Pride and Prejudice #8 and #9

 In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Darcy’s marriage proposal to Elizabeth ignites a chain reaction of events and moods that begin to construct the essential framework for a relationship between the two seemingly opposite characters. Now, Darcy has justified the very aspects of his character that Elizabeth seems to have the most trouble understanding. In a letter beforehand, Darcy explains to Elizabeth that Wickham actually tried to woo Darcy’s sister Georgiana, and that this is the sole reason behind their mutual distaste for each other. Furthermore, Elizabeth understands the manner in which Darcy approached her, and consequently begins to understand Darcy himself. Elizabeth, after randomly encountering Wickham, speaks briefly about Darcy and responds to allegations that he is quite different in character saying, “Yes…but I think Mr. Darcy improves on acquaintance” (199). Clearly Elizabeth is not yet fully impressed by Darcy and will require numerous other pieces of evidence that support Darcy as a non-arrogant, non-conceiting character, but for her to even utter this sentence displays a large sense understanding and development. Jane Austen uses these specific interactions between Wickham, and similar conversations with other characters, to establish a setting for Darcy’s character development as he rounds out his originally flat personality.

Elizabeth’s molding outlook on Darcy is subject to more positive change in the coming chapters, as Darcy himself presents his many decent and fundamental attributes. While touring Darcy’s Pemberley estate, Elizabeth is told the many qualities of Darcy that have gone unnoticed in the past. For example, while touring the estate, the housekeeper Mrs. Reynolds remarks that Darcy was “the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted boy in the world” (210) and that there were never any issues in the home. Taken aback, Elizabeth begins to seriously reconsider her perception of Darcy, and even goes as far as to picture herself as Darcy’s wife: “…and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something”. Jane Austen promotes the idea of an increasing development between Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship, and indicates future examples of how the two will grow closer together. As Darcy’s character begins to round out, the construct of a typical romantic comedy begin to take shape and the original negative perceptions of Darcy begin to diminish.

Response to AP Literature OR from 1984

In response to the AP Literature Open Response from 1984:

In George Orwell’s 1984, the incorporation of the Two Minutes Hate in the first few pages of the novel serve to summarize the ultimate objective of The Party in Oceania as a means for sustaining social hierarchy by channeling negative emotions away from the government.

            Winston describes the Two Minutes Hate as a provocative campaign by The Party to redirect any negative emotions towards a state-denounced enemy. This is exactly what the exercise is meant to do. Since The Party obsesses with the idea of controlling human thought by erasing all forms of domestic dissonance, they have their citizens engage in group therapy where they verbally tear their enemy to shreds, seemingly reinforcing one anothers thoughts of hatred with the support of the group. Winston remarks how he is unable to prevent himself from screaming in disgust even though he understands that The Party is trying to brainwash him and his comrades. This scene stands out because it openly correlates The Party’s desired objectives with their policies and methods for completing goals. By effectively teaching their population to hate a sworn enemy, the government is eradicating all forms of disapproval that would lay in opposition to maintaining a social hierarchical system of an upper, middle, and lower class.

            In the end, The Party strives to maintain the typical hierarchy of classes that has existed in the generations that preceded them, and does so especially through numerous methods of limited expression. For example, The Party utilizes their own language (newspeak) in order to abbreviate words and offer a sense of duality that result in doublethink. Similarly, the Two Minutes Hate serves to diminish negative emotions of the current government, and instead promote aggression towards an enemy. In turn, this will lead the population to grow more of an appreciation for The Party on the basis that they are fending off foreign insurgents. What is most important to consider in this scene is how the transgression of anger and hatred is channeled from one inherently malevolent object to a seemingly harmless one. This merely represents how effective The Party can be when enforcing certain policies and beliefs for their own benefit. The example of Two Minutes Hate is effective because it encompasses both the objectives and the strategies of The Party, where in the end any negative emotion is satisfied and all there is left to do is appreciate the government for having defended their own personal rights, even if this may not be the case. Ultimately, the government wants to ensure the prosperity of the Inner Party (upper class) within this social hierarchy. There apparent strategy for doing this is seen through their efforts to minimize social aggression and dissent amongst the population.

            The Two Minutes Hate scene from Orwell’s 1984 is an effectively important scene from the novel because it depicts the strategy of The Party in maintaining a positive presence in the face of the public for the purpose of actually promoting the interests of the most prestigious class within societies hierarchy of classes.

Hamlet #6

Hamlet’s one-sided interaction with the Queen in act 3 scene 4, despite her few lines, offers a greater lens into viewing her character as a whole. Previously in the play, there is controversy surrounding the Queen’s willingness to marry Claudius, and Hamlet wonders whether she was complicit with the murder and that is why their marriage evolved so quickly. This explains why Hamlet was incredibly accusatory at the beginning of their conversation, making rude remarks that portrayed Gertrude as a villain. Hamlet describes the murder as “such an act / that blurs the grace and blush of modesty / calls virtue hypocrite… [and] makes marriage vows / as false as dicers’ oaths” (III.iv.49-51; 53-54). Hamlet is trying to lead the queen into confessing either her knowledge of the murder or her compliance with Claudius’ plot. As Hamlet continues to rant about this horrible crime, the queen seems to experience several states of feeling. At first, she is accusatory towards Hamlet, explaining how his actions have sent Claudius into a strong state of grief; however, then the Queen becomes afraid that Hamlet will kill her, followed by an overwhelming sense of fear and astonishment as Hamlet tears her life apart from the very seams by disgracing her wretched act.

By this point in the conversation, Hamlet is trying to determine whether the Queen actually took part in the murder, arguing that it is impossible to choose Claudius over King Hamlet without being absolutely compliant: “a combination and a form indeed / where every god did seem to set his seal / to give the world assurance of a man. / This was your husband…blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes?” (III.iv.70-75). Hamlet himself is almost disbelieving that his mother was not in on the murder because of the horrible decision she made to marry Claudius. Through all of these differing emotions, Gertrude is then disbelieving of Hamlet when he claims to be speaking to a ghost, and she then suddenly begins to offer an understanding for Hamlet’s actions. This wide range of emotions display the Queen’s reaction to Hamlet’s power as a great shock that only depresses her control over the situation that eventually leads to the acceptance of her mad son. Gertrude’s actions during this one-sided conversation answer Hamlet’s initial question: was the Queen compliant with the murder? The answer is no, simply because her short, rapid, and differing responses to Hamlet’s words display her tendency to be dominated by powerful men in the play. This would explain how Claudius was able to convince the Queen to marry him even after knowing he was the one who committed the murder.

Freestyle Poem

Hey you, what's this all about?
What's the purpose, the tone, just give me a shout!
Tell me anything, anything, anything at all!
I won't hold it against you, just make your call.

I don't know, dear Professor, it's as simple as that,
The tone's too bland and the syntax's out of whack.
I don't care if you want me to be more concise,
Go onto someone else, and let them roll the dice.

But I asked you, and I expect a good answer,
You're in AP fool, this is an educational disaster.
Just give me a look at this simile right here,
Or just continue to stare in bewilderment and fear.

It's not that I'm scared, oh wonderful teacher,
More that I don't know anything about Shakespeare.
Hey, look at the clock, class is almost over,
You could have moved on and let me regain my composure,
But no, you stood there and grilled me with questions
Wondering how to put an end to your calculating lesson,
And now I'm stranded in my body, between redness and shaking,
Putting light to understanding, which I can see is now fading.

I'm done, I give up, there's nothing you can say.
I'm putting this to rest... have a great day.

Childhood Memory

I’m now in my olden days

And reminisce on the young.

I see my face in every stake

And wonder where I’ve come.

I’m here to tell ya my good ole’ story

So sit down and have some fun

We’re going to go deep

in the years

From which I hailed from.

Don’t raise your voice

Or break my speech

So let’s get started ahem

and without adieu

I portray my story

Here, on to you.

It’s about a memory deep inside my head

I repressed many years ago.

It’s flooding back all of a sudden now

With my recent duty tour.

I was six or seven on a warm summer evenin’

When I decided to go on a trek,

I snuck out of my own safe home

And found myself in a wreck.

Between whirling wasps and pestering bugs

I couldn’t stand the infinite heat.

It drove me crazy as I ran in fright,

Very far away from my street.

I ran until I could run no more

And threw myself on the ground,

Panting and shaking I searched for a sight

But not anything was to be found.

I saw nothing but objects and could hear faint whispers

Impaling me further into the earth,

I tried to stand up and collect my thoughts,

And force myself to stand firm.

None of it worked, as I crumpled in defeat,

With my life nearly following short,

But all of a sudden, I raised a sense of courage,

And forced my panic mode to abort.

It’s the soldier in me that defines me thee

And thus it can define you,

I ventured forth into the wilderness,

To find a path to pursue.

I came across a magnificent lake,

With the water rippling back n’ forth,

Complete tranquility and a sense of prosperity,

I took a step for what it’s worth.

And even faster than light,

Came a grizzly fright,

That shook the trees and scared the crows.

Frightened by me, or me by it,

I didn’t stick around to know.

I got up and ran north but south-west

With a wild beast following closely behind.

I found a clearing and a gunshot whirled

And the villain fell to its hind.

I looked up at the sky

With not a thought in my head,

Other than thinking of how I’m not dead.

I cried out in despair, “Oh I hate it here!”

And lay in silence…absolute silence…

I woke to a face I recognized much,

‘Twas my father smiling in cheer.

My eyes glanced around to every corner of the room,

And I realized there was no fear.

Safe and sound in my own safe home,

I rejoiced the absence of doom.

I’m thankful to be here, and not out there,

For I don’t know what I’d do.

‘Tis the story of a battle I’ve faced twice in my life,

And one I hope you never get to see.

For the battlefields and destroyed cities

Are enough to frighten me.

I wish for an end 
To this ongoing plight,

For if one doesn’t come, 
You should fear for your life.

Hamlet #5

Scenes 1 and 2 of Act 3 serve as an emphasis for the true question at hand: is Hamlet truly crazy or is he a mastermind as an actor? Judging from Hamlet’s interactions with Ophelia both during Claudius’ attempt to spy on Hamlet and during the play itself, one would assume Hamlet to be truly insane. His cruelty towards Ophelia, women, and marriage may exhibit his frustrations, but they certainly do not eradicate any feelings of madness within Hamlet. At one point, while discussing the implications of honesty and goodness within women, Hamlet remarks that he “never did love [Ophelia] once”, and claims that Ophelia’s “wantonness” and “ignorance…hath made [Hamlet] mad”. In a very articulate manner, Hamlet expresses his discontent with Ophelia to promote the unsatisfactory predispositions he has towards society as a whole. This in turn seems to augment Hamlet’s true insanity. His continued bitterness towards Ophelia and lewd, obscene behavior during the play further propel this perspective. However, just as Hamlet describes himself as knowing “a hack from a handsaw” in the previous act, his ability to immediately change his behavior when speaking with Horatio indicates his dexterity in transitioning between wild, eccentric behavior and calm rationality. Where Hamlet’s seemingly never-ending fit of complete madness encompasses much of these two scenes, his amazing levelheadedness is clear and present with Horatio: “Give me that man / That is not passion’s slave, and I will wear him / In my heart’s core, ay, in my heart of heart / As I do thee”. Shakespeare juxtaposes Hamlet’s initial interaction with Ophelia with his down to earth and joyous personality towards Horatio. As the audience is being led into an upcoming emotional scene between Hamlet and his mother, this very juxtaposition can be viewed as an emphasis for Hamlet’s apparent madness. Knowing that the end result of this play is full of tragedy may be used as a focal lens for interpreting Hamlet’s duplicitous personality; it is only a matter of time before Hamlet’s emotions and insanity catch up with in when in the face of his family.