"Pre-Will"

A) I don't know much about Hamlet except that it is a play.
B) Shakespeare was a writer who wrote plays.
C) I means that they have to read a long play that is confusing sometimes and is not that much fun.
D) Make it so that we are involved.

vocab #7

aberration - (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image; a disorder in one's mental state; a state or condition markedly different from the norm
Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration
bane - (noun) something causes misery or death
bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos
cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate
casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading
de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality
depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action
empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings
harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage
hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle
lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality
malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted
mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear
nepotism - noun favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)
pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to
peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed
piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction. 
remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
syndrome - (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease

Literature Analysis

The Good Soldier

By,

Ford, Ford Madox

1)Dowell, the main character, tells the stories of those dissolutions as well as the deaths of three characters and the madness of a fourth, in a rambling, non-chronological fashion that leaves gaps for the reader to fill.The novels opening  with its famous line, “This is the saddest story I have ever heard.” Florence and Edward had an affair under his nose for nine years without John knowing until Florence was dead. Florence’s affair with Edward leads her to commit suicide when she realizes that Edward is falling in love with his and Leonora’s young ward, Nancy Rufford, the daughter of Leonora's closest friend. Dowell runs through several of Edward’s affairs and peccadilloes, including his possibly innocent attempt to comfort a crying servant on a train; his affair with the married Maisie Maidan, the one character in the book whose heart problem was unquestionably real.Edward’s last affair is his most scandalous, as he becomes infatuated with their young ward, Nancy.Edward intends to keep his passion for Nancy chaste, but only wants Nancy to continue to love him from afar. Dowell closes the novel by telling the story of Edward’s suicide. 

2) I believe a good theme for The Good Soldier would be the difference between appearance and actual reality because throughout the whole book the reader is trying to fill in the blanks until the end where everything comes together.

3) The author has more of a confused, naive, and angry tone; the narrator's tone changes throughout the novel as he tells the story and reflects back on the events which have occurred.“I know nothing - nothing in the world - of the hearts of men. I only know that I am alone - horribly alone.” “If for nine years I have possessed a goodly apple that is rotten at the core and discover its rottenness only in nine years and six months less four days, isn't it true to say that for nine years I possessed a goodly apple?”“So I shall just imagine myself for a fortnight or so at one side of the fireplace of a country cottage, with a sympathetic soul opposite me. And I shall go on talking, in a low voice while the sea sounds in the distance and overhead the great black flood of wind polishes the bright stars.” These are all great examples of his tone.

4) Five key Literary elements or techniques that Ford Madox uses in his story are allegory, figuritive language, alliteration, irony, allusion. In using “The Good Soldier”, as an allegory, the Apostle Paul was encouraging the younger preacher to be ready for hard times, to be good at what he does, to totally commit himself to the Lord’s service. I find this ironic,“We are all so afraid, we are all so alone, we all so need from the outside the assurance of our own worthiness to exist.” The figurative language he uses in this quote just makes it stand out “There is no man who loves a woman that does not desire to come to her for the renewal of his courage, for the cutting asunder of his difficulties. And that will be the mainspring of his desire for her. We are all so afraid, we are all so alone, we all so need from the outside the assurance of our own worthiness to exist.”

Vocab #6

beatitude- Supreme blessedness
bete noire- a detested person (disliked or avoided)
bode- Be an omen of a particular outcome
dank- Disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold
ecumenical- universal
fervid- Intensely enthusiastic or passionate
fetid- Smelling extremely unpleasant
gargantuan- of great mass
heyday- The period of a person's or thing's greatest success or popularity
incubus- A cause of distress or anxiety like a nightmare
infrastructure- The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation
inveigle- Persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery
kudos- Praise and honor received for an achievement
lagniappe- Something given as a bonus or extra gift
prolix- Using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy
protege- a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
prototype- A first or preliminary model of something, esp. a machine, from which other forms are developed or copied
sycophant- A person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer 
tautology- The saying of the same thing twice in different words
truckle- Submit or behave obsequiously

Textbook Reading Notes

Pg,64

1. Early Heroic Tales- 

• epics long narrative poems that celebrated the adventures of legendary heroes
• role models for ancient time civilians.
• proper behavior
• Gilgamesh and Iliad: Gilgamesh- 4000 yrs. old (Eastern) ; Iliad - 3000 yrs. old (Greek

Pg.65-66

1. Gilgamesh 

• made the journey to the end for the Earth and back but broken heart.
• He wrote the story on stone
• Uruk: ancient sumerian city
• "2/3 a god, 1/3 a man"
• "Anu And Ishtar"= Anu father of the Babylonian; Ishtar (god of love)

Pg.67-70

1. Iliad by Homer, translated by Richmond Latttimore

• Hektor- sun of Peleus, brutal, tall helm glittering; son of Priam, Best Trojan warrior
• Achaians-Greeks
• Spear
• No agreement nor oath been reached between Hektor and Achilles
• Achilles wins battle

Pg.72-78

1. History of the English Church and people

• Bede
• Roman Empire withdrawn from Britain and taught them how to read and write and Christanity
• Oral story telling period (fragmentary)
• Written in Latin 
• King Alfred's reign (AD 871-899)
• The situation of Britain and Ireland
• Geographic traits of Britain
• Trade, culture, natural resources

Pg.79-82

1. Singlo-Saxon Translated by Anne Sarage.

• battle between Danich and Aethelwarf
• Moon darkened
• Alfred died; peace

Quiz

Reading quiz pp. 64-82

1.      What is an epic?

2.      What was the function of a hero in an epic?

3.      How can reading an epic four thousand years later help us understand the society in which it was written?

4.      Name three epics.   Where was each one written?  Approximately how many years ago?

5.      Where is Uruk?

6.      What does the prologue of Gilgamesh suggest about the duties of a Sumerian king?

7.      Who is Ishtar?

8.      Is Gilgamesh a man or a god?  How does this characterization compare with that of Beowulf?

9.      By what common term do we know the Achaians?

10.  What is Athena’s relationship to Zeus?

11.  Who is Hector?

12.   How does Athena help Achilles and cheat Hector?  What does this suggest about Greek culture viewed the role of the gods?

13.  What does Hector ask of Achilles, and how does Achilles respond?  How does his response compare with the attitudes/values you see demonstrated in modern leadership?

14.  Who was Bede, and what did he describe in A History of the English Church and People?

15.  Approximately 150 years after Bede’s death, a group of monks wrote The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.  What was the purpose of this work?  Why wasn’t Bede’s history enough?

16.  According to Bede, what was Britain formerly known as?

17.  What background does Bede give about scarlet dye?  What does this suggest about the lifestyle/economy/values of the country?

18.  According to Bede, how is Ireland different from Britain?

19.  What threat(s) did the Anglo-Saxons of Alfred’s time face?  How united was the response?  What were the challenges to unity under Edward; i.e., what factors made it difficult for one ruler to control the all of Britain?

20.  The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle lists the deaths of important Anglo-Saxons.  Explain how including this information creates the sense that the Anglo-Saxons are a nation.  Do you see any similarity in how America’s tragic stories are told?

Essay Rubric Notes

9-8

-provide convincing readings
-demonstrate control of elements/references specific
-writing clear and sophisticated
(7-6)
-less thorough/less precise
-analysis convincing with father and son relationship
-ability to express ideas/references
7 better developed analysis and consistent


Question 2(George Eliot's Middle March)
-reflect quality(style, mechanics, content)
(9-8)
-persuasive analysis of Eliot's portrayal of two characters and complex relationship husband and wife
-strong for interpretation of characters/relationship
-literary devices/narrative/selesction detailed/specific references/ perspective analysis apparent in writing
-clear /organized 9 sophisticted
(7-6)
-reasonable analysis of Eliot's portrayal/develops through literary devices
-completent reading/attention to devices
-less perspective than 9-8 7/better analysi and more consistent

Question 3(Justice)
-as a whole(content, style and mechanics)
-no cause may poorly essay scored higher than 3
(9-8)
-well-focused/persuasive analysis understanding of justice/successful/search as a whole
-textual supprot/analyze character respond justice/injustice
-strong case of interpretation/literary work w/significant insight and understanding
(7-6)
-reasonable analysis of literay understanding of justice
-analyze character responds in significant for justice/injustice
-analysis less thorough/perceptive/less supportive than 9-8 7/better developed analysis and consistent command elements of effective compositiion than 6

Vocab #5

acumen (noun)- keen insight.
- I hope that I have acumen so that I can easily know who to trust. 
adjudicate (verb)- to settle or determine.
- I don’t like being a mediator, but I will always adjudicate a fight between my friends 
anachronism (noun)- something or someone that is not in its correct historical time.
- President Lincoln sent an email is an anachronism. 
apocryphal (adj)- of doubtful authorship or authenticity. 
 The idea that a dog could hold a pencil with it’s paw is apocryphal. 
disparity (noun)- inequalityThere will always be disparity of wealth within this society.- There is disparity in every high school because you start as a freshman and leave as a senior.
dissimulate (verb)- to disguise or conceal under a false appearance.
- I often dissimulate whenever I am in a bad mood. 
empirical (adj)- derived from or guided by experience or experiment
- I have to be empirical when learning information during my physics labs. 
flamboyant (adj)- strikingly bold or brilliant; showy
- All of our dance recitals are flamboyant and amazing to watch. 
fulsome (adj)- offensive to good taste, especially as being excessive;overdone or gross- My friend acted fulsome when she said she would help me on my homework.
immolate (verb)- to sacrifice
- People often used to immolate so as to please the gods.
imperceptible (adj)- very slight, gradual, or subtle.
- The idea behind the plot of the movie Inception is imperceptible to me. 
lackey (noun)- a servile follower
- I wish I had a lackey so I force someone to do something for me. 
liaison (noun)- a person who initiates and maintains such a contact or connection. 
- My main liaison among my friends would definitely be my cell phone. 
monolithic (adj)- consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken
- The asteroid heading for Earth is monolithic. 
mot juste (noun)- the exact, appropriate word 
- I hope to use mot juste whenever speaking to adults. 
nihilism (noun)- total rejection of established laws and institutions.
- I hope not to follow nihilism because I don’t want to lose who I am. 
patrician (noun)- a person of noble or high rank; aristocrat. 
- My grandmother acts as though she is a patrician because she has amazing etiquette. 
propitiate (verb)- to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate.
- I hope to propitiate all those who look up to me. 
sic (verb)-to incite to attack 
- I don’t like the idea of writings being sic because it usually means they are more confusing to read. 
sublimate(adj)-to make nobler or purer
- Someday I hope to sublimate the idea that a woman can burp in public.

Beowulf ond Godsylla

Meanehwæl, baccat meaddehæle, monstær lurccen;
Fulle few too many drincce, hie luccen for fyht.
Ðen Hreorfneorhtðhwr, son of Hrwærowþheororthwl,
Æsccen æwful jeork to steop outsyd.
Þhud! Bashe! Crasch! Beoom! Ðe bigge gye
Eallum his bon brak, byt his nose offe;
Wicced Godsylla wæld on his asse.
Monstær moppe fleor wyþ eallum men in hælle.
Beowulf in bacceroome fonecall bamaccen wæs;
Hearen sond of ruccus sæd, "Hwæt ðe helle?"
Graben sheold strang ond swich-blæd scharp
Stond feorth to fyht ðe grimlic foe.
"Me," Godsylla sæd, "mac ðe minsemete."
Heoro cwyc geten heold wiþ fæmed half-nelson
Ond flyng him lic frisbe bac to fen
Beowulf belly up to meaddehæle bar,
Sæd, "Ne foe beaten mie færsom cung-fu."
Eorderen cocca-cohla yce-coeld, ðe reol þyng.

Meanwhile, back at the Meade hall, a monster was lurking,
Full of too many drinks, he was looking for fight.
Then Hreorfneorhtðhwr, son of Hrwærowþheororthwl,
Askined awful jerk to step outside.

Thud! Bash! Crash! Boom! The big guy
His bone broke, bite his nose off;
Wicked Godzilla wailed on his ass.
Monster mopped the floor with all the men in hall.
Beowolf in backroom was making a phonecall;
He heard sound of ruccus said, "What the hell?"
Grabbing strong shield and sharp switch blade
Stand forth to fight the grim foe.
"Me," Godzilla said, "make the mincemeat."
Hero quick getttin' hold with famed half-nelson
And flying him like frisbee back to fen
Beowulf belly up to meadhall bar,
Said, "No foe has beaten my fearsome kung-fu."
Orderin' coca-cola ice cold, the real thing.

Favorite Hero

A more modern hero story that I enjoy is The Amazing Spiderman. His call to adventure is when he discovers his father formula for genetic mutation. He is insecure about showing this Dr. Curt Connors, who is also trying to make genetic mutation a real thing. He then is bitten by a genetically mutated spider which give him something you could say would be "superpowers". His path then is hit with hardships and challenges. Like Dr. Connors becoming a giant green lizard who destroys the city. Peter Parker a.k.a. Spiderman is then force to stop him because it was his will that brought Dr. Connor the formula. He also gets the girl has always wanted, it just so happened to be the chief of police's daughter. He is after Spiderman because he thinks he is a vigilante. He goes through many obstacles like his Uncle Ben dying and his school being attack by the giant green lizard. The first two time Spiderman fights Dr.Connor he loses, but at the end the people of the city come together to help Spiderman because they figure out that he is there only hope. He ends up winning against Dr. Connors at the end and saves the city from genetic mutation. Peter Parker's departed, his initiation, and then returns as a hero in The Amazing Spiderman making him a hero because he followed a typical hero's journey.

Vocab #4

apostate- a person who leaves behind his religious or political beliefs. (noun)

-Siddhartha was an apostate in that he left behind his Hindi belief in wealth and lived the life of a poor man with little means.

effusive- something or someone showing unrestrained emotion or thankfulness. (noun)

-After the emergency man cleaned her wounds she was effusive.

impasse-something from which there is no escape or solution. (noun)

-Some may think magic is impasse.

euphoria-describes a feeling of well-being and great happiness. (noun)

-After he saved the little girl from being hit he entered a state of euphoria.

lugubrious- describes someone who looks very sad, depressed or long-in-the-face. (adjective)

-We could tell they were upset by the lugubrious expression on her face.

bravado- behavior by a scared person that shows courage. (noun)

-The bravado that he showed did not impress the crowd.

consensus- an agreement made by a group. (noun)

-Before we decided where we would go on vacation we had to get a consensus from our entire family.

dichotomy- a sharp division of things or ideas into two contradictory parts. (noun)

-the dichotomy of votes in the class made it difficult to choose which project we were going to do.

constrict- to become narrower at one place, or to make something narrower or more restrictive. (verb)

-The boa constricted the animal so tight it suffocated.

gothic- related to medieval style or the horror and mystery depicted in fiction about the 18th and 19th centuries. (adjective)

-That women had a very gothic style with all her dark cloths and makeup.

punctilio-precise observance of petty formalities

-the receptionist was very punctilious in his attention to every detail.

metamorphosis-change of form, shape, structure, or substance; transformation, as, in myths, by magic or sorcery

-The caterpillar  metamorphosis into a butterfly was a beautiful sight.  

raconteur- a person who tells stories or anecdotes in an amusing and clever way. (noun)

-He was a raconteur in that he could turn the most banal stories into hilarious and interesting ones.

sine qua non-an essential condition, qualification, etc.; indispensable thing; absolute prerequisite

-Physics is a sine qua non for AP Physics.

quixotic- romantic behavior or following beliefs even though they are foolish or unreachable goals. (adjective)

-Some may call the gold miners who are looking to strike it rich are quixotic because it is not often that large amounts of gold are found.

vendetta- a lingering grudge or feeling of hatred for someone, such as a blood feud where the family of someone who had been killed seeks revenge on the family of the killer or his family. (noun)

-The Hatfields and the Mccoys had vendettas against each family.

non sequitur- a statement, conclusion or reply that has nothing to do with the previous statement. (noun)

-He provided a non sequitur statement in his argument suddenly changing the courts thoughts.

mystique- an aura of mystery or an air of secrecy surrounding something or someone that makes the person or thing seem very intriguing. (noun)

-The new kid at school had a certain mystique about him.

quagmire- soft, wet ground or a complex and difficult situation with no easy solution. (noun)

-while walking through the wood in the winter I stepped in a patch of quagmire.

parlous-perilous; dangerous; risky

-The hero went on a parlous journey to save the his people.

Literary Analysis Reading Book

I have selected The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox. It's a story being told by flashbacks that are not in chronological order. It make the book unclear until the author raps things up at the end of the book. It is loosely based on Ford's messy personal life and his cases of adultery. This book interested me and I thought I would give it a try and read it.