"The Laughing Heart"
By: Charles Bukowski
Monday, August 18, 2014
REFLECTIONS ON WEEK 1
1. I don't believe that anything will affect my participation in this class. I always have access to a computer and to the internet, as well as a smart phone. My family is totally on board with what I am doing. Transportation is not a problem. My schedule is going to be extremely busy, but I am determined to fit everything in and school will always come first.
2. My learning experience was outside the school room, but will relate back to what happens in the classroom. Freshmen year I was always worried about how I looked, who I hung out with, where I hung out at. I finally realized one day at lunch in the quad that I don't need to follow those people, or where clothes like those people, or talk like them. I realized that I should be myself and act how I am not like others, which many people do and don't realize it. Most of my class was there, although no one really saw it because it happened internally for me. I learned to be myself and more importantly stay true to myself whether others like it or not. This relates to the classroom in that I began to think on my own and share my ideas more openly because I wasn't afraid of being rejected. I believed in what I was saying and didn't want to take other peoples ideas or try and use their thoughts. I had my own thoughts and own feelings about things after that experience. I may have not realized it as much in that moment, but over time I realized that I did what I wanted rather then following others to have friends. This helped me to develop who I was and who I want to be for the rest of my life.
3. My number one concern in this class is missing an assignment because I didn't see it or quite understand it on the blog as this is new to me and little difficult to get used to. I am excited to start a new way of learning and using the blog which is actually a hand saver, literally. Also, I am excited to interact with my classmates in a deeper way. In prior years we would all get homework we would all go home and do our homework and turn it in. Not once did we see other people's work unless we needed help. Now I can, at any time, look at one of my classmates work in order to get a deeper understanding or a different view then what I thought. I look forward to learning to adapt to a new way of things. I also hope to learn skills that would be required at a job and also vocabulary and writing techniques that will enhance my writing and reading comprehension. As for the specific literature points, it will help me to pass the AP test, be successful in college and also be successful throughout my life whether it be for a job or something different. For the more life pertaining aspects, I believe that they will help me to get into a good college and help me throughout my entire life. For instance starting a new job or moving to a new town. All these things that I hope to learn will hopefully stay with me for the rest of my life. My goal is to remember my senior year as something extravagant maybe because of something I did in this class or maybe because I was inspired by something in this class.
2. My learning experience was outside the school room, but will relate back to what happens in the classroom. Freshmen year I was always worried about how I looked, who I hung out with, where I hung out at. I finally realized one day at lunch in the quad that I don't need to follow those people, or where clothes like those people, or talk like them. I realized that I should be myself and act how I am not like others, which many people do and don't realize it. Most of my class was there, although no one really saw it because it happened internally for me. I learned to be myself and more importantly stay true to myself whether others like it or not. This relates to the classroom in that I began to think on my own and share my ideas more openly because I wasn't afraid of being rejected. I believed in what I was saying and didn't want to take other peoples ideas or try and use their thoughts. I had my own thoughts and own feelings about things after that experience. I may have not realized it as much in that moment, but over time I realized that I did what I wanted rather then following others to have friends. This helped me to develop who I was and who I want to be for the rest of my life.
3. My number one concern in this class is missing an assignment because I didn't see it or quite understand it on the blog as this is new to me and little difficult to get used to. I am excited to start a new way of learning and using the blog which is actually a hand saver, literally. Also, I am excited to interact with my classmates in a deeper way. In prior years we would all get homework we would all go home and do our homework and turn it in. Not once did we see other people's work unless we needed help. Now I can, at any time, look at one of my classmates work in order to get a deeper understanding or a different view then what I thought. I look forward to learning to adapt to a new way of things. I also hope to learn skills that would be required at a job and also vocabulary and writing techniques that will enhance my writing and reading comprehension. As for the specific literature points, it will help me to pass the AP test, be successful in college and also be successful throughout my life whether it be for a job or something different. For the more life pertaining aspects, I believe that they will help me to get into a good college and help me throughout my entire life. For instance starting a new job or moving to a new town. All these things that I hope to learn will hopefully stay with me for the rest of my life. My goal is to remember my senior year as something extravagant maybe because of something I did in this class or maybe because I was inspired by something in this class.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Montaigne and Austen Essay
Interconnectedness, the quality or condition of being interconnected or interrelated, creates such a plot that can be easier to understand, yet so complicated to explain. David Foster Wallace's quote on interconnectedness becomes so accurate in a story that intertwines every aspect of plot in order to create a well-developed story. In life many people suffer from the same difficulties that interconnectedness brings when explaining a story or book to other people. In order to explain, there is many aspects to be covered that make it difficult to do when everything connects to each other. For instance, it is already extremely difficult to summarize a 600 page book into one paragraph. Now take a book in which every aspect of the plot relies on each other; this makes summarizing a more difficult process. Although one provides views on the human race and the other shows insight into the difficulty of love and intimacy, Montaigne and Austen are similar in that they use interconnectedness to develop a story,
Montaigne's techniques and topics support the quote of David Foster Wallace, in that Montaigne uses essays that rely on each other to develop the overall view on the human race. One cannot describe the accounts of Montaigne without reading the entirety of the book because he develops his thoughts of humans throughout the book. His topics, which are shown through his chapters, seem to rely on each other in that you could not read one chapter without the other or it would not be of much sense. For example, one chapter is Whether the governor of a besieged fortress should go out and parley which only sets the basis for this particular subject. The chapters that follow explains what becomes of this such as On Liars, On Idleness and On a ready or hesitant delivery. Each of the essays falls from that of parleying, which brings out actions such as those mentioned in later essays. One essay leads to the next in that in the process of writing one essay a thought is formed and creates the next essay. Montaigne uses techniques of involving himself in the essays to create a clear analogy that the reader can understand. For example, in essay 8 On Idleness, Montaigne explains how he left his estate and hoped that it would remain the same, but of course it was set free and did what it wanted. He explains his own life story in order to show what idleness really is and what usually happens when you set something free. Montaigne also shows the common reaction of a human being, which helps explain that he too does what he doesn't like of the human race.
Austen, the author of Pride and Prejudice, uses interconnectedness to an extreme. The plot in Pride and Prejudice would not be able to develop or continue without interconnectedness. There is nothing randomly presented in this story. For example, Elizabeth would not keep vacillating whether she wants to be with Mr. Darcy or not if she was not reminded by in him everywhere she went. When she meets Mr. Wickham, she is presented with more news about Mr. Darcy, when she goes to dinner with Mr. Collins and finds out that Mr. Collins financial lady is Mr. Darcy's aunt, and finally when her aunt and uncle take her to Mr. Darcy's house. In all of these cases Elizabeth would have never thought about Mr. Darcy again, but the interconnectedness allows for her to create a relationship with him. Also Jane would have never gotten back with Mr. Bingley if it weren't for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy getting together and bringing Mr. Bingley back. The entire story develops through interconnectedness and would have never came to an ending or had a climax if it weren't for the interrelations.
Although interconnectedness can be very difficult to follow and even more difficult to explain, it is sometimes a vital piece to a story. In Montaigne's book, interconnectedness allows the reader to understand that everyone is apart of the "bad" things the human race does. Everyone will look at the essays and think that Montaigne is extremely right and that a lot of people do the things he says, but most don't take into consideration that they too are guilty of those actions. Through interconnectedness, Montaigne was able to prove this point by using himself as one that "committed the crime" in a sense to allow the reader to think about whether they have or have not. Austen's more extreme use of interconnectedness is used to develop the whole story and a create an essential theme from it. A possible theme of fate will find its way and/or if its meant to be it will be. In this particular case it was meant to be and it found its way through the technique of interconnectedness. This intricate way of writing can be very useful in developing a theme and/or proving a point to what is being said. David Foster Wallace explained something that could never be explained.
Montaigne's techniques and topics support the quote of David Foster Wallace, in that Montaigne uses essays that rely on each other to develop the overall view on the human race. One cannot describe the accounts of Montaigne without reading the entirety of the book because he develops his thoughts of humans throughout the book. His topics, which are shown through his chapters, seem to rely on each other in that you could not read one chapter without the other or it would not be of much sense. For example, one chapter is Whether the governor of a besieged fortress should go out and parley which only sets the basis for this particular subject. The chapters that follow explains what becomes of this such as On Liars, On Idleness and On a ready or hesitant delivery. Each of the essays falls from that of parleying, which brings out actions such as those mentioned in later essays. One essay leads to the next in that in the process of writing one essay a thought is formed and creates the next essay. Montaigne uses techniques of involving himself in the essays to create a clear analogy that the reader can understand. For example, in essay 8 On Idleness, Montaigne explains how he left his estate and hoped that it would remain the same, but of course it was set free and did what it wanted. He explains his own life story in order to show what idleness really is and what usually happens when you set something free. Montaigne also shows the common reaction of a human being, which helps explain that he too does what he doesn't like of the human race.
Austen, the author of Pride and Prejudice, uses interconnectedness to an extreme. The plot in Pride and Prejudice would not be able to develop or continue without interconnectedness. There is nothing randomly presented in this story. For example, Elizabeth would not keep vacillating whether she wants to be with Mr. Darcy or not if she was not reminded by in him everywhere she went. When she meets Mr. Wickham, she is presented with more news about Mr. Darcy, when she goes to dinner with Mr. Collins and finds out that Mr. Collins financial lady is Mr. Darcy's aunt, and finally when her aunt and uncle take her to Mr. Darcy's house. In all of these cases Elizabeth would have never thought about Mr. Darcy again, but the interconnectedness allows for her to create a relationship with him. Also Jane would have never gotten back with Mr. Bingley if it weren't for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy getting together and bringing Mr. Bingley back. The entire story develops through interconnectedness and would have never came to an ending or had a climax if it weren't for the interrelations.
Although interconnectedness can be very difficult to follow and even more difficult to explain, it is sometimes a vital piece to a story. In Montaigne's book, interconnectedness allows the reader to understand that everyone is apart of the "bad" things the human race does. Everyone will look at the essays and think that Montaigne is extremely right and that a lot of people do the things he says, but most don't take into consideration that they too are guilty of those actions. Through interconnectedness, Montaigne was able to prove this point by using himself as one that "committed the crime" in a sense to allow the reader to think about whether they have or have not. Austen's more extreme use of interconnectedness is used to develop the whole story and a create an essential theme from it. A possible theme of fate will find its way and/or if its meant to be it will be. In this particular case it was meant to be and it found its way through the technique of interconnectedness. This intricate way of writing can be very useful in developing a theme and/or proving a point to what is being said. David Foster Wallace explained something that could never be explained.
1987 AP Test
1.e~
2.d~
3.c
4.a~
5.e~
6.c~
7.d~
8.b
9.b~
10.e~
11.b~
12.b
13.b
14.c
15.e~
5,6,7, 9, 10 were difficult for me because I could not narrow it down at all. I felt I didn't understand which answers would fit with the essay. The other problems that I missed in this section was I had it between two answers and I chose the wrong one of course.
16.a~
17.c
18.d~
19.b~
20.a~
21.d~
22.a~
23.b~
24.d~
25.c
26.e
27.b~
28.d~
29.a
30.a~
31.b~
32.a~
16,18,19, 22,and 32 I struggled on because I didn't understand some of the vocabulary, which led me to give the answer of what I could understand.
On most of the other ones that I got wrong I had the answer and what I chose as my top two and I again chose the wrong answer, Extremely frustrating!!!!
47.b
48.e~
49.c
50.c~
51.b~
52.d~
53.a~
54.b
55.d~
56.b
57.d~
58.d
59.c~
60.d~
61.e~
55 and 61 I did not understand vocabulary or need help in terms of grammar. 60 I did not understand how Sara felt and couldn't tell where I would find that.
The other ones were mainly of misunderstanding or unclearness, but there was some where again it was the answer and my choice and I chose the wrong one.
Essays; Prewrite
1. My intro paragraph would consist of a these describing three elements the author used and explain how the author did not accept the arising view of the "Old Leisure". I would then go into detail about how she felt about leisure within the time period, as the train system was arising.
I would probably use two body paragraphs one explaining how she used anaphora's in the first paragraph, repeating the first word for significance. Then I would explain how she personified "Old Leisure" in order to describe him in a more understandable manner. Finally I would talk of irony, because through the entire work she is judging him and showing her view on "him", but at the end she explains how "he" shouldn't be judged harshly.
The second body paragraph I would go into more depth about how the author feels about this leisure using specific examples and quotes. I would then talk about the authors view on how leisure comes into play during this time period and how she feels about it, which seems bitter.
Finally, I would conclude my thoughts and compare her views with the change of leisure.
2. For this essay I would choose The Grapes of Wrath. I would start my essay explaining how the social and political traditions change because the family is forced to up and move to look for work because they are struggling financially. I would then explain how the other does this through specific techniques.
My first body paragraph would first explain the societal and political changes. When they moved to California how the cops would treat them poorly just because they had come from another state. Or how the white people were supposed to be so kind and willing to give them jobs, but really were corrupt and disrespectful.
My last body paragraph would be the techniques used to convey the story. The author used an anecdote about a turtle to foreshadow what the entire journey of the family would be about. The author used important characterization of the mother and father in order to show the difficulties along the journey due to the personalities.
My final paragraph would explain how the family went through many obstacles and transitions with trying to adapt to new attitudes. I would then explain how they worked to overcome them which was why the story was so important and valued.
2.d~
3.c
4.a~
5.e~
6.c~
7.d~
8.b
9.b~
10.e~
11.b~
12.b
13.b
14.c
15.e~
5,6,7, 9, 10 were difficult for me because I could not narrow it down at all. I felt I didn't understand which answers would fit with the essay. The other problems that I missed in this section was I had it between two answers and I chose the wrong one of course.
16.a~
17.c
18.d~
19.b~
20.a~
21.d~
22.a~
23.b~
24.d~
25.c
26.e
27.b~
28.d~
29.a
30.a~
31.b~
32.a~
16,18,19, 22,and 32 I struggled on because I didn't understand some of the vocabulary, which led me to give the answer of what I could understand.
On most of the other ones that I got wrong I had the answer and what I chose as my top two and I again chose the wrong answer, Extremely frustrating!!!!
47.b
48.e~
49.c
50.c~
51.b~
52.d~
53.a~
54.b
55.d~
56.b
57.d~
58.d
59.c~
60.d~
61.e~
55 and 61 I did not understand vocabulary or need help in terms of grammar. 60 I did not understand how Sara felt and couldn't tell where I would find that.
The other ones were mainly of misunderstanding or unclearness, but there was some where again it was the answer and my choice and I chose the wrong one.
Essays; Prewrite
1. My intro paragraph would consist of a these describing three elements the author used and explain how the author did not accept the arising view of the "Old Leisure". I would then go into detail about how she felt about leisure within the time period, as the train system was arising.
I would probably use two body paragraphs one explaining how she used anaphora's in the first paragraph, repeating the first word for significance. Then I would explain how she personified "Old Leisure" in order to describe him in a more understandable manner. Finally I would talk of irony, because through the entire work she is judging him and showing her view on "him", but at the end she explains how "he" shouldn't be judged harshly.
The second body paragraph I would go into more depth about how the author feels about this leisure using specific examples and quotes. I would then talk about the authors view on how leisure comes into play during this time period and how she feels about it, which seems bitter.
Finally, I would conclude my thoughts and compare her views with the change of leisure.
2. For this essay I would choose The Grapes of Wrath. I would start my essay explaining how the social and political traditions change because the family is forced to up and move to look for work because they are struggling financially. I would then explain how the other does this through specific techniques.
My first body paragraph would first explain the societal and political changes. When they moved to California how the cops would treat them poorly just because they had come from another state. Or how the white people were supposed to be so kind and willing to give them jobs, but really were corrupt and disrespectful.
My last body paragraph would be the techniques used to convey the story. The author used an anecdote about a turtle to foreshadow what the entire journey of the family would be about. The author used important characterization of the mother and father in order to show the difficulties along the journey due to the personalities.
My final paragraph would explain how the family went through many obstacles and transitions with trying to adapt to new attitudes. I would then explain how they worked to overcome them which was why the story was so important and valued.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Poetry #1
1. This commercial borrows the poem "The Laughing Heart" by Charles Bukowski without credit.
2. The use of this poem seems ironic because the poem is telling you to be yourself and do what your mind tells you to do, while the commercial is trying to persuade you to buy something. The commercial uses a poem that tells you to choose what you want and decide things for yourself, while they are trying to decide for you on what you should buy.
3. This poem reflects Charles Bukowski because he was an author that wrote extremely truthful and with no regrets. He knew he had freedom to talk about whatever he wanted, whether that be sex, drugs, or alcohol. He was not afraid to express what he wanted in the truest way possible which is the main point of this poem. The poem encourages the reader to be free and put your true self out there. He did this by talking about American society and what life was like. He used experience and his perspective to create this poem, which in itself is telling the reader to do. One website noted that he wrote "with no apologies to the frayed side of society," meaning he said what he wanted whether it offended someone or motivated them. This poem truly depicts who Charles was as a person.
4. I found my answer to number 1 by typing the title of the commercial into the Google search engine. I looked through the links and found only the other so I changed the wording to the author and part of the poem in which I found this link.
http://milan-poetry.blogspot.com/2007/03/laughing-heart-charles-bukowski.html
This is where I got the title.
I answered number three by first entering just the author's name in the Google search engine, but wasn't please with my results. So I entered Charles Bukowski's biography and found a link that seemed to be very helpful which was...
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/charles-bukowski
I used many facts from here to conform my answer.
I always use the Google search engine; I believe it is the one that remembers your history.
2. The use of this poem seems ironic because the poem is telling you to be yourself and do what your mind tells you to do, while the commercial is trying to persuade you to buy something. The commercial uses a poem that tells you to choose what you want and decide things for yourself, while they are trying to decide for you on what you should buy.
3. This poem reflects Charles Bukowski because he was an author that wrote extremely truthful and with no regrets. He knew he had freedom to talk about whatever he wanted, whether that be sex, drugs, or alcohol. He was not afraid to express what he wanted in the truest way possible which is the main point of this poem. The poem encourages the reader to be free and put your true self out there. He did this by talking about American society and what life was like. He used experience and his perspective to create this poem, which in itself is telling the reader to do. One website noted that he wrote "with no apologies to the frayed side of society," meaning he said what he wanted whether it offended someone or motivated them. This poem truly depicts who Charles was as a person.
4. I found my answer to number 1 by typing the title of the commercial into the Google search engine. I looked through the links and found only the other so I changed the wording to the author and part of the poem in which I found this link.
http://milan-poetry.blogspot.com/2007/03/laughing-heart-charles-bukowski.html
This is where I got the title.
I answered number three by first entering just the author's name in the Google search engine, but wasn't please with my results. So I entered Charles Bukowski's biography and found a link that seemed to be very helpful which was...
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/charles-bukowski
I used many facts from here to conform my answer.
I always use the Google search engine; I believe it is the one that remembers your history.
My Big Question
My big question is why does it seem so important and necessary to be apart of the "popular" kids in school? So many people focus on being known and accepted by others and what they can do to be considered popular, but in reality is that what's going to get you into college? I feel that society has become so focused on being popular for our age group or famous for adults, but forget the idea of happiness. Are you happy when all you can do is watch what you say or do in order to fit in with the "cool' kids? Do you feel that you are being true to yourself and are you comfortable with who you have become? Considering what many people do just to be called a popular kid at school, why has stereotypes and status become such an important outlook to teenagers in specific?
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