For Research: "Mandelstam After Arrest"

Osip Mandelstam was a prominent poet during Stalin's reign; known for Stalin's Epigram, in which Mandelstam openly criticized Stalin. The government did not like Mandelstam's works, resulting in the poets arrest on May 13, 1934. 


After his arrest, Mandelstam was exiled to Cherdyn, only allowed to return to Moscow in May of 1937. During the Great Purge, Mandelstam refused to adopt Social Realism, causing him to be attacked by the public. In addition to being attacked, he was accused of having anti-Soviet views, causing more conflict for the poet. 


After months of attack, Mandelstam was arrested in 1938 and charged with "counter-revolutionary activities". His sentence was to serve five years in correction camps. The poet was to transported to a Siberian transit camp to serve the duration of his sentence.

Mandelstam did not finish his sentence due to his death in a transit camp near Vladivostock on December 7, 1938. There are many supposed causes of death, including: heart failure, typhus, and insanity. 

Life in exile had its issues, including lack of food, work, and communication with friends and family. As for the correction camps in which the poet was imprisoned, the conditions are unclear but one can infer the brutal and inhumane conditions based onthe result of his stay. 

Sources:

Kipreyeva, Alyona. "Prominent Russians: Osip Mandelstam". <http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/literature/osip-mandelstam/>

<http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RUSmandelstam.htm>

For Research: "Ethical Guidelines for Journalists"

Journalists, although writing cutting-edge stories that are filled with drama and information, have certain guidelines that are to be followed, including:

• Seek Truth and Report It
• Test accuracy, identify sources, question sources' motives, avoid undercover ways of acquiring information, NEVER PLAGIARIZE, avoid stereotypes, support different views, give voice to the voiceless, and distinguish news from advertising.
• Minimize Harm
• Show compassion, be sensitive, recognize possible harm/discomfort, recognize privacy, show good taste, be cautious of the subject, and think of the criminal and his right to trial and accusation before being formally charged. 
• Act Independently
• Avoid conflict, avoid credibility harming situations, refuse anything that could compromise integrity, be vigilant, and avoid information for pay. 
• Be Accountable
• Clarify and explain, encourage public grievances, admit and correct mistakes, expose unethical practices, and abide by high standards.

Sources:

SPJ Code of Ethics. <http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp>

Blogging Notes: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

1. Personal liberation, in the book, can be seen as setting one's self free, rather allowing the staff to control them. The book isn't really anti-woman, it just shows them in a different light-the bossy ones, the religious ones, and the whores. The "good" female characters aren't mean and see the patients as people rather than mental patients and freaks that should be feared. This book has a woman in power for the most part, as in other books the men normally hold the power. 
2. "Ratched" alludes to the word "ratchet" which is a tool with teeth on it. The teeth on the tool symbolize Nurse Ratched's harsh ways and unrestrained power. 
3. In this era, American women were becoming more prominent, holding more power and leverage in society. 
4. I don't see the book as racist, but it has racist tendencies; especially when talking about the aides (the "black boys"). African-Americans were not as integrated in society at this time. 
5. McMurphy is almost a saint sent to the ward in the patients' eyes. The electroshock table is shaped like a cross and there is talk about a crown of thorns, alluding to Jesus and his crucifixion. Candy can be seen as a teasing substance to McMurphy, but I'm not sure how that goes along with any religious ties. 
6. As in America at the time, the introduction of a new character and way of life completely changes the course society takes. The nature of the revolt is brought on by one person causing the rest of the people to rebel; the domino effect. 
7. This shows that McMurphy has experience in nonconformity and defiance. Communists were a big topic during this time, resulting in paranoia in America. In the ward, Nurse Ratched is the communist, while the patients are America, as shown when Chief believes Nurse Ratched is changing the time on the clocks. 
8. Chief is a reliable narrator, until influenced by some kind of drug or anything along the lines of that. The fact that he is an Indian represents the struggle Indians have gone through in their lives and how Chief is struggling in the ward. Chief thinks the Combine is out to control every aspect of the ward and its patients. His liberation takes the form of going against the ward and eventually escaping. 
9. There are many instances in the book where Chief goes off from the story into his own little world where he recalls fragments of occurrences from his childhood and things like that. 
10. In the 1960s, drugs were everywhere. Hippies had weed, crack, meth, acid, etc. This book tells us about the use of drugs and the view of the use of drugs in society. 
11. The book expresses many of the same ideas and thoughts of the rebels of the 1960s.
12. This recalls the book Gulliver's Travels and its opinion and relationship with society and its actions. This period was a time of rebellion withing the country; the government was corrupt and the people were going crazy. In Kesey's eyes, modern America has become too concerned with conformity and does not know how to change what is going on in the world. 
13. The book seems cynical because of how Nurse Ratched runs the ward. She overrules the vote during the World Series debate because she wanted to win. 
14. This hows that the radicalists in the 1960s will end up in mental facilities due to their constant drug use and their ideas. 
15. McMurphy is a control freak; he is power hungry. With gambling, he knows how to work the cards to his benefit and outsmart his opponents. The authorities see him as a cheater due to the fact that he wins all the time, only for his benefit. 
16. Considering the constant machine references, Big Nurse could symbolize the government, which is a machine in a way. The government, at the time controlled everything, as does Nurse Ratched. 
17. The portrays liberation as personal freedom, mental and physical. Liberation, in a political sense, is the representation of the community by one person, not fully guaranteeing one's personal freedom or expression of ideas. 
18. When Chief has his dreams and flashbacks, it is apparent that Kesey was under the influence of some form of drug. Look at the word choice and description of what is going on. There are also instances where spelling and grammar just fly out the window, showing his influence. 
19. Laughter is a theme of the book because of the seriousness of society during the time. For Kesey, it serves as an escape from reality. 
20. The "loonies" see the world from a different perspective than the "normal" society, showing that they have their own thoughts, rather than society's thoughts. Insanity is the only sane response to an insane world. Crime can be seen as a matter of sanity, rather than a matter of motive. Social policy would be affected by this by the changing outlook of the citizens on the world, altering their decisions. 
21. Kesey wants society to lighten up and have some fun. The best way to reform society is to think to an extent, but not think too much. 
22. There is a great amount of imagery and similes in the novel, showing the true nature of Kesey as a person, as well as the characters in the novel. It gives readers and Kesey something to use to picture what is going on in the novel. 

For Research: "Sweatshops"

Sweatshops exist all over the world. The awful conditions provide for the hatred of the sweatshop practice. Conditions and abuses in sweatshops consist of: wages so low, the workers cannot meet the basic standards of living, dangerous and substandard working and living conditions, uncompensated overtime, and sexual harassment. 


Consumers buying products made in sweatshops range anywhere from people who buy Nikes to people who buy groceries from WalMart. Anyone buying any product can unknowingly buy products made in sweatshops. 


There have been, and are, many struggling efforts to change the use and conditions of sweatshops. There are countless websites and informational articles on the change of sweatshops for the better. 


Sources:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~nshah/fashioncrimes/Sweatshops.html

For Research: "Struggle for Women's Suffrage"

On the path to suffrage for women in the United States, the fighting women faced many hardships. Women's suffrage was first proposed in the Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention in July of 1848. Radical movements, such as picketing the White House, were tactics used in attempt to gain suffrage. In 1913, Alice Paul led a women's rights march around the White House on the day of President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration. Paul did the same thing again on the day of Wilson's second inauguration.  

Women's rights advocates liked to use humor to make their point, as seen in Alice Duer Miller's "Why We Don't Want Men to Vote". This literary work uses humor in addressing the man's concern in politics, a man's place in society, and man's emotional status. 

Just like the abolitionists, women's rights activists simply wanted their specific focus of people to have equal rights as compared to the white men that controlled the country at the time. 

Sources:

Lewis, Jone Johnson. "August 26, 1920: The Day the Suffrage Battle Was Won". <http://womenshistory.about.com/od/suffrage1900/a/august_26_wed.htm>

For Research: "Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment"

Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation did not abolish slavery, as many people believe, but simply freed a select group of slaves. The Emancipation Proclamation, give on September 23, 1862, stated that all slaves currently in states that were rebelling against the Union were freed from slavery. 


The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, on the other hand, is the prohibition of slavery. This amendment stated that slavery is an illegal practice and will no longer be used as a form of labor by any means of the word. The Thirteenth Amendment set every slave free forever. 


Sources:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAS13.htm

For Research: "Cherokees After Removal"

After Jackson's removal of the Cherokee Indians, the Cherokee's hardships were not completely over with as of yet. After being forced from their homes, the Cherokee had to endure the eight hundred mile journey to Oklahoma, which was to be their new home. This long, painful journey was called by the Cherokee, the Trail of Tears. 


The Cherokee that were making the journey to Oklahoma faced many hardships on the Trail of Tears, including: famine, disease, exhaustion, and dehydration. Not all of those on the journey rode horses or wagons, many walked a great amount of the trail, causing many health concerns. Of the 15,000 Cherokees to begin the journey, over 4,000 died. 


Sources:
"The Trail of Tears". <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h1567.html>

For Research: "Rousseau's Influence on the French Revolution"

In relation to the French Revolution, Jean Jacques Rousseau was the inspiration behind the conservative, liberal, and socialist theory. Rousseau saw a divide between society and human nature, which was a major contribution to the Revolution. Rousseau spoke of man's state of nature as a time when man was naturally good, as compared to society in his present in which man was made to be good through the use of laws and rights. 

Rousseau's ideas of man's state of nature and civil state proved a catalyst to the French Revolution that occurred. French citizens began taking notice of Rousseau's words and thoughts and decided to take action against the government that was corrupting them, the people. The main source of Rousseau's influence is The Social Contract, which clearly shows and tells of the goodness of the human race in its natural state. 

Sources:

 syzygyastro. "The French Revolution, Locke and Rousseau. <http://syzygyastro.hubpages.com/hub/The-French-Revolution-Locke-and-Rousseau>

For Research: "Ancient Roman Slavery Citizenship"

In Ancient Rome, for a slave to become a free citizen, the slave had to meet certain conditions for citizenship. For a slave to become a free citizen, the slave must be over thirty years of age, he must be owned by his master with quiritary right, and must be set free by manumission (Gaius 17).

If the slave is under the age of thirty, other conditions must be met. A slave under thirty years of age can become a Roman citizen by manumission if he has been declared free in the will of a bankrupt master and appointed as his heir, provided that he is not excluded by another heir (Gaius 21). The slave must be declared an heir to gain Roman citizenship.  

Sources:

Gaius, The Institutes 

Angela's Ashes Questions (Limerick)

1. I think the people of Limerick believe their judgments are justified and accurate. The fairness of the judgment is a little iffy due to the fact that the people judging did not live McCourt's life. Just because you live in the same city, does not mean that your condition of life is the same. 
2. Honestly, I doubt the people living where I do would really care if there was a book to be published that was set in the city. Sure, some people would have their criticisms of the book and some people would actually be excited. For the most part, many people would not even know that the book was published, let alone read it. Maybe their curiosity would get the best of them. Where I live, different people have different perspectives. To each his own. There is no telling what the book would consist of. 

For Research: "How are Amendments Proposed/Ratified?"

Amendments to the Constitution are not simply thought of and put into the Constitution. Each proposed amendment must be ratified by three-quarters of the states of the country. The Amendment is put through a ratification process in which Congress deliberates on the Amendment's ability to help the country and whether or not the Amendment is reasonable and just (Cox).

First, the legislature must pass an act proposing a change to the Constitution. Once passed, the proposed amendments are put onto a ballot. Voting is held. For the ratification of a Constitutional amendment, majority vote for ratification must be acquired (Unknown 1).


Sources:
Unknown, http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us

Cox, Kathryn. APUSH

For Research: "Roman Slavery vs. American Slavery"

Roman slavery, in its entirety, was in a better state of execution than the American form of slavery. In Rome, slaves were not necessarily African born people that were brought to the country like the origins of American slavery were. The Roman slaves were more often prisoners of war, or simply children born into slave families. As in the American slavery system, Romans had an operational slave market in which slaves were bought and sold. Slaves that were bought were taken by their new owners to work on either a farm, the owner's business, or to be servants (I. A. Background).


Contrasting the harsh American slave system, the slaves holding positions in ancient Roman times were treated fairly well. There were distinct guidelines for slave owners to follow; these rules included how much clothing, food, and water was given to each category of slave. Categories were such as: servants, field laborers, and labor masters (slaves in charge of slaves). American slaves were treated much worse. Slaves lived in extremely poor conditions; sometimes housing five families in a one room shack or something along those lines. Slaves were underfed and under-dressed, suffering even more than being made to labor for their owners (I. A. How Good)


Sources:
I. A., Background: What is Slavery? 
I. A., How Good Were Slaves Actually Treated?

"Knavery's Plain Face is Never Seen Till Used."

"I follow to serve my turn upon him."

     "I'm serving under him to take advantage of him."

"In following him, I but follow myself."

     "I may seem to love and obey him, but in fact, I'm just serving him to get what I want."

"For when my outward action doth demonstrate the native act and figure of my heart in compliment extern, 'tis not long after but I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at."

     "If my outward appearance started reflecting what I really felt, soon enough I'd be wearing my heart on my sleeve for birds to peck at."

"I am not what I am."

     "I'm not who I appear to be."

-Iago did not become Othello's lieutenant. 

-The rumor that Othello slept with Iago's wife. 

There is evidence of the fact that Iago did not become Othello's lieutenant. There is no evidence of Othello sleeping with Iago's wife.

Iago makes his thought of destroying Othello justified by telling himself that it has to be true. He's a Moor and they are awful. He is constantly giving himself positive feedback and "patting himself on the back" with the words he says in his head. 

TIM and Mark Antony Speech Comparison

In both speeches, TIM and Mark Antony end up getting the crowds into ssome form of riot type act after their speeches.

Also, the two men have similar forms of speaking. Although Antony's speech is in Old English format, the style is still evident throughout the speech.

"The Devil and Tom Walker" Interview Script

Fire and Brimstone with Abby G.

     Coming to you from the fiery pits of Hell, it's Fire and Brimstone!

1. Tom, were you concerned at all when your wife disappeared?
• You know, I really wasn't. I was so ready to get that woman as far away from me as possible, it wasn't even funny. 
2. Mrs. Walker, are you upset with your husband's answer to the previous question?
• Honestly, not really. I don't like him, he doesn't like me. We got married because it seemed fun and we wanted to have kids before we died. We were at the tavern one night, and BAM, gotta get married. 
3. Mr. Devil, why did you do what you did?
• For the fun of it, of course. What isn't fun about conning a man out of his life, as well as other humans?
4. Tom, what were you thinking when the Devil came to your door?
• I was just like, "Holy crap. Where's my Bible when I need it?" I tried to grab one of the two I had in the room, but this guy just wouldn't let me get one. So now I'm here with you in this great place. 
5. Mrs. Walker, why did you take all of the portable valuable items with you when you disappeared?
• I was running away from my husband, so as an extra boost to my living, I decided to take everything he could possibly sell to make up for my absence, so he'd have absolutely nothing. He'd realize he needed me all along. But why would I care? I'd be living big and bad if it wasn't for the incident that happened that night. 
6. Tom, why did you make a deal with the Devil?
• What kind of stupid question is that? Isn't it obvious? Money. I wanted to be rich. I wanted to have as many nice things as I could possibly get my hands on. I wanted everything. But, in the end, I lost everything. And it's all his fault! 
7. Mr. Devil, why is it that you walk around with an axe thrown over your shoulder?
• Well one, it attracts the ladies, and two, it's very useful for many tasks that I always find myself in need of accomplishing. 
8. Mrs. Walker, why do you behave so aggressively?
• I'm tough. That's just how I am. But, if you want to know the truth...I was put into tough situations as a child, and maybe I lash out on people because of this. It was hard growing up in my family back in the day, and I realize now that I'm here, that I shouldn't have behaved the way I did while I could.
9. Tom, do you, or have you ever considered the Devil as a friend?
• You know what, when we first talked in the woods, I thought him to be a good guy with a bad reputation, but now that he's gotten me, I can't stand the guy. If I had the chance or if it was possible, I would kill him, or at least beat him within an inch of his pathetic little life. 
10. So Mrs. Walker, what really happened that night when you left your home for the last time?
• Well, I'm not really sure. All I remember is a big black figure jumping on top of me, then I woke up here. I'm sure the Devil knows exactly what I'm talking about. Or maybe my husband?

Elizabethan Insults

"Forsooth! Thou art a froward hedge-born jack-a-nape!"
     This means you're a low born monkey/ape of a man.
"Verily, ye be a yeasty weather-bitten malt-worm!"
     This means you're annoying, stupid, and ugly.
"Verily, ye be a craven eye-offending malkin!"
     This means you're an ugly coward. 
"Ye froward pale-hearted scantling!"
     This means you're a small, unbearable coward.
"Forsooth! Thou art a rank clay-brained flap-dragon!"
     This means you're a stinky, stupid pox.

"Letter From Birmingham Jail" Style and Structure Questions (pg. 610-611)

1. In the first four paragraphs. 
2. Paragraph five. 
3. Then, but, moreover, now, "Things are different now". 
4. King shows that it is not just the black community that has had to deal with the crisis happening at the time, and to show the white clergymen and the other audience members that great minds believe in ending the battle between the two races. 
5. To show the clergymen that he is an educated man, not just some random black man fighting for his rights. Also to give examples of situations similar to his own. 
6. Inductive: "Now what is the difference between the two?" This leads King into the next point in his argument. Deductive: "A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God." This brings about supporting evidence on another one of King's topics. 
7. King brings himself and the white moderates together seemingly. He wants to unite them with a common goal. King is somewhat successful in doing this. 

"Letter From Birmingham Jail" Purpose and Audience Questions (pg. 610)

1. To show the fact that he is in jail and the clergymen are the ones who put him in there, which leads into his main points throughout the letter. 
2. To show that he believes the men want what is best in their minds for their community. In a way it is ironic, due to the fact that the men have done incredible, immorally wrong things in order to achieve their dreams and aspirations. 
3. King uses the words "us" and "we" showing that more than just the clergymen are the intended audience. Also the fact that he is showing and representing the black community as a whole. 
4. The thesis is "But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms." It is stated. 

"Letter From Birmingham Jail" Comprehension Questions (pg. 610)

1. King says he does not answer criticism due to the fact that he has no time for it. If he was to answer all of the criticism that was aimed his way, he would have no time for constructive work. 
2. The actions are thought "unwise" because the clergymen do not believe that King's ideas are very good ones, or will result in success and integration. The actions are seen as "untimely" by the clergymen because the actions are being performed in a difficult time in the nation. 
3. King's reasons for the demonstrations are: the injustice in Birmingham. He says the white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative the unjust treatment in courts, the ugly record of brutality, and the unsolved bombing of Negro homes and churches. 
4. King says that "wait" means "never" to blacks. 
5. Just and unjust laws. The difference between the two is: a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God; an unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. 
6. King sees it as wrong to urge an individual to cease his efforts to gain his basic constitutional rights because the quest may precipitate violence. 
7. King is disappointed in the white church because: the white moderate is using the length of time that Christianity has taken in order to back up their argument for that of equality for blacks. 

"The Declaration of Independence" Responses pg. 587-588

Purpose and Audience

1. Jefferson's premise is that the colonies should not be under the control of the king; they should be able to establish their own government because of the awful treatment of them by the king. Jefferson wrote the Declaration well, nothing should be changed. 
2. Jefferson eliminated all strong emotion from his writing in the Declaration; he made it completely based on logic. Jefferson is polite, respectful, yet strong and determined. 
3. Obviously, the Declaration of Independence was intended for King George, but also the colonists and all British men and women. The colonists would be most likely to accept it, considering they have all lived with the awful treatment by the king, but there's still the British faithful that will oppose it. 
4. Jefferson provides not only reasons for separation, but also tells of the effects of the king's judgement and decisions. He uses the word "we" as bringing together the colonies as one, as to show that it is not just him that opposes the king, but a large amount of colonists. 
5. Jefferson says this because when the Declaration is being written, the colonists are still technically British, they have made no single name for themselves other than British colonists. It shows respect. 
6. Jefferson's thesis is in the first sentence of paragraph 32. Maybe he decided to put it there so the king would actually read the Declaration, not just disregard it. Jefferson puts some kind of mystery to the writing as to keep the king reading. 

Style and Structure

1. I think the Declaration relies more on deductive reasoning because Jefferson uses the bad decisions the king has a made and generalizes them saying things like "He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good." Every colonist might not agree with this statement, but for the purpose of the Declaration, this is how Jefferson puts it. Inductive reasoning is used as well, when Jefferson says "...the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions."
2. Jefferson uses the beginning words "He has..." and "For" to show a new idea. The ideas themselves are related from paragraph to paragraph, rather than stating the grievances in any random order. 
3. Every grievance stated holds importance. The more grievances stated, the stronger the argument. Summarizing the grievances would show that Jefferson and the colonists do not feel it necessary to specify and detail every grievance. 
4. Using this as the conclusion unites the colonists as one, "we". This shows the complete  support the writers and signers of the Declaration of Independence had. It shows that if the king wants to argue his points against the colonists, he will have a fight. Not necessarily a physical one, but definitely a fight of some kind. 

"Thanks to Modern Science..." Journal Entry pg. 583

Overall, I found the ad somewhat convincing, but improvements can be made. 


The ad "Thanks to Modern Science..." obviously caught the attention of the citizens of New York, but the amount of attention aside, the ad's influence over the citizens could have been greater. Yes, the writer states the incidents with Ronald Keith Williamson and Anthony Porter, but when speaking of the twenty-three falsely executed people, the readers are left in the dark when it comes to details on these cases. It gives the reader reason to doubt the validity of the writer's accusations and facts. 

"Thanks to Modern Science..." Reading Images pg. 583

1. The title itself gives the reader an accurate number of people involved in the death penalty, whether having been freed, or falsely accused/killed. The rest of the ad does support these points.
2. The picture grabs attention, it makes the reader think. The reader imagines an innocent man being fastened and strapped down to a chair and with the flip of a switch, thousands of watts of electricity will flow through their body until they finally die. 
3. I say both. Simply because the writer gives off the sense that he/she is very strongly opinionated on this topic, but also gives accurate information and good logic in telling the events and facts. 
4. Ronald Keith Williamson was falsely accused of the rape/murder of Debra Sue Carter, but spent eleven years on death row, barely missing the chair by five days. The competence level of Anthony Porter came into question, therefore his execution was pushed back until the state could decide whether or not Porter was mentally competent. Both points are supported by evidence. The fact of the twenty-three men who were falsely executed is not upheld by evidence though. The writer keeps throwing the number at the reader, yet does not give any legitimate evidence to bring validity to the statement. It makes me think that the writer may not actually know any details regarding the twenty-three falsely executed men, leaving me questioning his/her credibility. 

"The Storm" Journal Entry pg. 199

I see the title as possibly referring to the emotional storm that occurred throughout the piece. There was passion, love, worry, and other emotions shown by characters in the piece. None of these emotions and the events that tie in with them are completely developed, but the reader can infer the previous relationship Calixta and Alcèe had, as well as Bobinot and Bibi's relationship with Calixta and the state of Alcèe's marriage.


At the end of the piece, when Alcèe wrote the letter to his wife, there is a whirlwind of drama almost. Alcèe and Calixta were just messing around, when they both have spouses. Maybe I'm exaggerating things a little bit, but that's just my view of it. 

"The Storm" Reading Literature pg. 198

1. The coming storm shows the reader some of the qualities and emotions of the characters. Bobinot is described to be caring to his wife, shown when he buys her the shrimp. Calixta is described as worrisome due to the storm, and as usual. The storm is the cause of everything that happens throughout the piece. The storm gives a reason for the interaction between Alcèe and Calixta, as well as Bibi and Bobinot being forced to stay in Friedheimer's store. 
2. I see it as somewhat both. It can be taken literally, meaning the storm was over and so was the rush of emotion that was caused by the storm's passing. In the irony sense, there is no way Calixta and Alcèe are completely happy, based on their interactions in the piece. 
3. The details tell us that Calixta is married to Bobinot and has a son, Bibi. The reader also finds out that Calixta and Alcèe had once been lovers; their interaction during the storm shows this to be true. 

"Good Night and Good Luck" SOAPSTone Analysis

Speaker: There isn't a clearly defined speaker in the film, but Murrow could be seen as the speaker. The other characters could also be seen as speakers.
Occasion: The whole McCarthyism ordeal and Murrow and his news team's actions towards Senator McCarthy.
Audience: Anyone who watches the film would be considered the audience.
Purpose: The purpose of the film is to inform the people of today of the occurences between Murrow and McCarthy in an easier way. 
Subject: The main subject of this film is the role of Edward Murrow in the collapse of Senator McCarthy and the idea of McCarthyism.
Tone: The tone of this film is very serious and strong willed (in the case of Murrow and Friendly's attitudes toward McCarthy).

My Opinion on The Crucible

Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as one huge metaphor in relation to McCarthyism. In order for Miller to not fear conviction, he used the Salem Witch Trials as a metaphor for the happenings with McCarthyism. If Mr. Urban had not told the class Miller's purpose, I probably never would've thought about it that way. I think Miller got his point across to the readers; he accomplished his goal.


I enjoyed the story in The Crucible just as entertainment. The ending killed me though. It's just one big cliff-hanger, leaving the reader to guess and wonder what happens next. In a way, to end The Crucible this way makes sense. Miller wanted to inform the people of the time of the troubles of McCarthyism. McCarthy never held responsibility for the death of anyone. In The Crucible, the town's government had hanged twelve convicted already but were not responsible for their death fully. McCarthy was this way too, in my eyes. Maybe that's just me, but whatever. 


I loved the characters and how Miller portrayed them throughout the story. The evil, passion, and overall emotion they all showed amazed me. I could sense the emotion while we were reading it in class (sounds weird, I know), Proctor and Elizabeth especially. How the two grew and developed through the acts was great. 


We need to read more stuff like this! Jus' sayiiinn'. 

"Half-Hanged Mary" SOAPSTone Analysis

Speaker: The speaker of the poem is Mary Webster.
Occasion: The hanging of Mary Webster, who was accused of witchcraft in the 1680's in a Puritan town in Massachusetts during the witch trials. 
Audience: There is no audience addressed by the reader, but it seems as if anyone who reads the poem would be the audience. The audience could also be Puritans of the time to show the feelings Mary Webster had towards them.
Purpose: The purpose for Margaret Atwood writing this poem is to tell the story of Mary Webster being hanged, yet managing to live through the ordeal.
Subject: The subject of the poem is the hanging of Mary Atwood and the witch trials. 
Tone: The author's tone can be perceived as grim, in my opinion.  

"Are You Now or Were You Ever" Questions

1. By using the metaphor of the Salem witch trials, Miller allowed the reader to experience the same actions and occurrences happening in real life through a different setting, as to allow them to fully see and understand the message. He showed the idea of McCarthyism through the actions of the girls in the play.
2. The criticism is that Miller believes the government does not acknowledge the truth. The power of the Robeson's declaration and how the fact was brought to light leads it to be called a rocket that lit up the sky.
3. The theme would be coming to senses with what's around you. The whole point of The Crucible was to get people to not conform with what everyone else was saying, to see McCarthyism for what it really is.
4. I think Miller is using the Devil as a metaphor for McCarthy. Not necessarily calling McCarthy the Devil, just simply using it as a metaphor to coincide with The Crucible. It is vital for the people to remember that everyone has their own opinion and they should voice these opinions. 

Girl in Front of 9/11 Mural Journal Entry (pg. 160)

The photograph shows the mural that has been created in remembrance of the events of 9/11. The mural in itself has an enormous amount of emotion poured into it. The photograph does the mural no justice in the emotion meant for it to show. 

I find the mural itself more moving because anyone can take a picture, but not everyone can make a piece of art like the mural. The person who painted the mural was moved so much that he/she decided to post something that anyone can see at anytime. Someone can take a picture of the mural, but you don't feel the total emotion and amazement as you would if seeing the mural for yourself in person. 

"Girls in Front of 9/11 Mural (Photo)" Questions (pg. 160)

Reading Images

1. The details expressed in the mural include: the date of the incident (obviously), the American flag,  and "In Memory Of...". Nothing really dictates the exact composition and arrangement of the items, but when it comes to the American flag, there is a certain design that it has to follow. 50 stars, 13 stripes (7 red, 6 white). In the mural, there are only 6 red and 5 white stripes. 
2. I think the photographer wanted to get a message of understanding and what effect the occurrences of 9/11 could have had on the youngest Americans. The details included in the photograph communicate this impression by the representation of the American spirit through the American flag, the stars, and the words. 
3. From what I can see, the photographer seems to be presenting an objective view of the subject. This is based solely on the fact that there seems to be no evidence of personal opinion in the photograph, as far as I can see anyway.

"Shooting an Elephant" Writing Workshop (#3)

"Elephant Joins Victim in the Afterlife"
In the early course of yesterday morning, a 'must' elephant ran rogue throughout the town, bringing on destruction wherever it went. Homes were damaged beyond repair, crops were destroyed, and a life was lost.

The town of Moulmein was in chaos until the bravery of a police officer, George Orwell stepped in to save the town and its citizens from the horrible entity that was the elephant. Orwell, followed closely by a group of over two thousand devoted and concerned Moulmein citizens, tracked the elephant through the town until it reached the paddy fields outside of the town. Orwell mounted his rifle and set his sights on the beast.

A shot rang out. The crowd roared with excitement. Orwell had struck the mighty beast in its enormous head! Yet, the monster still stood, seemingly unaffected by the bullet. Orwell proceeded to fire round after round into the great beast, starting at his head and moving down to target the monster's belly.

Blood and moans of desperation and agony poured out of the doomed, but not yet deceased creature. Orwell, satisfied with a job well done, left the elephant to pass and for the townspeople to ravage what they could from the body of the slain beast.

Orwell is honored for his bravery, but now has to deal with an angry mahout who has one less elephant than he had two days ago.

(Note the exaggeration throughout the article, because I see this in journalism quite a bit.)

"Shooting an Elephant" Journal Entry

I completely, with no doubt in my mind believe that Orwell is a coward, based on what I've read. The fact that he killed an elephant (that cause no intentional harm) just because he didn't want to be laughed at just utterly disgusts me. Humility should not be a justifiable reason for killing, whether is be human or animal.

I don't think Orwell is truly a racist, based on the simple fact that he was tormented so much by the Burmese. Obviously he isn't their biggest fan, but he isn't racist by any means of the word. The only case in which I would call him a racist is if he told of an incident in which he committed racist acts or harsh judgement, etc. In this essay, I saw no evidence of this.

"Shooting an Elephant" Questions

Comprehension

1. Orwell is hated by the Burmese people because he was a European police officer of the town and the Burmese were not the biggest fans of Europeans. Orwell hated the English empire even more than he hated the Burmese, making it so that he almost sympathized with them.
2. The elephant was a danger to the town and its citizens, whether the elephant decided to be harmful or not. To the Burmese, and also an English crowd, the shooting of the elephant would be fun to them; plus they wanted the meat.
3. The elephant was shot because the crowd of two thousand Burmans wanted Orwell to do it and he could not disobey them; they would laugh at him. Orwell saw that they elephant was not incredibly dangerous unless it was aproached too closely. He also contemplated the effect it would have on the elephant's owner.
4. It almost gave him a reason for shooting the elephant. It is a better reason than to say he shot the elephant because the people wanted him to.

Purpose and Audience

1. Orwell sees the real nature of imperialism as the truth behind an empire. Everyone hears of the nobility and amzing feats accomplished by major empires, but never all of the horrible things that went along with the great conquests. The shooting of the elephant showed the "behind the scenes" of a great empire.
2. I think Orwell wrote this essay to inform the reader of an incident that he lived through. Maybe there was some kind of message in the reading that the reader was supposed to come across. The emotion Orwell presents in the essay shows that he is trying to get some kind of point across, not necessarily persuade.
3. The thesis is: "In Moulmein, in lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people-the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me." (I'm not really sure about this one. :/)

Style and Structure

1. Orwell's first paragraph sets the setting, mood, and tone of the essay. The introduction is over after the first two paragraphs. The third paragraph begins the narrative.
2. Maybe Orwell wanted a very personal view of the experience to come across to the reader. Maybe Orwell saw the other people involved as having little significance in the actual telling of the story, when it came to speaking anyway. I think the absence of dialogue is a strength in this essay, because the reader is never distracted by what someone is saying and is more focused on the actions occuring. Without dialogue, Orwell has total control of the reader's focus, rather than a certain character involved.
3. The detail of the elephant's misery shows that Orwell felt extremely awful about what he had just done. More detail means more focus. Orwell wsas focused on the elephant at this time because he did not want the elephant to suffer, but rather it to die a quick, painless death.
4. I would characterize these comments as Orwell's even more personal thoughts and expressions given to the reader. They are set off from the text because Orwell could have possibly added them in as he was editing the original essay and felt they deserved to be set apart from the rest of the essay.
5. In relation to the theme in paragraph two, these statements reinforce the battle Orwell has with "choosing sides".

So That Was "The Scarlet Letter"...

Huh. Well that was interesting.

Honestly, at first, I had almost NO idea what was going on on any given page of the book. I got lost in the intricate sentences that were constantly describing something that I wasn't focusing on. I promise you, there were more descriptions in this book than dialogue. It was RIDICULOUS at some points. I'd get so lost that when we talked about the first few chapters of the book in class, I wouldn't remember anything that everyone else was talking about. But, once I got used to the writing style and a little more dialogue was used, I got a hang of the book and actually liked it. 

I LOVED all the drama involved in the book. Maybe that's because I'm a teenage girl and we like any drama that we're not involved in, but hey, that's just how it is. The story itself was incredible, but predictable. It was almost obvious from just about halfway through the book that Dimmesdale was the father, which took some of the edge off. What got me hooked was Dimmesdale's story and all the pain he was going through. I never knew what was going to happen next when it came to the minister.

I didn't really like how predictable the story was. We were almost positive who Pearl's father was halfway through the book, which I wasn't all that crazy about. Sure we didn't know EXACTLY how the book was gonna end, but we knew a major part of the book only halfway through.

The weight of religion in the community significantly impacted the plot of the story. If religion wasn't such a huge part of Dimmesdale's life, he might not have suffered as he did over his sin. Sure, he'd feel bad, but he wouldn't have torn himself apart over it most likely. Honestly, if religion wasn't so important, the whole story just wouldn't have ever been written and seen as having some truth to it.

Overall, I liked the book and LOVED the drama. The language was difficult to understand at first, but I got it now. (:

Civil Disobedience Questions

1. Laissez faire governments command respect due to the way they handle the government and society. The people are more involved and there is not a strict outline of what has to be done and how you have to do it.
2. (a) Thoreau accepts the motto "That government is best in which governs least". (b) He would like to see a government to abide by this motto as to allow the society beneath the governments freedom to act on their own, not just by what a leader tells them.
3. (a) Thoreau believes "That government is best which governs not at all". (b) Once every man knows what form of government would command his respect, the closer they will be to obtaining it.
4. (a) Thoreau is asking his readers to realize that as long as they let the government control every aspect of their lives, it will keep doing it exactly how it is. (b) Thoreau presents are very convincing argument for acting on one's principles.
5. (a) Depending on what form of government would replace the standing one, could possibly lead the society into chaos. (b) Any society that has had success with weaker governments that have had a considerable amount of needs and wants of individuals in mind when governing.

Self-Reliance Questions

1. Many people now, as in Emerson's time, are looking inward for guidance, rather than from an outside source. People don't rely on God, but their own personal guidance in what they want from life.
2. (a) Emerson uses terms like conspiracy and joint-stock company to describe society.(b) In Emerson's mind, society's main purpose is to conform everyone into thinking and believing the same way.(c) Emerson believes people should completely disregard what other people ssay due to the fact that as a person, the only thing that you need to worry about is yourself.
3. (a) All of these men were wise and misunderstood. (b) The use of the examples of the great men supports Emerson's claim that "to be great is to be misunderstood".
4. (a) It shows Emerson's emotion towards the subject and hints that he may be affected by the foolish consistency he is referring to. (b) I don't think there would any amount of circumstance that would make Emerson advocate the benefits of consistency. He has showed many times over how against it he is, so why would he ever write anything good about it?
5. (a) From Emerson's point of view, divines play a role as conformists, trying to get everyone they can to conform to the church. (b) Emerson would say that finding their own path, using their own guidance, in any way they can, is each person's reason for living. Judging by the way he speaks of conformists and the reliance of oneself, I think he would see this as a fitting description.
6. I would use the statement "Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world" as a guideline for personal conduct because it seems as if he is saying that if you only worry about what's going on with you and disregard what's going on in everyone else's mind, the world is at your fingertips. Anything is achievable.

Journal Entry pg. 106

Some of my experiences in school have been "extensive and irrelevant preparations for adulthood". Every year there is a student who asks "When am I going to use this in real life?" I'm not always the one asking the question, but when someone brings it up I think about it. "When am I ever going to use this in real life?", "Why are there so many letters involved in math?", "Why does it matter where a comma goes?" It may sound stupid, but teenagers ask these questions to themselves and their teachers all the time.

I have definitely had situations like this where I thought what my teachers were teaching me had absolutely no purpose in my life. I mean, who doesn't have moments like this? It's just the way we teenagers think. Some like school, some don't. Some understand, some don't. That's just how it is.

Now that I look back on the times I thought this way, I do realize that there was some form of value in them. Everything being taught to me has a purpose and reasoning in some way, shape or form. It may not make sense at the time because of the age factor, but eventually everyone understands.

Journal Entry (pg. 95)

The Vulture is planning another evil scheme in the safety of his New York City skyscraper lair, but Spider-Man has information on The Vulture's whereabouts and is going to stop him. Spider-Man swoops into The Vulture's lair and is knocked unconscious. Spider-Man awakes in a water tank and proceeds to attempt several methods of escape, none of which are successful. Spider-Man then realizes how he can escape the water tank; he implements his plan and quickly jumps on The Vulture's trail.