LIFE AFTER THIS BLOG POST

This really wasn't the first time that I've sent an e-mail to my future self.  I did it during my sophomore year and received it this year.  It was incredible and too clear to me now.  If I was anywhere near being in touch with my emotions, I would have cried.  Now, my experience writing yet another e-mail to my future self touched me.  I can't really describe the feeling you get when you talk to yourself in another time frame.  Maybe I sounded crazy, but all I know is that when I receive it, it will mean something so much more to me than it does now.  I come away from it inspired.  Life after this blog post will go on.  I can't wait to see the changes.

LITERARY ANALYSIS 1

Crime and Punishment : Fyodor Dostoevsky

Finally!  This has been saved in my "Drafts" forever and now it is complete!  As a personal note, this literary analysis took so long, because the novel was actually an intense read for me with a ton of dry description and not much action.  I recommend it if you like very wordy paragraphs and incredibly huge, hard-to-pronounce, Russian names.

SUMMARY:

A young, handsome, psychologically unstable, and poor man by the name of Raskolnikov wanders the town of St. Petersburg in Russia where he meets a drunkard named Marmeladov.  Later, he receives a letter from his mother where more characters are introduced into the story.  His sister, who goes by Dunya, had gotten engaged to a man by the name of Luzhin, but he is disliked by the family, and his intentions are wrong.  Raskolnikov murders an elderly pawnbroker who he's been scheming against for quite some time, and he murders her sister as well.  From then on, whenever the murder was brought up around Raskolnikov, he either fainted or acted out, for he was seriously mentally ill.  His acquaintance, Marmeladov, gets struck by a carriage and dies, after which Raskolnikov meets Sonya, his daughter.  In the meantime, Raskolnikov repetitively argues with his mother and sister about her engagement to Luzhin while his best friend, Razumkhin tries to help the family given his friendly nature.  Svidrigailov appears into the story as a creeper who obsesses over both Sonya and later, Dunya.  Raskolnikov builds a good relationship with Sonya, and the detective Petrovich becomes suspicious of Raskolnikov.  Much later, Svidrigailov kidnaps Dunya, from which Dunya expresses so much dislike for him, she opens fire on him.  He lets him go after taking his final hint and commits suicide thereafter, which ultimately convinced Raskolnikov to come clean with the authorities and confess to his crime.  Once that was done, he was put in Siberia for about 8 years.  Sonya moved near him to be with him, and he realized that he truly loves her even though he remains mentally ill.  Raskolnikov's mother died.  Dunya married Raskolnikov's friend, Razumikhin.

THEME:

Psychology was definitely a major theme that played a huge part in the novel.  Raskolnikov was characterized with an unstable mindset from the very start.  Through acting on impulse, he committed his crime, and he was seen as critically, psychologically ill ever since.  He lashed out at his family very abruptly, and he constantly muttered to himself when he walked.  Even after his sentence, he was still slightly insane.  At first, I would have said that Crime and Punishment's theme would be "Crime and Punishment," but I was told to avoid clichés.

AUTHOR'S TONE:

Dostoevsky's tone was rather dark, brutal, and mysterious.  Although the mystery certainly can't lie on the end of a detective solving a crime -- because the man who committed the crime is the protagonist -- mystery still serves as an underlying tone in the sense that the psychological aspects of the human mind is mysterious in how it can alienate a man like Raskolnikov from society even while he is still fully immersed in it.
Textual examples:
1. "And in all this he was always afterwards disposed to see something strange and mysterious, as it were the presence of some peculiar influences and coincidences."
2. "He looked at the old woman, and was in no hurry to get away, as though there was still something he wanted to say or do, but he did not himself quite know what."
3. He pulled the axe quite out, swung it with both arms, scarcely conscious of himself, and almost without effort, almost mechanically, brought the blunt side down on her head."

10 LITERARY ELEMENTS:

I read the edition by Bantam Books
1. Direct characterization:  Dostoevsky directly characterized a few of his characters, including the protagonist, Raskolnikov, at the beginning of the novel (pgs. 1-10).
2. Symbolism:  the cross the Sonya gives to Raskolnikov symbolized redemption.  The dirty, crowded city of St. Petersburgh symbolized Raskolnikov's mind which was also cluttered and messy.  Also the letter that Raskolnikov had received from his mother resembled hope (pgs. 30-41).
3. Foil: Raskolnikov is generally impulsive and psychologically unstable while he cuts himself off from society, but his friend, Razumikhin, foils him by trying to transcend poverty through hard work and social friendliness. (pg. 115).
4. Indirect characterization: In the letter Raskolnikov receives from his mother, Pulcheria Raskolnikov is indirectly characterized through her voice in the letter. (pgs. 30-41).
5. Monologue: Marmeladov's monologue at the beginning of the novel sets the pace for the rest of the story, because he indicated how a man shuts down once he has no where to turn (pgs. 11-25).
6. Rhetorical Question: Marmeladov asks many rhetorical questions about his position to Raskolnikov when they first meet (pgs. 22-25) about whether or not a man must do his duty in order to be portrayed as a man to society.
7.  Irony: Raskolnikov not only kills the pawn-broker because she is a bad person, but also to steal from her, but before he is able to take from her safe, Lizaveta spots her dead sister, and he then realizes that the door had been left open during his entire crime (pgs. 70-80).
8.  Metaphor:  Petrovich describes the chase of a criminal as a moth that circles around a candle (Part 4 pgs. 221-225).
9. Paradox: "All I managed to do was kill. And I didn't even manage that as it turns out.. (pg. 198)"  Raskolnikov finds himself in deep thought over his crime, and presents himself with a confusing refute to his purpose that may contain some truth.  After killing the physical form of the pawn-broker, the mental instability of his crime still lives through haunting him, meaning that he may not have even killed all of her.
10.  Allusion: "I wanted to make myself Napoleon... and that is why I killed her..."  Although I now do not own the book, I remember this text as Raskolnikov reflected upon his actions.  He wanted to rise above a system as Napoleon did, and recreate it in his fashion (his fashion was obviously to destroy).  It alludes to Napoleon Bonaparte.

I CAN READ

Ignore my face.  I always look like that.  And ignore my huge sigh at the end, because I wasn't bored.  I was tired!

LITERATURE ANALYSIS 2

Here is the portion of my literature analysis of Charles Dickens's Great Expectations:

I was fortunate to collaborate with my colleagues: Hannah, Taylor, Serena, Bailey, Meghan and Annette on this project...

2 Examples of Direct and Indirect Characterization in the Novel:

DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION:

• "A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg..."  This excerpt directly characterized the convict, Magwitch, at the beginning of the novel, describing him to be brutish and scary.
• "...Uncle Pumblechook: a large hard-breathing middle-aged slow man, with a mouth like a fish, dull staring eyes, and sandy hair standing upright on his head..."

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION:

• "...'who am I, for God's sake, that I should be kind?'"  In this example, Miss Havisham abruptly lashes out at Pip after he discovers his true benefactor.  These blunt eruptions from Miss Havisham indirectly characterize her emotional instability.
• "You fail, or you go from my words in any patrickler, and your heart and your liver shall be tore out, roasted and ate."  Magwitch's dialogue near the beginning of the novel indirectly characterizes him to be cruel and brutish.

Is the Protagonist Flat or Round? Explain:

• Dickens built each and every one of his characters to be very round and unique in their own, special way.  Pip is no exception to this.  Pip has a very complex mindset, and as he develops from childhood into maturity, one notices the ways in which his attitude changes as well.  He is a character who truly shapes to his surroundings, as he was a poor, humble boy when he lived with Joe, and he later became a class snob once he received his fortune.  But once he discovered the many truths, he remembers his roots and develops his maturity in both love and in life.

THOUGHTS ON LIFE: INSTANCES FROM PHILOSOPHICAL ICONS

          There are various philosophies expressed within the books we read, each of which possessing their own unique tones, themes, and characters that solidly reflect their authors' principles.  For instance, if one were to analyze these elements in one of Plato's prisoners from "The Allegory of the Cave" or possibly even the four characters of Sartre's "No Exit," we should be able to clearly distinguish their philosophies from one another while also connecting some of their more similar aspects.  Since all characters within the two texts display some sort of ignorance, how would they react to a second chance based on both Plato and Sartre's intentions?
          For the sake of the example, suppose that a denizen from Plato's allegory was given a chance to see the outside world beyond the shadows of his origins.  Given that Plato's tone was insightful, one could deduce that this cave-dweller would be shocked by the new world that he must witness, and his eyes that were once kin to the darkness would have much trouble adjusting to the blinding rays of the sun.  Now, if one were to put him back into the cave, how would he respond?  Since Plato wished to display his character as a type of blind man who cannot therefore make decisions due to his inability to see, the cave-dweller would happily return to his place among his people where his thoughts on alternate realities could once again return to an ignorance where only one reality exists.  Plato's theme of ignorance is based on mankind's sense of sight.  "The Allegory of the Cave" is the middle-ground between the two quotes "Ignorance is bliss" and "Seeing is believing."
          Flip the example around to Sartre, and the outcome is a totally different philosophy.  Sartre, being an existentialist, wrote in a crude, ironic tone.  Much like the existentialist play, "Waiting for Godot," "No Exit" contains a small set of characters who constantly bicker among each other, and as their conversations constantly move forward, their positions in life stand still.  For instance, if one were to present Estella, Garcin, and Inez with a transient exit from their position, they wouldn't take it.  If God Himself announced to them that they could be free within seconds, they would argue amongst themselves until the opportunity slowly faded away.  Sartre's philosophical theme of ignorance based on his characters' inability to make agreements has inspired newer fictional authors to write novels on "Moves and counter-moves" as seen in Collins's Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
          The list goes on.  If we were to give Siddhartha enlightenment at a young age, would Herman Hesse allow his character to take it?  If we were to warn Caesar of his death before the Senate, would Shakespeare spare him?  Every piece of literature has some sort of philosophy behind it that cannot be ignored.  Every fictional author wrote for a reason.  Whether their reasons be to state the universal ignorance that succeeds through blindness or their reasons be to state the ignorance that arises from arguing, thoughts on life conclude the source of all writing, and it is up to the audience to find them.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

READING QUESTIONS/NOTES:

"Hell is other people."

Think about the place you have chosen as your hell. Does it look ordinary and bourgeois, like Sartre's drawing room, or is it equipped with literal instruments of torture like Dante's Inferno? Can the mind be in hell in a beautiful place? Is there a way to find peace in a hellish physical environment? Enter Sartre's space more fully and imagine how it would feel to live there endlessly, night and day:

- My personal Hell is too much of just that: personal.  That being said, I'll keep that in my mind, and post something a little less graphic to this public blog.  I envision my Hell to be a place where I am trapped under water while being forced to sink further and further into an abyss, and once I reach the bottom, I'd float back to the top.  Right before I immerse from the water, I begin to sink once again, screaming but never heard.  One could probably deduce that I hate both drowning and falling.

Could hell be described as too much of anything without a break? Are variety, moderation and balance instruments we use to keep us from boiling in any inferno of excess,' whether it be cheesecake or ravenous sex?

- Have you ever experienced Chinese torture where somebody pokes you in the same spot for a long time until the repetition drives you insane?  Yes, Hell can only be Hell with the consistent repetition.  How could we suffer if we are allowed breaks?

How does Sartre create a sense of place through dialogue? Can you imagine what it feels like to stay awake all the time with the lights on with no hope of leaving a specific place? How does GARCIN react to this hell? How could you twist your daily activities around so that everyday habits become hell? Is there a pattern of circumstances that reinforces the experience of hell?

- Sartre creates a sense of place through his description of the Second Empire room with its distinct emptiness and oddly placed furniture.  I've experienced few sleepless nights where you wish to sleep but cannot, and it's concerning to say the least.  Being unable to sleep is one of the most lethal forms of torture, especially for those who have something crowding their minds.  Garcin does not react too well to this Hell, but he reacts accordingly to his situation.  Everyday habits ARE Hell.  I suppose if you made me go to high school five times a week, I could tell you what Hell really is.  High school is just that "prison" where it is law to attend and compete with the friends who trump your enemies, while your enemies trump your happiness by driving you insane.  Not saying that I have enemies, but high school is not too fun, and I can't wait to move on from it.

Compare how Plato and Sartre describe the limitations of our thinking and imply solutions to the problem.  Be sure to analyze their literary techniques, especially their use of allegory and extended metaphor.

- Plato and Sartre both describe limitations to our thinking in different ways.  Plato states in "The Allegory of the Cave" that we are all simply bound to some sort of cavern where we are ignorant to reality, while Sartre presents the thought of existentialism, where he proposes questions that have no answer and create a senseless feeling within ourselves that question our existence.  A solution to these circumstances would not be an easy feat.  We'd simply have to accept all truths as real, explore all truths in order to find reality, and accept death when it comes, giving much thought to the mark we leave on Earth before death but not so much on the contemplation of death itself and the negativity that comes with not being remembered.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS PASSAGE 1

This passage is seen in Chapter 5:

"My convict looked round him for the first time, and saw me . . . I looked at him eagerly when he looked at me, and slightly moved my hands and shook my head. I had been waiting for him to see me, that I might try to assure him of my innocence. It was not at all expressed to me that he even comprehended my intention, for he gave me a look that I did not understand, and it all passed in a moment. But if he had looked at me for an hour or for a day, I could not have remembered his face ever afterwards as having been more attentive."

This passage occurs at the point where Pip journeys with the caravan of the Guard to capture and arrest the two convicts in the graveyard.  The relevance to the scene is found when Pip identifies Magwitch (the convict that he had previously helped) as "his."  This is the first noticeable time where the convict displays a different attitude that is not his normal brutish way.  He instead gives his "attention" to Pip, studying his face and making a different mark in the plot.

ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE SONNET

Imagine, Glaucon, a cave where we stay

As prisoners accustomed to the dark.

What's real are not the months of June and May

And we reject new change as Noah's Ark.

Shackled in place we live and then we die

Impossible to see the source of "real."

Our senses as our guide have gone awry.

We see and listen but we cannot feel.

Yet just in front of us there lies a wall

That separates us from enlightenment.

We dread the things by no name we can call.

We cast away the men from which were sent.

And Glaucon said I see the things you see

For nothing far more truer can life be.

PLATO STUDY QUESTIONS

"The Allegory of the Cave" - Plato

1. The cave represents a prison house that binds the will to learn and achieve knowledge.  To dwell in the cave is to dwell in a state where only one of the two realities of the world exist, meaning that to dwell in the cave is to dwell as an ignorant being.
2. The key elements in the imagery are the sun, the shackles, the shadows, and the cave itself.
3. Enlightenment and education resemble man's ascent out of the cave, where we are blinded by a new world of higher wisdom that is achieved when leaving behind ignorance.
4. The "shackles" in the cave symbolize man's stubbornness.  Much like the business man who becomes so stuck in routine that if anything were to disrupt it, he would hate the change, this is true as well for the dwellers of the cave who become stuck in a state of ignorance and deny change to their ways.
5. Today, routine is the ultimate shackle to our lives as variety is the spice.
6. A freed prisoner "goes into the light" as a caved prisoner "comes from the light," which accurately states the two ways in which we see everything, discerning the shadows from the objects.  A freed prisoner and a caved prisoner are about as alike as the wise man and the ignorant.
7. Intellectual confusion can occur when letting knowledge become something that binds the mind or when we refuse to see the objects while only seeing their shadows.
8. According to the allegory, we, as human beings, already possess the soul of ascension, yet we choose to live in the dark in many areas.  It is up to us to free our intellectual minds ourselves, because we are able to make that choice on our own.
9. I agree in full that there is a distinction between appearance and reality.  Just the other day, I saw someone I once knew, and I thought, "Wow, that person looks like a genuinely good human being," when in reality, they could be a whole different person filled with self-interest or bad intentions.
10. If Socrates is incorrect, there are always two metaphysical assumptions: the ultimate goal of knowledge is to know the "good," and these things are separated into two worlds which are the intellectual and the sensible.

HAMLET REMIX

My Hamlet Remix can be found on Shane Hunter's blog.  It is a video of our adventure to Pismo Beach, CA that exhibits performative utterance in real life.  We said what we were going to do before we did it, similar to how Hamlet meditated upon his actions and came to conclusions before he actually took action.

WE HANG TOGETHER

"The Role of Interdependence in Strategic Collaboration" - David Preston

NOTES:

• "We need each other"
• Interdependence is the opposite of independence
• We idolize the independence of our heroes, but we hardly ever see the true dependency they have for others in order to become heroes themselves
• Interdependence isn't as popular, but it is more effective
• Everything is run by the people, but not necessarily for the people
• The people who thrive in this dog-eat-dog world are not alone
• We are not "fighting the drought"; we are simply dependent on the water that will keep us alive in dry land: this is "survival of the interdependent."
• It is impossible to reach a strategic relationship when acting alone out of self-interest
• We now feed off others instead of supporting them for a similar cause
• People need to stand united, and people need to be supported
• Few businesses reach out to help others by providing volunteering programs
• The Internet could get this society back on track

OPINION:

"As long as there is profit in war, we will never find peace..."

SONNET ANALYSIS 1

• Sonnet is derived from the Italian word "sonneto" which means "little sound" or "little song."
• Petrarchan Sonnet, or the Italian Sonnet, is divided into an octet and a sextet.
• Shakespearean Sonnets are divided into three quatrains followed by a couplet.
• All sonnets have fourteen lines.

A POETIC INQUIRY/SONNET REMIX

Shakespeare's "Sonnet 94"
They that have power to hurt, and will do none,
That do not do the thing they most do show,
Who, moving others, are themselves as stone,
Unmoved, cold, and to temptation slow;
They rightly do inherit heaven's graces,
And husband nature's riches from expense;
They are the lords and owners of their faces,
Others, but stewards of their excellence.
The summer's flower is to the summer sweet,
Though to itself, it only live and die,
But if that flower with base infection meet,
The basest weed outbraves his dignity:
   For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
   Lilies that fester, smell far worse than weeds.

Why can't the good guys ever finished first?  It seems like the most manipulative, unmoved, and fake people become the most successful through their desires to hurt others.  If you knew me well enough, you'd know that I can't stand fake people who "do not do the thing they most do show/Who, moving others, are themselves as stone."  Why do they "inherit heaven's graces"?  Why do the generous people of this world let them conquer it?  In the end, I find no benefit in the shiny things that come from falseness, for "the sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds."  Before calling the person beside us our best friend, we should learn what they're like when nobody is watching.

"They that have power to hurt, and will do none,/That do not do the thing they most do show,"

Who, moving others, are themselves as stone,

Unmoved, cold, and to temptation slow;

They rightly do inherit heaven's graces,

And husband nature's riches from expense;

They are the lords and owners of their faces,

Others, but stewards of their excellence.

They rightly do inherit heaven's graces,
And husband nature's riches from expense;


They are the lords and owners of their faces,
Others, but stewards of their excellence.
The summer's flower is to the summer sweet,
Though to itself, it only live and die,



But if that flower with base infection meet,
The basest weed outbraves his dignity:
   For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
   Lilies that fester, smell far worse than weeds....

TALKING THE TALK: AN ESSAY ON PERFORMATIVE UTTERANCE AND HAMLET

          It is one thing to be able to "talk the talk," but one must also be able to "walk the walk."  Quite contrarily, though, what if I were to tell you that by talking the talk, you were able to change the reality and direction that you were walking? We are able to promote and prevent outcomes beforehand and create more impact and meaning through each and every word we utter.  It's the more artistic part of the English language, of which William Shakespeare sculpted one of the most famous protagonists in literature, Hamlet.  The course of Hamlet's plot twisted and turned through the foreshadowing presented by the performative utterances located within each of Hamlet's soliloquies, and by them, Hamlet evolved by his words as a character.
          After studying Shakespeare, one begins to realize that words are not just words anymore; there is always some deeper meaning hidden between the lines of each text. For example, when Marcellus debates with Horatio about following Hamlet to his council with King Hamlet's ghost, he proclaims, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."  If it were not already obvious to the reader by now that Hamlet's situation was already overbearing and awkward - what with his uncle being married to his widowed mother - this statement in Act I makes it concrete.  The double meaning is found in the word "state," meaning that not only was something wrong with Denmark as a country, it's state of being was also jeopardized by the death of a great king and the rule of his corrupted brother.  Since this statement alone changes the course of the play, it can be considered as a performative utterance, because not only does it passively describe the given reality at hand, it also changes the reality and foreshadows a negative change in plot.
         The evolution of Hamlet's characterization depended on his own self-overhearing during his self-directed conversations in which he reflects upon his feelings and converts them into matured thoughts.  From there, his thoughts develop into choice, and his new choices direct his actions, which inadvertently shape the story.  This self-evaluation is seen within Hamlet's most famous soliloquy beginning with "To be or not to be."  During his reflection, he begins with the contemplation of suicide, then analyzes the torturous truths of the world, but as he progresses on his train of thought, he discovers the reason behind choosing life over death.  It is by this outspoken process in the play that Hamlet literally talks to himself, reflects on his words, and gains insight and knowledge that evolves his character.  In the end, Hamlet evolved by the faith that he gave himself through these performative utterances and not by action alone.
          Aside from the literary world, "talking the talk" changes our fates in the real world as well.  It's when we say something before we do it that reinforces our actions.  When we hear ourselves speak and reflect on our words, we can decipher more meaning and evolve as people.  The fate of our lives does not depend on action alone, but words create the change that is prevalent in today's society as well.  Ghandi could not change a nation without words, and neither could Martin Luther King Jr.  The double meanings, the performative utterances, and the very value of words that we shared with Shakespeare put our lives in motion, and "walking the walk" can never be put before "talking the talk."

TIME...

Yes, I'm making another post about music, because I forgot to put up my song project for October, but I promise I'll get that to you guys this month!  Music is what I like, and since I have the independence to study what I like in this course, I'm sharing it all with you guys!

The video above is a piece called "Time" composed by Hans Zimmer for the soundtrack of the movie, Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  If you haven't seen Inception, it is a great film with many underlying themes and symbols hidden within it, and I feel like this video captures the movie well, but what I mainly want to focus on is the music behind the visuals.

"Time" is an interesting title for a composition, isn't it?  It brings into question what time really is.  It is all around us, but it isn't something you can feel or see or hear, until now.  I don't want to talk too much about what music does to the mind; I want you to experience it for yourselves; so I challenge you to watch this video.  I want you to try to not just hear the music, but listen to it.  For me, "Time" is one of the most emotionally compelling pieces that I've ever heard, and I get goosebumps whenever I listen to it.  Sometimes, there is no description or word that captures the feeling...  If you even see this post and are interested, please let me know how you feel as the music progresses.  Why would Hans Zimmer begin the music so soft and build upon it the way he did?  What does this piece make you think about?  Heartache? Memory? Good times? Bad times?  Is there something perfect about the imperfect chords and harmonies embedded within the piece?  If you don't want to think, just let the music take you someplace far away or let the images from the video do that job for you as well.  Enjoy!

TOOLS THAT CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK

Technology is the future. There is no doubt that technology will always provide us with an abundance of information that was not previously there for our ancestors. That being said, we could either take this to our advantage, or we can let these tools make us lazier when it comes to brainpower. How long will it be when our kids are far too lazy to even memorize their home phone numbers; so that if their battery dies on their cell phone, they could be stranded? Our brains are being hijacked by electrical equipment every day in some way given that you're not Amish. Memorizing street names will soon be useless, because we have satellites to take care of all of that for us through using our GPS. I predict the future generations to be pretty lazy. Technology will soon be solving all of our problems, and technology might some day be a problem unless it is utilized effectively to increase knowledge instead of prolong our learning. It would be cool to witness, but I would not be shocked if my grandchildren were competing academically with other kids who have had bio-mechanical modifications done to their brain in order to function at a higher level without effort. I know it sounds nerdy and Sci-Fi, but that is where we're headed, and I can't wait to see what we come up with next.

VOCABULARY LIST 9

• Aficionado: an ardent devotee; fan, enthusiast.
• He was a cigar aficionado who collected all of the world's finest cigars and enclosed them within glass casing. 
• Browbeat: to intimidate by overbearing looks or words; bully.
• I found it unfair how the older kid could browbeat the littler ones.
• Commensurate: having the same measure; of equal extent or duration; proportionate; adequate.
• You will receive wages that are commensurate to your workload. 
• Diaphanous: very sheer and light; almost completely transparent or translucent; delicately hazy.
• Her bright, yellow shirt was so diaphanous that you could see her skin underneath it.
• Emolument: profit, salary, or fees from office or employment; compensation for services.
• Tips are emolument in addition to wages.
• Foray: a quick raid, usually for the purpose of taking plunder.
• Quite some time ago, pirates were known to make forays on ships containing precious cargo.
• Genre: a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like.
• Some people's favorite genre of music is country, but I can't stand it personally.
• Homily: a sermon, usually on a Biblical topic and usually of a nondoctrinal nature; an inspirational saying or cliché.
• The motivational speaker gave not a lecture but a homily to the delinquent students in order to help them get their lives back on track.
• Immure: to enclose within walls.
• The prisoner was immured within the walls of the jail cell as consequence for his transgressions.
• Insouciant: free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant.
• That guy is so insouciant that if the world were to end tomorrow, he would still carry on with his day as if it were like any other without a care in the world.
• Matrix: something that constitutes the place or point from which something else originates, takes form, or develops.
• Game developers create a matrix in order to develop and originate new ideas for their product. 
• Obsequies: a funeral rite or ceremony.
• The obsequies of my Aunt took place in the town in which she was raised.
• Panache: a grand or flamboyant manner; verve; style; flair.
• Some people display great panache when they overuse flagrant hand motions while speaking.
• Persona: the characters in a play, novel, etc.
• Shakespeare created a complex persona when writing Hamlet.
• Philippic: any speech or discourse of bitter denunciation.
• After losing the big game, the infuriated coach denounced his players with an aggressive philippic that greatly discouraged yet motivated them to do better at the same time.
• Prurient: having a restless desire or longing.
• All her life, the young girl was prurient for love, but she never found it.
• Sacrosanct: extremely sacred or inviolable; not to be entered or trespassed upon.
• In the Biblical era, God's altar was so sacrosanct that if it touched the floor, those who caused the error were killed.
• Systemic: of or pertaining to a system.
• The systemic team of producers worked like a well-oiled machine when they were together.
• Tendentious: having or showing a definite tendency, bias, or purpose.
• After seeing much repetition of his favorite theme throughout most of his writing, the tendentious author began to bore his readers.
• Vicissitude: a change or variation occurring in the course of something.
• After experiencing almost every type of vicissitude in war, General Robert E. Lee surrendered and made peace with the Union.

THOUGHTS ON HAMLET

Rarely are we able to share what we as students think about a certain character, but based on my reading of Hamlet from Act I to Act III, I have a decent understanding of Prince Hamlet's state of mind.  While the other characters in the play declare Hamlet to be mentally unstable and ill, they are not incorrect.  In fact, after suffering the death of someone so dear, it is only natural to face the insanity that follows intense sorrow.  Instead, though, Hamlet also faces the insanity of seeing his father's ghost and meditating upon murdering his Uncle (not to mention his mom sleeping with his uncle).  Keeping all of this in mind, is it even proper to question the state of mind that Hamlet faces?  Yet he still presses forward and attempts to apply reason to his actions.  It's a good thing that Hamlet is a play, because this incredibly round character deserves a round of applause once he's done.

After slaying Polonius, I can only predict Ophelia's response coming up soon, which is not going to be too good to put it lightly.  Hamlet's mother is freaked out, and it's only a matter of time before King Claudius discovers the death of his right-hand man.  Hamlet might be shipped off to England for school, or he might not as punishment.  Either way, we shall see what happens next.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE...

Remembering from Friday when Dr. Preston called on me in front of the class to give him a few lines from the soliloquy, I was ready to prove to him that I had it memorized in full by the deadline, which was today.  Since he was not here today, and since I also do not wish to recite the whole soliloquy in class and in front of a large audience, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and have my dad record my recital in the living room.  Note that no cheat codes were used, and my dad along with some classmates who I had proven myself to can vouch for me.  With that being said, feel free to click the link below to watch my video!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

WHAT I THINK ABOUT WHEN I THINK OF ACT III

I thought about a few things while reading Act III of Hamlet, but namely, revenge as a whole stands out to me the most.  There are a couple types of revenge that I've accumulated in my mind throughout my life.  There is a passive revenge where one schemes against another in order to point out their error or debase them privately or in a social manner, and there is an aggressive revenge usually falling out with some sort of face-to-face conflict.  In Act III, we see Hamlet doing a little bit of the two.  He first devises a plot to weed out Claudius's guilt through the plays, but then, as he was about to take revenge upon his uncle and slay him, he found him praying and noted that his uncle may not go to Heaven following his death.

I also think about guilt and suicide when studying Act III.  The guilt comes from Claudius, who refers to the common allusion to the Biblical parable of Cain and Abel when confronting his sin against his brother, but he finds himself unable to sincerely ask God for forgiveness, because of what he has gained through his sins, making him a much rounder character.  Also, the suicide part comes in when Hamlet gives the famous soliloquy "to be or not to be."  He philosophically states mankind's cowardice of taking their own lives simply because of the unknowns that lie ahead after death, and because of this, he also powers through his own personal conflicts that must be resolved before his own death.

LITERATURE ANALYSIS 3

Siddhartha: Herman Hesse

PLOT:

- The story's exposition begins with Siddhartha and his best friend Govinda who study under the Brahmins to find their Selves.  They both leave their lives to join the ascetics and become Samanas, but then everything changes after journeying to see Gotama, the Illustrious One (the Buddha).  The plot's inciting incident occurs when Govinda and Siddhartha part ways.  Govinda, who needed structure and teachings to find his way, left to study under the Buddha, while Siddhartha chose to learn through experience, because he believed that wisdom could not be taught, unlike knowledge.  Siddhartha traveled across a river where he met a ferryman who becomes relevant at the end of the plot.  He journeys to Kamala, a courtesan, who teaches him the art of love once he had been fully introduced and indulged into his new life called Samsara, which meant worldliness or suffering.  After becoming disgusted with his life as a gambling merchant, he parted with Kamala and unexpectedly left her a child.  Siddhartha found himself back at the river where he once crossed to make a new life, and he attempted suicide but only found Om, the peace that he had been looking for.  He met Govinda and learned from the experience, but they parted ways once again.  Being reborn again at the river, he became a ferryman and studied under Vasudeva, the wise ferryman from before.  He learned to listen to the river and found the unity of all things.  This all changed once Kamala was found dying by snake venom by their ferry.  After her death, Siddhartha took care of his son that was with her, but his son was mischievous and ran away which caused him great grief.  Although he had learned to love through his son, he also found himself back in Samsara where he longed for his son, until he learned to let go and listen to the river once again.  Vasudeva helped him achieve Nirvana once more before he left a holy man.  Siddhartha became known as a holy man himself and was visited for the last time by Govinda.  They talked for a while, and Siddhartha enlightened Govinda.  Siddhartha found the secret.

THEME:

- There are many themes to discuss in this short novel, but one major theme would be unity.  At the end of the novel, Siddhartha tries to explain to Govinda how everything is one.  Being a Buddhist myself, I understand these sayings, and although they are vague, they are true.  In Siddhartha, every chain of event revolved in a spiral that could move both forward and backward.  For example, Siddhartha left his father in grief as a boy just as Siddhartha's son ran away and caused him much grief.  Also, Siddhartha was reborn a new man twice in the story, and both times through the crossing of the river.  One could call it the repetition of history or once could call it reincarnation, but Siddhartha's life was influenced by both his past, his present, and his expected future, which unites the reality of all essences of time.  Everything is related.

TONE:

- Hesse writes the piece masterfully using a very profound and insightful tone.  Extremely profound phrases are found within the small piece of literature.  Sayings like "Words do not express thoughts very well" or "Thoughts are matured feelings" or "One must find the source within one's Self, one must possess it" all give the reader something to think about.  I probably spent more time thinking about the book than I actually did reading it.  Wisdom simply flows through each word.

10 LITERARY ELEMENTS:

Here it goes... I used the Bantam Books edition of Siddhartha translated by Hilda Rosner.

1.) Direct Characterization: "Siddhartha - strong, supple-limbed, greeting her with complete grace (pg. 4)."

2.) Rhetorical Question: "But where was this Self, this innermost? (pg. 6)"

3.) Indirect Characterization: "A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self (pg. 35)."

4.) Simile: "...and the sickle-shaped moon floating like a boat in the blue (pg. 45)."

5.) Metaphor: "... when you throw a stone into the water, it finds the quickest way to the bottom of the water.  It is the same when Siddhartha has an aim, a goal.  Siddhartha does nothing... but he goes through the affairs of the world like the stone through the water... he is drawn and lets himself fall (pg. 60)."

6.)  Symbolization: Kamala's songbird symbolized Siddhartha (pg. 82). "He took it out, threw it away on the road, and at the same moment he was horrified and his heart ached as if he had thrown away with this dead bird all that was good and of value in himself."

7.) Parallelism: "How I hated myself, thwarted, poisoned, and tortured myself, made myself old and ugly (pg. 97)."

8.) Irony: Siddhartha caused his father grief, and his son in the future causes him much grief.

9.) Foreshadow:  When the Buddha, Gotama, was about to die, it was foreshadowed that something bad would happen to a main character in the plot, namely, Kamala.

10.) Personification: The river was personified.  "You have heard it laugh... but you have not heard everything (pg. 134)."

CHARACTERIZATION

1.)-Direct Characterization: Siddhartha was directly characterized at the beginning of the novel as strong and supple-limbed, and Kamala was directly characterized as a beautiful mistress.

- Indirect Characterization:  Govinda was indirectly characterized by his friendliness and loyalty and word choice when around Siddhartha, and Gotama was indirectly characterized with the way he walked and the presence he emitted.

- Hesse used both direct and indirect characterization for just about every character in order to create a more lasting effect on his readers whenever his characters changed or acted or died.

2.)-Hesse's syntax and diction stayed the same throughout the novel.  Nothing in particular could change his word choice; his style is very distinguished from other authors.  He always wrote with simplicity while utilizing fair vocabulary and complex sentence structuring with great organization.

3.)-Siddhartha is about as round a character can get.  Siddhartha is similar to myself in a sense.  He is constantly thinking through everything, trying to better understand the purpose of his Self and the reason for life, why everything could possibly happen the way they do.  He thinks of this while going through many different phases of life, from the Brahmin's son to the Samana to the merchant, to the gambler, to the lover, to the ferryman, to the holy man.  What a life he has lived.

4.)- At one point, I felt like I identified with Siddhartha to a point where I placed myself into the story as Siddhartha as I read, which impacted me even further.  I legitimately feel as though I had met myself within another time frame and setting, yet I am at the very beginning of his journey.  "At that moment, when the world around him melted away, when he stood alone like a star in the heavens, he was overwhelmed by a feeling of icy despair, but he was more firmly himself than ever."  To be honest, I just chose a random quotation from the story since they are all so profound.  Although this quote is from the exposition of the story, and it does not portray the final ounces of wisdom that Siddhartha had received, it showed how he was himself and no other.  It's funny how when we find ourselves feeling truly alone in the world, our true colors show.  This is when we identify ourselves as thinkers, doers, pretenders, seekers, destroyers, etc...  To be firmly yourself is to be true to yourself, and no matter how badly Siddhartha's path altered, his Self remained true until his goals turned into illusion and his mindset turned into expansion.

GROUP PROJECT

I was in Lesther Valenzuela's group for this project.  I apologize for not being able to make it to class for the presentations.

WHAT I LEARNED AND HOW I LEARNED IT

During Dr. Preston's absence I learned quite a few things.  I read Act 2 of Hamlet, and I was able to further myself on the story-line of that, but while conversing with my colleagues in class, our every-day conversations gave me further insight to Hamlet as a character.  In fact, I found Hamlet to be so related to the teens in the modern world that a conversation about Homecoming even provoked some thought.  Aside from the story-line of the play that everyone's currently reading, the lesson that stood out to me the most was one from Nik Koyama.  It is always insightful and unexpected when learning from one of our peers.  During his presentation, he clearly demonstrated a key element of teenage life: that we all have many great things in our lives, but one negative event or thought or action could change our positive energy into negative energy.  I saw the passion that Nik presented to us, and I saw a future motivational speaker in him.  Since his presentation related to teenage life, his talk also applied to Hamlet.  I heard once from Calvin Terrell that "hurt people, hurt people."  Because of the pain that Hamlet has been suffering through from his father's death, he chooses to take this negative energy and convert it into revenge.  As a hurt person, he chooses to hurt others, and this is seen every week in high school where some smoldering teenager takes their anger out on the others around them, whether that be on social media or face to face.  Lastly, I finally connected the dots on the whole "Open Source Learning" thing.  It took me long enough, but Nik said that he is currently undergoing the process of creating a network of sources or "helpers."  With these connections, new doors open up for him, because he is creating an open source, where everyone who is willing and able to help is invited.  An Open Source is kind of like a power outlet that anyone can plug into.  I understand now why Dr. Preston utilizes the internet, because it gives all of us access to connect with one another.  With the internet, we can all create sources in which we can learn from and guide each other.  It may not fully make sense to you, but it does now for me.  I learned all of this through reading alone, conversing with colleagues, listening to Nik's presentation, and thinking, which I tend to do a lot.

VOCABULARY LIST 8

• Abase: to reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation, or estimation; humble; degrade.
• Abdicate:  to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, especially in a formal manner.
• Abomination:  anything abominable; anything greatly disliked or abhorred.
• Brusque: abrupt in manner; blunt; rough.
• Saboteur:  a person who commits or practices sabotage.
• Debauchery: excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures; intemperance;  seduction from duty, allegiance, or virtue.
• Proliferate:  to increase in number or spread rapidly and often excessively.
• Anachronism:  something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time, especially a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time.
• Nomenclature:  the names or terms comprising a set or system.
• Expurgate:  to purge or cleanse of moral offensiveness.
• Bellicose:  inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious.
• Gauche:  lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless.
• Rapacious:  given to seizing for plunder or the satisfaction of greed; greedy.
• Paradox:  a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
• Conundrum: anything that puzzles.
• Anomaly: an odd, peculiar, or strange condition, situation, quality, etc; an incongruity or inconsistency.   
• Ephemeral:  lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory.
• Rancorous:  showing malicious resentfulness or hostility; spiteful.
• Churlish:  like a churl; boorish; rude; peasant-like.
• Precipitous:  of the nature of or characterized by precipices (steepness).

Hamlet is quite the unique character.  In fact, he is something of an anomaly for displaying so many split-personalities that is often actually seen in today's society.  Already thinking of the incest of his new parentage as an abomination, Hamlet's level of disgust over his uncle Claudius quickly proliferates into something much more rancorous after the discovery of his father's murder.  After seeing the name of the thrown abased from a Hyperion to a Satyr and seeing the gauche, new king glut himself in his own debaucheries, Hamlet's precipitous state of mind declines into an even further conundrum, where he promises the ghost of his father to avenge his death.  Whether his vengeance take place in the form of abdicating his uncle from the thrown or expurgating his sins, Hamlet turns into a bellicose and almost churlish saboteur in the kingdom.  He visits his love, Ophelia, in a brusque manner which only sets things on a more dramatic scale, since the nomenclature of the hierarchy of the kingdom would have it that her father is the adviser to the king himself.  Not to mention that throughout the play, Hamlet displays ephemeral mood-swings that trouble the others around him, especially since the ghost of King Hamlet has haunted his son with ringing paradoxes of his death.  With King Claudius serving as a metaphorical anachronism as a king, it will be interesting to see how Hamlet deals with the situation.

DEAR OPHELIA

Dear Ophelia,

You, as the female presence of your family, should not let the male authorities abase your love for another.  In fact, your father and brother should be known as saboteurs of true love.  If your odd position does not compare to the love you have for this prince, then simply go out with him, but if you don't love him, then don't try for him.  It is all so simple.  Do not make it harder than it needs to be.

LITERARY FICTION AND EMPATHY

If you were to meet me an hour ago and ask me if reading fiction matters, I would have chuckled to myself with a nonchalant attitude and replied with, "No," but an online article titled "For Better Social Skills, Scientists Recommend a Little Chekhov" by Pam Belluck changed my opinion.  Now, my opinion was not influenced by their entitlement (we've already been through this), but once the psychological science departments got involved with a little experimentation, the article grabbed my attention.

Due to these new scientific findings, it is now thought to be recommended to read some literary fiction before any type of social interactions.  Although the reading time won't necessarily make you any less awkward to be around, it can improve ones understandings of body language and character in the real world.  The fact that literary fiction forces its readers to imagine the characters that are described in every novel and base an opinion of those characters through chains of events makes this style of reading ultimately more culturally insightful than other forms of literature.

Hamlet, for example, contains various soliloquies where readers must imagine the mood, the tone, the plot, etc. from a speech that contains very little detail and a ton of indirection.  If you were to read a soliloquy from Hamlet then converse with a friend about their problems, studies have shown that you would show much more empathy and mindfulness of body language than you would have if you did not read before engaging in conversation, meaning that a little bit of literary fiction could make you the psychiatrist of the family -- maybe not that far.

I had always told myself that it would take scientific proof for me to want to read more often, and, of course, science had to go there.  From the words of novelist Louise Erdrich, "This is why I love science."

GREEN EGGS AND HAMLET

A.) I have no idea what Hamlet is about, but I'm sure I'm about to find out soon enough.

B.) I know enough about Shakespeare to know that he wrote Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, and he's fond of iambic pentameter, but that's it.

C.)  I feel as though students not only frown to Shakespeare, but they frown to any piece of literature that requires thought and brainpower to simply understand what in the world is going on in the story.  Shakespeare isn't exactly separate from other olden authors, and I'm sure you can ask any high school student if they'd rather read Essays of Michel de Montaigne or Hamlet, and most (if not all) would respond with Hamlet.

D.)  We could always act out the play and get ourselves on Broadway, or not.  Either way, it'll be something different.

I like how we can incorporate a Dr. Seuss allusion into Hamlet.  The theme of "don't knock it until you try it" is fairly accurate when discussing upcoming assignments on Shakespeare.

IF I JUST HAD MORE TIME

What's your take on midterm examinations?  I, unlike most students, am indifferent to cumulative-based testing, because it does help to retain the knowledge one has gained over a certain time-span, but my most recent midterm in my AP English Literature and Composition class caught me by surprise.  With the given that Dr. Preston takes advantage of the freedom of concocting his vocabulary tests in whichever fashion he feels, I should have known to better prepare myself.  If only I had a little more time, I would have been a master at vocabulary, and I would have been able to incorporate them into an impromptu essay.  Plus, I strictly remember Dr. Preston hinting that "we should be able to use these words in a sentence," but given my naive nature, I entrusted him to make the midterm a little easier than it was.  For the future, it would be helpful for me to train myself to not only recognize the big words when I see them written down, but to also utilize the new vocabulary in my everyday language.  The next time I'm asked to recite vocabulary words and definitions from memory, I'd hopefully be able to remember the words that I was asked to learn in the first place...

THE COMPARISONS TALE

In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer's tone re-occurs to be satirical.  In the miller's tale, a carpenter was tricked into some crazy scheme by a man who was sleeping with his wife.  Chaucer used adultery to ironically satire the sin of lying.  This theme and tone were seen in the physician's tale, where a judge talked badly about a knight's daughter, which forced the knight to murder his daughter since nothing was proven, and his reputation was damaged.  By believing the lie that was spread by a character within their respective tales, the carpenter and the knight both suffered something great while goofy yet depressing outcomes became of the other characters who participated.

TALE OF A CANTERBURY TALE

THE PHYSICIAN:

Summary:

There was a maiden named Virginia who was born to a knight named Virginius.  Virginia was extremely beautiful and was coveted by the judge of the town named Apius.  Apius plotted to get Virginia for himself by claiming in the court of justice that Virginia belonged to him and not Virginius.  Since Virginius could not do anything, he killed his daughter out of love, and the town imprisoned Apius and hung his partner.

1.)   Chaucer described the maiden's beauty by referring to how nature had painted her the way she is.

(Refer to Eli Esparza, Miranda Nillo, Danny Luu, and Lesther Valenzuela's blogs for the rest of the indirect characterizations.)

2.)  Chaucer's purpose in telling this tale lies at the end with the statement, "Forsake sin or for sin you'll be forsaken."  With the faulty errors of our ways serving as the theme of this tale, Chaucer clearly writes a story of a man who pays for his sins, which sends the message to his readers that sin will always find you out.

SONG PROJECT. SEPTEMBER.

As promised, I have learned and posted this month's song project, but I've been having trouble uploading a video of me playing to this blog.  However, I have posted it to Google, and you may click the link below to watch it!  That song is called La Valse D'Amelie composed by Yann Tiersen.  I will be hopefully creating a collaborative working group in which all musicians or singers or lovers of music can follow.  If you're interested in working with me and Kylie Sagisi in this group, the basic overview of our group is to promote music as an artistic talent, universal language, and psychological tool.  Also, there is room to write any article or post any video pertaining to music, ranging from your favorite songs to your favorite artists and composers to your favorite genres.  As for now, I leave you with this video; I hope you like it; I apologize for the bad quality; please comment a song that you would like for me to try to learn next!


This is a professional version of the song!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ME PLAY THE SONG ABOVE!

CHARACTER STUDY 3

They traveled for a total three days and two nights
Through First Semester Forrest in dark October light.
Their path was a straight one with no twist or bend
That would take them to the "Institute" where they could find their end.
With King Dan in the front, they all trudged through the wood.
The Gypsy with her luggage kept up best she could.
The Warrior kept the predators at bay,
While the Scholar mapped North, and he showed us the way.
The Sage kept his silence and only kept moving
He watched his surroundings and all his friends' doings.

They walked for a while but then found a surprise,
Fiery smoke from the distance was starting to rise.
They rushed to the place where the fire rose high
And heard shouts and war noises that filled the whole sky.
The pilgrims came upon a brutish encampment
Where men were seen fighting while others in lament.
These grounds were named "Scholarship" where only the best
And the greatest of men put their skills to the test.
Many battles were fought, and here from these roots,
The victors of Scholarship would journey to Institute.
The pilgrims stood back for the great feud to settle
As athletes and prodigies displayed their mettle.
Once the flames had subsided and three victors prevailed,
The pilgrims approached the grounds where they hailed.
After much conversing, the three men were to leave from their tourney,
But the pilgrims insisted they unite their journeys.
And so the three victors all covered in soot
Agreed to unite and go to Institute.

The first two were large and enormous in size.
Two Olympian Athletes who wore different dyes.
Their faces were similar and how they talked too,
Yet one man wore red and the other man blue.
The first man in red claimed he was of the West,
Where all Olympians set out on a great quest.
The last known survivor, his skills were quite scary,
But his name was odd: Hingle McCringleberry.
He had a bald head with thick hairs on his lip
But his rival in blue seemed to be quite the flip.
The man in blue had long, dark, curly locks.
His teeth were made of metal which showed when he talks.
This Olympian prevailed from the East
And the legends renamed him after every year ceased.
And so he called himself Quatro Quatro to start,
The fastest Olympian ever to dart.

Last was the Doctor, known to be crazed
From the hardships he faced in his job of trade.
For it was not a doctor he wanted to be.
His name was Sequester Grundelplith, M.D.
Another dark man with large lips and wide nose.
His psychotic aura seen from his head to his toes.
His eyes were probably scariest of all,
His stare could make the bravest cower and crawl.
This man had been sent to Scholarship grounds
As the sharpest in the East, his people's gold crown.

The three had mapped for Institute by their own decrees
The power at institute was great they'd agreed.
The Athletes wished for trophies to show their skill.
The Doctor wanted training and power of will.
So the party of five added three to make eight
And for the night at Scholarship they set camp and ate.
For tomorrow they'd once again continue their quest.
With the two men from the East and the Man from the West.

CHARACTER STUDY 2

Since I began my story in rhyme, I suppose it would only be fair to continue it in rhyme.  Although I have chosen not to write my story along the same lines of my colleagues, I have still incorporated them into my piece accordingly!  I hope they do not mind!

If one were to name the sage in his place,
It'd have to account for his character and taste.
His birth in the spring brought his life all the same;
And so it was settled-- Ho Shun(1) was his name.

And so winter came and autumn came after,
And summer-day rest came with summer-day laughter.
The sage sat and waited for the beginning to end.
His journey was coming, but he'd still have his friends
To bring with him on his dangerous quest.
For fall came too soon; so he hoped for the best.
The sage packed his belongings and went to the station's
Front gate where his friends were waiting in patience.

First was the King, a powerful man.
Some called him King Arthur; some called him King Dan.
Slayer of dragons and beasts all the same,
His feats shone through stature as well through his name.
He talked with many gestures and walked with a stride.
Wearing golden armor with sword by his side.

Next was the Soldier, a warrior as well,
Who fought in all wars and lived with tales to tell.
They knew him as Eli, the best fighter of all.
His skills were outmatched, he stood eight feet tall.
His skin was of darkness; he had a low voice,
And black was his combative color of choice.
Dark pants were his legs, and then for his chest,
Was a thick-padded, impenetrable battle vest.
Needing no weapon, he fought with his hands,
It is no wonder he'd been the best in the lands.

Beside him was the Gypsy, a dark, little girl.
Her hair was the length of her body when unfurled.
Her attire of mixed colors under a large coat of blue,
Displayed her lifestyle, which was odd to be true.
She was never without her huge bag of things
With gizmos and gadgets, whatever she brings.
Her journey awaited where opportunity lies.
Miranda they called her: lopsided in size.

Last was the Scholar by the name of Lesther
From the house of Valenzuela, where learning was gestured.
He was a kind soul, but timid in manner.
He studied his books, and planned in his planner.
In every-day clothing such as shirt and shorts,
He was quite the able-minded cohort.

And so it began, with some steps of their boots,
Their destination known as the great "Institute,"
Wayfarers and highwaymen all journeyed there,
For what one wanted most was told to be shared.
As long as you reached the place's highest degree
Through danger and peril they knew there would be,
The pilgrims sought most what rewards they'd receive
And willing to die for what they might achieve.

As for King Dan, he sought fortune and fame,
While the scholar sought knowledge for every known name.
The Gypsy longed most for a place to call home
As the soldier wished for all power to come,
But what of the sage in his finest hour?
He sought not for fame, fortune, knowledge or power.
The sage wanted rest, and most of all peace
That could not be found in the West nor the East.
The "Institute's" secrets was his last chance
To ease his mind of his chronic trance,
And so began the greatest tale in the nation
As the five pilgrims took their first steps from the station...


(1.)  Ho Shun is the Japanese-Buddhist name for "Spring of Dharma," otherwise known as the spring of life/wisdom.

CHARACTER STUDY 1

In honor of Chaucer's work The Canterbury Tales and in light of my boredom, I decided to create a pilgrim in rhyme!

There once was a wise, peculiar Sage,

Known great for his wisdom but not of his age.

Young wisdom is known never to be seen,

Yet this sage was no more than an ignorant teen.

"With age comes wisdom," the wise man said,

Yet wisdom was found in an immature head.

His casual attire made him seem free of care,

And complemented his dark skin, eyes, and hair.

You wouldn't think thinkers wore t-shirts and jeans,

And his face, though scarred and blemished, was shaven and clean.

His shoes symbol'd victory and displayed his youth,

His facial expression represented truth. 

With bags under his eyes and lips sealed tight,

One would also call him troubled from thinking all night.

From wisdom comes insight to sorrow and pain,

The topic to which he's been cursed to his name.

Suppose this is why he's been known to be strange,

Yet these things were not noticed until out of range.

Soon leaving on what would be his greatest quest of all-

To an unknown college next year in the fall.

Though wisdom came from his life and his travels,

The books and his music was where he unraveled.

Encouraged by many, inspired by few,

The sage had a history to think and then do.

I suppose he appeared to be wise to be fair

-- Master of silence and lover of air--

NETVIBES NEGATIVITY

Believe me, I love becoming an expert in various fields, and that ranges from social media to sports, but when I took a quick glimpse at the Netvibes dashboard, my mind simply told me, "Ian, you don't have time for this."  It's about as helpful as the good ole' Google, except instead of opening a number of tabs on your web browser, Netvibes puts all of your tabs into one dashboard giving you one result: small words on small words on more small words.  Although I appreciate the approach of planning out my life before I live it, I believe that someone would have more luck setting a few dates into your smart phone while archiving a few general essays for scholarships in Microsoft Word, applying to various scholarships online through programs like Zinch (which notifies you of the scholarships you have already applied to), and calling it a day.  There is a learning curve to all technology, but this is a curve I do not wish to learn.  If I choose to go through the online-planner route in the future, I will probably be looking into some alternatives.  Jerry Michalski's brain suddenly looks much more appealing.

WHAT A CHARACTER

When we watch television or read novels, we come into indirect contact with many new, diverse characters who influence us in some way.  Whether they be the hero or the villain, these characters tend to make a lasting impressions on us from their choices and actions, but there is one particular fictional character who made a lasting impression on me, because he was different from the others.  From the 2012 film, Looper, Joe (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) may have been one of the most troubled heroes ever to be created by the stroke of a pen.  Beginning as a petty thug who gave up his best friend's life in order to save his own skin, Joe displayed more than a few flaws in his ethics, especially after taking into consideration his niche in society -- to assassinate targets from the future without question or prior knowledge.  In the end, though, his morals were changed once he discovered what really mattered in life, which was to help others instead of helping yourself.  When it all came down to it, he had to make one of the most shocking decisions of all in order to save the future world, and he did it by committing suicide.  He came to know that by taking himself out of the big picture, he could prevent all bad things to come.  By his actions alone did Joe indirectly characterize himself.  Starting off as a thug and moving on to become an epic hero with numerous flaws, Joe legitimately impressed me.  Where there are epic heroes with epic flaws like Joe, there is a given hope that all people can do great things in a split-second decision.  Joe will forever symbolize the truths of humanity in my eyes.  No matter how rude or evil a person can get, there will always be at least an inkling of humanity contained somewhere deep inside.  From a single movie character, I learned something profound.  "What a character."

DECLARATION OF LEARNING INDEPENDENCE

It's been a while since I've got ready for school, took in a big breath of fresh air and exhaled, "Today, I want to learn something that I haven't learned before."  The human mind was meant to ponder and inquire, but the tedious routine of school forces us to learn the things we find less interesting or even less practical in today's world.  I doubt that I will be balancing my checkbook with a geometry formula sometime in the future, but if I were to take an independent step back and look at the bigger picture, there will always be those certain individuals who love math with a passion.  This brings about the question: why do people love math when I hate it so much?  Aren't all people alike?  Simply put, the answer is no.  Everybody is interested by something -- whether it be math, science, history, or literature; therefore everybody possesses their own declaration of learning independence.  They only need to declare it.  This is why I'm declaring mine today.  It's been too long since I've gotten lost on a subject until the five minutes that have passed by suddenly became realized to be five hours that have passed by, yet the one thing that has interested me in this way is the combination of science and music.  I could seemingly sit for hours looking at the newest health updates online while listening to Kyle Landry play one of my favorite piano pieces, and I could spend hours studying the psychological effects that music has over us when we listen to it.  By declaring my learning independence, it's time to take into account what I want to learn on my own while applying it to the things that I am forced to know.  My declaration of learning independence determines what I love to learn.  I could grow old studying these things, and I think that's the point.  Nelson Mandela once said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."  Why can't we influence the world by educating ourselves in the things we love to do?

VOCABULARY LIST 5

• Obsequious:  obedient; dutiful.
• Before he left the room to make dinner, the servant bid his master farewell with an obsequious bow. 
• Beatitude:  supreme blessedness; exalted happiness.
• Mr. Scrooge realized that the ghosts of Christmas granted him his beatitude by giving him a second chance to live a grateful life.
• Bete noire:  a person or thing that one particularly dislikes or dreads.
• After what she had done to my family, she became the bete noire to my life, and I cannot stand being anywhere near her.
• Bode:  to announce beforehand; predict.
• The winds by the sea bode troubling weather for the sailors.
• Dank:  unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and, often, chilly.
• The dark, dank cellar made me very cold and uncomfortable.
• Ecumenical:  general; universal;  interreligious or interdenominational.
• The ecumenical movement for democracy welcomed citizens of all colors to join.
• Fervid: heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm, etc. 
• The fervid preacher managed to fill the auditorium with his booming voice, and his excitement for Christ excited the audience.
• Fetid:  having an offensive odor; stinking.
• The horrifying smell came from the fetid pool of chemical waste produced by the nuclear plantation.
• Gargantuan:  gigantic; enormous; colossal.
• The gargantuan statue towered over the passersby.
• Heyday: the stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success, etc.; prime; high spirits.
• Nobody could match the heyday of the mighty hero who displayed his greatest strength only in the face of danger.
• Incubus:  something that weighs upon or oppresses one like a nightmare.
• When his flashlight flickered and failed, the young adventurer froze as the incubus of darkness immersed him.
• Infrastructure:  the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization.
• The business was pieced together with great infrastructure.
• Inveigle:  to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements (usually followed by into.)
• The delinquent inveigled him into sneaking out of the house.
• Kudos:  honor; glory; acclaim.
• The pianist received kudos from everyone for an outstanding performance.
• Lagniappe:  a gratuity or tip; an unexpected or indirect benefit.
• She was fortunate to be granted such a lagniappe from her appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
• Prolix:  extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy.
• Sometimes our principal makes a prolix announcement that seemingly drags on for hours at a time.
• Protégé: a person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare.
• The statesman introduced me to his protégé who would succeed him after his retirement.
• Prototype:  the original or model on which something is based or formed.
• The Model T, manufactured by Henry Ford, served as the prototype for automobiles.
• Sycophant:  a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.
• He will always be remembered for being the weird, obnoxious sycophant who always followed you around and agreed with you.
• Tautology:  needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness.
• The math teacher's repetitive lecture became a sort of tautology that he used for teaching until his students basically learned to accept the fact that they would fail math that year.
• Truckle:  to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely (usually followed by to.)
• The team truckled to their coach's authority and played harder as he had commanded them to.

MUSIC

Hey guys!  If you knew me well enough, you would know that I love all music. Much like literature, music contains themes, structure, tone, and alternative meaning, and that's why I love it so much and believe it fits well with an English class.  I believe that music is the "universal language" that brings people together, and although I do not normally post on the blog outside of the mandatory classwork, I'd like to update the playlist on my blog once a month for others to enjoy.  That being said, I will try my best to use only clean versions of songs, and you may comment to request songs that you would like to hear.  Also, if you've noticed, I have a sidebar of sample videos of the next song I will be learning on piano.  You can sample these song projects on the sidebar, and I will hopefully learn how to upload a video or recording of me playing the song for you guys to hear!  I'm not as good as the guys to the left, but I'll try!  Also, if you would like to request for me to learn a specific song, let me know.  I'm challenging myself to learn more songs this year and expand my repertoire! Now, for my first playlist, I'd like to incorporate a small variety of hit songs that I hope nobody would mind.

VOCABULARY LIST 4

• Accolade:  any award, honor, or laudatory notice.
• His new novel received an accolade that described it to be one of the best-written novels in the world.
• Acerbity:  sourness, with roughness or astringency of taste; harshness or severity, as of temper or expression.
• Her passionate hatred for abortion was seen in her acerbity as she presented her project to the class.
• Attrition:  a reduction or decrease in numbers, size, or strength.
• The football team has had a high rate of attrition in the past because our former coach verbally abused the players.
• Bromide:  a dull or hackneyed saying or person.
• The elderly gentleman in the suit and tie proved to be quite the bromide at the conference for almost putting everybody to sleep with his dry personality.
• Chauvinist:  a person who is aggressively and blindly patriotic, especially one devoted to military glory;  a person who believes one gender is superior to the other.
• I agree that when a man demands a sandwich from a woman on a daily basis, he sounds like an arrogant, male chauvinist.
• Chronic:  constant; habitual; inveterate. 
• Chronic back-pain can only be treated with numerous medications and trips to a specialist.
• Expound:  to explain in detail; interpret.
• After listening to his extremely complicated lecture on cancerous cells, I stayed behind after class to ask the professor to expound his concepts; so that I could better understand them.
• Factionalism: of or pertaining to the practice of a group or clique within a larger group, party, government, organization, or the like.
• In certain countries, factionalism dominates various political movements that involve numerous political parties with their representatives.
• Immaculate:  free from fault or flaw; free from errors.
• When she set foot into the building, she was amazed by the pearly, immaculate floors.
• Imprecation:  a curse; malediction.
• After stealing something from the sacred temple, an imprecation was set upon the ignorant treasure hunters.
• Ineluctable:  incapable of being evaded; inescapable;  irrevocable, unpreventable, unstoppable, inexorable.
• Journeying further and further into a technological world is ineluctable.
• Mercurial:  changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic.
• In nature's ways of "fight or flight," the more mercurial creatures would chose "flight."
• Palliate:  to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate.
• Usually before patients pass away, they are taken to a certain section of the hospital where nurses and doctors palliate them before their time comes.
• Protocol:  the customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette.
• When a fire alarm interrupts valuable time in the classroom, it is only protocol to file quietly into the fields in an orderly manner.
• Resplendent:  shining brilliantly; gleaming; splendid.
• The graduating class looked resplendent lined up in their shiny caps and gowns.
• Stigmatize:  to set some mark of disgrace or infamy upon.
• It is racist to stigmatize African Americans to be prone to criminality simply by the color of their skin.
• Sub rosa:  confidentially; secretly; privately.
• The President must speak to his advisers in sub rosa before an official decision can be made. 
• Vainglory:  excessive elation or pride over one's own achievements, abilities, etc.; boastful vanity.
• The young athlete boasted in vainglory of how great he was until he was discovered on the third string of his team.
• Vestige:  a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence.
• The famous Coliseum in Rome serves as a major vestige for the ancient Roman empire.
• Volition:  the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing.
• It was my volition to walk away from the conflict before it was blown out of proportion.

BEOWULF ESSAY

The Good Guys

          Hundreds of comic books and movies of superheroes swarm the social world today, but few people look past the flashy costumes and powers to analyze the values that classify them as heroes.  Whereas our social values today reflect upon good morals, displays of bravery, and the perseverance to do what is right, these customs were very different in the ancient, Danish realm of Beowulf.  Although the bravery factor still served as a sine qua non for heroism back in those times as it does today, Beowulf is idolized as the ancient, ideal hero much as Superman epitomizes the modern hero.
          Before gathering the similarities between the two heroes, one must look at their differences, and a great difference between Beowulf and Superman is their characterization within their stories.  In order to determine what makes a man heroic, one must first learn what that individual has done in the past that makes him heroic.  In Beowulf's case, he proved to the Danish kingdom that he was a worthy hero by telling them of his conquests and adventures laying waste to giants and sea-monsters.  The utilization of indirect characterization deemed him a candidate to slay Grendel and bring peace to Heorot.  On the other hand, Superman was first found through comic books, where his strength and morals were directly characterized by a creative writer.  
          Although the two heroes were founded in very different times by very different cultures, various literary elements unite the two.  For example, the utilization of the Biblical allusion supports both characters' symbolization as a hero for their times.  In Beowulf's time, the cultures that surrounded him were transitioning from their pagan lifestyles to the path of Christianity, which was seen throughout his story as his people prayed to God many times for safety and success.  Also, the monster, Grendel, was said to have been the descendant of Cain, a character from a well-known parable in the Bible.  The high Biblical value of those times reflected upon Beowulf as an accepted hero among his people, and the same could be said for Clark Kent in today's world, otherwise known as Superman.  Bearing the large, block letter "S" on his chest, Superman resembles a "Savior" much as Jesus Christ resembled a savior.  Also, the letter "S" on Superman's home planet derives from the symbol of "Hope," much as Jesus Christ symbolized hope for his people in the Bible.  Although the stories of Superman do not specifically allude to the Christian religion as Beowulf's did, the references could still be found with some investigation.
          The most common element found within most heroes of every culture is the epic flaw.  An epic flaw is the fatal, single weakness that usually ends in the fatality of a hero, and both Beowulf and Superman have one.  Although humility was not the most valuable trait in Beowulf's Geatish kingdom, the polar opposite of arrogance was his ultimate downfall.  Beowulf was seen bragging once of his accomplishments to Heorot and reaping reward from it, but before his battle with the dragon, he decided to brag once again.  Claiming that if a sword and shield were not necessary to face the dragon, he would have cast them aside and fought bare-handed as was his way with Grendel.  Sadly, his arrogance finally caught up to him as he was killed in his final battle.  Arrogance to Beowulf was like kryptonite to Superman.
          The  values and norms of society will always change the ways in which we see our heroes, but all in all, heroism stays the same.  Whether it be Beowulf or Superman or the policeman down the street, heroes will always fight fearlessly for righteousness.  Changes in society will constantly shape our perceptions of right and wrong, but one thing will always remain certain.  Heroes will always be the "good guys."