Defiance

A topic that particularly stood out in Frankenstein was the idea of defiance. We saw defiance displayed in both the characters of Frankenstein and his creature. Frankenstein, for one, created his own defiance when he crafted a human being; taking on the role of God. He also defied the law of nature, disproving the natural order of things by creating man artificially without the role of woman. His obsessive thirst for knowledge might have crossed a boundary that stood between what is known and what is not meant to be known. Therefore, Frankenstein busted out of the shell that encloses the scientific comfort zone of his day, and he created something that was not meant for humans to accomplish.

Next, we see defiance take on another form when the monster adapts his own personality, and realizes that his abandonment marks his loneliness. By living in isolation and fear of being spotted, the monster learns to despise Frankenstein for disregarding and hating him. The monster seeks to destroy Frankenstein's life and defies the role of creator and creation. He chooses to rebel against Frankenstein, which creates conflict for both of them.

Change in Frankenstein

Change is the transformation or alteration of something. The idea of change can be applied to anything. In literature, we watch stories and characters undergo change, and learn from their transformation. What makes a character change are his or her environment, personal conflict, and the people he or she interacts with. Victor Frankenstein, before immersing himself in the science world, was a young man who was uncorrupted by knowledge. However, once he grabbed hold of the idea of creating a living being, he changed dramatically and became obsessed with his work, and cut himself off from the world. All Frankenstein could think about was succeeding in his experiment, and he worked nonstop to accomplish his creature. At the time, he did not realize how desolate his state was, because he lived in the moment. Every minute he spent on his creature soaked life out of him as he grew weaker and less conscious of his own well being. The change Frankenstein exhibits results from his strive to accomplish the impossible, and his yearning for success made him obsess over accumulation of knowledge, which made him disregard his health and social life. However, Frankenstein never acknowledges his drastic change until he retells his story to Walton. The fact that he recognized a difference in himself shows that he awakened from his strange state, and will never take the same road again in his life.

Knowledge

Overall, Victor Frankenstein had his life set in two worlds. One stage consisted of innocent acquirement of knowledge, and the next stage was the consequences of accumulating knowledge. Therefore, Frankenstein is a great example of what accompanies the subject of knowledge.
Human beings are born with knowledge. And in life, we expand our natural knowledge by exploring and learning about the world. Knowledge is a gift, and we try to use it to our full extent, which is reflected in science and research. The problems of knowledge are that we don't know about the topic of interest, and are never prepared for what to expect. Knowledge is a never ending quest, because we feel we should know as much as we can about everything around us, and sometimes our ego can lead to disastrous ends, such as the atomic bomb and other destructive weapons. Knowledge is paired with moral standards, because people are essentially responsible for what they learn about, and how they put their new knowledge to use. In Victor Frankenstein's case, he kept his knowledge a secret, and the monster he creates is freed into the outside world and Frankenstein holds responsibility for what it has done.

Psychoanalytic Criticism/Theory

The critical reading theory I chose to study is the psychoanalytic theory. This theory, from what I know, focuses its studies on the human unconscious and how a person's irrational psyche plays a role in the person's acts and dream, but is unavailable to his or her consciousness. The theory studies human psychological functioning and behavior and interprets a character through his or her actions, words, and inner conflict. Much of this theory is partly due to the Austrian psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud, who believed all humans possess an unconscious state that contains all their hidden desires and emotions. Freud also came up with the Oedipus Complex, which is often applied to many works of literature. The Oedipus Complex implies that children subconsciously have feelings of desire for the parent of the opposite sex, and compete with the same-sex parent for the attention of the other. This theory is an example of a person's unconscious state of mind, and his or her actions reveal that mindset.
The psychoanalytic theory can also apply to real-world subjects. For example, a person who has often been abused in a relationship may leave her abusive partner, but she keeps falling into an abusive relationship with other men, because this kind of interaction is all she's ever had. Therefore, she doesn't know this is happening, but she keeps letting it happen.

First Six Weeks

I think the past six weeks have gone by very quickly. I'm surprised by the amount of work we've done so far in AP Literature. I have never written four essays in that short amount of time before, and having done so makes me feel accomplished as a student. So far, the workload that has been given to me is much better than that of last year's, and I feel I can manage myself accordingly. I definitely enjoy being in my AP Literature class. I find it interesting and challenging, which I think suits me. As for senior year, I think it's great so far. I love most of my classes, and find this year to be refreshing, yet a long journey to accomplish. I'm just nervous for college applications, because I haven't really done anything to get started yet. I think it's great being a senior, because I can almost taste the freedom, but I'm not yet ready to leave home for college. I just hope the year will continue to flow as smoothly as it does now. I just have to wait and see!

Oedipus -- Tragic or Not?

Week 4 (9/7-9/10)


When I first read "Oedipus the King", a few skeptical questions occurred in my mind. First of all, I felt bad for Oedipus, because he had no way of escaping his fate, no matter how hard he tried to avoid the gods' prophecy. He was born to a doomed father, and also born with a curse that he had no control over. Therefore, I thought it was unfair for Oedipus to suffer so much, especially after earning the throne.
Next, I wondered why Oedipus never expressed any guilt for killing the men (whose identities he did not know) in the crossroads. In the story, Oedipus is viewed as a great man and ruler, and every one in his kingdom lionizes him and see him as their father figure. Oedipus did not appear tainted by murders he committed, and that appeared strange to me.
But in spite of all this, I think the series of events that occurred, because Sophocles wanted to convey that man is mortal, and can be bound for downfall at any time. If Oedipus had any flaws despite the great respect he is given in the opening of the play, his flaws may be his confidence, slight arrogance and ignorance of the situation around him.

Bartleby, The Scrivener

Week 3 Blog: (8/30-9/3)

This week, I learned by reading "Bartleby, The Scrivener" by Herman Melville that characters can influence each other in a story. In class, we examined both the characters of Bartleby and the boss. Bartleby was considered isolated, strange, perhaps mentally ill, and depressed. Because he acts strange and refuses to comply with his boss, the boss undergoes a change in his own character. Unsure of what to think of his strange, hard-working employee, the boss settles on a compassionate side for Bartleby and learns to become patient through understanding and consideration for the vagrant. In order to understand a story, I realize that a reader must first study the characters and acknowledge how they change, then identity the causes of the change. A story is written because an author intends to tell about his or her characters and show how their morality evolves as other characters and events encounter them.

"Lot's Wife" by Anna Akhmatova Critical Response

The poem "Lot's Wife" retells a story in the Bible about a man and his wife and family, all of whom must flee their disintegrating home town to escape God's wrath. However, when Akhmatova wrote her poem, instead of focusing on the plot, she paid special attention to Lot's wife. The wife's emotional state is examined, which enables readers to see the story in a different light. For example, we learn how much it pains Lot's wife to run from her town when "a wild grief in [his wife's] bosom cried, Look back, it is not too late for a last sight..." As the woman struggles with deciding whether to look back at her home or keep running, she is troubled as "her eyes were welded shut by mortal pain". Sadly, when the wife looks back, contradicting God's instructions, her body turns into salt and she is destroyed with the city. Finally, in the last stanza, Akhmatova prompts the reader to consider the significance of the wife's death when she writes, "Who would waste tears upon her? Is she not/ The least of our losses, this unhappy wife?/ Yet in my heart she will not be forgot/ Who, for a single glance, gave up her life." Thus, in questioning the woman's death, Akhmatova asks the reader whether the wife's actions were acceptable or reasonable. Although she disobeyed her husband and God by looking back at her home town, she still did so because she could not accept that she had to leave her life behind. Therefore, Akhmatova sympathizes with the wife, and says that she will never forgot her.

Young Love in "Three Girls" by Joyce Carol Oates -- Critical Response

In the short story, "Three Girls" by Joyce Carol Oates, two young females, both lovers and aspiring poets, reminisce the night of their first kiss. The story is rich with romance and dream-like air, taking place in Strand Used Books in New York, where the girls encounter Marilyn Monroe in the "warehouse of treasure as through an enchanted forest". Oates emphasizes the precious feeling of young love and the girls' sexuality through romantic dialogue and incorporating the famous feminine figure, Marilyn Monroe into her story of romance. 

 Throughout the story, the reader senses the characters' excitement as a new couple through the fairy-tale like language Oates uses. "We were enchanted with the Strand and with each other in the Strand." Also, Oates often has the narrator openly express her feelings for her girlfriend, revealing the deeply emotional character of the unnamed girl. "In an agony of unspoken young love I watched you." To further highlight the girls' sexuality and focus on femininity, Marilyn Monroe is brought into the story, symbolizing and stressing the story's prime concern for women. Furthermore, Marilyn Monroe represents an icon of desire and sexuality, which is stressed between the two girls. Ultimately, with colorful language, the story concludes with the girls encountering their first kiss, "That magical evening of Marilyn Monroe, when I kissed you for the first time", when the reader can be absolutely sure of the girls' feelings for each other.

Only I Can Define Myself

Week Two: 8/23-8/27

This week, Mr. Burke asked us to define ourselves by trying our best to stick to one-worded phrases. Any word would work; my perspective, others' perspectives, or anything that comes to mind when I think of how to define myself. So, I came up with this list: growing, changed, curious, observative, conflicted, emotional, adaptive, friendly, stubborn, hard-working, smart, awkward, funny. The words listed here are what I jotted down in my journal, but they're not all necessarily in my point of view. I realized that although I am the only person in the world that knows myself best, others may not see me in the same light. So what is a definition? "The condition of being definite, distinct, or clearly outlined." Simply living is by means a way of defining myself with every action, every word, and every look that comes from my heart. Ironically, as I was in the process of writing this blog, my dad got in an argument with me about how he is upset with how I am as a person at times. I responded by telling him that I am exactly like him: extremely reasonable and able to hold in my emotions at the right times, but stubborn and not afraid to tell the truth. Unfortunately, he exploded when I responded with that answer, because like all human beings, he just couldn't stand to hear the truth about himself. I realized that by defining myself, I also indirectly (but also purposely) slapped my dad in the face with my answer. But most of all, to define yourself is to learn about yourself while you make the most out of what you do every day of your life. I am my own person, therefore I decide who I am.

Week One (8/16-8/20)

I was intrigued by the way Mr. Burke started our lesson on the first day of school by asking our thoughts on the painting, "The Wanderer", by Caspar David Friedrich. It had never occurred to me that studying artwork can be a form of literature, but now I know it can be so because art involves a lot of interpretation and imagination. Like authors, artists create art because they want to convey a message or idea in their work and publish it to the public for others to see.
I'm not sure if Mr. Burke had a reason in mind to introduce this particular painting to the class on the first day of class. However, when I looked at the painting, I saw a possibly troubled man who might have been climbing his land to clear his thoughts. He is at the top of a peak, looking down at an unknown object, and there is plenty of fog that could be obscuring his vision. As I recall the painting, I wonder whether it can apply to us, as beginner AP Literature students. Because taking AP Literature may seem intimidating to many students, we are not sure what to expect by signing up for the class. Like the Wanderer, we are looking down at something, but it is not yet clear to us. Our just starting out of the course is yet unclear, and for some of us, the path to success might still be "foggy". Therefore, I believe the painting in a way describes our journey on becoming AP Literature students, and marks the beginning of what is yet to come.

Academic and Intellectual Profile

Reading:
1. 1984 by George Orwell, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
2. The San Francisco Chronicle
3. None
4. I read by first looking at the cover and reading the contents of the back cover. Usually, I have to read the first few pages multiple times before continuing with the story. In order to understand the characters and plot, I highlight lines that seem important and make notes in the margins. Once in a while, I read the ending of the book, just to know how the story ends. After completing the story, I skim the entire book to refresh my memory.

Writing:
As a writer, I am good at knowing what I want to say, but sometimes I have trouble putting my thoughts to words. I have come to realize that last year in English Honors, I had some trouble with grasping the concept of themes. This weakness is something I need to improve on in order to become a better student.

Thinking and Reflect:
Weakness: Challenge one's own beliefs
Challenging my own beliefs is a weakness of mine because I tend to go along and stick with what comes to mind as I read a particular text. I realize that I do not often ask myself questions that contradict what I think. This is a weakness because I may not be able to view a story or idea in a different light, which hinders any possibilities of creative thinking.

Strength: Read with awareness of self and others
I think I am pretty good at this because when I read, I keep in mind that there are many different point of views in a story's characters and its readers. Knowing this, I am able to acknowledge a character's conflict and that a reader may see it differently than I do. This way, I can respect my peer's ideas and outlook on literature.

Academic Literacy
"Do entering students reflect such habits of mind?" Main ideas:

• Students are less concerned with anything that is not related to what sparks their interest.
• If students are troubled, they have a hard time seeking help with academic work.
• In order for a student to succeed, he or she must be diligent in critical thinking skills.

Response: I somewhat agree with the excerpt, because I see myself slightly reflected in what the professor had to say. I do get impatient with work that is not interesting; meaning I take a while to complete a boring assignment. 

"What is meant by 'critical thinking'?" Main ideas:

• How a student thinks and understands is crucial to his or her level of critical thinking.
• Successful critical thinking results from hard work and diligence spent on understanding a piece of work.
• Rhetorical strategies should be used by students to help boost their academic performance.

Response: I agree with the excerpt, because I myself have to work on critical thinking and acquiring better rhetorical strategies to improve my thinking and writing. If students do not bother exploring different ways of approaching new ideas, they will not be able to challenge themselves and improve their writing.

Comments on Summer Reading

How To Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster:
I found Foster's novel enlightening because it helped open my perspective towards reading literature. I learned many tricks and ideas I had not known before. I read this book before starting 1984 and The Handmaid's Tale; the two novels were much easier to understand with knowledge of Foster's teachings in mind.

1984 by George Orwell:
When I first started 1984, I was already sure Winston would not prevail in his struggle with the Party, because of foreshadow in the beginning of the novel. However, I was fascinated by Orwell's seemingly attentive observation of human nature. I got the impression that the author spent much time putting together his ideas to create his novel that describes his worry of society going corrupt and ignoring concerns of humanity.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood:
Of the two stories, I liked The Handmaid's Tale the best. Although I thought this novel did not have as much suspense as that in 1984, I liked reading the story in Offred's perspective, because it let me feel connected with the narrator. I wish the reader is told what happened to Offred in the end of the story, but unfortunately, he or she will never know.