Shakespeare's Techniques (Absent)

Shakespeare uses several literary devices throughout Othello. The most obvious is probably foreshadowing. The entire plot is based around Iago's attempt to destroy Othello's career and marriage, and he often talks about it, which adds tension to the plot. Shakespeare also uses the handkerchief as a symbol for trust. When Othello drops the handkerchief that he gave Desdemona, it shows he is already beginning to mistrust her. Then when he asks for it back and doesn't receive it, he immediately loses all trust in her. Finally, Shakespeare uses rhythm in the verses to contrast different characters and different feelings in the play. Some monologues he writes in iambic pentameter, to create an eloquent flow, such as Othello's. Other conversations are written in normal prose, especially conversations between Iago and Roderigo, showing that they're less noble people. By the end, Othello talks the same way.

Othello Character (Absent)

I played Othello in our scene. Othello, while being the protagonist of the story, is not the hero. In the beginning he seems to be, as he's a great military commander. But after being corrupted and manipulated by Iago, the antagonist, we find that he is not infallible. He kills his wife and himself, for nothing, showing that even those we view as strong have weaknesses, which could be a major theme in Othello.

Analytical paragraph

"Othello: Get me some poison, Iago, this night. I'll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again. This night, Iago.
Iago: Do it not with poison. Strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated." (179)

This passage is important because Shakespeare uses foreshadowing to increase the suspense in the plot. By telling the reader that Othello plans to kill his wife, it adds to the urgency and intensity of the play. When Iago suggests that he strangle Desdemona, it makes it even more suspenseful, because now he's siding with Othello, whereas before he was telling Othello to let her live. Of course, we also know at this time that Iago is lying to Othello about everything, which adds dramatic irony to increase the suspense. It's getting very intense.

Comment: "Thats a really important passage, you're right. Basically all of Iago's asides and soliloquies are really important because they show how cunning he is. And I feel the same way as Katie, it's amazing that Iago's getting away with this so easily!"

Casting Othello!

Othello:

"Most potent, grave, and reverend signors, my very noble and approved good masters; that I have ta'en away this old man's daughter, it is most true; true, I have married her." (33)

"Now, by heaven, my blood begins my safer guides to rule,

and passion, having my best judgement collied, essays to lead the way." (93)I'd have Shemar Moore play Othello because

I think Moore is a talented

dramatic actor, plus his last name is Moore like the Moor!

What a cowinkydink.

Iago:

"And nothing can or shall content my soul til I am evened with him, wife for wife, or failing so, yet that I put the Moor at least into a jealousy so strong that judgement cannot cure." (77)

"My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress; I'll set her on; myself the while to draw the Moor apart and bring hi

m jump when he may Cassio find soliciting his wife. Ay, that's the way." (105)

Topher Grace, because he played such a perfect snivelly little annoying evil character in Spiderman 3. Hahaha.

Desdemona:

"To you I am bound for life and education; my life and education both do learn me how to respect you." (41)

"My noble Moor is true of mind and made of no such baseness as jealous creatures are..." (149)

Rachel Weisz because she is beautiful and plays very sensible characters, not to mention she's exotic looking and a good actress.

Emilia:

"If it be not for some purpose of import, give't me again. Poor lady, she'll run mad when she shall lack it." (135)

"I am glad to have found this napkin... I'll have the work taken out and give't Iago. What he will do with it heaven knows, not I; I nothing but to please his fantasy."

Amanda Seyfried

because Emilia seems kind of... dumb. Or at least oblivious to Iago's evilness. She reminds me of Amanda Seyfried's character in Mean Girls.

And also Cassio:

Darren Criss, because Darren Criss is gorgeous and is very good at playing a protagonist. Darren Criss is my favorite actor ever and Cassio is my favorite character, and I hope Cassio doesn't die.

Othello 2.1

Iago is very cunning. And I can't tell if he actually is friends with Rodrigo, or if he's just using him to take Othello down. Because he MIGHT be actually trying to get Desdemona back with Rodrigo, but that's only secondary to his main intent, to get back at Othello.
Also, I do like Cassio. I think he sounds like a really nice guy and he idolizes Othello. I hope nothing bad happens to him. Othello and Desdemona and Iago can go attack and kill each other but I want Cassio to live. AND- did Iago really say that Othello slept with his wife and that Cassio was about to do it too? Or is he just paranoid? Hmm...

Othello #1

Iago and Rodrigo are jerks. Iago more than Rodrigo. Rodrigo is just hurt that he got shot down, whereas Iago is miffed that he didn't get a promotion and blames Othello. Who he should REALLY be blaming is himself.
Also, all the racism really puts it into perspective how prejudiced everyone is. I mean, Othello is a commander in the army, but he's still treated badly and compared with a horse. And then when Desdemona's dad gets all angry, HE starts being super racist too! I mean, I can understand that he's angry. Most dads would be angry if their daughter snuck out in the middle of the night to go to an inn with some older guy.
Still, I think Iago is a jerk.

Essay thing

Paragraph 3: During the same scene, Lymon tells Berniece that he "left home when I was about sixteen. Everything I tried seem like it just didn't work out. Now I'm trying this." (79) This shows us that Lymon has been without a true home for about thirteen years. When he left his home, he didnt really have a plan for where to go, so he ended up on the wrong side of the law for stealing wood. After that, he bought a truck and lived in the truck to escape the sherriff. Then, he traveled north with Boy Willie, and ended up sleeping on Doaker's couch. All of these events are evidence that Lymon does not have a home, and his actions portray transience: Sleeping on someone's couch, living out of a car, and stealing wood.

Piano Lesson day #8ish

I totally knew they were going to kiss. I totally saw it coming. And while it seemed romantic and all, and they might have more romance later, it seems like they're destined to not be a couple. I mean, Lymon is helping Boy Willie sell the piano, and Berniece really doesn't want to sell it. Maybe Lymon will take her side after this and not help Boy Willie sell it, because now he's in love with Berniece. Maybe, but I don't think that's his character. Because even with all his talk about how Boy Willie doesn't do things right, Lymon will still do whatever Boy Willie tells him to. And on the point of Avery, I don't think Berniece will choose him. He seems very boring, and very insistent on having a "good wife." I wouldn't want to marry him, but hey, maybe Berniece does.

Is it just me or is this getting really Twilight-ish? Team Avery vs. Team Lymon?...

Ugh. I'm sorry I even brought that up.

Also, they have a lot of sex. Boy Willie and Lymon, at least. Apparently, abstinence isn't a big deal in this time period.

I commented: "Yeah, I was kinda surprised at how Lymon's actions didn't really match his words when he was coming on to Berniece, he kept saying how he wanted Grace or how that one woman he slept with was the prettiest woman he'd ever seen. Not exactly the best way to lead into a kiss. Maybe it's because he was drunk?"

Piano Lesson... #6? or 7?

I thought it was interesting to learn more about why Berniece won't play the piano. It seems that after her father died, her mother became very depressed (and maybe a little crazy?) and was constantly pressuring Berniece to play on the piano. Berniece said that she thought there were spirits in the house when she played, and that's why she won't play it- she doesn't want the spirits around. This also connects to Sutter's ghost, and how Doaker found him sitting at the piano a few weeks before this. So maybe that's going to become a major plot point: The piano attracts spirits.

I'm still surprised that this book has supernatural events in it.

I commented: "I don't really like Wining Boy, especially when he was trying to get Doaker to give him more money. You're right, he's really cheap." on Blake's blog.

Piano Lesson day # 5 i think.

I was a little surprised by the humor in the end of Act 2 Scene 1, between Wining Boy and Lymon and Boy Willie. I mean, it was funny, but I didn't expect it. The play for the most part had been pretty serious, about death and ghosts and money and slavery, and then BAM! Some interesting pickup lines come along... Anyway, I thought it was funny.
Also, I think it's interesting that Doaker saw Sutter's ghost at the piano before Berniece did. That makes it seem even more likely that the ghost really does exist, and that it's not just in someone's head. And the fact that Doaker thinks that Sutter broke his neck might come up again later when we learn more about why Sutter's ghost is haunting them. It might just be because of the piano... Or is it something more?

Comment on haylee's blog:
"I like how you pointed out that the characters are unable to leave the past and move on, and how that's tied with the piano and Sutter's ghost. But at the same time, I think Boy Willie might be too eager to move on, and he doesn't really take the time to stop and think about what he's doing, you know?"

Piano Lesson Journal #4 i think

So on friday we finished act 1 scene 2, which added a lot of background information on the family. I think it was really interesting to learn about how the piano was made and why, and how Doaker and his brothers stole the piano from Sutter. Then Berniece talked about how her mother made her play the piano all the time, and she said something about how her mother "mixed her blood in with all the rest" on the piano. This makes me think that the piano has some bloody history, and that the reason Berniece won't sell it has something to do with her mother.

Also, I think it's weird that Sutter's Ghost has become a legit character in the play, since I thought the play was like, reaslistic. Guess not.

Piano Lesson day 3

The scene we read today offered a loooot more background information on their family. I had been wondering what the "Ghosts of the Yellow Dog" were, thinking that some Labrador retriever had killed a bunch of people or something. But now I know that it was actually some people who were killed when a train caught on fire.
When we first started reading, I thought this was going to be entirely historical realistic fiction, but there seems to be a slightly supernatural (or at least superstitious) element to it. I mean, there's the appearance of ghost of Sutter for one thing, and then Wining Boy told his story about standing on the railroad tracks and feeling the Ghosts of the Yellow Dog compel him to stand in front of a train. I'm not sure if this'll play a major role in the rest of the plot, but it would be interesting if it did.
Also, there was a ton of background on their family. About how their ancestors were slaves and carved the piano for a dying girl, and how Doaker and Wining Boy and a man named Charles stole it from Sutter. It offered a lot of explanation about the characters and I was glad of it.

I tried to comment on several different blogs (Rachel's, Alec's, Tylor's, and Trevor's) and it wouldn't let me for some reason, it kept making me re-log in, even though I was already logged in. Anyway, I'll try again later to see if it's just blogger being dumb.

Piano Lesson Day #2

So far, I think I'm getting a pretty good picture of Boy Willie's character. He seems very selfish, like most young men are at around his age, but he also seems a little untrustworthy. He seems selfish because of the way he wants to sell the piano just to benefit himself, despite his sister's wishes, which are important to her. And untrustworthy because of all the hints that Berniece makes, like saying that he pushes Sutter down the well. Especially with the mentions of a man named Crawley being dead because of Boy Willie. Also, the way he acts around Maretha makes him seem more two-faced. He cusses and uses the n-word a lot with the older characters but acts super sweet to Maretha. And while it's good that he isn't a bad influence on the twelve-year-old, he also doesn't seem to show much integrity. He's a different person with different people, which is like the exact opposite of integrity.

I commented: "The N-word makes me uncomfortable too, I'm glad I haven't had to read it out loud yet. I don't believe that using it will wear it out and make it less offensive... I don't like the word." On Autumn's blog

The Land in Cry

In Cry, the Beloved Country, Paton contrasts the Kumalo family and the Jarvis family through the use of the setting. He often describes the valley where Kumalo's village is as being barren, wasted, and torn. The imagery he uses evokes the vision of something dying. This is very fitting because many in his village are dying due to starvation, because nothing grows in the valley anymore and it doesn't rain. The Jarvis family, however, lives up in the hills. There, they say the grass is watered by the mist, and that things are not too dry. The imagery Paton uses for the Jarvis' land makes it seem peaceful, plentiful, and thriving; the exact opposite of Kumalo's village in the valley. So, while both families are going through times of grief for their sons, the white family is much better off than the black family in the valley.

Ashoka

Jose Luis Nunez is a sociologist in Bolivia who is trying to help young people understand the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen. He and a team of professionals/volunteers organizes leadership activities to encourage young people to organize their OWN events.

Naw Paw Ray is a woman in Thailand helping to educate and employ the Burmese migrants in Thailand. She trains Burmese immigrants to be teachers, and her schools prepare the Burmese children for a possible return to Burma or to integrate them into Thai society.

Eugen Toth is a man in Slovakia who has created a new model for how the government handles rainwater. He is attempting to change the perception of rainwater and hopefully lead to better water conservation through circulating the rainwater where it falls.

Nameless characters

Cormorant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant

A nameless character in Cry, the Beloved Country, is the man from the reformatory. He is always referred to as the "young man" or the "young white man." This is unusual in the story because most of the white characters, however minor, are given names. Jarvis' wife, his daughter-in-law's brother, his daughter-in-law, Absalom's lawyer, etc. are all given names. The white characters with names seem more prestigious, upper-class, and separated from the indistinct black characters.
I think that Paton chose not to name the young white man to make him seem less like the upper-class white characters. He probably did this because the young white man works in the reformatory, helping the young black people, not far from Shantytown. He often crosses the social divide, such as when he helped Kumalo out the door at the courtroom. Leaving him nameless, like the minor black characters, puts him on the same level as them.

Effect of Different "Books"

I think that the "books" inside another book is basically the same as breaking the book into parts. And splitting books into parts is useful in many ways. First, it probably helped the author keep track of what he was writing- I know I always break my writing into different parts so I don't have to look at it as a whole, which can be overwhelming. Also, it gives the story a chance to take on a new direction. When a new part begins, anything can happen, such as a change in the focus, a change in the setting, a lapse in time, and even the narrator can change. It gives you a chance to see the story from a new perspective and maybe skip over unneeded information. It also helps organize the process of a book, and the way it is organized can tell you about the story and the style of writing.

Oppression Links

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11417721

Cry Journal 3

Phrases/lines:
"All roads lead to Johannesburg."
"Have you a room for me to let?"
"Shantytown is up overnight."
"What shall we do in the rain?"
"Nobody comes back from Johannesburg."
"More lovely than anything you could sing about."
The first phrase, "All roads lead to Johannesburg," is a metaphor. It is repeated often to illustrate how everyone in southern Africa, no matter their race, ends up going to Johannesburg. The first time Paton says this he is being a little more literal, describing the train that Kumalo is taking to Johannesburg. The second time, he talks about how everyone ends up going to Johannesburg when they can no longer find work in the country. The way he says that all roads lead to Johannesburg also explains the phrase "nobody comes back from Johannesburg" because all the roads LEAD there, not back from it.
Images:
Hills, mountains
The immensity of Johannesburg
The beauty of the African countryside
The last image, of the beautiful country, is used to contrast the ugliness of the new city. All of the old villages and tribes that the natives had built are described as being beautiful and loved and cared for. It contrasts the big city, with its endless roads and its crowds of people and its traffic and Shantytowns. It makes the city seem like a place you did not want to be, and yet, everyone goes there.
Concepts:
The suffering of women
Fear of catching the wrong bus
The crime in the city
Fear of Kumalo's son
Mothers protecting children
The suffering of women, especially mothers like Kumalo's wife and the woman Mrs. Seme, is probably repeated to build theme. Paton suggests that it is in their nature to suffer silently. They give birth to children, raise them, and then must suffer through the pain of losing them to death or to the big city.

Cry Journal 2

Alan Paton characterizes the genders differently, but only slightly. The men seem to be more rounded characters, with more variety among them. The priest, the conman, the politician, etc. But the women seem to fall only into two categories: a prostitute or a wife and mother. Neither of these two generalizations show women as being powerful or very respectable. It's almost like he's saying that if you don't become a wife/mother you're automatically a prostitute- which I'm sure is the view of some other countries and even our country not too long ago. The women don't play much of a large role yet, either. Aside from the fact that Kumalo goes to the city to find his sister, the women haven't been mentioned much even as he's walking through the city. The men are usually the ones described in detail.

CTBC Tabs

The first passage I chose happens to be the first passage of the book. The first chapter, which is only a page and a half, is entirely description of the setting. The setting is established in this passage with the use of a lot of personification and figurative language. It creates an image of South Africa, along with giving the reader a very sad feeling. The tone in the beginning is hopeful, when Paton is describing the valley and the hills of South Africa. By the end of the passage, though, the tone is sad, and the word choice is depressing: "It is not kept, or guarded, or cared for, it no longer keeps men, guards men, cares for men." This seems to illustrate the transformation of the older, beautiful Africa into something broken, desolate, and sad.

I also chose the passage near the end of page 40, beginning with "He went out the door..." and ending just before the little leaf separator thing. That paragraph says that as Kumalo leaves, his wife sits down at the table and puts her head in her arms. She "was silent, with the patient suffering of black women, with the suffering of oxen, with the suffering of any that are mute." This seems to be the beginnings of a theme through the use of language, when Paton talks about the suffering of those who are mute.

Next, the passage on page 42 in the middle, when Kumalo is thinking about the story of the woman who saw her son hit by a car when they moved there. I thought this might have been foreshadowing, since he knows that his own son is somewhere in the city, and he doesn't know what to expect. His son doesn't write anymore and they haven't seen him for a very long time.

Finally I chose the end of page 48, when Kumalo gave the young man his money to buy his ticket for him. The man ends up stealing his money. This shows how naive this character is in the big city, and how he doesn't know the workings of it, either. It gives you an image of how out of place he is, and can also be used to show how he'll change by the end. Showing that he's a naive character in the beginning can be compared to however he changes by the end of the novel.

Theme Development

The theme I chose in the novel is "The weakest among us is always an outlet for violence." One way he develops this is through the characters of Piggy and Simon. Piggy is constantly attacked, verbally and physically, for being weaker than the other boys. He has asthma and he's overweight, which is why he is weaker. Then Simon, when he is dehydrated and delusional, is killed by the rest of the boys on the island. It shows how the weak fall victim to the strong.

Another way of developing this theme is through the narration. Golding almost always chooses to see through the eyes of Ralph, or Jack, or even Roger. They are all the more powerful, stronger characters. It makes the others, like Simon, Piggy, and the littluns, appear even weaker just because we don't see inside their heads (with the exception of Simon's episode with the pig head, although even that makes Simon seem weaker than the other boys).

Females in LOTF

In Lord of the Flies, the presence of both boys and girls would have made a huge difference. If girls had been present then the "littluns" probably would not have gone unaccounted for from the beginning as they had with the boys. The youngest boys probably would have stayed closer to the females on the island, because they would be the closest thing the boys had to a mother. The maternal instinct that most girls have from a small age (playing with baby dolls and playing 'house') would have ensured that. And while Jack may have still become obsessed with the hunt, the boys wouldn't have fallen on themselves so readily. Girls tend to use words more than physicality, unlike boys, which would make it a lot less violent. I, personally, as a girl, related best to Piggy and Simon, so other girls who felt the same could've helped ensure that Simon and Piggy were heard – not killed.
On the other hand, when the group is all male, the boys pick on Piggy who is the weakest among them. Women are usually physically weaker than men, both as a stereotype and in fact. It's possible that the girls would be the first to get killed off by the savage boys. But I don't think that would be the case with these young boys in LOTF.

LOTF Effects

Golding mentions Ralph's gray school sweater and stockings while he's walking through the jungle. In the jungle, those things are completely useless. This serves as a contrast between where Ralph came from and where he ended up. The school sweater and stockings suggest civilization, education, cool climate, and altogether everything that the island doesn't have. Golding says that Ralph "had taken off his school sweater and it now trailed from one hand..." This foreshadows that he will eventually lose (or take off) the other reminders of civilization and his home, falling farther and farther toward savagery as he stays on the island.

Throughout the whole first page, Piggy (or 'the voice' as he's called for part of it) continues to talk and chatter without Ralph ever replying. This initially creates a feeling of annoyance toward this character - he's that guy that won't shut up. But this makes sense when compared to later in the novel, when Piggy is interrupted and jeered at whenever he speaks. It can be assumed that in his life before the island, Piggy rarely got to speak his mind like he does in the first page. The fact that Ralph allows this builds a feeling of trust in Piggy, which is why Piggy stays close with Ralph throughout the rest of the story. This first page introduces this trait in Ralph, that he lets Piggy speak. So, Piggy teaches Ralph to think the way he does. He becomes Ralph's adviser. He keeps Ralph on track with the signal fire and the rescue. And when Ralph doesn't listen - when he leaves Piggy alone with the conch - Piggy is killed by the falling rock.