THE LAST POST

A final post….

My favorite quote from Leaves of Grass (or at least one of them… :))  

“Not I, not any one else can travel that road for you,

You must travel it for yourself.”

As we dive further and further into Whitman’s poetry (and conclude in our study of his poetry) I am constantly finding myself referring back to a poem that we read pretty early into the study.  The poem is Song of Myself #46 and the line above really stood out to me.  

I know that personally I sometimes struggle with my self-confidence and being able to not necessarily be independent but to be ok with who I am as a person.  So, Whitman’s words in Song of Myself #46 really spoke out to me. The poem focuses heavily on the aspect of everyone travelling their own journey and living their own lives.  

However…

While we are all travelling our own roads and living our own lives, I also believe that we are all connected and it is necessary to form relationships with the people we encounter on our journeys.  

So, for my FINAL (*tear*) blog post I wanted to show some of my favorite memories that I’ve made this year with some of the people that have helped me along my journey :)

Keep in mind that these are only some of my most favorite memories and my most favorite people.  I am so blessed to have the people in my life helping me and keeping me going through the hard times.  Recently it was my 18th birthday and typically I don’t really celebrate my birthday with anything special, but my friends had something else in mind.  Thinking I was going to dinner with my friends Abby and Rachel, I walked into Mura and burst into tears when I saw all my besties sitting around the table yelling “Surprise!!!”.  I truly have the best people that care about me and love me as I am and as senior year is coming to a close I hope to do something to show them just how much I appreciate them and need them as I travel on my road.  

Whitman Musings

“I celebrate myself, and sing myself,

And what I assume you shall assume,

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” - Walt Whitman

While this is not necessarily tied directly to the blog post prompt...this quote above that I have taken from one of the Song of Myself poems is, to me, one of the quotes representative of Leaves of Grass as a whole.  The idea of singing is a motif present through many of the poems that depicts what Whitman was trying to convey- the idea of expression. In this quote Whitman is also attempting to connect the reader to himself. Every human is made of atoms and thus to the very core every being is the same.  And with this being said let us delve into the musings present in Whitman’s notebook, his very being and inner thoughts...

Some initial musings…

Under the “document” tab of the notebook I have pulled, as seen above, some themes or ideas that I saw reoccurring.  The idea of Abraham Lincoln is present throughout the notebook. This connects to the context of the Civil War that Whitman wrote within where ideas and talk of slavery and human equality were rampant in the 1800s United States.  This theme of human equality (which connects back to the quote mentioned at the start of this blog post…) is then explored further in the notebook through ideas of liberty, the union and the democratic and nationalist movements, and the history and past revolution.  

Another motif and symbol indicative of change in the notebook is a ship.  Whitman emphasizes that the talk of the times (regarding equality and the civil war in America) feels somewhat stagnant.  He feels that something needs to stir the calm waters and a storm must be brought to the land. Besides a storm a ship can disrupt the calm waters and change the tide and move the pools of traditional ideals.  

Finally, the document delves into some of the portraits and sketches that Whitman included in the notebook.  Connecting this to my own art experience regarding drawing people, I know that I tend to draw people in a way so that my insecurities on myself are not present within the character I am drawing.  Perhaps this connects to the sketches that Whitman creates toward the end of the notebook which eventually spiral into more caricatures and unrealistic images. Whitman may not have been happy with aspects of himself and this connects also to the idea that he might have been going through a midlife crisis.  It is evident in the notebook that he mentions death and some sad ideas that were often not discussed during the time period. It is therefore important to note that the notebook concludes with a caricature of a mysterious grotesque figure that may be representing America. Perhaps Whitman’s feelings regarding his own insecurities and happiness in his life have translated and connected to the larger picture- the United States of America.  

Some additional musings from the notes…

After diving further into Whitman’s notebook from exploring the “Notes” tab, I found particularly interesting the idea of liberty by nature contrasted by the liberty provided by human made systems, such as government.  Whitman writes in his journal about how the idea of liberty will transcend and outlast the longest-lived political regimes. This is so significant to me because it just shows that this idea of freedom is not coming from these man-made systems that will never outlast time, freedom is coming from the inherent nature of the world and beings.  Also significant in the notebook is how Whitman also identifies that freedom within America is not the only freedom that need be obtained, freedom within other nations extending beyond America is also significant.

Another facet that I briefly discussed in my initial musings was the idea of the ship and the disruption of calm waters.  However, I failed to consider that ships must always have a captain. Whitman explores this idea and symbol by ascertaining that the captain of the ship, most likely being the president, will have monumental tasks ahead of them with regard to the current state of the nation.  This then connects back to the idea of the imaginary conversations that Whitman was said to have been having with Abraham Lincoln throughout his notebook.

In conclusion, the main themes and ideas that I have deemed as significant from this analysis of Whitman’s notebook are that of liberty, nature, leadership, and politics.  So, connecting back to the quote that I used to introduce this post, the person must take Whitman’s musings and sing their ideas for their liberty to do so does not rely on man-made systems but on the inherent nature of the world.  

THE AMERICAN DREAM

The American Dream

When thinking of this idea of “The American Dream” a few words/phrases immediately come to mind:

• Goals
• Success
• Money
• Immigration
• New York
• Hard Work
• Sacrifice

...and of course there are many more but these are the immediate things I think about when I first encountered the prompt for this blog post.  

Specifically regarding The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is exemplified throughout the novel...or should I say The “Gatsby” Dream.  It seems that the wealth and material possessions that Gatsby has are merely objects and the way he has acquired his wealth is just that- a way of getting money.  All of these objects and monetary possessions dull in comparison to his idea of being to obtain the one thing that money cannot buy- Daisy Buchanan. So, in essence The Great Gatsby is about Gatsby’s dream of getting Daisy Buchanan to love him once again.  

When considering the idea of the American Dream it is essential to consider American culture.  This brings to mind a few immediate things; french fries (but how ironic because they’re not American fries...they’re FRENCH fries), burgers, hot dogs, baseball, football, and also (I will preface this with an apology because I cannot help what immediately comes to my mind) obesity.  As of 2016 approximately 39.6% of the total adult population in the United States is obese. There is no denying that the atmosphere of America has had a negative vibe lately, and it is often times easier to focus on the problems of the nation that we live in, rather than the plentiful good things that we are fortunate enough to have in this country.  So, when I think of the American culture it most definitely has a negative connotation in my mind and since I connect the idea of the American culture with the American dream, this idea also has a negative connotation. BUT (just for you Mrs. Genesky) I am going to try to be positive and uplifting of this idea of achieving goals and “wealth” in America.

SO, going a little bit backward before we can progress forward, I’m going to describe the American Dream from the perspective of my family history.  My distant relative named Sophie (whose last name is forgotten) came to America from Germany in the early 1800s. While I never personally knew her and very few documents regarding her life were preserved, it has been passed down through family stories that she wholeheartedly believed in the idea of being successful in America.  She came from a poor family in Germany and being able to afford to arrive in New York City was all that she needed to know that once in America she would work as hard as she could to better her life- for herself and her future family. This is when the family story starts to get a little fuzzy and no one really knows what job she had when in America.  But, we uphold the belief that she was successful and happy with her life that she made for herself in the United States.

Flash forward to the present day United States.  I honestly feel that I often overlook the privileges and how blessed I am to be in my position.  Therefore, I feel as though I take the American Dream for granted- I have a family, a home, and both of my parents have well-paying jobs, so it seems as though the dream has already become reality for me. But, I think that my American dream and furthermore responsibility is to now use that privilege in order to better my country, to make sure that the American dream becomes attainable for everyone- regardless of their background.  

My dad always says that money isn’t what makes you rich- and I believe in this too.  Material possessions are not what make up the “American Dream”. Instead, having a support system of family and friends assisting you on your way to reach your goals makes you rich.  Rich in love and support will help you make dreams reality and accomplish anything you desire.

So, regarding my view of the American Dream, I think a quote from former president John Quincy Adams encompasses what I believe.  He said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader"  My American Dream is to do what I can to help others. I am so lucky to be where I am today and it is unfair to waste my privilege by not helping others.  So, by using my actions in America I hope to inspire others into action and help them accomplish whatever they dream.

IOC Practice

IOC practice (8-10min)

How does the structure of this text provide clarity and context for the reader?

What major themes does this extract reveal and how does it do so?

IOC: https://vocaroo.com/i/s0Hz8NCgcOpj

Passage analyzed:

Planning:

Self- Assessment:

Criteria A: Knowledge and understanding of text or extract (10)

In my knowledge and understanding of the text I would give myself an 8 because I believe that I did present the context necessary for this IOC- I established who the play is by as well as the time period and gave a brief overview of the plot surrounding the passage I was commenting on.  I also believe that my comments were supported by references to the text but I think that my references could have been better developed or more clear.

Criteria B: Understanding of the use and effects of literary features (10)

I would give myself a 8 again in this criteria because I think that I did have a good awareness of the use of literary features, such as the way the text was developed and the juxtaposition and the development of Macbeth’s character.  However, I think that I need to have more specific literary features such as tone and the way the setting plays a role and things such as that.

Criteria C: Organization (5)

For organization I would give myself a 5 because I thought that I had a clear introduction, body, and conclusion and I made sure to create links between all of my body points.  The order of the body was also logical because I developed what was happening overall, then focused on some specifics regarding the juxtaposition of good and evil, and finished up with the impact that this has on Macbeth’s presentation and his character.  

Criteria D: Language (5)

For language I would give myself a 4 because I know that I did have some pauses and awkwardly worded run-on sentences but I did not think that this detracted from the overall points I was making.  I also don’t think that this detracted from my knowledge of the excerpt and my analysis of it.

FREEBIE

FREEBIE :)))

Never Let Me Go…More like Never Judge A Book By its COVER??? ;)

A phrase that has been ingrained in us since we were children, “Never judge a book by its cover,”.  Although this literally applies to the analysis of the book covers that I will be doing (except I WILL be judging these covers...which is that different than judging the actual contents of the book...by the cover?? confusing…), it also applies to relationships and other things that stand in metaphorically for the “book” being discussed.  For instance, you’re not supposed to judge a person based on their outward appearance and yet this is something that we do subconsciously ALL. THE. TIME. And I know I’m at fault for it too, just the other day I was doing some IB work at the local Starbucks and a man walked in wearing boots, a hat, a checkered shirt, and chewing loudly on a long stick that resembled a toothpick.  I immediately was judging him because he most definitely did not fit in that little cozy atmosphere of people in sweaters sipping hot chocolate or warm tea/coffee. But in reality, I had no idea what the personality of this man was like and I was judging him solely off of his appearance.

OK! Now that I got that short little anecdote out of the way…

All 4 images:

 

The man that strolled into Starbucks the other afternoon most likely dressed that way because he liked those clothes or maybe he lived in a rural area where boots were necessary for work, but nonetheless his outfit revealed aspects of his character.  This is similar to the book covers. All four of these covers were created with the purpose of showcasing an aspect of the inner contents of the book.

WIth a brief glance at the covers one can see that they all contain cool tones- i.e. greens, yellows, soft oranges, and blues.  This is one unifying aspect of all the covers that my eye was drawn to right off the bat (maybe because I’m trained in IB Art...Mady if you’re reading this I know you cringed a lil bit).  But upon further investigation I noticed that all 4 covers also contain some sort of element of man. For example, in the cover on the far left, there is a girl sitting in a nature scene. Then in the second cover when moving left to right there is a boat that appears to be resting on a shore (and boats were created by….you guessed it- humans).  In the third image there is an outline of organs that are located in the chest/stomach area of people. Finally, the last cover depicts a somewhat blurred girl who appears to have been turning or in motion of some kind.

However, the covers do all differ with how they portray the human figure.  Like I briefly discussed in the paragraph above, the first cover on the left shows a girl sitting looking at something pensively.  However the last cover demonstrates the exact opposite of being still with a girl that is becoming blurry because she is moving. The cover second from the left demonstrates more of the things mankind creates rather than the human figure while the third cover from the left explicitly deals with human anatomy and composition by showing outlines of major organs (one might even say vital...like the characters eventually end up “donating”...hmmm…).  

Closer examination:

The two covers that I chose to examine more closely are the following:

The first words that come into my mind (sigh-unfortunately) when looking at the cover on the left are Jekyll and Hyde.  The dark background and outline of human organs reminds me of the work of the scientists in the novella and the gothic elements that were incorporated.  In contrast, the cover on the right reminds me of light and even the girl spinning somewhat looks like a lamp to me with her hair being the lampshade (sorry…).  

If I had not read the novel the covers would both make me think that it was about an element of the human life.  However the cover on the left (due to the outline of the organs) would make me think it was a more scientific sort of book with experiments and operations being performed.  But, the cover on the right seems more pleasant and perhaps more similar to the actual story in that the cover on the right seems like it would be for a book about a little girl growing up and her life (but it doesn’t necessarily hint at the darkness of the little girl’s actual situation).  

What I also find interesting about the book covers is how the text of the title is displayed.  The cover on the left’s text is more jagged and sporadic whereas on the right it seems to be methodically placed.  The fact that the word “Me” is placed over the heart area is interesting to me because it could indicated several things- relationships are important in the novel, love is important, or that following desires is important.  Overall, both covers seem to be representing different aspects of the novel- the one on the left representing more of the aspect of cloning and donations and the one on the right depicting life and the happiness that was experienced before the characters finished their donations.  

THE ROCK WALL

THE ROCK WALL

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Link:: https://www.ted.com/talks/alex_honnold_how_i_climbed_a_3_000_foot_vertical_cliff_without_ropes/up-next

Summary

The argument being made in the TED Talk titled, “How I climbed a 3,000 vertical cliff- without ropes” by Alex Honnold is that with the right mindset and preparation your largest aspirations are able to become reality.  Throughout the course of the TED Talk he analyzed how he led up to the treacherous climb, the actions he took and what he did to mentally prepare himself. Perhaps the most important aspect of the TED Talk was when he explained what it felt like to finally reach the top of the mountain- a 3,000 foot vertical cliff I might add.  He described what it felt like to finally have achieved “mastery” in his free soloing climbing journey. The next most important aspect was his description of what preparations he took leading up to the climb- his repetition of the climb, stretching so he could make a specific move during the climb, removing loose rocks from the side of the cliff, etc.  Finally he analyzed his first free solo climb up Half Dome and probably the least significant part of the TED Talk, he briefly described how he got into climbing when he was 10 years old.

The Story Telling Techniques

Throughout Alex Honnold’s presentation of perhaps the largest accomplishment of his life, he utilized many techniques to convey his point.  First, he established the credibility of his story and his rock climbing ability by starting out with a breakdown of how he became a rock climber and furthering his credibility with a story of the first time he summited a cliff...without ropes.  Not only did he already climb a cliff without ropes once, he decided to do it again, but this time on an even larger cliff, around 3,000 ft if we’re being exact.

Alex Honnold then utilizes logos by breaking down what exactly he had to do to ensure he wouldn’t plummet to his death off the side of the cliff.  He describes the process of climbing the cliff over and over with ropes on and making sure he memorized every single move that he would have to make on the cliff to be able to reach the top.  

But perhaps the most signficant technique utilized was Honnold’s use of pathos.  IN order to get his point across that it is possible to accomplish dreams he had to emphasize what it felt like to accomplish his dream.  He was able to achieve true mastery and he spent a great deal of time explaining what this mastery felt like. He worked incredibly hard and emphasized his work by explaining the emotions invoked by each step of the process.  He was able to summit the, “most crown jewels of climbing” and introduced the audience to his feat by showing them footage of “the 30 best seconds of his life”.

Personal Connection

Ok but first of all, WHAT THE *bleep*!  I remember being in 3rd grade and being dared to climb the rock wall at the YMCA and lemme just tell you...I almost peed myself.  But, I’m not that much of a coward and so I ended up climbing the small little rock wall by the racquetball courts (but also because someone told me that they had prizes and cool stuff at the top of the wall...well they lied).  One thing however, that I do remember besides the trembling fear as my hands gripped each synthetic “rock” bolted on the wall, was the feeling of great relief and triumph as I was then slowly propelled to the squishy mat at the bottom of the wall.  

And let me just say, I did all of this while being held by a counselor at the base of the wall that was holding a rope that looped through a harness around my body.  This man climbed a 3,000 foot vertical cliff, with NO ROPES. NOBODY WATCHING HIM. I can only imagine the relief, joy, pain, exhaustion, and pure glory that this man felt when he reached the summit ALIVE.  And this in itself is why his TED Talk on his experience was so convincing and powerful. Even if I didn’t know what it felt like to climb a rock wall and how difficult that in itself was, I could still relate to the pain and exhaustion and pure joy he must have felt at his accomplishment.

I love personal victory stories because I love when people are successful in reaching their dreams.  I also feel like a part of me shares in their joy, even if I wasn’t directly involved in what happened.  The world is full of amazing people and I love hearing when people are able to do something that they have worked so hard to achieve.  

Jekyll and HIDE

From what I have gathered thus far in my reading of the novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, both men have extremely convoluted and concealed lives that yield little inclination to their true intentions and thoughts.  The characterization that I have read regarding the two men thus far reminds me of the characterization of “Boo” Radley in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.  Both Mr. Hyde and Boo Radley are described as creepy men that yield a sense of unease about them that is difficult to place.  

In an excerpt regarding Mr. Hyde’s character that says, “‘He is not easy to describe.  There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable…’” (Stevenson 11).  In this excerpt regarding Mr. Hyde’s characterization there is a sort of mysterious tone presented. Mr. Enfield is trying to describe this man but realizes that he cannot put a finger on why he seems so odd or what exactly is wrong with him.  So, in order to try and develop a picture in Mr. Utterson’s mind about who exactly this Mr. Hyde is, he begins to try and list attributes of the man. However, the list of attributes only serve to further confuse Mr. Utterson because they are vague and provide little indication as to what exactly is wrong with the man.  This results in Mr. Utterson further questioning the actions of Mr. Hyde to try and gain a sense of what he is like based not only on his appearance but also through his actions.

However, in contrast, in chapter 3 when the author characterizes Dr. Jekyll he writes, “To this rule, Dr. Jekyll was no exception; and as he now sat on the opposite side of the fire- a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness- you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr. Utterson a sincere and warm affection.” (Stevenson 21).  Here it is obvious that there is a difference in the characterization between Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll, Dr. Jekyll is portrayed in a more positive light with comments on his appearance portraying kindness as well as through his actions with him extending a warm greeting to Mr. Utterson. There is also clear juxtaposition in the character’s reactions regarding the men. When hearing of Mr. Hyde and his actions and something about his unplaceable nature, Mr. Utterson was uncomfortable.  He even mentioned not being able to get a sound good night sleep. However in contrast, Mr. Utterson has no issues with Dr. Jekyll, he only wonders why he has produced such a strange will that directly relates to Mr. Hyde.

Poem:

Jekyll Inner Thoughts: Jekyll External Appearance:

He knows. Something is going to get out Hello! How can you be so sure? I fear for the secret that was so tightly kept. He must understand absolutely nothing.   It is the only protection Ignorance is bliss and therefore not knowing anything is happiness.    Hyde you must not be found Do not let them know the secret.   It is imperative that you stay hidden. Forever perhaps.   Rest assured.   My mind will not be at peace.

He knows absolutely nothing. Smile. Greet. Repeat.   Hello! How are you Mr. Utterson?   The matters of my will will not be revised I apologize.   There is much for you to understand.   Hyde will not further any conflicts or issues, this I can assure you. He is being taken care of, Somewhere far far away.   Rest assured.   My mind is at peace and I understand the consequences of his actions. I will have it taken care of.   Thank you.

The purpose of this poem is to help examine the dichotomy of appearance vs. reality through the development of the character Dr. Jekyll.  In the left hand column is a poem exemplifying his inner thoughts and fears while the poem in the right column portrays the attitude and personality that he exhibits around other people- such as the lawyer Mr. Utterson.  The intended effect is that the audience will understand that humans are convoluted in nature and have personalities that they exhibit and others that they keep to themselves. Dr. Jekyll however, is just better at portraying attitudes and personality traits that would be accepted by people whereas Mr. Hyde invokes a feeling of unease by the character traits he exhibits.