The End (?)

Today, I changed my seat. Though it may not appear to be a big deal in the grand scheme of it all, Chris shall delve into the deeper meaning behind his relocation. I moved from the middle of the classroom to the back of the room. From my new home, I am able to observe much more than I was able to before. I can see mostly everyone, which allows me to people-watch, the All-American Past Time. Also, the lights are off back here and it is a wee bit cooler. Maura is looking up pictures of Marlon Brando, who may or may not be sweating more than most of the school right now. This is actually a disgusting time of the year due to the heat, but it is also wonderful outside and the only thought in my head is what makes people want outdoor weddings in the middle of August? That's not comfortable for the bride, groom, or any of the guests, especially that one really rich ninety year old aunt that is only brought out during special occasions. Much like the fine china set she bought you for your wedding. I do not know if this is the last blog post for the year, so I am unsure how to end this. As stated before, for all those that have stuck with me to the very end, your bill is in the mail.

I Can Make a Rhyme Anytime

Forewarning: this post will not be funny. Chris is shackled and can not let his mind wander freely from subject to subject in this blog post. Chris must focus on poetry. Bear with Chris.

Terza Rima- Three line stanzas following the rhyming pattern ABA BCB.
Villanelle- Five tercets followed by a quatrain. The first and third lines of the opening tercet are repeated alternately in the succeeding stanzas, as well as in the poem's final two lines.
Sestina- Repetition of the initial six end words. 1. ABCDEF 2. FAEBDC 3. CFDABE 4. ECBFAD 5. DEACFB 6. BDFECA 7. ECA or ACE

An example of a Terza Rima Poem

Spring

(A) New life begins to spring to life in spring
(B) Green shoots appear in the April showers
(A) Birds migrate back home and rest tired wings

(B) Summer brings green fields full of bright flowers
(C) Paddling pools and ice creams all around
(B) The sun shines fiercely with all its powers

(C) Autumn sends leaves tumbling to the ground
(D) The sun sinks lower leaving longer nights
(C) Conkers and acorns waiting to be found

(D) Winter is a time for Halloween frights
(E) Snow on the ground and Jack Frost's ache
(D) Celebrations filled with festive delights

(E) As winter ends the new year starts to make
(E) New life begins to spring to life and awake.

The rhyme structure found in the above poem, "Spring," makes it a Terza Rima. The poem is describing what happens as the seasons make their way throughout the year. However, the title of the poem indicates which season the poet feels is superior to all others. "New life begins to spring to life in spring." The poet contends that without the season of spring, the rest of the seasons would not be possible. There would be no summer "green fields full of bright flowers." Autumn would have no leaves to send "tumbling to the ground." Winter would have no end. Spring is not only beautiful, but it is the essential season from which all other seasons are brought to life.   

Year in Review

Sans Katic Couric, Chris shall be reviewing his year in AP Lit so far. I could not remember everything that we had done this year. Thankfully I have my literary shepherd, Mrs. Hoffman, to prod me in the right direction. This year alone we have covered Shakespeare's Othello, countless short stories, Ayn Rand's Anthem, independent novels, A Raisin in the Sun, Waiting for Godot, poetry slams, and amazingly I still have time to save the world before dinner. I always enjoy doing plays, Books are great for individual reading, but plays practically require a group setting. I enjoy reading them, acting them, and seeing them be performed. I would love to be able to act out another play (for all that missed Chris in last year's Macbeth- you missed an Oscar worthy performance that critics heralded as "not the best they've ever seen but gets the job done"). Its been a blast so far, and I still have a quarter left of AP Lit before I graduate, so yeah you could say I'm excited. But the thing I'll miss the most is you, my precious blog followers. Cherish the time we have left.

Nihilism and Existentialism and Absurdity, oh my!

Waiting for Godot explores, or may just be, the human condition. While looking at the human condition, there are many lens one may use to observe the spectacle of life. Three philosophical views on Godot are Nihilism, Existentialism, and Absurdity. Looking through these lenses changes one's view on the story, but also adds a new dimension, a deeper level on which the mind ponders, "What exactly just happened?"

Nihilism is the philosophical belief that nothing matters. There is no value attached to anything, and nothing on earth even matters. This view seems pessimistic at first; but it is actually quite freeing. To know that nothing matters really breaks the holds that commercialism and consumerism have on our everyday lives. In Waiting for Godot, Vladimir and Estragon act without a care in the world. The treat their lives as meaningless- even going as far as to commit suicide just because they are bored. However, their nihilistic attitudes have procured a childlike innocence, as well as the everlasting hope for a better tomorrow knowing nothing can hurt them today.

Existentialism is the art of thinking. Think about life- why you are alive, what's the purpose of your life, does life even have a purpose? Don't think too hard; you'll hurt yourself. This train of thought allows the mind, particularly the subconscious, to roam free. While you are busy examining life's toughest questions, questions which do not have an easy answer, your mind wanders and small revelations are revealed. It is these small revelations in which we find life. Vladimir and Estragon have nothing but free time to talk to each other and think. They know they are waiting for Godot to come, but why exactly are they waiting? What is Godot going to offer them. Will Godot ever show up? While pondering these questions, Didi and Gogo have "meaningless" conversation, which reveals the truth that humans crave the company of others, as well as the hope that brighter days are coming.

Absurdity, by definition, is the quality or state of being ridiculous or wildly unreasonable. Most, all, of Waiting for Godot is absurdity. The conversations, the setting, the characters and their actions are all absurd. Pozzo has Lucky on a leash. The tree grows leaves overnight. But all these "absurdities" are normal in the world of Godot. Would they look at our world and find things we deem normal as absurd? Such as the rigidness of our everyday schedules, or that people lose faith in their dreams. What one sees as absurd, another sees as normal. In this way, is not everything an absurdity? And living in a world full of absurdities, is normal.

One Day My Prince Will Come

It seems that from a young age, humans are trained to wait. Classic Disney movies of old, including Cinderella, Snow White, etc. are all about women who are waiting for this man to come and save them and make their lives better. Setting aside the gender issues for now, the theme of stories like these is waiting. In Waiting for Godot, Didi and Gogo are literally sitting around outside, trying to pass the time until this mysterious man comes and sweeps them off their feet. Connecting that with today's societal concerns, far too many people today are abusing programs such as welfare in order to avoid work. Like the aforementioned characters, they are sitting around, trying to pass the time until their next government check comes in. Why are humans so innately drawn to waiting? As the old adage goes, "Fortune favors the brave." The only way to save yourself, make a better life, is to actually go out and do it yourself. Be your own Godot; be your own prince. Don't waste your time waiting on someone else to lead your life.

This is Water

To quickly paraphrase David Foster Wallace's story, fishes are swimming around and one fish swims by saying "The water's nice." One fish turns to his swimming companion and says, "What the hell is water?"

I believe that Wallace is getting at the almost auto-pilot setting that many people use for their everyday lives. Routine kills the imagination. We become so numb, so accustomed to the everyday drive that it takes us months to realize, hey- when did they repaint that building? When did they plant that flowerbed? When did they tear down that playground? If it does not involve us, auto-pilot. If it does not excite us, auto-pilot. We need to stop letting life literally pass us by as we stare out into the hazy mist, searching for the beacons of excitement. Clear your own fog- appreciate the novelties of life such as a heads up penny or inspiring graffiti. Someone went out of their way to give someone else a little slice of happiness; cherish it. If that isn't enough to get you to take firm control of your life, I don't know what will.

Waiting to finally start Godot

"The Human Condition"  is not a foreign horror movie. Rather, it is the thoughtful examination of what it means to be human. Not just the science-y stuff; the all around. To eat, pray, AND love. This topic coincides with my independent novel- Frankenstein. This novel examines the same thread- what makes life life? Can you be considered alive just because you are breathing and moving? Or is Nicki Minaj speaking the truth when saying "everybody dies, but not everybody lives."?

I expect Samuel Becket's Waiting for Godot to be a dialogue based play. I doubt there will be much, if any, action. I predict the play will be philosophical and deep and thought-provoking... just as all literature is. I wonder what makes this play deeper and more philosophical-er than anything else. I guess we'll just have to ---- think about it.  

Clybourne Park Comedians

Clybourne Park is a two-act play based off of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun. While Clybourne Park deals with literally every issue you can imagine, this blog will focus on an issue that I deem as one of the most noticeable: humor throughout the years. Acte I (set in 1959) and Acte II (set in 2009) both contain "jokes." However, the jokes have certainly changed between generations. In 1959, the jokes the actors tell are just not as funny to the audience. The humor was dry, a bit bland, and seemed like it belonged on a children's show run by the FCC. Acte II was the complete opposite- it was an FCC nightmare. There were inappropriate sex jokes, off color racist jokes, and jokes that are just offensive. Perhaps the playwright was trying to convey the sense that as the years have gone on, people have loosened their tongues. Nothing is safe anymore, and jokes are made about anything and everyone. This could be a reflection on the loss of society's morals. Nobody bats an eye when the F bomb is dropped nowadays. In fact, I sometimes wonder why it is even a curse word due to the frequency with which it is used today. At any rate, the play really made me evaluate what people find as amusing, and made me question why we find these jokes just so funny?

Impending DOOM

Chris began a new independent reading novel this week. Long gone are the days of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. Here are the days of Frankenstein. Chris realizes now that the name of my blog is as obsolete as Mariah Carey when it's not Christmas. Having no knowledge of how, nor energy to, change the name of this wonderful work of literary art, Chris digresses.

"Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction."
"Such were the professor's words- rather let me say such the words of fate, enounced to destroy me."

We all know the overlying story arch of Frankenstein. Man creates monster, monster turns on man, angry mob, yada yada. So it comes to no surprise that Mary Shelley's book is oozing with foreshadowing, suspense, and just a dark, eerie aura of impending disaster. The narrator, Victor Frankenstein (from this point on Chris will call him Vic), is retrospectively relating the story of his demise to the readers. There appears to be a reoccurring theme of destruction- but what kind of destruction? Vic is telling the story, so Chris is assuming that he survives. Could it be a destruction of everything Vic holds near and dear? His father, his friends, his adopted sister (who may or may not have been "given" to Vic on his mother's deathbed, but this relationship is a whole other story)? Or could it be a destruction of morals? Is Shelley warning that tampering with science and nature and the very essence of man could be our undoing? Chris is certainly excited to find out. Chris is also wondering about the whole brother- sister thing as Chris is a little confused and worried. Poor girl has no idea what she's getting into. Stay tuned.

Pressure Makes Diamonds

An increase in pressure occurs with a decrease in area. In "A Raisin in the Sun," the entire Younger clan is smushed into the tiny apartment. They bounce against the walls, and against each other, until the pressure becomes so great that an eruption occurs. Everyone in this apartment feels the pressure and the squeeze, the iron vice of poverty. The most depressing vision of poverty in this story occurs when watching Travis. Travis sleeps on the couch every night, in a room that Walter uses to conduct "business" with his friends. Travis goes to sleep late each night, wakes up early every morning, and goes to school. All of the pressure to get out of poverty leads Travis to take on an after school job at the tender age of eight years old. He is being robbed of his childhood, not being able to play outside, have fun, and make memories as often as he'd like to, due to the fact that he is carrying groceries in order to make some more money for his family. Child poverty is extremely difficult; trying to keep up with the other children your age who have more money, better toys, and more opportunities. And even though Travis is making money, it is not nearly enough. Looking on the bright side, this pressure will turn Travis into a moral man. Travis is learning the value of a dollar, how good rest feels after a hard days work. These life lessons can only be taught by experience, giving Travis an advantage over those his age who have never lifted a finger in their lives. One day, Travis will look back on these days and know that while the work was hard, the reward was well deserved.

One is the Loneliest Number

Two can be as bad as one- its the loneliest number since the number one. In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, it may seem impossible for characters to ever feel lonely based on the fact that five people are all living within one apartment. The loneliness I shall be discussing is a loneliness of the mind. Walter Lee is different from the rest of his family. Being the only man in the apartment, paired with the fact he does not make as much money as he'd like, often emasculates him. He dreams of making enough to support his wife and child comfortably in their own home. Thus, the liquor store plan. Walter Lee, sans support of Ruth, wishes to invest the insurance money in what appears to others to be a "get rich quick" scheme. Perhaps this is only because they refuse to read the details. Perhaps this plan is a definite way to make money. If Walter were a woman, would the other women listen to him? Could sexism be playing a role in Walter's voice being drowned out? Sexism usually occurs against women, which is why many people are not able to recognize that, in this instance, Walter's gender actually puts him at a disadvantage in his matriarchal family. The question then becomes, what happens to a lonely man's dream deferred?

LET MY PEOPLE GO

Today we are going to discuss the big O. That's right...... oppression. Celebrated playwright Lorraine Hansberry dives headfirst into this issue with her play A Raisin in the Sun. Are people today free from the chaffing shackles of slavery, or are we as bound to another human as African Americans were during the 1800s? The slavery of today is an invisible slavey, born in the corrupt minds and cold hearts of our ancestors and bred into us; an almost instinctive trait to dislike or fear that which does not resemble us. For some people, nurture conquers nature and they can look at people for who they really are. For others, their eyes go only skin deep. People are denied opportunities for "other reasons," a politically correct term used to "Keep America White." I do not know the solution to this problem; this problem that began with our great great great great grandparents and possibly even before them. However, there is a light at the end of this tunnel; and that light is in fact multi-colored. As generations pass, people are becoming more accepting towards minorities. One day, the majority of society will be able to truly become America- The Melting Pot. This day is not in the near future. But it is in the future.

Shaking the Foundation

There are many things that unsettle people. Whether its a derogatory word, or phrase, or even a rampant attitude that everyone seems to have. Each person is unhinged by different things. Personally, I cannot tolerate anti- gay people. I just get angry when people make fun of someone for being gay; it literally does not make sense to me. Nor does it make sense when men feel like just because they know a gay man that that man is attracted to them. Not every straight woman ins attracted to you, why should every gay man? I also extremely dislike people who are just openly anti- gay, people who go out of their way to show other people how heterosexual they are. One of my biggest pet peeves is the phrase "turned gay." In my opinion, you do not "turn gay." You are born that way; and it takes some people longer to figure it out than others. And that is okay. Why are we condemning people from being themselves? And when people say that gay couples "ruin the sanctity of marriage" they look like complete ******* because I can think of a miiiiiliion examples of straight marriages that are less than saintly. Its time for people to stop making gay people's lives so hard and just let them live. For the record I am not gay, which makes these views even more unpopular because not very many straight people are okay with homosexuals. Hopefully the current trend in progressing gay rights continues so that America can be one step closer to living up to "...and liberty and justice for all."

I Hate Reflections (Part II)

I have always liked English classes because they are different from other classes. Math and science and history are all well and fine and necessary to get a good job; English may in fact be the most necessary. It is a nice break from the school day to learn more about yourself. Your writing style (I lean towards elementary school level rhyming patterns fyi), your opinion on things that others deem unimportant such as why "the classics" may not be so classic and why books today are just as powerful. I especially enjoyed the slam poems this year. I don't think I want to write a serious, emotional poem and perform it for the class, so I stay with humor. It is lighthearted and fun and I enjoy writing them. And if people tell me that it is not "real poetry" or doesn't measure up to the brilliant, sophisticated metaphor coated, emotional masterpiece that I "don't understand," I am perfectly fine with that. This has not been much of a reflection, but I think I've covered an important part of English class, and life. Do what you want- what  makes you happy- nothing else matters.

Miley, the transcendentalist

Can't Be Tamed- Miley Cyrus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjSG6z_13-Q

"Can't Be Tamed"

For those who don't know me,
I can get a bit crazy
Have to get my way,yep
24 hours a day
'cause I'm hot like that

Every guy, everywhere
just gives me mad attention
Like I'm under inspection
I always gets a ten,
'cause I'm built like that

I go through guys like money
flyin' out the hands
They try to change me
but they realize they can't
And every tomorrow is a day I never plan
If you're gonna be my man understand

I can't be tamed
I can't be tamed
I can't be blamed
I can't, can't, I can't, can't be tamed
I can't be changed
I can't be tamed
I can't be, can't, I can't be tamed

If there was a question about my intentions,
I'll tell ya
I'm not here to sell ya
Or tell you to go to hell
(I'm not a brat like that)
I'm like a puzzle
but all of my pieces are jagged
If you can understand this,
we can make some magic,
I'm wrong like that

I wanna fly,
I wanna drive,
I wanna go
I wanna be a part of something I don't know
And if you try to hold me back I might explode
Baby, by now you should know

I can't be tamed
I can't be tamed
I can't be blamed
I can't, can't, I can't, can't be tamed
I can't be changed
I can't be tamed
I can't be, can't, I can't be tamed

Well I'm not a trick you play,
I'm wired a different way
I'm not a mistake,
I'm not a fake,
It's set in my DNA
Don't change me
Don't change me
Don't change me
Don't change me
(I can't be tamed)

I wanna fly,
I wanna drive,
I wanna go
I wanna be a part of something I don't know
And if you try to hold me back I might explode
Baby, by now you should know

I can't be tamed
I can't be tamed
I can't be blamed
I can't, can't, I can't, can't be tamed
I can't be changed
I can't be tamed
I can't be, can't, I can't be tamed

A major ideal of transcendentalism is individuality. One of the greatest transcendentalists, Emerson, makes a powerful statement on individualism in "Self- Reliance" (1841). He contends that "...envy is ignorance; imitation is suicide." Simply stated, transcendentalists value an individuals that stray off the beaten path, unafraid to be themselves. Emerson also states that "We but half express ourselves..." Transcendentalists often reject society's boundaries, limitations, and rules that confine them to be something they are not. Miss Cyrus perfectly captures this attitude in her 2010 song "Can't Be Tamed." 

Miley Cyrus is well known for portraying teenage superstar "Hannah Montana" on the Disney Channel show by the same name. America, having seen this sweet, innocent girl on television, was shocked when songs such as "Can't Be Tamed" appeared on the radio. However, Miss Cyrus has made it perfectly clear that she is in fact Miley Cyrus, a person completely separate from the entity that is Hannah Montana. Society wants Miley Cyrus to maintain the character of Hannah Montana; but Hannah is just a character on a TV show. Miley is a woman completely different than that. Because Miley's personality is vastly different from Hannah's, America has shunned her. Called her inappropriate and said she should act her age. What many people seem to forget is that she IS acting her age. Miley Cyrus is 21 years old. She is no longer a child; she is a legal adult who can make her own life choices. Miley has made it very clear that she will continue to do what makes her happy, no matter what anyone has to say. "They try to change me but they realize they can't And every tomorrow is a day I never plan." Miss Cyrus, much like Emerson and the rest of the transcendentalists, simply can't be tamed.  

Deep Quotes for a Thursday Morning

Ralph Waldo Emerson- "For everything you have missed, you have gained something else." One basic rule of the universe is that everything is balanced. For every action, a reaction. For every dark, a light, etc. So it stands to reason that what Emerson is stating is in fact a truth. For everything you supposedly "missed out on," you experienced a whole new unforeseen adventure. Think of the man who has a job in high school. True, he may miss out on social events every once in a while, but consider what he is gaining. Money, a work ethic, experiences in the grown up world. Life lessons that will never be learned going to the movies or attending a party. In reality, that man missed nothing at all.

Henry David Thoreau- "What is once well done is done forever." While imitation is the highest form of flattery, it is not always so warmly received. Take the movie Psycho by Hitchcock. A classic, timeless movie that was made back in 1960. Again, take the movie Psycho. Except this time it was remade in 1998 and for some reason staring Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates. When people reference this movie, they reference the Hitchcock version; only those mocking it will reference the 1998 version. That is because the original version was done so well that it will be done forever. People may try to copy its glory, but only a true, original work of well done art will stand the test of time.