Lit Analysis #3

 The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

1. The Old Man and the Sea is a novel about the struggle between an aged fisherman and the catch of his life.  Santiago has gone eighty four days without catching a fish, bringing his hopes down as well as his apprentice.  Manolin, Santiago's prodigy, is forced to no longer fish with Santiago due to his overwhelming bad luck.  Santiago continues to fish even without his most trusted assistant.  One day Santiago once again travels the ocean waiting for even a nibble.  Finally after much time an enormous marlin gets caught on Santiago's hook.  They fight for many days until Santiago is finally able to reel the monstrous fish in.  After he spears the marlin, he decides to make for land excited to see the reaction on the villagers.  On his journey back however numerous sharks approach the huge fish, taking large pieces of flesh right in front of Santiago.  Santiago manages to fight off most of the sharks however by the time he reaches land the prized marlin is nothing but a skeleton.  Although very distraught, the villagers marvel at the size of the marlin and praise the old man's fortitude.

2. I feel as if the theme of the novel greatly expresses self encouragement.  Through out the battle with the great marlin the old man constantly reminds himself never to give in.  Joe DiMaggio, Santiago's favorite baseball player, gives the old man the confidence he needs to carry on, asking himself constantly, "What would Joe do?"  Even after the great fish is ravaged by the constant flow of sharks, Santiago always reminds himself to finish what he has started.

3. The tone of the novel is that of great sympathy for the old man.  It is obvious that the author feels something for the main character.

• “Let him think that I am more man than I am and I will be so.”- At this point Ernest Hemingway is showing the reader the main character's weaknesses.  But instead of mocking Santiago, Hemingway instead builds the main character up in a way.
• “It's silly not to hope. It's a sin he thought.”- Again Hemingway reflects his sympathy towards Santiago by portraying the message that in order to finish what he has done, Santiago must hope."

• “If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy. But since I am not, I do not care.”- Finally, Hemingway could be mocking the character but instead he decides to reinforce the idea of the strength and will that Santiago possesses.

4.

• Rhetorical Question-“Luck is a thing that comes in many forms and who can recognize her?”  The reader is not meant to answer this question but simply ponder on it.
• Symbolism-“Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio.” Joe DiMaggio is a symbol of strength and courage throughout the entire novel.
• Antagonist- “Why did they make birds so delicate and fine as those sea swallows when the ocean can be so cruel?” Most readers might believe that the marlin would be the antagonist when in reality I believe it is the ocean itself.
• Connotation- “I hate a cramp, he thought. It is a treachery of one's own body.” Instead of directly stating what a cramp is, Santiago instead decided to elaborate on a different definition of what a cramp means to him.
• Allusion- “But I think the Great DiMaggio would be proud of me today.” When Hemingway wrote this novel I believe he thought most would know who the "Great DiMaggio" really was.
• Personification- “The fish is my friend too," he said aloud. "I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars." For some reason Santiago thinks of the marlin as his friend, almost treating it as a cherished relationship.
• Diction-  “Fish," he said softly, aloud, "I'll stay with you until I am dead.” The diction throughout the entire novel is very simply, however it often packs a very powerful punch.
• Syntax- “But man is not made for defeat," he said. "A man can be destroyed but not defeated. " Again the syntax is very simply however because of the way Hemingway arranged these elementary words, he created a powerful and everlasting quote.

Characterization

1.

• Direct Characterization- "Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated." Hemingway decides to use direct characterization here in order to inform the reader on just how vivid the eye's of the old man were.
• Direct Characterization- "Why did they make birds so delicate and fine as those sea swallows when the ocean can be so cruel? She is kind and very beautiful. But she can be so cruel and it comes so suddenly and such birds that fly, dipping and hunting, with their small sad voices are made too delicately for the sea." Although a form of personification, Hemingway again uses direct characterization when describing the personalities of the ocean.
• Indirect Characterization- "Do you believe the great DiMaggio would stay with a fish as long as I will stay with this one? he thought. I am sure he would and more since he is young and strong. Also his father was a fisherman. But would the bone spur hurt him too much?" From this quote the reader understands that Hemingway is describing Santiago's pain without directly stating it.
• Indirect Characterization- "After he judged that his right hand had been in the water long enough he took it out and looked at it.  "It is not bad," he said. "And pain does not matter to a man."  Although this might seem as if this represents a direct characterization quote, it in fact portrays the extreme pain Santiago is in without being candid about it.

2. Hemingway is known for his simple syntax, therefore when he starts to describe Santiago's character his syntax does not change. "He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women , nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach They played like young cats in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the boy."  It is obvious that Hemingway's light syntax is carried throughout the novel even when describing the main character.  "But the old man always thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld great favors, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because she could not help them. The moon affects her as it does a woman, he thought."  Again Hemingway's syntax and diction does not change when he portrays the feelings of Santiago, they simply describe exactly what Santiago is feeling in that very moment.

3. I believe that Santiago is without a doubt a static character.  Most readers would find a static character to be boring or dull, however it is Santiago's positive spirit that makes him such an interesting character.  Even when the ocean and the entire world is against him, Santiago remains calm and ready for the next challenge.  He is given many opportunities to quit but decides to carry on because of how far he has already gotten.  Santiago also feels deep emotions for the sea even when it tears him down into submission.  He respects the ocean and understands the actions it takes against him.  I also find Santiago to be a flat character.  He remains true to himself, for there is nothing to change about Santiago.  If Hemingway was to make Santiago a round character I do not believe there would be such a lovely appeal to Santiago's character.  Therefore there is not a doubt in my mind that Santiago is a flat character.

4. Honestly I feel as though I have met Santiago after reading the novel.  He is a person I have always wanted to meet.  Santiago has a strong will and an everlasting positive personality.  I hope that someday I will meet a persona exactly like Santiago.  "Fish, I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends."  This might seem like a very gruesome example, however it shows the main characters true honesty.  Most fisherman would not announce that they are going to kill a fish for fear of a bad omen, however Santiago declares it knowing that in order to succeed in his task he must stay honest.  Although a very simple character, Santiago is a character I hope to meet one day.

Lit Analysis #2

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott. Fitzgerald
 

1. Summarize the plot of the novel, explain how the narrative fulfills the author’s purpose.

It was forbidden love in which a man set out all of his time and heart on a woman who moved on. But it was a love like no other. With so many affairs and parties and even a death, you can tell this story was set around its era, where standards held true and who you are or what you wanted to do all depended on where you were placed in the hierarchy.

2. Describe the theme of the novel.

One theme of this novel was the hollowness of the upper classes. West and East Egg symbolize the difference between the new era of wealthy and the old traditional wealth. Or example, Gatsby lives in an overly ornate mansion and throws huge parties to show of his wealth and popularity. Meanwhile the Buchanan’s live in a well off neighborhood but one where everyone keeps to themselves.

3. Describe the author’s tone. Include 3 excerpts.

The author’s tone seems to be factual, almost as if he has to make sure you know every detail about every little thing. For example, at one of Gatsby's parties it is stated that "In addition to all these I can remember that Faustina O'Brien came there at least once and the Baedeker girls and young Brewer, who had his nose shot off in the war, and Mr. Albrucksburger and Miss Haag, his fiancée, and Ardita Fitz-Peters and Mr. P. Jewett, once head of the American Legion, and Miss Claudia Hip, with a man reputed to be her chauffeur, and a prince of something, whom we called Duke, and whose name, if I ever knew it, I have forgotten." Or another example includes Gatsby waking up Nick like such, "At nine o'clock, one morning late in July, Gatsby's gorgeous car lurched up the rocky drive to my door and gave out a burst of melody from its three-noted horn." And finally another example includes "His house had never seemed so enormous to me as it did that night when we hunted through the great rooms for cigarettes. We pushed aside curtains that were like pavilions, and felt over innumerable feet of dark wall for electric light switches-once I tumbled with a sort of splash upon the keys of a ghostly piano. There was an inexplicable amount of dust everywhere, and the rooms were musty, as though they hadn't been aired for many days. I found the humidor on an unfamiliar table, with two stale, dry cigarettes inside. Throwing open the French windows of the drawing-room, we sat smoking out into the darkness."

4. Describe a minimum of 10 literary elements/techniques, with textual support. 

·        Attack ad hominem

- "Through this twilight universe Daisy began to move again with the season; suddenly she was again keeping half a dozen dates a day with half a dozen men (not lady like)"
-"They're a rotten crowd," I shouted across the lawn. "You're worth the whole damn bunch put together." (Hates people)
-" Probably it had been tactful to leave Daisy's house, but the act annoyed me, and her next remark made me rigid."(Annoying woman)

·       Pathos

- "Jay Gatsby had broken up like glass against Tom's hard malice." (Pathetic man (in story))
- " It excited him, too, that many men had already loved Daisy-it increased her value in his eyes. He felt their presence all about the house, pervading the air with the shades and echoes of still vibrant emotions."(Can't stop thinking about her)
 -"His gorgeous pink rag of a suit made a bright spot of color against the white steps" (Pink suit suggested a feminine man)

·       Red Herring

- "It was dawn now on Long Island and we went about opening the rest of the windows down-stairs, filling the house with gray-turning, gold-turning light. (Distracts you from the horrible events with the day)"
- "The track curved and now it was going away from the sun, which as it sank lower, seemed to spread itself in benediction over the vanishing city where she had drawn her breath." (Distraction from dialogue)
-"When I passed the ashheaps on the train that morning I had crossed deliberately to the other side of the car" (Distraction from previous events)

·       Appeal to emotion

- " I can't describe to you how surprised I was to find out I loved her, old sport. I even hoped for a while that she'd throw me over, but she didn't, because she was in love with me too. She thought I knew a lot because I knew different things from her. . . . well, there I was, 'way off my ambitions, getting deeper in love every minute, and all of a sudden I didn't care. What was the use of doing great things if I could have a better time telling her what I was going to do?" (fell in love)
- " It was a cold fall day, with fire in the room and her cheeks flushed. Now and then she moved and he changed his arm a little, and once he kissed her dark shining hair." (held her)
- "Most of those reports were a nightmare-grotesque, circumstantial, eager, and untrue." (Story after Gatsby's death)

·       Appeal to authority

- "I thanked him for his hospitality. We were always thanking him for that-I and the others."  (received appreciation)
- "old sport." (used this as a view of being looked down upon)
- I went to Gatsby's house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited. (too cool for others)

·       Imagery

- The author is very descriptive with the details of the scene and setting, “At nine o'clock, one morning late in July, Gatsby's gorgeous car lurched up the rocky drive to my door and gave out a burst of melody from its three-noted horn."

·       Simile

- The author compares many things, such as "In his blue garden men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars."

-      
Characterization

1. Describe 2 examples of direct characterization and 2 examples of indirect characterization.

Two examples in The Great Gatsby of direct characterization include when they describe what Daisy and Gatsby are wearing and how they look. But it becomes indirect when we find out their thoughts and what their character is like mentally rather then physically. The author definitely uses the direct characterization to give more detail to the indirect. The characters almost seem stereotypical. The way they look is very relative to the way they think. For example Daisy's blonde hair with fancy clothes makes her seem materialistic. Which it turns out she is.

2. Does the author’s syntax/diction change when he focuses on character?

The author states the story from the view of one of the characters. So his diction and syntax only changes when the character is faced with another character in which his own views and opinions are brought into play. Other then that he stays stable through most of the novel.

3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic? Flat or round? Explain.

I think Nick is a fairly static character, he doesn’t grow as a person. The only thing that really changes about him is his view of other characters. I think Fitzgerald did that on purpose. Instead of focusing on the protagonist and his changes, the reader uses Nick more as a tour guide through the book to better understand everyone else.

4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you’d met a person or read a character?

I definitely feel like I was near the characters. A very realistic story. For example, "And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer." I feel like Fitzgerald did a good job of making the characters pop off the page and into the room I was in. I didn’t like Tom and I thought Gatsby was a loon in love, I didn’t look at them as words on a page, I looked at them like actual people.

Lit Analysis #1

All the King's Men by Robert Pen Warren

1. Summarize the plot of the novel. Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose.

All the King’s Men, by Robert Penn Warren, is a story about a politician, Willie Stark, from the Deep South in the 1930s. Stark is born into poverty but works his way to governor. It’s also the story of Jack Burden, Stark’s right-hand man. Burden uses his abilities of a historical researcher to dig up the secrets of Stark’s enemies. Burden has to find the secrets of people he grew up with and the blackmail results in the suicide of Judge Irwin and the murder of Willie Stark.

·      Exposition: Willie Stark & Fam + Jack Burden, Sadie Burke, Sugar Boy, and Tiny Duffy driving into Mason City, Jack flashbacks to meeting Willie. Willie takes some pictures with his dad for press.

·      Rising Action/Conflict: Willie, Sugar Boy, & Jack drive to Burden’s Landing (Jack grew up there) late at night; Jack flashes back to childhood, playing with Anne Stanton, Judge Irwin living nearby and being Jack’s father figure. Willie threatens to use blackmail on Judge Irwin.

o   Internal Conflict for Jack: Jack & Judge close, Jack treating him poorly

o   1939- 6 years after threat and Willie, Adam Stanton (Anne’s father), and Judge Irwin are all dead but Jack “made the dirt stick” like he was suppose too. (Repeated line “Little Jackie made it stick, all right”)

o   Jack finds out that Judge Irwin accepted a bribe in 1914 and Adam Stanton (also former Governor) helped him cover it up.

·      Climax: Judge Irwin shoots himself because of the blackmail, Jack feels responsible for the death of his father figure; Tom Stark, Willie’s dad, breaks his neck while Jack is gone; Willie and Adam are both shot. (48 hour time period)

·      Falling Action: Tom: paralyzed; Adam: dead; Willie: dead; Irwin: dead. Jack finds out that Sadie Burke (Willie’s secretary) and Tiny Duffy (Willie’s hired thug) are the ones that called Adam, causing Willie’s death.

·      Resolution: Jack and Anne get married and Jack doesn’t end up dead like everybody else. Yay Jack.

2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.

One theme is how memories and the past affect the lives of the present. Jack is constantly having flashbacks to earlier, happier days. When he was a child with Anne Stanton, or when he first met Willie. These flashbacks help the audience connect with Jack emotionally and explain why some of the things Jack had to do would be hard for him (ex. Finding dirt on Judge Irwin).

3. Describe the author's tone with 3 excerpts.

One tone the author uses is reverence. Jack, the narrator, starts the story off bringing his memories to life. The reader first assumes Jack uses flashbacks as a way to show what’s already happened in order to further the plot but later realizes that Jack almost worships his memories. He later becomes rather cynical, deciding everyone in the country is “cracked at the foundation” because America was “founded on slavery and racism”.

4. Describe 10 literary elements/techniques withe textual support.

·      Irony:  Stark believed that everything he was doing, and having done, were perfectly acceptable because the blackmailing money was going to hospitals and highways that would help the community.

·      Foreshadowing: Jack does a flashback to a memory of  Caroline Turner who was an abolitionist but when she got her own slaves she used to treat them horribly. He didn’t understand until he realized “she could not bear their eyes upon her. I understand, for I can not bear their eyes upon me.” This is foreshadowing how he will feel about Willie Stark later in the story.

·      Flashback:  Jack constently does flashbacks to help tell the story. He opens the story with the first time he met Willie as a flashback.

·      Repetition:  Jack repeats many things in his life. In his storytelling he repeats his use of flashbacks. And he is referenced to repeatedly as a guy who can get dirt on anyone. He uses this skill to repeatedly get information for Willie to use as blackmail.

·      Satire:  The American government is satirized throughout the entire novel.

·      Allusion:  Jack uses allusion every time he uses a flashback. (Keep coming back to that, I wonder if it’s at all important)

·      Surrealism:  The novel's psychological and philosophical themes are all wrapped into a story about corrupt politicians.

How to speak Shakespeare

Saw these on Tumblr. I do not own them and I did not create them. *gives credit to owner* I just don't know who that is....
These are the difference between thou, thee, thy, and thine.

          

Pretty Cool Stuff

Sir Ken Robinson (pause. I totally want to be knighted someday.) is, to me, 157% correct. This is an article about the video. But watch the video. It's why Open Source Learning is so important.

Side note: I think he'd be a really cool guest speaker if we could get him one Friday.

Vocab #8

abase: (verb) to reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation, or estimation; humble; degrade
The president was abased after the decision he made turned out to be harmful for the country.

abdicate: (verb) to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, especially in a formal manner
Many parent's think it is acceptable to abdicate their responsibility to their children.

abomination: (noun) anything greatly disliked or abhorred
She was considered to be the abomination of the otherwise perfect family.

brusque: (adj.) abrupt in manner; blunt; rough
His brusque comment shocked the conservative audience.

saboteur: (noun) a person who commits or practices sabotage
We voted her off the island when it become clear she was a saboteur.

debauchery: (noun) excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures; intemperance
The debauchery of the church group was quite shocking.

proliferate: (verb) to increase in number or spread rapidly and often excessively
The number of police officers in the city will proliferate due to the increase in crime

anachronism: (noun) something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time, especially a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time
The digital watch in the movie Titanic is an anachronism.

nomenclature: (noun) the names or terms comprising a set or system
The basic nomenclature of the computer system was confusing.

expurgate: (verb) to purge or cleanse of moral offensiveness
Her speech had to be expurgated before she presented it to the public.

bellicose: (adj.) inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious
His bellicose attitude eventually led to one to many fights and he got suspended.

gauche: (adj.) lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless
Having dinner at their mansion always made me feel like I had gauche manners.

rapacious: (adj.) given to seizing for plunder or the satisfaction of greed; inordinately greedy; predatory
The rapacious emperor didn't have much popularity among the people.

paradox: (noun) a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth
I saw the paradoxical saying "The only thing constant is change" on a poster at school.

conundrum: (noun) anything that puzzles
He was seeking help for the difficult conundrum that he was in.

anomaly: (noun): a deviation from the common rule, type, arrangement, or form; abnormality, exception, peculiarity.
The doctor told him that his condition was an anomaly.

ephemeral: (adj.) lasting a very short time
Her initial feelings of joy were ephemeral.

rancorous: (adj.) showing resentment.
The teenager's parents were constantly calling her rancorous.

churlish: (adj.) boorish, rude, mean
The churlish boy didn't have any friends at school.

precipitous: (adj.) extremely or impassably steep
The precipitous mountain looked daunting.

Dear Ophelia

Dear Ophelia,
 Well, it sounds like you have quite the conundrum going on! You say that this prince says he loves you, but how do you feel? Do you feel the same or is this just an ephemeral feeling? Are you sure that this prince is sincere? I'm not trying to be brusque but the truth is men will lie. He will say that he loves you but guess what, he doesn't!! Sorry for that gauche comment, for this situation we will give your prince the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure that your father and brother aren't trying to be saboteurs. They must have their reasons for not liking this prince. I'm sure they're not just abasing him for no reason. Do they consider him some kind of bellicose abomination? You certainly don't want to marry someone that your family feels rancorous towards. Maybe they think that he has a churlish attitude and a life full of debauchery. You need to determine if the Prince's words are contradictory to his actions. If he says he loves you would he be willing to abdicate his thrown for you or is he too rapacious for that? You need to find out why your family despises him, then you can make your decision. Good luck!

Green Eggs and Hamlet

For the record, Green Eggs and Ham is a complete gold mine of a book. I completely approve of the title of this assignment. Dr. Seuss should be analyzed for AP Tests. That's a test worth $80.

1. Hamlet is by Shakespeare. There's a soliloquy that starts, "To be or not to be, that is the question." There. I've told you everything I know about Hamlet.

2. Shakespeare. Shakespeare and I go waaayyyy back, We're like this *crosses fingers to indicate closeness* (That's a reference to this movie. It's great. Watch it.) I know Shakespeare was and English bloke who wrote a lot of tragedies set in places he didn't know much about (I will admit the second half it's my own assumption but since all these supposedly "Danish" people have English names, he either didn't do his research, or he didn't give a ____) He wrote Romeo and Juliet, I know that "love story that isn't actually a love story at all" pretty well. THANKS MRS. BYRNE.

3. Because it's written in Old English and that's ridiculously hard to read/understand. Give them a translated version and the frowning goes away (I know that defeats the point, that's just the honest answer to the question.)

4. Translate it into stereotypical "gangster" talk and read it that way. I'm sure the whole class would pay attention then.

What a Character

We don't have nearly enough time or space on the internet for all of the characters that have had an impact on me. Because there's a long list of ties. BUT! The character most fresh in my head is from a book I've finished recently called The Fault in Our Stars and it's by John Green and if you haven't read it, read it. If you have read it, read it again.

Hazel Grace Lancaster:
She's a cancer patient. She can't be cured but she can be treated so even though her "lungs suck at being lungs" she can still use them. I really enjoyed the way she thought about things. She just seemed so real. Her favorite book ends mid sentence, as it is also about a girl with cancer, so Hazel writes the author asking questions. But what I love about that is she figures the girl died or got too sick but Hazel wants to know what happened to the supporting characters, and the girls hamster. That just made me happy.

This book made me happy. The end.

If I Just Had More Time!!

If I had more time for the midterm, I would have tried to use the vocab words in my everyday conversations. I feel like I knew definitions, not words. If I had more time I would have also tried to memorize the words not just the definitions. I prepared myself for the "normal" test of "here's a word, what does it mean?" I should've known better with a teacher like Preston.