Response to Course Material #4

Another month has come and gone in AP Lit and while it feels like we haven't done as much as we have in past months I know we have.

Class has been focused around one thing: Hamlet, which is why it doesn't feel like we have done as much. Reading Hamlet, discussing Hamlet, annotating Hamlet. Hamlet, Hamlet, Hamlet. To be honest, I thought being completely focused on Hamlet would be monotonous and annoying. In past English classes when we've spent a long time on one book or play I've been bored out of my mind, like in Brit Lit when we spent an excruciatingly long time on Beowulf and Frankenstein. With Hamlet, I've been interested the entire time, and while I'm not 100% sure about this, I think Ms. Holmes has been a big part of keeping my interest.

I'll be the first to admit that I am not a big Shakespeare fan, there is something about his writing that has always bothered me though I'm not sure what. I was pleasantly surprised when reading Hamlet just how much I was really enjoying it. Reading Hamlet, fun. Annotating Hamlet, not fun. That was probably the only part of Hamlet that I did not enjoy, annotating it.

One thing that I especially liked about our Hamlet unit was watching all the different versions of the play in movie form. I liked being able to see the different directors' interpretations and how each character was portrayed. Personally, I like when Gertrude and Ophelia were portrayed as intelligent, that Gertrude drank the wine knowing it was poisoned and there was a method to Ophelia's madness.  In any of my previous lit classes we've only watched one version of the play/book. It was nice to be able to compare different version and actors and come up with what I thought a movie version of the play should be like. Who played what, how they played, what was over or under acting. Did I like the movie set in modern times or more true to the original setting of the book? Did I want a crazy mega-castle or a smaller manor? Seeing the differences between the movies helped me decide what I wanted from the movie.

I really enjoyed our class' discussion of the play and movies. It was interesting to me to see how the other people in my class saw everything compared to how I saw it. I know I disagreed with many of my class mates on whether or not Polonius really cared about his children; many argued that he did not while I believed, and still believe, that he does care about them in his own way. I know Drew K. and I got into a debate over whether or not Polonius is a fool. I think that's what I really like about this play, that there is so much that can be discussed and debated but the story doesn't change.

If I had to say one thing I didn't like about all the Hamlet stuff we've been doing, it would probably be the "Tragic Balance in Hamlet" thing we had to read. I know my class ripped on the thing, how it was poorly done and that the few good ideas in it were covered up by other quoted sources and the reader's confusion. For me, I could barely tell which opinions were the author's and which were from his many quoted sources. While it was a struggle for me to follow the article, I did see what it was trying to do, show two extreme, contrasting views of the play and how they would affect how the reader sees it. The idea is good, the execution of the idea was the downfall. I think this would have been better in two separate essays, one for each view, and then have us read both. We'd still get to see how each extreme affects the reader's interpretation of the play but the ideas would come through much more clearly.

Overall this has been my favorite unit so far. All of our Hamlet discussions and movie viewings have made me excited for what's next in AP Lit. I can only hope that what is to come in AP Lit will be as exciting to me as Hamlet was.

Open Prompt Blog (12/15)

2009. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range

of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning,

or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay

analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or

themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

Essay 3A; Score: 9

As a whole, Essay 3A is fairly well done and shows the symbolism of the wild duck in The Wild Duck. It prevented some good arguments backed by relevant details despite there being a strong thesis. The AP readers gave this essay a 9, but I would rank it more around a high 7 to middle 8. While the body paragraphs of this essay were good, strong even, the introduction and conclusion paragraphs were very weak. This thesis was not only weak but also vague, providing little support for a good essay, which makes it surprising that a good essay could even come from it. Not only did the student create a poor thesis statement, but I was a little confused with what exactly the wild duck was symbolizing. Maybe I was just missing something, but I don’t see how if the duck meant something different to every member of the family how it could symbolize the development of characters, especially when the only character development I saw explained in this essay was that of Greggers. Based on the weak intro and conclusion paragraphs and the poorly written thesis statement, I would be inclined to give this essay a score of 7 or 8, not a 9 like the AP readers.  

Essay 3B; Score: 6

Essay 3B analyzes the symbolism of lampshades in A Streetcar Named Desire and isn’t too bad, though it definitely is nothing to get excited about. The student seems to understand the symbolism of the lampshade, which can be seen near the end of the essay, but has some trouble articulating the symbolism on a deeper level in the beginning. By going into the deeper meaning of the lampshade, Blanche never having gotten over her lost love, the student shows a higher understanding of the symbolism. Though it was slow to get through and not as well done as the last body paragraph and argument in this essay, I liked how the student talked about the surface symbolism of the lampshade. I feel it was a smart move to address both aspects of the symbolism and by analyzing both sides of it the student demonstrated a higher understanding of the lampshade symbolism. The AP readers gave this essay a six, which I can agree to, though I think an argument could also be made for a low 7.

 

Essay 3B; Score: 4

There were some pretty big problems in Essay 3C which “explains” the symbolism of the machete in Things Fall Apart. First of all, there was no real point to this essay. While the thesis wasn’t absolutely terrible, the student did little to expand upon it or prove it in the essay. Every paragraph seemed to show the machete symbolizing a different thing: power, masculinity, survival, and pride. If the student had focused on one of these aspects rather than all of them, and had actually taken the time to really dig in and analyze the symbol, this essay could have been something. As it was, trying to show every aspect of the machete greatly detracted from the essay and caused it to be unfocused. Personally, I was greatly irritated by the “conclusion” of this essay. You can’t introduce something new in a conclusion, and you definitely cannot be saying one thing the entire essay and then at the last second switch gears and say something different. This is exactly what happened as the student had been using the essay to show the machete as a power symbol and then at the end claim that “it symbolizes pride. Most of all.” Frankly I’m surprised that this essay got a 4, as I would have given it a 2 or 3. Because of its lack of focus, weak arguments, and poor writing, I would say this essay is an example of what not to do for an AP essay.

 

Close Reading Blog 12/8

The Call of the Candy Crush

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the-call-of-the-candy-crush

     Shared experiences have a tendency to bond people together, even if they have never met. "We may never make eye contact, we may never touch beyond an absent brush, but we are united" says author Rodney Uhler. In his article The Call of the Candy Crush, Uhler connects to all those around him who are also fans of the game Candy Crush. By employing specific details, imagery, and figurative language, Uhler relates to a fellow crusher and their experience.

     Detail is one of the techniques utilized by Uhler in this article, which is evident by the details specific to Candy Crush scattered throughout the article. Uhler connects the reader to the game by naming different worlds, including the Minty Meadows and Easter Bunny Hills. He sympathizes with the "pains of level 14, the trials of 38, and the misery of 61." The lengths a crusher will go to to win is shown through Uhler's detail "I made a bargain with the Gods to pass 79, and have given my first born at the success of completing 90." Lemon drops, chocolate bonbons, and gobstoppers all make appearances in the article, just as they do in the game. The "empty praise" of Candy Crush; "Devine!", "Delicious!", and "Sugar Crush"; also make an appearance when Uhler warns of the "heart, [that cries] over your depleted lives." By using details specific to the game, Uhler is able to relate the reader to a fellow crusher.

     Besides detail, Uhler also uses figurative language to connect to a crusher's experiences. He begins his article off with alliteration, "Candy Crusher Commuter." Alliteration can be seen in other parts of the article in "Wafer Wharf Warriors" and "Peppermint Palace Pussies." Not only is the alliteration catching to the reader but it also relates people to different worlds in the game. "Pupils the color of chocolate bonbons" is a metaphor Uhler uses to describe the crusher, as is the similie, "determination as rock-hard as a gobstopper." By using these aspects of figurative language, Uhler draws the reader in but also is able to describe a crusher to his audience in an interesting, candy related, way.

     Imagery is a key part of Uhler's article. Uhler relates to what the crusher is experiencing, reminiscing of  "innocent memories" that were "tarnished by the path they forged to [a] godforsaken realm". He speaks of "tear-soaked screens" that "dark[en] the growing void in my soul". This imagery stirs the readers, almost creating sympathy for the player within in the audience. "Pastel colored talons" and "looking into the eyes of Satan" add a dramatic feel to his article, especially as these are related to a seemingly innocent and brokenhearted heart. In some of his last imagery, Uhler relates to people with the image of an "obnoxious public transportation user" and the sound of "jaunty, almost nightmare-like carnival music". Because of the Candy Crush music coming from the crusher, Uhler connects to them and no longer sees them as the annoying passenger. Uhler's use of imagery connects the reader to the crusher through emotion, dramatics, and common sights and sounds.

     There are many people who have played the game Candy Crush and known its allure. Uhler is one of these people and even calls himself "a seasoned crusher", so he knows first hand what fellow crushers go through. By using the techniques of specific detail, figurative language, and imagery, Uhler is able to connect readers to crusher he sees in public and their experiences.

Response to Course Material (#3)

     It's been almost a month since my last Response to Course Material blog and in that time we've done quite a bit.

     First, we finished Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and did a summary and analysis blog. It was easier to create a theme statement for DOS than for The American Dream, not because we've done it before, but because I feel I understood DOS better. There were a couple things in this play that I could really relate to like all of the expectations placed on the first born child and knowing someone who was fired from their job after 30+ years of hard work (this I can relate to because this is exactly what happened to my grandpa). The discussions that we did in class were great, but I especially liked the fish-bowl discussions. In past lit classes when we've done discussions, I've always found that there are a few people who dominate the conversation, so by having only 4 people able to discuss at a time was a great way to have other people contribute. I hope we get to do more fish-bowl discussions over future works.

     Second, we've done a few mood and atmosphere exercises. While I love what they are getting at and trying to teach us, I don't always like doing them as a whole class. The exercises describing a picture without using a certain word are the ones that really annoy me. Often I disagree with my classmates on these; the phrasing, the diction, sometimes even the word we've chosen that describes the picture. I also get frustrated with how long it takes our class to do these exercises and how much debate there is over wording and who likes the sound of what. This is to be expected as we're trying to fit approximately 18 peoples' thoughts into a few sentences, which is made even harder when multiple people are trying to get it done their way. Despite my frustrations with these exercises, I do like them and how they challenge me to look at the aspects of writing more closely.

     Third on my list of things is the reading of "The Century Quilt". First of all, can I just say that I loved this poem and how there were so many layers to it? I loved how every time I go back and read it I get something new from it and how if I were to read it again in 5 years it would mean something different. That said, I felt I did a pretty good job picking up on a lot of the meanings hidden in the piece and when Ms. Holmes did her "graduate-level analysis" of the piece, there were only one or two things I was missing. As much as I loved the poem, having to write an essay about it using the past AP prompt was difficult. One big problem I have, and have had in past years, is that it takes me a while to get my thoughts together and figure out what I want to say. I know I spent about half the time for writing the essay just staring at the paper trying to figure out how to start the essay. In APUSH last year I had a similar problem in not knowing how to start the essay. The body paragraphs and conclusion I don't have problems with, but when it comes to the introduction I'm on the struggle bus. Part my struggle is something that I was taught in Brit Lit last year where my teacher told us to start very broad in the beginning of the introduction and then proceed to narrow it down until you reached the thesis statement. That's great and all, but my mind doesn't see introduction paragraphs that way; it sees them as a way to introduce the essay and indicate what would be addressed in paragraphs to follow. Hopefully through more practice essays I will be able to get passed this and not have to spend 20-30 minutes figuring out how to start an essay.

     And finally, we have started (and finished) Hamlet. While I have never had a great love for Shakespeare plays in past classes (i.e. Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth), I did enjoy this one. Don't ask me why I liked this one because I can't quite put my finger on it. It's not the characters, I feel like I have seen many of them before, or characters very similar to them before. It's not the plot for I was able to predict everything that happened except Hamlet giving Denmark over to Fortinbras in his dying breath. Maybe it is everything that is buried in the words, the deeper meanings and the things that can only be found if one reads between the lines. All the hidden aspects of the play, the deeper issues beneath the surface of the play, are intriguing to me, and this is something I didn't expect from Shakespeare (mainly because I've never come across it before). As we read this play in class I did make some notes in my book, but going through and annotating this book will be difficult. Annotation wise, I believe this will be my biggest challenge yet. I can't wait to discuss this play in class and to watch clips of the play's production.

     I can't believe how much I'm learning in this class, not so much by being directly taught it but my discussing with my classmates and doing close readings. I'm interested to see what else we do in this class and I'm excited for what other things I will learn. Hopefully everything we  are learning will not escape me when I go to take the AP test in May.

Open Prompt Blog (11/17)

2008. In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that

emphasize, by contrast or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main

character. For example, the ideas or behavior of a minor character might be used to highlight

the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Choose a novel or play in which a minor

character serves as a foil for the main character. Then write an essay in which you analyze how

the relation between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of

the work.

3A did a fairly good job answering the prompt. As I have not read this book it was a bit hard for me to understand the argument but through the description in the essay the character Huang Taitai did seem to be a good foil for Lindo Jong. It does a good job using examples from the book to show just how he foils her. There was a lot of evidence in this essay and a lot of plot summary. In my opinion there was too much plot summary, for a while I lost sense of what the essay was about and was lost within the summary. Another problem I had with this essay was that it seemed to me like the essay was less about the foil of the characters and more about how Lindo Jong was able to realize her self-worth and strength and the overall meaning of the book. For me, it wasn’t a bad essay, I’m just not completely convinced it answered the question asked. 

3B was a slightly confusing essay to read. I can where the essayist was going, but I think they went about it the wrong way. When reading this essay it does not seem like Celie’s father is the foil the essayist chose for Celie, which is what the author intended. By mentioning Shug and Shug’s independence, something Celie doesn’t have, it seems that the author intends for Shug to be the foil. Having to decipher who was really the foil for Celie, to me, was confusing and annoying. Another thing that bothered me in this essay was the mentioning of Maslow’s hierarchy. To be honest, I’m not sure at what the author was trying to say by mentioning this. I think the point of the hierarchy reference was to show the steps through which Celi reached self-actualization but if this idea was to play a significant part in essay I feel it needed to be expanded upon. Overall I think this essay was only half there; it had the frame to potentially be a good essay but it fell short when aspects weren’t fully explained or expanded upon.

3C was very painful for me to read. Firstly, there was no variation in the sentences or their structure and there were no transitions between the sentences and paragraphs making this essay very choppy. Secondly, this essay didn’t really have a thesis, and the sentence that could be considered the thesis is very weak (“Baba is a foil to Hassan in many ways. He emphasizes the good qualities in Hassan.”). This weak thesis did not set up for a successful essay and all of the evidence used in the essay was barely discussed, not enough to prove the thesis. What really bothered me was the essayist seemed to write the essay as if everyone has read The Kite Runner. Having read the book, I can understand some of what is referenced in this essay, but if I hadn’t I don’t think I would have understood the argument at all. Overall this essay was very poorly written and to say this essay even has a skeleton would be an overstatement.