Childhood is something that marks each and every person. The way kids grow up and how their parents were can greatly affect the adults they will become tomorrow. This is a theme that can be found in Karoline Leach’s play Tryst. George Love, one of the main characters is a criminal because of the way he was treated as a child. He refuses commit to a relationship because of trust issues and low self esteem and doesn’t let anyone see who he really is.
George Love came from an abusive home. Because of that, he has never been able to commit to someone. Ever since he was eighteen years old, he has made a living out of seducing women and stealing their money. He used that same scheme with Adelaide. His father, the person who is supposed to love him unconditionally was very violent towards him and his mother. This is the source of his behavior. Had he been born into a loving and nurturing family, he would’ve never turned out to be the man he is now. He doesn’t want to trust people because he fears that he might get hurt in the process. Every time George gets close to a woman, he ends up deceiving her by lying and stealing. He does that because he doesn’t see himself worthy of love. In his mind, it’s better if he fails the woman now purposely rather than have a relationship and deceive her by being himself. This pattern that he does has become an addiction. Since he’s been doing this every since he was a teenager and he is now a middle aged man, it means that he’s accumulated a lot of money. That means he could possibly stop stealing and just enjoy his wealth. However, he keeps doing it over and over again because it’s the only way for him to feel wanted and loved. He is too scared to start a real relationship so he lies and steals because for a short moment, it makes him fell better. Not only did his childhood made him afraid of commitment, it also made him keep everyone at arm’s length.
The way George sees himself is quite pitiable. He doesn’t seem to think he is interesting enough to be around. He lies to every woman he meets. He tells them he has a very important job and that he’s fluent in French. He lies about where he traveled and who he knows. It’s a way for George to protect himself. By creating this façade, he makes sure that no woman can get to him and hurt him. By keeping everyone away, he’s preventing himself from being hurt. His father was probably verbally abusive towards him and told him that he was worthless and stupid. After being told that over and over again, he ended up believing it .Near the end of the play, George revealed to Adelaide how bad his childhood was. He also told her all about his ruse and his lies. She is the only woman with whom he had ever been completely honest. This is why he drowned her in the bathtub. He could not live knowing that someone else knew the “real” him. He couldn’t bear the thought of her knowing what a horrible person he had become.
George’s personality and behavior are direct results of his childhood. He lies to feels admired and loved by women. Low self esteem and trust issues are also consequences of the abusive he was subjected to as a kid. This is an important issue in today’s society. Juvenile delinquents and criminals often come from abusive homes. When they grow up in these kinds of families, they become murderers, killer, rapist. There needs to be more awareness of this in the media so that people can recognize when a child is being abused.
642 words
mercredi 6 mai 2009
mercredi 29 avril 2009
Introducing a litterary essay
1. Biography information
-Raised in a difficult environnement
-Suffered from alcoholism
2. Quotation
"To be or not to be, that is the question."
3. Definition
Insanity is doing the same thing all the time and expecting different results.
4. Elements of fiction
-Irony
5. Life experiences
6. Very brief plot summary
7.Philosophical concept
Everyone seeks _______?________
8.Historical background
The American civil war lasted for 5 years and saw 500 000 deaths
Read the opening lines of student essays. Write the number of the suggestion that fits best.
___5___ Human emotions are complex and sometimes inexplicable, as are our behaviours. It is hard to understand why people often try to impose themselves on others, taking others` freedom, as the main the husband does in this story.
___7___ It is in human nature to seek freedom. And we have no control over the fact that we are born to be free. That is what the author realizes in this story.
____1__ The author was a young widow. And so she was able to understand the many emotions of a woman who learns that her husband has died unexpectedly.
___8___ In the story, the author presents the role and the feeling of women in the nineteenth century. As the author suggests, women at the time had very few rights.
___2___‘Free! Body and soul free!’ Every human being is born free, according to the author.
___3___ What is freedom? According to The American Heritage Dictionary Dictionary, freedom is ‘the capacity to exercise choice.’ In this story, the author presents the main character as a woman without freedom, one who could not make her own choices in life.
___6___ The story by the author shows us the unexpected reaction of the main character after she loses her husband. She grieves at first, then surprisingly becomes cheerful at the thought of her husband being around no longer.
___4___ Spring is the time of year when nature becomes vivid again after long months of cold, gray, sad weather. In this story, the spring scene offers a parallel to a personal situation.
-Raised in a difficult environnement
-Suffered from alcoholism
2. Quotation
"To be or not to be, that is the question."
3. Definition
Insanity is doing the same thing all the time and expecting different results.
4. Elements of fiction
-Irony
5. Life experiences
6. Very brief plot summary
7.Philosophical concept
Everyone seeks _______?________
8.Historical background
The American civil war lasted for 5 years and saw 500 000 deaths
Read the opening lines of student essays. Write the number of the suggestion that fits best.
___5___ Human emotions are complex and sometimes inexplicable, as are our behaviours. It is hard to understand why people often try to impose themselves on others, taking others` freedom, as the main the husband does in this story.
___7___ It is in human nature to seek freedom. And we have no control over the fact that we are born to be free. That is what the author realizes in this story.
____1__ The author was a young widow. And so she was able to understand the many emotions of a woman who learns that her husband has died unexpectedly.
___8___ In the story, the author presents the role and the feeling of women in the nineteenth century. As the author suggests, women at the time had very few rights.
___2___‘Free! Body and soul free!’ Every human being is born free, according to the author.
___3___ What is freedom? According to The American Heritage Dictionary Dictionary, freedom is ‘the capacity to exercise choice.’ In this story, the author presents the main character as a woman without freedom, one who could not make her own choices in life.
___6___ The story by the author shows us the unexpected reaction of the main character after she loses her husband. She grieves at first, then surprisingly becomes cheerful at the thought of her husband being around no longer.
___4___ Spring is the time of year when nature becomes vivid again after long months of cold, gray, sad weather. In this story, the spring scene offers a parallel to a personal situation.
mercredi 22 avril 2009
Self assesment - Book report
Grade : 7,5/10
I think I should get 7,5/10 because I was prepared. Also, me and Alice improvised a bit because we were missing a team member but we did very well anyway. I tried to tell the story without revealing the ending while keeping the class interested.
I think I should get 7,5/10 because I was prepared. Also, me and Alice improvised a bit because we were missing a team member but we did very well anyway. I tried to tell the story without revealing the ending while keeping the class interested.
mardi 31 mars 2009
Hills like white elephants
Plot summary:
In this short story, a man, know as The American and his female partner are at the bar of a train station. While they are waiting for their train to arrive, they drink and have a conversation about a certain operation that the girl is to undego.
Themes and recurring elements :
-The conflict between personal responsibility and hedonism
-Coming of age
-Manipulation
Symbolism and setting :
-The hills in distance can be seen as an obstacle for the couple
-When Jig says :"That's all we do, isn't it--look at things and try new drinks" , it means that new things she wanted to try have become ordinary or boring to her
-White elephants can symobolise the swollen stomache of a pregnant women
Dialogue :
-The dialogue doesn't let us know much about the backstory of the characters. We have to figure it out by analysing their body language.
-Since the narrator is not omniscient, we do not know what the american and Jig are thinking. Therefore, we can analyse the story many different ways.
The Author :
Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Illinois. He was raised into a strictly religious household. His first writing experience was for his school's paper. He finished high school in 1917 but instead of going to college, he got a job as a reporter for the Kansas City Star. He later joigned the Red Cross Ambulance corp and went off the World War I. Hemingway published many books such as Men Without Women (1927) and The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories (1938).
In this short story, a man, know as The American and his female partner are at the bar of a train station. While they are waiting for their train to arrive, they drink and have a conversation about a certain operation that the girl is to undego.
Themes and recurring elements :
-The conflict between personal responsibility and hedonism
-Coming of age
-Manipulation
Symbolism and setting :
-The hills in distance can be seen as an obstacle for the couple
-When Jig says :"That's all we do, isn't it--look at things and try new drinks" , it means that new things she wanted to try have become ordinary or boring to her
-White elephants can symobolise the swollen stomache of a pregnant women
Dialogue :
-The dialogue doesn't let us know much about the backstory of the characters. We have to figure it out by analysing their body language.
-Since the narrator is not omniscient, we do not know what the american and Jig are thinking. Therefore, we can analyse the story many different ways.
The Author :
Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Illinois. He was raised into a strictly religious household. His first writing experience was for his school's paper. He finished high school in 1917 but instead of going to college, he got a job as a reporter for the Kansas City Star. He later joigned the Red Cross Ambulance corp and went off the World War I. Hemingway published many books such as Men Without Women (1927) and The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories (1938).
The Catcher in the Rye
Author : J.D. Salinger
This book's main character is Holden Caulfield. He is rebelious and out of ordinary 16 year-old teenager. The story starts with Holden, narrating what happened to him the year before from a mental hospital. He gets kicked out of his private school a couple of weeks before Christmas and there begins a series of aventures.
Later, in the story, Holden goes to his teacher's house. During the night, Mr. Antolini, the teacher, starts touching Holden, in a way that that makes him uncomfortable. This part is confusing because, in the book, it's not explicitally said that the teacher was molesting him. It also confuses Holden because before the incendent, he really respected his teacher. He doesn't know what to think of him because he is not sure that what he thinks happened really did. Therefore, it is up to us, the readers, to decide whether or not, the teacher was out of line.
One of my favorite parts is when Holden explains that he sees himself as a «Catcher in the rye». He imagines that he's garding a rye field on a cliff. He watches out for all the kids playing in the field so they don't fall off the cliff. If the kids when to get too close to trhe edge, he would catch them. Holden wants to protect the kids from becoming adults. He wants to preserve their innocence. Before that, he says: "I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would’ve, too, if I’d been sure somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed. I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory." Here aswell, Holden wishes to preserve the innocence of others. He wouldn't want anyone to have to witness his dead body. He want sto protect them from this sight.
I think that every teenager and young adult can relate to Holden in some way. He has friends and a family yet, he feels so lonely. He doesn't seem to be able to connect to people in real way because he thinks most people are phoney. He is constantly changing his personnality, depending on who he's talking to. He is closed off but that's not entirely his fault, given that he has a mental illness. The only person he genuinly loves is his little sister, Phoebe. Holden is, by no means, an role model. He drinks, swears, and does drugs throughout the story. At one point, he even hires a prostitute. Thats why, when «The Catcher in the rye» was first published, it was one of the most banned books in America. Schools didn't want their students to behave the way Holden does. By doing all this, I believe he is trying to fill a void. Being under the influence of drugs and alchool takes him away from reality. It helps him forget how alone he thinks he is.
This book's main character is Holden Caulfield. He is rebelious and out of ordinary 16 year-old teenager. The story starts with Holden, narrating what happened to him the year before from a mental hospital. He gets kicked out of his private school a couple of weeks before Christmas and there begins a series of aventures.
Later, in the story, Holden goes to his teacher's house. During the night, Mr. Antolini, the teacher, starts touching Holden, in a way that that makes him uncomfortable. This part is confusing because, in the book, it's not explicitally said that the teacher was molesting him. It also confuses Holden because before the incendent, he really respected his teacher. He doesn't know what to think of him because he is not sure that what he thinks happened really did. Therefore, it is up to us, the readers, to decide whether or not, the teacher was out of line.
One of my favorite parts is when Holden explains that he sees himself as a «Catcher in the rye». He imagines that he's garding a rye field on a cliff. He watches out for all the kids playing in the field so they don't fall off the cliff. If the kids when to get too close to trhe edge, he would catch them. Holden wants to protect the kids from becoming adults. He wants to preserve their innocence. Before that, he says: "I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would’ve, too, if I’d been sure somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed. I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory." Here aswell, Holden wishes to preserve the innocence of others. He wouldn't want anyone to have to witness his dead body. He want sto protect them from this sight.
I think that every teenager and young adult can relate to Holden in some way. He has friends and a family yet, he feels so lonely. He doesn't seem to be able to connect to people in real way because he thinks most people are phoney. He is constantly changing his personnality, depending on who he's talking to. He is closed off but that's not entirely his fault, given that he has a mental illness. The only person he genuinly loves is his little sister, Phoebe. Holden is, by no means, an role model. He drinks, swears, and does drugs throughout the story. At one point, he even hires a prostitute. Thats why, when «The Catcher in the rye» was first published, it was one of the most banned books in America. Schools didn't want their students to behave the way Holden does. By doing all this, I believe he is trying to fill a void. Being under the influence of drugs and alchool takes him away from reality. It helps him forget how alone he thinks he is.
mercredi 4 mars 2009
Mid-term writing test
1.What is Louis Mallard’s opinion of marriage? Indicate the paragraph that suggests it?
In the 12th paragraph, Louise says that marriage is basically a crime. She thinks that being married means living for someone else and not be free.
2.Explain how Louise can feel joy and sadness at the same time?
Despite the fact that Louise felt free, she still feels sad because she did love her husband. She is, however, glad at the same time that he’s gone because now, she can start living for herself.
3.Why does Louise Mallard suddenly stop crying? Indicate the place in the text?
At the 3rd paragraph, Louise stops crying. She does so because she does not feel sad anymore.
4.How does Louise’s sister and his friend, Richards, feel about the Mallard’s marriage.
They think that their marriage is strong, especially Josephine. She has a hard time telling Louise that her husband’s dead because she thinks that Louise loves him.
The story of an hour by Kate Chopin is a short story about a woman who learns that her husband was killed. All of the events happen in a matter of an hour. The irony used in this short story and the way marriage is perceived is what makes it so captivating.
Louise Mallard learns that her husband, Brently Mallard was killed in an accident. You would expect her to be sad, completely heart-broken. However, it is not the case. Louise feels this peculiar joy, this freedom emanate from her. She feels that she can finally live for herself. This is particularly ironic. She feels reborn, like she has been given a second chance at happiness when her husband dies. At the 14th paragraph, she says : "Free! Body and soul free!". The death of someone else freed her. Instead of thinking that something was taked from her, she feels like her life was given back to her : « Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own». The irony in this story is strickingly present at the end of the story. Louise dies of happiness and right after, her husband returns, alive. Her joy will be the source of her death.
When Louise goes alone to her room, she feels strange. What she mistook for joy, was actually the beginning of a heart attack : « She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will ». The fact that she tried to fight « joy » means that , for a short moment, she feels guilty of being so happy.
At the beginning of the story, Josephine doesn’t know how to break the news to her sister : « It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing.». Josephine probably thought that Louise loved her husband. That means Louise was faking her marriage. She made it seem as though she was happy being married. She felt happy in the end because she was relieved; faking must’ve been exausting.
From Louise’s point of view, marriage is like being emprisoned. She felt trapped. She feels that, alone, she can be completely happy and enjoy the rest of her life.
This short story is very different from what I’ve read before. It’s unsettling to read about a woman who dies of happiness upon learning her husband’s death.
415 words
In the 12th paragraph, Louise says that marriage is basically a crime. She thinks that being married means living for someone else and not be free.
2.Explain how Louise can feel joy and sadness at the same time?
Despite the fact that Louise felt free, she still feels sad because she did love her husband. She is, however, glad at the same time that he’s gone because now, she can start living for herself.
3.Why does Louise Mallard suddenly stop crying? Indicate the place in the text?
At the 3rd paragraph, Louise stops crying. She does so because she does not feel sad anymore.
4.How does Louise’s sister and his friend, Richards, feel about the Mallard’s marriage.
They think that their marriage is strong, especially Josephine. She has a hard time telling Louise that her husband’s dead because she thinks that Louise loves him.
The story of an hour by Kate Chopin is a short story about a woman who learns that her husband was killed. All of the events happen in a matter of an hour. The irony used in this short story and the way marriage is perceived is what makes it so captivating.
Louise Mallard learns that her husband, Brently Mallard was killed in an accident. You would expect her to be sad, completely heart-broken. However, it is not the case. Louise feels this peculiar joy, this freedom emanate from her. She feels that she can finally live for herself. This is particularly ironic. She feels reborn, like she has been given a second chance at happiness when her husband dies. At the 14th paragraph, she says : "Free! Body and soul free!". The death of someone else freed her. Instead of thinking that something was taked from her, she feels like her life was given back to her : « Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own». The irony in this story is strickingly present at the end of the story. Louise dies of happiness and right after, her husband returns, alive. Her joy will be the source of her death.
When Louise goes alone to her room, she feels strange. What she mistook for joy, was actually the beginning of a heart attack : « She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will ». The fact that she tried to fight « joy » means that , for a short moment, she feels guilty of being so happy.
At the beginning of the story, Josephine doesn’t know how to break the news to her sister : « It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing.». Josephine probably thought that Louise loved her husband. That means Louise was faking her marriage. She made it seem as though she was happy being married. She felt happy in the end because she was relieved; faking must’ve been exausting.
From Louise’s point of view, marriage is like being emprisoned. She felt trapped. She feels that, alone, she can be completely happy and enjoy the rest of her life.
This short story is very different from what I’ve read before. It’s unsettling to read about a woman who dies of happiness upon learning her husband’s death.
415 words
mercredi 25 février 2009
Poetry
1. Setting : temporal and geographical
2. Subject/Theme
3. Genre : sonnet, balad, lyric, ode, epic............
4. Voice/persona
5. Distance from the poem : historical and cultural
6. Diction/Use of words : imagery, symbolism, figures of speech(simile, metaphor, alliteration, assonance, personnification, consonance), pun
7. Structure
2. Subject/Theme
3. Genre : sonnet, balad, lyric, ode, epic............
4. Voice/persona
5. Distance from the poem : historical and cultural
6. Diction/Use of words : imagery, symbolism, figures of speech(simile, metaphor, alliteration, assonance, personnification, consonance), pun
7. Structure
The Civil War
-1861-1865 opposing north against 11 southern states
-The south wanted to form a confederacy by fright of abolition of slavery
-Over 500 000 americans were killed
-The south wanted to form a confederacy by fright of abolition of slavery
-Over 500 000 americans were killed
Book report
1.Tell what happened/ Plot= Storyline
2. Describe your favorite part
3. Write a letter to the author
4. Tell how you would react if you were one of the characters in the novel
5. Copy down a quote from a character and tell why think it's meaningful.
6. Why the book is awesome or not
7. Suggest a different ending or continue the story
2. Describe your favorite part
3. Write a letter to the author
4. Tell how you would react if you were one of the characters in the novel
5. Copy down a quote from a character and tell why think it's meaningful.
6. Why the book is awesome or not
7. Suggest a different ending or continue the story
mardi 17 février 2009
More movie questions
1. Storyline - Is the storyline believeable? Did you find yourself lost in it as if you were there? For the most part, I think the story was very believable. Many people during Word war II were illiterate.
2. Screenplay - Was the dialogue forced? Was it believeable?
3. Acting - Which actors / actresses stand out and which don't? Why, in either case? David Kross, as the young Michael Berg really stood out to me. i thought his performance was outstanding. The fact that he was nude in a few scenes while being only 18 is amazing.
4. Special effects - Are they realistic? Do they blow you away, or are they only mildly effective? There weren't much special effects .
5. Music - Was it overpowering/distracting? Did it evoke emotion?
6. Editing - Was the movie's pace slow? Was it over-edited? I thought the movie was moving fine. Some might think the beginning was long but we needed to really grasp the feelings of Anna and Michael for each other.
7. Main theme/purpose - Do you agree with it? Why or why not?
8. Overall apprecation - What specifically did you like/dislike? Did the author/actors/director do a good job? Why or why not? How could the film be improved? Why would particular changes help? I absolutely loved the movie. The thing I would change though are the love scenes. They were too many and while they were done tastefully, it got annoying after 3 times.
2. Screenplay - Was the dialogue forced? Was it believeable?
3. Acting - Which actors / actresses stand out and which don't? Why, in either case? David Kross, as the young Michael Berg really stood out to me. i thought his performance was outstanding. The fact that he was nude in a few scenes while being only 18 is amazing.
4. Special effects - Are they realistic? Do they blow you away, or are they only mildly effective? There weren't much special effects .
5. Music - Was it overpowering/distracting? Did it evoke emotion?
6. Editing - Was the movie's pace slow? Was it over-edited? I thought the movie was moving fine. Some might think the beginning was long but we needed to really grasp the feelings of Anna and Michael for each other.
7. Main theme/purpose - Do you agree with it? Why or why not?
8. Overall apprecation - What specifically did you like/dislike? Did the author/actors/director do a good job? Why or why not? How could the film be improved? Why would particular changes help? I absolutely loved the movie. The thing I would change though are the love scenes. They were too many and while they were done tastefully, it got annoying after 3 times.
Movie reviews
Positive reviews:
1) "Law versus morality is at the chilling heart of this potent film whose complex themes begin with a young man's first sexual encounter and traverses uncomfortable territory including that of harrowing war crimes."
2) "The Reader is one of my favorite movies from the year 2008. It is incredibly complex in the way you react to the characters of the movie. It carries many emotions from sensuality to anger all the way back to that of sympathy and resolution. Many moves advertise themselves as unbiased and fair but nothing gets close to that like The Reader which is able to build sympathy for a character you would never think you could feel towards."
3) "Underage desire converges with perverse passions of the political sort, where in the case of one's country, love is basically blind. A remarkably brilliant and subversive guilt by erotic association thriller. "
Negative reviews:
1) "Just went to see this film. I was amazed to see how bad/clumsy the entire movie was. Obviously I wasn't the only one to think so according to the poor rating at Rotentomatos.com. Is the Oscar so easily influenced by Harvey Weinstein? That's an insult to all cinema fans! As for Winslet's performance, sure she bares and wears make-up. But so what? I was not impressed by her performance here at all. Her turn in Revolutinary Road was far more impressive. I love Kate Winslet, but I'd rather see her winning the Oscar for a better movie. She is still young and I am sure it will happen soon.Oscar should be given based on performance. Not based on campaigning or a sentiment for never winning. That said, Best actress this year should go to Meryl Streep for Doubt. "
2) "After watching this movie i wish i had not seen it. This movie is very boring.The story was OK but somehow the movie seemed extremely boring.There are some things that are not revealed during a film but one hopes that they would be at the end of the film, but that is not the case here,after watching the movie i had many questions racing through my mind.But the answers have not been given in the movie.i am actually surprised how this movie was nominated for Oscars. i would not recommend anyone to watch this movie."
3) "But leaving the repulsive nudity aside, one struggles to find an actual film. Unless of course you consider the subtle (not really) message shoved down our throats a "film". Yes, we get it: The Nazis were imbeciles, and Jews are Gods. Anything else? Hanna is shown as an example of the imbecile Nazi who struggles to understand the Judge's point that she should not have left those people burn to death. She can only think that opening the door would mean their escape, and she is such a retard following orders she could not change her priorities when they were facing death. She is not portrayed as a cold hearted woman who decided that death is better than escape, she is just so stupid she does not get why they wanted her to open the door."
1) "Law versus morality is at the chilling heart of this potent film whose complex themes begin with a young man's first sexual encounter and traverses uncomfortable territory including that of harrowing war crimes."
2) "The Reader is one of my favorite movies from the year 2008. It is incredibly complex in the way you react to the characters of the movie. It carries many emotions from sensuality to anger all the way back to that of sympathy and resolution. Many moves advertise themselves as unbiased and fair but nothing gets close to that like The Reader which is able to build sympathy for a character you would never think you could feel towards."
3) "Underage desire converges with perverse passions of the political sort, where in the case of one's country, love is basically blind. A remarkably brilliant and subversive guilt by erotic association thriller. "
Negative reviews:
1) "Just went to see this film. I was amazed to see how bad/clumsy the entire movie was. Obviously I wasn't the only one to think so according to the poor rating at Rotentomatos.com. Is the Oscar so easily influenced by Harvey Weinstein? That's an insult to all cinema fans! As for Winslet's performance, sure she bares and wears make-up. But so what? I was not impressed by her performance here at all. Her turn in Revolutinary Road was far more impressive. I love Kate Winslet, but I'd rather see her winning the Oscar for a better movie. She is still young and I am sure it will happen soon.Oscar should be given based on performance. Not based on campaigning or a sentiment for never winning. That said, Best actress this year should go to Meryl Streep for Doubt. "
2) "After watching this movie i wish i had not seen it. This movie is very boring.The story was OK but somehow the movie seemed extremely boring.There are some things that are not revealed during a film but one hopes that they would be at the end of the film, but that is not the case here,after watching the movie i had many questions racing through my mind.But the answers have not been given in the movie.i am actually surprised how this movie was nominated for Oscars. i would not recommend anyone to watch this movie."
3) "But leaving the repulsive nudity aside, one struggles to find an actual film. Unless of course you consider the subtle (not really) message shoved down our throats a "film". Yes, we get it: The Nazis were imbeciles, and Jews are Gods. Anything else? Hanna is shown as an example of the imbecile Nazi who struggles to understand the Judge's point that she should not have left those people burn to death. She can only think that opening the door would mean their escape, and she is such a retard following orders she could not change her priorities when they were facing death. She is not portrayed as a cold hearted woman who decided that death is better than escape, she is just so stupid she does not get why they wanted her to open the door."
mercredi 11 février 2009
Sentence Pattern #1
Sentence: Complete idea/ subject + verb.
Clause: incomplete/ subject + verb (part of a sentence)
Phrase : preposition(in ,on, at) / No verb
Participle: present (ing)
past (ed)
Ex: [CSL] [has] [3200 students] [in different programs] [which are all interesting].
S V object prepositional phrase dependant clause
s v semicolon ic
Ex: CSl has 3200 students; may are smart and talented.
Frank Stockton's most famous story is "The Lady or the Tiger".
It's about a young man being judged for his illicit affair with a princess.
1a. IC semi-colon+ conjuctive adverb + comma + IC
Ex :FS started as a wodd engraver; however, he became a famous writer.
1b. IC+Comma+Coordinating conjuction(fanboys)+IC
Ex: The story has no ending, so the reader is left wondering what happens.
Sentence Pattern #2
IC + Colon (:)
Statement : Explanation (specific)
Bernard Shan told a writer
Ex1: "There are three things I disliked about your story : They are the beginning, middle and end."
Ex2: "There is one key rule in my life : live and let live."
Ex3: Darwins' The origin of the species staded a harsh truth : only the fittest survive.
Simile : The comparison of two unlike things using like or as. Ex: It's about as easy as striking a match on a mirror.
Metaphor: Comparison of two unlike things using the verb "to be" and not using like or as as in a simile.
Ex: Type 1, A=B : The sky is a blue tapestry
Type 2, a) The young goaler skyrocketed to fame but now he's crashed
b) In playing the Bruins, the Habs are hitting a stone wall
c) Koivu used to have cat-like moves
Analogy: The comparison of two pairs which have the same relationship. Ex: The Grande Bibliothèque might hold the key to your future; it unlocks many doors to knowledge; it opens the way to numerous opportunities.
Ex: The human brains resembles a computer; it has incredible memory; it is made of differents parts that are connected to each other.
Allusion: A brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or ficticious, or to a work of art. Ex: His Achille's heal was his lack of personnality
Ex: The fieing of Carbonneau opened up a Pandora's box of problems for Gainey
Ex: Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore
Ex: She played Barbie to his Ken
Personnification: Giving human qualities to animals or objects.
Ex: Dogs say cat loves too much
Ex:Sun flowers nodded in the afternoon sun
Clause: incomplete/ subject + verb (part of a sentence)
Phrase : preposition(in ,on, at) / No verb
Participle: present (ing)
past (ed)
Ex: [CSL] [has] [3200 students] [in different programs] [which are all interesting].
S V object prepositional phrase dependant clause
s v semicolon ic
Ex: CSl has 3200 students; may are smart and talented.
Frank Stockton's most famous story is "The Lady or the Tiger".
It's about a young man being judged for his illicit affair with a princess.
1a. IC semi-colon+ conjuctive adverb + comma + IC
Ex :FS started as a wodd engraver; however, he became a famous writer.
1b. IC+Comma+Coordinating conjuction(fanboys)+IC
Ex: The story has no ending, so the reader is left wondering what happens.
Sentence Pattern #2
IC + Colon (:)
Statement : Explanation (specific)
Bernard Shan told a writer
Ex1: "There are three things I disliked about your story : They are the beginning, middle and end."
Ex2: "There is one key rule in my life : live and let live."
Ex3: Darwins' The origin of the species staded a harsh truth : only the fittest survive.
Simile : The comparison of two unlike things using like or as. Ex: It's about as easy as striking a match on a mirror.
Metaphor: Comparison of two unlike things using the verb "to be" and not using like or as as in a simile.
Ex: Type 1, A=B : The sky is a blue tapestry
Type 2, a) The young goaler skyrocketed to fame but now he's crashed
b) In playing the Bruins, the Habs are hitting a stone wall
c) Koivu used to have cat-like moves
Analogy: The comparison of two pairs which have the same relationship. Ex: The Grande Bibliothèque might hold the key to your future; it unlocks many doors to knowledge; it opens the way to numerous opportunities.
Ex: The human brains resembles a computer; it has incredible memory; it is made of differents parts that are connected to each other.
Allusion: A brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or ficticious, or to a work of art. Ex: His Achille's heal was his lack of personnality
Ex: The fieing of Carbonneau opened up a Pandora's box of problems for Gainey
Ex: Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore
Ex: She played Barbie to his Ken
Personnification: Giving human qualities to animals or objects.
Ex: Dogs say cat loves too much
Ex:Sun flowers nodded in the afternoon sun
Ex: The Canadian rockies volted into the sky
Thesis Statement
What is a thesis statement :
1. A thesis statement declares what you believe and what you intend to prove. A good thesis statement makes the difference between a thoughtful research project and a simple retelling of facts.
2. It should be contestable, proposing an arguable point with which people could reasonably disagree. A strong thesis is provocative; it takes a stand and justifies the discussion you will present.
3. It tackles a subject that could be adequately covered in the format of the project assigned.
4. It is specific and focused. A strong thesis proves a point without discussing “everything about …” Instead of music, think "American jazz in the 1930s" and your argument about it.
5. It anticipates and refutes the counter-arguments .
6. It has to make a claim.
7. It passes the "so what" test- Provocative.
8. Reflects what the text is about (main idea).
9. Directs the structure of the argument.
10. Introduces an essay.
11. Determines what kind of paper you write.
12. Uses literary elements and quotations
The thesis statement has three components :
1)What : Claim about the text (interpretation)
2)How : The litterary elements (figures of speech, symbolism, theme)
3)Why : The significance of your claim answers the question : so what?????
A bad thesis statement is :
1)This poem shows the narrator comparing his love to a summer day
This thesis statement is wrong because it's a plot summary
2)The poem presents the power of love to conquer death
It 's too universal
3)The poem shows how narratives can last while narrators cannot
It's too general
4)The poem proves that the pen is mightier than sword
It's too cliché
5)The structure, character and dialogue in the poem show us how human search for knowledge (UST)
A good thesis statement :
Despite its emphasis on love and physical beauty, the poem reveals the ways in which humans can triumph over the vagaries of nature
Images
Specific/arguable
Provides a stucture for your arguments
It goes beyond «so what» (provocative)
1. A thesis statement declares what you believe and what you intend to prove. A good thesis statement makes the difference between a thoughtful research project and a simple retelling of facts.
2. It should be contestable, proposing an arguable point with which people could reasonably disagree. A strong thesis is provocative; it takes a stand and justifies the discussion you will present.
3. It tackles a subject that could be adequately covered in the format of the project assigned.
4. It is specific and focused. A strong thesis proves a point without discussing “everything about …” Instead of music, think "American jazz in the 1930s" and your argument about it.
5. It anticipates and refutes the counter-arguments .
6. It has to make a claim.
7. It passes the "so what" test- Provocative.
8. Reflects what the text is about (main idea).
9. Directs the structure of the argument.
10. Introduces an essay.
11. Determines what kind of paper you write.
12. Uses literary elements and quotations
The thesis statement has three components :
1)What : Claim about the text (interpretation)
2)How : The litterary elements (figures of speech, symbolism, theme)
3)Why : The significance of your claim answers the question : so what?????
A bad thesis statement is :
1)This poem shows the narrator comparing his love to a summer day
This thesis statement is wrong because it's a plot summary
2)The poem presents the power of love to conquer death
It 's too universal
3)The poem shows how narratives can last while narrators cannot
It's too general
4)The poem proves that the pen is mightier than sword
It's too cliché
5)The structure, character and dialogue in the poem show us how human search for knowledge (UST)
A good thesis statement :
Despite its emphasis on love and physical beauty, the poem reveals the ways in which humans can triumph over the vagaries of nature
Images
Specific/arguable
Provides a stucture for your arguments
It goes beyond «so what» (provocative)
mardi 10 février 2009
Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge
Information about the author, Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?)
1. He was born in Ohio, America
2.He was the tenth of thirteen children
3.He and his wife had three children; Day, Leigh and Helen.
4.He was in the army until 1865.
1. He was born in Ohio, America
2.He was the tenth of thirteen children
3.He and his wife had three children; Day, Leigh and Helen.
4.He was in the army until 1865.
Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge
1. Where does the story take place?
2.Who are the main characters?
3. What is the point of view?
2.Who are the main characters?
3. What is the point of view?
The Lady or the Tiger?
Information about the author, Frank Stockton (1834-1902).
1.He was an american writer
2.He was the son of a minister
3.He was born with one leg shorter than the other
4."The Lady or the Tiger" is Stockton's most memorable piece.
5. He wrote stories mainly for children
6. He wrote a sequel to "The Lady or the Tiger".
1.He was an american writer
2.He was the son of a minister
3.He was born with one leg shorter than the other
4."The Lady or the Tiger" is Stockton's most memorable piece.
5. He wrote stories mainly for children
6. He wrote a sequel to "The Lady or the Tiger".
The Lady or the Tiger?
1. How does the king administer justice?
2. Why was the young man on trial?
3. Who was chosen to stand behind the door at the trial?
The story revolves around two dilemmas. The first conflict is the external one between the young man and the two doors. The second conflict is internal involving the princess's feelings : jealousy or love (selfishness or selflessness).
Vocabulary :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
2. Why was the young man on trial?
3. Who was chosen to stand behind the door at the trial?
The story revolves around two dilemmas. The first conflict is the external one between the young man and the two doors. The second conflict is internal involving the princess's feelings : jealousy or love (selfishness or selflessness).
Vocabulary :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
mercredi 4 février 2009
The Tell-Tale heart
A) Author
Edgar Allan Poe
-His parent died before he was three years old
-He married his thirteen year old cousin when he was 26.
-He was the first American writer to try to live by writing alone.
B) Plot
This short story is about a man who had an accute hearing. Out of the blue, he decided to kill a certain old man. He wanted him dead because he could not stand the sight of his eye. Every night, he would sneak into the old's man home to watch him. He was always very careful but one night, he made a sound. The old man screamed in fear and stayed up, because he knew someone had broke into his home. After an hour, the man decided he had enough. The beating of the old man's heart was driving him crazy. He killed him and put his body below the floor.
Later that night, the police came saying the neighbors heard a scream and were concerned. The man reassured them. He said the scream was his own; he had nightmare. The officers believed him but the man started hearing the old man's heart louder and louder. The sound drove him so insane he admitted to murdering the old man to the cops.
C) Analysis
1) Settings : The story probably takes place in the 1940's during 8 days. It's mostly happening in the old man's home.
2) Characters: The main character is unnamed. The story does not directly state if it's a man or a woman. The old man, the neighbors and the police officers.
3) Themes : a) A human being has a perverse wicked side -another self- that can provoke him to doing evil things without an apparent motive.
b) Fear of discovery can lead to being discovered.
c) The evil within is worse tan the evil without.
4) Point of view
1st person narrative
5) Sentence style
"Object, there was none. Passion, there was none. I loved the man."
6)Anaphora
"I heard things in heaven. I heard things in hell."
7) Personification
Death becomes a person¸
8)Simile (comparison using "like")
"A single ray of light like the thread of a spike"
9)Alliteration
"Harken. Observe how heartily, how charmly."
10) Irony
"I was never kinder to the man during the week before I killed him"
Edgar Allan Poe
-His parent died before he was three years old
-He married his thirteen year old cousin when he was 26.
-He was the first American writer to try to live by writing alone.
B) Plot
This short story is about a man who had an accute hearing. Out of the blue, he decided to kill a certain old man. He wanted him dead because he could not stand the sight of his eye. Every night, he would sneak into the old's man home to watch him. He was always very careful but one night, he made a sound. The old man screamed in fear and stayed up, because he knew someone had broke into his home. After an hour, the man decided he had enough. The beating of the old man's heart was driving him crazy. He killed him and put his body below the floor.
Later that night, the police came saying the neighbors heard a scream and were concerned. The man reassured them. He said the scream was his own; he had nightmare. The officers believed him but the man started hearing the old man's heart louder and louder. The sound drove him so insane he admitted to murdering the old man to the cops.
C) Analysis
1) Settings : The story probably takes place in the 1940's during 8 days. It's mostly happening in the old man's home.
2) Characters: The main character is unnamed. The story does not directly state if it's a man or a woman. The old man, the neighbors and the police officers.
3) Themes : a) A human being has a perverse wicked side -another self- that can provoke him to doing evil things without an apparent motive.
b) Fear of discovery can lead to being discovered.
c) The evil within is worse tan the evil without.
4) Point of view
1st person narrative
5) Sentence style
"Object, there was none. Passion, there was none. I loved the man."
6)Anaphora
"I heard things in heaven. I heard things in hell."
7) Personification
Death becomes a person¸
8)Simile (comparison using "like")
"A single ray of light like the thread of a spike"
9)Alliteration
"Harken. Observe how heartily, how charmly."
10) Irony
"I was never kinder to the man during the week before I killed him"
LEL#2
Grammar Practice 1
1. Interest level: It was long and boring
2. Difficulty level: It was a bit hard and confusing.
3. What I learned (3 points):
- Nationalities and languages take capitals.
- The first letter of a direct quotation takes a capital
-Commas must be used before and after the year when it appears in the middle of a sentence.
4. My score: 24/40
5. Course rating: 6/10
1. Interest level: It was long and boring
2. Difficulty level: It was a bit hard and confusing.
3. What I learned (3 points):
- Nationalities and languages take capitals.
- The first letter of a direct quotation takes a capital
-Commas must be used before and after the year when it appears in the middle of a sentence.
4. My score: 24/40
5. Course rating: 6/10
LEL#1
Synonym & Antonym Practice Exercise 1
1. Interest level:It was fun
2. Difficulty level:The synonym part was very easy for me. I found the second part much harder. There was a lot of words I didn't know.
3. What I learned (3 points):
-I learned tons of new words
-I learned that I should check the dictionnary more often.
4. My score : 90% on synonyms and 50% on antonyms
5. Course rating:9/10
1. Interest level:It was fun
2. Difficulty level:The synonym part was very easy for me. I found the second part much harder. There was a lot of words I didn't know.
3. What I learned (3 points):
-I learned tons of new words
-I learned that I should check the dictionnary more often.
4. My score : 90% on synonyms and 50% on antonyms
5. Course rating:9/10
mercredi 21 janvier 2009
Wiki's treasure hunt
What is the Learning Express Library? At the Grande Bibliotheque
Where is Mr. B's office? C-150
What percentage of the course is writing and speaking worth? 100%
How many students are registered in the class? 35
What are Mr. B's office hours? Tuesdays- 1:30 - 2:30 / Wednesdays- 1:00 - 5:00
What is the 48 hour rule? If a student missed an exam, they have 48 hours following the exam to contact the teacher in order to retake the exam.
What is the first assignment? Read the little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perreault
How many references are made to "thesis statement"? 10
How many threads are found in the discussion forum? 75
Do you have to go to the Grande Bibiliotheque to register? No
What is the blog URL of the last student on the class list? http://follspantyhoses.blogspot.com
How many pages on the site refer to "grammar"? 3
How many items are listed in the Student Contract? 10
What are the summative writing assignments? They are graded tests
How many items are there in the "Writing Correction Code"? 25
Where is Mr. B's office? C-150
What percentage of the course is writing and speaking worth? 100%
How many students are registered in the class? 35
What are Mr. B's office hours? Tuesdays- 1:30 - 2:30 / Wednesdays- 1:00 - 5:00
What is the 48 hour rule? If a student missed an exam, they have 48 hours following the exam to contact the teacher in order to retake the exam.
What is the first assignment? Read the little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perreault
How many references are made to "thesis statement"? 10
How many threads are found in the discussion forum? 75
Do you have to go to the Grande Bibiliotheque to register? No
What is the blog URL of the last student on the class list? http://follspantyhoses.blogspot.com
How many pages on the site refer to "grammar"? 3
How many items are listed in the Student Contract? 10
What are the summative writing assignments? They are graded tests
How many items are there in the "Writing Correction Code"? 25
Valérie Fronterotta's profile
Today, I interviewed one of my classmates I knew very little about.
Valerie is Italian but, to my surprise, doesn't speak a word of it. It is one of her goals to learn the language and to travel to Italy to connect with her roots. She is studying at St-Laurent college in social science but wishes to work with animals in the future. Studying seems pretty easy for her since she got really good grades last session. One of her biggest accomplishment would be the painting of her dog (which is absolutely amazing!) that she did two years ago. Valérie is someone who is passionate about a lot of things. She loves to learn more about politics, specifically the Middle East, geography and , of course, animals. When she's not in school, she hangs out with her family and her childhood friends. Valérie is excellent at painting (as mentionned above), drawing , piano and bass(just a little bit).
I'm glad I did this interview cause I got to learn a bit more about my new friend Valerie. She's an awesome person with goals and ambition who, I'm certain, will go very far in life.
Valerie is Italian but, to my surprise, doesn't speak a word of it. It is one of her goals to learn the language and to travel to Italy to connect with her roots. She is studying at St-Laurent college in social science but wishes to work with animals in the future. Studying seems pretty easy for her since she got really good grades last session. One of her biggest accomplishment would be the painting of her dog (which is absolutely amazing!) that she did two years ago. Valérie is someone who is passionate about a lot of things. She loves to learn more about politics, specifically the Middle East, geography and , of course, animals. When she's not in school, she hangs out with her family and her childhood friends. Valérie is excellent at painting (as mentionned above), drawing , piano and bass(just a little bit).
I'm glad I did this interview cause I got to learn a bit more about my new friend Valerie. She's an awesome person with goals and ambition who, I'm certain, will go very far in life.
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