High School

As exams approach and graduation creeps closer, the reality of every seniors' situation is becoming more clear: high school is coming to an end. We're all preparing for the rest of our lives and getting ready to take a step into adulthood. Although everyone had a different high school experience, I'd like to spend this blog reminiscing on mine and how it changed me for the better.

Freshman Year: 
The first day of high school I was nervous. I was going into a foreign environment with only a few of my friends from middle school. My parents had set high expectations and I knew I would have to work hard in order to meet these demands.While living up to these standards, I was also trying to meet new people. Although I was a little worried about making friends, it all turned out alright. My best memories from freshman year are easily the football games. Every Friday night I'd go out to the games with my friends and we'd try to meet girls. It usually didn't work.

Sophomore Year:
Sophomore year I was much less focused on school and more interested in hanging out with my friends. I lost sight of the bigger picture and my grades started to slip. I knew I should have done something to change this but the fact of the matter was I just didn't care about school. Eventually, my brother in college gave me a call and told me I was letting my future slip through my fingers. This served as a huge wake up call for me and I hoped more than anything that it wasn't too late to make the people who cared about me proud. Although sophomore year was a major lapse in responsibility for me, I'm glad it happened when it did. By the time I was getting ready for junior year, I had reevaluated my goals and I was more ready than ever to do big things.

Junior Year:
I knew I was looking for a challenge and that's why I chose to do the IB program. I had never experienced anything even close to as rigorous or demanding as the IB program and at times I thought I had made the wrong choice. However, the program also had its perks. I was surrounded by like minded students who valued their education and this was a drastic change compared to the academic classes that I was taking the year before. I was able to get in with a good group of friends while also flourishing academically. Although during many times throughout my junior year I was ready to give up, I kept going and was able to reach all of the goals I had set for myself.

Senior Year:
Whoever said senior year is easy is a liar. This was by far the hardest year of my high school experience. However, it has also been the greatest year of my life. Some of my best friends today are people that I never even talked to before senior year. I learned that even though your friends will joke around and give you a hard time, they've always got your back when it comes down to it. I've become extremely close with all of my friends and leaving them next year is going to be difficult. However, senior year isn't quite over yet and I'm looking forward to the time we have left.

Next year will be the start of something amazing as we all go our separate ways in the world. I don't necessarily think it will be sad leaving all of my peers because I know that each and every one of us is moving on to better things in life. There are a lot of people that had a significant impact on my life over these past 4 years and whether it was positive or negative, I'd like to thank you all for making me the person I am today. Although leaving everyone after summer will be difficult, I think it is important to cherish your high school memories. That being said, I'd like to urge you all to not get caught up in the past, but to look forward to the bright future that each one of us holds ahead.

Whitman's Notebook

Part 1: Black
Part 2: Red

Upon initial reading, Whitman's notebook appeared to be very messy and unorganized. The impression that I got was that he was writing his ideas down in a very hurried fashion. This caused many of his words to be illegible but I was still able to make out some of them. On the first page there seems to be some different names. On the second page he mentions what looks like, "two characters as of a dialogue" (Whitman). Although this sentence doesn't make sense by itself, I almost feel like Whitman was writing the baseline for a story. After examining his poetry, I can see that many of his poems seem to tell a story and have a much deeper meaning. It is very interesting to think that Whitman may have initially wrote his poems as stories before transferring them to poem format.

After reading what the notebook ACTUALLY says I discovered that the names on page 1 are names and various addresses of people that Whitman knew (Including a tailor). I feel like these may be significant people in his life that have led him to contemplate various ideas or they could simply be written there so that Whitman would not forget where to get his shoes polished. I also discovered that the dialogue that Whitman speaks of is an imaginary one between himself and Abraham Lincoln. Whitman must have felt like Lincoln was a very knowledgeable man and this shows that Whitman was interested in politics to some extent.

As I read further into his journal, I felt like he was trying to convey some sort of life message to me. He uses words such as "you" "questioning" and "liberated". I almost felt as if Whitman was trying to get his readers to evaluate themselves and what they want in life and think critically of each situation. These passages make me think that Whitman was an extremely inquisitive person and that he sought the answers to many of life's mysterious questions. I also think that he wanted his readers to take what they deserved in life and enjoy it to it's fullest.

It was revealed to me that in this section of Whitman's notebook, he is discussing problems that the Union is facing. This once again shows that he is interested in politics and the well being of his country. One word that sticks out is "Libertad". This stands for liberty and I believe it goes along with my idea that Whitman thought each individual should have what they deserve. Whitman was writing for the everyday person and he believed that everyone should have freedom. This excerpt shows that Whitman was a free-thinker and that many of his ideas were edgy. While his ideas may not have been accepted at first, they eventually became respected for the message that they contain.

The last few pages of the journal consist of five different pictures. In the first picture, Whitman appears to be very normal. However, as the pictures go on I feel as though he is portraying himself sadder and sadder. His eyes begin to close and his facial expressions become more serious. The second to last picture is a drawing of him with a hat on looking down and it appears very dark. The very last picture is of a harp and I associate sad music coming from a harp. I think that maybe these pictures symbolize Whitman during a certain time period. He may have become depressed with the realities of life and he was trying to show these in his drawings as he aged.

People who have analyzed Whitman's journal believe that these pictures were not self portraits. It would make sense that he would have someone else draw them. Although this may come across as conceited or cocky, I do not believe that is the case with Whitman. I think he wanted to see himself from an outside perspective so that he could see situations from a different angle. After all, Whitman was writing about himself in many of his poems but he was attempting to make the reader see themselves in him.

Translations

#1:As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.
Diction: Gigantic insect feels very far from human. Uneasy dreams does not have a very strong connotation
Syntax: seems like someone from the outside is narrating and does not feel very connected to Gregor
Imagery: Gigantic insect makes me think of a huge cockroach sleeping under a blanket
Structure: Sentence feels like a run-on 
Other Notes: Gregor does not seem very afraid

#2:Gregory Samsa woke from uneasy dreams one morning to find himself changed into a giant bug.
Diction: Giant bug doesnt sound quite as bad as the other translations. He sounds less ugly
Syntax: Makes it look like bad drams caused Gregory to wake up and then he noticed he was a bug
Imagery: The insect that I see in this translation is not nearly as menacing as the others. I think of a slightly larger than normal bug
Structure: straight to the point and descriptive

#3:When Gregor Samsa awoke from troubled dreams one morning he found he had been transformed in his bed into an enormous bug.
Diction: Troubled and enormous have a very negative connotation. Almost feels dark.
Syntax: The syntax used makes the bed seem like a place where a horrific atrocity occured
Imagery: I think of someone waking up from a bad nightmare and see a huge ugly bug in the bed.
Structure: Makes this excerpt look like a moment of realization for Gregor.
Other Notes: Reminds me of a night terror or something of the sort

#4:One morning, upon awakening from agitated dreams, Gregor Samsa found himself, in his bed, transformed into a monstrous vermin.
Diction: Agitated dreams give me a feeling of stress/anger. Monstrous vermin sounds like a disgusting rat
Syntax: The pauses add dramatic effect and contribute to the horrific tone
Imagery: I see a person waking up very annoyed and then realizing that they are a giant dirty sewer rat
Structure: lots of pauses that make the reader stop and think about the sentence more in depth
Other Notes: I think this translation has the strongest effect out of all of them

The word choice in each one of these different translations affects the overall meaning of the sentence. The first translation seems to be more oriented towards making the reader picture the situation. By making it in present tense, the reader sees the situation playing out while they read the sentence. This serves to strengthen the bond between the novel and the reader and leaves less room for interpretation.

 The second translation seems to have the purpose of just retelling a story. There are no dramatic effects or connotations, the author just presents the information directly. I believe that the author is trying to make the reader interpret ideas more so than just stating them. By giving the bare minimum description, it is up for interpretation by the reader to fill in the gaps.

The third translation is where we start to see a different meaning among the translations. By changing the phrase "uneasy dreams" to "troubled dreams" the reader now knows more about Gregor. When I was reading this translation, I had the feeling that Gregor did something wrong which is why he was troubled. When reading the first two translations, it seemed that Gregor had turned into a bug out of coincidence but when reading the third one, I got the feeling that he was being punished for something he did. I think the meaning of the third translation is that Gregor did something wrong.

The final translation has the strongest connotation out of all of them. It uses words like agitated and monstrous which paint a vivid picture in the reader's head. The author even goes as far as changing out the term "insect" or "bug" for "vermin".This change has a drastic effect on the sentence, because instead of seeing a creepy crawler insect, I saw a dirty rat. I think the meaning of this translation is to portray what Gregor had become in a more negative way. This translation almost makes Gregor's new form seem gross and unappetizing. Perhaps the author does this because Gregor has done something that he shouldnt have.

I believe that the most effective translation would be the third one. The reason I think this is because it uses the most powerful imagery, and yet it still sticks to the idea that Gregor has become an insect. It fills in some of the gaps that the reader has but it still leaves some places open for interpretation. The way that it is written makes it seem mysterious and I believe that this translation engages the reader the most.

Translating texts will never be 100% perfect. Due to language barriers, you will always be losing some of the meaning of the text when you translate it. Some languages do not have the same ways of expressing emotions, and this can be lost in the translation. Although different translations can make the sentence seem more or less extreme, I do not believe that it is necessary to dwell over one word in a translation. As long as the main ideas are able to be translated and loss of meaning is minimized, I think translation can still be effective. If a sentence is completely changed when translated, I believe that too much has been lost to be able to analyze the translated version.

Peep my soundcloud

freebie

Double Indemnity

Double Indemnity has been called “a film without a single trace of pity or love.” Do you agree with this statement? Think about the motivations that lie behind the actions of Walter Neff and Phyllis Dietrichson when you consider your response.

On first examination, one might say that Double Indemnity is a story that's FULL of love and pity. However, I would disagree and argue that love and pity only serve as a facade to hide the greed and lust that is so prominent in our main characters. 

Right off the start, we get the feeling that there is no love between characters in this movie. Phyllis is married to a man who only sees her as a trophy and we hear her say it many times. The first time that Walter Neff comes over to discuss the insurance policy, he is met at the door by a seductive-looking Phyllis. Walter is awestruck and the lust that he's feeling is evident through the way he acts and the look in his eyes. Also, the camera angles are only showing different parts of Phyllis at a time versus showing her whole body. This serves to objectify Phyllis and set the tone towards her that exists throughout the whole movie; she will never be loved and will only ever be a target for lustful men.

However, Phyllis is quite aware of the power that she possesses over men. She knows that her looks can be used to manipulate, and she's dressed to kill (quite literally). It's very clear that she never truly loved Walter when you look at her motives. First, there is the obvious motive to kill her husband which is the money. She is only using Walter because nobody would expect to commit the murder and she wants to get her share of the cash. However, her second motive is power. Phyllis was in a time period in which women were oppressed and didn't have much power. This was her way of getting back at society and using what she has in order to feel powerful and in charge. If it ever appeared that she was in love with Walter, it was merely an illusion in order to string him along easier.

This film also very clearly lacks pity. After Walter and Phyllis murder Mr. Dietrichson, they are happy and almost carefree for the next few days. They feel no guilt for the murder and the only time they start to get nervous is when people begin to catch on. Also, there is no pity when Phyllis has the gun and shoots Walter. Once he is able to get the gun and aims it at her, she exclaims how much she loves him. I believe that this is a last dire attempt for Phyllis to manipulate Walter in order to save her own life. She does not feel bad for what she has done and all she wants to do is save herself.

Film Noir is very dark and "evil". This film demonstrates both of those characteristics through its theme and story. The lack of love and pity also serve to reinforce those characteristics. 

Lady Macbeth on Netflix

Lately, a lot of people have been asking me what types of shows I enjoy watching on Netflix. If it wasn't already obvious enough, I LOVE shows that empower women and show them in the light of a "man's role". I also love movies with powerful main characters who contrive diabolical plans in order to get what they want. I've compiled a list of a few of my favorite shows and movies for you guys to look at!

1. The League - The League is a TV show about a group of friends who play fantasy football. One of the members, Kevin, is not as good as the others at fantasy league so he often seeks advice from his wife, Jenny. After watching a few episodes I have officially decided that Jenny and I are similar in many different ways. Jenny takes charge of her husband and goes to incredible feats just to win. The power and persistence that Jenny shows in The League is mirrored by my ambition to help Macbeth take the crown. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to live a luxurious life and if that means manipulating my man to bend to my will.....so be it.

2. National Geographic: Snow Monkeys - This selection is a documentary performed by National Geographic on snow monkeys. While portraying the monkeys as happy and graceful, the documentary also shows the wits and the desire to survive that these monkeys show. Much like myself, these monkeys will do whatever is necessary for them to survive. Whether that means collecting food for winter or abandoning their babies, they are prepared to do what is necessary. My husband Macbeth was too big of a wimp to kill Duncan so I seized control and became the masculine character. What I chose to do was quite literally the definition of "Survival of the fittest". If you're looking for a documentary that will end making you feel empowered and awestruck, this is the one for you.

3. The Wolf of Wall Street - Let's just start off by saying that Leonardo DiCaprio is one hot hunk of meat. In this movie, he plays a money-hungry wall street executive who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. All I want is for my man to be as motivated and mischievous as Leo so I wouldn't have to do all the dirty work myself. After seeing this movie I decided that I'm gonna have to do all the work myself and take on my husband's role since he's too big of a woman to fulfill his prophecy.

4. Game of Thrones - This is a medieval political show in which kingdoms wage war upon each other and havoc breaks loose. Every time I watch it, I find myself envious of all the lords and kings. They're all so sinister and sly. One of the biggest traits that I cherish in this show is the characters' ability to feel no remorse. Although I have to act tough and stone-cold in front of my wussy husband, my conscience nags at me every day for the deeds I have committed. If I could only be as strong as half of the royal families in this show I would be an unstoppable leader.

Give me a chance

3. Do you believe events in your life have been guided by fate or chance? Why or why not? Based on the text, what do you think Shakespeare's attitude was towards fate? Does Macbeth have any choice in his actions or was everything predetermined? Use examples from the text as your support.

I personally believe that events in my life have been guided by chance. I believe that everyone has a set path (fate) but they are able to deviate from it due to free will. The fact that humans can make spontaneous decisions based on instinct leads me to believe this. People stumble upon events by coincidence and then recreate a new path for themselves.

Based on Macbeth, I believe that Shakespeare did not believe in faith and relied more on chance. This is demonstrated mostly by the main character, Macbeth. Macbeth has been told of a prophecy that will come true which represents fate. However, instead of letting events play themselves out, Macbeth takes it into his own hands to fulfill the prophecy. The witches tell Macbeth that Duncan will die and he will become king. Macbeth takes matters into his own hands and murders the king. If Shakespeare had believed in fate, he would have allowed his character to live out the prophecy versus creating it himself. 

Although I believe Shakespeare was a believer of coincidence and chance, I do not completely dispute the fact that he believed in fate. By incorporating the witches into the story of Macbeth, he presents a fateful situation in which Macbeth cannot escape. However, I think this story serves as a warning that fate can not be fully relied on. He is trying to say that if one is to fulfill their fate, they must forge their own path in which chance plays a role. 

To wrap things up, Shakespeare would believe that Macbeth had the ability to make his own decisions even though his fate was foretold to him by the witches. He could have made different decisions instead of being hypnotized by power and the prophecy. Perhaps if Macbeth had had the willpower to resist killing Duncan, events would have played out differently. Or perhaps it was Macbeth's fate to act the way he did.