Prologue
- Great king, Scyld Scefing, greater than all others and no one would challenge him
- His son, Beowulf, continued the rule earning respect and loyalty
- Beowulf died and was sent to a burial at sea with his ship of treasure
Chapter I
- The kingdom was left to Healfdene who upheld the reputation of the Scyldings
- Healfdene's children were Heorogar. Hrothgar, and Halga
- A great hall, Heorot, was built in honor of Hrothgar's generosity and bravery in battle
- A creature, Grendel-descendent from Cain (giant race who had survived God's flood), heard the music and happiness
Chapter II
- At night, Grendel went to Heorot and took 30 thanes to his lair
- Hrothgar was saddened; it was worse than any other crime
- The thanes lived elsewhere in fear of Grendel and for 12 years he harassed Hrothgar
- Hrothgar couldn't rule upon his throne because no one would approach the hall, in fear of Grendel and his rule over Heorot
- The Sclydings lived in misery and suffered without hope and faith in God
Chapter III
- Hrothgar suffered
- Hygelac of the Geats heard of the wrath of Grendel and his mightiest warriors set sail to Heorot, land of the Danes
- They thanked God for their safe journey
- A Scylding watchman stopped them and demanded to know where they came from and why
- Strangers were very dangerous in Anglo-Saxons times
- Hrothgar remembers Beowulf and his father, Ecgtheow, and are welcomed to Heorot
Chapter IV
- The leader of the Geat sailors says he is the son of Ectheow and that he has heard of Grendel and has came to fight him
- The watchman escorts them to Heorot
Chapter V
- While observing the decorated streets, Wulfgar stops them and asks them their business
- Hrothgar is upon his throne when Wulfgar asks him to speak with Beowulf and his men
Chapter VI
- Hrothgar remembers Beowulf and Ecgtheow descended from the line of Hrethel and has heard about his strength and welcomes Beowulf
- Wulfgar tells the news
- Beowulf greeted Hrothgar, citing his recent defense of the Weders
- He says he will battle Grendel unarmed, and if he fails, Grendel will devour his body but they should send his armour back to Hygelac
Chapter VII
- Hrothgar talks about the war between the Geats and Wylfings: the Geats asked for help when Beowulf's kin killed Heathloaf of the Wylfings. Hrothgar was young, his older brother Heorogar died but the feud was settled when he paid with treasure
- Grendel has brought hate and humiliation to the hall; many warriors have attempted to defeat him but they have failed
Chapter VIII
- Unferth rose to challenge Beowulf; he asks if he did contest with Breca (son of Beanstan) for 7 days in the stormy winter sea where Breca arrived in the land of Brondings
- Beowulf rises to the drunken Unferth and says he has superior strength in the sea; as children he and Breca dared to risk their lives at sea with only a sword against a whale-fish. A flood drove them apart and a creature dragged Beowulf to the bottom where he killed it with a stroke of the sword
Chapter IX
- Beowulf killed 9 sea-monsters and the tide brought him to the land of Finns
- Grendel brought suffering and humiliation to Hrothgar
- Beowulf had no fear of feud from the Danish Clan; in the morning he will know of the might of the Geats
- Hrothgar was happy with Beowulf's commitment; the queen Wealhtheow also thanked him
- Hrothgar wished Beowulf good luck and to seek glory
Chapter X
- A guard keeps watch for monsters and watches Beowulf's possessions
- Beowulf was ready to battle Grendel, unarmed; God would decide the one who is right
- All the warriors slept, except Beowulf who awaited the battle
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Textbook Notes Pgs. 30-60
From Tristia by Tristia Ovid
- Tristia had moved from her home country, Dardanian Troy, when it was attacked by the Grecian Army
- Now in Pontus, the days go by slow
- She despises the common theme of death races
- Feels like a barbarian not being able to communicate with people of the new land, they think its shameful to live without plundering men
- She communicates by making signs
- She was exiled from Rome
- "Injured the power of Caesar the god," was sent to assimilate with the Scythian race as a punishment
- She believes she should've been exiled but not to that city
Far Corners of Earth by Tu Fu
- Describes a shift of clouds over the Chiang-han mountains where there's loss and confusion
From Beowulf
- Anglo-Saxons/Britain embodied the traditions that shaped their world in one towering figure, Beowulf (sword-wielding slayer of monsters)
- Takes place in Scandinavia, told in Old English
- Beowulf seeks to help Danish king Hrothgar in fighting Grendel the swampland monster (1st of 3 moral battles)
- Traveling minstrels called scops captivated audiences w/long narrative poems that changed and grew from scop to scop
- Written down in 11th century
- Main Themes: Bravery, loyalty, heroism
- The Electronic Beowulf Project revived the burnt original manuscripts
The Epic
- Long, narrative poem that celebrates the deeds of a legendary figure
- Hero battles forces that threaten the order of his world
- Story told in serious manner
Legendary Hero
- larger than life character whose accomplishments are celebrated in traditional tales
Vocabulary
- Reparation: something making up for a wrong or injury
- Solace: comfort
- Purge: purify
- Writhing: making twisting or turning motions
- Massive: big and solid
- Loathsome: disgusting
Beowulf
- Twelve men road around the tower telling of their stories and sadness and of his greatness. They said there was not other king worthy of such praise.
- Tristia had moved from her home country, Dardanian Troy, when it was attacked by the Grecian Army
- Now in Pontus, the days go by slow
- She despises the common theme of death races
- Feels like a barbarian not being able to communicate with people of the new land, they think its shameful to live without plundering men
- She communicates by making signs
- She was exiled from Rome
- "Injured the power of Caesar the god," was sent to assimilate with the Scythian race as a punishment
- She believes she should've been exiled but not to that city
Far Corners of Earth by Tu Fu
- Describes a shift of clouds over the Chiang-han mountains where there's loss and confusion
From Beowulf
- Anglo-Saxons/Britain embodied the traditions that shaped their world in one towering figure, Beowulf (sword-wielding slayer of monsters)
- Takes place in Scandinavia, told in Old English
- Beowulf seeks to help Danish king Hrothgar in fighting Grendel the swampland monster (1st of 3 moral battles)
- Traveling minstrels called scops captivated audiences w/long narrative poems that changed and grew from scop to scop
- Written down in 11th century
- Main Themes: Bravery, loyalty, heroism
- The Electronic Beowulf Project revived the burnt original manuscripts
The Epic
- Long, narrative poem that celebrates the deeds of a legendary figure
- Hero battles forces that threaten the order of his world
- Story told in serious manner
Legendary Hero
- larger than life character whose accomplishments are celebrated in traditional tales
Vocabulary
- Reparation: something making up for a wrong or injury
- Solace: comfort
- Purge: purify
- Writhing: making twisting or turning motions
- Massive: big and solid
- Loathsome: disgusting
Beowulf
- When created, England was changing from a pagan to Christianity
- Pagan Anglo-Saxons told tales rued by fate where people struggled against monsters in regards to their place in the world
- Christian converts taught that human choices between good & evil were at the center of creation
- Beowulf interprets both the Christian and Pagan traditions
- Starts out during a celebration at Herot and outside is the murderous monster, Grendel
The Wrath of Grendel
- Grendel, the powerful monster grew upset with the constant music that played in the banquet hall of the Danish King Hrothgar that rejoiced in the beauty of Earth.
- Thousands of evil spirits formed from their murderous crimes due to God’s banishment of them by Cain’s responsibility for the death of Abel, who opposed God’s will.
- Cain and Abel were the sons of Adam and Eve; Cain killed his brother because he was envious of the attention Abel received from God.
- When all the warriors in the hall were done partying, Grendel went inside killed thirty men and took them back to his lair.
- In the morning the king mourned his companions that he lost, and knew it wouldn’t be the end of Grendel’s wrath.
- The only way the warriors could try to stay alive were if they escaped Grendel.
- For twelve winters Grendel’s defeat of the Danes ruled, killing many and most men.
- Grendel wouldn’t make peace or accept a truce or price
- Grendel continued to kill but wouldn’t touch King Hrothgar’s throne because it was protected by God, and the king’s council debated over remedies to get rid of Grendel.
- The King and council were conflicted by doing the Devils work by trying to get rid of Grendel and banishing him to hell, but trying to do right by God.
The Coming of Beowulf
- The death of the King’s son was extremely painful for the King and kingdom
- Higlac was the king of the Geats and Beowulf's feudal lord and uncle as well as a very strong man
- Higlac heard that Grendel violently forced and demanded a boat to be fitted out for him to go see Higlac
- Beowulf chose the mightiest, bravest, and best men of the Geats he could find to accompany him on his journey to Hrothgar (14 men total)
- He knew the sea would lead them straight to that distant, Danish shore
- They sailed their boat and arrived fully dressed in mail with the best armor and uninvited
- Hrothgar's lieutenant met them on the shore, demanding to know who they were and why they came unannounced
- He asked Beowulf to immediately explicate their reason for their visit before they take action against them
- Beowulf explained who they were and that they were there to hunt Grendel and protect the people and their King from the monster
- The mounted officer believed their words and that he and his men would guard their ship and protect it, saying that any warriors who battle Grendel successfully should go home bearing their love
- Once Beowulf and his men arrived at Herot, they were called in to see the King
- Beowulf arose and went to meet Hrothgar with some of his men, ordering a few to remain behind with their weapons
- Beowulf and his men arrive at Herot and are called to see the King
- Beowulf ordered some of his men to stay with their weapons, while he took others and himself "into Hrothgar's Presence"
- Beowulf describes himself to the kind to make him seem more favorable, by saying things like "They have seen my strength for themselves, Have watched me ride form the darkest of war, Dripping with my enemies' blood."
- Beowulf over does it on the compliments to the king then asks for the kings permission to "purge all evil from this hall" (including Grendal, who Beowulf is willing to go into great battle against) Beowulf is willing to die for his cause and exaggeratedly says so.
The Battle with Grendel
- Grendal came from the marsh and journeyed to Herot and was met harshly with Herot being so firmly defended.
- Grendal stormed through the doors quickly, saw the young and sleepy soldiers lining the halls, grabbed one and killed him, snapping shit and drinking the blood.
- Grendal clutched Beowulf but was suprised by his strength and attack. Grendal's first reaction was to run but Beowulf didn't let him go.
- Beowulf and Grendal battled violently. Herot shook and trembled, it was built to only come down in fire but the battle was a much great force
- He was the strongest man, Beowulf was going to kill the "monster"
- Beowulf's men woke up to Beowulf fighting Grendel and were ready to fight, if needed; they were courageous, but Grendel was pretty indestructible against them and he could easily beat them all
- But, he(Grendel) was now declining, dying, and had been defeated
- His shoulder bone broke, a sign of the battle being over
- Beowulf won "glory, Grendel escaped" to his den though, to die a slow and miserable death
- Beowulf was very prod, the Danes were happy and his accomplishments were listed; he ended - Hrothgar's people's problems
- Beowulf hung Grendel's "arm, claw, shoulder and all" on the rafters; it was basically a trophy of the victory and proof of the win
The Monsters' Lair (there was a celebration of Beowulf's victory, but Grendel's mother kills Hrothgar's best friend and takes Grendel's claw, Beowulf hears from the king about the underwater lair)
- The king is talking the whole time
- Peasants in fields saw female and male creatures and told the king's wise men
- Grendel they named the man one, no one knows if there were any before them or any other creatures like them
- The creatures lived in a secret wolf den with rocks and a waterfall to an underground lake (my visual interpretation of the text) It's very dark, roots hanging from the top, no one knows how deep
- The king wants Beowulf to kill the mother, Beowulf is his only help and hope of "being saved", he will reward him with gold and treasure for winning
The Battle with Grendel's Mother (Beowulf decides to kill her and goes to the lake)
(Beowulf is speaking to the men)
- To Hrothgar, if he(Beowulf) should die during battle, he wants Hrothgar to be "Father and protector" of his comrades.
- He wants Higlac to have the things Hrothgar gave him. To Unferth, who questioned his bravery before the Grendel battle, he leaves his "famous old sword" <symbolic value
- He jumped into the lake without others responding, sank for "hours" before reaching the bottom
- Grendel's mother saw him, her "welcome" was trying to kill him, but his armor was too strong to penetrate
- She carried him to her home, he couldn't get out his weapon
- The fight brought other monsters swimming to see
- She brought him into her home which nothing could attack them in
- He attacked her but realized he couldn't hurt her
- They continue to fight, and she draws a blade on him, her only son, but she hit his armor and he was unharmed
- He then struck her across the neck and rejoiced at her death
- He then picked up his sword and went to find Grendel but found him dead
- Beowulf then left taking nothing but Grendels head and the jeweled sword
- The Geats rejoiced when Beowulf returned
- They then gifted the Danes with Grendel's head
The Last Battle
- Beowulf honored by Hrothgar; he becomes king and rules Greatland for 50 years
- Dragon comes into kingdom when Beowulf is an old man, he decided to slay the beast
before battle, tells his men about the royal house
- Wanted to fight without any armor, then realizes the dragon breathes fire
- Believes he's the only man who can do it
- Wants to claim dragon's riches
- Dragon attacked with breathe first
- His armor held up, then started to melt
- First time in life, he fought with fate against him
- His sword broke in two, but got a stab into the dragon
- Beowulf fell back, dragon attacked, breathed fire at him, he suffered
- Once king, now a beaten warrior, all other men fleed without helping him, only man that stayed was Wiglaf, Wexstan's son
- Onela got armor from the king. - Wexstan kept the shining gifts for his son but was killed. - His heir, Wiglaf, inherited the treasures. He went into war with Beowulf and was strong and courageous. - Wiglaf brought the soldiers together, telling them Beowulf had given them the swords, it is time to defend with them. It is better for them to suffer than to cause agony to the king. He yelled encouragement and went into the dragons deadly flames. - Wiglaf and Beowulf kill the dragon. The Beowulf is wounded and is dying. He asks Wiglaf to retrieve the treasure the dragon was protecting. The Spoils- Wiglaf goes into the cave. Finds lots of gold and sparkling things. He grabs as much as he can and takes it to the dying king. - Beowulf says he gave his life for this treasure, use it to help and lead his people. - He said he wanted to be burned high at the waters edge so sailors could see this tower and call it Beowulf's tower. He gave all he had to Wiglaf and said their family had been swept away as warriors and now he was following them. Then he died. - Wiglaf is mad at those who deserted Beowulf- The Geats burn his body. The Farewell- The Geats built the tall and strong tower Beowulf requested, his ashes sealed inside. All the treasure was left at his grave deep in the ground. - Twelve men road around the tower telling of their stories and sadness and of his greatness. They said there was not other king worthy of such praise.
The Big Question
Why is almost everything a competition? Competitions used to be looked at as a rivalry between people where they would fight for something. Now, everything is turned into a competition-a competition of who's the richest or the prettiest or most popular. Competition has become so superficial. People even compete over negatives like who got the least amount of sleep. "I'm so tired I only got 6 hours of sleep." "Well I only slept for 4 hours, beat that!" What does one win from this? Lack of sleep? Why does everything have to be a contest?
My University
Yesterday (Monday) in class we had independent learning in a short 30 minute period. After getting our senior resumes back, I had some questions. Me and my partner shared our thoughts on each other's and I gained some insight on what I need to tweak on it. My partner and I then got into a deep conversation about college. We talked about the stress of the whole process and how difficult it is to make a decision. We talked about picking a major and scholarships and the cost of college and how ridiculous it is! The whole period we discussed what we want to do with our lives and the struggles we're going to run into.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
From Legend to History Textbook Notes (pgs. 4-14)
A.D. 449-1485 Historical Background
The Conquest of Britain
- Brithons and Gaels (European Celts) invaded the British Isles
- The Celts were farmers and hunters and organized themselves into clans
- Priests known as Druids settled clan disputes
- The next conquerors of Britain were the Romans (Julius Caesar) and legions set up towns
- European tribes invaded Italy and put pressure on Rome so the Romans left Britain to defend Rome
- Anglo-Saxons (German fishermen and farmers) invaded Britain/England
The Coming of Christianity
- Romans introduced Christianity to Britain
- Columba established monasteries in the north
- Saint Augustine converted King Ethelbert of Kent and set up a monastery at Canterbury in Kent
Danish Invasion
- Norse of Norway and Danes of Denmark were pressured by own people (Vikings) & took the seas
- The Norse set for Northumbria, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland & Danes targeted England
- The Vikings destroyed monasteries and burned communities, taking over England
- Alfred the Great took the Wessex throne
- Danish controlled east and north while Saxons controlled the south
- Danish forced the Saxons to select Danish kings
- When Edward the Confessor died, the Anglo-Saxon period ended
The Norman Conquest
- Descendants of Vikings that invaded France
- William, Duke of Normandy, killed Harold II at the Battle of Hastings
- William suppressed Anglo-Saxon nobility. Normans controlled the government
- Feudalism: the exchange of property for personal service
- Called supporters Barons, had to pay fees and supply the king with knights. The knights received manors and peasants (serfs) worked in them
The Reign of the Plantagenets
- Norman rule ended when Harry Plantagenet came to the throne as Henry II (founded house of Plantagenet and established a record as one of England's ablest king)
- He had direct conflict with the Church
- Appointed Thomas Becker as archbishop, after conflict, Becker sided with the Pope
- The king's knights misunderstood and killed Becker
- Pilgrimage to Becker's shrine at Canterbury became a symbol of religious devotion
The Magna Carta
- King Richard I signed document promising to not tax land without talking to the Barons; marked the beginning of a constitutional government in England
Lancasters, Yorks, and Tudors
- House of Lancaster replaced the Plantagenets on the throne
- War of Roses: Yorks vs. Lancasters; united under Tudor's marital ties to Richard's niece (Yorkist)
Decline of the Feudal System
- After the Black Death, massive labor shortage demanded peasant's work
- Serfs revolted against discriminatory laws and taxes, resulting in the system being replaced with free peasantry
Literature of the Period
Anglo- Saxon Literature
- Spoken verse and incantations
- Heroic poetry (recounting the achievements of warriors) and elegiac poetry (lamenting the deaths of loved ones and the loss of the past; most famous- Beowulf)
- Written in Latin until the monks began to transcribe them into the language of the common people
Literature of the English Middle Ages
- Romances portrayed the deeds of knights and anonymous balladeers sang of love and deeds of outlaws
- Medieval Drama: miracle plays, mysteries, retold Bible stories, morality plays
- William Caxton set up first movable type press
- Geoffrey Chaucer wrote in Middle English, The Canterbury Tales, compassionate humor and lively realism
- Medieval romances were adventures of knights, lyric poetry was developed by the lyre (harplike instrument), ballads (folk songs that told stories) were popular
The Conquest of Britain
- Brithons and Gaels (European Celts) invaded the British Isles
- The Celts were farmers and hunters and organized themselves into clans
- Priests known as Druids settled clan disputes
- The next conquerors of Britain were the Romans (Julius Caesar) and legions set up towns
- European tribes invaded Italy and put pressure on Rome so the Romans left Britain to defend Rome
- Anglo-Saxons (German fishermen and farmers) invaded Britain/England
The Coming of Christianity
- Romans introduced Christianity to Britain
- Columba established monasteries in the north
- Saint Augustine converted King Ethelbert of Kent and set up a monastery at Canterbury in Kent
Danish Invasion
- Norse of Norway and Danes of Denmark were pressured by own people (Vikings) & took the seas
- The Norse set for Northumbria, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland & Danes targeted England
- The Vikings destroyed monasteries and burned communities, taking over England
- Alfred the Great took the Wessex throne
- Danish controlled east and north while Saxons controlled the south
- Danish forced the Saxons to select Danish kings
- When Edward the Confessor died, the Anglo-Saxon period ended
The Norman Conquest
- Descendants of Vikings that invaded France
- William, Duke of Normandy, killed Harold II at the Battle of Hastings
- William suppressed Anglo-Saxon nobility. Normans controlled the government
- Feudalism: the exchange of property for personal service
- Called supporters Barons, had to pay fees and supply the king with knights. The knights received manors and peasants (serfs) worked in them
The Reign of the Plantagenets
- Norman rule ended when Harry Plantagenet came to the throne as Henry II (founded house of Plantagenet and established a record as one of England's ablest king)
- He had direct conflict with the Church
- Appointed Thomas Becker as archbishop, after conflict, Becker sided with the Pope
- The king's knights misunderstood and killed Becker
- Pilgrimage to Becker's shrine at Canterbury became a symbol of religious devotion
The Magna Carta
- King Richard I signed document promising to not tax land without talking to the Barons; marked the beginning of a constitutional government in England
Lancasters, Yorks, and Tudors
- House of Lancaster replaced the Plantagenets on the throne
- War of Roses: Yorks vs. Lancasters; united under Tudor's marital ties to Richard's niece (Yorkist)
Decline of the Feudal System
- After the Black Death, massive labor shortage demanded peasant's work
- Serfs revolted against discriminatory laws and taxes, resulting in the system being replaced with free peasantry
Literature of the Period
Anglo- Saxon Literature
- Spoken verse and incantations
- Heroic poetry (recounting the achievements of warriors) and elegiac poetry (lamenting the deaths of loved ones and the loss of the past; most famous- Beowulf)
- Written in Latin until the monks began to transcribe them into the language of the common people
Literature of the English Middle Ages
- Romances portrayed the deeds of knights and anonymous balladeers sang of love and deeds of outlaws
- Medieval Drama: miracle plays, mysteries, retold Bible stories, morality plays
- William Caxton set up first movable type press
- Geoffrey Chaucer wrote in Middle English, The Canterbury Tales, compassionate humor and lively realism
- Medieval romances were adventures of knights, lyric poetry was developed by the lyre (harplike instrument), ballads (folk songs that told stories) were popular
I Can Read
Late night in Vegas-sorry I'm so slow. It took me 5 minutes and 15 seconds with 6 mistakes.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
My Opinion Isn't (A) Right
After reading and discussing "Right to Your Opinion" all I can say is wow. It's astonishing how much controversy one piece can cause. For me, the main problem is the exact words "everyone is entitled to their own opinion". Yes I 100% agree that everyone can have their own opinion but when you say someone is entitled to it, you're saying that they have a legal right and when they have a right, everyone has a duty to what? Respect it? Believe it? People say this all the time in arguments. When people say "I'm entitled to my own opinion" and expect that to be the "winning" line in the argument, they're wrong. That doesn't even make sense. You have your own opinion on something, good for you; that doesn't mean anything. You have to have evidence to support what you say. People think that their opinions are sacred and when confronted with a counterargument, they automatically become offended. They don't even consider that fact that they may actually be wrong. When people say that they're entitled to their opinion in an argument, it prohibits them from changing their mind or being open to other views. I completely agree that everyone can have their own opinion on things, but with that said, I also believe that they must respect other people's opinions as well.
Reflections on Week #1
1. In this class, I think I might be challenged with keeping up on all of my work due to the amount of time that must be spent on the computer. With my random schedule, some days I may not have as much time to access the computer as needed. Of course I will try my best to stay on track, but sometimes I may get behind and have to complete the assignment the following day. When I don't have access to the computer, I will try to do the work from my phone, but not all assignments are able to be done from it.
2. I think the best ever learning experience that happened to me happened this summer. This summer, I was lucky enough to be a part of the National Youth Leadership Forum: Careers in Medicine experience. This was a 9 day program where over a hundred other students and myself were able to stay at the dorms at UCLA and learn about the opportunities available in medicine. I learned a tremendous amount of things about the health care field and about myself. There is so much available out there that one can achieve if they are determined to. I became educated on college choices, the medical school process, and all of the diverse paths one may take. I was able to speak with medical students and health care professionals, participate in hands on medical activities and stimulations, and explore possible career paths. Throughout the entire program I was deeply engaged, and I found that I learn best by being able to visualize the topic at hand and be able to work with it hands on.
3. I am excited to explore open source learning but I am also concerned about it. It's something different which is exciting, but I also find new things to be nerve wracking. For me it's difficult to try new things. I want to be more optimistic and opened to open source learning and I look forward to gaining new knowledge and hopefully a new perspective. Any knowledge can be beneficial in one's life and hopefully the openness that comes with this learning will allow me to stray away from the typical "do the straightforward homework assignment" approach and try new things.
2. I think the best ever learning experience that happened to me happened this summer. This summer, I was lucky enough to be a part of the National Youth Leadership Forum: Careers in Medicine experience. This was a 9 day program where over a hundred other students and myself were able to stay at the dorms at UCLA and learn about the opportunities available in medicine. I learned a tremendous amount of things about the health care field and about myself. There is so much available out there that one can achieve if they are determined to. I became educated on college choices, the medical school process, and all of the diverse paths one may take. I was able to speak with medical students and health care professionals, participate in hands on medical activities and stimulations, and explore possible career paths. Throughout the entire program I was deeply engaged, and I found that I learn best by being able to visualize the topic at hand and be able to work with it hands on.
3. I am excited to explore open source learning but I am also concerned about it. It's something different which is exciting, but I also find new things to be nerve wracking. For me it's difficult to try new things. I want to be more optimistic and opened to open source learning and I look forward to gaining new knowledge and hopefully a new perspective. Any knowledge can be beneficial in one's life and hopefully the openness that comes with this learning will allow me to stray away from the typical "do the straightforward homework assignment" approach and try new things.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Vocabulary #1
Adumbrate - describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
Ex- The ending of the novel was adumbrated in the first chapter.
Apotheosis - the elevation of a person; model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
Ex- Michael Jackson was the apotheosis of pop.
Ascetic - practicing great self-denial; the practice of rigorous self-discipline; someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
Ex- Jacob chose to live an ascetic life because of his strict religious beliefs.
Bauble - a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
Ex- You didn't carry that bauble with you for twenty years to sacrifice it now.
Beguile - attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
Ex- She used her daughter's identity to beguile the two men.
Burgeon - grow and flourish
Ex- As car prices go down, car dealers are expecting sales to burgeon.
Complement - something added to complete or make perfect; either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
Ex- Jane's flashy necklace complemented her outfit.
Contumacious - willfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
Ex- The wrongdoer can be separately indicted for his contumacious actions.
Curmudgeon - a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
Ex- Our friend tells us that he is studying to become a curmudgeon in his old age.
Didactic - instructive (especially excessively)
Ex- Her novels for children were very didactic.
Disingenuous - not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
Ex- James was being disingenuous to hide the fact that his statement was invalid.
Exculpate - pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
Ex- The suspect's normal reaction will be to try to exculpate himself.
Faux pas - embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation
Ex- Unfortunately I made a faux pas and greeted Jim with the first thing that popped into my mind.
Fulminate - cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
Ex- Brooke fulminated when she found out her boyfriend cheated on her.
Fustian - pompous or pretentious talk or writing
Ex- The author was negatively known for his fustian work.
Hauteur - overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
Ex- She behaved with such hauteur that she intimidated everyone around her.
Inhibit - limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
Ex- The pollutants may inhibit the trees' ability to reproduce.
Jeremiad - a long and mournful complaint
Ex- Kate wouldn't end her jeremiad about how much she didn't like school.
Opportunist - taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; noun a person who places expediency above principle
Ex- He is a fearless opportunist who has always wanted to be a god.
Unconscionable - greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience
Ex- Jack's unconscionable decision got him in trouble with the law.
Ex- The ending of the novel was adumbrated in the first chapter.
Apotheosis - the elevation of a person; model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
Ex- Michael Jackson was the apotheosis of pop.
Ascetic - practicing great self-denial; the practice of rigorous self-discipline; someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
Ex- Jacob chose to live an ascetic life because of his strict religious beliefs.
Bauble - a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
Ex- You didn't carry that bauble with you for twenty years to sacrifice it now.
Beguile - attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
Ex- She used her daughter's identity to beguile the two men.
Burgeon - grow and flourish
Ex- As car prices go down, car dealers are expecting sales to burgeon.
Complement - something added to complete or make perfect; either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
Ex- Jane's flashy necklace complemented her outfit.
Contumacious - willfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
Ex- The wrongdoer can be separately indicted for his contumacious actions.
Curmudgeon - a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
Ex- Our friend tells us that he is studying to become a curmudgeon in his old age.
Didactic - instructive (especially excessively)
Ex- Her novels for children were very didactic.
Disingenuous - not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
Ex- James was being disingenuous to hide the fact that his statement was invalid.
Exculpate - pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
Ex- The suspect's normal reaction will be to try to exculpate himself.
Faux pas - embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation
Ex- Unfortunately I made a faux pas and greeted Jim with the first thing that popped into my mind.
Fulminate - cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
Ex- Brooke fulminated when she found out her boyfriend cheated on her.
Fustian - pompous or pretentious talk or writing
Ex- The author was negatively known for his fustian work.
Hauteur - overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
Ex- She behaved with such hauteur that she intimidated everyone around her.
Inhibit - limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
Ex- The pollutants may inhibit the trees' ability to reproduce.
Jeremiad - a long and mournful complaint
Ex- Kate wouldn't end her jeremiad about how much she didn't like school.
Opportunist - taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; noun a person who places expediency above principle
Ex- He is a fearless opportunist who has always wanted to be a god.
Unconscionable - greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience
Ex- Jack's unconscionable decision got him in trouble with the law.
1987 AP Exam
1. E
2. E
3. E
4. C
5. B
6. D
7. D
8. B
9. A
10. E
11. D
12. B
13. A
14. C
15. E
16. A
17. C
18. A
19. C
20. E
21. D
22. B
23. E
24. E
25. A
26. C
27. D
28. C
29. C
30. B
31. D
32. D
47. B
48. A
49. A
50. D
51. B
52. C
53. E
54. C
55. E
56. A
57. A
58. B
59. C
60. D
61. E
I didn't do too well. I got 14 correct out of 47. I found it difficult to fully understand the writing pieces given.
Essay #1
- Leisure was much different back then. Everything we have today wasn't even a thought then.
- I would write about how everything changes with time.
- Compare/contrast the differences in "leisure"
- Major technique used was personification; talked about leisure in the form of man and what he was about.
- She contrasted what leisure was back then to more modern day leisure.
- Based on her tone you can infer she preferred "olden day" leisure.
Essay #2
- Grapes of Wrath
- Gave the common man a voice through issues of inequality, hardship, oppression.
- Steinbeck wants to draw attention to these issues and wants man to work together to achieve a common good
- He uses detail and repetition
2. E
3. E
4. C
5. B
6. D
7. D
8. B
9. A
10. E
11. D
12. B
13. A
14. C
15. E
16. A
17. C
18. A
19. C
20. E
21. D
22. B
23. E
24. E
25. A
26. C
27. D
28. C
29. C
30. B
31. D
32. D
47. B
48. A
49. A
50. D
51. B
52. C
53. E
54. C
55. E
56. A
57. A
58. B
59. C
60. D
61. E
I didn't do too well. I got 14 correct out of 47. I found it difficult to fully understand the writing pieces given.
Essay #1
- Leisure was much different back then. Everything we have today wasn't even a thought then.
- I would write about how everything changes with time.
- Compare/contrast the differences in "leisure"
- Major technique used was personification; talked about leisure in the form of man and what he was about.
- She contrasted what leisure was back then to more modern day leisure.
- Based on her tone you can infer she preferred "olden day" leisure.
Essay #2
- Grapes of Wrath
- Gave the common man a voice through issues of inequality, hardship, oppression.
- Steinbeck wants to draw attention to these issues and wants man to work together to achieve a common good
- He uses detail and repetition
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Montaigne/Austen Essay
David Foster Wallace once said, "What goes on inside is just too fast and huge and all interconnected for words to do more than barely sketch the outlines of at most one tiny little part of it at any given instant." We have too many thoughts and feelings to put into words. Everyone's minds and emotions are in different places that there is almost no point in expressing them. How can one express their thoughts and feelings if they don't fully understand them themselves? Our minds are like roller coasters, going up, down, and rapidly changing direction. It's challenging to describe ones thoughts in such depth when these thoughts are rapidly changing direction. In The Complete Essays by Michel de Montaigne, his techniques and thoughts contradict Foster's notion. While David Foster Wallace argues in favor of barley sketching the outlines of topics, Michel de Montaigne argues critically against generalizations.
In The Complete Essays by Michel de Montaigne, he covers a wide variety of topics: friendship, love, freedom, education, and religion. The goal of these essays was to promote beliefs yet they turned to be Montaigne's search for knowledge. However he wasn't very successful in organizing his thoughts. His essays were written in stream of thought going from topic to topic because he had so much to say. To put emphasis on the didactic nature of his work, he also wrote structurally. He favored concrete experiences therefore he attempted to elaborate on his thoughts. To better get his views across, Montaigne supported his arguments with quotations from Ancient Greek, Latin, and Italian texts as well as with anecdotes. In many ways Michel de Montaigne's techniques and thoughts contradict David Foster Wallace's belief in generalizations.
Montaigne's style is quite unique, opening a window into his thinking that some may not be able to understand. He makes odd connections from subject to subject, for example, talking about moderation and transitioning into cannibalism. He embeds his own personal knowledge as well as his own experiences. Montaigne takes an uncommon approach when writing which makes his style unique yet noteworthy.
Another great writer, Jane Austen, shares similarities with Michel de Montaigne, particularly in Pride and Prejudice. Both authors expressed their thoughts as they pleased. Montaigne said whatever he felt at any given time and Austen used characters to convey her feelings even though they were uncommon for a woman during this era. Like Montaigne's writings, each chapter in Pride and Prejudice further develops the story from Elizabeth's point of view. Elizabeth also gives a one sided, stream of consciousness portrayal of events, similar to Montaigne.
David Foster Wallace claimed that it was impossible to go in depth on every thought due to the complexity and excessive amount that run through the human mind. Michel de Montaigne however was able to do this. In illustrating his viewpoints, Montaigne was able to contradict Foster Wallace and critically argue against generalizations. Both Montaigne and Austen voiced their thoughts on matters that were uncommon and they did so in a way that allowed the reader to be intrigued and involved.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Essay #1
Loss is powerful. Loss is the state of grief when deprived of someone or something of value. Everyone experiences this sometime in their life and everyone copes with it differently. There is no one right way to grieve after a loss so one must find a way to heal. One may not realize how much they will miss something until they no longer have it, and everyone copes differently.
In The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, Orleanna Price grew up in poverty in Mississippi. Even though she was surrounded by depression, Orleanna was always happy. She was a free-spirited, wild child. She was beautiful and passionate about the natural world, that is, until she married Nathan and was forced to move their family to the Congo. From the moment Orleanna married Nathan and they had three kids together, she began to lose her spiritedness. She was stuck carrying out her husband's mission and became a passive, quiet wife. She was dragged to the jungles of Congo where her life seemed to be on hold. She had lost herself, her home in her heart, and her physical homeland. Orleanna was unhappy, yet stayed and tried to be a good wife and mother. She roamed through life, unexcited and not the same free-spirited, passionate girl she once was. She felt trapped in the Congo and lost control over herself. Orleanna was weak. After she had lost herself, her homeland, and now her daughter, indirectly due to Nathan, Orleanna gathered up the strength to leave. This loss empowered her inside to march out of the Congo and never look back. Leah told us, "Mother never once turned around to look over her shoulder." Orleanna's grief turned into power and determination to make a change.
Orleanna was now changed. Cutting her ties with Nathan and the Congo also cut the ties of her being a passive, obedient wife. She reconnected with society and herself. The losses she experienced compelled her to turn her life around. Yes the loss of her old life was alienating, but it was also enriching. It pushed her to work hard to benefit mankind, from marching for Civil Rights to raising money for Amnesty International.
In The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, Orleanna Price grew up in poverty in Mississippi. Even though she was surrounded by depression, Orleanna was always happy. She was a free-spirited, wild child. She was beautiful and passionate about the natural world, that is, until she married Nathan and was forced to move their family to the Congo. From the moment Orleanna married Nathan and they had three kids together, she began to lose her spiritedness. She was stuck carrying out her husband's mission and became a passive, quiet wife. She was dragged to the jungles of Congo where her life seemed to be on hold. She had lost herself, her home in her heart, and her physical homeland. Orleanna was unhappy, yet stayed and tried to be a good wife and mother. She roamed through life, unexcited and not the same free-spirited, passionate girl she once was. She felt trapped in the Congo and lost control over herself. Orleanna was weak. After she had lost herself, her homeland, and now her daughter, indirectly due to Nathan, Orleanna gathered up the strength to leave. This loss empowered her inside to march out of the Congo and never look back. Leah told us, "Mother never once turned around to look over her shoulder." Orleanna's grief turned into power and determination to make a change.
Orleanna was now changed. Cutting her ties with Nathan and the Congo also cut the ties of her being a passive, obedient wife. She reconnected with society and herself. The losses she experienced compelled her to turn her life around. Yes the loss of her old life was alienating, but it was also enriching. It pushed her to work hard to benefit mankind, from marching for Civil Rights to raising money for Amnesty International.
Poetry #1
1. This commercial borrows Charles Bukowski's The Laughing Heart.
2. The use of this poem by a corporation might be ironic because corporations are legal entities with certain legal rights, but often exercise human rights against real individuals and can be responsible for human rights violations. This poem expresses individuality and living your own life and breaking free from people who abuse their control and power which is what corporations do. This corporation is doing exactly the opposite of what the poem says in trying to persuade the viewer to buy their product.
3. Yes, the poem reflects the reputation of the author. Charles Bukowski is known for writing about the ordinary lives of poor Americans and their problems.
4. To find the answers to #1 and #3, I looked them up on the internet. For #1 I searched the first line of the poem in quotations on Google and the poem and author came up on many websites. For #3 I typed into Google what Charles Bukowski is known for writing about.
2. The use of this poem by a corporation might be ironic because corporations are legal entities with certain legal rights, but often exercise human rights against real individuals and can be responsible for human rights violations. This poem expresses individuality and living your own life and breaking free from people who abuse their control and power which is what corporations do. This corporation is doing exactly the opposite of what the poem says in trying to persuade the viewer to buy their product.
3. Yes, the poem reflects the reputation of the author. Charles Bukowski is known for writing about the ordinary lives of poor Americans and their problems.
4. To find the answers to #1 and #3, I looked them up on the internet. For #1 I searched the first line of the poem in quotations on Google and the poem and author came up on many websites. For #3 I typed into Google what Charles Bukowski is known for writing about.
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