Existentialism in Oedipus Rex

One day in class, we discussed how self-importance was a characteristic of existentialism. Well, after reading the first par of Oedipus Rex today, I can't help but to notice the selfishness that Oedipus Rex displays.

Take, for example, his talk with Kreon. Kreon claims that he is a sane man, so he would never want to take over he throne because it would result in a lot of stress. He wants to have extra freedoms, but he does not want to be overwhelmed by too much authority. Oedipus thinks that Kreon is trying to sabotage him so that he can win the throne. After all, it is hard to believe a seer who says that you killed your own father. Eventually, though, this conversation exposes how self-centered he is because he wants to banish Kreon from the kingdom without taking his story into account. His greed for power blinds him.

Another example is the discussion the priest had with the Oedipus prior to Kreon's arrival to the kingdom. Oedipus claims that he feels the pain and suffering much worse than every other citizen because he is the people's king. This isn't exactly vanity, but it shows that Oedipus lies in order to connect with his citizens. He is living a comfortable life in the palace, while all the average citizens are struggling to survive through the plague. Stretching the truth can relate to being selfish because it shows how he is trying to maintain a reputation so that he won't be overthrown as king.

My DI group discussed existentialism in Oedipus Rex and we all concluded that there are plenty of examples that show this philosophy. I guess Jean-Paul Sartre wasn't the first to invent existentialism. That honor goes to Sophocles.

The Horror of Thesis Statements

I've been writing thesis statements ever since sixth grade. Why, then, is it so difficult? Well, for starters, thesis statements aren't a plug-and-chug equation anymore. I can't just write "In [story name], the author conveys [theme] utilizing [literary device 1], [literary device 2], and [literary device 3]." Thesis statements incorporate much more now. For example, the short story analysis prompts ask specific questions that make the equation-like thesis statement invalid. Prompt 1 asks the writer to talk about the significance of the spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation to the story and to cite evidence to support the claim. Literary devices won't work in this thesis statement. A general theme of the story also won't work. Instead, one has to use a theme that discusses the significance of the spiritual reassessment and use evidence (instead of literary devices) for support.

Thesis statements are the source of many nightmares. I think it's simply because I am having to step out of my comfort zone and analyze the text. Before, themes used to be a short phrase; now they are long and specific to the story. Every action, every word spoken has to be looked at with a critical eye.

A poor thesis statement will result in a poorly written paper. Perhaps the importance of the thesis is why it's scary. I just can't grasp the concept that one sentence has to summarize the whole paper. If that one sentence is poorly written or does not incorporate enough detail, then the rest of the paper is useless.

Catch-22 Review

Catch-22 was an interesting novel, to say the least. The typical story is chronological and authors often introduce their characters in the beginning of the novel. Mr. Joseph Heller, the author, chose to defy these unwritten guidelines. He took a risk, and it worked.

Mr. Heller jumps around in the story, manipulating time every chance he gets. I was often confused and had to reread several passages so that I understood the passage. Additionally, Heller often throws characters into the book as if he's adding ingredients to a soup. It's all very random and they get mixed into the plot very quickly. Take, for example, Milo. Milo is a major force in the black market in this book and he pops into the story at random intervals. It's almost as if Heller is trying to confuse the reader.

As for Mr. Heller's motives in writing his book in this atypical way, I believe that he did so because he wanted to "stand out of the crowd". It's a cliched phrase, but I think that was one of his main motives. I also think that his ordering of the events and chapters was symbolic. He claimed that many people in the novel were insane, so, by organizing his chapters in a puzzling way, he made a point (accidental or not) that he fell under the same category.

Despite all of the confusing and contradictory situations in the novel, I do believe that Joseph Heller's Catch-22 is worth everyone's time. It is a dense read, and it requires a lot of outside thinking, but the story has a lot of themes that are applicable to our life today. The ubiquitous humor is also a plus.

Go Digital or Go Home? That is the question.

In AP Environmental Science this year, there were about 20 books fewer than there were students. Guess who was one of those 20 students luck enough to get a digital copy of the textbook instead? Yes, that's right: me.

Now before I go into more detail about implications of going digital, I would like to talk about my own personal reactions to the online software. 1) It's inconvenient. I see all of my classmates working on their homework whenever they get free time. They just flip to the page with the questions and then back into the chapter to find the answer. I, on the other hand, have to wait until I get home and then load two pages (for convenience): one with the questions and one with the chapter itself. Now, I would be fine with the online forum if it were not so difficult to navigate. The user interface has not been developed to a point where it is as easy to use as a textbook, where one simply just flips the page. Honestly, it's annoying having to jog your memory so often to remember what page a certain definition was on. In a book, I use pictures and other 'landmarks' to find where I need to look for the definition. So basically, I only have the one problem of inconvenience. I can't utilize my spare time at school or in the car to do my homework, and instead have to waste time at home to do so. Additionally, the interface is not nearly as user-friendly as a textbook.

Okay, now for other factors that play a major role in this possible switch. 1) Going digital will save millions of dollars. Okay, so this is a nearly impossible statement to argue. Saving millions of dollars is definitely worth the inconvenience. The money saved can be used to improve facilities and teacher education. In addition, the money can be used to buy tablets, which will allow students to work on assignments even when they're not at home! 2) Going digital will allow juveniles to become more familiar with technology. Okay, let's face it. The world economy is being dictated by advances in technology. If students remain complacent over using technology, then they will be left with the worst jobs in the market. Employers are looking for applicants who are comfortable with using certain software because it allows for better organization and more efficiency in the workplace. Students are forced to use online books will be better prepared for the job market. And lastly, 3) Going digital will allow students to be exposed to new resources that will promote a better learning experience. Even though the software I am using does not have interactive videos and additional information on certain topics, I have heard of softwares that do have such accessories. These addendums will allow students to better grasp the information because they can find answers to their questions very easily. 

Athough I do not like my online book, I do believe that with some time and funding it is possible to create a very easy and interactive interface that will promote a student's academic growth. Saving money, assimilation with technology, and enhanced resources will allow students to grasp content an perform better in class.

Communication

Honestly, I was way too tired to re-read "Hills Like White Elephants" at 11:30 PM last Tuesday night. I still had to finish my other homework and get a decent amount of sleep so that I wouldn't sleep through all of my classes the following day. Little did I know that this would be a very bad decision. 

"Hills Like White Elephants" is possibly the most confusing short story that I have read to date. Granted that I have read very few in my life span, I must say that this will always remain at the top of the list under the "Most Convoluted Short Story" category. Never before have I read a story with so many allusions, symbols, and implicit themes. I would have picked up on a lot of these elements if I had read a short background on the historical time period during which this story was written, but not doing so resulted in nothing more than utter confusion. 

How was I suppose to know what 'to let the air in' or 'everyone does it' refer to? To an uninformed reader, it could mean a multitude of things! I remember thinking of travel and adventure when I was reading the story. The phrasing is a bit odd, but 'to let the air in' made me think of breathing fresh air at a national park. I thought 'everyone does it' meant that everyone goes on intrepid journeys. The context was perfect too - the couple had their bags packed, they were at a train station, and they were discussing their future. The implicit theme that Hemingway placed in the story is beautifully crafted and only a diligent reader would understand all of his allusions.

The lesson that I am going to take from this experience is that it is always good to re-read a story when it is understood the first time. It will allow for better comprehension skills and will advance my critical thinking ability as well. I hope that I do not have to learn this lesson the hard way again - through confusion and frustration.

Characterization

Characterization is possibly the most important element in a text. Long after readers forget the plot of a story,  they still usually remember the characteristics of the main character. For example, when I was in seventh grade, I read "Cry, the Beloved Country". This novel expresses the touching relationship that a father and son have with each other. Honestly, though, I don't remember much more in the plot than that. I remember that the story took place in Johannesburg, South Africa during a time with the apartheid was still strong -that's about it, though! I do, however, remember the characteristics/personalities of the character. The father was a priest who was very sincere and caring. He tried to help as many people as possible and was very donated his time to the public very generously. The lawyer, the priest's brother, was very arrogant and materialistic. He showed no affection towards his brother and shooed him away because talking to him was a waste of time...

You get the point! The characters have made long lasting impressions on me, while the plot only was a temporary impression. I believe that authors usually write an interesting plot in order to buy the reader's attention and interest. Some authors even try to convey their themes through the plot. Most, however, rely on the actions of the characters to highlight a certain unifying idea. The characters add flavor to the text because they bring their personalities and their backgrounds, which adds diversity to the story. I believe that characterization is the most important element in a text because it is the vehicle through which the author completes all goals he wants accomplish through the novel.

Literary Devices in 'The Child by Tiger'

The Child by Tiger by Thomas Wolfe got me thinking about all the different literary devices that an author has in his/her arsenal. Similes, metaphors, diction, imagery, hyperbole, ambiguity, euphemism, deux es machina, en media res, flashback, foreshadowing... the list goes on and on!  All authors of literary fiction (and in some cases, commercial fiction) strive to convey a deeper meaning to the reader. This deeper meaning can be a moral or a theme, but it usually is present to allow the reader to view a certain topic from a different perspective. Take The Child by Tiger as an example. The last few paragraphs use a multitude of devices: allusion, ambiguity, and oxymoron (I'm probably missing a bunch!). These devices make the reader pass judgement on what he/she just read. Does the story have a meaning beyond what is superficial? Honestly, when I read Thomas Wolfe's work for homework, I read like a commercial fiction short story. I stormed right through it without taking time to contemplate all that the author had written. It was a mistake. After the discussion last class, I realize that this story was more about how attitudes change when certain actions are undertaken by a man from a different race. This story was set in the pre-civil war era and yet, even though I live in the modern era, I still was racist and biased against Dick Prosser. I did not bother to think about his background, but immediately blamed everything on him. It is sad that I thought this way (something that I've been trying to fix). I believe that Thomas Wolfe's goal with this short story was to make the reader realize that there are two facets in every person in society.