Fifth Business - Analysis

Meaning: Actions never go without long term consequences, but one must not allow them to dictate one’s life.

·         A snowball Boy threw as a child, led to his death.

·         Dunstable’s affair with Leola as a youth, contributed to her sickness and eventual death.

·         The idea of “Fifth Business” relies on groups of characters relying on each other.

·         Dunstan’s tone as the narrator is full of reflection on the consequences of his actions.

·         The letter being written is a consequence of one careless news story.

Narrative Voice:  The narrative voice in Fifth Business is the character of Dunstan Ramsay, because it is written in first person.  Dunstan is very reflective and aware of many facets of his life.

Quote 1: “’…get on with your own life and accept the possibility that it may be purchased at the price of hers and that this may be God’s plan for you and her…’” (Davies 165).  Blazon says that although Dunstan may have some responsibility for Mary Dempster’s condition, he must not spend his life obsessing over that failure, because it was part of God’s plan, which he cannot possibly comprehend.

Quote 2: “…the inevitable fifth, who was the keeper of his conscience and keeper of the stone” (Davies 252).  The fifth is of course Dunstan, and this describes his relationship with Boy.  It also highlights that for most of his life, Dunstan was merely an assistant.  He did not accomplish many things personally, rather he aided others.

Fifth Business Summary

The book is based upon the premise that Dunstan Ramsay is writing a letter to the headmaster of the school he taught at for 40 years complaining that the article about his retirement made him sound insignificant.  He then proceeds to write the book detailing his life, so that the headmaster understands that he is important.

Dunstable Ramsay was born in Deptford, Canada, a small religious town.  He witnessed his friend, Percy Boyd Stauton, throw a snowball which struck a pregnant woman, Mary Dempster, causing her to go into labor prematurely.  Dunstable then watches after Mrs. Dempster, the Baptist minister’s wife, and her baby, Paul, at his mother’s request.  He grows quite close to Mary, even though she is considered insane by the town.  As Paul grows older, Dunstable teaches him magic tricks, but when Reverend Dempster finds out, he bans Dunstable from seeing their family ever again.  Then Mrs. Dempster goes missing, and Paul helps find her.  They find her having sex with a tramp because he seemed to desperately want it.  Mary is then further ostracized, and Reverend Dempster keeps her tied up in her home.  Dunny begins to visit regularly, and their close friendship is renewed.

Dunny’s brother falls ill, and when Dunny is afraid he has died, he runs and gets Mary Dempster.  Although the brother lives, Dunny’s mother is furious that he retrieved Mrs. Dempster and not a doctor or his mother.  This fight leaves Dunny so angry that he enlists in the army.  During training he has a short affair with Percy Boyd Stauton’s girlfriend, Leola.  He then ships out.

While in the trenches of WWI, Dunny reads the Bible many times over.  One night he is sent to raid a machine gun nest, and is wounded in the process.  He successfully clears the nest, and then faints in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary.

He wakes in a hospital in Great Britain.  His leg has been amputated, and he receives a Victorian Cross for heroism.  He enters a relationship with his nurse, Diana, and she inspires him to get an education.  Although she wanted to marry him, Dunstable decides to return to Canada alone for his education.  Upon his return he discovers that both his parents and brother are dead and sells off their assets.  He begins studying saints obsessively and reunites with Percy Boyd Staunton, who has changed his name to Boy Staunton.  At this time, Dunstable changes his name to Dunstan.  After completing school he begins teaching at a boarding school.

Boy Staunton has married Leola.  While Boy keeps climbing the social ladder and has become a very powerful man, Leola has not outgrown her country upbringing.  They have two kids, but the home is not happy.  Dunstan often visits, but rarely defends Leola. 

Dunstan happens upon Mary Dempster’s tramp, and finds him a new man.  The tramp runs a charity.  Dunstan considers this the second of Mrs. Dempster’s miracles, the first being bringing Dunstan’s brother back to life.  He begins to think of her as a fool-saint.  Dunstan then seeks her out and begins a new friendship with her.

            While researching saints in Europe, Dunstan finds Paul Dempster travelling with a circus and performing magic tricks.  He decides not to tell Mary Dempster for fear it will upset her.

Boy is now quite rich because he sells solace during the Depression.  Christmas of one year, Leola discovers an affair Boy is having and attempts to seduce Dunstan.  Dunstan however has no feeling for her other than pity.  Leola is so upset, she attempts suicide, but fails.

The aunt caring for Mary Dempster dies, and leaves Mary to Dunstan’s care.  Because he is short on funds, he places Mary in a public hospital.

Dunstan returns to Europe, this time visiting a group of Jesuits.  He meets with Padre Blazon, who reminds Dunstan not to blame himself for Mary Dempster’s fate.

            Leola dies, perhaps of her own choosing.  Boy doesn’t come home to aid his family, so Dunstan takes care of the funeral and the children.  Dunstan is named temporary Headmaster of his school after the previous dies unexpectedly.  He remains Headmaster through WWII, until Boy, a member of the Board of Directors, asks him to step down.  He does so under the condition that he may travel once more before resuming his post as a history teacher.

            While traveling in Mexico, Dunstan sees Paul.  Paul still performs as a magician; however he is much more accomplished now.  Liesl, a member of Paul’s troupe, becomes a confidante for Dunstan.  She never promises secrecy, but he tells her everything.  He lusts over another troupe member, Faustina.  When he sees her kissing Liesl, he becomes depressed.  Then Liesl tries to seduce Dunstan, he responds by breaking her nose.  When she returns, she claims she was provoking him so that he would release his pent up anger.  Then he has sex with Liesl.  It is at this point he realizes he is not the main character of his story, but “Fifth Business”. 

            Upon his return to Canada, Dunstan finally tells Mary Dempster that he has seen Paul.  She is so upset that she is moved to a higher security ward.  Shortly after being transferred to a private hospital, Mary dies.

            Dunstan yet again visits Europe.  Blazon approves of Dunstan’s self discoveries.  Dunstan finds his Madonna statue.

Paul travels to Toronto with his show, and following the performance, he meets with Dunstan and Boy.  All of the grudges and secrets of the book come out.  Dunstan presents the two with the rock Boy hid in the snowball that hit Mary Dempster, but the rock goes missing.  Dunstan suspects that Paul stole it.  Boy refuses to admit any guilt in the incident.  Boy is then found dead, under peculiar circumstances, with what appears to be the same rock in his mouth.

During a show of Paul’s an audience member asks “Who killed Boy Stauton?”, which gives Dunstan a heart attack.  And so the letter ends.

Hamlet - Analysis

Meaning: One must balance thought with action to be a successful leader and person.

·                         Hamlet spends the entire novel thinking, and dies from his hesitance.  Laertes acts quickly upon his desire for vengeance and dies as a result.  Fortinbras however balances thought with action and gains an entire country.

Narrative Voice:  Hamlet is chalk full of darkness and fogginess symbolizing the ominous state of affairs in Denmark.  Shakespeare also uses Biblical references, such as the reference to the Garden of Eden when Old Hamlet describes his death by poison in the garden.  There is also quite a bit of focus on hearing and break down of communication.  The King is killed by poisoning his ear.  Communication failing is presented through old Hamlet’s apparent inability to respond to Horatio.  Young Hamlet struggles throughout the play with the issues in spoken language as a way to communicate.

Quote 1: “Something is rotten in the State of Denmark.”  With the massive amounts of synecdoche in Hamlet, this quote has many meanings.  One of course refers to the war with Norway.  It can also refer to the corruption in the royal court, or the corruption of Claudius, or Hamlet’s insanity.

Quote 2: “To be or not to be, that is the question.” This is one of the most obvious examples of Hamlet’s hesitance.  Instead of acting on his hatred, he talks for a couple pages.

The Death of a Salesman - Analysis

Meaning: Success is not gained by asking others to like you, rather by working toward goals that allow you to satisfy yourself.

·                         Willy constantly seeks other’s approval, but fails in his home and work life.  Only Linda likes him in the end.  Biff seeks personal fulfillment through physical labor, and the book ends with hope for success.

·                         Ben symbolizes the American Dream (making something from nothing) and he finds his success without being well liked.

Narrative Voice:  Arthur Miller is known for his descriptive stage directions.  He is very specific about the flute used in Willie’s flashbacks.  He uses it to promote peace but surrounds it with unnatural shapes.  This sharp contrast is reminiscent of Willy’s naivety and the real world.

Quote 1: “There’s nothing more inspiring or – beautiful than the sigh of a mare and a new colt” (Miller 22).  This shows the satisfaction and happiness Biff finds when he is away from human interference.

Quote 2: “I made the last payment on the house today.  Today, dear.  And there’ll be nobody home” (Miller 139).  This highlights the irony in the American Dream.  Home ownership is tied closely with the traditional American Dream (or so propaganda tells me), and the fact that the dream was accomplished only after Willy died makes it clear that Willy did not have the dream.

The American Dream - Analysis

Meaning: America has polluted its original dream and killed its current dream leading to confusion.

·         Mommy and Daddy represent Americans, and they constantly reject Grandma, the past dream, and killed their child, the new dream.

·         Mommy, Daddy, and Mrs. Barker are constantly unaware of reality, which is constantly being twisted.  Grandma, the old dream, is most aware of reality, actually stepping out of the play and into our world.

Narrative Voice:  Being a play, The American Dream, doesn’t have a narrator until Grandma steps out at the very end.  Grandma is a strong character, and putting her in charge makes it clear that she is the superior American Dream.  She is very real, and aware that if the country follows its current course, it will just kill its dream again.

Quote 1: “People think they can get away with anything these days…and of course they can” (Albee 9).  Mommy says this in the first page of the play, and as the audience acquaints themselves with the show it seems to have little significance.  But after reading the play, it is very important.  Mommy gets away with killing her child and we leave the play before there are any consequences.

Quote 2: “I called it Uncle Henry’s Day Old Cake” (Albee 35).  Grandma mentions winning a cake contest many times.  In this quote we realize that the cake was a day old.  This means that people appreciate old dreams, but only when they don’t realize that it’s old.  But also that quality doesn’t matter if one thinks it is okay.

Ceremony - Analysis

Meaning: Balance between old customs and new while remaining connected to one’s heritage is key to a healthy existence.

·         Plot: Tayo only returns to health after undergoing a ceremony that mixes Native tradition with Western culture, during which he connects with Ts’eh, the human embodiment of earth and Tayo’s heritage.

·         Imagery: Things often come in fours in the novel.  Four is a very natural number (four seasons, four directions).  There are four mountains in the book as well as rooms having four windows.

·         Setting: Ceremony constantly switches setting between the jungle of WWII and Tayo’s home.  This constant shifting makes the audience incredibly aware of Tayo’s unbalanced mind.  As Tayo heals, the book becomes more fluid.

·         Title: The title is a reference to Betonie’s updated Ceremony that healed Tayo.

Narrative voice:  Ceremony features two distinct narrative voices: the voice in the poetry, Betonie, and the narrator of Tayo’s life.  The narrator of the prose is unremarkable.  Opinions are voiced subtly. The images focus on colors, such as the white and grey hospitals, the green jungle, and the yellow desert.

Quote 1: “He had drifted in colors of smoke, where there was no pain, only pale, pale gray of the north wall by his bed” (Silko 14).  This quote includes both the lack of color characteristic of Tayo’s experience with illness in white hospitals, and the focus on the cardinal directions.  The image of smoke promotes the emptiness inside of Tayo.

Quote 2:  “The night was getting colder; he could see the steam from his breath in the moonlight” (Silko 230).  Tayo’s body functions play a large role within the novel, with him rejecting himself through puking.  This breathing highlights that Tayo is a warm life amongst the cold of the world.  This occurs right before he witnesses Harley’s murder.

Pride and Prejudice - Analysis

Quote 1 (and narrative voice):  The very first line of Pride and Prejudice “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” reveals a lot about the entire book’s narrative voice.  The ridiculous blanket statement in the first clause highlights the satiric nature of the book.  This quote also comments on the main topics of the book, marriage and money.  It also takes the love out of marriage, a struggle so often found in Pride and Prejudice.  Austen’s satiric style is accomplished through elevated language, and directly quoting characters.  By forcing the annoying qualities of a character upon the reader, the reader becomes annoyed, making the point all the more clear. 

Quote 2:  “’In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.’”  This quote represents Mr. Darcy’s first attempt at shedding his pride.  Unfortunately, the language in this quote makes it clear that the attempt failed.  Each sentence is about Mr. Darcy, with his love as an afterthought.

Meaning: One must truly know, understand, and love their spouse to achieve a happy marriage outside the bounds of societal prejudices and personal prides.

You can see this especially with Lydia.  She married without knowing Wickham, and is doomed to be unhappy, whereas Lizzy shed her pride and prejudices in order to truly know Mr. Darcy and has a happy marriage. The satiric narrative voice highlights the ridiculous prejudices.

Hamlet - Summary

Hamlet, prince of Denmark, returns to Denmark after the death of his father, the King, also named Hamlet.  Upon his return, his uncle, Claudius, becomes king and marries his mother, Gertrude.  Hamlet talks to the ghost of his father, who tells him that Claudius murdered Old Hamlet and had an affair with Gertrude.  Hamlet swears to avenge his father, and to distract the others, he will pretend to be insane.  To investigate his insanity, Claudius and Polonius, Claudius’s closest friend, make Ophelia, Polonius’s daughter and Hamlet’s lover, confront Hamlet.  Hamlet yells at her and ends their relationship. Hamlet bypasses an opportunity to kill Claudius because he is praying and would go to heaven.  He then has actors act out Old Hamlet’s death in front of Claudius, which enrages Claudius.  Polonius then asks Gertrude to confront Hamlet.  Hamlet notices Polonius watching the exchange and kills him thinking he was killing Claudius.  Gertrude then promises to be loyal to Hamlet and not Claudius.  Hamlet is sent to England with his old schoolmates to be killed.  He rewrites the letter and has them killed instead.  Hamlet returns to Denmark to kill Claudius.  Ophelia has killed herself because of her father’s death and her brother Laertes wants revenge.  Hamlet and Laertes fight over Ophelia’s grave.  Then Laertes and Claudius request a duel between Laertes and Hamlet, but they have poisoned Laertes blade and Hamlet’s wine.  Gertrude drinks the wine to protect Hamlet from it.  Laertes strikes Hamlet, Hamlet strikes Laertes with his own sword, thus they are both poisoned.  Hamlet stabs and kills Claudius when he sees his mother die.  Horatio, Hamlet’s best friend, consoles Hamlet as he dies, then gives Denmark to Fortinbras, a neighboring ruler, because all of the royal family is dead.

Death of a Salesman - Summary

Death of a Salesman follows Willie Loman, a man who cannot climb the social ladder. His wife continually supports him although he cheated on her and treats her poorly.  His sons, Biff and Happy have not had success in life.  Willy insists that Biff will be the one to turn their life around, and pays little attention to Happy.  Happy is always searching for a new quick success job, and objectifies women.  Although he continually says he wants to marry, he doesn’t seem to be searching for a woman he could marry.  Biff has recently returned from travelling out west.  He searched for a job using his hands, but he returned to help the family. He resents his father for making him come home, and cheating on his mother.  Biff lost his scholarship to college because he failed to make up classes after discovering his father cheating.  The family is being financially supported by their neighbor, Charley.  His son is Biff’s age and quite successful.  Willy continually has flashbacks to “the good old times” when Biff was a football star.  His flashbacks feature his brother, Ben, a self made man.  Eventually the pressure of his failure gets to him and he kills himself.  His family and Charley attend his funeral.

Ceremony - Summary

Ceremony follows Tayo, a young half Native American, experiencing a severe case of PTSD after serving in WWII.  While serving, his cousin that he grew up with is killed, and his uncle, the closest thing he had to a father, dies at home.  After spending time in a Western medicine hospital, Tayo returns to his Aunt’s home.  Auntie always treated Tayo poorly because his he was born out of wedlock to a Non-Native American.  When Tayo doesn’t get better, a medicine man, Ku’oosh, comes to cure him, but cannot.  Tayo slowly becomes functional and begins frequenting the bars with other local Veterans, including Harley, his alcoholic best friend, Emo, a sadistic killer, Pinkie, and Leroy.  Tayo relives his childhood, including his mother’s prostitution, learning in white schools, and his uncle’s girlfriend and Tayo’s sexual experience with her.  Tayo then meets Betonie, and using an updated Native American Ceremony, he goes through the process to reconnect with his heritage and find peace.  Tayo sleeps with Ts’eh, who represented the earth, and Tayo rescuing his stolen cows from the white men.  Tayo then must watch Emo kill Harley, while he hides and completes his ceremony.  The drought that has lasted the whole book is finally over.

Pride and Prejudice - Summary

Elizabeth is one of five daughters.  Mr. Bennet, Elizabeth’s father, does not like their mother, and does not encourage her matchmaking, even though when Mr. Bennet dies, his wife and daughters will lose their home. The eldest, Jane, should be the first to marry, and so when a wealthy man moves to town, their busy-body mother tries to marry Jane to this man, Bingley.  Bingley brings his sisters, his brother in law, and his best friend, Mr. Darcy with him.  Mr. Darcy appears quite pompous and rude.  Jane begins a normal, stable relationship with Mr. Bingley.  A group of soldiers are stationed in town, and the two youngest, Lydia and Kitty, flirt with the soldiers shamelessly.  Mary, the middle child, shows off even though she isn’t very talented.  Elizabeth is courted by Mr. Wickham, a young soldier, who tells her of awful things Mr. Darcy did to him.  Her cousin, Mr. Collins, is set to inherit the Bennet estate.  He proposes to Lizzy, but she says no.  Although her mother is upset, Mr. Bennet supports Lizzy’s decision.  The relationship with Mr. Wickham ends, and Mr. Bingley’s party returns to their city home.  Mr. Bingley ends his relationship with Jane.  Elizabeth goes to visit her friend Catherine, who married Mr. Collins, and sees Mr. Darcy during this trip.  He proposes to her, and proclaims his love, but because of Wickham, she rejects him too.  He then leaves her a letter explaining his side of Wickham’s story.  Elizabeth realizes how wrong she was and is embarrassed, but also that he told Bingley to leave Jane.  She returns home, and then goes on vacation with her aunt and uncle.  During this trip, they visit Pemberley, Darcy’s estate, and see him.  He and Elizabeth renew their affections, but the visit is cut short by Lydia who eloped with Wickham.  Mr. Darcy helps find Lydia and fixed the situation, but doesn’t tell Elizabeth. When she next sees Bingley and Darcy, Bingley proposes to Jane and Darcy proposes to Elizabeth.  And they all live happily ever after.  Except Lydia, who is poor, and trapped in a nasty marriage.

The American Dream - Summary

The play opens on a normal living room.  Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma all discuss seemingly meaningless things.  Through the conversation, it becomes clear that all three are extremely sexually frustrated.  A visitor, Mrs. Barker arrives, saying she was called, although no one remembers who called her or why.  She also appears to be sexually frustrated, and clearly represents a higher class than Mommy, Daddy, or Grandma.  Grandma seems to recognize Mrs. Barker, and tells her that Mommy and Daddy adopted a child through Mrs. Barker, and then maimed and killed the child.  Mrs. Barker does not understand what Grandma has told her.  Grandma begins to move out of the apartment, and takes everything with her.  A young man appears, evidently the twin brother of the murdered child.  Grandma removes herself from the show and joins the audience.  The end implies that history will repeat itself with the young man.

Revised Open Prompt #4

1994. In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence. Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how such a character functions in the work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects action, theme, or the development of other characters. Avoid plot summary.

            People affect other people: that is a fact of life.  An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley examines how little things can affect others through Eva Smith.  Although Eva Smith never appears in on stage, interactions with her define other characters.  Priestley uses this to push how British values failed those at the bottom of society.

            When Inspector Goole shows each member of the Birling family how they contributed to Eva Smith’s suicide, their reaction defines them.  Mr. and Mrs. Birling’s denial and anger exhibit the broken old beliefs.  Because Eva Smith was a working girl, Mr. and Mrs. Birling have no sympathy for her plight. Even though she was pregnant with their grandchild, they are more upset that their son gave her money than for the role they played in her death. These reactions indicate Priestley’s views on the fading British social order.  Horror and guilt plagues Sheila and Eric Birling showing the audience that there is still hope for them, the next generation.  Reactions to Eva Smith’s death put the characters into categories: those who uphold the strict British social order and those who dare to care for the less fortunate.

Eva Smith may not be real in the context of the play.  She is given multiple names and she never comes onto the stage.  The doubt of her existence only broadens Priestley’s message: Inspector Goole says, “…there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths” (Priestley).   Eva Smith’s faceless character puts the Birlings’ responsibility for her death on everyone. Whether Eva Smith is a person or an idea, she is pertinent to the play.

Anyone could have been Eva Smith.  Society failed to help her, and because of that she died.  The Birling family is defined by how they treated Eva Smith, a character who never appears on stage, yet Eva Smith’s anonymity aids Priestley’s in critiquing all British values.

Revised Open Prompt #3

2005, Form B. One of the strongest human drives seems to be a desire for power. Write an essay in which you discuss how a character in a novel or a drama struggles to free himself or herself from the power of others or seeks to gain power over others. Be sure to demonstrate in your essay how the author uses this power struggle to enhance the meaning of the work.

            Most humans strive for power; whether it is over a spouse or an entire country.  In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the title character spends the entire play forcing his way to power, to the throne.  In Macbeth, the ascension to power corrupts only those who thirst for it, as shown by Macbeth as opposed to Malcolm.

            Shakespeare portrays Macbeth negatively as he thirsts for power.  The first passage Macbeth is mentioned in, he is a war hero.  The language is elegant and Macbeth is god-like.  But when Macbeth begins his quest for power, he loses his heroic qualities.  His sanity is questioned.  Although the audience does not witness the murders, they must see the mess he creates both figuratively and literally.  Seeing blood impresses on the audience Macbeth’s corruption.

            Malcolm isn’t a main character; although he plays a large role in the plot, he rarely appears on stage.  Malcolm tests Macduff’s intentions to assure that his country will be safe while Malcolm is exiled.  Malcolm is forced into the throne, although he may have desired it, he did not actively seek the throne.   He is displayed positively next to Macbeth, who did everything to become King and no longer answer to any authority.

            Malcolm and Macbeth are not complete opposites, but in their ascension to power, Shakespeare makes it clear that Macbeth’s thirst for power lead to his ultimate demise, where Malcolm remained successful.

Revised Open Prompt #2

In retrospect, the reader often discovers that the first chapter of a novel or the opening scene of a drama introduces some of the major themes of the work. Write an essay about the opening scene of a drama or the first chapter of a novel in which you explain how it functions in this way.

People say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, but often one can judge literature by its first chapter or scene.  Such a work is Shakespeare’s Macbeth. After reading the play, the reader should recognize witchcraft, and the meaning of fate as a major theme, both of which are in the first scene.  Shakespeare uses witches throughout the play to reinforce the struggle between fate and freewill and the line between good and evil.

The three witches in Macbeth, during their first scene, say “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (Shakespeare).  This line introduces a major struggle in Macbeth, good and evil.  As the play progresses the line is a commentary on Macbeth as a character.  Is he truly evil or is he merely misguided?  Does surrendering to temptation make him evil?  These are all questions implied in one line, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (Shakespeare). 

Starting in the first scene, the witches predict Macbeth’s future, questioning whether it’s his choice to be king, or if he is fated to be king.  The audience may believe two things about Macbeth’s future: he was fated to live and die the way he did or he formed his life around the witches’ predictions.  Either way, those three witches greatly influenced his life.  Shakespeare doesn’t beat around the bush; he introduces the witches and the theme of fate versus freewill.

Beginning Macbeth with the witches has purpose: Shakespeare uses the witches to introduce fate versus freewill and good versus evil.

Revised Open Prompt #1

Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

           Many people believe that environment determines how its people interact, but people also determine the environment.  In Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff, a gypsy child, is brought into a wealthy English family, but abused by his jealous foster siblings.  Heathcliff’s environment shapes him into as a cynical monster.

          Heathcliff was thrust into the racist upper-class Victorian society.  As a gypsy, he was scorned by the all, and especially by his foster brother, Hindley.  Hindley persecuted Heathcliff, forcing him to do hard labor, separating him from the family, and verbally degrading him.  Wuthering Heights becomes depressing when Hindley succumbs to alcoholism.  During this time, the evil in Heathcliff emerges; he is no longer the victim.  

          After Hindley takes away Heathcliff's only friend, Catherine, Heathcliff turns inward, and by Hindley's death Heathcliff is crueler than Hindley.  Diction emphasizes Heathcliff's new character, describing him as a monster at many times in the book.  Heathcliff is constantly shown in shadows, creating a dark atmosphere.   Heathcliff's character has turned dark, and mysterious.

         Bronte proves her point through Heathcliff, a dynamic character.  Hindley’s racism turns Heathcliff, the happy child, into a monster.

Synthesis #4 The Vocab

All students are thrilled when their literature teacher hands them a mile long list of vocab.  However, our vocab has proven helpful.  Why just today, Guildenstern was full of delightful non-sequiturs.  when writing Synthesis #3, I stumbled across my friend hamartia. Vocabulary may seem like a side note in a literature class, yet without these new words my essays are full of unnecessary descriptive phrases.  I also didn't know all of these concepts before learning the words for them, and so I am able to find new evidence and better support the essays I write..

Synthesis #3 Want a Frye?

Northrop Frye wrote about the definitions of comedy and tragedy.  While many people have defined comedy and tragedy, Frye defined the two in a very simple diagram.  Using a circle, Frye depicts the rise or fall of a hero.  A tragic hero starts at the top of the circle as nobility, then slowly falls until he realizes his flaw.  Unfortunately this epiphany is too late and the tragedy ends with the death of the hero at the bottom of the circle.  A comedy follows the opposite path; the hero begins at the bottom of the circle as a commoner.  The hero climbs the circle and the social ladder as the play continues, and ends with the hero at the top of the circle.  

This simple visual really make comedy and tragedy simple to understand.  However Arthur Miller had to shake things up.  He says that since society has changed, and so has tragedy. Miller asserts that tragedy is now a common man struggling against his societal place and failing.

Synthesis #2 AP Essays

I write awkward sentences, but the template for the AP Essay has partially fixed that.  The three sentence opener eased my fear of introductions.  The pieces of thesis for topic sentences made my essays more organized and logical.  This new organization technique has not only made my writing more readable, but it also makes analyzing text more organized.  As I read, I can use this template to notice certain parts of the essay formula.  Thesis answers prompt.

Synthesis #1 Applying Allusions

Over the summer we read about allusions in Foster's, and expanded our knowledge of Greek and Biblical allusions.  We thought we were done on the third day of school when we took that test.  But no, allusions came back to haunt us.  With every text and test, we have to examine for allusions and what they mean.  We spent almost the entire hour on Biblical allusions in Hamlet.  When someone pointed out that Biff was 34, Jesus died at 33, Death of a Salesman took on a whole new light.