This is our last blog for the year. There is something so sad about saying good-bye and finishing forever. For this final blog, I want you to look back at the year. Think about all of the texts that we have read. Foster says there is really only one story. What is it that all of these texts are trying to say? What do they want us to contemplate? What do they want us to value? What do they want us to think? Each time we read something, we take in something different dependent on where we are at the time. Be mindful of that when thinking about what they all say. In your last blog, explain what all of theses texts are saying that is the same. Use the texts to support your arguments. Once you have done that, then tell us how it speaks to you and your life.
Before I begin this blog, I just want to say that IT HAS BEEN ON MY BUCKET LIST ALL YEAR TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO POST THE BLOG AND NOW I FINALLY GET TO FOR THE VERY LAST TIME. I could not be happier!! Okay, now that that has been said…
ReplyDeleteIn each of the texts we’ve read, multiple different comments on societal issues have been addressed. In Oscar Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Gray and in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, both questions of selfishness and justice have been raised. Each of these novels provide commentary on how all of these issues are present in society, specifically how selfishness has the ability to destroy a person, and how just because a person believes they are justified in doing something does not necessarily mean that they are. In Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, questions of existentialism and mankind’s purpose on this earth are questioned in multiple different lights. In William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, questions of morality are raised through the selfish and immoral actions of Anse towards his wife’s death. Each of the novels that we have read this year present different comments on the lives that human beings live. Though each of them makes different remarks towards issues in society, they all seem to be pointing towards the same main theme: change.
While each novel that we have read has something different to say, they all make observations that suggest that we as a society need to make a change in our selfish, immoral, unjustified ways. People cannot be obsessively selfish, for if they are, their entire lives will be ran by the egoism that resides within them. They will not only ruin their relationships with those around them, but will also ruin their relationship with themself and who they are on the inside. We cannot find illusive justification in acts that are only beneficial to ourselves, as these types of acts only hurt others and cause us trouble in the end. And lastly, we cannot stand around waiting for something to happen, waiting for our happy ending, waiting for our success, waiting for Godot; we have to make something happen, instead.
At the beginning of this year, I was not sure how I felt about going into AP Lit. I didn’t think I would able to handle the workload, and above all else, I did not think I would enjoy it. Now, nine months later, AP Lit has become the greatest class that I have ever had the opportunity to partake in. For me personally, these novels have helped me grow, not just on an intellectual standing, but on an emotional and mental standing, as well. I will never again look at literature in the same, bored, uninterested way that I used to, and I will never again be able to watch a movie, listen to a song, or read a novel without questioning what it is that it is saying. I don’t believe that life is meant to be blunt and have just one meaning. In fact, life is meant to have countless amounts of deeper meanings, and we are meant to find those deeper meanings for ourselves; and that is what we must do, we must find the meaning of life within ourselves.
Shaniuk, B 7/8
Looking in retrospect over the last year, the texts we have read in AP English Literature has truly changed my worldview. I believe the common theme that all the texts have taught me is that I should be conscientious of what is going on in the world and in society. My favorite book that we read this year is A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, which has become my second favorite book ever. I believe that a lot can be said about A Clockwork Orange, but I believe that the most important comment that Burgess had to say through this novel is that people should be more skeptical of society and the various actions that societal leaders take in order to maintain peace. One of my favorite quote from this novel is “A man who cannot choose ceases to be a man,” (175). I believe that this quote speaks volumes about how we as people should live: We should constantly choose to make decisions and challenge the norm because without the power to choose and decide, man looses the one thing that makes him different from all other creatures here on Earth.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I believe that the play Hamlet gave a lot insight into how we, as people, should live our lives. We should question events around us and we should be willing to stand up for things we believe in. In Hamlet, Shakespeare shows that if we believe strongly enough about a cause, if laying down your life is the only way to solve the problem, you should do so. The idea of standing up for what you believe in is seen in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray hid his true self from all of society, and the novel ended with the suicide of Gray. I believe one of Wilde’s comments in this novel is that people should genuinely live to be their true selves and should be proud to show the world who they truly are.
Throughout the course of AP Lit, I have learned tremendously. Not only have I learned how to annotate text (I mean, Mrs. Perrin did you see how much I annotated my copy of Hamlet?!), but I’ve learned about the world I live in. I’ve learned that to be a good citizen, you should question things that happen in your society and you should do everything in your power to make justice come true. I mean, this idea is even see in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment through Raskolnikov’s character’s journey throughout the novel. Prior to this class, I always knew there was an underlying layer to literature, but I did not know how to find it. But, right now, I believe that I can find it. I can find the underlying meaning behind texts and I can find literary elements in texts, as well, which is something I struggled with prior to this class. Something else that these texts have taught me is that there is something special in life and you should spend every day searching for what that special thing is; This idea is seen in the play Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett. The characters in this play obsessively waited for something special to come that never necessarily came. But, I saw something beautiful in this play. I saw characters believing and waiting for a purpose for their lives, and quite frankly, I believe those characters’ journey applies to so many people in our society today, especially those who are oppressed and unable to express who they truly are.
It has truly been my pleasure to be apart of such an amazing class! From our seminar discussions to Mrs. Perrin and Mr. Kish in general, this class has been such a delight! I’ll miss it so much!
P.S. I'll never forget Mrs. Perrin's words when I'm writing an essay: "Who do I care?"
ReplyDeleteLike Foster said, this year we've really only read one story (for some, this statement may be true on more than one account). When we were talking in class today about Existentialism found in Hamlet, I started to think about how many books this topic had come up in. I'm not going to speak specifically of existentialism, but the 'single story' we have read this year is about individuality and the search for meaning in our character's lives.
ReplyDeleteTake, for example, Alex from 'A Clockwork Orange'. After the heinous crimes he commits, he is hospitalized and reformed to act how others in society think he should. He is overrun with the pressure of society and loses touch with his own individuality. While his character is described as being violent and irresponsible, it is what defines Alex. Society tries to take that from him -to change him into a model citizen- and in doing so defeats the purpose of his life. He can no longer go on living as a part of the machine, and jumps to his death from a window. The Invisible Man faces the same problem. When he joins the brotherhood, he is taught how to think and how to act. As a Brother, he is subject to the impossible expectations of the group. When he holds a funeral march for Clifton without the support of the Brotherhood, he is criticized and rejected by the group. Again, we see that his individuality has been stripped away. As a result of this, he struggles to find his place in society, at one point even pretending to be someone that he is not. At the end of the novel, he refuses to be molded by society for any longer. He hides himself underground and becomes a ghost in society. What is the result of his newfound individuality? He finds his purpose in life. While it seems strange, he is at his best when he is alone in his underground apartment. He is able to think and act in whatever way he wants seen in his control over the power supply to his room. Finally, consider Dorian in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'. He hides behind the mask of his portrait and as a result never reveals his true identity. In trying to convince others that he is something he's not, he loses touch with his own personality. At the end of the novel when he finally recognizes the horrors he has brought to the world, he realizes he must correct the mistake and destroy the painting. However, he is so deeply engrained in the facade that he destroys himself when he attempts to destroy the painting.
Why does this all matter as a reader? As a high school student, individuality is a daily struggle. Teachers, parents, and friends pull us in a thousand different directions. Sometimes, life gets so busy that we forget to take care of ourselves. We often lose touch with our individuality and begin to blend in with the rest of society. It's easier when we do what everyone else is doing. In each novel we've read, the character eventually smashes through the barrier and takes hold of their individuality. The writers show their readers how dangerous being another member of society can be. Writers encourage us to question the holds that society places on us and find new ways to break away from it.
- Ryan M. 2
I just want to start by giving a farewell monologue to this wonderful class and Mrs. Perrin's amazing lessons. As much as I complained throughout the year about the work-load, which wasn't all that big in retrospect, I truly enjoyed reading all these texts whether or not I personally liked what we read. I've never had a class or a teacher like I had every day for 7/8*, with deep discussions about things I'm passionate about. I'll miss the intelligence of every discussion we had together. Thank you all for making this class meaningful and interesting.
ReplyDeleteOf all the texts we read this year, my favorites are 'A Clockwork Orange,' 'The Picture of Dorian Gray,' and 'Crime & Punishment.' All of these texts are about human nature in some way. Each book focuses on the journey of one man and how he interacts with those around him during the time span covered in the text. Alex, Raskolnikov, and Dorian Gray all experiment with crime. Alex's lifestyle revolves around criminality, Raskolnikov has a curiosity about committing crimes, and Dorian Gray becomes a criminal once his beauty and value is revealed to him. Each character commits a crime and must deal with the consequences of their actions. To me, each of these books reveal what happens to people who lack moral conviction and almost get away with their crimes. In the end of each book, the characters have realized that their actions were unjust and repent in one form or another.
My least favorite books that we read this year are 'As I Lay Dying,' and 'All the Pretty Horses.' Even though I dislike them greatly, I am able to discern the literary merit in the texts and relate their themes to the others previously mentioned. These two books are also about human nature as revealed by following the characters in the book. Addie in 'As I Lay Dying' is a very obsure character who was misunderstood by others. John Grady Cole had a dream that was crushed by reality. Each of these books are about the unpredictability and harshness of real life.
Overall, the pieces of literature that we have read this year all teach us lessons to live by today. They are all about morality and the harsh nature of reality. These are issues that we face every day and that we see in almost every book we read. Human nature is a diverse and enigmatic concept to begin with, therefore there is an infinite number of ways to explore and express it. Every book comments on human nature in some way, encouraging readers to either follow or reject what is discovered by the characters.
-S. Bahr, 7/8*
Through out the year, we were asked one simple question. “Why does it matter?” In all honesty, that’s what each story asked us. Why does this all matter? Why does it matter than Alex from A Clockwork Orange was dehumanized? Why does it matter that Raskolnikov killed not only the pawnbroker, but also her sister in Crime and Punishment? Why does it matter that the only scenery in Waiting for Godot was a tree? It because each specific piece of information, obvious or not, creates a bigger image within the perspectives of each novel. The author wants us to see things differently after reading the words they produce. They want us to realize the things within the world that you have to really think about to see it. There is one story. Out of many stories, the same one told leads to the same question, “Why does it matter?” The authors want us to see these societal problems within the text and understand how each character deals with it, which transfers over into the real world of how people deal with societal problems themselves. They want to show the reader each perspective and position and leave the solution up to the reader, not hand it to them. The author may have some bias involved, but the end result is up to the reader. Reading these novels throughout the year made me realize that there’s more than dystopian settings and teenage romance. There’s philosophy and morality, revenge and love. Its more than a story, it’s a way of life. It broadens the human mind from just a little sliver of the world and I think that’s why I enjoyed this class so much. Through the novels we read I learned more about the world than I ever have before. I learned different ways of thinking and the shared opinions of others. It has made my perspective broader and more observant to what the author is trying to say. In the end, that’s what matters. The author was able to reach out and affect the reader’s life, to really touch their emotions and understanding.
ReplyDeleteS. Güt 7/8
Well this is truly a way to end the year. In the midst of studying for five AP exams, one of which is in exactly 24 hours, I would love nothing more than to rehash every single novel that occupied my time this year. Whether that includes the wonder of slave rape, two men standing by a tree, a whiny teenage boy sent on a vengeance plea by a ghost, a hillbilly family lugging a decaying body through the south, or an existentialist who kills a pawnbroker and finds that love changes all (barf!), I personally feel there is no better way to spend my Sunday afternoon. However, due to the meaningless shred of grade-point-average integrity I still have left, I will proceed on.
ReplyDeleteAlthough written in different societies, different time periods, different places and in different states of mind. The one common theme that is seen in every novel is the idea of companionship. Companionship encompasses everything. Whether it is the bond between two lovers, the bond between two friends, the bond between a family or the bond between complete strangers, companionship is what binds our characters together, makes our readers happy and makes a little place in our heart feel warmed.
Considering it at point blank, when have we ever read a novel with just one character? A novel where just one person exists and continues to be alone and thrives on their own without other people? That is correct, we have never read such a novel. Even in Notes from the Underground, probably the most isolated text of them all, it is through characters like Liza and his coworkers that we see the underground man’s potential to be different. Even when he regresses back into isolation, his delirium is rekindled and his happiness is again dissolved. The idea of companionship is a lot more apparent in the other novels, however, I felt like it was important to challenge the counterargument first and foremost.
In Waiting for Godot, there are Estragon and Vladimir, friends that stay and care for one another. In As I Lay Dying, the Bundrens’, including the craptastic father, uphold their mother’s wishes and through their journey, work together as a team to complete their mission. In Crime and Punishment, we see the companionship of love, whether that is between Raskolnikov and Sonia or Razmuhin and Dunya, being a saving grace, the salvation to a new life. In Hamlet, it is through the companionship of Horatio that Hamlet can avenge his father’s death, which in itself was fueled by Hamlet’s belief in his own family’s companionship. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, it is through a lack of companionship and self-righteous action that we see the demise of Dorian. In All The Pretty Horses, it is through the help of his best friend and closest confidant Rawlins that he can take his cowboy fantasy to the next level, and through the lessons and companionship of complete strangers, he continues to understand the meaning of the world. And lastly, in Beloved, we see the companionship of not only family, but also the love between Sethe and Paul D being the ultimate salvation from their life of torture and pain.
Overall, I believe that all of these novels and one play utilize the concept of companionship and mingling amongst humans to show us that alone, we will not be able to survive. Time and time again, I think authors use characters, both good and bad, to show us the importance of companionship and how other people can change our lives, provide us with salvation, give us a sense of family or even help us in death.
Above all else, I will carry this message with me. I will always remember that other people, both good and bad, make us into the heroes or the villains we are. I will always remember that I am not a single unit and that there are always going to be other people in the world and that we can work together to make a good ending.
Megan Lear 2nd
AP Lit has been one of the more challenging classes this year, but I have to say, unlike other classes, the coursework is meaningful. Being a slow reader, and even more so, reading complex books, this class really did take a lot of my time. But, I am happy to have taken this class as I have read some awesome books, Crime and Punishment and The Picture of Dorian Gray being my favorites. Also, I made some great memories in this class and reconnected with a lost friend (Yann Martel). Looking back I do not regret to have accepted the challenges to suffer through this class and to sacrifice precious time for this class.
ReplyDeleteI think that all of the books we have read this year involve sacrifice and suffering. Each character in the books must make a sacrifice in order to achieve something greater. In Notes from Underground and Invisible Man, the Underground Man and the Invisible Man break their connection to the rest of the world. In A Clockwork Orange, Alex suffers throughout his treatment. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov’s mind becomes a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions after his murder. The author’s of each book wants us to value the benefits that come from sacrifice and suffering. Raskolnikov saves his love for Sonya by admitting to his crime. The Underground Man finds his full potential to think once he isolates himself from Russian society, while Invisible Man finds his identity. Even for the books that do not end positively for the protagonists, such as The Picture of Dorian Gray and Hamlet, we as readers are able to understand the need for suffering and sacrifice. It is Dorian Gray’s inability to sacrifice a life of pleasure that leads to his demise. Claudius’ refusal to admit to his murder, his desire to evade suffering, leads to his downfall.
Each book shows the turmoil, whether physical or psychological, that comes when making sacrifices and tolerating suffering; through the struggles and the nature of these characters, we are able to reflect on our own lives. For me, I have come to understand that suffering and sacrifice lead to individual growth. My situations are not as dramatic or severe as the ones presented in the books, but they are nonetheless essential to my character. The best example I can give is from my experience playing for Brunswick Soccer. My first two years of soccer, I was not the most fit player. In fact, I could not run a mile during my sophomore year of high school. I knew that what I was giving to the team was not good enough, and so, I committed myself to daily off-season training. It was awful. I suffered from many deep huffs and puffs, I had to overcome the pains of the thought, “I can’t do it!” I had to give up time for myself, where I could actually enjoy. But in the end, it all paid off. I came into the next season as one of the fittest players on the team, and even more so, I showed my coaches my capabilities as a leader. I attribute this trial of suffering and sacrifice as to the reason why I became captain of the team, and from this experience, I have learned to embrace the arts of sacrifice and suffering.
Srivastava R, 2
It looks like we made it (cue the Barry Manilow music). This class, though stressful, has been one of my favorites, and it’s so very bittersweet to say goodbye. Thank you Mrs. Perrin for being such a wonderful teacher and putting up with us this entire year. It’s been real. And now, without further ado, the last blog of the year:
ReplyDeleteI think the overall theme of the texts we’ve read this year has been existentialism and the importance/existence of free will. However I think at a deeper level, they have all been trying to teach us that every action has a consequence, and the decisions we make will impact our lives in different ways. In Waiting for Godot, one of the first texts we read this year, Samuel Beckett was conveying the idea that if our lives are spent waiting for something “greater” than us, waiting for the end to come, then we will never truly live. Vladimir and Estragon spend every day waiting for Godot to come, but he never does, and they know he never will. Their lives are endless cycles that repeat the same boring day over and over and over again. The play ends as Estragon says: “Yes, let’s go. / [They do not move.]” (Beckett 85). Though their words convey that they are going to break the cycle, their inaction depicted in the stage directions shows that they do not. The actions that they do not take lead to long, boring, dull lives. We saw the exact opposite in A Clockwork Orange. Anthony Burgess writes about the life of a teenager named Alex who takes his actions too far and winds up being punished for it. Eventually, because of the actions he took (murder, rape, etc.), he loses the will to act by means of a special “treatment.” Because of the decisions he made out of free will, his life was affected dramatically. We see this idea is every novel we have read, but let’s fast forward now to our most recent read: Hamlet. We witnessed Hamlet’s ultimate sacrifice of his life, which could have been easily avoided if he had not made the decision to murder his uncle and avenge his father. However this decision caused him to go mad (or did it?) and he was unable to live out the rest of his days in ease; rather, he was distressed and pained by what he knew he had to do. All of the texts we’ve read this year focused on the decisions that people make and how they affect their lives. And over all that, it is only due to free will that these decisions can be made.
Entering a whole new stage of my life, the decisions I make now are extremely important: what college to go to, what to major in, who to associate myself with… The list goes on. Every action I make will have a consequence that will ultimately determine my future, and these novels have taught me the importance of making the right decision, or at least trying to make the right decision, because the fact of the matter is, I will not always make the right decision. But, as long as my interests are for the best and I’m at least taking action, it will all turn out okay in the end.
This is Katie Dushek, signing off.
-Dushek, K 2˚
As a lover of books and reading, I have been greatly satisfied with this year and this class in particular. From each book I learned about characters and their various troubles, triumphs and tales. My personal favorite was Crime and Punishment, mainly because I’m a sucker for Byronic heroes who make sacrifices; sacrifices that are not even shown amongst the most Christian-like characters within the novel. However, within each of the eleven (or twelve, including Canterbury Tales?) novels we have read, I noticed that their actions greatly influenced their lives. It’s important to reflect on ones actions, and how that has shaped a person today, whether it be a fictional character or not.
ReplyDeleteWithin the four summer reading books we have seen characters and people who reveal their stories to us, especially Stephen King and the Underground Man. Their stories of the past reveal to us readers as to why they are so strong and bitter. As for Dorian Gray and John Grady, we learn that their actions greatly influence their lives and where they go from there. Alex, from A Clockwork Orange teaches readers that through his actions, his life can change forever. By violent actions, one’s life can change forever. Even in Waiting for Godot, Vladamir and Estragon have minimal action within their story, and that just shows that their lives are quite minimal indeed. Godot taught me that one should not wait for others, and that your life relies on your actions, it shapes who you are as a person.
For characters like Raskolinkov and Hamlet, their actions are for good intentions. Despite both of their psychological troubles, they acted to better their lives. Raskolinkov did more than murder a pawnbroker and her sister, his good actions seemed to outweigh his murders. Hamlet himself finds purpose in his life when he decides to avenge his father. They all shaped their lives through their actions.
Personally within my life, I’m passive in almost everything I do. My actions are quiet and peaceful, and I do nothing that would be disruptive towards someone’s comfort or duality. When I do take action, it’s very passive aggressive and solemn. These books have taught me that actions form ones personality and lifestyle. Without actions, life can be quite bleak and dreary. Learning this, I know that I need to take action within my life; I cannot wait for that “Great Perhaps”, I myself need to jump into the world, run out the door and live my life. Through these books I learned that I need to go into the world, unafraid and willingly. In all honesty, the Underground Man’s character was someone I greatly related to, and feared the most because I saw myself in this bleak and pessimistic character. I realized that I need to take action in my life, I need to do something great that will benefit my life, and if not, I may as well be the Underground Man himself. The Invisible Man taught me that I need to move on with my past and realize that my life depends on my actions now and within the future. A great quote that I enjoy is from J.R.R. Tolkien, and he says, “Impossible? Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” I shall take these words from all these authors, cherish them, and create purpose within my college and adult years.
Turnea, D 2nd Period
I think that I always seem to look at books a little differently, but in that lies one of the properties of literature that I find most irresistible: that it really doesn’t matter how you look at it, there is always something- some type of depth- there for you to fall into. Literature isn’t like math where there’s one definite answer, but a book is as individual as if every reader writes it for their self as they turn each immortal page. I suppose that this philosophy I hold might be why I find the idea that there is only one story so fascinating. It links not just all books together but also links every human that’s ever read and connected to a book in some way. We all bleed for the same story, whether it’s in the crude language of A Clockwork Orange or the lyrical tragedy of Hamlet. We all bleed together when the same story tugs the puppeteer strings of our hearts to the beats of different characters- to the dance of different drums. This, I think, is a beautiful type of paradox. So like any paradox we as human’s have to beg to know why? Why does the universe work the way that it does? Leave alone the question of why all hearts bleed together and still there remains simply why just one individual bleeds for one incarnation of the story- why do we care at all?
ReplyDeleteI think that all books try to tell us something that we only can hear when we are ready or particularly constructed to be able to accept the book’s particular whisper. For me, All the Pretty Horses really said something fantastic about the cruelty and complacency of life this year. For others, maybe A Clockwork Orange gave much the same message. Maybe Crime and Punishment whispered an epic warning or Hamlet sparked a dark sort of humor in someone’s soul. I think that all books say something very individual, but in this, they all say much the same thing. The strive for something uniquely human- to answer questions. They try to tell a story, and I think that that is enough to sustain the human spirit in itself. The story isn’t just a story that is echoed in all things. It is the story of all things- of humanity. It’s our story, in every light and perspective that we can be observed from.
In my life, the story that books all echo obsesses me in a sense. I love the story. I think that it is essentially what we live for- to unmask that story in its entirety, or at least in as much detail as might apply to us. We ask the existentialist questions of why? because we want to know the end of the story- the last chapter- before we really read the beginning. It’s only human nature. It’s only another chapter itself in the massive library of life.
A. Jankovsky 7-8
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ReplyDeleteI’ve never been good with endings. All I can say is that it’s been an absolute privilege learning alongside all of you. This has been a year of discussion, questioning, and self-discovery – and there’s nowhere I’d rather have spent it than in Mrs. Perrin’s classroom. We didn’t just learn about literature; we learned about ourselves. We didn’t just read novels and short stories; we read the world around us.
ReplyDeleteI've really loved the whole curriculum. It seems to me like a carefully constructed spiderweb, in which vibrations along one thread reverberate throughout the entire structure. There were several times I’d be reading one assigned book and find my thoughts straying towards another, watching as common themes unraveled and a larger message emerged. These moments reminded me of the interconnectivity in literature and in life – the universal themes and undercurrents that shape human stories and experiences. All the books we’ve read this year seemed to lead back to these essential questions: How do we take ownership of our existence? How do we reclaim our humanity from those who insist we be part of the machine? How do we exercise free will in a world that seeks to strip us of it? These texts forced us to confront ourselves – to see eye-to-eye with the characters and wonder what we would do in their place. Do we remain static, like Vladimir and Estragon? Or do we pitch ourselves out the window, as Alex did? These books teach us that exercising free will allows us to reclaim lost individuality. In a world that seems devoid of meaning, we construct our own through human companionship. Vladimir and Estragon, Raskolnikov and Sonia, The Underground Man and Liza – each relationship shows us that human connection is crucial to character-building. We are who we are because of the people we know, the people we love, and the people we learn from.
In the words of Hamlet, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” This year has been about thinking and creating our own meaning. We formed our own ideas about good and evil –watched as each blended into the other and were sometimes hard to tell apart. I’ve always struggled with the idea that we live in an absurd universe, that our lives are plotless, meaningless, insignificant. These texts were reassuring to me because they asserted that humans exercise free will and construct meaning through doing so. Meaning exists because we believe it exists. As a storyteller as a well as a human being, that is a comforting thought.
Keller N 7/8
I thought this moment was never going to come, writing my last blog for Mrs. Perrin, as usual on Sunday evening because I totally forgot about it. I have been dreaming of this moment since freshman year. Just kidding Mrs. Perrin, you know I will miss you and your class. Anyways, on to the actual blog part of this post. I would like to say that there is some big elaborate scheme that I noticed throughout all of the novels that we have read, but to be completely honest there are only a few things that I saw were common throughout them all. One of the main things that I noticed was the value of life, and that it is a gift to be cherished. Whether it be the lesson in Waiting for Godot, not to sit by a tree and wait for life to happen to you, or from Hamlet where he was killed and you must value life while it lasts and embrace love, I think these ideas are common ideas that writers write about. The idea of love, including the lack of it, is seen throughout all of the novels. With Sonia, Ophelia, the mother in As I Lay Dying, Alejandra, and many other characters it is shown how love will always make it into everyone’s lives, even if eventually it will be lost. Another idea I noticed was common was the idea of needing to just live in the moment, and let life take you where it may. Life has an interesting way of making you meet the people that you do, and making the stuff that needs to happen, happen. This can be applied to my life as well. The idea of living in the moment and cherishing life are ones that I need to embrace. I need to learn how to accept changes and let life take me where it wants me to go.
ReplyDeleteBunting A 2nd
ReplyDeleteComing into this year I expected the ending of many aspects of my life, this class included. Perhaps I may have not been one of the biggest standouts in my class academically, however I did learn one main lesson that being that so much is out there. Discovery can be found in so many texts, and this year really shined a light on that idea.
One underlying theme across the board for all the texts that we read would be the acceptance of the self. Seen in invisible man and notes from underground we see a vast variety of non ideal living conditions, states of self worth, or values, and though this ideal of living may seem skewed, ultimately the characters learned to except their fate at face value. As adulthood comes at us full force, many of us will slowly learn to value such an aspect, learning to accept the things we cannot change, and to work with the cards we have been dealt.
Amongst this theme we have the idea of living life to the fullest, a cliché phrase that has been burned into my brain for as long as I can remember. Invisible man lives his life accepting that he is of an insuperior race, and he tries to make himself happy regardless. Hamlet on the other hand takes advantage of the feeling of livelihood as he later passes on. Crime and punishment shows Raskolnikov imprisoned, knowing that he has let everyone near to his heart down, regretting this experience and missing opportunities life can hold. In waiting for Godot, they sit around a tree and patiently wait for “Godot” or for the definition of life. This teaching us to define it ourselves.
The main life lesson these pieces, and this class as a whole has taught me is to be strong and independent, full of care and compassion, and to stand up for what I deem right. It has taught me to be myself and to never miss an opportunity to love or to tell someone they are important. AP literature is more than a simple class period; it has been a place where I can grow as an individual in a personal and academic setting.
Mewhinney, M 2
In all of the texts that we have read this year the idea of self-morality is expressed throughout the novels. In two of my favorite books, “Crime and Punishment’ and ‘A Clockwork Orange’ the way an individual deals with their inner decision on whether to act on their bad and good intentions that all humans have, is consistently expressed. I believe that in each novel we read, the authors wanted us to understand the idea of free will and independence in thinking or giving meaning to the world that surrounds us. If we allow our individuality and inimitable thinking be altered or taken away, we lose sight of our own humanity. In the moments that we do lose sight of our humanity, these novels teach us that it is through the love of others that we can find a path back to ourselves just as Sonya was able to help Raskolnikov redeem himself after his crimes. This class has taught me how to create my own interpretation of the world even with the influences around me that challenge me to change what I have given my own unique meaning to.
ReplyDeleteRamsumair M 7/8
It is all about society. That’s what I’ve learned this year. No matter the text, time period, or setting of the story, the author is always, in some way or another commenting on/critiquing/praising/examining some aspect of society. I suppose that it could be said that every text we’ve read wants us in some way, to consider the world that we live in, our place in it, and what’s wrong with it. The poverty and moral issues in Crime and Punishment, government oppression in A Clockwork Orange, or the racial differences found in Invisible Man, each text brings to light a problem that exists within the creation we call society. Authors have been basically saying we need to change something or other about our culture since the beginning of the written word. What’s interesting is that we never really have changed much. Sure, perhaps the appearance of change exists; we hide poverty in the dark corners of our cities, avoid discussing real moral problems whenever possible, and try not to acknowledge the different levels of privilege that exist based upon whether you’re a straight white male or not, but that doesn’t make these problems go away. I could sit here and pontificate about all the problems presented in these texts and what the authors want us, the reader to believe, but that likely wouldn’t fit within the character count this blog allows. Its perhaps a bit ironic that we so often discuss what is wrong with our world but few of us get off of our fat American laurels to do anything about it, besides tweet, in most cases.
ReplyDeleteHave any of these books spoken to me? Sure, some more than others. Waiting for Godot might as well not exist, as it takes a hundred or so pages to say only what scholars claim it does. Crime and Punishment, which is now one of my favorite books of all time, made me consider what rights people have and what morality can mean. Has my life undergone some sort of Kafka-esque metaphoric change from these texts? No. Did I find them fascinating? Some, certainly, and others besides Crime and Punishment got me thinking and asking myself big questions. But at the end of the day, if none of these books have caused some sort of real change, maybe it’s time we “be the change we wish to see” instead of putting such a slogan on the back of our cars.
Crow 7/8
As I look back on my 4 years of high school, I realize that I was always a restless child. I always wanted more. More experiences with the outside world, more relationships that actually matter, and more adventure. Now, in about 1 week, I will have the opportunity to make this last summer before college amazing.
ReplyDeleteI believe that what Foster says about how all of the texts we have read involve complex relationships amongst people, and these relationships have an enormous impact upon the characters. This applies to reality because all human beings are surrounded by other human beings. We all shape the people we are around, whether by breaking them or encouraging them. Although I want to move past life in Cleveland and move to Columbus to experience a beautiful city, I must slow down and value the people who surround me. I must appreciate those who do not do anything good for me, for they have made me a stronger person. Furthermore, I must believe that an invisible string connects everyone I meet. Each person will lead me to another person. This is the interconnectedness of the world. This fall, when I become a Buckeye, I want to be able to stand on top of the Eiffel Tower or in the middle of a café in Germany and yell “O-H” and hear “I-O” back. These are some of the stories my friends at OSU have told me and I hope to experience this someday.
Raskolnikov met all of his villains and friends for a reason. He met the drunk Marmeladov in a bar and did not think much of this encounter, except a few months later, Raskolnikov had to go to Marmeladov’s house. He meets his daughter, Sonya, and their relationship somewhat begins. Sethe met her husband while working on a slave plantation and she chose to marry him because he was the most caring of the f brothers. Alex met his friends and they led to his downfall. At the end of A Clockwork Orange, when Alex meets one of his old friends, he chooses to change his lifestyle. All of the characters in the texts we read were impacted by each other, and they greatly changed. I believe that I will have make the best of my 4 years of college by getting to know people who will be able to help me through college and through life in general. I wish the best for all of my peers, and many years from now, at the Class of 2015 Reunion, I hope to meet everyone again and see where our paths and the people we met have led us.
Patel D 2
These last few weeks of high school have been the most stressful and terrifying weeks I have ever had in my entire high school career. I am not fearful of the future, only of what is happening now. I definitely agree that it’s sad to say goodbye, but it’s personally more stressful than sad. For me anyway.
ReplyDeleteIn these strained times, and given that this school year is coming to a close, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and reviewing of my last year as a high school student, which included pondering the texts we’ve been reading. The statement I can gather from all of these texts is that our lives are completely our own and we can decide what we want to happen in them. Pulling some examples, I first look at Hamlet. The entire novel was driven by the internalized struggle of inaction vs. action regarding the personal struggles of Hamlet. His decisions ultimately drove what his fate would be, and he recognized that he had the power to do so. I then look to Beloved and Sethe’s decisions as to whether or not to kill her children to save them from a life of slavery. She viewed herself as a figure that had power to determine her fate and the fate of her children. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov realizes the power within himself to change his own fight, whether it be to commit murder or turn to God for forgiveness, like the other characters I have mentioned, he realizes that he too is in control of his own fate. I suppose these similarities mean that we, as humans, have the power to do whatever we want as long as we act upon that small spark of desire in our hearts. These stories want us to value our ability to change and grow from whatever hardships are thrown at us.
The message, in a nutshell, that I take personally from these texts are actually two, that we have the ability to decide what we do in our life and that we need to be challenged in order to grow and change. Most people at the high school would say that their favorite teacher is the one that they can talk to and the one that grades easily. But from my experience, it was never the teacher that liked me the most or the teacher that gave out easy A’s that really affected me. There is one teacher in particular that has taught me for my entire time at BHS and has had the greatest impact on me. Not because he gave me a good grade just for coming to school (because he didn’t), but because he pushed me and challenged me to continuously give my best, and then to give more than that. He has taught me that you have to demand excellence from yourself even when you’re cold, sore, and tired, that you absolutely must keep trying and pushing yourself because the payoff in the end is the sweetest, most magnificent commodity you could want.
This hard work, of course, has to be done by deciding you want to be the best. I fully understand that failure does not define us, it’s what we decide to do once we’re down. We always have a say in what happens to us and what occurs in our lives. I feel that this is prominent in the texts we’ve read this year and I’ve applied it to my life. In four months, I will be attending a school 2,000 miles away from Brunswick and I’ll be majoring in a subject that doesn’t necessarily have a guaranteed job. And I know I need to move to Los Angeles post-college even with the amount of debt I will have cumulated by then. This is all terrifying, but I’ve decided that it’s worth the risk, especially since doing anything you love is well-worth the risks and consequences it could possibly have. Deciding you are going to do what you want I believe is the first step to becoming an unstoppable force of ambition, taking you to where you desireto be.
Yes these few weeks we have left together are sad as a chapter of our lives are ending, but I am far too excited about what my future has in store for me to get too caught up in it. Thank you to Mrs. Perrin and to my peers for helping shape who I am and who I’m going to be.
Javorsky, R 2
This year has been a struggle for me inside this classroom. I have not stood out like many in my class and have not tried my hardest at all. I have read some books and disregarded others and one of my biggest regrets was not fully reading Crime and Punishment. Many speak of how this book tells so many stories and the only parts I know are the pieces I pulled out and read. But this class taught me how to keep going. I learned that freshman year in Perrin’s class as well. I also learned that books almost always have a deeper meaning that what is on the surface and that everything comes back to theme. But one particular theme I saw throughout this year was the societal commentary.
ReplyDeleteSocial commentary found its way into what seems like every book we read. It was present in A Clockwork Orange when characters changed who they are, in Waiting for Godot when no reader was quite sure why they were there which commented on the way some people are. Also, in books such as Crime and Punishment the society contained Raskolnikov and morality popped up this book as well. This showed me that anywhere you go there is always something more behind it. You need to push limits and stretch yourself to learn more and be better. That’s my goal in life and for my career and I’m happy to say this class gave me a large piece of that motivation to move forward.
-Camille
As we enter our last days of our high school career, I find myself feeling strangely relaxed. School, an institution that has consumed most of my time for the past thirteen years, is drawing to a close, yet I do not feel panicked, upset, or even that excited. I think it’s all slightly surreal to me, and I’m also in denial of the fact that I have a massive amount of things I have to do in the next two weeks. I surprisingly haven’t lost my mind over AP exams yet; I find that I have been unusually calm as of late. Maybe it’s because most of these last few weeks have seemed fairly pointless to me. Which brings me to the message I believe every novel has been sending to me: what is the point of it all? From the existentialist ideas that Waiting for Godot first confused me with, to the mechanization of Alex in a Clockwork Orange, every protagonist I have encountered this year has challenged me with this idea. Vladimir, Estragon, Raskolnikov, the Underground Man and basically every other existentialist character has told me that it doesn’t matter, and that I should live in the moment. Alex told me that the point lies in rejecting society’s machine. From Beloved, Sethe taught me that thick love and family gives life a meaning. For every paper I wrote for this class, I feel like the main comment Mrs. Perrin left for me was “Why does it matter?” or “What’s the bigger picture?” And depending on what character I feel like listening to, I think the answer to this question changes. However, I would like to think I follow Sethe’s logic the most. For Sethe, all that matters are the ones she loves. I admire the devotion she shows to her family, and I strive to be that dedicated to my own loved ones. (But I probably won’t try to murder them). On that note, I’m going to wrap up my very last blog (cry, cry ), but thank you Mrs. Perrin for being one of the best teachers I’ve had, and not only teaching me about beautiful literature, but also about actual life. You’ve made me into a better writer and a more observant student of the world. It’s been a privilege to have such an amazing class, filled with my talented peers and I wish everyone the very best for these next years!
ReplyDeleteFlorek, E. 7/8
This school year has finally come to an end. In the fall, my classmates and I shall embark on a new journey as college Freshmen. I'll never forget the amazing times we shared, from our discussions with Mr. Kish about Hamlet's hero journey to our reenactment of the final scene in Shakespeare's play "Hamlet." It has been a privilege to work with you guys and I hope that our paths shall cross again in the future.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the year, I have noticed that a common theme in all of the texts we have read was conformity. Whether the protagonist was able to integrate into society or not, he/she was faced with an agonizing decision: lose who you are or be ostracized. The Underground Man tried to change who he was to fit in with his former classmates. However, he soon realized that he would prefer be alone, in the underground of his mind, than be someone he was not. Alex, the main protagonist in A Clockwork Orange, was forced to take "vitamins" that would make him give up his violent ways after he was arrested. He was forced to conform, but he soon retaliated and went back to his old ways. Dorian Gray was always trying to be what Lord Henry wanted him to be. By giving up his individuality to conform to another person's standards, Dorian Gray ended up losing the people who truly cared for him and losing his life. John Grady could have accepted that times were changing and that his chance at living cowboy lifestyle was diminishing, instead he chose not to conform and follow his dream out west. All of the protagonists in the literary works that we have read challenged the idea of conformity in some way. The idea of staying true to who you are, even in the face of adversity, resonates with me. I was never the most outgoing person and I always stood out for one reason or another. These texts showed me that your life is not going to get better and you are never going to be happy if you constantly try to be something you are not. True happiness comes from self-acceptance and trying to do your best in the face of adversity.
Judele C, 2nd
By signing up for AP Lit, I introduced myself to an authors I probably never would have touched, such as Fyodor Dostoevsky. No only did I enjoy Notes from Underground (and its stylistic mirror Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison), but Crime and Punishment has been added to my list of top favorites. Each work that we read contains a common theme: That only we can decide our actions. Wether we take months obsessing and planning over the perfect shoulder check (such as the Underground Man does), or forget our voice in the midst of every opportunity to stand up for ourselves (Such as the Invisible Man) our actions determine who we are as a person. It's entirely up to us. We can choose to avenge our father from our uncle or our neighborhood from a cold elderly pawn broker, we ultimately determine our fate. As a human being we have to make a decision that will take us down our path and only we can change who we are into who we will become. Thats what I liked about the literature that we read. Even though the author's ultimately dictated where the characters story took them, Each character wast able to take control of their own circumstances, even if only for a moment, to change their fate the tiniest bit. Even if it doesn't or wont matter in the end,( since as Mr. Kish said,existentialism never goes away), knowing that you made the tiniest difference allows life to be worth living. Since we're all going in different directions I think that that is the best thing to remember, that anything you do can and will make a difference. Thank you Mrs. Perrin for introducing me to read outside of my comfort zone, because though I am an avid reader I am stubborn and needed that push to experience, well, literature.
ReplyDeleteFarewell.
Supina, R. 2
What I have come to realize about all these books that we have read over the school year is that they are all dark, dreary, and depressing. Like my life. There was a point in each of them where I asked myself if I even wanted to turn the page. Like my life. And finally they all were screaming the same thing at me, “You better know us inside and out for the AP test or you are going to fail! End of story”, which then in turn took over my life completely. The end. Nothing more to say.
ReplyDeleteI am just kidding about my life. If it was anything like those books, I would be a sad, sad human being. In reality, though, the books did all have undertones of depressing and dark themes as they speak of slitting babies’ throats (Beloved), lugging a dead woman across the countryside (As I lay Dying), and everyone dying in the end (Hamlet). However, what I truly noticed in all the books that we have read this year is the societal comments that every single one makes. From underlying tones of the issues of gender roles found in Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, to comments on the violence and inhumanity of society made in A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess and Beloved by Toni Morrison, the books all say the same thing: there is an issue, and I plan to address it. I sat around all week trying to answer this blog post. I kept thinking, what do any of these have in common? How could I ever find connections between all of them? Sure, I could tie in a couple books together under a similar theme, but trying to connect all?! It was not happening. Until I made this discovery about societal issues. The killing of King Hamlet in Hamlet by Shakespeare shows the societal issue dealing with greediness and power hunger. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky spoke of the issues of gender roles using Sonia the prostitute, as well as the societal issue of poverty and the income gap with the impoverished Raskolnikov and rich Pyotr. Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde comments on the societal issue of vanity and superficiality with vain Dorian being judged as a wonderful human being because he is beautiful. Violent Alex and his brain washing in A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess comments on violence in society as well as the mechanization of society. The list continues. All books we read show this common root to each other. All share their thoughts on issues in society.
Now, my life is not a shout out to what is wrong with society like the books read in class are; however, these books did teach me something about life, or rather their authors did. These books relate to my life because I am normally a person who does not voice her opinion on large important issues. I don’t like to offend people so I usually keep quiet and outwardly agree with the general public, but these authors taught me to say “who cares what others think? I am entitled to my own opinion!” I realized after taking this class and reading these books that I should voice my opinion, because no matter what, I cannot please everyone so I should just say what I believe even if it does go against the beliefs of the vast majority. I feel as though I can do more, knowing that, like these authors, if I see something that I do not agree with, I can comment on it and give my own opinion. It, as cheesy as it sounds, makes me feel empowered and ready for the next step in life.
Side note: I loved this class, and I am really going to miss it. Thank you for a great year!
~ C. Lenhoff 2nd period
It would be a pleasure for me to write about existentialism in the content of all the books we have read this year, in combination with my personal connection, but it's Mrs. Perrin's safe heaven of a classroom that makes me find a simple, slightly more positive take on these books, and my senior year: identity. Existentialism incorporates individual identity in each teachings, but for the first time this year, I would like to emphasize identity without its impact on a worldly purpose. To be quite honest I can be as cynical as Alex from "A Clockwork Orange," and as bitter as Addie from "As I Lay Dying." I live for conversations where I enlighten people that life has no purpose. It is almost strange that multiple books from this year have proved the opposite to me. I've grown to seen each character in every book as an individual and not as a prop, or catalyst for the plot: even when they are. While I do recommend this way of thinking 24/7 as it may promote ignorance, sometimes day-to-day living is nice, and as we search for some giant answer or wave of consciousness I think we lose appreciation of the simple pleasures of life. While he might not be my favorite character(at all, I really despise him) Anse from "As I Lay Dying" is a adequate example for this. He does not dwell on the past and he has small goals...like teeth. The Invisible Man shows us the opposite as he loses himself as he tries to find himself within others, such as the Brotherhood. I, myself have learned to not search for myself within others. People may come and go, and it is only my own identity that I may hold onto, so I should stay honest with myself with who I am. Raskolnikov sacrifices his identity for the acceptance of others, such as Sonia, and this leads him to suffering and hiding the truth. I think Stephen King, Raskolnikov, and Alex from "A Clockwork Orange" must accept their flaws, and it is only when they embrace the negative features of their identity do they find inner peace. I fear as I wander into the dark hole of existentialism I criticize my identity. These books, and the positivity of Mrs. Perrin, have led me to the conclusion that life doesn't have a purpose, but I can make one up as I go along my days, and I can accept my identity even when I do not know where it will take me. I am not Estragon or Vladimir; I have the ability to walk away from my tree...or at least walk over and wait for Godot at a new one.
ReplyDeleteGrabowski, H. 7/8
As the year comes to a close, I cannot concede that I feel sad. I truly think that I have had a well-rounded, unique high school experience. I have no ragrets (ha ha ha bad joke I know) and I am ready to start a new chapter of my life. Although I am preparing to move on to bigger and better things, I still acknowledge that I had an interesting time in high school with some great people. My only disappointment is that I did not anger you enough to make you make me do pushups this year. To comment on the “one story” that Foster mentions, I think that each book we have read comments on the human condition and how we chose to deal with those around us and ourselves. Each text that we have read this year has in some way encompassed the human interaction or a lack thereof. It is the way we view the world and share our ideas, how we are united and divided, and how we react to adversity. I say “we” because it is not just the characters in the novels we have read, it is all of us. I think that the issues that fictional characters face, the lessons they learn, their thoughts, their actions, their views, are things that each of us can relate to. Whether it be Raskolnikov turning himself in for love, or Dorian Gray self-destructing, each story we read and will read teaches us more about the human condition. Although some of the characters were hard to relate to, I saw aspects of myself or those around me in each of the books we read. Wherever we go, whoever we meet, whatever we read, we will always be examining the human condition and how our lives are intertwined with those around us.
ReplyDeleteAguinaga, C 7/8*
ReplyDeleteIf there is only one story connecting all literature past, present, and future, it would be titled "Why Live?"
We started off the year with Vladimir and Estragon questioning the meaning of life- the point of existence. This theme is what all other stories have been rooted into: why live?
We transitioned into reading stories where characters struggled to live at all- like the Underground Man, the Invisible Man, or Dorian. Why live if I can't even be who I am?
Other stories housed characters that lived freely in their own world, but battled to exist in the acceptance of society, like with Alex or Raskolnikov. Why live if my truth isn't accepted?
Our year ended with Hamlet, where we again are questioning life: To be or not to be? Why live when you could die instead?
All of these stories are relatable to our own lives and force us to contemplate the meaning of our own existence. They force us to question 'Why?' and guide us to a possible answer. I know my own answer. And I couldn't be more excited to leave behind this high school and share my answer with the world.
K Brav 7/8
I believe that all of our texts, from Waiting for Godot to A Clockwork Orange to Crime and Punishment to Invisible Man (or Beloved) to Hamlet, are speaking to the importance of the condition of our souls and morality. Since we found our two characters sitting and waiting by a tree near a road for the first time, they seemed to be waiting around for nothing. Though perhaps, they were waiting for redemption or repentance for their sins to restore their souls to purity. It is very easily argued that Alex is forced through a cleansing while in the hospital at the prison. This changes how he looks at life even though it was clear he did not truly change until it was his own decision. The delirious and confused character of Raskolnikov does the same. He commits a horrible crime; all the while throughout the book he is trying his best to justify his actions even though he is suffering his own punishment. It is not until the end of the novel that Sonia is able to save him, but not until he chooses to do so on his own and seek out her help. Our Invisible Man also has to seek out what is right when he is given the opportunity to change things even though he is ordered otherwise. He makes his choice to stand up at the funeral and give his speech against the orders of the Brotherhood, because it would be against his morals to stand by and let everything get worse. He was trying to keep his soul and his morals intact by speaking up. Of course, there is also Hamlet. This character by far spoke of the importance of the soul most directly. To be or not to be? I will always choose to be because not being means just letting life happen to you, letting others take control of your actions when they may not be the best ones. Always stick up and follow your morals.
ReplyDeleteAll of these books will be close to me for the rest of my life. Spending so much time discussing them and picking them apart, and I still feel as if I have only scratched the surface. I know that these books will come up again in my literature classes, I’m sure, but what do they say to me now? They tell me that your morals often times dictate what person you will be and how you will act. So, I have learned to always abide by my morals so that I can be sure that my soul is how I want it to be and no one else. Only I can choose to be who I want and I think that through peer pressure and stress that is lost on a lot of us. Nowadays people more often choose the path others decide for them, well, not me. I will always make my own path. Thank you for this powerful lesson Beckett, Burgess, Dostoevsky, Ellison, and Shakespeare.
Dame, E 2
Hello. Normally I wait untill the 11 o clock hour each sunday night to begin my blog, however in light of it being the last one I decided to start 22 minutes earlier.
ReplyDeleteSkip to the bottom if you want to avoid a few nonsense paragraphs that I go off on tangents on. (The heartfelt stuff is at the bottom)
This year in all the texts I think the one story is, what is our purpose? In Notes from the Underground we see the underground man rambling on and on for what seems like light years of nonsense about his life and his purpose. We also see this in Crime and Punishment from Raskolnikov, he wonders what his purpose is and does things like murdering people as he thinks it as part of his contribution-part of his purpose. Also in Hamlet, we see Hamlet contemplating suicide, "to be or not to be" for wondering what his true purpose is.
Personally I try to avoid the question when it pops into my mind. Just like all the "where do you see yourself in 10 years" and "what do you plan on doing" I change the topic whenever those questions arrive. I do not believe in wanting to "do things" as much as I believe in wanting to "be things" I want to be a successful person no matter where I end up. I think that ties into my purpose. I think the journey of becoming someone you love is also part of your purpose.
I don't think anyone has a "purpose" in a singular sense. That's like saying "he was born to bake bread" or "she was born to evolve ecoscience" I think there are multiple levels of why each individual person is here and the purpose(s) they serve.
I don't actually know if what I'm trying to say makes sense at all so pretend I didn't just go off on a tangent.
I'm actually quite terrified about what lies ahead. Besides for a few classes, (AP Lit and honors lang my freshman year being two of them) the majority of all my classes as a high school student has taught me how to memorize facts and regurgitate them onto test bubble scores. I don't feel as if I am actually ready for college. I feel like I'm going to go in to school and get all these assignments and a giant wake up call saying that this is a lot of work that I wasn't prepared for through high school. With so much focus on standardized testing there was no room for developed discussion about current events, or opinions, or anything principle to life. Like I don't know what's going on in the world outside of my twitter newsfeed, I don't feel comfortable having my own opinions because so many of other peoples opinions get shot down all over social media. I don't know how to have an intelligent conversation when I don't understand half of the vocabulary people use. I feel like I'm trapped in this never ending guinea pig wheel that I can't get off of. I don't feel like I'm ready for school and I don't know my purpose. I don't understand how to balance any kind of bank account, or any other adult things. Or even think for myself sometimes, but I can definitely do log functions and chemistry problems. So it's nostalgic to think about the days that are no longer here, but exciting for the great ones to come. I think in the literature we've studied in this class I've always found at least one character I relate to. That's one of my favorite things about older books, the characters that are timeless. Okay this was a long blog, and I won't miss stressing out every sunday evening but it always feels good to put my thoughts into words. Thank you, Mrs.Perrin.
RIP blogs forever.
-Westphal. 2nd period
Who would have thought there would actually be any sadness in our hearts over our final blog? Taking this class was a challenging decision for me as it was not vital for my major. Looking back I believe that I made the right decision, analyzing the worlds of literature teaches us so much about life. Granite nothing every compares to going out and experiencing the world books can show us so much. Although this class may have challenged me more than I may have liked at times, it is very rewarding to know I made it out alive. It has been real AP Lit.
ReplyDeleteI find that books are different for everyone. Although the words are always the same, the meaning is constantly changing. It is something that I even notice when I read a book at different times in my life. As humans it is our nature to take what we want out of a situation. Maybe it is for this reason I have noticed that in every novel the protagonist is searching for himself or herself or reason. Although every time what they find is ultimately different as authors had a different outlook on life. Every protagonist was searching for something bigger, something to give them meaning. Whether like in Crime and Punishment that was a philosophy to live by or like in All the Pretty Horses a search for a lifestyle bigger than oneself. Everyone was searching for something, and maybe I see this so prominently because as I am reaching the end of high school I am trying to figure out life myself.
It is a question of who are we supposed to be and how do we know for sure this is what we should be doing? Something that for the most part all of us are struggling with as we approach the end of what has been all we know. It is a question all of humanity is curious to know and everyone has different opinions on making it the topic of many books.
The example I have found to be most compelling was Invisible Man; the invisible man struggled through the entire book of being apart of a larger movement and succumbing to his urge for a simpler life. Ralph Ellison wrote a quote that identified with saying “All my life I had been looking for something and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer”(Ellison 1.1). Out of all the books we read, and all the different answers we were given I found this to stick with me. A person can search everywhere for answers, in books, television shows, stories from family member. The only person however that can answer the questions we have about ourselves is us. As I continue into my next phase of life it is something I will always try to keep in mind.
Sansone A 2nd
Throughout the year, we have read and taken apart many various different books and stories, all different with authors of different backgrounds. Despite the differences in the actions of the characters and the look of the settings, each book shared a similar message with its reader. Each book showed that people should question what a person knows, to question power, or even to question one’s self and to explore what is not clear. In Waiting for Godot, the characters basically live out the same scene twice. One of the characters chooses to start questioning repeated actions within the second act wondering why everyone accepts that everything is the same, why no one seems to remember that they are living each day like the last. Within Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov opposes what is thought to be wrong and what is thought to be right. He wonders why he could not be an ubermensch and decides to test the waters of crime to see if he himself is worthy. Although tormented before confessing to killing two women, afterwards he begins to feel better and his life starts to fall into place with Sonya. In a Clockwork Orange, all Alex knows is how to be bad, but he knows the treatment his is given as punishment for his own crimes is wrong. After becoming someone who terrorizes the public once again after his treatment, he starts to question the life of crime he has. He wants purpose and decides he wants children to live on after him. Darl is the only person in his family in As I Lay Dying that starts to stray from the rest of the family’s disturbing journey to where they will bury their dead mother. He strays away from their trance-like determination and tries to cremate his mother while the others let her rot for eight days. The narrator in Invisible Man strays away from old ideas and leaders who never were really helping fight for his rights. By straying away from what he knew and what he understood he could find out who he himself was. After examining these texts over the course of the year, I began to look over my life. I started to make choices that were best for myself even if they were unpopular or if my family did not agree. I really found myself over the past year. My opinions became stronger and I became more confident. The texts taught that it was okay to look outside of what you see, to not be contained in a cardboard box when a universe outside awaits.
ReplyDeleteHornung, A. 7/8
AP Lit was weird.
ReplyDeleteAs I began to reflect over this past year, those were the only words that I could seem to articulate. But then again AP Lit WAS weird.
Maybe it’s because this year was the first time I was slapped in the face with intertextuality. Sure, when I read Foster’s last year, I understood that intertextuality was something that existed and I definitely could draw parallels between novels that I had previously read, but it wasn’t until this year that I really truly understood.
This year, we read one continuous book. We began with “On Writing” by Stephen King and we understood why writers write what they do and how to write. Then, we jumped to “Notes from Underground” where we read about a man whose struggles pushed him to write. And again, we understood more about why we as a whole write. “Notes from Underground” was interesting because it showed how being, as the Underground Man called it, inert and hesitant to act could be detrimental to the soul (of course, this is really explored in “Hamlet” but I feel obligated to go in chronological order here…). That idea of waiting is actually the entire plot line to “Waiting for Godot,” the next book we read. We wondered what it would be like if Vladmir and Estragon strayed from their same routine and became deviant, decided to not wait for Godot after all. And we saw that through with “A Clockwork Orange”’s Alex. Alex was the very definition of deviant, so much so that his very own world rejected him and tried to fix him. Maybe that’s why John Grady Cole and Rawlins ran away in “All the Pretty Horses.” Maybe it was because their world was rejecting them and they felt as though they needed to fit in somewhere. And fitting in is exactly what we see Dorian Gray do in “A Picture of Dorian Gray” as he relies on Lord Henry to show him the path to what may or may not be enlightenment. But this is exactly what Sonia does for Raskolnikov at the end of “Crime and Punishment” when he cries. He learns that Sonia truly does care for him regardless of what he may have done in his past. After that, we find out that unconditional love may not be as real as we had suspected when Anse runs off to get new teeth and subsequently a new wife in “As I Lay Dying.” Of course, running off and changing at the drop of a hat was exactly what the invisible man did when he fell in the manhole and sought out refuge in his attempt to blend in and leave the Brotherhood. But blending in is not exactly something that all characters do as in “Hamlet” when Hamlet tries and tries to make people believe that he truly is crazy. And our journey through literature ends with Act 5, Scene 2 of “Hamlet” where everyone dies.
This is just one path connecting together all of the books we have read, but this is not the only one. Perhaps that’s what I’ve truly learned this year: there’s never one way to analyze something. We can look at each and every book under a microscope and argue for hours and hours if Raskolnikov was truly remorseful for his murders or if Vladimir and Estragon were actually waiting for God, not Godot, but we’ll never truly understand anything unless we look at it for ourselves. And maybe that is why AP Lit is weird, maybe it’s because we have to truly think for ourselves and introspect in order to understand.
-Kett J 2
The concepts of the entire year’s reading list have been laced with elements of existentialism. The idea that free will conquers all and that consequences for those choices will be inevitable. From the beginning, reading Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, we read existentialist critique after existentialist critique. To be frank, I was lost. Never really understood why such a bizarre topic was the central point of this whole novel, but nonetheless, I plodded on. As the year went by and we read A Clockwork Orange and All the Pretty Horses, I began to see what the authors were talking about. It became clear that they wanted us to ponder life. And what was actually important versus what we only assumed to be important. All of the novels that we read, made you stop and think about what had happened in their lives to make them behave this way, and in turn, forced us to do the same.
ReplyDeleteI will say, that throughout the year, each novel or play had a little bit of a different impact. In the beginning, Waiting for Godot, was a giant leap into the pool of existentialism. Then All the Pretty Horses was a lesson in perseverance. The Picture of Dorian Gray and Crime and Punishment, lessons in egotism and materialism. And finally, Hamlet and Beloved were lessons in sacrifice and family values. While each of these novels had their own lessons to be shared, they stressed the importance, and unimportance, of human nature and the things we choose to do.
For me personally, I don’t really think I will ever be able to adopt the existentialist viewpoints. I am too much of a control freak that needs to overanalyze every big decision to have a mindset that includes the idea that human existence is somewhat meaningless. I will be very angry if I’ve done all that I’ve done for nothing. No way, Jose. But I see what it’s getting at. I see that for every decision, there are consequences. Good and bad.
It is kind of sad to see this class come to a close. I genuinely enjoyed the discussions and what I learned about my fellow classmates. I must say that I won’t miss these 11 o’clock Sunday nights, ferociously typing to get these blogs done (mind you, I’m doing exact that at this very moment). Or the stomach dropping moments coming into class and learning that we have a quiz over a book I haven’t finished. But I will miss the laughs and the jokes, and the way this class taught me to think about everything. Thank you, Mrs. Perrin, for everything you have done for us. It is inexplicable. I can only hope to inspire people the way you do. Thank you for everything.
Gettle B 2
Rewind to freshman year. When we were first told about blogging I thought it was dumb. I’m being totally honest. Now this was also coming from the girl who had no social media whatsoever and wasn’t even really allowed to go on YouTube so I wasn’t exactly thrilled about Perrin’s World reading my thoughts. BUT! I have changed my tune. Freshman year I began to like the blogs, but I was actually excited about them being a part of my weekly routine again senior year. I enjoy how hard I have to work to come up with something worthy of others reading it…even though I always wait until the last minute. It was a sort of strategy for me. I would read the blog on Monday night or Tuesday and start to formulate ideas and then put it all together every night when I got home from youth group. The blogs sometimes hurt my brain, but I know they were only to help me become a more in depth reader and thinker. So for that, thank you, Mrs. Perrin.
ReplyDeleteNow for the actual blog:
When looking back at the many texts from the year, I believe that each one has touched on the thought that each person needs to evaluate society’s values and his or her personal values and choose which they will live for. In A Clockwork Orange, Alex initially chose to live by his own values, without any thought to society’s standards or right and wrong. Anthony Burgess explores the concept of taking away someone’s ability to choose their own values when he eliminates Alex’s ability to make his own choices about the way he will live his life. In Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Sethe has a very strong negative opinion of slavery, and due to this, she chooses to kill her child in order to save her from that life. At the time, society did not value the lives of African Americans so Sethe, in an act of sacrifice and love, chose to act out of the value she had for her child: she did not want her to have a life full of suffering so she put an end to the possibility in the best way she saw fit. Raskolnikov had a decision to make: kill the old pawnbroker or let her continue to ruin lives. He decided to see if he was “extraordinary” and acted on his own opinion of what was suitable for him. He knew that for an ordinary person he would suffer guilt and hatred from society, but he was willing to go against this in order to stick to his own views of the situation.
I believe that each story was told to show the reader that it is important to carefully consider the values of society as well as his or her own before decisions are made and actions are performed. Throughout my life I have had my own definition of success. I have sometimes struggled with outside views and inside doubts of what this definition should entail, but I know that my measure of success comes from God and myself. Others may not values God’s input on their success and they may have a definition entirely different than mine, but regardless, they have been exposed to various opinions but ultimately have to decide on their own what they will choose to value.
Woods, L 2
Throughout this year we have looked at many different texts and often talked about, "Why does it matter?" Foster said that there is really only one story, and maybe that is just the characters finding their purpose. Some stories were more elaborate than other while other were straight forward or even more confusing, but with each it was about a character finding their way. It is really crazy though, all the different ideas you can pull from a work, like when we talked about existentialism in Hamlet, I thought that was amazing because it appeared in almost everything we have read this year. Hamlet trying to find his way through avenging his father death, Raskolnikov proving his theory, John Grady wanting to be a cowboy, Estragon and Vladimir waiting for their purpose through Godot. Alex chosing to do vile acts, but then losing who he was needing to find his way again. Dorian Gray allowing himself to become corput and then trying to remedy that. Each story we read this year followed a character(s)through a journey where they discovered their way. This speaks to me just in the fact that I need to find my way and purpose in life, make decisions and have adventures.
ReplyDeleteLoDolce, A 7/8
The selection of great texts that we have read this year encompasses authors and styles from nations in every corner of the world. Regardless of his or her physical location, each author tells the same story—that of the human experience. As Foster stated, there really is only one story, and that story is the tale of human nature. The human experience is fleeting, passionate, and poetic. Every author, underneath the setting and style of their works, dances on the ancient dilemma of humanity’s existence: the feeling of hopelessness when loss overcomes optimism, a sense of purpose or existential tragedy when looking into the endless night sky, the malleability of the heart, the arrogance of the mind. No matter the age in which a book was written, or the mind in which it was pieced together—carefully, word by world laid atop one another like bricks stacked to make a chimney—books their resident characters grapple with the same issues, the same feelings, the same plight. Protagonists look into the sky, seeing its needle-thin points of light, and think of what their life means, even if they don’t come out and say that’s what they are searching for.
ReplyDeleteThis mirrors our own search for meaning, a search that often directs our eyes towards the stars. And in that void we look upon ourselves. The search for meaning is not isolated to gazing into the heavens—it is all around us. In the books we read, in the flowers we smell—as if a store-bought flower on the counter is analogous with introducing nature into our mechanical routines—and in the words we speak. Characters, too, are surrounded by subtle acts that are a secret search for meaning; yes, even the existentialist searches. When Vladimir and Estragon wait by the tree they are searching, waiting, hoping for some form of meaning to stroll into their lives. Raskolnikov searches when he tests his theory: testing the boundaries of the law and whether or not he is a Napoleon. This is the ultimate quest, and ever character, every one of us, is a quester.
The themes of justice, madness, identity, etc. are consistent in text, but the search for meaning flows under these lesser themes, pulling them along for the ride. There is not greater thematic element than the search for meaning, and all texts provide a story through which readers can contemplate their own existence, and their own significance in reality. Books are miracle workers in this way; they push and pull the philosophical fringes of their readers, books extend our worldviews. And it is in this miracle that books are magical. Each book we have read in class has been life changing, not in the way that losses and successes are, but in a way that altered my worldview. Each book has given me something, a gift, a story. A story to tell, to cry over, to remember. A story that changed my view on what meaning means. It’s entirely subjective, and incredibly personal, but what meaning means is something shaped, molded, and created by wonderful things like a whimsical poem, an empowering speech, or a good book.
Bruggeman J 7/8
Thinking all the way back to last year I want to say the theme overall is humanity. Sort of a general term but talking about specifically existentialism, humanity is a big deal. This occurrence was involved with a lot of our reading and especially Waiting for Godot and any Dostoyevsky book. In Godot, the two main characters are existentialists who see no reason to do otherwise of what they already do in the time they have which doesn't matter. It's crazy to think that people in our world have that feeling of absolutely no caring about anything. No meaning. In every book we've read there is always some character searching for answers or simply existing without questions about our own humanity and what it means to us now and into our futures. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov spends the whole book length trying to figure out what his actions mean and what his purpose of completing those actions do for his future. He kills to try to explain his humanity. He tries to prove he is a superman with innate power over his self and others. However, he goes through pressure and torture which finally take him one step further toward his answer. Only by going to the open barren land of Siberia does he see that he was meant to live, not die. To love, not hurt. Everything he needed was as clear as day and was right in front of him the whole time. Humanity is weird that way but we all deal with that search for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick note. I almost forgot to do my blog but woo I just got it in. I think I will actually miss blogging and increasing my intellect. But hey, it's been real. Stay gold.
Throughout my four years in high school, every story I’ve read has taught me a lesson. Almost every novel I’ve flipped through has taught me about the evils of society, and sometimes the evils of other people. These novels has taught me the destruction caused by power-hungry people and the constant let downs that are brought upon by the fight for richness. Throughout these years, I’ve learned so much through negativity. For each of these sad-but-true lessons, however, there was one hidden glimpse of positivity that always stuck out to me: passion. Every story we’ve read this past year has taught me that passion will never die. Estragon and Vladimir were passionate about Godot. They believed in his existence and refused to cease fighting for him. Alex was passionate about his twisted methods of relieving his anger. He found happiness in causing destruction and harming others. Although sick, this is what Alex cherished. Raskolnikov was passionate about his theory. He practiced his beliefs that if done with reason, crime may be committed. Dorian Gray was passionate about his image. He was a sinister being but still loved his image so dearly that he would stop at nothing to protect it. John Grady Cole was passionate about his horses and his grandfather’s ranch. When the ranch was taken from him, he ran away in hopes of finding a ranch that took him back home. Jewel was passionate about Addie, taking offense when she was disrespected and when Cash crafted the coffin in front of her. Finally, Sethe was passionate about her children. She loved and protected them immensely. Her children’s well-being came before that of her own and she never gave up on them.
ReplyDeleteFor every ounce of evil dished out in these novels, there was a hint of innocence. Literature has taught me that beauty is often found in the darkest of places.
Cruse S, 2
I think that the biggest theme across the board board this year has been the question of what is right and what is wrong, and where precisely that line is drawn. Right off the bat in waiting for Godot, there was the way that Lucky was treated by Pozzo, Estragon, and Vladimir. Just because it was an accepted way to act at the time, does that make it okay? What about Raskolnikov killing the pawnbroker? In a way he viewed it as a service to the common good because she was a horrible person that mistreated everybody around her. Does that truly justify murdering her though? And Dorian killing Basil in an effort to protect his secret... Since Basil created the painting in the first place, was it some form of cyclical justice? And most recently, our good friend Hamlet. Since his plotting and planning to kill Claudius was an act of vengeance in his father's name, since his uncle was a murderer and schemer and he married the wife of the brother he killed, does that give Hamlet the moral high ground to commit such a sin?
ReplyDeleteThese books and stories make us think. They force us to question what we do and why we do it, and whether or not what we are doing is okay. That more than anything is what I took away from this course. To view the world a little deeper and look at something from all angles, not just my own two dimensional perspective.
- Graf, A. 2*
This is a bittersweet moment for me. As much as I enjoyed writing these blog once every week, I think I’m ready to move on. This year, we have had the opportunity to read many different pieces of literature. Some of the pieces I really liked and had the opportunity to relate to. Others I disliked and had a hard time reading each page. No matter what type of book it was, they all had a meaning. This meaning was what is the point of life. Through Waiting for Godot we were able to see the existentialism perspective in the two main characters of Vladimir and Estragon. This existentialism idea is also seen through the Underground Man in Notes from the Underground. He demonstrates the importance of being your own person and the skill of not worrying about the past or the future, but staying in the present. This idea was also seen through another one of Dostoevsky’s pieces, Crime and Punishment. Although it was a long book, we were able to see the existentialism views through the main character, Raskolnikov. All these novels carried the existentialistic views. Another book that really opened my eyes was Beloved, although not for the same reasons as the other books. Beloved didn’t really carry any existential views, but truly showed that the true meaning of life was through your family. Although it didn’t always seem like that, for example Sethe killing her kids, it demonstrated that putting family first. If you put other’s feelings before yourself, than that is the best way to live life and the best way to achieve happiness. Here comes the end of my blog, so I just want to take a moment and reflect on my year in AP Literature. I was tough and a lot of tears were shed. After all the projects and assignments, I feel I am a better writer, communicator, and classmate. I would not be the person I am today without all my classmates and Mrs. Perrin’s support. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWasylko, G 7/8th