One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Part 2

In Part 2, McMurphy’s character starts to change. He no longer tries so hard to bother Nurse Ratched. The staff is very confused with McMurphy’s action. Some believe that he will no longer be rebellious. Others, however, think McMurphy is a dangerous threat to the staff and patients. Everyone, except Nurse Ratched, feel that McMurphy should be moved to the disturbed. Nurse Ratched feels differently about this. She knows that she has control over McMurphy and she can order him around and determine how long he can stay at the hospital. 

McMurphy starts to realize how powerful Nurse Ratched really is. He then tries to obey the rules of the ward. What McMurphy fails to realize is how influential his actions are to the rest of the patients at the hospital. He understands once Cheswick kills himself. McMurphy then decides to obey the rules of the ward, but in his own way.

For example, he punches a window and then tells Nurse Ratched that the window was so clean he didn’t notice it was even there. I don’t really understand what McMurphy was trying to do by acting out the way he did. It makes me wonder about how the story will end up. Will the Nurse allow McMurphy to stay with the acute’s? Or will she have him leave the hospital or maybe moved to the disturbed?

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Part 1

In the beginning of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” we meet Chief Bromden. He has made people believe that he is deaf and mute, when in reality he is perfectly fine. He starts out the story by narrating his life and how people take advantage of him and treat him so badly. The people in the hospital have nicknamed Chief Bromden “Chief Broom” because the aides make him sweep the hall ways.

Chief Bromden is very unclear and confusing while he narrates. It’s kind of like his mind takes him somewhere else as he’s in the middle of telling a story. It’s easy to see how his hallucinations affect his life. He has been in the mental hospital longer then any of the other patients there. He needs special treatments to help him with his problems. In Part 1, he tells stories all about the mental ward and the things going on around him.

He keeps mentioning his problems and how he sees others. He tells about how he thinks of himself as weak but in reality, he is only weak because that’s how he wants to see himself. If he just stared to picture himself as stronger and more independent, maybe he wouldn’t be so paranoid and the aides wouldn’t take advantage of him and make him do their work.

Hamlet Act 2

In Act II, we begin to see how Hamlet’s personality changes and he concentrates more on Claudius. I think his idea for the play about the death of his father was a good idea. However, the way Hamlet was thinking was a little childish. I think he should have just approached Claudius and told him what he knew and that Claudius should just come out and tell Hamlet the truth.

Maybe the reason Hamlet didn’t want to just approach his uncle was because he was a little unsure of what the ghost had told him. He was hoping that after seeing the play his uncle would have some type of reaction to show he was guilty. As much as I think Hamlet should have approached Claudius, I can understand why he didn’t want to. Most people already thought Hamlet was crazy, if he happened to be wrong about Claudius, everyone would have thought he was mad for thinking such a thing.

Also, Claudius and Polonius are always trying to be involved with Hamlet and Ophelia. I think that they should just let Hamlet and Ophelia work things out for themselves. They don’t need their parents help. The same goes for Laertes. I don’t understand why Polonius has to have people checking up on him. He should be able to live any way he wants.

I feel like all the characters in the play are always being either deceitful, nosy, or they’re hiding something. I don’t understand why that can’t just come out and say what is bothering them or just tell the truth. To me, this play does not seem realistic. Today people are more straight forward and if they have a problem they just come say it to your face and parents aren’t so overprotective. Overall I found Act II to be very confusing.

Hamlet Scenes 1 and 2

In the first scene, Marcellus and Bernardo try to make Horatio believe them that a ghost visits them. When Horatio finally sees the ghost, he notes that it resembles the king. The three keep asking the ghost what it wants or who it is but it never speaks. Right as the ghost is about to speak, the rooster crows and the ghost disappears. The three decide to tell young Hamlet about their sighting because they feel the ghost will talk to him. I don't understand why Shakespeare puts a ghost in the play. It questions what people believe in and what they see. If he was trying to make the play practical or realistic, the ghost doesn't help. In scene two, King Claudius is thanking the people for helping with brother's funeral and with his own wedding. When he leaves, Marcellus, Bernardo, and Horatio tell Hamlet about the ghost that resembles his father. Hamlet, of course, is incredibly curious about the ghost and insists on gong to see it. I can not even imagine how Hamlet feels at this point. His father has died and his mother marrying his father's far inferior brother and then he finds out that he will not be able to return to school. 

Personally, I don’t understand how Hamlet’s mother was able to get over her husbands death so quickly. Not only that but remarry to his brother. It’s no wonder that Hamlet feels the way he does. When Marcellus, Bernardo, and Horatio come to bring Hamlet the news of his father’s ghost, Hamlet is stunned. He agrees to go with the three of them in the hopes that he will be able to speak to the spirit. I would think that Hamlet has a mixture of feeling to learn about his fathers ghost. He would probably be happy that he would get to see his father in a way. At the same time, He also is probably a little cautious because he doesn’t know what the ghost wants, why it’s there, or if it has important news. 

Coleridge and Shelly - Imagination and Narrative Voice

1.) "Kubla Khan" celebrates imagination and creativity and then turns into a caution against its indulgence. This poem is about a dream. To most readers, dreams use creativity and imagination. The poem tells about normal simple things but explains them in a certain special way.

The poem cautions against desire and dreaming to much. Coleridge  most likely thinks humans are very self centered and want too much of everything. Although his dream uses much imagination, he still gives a few impressive opinions about how humans act.

2.) In "Ozymandias" there are many speakers. Each different voice means something different. The speakers voice makes you think that the destroyed statue is something of a distressing scene. 

In this poem, Shelly describes a king who strived his whole life for his possessions. The king then gets involved in some practical assignments and forgets his ultimate destiny. In this poem, readers learn about how all their "important accomplishments" and possessions, that are so important to them now, will one day be finished. After reading this and thinking about it, I think Shelly was basically trying to say that no one lives forever.

William Blake's "The Chimney Sweeper"

Joanna Mira

William Blake's "The Chimney Sweeper"

1.) I think that Blake's poetry did have the power to enact social change. In the first poem "The Chimney Sweeper from Songs of Innocence," children are forced to work. They work hard and do not complain in hopes that when they die they will be rewarded. The children really had no say in their lives. They just did what they were told and did it the best they could. In the second poem "The Chimney Sweeper from Songs of Experience," the child answering the question is very bitter. He recognizes that even though his parents are praying for him and care for him, they are also the ones who sold him into a life of labor. When reading poems like this and hearing what children are going through, you start to feel bad and little by little a change happens.

2.) I think the editors included the parliament transcript to give readers a better understanding of what was actually happening to those sold into a life of labor. Throughout the entire transcript, you learn about the pain and suffering children went through. They were treated poorly and were not taken care of if they were sick. After a few hours in bed, they had to get back to work. After reading this, I understand better how in Blake's writings he really focuses on the unhappiness and terrible conditions people were faced with.

Jonathan Swift Prep Work

Joanna Mira

Gulliver's Travels

A) The questions I came up with for Gulliver's Travels were:

- How did Gulliver end up on the Lilliput's island?

- Why did the Lilliput people keep Gulliver as their prisoner?

- What was it that kept Gulliver from trying to escape?

- Was Gulliver overwhelmed at any time while being their prisoner?

Ecerpts:

(1) "I thought it the most prudent method to lie still, and my design was to continue so till night, when, my left hand being already loose, I could easily free myself: And as for the inhabitants, I had reason to believe I might be a match for the greatest armies they could bring against me, if they were all of the same size with him that i saw. But fortune dispose otherwise of me."

* If Gulliver was able to easily free himself, what made him just sit there and be a prisoner? He claims to be a little scared that there might be worse armies to face if he were to escape, but wouldn't he have seen them when he first came to the island? He was already halfway free at this point so was getting the rest of himself untied really that much work?

(2) "Whereupon I once more thought of attempting to break my bonds; but again, when I felt the smart of their arrows, upon my face and hands, which were all in blisters, and many of the darts still sticking in them, and observing likewise that the number of my enemies increased, I gave tokens to let them know that they might do with me what they pleased. Upon this, the Hurgo and his train withdrew, with much civility and cheerful countenances." 

* Gulliver keeps saying that he wants to escape and he almost does, but when he thinks about the Lilliput's arrows and weapons and how much they hurt, he fears it too much to escape. All they did were give him blisters or little scratches. It's not like he was in any real pain. I think he would have been smart to just break free.

B) The project in general was interesting. I think the preparation to teach another group was somewhat hard but my group and I were able to work through it. I didn't really like the story however, because I thought at times it was difficult to understand. Overall I learned that teaching may not be as easy as it seems.

C.) My group understands this assignment better now then before. I think when working in small teaching groups again, we will work better and find the assignment a little more easier to do.

1984

Joanna Mira

English IIII

Mr. Fiorini

 

Symbolism and Themes of 1984

 

             The story 1984, written by George Orwell was composed of multiple symbolic meanings that may not directly affect the plot, but still have a large impact on the deliverance of the story. These symbolisms Orwell uses improves the reading experience for the audience, as well as takes the mind of the reader into a new dimension filled with a wide range of questions keeping the reader intrigued.

             In reading 1984, One form of symbolism that stood out to me personally was his portrayal of the singing prole women, who was an aspect of future rebels. She was used in the story to signify the overthrow of the party of the working class. Another symbolic event that ties into the party overthrow was the St Clement’s Church picture. This event portrayed the complete power the party contained, as well as its betrayal of humanity. Another symbolic meaning I found the St Clement’s Church picture to contain was to show a part of his past with Julia. Winston’s paperweight is another symbol he used to signify the past.

            In closing, my observations of the book and the writing style of George Orwell was that symbolism was an extremely large part in the portrayal of the story. This symbolism was a great way to show the past of Winston which led to my belief that the theme of this story was that things always have the possibility of changing.