Canterbury Tales (I)

Chaucer spends a lot of time talking about how the nun has excellent table manners. I don't know why that matters. The nun would cry when an animal was hurt or dead but the monk liked to hunt them, and he lived richly while she really didn't. The monks, priests etc. were some of the most educated back then, yet this monk doesn't believe in education. Despite being a "holy man", he hunts even though that's considered unholy. He's just a total hypocrite. The merchant is in debt which is ironic because he handles money for a living, but can't seem to manage his own. The Oxford student is broke lol.  He talks about how amazing the cook is, then says he has an ulcer on his knee then goes back to food. Why? He doesn't spend a lot of time talking about the lower class people, I guess he considered them less important? which seems strange for a man who should have better beliefs than that based on his life experiences. The character's story that I most want to read is the nun's, mainly because she loves animals and so do I but honestly I didn't find any of them very interesting. Maybe the Oxford student.

Character Study (I)

So here I am, utterly lost and helpless among the sea of people also trying to find their new classes. I'm at UC Irvine, my first choice university, and I've never wanted to go home more than I do right now. I miss sitting on the couch watching TV and doing nothing. I miss my dogs. And I'll definitely miss my own bed more than a little. I wonder if I'll make any new friends anytime soon, but somehow I don't really care at the moment.
I finally find my classroom, and gawk at the amount of chairs in this room. The air is filled with the nervous buzz of the other kids trying to make pointless conversation to calm themselves down. Everyone seems so dressed up; I'm wearing an old sweatshirt and jeans. Oops. Well, I couldn't really decide what to wear this morning. Instead, I'd just told myself it didn't matter.
One year ago, I'd been a senior in high school, slacking off and more concerned with when I would be able to sleep and for how many hours if I fell asleep right now (this is the only time I ever did well with math). Then all of a sudden, I realized that I might need to do better than just "Okay" if I wanted to get where I wanted to go.  I picked myself up, finished all of my work when it was due and got better grades on everything. As a result of that (or maybe the admissions people at UC Irvine could feel me willing them incessantly), I was accepted. I remember feeling shocked, then warm and fuzzy, and finally nervous as I actually thought about it. Oh my God, what am I getting myself into? A university and I'm only eighteen? I felt so young all of a sudden. I'll be by myself for the first time. I don't know if they'll let me bring my rabbit. I'll have to make my own dinner. *shudder*.
But then I was in the car with my parents, and we were driving and trying to talk about other things, and then we were on campus, and that was it. My mom cried and my dad smiled for her, and then they were gone.
My professor, who looks a little too young for this job, smiles and greets us. I go to sit in a seat nearby, but this jerk who totally knew I wanted it sits there instead. I glare and find a different seat. I guess there are worse ways to start the year.
Some girl runs into the classroom and hands a slip of paper to my professor, then quickly runs out. He looks at it, puzzled, then looks up and says, "Is there a Lillie Edmondson here?" Everyone looks around and a low buzz starts. I raise my hand. "This is for you. Looks like someone has a job for you."
I stand up and wind my way over to him, through all of the carelessly placed backpacks. I take the slip of paper and read the message, then follow the instructions. I take all of my things and make my way to the front courtyard. But who could want to talk to me?

Mastepiece in Progress

I changed my masterpiece idea. Now, I want it to do with history. I guess. I find history really interesting, especially the era of time having to do with the ancient Egyptians/Greeks/Romans and the 1500-1800s A.D. I would like to be a museum curator somewhere like the Getty Museum in Malibu because the ancients are what that museum focuses on. That's pretty much all I've come up with.

Vocabulary #4

obsequious-obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
beatitude-supreme blessedness
bete noire-a person or thing that one particularly dislikes
bode-to be an omen of a particular outcome
dank-disagreeably damp, musty, typically cold
ecumenical-representing a number of different Christian churches
fervid-intensely enthusiastic or passionate, especially to an excessive degree
fetid-smelling extremely unpleasant
gargantuan-enormous
heyday-the period of a person's or thing's greatest success, popularity, or vigor
incubus-a cause of distress or anxiety
infrastructure-the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise
inveigle-persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery
kudos-praise and honor received for an achievement
lagniappe-something given as a bonus or extra gift
prolix-(of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy
protégé- a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person
prototype-a first, typical or preliminary model of something, especially a machine, from which other forms are developed or copied: 
sycophant-a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage.
tautology-the saying of the same thing twice in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style (e.g., they arrived one after the other in succession).
truckle-a small barrel-shaped cheese, especially cheddar

Literature Analysis #1

1. Forever Amber starts out in Marygreen in the 17th century, a humdrum little village that hasn't changed much in the hundreds of years that it has been there. Amber St. Claire feels very bored with where she lives, until she meets a group of cavaliers, falls in love with Bruce Carlton, and goes with them to London--confirming her belief that she was always meant for something more. This is the inciting incident that sets the stage for the rest of the book. The rising action consists of most of her life in London; where she goes, who she meets, hitting rock bottom, surviving the plague and rising to be the favorite mistress of King Charles II. Then she gets into a fight with Bruce, which leaves him with a bloody scratch on his face and her with cracked vertebrae, making up the climax of the story. The falling action follows with Amber trying to figure out how she'll keep Bruce in love with her (despite his having a wife) and how she'll make him forgive her. It ends when someone tricks her into believing that his wife has died, and she boards the first ship to America she can get on to follow him there and, she thinks, get Bruce to marry her.

2. One theme throughout the novel is how important youth is. The women back then, just as the women today, were terrified of growing old and were also rather naïve in thinking that it wouldn't happen to them. Men shared the common ideal that women started to "decay" after the age of 22. A woman's "prime" was considered to be in her late teens. That was seen especially through the life of Barbara Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine. Though she was the favorite mistress of the king before Amber came along, others began to take her place over the years. As she grew older, the king fell out of love with her slowly, and began to look for someone who could make him feel as she once did. Though Amber does, once, become conscious that she has aged ten years since she first came to London, she realizes that she hasn't aged outwardly a day and that keeps her able to be the King's mistress (though he does grow tired of her eventually. She doesn't notice because she's so focused on Bruce).

3. There are many tones throughout the novel as Amber grows and becomes less of a naïve girl and more of a deviant woman. At first, the tone is innocence: (trying on a pair of earrings) "And Amber leaned forward, tossing her hair back from her face so that her ears would show, her eyes shining with pleasure. They made her feel very grand, and also a little wicked. She gave Lord Carlton a sideways smile to see what he thought about it, longing to have them but afraid of making him think something bad about her if she seemed too eager." As a sixteen year old girl, the effect a new pair of earrings can have on her is rather childish--though appropriate, for where she lived no one wore earrings unless they were married. Still, to think that how she felt about earrings would have any particular effect on a man is incredibly silly. As time moves on, the author alters the tone so that Amber is still naïve where men are concerned, but is also cunningly clever in deceiving them. She starts living with a man named Rex Morgan who gets very jealous, but despite this she still sees Bruce behind his back. "Don't trouble yourself about Rex. I'll take care of him, I warrant you. I know just what I'm going to tell him--and he'll never suspect a thing." Amber takes Rex for a fool, which he's not, and uses the skills she's learned in London to deceive him over and over. Towards the end of the novel, when Bruce has a wife, Corinna, Amber tries to make sure his wife won't get her way if she can help it. It doesn't matter how small it may be--if it will make Corinna happy, Amber must quash her happiness. "Amber's voice rang through the room, loud and clear and defiant; she was half startled herself to hear it. For certainly she had no use for that calico--pretty as it was; it was printed in colors she never wore and would not have considered wearing. But Corinna had bid for it, wanted it--and must not have it." The tone here is maliciousness at its finest. Stopping the wife of the man Amber loved from being happy knew no bounds, even over a piece of material that she knew she would never wear.

4. omniscient third-person narrative -- Forever Amber is written in third person omniscient which helps the reader know what is going on in the story. It provides an in-depth look at the characters as well as helps the storyline move along.  "Amber shuddered at the sight of them and looked swiftly away for fear her own baby would be marked before birth because she had seen them. She felt that living here she had left the world--the only world that mattered to her, the world where she might see Lord Carlton again." (pg. 181) Her country superstitions had not yet left her, and they influenced how she thought she might lose the only thing she had left of Carlton.
imagery- Winsor uses loads of imagery throughout the novel. There is so much description where scenery is concerned as well as characters. It helps to understand her writing style. "The small room was warm and moist. Furious blasts of thunder made the window panes rattle and lightning seemed to streak through the room itself." (pg. 3)
dramatic irony- We find out at the end of the novel that Buckhurst's note to Amber about Carlton's wife being dead is fake, which Amber doesn't know. He is simply trying to get her out of England. This moves along the plot to the end of the novel, as the reader realizes that once Amber has gone to America, she won't return to England out of shame, and will have to build a new life elsewhere. "Buckingham looked around over his shoulder, Arlington did not look back, but they exchanged smiles. "Good riddance," muttered the Duke. Then suddenly he laughed. "Gad, but I wish I could see her face when she arrives in Virginia and finds Lady Carlton in good health! I congratulate you, sir. Your plot worked better than I hoped. We've put that troublesome jade out of our way." " (pg. 971)
hamartia- Hamartia is a big part of the book--it shows how Amber is conceited, and how she often gets in her own way. It ultimately brings her down in the royal court, as the people there only want to see her fail. Her ambition and determination to have Bruce for herself makes it easy for her to believe Buckhurst's false note. Her love for Carlton ultimately drives away Almsbury, one of her dearest friends and the most good natured man in the book. "...Won't you help me, plese? I won't say a word--I just want to look at him. And I don't know where to findhim now--he never comes to Court. Oh, Almsbury! I must see him again!" The Earl set his mouth grimly and turned away. "Not with my help you won't." " (pg. 964)
backstory- The backstory is in the form of a prologue and shows how Amber wound up in Marygreen, a small village, instead of heiress to Rosswood. Her mother was a "lady of quality", originally residing at an estate called Rose Lawn. It explains why the story begins in Marygreen. "The decision was hers to make, and there could be no explanation once she had made it. With only one extra gown and her few jewels, she left Rose Lawn. All that night she and the servant travelled and by mid-morning of the following day had come to a farmhouse in Essex which was well within the borders of Parliamentary domination." (pg. 13)
eucatastrophe- Throughout the novel, Amber passionately hopes that Carlton will marry her. When Carlton gets the plague, she nurses him back to health, and when she gets it he cares for her. After this, they go off on a sort of "vacation"on a yacht for a few months, and Amber is certain that he will marry her. After all they went through, how could he not? But he explains that he won't be marrying her, keeping the plot on the same track it was before though it may have looked like it might change. "But not all her brave assurances could still the doubts and torment that grew more insistent with each day that passed. She began to realize that, after all, nothing had changed--he still intended to go on with his life just as he had planned it, as though there had never been a plague."
framing device- There is a little bit of a framing device used toward the beginning of the novel, when Almsbury, Carlton's friend, is explaining to Amber about Carlton's past and financial issues. Through telling her, the reader also learns that Carlton is not as rich as Amber first thought him to be, though that doesn't matter to her. "Then she remembered what Almsbury had told her about Bruce's parents and added: "My father and mother are both dead. My father was killed at Marston Moor and my mother died in Paris ten years ago." " (pg. 112)
ticking clock scenario- The whole book is a waiting game--reluctantly waiting for Carlton to leave on his travels, anxiously waiting for him to come back. It seems that the whole story revolves around that with Amber's life thrown in, as he never entirely leaves her mind. Especially the first time he is set toleaveafter meeting her, Amber s counting the months nd weeks and days before he is set togo. It gives the story a feel of intensity and helplessness.
dramatic visualization- Similar to imagery, but much more descriptive. Winsor describes every detail of every character in every scene, giving the reader an exact mental image of what is going on. This is typical of Winsor's style of witing.
bildungsroman- Usually applied to genre, it means that a book shows the education or growing up of a character. This is used in Forever Amber as it shows the maturation of her mind as she grows older and the way that living in a place like London corrpts her mind--she learns to think like a Londoner so she won't be cuckolded and adapts to the way of life which would have warranted severe punishment in Marygreen.
   

Characterization

1.  Direct- "There was about her a kind of warm luxuriance,  something immediately suggestive to the men of pleasurable fulfillment--something for which she was not responsible but of which she was acutely conscious. It was that, more than her beauty, which the other girls resented." (pg. 23) Direct characterization is used mainly in the beginning so that the reader can get a feel for the personalities of the characters. Right away the reader knows that Amber is aware of her looks and uses them to her advantage.
Indirect- "His voice answered her quietly. "Leah died a year ago, in childbirth." She looked up at him swiftly, saw that he was serious and a little angry. "Oh, I'm sorry," she lied. But she turned to another subject." Amber doesn't care that one of Carlton's mistresses is dead. In fact, she's probably rather happy--less competition. Indirect characterization is used later in the book because we already know the type of person Amber is, it just indirectly verifies that.

2. The diction and syntax of the author toward Amber and other characters don't really change, besides the fact that what she writes reflects the hostility towards Amber of the other characters. "She saw other smiles too, all around her, mocking jeering faces that seemed to close in upon her, to swim and dance all about her head." When Amber loses the piece of material to Lady Carlton at the auction, everyone else is pleased to see her humiliated.

3. Amber goes through major character changes throughout the book, so she is a dynamic character. She faces a lot of conflict as well, so she is a round character. After Carlton leaves her in London while he goes to America, Amber gets herself into some trouble and lands herself in Newgate for debt. It was one of the worst prisons at the time. She gets involved with a man named Black Jack, who's basically a con man, and he gets caught one day while she gets away. He is hanged while she lives. This thought hits her hard and she has a hard time coming to grips with it. Surviving the plague changed her as well, and for the first time the reader realizes how strong she really is. She has to deal with things that may have driven anyone else insane, or at least stay with them for the rest of their lives. Conflicts with other people often arise that shape who she becomes at Court (namely making a lot of enemies) and internal conflicts, such as loving Carlton and hating him at the same time, contribute to the actions that she takes because of those feelings.

4. After reading Forever Amber, I definitely felt like I knew her. She reminds me of me in the way that we think is exactly the same, and I probably would have made the same decisions as her. I did feel like I met her and I can pretty much tell what would have happened upon her going to America and finding Lady Carlton alive and well.

Vocabulary #3

accolade-an award or privilege granted as a special honor or as an acknowledgment of merit
The girl scout was given an accolade as a reward for her bravery.
acerbity-bitterness or sharpness in tone, taste, or manner
He talked to his father with acerbity during their argument.
attrition-the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure
bromide-a trite and unoriginal idea or remark, typically intended to soothe or placate
chauvinist-a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism
Chauvinists contributed to the rising of the Nazi regime.
chronic-(of an illness) persisting for a long time or constantly recurring
She had chronic bronchitis.
expound-present and explain (a theory or idea) systematically and in detail
The sergeant sat his soldiers down and began to expound the plan of action.
factionalism-the existence of or conflict between groups within a larger group
There is a lot of factionalism within this country right now.
immaculate-(especially of a person or their clothes) perfectly clean, neat, or tidy
She made sure her clothes and shoes were immaculate for her first day at her new job.
imprecation-a spoken curse
ineluctable-unable to be resisted or avoided; inescapable
In the Twilight series, the smell that the vampires had was said to be ineluctable.
mercurial-(of a person) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind
People with bipolar disorder are mercurial.
palliate-make (a disease or its symptoms) less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause
Doctors administer morphine to someone to palliate the pain they are in, though it does not treat the cause of the pain.
protocol-the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions
resplendent-attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous
stigmatize-describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval
sub rosa-happening or done in secret
vainglory-inordinate pride in oneself or one's achievements; excessive vanity.
vestige-a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists
volition-the faculty or power of using one's will

Beowulf Essay

       Beowulf  has, for centuries, been accepted as the story of a valiant hero who slain three monsters. In doing so, Beowulf saves the lives of the Geats and becomes king. However compelling the story of Beowulf's success may be, told from a feminist perspective, it would be a tragedy. Very little is told of the monster Grendel or of his mother--and what of Beowulf himself? Grendel is said to be a descendant of Cain, who murdered his brother Abel, so Grendel is exiled and lives in misery by himself. The love of a "beast" mother for her son drove her to avenge his death. And the dragon, who was also wronged, killed for his treasure that drove Beowulf's greed. Beowulf may not truly be the gallant figure that all but eludes death.
        Grendel lives underneath the great hall and can hear all of the festivities that take place there. He feels angry that he should be condemned to live all by himself, miserable while everyone else is happy. Truthfully, he did nothing to deserve it. He is not a heartless beast, he does feel emotion. He is being punished for the crime of his ancestor, which is as unfair as it is cruel. It is only natural that someone kept away from others never to enjoy the joyful music or the kind words of others would feel as though they need to seek out revenge. While Grendel does not do the right thing by killing people, being treated wretchedly his whole life contributed to his actions. There is no one to talk to him about how he feels; he is an intelligent beast, and being treated better or at least being able to see his mother might have avoided his murderous rampage.
         During Grendel's fight with Beowulf, which he ultimately loses, Grendel knows he has lost when his claws are tied together. No longer a powerful monster, he resigns himself to the fact that he is going to die, and he does not try to fight it. After his suffering a brutal death, Grendel's mother goes to the great hall to get her revenge. A mother losing her son is a catastrophe for anyone, and beasts are no exception. Not being able to see her son would have caused pain enough for any mother, on top of being exiled and living in a swamp. Now, Grendel's mother does not kill the man who killed her son--which may have been justified--but instead kills some innocent bystander. Blinded by both rage and sadness, Grendel's mother commits the same act as that of whom she is descended from. For this, she pays with her life at the hands of the very man that caused her the pain she felt before committing murder.
       Beowulf is portrayed as the hero that everyone wants to be: strong, courageous, with only good intentions. However, his actions throughout the story speak otherwise. He is, in fact, rather greedy and full of himself, hanging up Grendel's severed arm from the rafters in the great hall as a trophy. After defeating Grendel's mother, he beheads Grendel's dead body and takes the head as a thing to be shown off, as well. At the end of his life, Beowulf instructs Wiglaf to show him the treasure for which he is going to die, then tells Wiglaf to build him a barrow and name it after him. While Beowulf's actions during life were indeed brave, whether they were for the right reason or not is debatable. He saved the lives of many Geats after killing Grendel, but did he do it for the purpose of saving lives or to win personal glory and immortality? The same question can be posed for the death of the dragon. Beowulf shows signs that he is not the great man he is always thought to be. Perhaps the dragon did not need to die--had his goblet been returned, he may have been satisfied enough to leave the people alone. Beowulf's pride ultimately leads to his death; he would not amass a large army against the dragon as he remembered how he defeated Grendel, alone, when he was younger.
       The epic of Beowulf is not nearly as simple as one lone hero defeating malicious monsters; there are many ways to look at the characters, all of whom are complex. The traditional view of the "hero" is one of a role model for those hearing the story for the first time. Despite the admirable qualities that he seems to possess, there are also less desirable characteristics that should be taken into consideration, as well as the reasons behind the actions of the villains. From a less masculine perspective, the characters morph completely into misunderstood beings that are not completely given a fair trail in life. Beowulf  will forever be seen as it always has been, that of a hero that saves a slew of people. But it is truly so much more than that, one just has to dig a little deeper and approach it at a different angle than everyone else.

Vocabulary #2

accoutrements-a piece of clothing or equipment that is used in a particular place or for a particular activity
The soldier went off to war with all of the accoutrements that he needed.
apogee-culmination: the best or greatest point
The apogee of her achievements was when she won the spelling bee.
apropos-just right: appropriate in a specific situation
The article in the newspaper was apropos for the worldly events at the time.
bicker- to argue in a bad-tempered way about something unimportant
My brother and I bicker all the time.
coalesce- to merge or cause things to merge into a single body or group
The political parties will have to learn how to coalesce if they want to accomplish anything.
contretemps-an unfortunate occurrence, especially an awkward or embarrassing one
I was in the store and witnessed the contretemps of  a mother trying to control her child.  
convolution-twisted shape: a curve, coil, or twist
The book had a lot of convolutions in its plot.
cull-remove somebody or something as worthless: to remove an inferior person or thing from a group
They had to cull him from their country club because he didn't make as much money as he initially said.
disparate-very different: describes people or things so completely unlike one another that they cannot be compared
The two sisters were so disparate from each other in their looks that everyone suspected one of them of being adopted.
dogmatic-expressing rigid opinions: prone to expressing strongly held beliefs and opinions
He was dogmatic about some topics, whereas in others he was completely uninformed.
licentious- pursuing desires aggressively and selfishly, unchecked by morality, especially in sexual matters
He was a licentious man.
mete-to distribute or apportion by measure; allot; dole
The mother was careful to mete out punishment only when her children deserved it.
noxious-harmful to life or health, especially by being poisonous
My dog has noxious gas.
polemic-passionate argument: a passionate, strongly worded, and often controversial argument against or, less often, in favor of somebody or something
There are often polemics between people of opposite political parties.
populous-densely populated
California is very populous.
probity- absolute moral correctness
When she was growing up, the girl's aspiration in life was to become a nun as she was raised in total probity.
repartee- conversation consisting of witty remarks
The two chess geeks had a repartee regarding the rules of the game.
supervene- to follow or come about unexpectedly, usually interrupting or changing what is going on
The announcement regarding the change in plans surprised everyone, as it supervened what everyone thought was going on.
truncate-shorten something by removing part
The car was truncated when the wannabe hoodlums altered it so it sat almost touching the ground.
unimpeachable- impossible to discredit or challenge
People like to believe that certain politicians are unimpeachable, but that isn't true.