Lexi Kaneshiro
Noah Perales-Estoesta
Arielle Uejo
Grace Lim
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Spring Break Prompt
Many plays and novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Choose a novel or play that contrasts two such places. Write an essay explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.
The Great Depression eventually led to the industrialization and development of America; however, the sudden change in which America became an industrial nation caused many Americans shock and disbelief at how different the culture had become. Immigrants from different countries began to come in at alarming rates as the depression affected Europe and Asia, as well as Ireland, Russia and the German Jews. In Tennessee Williams "A Streetcar Named Desire," two places, Belle Reve and Elysian Fields, represent the old and the new in America; the old, crumbling aristocracy and the new, growing industry.
Belle Reve, the childhood plantation home of Stella Kowalski and Blanche DuBois, was a beautiful home with great white columns and plenty of income, wealth and prestige. Blanche seems very proud to have lived there, and throughout "A Streetcar Named Desire" always seems as if she and Stella are superior to the other characters because of their upbringing. Belle Reve represents the pre-Depression values of America: beauty, class and a long history of respectable social status. This was not only true in America, but also for the world's society as a whole; aristocrats and old, wealthy families led the world, while the peasants and commoners followed behind.
Elysian Fields, the current home of newlywed Stella Kowalski, in contrast to Belle Reve, is ugly, cramped and set in crowded, metropolitan New Orleans. Stella's new home, unlike sprawling Belle Reve, only has two rooms, and is located right next to the L & N railroad track, which suggests that Elysian Fields is a cheap and horrible place to live. However, Elysian Fields is set in New Orleans, which is a cosmopolitan city with a relatively easy intermingling of races, represents acceptance and confidence. The "new" America has become much more tolerant of non-Caucasians as people; Negroes included. The "new" America, as demonstrated by the confident, cocky personality of antagonist Stanley Kowalski, is young and exuberant, with a wide margin for error and a tendency to be pretentious. Elysian Fields, despite its appearance, is the place where more Americans are willing to be, rather than Belle Reve, which is falling behind quickly.
Near the beginning of this play, it is revealed to the reader that Belle Reve has been lost to mortgage companies. The inability for Belle Reve to provide for its owners showed that the old America was no longer of use to society; beauty, class and social standing no longer mattered in the busy, fast-paced world of New Orleans. It is no surprise to the reader to know that Belle Reve, and to a greater extent Blanche DuBois, was left behind in the cold lonely memories of the past.
The Great Depression eventually led to the industrialization and development of America; however, the sudden change in which America became an industrial nation caused many Americans shock and disbelief at how different the culture had become. Immigrants from different countries began to come in at alarming rates as the depression affected Europe and Asia, as well as Ireland, Russia and the German Jews. In Tennessee Williams "A Streetcar Named Desire," two places, Belle Reve and Elysian Fields, represent the old and the new in America; the old, crumbling aristocracy and the new, growing industry.
Belle Reve, the childhood plantation home of Stella Kowalski and Blanche DuBois, was a beautiful home with great white columns and plenty of income, wealth and prestige. Blanche seems very proud to have lived there, and throughout "A Streetcar Named Desire" always seems as if she and Stella are superior to the other characters because of their upbringing. Belle Reve represents the pre-Depression values of America: beauty, class and a long history of respectable social status. This was not only true in America, but also for the world's society as a whole; aristocrats and old, wealthy families led the world, while the peasants and commoners followed behind.
Elysian Fields, the current home of newlywed Stella Kowalski, in contrast to Belle Reve, is ugly, cramped and set in crowded, metropolitan New Orleans. Stella's new home, unlike sprawling Belle Reve, only has two rooms, and is located right next to the L & N railroad track, which suggests that Elysian Fields is a cheap and horrible place to live. However, Elysian Fields is set in New Orleans, which is a cosmopolitan city with a relatively easy intermingling of races, represents acceptance and confidence. The "new" America has become much more tolerant of non-Caucasians as people; Negroes included. The "new" America, as demonstrated by the confident, cocky personality of antagonist Stanley Kowalski, is young and exuberant, with a wide margin for error and a tendency to be pretentious. Elysian Fields, despite its appearance, is the place where more Americans are willing to be, rather than Belle Reve, which is falling behind quickly.
Near the beginning of this play, it is revealed to the reader that Belle Reve has been lost to mortgage companies. The inability for Belle Reve to provide for its owners showed that the old America was no longer of use to society; beauty, class and social standing no longer mattered in the busy, fast-paced world of New Orleans. It is no surprise to the reader to know that Belle Reve, and to a greater extent Blanche DuBois, was left behind in the cold lonely memories of the past.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Open Prompt #2: The Glass Menagerie
Prompt 2: Choose a character in a novel or play of your choice (from the AP List!) and write about the conflict(s) that arise since they are in conflict with the society they are from. This may be socially, religiously, and/or morally. Dig deep! You should also address whether your character comes to a good/bad fate due to this conflict(s).
A shatter of glass and a young woman's fragile world leads to the downfall of an already sensitive universe in Tennessee William's "The Glass Menagerie." Tom Wingfield, frustrated with a life of repetitive motion and static, grows more and more impatient with his disillusioned mother and his sheltered sister. Set during the Great Depression, "The Glass Menagerie" offers insight into the world of a typical struggling family; a father who abandoned them, a mother who longs for the past and two unsatisfied children unable to do anything to save them from their fate.
Amanda Wingfield, the matriarch of the Wingfield family, grew up as a Southern belle. Throughout most of the play, she talks about her popularity with the 'gentlemen callers,' many of which would stop by her house, chat and give flowers. She talks about how she could have picked any gentleman and lived a rich life, but always ends her reminiscence with "your father had a way with words." Amanda's obssession with the past has an incredible effect on the end of the play.
Amanda also wheedles her daughter, the fragile Laura Wingfield, into wearing "Gay Deceivers," to impress her on gentleman caller. One extraordinary thing that Amanda thinks is that after Laura's first one, there will be an influx of gentlemen callers coming to take them both away and to take care of them for the rest of their lives. Laura, however, wants nothing to do with the world outside her front door, preferring the company of her glass menagerie instead of other humans. Amanda's need to 'polish' up the truth shows one of the complexities of her character--the fact that Amanda believes that what is natural is undesirable and that blemishes cannot be accepted. However, her opinion is juxtaposed with Laura's personality-- Laura, who has a limp, is believed to be crippled because Amanda said it was. Tom notes that Laura is not actually a cripple, but that she is abused and belittled into believing she was crippled so Amanda can continue to tell her stories of the gentlemen callers in the South.
Though not in conflict with society as a whole, Amanda Wingfield is in conflict with herself and her two children (the only society there really is during the Great Depression). Amanda's inability to let go of the past and her tendancy to live within it is a great factor in her conflict with society--Tom and Laura are not only tired of hearing the same things over and over again, but they also feel more hopeless just listening to it. Amanda's life seemed so easy before she married, which is a cruel way to treat them, considering all the hardships and trials they go through. Amanda's personality, which includes the fact that she needs to lie to make things seem better, is also a driving factor to causing Tom to run away. Ultimately, Amanda's micromanagement and inability to create boundaries for herself brings her to a negative end, causing her only son to leave (just as the father had left) and for Laura Wingfield to blow out her candles alone.
A shatter of glass and a young woman's fragile world leads to the downfall of an already sensitive universe in Tennessee William's "The Glass Menagerie." Tom Wingfield, frustrated with a life of repetitive motion and static, grows more and more impatient with his disillusioned mother and his sheltered sister. Set during the Great Depression, "The Glass Menagerie" offers insight into the world of a typical struggling family; a father who abandoned them, a mother who longs for the past and two unsatisfied children unable to do anything to save them from their fate.
Amanda Wingfield, the matriarch of the Wingfield family, grew up as a Southern belle. Throughout most of the play, she talks about her popularity with the 'gentlemen callers,' many of which would stop by her house, chat and give flowers. She talks about how she could have picked any gentleman and lived a rich life, but always ends her reminiscence with "your father had a way with words." Amanda's obssession with the past has an incredible effect on the end of the play.
Amanda also wheedles her daughter, the fragile Laura Wingfield, into wearing "Gay Deceivers," to impress her on gentleman caller. One extraordinary thing that Amanda thinks is that after Laura's first one, there will be an influx of gentlemen callers coming to take them both away and to take care of them for the rest of their lives. Laura, however, wants nothing to do with the world outside her front door, preferring the company of her glass menagerie instead of other humans. Amanda's need to 'polish' up the truth shows one of the complexities of her character--the fact that Amanda believes that what is natural is undesirable and that blemishes cannot be accepted. However, her opinion is juxtaposed with Laura's personality-- Laura, who has a limp, is believed to be crippled because Amanda said it was. Tom notes that Laura is not actually a cripple, but that she is abused and belittled into believing she was crippled so Amanda can continue to tell her stories of the gentlemen callers in the South.
Though not in conflict with society as a whole, Amanda Wingfield is in conflict with herself and her two children (the only society there really is during the Great Depression). Amanda's inability to let go of the past and her tendancy to live within it is a great factor in her conflict with society--Tom and Laura are not only tired of hearing the same things over and over again, but they also feel more hopeless just listening to it. Amanda's life seemed so easy before she married, which is a cruel way to treat them, considering all the hardships and trials they go through. Amanda's personality, which includes the fact that she needs to lie to make things seem better, is also a driving factor to causing Tom to run away. Ultimately, Amanda's micromanagement and inability to create boundaries for herself brings her to a negative end, causing her only son to leave (just as the father had left) and for Laura Wingfield to blow out her candles alone.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Prompt #1- Lord of the Flies
Task: Read the following prompt and answer to the best of your ability! Choose a symbol used in a novel or play of your choice and discuss its function in the world of the work. Be sure to give the title of the work and its author in the Introduction paragraph. You should strive for 4 - 5 paragraphs. Good Luck! After posting, read and comment on 4 other postings. Your comments should be helpful to the writer and may be things you noticed, something for them to think about, and some words of encouragement. You must complete your essay and your comments by Tuesday, January 12th!
Sun, freedom and all the bananas one could want to eat is everything a young boy from Great Britain could ever hope for. In William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies, two boys find out just how important order, authority and restraints are in society. Heavily dependent upon symbols and metaphors, this allegorical story provides the reader with many life lessons.
One important symbol of this novel was the most prevalent one: Piggy's glasses. Like his glasses, Piggy was a very fragile character. His spectacles differentiate him from the crowd, and he is the only one who is forced to wear them. This sign symbolizes a lot of what Piggy is: different, an outsider and the only one on the island with any sense in him. As stated earlier, Piggy's attachment to his glasses is essential, for without them he is unable to see. Likewise, Piggy's attachment to his differences is essential, for without them, he is unable to be. Throughout the novel, the reader is constantly reminded of Piggy's maturity level -- it is much higher than the other boys and he acts almost like an experienced adult.
This maturity is probably caused by the early onset of his peers' derisive behavior and the constant fawning of his family. Piggy's glasses also represent the adult's presence in a child's life. Piggy, who had to be under constant supervision by his parents to control his asthma, is the only child who was not sent to boarding school or abandoned by one or both parents. The glasses also acted as an adult would on the island. It provided the boys with the means necessary to make fire, and with Piggy the strength necessary to help him see. When Piggy loses his glasses, it is similar to the loss of a parent or a guiding force.
Piggy's glasses also serve one last purpose of representing the intellectual and rational side of society. Piggy is undoubtedly the smartest boy on the entire island. He is the only one who is able to think things out, find a reasonable explanation for the unknown and provide some kind of order, no matter how makeshift it is. However, reason and rationality was not enough to prevent the children from becoming savages. In fact, when Piggy tries to confront Jack and his tribe at their camp, he is murdered. The fact that Piggy’s glasses break at this point in the book is an eerie reminder that no matter how right you are or how reasonable your explanation is, fear and savagery will overcome it.
No matter how civilized a person may seem, the uncultured savage beast that lives within all of us can come out in a heartbeat. It doesn’t take a lot to push someone over the edge into violence and chaos, and though we value intelligence and a scientific approach to every situation now, we will not if we are placed in a life or death situation.
Sun, freedom and all the bananas one could want to eat is everything a young boy from Great Britain could ever hope for. In William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies, two boys find out just how important order, authority and restraints are in society. Heavily dependent upon symbols and metaphors, this allegorical story provides the reader with many life lessons.
One important symbol of this novel was the most prevalent one: Piggy's glasses. Like his glasses, Piggy was a very fragile character. His spectacles differentiate him from the crowd, and he is the only one who is forced to wear them. This sign symbolizes a lot of what Piggy is: different, an outsider and the only one on the island with any sense in him. As stated earlier, Piggy's attachment to his glasses is essential, for without them he is unable to see. Likewise, Piggy's attachment to his differences is essential, for without them, he is unable to be. Throughout the novel, the reader is constantly reminded of Piggy's maturity level -- it is much higher than the other boys and he acts almost like an experienced adult.
This maturity is probably caused by the early onset of his peers' derisive behavior and the constant fawning of his family. Piggy's glasses also represent the adult's presence in a child's life. Piggy, who had to be under constant supervision by his parents to control his asthma, is the only child who was not sent to boarding school or abandoned by one or both parents. The glasses also acted as an adult would on the island. It provided the boys with the means necessary to make fire, and with Piggy the strength necessary to help him see. When Piggy loses his glasses, it is similar to the loss of a parent or a guiding force.
Piggy's glasses also serve one last purpose of representing the intellectual and rational side of society. Piggy is undoubtedly the smartest boy on the entire island. He is the only one who is able to think things out, find a reasonable explanation for the unknown and provide some kind of order, no matter how makeshift it is. However, reason and rationality was not enough to prevent the children from becoming savages. In fact, when Piggy tries to confront Jack and his tribe at their camp, he is murdered. The fact that Piggy’s glasses break at this point in the book is an eerie reminder that no matter how right you are or how reasonable your explanation is, fear and savagery will overcome it.
No matter how civilized a person may seem, the uncultured savage beast that lives within all of us can come out in a heartbeat. It doesn’t take a lot to push someone over the edge into violence and chaos, and though we value intelligence and a scientific approach to every situation now, we will not if we are placed in a life or death situation.
Friday, July 3, 2009
31 days of summer left
Breakfast at Big City Diner. Shopping at Pearlridge with Holli, Michelle, Dayton, Nicole and Robby.
Charlotte Russe- a beaded and peace bracelet
Hollister- jacket
Hot Topic- hair accessories, sunglasses
American Eagle- shirt, bag
Subway- Tuscan Chicken sandwich
Pastry House- Key lime pie
Telling the bus to stop (good job)
The bus stopped. We got on. We got off. Holli and I stood on the top of the tunnel by the post office.
Went over to Robby's house. And saw this beautiful dog :) I wish I had a dog. Like a boss.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Skipped!
Practice! Yuhhh son
Went shopping instead haha. At Waikele again.
Charlotte Russe had a sale, and though most of it was junk things, I bought a strapless green dress (my sister said it makes me look like Grr...I've never watched Invader Zim 0.O) and earrings
Everblue- sale too. I got some cute blue shorts and a white racerback top.
Borders- just chilled in there. The chairs are sooo comfy <3
Tried some froyo. It was way too sweet. I'm hoping Yogurtland's will be much better.
Went shopping instead haha. At Waikele again.
Charlotte Russe had a sale, and though most of it was junk things, I bought a strapless green dress (my sister said it makes me look like Grr...I've never watched Invader Zim 0.O) and earrings
Everblue- sale too. I got some cute blue shorts and a white racerback top.
Borders- just chilled in there. The chairs are sooo comfy <3
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
33 more days of summer
So today I read in the newspaper that the PAAC group from Hawaii (the one that Mo is in) got isolated in South Korea for swine flu. I sure hope she is doing fine, and that it didn't ruin her trip! (Because I want nice things hahaha)
I wonder when the next bon dance is going to be. I remember my parents brought me to every single one once when I was in elementary school. I miss the smell of andagi and those Japanese flutes. Everytime I see a soft orange light, I think about the lanterns dangling overhead as the drums keep beating. Let's go bon dancing!
And I kind of really want to go to Japan. My dream! Christine and I want to go and board in the same apartment. We made that promise so long ago...
But hey I watched Like a Boss for the first time tonight. Win. Like a Boss.
I wonder when the next bon dance is going to be. I remember my parents brought me to every single one once when I was in elementary school. I miss the smell of andagi and those Japanese flutes. Everytime I see a soft orange light, I think about the lanterns dangling overhead as the drums keep beating. Let's go bon dancing!
And I kind of really want to go to Japan. My dream! Christine and I want to go and board in the same apartment. We made that promise so long ago...
But hey I watched Like a Boss for the first time tonight. Win. Like a Boss.
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