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!

Lit Analysis #5

No Exit
So I thought it'd be fun to a Lit Analysis on this story, since I enjoyed it quite a bit. :)

General

1. This play started with three people being brought to a single room by a valet. They are surprised that there are no torture devices, it was just the three of them stuck in a room together. They come to be irritated more and more by each other, and soon can't stand each other. They bicker and argue and fight even after they reveal why they were condemned, and even then they couldn't be agreeable. Garcin finally realizes that "hell is other people."
2. The theme of this novel was probably best summarized by the sentence "Hell is other people." True hell can sometimes be summarized as something as simple as that. It was pure torture for Garcin, Inez, and Estelle to be in the same room as each other; that alone was making them suffer
3. Play's are told mainly through the dialogue of the characters. The three characters in the play were sometimes angry, sometimes panicky, and sometimes very solemn.
4. Sarte uses indirect characterization, allegory, imagery, symbolism, and many others. Allegory is particulary important, since the room really wasn't just a room, but a symbol for hell, and how incredibly simple torture and hell can truly be for people.


Characterization

1. Indirect Characterization - "INEZ: Suppose I try to be your glass? Come and pay me a visit, dear. Here's a place for you on my sofa." pg. 18; "ESTELLE: Pneumonia. It's over now, they're leaving the cemetery. Good-by. Good-by.Quite a crowd they are. My husband's stayed at home. Prostrated with grief, poor man.How about you?" pg. 9 The author uses indirect characterization in the dialogue, it not only shows who the characters are, but also what the other two characters think of him/her.
2. The author's diction and syntax don't change majorly with each character. Garcin, Inez, and Estelle sound just a bit different when speaking. Although, I would have to say Inez stands out a bit more than the other two. Garcin and Estelle are more in common, looking with fondness on their old loved ones and sharing a common crime. Inez on the other hand looks at them with a bit of disdain, saying they should just forget about their old lives. I would say she is just a bit more cold and accepting of hell than they are.
3. All three of them are static characters, but also round characters. Throughout the play, they remain the same condemned souls stuck in the same room together. Nothing about them changes, only their feelings of hatred toward each other growing stronger and stronger. But they are also characters that reveal personal and deep things about themselves. We learn about how each of them were condemned to enter hell, and we see their feelings clearly.
4. At the end, I felt like I had just read a story, and didn't really meet the characters, Honestly, I'm kind of glad I don't meet people like Garcin, Inez, and Estelle. Well, I'm sure I have, but I don't think I have spent a lot of time with them. To me, reading this story was kind of like looking at this room from above, observing each reaction from each character while eating some popcorn. It was kind of like I was God, or maybe even the Devil, and just delighting in these people suffering so much. :) Hehe.

Thinking Outside the Box

Both Plato's and Sartre's stories held an import message behind all the symbolism used in the stories themselves. In the allegory, the prisoners represented ignorance in a pure state, for they did not know what is real, and only believed the few things they knew to be what the world was. Sartre's play's message was summarized very well in a quote from Garcin "Hell is other people." At first glance, neither literary work seems to have much in common with the other. But after thinking about it for a bit, I realized that both had to do with the mind. Our mind is the ultimate thing that will make us suffer or help us progress. The prisoner's minds were closed to the thought of a world outside the cave, even when one of their own told them. The three prisoners in No Exit were also suffering by their own mind, allowing themselves to feel tortured by each other, and the emptiness that the room had to offer. Plato's solution was a bit more easier to decipher: you either have to open your mind to rid yourself of ignorance, or let others drag you out of it. As for Sartre... his solution was a bit harder to find. I think the only thing you can do when dealing with a personal hell is to embrace it. Not in a warm way, but just acceptance of what is happening is the first step in dealing with a situation such as that. And at the end of the play, the three characters did come to realize that they would be stuck together.

"Allegory of the Cave" Sonnet!

Now I'm not gonna lie. Poetry is not my strong point. Thank goodness I had my sister Lydia to help me out. She is the stronger one when it comes to art and poetry. Here you go!

The shackles holding them back

From the life outside their reality

The flames and shadows surrounded by black

Seems to be their only mentality

Selected to be unchained

Was a man no weaker than the rest

Let outside the cave and a life he’d gained

Better than he had ever guessed

Returned he had with many stories to tell

To his friends chained up and all

But for they did not believe the man

Of the life outside the wall.

Now friends, tell me whom you’d rather be?

The ones who sit in blissful ignorance, or the man who was set free?

Thanks again to Lydia!! :) People should bug at her school and say she's the best sister for helping out!