Thinking Outside the Box

The "Allegory of the Cave" and "No Exit" are both extended metaphors, i.e., a figure of speech that constructs an analogy between two things or ideas.  The "Allegory of the Cave" describes the difference between belief and reality, meant to illustrate the effects of education on the human soul.  The shadows the prisoners in the cave see may seem real, but in reality they are only created from light shining on certain objects.  In "No Exit," the difference between belief and judgement are contrasted.  For example, when Inez meets Garcin, she comments on the shape of his mouth.  With no mirrors around, Garcin must decide whether to remember what he looked like before and believe he still looks the same way, or trust Inez and judge her to see if she is telling the truth.  Sartre also emphasized that hell is a state of mind, not a specific place.

AP Literary Term: Fallacy

The term fallacy is from the Latin word "to deceive," meaning a false or misleading notion, belief, or argument; any king of erroneous reasoning that makes arguments unsound.

In simple terms…. an incorrect presumption.

If you were in Dr. Preston's class sophomore year, then you will always remember the logical fallacies we studied, but here are a few to refresh your memory:

-Slippery slope: states that a relatively small first step will lead to a chain of related events, leading down the slippery slope to the extreme.



-Non-Sequitur: does not follow; the conclusion is not necessarily connected from the premises.

-Appeal to authority (also known as argument from authority): The strength of this argument depends on two factors. 1) The authority is a legitimate expert on the subject. 2) A consensus exists among legitimate experts on the matter under discussion.

The Cherry Orchard

1.  After five years of being away from her home, Lyuba Ranevsky and her daughter Anya have finally returned due to her financial crisis. Everyone is rejoiced at their arrival, including  Lopakhin, a family friend; Dunyasha, the maid; Fiers, the servant;  and Varya, the adoptive daughter. Anya states that their poverty is partially due to her mothers excessive spending. Gayev, Ranevsky's brother, and Lopakhin brainstorm ideas as to what they should do with Ranevsky's cherry orchard. Lopakhin believes that the best thing to do is to cut down the trees, build cottages, and rent them out. Ranevsky rejects this idea because she cannot stand the idea of having to part with her trees. Throughout the course of the play, the characters each remember some sort of painful memory in their past.There are several love subplots intertwined throughout the play such as Lopakhin and Varya. In order to solve the financial crisis, the cherry orchard is auctioned off. Lopakhin is the one to buy it and precedes with his idea to build cottages on the land. Everyone then leaves the house. Rovenvsky leaves her home weeping. Everyone has forgotten Fier and he is left alone in the house. The last sound heard is the sound of the cherry trees being cut down.

2.  A major theme is being unable to let go of the past.  Ranevsky doesn't seem to take action against her financial issues but continues to contribute to them with her excessive spending.  She refuses to adapt to her new life , she stays glued to her past and doesn't strive to make a better future for herself. 

3.  The tone is set differently among each of the character's points of view.  The tone switches between reminiscent to serious to melancholy.

• Lubov: My dear nursery, oh, you beautiful room. . . . I used to sleep here when I was a baby. [Weeps] And here I am like a little girl again. [Kisses her brother, VARYA, then her brother again] And Varya is just as she used to be, just like a nun. And I knew Dunyasha. [Kisses her.]
• Gaev: Right into the pocket! Once upon a time you and I used both to sleep in this room, and now I'm fifty-one; it does seem strange.

• Anya: Father died six years ago, and a month later my brother Grisha was drowned in the river-- such a dear little boy of seven! Mother couldn't bear it; she went away, away, without looking round. . . . [Shudders] How I understand her; if only she knew.

• Charlotte: I haven't a real passport. I don't know how old I am, and I think I'm young. When I was a little girl my father and mother used to go round fairs and give very good performances and I used to do the salto mortale and various little things. And when papa and mamma died a German lady took me to her and began to teach me... And where I came from and who I am, I don't know. . . . Who my parents were--perhaps they weren't married--I don't know. [Takes a cucumber out of her pocket and eats] I don't know anything. [Pause] I do want to talk, but I haven't anybody to talk to . . . I haven't anybody at all.

4.  Imagery: The opening scene is a strong example of this technique. It creates the image of warmth contrasting with the cold.

• "It is close on sunrise. It is May. The cherry-trees are in flower but it is chilly in the garden. There is an early frost."

Irony:  The cherry-trees are beautiful and blooming and it is expected that there is warm weather, when in fact there is a frost.

• Epikhodov, "There's a frost this morning--three degrees, and the cherry-trees are all in flower. I can't approve of our climate."

Direct characterization:  This is done through dialogue.

• (Lopakhin to Dunyasha) "You're too sensitive, Dunyasha. You dress just like a lady, and you do your hair like one too. You oughtn't. You should know your place."

Foreshadowing: Used to describe the fate of the orchard, which will ultimately be that it is getting sold.

• Lopakhin, looking at his watch, "If we can't think of anything and don't make up our minds to anything, then on August 22, both the cherry orchard and the whole estate will be up for auction. Make up your mind! I swear there's no other way out, I'll swear it again."

Symbolism:  The character Fiers represent moving on, getting over whatever prevents you from moving forward in your life.

• Fiers, "In the old days, forty or fifty years back, they dried the cherries, soaked them and pickled them, and made jam of them, and it used to happen that . . ."

"Allegory of the Cave" Intro. Paragraph

     The allegory of the cave is a metaphor meant to illustrate the effects of education on the human soul.  This story is actually an extended metaphor, meant to teach that the goal of education is to drag every man as far out of the cave as possible.  The prisoners represent every human being.  They are used to demonstrate that in life, we are not constantly discovering new things, but instead are learning something that had already been there all along.

The Big Question

Why do bad things happen to good people? How do people define/experience misfortune? How does it influence the sense of themselves?

Hamlet: Take 2

     The theory of performative utterance describes how certain language does not merely describe action, but acts in being spoken.  "The performative is uttered in the performance of an illocutionary act and is either successful or unsuccessful rather than true or false."  With this theory in mind, one can see how big of an impact it has on Hamlet.  Through the analysis of various characters' soliloquies in the play Hamlet, this notion becomes evident.

     "To be, or not to be: that is the question…"  This soliloquy can be interpreted in a variety of ways.  Some may think that Hamlet is extremely indecisive, and that he just continues to ramble in an attempt to make up his mind.  However, upon further analysis, you realize Hamlet has already determined that he is going to murder Claudius, he just wants to weigh all of his options.  He isn't trying to talk himself out of his situation; Hamlet is simply an over-analyzer.

     I, like Hamlet, tend to over-analyze the situations that I come upon.  Take applying to colleges, for example, since this is such an important process.  Through my own "self-overhearing" I have created a sense of expectation for myself that I believe will help me to get accepted to the colleges of my choice.  Through my preparation and careful studying, I have hopefully set myself up to see real world results, ultimately the acceptance letter to my dream school.

     Thinking things out in your mind before you act plays a large role in the process.  I believe that this is why parents have tried to ban violent video games in the past.   With their children running around in virtual reality killing people in such games, many parents believe this type of play will be transferred over to reality.  Although in most cases this hasn't proved to be the case, it is possible.  Thoughts and feelings drastically influence one's ability to choose.

     The illocutionary force is evident in the play Hamlet.  Hamlet's soliloquies are not merely words, but plans.  This can be compared to our own self-overhearing, which is ultimately the thought process that occurs on a day-to-day basis.

A Difference of Language

     The novel Hamlet is full of soliloquies that inform the reader of every thought and action that takes place within each of the characters.  In epics such as Beowulf, there are no soliloquies, so the reader is forced to interpret character's actions on their own.  This difference is reflected in the tone of each work of literature.  The tone of Hamlet is melancholy and dark, so it makes sense for soliloquies to be placed in the novel, as there is not much action for such soliloquies to interrupt.  On the other hand, the tone of Beowulf is adventurous, with the tempo of the book moving swiftly along.  These factors are the reasons behind why Hamlet's use of language differentiates him from epic heroes such as Beowulf.

     

     The "To be, or not to be…." soliloquy is a perfect example to this claim.  Hamlet rambles on for some twenty plus lines about his thoughts and feelings.  He debates the pros and cons of suicide, saying, 

"To die to sleep-- 

No more-- and by a sleep to say we end 

The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks 

That flesh is heir to.  'Tis a consummation 

Devoutly to be wished."

This is something that an epic hero, such as Beowulf, would not even dream about.  It would be considered such a dishonor both to himself, and to his good name.

     

     The language of Beowulf is focused more on action, as shown in the excerpt below:

"'And if death does take me, send the hammered

Mail of my armor to Higlac, return

The inheritance I had from Hrethel, and he

From Wayland.  Fate will unwind as it must!"

Here Beowulf is about to go back into battle.  He knows that the only honorable death is in fighting for one's country, so he is prepared to go if that is what fate has in store for him.  As contrasted with the excerpt from Hamlet, this exchange of feelings was said in dialogue, leaving it open to interpretation for the reader.

     

     The language in Hamlet differentiates from that of Beowulf due to tone and style.  In Hamlet, lengthy soliloquies are appropriate due to the dreariness of the novel.  Contrarily, the focus of Beowulf is action, so the language is set to reflect this tone.  Characters thoughts are not explicitly stated, but instead are left to be interpreted by the reader.

Your Life Is Your Life

This first assignment instilled in my mind that I need to make my own decisions.  With major life choices coming up about college, this concept has proved to be especially important in my life.

Notes on Special Event: Speaker Roy Christopher

• Ted Newcomb & Roy Christopher, 40 years old
• "The medium is the message."
• Technology is a natural part of his life, but it can also be a distraction, so there is a mix of both.
• Wanted to do bigger projects (i.e. books),simple interviews of a few questions so it would stay interesting.
• Primarily known for the remix/mash-up culture,
• "Hip-hop culture is the blueprint of the 21st century culture."
• Medium Picture: about the ways we change our lives with technology.
• Technology broke up generations; the past generation began with T.V.s or the internet, unlike us who are completely accustomed.
• "Nothing will be on the medium that will be more important than the medium itself."
• "The more you know how thinks work, the closer you are to reaching digital maturity." Although, like knowing how a car works, you don't have t0 know precisely how all technology works.
• Q: Does technology create challenges or opportunities in younger generations?
• Both, you could excel in younger generations that older ones can't, but they can teach them.
• "Trusting the next generation."
• Older generations need to stop worrying about the youth.  We'll grow up just fine.
• Multitasking has become something usual/normal in our lives, but it still effects the quality of the work.
• Christopher agrees that multitasking effects the quality of work.
• Online courses, assignments, and the education related online pages are becoming incorporated into our lives so that to not be a part of the online community would make you left out.