Previous Journal Entries

1.) King Lear
Today, We read Act 1 of King Lear. Although humorous, the first act successfully draws in the reader with its serious underlying messages about hatred, slyness, and mistreatment of family. We first learn that King Lear has 3 daughters; Their names are Cordelia, Goneril, and Regan. King Lear is seen as prideful, as he asks all of the daughters to profess their love for him and the one who is the most appealing would be granted a majority of the kingdom. This stirs conflict between the sisters as  Goneril and Regan appease their father's wishes. However, Cordelia is willing to show her love for her father through actions and not words alone. King Lear is upset about this and disowns Cordelia. Another important highlight of Act 1 is the relationship between Glocester and his son, Edmund. Edmund is referred to as "illegitimate" and "a bastard". Glocester worships his other son, Edgar. He claims that Edgar was intended and Edmund was not. Edmund wants his father to see his good qualities, so formulates a plan to essentially hoodwink his brother, which will lead his father to believe that Edgar is no better than Edmund.
2.) The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue
The Canterbury Tale, General Prologue introduced 26 characters; All of which, including the narrator, are on a pilgrimage to a cathedral in Canterbury. Each character must tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two tales on the way back. One tale that stood out amongst the other was told by a character known as the Wife of Bath. She tells a tale about a knight who is convicted of a crime he did commit. As punishment, he must find out what women desire most. He searches everywhere but does not find the answer in time. An old woman is eager to help the knight in exchange for a favor in the near future. She helps the knight and asks for his hand in marriage. They both get married and the knight regrets his decision to bargain with her. The moral lesson one can take from this tale is about beauty and how others may perceive inner beauty.
3.) The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock
The Long Song of J.Alfred Prufrock tells a story about a timid man who finds a woman that is very appealing to his eyes. However, the guy is too afraid to say anything to the woman. He has an internal conflict in regards to whether he should approach her or not. Evitably, his emotions get the best of him and does not speak to the woman. In this story, he mentions how his life would go on as time was limited to him. This story speaks explicitly on the insecurities of a man. The best critic of self is ourselves and this story conveys a side of a man that woman usually don't see. Women are seen as very judging towards their appearance. The same can be said about men.
4.) Psalms 23 
Psalms 23, along with the Bible itself, is the oldest piece of literature ever written. As a child, I read the Bible faithfully; This explains why I know more about the Bible than a typical atheist and most Christians, but I digress. Psalms 23 is a chapter in the Bible that is commonly recited at funerals. This chapter is a song giving praise to God. This is not a sad, melancholy song of praise. This song is giving thanks to God for being the guidance and a comforter in times of trouble.
5.) The Parable of the Prodigal Son
According to the Bible, Jesus usually taught the multitude with parables. One of which pertains to a prodigal son. The parable tells about a son who wants his inheritance. His father gives him his share and the son goes off to a faraway country. In this country, the son lives rambunctiously and waste the money that was given to him. A famine brews in the country and the son decides to find work. He is eventually hired as someone who tends to the pigs. The son finds himself eating the husk and slops that the pigs ate. He realizes that his father's servants are in better living conditions than he is, so he decides to return home and work as one of his father's servants. Upon arriving, his father greets him with open arms instead of shunning his son for his ravenous spending and wild lifestyle.
6.) Infant Joy and Infant Sorrow
"Infant Joy" and "Infant Sorrow" were both written by William Blake. Both poems talk about the birth of a child. "Infant Joy" is about an infant who is born with a name and only knows the joys of its new existence. The mother takes two days to come up with a name for the infant, but eventually, names it Joy due to its joyful demeanor. This poem reflects on birth as a joyous occasion, as it is told in the perspective of the mother and infant. "Infant Sorrow" conveys a completely different message from "Infant Joy". This poem implicitly states how sorrowful the baby feels once it is released from the comfort of its mother. The infant knows that it was brought into a world that is tainted by sins and dangers; Thus, makes the experience of childbirth extremely painful for the mother, infant, and father. In conclusion, both poems are mentioning the subject of childbirth; However, both depict a different experience as childbirth is both sorrowful and joyous

Journal Entry: Macbeth Act 3

Act three of Macbeth starts off with Banquo's contemplating to himself. He thinks about the prophecies the witches have told them and how they are unfolding before him. He mentions how Macbeth becomes Thane of Cawdor and that he is now king. Banquo grows ever suspicious of Macbeth's path to kingship. Macbeth runs into Banquo and gains information about the schedule for that day and informs him of the banquet being held in the castle. Banquo tells Macbeth that he and his son, Fleance, were planning to go out on horseback. Macbeth dismisses him. Every since Macbeth committed the act of betrayal and rosed to power, he has been skeptical about the people around him. He knows that Banquo is a free thinker and soon he will be a threat to him. He then orders two murderers to go kill Banquo and Fleance. When Banquo is murdered, he orders Fleance to flee; This is the last time he is mentioned in the play. Before the banquet, Lady Macbeth is concerned with Macbeth's mental well-being. However, Macbeth is unwilling to tell her what he thinks. He describes his mind as being picked at by scorpions. These "scorpions" are the evil Macbeth has done throughout the play thus far. He hides his intents from his wife. At the banquet, Macbeth begins to act strange to his guest when he sees the ghost of Banquo. He scolds the ghost and it vanishes. Lady Macbeth tries to cover up the incident by mentioning that he is mentally ill. The ghost of Banquo then appears again and Macbeth acts unusual in front of the guest. Lady Macbeth orders the guest to leave. She fears that Macbeth will say something that will expose their dark secret. Meanwhile, Malcolm resided in England. Macduff goes back to inform Malcolm about his suspicions of Macbeth's rise to power. He plans on leading an army to Macbeth and de-throning him.   

Journal Entry to Macbeth Act 1-2

Act 1:  The play starts off with an ominous opening scene with three witches. They are stirring a cauldron. They all say "Fair is foul and foul is fair", as it refers to one of the themes of the play. Good and evil personas will be misled by the actions of the characters in the play. Scene two is the Captain of the Scottish army to bring King Duncan the great news of Macbeth's victory against the traitor, Macdonwald. Macbeth brutally assassinates Macdonwald by disemboweling him from his belly button to his navel. The Captain also informs King Duncan about Macbeth's advance to capture the Thane of Cawdor on the other side of Scotland. King Duncan is understandably happy about the news he just received. Scene three is where the witches stop Banquo and Macbeth while they are on their way to Macbeth's castle. The three witches reveal to them three prophecies that will be set in motion very soon. Banquo and Macbeth are skeptical about the prophecies, but their skeptic minds are convinced as one of the three prophecies are fulfilled and Macbeth is promoted to Thane of Cawdor. In scene four, Macbeth writes his wife a letter in regards to the prophecies that are said to transpire. Lady Macbeth reads this in the letter. Her plan is to speed up the process of Macbeth becoming king by killing King Duncan. She informs Macbeth about her agenda, but he refuses. Macbeth has no true motive to kill King Duncan, other than his deep ambition to be King. He then agrees with his wife and the act ends there.

Act 2: The first scene starts off with Banquo and his son, Flenace, talking about a strange occurrence. There are no stars nor moon in the night sky. Macbeth walks in and Banquo asks him has he been thinking about what the three witches said to him. Macbeth denies this but he is lying to him in order hide his intents of killing King Duncan. An imaginary dagger then guides Macbeth to King Duncan; This is when the murder was committed. Macbeth meets up with his wife, who did not want to kill King Duncan herself because he reminded her too much of her father. Macbeth is shaken by what he has done and refuses to commit any other heinous acts. Macduff knocks on the door to the Macbeth's castle. While the porter answers the door. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth wash their hands of blood. Macduff soon discovers the dead body of King Duncan and alerts everyone in the castle; This includes King Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalblain. Both of King Duncan's sons flee the castle in fear of their own lives, but this act only adds suspicion towards them. Ross does not buy the explanation given by the old man and will presumably figure out the real killer of King Duncan. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.         

Psalms 121 Analysis

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?

2My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

3He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

4indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

5The Lord watches over you—

the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

7The Lord will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

8the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore

Analysis

Verse 1-2: This song introduces the idea of divine intervention. The word, ascent, means to climb or rise. The song of ascents is in reference to the first two verses of the song. Christians usually petition God for divine intervention. The word "help" is used in the context of a supreme protector. The help is the same deity that created heaven and Earth; This deity is God. 

Verse 3-4: Verse 3 points out how God can protect his children. "He will not let your foot slip" means that he will guide his children's' steps and help order them in the way of his word. Verse 4 is an allusion to the story told in Exodus. The Israelites were delivered from captivity by Moses. God guide Moses through this daring task and enlisted the help of angels. Though the journey was long, God never rested. He will always be there to save a fallen child from God.

Verse 5-6: Verse 5 is a used metaphorically to describe God as shade. God will the "shade" by day and night. Shade is often used to block out or protect something from light. God's protection for his children is undying. Thus, he protects them, no matter the time of day. 

Verse 7-8: The last two verses concludes the idea of how God will always be there to protect his children. God's loves his children dearly, and for this, he is willing to guide them forever.

The Tragedy of Igneous and Amethyst

In the time of Ancient Rome, when the civilization was thriving and the citizens were lively. On the outskirts of the city, lived Igneous and Amethyst. They were not the merriest pair. They argued often; however, their loyalty towards each other was an unbreakable bond. Amethyst would petition to God every night for a happier marriage. It seemed as if God had turned a deaf ear towards Amethyst's earnest plea. Outside their marriage, they lived mundane lives. Igneous worked as a carpenter, while Amethyst stayed home and tended to the needs of the house. When the house was pleasing by her standards, she would devote herself to religious studies. Her usual rituals consisted of burning incenses, singing hymns, and praying. One day, Igneous did not return home at his usual time. It was past the hours of his shift and he was nowhere to be found. A worried Amethyst waited for her husband's safe return. Eventually, Igneous walked through the front door. He looked hammered, with a bottle of Rum in his left hand. His speech was slurred and incoherent. He staggeringly walked towards Amethyst. In a drunken tone, Igneous said, "You look mighty there Amethyst.". His breath reeked of alcohol; the stench hung heavy in Amethyst's nostrils. He began to reach for Amethyst's blouse, but she swiped away in disgust. This anger Igneous, so he grabbed her by the arm and demanded sex from her. Amethyst trembled with fear, but she refused to comply. She bolted towards their bedroom, locking the door behind her. Igneous frantically pounded on the door and ordered her to open it. Amethyst began to softly sob in the corner of the room. "I just want to be happy with the man that once found love in me. What have I done to deserve this, my Lord? God please, why does he treat me this way? I want to find solace in my marriage, my Lord. That's all I ask of you.", she prayed softly. Suddenly, she had an idea. She knew who can her marriage. She grabbed her coat from out of the closet scurried out of the bedroom. She dashed towards the forest and did not stop running until the house was out of her sight. She embarked on a three-day journey to an old sorcerer. She wanted an enchantment to establish order and pure happiness in her house. Along the journey, Amethyst ran into an old friend. His name was Authur. He was once an honorable, and respected knight by all of Rome. Unfortunately, he was de-ranked and exiled for attempting to seduce the Queen. Although poor, Authur had an exquisite charm that women fell in love with when they lied eyes upon him. He was known for sleeping with married women and was hated by the husbands of said women. Authur approached Amethyst and surprised her. She was startled by his unforeseen approach, but she happily greeted him. They were childhood friends before their families were separated by the Great War. Inevitably, separated them. They talked briefly about ordinary things, such as how was life for them at the moment. However, Amethyst did not tell Authur about the troubles of her marriage. The townspeople walked in utter disgust but did not confront the two. They knew Amethyst was married to Igneous and immediately began to think negatively about the friendly conversation. Amethyst informed Authur about her journey to the sorcerer. He insisted that he went along with her, but she denied his generous offer and continued on her way. Arriving the sorcerer's house, she noticed that he was outside tending to his Amos trees in his garden. She signaled for his attention and the Sorcerer welcomed her with open arms. Amethyst explained the purpose of the journey. The sorcerer heard this and was eager to help her with marriage issues. He gathered materials from his garden; one of which was the resin from an angelic plant called Angel Tears. He combined the ingredients until it had a consistency like water. He then proceeded to water a single rose in a flower pot. The concoction seemed to have no effect on the rose; but to Amethyst's amazement, the flower began to pulsate with a pinkish glow. The Sorcerer explained to Amethyst that the rose was now enchanted. The rose's glow was now connected to her happiness and will dwindle when she was not happy. Furthermore, the scent of the rose would fill the air with positivity and euphoria. Amethyst paid the Sorcerer 15 gold coins and thanked him for his services. On the way home, she stopped by the local market to buy food for the dinner she was preparing for her and Igneous. As she approached the house, she noticed that the house appeared to be empty. Maybe Igneous was at the local bar again or out with his friends. This was the perfect to surprise him with a dinner for two she thought. She zealously opened the door. The house was dark and the atmosphere was ominously foreboding. She set the groceries down on the kitchen counter, along with the rose. She began to prepare the meal around the hour of his usual return. She decorated the table for the both of them; She sat the rose in the middle of the table, next to a bottle of red wine. She called for Igneous, in case he was asleep and did not notice her arrival. Yet, the house was silent. She grew nervous about husband's well-being and his whereabouts. She began to walk around the house, in hopes to find her husband. She slowly made her way into the living room but found nothing. She went into the bathroom and still did not find Igneous. When she opened the bedroom door, Amethyst was filled with angst. Igneous was hanging from the ceiling with a note barely hanging out of his pocket. She quivered with dread as look upon her lifeless husband. Her feet planted in the door frame, unable to move. She finally mustered up the courage to reach for the note in his pocket. It read, "My dearest love, precious Amethyst. I can not forgive myself for the pain I forced you to endure. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.  I can not be angry at you for renouncing your oath of loyalty for me. For I have failed as a husband. Perhaps, Authur will give you the love you so desperately desired. I left you a gift under the bed. Your Love, Igneous.". Amethyst could not hold the heavy tears and began to cry uncontrollably. She felt defeated as she knelt on the ground and sobbed in her knees. The will to get up was lost along with her husband, Igneous. She crawled towards the edge of her bed and lifted the sheets that draped over it. She found only a red box. She opened it and inside was a beautiful purple scarf and a ring with an Amethyst stone on it. She also found a little slip of paper that read "Will you marry me, Amethyst?" Igneous planned to give her the box as a sign of condolence and to apologize for his actions. The feeling was unbearable. With the strength she had left, she arose from her knees and went into the bathroom. She grabbed cherry pits from the medicine cabinet; which was used for fertilizer. She grounded them into a fine powder and return to the table that she had prepared for dinner. The food was now cold and untouched. She grabbed the wine that sat in the middle of the table and infused the powder into the wine. She then poured a glass of the now poisonous wine and walked back to the bedroom. She stood in front of Igneous and raised the glass to his dead, lifeless body. She toasted to their marriage and sup from the glass of wine. Amethyst dropped the glass and grabbed her beloved by the hands. She kissed and wiped her tears from her face with his cold fingers. "Sleep well, my sweet Prince.", she mumbled as she embraced her appending demise. The rose remained on the table. As Amethyst succumbed to the poison that was coursing through her veins, the rose began to wither. Its glow began to fade and the slumped over the pot. Petal by petal, the rose lost its light, as well as Amethyst and Igneous.

*It's ironic that people who make us whole will evidentially leave the deepest hole in our hearts. And once it all falls apart, there will be no redos or restarts.

Women's Role during the Medieval Period

According to history, women were treated as secondary citizens. They were not treated the same as men. During the Medieval period, most people lived in rural areas that reside in Europe. Often, women were tasked with mundane chores; This includes cleaning, taking care of children, cooking, and tending to livestock. Women that lived in the urban areas of Europe did things making clothes, producing metals, and running inns. Though women were often overshadowed by men, they were capable of exercising their power in higher levels of society. For example, women could hold a position called abbesses of covenants; This position was higher than monks. Lastly, women played a big role in a child's life. Women would have an abundance of children; However, most would not live to see adulthood due to the living conditions of that time. They would do this so their chances of having a child that would see adulthood would increase, so the cycle can start anew.                                                                                                                                                                            https://www.bl.uk/the-middle-ages/articles/women-in-medieval-society

Introduction to Geoffrey Chaucer

After reading about the life of Geoffrey Chaucer, I learned that he was praised, yet criticized for his poetic talent during his time. Because of this, he was depicted as "the father of English literature; However, English literature has been around before  Chaucer, making this information false. Some of Chaucer's achievements consists of some of his works and declared to be "the first" in literature. An example of this is Troilus and Criseyde. It was credited by G.L. Kittredge as "the first novel, in a modern sense, that was ever written in the world. I also learned that Chaucer's work, The Canterbury Tales, is a comedy. This is not because the humorous aspects of the story, rather than its overall tragic tone. Furthermore, this work is a comedy because its divine perspective is achieved throughout the narration. This work could be considered tragicomedy because of the blend of drama, tragedy, and comedy.

Blog Post Assignment 10

Dear Adviser

            My name is Grant Wiggins, and I need help. First, I'll start by giving you a synopsis of the situation at hand. My aunt wants me to make her god-son, Jefferson, a "man" before he dies. He was on trial for a triple murder and theft; his appointed lawyer label him to be a hog in order to his intelligence and innocence. My aunt and I visited Jefferson 3 times, but reaped little to no progress of getting through to him. Today, my aunt was pretending to be sick, so I could visit Jefferson alone. I was humiliating for me at first, but gathered the will to go visit him. I just seen him, and achieve nothing. I know my aunt will be upset and heartbroken once she finds out what really happen during my visit. Should I lie about what happened or tell the truth? If not, what do you think I should do?

                                                                                                       Sincerely,
                                                                                                     Grant Wiggins
 

Blog Post Assignment 9

Chapter 3:

1. His insistence of whether Jefferson did it shifted the plot narrative by showing a biased point of view to an already controversial situation.

2. Grant is implying that Miss Emma was looking at him, but was not acknowledging him.

3.

4. She begs him and tells him that she has done a lot for his family.


Chapter 4:

1. It echoes the public defender's summation in Jefferson's trial by expanding on the idea of Jefferson's upcoming death. He is awaiting his death; the same as a hog in a slaughterhouse.

2. Grant feels the need to flee because he believes that he is living a unfulfilled life in his current city and condition he is living in.


Quote #1: "But i could feel her eyes on the back of my neck." Chapter 3, Pg. 17

This quote indicates the conflict between Grant and his aunt. Grant believes that he being forced to Henri Pichot's house under his will.
This quote also characterize his aunt because it reveals that she is a stern person and what every she says goes.

Quote #2: "I was too educated for Henri Pichot; he had no use for me at all anymore." Chapter 4, Pg. 21

This quotes give details about the setting. It gives an image of Grant staying out of the way while his aunt begs Mr. Pichot to talk to the sheriff.
This quote also indicates conflict between Grant and Mr. Pichot. Grant believes that he is too educated for Mr. Pichot, but Mr. Pichot may view him as just a typical black person.

Blog Post Assignment 8         

          Dr.King used figurative language in his famous speech. An example of this is when he uses a metaphor to compare the oppressed people to veterans of war. He quotes "You have been the veterans of creative suffering". This quote means that people who fall victim of segregation are like veterans because of the suffering both have to endure. It also strengthens his point of view on segregation and how it has affected many. Another example of figurative language is imagery and how he paints an image in the audience's mind. An example of this is when he mentions police brutality. He says "We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.

This quotes give the audience a visual representation of segregation and the struggles of black people. 

          A rhetorical question was asked during Dr.king's speech. He asks "When will we be satisfied?" This answer is implied, not blankly answered. By using this rhetorical device in his speech, Dr.King highlights something the audience already knows. It also empathizes his point of view and gets the audience to think about his question.