VOCABULAY #2

accouterments : personal clothing, accessories, etc.
apogee :  the point in the orbit of a heavenly body, especially the moon, or of a man-made satellite at which it is farthest from the earth. Compare perigee.
apropos : fitting; at the right time; to the purpose; opportunely.
bicker : to engage in petulant or peevish argument; wrangle
coalesce : to grow together or into one body
contretemps : an inopportune occurrence; an embarrassing mischance
convolution : a rolled up or coiled condition.
cull : to choose; select; pick.
disparate : distinct in kind; essentially different; dissimilar
dogmatic : of, pertaining to, or of the nature of a dogma or dogmas; doctrinal.
licentious : sexually unrestrained; lascivious; libertine; lewd.
mete : to distribute or apportion by measure; allot; dole (usually followed by out  )
noxious : harmful or injurious to health or physical well-being
polemic : a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc.
populous : full of residents or inhabitants, as a region; heavily populated.
probity : integrity and uprightness; honesty.
repartee : a quick, witty reply.
supervene : to take place or occur as something additional or extraneous (sometimes followed by on  or upon  )
truncate : to shorten by cutting off a part; cut short
unimpeachable : above suspicion; impossible to discredit; impeccable

VOCABULARY #1

adumbrate : to produce a faint image or resemblance of; to outline or sketch.
apotheosis: the ideal example; epitome; quintessence
ascetic: a person who dedicates his or her life to a pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices extreme self-denial or self-mortification for religious reasons.
bauble : a showy, usually cheap, ornament; trinket; gewgaw.
beguile : to influence by trickery, flattery, etc.; mislead; delude.
burgeon: to grow or develop quickly; flourish
complement : something that completes or makes perfect
contumacious: stubbornly perverse or rebellious; willfully and obstinately disobedient.
curmudgeon : a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person.
didactic : teaching or intending to teach a moral lesson.
disingenuous:lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere
exculpate: to clear from a charge of guilt or fault; free from blame; vindicate  
 faux pas:     a slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct; an embarrassing social blunder or indiscretion.
fulminate : to explode with a loud noise; detonate.
fustian : a stout fabric of cotton and flax.
hauteur: arrogance.
inhibit : to restrain, hinder, arrest, or check (an action, impulse, etc.).
opportunist: a person who practices opportunism, or the policy of adapting actions, decisions, etc., to effectiveness regardless of the sacrifice of ethical principles
unconscionable: not guided by conscience; unscrupulous.

REFLECTIONS ON WEEK # 1

1. Are there any factors that you think are going to affect your participation or experience in this class? Access to a computer?  Mobile/smart phone?  Transportation?  Friends/family? Schedule?
I don't think there is going to be any factors that will affect my participation and experience in the class except my laziness and procrastination every once in a while. I do have a laptop and a cell phone. I do have my license and a truck. I do have family and friends and i do have family that are my friends, and friends that are like family. My schedule is 0 period; Provost, 1st period;Wagner,2nd period; English, 3rd period; Preston, 4th period; Van Patten. And hopefully soon a part-time job after school.
2. Think of an awesome best ever learning experience that changed you. What did you learn? Where were you? What happened? Who else was there? Did it teach you anything about how you learn (or pay attention... or remember, or think?) How did you know what was happening?
Best learning experience That has changed me was last year, 1st period, American Literature class, and Dr. Preston taught it. I learned a lot about myself, learned how to write essays better, learned some philosophy, some Young Goodman Brown, Open source learning, social media skills, and many different poems. the class taught me how to think outside the box and try something different, it has also taught me how to be an individual, and how to think for myself.
3. What are you most [excited/concerned] about in this class? What do you look forward to in learning?  How do you think it can/will make a practical difference in your life?
I'm excited about doing my own thing on assignments, make me, I'm mainly concerned about not keeping up with the class but i know its good for me and i will try my very best to keep up though I am only human, I'm not perfect. I'm looking forward to learning about the college of my choice and what it's going to take to make my future happen. It will Prepare me for my life after college.

THE RIGHTS TO YOUR OWN OPINION

As researching Montaigne i cam across this quote that reminded me of the Socratic Seminar
"Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know"

ESSAY ASSIGNMENT #2

Austen and Montaigne

“To compose our character is our duty, not to compose books, and to win, not battles and provinces, but order and tranquility in our conduct. Our great and glorious masterpiece is to live appropriately. All other things, ruling, hoarding, building, are only little appendages and props, at most.” Said by Michel De Montaigne. The quote relates back to Jane Austen when she wrote Pride and Prejudice, the book was a big hit, it is still enjoyed by people of this era. I won’t lie, I thought it was going to be just another boring book that was assigned, but I loved it. Though it’s great to find another author that had such a unique writing style as well. Montaigne is definitely a hard read but after doing so much research on him and his writing styles you get an understanding of him and what he’s about.

“Wit is the most dangerous talent you can possess: it must be guarded with great discretion and good nature. Be ever cautious in displaying your good sense… if you happen to have any learning, keep it a profound secret, especially from the men.” Said by Jane Austen. (Quote came from http://www.worldacademy.org/node/3392) looking at that quote it says a lot about how Austen put herself into Elizabeth Bennet and that right there is how I can connect Austen and Montaigne together because they put themselves into their books or essays. It was said on www.egs.edu/library/michel-de-montaigne/biography/ how in the essays he write about himself a lot and to make characters like themselves connects them.

It is hard to compare Austen to Montaigne just because their writing styles are different, Pride and Prejudice is a romance novel, and Montaigne wrote about the human existence. But it wasn’t impossible. I know we talked very little about Austen and if she really did make herself into a character in the book and after researching her I truly do believe that Elizabeth Bennet was Austen. As I understood Montaigne’s essays were all about himself and how he is understanding and observing life.

“What goes on inside is just too fast and huge and all interconnected for words to do more than barely sketch the outlines of at most one tiny little part of it at any given instant” said by Foster Wallace. I believe Montaigne’s techniques and topics can support Wallace, because Montaigne wrote about the human existence and how complicated it can be, the same with this quote by Foster, everything inside is connected but complicated to understand.

Austen and Montaigne are very wise, talented, and loved authors. I can see why we’re reading their books or essays, and learning how they saw the world, to look through someone else’s eyes can help you understand more easily. At first I thought this whole thing was going to be a nightmare but it actually wasn’t. Yes, sure it took me a little longer than it should have but it wasn’t that bad. So I’m very happy with the prompt and I’m glad I got through it.

MY BIG QUESTION

How is it when your unhappy you don't feel unhappy until you are truly happy?

POETRY #1

1. From what poem/author does this commercial borrow (without credit)? 

 Levi got he poem, "Laughing Heart", from author, Charles Bukowski

2. Why might the use of this poem by a corporation be considered ironic? 
 I think it's ironic because in the commercial it makes Levi jeans sound so important even though they're not. It makes Levi sound so complicated and inspiring  even though they're not, there just simple
3. Does the poem reflect the reputation of the author? Why/why not? 
 I think it definitely reflects the author because it just shows "It might not be much light but it beats darkness" his life may not have been very happy but he knew there was light. It didn't have to be a lot as long as you know there is light.
4. How did you find the answers to #1 & #3? Describe your research process and your sources in detail. 
To be honest i did this last year and i still have my blog so yay for my am lit blog!!!!
5. Memorize the poem and be prepared to recite it on demand.  on demand. 

"Pride and Prejudice" Summer Reading Notes

Poisonwood Bible Summer Notes

genisis one

• the first chapter is narrated by the mom of four daughters in the book named Orleanna who lays out a picture of a picnic by a river. after their meager picnic the girls go swimming up the river while Orleanna stays back and relaxes in the little meadow then all of a sudden she sees a methodological legend animal thing thats called a okapi which is like a deer in africa .
• one of the four daughters did not live through the end of the journey and the book is ike a plea of forgiveness.
• "Some of us know how we came by our fortune and some of us do not, but we wear it all the same. There is only one question worth asking now: How do we aim to live with it?" 

The three things we carried

• leah; she seems materialistic, she starts listing off seemingly object that they "need" on their journey to Africa, like betty crocker cake mix for birthdays, hand mirror, thimble, ect. all the things she thought she couldnt lve without start to burden her when she has to hold her luggage before she gets on the plane.
• ruth may; shes five years old, and all she remembered was about the blacks in africa that she was going to help.
• racheal price; shes fifteen years old and is the no religious one out of the bunch 

Essay assignment #1

“Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience. It is the unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place, between the self and its true home; its essential sadness can never be surmounted.” Said by Edward Said. The quote has such a strong and truthful meaning to it, though it’s easy for me to imagine what it’s like because I have read and experienced it.

In Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Bernard Marx was the complete outsider of the book. He so painfully tried to fit in and be happy by drinking soma (happy juice) and went to orgies, but it still didn’t work. He didn’t feel happy and he was always looked at like he wasn’t supposed to be an alpha that he should have been a beta.

Bernard thought that he can be happy and nontraditional with Lenina Crowne, who is a vaccination worker at the central London Hatchery and conditioning centre and is the girl that every alpha want to have sex with and pretty much every guy has except Bernard. So he tries his best to take her out on a date of obstacle golf without sex and Linina thinks he’s strange for not so she just drinks soma instead. So at the end of the date he still feels alone and an outsider.

Latter on Bernard asks his director if he can go take Lenina on vacation in New Mexico at the savage reservation and his director says yes after telling Bernard some information that gives Bernard leverage, but that leverage backed fired after rumors went around that the director was going to exile him after he gets back from vacation he starts to freak out. So he looks at the savage reservation for information against the director in which he finds out that the director had a son who happened to be a savage. So I think he’s starting to feel that he might actually be worshiped for finding the savage and finding out the savage is the director’s son.

When Bernard comes back and tells everyone who the savage is and who his father is everyone is appalled and the world controller exiled Bernard. Bernard is still alone and exiled more than anything, has no girlfriend because Lenina ends up developing a violent passion for the savage. So I believe that Bernard was a great example for the quote by Edward Said because he lived it through the book. Bernard was exiled and alone and it sucks, it’s not a fun thing to go through. You can be so alone and an outsider in a sea of people. Like Edward said “Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience” and he was so right.