AP test prep in class today

Today in class me Katie E. Lizzie and Kaley studied vocab words for tomorrows test which will also help prepare us for the AP test. We also went over the basic requirements of an essay and how to improve them. Esspecially how to correctly and efficiently write the thesis sentence.

"A Reflection on Unstructured Learning"

The theme I took away from the text was to not give up on something you believe in.  For whatever reason the narrator was determined to make the costume he is talking about.  The first few lines sound optimistic but then is goes steadily downward for the narrator.  But then he finds the perfect name for the costume from the person he had been avoiding.  The text is ironic because of this, and is a perfect example of unstructured learning for that reason.

Prompt 1: 1975B     Unlike the novelist, the writer of a play does not use his own voice and
only rarely uses a narrator's voice to guide the audience's responses to
character and action.  Select a play you have read and write an essay in
which you explain the techniques the playwright uses to guide his
audience's respnses to the central characters and the action.  You might
consider the effect on the audience of things like setting, the use of
comparable and contrasting characters, and the characters' responses to
each other.  Support your argument with specific references to the play.
Do not give a plot summary.

Prompt 2:1976 The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of
the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays.
Select the work of an essayist who is in opposition to his or her society;
or, from a work of recognized literary merit, select a fictional
character who is in opposition to his or her society.  In a critical
essay analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications
for both the individual and the society.  Do not summarize the plot or
action of the work you choose.

Prompt 3: 1983 From a novel or play of literary merit, select an important character who
is a villain. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze the nature of the character s
villainy and show how it enhances meaning in the work. Do not summarize plot.

Preparing for the AP test

I plan on reviewing parts of the practice AP tests and seeing what I need the most help with. From there I will review what I need to study the most. I believe this will best prepare me for the AP test.

MacBeth Soliloquy

Sarah Stevens, Bailey Wineman, and Caitlin Stevenson recorded me reciting the soliloquy.

MacBeth Part 2 Lecture Notes

• Lady MacBeth is animus, manipulative, and determined.
• After the coronation of MacBeth, him and his wife go on separate paths
• MacBeth doesn't tell his wife of the murders he is planning. (Banquo's and his sons)
• At this point MacBeth is murdering his way to peace of mind.
• He tells himself that if he kills there people it will be better for him, this makes him less human.
• The speech MacBeth gives after Lady MacBeth's death shows the empty mockery his life has become.
• The witches compel MacBeth but it is ultimately his choice to murder,
• They exist to tempt and torment people
• Their promises come true but not in the way people intend them to
• Banquo responds differently to the witches. His kid might be king but his pride is more important so he doesn't act to make the witches promise come true.
• the witches appeal to what MacBeth wants to hear.
• The witches are marked by being outside of the community.

MacBeth Lecture Notes

-MacBeth the tragic hero
Is king is act 3, 5 acts total
No long soliloquies like Hamlet
MacBeth is a tragic hero, his flaw being he can't be content with what he has he always wants more.
Chief function of Lady MacBeth is to keep the vision of being king alive for MacBeth.
Animus is masculine and lady MacBeth is animus. Anima is feminine and when MacBeth shows anima sides of him Lady MacBeth ridicules him.
Lady MacBeth and the witches support him to kill but it is ultimately his choice to kill and continue to kill.
The danger of killing Duncan is pulling him toward the kill.
Since MacBeth violated all rules of community by killing Duncan, he might as well kill more.
The murder as cost him what made him great in the beginning.
As Lady MacBeth continues to kill and do evil but it ultimately kills her.

Macbeth notes

Characters:

Macbeth- He is an honorable Scottish general who defends his king and country in battle. After he hears the three weird sisters’ prophesy that he will one day rule over Scotland, he begins to commit murders to ensure his place as future king.

Lady Macbeth-
However, their shared alienation from the world, occasioned by their partnership in crime, does not bring them closer together, but instead seems to numb their feelings for one another.

Macbeth’s wife, she is very power hungry and encourages her husband to kill, and tells him he is not man enough to. She uses her sexuality to persuade Macbeth to kill. Later in the story she feels guilty for her actions and commits suicide.

The Three Witches- Plot against Macbeth by using spells and prophecies. Whether or not the witches prophesies come from is never revealed

Hecate- Goddess of witchcraft helps the witches mess with Macbeth.

Banquo- He is a general whose children, according to the witches' prophecy, will inherit the Scottish throne. Banquo is ambitious but does not act upon his ambition like Macbeth does by killing people and betraying others. It is his ghost that haunts Macbeth. Has a son named Fleance who Macbeth attempted to murder.

King Duncan- He is a good role model king. His death is a symbol of chaos until his line, Malcolm, occupies the throne.

Malcolm- Son of Duncan first appears weak and questions his power but with help from Macduff he becomes a stable man and a huge threat to Macbeth. Him being king symbolizes an end to the chaos the death of his father caused for Scotland.

Donalbain- Duncan’s youngest son.

Macduff- He is a nobleman who dislikes Macbeth right away. He becomes a leader of a group called the crusade that fights to put the rightful king; they believe this person to be Malcolm, on the throne. He is also after Macbeth because he killed his wife and son.

Lady Macduff- She is Macduff’s wife who is killed by the murderers along with her young son.

The Murderers- A groups of people who Macbeth has kill Macduff’s wife and child, Banquo, and Fleance, Banquo’s son. They succeed in all cases but Fleance’s.

Plot summary:

Macbeth and Banquo are on there way home from battle when they run into three witches. The witches, referred to as the weird sisters tell them a prophesy.  They tell Macbeth that he will rule Scotland and that Banquo will be father to a line of kings himself. Macbeth decides that if it is fate he will be king and scorns himself for even thinking of murder as a way to get to the throne faster. Later on King Duncan announces that his son Malcolm will be his heir to the throne.  Macbeth once again ponders the possibility of murder and wrights to his wife.  Lady Macbeth jumps at this and immediately begins to scheme.

King Duncan is visiting the Macbeth’s when Macbeth second guesses himself she turns on him telling him he is not man enough to kill. Macbeth goes and kills King Duncan in his sleep after drugging the guards the couple blame the guards for the kings death. When Donalbain and Malcolm hear about their fathers death they flee Scotland in fear that they will be next to be murdered.  Macbeth is then named king and begins to worry about Banquo’s prophecy that his son will be king.  Macbeth then hires The Murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Fleance escapes but they kill Banquo. During a dinner party Banquo’s ghost comes and haunts Macbeth.

Macbeth goes to the weird sisters and they give him three more prophesies. The first, he should be careful around Macduff and keep a close eye on him. Two, “None of woman born shall harm Macbeth” Macbeth takes this literally. Since everyone is born from a woman, nobody shall harm Macbeth. And lastly, there is nothing to worry about until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane. Everyone is suspecting Macbeth had something to do with the murders of Duncan and Banquo. 

Macduff and Malcolm are in England with King Edward when they find out that Macbeth has had Macduff’s wife and kids murdered. The two begin to plot how to over throw Macbeth with the help of England. Lady Macbeth is beginning to go crazy; having visions of blood on her hands and is sleepwalking. She eventually dies. When Macbeth hears word of his wife’s suicide however he is self absorbed and criticizes her departure for being at an inconvenient time for he was preparing for battle. Macduff and Macbeth are on their way with a huge army when Malcolm orders they cut branches from the Birnam Wood forest for camouflage. Macduff corners Macbeth in the castle and tells him he was cut from his mothers womb, so was not really born to a mother. These three events fulfill all three of the prophesies the witches gave Macbeth. Macduff then kills Macbeth and presents his head to Malcolm who is to become king.

The Great Gatsby

1. Daisy's cousin moves to a town named East Egg, where he meets a man named Jay Gatsby. Garsby is a strange man who has huge lavished parties that everyone hopes to be invited to. Nick goes to visit his cousin Daisy where she lives in West Egg with her well off husband Tom, and their daughter. While visiting Nick meets an athlete, Jordan Baker, and also disvovers that Tom is cheating on Daisy with a woman named Myrtle. The next day Tom and Nick go to the Valley of Ashes and meets Myrtle at her husbands garage. They go to their apartment next and Myrtle is talking about Daisy, Tom feels that his mistress is not of class to speak of Daisy so he hits Myrtle and ends up braking her nose. Nick later goes to one of Gatsby's parties, at his parties Gatsby himself doesn't show himself. Nick runs into Jordan and they decide to try and find out what Gastby is doing instead of mingling with his guests, during their search they find out about Gatsby's love for Daisy. Nick, wanting to reunite Gatsby and Daisy invites them both to tea at him house. Tom becomes suspicious of Gatsby and invites him to New York to learn more.  While Gatsby is driving he happens to run over Myrtle. George, Myrtle's husband mistakes Gatsby with Tom, her once lover, and shoots him. Nick is the narrator of the story, the author chose him rather then Daisy or Gatsby because you were suprised by every discovery made. That Gatsby loved Daisy, that she also loved him, and that Tom was cheating on his wife. 

2. There is two themes in the novel. One is that there is always hope. Gatsby always believed that him and Daisy were meant to be together and every party he had was for her and when he finds her it is clear that she has always loved him to. The second is that ignorance is bliss. Daisy believes this enough to wish it upon her daughter hoping she will always wear a pretty face and not look into the horrible things going on in the world and this will give her a better, happier life.

3.  The tone is very ironic. Examples of this are through out the book, like how Myrtle who is of low class looks down on her husband who is of the same class. How Tom cheats on Daisy with someone of a lower class and breaks her nose for even speaking his wife's name. And how Daisy believes ignorance is bliss when some would say she is rather ignorant herself and yet not very blissful.

4.Literary Techniques:
              A) Symbolism- The green light at the end of the dock symbolizes hope for Gatsby that his love is still very much alive.
              B) Repetition- Optimism and the level of insanity when it comes to Daisy and their future together.
              C) Irony- Gatsby uses a fake identity to keep hope alive with Daisy but it is his optimism that leads to his death.
              D) Simile- Nick says, "In his blue garden men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars."
             E) Foreshaddowing- through out the book Fitzgerald hints at the downfall of Garsby.

Exceptional Member Blogs

Katie Enstad:
http://kerhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/
Lizzie Level:
http://erlrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/
Shannon Fahey:
http://sfrhsenglitcomp.blogspot.com/
I chose these three blogs because they were up to date and all of them put in extra work to make sure they were great blogs, none of them took the easy way out and did the bare minimum and for that they stood out from the rest!

I chose this dance becasue it is about a girl trying to find someone so the singer symbolizes Gatsby and he is trying to find Daisy his entrie life since the day they parted.