Literary Analysis #3

The Devil and Miss Prym

Paulo Coehlo

TOPICS AND EVENTS

1)      My book was about a man who throughout the novel was referred to as ‘the stranger’ due to the fact that he had given false information when he arrived at the hotel. He was characterized as the devil while he visited that small secluded village for a week that consisted of about 200 people. His goal was to discover if human beings were innately good or evil. These people were said to be kind-hearted good people, but looks can be deceiving. His proposal was simply to commit a murder in exchange for twelve gold bars that could change that entire villages’ future for years and years to come. As expected, at least for I, the town eventually chose a victim and referred to the process as a ‘ritual sacrifice’ for the sake of the village which is indeed all nonsense because no one can justify an innocent murder. Basically, he brought forth a challenge to these townspeople tempting them to fight with their god and evil dogs within them as the Native American man described in Dr. Preston’s journal topic today.

2)      My author chose to write about this specific topic because it is a universal theme that every human will encountered since both sides are powerful and even-weighted throughout society. I believe the author wanted to prove the point that all human beings are innately good and evil, but that evil usually wins the fight in the end due to lack of control. We fall into temptation easily with very little thought which is not right.

3)      I first chose the book because of the front cover. It looked very mysterious and interesting so I picked it up and decided to take a look at the back cover and read the overall plot. I decided I was going to read it the minute I saw it was about human beings being good and evil because that was a topic that had interested me much in the previous years that I never quite got into. Once I began reading, I could not stop because I could easily relate to the characters’ feelings and thoughts.

4)      The book was definitely realistic. I could relate to the temptation in exchange for wealth. The book is a mere example of something that has either occurred to all of us or will occur to all of us since all human beings possess the same emotions and for the most part think and act similarly.   

PEOPLE

1)      Yes, the author and the narrator both impose their own opinions based on personal observations which for the most part are both relevant and necessary for the content. The author chose to write about this particular book with this specific setting to prove that the most evil can be conducted in the places where we least expect it-a small remote village. His choices were perfect because we can compare them to our own lifestyles and settings. The tone of the author is quite suspenseful because during the entire book you are reading to see what is next anxious with curiosity. It tells us that deep down inside we truly all feel the same feelings but are too afraid to express them.

2)      Stranger- It is already curious and suspicious enough the fact that his real name is never once mentioned at all and that he would pay his hotel bills all with cash money instead of credit cards so technically we really knew nothing about this guy at all or who he could have been, yet the inhabitants of Viscos were completely clueless. The stranger is said to look friendly and maintains a strong physique. He had lost his wife and two lovely daughters’ to the guns of some armed terrorists for no reason whatsoever.

Chantal- She is the protagonist in the story and even though she does not want to take part of this so-called evil plan, she had really no other choice than to. She came to realize that most of the things the stranger filled her tiny little head with were true and she change almost instantly. She went from loving her village and townspeople to straight sending each and every one of them to hell and wanting to depart as soon as she had a chance. Her appearance was said to be an attractive young woman who was known to sleep around with the hotel visitor’s yet still maintained a good work ethic. She was an orphan since birth and had lived up until them a very lonely unsatisfactory life.

Berta- She was the innocent chosen victim from the village who did nothing but look out for the town and do the best she could to protect them. Although she was pretty useless in the village and could not really do much since she was incapable of doing so due to her incapability and elderliness, she was still a good woman who caused harm to absolutely no one. She was short and chubby. Her husband had passed away fifteen years ago and was lonely as well. Many townspeople believed she was a witch yet no one had ever witnessed a thing.

3)      The thing about these characters that makes them interesting enough to ride about is the fact that they all obtain such realistic characteristics as far as personalities and luck situations. We all have can relate to their misfortunes in a way maybe not as grave but enough to place ourselves in their shoes and truly feel how they felt and understand why they do the things they do. I find it ironic that all three of them were lonely. They could die the next day and no one would care because they had no one left in their lives.

CHARACTER

1)      Direct Characterization- An example would be when they physically describe each character, giving us their physical perspective. Another would be the times Chantal had to the courage to tell the stranger certain things she feared to tell him yet she still did because that tells us enough about her character to conclude that she is very brave regardless of the circumstances.

Indirect Characterization- An example would be when the final victim was chosen. They did not refer to them specifically but indirectly and that told us that almost all in that room were cowards for not having the guts to do so. Another example would be when Chantal decides to go with the stranger deep into the first knowing there could be trouble ahead but doing so anyways. By this action we can infer that she likes to take risks and lets us know that she does not have a boring personality.

Authors will always use both examples of characterization in order to allow the reader to make inferences and identify key facts about each and every one of the characters in the story.

2)      The author’s syntax and diction does not really change when speaking from character to character. He describes them all in depth and manages to portray them as equals not giving one more credit than the other.

3)      The protagonist holds a dynamic ground throughout the entire novel. Her personality and ideas changes multiple times throughout the course of the story which gives insight into her intellectual flexibility.

4)      After reading the book, I definitely did feel like I had gotten to know the protagonist as well as the antagonist extremely well. A quote from the antagonist went like this, “In the first place, you shouldn't believe in promises. The world is full of them: the promises of riches, of eternal salvation, of infinite love. Some people think they can promise anything, others accept whatever seems to guarantee better days ahead, as, I suspect is your case. Those who make promises they don't keep end up powerless and frustrated, and exactly the fate awaits those who believe promises.” I love this guy and I totally feel for him. The way he tells it like it is makes me aware of the fact that he is an honest man who has learned this lesson the hard way encountering many issues in life and making conclusions based on evidence.

STYLE

1)      There was no type of foreshadowing in the novel because the things that happened next I was not prepared for and were completely unexpected.  His style of writing was neither journalistic nor fictional just sort of all realistic, almost too realistic.

2)      The author is balanced when it comes to describing characters and locations as well as action and dialogue because everything was occurring simultaneously.

3)      The author utilizes suspense to create a tone. Never does he give it away so that it will be easy enough for the reader to make a prediction and that I liked because it made the book interesting.

4)      I felt like the author’s attitude toward the characters was a shameful one and disappointing one since they failed the test proving to be evil human beings which explored a route most people in society would take. He was sort of scorning them for it and tis is why he wrote this book but then again he was only there to explain the truth whether we liked or wanted to hear it or not.

5)       He utilized a very old-fashioned style location with social historical references to create the perfect aura to set the mood for the plot.

ENDURING MEMORY

            “When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not ready.” Oh my sweet Jesus. I can totally relate to this quote at this specific point in my life right now. I am experiencing a process that many my age refuse to accept and ignore for the most part and that is the transition from child to adult, although we may believe we have desired this all our lives, we obviously had no clue what it was life and want to remain as adolescents but we have no other choice than to accept the fact that we need to flee the nest, I just never thought it would be so difficult. “If you want to control someone, all you have to do is make them feel afraid.” I will always remember this for obvious reasons, well I am a very controlling person and have utilized this theory on others and I can tell you it works perfectly. “Ahab really understood human nature: it isn’t the desire to abide by the law that makes everyone behave as society requires, but the fear of punishment.” Until now I had not realized how important and how true this was, proving that human beings are innately evil. The novel concluded that as far as making good and evil decisions, it was all a matter of control, and choice. The main themes were fear, temptation and of course good and evil, explored perfectly in this novel. I would not know a better way of explaining such complex concepts. Overall the book was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone else who questions human behavior.

Fall Vocab #8!

1) Cursory (adj) -going rapidly over something, without noticing details

My English teacher has adapted to a cursory grading scale when he reads our essays.

2) Impetus (n) -a moving force; impulse; stimulus

Sometimes an impetus is what refrains people from putting an end to their lives.

3) Pinnacle (n) -the highest or culminating point as of success, power or fame

Being at the pinnacle of his reign, the king decided to tax all colonists given very little thought to it.

4) Contumely (n) -insulting display of contempt in words or actions; humiliating treatment

My parents have concluded that a contumely process is what has taught me a real lesson throughout the years.

5) Bereavement (n) -a period of mourning after a loss, especially after the death of a loved one

No one should use bereavement as an excuse to why they were not able to be successful. 

6) Cache (n) -a hiding place, especially one in the ground, for ammunition, food, treasures

My sister loves to create a series of cache's throughout the house to scare us.

7) Consummation (n) -to bring to a state of perfection; fulfill

Although she cried many tears, when she reached consummation it was finally all worth it. 

8) Calamity (n) -a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury

Hurricane Katrina was indeed a calamity that struck the nation.

9) Avarice (n) -insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth

Avarice is never an admirable quality yet experienced by many. 

10) Fortify (v) -to protect or strengthen against attack; surround or provide with defensive military works.

My father decided to build a metal fence around our house for fortification against intruders.

11) Erratic (adj) -deviating from the usual or proper course in conduct or opinion; eccentric

The students experienced an erratic sense throughout the entire day after finally making the decision to leave school.

12) Ubiquitous (adj) -existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time; omnipresent

A narrator is for the most part almost always ubiquitous.

13) Fortitude (n) -mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously

It has been scientifically proven that exercising releases chemicals that help build and increase fortitude within our bodies.

14) Nonchalant (adj) -coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited; casual 

Angelique managed to go throughout her day in a nonchalant fashion regardless of the fact that she was raging at Laura internally. 

15) Affect (v) -to act on; produce an effect or change in

The molasses spill in Hawaii affected the coral reefs.

16) Effect (n) -something that is produced by an agency or cause; result

The effect of sleeping in the classroom is caused by pulling all-nighters attempting to finish last minute work. 

17) Misappropriate (v) -to put to a wrong use.

The consequences for a misappropriate action will be unsatisfactory.

18) Pragmatic (agj) -of or pertaining to a practical point of view or practical considerations

The coarsely pragmatic debate left is with very little results.

19) Metacognition (n) -higher-order thinking that enables understanding, analysis, and control of one’s cognitive processes, especially when engaged in learning

The one thing that attracted me and my boyfriend to each other was our metacognition abilities.

20) Devoutly (adj) -devoted to divine worship or service; pious; religious

I seem to be quite devoutly on Sundays yet Monday I am back on my nonchalant attitude.

Activity #46-Generating Evidence to Support Claims

1) The speech written by Steve Jobs relate best to "The Value of Life" by encouraging us to overcome our obstacles regardless of the situations we are put in. He alerts us that even if someone may tell you that it is physically impossible for you to do something, miracles do exist and by maintaining an optimistic outlook on life, we can achieve greatness.

2) It is an example because he speaks of a certain occurrence in his lifetime and how it help mold him.

3) It can be a fact and it would be an experimental fact because let's say he was pessimistic throughout the entire time, he may have just ended his life then and there and would never have known what could have been achieved had he maintained a positive attitude.

4) It can be a opinion and a very credible one as far as spiritually and mentally but maybe not so credible when we speak in terms of physically however still often, incorrect or false judgement.

5) The evidence is persuasive because we all know sick patients that have experienced the worst of the worst and only make it through by keeping their chin up rather than if they were to fall and not get back up. It is realistic because it can happen to anyone even though we may never really expect it to or think about it.

6) The evidence is enough to leave the audience speechless because the example was so extraordinary.

Essay Prompt #2: Steve Jobs' Commencement Address

     Nobody wants to die, yet when we choose to live, are we truly living our lives to the fullest? Most likely not. Ninety percent of humans beings on the planet lay in their deathbeds wishing they could have accomplished more before their lives came to an end. We constantly hear motivational speakers here and there attempting to inspire us and liberate us from our mental prison and that "I can't" phase that most of us live in. Many actually take initiative and do not let these gifted speakers' words go in one ear and out the other, yet some need a little more individual guidance. In 2005, Steve Jobs delivered his famous commencement speech for the students of Standford University in which he acknowledges his faults and weaknesses and reminds the students that they must indeed continue to move forward when they have encountered an obstacle. Jobs argues that as a man of experience in the work field with various failed attempts, he has come to understand that the only way to succeed is to literally never give up. Well, some may not take this particular route and still manage to end up doing just fine while others will listen to his words of advice with an open heart and continue striving for what they have always believe in until they have made it to where they want to be.  
     This speech was amazing and truly inspiring. A quote by Robert H. Schuller reminds us that, "tough times don't last, but tough people do." Steve mentioned how the moment he began to live in fear due to his failures he immediately did what he could to change it. He obtained that personal drive within him to get him to where he marked his line for success. His speech reminds us that we are capable of achieving anything we set our minds to, no matter how big, no matter how small. He encourages us to believe in ourselves and achieve wonderful things because the world will always need us. He also mentioned that he had committed many mistakes yet, learned from each and every single one of them. This is extremely true. You cannot be old and wise if you have not been young and stupid. He not only claims that failures can be helpful and guide us into a new direction but even goes as far as to say that without committing these errors, we would not be better human beings than we were previously. Not only do achieving our dreams make us successful, but they also give us a sense of pride and make you feel great emotionally after accomplishing anything. The individual satisfaction that you achieved something awesome is priceless.  
     On the other hand, many people may find some faults in his speech and take offense to some of the key points. We can agree that motivation and determination is a great quality to possess, yet what if striving for this quality completely kills you? Physically and mentally? Lets say someone who is physically incapable of running a mile under six minutes due to any particular disease or internal birth defect decides to take on the challenge because they know that in this world they are capable of doing absolutely anything. Yet they physically cannot, but their goal has always been to run a six minute mile. This person will constantly work nonstop until he or she reaches their goal. A lot of mental and emotional strain may take a toll on this person and drain them out to the point where they may need to visit a hospital and suffer severe medical conditions. These mental and physical breakdowns can prevent them from living their lives to the fullest ever again. The particular way in which money was portrayed caught my attention. Money was associated far too much with power. These two things can become dangerous when placed together, yet in Jobs' speech he mentions he could have lost millions had he departed from the Apple company. This single example informs us of his priorities and the value he puts on life. He mentions he feels as though he would have failed if he had not returned to the company. Although many Americans may associated our currency as a form of success, we also have those who put an emphasis more on morals and values rather than a physical object which can be taken away from you at any given moment. 
     The speech can be interpreted in multiple ways, but we must always keep in mind that the point he is making is to never give up on your dreams from whatever reasons, and especially if someone tells you that you cannot do it, then you have no other choice but to prove them wrong. Jobs has changed many lives with that single speech. Had we never been exposed Steve Jobs' actual struggles before becoming Apple's CEO, we would have been forced to believe that he had it easy all the way through his own career and climb the corporate ladder. It is important for students to be aware of his lifestyle before and after he tackled an idea he felt he was not capable of. 

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I know we are all somewhere on this staircase! Let's get it! :)

Literary Analysis #2

"The Awakening"

By: Kate Chopin

TOPICS AND EVENTS

      
      1)      My book is about a woman in the late 1890s living during a time in which women had very few rights and were seen for the majority as property. This woman however did not let herself be treated as the rest. She fought back in her own home against her own husband for the rights she believed in even if she stood alone amongst other women. She experienced a time of much inquiry about her position in society and in the world and wondered many things about her gender. She talked back to her husband whenever she felt as though the way he was speaking to her was disrespectful. She never let a man step over her or see is as anything mere more than an object or housemother. 

      2)      Kate Chopin chose to write about this topic because it was during a time when there was much segregation occurring between not only races but her main focus-sexism. She did not see herself any different from a man and could not quite grasp why she was not allowed to do certain things men would do. She captures what most women must have been feeling like during these hard times in which their voiced opinions meant nothing. Sadly, she did not live to see the right for women to vote come into effect in the year 1919 because she passed away in 1904.

      3)      Again, I walked into Mrs. Byrne’s classroom in search of a book because she always seems to have really good ones. She was describing most of them to me and ‘The Awakening’ caught my eye mainly because I was more interested in learning about this movement and what it might have been like for women especially since I am a woman as well and I know I would have definitely fought this. I kept reading because all the good parts did not appear until the end and it was a bit confusing so I continued to read to attempt to understand it better.

      4)      The book was definitely realistic! I related to it heavily, and the protagonist sort of reminded me of my own mother because in our culture, sexism is a very belligerent characteristic amongst most families in the Mexican culture unfortunately. It was very easy to relate to, especially her actions, how she would remain away from her family for long periods of time and wanted to be alone because she was confused. I found it ironic however, how her husband failed to search for her or question her whereabouts and feelings because that is how you can tell they do not care about each other.

PEOPLE AND CHARACTER

      1)      The author chose to write about this certain topic because during her time, it was a very controversial one in which she felt strongly about and felt the need to share her emotions. The book has a very depressing tone and it alerts us that for many women, the average ego-centric male caused much personal, emotional and mental damage within them whether they chose to express it or not.

      2)      Mrs. Pontellier, the protagonist, was a very sane yet quiet woman who misunderstood society at the time and she knew she could not blame herself for she was innocent. She experienced much doubt in her marriage with Mr. Pontellier. Her husband, Mr. Pontellier, was a very mindless yet concerned man at some point. They both demonstrated emotions but shared no common interests, even towards each other. It was almost like a forced marriage. I would use indirect characterization to allow the reader to make his own assumptions and inferences about the character.

      3)      What makes these characters interesting enough to write about is the fact that they are REAL LIFE CHARACTERS, maybe not absolutely real but definitely what could have been the true everyday life of a couple during the 1890s. This gives us insights to how horrible our lives could have been as females, had we lived during this time in which we were deprived of our freedom and disrespected.

      4)      Two examples of indirect characterization are when Mrs. Pontellier heavily weeps before going to bed and her husband decides to do nothing about it. This informs us that he could care 2 pickles about her and her feelings. Another example would be when he absolutely insists that one of the children is sick when clearly they are both fine, sleeping like angels in the opposite room but he continued to persist and be a nuisance to the tired sleeping mother. This tells us he has absolutely no respect for her as a human sleep when there is clearly nothing wrong, he is a demanding husband and a true burden to live with. An example of direct characterization would be when Madame Pontellier tells her husband to his face that she refuses to go inside no matter how bad he wants her to. It proves an admiring quality which many women lacked at the time. She proved she was willing to take her stand no matter what the consequence. Another example of direct characterization would be when Victor’s mother tells him that sometimes she wishes he would lose his voice forever, and he simply remarks, “Thank you.” This proves he has no respect for his mother or even bothers to speak about his issues and come to an agreement with his own mother whom gave him so much.

      5)      The author’s syntax and diction changes to a much more serious and depressing tone when she begins to characterize each person on the story. Then when she witches back to describing a location it seems to relax rather than intensify. For example when the couple is dissatisfied with the meal that evening and they attack the poor mulatto, right after the husband storms off to town to find a better meal and the wife remains and the narrator begins to reminisce past experiences with the maids of the house the tone changes dramatically from hyper and dramatic to calm and peaceful, same concept throughout the entire novel. It’s sort of like a roller-coaster.

      6)      The protagonist is static throughout the entire novel. She sticks through with what she believes in throughout the entire novel absentmindedly of what others thought of her.

      7)      Yes after reading this novel I would agree to have gotten to know a certain character very well, that being the protagonist. “…he looked at his wife as one looks at a piece of personal property which has suffered some damage.” The key word here is property, if that was not clear. I feel her pain as a woman and have only witnessed this form of unjust behavior, therefore could only imagine.
  
     STYLE

      1)      I would say that the style was a more journalistic one because most of her scenes were completely unpredictable and astonishing when they occurred, they were sort like a slap in the face. Like when she appeared to kiss this other man, Robert AND like it, I was amused and sort of angry at her character so indulging in such fantasies. Another example is when she wanted to move out and live completely by herself, like what are you doing? You have two children and a husband so deal with it instead of running away from your problems.

      2)      The author focuses more of his lengthy descriptions on places and people rather than dialogue. She chose to do so because the book needed this effect in order for the reader to fully grasp the many conflicts in the story as oppose to the novel being focused more on dialogue, the reader would know only have the time what is occurring in the characters’ heads.

      3)      The author uses much symbolism and imagery, definitely a strong use of imagery to establish a mood. She makes sure to paint strong pictures in our heads before proceeding to the next concept.

      4)      The author must have most definitely favored women’s rights since she had the desire to write a complete novel on the subject. Her attitude was definitely a strong one and she obtained the most earnest desire to express her will and true-self at a time where she could have been put in jail for it. I truly appreciate how she had a mind of her own.

      5)       The author utilizes little to none resources throughout the novel about the concept. No it did not matter because I knew what she spoke of was true. Real life. I did not need historical evidence when we all know it happened.

ENDURING MEMORY

            A memory from this book that will forever remain with me would be when the protagonist spoke to her friend and she had asked, “It’s a pity Mr. Pontellier doesn’t stay home more in the evenings.” And Mrs. Pontellier responded with, “Oh! Dear no! What should I do if he stayed home? We wouldn’t have anything to say to each other.” This particular phrase certainly caught my attention. It really helped put me in her shoes and imagine what it must be like to live and deal with a man every day in night which you dread, like another household chore. It scared me because it is a reality and she could not get away from it even if she wanted to, it’s as if she had no other choice. The memory of this emotion will never leave me and I shall always remember this phrase when I question myself on who I will come to marry and whether I can bear their existence any longer than three minutes.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE #2

Should I, or should I not?

Is what is bothering me.

It’s been bothering me to the point

where it is all I think about

I sleep to get away, and ease the pain

Daydream to no longer feel the way I feel

or think about the things I am forced to confront every day.

To get away is what I seek and I am most sure I am not alone.

The satisfaction of believing that maybe just one day

these dreams may one day come true

Is what keeps me returning to them

I guess what I am trying to say is that

I’d rather dream and be happy

Than to suffer dealing with what I do now.

There is more respect in remaining alive

and confronting these issues

Than to simply put an end to my life,

 like most cowards have done so in the past.

Our lives all have value

and we need to do what we know is right.

The simple fact that we don’t know

exactly what happens to us after death,

If anything happens to us,

keeps us alive and bearing our troubles.

I don’t want to die, you don’t want to die.

But we also don’t want to live these depressing lives.

But how exactly do we change that?

Although we may deny it, we all feel the same way.

We all have the same feelings and thoughts,

We all wonder why we’re here and determine

Exactly what keeps us moving forward

And I sure as hell would rather leave a mark on this planet,

than to leave nothing at all.

The meaning behind this is to teach us to go against the world to follow what we know to be right instead of following the current and adapting to society as another irrelevant human being without a brain. We do not want to be like those around us without a single thought to share with the rest of the world and just live isolated from the rest of us in their own world. We all tend to check out mentally, as Dr. Preston stated. Why? Because it is simply easier than actually doing what the authorities have established as the “right thing to do” and how to live our lives. Instead of all getting lost in our own minds and be completely oblivious to our surroundings, we should work together because as Benjamin Franklin once stated, “We either hang together, or hang separately.” If few all possess the same level of inquiry why not discuss these thoughts and change the world to the way we know it should have been a long time ago instead of continuing to live in one we dread today.

Just right now I awoke from about a two hour nap after having been dosed with medicine by my parents after refusing to take me to the doctor because they claim that, “I’m fine” when clearly I appear to be in the hands of death. But that is irrelevant to the point. The point I am trying to make is that after waking up, still feeling terribly ill (and not the good kind), I remembered my homework and thought “I do not want to do it.” Not because it is difficult or any unfeasible reason whatsoever because it’s not, but simply because I was not in the mood to work any harder than I normally would have to if I were not sick with a cold and Bronchitis and whatever else I have now. Then I thought, “Who is this jeopardizing?” Well, only myself. I remembered who I want to be and thought ‘the future/new me would not choose to take this route.” So I didn’t. I got my lazy butt off the couch and hoped on my laptop. I will not take the coward path, even if I feel like I am physically incapable of doing so. And tomorrow I will still go to school and do all the things I do on a daily basis knowing I will have to work ten times harder than yesterday. As a child I always remembered fighting for what I believed in, no matter how big the argument, I was never afraid. Again, I was younger so things were easier. Adults would laugh and simply give me what I wanted. But as I grew older, when I got to the point when people would actually fight back to me and attempt to impose their ignorant ways on me, things became more and more complicated. Fighting back to the authorities or to anyone who disagreed with me was much more difficult than I anticipated yet I never stopped caring so strongly in what I believed because I knew what I fought everyday would make an impact on the world in terms of human interactions and how to communicate with one another. And I will continue to do so, whether it is standing up against a racist remark made towards another peer or engage in civil disobedience to prove a point.

Fall Vocab #7

1) Cursory (adj) -going rapidly over something, without noticing details

I have a bad habit of treating my homework in a very cursory manner.

2) Impetus (n) -a moving force; impulse; stimulus

The impetus gave me the opportunity of answering the question with the correct answer and get over my shyness.

3) Pinnacle (n) -the highest or culminating point as of success, power or fame

At the pinnacle of her career, Beoyonce knowles proceeded with her nose job.

4) Contumely (n) -insulting display of contempt in words or actions; humiliating treatment

Teacher's feel as though putting a student through a contumely process, the consequence will then teach them better and they will once again think twice about doing something. 

5) Bereavement (n) -a period of mourning after a loss, especially after the death of a loved one

We could tell her bereavement had begun to take place the minute she began to wear Black every day.

6) Cache (n) -a hiding place, especially one in the ground, for ammunition, food, treasures

The fort in the basement became my little sister's cache in the summer.

7) Consummation (n) -to bring to a state of perfection; fulfill

The consummation of her work was a result of multiple months of hard work, blood, sweat and tears. 

8) Calamity (n) -a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury

Calamities tend to misguide us from our everyday lives and sidetrack us.

9) Avarice (n) -insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth

Avarice is a common mutual feeling among all human beings atleast in this society. 

10) Fortify (v) -to protect or strengthen against attack; surround or provide with defensive military works.

The American Revolution took much fortification against the British.

11) Erratic (adj) -deviating from the usual or proper course in conduct or opinion; eccentric

The student carried on quite an erratic sense of humor than the rest of my students. 

12) Ubiquitous (adj) -existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time; omnipresent

Although my grandmother had passed away 8 years ago, I felt her spirit was ubiquitous during the holidays. 

13) Fortitude (n) -mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously

I have to constantly remind myself that fortitude is always what will get me through any obstacle I face.

14) Nonchalant (adj) -coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited; casual 

His nonchalant manner informed me that he truly could not care any less about the class.

15) Affect (v) -to act on; produce an effect or change in

My grandfather's death affected my studies greatly.

16) Effect (n) -something that is produced by an agency or cause; result

The effect of the World War II Holocaust was 6 million Jews dead. 

17) Misappropriate (v) -to put to a wrong use.

The misappropriate student did something that screwed up the trip for the rest of the innocent students. 

18) Pragmatic (agj) -of or pertaining to a practical point of view or practical considerations

The pragmatic arguments of the women favoring abortion defended their rights with the ammendments. 

19) Metacognition (n) -higher-order thinking that enables understanding, analysis, and control of one’s cognitive processes, especially when engaged in learning

Metacognition is something we all strive to achieve at some point in our lives to be able to make the proper decisions among ourselves. 

20) Devoutly (adj) -devoted to divine worship or service; pious; religious

A devout Catholic tends to judge others' lifestyles, forgetting the fact that we're human. 

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

The differences between Hamlet's soliloquy and Jobs' speech are that the soliloquy is more of an internal conflict which we all come across and Jobs' speech is more of a statement that tells you to do something rather than questions it like in Hamlet. Hamlet focuses more on our feelings and thoughts when our brains wonder and how we get lost in them which he explains that is not necessarily a bad thing. We need that sometimes to relieve our stresses in life and to forget about certain things in the moment and that this is perfectly fine. Yet, Jobs' points out that although we may feel like this a lot of the time and we may just want to constantly escape from the challenges we face on a day-to-day basis, it's best to ALWAYS push ourselves forward and truly find what we want in our lives. Not our mothers or fathers or aunts uncles friends teachers or grandparents. But to find what truly inspires us and what we have a passion for because ultimately that is the key to success and when you love something enough, you do whatever it takes to make it possible no matter how many times you have failed. Everything is possible as long as we want it as bad.

DEAR STEVE

Dear Steve,

Oh my, this is crazy. Truly inspirational! I cannot imagine how terrible you must have felt and how bad you might have wanted to give up when you failed. For you to be able to climb yourself out of such a deep hole at a time in your life when you felt all hope was lost when the majority of human beings would have normally given up right there (not necessarily suicide but their lives' would have remained exactly where they were at) was truly incredible. Sometimes we think, or at least I always do, that most of you rich people who've made it have had it easy all their lives or that someday an idea sprout in their day and from that day forth it was all good and from that idea all money came to them but I now see that that cannot be true in all cases. It makes sense that to achieve greatness you might have to be put through hell first. I'm sure you touched all hearts of those graduates' that day because you have touched mine. Thank you very much for sharing these personal stories.

THE VALUE OF CHOICE

     The value of choice is a controversy topic I would say. Many are firm believers of having choice yet others, averse it. Regardless of your position it is important to learn about it. I would agree that the majority of the expected requirements in the Teacher's module make a lot of sense especially if the teacher himself and the students as well can come up with new ways to make what needs to be taught,learned more comprehensible ways in which the student can connect with better. For example the Hamlet's soliloquy would make sense to learn the traditional way instead of wasting our time acting it our since all we are simply doing is analyzing the text. However, it can be agreed that by acting out a particular scene in the classroom, visual learners will indeed have connected much better with the text and actually would have understood it compared to if the class had never quite taken the action.
     I really want to master persuasion skills for my essays which will be extremely beneficial to my educational career and just extremely useful in everyday life and negotiating with irrational human beings. I really like the idea of quick writes and brainstorming before a major assignment of essay to introduce the class to the new topic without it being a slap across the face. Key vocabulary is definitely a core concept I feel needs to be tackled by all former high school students because it truly makes you stand out among the rest. Not only will the majority of these activities and requirements be beneficial to us for our future English classes in college, but also in many aspects of our real life which many students at the moment do not realize but will in the future if not tomorrow, then in five years or somewhere else down the road. I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that we need to allocate and strategize new ways of presenting these ideas to students so that we do not receive the usual tepid responses and dead atmosphere. We need to find these new ways in which the student will become attentive by choice and not by force. This is the problem many teachers have been attempting to solve for many years now but failed because they missed the key point- the students; hearing the students and what they have to say since in the end, the education is for them.

Fall Vocab #6

1) Accede (v) -to give consent, approval or adherence

I was acceded from class when the phone rang requesting me for my dentist appointment.

2) Brandish (v) -to shake or wave, as a weapon 

Angel brandished his sword at Maggie's body as a form of defense. 

3) Comprise (v) -to include or contain

My chemistry teacher managed to comprise a sixteen by sixteen Aluminum piece of foil into a two by two squared cube. 

4) Deft (adj) -dexterous; nimble; skillfull; clever

The Blacksmith was quite defty in the process of creating the horseshoe.

5) Destitute (adj) -deprived of; lacking food, clothing and shelter

At times, I find myself feeling destitute when I compare myself to my classmates.

6) Explicit (adj) -clearly developed or formulated

Her claim was explicitly stated in her intricate speech. 

7) Extirpate (v) -to remove or destroy totally; do away with

My little sister extirpated the ladybug from the surface of the windshield.

8) Inopportune (adj) -inappropriate; inconvenient; untimely 

My environmental science teacher was inopportune atthe worst of times. 

9) Ironic (adj) -using words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning

Life is ironic in so many ways; for example, we ignore those who love us and love those who ignore us. 

10) Musty (adj) -having an odor or flavor suggestive of mold

My shoes had become quite musty after being left out in the rain for two days.

11) Officious (adj) -objectionably aggressive in offering one's unrequested and unwanted services

The officious waiter insisted that we order the lobster plate when clearly no one at the table so desired it.

12) Ominous (adj) -portrending evil or harm; threatening

I felt a tadbit uncertain about the ominous-looking police officer at my door. 

13) Pinnacle (n) -the highest or culminating point, as of success, power, fame

On the pinnacle of her career, Katy Perry has released her new outstanding single titled, "Roar."

14) Premeditated (adj) -done deliberately; planned in advance

Many believe Tupac Shakur's death was the result of a premeditated murder. 

15) Rampant (adj) -violent in action or spirit; raging; furious

When my sister acts in a very rampant way when my parents refuse to purchase something for her. 

16) Solace (n) -comfort in sorrow, misfortune or trouble; alleviation of distress or discomfort

Sometimes I like to go outdoors during the nighttime and become lost in solace returning feeling satisfied.

17) Stately (adj) -majestic; imposing in magnificence 

The stately statue was displaced at the Museum of Tolerance for all to enjoy. 

18) Supple (adj) -bending readily 

without breaking or becoming deformed; pliant; flexible

My supple ruler was able to bend 360 degrees. 

19) Suppress (v) -to put an end to the activities of a person, body of  persons

Before the 20th century, when fenales were supressed by males, many did not feel the need to fight back and truly felt they were not worthy. 

20) Venal (adj) -willing to sell one's influence; especially in return for a bribe 

The venal english teachers always presented us with new ways for extra credit to raise our grades.

21) Adroit (adj) -cleverly skillful, resourceful or ingenious

The Romans introduced us to their adroit water system consisting of multiple aqueducts, similar to what we use today. 

22) Amicable (adj) -characterized or showing goodwill; friendly

Since my mother is extremely amicable  we are normally able to receive more goods than usual.

23) Averse (adj) -strong feeling of opposition; opposed

The averse team presented ideas that I had not yet considered or rarely ever thought of which were completely true. 

24) Belligerent (adj) -warlike character, aggresively hostile

The principal came off as belligerent when she yelled atthe students the minute they stepped off the bus. 

25) Benevolent (adj) -characterized by or expressing good will or kindly feelings

Some teachers feel the need to express their benevolent side by raising the students grade on their report cards even if they may not have earned it. 

26)  Cursory (adj) -going rapidly over something, without noticing details

The exam was so strenious that I had gone through it very cursory  

and regreted it right after.

27) Duplicity (n) -deceitfulness in speech or conduct; acting in two different ways to different people concerning the same matter

I could read the duplicity in her words during her speech and respected the fact that she viewed both sides of the argument instead of remaining strongly opposed to the averse team. 

28) Extol (v) -to praise highly, laud

I extol about four good teachers in my past thirteen years of edcation of which whom I shall never forget. 

29) Feasible (adj) -capable of being done, effected or accomplished 

Although strenious, I knew the amount of work was tackable and feasible. 

30) Grimace (n) -a facial expression, often ugly or contorted that indicates disapproval, pain

The grimace on my father's face told me the answer to my question, "Can I go to the game on Friday?"

31) Holocaust (n) -a great or complete devastation or destruction especially by firing

Hitler's holocaust during World War II was one of the worst acts in the history of mankind. 

 32) Impervious (adj) -not permitting penetration or passage incapable of being injured or impaired; immune

The dam served as an inpervious institution for the people living in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

33) Impetus (n) -moving force, impulse, stimulus

When he walks past me in the hallways he creates this impetus within me that I cannot control.

34) Jeopardy (n) -hazard or risk of exposure to loss harm, death or injury; peril or danger

I tend to put myself in jeopardy of not proving my true self when I stress too much about schoolwork.

 35) Meticulous (adj) -taking or showing minute details; precise, thorough

I appreciate art work that presents meticulous meaning.

36) Nostalgia (n) -a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's lives

Certain smells and songs do nothing but return a sense of nostalgia.

37) Quintessence (n) -the pure and concentrated essence of a substance

The quintessence of H2O is a vital resource necessary to survive by everyone.

38) Retrogress (v) -to go backward into an earlier and usually wise condition

Many of us wish we could retrogress time to return to those happier and easier times.

39) Scrutinize (v) -to examine in detail with careful or critical attention

My mother scrutinizes every single piece of clothing she comes across with when it comes to shopping. 

40) Tepid (adj) -characterized by a lack of force or enthusiasm

This English class has been acting tepid in the previous six weeks and I sometimes wonder if it is because we are all experiencing the exact same thing yet we avoid the situation by not talking about it.