During my senior I have learned so many new and beneficial ways to evaluate, analyze, and compose literature. I have grown as a student and became prepared and confident about going into college in a few short months. English IV has taught me who I am as a writer, and as an audience to literature. I believe that this year has helped my find my voice when it comes to expressing my ideas through essays.
For me, the most important aspect was the research paper. The process of writing a ten page paper was completely new to me, and going through it allowed me to practice time management, but more importantly I learned how to insert my own voice in a paper that was consumed by research. Through this paper I also learned an abundant amount of information on drug consumption and depression, which are topics that are relevant and will continue to become more relevant as I go into the next chapter of my life. Previously, I was unaware of details in this topic.
Having experienced this assignment, I now realize that an English paper can be beneficial not just as a grade, but more so as knowledge that can be carried with me throughout the rest of my life. This growth as a student and a person has prepared me to head to college and live independently.
Friday, April 29, 2016
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Blog #26: Art & the Artist Prewriting
CURIOSITA
As a child I was always drawing portraits of fictional characters and cartoons. I grew up watching cartoons and reading comics every day with my dad. I started to make up my own fictional characters and sometimes trace the ones that I saw in the comic section of the newspaper. That has shaped into my fascination with the way that animated movies, films, and cartoon look today. Some look so real and some fictional characters are so unique and creative, but every character follows the same theme. I have always been interested in the way that artists make fictional characters and animated scenes.
This has shaped my view of art because it made me realize that artists not only have to have the artistic ability to create appealing drawings, but they sometimes start from scratch and need to make fictional ideas come to life, going off nothing but their own creativity.
As a child I had a fascination with different handwriting. I used to sit and watch my mom write just because the way she moved the pen in such an elegant way fascinated me. I always wondered how she got her letters to be so uniform and look so professional. I used to watch my grandma write in “old time” cursive and try decipher her handwriting before I could even read cursive. And my dad just wrote in all uppercase letters, which was not as interesting, but definitely easy to read. It interested me how every individual has different handwriting. This effects what I’m curious about now because I still notice handwriting, fonts, calligraphy, or even grafiti and think about the person that wrote the letters in the way they did.
This has shaped my artistic view because it made me realize that there is a different hand behind every handwriting. People have their own handwriting and a lot of times it is that way for a reason. Handwriting like calligraphy is hard to master and takes hard work. I realized that not just words can be art, but the letters can be too.
THE VALUE OF ART: 3 quotes
1."The activity of art is based on the fact that a man receiving through his sense of hearing or sight another man's expression of feeling, is capable of experiencing the emotion which moved the man who expressed it" (Guest 1).2. "There are. . . notorius problems with thinking art is just about evoking feelings" (Guest 1).
3. "Art's value. . . is to be found in the value of its own existence, independent of its doing anything for us" (Guest 2).
TED TALK
What is art? Art is something that changes the way we think about culture and ourselves. Art is a powerful image that can confront an individual on controversial ideals.
What is the artist’s role in society? Artist’s can open up a world of possibility for people by being different. Thelma is inspired by some of the first black artists, and they showed her what she was about to enter into. They look at things in different points of view to engage their audience and change views.
How can we effectively utilize art in our lives? We can use art to ask ourselves questions and really think about the answers. We can also strive to understand how images work and work through these images. We can also utilize art to take a look at the past, present, and future.
ICEBERG
Surface- crafts, literature, language
Shallow- concept of time, nonverbal communication, concept of beauty
Deep-concept of “self”, concept of past and future, definition of obscenity
Monday, March 14, 2016
Blog #19: Topic Selection and BNW Quotes
Essential Questions
Culture Norms- What Impact does culture have on ourselves and others?
Technology and Science- Can humans be trusted in their use of scientific developments?
Consumer Culture- How does modern society manipulate/ take advantage of people’s desires as it relates to the following topics?
I will be writing about the adverse effects of one’s concept of self due to drugs and depression on the body. Dr. Adrian Lloyd, lecturer and honorary specialist registrar in psychiatry, says that depression and the use of recreational drugs are both common and occur together by chance as individual problems. There is an interaction between the two and this can take several forms. Because most types of drugs produce a short-term feeling of well-being, it’s easy to see how they might be used by someone who is feeling down to remove their symptoms.
Drugs are huge topic in both today’s culture and Brave New World. In the Brave New World, the civilians relieve depressed, not idealized thoughts by taking soma as a way to temporarily remove the pain and provide immediate satisfaction. Soma is a way to physiologically keep the characters happy and act within the norm of society, and raise their self-esteem and feeling of fitting in. This paper will explore the effects drug have on the individuals both in Brave New World, and today’s life as it pertains to depression.
Topic/ iceberg
Research
Maslow
Quotes in BNW
|
Maslow
|
Iceberg
|
“…and if anything should go wrong, there’s soma” (151).
|
Physiological, belonging
|
Food, drama, celebration; concept of self, obscenity, patterns of handling emotions
|
“[Soma is] poison to the soul as well as the body”(144).
|
Physiological, Safety
|
Drama; concepts of food, patterns of handling emotions
|
“…he dropped to the chair…began to weep. A few minutes later, however, he though better of it and took four tablets of soma” (118).
|
Self-actualization, esteem
|
Food; patterns of handling emotions, concept of self
|
“I’d rather be unhappy than have a false, lying happiness” (119).
|
Self-actualization
|
Celebration, drama; concept of self, future and past, notions of modesty
|
“The holiday it gave was perfect… the remedy was to make the holiday continuous” (103).
|
Safety, physiological
|
Celebration, food; concept of self, concept of cleanliness, social interaction rate
|
“…there she remained; and yet wasn’t there at all…” (104).
|
Physiological
|
Food, celebration; concept of self, problem-solving, patterns of handling emotions
|
“’Hug me till you drug, honey; kiss me till im in a coma; hug me, honey, snuggly bunny, love’s as good as soma’”(111).
|
Love/belonging
|
Games, celebration; nature of friendships, attitudes towards dependents
|
“As soon as they got back… [they took] tablets of soma.. [it was] 18 hours before she was in time again” (95).
|
Physiological, Safety
|
Celebration, food; patterns of handling emotions, concept of self
|
“[she felt] ashamed, now that… the soma had worn off…” (76).
|
Esteem, self-actualization
|
Celebration, food; patterns of handling emotions, concept of self
|
“’Too awful!’ She shuddered, ‘Oh, I wish I had my soma’”(78).
|
Physiological, Safety
|
Drama; patterns of handling emotions, concepts of self
|
Friday, February 5, 2016
Blog 18: Home & Family Socratic Discussion Materials
Cory defies tradition- Call to Adventure
Cory confronts refusal- Ordeal
Cory understands denial – Return with the Elixir
PART #2: ANSWER FENCES QUESTIONS
Respond to each question in a complete paragraph. When possible, use direct quotes from the play in your answer.
1. In the stage directions for act 1, scene 1, Wilson describes Troy as “a large man with thick, heavy hands; it is this largeness that he strives to fill out and make an accommodation with.” How does this description establish the character of Troy?
This description of Troy immediately portrays him as a man who ‘acts his size’. He does everything in a big way. Troy ‘fills out’ his large figure with his stubborn ideals and unwillingness to listen. Throughout fences, Troy seems to be the one that is demanding and pushing every other character to do as he thinks he is right. He uses his physical qualities as extra way to express his defiance against others, but also hide his personal insecurities. “Why aren’t you working?”(1.1.306.)
2. Is the character of Troy Maxson believable/realistic? Use textual evidence to defend your answer.
Troy Maxson loses a lot of credibility early on in the play. He always has stories that are utterly impossible and outrageous, but defends them as true. In the beginning of “Fences”, Troy tells a story about how the devil wouldn’t allow Troy to give him credit or furniture. (page 203) He swears he spoke to the devil himself. When Rose calls him out on this lie, Troy sticks with his story. Along with this story and many others, Troy isn’t very believable due to his ability to quickly lie and stretch the truth.
3. What role does Bono play in the development of Troy’s character? Pick a scene that you think shows Bono’s role most clearly, and then explain.
Bono plays a crucial role in developing Troy’s character. Towards the end of the play, Bono acts as a reminder of realism for Troy. In Act 2 Scene 1 Bono confronts Troy directly about the huge mistake he made in having an affair. “You can’t find a better woman than Rose”(2.1.47). Troy needed someone to tell him he was wrong, and Bono stood up to the challenge.
4. Is Troy a hypocrite? Do his relationships with Alberta and Cory make his assertions regarding family responsibilities and duty ring false?
I believe Troy is a hypocrite because he is always talking about family values and how he works his “ass off” to put meat on the table for his family every day. Also, his relationship with Alberta makes his assertions on family false because he is defying his entire family by cheating on his wife. While his relationship with Cory make his assertions on family true because all Troy every wanted for Cory was to be successful and be a lot better than he ever was.
5. When Cory returns after Troy’s death, he tells Rose, “I can’t drag Papa with me everywhere I go. I’ve got to say no to him” (Act 2.5.110). What finally convinces Cory to attend Troy’s funeral? What does his attending the funeral suggest about what Cory’s future might hold and what kind of home and family he will have? Has he said “no” to his father?
Rose convinces Cory to go to the funeral by telling him “Not going to your father’s funeral makes you no more of a man” (2.1.50) By Cory attending the funeral, it suggests that Cory is going to grow up to be the man his father envisioned because he got over his father crushing his dreams. (because he went to the funeral) I believe Cory has not said “no” to his father because in the end, Cory does not defy his father.
Rose convinces Cory to go to the funeral by telling him “Not going to your father’s funeral makes you no more of a man” (2.1.50) By Cory attending the funeral, it suggests that Cory is going to grow up to be the man his father envisioned because he got over his father crushing his dreams. (because he went to the funeral) I believe Cory has not said “no” to his father because in the end, Cory does not defy his father.
6. What do you think is the climax of Fences? Explain your reasoning.
The climax of Fences is when Troy admits to Rose that he was been having an affair because at this point in time, Troy has defied every family value he has ever said. Making him a pretty big hypocrite. It also changes how everyone acts towards Troy. (Where characters are developing the most)
The climax of Fences is when Troy admits to Rose that he was been having an affair because at this point in time, Troy has defied every family value he has ever said. Making him a pretty big hypocrite. It also changes how everyone acts towards Troy. (Where characters are developing the most)
7. Wilson has described Fences as having a “blues aesthetic.” Songs, and particularly the blues, play an important role in Wilson’s plays. Where do you see the influence of the blues on Fences? Is it in the diction? The syntax? The themes? The structure? Or does it show itself in some other way?
The blues uses music and lyrics to express the singers difficult situation. Openly describing their struggles allows the singer to connect with listeners in similar situations. This communication and connection allows both parties to support each other. An example of this in Fences can be found in Act I Scene IV Troy and Bono are both expressing the sad nature of the relationships with their fathers. Their stories would be appropriate blues songs that allow each other to connect.
8. The character of Gabriel has puzzled readers, audiences, and even directors; on even suggested that he be dropped from the script to keep from confusing audiences. Some see him as a spiritual presence with a visible link to the African past. What elements of plot and character depend on him? Explain how you do or do not see Gabriel as essential to Fences. Include the final scene in your interpretation.
The character of Gabriel has puzzled readers, audiences, and even directors; on even suggested that he be dropped from the script to keep from confusing audiences. Some see him as a spiritual presence with a visible link to the African past. What elements of plot and character depend on him? Explain how you do or do not see Gabriel as essential to Fences. Include the final scene in your interpretation.
9. How do biblical allusions, mythological allusions and cultural allusions develop characterization and the meaning of the work as a whole?
The most prevalent theme in Fences contains a biblical allusion, “You can’t visit the sins of the father upon the child”. Forgiveness of sins and the relationship between father and son are emphasized throughout the bible. When Rose tells Cory to forgive the sins of Troy it makes Cory, a son, provide redemption and forgiveness of sin much like Jesus, the supposed son of God, provides redemption for all sinners.
PART #3: ANSWER THESE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
For EACH essential question, respond in a well-constructed paragraph. In your response, include at least one reference to one of the pieces we’ve read in this unit.
1. What makes a house a home?
A family, love and memories are all factors in making a house a home. A house is an insignificant building. White walls, ceilings, and floors all connected due to a blue print. A house becomes a home as it wears. As a family spends their majority of hours in this building, it transforms. Marks of height changes on the door and picture frames of family vacations in picture frames make a house a home. Also, the memories that will never be forgotten between those walls add so much sentimental value to a home. The love between family members becomes apparent in a home. This love can be seen in "Fences" when Rose decides to become the mother of Troy’s baby. Blood related or not, their house will be a home due to Rose’s love and generosity towards the baby. “From right now, this child got a baby”(2.3.23).
2. In what ways does the suffering or success of one family member affect the others?
The suffering or success of one family hugely affects the other members of a family. As one family member succeeds, the others merge with exciting emotions and constantly try to match their success. With the suffering a family member, the others tend to suffer with them. As seen in the Poem "As I Grew Older" by Langston Hughes, the protagonist find himself at an obstacle on his way to success. He calls out "Help me to shatter this darkness" (Hughes/24). This call out for help would also been seen in family members, as one hits a bump in the road, loved ones are the first they turn to help. On the other hand, the success of one acts as a revelation in the article “Freedom Riders” by JK Nickell. Throughout their journey on the road, the members of the team that "bonded like family" (Nickell, Freedom Riders, 80) realized that "for every success [they] have, ... hundreds of kids out there never get the opportunity" (Nickell, Freedom Riders, 82). The success of their team and the members in acted as a remember of how fortunate they are to get opportunities, just as it does in families.
3.How do traditions help define family?
A tradition is an individual event that creates character and originality in a family. Traditions such as putting a pickle in a tree, or moral traditions that affect way of life play a big role in the definition of family. In some cases, defying a tradition can cause a ripple in a family relationship. In "Fences" by August Wilson, Troy followed his father's precedent of working hard for his earnings and not wasting time on anything else. Troy wished this tradition would be passed down to Cory, but when it wasn't their relationship suffered. Because this way of life was the norm in their family, Troy could not understand Cory's desire to stray from it. Troy asked Cory, "Why aren't you working?" (1.1.306) when he found out he took a leave from his job. To Troy, working was the only think Cory should be doing, but Cory wanted to play football. Due to Troy's unwillingness to accept a break in tradition, his relationship with his son suffered.
PART #4: WRITE YOUR OWN QUESTIONS
PART #4b:
A tradition is an individual event that creates character and originality in a family. Traditions such as putting a pickle in a tree, or moral traditions that affect way of life play a big role in the definition of family. In some cases, defying a tradition can cause a ripple in a family relationship. In "Fences" by August Wilson, Troy followed his father's precedent of working hard for his earnings and not wasting time on anything else. Troy wished this tradition would be passed down to Cory, but when it wasn't their relationship suffered. Because this way of life was the norm in their family, Troy could not understand Cory's desire to stray from it. Troy asked Cory, "Why aren't you working?" (1.1.306) when he found out he took a leave from his job. To Troy, working was the only think Cory should be doing, but Cory wanted to play football. Due to Troy's unwillingness to accept a break in tradition, his relationship with his son suffered.
PART #4: WRITE YOUR OWN QUESTIONS
1. How do you think Rose will change after Troy dies?
a. I think Rose will grieve for a while because she devoted her whole life to Troy. But because he did her wrong, eventually Rose will find her way again and become a more independent person because of her new ability to act as one and make her own decisions
2. How does the call to adventure in “Fences” compare to the call to adventure in “Freedom Riders”?
a. Both pieces are mainly affected by sports. Whether it is football or baseball, each story begins with the denial to play the game. In Fences, Cory was never given this chance, but the kids in “Freedom Riders” were.
3. How does the theme of “When I Grew Older” relate to the theme of “Fences”?
a. Both pieces are about dreams and denial. In Fences, Cory had a dream to play football, but was denied this dream by his father. In “When I Grew Older”, the protagonist sees his dream, then something gets in the way and they try to find a way around it.
PART #4b:
FENCES
|
AS I GREW OLDER
|
FREEDOM RIDERS
| |
Call to adventure
|
"...put that sir on the end of it when you talk to me" (1.3.214).
"You ain't gonna go nowhere with football" (1.3.123).
"I thought we had an understanding" (1.1.252).
|
“I have almost forgotten my dream. But it was there then” (2-3).
|
“14 Little Leaguers embark on a sweeping Civil Rights tour to discover how our national pastime might illuminate our nation’s past” (Nickell, Freedom Riders, 74).
|
Ordeal
|
"You just scared I'm gonna be better than you" (1.4.166).
|
“And then the wall rose/ rose slowly/ slowly/ between me and my dream” (7-10).
|
“From Charleston and Birmingham and the 52 years of intervening violence” (Nickell, Freedom Riders, 81).
|
Return with the Elixir
|
"Whatever was between you and your daddy, the time has come to put it aside" (2.5.115).
"Your daddy wanted you to be everything he wasn't, and at the same time make you everything he was" (2.5.133-134).
|
“Break this shadow…/ Into a thousand whirling dreams” (26-27).
"Break through the wall!/ Find my dream!" (22-23)
|
“Thank you for inspiring us and keeping the Civil Rights movement alive” (Nickell, Freedom Riders, 81)
|
Blog 17: Fences Acts 1 & 2 Character Change Chart
Troy’s Relationship with this
character in Act 1
|
Textual Evidence
|
Troy’s Relationship with this
character in Act 2
|
Textual Evidence
|
Reason for character change
|
|
Bono
|
Troy’s weekly drink partner, they are
best friends, both proud of their black background. He knows about Troy’s
affair.
|
“This is men talk” (1.1.83).
“I seen you walking around there more
than once” (1.1.61).
|
Bono doesn’t approve of Troy’s affair,
doesn’t involve himself, and kind of drift a part.
|
“You can’t find a better woman than
Rose” (2.1.54).
“I know you don’t expect me to help
you now”(2.2.235).
|
Bono does not approve of Troy’s
affair, and distances himself. He does not want Troy’s mistakes to affect his
life, and he needs to be the harsh figure in Troy’s life.
|
Rose
|
Troy’s second wife, respectable house
wife, likes Troy’s children, Troy cheats on her.
|
“You was back the same night” (1.1.98).
“See if that straighten you up”
(1.2.64).
|
Rose leaves Troy, she mothers his
baby, is done with him and his disrespect.
|
“…and you a womenless man” (2.3.24).
“You’re a day late and a dollar short
when it comes to understanding” (2.1.247).
|
Rose is disgusted by Troys behavior
towards her. She finally decides to leave him, but she has too much love in
her heart to leave an innocent baby.
|
Lyons
|
Troy’s son from his previous marriage,
musician, mainly wants Troy’s money, plays the lottery.
|
“Because its pay day” (1.1.252).
“Why aren’t you working?” (1.1.306).
|
Lyons finds respect for Troy at his
funeral. He reminisces on his strength and determination.
|
“You got to take the crooked with the straights,"
Lyons tells Cory (2.5.57).
He reminisced on the time Troy stuck out 3 times then hit
a home run.
|
Things haven't gone as well for Lyons. Bonnie left him a few
years ago and he got in trouble for cashing other people's checks. He turns to
Troy to find strength.
|
Cory
|
Troy’s youngest son, plays football
(Troy doesn’t approve), Troy wants him to have a job.
|
“I thought we had an understanding”
(1.3.111).
“…nowhere with football” (1.3.123).
|
Cory starts to hate Troy because of
his refusal to let him live his dream. They fight about the dilemma.
|
“Papa was like a shadow that
followed you everywhere. It weighed on you and sunk...I've got to find a way
to get rid of that shadow, Mama.” (2.5.81)
|
Cory thinks Troy is scared of him
reaching success, and spiteful for this. Troy ruined his chances at following
his dream.
|
Gabriel
|
Troy’s brother, brain damaged, thinks
he is an angel, Troy uses his injury money and feels guilty about it.
|
“The only reason we have a roof…”
(1.2.141).
“I just move to…I aint mean no harm”
(1.2.86).
|
Gabriel opens up the gates of heaven
for Troy
|
“It’s time to tell Saint Peter to open
the gates” (2.5.101).
|
Their relationship didn’t change much.
Gabriel always saw Troy as a great man and he had no reason to think
otherwise.
|
Blog 16: Robert Burns Day Extra Credit
What I Brought: Shortbread Cookies
What I read: Epitaph on a Henpecked Squire
What I read: Epitaph on a Henpecked Squire
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Blog 15: Fences Fishbowl Blog Discussion: America in the 1960's
Haley Moses
Wilson
English IVB
13 January 2016
America in the 1960’s
Source 1: US News
Greensboro sit-in
Fact:
"On February 1, four determined black men
sat at a whites-only lunch counter at a Woolworth's in Greensboro, N.C., and
were denied service. Their act of defiance triggered a wave of sit-ins for
civil rights across the South and brought unrelenting national attention to
America's original sin of racism. " (Walsh 1)
Led to the racism movements, equality movement, even sparked women’s
rights
Fact: "the period was a desperately needed corrective that drew attention to America's injustices and started us down the road toward greater fairness and equality for all." (Walsh 1)
Environment movements started as well… Movements were against
pollution and lethal chemicals.
Fact: "The environmental movement was born. A key factor was the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, which warned that many forms of life on Earth would die because of pollution and lethal chemicals released by human beings and their industries." (Walsh 1)
Fact: "The environmental movement was born. A key factor was the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, which warned that many forms of life on Earth would die because of pollution and lethal chemicals released by human beings and their industries." (Walsh 1)
Source 2: VOA News
Fact: "In addition to President Kennedy, two other influential Americans were murdered during the nineteen sixties. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Junior was shot in Memphis, Tennessee, in nineteen sixty-eight. Several weeks later, Robert Kennedy -- John Kennedy's brother -- was shot in Los Angeles, California. He was campaigning to win his party's nomination for president." (Ember 1)
How do you think the revolutions also led to downfall? The
fight was hard, and a lot of times it didn’t work. It took years and years to
make a difference and when there was an obstacle this could be seen as an
obstacle.
Another example of The Rebellion Age
Fact: "In the middle nineteen fifties, most of their parents had jobs
that paid well. They expressed satisfaction with their lives. They taught their
children what were called middle class values. These included a belief in God,
hard work and service to their country.
Later,
many young Americans began to question these beliefs. They felt that their
parents' values were not enough to help them deal with the social and racial
difficulties of the nineteen sixties. They rebelled by letting their hair
grow long and by wearing unusual clothing. Their dissatisfaction was strongly
expressed in music." (Ember 1)
Fact:
"The nineteen sixty-four Civil Rights Act guaranteed equal treatment for
all groups. This included women. After the law went into effect, however, many
activists said it was not being enforced. The National Organization for Women
-- NOW -- was started in an effort to correct the problem." (Ember 1)
Education was being segregated for the first time. This led
to even more rebellions but was a pivotal point in American history.
Source 3: Psychology Today Family Information
Do the baby boomers and the feminist movements have any sort of
relationship? Because the baby boomers had so many siblings, their moms grew up
in the home, not working, but watching and caring for the children. Some baby
boomers wanted a more fulfilling life than this, so when they became of age, the
women’s movement began.
The baby boomers were reaching adult hood during the 1960's
Fact: In 1960, out of every 100 children, 65 lived
in a family in which the parents were married, the dad worked, and the mom stayed home.
(DePaulo 1)
Fact:In 1960, only 1 child in every 350 lived with a mother who had never been married! (DePaulo 1)
349/350
children had married mothers or ones that had been married. Not a lot of single
pregnancies or pregnancies before marriage.
Fact:
The average family size was 3.7 compared to 3.1 today
The
families were almost a whole person bigger than they are today. People were
much more traditional, where the mom stayed home with 2 kids and the dad went
to work.
Other baby boomers “dropped out” of political life altogether. These “hippies” grew their hair long, experimented with drugs, and–thanks to the newly-accessible birth-control pill–practiced “free love.” Some even moved to communes, as far away from suburbs as they could get.
What is your opinion on the change in families from the 1960's? Do you prefer the more traditional style, or today's style where both spouses tend to work more often than not? Is one more beneficial for the society?
Works Cited:
Walsh, Kenneth T. "The 1960s: A Decade of Promise and
Heartbreak." US News. U.S.News
& World Report, 9 Mar. 2010. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.
Ember, Steve. "American History: The 1960s, a Decade That Changed a Nation." VOA. VOA News, 17 Nov. 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.
"7 Stunning Ways Life Was Different in the
1960s." Psychology Today. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.
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