Monday, August 27, 2012

Vocabulary #3

Definitions:
  • Accolade - a mark of accomplishment, an award, an expression of praise
  • Acerbity - being acid in temper, mood, or tone
  • Attrition - reduction or decrease in numbers or size
  • Bromide - a commonplace or tiresome statement
  • Chauvinist - a person who is showing aggressive patriotism or an attitude of superiority
  • Chronic - marked by a long duration or frequent recurrence; always present or encountered
  • Expound - to set forth, to state, to defend an argument
  • Factionalism - the splitting of a group into separate groups
  • Immaculate - pure, containing no flaw or error
  • Imprecation - curse, insult
  • Ineluctable - not to be avoided, changed, or resisted
  • Mercurial - characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood
  • Palliate - to reduce the violence of; to cover by excuses and apologies
  • Protocol - a code prescribing strict adherence to correct etiquette and precedence
  • Resplendent - shining brilliantly, characterized by a glowing splendor
  • Stigmatize - to describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval; brand
  • Sub Rosa - in confidence, secretly
  • Vainglory - excessive pride especially in one's achievements
  • Vestige - a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something
  • Volition - an act of making a choice or decision
Sentences:
  • The volleyball player received many accolades for her leadership on and off the court.
  • My mom spoke to my sister with a touch of acerbity in her voice, as ashe was getting tired of her crazy antics.
  • The club had an increase of attrition in members after the unpopular president was elected.
  • The teacher uses plenty of corny bromides when talking to his students.
  • At the country club, the many chauvinists are gathered around each hole, discussing the many lowly people beneath them.
  • I suffer from chronic dancing disease: I just can't stop moving my feet when I hear that music! (Hehe.)
  • No one dared to expound the subject that was brought up in the courtroom.
  • Peace was finally threatened by the factionalism, drawing the unity of the people to a close.
  • My room was simply immaculate after I was done vacuuming, dusting, and straightening.
  • Throwing imprecations into a calm, non-aggressive debate just starts a juvenile argument between children.
  • Her mood was mercurial sometimes that we didn't even know who she was one day or the next.
  • In order to palliate the fight going on in the cafeteria, teachers rushed in and separated the two students immediately, taking them to separate rooms.
  • It is strict protocol to NEVER come to work without your uniform.
  • Her wedding ring gave off a resplendent glow as she took to the floor with her new husband.
  • In "Awkward.", the protaganist is constantly stigmatized as a "suicidal freak."
  • I am telling you this sub rosa, and it must be kept between the two of us.
  • All the constant complimenting of her number one artpiece has raised her level of vainglory to an unspeakable height.
  • The only vestige left behind by the knight was the faded footprint behind the house.
  • Leaving of her own volition is a right that her family had to give her.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Beowulf Questions

I worked with Jessica Rothanzl for about 3 hours. We kind of used our brains plus some help from good ol' Google to answer the questions. I did more of the dictating of how we answered the question while she typed and double checked to make what we were saying more or less made sense.


Beowulf And Grendel

Prologue:

1.       Shield’s rise to power came from the fact that he was more powerful than the rest of the Danes. They sent Shield away on the ocean in a boat, along with many treasures. Hrothgar is one of Shield’s grandsons.

Heorot is Attacked

1.       Hrothgar decided to build a beautiful mead-house. Grendel later attacked the mead-house, and he took over. The attacks lasted for many years, and the Danes tried fighting him off but they were unsuccessful.

The Hero comes to Heorot:

1.       When he heard of Grendel’s doings he gathered 14 strong warriors and sailed to the land of the Danes.

2.       They meet one of Hrothgar’s henchmen. He asks who they are and why they came over here and told them they should leave. Beowulf replied that they were there to fight Grendel.

3.       Hrothgar’s herald is Wulfgar a proud warrior. He asks them what their business is. He then goes to Hrothgar and tells them that these warriors have come to seek a meeting with him. Hrothgar answers that he has heard of Beowulf and his land.  I was sort of shocked that he already knew about Beowulf.  

4.       He tells him he has defeated 5 giants and that he has come to defeat Grendel and rid him from the land of the Danes. Hrothgar and the Danes have helped the Geats against the Wylfings.

Feast at Heorot:

1.       Unferth accuses Beowulf of not being able to hand the fight with Grendel. Beowulf rises to the challenge and speaks of his superior strength and tells of a fight between him and sea creatures. This episode is relevant because it reveals part of Beowulf’s character and personality.

2.       Queen Wealhtheow came into the hall with a cup and allowed each of the men to drink out of it, then came to rest beside Hrothgar.

The Fight with Grendel:

1.       Beowulf had planned to fight Grendel without arms, since that was the way Grendel fought.

2.       Grendel finds all of the men sleeping, and then proceeds to eat some of the Geats. Beowulf, who was awake, gets up and tackles him, bending his claws back. Grendel tried wriggling out of Beowulf’s grasp, but Beowulf held him steadfast for awhile longer. He finally did escape, breaking his arm in the process, leaving his arm, claw, and shoulder. (Ouch!)

Celebration at Heorot

1.       Sigemund was more famous for defeating giants and dragons, getting all the glory from killing them, just like Beowulf had defeated Grendel. Heremod was “urged to crime” and followed a darker path, unlike Beowulf.

2.       Hrothgar thanks Beowulf for defeating Grendel and praises his mother. He promises him treasure for his good deed. Unferth had nothing to say.

3.       The story was kinda hard to understand, but I think Finn had a feud with someone, and Hildebruh watched them die. It does not suggest that it is wise to use women as brides.

4.       Wealhtheow asked Hrothgar not to make Beowulf the heir to the kingdom.

5.       The men stay in the beerhall to protect Hrothgar and their land from harm. It was dangerous to stay there though because Grendel or any other creature like Grendel could easily burst through again.


Beowulf and Grendel’s Mother

Another Attack

1.       Grendel’s mother went to Heorot in vengeance for her son, a different motive then Grendel.

2.       Hrothgar had tried to fight her off, but she ended up killing a close friend of Hrothgar’s, causing him much pain and sorrow.

3.       The mere is like an underwater lair, a place where Grendel and his mother have lived.

Beowulf Fights Grendel’s Mother

1.       Beowulf tells Hrothgar that he should attack in vengeance, not be sad. He says they should ride out and fight Grendel’s mother.

2.       Beowulf and his troop see sea creatures, and shoots one to look at it closer.

3.       Beowulf prepares by telling Hrothgar of his wish of sending his armor to Hygelac if he fails at defeating her, and he takes Unferth’s sword Hrunting to fight.

4.       Grendel’s mother senses he is there and grabs him to take to the lair. Surprisingly, there is no water in the lair, even though it is completely underwater.

5.       Beowulf throws the sword to the side, since he likes fighting by hand better.

6.       Grendel’s mother tries to stab him, but the armor protects him from it.

7.       Beowulf uses the sword Eotens to strike Grendel’s mother, killing her. After she dies, Beowulf sees Grendel’s body on the floor. He cuts off Grendel’s head, but the sword he uses melted because of the blood of the monsters.

8.       All the men who were still waiting rejoiced at seeing Beowulf, even though most believed that he was defeated.

Further Celebration at Heorot

1.       Beowulf gives Hrothgar the hilt of the sword he used to kill Grendel’s mother.

2.       Hrothgar tells Beowulf that he knows no one with the honor and bravery that Beowulf has. He tells how Heremod was famous for defeating enemies, but never shared his treasures with the poor. He was telling Beowulf to learn from the example of Heremod. He was also warning Beowulf of the dangers of selfishness.

3.       Beowulf returns Hrunting to Unferth.

Beowulf Returns Home

1.       Hrothgar predicts that Beowulf will become a “worthy and wise king.”

2.       Hygd is the wife of Hygelac, and she was kind unlike Modthryth who punished any man who looked upon her.

3.       He plans to do that to end a feud between the two. Beowulf does not believe in marriage, and thinks that men will still fight over Freawaru. This might be a new side to Beowulf that we have not seen. (Not totally sure if this answer is right.)

4.       Beowulf reports his stories almost exactly the way the story is presenting it. He is doing a very accurate job of it.

5.       Beowulf gives all of the treasure to Hygelac, and Hygelac in turn gives him Hrethel’s sword, a whole lot of land, a house, and a throne.

The Dragon Wakes

1.       Part 2 takes place 50 years later. Hygelac and Heardred have died, unknown how. A dragon has been awakened by mistake.

2.       The dragon is angry because someone came into his lair and took a cup from his treasure. The man took a cup to appease a king for some crime that he did. A person who wanted to guard the treasure from a lost race had left that treasure there to be guarded.

3.       The dragon blew fire onto many homes as it flew away to find the thief.

4.       Beowulf thought he had angered God by breaking an ancient law. He orders an iron shield because he knew wood would be useless against fire. He plans to go alone since he has fought many dangerous beasts since Grendel.

5.       Hygelac fell in hand-to-hand combat, and when he returned home, he became Regent to Hygelac’s son Heardred who was king.

6.       After giving some exiles shelter, someone came and killed Heardred, and Beowulf became King. Beowulf planned to avenge him by assembling an army and pursuing the man who killed Heardred.

7.       Beowulf brought 11 other companions to search for the dragon.

8.       Herebreald was killed accidentally by his younger brother Haethkyn. King Hrethel was heartbroken, for he had to send Haethkyn to the gallows to be sentenced to death. The Swedes and Geats began to fight after Hrethel died. Haethycn was killed. Beowulf avenged the death of Hygelac by killing Daeghrfen.

Beowulf Attacks Dragon

1.       Beowulf told his companions not to interfere with the battle.

2.       Beowulf at first holds his ground against the dragon, even when the dragon is breathing fire on him. His companions flee into the forest. Wiglaf is the only one who stays behind to see Beowulf fight. He told the others that it was a shame to let their leader fight alone, and then goes to help Beowulf in fighting the dragon.

3.       The second time Beowulf tried to strike the dragon with the sword, but it broke. He was just too strong for swords. The dragon bit Beowulf on the neck, and Wiglaf ended up killing the dragon by stabbing him in the hide.

4.       Beowulf asks Wiglaf to show him the treasure that they had acquired now that the dragon was dead. When he sees the gold, Beowulf thanks God for seeing the treasure before he died. Beowulf asks Wiglaf to mark the place where he was buried as Beowulf’s Barrow for all to know.

Beowulf’s Funeral

1.       The companions will not receive any of the treasure, for it will mean nothing if word gets out that they had run from battle. Wiglaf said: “for all of the gold that their lord had gifted to them at the mead-hall, any treasure he could find, was worthless for they had failed him in battle. In his final hour, "Beowulf wreaked his revenge on the dragon.”

2.       The messenger told the city that their leader was on his death bed with the dragon dead beside him, with Wiglaf watching over both. Ongenthow attacked and defeated the king and took the queen as his own. Hygelac soon came to defeat him, and Ongenthow retreated to his home. He says the treasure should be buried with Beowulf, and the final image is of the dragon.

3.       Wiglaf tells the crowd of the death of their leader, and that they should not keep the gold for themselves.

4.       They tossed the dragon’s body into the sea, back to where it came from.

5.       They laid Beowulf’s armor and weapons on his funeral pyre and lit it on fire. A few days later a monument was built in honor of Beowulf and his legacy.

6.       The last three lines say:quoth that of all the kings of earth, of men he was mildest and most beloved, to his kin the kindest, keenest for praise.” This wouldn’t be the kind of words I would use to describe a military hero. I would think of a kind, generous king that was peaceful instead of famous Beowulf, always killing monsters.

Peer Feedback #1

Comments about my two essays. :)

1987 Exam Essay #2

The Grapes of Wrath was full of social changes and changes in tradition for not only the main characters, the Joad family, but all the people mentioned that were involved in the Dust Bowl. His unique writing style and the way he wrote his novel conveys these changes with exquisite detail.

One of the first things I noticed while reading Steinbeck's work was his amazing attention to detail. There was always plenty to talk about, about each of the characters, what they were doing, and even sometimes talking about details even the characters didn't know. With all the description, I felt like I was actually with the Joads, traveling with them, and going through all the hardships they dealt with.

Another unique thing that Steinbeck uses was the changing of the chapters from the Joads to other situations during the Dust Bowl. It was quite confusing to me at first, with the constant switching, but I soon came to realize that he was showing the changes in the country during the time. It helped give different points of view and different situations for the reader to see and imagine. The banks evicting the farmers and landowners was an example of one of the settings where the Joads weren't involved directly, and it gave a view of the drastic change going on in America.

With Steinbeck's descriptive imagery and many different settings in the story, the audience recieves the message of change, and the hard times in that period. The audience gets to feel that they are in the story, with Joads and the rest of the past America.

1987 Exam Essay #1

George Eliot speaks of a time where slow, more relaxing ways of life are being replaced with more "eager," faster ways of life. She conveys this through literary styles such as descriptive detail and personification.

Eliot personifies leisure, creating the image of an old, content man called "Old Leisure." Old Leisure acts like a regular human. Examples like "fingered the guines in his pocket" and "ate his dinners" are examples of the human-like nature Old Leisure has.

New Leisure isn't exactly made into a life-like persona. Eliot describes the new way as "a vacuum for eager thought to rush in." InEliot's opinion this "new leisure"isn't even considered leisure. It is more eager and exciting than the old leisure originally had been. Although she does miss the slow and steadiness of leisure, she does not seem to be opposed to this new view of leisure. She seems tolerant of it, in fact.

Eliot also seemed to be creating a backstory for Old Leisure as the passage progressed. Her description of Old Leisure became more and more ridiculuous, politely poking fun with Old Leisure's attitude towards Church and sermons. Yet at the same time, she has a reminiscent tone, almost caring, for the olda days and the old ways. The new world with its new fast pace just doesn't seem to have room for old leisure.

Although Eliot dearly misses silly old Leisure, she does not seem to object to the new coming of age ways. Her use of personification and detail gave the reader insight into the beloved old ways and at the same time prepared the reader for what is most certainly to come.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

My Thoughts: Today's Socratic Seminar

Oh Socratic Seminars... how delightfully interesting. I myself am never one to jump in, since I am one of those people who can easily change their mind if you support your claim with a good solid fact. This Socratic Seminar was very interesting, even though time was short and only a few people spoke. I'm actually not quite sure if there was a disagreement or debate going on (although now that I think about it, Beka and Ashlie did have a little "back and forth" action back there) but I do think some good points were thrown out into the open. Katherine's especially got me thinking a bit, when she was trying to distinguish the difference between preference opinion and factual opinion. That stuck with me,  for I believe that you are entitled to a preferential opinion, such as "I think these shoes match that top" whereas you are not entitled to saying "Those shoes are the best match for that top." I probably would've added that in had it occured to me at the time.

Monday, August 20, 2012

The Laughing Heart - Charles Bukowski

My recital for the poem The Laughing Heart - Charles Bukowski


You might have to turn it up just a bit... I'm really quiet. :)

Thursday, August 16, 2012

My Additional Thoughts.

Being a person with a big tendency to be distracted from priorities, interruptions can become dangerous to my thinking process. When I get in the zone, I can write and write and write until the cows come home. Ideas are bouncing around on the inside of my skull, waiting to be unleashed through the tip of my pen. Yet once that Facebook page is up, or that ringtone starts ringing, or that person calls my attention away from my work, downhill it goes. So of course, after coming back from the library, I found my mind not on the same level as it was when I began the essay. Thinking about not having enough time and lots of other thoughts (not English-related, sorry to say) were clogging up my brain, and I didn't get to exactly finish the essay the way I wanted.

I had barely started my third paragraph, I believe, starting to compare and contrast the writing styles of Montaigne and Austen. Listing off comparisons is always the easier part, hence why I almost always start with comparisons. But with contrasting, it's much more different. If my mind wasn't so cluttered and distracted, I could've been slowly but surely coming up with a few to tie up that paragraph before starting on a decent conclusion. Austen had a more emotional writing style than Montaigne had in her novel, due to the fact that she was creating a more dramatic story. I had more contrasts in my mind, but alas, my mind just cannot recall those thoughts.

It did occur to me after I left that I might have even wrote a bit too hastily, and jumbled up the beginning just a tad. That's what hurrying one's work does, I suppose. This is essay was definitely not my best attempt, but there are plenty more to come where redeeming myself is definitely possible. :)