Thursday, September 26, 2013
CHARACTER STUDY (III)
Annette, Bailey, Hannah, Taylor, and I all met separately at the airport, knowing that all our luggage wouldn't have easily fit into one car. We met up and started toward the boarding gate, after of course checking our bags in and going through the security check. I was nervous yet completely prepared; I knew that I had everything I needed, and probably more, for the adventure we were about to go on. One worry that crossed my mind was how the guys that we were to meet before boarding the plane would be. We had planned out the trip mostly over the phone, and I wasn't sure yet how these three intimidating athletes would act yet. As we started walking towards the terminal, I immediately saw who we would be traveling with for the next month. Dan Smith was muscular and tall, and had a quiet, solemn face. EEE EEEE was talking the whole time as we approached, and had a weirdly distinct high-pitched voice that didn't match his hulking body. Lewith was short and thick and continued to stare out the large windows at the runway, with a concerned look on his face. As we walked up they greeted us warmly, and my hope towards how this trip was going to go improved with every word.
CHARACTER STUDY (II)
As I made my way downstairs, I thought about everyone that would be joining me on my journey. First of all there was my four close friends who I had survived through high school with. We had wanted to kick off the start of the new chapter of our lives with a bang, and so decided to all take a trip together. But our group of five girls, including Hannah Savaso, Annette Sousa, Taylor Duguran, Bailey Wineman, and myself, worried our parents. So they decided they would rather have us travel with some friends, though the term 'bodyguards' might define them better. I didn't know much about the three football players that were too accompany us on our trip, except that they were named EEE EEEE, Dan Smith, and Lewith.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
CHARACTER STUDY (I)
I sat quietly on my bed as I gazed around at my room, the same one I had claimed as mine for 6 long years. Once full of all my personal belongings, everything from books to clothing, my room was again as it started; completely empty. Everything that had once filled this room was packed in my car, waiting for me in the drive way, or else passed on to my sisters or Goodwill. Thinking about this brought all-too-familiar pains to my stomach; an interesting mix of nervous butterflies and nausea. Though I was excited about the idea of moving out, something I had thought about since the first weeks of my Senior year, I was also terrified. So much could go wrong. But so much could go right. That's why I had picked a destination so far from what I was used to, right? I desired a true fresh start, with new people in a new location, where I would hopefully be lucky enough to encounter all sorts of new ideas and ways of thinking that I definitely wouldn't have been exposed to in Santa Maria. As I grabbed the last few items in my room, headphones, a phone charger, my favorite book, and my old favorite teddy bear, I started downstairs to exchange see you soon's and i love you's with my family and friends waiting downstairs for my departure.
CANTERBURY TALES (I)
So far into this story, after just reading the Prolouge, I am really enjoying Chaucer's writing style and the bits of humor and personal elements he puts into his story-telling. All of the characters seem so believable, and as someone in my class pointed out, each character has some elements to them that contradicts the usual stereotype towards their title (i.e. a Nun, Knight, Monk). I'm not sure that were going to read all of the separate tales in this class, but I would be interested to hear more about the doctor with a special love of gold, or the merchant who is secretly in debt.
NETVIBES DASHBOARD
I admit that the Netvibes dashboard seems really useful, but I'm not too sure how often I'll use it. Most of my social media intake comes from my phone, where I have access to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr. I do like how I set mine up though and hopefully I will find it useful as a to-do list and a news source. Unfortunately, I don't have my own computer so I can't set it as a home page, but I will try and bookmark it to make sure I check it. Mostly right now it consists of a calculator, calender, to-do list, notepad, weather alert, Sudoku game, link to my email, and news from the New Yorker, CBS, and Rotten Tomatoes.
Monday, September 23, 2013
VOCAB #6
Definitions:
1) Obsequious: submissive: excessively eager to please or obey
2) Beatitude: bliss: extreme happiness and serenity
3) Bete Noire: a person or thing that someone dislikes very much
4) Bode: be sign of something: to be a particular indication of something that is about to happen
5) Dank: damp and cold: unpleasantly damp and cold
6) Ecumenical: involving people from different kinds of Christian churches
7) Fervid: having or showing feelings that are very strong or too strong
8) Fetid: having a strong, unpleasant smell
9) Gargantuan: huge: tremendously large in amount, number, or size
10) Heyday: somebody's or something's prime: the time of somebody's or something's greatest success, popularity, or power
11) Incubus: one that oppresses or burdens like a nightmare
12) Infrastructure: basic organization: the most basic level of organizational structure in a complex body or system that serves as a foundation for the rest
13) Inveigle: persuade: to charm or entice somebody into doing something that he or she would not otherwise have done
14) Kudos: praise or honor: praise, credit, or glory for an achievement
15) Lagniappe: something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure
16) Prolix: wordy: tiresomely wordy
17) Protege: a young person who is taught and helped by someone who has a lot of knowledge and experience
18) Prototype: an original or first model of something from which other forms are copied or developed
19) Sycophant: a person who praises powerful people in order to get their approval
20) Tautology: a statement in which you repeat a word, idea, etc., in a way that is not necessary
21) Truckle: be submissive: to behave in a weak or servile way
22)Accolade: a mark of acknowledgement; award
23) Acerbity: the quality of being acidic in tone, temper, or mood
24) Attrition: the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack
25) Bromide: a commonplace or tiresome personor idea
26) Chauvinist: undue partiality or attachment to a group or place to which one belongs or has belonged
27) Chronic: marked by long duration or frequent recurrence
28) Expound: to explain by setting forth in careful and often elaborate detail
29) Factionalism: the existence of or conflict between groups within a larger group
30) Immaculate: clean, neat, and free from blemishes
31) Imprecation: curses that call down on someone
32) Ineluctable: not to be avoided, changed, or resisted; inevitable
33) Mercurial: characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood
34) Palliate: to moderate the intensity of
35) Protocol: a code prescribing strict adherence to correct etiquette and precedence
36) Resplendent: shining brilliantly; characterized by a glowing splendor
37) Stigmatize: to describe or identify in disgraceful terms
38) Sub Rosa: in confidence
39) Vainglory: excessive or ostentatious pride especially in one's achievements
40) Vestige: the smallest quantity or trace
41) Volition: an act of making a choice or decision
1) Obsequious: submissive: excessively eager to please or obey
2) Beatitude: bliss: extreme happiness and serenity
3) Bete Noire: a person or thing that someone dislikes very much
4) Bode: be sign of something: to be a particular indication of something that is about to happen
5) Dank: damp and cold: unpleasantly damp and cold
6) Ecumenical: involving people from different kinds of Christian churches
7) Fervid: having or showing feelings that are very strong or too strong
8) Fetid: having a strong, unpleasant smell
9) Gargantuan: huge: tremendously large in amount, number, or size
10) Heyday: somebody's or something's prime: the time of somebody's or something's greatest success, popularity, or power
11) Incubus: one that oppresses or burdens like a nightmare
12) Infrastructure: basic organization: the most basic level of organizational structure in a complex body or system that serves as a foundation for the rest
13) Inveigle: persuade: to charm or entice somebody into doing something that he or she would not otherwise have done
14) Kudos: praise or honor: praise, credit, or glory for an achievement
15) Lagniappe: something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure
16) Prolix: wordy: tiresomely wordy
17) Protege: a young person who is taught and helped by someone who has a lot of knowledge and experience
18) Prototype: an original or first model of something from which other forms are copied or developed
19) Sycophant: a person who praises powerful people in order to get their approval
20) Tautology: a statement in which you repeat a word, idea, etc., in a way that is not necessary
21) Truckle: be submissive: to behave in a weak or servile way
22)Accolade: a mark of acknowledgement; award
23) Acerbity: the quality of being acidic in tone, temper, or mood
24) Attrition: the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack
25) Bromide: a commonplace or tiresome personor idea
26) Chauvinist: undue partiality or attachment to a group or place to which one belongs or has belonged
27) Chronic: marked by long duration or frequent recurrence
28) Expound: to explain by setting forth in careful and often elaborate detail
29) Factionalism: the existence of or conflict between groups within a larger group
30) Immaculate: clean, neat, and free from blemishes
31) Imprecation: curses that call down on someone
32) Ineluctable: not to be avoided, changed, or resisted; inevitable
33) Mercurial: characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood
34) Palliate: to moderate the intensity of
35) Protocol: a code prescribing strict adherence to correct etiquette and precedence
36) Resplendent: shining brilliantly; characterized by a glowing splendor
37) Stigmatize: to describe or identify in disgraceful terms
38) Sub Rosa: in confidence
39) Vainglory: excessive or ostentatious pride especially in one's achievements
40) Vestige: the smallest quantity or trace
41) Volition: an act of making a choice or decision
Sentences:
1) The CEO left all the unimportant tasks to her rather obsequious assistant, who she trusted to get the job done.
2) True beatitude comes from surrounding yourself with ones you love and who treat you right.
3) Kids who remind teachers that there is homework are the bete noire of most classrooms.
4) The lack of rain w
e got during the winter boded a bad season for crops.
5) Anything left to long in their dank storage shelter acquired a rather moist feeling.
6) The religion club on campus was known for their mostly ecumenical ideas about religion.
7) The girl's fervid speech against bullying at the assembly surprised everyone, since she didn't seem like such a passionate person.
8) The mysteriously fetid odor in her messy car led her to having a serious clean-up day.
9) She didn't know hot to handle the gargantuan possibility that she wouldn't be living in her same town the next year.
10) In its heyday, my grandpa's shop was the place to go for books and a cup of coffee.
11) The guilt of what she had done attacked her at night like an relentlessincubus.
12) The complete infrastructure of the idea he had tried to build up crashed down upon him when he started to think realistically.
13) She tried to inveigle the professor to give her a better grade so that she could keep up with her average,
14) Kudos to whoever fixed the copy machine.
15) As a lagniappe, the hotel threw in a small snack basket that the customers could eat without an extra charge.
16) The good-bye was unnecessarily prolix, especially since they were to see each other the next week.
17) The musician's protege took in as much information as he could in the years he spent learning with the master.
18) The inventor collected his old prototypes as a symbol of his struggle.
19) The rising star lost her trust in who really wanted the best for her after falling for a series of sycophants.
20) “A beginner who has just started” is a tautology.
21) She was the kind of girl that truckled to anyone who gave her the time of day.
2) True beatitude comes from surrounding yourself with ones you love and who treat you right.
3) Kids who remind teachers that there is homework are the bete noire of most classrooms.
4) The lack of rain w
e got during the winter boded a bad season for crops.
5) Anything left to long in their dank storage shelter acquired a rather moist feeling.
6) The religion club on campus was known for their mostly ecumenical ideas about religion.
7) The girl's fervid speech against bullying at the assembly surprised everyone, since she didn't seem like such a passionate person.
8) The mysteriously fetid odor in her messy car led her to having a serious clean-up day.
9) She didn't know hot to handle the gargantuan possibility that she wouldn't be living in her same town the next year.
10) In its heyday, my grandpa's shop was the place to go for books and a cup of coffee.
11) The guilt of what she had done attacked her at night like an relentlessincubus.
12) The complete infrastructure of the idea he had tried to build up crashed down upon him when he started to think realistically.
13) She tried to inveigle the professor to give her a better grade so that she could keep up with her average,
14) Kudos to whoever fixed the copy machine.
15) As a lagniappe, the hotel threw in a small snack basket that the customers could eat without an extra charge.
16) The good-bye was unnecessarily prolix, especially since they were to see each other the next week.
17) The musician's protege took in as much information as he could in the years he spent learning with the master.
18) The inventor collected his old prototypes as a symbol of his struggle.
19) The rising star lost her trust in who really wanted the best for her after falling for a series of sycophants.
20) “A beginner who has just started” is a tautology.
21) She was the kind of girl that truckled to anyone who gave her the time of day.
22) The two soldiers who lost their lives fighting for their country received a highaccolades for their services and sacrifices.
23) The new employee of the fast food restaurant was shocked by the frequentacerbity in the voices of the customers she encountered.
24) The attrition from his busy week of sports, school, and work, left John spending most of his weekend resting.
25) Kelsey dreaded the pep rally that was to take place on Friday, already tired from the typical bromides from ASB about how this year was the year they could make a difference.
26) She rejected the male chauvinist who offered her help, stubborn that she could accomplish it herself.
27) My mother claims she suffers from chronic headaches, though really I feel that she gets them from the stress of raising 5 children.
28) My father was careful to expound the careful care of his prized truck when my brother had to borrow it for a night.
29) The factionalism of the student body was ridiculous when you took in to account that they were only running a government for 300 students.
30) Because she had a tendency to procrastinate on her school work by cleaning, her room was immaculate during finals week.
31) She muttered imprecations while cleaning the several muddy footprints her brother left on the carpet because he had forgotten to remove his shoes.
32) It was ineluctable fact that this time next year she would no longer be living with her family, instead thousands of miles away to attend her dream college.
33) Her mercurial temper had even her friends guessing how she would be feeling the next time they saw her.
34) She tried to palliate the severity of what she had done when talking to her mother so that she would not receive the big talk she already saw coming.
35) Because it was against protocol to have access to their cell phones during boot-camp the new marines had to go weeks without talking to their families.
36) She looked resplendent in her new white dress, leaving her boyfriend breathless when she arrived.
37) She felt that the officer stigmatized her offences in hope of making up for fining her for something silly.
38) She helf the painful secrets she had gathered from friends throughout the years sub rosa, not wanting to expose them.
39)The vainglory he showed after winning the championship only helped to turn his school against him
40) My favorite country song talks of the simple vestiges teens leave throughout their favorite spots of town that keep their memories alive even after they have gone.
41) She gave up sweets in her own volition, hoping to start a healthier life style before it was too late.
23) The new employee of the fast food restaurant was shocked by the frequentacerbity in the voices of the customers she encountered.
24) The attrition from his busy week of sports, school, and work, left John spending most of his weekend resting.
25) Kelsey dreaded the pep rally that was to take place on Friday, already tired from the typical bromides from ASB about how this year was the year they could make a difference.
26) She rejected the male chauvinist who offered her help, stubborn that she could accomplish it herself.
27) My mother claims she suffers from chronic headaches, though really I feel that she gets them from the stress of raising 5 children.
28) My father was careful to expound the careful care of his prized truck when my brother had to borrow it for a night.
29) The factionalism of the student body was ridiculous when you took in to account that they were only running a government for 300 students.
30) Because she had a tendency to procrastinate on her school work by cleaning, her room was immaculate during finals week.
31) She muttered imprecations while cleaning the several muddy footprints her brother left on the carpet because he had forgotten to remove his shoes.
32) It was ineluctable fact that this time next year she would no longer be living with her family, instead thousands of miles away to attend her dream college.
33) Her mercurial temper had even her friends guessing how she would be feeling the next time they saw her.
34) She tried to palliate the severity of what she had done when talking to her mother so that she would not receive the big talk she already saw coming.
35) Because it was against protocol to have access to their cell phones during boot-camp the new marines had to go weeks without talking to their families.
36) She looked resplendent in her new white dress, leaving her boyfriend breathless when she arrived.
37) She felt that the officer stigmatized her offences in hope of making up for fining her for something silly.
38) She helf the painful secrets she had gathered from friends throughout the years sub rosa, not wanting to expose them.
39)The vainglory he showed after winning the championship only helped to turn his school against him
40) My favorite country song talks of the simple vestiges teens leave throughout their favorite spots of town that keep their memories alive even after they have gone.
41) She gave up sweets in her own volition, hoping to start a healthier life style before it was too late.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
WHAT A CHARACTER
A fictional character that has made an impression on me recently is Leah Price from The Posionwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. The Posinwood Bible was a book assigned to me to read over summer for school and even though I usually dislike books I am more of less "forced" to read, I really loved this one. After reading it, my outlook on certain topics almost changed entirely and I had this weird urge to travel to a different country and never return, and the slight feeling that maybe everyone else should do the same. "Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”
My favorite character from the book was definitely the middle child, Leah Price. As I first started reading I actually found her annoying, but as she matured her narrative followed suit and I really began to appreciate her views on America and foreign countries, and the overall fairness of life. What I appreciated about her so much was that she was definitely a "round" character and throughout the book, which spans 3 decades, you could definitely tell how she learned and matured. Her sense of humor and the honest way she viewed the world drew me towards her as well and I really wouldn't mind reading a book with a heroine like her sometime soon.
My favorite character from the book was definitely the middle child, Leah Price. As I first started reading I actually found her annoying, but as she matured her narrative followed suit and I really began to appreciate her views on America and foreign countries, and the overall fairness of life. What I appreciated about her so much was that she was definitely a "round" character and throughout the book, which spans 3 decades, you could definitely tell how she learned and matured. Her sense of humor and the honest way she viewed the world drew me towards her as well and I really wouldn't mind reading a book with a heroine like her sometime soon.
Monday, September 16, 2013
DECLARATION OF LEARNING INDEPENDENCE
Honestly, to find a way to incorporate my big question with what my plans for the future are will be very hard. I think this might be because there is two sides to me; the side that is interested in psychology and how our minds all work, and why they think what they think, but also the side of me that is interested in architecture, and the side that wants to put my knowledge of math to the ultimate test by being able to design and build structures.
When I ask myself the big questions in life,I use the half of me that wants to know more about the human mind. But when I think about my future, I can only see myself in a position where I rely on my math and science knowledge. The future I see for myself involves me hopefully working towards a degree in Architectural Engineering. To receive this degree from studying at Cal Poly is my ultimate dream right now, though my dreams have a way of changing week-to-week.
When I ask myself the big questions in life,I use the half of me that wants to know more about the human mind. But when I think about my future, I can only see myself in a position where I rely on my math and science knowledge. The future I see for myself involves me hopefully working towards a degree in Architectural Engineering. To receive this degree from studying at Cal Poly is my ultimate dream right now, though my dreams have a way of changing week-to-week.
VOCAB #5
Definitions:
1) Obsequious: submissive: excessively eager to please or obey
2) Beatitude: bliss: extreme happiness and serenity
3) Bete Noire: a person or thing that someone dislikes very much
4) Bode: be sign of something: to be a particular indication of something that is about to happen
5) Dank: damp and cold: unpleasantly damp and cold
6) Ecumenical: involving people from different kinds of Christian churches
7) Fervid: having or showing feelings that are very strong or too strong
8) Fetid: having a strong, unpleasant smell
9) Gargantuan: huge: tremendously large in amount, number, or size
10) Heyday: somebody's or something's prime: the time of somebody's or something's greatest success, popularity, or power
11) Incubus: one that oppresses or burdens like a nightmare
12) Infrastructure: basic organization: the most basic level of organizational structure in a complex body or system that serves as a foundation for the rest
13) Inveigle: persuade: to charm or entice somebody into doing something that he or she would not otherwise have done
14) Kudos: praise or honor: praise, credit, or glory for an achievement
15) Lagniappe: something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure
16) Prolix: wordy: tiresomely wordy
17) Protege: a young person who is taught and helped by someone who has a lot of knowledge and experience
18) Prototype: an original or first model of something from which other forms are copied or developed
19) Sycophant: a person who praises powerful people in order to get their approval
20) Tautology: a statement in which you repeat a word, idea, etc., in a way that is not necessary
21) Truckle: be submissive: to behave in a weak or servile way
Sentences:
1) The CEO left all the unimportant tasks to her rather obsequious assistant, who she trusted to get the job done.
2) True beatitude comes from surrounding yourself with ones you love and who treat you right.
3) Kids who remind teachers that there is homework are the bete noire of most classrooms.
4) The lack of rain w
e got during the winter boded a bad season for crops.
5) Anything left to long in their dank storage shelter acquired a rather moist feeling.
6) The religion club on campus was known for their mostly ecumenical ideas about religion.
7) The girl's fervid speech against bullying at the assembly surprised everyone, since she didn't seem like such a passionate person.
8) The mysteriously fetid odor in her messy car led her to having a serious clean-up day.
9) She didn't know hot to handle the gargantuan possibility that she wouldn't be living in her same town the next year.
10) In its heyday, my grandpa's shop was the place to go for books and a cup of coffee.
11) The guilt of what she had done attacked her at night like an relentless incubus.
12) The complete infrastructure of the idea he had tried to build up crashed down upon him when he started to think realistically.
13) She tried to inveigle the professor to give her a better grade so that she could keep up with her average,
14) Kudos to whoever fixed the copy machine.
15) As a lagniappe, the hotel threw in a small snack basket that the customers could eat without an extra charge.
16) The good-bye was unnecessarily prolix, especially since they were to see each other the next week.
17) The musician's protege took in as much information as he could in the years he spent learning with the master.
18) The inventor collected his old prototypes as a symbol of his struggle.
19) The rising star lost her trust in who really wanted the best for her after falling for a series of sycophants.
20) “A beginner who has just started” is a tautology.
21) She was the kind of girl that truckled to anyone who gave her the time of day.
1) Obsequious: submissive: excessively eager to please or obey
2) Beatitude: bliss: extreme happiness and serenity
3) Bete Noire: a person or thing that someone dislikes very much
4) Bode: be sign of something: to be a particular indication of something that is about to happen
5) Dank: damp and cold: unpleasantly damp and cold
6) Ecumenical: involving people from different kinds of Christian churches
7) Fervid: having or showing feelings that are very strong or too strong
8) Fetid: having a strong, unpleasant smell
9) Gargantuan: huge: tremendously large in amount, number, or size
10) Heyday: somebody's or something's prime: the time of somebody's or something's greatest success, popularity, or power
11) Incubus: one that oppresses or burdens like a nightmare
12) Infrastructure: basic organization: the most basic level of organizational structure in a complex body or system that serves as a foundation for the rest
13) Inveigle: persuade: to charm or entice somebody into doing something that he or she would not otherwise have done
14) Kudos: praise or honor: praise, credit, or glory for an achievement
15) Lagniappe: something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure
16) Prolix: wordy: tiresomely wordy
17) Protege: a young person who is taught and helped by someone who has a lot of knowledge and experience
18) Prototype: an original or first model of something from which other forms are copied or developed
19) Sycophant: a person who praises powerful people in order to get their approval
20) Tautology: a statement in which you repeat a word, idea, etc., in a way that is not necessary
21) Truckle: be submissive: to behave in a weak or servile way
Sentences:
1) The CEO left all the unimportant tasks to her rather obsequious assistant, who she trusted to get the job done.
2) True beatitude comes from surrounding yourself with ones you love and who treat you right.
3) Kids who remind teachers that there is homework are the bete noire of most classrooms.
4) The lack of rain w
e got during the winter boded a bad season for crops.
5) Anything left to long in their dank storage shelter acquired a rather moist feeling.
6) The religion club on campus was known for their mostly ecumenical ideas about religion.
7) The girl's fervid speech against bullying at the assembly surprised everyone, since she didn't seem like such a passionate person.
8) The mysteriously fetid odor in her messy car led her to having a serious clean-up day.
9) She didn't know hot to handle the gargantuan possibility that she wouldn't be living in her same town the next year.
10) In its heyday, my grandpa's shop was the place to go for books and a cup of coffee.
11) The guilt of what she had done attacked her at night like an relentless incubus.
12) The complete infrastructure of the idea he had tried to build up crashed down upon him when he started to think realistically.
13) She tried to inveigle the professor to give her a better grade so that she could keep up with her average,
14) Kudos to whoever fixed the copy machine.
15) As a lagniappe, the hotel threw in a small snack basket that the customers could eat without an extra charge.
16) The good-bye was unnecessarily prolix, especially since they were to see each other the next week.
17) The musician's protege took in as much information as he could in the years he spent learning with the master.
18) The inventor collected his old prototypes as a symbol of his struggle.
19) The rising star lost her trust in who really wanted the best for her after falling for a series of sycophants.
20) “A beginner who has just started” is a tautology.
21) She was the kind of girl that truckled to anyone who gave her the time of day.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
LITERATURE ANALYSIS #1
1) The book that I chose was The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. This book starts in 1964 during a snow storm, and introduces two of the novel's main characters, David and Norah Henry. You learn that David Henry is a doctor, and him and his wife are expecting a child any day on that March evening. Later during this night, Norah goes into labor and David must drive her to his office, which is closer, where he plans to meet the delivery doctor. This other doctor, though, becomes stranded when his car drives into a ditch and David, with the help of his nurse Caroline, must deliver the baby. The first baby comes out, perfect as can be. David then realizes that there is a second baby, which he delivers in shock. As soon as he sees the baby, he knows that she has Down Syndrome, just as his little sister did, who died young. After thinking about the pain his mother went through when his sister died and the hardships of having a constantly sick sibling, David makes a snap decision and hands Caroline the baby, asking her to take it to an institution for children like this. She agrees.
When Norah wakens, David only tells her that the second child, Phoebe, died though their son, Paul, is healthy. By this time Caroline has already set off with the child.
When Caroline reaches the institution, she realizes how poor of a facility David has sent her too. After walking around, trying to find help, she decided to leave, taking Phoebe with her. She stops at the store to get baby formula, in a blizzard, and has her car's battery die. A friendly truck driver, Al, gives her shelter in his truck before driving her back to her home. He stays the night on her couch and leaves in the morning, mentioning that he would like to see her again.
Norah meanwhile grieves the loss of her daughter, who she believes died at birth. This sickens and angers David, who feels she should be happy with what she has, and begins to build a wedge in their relationship. Without telling David, Norah plans a memorial service for her daughter.
Caroline, overcome with all the new possibilities she has in life, leaves town with Phoebe after telling David that she still has his child when she sees a memorial service for Phoebe in the paper. Caroline heads for Pittsburgh. This concludes the exposition.
The secret between Norah and David slowly spoils their marriage, and they even have to move sp Norah doesn't have to deal with the daily reminder of what she lost in the house full of memories. David works later and later, and arrives home late on their anniversary, after Norah drinks too much and visits their old house, also crashing a car. She gives him a camera as a present, which he eventually becomes obsessed with.
Caroline is hired by a woman named Dorothy to help with the aid of Dorthy's elderly father. She works for board and food at first, but eventually becomes like a family member to Dorthy, who believes Phoebe is Caroline's own child. Al, the truck driver, eventually finds Caroline's residence, and they strike up a relationship.
Norah and David continue to grow further apart, and David begins to use photography, and his secluded darkroom, to withdraw from responsibilities. Norah is deeply unhappy and day drinks frequently, often going on long drives on the highway just to get away. She immerses herself in many projects, eventually applying for a travel agency job so that she can build a life of her own.
Caroline works with many other parents, in a program called Upside Down, to fight for children with disabilities rights to an equal education. Phoebe and her continue to live in Dorthy's house, even after her ailing father dies. AL and her build a solid relationship but she denies his marriage proposals, mostly due to her fear that Al does not love Phoebe as much as he acts like. Finally, when Phoebe has a life-threatening reaction to a bee sting, and the nurse at the hospital (noticing that she has Down's) asks if she would rather just let Phoebe die, Caroline fully lets Al into her life when he steps in and tells the nurse that they will not let Phoebe die.
Phoebe and Paul are now thirteen. David and Norah's marriage has deteriorated over the years, though her success in the travel agency has sky-rocketed, and on a trip to Aruba she has an affair with another man, Howard. Both David and Paul realize what she has done, but keep to themselves, which only drives the family apart even more. Paul has an amazing ability to play the guitar and wants to go to Julliard. David feels that this is not a stable career path and does not support his dreams, which angers Norah and Paul.
Dorothy, with her boyfriend, decide to take a year-long cruise around the world, leaving Caroline the house. Caroline and David have stayed in touch over the years, and he frequently sends her money which she saves for Phoebe, and eventually he asks to meet Phoebe. Caroline is unsure at first, but then becomes afraid that he might hurt her, and continues to block David from their lives.
Phoebe, who was once in love with David, secretly decides to attend one of his art shows. He does not recognize her at first, but then they have an intense conversation that is interrupted by an art critic. Caroline, who regrets coming, slips out the back, leaving David devastated. On a whim, he decides to visit the town of his childhood, and ends up at his old home. He finds a homeless, pregnant teenage girl living their, and he spills to her his huge secret. They bond and he decides that he can not leave her in the state she is in, and brings her home with him. This shocks Paul and Norah, who thought he was dead, and they have a suspicion that there is some kind of sexual relationship between the two. Paul, after talking to the girl, Rosemary, realizes there is not but becomes overwhelmed with all the changes in his life and steals a neighbor's car, aiming to drive to California. He eventually gets arrested for shoplifting and is picked up by his parents. He is furious with both of them but is stubborn that he will go to Julliard in the fall, where he has been accepted. This scene, and the ones that proceed it, are the climax and turning point of the book.
David now lives with Rosemary and her son Jack, while Norah is dating a new man. Paul is studying music in France with his girlfriend. Phoebe has feelings for her friend who also has Down Syndrome, Robert, and wants to move into a group home and be able to marry him. Caroline is afraid of letting her go, and worried what would happen is she gave her that much independence. David thinks about telling Norah about Phoebe, but when he arrives at her house he realizes she is in France for work with her boyfriend. Shortly after, he dies. Caroline learns of his death when an account for Phoebe becomes available to her, and she travels to Norah to tell her the truth. Norah is blown away, and realizes that she did not truly know David as well as she thought she did. She wants to reach out to Phoebe, and eventually her and Paul go to Pittsburgh to meet her. Paul and Norah try to invite Phoebe into their life, but she is hesitant. In the closing scene, Phoebe attends Norah's wedding with Paul before Norah and her husband set out for France, their new home. On the way home, Paul and Phoebe stop at their father's grave, where they sit in peace.
2) This novel has two major themes, the Burden of Secrets and the Issue of Children with Down Syndrome.
Throughout this entire story, the main problem that the character's have is that they are all keeping secrets from the ones they love. The biggest secret, which David keeps, is that he gave away his daughter. Almost the second David starts to lie, saying that the baby died, he drives a wedge between him and his wife. From that point on, nothing is the same. Both David and Norah look for ways to cope with this unspoken secret in different ways; David through his photography and Norah through her work and affairs.
The issue of children with Down's Syndrome is also a very reoccurring theme. In 1964, the year of Phoebe and Paul's birth, children with this disorder were not given the attention they are today. They were dismissed as unteachable and someone who would have a very short life. David symbolizes the people that believe that people like Phoebe will never make it anywhere, while Caroline stands for the people that are willing to fight for their rights, and understand that they are very capable given the right help.
3) There is a general tone of melancholy during this novel. There is not a truly happy ending in this novel, though it gets as close as it really can. For most of the time in this novel, the characters are truly unhappy and lead unfulfilled lives with deep holes that they try to fill in various ways. In the end David even refects "the life he had lived was not the one he had imagined for himself."
Though this is the way David feels when his life ends, Caroline feels differently, giving a sense of hope, a silver lining in a life of despair. “This was her life. Not the life she had once dreamed of, not a life her younger self would ever have imagined or desired, but the life she was living, with all its complexities. This was her life, built with care and attention, and it was good.” Through David's narrative of the story there is a sense of heartbreak, though through Caroline's narrative we find the idea of hope. As soon as Caroline decided to take her future into her own hands, with a child and a job and a man she loved, she was opened to possibilities of a love-filled life that she hadn't known before.
Through Paul's narrative there is amounts of teen angst and disappointment, but when he talks about music he is filled with joy. “Music is like you touch the pulse of the world. Music is always happening, and sometimes you get to touch it for a while, and when you do you know that everything's connetcted to everything else.” Paul gives an optimistic younger view of the world apart from Caroline and David's views. 9
4) Throughout the novel there is many uses of sensory detail, like "the clean cotton sheet soft against her skin," ( Edwards 184). Sensory detail helped to put the reader in the shoes of the character, to help understand how they felt.
Metaphors are also used to help picture the story even more, like "a sea of darkened heads flowed downward" (Edwards 189). Also personification is used in the same purpose, "the headlights playing on the walls," (Edwards 95) as well as similes, "their histories woven together like vines, tendrils around shoot" (Edwards 332).
Irony is also used in this story, like the irony of having a memorial service for a baby who is still alive.
Alliteration is used throughout the story as well, "her voice sounded strident, shrill, as if she"
(Edwards 341).
Repetition is used frequently as well, usually illustrate something important by repeating it, "then surely, surely, it was the worst" (Edwards 69)
Some example of oxymorons are used, like 'But Caroline, it's so bittersweet," (Edwards 225).
Some onomatopoeia can be used as well "the soft touch of her hands or the cooing sounds she made when she was happy," (Edwards 95).
I noticed also a few paradoxes while reading, notably "A moment was not a single moment at all, but rather an infinite number of different moments," (Edwards 214)
When Norah wakens, David only tells her that the second child, Phoebe, died though their son, Paul, is healthy. By this time Caroline has already set off with the child.
When Caroline reaches the institution, she realizes how poor of a facility David has sent her too. After walking around, trying to find help, she decided to leave, taking Phoebe with her. She stops at the store to get baby formula, in a blizzard, and has her car's battery die. A friendly truck driver, Al, gives her shelter in his truck before driving her back to her home. He stays the night on her couch and leaves in the morning, mentioning that he would like to see her again.
Norah meanwhile grieves the loss of her daughter, who she believes died at birth. This sickens and angers David, who feels she should be happy with what she has, and begins to build a wedge in their relationship. Without telling David, Norah plans a memorial service for her daughter.
Caroline, overcome with all the new possibilities she has in life, leaves town with Phoebe after telling David that she still has his child when she sees a memorial service for Phoebe in the paper. Caroline heads for Pittsburgh. This concludes the exposition.
The secret between Norah and David slowly spoils their marriage, and they even have to move sp Norah doesn't have to deal with the daily reminder of what she lost in the house full of memories. David works later and later, and arrives home late on their anniversary, after Norah drinks too much and visits their old house, also crashing a car. She gives him a camera as a present, which he eventually becomes obsessed with.
Caroline is hired by a woman named Dorothy to help with the aid of Dorthy's elderly father. She works for board and food at first, but eventually becomes like a family member to Dorthy, who believes Phoebe is Caroline's own child. Al, the truck driver, eventually finds Caroline's residence, and they strike up a relationship.
Norah and David continue to grow further apart, and David begins to use photography, and his secluded darkroom, to withdraw from responsibilities. Norah is deeply unhappy and day drinks frequently, often going on long drives on the highway just to get away. She immerses herself in many projects, eventually applying for a travel agency job so that she can build a life of her own.
Caroline works with many other parents, in a program called Upside Down, to fight for children with disabilities rights to an equal education. Phoebe and her continue to live in Dorthy's house, even after her ailing father dies. AL and her build a solid relationship but she denies his marriage proposals, mostly due to her fear that Al does not love Phoebe as much as he acts like. Finally, when Phoebe has a life-threatening reaction to a bee sting, and the nurse at the hospital (noticing that she has Down's) asks if she would rather just let Phoebe die, Caroline fully lets Al into her life when he steps in and tells the nurse that they will not let Phoebe die.
Phoebe and Paul are now thirteen. David and Norah's marriage has deteriorated over the years, though her success in the travel agency has sky-rocketed, and on a trip to Aruba she has an affair with another man, Howard. Both David and Paul realize what she has done, but keep to themselves, which only drives the family apart even more. Paul has an amazing ability to play the guitar and wants to go to Julliard. David feels that this is not a stable career path and does not support his dreams, which angers Norah and Paul.
Dorothy, with her boyfriend, decide to take a year-long cruise around the world, leaving Caroline the house. Caroline and David have stayed in touch over the years, and he frequently sends her money which she saves for Phoebe, and eventually he asks to meet Phoebe. Caroline is unsure at first, but then becomes afraid that he might hurt her, and continues to block David from their lives.
Phoebe, who was once in love with David, secretly decides to attend one of his art shows. He does not recognize her at first, but then they have an intense conversation that is interrupted by an art critic. Caroline, who regrets coming, slips out the back, leaving David devastated. On a whim, he decides to visit the town of his childhood, and ends up at his old home. He finds a homeless, pregnant teenage girl living their, and he spills to her his huge secret. They bond and he decides that he can not leave her in the state she is in, and brings her home with him. This shocks Paul and Norah, who thought he was dead, and they have a suspicion that there is some kind of sexual relationship between the two. Paul, after talking to the girl, Rosemary, realizes there is not but becomes overwhelmed with all the changes in his life and steals a neighbor's car, aiming to drive to California. He eventually gets arrested for shoplifting and is picked up by his parents. He is furious with both of them but is stubborn that he will go to Julliard in the fall, where he has been accepted. This scene, and the ones that proceed it, are the climax and turning point of the book.
David now lives with Rosemary and her son Jack, while Norah is dating a new man. Paul is studying music in France with his girlfriend. Phoebe has feelings for her friend who also has Down Syndrome, Robert, and wants to move into a group home and be able to marry him. Caroline is afraid of letting her go, and worried what would happen is she gave her that much independence. David thinks about telling Norah about Phoebe, but when he arrives at her house he realizes she is in France for work with her boyfriend. Shortly after, he dies. Caroline learns of his death when an account for Phoebe becomes available to her, and she travels to Norah to tell her the truth. Norah is blown away, and realizes that she did not truly know David as well as she thought she did. She wants to reach out to Phoebe, and eventually her and Paul go to Pittsburgh to meet her. Paul and Norah try to invite Phoebe into their life, but she is hesitant. In the closing scene, Phoebe attends Norah's wedding with Paul before Norah and her husband set out for France, their new home. On the way home, Paul and Phoebe stop at their father's grave, where they sit in peace.
2) This novel has two major themes, the Burden of Secrets and the Issue of Children with Down Syndrome.
Throughout this entire story, the main problem that the character's have is that they are all keeping secrets from the ones they love. The biggest secret, which David keeps, is that he gave away his daughter. Almost the second David starts to lie, saying that the baby died, he drives a wedge between him and his wife. From that point on, nothing is the same. Both David and Norah look for ways to cope with this unspoken secret in different ways; David through his photography and Norah through her work and affairs.
The issue of children with Down's Syndrome is also a very reoccurring theme. In 1964, the year of Phoebe and Paul's birth, children with this disorder were not given the attention they are today. They were dismissed as unteachable and someone who would have a very short life. David symbolizes the people that believe that people like Phoebe will never make it anywhere, while Caroline stands for the people that are willing to fight for their rights, and understand that they are very capable given the right help.
3) There is a general tone of melancholy during this novel. There is not a truly happy ending in this novel, though it gets as close as it really can. For most of the time in this novel, the characters are truly unhappy and lead unfulfilled lives with deep holes that they try to fill in various ways. In the end David even refects "the life he had lived was not the one he had imagined for himself."
Though this is the way David feels when his life ends, Caroline feels differently, giving a sense of hope, a silver lining in a life of despair. “This was her life. Not the life she had once dreamed of, not a life her younger self would ever have imagined or desired, but the life she was living, with all its complexities. This was her life, built with care and attention, and it was good.” Through David's narrative of the story there is a sense of heartbreak, though through Caroline's narrative we find the idea of hope. As soon as Caroline decided to take her future into her own hands, with a child and a job and a man she loved, she was opened to possibilities of a love-filled life that she hadn't known before.
Through Paul's narrative there is amounts of teen angst and disappointment, but when he talks about music he is filled with joy. “Music is like you touch the pulse of the world. Music is always happening, and sometimes you get to touch it for a while, and when you do you know that everything's connetcted to everything else.” Paul gives an optimistic younger view of the world apart from Caroline and David's views. 9
4) Throughout the novel there is many uses of sensory detail, like "the clean cotton sheet soft against her skin," ( Edwards 184). Sensory detail helped to put the reader in the shoes of the character, to help understand how they felt.
Metaphors are also used to help picture the story even more, like "a sea of darkened heads flowed downward" (Edwards 189). Also personification is used in the same purpose, "the headlights playing on the walls," (Edwards 95) as well as similes, "their histories woven together like vines, tendrils around shoot" (Edwards 332).
Irony is also used in this story, like the irony of having a memorial service for a baby who is still alive.
Alliteration is used throughout the story as well, "her voice sounded strident, shrill, as if she"
(Edwards 341).
Repetition is used frequently as well, usually illustrate something important by repeating it, "then surely, surely, it was the worst" (Edwards 69)
Some example of oxymorons are used, like 'But Caroline, it's so bittersweet," (Edwards 225).
Some onomatopoeia can be used as well "the soft touch of her hands or the cooing sounds she made when she was happy," (Edwards 95).
I noticed also a few paradoxes while reading, notably "A moment was not a single moment at all, but rather an infinite number of different moments," (Edwards 214)
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
ALL OF THE ABOVE
Out of the 47 questions on the multiple choice section of the 1987 AP Test, I got 25 correct and 22 incorrect. Honestly, thinking back to how hard I felt that the test was, I think I did pretty well. considering. I distinctly remember how the test got harder as I went along and it definitely shows in my score. Out of the first 20 questions, I missed 5. Out of the last 15 questions I missed 10...
I'm not sure if this is because of the test questions or the fact that as the test went on I got more and more discouraged. The things that really threw me off about this test were the passages in the Old English (which I really don't understand how to read even when I give it my all) and the vocabulary, which was full of words I had never seen before. To get a better score on the 2014 AP Test, I will probably need to focus more. And develop my vocabulary.
I'm not sure if this is because of the test questions or the fact that as the test went on I got more and more discouraged. The things that really threw me off about this test were the passages in the Old English (which I really don't understand how to read even when I give it my all) and the vocabulary, which was full of words I had never seen before. To get a better score on the 2014 AP Test, I will probably need to focus more. And develop my vocabulary.
WILL STUDY FOR FOOD
So far, my scholarship search hasn't brought me too many results. The only ones I have applied to thus far is the Wells Fargo and AFSA one, mostly because they only took 5 minutes and took no resume or letters of recommendation. While I continue to search for scholarships, I will try and focus on ones for teacher's children, students with hearing loss, women's scholarships, and maybe some architectural scholarships. If I got all that I was looking for, scholarships would pay for at least 1/3 to 1/2 of all of my tuition, though I'm not too sure if that's a goal I will be able to reach. I need scholarship money mostly for tuition, books, and housing. I'm mostly looking at in-state UC's and CSU's, so hopefully the cost isn't too much, compared to if I was trying to apply to private schools.
Monday, September 9, 2013
VOCAB #4
Definitions:
1) Accolade: a mark of acknowledgement; award
2) Acerbity: the quality of being acidic in tone, temper, or mood
3) Attrition: the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack
4) Bromide: a commonplace or tiresome personor idea
5) Chauvinist: undue partiality or attachment to a group or place to which one belongs or has belonged
6) Chronic: marked by long duration or frequent recurrence
7) Expound: to explain by setting forth in careful and often elaborate detail
8) Factionalism: the existence of or conflict between groups within a larger group
9) Immaculate: clean, neat, and free from blemishes
10) Imprecation: curses that call down on someone
11) Ineluctable: not to be avoided, changed, or resisted; inevitable
12) Mercurial: characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood
13) Palliate: to moderate the intensity of
14) Protocol: a code prescribing strict adherence to correct etiquette and precedence
15) Resplendent: shining brilliantly; characterized by a glowing splendor
16) Stigmatize: to describe or identify in disgraceful terms
17) Sub Rosa: in confidence
18) Vainglory: excessive or ostentatious pride especially in one's achievements
19) Vestige: the smallest quantity or trace
20) Volition: an act of making a choice or decision
Sentences:
1) The two soldiers who lost their lives fighting for their country received a high accolades for their services and sacrifices.
2) The new employee of the fast food restaurant was shocked by the frequent acerbity in the voices of the customers she encountered.
3) The attrition from his busy week of sports, school, and work, left John spending most of his weekend resting.
4) Kelsey dreaded the pep rally that was to take place on Friday, already tired from the typical bromides from ASB about how this year was the year they could make a difference.
5) She rejected the male chauvinist who offered her help, stubborn that she could accomplish it herself.
6) My mother claims she suffers from chronic headaches, though really I feel that she gets them from the stress of raising 5 children.
7) My father was careful to expound the careful care of his prized truck when my brother had to borrow it for a night.
8) The factionalism of the student body was ridiculous when you took in to account that they were only running a government for 300 students.
9) Because she had a tendency to procrastinate on her school work by cleaning, her room was immaculate during finals week.
10) She muttered imprecations while cleaning the several muddy footprints her brother left on the carpet because he had forgotten to remove his shoes.
11) It was ineluctable fact that this time next year she would no longer be living with her family, instead thousands of miles away to attend her dream college.
12) Her mercurial temper had even her friends guessing how she would be feeling the next time they saw her.
13) She tried to palliate the severity of what she had done when talking to her mother so that she would not receive the big talk she already saw coming.
14) Because it was against protocol to have access to their cell phones during boot-camp the new marines had to go weeks without talking to their families.
15) She looked resplendent in her new white dress, leaving her boyfriend breathless when she arrived.
16) She felt that the officer stigmatized her offences in hope of making up for fining her for something silly.
17) She helf the painful secrets she had gathered from friends throughout the years sub rosa, not wanting to expose them.
18)The vainglory he showed after winning the championship only helped to turn his school against him
19) My favorite country song talks of the simple vestiges teens leave throughout their favorite spots of town that keep their memories alive even after they have gone.
20) She gave up sweets in her own volition, hoping to start a healthier life style before it was too late.
1) Accolade: a mark of acknowledgement; award
2) Acerbity: the quality of being acidic in tone, temper, or mood
3) Attrition: the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack
4) Bromide: a commonplace or tiresome personor idea
5) Chauvinist: undue partiality or attachment to a group or place to which one belongs or has belonged
6) Chronic: marked by long duration or frequent recurrence
7) Expound: to explain by setting forth in careful and often elaborate detail
8) Factionalism: the existence of or conflict between groups within a larger group
9) Immaculate: clean, neat, and free from blemishes
10) Imprecation: curses that call down on someone
11) Ineluctable: not to be avoided, changed, or resisted; inevitable
12) Mercurial: characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood
13) Palliate: to moderate the intensity of
14) Protocol: a code prescribing strict adherence to correct etiquette and precedence
15) Resplendent: shining brilliantly; characterized by a glowing splendor
16) Stigmatize: to describe or identify in disgraceful terms
17) Sub Rosa: in confidence
18) Vainglory: excessive or ostentatious pride especially in one's achievements
19) Vestige: the smallest quantity or trace
20) Volition: an act of making a choice or decision
Sentences:
1) The two soldiers who lost their lives fighting for their country received a high accolades for their services and sacrifices.
2) The new employee of the fast food restaurant was shocked by the frequent acerbity in the voices of the customers she encountered.
3) The attrition from his busy week of sports, school, and work, left John spending most of his weekend resting.
4) Kelsey dreaded the pep rally that was to take place on Friday, already tired from the typical bromides from ASB about how this year was the year they could make a difference.
5) She rejected the male chauvinist who offered her help, stubborn that she could accomplish it herself.
6) My mother claims she suffers from chronic headaches, though really I feel that she gets them from the stress of raising 5 children.
7) My father was careful to expound the careful care of his prized truck when my brother had to borrow it for a night.
8) The factionalism of the student body was ridiculous when you took in to account that they were only running a government for 300 students.
9) Because she had a tendency to procrastinate on her school work by cleaning, her room was immaculate during finals week.
10) She muttered imprecations while cleaning the several muddy footprints her brother left on the carpet because he had forgotten to remove his shoes.
11) It was ineluctable fact that this time next year she would no longer be living with her family, instead thousands of miles away to attend her dream college.
12) Her mercurial temper had even her friends guessing how she would be feeling the next time they saw her.
13) She tried to palliate the severity of what she had done when talking to her mother so that she would not receive the big talk she already saw coming.
14) Because it was against protocol to have access to their cell phones during boot-camp the new marines had to go weeks without talking to their families.
15) She looked resplendent in her new white dress, leaving her boyfriend breathless when she arrived.
16) She felt that the officer stigmatized her offences in hope of making up for fining her for something silly.
17) She helf the painful secrets she had gathered from friends throughout the years sub rosa, not wanting to expose them.
18)The vainglory he showed after winning the championship only helped to turn his school against him
19) My favorite country song talks of the simple vestiges teens leave throughout their favorite spots of town that keep their memories alive even after they have gone.
20) She gave up sweets in her own volition, hoping to start a healthier life style before it was too late.
The Essence of a Hero: Beowulf vs. Harry Potter
Throughout time, the idea of a hero
has been altered year by year, depending solely on the cultural values of each
time period. With this in mind, it is easy to see why an ideal hero in
Beowulf’s time, around 700 A.D., would differ from a hero in the 21st
century; the cultural morals from one time period to the next would have been
evolving continuously. Though the stories of Beowulf and Harry Potter have an
almost 1,300 year gap, some of the values of the two cultures that inspired
these stories have key similarities, though also major differences. In both Beowulf
and the Harry Potter series, bravery and loyalty, or simply friendship, are
valued above all. But in Beowulf’s time, physical strength, and trophies of
this strength, were admired and sought after; violent acts were a sign of power
and committed freely and without penalty. In Harry Potter’s time though, our time, mental capacity and how you
choose to use your abilities is valued; success isn’t a slain enemy, but
instead one conquered, usually through your own wit. These similarities and
differences reflect the same discrepancies in the two cultures that created
these pieces of literature and their famous heroes.
One attribute
that sets Beowulf and Harry Potter apart from the ordinary is their courage. Without
this audacity, Beowulf and Harry would have no adventures or victories to set
them apart from the average man of their time. Besides his unforgettably
tremendous strength, if Beowulf did not have the bravery to sail to Denmark to aid
Hrothgar in the battle against Grendel, his story would not be worth passing on
generation after generation. Heroism was what guided him through his first victory
against the mighty Grendel, who terrorized the mead hall of Herot, and what
advanced his reputation of a typical soldier to a hero, or the type of man
whose culture admires and looks up to. You can come to this conclusion from the
way that Beowulf is written; not from one author but instead a story
passed around by oral tradition until being written as a manuscript. Because Beowulf
was being constantly tweaked by its story tellers, you can gather that Beowulf
was shaped as the true ideal conqueror. Harry and Beowulf have a major
connection; both men are thrust in to positions of influence, but it is their
bravery that makes them worth remembering. In Harry’s instance, he was already
set for greatness but it was his own character strengths that kept him from
going to the wrong side of the battle being fought. When he comes in contact
with the Sorting Hat during his first year at Hogwarts, he is asked if he would
like to be placed in the Slytherin house, where he could belong. By choosing
Gryffindor, the house known for having pupils both loyal and brave, Harry sets
for himself a moral standard that he continues to follow for the next 7 years
of his education, and on to the rest of his life. Bravery, no matter if you are
in the 21st century or 700 A.D., is a feature sought after by all of
mankind, and so in result, brave men are often remembered as also great men.
Another
characteristic of both Beowulf and Harry that sets them apart is their special
attention to the power of loyalty and friendship. Just as Beowulf would be weak
without his men, Harry would not live through triumph after triumph if it was
not from the help of his close group of friends, including Ron Weasely and
Hermione Granger. Beowulf is a capable and strong man, but it is the support
from his fellow soldiers that makes him great. In the last scene right before
his death, Beowulf goes to fight a dragon, which has been attacking his
kingdom, with a group of his men, though he plans on completing the task alone.
When Beowulf, now frail with old age, proves to be no match for the dragon, and
begins to become heavily wounded in battle, only one of Beowulf’s men, Wiglaf,
comes forward to aid his lord. Wiglaf’s bravery against the beast, and his
loyalty to Beowulf, develop him as a secondary hero in the story. The death and
funeral that follows are greatly foreshadowed in the beginning of the story,
when the ruler Shield Sheafson dies and is set to sea with his treasures. This
is similar to Beowulf, who is also buried with the treasures he has
accumulated. Beowulf’s loyalty to his men, and in return their allegiance to
him, is what secures his spot as a hero even after death. By the extravagant
funeral Beowulf receives, it says a thing about his standing and also about
this time period in general; treasures and trophies of greatness are something
to carry even to the afterlife. In Harry Potter, a valued asset is having a
deal of loyal friends, especially in times when family member may turn upon
family member. In a great friendship, people come together and share their best
characteristics; it is this assistance from his friends that essentially keeps
Harry alive. Time after time, so many occasions it is impossible to say, Harry
relies on the support of his friends and guidance of the elders in his life to
escape the man who is out for him, Voldemort, time after time.
Finally, a
feature that sets apart Beowulf and Harry, as well as setting apart their two
separate cultures, is how greatness is measured for both heroes. In the story
of Beowulf, it is his physical feats that being him recognition from men. After
defeating Grendel, with only his bare hands, Beowulf keeps a trophy in the form
of Grendel’s dissembled arm. This trophy of his victory embodies what is valued
in Beowulf’s time; physical strength and a strong lean towards violence. To be
considered to have defeated his enemies, Beowulf must conquer them in a
physical and brutal way, usually ending in their death. In contrast, in our
time, where Harry Potter’s world is modeled after, victory can come from a
conquer that is much less bloody and barbaric. Mental capacity is valued over
actual physical strength, though strength is something sought after as well. The
ability to clash with your rival and defeat him with not just with a sword
swipe to the head is something now to be proud of. This lean, towards a new
type of victory, shows our move away from barbarism, and our outlook on people
as individuals with strengths and weaknesses besides physical things. All
through the Harry Potter series, Harry stayed away from using the Killing
Curse, and instead “stunned” or disarms his rivals. In the final scene of the
whole series, Harry faces Voldemort and disarms him in the final battle instead
of aiming to kill, though Voldemort in the end dies from his own Killing Curse
that bounces off Harry’s spell. This final fight is a symbol of everything
Harry stands for; pureness of heart, bravery, and wit. Symbols like this,
spread throughout the series, shapes Harry Potter’s world in ways simple
narrative could not.
In
conclusion, what marks Beowulf and Harry Potter as equal heroes, though with a
1,300 year span between them, is their bravery, loyalty, and friendship values.
These similarities in moral standards in the two separate cultures defines our
general grasp at what a hero is, also in the same way their differences makes a
point. In Beowulf’s time, of 700 A.D., physical strength is what is sought
after, though in our time, as a modern hero, Harry conquers his enemies through
his wit and intelligence. Beowulf and Harry are both modern heroes of their
times, but times so far apart that their standards are notably separate and
marked by the cultures of what years of transformation can do.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
VOCAB #3
Definitions:
1) Apostate: one who commits renunciation of a religious faith
2) Effusive: marked by the expression of great or excessive emotion or enthusiasm
3) Impasse: a predicament affording no obvious escape
4) Euphoria: a feeling of well-being or elation
5) Lugubrious: exaggeratedly or affectedly mournful
6) Bravado: blustering swaggering conduct
7) Consensus: general agreement
8) Dichotomy: a division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities or the process or practice of making such a division
9) Constrict: to make narrow or draw together
10) Gothic: of, relating to, or resembling the Goths, their civilization, or their language
11) Punctilio: a minute detail of conduct in a ceremony or in observance of a code
12) Metamorphosis: a typically marked and more or less abrupt developmental change in the form or structure of an animal
13) Raconteur: a person who excels in telling anecdotes
14) Sine qua non: something absolutely indispensable or essential
15) Quixotic: foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals especially in romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action
16) Vendetta: an often prolonged series of retaliatory, vengeful, or hostile acts or exchange of such acts
17) Non sequitur: a statement (as a response) that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said
18) Mystique: an air or attitude of mystery and reverence developing around something or someone
19) Quagmire: a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position
20) Parlous: dangerously shrewd or cunning
Sentences:
1) An apostate from Catholicism, John became an outsider among his very religious family.
2) The basketball star received effusive thanks for making an appearance at the fundraiser.
3) He reached an impasse when faced with the decision whether to continue working his low-wage job or spend big amounts of money to receive high education.
4) The euphoria following the victory during the championship game had people running from their seats to celebrate.
5) The lugubrious atmosphere of the city's Haunted House was almost comical in its excess in dark decorations.
6) The bravado in the young athletes voice made him come across as vain, instead of humble.
7) The jury, after a long 2 hour meeting following the difficult case, reached a consensus.
8) Jake made a comment to the professor about the obvious dichotomy between the students who the professor liked, who received good grades, and the ones he didn't.
9) The broken seat belt constricted Ann to her seat after the crash, though it was unsafe to say in the car.
10) I tend to stay away from the Gothic style homes while house-hunting, for feelings that they are to morbid.
11) He overlooked the punctilio in the ceremony of who was to give their speech first.
12) Her metamorphosis from awkward preteen to a confident young adult shocked her relatives, who hadn't visited her during those tender years.
13) My grandfather could be considered a true raconteur; a quality that ended up in teaching me many lessons through his long anecdotes.
14) A love of children is a sine qua non of my job, since I am constantly caring for them and interacting with them.
15) The young girl had quixotic dreams when it came to the future of her and her boyfriend of three months.
16) Even years after, her mother still held a vendetta against her daughter's first boyfriend for breaking her daughter's heart.
17) While fighting with my parents about how I need to keep up my grades, they added in a non sequitur about how my room had been looking dirty lately as well.
18) The only new student we had all year had a certain mystique at first, though a week later we realized there was nothing very special about her.
19) Because her divorced parents let her choose who she wanted to stay with, my friend was put in a serious quagmire trying to decide how to not hurt either parent's feelings.
20) The parlous state of the country I hoped to visit as a eye-opening experience after graduating high school has me reevaluating if that is the best place to travel to.
1) Apostate: one who commits renunciation of a religious faith
2) Effusive: marked by the expression of great or excessive emotion or enthusiasm
3) Impasse: a predicament affording no obvious escape
4) Euphoria: a feeling of well-being or elation
5) Lugubrious: exaggeratedly or affectedly mournful
6) Bravado: blustering swaggering conduct
7) Consensus: general agreement
8) Dichotomy: a division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities or the process or practice of making such a division
9) Constrict: to make narrow or draw together
10) Gothic: of, relating to, or resembling the Goths, their civilization, or their language
11) Punctilio: a minute detail of conduct in a ceremony or in observance of a code
12) Metamorphosis: a typically marked and more or less abrupt developmental change in the form or structure of an animal
13) Raconteur: a person who excels in telling anecdotes
14) Sine qua non: something absolutely indispensable or essential
15) Quixotic: foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals especially in romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action
16) Vendetta: an often prolonged series of retaliatory, vengeful, or hostile acts or exchange of such acts
17) Non sequitur: a statement (as a response) that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said
18) Mystique: an air or attitude of mystery and reverence developing around something or someone
19) Quagmire: a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position
20) Parlous: dangerously shrewd or cunning
Sentences:
1) An apostate from Catholicism, John became an outsider among his very religious family.
2) The basketball star received effusive thanks for making an appearance at the fundraiser.
3) He reached an impasse when faced with the decision whether to continue working his low-wage job or spend big amounts of money to receive high education.
4) The euphoria following the victory during the championship game had people running from their seats to celebrate.
5) The lugubrious atmosphere of the city's Haunted House was almost comical in its excess in dark decorations.
6) The bravado in the young athletes voice made him come across as vain, instead of humble.
7) The jury, after a long 2 hour meeting following the difficult case, reached a consensus.
8) Jake made a comment to the professor about the obvious dichotomy between the students who the professor liked, who received good grades, and the ones he didn't.
9) The broken seat belt constricted Ann to her seat after the crash, though it was unsafe to say in the car.
10) I tend to stay away from the Gothic style homes while house-hunting, for feelings that they are to morbid.
11) He overlooked the punctilio in the ceremony of who was to give their speech first.
12) Her metamorphosis from awkward preteen to a confident young adult shocked her relatives, who hadn't visited her during those tender years.
13) My grandfather could be considered a true raconteur; a quality that ended up in teaching me many lessons through his long anecdotes.
14) A love of children is a sine qua non of my job, since I am constantly caring for them and interacting with them.
15) The young girl had quixotic dreams when it came to the future of her and her boyfriend of three months.
16) Even years after, her mother still held a vendetta against her daughter's first boyfriend for breaking her daughter's heart.
17) While fighting with my parents about how I need to keep up my grades, they added in a non sequitur about how my room had been looking dirty lately as well.
18) The only new student we had all year had a certain mystique at first, though a week later we realized there was nothing very special about her.
19) Because her divorced parents let her choose who she wanted to stay with, my friend was put in a serious quagmire trying to decide how to not hurt either parent's feelings.
20) The parlous state of the country I hoped to visit as a eye-opening experience after graduating high school has me reevaluating if that is the best place to travel to.
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