Act 5 Imagery

There is a lot of imagery seen in act 5. The first piece of imagery that we see is Lady Macbeth not being able to sleep, and since sleep is like being e, Lady Macbeth cannot sleep because she is guilty of murder and cannot escape it. Also, in this act we see the imagery of disease, when Lady Macbeth goes ill. "Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased... Raze out the written troubles of the brain." (Pages 216-218) This is where Macbeth is saying to the doctor to just give Lady Macbeth a pill or something. The problem with this is that it cannot be cured, it is simply because her mind is troubled and she cannot sleep. Also, another piece of disease imagery is where all the noblemen are starting to look at Macbeth as a plague on Scotland. This appears in scene 7 with Malcolm and Macduff, and Malcolm is testing Macduff to see how bad things in Scotland really are and says that Macbeth has this great healing power when in reality he is the one causing all the trouble in Scotland.

Act 4 Scene 3

In this chapter, there was a lot of imagery of disease and death. "To offer up a weak, poor innocent lamb, t'appease an angry god."(Page180) Malcolm says this to warn Macduff that Macbeth will probably kill him next. "It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash is added to her wounds."(Page182) This symbolism of injury is to show how bad Scotland is getting under Macbeth's rule. "That, when they shall be opened, black Macbeth will seem as pure as snow, and the poor state esteem him as a lamb, being compared with my confineless harms."(Page 184) This quote is significant because it symbolizes how Macbeth seems so innocent compared to other tyrants. Malcolm is the one who says this, and it is at this time that Macduff tell him that he needs to take what is rightfully his. Then they begin to talk about a disease that is called "the King's Evil." Malcolm says that this disease is not curable by anyone else but Macbeth by hanging a gold coin around their neck, and that Macbeth has a healing blessing. "The dead man's knell is there scarce asked for who, and good men's lives expire before the flowers in their caps, dying or ere they sicken."(Page 192) This is the quote where Ross enters and tells them how Scotland really is and how everyone is dying of sickness. "Were, on the quarry of these murdered deer, to add the death of you."(Page 194) This is where Ross tells Macduff that his wife and children were brutally murdered, and this quote is symbolic in showing that they were innocently murdered to hurt Macduff.

Act4 scenes 1-2

The imagery seen the most these scenes are: planting, and doubles. In scene 1, the first piece of imagery that really sticks out is "Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble."(Page 158) This is obviously a reference to doubles. "Two fold-balls," (Page 168) is also a reference to doubles. The third apparition, which is a crowned child with a tree in his hand, is a symbol of planting. "Who can impress the forest, bid the tree unfix his earth-bound root?"(Page166) This imagery of planting shows that Macbeth is grounded in his decision, and will not give up his throne. "The very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand."(Page 170) HE is saying that he will go with his gut instinct and act on his thoughts quickly. "What, you egg! Young fry of treachery!"(Page 178) This quote stands out in my mind as planting because Macduff's son was a younger version of Macduff, and was still growing, like an egg.

Act III Scenes 1-4

"O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!" This is a big indicator to the fact that Macbeth is going crazy. "that on the torture of the mind to lie." (page 124 But I think that the most important symbolism in this little section is the scene in which Banquo dies, and it becomes dark. Then there is the fact that Lady Macbeth is slowly starting to feel guilty, and Macbeth is feeling less guilty.

the rest of Act III

In this chapter, the symbolism that I thought was very prominent, and that was disease/injury. "Then Comes my fit again." (Page 134) "With trenched gashes on his head; the last a death to nature." (Page 134) "Never shake thy gory locks at me." (Page 136) "Painting of your fear." (Page 136) All of these quotes show how ill Macbeth is becoming as the ghost of Banquo appears and disappears before him. "I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing to those that know me." (page 138) This is Macbeth trying to shake off what just happened and say that his illness is not a big deal. Then, it becomes apparent that Macbeth has ruined the feast finally when Lady Macbeth said "You have displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting, with most admired disorder." (Page 140)then there after that Macbeth continues to get worse.

Act II symbolism

The most prominent symbolism that I saw in this act was mainly that of sleep, death/injury,clothing,and disease.
The first reference to clothing is when an English tailor, and that he clothes people, and the irony is that he asks the king to be woken up, which ties into a reference of sleep. The fact that he is a tailor is significant, since he clothes people, and at this time Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are playing Duncan and have killed him. Another reference to clothes is on page 96, "And when we have our naked frailties hid, that suffer in exposure, let us meet, and question this most bloody piece of work, to know it further." The meaning of this quote is that they should meet and talk of the matter again, when they are clothed and more well hidden. "Get on your nightgown," page 84, refers to Lady Macbeth telling her husband to act normal and have their nightclothes on to show that they were asleep, clearing them of the crime.
"The candles are all out," is a great reference to darkness in scene I. Another great piece of symbolism in scene I is disease on page 76,"A dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?" This is when Macbeth sees the dagger and decides that he does not want to kill Duncan, and this hints to the fact that he is going crazy. The next symbolism that follows this quote is one of death also on page 90, "I go, and it is done:the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons me to heaven, or to hell."
Then there is also some symbolism in water, when Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to just wash his hands off like it is nothing. The truth is that they truly cannot escape what they have done, because we will see how they will go crazy in the end, like we saw in the play, and their crimes will catch up to them.

Act I scenes IV-Act II

In this section of Act I, there is a lot of night symbolism in the quote on page 52, "Come, thick night, and pale thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, to cry 'Hold, hold!'" This quote is said by lady Macbeth, and in this she is praying to let go of her womanly features, and to be ruthless and cutthroat. Then there is also a reference to death and injury on page 60, "Assassination, blood, plague, murderer, knife." All of these words, in a monologue done by Macbeth symbolizes that the plot to kill Duncan is thinking about not going through this plan. Then we also see a sleep symbolized in scene VII, when Lady Macbeth is going through her plan to kill Duncan by getting his guards drunk. Page 61, "A limbec only: when in swinish sleep; When we have marked with blood those sleepy too." This also emphasizes, the common theme of death which we see a lot of in this play.

ACT I scenes I-III

In act 1 Scene 3 there is a good reference to sleep on page 32 "Sleep shall neither night nor day Hang upon his pent-house lid." This is basically where the witches are kind of bragging to one another on what they did to humans, and one which said that she would put a curse on some woman's husband, because the woman wouldn't give her any chestnuts. Then there is also symbolism of clothes, and how things are not as they seem, and this holds true to Duncan, since we can see he is a bad judge of character and trusted MacDonwald. "Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?" (Page 40) This is just where Macbeth is questioning why he is the Thane of Cawdor, why MAcDonwald is still alive. There is also another piece of symbolism to clothes by Banquo on page 42 "New honours come upon him, like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould but with the aid of use." This is basically Banquo saying that he doesn't think that Macbeth is deserving of his new position as the Thane of Cawdor. There is also another reference to injury on page 28, "Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chops, and fixed his head upon our battlements." This is Macbeth saying how he cut off Macdonwald's head and mounted it on a wall. The basic symbolism that was seen the most in these scenes were: clothes, injury/death, and a reference to sleep. I think that clothing will continue to be one of the most common, and I say this because as we saw from the play, Macbeth and his lady deceive king Duncan, and deceit has to be clothed. Also, we can take from the play that injury and death will also be key images.

High Fidelity Movie

The movie was very similar to the novel, with only a few aspects missing. The way Rob and Laura get back together is a bit different, and the movie left out one of Rob's breakups, Jackie Allen. I think that if this was included in the movie, it would make Rob look like an even bigger jerk.I was surprised to see this, because Rob wanted this relationship really bad, and I wanted to see it portrayed in the movie. I liked the movie, but at times I thought that it was almost exactly like the book. I usually don't like this in movies, but in this case it seems to fit. I like how they kept a lot of the same aspects of the book, except for the fact that it was set in Chicago instead of London. That was really the only key aspect that they left out, and I think it could have been just as effective if it was set in London. I liked the movie, and I liked this book.

The Book is Over

Throughout this entire book, I have actually felt pretty bad for Rob, because he never truly found himself. At the end of the book, things actually do turn out good for him, and I was happy for him. He actually finds out who he really is, not by looking at the past, but by Laura helping him. I kind of predicted this at the beginning of the book, that at the end of the book, Rob would be more sure, of which way to go in life and everyone would be happy. This change starts to take shape, when Rob went to Laura's dad's funeral, and heard her cry, and I think that it was at this point in the book that he finally realized that he didn't want to end up alone, even if that means losing some people along the way. He finally ended up Proposing to Laura, and she rejected him, and I was expecting him to freak out and totally break down, but in fact he just moves on and gets over it. This is a very good thing and a big step for Rob. For the first time in the book, I didn't feel bad for Rob; I thought that he was more at peace than ever before. The book ends on a very good note for Rob, and they kind of leave you hanging on where he will go next, and all that you know is that Rob is ready to finally get over his past and live. Rob has finally found himself! Yay for Rob!!

Top 5 bad ways to break up with someone

1. Finding out the person you just broke up with is gay
2. On their birthday
3. Over the phone
4. Having another person break up with that person for you
5. over IM/email/facebook

Death is Scary for Rob

Rob is afraid of death. Buy why would he be afraid of that if he has nothing to really lose? No relationship, no big career, and he just floats through life. I think hew is more afraid of death because if he dies, he will not have accomplished much in his own life, but that is just my personal opinion. I think that his fear of death does play a role in his infidelity, but I think that this is just another one of Rob's excuses. He is very afraid of losing the people around him. He is just like this with Laura, he doesn't want to lose her so he cheats on her. He's afraid of losing a person, while at the same time he doesn't wish that he had done anything differently when Laura's dad dies. He doesn't want to feel bad, and he doesn't. I think that even though his reasoning behind losing people makes sense because he doesn't want to get too attached, but I think that if he really did this, then he would not still be in contact with ex-girlfriends that he is afraid to let go. It's interesting how he puts them in his top ten list and says that he has let them go, when he hasn't, because he obviously hasn't let them go. It's ok that he doesn't know how to feel, he and Laura broke up, and he was never close to him in the first place. Yes, he was a little but sad, but not to the point of mourning, but he is very scared of being sad and having the people around him die. But just because he is afraid of losing someone doesn't mean that he shouldn't risk losing that person, especially if it means that he could have a very meaningful relationship if he tried.

Rob's Discovery

Basically the whole reason why Rob talked to his ex-girlfriends was to find out what went wrong in the relationships. He did this so that he could try to avoid the mistakes that he made in his past relationships. He starts off by talking to Allison, who now lives in Australia, it turns out that she never even told her parents about him. I think he thought this was significant to interview her, since this was his first break-up. He then talks to penny and she tells him that he was the one who actually dumped her and not the other way around, and this makes Rob feel a little bit better. The he interviews Jackie, who is actually married to Phil, and they seem to be the only ones who are able to give Rob some advice on making long term relationships work. Then he comes across Sarah, who was the one who dumped him because she decided that she actually did want a relationship. Rob just wanted to find out what went wrong in the end, and Sarah does not give him what he is looking for, instead she was saying how big of a mistake she made. The single person who gave Rob his best advice turned out to be his worst breakup, Charlie. I think that this only makes sense, since he would be more likely to listen to Charlie, rather than Penny and Allison. This is a big step for Rob, maybe he will learn more about how to keep a decent relationship going.

Top 5 Dramatic Movies

1. The Other Boleyn Girl
2. I am Sam
3. Sense and Sensibility
4. Jane Austin
5. Passion of the Christ

Top 5 Top 5 Lists

1.favorite books
2.Desserts
3.Monarchs
4.TV Shows
5.Islands

Popular Mechanics

Amy, a starving actress only working in a diner and barely getting by. A girl who has had an abortion, and always seems to fall for the wrong guy. She has been with this guy, John, for about 2 years now, and they have a baby. She found out that he had been cheating on her, and wants to take their baby to live with him and his mistress.

To my surprise, he was already packing a small suitcase with only the necessities. "I don't care if you leave, this is no news to me, but you can never take my baby away from me!" He turned around and faced me and yelled "Do you think I would leave this child with you where he wouldn't have a chance for a decent life?" "Well, at least he would be better off with me than with you and that whore!" He slapped me across the room, and I stumbled onto the floor. In tears I got up and ran to the baby's nursery, and picked him up to stop his crying. "Sh Sh, it's ok."I walked into the kitchen and heard footsteps behind me, and stared at John, daring him to come and try to take the only precious thing in my life worth living for. I backed up to the wall next to the oven, and the next thing I knew he had me cornered with no escape. "You're gonna have to kill me before you take my baby!" I screamed. He grabbed the baby's wrist and pulled with all his might, but I wasn't about to let go. The baby screamed, as my grip loosened more and more. He jerked the baby from me, and the baby was dead. "You killed my baby!" "If you would have let go, this would've never happened!" I pushed past him and kneeled over my bloody baby, and cried. John grabbed the gun from the drawer, and I whirled around just in time to fight him for it, and the next thing I knew he was on the floor dead. I cried, now having lost the 2 people I loved. Knowing what I had to do,I put the gun up to my head and pulled the trigger.

Rob Has Issues

OK,so we can all see that Rob definitely has some issues with his breakup with Laura, and he is mad that they broke up. He got jealous of another guy that Laura moved in with, when they were separated, and he also wanted her when he couldn't have her, which was why he had Marie around. He basically lost interest in Laura and be with Marie, then when Laura became more distant, he would want her back again, and the cycle just keeps on going. Then when he and Laura finally break up, the fling with Marie only lasts about a week. Needless to say that this is an unhealthy and confusing relationship. Then there is also the issue with the baby, and how Laura didn't tell him, and how he basically got him to tell her that he was cheating. After this mess, they still stay together for all of the wrong reasons, and this relationship was doomed to fail. I think that his relationship with Marie was a rebound from Laura, plain and simple.

What Do I think of Rob

I can honestly say that I think Rob's life is very interesting, but at the same time I feel like his character is a bit pathetic. If he has to make top ten lists about music, breakups, and just about everything else in his life, then that is just sad. But, at the same time I think that these lists make him what he is. Without all of these breakups, he would not be what he is. He keeps on looking back on other breakups, when he should be over them by now, especially if they were when he was 13! All of his relationships are very much like his first break up, with Alison Ashworth, because he doesn't really know how to go into a relationship. He goes into some with too much care, trying to stay together with Sarah because they both hate relationships, and then he cares too much and worries. If he just let go of all his worries with one woman and wasn't always trying so hard, then maybe he wouldn't feel the need to make top ten lists. I really want to sympathize with Rob, but I really think that these issues with relationships could be avoided if he didn't try to hard to make a big deal of all these breakups with lists.

How to Read

I usually read a lot of books on my own, and don't always enjoy reading books for class. Now, don't get me wrong, there have been several books that I have read in class that have been wonderful to read, but I prefer the idea of reading what i want to read, not what I should read. In his essay, Hornby also said that boredom is also associated with books, which is true, because a lot of people I know hate to read. I think that the message Hornby is trying to get across is that you should read what you want not what you should be, because you will get more out of a book that interests you. You should enjoy what you are reading, not trying to get involved with a story that you are clearly not interested in. Instead of trudging through boring book, you should be ready for what each and every chapter can bring. You can get so much more out of a book that interests you, and you will find that you learn more.
I will only read things that I find appealing, whether they are what I should read or not. I know a lot of people hate a wide variety of books, and they can get more out of the books that interest them the most. Reading should be enjoyable, so why not read a book you know you will enjoy?

What Makes a Good Novel

I have read mysteries, romance novels, science fiction, dramas, and fantasy, but none can compare to a historical fiction novel. To many people history seems boring and dull, but to me I can’t seem to get enough. Historical fiction allows you to see events in history in a way that you cannot see by reading a textbook, and actually makes you feel like you are a part of the story.
Every time I read a historical fiction novel I feel like I am actually witnessing that event in history. Every time I read Phillippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl, I always end up crying when Anne Boleyn gets executed. If a novel can evoke this sense of emotion, then you know it has to be good.
Another thing I look for in Historical Fiction novels is that the characters always try to bring themselves higher on a social level. Mistresses of Louis IV all had one thing in common; they were not born into nobility. Madame DuBarry was not born into nobility, she came from a whorehouse, and yet her affair with a monarch was controversial among the court of Versailles. All of these women, who pushed to get ahead into nobility, had some sort of power. I love these types of characters, since they are usually the most interesting to see develop as you read. A large majority of characters aren’t monarchs themselves, but a lot of historical fiction is in fact based on monarchs. There are at least a dozen books on Henry VIII, telling the same story, saying how cruel he was to his wives, while if you look at him from his wives’ perspectives, they provided a very different story. This shows that not all historical figures are as they seem, and the smallest characters in a book are sometimes the strongest. This is why I prefer the novels that are from the perspective of a lover rather than a monarch. If a book can have strong, characters, even if you don’t agree with the characters’ motives, then it can only make the book stronger and much more engaging to the reader.
Historical fiction novels have had a far more profound effect on my view of history, than any textbook, mystery, or romance novel I have read. Every time I pick up a historical fiction novel, I feel like I am becoming a part of that history.

What Does Joe Want?

Joe cannot speak, smell, see,or even hear but he can feel. The only thing that he has is his mind, and himsel. He only know that he is conscious through what he feels, if he couldn't feel than he would think he was dad. Amidst all of this, he wants what every human being wants, to not be alone. Right now he can't communicate with other people, he knows they are there, but it is always comforting to be able to communicate. I think that what Joe wants the most is to communicate what he wants to the doctors, whether that is death or just wanting to be heard. If he can do this, then he won't feel alone. He is literally trapped in his own mind, he wants legs, arms, a face, anything so that he can get out of his mind. But it is not only his mind that he is a prisoner of, he is also a prisoner of the doctors, they cannot and will not help him. They won't even let him out of his hospital room, for fear that people might really see what happens in war. If he were to be displayed, then people would realize that fighting for an idea is worthless, since you, yourself have nothing to gain. This is what Joe thinks, he wants to fight for something that he can see, not just words. He wants many things that we take for granted, but most of all, he just wants to be heard.

Why is Joe Hurt?

In chapter one we see Joe mournign the death of his father, and experiencing wierd flashbacks. In Chapter 3, Joe realizes that the doctors have cut his arm off. What hurts Joe the most is that he does not have arms, legs, a mouth, nose, eyes, and that he can't be dead. At this moment, I think that Joe should have been more worried about his arm, but no, he was more worried about the ring his girlfriend Kareen gave him is on the hand that was just cut off. It is at this time that Joe experiences another flashback, where Kareen's father Mike, orders them to spend the last night together in her room. I think that the memories serve as an escape from his pain. Many more memories like this occur in Book I, and it becomes difficult for him to comprehned what is reality, and what is a dream, as we saw in the instance of the rat chewing on him. What hurts Joe is the fact that he is literally treated like a science experiment, and that he sometimes just wants to die.

What is Marriage?

To some people, marriage is a union between a man and a woman, but mostly it is two people showing their devotion towards each other. Many people get married for financial support, while in other countries they marry for love. Some are arranged and some are vegas weddings. I think that it is fair to say that people marry to show their dedication and love. Sex should not be an issue when it comes to marriage, since it is a personal decision, and should be regarded as a choice. He also lists the benefits of being married, so that the audience can see why most couples decide to get married, and why homosexuals really want to get married. I think that another large aspect of Wolfson's argument is that in order for his audience to truly see the whole picture, he cannot just concentrate on one aspect of sex. This is probably why he tried to avoid mentioning sex in parts of his writing. I just wish he would also put some emohasis on the family aspect of marriage, because it is my opinion that the desire to start a family can also have an impact on this topic.

Airplane

Dr. Horn describes there being two planes. One with two parents, and that one is usually on time and gets to the destination on time. The other with only one parent, and that one doesn't always get to the destination. The one with two parents is as close 100% accuracy, which is better for the child. The child in the first plane is more likely to have less issues, and to not be inevitably screwed up. The second plane gets to the destination, but not 100% of the time,and usually leaves emotional scarring on the child, which can eventually lead to problems with children who only have one parent. Horn is basically saying that a family with two parents is easier for the child, society, and is better.

Appearances

I think that Vazquez doesn't want to tell her audience right away that the two men are straight, because she wants you to think that they are gay. She does this to make the audience shocked, which worked because I actually thought that they were gay. Why is she doing this? She does this to emphasize the impact that appearances have. People are often judged by appearances and that sometimes a person does not seem how they appear. I think that the old saying "never judge a book by its cover," is totally appropriate for this article. Violence that antigay send out is equal for this reason, they send out the same message and that is what matters the most. We all have the right to express ourselves, in our opinions, whether other people agree with them or not. They can still express these ideas without the use if violence, just because you don't support it and you disagree with it doesn't mean you should hurt another person.

# 7 pg. 383

Don't eat with your mouth open. Brush your teeth. Go to bed. Say your prayers before dinner and bed. Brush your hair. Walk the dog. Don't let men be bossy. Treat other how you would want to be treated. Think of others before yourself. Do your own laundry, don't let dad do that! Always use a napkin. Say please and thank you. Use this knife not the butter knife. Make your own dinner. Offer help when it is needed. Don't stress too much about something so small. Sing out loud and proud. Don't think so little of yourself. Don't try to control everything. Just let go. Always maintain high standards for yourself. Don't swear, or cuss. Follow the rules, and speak the way we are supposed to speak or don't speak at all. If you can't think of anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all. Don't speak unless you are spoken to. Sit up tall and don't slouch. Don't play with your food.

Being Sensitive and Being Manly

I personally have always thought that men are capable of being both sensitive and manly, so I have to disagree with Mansfield's statement. Men are noted for standing up for their country and being brave and chivalrous, while at the same time being caring and showing emotion. I think that the perfect example of this is how a typical husband acts, protective, and care for their families when they are in a time of distress. Many dads and father figures are usually seen in this way. So, yes sensitivity and manliness are definitely compatible, if they weren't, then we would not have father figures. It has always been my belief that a man who is too manly is just plain odd. Men and women can both be brave and stand up for what they believe in and be sensitive too.

Eustace is the last american man

Gilbert constantly emphasizes that she thinks Eustace Conway is the last american man. She believes this because who really does go into the wilderness and wrestles a buck? Nobody, in fact most people would just shoot it, but not Eustace. Eustace is able to survive on his own, away from society. I believe that she does have the evidence to back her statement up, since she does spend a lot of time with Eustace. But, in her eyes he is not the last american man, because he lives in the wilderness off of nature, but that he hold the basic ideals that were instilled in the very first American men. When you look at most modern-day American men, ten you usually think of someone who is similar to a businessman. I think that most people think that Eustace represents what an American man should be, but the problem is that we portray him as what a masculine man should be. I think that Gilbert believes he is the last American man because he is not like the other American men that we see today, and he is one of a kind.

Real Men and True Women

Tocqueville makes a very intriguing argument in this essay, basically saying that women will eventually become equal to men. She describes this progression to be similar to that of a father and son, and sort of a master and servant. Yes, it may take some time to achieve, but once this change occurs, then there is the great possibility that women will truly be an equal to men.
Women have always had the job of making the babies, and cooking dinner, and doing the laundry, and the men have always been the primary breadwinners. This is what our society has been like for quite sometime, and it is my belief that it still exists today, whether we choose to acknowledge this or not. The point is that duties for men and women have always been distinct, and Tocqueville thinks that this difference in actions of these sexes. Women were simply to go on another path than that of the man, which Tocqueville describes as being two separate paths. This means that women ultimately were not to do anything strenuous, and yet at the same time, they were respected and protected by men. I think it is a fair statement to say that men at this time ultimately realized how much a women could endure, and how much strength she had, and they have the complete respect of the man, but are still not seen as equals. I find it very interesting that countries like Europe women are alike and have the same opportunities as men, but yet the women still do not the equality and respect that they deserve.

Cinderella

When we were little kids, we all watched the Disney Classics, and probably read the many versions of Grimms Fairy Tales, but the most prominent story that sticks out in my mind that relates to my gender the most is Cinderella. For those of you who have not heard this story, at the beginning of the story she is happy with her father, and he gets married, and Cinderella gets two evil stepsisters, who are jealous of her beauty. When her father dies, they make poor Cinderella become their servant, and she is also treated very badly by the wicked stepmother. Now, in reality, I highly doubt that anyone would be enslaved by their own family, but still this makes us want to sympathize with Cinderella even more. She goes to a ball, with the help of a fairy-godmother, and loses her glass slipper, prince later on finds out that she is the girl who fits the glass slipper, and they get married and live happily ever after.
Now who wouldn't want a bunch of mice making you a dress, and a fairy god-mother on hand to help you? I think that every girl always dreams of finding their prince charming, just like cinderella did, and we all like to hear that good wins out in the end. We all want to dress like Cinderella, act like Cinderella, and be just like Cinderella. You don't see any kids dressing up like the villain on Halloween do you? No. This is because we all want to be feminine and believe that if we just sit there and wait for somebody to help us, like mice or a fairy godmother,then everything will tun out just as it should, and we will all live happily ever after. This is not a bad thing, seeing as it is mostly for the enjoyment of children, but still I would like to see one Disney Princess be ugly. Cinderella has beautiful blonde hair, and boobs, and the perfect gown, and she's just gorgeous! Anyway, the point is that stories like these are trying to make girls want to act like this, and to believe that if you believe in your dreams, just like in the song Cinderella sings "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes," then you too can find your happy ending.

Nature

The two lines in the poem "Nature," by Ralph Waldo Emerson were "Few adult persons can see nature." I really like this line because it reaches out to those of us who are young. I feel that sometimes adults can get caught up in superficial, meaningless things and become so involved with these things that they lose their own spirit. This brings me to the next quote that I found to be quite intriguing "Nature always wears the colors of the spirit." I love this quote, because nature is just natural, and it is what it is, and it is our spirit. That's why when we look at nature, we can have an entire different perspective, but we all know that we are a part of it. The fact that some adults can't see nature, and the colors of the spirit it awakens, is why they lose their own spirit. Whether you are a child, mother, father, son, grandmother, or anyone for that matter, you have to be able to see nature in order to find your spirit.

The world is a scary place sometimes

Life never is what it seems, and Wright comes to this conclusion at the end of the book. He feels like people will never unite and fight for something together, and this mostly applies to when he was thrown out of a line that he was invited to for a MayDay march. Blacks and whites both just stared, but didn't do anything to stop the violence toward Wright. The only way he can think things through and come to his own realizations of the real world is through his writing. He only wants to write to help people think for themselves, in the hopes that they will come to their own realizations. To find the answer to meaningless suffering just might lie within his audience, and maybe they might do something about it. Wright needs to write, without it, I feel like he won't be able to survive. Writing has been his way of expressing himself throughout the entire book, yet without it, he wouldn't have had the strife he ha to go through, he might not have even thought for himself. Without his writing he would have given in to the meaningless suffering. Also at the end of the book, for the first time, he didn't fight back, this just shows that he realizes that if he fights he can't win. This is why he later on goes to Europe, like many other writers, but he realizes that he can fight back by informing people through his writing.

Artists vs. Politicians

Artists and politicians almost always seem to be at different ends of the spectrum, and I agree with Wright when he says this. Artists, like Wright prefer to analyze life until they understand it, and never seem to find peace until they do, while politicians go with the old saying "Ignorance is Bliss." I personally don't think that, and neither does Wright, he questions life through his writing, and is willing to wait, while most politicians would rather not know about it. Why else would Wright's writing be so appealing to us, if he just didn't bother trying to find answers to the meaningless suffering? I know I would never read this book if Wright took on the same ways of thinking that politicians like Ed Green, don't even comprehend why writers would write about the lives of other people, and therefore they see these new ideas as a threat. We are always afraid of what is different, and this applies to politicians who don't want to hear the ideas of a free thinking artist like Wright.

The Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau

This painting that portrays a sleeping Gypsy, who is a musician, and you can tell because of the instrument lying next to her. If you have ever seen this painting before, then you will know that there is a lion also portrayed in this painting. It looks as though this is supposed to take place in the desert, so I'm guessing that this is somewhere near the Sahara or in Africa. Now, to the best of my knowledge, I see two wild creatures both in calm, serene state of being. In all books that have gypsies in them, they do not like enclosed spaces, and are usually travelers trying to make a living. In this case, our gypsy is a musician, but still a free spirit nonetheless. This painting connects to me, because once you are in a serene state of being, everything else around you is serene. A lion would not act like this if the girl was playing music and making noise, it would be afraid, and it wouldn't be very friendly in the first place. This makes me feel comforted, and serene, it also shows that miraculous things could happen. It also reaches out to the artist within all of us, and how tired most artists are, and somehow our art attracts others, if we just let go for a moment. Just like the artist sleeping and the lion not eating her. I thought that this painting could draw a number of answers, but that is why I chose this picture. Sometimes there is more than one answer.

Parenthesis

The first few passages of Section 2, held in store a different style of writing. He does this when he first receives food from Mrs. Hoffman, and he revisits how he thought that they were racist, when as an adult he realizes that they weren't racist at all. He also uses the parenthesis to emphasize his fear of not knowing what kind of racism he will come face to face with everyday, and makes the connection to Shorty. He soon comes to the realization of why people, like Shorty, give in to and reduce themselves to nothing. Now, this does not mean that he agrees with this point of view, but rather he can sympathize with them.
Wright put entire paragraphs in parenthesis, and he does this mainly to emphasize that it is another source talking. Instead of just telling the story, he actually puts himself back into these events and revisits them. This is a very good way of strengthening his connection to his audience. This also allows him to show his audience how his views are as an adult, and how they might have changed looking back on past events. I liked hearing his adult insights into his past, and like how Wright allowed us to know what he was thinking at parts like these in the book.

A change for the Better

At the end of Section 1 is a positive change. With Wright leaving because he stole, this allows him to go north. I think that even though he did steal, he felt that if he did not, then he would be stuck in the south. He doesn't want to conform to society and subservience. I think that he would rather steal than end up in the south and just deal with the issues at hand. Also, his stealing could be perceived as being a negative thing, but as long as he is sticking to his beliefs then I think it is more of a positive change than a negative change for him. There is also the idea of what we would do in the same situation, and I probably would steal to get out of the south too. Let's also not forget the remorse he felt on the trip up north. Overall stealing money to go up north is not as bad as it seems for Wright.
Another good change for Wright is when he moves up north with his mother and Aunt Maggie. At first I got the feeling like he was running away from the south. Later on, I realized that yes he was running, but he couldn't change the south, so he got out. If he would have stayed in the south, then it is possible that he could have been killed. So why not go north? I would have gone too. This was also a chance for a fresh start, and this is what he always wanted. So overall the changes at the end of Section I were positive for Wright.

Subservience is necessary

Subservience, in my mind is a natural way of life. Humans, like any other social animal need to be dominant over another person, whether they are white or black. It is because our society was built on slavery that we now have social class. We all depend on subservience, if we didn't have it, then we would not live the way we do. We experience it every day, we need it to survive. It is not always as bad as slavery though, we are all subservient to our parents, bosses, friends even, and yet we don't even think about it. I think that subservience is not only necessary, but our society would not exist if we did not have it.

learning to Live in the South

I think that what Wright's friend Griggs meant was that he couldn't really escape the South, so that he would just have to live in it. I think that since around this time Wright had so many jobs, that he just had to accept the South for what it was. The problem with his is that Wright did not want to do that at all, all he wanted to do was speak his mind. Basically Griggs was just trying to say that he should just deal with it and move on. I don't think that Griggs realizes that Wright not only cannot learn to live in the south, but will not. Wright is as Katie said, a rebel, and it is not in his character to give in and give up. Wright doesn't really understand the stereotypes to the extent that he can accept them, because of his own beliefs. He reminds me of a free spirit, not a bad one, but one who knows what he wants, and will not be broken. He will not be broken into the ways of the South.

Wright's Speech

I feel that Wright should have said his own speech, and that he had every right to. Why would you even bother letting a black man speak, if you are just going to make his speech up for him. So what if Wright said something controversial, the point is that he has every right to make his own speech, even if the audience hates it. He is at the top of his class, and deserves to say his own speech. Even though the principal was trying to look out for Wright's best interest, I still think that he should've been able to say the speech he'd written. I would want to say a speech that I wrote myself, that would be a time where I could say my how I felt and express myself. Wright didn't want to say the speech that principal had given, because it meant nothing to him. I think that Wright was justified in refusing to say the speech that the Principal gave him.

Uncle Tom

Wright is mostly angry with his uncle Tom, because his uncle was basically telling him what to do with his life. Wright doesn't want to be told that he can't wright, because he wants to figure that out on his own. I think that when somebody tells you that you can't do something, then you get defensive and mad about it. I think that Wright doesn't want to be told not to write, also because that is how he expresses himself. He doesn't write to make it a career, although he may hope for that to happen, but he just does it because he likes it. If someone told me to do something because it's never going to happen, I would be mad. I would want that to actually happen to me, and find out for myself, rather than not try. So, I think that wright is mad at his unlce for squashing his dream of writing.

Wright Writes

At the end of chapter 5, wright was supposed to be praying for forgiveness, but instead he writes. This is how he not only vents his anger, but is able to express himself. He shows his writing to the girl next door, who doesn't know writing very well and thinks it is not very good. This turns out to be a confidence booster for Wright, since he possibly feels that he is smarter than the girl, and he found a way to express himself. It is way to let out his anger, and afterward feel better about himself. He feels gratified because he lashed out against his grandmother, not in a violent way, but he was able to just get his thoughts out on paper. I sense that this could be the beginning of a trend for Wright.

PARALYSIS

In the book, Wright's mother has two strokes, that ultimately lead up to her Paralysis. Wright eventually comes to terms with this, but not very easily, since he realizes that his mother will no longer be around to help him. Now, I personally didn't think that she was that influential on her son, or the best mother, but she was still his mother. This gives him a sense of abandonment, which makes him call upon the help of his grandma, but by the second stroke, I really think that he was at the point in his life where he truly became responsible for himself. Now, the part in the book where the dad offers him a nickel, and the mom basically tells him not to take charity really comes in handy here, because he did not accept favors from his neighbors, or even food that was offered. I think that this makes him more self-sufficient, but it might be controversial in the end.

Wright's "Cultural heritage"

Wright says that it was because of his cultural heritage that he hates Jews. I think that it is because blacks couldn't fight, and expect whites not to fight back. They were throwing things at each other, and even knew when it was bad to cross a boundary that was never even set. So, I think that he took out his anger on another race that wouldn't fight back, Jews. This is because he was around these kinds of things every day, but he didn't learn these because of his own personal beliefs. Also, both racial parties were taught to not like the other group, but as kids we have no idea what is exactly right or wrong. Wright learned this, and treated Jews in the same manner as he was treated by the white people.

Black Boy: Why is Wright really hungry?

Wright's son Richard shows resentment toward white families who have food, since his father left his mother Ella. Richard shows resentment openly, while his father Wright is not able to do so. Richard soon associates hunger with bitter hatred toward his father. This shows me that Wright hungers for something more than food. Could his hunger be for the ability to show the resentment that his son shows? I think that it is. I think that Wright is a complex character, especially since he was the one who was encouraging his son Richard to keep quiet about racial issues. I think Wright is also hungry for the freedom to freely express his feelings. So ultimately, I feel that his hunger will lead on paths that will eventually lead him to his own affirmation. So his hunger is not for affirmation, but for the things that will lead him there.

Do I need to go to school?

John Taylor Gatto made it very clear that a lot of people who are homeschooled are very smart. Basically he was saying that it was not necessary to go to school, and I agree with the idea that people could teach themselves. This is a good idea, but only if people are very disciplined in their studies. The whole issue with this is that some people need a social atmosphere to learn in. In most ways it is better to get many perspectives, which is hard to obtain while in a homeschooling environment. I have been homeschooled for a year, as most of you know, and am totally opposed to the idea. I think that a child should soicalize, and that going to school is an absolute necessity. Although I think at times school is not necessary, and am inclined to agree with him on this topic, it is for the simple fact that I was homeschooled that I also disagree with him.

Do I really value my education

I thought that Mann's argument about how the public school system was effective, but I highly disagree with him. In public schools there are programs that are built to prevent kids from getting behind in their schoolwork. The simple fact that we even need programs like these is the perfect example of this. We shouldn't need programs liek this if our public school systems are already effective. I say all of this because as of right now, going to a private high school, has opened my eyes. When I went to a public school I believed my parents were always right and followed their conservative views. Althoguh I try to maintain thos views, I feel as though I don't want to be labeled as conservative or liberal, but rather moderate. This is an example of how I persoanlly felt as though I did not value my non-acedemic education. When i am at University we learn life skills, and are able to think outside the box and form our own opnions, which is what I think most schools should be like. It is for this reason that I value my education at University High School, and feel as though I am not just learning academics, but I am learning more about myself everyday. So yes I truly value my non-academic education at this point in my life.

Rheoric out on the town cont.

The second day of presentations brought forth a lot of similar articles that I have seen myself. A lot of these ads were set in the Fashion Mall. The Victoria's Secret window display sticks out in my mind, since there was a lot of controversy over this. i like how the presenter, Mallory, brought up the point that the Pink Display used to be where the manikins in underwear are now. This is the part of the store that you see first, and this how they get their customers in the store. I thought that the presentations looked kind of similar, since they were mostly from malls, or websites, but overall I think that we can say that we see rhetoric every time we walk into a store.

Rheoric out on the town

Today in class there were a lot of interesting advertisements that really showed how rhetoric is used in our everyday lives. I really like Tony's advertsiment with the non-alcoholic beer. No girl could possibly look that attractive while she is pregnant unless she diest and works out like crazy, which would be bad for the baby in the first place. Then on the side, you see that it is a non-alcohlic beer, and that it will not hurt the baby. Another good picture was one by Kendal Lewis, and how the Village of Westclay creates that old town feeling. This is interestng since every time I drive into Westclay, I feel like I'm in the Stepford Wives movie. The creators of neighborhoods like these all want us to feel like we have a perfect little house, in a perfect neighborhood, with a little city hall int eh center of thsi neighborhood. This is not a bad thing since they are literally selling you a lifestyle. There were a lot of other good presentations that stuck out in my mind, these were the two that really made me think the most though.

Class commercials

I really enjoyed the class commercials that I saw today, they were all very creative, and most of them made me want to buy their product. I saw a wide variety of products, from bubble gum to cars, all were interesting ideas. I think that my commercial was the Bubblicious commercial. It had a Breakfast Club theme, and that connected them to their high school audience. This was very good. I also liked the hat commercial that Tony did. It was presented in a very creative way, and it got the name of the store in your head. I personally would not buy a hat, just because someone tells me to, but if I did I would go to this store. All of the commercials looked very nice, and were well done, they all appealed to their audience.

Pottery Barn Style

I personally used to go into Pottery Barn a lot, and loved the products that they sell. When I read the article in the Fast Company Magazine, I remembered this store very well. I like how this article mentions designers like Celia Dejada, who actually sell their products in the store. I like how she says that people have to have lives in order to design. This tells me that she knows the customer she is trying to appeal to, and knows what she has to do to make a product that they will buy. her reasoning for this is so that some of the creativity is not lost. She says that it is not matter of what you make for workaholics, which I personally don't get.
I knew that Target was a major competitor against stores like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and other stores, but I had no clue that it was a big competitor for Pottery Barn. When I look closely, I can see why they are big competitors. They are both able to appeal to teens and adults, and they are also able to appeal to just about anyone. I have yet to see a PBTeen store, but I have read the magazine, and there is quite a large selection to choose from. Pottery Barn is a very small store, with a large variety of customers.

Store Influences

The many stores that we frequent in our everyday trip to our local mall practically pull us into buying their products. I see many teens going into Abercrombie and Hollister, and although I think that it is quite stereotypical, I find myself going into these stores to shop. When in stores as influential as these, it is the environment that makes me keep coming back. Could it be the blasting music, or the half-dresses manikins, or the overpowering scent of their fragrance as you walk throughout the store? I think it is a combination of both. The ironic thing is that all the people who you see working there look like models, and this says to me that they really want you to buy their entire season line, and that they want you to come back. This could also be a reason why they make their employees spend almost their entire salary on clothes.
Another store that I find myself going back to over and over again is Target. I have gone to so many locations, and still prefer going there rather than going to Wal-Mart. I like the overall atmosphere that the store creates, good prices, samples, and good service. They are not bombarding you with so many services, that are at low prices. They offer the basics, after all, i don't go shopping to get a root canal, or get my eyes checked out, I go there to get my shopping done. This is why I like Target, they are found in almost every location, and are very inviting.

Super-Bowl Commercials

I really liked the commercials that we aired on last night's Super-Bowl. I must say that I thought the commercials last year were significantly better though. I really liked the commercials for Budweiswer. The Clydesdale Hank, was very cute, and it was interesting how they made it look the Rocky movies. It was a very good commercial and had a good effect on the audience. I thought this was an inventive commercial. I also thought that the Sobe commercial with the little dancing lizards was cute, but kind of random. One of my favorite commercials was the Fed-Ex commercial with the carrier pigeons, and the huge pigeons. The car commercials were very interesting, and made me think about the cars they were selling, and achieved their goal of getting us to listen to their commercial.

Class debate: 2 ways a woman can get hurt

wednesdays class debate brought up a lot of opinions, including my own. The first thing I noticed was that guys were immediately taking offense to the whole issue of the ways guys are portrayed in the advertisements. I can definitely see how the guys in the class would think these ads are offensive, but at the same time, this article was focusing mainly on the issues that these ads bring up for women, not men. I like how some people in the class actually seemed offended by these ads, because I felt a little offended by them as well, but I think that the author would not have been able to get her point across without using such extreme ads. I agree with the author, but I want to disagree with her extreme ideas.
Also, on another note, I think that companies will still continue to push the limits on sexual tension portrayed in the media. The limits will always be pushed, whether it's showing ankles or shoulders. I do agree with the statement that Maggie Dooley said that we should at least be talking about issues like these and if we are able to do this, then we can at least try to improve this issue.

Two ways a Woman Can Get Hurt

The everyday ads that we see all depict something in common, they all say that this product will make you popular or attractive, or more successful. I agree with Jean Kilbourne's argument that these types of ads can harm us more than they can help us. It is my personal opinion that ads should stop portraying models and actors in commercials, and actually use people that we can relate to.
one of the first things I noticed in these ads, is that the male is usually depicted as the dominant one. Kilbourne did this for obvious reasons, she wants us to see that this is bad, and that we should be promoting men to be good not bad. Also, the girls look like they are enticing the men. Kilbourne even stated in her argument that a dangerous man is the worst kind of man a woman can be with. The ironic part is that a dangerous man is seen as the sexy, desirable, and almost ideal man in our society. These ads are clearly saying that girls should be attracted to dangerous men, seeing as how almost every woman looks like she is bending to the will of a man in one way or another. Also I agree with her argument about how most men can't take no for an answer, and it almost looks like in some of the ads that the woman is saying no, can actually be depicted as a come on.
Kilbourne mentions that sex is seen to be more disconnecting to the audience than connecting. It is basically the sex appeal that we see a hot guy, and we immediately pay attention. I agree with what she says about how women are seen as being these sexy figures trying to ensnare men, while men are trying to be domineering. She mentions how pornography can make a product seem so great, when in reality these products are not as great as they are depicted in the commercial. This is all because they use hot models, and poses that would be seen in pornography. You can see examples of bondage in everyday beer, perfume, watch, and even in college magazines. She says that this can encourage male violence, which can be depicted as being more sexual than emotional. It should be the other way around.
I also like how she says that women can be very judgmental and even cruel when it comes to another woman's sexual behavior. This is so true, deep down, I think that most girls like to depict themselves as good girls and that can be reassuring. This is all the thinking that if we maintain the "good girl" image, and stay out of trouble, then nothing bad will happen to us. I think that there are some women who believe this, but I don't think that being good can prevent things from happening, and that sometimes you can't control what happens to some extent.
I also found the part of her article that showed how Calvin Klein and how he basically mimicked child porn. I found this to be disgusting, especially when I heard about the little boy in the basement being asked to take off his shirt. This is repulsive to think that we need to exploit children in this way to make a profit, like Calvin Klein did by using this ad. Due to ads like these, his critics were seen as being prudish, and showed Klein to be the bold designer that appealed to his customers.
This article clearly states that women can be abused in sexual manners, causing them to have issues later on in life. This article is saying that any girl who reads these ads are at risk. I completely agree that women can be damaged in many ways from the ideas that these ads are showing.

Commercials

Tonight I saw so many commercials, and the one that stuck out in my mind the most as the one about Nutrisystem Nourish. I thought that this commercial could make anyone buy into this product, even my own mother and sister. In the commercial they show how both men and women can get skinnier by eating these meals. They do this by showing before and after pictures, and I thought that some of those people in the pictures do not look like the person on the screen. This is ironic, since we can alter basically any image, so it seemed to me that these pictures could have been a little exaggerated. I also noticed how they even made the husband's say things like "She's my trophy wife." This makes women want to buy this product so that their husbands will show them off. This commercial is trying to reach out to people who are overweight, and this product is offering them a chance to be skinny. The people in these commercials saw immediate results, but that's only because they had to do a ton of exercise, and most of the images could have been modified.
Another commercial that caught my eye was the Verizon commercials. It shows the guy saying " Can you hear me now? Good." It shows how satisfied all the customers are that these people are following them everywhere. Well, this image gives people the warm fuzzy feeling that the will get the help they need and a phone plan that is reliable and you can get service anywhere. The truth is that there are no mobs of people following you around. Making the customer know that they will get the best service available and will be treated like royalty will definitely want to make someone buy your product. That is exactly what Verizon did, they entertained the audience, while at the same time made them feel comforted knowing that you have a huge mass of people working for you.

ONE-ACTS

I really enjoyed the one-acts that were directed and written by Elise Lockwood. She has some pretty good ideas, and I feel inspired to write a short play, but who knows what maybe in store for the theatre department at UHS. I really enjoyed the first production " Playing the Pronoun Game." It showed great dynamics between a girl who has gay parents, and in fact dates a girl. This was a fun way to show those dynamics, and I like how Tina was not going to show Elise's character her art. This play was probably my favorite and made me laugh the most. "Being or Not Being," was very cute and funny. I really liked Ian Ketcham's character, who had so many bad auditions. I also liked how RJ Connors did the whole Brad Pitt thing, and then Ian's character went beserk. Ian made this character come alive, and the funny thing is that I could really see a director doing this in real life. The next play "If Books Could Kill," was my least favorite, and it was a little bit too deep if it wasn't explained to you prior to the show. It was a good plot, but it felt a bit too choppy for my taste in parts, and I think that other things could have been added to make the plot in the play more clear. Other than that, I thought that this was a good play, just could have been better. Heaven was an absolute riot, I loved it. Tony Minott and Daniel Hellman did a wonderful job. I think this was an interesting way to portray the writing of the Bible. It was cute inventive, and very well done. I liked these one-acts for the most part, but I would have liked to see more excerpts from plays written by other people other than just one person, that would have added a little something extra.