Beowulf Questions

A couple of us in class on Friday and talked about teaming up over the weekend to do this assignment and Maddie Hill said she had joined a larger group and that I was welcome to help. Maddie and I split a section and Shane collected and distributed the entire assignment from the different students. 

Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation:

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

Heorot is Attacked:

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

The Hero Comes to Heorot:

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

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

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

Nakesha Willis (http://nakeshawillisrhsenglitcomp13.blogspot.com/)

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

Feast at Heorot:

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

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

The Fight with Grendel:

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

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

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

Celebration at Heorot:

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

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

Shane Hunter (http://shunterrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/)

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

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

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

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

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

Another Attack:

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

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

3. The mere is a magical swampy wood  lake in which it seems endlessly deep and it is where Grendel's mother lair is located atBeowulf fights with Grendel’s mother:

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

Danny Luu (http://dannytbuuluu.blogspot.com/)

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

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

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

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

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

Maddison Hill (http://mhillrhsenglitcomp13.blogspot.com/)

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

8. All of his men are gone because they didn’t believe he could kill Grendel’s mother. Further celebration at Heorot:

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

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

3. His sword, Hrunting.

Kelsey Robertson (http://krobertsonrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/)

Beowulf Returns Home:

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

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

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

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

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

The Dragon Wakes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jacob Hoffman (http://aplit2013-2014.blogspot.com/)

Beowulf Attacks the Dragon:

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

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

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

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

Beowulf's Funeral:

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

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

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

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

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

6. “Said he was kindest of kings under heaven,Gentlest of men, most winning of manner, Friendliest to folk-troops and fondest of honor.” In these lines, the Geats talk of Beowulf’s kindness, friendliness and gentleness.  These are odd words to describe military heroes, at least by today’s standards, because today, military men are portrayed as manly men who do not show much emotion, just stoically save people

Daniel Rucker (http://druckersrhsenglitcomp13.blogspot.com/)

My Opinion isn't a Right

Here are my notes for the Socratic Seminar we did last Friday on "Right to Your Opinion".

Lit. Analysis Book

(I don't have a copy of it, but I'm sure the Orcutt or Hancock library will.)

I plan to read All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren, providing the actual book is as exciting as its summary sounded.

Vocab #1

adumbrate: to represent in outline; to indicate faintly
The students had to adumbrated the day's history topic in a brief summary for their teacher.

apotheosis: exaltation of a person to rank of god; ideal example; epitome
He was the apotheosis of a teacher, showing his students all of the ways they would be successful in the coming year.

ascetic: rigorously abstinent; austere
The Puritans had a very ascetic lifestyle, strictly conforming to their religion and a plain way of life.

bauble: a showy, usually cheap, ornament; trinket
I decorate my room with many baubles collected from different places I've visited.

beguile: mislead; delude; charm; take away by cheating or flattery


burgeon: sprout; grow quickly; flourish
The bud burgeoned into large, colorful flower in the spring.
  
complement: to complete; to make perfect; full quantity
Their personalities complemented each other; everything she lacked, he had.

contumacious: stubbornly rebellious; willfully disobedient
It was innate for the teenager to be contumacious towards her parents.

curmudgeon: a bad-tempered; cantankerous person
The town's librarian was such a curmudgeon that nobody wanted to ask him where anything was.

didactic: instructive; inclined to teach
The didactic approach he took in answering bored his friend.

disingenuous: insincere; lacking in candor
Her apology was so disingenuous; I don't know how she expected me to forgive her.

exculpate: to free from blame; vindicate
The prisoner was exculpated and released from jail after new evidence for his case surfaced.

faux pas: a blunder in conduct; an embarrassing indiscretion
Asking the overweight woman when her due date is, was an awful faux pas.

fulminate: to issue denunciations; to pronounce with condemnation
Abraham Lincoln fulminated against slavery.

fustian: inflated language in writing; worthless; cheap
The authors fustian hid the gaps in the plot.

hauteur: arrogance; haughty manner
In the beginning of the novel, Elizabeth disliked the hauteur with which Mr. Darcy regarded everything and everyone.

inhibit: to hinder; to forbid; to restrain
The rain inhibited further progress on the construction site.

jeremiad: prolonged lamentation; mournful complaint
The students' loud jeremiads did nothing to change the teacher's mind about the pop quiz.

opportunist: the policy of adapting actions and decisions
The opportunist in him couldn't help but feel happy that the one of the other contestants had been voted off the island.

unconscionable: unscrupulous; excessive; extortionate; not guided by conscience
The justice system is in place for people who execute unconscionable acts.

Reflections on Week #1

1. The only potential problem would be my schedule. I have a tendency to bite off a bit more than I can chew and refuse to admit it. This year I have my 4 Righetti classes (Physics, AP Econ, AP Calc, AP Eng) then on Tuesdays and Thursdays I also have a class at Hancock from 1-4pm. And all usually four nights a week I have work. I'm also playing rec soccer which includes two 1-hour practices a week and a game on Friday. And I do reporting for the school's football team.
2. My third grade teacher had us stand on our chairs to learn these songs to help us with our multiplication tables and on open house nights we got to stand on our desks and I just remember thinking he was so cool because we were standing on the furniture at school and we always get in trouble for that. It kind of makes me think of Open-Source in that all our lives we're taught that kid + internet at school = horrible and now it's not only allowed but encouraged.
3. I have no idea. And I know that sounds strange, or even bad. But it's partly because I don't know how to put it into words and partly because even if I could I don't think I'd be able to accurately articulate it. I just know that this class is going to be awesome and helpful and wonderful.

Corrections and Score 1987 AP Exam

I corrected my test and got -18/47 = 38%
Corrections:     % of students that got the question wrong:
 1. c                     39%
 2. a                     49%
 6. d                     27%
 7. e                     48%
15. a                     56%
19. a                     58%
21. e                     31%
22. e                     43%
25. c                     77%
28. c                     28%
48. a                     41%
49. c                     52%
51. c                     68%
54. b                     42%
55. a                     76%
56. b                     43%
59. e                     79%
60. b                     55%

To calculate my score I assumed I'd miss 38% of the questions we skipped (-5) and I used scores I usually got on other AP practice essays in previous years (3, 5, 4). Using the guide at the end of the test I calculated that I would have received a 3 on the exam with a composite score of 71.484.

1987 AP Exam

I ranked each question easy, difficult, or ridiculous based on these descriptions.

EASY: read through possible answers once and found correct one easily and without much thought

DIFFICULT: not necessarily hard, just required more thought and maybe had to read answer choices two or three times

RIDICULOUS: hard to figure out, multiple answers could be right, had to go back after thinking for awhile; read through possible answers many times

#.   Answer:    Rank:

1.     B.               D.

2.     E.               E.

3.     C.               E.

4.     E.               D.

5.     D.               E.

6.     C.               D.

7.     D.               E.

8.     B.               E.

9.     E.               D.

10. C.               E.

11. D.               E.

12. B.               E.

13. B.               D.

14. C.               D.

15. E.               E.

16. B.               E.

17. C.               E.

18. E.               E.

19. B.               D.

20. B.               E.

21. D.               D.

22. C.               D.

23. A.               E.

24. A.               D.

25. E.               E

26. E.               E

27. D.               D

28. A.               E

29. A.               E

30. B.               E

31. D.               E

32. B.               D

47. B               E

48. D               E

49. B               D

50. D               E

51. B               E

52. B               D

53. E               E

54. E               E

55. D               D

56. C               E

57. C               E

58. D               E

59. C               E

60. C               D

61. A               E

There were a few words throughout the test I recognized but couldn’t remember the meaning. These are those words and their definitions.

Pious: having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God

Patriarch: male head of the family

Seditiousness: rebellion against gov’t

Folly: quality of being foolish

Avarice: greed for riches

Paradigms: patterns

Didactic: instructive

I found none of the questions “ridiculously” hard. I could answer them all without too much trouble.

Wise Words from Tumblr

Saw this on Tumblr. Like it. Decided to share.

“1. There are plenty of ways to enter a pool. The stairs is not one of them. 2. Never cancel dinner plans by text message.
3. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.
4. If a street performer makes you stop walking, you owe him a buck.
5. Always use ‘we’ when referring to your home team or your government.
6. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
7. Don’t underestimate free throws in a game of ‘horse’.
8. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
9. Don’t dumb it down.
10. You only get one chance to notice a new haircut.
11. If you’re staying more than one night, unpack.
12. Never park in front of a bar.
13. Expect the seat in front of you to recline. Prepare accordingly.
14. Keep a picture of your first fish, first car, and first boy/girlfriend.
15. Hold your heroes to a high standard.
16. A suntan is earned, not bought.
17. Never lie to your doctor.
18. All guns are loaded.
19. Don’t mention sunburns. Believe me, they know.
20. The best way to show thanks is to wear it. Even if it’s only once.
21. Take a vacation of your cell phone, internet, and TV once a year.
22. Don’t fill up on bread, no matter how good.
23. A handshake beats an autograph.
24. Don’t linger in the doorway. In or out.
25. If you choose to go in drag, don’t sell yourself short.
26. If you want to know what makes you unique, sit for a caricature.
27. Never get your hair cut the day of a special event.
28. Be mindful of what comes between you and the Earth. Always buy good shoes, tires, and sheets.
29. Never eat lunch at your desk if you can avoid it.
30. When you’re with new friends, don’t just talk about old friends.
31. Eat lunch with the new kids.
32. When traveling, keep your wits about you.
33. It’s never too late for an apology.
34. Don’t pose with booze.
35. If you have the right of way, take it.
36. You don’t get to choose your own nickname.
37. When you marry someone, remember you marry their entire family.
38. Never push someone off a dock.
39. Under no circumstances should you ask a woman if she’s pregnant.
40. It’s not enough to be proud of your ancestry; live up to it.
41. Don’t make a scene.
42. When giving a thank you speech, short and sweet is best.
43. Know when to ignore the camera.
44. Never gloat.
45. Invest in good luggage.
46. Make time for your mom on your birthday. It’s her special day, too.
47. When opening presents, no one likes a good guesser.
48. Sympathy is a crutch, never fake a limp.
49. Give credit. Take blame.
50. Suck it up every now and again.
51. Never be the last one in the pool.
52. Don’t stare.
53. Address everyone that carries a firearm professionally.
54. Stand up to bullies. You’ll only have to do it once.
55. If you’ve made your point, stop talking.
56. Admit it when you’re wrong.
57. If you offer to help don’t quit until the job is done.
58. Look people in the eye when you thank them.
59. Thank the bus driver.
60. Never answer the phone at the dinner table.
61. Forgive yourself for your mistakes.
62. Know at least one good joke.
63. Don’t boo. Even the ref is somebody’s son.
64. Know how to cook one good meal.
65. Learn to drive a stick shift.
66. Be cool to younger kids. Reputations are built over a lifetime.
67. It’s okay to go to the movies by yourself.
68. Dance with your mother/father.
69. Don’t lose your cool. Especially at work.
70. Always thank the host.
71. If you don’t understand, ask before it’s too late.
72. Know the size of your boy/girlfriend’s clothes.
73. There is nothing wrong with a plain t-shirt.
74. Be a good listener. Don’t just wait for your turn to talk.
75. Keep your word.
76. In college, always sit in the front. You’ll stand out immediately.
77. Carry your mother’s bags. She carried you for nine months.
78. Be patient with airport security. They’re just doing their jobs.
79. Don’t be the talker in a movie.
80. The opposite sex likes people who shower.
81. You are what you do, not what you say.
82. Learn to change a tire.
83. Be kind. Everyone has a hard fight ahead of them.
84. An hour with grandparents is time well spent. Ask for advice when you need it.
85. Don’t litter.
86. If you have a sister, get to know her boyfriend. Your opinion is important.
87. You won’t always be the strongest or the fastest. But you can be the toughest.
88. Never call someone before 9am or after 9pm.
89. Buy the orange properties in Monopoly.
90. Make the little things count.
91. Always wear a bra at work.
92. There is a fine line between looking sultry and slutty. Find it.
93. You’re never too old to need your mom.
94. Ladies, if you make the decision to wear heels on the first date, commit to keeping them on and keeping your trap shut about how much your feet kill.
95. Know the words to your national anthem.
96. Your dance moves might not be the best, but I promise making a fool of yourself is more fun then sitting on the bench alone.
97. Smile at strangers.
98. Make goals.
99. Being old is not dictated by your bedtime.
100. If you have to fight, punch first and punch hard. ”

—	A high school teacher’s list of 100 wisest words (via ecartum)

Poetry #1

1. "The Laughing Heart" by Charles Bukowski
2. The use of this poem for a commercial is ironic in that the company using it wants you to buy all of their brand and not be yourself.
3. I'd say his reputation doesn't fit the poem. The poem is about taking charge of your life and being true to yourself and it seems that Bukowski has a reputation for being a drunk, and a guy that doesn't care about his life.
4. I Googled "your life is your life poem" and found the name and author then Googled "charles bukowski reputation. The first link was a guy who didn't like Bukowski, in fact hated him. (He actually irritated me quite a bit by using phrases like "he was probably...") But although this guy seemed crazy, this is how he thinks of Bukowski and therefore it correlates to his reputation.

Essay #1

Most thoughts connected to “exile” are unpleasant, and for good reason. Many times it isn’t a pleasant place to be, exiled. However in The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, exile proves to be both beneficial as well as unfortunate. While the entire Price family is uprooted from they’re home in Georgia when they move to the Congo, Leah Price seems to have suffered and learned the most from the move.

Leah Price truly believed in her father and his work. She wanted to help him baptize the entire village and bring God’s word to the “uncivilized”, but very quickly she learns that maybe her dad isn’t entirely right and that their new home has more to offer than meets the eye. Leah has many difficulties learning that her father’s approach to their missionary trip is incorrect and must reevaluate her prior thoughts when something and someone that once seemed so certainly correct is now quite possibly wrong. She always believed in God and her father and being exiled to a new country and a new culture as shown her that maybe just because the Congolese do things differently, doesn’t mean they’re wrong.

Leah also absorbs the new home her family has found, taking in the culture and traditions. She starts to adapt to her environment, unlike her father, learning the language and the customs. She learns to hunt like the men in her new home and even falls in love with a local teacher. Leah’s exile turns out to be a very good thing for her even though in the beginning, it looked like it would affect her and her father in similar manners.

The word “exile” isn’t used to being used in such a positive way. But Leah’s exile certainly enriched her as a person and changed her life in many positive ways.

My Big Question

What happens after you die? Not physically, to your body. But to your mind, that little voice inside your head. Does it just turn off? Like someone unplugged the cord? Or is there a sort of "life after death" type situation where your conscious keeps on going?