Discussion questions (late)

First of all I apologize for the late post. :) But anyways, we started doing small group discussions last class on our drama reading (Oedipus Rex). We had questions and comments that we wrote for homework to share with the class. Now to be honest, my questions were kind of general because I didn't really know if I was doing it right. But I did get them answered. Okay, so the first one wasn't really a question; more of a comment. I thought Oedipus was an arrogant person who was a little self-centered and full of pride. One classmate commented that he was just to say that he will kill the murderer of the previous king when the murder was really him. So what's going to happen when everyone finds out that Oedipus was the murder. I've never read or seen this story before so I'm really curious as to what happens next.
My next question was asking everyone what their opinion was on Kreon. One said that he was having to constantly defend himself for a crime did not commit. Also, everyone in my group pretty much agreed the Kreon would probably make a monarch than Oedipus, which is probably true because we know that or Oedipus doesn't really deserve that turbofan responsibility.
I can't really say anything about my last question because it never got answered. I didn't think it was a very good question anyways. I am looking forward to finding out how the play ends. Not sure why though because I'm not a big fan of Greek literature or theatre. But let's see what happens. :)

Help From Google

I’m pretty sure that all, if not, most of us have used Google or some kind of website to “help” us out with our reading. I mean tell me that you have used Google at least once on one of the books you've read. Exactly! After Reading Bob Garfield’s article, “Google, My Co-Author”, I've come to realize that even those who are more intelligent when it comes about literature than the average high school student use Google when needed. I’m not afraid to admit that I've used websites such as Google for books that I didn't really have time to read. It’s not always the best choice though and by that I mean it’s not always reliable. Garfield says that Google “… is utterly unselfconscious. It doesn't care what you think about who it knows and where it has been…” He’s right! When you look up something on Google, it usually gives you the general answer of whatever you’re looking for. Plus, it’s really tempting to just copy and paste whatever you’re looking for. But everyone knows that is plagiarism, which is illegal. That’s when Google becomes difficult to use. You may have found the information, but you still have to put that information in your own words.

Honestly I think everyone should read Garfield’s article because it is a very helpful and reliable source. 

2015 :)

So apparently by 2015, all textbooks will be electronic. That would really be a lifesaver. First of all, how many of us have ever forgotten one of our textbooks when we get to school? I know I have. I've done it multiple times. This would take away the stress of carrying books around all day. Plus, less back problems will occur because students aren't carrying books on their back. This would be great for middle school, high school and especially college students. What a relief!! I actually told my mom about this change and she was ecstatic! She totally agrees that it would be much easier and more suitable for this generation. The world basically revolves around technology nowadays. Although, there are some people who would probably think differently about this change. Sometimes, we have to realize that technology is not everyone's best friend. To be honest, I do think it would be a complete waste of time and money for those who are attend grade school. I don't think they would use this opportunity as well as those with higher education. But you never know. All I'm saying is that I am really excited about this new technology change. Maybe, if we're lucky, it will come sooner than 2015. But we'll just have to wait and see shall we?

Irony :/

The question I asked myself is: Do I really understand irony? Honestly, I would have to say I do understand, but at certain times. For example, now that I fully understand that verbal irony is pretty much the same as sarcasm, I feel that is the easiest type of irony to spot. I mean, almost everyone has seen or used sarcasm at least once. The same thing goes for situational irony. Once I’m able to see or read an example, it comes right to me. But then there are times when I have difficulty figuring out whether or not something would be considered irony, especially if it’s dramatic irony. I actually thought that dramatic irony and situational irony were the same thing. Boy was I wrong. Although I know I it’s not right, I still think that they are the same type of irony. So could someone help me out and explain the difference between them to me in a way that would be more beneficial for me? How do I know which is which? Can you give me examples? Anything you can think of would be mean a lot. Once I have a full understanding of humor and all types of irony, it might help me get another step closer to where I want to be with my writing.

Hills Like White Elephants

I actually enjoyed the story we read last, Hills Like White Elephants. I'm not entirely sure why but I thought it was very interesting. But like many of my classmates I'm sure, I did find it somewhat difficult to understand the material. It really didn't make much sense. I was late to class to class that day, but I did make it just in time to discuss the story and the clues and significance behind it (baby, embryo, abortion, "cut it out, etc.). I would have never guessed that the story had anything to do with babies and abortion. Surprisingly, that just made the story slightly better for me, even though it was already interesting in the first place.

The Lesson

So we covered theme a little bit in class today and I feel more comfortable with it. At first, I had trouble figuring out what theme was because I usually thought it would be a moral or lesson. But according to the six principles of theme, I need to avoid the words "morals", "advice", and "commands" when determining the theme. So I thought I'd share my theme statement for The Lesson. Most of us probably found numerous possible themes. There wasn't really a right or wrong answer. But here is my statement: "Some wealthy people like to brag about how much money they have and all things that they can purchase, which is not fair for those who aren't as fortunate and living in poverty". I thought of this statement because Mercedes was always talking about how much money her parents have and the nice stuff that she gets, such as stationary for her desk, while other students, like Junebug and Flyboy, don't even have a desk to do their homework.

Plot and Structure

After reading about plot and structure, I started focusing more on stories that I have read previously, including the Most Dangerous Game (TMDG). I found out that TMDG has a chronological structure. I learned who the protagonist was (Rainsford) and who his antagonists were (Whitney; General Zaroff). The story had emotional, mental, physical, as well as moral conflicts. The suspense was great because I didn't think about what would happen next, but the reasons why they made certain decisions as well. For example, when Rainsford had to make a decision on whether to stay on the island and be part of Zaroff's hunting game or try to leave and be killed immediately. He chose to play the game. So I started wondering what he would try to do to survive and beat Zaroff at his own game. But I was still pleased with the ending. I thought it fit the entire story well. But this is all my opinion and I know others will have their opinions as well. I'm just sharing my views. :)