Big Question

Some say that if you tell a lie long enough and often enough its becomes the truth, so...
are lies the truth?

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Literary Terms 4

Interior monologue- a form of writing which represents the inner thoughts of a character; the recording of the internal, emotional experience(s) of an individual; generally the reader is given the impression of overhearing the interior monologue
 Inversion- words out of order for emphasis [or to fit meter]
Juxtaposition- the intentional placement of a word, phrase, sentences of paragraph to contrast with another nearby
Lyric- a poem having musical form and quality; a short outburst of the author's innermost thoughts and feelings
Magic(al) realism- a genre developed in Latin America which juxtaposes the everyday with the marvelous or magical
Metaphor- an analogy that directly compares two different things imaginatively
Extended metaphor- a metaphor that is extended or developed as far as the writer wants to take it
Controlling metaphor- a metaphor that runs throughout the piece of work
Metonymy- literally "name changing" a device of figurative language in which the name of an attribute or associated thing is substituted for the usual name of a thing
Mode of discourse- argument (persuasion), narration, description, and exposition
Modernism- literary movement characterized by stylistic experimentation, rejection of tradition, interest in symbolism and psychology
Monologue- an extended speech by a character in a play, short story, novel, or narrative poem
Mood- the predominating atmosphere evoked by a literary piece
Motif- a recurring feature (name, image, or phrase) in a piece of literature
Myth- a story, often about immortals, and sometimes connected with religious rituals, that attempts to give meaning to the mysteries of the world
Narrative- a story or description of events
Narrator- one who narrates, or tells, a story
Naturalism- extreme form of realism
Novelette/novella- short story; short prose narrative, often satirical
Omniscient- knowing all things, usually the third person
Onomatopoeia- use of a word whose sound in some degree imitates or suggests its meaning
Oxymoron- a figure of speech in which two contradicting words or phrases are combined to produce a rhetorical effect by means of a concise paradox
Pacing- rate of movement; tempo
Parable- a story designed to convey some religious principle, moral lesson, or general truth
Paradox- a statement apparently self-contradictory or absurd but really containing a possible truth; an opinion contrary to generally accepted ideas


Literary Analysis: Into the WIld

1.       The novel Into the Wild follows the latter life of Chris McCandless as he journeys across the US and finally to his resting place although the stampede trail in Alaska. The book starts of by introducing Chris as a lifeless body found in the remote Alaskan bush. As the subsequent article in outdoor magazine is published, our author reads the piece and becomes entangled in the story of this young man. He writes the book tracing Chris’s travels and the people he meets and touches along the way. After following his trail and speaking with the people Chris held close the book ends with our author back in the place of Chris’s death.
2.       The informative novel try’s to explication the idea of the Hero’s journey and a very literal way, with this true account of Chris.
3.       The author use two distinct tones throughout the book, Narrative, and Investigative. When the author is telling the story of where Chris had gone and who he had met this is obviously when the author writes in a narrative tone. Whereas when he traces or relates stories such as, the story of the Anthropologist, he uses an investigative and almost informative tone to tie relevant knowledge to the overall understanding of Chris’s mindset.

Characterization

1.       Most of the novel used indirect characterization to describe Chris. Since it was a non-fictional piece, just as in real life we come to see Chris through his many personal relationships. For instance Mr. Westerberg often says that “the boy was very hard worker and never shied away from a dirty job.” This example of indirect characterization is not unique and actual quite prevalent. Direct characterization of the other hand is rare, the only time we have a clear picture of Chris is when we r being giving information about Chris’s running career or at his death.
2.       When it comes to the authors syntax and diction toward the character is seems as if the he almost sees himself in the young boy. There is a palpable empathy between the author and Chris.
3.       Chris is both static and dynamic, at times he is illustrated to us and this pondering wanderer just living by the wind. Other times we see Chris take a very active role in where he goes and how he conducts himself, this becomes more and more common as the novel progresses.

4.       After finishing the book Chris seemed like someone I have known for a very long time, he almost seem to embodied qualities I had in me.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

AP Prep Post 1: Siddhartha

  •  What does enlightenment look like in Siddhartha? Is it a feeling? An attitude?
  •  What purpose does self-denial serve in Siddhartha? What about self-indulgence
  •       How does enlightenment relate to or have to do with knowledge?

  •       Does verbal communication play a positive role in the spiritual progression of characters in Siddhartha?
  •       How does the river speak to people?