Leopard Man ?'s #9-15

9. Why is Tom Leppard called "Leopard Man?"

He is called "Leopard Man" because he is tattooed from head to toe with leopard spots.

10. What does the author think about people with tattoos and piercings? Why does he have these opinions?

The author thinks that people with tattoos and piercings are desperate for society's attention, so they go for shock value. He is unimpressed by them. He has these opinions because he believes they have an obsession with displaying their freakishness since they are psychologically dependent others' opinions.

11. How is Leopard Man different from other tattooed and pierced people?

Leopard Man is different from other tattooed and pierced people because he doesn't like for other people's reactions. He lives for solitude.

12. Where does Leopard Man live?

Leopard Man lives in a small cabin in the Scottish wilderness.

13. According to Feys, what kind of people does society fear?

According to Feys,  society fears loners (mysterious creatures who pursue their own values without seeking others' permission or permitting others to hamper them).

14. What is "The world's most  common but dangerous psychological disorder? " Explain Feys' s argument in this paragraph.

Conformity can be seen as the world's most prevalent and mist pernicious psychological disorder. Feys says that it's consequences are oppression and destruction of one's self. By living in society, we are under constant pressure to change ourselves.

15. Why is Leopard Man so happy?

Leopard Man is so happy because he has seceded from society, so he is free from social pressures. He's able to be happy doing what he likes. He remarked, "As far as I'm concerned, if there is a paradise on Earth, I'm in it. You're welcome go what you've got. I'll keep this."

Latin Roots #7

Roots and Derivatives:

1. Duc(t),  duce - to lead
2. Fed(er), fid(e) - faith, trust
3. Fin(e) - end, limit
4. Flect, flex - to bend

Words:

1. Aqueduct - a large pipe or other conduit made to bring water from a great distance

Tons of liquefied waste pass through the disposal aqueduct daily.

2. Conducive - tending to lead,  help, assist, or result in

Anything conducive to living a long life will probably be good for you.

3. Definitive - completely accurate, reliable, and authoritative; decisive or conclusive

A definitive interpretation is likely to be a complete one.

4. Fidelity - faithfulness to one's promises or obligation; steadfast faithfulness; technological faithfulness

Personal fidelity must include trustworthiness.

5. Fiduciary - an individual who holds something in trust for another;  a trustee

A financial fiduciary is likely to handle some of your money for you.

6. Finale - a "grand" conclusion, as of a performance; the last scene of a play

One expects the finale of a performance to come at the end.

7. Finite - limited or bordered by time or by any measurement; measurable

All finite creatures must eventually face death.

8. Flexuous - winding in and out;  bending or wavering

A flexuous stance is unsteady and uncertain.

9. Inducement - anything used or given to persuade or motivate; an incentive

Inducements are usually intended to motivate or persuade.

10. Inflection - a slight change in tone or modulation of the voice,  as in a point of emphasis

Using inflection in a performance will help the actor's voice reach to the end of the auditorium.

11. Perfidious - characteristic of one who would intentionally betray a faith or trust; treacherous

A perfidious act involves betrayal and deception.

12. Traduce - to speak falsely of; to slander or defame; to disgrace another's good name; to vilify

To traduce the reputation of another is to slander it.

Latin Roots #6

Roots and Derivatives:
1. Corp(or) - body
2. Cred - to believe, to trust
3. Cur(r), curs, course - to run, to flow
4. Dic(t) - to speak, to say

Word List:
1. Benediction - the invocation of a divine blessing, as at the close of a religious service; a blessing or state of blessedness

The purpose of a benediction is to bless others.

2. Concourse - a running or flowing together; a broad public walkway or hallway; a crowd or throng

Usually airports will include concourses going into the airplane.

3. Concurrent - occurring at the same time; meeting or acting together

Concurrently can be used as a synonym for simultaneously.

4. Corporal - related to the physical body

Corporal punishment includes smacking, whipping, or paddling.

5. Corpulent - very stout; fleshy and obese; fat

To avoid becoming corpulent, you should have a balanced diet and regularly excercise.

6. Credibility - the quality of being believable or trustworthy

Someone with absolute credibility can be easily believed.

7. Credulity - the (naive) willingness to believe too early without proof

Only the most childlike Credulity would allow a person to believe a phony setup.

8. Cursory - done in a superficial or hasty manner

A cursory examination is not as thorough as it might have been.

9. Dictum - an authoritative saying or maxim

"Business is business" was my friend's favorite dictum.

10. Incorporate - to form into one body or functioning unit;  to combine several different things into a whole

We should incorporate as much traditional Americana into our new campaign as possible.

11. Incredulous - not believing, skeptical, or doubting

From your incredulous expression, I can tel that you do not believe me.

12. Indicative - characteristic of or very much like; suggestive

Lack of appetite and sleep can indicate how unhealthy you are.

Greek Drama Questions

1. What kind of prize is given for dancing choruses of worshippers?

They competed for a bull or a goat.

2. How many spectators would gather in the open-air theater of Dionysos?

As many as fourteen thousand spectators gathered in the open-air Theater of Dionysos.

3. How does the mask affect the voices of the actors?

The actors' masks had exaggerated mouthpieces that amplified the actors' voices. It was used as a solution to the problem resolved today by microphones.

4. Why was Antigone suspenseful to viewing audiences?

The suspense came from the audience's knowledge of things the characters on stage did not know. As these characters spoke in their ignorance, the audience pitied them and wanted to warn them of their impending doom.

5. How is the shepherd to leave the infant on the mountainside?

The shepherd was ordered to leave the infant to die on a lonely mountainside with his ankles pinned together.

6. What is the riddle the Sphinx gave Oedipus?

The riddle was, "What creature goes on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?"

7. Who are Oedipus' kids?

Oedipus had two sons named Polyneices and Eteocles, and two daugheters named Antigone and Ismene.

8. After Oedipus is exiled, who takes over Thebes?

After Oedipus is exiled his uncle, Creon, takes over as regent of Thebes.

9. What did the family do to the dead body?

The family closed the dead person's eyes and mouth and began to prepare the body for the wake.

Lit. Analysis #2

     In the exposition of, "The Awakening," the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, is introduced along with her husband, Leonce,  her kids, and her friends Madomoiselle Reise and Robert Lebrun.  This story takes place in Grand Isle and New Orleans from 1899 - 1900. The conflict is that Edna is dissatisfied with her life as being a "possession" of her husband and sets out to become more independent. In the rising action, Edna is on her journey of self-expression and freedom. She begins painting, betting on horse races, and living separately from her husband and kids as well. I believe that there were quite a few turning points in the story, but the climax would have to be at the very end of the novel when Edna walks along the beach in the Grand Isle and towards the sea, leading to her committing suicide.

     I think that the main theme of the novel would be that independence comes at a price because the whole novel is based off of feminism ahead of its time. I think that Kate Chopin decided to write about this because back in the 1800's, almost all men were against females and males having equal rights. There have been a couple of feminist movements during that time, which could've also inspired the idea to write, "The Awakening." The title might suggest an "awakening" for women standing up and fighting for their independence as well.

     The protagonist is a dynamic character because in the beginning of the novel, Edna slowly started to become dissatisfied with being just a "possession," rather than an equal human towards her husband. Throughout the novel, she became more and more independent starting with painting and getting to he point where she could live all on her own. Edna Pontellier is a round character because although she becomes more positive, but because she became more free, she also became lonely and sad. She can be sarcastic or even a bit flirtatious at times, too.

     One significant symbol in the novel would be birds and how Edna is compared to a bird. This is ultimately significant because the husband and the doctor in the book believe that birds are supposed to "protect and shield," not "fly." Edna experiences several "awakening" throughout the nobel as she tries to express herself more and become more free. The husband becomes frustrated because Edna should be listening to him, not being independent from him. This reveals how little men actually believe in feminism. They want their women to be lower than them, not standing on equal ground. To the husband, he believes that Edna should stand her ground in the house, not become equal with him.

     I chose this novel after searching for it on the internet because it was about feminism and I wanted to know more about how feminism works. Feminism is a large topic nowadays in our society, but many people thought so little about it back then. It was refreshing to see how feminism was changed from the past to the present. I kept wanting to read it because of the way Edna was portrayed. She was adventurous and just a little bit reckless, but depicted as a feminist, nonetheless.

     In our society, there are many people who are supporting feminism than back in the 1800's. there are a lot more people, both men and women, protesting for equal rights for both genders, but then again, there are still many people that are against that idea. Two reasons could be that they either don't understand what feminism actually is, or they believe women or men to be inferior to the other. I do believe in feminism because regardless of gender, everyone should have equal human rights.

     One idea from this book that I'll remember will be how you can't sit around and expect to get what you want; if you want equality, then you'll have to work for it to convince society that equality is part of being human. This is important in our society because there have been protests and crimes because of how people think of equality. Whether it be LGBTQ or feminism or race, some of society (the people) will be against equality and fight back. One quote from "The Awakening" is, "The years that are gone seem like dreams - if one might go on sleeping and dreaming - but to wake up and find - Oh! Well! Perhaps it's better to wake up after all, even to suffer rather than to remain a dupe to the illusions all one's life."

Antigone Quick Write

     If my favorite brother had to have his body deposited into a city dump for fighting, but my jerk brother who started the fight was buried as a national hero, I would probably confront my uncle about the truth about my brothers' deaths. I would try to explain how both should be buried equally, not one as a hero and one as a bird and maggot meal. Both died fighting for the same thing, so their deaths should be equal. My brothers should both be buried into the ground and paid with mine and my family's respects as well.
     I don't think that I'd act without trying to explain or reason with my uncle about my brothers because that would be irresponsible. Once I've explained the situation to him and if he refuses to change their burials, then I would take action and properly bury my favorite brother. This is not because he's my favorite brother, but because to me, it is not morally acceptable to give one brother a more respectable burial and have the other die without a proper burial if both fought for the same things.
     I would not want to get my sister involved unless she wants to get involved. I will not force her to go along with what I think is right because it's not her responsibility. If she were to confront me and say that she wanted to confront our uncle with me fora  proper burial of both brothers, then I would let her, inferring that she take responsibility and is prepared to face any consequences. If I were to just drag her into this mess without her consent, that would be reckless. If I am going to get any help or support, the person has to be willing to help me and face any obstacles that come their way because of it.

A Case For Eating Dogs

     I am not against the idea of consuming dogs. I believe that if other people from all over the world can eat them without an issue, then the people of the United States should be allowed to eat it without feeling alienated from our society today. In Jonathan Safran Foer's excerpt from "A Case for Eating Dogs," it states, "DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT’S perfectly legal in forty-four states, eating “man’s best friend” is as taboo as a man eating his best friend." Dog consumption being legal in the United States doesn't change the fact that some people are uncomfortable with the idea of eating a pet. Yet, I think that if it's legal then it should be more accepted in society if 88% of our country can legally eat them. I completely understand that people don't want to eat their pets, but nobody is telling them to go into their backyards and star barbecuing their dogs.
     Eating dogs gives us more options for food and is better for the environment. According to Foer's excerpt, he says, "One could argue that various “humane” groups are the worst hypocrites, spending enormous amounts of money and energy in a futile attempt to reduce the number of unwanted dogs while at the very same time propagating the irresponsible no-dog-for-dinner taboo." Another example is,  "This amounts to millions of pounds of meat now being thrown away every year. The simple disposal of these euthanized dogs is an enormous ecological and economic problem. It would be demented to yank pets from homes. But eating those strays, those runaways, those not-quite-cute-enough-to- take and not-quite-well-behaved-enough-to-keep dogs would be killing a flock of birds with one stone and eating it, too." Instead of leaving stray dogs out in the cold to starve to death, we could eat them instead. It would save us the money from putting down dogs or cleaning them up from the environment and it would be a better way to make our environment cleaner as well.
     Putting dogs onto our plates would be the same as eating a cow, chicken, pig, or sheep. We consume many of them annually and adding dogs to our menus wouldn't hurt us. Humans are sentimental creatures, so eating a dog would be like eating their best friend. Foer's excerpt states "Don’t eat animals with significant mental capacities. If by “significant mental capacities” we mean what a dog has, then good for the dog. But such a definition would also include the pig, cow, chicken, and many species of sea animals. And it would exclude severely impaired humans." Since such domestic animals have similar mental capacities, then it should be okay for people to eat dogs without getting strange looks from others. It should be as normal as consuming a hamburger or fried chicken.

Latin Roots #5

Roots:

1. Cent(i) - hundred
2. Cid(e), cis(e) - cut; kill
3. Clam, claim - cry out; declare
4. Cord, cour - heart

Word List:

1. Bicentennial - (relate to) a celebration of a two hundredth anniversary; happening once in a period of two hundred years or lasting two hundred years

A bicentennial of the 1492 would be celebrated in 1692.

2. Centenarian - a person who has lived to be one hundred years old

Some people are lucky enough to become centenarians or older than a centenarian.

3. Centurion - a Roman officer commanding one hundred men; related to the military mind, especially as it favors military solutions for handling social problems

Alexander the Great was a centurion, but led 48,000 troops to invade the Persian empire.

4. Clamorous - characterized by continuous loud and complaining voices

If there was construction being done outside of your house, you'd hear a lot of clamorous disturbances form drills and hammers.

5. Concise - covering much in few words; brief and to the point

In order to study quickly, you should summarize your notes concisely.

6. Concordance - a condition of harmony or agreement; an alphabetical index indicating reference passages, as from a writer's works

When researching about a certain author's works, refer to a concordance about them.

7. Cordial - of the heart; warm and friendly; amiable

Cordial people tend to be more liked and a lot more positive.

8. Discordant - (sounding) harsh or inharmonious; clashing

In a professional symphony or orchestra, the musicians practice extremely hard in order to not play any discordant notes.

9. Genocide - the systematic extermination of an ethnic group

Hitler tried to create a genocide in order to rid the world of Jews.

10. Incisive - keenly penetrating; cutting into

Coming from a friend, incisive criticism can cut one very deeply.

11. Proclamation - an official statement or announcement that informs or honors

Ashoka's proclamations were written in what we claim to know as the "Rock and Pillar Edicts," in order to inform his subjects of his laws.

12. Reclaim - to claim again; to restore to former importance or usefulness

Drug rehabilitation centers often reclaim lost lives.

Latin Roots #4

Roots and Derivatives:

bon, boun - good
capit, capt - chief
carn(i) - flesh
ced(e), ceed, cess - surrender

Word List:

accession - joining or part of a group

An example of an accession is when somebody joins a club.

bona fide - genuine, good faith

To have a good relationship, you must be bona fide so people will accept your true self.

bonanza - an unexpected amount of money

Finding $1000 in a wallet on the ground would be a bonanza.

bounteous - abundant, plentiful

A bounteous forest includes several plants, trees, and wild life.

capitulation - to surrender completely

A sign of capitulation would be the white flag.

carnage - remains of slaughter

After a brutal carnage, it was easy to see who won.

carnivorous - flesh eating

Zombies are carnivorous and could be considered cannibals.

incarnate - manifest; especially in human form

Humans themselves are incarnates.

intercede - to plead on behalf of another

If someone is having a hard time explaining, someone else may intercede for them.

precedent - an example or pattern

In a textbook, you may find many precedents in order to clarify your confusion.

recapitulation - to briefly summarize; a repition

To study quickly and efficiently, students may do a recapitulation of the notes they just took.

reincarnation - the act of being born into another form after death

In Hinduism, people try to escape the cycle of reincarnation in order to seek salvation.

Literature Analysis #1

Summary 

     This is the journey of an unnamed father and his son traveling through postapocalyptic America in order to survive. Throughout this book, the characters are referred to in the third person. As they go through their journey, they cross land filled with ash, come across corpses, and try to survive through the broken civilization. The wife, after giving birth to the son, lost all hope and committed suicide after leaving the father. The pair travel through harsh external conditions, with nothing but a very limited amount of food, their clothes, a pistol. They strive to reach the coast, where they believe they'll feel safer. Throughout their travels on the road, they come across some people who have barely survived, but are on the verge of death; some could be the good guys, but most are the bad guys who kill people. Some years pass as they walk on the road. The two are able to get through what seems like a hopeless adventure with love and each other.

Theme

     The main theme that the author focuses on throughout the entire novel would be that even if it seems like the world is against you and it feels like there's no hope left, you mustn't give up on yourself or others. Cormac McCarthy decided to write about this topic because it relates to how he himself would talk to his own son. Some examples repeated throughout the novel that emphasize the them are when the father and the son are having conversations with each other and the son is constantly telling his father about how he is scared, how he wants to die, and how unsure he is of the future. The father always tells him that they will survive and his actions also reflect this. In a world where all hope is lost, the father and son's love for each other help them survive this harsh journey.

Why I Chose This Book

     Personally, I chose this book because of the way my AVID teacher, Mr. Ilac, described it before we went on our summer vacation. He explained how it was different from the other recommended summer novels because of how depressing it is and that it was a postapocalyptic story of a father and his son journeying through America. This book also sounded familiar to a movie preview I saw a few years ago. I didn't know until now that the movie was actually this book. The preview definitely captured my interest, so that's also why I chose this novel. I ordered Cormac's book in the beginning of my summer break because of how my teacher described it and the cover (as shown above) looked quite simple. I read the synopsis in the back and it kind of enticed my to read it. I thought it was a good change of pace from the other novels I read because it was about an America with a destroyed civilization and the two main characters work together in order to fight for their own survival. I have to say that after reading the first couple of pages, I knew I was going to get into the book (I actually finished it in one sitting). This was because of the was the author writes and describes things. He describes the settings quite vividly and in this novel, he doesn't use any quotation marks to tell you when the character is speaking. I thought this was interesting. Overall, this I chose this book based off of the previous descriptions I've gotten it and after reading the summary.

Connections

     In my perspective, I thought this story was somewhat realistic because it took place in a real setting and the characters seemed to adhere to the story line very well. It's not a fantasy novel, but I think it's kind of science fiction because it is postapocalyptic. The son and father made realistic decisions when they were on their journey trying to reach the coast. They came across some survivors and probably like any other person would've done in that situation they'd defend themselves and try to survive. For example, in one part of the novel, the father and son run into some bad people who have resorted to cannibalism in order to survive. One of the bad guys takes the son and holds a knife to his neck and the father, who cares very deeply for his son, shoots the guys in the head with one of two bullets left in his pistol.

     I think one connection from my life to this novel would be the love the father and son have for each other. Throughout my life, my dad was willing to defend me and would always try to steer me into the right direction if I did something wrong. Sometimes I get lectured, but I know it's because he cares about me. I thought that the love between the father and son was definitely realistic to most parents loves for their children in real life because I think that most parents would want to see their children grow up and make the right decisions, like the father did with his son in the novel. 

Tone

     I think one of the author's tones would be sort of tender or caring because of the way the father cares for the son how the son cares for his father. For example:

"I should have been more careful," said the father.

The boy didn't answer.

"You have to talk to me."

"Okay."

"You wanted to know what the bad guys looked like. Now you know. It may happen again. My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill any one who touches you. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

     Another one of the author's tones would be serious because of how the father treats each situation he and his son run into. For example:

"You should thank him you know," the father said, "I wouldn't have given you anything."

"Maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't," said Ely.

"Why wouldn't you?"

"I wouldn't have given him mine."

"You don't care if it hurts his feelings?"

"Will it hurt his feelings?"

"No. That's not why he did it."

"Why did he do it?"

He looked over at the boy and he looked at the old man.

"You wouldn't understand," the father said, "I'm not sure I do."

     The third one of the author's tones would be hopeless, although there is some hope in the novel because of how the father and the son must struggle for survival and often feel like giving up.

"I wish I was with my mom," said the son.

The father didn't answer. He sat beside the small figure wrapped in the quilts and blankets. After a while he said:

"You mean that you were dead."

"Yes."

"You mustn't say that."

"But I do."

"Don't say it. It's a bad things to say."

"I can't help it."

"I know. But you have to."

"How do I do it?"

"I don't know."

Literary Elements

1. Metaphor - He mistrusted all of that. He said the right dreams for a man in peril were dreams of peril and all else was the call of languor and of death. (page 18)

2. Metaphor - No list of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes. "So," he whispered to the sleeping boy, "I have you." (page 54)

3. Hyperbole - He said: If he is not the word of God God never spoke. (page 5)

4. Simile - He'd carried his billfold about till it wore a cornershaped hole in his trousers. Then one day he sat by the roadside and took it out and went through the contents. Some money, credit cards. His driver's license. A picture of his wife. He spread everything out on the blacktop. Like gaming cards. (page 51)

5. Simile - They set out through the dark woods. There was a moon somewhere beyond the ashen overcast and they could just make out the trees. The staggered on like drunks. (page 115)

6. Personification - They passed through towns that warned people away with messages scrawled on the billboards. (page 127)

7. Metaphor/Simile - The nights were blinding cold and casket black and the long reach of the morning had a terrible silence to it. Like a dawn before battle. The boy's candlecolored skin was all but translucent. With his great staring eyes he'd the look of an alien. (page 129)

8. Imagery - The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth. Darkness implacable. The blind dogs of the sun in their running. The crushing black vacuum of the universe. (page 130)

9. Personification -  Yes it is. When we're all gone at last then there'll be nobody here but death and his days will be numbered too. He'll be out in the road there with nothing to do and nobody to do it to. He'll say: Where did everybody go? And that's how it will be. What's wrong with that? (page 173)

10. Symbolism - "You can't. You have to carry the fire." "I don't know how to." "Yes you do." "Is it real? The fire?" "Yes it is." "Where is it? I don't know where it is." "Yes you do. It's inside you. It was always there. I can see it." (page 279)

Direct/Indirect Characterization

Direct:

1. The son, the boy, is scared throughout the novel. He tells his dad this quite often when they get into dangerous situations.

2. The father constantly reminds his son that they are the good guys and that most of the people they meet along the road will probably be the bad guys.

Indirect:

1. The father is devoted to taking care of his son and killing anyone who tries to hurt him. This is frequently shown throughout the novel and in many difficult situations.

2. The son is compassionate and more sensitive towards others. Some examples are when the father and the son see or come across people along the road and the son tells the father each time to give them something to eat or to let the person come with them so they won't die.

     Overall, Cormac McCarthy uses a lot more indirect characterization than direct characterization; he doesn't even name the father or the son in the first place or give any specific location as to where they are in America. From what I've learned from this novel, the father and the son definitely have a strong love and connection with each other and they try to balance each other out. The father tries to get his son to become stronger and the son tries to get his father to become a bit more sensitive towards others.

Syntax/Diction

     I don't think the author really changes the syntax or diction according to each character because the father talks to the son using words that the boy will understand. Their conversations aren't really that long and their replies towards each other are actually quite short. They use everyday language, but they don't use slang. Their vocabulary isn't really fancy, but standard. The tone that they use to talk to each other ranges from loving and comforting to serious and urgent, though.

Static/Dynamic/Flat/Round

    I think that the father has a static personality because throughout the novel he protects his son by staying weary towards the other people he meets along the road. It is never  really his choice to help out others because if he helps others out, then he and his son will come closer to death since they will run out of supplies. The son, on the other hand, is what I would consider to be a dynamic character because throughout then novel, he will gradually start to mature because of his father. In the beginning of the novel, he is shy and scared, and as you read through the story, he is still timid, but he slowly starts to become more independent and strong. He never really tells his father about his dreams anymore like he used to when he was younger. He is less reluctant to follow his father's orders because knows that they have to survive. One thing that doesn't change about him is his sensitive and loving side towards others, though.

     I think that the father is a round character because although he is quite serious and willing to kill others if the situation calls for it, he is devoted to his son and shows a loving, caring side towards him. For example when the son gets sick, he stays by the son's side and tries his best to nurse him back to health, despite their limit of supplies. I think that the son is also a round character because he can become distant sometimes, but is still quite loving and caring towards others and especially his father. He tries to give a little bit of food to others, like Ely, the old man, he meets along the road. Whenever his father gets him into dangerous situations though, he distances himself and doesn't talk to his father because of it.

Feelings After Reading

     I feel like I got to know the father and the son personally because of their actions throughout the novel. The author made the characters extremely realistic and followed through with their actions. I don't feel like I just read about a character. I felt like after reading the novel, I could vividly feel the characters' feelings. I could deeply feel how fearful the son was and how strong the father was in their journey for survival. For example:

     He carried him up to the camp and covered him with blankets. He tried to  get him to drink some water. He put more wood on the fire and knelt with his hand on his forehead. You'll be all right he said. He was terrified. 

     "Don't go away," the boy said.

     "Of course I won't go away," the father said.

     "Even for just a little while."

     "No. I'm right here."

     "Okay. Okay, Papa."

     He held him all night, dozing off and waking in terror feeling for the boy's heart. In the morning he was no better. He tried to get him to drink some juice but he would not. He pressed his hand to his forehead, conjuring up a coolness that would not come. He wiped his white mouth while he slept.

     "I will do what I promised," the father whispered, "No matter what. I will not send you into the darkness alone."

     From this excerpt alone, I can feel how committed the father is to taking care of his son. He loves his boy very much and is willing to do anything in order to keep him from dying. That's why he is so serious and careful to not waste any of their supplies because they're so limited and they will need to get their hands on anything in order to survive.

Enduring Memory

     The idea that I will remember from this novel for a long time would be to never give up, even if the world around you seems to throw hardships at you. Now I would carry this idea with me because throughout the novel, the son and the father could've given up any time and just lied on the side of the road and died. Instead, though, they trudged on their harsh journey in order to accomplish their goal: surviving long enough to reach the coast. Even if they reach this goal, that doesn't mean that they won't face any more hardships in the future. Lightning might strike at them any time. The chances are slim, but in the beginning of the novel, they survived an earthquake. The world may seem like it's out to get you, but you have to stand with confidence and face your problems head on or you'll regret it.  For example:

     "I said we weren't dying. I didn't say we weren't starving," said the father.

     "But we wouldn't," said the son.

     "No. We wouldn't."

     "No matter what."

     "No. No matter what."

     "Because we're the good guys."

     "Yes."

     "And we're carrying the fire."

     "And we're carrying the fire. Yes."

     "Okay."

(page 129)

Mythology Presentation - Narcissus and Echo

Main Characters:

Narcissus - Extremely handsome son of a god and a nymph who was extremely proud of his appearance and disdained those who loved him

Echo - An old and beautiful mountain nymph who loved to talk, but got cursed with the ability to never talk first and to only repeat the last few words others say

Settings:

1. Mountains on Earth where Zeus is playing around with and conversing with the other nymphs
2. Woods and river where Echo is heartbroken by Narcissus and Narcissus falls in love with his own reflection
3. Cave where Echo dies and only her voice repeating what others say is left there

Main Plot:

     One day in the mountains on Earth, Zeus was playing around with and talking to some of the nymphs when Hera appears and the nymphs start to escape. To assist with their escape, Echo begins talk to Hera about different entertaining stories. Feeling deceived, Hera takes away Echo's ability to talk, but only leaving her with the ability to repeat the last of another's words. A couple of days later, a handsome hunter named Narcissus stumbles into the woods and Echo sees him and instantly falls in love with him. Narcissus begins to talk to himself and Echo repeats his words, leading to him asking, "Who's there?" and with Echo only being able to repeat, "Who's there?". Eventually Echo comes out and Narcissus becomes disgusted and breaks her heart, telling her never to come near him. Echo goes into a cave and dies, but her voice remains, only being able to repeat words. Nemesis, the goddess of revenge comes to know how Narcissus keeps breaking the hearts of women who fall in love with him and punishes him by luring him into a pool where he falls in love with his own reflection. Every time Narcissus would look into the water and try to touch his reflection, he would realize that his love would never be returned. So eventually he faded away and turned into the flower that is known as the Narcissus.

Main Conflict:

    Echo's main conflict in this story is that she has the inability to speak to others, unless it's just repeating what others say. This leads to her heartbreak with Narcissus and her eventually dying in a cave.

    Narcissus' main conflict in this story is that he is unable to fall in love with anybody but himself, so he breaks the hearts of many women. He is punished by falling in love with his own reflection and over time realizing that his love from his reflection would never be returned. 

Attempts to Explain...

     The myth of Narcissus and Echo attempts to explain how people came to be narcissistic and what narcissism is. Narcissism is being extremely full of yourself to he point where you love yourself way too much. Not in a positive way, but in an arrogant way. This myth also attempts to explain why you hear your own echo in a cave because Echo dies in the cave and leaves her replying voice there. Lastly, this myth explains how the flower Narcissus came to be.

Latin Roots #3

Roots and Derivatives:

1. Aud(it) - hear
2. Avi - bird
3. Bell(i) - war
4. Ben (e) - good, well

Vocabulary:

1. Antebellum - before the war, especially the American Civil War; typical of how things were before any war

Although once stately,  Antebellum homes in Memphis are now deteriorating.

2. Audit - to attend a class only as a listener, not for credit; to check or examine a company's financial records; the process of making such an examination

People may audit a class just for the sake of learning new things.

3. Auditory - related to the sense of hearing

Private auditory lessons will require headphones to focus.

4. Avian - characteristic of or pertaining to birds

A beak and wings are avian.

5. Aviary - an elaborate structure for housing birds

A chicken coop is an example of an aviary.

6. Avionics - the technology of (using) electronic equipment in aviation

Without avionics, we wouldn't have planes.

7. Bellicose - eager to fight or quarrel; hostile

People with short tempers can be described as bellicose.

8. Belligerency - the condition of warlike hostility; a hostile action

An act of belligerency would be throwing a grenade into a neighbourhood.

9. Benefactor - a person who gives another (financial) help; a patron

An accountant is an example of a benefactor.

10. Beneficiary - one who receives a benefit (of payment), as from an insurance policy

In some wills, close family members can be beneficiaries and receive money.

11. Benign - not malignant;  gracious and kindly; good natured

People who are benign get along with others better than people who are mean.

12. Inaudible - unable to be heard

People who are mute are inaudible.

Latin Roots #2

Roots and Derivatives:
1. Anni/annu/enni - year
2. Aqua/aque - water
3. Arm - arm, weapon
4. Art - art, craft, skill

Word List:
1. Aqua - the hue of the sea; bluish green

The aqua sea reminded me of the vast, blue sky.

2. Aquaculture - the cultivation of water plants and animals for human food

Some people enjoy aquaculture because of the pretty plants they get to see, like coral.

3. Aqueous - like of, or formed by water; watery

If ice melts in your soda, it may become more aqueous.

4. Armada - a fleet of warships

In the navy, some people will be in charge of oversea armadas.

5. Armature - equipment or clothing for battle, or any protective covering an arm like extension

When in battle, the proper armature to wear would be something light weight, but protective and you should bring a sword, gun or shield.

6. Armistice - a temporary suspension of hostilities by mutual agreement, as a truce preliminary to a peace treaty

When in an argument, people may agree on an armistice because of stress.

7. Artifact - any object  produced by the art of the human hand; simple or primitive objects from the distant past

Ancient artifacts from China may be vases or old tables from a thousand years ago.

8. Artifice - cunning ingenuity; clever or sly trickery

In some myths, there may be someone who acts like an artifice or a trickster.

9. Artisan - a person skilled at a craft, usually a handicraft

Potters and sculptors are talented types of artisans.

10. Millennium - a period of peace and great prosperity; a thousand years

We live in the second millennium of the common era.

11. Perennial - year after year; throughout the years;  a plant that blooms annually

People like to have a garden of perennials because they grow yearly.

12. Superannuated - worn out or retired, from age and years of use of hard work; obsolete or outdated.

After 50 years of working or so, people may become superannuated.

Journal Entry

     So many young people want are in a rush to grow up because they want to know what it's like to be an adult. They think it's "cool" and want to experience more freedom. Younger people have these expectations of being grown up, like having a car, owning a house, and starting a family. They tend to romanticize the idea and forget about all of the responsibility that goes along with being an adult. So many older people want to be young because when you're younger, you're less stressed because you don't have as many responsibilities as an adult does. As a kid, you get guidance from others on how to improve yourself, whether you're at school or at home. As an adult, nobody's really there to watch over you; you have to figure thing out on your own. I think that the age 15 is a very confusing time for everybody because everyone's trying to experience different things and find out who they are and what they want. It's that age where you are in between being a child and a young adult. You want to be independent, but sometimes you can forget about your responsibilities. Although 15 can be a confusing age, you get to try out out so many different things. You have to balance between having fun and getting work done.

Purpose of Myth Review

1. Name 4 fundamental questions that myths address.

• What's the nature of the universe in which I live?
• How do I relate to the universe?
• How much control do I have over my own life?
• What must I do in order to survive?

2. Name 4 themes in world mythology.

• Rebirth/Unusual birth
• Death
• Extraordinary Strength
• 1st parents were gods of sky and Earth

3. What is the beginning of the universe for most major cultures?

The beginning of the universe for most major cultures started as chaos and a formless mass that a god or many gods had separated.

4. What do hero myths and epics teach members of society?

Hero myths and epics teach members of society the appropriate attitudes, behavior, and value of that culture.

5. Why do ordinary people identify with heroes?

Ordinary people identify heroes with doing great deeds and making critical choices to balance one set of values against competing values. They also identify with heroes because their imperfections can be similar to humans'.

6. What is the foundation of the Matriarchal Society?

The political, economic, social and religious foundation was agriculture/agricultural year.

7. What is Sigmund Freud's view of myths?

Sigmund Freud's view of myths was that it was the expression of the individual's unconscious wishes, fears, and drives. Also that they have many similar themes that reflect the existence of a common collective unconscious.

8. Myths demonstrate that people possess...

Myths demonstrate that people possess the intellectual capacity to understand the world in which they live.

BOR Final Draft

Lara Carandang

August 27, 2014

Period 2

The Personality of a Middle Child

I definitely know what being a middle child is like because I am the second oldest sibling out of four. Each of my siblings and I have our own distinguished personalities. You would be able to tell if you’ve seen each of our lives at home. For one thing, my older brother likes to socialize and go hang out with his friends frequently outside of our house. I, on the other hand, like to stay inside of my room and organize, study, or go on my computer, so I won’t have to socialize. My younger sister likes to do gymnastics and skateboard with her friends at their houses, while my younger brother likes to play video games and read books. In the birth order research slide show’s section on middle children, it says that I am completely set apart from the first born, independent, a negotiator, easily embarrassed, and misunderstood. For the most part, I would say that the information, according to the research, depicted my accurately.

As you can kind of tell already, my Kuya, older brother, and I are definitely set apart personality-wise. When I was younger, my family and I would go to all of these family parties when I still lived in New Jersey. My siblings and I would get somewhat semi-casually dressed and head over to the party. Now, it was like any other typical Filipino party where the food was set up buffet style, the aunts and uncles did karaoke or watched the Filipino channel, and the cousins were either outside, socializing, or in their rooms watching TV. At these parties, my older brother would hang out with each of my cousins. My cousins were three to four years older and younger than me. So while he would hang out with them, I would be left behind and not really to talk to anyone at all because I was uncomfortable with the large amount of people. I would just eat a little with my mom during the whole party. This happened each year, but I most vividly remember this happening when I was ten years old. Aside from parties, at home, my Kuya and I are very different. Andrew, my Kuya, likes to go on dates with his girlfriend, Lizvet, workout, and hang out with his friends. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is me who likes to stay at home all of the time, studying, reading, or going on my laptop. I don’t like to talk to other people and I’m usually busy with school work, so I usually just stay at home. From these experiences I mentioned, you can most definitely tell that I am completely set apart from my brother, in the aspect of personality traits.

According to the research, I am a mediator and also independent. At home, my younger siblings, Angelo and Lauren, tend to quarrel about the smallest things. For example, they enjoy playing LEGO Harry Potter on the wii. If Lauren pressed the wrong button or chose the wrong character, the youngest sibling, Angelo, would throw a tantrum that would lead to Lauren kicking or sitting on him and then Angelo yelling and pulling her hair. When it got to the point where it was too irritating to listen to, I would go in and ask for each one’s side of the story. My usual solution is that they should either play by themselves or I’d try to explain to them that it was only a game. In that perspective, I can say that I’m a negotiator. When it comes to schoolwork and studying, I tend to be independent. I’d rather work on homework and schoolwork by myself so I won’t get distracted and so I can get work done more efficiently. Lots of people get together in study groups, but I’d rather study by myself at home, because then I can study at my own pace. When it comes to resolving others’ conflicts or being independent with my work, I’d say that this research is pretty accurate.

If you know me well, you would know that I am prone to embarrassment and am misunderstood a lot. I like to sing a lot. On a good day, you could probably see me singing to myself while walking around the campus to each class, quietly. If  I catch someone staring at me while I’m singing, I will flush crimson in embarrassment because I don’t like when people point out my voice. I really disliked it when people would tell me, “I can hear you singing,” because I’m very self-conscious and I’ll think that they think my singing’s horrible. Also, because I’m extremely self-conscious and have low self-esteem, I tend to be very quiet around others. I get misunderstood constantly by being called weird or by being assumed that I don’t like them. It’s happened ever since I was little because I’m so reserved. People misunderstand my intentions; I am not quiet because I dislike them. I am quiet because I care too much about what other people think and say about me. This is the most accurate information about me from the slideshow.

The birth order research, in my point of view, was an accurate portrayal of my personality, 
being a middle child. I thought it was interesting how well this research was spot-on with my feelings and traits. Thanks to this information, I have more clarity on how middle children feel and what they think, generally.

Birth Order Traits

Birth Order Traits T-Chart

(Middle Child)

What Research Says	Evidence of Accuracy/Inaccuracy
Completely unlike first-born child.	I would say that this information is somewhat accurate. My brother and I share the role of being the older ones for the younger siblings, but we are much more different when it comes to personality. He can socialize with anyone while I have trouble talking to people that know me.
Mediator, negotiator, independent, monogamous.	I’d say this is pretty accurate for me because I tend to be the one to compromise with people’s problems. I help to solve the issue for both sides. I am independent because I like to do things by myself. I’m not sure if I would be monogamous because that time hasn't come yet.
Prone to embarrassment, misunderstood, secretive.	I’d say that this information is most definitely accurate because I get embarrassed and misunderstood all of the time because I act so quiet or strange. People will assume things about me, thus most likely misunderstanding me and starting arguments. I’m pretty secretive as well because I don’t like to give out a lot of information about myself. I always tend to keep my guard up. I tend to get compared to my siblings a lot as well, so therefore they expect us all to be the same, but we are all individual and different.
Avoids conflicts, extremely loyal to friends, has many friends.	This is somewhat accurate because I do not have a lot of friends at all. I don’t like to socialize with others. I always try to avoid causing conflicts with others, but I will always try to create a compromise for people.
Out of place, often willing to give in.	This information is inaccurate because I don’t give in easily at all. Once I've made up my mind, it’s extremely difficult for me to change it. I do often feel out of place, though.
Strong belief in relationships and people.	I believe that having a good relationship with people will have a positive effect in the future. That does not mean that I actually have a good relationship with people though. It’s hard for me to talk to people or be around a large group of people. I don’t like confrontation and I don’t like when people stare at me or when I can feel their eyes burning a hole into me.

     

     With this research, I actually found that some of these traits are accurate, but not all of them. My siblings and I are alike in some aspects, but you can definitely tell, once you get to know us, that we are all very different. Out of all of my siblings, I am the least sociable one. So when I heard that the middle child had many friends and socialized well, I was surprised because that's the complete opposite of me. I do tend to avoid conflicts, am prone to embarrassment, and am misunderstood, though. So I'd say that the information provided by the research is about half accurate for me.

Reflections on Week 1

     The factors I think are going to affect my participation and grade in this class would be updating my blog and keeping up with vocabulary and reading because I'll have to have decent time management skills to keep up with my other classes as well. Other things that could affect my participation could be whether I can stay focused and motivated because there will be days where forcing myself to get up and work will be the most difficult challenge of the day. I don't really socialize all that much, but I try to spend time with my family when I can.

     The best learning experience I've had would probably be from Tumblr,  believe it or not. I don't think learning should just be limited to school. Through Tumblr,  I've learned a lot about being accepting and helping others deal with their problems. I was just at home, scrolling through my dashboard.  I see a lot of posts trying to promote self esteem and caring about yourself. A lot of the people on Tumblr are inspirational and when I see posts that make people feel better about themselves, it makes me want to do the same to see a smile on someone's face. Tumblr is something I use for when I want to think or be alone because 9 the support that is actually on there. I knew what was happening because I could definitely relate to some of the people and their situations. I could learn about what to do with myself because I saw someone post about it and how they coped with their problems.

     In this class, I'm probably most excited about the upcoming blog assignments because we're actually using modern technology to do turn in our school work. I look forward to improving my writing skills; especially through the amount of essays we'll be writing throughout the year. The way I think it will make a practical difference in my life will be that I can be able to express my words better. I'll be able to become more creative and independent with my writing as well.

Latin Roots #1

1. act/ag/ig - to do, to move, to drive
2. ali/alter - another, other
3. am - at, to love
4. anim - life, spirit, soul

1. Agenda: a schedule of duties, programs, or events to be discussed or carried out

I bring an agenda with me to school to write down all of my assignments.

2. Agile: exhibiting physical quickness and dexterity; mentally alert

If you are not agile, you can get stuck in a building that is caught on fire.

3. Alienate: to antagonize or estrange

In class, peers can alienate one person because they don't fit their standard of normal.

4. Altercation: a quarrel or bitter argument

An altercation can break out at school if students bring weapons to school.

5. Amiable: friendly; good natured

I don't like to fight with others, so I always try to act amiably.

6. Amorous: loving; passionate; suggesting desire

Sometimes people can be more amorous towards fictional characters, rather than ones from reality because of the lack of one on one interaction.

7. Animated: spirited; lively; vivacious

People who appear animated can actually bring up your mood, if you allow them to.

8. Equanimity: calmness; composure

During stressful times, you have to have equanimity in order to be able to focus and work efficiently.

9. Inalienable: not allowing of change or transfer

If you're in the middle of the school year and try to change your schedule, it will be inalienable because of all of the classes that are already full.

10. Inanimate: lacking the qualities associated with a living organism; lacking spirit or energy

Someone can be inanimate simply because the feel tired all of the time or lack confidence.

11. Magnanimous: generous and noble of spirits; inclined to forgive

I think I am magnanimous in the aspect that I forgive a lot, but I never forget.

12. Reactionary: in opposition to progress

If I was more reactionary than I am now, I would be on a much darker path than I am on currently.