How does the poem opening Primo Levi’s work affect how you read the main body of the text?
I think by starting with the poem, Levi is setting the tone for the story to come. He sums up his story by writing this poem, and then goes into much greater detail in his book. The poem is a great device to allow the reader to become fully engaged in the text prior to the book.
Sum up what the poem is saying in one sentence.
Don’t take anything for granite, cherish your loved ones, and be thankful to those around you.
What are the key characteristics of the narrator which Levi chooses to present in this work; how would you describe the narrator?
I would describe the narrator as an honest man who is trapped in the most horrible circumstance imaginable. He is not trying to have people take pity on him, but simply stating what he went through and how torturous the living conditions were.
Does this add to or take away from your ability to sympathize with the narrator?
I think this adds to the ability to sympathize with the narrator for several reasons. One being that because we do not feel like he is asking for sympathy, but because he is stating the conditions and terms of his internment camp, one understands the grueling pains he must have been presented with and had to go through.
Which moment(s) in the text stand out or make the strongest impact on you? Why?
“Four men with razors, soap brushes, and clippers burst in; they have trousers and jackets with stripes, with a number sewn on the front; perhaps they are the same sort as those others of this evening (this evening or yesterday evening?); but these are robust and flourishing. We ask many questions but they catch hold of us and in a moment we find ourselves shave and sheared. What comic faces we have without hair.” Page 29.
“This is hell. Today, in our times, hell must be like this. A huge, empty room: we are tired, standing on our feet, with a tap which drips while we cannot drink the water, and we wait for something which will certainly be terrible, and nothing happens and nothing continues to happen. What can one think about? One cannot think any more, it is like being already dead. Someone sits down on the ground. The time passes drop by drop.”
I think that these passage stand out because they are so vividly clear with description. I can actually imagine this happening to the poor man and my heart is saddened because of the unfortunate events that occurred in his life. The story of being in the internment camp is one of the most depressing and sad events in the history of this country and knowing exactly some of the events that took place is even more sickening.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Writing Response
What is the reason you chose the option (a, b, or c) you did? What is challenging about writing dialogue, especially when you are reliant on it for character development? Do visual works add to or detract from your ability to be imaginative in your writing and why? What are some of the most notable differences between the cities of Rome and Naples; do you think place has an effect on how you write? If yes, how so, and if not, why do you think it is irrelevant?
I chose to write about the Annunciation because I did not know that much about the painting and found the description very interesting when we were learning about it in class. The challenging part of writing a dialogue was making the story a “showing” instead of “telling” aspect. I think visual adds to the ability to be imaginative because before knowing the piece, one can imagine what is taking place. The most notable differences between the cities of Rome and Naples are the loud noises in the streets, the danger one feels when walking at night, and the reasonably priced food in Naples . I do not think that my piece would be that much different if I saw the exact same painting in a museum in Rome , but it is always great to see other cities and explore their differences in culture.
I chose to write about the Annunciation because I did not know that much about the painting and found the description very interesting when we were learning about it in class. The challenging part of writing a dialogue was making the story a “showing” instead of “telling” aspect. I think visual adds to the ability to be imaginative because before knowing the piece, one can imagine what is taking place. The most notable differences between the cities of Rome and Naples are the loud noises in the streets, the danger one feels when walking at night, and the reasonably priced food in Naples . I do not think that my piece would be that much different if I saw the exact same painting in a museum in Rome , but it is always great to see other cities and explore their differences in culture.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
My Dialog
Getting all the kids on and off the bus was a difficult task but it helped to have the some parents volunteering that Thursday morning. Melissa was leading the class to the museum when she remembered that there was still a few paintings that she was going to point out but had no idea what they were about. The kids gasping with glee, whispering to one another, were extremely excited and wanted to know what was going on in the painting.
Once arriving at the first painting she wanted to talk about, one of her kids said, “I don’t get it. Why is the painting so dark and scary? Mrs. Marks, why is the lady holding her heart?” With a long breath in and then an exhale out, Melissa looked at the painting and then at her kids, she shamed herself for not preparing better for this field trip, and then quickly thought of an explanation for the painting.
“Good question Patrick, are any of you other kids wondering the same thing?” With a overwhelming shaking of the heads, Melissa begun her interpretation of the painting. “Let’s start with question one, about the painting being so dark. One reason is because this painting was created so long ago that they did not have as bright of colors as you see today. Color, back in the olden days, was extremely expensive, so artists would only use it on the most important characters in the painting. Another reason why the painting was so dark is because painting usually was done at night because painters did not make enough money, so most artists had to have a day job as well, to support their family. Therefore, they could only see by candlelight which created the sense of night time in the picture as well.” The parents looked confused for a minute but after glancing at the picture and then back at her, they all started to shake their head in agreement. Melissa thought, wow this was easier than I thought, not taking a quarter of art class did not seem to hurt her so far. She not only had the kids fooled, but the parents as well.
One of the mothers asked, “So what is going on between the characters in this painting?” Without knowing who the characters were or what the painting was trying to convey, Melissa again took a shot in the dark.
“Well, as you notice on the left we have an angel sent from heaven to earth, and I can remember my father telling me this story when I was a little girl, probably in the first grade just like all of you. This angel, Stanley, was sent down from heaven because God assigned Stanley to be Sarah’s guardian angel. Sarah is the woman on the right, Sarah is in her late twenties and has had a rough life so far. Stanley has lots of people to look after, but every night before he goes to sleep and every morning when he wakes up, he looks down on Sarah because deep down he finds her very beautiful and full of life. Once in a while, he will fly into her bedroom just to watch her sleep peacefully. One night, after she had been sleeping for quite some time, Sarah started to stir about in her bed. She must have been having a bad dream because she quickly woke up and saw Stanley for a quick second before he flew out the window. It was the strangest feeling because she had seen this angel man before, many times, in her dreams. So instead of being scared that he was in her bedroom, she felt more relieved and at peace.”
“Did she know he was an angel Mrs. Marks, or did she think it was still a dream.” Cari was so intrigued at the story and all eyes were fully intent on hearing the rest of the fictional story, Melissa felt sure she was on the right track.
“Oh, Sarah was sure he was an angel because only angels could be that handsome and only angels could fly away so gracefully, without a word. Wait, come back, she thought, but before her eyes could be fully adjusted to the night time light he was gone. Just thinking about him, she fell quietly back to sleep. When Stanley arrived back at the heavenly gates, God was there to greet him. Stanley, I saw what just happened, and that’s not the first time you’ve been caught by Sarah. You are lucky she did not freak out, most people would, what you did is not professional. Your job is to look after her to make sure she is okay, but not to spy on her at night. Stanley thought to himself, I’m not spying, I just love to watch her sleep so peacefully. She is such a unique and special girl, I wish I could be with her all the time.”
“Then what happens Mrs. Marks, is that why he goes back to talk to her?” Little Lilly, the shortest of the first graders, was standing on her tippy toes, so anxious to hear the rest of the story.
“Well, Lilly, I’m going to get to that. Stanley became so obsessed with Sarah, that he forgot about all the rest of the people he was supposed to look after and only would watch Sarah day in and day out. Finally, God gave him an ultimatum. He said, “You can either go down and confess your love for this girl but if she refuses you must have someone else be her guardian angel, and you will never see her again. But the catch is if you ask her to come back to heaven with you, she will never get to see her family or friends again. She will remain in heaven and only be able to watch from above. You must convince her to come with you, but if she refuses as I said before you will never be able to watch over her or see her again.”
Continuing, Sarah said, “Torn between the decision he had to make, Stanley decided Sarah was worth trying to convince. If he did not try he would always regret it. The night before he went down there, Stanley again watched over Sarah, and while he did he wrote a poem he was to read to her the following day. All night he worked on this poem, and he was sure she would fall madly in love with her as soon as the words flowed out of his mouth.” All the kids oohed and awed. “The following day, Stanley dressed in his best and mentally prepared to make his visit to win Sarah over and of course brought her flowers.”
Pointing to the painting, Sarah announced that this was the scene when Stanley makes his appearance and Sarah is shockingly surprised to see him outside of her dreams.
“What happens next Mrs. Marks? Do they live happily ever after, does she go up to heaven with him, or does she stay down on earth?”
“Well kids, we don’t know the ending to the story because the artist wanted to let the viewer decide what Sarah’s decision would be.”
“Not fair, I want to know what happens.” Little Lilly was thoroughly disappointed in the ending.
“Well, that is the best part of the story. Use your imagination do decide what you think Sarah’s decision would be. You can have the end of the story be however you would like.”
After touring the rest of the museum, one of the parents came up to Melissa and said, “Huh, I heard a different version of the story, but I really like the one that you told to the class. How interesting.”
Once arriving at the first painting she wanted to talk about, one of her kids said, “I don’t get it. Why is the painting so dark and scary? Mrs. Marks, why is the lady holding her heart?” With a long breath in and then an exhale out, Melissa looked at the painting and then at her kids, she shamed herself for not preparing better for this field trip, and then quickly thought of an explanation for the painting.
“Good question Patrick, are any of you other kids wondering the same thing?” With a overwhelming shaking of the heads, Melissa begun her interpretation of the painting. “Let’s start with question one, about the painting being so dark. One reason is because this painting was created so long ago that they did not have as bright of colors as you see today. Color, back in the olden days, was extremely expensive, so artists would only use it on the most important characters in the painting. Another reason why the painting was so dark is because painting usually was done at night because painters did not make enough money, so most artists had to have a day job as well, to support their family. Therefore, they could only see by candlelight which created the sense of night time in the picture as well.” The parents looked confused for a minute but after glancing at the picture and then back at her, they all started to shake their head in agreement. Melissa thought, wow this was easier than I thought, not taking a quarter of art class did not seem to hurt her so far. She not only had the kids fooled, but the parents as well.
One of the mothers asked, “So what is going on between the characters in this painting?” Without knowing who the characters were or what the painting was trying to convey, Melissa again took a shot in the dark.
“Well, as you notice on the left we have an angel sent from heaven to earth, and I can remember my father telling me this story when I was a little girl, probably in the first grade just like all of you. This angel, Stanley, was sent down from heaven because God assigned Stanley to be Sarah’s guardian angel. Sarah is the woman on the right, Sarah is in her late twenties and has had a rough life so far. Stanley has lots of people to look after, but every night before he goes to sleep and every morning when he wakes up, he looks down on Sarah because deep down he finds her very beautiful and full of life. Once in a while, he will fly into her bedroom just to watch her sleep peacefully. One night, after she had been sleeping for quite some time, Sarah started to stir about in her bed. She must have been having a bad dream because she quickly woke up and saw Stanley for a quick second before he flew out the window. It was the strangest feeling because she had seen this angel man before, many times, in her dreams. So instead of being scared that he was in her bedroom, she felt more relieved and at peace.”
“Did she know he was an angel Mrs. Marks, or did she think it was still a dream.” Cari was so intrigued at the story and all eyes were fully intent on hearing the rest of the fictional story, Melissa felt sure she was on the right track.
“Oh, Sarah was sure he was an angel because only angels could be that handsome and only angels could fly away so gracefully, without a word. Wait, come back, she thought, but before her eyes could be fully adjusted to the night time light he was gone. Just thinking about him, she fell quietly back to sleep. When Stanley arrived back at the heavenly gates, God was there to greet him. Stanley, I saw what just happened, and that’s not the first time you’ve been caught by Sarah. You are lucky she did not freak out, most people would, what you did is not professional. Your job is to look after her to make sure she is okay, but not to spy on her at night. Stanley thought to himself, I’m not spying, I just love to watch her sleep so peacefully. She is such a unique and special girl, I wish I could be with her all the time.”
“Then what happens Mrs. Marks, is that why he goes back to talk to her?” Little Lilly, the shortest of the first graders, was standing on her tippy toes, so anxious to hear the rest of the story.
“Well, Lilly, I’m going to get to that. Stanley became so obsessed with Sarah, that he forgot about all the rest of the people he was supposed to look after and only would watch Sarah day in and day out. Finally, God gave him an ultimatum. He said, “You can either go down and confess your love for this girl but if she refuses you must have someone else be her guardian angel, and you will never see her again. But the catch is if you ask her to come back to heaven with you, she will never get to see her family or friends again. She will remain in heaven and only be able to watch from above. You must convince her to come with you, but if she refuses as I said before you will never be able to watch over her or see her again.”
Continuing, Sarah said, “Torn between the decision he had to make, Stanley decided Sarah was worth trying to convince. If he did not try he would always regret it. The night before he went down there, Stanley again watched over Sarah, and while he did he wrote a poem he was to read to her the following day. All night he worked on this poem, and he was sure she would fall madly in love with her as soon as the words flowed out of his mouth.” All the kids oohed and awed. “The following day, Stanley dressed in his best and mentally prepared to make his visit to win Sarah over and of course brought her flowers.”
Pointing to the painting, Sarah announced that this was the scene when Stanley makes his appearance and Sarah is shockingly surprised to see him outside of her dreams.
“What happens next Mrs. Marks? Do they live happily ever after, does she go up to heaven with him, or does she stay down on earth?”
“Well kids, we don’t know the ending to the story because the artist wanted to let the viewer decide what Sarah’s decision would be.”
“Not fair, I want to know what happens.” Little Lilly was thoroughly disappointed in the ending.
“Well, that is the best part of the story. Use your imagination do decide what you think Sarah’s decision would be. You can have the end of the story be however you would like.”
After touring the rest of the museum, one of the parents came up to Melissa and said, “Huh, I heard a different version of the story, but I really like the one that you told to the class. How interesting.”
My Dialog
Getting all the kids on and off the bus was a difficult task but it helped to have the some parents volunteering that Thursday morning. Melissa was leading the class to the museum when she remembered that there was still a few paintings that she was going to point out but had no idea what they were about. The kids gasping with glee, whispering to one another, were extremely excited and wanted to know what was going on in the painting.
Once arriving at the first painting she wanted to talk about, one of her kids said, “I don’t get it. Why is the painting so dark and scary? Mrs. Marks, why is the lady holding her heart?” With a long breath in and then an exhale out, Melissa looked at the painting and then at her kids, she shamed herself for not preparing better for this field trip, and then quickly thought of an explanation for the painting.
“Good question Patrick, are any of you other kids wondering the same thing?” With a overwhelming shaking of the heads, Melissa begun her interpretation of the painting. “Let’s start with question one, about the painting being so dark. One reason is because this painting was created so long ago that they did not have as bright of colors as you see today. Color, back in the olden days, was extremely expensive, so artists would only use it on the most important characters in the painting. Another reason why the painting was so dark is because painting usually was done at night because painters did not make enough money, so most artists had to have a day job as well, to support their family. Therefore, they could only see by candlelight which created the sense of night time in the picture as well.” The parents looked confused for a minute but after glancing at the picture and then back at her, they all started to shake their head in agreement. Melissa thought, wow this was easier than I thought, not taking a quarter of art class did not seem to hurt her so far. She not only had the kids fooled, but the parents as well.
One of the mothers asked, “So what is going on between the characters in this painting?” Without knowing who the characters were or what the painting was trying to convey, Melissa again took a shot in the dark.
“Well, as you notice on the left we have an angel sent from heaven to earth, and I can remember my father telling me this story when I was a little girl, probably in the first grade just like all of you. This angel, Stanley, was sent down from heaven because God assigned Stanley to be Sarah’s guardian angel. Sarah is the woman on the right, Sarah is in her late twenties and has had a rough life so far. Stanley has lots of people to look after, but every night before he goes to sleep and every morning when he wakes up, he looks down on Sarah because deep down he finds her very beautiful and full of life. Once in a while, he will fly into her bedroom just to watch her sleep peacefully. One night, after she had been sleeping for quite some time, Sarah started to stir about in her bed. She must have been having a bad dream because she quickly woke up and saw Stanley for a quick second before he flew out the window. It was the strangest feeling because she had seen this angel man before, many times, in her dreams. So instead of being scared that he was in her bedroom, she felt more relieved and at peace.”
“Did she know he was an angel Mrs. Marks, or did she think it was still a dream.” Cari was so intrigued at the story and all eyes were fully intent on hearing the rest of the fictional story, Melissa felt sure she was on the right track.
“Oh, Sarah was sure he was an angel because only angels could be that handsome and only angels could fly away so gracefully, without a word. Wait, come back, she thought, but before her eyes could be fully adjusted to the night time light he was gone. Just thinking about him, she fell quietly back to sleep. When Stanley arrived back at the heavenly gates, God was there to greet him. Stanley, I saw what just happened, and that’s not the first time you’ve been caught by Sarah. You are lucky she did not freak out, most people would, what you did is not professional. Your job is to look after her to make sure she is okay, but not to spy on her at night. Stanley thought to himself, I’m not spying, I just love to watch her sleep so peacefully. She is such a unique and special girl, I wish I could be with her all the time.”
“Then what happens Mrs. Marks, is that why he goes back to talk to her?” Little Lilly, the shortest of the first graders, was standing on her tippy toes, so anxious to hear the rest of the story.
“Well, Lilly, I’m going to get to that. Stanley became so obsessed with Sarah, that he forgot about all the rest of the people he was supposed to look after and only would watch Sarah day in and day out. Finally, God gave him an ultimatum. He said, “You can either go down and confess your love for this girl but if she refuses you must have someone else be her guardian angel, and you will never see her again. But the catch is if you ask her to come back to heaven with you, she will never get to see her family or friends again. She will remain in heaven and only be able to watch from above. You must convince her to come with you, but if she refuses as I said before you will never be able to watch over her or see her again.”
Continuing, Sarah said, “Torn between the decision he had to make, Stanley decided Sarah was worth trying to convince. If he did not try he would always regret it. The night before he went down there, Stanley again watched over Sarah, and while he did he wrote a poem he was to read to her the following day. All night he worked on this poem, and he was sure she would fall madly in love with her as soon as the words flowed out of his mouth.” All the kids oohed and awed. “The following day, Stanley dressed in his best and mentally prepared to make his visit to win Sarah over and of course brought her flowers.”
Pointing to the painting, Sarah announced that this was the scene when Stanley makes his appearance and Sarah is shockingly surprised to see him outside of her dreams.
“What happens next Mrs. Marks? Do they live happily ever after, does she go up to heaven with him, or does she stay down on earth?”
“Well kids, we don’t know the ending to the story because the artist wanted to let the viewer decide what Sarah’s decision would be.”
“Not fair, I want to know what happens.” Little Lilly was thoroughly disappointed in the ending.
“Well, that is the best part of the story. Use your imagination do decide what you think Sarah’s decision would be. You can have the end of the story be however you would like.”
After touring the rest of the museum, one of the parents came up to Melissa and said, “Huh, I heard a different version of the story, but I really like the one that you told to the class. How interesting.”
Once arriving at the first painting she wanted to talk about, one of her kids said, “I don’t get it. Why is the painting so dark and scary? Mrs. Marks, why is the lady holding her heart?” With a long breath in and then an exhale out, Melissa looked at the painting and then at her kids, she shamed herself for not preparing better for this field trip, and then quickly thought of an explanation for the painting.
“Good question Patrick, are any of you other kids wondering the same thing?” With a overwhelming shaking of the heads, Melissa begun her interpretation of the painting. “Let’s start with question one, about the painting being so dark. One reason is because this painting was created so long ago that they did not have as bright of colors as you see today. Color, back in the olden days, was extremely expensive, so artists would only use it on the most important characters in the painting. Another reason why the painting was so dark is because painting usually was done at night because painters did not make enough money, so most artists had to have a day job as well, to support their family. Therefore, they could only see by candlelight which created the sense of night time in the picture as well.” The parents looked confused for a minute but after glancing at the picture and then back at her, they all started to shake their head in agreement. Melissa thought, wow this was easier than I thought, not taking a quarter of art class did not seem to hurt her so far. She not only had the kids fooled, but the parents as well.
One of the mothers asked, “So what is going on between the characters in this painting?” Without knowing who the characters were or what the painting was trying to convey, Melissa again took a shot in the dark.
“Well, as you notice on the left we have an angel sent from heaven to earth, and I can remember my father telling me this story when I was a little girl, probably in the first grade just like all of you. This angel, Stanley, was sent down from heaven because God assigned Stanley to be Sarah’s guardian angel. Sarah is the woman on the right, Sarah is in her late twenties and has had a rough life so far. Stanley has lots of people to look after, but every night before he goes to sleep and every morning when he wakes up, he looks down on Sarah because deep down he finds her very beautiful and full of life. Once in a while, he will fly into her bedroom just to watch her sleep peacefully. One night, after she had been sleeping for quite some time, Sarah started to stir about in her bed. She must have been having a bad dream because she quickly woke up and saw Stanley for a quick second before he flew out the window. It was the strangest feeling because she had seen this angel man before, many times, in her dreams. So instead of being scared that he was in her bedroom, she felt more relieved and at peace.”
“Did she know he was an angel Mrs. Marks, or did she think it was still a dream.” Cari was so intrigued at the story and all eyes were fully intent on hearing the rest of the fictional story, Melissa felt sure she was on the right track.
“Oh, Sarah was sure he was an angel because only angels could be that handsome and only angels could fly away so gracefully, without a word. Wait, come back, she thought, but before her eyes could be fully adjusted to the night time light he was gone. Just thinking about him, she fell quietly back to sleep. When Stanley arrived back at the heavenly gates, God was there to greet him. Stanley, I saw what just happened, and that’s not the first time you’ve been caught by Sarah. You are lucky she did not freak out, most people would, what you did is not professional. Your job is to look after her to make sure she is okay, but not to spy on her at night. Stanley thought to himself, I’m not spying, I just love to watch her sleep so peacefully. She is such a unique and special girl, I wish I could be with her all the time.”
“Then what happens Mrs. Marks, is that why he goes back to talk to her?” Little Lilly, the shortest of the first graders, was standing on her tippy toes, so anxious to hear the rest of the story.
“Well, Lilly, I’m going to get to that. Stanley became so obsessed with Sarah, that he forgot about all the rest of the people he was supposed to look after and only would watch Sarah day in and day out. Finally, God gave him an ultimatum. He said, “You can either go down and confess your love for this girl but if she refuses you must have someone else be her guardian angel, and you will never see her again. But the catch is if you ask her to come back to heaven with you, she will never get to see her family or friends again. She will remain in heaven and only be able to watch from above. You must convince her to come with you, but if she refuses as I said before you will never be able to watch over her or see her again.”
Continuing, Sarah said, “Torn between the decision he had to make, Stanley decided Sarah was worth trying to convince. If he did not try he would always regret it. The night before he went down there, Stanley again watched over Sarah, and while he did he wrote a poem he was to read to her the following day. All night he worked on this poem, and he was sure she would fall madly in love with her as soon as the words flowed out of his mouth.” All the kids oohed and awed. “The following day, Stanley dressed in his best and mentally prepared to make his visit to win Sarah over and of course brought her flowers.”
Pointing to the painting, Sarah announced that this was the scene when Stanley makes his appearance and Sarah is shockingly surprised to see him outside of her dreams.
“What happens next Mrs. Marks? Do they live happily ever after, does she go up to heaven with him, or does she stay down on earth?”
“Well kids, we don’t know the ending to the story because the artist wanted to let the viewer decide what Sarah’s decision would be.”
“Not fair, I want to know what happens.” Little Lilly was thoroughly disappointed in the ending.
“Well, that is the best part of the story. Use your imagination do decide what you think Sarah’s decision would be. You can have the end of the story be however you would like.”
After touring the rest of the museum, one of the parents came up to Melissa and said, “Huh, I heard a different version of the story, but I really like the one that you told to the class. How interesting.”
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Journal Entry #7
How is the concept of wealth developed in Juvenal’s satires? How is this different or similar to that of Twain’s development of the same subject in Innocents Abroad? What role does hypocrisy play in relation to these concepts of wealth in both authors’ satirical works?
Juvenal’s satires depict the concept of wealth tremendously different than Twain. In Juvenal’s satires wealth is developed as leading to hypocrisy, a power trip of the rich, and the fact that they disregard any care for the poor. Due to this fact, this kind of society is most likely going to lead to corruption and wrongdoing. This is different that Twain because Twain portrays how spending more money on churches is hurting the society and the government is not doing anything to help its people get off the streets. Although both authors describe wealth as leading to hypocrisy, the reasoning and motives for their decisions differ. Twain believes the church is constructing these beautiful buildings and spending their money on the churches because they want to be the best and not necessarily thinking bad about the poor but just not realizes what their responsibility to the people might be. Juvenal, on the other hand, describes the people realizing that money is corrupt and they are purposely being harmful to the poor individuals.
How are the themes of sedition and free speech in Juvenal similar/different to those in Twain’s satire?
In Twain’s satire, because he has free speech rights, I don’t think he quite understands why the Italian’s do not do something about their predicament they are in. The fact that they do not have the rights is another way he satirizes because when they do say something nothing ever gets done. Juvenal, on the other hand, almost admits that nobody ever says anything worthwhile, or intelligent enough to matter, so free speech rights are almost non existent, for the lack of intellect.
How are artists, poets, and patrons of the arts depicted similarly/differently by the two authors?
Juvenal seems to be satirizing both the artists, poets, and the patrons. He makes fun of the creators for catering too closely to what the people wish to see instead of what the artist actually feels and having their own style. Twain, again, is astonished at the work that is being completed in the churches, but at the same time thinks it is ridiculously overdone.
What is “noble” according to Juvenal’s narrator?
“Nobel” is Juvenal’s words is basically the qualities of what a good person with a high standard of good morals would possess. This would include: not being selfish, respecting the law, loving and providing for their family, respecting the Senate, stand up for what they believe in, and respecting freedom and the power of God.
Cite a passage from each of the four satires by Juvenal which amused you and say why. What literary mechanisms or rhetorical devices did Juvenal use for each?
First: “Hence come sudden deaths, too sudden for old men to make wills. What a good laugh for the town at all of the dinner tables! Hear the disgruntled friends cheer at the funeral service!” mockery
Fifth: “He soaks his fish in the best olive oil; you get some pale coleslaw Reeking of stuff that would smell very fine if used in a lantern, Grease that has ridden the Nile in the meanest African lighters.” juxtaposition
Seventh: “If a man’s going to law, the first thing he has to consider is, do you have eight slaves, a littler, companions in togas walking ahead as you go?” hyperbole
Eighth: “The chests of his forebears were hairy; look at him, though, with his butt all smoothed by Catanian pumice!” burlesque.
Eighth: The Eighth Satire: “The chests of his forebears were hairy; look at him, though, with his butt all smoothed by Catanian pumice!” burlesque.
Juvenal’s satires depict the concept of wealth tremendously different than Twain. In Juvenal’s satires wealth is developed as leading to hypocrisy, a power trip of the rich, and the fact that they disregard any care for the poor. Due to this fact, this kind of society is most likely going to lead to corruption and wrongdoing. This is different that Twain because Twain portrays how spending more money on churches is hurting the society and the government is not doing anything to help its people get off the streets. Although both authors describe wealth as leading to hypocrisy, the reasoning and motives for their decisions differ. Twain believes the church is constructing these beautiful buildings and spending their money on the churches because they want to be the best and not necessarily thinking bad about the poor but just not realizes what their responsibility to the people might be. Juvenal, on the other hand, describes the people realizing that money is corrupt and they are purposely being harmful to the poor individuals.
How are the themes of sedition and free speech in Juvenal similar/different to those in Twain’s satire?
In Twain’s satire, because he has free speech rights, I don’t think he quite understands why the Italian’s do not do something about their predicament they are in. The fact that they do not have the rights is another way he satirizes because when they do say something nothing ever gets done. Juvenal, on the other hand, almost admits that nobody ever says anything worthwhile, or intelligent enough to matter, so free speech rights are almost non existent, for the lack of intellect.
How are artists, poets, and patrons of the arts depicted similarly/differently by the two authors?
Juvenal seems to be satirizing both the artists, poets, and the patrons. He makes fun of the creators for catering too closely to what the people wish to see instead of what the artist actually feels and having their own style. Twain, again, is astonished at the work that is being completed in the churches, but at the same time thinks it is ridiculously overdone.
What is “noble” according to Juvenal’s narrator?
“Nobel” is Juvenal’s words is basically the qualities of what a good person with a high standard of good morals would possess. This would include: not being selfish, respecting the law, loving and providing for their family, respecting the Senate, stand up for what they believe in, and respecting freedom and the power of God.
Cite a passage from each of the four satires by Juvenal which amused you and say why. What literary mechanisms or rhetorical devices did Juvenal use for each?
First: “Hence come sudden deaths, too sudden for old men to make wills. What a good laugh for the town at all of the dinner tables! Hear the disgruntled friends cheer at the funeral service!” mockery
Fifth: “He soaks his fish in the best olive oil; you get some pale coleslaw Reeking of stuff that would smell very fine if used in a lantern, Grease that has ridden the Nile in the meanest African lighters.” juxtaposition
Seventh: “If a man’s going to law, the first thing he has to consider is, do you have eight slaves, a littler, companions in togas walking ahead as you go?” hyperbole
Eighth: “The chests of his forebears were hairy; look at him, though, with his butt all smoothed by Catanian pumice!” burlesque.
Eighth: The Eighth Satire: “The chests of his forebears were hairy; look at him, though, with his butt all smoothed by Catanian pumice!” burlesque.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Satirical Piece and Journal Entry
Greg the Magnificent!
“We’ll be right with you.” Sundays are definitely our busiest mornings and a flow of non-stop customers barge the doorway. All I have to do is drop the bottle of ketchup off at table twelve, refill table fours coffee, and set up a table of three. “Rita, would you mind taking over the till and seating chart for five minutes, I’m dying for a smoke.” It had been almost five hours since my six o’clock shift had started and I was starving for some breakfast and a chance to relax my feet. “I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do than let you have a break.” After all he had strolled in around nine, started commanding orders as usual, and then been in the back reading the newspaper at the break table. He does not take his responsibilities lightly.
“Is he going for another cigarette?” Kathleen asked as she rolled her eyes and dropped off the food at the counter. With a nod and the closing of the cash drawer, she could see the look on my face. It had been two weeks since Big John had been transferred to the store on Aurora and two weeks of torturous agony from the grand idiot. Previously, Greg, or Greg the Magnificent as we now call him, had worked at Kinko’s as a manager for the last five years since he graduated high school. For some intelligent reason, our district manager decided to higher him to fulfill his power trip enjoyment at our restaurant. With no prior experience, he thoroughly enjoyed barging in and telling the experienced server of 15 years how to better provide the customers, whom came in every weekend and specifically asked to sit at table number 5 in Geraldine’s section.
After a short half an hour break and a plate full of scrambled eggs and fresh fruit, I was really to roll again on the play field. The door was still full of hungry guests, as I checked my average sell-ons per customer, I could here table 3 asking for attention. “Hi How can I help you this morning?” After speaking to the couple for a little over a minute, I felt their anger and hunger growing by the second. “I’ll go talk to my manager and cooks and see what the deal is.” To the workers in the back I shouted, “Where is table threes food? They have been waiting for over 35 minutes.” As I explained the scenario to Greg, who was yet again taking another cigarette break out the back door, his suggestion was to apologize and give them a free cinnamon roll. As I was worried about losing valuable customers I responded, “Well, they seem pretty angry, after all they had to wait for over twenty minutes to get a table, a few minutes to get coffee, and now an unreasonable amount of time to receive there food. But I’m sure one cinnamon roll will be just the trick to get them to return next weekend.”
I shut the back door and retreated to the table. “My manager sends his apologies, he is extremely busy in the back, and wishes to give you a cinnamon roll while you wait for the rest of your food to appear.” After learning that the elderly couple both have low blood sugar and cannot have sugar, I was forced to reply the news to Greg. His suggestion was to offer them a sugar free pie to take home and he returned to his online black jack game. Big John would have immediately went to talk to the unhappy table and taken care of the guests as expected from a manager, but Greg the Magnificent was too preoccupied at work to take care of the customers, hosts and servers.
“A pie might not fulfill the bad experience they had at our restaurant today, but maybe a visit from the expert might cheer them up.” The suggestion to Greg was not what he had in mind, but after a few minutes he left his computer and went to greet the unhappy visitors. By this time they had received there food but the eggs were scrambled instead of over-easy and the lady order bacon and received ham. The couples told him the circumstances and were extremely upset. Greg apologized for their experience and gave them each a free coffee cup card. He offered to send the food back but the two were too frustrated and did not accept the invitation.
When the bill was dropped at the table, the couple was surprised to see both meals were still on the table. Greg said he was not taking the meal off because they did not want to send it back and they still consumed it. I was in shock, but he is the manager, so he knows best. At the register, the Magnificent and table three were arguing over the bill situation and the customers left in more of a tiffy-fit than they were in at the table. I overheard Greg say that he dared them to come back again because they were sure to get a better experience, if not the meal was on us.
As I watched them head out the door and knowing it was likely never to see them again, Greg mentioned how some people have their panties in a wad and they need to take a chill pill. The only thing I could do was laugh and say, “Well I’m sure you charmed them with your immense social skills and helpfulness, I’m sure they will join us for breakfast next Sunday.”
Why did you choose the character(s) you did for this assignment? What was the most challenging part of writing a satirical piece? Is your character “round” or “flat”? Did you return to Twain’s excerpt while developing your own satirical piece?
I chose this character for my assignment because I remembered a manager I had while working at Shari’s that absolutely drove me nuts. He was a know-it-all but actually knew nothing about the business and about the importance of customers relationships. The most challenging part of this assignment was knowing how to start it and making it sound satirical without “telling” too much. I would say my character is more on the flat side because he doen’t have too many good characteristics it’s mostly portrayed in a negative way. I did not return to Twain’s excerpt while developing my own satirical piece, but I did return to our assignment journal to refresh on some the characteristics Mark Twain used when constructing his satirical piece.
“We’ll be right with you.” Sundays are definitely our busiest mornings and a flow of non-stop customers barge the doorway. All I have to do is drop the bottle of ketchup off at table twelve, refill table fours coffee, and set up a table of three. “Rita, would you mind taking over the till and seating chart for five minutes, I’m dying for a smoke.” It had been almost five hours since my six o’clock shift had started and I was starving for some breakfast and a chance to relax my feet. “I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do than let you have a break.” After all he had strolled in around nine, started commanding orders as usual, and then been in the back reading the newspaper at the break table. He does not take his responsibilities lightly.
“Is he going for another cigarette?” Kathleen asked as she rolled her eyes and dropped off the food at the counter. With a nod and the closing of the cash drawer, she could see the look on my face. It had been two weeks since Big John had been transferred to the store on Aurora and two weeks of torturous agony from the grand idiot. Previously, Greg, or Greg the Magnificent as we now call him, had worked at Kinko’s as a manager for the last five years since he graduated high school. For some intelligent reason, our district manager decided to higher him to fulfill his power trip enjoyment at our restaurant. With no prior experience, he thoroughly enjoyed barging in and telling the experienced server of 15 years how to better provide the customers, whom came in every weekend and specifically asked to sit at table number 5 in Geraldine’s section.
After a short half an hour break and a plate full of scrambled eggs and fresh fruit, I was really to roll again on the play field. The door was still full of hungry guests, as I checked my average sell-ons per customer, I could here table 3 asking for attention. “Hi How can I help you this morning?” After speaking to the couple for a little over a minute, I felt their anger and hunger growing by the second. “I’ll go talk to my manager and cooks and see what the deal is.” To the workers in the back I shouted, “Where is table threes food? They have been waiting for over 35 minutes.” As I explained the scenario to Greg, who was yet again taking another cigarette break out the back door, his suggestion was to apologize and give them a free cinnamon roll. As I was worried about losing valuable customers I responded, “Well, they seem pretty angry, after all they had to wait for over twenty minutes to get a table, a few minutes to get coffee, and now an unreasonable amount of time to receive there food. But I’m sure one cinnamon roll will be just the trick to get them to return next weekend.”
I shut the back door and retreated to the table. “My manager sends his apologies, he is extremely busy in the back, and wishes to give you a cinnamon roll while you wait for the rest of your food to appear.” After learning that the elderly couple both have low blood sugar and cannot have sugar, I was forced to reply the news to Greg. His suggestion was to offer them a sugar free pie to take home and he returned to his online black jack game. Big John would have immediately went to talk to the unhappy table and taken care of the guests as expected from a manager, but Greg the Magnificent was too preoccupied at work to take care of the customers, hosts and servers.
“A pie might not fulfill the bad experience they had at our restaurant today, but maybe a visit from the expert might cheer them up.” The suggestion to Greg was not what he had in mind, but after a few minutes he left his computer and went to greet the unhappy visitors. By this time they had received there food but the eggs were scrambled instead of over-easy and the lady order bacon and received ham. The couples told him the circumstances and were extremely upset. Greg apologized for their experience and gave them each a free coffee cup card. He offered to send the food back but the two were too frustrated and did not accept the invitation.
When the bill was dropped at the table, the couple was surprised to see both meals were still on the table. Greg said he was not taking the meal off because they did not want to send it back and they still consumed it. I was in shock, but he is the manager, so he knows best. At the register, the Magnificent and table three were arguing over the bill situation and the customers left in more of a tiffy-fit than they were in at the table. I overheard Greg say that he dared them to come back again because they were sure to get a better experience, if not the meal was on us.
As I watched them head out the door and knowing it was likely never to see them again, Greg mentioned how some people have their panties in a wad and they need to take a chill pill. The only thing I could do was laugh and say, “Well I’m sure you charmed them with your immense social skills and helpfulness, I’m sure they will join us for breakfast next Sunday.”
Why did you choose the character(s) you did for this assignment? What was the most challenging part of writing a satirical piece? Is your character “round” or “flat”? Did you return to Twain’s excerpt while developing your own satirical piece?
I chose this character for my assignment because I remembered a manager I had while working at Shari’s that absolutely drove me nuts. He was a know-it-all but actually knew nothing about the business and about the importance of customers relationships. The most challenging part of this assignment was knowing how to start it and making it sound satirical without “telling” too much. I would say my character is more on the flat side because he doen’t have too many good characteristics it’s mostly portrayed in a negative way. I did not return to Twain’s excerpt while developing my own satirical piece, but I did return to our assignment journal to refresh on some the characteristics Mark Twain used when constructing his satirical piece.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Mark Twain Writing Assignment
List all the institutions and figures satirized in Mark Twain’s The Innocents Abroad excerpt on travels in Rome. How is each depicted by Twain? (ie. Italian clergymen: hypocritical, having penchant for violence, miserly, exploitative of public goods and Italian people).
Italian government: worthless, no good, powerless, no control, poor
The Churches: no responsibility to the government, powerful, economically smart, ridiculously out of control, overdone
Duomo in Florence: Too fancy for its own good, useless to the people who need it most
Filthy beggars:
Medicis: cursed Florence with their presence, tombs are wasted space
Mausoleum: not used for what it was intended, wasted precious material
Dominican friars: suffering inside, partier
Civitavecchia: Smelly, cramped, worthless, slackers, talentless, dirty people, too hot to handle
Discovery in Rome: Non-existent, nothing to be found, boring, already discovered
Nobles in Rome: born into power, often undeserving, ignorant, uneducated compared to Americans
Rich men in America: spend it while they live, hold powers because of power, smart with tools, wanting to strive to be more intelligent than ancestors, strange clothing
St. Peters Basilic: astonishing, incredible, wildly humungous
St. Peters impressions: unreal, unattainable to prove, not impressive
The solution to American convicts: beneficial to society, contributing to the state, useful in many ways
Coliseum: used to kill Christians cruely, intended to be the largest theater of the world, show of status (seats)
40-mile long desert: exhausting, unbearable, dead animals all around, extremely
dangerous
Michelangelo: sickening how much he designed, pretty much created the art in Italy
Guides: confusing, couldn’t understand them if you wanted to, always tell the same stories, looking for astonishing remarks by new comers.
The Catacombs: dark, mysterious, never ending, hidden passages, tombs
Cite six moments in the text where Twain’s word choice creates humor; identify which word(s) in each of these citations provokes amusement or “surprise” in the reader. What are the devices Twain is employing to achieve this effect? (ie. “. . . then by nipping their flesh with pincers – red-hot ones, because they are the most comfortable in cold weather; then by skinning them alive a little . . .”).
1. “O sons of classic Italy, is the spirit of enterprise, of self-reliance, of noble endeavor, utterly dead within ye? Curse your indolent worthlessness, why don’t you rob your church?”
-Twain uses these words “why don’t you rob you church” because the church is rich is art and incredibly expensive collections and people are begging and starving on the street. By saying this it is more posed for the government to take action and start caring for the people instead of using the money to make the churches appear worthier in value.
2. “if a grandly gifted man may drag his pride and his manhood in the dirt for bread rather than starve with the nobility that is in him untainted, the excuse is a valid one. It would excuse theft in Washingtons and Wellingtons, and unchasity in women as well.”
-To say it would “excuse the unchasity in women as well” is a dramatic statement because the chasity in women is valued so highly that this must be an important issue for Twain to compare to the sacredness of a woman’s chasity. He compares the two by stating what is going on between the men in the town and the governments actions being taken. He exclaims that people are dying and starving because the government does not care about the people at all.
3. “And now—However, another beggar approaches. I will go out and destroy him and then come back and write another chapter of vituperation.”
-Twain is stressing the fact that there are so many beggars on the street that he can’t even write a chapter without having them be a part of his life. Now he is not really going out just to see the beggar while he breaks on writing, but this is dramatically interpreted that the given situation will arise.
4. “Having eaten the friendless orphan—having driven away his comrades—having grown calm and reflective at length—I now feel in a kindlier mood.”
-This sarcastic tone Twain uses “having eaten the friendless orphan” is an example of him creating a scene for the reader of how many orphans are left on the street abandoned and everywhere you look, another appears and you feel for them but yet there is nothing that compels him to help them because their own government won’t even help them.
5. “It is well the alleys are not wider, because they hold as much smell now as a person can stand, and of course if they were wider they would hold more, and then the people would die.”
-“Then the people would die” is a dramatic sarcasm that Twain enforces because he is stressing how pungent the smell is and how horrific it would be is it got any worse.
6. Uh, is he dead?
-This is the joke that Twain and his doctor friend use on guides while they are seemingly unimpressed because they want to find out the guides reaction. They say this after seeing something others think ordinarily amazing. It’s a sarcastic remark that allows the reader to understand why the guard is so confused and dislikes them.
Italian government: worthless, no good, powerless, no control, poor
The Churches: no responsibility to the government, powerful, economically smart, ridiculously out of control, overdone
Duomo in Florence: Too fancy for its own good, useless to the people who need it most
Filthy beggars:
Medicis: cursed Florence with their presence, tombs are wasted space
Mausoleum: not used for what it was intended, wasted precious material
Dominican friars: suffering inside, partier
Civitavecchia: Smelly, cramped, worthless, slackers, talentless, dirty people, too hot to handle
Discovery in Rome: Non-existent, nothing to be found, boring, already discovered
Nobles in Rome: born into power, often undeserving, ignorant, uneducated compared to Americans
Rich men in America: spend it while they live, hold powers because of power, smart with tools, wanting to strive to be more intelligent than ancestors, strange clothing
St. Peters Basilic: astonishing, incredible, wildly humungous
St. Peters impressions: unreal, unattainable to prove, not impressive
The solution to American convicts: beneficial to society, contributing to the state, useful in many ways
Coliseum: used to kill Christians cruely, intended to be the largest theater of the world, show of status (seats)
40-mile long desert: exhausting, unbearable, dead animals all around, extremely
dangerous
Michelangelo: sickening how much he designed, pretty much created the art in Italy
Guides: confusing, couldn’t understand them if you wanted to, always tell the same stories, looking for astonishing remarks by new comers.
The Catacombs: dark, mysterious, never ending, hidden passages, tombs
Cite six moments in the text where Twain’s word choice creates humor; identify which word(s) in each of these citations provokes amusement or “surprise” in the reader. What are the devices Twain is employing to achieve this effect? (ie. “. . . then by nipping their flesh with pincers – red-hot ones, because they are the most comfortable in cold weather; then by skinning them alive a little . . .”).
1. “O sons of classic Italy, is the spirit of enterprise, of self-reliance, of noble endeavor, utterly dead within ye? Curse your indolent worthlessness, why don’t you rob your church?”
-Twain uses these words “why don’t you rob you church” because the church is rich is art and incredibly expensive collections and people are begging and starving on the street. By saying this it is more posed for the government to take action and start caring for the people instead of using the money to make the churches appear worthier in value.
2. “if a grandly gifted man may drag his pride and his manhood in the dirt for bread rather than starve with the nobility that is in him untainted, the excuse is a valid one. It would excuse theft in Washingtons and Wellingtons, and unchasity in women as well.”
-To say it would “excuse the unchasity in women as well” is a dramatic statement because the chasity in women is valued so highly that this must be an important issue for Twain to compare to the sacredness of a woman’s chasity. He compares the two by stating what is going on between the men in the town and the governments actions being taken. He exclaims that people are dying and starving because the government does not care about the people at all.
3. “And now—However, another beggar approaches. I will go out and destroy him and then come back and write another chapter of vituperation.”
-Twain is stressing the fact that there are so many beggars on the street that he can’t even write a chapter without having them be a part of his life. Now he is not really going out just to see the beggar while he breaks on writing, but this is dramatically interpreted that the given situation will arise.
4. “Having eaten the friendless orphan—having driven away his comrades—having grown calm and reflective at length—I now feel in a kindlier mood.”
-This sarcastic tone Twain uses “having eaten the friendless orphan” is an example of him creating a scene for the reader of how many orphans are left on the street abandoned and everywhere you look, another appears and you feel for them but yet there is nothing that compels him to help them because their own government won’t even help them.
5. “It is well the alleys are not wider, because they hold as much smell now as a person can stand, and of course if they were wider they would hold more, and then the people would die.”
-“Then the people would die” is a dramatic sarcasm that Twain enforces because he is stressing how pungent the smell is and how horrific it would be is it got any worse.
6. Uh, is he dead?
-This is the joke that Twain and his doctor friend use on guides while they are seemingly unimpressed because they want to find out the guides reaction. They say this after seeing something others think ordinarily amazing. It’s a sarcastic remark that allows the reader to understand why the guard is so confused and dislikes them.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Character Building and Journal Entry
Gazing out the window with the palm trees blowing in the wind and the sun shining brightly through the trees, Gabby could only imagine the next summer to come and worried about this one rapidly coming to an end. Flying into Kono in June, seemed like just yesterday, and the school year was about to start with September being just around the corner. Her shipment from the states had just arrived the previous week so to ease her stress in the slightest bit. Everything was coming together in the classroom nicely; she had repainted the room, hung up posters, and created individual cubbies for her students to store their belongings. The classroom was coming together but it was Gabby who was falling apart. She desperately longed for her parents, her brothers and sister, nieces and nephews back home. Moving to Hawaii had been a dream of hers since she could remember, but now she worried about missing out on everything at home.
Before she knew it, the first day of school rolled around and she was rushing about trying to get everything ready for the kids first day arrival. One by one, the students trickled in some with the parents and some came in brave and alone. It did not take long for them to arrive because she only had twelve students total but the grades ranged from kindergarten to fourth. The first day was full of thrills and surprises; they baked cookies, played games outside in the beautiful weather and met the older kids in the next classroom. Gabby loved her school because there was only one other teacher and almost all the kids attended the Seventh Day Adventist church on Saturdays. Growing up in a similar church, Gabby felt so comfortable and at home very shortly after she settled into her new life style.
When the kids went out to play at recess, Gabby had remembered the young man about her age who had sat next to her last Saturday during Sabbath. She remembered his name was Patrick and was tickled when he had sat next to her because the previous week she had noticed him but was too shy to introduce herself. After church, he invited her out to lunch and they enjoyed a quiet and delicious Mexican restaurant. After learning his life story about growing up in Hawaii and going to college here, Gabby felt comfortable and relaxed and began to tell him her life narrative. She mentioned being lonely for her family and friends, what Patrick noticed most of all is that she clearly did not mention missing a boyfriend or husband. After lunch ended, it was the first time she noticed feeling happy and carefree again since she had left Auburn .
The daydreaming ended as soon as the students came running in to tell their teacher about the games they played and who won during recess. The rest of the day flew by and before Gabby knew it she was strategically planning out her grocery shopping for dinner and the rest of the week. Crossing-off each item and she strolled down the isle; she kept wondering if she would run into Patrick. It was a small enough town that it would not be a rare occasion, but for some reason he kept popping into her thoughts.
After preparing and enjoying a delicious dinner, Gabby enjoyed a hot bath and went out onto the balcony over looking the ocean. She just loved the sound of the crashing waves and sun setting. It was just then when she heard the song of her new ring tone she had downloaded. It was her sister who was calling, the time difference was three hours, so it was just before 4 in the afternoon Sarah’s time. Extreme excitement overwhelmed Gabby when her sister told her the breaking news of her pregnancy. After a half hour of shrills and giggles, the sisters hung up but it was just then that the sadness began to creep into her heart once again. The sadness for her family, the sadness of not being with her sister through her pregnancy, and the sadness of not being with Sarah’s kids throughout the school year. A constant ache in her heart wondered if she had done the right thing by signing the contract for a year.
Just after brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed, the phone rang one again. This time it was a random number and she hesitated on whether she was going to answer it or not. It rang four times before she said hello. To her surprise and amazement, it was Patrick on the other end. Something about him made her feel extremely different than any man in her past. Before she knew it he was telling her he would pick her up tomorrow for an early dinner and then had a few surprises planned out for her. The feelings of romance was lingering in the air and all she dreamt about was the following evening.
Another day flew by with her twelve little adorable students. The happiness overwhelmed her thoughts and emotions. By the time she arrived home it was time to freshen up and get ready for dinner. The night began with another great dinner, followed by a romantic movie, and then observing the sunset while sharing an ice cream sundae. This was just the first night of many in the next month that Gabby felt swept off her feet. It had been weeks before she realized that the sadness of missing her family had faded away shortly after Patrick had stepped into her life. With him she felt complete and happy. They began to spend every day together after work and things were as perfect as she could have ever imagined.
Months went by before she realized it was that time again to sign a contract for the following year. Originally, Gabby thought one year in Hawaii would be perfect and she would be ready to come home again and be with her family. It was so much harder after establishing a life on her own, making new friends, and then meeting the man of her dreams, to then pick up and leave her new found “home”. After talking to her mom and sister, who desperately wanted her home for the next year and especially the summer, Gabby knew it was only her who could make her own decision. Her sister had already established a life at an early age, started having children and had been happily married for nine years. Gabby realized she wanted share those special moments in life with the one she loved and it was time to make a decision. Day in and day out for two weeks straight, her mind and emotions were on a rollercoaster. Patrick, of course being the gentleman that he is, put in his thoughts on her staying and promised a happy life together but also was willing to move to her own state if that changed the situation at all. Gabby was completely and utterly happy with Patrick and living in Hawaii , so she felt for the next year at least, her life would resume in Hawaii . Her family was disappointed she was staying another year but excited for her accomplishments. She promised she would come home in the summer and during the holidays. This was someone Gabby felt she had to do for herself and she was glad with her decision.
Journal Entry
Why did you choose the character you did for your piece? What are some of the challenges you found in creating a convincing, complex character? When designing your character, did you attempt to offer the reader something familiar, unsettling/unusual, or a combination of the two? Why did you make this choice and what mechanisms did you employ to achieve this goal?
I chose this specific character for my piece because I just found out that my cousin is going to be staying in Hawaii for the next year and she had some decisions she had to make and thought it would fit this situation perfectly. I found it was hard to show instead of tell in a third person mannerism. I kept feeling like I was telling the story but had to think real creatively to come up with more ways to show how her emotions and decisions were affecting the character. I feel like I attempted to offer the reader something familiar, such as the description of palm trees and sun sets and such. I made this choice so the audience could relate to the situation and almost feel themselves in similar situations.
Before she knew it, the first day of school rolled around and she was rushing about trying to get everything ready for the kids first day arrival. One by one, the students trickled in some with the parents and some came in brave and alone. It did not take long for them to arrive because she only had twelve students total but the grades ranged from kindergarten to fourth. The first day was full of thrills and surprises; they baked cookies, played games outside in the beautiful weather and met the older kids in the next classroom. Gabby loved her school because there was only one other teacher and almost all the kids attended the Seventh Day Adventist church on Saturdays. Growing up in a similar church, Gabby felt so comfortable and at home very shortly after she settled into her new life style.
When the kids went out to play at recess, Gabby had remembered the young man about her age who had sat next to her last Saturday during Sabbath. She remembered his name was Patrick and was tickled when he had sat next to her because the previous week she had noticed him but was too shy to introduce herself. After church, he invited her out to lunch and they enjoyed a quiet and delicious Mexican restaurant. After learning his life story about growing up in Hawaii and going to college here, Gabby felt comfortable and relaxed and began to tell him her life narrative. She mentioned being lonely for her family and friends, what Patrick noticed most of all is that she clearly did not mention missing a boyfriend or husband. After lunch ended, it was the first time she noticed feeling happy and carefree again since she had left Auburn .
The daydreaming ended as soon as the students came running in to tell their teacher about the games they played and who won during recess. The rest of the day flew by and before Gabby knew it she was strategically planning out her grocery shopping for dinner and the rest of the week. Crossing-off each item and she strolled down the isle; she kept wondering if she would run into Patrick. It was a small enough town that it would not be a rare occasion, but for some reason he kept popping into her thoughts.
After preparing and enjoying a delicious dinner, Gabby enjoyed a hot bath and went out onto the balcony over looking the ocean. She just loved the sound of the crashing waves and sun setting. It was just then when she heard the song of her new ring tone she had downloaded. It was her sister who was calling, the time difference was three hours, so it was just before 4 in the afternoon Sarah’s time. Extreme excitement overwhelmed Gabby when her sister told her the breaking news of her pregnancy. After a half hour of shrills and giggles, the sisters hung up but it was just then that the sadness began to creep into her heart once again. The sadness for her family, the sadness of not being with her sister through her pregnancy, and the sadness of not being with Sarah’s kids throughout the school year. A constant ache in her heart wondered if she had done the right thing by signing the contract for a year.
Just after brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed, the phone rang one again. This time it was a random number and she hesitated on whether she was going to answer it or not. It rang four times before she said hello. To her surprise and amazement, it was Patrick on the other end. Something about him made her feel extremely different than any man in her past. Before she knew it he was telling her he would pick her up tomorrow for an early dinner and then had a few surprises planned out for her. The feelings of romance was lingering in the air and all she dreamt about was the following evening.
Another day flew by with her twelve little adorable students. The happiness overwhelmed her thoughts and emotions. By the time she arrived home it was time to freshen up and get ready for dinner. The night began with another great dinner, followed by a romantic movie, and then observing the sunset while sharing an ice cream sundae. This was just the first night of many in the next month that Gabby felt swept off her feet. It had been weeks before she realized that the sadness of missing her family had faded away shortly after Patrick had stepped into her life. With him she felt complete and happy. They began to spend every day together after work and things were as perfect as she could have ever imagined.
Months went by before she realized it was that time again to sign a contract for the following year. Originally, Gabby thought one year in Hawaii would be perfect and she would be ready to come home again and be with her family. It was so much harder after establishing a life on her own, making new friends, and then meeting the man of her dreams, to then pick up and leave her new found “home”. After talking to her mom and sister, who desperately wanted her home for the next year and especially the summer, Gabby knew it was only her who could make her own decision. Her sister had already established a life at an early age, started having children and had been happily married for nine years. Gabby realized she wanted share those special moments in life with the one she loved and it was time to make a decision. Day in and day out for two weeks straight, her mind and emotions were on a rollercoaster. Patrick, of course being the gentleman that he is, put in his thoughts on her staying and promised a happy life together but also was willing to move to her own state if that changed the situation at all. Gabby was completely and utterly happy with Patrick and living in Hawaii , so she felt for the next year at least, her life would resume in Hawaii . Her family was disappointed she was staying another year but excited for her accomplishments. She promised she would come home in the summer and during the holidays. This was someone Gabby felt she had to do for herself and she was glad with her decision.
Journal Entry
Why did you choose the character you did for your piece? What are some of the challenges you found in creating a convincing, complex character? When designing your character, did you attempt to offer the reader something familiar, unsettling/unusual, or a combination of the two? Why did you make this choice and what mechanisms did you employ to achieve this goal?
I chose this specific character for my piece because I just found out that my cousin is going to be staying in Hawaii for the next year and she had some decisions she had to make and thought it would fit this situation perfectly. I found it was hard to show instead of tell in a third person mannerism. I kept feeling like I was telling the story but had to think real creatively to come up with more ways to show how her emotions and decisions were affecting the character. I feel like I attempted to offer the reader something familiar, such as the description of palm trees and sun sets and such. I made this choice so the audience could relate to the situation and almost feel themselves in similar situations.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Middlemarch
Dorothea: wholesome, rhetorical, trapped, dedicated, unsure.
“I am very glad that my presence has made any difference to you.” Pg. 187
“Actually, you pay little attention to me and I may as not even be here because you do not notice my presence.”
Mr. Casaubon: isolated, knowledgeable, distant, prim and proper, perceptive.
“It had been easy for me to gain a temporary effect by a mirage of baseless opinion; but it is ever the trial of the scrupulous explorer to be saluted with the impatient scorn of chatterers who attempt only the smallest achievements, being indeed equipped for no other. And it were well if all such could be admonished to discriminate judgments of which the true subject matter lies entirely beyond their reach, from those of which the elements may be compassed by a narrow and superficial survey.” Pg. 189.
“The works, in this case, are too simplistic to analyze. The have no real importance to my life and are better to not even be thought of again.”
Will Ladislaw: high strung, civil, sharp, hestitatant, calm.
“I suspected you of knowing so much, that you knew how to say just what was most cutting. You said—I dare say you don’t remember it as I do—that the relation of my sketch to nature was quite hidden from you. At least, you implied that.” Pg. 193.
“How could you forget that memory we shared, it stands out so vividly in my mind.”
In Eliot’s opinion (found in On Realism), what are some of the author’s most important responsibilities when designing characters for fiction? Do you think she “practices what she preaches” in Middlemarch? Why or why not?
I think the author’s most important responsibilities when designing the characters for fiction is to create characters that seem realistic enough to be emotionally tied to them while reading but at the same time dramatized as to not bore the reader. The characters in this story portray real emotions, actions, and consequences we see in movies, books, and life in general. The characters are believable and the author does a great job at representing how you have the power to change or influence your future. I do believe she practices what she preaches because I think she believes in the motto “what comes around goes around.” The characters are really personal and we get to know them really well by their actions and emotions.
“I am very glad that my presence has made any difference to you.” Pg. 187
“Actually, you pay little attention to me and I may as not even be here because you do not notice my presence.”
Mr. Casaubon: isolated, knowledgeable, distant, prim and proper, perceptive.
“It had been easy for me to gain a temporary effect by a mirage of baseless opinion; but it is ever the trial of the scrupulous explorer to be saluted with the impatient scorn of chatterers who attempt only the smallest achievements, being indeed equipped for no other. And it were well if all such could be admonished to discriminate judgments of which the true subject matter lies entirely beyond their reach, from those of which the elements may be compassed by a narrow and superficial survey.” Pg. 189.
“The works, in this case, are too simplistic to analyze. The have no real importance to my life and are better to not even be thought of again.”
Will Ladislaw: high strung, civil, sharp, hestitatant, calm.
“I suspected you of knowing so much, that you knew how to say just what was most cutting. You said—I dare say you don’t remember it as I do—that the relation of my sketch to nature was quite hidden from you. At least, you implied that.” Pg. 193.
“How could you forget that memory we shared, it stands out so vividly in my mind.”
In Eliot’s opinion (found in On Realism), what are some of the author’s most important responsibilities when designing characters for fiction? Do you think she “practices what she preaches” in Middlemarch? Why or why not?
I think the author’s most important responsibilities when designing the characters for fiction is to create characters that seem realistic enough to be emotionally tied to them while reading but at the same time dramatized as to not bore the reader. The characters in this story portray real emotions, actions, and consequences we see in movies, books, and life in general. The characters are believable and the author does a great job at representing how you have the power to change or influence your future. I do believe she practices what she preaches because I think she believes in the motto “what comes around goes around.” The characters are really personal and we get to know them really well by their actions and emotions.
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