Thursday, January 15, 2015
Stop the Ride....I want to hop on!!!!!
Welcome. You have been very busy since I have been gone. Tell me what you have learned. What have been your favorite assignments. What are you finding are your strengths in AP Literature? What readings have you enjoyed the most and what do you hope to learn during the second half of the year?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis year has been quite eventful for our AP Literature class, to which we can all attest. I have learned so much about basically everything. We learned about Nihilism, a very interesting, yet disturbing theory that people live by. We learned about tons and tons of poetry, learning how to analyze it to the fullest of our ability so that we could understand all of the insanely complex symbolism, conceits, and meters. I learned about many authors who shaped some of the most interesting novels I've read at this point in my life. Most importantly though, I have learned time management skills and that I have the ability and knowledge to achieve great things for myself if I stay focused and positive.
ReplyDeleteThroughout this year, we have seen some pretty exciting, and some not as exciting, assignments. Personally, my absolute favorite assignment that we had this year was reading "Crime and Punishment". I absolutely love reading, and this was such a cool novel to read. Raskolnikov was such an intriguing character, and I really liked how we each were able to contribute our opinions when we did our summaries and presentations on the chapters. I also enjoyed all of the poetry that we did, but especially John Donne. His writings were just so compelling and complex. I liked the challenge that they extended to me. This carried forward into our poetry project. While stressful, it was a great project. And finally, having the chance to write a personal reflection paper when we haven't really had any chance to do any opinion papers was something I really enjoyed. It helped me to relieve some of the stress that I have been dealing with and let me really show how I like to write. Also, telling the students for next year about AP Literature was an experience I enjoyed.
We have had so many opportunities in this class. I think that some of the opportunities that have appeared were hidden, slipped in slyly by Dr. Diiulio. Because we did so many presentations, I am now more comfortable speaking in front of people. I can actually focus on my notes and present them in a logical order which I wasn't really able to do before we had this opportunity. Also, we were given the opportunity to get our work out into the public through the essay contests that we participated in. Knowing that someone outside of our area was going to be reading and critiquing my work made me want to do even better in it. I have also grown stronger in my ability to read and analyze poetry and novels. Because of all of our assignments, I had plenty of practice in which to grow in my abilities. Especially reading our shorter Christmas break novels, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Reading Nikolai Gogol was probably the best part of my break which I spent recuperating from having my wisdom teeth removed.
I know we still have a lot of the year to go, but I have high hopes for it. I really am looking forward to seminars again. I think that they really helped me to take in other opinions on the works and further my knowledge on the subjects. I am also looking forward to being reenergized when I return from the Dominican Trip. I am excited for whatever Mrs. Messineo has in place for us, and I can't wait to get started!
Hannah,
DeleteI agree with a lot, if not all, of what you said! Somehow I knew that "Crime and Punishment" would make it on your list of favorites. It was one of my favorites as well! I also enjoyed the chapter reviews we did as a class, I thought they were extremely beneficial to make sure that we all knew where we were and any questions that we had were answered before continuing. At first, I thought it was weird how we were not permitted to read ahead, but I think it was for the best.
I forgot about John Donne! Of course, I could never actually forget him, but I didn't even think to specifically mention him and now I am wishing that I would have. He is such an amazing poet and I wish we would have had more time to focus on just him and his works. Actually, how cool would a purely poetry english course be? Anyway, your blog was excellent.
P.S.I hope you enjoy your time on your mission trip! It was so cool getting to see you before we left, how ironic that we were all in the same hotel! We are all still praying for safe travels.
Here we are at the end of the first semester. Looking back, I don't think I have learned as much in AP Lit at this point as I had in AP Lang after the first two quarters, however, I have still learned more than I thought. I leaned that procrastinating, especially when it comes to reading novels, is NOT a good thing. It only leads to late nights, lack of sleep, and being cranky the next day. Just like Doctor Pam said, it is important to read when you're fully awake because you retain the information that way. I remember reading Fences and then the next thing I knew I had fallen asleep; I couldn't remember what I read and ended up having to go back over it.
ReplyDeleteI like reading but I'm not a big fan of having to read for assignments. To be honest, it is something I actually hate. AP Literature is a lot of reading, I knew that going in. However, I didn't realize that I wouldn't like some of the books we read. For example, most of you know I did not like Crime and Punishment and The Misanthrope. I did greatly enjoy Fences, The Awakening, and Trifles. These books are the thing that kept me going when we were reading a work I didn't like because I knew we would be moving on soon enough.
Although it required some work and deep thoughts, my favorite assignment was the poetry project we did where we had to incorporate our theme into a paper. For example, if you're confused, Devyn did Poetry on Fire, Ann did Poetry in a Bottle, and I did Poetry in the Raw. I liked it because it allowed us to follow the guidelines we were given while also being creative. I think incorporating creativity into my paper is one of my strengths in AP Literature. I also think that analyzing poetry has become one of my stronger suits in the class due to all of the analyses we did.
AP Lit has already been a lot of ups and downs but I am very excited to continue my journey. I am most excited to begin to seminar again while also looking forward to possibly judging the AP Lang debates. I, as much as I stressed over creating the semester portfolio, am looking forward to having to make another one at the end of the second semester because I know now how truly amazing it feels to look back at everything I've done and realize how much I've improved. I can't wait to see what the rest of the year in AP Literature has in store.
Jess,
DeleteI knew that you would mention your hate for "Crime and Punishment" because I mentioned my love for it - we always seem to disagree! However, I am glad to say that I agree with and share you excitiment for the next semester. I'm sure that will fade away soon enough as I get into the musical and you get farther into gymnastics but let's enjoy it for now! I, too, am looking forward to seminaring and hopefully a debate - I mentioned it to Ian and he said he would like to judge if we would have him! I agree that you have a strength in poetry because I was often impressed by the unique and often accurate meanings that you found in some of the poems we read. This kind of amused me because I thought my weakness was in poetry - see, we are destined to be opposites! I know that our minds will continue to expand and I have found that I learn as much from you and our other classmates as I do from Dr. Pam and now to be Mrs. Messineo. By the way, I'm glad you liked Trifled because I did, too! Nice job and have a good weekend!
Jessica,
DeleteProcrastination gets the best me of too, and I pay for it like you. It's nice to know I am not the only who fell asleep while reading some of our homework! I am also not a huge fan of reading works that are assigned. I like to choose my own material to dive into, but I loved most of what we read. I know you did not like Crime and Punishment, but I have to say it was better than I expected. I loved The Misathrope, but Trifles bored me to death. It is interesting to see the contrast in what we like to read. That poetry project was also one of my favorites! I thought it really showed some of our own personalities in the theme that we chose, and it was cool seeing how each individual took the theme and incorporated it into poetry. I wish I was better at analyzing poetry, but that is something I am trying my best at. I have really missed our AP Lang seminars so I hope we incorporate those into our class this semester. I cannot wait to see what Mrs. Messineo has in store for us these next two quarters. Great blog, Jess!
Jess,
DeleteI must say out of all the blogs this week I found your the most relatable. Procrastination and Ap Lit does not work well together at all, especially when reading a novel. I must say that quote from Dr. Pam is very true "it is important to read when you're fully awake because you retain the information that way." I remember reading the Misanthrope and Fences at one point in time but I have no clue of the details. Seriously I remember starting them, then nothing. I too enjoy reading but when it's for an assignment I slowly begin to hate it. I had never thought of putting creativity into my papers cause I thought it might be rejected, or I'd lose the prompt off on some tangent. I too enjoyed the poetry projects where we could be a bit more creative, because I tend to excel in creativity/individuality. Also must say your allegorical comparison to a roller coaster and its ups and down, was truly genius. I'm assuming that's was what you were referencing in "AP Lit has already been a lot of ups and downs." I look forward to reading another one of your blogs, well done.
It is hard to believe that the first semester of AP Literature is already over. I have learned so much over such a short period of time, but it has all been extremely rewarding. There have been so many ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I could not be more pleased with how AP Literature has started.
ReplyDeleteI learned a lot of material when we covered poetry. From analyzing poetry to figuring out the genre to even determining the meter, I think it is safe to say that we are all poetry experts. It was interesting to go into this class not knowing that much about poetry because I felt like it gave me a fresh slate to understand the material. I did have trouble with some of the poems, but I learned a lot from my peers and Dr. Pam when she would lecture on p whatever assignment we had the night before. I have also learned to write decent in-class essays. I used to despise these essays, but I have gotten to be fairly good at them and I think that they are preparing me for the AP exam. I am also still in the process of learning to manage my time well. Procrastination is my weakness, but I quickly discovered that it will only hurt me in this class.
My favorite reading assignment from this first semester would definitely have to be reading Gogol's short stories. I do not know why, but I absolutely loved them. "The Nose" is my ultimate favorite out of the three we read. It is just so strange, and the ending makes it even better when the narrater does not understand how or why this story is real. I also really loved "Catcher in the Rye" from our summer reading. I thought it quite relatable for a lot of teenagers, and I find that that quality of being relatable makes for a better novel. My favorite play from the semester goes to "Twelfth Night." I enjoy comedies, and I was so surprised to find out where "She's the Man" got the plot idea. Last, but certainly not least, is "Crime and Punishment." I truly did enjoy reading this book, but I did have a difficult time understanding it most of the time. Sometimes I could not tell when Raskolnikov was having a dream or if he was talking to himself, but I will say that I would consider reading it again.
The portfolios that we created one of my favorite assignments. It was surreal seeing all of the hard work put into AP Literature, and I am so glad we have all improved since the first day of school. We have had a plethora of homework over the course of two quarters, and I even titled mine One Assignment After Another, because some days it really does feel like it never ends. I also really enjoyed the second poetry project. I did Going Nuts with Poetry, and I focused on suicide and being mentally insane poems. Everyone had really unique ways of pulling their themes together with whatever poems they chose, and I thought that our choices really showed who we are.
In class essays are one of my biggest strengths right now (I hope I did not just jinx that). Sometimes I am even surprised that my essays make sense when I receive them back. I am somewhat decent at analyzing poetry, but it depends on the style and/or poet. As much as I loved John Donne, I had difficulty determining the meaning behind some of his poems. I am hoping to find another strength or two this second semester as we all probably are wishing.
This semester as gone by way too fast. It is hard to believe that senior year is half over. I cannot wait to see what is in store for us with Mrs. Messineo. I do hope that we seminar like we did last year in AP Language, and I also hope we do more group presentations. It is always neat to see how we work differently with other people, and I think the end result is usually some good stuff.
Natalie,
DeleteI love that your favorite play was "Twelfth Night" too! Like you mentioned, "She's the Man" is a modernized version of a Shakespearean classic. I also am able to relate to "Catcher in the Rye." You mentioned that your biggest strength as of right now are in-class essays. Good for you! I can tell you that I am terrible when it comes to those. I like having time to think and really form a healthy essay. However, the AP exam does not allow that time for us. Looks like I am going to have some work to do!
You stated that this semester has gone by way to fast. I could not disagree more. I have been killing myself over so many things that I just can not wait to be stress free. I am assuming most of you know where you are going to college already. I have no idea who will even accept yet. The stress of college applications have not ended for me (I am not sure who knows and who does not). Anyways, good blog! I agree with you on a lot of points you made!
Natalie, it was nice to read your input on the semester because I know you're more a listener than anything. Don't take that the wrong way though because I know you can interject into the conversation or argument if you wish to. I have to admit that I wasn't as much of a fan of Gogol as you were, but I'm going to confess that "The Nose" was also my favorite story that we read of his. As for the portfolios, I agree 100%. It's absolutely incredible to look back and see what you've accomplished especially with the semester portfolio. Even though it was a lot of ink, paper, and stress, I think they only made us better students and individuals as a whole. That's such a good hint that in-class essays are your strength because I know I struggle with them sometimes, well more times than not. Maybe you could let me in on your secret haha. Good job with this blog and I can't wait to see what else AP Lit phase in store for us both.
DeleteI took AP Literature because my favorite part of AP Language last year was when we read and analyzed Frankenstein. Even though this class has easily been the most stressful part of my senior year I love it! I won't say I have enjoyed every minute because there were a few minutes where I resented it entirely, but I know that I, as well as all of you, have grown so much through this class. I love being able to look back at our first essays and analyses to see how simple they were as compared to the portfolios that we just created. My favorite part of this class is that I can tell that my mind is being opened to new things and my writing is improving.
ReplyDeleteOut of the three books we read over the summer "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath was easily my favorite and, as we advanced into poetry, I found that I also enjoyed her poetry. I really did not like "Catcher in the Rye," but something I have learned from AP Literature is to respect the things you read. Because of that I am able to understand the literary value of "Catcher in the Rye," although I hope I will never have to read it again. We moved into "Hamlet" and "Twelfth Night" early in the school year and, in my mind, "Hamlet" was far superior to "Twelfth Night." I think that I enjoy drama more than comedy. I loved analyzing poetry, but I had a definite weakness in taking the time to analyze the rhythm and meter of a poem because I was usually just so eager to dive into the words rather than the structure. The first two metaphysical poems we read were alright, but after a while I found John Donne redundant because he was always talking about God or women or both. However, I was fascinated by conceits.
My absolutely favorite reading assignment this year was "Crime and Punishment." I know most of you always disagreed with me but I was so sympathetic towards Raskolnikov. The research paper that we did on the psychology of "Crime and Punishment" was also the writing assignment that I found most enjoyable. I also found pleasure in most of the poetry we read and in writing about "The Awakening." Reading "The Awakening" felt tedious to me, but maybe that was because we had to do it over Christmas break and I had so much other homework. I loved analyzing its characters and symbolic meanings almost as much as I loved dissecting "Crime and Punishment" and "Hamlet." Besides "Hamlet" I thought that "Trifles" and "The Misanthrope" were the best plays we read and, because of this, I look forward to reading "Tartuffe."
After a semester of AP Literature I feel as if my strength can be found in the analysis of characters while my weakness is in analyzing poetry. At the beginning of the year my in class essays were mediocre but as the year advanced and my writing improved I started to see better grades on them. Even though I stressed out about long term assignments I felt a sense of gratification upon the completion of our two poetry projects, the "Crime and Punishment" research paper, and the senior portfolios. I hope that we will get more experience with AP Literature practice exams throughout this next semester and that we also return to poetry so that I can get a better feel for analyzing every aspect of it. I also think I have a lot to learn about understanding what an author is trying to tell me through their work. However, I look forward to our next and final semester of AP Literature and hope that my critical thinking and writing skills will continue to grow through the work that is yet to come.
Ann,
DeleteI do not think that we could be any more opposite. All the thing I felt connected to in some way, you did not. I loved that you mentioned that you had to learn to respect works of literature. That is a very key point to add because I feel that just because I do not like "Hamlet" does not mean I hate Shakespeare. Actually, I love "Twelfth Night." So maybe I have a love/hate relationship, but maybe not. Maybe it is just a neutral feeling towards him. I actually do not know the answer to that! You said you did not like "Catcher in the Rye." I would like to know why you do not. I understand that just because I like it does not mean you have too, but I feel like we all can relate to it in someway.
I agree that Donne's poetry is redundant, but I love it! I find it amazing that he is able to say the same thing with so many different ways. As for "Crime and Punishment," I am with you when you say you sympathize with Raskolnikov. I do feel bad for him because he wants to be something great, but can not be who he wants to be because of this box (Russian society) forbidding him to move. An outlandish act made him feel special in some way. I have parents that allow me to grow as my own person; Raskolnikov has to be who his mother wants to be. I feel bad for him! I can not help it. Great blog this week!!!
I must say that I'm truly astonished that this first semester is gone and behind us. It seems like only yesterday we were beginning Hamlet, and now it's the end of the semester. I must admit that I feel like since starting this course I haven't only grown as a scholar but as an individual as well. Also I know this is going to sound crazy but, I look forward to the sleepless nights and new papers.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time we were all walking into a lecture about "Hamlet" and "Twelfth Night." Of the two I have to admit I loved "Twelfth Night" simply because it was so witty, but "Hamlet" was a close second. Then when we moved into poetry I finally thought I was in a familiar territory, alas I was wrong. I had never considered meter being so important to a poem, I'm still a bit shaky on the subject. Since analyzing more of Sylvia Plath's, Edgar Allen Poe's, and Robert Frost's works I have learned how to expand my own writings. But I have to admit I have lost interest in John Donne just because it felt like watching a rerun over and over again. His works were centered around three subjects, women, God, and/or both. Although his conceits have made a great impact on my life, somehow I feel those types of comparison are out of my league.
My favorite assignments/projects were "Crime and Punishment", and the portfolio project. "Crime and Punishment" was definitely my favorite novel thus far because of its deeper intellectual symbolism, and all the thought that went into the book itself. In all honesty I swear that Dostoevsky wrote this novel while under the influence of something, or he was crazy. The only reason I say this is because the plot twists are completely mental, and if you didn't keep up the book became terrible. My favorite part of the entire novel was when we learned about his fate at the end of the novel. By this I mean we learned that there is always that light at the end of the tunnel for those who seek it. However, the one thing that really screwed me up was trying to keep everything straight. For example, the officials whom Razkolnikov confessed to just thought he was crazy, or joking around with them. That just ticked me off how can people be so ridiculously stupid, he confessed to you and you brush it off as insanity/illness. Now as for the portfolio I just felt a sense of accomplishment seeing all that paper come out of my printer. Then everything slowly just come together, and form this work you're so proud of its unreal. Then when you turn it in it's like turning in a part of your soul for examination/grading.
Not only are my skills expanding my ideas of myself have expanded. Reflecting back on this past semester I have learned so much about myself it ain't even funny. Procrastination and AP Lit don't mix well together, which is one thing I use to do(and still do on occasion of physical/mental exhaustion). Also as we all learned during our discussions for "Crime and Punishment" I'm "too nice," and slowly I'm growing into not being so polite during discussions. Hopefully, I'll grow into it sooner rather than later, but time will only tell its tale. So in a way I thank all of you for your guidance, and help in discovering new things about me. In the end I look forward to coming home from after swim meets and working on papers till the crack of dawn. I have no clue why I look forward to this at all it sounds like torture, but in all honesty it was worth it. Of course it is exhausting staying up that late to complete work but it's all so beneficial. Like Dr. Pam told us this course is helping to prepare us for college, and the times we will be staying late to finish papers/projects. We can only take away what we get out of this course, and so far I have just learned that I'm a far ways away from college.
DeleteI hope that we will be able to continue works such as the poetry projects, in class exams, etc. just because I feel they are quite beneficial. I hope to grow in my ability to write in class essays just cause my mind starts racing and I can't keep everything on track. Whenever I get going more ideas just flood my mind, then it turns into complete nonsense. I feel my strengths are in creating/composing big projects. But I fall short when I begin analyzing poetry and text because I always seem to get something different than everyone else. Hopefully, as this year progresses these skills will begin to blossom into a flower spewing the words of novels and poems as the petals to admire.
Well, Hello Devyn! It's about time I comment on one of your posts. I feel like I haven't in awhile!
DeleteYes, you do sound crazy. Sleepless nights make you excited?! Oh my gosh, and here I am, sleep deprived out of my mind! I must agree, "Twelfth Night" was brilliant in such a witty way. We were watching "She's the Man" on the gymnastics bus the other day, and that is the movie our class was discussing that was based off of the play! I just stared at Jessica and she just stared at me and we laughed.
Our discussions do get pretty heated, you all know I've had my fair share of book-throwing, but I have to give you credit! You are getting better at adding your input into the group. Please do not be afraid to speak up! We all love to hear your input. Regardless if some one agrees or disagrees, it is still valuable. I look forward to hearing your opinion many many times in the second semester, starting now. Great blog!
Devyn, I have to agree and say that I am also looking forward to he new paper and analyses we are going to write, but I hope there aren't too many late nights because I really like my sleep. As for "Hamlet" and "Twelfth Night," I personally liked "Hamlet" better but that doesn't mean that "Twelfth Night" was anything short of incredible. I find it strange how I'm not a very big fan of Shakespeare, but yet I find myself liking more and more of his works. I guess it might just be one other thing that AP Lit is changing my mind on. Ahh, poetry. I was lucky enough to find myself more in my element than when we read "Crime and Punishment" but, like you, still found myself a little less comfortable than I had originally planned on being. I am guilty of procrastinating and could not agree more that AP Literature and putting things of will get you into nothing but trouble. You made some good points throughout your blog I just noticed that you used "ain't" and it took something away for me. Just watch not to get too informal. Good work though!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSenior year is hard. AP English Literature is hard. It’s been a busy, stressful semester! AP English Literature is nothing like I thought it would be. While I was expecting to be focusing more on the novels themselves, we tended to turn our attention to other things. We learned a lot of history oriented things like the history of the time period as well as the author. I’m not the best at history, social studies, and cultures, but in the end it was so helpful to better understand and appreciate the novel.
ReplyDeleteIt shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of you that “The Bell Jar” was my favorite novel that we had read. I can not wait until I have enough time to re-read it! I loved the books we read. The plays were not my favorite, I would get so confused with who was saying what. Although, “Hamlet” was so good! I love talking about it. Of course, “Crime and Punishment” was another one of my favorite books. I loved the class discussions we had more than anything! In my opinion, couch days were the best days. For a very brief time, we analyzed some songs and poems. I loved that! It was fun to look up new poems and look at the ones everyone else found as well. The best part was deciding what you thought of the poem and then reading what everyone else had thought. My favorite was analyzing songs. I think we had done two different blogs analyzing songs and I know we had a homework assignment where we analyzed the song “Imagine” by John Lennon. Not going to lie, I have always analyzed songs when I listen to them. I love to find all of the hidden things that are mentioned. Call me crazy, but our portfolio project was one of my favorites as well. I didn’t think it was so much work, but more oorganizing- which I love! I thought coming up with a title and introduction for our first semester was so much fun.
I think that my strength in AP Literature is analyzing. I have also gotten significantly better in presenting, and I think that is another strength I have. This might not sound like a strength, but I think my greatest strength is knowing that I still have room to improve. I know that while I have my strengths, I am not strong enough and I can keep pushing to be stronger. I will admit, my biggest weakness is the in class essays. My expectations are always so far off from the topic itself, and I struggle with organizing my thoughts in the time allotted. Practice makes perfect, and I can only get better. I am excited to improve.
I am anxious for the second semester to start. We are so close to finishing our senior year! I am excited to read more novels and have more class discussions… and hopefully another debate? We were just all talking about “Tartuffe” and although plays aren’t my favorite, I am so excited to read it! I am ready to push through the year and get even stronger. I am confident that we will have an amazing finish to the year! Get ready AP Literature, we are going out with a bang!
Felicia,
DeleteI agree with your first paragraph one hundred percent, senior year has been a real pain in the year. I had originally thought of taking extremely easy classes for my senior year, but Mrs. Messineo talked me into this class. I wanted to improve my writings potential and my ability to analyze literary works better. Knowing some of the history was extremely helpful, but I have always had a knack for history so I can't relate to your struggle of cultures/history. I was actually opposite I enjoyed the plays more than the novel's we read for summer reading. I enjoyed "The Bell Jar" but I wouldn't care to re-read it. Crime and Punishment however, I could re-read that over and over again. I can definitely relate to your weakness of the in-class essays. I always prepare for the wrong ideas, then my brain becomes scrambled as I try to find a way to work the prompt. I can only hope that I can get better, and to calm my nerves as I progress through these essays. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog this week Felicia, great work.
One thing I learned from this first half of the year is that I am going to have to make sacrifices for this class if I want to succeed. For instance, right now I am typing a blog because I will not have any time to do so tomorrow. I woke up at six this morning, had a college audition, and I have been dancing since then. This is the first time I am able to relax today, but instead I am focusing on homework. Welcome to AP Literature, where life seems like hell.
ReplyDeleteI am being over dramatic, but that is why I am going to college for musical theater. This is not the beginning of the year for the class, however that last sentence in the first paragraph is literally what I tell myself every time I begin my work. This past semester I have learned so much in such little time. My favorite thing to read about was actually "Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath. Unfortunately, we did not spend much time on it. "Crime and Punishment" would be my next favorite. I loved everything about it. The novel is complex and exciting, and Dostoevsky knows how to keep his readers attention. Now that it is done, I liked having all that work that came along with it. That is only because I understood that novel a little bit better. Having questions to force me into thinking about something I would have not thought about on my own allowed my mind to expand. The research paper was not fun at all, but I now know how it feels to buckle down and get it done a week before something is due. In the long run, it is a lot easier to deal with.
My favorite play we read is "Twelfth Night" by Shakespeare. I loved the comedy in this play, whereas in "Hamlet" it is all just tragedy. What is life if everyone dies?! I am personally not a fan of those kinds of stories unless there is an interesting aspect. Although I am positive some of you would argue with me, I do not find anything strange about "Hamlet." In "Twelfth Night," a woman dresses up like her brother who she believes is dead. When he it is revealed that he is actually very well alive, a can of worms is released. I love watching how it all unfolds.
For this next semester, I would really like to read an interesting novel that I can relate to now. I could not relate to "Trifles" at all. To be honest, that play annoyed me. I did not like the way women were looked down upon, even if the time is different. As for the future, I would really like something that I can invest my whole being in, the way "Catcher in the Rye" and "Bell Jar" made me do. Those books are very interesting, and I still think about them often.
I absolutely love poetry. (I think you all know that.) I love how much I have to think about what the poet wants me to learn. I find things that do not make sense, and things that make complete sense. It is a roller coaster that I never want to end. I will read poems multiple times whether I know what it means or not. I can never find enough within a poem.
The greatest thing I learned to do is relax. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that unnecessary stress consumes us quite frequently. Taking a deep breathe and diving in head first is how I do work. I will also play music, sit in font of the fireplace, and get at it. That feeling of success really motivates me. It is like I want to rub my success in my teacher's face even though it may not be up to par.
I do not even realize how much I learned in this class already. As I was assembling my semester portfolio together I could not put certain papers in because of how poorly written they are compared to the rest of my work. I can not wait to see how far I will come when this year is over with.
Boy, you have had quite the weekend, and I hope the audition went well!
DeleteAlthough The Bell Jar was not ny favorite novel that we read, I still really enjoyed. Crime and Punishment was so much easier with the questions that we had to answer every night like you said. Sometimes it was difficult to get myself to read, but Doestoevsky certainly knows how to pull you in at the right moment. Twelfth Night was just amazing. Like you, I am not a big fan of tragedies and I prefer something that will make me laugh. I was so shocked to find out where She's the Man came from. Trifles was also my least favorite play. I don't know, I just could not get into it, and I don't understand how some people loved it. I would love to read something similar to Cathcer in the Rye. Dr. Pam mentioned Wuthering Heights, and I would absolutely love to spend time reading that. I love that you have such a passion for poetry. It really expresses who you are as a person, and I love hearing what you have to say about a poem.
I wish I could say the same about learning to relax. I still feel so stressed out, but I am in the process of learning how to sit down and take a few deep breathes. The portfolios really show the improvement each of us has made. Some of the beginning work we wrote was simply garbage, but it is nice to look back and see where we started in August and where we are now. I cannot wait to start the next semester.
This was a great blog, Kaitlin!