Closed Prompt #4

           

Editorial: A gun battle worth fighting 

            I can’t bear to turn on my TV, look something up on the Internet, or flip open the daily newspaper. They are everywhere: heartbreaking stories, powerful villains, and brokenhearted families. Violence is ever-present in our world right now. The crimes, killings, and heartbreak are impossible to ignore. This fact multiplies the debates over guns that are circling through the country. This editorial uses details, diction, and imagery to negate guns and ignite an emotional response in every reader.

            By using real facts that touch the reader’s heart such as “[we live] in a nation where an Oregon mall shooting amid thousands of Christmas shoppers is nearly forgotten just three days later, swallowed into oblivion by another, much larger mass shooting” the author is able to convey their point while evoking emotion. Most everyone agrees, “we don’t [want] to accept children shot on our streets week after week or rampaging gunman terrorizing theaters and schools” and that we should “do more to keep guns from people with a mental illness.” With their use of relatable, true, extreme details, the author makes it close to impossible for the reader not to agree with his or her point. By using such details, the author touches the readers’ heart and starts a fire of anger and sadness inside of them.

            At the same time, the author uses forceful diction to further prove their point. They use words that are very unique and appropriate to the context. For example, they say we are “ [tiptoeing]” around gun laws and call the gun-law “challenge” “insurmountable.” The author does a phenomenal job of using diction to emphasize his or her points and really touch the reader. When talking about the poor victims they use words like “terrorizing” and “swallowed into oblivion.” Every phrase and word about guns and violence has a very powerful, negative connotation.

            While using emotion provoking details and diction, the author uses intense imagery to create vivid pictures in the reader’s mind.  The thought of “a horrific shooting at a Connecticut elementary school that left 27 dead, including 20 children” makes any person cringe with disgust. The vision of “children shot on our streets week after week” and “a rampaging gunman terrorizing theaters and schools” ignites a emotional, angry response. With their use of such powerful imagery, the author hits a sensitive spot in any reader.

            By using details, diction, and imagery to ignite emotion in readers, the author successful negated guns. They were able to target sensitivity in the reader and use that to prove their point. 

Open Prompt #4

2001. One definition of madness is "mental delusion or the eccentric behavior arising from it." But Emily Dickinson wrote

    Much madness is divinest Sense-

    To a discerning Eye-

Novelists and playwrights have often seen madness with a "discerning Eye." Select a novel or play in which a character's apparent madness or irrational behavior plays an important role. Then write a well-organized essay in which you explain what this delusion or eccentric behavior consists of and how it might be judged reasonable. Explain the significance of the "madness" to the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

            WHAT IS WRONG WITH WHILLY LOMAN? He talks to himself, undoubtedly has anger management, and couldn’t see the truth if it slapped him in the face. But why? What was Miller doing when he created this mindless, irrational character? The answer is simple; Willy’s madness is simply not madness. It is reasonable and is one of the most important aspects of the Death of A Salesman.

         In fact, Willy’s problems are the result from the society he is surrounded by. His craziness was born to represent what happens to the everyday hero when they are placed in a world such as ours. Willy started out a “normal” man. He coped with life’s nasty toile by transforming into this somewhat psychotic being. To one side of the audience, it is completely reasonable and understood.

Willy’s flashbacks, constant rambling, and hallucinations stand as enormous parts of the play. Miller uses his sporadic flashbacks to show the reader the truth of the past. His rambling gives us a clue to what is really wrong with Willy Loman. His hallucinations of his brother represent an important element of Willy’s childhood. Without these important layers, the play just wouldn’t make sense. 

         Miller used Willy’s madness to expose the dysfunction in the Loman household. It is obvious to the reader that there is something wrong in their broken down house. Without Willy’s craziness, this truth would never come out as to what was wrong. His problems make their family what it is and connect all the missing pieces to the Loman family puzzle.

         Willy seems like a madman at first glance, but after digging deep into the pages of Death of A Salesman one sees that he could be judged reasonable. Miller used his sickness to build the play. Without Willy Loman and his erratic, irrational behavior the play would have no significance. 

Death of A Salesman: Summary and Analysis

Author: Arthur Miller- an American playwright. He is famous for many strong, candid works such as The Crucible.

Plot:

ACT 1- The play begins with Willy coming home from an unsuccessful business trip because of car trouble. Immediately, Linda begins to mother him while Willy bickers about Biff. We then meet Biff and Happy speaking about various things in their lives: work, dreams, women, etc.

Willy then begins his first flashback. It is a happy time in the past where the boys admire him. They are speaking about Biff’s upcoming football game. At this time, Biff is a hot-shot football player with offers from numerous colleges. Willy entertains his boys will stories of his travels as they plan trips for the future. Bernard comes over, warns Biff about failing math and that’s when things turn rotten. Willy becomes pessimistic while talking to Linda about money and he then begins a dream within a dream where he is back to the women he had an affair with. As things go bad, he comes out of his flashback. Willy’s mental problems become obvious at this point.  He wakes up to Charley coming over to play cards. While playing, Willy hallucinates his brother. While talking to both Ben and Charley a fight breaks out between Charley and Willy. As Charley leaves, Willy goes into another flashback like the last one.

The family comes downstairs and Linda scolds Biff for leaving his father. She then tells the boys about finding Willy’s rubber pipe. Linda continues to make Biff feel awful for being gone and goes on to blame Willy’s problems on him. Willy and Biff begin arguing but Biff eventually promises to have a meeting with Bill Oliver. 

ACT 2-  Act 2 begins with the Loman family happily at breakfast. Willy goes to talk to his boss, hoping to get a job that allows him not to travel. His boss is the son of his old boss, a man Willy was very close to. This guy though, is very rude and shuts Willy down. From here, Willy goes to Charley’s office where he runs into Bernard. He learns about Bernard’s success. He is married, has two sons, and is  a successful lawyer on his way to fight a Supreme Court case. Charley comes and offers Willy a job. This infuriates Willy. He takes money from Charley and then leaves.

From Charley’s office, Willy goes to meet the boys at a restaurant. Biff tries to follow Happy’s advice to lie to his father about the result of the meeting with Bill Oliver, but Biff just can’t do it. When Biff tells the truth, Willy gets extremely upset and goes to the bathroom where he enters another flashback. He continues the one where he is in the hotel room with the woman. Simultaneously, Biff and Happy leave the restaurant with two women. When Willy comes out of the bathroom, the boys are gone. He frantically asks the waiters where he would find a plant store.

Back at the house, Linda is furious. She is beyond upset at the boys for leaving their father alone. Willy is outside pathetically attempting to plant seeds in the concrete garden. Biff brings him inside and tells him he is leaving to go back out West for good. This begins a climatic argument between Biff and Willy. The confrontation ends in Biff crying to Willy and Wily realizing how much Biff loves him. When the fight is over and the family goes up stairs, Willy stays downstairs to “cool down.” He begins to talk to Ben about the life insurance money and ends up committing suicide in his car.

REQUIM- The play ends at Willy’s funeral. No one is there but Happy, Biff, Linda, Charley, and Bernard. They discuss his life; Biff saying how his dream was all wrong and Happy defending his father’s dream. Linda is confused as to why no one is there and keeps talking about how she paid the last payment on the mortgage. When Linda is saying her goodbyes alone, the other characters exit. Biff stands off to the left while all of the other characters go to the right. The play ends with Linda muttering to Willy about how they were finally free.

Setting: The play takes place in the Loman’s house in Brooklyn, New York. There are scenes at various places downtown, such as Willy’s boss’ office, a local restaurant, and Charley’s office. Scenes of Willy driving and in a hotel with a woman in Boston are also part of the play. It is placed in the 1940’s.

Characters:  

  Willy Loman- A defeated, salesman. Willy has lived his life around the idea that popularity is the key to success. He is a banded by his father and brother at a young age. He has been a salesman dedicated to making a name for himself and his family his whole life. Now, he is an elderly man who has gone psychotic. We never know exactly what his diagnosis is but, we know his failures through life has messed him up.

                   

  Linda Loman- Linda is Willy’s wife; his rock. She is very supportive of Willy and stands as a mother figure to him. She does not work outside of the house. She refuses to admit to Willy that he is suffering and tries to help him by optimistic support. She takes out her anger on their sons, Biff and Happy by blaming Biff’s absence as the cause of Willy’s troubles.

                 

  Biff Loman- Willy’s oldest and favorite son. Biff was a popular football player in high school who loved and admired his father. Once finding his dad in a hotel room with a woman other then Linda, he fled. Biff is a carpenter, a man who loves to work with his hands. He has had a problem with stealing. All his life, his father has pounded his idea of The American Dream into his head: that popularity gets you success. Biff is the only one who understands being a salesman is the wrong dream for both his father and himself. The play takes place right after Biff returns from the West.

                 

  Happy Loman- Happy is the second son in the Loman family. He works in a corporation and is very inappropriate with woman. Happy is begging for attention from his father. He is parallel to Willy as a child: benched while his father and brother went on. Throughout the play, Happy refuse to confront Willy and believe the truth.

                   

  Charley- Charley is the Loman’s lifelong neighbor. He is a successful business man and a man who knew how to raise his children. Every time he tries to help Willy or give him advise, Willy denies is. He even tries to give Willy a job when he is in need. Charley is Willy’s foil. 

                 

  Bernard- Bernard is Charley’s son. He was the “nerd” in high school. He always tried to help Biff with school but the Loman’s were always rude to him. We see him as a grown man in the play; now a successful lawyer with a wife and two sons. He is Biff’s foil.

                

  Ben- Ben is Willy’s older brother. He is the man that Willy always talks to and asks advice from when he is in a crazy mental state. Willy admires Ben and looks to him for advice as to how to become successful. We know Ben as a very successful man; always dressed in a white suit, always having somewhere he needs to go.

Narrative Voice: The tone of this piece is pretty dark. There are not many happy and optimistic moments. I thought the point of view was satisfactory. Since it is a play and the narrative voice is all of the characters talking, there was not an omniscient narrator and therefore a biased point of view. The symbolism was magnificent. Arthur Miller did a phenomenal job layering the book: the depth is incredible. Watching the play, reading the book, discovering its many levels is like a puzzle; a fun, confusing, somewhat depressing novel. Some symbols/motifs include stockings, dairy, flutes, car, seeds, women, stealing, funerals, and directions. The flashbacks were obviously one of the most important components of the play. They not only give us a vision of the past, but they tie together all of the missing strings. The flashbacks help to enhance the average at best imagery so the reader gets a realistic vision of the life of the Lomans’.

Important Quotes:

1. “Because sometimes I’m afraid that I’m not teaching them the right kind of….. Ben, how should I teach them?” – Willy (pg. 37)    This quote highlights a major part of the play. Father- son relationships are ever-present throughout the story. Both negative and positive relationships and lessons are presented. Willy undoubtedly raised his boys wrong. He pounded the wrong idea of success into their heads. This quote shows Willy, in a wrongful mental state, seeking comfort from his brother about how he raised his sons.

2. “To put up a ceiling is a mystery to me. How do you do it?” – Charley (pg. 31)            Charley is a figure of success in the book; a foil to Willy. This quote shows how Willy had the wrong dream. Willy was an amazing carpenter, something that was a foreign language to many men like Charley. This goes to show that if Willy would have followed his passions and strengths instead of conforming to society and being a salesman like everyone else he would have been successful.

Theme: Do not let others dictate your future.

This play revolves around Willy Loman’s failure at success. He has spent his whole life working towards his American Dream. He desperately wanted to support his family, be part of the middle/upper class, and be a revered, accomplished salesman. He taught his boys about how to find success all wrong and ended up ruining their futures as well. If Willy had followed what he was good at instead of conforming to society, he would have lived his American Dream. If his sons would have done what wanted instead of solely listening to heir father, they may have gotten somewhere too. Both Willy and his sons made life changing mistakes by letting others opinions and actions dictate their future. Charley and Bernard, the two successful characters, found success by doing what they were good at and not letting other people control their lives.

*Other Supporting Elements-

Setting- The main stage of the play is the Loman’s house. For one, all of the electronics keep breaking since they keep buying things based off of advertisements; what people are telling them to buy. Also, Willy is constantly complaining about how his home is being surrounded by the city. This shows how other people’s decisions and actions are changing Willy’s home for the worst.

Title- The title, “Death of A Salesman” shows that the book is about “a salesman.” This is a broad term instead of saying “Willy Loman.” This shows that Willy is not an individual. He didn’t follow a path for himself.

Tone- The book leads a depressing, regretful tone. This shows that the characters are not happy and the plot is not optimistic. By allowing others to dictate their futures, the characters do not lead bright, happy lives. 

Response to Course Materials #4

“To be or not to be” and “Oh Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?” are about the only two Shakespeare lines I actually know. Given this pathetic fact, Hamlet has been rough for me. The language, the colloquialism, and the abundance of confusing diction that to me makes zero sense causes a complete lack of brain power while sitting in class. I am trying hard to understand the new type of reading. I have been trying to annotate and write down important things Ms.Holmes points out throughout the course of the book but for some reason I just do not understand it. I really hope my ability to understand Shakespeare’s literature increases since I know it will become a very frustrating obstacle if I don’t.

On an optimistic note, I actually understand Death of A Salesman! After watching the movie, annotation, and participating in group discussions, I have grown to actually enjoy the play. I have found myself enjoying digging through layers and layers of books. As tedious as reading through all the commentaries was, I felt as if it actually was helpful and left me really pondering. Never before have I gotten to actually hear from the author of such a classic book. It was satisfying to hear that all these details and layers aren’t just made up by students, lit teachers, or lit critics but that the author actually intended to present them while writing the book.

 

As the class progresses, all of the basic things we learned at the beginning of the year that seemed like SO MUCH information are slowing becoming comfortable. For example, I see myself finding didls more easily while reading and being able to specify what lit terms are what.

 

I have never written about the tone word challenge on a blog post before but after seeing it on a peer’s blog I realized it is a crucial part of AP Lit. I really feel as if they help. You can never have too many vocabulary words filed away in your brain. The examples I hear and the way Ms.Holmes describes the words, gives them a new dimension that actually sticks in my mind. I noticed we have not been doing syntax challenges lately. I am not complaining. I did enjoy them but I felt like only a few were actually worthwhile.

Closed Prompt #3

TEEN EDITORIAL: Lower America's drinking age

In our modern word, it is impossible to hide from alcohol. Yes the drinking age is 21, but let’s be honest, we all know what alcohol is years before it is legal. For many teenagers, drinking is a common pass time. Others are naïve to its prevalence. Whatever the case, no one can deny that alcohol consumption is a controversial conversation. Whether one is getting an MIP, getting grounded by their parents, or getting ignored by a friend for ratting out a party, it can be a roadblock in many teenage lives. This editorial by Madyson Foltz, a 16 year old in favor of lowering the drinking age, uses details, diction, and syntax to create effects and meanings.

         With her use of important, crucial, congruent details, Foltz supports her position. She does an impeccable job of uses details that draw the reader in and make them agree with her side of the argument. Foltz brings in the law, telling us  “the 1984 federal law set the drinking age to 21 is a contradiction of the rights already given to 18 year olds.” Statistics are used to inform the reader of false accusations. The author seamlessly ties in history too speaking about “Prohibition [not working] in the past, and [not] working now.” By including heated facts like “eighteen year olds are given the right to vote, serve on juries, get married, sign contracts, and get drafted into the military” Foltz supports her position with not only true but prevalent information.

          Foltz successfully uses diction to enhance her position. Although she is only 16, and therefore an amateur writer, one would not be able to tell that from her piece. She successfully uses mature language. Phrases like “forbidden fruit” and words like “taboo” give her an educated appearance. She is able to acknowledge the position of her opponents but use feeble words and phrases to lessen their significance. She then counteracts them with forceful words supporting her position. Many times throughout the piece, she uses drinking as a noun. For example, she calls it “a badge of adulthood.” This is a unique technique but it is used in an enticing way.

         Using syntax in a creative, effective way helps Foltz hammer her point into the heads of her readers. In multiple instances, she uses conjunctions and punctuation throughout the sentence to make the ending that much more apparent. Since she is writing about a controversial issue that undoubtedly has a strong opposing argument, it was imperative for her to comment on the negatives of her argument. By using correct syntax, she is able to do this in an impeccable way that doesn’t negate her position. For example, she states how “alcohol affects teens performance in school” but immediately uses her rebuttal statement that “A teen's performance, however, tends to be affected only when consumed in abundance.“ Her use of semicolons helps her tie ideas together seamlessly. For instance, she says, “Teenagers drink regardless of the law; to them, rebelling is enticing.“ Her flawless use of syntax helps her tie her abundance of ideas together without making the reader feel overloaded with information.

         Madyson Foltz uses details, diction, and syntax to create effects and meanings in her editorial on teenage drinking. She is able to pound her position into the reader’s head and gives them adequate facts to help prove her point. Although it is a controversial issue with many strong opinions on both sides, this 16 year old does a remarkable job while trying to take a stand for what she believes is right. 

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/615707_TEEN-EDITORIAL--Lower-America-s-drinking-age.html

Open Prompt #3

2005, Form B. One of the strongest human drives seems to be a desire for power. Write an essay in which you discuss how a character in a novel or a drama struggles to free himself or herself from the power of others or seeks to gain power over others. Be sure to demonstrate in your essay how the author uses this power struggle to enhance the meaning of the work.

        

When the Hunger Games trilogy by Susanne Collins hit the best-seller list, the main attraction was the love battle between the teen heartthrobs Gale and Pita. Once unwrapping the text, the reader discovers the books represent much more then just a petty love story. They are unwrapping and exposing issues in government and society. The whole book is based on a future society where “The Capital” holds the power to control every aspect of the “districts” and Katniss Everdeen is attempting to destroy the powerful, evil controlling machine.

When her beloved little sister is chosen to take part in the annual Hunger Games-- a Capital controlled activity in which 24 children were thrown into a harsh environment and forced to kill each other until there is just one survivor-- rebellious Katniss Everdeen steps in and volunteers to take her innocent sister’s place. As the story rolls on and Katniss moves closer and closer towards the heart of the corrupt government, she wants nothing more then to strip away it’s power. Katniss becomes a symbol of rebellion and freedom: a light that shines over all of the Capital controlled districts.

         The whole book revolves around the idea of corrupt power. The Capital has sole control over all of its districts. It controls what they do, eat, wear, and survive. Susanne Collins uses this idea to propel the story and put the pieces together. The reader inevitably hates the Capital and everything they stand for. We give all of our love to Katniss. She holds the future of the Districts as they place their power into her hands. Power is a motif that represents not only aspects of the plot but individual characters as well.

By using Katniss Everdeen, Susanne Collins seamlessly intertwines a magnetic love story with a power struggle. The book revolves around a heart wrenching confrontation: The Capital vs. Katniss Everdeen and the rest of the districts. In the end, it is all about power: who has the power to win, to love, to fight, and to conquer. 

Response to Course Materials #3

            Coming into AP Lit, the idea of reading books over and over was tedious. But now, after analyzing The American Dream time after time, and currently working on a read-through of Death of A Salesman, I understand why we do it. Honestly, I like it. I feel like I actually get to understand every little detail in the piece, which makes for an overall more enjoyable reading experience. The first time through The American Dream, I literally had NO CLUE what was going on. But by the end, after reading it multiple times myself and participating in numerous class discussions, I finally understood the symbolism, the characters, and all the other dynamic, dense aspects of the story.

            So what else? Along with dissecting the American Dream, we learned about The Theatre of Absurd and comedy rules. Both of which, as awful as those packets were to annotate, actually helped me understand both the play and future readings. It is so strange to me, at first, this class seems like it is filled with such useless information (no offense Ms.Homes) but then, it all actually helps you. Even when I am sitting at home watching a movie I will think of some rule of comedy and see it in the movie. The more we discuss it in class, the more I understand how to use it. But that’s how everything is. The more discussions we have, from The American Dream to the literary terms, I understand it better and better. That is why those are my favorite days: the ones where we sit in a round circle and talk about whatever the topic of the day is.

            I am interested to see how I did on the in-class writings. It is hard to say if I need a tremendous amount of help on them or if I am some-what on tract. Hopefully, we will review those papers soon (both the ch.4 and The Century Quilt) so I can see what I need to do for them. While talking about the Ch.4 essay I will say I liked the paper MUCH better then the quiz. I felt like it helped me to actually have my book open while writing. The information actually made sense and I was able to put it to use instead of just attempting to memorize it for a quiz. I also really liked how we tied it to The American Dream. It was not only fun, but made me think abstractly too.

            And last, but certainly not least, the terms test TAKE 2. I am so frustrated with this test. I spent hours studying for it and I actually felt like I understood the information but then I ended up getting the exact same grade as last time. This was not only discouraging, but also confusing. It is hard for me to understand how some of those questions were fair. I mean honestly, something can be incongruity, verbal irony, and invective all at the same time. But on the brightside, I now feel like I actually understand the majority of the words and will be able to put them to use. Even now, I feel like my vocabulary has grown and that’s what that exercise was for. Right? 

Summary and Analysis of The American Dream

Author: Edward Albee- he was born in 1928, which would make him in his 30’s when writing this play. He is best known for helping popularizing The Theatre of the Absurd.

Setting: In a vague apartment. The reader is not given much information about the apartment besides the fact that it needs some work. An ambiguous setting is an element in The Theatre of the Absurd so that explains the ambiguous apartment.

Characters:

   -Mommy= The antagonist of the play. She is materialistic, rude, demanding, masculine, fake, controlling, demeaning, only cares about what others think, and does not show respect for anyone. She does not truly love other people and is only concerned about consumerism. She represents the new American Dream.

   -Daddy= Feminine, inferior to Mommy, bullied by his wife, immature. Never has anything important to say. Forgets everything.

   -Mrs.Barker= Head of the Bye-Bye Baby Adoption services. Clueless. Forgets everything. Listens to Grandma. Thinks what Mommy and Daddy to their baby was okay. Stands for government/corporations.

   -Grandma= The only “real” character in the play. The only one who has genuine love for others. Stands for the old American Dream. She is hard working and actually knows what is going on. Raised Mommy by herself

    -Young Man= Very attractive- only has his looks. The twin of the child that Mommy and Daddy mutilated. He stands for the new American Dream. He is the only one that actually communicates and appreciates Grandma. He has no ability to love others and is looking for a job when he goes to Mommy and Daddy’s apartment.

Plot Summary: The play begins with Mommy and Daddy sitting in their apartment waiting. Mommy is rambling on about her adventure while buying a hat and explains the controversy she had with the head of the women’s club about the color. Daddy is giving un-enthusiastic answers and Mommy keeps insisting he listens to her and occasionally forces him to repeat what she says. They are waiting for someone unknown to the reader and keep making remarks about how “they’re late.” Then Grandma enters the scene will boxes. Mommy and Daddy make a big deal about her boxes and then make remarks about Grandma and her “johnny-do’s.” They speak about how they hear her in the john weeping away. When the doorbell finally rings, Daddy gets up to answer it after Mommy persuades him by speaking provocatively about his “masculinity.” When Daddy finally answers the door, Mrs.Barker enters. The whole conversation is very confusing; none of the characters remember why Mrs.Barker is there. The following scenes include many uncomfortable, seemingly pointless conversations including Mrs.Barker taking off her dress and creating an immature reaction out of Daddy, Mommy and Mrs.Barker having an satirized host/guest relationship, Daddy’s surgery that “turned his tubes to tracks,” and Mommy all the while treating Grandma and Daddy like her children. When Mommy and Daddy are off looking for water for Mrs.Barker and Grandma’s room, which is apparently lost, Grandma tells Mrs.Barker a hypothetical situation that really explains why she is there. She makes clear that Mommy and Daddy mutilated their last child and Mrs.Barker is there now to give them another child since they were unsatisfied with the last one that they got from her adoption agency. Next comes the Young Man, who Grandma first believes is the van man that Mommy keeps threatening to bring to take her away. The Young Man is very attractive and is looking for work. After a dialogue about the Young Man’s career in Hollywood it comes out that he has an inability to love anyone. About this time, Grandma realizes he is the twin of the child Mommy and Daddy mutilated. Only Grandma knows the truth about him. When Mrs.Barker enters the scene again, Grandma tells her he is the van man and they take all of her boxes out of the apartment. At this point, Grandma leaves the play and joins the audience. Only the Young Man and Mrs.Barker can see Grandma. Mommy and Daddy believe the van man has taken her away. At first, Mommy is upset by this but quickly gets over it when she meets the devishly handsome Young Man. Mommy, Daddy, Mrs.Barker, and the Young Man congregate in the apartment and the Young Man goes to “work” for Mommy and Daddy. This play ends after Mommy provocatively speaking to the Young Man and Grandma addresses the audience.

Narrative Voice: None- it is a play. But, at the end, when Grandma joins the audience, she speaks as a narrator.

Edward Albee’s Style: Throughout the play, Albee uses many literary devices. He uses both repetition and parallelism a ton. Also, he utilizes tricolon, exaggeration, metonymy, and an abundance of sarcasm and irony. Albee has a cynical perception of society and expresses it through his negative connotations. He makes an emphasis on consumerism and materialism poignant in society. Repeatedly, he criticizes marriage, gender, and power roles. The whole play is set up as Theatre of the Absurd; it consists of a plot that goes nowhere. All of Albee’s connotations and “deeper meanings” are hidden beneath the words on the page. There are many symbols in this play. They range everywhere from Grandmas boxes to Mrs.Barker. Albee uses a unique technique is which he has his characters represent symbols. For example, the Young Man directly represents the American Dream while Grandma is the old American Dream.

Quotes:

1. Mommy- “I have a right to live off of you because I married you, and because I used to let you get on top of me and bump your uglies; and I have a right to all your money when you die (67).”

 -This line from Mommy to Daddy shows Mommy’s poor character traits, the materialism ever-present in the play, and fake love. It shows how Mommy just married Daddy for his money and not for love; Mommy is a gold-digger.

2. Daddy- “Oh dear; oh dear.”

Mommy-“Well, go let them in Daddy. What are you waiting for?”

Daddy-“I think we should talk about it some more. Maybe we’ve been hasty…. A little hasty, perhaps. I’d like to talk about it some more.”

Mommy-“There’s no need. You made up your mind; you were firm; you were masculine and decisive (75).”

-This conversation between Mommy and Daddy shows both the gender roles and the power struggle in their relationship. Mommy gets Daddy to do what she wants by exposing his masculinity, or lack of it. Mommy has the powerful, masculine, almost parental role throughout the entire play. This dialogue is a perfect example of their relationship: Daddy is tentative and weak while Mommy is bossy, controlling, and the masculine figure. 

Theme: The old, honest American Dream is progressively getting misplaced by a new society concerned with consumerism.

Support for Theme: Throughout the play, Albee supports the theme that the old, honest American Dream is progressively getting misplaced by a new society concerned with consumerism. He uses Grandma as a representation of the old American Dream. She is the only honest, genuinely human character in the novel. She understands what is going on and has real love. He foils Grandma with the Young Man who represents the new age American Dream. The Young Man is devishly handsome and will do anything for money. Mommy and Daddy represent the peoples of society; they only care about appearance, material things, and have no real love for others. At the same time, there is Mrs.Baker: a “plural” character who stands for gorvernment/corportations. Her controlling, but yet uncaring ways stand for what society is turning into. The entire play is obnoxiously filled with Mommy, Daddy, and Mrs.Barker forgetting EVERYTHING. Albee repeats things over and over again and meanwhile, the characters can’t remember what happened in the last line. There is even a part when Mommy and Daddy can’t find anything in the apartment. And when I say anything, I mean anything; Daddy even looses Grandma’s room. The water even goes missing, which itself shows the pureness of the old American Dream going astray. These literal images of things being misplaced and forgot symbolize the old American Dream. The ending, where Grandma leaves, and although Mommy pretends to be upset for a few lines, she really could care less since the new handsome Young Man has appeared show the new American Dream replacing the old American Dream and society’s ignorance towards the change. 

Editorial: The War of Abortion RIghts

The war on abortion rights

       It is inevitable that the human race will run into walls. These barriers are built from the stubbornness invading every breath and the struggle for power blurring sight. Heated topics circle the world, with no answer that satisfy everyone; no answer that breaks down the walls. Given that it is election year, these debated topics are infamous and crucial. One of the most battled is abortion. This past July, The LA Times released The war on abortion rights: an editorial that is without a doubt, pro-choice. The author intensifies his or her message by using forceful diction, unique syntax, and crucial details.

            Diction sets the tone of a piece. This author was sure to use intense words with negative connotations to prove their point. For example, he or she says, “the new law pretends that it’s not about Planned Parenthood.” By using the word “pretends” the author makes the new lawmakers’ look like phony, untruthful people. They also say that abortion rights “require vigilant defense [from] continuing attacks.” With words such as “defense” and attacks” they create a real battle. “Vigilant” makes the abortion rights seem like a helpless victim. Throughout the entire editorial, the angry tone caused by the negative connotation of the forceful words helps the writer make the subject look dark and in need of rescue.

            In terms of syntax, the author uses a unique technique in which they state a fact and follow it up with a negative, sarcastic remark. When speaking negatively about the Republican bullies trying to defund parent hood the author states “These efforts come on the heels of similar moves in Arizona, Texas and other states — as well as the Republican-led vote last year in the House of Representatives to defund Planned Parenthood.” The author informs you of a fact, and the sticks you with a negative phrase to intensify their point. Another influential technique used in this editorial was stating both sides to the argument by connecting phrases. The author uses phrases like “but even if it did” and “instead” in the middle of sentences to include the opponents position and then state their rebuttal. These unique techniques give the reader a realistic view of the author’s point by including facts in an interesting, non-interrupting way. 

            The use of details in this editorial is extremely important to the author’s position. The author provides heart-wrenching facts like “there [is] less money for Planned Parenthood to provide such services as breast checkups, contraception and screening for sexually transmitted diseases,” making it near-impossible for the reader to disagree with his or her point. By including details like “[the stated reason for the law was to protect women’s health, but that is transparently a pretext] when speaking about pro-life laws, makes the reader increasingly despise the government and legal bodies. The author did an impeccable job of packing this editorial full of crucial details to give body to his or her point.

            Diction, syntax, and details lead the author to a successful editorial. Abortion is a highly debated issue and this document would help to transform any reader to a pro-choice candidate.

 http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-reproductive-rights-20120718,0,4884243.story

Open Prompt #2

2009, Form B. Many works of literature deal with political or social issues. Choose a novel or play that focuses on a political or social issue. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the author uses literary elements to explore this issue and explain how the issue contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

        

        The turn of the century in America did not expunge the turmoil and underlying frustration consuming the vast lands.  Poverty, unpleasant working and living conditions, hopeless commonplace of the working class, and overwhelming corruption of the powerful, invaded the homes of numerous Americans. With his book The Jungle, written in 1906, Upton Sinclair hoped to uncover the dirty secrets running rampant in America, ruining lives and killing families.

         The story is about Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuanian immigrant, and his struggling family. Sinclair was muckraker on a mission to expose the hardships immigrants were facing as well as revel the dangerous secrets of the meatpacking industry. He takes us into the lives of the Rudkus’, sending the reader on a heart-wrenching journey. His observations on the unfeasible horrid conditions and the cruel treatment of the less fortunate were put out to the public. At a time where social Darwinism influenced Americans’ opinions, something needed to be said. And that is exactly what Sinclair did.

         By using literary elements such as tone, language, and diction, Sinclair imprinted his message into the brains of all readers. His dark tone and vivid language transports the reader into Jurgis’ life, making every blow from the awful political creatures lurking behind the book feel like a blow to them. Using descriptive words that really stand out on the page and emphasize the deeper meaning instead of passive words help prove his point. By strictly using language, tone, and diction that reflect negativity and hardship, the reader has no option but to feel for the Rudkus’.

         Sinclair wrote The Jungle hoping to show how lives immigrants and those living in poverty were. Along with exposes every day life struggles, his exposure of the meat packing industry forced the government to pass The Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 and The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.

         Sinclair was a muckraking journalist on a mission to reveal the deep secrets that laid within the streets of the early 20^th century in America. With the use of his dark tone, diction, and language he proved his point to his readers and successfully influenced the passage of multiple laws for a happier, safer America. 

Response to Course Material #2

         Diction, imagery. details, language, syntax. Diction, imagery. details, language, syntax. Diction, imagery. Details, language, syntax. I do not think I could repeat this enough times. Only a month into AP Lit and I already know for certain these five words are crucial. It seems as if everything we do these five words come into play. When first learning them, all I could think about was how tedious they would be. But now, after putting them into action with numerous activities, I understand how they are actually helpful and worthwhile. I remember last year, we used to touch on basic ideas like why a word was used or why the author chose to include certain themes. This year, we are taking that to a new level in EVERYTHING we do. The fact that we are going to be reading books/plays multiple times to find the deeper meaning says enough. I am excited to try this new learning style.

        When taking notes on the literary eras and critical perspective I was extremely overwhelmed. The quiz on it did not help. I feel as if we were hit with a boatload of information; some familiar and some completely foreign. I think it is difficult that all AP students did not take Brit Lit and American Lit. Since our background information is not the same we are at conflicting places. What we have done so far with the Trends of Western Literature worksheet has helped me a lot. I think once the worksheet is complete, I will be comfortable with the information.

           I still am having trouble deciphering poems. The lesson on The Century Quilt helped but I am nowhere near when I want to be. I just cannot recognize the theme of a poem! I really hope that with more practice it becomes easier.

       So far, I actually like The American Dream by Edward Albee. I am not to excited about the annotating assignment but I do like the play. I love finding hidden meaning in things. After all the tedious annotating we did on comedies, I hope I am able to fully understand this play.

      

Editorial: Common Sense on Nutrition

      No matter what people say, the human race is obsessed with food. We are obsessed with eating it, dieting on it, cooking it, buying it, and working it off. Days that are not revolved around when meals happen are few and far between. Since food is so important to us, shouldn’t we be more concerned with what we are eating? What we put into our bodies to function off of? This editorial in the Dallas News is focused around child nutrition. The author uses imagery, diction, and details to prove his or her point that Congress made an awful decision to not pass new USDA regulations for school lunches.

      Throughout the editorial, the author uses imagery to enhance their point. Instead of just saying, “no one would eat pizza” they say, “no one would eat sauce-drenched pizza” to put an overpowering image in the reader’s head. He or she used the phrase “sugary soft drinks” to put an image in the reader’s head of an opaque liquid engrossed with sugar particles. The author could have instead said “a refreshing, cold soft drink” which would have made the reader crave a refreshing soda instead of cringe at the idea. When describing things they are trying to portray as disgusting, the author uses un-sexy descriptions. For example, they use the phrase “a wedge of dough, cheese, and red sauce” to describe pizza, putting it in a negative light.

         At the same time, the author uses diction to further hook the reader. For one, the author includes many phrases that one would use when talking about weight and body image for other uses throughout the editorial. He or she says things like, “the state is ahead of the curve” and “to shape up students eating habits.” These puns bring the essay full circle and make the overall idea of nutrition ever more prevalent by using negative connotations. When talking about negative things, like childhood obesity and diabetes, the author uses powerful descriptive words to make the awful consequences even more grotesque. “Rampant obesity” and “fatten up little bodies” are just two examples of the common occurrence. Sarcasm is included in this piece as well. The author makes remarks such as “pizza sauce is a vegetable if the regulations call it one” to show how ridiculous the current USDA regulations are.

       

      The author includes many important details to make their point. He or she uses some astonishing facts that leave the reader in awe and most definitely on his side of the argument. The author tells the audience “two tablespoons of tomato paste qualify as a vegetable under current regulations.” A fact that I am sure the majority of the public does not know but one that many would have a problem with. They also use details such as talking about a Congress man/women at their own home feeding their own children. Would a member of congress “in the sanctity of his or her own home [point] to a piece of pizza and [refer to it as vegetables]?” This scenario makes the reader disgusted at Congress’ decision; a feeling they may not have gotten without that important detail.

     This editorial about Congress’ poor choice in not passing the new USDA regulations for nutrition in elementary schools used diction, imagery, and detail to enhance the point. Once one reads through it, they will most likely be convinced that a change needs to be made to help the innocent children. 

http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/20111117-editorial-common-sense-on-nutrition1.ece 

Open Prompt #1- 2010 Form B

2010, Form B. “You can leave home all you want, but home will never leave you.” —Sonsyrea Tate

Sonsyrea Tate’s statement suggests that “home” may be conceived of as a dwelling, a place, or a state of mind. It may have positive or negative associations, but in either case, it may have a considerable influence on an individual. Choose a novel or play in which a central character leaves home yet finds that home remains significant. Write a well-developed essay in which you analyze the importance of “home” to this character and the reasons for its continuing influence. Explain how the character’s idea of home illuminates the larger meaning of the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.

               Home is where the heart is and one’s heart is where their love it. In Mr. Gatsby’s case, home is with Daisy. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald perfectly illuminates Sonsyrea Tate’s statement that “You can leave home all you want, but home will never leave you.”  Mr. Gatsby’s tale is one of longing for his heart, his home, and his love.

             Gatsby was forced to leave his love behind when he was shipped off to war. As they both go on living their separate lives Gatsby discovers that his happiness lies in Daisy’s hands. Consequently, his life revolves around finding Daisy again. By throwing big parties hoping she will come, attempting to intrude on her marriage, and searching for her with every step he takes, he circulates every moment around returning to his home; his Daisy.  He knows that he will not be happy if he is not with Daisy; he knows that Daisy is his home. That overwhelming want to live his life with her makes it impossible for him to quit. With his desperate search, Gatsby proves that one will do just about anything to return to their home. Although one’s home differs from person to person, the longing one has to find it is overwhelming.

           Fitzgerald is a mastermind at disguising symbols, motifs, and messages throughout his words. Mr. Gatsby’s struggles throughout the story emulate the larger meaning of the novel. They make every scene a new chance, keeping the reader at the edge of their seat. The fact that throughout the whole story the mission is to re-spark the fire between Daisy and Gatsby makes the tone one of suspense, excitement, and curiosity. Being with Gatsby on his journey to win Daisy over forces the reader to feel some level of remorse for the poor soul who just wants his love back; his home back. Therefore, the ending, where Gatsby is found dead in his pool, makes the reader cringe with sadness and disgust, a reaction one may not have if they were not walking along side Gatsby on his mission.

     The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald reflects Sonsyrea Tate’s statement perfectly. His longing for Daisy is what made the story what it was. He knew his home was Daisy. Gatsby would not stop his fight until he made it back home.

         

Response to Course Material (September 9th)

          I will start this post off by saying the terms test was by far one of the most frustrating tests I have taken.  Normally, memorizing terms is one of my strong suits but these words were abnormally difficult. The fact that the worlds were extremely long, impossible to pronounce, and many had very similar definitions made memorizing them difficult.  But I am confident that with practice I will have them down pat by the AP test. I just need to really try to just concentrate on looking for them in literature and using them when I write. I need to not take the easy way out and actually take time to understand them. Maybe seeing them in actual literature will help my brain process them better then just trying to embed flash cards into my memory.

           The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing was my favorite part of the summer assignment. I thought the book was very informative and truly will improve my future writing. I loved the layout of the book: very clear and straightforward. I thought it was ironic how our other assigned reading, How to Read Literature Like A Professor, did not exactly follow the guidelines from The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing.  Although it was pompous, I felt that Foster actually had some very insightful views on literature. I feel as if I can open a book and actually know what’s going on in it. I wish I would have known Foster’s information before reading books like The Great Gatsby, Huckleberry Finn, and How to Kill A Mockingbird in previous literature classes.  I will (hopefully) no longer be naïve while reading books, poems, and other literary works. I now know what I should be looking for to enhance my understanding while reading literature. That newfound knowledge will allow me to fully comprehend the author’s message.

             Last year, I absolutely hated the forum posts we had to do. Now, I thank Ms.Dockus for preparing me for this class. I actually feel confident with forum posts and they no longer seem like tedious work to me. On the other hand, understanding poems is not quite as familiar.  I continue to struggle with poems. Understanding their themes, tone, and meter’s is very difficult for me. I hope it gets easier with practice because right now I feel like a fish out of water when reading a poem.