Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
1. A young boy by the name of Oliver, becomes an orphan after his mom dies. He gets shuffled around from place to place, getting exploited wherever possible. He end up getting in with the wrong crowd, a gang of petty thieves, and doing some things which he knows that he shouldn't. It ends on a positive note with Oliver finding happiness under the care of a law-abiding, wealthy family.
Charles Dicken's purpose is portrayed through the fact that he was a young boy in a very similar situation growing up, and Oliver was able to show people in the upper class that he and so many others in similar situations were suffering terribly.
2. The theme that clearly stands out to me is within all this corruptness there is a spec of purity that grows and is able grow stronger than the corruptness.
3. The author's tone is depressing yet optimistic.
“It is because I think so much of warm and sensitive hearts, that I would spare them from being wounded.”
“For the rest of his life, Oliver Twist remembers a single word of blessing spoken to him by another child because this word stood out so strikingly from the consistent discouragement around him.”
“It opens the lungs, washes the countenance, exercises the eyes, and softens down the temper, said Mr. Bumble. So cry away.”
4. foreshadowing: The truth about Oliver’s parentage is foreshadowed by the portrait in Mr. Brownlow’s house, by the locket that old Sally has stolen, and by Monks’s pursuit of Oliver.
major conflict: Although Oliver is fundamentally righteous, the social environment in which he is raised encourages thievery and prostitution. Oliver struggles to find his identity and rise above the abject conditions of the lower class.
rising action: Oliver is taken care of by a gang of London thieves, but refuses to participate in their thievery. An upper-class family takes him in, but the thieves and a mysterious character, Monks, continue to pursue him.
climax: This is when Nancy is murdered for disclosing Monks’s plans to Oliver’s guardians and Mr. Brownlow gets the full story of Oliver’s origins from Monks.
falling action: Fagin is executed and Sikes dies; Oliver and his new family live out their days in happiness.
setting: the english countryside
protagonist: Oliver
symbols: the character's names definitely, and Bull's-eye
metaphor: the London Bridge representing the division among social classes.
Character Indirect: the response other characters have to Oliver's appearance when the author describes what he looks like.
Direct: when the author is discussing how the Artful Dodger is a young thief.
To show both how the author directly describes the character and show the reactions of the other characters in response to one's actions which does leave an impression for the reader by giving them a better visual.
2. When one of the characters from the upper class of the time is speaking you can see a more proper sophisticated use of syntax and diction, whereas when someone like Oliver is speaking the syntax and diction is the complete opposite and sounds very uneducated.
3. Oliver is a dynamic and round character because he starts off as an innocent push over kind of character, but then learns to fight for himself and rise above his situation.
4. Oh I definitely felt like I had personally been right alongside Oliver in his journey and it literally started from when he first said "please sir, may I have some more?" I automatically have this visual of this frail little boy dying to get something else in his empty stomach, but feeling bad fro him because he picked the shortest straw and was forced to ask this question. I really just wanted to give the little boy a hug!
Friday, October 25, 2013
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Vocab #8
1. Abase: (v) to lower; to put or bring down; degrade
2. Abdicate: (v) to give up a throne, right, power, claim, or responsibility
3. Abomination: (n) anything greatly disliked; detestation
4. Brusque: (adj) abrupt in manner; rough
5. Saboteur: (n) a person who commits or practices sabotage
6. Debauchery: (n) excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures; intemperance
7. Proliferate: (v) to increase in number or spread rapidly and often excessively
8. Anachronism: (n) someone or something that is not in it's correct historical or chronological time
9. Nomenclature: (n) a set or system of names or terms by an individual or community; the names or terms comprising a set or system
10. Expurgate: (v) to purge or cleanse of moral offensiveness; to amend by removing words deemed offensive
11. Bellicose: (adj) inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious
12. Gauche: (adj) lacking social grace; awkward; crude; tactless
13. Rapacious: (adj) inordinately greedy; predatory; extortionate
14. Paradox: (n) a self-contradictory and false proposition
15. Conundrum: (n) anything that puzzles; a riddle whose answer involves a pun or play on words
16. Anomaly: (n) someone or something that is abnormal or does not fit in; peculiarity; abnormality; exception
17. Ephemeral: (adj) lasting a short time; short-lived
18. Rancorous: (adj) full of or showing rancor (hatred)
19. Churlish: (adj) boorish; rude; mean
20. Precipitous: (adj) extremely steep
2. Abdicate: (v) to give up a throne, right, power, claim, or responsibility
3. Abomination: (n) anything greatly disliked; detestation
4. Brusque: (adj) abrupt in manner; rough
5. Saboteur: (n) a person who commits or practices sabotage
6. Debauchery: (n) excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures; intemperance
7. Proliferate: (v) to increase in number or spread rapidly and often excessively
8. Anachronism: (n) someone or something that is not in it's correct historical or chronological time
9. Nomenclature: (n) a set or system of names or terms by an individual or community; the names or terms comprising a set or system
10. Expurgate: (v) to purge or cleanse of moral offensiveness; to amend by removing words deemed offensive
11. Bellicose: (adj) inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious
12. Gauche: (adj) lacking social grace; awkward; crude; tactless
13. Rapacious: (adj) inordinately greedy; predatory; extortionate
14. Paradox: (n) a self-contradictory and false proposition
15. Conundrum: (n) anything that puzzles; a riddle whose answer involves a pun or play on words
16. Anomaly: (n) someone or something that is abnormal or does not fit in; peculiarity; abnormality; exception
17. Ephemeral: (adj) lasting a short time; short-lived
18. Rancorous: (adj) full of or showing rancor (hatred)
19. Churlish: (adj) boorish; rude; mean
20. Precipitous: (adj) extremely steep
Saturday, October 12, 2013
DEAR OPHELIA
Well Ophelia, this definitely puts you in a very tough decision, but you have to go with what your heart truly feels is right. If you feel that this prince truly does love you and you truly love him, then I say your life is your life, and sit your father and brother down and explain to them in the calmest way possible that this is what you have chosen to do, and that this is your life to live, not theirs, and that this is what really makes you happy, whether you support me in my decision or not, this is what I have decided and it is final.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
LITERARY FICTION AND EMPATHY
Okay so after reading this article I'm amazed at how much impact literature and what kind of literature you read has on a person's life and how much it affects them socially. Wendland talks about the better understanding people can have for one another when reading about someone's life verses reading fiction all the time, which doesn't give the reader much of a grasp on making an emotional connection through that literature and the real world.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
GREEN EGGS AND HAMLET
a) I don't know too much about Hamlet, I know that "The Lion King" is supposed to be based from Hamlet. I feel like I should know more considering I've grown up in performing arts, but I'm excited to start Hamlet.
b) What I know about Shakespeare is that he considered one of the greatest play writers of all time, and I have read two of his works, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar. Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorite plays believe it or not.
c) I think the frown upon students when hearing the name Shakespeare comes from the fact that his work is known for being tough and hard to comprehend due to the very old language used. And lets face it when kids here they have to read a classic, especially one this famous and this old, they want to jump out their seats and get as far away from it as possible because they have no appreciation for this kind of work.
d) To make studying this play an amazing experience I think that we should to some sort of acting scenes out as a group and maybe even have to dress up as the characters or something. And we should definitely form a group and go see it when it runs at PCPA this year!
b) What I know about Shakespeare is that he considered one of the greatest play writers of all time, and I have read two of his works, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar. Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorite plays believe it or not.
c) I think the frown upon students when hearing the name Shakespeare comes from the fact that his work is known for being tough and hard to comprehend due to the very old language used. And lets face it when kids here they have to read a classic, especially one this famous and this old, they want to jump out their seats and get as far away from it as possible because they have no appreciation for this kind of work.
d) To make studying this play an amazing experience I think that we should to some sort of acting scenes out as a group and maybe even have to dress up as the characters or something. And we should definitely form a group and go see it when it runs at PCPA this year!
VOCAB #7
Everyone stood there shocked as the black car drove away at such an alarming speed, that the rocks on the floor started to RICHOCHET off the building. Si
nce Haley was a jokester the group began to wonder if this could be just another one of her SHENANIGANS. This prank, however, would have involved a PLETH
ORA of planning so they came to a conclusion that Haley had been kidnapped. Micaela suggested that the group split up in search for Haley, but this sugge
stion formed a SCHISM as not everyone thought it was a good idea. If they split up, someone else might get kidnapped and everyone wanted to ESCHEW anymor
e kidnappings from occurring. Everyone was really nervous but no one was speaking which made an un-GARRULOUS car ride for a few minutes. No one was EBULL
IENT because of what had just occurred. Caroline began to HARANGUE Micaela because Caroline never thought it was a good idea for Haley
to stay out by th
e car unattended. Everyone was INTERDEPENDENCE on one another in search for Haley. It was such a CAPRICIOUS trip no one was sure of what was to come of i
t. Everyone began to become LOQUACIOUS because they were beginning to panic which was not EPHEMERAL. As the day started to go on we didn't even care that
our vacation was INCHOATE. We then decided to JUXTAPOSE all of our belongings to see if there was anything we had that could help us get our friend back
. We knew that in order to get our friend back we had to exhibit PERSPICACIOUS judgment.
Haley's cry for help was no use... Haley was kidnapped and there was no one who could get her out of this. She could only hope for the slight chance that her friends might miraculously find her. She knew she had to tell her friends her secret, but would they think that it was a bunch of COLDSWALLOP? Haley couldn't stand the MUNGO that the men wrapped her in. She couldn't understand the SESQUIPEDALIAN words the men were using, but she knew it couldn't be good. All of a sudden Haley's head felt very WONKY, as she felt like she was going to pass out. She didn't know what was happening to her! She wondered why so many of the words the men were using were DIPHTHONGS?
nce Haley was a jokester the group began to wonder if this could be just another one of her SHENANIGANS. This prank, however, would have involved a PLETH
ORA of planning so they came to a conclusion that Haley had been kidnapped. Micaela suggested that the group split up in search for Haley, but this sugge
stion formed a SCHISM as not everyone thought it was a good idea. If they split up, someone else might get kidnapped and everyone wanted to ESCHEW anymor
e kidnappings from occurring. Everyone was really nervous but no one was speaking which made an un-GARRULOUS car ride for a few minutes. No one was EBULL
IENT because of what had just occurred. Caroline began to HARANGUE Micaela because Caroline never thought it was a good idea for Haley
to stay out by th
e car unattended. Everyone was INTERDEPENDENCE on one another in search for Haley. It was such a CAPRICIOUS trip no one was sure of what was to come of i
t. Everyone began to become LOQUACIOUS because they were beginning to panic which was not EPHEMERAL. As the day started to go on we didn't even care that
our vacation was INCHOATE. We then decided to JUXTAPOSE all of our belongings to see if there was anything we had that could help us get our friend back
. We knew that in order to get our friend back we had to exhibit PERSPICACIOUS judgment.
Haley's cry for help was no use... Haley was kidnapped and there was no one who could get her out of this. She could only hope for the slight chance that her friends might miraculously find her. She knew she had to tell her friends her secret, but would they think that it was a bunch of COLDSWALLOP? Haley couldn't stand the MUNGO that the men wrapped her in. She couldn't understand the SESQUIPEDALIAN words the men were using, but she knew it couldn't be good. All of a sudden Haley's head felt very WONKY, as she felt like she was going to pass out. She didn't know what was happening to her! She wondered why so many of the words the men were using were DIPHTHONGS?
WHAT I MEANT TO SAY WAS...
Well I'm going to be honest here... I blanked on that essay, I have no clue why I got so nervous, but yes I blanked big time... So here it is, my new thesis statement: Chaucer makes a connection to his audience by showing distinct relationships within social classes through irony and imagery.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
IF I JUST HAD MORE TIME
Okay if I had more time to study for that midterm man I would've studied so much more. Looking back I realize I studied but not well enough to where I could simply come up with a ton of words and their definitions off the top of my head... But now I know for next time I really need to put in a full 110% when it comes to studying and knowing these vocab words, I also think a lot of it had to do with the fact that last week was very stressful with all my classes, and I'm still learning how to balance out everything with having enough time for everything.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Literature Anal. #2
Of Mice and Men
1. Lennie and George travel to Soledad, California to work on a ranch, because Lennie who has some special needs, likes to touch anything soft and was accused of trying to rape a young woman when he touched her dress, and they were run out of town. George is the person that watches out for Lennie, and tries to keep him from getting himself into trouble. The two men want to save up to buy the land to start their own farm. They are so close to being able to buy the farm, when Lennie accidentally kills the farm owner's son Curley's wife by trying to stroke her hair. George knows that Curley has formed a mob to kill Lennie and doesn't want him to have to die a horrible death such as that, so George distracts Lennie by having him dream of the farm they are going to have with all the soft bunnies he wants, and then shoots Lennie in the back of the head.
2. The clearly distinct theme of this novel is the impossibility of the american dream. No matter how much Lennie and George try and make their dream become a reality, it can never seem to happen. There was always something standing in the way of that dream of theirs.
3. The author's tone could very well be described as laid-back even though this is a very serious novel.
4.
magery: Language that contains a lot of physical, aural, or other type of detailed description.
"On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains..."
Characterization: The way an author develops/reveals more about a character in a story.
"A little stocky man stood in the doorway. He wore blue jean trousers, a flannel shirt, a black, unbuttoned vest and a black coat. His thumbs were stuck in his belt, on each side of a square steel buckle. On his head he wore a soiled brown Stetson hat, and he wore high-heeled boots and spurs to prove he was not a labouring man."
Motif: An idea or concept that is repeated often in a book.
"Lay out some cards, why don't you? We ain't going to get no euchre played this way."
Foreshadowing: Hinting that something is about to happen by giving clues related to it.
"'Curley's pretty handy. He done quite a bit in the ring. He's a lightweight, and he's handy.'
'Well, let him be handy,' said George. 'He don't have to take after Lennie. Lennie didn't do nothing to him. What's he got against Lennie?'"
Suspense: A tool that is used in books to arouse expectation about what may happen next.
"George brought the cards together tightly and studied the backs of them. The silence was in the room again."
Round character: A character that undergoes change as the book progresses.
Examples: George, Curley's Wife, Candy.
Flat character: A character that undergoes very little or no change as the book progresses.
Examples: Whit, Lennie, Carlson.
Character foils: A set of two characters that contrast each other greatly so that their important features are more prominent.
Example: George and Lennie.
Symbolism: The act of using symbols to represent something else, such as an idea.
Example: Curley's wife wears red on several occasions, which symbolizes the "woman in red," or the woman that may bring about a character's downfall.
Dialogue: In a book, dialogue is where the characters are talking instead of the narrator.
Characterization
1. Indirect: When we are shown as readers how Curley is threatened by Lennie's size and we realize how insecure hw is about his size.
As the reader I get the assumption that Lennie isn't very bright by the way he speaks.
Direct: When the author describes Curley as a short mean, tough, man.
When the author describes Slim as having an inviting personality.
2. Well all of the characters use slang when they speak, but you can definitely tell who is smarter than another character. When the author is having George speak, even though he uses a lot of slang he still sounds like a smart person, whereas Lennie does even put his words in the right order they are supposed to come out in.
3. George is a dynamic character because of the crazy complex relationship he has with Lennie. George is considered a round character because of the many sides he displays of his personality, he can appear tough and mean at times, but he also shows a very compassionate caring side to him as well.
4. I really felt like I had gotten to know Lennie pretty well. I really understood his sweet, gentle personality even though he had some mental disabilities. I really felt like I could hear him talking when he was describing how all he wanted was soft bunnies for himself to pet on the farm he and George were going to buy.
1. Lennie and George travel to Soledad, California to work on a ranch, because Lennie who has some special needs, likes to touch anything soft and was accused of trying to rape a young woman when he touched her dress, and they were run out of town. George is the person that watches out for Lennie, and tries to keep him from getting himself into trouble. The two men want to save up to buy the land to start their own farm. They are so close to being able to buy the farm, when Lennie accidentally kills the farm owner's son Curley's wife by trying to stroke her hair. George knows that Curley has formed a mob to kill Lennie and doesn't want him to have to die a horrible death such as that, so George distracts Lennie by having him dream of the farm they are going to have with all the soft bunnies he wants, and then shoots Lennie in the back of the head.
2. The clearly distinct theme of this novel is the impossibility of the american dream. No matter how much Lennie and George try and make their dream become a reality, it can never seem to happen. There was always something standing in the way of that dream of theirs.
3. The author's tone could very well be described as laid-back even though this is a very serious novel.
4.
magery: Language that contains a lot of physical, aural, or other type of detailed description.
"On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains..."
Characterization: The way an author develops/reveals more about a character in a story.
"A little stocky man stood in the doorway. He wore blue jean trousers, a flannel shirt, a black, unbuttoned vest and a black coat. His thumbs were stuck in his belt, on each side of a square steel buckle. On his head he wore a soiled brown Stetson hat, and he wore high-heeled boots and spurs to prove he was not a labouring man."
Motif: An idea or concept that is repeated often in a book.
"Lay out some cards, why don't you? We ain't going to get no euchre played this way."
Foreshadowing: Hinting that something is about to happen by giving clues related to it.
"'Curley's pretty handy. He done quite a bit in the ring. He's a lightweight, and he's handy.'
'Well, let him be handy,' said George. 'He don't have to take after Lennie. Lennie didn't do nothing to him. What's he got against Lennie?'"
Suspense: A tool that is used in books to arouse expectation about what may happen next.
"George brought the cards together tightly and studied the backs of them. The silence was in the room again."
Round character: A character that undergoes change as the book progresses.
Examples: George, Curley's Wife, Candy.
Flat character: A character that undergoes very little or no change as the book progresses.
Examples: Whit, Lennie, Carlson.
Character foils: A set of two characters that contrast each other greatly so that their important features are more prominent.
Example: George and Lennie.
Symbolism: The act of using symbols to represent something else, such as an idea.
Example: Curley's wife wears red on several occasions, which symbolizes the "woman in red," or the woman that may bring about a character's downfall.
Dialogue: In a book, dialogue is where the characters are talking instead of the narrator.
Characterization
1. Indirect: When we are shown as readers how Curley is threatened by Lennie's size and we realize how insecure hw is about his size.
As the reader I get the assumption that Lennie isn't very bright by the way he speaks.
Direct: When the author describes Curley as a short mean, tough, man.
When the author describes Slim as having an inviting personality.
2. Well all of the characters use slang when they speak, but you can definitely tell who is smarter than another character. When the author is having George speak, even though he uses a lot of slang he still sounds like a smart person, whereas Lennie does even put his words in the right order they are supposed to come out in.
3. George is a dynamic character because of the crazy complex relationship he has with Lennie. George is considered a round character because of the many sides he displays of his personality, he can appear tough and mean at times, but he also shows a very compassionate caring side to him as well.
4. I really felt like I had gotten to know Lennie pretty well. I really understood his sweet, gentle personality even though he had some mental disabilities. I really felt like I could hear him talking when he was describing how all he wanted was soft bunnies for himself to pet on the farm he and George were going to buy.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
The Comparison Tale
I think that there is a strong comparison between our groups tale which was the Monk Tale, and the Lawyer's Tale. The lesson and theme in the Monk's Tale is to not sin and live your life making the right choices, where the Lawyer's Tale was all about Januarie gets married and his wife cheats on him, and he is completely unaware because he is blind but because of his loyalty the Gods give him his vision back, so the theme remains pretty much the same for this tale and is showed in how Januarie is given his vision back.
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