LA #5: Lord of the Flies

GENERAL
1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read, and explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
During war time there was a British plane evacuating people and over the flight it crashes leaving only a few boys under the age of 13 as the survivors  Ralph or "Piggy" was then elected as one of the leaders to lead these boys around. Jack then helping aid the troupe as they tried to piece together there new life.
When times start to get rough there is a break in alliances and Piggy breaks off to the other side of the island and barley surviving, trying to get out of their heads that there is a "Beast" out there.
In the end it doesn't turn out well for everyone as Piggy gets bullied and almost dies. But luckily right when things were about to get deadly they are saved by a British officer.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
One of the themes of the book could be a loss of innocence. The boys have to grow up super fast, they are the only ones they have to survive and if they aren't fully together then they will start to have issues. Wanting to hunt down one of their own to kill is major for anyone let alone a kid. With out the officer coming at the end it would turn to a much more somber book then it already is.
3. /Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
The authors tone is very dark. It is a rough time in the world and in a time where you have to survive these boys will do what they have to, to survive.
"Not them. Didn't you hear what the pilot said? About the atom bomb? They're all dead."
"Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood."
"Which is better-to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?"

CHARACTERIZATION
1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?
Piggy: Piggy is nerdy and over weight, he tries to use his smarts to get people to like him. He isn't too athletic meaning he has issues with surviving by himself. It makes you really care for him, when he gets picked on you feel bad for him.
Jack: Jack is a natural born leader which you can see right off the bat. But he turns and becomes way too dark for his own good. He paints his face with clay and becomes savage.
2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?
The authors syntax defiantly does change when it goes from character to character and then to the narrator. For example:
Narrator: "He looked round the circle of eager faces. There was no lack of boys to choose from."
Piggy: "You told'em. After what I said"
Jack: "We'll get food." "Hunt. Catch things... until they fetch us."
3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.
The protagonists are round because they start off innocent and kind, then turns to ragging savages almost killing one another. But in the end realize their wrong doings and come back down to earth once they get saved. Yet they don't fully go back to normal just because they sure lost there self of innocence. They have to go back into the real world changed boys to young men.
4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.
After reading this if felt that I really cared about Piggy he made me want to care about him. There is something super endearing about him and it makes me want to be on his side rather then the other boys.

LA: Great Expectations

GENERAL
1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read, and explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
A six-year-old boy named Pip lives on the English marshes with his sister and his sister’s husband, Joe. His sister is mean but his brother-in-law Joe is pretty much the best thing that’s happened to Pip.  Pip steals food from his bossy sister (Mrs. Joe Gargery) so that the convict won’t starve (and also so that the convict won’t rip his guts out). By her early teens Pip comes into fortune by means of a mysterious and undisclosed benefactor . He leaves for London to become a gentleman. Pip's life in London is busy, full of dinner parties in castles with moats, encounters with strange housekeepers, trips to the theater, etc. He spends way too much money, so his debts just keep piling up.Meanwhile, Estella is off touring the world and becoming a lady. She’s even more gorgeous than ever, and she moves to the London area so that she can be closer to eligible bachelors.Then, one night on his 23rd birthday This stranger is Pip’s benefactor. This stranger is the convict that Pip helped when he was only six years old!Just as they get ready to make their great escape, Estella goes and marries Pip’s nemesis and Pip is almost thrown into a limekiln by a hometown bully who claims to know about Magwitch. Pip tells Magwitch that Estella is his daughter. And that he's in love with Estella.A few days later, Pip returns home, intending to ask for Joe’s forgiveness and to propose marriage to his childhood friend, Biddy. Upon arriving home, however, he finds that Joe and Biddy have just married. He begs for their forgiveness at having been such a strong head, and then he moves to Cairo.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
A Theme that I like is ambition  it take a lot for Pip to over come some struggles (social classes). He knows what he wants and will do what ever he can go get that. He is a very ambitious character and it goes right along with the theme of the whole story.
3.Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
There is a lot of ups and down to the novel and Dickens makes sure he expressed those through pain and fear. He gets across the point to everyone and you can defiantly feel that through reading

4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.)
Symbolism:
Bentley Drummle: Provides a contrast to Pip
Mosts on the Marshes: A very important setting to the novel, it sets fear into the book because any time Pip went there something terrible will happen
Miss Havisham's Wedding Dress: irony for death
Literary Elements:
euphemism -The substitution of a mild or less negative word or phrase for a harsh or blunt one
hyperbole –a deliberate, extravagant, and often outrageous exaggeration
Polysyndeton– the repetition of conjunctions in close succession for a rhetorical effect
Synecdoche – a figure of speech in which a part is used for a whole

CHARACTERIZATION
1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?
Dickens explains everyone through action yet I still felt like I knew the characters well and saw who they characters were even though there wasn't to much direct characterization.
2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?
The author again explains the character through action so that doesn't change but when I read the characters voices in my head they sound British  but when the author is talking and explaining action I hear it with out an accent. So in my mind it does change.
3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.
Pip is a dynamic character he formed how he thought and grew up in front of us in the novel. He became a very mature and driven man.
4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.
I felt like I knew Pip, but through out the book I felt kind of upset just because Dickens wrote in a dark way and I was worried about how everything would turn out.

Allegory of the Cave Sonnet

The prisoners hang
while others lead lives
What they don't know won't hurt them
or that is what they thought

If you were to take a leap of faith
to find that there is more out there
you may be afraid
but why couldn't it pay off

To try and convince others to follow
then to not know who you are
When a few hours ago they knew you
now thinking your a monster

The cave can be a safe place
but what about all the other space?

Plato Study Questions

1. According to Socrates, what does the Allegory of the Cave represent?
The Cave represents the people that are enlightened (being outside the cave) and those who have to teach the people who are not enlightened.
2. What are the key elements in the imagery used in the allegory?
Fire is a very important imagery to the allegory it represent knowledge which the prisoners don't recognize only thinking it is a shadow.
3. What are some things the allegory suggests about the process of enlightenment or education?
The First Step would be to "turn your head" or believing that you can do something and wanting to be enlightened. Then once you take that leap jumping outside could be scary but when you adjust you realize how much better it is because you know more then you did before.
4. What do the imagery of "shackles" and the "cave" suggest about the perspective of the cave dwellers or prisoners?
The prisoners were comfortable in the cave because that's all they know. They don't know there is more out there are that because they are shackled they think they can't do anything about it. But if they just turned their heads.
5. In society today or in your own life, what sorts of things shackle the mind?
What can shackle the minds today is adults or others telling you you can't do something or that you are too dumb, when in reality if you try hard enough you can succeed.
6. Compare the perspective of the freed prisoner with the cave prisoners?
The freed prisoner is happy (enlightened) and wants to share his experiences with the others. When he goes back the cave prisoners (unenlightened) won't believe because they are to set on what they already know.
7. According to the allegory, lack of clarity or intellectual confusion can occur in two distinct ways or contexts. What are they?
They are when the freed prisoner was trying to convince the others that there is more out there but they don't even know who it is or that he is a friend.
8. According to the allegory, how do cave prisoners get free? What does this suggest about intellectual freedom?
They got free by turning there head and the shackles breaking off (easy as long as you think you can) This shows that intellectual freedom is there and that all you have to do is be determined.
9. The allegory presupposes that there is a distinction between appearances and reality. Do you agree? Why or why not?
I agree there is a difference but there isn't much. Only you know what is real and fake to yourself. It is all what you want to think.
10. If Socrates is incorrect in his assumption that there is a distinction between reality and appearances, what are the two alternative metaphysical assumptions?
That everything is real or that individuals performing their own reality bound to what they know.

Mind Maps

This mind map is the same program that Ian used to make his for Preston plus has 7 mind maps in one. I like this because it shows you can branch off and keep branching off with different ideas all springing from the same thought or concept. What could have made it better would be adding pictures, visuals always help me and most people I feel.

http://www.mindmeister.com/14250024/7-mind-mapping-examples-in-1-map


Since we are most likely going to use mindmeister as our site I decided to take another one off of this mind map site. I like this one because it gives more reason as to why teachers should use tools such as mind maps or blogs and the benefits to it. Also proves that Dr.Preston is one the right track. Again I think that more visuals would be helpful and to spread the map more, we obviously saw that it can spread very very far.

http://www.mindmeister.com/143278182/how-mind-maps-help-teachers


Thanks Duck Duck Go!

The Big Question

After talking it over with my fellow classmates we had several "big questions" about life. Though my favorite one of the conversation was:

Why are a good amount of people not motivated in things they do?

AP Hamlet PNL

http://mrgunnar.net/ap.cfm

This one seems alright, He at least has an updated website!

http://www.mvla.net/teachers/HectorP/Language%20and%20Comp%20AP/Documents/AP%20Test%20Prep/master_ap_english_language.pdf

This one isn't great for Hamlet but really good for practice AP exams!

http://paulgutbrodapenglish.blogspot.com/2012/11/hamlet-act-i.html

I really like this one! Super helpful and easy to understand

http://englishau.blogspot.com/2012/11/hamlet.html

more notes on this one, not as good as the one before though

http://madwilmoth.edublogs.org/hamlet-diary-1/

this one is great also! Does the remixes for Hamlet like us!

Vocabulary #11

Affinity- relationship by marriage
Bilious- of or indicative of a peevish ill nature disposition
Cognate- of the same nature
Corollary- A proposition inferred Immediately from a proved proposition with little or no additional proof
Cul-de-sac - a dead end
Derring-do- a daring action
Divination- The art or practice that seeks to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge due to the interpretation of omens
Elixir- A substance capable of prolonging life indefinitely
Folderol- a useless accessory
Gamut- an entire range or series
Hoi polloi- the General populace
Ineffable- incapable of being expressed in words
Lucubration- to study by night
Mnemonic- intended to assist memory
Obloquy- abusive language
Parameter- an independent variable used to express the coordinates of variable point and functions of them
Pundit- a learned man
Risible- provoking laughter
Symptomatic- having the characteristics of a certain disease but arising of a different cause
Volte-face- a reversal in policy

That sad moment.....

It is 12 weeks into school now and I have now realized that not only do I feel that my blog is another media that I am connected to and feel good about when people compliment me. "Blogcomm 4 Blogcomm" (courtesy of Kathryn Green) instead of "PC for PC" which I believe is bettering out society; feeling confident because other people are seeing your success in school and English rather then people telling you that you are beautiful. (which isn't bad) We are changing the path of how we use the internet and our resources for good! But the down fall of it? I feel that our blogs can now be an evil media sight when it comes to getting things done. I am constantly checking DP's blog and have an icon on my phone and scroll an refresh the page like it is Facebook or Instagram. I'm not sure if this is showing my nerdiness or that I am easily addicted to social media sights... I hope DP is proud of himself that his sight is now my new social media "addiction" 

so to leave on this note... Blogcomm 4 Blogcomm?

State secrets

Notes:














My notes for this are as non existent as this article.... There are no more secrets thanks to the internet.

Vocab List #10

aficionado - noun a serious devotee of some particular music genre or musical performer; a fan of bull fighting
browbeat - verb discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate; be bossy towards
commensurate - adj. corresponding in size or degree or extent
diaphanous - adj. so thin as to transmit light
emolument - noun compensation received by virtue of holding an office or having employment (usually in the form of wages or fees)
foray - noun an initial attempt (especially outside your usual areas of competence); a sudden short attack; verb briefly enter enemy territory; steal goods; take as spoils
genre - noun a class of art (or artistic endeavor) having a characteristic form or technique; a kind of literary or artistic work; an expressive style of music; a style of expressing yourself in writing
homily - noun a sermon on a moral or religious topic
immure - verb lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
insouciant - adj. marked by blithe unconcern
matrix - noun mold used in the production of phonograph records, type, or other relief surface; the formative tissue at the base of a nail; the body substance in which tissue cells are embedded; a rectangular array of elements (or entries) set out by rows and columns; an enclosure within which something originates or develops (from the Latin for womb)
panache - noun a feathered plume on a helmet; distinctive and stylish elegance
persona - noun (Jungian psychology) a personal facade that one presents to the world; an actor's portrayal of someone in a play
philippic - noun a speech of violent denunciation
prurient - adj. characterized by lust
sacrosanct - adj. must be kept sacred
systemic - adj. affecting an entire system
tendentious - adj. having or marked by a strong tendency especially a controversial one
vicissitude - noun mutability in life or nature (especially successive alternation from one condition to another); a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something

Tools That Change the Way We Think

Well as Dr.Preston pointed out the other day, I am very reliant on Google Chrome to save me from looking and sounding illiterate. I rely on Goggle Chrome to catch my mistakes in typing automatically whenever I am on the internet. But of course when I find myself on another computer that doesn't have Google Chrome I often forget that it has no red squiggly lines to save me. Or even worse I have to remind myself to press the spell-check button to see if there are any miss-spelled words. Not only have I got accustomed to this on the computer but on my phone also! I have an I-Phone and not only does it tell me when I spell something wrong in a search, but on my text messages also! I know it is sad that I am use to it and rely on it in every day life, it is sad how this is the path society is going down. Now Google hasn't just turned me like this, I was a horrible speller myself before. More then half the things I do on my phone or internet is related to Google  is that a bad or good thing I'm not sure... I know the CEO's at Google are happy with it, but the rest of society I am not to sure about.

"Notes on Hamlet."

 Explain how your thinking about the play has evolved from the time we began reading to the end of Act III. Has anything changed your mind about the plot or characters since the ghost showed up at midnight? Where do you see things going from here?

Hamlet has gotten way more intense on characterization; maybe it is because we are decoding the characters more or just because we know them better. Either way I feel very in tuned to the characters. Obviously we know everyone dies in the end, but that is a given from the start. What I want to know is how they all die. I can’t really see too much foreshadowing (but maybe that’s because I’m not picking up on it) I am eager to keep reading, the plot is actually very intriguing.

"Who Was Shakespeare?"

Do a quick search (remember to document search engine, terms, URLs and links followed) and see if you can piece together who Shakespeare was. What do we know about him, and what are we left to wonder? Write about how Shakespeare is perceived by students-- the name alone inspires strong feelings-- and how you have progressed in your understanding of his work over the years. What do you "get" now that you didn't before? What still causes you to struggle?


http://whowasshakespeare.com/

I searched “who was Shakespeare” and after wikipedia this was the second result I got. What I found interesting about this site was that it had more back round of him and more about myths of who he may have been rather then what we know is true of him. This goes along with the article we just read about him being a fraud. Well obviously that not being true I feel that this is all researched things on this site but not where we need to end our search (not to say this is Wikipedia) I am just saying it comes up with more questions then it solves. Like did Shakespeare really only sign his name on something once? I think not, but I do understand it was a very long time ago.

"To Facebook or Not to Facebook?"

Write about your initial impressions of Facebook, the benefits and risks associated with using Facebook, and an explanation of how reading the article and discussing in class informed your thinking.

When I first heard about Facebook it was the summer after 7th grade at summer camp. All these girls in my cabin were talking about how they just made one and how cool they were that they had one because just a little while ago they were not even aloud on the site because it was only for college students. Well obviously I was curious about it and wanted to find out more. After the two weeks at summer camp I went home and made a Facebook. I was one of the first people I knew from back home who had one so basically all of my friends were people from this camp I went to.

What I though was so cool about Facebook at this time was that I could connect with people who I see only two weeks out of the year all year long! It was so great to catch up with friends constantly and all the things they told me about see it in action.

Vocab (Remix) #9

Kathryn Greenup and I have a fictional character of Kathryn named Kathy Green. We refer to her a lot and as Kathryn started using her in this course I decided to join in. So I wrote her a "Dear Kathy Green" We collaborated on this assignment and she will respond to my letter with her "Remix"

Enjoy!



Dear Kathy Green,
Here I write with a traumatic experience. (I don't want to vitiate anyone or their identity nor do I want any bruit to go about. So I will use fake names for my story)But I don't want to In medias res my story so I will start from the top.  I have a friend, lets call her Kelly. She is a sweet maladroit girl, but you have to love her. Lately Kelly has ensconced a drinking problem. Now I'm a Iconoclastic person and believe this is not acceptable, but I'm no modulate so I do not know how to help her. She is not a maudlin person but is sure acting like one. I want her to be the salubrious person that I know she can be but I cant internecine the situation  She is in a abortive state with contumelious behavior, I don't want to come of portentous to her, I just care about her.  I know you don't have prescience powers but I need your help and need to know there is some hope for Kelly. Please be the dictum to my worries, this is no waggish situation  I am done with seeing my best friend being touch stoned by her image.
Sincerely,
Worried
 P.S: I feel bad this can't be a quid pro quo situation.

For her response see :http://kgreenuprhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/


...... Oh yeah the definitions


Abortive: failing to produce the intended result
Bruit: spread a report or rumor widely
Contumelious: scornful and insulting behavior
Dictum: a formal pronouncement from an authoritative source; a short statement that expresses a general truth or principle
Ensconce: establish or settle
Iconoclastic: characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions
In medias res: a narrative that begins somewhere in the middle of a story rather than the beginning
Internecine: destructive to both sides in a conflict
Maladroit: ineffective or bungling; clumsy
Maudlin: self-pitying or tearfully sentimental, often through drunkenness
Modulate: exert a modifying or controlling influence on
Portentous: of or like a portent; done in a pompously or overly solemn manner
Prescience: the power to foresee the future
Quid pro quo: a favor or advantage granted in return for something
Salubrious: health-giving, healthy; pleasant, not run-down
Saturnalia: the ancient Roman festival of Saturn in December; an occasion of wild revelry
Touchstone: a standard or criterion by which something is judged or recognized
Traumatic: emotionally disturbing or distressing; relating to or causing psychological trauma
Vitiate: spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of; destroy or impair the legal validity of.
Waggish: humorous in a playful, mischievous, or facetious manner

Mid-Term Autopsy

I did not as well as I thought. I know I could have studied more, time got the best of me though. I will be much more prepared for the final, going through that stress the night before once was enough for me.

Hamlet Remix

“Soft you now, The fair Ophelia? Nymph, in thy Orisons Be all my sins remembered.” Ending the infamous  “To be or not to be” This of course coming from Act 3 Scene 1 when Hamlet is debating killing himself, I keep coming back to the end of the soliloquy where he turns and starts talking about Ophelia. He is obviously infatuated with her if not in love.   Meanwhile Polonius is trying to prove that Hamlet is mad when really it may be that he is just in love with his daughter and doesn’t want to hear it. This makes me think of every dad and daughter situation. That the daughter wants to date a reasonably nice and good boy but the father sees no good in him and thinks he is a horrible person.
 

Unapproving Asain Father Meme- Seemed fitting

 This is a shirt that Polonius would wear if it was modern day

Vocabulary Midterm Reflect

A. What went well was I knew by heart two of the vocabulary lists backwards and forwards because I study them very well from the first time I took those quizzes.
B. What didn't go so well was I probably should have studied a little bit more of the words that I didn't attempt to memorize the first time around.
C. Like I said, I had two of those lists down and memorized from the first time we were quizzed on them and they stuck with me. So hopefully I will be able to have that stick with me and the others that I went back and reenforced myself to learn.
D. To improve for next time I will actually go through with what my study plans are and hold myself to a higher standard that I know I can achieve.

Vocab Mid Term

How I am going to study for Vocab:

Monday Night: Study Vocab Lists 1-2

Tuesday Night: Study Vocab Lists 3-4

Wednesday Night: Study Lists 5-7

Thursday Night: Review All Lists

Each night I will use the flashcards I have already made and write each work out in a sentence. Then on Thursday night try to see all words and give definitions and sentences for each word. 

Hamlet

1. Hamlet was the “Melancholy Dane” because he was the Prince of Denmark of a “Dane” and the play was of Melancholy humor making him the Melancholy Dane.
2. Shakespeare was a famous poet and playwright in the early 1600. He wrote many famous plays that are still widely acclaimed for today. Most of his plays were Tragic Love stories.
3. Shakespeare is name most students hate because that means critically reading, trying to understand, and still not getting it. Shakespeare is hard to understand for most students because of the language and syntax. It has a pretty easy story plot, or enough to keep you interested, but still is very difficult to comprehend due to when and how the story was written.
4. Something that would make me remember this play is to actually act it out and read it in class. (We did that with Romeo and Juliet Freshman Year and it was funny and easier to learn) 

Vocabulary #7

aberration - (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image; a disorder in one's mental state; a state or condition markedly different from the norm

Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration

bane - (noun) something causes misery or death

bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos

cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate

casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading

de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality

depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action

empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings

harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage

hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle

lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality

malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted

mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear
nepotism - noun favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)

pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to

peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed

piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction.

remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail

syndrome - (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease

Vocabulary List #6

Beatitude- a state of supreme happiness
The little girl was beatitude when she saw all the candy in the store.
bete noire- a detested person

bode- indicated by signs
Knowing people get things done fast bodes well with me that I will trust them.
dank- unpleasantly cool and humid
When it is dank my hair gets untamable
ecumenical- of worldwide scope or applicability
The ecumenical businessman knew a lot about world trade.
fervid- extremely hot
Coffee can be fervid when heated up too long.
gargantuan- of great mass
The fetid man could not walk quietly.
heyday- the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
The heyday of my career at Sprinkles and Scoops was when I became a barista and ran Birthday parties.
incubus- someone who depresses or worries others
My dog sometimes is the incubus of our family because she is so old.
infrastructure- the basic structure or features of a system or organization
When planning a business you need to have an infrastructure or your business will fail.
inveigle- influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing or flattering
To get me up in the morning I must be inveigled out of bed.
kudos- an expression of approval and commendation
Kudos to me for having worked at such a disasterous place for more then a year.
lagniappe- a small gift
The women who works at the craft store gave me a lagniappe as a token of gratitude for visiting her all the time.  
prolix- tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length
When I make speeches I know I make them prolix when I am talking about something I care for.
protégé- a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protégé’s career
I would feel so honored have a protégé.
prototype- a standard or typical example
I am a prototype for a great student in ASB.
sycophant- a person who tires to please someone in order to gain personal advantage
If you are a obsequies sycophant then you need to have your priorities set straight.
tautology- useless repetition
Rewriting vocabulary to memorize it is just tautology.
truckle- a try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
If you want someone to like you for who you are, truckling is not the answer.

Vocab List #5

acumen – noun. a tapering point; shrewdness shown by keen insight

            - My only question mark would be over his tactical acumen in the premier league.
adjudicate – verb. bring to an end; settle conclusively; put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of

            - The Judge adjudicated the case.
anachronism – noun. an artifact that belongs to another time; a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age; something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred

            - The anachronism history teacher was very out of place in a computer class; especially with his tweed jacket and bowtie.
apocryphal - adj. being of questionable authenticity; of or belonging to the Apocrypha
            - The apocryphal paper that the student turned made the teacher weary.

disparity – noun. inequality or difference in some respect

            -Two friends had a disparity over who gets to date the boy.
dissimulate – verb. hide (feelings) from other people

            -I dissimulated what I was feeling from my friends because I was not in the mood to share.
empirical - adj. derived from experiment and observation rather than theory; relying on medical quackery

            - Empirical investigation in scientific history
flamboyant - adj. richly and brilliantly colorful; elaborately or excessively ornamented; 

            - When going to a ball you may or may not want the most flamboyant dress you can find.
fulsome - adj. unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech

            - Kathy holds herself in a fulsome manor sometimes which people don’t respond to well.
immolate – verb. offer as a sacrifice by killing or by giving up to destruction

            - In Africa tribes immolate people like it is a regular thing.
imperceptible - adj. impossible or difficult to perceive by the mind or senses

            - Kathy told everyone a imperceptible story that everyone thought was a lie.
lackey – noun. a male servant (especially a footman); a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage

            - The lackey for the manager earned no respect from any of his co-workers.
liaison – noun. a channel for communication between groups; a usually secretive relationship

            -The Liasison to the CEO was not doing his job because he was horrible at communicating.
monolithic - adj. characterized by massiveness and rigidity and total uniformity; imposing in size or bulk or solidity.

            - A group of monolithic students came into the museum and were too hard to handle.
nihilism – noun. a revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake; complete denial of all established authority and institutions; the delusion that things (or everything, including the self) do not exist; a sense that everything is unreal

            -
patrician - adj. of the hereditary aristocracy or ruling class of ancient Rome or medieval Europe; of honorary nobility in the Byzantine empire; belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy; noun a person of refined upbringing and manners; a member of the aristocracy

            -
propitiate - verb make peace with

            -  The two friends propitiated their friendship after realizing it was a stupid thing to fight over.
sic - adv. intentionally so written (used after a printed word or phrase); verb urge a dog to attack someone

            -
sublimate - adj. made pure; noun the product of vaporization of a solid

            - The women sublimated herself after realizing she did not want to sin anymore

Beowulf Translation

Beowulf ond Godsylla

Meanehwæl, baccat meaddehæle, monstær lurccen;

Fulle few too many drincce, hie luccen for fyht.

Ðen Hreorfneorhtðhrw, son of Hrwærowþheororthwl,

Æsccen æwful jeork to steop outsyd. Þhud! Bashe! Crasch! Beoom! Ðe bigge gye

Eallum his bon brak, byt his nose offe;

Wicced Godsylla wæld on his asse.

Monstær moppe fleor wyþ eallum men in hælle.

Beowulf in bacceroome fonecall bamaccen wæs;

Hearen sond of ruccus sæd, "Hwæt ðe helle?"

Graben sheold strang ond swich-blæd scharp

Stond feorth to fyht ðe grimlic foe. "Me," Godsylla sæd, "mac ðe minsemete."

Heoro cwyc geten heold wiþ fæmed half-nelson

Ond flyng him lic frisbe bac to fen

Beowulf belly up to meaddehæle bar,

Sæd, "Ne foe beaten mie færsom cung-fu."

Eorderen cocca-cohla yce-coeld, ðe reol þyng.

\

Beowulf and Godsylla 

Meanwhile, back at mead-hall, (the) monster lurked;

Full of few too many drinks, he lurked for (a)  fight.

Then Hreorfneorhtðhrw, son of Hrwærowþheororthwl,

Asked (the)  awful jerk to step outside. Thud! Bash! Crash! Boom! The Big guy

All of his bones break (broke?), bit his nose off;

Winced Godsylla wailed on his ass.

Monster mopped (the) floor with all men in (the)  hall.

Beowulf in backroom (was making a)  phone call back home was;

Hear the sound of ruckus say "What the hell"

Grab the shield strong and switch blade sharp.

Stand forth to fight the grim like foe. "Me," Godsylla said, "make the mince meat."

Hero quick getting held framed half-nelson.

And flying him like a Frisbee back and forth.

Beowulf belly up to the mead-hall bar,

Said,"No foe beaten my fearsome kong-fu."

Ordering a coca-cola ice cold, the real thing.

Hero to me

Not to be to generic, but my hero is in no doubt in my mind is my mother. Elaine Susan Nahin Furst is the strongest person that I know. She not only has a stressful job dealing with pre-teens all day helping with their home lives, but also teaches them. She puts her whole heart into everything she does and sacrifices a lot for that. For as long as I can remember she always put others in front of herself and what she wants. One of the many reasons why she is self-less and deserves so much more then she gets. Our family has gone through some tough times and her being as strong as she is and carrying our family means the world to me. God knows I couldn’t do that. Her heart is so big and carries it on her sleeve. She puts my sister and me first before anything and will drop whatever for us if it means she needs to help us. We don’t give her enough credit for everything she has to deal with. I love her with all my heart. 

Vocab List #4

apostate - adj. not faithful to religion or party or cause; noun a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.
effusive - adj. extravagantly demonstrative; uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm
impasse - noun a street with only one way in or out; a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
euphoria - noun a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation
lugubrious - adj. excessively mournful
bravado - noun a swaggering show of courage
consensus - noun agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole
dichotomy - noun being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
constrict - verb become tight or as if tight; squeeze or press together
gothic - adj. characterized by gloom and mystery and the grotesque; of or relating to the Goths; of or relating to the language of the ancient Goths; characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German; as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened; noun a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches; a heavy typeface in use from 15th to 18th centuries; extinct East Germanic language of the ancient Goths; the only surviving record being fragments of a 4th-century translation of the Bible by Bishop Ulfilas
punctilio - noun strict observance of formalities; a fine point of etiquette or petty formality
metamorphosis - noun a complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft; the marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in some animals; a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances
raconteur - noun a person skilled in telling anecdotes
quixotic - adj. not sensible about practical matters; unrealistic
vendetta - noun a feud in which members of the opposing parties murder each other
mystique - noun an aura of heightened value or interest or meaning surrounding a person or thing
quagmire - noun a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
parlous - adj. fraught with danger
sine qua non- An essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary: "grammar and usage are the sine qua non of language teaching and learning"

non sequitur-A conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement.

Literature Analysis

For my first "Lit Analysis" I decided to choose Sophie's Choice by William Styron. 

The reason I choose this book is because last year Mrs. Nylander gave us a choice to read a few different novels and I went for a different one. Then talking to Ryan Cecile, he told me that this book was very good and he really enjoyed it. So then I was interested, I still haven't gotten a chance to read it. So here is my opportunity. He said it was very interesting and I read a summary on it, this looks as it is going to be a nice read. 

(Clocking out now)

Vocabulary #3

accolade - noun a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction

            The cardiology team at ealing hospital has been awarded the prestigious accolade of cardiology team of the year 2004 by hospital doctor magazine

acerbity - noun a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner

            The acerbity of Kathy’s tone was hard to listen to.

attrition - noun the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction; a wearing down to weaken or destroy

            When the scientist rubbed together the two mattertials but by the end of the experiment the materials had attrition by the end.

bromide - noun; a trite or obvious remark

            Alex during his speech had a few bromide remarks put in there.            

chauvinist - noun an extreme bellicose nationalist; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind

            The chauvinist person advocated his own country and rights were more important then others.

chronic - adj. being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering

            The adventure Odysseus had was chronic and lasted several years in the tragic epic.

expound - verb add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing

            The teacher expounds the lesson to make sure everyone got a clear picture as to what was happening.

 factionalism- self interested; partisan: Factional interests had obstructed justice.

            Ethno-religious and tribal factionalism predominate over nationalism.

immaculate - adj. completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error

            Kathy makes sure her room is immaculate for others to view and for herself.

imprecation - noun the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult); a slanderous accusation

            The three witches imprecated a spell on Billy for making fun of them.

 
ineluctable - adj. impossible to avoid or evade: "inescapable conclusion"

            Graduating and going to college is ineluctable and it really scares me at times.

mercurial - adj. changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic: a mercuria lnature

.

            Together, the steady dandelions and the mercurial orchids offer an             adaptive flexibility that neither can provide alone.          

           

palliate - verb provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

            When I broke my foot I tried to palliate the pain by getting my mind of the pain.

protocol - noun code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state; (computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data

            The protocol for dances is to no rub on each other, but not a lot of students follow the rules at school which is horrible.

           
resplendent - adj. having great beauty and splendor

            Kathy is resplendent yet treats everyone at her level.

stigmatize - verb mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful

            The teacher stigmatized for the rest of the year me right when I got in the door and was late on the second day of class.   

sub rosa- Happening or done in secret

            The sub rosa event was put on and no body had a clue it was planed until it actually happened.

 vainglory - noun outspoken conceit

            In performing their funerals, they show no state or vainglory.

vestige - noun an indication that something has been present

            When the teacher came back after the weekend he vestige that someone was in his classroom after he left.

volition - noun the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention

            Everyday people need to make millions of volition decisions that may effect them closely or later on in life.

Beowulf Questions: in collaboration with Rheanna Crawley

Rheanna and I worked together on this over the week end. The other half (beginning is on her wall) We will put them together to make it complete on each of our blogs tomorrow. For now here is her blog as well.http://rcrawleyrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/ 

Further Celebration at Heorot

1. Beowulf gives Hrothgar Grendel’s head and the hilt of an ancient sword.
2. Hrothgar’s message for Beowulf is that a good leader looks for eternal rewards not earthly rewards. Hrothgar tells us that Heremond was evil, and he because he left his troops for the Jutes and died from betrayal. The lesson you can take from that is you should be good to others around you and have respect for your peers or else you are ultimately in trouble. 
3. Beowulf gives Unferth his sword back that Unferth gave to him earlier on.

Beowulf Returns Home

1. Hrothgar predicts that when Beowulf comes home he will be great with rewards and become a great hero.
2. Hygd is Hygelac’s wife who is also the queen. She is very young but also wise and beautiful. Queen Modthryth on the other hand is old and against her people and would kill people if they upset her.
3. Hygelac wants to marry Hrothgar daughter Freawaru to Ingeld so it may bring peace to the kingdoms. If they have eachothers ancestral belongings then it will cause a feud between the Danes and Heathbards. That way they can not fight with themselves.
4. Beowulf reports his own adventures accuaratley and plays up the monsters for being bigger and stronget then they actually were. He shares a lot about his performance of the daunting feat of might and courage.
5. Beowulf gives away most of his treasure to Hygd and Hygelac and in return receives more treasure and land.

Beowulf and the Dragon

The Dragon Wakes

1. Part two takes places about 50 years later. Hygd has dies and Beowulf has taken over. During this time there is a dragon nearing Beowulf’s kingdom.
2. The dragon is upset because his goblet was stolen along with treasure he has been guarding for 300 years. The treasure was left because it was from and accident civilization and everyone died which they knew was going to happen and left it there.
3. The dragon went in and destroyed the village rampaging and buring down everything.
4. Beowulf thought the gods were punishing him. He wants to defeat the dragon himself so the shield will assist him in doing that. Beowulf doesn’t realize is that he is 50 years older and doesn’t have as much endurance or strength and a sword and a little bit of armour won’t do him much.
5. Hygelac died in combat in Friesland. Beowulf survived thanks to his great swimming abilities. He didn’t want to take the thrown away form his son so he just helped and guided him along as a mentor till he was ready himself.
6. Hygelac’s son Heardred died in a skirmish against the Swedes.
7. When Beowulf meets the dragon he takes along with him eleven men to investigate.
8. Herebeald died in the grendel attack which made the king ready for revenge. Beowulf finally got the Swedes and Geats to a peaceful state.

Beowulf Attacks the Dragon

1.      Beowulf tells his companions to leave him to fight alone.

2.      When Beowulf first fights the dragon they wrestle as fire is shooting out and tires to cut the sword through him, but doesn’t work. Wigalf ties to stick by his side while the others run away.

3.      The second time Beowulf meets the dragon, once he got to the dragons head the sword breaks. The dragon then bites open Beowulf’s neck, and was probably going to die because it was so severe.

4.      Beowulf instructs Wigalf to go inspect the treasure so they can see what they obtained. He is was pleased with what he acquired and wanted to be buried in “Beowulfs Barrow”

Beowulfs Funeral

1. When the companions retuned ashamed for leaving. Wiglaf told the men that all of Beowulf’s generosity was wasted on them. He also predicts that because of their coward ness it will not only effect his great ruler but other things they come across as well.
2.  The messenger gets sent to the Geats to tell them the verdict of the battle.
3. Wiglaf tells the crowd that comes to see the dragon and Beowulf that it was his dieing wish to seek the treasure and buried in the burrow.
4. The dragon is thrown into the water.
5. For Beowulf they burn his body and then mourn his death. Then celebrate such a heroic king.
6. “quoth that of all the kings of earth, of men he was mildest and most beloved,to his kin the kindest, keenest for praise.” I would say that the Geats had high praise for Beowulf. Maybe it wasn’t what some people would say about a military hero, yet  as  person should take it in respect.