Tartuffe was awesome. I'm really happy we had the chance to read it in class. Finally, something a little light hearted! (...as opposed to dark :P )
So I guess it's all in preparation for France. We leave Thursday, so I should probably start packing or doing some laundry...
Can I just say one thing? OMG
:D
There are three things I want to see while I'm in Paris: The catacombs, the cinemateque, and Oscar Wilde's grave. Hopefully there won't be any shopping involved.
OH, I also get to see the chair that Moliere died in!!! And sit in the Twin Windmills where Amelie was filmed.
I'm tossing around the idea of doing some reading too (gasp). I've never read anything by Emile Zola, so maybe it's time to start. Hmm...if anyone has suggestions, let me know!
Right now I am continuing my odyssey into children's literature. I've read Tales from Moominvalley, and I've just started King Matt. It's funny, children's literature is so broad that sometimes I think I am actually reading a book for adults. Most of the characters represent really adult themes, especially in Tales.
Sorry I'm so scatterbrained today. I'm just really excited for everything that's coming and I haven't thought about lit (I'm sorry to say) as much as I should have. So many things have happened in the course of the week. I was waitlisted from two liberal arts colleges. To be fair, they only accept something like 500 girls (if we're only counting girls haha). Some major prom drama has gone down, partially my fault, and partially a lot of other people's faults. And, oh yeah, I came to some realization about something that was right in front of my face (those of you who know me probably know about this). I'm kind of unsure, but then again, it's senior year and I want to have fun! Maybe by the end of the year I will be able to drive stickshift.
So long for now, I'll give an update when I'm back from FRANCE :D
Cleo 5-7
AP Literature
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Happy Pi Day!
I ate way too many donuts O_o
On to Heart of Darkness. I don't know what it's about or why we are reading it. It really confuses me.
But really I don't have the heart to analyze literature right now. Everything is just swirling around in my head-- Prom, the musical, France, and right now, economics.
And it's not just a dress. As a little girl I dreamed of this dress just as much as my wedding dress. Every dress I have ever worn has merely been leading up to this dress. Don't think dresses are just frivolous wastes of money. They are a symbol of womanhood, and this dress is part of every girl's coming-of-age story. A large part of women's culture revolves around dresses-- sewing circles, wedding dresses, party dresses-- and we idolize women with great fashion sense-- Princess Diana, Jacki O, Michelle Obama. Indulging in a fancy dress is what makes prom so much fun! (that and the date, but that's another story)
Lately I've been thinking about what I want in life. What I have achieved in high school. And while nothing really stands out to me, I also know that I should give myself a little more credit. So should everyone else. Sure, I am not the highest of achievers, but I have definitely pushed some of my limits. I know that whatever happens in the future, I am going to be happy and have a lot of great experiences. Why am I being so sentimental? Probably because I have been looking forward to something for so long, and now that it's finally here, I'm worried it will slip right through my fingers.
On to Heart of Darkness. I don't know what it's about or why we are reading it. It really confuses me.
But really I don't have the heart to analyze literature right now. Everything is just swirling around in my head-- Prom, the musical, France, and right now, economics.
And it's not just a dress. As a little girl I dreamed of this dress just as much as my wedding dress. Every dress I have ever worn has merely been leading up to this dress. Don't think dresses are just frivolous wastes of money. They are a symbol of womanhood, and this dress is part of every girl's coming-of-age story. A large part of women's culture revolves around dresses-- sewing circles, wedding dresses, party dresses-- and we idolize women with great fashion sense-- Princess Diana, Jacki O, Michelle Obama. Indulging in a fancy dress is what makes prom so much fun! (that and the date, but that's another story)
Lately I've been thinking about what I want in life. What I have achieved in high school. And while nothing really stands out to me, I also know that I should give myself a little more credit. So should everyone else. Sure, I am not the highest of achievers, but I have definitely pushed some of my limits. I know that whatever happens in the future, I am going to be happy and have a lot of great experiences. Why am I being so sentimental? Probably because I have been looking forward to something for so long, and now that it's finally here, I'm worried it will slip right through my fingers.
Monday, March 7, 2011
The Truth comes out
Before this research paper I had never read Song of Solomon. Surprise (I'm such a bad student, aren't I?). And I'm glad I hadn't grabbed any old book--why? Because I have a terrible connection with most of them and hate revisiting explored ground. The options (of in-school books that would have been on the list. I have a much more interesting list of out-of-school books that would not have made the cut) starting from the earliest I can remember:
Peace Like a River- Allusions, Allusions, Allusions! This book would be great if it weren't so tightly knit together. What's more, I am the least religious person I know, and it's not that I hate books about religion, it's that I just don't have a connection to much of the ideas. More importantly, there wouldn't be much ground for speculation or controversy. All work has been done before me and I am quite certain I could sparknote it and write a decent paper (and probably get an A).
Great Expectations- I do not hate this book as much as most people. But that's not saying much. The problem here is that the work is less than a novel and more of a television series. I wonder if teachers will start idolizing One Tree Hill or Gossip Girl in the near future.
Beowulf and The Odyssey- I lump these together because, to be honest, I sometimes get them mixed up. It's probably because I remember sitting in class in the ninth grade, feeling awkwardly shy during discussions, and doodling all over my notes so as not to be screamed at. I also remember these books being read to me word for word. More so read at me than taught. Bad memories.
1984, Brave New World, Anthem, The Fountainhead- Dystopian literature sets me over the edge. How many times can we restsate the problems in our society? I clump these together because each paper would be saying the exact same thing. And don't think we could go about comparing and contrasting these, there is no hope-- the venn diagram would be one dystopian mass with its own gravitational constant.
Cry, the Beloved Country and Their Eyes Were Watching God- We should make a point about white supremacy and then kill every character in the novel. But for serious, I could consider doing a paper on these novels. Zora Neal Hurston's language is at least fluid and interesting. Paton also had the allusion thing going on in much less overt ways, which was refreshing.
Catcher and the Rye- Brings me back to the days when I used to write poetry starring my recurring character Gary the Canary. This was of course after the time when I used to spout emo musings about my violin or various other objects (mostly household appliances). It was a good time, not the worst of times, but saying hello to Holden after all this time might send me into regression (though Gary the Canary is worth revisiting).
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- This is funny because before I actually read this, I read a book called Love Among the Walnuts and thought it was original. Silly me, I guess everyone wants a taste of Kesey's electric coolaid.
Huck Finn, In Cold Blood, Jane Eyre, and Into the Wild- I love these books too much to touch again. Just let it lie, why ruin that?
Catch-22 and The Great Gatsby- The other books I love enough to revisit and enjoy again. Especially Catch-22 because I have some weird emotional connection to a certain freshman relationship. The only reason I didn't pick these is because everyone else picked them, and I wanted to be original (or something). the other option was Fitzgerald's better novel (not This Side of Pardise, which actually sucked) Tender is the Night. But I guess it wouldn't have been any help to me at all on the ap exam because it wasn't on that spreadsheet.
In the end I was actually happy with my paper. My thesis--
Song of Solomon and Invisible Man both emphasize that the past is part of one’s identity through allusions and motifs; however, Invisible Man focuses on individual self-awareness apart from culture while Song of Solomon reaches identity through connection to culture.
I can really see how this paper could turn sour fast for some of my classmates. The problem is that by returning to some previously studied works, we regurgitate what we have already been told is true. Nothing is interesting, and like I said, I could probably write a paper on any one of these books in less than three hours using Sparknotes. I honestly had to stretch myself to even find a thesis for my paper. If I am correct, most everyone else's thesis went like this:
In [insert novel here], [insert author here] conveys that [insert theme here] through [insert literary technique here], [insert literary technique here], and [insert literary technique here].
Try typing any variance of your thesis into google. You will probably get a neatly packed response with a list of ideas that you could probably rip straight from wherever. Now paste my thesis into your toolbar. Incidentally, nothing of use comes up.
I'm sure the thesis was just as stale as the rest of the paper. And another one of the problems was that by the end of the process, which was stretched out well beyond what it should have been, I hated my paper. It's a shame because it's good work. It could have been really good if I had put it into prose and tightened it into a functional essay. The way it stands now, it will always be an uncompleted mass of what could have been.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is that to everyone out there who told me I was an idiot for choosing a random Toni Morrison book-------HA!
Ms. Marcy, good luck!
Peace Like a River- Allusions, Allusions, Allusions! This book would be great if it weren't so tightly knit together. What's more, I am the least religious person I know, and it's not that I hate books about religion, it's that I just don't have a connection to much of the ideas. More importantly, there wouldn't be much ground for speculation or controversy. All work has been done before me and I am quite certain I could sparknote it and write a decent paper (and probably get an A).
Great Expectations- I do not hate this book as much as most people. But that's not saying much. The problem here is that the work is less than a novel and more of a television series. I wonder if teachers will start idolizing One Tree Hill or Gossip Girl in the near future.
Beowulf and The Odyssey- I lump these together because, to be honest, I sometimes get them mixed up. It's probably because I remember sitting in class in the ninth grade, feeling awkwardly shy during discussions, and doodling all over my notes so as not to be screamed at. I also remember these books being read to me word for word. More so read at me than taught. Bad memories.
1984, Brave New World, Anthem, The Fountainhead- Dystopian literature sets me over the edge. How many times can we restsate the problems in our society? I clump these together because each paper would be saying the exact same thing. And don't think we could go about comparing and contrasting these, there is no hope-- the venn diagram would be one dystopian mass with its own gravitational constant.
Cry, the Beloved Country and Their Eyes Were Watching God- We should make a point about white supremacy and then kill every character in the novel. But for serious, I could consider doing a paper on these novels. Zora Neal Hurston's language is at least fluid and interesting. Paton also had the allusion thing going on in much less overt ways, which was refreshing.
Catcher and the Rye- Brings me back to the days when I used to write poetry starring my recurring character Gary the Canary. This was of course after the time when I used to spout emo musings about my violin or various other objects (mostly household appliances). It was a good time, not the worst of times, but saying hello to Holden after all this time might send me into regression (though Gary the Canary is worth revisiting).
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- This is funny because before I actually read this, I read a book called Love Among the Walnuts and thought it was original. Silly me, I guess everyone wants a taste of Kesey's electric coolaid.
Huck Finn, In Cold Blood, Jane Eyre, and Into the Wild- I love these books too much to touch again. Just let it lie, why ruin that?
Catch-22 and The Great Gatsby- The other books I love enough to revisit and enjoy again. Especially Catch-22 because I have some weird emotional connection to a certain freshman relationship. The only reason I didn't pick these is because everyone else picked them, and I wanted to be original (or something). the other option was Fitzgerald's better novel (not This Side of Pardise, which actually sucked) Tender is the Night. But I guess it wouldn't have been any help to me at all on the ap exam because it wasn't on that spreadsheet.
In the end I was actually happy with my paper. My thesis--
Song of Solomon and Invisible Man both emphasize that the past is part of one’s identity through allusions and motifs; however, Invisible Man focuses on individual self-awareness apart from culture while Song of Solomon reaches identity through connection to culture.
I can really see how this paper could turn sour fast for some of my classmates. The problem is that by returning to some previously studied works, we regurgitate what we have already been told is true. Nothing is interesting, and like I said, I could probably write a paper on any one of these books in less than three hours using Sparknotes. I honestly had to stretch myself to even find a thesis for my paper. If I am correct, most everyone else's thesis went like this:
In [insert novel here], [insert author here] conveys that [insert theme here] through [insert literary technique here], [insert literary technique here], and [insert literary technique here].
Try typing any variance of your thesis into google. You will probably get a neatly packed response with a list of ideas that you could probably rip straight from wherever. Now paste my thesis into your toolbar. Incidentally, nothing of use comes up.
I'm sure the thesis was just as stale as the rest of the paper. And another one of the problems was that by the end of the process, which was stretched out well beyond what it should have been, I hated my paper. It's a shame because it's good work. It could have been really good if I had put it into prose and tightened it into a functional essay. The way it stands now, it will always be an uncompleted mass of what could have been.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is that to everyone out there who told me I was an idiot for choosing a random Toni Morrison book-------HA!
Ms. Marcy, good luck!
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