In all honesty, I have never enjoyed learning in a traditional school setting. Waking up five days a week at 6 A.M. in order to drive to my school 15 miles away and coming home at 3:30 P.M. seemed more like a daunting task than something I should be grateful for. Learning always came easy to me, easy enough that I was able to learn Algebra without the help of anyone besides myself, so when I became ill and was forced to stay at home for days at a time, I was not worried.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Ashley's and My Masterpiece
Our masterpiece focused on creating comics to address certain situations or emotions people these days may be dealing with. They range from hate messages to finding someone who accepts you.
Our blog url is masterpiecesofthepen.tumblr.com . And we recently received our first comment/fan mail!
Our blog url is masterpiecesofthepen.tumblr.com . And we recently received our first comment/fan mail!
.JPG)
.JPG)
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Seventh Reading
The three poems I read were "Life" by Charlotte Bronte, "Hope" by Emily Dickens, and "Ode to a Nightingale" by John Keats.
"Life"
At first it seemed to be the stereotypical poem about how dank life is but around my third time reading the passage that didn't seem to be the meaning anymore. The images of dark clouds and rain are contrast against the spring roses and cheerful summer hours. There are trials in life but understand that tough times soon pass like spring breaking through the storm.
"Hope"
Emily Dickens uses a metaphor to give life to the word hope. She calls it a feather which provides the reader with imaginary of what hope is. In this poem, hope give us the strength to try new things and continue on in life, much like feathers provide birds with wings to fly. Hope, which gives comfort to so many, never asks for anything in return, and so we all must continue to hope.
"Ode to a Nightingale"
The speaker finds beauty in his depressing world after hearing a nightingale's song. The song is beautiful and full of light, He describes it as an out of this world sensation and sound. The feeling is short lived, the song having giving him this sense of wonder for a brief moment before he is transport back into his dark world. It seems the speaker is torn between the beauty of nature and the cruel reality of life.
"Life"
At first it seemed to be the stereotypical poem about how dank life is but around my third time reading the passage that didn't seem to be the meaning anymore. The images of dark clouds and rain are contrast against the spring roses and cheerful summer hours. There are trials in life but understand that tough times soon pass like spring breaking through the storm.
"Hope"
Emily Dickens uses a metaphor to give life to the word hope. She calls it a feather which provides the reader with imaginary of what hope is. In this poem, hope give us the strength to try new things and continue on in life, much like feathers provide birds with wings to fly. Hope, which gives comfort to so many, never asks for anything in return, and so we all must continue to hope.
"Ode to a Nightingale"
The speaker finds beauty in his depressing world after hearing a nightingale's song. The song is beautiful and full of light, He describes it as an out of this world sensation and sound. The feeling is short lived, the song having giving him this sense of wonder for a brief moment before he is transport back into his dark world. It seems the speaker is torn between the beauty of nature and the cruel reality of life.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
The Crossroads Between Should and Must
To be honest, I don't entirely understand what Elle Luna is getting at. All my life Should was described as a choice while Must is something that has to be done, there is no choice. Luna swaps these definitions and it threw my equilibrium with the words completely off balance. For me, it would have made more sense to choose the words Must and Want.
My choices in life are far better described by these two word rather than the others. I Must live up to expectations, I Must get good grades, I Must succeed while also dealing with the fact that I Want Happiness, I Want to draw, I Want to be healthy. My wants are what drive me and give me a feeling of joy, a reason for living, while my musts are things I just have to do, I feel nothing for them but loathing.
Should and Must are a nice concept but I don't believe that's how people in this world function. While some choices we make because we fear what others may think of us, humans are naturally selfish, thinking mostly of themselves. It all boils down to what we Want and what we Must do, that's how I believe our choices are made.
My choices in life are far better described by these two word rather than the others. I Must live up to expectations, I Must get good grades, I Must succeed while also dealing with the fact that I Want Happiness, I Want to draw, I Want to be healthy. My wants are what drive me and give me a feeling of joy, a reason for living, while my musts are things I just have to do, I feel nothing for them but loathing.
Should and Must are a nice concept but I don't believe that's how people in this world function. While some choices we make because we fear what others may think of us, humans are naturally selfish, thinking mostly of themselves. It all boils down to what we Want and what we Must do, that's how I believe our choices are made.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Reply from our expert
Ashley and I decided to ask Chikuto from tumblr for tips on how to layout comics and make the reader stay interested in the story you're telling. Chikuto is a female artist in her 20's who lives and attends university in the United Kingdom. Her deviantART account is chikuto.deviantart.com
Our Question:
Big thanks to Chikuto for replying!
Our Question:
Link to her reply!!!
Big thanks to Chikuto for replying!
Look at my brain
Ashley is my partner in crime for the masterpiece project. We decided to combine our interests and future careers together resulting in the idea to create short comics. Ashley intends to major in psychology at college while I am going into video game design. Our theme is a sort of therapy that shows others that while their negative thoughts are warranted, most of them are created by imposing someone else's or society's standards on themselves.
What about my masterpiece?
Splitting our time in class between our masterpieces and Macbeth seems to be a healthy balance of learning and fun. We are able to get multiple things done at the same time. I am still a bit anxious about the final result of our masterpiece and worry that it may not live up to people's expectations.
A part of me wishes for more AP test prep since it will be my first time taking an AP test.
A part of me wishes for more AP test prep since it will be my first time taking an AP test.
Love is blind
As the audience, we are given insight into the intentions of the characters that those in the story do not. Macbeth is enamored with his wife and does not see the power hungry woman that we do. Lady Macbeth is manipulating her husband and calls herself "manlier than most men", both of which the audience sees but Macbeth does not.
Meet Macbeth
Macbeth is not initially introduced right away. We are given insight into his persona through descriptions given by Sergeant and Duncan. Macbeth is characterized mostly through indirect characterization, through his actions and beliefs. An example of this is when the Three Witches tell him of his future and he doesn't seem too happy with his destiny of becoming thane.
Seeking Mentor
My mentor would have to be able to teach me how to tell a story in so little words and to utilize literary techniques such as tone and characterization through drawings rather than writing. They would show me how much detail to put into each panel without overdoing it or making the picture too distracting.
I would hope for them to tell what areas I need to work on, whether it is my art, writing or story telling skills.
I would hope for them to tell what areas I need to work on, whether it is my art, writing or story telling skills.
Is there an expert in the house???
For my masterpiece, I suppose any artist would be considered to be an expert. We need to be able to find someone who to able to convey a deep message with little words and a picture. I would like for them to give us tips on how to structure our comic panels and create an interesting way of telling a story.
This is only a test
For my masterpiece, I want to draw(pun lol) inspiration from various style of comics. I'm unsure whether our people would be drawn in a western or eastern style or even cartoonish. Ashley and I need to look at different example and figure out how to plan this efficiently.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Literature Analysis #5: The Great Gatsby
Plot:
Nick Carraway moves to New York with the hopes of becoming a bonds salesman and finds himself living next to party enthusiast, Jay Gatsby.
Theme:
I believe the theme of the book is the lie of the American dream which states to be happy you need a good house and enough money to love by. As depicted in the novel, Gatsby has both of these things and yet lives in an illusion of happiness. His happiness can only be achieved by being with Daisy which is impossible.
Nick Carraway moves to New York with the hopes of becoming a bonds salesman and finds himself living next to party enthusiast, Jay Gatsby.
Theme:
I believe the theme of the book is the lie of the American dream which states to be happy you need a good house and enough money to love by. As depicted in the novel, Gatsby has both of these things and yet lives in an illusion of happiness. His happiness can only be achieved by being with Daisy which is impossible.
Literature Analysis #4: The Crucible
Plot:
The story takes place during the Salem Witch Trials. It follows the events that occur in a small town as various townsfolk are accused of witchcraft, primarily John Proctor as he is framed by Abigail Williams due to his refusal to continue his affair with her.
Theme:
I believe the main theme to this story other than the obvious one of deceit is the fear of the unknown. The villagers don't what sort of harm witchcraft can do and instantly fear it and anything that could be related to it. Therefore, a chain of events unfolds leading to the deaths of many innocents.
The story takes place during the Salem Witch Trials. It follows the events that occur in a small town as various townsfolk are accused of witchcraft, primarily John Proctor as he is framed by Abigail Williams due to his refusal to continue his affair with her.
Theme:
I believe the main theme to this story other than the obvious one of deceit is the fear of the unknown. The villagers don't what sort of harm witchcraft can do and instantly fear it and anything that could be related to it. Therefore, a chain of events unfolds leading to the deaths of many innocents.
Monday, March 10, 2014
10 Questions I'd Ask My Expert
Since Ashley and I are doing a comic for our masterpiece I guess our expert would be an artist of some sort so....
What resolution are your comicbook pages usually in?
How do you plan out your comics?
What is your preferred art program to draw comics? Photoshop? Paint tool SAI? Manga Studio?
What is the size of your brush when you paint digitally?
How long have you been drawing?
Do you have any favorite manga or comicbook artists?
Where do you draw inspiration from?
What is your least favorite thing to draw?
What are some exercises you do to avoid getting body aches from sitting too long?
Do you sketch out your comic on paper first then scan it into the computer or do you just start fresh on your art tablet?
What resolution are your comicbook pages usually in?
How do you plan out your comics?
What is your preferred art program to draw comics? Photoshop? Paint tool SAI? Manga Studio?
What is the size of your brush when you paint digitally?
How long have you been drawing?
Do you have any favorite manga or comicbook artists?
Where do you draw inspiration from?
What is your least favorite thing to draw?
What are some exercises you do to avoid getting body aches from sitting too long?
Do you sketch out your comic on paper first then scan it into the computer or do you just start fresh on your art tablet?
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
I am here
This past grading period has been beyond difficult for me due to my deteriorating health. I believe I missed over 30 days of school these past two months. I am struggling with making up work and am very tempted to just give up on everything. The stress is getting to me.
As far as my senior project goes, Ashley and I have the premise of it down along with the cover page. We intend to do a series of comics that focus on the insecurities teenagers everyday and how common it is to think such thoughts.
As far as my senior project goes, Ashley and I have the premise of it down along with the cover page. We intend to do a series of comics that focus on the insecurities teenagers everyday and how common it is to think such thoughts.
Monday, February 10, 2014
The Nose by Nikolai Gogol
1. What does Ivan Yakovlevich do for a living?
He is a barber.
2. What does Ivan find in a loaf of bread?
A nose from one of his customers.
3. How does his wife respond to Ivan's discovery?
She orders him to get rid of the nose immediately.
4. What does Ivan set out to accomplish?
To dispose of the nose in the river.
5. When Ivan tosses the "package" in the river, for a brief moment he is happy; then he is arrested. What does this scene suggest about the role of happiness in Ivan's life/community/society?
Ivan feels relief for the first time in a long while after disposing of his burden. This suggests that Ivan led a stressful life before the events of the story.
6. Where does the title object belong, and how does it finally get there?
The nose belongs to Major Kovalyov and the police officer who caught Ivan gives it back to him.
He is a barber.
2. What does Ivan find in a loaf of bread?
A nose from one of his customers.
3. How does his wife respond to Ivan's discovery?
She orders him to get rid of the nose immediately.
4. What does Ivan set out to accomplish?
To dispose of the nose in the river.
5. When Ivan tosses the "package" in the river, for a brief moment he is happy; then he is arrested. What does this scene suggest about the role of happiness in Ivan's life/community/society?
Ivan feels relief for the first time in a long while after disposing of his burden. This suggests that Ivan led a stressful life before the events of the story.
6. Where does the title object belong, and how does it finally get there?
The nose belongs to Major Kovalyov and the police officer who caught Ivan gives it back to him.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Literary Terms #5
Parallelism: a balance within one or more sentences of similar phrases or clauses that have the same grammatical structure
Parody: is an imitative work created to mock, comment on or trivialize something by means of satiric or ironic imitation
Pathos: an element in experience or in artistic representation evoking pity or compassion
Pedantry: Characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules
Personification: A figure of speech in which inanimate objects, abstractions, and animals are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form
Plot: the events that make up a story
Poignant: evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret
Point of view: The attitude or outlook of a narrator or character in a piece of art
Postmodernism: skeptical interpretations; set of critical, strategic and rhetorical practices employing concepts such as difference, repetition, the trace, the simulacrum, and hyperreality to destabilize other concepts such as presence, identity, historical progress, epistemic certainty, and the univocity of meaning
Prose: a form of language which applies ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure; kinda like the ordinary way that people speak
Protagonist: the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text.
Pun: a form of word play that suggests two or more meanings
Purpose: A result or effect that is intended or desired, like the reason why the author would write a certain novel
Realism: depictions of contemporary life and society as it is
Refrain: the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
Requiem: A hymn, composition, or service for the dead
Resolution: the point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out
Restatement: A method of achieving emphasis by stating an idea twice
Rhetoric: the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing by the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
Rhetorical question: figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked in order to make a point and not elicit a direct answer
Rising action: events of a dramatic or narrative plot preceding the climax
Romanticism: validated strong emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience, placing emphasis on emotions like apprehension, horror and terror, and awe
Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices
Scansion: the analysis of verse to show its meter; describing the rhythms of poetry by dividing the lines into feet, marking the locations of stressed and unstressed syllables, and counting the syllables
Setting: The time, place, and circumstances in which a narrative, drama, or film takes place
Parody: is an imitative work created to mock, comment on or trivialize something by means of satiric or ironic imitation
Pathos: an element in experience or in artistic representation evoking pity or compassion
Pedantry: Characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules
Personification: A figure of speech in which inanimate objects, abstractions, and animals are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form
Plot: the events that make up a story
Poignant: evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret
Point of view: The attitude or outlook of a narrator or character in a piece of art
Postmodernism: skeptical interpretations; set of critical, strategic and rhetorical practices employing concepts such as difference, repetition, the trace, the simulacrum, and hyperreality to destabilize other concepts such as presence, identity, historical progress, epistemic certainty, and the univocity of meaning
Prose: a form of language which applies ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure; kinda like the ordinary way that people speak
Protagonist: the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text.
Pun: a form of word play that suggests two or more meanings
Purpose: A result or effect that is intended or desired, like the reason why the author would write a certain novel
Realism: depictions of contemporary life and society as it is
Refrain: the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
Requiem: A hymn, composition, or service for the dead
Resolution: the point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out
Restatement: A method of achieving emphasis by stating an idea twice
Rhetoric: the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing by the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
Rhetorical question: figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked in order to make a point and not elicit a direct answer
Rising action: events of a dramatic or narrative plot preceding the climax
Romanticism: validated strong emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience, placing emphasis on emotions like apprehension, horror and terror, and awe
Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices
Scansion: the analysis of verse to show its meter; describing the rhythms of poetry by dividing the lines into feet, marking the locations of stressed and unstressed syllables, and counting the syllables
Setting: The time, place, and circumstances in which a narrative, drama, or film takes place
Literary Terms #4
Interior monologue: a literary attempt to present the mental processes of a character before they are formed into regular patterns of speech or logical sequence; stream of consciousness
Inversion: the reversal of a normal order of words
Juxtaposition: the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Lyric: Of or relating to a category of poetry that expresses subjective thoughts and feelings, often in a songlike style or form.
Magical realism: a genre where magic elements are a natural part in an otherwise mundane, realistic environment
Metaphor (extended, controlling, & mixed): a figure of speech that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on some point of comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object
Metonymy: figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated
Modernism: characterized by a self-conscious break with traditional styles of poetry and verse
Monologue: A long speech made by one person, often monopolizing a conversation.
Mood: a prevailing atmosphere or feeling
Motif: A dominant theme or central idea.
Myth: A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society
Narrative: Consisting of or characterized by the telling of a story
Narrator: one who tells a story or recounts a series of events, aloud or in writing
Naturalism: practice of describing precisely the actual circumstances of human life in literature
Novelette/novella: A short novel.
Omniscient point of view: a method of storytelling in which the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters in the story
Onomatopoeia: formation or use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.
Oxymoron: rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined
Pacing: the rhythm and speed with which the plot unfolds
Parable: A simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson.
Paradox: a statement that apparently contradicts itself and yet might be true
Inversion: the reversal of a normal order of words
Juxtaposition: the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Lyric: Of or relating to a category of poetry that expresses subjective thoughts and feelings, often in a songlike style or form.
Magical realism: a genre where magic elements are a natural part in an otherwise mundane, realistic environment
Metaphor (extended, controlling, & mixed): a figure of speech that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on some point of comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object
- extended: when an author exploits a single metaphor or analogy at length
- controlling: symbolic story in which the real meaning is not directly put across the whole poem or may be a metaphor for something else; it affects the diction and the flow of a poem and normally used for political poems.
- mixed: a metaphor that combines different images or ideas in a way that is foolish or illogical
Metonymy: figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated
Modernism: characterized by a self-conscious break with traditional styles of poetry and verse
Monologue: A long speech made by one person, often monopolizing a conversation.
Mood: a prevailing atmosphere or feeling
Motif: A dominant theme or central idea.
Myth: A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society
Narrative: Consisting of or characterized by the telling of a story
Narrator: one who tells a story or recounts a series of events, aloud or in writing
Naturalism: practice of describing precisely the actual circumstances of human life in literature
Novelette/novella: A short novel.
Omniscient point of view: a method of storytelling in which the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters in the story
Onomatopoeia: formation or use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.
Oxymoron: rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined
Pacing: the rhythm and speed with which the plot unfolds
Parable: A simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson.
Paradox: a statement that apparently contradicts itself and yet might be true
Literary Terms #3
Exposition: a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory
Expressionism: portraying the inner workings of a person’s mind by, effectively, turning them ‘inside out’ and allowing mental states to shape their face, body, and even the world in which they live
Fable: a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, which features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized and that illustrates or leads to an interpretation of a moral lesson
Fallacy: argument that uses poor reasoning
Falling action: the part of a literary plot that occurs after the climax has been reached and the conflict has been resolved
Farce: a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations
Figurative language: language used by writers to produce images in readers’ minds and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways
Flashback: an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point
Foil: One that by contrast underscores or enhances the distinctive characteristics of another
Folk tale: a characteristically anonymous, timeless, and placeless tale circulated orally among a people
Foreshadowing: literary device by which an author explains certain plot developments that may come later in the story
Free verse: an open form that does not use consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern
Genre: term for any category of literature or other forms of art or entertainment
Gothic tale: genre or mode of literature that combines fiction, horror and Romanticism.
Hyperbole: use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech
Imagery: use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas
Implication: the conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated.
Incongruity: out of place
Inference: a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.
Irony: figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words
Expressionism: portraying the inner workings of a person’s mind by, effectively, turning them ‘inside out’ and allowing mental states to shape their face, body, and even the world in which they live
Fable: a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, which features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized and that illustrates or leads to an interpretation of a moral lesson
Fallacy: argument that uses poor reasoning
Falling action: the part of a literary plot that occurs after the climax has been reached and the conflict has been resolved
Farce: a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations
Figurative language: language used by writers to produce images in readers’ minds and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways
Flashback: an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point
Foil: One that by contrast underscores or enhances the distinctive characteristics of another
Folk tale: a characteristically anonymous, timeless, and placeless tale circulated orally among a people
Foreshadowing: literary device by which an author explains certain plot developments that may come later in the story
Free verse: an open form that does not use consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern
Genre: term for any category of literature or other forms of art or entertainment
Gothic tale: genre or mode of literature that combines fiction, horror and Romanticism.
Hyperbole: use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech
Imagery: use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas
Implication: the conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated.
Incongruity: out of place
Inference: a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.
Irony: figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words
Monday, January 20, 2014
Literary Terms #2
Circumlocution: the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive
Classicism: literary style characterized by formal adherence to traditions of structure, content, and genre
Cliché: word or expression that has lost much of its force through overexposure
Climax: the turning point in a plot or dramatic action
Colloquialism: word or phrase that is not formal or literary; typically used in ordinary or familiar conversation
Comedy: a drama or narrative with a happy ending or non-tragic theme
Conflict: opposition between characters or forces
Connotation: set of associations implied by a word in addition to its actual meaning
Contrast: a rhetorical device by which one element is thrown into opposition to another for the sake of emphasis or clarity.
Denotation: plain dictionary definition
Denouement: loose ends tied up in a story after the climax, closure, conclusion.
Dialect: the language of a particular district, class or group of persons; the sounds, grammar, and diction employed by people distinguished from others.
Dialectics: formal debates usually over the nature of truth.
Dichotomy: split or break between two opposing things.
Diction: the style of speaking or writing as reflected in the choice and use of words.
Didactic: refers to a particular philosophy in art and literature that emphasizes on the idea that different forms of art and literature ought to convey information and instructions along with pleasure and entertainment.
Dogmatic: rigid in beliefs and principles.
Elegy: a mournful, melancholy poem, especially a funeral song or lament for the dead, sometimes contains general reflections on death, often with a rural or pastoral setting.
Epic: a long narrative poem unified by a hero who reflects the customs, mores, and aspirations of his nation of race as he makes his way through legendary and historic exploits, usually over a long period of time.
Epigram: witty aphorism.
Epitaph: any brief inscription in prose or verse on a tombstone; a short formal poem of commemoration often a credo written by the person who wishes it to be on his tombstone.
Epithet: a short, descriptive name or phrase that may insult someone’s character or characteristics.
Euphemism: the use of an indirect, mild or vague word or expression for one thought to be coarse, offensive, or blunt.
Evocative: a calling forth of memories and sensations; the suggestion or production through artistry and imagination of a sense of reality.
Classicism: literary style characterized by formal adherence to traditions of structure, content, and genre
Cliché: word or expression that has lost much of its force through overexposure
Climax: the turning point in a plot or dramatic action
Colloquialism: word or phrase that is not formal or literary; typically used in ordinary or familiar conversation
Comedy: a drama or narrative with a happy ending or non-tragic theme
Conflict: opposition between characters or forces
Connotation: set of associations implied by a word in addition to its actual meaning
Contrast: a rhetorical device by which one element is thrown into opposition to another for the sake of emphasis or clarity.
Denotation: plain dictionary definition
Denouement: loose ends tied up in a story after the climax, closure, conclusion.
Dialect: the language of a particular district, class or group of persons; the sounds, grammar, and diction employed by people distinguished from others.
Dialectics: formal debates usually over the nature of truth.
Dichotomy: split or break between two opposing things.
Diction: the style of speaking or writing as reflected in the choice and use of words.
Didactic: refers to a particular philosophy in art and literature that emphasizes on the idea that different forms of art and literature ought to convey information and instructions along with pleasure and entertainment.
Dogmatic: rigid in beliefs and principles.
Elegy: a mournful, melancholy poem, especially a funeral song or lament for the dead, sometimes contains general reflections on death, often with a rural or pastoral setting.
Epic: a long narrative poem unified by a hero who reflects the customs, mores, and aspirations of his nation of race as he makes his way through legendary and historic exploits, usually over a long period of time.
Epigram: witty aphorism.
Epitaph: any brief inscription in prose or verse on a tombstone; a short formal poem of commemoration often a credo written by the person who wishes it to be on his tombstone.
Epithet: a short, descriptive name or phrase that may insult someone’s character or characteristics.
Euphemism: the use of an indirect, mild or vague word or expression for one thought to be coarse, offensive, or blunt.
Evocative: a calling forth of memories and sensations; the suggestion or production through artistry and imagination of a sense of reality.
Literary Terms #1
Allegory: something that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning
Alliteration: repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of words
Allusion: an implied or indirect reference
Ambiguity: uncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language
Anachronism: a thing belonging to a period other than that in which it exists
Analogy: a comparison between two things
Analysis: detailed examination of the elements or structure of something
Anaphora: repetition of a word or phrase at the beginnings of several successive verses, clauses or paragraphs
Anecdote: short and amusing story about a real incident or person
Antagonist: character(s) that represent opposition against which the protagonist must contend
Antithesis: person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else for contrasting effect
Aphorism: short phrase that expresses true ideas
Apologia: a formal defense or justification
Apostrophe: act of addressing some abstraction or personification that is not physically present
Argument: exchange of diverging or opposite views
Assumption: act of taking possession or asserting acclaim
Audience: spectators/listeners assembled at a performance
Characterization: the means by which a writer reveals a character’s personality
Chiasmus: figure of speech in which two or more clauses are related to each other through a reversal of structures
Alliteration: repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of words
Allusion: an implied or indirect reference
Ambiguity: uncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language
Anachronism: a thing belonging to a period other than that in which it exists
Analogy: a comparison between two things
Analysis: detailed examination of the elements or structure of something
Anaphora: repetition of a word or phrase at the beginnings of several successive verses, clauses or paragraphs
Anecdote: short and amusing story about a real incident or person
Antagonist: character(s) that represent opposition against which the protagonist must contend
Antithesis: person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else for contrasting effect
Aphorism: short phrase that expresses true ideas
Apologia: a formal defense or justification
Apostrophe: act of addressing some abstraction or personification that is not physically present
Argument: exchange of diverging or opposite views
Assumption: act of taking possession or asserting acclaim
Audience: spectators/listeners assembled at a performance
Characterization: the means by which a writer reveals a character’s personality
Chiasmus: figure of speech in which two or more clauses are related to each other through a reversal of structures
SMART Goal: 2nd Semester
Specific: Force myself to go to school everyday
Measurable: The amount of days I go to school
Attainable: Over time, I'll learn how to manage my illness better and slowly gain the strength to go every single day.
Reinforce-able: My parents can provide moral support for my efforts instead of being disappointed when I don't go.
Timely: Schedule enough time to get every thing I need to do done with enough time left over for activities I find fun(drawing/video games) while still getingt a good amount of sleep.
Measurable: The amount of days I go to school
Attainable: Over time, I'll learn how to manage my illness better and slowly gain the strength to go every single day.
Reinforce-able: My parents can provide moral support for my efforts instead of being disappointed when I don't go.
Timely: Schedule enough time to get every thing I need to do done with enough time left over for activities I find fun(drawing/video games) while still getingt a good amount of sleep.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
AP Test Prep Post #1: Siddhartha
1. From here
Explain the metaphor, “I looked at my life and found that it also was a river.” What insight did Siddhartha gain from this realization?
2. From here
Explain the following quotation. The speaker is Siddhartha. "Most people, Kamala, are like a falling leaf, which is blown and is turning around through the air, and wavers, and tumbles to the ground. But others, a few, are like stars: they go on a fixed course, no wind reaches them, and in themselves they have their law and their course."
3. From here
What purpose does self-denial serve in Siddhartha? What about self-indulgence?
4. This is an AP Tess Essay prompt that features Siddhartha on the list of novels to choose from.
In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence. Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how such a character functions in the work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects action, theme, or the development of other characters. Avoid plot summary.
5. This is an AP Test Essay prompt that features Siddhartha on the list of novels to choose from.
"A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, recounts the psychological or moral development of its protagonist from youth to maturity, when this character recognizes his or her place in the world. Select a single pivotal moment in the psychological or moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman. Then write a well-organized essay that analyzes how that single moment shapes the meaning of the work as a whole."
Explain the metaphor, “I looked at my life and found that it also was a river.” What insight did Siddhartha gain from this realization?
2. From here
Explain the following quotation. The speaker is Siddhartha. "Most people, Kamala, are like a falling leaf, which is blown and is turning around through the air, and wavers, and tumbles to the ground. But others, a few, are like stars: they go on a fixed course, no wind reaches them, and in themselves they have their law and their course."
3. From here
What purpose does self-denial serve in Siddhartha? What about self-indulgence?
4. This is an AP Tess Essay prompt that features Siddhartha on the list of novels to choose from.
In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence. Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how such a character functions in the work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects action, theme, or the development of other characters. Avoid plot summary.
5. This is an AP Test Essay prompt that features Siddhartha on the list of novels to choose from.
"A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, recounts the psychological or moral development of its protagonist from youth to maturity, when this character recognizes his or her place in the world. Select a single pivotal moment in the psychological or moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman. Then write a well-organized essay that analyzes how that single moment shapes the meaning of the work as a whole."
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Hacking My Education
What do I want to know?
How some students stay diligent in spite of some of the hardships they face. Everyone deals with problems differently but not every method works. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to give a little bit of advice to help you get back on your feet.
What skills do I want to demonstrate?
Although it does not apply to English, I wish to learn the skeletal and muscle structures of the human body. By doing so, I believe my art quality would improve due to a greater understanding of how the body moves. I do think that my art isn't very good compared to that of some of my fellow peers but instead of comparing myself to others, I wish to get to a point where I am at least pleased with my art.
What experience do I want to have?
I want to be able to collaborate with some of my fellow students to create an original comic and/or story. It is something I've always wanted to do since I was little but I lacked the story making abilities to do so. I also think that more than one creative mind would develop a better story overall.
How some students stay diligent in spite of some of the hardships they face. Everyone deals with problems differently but not every method works. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to give a little bit of advice to help you get back on your feet.
What skills do I want to demonstrate?
Although it does not apply to English, I wish to learn the skeletal and muscle structures of the human body. By doing so, I believe my art quality would improve due to a greater understanding of how the body moves. I do think that my art isn't very good compared to that of some of my fellow peers but instead of comparing myself to others, I wish to get to a point where I am at least pleased with my art.
What experience do I want to have?
I want to be able to collaborate with some of my fellow students to create an original comic and/or story. It is something I've always wanted to do since I was little but I lacked the story making abilities to do so. I also think that more than one creative mind would develop a better story overall.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
What's In This For Me?
For this course specifically, my goal to focus more on memorization of the literary terms and vocabulary words. By doing so, it will enable me to establish a deeper understanding of what they are and how they are used. I also intend to complete my homework as soon as I get home and not leave it off until the last second.
My studying habits are currently sub par at best, meaning, I do not really study much at all. By working on developing better techniques I will be preparing myself for college where I know studying is required in order to understand the material.
I, like most highschool students, put things off until the last second which normally results in many "freak out" moments and occasionally bouts of crying. By completing my work on time, I created a less stressful environment and now have time to work on other things without the pressure of having to do another task with a time restraint.
My studying habits are currently sub par at best, meaning, I do not really study much at all. By working on developing better techniques I will be preparing myself for college where I know studying is required in order to understand the material.
I, like most highschool students, put things off until the last second which normally results in many "freak out" moments and occasionally bouts of crying. By completing my work on time, I created a less stressful environment and now have time to work on other things without the pressure of having to do another task with a time restraint.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)