September 26th Notes: Thesis and Paper Writing

Rating our thesis' 1-4. 1 being needs improvement and 4 being best.

Having an arguable statement to prove.

• specifics 
• set the stages for your essay 
• proves his or her points (author's) --> No right or wrong that is for writer to decide  

•  controlling ideas/ presenting upcoming points

Want to use your evidence and what you want to say about it.

Examples:

Dickens' idea of a Victorian lady and a Victorian man is directly contradicted by Miss Pross and by Mr. Carton in order to show that anyone can be a hero.

States two points and adds opinion.
Dickens' description of the French people as crashing waves in a satirical tool in The Tale of Two Cities that defines the chaos of France and unsuccessful nature of France's Revolution. 

States two points and adds opinion.
The many characters in ATTC fail to come alive by the end of the story due to the lack of description and detail; despite this flaw, Dickens created one round character that changed over the course of the book in order to become more relatable and realistic.

 If this was specific character and no judgement call. 

Answering the why? And being more specific with some of the thesis'. Using question words, character names, themes, moods, and specific events in the book.

Never-evers

Dickens creates complex characters that keeps the reader interested in the story.
Charles Dickens is one of the world's most memorable authors.
NO JUDGEMENT CALLS! Unnecessary and not appropriate.

It is, they are, there are, and question words are fillers. Use action verbs. 
Never ever have "this" with a verb without telling what it is and what about is important about it.

The character is described and portrayed as static.
Try not to repeat. Be specific with the characters. And no passive voice. 

Finding Passive voice
Mistakes were made. 
1. Find verb construction.
2. Find it, underline it, cross out the to be part. 
3. Ask what/who made mistakes?
4. If the answer is before the verb: then you have Active Voice :) move to the next verb.
If the answer is after the verb: then you have Passive Voice :( go to step 5
5. Place subject before verb.
  
The character is described and portrayed as static. 
Dickens is describing. 
Dickens describes Lucie as a static character.  

Do not start a sentence with because.
No question words in sentences: who, what, when, where, why, how no goes. 
This is not okay.





 

You and Nature - Inner Quest reflections

When you get back...tell me how it went! Did you have a 'Thoreau-esque' moment? Did you learn something new about yourself? Tell me your stories!

Class Notes Monday (9/17/12)

Continuation of quotation analyzing from Friday:


"Perhaps. Perhaps, see the great crowd of people with its rush and roar, bearing down upon them, too." ( Book 2, Hundreds of People)

•  Prior space in text format creates tone and suggests lapse in time
• Great crowd is mob
• Prior to terror 
• Bearing down is foreshadowing statement (other examples include counting dropping heads in end of Book 2 Chapter 16.
• Omniscience and Foreboding (other examples include its coming,... and still with Madame Defarge) 

Book 3, Hands of Cards

• Title is a metaphor or conceit
• conceit  is and extended metaphor in prose form (similar to epic simile concept)
• Key relating phrases include played my ace,... look over your hand,.... very good card,....   you'll need have good cards sir 
• Applies to Carton - fate has been dealt, all about strategy and adjustments, is human card, examines all options, found best way to win by rearranging the cards he knows were dealt, gets what he wants out of it, shuffles deck - gives everyone else a better hand
• Mocks Madame Defarge - she stays above fate but ends up coming face-to-face with it, has no strategies or control
• Contrast concept between Carton and Madame Defarge - meddled/rearranges "cards" VS attempting to solely control it
• Lorry - only business, card game is just business to him

"Yes. he will perish: there is no real hope" echoed Carton. And walked with a settle step down-stairs" (Book 3, Dusk)

• Foreshadowing
• Dramatic irony
• Carton talking about himself
• He intentionally capitalized
• Religious reference, Carton is Jesus 

"How can you say that? Wouldn't She weep for you? Wouldn't her child?" (Book 3, The Game Made)

• She is capitalized
• Another religious reference  
• Lucie is apotheosis
• Apotheosis - making character into a god
• *Title reference to the card game

Other topics addressed:

• Madame Defarge is touched by water and can't rise above
• Carton walks on water 

Homework and Future Schedule:

• Turned in discussion questions
• Turn in character sketch BEFORE we leave for Inner quest
• Each critical article group must post FINAL points
• Read nature article BEFORE you leave for inner quest
• AFTER inner quest post response as to whether you would be a thorean
• Monday - fishbowl discussion
• Wednesday - new writing assignment rough draft due for WW, finish fishbowl
• Thursday - final test on ATTC

The Business of the Barrister - FINAL IDEAS

The main points of the article are:
1.  Although it is not apparent at first, Carton has striking similarities to Stryver, Lorry and Dr. Manette.

2.  Carton blurs the line between business and business of love, ultimately making him a better lawyer than Stryver.

3.  Carton and Lorry resemble each other because of their business with Lucie.  It is Lorry's job to save Lucie when she is an infant and escort her from Paris to London, which is similar to the fact that at the end of the novel Carton makes it his job to save Lucie's happiness by changing places with Darnay.  Our group disagreed with the article which said Carton committed his act of sacrifice only from a business perspective because it is apparent that he would not have switched places with Darnay if he did not have feeling of love towards Lucie.

4.  Dr. Manette's work creates a contrast between France and England during the time.  In France he is not referred to as "doctor" by an person of nobility.  In the Evermonde brothers scene in particular, they throw money at him after he has checked over both of the Defarges which signifies the fact that they are giving him the money to keep quite about the incident, instead of paying their dues to him.  In England Dr. Manette is seen in a different light as a well respected and acknowledged doctor.

5.  The article reiterates the fact that Carton and Darnay are doppelgangers because they are both esteemed people who do not reach their full potential.

Narrator Final Ideas

The article's main point was to break down the different personalities of the narrator in A Tale of Two Cities. The article concluded that narrator played three different roles: the storyteller, the historian, and the polmecist.
When the narrator was the storyteller, it explained the straight plot, no more and no less.
As the historian, it took upon a different role.  It still explained the story, but added more context than the characters whould have known, therefore being omnicient.
Finally, the narrator was often a polmecist. A polmecist is someone who creates arguments.  When Dickens' chose to use this form of narration, he still accounted the story and retold the history, but he made them reflect his opinion. This is often found through Dicken's heavy handed use of satire to make comments in the novel.

The Interesting Points of the Barrister by ML

Interests of "The Business of the Barrister in a Tale of Two Cities" by Simon Petch.

Here are some of the points I thought were the most interesting from the article:

• The basic and most interesting point that I found was emphasized by Petch was the Carton was the incarnation of "all the disparate elements of the novel's moral-political drama" (Petch 1). Basically, Carton's evolution as a man of Business, and the other men of Business showed the complex parallels between the business of England and France. Carton begins as his self deprecating self and embodying the struggle and chaos of France and England's legal systems by being called a Jackal, "an animal not destined by nature to exist, & carrying with it the provision for death" (Petch 1). Carton also resents his work environment and the way his work is used, Carton is used to show the corruption of Lorry and Stryver, and although the are esteemed business men, there work is impure. As much as Carton resents this work, I think he is still very much a part of it and this may add to his self-hatred. 
• Petch's article deepens the relationships that Carton has with Lucy and Darnay, because of him being a man of business. Darnay and Carton are shown again as doppelgangers because they both lack the esteem of being high Business men, Darnay and Carton are parallel in that they do not reach their full potential. Carton's devotion to Lucy is described as coming from his dutifulness of being a business man, and that Carton served Lucy, because a Business man must always serve someone.

Narrator Critical Analysis

The article split up the narrator into three personalities; "the teller of the tale, historian, and to a polemicist" (he creates opinions and arguments).  The point of the narrator is the relay the story in 3rd person.  The narrator however is omniscient (all knowing and relays background info that is helpful in the reader's understanding), which is when he becomes the historian.  Its third personality is when the narrator starts adding his own opinions this is when the author overtakes the narrator. "After all, the author and the narrator are parts of the same individual-- they work together".  Also, to give a full perspective to the reader, the narrator also on occasion skips from character to character in a specific scene.  I liked this article because it broke down the complex layers of the narrator in this book.  It also made it clear that the narrator depicts the personality of the book and it is a representation of the author himself.

Carton Critical Analysis

This is for those who read the Carton Critical Analysis.  On this, comment on critical points of the analysis.  You can also comment on other people's comments.




Here is my comment:

I very much enjoyed reading this critical analysis.  I was surprised at how many similarities were pointed out between Carton and Manette, and Carton and Lorry.  The focus on Carton's occupation as a deciding factor in many of his actions was also interesting to read about as it explained the motives of some of his actions that I found puzzling.

Notes - 14 September 2012 (Friday)

Homework:
1) Design 1 or 2 discussion questions that reference the theme (don't need to post).
2) Comment on the post regarding the critical article you read: most important points of the article, and/or comment on other peoples comments.

New Writing Workshop prompt: choose one and write an analytical essay addressing the prompt.
                   - Rough Draft due September 25 (Wednesday)

Upcoming Test - After we get back from Innerquest



Passages to look at:

"Every eye was turned to the Jury. The same determined patriots and good republicans as yesterday and the day before, and tomorrow and the day after... A life thirsting-cannibal-looking, bloody-minded juryman, the Jaques Three of St. Antoine. The whole jury, as a jury of dogs empanelled to try the deer." (Book 3, "The Game Made")

- Jurors are dogs in metaphor = they are no longer even human; they are animals
- DEHUMANIZATION - Can also be seen through Dickens using the SEA as a metaphor for the people.
- Jurors are out for blood
- "patriots" and "republicans" is sarcastic and satirical
- "yesterday", "day before", "tomorrow" etc. is to show a constancy in their behavior
               - Makes it sound ongoing, never ending
               - Antithesis - future and past

Antithesis: A close juxtaposition of opposite words, ideas, phrases. DICKENS LIKES OPPOSITES.

Stone faces motif:
- Doctor Manette sometimes lapses into his 'episodes' when he has a stone like face



"'It does not take long to strike a man with Lightening,' said Defarge.
'How long,' demanded madame, composedly, 'does it take to make and store the lightening? Tell me.'" (Book 2, "Still Knitting")

- Nature metaphor - "We are like nature. We are going to wait and store up energy and then we are going to strike" - Ms. Coffey's interperatation.

       Related quote: "'Then tell Wind and Fire where to stop,' returned madame; 'but don't tell me.'" (Book 3, "Darkness")

- Nature metaphor: Madame Defarge is saying that she is no longer part of nature - she is above it.
- Wind and fire are hard to control.  Madame Defarge is saying that she is even more uncontrollable than they are.
- This shows that Madame Defarge is going against the natural, making her an unnatural upset in creation - Balance of Natural Order - Shakespeare


"The unseen force was drawing himself fast to itself, now, and all the tides and winds were setting straight and strong towards it" (Book 2, "Drawn to the Loadstone").

- FATE - the other natural force.  MANY references to the Greek Fates in this novel.

"By strange stern ways, and through much stained blood, those feet had come to meet the water" (Book 3, The Knitting Done").

        Related quote: "The basin fell to the ground broken, and the water flowed to the feet of Madame Defarge.  By strange stern ways, and through much stained blood, those feet came to meet that water" (Book 3, "The Knitting Done").

- Madame was fated to come there
- LATER, her time runs out and her life comes to an end, as was fated.

Class Notes September 13, 2012

Satire- is the uses of sarcasm, exaggeration, melodrama, irony, hyperboles, parodies, etc. to mock societal flaws situations, people, topic for the purpose of change.

*Remember for tomorrow*

Revolutions:

1700s	2000s
-Hunger started the revolution -Madame Defarge is waiting (brewing)	-Marie Antoinette figure -New names (red vs. yellow shirts) -Blocked Media *-Media shows a change: “hunger” as cause *-Don’t die as easily -Becomes bigger faster (media) -Global connections because everyone is connected economically and politically other countries are more likely to help now

Both:

·      SPARK (one little thing that caused mass chaos)

·      Influenced by others

·      Similar in ways they started

·      Government issues

·      Oppression of lower classes

·      Poor resenting luxuries

·      Armies joined in rebel forces

·      Public Humiliation (Gadafie vs. Louis XVI)

·      Extremist

·      Violence and bold movements to support their cause (Father killing Monseigneur and man in Tunisian revolution lighting himself on fire)

·       Martyrdom (Carton and Man in Tunisia)

What is Dickens adding to history that helps us understand?

·      Humanity

·      Primary, first hand, perspective, aftermath

·      Attitudes/Motives  (Provides us with a very human thing- Family)

·      Creative License

Dickens Creative License with Terror

·      Sometimes a creepy eeriness (mist, darkness, ghost) Beginning of book

·      Book 3 Chapter 5 Dance around Lucie while she is standing in front of La Force. (Carmagnole) Nightmare clearly not real.

o   Exaggeration: 5 thousand demons

o   Foreboding (devices: repetition, horrific diction exaggeration).

o   Want it to end because it is so long and you feel it more and see the torture behind this dance. 

·      Book 3 Chapter 15,

o   crushing humanity

o   Diction graphic

o   Lack of subject making this even creepier

o   Metaphor days “wine” that we are going to get drunk on is the people’s blood that dies

o   Capitalization

o   Guillotines becomes essence more than itself

o   Personification

 

The Tulip Revolution

The Tulip Revolution was caused by the civilians of Kyrgyzstan creating a revolution by pretesting against their president. They did not like their president, Askar Akayer, they found him to be dishonest and not trustworthy. People, by protesting in the streets overthrew the president, and he immediately fled Kyrgyzstan.
The similarities between the two revolutions were, they started in vaguely similar ways. The Tulip revolution began because the civilians had a problem with the government and who was running it. The French Revolution started because of governmental issues as well. They both had the similar sparks, to why the revolution would begin. Otherwise they are completely different revolutions.
Between the Tulip Revolution and the French Revolution, there were pretty significant differences. First, Only three people died in the Tulip Revolution verses the many thousands of people that died in France. The civilians of Kyrgyzstan had one goal and one goal only, that was to overthrow the president, and because of everyone coming together for the same goal, they were successful quickly. The French Revolution had many goals, and not everyone agreed or had the same goals, which made it hard to get the job done quickly and efficiently. Last, they had very different approaches to their revolutions. During the Tulip Revolution, they knew what they wanted, therefore it did not last long. The French Revolution lasted much longer because they had a different approach, with less specific goals, and more pure anger, which never leads to good. The two were very different from one another, and it shows that people have actually grown from the French Revolution and have learned what to do and what not to do.

Egyptian Revolution

Starting in 2011 Egypt has erupted in revolution.  Like the French in the book who were inspired by Americans, the Egyptians were inspired to revolt by neighboring Tunisians. They Egyptians were protesting poverty, unemployment, and government corruption.  They, like the French wanted to be rid of their leader, President Hosni Mubarak.  In retaliation to the protesting, the government blocked all social media including email and texting.  Like in France, the mobs centralized around a leader, Mohamed El Baradei.  Though the military now had much power in Egypt, the direction that the government would go was unsure.  Likewise, it took the French a long time before they secured a permanent government.

Unlike the French revolution, many countries were affected by Egypt's political unrest. Egypt is a major supplier of oil and due to uncertainty of trade, oil price increased.  During the French revolution, the Mannette's and Darney are living peacefully in neighboring France, almost ignorant to the treacheries occuring in France.

www.huffingtonpost.com

Tunisian Revolution vs.French Revolution

Similarities and Differences

between the Tunisian and French

Revolution

           The Tunisian Revolution of 2011 and the French Revolution of 1789+ are similar in that the revolution arose from the frustration of the common people. Both revolutions arose from a corrupt and unjust governments.  Tunisia even had a Marie Antoinette character in their revolution, the wife of the corrupt president, Leila Trabelsi. The luxurious lives of Marie Antoinette and Leila Trabelis fueled resentment for the government, because while they lived in bliss, others struggled to make ends meet. Both Tunisia and French battled the raising prices of foods and other necessities. French is know to be a 'bread revolution' because the hunger and therefore economic struggles of the common class were the largest basis for the revolution. The Tunisians did have to deal with economic struggles and but the common people were not all 'starving', they were more frustrated with unemployment. Many soldiers and government officials in both revolutions sided with their own people, which changed the course and support for each revolution.

        The Tunisian and French revolution mainly differ in that the Tunisian revolution was much less chaotic and had a more positive outcome than the French revolution. The Tunisian revolution consisted of a lot of mass protesting and much less violence compared to the French. The less radical Tunisian revolution set up a new President and Parliament system and slowly fight to have the ex-president completely removed from the new Tunisia. France was much more radical because citizens wanted major change and revenge, this caused the people not to reflect on what changes needed to be made and how to achieve a better government.

Sources:
http://iijd.org/news/entry/the-jasmine-revolution-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-tunisian-dictatorsh
http://www.tnr.com/article/world/81611/making-sense-tunisia

Iranian Revolution

The recent Iranian protests in 2009 and 2010 were due to the disputed victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the 2009 presidential elections and in support of the opposing candidates, Mir-Hossein and Mehdi Karroubi.  Many protests occurred in not only Iran, but around the world as well.  One of the major characteristics of this revolution was the use of many social media sites.  These cites were used by the citizens to communicate with others and to keep up with the news.  However, these cites were used frequently to attack the president and the Iranian government.  This made the government shut down all internet access for one hour during June, and establish filters for all internet sites.  The government also made it nearly impossible to communicate via mobile phones during this time.  Analyses declared that the 2009 presidential elections marked the end of the Islamic Republic and the beginning of the Islamic emirate.
There are many similarities and differences between the Iranian Revolution and the French Revolution in A Tale of Two Cities.  Both of the revolutions occurred because the citizens felt displeased with the government and the people who ran it.  However, one major difference is that the president in Iran was elected where as the leaders of France during the French revolution were born into their positions of prestige.  A similarity between the two is that during the Iranian Revolution the government censored internet access and other means of communication.  Although there were not as many means of communication during the French Revolution, the common people were still under the constant threat that anyone listening to them could report any unlawful things being said to the government.  This is why the revolutionaries in France all went by the names Jaques, so no one could know their true identity if they did get caught.  One other major similarity was the amount of violence in both revolutions.  During the French Revolution countless amounts of people would be guillotined at a time.  In the Iranian Revolution, military persons would fire gunshots into crowds of protestors to try and break them up which would result in many injuries.  One difference between the two was that in France the people's hunger drove them to overthrow the government, where as in Iran hunger was not a factor at all.  It was even stated that many Iranians would participate in hunger strikes to protest the government which shows how both means were used to prove the same point.  Lastly, the most significant similarity was that people stated the 2009 elections in Iran were the end to the Islamic Republic and marked the beginning of a new era.  This is true for the French Revolution as well because it marked the end to the Old Regime in Paris and the start of a new beginning for the inhabitants.
-sources: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/a-green-revolution-for-iran/     and
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/06/17/DI2009061702232.html

-Kaitlin Cunat

Libyan Revolution

The French Revolution in A Tale of Two Cities and the Libyan Revolution are more different than similar.

It is different because of the incredible censorship of information that occurred in Libya.  While during the French Revolution newspapers were independent of the government and were free to print whatever they felt necessary.  However, the Libyan newspapers and internet were censored to the point that it was very hard to know what was actually going on in the country.  In a world filled with technology it almost strikes pity in my heart to know that the people who participated in the French Revolution were more able to communicate and deliver news to the world than the people living in Libya, in a time where technology is so advanced that news can travel in a matter of nanoseconds from one country to the other.

However, one similarity can be found and that is the motivation to revolt.  Both countries were subject to absolute rulers/dictators that oppressed their people harshly.

The success of both these revolutions were great successes in history that continue to influence the modern world today.

Thailand Revolution- Red Shirts vs. Yellow Shirts

In 2005 the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) won the majority of the seats in parliament in Thailand.  The Democrats of Thailand has boycotted this election so instead of putting the TRT in power the military disbanded the government before it could take any action. Unfortunately the new TRT, called the People’s Power Party, took power when the country voted for parliament again in 2007. Eventually the PPP, or the yellow shirts, took over the prime minister’s position through “disqualifying” the two, then current prime ministers. Thailand is currently divided into the two radical groups: yellow shirts and red shirts. The yellow shirts are the wealthier members of society, or the aristocrats, and the red shirts are the lower class, or “urban” members of society. The two parties are currently at a stalemate and still fighting for majority rule and total rule over the country.

The major similarity between the revolution in Thailand and the French Revolution in A Tale of Two Cities, is that the groups are separated into the upper class, wealthy aristocrats, and the lower class, working men. While in A Tale of Two Cities, the revolution progresses to the point where the monarchy is out of rule and the common people have finally risen, in Thailand that has not occurred. Additionally, the reason behind revolution in both situations is because of unhappiness in the representation in the government. 

Website: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/opinion/17iht-edabuza.html?_r=1