Friday, December 13, 2013

Literature Analysis #3

The Last Lecture

1. Randy Pausch was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He was married and had three children. Randy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August of 2006. He knew the ods of him living were against him but he still had hope. He stayed positive and didnt let the cancer bring him down. He decided to give a last lecture to help guide the students. His wife wasnt too happy about this, but later changed her mind. His cancer went away temporarily, but came back on August 15, 2007. The cancer spread to his liver and came back stronger. He decided to take life day by day. He respects that his wife always supported him and had big expectations for his kids. He had a neew look on life now that he knew he would soon die. This book is very inspirational to people but he did die at the age of 47 on July 25, 2008.
2. I would have to sat that no matter what happens to always stay positive have hope ad live life to the fullest and to achieve your childhood dreams.
3. The authors tone is happiness and to achieve your goals and never quit.
"I was aware from an early age, that Nasa wouldnt want me. I had heard that astronauts couldnt have glassed. I was okay with that."
"I wont die the next day or the day after that, or the day after that. So today, right now,  well this is a wonderful day. And i want you to know how much Im enjoying it."
"After i die, i want themto take my kids for the weekends, here and there, and just do stuff. Anything fun they can think of."
4. Point of View: First person "I already had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but I was optimistic." Page 1
Imagery: "My romance with football started when my dad dragged me, kicking and screaming to join a league."
Symbols: The Last Lecture represents what Randy wanted people to know about him, and to give them a good lasting impression on how important goals are.
Conflict: Randy gets pancreatic cancer and he is going to die so he agrees to have a last lecture.
Setting: He lived in Pittsburgh before he was diagnosed with cancer.
Metaphor: "We can't change the hand we are dealt"
Flashback: Randy looks back to when he was a kid and achieved his childhood dreams
Anecdote: When Randy talks about being able to know what zero gravity feels like
Genre: Nonfiction true story about the authors life, childhood and happiness
Metaphor: Loyalty is a two way street
    Characterization
1. Direct: Randy Pausch himself because he talks about his childhood goals and how he is going to deal with the last lecture
Indirect: He talks about his wife and how she always supported him
Indirect: He talks about his children and what he expects for them after he's gone
Direct: Randy's dad was a World War 2 medic who served in Battle of the Bulge.
2. The way the story was written in a very relaxed/calm way and the diction and syntax don't really change
3. Randy is very dynamic because he changes to overcome obstacles and is a very round character.
4. Yes I feel like I met Randy Pausch and I am now even more thankful for what I have. I now want to be more positive because things could be worse.
 

Literature Analysis #2

   Great Expectations

1. There is a young boy named Pip who is 6 years old and lives with his sister and her husband Joe(Mr. Gargery). Pip takes food from his sister to feed a convict at churchyard so he does not starve. Pip goes to Miss Havisham's house to play with Estella her adopted daughter, who Pip begins to like and later falls in love with. When Pip is old enough he gets a job but he would rather become a man and marry Estella. He randomly gets a fortune from an unknown benefactor, so Pip moves to London and Mr. Jaggers who is a lawyer begins to take care of him then Pip becomes friends with Herbert Pocket. On Pip's 21st birthday Mr. Jaggers gives him a 500 pound yearly allowance. On Pip's 23rd birthday the convict shows up to Pip's house and he tells Pip how he is Pip's undiscovered benefactor. The convict's real name is Abel Magwitch who was not to return to England so Pip finds a way to get him out of the country. Estella gets married and later finds out Magwitch is her dad. Magwitch get sent back to jail and later dies. He later moves to Cairo and works at Herbert's shipping yard for many years then moves back to England while Joe marries Biddy and Pip later reunites with Estella.

2. I'd have to say the theme of Great Expectations is love, and that good deeds are could benefit you in the future. I think that is the theme because Pip is all along trying to find someone to love as his own and because of him feeding the convict he later had a benefactor who helped him for many years.

3. I'd have to say I think the author's tone has to do with family and friends because throughout the story Pip is looking for just that. He doesn't have a father or mother so he sees himself as the people he is surrounded by so he helps the convict out, he depends on Miss Havisham, he lives with his sister and her husband in law then he later falls in love with Estella who he doesn't have a chance with. "Where's your Mother?" "There, sir!" said I"
"Who d'ye live with?" "My sister, sir - Mrs. Joe Gargery - wife of Joe Gargery, the blacksmith, sir."
"I cannot adequately express what pain it gave me to think that Estella should show favour to a contemptible, clumsy, sulky, booby, so very far below the average."

4. Imagery: "I realeased the leg of the table and ran for my life" Pg24
Metaphor: "When I was the first hired out as shepherd t'other side the world, it's my belief I should ha'turned into a molloncolly mad sheep myself."
Conflict: Miss Havisham tells Pip she is helping him and it ends up not being true, she was hiding the convicts identity
Symbols: The mist represents not being able to see so when the convict came he couldn't see
Hyperbole: "I looked at Wemmick, whose face was very grave."
Poit of View: First person, Pip is telling the story of him growing up and how it all became who he is today.
Genre: Fantasy, Pip grows up gets a benefactor and is moved to London then Mr.Jagger gives him a 500 pound allowance to good to be true.
Allusion: Pip and Herbert go to see Mr. Wopsle in a production of Shakespears Hamlet.
Settiing: London, Pip moves to London and lives with Mr. Jagger and is given a 500 pound annual allowance.
Onomatopeia: "Ay, ay, dear buy"

Characterization

1.Direct: Pip beging the study as a young orphan who lives and is being raised by his sister and brother-in-law.
Indirect: Joe Gargery, Pips brother-in-law has a huge impact on Pip, stays with abusive wife.

2.I would have to say that the author does use a little more syntx but overall is equally detailed no matter what is happening.

3. Yes, Pip is a dynamic character. He goes from being an orphan to growing up and living in London getting an annual allowance from Jaggers. Pip is also a round charater because he overcomes obstacles and changes.

4. Yes, after reading this i felt like i knew and know people who are fake and crazy just like Mis Havisham.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Literature Analysis #1

   Tuesdays with Morrie
1. Mitch Albom graduated from Brandeis University, his favorite professor is Morrie Schwartz. Mitch took all of Morrie's sociology classes and he promises to go back and visit Morrie, although he never goes back until he sees Morrie on Nightline and finds out Morrie is ill with ALS which will soon make him paralyzed. Mitch decides to go to Boston and visit Morrie, from then on he goes to see Morrie every Tuesday. Morrie gives Mitch lessons on what life is all about and that once you are faced with death everything is seen differently. Mitch begins to record everything they do or talk about to write a book (this book). Morrie tells Mitch to start talking to his brother so he does but his brother says he is ok and does not want to talk. On the 14th Tuesday Charlotte told Mitch that Morrie hadn't been doing too well and this was the day to say final goodbyes. Morrie died on a Saturday. After his death Mitch reached his brother and they agreed to chat later.
2. The theme of the story is to be different and take a step back to see whats around you. Morrie taught Mitch the meaning of life and how he needs to be different and be proud of what he has and be thankful. Mitch listens to all that Morrie has to say because he knows Morrie is well educated he enjoys his stories and Morrie has a different look on life since he has been faced with death.
3. The author's tone showed Mitch's true love for Morrie as a human being and his favorite professor, and how he enjoyed learning the meaning of life and Morrie's look on life. "No books were required, yet many topics were covered, including love, work, community, family, aging, forgiveness, and finally, death." "Morrie honked loudly into the tissue. "This is okay with you, isn't it? Men crying?" Sure, I said, too quickly. He grinned. "Ah, Mitch I'm gonna loosen you up. One day, I'm gonna show you it's okay to cry." "I don't know how to say good-bye. He patted my hand weakly, keeping it on his chest. "This . . . is how we say . . . good-bye . . ." He breathed softly, in and out, I could feel his rib-cage rise and fall. Then he looked right at me. "Love . . . you," he rasped. i love you, too, Coach."
4. Foreshadowing: "Morrie's doctor guessed he had two years left. Morrie knew it was less." through out the whole story we knew Morrie would eventually die. page 10
Theme: "He would not wither. He would not be ashamed of dying." page 10
Imagery: "I had not seen him in sixteen years. His hair was thinner, nearly white, and his face was gaunt." page 27
Point of view: "I may be dying, but i am surrounded by loving, caring souls." page 36
Conflict: "You know how I'm going to die?" he was faced with death page 36
Flashbacks: "Before college I did not know the study of human relations could be considered scholarly" page 39
Mood: "I asked Morrie if he felt sorry for himself. "Sometimes, in the mornings," he said. "That's when i mourn. I feel around my body, I move my fingers and my hands- whatever I can still move-and I mourn what I've lost." page 56
Climax: "Morrie died on a Saturday morning." page 187
Resolution: "I look back sometimes at the person I was before I rediscovered my old professor." page 191
Setting: "The last class of my old professor's life took place once a week in his house, by a window in the study where he could watch a small hibiscus plant shed its pink leaves" page 1
   Characterization
1. Direct Characterization: When Mitch goes to introduce his parents to Morrie on the graduation day, he says "He is a small man who takes small steps, as if a strong wind could, at any time, whisk him up into the clouds."
Direct Characterization: When Mitch is describing Morrie he says "In his graduation day robe, he looks like a cross between a biblical prophet and a Christmas elf."
Indirect Characterization: Mitch is descried as a student who took all of Morrie"s classes and after Morrie's death they say he is 20 at that time but not too much detail is given
Indirect Characterization: Janine is a professional singer but she does not sing to people when they ask but she sings to Morrie and it brings so much joy to him he begins to cry when she is done singing.
2. Yes i believe the authors syntax and diction both change when he describes Morrie, by describing him in ways that I can picture in my head due to detailed imagery and he makes Morrie seem so different and special.
3. I would say that Mitch is dynamic because he stops talking to Morrie after graduation and does not keep up to his promise, but he later gets back in touch with his old professor. He begins to adjust his schedule to go see Morrie every Tuesday and he helps with Morrie who is ill. He is a round character because the story gives us a good idea of who he is, how he thinks and he changes through out the story.
4. Yes I feel like I met Morrie in real life because he is described in such a detailed way that I know how he feels, what he looks like, and what he does for a living. He has a different look on life that he is now facing death.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Vocab #4

Accolade: an award
-I got an accolade for being in the spelling bee in sixth grade
Acerbity: to be firm
-when I make a decision I show acerbity so people know I'm serious
Attrition: to weaken
-the old man began to attrition
Bromide: unoriginal idea
-there are a lot more bromides then there are originals
Chauvinist: exaggerated patriotism
-the war veteran would be a chauvinist when it came to old war stories
Chronic: frequent recurrence
-my dad has chronic back pain
Expound: to explain an idea in detail
-on the first day of school Dr. Preston expounded open source learning
Factionalism: a group of people forming a cohesive
-the team was very factionalism
Immaculate: perfect, neat
-the new car was immaculate
Imprecation: a spoken curse
-when you say you haven't got something it gets jinxed so you knock on wood because its an imprecation
Ineluctable: cannot be avoided
-school is ineluctable so you might as well take advantage of it
Mercurial: changeable
-I wish some of the stuff in my past was mercurial
Palliate: to relieve
-the advil palliated my headache
Protocol: international agreement
-Obama made a protocol with Canada
Resplendent: very shiny
-my suburban is resplendent after I wash it
Stigmatize: to disgrace
-the kid stigmatized his parents because he got an F in class
Sub Rosa: privately
-the conversation with my mom was sub rosa
Vainglory: pride from an achievement
-I had vainglory when I achieved a past goal
Vestige: a mark of something that was present but now disappeared
-my paper had a vestige from a pencil mark
Volition: the act of willing to do something
-I had the volition to help my sister

Declaration of Learning Independence

    Smart
    Measurable
    Attainable
    Reinforcements
    Timely

     My goal is to use this class to the best of my advantage from this day forward although I already should have been doing it. I plan on achieving this goal by the end of the year or even sooner like by the next grading period but I want to keep it up once I have achieved it. I also plan on going above and beyond with this course and I know Dr. Preston will help keep me in line but also to I am responsible for myself achieving it and getting the goal reached!!!

Vocab #3

Apostate: a person who forsakes religion
-the priest was an apostate
Effusive: pouring out  or overflowing
-the bath tub was effusive
Impasse: a situation with no escape
-when the cops surround you it is an impasse
Euphoria: intense happiness
-when I'm with friends and driving my suburban i feel euphoria
Lugubrious: gloomy
-the weather is very lugubrious
Bravado: display of courage
-when I first got my own room I didn't have the courage to fall asleep without my mom in the room
Consensus: general agreement
-in class we have more than a consensus that this class is way better then the typical class
Dichotomy: a division between two things
-the street was the dichotomy for the housing complexes
Constrict: make narrower
-sometimes when they make bridges they are more constricted than the road
Gothic: a language or dark style
-that girl is wearing all black so I made the assumption that she is gothic
Punctilio: a fine point of conduct
-when he is mad there is a bad punctilio
Metamorphosis: a complete transformation
-between eighth and ninth grade a lot of people when through metamorphosis
Raconteur: a person who is good at relating stories
-my grandma has done a lot of the stuff I am now doing so I tell him stories and he is a raconteur
Sine: something essential
- the thesis in a story is sine
Quixotic: impulsive
-when she is in the line she is very impulsive
Vendetta: private feud
-when I see an old friend we know our vendetta but other people don't
Non Sequitur: a conclusion that does not follow the previous statement
-this sentence is a non sequitur
Mystique: raised value
-gold is very mystique
Quagmire: an extremely difficult situation
-today when my suburban broke it was quagmire
Parlous: someone who is smart but dangerous
-professional boxers are parlous

Why this Book?

   I picked Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom because my mom recommended it then as I began to read it I was hooked and wanted to learn about him and his teacher and I plan on finishing it to find out what all happens, because I;m very interested

Vocab #2

Accoutrements: clothing accessories
-Girls have accoutrements on everyday
Apogee: highest point or climax
-the people who climbed Mount Everest reached the apogee in the world
Apropos: perfect timing
-when i got to class it was apropos
Bicker: to get in a petulant argument
-I hate when my friends bicker
Coalesce: to come together
-In history for an assignment five people had to coalesce
Contretemps: an inopportune occurrence
-whenever kids talk while the teacher is talking it is contretemps
Convolution: a rolled up or coiled condition
- the burrito is in a convolution
Cull: to pick
-authors get to cull the ending
Disparate: distinct in type
-skunks are very disparate
Dogmatic: certain of truth
-if you have facts for your opinion you must be dogmatic
Licentious: unprincipled in sexual matters
-the little boy is very licentious
Mete: to distribute
-the pizza delivery man meted the pizzas
Noxious: harmful to health
-the chemicals made me noxious
Polemic: strong verbal attack
-two girls we crying because they had just been in a polemic
Populous: a dense population
-China is very populous
Probity: strong moral principles or integrity
-when my sister was younger she had no probity
Repartee: conversation characterized by quick witty remarks
-the two old men over there got into a repartee
Supervene: something additional that occurs
-in every class there is a supervene event
Truncate: to cut short
-he was telling a story but it was truncated
Unimpeachable: impossible to question
-the dog is unimpeachable

Thursday, September 19, 2013

My Opinion Isn't a Right

-Interdependence: depending on everyone.
-Saying I have the right to my own opinion is not always true but can help you in an argument if the other person doesn't know how to respond or know what they are talking about.
-Anyone can have their own opinion, but that doesn't mean they are correct.
-You aren't completely free to have your own opinion.

Vocab #1

Adumbrate: to foreshadow something
-the beginning of that story didn't really adumbrate the topic.
Apotheosis: climax
-almost every story has an apotheosis although every story should.
Ascetic: self discipline
-in karate they teach you to be ascetic.
Bauble: no importance
-if everything on our blogs were to give bauble to the course it would be bad.
Beguile: to deceive
-the mime beguiled the audience so they really thought he was in a box.
Complement: to complete something or comment on perfection
-the teacher complemented me on my haircut.
Contumacious: disobedient
-the thief was very contumacious.
Curmudgeon: bad tempered or angry oldman
-that curmudgeon gave me a dirty look for waking him up.
Didactic: designed to teach
-books are didactic.
Disingenuous: not straight forward
-she was very disengenuous because she always spoke under her breathe.
Exculpate: to prove not guilty
-evidence helped exculpate the criminal.
Faux Pas: socially awkward act
-whenever I'm with my friends some stuff we do is faux pas.
Fustian: a loud noise
-the fustian came from that car that back fired.
Hauteur: arrogance
-my dog shows hauteur when he sees smaller dogs
Inhibit: to inspect
-birds always inhibit a location before they lay their eggs
Jeremaid: a complaint
-the curmudgeon always has a jeremaid
Opportunist: a person who takes opportunities
-the volunteer was an opportunist
Unconscionable: not listening to your own conscience
-I was unconscionable and ended up making the wrong decison

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

My Big Question

   I guess my Big Question would be what would be classified as a big question? I think all questions deserve an answer but something that may be my big question might not be someone else's and may be simple to them but someone else's big question could be simple to me, or maybe we are interested in each other's questions and both are wondering the same thing. How do you know if a big question is a big question and not just a normal question, or are all questions big questions?

Follow up on Levi's Go Forth Commercial

  Last year I took Dr. Preston's junior American Literature class and we did this same assignment and I thought it was a cool commercial and after memorizing the poem I felt as if I better understood it. This year when we were told we needed to memorize it I was like ok I did this last year but I was thinking I needed to read memorize it, but that was not the case after reading over it twice it came back to me and I knew it! I was very surprised I did due to it being an English class assignment.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Spring Vocab 5

Brouhaha - Excited Public Interest 
  Many people say they want to leave Santa Maria but I think the people that do stay, stay because of the environment and they share a brouhaha with the people around here 

Cloy - To become uninteresting
  Many things in life are fun at the beginning and we get addicted then it begins to cloy not much later 

Demeanor - Conduct or Behavior
  The rapist got arrested for bad demeanor

Deference - Respectful or Courteous
  Adults expect kids to be deference to them 

Enigmatic - Resembling an enigma
  Sometimes I get an enigmatic feeling in my chest 

Definitive - Most reliable, or defining
  Some questions or words have more than one definitive answer

Bumptious - Offensively self assertive 
  I am beginning to be bumptious with myself because if not i tend to kick back and not do what needs to be done 

Choleric - Extremely irritable
  Sometimes you can tell when someone is very choleric 

Bulwark - A person or thing giving strong support 
  My Abuelito and Abuelita ( Grandpa and Grandma) are the definition of a bulwark to me

Curtail - To cut short 
  Even though some projects are given way in advance some people curtail the project just to get done fast 

Adamant - Utterly unyielding in attitude 
  It isn't good when someone is very adamant so you have no clue what they are thinking or feeling

Profligate - Shamelessly immoral 
  Some people are very profligate in movies like when a car will drive by and they will flash their body parts 

Mawkish - Mildly sickening flavor 
  I love milk but i hate the mawkish after taste 

Thwart - To oppose successfully or prevent 
  I have helped thwart things from happening before

Onus - A  difficult or disagreeable obligation
  When someone has done something for me i have felt obligated to repay them the favor but that favor is sometimes onus

Requisite - Required or necessary for a particular purpose 
  Sometimes a pretest seems dumb but it is requisite 

Mollify - To soften in feeling or temper 
  People who are Bipolar can be very angry one minute and mollify the next 

Sartorial - Pertaining to tailors and their trade 
  Sartorial can do with sewing 

Presentiment - A feeling or impression that something is about to happen 
  In horror films the music often gives off presentiment

Impromptu - Made or done without previous preparation
  People often skip the directions and are very impromtu

Forbearance - To prohibit
  It's forbearance to abuse animals 

Remit - To transmit or send
  I when to the post office to remit my letter 

Spring Vocab 3

Proboscis - To have the nose of a mammal
  The whale has a proboscis nose

Pantomime A Dramatic Entertainment
  The pantomime made my mom tear up

Proclivity - To choose something normal
  I tend to have proclivity when I get something to eat

Centrifuge - To separate different liquids
  Oil and Water tend to automatically centrifuge

Odious - Very unpleasant
  When a skunk sprays it is and odious smell

Jargon - Words used by professionals but normal people don't get
  Dr. Preston has a wide category of jargon words

Ravenous - Very Hungry
  When I watch the food channel I become ravenous

Parlor - Living room or somewhere to sit down
  Almost everyone has a parlor in their home

Stagnant - No flow and tends to smell bad
  In some places around the world there are stagnant rivers

Cacophony - Harsh and bad sounding
  The music my sister listens to is cacophony

Tamped - Full of clay
  As a Kid in elementary school my friends and i used to dig until we got to clay the sandbox was very tamped

Flourished - To develop
  Flowers flourish during spring

Plateau - Area of high level ground
  From the bottom of the grand canyon the top looks very plateau

Rollick - To act in a jovial fashion
  On my birthday I am very rollick

Asylum - Place for protection
  A lot of the people preparing doomsday last year hid in their asylum
 

Spring Vocab 1

   This is very late but I plan on getting the ball rolling!

Bramble - Prickly bush
    This scrape on my arm feels like I ran into a bramble

Imperceptibly - Moving in a way almost impossible to see
   That car is moving in an imperceptible sort of way

Musk - Scent given off by a deer
  That cologne has a musk smell to it

Minstrel - White person who dresses black
  That comedian is a minstrel

Stolid - Secure not going anywhere
  This Atm machine is very stolid

Grille - Grate
  I can't find the grille for my barbecue pit

Kerosene - Lighter Fluid
  I need more kerosene for my lighter

Ventilator - Anything that blows air
  People who have asthma may need a ventilator

Hypnotic - Having to do with hypnosis
  A magician will never tell his hypnotic secrets

Refracted - Reflective
  The mirror is refracted

Stride - To walk with purpose
  The speed walkers take big strides

Monday, February 4, 2013

Spring Vocabulary 2

Cadence:. A rhythmic pattern
  His songs have a lot of cadence.

Dentifrice: A tooth paste
 I put dentifrice on my toothbrush every morning

Leisure: Freedom from demands no set pace
  I work at my own leisure because I am to boss

Saccharine: Resembling sugar
 This salt has a saccharine feel to it

Centrifuge: An apparatus that rotates at high speeds
  The earth can be considered a centrifuge

Sieve: A strainer
  I use a sieve to separate big and little pieces

Suffused: to overspread with or as with a liquid color
  I suffused the sponge with water and soap

Patronage: to control appointments
  The receptionist has a lot of patronage

Phonograph: machine that reproduces sound
  The phonograph industry has came a long way from the start

Vessel: to hold liquid
  This vessel my friend is a cup

Profusion: great amount
  The bank robbery lost a profusion of cash

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Spring Post Music as Literature

    Yes I consider all music literature because it is all a form of writing, or talking about something to get your point across. Literature is any form of writing it isn't just specific to only one category and it groups them all together. A Novel is a narrative portraying characters usually presented in action with scenes, a Poem is a composition in verse that is very artistic and has a high level of language, a Rap has a lot of slang, rhymes and a flow the purpose is to out rap your opponent, a Song is a type of lyrical art that is sang, and last but not least a Symphony is an elaborate instrumental composition of usually 3 or 4 movements.