squeals of children as they are brainwashed by corporate America. Indeed, today may have been the first time in history that staying in school was more fun than going to a theme park. Yes, those theme parks. The same ones that millions of young American families flock to after the insidious themes and images of animated fairy tales are firmly instilled in their minds. Which brings us to the subject of today's discussion.
DISNEY! This evil conglomerate appears harmless and even trustworthy to the untrained eye, but a determined intellectual look allows us to see past the corporate mask and into the not so wonderful world of sexism, racism, and ruthless capitalism. If this formidable array of -isms overwhelms you, that is quite normal. This very morning, our class received a sort of "Disney enlightenment" that had a profound effect on everyone present. Some members of our class were resistant to change and offered counterexamples to the theory of Disney iniquitousness. Just like Beauty's initial attempts to change the Beast, however, they were rebuffed time after time right up until the bell sounded. The following is a sampling of Disney movies suggested as counterexamples and a brief explanation of their sin(s).
Peter Pan- Tinker Bell is a stereotypically vain woman, and Wendy is an idealized domestic mother figure. Sexist ideas which attempt to marginalize women and keep them in their places permeate the film.
Mulan- The movie whose poster hangs ominously from our classroom's ceiling modifies a Chinese legend and transforms it into a sexist tale in which the heroine is made weak and does not achieve final victory over the dragon.
Little Mermaid- The mermaid is the archetypal damsel in distress that has to be rescued by a heroic prince, and she has to give up everything to be with her lover. Just as Beauty and the Beast does, the film gives women misguided ideas about their relationships with men.
Aida Musical- While only produced by Disney, this musical presents racist stereotypes of the Middle East that are unsuitable for today's racially charged society. While the musical seems like an innocuous choice for our high school production, it leads to a slippery slope. Next year, for example, someone might use Islam and terrorism in the same sentence. The year after that, we're looking at the possibility of metal detectors. Just something to think about.
Hopefully, our in-depth discussion of animated films is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope that we can extend our topic area to include all corporations, with the notable exceptions of Apple and Whole Foods. Classmates of AP English III, unite! We have nothing to lose but our ignorance to the innate wickedness of corporations.
DISNEY! This evil conglomerate appears harmless and even trustworthy to the untrained eye, but a determined intellectual look allows us to see past the corporate mask and into the not so wonderful world of sexism, racism, and ruthless capitalism. If this formidable array of -isms overwhelms you, that is quite normal. This very morning, our class received a sort of "Disney enlightenment" that had a profound effect on everyone present. Some members of our class were resistant to change and offered counterexamples to the theory of Disney iniquitousness. Just like Beauty's initial attempts to change the Beast, however, they were rebuffed time after time right up until the bell sounded. The following is a sampling of Disney movies suggested as counterexamples and a brief explanation of their sin(s).
Peter Pan- Tinker Bell is a stereotypically vain woman, and Wendy is an idealized domestic mother figure. Sexist ideas which attempt to marginalize women and keep them in their places permeate the film.
Mulan- The movie whose poster hangs ominously from our classroom's ceiling modifies a Chinese legend and transforms it into a sexist tale in which the heroine is made weak and does not achieve final victory over the dragon.
Little Mermaid- The mermaid is the archetypal damsel in distress that has to be rescued by a heroic prince, and she has to give up everything to be with her lover. Just as Beauty and the Beast does, the film gives women misguided ideas about their relationships with men.
Aida Musical- While only produced by Disney, this musical presents racist stereotypes of the Middle East that are unsuitable for today's racially charged society. While the musical seems like an innocuous choice for our high school production, it leads to a slippery slope. Next year, for example, someone might use Islam and terrorism in the same sentence. The year after that, we're looking at the possibility of metal detectors. Just something to think about.
Hopefully, our in-depth discussion of animated films is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope that we can extend our topic area to include all corporations, with the notable exceptions of Apple and Whole Foods. Classmates of AP English III, unite! We have nothing to lose but our ignorance to the innate wickedness of corporations.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
May 7 Class
Hey, it's Erin.
Today we talked about "The Masque of the Red Death." First off, the "Red Death" is a historical reference to cholera (not the symptoms but the idea of a plague). We started off the discussion with the rooms, and what they represent. The rooms are set up in a straight line starting in the east and ending in the west, so it's like going from sunrise to sunset (with sunset in the black room, meaning death). However, the colors don't really work in the order of day. Since there were 7 rooms, we talked about associations with the number 7 - 7 days in a week, etc. Grace brought up the seven deadly sins (which I believe are lust, gluttony, greed, envy, pride, sloth and wrath). We then considered whether Prince Prospero was guilty of all seven sins, and decided he was. Another association with the number seven is creation - God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. However, this is the opposite of creation, because everyone is destroyed in the end.
Then we discussed whether justice was served at the end of the story (with Prospero and all of his guests dying) because even though his whole kingdom was dying, he locked himself and his friends away. We also discussed if the responsibility was simply Prospero's or if the guests were guilty too. Paige brought up that although everyone was afraid of the black room (death), they all ended up there in the end. Donna brought up that this was Poe's second use of a masquerade. Mr. Lazarow pointed out that since Poe was a Gothic, he was interested in human psychology, and a masquerade was essentially people wearing a deceptive exterior. Finally, we talked about the title, where "masque" is short for masquerade. In essence, the Red Death is the guest of honor, although Prospero has no idea.
Don't forget - rough drafts due Wednesday!
Today we talked about "The Masque of the Red Death." First off, the "Red Death" is a historical reference to cholera (not the symptoms but the idea of a plague). We started off the discussion with the rooms, and what they represent. The rooms are set up in a straight line starting in the east and ending in the west, so it's like going from sunrise to sunset (with sunset in the black room, meaning death). However, the colors don't really work in the order of day. Since there were 7 rooms, we talked about associations with the number 7 - 7 days in a week, etc. Grace brought up the seven deadly sins (which I believe are lust, gluttony, greed, envy, pride, sloth and wrath). We then considered whether Prince Prospero was guilty of all seven sins, and decided he was. Another association with the number seven is creation - God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. However, this is the opposite of creation, because everyone is destroyed in the end.
Then we discussed whether justice was served at the end of the story (with Prospero and all of his guests dying) because even though his whole kingdom was dying, he locked himself and his friends away. We also discussed if the responsibility was simply Prospero's or if the guests were guilty too. Paige brought up that although everyone was afraid of the black room (death), they all ended up there in the end. Donna brought up that this was Poe's second use of a masquerade. Mr. Lazarow pointed out that since Poe was a Gothic, he was interested in human psychology, and a masquerade was essentially people wearing a deceptive exterior. Finally, we talked about the title, where "masque" is short for masquerade. In essence, the Red Death is the guest of honor, although Prospero has no idea.
Don't forget - rough drafts due Wednesday!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
It's Paige
I just was thinking about Prospero in "The Masque of the Red Death" and his beliefs about wealth. He felt that if he could turn his back to poverty and the common man that he could somehow escape the inevitable. Death as an equaliser is a fasinating idea. It doesn't matter how much money you have or who you are it's inescapable. Everyone avoided the red and black room that represented from my research night and more specifically death. Prospero follows the red death into the final room and tries to conquer it head on despite it's power. Although Prospero had invited the specific guests and set up the room himself he really wasn't in control.
Death is completely uncontrollable, you don't know when or where it will happen and Prospero is a fool to think that he is too noble to suffer the same fate as peasants. Poe definately goes over death and it's psychological effects in many of his stories but I never really noticed before how he dissects the human mind to find our deepest faults. I'm reading a book called "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami and the main character says at one point, "Death exists not as the opposite but as a part of life...It was already here, within my being, it had always been there..." I definately had never thought about death as something that can survive so close to me and I think that psychologically we want to doubt death's capabilities.
What do you guys think?
Death is completely uncontrollable, you don't know when or where it will happen and Prospero is a fool to think that he is too noble to suffer the same fate as peasants. Poe definately goes over death and it's psychological effects in many of his stories but I never really noticed before how he dissects the human mind to find our deepest faults. I'm reading a book called "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami and the main character says at one point, "Death exists not as the opposite but as a part of life...It was already here, within my being, it had always been there..." I definately had never thought about death as something that can survive so close to me and I think that psychologically we want to doubt death's capabilities.
What do you guys think?
Saturday, May 10, 2008
May 9th
In class on Friday we did another set of AP questions. We also discussed our rough drafts, which are due on Wednesday. The AP test is also on Wednesday, so for those taking the test, you have to see Mr. Lazarow sometime during that day (such as before homeroom) to show him that you have it completed. Then you have to swap your paper with someone else so that you can revise them overnight.
At the very end of class we discussed a bit of Poe. Arka brought up the idea that the story related back to a real life situation, either the death of Poe's wife and mother of tuberculosis or an outbreak of cholera in Baltimore, and that the story is about trying to escape death.
At the very end of class we discussed a bit of Poe. Arka brought up the idea that the story related back to a real life situation, either the death of Poe's wife and mother of tuberculosis or an outbreak of cholera in Baltimore, and that the story is about trying to escape death.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
It's Paige
Class today was very depressing. We talked about how the dance marathon might be cancelled and then Mr. Lazarow discussed our seemingly endless list of mistakes that we made on our outlines. Next we recieved our grades which for the majority was a huge disappointment. To wrap it all up Cristy talked about how Montresor seemed to be a puppet master according to his name. Then the bell rang and the discussion of Poe came to a sudden end. Here's hoping for less unpleasant classes in the future!!!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Class Notes for 5/6
Well, today in class we first did another set of questions for the AP test (which is, in case you haven't realized yet, next wednesday) about math proofs and their elegance. We then proceeded to do all of the questions and then went over them.
After having a few comments on whether or not this set of questions was easier or harder than the previous sets, we then recieved our annotated bibliographies, but not our outlines. Look for them tommorow. We then proceeded to continue our discussion of Poe's A Cask of Amontillado, picking up where we left off in talking about the Masons. Deirdre talked a little of how her uncle was a Catholic and is now a Mason. and how the Masons, an ancient fraternal order, are hated by the Catholic Church. Mr Lazarow explained that a possible reasoning for this hatred is the desire of the Catholic Church to not have any nonreligious based secret societies.
We then raised the question of whether Montresor bricked up Fortunato for personal revenge or for religious retribution. While it is never mentioned explicitly that Montresor is a Catholic, Jasmine brought up the point that Fortunato says "For the love of God, Montresor!" and Montresor replies "Yes, for the love of God," suggesting religious motivation. Some in the class felt that the religious motivation was simply an additional excuse to kill Fortunato, while other felt that it was the main motivator.
We then proceeded to discuss various other aspects of the story, including the fact that Fortunato's insult of Montresor is never included in the story. We then discussed whether this was an omission in narration or a deliberate action on Poe's part, with the general consensus being that this was a deliberate action, perhaps to explore human and criminal psyschology more (as this was Poe's goal). Throughout our discussion we brought up various aspects in the story, such as Montrsor's family's coat of arms (a snake biting a foot stepping on it - with the snake being the family), and the family motto, "Nemo me impune lacessit", meaning "No one strikes me with impunity." This perhaps suggests that Montresor is taking this insult too far.
In all, we had a productive discussion on Poe's work today, and will continue tommorow.
- Arka
After having a few comments on whether or not this set of questions was easier or harder than the previous sets, we then recieved our annotated bibliographies, but not our outlines. Look for them tommorow. We then proceeded to continue our discussion of Poe's A Cask of Amontillado, picking up where we left off in talking about the Masons. Deirdre talked a little of how her uncle was a Catholic and is now a Mason. and how the Masons, an ancient fraternal order, are hated by the Catholic Church. Mr Lazarow explained that a possible reasoning for this hatred is the desire of the Catholic Church to not have any nonreligious based secret societies.
We then raised the question of whether Montresor bricked up Fortunato for personal revenge or for religious retribution. While it is never mentioned explicitly that Montresor is a Catholic, Jasmine brought up the point that Fortunato says "For the love of God, Montresor!" and Montresor replies "Yes, for the love of God," suggesting religious motivation. Some in the class felt that the religious motivation was simply an additional excuse to kill Fortunato, while other felt that it was the main motivator.
We then proceeded to discuss various other aspects of the story, including the fact that Fortunato's insult of Montresor is never included in the story. We then discussed whether this was an omission in narration or a deliberate action on Poe's part, with the general consensus being that this was a deliberate action, perhaps to explore human and criminal psyschology more (as this was Poe's goal). Throughout our discussion we brought up various aspects in the story, such as Montrsor's family's coat of arms (a snake biting a foot stepping on it - with the snake being the family), and the family motto, "Nemo me impune lacessit", meaning "No one strikes me with impunity." This perhaps suggests that Montresor is taking this insult too far.
In all, we had a productive discussion on Poe's work today, and will continue tommorow.
- Arka
Amontillado
Hey, it's Cristy.
Today, we talked about the conflicts between the Catholic church and the free masons and so I did a little research it seems that (according to my sources) the masonry sees itself as the only and true religion, relegating the church as a sect. of the religion The church opposes free masons mainly because they supposedly worship the "masonic idol" or man. The church sees this as direct opposition to the commandments. "I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have strange gods before me"
"Masonry, on the other hand, is essentially a religion of "reason." With an insistence and a consistency matching Catholicism's self-definition, Masonry promises perfection in the natural order as its only destiny -- as indeed the highest destiny there is. And it provides for this perfectibility with its resources: the accumulated sum of purely human values, subsumed under the logo of "reason." "(http://www.medjugorjeusa.org/masonry.htm) o snap. This may be a stretch, but Romanticism was supposed to be a rebuttal of the enlightenment and the neoclassic age of reason. During the Neoclassic age God was seen as outside of the picture. Deism etc. "for the love of God" maybe Montressor wants is saying he wants God back IN the picture? Does montressor symbolize the enlightenment or neoclassicism? Does Montressor turn out the light on the enlightenment?
I also found that the root montre- in montresor means "puppeteer". This seems to fit too perfectly to have been a coincidence. Montresor understands human nature very well. He mentions that he had told his servants, that he wouldn't return until the morning and had given them "explicit orders not to stir from the house." Furthermore he understands that "These orders were sufficient...to insure their immediate disappearance, one and all, as soon as my back was turned." It is clear that Montressor is a true puppetter of people. He understands human nature and uses this knowledge to manipulate people into doing what he wants. He plays on Fortunado's pride to lure him into the vaults.
As for Fortunado's name he obviously is not very fortunate which makes him name completely ironic.
Donna had noted how Fortunado seemed unaware of the offense he had committed which leads us to believe it could not have been a very grievous offense to begin with. The snake in the coat of arms. is it biting an agressor or a foot that stepped on the snake accidentally? Ahhh so much symbolism I love it.
It seems that perhaps Montressor is sealing the ideas of the enlightenment and the free masonry behind walls to prevent them from seeping out into the minds of others. Looking forward to finding more symbolism in class tomorrow,
thats all for today, goodnight and goodluck.
Today, we talked about the conflicts between the Catholic church and the free masons and so I did a little research it seems that (according to my sources) the masonry sees itself as the only and true religion, relegating the church as a sect. of the religion The church opposes free masons mainly because they supposedly worship the "masonic idol" or man. The church sees this as direct opposition to the commandments. "I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have strange gods before me"
"Masonry, on the other hand, is essentially a religion of "reason." With an insistence and a consistency matching Catholicism's self-definition, Masonry promises perfection in the natural order as its only destiny -- as indeed the highest destiny there is. And it provides for this perfectibility with its resources: the accumulated sum of purely human values, subsumed under the logo of "reason." "(http://www.medjugorjeusa.org/masonry.htm) o snap. This may be a stretch, but Romanticism was supposed to be a rebuttal of the enlightenment and the neoclassic age of reason. During the Neoclassic age God was seen as outside of the picture. Deism etc. "for the love of God" maybe Montressor wants is saying he wants God back IN the picture? Does montressor symbolize the enlightenment or neoclassicism? Does Montressor turn out the light on the enlightenment?
I also found that the root montre- in montresor means "puppeteer". This seems to fit too perfectly to have been a coincidence. Montresor understands human nature very well. He mentions that he had told his servants, that he wouldn't return until the morning and had given them "explicit orders not to stir from the house." Furthermore he understands that "These orders were sufficient...to insure their immediate disappearance, one and all, as soon as my back was turned." It is clear that Montressor is a true puppetter of people. He understands human nature and uses this knowledge to manipulate people into doing what he wants. He plays on Fortunado's pride to lure him into the vaults.
As for Fortunado's name he obviously is not very fortunate which makes him name completely ironic.
Donna had noted how Fortunado seemed unaware of the offense he had committed which leads us to believe it could not have been a very grievous offense to begin with. The snake in the coat of arms. is it biting an agressor or a foot that stepped on the snake accidentally? Ahhh so much symbolism I love it.
It seems that perhaps Montressor is sealing the ideas of the enlightenment and the free masonry behind walls to prevent them from seeping out into the minds of others. Looking forward to finding more symbolism in class tomorrow,
thats all for today, goodnight and goodluck.
Ah I forgot to hit the post button last night! Cinco De Mayo class notes
We may be getting our outlines back tomorrow…EXCITING!
But today we finished up talking about Longfellow. Ian felt that The Jewish Cemetery had been neglected the other day so he decided to open the floor with a discussion about it. After a few awkward moments of silence Ian noted that throughout the entire poem Longfellow seems to be 'looking backwards' at how things used to be in the past.
Arka believed that it wasn't in a harsh or derogatory way, but rather in an understanding tone, as if Longfellow knew what the people were going through. Laz confirmed this. He said that there is a sympathetic attitude, and even when there is 'abusive' language it is always balanced by words that imply steadfastness or strong faith. Longfellow seems to be trying to convince the people that the days of persecution have passed in a positive almost urgent tone.
Ian was surprised that Longfellow knew so much about Jewish history but not much of African culture. Laz and a few others in the class weren't surprised, since at that time very little was known about Africa but Jewish people had been known for a very long time in
After that brief closing of Longfellow we moved onward to Poe.
Ben asked why Gothics were considered Romantic. Laz explained that Gothics were more interested in human nature than 'leafy' nature. He told us that Hawthorn and Thoreau used to go ice skating together and talk about their ideas. He also expanded that by noting that Poe had a desire to investigate the inner workings of the human psyche. Poe is also considered the first writer of the American detective story.
The class felt that Poe wrote such strange stories because of his chaotic life. But Laz said that the artists liked to separate themselves as unique human beings who could 'create' completely new things. We talked about some of the Poe myths, and we talked about his rabies.
We then began to talk about the Cask of Amontillado, and we ended class with the realization that the audience in that piece is a Priest, and the story is actually a confession!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Class Summary for May 2nd, 2008
Hello all!
I'm sure you're all hard at work on your outlines, so I'll just give a brief recap of Friday's class and try not to take up to much of your time!
We finished our discussion of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's works, and consequently the entire Washington Irving Packet. We are expected to read Poe for a class discussion on Monday. After Poe will be Emerson, then Whitman, and lastly the supplemental packet of Gothic readings. (If you were not in class on Friday when we were given the new packet, see Laz for an extra copy.)
Discussion began with a review of The Jewish Cemetery at Newport. Ian mentioned that Newport had one of the oldest and largest Jewish populations in America. Though they were a majority, the Jewish people were still treated as outsiders and suffered prejudice in their own community. It seemed to Longfellow that little had changed since the first Jewish settlers - Alavares and Rivera - had first arrived in the New World in the 1650s. Throughout history, Jewish populations have suffered horrendous torture. It's natural to lament the innocent lives lost, and become furious that an entire group of people was treated so cruelly, but Longfellow warns not to get too caught up in emotions or to live life looking backwards. After all, "dead nations never rise again." Sure, we can look back to history to learn from our past and to try not to repeat the same mistakes, but dwelling on actions of the past is practically a waste of time and energy. Things can never be brought back to the way they once were.
Then, we moved on to The Slave's Dream. When reading it for the first time, we immediately recognized the romantic style. Longfellow's slave character elevates imaginative dreams over harsh reality. But after we read the poem through a second time with a more critical eye, we realized how stereotypical Longfellow was in his depiction of the slave. He assuredly had good intentions when he wrote the poem, but he comes off as being slightly racist. Granted, he was writing out oh his own time period, but he writes that the slave's dream was about his homeland in Africa. Longfellow describes visions of blood-red flamingos, roaring lions, and screaming hyenas, when he himself knew nothing about the continent! Longfellow had never personally traveled to Africa nor had he studied it. All he knew about Africa came from a basic description, from a book or perhaps from an account of another person who had traveled there. It's quite stereotypical to assume that a slave would dream about his homeland in Niger. In reality, the slave was probably born in America and had never seen Africa. He was probably quite used to the American lifestyle and would not want to endure the arduous journey back across the ocean to Africa. Abolitionists of Longfellow's era abhorred this poem, though it did agree with a separate abolitionist movement to return all of the former slaves to Africa instead of granting them full citizenship in America.
We ended with a short critique of A Psalm of Life. The bell rang before we got a chance to finish, but by then we were pretty much through with Longfellow.
See you in class on Monday, fellow pupils. Good luck to all who are taking the AP Euro final!
-Ashley
I'm sure you're all hard at work on your outlines, so I'll just give a brief recap of Friday's class and try not to take up to much of your time!
We finished our discussion of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's works, and consequently the entire Washington Irving Packet. We are expected to read Poe for a class discussion on Monday. After Poe will be Emerson, then Whitman, and lastly the supplemental packet of Gothic readings. (If you were not in class on Friday when we were given the new packet, see Laz for an extra copy.)
Discussion began with a review of The Jewish Cemetery at Newport. Ian mentioned that Newport had one of the oldest and largest Jewish populations in America. Though they were a majority, the Jewish people were still treated as outsiders and suffered prejudice in their own community. It seemed to Longfellow that little had changed since the first Jewish settlers - Alavares and Rivera - had first arrived in the New World in the 1650s. Throughout history, Jewish populations have suffered horrendous torture. It's natural to lament the innocent lives lost, and become furious that an entire group of people was treated so cruelly, but Longfellow warns not to get too caught up in emotions or to live life looking backwards. After all, "dead nations never rise again." Sure, we can look back to history to learn from our past and to try not to repeat the same mistakes, but dwelling on actions of the past is practically a waste of time and energy. Things can never be brought back to the way they once were.
Then, we moved on to The Slave's Dream. When reading it for the first time, we immediately recognized the romantic style. Longfellow's slave character elevates imaginative dreams over harsh reality. But after we read the poem through a second time with a more critical eye, we realized how stereotypical Longfellow was in his depiction of the slave. He assuredly had good intentions when he wrote the poem, but he comes off as being slightly racist. Granted, he was writing out oh his own time period, but he writes that the slave's dream was about his homeland in Africa. Longfellow describes visions of blood-red flamingos, roaring lions, and screaming hyenas, when he himself knew nothing about the continent! Longfellow had never personally traveled to Africa nor had he studied it. All he knew about Africa came from a basic description, from a book or perhaps from an account of another person who had traveled there. It's quite stereotypical to assume that a slave would dream about his homeland in Niger. In reality, the slave was probably born in America and had never seen Africa. He was probably quite used to the American lifestyle and would not want to endure the arduous journey back across the ocean to Africa. Abolitionists of Longfellow's era abhorred this poem, though it did agree with a separate abolitionist movement to return all of the former slaves to Africa instead of granting them full citizenship in America.
We ended with a short critique of A Psalm of Life. The bell rang before we got a chance to finish, but by then we were pretty much through with Longfellow.
See you in class on Monday, fellow pupils. Good luck to all who are taking the AP Euro final!
-Ashley
Thursday, May 1, 2008
CLASS POST FOR APRIL 29, 20088
Hey everybody, it's Stephanie
Sorry this is late, but our track meet was sooo long I didn't really have a chance to blog last night. Thankfully, the information still applies, as we should be spending about an hour on the ole rough draft every night.
Anyway, Wednesday was AMAZING. We finally turned in the outline!!!!!! Then, we began to talk about the rough draft, the next step in the terrific term paper. Here's the gist of it:
~You should reformat the outline into paragraphs
~Use 1 inch margins all the way around (and other MLA formatting)
~In the upper right hand margin, put your last name and the page number of your rough draft, for example:
Sorry this is late, but our track meet was sooo long I didn't really have a chance to blog last night. Thankfully, the information still applies, as we should be spending about an hour on the ole rough draft every night.
Anyway, Wednesday was AMAZING. We finally turned in the outline!!!!!! Then, we began to talk about the rough draft, the next step in the terrific term paper. Here's the gist of it:
~You should reformat the outline into paragraphs
~Use 1 inch margins all the way around (and other MLA formatting)
~In the upper right hand margin, put your last name and the page number of your rough draft, for example:
Jordan 1
Furthermore, the trees of the rainforest are becoming shockingly limited in number, as the funding for preservation...
~ For quotes 4 lines or more, use block quote formatting, or:
-after the anchor, hit the return key
- type the quote and still add the parenthetical citation
DON'T TAB IN AFTERWARD!!!!!! Big no-no, or else you lose points for a quote as a transition, lack of support, and no anchoring... yikes...
~SHUT OFF THE ORPHAN AND WIDOWED PARAGRAPH option. Word automatically has this checked, which we do NOT want.
The due date for the rough draft is dependent on when we receive our outlines from Mr. Laz, and when the due date arrives, we will be doing peer-editing in class, so treat every version of the draft as the final copy.
We began to talk about Longfellow with a record 2 minutes 36 seconds left in class.
The Goblet of Life
~popularly associated with Harry Potter
Assignments: Be working diligently on the rough draft and works cited page (if at all possible), and remember to keep up with the readings (aka Longfellow)
********************Term paper due date: day before prom
A Psalm of Life
I am in love with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow!
In the beginning of this poem Longfellow says, "Tell me not in mournful numbers, Life is but a dream! For the soul is dead that slumbers, and things are not what they seem." It sort of seems like he's trying to reject Neoclassicism and reason by arguing that life is not something you can just analyze or find the answer to, you just have to enjoy it.
This poem also reminded me of another quote from Longfellow:
"Heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight but, while their companions slept, they were toiling upward in the night." It is a lot like the lines "In the world's broad field of battle, in the bivouac of Life, be not like dumb driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife!" This is really inspiring and very Romantic (of course). I really like the message Longfellow is trying to get across is that you should take out of life whatever you can get and you should find your own path and way to change the world.
This poem is different form other poems we have read by Longfellow. Some of the other poems mainly focus on death, but this one is all about living in the present. Of course, Longfellow is a Romantic so he is naturally extremely optimistic, but I can't help liking the way he writes about life (and death). He makes everything feel so comforting. I know that it would probably never work, but it makes me wonder what life would be like if more people had this philosophy towards life. This is all so inspiring, but then you have to remember that the Romantic movement is dead.
However I am a little confused about the stanza about leaving "behind us footprints in the sands of time" to help "a forlorn and shipwrecked brother." Does anybody else find it peculiar that he chose "the sands of time?" Sand is so not permanent at all; it can be moved and erase our tracks so easily. So how why would he use sand when he's talking about leaving a lasting impact on society?
In the beginning of this poem Longfellow says, "Tell me not in mournful numbers, Life is but a dream! For the soul is dead that slumbers, and things are not what they seem." It sort of seems like he's trying to reject Neoclassicism and reason by arguing that life is not something you can just analyze or find the answer to, you just have to enjoy it.
This poem also reminded me of another quote from Longfellow:
"Heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight but, while their companions slept, they were toiling upward in the night." It is a lot like the lines "In the world's broad field of battle, in the bivouac of Life, be not like dumb driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife!" This is really inspiring and very Romantic (of course). I really like the message Longfellow is trying to get across is that you should take out of life whatever you can get and you should find your own path and way to change the world.
This poem is different form other poems we have read by Longfellow. Some of the other poems mainly focus on death, but this one is all about living in the present. Of course, Longfellow is a Romantic so he is naturally extremely optimistic, but I can't help liking the way he writes about life (and death). He makes everything feel so comforting. I know that it would probably never work, but it makes me wonder what life would be like if more people had this philosophy towards life. This is all so inspiring, but then you have to remember that the Romantic movement is dead.
However I am a little confused about the stanza about leaving "behind us footprints in the sands of time" to help "a forlorn and shipwrecked brother." Does anybody else find it peculiar that he chose "the sands of time?" Sand is so not permanent at all; it can be moved and erase our tracks so easily. So how why would he use sand when he's talking about leaving a lasting impact on society?
In case you missed it..
Hey guys, it's Allison.
Today, we did another set of timed practice AP questions which seemed to take a weight off of everyone's chests. The questions proved easier than we had expected for an AP exam, so we were pretty excited. However, Mr. Lazarow warned us that we shouldn't get too confident and go into the test thinking we have it in the bag.
After we went over the answers, we talked about the rough draft some more and Ian commented on how he felt quite prepared for the AP exam.
P.S.- congrats on finding your packet, Ian!
Hope everybody keeps preparing for the upcoming AP exams!
Today, we did another set of timed practice AP questions which seemed to take a weight off of everyone's chests. The questions proved easier than we had expected for an AP exam, so we were pretty excited. However, Mr. Lazarow warned us that we shouldn't get too confident and go into the test thinking we have it in the bag.
After we went over the answers, we talked about the rough draft some more and Ian commented on how he felt quite prepared for the AP exam.
P.S.- congrats on finding your packet, Ian!
Hope everybody keeps preparing for the upcoming AP exams!
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