My Big Future

while I was writing to myself I kept thinking about every thing  that could be happening in my life in the future. I focused on talking about my current self, and gave myself reminders of things that make me happy and motivational things. I like doing things like this because you do forget that you sent yourself something and then when you receive it, a smile rushes to your face when you remember writing it. I think this  is a super fun activity that really has an impact on your future self! I also reminded myself of my blog, so I can go back and remember everything I posted on it!

I think I can read

practice essay

       We walk into the room knowing we are in for a new experience, we are told to step outside of our comfort zone and accept these new ways of learning. Just like in "The Allegory of the Cave" we 'prisoners' or as we call it students have a set way in the classroom, but in AP English we are asked to become free and think outside the box.

      In "The Allegory of the Cave" we see prisoners that are satisfied with their lives, and don't want  to see the light beyond the cave.  In our new environment of the AP English class we all choose to be "free" and see the light or the new ways of learning things through collaboration. It takes a lot of convincing and time for all of us prisoners to become free, it also takes the freed past students coming in and telling us about the course before we fully accept this new environment. In a sense the cave can be described as a classroom with many desks and posters and writing on the walls.
   
      We students reflect Plato's meaning of the Allegory because we are breaking free and taking charge of our education, we are becoming the individuals he wanted the prisoners to become. Plato stated in the Allegory that knowledge was a key factor to becoming free and seeing the light, and being in the classroom gives us a unique education that we have never had before. We relate to the theme of the Allegory, to see the light and become unique. We gain a sense of this theme through all the literary devices Plato uses in the story. The use of metaphors allows us to imagine what the cave would look like, and how people may want to break free of it when given the opportunity. We know what the average classroom consists of, and we willingly took on a course that would change all of that.

     If a character from " No Exit" were to be in this classroom they would probably try to get out and not understand why it felt like Hell to them. They wouldn't understand the way we all try and bring our thoughts together and help each other through collaboration. Because in "No Exit" Sartre describes Hell as the people around you the characters in "No Exit" would surely not like this classroom environment at all.

     Thinking outside the box isn't just something we strive to do on our own, something inspires us to do so. We get a clear picture of this through the prisoners, they are content with their lives until they get a sense of what it is like outside of the cave. In both "The Allegory of the Cave" and "No Exit" we see through characterization and metaphors how each author wants to portray individuals changing their ways and thoughts about certain situations. Being inside this classroom would allow the prisoner a new perspective, and make the characters from " No Exit" want to leave because they don't like the people they are with.

Literature Analysis "A Tale of Two Cities" By Charles Dickens

We did this as a group so for the questions I will post a link to their blogs.

1. and 2. Kylie Sagisi
3. Lindsey Wong
4. Jacob Fowler

Characterization:
1. Direct characterization
-"  A woman of orderly and industrious appearance rose from her knees in a corner, with sufficient haste and trepidation to show that she was the person referred to."  page 66
This is a clear example of direct characterization because Dickens is stating what the woman appears to look like and how she acts as the others are talking about her.
-" With wonderful quickness, and with a strength both of will and action, that appeared quite supernatural, he forced all these changes upon him. The prisoner was like a young child in his hands."page 431
This is another example of direct characterization because Dickens is describing what the prisoner ( Darnay) is acting like as Carton is asking him about an escape.
Indirect Characterization
-" In this age . he would have been a professor, in that age, he was a tutor" page 159
This is an example of indirect characterization because they are describing Darnay and how he is intelligent, but the author lets us conclude this by the professions he said Darnay should be or is.
-" No. I am accidentally in possession of a power over one of the keepers here, and in virtue of it I stand before you." page 430
This is another example because Carton is going to trick Darnay into an escape, so he is tricking him as they speak about why he is here. From this passage in the novel we can conclude that Carton is helpful, and passionate about helping Darnay and his family.
2. Charles Dickens syntax does change with the dialogue of certain characters, this is because some appear more educated than others so they speak better then when a drunk person is talking. I think that Dickens uses syntax and diction to help improve the characterization of each character. It also allows the readers to gain a better understanding of the characters with the different syntax's and diction's throughout the novel.
3. Lindsey Wong
4. Kendall Villa

Happy Thanksgiving!

There are so many things to be thankful for in life, let today be the day you spend time with family and friends and Cherish the time you have with them! Have a happy thanksgiving! :)   

thinking outside the box

Notes:
-there are 4 characters trapped in "hell" but Hell isn't described as the place you are in, but more of the people you are surrounded by.
-Valet, Garcin, Estelle, and Inez
-they all desperately want out of the well decorated room.

1.Think about the place you have chosen as your hell. Does it look ordinary and bourgeois,

like Sartre's drawing room, or is it equipped with literal instruments of torture like

Dante's Inferno? Can the mind be in hell in a beautiful place? Is there a way to find peace

in a hellish physical environment? Enter Sartre's space more fully and imagine how it

would feel to live there endlessly, night and day:
- Hell would be a place where no matter how hard I try I can never succeed. This place could look ordinary like college, or a work place. I think that Hell is something that you as an individual create, if you are constantly down about certain places, or people then yes you are going to feel "in Hell" when you are in the presence of those things. I fear failure to succeed in life,which is why I am stressing about college so much, so living in a place where I can't succeed night and day would ultimately make me go insane. I think that this is what drives many people to believe their lives are hell.

2.Could hell be described as too much of anything without a break? Are variety,

moderation and balance instruments we use to keep us from boiling in any inferno of

excess,' whether it be cheesecake or ravenous sex?
-Varietys offer change, and options rather then just having the same thing for a long period of time. I think that if you endure anything for a long amount of time you will begin not to feel the same about it. Everyone needs a blanance in life or they will begin to question things and may begin to not get the joys out of life and feel as if they are in Hell.

3. How does Sartre create a sense of place through dialogue? Can you imagine what it feels

like to stay awake all the time with the lights on with no hope of leaving a specific place?

How does GARCIN react to this hell? How could you twist your daily activities around

so that everyday habits become hell? Is there a pattern of circumstances that reinforces

the experience of hell?
-Garcin didnt take my classes seriously that I would be in my personal Hell. Hell would be where I easily get annoyed with myself for letting myself be there.

4. Compare how Plato and Sartre describe the limitations of our thinking and imply solutions to the problem.
-The ability to learn and educate yourself is the main focus of both. In "The Allegory of the Cave" Plato describes how one must gain the knowledge to leave the cave and become free, while in "No Exit" Sartre wants his characters to learn that they are not happy and to change things. They both want their characters to take learning things and gain knowledge to better themselves. I feel that both authors believe eduacation is the key to becoming a better person and overcoming being a prisoner or being in Hell.  
They both use lots of literary devices throughout their pieces.
Characterization is a big one in "No Exit" since the whole play is in dialouge.
Imagery is a commonly used element in both of the pieces because Plato uses imagery to describe the cave and the light, and Sartre decribes the room and the people.
Irony is another used element. They both use irony because they both are talking about somewhat ironic things.

Allegory of the Cave sonnet

Shackles and chains keep us here
staying here forever without a care
we see the light but won't go near
for we are prisoners and cannot bare

the tangles and struggles of common things
the free come and speak
content with life we don't hear the rings
and we don't listen because we are to weak

but something changed
for now we see
the ways the freed have managed
and we too want to be free

knowledge is all the power you need
so just take the lead