Final Reflection

What was your favorite lesson this year and why?

My favorite lesson was the Looking for Alaska Unit, this Unit was filled both emotionally and academically. This was probably my favorite book that we read this year and enjoyed the discussions. I also enjoyed writing a paper about it because I was never at a loss of words.

What was your least favorite lesson this year? Why?

My least favorite lesson was the Taming of the Shrew Unit, mostly because it was interrupted by snow days and the information and discussion was disturbed so many times that I could never get into the play.

Academically, what have you learned from this class?

I have further improved my thesis statements, learned how to analyze poetry, learned how to analyze novels thoroughly and decipher different symbols and meanings, write without much repetition, and to not simply write about what happened, but instead why it happened.  

What life lessons have you learned from this class?

I have learned that I have it much better than most people and am blessed to have a home and family that cares for me. I have also learned that persistence pays off.

What can I change and improve upon as an educator to make this class more beneficial for future classes?

The only thing I would change about what we did this year that could better future classes is to review multiple choice questions more throughout the year.

Final thoughts and opinions

I have had a great year and learned many new thing academically and emotionally, while furthering my skills in literature as well as life.  

The Awakening LRB 4

A general statement of the literary work’s content, a summary or a paraphrase

            The Awakening, by Kate Chopin portrays the story of Edna Pontellier and the changes or “awakenings” that occur in her life. Through story Edna experiences many awakenings and discovers more about herself, while wanting independence. This book is mostly of one woman’s struggle to mesh with society and to her inability to cope with others in her search for liberation and independence. At the start of the story, Edna is a young mother of two and the wife to a successful businessman. While the family is vacationing, Edna becomes acquainted with Robert Lebrun, a younger man who plays with her fertile heart to become more intimate with her. These cherished conversations with Robert invite Edna to become more independent along with her learning to swim in the ocean. All in all, Robert awakens feeling Edna had long since forgotten to before becoming married. “Even as a child she had lived her own small life all within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life—that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions”; this shows how Edna has both and inner and outer feelings and is used as a contrast from the beginning to the end of the novel to show how she conforms less and less as the story progressed. After returning from the vacation and her lover’s departure to México, Edna has despairs like no other and as a result abandons her old life of a mother and wife, to one of remorse and independence. She has no attention to society’s expectations and no devotion towards her family, but instead explores individuality of love, life, and sexual serenity. Chopin's uses real and symbolic imagery to display Edna’s senses and the feminism component of society. She uses the character Edna to portray the struggle most women went through during this time period and the traditional restraints most women had on them.

The Awakening LRB 3

A discussion of the title’s significance

            In literary works the title usually plays a crucial role in the understanding of the inner meaning of a novel. The title, The Awakening, by Kate Chopin first paints a mental picture for the reader of one of life or death. In this novel both of these are partially true. After reading of the novel, one can fully understand the deepest meaning Chopin is trying to convey and understand that the title represents the main character, Edna Pontellier. Overall the title plays the role of the different resurrections of Edna in the story and how she “awakens” at different points.

First, Edna has a form of awakening when she encounters Mademoiselle Reisz, which is really the only person who she can communicate with and understands her inner feelings. Mrs. Pontellier has an emotional outbreak when Reisz demonstrates her musical talent. This form of awakening in Edna depicts one theme of the novel, which is liberation. As the story continues Edna becomes more independent demonstrating another awakening, mostly after her learning to swim in the ocean. That symbolized her awakening of her independent nature, becoming more of a greater relevance as Edna begins to express herself through her artwork.

            There is another awakening which is more intimate, with her lover Robert. She is sexually awakened by Robert in every way despite being married, because she wants to be independent and not held down. She is attracted to Robert loose livelihood while she gets further and further from her husband.  

The Awakening LRB 2

An analysis of the work’s symbolism

In Kate Chopin’s literary masterpiece, The Awakening, symbolism is a crucial component to the novel’s overall meaning. Such symbols include the sea and the birds. First off the sea is a symbol for liberation in Edna. Edna learns to swim in the sea and in a sense acquires self-control, which in turn guides her whole life from that point on.  By finally “taking control” over her own body, Edna is more independent in her nature; for example, she is less obedient to her husband, whom is fairly good to her. The sea also can be seen as love - "The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace." -  which is ironic considering Edna drowns in the sea. I believe Chopin is trying to convey this ironic image and symbolism to show how love can be poison and lead to treachery.  

            Another symbol in Chopin’s eye-opening novel is the birds. There are several different types of birds which show up in crucial points in the story. In the beginning, there was a parrot and a mockingbird which represented Edna’s unspoken feelings toward her husband and her friend Mademoiselle Reisz. The parrot is like Edna in the sense that the bird isn’t fond of Leonce, her husband. The mockingbird represents Edna’s and Reisz’s relationship, where Reisz understand Edna and her feelings, just like the Mockingbird can understand the parrot.

             The other bird which makes its way into the story is the one with the broken wing. As Edna is about to traverse into the ocean, she sees a bird with a broken wing struggling to stay aloft, fluttering its crippled wing in an effort to stay upright, disabled, falling, plunging down into the water. I believe this bird represents Edna’s failure to find liberation, in Mademoiselle Reisz’s words, “the bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings”.  The bird indeed does not have strong wings, which is similar to Edna who definitely lacks these strong wings as she plunges into  the sea like the disabled bird.

The Awakening LRB 1

An analysis of a major character

            In Kate Chopin’s literary masterpiece The Awakening, Robert Lebrun is a handsome and charming man whom seems to have fallen in love with the already wed Edna Pontellier. Mrs. Pontellier, as Robert must call her, is married to Leonce Pontellier. Robert is mostly a dynamic character who has a personal secret relationship with Mrs. Pontellier. However, he is unwilling to further his relationship with a married woman and leaves the country for Mexico, where he had planned to become unfathomably wealthy.  In his actions, the reader can tell that Robert is much more materialistic than Edna.

Robert is a very selfish an immature guy, who courts a different woman each summer with intentions less than thoughtful. His words are very indicative of his own personal story. For example, when Robert tells Edna about the “Gulf ghost who returns to the coast every year waiting for a woman to win his heart”, he is indirectly talking about himself. He mainly concentrates on married women who are not very canny and unable to respond to his wistful courting.

I believe Robert is a dynamic character because his characteristics change throughout the novel. In the forefront the reader can see how he is an immature guy who wants relationships with older women because they are more susceptible to his cravings, but near once he starts to know Edna more and more he truly falls in love with her and wants to marry her. Unlucky for him that Edna has no such desires, even though she does in fact love him, and instead she wants her independence. Although Robert is away during much of Edna’s “awakening” he plays a huge role in her life because he demonstrates certain characteristics which she admires, such as, charisma, sensuality, imagination, and chivalry.

Timed Writing Grade

I would award my timed writing as a 7 overall, because I offered a reasonable analysis of a single pivotal moment of a protagonist in a bildungsroman, while incorporating how the pivotal moment shaped the meaning and entire work as a whole. However, my analysis was less thorough and undeserving of a higher score due to the fact that I lacked certain qualities to the writing, such as, textual support. My essay was less perceptive than that of an 8 or 9, while still being insightful and understanding of the topic.

If I were given the chance to revise my essay I would provide a more persuasive analysis of the novel and how a single pivotal moment shaped the psychological or moral development of my protagonist. I would contribute specific textual support to compliment my analysis and be less repetitive in my introduction while enhancing my vocabulary, thus yielding a more sophisticated outcome and an effective control of language.   

 After reading the response examples, I have learned that it is better to just simply analyze the topic and stray away from plot summary. I have also seen that the higher graded papers seemed to have exquisite vocabulary. These responses may not be perfect or entirely correct, but they answered the question and gave textual support to back up their view of the topic. I would change the fact that I didn’t incorporate that much textual support and I would be more descriptive when analyzing the protagonist’s maturity.

          I feel that in my timed writings I need the most help in incorporating more textual support while still being sophisticated in my perception and devilment of the prompt. I think in class I could focus most on specific parts of text from a particular novel and then revolve paragraphs around them.

The Kite Runner Q's

How does Amir and his father get along in the beginning of the novel?
Why do you think Amir is jealous of Hassan?

Do you think that Sohrab knows what happened to his father? Why?
Is Baba a different character in America than he was in Kabul?

Why does Amir constantly test Hassan's loyalty?
Is there a significance in Assef and Amir confronting? What does the scar he gives Amir insinuate?

The Kite Runner LRB 7

A general statement of the literary work’s content, a summary or a paraphrase

 

In the novel The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, Amir is the son of a very successful and wealthy father, Baba, in Kabul. The two live with servants, Ali and his son, Hassan. Hassan is both Amir’s’ age, best friend, and as we find out later in the novel his half-brother.

Although Amir and Hassan were practically inseparable, from Amir’s perspective things were far from perfect. Social class, tribe, and religion separated the two children. For such small children, this was a hard concept to grasp. However, Baba adored Hassan and regarded Ali as his best friend although they were Hazaras.

A critical point in the book is when Hassan is attacked by Assef and some of his friends while kite running for Amir - “for you a thousand times over”, Hassan said before taking off for the blue kite the two had defeated. Amir does not help Hassan while he was being attacked by the Pashtun boys and allows him to be abused in the most disturbing manner. Amir’s cowardly act was in part because of his jealousy which he has for Hassan.

Amir cannot control his emotions and mixed feelings of Hassan, so he feels the need to get rid of Hassan, which he does by setting Hassan and his father up by planting his new wristwatch under Hassan’s bed. Hassan and Ali knowing what Amir has done leaves the household and Baba is in despair. Amir’s actions did not end his shame or cure his cowardliness, but rather intensified his treachery.

War breaks out in Afghanistan and both Amir and his father flee Afghanistan to America.

Rahim Kahn, a dear friend of Amir and even closer friend of his father, contacts him to come back to Pakistan, and provokes him by saying, “There is a way to be good again.” Amir realizes Rahim knows about what he had done and decides to go back to redeem himself.

After some soul searching, Amir decides to retrieve Hassan’s child Sohrab, in which he finds that a Taliban leader has him. This leader turns out to be no other than Assef. The two quarrel for a while, with Amir getting pummeled into a pulp, when Sohrab grabs his slingshot and fatally damages Assef’s eye. This is ironic because earlier in the novel Hassan stood up for Amir in the same manner, by warning Assef by calling him “one-eyed Assef”. Sohrab decides to return to America with Amir, but they find trouble in that they are not allowed to adopt him and Sohrab tries to commit suicide. But in the end the two become closer and closer, while they fly their kite together and Amir runs down their fallen trophy.

The Kite Runner LRB 6

An analysis of the effect of setting -- time, place, circumstances

The novel The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini spans multiple countries and decades, but is mostly concentrated in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a vastly different country from America and without this particular setting the novel would lose its emotional and realistic nature. Though, in the late '70s the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, which marked the beginning a long and unforgettable era of violence and instability within the country.

Meanwhile our protagonist does what any of us probably would have done and left all of the “riches” behind to come to find refuge in America. Towards the middle of the novel, now in California, which depicted by the story seems like a place of refuge for most fleeing Afghans. Adapting to the American culture was tremendously easy for Amir, but not so much for his father Baba, who could not fully grasp America’s outward arms. For example, Baba was outraged when the elderly clerk would not accept his trust, despite being a good customer for so long. In Afghanistan, everything was based on trust, even the “credit cards” were a piece of wood which a clerk wood slit when something was purchased. So such an extreme setting change for Baba was tough on him and the reader can certainly see why. However, Hosseini details the Afghan-American community by depicting how they keep their customs and old stories of the good old days intact, by most Afghans reminiscing amid piles of junk at a flea market, recalling their homeland.

Amir does return to a less than remembered Afghanistan. The wars, violence, and now Taliban have turned Amir's country into a wasteland filled with rubble and lack of infrastructure. The book overall portrays a unique ability to connect all sorts of different settings from Afghani values both decimated and peaceful, American protection, and how all these setting can form one’s life through many cross-cultural experiences.

The Kite Runer LRB 5

An analysis of the work’s symbolism

In the novel The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini symbols create a deeper understanding of Amir and Hassan’s relationship and how their “friendship” or brotherhood is undermined. One symbol in particular is Hassan’s cleft lip. Hassan’s lip is one of his most representative features and this flaw is one that Amir takes notice to a lot during the novel. The cleft lip serves as a reminder or somewhat societal mark on Hassan, making him and everyone that he interacts with know his true status in society. This feature separates him from Amir which is by Afghan standards wealthy and spoiled, to him which is a Hazara who is a servant to Baba and Amir. Hassan’s deformity is indicative of his poverties. This split between his lip signifies the “split” relationship Amir appears to have with Hassan, in which he doesn’t know whether to call him a friend or a servant. Baba, who we now know is Hassan’s true biological father, chooses to pay a surgeon to repair Hassan’s lip as a birthday gift. This bothers Amir for some reason, maybe because he wants to be better than Hassan in Baba’s eyes or wants all of Baba’s attention as his son (not knowing Hassan was his son as well). This building action between Hassan and Amir leads up to Amir acting as a coward in many ways, leading up to Hassan and Ali’s departure from Baba’s household. Now Amir must live with the same life scar on the inside as Hassan did outwardly on his lip.

The Kite Runner LRB 4

A discussion of the role(s) played by minor character(s)

            In the literary masterpiece The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, minor characters have certain roles that intertwine perfectly with the novel and how the characters connect. A coming along character, Soraya, meets Amir at the flea market. Within a while the two get married all dependent on the General’s – Soraya’s father – blessings. She is portrayed as both beautiful and compassionate. However, she also comes with a complicated past, but in hindsight so does Amir. The now wedded couple cannot have children, which I believe is foreshadowing for things to come. In Soraya’s case she is very like Hassan in many ways and fills the void that Amir has had ever since the tragic event he witnessed. For example, Soraya has a birthmark above her jaw which is like Hassan who had a harelip. I believe Amir is attracted to Soraya because she is very similar to Hassan in many diferent ways, physically and even mentally. In the novel Soraya almost seems like a combination of both Hassan and Amir, in which she is like Hassan, because of the harelip and compassion, but also resembles Amir because she has a gloom past. Although Amir finds this out, he doesn’t care because he figures that he has a past too and it doesn’t define the person, so he chooses to give her a chance. However, Amir does recognize that she has more courage than him because Soraya admits to her past and gets it out in the open. Another trait between her and Amir is their fathers, which want the best of them, even though that’s not what their children want. Overall, in this novel the minor character Soraya, makes Amir feel whole again. She brings some pleasure and peace to Amir's life, while at the same time reminding him his cowardly and regretful past.

The Kite Runner LRB 3

A detailed response to a specific word, phrase, line, sentence, passage, or scene

            In the literary masterpiece The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini there are specific and breathtaking moments that cannot be understated in their meaning and relevance in the novel as well as in today’s society. One example of many is when Baba and Amir find out that Baba has a grave cancer – “Oat Cell Carcinoma” – and that it is untreatable. After the doctor said that chemotherapy would only prolong the inevitable, Baba stated that there would be no chemo medication for him. Amir began to challenge Baba’s sudden decision, but Baba shot him down, questioning his role in life compared to him. When the two were about to enter their home, Amir once again questioned Baba’s choice on chemotherapy and in return Baba became very angry with his son and kneaded him on the chest, saying, “Bas! I’ve made my decision.” Amir almost crying, answers him, “What about me, Baba? What am I supposed to do?” This disgusts Baba and brings anger from within his weakening body to criticize his son’s statement. Baba angrily tells Amir the twenty-two year old grown man that this is the moment he had been desperately preparing him for; that all those years he was trying to teach him, “how to never ask that question.” This detailed scene in the story tells a lot about Baba, in that he was hard on his son all the years in Kabul and few in America and critical of him for all the right reasons. Amir never appreciated Baba in the sense that he was trying to make Amir strong and not feel desperate and alone when he was older, to be a man and stand up for himself. Just like in today’s society, parents try their best to push their sons and daughters to become better than they themselves were, try to emphasize integrity and courage, tell about their mistakes so that their children do not repeat their own personal mishaps. This is what Baba was trying to do with Amir all those years before, when he was so hard on him, but Amir never followed suit, assuming that Baba never really forgave him for “killing” his wife (mother) and wanted more out of a son. However, this was not the case and now Baba is furious because the time has come that his son be a leader and he is nothing less than a child. This truly bothers Baba on the inside because he feels as if he has failed his son and that his son as a result is less of a man than he should be at this stage in his life.  

LRB The Kite Runner 2

An analysis of a major character -- flat/round, static/dynamic, internal / external conflicts, dominant traits, significant actions, personal relationships...

 

           In the novel The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini the role of Baba or Amir’s father is not to be underestimated. Baba, a dynamic and round character, sets the tone of the novel throughout his actions and wit. Throughout he first several chapters of the story Baba’s major concern about his son is that he does not have the courage to stand up for himself, therefore his relationship with his own son is somewhat distant. This internal conflict invokes fear within Baba because he holds courage and honor in high esteem – “There is no act more wretched than stealing, Amir” – and as the reader can see Amir is neither honorable nor courageous in any aspect. Baba worries that his son will not be able to stand up for himself when he grows older into a man. He displays his concern and humiliation with Amir in many scenes throughout the first ten chapters. For example, when they flee from Kabul, Amir becomes sick to his stomach and throws up in front of all the fleeing passengers, this act of weakness in an 18 year old “man” embarrasses Baba to the point he even apologizes to the other passengers for his son’s stomachs uncontrollable nature. Although Baba is critical of Amir’s lack of valor and integrity, he himself is the epitome of these moral and social qualities. In chapter ten, the reader see’s the most brave and kind-hearted act one will ever encounter, in which Baba stands up to the Russian guard and is willing to sacrifice his life to keep the guard from raping the woman fleeing with them.

The Kite Runner LRB 1

In the novel The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini the title plays an important role in effectively understanding and dissecting the nature of the literary work. In the novel, throughout the first seven chapters, the reader can see that kite wars are a part of Afghan culture near the winter season approaches; “The kite-fighting tournament was an old winter tradition in Afghanistan.” A kite runner is described to the reader as many people running and chasing the kites that are cut down during the wars; Amir labels them as somewhat like the Spaniards and Running with the Bulls. Amir’s “friend” or servant as association in society, Hassan, is deemed one of the best, if not the best kite runner ever known. To win the heart and admiration of his father, Amir tries his best to win the annual kite war, in which he succeeds with the help of Hassan. He cuts down the blue kite which stood in the way of Baba’s affection, and the kite tumbled out of the sky “like a tire coming loose from a speeding car” , to the delight of everyone and most predominantly the many eager kite runners. After Hassan and Amir enjoy a short-lived celebration, Hassan, the best kite-runner, sets out to retrieve the blue kite in which he does, but runs into the three tormenters that tease and trouble him and other kids around the area. The title, The Kite Runner, is very connective for a reader to the story and provides a bridge to how the reader can connect to Amir’s victory and Hassan’s soon to be devastation. Without the title being the occupation of Hassan’s retrieval and ultimate humiliation and ruin, the novel would lose a sense of movement and connectivity with its readers. Hassan kept his word and retrieved the blue kite for his friend Amir, though it cost him many horrible and mind-altering experiences, while Amir simply fled from the scene because of his selfishness and cowardliness.    

TOTS Act 5

1.

Analyze Kate's final speech. Is she sincere or ironic? Should we take her at her word? Or should we imagine a gap between what she says and what she means? Does the context of her words change their meanings? What are different possibilities in performing this scene? Kate's final speech speaks loudly to how she has been "tamed" and is actually very sincere when delivering her message to Bianca and the widow. As an audience, we should take Kate at her word because she speaks of her husband as her Lord and slanders the women for not being more obedient and thankful to their husbands, who in that time period were considered the better half of  relationship. I do not think the context of her words changes the overall central meaning, because she speaks as a woman who knows her place in marriage and simply wants to get on with her life; I believe she is actually trying to advise the other women about this to make sure they too can become happy like she has become by accepting her role in life/marriage.

2.

What happens to the power dynamics in this scene–between mem and men, women and women, men and women? In this scene many dynamics between genders are depicted. For example, the men bet upon the women as if they were nothing but a possession to them and thought no more of it. On the other hand, the women found no wrong doing in this act because they know that the men are their superior and if they want to do that they can. Surprisingly the women have no objection, but thanks to the time period there isn't much they could do about it anyway. The woman to woman interaction n this last scene surprised me because I expected to see amore unified, common house issue that the women together unite to fight for a solution. However, this was not the case, in fact, Kate even scolded the other women for not being obedient and "loving" to their husbands.

TOTS Act 4

1.

How is Petruchio's masculinity represented? Examine his treatment of servants, Kate, etc. Pertruchio's masculinity is represented strongly throughout this Act. He treats his servants as animals, while yelling and criticizing everything they do. Kate tries to stop him, but he blows her off and continues scolding the servants, hatmaker, and tailor. His masculinity is stronger than ever and shows Kate that he is not the guy to mess around with. He denies her of any food or rest and keeps her from taking back. In a sense Pertruchio is acting like Kate, ill-mannered and naïve, giving her a dose of her own medicine.

2.

Many critics mark the sun/moon scene in the road to Padua (scene 5) as the turning point in the play which indicates Kate's taming. What is different about this scene? If she is tamed, what is she submitting to? Is it really a "submission," or can it be interpreted in other ways? I think this scene is the turning point in the play, in which Kate becomes tamed by Pertruchio. All of his actions leading up to their ride to Padua is meddling with Kate and she accepts the fact that Pertruchio is going to get his way or she will never be able to speak or do things for herself. Kate gives in to Pertruchio and his commanding/dictating ways and condones her acceptance that she sees what he sees. This scene is different because Kate is finally accepting the fact that she must deal with Pertruchio or she will be miserable. When she finally becomes tamed, Kate submits to Pertruchio, in that she tells him what he wants to hear in order to avoid arguments and be peaceful. On the other hand, if interpreted another way, Kate could simply just be telling Pertruchio what he wants to hear in order to get her way which is different than before when she used to be the "dictator".

TOTS Acts 2-3

1. Pertruchio "tames" Kate by always having a witty answer to her disputes and slanders against him. He calmly tells Kate that she is the opposite of what everyone thinks of her, that she is kind, beautiful, and well-mannered. He also comes on as a strong man who will put up with no nonsense and defines her role to him as one to birth his child.

2. Katherine most likely acts out wildly to her father trying to dispute anything Pertruchio is trying to say, but Pertruchio probably talks without much room for her voice to be heard that she just becomes silently enraged with anger. Katherine probably also tries to respond to her father and tell him the truth but Pertruchio forces her fathers hand and acts too quickly for Kate. In the scene where Pertruchio tells Kate to kiss him she probably was trying to escape and get away, but Pertruchio most likely forced himself upon her and the two walked off in different directions.

3. a)Tthe bickering back and forth between Kate and Petruchio in their battle of wits.
    b) The dimwitted servant who when told to knock on the door couldn't comprehend and thought he meant to knock (beat) his master.
    c) The Lord playing a prank on Sly, the drunkard.
    d) The man who dresses up as a woman in order to play the role of Sly's pretend wife, to play the joke on him.

4. Proverbs 26:24-26    
Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

TOTS Act 1

• Katherine - an ill-tempered shrew full of rage and the older sister to Bianca
• Bianca - nice, well-mannered, and beautiful woman who is the younger sister to Katherine
• Gremio - a suitor to Bianca, teams up with Hortensio
• Hortensio - a suitor to Bianca, teams up with Gremio
• Petruchio - a resident of Verona, intent on finding a wife, but just worries about the woman's money. He is interested in marrying Katherine.
• Lucentio -  a studious man who came to Padua to pursue his education, but loses focus on his goals when he sees Bianca, in whom he instantly falls in love with
• Compare Katherine and Bianca to modern day people - Katherine and Bianca can very well portray a modern day sisterhood, barring the custom that older sister must first be wed before the younger sister can also. Many modern day siblings do in fact get angry at one another at some point, its just human nature. Like in the play Katherine seems to be angry all the time because her younger sister is getting more attention than herself, including more suitors. This is relevant and like modern day people because in today's society many people become jealous and as a result become ill-tempered and envious of the other.

1.

The Induction portrays role-playing. Who acts the part of whom? Why? How does such role-playing address issues of gender and class? What effects might these representations have on the play? The Lord acts the part of a servant and the Page acts the part of Sly's wife, because they are playing a prank on Sly, making him look as if he is a royal. The role-playing seen in the induction culminates both gender and class issues. One gender issue is that women were not allowed to do certain things in this time period and the men would sometimes have to act as a woman. At the same time social class played a critical factor in that the upper-class were not the ones dressing/acting as women, but the lower-class men was. The play could lose key elements that an audience may have perceived better with characters being the right gender.

2.

From the outset, we learn from Bianca's suitors that Katherine is the less desirable of the two sisters. Examine and question this claim. How are Biance and Katherine different? What makes Katherine rather than Bianca the shrew? Katherine is the less desirable because she is ill-tempered and angry all the time, as well as being claimed a shrew by many. The big difference in Katherine and Bianca are their mannerisms; Bianca is very well-mannered, nice and easy to get along with, but Katherine on the other hand is very brutal and full of rage. Katherine is the shrew because at the very outset of the play she is seen as ill-tempered, fiery, and sharp-tongued, while her younger sister is meager, fragile, and nice to everyone.

Othello Film Review "O"

          Although the times have changed, Shakespeare’s literary masterpiece still is recumbent as the modern day movie “O” depicts the play-write Othello. Tim Nelson set out to update Othello by placing his characters in an American prep school. Although the filming was completed in 1999, the movie did not debut until 2001 because the initial release date was the same year as the shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado which would have been very controversial as a result of the gun violence in “O”.

         So the movie was finally brought to the public in theaters by Lions Gate. The creationists titled the movie “O” in trying to make Othello more lifelike and appealing to an audience. However the title adaption does very little to fulfill the audiences needs and the new “improved” title does very little to emphasize the work the producers have created. This is partly because "O" has been overused throughout the years in numerous other movies that the representation is actually useless.

The title character – which is the title character in Othello as well – has been christened Odin James or O. Odin (Mekhi Parker) is a black basketball standout and an athletic scholarship recruit who attends an all-white private high school – this is already looking bad. As a playmaker and great teammate on the court, O is very popular and a great guy, who provokes jealousy in Hugo (Josh Hartnett), the Iago figure. As a result of Hugo’s jealousy, he deceives Odin by any means necessary to benefit him only. To feed his selfishness Hugo plans the downfall of Odin throughout evil deeds in which he intrudes O’s love-life with Desi (Julia Stiles) and planting seeds of jealousy in his head as well. After all, "White girls are snakes, bro,” said Hugo.

     This movie has provoked more than enough controversy…even before it was released! The movies malicious plot, oversees racial and sexual connotations deemed ignorant and crude. The unbarring language, violence, and drug use was also a big controversy throughout the movie. As we now know, the movie was held from the public because its set release date was the same year as the Columbine Shooting, but even more so the violence was picked apart by many critics calling it, Inexcusable – Rotten Tomatoes and Nasty – IMDb. The drug use taking place in a high school setting was another big issue with the movie, in that it compels an audience to feel as if that’s all high school students do, party and do drugs. Overall many facets of the movie were harshly criticized by multiple sources.

              The idea the producers remade of Shakespeare's moor as a kind, hard-working, but fierce ballplayer on the court was quite intelligent as the basketball serves as the war going on in the play Othello. The added drama towards the ending of the play in which O publicly humiliates Desi before he breaks the backboard with his forceful dunk in the contest, truly shows that he has changed and has bad intentions. Although some picture the scene as overly dramatic, I feel as if it added a much needed piece towards the movie that really modernized it from the old play-write.

Completely overtaken by Iago's influence, Odin and the movie loses track dramatically because there is a lack of understanding and the scenes move too quickly for an audience to comprehend. Not only is the ending very gruesome and controversial, but now the audience has no time to digest it and settle down and by that point feel remorse for the movie as a whole.  

Another controversy, by more studious Shakespearians, detects the substance of the play being lost in the content of the movie. For example, in the movie Hugo (Iago) feels as if his own father, who is also the team’s basketball coach, loves O more than him and treats O like his own son. This compiles when Odin receives the M.V.P. award and Hugo finally snaps. The controversy in this is that it was clear in the play Iago’s motives for not liking / deceiving Othello, though in the movie it is never clear if Hugo was deranged because of his father ignoring him, doesn’t like blacks, or mad about his role on the team.

            In summary the modernized movie "O" is a rutting process, but watching this picture is not just covering the Shakespeare play Othello. I’d like to believe that Tim Nelson tried to incorporate real world issues such as race or violence, because if not this movie would be insignificant and majorly controversial as many believe it to be.

 

"O" is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian) for violence, strong language, drug use

Directed by Tim Blake Nelson; based on Shakespeare's "Othello"

Cast: Mekhi Phifer (Odin James), Josh Hartnett (Hugo Goulding), Julia Stiles (Desi Brable), Martin Sheen (Coach Duke Goulding), Andrew Keegan (Michael Casio), Rain Phoenix (Emily) and Elden Henson (Roger).

Othello Act 5

1. At the end of this scene we witness the murder of several characters. Did this ending satisfy you? Why or why not?

 

Yes, the ending did satisfy me becuase it was both saddening and exuberant. The death of Desdemona saddens me, but she died as she always had been- faithful and loving. Although saddness was a part of the ending, I was also happy because Iago finally got caught up in the very mess he had started and was to be tortured as a result.

 

2. This play is considered to be one of the greatest tragedies of all time. Why is it so tragic (avoid the answer: they all died).

 

This play is tragic because it connects to the audience, meaning that no matter the time period the concept of "trust not what others say" still rings true today. This is a key factor into why Othello is so tragic. It also display a lot of passion and affection, which becomes manipulated by a villain.

 

3. What does the handkerchief symbolize?

 

I believe the handkerchief symbolizes Othello's jealousy and love for Desdemona at the same time, becuase if he didnt really love Desdemona in the first place, he most likely would not have become jealous.

 

4. Examine Othello's last words. What do these words show us about him?

 

I feel as if Othello redeemed himself, because he shows he is more than what has become of him in the time that the viewer has known him. Although he does seem a little more worried about the chances of a stain in his title than his wife who he murdered, he restores peace with the audience in a sense that he kills himself to get rid of the evil that has consumed him.

Othello Act 4

1. In Act 4 we learn the character of Desdemona. Choose two quotes that you believe best illustrate her character.

"So would not I. My love doth so approve him

That even his stubbornness, his checks, his frowns—

Prithee, unpin me—have grace and favor."

"And his unkindness may defeat my life,

But never taint my love."

2. How is Othello changing in Act 4? What is the effect of his public humiliation of Desdemona by slapping her?

Othello has drastically changed in Act 4 due to Iago's evil plan. He has become more ill tempered and jealousy has gotten the best of him. Othello's anger now overflows from the once suttle man. His anger runs so deep that he actually slaps Desdemona, which brings him a great deal of public humiliation because the others who witnessed it (aside from Iago) did not know of why he would commit such a harsh act of cruelty to a perfect and faithful wife, such as, Desdemona. He is publicly viewed as a crazed man who is losing his head and the people are questioning if he is really fit to govern.

3. At the end of Act 4 we get a glimpse into the private world of women. How does Shakespeare portray this world?

Given the time period, Shakespeare takes a deep risk, meaning that women were viewed as a prize and not really treated as they should be. Shakespeare depicts how women take advantage of their husbands without their knowing and get away with it. This was very risky considering that this is indeed a play, which was on stage with an audience watching. He shows the world that this does indeed happen and that women are capable of being regular people rather than just prizes; I also believe he raised a couple eyebrows of the men watching the play.

4. Analyze "The Willow Song". What is the literal meaning of this song? What does this song symbolize?

The Willow Song is about how both men and women are unfaithful to each other. Desdemona sings this song because she seems to feel weak and is promptly accepting the fact that the man she loves is slipping away from her, sort of like an acceptance. This song also leads the two women, Desdemona and Emilia into talking about the private world of women.

Othello Act 3

1. What is a tragic flaw? What do you believe is Othello's tragic flaw? What is your tragic flaw? Explain.

A tragic flaw is flaw in the character of the protagonist of a tragedy that brings the protagonist that brings about his/her downfall. I believe Othello's tragic flaw is being conceited, in that he is very overly confident and trusts everyone to much. My tragic flaw may be that I hold myself to such high standards, that when I do come short of my goals, I am distraught, but on the other hand after the failure I do everything in my power to be better as a result.

2. Examine the quote about a good reputation. What does Iago mean through this quote? How valuable do you believe a reputation is? What is your reputation? What kind of name do you have amongst others?

     Iago means that a reputation is very valuable, and that whatever someone may take or provoke him about, if it be money it is nothing but a material possession, that is needless to the persons true nature. Although if one shall take one's reputation, they shall be stained, and left hollow because they then have nothing left to live for.
     I believe a reputation is valuable to certain people, but for others like me who are confident and know who they really are it doesnt mean that much, beacuse reputation is only what a collection of people think they know about you.
     Although it does not matter to me, I believe my reputation is good, becuase of the way i carry myself, the people I associate with, and the high standards in which I hold myself. I also have a good name among others, by being a leader, peer, and hero amonst others and for others.

3. Connect this quote to another film/movie/book or to your own personal life.

Ideas can be like poisons. At first they hardly even taste bad, but once they get into your blood they start burning like hot lava. Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons. Which at the first are scarce found to distaste, But with a little act upon the blood Burn like the mines of sulfur.

 

Ideas can be like poison to you, if you let others infect your mind. I choose to selectively hear certain "ideas" of others or friends beacuse I know whats best for me, but if one does not selectively hear their peers, the ideas can quickly become poison to the ear, mind, and heart. I am not one to let things get to me, but this quote is a great teacher of how many people do. Their so called "friends" will poison their mind with thoughts that are untrue and you will think no more of it, but once it enters your thought and they advocate it, the accusations or whatever it may be seemingly appear true and it corrodes the inside of your mind, then eventually you end up doing something that you will regret.

 

Othello Act: 2

1. Choose one of Iago's soliloquies (end of 2.1 or end of 2.3) and thoroughly analyze it.

Iago is conversing to himself about how his plan is going to pan out. He demonstrates his willingness to do anything to get revenge on Cassio and Othello, although praising them for being good people. Iago discusses how he believes both Othello and Cassio has slept with his wife and how he will not stop until he gets revenge. Iago's tone is one of hate and bitterness; he is very conceited, thus doing all of this evil to better himself and no one else by being manipulative.

 

2. In Act II Iago launches his plan to destroy Othello. What is his motive? Jealousy? Racism? Is he opportunistic? A sociopath? All of the above? None of the above? Use TEXTUAL SUPPORT.

 

I feel as if Iago's motives for destroying Othello are more directed towards jealousy and racism. Iago says he believes Othello has slept with his wife, would indeed make him jealous of Othello. Iago also calls him a worthless moor, which is a racial slur in those times. Iago is so self-centered that all his motives are agianst any others and for the benefit of himself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Choose another character (from film, books, etc) that reminds you of Iago. Explain

 

Loki from the movie Thor reminds me of Iago becuase he is selfish and self-centered. Like Iago, Loki just looks out for himself and acts as if he is friends with others (like his brother Thor), but he actually plots against him. Loki also manipulates others for his own good and for his personal benefit, just like Iago does to the other main characters in Othello.

3. Create two discussion questions from Act II that you would like to discuss with the class

 

How does Iago's motives affect the other characters besides Othello?

 

Is Othello overconfident in himself? If so, How?

No Fear Shakespeare

1. What conflicts do you already see beginning to emerge? Choose two quotes from Act I that expose these conflicts. Explain why each quote is significant and what it reveals about the characters.

 

One conflict involves the womans rebellion against her father, in marriage to the black man, Othello.
"My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty.To you I am bound for life and education.My life and education both do learn me how to respect you. You are the lord of duty. I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband." - DESDEMONA

Another conflict emerging is the brink of war between the Turks and Cyprus.
"Of thirty sail. And now they do re-stem, their backward course, bearing with frank appearance.

Their purposes toward Cyprus." - MESSENGER

 

2. Create three discussion questions of your choice based on Act I

 

Why do you think Iago left before Brabantio came down to speak to them?

Why does the Duke so readily accept Othello’s version of what happened, despite his race?

How do you think Iago and Roderigo are connected, is one of them corrupt? How?

 

3. In a paragraph each, analyze the character of Othello and Iago (so far).

 

     The character Othello seems to be a very diligent, noble, and hard-working man. Although he has been troubled all his life, mostly because of his race, he has made the most of it and continued on helping others as well. He is a highly regarded military officer and will do anything asked of him in order to better of keep Cyprus safe from harm. He has married a noble's daughter, which brought the wife's father great despair. Despite certain accusations and threats, Othello keeps his composure and calmly pleads his case as well as his wife Desdemona. In my opinion, Othello is a trusted man of color and is willing to do what is asked of him, but is somewhat gullible.  

 

     The character Iago is potrayed at first as a normal, hard-working man just looking out for himself, but as Act I is laid out in full he appears more and more corrupt. Iago is a very self-centered man who is looking to stir up trouble. I believe he is using his friend Roderigo to better himself. He also seeks to destroy Othello's career somehow by acting as his good friend, but only soon to betray him to get what he wants. Iago manipulates others and tells them what they want to hear, in order to get his way. I believe as the story continues he will continue his evil ways.