Marxism

For the Hamlet unit, I have been selected analyze the use of Marxist principles in the play. Marxism is the economic and political theory developed by Karl Marx to create parity in a nation (and eventually the entire world) through the sharing of all resources. To perform this task, Marx advocated for the destruction of the economic elite (known as the bourgeoisie, replacing it with rule by the working class (the proletariat). While in theory Marxism allowed for the prosperity for an entire nation due to the sharing of wealth, lack of freedom and motivation to work hard and innovate prove to be its downfall, even though lighter versions of it have been implemented by governments.
Marx's reasoning behind tearing down the upper class was that lower workers were being abused by the elite, with no chance of reaching success parallel to their richer counterparts. Seeing no way for this to come about in a natural capitalist society, Marx felt it necessary to impose such tactics through law, believing that hopes of prosperity and wealth for an entire nation would become the catalyst for a stable and balanced economy.

The Beginning of the End

As I reach the one-sixth mark of my senior year, I have begun to realize that a distinct shift has occurred in the way that I look at school. Before this year, I had viewed education and academics in general as a way to distinguish yourself from the people around you by earning higher marks than them. What better way for a college recruiter of employer to decide whether or not you meet their standards than by comparing your scores to their benchmarks? This philosophy dominated my first three years at Burlingame High School, and I still hold that frame of mind in some instances.
However, taking four AP courses has rudely awoken me from this bubble that I used to be contain in. For once, earning a high grade is not enough, as a true understanding of the concept is necessary to succeed in my classes. This Literature class is a prime example of this, since all of the essays I have written so far (which also take up the majority of the grades in this class) demand that the writer command their knowledge of the work in front of him or her and demonstrate that he or she truly identifies with the text. While other classes I had taken before had attempted to create this effect, I had never truly experienced this feeling or complexity and confusion I feel during some of the units. Ultimately, this struggle will make me stronger and prepare me for whatever beckons me in the future, but for the moment I am just striving to stay afloat.

Tragedy and Hubris on Wall Street:

Victor Niederhoffer and Laurel Kenner discuss the power overconfidence has in creating the downfall of many powerful companies. Referencing former powerhouses such as Enron, the two authors explain to the reader how excessive displays of pride actually indicate that a company is setting itself up for failure. While this theory may seem a little extravagant and difficult to prove in the modern era, the article explains its reasoning by pointing out that being featured on a magazine cover such as Forbes Magazine has proven detrimental to CEO's in the time following it. While this may not relate exactly to business, I have also noticed that sports stars that appear on magazines such as Sport's Illustrated suffer a drop in performance after the release. While some call it a curse, I think that inflating an athlete's ego only brings that superstar higher up for a fall, since it is difficult to meet major expectations placed in front of them by the media.

This relates directly to many famous Greek Tragedies, as a favorite theme during that time period was the fall from grace of the most powerful of rulers. Similar to the story of Oedipus, power blinds the owners of major companies and gives them the false hope that they will be able to continue their outlandish returns in the future. Even though failure of these companies cannot be entirely contributed to pride, feeling invincible frequently sets up individuals for a stumble, a classic form of tragedy.

Graduation: Looking Towards the Cloudy Future

As Seniors embark on their final year in high school, a slow shiver crawls down the unsuspecting spines of these optimistic students. It's on the tip of everyone's tongues, I'm just willing to utter it: College.
While the first 18 years of innocence have been a blast, sooner or later the class of 2011 must come to realize that life itself will soon be starting up, with most students either embarking into college or the job market. Even though this may seem like a rude awakening, reaching adulthood holds many perks that sometimes get forgotten during the mad rush or college touring and applying.
As we become adults, a certain level of independence is granted upon us. In return for acting in a respectable manner and abiding by the rules set by our superiors (the authorities, landlords, bosses, etc) freedom is granted to us on levels unprecedented in our lives. This is a gift in a curse, since even though freedom is a powerful tool, it must be treated with the utmost responsibility and care. As long as this taken care of, we will be able to live our lives to our hearts pleasure, a commodity not seen currently.
Despite the fear that may consume me looking towards the future, I embrace the upcoming change, ready to take whatever life throws at me in the distance.

A Comparison of Music and Poetry

Recently, I was going through my i-tunes library when I began to wonder how many of the memorable and emotionally charged songs I possessed would sound without their accompanying melody and music. Although I was only able to experiment with a small sample, the conclusion I reached was that implementing a catchy tune or subtle beat drastically add to the message of a song, and in many cases a song loses its appeal and meaning without it. This made me wonder how poets catch a readers attention without the aid of a cool chorus or sweet melody. Relying only on the poetic techniques and tools of the trade, these wordsmiths consistently hollow out poignant or uplifting pieces that appeal to the intellectual and emotional side of the human mind. While the music behind the lyrics of a song add a certain catchiness and desire, it is a merely a facade in which the true meaning of the song hides behind. Hopefully in the near future, I will stumble on a writer who transcends these two fields to create beautiful poetry that adapts to music well. While there are a few groups today that possess some of these elements, I have not seem the complete picture, something I feel that is truly missing in the written world.

I Would Prefer Not To: Reflecting Upon Bartleby the Scrivener

I know it's been a long time since I wrote my last blog. There's something about a three day weekend that wipes my memory of awareness when it comes to assignments. Regardless, I am back, reflecting upon Herman Melville's short story about the greed and desire for self-righteousness among the working class. While at first glance Bartleby may appear as a lazy, unappreciative worker, further examining the story reveals that Melville uses him as a device to convey the lack of personal motivation throughout the American labor market. For the nameless lawyer, employing Bartleby is an act of charity, since he argues that offering him the job gives him the chance to reach a level of comfortability and security that he was previously unable to attain. While this may seem noble, his actual motive was to attain some personal satisfaction through helping out another person. While other people may overlook the motive and just accept the action, I feel that people should have good intentions behind all of their actions, even when they are performing an honorable deed.

Three Girls: Transcending a Stereotype

I will admit, the first time that I read through "Three Girls" by Joyce Carol Oates, I failed to find a meaning in this seemingly random discovery of the quasi-feminine Marilyn Monroe is a musty New York City book store. However, reexamining the story in class with a partner for word choice acted as a catalyst for understanding it, as I began to pick up on Oates' use of mythical diction to portray a scene of fantasy. Learning a bit about the author herself also helped put the story into perspective, as knowledge that Oates was a lesbian put a finger on the emotional tension that protruded throughout the entire work.
From my perspective, Oates wrote "Three Girls" in a attempt to justify her life choice and prove to the reader that a homosexual relationship can attain the same level of majesty and excitement as a heterosexual one. While this may not seem like such a revelation given the state of modern America (and California specifically), the 1950's were not nearly as inviting to those with different sexual orientation. Painting the scene as "two NYU girl poets drifting through the warehouse of treasures as through an enchanted forest" Oates toils away at chiseling a moment of mystique during a dreary winter in New York, a large feat in itself.

The Balance of Power: Mixing Work and Play As a High School Senior

Although my existence as a Senior at Burlingame High has been a short one, I feel that I have begun to gain a primitive understanding of the challenges faced by students in this pivotal year, in and out of the classroom.
Through two weeks, I have noticed that there is a sense of pride in being in your final year of High School. My peers carry themselves with a greater sense of dignity, and even the quiet kids are beginning to express their opinions more frequently. It's like I'm the witness and subject of a massive experiment.
For me, moving to the top of the proverbial "Food Chain" is a gift and a curse. While being looked up to the rest of the school is seen as a blessing, it also comes with being given the highest expectations to meet. Already, the prospects of maintaining solid grades in my heavy course load, along with pursuing my extracurricular and social interests, look bleak. However, if there is any appropriate time for me to learn how to accomplish this feat, there's no better time than now.

The Second Coming? More Like The First Meeting

When Mr. Burke handed out "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats on the first day of school, I was at first completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of the poem. Beginning with the first line, I was bombarded with strange words and references (How I made it to my senior year without hearing the word "gyre" befuddles me). Although I had some idea that the poem had to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ, in what capacity His return had been painted confused me. However, after a couple days in class deciphering the riddle I have attained a much stronger grasp on Yeats' composition. The key to understanding what he was saying was learning a bit about the time period Yeats wrote The Second Coming. Writing in the middle of World War I and a devastating Civil War in Ireland, Yeats saw violence surrounding him and wondered if God had decided to spite the world for its deeds against humanity at the time. Hopefully I can use this similar approach throughout the rest of the school year, as I predict that this is not the last I will see of challenging poetry in AP Literature.

Academic Literacy:

1. Modern students have become more diligent with their studies at the expense of their critical thinking skills

2. The UC/CSU system shows a great concern about this lack of critical thinking desire, and hopes to see a new generation of students willing to dig deeper for an answer.

3. The first step towards improving critical thinking skills is to teach students how to analyze text to a higher degree.

After reading these two statements by the UC/CSU system, I come to agree that the major focus of the modern student is achieving the highest grades to ensure a spot at a premier college, instead of spending time to truly understand the material. To counter this shift from analytical learning to purely grade-focused education, teachers must allow students the chance to debate their position on pieces of literature to gain a better understanding of the message the author is trying to send to the reader. By doing this, students will begin to experiment with their own analytical strategies, which will carry over into their writing.

Academic and Intellectual Profile:

Books I Read This Summer
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
1984 by George Orwell
Real Sex by Lauren F. Winner


Other Reading Material:
The San Mateo Times
The Wall Street Journal
Sports Illustrated


Before I Read:
I usually settle in a comfortable place, whether it is my couch or my bed. My preparation ends there.


While Reading:
I read at a slow pace, sometimes rereading passages that I find challenging.


After I Read:
I have no ritual for after reading.


Myself As a Writer:
As a writer, I take pride in my ability to paint a scene using vivid imagery while also assuring that the plot moves at a steady pace. One of my major weaknesses as a writer is inability to produce interesting dialogue between my characters, which I think detracts from the quality of my stories, even thought it doesn't interfere with other forms of writing such as research or persuasive essays.


Habits of Mind:
Broad Intellectual Practices
Exhibit curiosity- 8
Experiment with new ideas-5
See other points of view- 7
Challenge one's own beliefs- 7
Engage in intellectual discussions- 9
Ask provocative questions-9
Generate hypotheses- 6
Exhibit respect for other viewpoints- 8
Read with awareness of self and others- 7
Classroom Behaviors
Ask questions-7
Be attentive in class-7
Come to class prepared- 8
Complete assignments on time- 9
Contribute to class discussions- 9
Attend class regularly and on time- 7
Additional College Expectations
Respect facts and information in situations where feelings and intuitions often prevail- 9
Be aware that the rhetoric of argumentation and interrogation relate to varied academic disciplines, purposes, and audiences- 7
Embrace the value of research to explore new ideas through reading and writing- 8
Develop a capacity to work hard and to expect high standards- 7
Show initiative and develop ownership of one's education- 8


Reflection:
From this list, I see my ability to engage in intellectual discussions as a major strength because it allows me to indoctrinate the person I'm talking to with knowledge, while also allowing me to see the other side of argument. However, one of my major weaknesses is experimenting with new ideas. At times, it seems like I become too dependent on one way of solving a problem or answering a question, which hinders my ability to learn.

Summer Reading 2010: A Subtle Look at Totalitarianism

As I longingly look back at this summer, I remember to recollect on the three books that I read to prepare myself for the upcoming year of Literature study. For my assignment, I chose to read the pairing of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and 1984  by George Orwell, along with studying the analytical techniques described by Thomas C. Foster in How to Read Literature Like a Professor.

Although the two novels attempt to highlight different aspects of an oppressive government (Orwell focusing on the mental will of a nation and Atwood delving deep into an environment based on the dystopia of feminism), both authors clearly convey the pitfalls and dangers of allowing a single entity to run a country. Both stories stories revolve around two commoners, disillusioned by the outcome of their lives and haunted by their more cheerful and optimistic pasts. For Winston Smith, the protagonist of 1984, his memories of his loving mother drive him to show spite and hatred for Big Brother, the invisible overruling force that controls his life in Oceania. Offred, in similar fashion to Winston, clings to her thoughts of her time with her former husband Luke (albeit a tarnished marriage due to her affair with Luke previously), and pines for the days before the change in power. However, both parties also learn to accept their situations despite hating them.

For me, watching Winston alter his view of The Party after being subjected to a cruel torture regime was quite irking, since it showed me that no matter the cause or desire, physical and mental pain can manipulate the thoughts of anyone. I think that the main point that both authors were trying to communicate to their audience was that by entrusting a single group with unquestionable power, society as a whole will suffer under the burden of lack of freedom of choice and thought.

Between these two books I would have to prefer 1984, as Orwell's imagery drips with eloquence as he describes the skeleton of a city London has warped into.