Monday, January 21, 2008
MAAN & Stereotypes
When it comes to stereotypes in Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing it seems to me that a lesson is being taught about misjudging others, yet in a comedic way. Shakespeare wants the reader to disgard their immediate thoughts of class types and gender. Dogberry is the first to discover the truth about Borrachio and Margret, and being a good person he reports his findings to Leonato. However Dogberry's status and overall idiodic demenour detures Leonato from listening to what Dogberry has to say. If Leonato didn't take Dogberry's class into consideration, Leonato might have been able to help Hero much sooner. Another instance where stereotypes come into play is in the case of Beatrice. Beatrice is an incredibly witty woman who doesn't want to be married, but every woman should be married so she's too proud. Shakespeare makes this comedic by adding Benedick as Beatrice's "lover". Benedick has the same wit about him and is made fun of being girly while in love with Beatrice. Although trying to teach the reader a lesson about not judging others Shakespeare keeps up the comedic tone quite nicely.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
"Life's Scars" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
They say the world is round,
and yet I often think it square,
So many little hurts we get
From corners here and there.
But one great truth in life I've found,
While journeying to the West-
The only folks who really wound
Are those we love the best.
The man you thoroughly despise
Can rouse your wrath, 'tis true;
Annoyance in your heart will rise
At things mere strangers do;
But those are only passing ills;
This rule all lives will prove;
The rankling wound which aches and thrills
Is dealt by hands we love.
The choicest garb, the sweetest grace,
Are oft to strangers shown;
The careless mien, the frowning face,
Are given to our own.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.
Love does not grow on every tree,
Nor true hearts yearly bloom.
Alas for those who only see
This cut across a tomb!
But, soon or late, the fact grows plain
To all through sorrow's test:
The only folks who give us pain
Are those we love the best.
I would like to start out my blog by informing all who read the poem that "rankling" means to cause irritation, "oft" means often, and "mien" means demeanor. Now to briefly rephrase the poem by stanza:
So many little pains come from so many places, but one thing I've learned is that the people who you love the most are the one's who hurt you the most.
Although people you hate can cause you pain, the pain they cause is nothing compared to the the ache caused by people you love.
People you don't know that well are often credited with being good and us being good to them, yet we're mean to people we love the most.
Love is very rare, and sooner or later one will learn that the only people who cause true pain are those who we love.
The basic meaning of the poem is that although other people can cause us pain, true pain comes from the people we care for and love the most. And this fact is made clear through the phrase "Are those we love the most" stated in the first and last stanzas. I believe that the tone of Wilcox's poem was very negative. With the choice of words such as "hurts," "wrath," "frowning," "sorrow," and many more the mood created is depressing. Everything about the poem is depressing. For goodness sakes it's saying that the people you love hurt you the most! Talk about a downer...
With all the negative vibes surrounding this poem one might wonder why I chose this as a poem I like. Well, while I was searching the internet this one caught my eye because firstly it rhymed, secondly it made sense, and most importantly it had a clear message. Even though the message was downbeat is was apparent as to what it was, and very true in my opinion. One comes to expect good things from those they love, so when those people do even the slightest hurtful thing then it hurts much more than if that same thing was done by one's enemy.
They say the world is round,
and yet I often think it square,
So many little hurts we get
From corners here and there.
But one great truth in life I've found,
While journeying to the West-
The only folks who really wound
Are those we love the best.
The man you thoroughly despise
Can rouse your wrath, 'tis true;
Annoyance in your heart will rise
At things mere strangers do;
But those are only passing ills;
This rule all lives will prove;
The rankling wound which aches and thrills
Is dealt by hands we love.
The choicest garb, the sweetest grace,
Are oft to strangers shown;
The careless mien, the frowning face,
Are given to our own.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.
Love does not grow on every tree,
Nor true hearts yearly bloom.
Alas for those who only see
This cut across a tomb!
But, soon or late, the fact grows plain
To all through sorrow's test:
The only folks who give us pain
Are those we love the best.
I would like to start out my blog by informing all who read the poem that "rankling" means to cause irritation, "oft" means often, and "mien" means demeanor. Now to briefly rephrase the poem by stanza:
So many little pains come from so many places, but one thing I've learned is that the people who you love the most are the one's who hurt you the most.
Although people you hate can cause you pain, the pain they cause is nothing compared to the the ache caused by people you love.
People you don't know that well are often credited with being good and us being good to them, yet we're mean to people we love the most.
Love is very rare, and sooner or later one will learn that the only people who cause true pain are those who we love.
The basic meaning of the poem is that although other people can cause us pain, true pain comes from the people we care for and love the most. And this fact is made clear through the phrase "Are those we love the most" stated in the first and last stanzas. I believe that the tone of Wilcox's poem was very negative. With the choice of words such as "hurts," "wrath," "frowning," "sorrow," and many more the mood created is depressing. Everything about the poem is depressing. For goodness sakes it's saying that the people you love hurt you the most! Talk about a downer...
With all the negative vibes surrounding this poem one might wonder why I chose this as a poem I like. Well, while I was searching the internet this one caught my eye because firstly it rhymed, secondly it made sense, and most importantly it had a clear message. Even though the message was downbeat is was apparent as to what it was, and very true in my opinion. One comes to expect good things from those they love, so when those people do even the slightest hurtful thing then it hurts much more than if that same thing was done by one's enemy.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
End of Quarter One
First quarter went pretty well for me. I had some struggles with figuring out how to write a good thesis, but I'm a lot more confident with that now. Another thing I learned was how to write an essay. My organization skills are very much improved. I believe the classroom environment was relaxed enough so it was easy for me to not be stressed and learn easier. Nobody likes lecture after lecture.
For quarter 2 I think that if I put more time into my writing and have fewer distractions, they'll turn out better. I hope to improve my writing and analyzing skills further, and even though I'm more confident with thesis statements since the beginning of the year I still need work with them. I'm also going to try to participate more in in class discussions.
For quarter 2 I think that if I put more time into my writing and have fewer distractions, they'll turn out better. I hope to improve my writing and analyzing skills further, and even though I'm more confident with thesis statements since the beginning of the year I still need work with them. I'm also going to try to participate more in in class discussions.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Outside Reading #5
Well, in a nut shell the ending goes kind of like this…
Nina has feelings for Patrick, but feels an obligation to stay with Caleb for Nathanial and she really does love Caleb. Caleb continues to think about how he is a coward for not killing the priest who he though molested his son, and when he finds out that the real molester is still out there he feels he must kill him and does! Caleb finds Father Gwynne in New Orleans and poisons him. And the worst part about it is we don’t know the end result of Nina’s case. Will she go to jail or be innocent under reason of insanity?
I hate books that end like this to be frank. This is a double whammy. One, Caleb does something to complicate things by killing the other priest, and two, we don’t know how Nina is going to end up in terms of her sentence. Ahhhhhhhh!!! However, the theme that society makes rules for a reason is very present. When this couple finds out their son is molested they both have rash feelings at first, and they both eventually turn these feelings in to action, an action that is murder. And even though these two believed they were bettering society and protecting their son by getting a pedophile of the streets, actually more like out of the church, the fact is murder is very wrong and they didn’t accomplish squat.
Nina has feelings for Patrick, but feels an obligation to stay with Caleb for Nathanial and she really does love Caleb. Caleb continues to think about how he is a coward for not killing the priest who he though molested his son, and when he finds out that the real molester is still out there he feels he must kill him and does! Caleb finds Father Gwynne in New Orleans and poisons him. And the worst part about it is we don’t know the end result of Nina’s case. Will she go to jail or be innocent under reason of insanity?
I hate books that end like this to be frank. This is a double whammy. One, Caleb does something to complicate things by killing the other priest, and two, we don’t know how Nina is going to end up in terms of her sentence. Ahhhhhhhh!!! However, the theme that society makes rules for a reason is very present. When this couple finds out their son is molested they both have rash feelings at first, and they both eventually turn these feelings in to action, an action that is murder. And even though these two believed they were bettering society and protecting their son by getting a pedophile of the streets, actually more like out of the church, the fact is murder is very wrong and they didn’t accomplish squat.
Outside Reading #4
Nina has been released on bail until her hearing and one of her conditions was that she wasn't able to speak to any of her former colleagues. Nathanial, her son, not knowing this calls the name of Peter, her former colleague, in a grocery store and Peter eventually says a quick hello to Nina (Picoult 188). Of course Quentin Brown, the prosecutor trying to convict Nina, happens to be there and when they all go back to court Nina is still out on bail but confined to her house. While reading her newspaper one morning Nina takes out a manila envelope revealing that a DNA match has been confirmed proving that this priest's semen was found in Nathanial's boxers. Nina feels so relieved that she had indeed killed the right man, yet not so relieved because she did get a second opinion on the DNA results. Then, MAJOR TWIST!!!!!!!! This second opinion reveals through Father Glen's medical history that he got a bone marrow transplant, which means his marrow donor's DNA is the one matched with that found on the boxers. Nina recalls Nathanial revealing the man who hurt him as Father Glen, but what he was actually trying to say was Father Gwynne (211). As a four-year-old Nathanial has trouble with his L's, and it was assumed he said Glen, but he didn't have trouble this time. Nina feels extreme guilt for not only killing the wrong man, but killing a cancer survivor and a priest! However, she doesn't tell Caleb, her husband.
Nina, although in and out of jail, and in and out of guilt mostly is concerned for her son. Her true mother persona is coming out. After she finds out that she shot the wrong man she does feel extreme guilt but the thought of "He is still out there" (212). She's thinking about the man who really did it who is running free and possibly creating new victims. Even through he struggles she manages to think of her son. Caleb, who has helped his wife with her bail release, is extremely frustrated with her mindset. She keeps telling him that she had to do it, but he thinks that he would have got what's coming to him if she had waited. I can't blame Caleb for thinking this, I actually agree with him. The theme of going against society to what you think is right is really displaying itself in this novel. Nina shot a supposed child molester because she though she was protecting her son, even though it was murder.Nina shouldn't have taken such rash actions and now she and her family are suffering even more. Moving on to Patrick, his feelings for Nina haven't seemed to changed after the shooting, he might even think what she did was okay. When Nina tells Patrick that she got the wrong guy Patrick wants to help put Father Gwynne in jail. (Notice Nina told Patrick, not Caleb) However, Nina says, " 'I can't let you do something that stupid' " (218) Yet, Patrick thinks, "What makes you think I haven't already." Nina is keeping things from Caleb that she's open with with Patrick, and Patrick seems to be doing more to help Nina than Caleb is. My question is, what will happen between them? Caleb still loves Nina, and Patrick has always secretly loved Nina, but what does Nina think. We haven't really heard her take on this situation. I must find out what happens!
Nina, although in and out of jail, and in and out of guilt mostly is concerned for her son. Her true mother persona is coming out. After she finds out that she shot the wrong man she does feel extreme guilt but the thought of "He is still out there" (212). She's thinking about the man who really did it who is running free and possibly creating new victims. Even through he struggles she manages to think of her son. Caleb, who has helped his wife with her bail release, is extremely frustrated with her mindset. She keeps telling him that she had to do it, but he thinks that he would have got what's coming to him if she had waited. I can't blame Caleb for thinking this, I actually agree with him. The theme of going against society to what you think is right is really displaying itself in this novel. Nina shot a supposed child molester because she though she was protecting her son, even though it was murder.Nina shouldn't have taken such rash actions and now she and her family are suffering even more. Moving on to Patrick, his feelings for Nina haven't seemed to changed after the shooting, he might even think what she did was okay. When Nina tells Patrick that she got the wrong guy Patrick wants to help put Father Gwynne in jail. (Notice Nina told Patrick, not Caleb) However, Nina says, " 'I can't let you do something that stupid' " (218) Yet, Patrick thinks, "What makes you think I haven't already." Nina is keeping things from Caleb that she's open with with Patrick, and Patrick seems to be doing more to help Nina than Caleb is. My question is, what will happen between them? Caleb still loves Nina, and Patrick has always secretly loved Nina, but what does Nina think. We haven't really heard her take on this situation. I must find out what happens!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Outside Reading #3
My last post ended with a question about whether the shooting actually happened or if it was just a dream. As I read on I found out that it was no dream, Nina, a lawyer, just decided to shoot the priest in front of the jury and judge. Why would she do this? While as she leads the reader to believe, she thinks she can get away with it!! If she pleads innocent by reason of insanity then she's basically off the hook. To encourage the jury and those around her that she is in fact coo-coo she twitches and keeps repeating the phrase, "I had to do this" (Picoult 153). Although she is pretending to be insane it is my belief she actually is. Caleb, her husband, had to go through this same horrible ordeal of finding out a priest most likely molester his son, and although he had rash emotions in the beginning he cooled off and didn't actually shoot him (152). Nina is in denial. She is insane for taking these rash actions against another human being and she's going to have to deal with the fact she was wrong to shoot him.
Throughout this past section Patrick's feelings for Nina, if changed after the shooting, haven't been revealed. How could they? He's so incredible in shock and confused about what has happened still, and I can't blame him. Caleb's overall feeling haven't changed, however he is still in disbelief about what his wife did. She was fully aware of what she was doing and didn't even talk to him about it before hand. He's starting to get extremely angry. Caleb goes to a bar one night and has a conversation with the bartender, but he's pretending to be somebody else. He just is relieved to get away and not be himself for a short while as the author says, "Caleb doesn't know why he is not telling the businessman the truth-but prevarication comes so easily, and the knowledge that this man will buy anything he says right now is oddly liberating" (171). I'm looking forward to reading the next chapters. Will Nina go to jail, will she tell the truth? How about, will Patrick and Caleb turn their backs to Nina??
Throughout this past section Patrick's feelings for Nina, if changed after the shooting, haven't been revealed. How could they? He's so incredible in shock and confused about what has happened still, and I can't blame him. Caleb's overall feeling haven't changed, however he is still in disbelief about what his wife did. She was fully aware of what she was doing and didn't even talk to him about it before hand. He's starting to get extremely angry. Caleb goes to a bar one night and has a conversation with the bartender, but he's pretending to be somebody else. He just is relieved to get away and not be himself for a short while as the author says, "Caleb doesn't know why he is not telling the businessman the truth-but prevarication comes so easily, and the knowledge that this man will buy anything he says right now is oddly liberating" (171). I'm looking forward to reading the next chapters. Will Nina go to jail, will she tell the truth? How about, will Patrick and Caleb turn their backs to Nina??
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Outside Reading #2
A lot has happened in the the book since my last post. Nina's little boy, Nathaniel, stopped talking one day and was taken to a therapist. He gave signs that he had been molested, but since he couldn't talk he wasn't able to give the name of the person who did it. Thus, he learned some basics in sign language and when asked who hurt you he answered father (Picoult 67). Immediately Nina Frost got a restraining order against her husband, only to soon realize her son was trying to accuse Father Glen, a priest at the family's church. The family and Father Glen appeared in court where suddenly Nina pulls out a gun and shoots the priest 4 times in the head!!! At first I thought this was some kind of hallucination or dream going through Nina's head since it was so completely bazaar. I read a little farther and found out it wasn't. Patrick, who I previously suspected to have a crush on Nina, actually does and he was dumbfounded by this event.
Before the shooting I did feel that something weird was about to happen. I wasn't through half the book and the trial for the molesting was taken place, I felt that something big must happen in order to keep my attention through the rest of the novel. I wasn't surprised to find out that Patrick wishes he were the one who was married to Nina instead of Caleb (93). I'm curious to see how his feelings change after the shooting, and what Caleb does in response as well. I'm also wandering what came over Nina to shoot this priest. Although he was the most likely suspect who molested her son, he was still a priest who had been nothing but nice to her in every other way. Yet, all she cared about was the fact that he was dead as we see when she says, " 'Is he dead?' Nina asks. 'I just need you to tell me, Patrick. I killed him, right? How many shots did I get off? I had to do it, you know I had to. He's dead, isn't he? The paramedics can't revive him, can they?' " (128). There's such an urgency in her voice, she doesn't care that she's going to jail, about all the witnesses are now traumatized, or that all the media caught everything on film. She just wants to know that this man won't be alive to ever hurt her son again. Throughout this section of the book the reader sees a different side to Caleb who cares for his son maybe more that his wife, Patrick who shows his true feelings for Nina, and Nina who shows such strong hate for this priest who might have hurt her son that she murders him!! This might be bringing out the theme that traumatizing events can bring out new sides of people. I must keep reading (I hope the murder is a dream).
Before the shooting I did feel that something weird was about to happen. I wasn't through half the book and the trial for the molesting was taken place, I felt that something big must happen in order to keep my attention through the rest of the novel. I wasn't surprised to find out that Patrick wishes he were the one who was married to Nina instead of Caleb (93). I'm curious to see how his feelings change after the shooting, and what Caleb does in response as well. I'm also wandering what came over Nina to shoot this priest. Although he was the most likely suspect who molested her son, he was still a priest who had been nothing but nice to her in every other way. Yet, all she cared about was the fact that he was dead as we see when she says, " 'Is he dead?' Nina asks. 'I just need you to tell me, Patrick. I killed him, right? How many shots did I get off? I had to do it, you know I had to. He's dead, isn't he? The paramedics can't revive him, can they?' " (128). There's such an urgency in her voice, she doesn't care that she's going to jail, about all the witnesses are now traumatized, or that all the media caught everything on film. She just wants to know that this man won't be alive to ever hurt her son again. Throughout this section of the book the reader sees a different side to Caleb who cares for his son maybe more that his wife, Patrick who shows his true feelings for Nina, and Nina who shows such strong hate for this priest who might have hurt her son that she murders him!! This might be bringing out the theme that traumatizing events can bring out new sides of people. I must keep reading (I hope the murder is a dream).
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