Character Study (II+III)

  Colter drove over to Edmond's house to pick him up.  They would beheaded down to LAX to catch a flight to Costa Rica.  Colter had promised to teach Edmond to show him how to surf, and what better place to teach and learn than tropical central America?
   After a long drive discussing our adventure and frustrating security lines, Edmond and Colter were just minutes away from boarding their flight.  Several athletes seemed to be aboard this flight.  First, there was a tall, menacing looking fellow who had a red football jersey on.  He wore the number four and his last name was "cuatro."  Edmond and Colter discussed this and decided that it must be his name and his jersey, since they would remember any football player with that unique of a last name.  Across from him was an equally intimidating football player in a blue football jersey.  His jersey said "Torque" across the back.   The two seemed to know each other and were getting involved in a a staring match.  On Colter's right was a tall brown-eyed girl who, judging by her clothes and her luggage, must have been a volleyball player.  Colter couldn't help but notice her shift uncomfortably in her seat when another football player, started to flirt with her.  Colter was just about to intervene when suddenly "Torque" and "Cuatro" erupted into a full-fledged argument.
  "You got some real nerve showing up here like this." Torque said.
  Cautro coolly replied "And you, well I didn't know they let felons on international flights."
  The two kept bantering and the conversation nearly boiled over into a scuffle.  But then they were called to board their flight.  Incensed and indignant, the two went to their separate seats.
 "Wow, pretty intense." said Colter to the volleyball player who introduced herself as Maddie. She looked happy to talk to anyone other than the shady football player who persistently tried to talk to her.
  "No kidding. I just can't wait to get away from all these people and into my volleyball tournament in Costa Rica," said Maddie.
  Later on Colter discussed the situation with Edmond.  Edmond seemed to side with Cautro, who had maintained his composure better during the conflict.  Colter was put off by him though.  Sometimes, he felt, it is the composed ones that have the most to hide.  Either way, he was glad that he wasn't sitting next to either of them during the flight.

Canterbury Tales (I)

What stood out most to me when reading the Canterbury tales was the manner in which each character was described. Chaucer inserted ironies, some subtle, some not so subtle, into each of the character's descriptions. By naming the characters by their profession, Chaucer satirized popular stereotypes. Sometimes the characters physical appearance would contradict their names and other times their character would contradict one expected of their name. The character I want to know most about would be the Miller, just because the giggles I hear everytime it is brought up.

Character Study

Early in the morning, Colter woke up seconds before his alarm went off. He dressed slowly into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He put on a brand new pair of socks because he wanted it to be a good day, and its the little things that count. He goes downstairs and looks into the mirror to put in his contacts. He sees his tired, blue eyes and his messy, bleached blond hair. Years of morning practices have changed his appearance nearly as much as it has changed his character. With ten minutess left before he has to go, he eats a bowl of cereal for breakfast and gathers his stuff. He doesn't worry about forgetting anything, because, as his grandpa always said, you can travel anywhere in this world with just a toothbrush and a pair of board shorts.

Vocabulary #6

obsequious-obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
He was an obsequious follower
beatitude-supreme blessedness.
You have my beatitude.
bete noire-a person or thing that one particularly dislikes.
Nosy people are my bete noir.
bode-be an omen of a particular outcome.
The future does not bode well for the Lakers.
dank-disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold
The gym was dank with sweat.
ecumenical-promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian churches
He was studied and ecumenical.
fervid-promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian churches
She would always fervidly raise her hand.
fetid-smelling extremely unpleasant.
The rotting eggs were fetid.
gargantuan-enormous.
That project was gargantuan!
heyday-the period of a person's or thing's greatest success, popularity, or vigor.
Back in my heyday, I could throw a football two field lengths!
incubus-a cause of distress or anxiety
I lost a lot of sleep over that incubus of a test.
infrastructure-basic structure
The weak infrastructure caused the building to fall.
inveigle-the period of a person's or thing's greatest success, popularity, or vigor.
He inveigled the truth out of the victim.
kudos-the period of a person's or thing's greatest success, popularity, or vigor.
Marathon runners deserve kudos for their hard work.
lagniappe-something given as a bonus or extra gift.

Some people need incentives like lagniappes to work harder.

prolix- using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy.
His diatribe was uneffective and prolix.
protege-a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person.
My protege disappointed me.
prototype-a first, typical or preliminary model of something, esp. a machine, from which other forms are developed or copied.
The prototype comes before the updated version.
sycophant-a first, typical or preliminary model of something, esp. a machine, from which other forms are developed or copied.
He earned his promotion through being a sycophant.
tautology-the saying of the same thing twice in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style
This sentence demonstrates a tautology and a tautology is demonstrated in it.
truckle-submit or behave obsequiously
In stead of being stubborn, swallow your pride and truckle.
accolade-award
List your accolades on your resume.
acerbity-a sharp bitterness
His tone was full of acerbity.
attrition-the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure.
We worn down the East front through attrition.
bromide-a trite and unoriginal idea or remark, typically intended to soothe or placate
The bromide was well-intended but not well received.
chauvinist-a trite and unoriginal idea or remark, typically intended to soothe or placate
He was the stereotypical arrogant chauvinist.
chronic-persisting for a long time or constantly recurring.
I;m sick of you arriving chronically late!
expound-present and explain (a theory or idea) systematically and in detail
I don't understand, can you expound?
factionalism-The splitting of a group into factions; Conflict between factions
The cliques were all part of the factionalism present.
immaculate-spotless
Your room better be immaculate!
imprecation-a spoken curse
Refrain from making imprecations.
ineluctable-unable to be resisted or avoided; inescapable.
The blinding light was ineluctable.
mercurial-volatile
His temrerment was capricious and mercurial.
palliate-make (a disease or its symptoms) less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause.
Tylenol only palliates illness.
protocol-make (a disease or its symptoms) less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause.
He ignored protocol.
resplendent-attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous.
Her dress was resplendent.
stigmatize-describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval.
His name was stigmatized.
sub rosa-hdescribe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval.
My attack was sub rosa.
vainglory-inordinate pride in oneself or one's achievements; excessive vanity.
He was guilty of vainglory.
vestige- trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists.
The arrowhead is a vestige.
volition-the faculty or power of using one's will.
I made the decision without volition.

What a Character!

The most memorable fictional character I have encountered would have to be Holden Caulfield in The Catcher In the Rye by J.D. Salinger.  The reason that he is so memorable is because of his honesty and self-expression.  We see much of ourselves in Holden, making us cheer for him throughout the novel and also making us slow to pick up on his flaws.  By writing from his perspective, Salinger allows us to really sympathize with his character.  Salinger develops him through indirect characterization; the whole novel is basically told through his voice and his actions. His outlook and perspective throughout the novel are changing along with his mood, but at the end of the novel I would say he is still the same person and is a somewhat static character.

Declaration of Learning Independence

The desire to learn is an innate quality to every human being.  It is what sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom.  Early on certain kids get the sense that they have a knack for learning and others get the sense that they do not.  In reality, some kids are just more receptive to the common forms of education than others.  Each individual will succeed better in a learning environment suited to them.  For this reason, I am doing everything I can to gain admission to Princeton University.  This school is my reach school; I chose it because of its unique approach to learning.  It is a major research facility with the heart of a small liberal arts school.  To achieve this goal I have mentally compartmentalized it into a couple of key steps.  Currently I am in the process of fine-tuning my SAT skills.  Next on the agenda is writing a killer application essay.  Ever-present is my performance in my high school courses.   With this lofty goal, my hard work has purpose and my gumption is replenished.

Vocabulary #5

obsequious-obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
Be a leader- not an obsequious follower!
beatitude-supreme blessedness
His luck was part of his beatitude.
bete noire-a person or thing that one particularly dislikes
You know snakes are my bete nior!
bode-be an omen of a particular outcome
Your future will not bode well if you keep up with this apathetic attitude.
dank-disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold
The are was unpleasantly dank.
ecumenical-representing a number of different Christian churches
My religous beliefs are ecumenical.
fervid-intensely enthusiastic or passionate, esp. to an excessive degree
She loved him fervidly, but he could not match her enthusiasm.
fetid-smelling extremely unpleasant
The rotting lunch was fetid.
gargantuan-enormous
Your problems are not as gargantuan  as you think.
heyday-the period of a person's or thing's greatest success, popularity, or vigor
Make everyday your heyday!
incubus-a male demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women
The women was visited by an  seductive incubus.
infrastructure-the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise
The society crumbled due to its weak infrastructure.
inveigle-persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery
She could always inveigle information out of me.
kudos-praise and honor received for an achievement
If you can complete this you will have my kudos.
lagniappe-something given as a bonus or extra gift
Extra credit is a lagniappe.
prolix-(of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy
I prefer pithy speeches to prolix ones.
protege-a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person
My protege has much to learn.
prototype-a first, typical or preliminary model of something, esp. a machine, from which other forms are developed or copied.
This is just the prototype, not the finished product.
sycophant-a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage
He earned his grade by being a sycophant  towards his teacher.
tautology-the saying of the same thing twice in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style
His repetitive essay included numerous tautologies.
truckle-to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely
When dealing with a bellicose person, sometimes it is best to just swallow your pride and truckle.

Literary Analysis East of Eden

1.       The exposition of the novel is concerned with introducing the major characters and their background.  Steinbeck my change settings and leave characters behind for a couple of chapters, but they will always have an importance later in the story.  He start by describing Samuel Hamilton and his family living in Salinas.  Then he tells of the childhood of Adam and Charles Trask in the east, who acquires a large sum of money of enigmatic origins from the passing of their father.  He also describes the devious Cathy Ames, who feels no remorse and becomes leaches off of a married man who fell in love with her.  The stories intertwine when Cathy is badly beaten by the disillusioned man and winds up on the doorstep of Charles and Adam.  Charles distrusts her but Adam is enthralled and asks her to marry him after she recovers.  She agrees, secretly deciding she will use him to get back on her feet and move on with her plan.  Adam and Cathy agree to leave for California.  Before they leave, Cathy cheats on Adam with his brother.  We later find that Charles is the father of Adam’s twin sons, Cal and Aron.  In California Cathy gives birth to the twins, and then leaves as soon as she is recovered.  She shoots Adam in the shoulder and leaves the family forever.  She becomes a prostitute and gains the favor of her madam until she replaces her role.  Adam is devastated.  It is not until several months later after the prodding of Sam Hamilton and Adam’s servant Lee that he even names the boys.  Growing up, the twins are raised by Lee more than by their father. They are not told about their mother. Aaron is amiable well-received.  Cal is smarter but struggles in the shadow of his brother.  When they are about twelve, Adam steps back into the picture as a real father.  Cal wanders out at night and one night finds out who his real mother is. Aron falls in love with a girl named Abra.  They are happy until Aron starts studying to be a minister and becomes committed to perfection and celibacy. He ends up going to Stanford, his tuition paid by Cal who becomes working with Sam Hamilton’s son Will in business. When he is away studying he paints Abra into a perfect sinless person that she is not.  He comes back for Thanksgiving and is greeted by Cal and Adam.  At the reunion Adam voices his displeasure for Cal’s monetary earnings and says he earned them dishonestly.  Cal lashes out against his father’s preference of Aron and tells how his mother is a prostitute.  Aron is shattered and changes his life by joining the army.  Aron’s parents both cannot handle this.  Cathy commits suicide upon hearing of her son’s reaction to her and Adam goes into a stroke.  The story ends with Adam on his deathbed, finally offering his blessing to Cal.
2.      The theme of the novel is overcoming a predisposition to evil.  Inherited from his mother, Cal struggles with his darker qualities.  He even prays to be good and more like his brother.  His cognizance of his heritage first makes him despair that he is doomed to being evil.  But Lee vehemently tells him that he cannot put this on his inheritance and that he is ultimately the one responsible for his being good or bad.  In the end, he overcomes his predisposition and gains the blessing of his father for it.
3.  Steinbeck’s tone is both informative and entertaining.  This is what makes him such a great raconteur.  My favorite example is when he is describing Cal and Aron.  He notes that upon finding an ant hill, Aron would “lie on his stomach and watch the complications of ant life.”  Cal, on the other hand, would “kick it to pieces and watch as the frantic ants took care of their disaster.”   His tone is also open and perceptive.  He owns that his voice is not unimpeachable- he wonders “if it was true” what he said early about Cathy being a monster.  His casual informative tone is also demonstrated when he says “there is so much to tell about the Western country that it is hard to know where to start.”
4.  Steinbeck utilizes extended metaphor in the passage about anthills I mentioned earlier. (pg 545)  He also uses a long descriptive passage to start the story. (Ch 1)  Throughout the novel, he utilizes dialogue to develop the characters.  He uses an allusion to the story of Cain and Abel on page 300. The passage parallels fraternal relationships throughout the novel.  He also uses colloquial language throughout the novel.  An interesting technique he uses is contrasting Lee’s pidgin talk and his normal voice.  (Pg 261, Pg 185)  A couple times in the novel he uses first person, mentioning how a character is related to him.  He uses hyperboles like “she had a terrible eye which could blanch of the skin of a bad child as easily as an almond.” (pg 149)  Another technique used throughout the novel is switching character point of view.  By doing this, the novel comes together like pieces of a puzzle.  Steinbeck also personifies sins when describing Tom Hamilton’s story.  His sins take a human form and torture him into suicide. (pg 405)

Remembering 9/11

Please take a moment to remember the victims of 9/11 and click on this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3spSAvJkm8

Not only is this song a tribute to the victims of  9/11, but I think Sage really captured America's emotional response. He is one of the view who portray the event holistically; presenting not just the catastrophe but also the aftermath and the public's and government's reactions. 9/11 brought out some of the best and worst in Americans.  On the positive side, it united the country and brought a sense of patriotism.  ("The flag shop is out of stock.")  On the other hand, it resulted in racial profiling and xenophobia unparalleled since the Japanese interment camps after Pearl Harbor. When a country faces a tragedy, its true colors come out.  Please remember this day and strive to make America the country that unites, not crumbles, when faced with a tragedy.

All of the Above

Looking back to the 1987 AP test  I took at the beginning of the year, I am pretty happy with the results.  Knowing how difficult an AP test can be, I was glad to see I was on the right track and at least had an idea for most of my answers.  Not to mention I was barely out of my "summer mode" of thinking when I took that test.  That being said, I will by no means be satisfied if I can not do better than that by May when I am taking the test.  My biggest obstacle is the poetry.  The test seemed to be a larger portion of poetry than the one I took last year.  I struggled with the technical terms specific to poetry as well as plain comprehension and analysis of the authors ideas.  Hopefully with constant work throughout the year I will be ready to tackle those poems in May.

Vocabulary #4

accolade-an award or privilege granted as a special honor or as an acknowledgment of merit.
He recieved many accolades for his work in science.
acerbity-sharp and forthright
His acerbic tone ujpset his parents.
attrition-the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure
They broke our will in a persistent attrition.
bromide-a trite and unoriginal idea or remark, typically intended to soothe or placate
He tried to soothe the baby with the bromide "there, there."
chauvinist-a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism
Europeans resent the chauvinistic attitude they believe Americans have taken to.
chronic-persisting for a long time or constantly recurring
Your complaints are as annoying as they are chronic.
expound-present and explain (a theory or idea) systematically and in detail
The procedure was expounded so thoroughly we were sick of hearing it.
factionalism-A group of persons forming a cohesive, usually contentious minority within a larger group
It is important for our entire team to be unified and not have to deal with factionalism.
immaculate-perfectly clean, neat, or tidy
Your report was immaculate- flawless.
imprecation-a spoken curse
When frustrated, he'll throw imprecation aimed at no one in particular.
ineluctable-unable to be resisted or avoided; inescapable
His wrath was ineluctable.
mercurial- subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind
Thee bipolar schizophrenic was said to be mercurial.
palliate-make (a disease or its symptoms) less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause.
My reasoning internally palliated the parlous situation.
protocol-the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions.
He was rebuked for ignoring the protocol.
resplendent-attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous
She looked resplendent in her senior pictures.
stigmatize-describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval
Parents stigmatize drugs and alcohol the best they can.
sub rosa-happening or done in secret
Does it bother you that the government has so many sub rosa missions?
vainglory-inordinate pride in oneself or one's achievements; excessive vanity
Her vainglory put of a lot of suitors.
vestige-a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists
The arrowheads are vestiges of the Sioux.
volition-the faculty or power of using one's will
He had volition when he committed the crime.

Beowulf Essay

As one of the few characters survived through literature of the Nordic culture, Beowulf epitomizes our understanding of the values of the Nordics.  Through his character we can infer that they valued strength, courage, and valor.  Today, the modern hero has been humbled and brought down to a more human level.  For example, take Walt Kowalski from the film Gran Torino.  Played by Clint Eastwood, Walt is a brave decorated war hero.   But, from the perspective of his Hmong neighbors, he is a bigoted and bitter old man.  Walt’s character demonstrates the realism of our culture today while Beowulf’s feats demonstrate the deification of the heroes of the past.
Beowulf’s glory is initially revealed through long monologues about his feats.  While a reader today would find someone rambling about how they slayed sea monsters and other accomplishments to be boastful, in the historical context the author probably just meant to portray his glory.  Walt offers none of such monologues but provides caustic yet comical dialogue throughout the film.  His strengths and his flaws are exposed to the audience through his actions and his words.  In both stories the writer chooses to utilize indirect characterization.  Little is necessary for the author or other characters to reveal about either character that they have not revealed already themselves.  In that way, Beowulf and Walt are similar.  Both are honest and perhaps excessively blunt.  Beowulf shows no restraint in talking about his achievements and Walt shows no restraint in offering his opinions about the minorities of his neighborhood.
Beowulf’s perfection served as a model to strive for in Nordic society.  When presented with a parlous situation, a man of that time could remember Beowulf’s bravery.   Compared to fighting Grendel without weapons, his problems would seem minuscule.  Gran Torino elicits a different type of empathy from the audience.  Walt is dignified, but he is also very hateful.  At the end makes peace with his sins and his prejudices. He is portrayed honestly and as a human.  His change and his forgiveness offer hope for the audience.  If stubborn old Walt could change, why can’t they?  Walt serves a vessel of hope; Beowulf served as an inspiration.  These representations reflect the needs of their respective society.  Today people need hope to better themselves, in the past the Nordics were more concerned with courage for battle and survival.
A common goal of both characters is vengeance.  Nearly all of Beowulf’s battles are for vengeance.  His battles with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon were all battles of vengeance.  After hurting a comrade of Beowulf’s, you can expect him to come back at you tenfold.  Walt took a different approach.  To the surprise of all the other characters and the audience, he avenged his neighbor by making a restrained and passive sacrifice.  He deceived armed gunmen into firing at him with witnesses, thus ending their deleterious presence in the neighborhood.  The difference in violent and passive resistance demonstrates an evolution of thinking on vengeance.
Beowulf and Walt are both heroes exemplifying the values of their society.  Beowulf’s immaculate nobility is a testament to worth of strength and valor of that period.  Walt’s flawed character represents that of a modern hero; capable of being both revered and criticized.  While the two characters are vastly different, they both resemble significant traits to their society.

Will Study for Food

I plan on applying for the Elks scholarship. My brother received aid from them last year and I hope to do the same.  If I succeed at the county level I can move up to larger scholarships at the state and national level.  There is no certain amount that I need to attend college but I might take out a loan so every little bit counts.  I think a good reasonable goal for me to shoot for is between $5,000 and $10,000.  If I apply for several smaller scholarships and a couple larger ones, that just might do the trick.

Vocabulary #3

apostate-a person who forsakes his religion , cause, party
The preacher condemned the apostates.
effusive-expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner
I did my best to give my parents an effusive response when asked about my new shirt they bought me.
impasse-a situation in which no progress is possible, esp. because of disagreement; a deadlock
I only give up in math after working to an impasse.
euphoria- A feeling of great happiness or well-being
While surfing, the feeling I get is euphoria.
lugubrious-looking or sounding sad and dismal
Some days I just have to fight my lugubrious attitude.
bravado-Defiant or swaggering behavior
His bravado annoyed his friends.
consensus-general agreement
We talked until we reached consensus.
dichotomy-a division or contrast between two things that are opposed or entirely different
The writer was skilled at using potent dichotomies.
constrict-to make narrower
I felt constricted flying in the airplane.
Gothic-of, relating to, or resembling the Goths, their civilization, or their language
The Gothic mansion resembled those of an earlier time.
punctilio-a fine or petty point of conduct or procedure
Why argue over puntilios?
Metamorphosis-a transformation
He underwent a metamorphosis after high school.
raconteur-a person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way
My grandpa was an excellent raconteur.
sine qua non- An essential element or condition
Your attendance is sine qua non.
quixotic-exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical
His dreams were quioxitc.
vendetta-a blood feud in which the family of a murdered person seeks vengeance on the murderer or the murderer's family
The Capulets had a vendetta with the Montagues.
non sequitur-an inference that does not follow from the premises
Your argument is non sequitur.
mystique-An aura of heightened value, interest, or meaning surrounding something, arising from attitudes and beliefs that impute special power or mystery to it
The rabbits foot has a certain mystique.
quagmire-a soft boggy area of land that gives way underfoot
My feet got stuck in the quagmire.
parlous-full of danger or uncertainty; precarious
The situation seems hairy and parlous.

Why this Book?

For my literary analysis I chose East of Eden by John Steinbeck.  I've always enjoyed his books and I was curious about this one.  A couple weeks ago I found it in my garage and cracked it open.  I enjoyed the first couple chapters and read just a little bit every night.  Soon after that I find out that I need to choose an AP novel to read for my literary analysis.  Obviously I went with the book I had already started and enjoyed. So far it has been a good decision.  When I read Steinbeck, the pages turn themselves.