Wednesday, February 29, 2012
1976 Open Essay Prompt
Growing up during the rise of the Taliban, Laila was not like most girls her age. The role of women during this time was mere obsolete, but Laila was determined to secretly pursue her education. This was considered to be breaking the law at the time, as it was held that the role of women was in the home, caring for their husband and children. Although Laila's defiance of governmental authorities in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns can be thought of as rebellious, morally she did no wrong.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Analysis of "Where the Sidewalk Ends"
1. Define the dramatic situation.
- The speaker seems to be male. As the poem is about a better world, this leads me to believe that the speaker is old and wise, thinking back on the improvements the world should undergo.
- The title of the poem is repeated in the first and last lines. Punctuation marks separate each complete thought. The author gets from one idea to another through the use of imagery, changing scenes with each stanza.
- The theme is that there is something better to this world. It implies that we should free ourselves from our polluted world and move on to something more pure.
- Grammar usage such as in the line, "Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow" hint to a deeper meaning that the place described in the poem is a place that you will never want to leave. You will want to "walk slow" so that you can enjoy the experience for as long as possible.
- "And there the grass grows soft and white, And there the sun grows crimson bright." These two lines perfectly sum up the poem for me. They are both intriguing images, events where anyone would want to be.
- The poem employs imagery as best it can to give the reader a picture of how society should run. Words and phrases such as "crimson bright" and "cool in the peppermint wind" contribute to this sense of imagery.
- The tone is encouraging and optimistic. The author truly seems to believe that society can be better than they currently are.
- The most important literary device used is imagery. It is seen throughout the poem as the author describes this new world. Metaphors are also used, as seen in the line that states, "And there the moon-bird rests from his flight." This line compares the moon to a bird, meaning that each day seems to last forever, but in a good way.
- The poem flows very smoothly, with rhyming words and simple phrases. I believe that this hints that the better world depicted in this poem will make life easier.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
What is is that made Charles Dickens write A Tale of Two Cities?
Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities to portray a time period that he knew best. He was one of the most well-known English novelists of the 19th century, and "dedicated this novel to his friend, Lord John Russell, champion of political reform and religious emancipation." During the French Revolution, the people in England fretted that a similar revolution would erupt there. What led me to these conclusions?
1. The exposition at the beginning of the novel. The first chapter describes the religious tensions occurring in England at the time, as well as the political turmoils occurring in France. This validates why Dickens would dedicate this novel to Lord John Russell.
2. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief….." The literary technique seen here is anaphora, as the statement "it was the" is repeated at the beginning of each new thought. This is repeated to create emphasis, and contrast the different atmospheres seen between England and France at this time.
3. In chapter five, a casket of wine is spilt in front of a wine shop, and all of the people in the streets dive toward the spilt wine to start drinking it. This characterized the poverty in France during the revolution, an example of indirect characterization.
1. The exposition at the beginning of the novel. The first chapter describes the religious tensions occurring in England at the time, as well as the political turmoils occurring in France. This validates why Dickens would dedicate this novel to Lord John Russell.
2. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief….." The literary technique seen here is anaphora, as the statement "it was the" is repeated at the beginning of each new thought. This is repeated to create emphasis, and contrast the different atmospheres seen between England and France at this time.
3. In chapter five, a casket of wine is spilt in front of a wine shop, and all of the people in the streets dive toward the spilt wine to start drinking it. This characterized the poverty in France during the revolution, an example of indirect characterization.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
A Recap of Chapters 3-6 of A Tale of Two Cities
Chapter 3: As Mr. Lorry rides in a mail coach with two strangers, he drifts in and out of dreams. Most revolve around Tellson's bank. In one of the dreams, he imagines visiting a ghost's grave, whose body has lain buried for eighteen years. Informing the ghost that he has been recalled to life, Mr. Lorry repeatedly asks him if he cares to live.
Chapter 4: Mr. Lorry reaches the Royal George Hotel in Dover as a well-dressed businessman of 60 years old. He is scheduled to meet Lucie Manette from London there. Believing her father to dead, Mr. Lorry reveals the news that he has been found alive, upon her arrival. In shock by the news, Lucie requires attendance.
Chapter 5: Mr. Lorry and Lucie travel from Dover, England to Saint Antoine, Paris. They enter a wine shop owned by Monsieur Defarge, who is busy with three regular customers. After Defarge deals with the men, Mr. Lorry approaches Defarge, who leads him and Lucy to a steep staircase. Up the stairs and down the hall sits a white-haired man busily making shoes.
Chapter 6: The shoemaker, Manette, is revealed to be Lucie's father, but he has gone mad after being a prisoner of war for so long. Lucie approaches him, and Manette first mistakes her for his wife. Telling him she is and of the home that awaits him, he begins to remember his daughter. Mr. Lorry at first protests Lucie's desire to take her father back home immediately to England, but she is able to eventually persuade him.
Chapter 4: Mr. Lorry reaches the Royal George Hotel in Dover as a well-dressed businessman of 60 years old. He is scheduled to meet Lucie Manette from London there. Believing her father to dead, Mr. Lorry reveals the news that he has been found alive, upon her arrival. In shock by the news, Lucie requires attendance.
Chapter 5: Mr. Lorry and Lucie travel from Dover, England to Saint Antoine, Paris. They enter a wine shop owned by Monsieur Defarge, who is busy with three regular customers. After Defarge deals with the men, Mr. Lorry approaches Defarge, who leads him and Lucy to a steep staircase. Up the stairs and down the hall sits a white-haired man busily making shoes.
Chapter 6: The shoemaker, Manette, is revealed to be Lucie's father, but he has gone mad after being a prisoner of war for so long. Lucie approaches him, and Manette first mistakes her for his wife. Telling him she is and of the home that awaits him, he begins to remember his daughter. Mr. Lorry at first protests Lucie's desire to take her father back home immediately to England, but she is able to eventually persuade him.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
A Tale of Two Cities Study Q's
1. Where does the novel take place, and in what time period?
-England & France in 1775
2. Describe the journey of the three travelers.
-Making their way to Dover in late November of 1775, the dangerous journey forces the travelers to hike alongside their carriage.
3. Who does Mr. Lorry meet in his dreams while riding in the mail coach?
-He imagines visiting a ghost's grave, whose body has lain buried for over eighteen years. Informing the ghost that he had been recalled to life, Mr. Lorry repeatedly asks him if he cares to live.
4. Why does Mr. Lorry travel to the Royal George Hotel in Dover?
-Arriving as a well-dressed businessman of 60, he is scheduled to meet Lucie Manette from London there.
5. What news does Mr. Lorry deliver to Lucie?
-Lucie had believed her father to be dead, but the Lorry reveals to her the news that he has been found alive.
6. Where do Mr. Lorry and Lucie travel together to meet Lucie's father?
-Saint Antoine, Paris
7. Once in Paris, where does the couple go?
-They enter a wine shop owned by Monsieur Defarge. Defarge leads Mr. Lorry and Lucie to a steep staircase, which they climb and go to the back of the hall.
8. What do Lucie and Mr. Lorry find upstairs?
-A white-haired man sits busily making shoes.
9. How does the shoe-maker turn out to be?
-The shoe maker is Lucie's father, however, he no longer remembers his identity.
10. What makes the shoe-maker remember who he is?
-As Lucie leans down to talk to her father, the sight of her golden curls allows him to remember his identity. He keeps a knot of rag around his neck that holds a similar golden curl, which is likely to be Lucie's.
-England & France in 1775
2. Describe the journey of the three travelers.
-Making their way to Dover in late November of 1775, the dangerous journey forces the travelers to hike alongside their carriage.
3. Who does Mr. Lorry meet in his dreams while riding in the mail coach?
-He imagines visiting a ghost's grave, whose body has lain buried for over eighteen years. Informing the ghost that he had been recalled to life, Mr. Lorry repeatedly asks him if he cares to live.
4. Why does Mr. Lorry travel to the Royal George Hotel in Dover?
-Arriving as a well-dressed businessman of 60, he is scheduled to meet Lucie Manette from London there.
5. What news does Mr. Lorry deliver to Lucie?
-Lucie had believed her father to be dead, but the Lorry reveals to her the news that he has been found alive.
6. Where do Mr. Lorry and Lucie travel together to meet Lucie's father?
-Saint Antoine, Paris
7. Once in Paris, where does the couple go?
-They enter a wine shop owned by Monsieur Defarge. Defarge leads Mr. Lorry and Lucie to a steep staircase, which they climb and go to the back of the hall.
8. What do Lucie and Mr. Lorry find upstairs?
-A white-haired man sits busily making shoes.
9. How does the shoe-maker turn out to be?
-The shoe maker is Lucie's father, however, he no longer remembers his identity.
10. What makes the shoe-maker remember who he is?
-As Lucie leans down to talk to her father, the sight of her golden curls allows him to remember his identity. He keeps a knot of rag around his neck that holds a similar golden curl, which is likely to be Lucie's.
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