One Down, One to Go

1.)Things I liked:
- I liked the fact that this was the first time that I had really been challenged in English. In years before, I was never really asked to use my head when thinking about literature. From the get go, this class has taught me to break down and analyze the finer details of reading.
- I also liked the things I learned about the different types of literature. Before taking this class, I didnt know of the many unique types and sub-types of literature there were to be read.
- My writing has also improved. Through reading fine literature, I think that I have also fine-tuned my writing skills. I know now how to structure a research paper, essays and other types of writing that require a sound knowledge of being able to communicate your ideas clearly.

2.)Things I didn't like:
- The amount. At first, I was overwhelmed at the amount of required reading that was necessary to pass this class. Still a little overwhelmed, I have come to realize that this is what comes with taking an AP level literature class.
- The abstractness of some material. Some of the ideas that we have explored in our readings have been extremely abstract and difficult to grasp. For some reason, this bothers me. I have always had trouble understaing concepts that dont really have a definite answer.

3.)Things I want to improve on:
- Reading "better". I want to learn how to sit down and just read a book for what it is worth.
- Capture the abstractness, as in the "Things I didn't like". I want to learn how to wrap my head around questions and concepts that might not have a concrete and satisfying answer.

- All in all, I have enjoyed this class so far and am looking forward to next semester!

Drama Unit: Relfection

This unit lived up to its name. It was definetly dramatic. Every single story we read had its own version of the word "drama". Never before had I realized that this word could be so multi-faceted. Initially, I had always viewed drama superficially. Images of overly emotional operas plays filled my head whenever someone would tlak about something being dramatic. That being said, I wasnt really looking forward to this unit as a whole. My preconcieved notions were soon contradicted by the interest I had formed in Oedipus Rex and Hamlet. Both works had engaged me more that I thought they would have. The storylines were interesting and the characters, although emotional at some points, still had human qualities. This concept was expressed further throught the satire sectiona and The Importance of Being Earnest. The humor that come through in this story futhered my interest and convinced me that drama might not be a bad thing after all. As a whole, I really turned out o enjoy this unit. The stories were interestingly intellectual and the characters were unique in many different ways. Moving forward, I will take my knowledge of the dramatic arts and its themes and apply them to the many kinds of "drama" that I may experience in the rest of my life.

The Importance of Being Earnest + Satire

I can say without a doubt that I was really excited for this piece of the drama unit. Being a Family Guy fan, I was interested to hear how many satirical devices were used in each episode. With that said, I was interested to view The Importance of Being Earnest. At first, it didnt really strike me as funny. The language was difficult to comprehend, (although not as challenging as Shakespeare) the setting seemed odd, and the characters seemed out of place. This outlook changed, as it usually does with english assignments. After watching the movie for a while, I began to piece together the language of the characters and started to get the feel for the story. The tone of the movie was light-hearted and whimsical, as were the characters. Each one had a different comedic attribute which contibuted to the overall comedy of the story. Initially I couldnt pinpoint what the movie reminded me of. I later realized that it closely resembles a modern-day romantic comedy. Although not quite AP caliber, this aspect came to me as a simple relation to everyday life. Either way, I ended up enjoying the story more than I thought I would and came away with the knowledge about how important it is to be exceedingly Earnest.

Hamlet: Reflection

Phew. Hamlet is over. In a way, I am relieved. The constant battering of old English has left my brain a little sore. The hither and thither of Shakespeare made learning the themes of Hamlet just that much more difficult to understand. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story. This was always one of the Shakespeare stories (if any) that I wanted to learn more about. Well, I learned a whole lot about it. I learned more about the concepts of tragedy and irony than I ever had before. I was able to better understand the inner workings of the driving forces behing Shakespeare's intellectual expertise. This, in turn, allowed me to analyze Hamlet in a way that made me think about what is actually being said. The conversations between characters, soliloquys and narration suddenly had new meaning. I was beginning to translate the text as I read. As a result, the themes of the story began to make sense to me as I tried to tie them in to my understanding of each individual situation. This reading has ultimately proved to be one of the most helpful explorations of Shakespeare yet. I will walk away from this unit with a greater knowledge of Shakespeare and any literature of this kind.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao: Reflection

I liked this book. A lot. This is more than I can say about most of the reading material that is assigned to me through and english class. Although I selected this book, I still expected it to be a somewhat boring and uninteresting read. Turns out, I was wrong. I started this book and didnt look up until I was 50 pages into it. I was surprised to find that I was actually reading this book with a truly engaged mindset. I wanted to learn more and more about Oscar's life as I continued to read. I think this interest was sparked by a number of different factors. The conversational tone in which the author writes contributes greatly to the novel's readability. It feels as if Oscar's life is being recounted around a campfire, by a story-teller whose knowledge of the story makes it seem as if he had told this "age-old" story countless times. The language that accompanies this tone also contributes to the understanding of the story. The words that are used are the ones that I use and hear everyday. This allows for a further understanding of what is really going on between the number of dynamic characters that Oscar encounters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would defiently recommend it to anyone who wants to experience a story that is simple in nature, but riveting in meaning.