Blog Post 1: DH Lawrence and 'The Rainbow'

Emily Moser Wilson AP Literature November 19, 2013 It has been said that there is power in knowledge, and in many cases, it does give an advantage to those who use it. However, when the ability to act on knowledge is limited, it can cause restlessness and desires to grow stronger. In his novel Rainbow, D.H. Lawrence uses personification and anaphora to characterize the woman, furthermore depicting her restlessness in her search for knowledge. The woman in the passage is restless, yearning to find freedom and knowledge. In the passage D. H. Lawrence uses third person omniscient to narrate the story, which immediately allows the reader to know both what the woman is seeing and what she is thinking, without the bias of her actual thoughts. Through this perspective he is able to use personification, such as, "the earth heaved and opened its furrow,"(Lawrence 1-2). He carries these descriptions and diction that imply serious labor throughout the piece, and there is a clear distinction made between the men working and the woman observing them. This is important to the meaning because it shows their complacency, which in turn makes her desire for a different life seem more desperate and important. As Lawrence continues with this theme of the woman wanting a better life, he also implores anaphora several times. These lists are also used, again, to draw a contrast between the woman and the men. He describes the life of the men, and their satisfaction with what life has to offer. He writes, "so much warmth and generating and pain and death did they know in their blood,"(Lawrence 7-8). By using anaphora to outline the stages of life, he is able to continue to show the simplicity of how the men view life. He then contrasts this with the way the woman views life, "looking out, as she must,"(Lawrence 30). The metaphor of her looking forward out beyond her farm represents her search for something different, bigger. As the passage continues on, she continues to observe the men around her, comparing their strengths and knowledge, as she tries to decipher how much she can gain from knowledge and freedom. As the passage concludes, the woman has an epiphany. She realizes that the strength and security in life is not brought on through “money nor power nor position,” (Lawrence 61) but instead, “she decided it was a question of knowledge,” (Lawrence 65-66).This statement gives a final characterization of the woman, showing her thoughtful and ambitious nature, as she yearns to become something more than herself. As she observes her situation and what could be, D.H. Lawrence uses this personality trait to also show the desperate and odd situation the woman has found herself in. My initial essay score, given to me by Samantha Villigran was a six. She gave me this score because although I did look at some of the motifs in the passage, I did not delve deeper or relate it back to the meaning of the text. I also provided several pieces of textual evidence, and showed more sophistication in my diction. I think this score was very fair, because I did try really hard to mention as many motifs as I could, but I neglected to relate them back. I may have answered all of the prompt, but I’m not sure I articulated what I was thinking as well as I could of. I merely mentioned the main points I wanted to make, I just didn’t go deeper. After reading through other essays and five steps, I think there are a few things I could’ve done to make this writing better. First off, I should have chosen a central motif. Because I tried to mention so many different motifs, I did not go as deeply into their meaning as I should have. I think picking two or three to really focusing on would’ve been good, not only for deeper analysis, but also for organization purposes. I feel like by choosing so many motifs, I also let the control I had on my writing slip because my thoughts were so all over the place. Another way I could have improved my writing was to focus on more of the literary devices used as they relate to the meanings and motifs. I only chose two devices, and there are several. More than that, I only spent a paragraph, if that, to describe them. I didn’t even explore how they convey meaning very well. My main focus lied on the difference between the women and the men. I could’ve also used that as a jumping off point for my essay. I think the real root of the problem is just that I tried to get too many things on paper at once, and didn’t organize them as well as I should have. I really just should have focused on one motif, the men and women, and the literary devices, and how they all work together to create the meaning. The last problem is that I did not even mention the juxtaposition, rhetorical devices, or how the structure relates to the meaning. I put more emphasis on the devices like personification, or anaphora, which are important. They just aren’t as important as other, bigger devices I neglected to see or mention. I need to read the prompt more, and look at both the big picture, and the devices used to make the purpose clear, but then also the little details that create the complexity of the piece. I focus too much on the little details and fail to see the importance they all work together to create.

Hamlet Post 6

Final Portfolio Reflection

One of my two favorite posts on my blog is the mythology presentation. This section of the unit was my favorite overall; I have always had an interest in mythology and the beliefs of other cultures, so I found this subject particularly interesting. Our myth that we researched was the Icarus and Daedalus, as it pertained to more recent literature. I thought it was really intriguing to be able to see the parallels made between current stories and myths that are ancient. Due to the fact that I found this subject so fascinating, I am particularly proud of the outcome of this presentation. I thought my group did an excellent job with research, and being able to connect the story with the writings of W.H. Auden. I think that my groups’ interest in this subject is what made it so interesting, as our research led us to information that we had never really thought about. For example, the Foster chapters about flight and what flight meant had never really occurred to me. However, as we gained this knowledge, we were able to do a much deeper analysis of the story, as opposed to remaining surface level in analysis.

The other presentation I am proud of is blog post three. Although it is not a very long post, I still did enjoy the assignment, once again because it pertained to mythology. The assignment allowed me to look into more myths and fables, which I enjoyed very much. I had never heard of several myths or stories that I came across, which gave me the opportunity to look further into the subject. It was fun to read through important mythological figures and try to see who I was most like. Finding my personality in small pieces of several mythological characters, from several different cultures gave me a small insight into beliefs from around the world. I’ve always found it interesting to see what other cultures believe, and how we adapt their beliefs into our own. In this assignment I was able to do just that, adapt several parts of other cultures into one, a single figure that reflects me and my work ethic.

As for my participation in class, I was never really to outspoken. It is naturally my personality to take in information, and really process it before I ask questions. I much prefer one-on-one conversation, which made me appear quiet in class, though I did help my classmates out often. In the classroom, I paid close attention to what was said and presented, and outside of class, I was able to explain concepts to classmates outside of class. When it came to individual or partner projects, I think I handled these much better than group projects. During these, I was able to have more of a voice and more of an understanding than I would have in a group; once again, because it is my personality to be more of the quiet member. I usually did very well on individual papers, such as the timed writing we did in class, because it did allow me to organize my thoughts and not be swayed by other opinions or questions. I was able to focus more than I would have been able to for group projects.

I was able to hold my ground in group projects for the most part, though. I was not necessarily the leader by any means; however, I did do my part and take into consideration the opinions of others. I did struggle with this at some points, only because I was trying to find compromise between several ideas. I think that my group was very helpful with this though, we were all mature enough to hear each other out and reach a consensus fairly quickly for each project in the first few units. We all had a say or part to do in each presentation, and we held each other accountable for each part, which allowed us to move quickly and smoothly through each presentation. I did do my part for every project, as did everyone else.

            A couple of goals that I have for next trimester really just pertain to the group projects and the multiple choice quizzes. These were the two main areas I really struggled in this trimester. I am confident enough in my writing knowledge and style, that I think being able to translate that into a group setting will be beneficial for me, even beyond this class. I also believe that communication with group members is really something I need to work on; being able to communicate ideas and plans with group mates to execute each task in a much more professional manner. Just simply taking the time to ensure every member understands what the project entails and what their portion of the project is, I think will really improve our work quality. I think this goal can be achieved within the first few group projects, as we continue to work together and get a feel for each other’s personality and writing styles.

The other goal of what I hope to improve in this class is my multiple choice skills. I didn’t do very well on the multiple choice tests, which I know I can do better on. The first problem is that I rush through them. I always find myself having plenty, perhaps too much time left. I need to remember to slow down, and find a balance between taking the test and keeping an eye on the clock. I can do this by taking practice tests at home every once and a while, setting up the test environment by setting a timer. I think this will also help me become more familiar with the types of questions on the test. I don’t think there’s a time stamp I can put on this goal, just that the more I practice, the more I think that the tests will become easier.  It is just a matter of me taking responsibility and actually setting aside time to work on them.

Hamlet Post 4

Oh, the tragedy of losing touch with reality, especially that of one so young. Poor, dear Ophelia; I cannot help but believe I had part in your madness. My nephew, so full of sorrow and anger, driven mad by his suspicions of me, broke your heart. If only I could have helped you in some way… perhaps if I had sent him away earlier as I had planned, he would not have pushed you away, and left you so grief stricken. Alas, a girl in love is confused anyway; a young man messing with her heart no doubt brings misery. And beyond this, so many men tried to warn you, to get you to refuse Hamlets affections. This “must have come as a shock to [your] gentle nature which believed men were what they seemed,” (Seng 220). You began to realize this on your own terms, as you watched the man you love transform before your eyes. I remember you once told me, “We must be patient, but I cannot choose but weep,” (4.5.42-43), for you grieved his loss, both physically and mentally. Tis a shame you felt as if you “could hardly turn to King Claudius,” (Seng 118), and yet I played a part in Hamlets dismissal of your affections, as I plotted with your father to expose his madness. Unjustifiably, “we closely sent for Hamlet hither, That he, as ’twere by accident, may here Affront Ophelia,” (3.1.30-32). It was never my intention to bring you to isolation, instead you were “poor Ophelia, Divided from herself and her fair judgment, without which we are pictures, or mere beasts,” (5.4.61-62). The moment I felt this guilt, I must confess, did not occur until I saw you in the foyer, and you sang the ballad of a broken heart. It was when you sang that I saw the advice given to you by your family and so many others had caused you to ‘take no man at face value,’ (Seng 220). Instead, you avoided me and my queen, singing nonsense that we had assumed “Conceit upon [your] father,” (4.5.28). But as I have gone back and forth in my mind, I now see it was your broken heart as the grievances piled on, that broke you as my nephew pushed you over the edge. You became so confused by the men around you, you had to ask yourself, “How should I your true love know, From another one,” (4.5.21). Unable to find the answers to the simplest of your questions led you to madness, the madness I could have helped.

Blog Post 11: You Can't Take It With You Video

Blog Post 10: You Cant Take it With You

Blog Post 9: Power Point

Blog Post 9: Swimming Home

Blog Post 8:Compare Contrast Essay

https://www.edline.net/files/5523f36834f6c1453745a49013852ec4_FA_1499114573/Moser_Compare_Contrast_Essay.pdf

Hamlet Blog Post 3

The famous 'To Be or Not to Be' speech is William Shakespeare's Hamlet deals heavily with two central questions: what is life's purpose, and is it worth living for? Hamlet uses various metaphors, harsh diction, and heavy reliance on logos in his soliloquy to give the reader or viewer insight to his thoughts. In the use of these metaphors, Hamlet compares life and death, relating life to labor and death to sleep. The comparison of life and labor is filled with violent and angry diction, which in turn reveals his frustrated tone. Statements such as, "who would fardles bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life," (3.1.79) show the defeated spirit Hamlet has taken on, as he wrestles with whether his life is worth living or not. A stark contrast in his comparison of death and slumber follow this description, showing his preference towards death, describing it simply as,"to die, to sleep- no more," (3.1.67). This description, along with the list of flaws he finds in humanity, "th' oppressors wrong, the proud mans contumely, pangs of despised love[...] and the spurs that patient merit of the unworthy takes,"(3.1.71-76) show his strong desire for death instead of life. While his internal struggle does arrive at this conclusion, he does concede that the unknowns of death, "give us pause," (3.1.69), and thinking too much about it will make him weak. This concession allows him to reason further that death is preferable, his logic and imagery supporting this opinion. In the first film adaptation of the soliloquy, the director places Hamlet alone in a room, with no other sound than that of his speech. This allows the viewer to focus on what is being said, and focus on Hamlets appearance. The camera looks right past his shoulder, into the reflection in the mirror he stands before, so that his speech may be aligned with his facial expressions and posture, which build on the intense mood. In the second film adaptation, the director uses rapidly changing camera angles and quick, high pitched music to create a bumbling, intense mood. The film itself is in black and white, as the camera alternates between Hamlet and the crashing ocean looming under him. The crashing waves add to the intensity, the quickening of the pace of the music and volume of Hamlet speech matching the size of the waves. In the third adaptation, the director uses a large, dark cave-like room as the setting, the dark of the room matching the black of Hamlets clothes. The only sound is Hamlet speaking, as he travels around the caverns, observing the dusty statues. The camera follows him around this room, nearly always trained on his face so the viewer can see the facial expressions and motions he makes. In the fourth adaptation, the setting is in a blockbuster video store. There is music in the background, as well as the sound of the videos playing. Although the camera follows hamlet, Hamlet never speaks; rather, the speech is non-diagetic, as his thoughts are presented as a voice over. The most effective film was the first film, due to the focus and setting of the film. Details were simple, there was not much movement, the focus was never off of Hamlet. There was no music competing with his voice, and the camera angle allowed the viewer to see Hamlet as a whole; his motions, posture, and expressions. The second film was too confused, all over the place and inconsistent. The focus was not always on Hamlet, and was distracting for this reason. The third was not so bad, though the first allowed the viewer to focus on Hamlet more. And the fourth film did not fit e essence of Hamlet in any way.

Movie Trailer for Post 2

Hamlet Blog Post 2

"At my signal, unleash Hell" -Commodus The film Gladiator, although loosely associated with the theme of Hamlet, does resemble the same key aspects of revenge, espionage, and family. The film is about. Roman general, Maximus, who is chosen by the aging emperor to take his place. In this decision, the emperor is betraying his own son, Commodus, who resembles I, Claudius. Perhaps I should be remorseful for killing my own brother, and marrying his wife. However, I was jealous , power-hungry, seeking to know what power would have in store for me and my family, much like Commodus. Many would consider us the bad guy, but simply carried out the same deed Hamllet has planned for me. I believe in keeping the enemy closest, so I agreed to spy on Hamlet with Polonius, as we plan to "hide behind the arras and watch what happens," (2.2) between Hamlet and Ophelia. A key component to my compliance with the plan is the trust he puts in Polonius.Allowing him to believe I am trust worthy gives me room for more intellegence, I will be able to investigate more on what Hamlet's exact plan is. Polonius had asked me if he had ever led the king astray, to which I to responded, "Not that I know," (2.2). By establishing this trust, the I was conceding, just as Commodus does, that I "knows his people," (Gladiator). After this is established between the two of us, I agree to "try what [Polonius] suggests," (2.2), which potentially could give me a scapegoat for what my intentions were for Hamlets' future. Alongside my plan with Polonius, however, I also created my own plan, calling Hamlets best friends. I asked them to distract Hamlet, to "draw him on to pleasures and to gather, so much as from occasion they may gleam," (2.2). I command them to pledge their loyalty to helping their friend, as well as to me. By extending this invitation to help, I am asking them to "take [his] hand, [he] will only offer it once," (Gladiator). In other words, it is their chance to do their duty to me and the kingdom, by helping their friend. By creating this sense of urgency, I was able to make it seem as if I am helping my nephew move on from "more than his fathers death," (2.2) without making "a martyr out of him," (Gladiator). I have planned it specifically so that it appears that I have my nephews best intentions in mind, though my plans for him lead to his demise.I can easily relate to the film Gladiator, as the ideas of power, family, and revenge create the stories. I am not a 'bad guy' I am simply a man in search for the power that so many others are searching for. The difference between them and I? I am willing to go much further than anyone else to keep my power.

Hamlet Blog Post 1

How does one move on from tragedy? And what’s harder, how can I bear to watch the kingdom so familiar to me move on without me. The death of ones’ father is filled with “the trappings and the suits of woe,” (1.2). And yet they ask me to dress in colors brighter than these. There was no time to mourn, but he, my father, is yet “two months dead!—Nay, not so much two,” (1.2). Beyond this, within a month my mother, who pledged her love and loyalty to my father, finds reason in remarriage- to my uncle no less. “My father’s brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules, “(1.2) He is nothing of a great king, though he has my father’s kingdom fooled. He will nothing of my father’s legacy, “but break my heart, for I must hold my tongue,” (1.2)

Blog Post 12: Claudius

Claudius is said to be the instigator of Hamlets anger and confusion. In a world where social media makes it easy to initiate spite and anger with a simple one hundred forty character sub-tweet, Claudius seems to be a character that would be relevant to this day in age. ‘Twitter fights’ are infamous, even making news if the duel is between two celebrities. Teenagers, and even some adults, wait and watch for these battles to evolve, and then call out or comment on the argument they were never really a part of in the first place. As an instigator of anger and confusion, Claudius will have to know and be a part of Hamlet’s life; his family, friends, and all other aspects. The superiority complex appears to make up his character, a pompous king that holds his power over others. Writing from his perspective simply means to look at the questions presented, and channel the inner arrogance inside. Beginning an argument where there is room for one to be started, making snide comments about information presented, and taking a thou-are-holier-than you mindset seem to be the best way to channel this. Although I am never seriously in this mindset, my brand of humor and thinking can easily be manipulated to resemble this type of character.