Final Reflection

Amulya Joseph

Ms. Nichole Wilson

AP Literature and Composition

25 February 2014

Personal Reflection

            The prospect of painstakingly annotating pages of texts and poems, poring through pages upon pages of research and literary criticism, and perfecting no less than seven essays was daunting in and of itself; the knowledge that I would then have to take those analyses and those criticisms and that research and those essays and synthesize them into a cumulative presentation that captured the style of my author’s writing was something more akin to terrifying. I didn’t quite know where to start, when I opened the lagging Microsoft Powerpoint 2003, but after scrolling through sample presentations and finalizing an outline for how I wanted to structure my information, I was prepared. I knew I wanted to establish clearly what the thematic purpose of Huxley’s works were, which is why I made the decision to exclude verbatim summaries of my texts, and also to introduce my poems and how they connected thematically before delving into how Huxley crafted that theme.

            My goal was simplicity; to put as little information on the slides as possible, and to use the extensive knowledge I’d been compiling for the last month to elaborate orally on the rest. That, I believed, would be the key to success. My font was unassuming, my background was mundane, text was scarce, and visuals were even scarcer.

            Though I believe this method allowed me to focus on my audience more than my PowerPoint, and served as a means through which I could not-so-subtly convey my thorough research of Huxley’s works, it was not without flaws. Most notably was when I was discussing repetition within Huxley’s narrative and you brought up Huxley’s invented lexicon of hypnopaedia. Had I had a visual aide on screen, where I could point out the specific repetition clauses I was referring to, there wouldn’t have been such a misunderstanding, and my credibility would have, perhaps, remained somewhat more intact.

            In fact, one of the strongest components of my peers’ presentations was their inclusion of pictures, videos, and the analyzed text itself. I remember in particular when Vineet pointed out specific lines in Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy, Daddy” that contained the rhetorical devices he was referring to, and having that visual aspect of the analysis reinforced the point he was trying to make. Alisa also did an excellent job of putting her prose passage on the screen, which is something I saw very rarely in presentations, and, even more notably, she highlighted the key phrases that contained the literary devices she was analyzing to provide both context and a convenient way for the audience to identify the devices she found most significant.

            This, then, is what I would change about my presentation; though simplicity is all fine and good, there is such a thing as too much simplicity, and I believe that was my greatest shortcoming. If I were to revise my PowerPoint, I would add in a slide before each of my poetry and prose analyses that contained the actual text of the passage and the poem. Because both my poems were actually quite concise, I would read both poems, and over-emphasize the rhetorical devices in my reading in order to give my audience a better sense of how those devices created meaning. While analyzing my prose passages and referencing certain lines with repetition or dialogue, I would have the prose passage up on the screen, and physically point out where such devices occurred so that the audience would gain both the context of the device and how it functioned within the text itself.

            I was worried about my presentation, worried that all the information I wanted to discuss would get lost in translation, and because of this worry, I ended up oversimplifying my presentation, to the point where my audience was not able to gain as thorough a comprehension of Huxley’s style as I would have liked them to. Such a mistake on the AP test, where I’m not clear enough in my textual evidence or in my analysis of the author’s works, could prove extremely detrimental to my performance, and it’s something I can certainly improve on. Often, I get so caught up in what I know about a subject that I forget what’s important in writing an essay: giving the audience the same knowledge of the subject. I think, in general, if I’m to make my writing more clear and concise and provide more insight into the points I’m making, the reader of my essays will gain a better understanding of the author I’m discussing.  

Blog Responses

Blog URL: http://julianbarnespulse.blogspot.com/

Student: Megan Than Win

Response Piece: AP Open Question 1

            I think your analysis of Julian Barnes, where you argued that he was contrasting those who put everything they have into love and those who live for the “etc.”, was very well-worded and logical. I have to wonder if you could take that analysis in a different light and argue that Barnes was actually criticizing those who put their everything into love through his characterizations of Stuart and Oliver. Though Stuart is portrayed in the novel as the more successful man, as he’s gained wealth and respect in his career and community and is able to provide for his family, he is also stuck in the past, chasing after a woman who already loves someone else. In such a sense, though Oliver may not have the same financial stability as Stuart, he is still characterized as more desirable—rather than let the past dominate him, Oliver is willing to move on to the future. Contrast is created between those who believe love is everything and those who are more focused on the “etc.”, and it would appear that Barnes is more favorable towards those who fall into the latter category.

            Such a line of reasoning would also fall into the Postmodernist qualities you’ve identified in Barnes’ writing, one of which is “the refusal of Modernism’s implicit or explicit distinction between 'high' culture and commonly lived life” (brocku.ca). Stuart would be representative of the higher culture and Oliver of the commonly lived life, but the two are intertwined in their lives with Gillian. Most interestingly is that Oliver is the one portrayed as the greater man between the two, if we take a happy life with Gillian to be the determiner of which man is more worthy. Barnes again reiterates the theme of “a sense of discontinuity” as the traditionally attractive man—Stuart, who is not only wealthy and successful but also willing to chase hopelessly after a woman in the name of love—is overwritten by the traditionally normal man—Oliver, who is in no way outstanding but who still manages to capture Gillian’s heart even without the financial ability and motivation of Stuart (brocku.ca).

Blog URL: http://themuleoftheworld.blogspot.com/

Student: Saie Joshi

Response Piece: Poetry Essay 2 (Dialogue to Create Voice)

           

            Though this is a poem I, and I’m sure many others, are familiar with, your analysis shed new light on the deeper meaning behind the poem that I’d never seen before. I found myself extremely interested in the second point you made in your poetry analysis, in which you asserted that the caged bird, though it does not have the freedom and flight that the bird on the outside has, still sings; the bird on the outside does not. The analogy between the free and caged bird and the white and black man is quite clear, and yet, the voice of the black man was suppressed during Angelou’s time. Because the black man was suppressed in such a way, he expressed his voice through alternative mediums: poetry, literature, and of course, music.

            I think that’s a very strong analysis of this poem, but I feel as though Angelou takes an almost satirical approach to the caged bird singing in this poem. The title in and of itself, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, can be answered with the idea that the caged bird is unable to let the world know if its presence through any other way. However, can a caged bird’s song, however melodic it may be, compare to the flight of a bird? Can the literature of African-Americans, however beautiful it may be, compare to the worth of natural human rights that were denied to the African-American people? I believe Angelou was contrasting the caged bird and the flying bird through imagery to show how insignificant the song of the caged bird is in comparison to the flight of the free bird, and that, no matter how lovely the caged bird may cry, it cannot compare to the beauty of a bird flying free.

Blog URL: http://understandingjaneausten.blogspot.com

Student: Sunny Chen
Response Piece: Poetry Multiple Choice

            The multiple choice questions were crafted excellently. Question 4 in particular had a structure impressively similar to that of a College Board AP test, in that answer choice B, “Show how love brings the speaker wealth”, tripped me up for a moment. As is what often happens when I take an AP Multiple Choice test, I tend to take answers in my own interpretation rather than reading them literally, so when I first read through this question, I immediately assumed the wealth was an emotional one, rather than taking the word for what it was worth. I appreciate that reminder that each answer should be taken word for word, and that nothing can be assumed when going through the AP Multiple Choice test.

            I thought it was also a good idea to keep a consistent theme throughout your questions that was related to author purpose; this is often another trick that the AP test uses, in that if you look at the questions holistically, you should be able to determine what the author purpose is—once author purpose has been determined, it becomes much easier to answer the questions. I encountered this within your multiple choice with question 5, in the symbolism of the lark. As most of your questions pertained to the writer learning to appreciate what he has rather than chasing after frivolous wealth, I immediately knew just from the phrasing that III. was incorrect, which allowed me to quickly eliminate answer choices and come to a quicker conclusion.

Blog URL: http://letsgetwildeapenglish2014.blogspot.com
Student: Allie Specht

Response Piece: AP Open Question 1

            I thought your analysis of Wilde’s works was right on point. It was clear how Wilde crafted a satire of his society’s superficiality through your textual evidence, and I thought your inclusion of Wilde’s belief in the aesthetic movement added another layer of depth to your analysis. There was a point in that regard, however, that I found somewhat paradoxical; if Wilde was a proponent of beauty for the sake of beauty, why did he craft so many of his works in such a light that criticized such a notion? This was the question I was wondering throughout your presentation, but when I read your open question analysis, I think I may have a better understanding.

            Perhaps Wilde was an advocate for beauty for the sake of beauty in art—sculptures, paintings, music, etc.—but not so much with humans. Wilde could have been such an avid supporter of the aesthetic movement because he believed that art was the only thing that should be beautiful simply to be beautiful, because that is what art is made for; humans, on the other hand, are more than empty vessels made to be looked at. Humans should have depth, humans should have character, humans should look beyond appearance to what’s inside themselves, because humans are not pieces of art. In this interpretation, Wilde’s criticisms of his society’s obsession with appearance don’t seem to be so much contradictory as they are corroborative.

Blog URL: http://knuthamsunapenglish2014.blogspot.com/
Student: Vineet Erasala
Response Piece: Poetry Essay 1

            I really enjoyed your reference to Campbell’s monomyth of the hero’s journey; seeing as the entirety of your presentation revolved around what a person must go through to find their identity, the thematic connection between Plath and Hamsun became significantly stronger with the inclusion of the principles of a bildungsroman. I myself would’ve written this poem off as evidence in disproof of your thesis, because Plath did not seem to progress by the end of the poem, but with the way you interpreted her suffering as a means to overcoming her past, a piece that may have otherwise weakened your argument actually strengthened it. Very nicely done!

            This calls into question how exactly you would define finding your place in the world. Plath, in this poem, doesn’t seem to significantly advance forward in her own life even if she was able to overcome the obstacle of her past. Though she is able to come to terms with that aspect of herself, though she is able to overcome that stressor of her past, she doesn’t seem to gain any significant ground from this revelation. In that regard, is it possible to say that she found herself after reconciling this burden?  The very fact that she spent seven years with a man who controlled her so similarly to her father must be an indication that she isn’t very much closer to achieving that sense of self you referenced in Campbell’s monomyth.

Blog URL: http://shuderekcormacmccarthy2014.blogspot.com/
Student: Derek Shu
Response Piece: Prose Multiple Choice

            I think your multiple choice questions were crafted artfully. My two favorite in particular were questions 4 and 5. Question 4, the “all…except” question, was just as time-consuming as one on the AP test would be. I actually had to go back through and find examples of each of the answer choices in the passage, which, if you had written a full length test, would have slowed me down enough that I’d feel the pressure from time. Actually, if you hadn’t referenced in your presentation that dialogue in McCarthy’s works came without quotations, my gut instinct most likely would have been to pick choice C. This was a great reminder that the author’s style—including his use or disuse of punctuation—is incredibly important to take note of.

            My favorite question, however, was your Roman numeral question, number five. Not only was it a direct reference to McCarthy’s distinctive writing style, but the question was one I was easily able to pick out the answer choice to because your presentation made it so obvious what the effect of McCarthy’s style was. Honestly, as I was reading through the prose passage I began to feel the smallest sense of panic, the same frantic energy possessing the father and the son easily conveyed through the choppy sentences and lack of punctuation. It was an excellent point to note. Nicely done!

Blog URL: http://miklosaddyshakespeareanfinalproject.blogspot.com/
Student: Addy Miklos
Response Piece: Poetry Essay 2         

            I think your take on Shakespeare’s Sonnet 144 was a very unique one. The imagery creates in my mind the classic devil on left shoulder/angel on right scenario in which the two represent the person’s conflicting desires, but you took it to literally mean a man and a woman, who are respectively, to Shakespeare, his “comfort and despair” (Shakespeare 1). I think the fact that, with this interpretation, a woman’s freedom and identity is compared to that of a homosexual man is incredibly important. In history, homosexual men and women in general have been viewed as inferior, as something to be ashamed of, something that should be kept hidden. That Shakespeare would align how homosexual persons are viewed with how women are viewed makes a strong statement against the misogyny of the time.

            I was wondering if you did consider this poem from the perspective of Shakespeare caught in between two warring halves of himself, his humane side and his darker side, and whether the entire sonnet is his own self-doubt that he’ll be able to overcome his darker angel. The symbolism in that the dark angel is a woman, then, may actually be representative of some misogyny on the part of Shakespeare, who portrays the wily, cunning side of himself as a female. There have been a number of literary critics who believe that Shakespeare portrayed women as “weak” and “submissive” (Fothergill 1), and of a 2^nd class to the men around them. Using this interpretation, how do you think you would tie Sonnet 144 back to your thesis? Or do you think this interpretation is weaker than your original one and has little merit? I’m curious!

Blog URL: http://londonandlewis.blogspot.com/
Student: Harsha Ramesh
Response Piece: Presentation

            I’d like to begin by commending you for a presentation that was excellently executed. From your thorough text analysis to your comprehensive research to your audience-engaging attire, the presentation from beginning to end accomplished exactly what it was meant to: an overview of London’s and Lewis’s styles, and how those elements contribute to the greater meaning of the works. I was also impressed by how seamlessly you integrated less common devices, such as Orwellian doublethink and rhetorical appeals—the route you took with your analysis was unique, and because of this, your analysis became that much more appealing. Very nicely done!

            Also of interest to me personally is the number of similarities between our authors not only thematically but stylistically as well. Contradictions so outrageous that they must be true are employed regularly by Huxley as well, in order to satirize the blind faith in authority that characterized many people of the time. Hyperbole is an essential element within such extended logical fallacies, and I was curious whether you were able to break down the larger strategies of false ethos and Orwellian doublethink into their component parts, and whether such component parts are some of the more familiar rhetorical devices. Repetition, in Huxley’s works, served as an “ad hoc modification” to shift the meaning of familiar words into the context that Huxley’s authority figures wanted them to be in (Rodriguez 5). Did you see anything similar in London’s or Lewis’s works?

Blog URL: http://scientificphilosophyapenglish2014.blogspot.com
Student: Shreetej Reddy
Response Piece: Prose Essay 1

            I thought your contrast between Bernard and Lenina was an excellent point to make, and one that I overlooked when I was analyzing Huxley’s prose. The idea that Bernard is characterized, at least in some sense, as being an individual—albeit not willingly—and that Lenina is the quintessential New World citizen certainly does allow Huxley to point out the flaws in the New World’s thinking. As Bernard hesitates in sharing his deep thoughts, his feelings and emotions on being an individual, and Lenina shudders to accept that anyone would want to be an individual because of how she has been conditioned, it is possible to see the extent to which conformity permeates the New World society. The contrasting sentence structure is what makes this point that much more visible, so excellent job analyzing from that standpoint!
            You mentioned lines of dialogue within your passage that were of great interest to me. I personally chose dialogue as one of the means through which Aldous Huxley conveys his message of conformity and lack of depth in the New World, and I think the prose passage you’ve chosen is an excellent example of that. Bernard is able to make assertions based on his own opinions, and is able to analyze the situation in terms of what “it makes me [Bernard] feel”, whereas Lenina can’t make an opinion on the weather at all (Huxley 90). Instead, she resorts to repeating the hypnopaedic statements she’s been conditioned to believe—she doesn’t have any beliefs of her own. I think the dialogue, along with the sentence structure, both serve as contrasting elements between the isolated, but individual, Bernard, and the conformist, conditioned Lenina.

Blog URL: http://trekkingintokyonumber9dream.blogspot.com
Student: Sri Karri
Response Piece: AP Open Question 1

            This prompt was a perfect choice for your novel, and one that allowed you to explore the distinctiveness of your novel’s ending; its absence makes itself that much more known. I think the organization of your response was extremely well done, with enough background provided in the introduction to gain an understanding of the novel and the references to temporal distortion in the beginning, to show the narrative structure of the rest of the novel. The analysis of John Lennon’s quote was extremely well crafted. Your strongest argument, that of each chapter containing one of Eiji’s fantasies but the final chapter left blank to emphasize that Eiji’s fantasies are a thing of the past, was concise, to the point, and tied to the prompt perfectly. Your analysis was, in short, phenomenal.

            The only complaint I really have is that I wish, in your open question response, you would have made it clear that the “number9dream” referenced so frequently in the novel was, in fact, Eiji’s coming of age. I think this is something you did excellently in your presentation, weaving your theme throughout every slide, and I think it would’ve made your response even stronger. All in all, however, your response was thorough, comprehensive, and followed a logical order. Very impressive work!