Blog Post 15: The Final One!!

For my final blog post I was debating between writing a poem for incoming freshman or maybe a self reflection.  I ended up choosing to write a short letter giving advice and/or tips for the future seniors of next year (the IB Juniors now).  So here it goes:


Hello fellow IBers,

I know that you may not want to read this whole thing (is Junioritis a thing?) but I promise it may help with some of the stuff you're feeling.  As upcoming Seniors, you've got to be prepared to be the ones who rule the school.  You're also IB, so that helps.  Specifically concerning IB Lang and Lit that you take your senior year, you MUST read the books given.  I read a lot and I truly enjoyed the books, but I know a lot of people who didn't...they suffered.  It's ultimately your choice. But what you never expect when you walk through the doorway on the first day of school, is that when its all done, you tend to appreciate the little things.  When this whole blogging thing started happening, I had never used blogger before and it scared the crap out of me.  Now I love it and couldn't imagine not having a Blogger account.  (Mrs. G, I hope you still do Blogger assignments in the future.)

Also, SPEAK UP. Be opinionated.  Feel free to express what you felt while reading or what you thought about a passage's structure.  Participate in any way possible, and have good conversations with one another.  That is how you actually enjoy the classes (also Mrs. G is pretty freaking hilarious.)

This is so cliche, but don't procrastinate.  If you do, try to write just some sort of rough draft for an upcoming essay due date a week before it's actually due.  Of course, there are always other assignments, but you need English to graduate! Priorities, people!

Overall just be a good student.  Just Mrs. Genesky's english class alone I have taken away things that I know I will keep forever and life lessons that I needed to learn before college.  Be appreciative of everything that your teachers do for you because they actually are working really hard.  Nobody wants to see a student fail.  I have loved my years in IB even though at the time they were a pain in the butt.  They are so worth it after high school when you look back at your experiences.

I wish you all the very best in your endeavors and in life afterwards, and hopefully I'll see some of you at Elon! :)

Your fellow IBer,
Bella

Blog Post 14: Witty Whitman

Step 1:
In looking throughout Whitman's journal, the very first thing that I noticed was that the book looks completely ancient.  I think that this gives character to the ideas that are inside no matter what is inside.  On the very first page, I can make out what seems to be addresses of some sort as if it is a personal journal just for Whitman's own memory, which makes sense.  Looking throughout the rest of the journal, I think that Whitman is really showing how many ideas that he had and how he planned to execute them.  The journal says "brochure" and talks about having two characters talking to each other.  This shows more of Whitman's thought process and the reader can see how they evolve and change throughout the journal from beginning to end, like how most people tend to change over time.  I also noticed a stamp that seems to be on most pages of the journal, which I don't know if that was included while Whitman was writing or after.  What is interesting for me is that Whitman's writing is in cursive, which shows more of the time period.  Cursive is slowly dying because technology allows us to have it with just a click of a button.

Step 2:
In seeing the analysis of the annotations, I see that I was right about the addresses and names that are included in the journal.  What I didn't notice was that Whitman wrote about talking to, or at least being near, Lincoln in his journal.  I didn't pick up on that part of his writing, but I was right about how "brochure" was mentioned by Whitman and how Whitman was most likely thinking about his characters.  That red circular stamp actually turns out to be the stamp of the Library of Congress, so it was placed after the journal was out of Whitman's possession, I'm assuming. I think it is interesting that Whitman hated slavery just as Lincoln did, and how he referenced religion in his journal.  This does seem pretty normal, since it was Whitman's personal journal full of his opinions.  Of course, there are mentions of Whitman's ideas and little snippets of poems he wrote and poems to come at the time, but it is interesting to get a look directly into what would've been Whitman's whole life.

Blog 13: The American Dream

. How would you describe the “American Dream?”

2. What is your definition of wealth?

3. What are Americans’ attitudes toward wealth and poverty?

4. What is your attitude toward wealth and poverty?

(I am typing on a European keyboard so excuse me if I spell any words wrong.)  

"The American Dream" is something that I think everyone still looks forward to.  My father came to America in search of this American Dream when he was 18, and I truly believe that he found it.  I describe the American Dream as being free and equal, but that's just me.  I think that everyone in the world wants wealth, so that isn't just limited to America.  I think wealth, however, has a billion meanings in itself.  It can mean you are surrounded by love and by loved ones, or it can mean that you have a lot of money.  

I think that question #3 is an interesting question that can be answered to show a lot about our country.  If one is wealthy, they are supposedly living the best life.  The wealthy tend to despise the poor, it's plain and simple.  The poor also tend to hate the rich based off of jealousy, which is understandable. Everyone in America, in my opinion, just wants to be wealthy.  For some, they don't even necessarily want to be wealthy, they just don't want to be poor.  

I think that people come to America thinking that they are going to instantly have that amazing American Dream lifestyle, when in reality, it doesn't happen for most people, or it ends up being something extremely different than what they thought it was going to be like.  (Sorry to kill the happy vibe Mrs. G, I'm just giving the best possible answer.)  I believe that the American dream comes at different times for everyone, and that it is based off of how bad some people want it vs. how many opportunities someone has.  My dad didn't have a bad life, he just wanted to live the American dream, and I think that he has succeeded in doing so.  As for the rest of the people in the world, some aren't so lucky.  

The moral of the story is, be thankful for what you have, but don't be limited by it.

Blog Post 12: Nothing Really Mattress(?): Kafka, Camus, and Importance of Translations

#4:One morning, upon awakening from agitated dreams, Gregor Samsa found himself, in his bed, transformed into a monstrous vermin.


I chose to focus more on translation #4 because I think that it is definitely an interesting translation compared to the rest.  

• First, looking at diction: the words used show more of what the author seems to think.  By using "vermin" instead of "bug" or "insect," the audience can see how Kafka thinks of a bug as a "vermin."  By also using the adjective "monstrous," suddenly the vermin gets big, gross, and scary, which is interesting.
• Syntax and Punctuation: this sentence is almost hard to follow because there are so many pauses that the reader has to take due to the use of commas.
• Structure: The structure of this sentence shows more of a story.  In between the commas it tells us the when, what he was doing, the main event of the sentence, the where, and the effect of the main event.  The translation is also very descriptive, so just with the once sentence, many can know what is going on.

Each translation gives such a different effect that it is amazing that all of those sentences are about the same exact thing, just moved around and slightly different words are used.  The diction, syntax, punctuation, and structure changes what the audience takes away from the passage, and changes the meaning behind underlying opinions.  For me, translation #2 and #3 were very similar, being that they both used the words "bug" at the end.  "Bug" is such a younger term to me (being that we call my 18 month old sister "Bug").  I feel that when translation #1 uses "insect,"Kafka seems a little more disconnected and casual because he is just giving more of a scientific name.  I chose translation #4 because its punctuation, syntax, and structure stood out among the others.  It is a very long sentence with lots of description and pauses.  The others seemed to flow pretty nicely and get the point across swiftly, while translation #4 was more dramatic because it didn't get to the point for a while.
As for which is more effective, I think it depends on whether Kafka was trying to remain detached from his writing, or if he wanted some of his own views in his novels.  I think that #1 did a pretty good job in translating the German into English because it seems like that is how the sentence is supposed to be written.  All of the others sound wrong in some way due to their syntax, structure, etc. Translation #1 is good at being an ordinary sentence, unlike #4.  The sentence sounds casual, as if one could be saying it to a friend.  By using "gigantic" instead of using "monstrous," and by using "insect" instead of "bug" or "vermin," it shows more of a formal tone, said in a casual way.  I know that sounds weird, but he used such formal, scientific words, and then made the sentence casual by the structure and syntax.  
I think that translations are definitely something that is so minor, yet they can change the whole outcome of the book to an audience.  

Blog Post 11: You down with the IOC? Yeah, you know me!

Here's my recording for the IOC.

Grading:
Criterion A:5
I could have talked more about the context of the passage in my commentary, but with everything I said, I supported almost everything with direct quotes from the passage.

Criterion B: 6
I would say that this is too high because I'm not exactly the best grader, but I feel like I talked mainly about meaning through the language the Shakespeare gives, and what the effects are.

Criterion C: 4
I worked really hard to try to make it sound coherent, but I did fumble over my words sometimes.  I also mixed up the character's names because they were all so similar (Macbeth, Macduff, and Malcolm.)  I also think I would be docked off for time, since I am a little under.

Criterion D: 3
I felt that my language was okay and that I was okay at explaining my points, but I don't feel like it was great.  My grammar was okay as well, but I didn't use such sophisticated language as some of my peers did.

Things for the future:
I think next time, which is the last a final time, I will be able to milk those last couple of minutes because I have no issue of talking about stuff I know about.  However, I could look at more literary lenses and what they help develop because I feel like I was lacking in those departments.  I also wish I added more, but in my passage, I just couldn't find anything else.  Tough luck.


This is my passage:

Malcolm: Macduff, this noble passion,
Child of integrity, hath from my soul
Wiped the black scruples, reconciled my thoughts
To thy good truth and honour.  Devilish Macbeth
5) By many of these trains hath sought to win me
Into his power, and modest wisdom plucks me
From over-credulous haste: but God above
Deal between thee and me! for even now
I put myself to thy direction, and
10) Unspeak mine own detraction, here abjure
The taints and blames I laid upon myself,
For strangers to my nature.  I am yet
Unknown to woman, never was forsworn,
Scarcely have coveted what was mine own,
15) At no time broke my faith, would not betray
The devil to his fellow and delight
No less in truth than life: my first false speaking
Was this upon myself: what I am truly,
Is thine and my poor country's to command:
20) Whither indeed, before thy here-approach,
Old Siward, with ten thousand warlike men,
Already at a point, was setting forth.
Now we'll together; and the chance of goodness
Be like our warranted quarrel!  Why are you silent?

Macduff: Such welcome and unwelcome things at once
'Tis hard to reconcile.

Enter a doctor

Malcolm: Well; more anon.--Comes the king forth, I pray you?

Doctor: Ay, sir; there are a crew of wretched souls
30)That stay his cure: their malady convinces
The great assay of art; but at his touch--
Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand--
They presently amend.

Malcolm: I thank you, doctor.

35) Exit Doctor

Blog Post 9: Once Upon a Time

Freebie!!

Blog Post 8: Double Indemnity

5. How is Barbara Stanwyck’s character portrayed in this film? What type of angles is she shot in? What type of lighting surrounds her? Is she a good, likeable, moral person? How does she interact with and treat Fred MacMurray’s character? What does this tell you about the way that women were viewed in the 1940's?

Barbara Stanwyck's character in the film Double Indemnity allows the audience to see what life was like in the 1940's, especially for women.  In the movie, every time the audience sees Phyllis Dietrichson she is always poised and proper.  Every hair on her head is perfectly groomed and her makeup is rather remarkable.  Her conversations in the movie are both mysterious and seductive, and she speaks very loudly with her body language.  She is manipulative and cunning, showing a lack of moral standards.  She is sometimes perched on a higher area such as the stairs looking down at Neff, foreshadowing how powerful she is by the end of the movie.  Half of her face is often hidden, but when the audience can finally see her full face, it is well lit and we can see every feature on her face.  Anyone from the outside-looking-in perspective would want to be her if they were living in this era, but there are always misconceptions unaccounted for when looking beyond the beauty and lifestyle.
We are introduced to Walter Neff very early on in the movie, and when Neff and Dietrichson meet, even the audience feels like they have been hit by Cupid.  Their desire for each other is so strong it can be felt by the audience, which would be remarked as amazing acting.  Back to the point, they both have a certain desperate desire for each other, yet their love is limited by the gender inequality at the time.  The audience finds that Neff tends to grab Dietrichson and almost throw her on places such as the couch, as if she were a doll.  Neff never calls her by her name, only using terms of endearment.  It is obvious that Neff likes his women helpless otherwise, he begins to feel emasculated when the woman is starting to gain power. Using physical abuse and emotional detachment, however, isn't the way to go.
Keeping in mind that the 1940's wasn't the fairest time to be a woman, the movie really hits on the problems with inequality of gender and status. Double Indemnity ends up fighting the social stigmas by showing the audience how strong, conniving, and clever Phyllis Dietrichson actually is.  One can assume that Dietrichson only has desires to be with men whenever she needs something she alone cannot get, which seems to tarnish the image of a stereotypical prim and proper housewife.