Thinking Outside of the Box

"Everything has been figured, except how to live." - Jean-Paul Sartre
"We do not know yet what we want and yet we are responsible for what we are - that is a fact." Jean-Paul Sartre.

 Think about the place you have chosen as your hell. Does it look ordinary and bourgeois, like Sartre’s drawing room, or is it equipped with literal instruments of torture like Dante’s Inferno? Can the mind be in the hell in beautiful place? Is there a way to find peace in a hellish physical environment? Enter Sartre’s space more fully and imagine how it would feel to live there endlessly, night and day.

This is my hell. A place wher I am relegated to continue my existence as one character, one face, while the Others continue to milk me for all I'm worth while I suffer the fallout of said milking. In all seriousness, though, my hell is a place that is indistinguishable from reality. Everything looks the same, everything feels the same, everything smells the same. However, there is a subtle rift about this place. No one cares about you. No one. They will ignore you no matter what you do. Talk to them, and they will simply go about their lives as if you never existed. You can do anything you want, but it has no consequences. No one will react, no one will notice. And the best part: this goes about every day. You don't age. The concept of time has been eradicated. Kinda reminds me of this. Except no happy ending. Meaning, you are stuck forever with your thoughts, but no one to share them with. Have fun staying sane.

Could hell be described as too much of anything without a break? Are variety,moderation and balance instruments we use to keep us from boiling in any inferno of excess,' whether it be cheesecake or ravenous sex?

While hell could be described that way, I lean more towards the notion that hell is a whole lot of nothing. That it presents the illusion of anything while, in reality, it's nothing. Much like BioWare and choices. They present the illusion that choice is present, but in reality that choice is irrelevant. It doesn't matter what you choose, because the story is still going to advance anyways as if that choice were never made. That's hell. You're given the illusion that there's too much of anything and everything when it's nothing. An illusion to act as a catalyst for insanity. An illusion, forcing you to abandon all sense of moderation so that desperation and insanity start hastening into your bloodstream. Moderation, the sign of sanity, gone forever.

How does Sartre create a sense of place through dialogue? Can you imagine what it feels like to stay awake all the time with the lights on with no hope of leaving a specific place?How does GARCIN react to this hell? How could you twist your daily activities around so that everyday habits become hell? Is there a pattern of circumstances that reinforces the experience of hell?

By having Garcin and the Valet engage in dialogue, with Garcin playing a round of 20 Questions. By having Garcin continually ask questions concerning his existence and the perception of hell, we get the idea that this hell is never ending. We also get the idea that Garcin cannot accept the fact that he is in hell. He is still in denial and wants to re-live back in Earth. And who wouldn't blame him? I'd go insane if I was stuck in the same place for the rest of my life. Heck, I might try to deny it even existed, and pulled one of those cliched movie tricks where the character says "It's all a dream. If I go to sleep, I'll wake up in my bed..." but everyone in the world knows that the dream is reality. And that could also affect my activities. Playing the same video game at the same spot the whole time would make anyone want to eliminate their existence. Playing the same song over and over (like this one or this one) would drive anyone to the point of insanity where men like Jeffrey Dahmer, Ottis Toole and Henry Lee Lucas seem reasonable. As evidenced by Groundhog Day, if I had to relive the same day over and over again, I would start losing my wits and my sanity. 

Compare how Plato and Sartre describe the limitations of our thinking and imply solutions to the problem. Be sure to analyze their literary techniques, especially their use of allegory and extended metaphor.

Plato regards thinking as a burden that rests on the individual. Each person is very well capable of thinking for themselves and figuring out that shadows are irrelevant: it's what causes the shadows that is important. All it requires... is a little *push*. Sartre is much more complex. As evidenced by his portrayal of Garcin and Estelle, it's not enough to simply break the chains of ignorance. Rather, you acknowledge your existence and refuse to allow others to create a reflection of you. You are determined by you. Your perception is a direct result of what you've experienced in your life. Everything else is just someone's refection of you. For those who cannot cope with this, life is tough. They cannot create a meaning of their "self" and resort to relying on others to form an opinion of themselves. 

Literature Analysis #4: A Christmas Carol

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” - Dalai Lama XIV

1. The story begins on a "cold, bleak, biting" Christmas Eve. It has been seven years since the death of Scrooge's business partner, Jacob Marley, yet Scrooge is still as miserly and despicable as before. He refuses to donate any money to the poor, he refuses to visit his cousin Fred, and the only reason he allows Bob Cratchit the day off with pay is because it's customary. However, that all changes when he is visited by the ghost of Jacob Marley. Jacob tries to warn Scrooge that if he doesn't change his ways, he will be stuck in misery and torment in the afterlife. As such, Scrooge will be visited by three ghosts: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows just how happy Scrooge was in his younger years, and how his increasing love for money caused him to alienate his love, Belle,  and to become more and more coldhearted, to the point where he's a shell of his former self. The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge many different people celebrating Christmas, such as the marketplace, but most importantly, of Bob Cratchit and his family. Scrooge also takes note of Tiny Tim, and how he's sick, but can't be cured because Bob's pay is so low. Finally, he is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. The Ghost shows Scrooge the death of Tiny Tim, and how, when Scrooge dies, no one attends to his funeral, and how his house woman has stolen some of his belongings so as to sell them. Scrooge is also shown how his grave is the only one left unattended. This prompts Scrooge to vow to change his ways, which he does. He donates a turkey to the Cratchits, he visits his nephew Fred, and he donates money to the poor. The story ends with Scrooge completely changed as a person, one who is now the epitome of the spirit of Christmas.
2. The theme of the novel is simple: redemption and kindness. As is shown with Scrooge, it doesn't matter how much of jerk you are. If you can set your mind straight, and put your heart to it, you can redeem yourself. And that redemption will bring more happiness than money ever will. Which also leads to kindness: Scrooge was at his happiest when he was helping others, and enjoying life. He was at his worst when his focus was on money, and nothing else. Thus, money is the root of all evil.
3. The author's tone changes based on which ghost is present. From the beginning all the way up to the Ghost of Christmas Past, the tone is very somber, very melancholy. The Ghost of Christmas Past is much more sorrowful, much more nostalgic. The Ghost of Christmas Present is jovial, happy. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is foreboding, ominous. The ending is very happy, very light.
4. Pathos - Tiny Tim is the embodiment of pathos. We have a small, innocent, happy kid who preaches forgiveness, yet is sick and dying. Simply put, if you aren't moved by Tiny Tim, then you have no soul. And as we saw with Scrooge, he still has a soul. Tiny Tim is what allows him to break away from his shell.
Symbolism - For Jacob Marley, we have a man who is held together with "cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel". In short, we have a man who is chained together. This is supposed to signify what happens to those in the afterlife who do not do good deeds. That those who do bad deeds will be chained by them in the afterlife. Another example is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. He is foreboding, dark, and we don't see his face. He is like a shadow. This symbolizes how the future is a dark and mysterious place. However, as evidenced by his lack of face, it doesn't have to be that way. We can change the future.
Foreshadow - First, we have the mention of Marley, and how it's been seven years since his death. Coincidentally, Marley shows up to pay Scrooge a visit. Then we have the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, a man who portends to Scrooge what will happen if he doesn't change his ways.
Allegory - This novel, to put it succinctly, is an allegory of the Golden Rule "Treat others the way you want to be treated." and all about giving rather than receiving. It demonstrates the power that love and kindness can have on an individual and the community as a whole.
Irony - The Ghost of Christmas Present, by using Scrooges words against him, demonstrates to him how wrong and ignorant they are. By using "Are there no workhouses?" and "If they would rather die, they better do it..." as verbal irony, he shows Scrooge how wrong he is, and allows for Scrooge to start changing as a person.

Characterization
1. Direct characterization: Scrooge is "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner..." (pg. 1) and "Marley's face...had a dismal light about it..."
Indirect characterization "'If they would rather die,' said Scrooge, 'they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.'" and "'The Founder of the Feast indeed!' cried Mrs Cratchit, reddening. 'I wish I had [Scrooge] here. I'd give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I hope he'd have a good appetite for it.'"
Part of the reason Dickens switches between direct and indirect is based on the situation at hand. For example, there is a much larger impact when Scrooge says "If they would rather die, they better do it..." as opposed to Dickens simply writing "And Scrooge found the poor undesirable and useless..." Another example is Mrs. Cratchit. What she says has a much larger impact on Scrooge and the audience as opposed to Dickens simply stating "Mrs. Cratchit had a strong dislike of Scrooge." This also allows for a greater showing when it comes to the evolution of Scrooge, as now what he says directly contradicts his earlier statements, which supports the concept that Scrooge has indeed changed as a person.
2. The author's syntax does not change. It's constant. Dickens, at least with A Christmas Carol, writes succinctly. The novel itself is very short, so there isn't much room for Dickens to start changing things up. Also, the focus of the story is its message, how it's an allegory to the "spirit of Christmas". As such, changing syntax or diction based on whether or not he is focusing on Scrooge is irrelevant to Dickens.
3. Scrooge is, for obvious reasons, is a round, dynamic character. At the beginning of his life, he is an innocent, carefree man who tries to enjoy himself. However, as he gets older, his love of money triumphs over his love of life. He becomes more despicable, more miserly. He becomes a "Scrooge". At the twilight of his life, though, things change. Because Jacob Marley and the three Ghosts visit Scrooge, he is able to change his ways. Now he is kind. Now he is giving. Now he is the embodiment of the spirit of Christmas.
4. I would say I came off reading a character. Now, that's not bad or anything, but it is what it is. Scrooge seems like a tool, a means to an end. His change is so quick that it almost seems unreal. In the span of eight hours, he transforms from a "Scrooge" to the embodiment of Christmas. As such, he seems less human, and more of a character in a novel. Someone you might mention, yet never really talk about.

Allegory of the Cave Sonnet

There was this man, who whence came-forth
Who so told us an idea that was most intriguing
That these shadows, and all their worth
Were nothing more than false believing

That our attribution
Of words to their shadows
Was nothing more than dilution
And of it, very shallow

The meaning is lost within
Rather the focus should be
On what causes the shadows wherein
One can spread his knowledge to thee

We laughed, and bid the poor bastard good-bye
For who can trust a man who's mind has gone awry?

Plato's Allegory of the Cave

1. The Allegory of the Cave represents knowledge, and how the majority of people, like the inhabitants of the cave, think they are knowledgeable, but in reality aren't. They are under the illusion that they are knowledgeable. And they will continue to live under that illusion unless they free themselves from their ignorance. As Johnson C. said "All truth goes through three steps: First it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident." Only until the people realize that their ascribing of words to shadows is wrong will they reach divination.
2. The key elements are the entire cave and its descriptions. For example, painting the prisoners in shackles who are unable to turn their heads reinforces the mindset that Plato is trying to teach Glaucon. That the people themselves aren't stupid. It's just that they wrongly prescribe a word to a shadow when they actually are referring to the "idea" of the shadow. That when someone mentions a "book", they are talking about the physical "shadow" of the book. However, a philosopher, when he mentions a "book", is talking about what causes the book, the idea behind the book, as opposed to the physical object at hand. This is shown through the usage of shadows. The prisoners attribute the shadows to the real thing because they don't know any better. However, those that turn their head eventually figure it out. That the shadow isn't reality as believed before. It's what causes the shadows that matters. Unless you turn your head, you will be in a sea of ignorance.
3. That it's difficult. It's very difficult. Simply put, everything you once knew, gone. Just like that. You have to forget everything you taught yourself. You're going to have to acknowledge you were wrong the whole time. Not many people can. And you, and you alone, are going to have to bring about that change. You are going to have to turn your head (and suffer the pain and consequences) if you wish to unshackle yourself from ignorance. However, the reward is great. Now, you are no longer ignorant. Now, you are strong. Now, you are enlightened.
4. That the cave dwellers are in their small hole of ignorance. That these dwellers, by the means of shackles, cannot see what is the cause of the shadows. As such, they attribute the shadows for reality. They do not focus on the "how" and "why" but only on the physical objects themselves.
5. The focus on wealth and fame as a measure of success. The attempt to accrue and cram as much information as possible without focusing on its importance and relevance. The shortsightedness of most people, such as investors in Wall Street. Politics in the U.S. The concept of school and forcing students into a "standardized environment." The attempt to censor information, whether in the Internet, books, etc.
6. The freed prisoner is enlightened. He is ecstatic. He has information that others do not. He knows things others do not. He can see things others cannot. He can hear things others can't. Above all else, he can comprehend things others cannot. The prisoners, however, can't say the same. They are still ignorant. They cannot comprehend what they cannot see. They are short-sighted.
7. One way is simply through communication. It is hard to explain new information to people without them either getting confused. DICE tried that with Frostbite 2. They explained that most gamers simply wouldn't understand the complexity of said engine, and so wouldn't release any mod and dev kits. There was a huge uproar because, let's be honest, who wants to be called stupid? However, people who used the engine acknowledged that it was indeed difficult. Which leads to my second point. Ignorance. People hate being proven wrong. So what do they do? Simply ignore the information at hand. Pretend it doesn't exist, or believe the other is wrong.
8. There are two ways to free oneself: Either one goes through the pain and suffering to turn their head and removing the shackles, and succeeds, or one listens to the said freed prisoner and is assisted in removing the collar. Either one requires sheer will and determination on the end user though. Simply put, YOU, and only YOU, are the determinate of your own success.
9. I would agree that reality and appearances are different. Look no further than here or here as examples. What we perceive as reality could very well be a figment of our imagination. People see what they want to see, so appearances will be different compared to reality. But above all else, we have no proof that this is reality. This could all be some complex simulation, and we'd have no way of knowing.
10. If Socrates is wrong, then I have two things:
Reality is appearances. There are no differences whatsoever. Those that claim otherwise are liars who want to seem smarter than they are. Or...

IT'S ALL A DREAM! DUN-DUN-DUN.

Literature Analysis: Fahrenheit 451

It is not when truth is dirty, but when it is shallow, that the lover of knowledge is reluctant to step into its waters. - Friedrich Nietzsche


1. "We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out." (pg. 37)
"Fahrenheit 451"
Day 1 - 18:00:00
Guy Montag
Firemen
Dystopian Future

Guy Montag is your typical citizen in Fahrenheit 451. He's concerned only about pleasure. He hates books (after all, he burns them), in fact, he hates anything that makes him think. He indulges in shallow entertainment, hence his many parlor walls. He is apathetic about the outside world and anyone around him, concerned only about being "happy". He does not care about the "why", but about the "how". But that all changes when Guy meets Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse: an intellect, one who cared more about the "why" than the "how", one who did not care for the shallow entertainment rampant in society, one who constantly asks questions. At first, Guy is perturbed, even annoyed by her attitude and actions. She's weird, she has no friends, she won't conform to society, etc. However, after she asks him a simple question "Are you happy?", that begins to turn the cogs in his head. He starts questioning the purpose of his life, and whether the pursuit of happiness through cheap entertainment is the way to go. He starts meditating on his marriage, and quickly realizes that if his wife, Mildred, were to die he wouldn't care one bit. Things really start to go haywire when, before burning down a house, Guy reads a snippet of a book and steals it. He becomes frustrated because the words have no meaning to him. Trained all along with parlor rooms and three-dimensional porn "novels", he is not prepared for the multifaced nature of a novel. As such, it is a struggle for him. However, he does not give up. Rather, it makes him more determined. Now, he starts seeing through the smoke and mirrors of society. He attempts to convince Mildred of the flaws and decay of society, but to no avail. She is too addicted to pain killers and parlor rooms, too willing to conform to society's wills, to be of use. She simply shrugs it off. Of course, this leaves Guy at a crossroads. On one hand, he is starting to think for himself, and starting to realize that there's more to life than mindless entertainment. On the other, he is a firemen. All his life, he has been tasked with destroying knowledge, and yet here is his hoarding books. And his boss, his captain, Beatty, knows this. In fact, Beatty explains to Guy the "evolution" of firemen:
 According to Beatty, the structure of society changed after the Civil War. Populations boomed, and with it can a demand for entertainment. However, people didn't want "complex" entertainment. They wanted "watered-down", simple entertainment. "Once, books appealed to a few people, here, there, everywhere. They could afford to be different.... Films and radios, magazines, books leveled down to a sort of paste pudding norm, do you follow me?... Everything boils down to the gag, the snap ending.... Classics cut to fit fifteen minute radio shows, then cut again to fill a two- minute book column..." (pg. 50) As such, books became more and more abridged to fit the increasingly short attention spans of society. However, that wasn't enough. Soon, interest groups began lambasting books for their controversial content. Books became more and more homogenized and bland due to censorship. "The bigger your market, Montag, the less you handle controversy, remember that!" (pg. 52) Eventually, books became banned, because someone would inevitably be "hurt" by it. This would lead to the evolution of the fireman. Since homes were becoming more and more fire-proof, the goal of the fireman was to preserve "happiness". Since people aren't obviously happy when they feel insulted, destroy what makes them unhappy. In short, burn and ban all books.
Which leads us back to Guy Montag. Becoming more and more concerned about the preservation of society and of knowledge as a whole. As such, he visits Faber, an old English professor, in the hopes that Faber can better explain the meaning behind books. Faber begins teaching Montag about the importance of knowledge, and assigns Guy an earpiece so he can better instruct Montag throughout his daily life. However, Guy oversteps his boundaries when he attempts to convince Mildred, Mrs. Phelps and Mrs. Bowles about the importance of knowledge and how society is an outcry of what it once was. However, it is of no use, as the three ladies are beyond help at this point. Attempting to scare them with literature, Montag instead causes them to become emotional. This leads Mildred to betray Montag and report all of his books to the other fireman. As such, Guy and Beatty are tasked with burning his house. Eventually, Guy and Beatty are at a crossroads, with Beatty too disillusioned to believe anything can be improved, while Guy still optimistic of the future ahead. Beatty threatens to hunt down Faber, which leads to Guy burning him alive with a flamethrower. Forced to be on the run, Guy heads over to Faber, where he discovers that the media has made a giant spectacle of this "cat-and-mouse" chase. Faber convinces Guy to head to the countryside, there he'll meet exiles who tasked themselves with memorizing literature for when society is ready to embrace it again. Eventually Guy reaches the exiles and discovers that the media, frustrated over his apparent escape, killed a man walking the street in an attempt to cover up his escape. However, at that moment, the world ends. Jets fly overhead and drop nuclear bombs over the city, effectively leveling it. The story ends with Guy and Co. walking towards the city, ready to repopulate and rebuild society.

"Fahrenheit 451"
Day 7 - 06:00:00
Guy Montag
Exile
Dystopian Future

2. The theme of the novel is very simple, even though Ray has attempted to change it as of late. It's the power of knowledge, and the observation of the degradation of society as a whole. Concerned with constant entertainment and being politically correct, society has attempted to create a "safe haven", one free from anyone being slighted or insulted. However, by attempting to do it, society has stifled creativity and knowledge itself. As such, novels like Fahrenheit 451 are tossed out due to their "insulting nature" and replaced with porn. Concerned about nothing more than being entertained at every second of every minute of every day, society in turn ruins the purpose of schools. Schools become shorter, the curriculum less intensive.The focus becomes sports, games.  Eventually, English isn't even a required class. Students graduate without knowing how to read or write or do math. Instead, it's all about shallow entertainment. It's all about TVs, short books and comics. Anything that is remotely erudite is thrown away because people feel stupid when they try to read it. People become apathetic about the outside world, because it's not entertaining. In an attempt to create uniformity, society acts like a dictatorship, stripping away information because it might be harmful to others. People, by living the fast life, become nothing more than shallow sheep, constantly bawing for new, condensed entertainment that has no real purpose because their attention spans are too small to actually enjoy something.

3. Ray's tone is fairly gloomy and pessimistic. Society has become nothing more than animals fighting for the last scrap, desperate to find any form of entertainment. For example: "I'm afraid of children my own age. They kill each other. Did it always use to be that way?" (pg. 27) Sounds almost exactly like Lord of the Flies, the difference being that in LOTF, the kids began to degrade away from society while in Fahrenheit 451, kids are degrading because of society. Another example is society's general view of books, that they are a waste of time and unimportant. "Well, Montag, take my word for it, I've had to read a few in my time, to know what I was about, and the books say nothing! Nothing you can teach or believe. They're about nonexistent people, figments of imagination, if they're fiction. And if they're nonfiction, it's worse, one professor calling another an idiot, one philosopher screaming down another's gullet. All of them running about, putting out the stars and extinguishing the sun. You come away lost." (pg. 57) Or the attitude of Faber, one of the few intellectuals left in the city? "What? Men quoting Milton? Saying, I remember Sophocles? Reminding survivors that man has his good side, too? They will only gather up their stones to hurl at each other... Why waste your final hours racing about your cage denying you're a squirrel?" (pg. 78) People are pessimistic about the future, which in turn leads them to do nothing about improving society. This is reflected in his tone.

4. One literary element Ray Bradbury uses is tone. This is a dystopian novel, and one important characteristic of a dystopian novel is the tone. Fahrenheit 451 is no different. By creating a somber, pessimistic mood, we readers are pulled into the novel and get a better sense of the message that Ray was trying to portray.
Another literary element Ray uses is symbolism. For example, the exiles characterize human behavior as a phoenix. A creature that destroys itself in a fire, but rises again from its ashes. Humans destroy each other with fire. However, the head of the exiles, Granger, believes that if books are to be preserved, humans can learn from their mistakes and not go through a perpetual cycle of destroy and then create. This provides a sense of hope, that all is not lost.
Another literary element used is paradoxes, most notably in describing Mildred and society as a whole. For example, Mildred's bedroom is both "not empty" and "indeed empty". That is a symbol that signifies the problems of society. Physically, Mildred is there. But mentally, her mind is somewhere else, in some distant land where she ponders about entertainment, ignorant about the world around her.
Another literary element used is imagery. Fire is used constantly throughout the novel. Whether it be Montag burning in rage and humility over Clarisse, the firemen using it to destroy, Montag using it to warm himself, the bombs blowing up the city, the phoenix burning then rising from its ashes or Mrs. Blake using it as a martyr, it is everywhere.
A final literary element used is setting. This is a dystopian future. As such, we get a place where children kill each other frequently, where death is but an afterthought, where knowledge is prohibited, where entertainment has replaced family, and where no-one cares that a giant war is going on. Montag is an important cog for the government, and yet he earns a whopping six thousand a year. Society is unhappy but does not know it. They are ignorant, but can not see it. They are blind, but can not feel it.

Characterization
1. An example of indirect characterization is when Ray says that the room is both "not empty" and "indeed empty". He is indirectly saying that Mildred, mentally, is simply not there. The painkillers, the parlor rooms, have clearly impaired her ability to think. Another example is the beginning quote "It was a pleasure to burn." We get a sense that Montag, for all intents and purposes, enjoys his job, and enjoys burning things. We don't need to know why, but we know he does.
An example of direct characterization is "Her face was slender and milk-white, and in it was a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiousity." (pg. 5) Or "Her face was like a snow-covered island upon which rain might fall, but it felt no rain; over which clouds might pass their moving shadows, but she felt no shadow." (pg. 12) I would argue that from an impact standpoint, his usage of direct characterization was more effective than his usage of indirect characterization.

2. Ray's tone is constant. There is no need for him to change his tone based on his characters (after all, this is a gloomy dystopia) so why bother? It would be like Spielberg changing the camera lens for Saving Private Ryan to be less grainy in certain scenes when Miller is talking to his battalion. It makes no sense. Or Deus Ex: Human Revolutions removing the gold filter in certain scenes when Adam Jensen is present.

3. Guy is a dynamic, round character. In the beginning, he is simply another member of society, one who believes everything he is told without question. He enjoys the destruction of books, and hates knowledge. He believes he is happy. However, as the story progresses, so does he. He starts asking more questions, starts doubting what he is being told. He acknowledges the flaws of society and wishes to correct them. In the end, he is a defender of books, becoming one who has tasked himself of remembering certain books so that the knowledge can be passed down to future generations.

4. In the end, I felt that I had met a real character. I could see the world as Guy could see it, smell the world as he would, and hear the world as he would. As opposed to The Jungle, he feels less like a tool to achieve a means, but more as a real person. A misguided person who found his way. Where society believed what it was told, he learned that nothing is true. And where he was restrained by law or morality, he learned that everything is permitted.

Sonnet Analysis: Part 1

I believe that the sonnet "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden is a metaphor about the things parents do out of the love for their children, and yet their children are unappreciative of it. How parents continually do what they deem is best for their children, and yet all they get are complaints and/or no appreciation for it. Above all else, it concerns how fathers do their duty no matter what even though they receive no thanks in return. And how, when you look back as a child, you realize just how ungrateful you are. However, rather than simply wallow in self-guilt, it ends with "What did I know..?" signaling that had the author known ahead of time all the things his father did for him, he would have been more appreciative and shown his thanks.

The Big Question

If we all are to become worm food, then what is the purpose of our life? What about our life matters if, in the end, we all die?

Vocab #11

affinity - a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc.
Psychologically, you develop an affinity for an object even if you think otherwise (see: commercials).
bilious - peevish, irritable, crank; extremely unpleasant or distasteful
Bobby Kotick and John Ricticiello are bilious, yet successful CEOs of their respective companies.
cognate - allied or similar in nature or quality
Some people believe that video game PR and video game journalism is cognate.
corollary - an immediate consequence or easily drawn conclusion; a natural consequence or result.
Rab Florence's article and the subsequent fallout with Lauren Wainwright was corollary considering the damning evidence.
cul-de-sac - any situation in which further progress is impossible.
Lauren Wainwright's subsequent Fallout after Florence's article has left her at a cul-de-sac, with no legitimate way out.
derring-do - daring deeds; heroic daring.
Some people consider Robert's article a derring-do.
divination - the practice of attempting to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge by occult or supernatural means.
Some people attempt divination in the hopes that they can better predict the games industry (Michael Pachter) but more often than not, they are wrong.
elixir - the quintessence or absolute embodiment of anything.
Some people hold Half-Life as the elixir of first-person shooters, but I tend to disagree.
folderol - a showy but worthless trifle
The Collector's Edition of games are, at the end, folderol; no one really cares one way or another.
gamut - the entire scale or range
The gamut of Nintendo games range from pure classics (Mario 64) to downright disgraces (Wii Music).
hoi polloi - the common people; the masses
Rob Florence's article on the corruption of the journalistic integrity in the video game industry created an uproar among the hoi polloi.
ineffable - incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible
The amount of vitriol and hatred that spews out of the Internet is simply ineffable.
lucubration - to work, write, or study laboriously,
Some people believe one of the problems of the video game industry is the lack of lucubration among game journalists.
mnemonic - assisting or intended to assist the memory.
Video game companies send gifts to reviewers as a mnemonic device for when they inevitably review the game.
obloquy - censure, blame, or abusive language aimed at a person or thing, especially by numerous persons or by the general public.
EA has been the subject of obloquy due to the rushed Mass Effect 3 ending, and Medal of Honor: Warfighter.
parameter - characteristic or factor; aspect; element
Metacritic has influenced game reviews so much that any game under the parameters of 80-100 is automatically considered garbage.
pundit - a  learned person, expert, or authority
Geoff Keighley was considered the pundit for journalistic integrity, but after Robert Florence's article, that has been questioned more frequently.
risible - causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous.
The movie The Hangover is known for its risible events.
symptomatic - having the characteristics of a particular disease but arising from another cause
Some people believe that EA's buyout of BioWare has corrupted the company, but I believe it's much more symptomatic than they make it out to be.
volte-face - a turnabout, especially a reversal of opinion or policy.
Stephen Totilo had a volte-face, originally he wasn't going to post about Florence's article, but he had a change of heart over Kotaku backlash.

Growing my PLN

So, I commented to this website in the hopes that they would reply. Granted, I still have to wait for their admin to approve my comment, so it's still up in the air whether or not they will reply, but I remain hopeful. Their website has a lot of promise, so perhaps through facilitation, both of us can emerge victorious. I will update if/when I get a reply, and what my comment was.

AP Hamlet PLN

This site got chosen because it was the most comprehensive website I could find when it came to quizzing for Hamlet. Not only that, but the questions aren't some easy "Who is the main character?" type of deal. We are talking about some legitimate questions that require actual reading of the text. such as "Why do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come to Denmark?" Questions that are easy if you have read/discussed the material, but are trouble to those who haven't.

Here is another site that should help those who wish to study Hamlet using the tried-and-true flash card method. There are 16 different sets of flashcards, which allows for more unique perspectives on Hamlet, and is a more comprehensive learning base than just one set.

This is another site I found, except it contains reading comprehension questions for those who prefer to study by answering questions. There are many, and they are fairly detailed, meaning that if you can answer them all, you definitely have a good understanding of the play.

This is an AP Web site where the students are studying Hamlet, Oedipus Rex, and Death of a Salesman. It contains links to various websites to help students better understand the play for their knowledge, and more importantly, for the inevitable quiz that's coming up.

This is an AP Forum where students discussed whether or not Hamlet is truly insane and to give evidence to support their claim. I figure it would be interesting to see how other students interpreted Hamlet's behavior as opposed to this one class.

Sonnet

Those Winter Sundays
by Robert Hayden

Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.
I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he'd call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,
Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love's austere and lonely offices?