DH timed writing blog

I would like to blog about the last timed writing I did on the play Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen. It was successfully written and surprisingly earned a high grade. I found the grade deserving and learned a lot from my teachers’ comments. She stated concerns about my connections, transitions, tense of verbs, and support.

First, I need to work on connections because I would draw in characters relevant to my quote, but I realize now that I got off topic several times. Having read the play thoroughly it was hard not to draw in facts from other areas of the play, but I need to work on my focus. Due to the fact that this time I had a strong thesis I was able to control my argument and lead it to the quotes that expressed my interpretation of Ibsen’s theme “the entrapment of woman and the need for individual freedom is exemplified through the symbolism of doors”.

Next, this also shows my trouble with support for my claim. In a few areas she noted where I had the quote, but needed more support. The main contributor to the absence of a conclusion and the lack of support is time. Focusing on the essay I would lose track of time and have to make up for it by leaving support out. I think this is a simple mistake that overtime will get more natural because I would have done over six timed writings by the end of the year. I truly believe you get with a lot of practice.

Then, my teacher circled my errors in the verb tense criteria. I tend to write in present tense because I am currently doing the writing rather than past tense forgetting that I have read the book already and need to reflect on it. It is hard to relate the time relationships among my ideas. Also the passive tense is very common and I tend to move from tense to tense when writing during this rush. I have to work on the style of my writing just as Ibsen did. By shaping it up my teacher will be able to understand my personality and voice; it also shows how I view my audience. My writing shows my goal whether it is to entertain, impress, or persuade, so it is vital that I enhance me style.

Lastly, I falter in transitions. This time not all my transitions lacked originality and didn't blend, but I still struggle on how to make it more engrossing for the reader. I didn't use the standard first, second, third way, but tried to direct it back to the play; however, it often sounded too broad and redundant. I need to focus on the texts and not say what should have happened, but only what did happen.

In conclusion, I can only get better at writing and I appreciate the instructions and support of my teacher as I strive to do so. The time frame is the only hindrance to my full potential, but with her guidance I believe I will be better prepared for the AP Exam and further classes in life.

Ch 8 analysis blog

All The Kings Men Ch. 8 Blog

As I was finishing up the novel “All the Kings Men”, I saw several important quotes that helped tie the novel up as a whole.  The first quote I would like to discuss is, “I had often envied people. People I had seen driving along straight furrow across a black field in April, or Adam Stanton. I had, at moments, envied the people who seemed to have knowledge” is found on 471. This quote is used to show how Jack thinks. As a reader we see that Jack is not simply a lazy man, but instead he is a jealous man. It is not the tangible things he envies, but the facts that others close to him or that he works for actually have goals they wish to attain. Even Anne his life-long love sees his lack of true pure ambition. Though the Work of Willie has been to win over the ignorant country people at least he had determination and built one good thing, the Willie Stark Hospital. The fact that he envies people who know their purpose in life shows that he truly wishes he had one as so this explains his need for a Great Sleep. Knowledge is power is repeated as well that explains the desperation that we as a people feel towards needing to be all knowing. The world is seen as a place where man cannot truly be blamed for their wrong doings because they make it up as they go along; therefore, “If there was a debt, it was, perhaps due to me, from me…My only crime was being a man and living in the world of men, and you don’t have to do special penance for that. That crime and the penance, in that case, coincide perfectly. They are identical.” (500). This shows that Jack’s character, like so many people in today’s society, will not acknowledge the fact that they are wrong in committing any crime; moreover, believing the world has done crimes against them in how it functions day to day that it is inevitable that man become corrupt. We as a people owe ourselves a lot because we allow society to dictate how we operate and have turned us against one another. That is the true crime. This novel warns against the ideals of collectivism and how easily even the purest of characters such as Adam can turn into something evil. When we establish these two ideas of good and bad this novel forces us to then readjust the definitions we may have gathered in the past. Due to the fact that everyone in the novel is connected somehow the evil that one man does affects al the other characters. By the ignorant townspeople praising Willie as a god he becomes conceited and evil, he poisoned his colleagues and Jack, Jacks change from innocence to corrupt repels Anne. Anne falls for Willie he seems to be everything Jack isn’t and this affair is what angers Adam to kill him. All are affected by politics consciously and unconsciously and that is the downfall of this town. 

Significant Quotes in ATKM

Significant Quotes In ATKM

The chapter I would love to discuss is chapter 7. The topic knowledge vs. ignorance is demonstrated in several quotes throughout this novel. It is apparent that Jack is knowledgeable, but wants to be in this sea of ignorance, “They say the drowning man relives his life as he drowns. Well, I was not drowning in water, but brass days and black velvet nights. It took me seventy-eight hours to drown. For my body to sink down to the very bottom of West and lie in the motionless ooze of History, naked on a hotel bed in Long Beach, California (Warren 408).” This is significant because it shows that not only does he escape from reality to through sleep, but also wants to go through water. The drowning and arises acts as a rebirth of a new person. He goes west after becoming knowledgeable of Anne’s’ discretions and is reared “motionless”. It is a state of lifelessness and this connects to 226 where life is described as motion toward knowledge. The fact that Jack only wakes up in order to have the chance to go asleep shows, the non-motion or ignorance he wishes to live his life through. I do  not  understand  why he does not stop living in this lie. He in fact is very knowing of the evil and wrong doings that his boss commits. This could be what is leading to his “black velvet nights”. I believe he knows it’s his fault why Anne was driven to Willie and wants to drown away in regret. This novel constantly makes you fight with if the characters innate characteristics are what is leading to their downfall or if the relationships they maintain are the reasons they fail in attempts to have secure relations.

 The theme that humans are made to be a part of collectivism in order to succeed is presented. Jacks satirical character is a good example, “So maybe she was up in the room trying to discover what her new self was, for when you get in love you are made all over again. The person who loves you has picked you out of a great mass of uncreated clay…and the poor lumpish clay which is you wants to find out what it has been made into…” (423-24).This is significant because it shows how everyone as a whole has to be created by someone else. When you are apart the world grinds, which shows that it does not even make sense to you when you are alone. This can be seen as dependencies not even truly love. I believe that is why Anne attaches herself to the boss. She desperately wants to be attached to a man that does good for the sick not Jack a man with no aspirations. It is almost more of a fantasy and ignorant statement that Jack uses here. This chapter explained that Jack wants to be loved, but his innate ways repulse even Anne. I now can understand Jacks character and can pity him. Similar to Willie I believe he wants to do good, but something is in him prevents this.