Blood Wedding Journal #1

Setting: The setting in Blood Wedding is geographically and historically important to all aspects of the play. From the very first page, the reader sees a link between the time period and the play that has a major impact on the play as a whole. The recognition of the vineyard is key from the start because Lorca uses the earthy aspect to stress the conflict and the climax later on in the play. On the first page, the Bridegroom goes out to his vineyard as well as eat out there. This is an important fragment of the play because it highlights the fact that the Groom can go out and eat off of the land by consuming grapes. This also seems very historically accurate because this is how people operated back in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Living off of the land was not a big deal back in those day and some people depended solely on their output of crops to survive. The setting in the play also hints at being a hindrance to the people because of the climate that is prevalent in Spain. The hill that the Bride lives on is also an important aspect of the play because although it is hard to farm on, it is the "cream of the crop" as far as a place to live. The land is dry and makes life hard on the people who live there by not allowing crops to be produced very easily which relates back to the point about hindrance and how life and well-being are affected through the setting. The hill that is referred to several times is symbolic of well-being and a satisfying life. The life that the Bride has before she is married is pure and spacious. And all of the sudden after she gets married she becomes cramped and confined so much so that she supposedly runs away with Leonardo. The themes that are portrayed through the setting are that a lack of space can change ones outlook on freedom and the living conditions that are set up for you. As well as a lack of any or some of the basic needs in life can create an unbalanced and unhealthy person or relationship.

Comments

My comments do not work on others blogs as well.

Shannon Graham's Wild Duck Journal #3: I agree with your assessment of the water and that it is significant. Why is it significant and what purpose is it serving?


Kylee Rosette's Wild Duck Journal #6: Food for thought: Both author's are criticizing power that is associated with knowledge. How does that relate to the time periods in which they were written?

Montana Agnew's Wild Duck Journal #2: I really like how you said that by the acts not picking up directly where they left off that it offers a new perspective. I agree completely. I also like your connection between the different relationships in parallelism to the acts. 

Wild Duck Journal #3

Poem:

Yes, we love this country

as it rises forth,

rocky, weathered, above the sea,

with those thousand homes.

Loving, loving it and thinking

about our father and mother

and the saga night that sends

dreams to our earth.

And the saga night that sends,

sends dreams to our earth.

 

This country Harald saved

with his giant fleet,

this country Håkon protected

whilst Øyvind sung;

upon the country Olav painted

with his blood a cross,

from its heights Sverre spoke

up against Rome.

 

Farmers their axes sharpened

as the army came,

Tordenskiold around the coastline thundered

so that we could see it back home.

Even women stood up and fought

as if they were men;

others could only cry

but that soon would end!

 

Sure, we were not many

but we were enough,

when they challenged us

and it was at stake;

we rather let our country burn

than be defeated;

just remember what happened

at Fredrikshald!

 

Hard times we have coped with,

were at last disowned;

but in the worst suffer, blue-eyed

freedom was to us born.

It gave (us) father's strength to carry

famine and war,

it gave death itself its honour -

and it gave compromise.

 

The enemy threw away his weapon,

up the visor went,

we, in wonder, to him hasted,

because he was our brother.

Driven onto stand by the shame

we went to the south;

now we three brothers stand united,

and shall stand like that!

 

Norwegian man in house and cottage,

thank your great God!

He would protect the country,

even though it looked dark.

And as the fathers have fought,

and the mothers have wept,

the Lord has quietly moved

so we won our rights.

 

Yes, we love this country

as it looms up,

rocky and weathered, above the sea,

with its thousand homes.

And as the fathers' struggle has raised

it from poverty to victory,

even so will we, when demanded,

for its peace to stay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Duck Journal #2

Point of View/Characters:
The point of view is the narrator. The narrator is third-person omniscient and does not seem to change at all throughout the first several acts. The narrator is reasonably reliable through the use of metaphors and other literary devices. The reader seems on the outside looking in at the characters which seems a little strange because its a play and the reader is supposed to know the motives of the characters but so far I haven't figured out any of the motives of the characters. I don't know much about the characters except for the minor conflict between Gregers and Werle. Most of the characters seem credible except for Gina. For example, she doesn't say a word about the person she got to rent the room even during or after the argument with Hjalmar and Gergers over whether or not Gergers could rent it. This seemed a little strange to me so there must be another reason for her keeping it from them. The women in this play are presented as women were portrayed in reality back in the 1800s: like slaves. The women seem to have to do all of the work. The exceptions are the two butlers Pettersen and Jensen who are paid for their services. We sympathize with Gregers because Werle seems to have a dark side that is mysterious and poses a threat to the other characters. For this reason the reader dislikes Werle. Hjalmar seems like a nice fellow and we sympathize with him because of his sense of humor and his wisdom.

Wild Duck Journal #1

Questions that Lay in Wild Duck and Oedipus:

• Which is better to have, knowledge or power?

In Oedipus, several of the characters are blessed with knowledge or power in community in which they live in. At first, it seems that the awesome power that Oedipus obtains is the saving grace of he people after he returns from solving the riddle of the Sphinx. However shortly after this, the blind prophet, Tiresias comes in and shatters everything that Oedipus was standing on with his incredible knowledge. Through this, it is shown that knowledge is in fact power that is equal to or above the power of a leader.

• What characteristics separate Oedipus from Creon that make Creon more stable in tough situations or under pressure?

Several things separate Oedipus and Creon. First of all, Oedipus is a marked man for angering a man in a bar which is never a good thing. Second, he accidentally is married to his mom. These two things have a big impact on him. In addition, he is the king which automatically gives him a lot of power and puts a big target on his back. Creon, in contrast, has no pressure on him because he has virtually no power. Also, he hasn't had the experiences that Oedipus has had that formed Oedipus's personality.

• How much does deceit play a part in the relationship between Werle and Gergers? 

So far in Wild Duck, Gergers does not trust Werle and this is shown through Werle's actions. Gergers explains that Werle does not communicate with his son very often and this led to Gerger leaving. The only way Werle can get his son to come back is by throwing him a fake party which is really for his wife-to-be. This shows much deceit on the part of Werle and digs himself a deeper hole with his son. It seems that by the end of the first act, any affection in the relationship is gone along with Gerger who leaves dismayed with his father. 

Oedipus Journal #3

Dramatic Life:
I agree with the statement that "Drama is but life with the dull bits cut out" to a certain extent. In order for the audience be captivated, the play needs to progress at a semi-rapid pass because it would get awfully boring if there was not enough "drama" as it were. The dramatic scenes of Oedipus and Wild Duck are what keep them engaging and readable. Although we can't see the actions of the characters as if we were watching the play, the language and tension that is created through the language makes the play entertaining and portrays the meanings of certain things. The drama that is created in Oedipus is strong even without viewing the actual actions of the characters as would be the case in the actual play. Imagining the actions of the characters is enough to get a good feeling of the intentions of the author. The play Oedipus really has little content that does not add to the suspense or drama of the play. It really is just a quick snapshot of the setting created by the author. It gets into the meat of the story and then gets out. Sophocles pulls us into the story really fast and brings us out even faster. That is why Oedipus is written in a trilogy because he thought it be of his best interest to have the short, quick plays that were more interesting because they were smaller and easier to manipulate. He uses the place holders in the trilogy as a quick break between action-packed nuggets of plays that are easy to read and act out and bring instant entertainment to the audience that was always hungry for that sort of thing, because they were mainly hungry ALL the time and didn't have much else to do. As for Wild Duck, there are less stage directions and less of the up and down tension swings to entertain, but Ibsen finds other ways that are less dramatic to serve the same purpose. Drama is life with all of the dull parts taken out which serve to entertain and illuminate a certain theme in the human experience. 

Oedipus Journal #2

Visual Action Vs. Speech
Visual aspects of drama vastly enhance the experiences of the reader in my opinion. The people who learn better visually and the people who relate to things better when they can see them probably agree this as well. The quote "actions speak louder than words" applies and really is the epitome of stage productions. Words can be depicted several different ways usually and don't have a clear meaning. The action of the word is much more precise and enhances all of the aspects of the play. The stage directions in the book can also help intensify the meanings that are trying to be expressed.
However, I believe that speech should not be overlooked either. The speech is deliberate and is expressed a certain way to highlight the diction and feelings expressed by the characters. Most of the time, the visual aspects of plays are not as important as the speech because they do not send the message as clear or as deliberate sometimes. The ostentatious portion of plays is really more for show in my opinion than for helping to understand the meaning thus making it less important. It does help to understand what the author meant by certain things through different interpretations of the text however, it is not essential to understanding the purpose of themes.
In Oedipus, the stage directions are very useful in deciphering what Sophocles really meant to occur. The stage directions themselves paint a picture in the mind to get a feeling of what was in mind when Sophocles wrote it. The directions give the reader a clearer understanding of the motives of certain people and how they choose to express their emotions. The visual aspects of Oedipus and some of the other key characters is very important and I feel like if I saw this play it would give me a much better understanding of what certain things were supposed to mean. For these reasons visual action is important for the most part but never more important than speech.

Oedipus Journal #1

Moments of Intensity:
In Oedipus the King, as in many other novels, plays, and poems, powerful moments are used to heighten the tension and pull at the reader's emotions. The success of this action is a key component of how the work as a whole is regarded among its' readers. If the points of passion are extraordinarily passionate and also enhance the plot and overall feeling of the story, then the work is usually a success and people enjoy the reading. The success of the intense moments rest mostly on how and why the emotions tug at someone. This is ultimately true in other arts such as film, music, and drama. The "climax" as it were is usually addressed with the most scrutiny and if the creator befouls this portion, then they can kiss success goodbye. As these forms of entertainment are used more and more to make people feel something, it is harder and harder to make this happen.
Oedipus the King is one of those examples of a work that never loses its passion even as it is worn down by time. It never fails to capture the audience and hold its' attention whether in dramatic form or in a book. This very thing happened with me as well. The passion and moments of intensity caught me and kept me reading and even made me impatient at times. Sophocles holds the reader captive by using the rising and falling climax to make the reader hold its' collective breath as all is revealed slowly to Oedipus almost painstakingly slow but relatively fast when thought about in verisimilitude to the actual story. By giving the reader a little extra insight, the rising and falling action tortures the reader by holding all inside until revealed to the protagonist. Sophocles does this very well by using intense language and that rising and falling action to make the reader experience all of the emotions along with Oedipus who is in a nightmare that doesn't seem to end.

2011 Junior IB English: Topic Topic Topic

2011 Junior IB English: Topic Topic Topic: "Leave a new comment under the IOP sign up post for your novel (found below this post) with the topic for your IOP. This will be your chance..."

I would like to focus on Orwell's biography and how it relates to his writing of 1984

Journal #21: Topic C

Through the conflicts and societal structure created in 1984, an influential and stunning vision is created. One filled with fear and total domination by the government. The themes present in this book are precariously slipped in to the book, which makes it all the more believable. George Orwell warns us of a time taken over by communism that seems vague and cliché on the surface but the novel provides all of the different angles to a communist world. When 1984 was originally published, worldwide Communism was a real possibility for some of the world. I believe that George Orwell was a genius in this sense because he some of what he predicted has come true at times and in some parts of world. However, his premonitions seem far-fetched now, they were not back in the middle decades of the 20th Century. In the 50's, people thought that the book was a real possibility because of how accurate it seemed. The potential of his predictions have been mitigated over time but they still have a certain lust about them. Orwell gives us little to hope for in his novel, which makes it so powerful. The protagonist slides under the radar only for a time, doing whatever he can to rebel. This only works for a little while however and he is eventually caught and mentally annihilated.

Journal #20: Topic B

Winston Smith is a weak and feeble middle-aged man who feels alone in his totalitarian world. Winston has a job in one of the several ministries and he does a mindless and menial task day after day. Winston lives in fear when he interacts with his comrades because at any moment he could be betrayed because of an out-of-the-ordinary facial expression or spoken phrase. Winston feels that he is alone in thinking that there is something horribly wrong with his society. He questions the way things are run within his society and the power that they display. He can remember when things seemed to be different and constantly comments on how things should be different. Winston is made to do exercises when he clearly has an illness and everyone is made to go to community centers to interact with other comrades. Buying certain things is against the law and sex cannot be done in a pleasureful way, only to create more people for "the good of the Party". Winston resists this by buying meaningless things that the Party wouldn't necessarily approve of. He has sex not to create babies but for fun and skips out on the gatherings. He is very successful for a time until the Thought Police arrest him, torture him, and brain wash him. This is a very bad consequence.

Journal #19: Topic A

"All over Oceania this morning there were irrepressible spontaneous demonstrations when workers marched out of factories and offices and paraded through the streets with banners voicing their gratitude to Big Brother [...] for raising the chocolate ration to twenty grams a week. And only yesterday, he reflected, it had been announced that the ration was to be reduced to twenty grams a week. Was it possible that they could swallow that, after only twenty-four hour? Yes, they swallowed it [...] Had it always been like this? Had food always tasted like this? [...] Why should one feel it to be intolerable unless one had some kind of ancestral memory that things had once been different?" (Orwell 52).

The government has essentially brainwashed the Society in which Winston lives into believing everything they hear. They do not question the government and take everything without thinking. This happens because of what the government has done with Society. They have scared them into not thinking through the "Thought Police" and the secretive societies that are meant to strike fear into the people. The Party manipulates them and forces the society into a totalitarian state. Winston seems to be the only person who remembers a time before this was the way things worked. No one in Winston's world remembers a time when it was different from the one it is in right now because they are taught not to think. The government ca do whatever it wants because it has complete control over the past, present, and future. In this section, there is a report about how the production of every product is at a record high and how all of the people in the city are praising Big Brother. The passage talks about how the certain rations of chocolate have been raised. Winston, however, remembers that it was only yesterday when the announcement had been made to lower the ration. Yet, the people praise BB because they "know" that it has been raised from what ever it was before. Everyone including Winston take this without showing outward emotion. On the inside, Winston knows that everything is a lie.

The Stranger Thesis

Camus uses dialogue sporadically throughout The Stranger to show Meursalt's indecision, personal philosophies, and discernment between his personal feelings and how society will judge his feelings, philosophies, and indecision as well as use them against him if it personally benefits the community.

Journal #18: Personal Response and Literary Value

I personally liked The Stranger. I liked how Camus involved an interesting and authentic approach to philosophy and his views on the human experience. I really like this book as one we study in class because it really only has so much meaning which makes it a little less challenging. Although, I do believe that it has a genuine and legitimate spot among the titans of IB English. Camus is brilliant in his syntax and all of his literary elements which makes it a superb piece of literature.

Journal #17: Topic, Quotes, and Thesis

Topic: Erratic use of dialogue
Quotes:

1. "I even said, 'It's not my fault'" (Camus 3).
2. "I said, 'Yes,' just so I wouldn't have to say anything else'" (Camus 4).
3. "'Madame Meursalt came to us three years ago. You were her sole support.' I thought he was criticizing me for something and I started to explain. But he cut he off. 'You don't have to justify yourself, my dear boy'" (Camus 4).
4. "The director spoke to me again. But I wasn't really listening anymore. Then he said, 'I suppose you'd like to see your mother'" (Camus 5).
5. "He looked at me and then asked, 'Why not?' but without criticizing, as if he just wanted to know. I said, 'I don't know'" (Camus 6).
6. " I said to the caretaker, 'Have you been here long?' Right away he answered, 'Five years'---as if he'd been waiting all along for me to ask" (Camus 7).
7. "After that he did a lot of talking. He would have been very surprised if anyone had told him he would end up caretaker at the Marengo home. He was sixty-four and came from Paris. At that point I interrupted him. 'Oh, you're not from around here?'" (Camus 7).
8. "After a long pause he explained, without looking at me, 'She was very close to your mother'" (Camus 11).
9. "'Before I do, would you like to see your mother one last time?' I said no" (Camus 13).
10. "'It's more humane that way,' he remarked" (Camus 13).
11. "'Here's the priest from Marengo already. He's early.' He warned me that it would take at least three-quarters of an hour to walk to the church, which is in the village itself" (Camus 14).
12. " As we approached, the priest straightened up. He called me 'my son' and said a few words to me" (Camus 14).
13. I turned a little in his direction and was looking at him when the director started talking to me about him. He told me that my mother and Monsieur Perez often used to walk down to the village together in the evenings, accompanied by a nurse" (Camus 15).
14. The man from the undertaker's said something to me then which I missed[...] I said, 'What?' He pointed up at the sky and repeated, 'Pretty hot.' I said, 'Yes'" (Camus 16).
15. "Except for one thing: as we entered the village, the nurse spoke to me. She had a remarkable voice which didn't go with her face at all, a melodious, quavering voice. She said, 'If you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke. But if you go too fast, you work up a sweat and then catch a chill inside the church'" (Camus 17).

Dialogue is used at random in this novel. It seems that some dialogue is used to create an emphasis of how Camus is trying to depict Meursalt. Other times dialogue is used to portray Meursalt in a certain way.
Thesis: Camus uses dialogue sporadically to expose and/or emphasize certain qualities of Meursalt such as his indecision and personal philosophies.

Journal #16: 5 Questions

1. Are the opinions of the flat characters portrayed  in the court sequences that of bitterness because of Meursalt's personal philosophy and if so, how does Camus portray those opinions effect the plot?
2. Why does Camus's interpretation of Meursalt's philosophy change from part one to part two?
3. Why does Camus's narration suddenly portray Meursalt with more emotion in the court?
4. What is the effect of having dialogue interspersed within the paragraphs rather than begin new paragraphs?
5. What is the connection between the setting and the actions of the characters placed in the novel by Camus?

Journal #15: Parallels between Part One and Part Two of the Stranger

First off, I think that Camus splits the book into two parts because of the significant scene in the end of part one. Camus wants used to make a distinction between these similar, yet different parts.

Other parallels between Parts One and Two in The Stranger include, but are not limited to:

• Both parts are approximately 59-60 pages long, most likely depending on which edition of the book you have
• It seems like the language is slightly more protracted in part two than in part one for a specific reason, possibly to show that Meursalt has changed from one part to the next
• Even after committing a murder, it seems Meursalt disregards certain parts of life that most people would not
• Meursalt is self-centered and ignorant to people around him
• Death is a big motif in both

Journal #14: 6 Questions

1. Why does Meursalt have a bi-polar attitude towards the sun? It seems like he goes back and forth praising the sun and it's qualities and then slandering it soon after.
2. Why are the Arabs so obscure and not described really at all when you would think as the reader that they would be described in detail because they are important?
3. Why does the syntax vary so much throughout chapter 6?
4. What is the value in including the romantic beach scenes?
5. What is the meaning of the phrase "funeral face"?
6. Does Meursalt show more emotion in this chapter than he has through out the whole book because it is a really important part?

Journal #13: My World Philosophy

Betterism:

 Defines who I am as a person because I want to be the best I can be at everything I do. I believe everyone has a ceiling of potential, but few of us ever get off the ground. There is a heavy influence from Christianity because I am Christian but all religions are accepted.

• Always try as hard as you can because that's your best and that is good enough.
• Strive to be better by defying odds and ignoring the pessimistic things in life.
• Regardless of your racial, religious or cultural background, you can be the best.
• Raise your expectations of those around you so they also have a chance to be the best they can be.
• Get everything you can out of a certain experience, good or bad and turn it all into good.
• If you believe in God, then strive to serve Him to the best of your ability.
• Seek the best you can be, and in that you will find pleasure.
• Test yourself constantly to reach the zenith of your success.
• Repetition can lead to perfection.                                                                                    

 If everyone was the best they could be then there would be no conflicts, no poverty, no crime, nothing but happiness and peace. Raising people's mentality is the quickest way to improve them as a person. When I imagine a better world, I imagine everyone being successful.

Journal #12: Title and Translation

Part 1: I believe that Ward's version was better. I think that he stayed closer to the actual story and made Meursalt how he was originally supposed to act in the eyes of Camus. Both Gilbert's and Ward's versions have different ways of being the short, choppy, concise sentences that are present in the book. I believe Ward does a better job portraying the short, choppy sentences and Meaursalt's thoughts and feelings.

Part 2: Even though The Stranger sounds the best and fits the best in my opinion I'm gonna take a shot at saying that irrelevant would fit even better. I think that when Meursalt is explaining things such as the setting, it is really irrelevant and random. "The sky was already filled with light. The sun was beginning to bear down on the earth and it was getting hotter by the minute" (Hurston 15). Meursalt thinks that some things are irrelevant that shouldn't be as well. Like when his mom died and how he couldn't remember how old she was. I think that is quite odd how he spends so much time thinking about little things and very little time on more important things. It highlights what he puts value in and makes him seem quite maladjusted.

Journal #11: Plan of Attack for The Stranger

Mini-Stickies:
These will correspond with the pink sheet: "Guide for Analysis".

• Pink=Narrative Voice/Narration
• Orange=Plot and plot structure
• Blue=Character/Characterization
• Yellow=Setting
• Green=Language/Syntax/Diction

Medium Stickies:
Help to pinpoint certain stylistic traits in the literature that may or may not have to do with a theme or motif.
Ex: conflicts, protagonist, point of view, etc.

• Yellow=Techniques (Foreshadowing of the court, the weather in regards to Meursalt's mood)
• Orange=Structure, Sound, Rhythm (dialogue is embedded within the paragraphs)
• Blue=Anything else of interest

Large Stickies:
I plan to use large stickies to track larger ideas and glaring parallels such as motifs and themes. I will be able to write possible motifs/themes on these to help me remember.

• Green=Motifs (Motif of lights)
• Yellow=Themes (not sure of anything yet)

Journal #10: Theme

Theme: The methods that a person uses to seek what and who make them truly happy can be controversial and contrary to popular opinion.

"What she doin coming back here in dem overalls? Can't she find no dress to put on?[...]What dat ole forty year ole 'oman doin wid her hair swingin' down her back lak some young gal?[...]Why she don't stay in her class?'' (Hurston 2).

"You know if you pass some people and don't speak to suit 'em dey got tuh go way back in yo' life and see whut you ever done. They know mo' 'bout yuh than you do yo' self" (Hurston 3). 

"Nanny's head and face looked like thew standing roots of some old tees that had been torn away by storm. Foundation of ancient power that no longer mattered[...]
'Janie, youse uh 'oman, now, so---'
Naw, Nanny, naw Ah ain't no real 'oman yet.'[...]
'Yeah, Janie, youse got yo' womanhood on yuh. So Ah mout ez well tell yuh ehut Ah been savin' up for uh spell. Ah wants to see you married right away" (Hurston 12).

"'Mis' Janie,' Hezekiah began sullenly the next day, 'you oughtn't 'low dat Tea Cake tuh be walkin' tuh de house wid yuh. Ah'll go wid yuh mahself after dis, if you'se skeered.'
'What's de matter wid Tea Cake, 'Kiah? Is he uh thief uh somethin?'
'Ah ain't ever heard nobody say he stole nothin.'[...]Nobody wouldn't marry Tea Cake tuh starve tuh death lessen it's somebody jes lak him---ain't used to nothin'.' (Hurston 102).

"All the men that she could get, and fooling around with somebody like Tea Cake! Another thing, Joe Starks hadn't been dead but nine months and here she goes sashaying off to a picnic in pink linen[...]Poor Joe Starks. Bet he turns over in his grave everyday" (Hurston 110).

Journal #9: Mini-Pastiche 2

Grettle left the game in a shock that shook her very being and left her numb from all of the emotion that had been coursing through her. It had taken all of her strength not to punch Paul, and she was left with nothing, just as she had stumbled upon him in the beginning.

Last summer had been a low point in her life. Her father had died and the remainder of summer had been spent wondering what she was living for. That's when she met Paul. He was the most amazing guy she had ever met and they hit it off like no other. He made her feel like a million dollars whenever they were together and they started dating regularly. Soon, however, Grettle noticed that he didn't give her as much of a say in things as she would like. She didn't consider herself a demanding person so this was kind of an annoyance whenever they were together. When she was tired of it she confronted him one day and soon they were in a hated discussion.
"I give you a say whenever I feel like its necessary." Paul argued.
"Yeah but I feel like it's necessary more often than you do." Grettle replied.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Paul retorted.
So this went on for sometime. Grettle always felt like her opinion didn't matter all that much and Paul always felt like he knew what was best for both of them. She felt like the relationship was a ton of glass on her shoulders, a burden that if mishandled, could end in disaster.

Finally, the glass tipped too far for Paul. After one of his basketball games, he went over to Grettle and said that he wanted her to come over to his house to celebrate. Grettle didn't want to so Paul got mad and started yelling at her. As the conversation grew into a shouting match, Paul finally put the nail in the coffin and broke up with her.


I used my groups theme from the group exercise today: Unbalances of power in relationships will ultimately lead to failure as time passes. This is the same as Eyes because Janie first two marriages fail. I used hyperboles to help emphasize certain aspects and emotions. I utilized metaphors to depict feelings and emotions such as Hurston does. And I also mirrored Hurston's use of foreshadowing in the way that I started my story.

Journal #8: 3 Techniques

"It was so crazy digging worms by lamp light and setting out for Lake Sabelia after midnight that she felt like a child breaking rules. That's what made Janie like it. They caught two or three and got home just before day. Then she had to smuggle Tea Cake out by the back ate and that made it seem like some great secret she was keeping from the town."

This passage occurs in the early stages of Janie and Tea Cakes relationship and Janie feels quite rebellious and young around Tea Cake during this time. Hurston uses diction to describe exactly how Janie is feeling. She writes in sort of a more childish way than she usually does and this helps to portray the way Janie feels about being with Tea Cake. She also uses pretty simple sentences to also portray that young feeling that Janie feels.

"'Mis' Janie," Hezekiah began sullenly next day, "you oughtn't 'low dat tea Cake tuh be walkin' tuh de house wid yuh. Ah'll go wid yuh mahself after dis, if you'se skeered."
"What's de matter wid Tea Cake, 'Kiah? Is he uh thief uh somethin'?"
"Ah ain't never heard nobody say he stole nothin'."
"Is he bad 'bout totin' pistols and knives tuh hurt people wid?"
"Dey don't say he ever cut nobody or shot nobody neither."
"Well, is he-- he--is he got uh wife or something lak dat? Not dat it's any uh mah business." She held her breath for the answer.
"No'm. And nobody would marry Tea Cake tuh starve tuh death lessen it's somebody jes lak him--ain't used to nothin'."

This passage is after Tea Cake and Janie have known each other for awhile and other people have noticed. Hezekiah voices the opinion of the town about the couple and Janie asks prodding questions partly for her own knowledge and partly to defend Tea Cake. The author uses dialogue to help her describe the views of the townspeople.  She also uses a little foreshadowing when Janie asks Hezekiah if Tea Cake has a wife because eventually they get married.



"She adored him and hated him at the same time. How could he make her suffer so and then come grinning like that darling way he had? He pinched her am as he walked inside the door."

This excerpt is after Tea Cake has left Janie for a couple of days and Janie begins to worry about if he is like every other guy. Janie is talking about doubt and how he tortures her because of his weird habits. This passage is a representation of a rhetorical question asked to the reader because it only has one answer and it forces  the reader to agree with the author.

Journal #7: Mini-Pastiche

But Kevin started to contemplate Speed. Speed, that most glorious presence of accelerated motion who sups with only the most dedicated. The confident one who lurks in luxury while teasing the less fortunate. What attribute is more coveted, and what talent more relished? He bustles to and fro just because he can. Looks on, chuckling at the struggling, and rewarding the committed. Was looking before there was anything to look at. He was sure that he would send for him soon. He was determined and composed as well. Tired Evan! He ought not to be so certain of hi'self lest he forget his place. He prayed that he would make it through alright but he had his doubts. He let on like he didn't care none too much, but I knows that he treasured this more than anything. He may live longer by not but he would rather kill hi'self 'fore quitting. He and I both knew there was no stopping him. That was his downfall. But yet his hope remained, as did mine. And if he was to succeed, the whole world was bound to know within a week, for he held much of the same characteristics of a braggart. People who wouldn't have cared in the past would now be forced to appreciate real talent. Probably bow down and praise the king of Speed. Fame, that false idol, had taken root in his soul.

I chose to use speed because it intrigues me and appeals to my athletic nature. I depicted speed as kind of a cocky and powerful being who I didn't fully identify on purpose because I don't think speed can be formulated into anything that is physical. I tried to epitomize a budding track star who didn't quite have his priorities set up perfectly. I thought this represented speed very well in the athletic sense because of the nature of the sport of track. Fame, my second noun, was chosen because of its close relation with athletics, especially in correspondence with the media. Fame is expressed as a false idol because most people shoot for fame growing up and never attain it. In a small amount of cases fame is attained but it is not all it is cracked up to be.

Journal #6: Techniques and Effects of Death Passage

Technique 1: Hurston gives death human characteristics.
Effect: This is possibly because the author wants to portray that death isn't sporadic but rather that Jody is dying for a reason.

Technique 2: Hurston gives death a God-like feel by portraying it as great and in a high place.
Effect: Death is greater than Jody ever was. As powerful as Jody was, he could not overcome his certain death.

Technique 3: Uses a Biblical reference by saying that Death has been around "before there was a where or a when or a then."
Effect: Another sort of God representation that is used to further emphasize the fact that Jody was a mere mortal and now gets whats coming to him for a reason. 

Technique 4: Uses a variety of sentence lengths and asks rhetorical questions.
Effect: Gives the passage a very dramatic aura.

Technique 5: Uses the house to represent Jody's power and lack thereof while he is dying.
Effect: Shows that death can change peoples actions and how they view someone who is no longer powerful who was oppressing them. Gives a parallel between Janie's challenge of Jody in the store and Death's challenge of Jody.

Journal #5: Motif and Symbol Thesis

Thesis:

Hurston uses motifs and symbols to enhance her style and help the reader better understand the setting and how the characters really feel. This has the effect on the reader of focusing the attention on certain aspects more than others and create a certain tone and mood. Motifs are a big part of developing a theme and especially so in this novel.

Journal #4: 3 Patterns

3 patterns in Their Eyes Were Watching God:

1) The first pattern I noticed is that trees and plants are connected with power and authority. When Joe sends for someone to get a tree to make into a post, he only accepts the very best one. Only he could have down something like that in the town.
"But the whole town got vain over it after it came. That was because the Mayor didn't just take it out of the crate and stick it up on a post...He sent men out to the swamp to cut the finest and the straightest cypress post they could find, and kept sending them back to hunt another one until they found one that pleased him" (Hurston 44).
Joe is shown by the townspeople as a symbol of power during a conversation behind his back.
"Speakin' of winds, he's de wind and we'se de grass. We bend which ever way he blows" (Hurston 49).

2) The second pattern is that the author always uses some sort of time reference in the first sentence of each chapter. I think it helps the reader gain some sort of time line as the book progresses.
"Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone" (Hurston 8).
"Long before the year was up, Janie noticed that her husband had stopped talking in rhymes to her" (Hurston 26).
"There are years that ask questions and years that answer" (Hurston 21).

3) The third pattern is that the author uses the weather to describe how someone is feeling. When it is cold for example, the author depicts the characters as alone or afraid.
"But anyway, she went down the road behind him that night feeling cold" (Hurston 43).
If it is warm out the author depicts the characters as enjoying themselves and content.
"She was stretched out on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold sun and the panting of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her" (Hurston 11). 

Journal #3

Fats Waller

Fats was a prodigious pianist at a very young age. As early as the age of six he was playing the piano and by the age of ten, the organ. In his early teenage years he started playing in public at Harlem's Lincoln Theater. By the time he was 18, he had written two solos named "Muscle Shoals Blues" and "Birmingham Blues". He was brilliant and very popular in the U.S. and Europe. His most famous piece is called "Fats Waller and his Rhythm". Rumor has it that he once played for three days straight at a surprise birthday party for Al Capone.

3 phrases:

1. How is the ringer ringing? = How is the weather?
2. Mystericalification = Send me a letter sometime.
3. Follow the street until you see daylight. = Keep up the good work.

3 grammatical changes:

1. First word becomes last word
2. Future tense when answering a question
3. I---->Me

3 pronunciations:

1. It's---->Ot's
2. Well---->Wull
3. Yes---->Yesh

 Dialogue:

As he stepped onto the side walk from the night club where he had been playing for the last five hours, he could feel a presence directly behind him. Fats payed no mind,
"New York," he resolved in his head, "everyone is going someplace same as me it's." As he kept walking he busied his mind thinking about his next gig which was to be played at the Harlem Lincoln Theater next week. As his stomach roared at unthinkable volumes he decided to try and stop by his favorite restaurant on his way home. As he was about to open the door of the restaurant, he noticed that it was closed.
"Odd that's." he grumbled quietly aloud. As he turned to continue the trek home he almost jumped back because to his amazement and surprise was a man with a nice suit and sunglasses standing a foot away right in his path. Fats stared at the man and asked,
"I help you can?"
After a long pause the man gave him an answer he didn't expect.
"I believe you have. You have seen, I am going to represent the New York Pianist Corporation or the NYPC to most it will be involving and we are planning on watching you closely. We are believing you are going to have what it takes to be in one of the most prestigious organizations of pianists in the world. How are you going to feel about this yes?" The mystery man concluded with a slight smile on his face. This was stunning news to Fats who had never thought that such an organization could ever exist.
"Would love to join this organization I. So I know when it is mystericalification." He said to the man.
"Good Fats sounds." He said shortly, clearly ready for the conversation to be over. But Fats had other ideas.
"Where are you from anyway so?" He inquired.
"Miami." He mumbled. Already drifting away down the now lonely sidewalk wanting to extrapolate.
"How is the ringer ringing down there this time of year wow?" Asked Fats who had never been out of the Northeast.
"Is very nice down there ot. Lots to do same as here there." The stranger leaned against the light post now expecting a long winded reply.
"Neat, I've always wanted to visit the tropics that's." Fats gushed to the man.
"By the way," Fats realized, "what's your name?"
"Name is Navi my." Replied Navi as he took out a cigarette to keep his hands busy and so he couldn't shake his hand because of his serious case of agoraphobia.
"A very odd name but I like it that's." Replied Fats, now remembering his hunger issue and wanting to get home to his mother.
"Was nice meeting you Navi was." Said Fats after a short pause.
"To you dear boy same. To follow the street until you see daylight remember." Said Navi thankful that the conversation was over.
"Thank you sir I will wull." Said Fats.

Journal #2: Passage from chapters 1-2 and analysis of techniques.

 "It was a spring afternoon in West Florida. Janie had spent most of the day under a blossoming pear tree in the back-yard. She had been spending every minute that she could steal from her chores under that tree for the last three days. That was to say, ever since that first tiny bloom had opened. It had called her to come and gaze on a mystery. From barren brown stems to glistening leaf buds; from the leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom. It stirred her tremendously. How? Why? It was like a flute song forgotten in another existence and remembered again. What? How? Why? This singing she heard that had nothing to do with her ears. The rose of the world was breathing out smell. It followed her through all her waking moments with other vaguely felt matters that had struck her outside observation and buried themselves in her flesh. Now they emerged and quested about her consciousness."

• Lots of details about the tree and the buds.
• Repeated use of "B" words in the paragraph
• Many words about senses 
• Metaphors with plants are present throughout
• Circular/parallel technique of asking the same questions twice in the same paragraph
• Words to describe giving or taking "spent, spending, steal"
• Past tense
• Rich and descriptive words
• Tranquil rhythm
• Placid tone
• Motif of forgetting and remembering
• Setting is described in detail
• Lots of figurative language
• Smooth narration
• Developing into an adult is a possible parallel
• Theme: Never try and force anything that isn't ready to happen yet and everything takes time like a flower blooming and growing into an adult.
• Thesis: Hurston uses descriptive language to enhance the similarities between growing up and flowers blooming.

Journal #1: To whom would you tell your life story and why? Where would you begin?

If I had to tell my life story to anyone, I would probably tell it to someone that mattered to me a lot because that most likely means that I matter to them and they would be willing to listen to my story and get something out of it. I don't necessarily see any reason why I would tell my life story to someone at this point because I haven't really experienced too much to really give someone valuable knowledge with the exception of maybe high school or school in general. When I become a parent and a grandparent I will have much more to share with the world than I do right now. Some of the greatest experiences a person can have are listening and learning about another person's experiences. I really enjoy listening to an elderly person talk about their life. It really makes me want to make a difference in the world we live in as soon as possible. I can only hope that my experiences will make people feel the same way.

If I told my story today, I would probably begin in 4th grade because that is when I moved to Oregon and I remember things most from that point on (obviously). However, if I was telling it as a 70 year old man, then I might consider telling it from a later point in my life or even start it as a 70 year old man and use the technique that Zora Neale Hurston uses in Their Eyes Were Watching God.