WHAT'S THE STORY?

"What is it that makes you want to write songs? In a way you want to stretch yourself into other people's hearts. You want to plant yourself there, or at least get a resonance, where other people become a bigger instrument than the one you're playing. It becomes almost an obsession to touch other people. To write a song that is remembered and taken to heart is a connection, a touching of bases. A thread that runs through all of us. A stab to the heart. Sometimes I think songwriting is about tightening the heartstrings as much as possible without bringing on a heart attack." -Keith Richards

Why did Charles Dickens write the novel you're reading/reviewing? What in your analysis of literary techniques led you to this conclusion? (Make sure to include textual support illustrating Dickens' use of at least three techniques we've studied/discussed this year.)

Answer: When we got the journal topic that asked us to analyze the title, I immediately thought of Romeo and Juliet. A Tale of Two Cities reminds me of the bitter feud between two families, so this title makes me think there will be a fight between people in two different cities. Dickens continuously  uses paradox. Chiasmus is defined as "a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth (dictionary.com)." Dickens' famous quote to this story is "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." This quote reels readers in with its juxtaposition of words and this is an introduction for the rest of the book which is chalk-filled with paradoxes left and right. Since the sentence structure throughout the story is contradictory, this also tells me that there will be contradictions in the future, dealing with self (inner) conflict with characters around the protagonist. 

Tale of Two Cities Lecture Notes

• Sydney (Mike) Carten sacrifices himself for love so woman he loved can be with someone else, someone she loved deeply.
• Listen to Dr. William describe the character's journey, "grigen sword alley, to the monet house, to the perisian locations, trans, busses, and owls go hooting, railway station, cafe, and a few haris policemen stood." Also the fact that he speaks in a british accent give me the feeling that he is describing Harry Potter going through Galagon alley.

DICKENS MAP

Tale of Two Cities

By Charles Dickens

1. Well this weekend, I am basically going to read all of Tale of Two Cities. That is my basic reading schedule.
2. A) What literary element is used throughout the story? Give an example. Chiasmus, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." B) What is the tone of the book? Dark and mysterious and the times are uncertain as each day is life and death situations. This is war. C) How are women represented in this time? Will answer soon. D) In your opinion, is revenge ever justified? Will answer soon. E) What was Cruncher's message, and what was the reply?
3. I think there are certain questions, like the ones listed above, that prove whether or not one read their designated reading book. I think each person should try and answer each of the five questions and throughly as possible. Considering we were only given a week to read the assigned book, these questions seems like an adequate test for understanding.

LIT TERMS 31-55

Dialect: the language of a particular district, class or group of persons; the sounds, grammar, and diction employed by people distinguished from others.

Re-posted: "literature analysis schedule"

"The minimum requirement is three analyses, due at the end of January (31), February (28), and March (31)."

AP Lit Terms Remix 6-30

Analogy

Analysis

Anaphora

POETRY ANALYSIS

So i found this website where it gives you a list of 21 AP literature and composition poems (score!!!)
http://edsitement.neh.gov/feature/twenty-one-poems-ap-literature-and-composition

The five I picked were as follows:

"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot
"Ode on a Grecian Urn" by John Keats
"Safe in Their Alabaster Chamber" by Emily Dickinson
"To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell
"To a Butterfly" by William Wordsworth

LIT TERMS 1-5

Guess that lit TERM?!

Allegory

Alliteration

"You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. 

You take the red pill, you stay awake in wonderland and i show you how deep the rabbit hole goes."-The Matrix referencing Alice in Wonderland. 

Allusion

Ambiguity

Anachronism

SPRING SEMESTER PLAN 1

Well I don't have a step by step list of how I'm going to accomplish my plan but I do have an idea of what I want to do.

 "Avoid senioritis!"

           Yes, it is a very general concept but the underlying layers to this plan are plenty. Avoiding senioritis does not just encompass the curriculum of this class but also all of the other curriculums I am studying. I don't want to get lazy and I certainly don't want to get a B in any class. I've worked hard thus far and what i really want is enjoy this semester. 

           Throughout high school, I have helped those who have asked for my assistance. I have obliged and

AP PREP POST 1: SIDDHARTHA

AP Literature Questions on Siddhartha

1. What is the significance of the different social classes that Siddhartha goes through? Well, I haven't read this story in a while but I think it just shows that whatever social class he is in, he will be discontent because he is hungry for information. His former life did not fill the void he had so he went out to look for that enlightening event/experience.
2. Discuss the father-son theme. In Siddhartha's culture, men usually have a very strong relationship because the father helps make the boy into a man. I can see why there is a bond and Siddhartha makes references to wanting to return home.
3. What does the symbol of the snake represent? A stump in the road. Should he cross or should he go back?
4. What is the importance of Kamala in the novel? She is a symbol that represents, in a way, the snake that spoke to Adam and Eve. She is a distraction and Siddhartha does get distracted.

What's In This For Me?

My original comment to Dr. Preston's post Happy New Year was:

 "Well I've done a lot in this class so continuing my efforts in the same momentum would be a goal of mine. Also, my goal is to avoid senioritis.... -.-"

Elaborating a little bit on "my efforts" in this class I'll give a small recap. I've continually posted every assignment that has been assigned to me. Almost every time, with a few exceptions, they have been on time and to my best efforts. I've sporadically customized my blog and made it more than I initially thought I could. Yes, the tech part of the class had me slightly unhinged because my eldest brother is the tech savvy person in my family. But with the help of others and hours of trial and error, I'm sure I have a good understanding of the blog. 
I have even taken on the Sphinx challenge with Dulce and Sam, to name a few, and actually performed in front of the class for one of the "Feats of Wisdom." 
My efforts have not been without emolument as I've had fun and I've attained an A in the course. Now my goal is to continue my momentum and not get sucked into seniortis. Seniortis can be defined in many ways but I define it as "The mental degradation of academic attention span dilated to miniscule work with more attention to friends and slacking off." I'm definitely going to pay more attention to friends since this semester has been about academics. This is my last semester, I don't want to end with a B in a class so I'm still going to work and I'm also going t split my attention more on my friends and especially on my best friend.  Well I'm signing off now since its 5 am and the only reason I'm posting so early on my break is that I can't sleep. Adios!!