Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Gulliver's Travels

Choose one the world's that Gulliver visits; What social issue(s)/human fault is Swift commenting on through Gulliver's visit to this world? What details from this world bring it out? Is the movie subtle or blatant in how they reveal this? How does the medium of film help to bring out the satire more than just the book could by itself? Did the movie make you think or did you think it was a poor adaptation? Why?

The Land of the Houyhnhnm's the horses show us all of humans flaws from greed and pride to selfishness and inconsideration. We see this from how they view the yahoos. The yahoos are men and women who act as savages and bring forth all the points of human flaws with extreme exaggeration but it is shown to us by the horses because of how they perceive the yahoos which makes Gulliver realize that these are human flaws. The film portrays the yahoos as greasy muddy creatures so we see them as an entire different race but yet when Gulliver gets muddy we see that humans look the exact same way. The movie brought out more real points and showed us visually humans flaws and how we should go about living our lives from learning form the horses.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Pg 566-570

Answer the following questions from page 566-570.
1. What was the Restoration in British History?
The Restoration began in 1660 when Charles II became king and ended the Protestant Interregnum.

2. How did the political system change through the Restoration and 17th Century?
It became more of a constitutional monarchy. They gave parliament the right to levy taxes, along with other wide-ranging powers.

3. Why is this time also called the Age of Reason/Enlightenment? Give examples of people from this time who contributed to this label.
It is called the Age of reason or Enlightenment because during this time period philosophers, writers and scientists were defining new ways to look at the world they lived in. Sir Isaac Newton revealed an orderly, clockwork universe regulated by rational principles.

4. Define what Neoclassicism is how it was incorporates into the literature during the time. What was this age also called that relates to this concept?
Is reverting back and using literature from ancient Romans and Greeks to emulate. This time period is known as the Neoclassical Literature of the eighteenth century.

5. The Enlightenment/Restoration is divided up into three areas based on people's names. What are they? What characteristics/authors/literary genres is associated with each age?
Age of Dryden, the Age of Pope, and the Age of Johnson. Dryden-began with the restoration of the monarchy and ended with the death of John Dryden, this time period with associated with satirical writing. Pope- was the peak of the neoclassicism writing. Alexander Pope was the big writer of this time period. Johnson- Samuel Johnson was the biggest writer of this age and wrote in neoclassicism ideas that related more to the freer more emotional, more natural style of the Romantics.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Cavalier vs. Puritan

We read literature from two opposing forces, the Puritans and the Cavaliers represented by Milton/Bunyan and Lovelace/Marvel respectively.

1. Describe the worldviews of these groups.
Cavaliers live for today and live to make profit from their lives right now and not for the future, while Puritans live for tomorrow and the after-life, they prepare to go to the life after everything.

2. How do these worldviews contrast with each other?
Cavaliers are more reckless and care about today while Puritans are more reserved and prepare for the future and the after life.

3. Give specific examples from selections we read that represent these worldviews?
Marvel says in his piece that if they do not get married now that something may happen and they may not live to see tomorrow or it happen. In Milton's piece it is mostly about the after life and why things are the way they are there, talking about why Satin is in hell and why God rules heaven.

4. Which worldview do you align yourself with more?
I don't think that i could align myself one way or another because I do live for now but I am also living for my future and am close to God. I take every day for what it is worth and make the most of my opportunities which is more on the cavalier side but then again I plan for my future and look ahead and am thinking about my after life which is the puritan side.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Rural poem questions

What do you think about living here? What are the benefits? What are the drawbacks? Do you plan to live in a rural area once you've established a career? Why or why not?


I love where I have grown up and where we live. I think living in a rural lifestyle and growing up here teaches you things you can not learn in a big city. I think that you learn a better work ethic and better people skills because you know everybody and everybody knows you. I also think that there is a minor drawback of not being around a big city because there is limited resources of fun in a small town community and living in a bigger city doesn't have that problem. I think after I have established my career I plan to live in a bigger city because there is more opportunity there. On the other hand I want to have ties to a smaller rural community as well because there is no substitute for this kind of living and what it teaches you.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Hamlet vs Macbeth

1. Friendship and Betrayal

Hamlet- R&G are hired by the King and Queen to find out what is wrong with Hamlet and why he has been acting the way he has been. I think that this is betrayal because if they were Hamlet's friends they would try to find out for themselves and not be "spies" for the King and Queen.


Macbeth- Banquo and Macbeth are friends in the beginning of the play and are told that one will be king and one's children will become king. This starts to cause controversy when Macbeth lies to Banquo telling him he doesn't think about it and from then on all the betrayal starts and Macbeth ends up killing Banquo for power and to keep his power. The ultimate form of betrayal.


2. Supernatural acts

Hamlet- In Hamlet the ghost in the first act sets up the whole play and is the reason the plot happens. The ghost appears and tells Hamlet that he is his father and he was poisoned and killed by Claudius. This supernatural power is why Hamlet goes into rage and regains the power from the corruption.


Macbeth- In Macbeth three witches make predictions about their future and how Macbeth will become king and Banquo's children will be better kings. This causes controversy in this story by making Macbeth so hungry to keep his power that he kills his friends family and tries to kill him just so they won't take over the throne.


3. Rage


Hamlet- Hamlet is in a rage when he figures out that Claudius poisoned his father and that he is un-rightfully taking his fathers throne. This rage leads to the restoration of the throne and the kingdom when Hamlet kills Claudius. This rage also leads to unnecessary deaths when he kills Polonius and Laertes. It also leads to the death of Getrude because she drank the poisoned wine that was supposed to kill Hamlet.


Macbeth- In Macbeth rage plays two roles in the story. Macbeth you could say is in a blind rage and is killing unnecessarily because he wants to keep power and gain the kingdom. He ends up killing Banquo and then Macduff's family to keep the power but Macduff is not killed and flees. When he returns he has brought an army and a lot of rage with him because of the crimes Macbeth committed. Macduff in the end ends up killing Macbeth and restores the throne from corruption.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Mcbeth prediscussion

Circle either agree or disagree for each statement. There are no right or wrong answers, and you will not be graded on which one you choose.

Agree/Disagree 1. Our fate is predetermined.

Agree/Disagree 2. It is natural for humans to strive for power.

Agree/Disagree 3. When in power, humans will do anything to maintain it.

Agree/Disagree 4. An accomplice is just as guilty as the person who commits a crime.

Agree/Disagree 5. If you kill, you should be killed in return (“an eye for an eye”).


Choose two of the above questions to discuss in writing. Explain why you chose the answer you did in 3-4 sentences. Please include examples to support your viewpoint. You will be using your explanations in small group and class discussions, so be specific!

1) I think our fate is not predetermined because I feel God determines what our future holds by decisions we make every day. Yes I do feel everything happens for a reason and there is a bigger picture and a plan God sets out for us, but I think it is determined by the decisions we make every day. If you decide to commit a crime God will fitfully change your destiny because of your decisions I believe.

5) I do not think that in all cases it is right to say you should be killed if you kill someone because accidents happen. I think that if you maliciously kill another human being than yes punishment of death may be in your cards but there are cases where we ask people to kill other humans in war and I do not feel that those people should be punished by death! They should be commended for serving their country. Also if a doctor makes a mistake in medicine or cannot cure a patient or has to "pull the plug" so to speak they should not be punished by death! I think "an eye for an eye" is only applicable in certain situations.

Mcbeth prediscussion