Growth Mindset W17: 11. Beyond School

Growth Mindset: 11. Explore Growth Mindset Beyond School

Outside of school work I like to read articles/books or watch movies/documentaries on history. I'm often looking into things such as civilizations, space, extinct species, world leaders, and even past wars that have occurred in human history. I do this mostly because I enjoy getting an understanding of the past for it's always better to look back to get a understanding for a better future. Most of the time I look at these type of things just out of the blue because I take a sudden interest in it. Or I may have heard something about it in a class or talking with someone and it peaks my interest. I think this could benefit me in school because it could lead to more research on the subject so that I could do better in a class. It's something that would mostly benefit history and anthropology classes in my opinion because other than those type of classes I couldn't see myself using this approach in things such as math. Overall, growth mindset would best apply to my free time because it's when I'm usually watching or reading something that eyes my interest to do research on it.

Reading Notes W17: Swift, Part X

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745): Born in Dublin to English parents, His writing was known as satrical and was very populard during his time.

(315-320)

"A Modest Proposal"

- Women with children in rags begging on the streets in Dublin.

- Children often turn into thieves or mercenaries.

- He thinks it's terrible that children and others are on the streets having to beg.

- He wants this to be prevented so they grow up with regular lives.

- He wants woman to stop abortions.

- He has a plan to not really aid the children but instead feed them to the rich and other families so that the parents won't have the children as a burden.


Swift, Jonathan. "A Modest Proposal." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 315-320

Literary Analysis "Philosophical Satire"

For the final of week of class I'm doing a literary analysis on the poem, "Philosophical Satire" By: Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz. From the collage of poems that I read for the reading assignment I noticed that De La Cruz's poems had a resemblance. The poems all had a deep and passionate feeling that it seemed she wanted to get out about love, understanding, or even anger. The poem, "Philosophical Satire" I think uses all three of these elements. The poem in all is the author voicing why she is upset with men and scolding men because she feels men do not take responsibility, which she thinks men throw the blame on women. Her strong emotion on the topic of men can be seen right at the get go when she says, "You foolish and unreasoning men who cast all blame on women, not seeing you yourselves are cause of the same faults you accuse: if, with eagerness unequaled you plead against women's disdain, why require them to do well when you inspire them to fall?" (263). Here the quote is showing her immediately getting straight to the point about why she is angered at men because he thinks they throw the blame at women. I thought this was a funny way of starting a poem and I'm not sure the author meant for it to be funny but in my opinion it was a great way to get a reader's attention. Another quote which shows her concentration on the subject of being angry at men is when she continues on to say, "Why then are you so alarmed by the fault that is your own? Wish women to be what you make them, or make them what you wish they were. Leave off soliciting her fall and then indeed, more justified, that eagerness you might accuse of the woman who besieges you" (264). It seems as if she is saying that men don't like how certain women turn out and she is trying to make it clear that's the man who is making her that way. It's an interesting quote because she doesn't understand why men are still quick to blame or question those women who basically act a certain way because of men's behaviour. I think that is what she means by the quote but that's what I get from reading it. This was an interesting poem to me mostly because I'm curious as to what motivated her to write this poem. Again, I also thought the way she started the poem off in a sense of anger made me more interested in why she started off so aggressive. Overall, I enjoyed the poem and even though I think it has a few different elements I would say the main element is anger because she feels very strongly about the subject and wants her opinion to be heard through her poem.

De La Cruz, Sor Juana Ines. "De La Cruz Poems." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 262-264

Reading W17: Behn/De La Cruz Poems, Part B

Aphra Behn (1640-1689): Behn is known as giving women a voice to be able to speak their minds. Her work has much to do with slavery along with Africa and the New World.

(225-246)

"Oroonoko"

(225-246)

- Caesar took Clemene as his wife.

- Explains Romans and their slaves.

- Caesar kills a tiger by piercing it in the heart with his sword.

- The narrator describes another time Caesar killed a tiger in the woods.

- Caesar tells the people that they had suffered like animals who enjoyed being beaten.

- He separated the men from the women and children.

- Caesar makes a speech to the men before they leave.

- Now arriving at the plantation they see an upset Caesar.

Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz (1648-1695): De La Cruz was a nun from New Spain and a very famous writer of her time. She is best known for standing up for women's intellectual rights.

(262-264)

"Poem 145"

- I think this poem is describing how there is a lot to be seen from the object which she is describing because it represents all the conflict that had been going on over the years.

"Poem 164"

- Possible conversation between loved ones who had a disagreement on a matter and one just wants to see their spouse notice the love they still have for them no matter what.

"Philosophical satire"

- De La Cruz shows a bit of anger in this poem explaining that she is mad that men don't give enough apretaition or respect to woman as she explains they do for men.


Behn, Aphra. "Oroonoko; The Royal Slave." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 225-246

De La Cruz, Sor Juana Ines. "De La Cruz Poems." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 262-264

Reading W17: Behn, Part A

Aphra Behn (1640-1689): Behn is known as giving women a voice to be able to speak their minds. Her work has much to do with slavery along with Africa and the New World.

(200-224)

"Oroonoko; or The Royal Slave"

(200-210)

- The narrator says they're an eye witness to the royal slave (former prince).

- Narrator explains the reason the slaves are being brought to the New World. The Narrator also mention the Indians and that instead of the Indians being enslaved they use blacks from Africa.

- Describes the Indians traditions and clothing.

- Narrator is fascinated with their culture and makes it sound as if the narrator feels the Indians and slaves share something.

- Working on sugar plantations.

- People who wanted slaves needed to get a hold of a captain of a ship or a Master.

(210-224)

- The king took the woman Oroonoko loved making him feel the consequences of love.

- The prince no longer wanted her and let the king have her.

- The woman ended up meeting her death in front of the King which he immediately ordered the Prince to come to him. If the Prince declined he would be put to death.

- The death was faked.

- A few battles and conflictions begin taking place.

Behn, Aphra. "Oroonoko; The Royal Slave." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 198-224

Literary Analysis Week 16 "Couplets"

For week sixteen I'm doing a close reading on a poem called, "Couplets" By: Ghalib. The poem is one of many poems by Ghalib in the assigned reading but this one stood out more to me because this poem was a bit easier to see what Ghalib was saying. The poem is Ghalib writing to himself asking god questions about love. While he's asking questions he also begins answering the questions himself because his god isn't answering the questions he lays forth. Ghalib starts the poem by describing his thoughts about love which seemed like an interesting way of wording it when he says, "Ghalib, it's no use forcing your way with love: it's a form of fire that doesn't catch when lit and doesn't die when doused" (594). I like the way he worded this quote which basically is saying that love for someone whether their already with them or not always fades away but the love for them never diminishes. This quote could probably relate to a lot of people who keep loving someone they were once with. He again begins to ask his god about love and again he chooses a different way of describing the emotion, "I've been set free from the prison of love a hundred times-but what can I do if the heart itself proves to be an enemy of freedom?" (596). Here again is a quote where he seems conflicted over an emotion, love. I think this is another quote similar to the first but this time he is looking for an answer for a complex question. I thought it was a nice approach that he added himself asking a higher up about an emotion that is clearly having him putting a lot of thought into it. I enjoyed this poem more than the others he wrote because it was fascinating how he worded this poem. I liked how Ghalib used these quotes to express his opinion, curiosity, and concerns of the emotion love. Overall, I think this poem's element was curiosity because the poem itself is him speaking to his god about what's on his mind about love.

Ghalib. "Couplets." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 587-601

Reading W16: Ghalib, Part B

Ghalib (1797-1869): Ghalib was a poet who's fame has grown extensively since his death. He is also one of the most quoted poets around.

(587-601)

"Now go and live in a place"

(591-601)

- Living somewhere isolated where no one would hear from or about you.

"Be merciful and send for me)

-Someone wanting there loved one to get a hold of them again after being apart.

"Where's the foothold"

- Questioning whether earth is the first step to get to heaven or if there is a middle ground after life on earth.

"I've made my home next door to you"

- One's stubbornness from expressing their feelings/words to another who they had moved next to without permission sounding as if they already know each other.

"Couplets"

- Ghalib is writing to himself telling himself to not get caught up on things that are not meant to be. He then begins asking his god why he's listening to him when he's listening to another at the same time. Blames his god for his madness.

"It was essential"

- He writes about him and his adopted son visiting his dead wife whom they were visiting her tombstone.

"My tongue begs for the power of speech"

- Once again I think this poem is describing his wife and how he describes her leaving(passing away) as being hard for him to cope with him

"Petition: My Salary"

- Ghalib directs this to the last Mughal emperor telling him that he is basically a slave and has been getting nothing but debt from the emperor.

Ghalib. "Now Go and Live in a Place." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 587-601

Reading W16: Du, Part A

(546-586)

Nguyen Du (1766-1820): Du was a Vietnamese author who was well known by many and his story, "The Tale of Kieu" is said to have no competition in all of Vietnamese literature.

"From The Tale of Kieu"

(550-566)

- Jiajing reign held peace.

- Vuong Quan was in the Vuong clan. The eldest daughter was Thuy Kieu and the youngest was Thuy Van.

- Kieu was very emotional while Van is not.

- Kim Trong was born into wealth and talent.

- Kieu was approached and told her name was signed inside the Book of the Damned.

- Dam Tien told her her name was in the book.

- Dam Tien was deade and Kieu saw her in her dream.

- A man approaches her and tells her that he is in love with her. The man claims to be her neighbor.

- To seal their commitment he gave her a fan and she gave him a pin.

(566-586)

- She was sent away to leave by her father for good reason and on good terms.

- Kieu leaving home she ended up attempting to kill herself.

- She wakes up and is aided by doctors taking care of her.

The man had overall tricked her to leave with him and she ended up working at a v=brothel hence why she wanted to end her life.

- Once again another marriage is set to be made but she attempts to kill herself. Again fails to do so.

- The nun is named Giac Duyen.

- She was in tears when she saw her family it had been fifteen years and they were all glad she was alive.

Du, Nguyen. "From the Tale of Kieu." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 546-586

Literary Analysis Week 15: "Recitatif"

For week fifteen I have decided to do a literary analysis on the story, "Recitatif" By: Toni Morrison. This was one of Morrison's only short stories and this story in particular is supposed to be centered around race. The story begins with a girl named Twyla who befriends a girl at her shelter named Roberta. Both girls are in the shelter because both of their mothers are neglecting taking care of their daughters. As the story progresses it shows both of the girls who are now progressively getting older each time they run into one another reflecting on both life and their past at the shelter. I thought this story was interesting because it doesn't tell the reader what race the girls are but it instead keeps it open to interpretation while the story look at how the characters both throughout the story act in a certain way to each other because the difference of their skin. The story first demonstrates the difference between the girls when Twyla voices her mothers possible concern to know she is staying in a room with Roberta, "My mother won't like you putting me in here... Roberta must have thought I meant my mother would be mad about my being put in the shelter. Not about about rooming with her, because as soon as Bozo left she came over to me and said, "Is your mother sick too? (1174). Both Twyla and Roberta are introduced to one another by the head of the shelter and they're to both be staying in the same room at the shelter but this instantly poses concern to Twyla. Twyla has concern of this because she believes that her mother would be upset she is staying in the same room with someone a different race then her own. Again, the author chooses not to tell the reader which race the girls are so this quote here I think shows how the author decides to hint the difference between the two. Early in the story we again get another glimpse at the difference between them when both of their mothers are introduced to one another by Twyla and Roberta, "Mary, simple-minded as ever, grinned and tried to yank her hand out of the pocket with the raggedy lining-to shake hands, I guess. Roberta's mother looked down at me and then looked down at Mary too. She didn't say anything, just grabbed Roberta with her Bible-free hand and stepped out of line, walking quickly to the rear of it" (1177). Here Twyla's mother Mary gets ready to extend her hand to greet Roberta's mother but Roberta's mother instead takes her daughter away from the two of them. I think the author used this to again show the reader the difference in skin color between both characters by not just saying the colors of their skin, but instead by demonstrating it through this scene here. I liked how the author went about writing this story in a way that does not tell you the color of either girl but hints enough to show that they both are different in skin color. Morrison I believe was trying to get the reader to read through the story without making connections with the characters but instead see that both characters act in a particular way with one another based off their skin differences. Overall, I think the element of this story in it's entirety was friendship because the characters each time they would meet after the shelter would exchange words making their relationship bumpy but by the end of the story they see past their differences and feel compassion for one another.

Morrison, Toni. "Recitatif." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 1172-1187

Reading Notes W15: Senghor/Lispector, Part B

Leopold Sedar Senghor (1906-2001): Senghor was a poet who who centered his writing on Europe and Afric along with touching on both races conflicts.

(676-686)

"Letter to a Poet"

(678- 679)

- Poem to his brother describing that all the people he knew wait for him and would parade for him when he returns.

- Senghor will be waiting for his brother.

"Night in Sine"

(679-680)

- Wants his people to remember the dancing of the tribes from Africa.

(680-681)

"Black Woman"

- Speaks of the Woman from Africa and their beauty.

(681-682)

"Prayer in the Masks"

- Wants people whose ancestors from Africa to remember the dancing and how it was there.

(682-683)

"Letter to a Prisoner"

- Possibly talking about how he feels that he feels in confinement.

(683-685)

"To New York"

- Describes New York and how amazing it is at first. He then explains it isn't as great as it is at first sight.


Clarice Lispector (1920-1977): Known for making stories that have philosophical deep meanings using novels and short stories.

(808-814)

"The Daydreams of a Drunk Woman"

- The woman is going through mood swings.

- She is married but does not love him.

- She was overall unhappy with her life which is why she was always super angry or just confused at her own behavior.




Senghor, Leopold Sedar. "Letter to a Poet." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 676-686

Lispector, Clarice. "The Daydreams of a Drunk Woman." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 808-814

Reading Notes W15: Morrison/Soyinka, Part A

Toni Morrison (1931): Morrison is known well for blending both the past and present of the African American experience.

(1172-1187)

"Recitatif"

(1174-1178)

- The narrator was taken to St.Bonnie's since their mother danced all night.

- Lived in a shelter.

- Felt uncomfortable living amongst another race.

- Mary the mother said they didn't wash their hair and that they smelt funny.

- Many different races of kids in the shelter.

- Twyla (the narrator) told Bozo that her mother would be upset she was put in a room with Roberta.

- Maggie gets called a dummy by the main characters because they were trying to figure out if she could hear too because she was mute.

- Marry comes to visit Twyla after 26 days.

- Mary isn't very bright.

- Roberta's mother refused to shake Marys hand and took her daughter away from them.

(1178-1186)

- Twyla now worked at Howard Johnson's.

- Twyla ran into Roberta at her place of work. Roberta is shocked to see her but it seems like her and the friends she is there with don't really want to talk to her.

- Fast forwarding they are now both married and run into each other again. Both talk about the good memories they had. Twyla then brings up why Roberta acted like she didn't want to talk to Twyla at the diner and she responded with describing how it was back then between blacks and Whites hanging around one another.

- They meet again later and both get in argument leaving them both not speaking to another for a few years.

- They meet again and this time Roberta tells Twyla that they didn't do anything to Maggie but back then she really wanted too. It ends with Roberta asking what happened to Maggie.


Wole Soyina (1934): This writer is well known for touching on subjects about Africa and the West who he uses his stories to show the change the West brought to Africa.

(1049-1098)

"Death and the King's Horseman"

(1051-1062)

- Elesin claims that all women wanted him.

- Praise singer mentions many things one being wars that come to them and threaten their race. Elesin claims he makes his own fate.

- Iyaloja get shunned by Elesin for greeting him which leaves the other women in confusion.

- Elesin demands that he controls his destiny and what the world brings his way. The woman all obey his commands and listen closely to hat he says.

- Elesin possibly one of the higher ups in ranking than the others of his village.

- Elesin questions why he has not been visited by the king and horsemen.

- Praise singer praises Elesin for being the greatest.

- Iyaloja has a strange vision which influences Elesin to journey.

(1063- 1070)

- Amusa is angry seeing a man wearing a dead cults dress.

- Amusa is scared of Pilkings costume.

- Pilkings gets angry that Amus keeps bringing it up.

- Pilking and his wife Jane are Christians and not from the place in e=which they are from.

- The costume his is wearing offends amusa because it has a religious dark magic presence to it.

- Different customs.

- Elesin is the kings chief horseman

(1086-1098)

-Elesin gets taken away to jail by Pilkings.

- Elsein wants to go perform his duty.


Morrison, Toni. "Recitatif." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 1172-1187

Soyina, Wole. "Death and the King's Horseman." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 1049-1098

Week 14 Project Action Plan: "How Does a Story Teach Us Differently Than a History Book"

For my third project, I think I will be going with: How does a story teach us about a time or place differently than a history book. Like I said in my topic brainstorm I tried this one before and ended up trading it for a different topic because it didn't connect well with the two stories I chose. For the first reading one of the classmates recommended that one William Butler Yeats works would work well with this topic. After reading back through the readings by Yeats I have decided that I would be using one of his works because he is an author that focused on historical events within his country and the West. The specific poem that I think I will be using from Yeats is his poem, "Easter 1916" . Yeats describes his opinion and emotions of the conflict during the time in which it had been happening. The second reading I'm considering using is the story, "Notes of a Native Son"  By: James Baldwin. This story describes Baldwins first encountering of racism along with describing what he felt as he went on his day to day life seeing things that were more directed towards him rather than others. Both of the stories I have chosen both hold the element that they both give the insight of controversial times through their own eyes. I will mainly touch on things from both stories that gives the authors point of view on important subjects of their readings such as with Yeats poem when he questions if the Irish nationalists were rightfully or wrongfully executed. To give an example of something that would be added and described from Baldwin's story is how it made him feel to see stores that would allow blacks in because of their skin color. These are only two examples of many more that will be included to the project but they will be used well to describe the topic and element.

Stories such as these can teach us differently about a time or place differently than a history book because it is given through the eyes of two authors who were living through a controversial moment in time.

Yeats, William Butler. "Easter 1916." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 518-532

Baldwin, James. "Notes of a Native Son." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 735-750

Literary Analysis Week 14, "Tartuffe"

I've decided to do a close reading on the play, "Tartuffe" By: Moliere for week 14. This play having targeted the hypocrisy of religious value got the attention of the Catholic Church who had the king ban it. I enjoyed reading this play because of how it showed the character Orgon choose to take the side of a man named Tartuffe rather than take the side of his family and I also thought it was interesting how manipulated Orgon was by this man. Tartuffe was a man who claimed he had found god which led him into poverty because he would rather pray than work. Orgon fell for this and throughout the story Orgon continuously has arguments with various family members about why Tartuffe isn't going anywhere.  One argument in particular which shows Orgons commitment to Tartuffe over his family  is in the argument between both Orgon and his son Damis when they say, " Orgon: Traitor! And how dare you even try to Tarnish this man's virtue with a lie? Damis: What? This hypocrite pretends to be contrite And you believe him over me? Orgon: That's spite! And shut your mouth!... Damis: He has seduced you!" (175-176). This quote shows the argument between Orgon and his son Damis who has just told his father that Tartuffe was making a move on Orgon's wife. Orgon as shown does not trust or believe that his son is telling the truth even though his son had seen the whole thing. The quote gives insight though that Orgon would defend a man who is in no family relation to him over his own son. Orgon's strong feelings towards Tartuffe is show when he describes Tartuffe to one of his family members saying, "If you only could know him as I do, You would be his true disciple, too. The universe, your ecstasy would span. This is a man... who.. ha!... well, such a man. Behold him. Let him teach you profound peace. When first we met, I felt my troubles cease. Yes, I was changed after I talked with him... He's taught me to love nothing and no one! Mother, father, wife, daughter, son- They could die right now, I'd feel no pain" (152). Here this quote demonstrates how Orgon sees Tartuffe as being someone he looked up too and liked having around him. He even claims that Tartuffe taught him to love no one which included his family but even when he says this it is clear when reading the play that he almost shows a love or obsession for Taruffe.  I think this story held the element of manipulation which was clearly shown many times in the story with Orgon ignoring everyone who told him the truth about Tartuffe. Overall, I enjoyed this play a lot and I think the author very much used this play to show some tendencies of faith that could be taken advantage of and used to manipulate others as portrayed by these two characters.

Moliere. "Tartuffe." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 144-197

Reading W14:Cao Xueqin/Basho, Part B

Cao Xueqin (1715-1763): Xueqin was a Chinese author who's story, Story of Stone is considered one of the greatest noveles in which represents cultural identity.

(517-540)

"The Story of the Stone"

(521-540)

- This stone was a rejected building piece by one of the gods, Nu-wa.

- A monk find this stone which is now small and translucent, and he decides to carve several words into it so that people would know that it was a special rock.

- Another finds this rock but is not as interested in the rock because it does not hold a time period or dynasty it was made in/belonged to.

- This made the stone defend himself describing why he should be looked at with significance.

- The rock claimed he only wanted to show men who were drunk or in questionable condition would see the story engraved on him to turn their life around. This made the Vanitas think and finally he decided to copy it and bring it to a publisher.

- The stone was an element of love. The Vanitas sought greed got it published and changed his name to Brother Amor. Even changing the name of the book from "The Story of the Stone" to "The Tale of Brother Amor".

- The book was later changed back to it's original name.

-Zixing is in opposite clans from Yucan.

- Miss Wang's first child was married off but then died.

- Man or woman can be struck with evil/bad ways it just depends on how easy they are able to crack.

- The rest of the story describes numerous characters who are in a way reacting the things in which are engraved on the stone. The character hold lies, secrets, and grudges. But the theme is love and compassion which is an element of the stone and an element of the story that plays out between castles and royal families.


Matsuo Basho (1644-1694): Basho was born into a samurai family and is known as being one of the many Halkai masters. He later started teaching poetry and then became a writer himself.

(616-628)

"The Narrow Road to the Deep North" 

(617- 628)

- Basho sets out on an adventure claiming he was possessed by a spirit and accepted the path it would take him.

- The start of his journey was unpleasant because already he claimed his bag was hurting his shoulders.

- He journeys on visiting monuments, shrines, and observing great mountain peaks.

- Sora's family name is Kawaii and he was neighbor of Basho. He would help Basho with many things and he was happy to be able to see Matsushima and Kisagata with Basho.

- Soro wrote a poem called, "Black Hair Mountain" for Soro had shaved his hair off on top of the mountain.

- Basho felt like he was committed into the journey once he reached Shirakawa Barrier.

- The journey was taking a toll on Basho mentally but having his friends and poems with him he was able to gladly continue.

- The journey ends and he would never be the same. Him and his friends often wrote during and about there journey. The story closes out with describing them taking one more boat ride to pay their respects to a shrine at Ise.

Xueqin, Cao. "The Story of the Stone." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 517-540

Basho, Matsuo. "The Narrow Road to the Deep." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 617-628

Reading W14: Moliere, Part A

Moliere (1622-1673): He was a Frenchman and was known as one of the best dramatists in the West. His work was know to always deliver comic effects though language and style.

(144-197)

"Tartuffe"

(144-148)

- Madame Pernelle is the mother of Elmire's husband.

- Dorine is Elmire's servant.

- Madame does not like how the house is run and nothing in the house pleases her.

- Mariane is the grand child of Madame.

- Damis is Madame's grandson.

- Madame thinks of Tartuffe as a saint.

- The others in the house do not like him as much as Madame.

- Dorine is resistant and talks more than the others in the household. She does not agree with Madame.

(148-164)

- Madame and her son like Tartuffe around while the rest of the household do not.

- Orgon is the husband to Elmire and son of Madame.

- Orgon is more concerned about Tartuffe. So far it seems like him and Madame feel bad for him.

- Everytime Dorine tells Orgon news about what has been going on since he has been gone about the family members he would respond with, "Ah, and Tartuffe?". Showing he is more concerned of Tartuffe.

- Cleante is Orgon's brother-in-law.

- Tartuffe was poor and Orgon let him come by when he liked to become better. Cleante tells Orgon about the others laughing about him being foolish enough to keep him around which upsets Orgon.

- Orgon claims Tart is is a good man one of the greatest he has ever met. Orgon believes this man to be something close to holiness and calls Cleante an atheist for disagreeing with him on how good of a man Tart is.

- Orgon told Valere that he'd be his son-in-law but cancelled it. Cleante can't get aany answers as to why because of the disagreement he showed towards Orgon's decision on Tart.

- Mariane is Orgon and Elmire's daughter.

- Orgon wants his daughter to now marry Tart. Dorine hears and tells Orgon he's mad which sets them into an argument.

- Orgon likes Tart because instead of doing daily duties wasting his life away as Orgon in a way describes, Tart would instead pray being why he is in poverty.

- Mariane is not happy with the marriage to Tart but she doesn't want to upset her father.

- Dorine is going to help Mariane to get out of the marriage to Tart.

(164-183)

- Dorine is the one in the household who sees what's going on with everyone and will often step in to fix it.

- Dorine gets Mariane and Valere back together after an arguement they had. She also comes up with a plan for her intended wedding with Tart.

- Tart confesses his love for Elmire which Damis overhears and tells his father who walks in to the room.

- Orgon is fooled by Tart and doesn't believe his own son.

- Calls his son a traitor and vows to have Tart marry his daughter so it angers everyone in the household.

- Tart has Orgon fooled and Orgon even has told Tart that he would be his heir.

- Everyone in the household calls Orgon out on being blind to the fact that Tart has manipulated him.

(183-197)

- Elmire has a plan and tells Orgon to stay under the table hidden so he can her that Tart is a liar.

- The plan works and Now Orgon sees that Tart is the traitor.

- Orgon gave away a box which he hurries to get back because it was an important deed which he gave away.

- This box is threatened against Orgon by Tart as blackmail and to demonstrate that he is now in charge of the house.

- Madame does not believe her son Orgon that Tart could do such a thing since Tart is a holy man.

- Loyal comes by saying he once worked for Orgons father and now as a bailiff. He came to tell them they have an eviction notice.

- Tart went to the king spreading lies and now Orgon is in trouble. They threaten to take away his house because of the box along with Tart would be put into a prison cell.

- Valere gives Orgon money to escape before they come for him.

- Tart is arrested by the Exempt because the king and his people already knew of Tart's lies and needed evidence to arrest him.

- Valere will now be married to Orgon's daughter.

Moliere. "Tartuffe." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 144-197

Topic Brainstorm W13

Topic One, I'm thinking about possibly doing: How does a story teach us about a time or place differently than a history book. I was going to use this idea for project two but ended up scrapping it in my revision because it didn't connect well with both of the stories I chose. I'm thinking about using this topic because I think there are some good readings that could go well with this. If I do go with this I will be sure too pick stories that will both connect to this topic.

For the second topic, I would choose a female character from two stories and include things such as how the character views them self or how i view the character. I feel like this could be a good topic to touch on because a lot of the stories provided in the readings have a woman as the main character. The stories I was covering in both project one and two had woman character's that would of went well with this topic but so do many of the readings so I think it would work out well. In all I think I can effectively find enough evidence in the readings to discuss this topic.

For the third topic, one that I most likely will not do but might consider is how a them in my life can connect with that of a specific reading. I don't know which theme I would choose yet but I would probably go back through some of the readings before next week and figure out what I can relate with. If I do choose this one it might not be too bad because I would be able to probably write a bit more freely while making comparisons because It would involve comparing a reading to myself.

Literary Analysis Week 13, "Seperate Ways"

  This week I'm doing a literary analysis on the story, "Seperate Ways" By: Higuchi Ichiyo. This story is about a boy named Kichizo and a woman named Okyo. Kich was a sixteen year old who would often show up to Okyo's house at late times in the middle of the night to eat food and talk with her. Okyo was a woman in her early twenties who was known for sewing clothes for people and Kich worked at a umbrella shop. What I thought was interesting was the close bond that Kich had with Okyo and how hard he took it when she told him she was leaving. The relationship he has with Okyo is a close one and can be shown when he tells Okyo that he thinks of her as a sister, "Boy, I'd sure be glad if someone like you would come and tell me she was my sister. I'd hug her so tight... After that, I wouldn't care if I died. What was I, born from a piece of wood? I've never run into anyone who was a relative of mine. You don't know how many times I've thought about it..." (909). This quote shows that he cares for Okyo and wished he had someone who cared for him even considering him as a brother. When I read this I felt bad for Kich because he doesn't have any family and even though he doesn't literally mean that he wouldn't cared if he died, it just shows that more than anything he want someone who would consider him family. Another quote that reflects on how close Okyo was to Kich was when Okyo decided to tell Kich she was moving away and his reaction shows how badly it hurt him, "Really? You're not teasing, are you? You shouldn't scare me like this. If you went away, what would I do for fun? Don't ever joke about such things. You and your nonsense!... How pointless everything turns out. What a life! People are friendly, and then they disappear. It's always the ones I like" (912-913). This quote shows the reaction to Okiyo telling Kich she is leaving to marry which makes him upset that she could leave him. Kich doesn't have anyone else in his life that was as close to him like Okiyo. His grandmother was dead and even his old friend was dead after she committed suicide. It just shows that Kich made a special bond with Okiyo and becuse she is leaving it breaks him. An element the book held was friendship. Although Kich was upset she was leaving he didn't realize the friendship that would last for. Overall, I found the bond Kich had with Okyo interesting because even though Kich thought she was abandoning him it doesn't mean that their friendship would have to end and I think that's what scared Kich so much.

Ichiyo, Higuchi. "Seperate Ways." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 905-913

Reading W13: Ichiyo/Flaubert, Part B

Higuchi Ichiyo (1872-1896): She was a poverty stricken writer who gained fame from writing about stories about people of the lower class. She was not well educated but is still known as a major Japanese writer in six centuries.

(905-913)

Seperate Ways

(907-913

- Okyo is in her early twenties described as being stylish.

- Kichizo was sixteen years old and called dwarf for how small he was.

- He worked at an umbrella shop.

- He looks younger than he is.

- Okyo is a sewer who makes clothes for others but she herself doesn't have nice clothes.

- Kich doesn't think he will be successful but does not mind because he is fine with working at the umbrealla shop.

Kich is not a fan of the shop owners son and often picks fights with him to show put him in his place.

- He does not have any relatives that he knows of and tells Okyo that she is like a sister to him. He explains he would happily die if he heard someone say that to him but in a way he would still want to keep living.

- Kich is described as being a hard worker who had to like the people he worked for otherwise he would have no where to go. Okyo worked very hard even when he was always being taunted by others calling him a dwarf.

- Kich was built with anger because of others who would bully him.

- Kich out of anger bragged that Okyo would let him in her house at anytime of the night and have concern for him.

- Okyo tells Kich that she is now is moving the next day in with a man to marry. Thi upsets Kich and he asks her how she could leave her dream of sewing but she tells him that she has no love for sewing for she has become bored of it. Story ends with him upset and her with her mind set to leave.

Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880): He was a French writer took up literature because he thought it was a good way to describe ones life experiences.

(708-735)

A Simple Heart

(708-720)

- Felicite was the servant of Mme Aubain.

- She worked all day after mass.

- She was twenty five with a thin build.  Her father died then shortly after her mother which then left Felicite and her sisters who all ended up going seperate ways.

- The farm that took her in made her leave for they thought she was a thief. The son of that farmer and her years later when she was now eighteen bumped into eah other.

- From their her and Theodore were to be married. Complications arose that he may need to go back to the army but admitted that it scared him. This made her more attracted to him for he would then get to stay with her.

- He ended up leaving her and marrying an old woman. This broke her heart.

- She is a very hard worker at the current farm she is working at and the people of the town know her very well. She is admired.

(721-

- A date with a man named Victor ent well and she held on to it in her memories. It wasn't because of how good it went though because he ended up leaving her on a ferry and there she sat crying and praying.

- Felicite loved her nephew. He meant the world to her but sadly he died and this again broke her heart.

- Those she loves either end up leaving or passing away.

- She lived a life of happiness and was very caring for others but her life was sad because she was surrounded by those she cared about leaving her. Both openly and others leaving because they ended up passing away.

Ichiyo, Higuchi. "Seperate Ways." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 905-913

Flaubert, Gustave. "A Simple Heart." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 708-735

Reading Notes W13: Dostoyevsky, Part A

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881): He was a Russian writer who at a very yung age first got interested in writings because of writers such as Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, Charles Dickens, Oieree Corneille, and William Shakespeare.


(631-708)

Notes from Underground

(635-650)

- The character starts off letting us know he feels sick but with the sickness he has he doesn't know exactly what it is nor does he know where the pain is. Possibly depression.

- His liver hurts he feels like it is failing.

- 40 years old.

- Was in civil service and admits that he enjoyed being rude.

- Claims that he was actually not rude and was just having fun.

- He refuses to let emotions out and explains that he couldn't be anything at all.

- Relative died so he received 6,00 rubles. He lives hin a beat up apartment with a servant.

- The servant smells funny.

- The main character has a lack of confidence in himself

- He beleives he smarter than everyone around him.

- Continues to explain how he is smarter than everyone and why he thinks everyone is not as smart as him. He also lists many examples.

- Seems like the character is peaking to a crowd for he continues to reference the word gentleman in a manner as if he is letting them know he is speaking to them but he might just be referring to the reader.

- The character admits he is a rambler.

- He talks about man being seen as angry creatures at time but implies that it really is because of civilizations.

(650-656)

- He admits that joking around is good but not everything should be a joke or taken in a joking manner.

- The character talks about history and that there is no need to learn it if you have lived at all. He explains that anyone can be good or bad but everyone has the tendancy to want to destroy something.

Chapter II

(651- 687)

- Opens with a poem.

- Wrote at 24. During this time he was shy and stayed to himself.

- He was always questioning why others who had something flawed about them were never embarrased and he would always beat himself up about it because he was never happy with himself.

- Was worried aout what others thought about him.

- This was the reason he hated his co-workers because he thought they were all far more perfect then him.

- "Superior to me"

- He has attitude changes to somedays he wants to keep to himeself and other days he just wants to make friends with others.

- He describes that Russia does not have corny romantics like France and Germany.

- Only made true friends once but his whole life was alone without friends.

- The Narrator wanted to have experiences that he would see just walking down the street, such as one example he noted was witnessing a bar fight outside a window and he wanted to one day experience a bar fight.

- The character is good at analyzing people. A man named Zverkov comes to greet him and he immediatley begins to tell us that Zverkov is trying to show his supperiority over him. This isn't forsure because the character so far has shown that he feels everyone is superior to him. But it shows true when Zver begins to examine the character and in a way attempt to embarass him.

- After the onversation with Zver and his other friends he feels he embarassed himself.

- He wakes up after a rough night with his friends and sees a woman in the palce where he crashed. He began to question her because she was staring at him.

- Her name is Liza.

- After the long questioning he began to tell her he was no example for her and starts to talk about life which to his suprise she agrees with everything he says.

- Liza now intersted him.

- They start conversation about marriage and families.

- She compares him to a book by his his behavior but he finds that this was her disguising feelings for him.

- After the long conversation he gives her his address and they both go their seperate ways.

- She showed him a letter which she held dearly. He did not speak on it but instead said that he did not say anything because he wanted to leave so he shook her hand. It was clear that they both liked each other through and after thei long conversation but for some reason he did not like to acknowledge what he was feeling.

- Liza stayed on his mind.

- He got into a heated arguement with Apollon and out of his anger he did not notice that Liza was invited into the house. He was embarassed that Liza had to see him like that.

- He lets everyhting out and after it all this woman who cared about him and him for her, he wouldn't allow himeslf to fall in love with her. He let her go but after a few minutes ran out to find her. She was no where to be found.


Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. "Notes from Underground." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 631-708

Comment Wall (Project R.#2 & Future Projects/Updated)

https://sites.google.com/view/eng-145-project/project-2-revision-2


Project Three main & Revision One:

https://sites.google.com/view/eng-145-project/project-3

Project Three Revision Two:

https://sites.google.com/view/eng-145-project/project-3-revision-2

Literary Analysis Week 12, "Bartebly, the Scrivener"

This week I chose to do a close reading on the story, "Bartebly, the Scrivener" By: Herman Melville. Melville was a very famous writer during the 19th century who was popularly known for his book, "Moby Dick". I found this story to very intriguing because of the character Bartebly and also how the main character's frustation with Bartebly's behavior turns into him feeling bad for him. The main character of the story is a successful lawyer who goes to hire a scrivener named Bartebly. A while after hiring Bart he starts to notice that Bart is no longer taking interest nor obeying any tasks that are given to him. While reading the story it became apparent that Bart is different for he does not engage in conversations and often declines his employers wishes, "These are your own copies we are about to examine. It is labor saving to you, because one examination will answer for your four papers. It is common usage. Every copyist is bound to help examine his copy. Is it not so? Will you not speak? Answer!" "I prefer not to," he replied in a flute-like tone" (303). Here in this quote it shows the response that Bart always gives to anybody who asks him to do something. This also shows the frustration the main character has when Bart gives him the repetitive response rather than give any explanation. The main character's frustration is overcome by the the sad reality he finds about Bart which turns his frustration into compassion, " I looked round anxiously, peeped behind his screen; but it was very plain that he was gone. Upon more closely examining the place, I surmised that for an indefinite period Bartebly must have ate, dressed, and slept in my office... For the first time in my life a feeling of overpowering stinging melancholy seized me. Before, I had never experienced aught but a not-unpleasing sadness" (307-308). The main character takes an approach that I was surprised he took. His character from the start of the story seemed like a nice guy but in a way I thought he would be upset that Bart was not only not doing his job, but was also living in the office. The story was very enjoyable to read and I thought it was funny how Bart's repetitive answer would work up the other co-workers in the office to get angry which made in my opinion made up for entertaining conversation between them. Overall, what I got from this story was that it included a mysterious element which really had me wanting to continue reading to see what Bart's background was or why he responded with the same saying but it is something that goes unanswered.

Melville, Herman. "Bartebly, the Scrivener." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 293-325

Reading W12: Melville, Part B

Herman Melville (1819-1891): Herman was one of the great literary writers in the nineteenth century. He was born in New York and was known for wearing clothes that were popular during times of early America, this was because his grandfather participated in the Boston Tea Party.

(293-325)

"Bartebly, the Scrivener"

(296-304)

- Takes place in Wall street.

- He is a lawyer who works amongst the riches bonds and mortgages and title-deeds.

- Turkey and Nippers were his copyists and Ginger Nut was the office boy.

- Turkey: Englishman who was short and same age as the main character, energetic, a bit of a hot head at times.

- Nippers: Young, Caught between both ambition and indigestion. Nippers had a problem with the desk height so he would either put it too low or too high and he never knew what he wanted. Met with ambiguous people. Nervous guy, his desk was his enemy.

- Ginger Nut: Twelve years old, an errand boy who also cleaned up everything around the office and was sent to the character to be his student of law. He was known for keeping nuts within one of the drawers to a desk which he had rarely used.

- Bartebly was quiet and had his desk near a window away from the others such as Turkey and Nippers.

- Bartebly keeps to himself and is odd to the character because Bart refuses to compare sheets with him as told too by the character. His refusal though was said in a calm manner.

- Bart again refuses to check documents this time with the rest of the office and this strikes the character with confusion.

(305-325)

- The character feels bad and doesn't want to fire Bart because he thinks a future employer would treat him harshly.

- Bart began to upset the character by always saying, "I would prefer not to".

- Bart was the first there and last seen everyday.

- The character finds a blanket under Bart's desk and finds that Bart has actually been sleeping there in the office.

- He can't get any answer out of Bart, Bart won't tell him where he was born nor would he engage in conversation.

- They begin all throwing around the word prefer which drives the character a bit crazy.

-Bart is told he would be let go within the six days because he has given up on doing anything productive in the office.

- Bart stays instead of leaving as instructed which upsets the character.

- He sells the office and moves offices leaving Bart which now made Bart a problem for another employer taking that office.

- Bart had the new people angered and they all wanted him gone because he made them feel nervous so it brought the character to have to confront him again.

- Police removed Bart.


Melville, Herman. (293-325) "Bartebly, the Scrivener", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E.

Reading W12: Dessalines/Equiana, Part A

Jean-Jacques Dessalines (1758-1806): He defeated French troops and declared a nation called Haiti from it. This was a huge victory and one of his major accomplishments was creating the proclamation for he had no schooling and was a former slave.

(36-39)

"Liberty or Death"

(37-39)

- He is addressing the terrible things that the French had brought upon the people of Haiti who were once slaves to the French.

- He also declares his victory over the French in which he describes how all of the people who were slaves to the French should have never been in that position or situation.

- The French who live and fought amongst them he spares and chooses peace for he does not think they too should be punished for fighting along with him.

Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797): Ola was against the writers who supported slavery and was in competition with them giving them a challenge. He was the first freed slave to write a autobiography which was about himself.

(73-98)

"From The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself."

(76-98)
- Starts off addressing parliament about the slave trade and how it ripped him from his home and those he loved.

- He was the son of a chief and describes how Europeans kidnapped them.

- The slave owners would live with their families within a home while the slaves were dispersed throughout that owner's land.

- The slaves were used to work on their lands and he describes where he was that they used no animals for aid on the lands so it meant harder work for them.

- Where he was a slave they practiced circumcision like the Jews had and even had feasts.

- As he describes conditions of where he was a slave he also includes a writing style which both compares/explains the difference between cultures and homes at which he was apart of.

- He starts chapter two politely talking about how these ideas at which he is bringing up have been implemented in them and he wants to address it while not trying to intrude on the reader.

- Life seemed hard for him because he describes how he was stolen and is now with an entirely new family but was not treated like how family would treat one another.

- He was bought and sold numerous times.

- One of the owners separated him and his sister and from that point he would never see her again.

Dessalines, Jean-Jacques. (36-39) "Liberty or Death", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E.

Equiano, Olaudah. (73-98) "From The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself.", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E.

Literary Analysis Week 11, "The Journey to the West"

For week eleven I'm doing a literary analysis on the story, "The Journey to the West" By:Wu Cheng'en. After reading this story I found that it was interesting how the main character who was a stone monkey , saw humans in his eyes and how his judgment of humans can be compared to himself. The Monkey's mission to find the Buddhas who hold immortality led him to coming across humans and what he had to say caught my attention when he says, "He saw, however, that the people of the world were all seekers after profit and fame: there was not one who showed concern for his appointed end" (430). It's interesting to me that the author chose this approach to choose a stone monkey as the main character but the quote explains that the monkey sees people as wanting wealth and fortune rather than seek or pay concern to what he wants, which is immortality for his fellow monkey friends. After I continued to read on I noticed that the Stone Monkey is as similar to the humans as shown in the conversation with the woodcutter, " What a bonehead fellow you are!...I had just finished telling you these things, and you still don't understand. If I go with you, won't I be neglecting my livelihood? And who will take care of my mother? I must chop firewood. You go on by yourself!...When the Monkey King heard this, he had to take his leave" (433). The quote shows the Woodcutter irritated because the Stone Monkey ignored the Woodcutters story about his mother in which the Stone Monkey just wanted the Woodcutter to accompany him to the Buddhas for immortality. The Woodcutter had already told the Stone Monkey before why he had to care for his mother because he was all she had left. As the first quote showed the Stone Monkey saw that the humans were only interested in furthering their wealth and he did not like that because nobody was taking interest in what he wanted. With this second quote though I think it draws a comparison between the Stone Monkey and the humans because he too was not interested in the Woodcutters story unless it pointed him to the direction for immortality. Which was what irritated the Stone monkey previously that humans did not share his interests. In all this was interested me the most about the story because he was no different then the humans and it just shows the humans need for wealth is no different than the Stone Monkey need for immortality.

Cheng'en, Wu. "The Journey to the West." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 421-436

Reading Notes W11: Wu Cheng'en, Part B

Wu Cheng'en (1500-1582): Wu was known for being a versatile poet and his story, "The Journey to the West" liked by many for it's combination of magical and fictional aspects.

(421-436)

"From The Journey to the West"

(424-434)

- On top of a mountain sat an immortal stone. It included having nine perforations and eight whole referencing Palaces of the nine and Eight Trigrams.

- This stone then turned into a stone money which was able to climb and run.

- He made friends with other animals but they were not stone.

- The monkey jumped in a waterfall after the other monkeys said who ever had would become king.

- He told them that there was no water but instead a big mansion on clouds and he then invited the other monkeys to go move there with him.

- They go in and then begin wrestling over who gets what.

- The stone monkey was honored by becoming their new king. He changed his title to handsome monkey king.

- The king was distressed for that he knew the monkeys would get old and one day perish so he set out to find the Buddhas who were immortal.

- He takes clothes and wears it like humans would and also sees that humans were stuck on wanting wealth rather than what the monkey was looking to find which was youth and immortality.

- He comes by a woodcutter singing mentioning the immortals and the king thinks the woodcutter is immortal but really is not.

- The woodcutter does not seek the immortals because he takes care of his mother who is very old.

- The monkey is very much blind by wanting immortality that even after hearing the woodcutters story, asks him to join him.

(435-

- The patriarch is told by the king he was born from stone and this pleased the immortal.

Wu Cheng'en. (421-436) "The Journey To The West", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D.

Reading Notes W11: Voltaire, Part A

Voltaire (1694-1778): Voltaire was a French writer who was actually imprisoned because he was such an outspoken and defiant writer.

(352-373)

"Candide"

(355-356)

Chapter1:

- Candide hada a good heart and was seen as a good man.

- Son of the Barons sister.

- Baron was the strongest lord within Westphalia.

- Very well respected.

- had the best castle.

- Candide thought that Miss Cunegonde was pretty he never said that to her though.

- Miss admired Candide and was also inti him.

- Baron of thunder kicked him out when he saw them both kissing.

- She was slapped by the Baron for kissing Candide.

(357-358)

Chapter 2:

- Two strange men in blue give Candide money and tel him he now is a man of the Bulgars by protecting him he will be taken care of. Calling him a hero.

- Six other men six feet tall took him and threw hi into a dungeon.

(358-359)

Chapter 3:

- Strikes conversation with a man where they question whether the pope was an antichrist.

(360-361)

Chapter 4:

- Miss was raped by the soldiers and was now dead.

- They even smashed the barons head for trying to save her.

- Pangoss is sick and dying.

(361-363)

Chapter 5:

- Anabaptist drowns because of sailor.

(363-364)

Chapter 6:

- Earthquake took out three quarters of Libson.

- Candide injured was thinking of Miss questioning why her stomach was cut open.

(364-365)

Chapter 7:

- Old woman came to the rescue givin Candide a bed while also bandaging him up and giving him a suit to wear to meet the Lady of Atocha and the lords.

- The woman leads him to Miss for she was actually alive surviving what had happened to her.

(365-367)

Chapter 8:

- The captain saved Miss by killing the soldier on  top of her. Her family was butchered.

(367-368)

Chapter 9:

- Planning on creating a new life together.

(368-369)

Chapter 10:

- They together were set on living in the New World.

(369-371

Chapter 11:

- The old woman was daughter of the Pope.

- She was engaged to the prince of Massa-Carrara

- Prine died before wedding.

- Her and her mother escaped.

(371-373)

Chapter 12:

- A man saved her and brought told her to live a new life with a fabricated past.


Voltaire. (352-373) "Candide", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume D.

Reading W10: Joyce/Fusako, Part B

James Joyce(1882-1941): Joyce was born in Ireland and although he left his native country moct of his works revolved around Ireland.

(174-207)

"The Dead"

(178-188)

- Lily is the caretaker.

- Gabriel is a tall young man who is well liked and seems a bit nervous or usually second guessing himself.

- At the gathering many gentleman go uop to Mary Jane and Aunt Kate.

- Mary Jane is a pianist and a very good one. The people begged her to play them music at the gathering but Gabriel was not interested in listening because he thought she lacked melody.

- Gabriel is called a West Briton by Miss Ivors who was upset he was writing for a paper she strongly disliked. Gabriel got paid fifteen shillings for his work.

- She quickly changes her tone and acts it off saying she was joking around with him.

- Gabriel brings attention to himself in conversation with miss Ivors who he awkwardly tells he is sick of his own country hence why he travels.

(205-207)
- Gretta loved a man named Michael Furey who died at age 17.

- This story she told Gabriel only upset him making him feel like a servant for the man who died worked for gasworks nd compared him to Gabriel.


Kushi Fusako (1903-1986): Kushi was Japanese and known for her only work called, "Memoirs of a Declining Ryukyuan Woman". In the story the nararrator resembles much of Kushi being that it is technically her not only writing the story but being a character within.

(400-407)

 "Memoirs of a Declining Ryukyuan Woman"

(402- 407)

- The woman is worried for her mother and wants to bring her to tokyo and begin a buisness.

- Ryukyuan women are left for dead because of the tattoos on the back of their hands.

- Her relationship with her uncle is not close.

- Her uncle and his family were going through hard times struggling to make ends meet.

- Poverty was almost a curse to their family.

- Her uncles grandmother was not fearful nor was she saddened by death.


Joyce, James. (174-207) "The Dead", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F.

Kushi, Fusako. (400-407) "Memoirs of a Declining Ryukyuan Woman", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F.

Reading Notes W10: Woolf, Part A

Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) - Woolf was an English writer known as being one of the great modern novelists. Her work included the combination of both state and mind. 

(336-371)

"From A Room of One's own"

(339-350)

- The author believes a woman who is to write fiction must have a room and money for herself to be able to write fiction.

- She is a feminist and begins ti explain how woman have many prejudices against them because of their gender.

- Explains a man who came to her was not happy because she was a woman and he needed help from her.

- Describes how novelists are known for putting extra detail on little things such as food gathering because it helps set the tone of the enviorment and scene that is being projected for the reader.

- She calls blame an illusion and uses the war during 1914 as an example also naming peoples such as the Germans, British, and French.

- A woman raising a child does not get rest especially since she is constantly taking care of the child as she talks about a woman who has thirteen children.

(350-

- Woolf mentions that there are more works by mean then women. She then goes on to describe how gender plays a big role when it comes to professions and that men are more looked to rather than women.

- Describes works by men throughout history who she thinks have denounced women and in her mind thinks that it's the personal opinion of the man writing the arguments rather than any proof which could back up any claims against women.

- Woolf believes men try to keep women beneath them, naming Napoleon and Mussolini as examples saying it is to keep women from rising up.

- Goes along the lines of describing how women have purposely been poorer because of men.

- Marriage usually meant no meaning but instead was for higher class people who were uniting for a share of wealth.

- Poetry and writing in general is to protest and voice opinion that could be controversial which is how she wraps up the writing.

Woolf, Virginia. (336-371) "From A Room of One's Own", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F.

Week 9 Progress

So far I'm happy with my progress. My favorite assignments are probably the reading assignments. it's cool to see an abundance of different stories that I probably would have never read if it wasn't for this class so I really enjoy the readings and it's varieties. Something new I want to try is taking advantage of the extra credit. It's something that I know I need to do especially so I can try and get some extra points more than the general limit I just haven't made time for it. So for the second part of the course I want to try and do at least one or two of the extra credit each week.

Week 9: Project Planning for Project Submission Two

For my project I am planning on using the topics: Explore the relationship between the selection and how does a story teach us about a time or place differently than a history book. For the first topic I will be using the reading, "Yellow Woman" By: Leslie Marmon Silko to mainly argue/explain why the setting of the story influenced the character. The story will work well I think because the situation that the main character finds herself in and how she copes with it is very bizarre. But as I will explain in the project I think she acted in such an odd way with her captor because of the stories that the main character's grandfather would tell her. Her Grandfather's stories being the reason why she acted so calmly because her captor would call her Yellow Woman as if he really believed she was the woman from the story. So in the project I would include quotes of her recalling such stories that her grandfather once told her because I think that is the big reason why she didn't freak out knowing that she was a prisoner, instead she was much more calm and collected. As for the second topic I will be using the reading, "Song of Myself" By: Walt Whitman to argue/explain how this story can teach us about a time or place differently than a history book. In this poem the author is describing his experiences living in the time of the civil war. I think this is a perfect story to use because it is written from somebody living within a country of people fighting one another and it isn't like most history books where it just talks about the event leading and happening between and after the civil war. With this poem it gives direct perspective of somebody living in times of civil war rather than a historian just teaching what they know. A poem that is written by somebody who was living in that time period explaining their emotions and opinions on the Civil War is in my opinion able to teach more about the time and place/setting of the war better than a history book.

Possible Thesis: For my project I have chosen the stories, "Yellow Woman" By Leslie Marmon Silko  to argue why the setting of the story influenced the character and "From Song of Myself" By: Walt Whitman to argue how the story can teach us about a time or place differently than a history book.

Whitman, Walt. (446-465)  "From The Song of Myself", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E.

Silko, Marmon Leslie. (1029-1036) "Yellow Woman", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F.

Literary Analysis Week 9, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufeock"

For week nine I'm doing a close reading on the poem, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufeock" By: Thomas Stearns Eliot. This poem was interesting because what I got from the poem is that Prufeock is aging and as his life is passing by he is finding new things to worry about. Eliot was a British poet known for writing about a spiritual and intellectual movement of modernism. This poem was his first major works created which he wrote while at his college. The poem describes Prufeock taking us the reader along with him as we observe his life. While reading I noticed that Prufrock is not a outgoing person nor is he confident which is really the main theme of the poem as shown in the text, "Time to turn back and descend the stair, with a bald spot in the middle of my hair - (They will say: "How his hair is growing thin!") My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin, My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin - (They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!") Do I dare disturb the universe?" (Pg.542).  Prufrock is ready to leave the function he is at because he thinks that people will judge his appearance. The quote is long but it important to include because Prufrock is not confident in himself leading to him missing opportunities in life. Prufrock is someone who lets life pass by and is usually stressing out about something new frequently. Another quote which shows the characters stress is when it says, " I grow old... I grow old... I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled. Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach? I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. I do not think they will sing to me." The quote here adds to showing Prufrock is self conscious of what others may think of him but most of all he doesn't have much respect for himself. He even goes to doubting that the one thing he loves which is the ocean would even accept him because he doubts that the mermaids would sing just for him. After reading this poem I think that the author is trying to show a character that could possibly be relatable to a lot of people. I also think that the poem has a valuable lesson to teach which is to not doubt one's self but instead live life and enjoy it for we people only have one. As seen with Prufeock he notices that he is growing old and even then he still stresses about things such as his hair or even his general appearance. Overall I enjoyed reading, "The Love of Alfred Prufeock" and I think it shows the reader a character who is letting his life pass by, which the author may be using Prufrock as someone that a person would not want to be like.


Eliot, Thomas Stearns. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufeock." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 537-545

Reading Notes W9: T.S. Eliot, Part B

(537-564)

T.S. Elliot (1888-1965): Both England and America claim Eliot was apart of their national literature showing he was well respected for his work. He was a British poet known for writing about a spiritual and intellectual movement of modernism, being influenced in writing about events such as WW2. His poem the, "The Waste Land" is an example of his works describing life because he shows society as a mirror towards distant figures of the past.


(541-545)

"The Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

- This poem was his first poem ever written while he was still in college.

-The main character is Michelangelo who is describing his ambition to get away from his life. In the poem he describes stresses of things in his life such as balding and people whispering about it. Along with questioning why he is so thin.

- He questions why he should go any further in life because I think he is describing that he has aged and he doesn't understand why he should presume to do so.


(545-564)

"The Waste Land"

1. Burial of the Dead

- He describes month and seasons giving them different attributes.

- Describes being followed by his shadow but also his past memories of being a child follow behind him.


2. A Game of Chess(548)

- In detail a type of castle like building is described with a woman sitting on a throne surrounded by diamonds.

-  The woman questions her husband wondering why he never opens up to her.

- Her husband seems out of it and sees everyone as no more but rats in ally ways.


3. The Fire Sermon(550)

- A prince sits by a stream thinking of live imagining that his father once a king had passed and that one day it would consume his brother too, describing death.


4. Death by Water(555)

- The man was basically met with Davy's locker and while down their his life was slowly flashing before his eyes with all his past memories being re-imagined in the presence.


5. What the Thunder Sail(555)

- Men on a boat exhausted of sailing are considered dead because of their emotionless faces.

- A hooded woman comes along whispering song.

- They are met with land but are unhappy of the result.


(559-564)

"From Four Quartets"

- Possibly describing another poem of someone at sea during the Spring who is aged and death is close.

- He meets with an old friend who he does not remember and strange conversation is described with him not remembering an event that once took place with them.

- He describes them departing in a fashion such as letting bygones be bygones.

- The end is only the beginning for new life I think he is trying to say. Also meaning that one who is closer to death will be met with remembering their past good deeds along with the bad.


Eliot, Thomas Sterns . (537-564) "The Waste Land", The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume F.