Macbeth Essay Questions

1. How and why is the contrast between appearance and reality so important in the

play? Include the role the witches play in affecting the play’s events.

2. What is Shakespeare saying about the nature of prophecy and fate? Just because

the witches predict things doesn’t mean they’re able to see the future…right?

3. What is Shakespeare saying about what it means to be a man? Which

character(s) do you think Shakespeare believes is the best example of a man?

4. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change dramatically over the course of the play,

and their marriage changes, too. What are these changes, what causes them, and

how and why is their relationship in the end so different from their relationship in

the beginning?

5. At the end of the play, is Macbeth’s death a good or bad thing, i.e., are we

satisfied to see Macbeth defeated or upset to see a potentially great man fall?

Finally, is Macbeth a tragic hero?

Literature Analysis #3

The Jungle centers around a family who immigrated to Chicago’s Packingtown from Lithuania to “get rich”. The family comes in hesitant to trust Americans, but optimistic about what the future will bring. However, as time passes the family begins to realize the harsh realities of working in this industrial nightmare. The whole family finds jobs in the meat packing district and each endures their own kind of horrors. Although the novel includes a variety of characters, the plot mostly focuses on Jurgis who is the “man of the house”. The family continues to struggle  and everyone is forced to make sacrifices. They reach a breaking point when Jurgis’s wife,  Ona dies while giving birth to a still born baby. Jurgis breaks down but trudges on with the thought of his one year old so Antanas on his mind. Tragedy strikes once again when Jurgis comes home to find that Antanas has drownd in the streets. This absolutely destroys Jurgis so he leaves the family and Chicago to go live by himself in the country side. Jurgis continues to live an unstable, homeless life where he tries many different menial jobs, gets involved in crooked politics and begins to steal. Eventually Jurgis falls into a group of men who are trying to spread the idea of socialism and he joins their cause.


The obvious theme throughout this novel is that capitalism can be extremely cruel. Sinclair brings the reader on a journey of despair, tragedy and hopelessness by highlighting the evils of living in “dog eat dog world”. The true evil that is revealed that in capitalism few truly benefit while the working class faces a daily struggle of trying to stay alive.

The authors tone in this novel is sympathetic. It is evident that Sinclair feels for his characters and thinks it is extremely unjust the way they are living. Sinclair wrote this to make others aware of how horrible workers are treated so his tone is defiantly in favor of the working class.

Characterization

Sinclair uses direct characterization in the beginning of the novel when he describes Jurgis as being big, confident and strong. These traits aren’t revealed through actions they are written plainly by the author. An example of indirect characterization is when Jurgis goes after Ona’s boss for sending her to the whore house. This shows how quick of a temper Jurgis has and how deeply he cares about his poor wife.

The diction and syntax remain relatively the same throughout the novel. Sinclair varies in sentence length both the story is written simply and easy to follow. However, at the end the book becomes more technical when going in depth about politics and socialism. During these politically driven chapters there are many long speeches that Sinclair includes from various socialist supporting men.

Jurgis is practically the definition of a dynamic character. He arrives in Chicago optimistic and hopeful then when trouble falls on him he becomes hardened and dark. Later on he changes again and experiments with being a thief and having crooked morals. The novel ends with him finding hope again and having a cause, something to live for and believe in. It seems as though he goes through major personality changes frequently and I believe this to be a direct result of the corrupt, atrocious atmosphere he is surrounded by.

This book actually changed my outlook on a lot of things and affected me in a number of ways. I was disgusted by not only the food making processes but also the incredibly terrible treatment of the workers in Packingtown. The worst part of reading this novel is making the realization that the things Sinclair wrote about were based off of true events. Sure they may not have been a Jurgis or an Ona but their were/ still are thousands of millions of people who lived the terrible lives and received the despicable treatment that the characters in this book did. This book has furthered my interest in helping the poor and aiding those who do not have a voice.

 

Essay Draft/ Brainstorming

PROMPT
1979 Choose a complex and important character in a novel or a play of
recognized literary merit who might, on the basis of the character’s actions alone,
be considered evil or immoral. In a well-organized essay, explain both how and
why the full presentation of the character in the work makes us react more
sympathetically than we otherwise might. Avoid plot summary.

Immoral: not conforming to accepted standards

Both Bernard and John the Savage. The latter more extreme and vocal about it.

John: throws out all the soma, mourns over mothers death, disgusted by the “twins, repulsed by Lenina’s sexual advances

Lit Techniques: indirect characterization, allusions, juxtaposition

Go Go Go

Our project is officially launched! Go follow us at:
 theadventuresofusproject.tumblr.com

10 Questions

The 10 questions I would ask my experts are...
1. What's the biggest lesson your adventures have taught you?
2. Where is your favorite place you have been?
3. Who inspires you?
4. What are your plans for the future?
5. Do you regret anything in life?
6. Who do you love?
7. What do you look forward to in life?
8. What inspired your journey?
9. Tips on traveling?
10. What's the best advice you have ever received?

Literary Analysis #2

Summary: Brave New World is a science fiction novel set on Earth but far into the future. The book starts by giving an over view of the world state and showing how everything is calculated, calm and predicted. From the time they were fertilized in the lab to death, people in this Brave New World live a predetermined future. There is a very strict caste system set in place that all members of society are brainwashed into embodying.  Bernard lives in the world but his imperfections make him feel out of place in this “perfect” society. He pushes boundaries and asks the Director if he can go visit the savage reservation with a girl he likes named Lenina. On the reservation, savages live in dirty conditions but have free will and choices. Bernard is intrigued by this starkly different world while Lenina is repulsed. Bernard brings back a savage named John to the civilized world. At first John enjoys himself but as time goes on he gets angry about how everyone around him acts like clones or robots. At the climax of the book John starts pouring out and destroying cases of soma, a drug the people in the new world use often to feel happy and carefree. Due to this outburst John, Bernard and his friend Helmholtz are taken up to the Director. The Director exiles Bernard and Helmholtz off to an island but tells them that they might actually like it. John is forced to stay in the new world and goes off to live by himself up in the mountains. He works very hard daily building and gardening and occasionally whipping himself for the sins he thinks he has committed. Reporters see this and make a movie about it which draws many curious citizens to visit John at his house. A crowd is present when John sees Lenina (who he loves and is attracted too) and John snaps and runs over and starts whipping her. The crowd gets excited and circles the beating in a flurry of violence. Later Bernard is found in his house where he hung himself.

Theme: The theme of this book is that people are too dependent on technology and too submissive to authority. A combination of these two things results in a loss of individualization for virtually all of society. Everyone is living in an unrealistic bubble content living a life without freewill.

Tone: This book is a satirical cautionary tale to Huxley’s audience. His tone is disapproving but the majority of the book he presents events factually without bias.

“The operation undergone voluntarily for the good of Society, not to mention the fact that it carries a bonus amounting to six months' salary."

"You all remember, I suppose, that beautiful and inspired saying of Our Ford's: History is bunk."

"All of the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects."

Literary Techniques:

Repetition: Throughout the novel Huxley mentions that people in society are conditioned to repeat and embody certain sayings.

"Ending is better than mending. The more stitches, the less riches."

Allusion: Multiple times during the novel phrases are used that are parallel to how we would use God’s name in vain today.

“Oh, Ford!”

Allusion x 2: The use of Ford is a reference to Henry Ford who is responsible for creating assembly line production which basically represents the new world.

“Thank Ford!”

Symbolism: Symbolism is used a lot throughout the book. An example of this is the drug soma which represents and escape and disconnect from reality for the people living in the new world.

"A gramme is better than a damn."

Simile: Multiple similes are used throughout the novel to compare citizens to mindless but effective insects.

“Like maggots they had swarmed defilingly over the mystery of Linda’s death”


Characterization

Indirect/ Direct: An example of direct characterization is when Huxley flat out states that Bernard is insecure about the fact that he is shorter than the typical Alpha. In contrast, indirect characterization shows Bernard’s cowardliness when John and Helmholtz are dumping out the soma and Bernard does not help them because he does not want to get in trouble. When the police show up he even tries to tell them he doesn’t even know the pair and should not be taken into custody with them.

Syntax/ Diction: When focusing on John someone who actually shows passion and feeling both positive and negative, I found that Huxley used a slightly more dramatic word choice to emphasize the difference between him and more robotic characters like Lenina. The graphic detailed whipping scene language also serves to emphasize the contrast between John and the Brave New World.

Static/Dynamic: I believe Bernard is a dynamic character because he struggles with his motives and values throughout the novel. He at first is disgusted by society and people around him at the beginning of the book and questions his place in the world constantly. However, when he brings John back to the New World and is treated with respect and awe, Bernard seems to forget about his previous disapproval. He loves his time in the spot light and when this is taken away he gets disgusted all over again. It seems as though Bernard’s happiness is always fleeting because it depends on the approval of others.

After reading this book I didn’t really feel like I met any of the characters, but it did make me look at our world today in a new light. Is Huxley right? Is this the direction society is heading for? I hope not. The Brave New World is so cold and devoid of real passion, emotion or love. Sure the members of society in the book don’t care because they don’t know anything different. But everybody alive today and I know what these people are missing.

  

Launch

On an earlier post I elaborated on what my launch will be but I will expand upon that right now.
I am working together with Taylor Duguran, Meghan Martella and Kylie Sagisi for my masterpiece. Our plan is to create a list of things we want to do before our senior year is over like hiking, concerts, yoga, kickboxing... pretty much anything that's fun, new and exciting is welcome on the list. We are also going to integrate an element of positive change in each activity we do. The concept is to experience while also leaving someone or something better than when you found them/it. This could be passing out lunch to homeless on a trip to San Luis or planting flowers during a day of Frisbee golf at the park. We want to prove that fun and positivity go hand and hand and actually thrive off the success of the other. Anyone and everyone are welcome to join us in this movement as long as they bring an optimistic attitude. We plan to document each event with either photos or videos and then post them into one massive college of happiness on a blog.