AP Reading Book

So after an intense long look at the huge list of all the books I had to choose from to read, I eventually chose to go with Atonement by Ian McEwan. I chose this book because I've heard of the movie (I know. I should never base a book off the movie) and it looked really good. I haven't gotten the chance to see the movie yet, so I thought it would be a great idea to read the book first and see what it's about and then watch the movie. That's always the right way to go. Also, I'm a sucker for a good love story. I know the cinemas probably made the whole story about romance, but the book has to have some sort of romance. The movie looks like it would be good, so why not read the book first to get the real story?

Beowulf Questions

(Prologue)

1.  It was unusual the way Shield came into power because, like most powerful kings or princes, he wasn’t born into a royal blood line or something like that. He was a forgotten child who eventually grew into a strong and powerful man. His funeral was very emotional. They people respected him and made a tribute to him by sending his body on a boat into the sea just as he floated into power. Shield was Hrothgar’s grandfather.

 

(Herot is attacked)

 

1. Hrothgar created a great land and kingdom which was visciously and drastically attacked by the trecherous and monsterous dragon Grendel. After the attacks started, Grendel terrorizes Herot and leaves fear in the minds and hearts of every citizen living in the village. The attacks lasted a whole year, but the Danes didn't know what to do. They even had council meetings but men were too scared to try and defeat Grendel.

 

(The Hero Comes to Herot)

 

1. When Beowulf hears of Grendel's attacks, he quickly demands a boat filled with him and the bravest men of the Geats to travel to Herot and slay the beast.

2. The men meet Hrothgar's leiutenant, also the watchman, when they arrive at Herot. He demands to know their family's history and why they are on the sands of Herot. Beowulf then explains who he is and why he has come to their village.

3. Hrothgar’s herald, Wulfgar, is known for being the wisest men in Herot. When he meets Beowulf and his gang, he’s impressed with him so he goes to Hrothgar and tells him about Beowulf. Hrothgar says that he remembers Beowulf as a little boy and recalls his own friendship with Beowulf’s father. I’m a little surprised that he remembers Beowulf for their villages are a long ways apart from each other and it can be easy to forget something that happened so long ago.

4. Beowulf meets with Hrothgar and tells his memories of his past with Hrothgar and his father. When Beowulf’s father Heatholoaf, a member of the Wulfing tribe, Hrothgar sent treasure to Beowulf’s father to praise him for his victory.

 

(Feast at Herot)

1. Unferth accuses Beowulf of losing a swimming match against Beca. Beowulf then accuses Unferth of drunkness and describes what really happened that day and told him the truth. He says that Unferth’s accusations show how idiotic he is when he says that Beowulf won’t be able to beat Grendel. This scene is a symbol of the poem as a whole by showing how confident and heroic Beowulf is.

2. Queen Wealhteow gives a toast to Beowulf and his men and praises them for their bravery and thanks them for helping her village.

(The Fight with Grendel)

 

1. Beowulf, cocky as he is, decides to lay down his weapons and fight the demon unarmed, the way that the demon will be fighting him.

2. Beowulf waits for Grendel to approach him, and then wrestles him. Grendel ends up getting away, but not without getting his arm ripped off.

 

(Celebration at Heorot)

 

1.When the Danes and Geats return from following Grendel's tracks to the mere, someone sings in Beowulf's presence, comparing him to Sigemund and saying that he was not like Heremod (lines 883-914). How is Beowulf like Sigemund? How is he not like Heremod? (Be alert for inserted stories such as this one. Beowulf contains many of them, most much more complex that this one.)

2. Hrothgar praises him and offers to make him an adopted son.

3.  In general, what happens is that the Finns and the Danes have enmity towards each other, and they battle. The Finnish king is married to a Danish woman, and kills her family. In the end, she ends up being able to be returned to her family once her husband has been killed.

4. She wants her children to be treated kindly after his death.

5. She asks him to be friends with her children.

6.They were drunk, so they probably just felt inclined to sleep there. It was a mistake because soon, Grendel’s mother would come upon the hall and they were not prepared for that.

 

BEOWULF AND GRENDEL'S MOTHER  

 

(Another Attack)

 

1. Grendel’s mother was grieving because Grendel died, and came back seeking revenge upon the first sleeping man she saw, and carried him away.

2.Hrothgar’s response was to be distraught because the person Grendel’s mother killed was his trusted adviser. He commissions Beowulf on another quest.

3. Mere is a dark, mysterious, magical swamp. No one knows how deep it is, and most natural beings seem to fear it.

 

(Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother)

 

1. Beowulf assures Hrothgar to trust him because he will not let Grendel’s mother escape this time.

2.  The counselor was decapitated before they could reach the mere.

3. Beowulf prepares this time by arming himself. Unferth lends him the sword named Hrunting, which legend says has never once failed in a battle.

4. Beowulf tells Hrothgar to take care of his people if he does not make it back. The demons live on the bottom of the swamp, which no one had reached before.

5.  It is unable to pierce her skin.

6. The armor he put on had protected him, and he was able to fend off what he could using Hrunting.

7. Beowulf gets a weapon that she had on her wall that was forged by giants. It was able to kill her. When she is killed, the room becomes lighter and Beowulf can see Grendel’s corpse. He brings up his head, as well as the handle of the sword he used to kill Grendel’s mother since the rest of it had melted.

8. Most of Beowulf’s men had not expected his return so they sulked back into the town. But when they saw he was alright, they praised him and celebrated even more.

 

(Further Celebration at Heorot)

 

1. He gives him the head of Grendel impaled on two spears.

 

(Beowulf Returns Home)

 

1. Hrothgar predicts a bright and good future for Beowulf full of success because of his fearlessness and honor.

2. Hygd is a brave and beautiful young queen. Modthryth was also a queen, but she was wicked and cruel.

3. He seems to think that this marriage will only further the war. This is definitely a more manipulative and political side to Beowulf than we’ve seen thus far.

4.He reports it accurately with an emphasis on how terrifying the monsters were and how great the spoils were, which says a lot about where his mind is when he is performing these feats.

5. Hygelac gives him some land to rule over, and eventually he becomes king.

 

BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON  

 

(The Dragon Wakes)

 

1. It takes place at least two decades later. Hygelac has died, and left Beowulf as king. Now, a dragon is plaguing the Geats.

2.The dragon is angry because a thief stole a goblet from the treasure trove the dragon was guarding. The treasure got there because an ancient race that was doomed to perish began to bury their treasures there, and the dragon found it.

3. Besides incinerating an entire country side, Beowulf’s throne room was also extra crispified.

4. Beowulf assumed he was receiving punishment from the gods. He orders a new, fire proof shield and plans on fighting the dragon alone.

5. There was a battle in which Hygelac died, but Beowulf was able to survive. Instead of becoming a king then and there, he acted as a protector to Hygd’s son. He then avenged Hygelac’s death.

6. He is killed in a battle with the Swedes. Beowulf then ascends to the throne and resolves conflict with the Swedes.

7. Beowulf takes 11 men to go fight the dragon.

8. There was a fight between two brothers in which one was accidentally killed, and this is what Beowulf relates to the war with the Swedes.

 

(Beowulf Attacks the Dragon)

 

2. When Beowulf fights the dragon, all of the 11 men leave him, much like they did when he fought Grendel’s mother. Wiglaf stays behind and fights beside him loyally.

3. The second time, Beowulf receives a fatal wound and Wiglaf ends up killing the dragon.

4. Beowulf wants to see the treasure before he dies. When he sees it, the thanks the gods. He wants to be made a barrow for which to be buried in.

 

(Beowulf's Funeral)

 

1. When Beowulfs companions return, they are ashamed because Beowulf has died. Wiglaf shames them, and expects foreign warlords to attack now that Beowulf is not around to protect them.

3. Wiglaf tells the crowd that the only way the hoard can be opened is by the will of god.

4.The dragon lies dead in the hoard, unable to be opened.

5. They burn the body, and put it on the hill for everyone to see. The death of their king is greatly mourned by the Geats.

6. They said he had the greediest spirit, and now he has been burned. This seems odd coming from a culture who revered him so much, but we all know how much the treasure and glory meant to him.

Vocabulary #3

1. accolade: any award, honor, or notice
"After winning the games, the girl was accoladed with showers of gifts."

2. acerbity: harshness or sourness with roughness
"His acerbity tone makes him not worth haning out with."

3. attrition: a decrease in numbers, size, or strength
"The attrition of the population frightened the mayor of the town for he didn't know why everyone was leaving."

4. bromide: a salt of hydrobromic acid or a compound containing bromine
"Potassium bromide is the chemical compound of potassium and bromine."

5. chauvinist: a person who is blindly and agressively patriotic; a person who believes one gender is superior to the other
"Soldiers can sometimes become chauvinists after being in war for so long."

6. chronic: constant or habitual
"My chronic back pain is so annoying and very painful."

7. expound: to state in detail or explain
"The professor expounded the lesson more clearly after the student told him they weren't understanding it."

8. factionalism: self-interested
"I'd say my sister practices factionalism on a daily basis."

9. immaculate: free from flaws, strain, or impurities
"The immaculate hero became the face of the kingdom for centuries."

10. imprecation: an act of cursing
"I make several imprecations every day when I get angry at something."

11. ineluctable: incapable of escaping
"The ineluctable trap was feared by all the animals in the woods for they knew they would never escape."

12. mercurial: changeable; eractic; animated; lively
"Cartoons are always easy entertainment for kids because they are so mercurial."

13. palliate: to relieve or lessen without cury; to conceal the gravity of an offense by using excuses
"The boy tried to palliate his reason for disobeying his parents' orders after they confronted him about what he had done."

14. protocol: the customs or regulaitons dealing with diplomatic formality or etiquette
"The CIA's protocol is very strict for a lot of people are not able to work for it."

15. resplendent: gleaming; shinging brilliantly
"The diamond was so resplendent the man had to buy it for his wife."

16. stigmatize: to mark with a stigma or brand; to set some mark of disgrace or infamy upon
"The troubled boy stigmatized the family's reputation."

17. sub rosa: secretly; privately; confidently
"To get away with robbery, you have to have a sub rosa approach to the theft attempt."

18. vainglory: excessive pride over one's own achievements
"The boy couldn't get over his own vainglory after scoring the winning touchdown at the championship game."

19. vestige: a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence
"The fossils were the last vestiges of dinosaur life."

20. volition: an act of willing, choosing, or resolving
"Did you get there through your own volition  or did someone else choose your path for you?"

Peer Edit AP Exam Essays

Question #1 Essay:


        As time passes and new generations are replaced by old ones, many culturistic things change, as they should or the idea of progression would never be an option. In the article by George Eliot, she confesses that from her time and generation, leisureness has changed drastically. She uses techniques like imagery to convey her viewpoint on how widely the generations have changed while pointing fingers at the now to admit we are in the wrong and we not leisure enough.
        As you read further into the article, you realize she's talking about what life was like for someone from her time. She uses the image of his everyday life to paint a picture of how easy it once was. This gives an insight into how she say her past while proving her view on leisureness. She uses words like "jolly" and "easy" to describe the time period.
        According to Eliot, there's a "new leisure", or the now, and an "old leisure", the one she knew. She expresses that everyone back then didn't rush or worry. How everyone was at ease. Never having to worry about what might have happened yesterday or what might happen today or tomorrow. She believes everyone was actually leisure. They got up in the morning, did their things they needed to do, and went to sleep at night. Everything was just easy. She talks about "old leisure" in a way to describe her time as almost beautiful. Yet she believes times have changed for the worst and there's no such thing as "leisure" any more.
        As she describes her "old leisure", Eliot points out how destructive our leisureness is now. She states we are all worrying. Life is a task for us. We aren't at rest anymore. Pretty much, leisure doesn't exist for us anymore.
        George Eliot tries to explain in her excerpt that basically times have changed since her generation. Her time used to be easy going, jolly, and leisure. Now it seems everyone is in a hurry or always worrying about where to go, how to get there, who will be there. Leisure for us is now longer an option. Her imagery, expressio  of "old leisure", and the sharp attitude towards today's population implies her view on leisureness and how  it has changed immensly since her time. And unnfortunately for us, it may never change.






Question #2 Essay:


        Many authors seem to modify their books' morals or attitudes' of characters to build the story. They do this in a way to either create conflict or rather bring people together. In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the author chooses a character who completely denies the traditions of her generation and also changes attitudes of other characters to bring them together. This then stirs the story and creates that thickening plot line readers crave and authors get praised for.
        Austen chooses her main character, Elizabeth, to completely disagree witht he idea of marriage for money instead of for love because this then creates immense conflict throughout the story between many different characters. Tradition back then was very specific and to have someone deny all beliefs of them is sure to make trouble for that character and those around him/her. During the time period of Austens' works, marriage for money was very common. This particular tradition was very significant because Austens' views of the matter came out through her books. You can tell in her work she deeply wanted the idea of marriage for only money to be changed.
        Austen's change of attitudes for both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy were a crucial part for the plot and the theme of the book. As they both first loathe each other, by the end of the book their attitdues towards one another change completely and they end up, ironically, getting married. This contrasts with the tradition of marriage for wealth as they didn't follow this tradition. Their mood changes were important to the book because it eventually brought them together. And still the author intended for all of this to happen.
        By using Elizabeth as a narrator in th book, we see how Austen expresses her views through Elizabeth. This then helps pursuade the reader to see, and eventually except, the changes of tradition and attitudes. Elizabeth's active mind and influencial tone helps draw the reader in. This eventually changes the audiences' views on the books' traditions and the charactes' attitudes.
        The book Pride and Prejudice can be seen to have many modifications of events as well as characters. The author, in this case Jane Austen, actually specifically makes these modifications to advocate the storyline/theme. Little do some readers know, these changes in traditions and characteristics of characters draw them in and get them to think and view these subjects as the author intends them to.


       

Socratic Seminar: The Right to Our Own Opinion

I think today's seminar went well but could have gone better. It was our first so I think I have to be a little more warming to how little discussion we really had. I did learn something about how I feel about this topic though: it's a duesy. Whenever someone makes a point that I like, I agree with them. Yet when another person makes the complete opposite point and rejects what the other is saying, I also agree with them as well.

It's true that we don't have the RIGHT to our opinions because we can be wrong and the facts are right. Yet stating something about yourself like, "I like purple", (mentioned today) is also a fact because it is right. It doesn't matter whether someone disagrees with you. It's not wrong is it?

I really can't make up my mind! But I think that's what this discussion and this specific topic is about: there's no agreement on the subject. Just like any other topic out there such as religion and politics.

A big chunk of the discussion today was about how we should give in to other's opinions because you may know they're right and it makes you stronger. But another person said to do the exact opposite and fight. The thing is(and I would have liked to say this) is that that's how the world is. Not all people are going to back down because they are wrong and end the conflict that easily. It would be nice if everyone did, but they don't! And you can't CAN'T change that! It's like those ditsy pageant girls prancing around screaming, "WORLD PEACE!". We all want it, but it's most likely not going to happen. I really wish I was more positive but it's the truth.

Reflections on Week 1

Only four days in and I already know what to expect of the class and of myself. I know, it's crazy. I definitely think that listening to Socractic Seminars and lectures will help further more with my participation level in this class. If I listen and understand the lectures and the seminars, I have more of my own opinions and thoughts and therefore I can share my thoughts and ideas on the matter more. I also think that blogging everyday, checking Dr. Preston's blog, and keeping in touch with my collegues via cell phone and Facebook will help me stay on track in the class and raise my participation level that much higher. I'm also aware that I have work everyday from 4 to 8 so I know I have to get to work right when I get home and finish everything or else I am going to have to come home late and having to stay up even later to finish all my homework.

The best learning experience probably would have been when I went with the Righetti choir on the college trip. We visited Fullerton, which is where I'm planning to attend, and we met their choir director. He was amazing helpful and such a great teacher that I walked away ftom the campus full of knew knowledge of singing that I never had had before. I knew I had to pay attention the minute he started talking to us because I thought to myself, "Wow. This is the real deal. This guy is going to lead me right to the next step in my life and I want to soak up as much knowledge he will give me now as possible!". It was truly an amazing experience and til this day I still remember everything he has taught me and I actually use his techniques and styles in my singing which have made it possible for me to progress and become better.

I'm excited the most about this class to actually learn. I know it sounds bad, but last year in English I didn't really learn anything new that I already didn't know. Everyday I went into the class brain dead not evening wanting to do anything because I thought the class was a waste of my time. But already I know this class is going to be extremely different. I'm looking forward to using technology to expand my knowledge of not only computers but English as well. No more paper all the time. No more writing and getting a cramp in my hand. Just my computer and I. And I love that! In the long run, using technology all year will defintely help me in the future because I will actually know what I'm doing. A few weeks ago, I had no idea how to create a blog or even where to start to create one. Now I have one up and going and hopefully I can use this to my advantage and create another blog or something like this in the future.

Essayus Interruptus

Usually given one whole complete period, I can complete an essays with 5-10 minutes to spare. Yet today, I ended up having to continue writing a few seconds over the bell. Because of the very well strategically planned schedule our school has cleverly thought up, my valueable time was rudely interrupted. (All sacasm speaking highly of our school if some didn't quite get that)

I would definitely have written one more whole paragraph if I had had time. Usually I stick to the typical 5 paragraph essays. Instead today I had to write only four. I loved this prompt today and I had a lot of different ideas. But unfortunately our school is, well.....yeah.

After I finished writing and I left the classroom I felt rushed and frustrated. Starting my day off like this is miserable. I pretty much got over the feeling by the end of next period because when I think of how my day is almost over anyways (I get out at 4th period), it made me in a much better mood.

When I started writing I knew exactly what I had in my mind and what I was going to write down. As I kept writing I couldn't stop like most of the times when I write. But when we were interrupted, it ruined my whole thought process and I completely forgot what I was trying to write. Getting back in the classroom it took me a while to start back up.

Although I knew this was a planned interruption I had knowledge of yesterday, it was still difficult to stay on track. I think the moral of this blog is simple: my school is brilliantly idiotic.

Assignment #1

I decided to take this course I guess mainly because I've taken all AP English classes for the past three years. It seemed like the most plausible reason to take this course. I selected AP English my freshman year to challenge myself and I also liked English very much. Three years later, I still have that same mentality going into this AP English Lit course as a senior. I loved taking Dr. Preston's class as a sophmore so I'm especially excited to take his class again yet in a different manner: I'm a senior and the class will be more challenging than sophmore year. I'm rather excited to use lots of technology in this class for I'm NOT great with technology and I might get better with it as this year progresses. Yet although I'm excited to learn more about technology, I'm extremely nervous about starting the process. I will most likely mess up more than a couple times and get extremely frustrated with it. I'm also nervous that I'm taking this class every morning at 7:30 AM. I mean, who wants to have their hardest class at the time when they're just barely waking up? Yet, I know it will be fun as well as challenging.

My goals for this course are to definitely become more comfortable with technology and walk away from this class feeling like I can do anything on the computer all by myself. I also want to get higher than a C in this class at the end of the year. I need a good grade in this class to go on my transcript so colleges can see what I can do in terms of challenging myself in these types of classes. I very much hope I can achieve these goals and I will do everything I can to do just that. By taking this class before, I know firsthand how much I think and how wide my knowledge expands. This year, it will most likely expand even further because of how my mind and my ways of thinking have changed and broadened. I expect this course to expand my knowledge and improve my ways of thinking drastically during this last year of high school and I am very prepared for this.