Response to Course Material - (02/10/20130

Recently, we started to read Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead in class. I think this is a lot easier to read than compared to Hamlet. The language is easier to understand and for me the shorter dialogues really help! I haven't gotten bored with this one and it actually kept me interested in the plot. There are so many abstract question to consider like if this novel is tied into Hamlet or if this is aside from it. Some parts of this are actually quite inappropriate but funny at the same time. One example that stood out to me was the scene with Alfred and the raping in addition to the refers about the actors being prostitutes. Another thing I found helpful is when Ms. Holmes goes over the meaning of certain scenes or dialogues. I've always thought that having Ms. Holmes do that is a huge benefit to my understanding of any play especially the scenes with double meanings. Overall, I have enjoyed reading this novel and I look forward to what else this plot may bring. 

Summary and Analysis of Hamlet - (01/21/2012)

Summary: 

  Outside the Castle in Elsinore late at night, the two watchmen and Horatio spot a ghost that resembles Old Hamlet. Upon the passing of the Old Hamlet, his widowed wife, Queen Gertrude wed her brother in law, Claudius. With great concern, Hamlet is requested to stakeout in hopes the ghost will come back. Hamlet also spotted the ghost and was beckoned by it to follow. Confirming the identity of the ghost, Hamlet was taken over with the feeling to avenge is uncle for murdering is his father. As a plan to get back at Claudius, Hamlet acts like he is crazy. However, everyone thinks that he has gone crazy because of the love he has for Ophelia. Upon Hamlet's request, an acting group is told to act out a play that displays Hamlet's theory of how Claudius killed his father. 

  Once Claudius become aware what Hamlet was trying to do he left the area quickly. Soon after, the queen calls Hamlet into her room to talk to him and there he hears some noise and without logically thinking through it he stabs the man behind the curtain thinking it is the Claudius. To his dismay, it turns out to be Polonius who is the father of Ophelia and her brother, Laertes. As a punishment, Hamlet is shipped to the England where is supposed to be killed. However when is ship is attacked by pirates, he returns back to the Elsinore. During the period of time where Hamlet is gone, Ophelia has gone crazy after learning about her father's death which resulted in her drowning. Out of impulse, Laertes reports back from France to Elsinore with an army prepared for payback. 

  Laertes and Hamlet compromise on a fencing match. On the sword that Laertes is using, the tip has poison on it which was actually Claudius' idea when they collaborated so Hamlet would die. In addition, Claudius poisoned a wine cup in case Hamlet was to win. Once the fighting begins, Laertes hits Hamlet but Hamlet also hits Laertes leaving them both to be poisoned. In the meantime, the Queen drinks out of the poisoned cup and Hamlet comes to realize that it was Claudius who was behind all this. Hamlet rushes to give in a taste of his own medicine by making him drink from the poisoned cup as well. So at the end of the play, everyone is dead except for Horatio. The Prince of Norway, Fortinbras gains control of the throne in Denmark. As a tribute to Hamlet, he gives him a solider's funeral. 

Author:

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford, England. He wrote this play in the early 1600s. 

Setting:

This play takes place in the Denmark. It usually in the castle of the royal family of Denmark. 

Characters:

• Hamlet: Prince of Denmark
• Claudius: New King of Denmark and Hamlet's father/ Uncle.
• Old Hamlet: Hamlet's father and old King of Denmark 
• Gertrude: Hamlet's mother 
• Ophelia: Hamlet's lover
• Horatio: Hamlet's trusting and loyal best friend 
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: Hamlet's old friends who work against him
• Polonius: The king's assistant and Ophelia's father
• Laertes: Ophelia's brother 

Author's Style:

Since this is a play there is not much a narrative voice that can be observed 

Important Quotes:

 “To be, or not to be: that is the question:

  Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer

  The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

  Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

  And by opposing end them?—To die,—to sleep—” (Act 3, Scene 1, Lines, 58-62).

  This is quote holds a deep. Hamlet contemplates the idea of living and dying. He tries to sort out the answer to if it is better live and suffer or if it is better to just die and not live a life of suffering. At the very end, Hamlet compares dying to sleep. 

“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

  This quote refers to the corruption that rests in Denmark. It indirectly refers to the crime Claudius committed and his marriage to Gertrude as it is rotting Denmark. Since this was the beginning of the play, it foreshadows the down fall due to the corruption the country faces. 

Theme:

Revenge is not the best option. 

        Through numerous examples, Shakespeare shows us that going good will come of getting revenge. For example, in Hamlet's extensive plan to seek revenge it only made him lose himself and created a series of unfortunate events. All the people in the play who set out to get back at someone ended up dying. However, those who where honest and obedient like Horatio made it to the end. 

Open Prompt Revision (01/20/2013)

2007. In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present activities, attitudes, or values of a character. Choose a novel or play in which a character must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal. Then write an essay in which you show how the character's relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

Revision of (12/09/2012)

        In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller depicts the daily challenges that Willy Loman faces as his past haunts him. He struggles to find his place in the present since his past becomes so involved in his life. Evidently, his past causes some turbulence with his family and even himself which may have lead him to his depression and death. Willy's secret extramarital relationship added to the family tension which surfaced a taboo situation in which Willy was not able to deal with his own. 

        Throughout the novel, the laughter and background conversation of Willy and the Woman can be heard. The guilt of cheating on his wife, Linda and being caught by his son, Biff added to much of the weight on his shoulders. He was forced to get a constant reminder from Linda every time she was repairing the silk stockings Willy gave. The guilt become so much for Willy to handle that his temper began to rise every time he laid eyes on those stockings. The stockings took him back to that night in Boston when he gave the Woman a pair of stockings. These stockings hold the deeper meaning of how Willy showed affections to a woman that he was not married to. 

  Incidentally, Willy's actions took a significant toll on Biff's attitude for his education and future. Willy was no longer that role model figure that Biff looked up at. The consequences of Biff's actions led Willy to suffer with the fear of an unstable future. From that day, Biff always showed some hostility towards Willy; that was a price Willy had to pay for his insensitive actions. Willy's past seemed to be a hinderance in his life leading him to life of disappointment and uncertainty. 

        Constant reminder of his past led to Willy taking his own life. His adamant behavior to move on from the past and live in the future cost him his life. As hard as he tried to run away from his guilt is soon caught up with him which lead him to taking his own life. Everyday, the mistakes of his past that he tried to hide from become the obstacles of his life. This in turn affected his mental state and decision making skills. His previous actions had an important role of who Willy was and impact they had on life and family. 

Response to Course Material - (01/13/2013)

        So after the many weeks of reading Hamlet out loud, we finally finished it. To me, it seemed like it would never end. But I have to admit, reading it out loud and stopping to discuss it with Ms. Holmes definitely helped me a lot. When Ms. Homles explained to us the significance what was going on it helped me understand the basic plot of this play. 

        Soon after, we fully watched one version of the movie and parts of the second version. I thought the first movie we watched was more true to how I thought the play would be to see. That being said, I found the second one kept my attention more because of the style and production. I thought it was easier to stay focused on the plot in the second version. Although, I preferred Hamlet from the first version rather because his emotions did not seem overdone. I wish we had watched all of the second one and only parts of the first version. But it is really helpful for me in understanding the play to see it. 

Close Reading - (12/17/2012)

The Total Agony of Family Time

By: Ethan Hauser 

  In this is article, Ethan Hauser sheds light on his dissatisfaction of routine family holiday reunion. His feelings during the holiday season and family time is represented through his pessimistic imagery, diction and syntax. 

  Usually articles during the holiday bring pleasant thought and images to mind. However, Hauser decides to take a different route. I found his following comment to bring out his true feelings as he describes what he sees, "At Penn Station everyone gets on with too many bags, all those meticulously wrapped presents, all the desperate sons- and daughters-in-law trying to impress intractable, tribal New England parents" (Hauser). This is a typically holiday event as families rush to the airports and train stations to pick up their loved one. He description of hustle and bustle of the holiday season supports his negative outlook for family time. 

  The reader is able to pick up on his frustration right from the start when he use "agony" in the title. But there are many examples throughout the article, the one I found to stand out the most was when he said "Once home, I honor a different kind of tradition: regressing into a petulant teenager, coughing up monosyllabic answers to innocent parental questions…" (Hauser). In this, the word petulant stood out as it described the immature, unpleasant characteristics of a teenager. 

  His whole article reflects the frustration that he is feeling about this time of year and family get togethers. He states his yearly family routine with the various by saying how "You can take the dog for more and longer walks. You can explore the many pharmaceutical choices modern medicine provides. Or you can just lie wedged in a bed that’s lumpy and too small and stare at the ceiling…" (Hauser). Hauser's use of short sentences ultimately shows his irritation as well as giving the reader a feel for how he truly feels about getting together with the family. It adds some personal quality to what he says even though it may not be in the most meaningful way. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/opinion/sunday/the-total-agony-of-family-time.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

Open Prompt - (12/09/12)

2007. In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present activities, attitudes, or values of a character. Choose a novel or play in which a character must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal. Then write an essay in which you show how the character's relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller depicts the daily challenges that Willy Loman faces as his past haunts him. He struggles to find his place in the present since his past becomes so involved in his life. Evidently, his past causes some turbulence with his family and even himself which may have lead him to his death. 

  Throughout the novel, the laughter and background conversation of Willy and some Woman can be observed. The guilt of cheating on his wife, Linda and being caught by his, Biff added to a lot of weight on his shoulders. A constant reminder from Linda was were stockings that she was repairing. The guilt become so much for Willy to handle that his temper began to rise every time he laid eyes on those stockings. The stockings took him back to that night in Boston when he gave the Woman a pair of stockings. Incidentally, his actions took a significant toll on Biff's attitude for his education and future. The consequences of Biff's actions led Willy to suffer with fear of an unstable future. Biff always showed some hostility towards Willy that was a price Willy had to pay for his insensitive actions. Willy's past seemed to be a hinderance in his life leading him to life of disappoint and uncertainty. 

  Constant reminder of his past led to Willy taking his own life. His adamant behavior to move on from the past and live in the future cost him his life. Everyday, his past caught up to him and affected his mental state and decision making skills. His previous actions had an important role of who Willy was and impact they had on life and family. 

Summary and Analysis of Death of a Salesman - (12/03/12)

Summary: 

  In Arthur Miller's, Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman returns home after a failed trip to his wife Linda. After some loud conversation between Linda and Willy, their songs, Biff and Happy got up. Biff's life has become a total mess with no direction. Although Happy is successful, he is still lacking something in life. It's ironic that he is named Happy but his life does not reflect that. Biff offers Happy a chance to move out west with him. However chooses to decline. 

Willy taught his songs that in life, it is very important to be liked and not just "well liked". Willy always looked down upon Charley and how he was raising his son, Bernard. Many times throughout the play, Willy talked to Ben for advice about life and becomes rich. Willy has long been carrying the burden of money, cheating on Linda and the question of what Biff and Happy will do. In essence, all the facts drove Willy to his own death. 

Author:

  Arthur Miller grew up in New York with a well respected family. Miller uses his life story to explain Death of a Salesman. He is well-known American play and essay writer. One of the most well known play is The Crucible. 

Setting: 

  This play takes place in Willy Loman's house New York about the 1930s-1940s. It is important to note that their house is surrounded by tall apartments which blocks the light from entering the backyard. 

Characters:

  Willy Loman- Linda's husband who struggles in society to be liked by all that he encounters. He sadly fails to reach his desired destination because of the lack of knowing who he is in combination with Linda's directions. He seems to live his life in the past leading to an unstable mindset. 

Linda Loman- Willy's wife who can seen as a hinderance to Willy dreams. At times, she almost seems like a mother to Willy instead of wife as she caters to all his needs. She blames Willy's suicidal thoughts on Biff since he always fights with Willy. 

Biff Loman- The oldest son of Willy and Linda. He realizes that his whole life and has been a failure however he attempts to find himself and turn his life around. He is favored by Willy over Happy. In a way, Willy's false advice lead him down a path of failure. 

Happy Loman- The younger son always tries to get his parents attention especially Willy's. He tries to please his father but doesn't seem to be happy himself. 

Charley- Willy's neighbor and true friend. Charley is a successful businessman who earned his way with hard work. He has always been ridiculed by Willy in the way he raised Bernard. 

Bernard: He is Biff's foil. He showed a great amount of concern in his future and Biff's. However he was often teased and made fun because of how studious he was. 

Ben- This is Willy's dead brother. Willy always looked to memories of Ben for advice on what Willy should do to become rich and successful. 

Author's Style/ Point of View

I found this play to have a very somber tone. The scenes help deep meanings with important themes to consider. The tone also added to how I felt about development of the characters in this play. It shows Willy to have a weak personality. 

Symbols/ Motifs 

  Directions- North and East: Success and fortune, South: the unknown and self discovery, West: place of opportunity 

Seeds- The respect that Willy wants for the work that he has done

Money- Willy's point of view about the American dream. 

Stockings- Dishonesty in Willy's family and societal class that is       represented with silk stockings. 

Important Quotes

"Don't be so modest. You always started too low. Walk in with a big laugh. Don't look worried. Start off with a couple of your good stories to lighten things up. It's not what you say, it's how you say it- because personality always wins the day" (Miller 65).

I think this quote really represents Willy and what his purpose in life is. Even through all that has happened, he does not realize what is important in his life. After all the years that have passed, Willy still guides Biff down the wrong path and seems like he just sets him up for failure. This also shows the faults in Willy that holds him back from achieving success. 

"But you didn't rest your mind. Your mind is over active, and the mind is what counts, dear" (Miller 13).

This shows Linda motherly side towards Willy. She always tries to defend him and make him feel better. Since she has made such a contribution into Willy's life, it seems like she was a reason that Willy was not able to reach his own potential. In a way, she hindered in ability to move forward. 

Theme

Through honesty and hard work, one must work to earn a place in society. 

This is supported by Willy's lack of importance that is given to honesty and ethics. He believe that being liked and popularity will give him the spot at the top. However, Charley and Bernard earned their way to the top with hard work and morals. This is something Willy should have considered changing his ways of life and teaching his sons to be the right thing.