End of the Semester Post

1) “Most Beautiful Work Award” - Which piece of writing (formal or informal) are you most proud of and why? What other skill or habit have you developed (maybe as a reader?) that you are proud of?

I believe that the best piece of writing that I did for English class this semester was my personal statement. I feel like I was really able to refine my writing style and make something that is able to be submitted on an application. The fact that we were forced to edit our papers made it so that we produced quality work. I feel that I have also developed analytical reading skills - specifically the ability to analyze poetry. I had never written a paper about a piece of poetry before, so this was new for me.

2) “Lesson Learned” - What content do you feel you have mastered? Or, which skill(s) did you enjoy learning and feel that you have had some success in developing? How so?

I feel that I have been exposed to a numerous amount of new content and material throughout the course of this semester. I believe that I have improved upon my ability to write formal and expository essays. My editing skills have also greatly improved.

3) “Lessons I’d Like to Learn” - Which skills would you like to develop before graduation? What content do you feel that you need to know in order to feel ready for college? Do you have any project ideas?

I would like to expand upon my ability to create an essay in a very short amount of time. I feel that this skill will help prepare me for college and my life after formal education. Although at times I see formal education as a conglomerate of herders shuffling sheep from one pen to the next, this class is most definitely one of the useful courses in school. I, however, do not have any project ideas. My apologies.

Dinosauria, We Essay. Tell me what you think!

Naomi McPherson
Stephanie Lytle
English 4
4 Dec 2010

Sorrowful Deadliness: an analysis of Dinosauria, We

In Dinosauria, We by Charles Bukowski, he highlights the idea that as humans, are functioning within a modern dystopian society that we have inherited. He rages with misanthropy towards the human species in general, and hints that this is only one cycle of destruction that is doomed to be repeated.
The title of the poem, at first glance, is nonsensical. After reading the poem, the title suggests that we, as a society, are going to become extinct - and, in fact, be the cause of our own downfall and eventual destruction. The line “Born into” is repeated throughout the poem, suggesting that although we are not solely the causes of our grim societal state, we can do nothing to combat its digression because we are merely the inheritors. The concept of what the ‘this’ is can be interpreted many different ways. The readers individual concept of what the ‘this’ truly is helps to shape the poem as the reader views it.
The poem seems to take place in many different time periods - present, past and future. Bukowski addresses the futility of government and education in the first section “As political landscapes dissolve / As the supermarket bag boy holds a college degree / As the oily fish spit out their oily prey / As the sun is masked” The beginning of the poem seems to detail how the end begins, oddly enough. The downfall of political power, the uselessness of education and extreme pollution are all things that have been topics in dystopian literature. In this poem, Bukowski sets it in the present in order to drive in the fact that we, as we are, function within a dystopian setting. A real live 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451. Although he does not go into detail of the cause of the downfall, one can relate his tone to just a general feeling of misanthropy towards humankind. He conveys a feeling of negativity harbored towards people in general, possibly believing that their inherent flaws have always caused this world to be a dystopia.
The short, choppy and fragmented flow of the poem conveys the feeling of desperation that it intends to portray. Bukowski makes use of a list-like format, detailing the effects on humans, rather than the effects on the whole. He speaks in one section about drugs replacing God because God does not provide necessary support for the people within society. “The fingers reach for the throat / The gun / The knife / The bomb / The fingers reach toward an unresponsive god / The fingers reach for the bottle / The pill / The powder / We are born into this sorrowful deadliness”. He also depicts that humans will become inherently more violent towards each other as a means of coping, survival, recklessness. Murder will run rampant and people will have no morals or self-control. This section also foreshadows a downfall of the masses into drug dependence - much like the prominent use of the drug soma in Huxley’s Brave New World. The dependence on drugs, and the emphasis (or non-emphasis) on religion are both prominent topics within Dystopian literature. Just as soma was used to repress the presence of feelings within the World State society in Huxley’s novel (the drug once being referred to as “Christianity without tears”), Bukowski alludes that tangible, recognizable pills and other drugs will be used as a alternative to religion and the “unresponsive god”.
Bukowski concludes the poem by stating blatantly that the cycle is doomed to be repeated, whether it be by humans or another society of beings. He alludes to some sort of solace found in the aftermath of man’s self-created decimation in the final few lines of the poem; “And there will be the most beautiful silence never heard / Born out of that / The sun still hidden there / Awaiting the next chapter.” The circle of life and optimism are crushed by Bukowski’s blatant pessimism throughout this poem and his idea of, essentially, a cycle of destruction. The self-perpetuating, inherited flaw that mankind possesses creates his own destruction. The poem conveys an overall theme of helplessness, and the hopelessness of life itself – all qualities that are most certainly depicted in all dystopian novels.

Poem Analysis

Dinosauria, We

Born like this
Into this
As the chalk faces smile
As Mrs. Death laughs
As the elevators break
As political landscapes dissolve
As the supermarket bag boy holds a college degree
As the oily fish spit out their oily prey
As the sun is masked
We are
Born like this
Into this
Into these carefully mad wars
Into the sight of broken factory windows of emptiness
Into bars where people no longer speak to each other
Into fist fights that end as shootings and knifings
Born into this
Into hospitals which are so expensive that it's cheaper to die
Into lawyers who charge so much it's cheaper to plead guilty
Into a country where the jails are full and the madhouses closed
Into a place where the masses elevate fools into rich heroes
Born into this
Walking and living through this
Dying because of this
Muted because of this
Castrated
Debauched
Disinherited
Because of this
Fooled by this
Used by this
Pissed on by this
Made crazy and sick by this
Made violent
Made inhuman
By this
The heart is blackened
The fingers reach for the throat
The gun
The knife
The bomb
The fingers reach toward an unresponsive god
The fingers reach for the bottle
The pill
The powder
We are born into this sorrowful deadliness
We are born into a government 60 years in debt
That soon will be unable to even pay the interest on that debt
And the banks will burn
Money will be useless
There will be open and unpunished murder in the streets
It will be guns and roving mobs
Land will be useless
Food will become a diminishing return
Nuclear power will be taken over by the many
Explosions will continually shake the earth
Radiated robot men will stalk each other
The rich and the chosen will watch from space platforms
Dante's Inferno will be made to look like a children's playground
The sun will not be seen and it will always be night
Trees will die
All vegetation will die
Radiated men will eat the flesh of radiated men
The sea will be poisoned
The lakes and rivers will vanish
Rain will be the new gold
The rotting bodies of men and animals will stink in the dark wind
The last few survivors will be overtaken by new and hideous diseases
And the space platforms will be destroyed by attrition
The petering out of supplies
The natural effect of general decay
And there will be the most beautiful silence never heard
Born out of that.
The sun still hidden there
Awaiting the next chapter.

This is the poem I will be using for my study, basically relating it to dystopia and dystopian literature. I have found this poem to be very compelling - it is in fact one of my new favorite poems, I think . I love the way he uses lines and repeats them throughout the poem (using prefixes and such). I have found this poem to be basically a portrait of the dystopian nature of our own society and the progression of our society towards its own destruction.

ICE about V for Vendetta!

The Shadow Gallery:

The hidden dark themes and parallels brought up by Alan Moore’s most famous graphic novel

Essential question: Essential question: What aspects of humanity and society do dystopian novels embody

The novel V for Vendetta by Alan Moore with illustrations is a dystopian graphic novel depicting the story of a masked vigilante bent upon liberating the minds of the oppressed individuals within a fascist society and take revenge upon his former oppressors and torturers. He is kept company by his young protege, Evey Hammond who becomes involved in a revolution that soon spirals her life into something that she no longer is able to recognize. Throughout this revolutionary graphic novel, Moore’s dark and compellingly philosophical plot is able to touch upon many aspects of conflicts throughout history,and political ideologies.

This novel draws many historical parallels and brings up a number of themes common to human society - one of them being the similarities of certain aspects of the storyline to World War II history. 'V' is the nameless and mysterious anti-hero of the novel, clad in a black robe and a Guy Fawkes mask, rebelling against the fascism of post-nuclear war England. It is set in what the author depicts as the 1990’s - Europe and the United States are described as having been ravaged by a nuclear holocaust. This can be said to be an acknowledgment of the Cold War - specifically the nuclear arms race - that was still ongoing when the novel was being written. The novel is Moore's view of what the outcome of a nuclear war would bring – complete and utter totalitarianism. The main character ‘V’ seeks revenge against his captors as somewhat of a modern Robin Hood, who, after having been detained in a Holocaust-esque camp, seeks to inspire masses to revolt against the government. The fascist Norsefire government of the novel seems to closely echo that of the Nazi party of the 1940’s. The novel describes Norsefire as having five secions: The finger, the eye, the ear, the nose and the mouth. The ‘Fingermen’ are the Gestapo-like secret police, whilst the Eye is responsible for surveillance. Every move made by every citizen is monitored and nothing is secret. The ear is equipped for audio surveillance, the Nose is the police sector and the Mouth is home to the ‘Voice of Fate’. The government forcefully detained and mass murdered people who they considered to be a hindrance to society – the atrocities committed best revealed by the scene between V and Commander Prothero where he punishes him for his treatment of individuals within the camp - including V himself. Prothero replies to V's threats, “Look, you know as well as I do...we had to do what we did. All the Darkies, the Nancy Boys and Beatniks...It was us or them” (Moore 33). Prothero justifies the detainment and mass murder of these people based on the supposed threat of their race, political affiliation or sexual preference. This is much like the supposed ‘threat’ of the Jews in the mind of Adolf Hitler. Moore also depicts the television hero in Vendetta named Storm Saxon. He is blonde-haired, blue-eyed and commonly watched on television. Saxon is the epitome of an Aryan - a term that was popularized in WWII as being the most desirable race. When one reads this novel, the resemblances to history are uncannily depicted.
Another prominent theme in the novel is the political struggle between the control of citizens and anarchy - the latter being V’s ideal state of society. V struggles throughout the novel to rid the government of its total control of citizens. He continues to attack the buildings of Parliament and other British monuments in order to eradicate the Norsefire party. Once his goal is finally achieved, V states that Anarchy is simply the lack of rulers - not the lack of order. The world falls into chaos - or, in V’s words the Land of Take-What-You-Want as opposed to the Land of Do-What-You-Will. The fascist party that was previously in control only desires to withhold complete and total control over the citizens. While the government scrambles in attempts to regain totalitarian control, the citizens revel in their newfound freedoms. One young girl looks up at a device used by the ear and proceeds to insult her teachers saying ‘bollocks’ numerous times. The control of citizens and the repression of freedoms seem to be common themes in the dystopian predecessors of Vendetta, such as 1984 and Brave New World.
A common event that most always appears in dystopian novels is when a principal character comes to realize the wrongdoings of their current societal state. Most dystopian novels contain some sort of awakening that can only be described as nearly spiritual. This occurs in V for Vendetta when V’s protege, Evey Hammond, several months after having stayed in the Shadow Gallery (where V lives)is caught by the Nose and taken to a prison detention facility. Her head is shaved and she is coerced into confession. The tortured her endlessly attempting to get her to confess that V had sexually seduced her and that she was being forced to participate in his anarchical activities. She refuses. Therefore, they threaten to take her behind a chemical shed and kill her. She accepts this fate. When Evey accepts her fate, she realizes that the entire situation had been a sham set up by V. Evey is infuriated with V, but she realizes that he has only shook the ground of her foundational beliefs. With V’s help, she is released from the bondage created by their society and receives a new sort of political awakening. V releases her from the illusion of the prison because she is willing to die for what she believes in. She is prepared to challenge the foundations of her society and embrace a rare aspect of rebellion. In the end of the novel, V willingly allows himself to be killed by a man named Finch - he dies in Evey’s arms. Instead of letting her curiosity take over and unmasking V, she respects his nobility and the strength of his conviction to the cause and instead assumes the identity of V and tries to finish what he started.
Though V for Vendetta can be perceived as far-fetched and dark, it’s roots in true happenings and human nature make it easy to relate to. The spiritual awakening that Evey experiences, the Anarchist values of V and the oppression of the Norsefire government makes the story a well rounded work of dark philosophical fiction. Vendetta definitely brings the ranks of graphic novels to an entirely new level and Moore proves himself to be an author well versed in his craft and of creating compelling and thought-provoking literature.

Tragedy Paper

I just completed my tragedy paper and I have posted it below for review. Comment if you'd like to give me some feedback! Thanks.

Common Nobility:

Advocating for the Common Man’s plight in tragic works

The concept of a tragedy originated in Ancient Greece and, by definition, is based on one simple notion: the portrayal of human suffering. The manifestation of this suffering has been changed, molded and modified to fit the times throughout the ages and has developed into one of the most popular forms of performance to this date. Aristotle, famed Greek philosopher, created the format for what he believed to be a ‘perfect tragedy’. This definition of tragedy has been challenged by other prolific scholars and authors, and the basis for many arguments is the implied rivalry between classic tragic works and more modern interpretations of the drama. Many have speculated, examined and scrutinized the tragic form and which elements create a ‘perfect’ tragedy. This study aims to conclude which of these manners is most effective.

Aristotle laid down the grounds upon which tragic works of drama would be written and molded around for centuries. He argued that tragedies must contain several key elements in order to be the most effective that they can be. In his opinion, the perfect tragedy must involve a man who is held in high regard who experiences a fall from grace as a result of some error in ways or mistake. Aristotle defines tragedy as “the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language;...in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions” (University of Chicago). Aristotle’s definition of tragedy was used for centuries to come as the basis for all dramatic works of tragedy, and it was considered vital to incorporate the catharsis aspect. In his definition of tragedy, the philosopher also speaks of six crucial aspects to tragedy. He ranks them from least to most important as such: plot, character, thought, diction, melody and spectacle. Aristotle felt that the plot of the performance was the most important. He said, “All human happiness or misery takes the form of action... .Character gives us qualities, but it is in our actions--what we do--that we are happy or miserable.” (University of Chicago) According to the philosopher, actions basically determine the outcome of a situation - not their inherent personality traits, but rather their decisions and following actions. This definition of what creates a ‘perfect’ tragic work held true for many centuries - until the emergence of the so-called “modern” tragedy. This crack in the foundation are where the arguments begin to take place - the argument between the noble man’s tragedy depicted by the Ancient Greeks and the common man’s tragedy, depicted by authors of the mid-20th century.

On one end of the spectrum, there are supporters of strict classical tragedy. In his essay supporting the validity of classic tragedy, Joseph Krutch describes his issues with modern tragedies. He argues that modern tragedies are not as prolific as Greek or Shakespearean tragedies, simply because the latter leave us with positive feelings as opposed to negative and morose sentiments. In the tradition of Greek tragedies, the audience is supposed to be left with a feeling of catharsis. Aristotle describes catharsis as the purging of the emotions of pity and fear that are aroused in the viewer of a tragedy. Therefore, we are supposed to be glad that Juliet and Romeo lay dead in their tombs and that Othello kills Desdemona. We must be glad that Oedipus the King puts out his own eyes. We must be content that they do so and would not change the course of events. Of this, Krutch states that “we accept gladly the outward defeats which it describes for the sake of the inward victories which it reveals”(Krutch).

According to Greek tradition, in order for it to be a perfect tragedy, it must contain a noble figurehead who falls. In the essay “Tragedy and the Common Man”, playwright Arthur Miller states that the modern man’s tragedy adheres to a different set of standards - different from the grandeur of the likes of Oedipus the King. He recommends a realistic and balanced sense of reality when creating a tragedy. Miller defines tragedy as “the consequence of a man’s total compulsion to evaluate himself justly”(Miller). At the time that this author was was writing prolific plays such as Death of a Salesman, there was not a real sense of nobility within American and - for the most part - global society. He felt that the common man was “as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense” as kings were and argued that thus, they should be treated no differently within literature (Miller). The main element to a work of modern tragedy, according to Miller, is the loss of dignity by the main character. The main character experiences a total and complete blow to the soul - they try, fail and are left with nothing. This tragic aspect is the quality, according to Miller, that truly shakes the soul. This thought shook a nation. In a time where people were ravaged by the Great Depression, they needed a new type of tragic hero. They found such heroes of common nobility in the works of Arthur Miller, and even in modern theatre, television and film, this standard still holds just as true and powerful.

Many supporters of Greek tragedy loathe modern interpretations of tragedy because they lack many of the key points that a Grecian tragedy contains. Is it possible that Aristotle’s definition of tragedy has grown outdated since the thousands of years ago that it originated? When one reads works such as Oedipus, Romeo and Juliet and other literary works of tragic merit, it is not often that one experiences a feeling of happiness after seeing a man brutally maim himself or two teenage lovers commit suicide. Surely enough, they do both make for great stories, but the catharsis that is supposed to be an after-effect of Aristotle’s ideal tragedies might be sorely lacking. When regarding the outdated-ness of more 'classic' works of tragedy, Miller stated that “surely the right of one monarch to capture the domain from another no longer raises our passions, nor are our concepts of justice what they were to the mind of an Elizabethan king” (Miller). Of course, there is a reason that the tragic works of Greek playwrights still stand the test of time. They do serve a purpose - but are they as effective? The standards of society are ephemeral and ever-changing, and therefore it is necessary for the definitions of tragedy to be changed and molded to fit the times. Miller did this effectively by creating an entirely new definition of what makes a ‘perfect’ tragedy.

Classic works of tragedy such as Oedipus and Antigone certainly have outstanding and monumental literary merit and did indeed establish the original definition of what makes a tragedy. However, in modern times, the most essentially tragic thing that can happen to an individual is likely not the downfall of a king. As Miller states very eloquently in his essay, “the quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what and who we are in this world. Among us today this fear is as strong, and perhaps stronger, than it ever was. In fact it is the common man who knows fear best” (Miller). The most relative and realistic tragic works do not tell tales of royalty and nobles and fate and the Gods. One of the most devastating things to a person is to no longer know who you are and what your place in the world is. An empty feeling of invalidation can leave the human spirit torn to pieces. Seeing these elements manifested onto the stage or screen is one of the most powerful things for a human being can witness.

• Works Cited

• University of Chicago."Aristotle's Ideas About Tragedy." Poetics, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2010.
• Krutch, Joseph W. 1981. Tragedy, Vision and Form. Ed. Robert W. Corrigan. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. 227-38. Print.
• Miller, Arthur. ""Tragedy and the Common Man"" 1981. Tragedy, Vision and Form. Ed. Robert W. Corrigan. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. 168-75. Print.

Tragedy Paper

I turned in my tragedy paper yesterday. I'm not sure how it turned out, but I argued on behalf of the Arthur Miller type of tragedy. I feel that the tragedy of the common man is much more compelling than the tragedies like Oedipus and other Greek tragedies. The stories portrayed through more 'modern' tragedies are much more palatable than the stories of men ripping their own eyes out.

I know that my paper needs a lot of editing and revision, but I think I got a lot of ground covered with my current version. We'll see how it goes.

Tragedy Project

A rough draft of the paper in correlation with our tragedy project is due this coming Wednesday, along with a rough sketch of our creation. I am not sure exactly what my 'creation' is going to look like. I'm stuck between a few types of media - music, theatre and film. The aforementioned topics are all things that I am very passionate about. I think I will try and possibly group up with some other people in my class and see what we can create together - that is, if we have similar interests. It could really go any direction at this point in time.

I was absent today (Fri.), but this week we did get a chance to read and analyze a poem entitled Patty's Charcoal Drive-In. This poem reminded me of a sort of hybrid restaurant - a combination between In-N-Out and Corvette Diner. I enjoyed it very much. I feel that it brings back a lot of memories about how many people may feel about their first job experience.

Oedipus - finished: New tragedy project!

This week, we finished Oedipus and were introduced to a new project. The project is, essentially, our own concept of what a true tragedy is. Throughout this project, we are also going to be studying what we believe makes a tragedy most effective. I read a few articles during class today and decided that I thought theatre and film were the most effective mediums when it comes to the realistic portrayal of tragedy. In my own experience, watching a well performed live theatrical piece is the closest thing to real life. You are there as an audience member, in 3d, watching another human being portray something - emotion comes through fantastically on the stage.

Another one of my classmates (Leigh) pointed out that film can capture very subtle details, which I agree with.

I look forward to delving into this project and thought process more deeply!

Oedipus

This week we began reading Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. We learned that the story of Oedipus Rex is that of a 'tragic hero' and what Aristotle deemed the 'perfect tragedy'. It takes place in Greece and details the story of a man who could not escape his fate - he was destined to kill his father and marry and beget children by his mother. His mother and father, after finding this out, sent him away to be killed by a shepherd. The shepherd could not bring himself to do it, so Oedipus was brought before the king and queen of Thebes (who could not have children) to be taken in as an adopted son.

He ends up moving back to his hometown after hearing of his prophecy and thinking that his adopted parents were his real ones. This is when the madness starts.

I find the fact that we know Oedipus's destiny at the beginning and we just have to wait for things to unfold to be very compelling and interesting. I enjoy reading it so far. We have to read more over the weekend and I'll update when I'm finished with my reading.

Developments in English Class

So far this semester, we have begun a reading project for which we examine an essential question that we ourselves create whilst reading a set of books. The first of these books for me is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. So far, I'm enjoying it very much.

What I find most fascinating is how during the time this was written, Brave New World would be considered an extremely EXTREMELY controversial work. Even now it is a little odd and the thoughts behind it and manifested throughout it are a little strange and 'out there'. I am enjoying it as of yet though and cannot wait to finish it. I'm about half way through and I'll give a little more info about it in a future post.