Lit Analysis #1 (Spring Semester)

So for the first lit analysis of the year, I was going to do some big remix or something that would be different. But, unfortunately, I didn't set time aside to brainstorm a good remix. So I thought, you might as well start off in the traditional style, and answer some questions. Here it goes!

1984 by George Orwell

GENERAL
1. The story is set in the year 1984, with a protaganist named Winston Smith. He's the typical Party member, goes straight to work then back home again, day in and day out. To the Party, he's one of many. Yet inside his mind, he secretly rebels against the Party and its leader, Big Brother. It starts out with Winston writing down his thoughts, a dangerous crime already, to having an affair with a young woman named Julia, to actually joining the rumored rebel group The Brotherhood. In the end, all turns to be a lie, and the Party reveals that there is no Brotherhood, and that Winston has been under surveillance the whole time. After a long period of torture and re-learning, he is set out in the public again, back to being the Party member no one cares about. This narrative could have been written to prevent this sort of tyrannical government from coming to power, and written as a sort of possible future if this came to pass.
2. There are plenty of themes that all fall under the big one of this totalitarian government. Orwell's intention is to show the dangers brought on by this government. They controlled the minds and the physicalities of their citizens, and left the proles to rot. By continuously participating in war, they brainwashed their citizens to hate and to rejoice in wartime victory. Also there is the control of every thing that the Party members see: newspapers, TV, books, music, all kinds of information. The government controlled the past, present, and eventually the future.
3. The tone varies throughout the book, depending on Winston's mood. Sometimes, Winston sounds anxious  and stressed, knowing that what he's doing and thinking is criminal. "He could not help feeling a twinge of panic. It was absurd, since the writing of those particular words was not more dangerous than the initial act of opening the diary; but for a moment he was tempted to tear out the spoiled pages and abandon the enterprise altogether." pg. 20 Other times, during the period of his affair with Julia, he sounded at peace and even happy, but most definitely caring for Julia. "He had the feeling that he could get inside it, and that in fact he was inside it, along with the mahogany bed and the gate-leg table, and the clock and the steel engraving and the paper-weight itself. The paperweight was the room he was in, and the coral was Julia's life and his own, fixed in a sort of eternity at the heart of the crystal." pg. 154 There was also at times where he sounded angry but at the same time was cool. "He had got to plunge into the filthiest of filth. What was the most horrible, sickening thing of all? He thought of Big Brother."
4.  Irony - ex. The names of the four ministries in relation to their jobs: Ministry of Truth covered up the past and changed it, Ministry of Love had to do with policing and torture, Ministry of Plenty worked on rationing, Ministry of Peace had to do with war affairs. Also the slogan of the Party: "WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH"
    Allusion - ex. the book alludes to previous totalitarian governments such as the Nazis, Mussolini, and the Soviet Union.
    Foreshadowing - ex. "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." Foreshadowing of something wrong, since clocks don't strike thirteen.
    Motif - ex. a recurring feature would have to be the Newspeak word doublethink, which is a major part of the Party government. Newspeak itself is also a motif.
    Colloquialism - ex. the dialect and accents of the proles "'Beg pardon, dearie,' she said. 'I wouldn't 'a sat on you, only the buggers put me there. They dono 'ow to treat a lady, do they?' She paused, patted her breast, and belched. 'Pardon,' she said, 'I ain't meself, quite.'"
    Symbolism - ex. The Chestnut Tree Cafe, The Bells of St. Clemens nursery rhyme
    Juxtaposition - ex. Newspeak words such as goodsex, crimestop, bellyfeel, doublethink
    Paradox - ex. Doublethink
    Flashback - ex. Winston has flashbacks of his childhood and his marriage to Katherine.
    Climax - ex. Winston and Julia getting caught by the Thought Police
    Tragedy - In a way, 1984 does remind me of a tragedy. The ending isn't as disastrous as you'd think, but if the Winston of the past saw what would happen to the Winston of the future, I'm sure he'd find it disastrous.

CHARACTERIZATION
1. Examples of indirect characterization are the times when Winston writes in his diary. "April 4th 1984...there was a middleaged woman might have been a jewess sitting up in the bow with a little boy about three years old in her arms. little boy screaming with fright and hiding his head between her breasts as if he was trying to burrow right into her and the woman putting her arms round him and comforting him although she was blue with fright herself, all the time covering him up as much as possible as if she thought her arms could keep the bullets off him." pg. 10 Also every time he looks at a picture of Big Brother, you can see his secret dislike and harboring fear come out. Examples of direct characterization would be like after his first journal entry. "He wondered again for whom he was writing the diary." and "He was a lonely ghost uttering a truth that no one would ever hear."
2. The syntax and diction change when Orwell focuses on Winston. Every other character is described normally and unextraordinarily. But when the focus is on Winston, it changes to more philosophical thoughts and writing.
3. Winston Smith is a round and dynamic character. He starts out as a cautious yet secretly rebellious citizen who is afraid of the Party and Big Brother. He then changes to a more relaxed and ready for action person, having an affair and joining the Brotherhood. Then, thanks to physical and psychological torture, he turns into the desired Party member, follower of Insgoc, and lover of Big Brother.
4. After I was done reading the book, it felt as if I had just learned  a sort of history or government lesson. This book showed a very good representation of what a world run by totalitarian governments could be like, and how they take control psychologically and physically.
   

Tale of Two Cities Lecture Notes

Lecture Notes on Tale of Two Cities

Link to the video here.

• Third city- Manchester
• Dickens conceived his first idea to write this book when he was acting
• 1857 – Dickens assisted his writer friend Collins in writing a play called The Frozen Deep
• Also participated in the play
• The love triangle in the play modeled the love triangle in ATTC
• Fell in love with a woman Ellen, separated from his wife (May 1858)
• Lucie Manette represents Ellen, has her appearance
• 1858 – Dickens  began public readings for profit instead of charity readings
• 1859- Ch. 1-3 of ATTC were published
• Two cities are London and Paris
• At the end of ATTC, he reminds the readers of a change in Paris, the destruction of a bastille
• Dickens fascinated by the light and dark sides of the city of Paris
• Dickens makes it clear in his opening that the worlds of Paris and London are similar
• Using historical setting for modern parallel
• ATTC moves between England and France in that turbulent time period
• Time period 1757-1793
• Victorians haunted by memory and example of the French Revolution
• There were fears that a revolution could happen in England
• Novel is a warning about the revolution

What's the Story?

So as you know, I'm re-reading/reviewing Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. What was the reason he was writing this story for? Who, why, when, where?

Well, if I had to take a wild guess, I think Dickens was writing to the people of England, and he was using Darnay as his own voice. Charles Darnay was an ex-aristocrat who was imprisoned wrongly by the government, and he despised the way England was running things. Maybe Dickens was trying to hint at the unrest going on in England at the time, so that they avoid the unnecessary violence that happened during the French Revolution. So I believe Darnay was supposed to be a version of himself. At the same time, maybe Sydney Carton was the ugly version of himself. The side that he didn't like, but embraced. Sydney's infatuation with Darnay's wife could also have been a mirror of some love relationship going on in Dickens' own life.

Dickens Map

The Dickens book I chose was Tale of Two Cities. I had already sort of read it last semester, but I didn't really get into it too much. It's like I barely skimmed the surface of what the book is about. So this time I'm going to read it in depth, and comprehend it better! :) Every night I'm going to read at least 5 chapters, slowly but surely, and take notes as well to help me later.

Here are some questions I think I'll be able to answer when I'm done.

1. Trace the development of the major theme of the story-rebirth through sacrifice-as it applies to:

• Dr. Manette
• Sydney Carton
• Charles Darnay

http://www.getbookee.org/get_book.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5wcmVzdHdpY2tob3VzZS5jb20vUERGL1NBTVBMRS8zMDEzMDAucGRmCkEgVGFsZSBvZiBUd28gQ2l0aWVz

2. What allusions does Dickens make to the approaching French Revolution?

http://www.getbookee.org/get_book.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5mbGF0aGVhZHJlc2VydmF0aW9uLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvcGhzL1RhbGVUd29DaXRpZXMtU3R1ZHlHdWlkZS5wZGYKQSBUYWxlIG9mIFR3byBDaXRpZXM=

3. Dickens seems to have great sympathy for the poor, the sick and the powerless, but not all such characters are portrayed sympathetically. What does that say about his sympathies? Where does he intend our sympathies as readers to lie?

http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-by-Charles-Dickens-Reading-Questions-Oprahs-Book-Club

4. Describe parallelism in Dickens' style and identify examples of it in the novel.

http://www.getbookee.org/get_book.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5wcmVzdHdpY2tob3VzZS5jb20vUERGL1NBTVBMRS8zMDEzMDAucGRmCkEgVGFsZSBvZiBUd28gQ2l0aWVz

5. How do Dickens' characters conform to the literary conventions of his day?

http://www.getbookee.org/get_book.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5mbGF0aGVhZHJlc2VydmF0aW9uLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvcGhzL1RhbGVUd29DaXRpZXMtU3R1ZHlHdWlkZS5wZGYKQSBUYWxlIG9mIFR3byBDaXRpZXM=

I think we should have essay questions and prompts to write to about the Dickens' books, that way we can demonstrate our understanding of the two novels. Hopefully once I finish I'll be able to post my answers to these questions to show how well I understood it myself. :D

Lit Terms 31-56 Remix

The continuation of my Harry Potter nonsense. :) Again the link to the definitions if you don't already know them.

Dialect:

Harry Potter and the gang all talk in British dialect, since this is set in England kind of. Just listen to 'em!

Dialectics:

Now, the definition on Preston's website says that it means "formal debates usually over the nature of truth." But this person, JordynH2012, wrote this quick little bit about Harry Potter and Voldemort. She mentions dialectics quite a bit, although I'm not sure if it's in the correct way. You decide!

Dichotomy:

I believe all of the houses in Hogwarts could be considered dichotomies. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin are all separate places a student can live in, yet they are still a part of the school Hogwarts itself.

Diction:

Okay, here's one I wanted to throw out there. I think the diction of Fred and George in the movie is very difficult to understand sometimes. Their British accents can be so thick that when they say something too fast I'm like what?? See if it's that hard for you.

Didactic:

Here's a sort of didactic line from the book! "Greatness inspires envy, envy engenders spite, spite spawns lies." 

Dogmatic:

The word was used in the book! Here's an excerpt from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 

"'I bought it,' said Xenophilius dogmatically, 'two weeks ago, from a delightful young wizard who knew of my interest in the exquisite Snorkack.'"

Elegy:

As you might have had noticed, there was a lot of sadness when the series was finished. This person with the username of StrangeJade wrote a touching elegy for the ending of the Potter series titled "Elegy for Potter." Very touching.

Epic:

An interesting question could be: Is the Harry Potter series considered an epic? Let's weigh our options. There is a central hero, whose destiny is to fight a strong enemy and defeat him. He partakes in battles and fights against other beings as well. Harry is a wizard, like most of his peers and comrades, but at times his nation is not sided with him. Let me know what you think. :)

Epitaph:

One of the saddest, simplest, and truest epitaphs I know.

"Here lies Dobby, a free elf."

Such a strong moment in the book and the movie.

Epithet:

A real popular epithet used in the book would be Mudblood. Draco Malfoy, a bully, hurls that name at Harry's good friend Hermione countless times. A Mudblood is a wizard who was born from Muggle (non-wizard) parents. It is definitely not a nice term. A nicer epithet would maybe be "The-Boy-Who-Lived," which is what people call Harry since he survived Voldemort's death spell.

Euphemism:

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" could be an example of a euphemism. This is what people say when referring to Voldemort. It's not exactly insulting, although I guess Voldemort could take it that way if he wanted to. 

Evocative (Evocation):

In the story, Harry definitely goes through a lot of evocation, especially in his dreams. He has a lot of nightmares of Voldemort and the death of his parents, which he witnessed as a very little boy. He usually wakes up in a sweat because the sensations are so real feeling. And in a way, they are a bit real, since he sees these visions and memories because of the tie that he has with Voldemort.

Exposition:

The beginning of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has the Dursleys in their house, and they sort of set up the scene talking about other random stuff. Then McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Hagrid show up in the night, with a young Harry Potter swaddled in a blanket, and they discuss the death of his parents and what to do next.

Expressionism:

Okay so I couldn't really figure one out for Harry Potter, but here's this painting as an example of expressionism!

Fable:

Hermione receives a book called the The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which is a kind of storybook for wizard children. In it, there is a fable about the three Peverell brothers who receive gifts from Death. It's an interesting read. There's a good synopsis on the Harry Potter Wiki page.

Fallacy:

Since I couldn't think of a good fallacy myself, I went to Google for help. This girl Mayrone Negash (here's her English blog!) pointed out that Dolores Umbridge used many fallacies when speaking to others. When someone was negative to her, she would turn things around in such a way that her horrible attitude would be dismissed and instead would focus on the other person being unprofessional. She would also come to conclusions with little or no facts. If someone was against her, she came to the conclusion that they were also against the Ministry of Magic. All credit goes to Mayrone. :)

Falling Action:

The most memorable falling action I could think of in the series is when Harry had just been transported back with Cedric Diggory's body. He is hysterical, and all the audience can see is him clutching Cedric's corpse, crying out about Voldemort returning. The big climax before was the murder of Cedric by Voldemort.

Farce:

Oh goodness, I've been waiting for this word. :) Ladies and Gentlemen, if you don't watch ANY of the videos on this post, I urge you to still view this one. It is THE best.

Figurative Language:

Here's some examples of figurative language from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

"On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passerby stare…"

(figurative language: split)

"Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, “The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around."

(figurative language: shot, sharp)

Flashback:

Here's an example of flashback being used in the movie, but Hagrid telling the story is also in the book.

Foil:

I consider Draco Malfoy to be a huge foil for Harry. He is just an overall rotten kid, who doesn't do one good thing until the very end of the book. And even then I'm not even sure I can call it a "good thing."

Here's his face.

Folk Tale:

Well, we first hear the story of the Three Brothers when it's retold by Xenophilius Lovegood to Harry and his friends. So in a way, it kind of is a folk tale in the story since it is told by word of mouth.

Foreshadowing:

There are lots of little bits of foreshadowing that you really have to pay attention to, especially since the future events could happen in any of the 7 books. In Prisoner of Azkaban there are two examples. One is in the beginning, where Harry dreams of following a silver figure in the woods, which turns out to be the Patronus of a doe in Deathly Hallows. Towards the end, Dumbledore asks Harry "You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us?" which could be taken as a foreshadowing of his own death and maybe others'.

Free Verse:

Here's a cute little poem titled "An Ode to Harry Potter" written by user NicoleS from Philadelphia. Check it out! :)

Genre:

I would classify the Harry Potter series as a fantasy/adventure genre. It's full of magic and creatures, and plenty of adventure throughout the story. 

Alright well there's vocab 31-56! If my examples did not help you at all, make sure to click on the link to Preston's page and memorize that vocab! Have a good day/evening. :) 

My SMART Goal

Okay so I'm a very picky person. It takes me forever to come to decisions on almost everything. So you probably shouldn't ask my opinion or my choice on something. Just a warning. ANYWAYS. After changing my mind countless times, and writing and rewriting what I want to make my goal, I have finally picked one.

Drumroll please.....

I want to be able to have a good working routine by the time I start college. This includes organized notes and work, good timekeeping for working, relaxing and having fun, and sleeping. Using this last semester of high school as my trial period, I shall focus on keeping all my papers organized in my notebooks and binder. I will also start my homework no later than 3:30, so I will have enough time to finish all of it before my appropriate bedtime rolls around (10:00). Hopefully, by staying on this schedule and continuing this mindset, I can ingrain it into my brain, and when I'm in college, I won't need anybody to remind me to do my work or tell me to be more organized. :) I'm going to stick with it and be successful!

AP Lit Terms 6-30 Remix

I'm in a bit of a Harry Potter mood, so let's remix this business. :) I'm also not posting the definitions because come on. We're in AP English, we should already know all of these. But if you need a refresher, check out Preston's page.

Analogy: 

Lion is to Gryffindor as Snake is to Slytherin.

Fred is to George as Parvati is to Padma. 

Analysis:

This website proclaims itself to be "the ultimate Harry Potter analysis source." Check it out for yourself!

Anaphora:

Okay so it's hard to find Harry Potter related anaphora. I'm sure J.K. Rowling uses it in her book, but it would take me a little while to find it. Here's a song that uses anaphora: Pushing Me Away by Linkin Park. The word "why" is repeated at the beginning of a couple of verses.

Anecdote:

Here's an anecdote a person submitted for a Harry Potter anecdote contest. I personally think it should have deserved 1st place instead of 2nd! See for yourself!

Antagonist:

I'm sure you all can guess this one.

Antithesis:

I would say that the characters Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort are good examples of antithesis. They are exact opposite character types, and emphasize the good and bad in each other.

Aphorism:

So there is no aphorism that I can think off the top of my head from Harry Potter, and skimming through the book did not help either. I do know of one by Benjamin Franklin that I do like. "Lost time is never found again." :)

Apologia: 

I was able to find an apologia written by a woman named Nancy Flanagan Knapp titled "In Defense of Harry Potter: An Apologia." In this work, she defends the books, saying they should be kept in schools and librarys as they are engaging to read, great literary works, and bring forth questions of great significance to children. It's a good read! 

Apostrophe:

This reminds me of Harry conversing with the Sorting Hat in his first year. Although the hat talks back, Harry still is talking with an inanimate object. 

Argument(ation):

J.K. Rowling is having been quoted to say that the books "comprise 'a prolonged argument for tolerance, and they should question authority'". (source)

Assumption:

I know quite a few people who assume that Harry Potter is too violent and too full of death for it to be suitable for children. As a person who started reading the series at age 10, I don't think it's the case at all. I was not at all negatively affected reading the books. As for the movies, I don't think that they're too violent or too graphic for younger people.

Audience:

Potterheads! :D

Characterization:

I think the characterization of Harry Potter himself is most apparent throughout the series. He starts off as this young boy with an unfortunate life who gets the opportunity of a lifetime to attend Hogwarts. Through all his adventures he is revealed to be a strong leader, courageous and caring.

Alright, I know there's a lot more lit terms, but I have to go eat dinner and do some other stuff. I'll be back to do more later! :)

Poetry Analysis

1. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
    Paraphrase: This long poem seems to be someone talking of approaching a lover, like a man wanting to approach a woman. Yet this man can't seem to be able to do it. He talks of life, and talks of how others are talking of "Michelangelo." This man seems to think that he is inadequate and not on the level of the woman he loves.
    Purpose: I believe the purpose is the man trying to air out his thoughts about whether he should approach his love or not.
    Structure: This poem actually seems more like a monologue, with rhyming here and there. I think that type of poetry is called free verse.
    Shift: The man seems to start off more hopeful sounding, but towards the end it seems like he has kind of given up. Like he realized that maybe there isn't a point in what he is saying.
    Speaker: Prufrock is the speaker!
    Spelling/Grammar/Diction: The style of writing seems to be quite modern. There are a lot of hyphenated words such as "one-night", "window-panes" and "shirt-sleeves" that you don't see used very often nowadays.
    Tone: Prufrock's tone is very solemn. I picture him standing there, speaking quietly to himself with a look of deep thought on his face.

2. Mending Wall by Robert Frost
    Paraphrase: The narrator and his neighbor spend some time mending the wall that separates their properties. The narrator questions why there is a wall there at all, while the neighbor just says that "Good fences make good neighbors." Even though the narrator doesn't seem to totally agree with it, the neighbor repeats it once again.
    Purpose: This seems like the kind of poem that could be interpreted in many different ways and on many different levels. Maybe Frost is using the narrator as his window to his own question of the purpose of building and mending walls between us. I can only hope to touch the surface of the purpose.
    Structure: A quick search seems to show that this is blank verse.
    Shift: Towards the beginning, the narrator talks of the process of going with his neighbor to fix the wall. It seems to be a routine thing for them. Then he goes on to talk of their conversation of the significance of the wall. He questions it's presence, while his neighbor just accepts it.
    Speaker: The speaker is anonymous to the audience.
    Spelling/Grammar/Diction: There is nothing special or out of the ordinary in the spelling or grammar, except for the strange hyphenated word "frozen-ground-swell."
    Tone: Frost has a very light, conversational tone. It sounds a little thoughtful, but not in a super serious way.

3. Let America Be America Again by Langston Hughes
    Paraphrase: The speaker seems to yearn for his old America, land of equality, liberty, and dreams. When asked who is speaking, he describes himself as every kind of American that had been wronged, and begs for America to be America again.
    Purpose: This poem seems to be rallying for America to change, to be the America that every purpose dreams it to be.
    Structure: The poem has no particular structure with a few rhyming parts here and there, so I would categorize it as free verse.
    Shift: The speaker starts the poem by saying how America isn't what it's supposed to be. He then goes on to describe himself as the wronged Americans, then back to begging for America to change.
    Speaker: I would say Hughes is the speaker in this poem.
    Spelling/Grammar/Diction: The spelling and grammar are simple and modern.
    Tone: Hughes' tone is motivational, and powerful. He sounds as if he was speaking to a crowd of people who are upset with the way America has treated them.

4. The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats
    Paraphrase: The narrator describes a terrible scene, where anarchy is set loose and innocence is lost. It seems as if the Second Coming has arrived, and there is a terrible beast coming towards Bethlehem with a lion body and a head of a man. Sounds nightmarish.
    Purpose: This seems to be the painting of what Yeats might imagine the second coming of Christ is to be like.
    Structure: There seems to be no rhyming or structure, so it is probably free verse. Although, after a quick search, it might be very loosely considered iambic pentameter. But only barely.
    Shift: In the beginning, the narrator seems to be afraid of the monstrosities happening. But when he realizes that this is the second coming, he seems to be accepting of the new age that is coming, no matter how terrifying.
    Speaker: Anonymous.
    Spelling/Grammar/Diction: Modern style of writing.
    Tone: The tone seems to be quite calm for such a horrible description. It's as if a preacher is talking of the coming of the end of the world, passionate yet not panicky.

5. Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold
    Paraphrase: Arnold describes the sea, and the many things you hear and see when near it. He talks of a philosopher playwright who compared the tide's ebb and flow to human misery. He than calls for love instead of the war that goes on in the world.
    Purpose: I'm unclear as to what this poem's purpose truly is. After a quick search it is shown to be a poem that he wrote for his wife after they visited Dover.
    Structure: Free verse! :) I'm gettin' good at this.
    Shift: The poem starts with a simple yet beautiful description of the sea itself. Then it changes to how it's related to humans and the world itself.
    Speaker: Matthew Arnold himself.
    Spelling/Grammar/Diction: Not too difficult, modern style of writing and speech.
    Tone: The tone seems to be very dramatic, like a story teller spinning and weaving a tale of the ocean. The poem itself is very pretty sounding. A perfect thing to write for your significant other.
   
   
   

   

Spring Semester Plan 1

Organization. Some people have it. Some people don't. The people that don't really have to work on keeping focused and making sure everything is in its place properly. I am, unfortunately, one of the latter. Ever since I was young, organization was not a big concern in my mind. My job was only to get my stuff done, and then leave the rest. A lot of the times, it didn't occur to me that my way of dealing with work was actually hindering me from actually doing my best. Not keeping things in a neat order can cause lots of time to be wasted, and things can get lost or appear to not be as high of quality as they could be. An example would be my backpack. Well, my old backpacks. Actually all of my old backpacks. Any work that I would keep would just get stuffed in an untidy was at the bottom, not to be thought of until I needed it, or maybe not even remembered at all. When it came time to use these papers for studying or other things, it would take way to long to find the papers I actually needed, if I found them at all. What a waste! Perfectly good work wasted. Well, that's not going to be a problem. Here is my goal for the Spring Semester of 2013:

GET ORGANIZED. PLEASE.

I know, I know. It sounds a little vague. But I think you can get what I'm trying to say. Organization is a great tool to keeping organized, and progressing in work and life. I don't want to be a slob that loses her work, has a messy work area, and terrible habits. Who wants to be involved with that kind of person? So my goal is to master the art of organization by the end of this semester. Keep all my work in one place, start writing down plans, clean a little bit more. There are many small things that I can do on the way that will help my head stay on the right track. I'm just going to have too pay close attention and not get lazy. Hopefully, at the end of my high school years, I can say that I am a strong, organized student. :)

AP Prep Post 1: Siddhartha

Question 1: What does enlightenment look like in Siddhartha? Is it a feeling? Is it an attitude?
http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/questions.html

In the passage we read, Siddhartha is traveling along a road, realizing that he is not the same person he was before. This whole epiphany seems to be more than just a feeling or an attitude. It's almost a physical thing, so strong and powerful that it causes Siddhartha to change his agenda completely. In fact, it's actually causing new attitudes and feelings in himself.

Question 2: How do Siddhartha's beliefs and teachings apply to modern life?
http://www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/homepage/cstout/File/Siddhartha_-_ESSAY_PROMPTS.pdf

Siddhartha's questioning of who he is is something that a lot of people in today's world can relate to. Many people are stuck at a crossroads, coming to see that what their life was like until then is no longer the same. The way he reacts and changes in the moment we are reading about is a good example of someone using their epiphany to make some change. Siddhartha could feel the change, he knew something needed to be done, and he took action. He changed his direction away from his father's house, and began walking away to somewhere new.

Question 3: Choose a distinguished novel or play in which some of the most significant events are mental or psychological; for example, awakenings, discoveries, changes in consciousness. In a well-organized essay, describe how the author manages to give these internal events the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax usually associated with external action. Do not merely summarize the plot. (Prompt 1988)
http://mseffie.com/AP/APOpenQuestions.html

This open-ended AP prompt is perfect for the use of Siddhartha. This passage is a very significant "awakening." The author painted a very good picture of the thought process going through Siddhartha's mind.  He asks himself many questions, trying to figure out what the next step is. He sees and almost seems jealous of Govinda and his place in life. Why can't he find that? And why is he so alone? The reader can sense a good deal of panic and wonder coming from Siddhartha. Since we only had this passage to read, we don't know what happened after Siddhartha decides to not go to his father's home, which left us with a lot of suspense.

Question 4: Consider Siddhartha’s relationship with Govinda. How are they similar, and how are they different? What are the narrative functions of Govinda’s reappearance throughout the novel? How does their relationship impact the novel’s ending?
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/siddhartha/study.html

Govinda is mentioned once in the passage we read. Siddhartha remarks on how he "had become a monk and thousands of monks were his brothers, wore the same gown, shared his beliefs and spoke his language." It seems like Govinda has settled into his place at the world, and has many who respect him and what he does. Siddhartha on the other hand is lost and does not have a solid place. Other than this, we don't see much on their relationship. We'd have to read more to figure that out.

Question 5: When is Siddhartha most attentive to the natural environment around him? When is he least attentive? Now think about is spiritual awakenings. Do the two mesh in any way?
http://www.gradesaver.com/siddhartha/q-and-a/1-when-is-siddhartha-most-attentive-to-the-natural-environment-around-him-when-is-he-least-attentive-now-think-about-is-spiritual-awakenings-do-the-two-mesh-in-any-way-94143/

Now I wanted to pick a question that I think the passage alone can't answer. Reading more of the novel and about Siddhartha's environment could definitely lead to the answer.

What's In This For Me?

Writing. Writing can be my enemy at times, more than I'd like. When I was younger and the prompts at school were easier to follow, writing was my companion. I could write about what I wanted to be and what kind of puppy I wanted and be able to express myself clearly. Nowadays, writing is much more difficult. You have to be able to input your voice in a way that you can leave an impression on the reader. My writing is seriously lacking in that department now. This semester hopefully will be full of practice essays for the AP Exam and other activities to help mend my ways. Also, having a few great writers look over my work should help, even if I sort of dread the idea. Having people look over my work has always been embarrassing for me, and I would find it such a pain. But looking back, I suppose it is necessary for growth and development. This semester will be a good change for me!