Victor Frankenstein's Power

Many of the ideas presented in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein are fascinating when thought about.  She had many things to say about the purpose of life as well as other important aspects of humans and the choices we make in our life. One of my favorite quotes, said by Victor Frankenstein in chapter 4, states

"When I found so astonishing a power placed within my hands, I hesitated a long time concerning the manner in which I should employ it."

Victor says this right after his new discovery of the ability (power) to create life.  While he said in a way which was contemplating what his next step should be, which was to create the monster, we can apply it to anything else, including our own lives.  When we gain a form of power how will we use it? Will we use it to benefit others, or just for ourselves? Many people "hesitate" to act upon the power given them, rather than act upon it. Do you think this is harmful to people or beneficial to them? Overall it depends on the manner in which we use our power.

Chad L.

Blog Ten-For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls

So this isn't really team related, but I think it's an interesting subject to talk about. :)

For my table’s group project, we chose the play “For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls,” a parody of The Glass Menagerie. I won’t deny, there were some really funny parts. However, while I was reading the play I felt kind of sad. I think it was the poor treatment of Lawrence that upset me. How did you guys feel when you were reading it? But overall, I LOVED the play. So if anyone would like to watch it, here’s the links to watch the play on Youtube...

For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls-Part One

For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls-Part Two

For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls-Part Three

For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls-Part Four

I think these videos ideally show the differences between written works and drama. In addition, it also shows the differences between a written and performed play. :)

-Shelby F.

Blog Nine-Reflecting on Blogging

Well, I just deleted everything I wrote regarding this topic. -___- So here it goes again...

As you can see, this is our first team blog in a little over a month. Yikes! Our team already reflected on our blog and that was the team goal we set on the reflection paper yesterday. But since we’re on the subject of blogs…

When we first started the year, I was really excited to do team blogs. I never had a teacher that cohesively intertwined our school work with the internet/blogging. (Web searches and research papers don’t count!) I was excited to share my ideas with other students via a blog. The first half of the semester our team was very consistent with our blogs. Every one completed the blog on time during the correct week and everything was running smoothly. Until college application deadlines came…

I cannot speak for the rest of my teammates, but when college app deadlines came around I started slacking in my school work. It wasn’t my choice and I really didn’t want to, but I had to prioritize. In English, for me, it was the blogs that were compromised. This blog I am writing right now was supposed to be for the first week of November. Oh goodness. I knew a B- wouldn’t look great on my transcripts and it might have prevented me from getting into a top school, but not even turning in the application would guarantee I would not get into that particular school. However, I don’t blame it all on college applications. Sometimes I just completely forgot to blog. (Taylor can vouch for me…). My memory is usually pretty good and I don’t forget things often, but this semester I just could not ever remember to blog. Even if I clearly wrote it in my planner, I would still forget. 

Reflecting on this semester’s blog, I have come to the conclusion that it is not best for me personally. I love our team blog and I love being able to express myself in a different way than I ever have before. However, I just cannot remember to do it on a consistent basis. Sheets of paper with essay prompts or other work are tangible reminders of the homework I have. Maybe I need a new way to remember to blog. Does anyone have any recommendations? What do you think about blogging for AP Lit?

-Shelby F.

Who is Frankenstein?

     As children, we all grew up with the idea of a green Frankenstein with bolts in its neck who was not all that smart. Before starting the book, I knew this would not be the Frankenstein I would encounter, but how truly different this character is surprised me.
     First, Frankenstein is actually the last name of the main character Victor. Victor created the creature we know to be "Frankenstein". Secondly, the creature is not green. I found how Victor put the creature together very interesting; putting different body parts together is a creative way to go about his project. This simply means the creature is just patched together, making it seem like he has scars everywhere. Possibly the most surprising fact is that the creature is actually really smart. He speaks fluently and has a developed thought process.
     This provides a substantial idea for the rest of the novel. Knowing that the creature is this smart and understands exactly what Victor thinks of him foreshadows how the novel will continue. From the content of their conversation, we know that Victor will not be kind to the creature, leading the creature to hurting Victor's "fellow yellow-creatures", therefore becoming "the author of your own speedy ruin."Obviously peace will never come to the characters, and the novel will continue as it has began as a sad, tragic story.

Taylor C.

Favorite Frankenstein Quote

"If, instead of this remark, my father had taken the pains to explain to me that the principles of Agrippa had been entirely exploded, and that a modern system of science had been introduced, which possessed much greater powers than the ancient, because the powers of the latter were chimerical, while those of the former were real and practical; under such circumstances, I should certainly have thrown Agrippa aside, and have contented my imagination, warmed as it was, by returning with greater ardour to my former studies."

-Victor

Chapter 2

This quote caught my attention due to its extensive amount of voice. I could really hear Victor almost smart alleckally say this. Also, it includes figurative language. They include litotes, hyperbole, and metaphor. It is as if he is blaming his father for the reason why he became involved with the alchemical sciences, instead of "natural philosophy". Its structure also caughy my eye, since it extremly long. It is also essential to the plot because if he didn't start with Agrippa he would not have moved on to other alchemist philosophies.

-Sasan

"To Be of Use" Response Blog

As I read "To Be of Use", I appreciated the value of good honest work. There is always work to be done in the world and it is up to use to determine what is meaningful to us. We need to find what makes us happy in order to grow as humans.
As my high school experience comes closer to the end, I often find myself thinking about how I want "to be of use" in the world. I often loft between studying medicine and becoming a pediatrician, or studying engineering and  contributing to the advancing world around us. Who knows, maybe I'll end up studying something totally different.
From a young age I knew that I wanted to help people in some way. As a kid I wanted to be a police officer because I admired their bravery. I even considered being a firefighter. As I grew older I discovered a talent for understanding mathematics. I may decide to take advantage of this as I enter college and start to pursue a career.
For now, I have yet to decide what I want to do. All I know is that I want my future profession to be beneficial to others. I want to be remembered as someone who cares about others and is willing to work hard no matter what the task.

Blog Five: The End of Solitude Response

In William's Deresiewicz's article the "End of Solitude", Deresiewicz goes on to explain how today's society has been built upon the idea that being alone is unwanted and not comon as it used to be a generation ago.

This picture shows what is typical in today's society and now rather than our society progressing, we have regressed in a way that instead of becoming independent as individuals we have become dependent of others. Deresiewicz puts perspective to how we interact with one another and how we have evolved to always feeling like we must satisfy others before ourselves. Individuality is not valued and is not an ideal way to conduct one's self and this is what Deresiewicz finds astonishing in his observation of today's society. The "End of Solitude" gave me the realization that Deresiewicz's arguement is on point and that it isn't socially acceptable to be an individual.

-Anissa Rosales