WHY THIS BOOK?

I chose "The Choice" by Nicholas sparks because I am a sucker for sapy romantics. Not only this but when reading this book, I think it's neat to see how the attraction between two so in love people can change in an instant. I find it fascinating that you can love someone and be apart for years and reunite with those same feelings. I like to observe, in this book you can see how different situations affect your decisions in the future and how this made the main characters grow.

Vocabulary #2

Accouterments: personal clothing or accessories of a soldier
"Each soldiers accounted memos were kept in personalized bags."

Apogee: the highest or most distant point, climax
"In the novel, The Notebook, the apogee is reached when Ali and Noah finally rekindle."

Apropos: at the right time, to the purpose
"Suddenly my quote seems apropos."

Bicker: to engage in a petulant argument
"Married couples tend to bicker more as the years go by."

Coalesce: to unite or come together as one community
"What we now know as the 'Amber Alert', causes a coalesce through out the community"

Contretemps: an inconvenient occurrence
"In most cases first dates attract contretemps that embarrass one of the two people."

Convolution: a rolled up or coiled condition
"A chance cannot be fulfilled in a convoluted mind state."

Dogmatic: to select or pick
"It was hard for the couple to cull what was best in their situation."

Disparate: distinct in kind or essentially different
"Different minds produce disparate ideas."

Dogmatic: asserting opinions in an arrogant manner
"Many civilians are dogmatic when it comes to our presidential election."

Licentious: unrestrained by law, lawless
"There are many who believe in a licentious country."

Mete: to distribute by measure
"When serving a snack in a classroom, you must mete the snack evenly."

Noxious: injurious to health or physical well being
"Fast food is noxious to our human bodies and can cause many diseases."

Polemic: a controversial argument between people
"In a courtroom, there are polemic opinion as to who is guilty for the crime committed."

Populous: heavily populated or inhibited
" the United States is the largest populous country around the world."

Probity: Uprightness or honesty
"Between friends there must be a probity level so each trust each other."

Repartee: a quick witty reply
"In awkward situations, there is always one person who make a repartee to lighten the mood."

Supervene: to take place or occur as something additional
" in many novels, there is always a supervene problem that takes place during the climax."

Truncate: to shorten by cutting off, cut short
"In arguments between child and parents, the child often tried to shorten the argument by being trim can't toward their parents word."

Unimpeachable: having the ability to be above suspicion
"Some criminals are hard to track down due to their unimpeachable acts."

Beowulf Comprehension Questions

Beowulf Questions:

Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation:

• The way Shield became ruler of the Danes was unusual because he was an orphan. Although he came from rags, his funeral was one to be admired. It was on a ship at sea with his most loved companions and filled with treasures. Shield is Hrothgar's grandfather. 

Heorot is Attacked:

• The magnificent work that Hrothgar undertook was the construction of the spectacular mead hall, Herot. The monster Grendel attacked Herot, killing thirty warriors; unable to fend for themselves. The attacks lasted twelve years. The Danes did nothing and continued to suffer.

The Hero Comes to Heorot:

• When Beowulf hears of Hrothgar's problems with Grendel, he sails out with 14 of his bravest warriors to Herot.

• When the Geats arrive in Denmark they first meet a Danish watcher. The watchman asks what business they have in this specific area. Beowulf explains their intentions are not to harm the Danes, but to bring peace by slaying Grendel.

• The name of Hrothgar's herald is Wulgar, a messenger. He asks the Geats their business, impressed with their appearances and manners, relays the message to Hrothgar who realizes he had known Beowulf prior to this meeting. I am not surprised Hrothgar knew Beowulf so well because he was well-known across many people for his bravery and nobility.

• When Beowulf enters, he tells Hrothgar that he is ready to fight and kill Grendel to protect the kingdom. Hrothgar settled the dispute Beowulf started with the Wulfing’s by paying with old treasure.

Feast at Heorot:

• Unferth accuses Beowulf of being too proud, and that Beowulf cannot handle battling against Grendel. Beowulf replied back by describing his perspective of the story Unferth told. He also told about how he killed the sea beast that pulled him down to the bottom of the sea. This episode is relevant to the poem as a whole because the whole poem is about Beowulf battling in different situations. Beowulf accuse Unferth of not participating in any battle.

• During the feast, Queen Wealhtheow attended to everyone in the banquet hall and welcomed the Geats.

The Fight with Grendel:

• Beowulf prepares for his fight with Grendel by disarming himself which is different because heroes are usually described to have prepared themselves to fight by arming themselves.

• When Grendel enters Heorot, Beowulf watches Grendel attack the vulnerable. Beowulf fights Grendel by gripping Grendel’s hand first. When Grendel tries to leave, Beowulf’s men tried to slash Grendel with their swords, but their swords didn’t do much. Grendel escapes to his lair, critically wounded. He left his shoulder and arm behind.

Lesther Villanueva (http://lvalenzuelarhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/) 

Celebration at Heorot:

• Like Sigemund Beowulf experiences a very strong sense of valor and love of the kill and war, yet he lack the wisdom to be a general or command because he doesn’t take the time to think a plan out

• Hrothgar responds with joy, gratitude, and generosity. He says that Beowulf is like a son to him and gives him treasure. Unferth was proven wrong in his attempts to discredit Beowulf.

• The story is about a Danes battle against Finn, who was the king of the Frisians. The poem is quite confusing, but basically it was based on the battle of Finnsburgh, which was an absolute bloodbath between the Frisians and the Danes. The battle came to an end when Hnaef, the Danish leader, was killed during battle. The Danes called a truce and promised to live with them separately but they would follow the same rules of equality in order in sure peace among the people. Now, the Danish princess named Hildeburh married Finn, but she was still depressed due to the death of her brother, Hnaef, and her son.  After months of hardship, the Danes revolt against the Frisians and kill Finn while his wife, Hildeburh, goes back to Denmark. The wisdom of using a bride as a way to heal enmity between tribes was to show that they were connected and must keep peace within their society. There are thousands of books, poems, and movies that show arranged marriages in order to restore peace or to connect with the other culture. Family shouldn’t attack family. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t, but they may be less inclined to attack and more inclined to make amends.  

• When the feasting resumes, Wealhtheow asks Hrothgar to not give Beowulf the throne.

Maddie Klusendorf (http://mklusendorfrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/) 

• Beowulf later gives the golden torque to Hygelac, in which he wears it on his death. Wealhtheow asked Beowulf to act as a friend to Hrethric and Hrothmund (Wealhtheow's daughters), to offer them protection from the darkness, to be a guidance, and to treat them kindly.

• So many men remained in the beer hall to sleep because the other sleeping halls were full. The men who slept in the beer hall made a mistake because Grendel's mother descended on Heorot to seek vengeance for her son’s death where Grendel's arm was located on the wall of Heorot and Aeschere (Hrothgar’s trusted adviser) was captured by her.

Another Attack:

• Grendel's mother came to Heorot to seek vengeance for her son's death. Grendel's reason to come to Heorot wasn't the same as his mother's reason because he only wanted to cause destruction. 

• Hrothgar's response to Grendel's mother killing Aeschere (Hrothgar’s trusted adviser) is for Beowulf to seek out and kill Grendel’s mother.

• The mere is a magical swampy wood  lake in which it seems endlessly deep and it is where Grendel's mother lair is located at

Beowulf fights with Grendel’s mother:

• Beowulf tells Hrothgar to respond by taking care of the Geats and returning his property to Hygelac if he dies in the battle to kill Grendel's mother

• Before Beowulf can get to the mere he and his men find the many bloodied and dead men that were killed by Grendel and his mother, including the head of Aeschere. His men and Beowulf must fight off reptiles and sea dragons that live in the mere’s water. Also he gives a speech and names Hrothgar is successor should he die, and says that Hrothgar must take all the riches to Hygelac.

• Beowulf prepares for the battle by putting on his chain mail and metal helmet and took Unferth’s sword for Hrunting.

• When Beowulf enters the lake it takes him a long time to find the Grendel cave, but the Grendel mom knew that he was in the lake and tried to attack him. However the chain mail held and the Grendel mom was thwarted, so she just pulled his body into the cave. When Beowulf gets to the cave he is attacked by sea monsters. (Some more.) What was curious about the cave is that there was no water in it, and a fire going. That makes sense….

• The sword Beowulf borrowed proves useless and the steel doesn’t pierce Grendel’s mother at all. The magical sword’s spell in broken.

• Beowulf’s “net-of-chain” or chain mail saved him from dying because it deflected Grendel’s knife. And then he notices a pile of swords and stuff in the cave and pops up and grabs and sword to fight with.

• Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother by cutting her throat with the sword of Eotens. Her blood melts the sword, so only the hilt is left. Beowulf takes Grendel’s head with him from her house.

• All of his men are gone because they didn’t believe he could kill Grendel’s mother.

Further celebration at Heorot:

• The hilt of the sword and Grendel’s head.

• Hrothgar tells Beowulf a story about a horrible king names Heremod who was banished, exiled, and eventually killed. Hrothgar tells this story to teach Beowulf not to be a bad king too.

• His sword, Hrunting.

Beowulf Returns Home:

• Hrothgar predicts Beowulf will rule his people with a bloody fist. Very forcefully that is. But also he insinuates he has earned it and Hrothgar supports him fully.

• Queen Hygd was the opposite of Modthryth. While Modthryth was a violent queen, Hygd was virtuous and kind to her people.

• Beowulf plans to marry out his daughter to a conflicting neighbor as it were to create a temporary peace at least. He expects it to be settled until prosperity can be re-established, then fighting will break out. This shows Beowulf to be a cunning and almost pessimistic leader despite his inhuman strength.

• Beowulf played off the fact he killed Grendel as if it were nothing, He reports accurately, but diplomatically enough not to seem like he was boasting of his feats.

• To appease old tradition, He gave the treasure to his leader, and in return, Hygelac gave Beowulf his "boar standard, a suit of armor, and a sword belonging to Hrothgar's brother." My personal interpretation of this is Hygelac gave Beowulf his deepest honor and loyalty.

The Dragon Wakes:

• Heardred and Hygelac both fell in the 50 years after Beowulf's conference with Hrothgar.

• The Dragon was angry that his pillaged treasure was re-pillaged by a tribe. The lone man stealing the cup to make amends with his lord led the tribe to the barrow where an ancient tribe held their considerable wealth. 

• In the first day, the dragon killed and burnt down the countryside of the Geats.

• Beowulf heard of the burnt countryside and ordered a new iron shield to be made to withstand the flames, he believes he will fight the dragon the same way he fought Grendel, but his age gave him weakness and will die.

• Hygelac died from neighboring tribe invasions, Beowulf seeks revenge on them, but declines the honor of ruling his people. When he is home he finds out how the dragon got angry and sought to find him.

• Heardred was killed by the dragon (?) and Beowulf sought revenge by blood by killing the dragon.

• Thirteen men, including one who knew the whereabouts of the barrow, accompanied him.

• Heardred gets killed by the Swedish king's men over a century old feud. As retaliation, Beowulf kills Onela, a Swedish noble responsible for his death. SO MUCH DEATH. Beowulf killed everyone who killed his kinsman. The Swedes and the Geats were in a state of feud after the kill-fest.

 Beowulf Attacks the Dragon:

• Beowulf tells his companions to wait on top of the dragon’s den, and observe the battle instead of fighting in it.

• On his first battle with the dragon, Beowulf just counters the dragon’s attacks, until Beowulf strikes the dragon, barely wounding the dragon while the dragon burns Beowulf.  All of his companions flee to a nearby forest, but one, which is his kinsman Wiglaf.  Wiglaf tells of how Beowulf helped his family as Wiglaf grew up.  Wiglaf goes down to help Beowulf, by means of encouragement and help in the battle.

• The second time Beowulf meets the dragon, Beowulf’s sword fails again, and the dragon attacks twice, the second time, fatally biting Beowulf.  Wiglaf kills the dragon with the rage left from the attack on his king.

• Beowulf asks Wiglaf to bring him the dragon’s treasure.  When Beowulf sees the gold, He thanks God for letting him die rich, and tells Wiglaf to be king.  Beowulf wants to be buried in a tall tower so that he can be remembered by everybody who sees “Beowulf’s Tower.”

Beowulf's Funeral:

• When the companions return, they see Wiglaf trying to revive Beowulf.  Wiglaf scolds the company for not standing by the great Beowulf in his last battle, and he predicts that the Geats will be terrorized by rival clans once again.

• The messenger tells the city of Beowulf’s death, and begins to predict things that will happen due to the death of their king.  Overnight, Ongentheow’s army verbally terrorized the Geats, and the next morning, Hygelac returns with a Geat army.  Ongentheow killed a man named Wulf, whose brother, Eofor, ended up killing Ongentheow to avenge his brother’s death.  The messenger tells the Geats to put the gold on Beowulf’s funeral pyre as to melt with his burning body.  The final image of the messengers’ speech is the freshly slain dragon, from Beowulf’s last stand.

• Wiglaf tell the crowd that comes to see the dragon and Beowulf? Wiglaf tells the crowd that it is bad to sacrifice yourself on your own will, and warns that doing this will hurt many.

• The dragon is left alone, but its hoard is taken by the Geats to use in Beowulf’s funeral pyre.

• While Beowulf and all of the treasure from the burrow burn on the pyre, a woman sings a song about the fall of the Geats, and the Geats build a tower over Beowulf’s pyre over the next ten days.

• “Said he was kindest of kings under heaven,

Gentlest of men, most winning of manner,

Friendliest to folk-troops and fondest of honor.”

In these lines, the Geats talk of Beowulf’s kindness, friendliness and gentleness.  These are odd words to describe military heroes, at least by today’s standards, because today, military men are portrayed as manly men who do not show much emotion, just stoically save people

For this assignment, a group of us collaborated on Facebook from various periods. Jake Hoffman started the post and I thought it was an excellent idea because we could work and complete the assignment together. It was really helpful since I was able to see various people's different points of views, which allowed me to better understand Beowulf while I was reading it.

1987 AP Exam

1. a
2. e
3. b
4. e
5. d
6. d
7. b
8. d
9. a
10. e
11. d
12. b
13. e
14. c
15. e
16. c
17. a
18. d
19. b
20. d
21. d
22. c
23. c
24. a
25. d
26. b
27. e
28. c
29. b
30. e
31. d
32. e
_____

47. b
48. d
49. a
50. c
51. e
52. d
53. a
54. c
55. a
56. b
57. c
58. d
59. b
60. b
61. c

Notes: I didn't take the AP Exam the previous year. But this one was full of poetry. For me personally, i love poetry and seeing how the authors evaluate life or people around them. I found it a little difficult to understand these specific poems but over all it was easy to see what i did wrong once I re-read the stanzas.

MY OPINION ISN'T (A) RIGHT

Vocabulary #1

Adumbrate: an outline or sketch, or resemblance of something
Apotheosis: comparing someone as having a high rank of god
Ascetic: someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
Bauble: to mock verge carried by a jester
Beguile: influence by slyness
Burgeon: to grow of flourish
Complement: a word or phrase used to complete grammatical construction
Contumacious: stubbornly disobedient 
Curmudgeon: a person full of negative ideas
Didactic: instructive
Disingenuous:  not straight forward, giving false appearance
Exculpate: to pronounce not guilty
Faux Pas: a socially tactless act
Fulminate: to explode or detonate
Fustian: inflated language in writing or speaking
Hauteur: arrogance
Inhibit: to restrain or hinder
Jeremiad: literary work in which the author laminates the state of society
Opportunist: a person who will go through anything to be successful
Unconscionable:not in agreement with what is just or reasonable

Reflections on Week #1

#1 I don't believe there are any factors that will affect my participation or experience in this class. But if something were to ever come up i will be sure to let you know.

#2 Not relating to English specifically, one learning experience that really affected me was when i had to move here back to California from Kenosha, Wisconsin. It was hard to adapt to the area but it was nice to be around family again over all. It taught me to really appreciate what i have no matter how far the distance. It was tough the first few months staying with family members until we as a family ,meaning my two siblings and parents, were able to get back on our feet financially. I am so grateful for it now and appreciate everything much more. I may not show it all the time but i do. Actions speak louder than words. There are many people who don't know what its like to struggle as a family financially because in society, kids and teenagers are given everything but the saying does say "you don't know what you've got until its gone".

#3 I'm most excited to just see myself grow as a writer and speaker. I have such a fear of speaking in front of a class let alone a big group of people. I personally am excited to learn how to express myself in new ways with people and learn what other thoughts there are on similar subjects with others. I think it will change me as a person to be less close minded.

Austen/ Montaigne Essay

In my own opinion, both Montaigne and David Foster Wallace's works have more differences than similarities. Each exemplifies an outlook on topics but relate as somehow being portrayed in life. Though as Montaigne speaks his mind on topics like education, he also goes deep into "The Stream of Consciousness". As Montaigne says "now gently, now violently, according as the water is angry or calm... every day a new fancy, and our humors shift with the shifts in the whether". He looks at life as a new journey everyday. He describes it as being a river bank at a familiar location, you can leave and come back years later, but it will never be the same for the reason being that there are new waters flowing everyday. He also describes the habits of the mind relating to this topic. The outlook he has on society is as a people who aim for success and perfection have to balance that but also keep composure through it all and control certain emotions.

When it comes to David Fosters publishing's, he elaborates more on taking steps to becoming stable as a human. He describes individuals coming out and show others who you are. He refers to "key holes" as the gateway to every individuals mind of knowledge. Saying not that its impossible to expose yourself to the world but that its possible. There is a key and the "door can open, but not in the way you think". He causes you to think of possibilities on how to let your own stream of consciousness in a sense be exposed. You cant read another persons mind but you can know then by knowing they're memories and emotions and attitude toward the universal world. He believes we are all limited on time to express ourselves and causes you to question "who you think you are". Though both Montaigne and Foster's ideas contradict each other they are relevant on a stable level of opening the door to express knowledge and the stream of consciousness as being a real thing.

Comparing both writers to Jane Austen's novel, "Pride and Prejudice". There is a similarity in the tone of each passage. Jane Austen's writings are full of miss leading characters, betrayal, and scandal. Jane exhibits what the real human mind thinks in times of disappointment and curiosity. She shows readers how we cant read minds nor know what one another or thinking but shows how an individual deals with his or her stream of consciousness in silence.

Poetry #1

#1 Charles Bukowski is the author of this poem originally named "The Laughing Heart"

#2 This poem might be considered ironic for a reason such as this. Levis brand jeans is trying to promote a commercial that could be toward any audience, when if you look at it again its has every element to attract a teen. The message in the poem exemplifies to live your life the way you want to, referring to the brand of jeans.

#3 I strongly agree that this poem by Charles Bukowski reflects he, being the author. He was a man of an alcohol history due to a series of events such as the death of his first real love, Jane Cooney Baker. He wrote of dark feelings at some times but in this poem he speak about living your life because it is yours. You only live once and you shouldn't expect things to be perfect, but you shouldnt settle for anything less that makes YOU happy. It relates to him because he personally lives life the way he wanted to through alcohol and tells his audience to live life the way you want not by another persons rules or limits. Theres always light at the end of the tunnel.

#4 I looked up several biographies to find information on this poetry writer. I also looked over other poems by him as well on wiki. 

My Big Question

In school societies, students are judged not only based on the way they dress but who they speak to or hang out with inside and outside of school. With different crowds of people, some neglect certain crowds based on whats interests they have and whats on the outside on the outside when they have no clue as to who they really are. There is no harm in getting to know people who you would think to never speak to just because they're not in the "in crowd" or in your group of friends. My question is why as high school students do we judge others on hair, clothes, cars, religion, race, or reputation? It shouldn't matter what someone seems or looks like on the outside. For all we know that person could be hurting inside.

Poisonwood Bible Essay #1

In the novel "The Poisonwood Bible", Orleanna takes on a roll as a religious figure, wife, and loving mother. Though she does have her faults you see exactly how she grows as a women and mother within, finding herself again and figuring out that she does really have an opinion and a voice. Orleanna was always supportive of her husband being a Christian pastor and his wishes to expand the religion and save souls. He decides to go to Congo in South Africa to spread the word of god bringing his family along.

Not to far into the move, the family has trouble adapting to the new environment. As a unit now alienated from normal society they all must learn how to function as a family. Orleanna at this time has a mouth full to say but because her husband disregards her opinion, she just keeps quiet. Later on, her husband has this idea in his head that baptizing the Natives in the area will save souls. The Natives deny Nathan's idea as a result of the girl, whom was eaten by an alligator once before. Orleanna is frustrated with the idea and tells her husband to not be so vigorous against the Natives wishes to not be baptized. Though Nathan is becoming hard headed about the matter, Orleannas tension with not only her husband but the area, builds.

As time goes on, word gets out that Belgium intends to give the country their independence. Purges are said to be coming and cause a riot and destruction over the villages. Everyone goes into a panic for their own safety and an evacuation plane is placed for loading to take people out of the country. Rushing to get herself and her family on board, Orleanna is forbidden by her husband to get on the plane. She sits in her room for several weeks after this panic depressed leaving the family to fend for themselves. She reaches a point where she decides to get herself together and is transformed into brand new women. She begins to voice her voice in every situation that takes place from the death of her daughter Ruth May, to the "mysterious" snakes being left in homes to anyone who has relations with the family. Puzzling and both tragic, Orleanna puts a stop to it and makes an effort to take matters into her own hands. She decides to try to bribe a pilot to take her and her daughter home but he refuses. She then returns to her idea before making the attempt to smuggle her daughter’s out of Kilanga area to a safe zone and to get home. This was a big decision for her to make but it had to be done. 

Alienation was hard for Orleanna but it made her a stronger and fierce as a women. But in the end Orleanna goes on to live a life of guilt and weakness blaming herself for the events that occurred in her family. She begs for the forgiveness of her dead daughter, Ruth May. Narrated by the dead Ruth May, Orleanna is forgiven for her faults. In my opinion this story has an overall tone of how one can lose faith in all meaning of god and religion. It shows you how to conquer it. Orleanna and her family experienced what its like to have faith. And all in all you will be challenged trial by trial to see how strong your faith is.