Macbeth. Coming to a theater near you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTp0t13v1Bw

Quote and Quote

1. Personification
"Mack could almost feel her words rain down on his head"
(155)

2. Repetition
"if only, if only, if only"
(67)

3. Allusion
"He half expected Jesus to pull out a huge King James Bible"
(109)

4. Motif
"a couple of verses before the Bible somehow left his hand"
(117)

5. Alliteration
"Speaking of Sarayu, is she the Holy Spirit?"
(112)

6. Metaphor
"Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved"
(128)

7. Hyperbole
"Suddenly Mack wanted to ask a thousand questions, or say a thousand things"
(92)

8. Imagery
"Monsters and demons of the deepest dark with barbwire fingers and razor touches"
(55)

9. Simile
"which waves of nausea and guilt and regret rolled over him like some surreal tidal flood"
(27)

10. Epithet
"Although externally religious, his overly strict church-elder father was a closet drinker"
(9)

✔ or ✘ ? Only you can know

  

                In modern civilization, there are many factors that educates our morals and our principles. We question whether our morals are learnt or whether it is in our blood. Our DNA contains genetic information about our appearance, our skills and some believe our human behaviour. However, I believe that morality is evidently influenced by the environment we are exposed to.

                Since morality is inevitably influenced by environment, many may ask: How does that differ from animals in their environment? We know that animals don't have a moral compass to tell between right and wrong. Their only objective is to hunt for food,  avoid from being hunted, migrate, reproduce. In some animals, the parent nurtures their young. In essence, their one and only objective is to survive. Similar to animals, the role of human beings is to survive. However, unlike animals, we are oriented in an organized, structured society. We live in a place where people tend to be judgemental of our actions. In order to survive, our key component is to learn ideal morals. Our morals are learnt from our parents, the media, the judicial system and religious faith for some. The main source to our moral ethics are from our parents. It is known to psychologists  that parents play a great influence to their children. Children look up to their parent's values, behaviour and beliefs. For instance, if a mother has a habit of smoking cigarettes, her child is more likely to smoke as well.  On the other hand, if a parent refrains from smoking, the chance of smoking is less likely to occur in their child. This proves that humans are influenced by their parents regardless if it's considered right or wrong.

                In addition to morality lead by parental values, the media manipulates our moral decisions. We may not be aware, but the media heavily impacts our principles. The media usually expresses their statement on how people should behave in movies, music, TV shows, sitcoms, and soap operas. It manipulates the audience into believing their views on society. It is especially important because the media has a view exhibited about society. We learn their interpretation of right and wrong. For instance, bullying on LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual Transgender) teens have brought a pandemic to schools in the United States. Stars such as Ellen DeGeneres, Madonna, Lady Gaga and even Barack Obama has addressed the situation. The media brought attention to viewers to convey the audience to believe that bullying towards LGBT bullying is unacceptable and frowned upon.  In short, the media manipulates people to consider and abide by their views on society . The media then suggests people to believe that discrimination against the LGBT community is immoral and wrong. The media wants people to possess their principle of right and wrong and encourages them to behave in their desired manner.

                Morality has a great impact from the media, the judicial system also complements our principles. While the law does not directly teach us morals, it states the way humans should behave within boundaries. It suggests what is acceptable, what isn't and the consequences for the wrong doings. Typically we learn this through experiences of others. In regards to law, criminals are prosecuted for their wrong doings. Usually the consequences are fines, service hours, imprisonment, and capital punishment for some. For example, Bernard Madoff, an American stock broker is charged for fraud and money laundering. He is heavily punished for one hundred fifty years in prison. Not only does this teach him the consequences for his actions, but it teaches anybody who attempts for commit these acts will be prosecuted. In this case, this influences not just our belief that these offenses are immoral. The judicial system relates to our morals by displaying the consequences of crimes committed.

                In conclusion to morality and their sources, it is obtained by external sources in the environment. We are exposed to moral teachings from our parents, the media and the judicial system. This teaches us the principles of right and wrong in which influences our decision making and behaviour. Morality not only helps us decide what is moral and immoral but essentially helps us survive in society. Morality is learned from the environment we are exposed in and is not innate to humans.

Being independent-phobia

Growing up is difficult, we develop fears whether rational or irrational. Our fears may confine and harbor us from achieving our goals. Yet in an optimistic point of view, our fears can motivate us to accomplish our ambitions. For me, it has always been the fear of moving out and being financially independent. Ever so often this fear haunts and still continues to haunt me to this very day. Moving out is a great responsibility. It means finding a place to rent, paying the bills and medication, buying groceries and meeting our unnecessary desires. It means your mother will no longer spoon feed you. It means your mother will no longer clean up your mess. It means your mother will no longer be partially held responsible for your mischief in society.The thought of putting my wardrobe, the money in my savings account and my adult responsibilities into a suitcase puts me deeper in my misery.
My fear originated when I was in kindergarten. I was the biggest rebel in class. I was always getting into trouble and had to stay after school for my parents to discuss my issues with the teacher. Sure it must just be the process of growing up, after all, I was only a kid. However, it was a serious issue to my parents if it continued to persist.
During a long weekend, me and my family traveled down to Seattle for a short trip. We stopped in Chinatown for Chinese dinner. We parked our car in a dark alleyway. As we approached the meter to pay, I witnessed a group of homeless teens. Their skin was blistered and scarred. Their hair was greasy and long. Their clothes were filthy and grungy.
At the restaurant, my father strictly told me. I still remember this vividly to this day.
"Do you see those boys out there son?" my father said I gulped and held my breath.
"This is what happens when you don't do well in school. When you don't do well in school, you become homeless or  you end up working in fast food. Working in fast food means no money. No money means no fancy car or luxury mansions. No fancy car and luxury mansions means no good looking wife. No good looking wife means misery. You decide son, you are making the choice"
My father's words has made me very fearful of the day when I move out and I become responsible for myself. Even though this fear is so raw and bloodcurdling, it motivates me to become confident for the day I become independent. I contribute to my motivation by trying my best in my studies, building a rich resume and being active in my community.Yet my fear of moving out and being financially stable haunts me, it inspires me to become to become hardworking and ambitious.

Three Quotes and their Significance

In short summary of chapter two, Nan (Mack's wife) and kids return home. His wife discovers the wounds when he slipped and fell on ice. The author then compares a heavy quilt to Mack's depression over Missy's (Mack's daughter): "Shortly after the summer that Missy vanished, The Great Sadness had draped itself around Mack's shoulder like some invisible but almost tangibly heavy quilt (26-27)." This quote is important because Young uses it to create imagery in the reader's mind for emphasis. When we think of a heavy quilt, we often think of being lethargic, burdened, unmotivated, and simply depressed. Young uses this quote to draw out the emotions of Mack so the reader can possibly connect with the character.
The story then takes place on Labor Day weekend when Mack takes his children camping. Missy begs her father to tell the story of Legend of Multnomah Falls.  The tale Mack told to his children was about a native tribe where the chief loves his daughter, the princess. Unfortunately, a contagious disease spreads kills many of the tribesmen. The medicine man of the tribe tells that the sickness can only be stopped if the daughter of the chief jumps off a cliff. In short, the princess jumps to her death and the plague was lifted. When Mack finished telling the story, Missy compared the tale to Jesus' sacrifice by saying: "Well, the Great Spirit makes the princess jump off the cliff and makes Jesus die on a cross. That seems really mean to me (33)". In this quote, Missy is referring the Great Spirit to God and saying that he is cruel and mean to mortals. I find that this is ironic because by reading the prologue in this novel, we know that Missy will be abducted during the family's vacation. Yet, she talks about how God is unfair to mortals by taking their lives. This is a type of cosmic irony because Missy expresses God as mean, yet we know that she will eventually be abducted. This may hint that God punishes her for saying that he is "so mean (33)".
In chapter three, two of the children take a canoe trip to the lake. Sadly, Josh (Mack's son) is caught underwater of a tipped canoe. In the end, Josh is pulled to shore. In the last line of the chapter the author says: "A potential crisis has been averted. Or so Mack though (44)". I think the narrator of this line is speaking from God because he seems to be predictive. The author uses foreshadowing to hint the reader that something greater and more devastating will happen upon Mack. Either it may be Missy being abducted or maybe something more ominous.

What do you think? Do you agree with me? Do you have a different interpretation? Please share your comment in the comment section below!

3v0lushin~

                As we all know this week, we've been stressing a lot the trends and changes of the English language. In fact, we debated and shared our opinions whether it is a growth or decay. However, as you may be concerned, I strongly disagree on these trends of English. Due to our advanced technology such as MSN, twitter, facebook and SMS words have been abbreviated and simplified. We have adapted to using these textisms in academic assignments, business communications and even resumes. This practice has gone out of control and our society needs to realize that textisms should be kept inside our social lives only. Personally, I think that it is a great loss to our language. The reason why we study Shakespearean pieces is to embrace and observe the creative ways of literature in the ages. By abbreviating words in our language, it puts all the hard work of constructing English into waste. English class is designed to educate students of using literary devices, diverse vocabulary, correct grammar etc. Inserting textisms defeat the purpose of education; it degrades our education level.

                 In the French language, the French are very concerned about preserving their language. They in fact have people pick out English words from their vocabulary and introduce a new word in their language. I believe that the English language needs to follow that practice of excluding words that degrade our language.

                In conclusion, I strongly disagree with the idea of merging textisms in our formal situations because it degrades our language. Hard work has been put into developing vocabulary in our language and by simplifying it puts the hard work to waste. Textisms should be kept in our social lives and not in formal situations. Please comment on this post. I invite you to challenge my point of view.

The Shack

            In the novel The Shack by William Young, Mackenzie Philips or "Mack" is the character addressed most in the story. Mack is a married to his wife Nan and has three children. In the first chapter, it takes place in where Mack is alone and the weather outside deteriorates. During that time, he discovers a note in his mailbox that states "Mackenzie, It's been a while. I've missed you. I'll be at the shack next weekend if you want to get together. -Papa" Mack becomes upset towards the note and expresses his negative thoughts. Upset and concerned, Mack decides to contact the post office to determine whether or not the postman had left the note. However, he was told that due to the poor weather he couldn't deliver mail to him. In the chapter, his wife Nan calls him to let him know that she'll be staying another night with their kids because of the weather. During the conversation, Mack "chang[es] the subject to avoid (23)" his wife asking questions about the note. My first impression of Mack, is that he's a short tempered person. Even though the note in the mailbox may be significant, he demonstrates his anger towards the note. In fact, what makes it even more obvious is that he calls the post office to determine the sender of the note. However, my impression of him may change overtime because the note may have a personal meaning to him since the note was unclear to the reader. In addition to my first impression, I determined that he may seem like a liar. Instead of telling his wife about the note, he hinders the truth by abruptly changing the topic. In a way it may seem like lying but it's obvious that he's holding something against his wife. This character is definitely relatable, not specifically, but the idea of hindering the truth or an event to a love one. Many in society undergo these dilemmas they believe that hiding the truth will keep the peace in the relationship. However in my opinion, hiding the truth seems like a bad idea. If one were to find out that somebody was holding something against them, they would be more upset with them rather than having them tell them at first. In observance of this chapter, I think Nan (Mack's wife) will eventually find out about the note. Mack may learn that hindering the truth from his wife wasn't be best strategy of handling the situation with the note. Since the note asks Mack to meet in the shack, my assumption is that Mack will undergo an important lesson. This is evident because this novel is based on a Christian theme. Overall, I think Mack will quickly find out the full meaning of the note sent by "Papa"(23).