Prompt Revision #4

2008, Form B. In some works of literature, childhood and adolescence are portrayed as times graced by innocence and a sense of wonder; in other works, they are depicted as times of tribulation and terror. Focusing on a single novel or play, explain how its representation of childhood or adolescence shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.

In J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is struggling with the concept of growing up.  His childhood is portrayed a time full of innocence, which has failed to prepare him for the harsh realities of adolescence and the difficulty of finding one's place in the complex adult world.

Holden's childhood innocence is portrayed throughout the novel, which reminds the reader that Holden is still young and childlike.  Holden shows his immaturity when he is trying to act like an adult.  When Holden call's the prostitute, he intends to have sex with her, but when she actually arrives he just wants to talk to her.  Holden tries resolve his loneliness by acting like an adult, but instead his inability to function in the adult world contributes to his loneliness.  Later when Holden tries to flirt with the group of girls at a bar, the girls end up making fun of him.  Holden is  is unable to realize that they are really mocking him and have no intrest in him at all because his childhood innocence prevents him from understanding the situation he is in.  Holden's innocence sets him up for the painful realities of society and adult life.  In addition to his innocence, Holden's confusion and fear about society gave him a rude awakening about the real world is like.

Holden describes many of the characters as being phony.  Instead of really getting to know people he just labels them as "phonies" in an attempt to distance himself from them.  Holden is afraid of getting to know many of the characters on a deeper level.  His difficulties connecting with other people express the difficulty of finding one's place in society.  Holden is confused about his teenage life and fearful of the uncertain future that his adult life that is quickly approaching.  Because Holden has been kicked out of multiple schools and is currently failing almost all of his classes, he is essentially gives up on school and attempts to live as an adult. However Holden's perception of adulthood his much different than what he experiences.  Without money and the education required to get a job  he faces the reality that his options are limited in the adult world.  These times of tribulation durning Holden's adolescence cause him to panic and he eventually end up in a mental health facility.  The harsh realities were too much for Holden to handle which shapes the meaning of the novel about the stuggles of growing up.

The events in The Catcher in the Rye establish childhood as a time of innocence and adolescence as a time of inner struggle while finding one's place in society.  This innocence causes denial about the future which then leads to painful realties of developing into an adult.  

Ceremony Summary and Analysis

Author: Leslie Marmon Silko wrote this novel.  She is half white, half Laguna Pueblo just like Tayo.  She recieved a lot of criticism for writing this novel from the Laguna people because they felt she revealed and exposed too much of culture to the public even though she changed many of the stories and poems.

Setting:  The novel takes place in the southwest on the Laguna Pueblo reservation and nearby towns.  There is a drought while this book is taking place which plays an important role in the plot of the story. Takes place not too long after WWII which many of the Native American's served in.  There are many flashbacks to before and during the war as well as old Laguna Pueblo stories.

Main Characters:

Tayo- The novel is centered him and his life dealing with the struggles of coming back from WWII and finding his place in society being a half white and half Laguna Pueblo.  He is very sick in the beginning of the novel and fully heals himself and his community by completing a ceremony.

Rocky- He is Tayo's cousin, but is much more like a brother to him.  He assimilated very easily into western culture and relieved a scholarship to play football, but he was killed in WWII.

Auntie- She is Tayo's aunt, but has raised him since he was little.  She is a very strong woman who is very concerned about other peoples' views of her and her family.  She believes Tayo and his mother brought a lot of shame on their family and at times excludes him and makes him feel like he doesn't belong in the family.

Josiah-  He is Tayo's uncle and taught him Laguna traditions and beliefs as well as how to heard and take care of cattle.  He also has a relationship with Night Swan who gave him the idea to get into the cattle business.

Night Swan- Josiah's girlfriend who is very strong woman.  She also sleeps with Tayo later in the novel.

Betonie- He is the medicine man who helps Tayo preform his ceremony, but he does it in a untraditional way due to the influence of American's on Native Americans and works in the modern world.

Harley-  On of Tayo's friends and drinking buddies, but it is clear that he is an alcoholic.

Grandma-  She is the leader of Tayo's family and is quiet most of the time unless she has something important to say.   She provides wisdom throughout the story through her quotes and advise to Tayo.

Te'sh-  She helps Tayo finish his ceremony by giving him advice.  She helps Tayo heard his cattle and is one of the Yellow Women in the novel.

Emo- Him and Tayo have never really gotten along.  Tayo almost kills him by stabbing him with a broken beer bottle and ridicules Tayo about being half white.

Plot Summary:  The plot of the story is a version of a traditional story in Laguna culture that in this case involves Tayo who is coming back from WWII and is trying to heal.  The story blends the traditional poems and Tayo's story, but they are both essentially telling the same story just with different characters.   Tayo is very sick when he returns home from the vetaran's hospital.   He has to deal with the traumatic experiences of war, as well as the deaths of Rocky and Josiah.  Even though neither death was really his fault he feels guilty and responsable for both of their deaths.  Tayo has a hard time recovering and spends a lot of time drinking with childhood friends who use alcohol as their medicine to help ease their suffering after they returned from war.  Tayo goes to the local medicine man, Ku'oosh who is unable to cure him.  He remembers his childhood and we are introduced to Night Swan and her relationship with Josiah.  This ceremony isn't enough to cure Tayo so he goes to Betonie whose ceremony is less traditional and creates a special ceremony for Tayo.  The first part of the ceremony that Tayo has to complete is finding Josiah's cattle.  In the process of finding the cattle, Tayo is about to be arrested for trespassing, but then end of letting him go because they go off to search for a mountain lion instead.  Later Tayo meets a man who lives with Ts'eh and he finds out that they have his cattle.   Tayo and Ts'eh spend a lot of time to together, but Tayo finds out that people in the town have heard stories him from Emo and soon him and the police will be coming for him.  Tayo is able to avoid the white police.  He sees Harley and Leroy and he hangs out with them for a little while.  He realizes that they have betrayed him are helping Emo so he runs away from them.  He hides and watches Emo torture Harley violently, but he knows that to complete the ceremony he must restrain himself and not kill Emo.  Tayo is able to restrain himself which completes his ceremony.  He returns home and tells his story to his people.  Harley and Leroy are found dead on the side of the road. Auntie finally talks to Tayo like she does to Grandma and Robert making him feel like he is a part of her family.  They find out that Emo killed Pinkie, but the FBI called it an accident and telling him to go away and not to return so he is in California.  Grandma then says that she has heard all these stories before, just with different names (people).


Narrative Voice/Author's Style:
The novel is written in third person omniscient so the reader is able to see the character's thoughts which gives insight into their culture.  The novel has a very complicated tone.  The tone is depressed at times because times are tough for the Laguna people, but at other times it is optimistic for a brighter future once the cycle completes itself.  It is also critical of both white and Luguna people for the way they have handled their relations.   The novel is filled with imagery and figurative language.  The sun, wind, and weather are often personified and are used throughout the novel to symbolize different events.  Like the tone, the symbolism is also very complicated.  Most of the symbols have to do with the Laguna belief that events (time) go in cycles unlike the western thinking that time linear (advancing in days, years ect).  The gambler's story, Tayo's story, and the story of the Hummingbird and the fly are are essentially the same story completing the same cycle just with different characters.

Quotes:

"It seems like I already heard these stories before... only ting is, the names sound different" (260)

This is Grandma's quote at the end of the novel that reinforces the idea that these events just keep on going in cycles.   It wraps up the whole novel describing this story as one loop around the cycle.


"She could see what white people wanted in an Indian, and she believed this was his only chance" (51).

This line is describing how Auntie was alright with Rocky distancing himself from his native culture in order to assimilate into American culture.  This line sums up how complicated assimilation is.  When cultures are very different such as western and Laguna, it is very difficult to blend the two cultures together and fit in with both groups of people.


Theme:
Sticking to your native beliefs is the way to withstand harmful outside influence.

All the characters who stray away from there native beliefs the most end up dying in this novel (Rocky, Josiah, Harley, Leroy).  Tayo becomes more influenced by western culture when he goes off to war and becomes very sick.  It isn't until he completes a ceremony and reacquaints to his native culture and values that he is able to find the correct balance between western and Laguna beliefs.

Response to Course Material

We just finished annotating Ceremony and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  It took a while, but I made an effort to do 20 pages each day over spring break and that made it a lot more manageable.   I was in Phoenix during spring break and it was actually kind of cool to be in the same region the book takes place in and it kind of helped with some of the imagery in the novel.  I ended up really liking Ceremony.  Some parts seemed lengthy and were kind of boring, but the parts that described the American's colonization and treatment of the Native Americans was really interesting.  In American history classes in 9th grade and in middle school we are told the American side of the colonization, but hearing a different point of view in this novel was eye-opening.  I had never thought of how complicated assimilation must be.  Its always has been described to me as being pretty black and white where you either assimilate or fight against it and keep your native values while some new values slip into the native culture.  Reading the book I could see how outside influence can really divid a native culture appart because of different views on assimilation.

The AP exam is also approaching quickly.  We have worked on our writing some and I assume that we will do a lot more AP practice leading up to the exam.  The biggest problem I have is determining the meaning quickly when reading a passage.  When we analyze it and discuss it, I can get a strong grasp of the meaning, we don't have a lot of time on the AP exam.  We also just started reading Fifth Business, but I'm not very far into it so I don't really have much to say about it.

Prompt Revision

2009. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

In the novel Lord of the Flies written by William Golding, a conch shell is used to symbolize civilization and order.   The conch shell is used to the help keep order in the novel and it reveals the characters' views of their society as well as emphasizing the meaning of the constant battle between civilization and savagery.

The conch schell was first discovered by Ralph and Piggy and they blew into to to make a loud noise that could be heard throughout the island.  During tribal meetings whoever held the conch got to speak.  The conch is used to maintain order so the conch is a symbol for civilization  As the play progresses and Jack and his hunters separate themselves from Ralph and Piggy, both Ralph and Piggy are constantly clutching the conch schell because the are trying to hold on to the remains of civilization and order they attempted to create.  When a boulder is thrown and kills piggy, it also crushes the conch.  The destruction of the conch symbolizes all the order being overcome by savagery   Golding uses the symbol to show how Jack and his leaders have destroyed all aspects civilization and order. 

The conch reveals how the characters feel their society on this island should be organized.  Ralph believes strongly in the conch in the beginning of the novel which shows his strong views about how the children on the island need order.  As the novel progresses, Ralph begins to doubt the power of the conch, revealing his doubts that and orderly society will can actually work on the island.  Piggy keeps his faith in the conch until his death, which reveals his constant belief in the need for civilization.  Jack is the first person to doubt the conch's power and he ends up leading the savages who focus on killing instead of order and civilization.  The characters belief or lack of belief in the conch shows whether they favor civilization of savagery.     

The major theme and meaning of this novel involve the struggle between civilization and savagery.   Civilization and order are complicated and fragile just like the structure of a conch.  A conch just like a democracy is carefully constructed over time, but can be destroyed in an instant. The conch shell is used is a barometer of the level of order in the novel. When the conch is widely accepted and respected there is much more order on the island and they boys' society resembles a primitive civilization.  As the conch lost importance so the values the boys grew up with creating a island without any form of order, which almost leads to the their society's destruction. 

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Author: The play was written by Tom Stoppard and was published in 1966.  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is Stoppard's most famous play.

Setting:  The play is set within Shakespeare's play Hamlet.  The first part of the play takes place in what is described as “a place without any visible character” (Stoppard 11).  The middle part of the play takes place in Elsinore where the plot of Hamlet takes place, and the final act is on a boat along with Hamlet. 

Major Characters:

Rosencrantz (Ros)-  The play focus on him and Guil as they attempt to figure out what is going on with Hamlet.  He has a carefree and easy-going attitude towards life.

Guildenstern (Guil) -  Just like Rosencrantz he was friends with Hamlet when he was younger.  Guildenstren is constantly trying to find meaning and purpose to the things and events around him.  He believes he is much smarter than he really is, which causes him to constantly misquote and interpret various educational terms/philosophies throughout the play. 

The Player- He leads the actors that perform the play within the play in Hamlet.  The are known as the Tragedians.  The player and the Tragedians perform a play predicting Ros and Guil’s fate, but neither of them realize the play is about them.

Hamlet- The same character as he was in Hamlet.  He is more of a side character in this play, but he confuses Ros and Guil when they try to figure out what is bothering him just like in Hamlet.

Claudius- He orders Ros and Guil to find out what is wrong with Hamlet and later when he sends Hamlet to be killed in England he sends Ros and Guil along with him on the boat. 

Gertrude- Her role is essentially the same in this play as it was in Hamlet.  Her sympathy towards Hamlet is also apparent in this play.

Alfred- He is one of the Tragedians and he offered up as a prostitute by the Player.  He is forced to wear a skirt and is often treated like a woman and has to act as women in their play. 

Plot:

The play starts out with Ros and Guil playing a game where they flip coins.  Ros keeps on winning because heads continues to be flipped.  Then the Tragedians come and are willing to do anything for money including which confuses Guil.   Guil starts to play the coin game with the Player and bets him that his aged doubled is an even number.

In the next scene Claudius tells Ros and Guil to figure out what is wrong with Hamlet.  Ros and Guil try to practice for when they talk to Hamlet by having Guil pretend to be Hamlet.  They then play a question game.  Later when they speak to Hamlet he confuses them by using complicated language full of deeper meaning that goes right over Ros and Guil’s heads.  While Guil is pleased with how the meeting went, Ros realized how outmatched they were in the conversation and states that they lost badly in the question game.   They then talk to the player about Hamlet's troubles.  Later they give Hamlet's message telling the main characters to attend the play.  

Next the same play within a play that takes place in Hamlet is preformed.  The same events occur in this play as in Hamlet, but after the player foreshadows R&G's death.   Later R&G see Hamlet with Polonius's body and try to trap him, but they fail.  When they talk to him, Hamlet refuses to tell them where Polonius's body is.  

In the next act R&G are on a boat with Hamlet.  They read the letter from Claudius that orders for Hamlet to be killed which causes them to panic because they don't know what to do.   When they fall asleep, Hamlet switches the letter ordering R&G to be killed instead.  The players come out of these barrels right before the pirates come to the ship which is when Hamlet disappears.  Guil stabs the player, but it was only a stage knife so the player does not die.  Ros and Guil then ponder their inevitable deaths, before the play jumps back to the very end of Hamlet.


Narrative Voice/Author's style:

The play is mainly centered around R&G and their dialogue. This point of view proves to be very unreliable in large part to them being very oblivious to what is actually going on.  There is a sharp contrast between the tone of R&G.  Guil has a much more pessimistic and ominous tone.  He is constantly over-analyzing everything trying to find its meaning.  Ros on the other hand has is very easy going and is constantly fascinated by his surroundings.  He is also much happier throughout the novel than Guil.  There is almost no imagery in the play (described in the play as emptiness).  This helps enforce the idea that the characters are living meaningless lives in a completely empty world.  The key symbol in the novel is coins that symbolize chance.  Because the coin always lands on one side it represents how things in the world are very random and unpredictable and filled with very unlikely events.  


Theme: 

One can not fully understand particular feelings or events from a play, they have to experience it for themselves.  

In the play R&G are unable to see that play they are watching is predicting their own deaths just like how the audience doesn't understand death just from watching a play where people die.  Stoppard also emphasizes the separation between the stage and real life by breaking the fourth wall during the play.  

Quotes:

"Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be over... Death is not anything... death is not... It's the absence of presence, nothing more" (124) 

This quote from Guil has a very interesting point of view on death.  It helps contribute to the meaning that we are are living meaningless lives and our deaths are just as meaningless.  

"We move idly towards eternity, without possibility of reprieve or hope of explanation" (121)

This is another quote from Guil that deals with the idea that are just passing through time without any purpose.  It really reveals his pessimistic outlook on life and gives his feelings that we don't really have a purpose. 

"If you're not even happy what's so good about surviving?  We'll be all right.  I suppose we just go on." (121)

This is Ros's line and his more optimistic attitude is very clear.  While he doesn't fell like he has much purpose, he just enjoys life as it is. which is the opposite of Guil who is always questioning things.  

Response to Course Material #7

Since the last response to course material blog we have finished Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, started Ceremony, and worked on closed prompts.  I felt like the most interesting part of R&G was the relationship between theater and real life.  The play brought up the interesting point about how  it is different if you experience something serious while watching a play rather than experiencing it in real life.  I agree with this point and I think makes an interesting point about how people feel like they have experienced certain events just from watching them in a play.  This is even more relevant today with movies because not only do they appear more realistic, but a popular movie can be seen by millions of people.

We have also just started reading ceremony and in class we have been introduced to Laguna Pueblo culture and I have found it very interesting.  It is a refreshing change from the constant references to the bible in the literature we have read so far.  I've barely started the novel, but so far I have enjoyed it even though it is difficult to understand.  Trying to determine the meaning of the text is even more difficult because I am unfamiliar with the main character's culture.   

In class we have also been working on closed prompts and its been rough.  I have trouble figuring out the meaning of these passages when I have lots of time to analyze them, but with the 40 minute time limit it makes it even more difficult.  The part that may be even harder fo me is actually translating my thoughts about the passage on paper.  I'm used to using informal language when discussing literature during class, so using more formal language on the closed prompts has been to be difficult.  Although I have struggled, Ms. Holms helping us during class and practicing has helped and I've started to see improvements in my writing.

Prompt revision #2

1995. Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from that culture or society because of gender, race, class, or creed. Choose a novel or a play in which such a character plays a significant role and show how that character's alienation reveals the surrounding society's assumptions or moral values.

Characters in novels and plays often represent certain issues or conflicts in society.  In America the issue of racism has been an important issue throughout America's history.  In To Kill a Mockingbird, the character Tom Robinson represents racism and the general attitude towards African Americans in the south.  

Tom Robinson, a poor african american farm hand, was falsely accused of raping a white girl despite minimal evidence against him.  Almost the entire community believes Tom is guilty which represents the animosity towards african americans during this time period.  The entire community didn't think twice when taking a white man's word over a black man's word showing many white american's values and views about race during this time period.  The only evidence against Tom was Bob Ewell's word saying that he witness Tom rape his daughter.   Bob Ewell was one of the least respected members of society and even his word was considered better than Tom's.  This represents how much more weight a white person's opinion had than an african american's opinion during this time period which reenforces the theme of social inequality in the novel.

Scout's father represented Tom and even she was treated differently as the trial approached.  It shows how angry and agressive society can get over an issue like race.  This anger has been know to affect and even harm innocent people in America as well as in the story.  Scout was teased in school and was almost stabbed while she was walking home at night at the end of the novel.  From just being associated with Tom, the Scout's entire family was somewhat alienated from their community which emphasizes the strong raciest values in America and in particular the deep south.  Racism being such a importnat part of the story contributes to the meaning of the novel by emphasizing the theme of social inequality in America.  

Tom Robinson and his trial has become a symbol of racial issues in America.  To Kill a Mockingbird has become an classic piece of literature in large part due to the portrail of racial issues and social inequality through the characters in the book.