Response to December Material

Pretty much all we did was Hamlet. Watching so many movie versions of the play was pretty cool, and I was surprised by how much each had to offer that was unique.

Last year I was in Brit Lit with Ms Huntley and while reading Macbeth she kept stopping and having us write out "directing decisions" and consider things such as lighting and costumes and acting instructions. I really didn't like it. It took forever and seemed pointless... I did it of course but I didn't understand what difference it would make; I thought that there was only one correct way to do a Shakespeare play. Viewing multiple versions of Hamlet brought me back to that assignment, and shed more light on it. Now I understand better the impact that even subtle directions can give to the film/play. They can answer questions as huge as "Is Hamlet really mad?" or "Did Gertrude sacrifice her life for him?"

Something I am particularly proud of is helping our class examine Hamlet as a devil-figure. He starts out all Christian and good but he decides he want to take the King's power, and then when he tries to kill Claudius in the chapel, he can't! Obviously because prayers weaken demonic spirits (If you're not that kind of Christian, just think of exorcism movies). Then all that weird stuff happens like incest and madness. Then Ms Holmes confirmed what I was saying, so it's legit. She also said he redeems himself with the Sparrow speech, but I'll have to look back through that because I don't remember it. But this is just like how Lucifer was an angel, and tried to usurp God and then became the Western symbol of evil. Oh and it should be noted that in the play Hamlet puts together, the King's son is called Lucianus or something like that, which is a clear deviation of Lucifer.

The only other things we did were all those blog posts about Shakespeare in Prison, in the Bush, and the poem for Ophelia. Those were all really good but I'm not sure they furthered our discussion hardly at all in my hour. But I'm still glad I read/listened to them, because they were really interesting.

Open Prompts #4

Essay on the 2004 Question 3
**Note- It didn't include the graders' comments or score so I couldn't consider that.

The first essay is very fascinating! The student analyzes the novel Candide and what its central question is. The introductory sentences are really good and do a great job of framing the essay and setting the mood for the reader. It's so good that one almost doesn't notice that they neglected to include the author or mention the effect that the author's treatment of the question has on the reader (as indicated in the prompt). The student does too much summarizing in the body paragraphs, and the summaries are confusing for someone who has never read the novel, but then it is tied up startlingly well at the end! The concluding paragraph is very tidy, complete, and logical. Interestingly, the student brings in a second piece of lit, a poem by Gibrar, which seems unusual and is possibly not allowed, but it actually is worked in very well and smoothly. This is an excellent essay that answers the question, but it's not perfect because the body paragraphs lack substance.

The second essay covers The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This is also a really well done essay. The student made a lot of scribbles over their mistakes which was kind of annoying, but it was still fairly readable. The language and syntax was a lot simpler in this one but the arguments were better crafted than the previous essay. Each paragraph makes sense and builds towards the thesis, albeit with unimpressive language skills. This essay surely warrants a decent score, maybe an 8.

The third essay discusses the novel Things Fall Apart. There seems to be an intro paragraph and then another intro paragraph which contains the thesis. This is a poor structure, and the thesis itself is weak. Based on the students' description of the story, the central question they identify doesn't seem to fit with the novel. There are also a lot of grammatical issues and the student writes out pluses like "+" in place of the word "and," which is poor form on the exam. The unfitting thesis, illogical structure, and frequent, annoying errors certainly mean a low score for this essay. It would probably get a 3 or 4, based on the grading rubric.

Close Reading #4

http://kotaku.com/5806664/how-pokemon-was-born-from-bug-collecting-and-aspergers-syndrome?tag=totalrecall

In the article "How Pokémon Was Born From Bug Collecting and Asperger's Syndrome," author Luke Plunkett discusses how the creator of Pokémon, Satoshi Tajiri, became inspired to create the popular franchise. By the use of awkward syntax, great diction, and details, Plunkett creates contrast between where Tajiri started with where he is now, a distinction between past and present.

Plunkett utilizes an excessive amount of commas. This is so that he can fit two juxtaposing ideas into one sentence, but still make the individual ideas clear. This results in a "before and after" kind of effect for the reader. For example, the sentence "As happens when kids get older, though, interests come and go, and by the time he was a teenager Tajiri's focus had shifted from harvesting bugs to pumping coins into arcade games..." The separation of this sentence with commas has an effect of separating Tajiri's life into distinct stages, too.

Another technique in Plunkett's writing is his diction. In two adjacent sentences he describes Tajiri's hometown today as a "sprawling metropolis" and describes it when he grew up as "quaint, almost rural..." When talking about Tajiri's youth, the words are cozy, and when talking about the present the words sound more institutional-like, and modern. The game is even referred to as a "role-playing juggernaut" which really emphasizes Tajiri's successful new life.

Plunkett incorporates a lot of details about Tajiri's life that are not necessary to the goal of the article but do contribute to the contrast between past and present. He describes how Tajiri's childhood friends called him "Mr. Bug" due to his fascination with insects. That detail seems cute and nerdy, which fits Plunkett's pattern of describing the past. A detail offered about the present is Nintendo representatives' description of Taijiri, which is "creative" and "eccentric." The present is all glory and success, while the past is very humble and curious.

November Course Material

November is my favorite month, because it is officially sweater weather and that holiday feeling is starting to spread, but hasn't gotten out of control and obnoxious yet. This month we also got to read Hamlet, which was pretty cool. I had always waned to read that play, so I'm glad to be able to cross that off my literary to-do list.

We did a second attempt at an essay about "The Century Quilt", except that I was absent for the first one so I actually only wrote one... But yes, we practiced essaying. We did not get them back however, and I would like to see some feedback from Ms. Holmes... Hopefully we write more essays because I need the practice. AP Lit essays seem quite different from other AP essays, such as History or Biology themed ones. Unfortunately we can't just rattle off facts; we have to write well and know all the terminology too. With practice we will get it!

Even after wrapping up DOS, there were still some loose ends. I feel like there is much more to the story than what we uncovered, but in general we did pretty well explaining things. The goldfish bowl was neat, but I think I prefer working together as a whole class, where we can shout out our ideas as they come. When it came to our theme statement discussion, everyone was going back and forth between ideas that I didn't like, so I just wrote my own and read it to the class and they loved it! That made me happy. I don't usually single-handedly win over the class that way so it was nice to contribute! I think we sometimes forget to think individually and only think collectively.

Those exercises we have started to do regarding mood and diction and such are pretty hard! We always take forever and it's grueling work. I'm sure that they will pay off though. I trust Ms. Holmes' lesson planning. I remember a certain American Lit teacher I had who made us write "journals" as a warm up activity and there was NO benefit from them and she collected them and read each one carefully and half the time the prompt was basically "write whatever you want" or else it was something difficult like "What is your definition of happiness? Please write two pages on this." I am certain all the journals were was wasted time. So the AP environment is a nice change.

And, of course, Hamlet. I think this is my new favorite Shakespeare play, after Julius Caesar. I love the witty dialogue! Hamlet is such a cool protagonist, and I'm looking forward to going back through everything for a close reading. I haven't synthesized any theories yet, but I'm pretty sure I do not like the way women and gender role are portrayed in this piece. My close reading should clarify this for me.

Open Prompt #3!!

These are from the 2003 student responses to Question 3.

Essay #1
This essay was unusually long, which I know the AP graders despise. It started off leaving me worried because the student seemed to be summarizing The Great Gatsby and not discussing how tragic heroes can drag down those around them. But the student saved it after a page or two! Suddenly they launched into this great and easy to follow analysis of Gatsby as a tragic hero, and the destruction he brings about to those around him. Despite the four pages of tiny, messy script that was hard to read, this essay actually read really well and I'm certain it received a good grade. I just think instead of summary and then analysis, they should have woven them together more. Overall, this student has great fluency in the writing and a really good argument that answers the prompt, but they should have been more concise and made a clearer thesis that they follow more tightly.

Essay #2
Well. For the opening paragraph this student totally restated the prompt. They re-wrote the whole quote and then just paraphrased the prompt situation very closely. In the second paragraph is when they introduce the literature and start responding. This seems like bad form, and the AP graders already know that quote as they have read the prompt an excessive number of times, obsessing over it and waking up in the middle of the night reciting it. So don't waste precious minutes rewriting it. The student also does some weird stuff such as discussing King Lear and then suddenly saying "...just like Hamlet." There are these little comparisons to Hamlet! That's weird and not part of the prompt, and it doesn't help the essay along at all. At the very end the student explains that Lear is a tragic hero and his choices lead to many deaths, which is tragic. Clearly they understand the play, but they just talk about the plot the whole time and the argument just lays there uselessly at the end.

Essay #3
This student took some liberties with syntax, throwing parenthesis and hyphens around. Personally I like that kind of conversational style, but it seems a bit too casual for this assignment. You don't want to seem lazy to the graders. The ideas in the essay were easily followed but they really lacked depth. They described One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest with great detail but didn't ever explain the greater significance or meaning behind these plot twists and details. I doubt this essay received better than a 5 or 6, due to this shallow quality. The student should have made a more thoughtful thesis than simply "...McMurphy is a tragic hero... his actions result in other patients suffering as well." By closely following a more thoughtful thesis and developing ideas more, this student would have created a much better essay.

Death of a Salesman

Arthur Miller was born in New York (1915--2005), experienced several bad marriages including one with Marilyn Monroe, and studied at the University of Michigan. His family was pretty wealthy until the Wall Street crash of 1929, then they had to live more modestly. (www.biography.com/people/arthurmiller)

The play is set in Brooklyn, at Willy's apartment and at some other places around the area of New York.

Key Plot points: Willy has been struggling with his job as a salesman, Linda wants him to stop traveling, and he is troubled by how Biff hasn't accomplished anything. Linda warns her sons that Willy is suicidal.Willy is frequently lost in daydreams of past memories of happier times, searching for the moment that changed everything. Which is, of course, when Biff caught him having an affair after he went to tell his father that he flunked math and would have to make it up in summer school. Biff is so disheartened that he gives up on his dreams, and the family is torn apart. Willy also sees visions of his deified older brother, Ben, who was a father figure for him. Further proof of family dysfunction. Willy goes to talk to his boss about not traveling anymore, and he gets fired. This is the moment that the salesman dies, as he must confront reality. He goes to see his friend Charley and sees how successful Charley's son Bernard has become. Meanwhile, Biff had promised to try for a business deal (really just to appease his dad) and he fails at that, too. The boys went out to dinner to celebrate, but instead have to admit their failures, and the sons leave Willy alone there. Later that night, Biff and Willy get into a fight and Biff cries, which makes Willy feel loved (so strange) and everything starts to seem better, but then Willy kills himself. But his insurance was all good, so Linda paid off the house and will get by.

Characters:
Willy Loman: A delusional salesman, he has convinced himself that he is a great and accomplished man, but really he's just a compulsive liar (or extremely deluded).

Linda Loman: Willy's wife. She is very supportive of him and takes his side over her sons'. She supports him more than he realizes, and manages the household affairs and money.

Biff Loman: *Biff can mean mistake, like if you trip and totally wipe out.* Biff is the older son, and he was always the superstar growing up. He's athletic and had a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, but threw it away after learning about his dad's deceitfulness and lack of character. Willy is disappointed that Biff never became all that he had expected out of him.

Happy Loman: Biff's younger brother, the forgotten one, living in Biff's shadow. He uses women as he pleases and presents himself inaccurately a lot like his dad does.

Ben: Willy's older brother who became very wealthy. He's very masculine and epic-seeming and represents everything that Willy desires to be.

Charley: Willy's only friend. Charley gives him money a lot and he is very successful, causing a  bit of tension between he and Willy.

Miller's Style adds some interesting elements to the play. He added the gaps in the walls as a visual aid for the audience, to distinguish dreams from reality when it's kind of ambiguous. The point of view in this play switches between the members of the family, highlighting that this is not only about Willy's struggle, but how it affects the entire family dynamic.

Symbols:
Stockings are symbols of guilt for Willy. They're what he offered his mistress and so it really freaks him out to see his wife mending her old stockings, as it makes him feel so guilty.

Howard's Voice Recorder is a symbol for reality. A machine that records the past accurately and in a way that Willy can't lie about later.

Seeds are a symbol for Willy's disappointment in his children. They are like failed seeds to him, because they didn't grow up like he wanted them to. I also found on SparkNotes the theory that they represent a desire to feed his family, since he struggles financially.

Quotes:
 From Act 2
WILLY:  I don’t think that was funny, Charley. This is the greatest day of his life.

CHARLEY: Willy, when are you going to grow up?

WILLY: Yeah, heh? When this game is over, you’ll be laughing out of the other side of your face. They’ll be calling him another Red Grange. Twenty-five thousand a year.

This quote shows how delusional Willy is. It's just a football game, and he is way too proud of it. He's shooting too high, and it's unrealistic.

From Act 1
WILLY: … was rich! That’s just the spirit I want to imbue them with! To walk into a jungle! I was right! I was right! I was right!

This quote shows how Willy thinks wealth and success just fall into your lap. He thinks it's as simple as "walking into a jungle..." and emerging wealthy. This is why he doesn't work hard.


Theme
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman suggests that valuing words instead of actions leads to a delusional perception of one's success; this delusion leads to a deterioration of relationships as well as one's own rational thinking.

This is evident by how Willy is always lying about himself and his accomplishments, telling his boss that he used to make much more than he truly did, or saying that he never relies on others for help, despite the known fact that Charley lends him money frequently. Willy always talked himself up, and Biff too. Willy bragged about his whole family, but never actually worked at achieving those goals of his. He makes fun of Bernard for studying, because he doesn't actually see the need for working towards his dreams. He expects them to just come to him. This inflated view of himself makes Willy quite delusional, and he spends many years denying his failure. He is failing as a businessman but tells the family that he is famous along his work routes. He lies so much that he warps his own perception of reality. This makes his family lose trust and faith in Willy.

Even the title of the play, Death of a Salesman, refers to the moment that Willy is faced with reality. When he is fired and has to accept his failure, that is the death of the salesman in him. The realization of how deluded he has been acting leads to him finally committing suicide.

The symbol of the voice recorder also carries this theme. It kicks on after Willy is fired, startling him. Suddenly he realizes he can't just keep lying. He will be held accountable for his actions and his failures, and how badly he has distorted his life is made clear to him. (Well, clearer--he's still a bit deluded).

Close Reading #3

Teens are going to extremes with texting

by The Jersey Journal (2009).

http://www.nj.com/hudson/voices/index.ssf/2009/10/editorial_teens_are_going_to_e.html

In this Editorial, the use of diction, figurative language, and details serve to explain the unhealthy side effects of excessive text messaging, while suggesting that teens are truly just helpless victims to this illness.

The author (who is not identified specifically, so will be referred to as "he") chooses words that emphasize the addiction aspect of this behavior, and portray the teens as helpless to fight back. He describes youths staying up all night with "thumbs pumping." Pumping calls to mind machinery, as though the kids are mindless and robotic, maybe even brainwashed, and thus not held accountable for their actions. He describes the "avalanche of messages" which, an avalanche is something that can't be stopped and the victims are pretty powerless, and how it is "robbing" children of sleep. Robbing also takes the blame off of the kids. They aren't willingly sacrificing their hours of sleep, it is being taken from them by this situation they're in. Later the author describes how there are rehab centers that serve to "wean" people off of technology. Wean emphasizes the addiction aspect and the weakness of the teens, but it also calls to mind infants being "weaned" off of breast milk. This is to generate sympathy for the teens, depicting them as vulnerable and in need of help.

Figurative language is used in a similar way, conveying sympathy for the teens struggling with this addiction. The author mentions how hard it is for teens to put down their phones because they "seem as natural as breathing." This simile implies that adolescents simply don't know any differently, and won't be able to recognize their behaviors as problematic, because they are normal for them. Later the author explains how the lack of sleep due to texting "results [in] poor performance, a sort of sleepwalking through classes and the day in a fog that some physicians liken to drunkenness." This imagery definitely demonstrates the harm that can fall on teens' health, and the association with drinking justifies the addictive nature of technology.

The use of details serves to solidify the argument with evidence. The author describes a specific teen girl, and how she sends over 10,000 text messages each month. To do this she has to interrupt her showers and stay up all night. By using a specific case study, it makes the argument more personal, which contributes to the sympathy the reader has been accumulating. Statistics are also used, like "13- to 17-year-olds send or receive an average of 1,742 text messages a month," and these add to the urgency of the editorial, making it seem like a true pandemic among us.

The purpose of this piece is to illustrate the text messaging problem many teens are facing, and to explain that it's not the teens' faults, but it's an addiction or illness they are victims of. The diction, language, and details carry this message to the reader.

***Ok, side note: I don't agree with this at all. We should be held accountable for our choices! There is no way that teens are just "victims" to texts. We are more than capable of NOT texting all night and I can't stand when people argue that kind of thing. People need to be held accountable for more; not everything is "a result of society's expectations" and whatever else annoying people say. Okay. I'm done.***

Response to October Course Material

Through October we have wrapped up The American Dream, gone on to Death Of A Salesman, and done a little poetry practice.

I feel pretty good about how we left American Dream, but making the blog post for it took forever! But we're making a study guide, so if you think about it that way it isn't so bad. We'll use it to study from later and then it'll be great.  

Death of a Salesman is giving me anxiety though. For some reason I find it significantly harder to analyze than American Dream and I'm not having these epic epiphanies every time we discuss anymore... I do notice some similarities between the texts and should probably elaborate on them:

     Both Dream and Salesman center on dysfunctional families and the relations/power struggle between one generation and the next. However, in Salesman, the family has legitimate love and care for each other. We haven't quite reached any great understanding of the work yet, but I think the theme has something to do with having unrealistic dreams, which is similar to Dream because in both of them satisfaction was unattainable. Except in Dream it was impossible, and in Salesman it is possible (achieved by Charley, for example), but the Lomans lack the resources to achieve their goals. Their dreams are unrealistic for them, but satisfaction can be achieved in other ways, such as how Biff wants to be a cowboy/farm hand.

I really loved reading "Promises Like Pie-Crust," that was such a great poem. I was able to understand the meaning a lot better than I usually can from poetry. The speaker was refusing love and commitments because she had lost faith in peoples' abilities to follow through happily on promises. Either that poem was extra clear, or I'm improving at poetry reading! Although we read "My Father's Song" too, and I was able to understand that one as well. It was about life and how all living things coexist and need nurturing from each other. The earth raises crops, which raise people, who raise their children, and the little mice are doing the same thing. This lesson got passed down father to son for several generations.  I really liked that poem, too. I'm still not crazy about annotating these texts. I've seen how it can be extremely useful in some cases, but with these poems I don't think all the time we spent marking it up was worth it. The meaning can be reached without having to question every little thing... Don't you think? Or am I speaking blasphemy here...?

So... I hope that as we move into November, sixth hour can get a little more thoughtful. I feel like our class hasn't been arriving at good conclusions in our practices over the past few weeks. No judgment! It's my fault as well, but I think we can do a little better. I mean it's sixth hour so we're tired and ready to leave... But let's try to get super excited like we did when discussing American Dream. Hopefully we develop some kind of epic and revolutionary analysis.

Open Prompt #2

The 2006 Question 3 Prompt.

The goal was to write about how a country/rural setting influences the values of characters in any novel or play of the student's choice.

Student Essay #1
The thesis is framed nicely, and the student clearly takes a stand that in Jane Austen's Persuasion, the countryside conveys virtue, nurture, and peace. The only thing missing is that the student didn't say how she does this. There is no mention of DIDLS, no technique, only meaning. Even so, the essay is really well written. The student explains how the countryside has various profound effects on the character, Anne, using plot pieces. The graders gave this essay an 8, and gave no negative comments whatsoever in their grading. My guess is that the only reason it isn't a 9 is that all of her evidence was plot analysis, with no analysis of writing techniques. The fact that she got an 8 says that they must be a bit lenient with this if the rest of the essay is really solid, like this one. The concluding paragraph is nice and tidy, finishing strongly. I think that helps boost the score as well.

Student Essay #2
Throughout the entire essay, the student (probably a boy according to the beautiful handwriting that I have to tilt my head and squint to read) does not mention the author of the play. This student probably forgot who the author was, and it seems like that would be a big no-no for an AP exam. Also, he writes the title of the play as "The Importance of Being Earnest" and I find it unusual that he consistently chooses not to underline "The." As for his essay content, the student seems to lose track of the prompt, because he never actually ties the countryside to the values of the main character, Jack. Instead, he tells us about how confusing the plot of the play is and gives a summary of the story. At the end he states that the countryside was the "agent" of all the confusion. Confusion isn't a value, and he didn't really tie anything to the countryside other than it was the location that these events occurred in. Even his initial thesis is that the combination of city and country settings creates disorder and confusion in the play. That fails to answer the prompt, but then he doesn't even argue it very well anyway!

Student Essay #3
This essay is just awful. The student says that "nearly every bit of the novel may be attributed to setting," which is a bit overboard because the prompt only asks for setting in relation to developing values. The student describes the stream of consciousness style of William Faulkner's As I lay Dying, as well as states that it is written "in dialect." The student should've used the word colloquial probably, to tighten that up. But even so, those really aren't attributed to the countryside setting. This essay doesn't even argue that it is with any evidence. This student also wrote that Faulkner "knows all too well the backward ways of the South" and explains that some characters are only "so dumb" because they grew up in the South. Given that this student does not know the regional background of his/her graders, they probably shouldn't say things quite so generally. I love when this student writes "Then there is little Vardaman. He catches a fish. It dies. His mother dies. His mother is a fish." I'm guessing the writer is referring to the thought process of a child but they don't really say that. They just sort of spout nonsensical little sentences... Basically this whole essay gives examples of characters doing stupid things or believing stupid ideas, and blames it on the Southern setting. It is extremely far off base from the prompt and fails to explain the connection between ignorance and rural setting, or any other values / lack of values. Even the AP graders' response mentions how his statements about the American South are pretty offensive...

Albee's The American Dream

Edward Albee was himself adopted by rich people. His adopted dad was married at least three times, suggesting potentially bad family dynamics. Also, he is gay. Although he says his sexuality doesn't influence his work, it's something to consider with all the gender role switching in his play. 

The entire play occurs in one setting: a small apartment building of questionable quality.

 The plot is basically that Mommy grew up with Grandma and they sort of took care of each other, then she married Daddy. Her relationship with Grandma deteriorated to near-constant abusive fighting. She and Daddy bought a baby from an adoption service, but were angry when it began to do things they didn't like. For example they cut its tongue out when it screamed, and cut its genitalia off when it reached for it. They destroyed the child, and invite Mrs. Barker from the adoption service to come over to arrange for a new "better" adoption. We spend about two thirds of the play just trying to figure out why Mrs. Barker is there at all, since everyone is so absent-minded they can't remember. Then the handsome and empty "American Dream" young man shows up, and he is accepted as the replacement for the lost child, since he is empty inside already. Grandma leaves the play, and ends the show with a short closing speech to the audience.

Characters:
Mommy: The most aggressive character. Manipulates/controls Daddy, talks endlessly about petty things.

Daddy: Had an "operation" (sex change--loss of manhood by Mommy), gets along with Grandma, still 
            treats her with respect.

Grandma: The old American Dream. She is witty, harsh, open, and androgynous. The old American Dream 
                didn't have distinctions for gender. She is close with Mrs. Barker, Daddy, and the Young Man.    
                The only one thinking clearly. Also, the only one that leaves the play and interacts with the     
                audience like an omnipresent figure.

Mrs. Barker: Similar to Mommy, yet gets along well with Grandma and actually listens to her. A 
                    "professional  woman," she comes to see Mommy and Daddy but can't remember why. Her 
                     mind is clouded. She is also affiliated with groups and is almost always identified in relation to 
                     other things, her husband's last name, titles like chairwoman or volunteer...

Young Man: Completely empty inside. He is dazzlingly attractive physically, but he can't love at all and has 
                   no values. All he cares about is money. "I'll do anything for money." He is dubbed "The 
                   American Dream" by Grandma who really likes him and allows him to take her place.

Albee's Style 
      Albee uses the word "bumble" to describe the baby. In class we agreed bumble means something foolish or something one regrets. He also has the Young Man talk about his twin using terms like "ova" / "ovum," this is the only place where noticeably scientific terms are used, probably to suggest that the new American Dream embraces scientific advances, which of course were happening at astonishing new levels in the 20th century. 
      Another style technique is Albee's use of tone. Mommy has a nagging, horrible, bitter tone. Daddy on the other hand, just about every time he speaks it is to please someone else. He almost never says anything that's not "You're exactly right." Grandma has a shameful tone on her speech because she is so disappointed in the kinds of people that Mommy and Daddy have become.
      A third style technique is the use of point of view. This play isn't exactly from anyone's POV, it's sort of a silent third person, but near the end it's like Grandma joins the readers/watchers as part of the POV. That gives the play a very strange coming-to-life kind of feel. Also, the third person thing suggests an unbiased telling of the story, which is key because Albee is trying to address all of America as a whole.

Theme: The American Dream by Edward Albee warns that the new generation of Americans has lost touch with traditional American values, including dignity, replacing them with a materialistic penchant for unreasonable satisfaction.

The setting demonstrates this theme. On the one hand, Mommy always brags about how rich she and Daddy are. On the other hand, we are told the house has lots of broken appliances and creaks and Mrs. Barker remarks "My, what an unattractive apartment you have!" (Albee 35). This tells us that Mommy and Daddy are all about pretending. If they were truly rich, they'd have a nicer apartment (or an actual house) and it would be furnished better. They are shallow and only worried about acting like they deserve so much more.

The plot shows this as well, because it is all about how they (Mommy mainly) always want better, and the pursuit to buy happiness has broken down family dynamics and values. Mommy discarded Grandma and even Daddy a little for her selfish pursuits.

The title The American Dream is pretty self explanatory. The story is about the ideal lifestyle of the American people, and how it is perceived now compared to how it has been thought of for a long time. In this case, the American Dream is a young man that's very pleasing to look at, can be bought, and is essentially entirely empty of content and emotion. He is the opposite of the old American Dream, Grandma, who is hardy, clever, and very personable.


Quotes:

"That's the way things are today; you just can't get satisfaction; you just try." (quote by Daddy)
This quote explains how everyone's goal is satisfaction, and the endless pursuit of it even when they know they will never achieve it.

"I'll do almost anything for money"..."...If there's money in it." (quote by Young Man)
This helps tie the commercial aspect in. The new American Dream is something that can be bought, something with no dignity or ethics.

"I don't know why I bother to take them with me [the boxes]. They don't have much in them...some old letters, a couple of regrets...eighty-six years of living... some sounds... a few images," (quoted by Grandma).
Grandma's boxes contain memories, values, and experiences. Grandma is all about content. The old American dream held these things dear; personal growth kinds of things.

Close Reading #2

Why Men Aren't Really Men Anymore

(Article by Paul Hudson)

http://elitedaily.com/life/culture/why-men-arent-really-men-anymore/

      This article by Paul Hudson serves to shame the men of our society, and he does this by using whimsical syntax, crude and demeaning diction, and catchy language techniques.

      

     The very first line of this article reads "There was once a time when men used to be real men." This is sort of hilarious, because his syntax is modeled after that of a fairytale, as if it's now only a magical story that men used to be upstanding and strong individuals. He also ends with "there aren’t many of us, but we’re survivors and will be around for a while," to continue with the story-book effect. Using this technique, Hudson suggests that it's simply not realistic to hold most men today to the same standards we used to.

     

     The next technique used is diction. Very hard, insulting, inappropriate diction. He replaces the word "men" with substitutions such as "boys," "pansies," and other names that are too crude for me to quote. Insults like these show how Hudson has no respect at all for the males of today

     

     The third thing Hudson does is to use fun language techniques such as parallelism and alliterations, to make his ideas easy to remember and repeat. For example, he says "Generation-Y is the instant gratification generation. We want what we want right at the moment we figure out that we want it." The clever use of both alliteration and parallel structure make his idea stand out, and make it more memorable.

     Between his humorous syntax, vulgar diction, and memorable language, Hudson slanders men, exposing them as weak, selfish creatures. His disappointment in his gender could not be felt any deeper.

Response to September's Course Material

     I remember that the first thing we did was to analyze and compare those two paintings of Madonna with child. At the time I felt annoyed because I thought we were spending way too much time on it, but of course it makes sense now. First of all, that probably means that Ms Holmes wants us to spend a long time on every piece, and not just blast through it with her simply telling us the meaning and significance, like in other lit classes. This requires more effort on our parts, but will certainly make us better readers. I actually already feel like I've improved a lot!

     A more personal growth in September is that I finally understand what motifs are. They're not even complicated, either. They also don't have to fit into the theme; they're just patterns. Maybe significant, maybe not.

     I don't know about everyone else, but I had never heard of the DIDLS guide for analysis before this class. I've worked with each element individually in other classes (imagery, diction, etc) but have NEVER seen them all squished together into one funny name NOR have I been asked to talk about more than one or two at a time. I'm not sure why my other teachers have never gone here, because it's not especially difficult and I know everyone is getting a lot more out of the texts this way.

     One thing that I feel like was a bad lesson idea was when Ms Holmes had us play those games on the board, where we had to identify lit terms. It's a bit emberassing but I didn't know a lot of them! I would have rather we talked about all the terms or were at least given a packet or something. Also, some of you guys read freakishly fast and after only two seconds people are screaming "LITOTES!!" and I have never heard this word and now don't even know the definition it's paired with. So that was a bit frustrating. On Friday (with the sub) we got a packet with some drama/comedy terms. I'd like more of those and then maybe some quizzes where we have to match definitions INDEPENDENTLY so I can have a whole three or four seconds to read and take it all in for myself. On the exam I won't have the benefit of peers yelling out the answer before I even finish reading, so I think we need some quizzes...

     As for The American Dream, I really enjoyed it. I think it was a good one to start with because it's short (fewer details to analyze) and yet there are so many different ways we can spin it.I've really liked talking about this play in class, and hearing everyone's ideas! It showed that we don't have to rely on what "They say" books are about, even we high school students can develop our own ideas

     So overall, not a bad start. I think this class is going to do a lot more for me than my other lit classes have.

Open Prompt Responses #1

My Response to Their Responses to an Open Prompt about the function of a foil and how it illuminates meaning.

The first essay discusses The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan.The thesis is not very clear, but it does establish which characters are foils and why. The first body paragraph just starts summarizing the book's plot!
2nd essay! There is way too much "tour guiding" than is necessary, and the comparisons are spread out this way. The essayist is trying to argue that the foil between the two main characters "illuminates the meaning" of the work, and actually ties it together better than I thought they would. But then the conclusion paragraph just repeated everything word for word, which got kind of boring. Maybe the author was trying to fill up more space, but the essay turned out very long and in this case I'd say less is more. The writer should have been a bit more concise. Even so, overall it was a good essay, because it explained the message of the book well as being about personal strength and self-worth, and discussing foils. The graders gave it an 8 and actually comment that the length is good because it gives "room for interpretation," so maybe it's a matter of opinion. Or I was just wrong, since the AP graders are like the ultimate authority on student essays...

     The second essay is about The Color Purple, but the student forgot to mention the author's name (or didn't know it.) Also, the name of the main character, Celie, is always written in lower case ("celie"), and that is wrong... Sadly, this essay does not address foils at all until the very end paragraph, where it is used very weakly. Even the opening paragraph serves only to summarize the book, and it seems clear that the student doesn't know how to construct these argument-driven essays. The graders gave this a 6, which seemed higher than it deserves to me, because they say the student analyzes the meaning of the play (females being oppressed by men) very well, but doesn't analyze the foil concept well. It seems to me that writing clearly and simply with a basic outline is the best, as this essay seems written "on-the-fly" and lacks structure.

3rd essay!! The student is writing about The Kite Runner, and again the author was not mentioned. This isn't good. There is no thesis; the first paragraph consists of a spoiler alert and a nice "Baba is a foil to Hassan in many ways." The student discusses the traits of the characters with examples from the story, like how Hassan stands up for others and is selfless. But then, the student starts comparing and contrasting three key characters! Just laying out similarities and differences without regard to foil or significance! Towards the end there is this nice little statement about how Hassan and Baba contrast each other, but there is no mention of foil still. The conclusion suggests that the meaning is friendship and loyalty because that is something both Baba and Hassan share. That is not using foil to show meaning! It also was not argued through the essay... The graders describe this essay as "thin" and "vague" which seems fitting. It was given a 4.

Close Reading 9/15

Overpopulation Is Not The Problem

(editorial by Erle C. Ellis)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/14/opinion/overpopulation-is-not-the-problem.html?src=me&ref=general

      This article describes a new take on the issue of overpopulation. Ellis carefully uses cold imagery, specific details, and deliberate syntax to actually create a motivating and hopeful take on this issue.

      Throughout his editorial, Ellis creatively compares and contrasts humans to “bacteria in a petri dish,” and this visual allows us to picture his main idea, how “our exploding numbers are reaching the limits of a finite planet.” It is much easier to picture bacteria filling up a small disc than to picture the complexities of humans consuming more resources than are produced. His main idea is actually to refute this image as a common misconception, as he explains that people have always been able to use technology to stretch what Earth can support. This is a great persuasive technique, because a petri dish calls to mind very cold, scientific, impersonal images and connotations.

       Ellis describes the history of humans' overcoming carrying capacity in great scientific detail. He gives textbook-like descriptions such as: “The evidence from archaeology is clear. Our predecessors in the genus Homo used social hunting strategies and tools of stone and fire to extract more sustenance from landscapes than would otherwise be possible.” Very detailed! And this goes on and on. However, when it comes to describing the present to future problems humans are facing, Ellis becomes far less descriptive, and actually very vague. Comparing that last quote to this one: “The only limits to creating a planet that future generations will be proud of are our imaginations and our social systems,” this portion is significantly less detailed. Why is this part left out? My guess is that the purpose of the editorial is simply to get people thinking differently, not to inform them of any new developments on overpopulation. Essentially he's saying the situation isn't hopeless, but we don't actually have the solution yet. 

       With regard to syntax, Ellis has a specific pattern of using “being” verbs or active/transitive verbs. “Being” verbs don't bring a lot of energy or impact to the statements, and he uses these most of thet time. Sentencees like “The science of human sustenance is inherently a social science. Neither physics nor chemistry nor even biology is adequate to understand how it has been possible...” These are not very strong statements. Ellis switches to active verbs only when talking specifically about humans' abilities to overcome natural obstacles. For example,“the idea that humans must live within the natural environmental limits of our planet denies the realities of our entire history, and most likely the future” or simply “we transform ecosystems to sustain ourselves.” These pack more of a punch with active verbs, to create almost a sort of pep-talk for humans. A sort of “We can do it!” kind of speech. This syntax really emphasizes humanity's success, while drearily trudging through the necessary background information.

     Using the literary techniques above, Ellis conveys a very interesting voice in his writing! He informs us of the commonly accepted idea, and then gives us his own take on the issue, and all the while gets everyone pumped up to be a human and capable of overcoming nature's obstacles.

The Trouble With Poetry

They Can Be Structurally Distracting

Mary Edgington

The second practice poem of the section, "The Chambered Nautilus," rhymed like a song. It's a very musical piece with its rhythm. Reading it, I almost felt a little hypnotized and began reading for the melody and not taking in the words and their story. Sometimes the rhyming is distracting! Also, I can't help but pause at the end of the line, rather than the end of the sentence. So ideas get a little bent. I noticed because it was one of Peterson's suggestions. The author warned against getting tripped up by the lines. I'll have to keep myself very focused to avoid that problem. 

Also...

Read the poem four times? That is the first advice given by Peterson's, and he suggests first skimming, then reading for main ideas and idea flow, and then again for significant details, and again to hear the rhythm. I don't know about you guys, but there is no way I can read the poems that many times and answer all the questions without going into a panic during the test. I can't read quickly enough for that, so maybe that's the first thing I will start practicing as we prepare for the class and, ultimately, the exam. If I feel rushed I start blindly stumbling over the words and searching frantically for answers... It's a bad situation. So my #1 difficulty is understanding the poem in a timely manner.

Diagnostic Test

What Happened To Creative Interpretation?

Mary Edgington

While taking the practice exam for AP Lit in Peterson's AP English I encountered a problem that is typical of all AP exams, regardless of the subject. That is that there are often several answers that are extremely similar, and one must resort to a guessing game to choose one. For example, question 36 asks what is meant by "over strained and out sung themselves" in a poem; answer options include both "Tired out" and "Worked too hard". With the context of the poem, I think they both could convey the same thing! The answer ended up being "Lost creativity" anyways, but it seems like one could argue that any one of those answers is correct.

That brings me to my question about individual interpretation. Many of these questions ask "What does the author mean..?" and propose answers to choose from. Sometimes I think one could argue that a different answer was correct! I always considered literature to be like any art form in that it's never really the same for every person; people can interpret things differently, especially in these overly-figurative poems, and they can each be right. Question 48 asks the meaning of a sentence about the Brahmins and their poetry. Language is imperfect, and I think a person could insist an answer other than the "correct" one is correct. 

Despite these small difficulties, I scored about an 80%! Granted, I guessed a lot. But I'm pleasantly surprised with that score considering we haven't begun the class yet. I think my biggest obstacle will be reading the passages quickly enough to get thoughtfully through each question.