Literature Analysis #4: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read.

• This novel is about the strange couple of George and Lennie. Lennie is an enormous man who suffers from a mental disability. He does not realize how physically strong he is and often ends up killing the animals that he "pets." George is the opposite of Lennie. George is small and more intelligent. They keep each other company, it is mostly George looking out for Lennie. George constantly mentions how much easier is life would be without Lennie. They often get into trouble for things that Lennie does. Together they dream of owning their own land someday where Lennie may keep rabbits. They find work in another ranch and mkae friends with candy and Slim. Curly, their boss' son is an angry man who takes advantage of his power on the ranch. His wife is known to be a "tart' and a big flirt with the other men on the ranch. As the novel progresses, Curly tries to pick a fight with Lennie and tries to get him and George fired. At the climax of the novel, Lennie accidentally kills Curly's wife. Lennie leaves frightened at what he has done. George then finds Lennie and begins to talk to him about the piece of land they dreamed of. George puts a gun to Lennie's head and shoots him. 

2.Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.

• I think the main theme of the novel is loneliness. Mostly all of the characters in the novel are lonely: Curly's wife, Candy, etc. I think that Lennie and George stay together, not because they are great friends, but because they are lonely. 

3. Describe the author's tone. Include three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).

The tone of the novel varies. I found some of the parts to be slightly funny and humorous.

• "You can jus' as well go to hell," said George. "Shut up now."
• This is George telling Lennie this. I am not sure if the author meant it to be funny but it made me laugh. 

The tone can also be very hopeful. This is the case when George and Lennie are talking about their dreams of owning their own land and being able to farm it.

• "Let's have different color rabbits, George."  "Sure we will," George said sleepily. "Red and blue  and green rabbits , Lennie. Millions of 'em."

The tone is also depressing and serious towards the end of the novel when George kills Lennie. 

• "The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger."

4. Describe five literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the theme and/or your sense of the tone. Include three excerpts that will help your reader understand each one.

•  This novel is filled with a lot foreshadowing. There are many events that show what may happen later on in the novel. For example, when Candy's dog is shot because it is suffering. This foreshadows Lennie's death in the hands of George. 
• The author uses irony too. "An' I got you. We got each other, that's what, that gives a hoot in hell about us," Lennie cried in triumph." Lennie is happy because he and George have each other. Little does Lennie know that George is about to kill him. 
• The point of view I think is also very important. If this novel were to have been written through either characters point of view, less information would be given on their loneliness. With an omniscient narrator, the reader gets a full description of what is going on.
• There is also some symbolism found in the novel. George and Lennie's dream of owning their own land someday can also be representative of the American Dream and the theme  of loneliness. Lennie and George need each other to be able to fulfill this dream of theirs. "We'll have a cow," said George. "An' we'll have maybe a pig an' chickens....an' down the flat we'll have a....a little piece of alfalfa..."
• There is also a lot of indirect characterization, especially at the beginning of the novel. it is through this kind of characterization that the readers learn Lennie has a mental disability. It is also through this characterization that we learn neither of the protagonists like to be alone

Research Paper: Introduction

Research Paper: Introduction

Great Expectations: Charles Dickens

The title of this novel is derived from the expression "Great Expectations as a gentleman." It is supposed to reflect Pip's (the protagonist) social and financial rise because of the expectations that we placed on him. This is supposed to be ironic because he is later subject to moral decline. Also the most obvious meaning is that Pip has great expectations or good things coming his way.

Research Paper: Introduction

Research Introduction -

Favorite Poetry: Immigrants In Our Own Land by Jimmy Santiago Baca

We were asked to memorize this poem by Dr. Preston about two years ago. I memorized it but never really understood what the poem actually meant. I only memorized it because I had to. About a few months ago, this poem randomly came into my head. I finally understood it. It instantly became one of my favorite poems.

                         Immigrants In Our Own Land

                                                 By Jimmy Santiago Baca

We are born with dreams in our hearts,

looking for better days ahead.

At the gates we are given new papers,

our old clothes are taken

and we are given overalls like mechanics wear.

We are given shots and doctors ask questions.

Then we gather in another room

where counselors orient us to the new land

we will now live in. We take tests.

Some of us were craftsmen in the old world,

good with our hands and proud of our work.

Others were good with their heads.

They used common sense like scholars

use glasses and books to reach the world.

But most of us didn’t finish high school.

The old men who have lived here stare at us,

from deep disturbed eyes, sulking, retreated.

We pass them as they stand around idle,

leaning on shovels and rakes or against walls.

Our expectations are high: in the old world,

they talked about rehabilitation,

about being able to finish school,

and learning an extra good trade.

But right away we are sent to work as dishwashers,

to work in fields for three cents an hour.

The administration says this is temporary

So we go about our business, blacks with blacks,

poor whites with poor whites,

chicanos and indians by themselves.

The administration says this is right,

no mixing of cultures, let them stay apart,

like in the old neighborhoods we came from.

We came here to get away from false promises,

from dictators in our neighborhoods,

who wore blue suits and broke our doors down

when they wanted, arrested us when they felt like,

swinging clubs and shooting guns as they pleased.

But it’s no different here. It’s all concentrated.

The doctors don’t care, our bodies decay,

our minds deteriorate, we learn nothing of value.

Our lives don’t get better, we go down quick.

My cell is crisscrossed with laundry lines,

my T-shirts, boxer shorts, socks and pants are drying.

Just like it used to be in my neighborhood:

from all the tenements laundry hung window to window.

Across the way Joey is sticking his hands

through the bars to hand Felipé a cigarette,

men are hollering back and forth cell to cell,

saying their sinks don’t work,

or somebody downstairs hollers angrily

about a toilet overflowing,

or that the heaters don’t work.

I ask Coyote next door to shoot me over

a little more soap to finish my laundry.

I look down and see new immigrants coming in,

mattresses rolled up and on their shoulders,

new haircuts and brogan boots,

looking around, each with a dream in their heart,

thinking they’ll get a chance to change their lives.

But in the end, some will just sit around

talking about how good the old world was.

Some of the younger ones will become gangsters.

Some will die and others will go on living

without a soul, a future, or a reason to live.

Some will make it out of here with hate in their eyes,

but so very few make it out of here as human

as they came in, they leave wondering what good they are now

as they look at their hands so long away from their tools,

as they look at themselves, so long gone from their families,

so long gone from life itself, so many things have changed.

Research Paper: The Abstract

Paranormal activity is both interpreted and explained in a religious and scientific manner. The scientific explanation of paranormal activity usually pertains to those who are skeptical of life after death or of religion. The religious interpretation is according to each religions beliefs so each religion will have a different interpretation as to what paranormal activity means. Recently this topic has gained some fame due to many films being released on this topic. It is unclear whether any of the religious or scientific theories of paranormal activity intersect at any point. Evidence for paranormal activity is gathered differently due to their different views on the subject. Those who investigate this in a scientific manner take a more skeptical approach and try to prove paranormal activity as wrong or nonexistent. This involves the use of machines and scientific equipment. An investigation from a religious standpoint is entirely different depending on each religion. This includes each religions interpretation of the after life and whether it is relevant to any sort of paranormal activity. This type of religious investigations involve religious practices such as priests. Aside from religion and science, there are others who investigate paranormal activity such as those who claim to be psychics and mediums.

*I know this is far from perfect so please leave any suggestions that you have for me!

AP Practice Exam #1: The Open Question

Novel: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 


Prompt: "By their deeds shall ye know them." We often judge people by what they do; therefore, we consider people who commit cruel or reprehensible acts corrupt, base or amoral. In literature, however, authors often introduce us to characters whom we learn to like or even respect, despite their deeds. 

Write an essay about one such character for whom you developed admiration or compassion. Briefly explain why you felt his or her behavior to be condemnable or contemptible, and how the author's techniques influenced you to admire that person. Do not summarize the plot. (40 minutes)

Everyone has at least once been exposed to the cliche " Actions speak louder than words." This happens to be true and is why people are harshly judged by their actions. In literature, there are times when the reader harshly judges the actions of one of the characters in a novel. Sometimes by the end of the novel the reader may even find themselves admiring the same character despite their behavior. This was the case for me in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. At the beginning of the novel he was the cause of many horrible things and was a coward. By the end of the novel he is in admirable character. 

From the beginning of the novel I found the Amir's, the protagonist, behavior repulsive and cowardly.   It was Amir's fault that his "friend" Hassan was raped. He was there watching it happen but did nothing to stop it.  Due to jealousy, he also accuses Hassan of stealing so that he and his father leave. He was always consciously aware that what he was doing was wrong but when on anyways.  At a later point in the novel Amir receives a phone call from Rahim Khan telling him that "There is a way to be good again." After that telephone call, Amir's road to redemption begins. Amir finds the courage within himself to embark on a journey to make up for everything that he did. 

One of the most significant techniques that this author use is pathos. The author evokes strong feelings of sympathy for the main character Amir. For a lot of the time I found myself feeling sorry for Amir despite his cowardice. To begin with he does not have a mother and lacks a proper relationship with his father. Amir often describes his desire to have a good relationship with his father. Also, how he is jealous because it seems as though his dad would prefer to have Hassan as a son. He suffers a lot emotionally and has a lot of internal conflicts. Despite his horrible actions, the sympathy and pity the reader feels towards him somewhat excuses his behavior. 

Another literature technique that author uses is characterization. At the beginning of the novel Amir is a young, vulnerable boy. By the end is a brave man. He is able to take responsibility for his own actions and accept that he may perhaps never be able to repair all the damage that he caused. Amir is full of flaws. He is very human, this makes him a more likable and admirable. He was once a coward but then finds the courage within himself to become a hero. He is portrayed as some sort of villain and hero. 

Amir in the novel The Kite Runner is a character that is responsible for a lot of the atrocious things that happen to Hassan. Later in the novel he is able to redeem himself and make up for everything that he did. He also changes as a person. He is no longer the coward that he was but a hero . For this he becomes an admirable character.