Tone

Tone is important because it can affect the interpretation of a word or sentence. If a character stresses a part of a word then the word is interpreted in a completely different way then if not stressed at all. For example, in the sentence "You know how to play basketball?", without any stresses, is just a casual question asking if  you know how to play basketball. However, if a stress is put on the word "you" in the sentence, the sentence conveys that you do not look like you would know how to play basketball. In this sentence, the stress gives off a sarcastic meaning to the sentence. Thus, Tone is very important because it can dramatically shift the interpretation of an entire sentence.

Diction

Diction refers to the writer's choice of words. Diction is extremely important because it is the fundamental structure of any work. All other literary devices are based off of diction because diction describes the actual words. For example, personification gives human traits to an object. The choice of words enables personification to take place. Thus, without proper word choice, literary devices are not capable of occuring. Word choice can also affect the setting of a play. For example, if a very dark and threatening setting is described and all of a sudden a man comes into the scene saying "That's what aaa haammmmburgerrr's alllll aboutt.", the setting would be looked upon in a humorous way vs a scary way. Overall, diction is the foundation of any work.

Imagery

Imagery represents the language that is not meant to be taken literally. Hyperboles, similes, and metaphors are all examples of imagery. For instance, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock contains multiple examples of imagery. One example is "When the evening is spread out against the sky / Like a patient etherized upon a table...". This quote is a simile and also uses personification. The evening is given characteristic of being spread out which is personification and the evening is also being compared to "a patient etherized upon a table" which is a simile. This quotation is not meant to be taken literally and is a perfect example of figurative language. Overall, imagery is very useful in literary work because it paints a picture in the readers' minds.

Poetry Sounds

Sounds in poetry are important because they can affect the way a sentence is interpreted. A sentence consisting of multiple consonants might give off a more abrupt impression to the reader vs a sentence made up of long and graceful vowels which would probably have more of an elegant and lavish feel to it. To His Coy Mistress  is a good example because the poem offers both beautiful language as well as short and abrupt language.

Symbol

A symbol is a visual representation of something to the audience. Symbols can range from objects to souls. For example, in The Great Gatsby, the billboard with the eyes on it, above the Valley of Ashes, symbolizes that everybody is being watched. This reference reoccurs throughout the novel and ultimately alludes to a key message. Another example of a symbol is Hamlet's ghost in Hamlet. Hamlet's ghost represents pride, love, loyalty, and revenge. Symbols usually delicately appear at the beginning of a work and then prove their importance in a much more obvious way farther into the work. Overall, symbols are essential to the plot.

Setting

The setting represents the time, location, and objects surrounding an event. The setting can affect the entire "feeling" of an affair. For example, the setting of where the guards first see the ghost of Hamlet is very dark and late at night. This setting infers a mysterious and cold impression. Regardless of what is being done, the setting can alter the perceptions of the viewers, which can lead to negative outcomes. The setting can also foreshadow future events which can change a viewer's mindset. Thus, the setting is an extremely important and effective characteristic to any work.

Character (Elizabeth vs. Hamlet)

Characters, just like a plot, are extremely important and essential to any work. Jane Austen, the author of Pride and Prejudice, uses characters as a way to depict the people's views in society. For example, Elizabeth Bennet's conflict   with society is made visible through the personality in which Austen gives her. However, unlike Hamlet's Hamlet, Elizabeth does not state any soliloquies, which shows the difference between a drama and a fiction. In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, Hamlet's internal conflict dealing with the death of his father presents Hamlet's individual struggle, contradicting to Elizabeth Bennet's external conflict. Ultimately, an author can bestow the message or story of any work on a character at the beginning of a piece and still have it be just as prominent in the end. Thus, character's carry on the plot.

Plot (Austen and Shakespeare)

The plot is a crucial aspect of any fiction and drama. The plot refers to the main events of a work, and obviously, without  solid events or an easy-to-follow plot, a work can not be very strong. Two examples of plot based works are Hamlet and Pride and Prejudice. The plot of Hamlet revolves around Hamlet's personal struggles and grievances which makes it "internal". In contrast, the plot of Pride and Prejudice follows a traditional structure of introducing multiple characters but focusing on one specific conflict throughout the entire work. Pride and Prejudice is considered to be "external" because, unlike Hamlet, Pride and Prejudice deals with the views of many different characters. In my opinion, the plot is ultimately the most important feature of a work.

Essay Comments Blog (Claudius Essay)

I feel that my essay was well-written and descriptively showed my points of view on King Claudius and how superficial he truly is. I supported my points well with textual evidence but might have gotten a little too carried away and off topic. I also think I could have lengthened my conclusion paragraph by adding a new point of view or idea. Overall, I feel that I wrote a well-written essay regardless of the small "mistakes" that it contained.

"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" Vs. "To His Coy Mistress"

“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell and “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot both address the ideologies of “time”. “Time” is defined as “the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole” by the New Oxford American Dictionary. Ironically, neither Andrew Marvell nor T.S. Eliot symbolize “time” as that proclamation. In “To His Coy Mistress”, the speaker begins by describing the “desirable” world that men and women would dream of but later contradicts himself by stating that time doesn’t last forever. The speaker connotes that seizing the moment is necessary as a way of expressing his and his mistress’ love towards each other. In opposition to “To His Coy Mistress” but more along the lines of the New Oxford American Dictionary, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” suggests that time is endless and that anything and everything can be experienced within one lifetime. Thus, the ethic that seizing the moment is essential as specified by Andrew Marvell is challenged by T.S. Eliot’s idea that an everlasting “time” presents itself to be available. 

Comparison Of Two Poems : Ulysses Vs. Fast Break

Alfred Lord Tennyson's Ulysses and Edward Hirsch's Fast Break are two completely different poems. Ulysses has a very slow tempo to it while Fast Break resembles it's title. Just by discussing the stories told in the poems, the two prove even more unalike. Ulysses is about a King who is growing closer and closer to death. His kingship is slowly falling and time is creeping by. Obviously, this poem is not going to be enthusiastic and bright. In contrast, Fast Break conveys, in my opinion, a very alive and vivacious tone which absorbed me and kept me interested in the poem. Furthermore, Alfred Lord Tennyson's Ulysses and Edward Hirsch's Fast Break differ because of the stories told within the poems. They are written in correspondence to the vibes embedded in the poems and are both composed brilliantly.

Ozymandias Vs. Ponder These Busted Statues

Ozymandias and Ponder These Busted Statues both refer to time but are viewed completely differently. In Ozymandias, time is perceived as more of a sad and dark ideology. Actions take place but in a slow and depressed manner. In Ponder These Busted Statues, time is seen as a "game". A "game" where seizing the moment is the most important aspect because time does not last forever. Living life at a fast and exciting rate because there is no "time" to waste. Ponder These Busted Statues refers to sex on multiple occasions because the author feels that sex and love are the most important actions in life. There is no "time" to waste so live life to the fullest.

Explaining The Performance Choices

Aram, Nick, and I chose the conversation between Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo when the ghost first enters. We chose this conversation because it shows a huge tonal shift as well as the comparison of Appearance Vs. Reality. Horatio "appears" to be arrogant and tough and does not buy into the claim that a ghost resembling dead Hamlet just entered. In reality, when he sees the ghost, he does not believe his eyes. This scene is important because it corresponds to two key themes and motifs in Hamlet.

PG 833: #3

Appearance and reality are both extremely significant themes in Hamlet. Appearance is how something "seems" or "looks" while reality is the state of existence of something. In Hamlet, Claudius "appears" to be the rightful and true King of Denmark but in reality, is the murderer of his brother, Hamlet. Claudius killed his brother, the former King, solely for political gain. In Hamlet, reality is hidden by appearance. King Claudius' manipulating and pompous persona distracts the other actors and actresses in the play. Hamlet, King Hamlet's son, is the proper King because he naturally has an authoritative personality. Compared to Claudius, Hamlet is much more fit to rule Denmark BUT Claudius managed to cast a great deal of support by the "blind" people on himself. Ultimately, reality can easily be covered by appearance just as Hamlet is in this play.

PG 833: #7

One major conflict in Hamlet is honesty and deception. King Claudius exemplifies this conflict because of his dishonesty for political gain. Claudius is a double-faced man who keeps many secrets from society in order to further his political goals. The biggest secret that Claudius keeps from the people of Denmark is that he murdered his brother, the former King of Denmark, because his brother’s death is the only way that Claudius could achieve his political aspiration to become King. The people of Denmark are unable to see Claudius’ duplicitous nature through the dialect of his speeches and view him as a great king and ruler, unaware of his hidden agenda. Claudius seems to act and care about his people when in truth he is only concerned with securing his image as a benevolent King. Claudius seems to represent the community and appear kingly when he delivers his long-winded speeches to the people of Denmark. All of this proves how deceiving King Claudius truly is and how important the conflict of honesty and deception really is.

PG 832: #9

I chose the soliloquy from I.ii.129-59 because Hamlet's true emotional personality is openly expressed and easy to see. Hamlet states: "But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two: / So excellent a king; that was, to this, / Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother..."(I.ii.138-140) which shows how much he looked up to his father. Hamlet refers to his father as an excellent King as well as very loving to his wife, Hamlet's mother, further showing how well-rounded he was as an individual. However, Hamlet also connotes, in the same soliloquy, how he sexually thinks about his mother often. He says that he is ashamed of his thoughts: "Let me not think on't--Frailty, thy name is woman--"(I.ii.146) but still talks about the grotesque images. This soliloquy shows much about Hamlet through the sadness brought by his father's death and the disgusting thoughts that go through his head.

Discussion Question #14

Hamlet states: "Why, then, 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"(2.2.236-237). Hamlet means that ever since the death of his father, his lifestyle has drastically changed. Thinking about actions, real or fake, changes one's view on a certain topic. I agree with Hamlet because of the situation that he is involved in. The death of his father not only changed the relationships within his family, but also the relationship of him and Denmark. Hamlet then states: "I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw"(2.2.330-331). In this quote, Hamlet shows how mad he truly is but ultimately, all he wants is revenge.

Discussion Question #7

Hamlet tells his companions he is likely to put on an "antic disposition" to give somewhat of a heads up to society for his behavior that is soon to come. I believe that Hamlet's behavior is a deliberate strategy and a natural reaction to his anger and grief. His behavior is a deliberate strategy because he is planning out the revenge on Claudius but it is also a natural reaction because he feels that the murder of his father by Claudius will only be equalled if he kills Claudius himself. Thus, Hamlet's behavior represents both a deliberate strategy and a natural reaction.

Discussion Question #4

Both Laertes and Polonius object to Ophelia's relationship with Hamlet because they feel that Hamlet does not have time for love at the moment. He just lost his father and now has to take over the throne as the King of Denmark. Laertes and Polonius don't want Ophelia to be in a relationship that she will ultimately regret. In act I, scene iii, Laertes and Polonius try to break Ophelia and Hamet up and thus, act as somewhat of a fatherly towards Ophelia by trying to protect her from Hamlet. Polonius and Laertes believe that the social class that Ophelia belongs to is not quite mature enough for that of Hamlet's. Thus they feel that Ophelia does not belong with Hamlet.

Everything Isn't Always How It Seems

Shakespeare presents multiple different speech patterns in his play, Hamlet. Each character in Hamlet has a contrasting personality and illustrates his/her persona through an individualized dialect. Claudius, the King, is an egotistical and pompous figure who seems to “sound” King-like through his long-winded speech – a type of speech merely based on his arrogance. When read by an audience, Claudius’ manipulating and fear-insecure nature is extremely obvious. Unfortunately, the easy ability to recognize his disguise is not so apparent to the other actors in the play.  Moreover, all one would need to do is scratch the surface of Claudius’ superficiality to reveal his true duplicitous and deceitful personality. 
Thesis: Ultimately, Shakespeare portrays Claudius, through his unusual diction in  Hamlet, as a politically motivated individual who is only concerned with insuring his Kingship.

An Interesting Aspect of "Prufrock"

I found "I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. / I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. / I do not think that they will sing to me." to be a truly fascinating aspect of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock because of its contrary, bright yet saddening stature. The beginning of the quote reflects a relaxing and perfect world suggesting the happiness of the speaker. However, the next line connotes the true sadness and negativity that the speaker feels. Almost that the speaker will not be engaged or even associated with all the beauty and amenities in the world. This last pessimistic and defeatist line draws "The Love Song" to a depressing tone, shattering the reader's mindset and hopes for love. T.S. Eliot does a remarkable job taking the reader on a journey - a journey from lust to the death of love.

Love and Time in "To His Coy Mistress"

Andrew Marvells’ poem To His Coy Mistress centers around the relationship between love and time. Although some might say that love is eternal, Marvell argues his belief that there is only so much time to experience love in a lifetime and that love may only exist to a person's time of death. There is no known fact stating that love continues on to another realm. Ostensibly, Marvell structures his poem on the ideas of living in the moment for love and not wasting any time. “Had we but world enough, and time, / This coyness, lady, were no crime.” The narrator is trying to let his "coy" mistress know that they do not have all the time in the world and that their time together is limited. Love is too special and time is too precious. The narrator essentially tells his mistress that it is a "crime" to waste time by taking their relationship slowly because they are wasting time that they could be together. The speaker continues by stating how time never stops and always catches up to moments in the present: "But at my back I always hear / Time's winged chariot hurrying near." This quote illustrates the speaker's urgency to experience love with his mistress before it is too late. Regardless of how much he is in love with his mistress, the end of time always haunts the speaker and continuously gets closer and closer. Marvell ends the poem with the speaker telling his mistress that they are going to make the most of the time that they have together: "Thus, though we cannot make our sun / Stand still yet we will make him run." The speaker asserts that he and the mistress should seize the moment and never let any moment that they could spend together pass them by. They are going to make the most of the time that they have together and are going to spend that time being in love. Marvell demonstrates that the concepts of love and time are related through the relationship between the speaker of the poem and his mistress in To His Coy Mistress.

To His Coy Mistress

"My vegetable love should grow / Vaster than empires, and more slow" is an example of a quote in To His Coy Mistress that illustrates how Andrew Marvell is trying to slow down time and make the reader visualize and connect to his poem. This quote is a key line in the poem because of its easy interpretation but juicy and strong meaning. It connotes how the speakers love will never stop growing for his mistress. Even though this quote is only 2 lines, it truly brings together the entire poem and shows how deeply in love the speaker is.

Is Mr. Collins Funny Or A Nightmare

I feel that Mr. Collins is seemingly funny, yet somewhat of a nightmare. Mr. Collins shows his comedic side by basically making a fool out of himself throughout all of Pride and Prejudice. However, I agree with Harding's point in that he is a "fantastic nightmare". From Elizabeth's point of view, receiving a proposal from Mr. Collins is that worst nightmare she could ever have. The fact that Mr. Collins is a funny nightmare proves that Harding and Austen have similar thoughts regarding the presence of people like Mr. Collins in real life. 

Essay Comments

The strongest aspect of my writing is grammar. I rarely make grammatical errors and I structure my sentences well. However, there are a couple areas in which I need to work on. First, stating my point. I have trouble writing what I'm trying to say. I think of exactly what I want to say but I spend a great amount of time figuring out how I want to say it. I also need to think more "outside the box". Meaning, I need to think of more interesting ideas and points for my essays so the readers get drawn in and hopefully, even enjoy reading my work. Dr. Forman stated in his essay comments that I needed to answer the question more carefully. I guess I tried thinking "outside the box" but I didn't connect my idea to the prompt thoroughly enough.

What I Think Is The Most Important Part Of An Essay

I think the most important part of an essay is the introduction paragraph. The introduction paragraph outlines the entire essay and states the argument of the writer. Without the introduction paragraph, an essay would be completely uncoordinated and messy. I feel that the best introduction paragraph I read was written by E for Eunice. E for Eunice's introduction was so different than any I had ever read before. Starting with a catching metaphor, E for Eunice caught my attention from the first sentence. The best feature that an introduction paragraph can obtain is the "addicting" aspect. If the reader gets drawn into the essay through the introduction paragraph then the writer has done a brilliant job. Once the reader is "addicted", he or she wants to continue reading and thus is enthused by the writers points and thoughts. I feel that the introduction paragraph is the most important part of an essay because it attracts the reader or fully turns off the reader if the paragraph is not written well. Moreover, it is a make it or break it and the writer only gets one chance.

Favorite Essay (3)

I thought X for Xander was the best out of the three that I read. The introduction starts off with a topic sentence that paints a picture for the reader. Furthermore, from the start of the essay, I was deeply involved and interested in what was going to be stated next. The writer uses strong vocabulary and makes his claim obvious. I also like how the writer related both The Power and the Glory and Pride and Prejudice to real life. Overall, I thought X for Xander was a nicely written essay.

Favorite Essay (2)

I read E for Eunice, G for Griselda and H for Helga. Out of the three, I felt that E for Eunice was the best. The writer of E for Eunice took a completely different path in his or her introduction paragraph. However, it was extremely addicting and I wanted to continue reading it. The writer basically started off with a completely random metaphor but then described how the mother leading a child across the street related to The Power and the Glory. Not that G for Griselda and H for Helga were bad; I just felt that E for Eunice was way more interesting. E for Eunice also used multiple quotes that fit and related to each and every thing the writer was discussing. E for Eunice was the most interesting and satisfying out of the three.

Favorite Essay (1)

I read The Infamous Mr. Darcy We All Love To Hate, Characters in Collaboration: An Analysis of How Secondary Characters Aid the Development of Primary Characters in Pride and Prejudice, and Mrs. Bennet: Austen's Punching Bag. I think that Characters in Collaboration is the best out of the three because it has a strong main point, uses specific examples and is easy to understand. The writer did a great job addressing the focus point of his or her essay in the introduction paragraph and casually, yet specifically, set up the rest of his or her essay. I think that the writer made a sophisticated argument very comprehendible as well. Lastly, the writer did a good job comparing Mr. Bingley's and Mr. Darcy's initial similarities to their overpowering differences. Furthermore, I feel that Characters in Collaboration is the best essay out of these three because the writer's view is very clear and he or she explained it very well.

For Love or for Money?

Austen creates a society in which wealth consumes all aspects of the characters’ lives and thus influences their decision making abilities, especially regarding marriage.