A Meditation on My Year in APLAC

     This has been an amazing year and an amazing class. It has opened my eyes to the applications that the power to write eloquently will have on my life, and has made me realize that an English class does not have to be painfully mundane. This class kept my interest the entire year through, and was often the highlight of my day (I'm such a loser). I have been so blessed to have gotten to have the experience of being a member of this AP Language and Composition class this year.
     1. Which essay did you feel was the most difficult to write?  Why?
     If there was any essay which I felt I had the most difficulty writing, specifically on the AP Test, it was probably the Argumentation Essay. I felt that I was well prepared for this essay, but when I got the question, I simply felt that  did not have sufficient data to support my claim. This was a personal lapse of judgement, however. Had I simply studied a few more prominent historic figures or looked over some novel titles and author names the night before the test, I could have avoided this.
     2. Which essay did you find the easiest? What made it easy?
     I have always found the Synthesis Essay quite straightforward. I've found it uncomplicated because all that is necessary is to analyze documents already given and connect them to a prompt. No true outside knowledge is necessary, making the essay very simple.
     3. What novel/book did you enjoy the least?
     I didn't enjoy The Things They Carried very much, but simply because the writing style was not one that I am used to. The narrative was hard to follow at times, so I was confused often. The overall theme of the book, however, was touching and relatable. It simply was not a favorite of mine.
     4.What novel/book did you enjoy the most? Why?
     I enjoyed the Great Gatsby the most. It has been a book that I have read and reread for years, and I feel that it is a true classic. I love the commentary on humanity that is peppered all throughout the book, and it has caught my interest every time that I have had the pleasure to read it.
     5. Anything you would like for me to know?
     Thank you so much for being an amazing teacher, Mr Thomas! Thank you  for being supportive, but giving us the independence to work on our own without belittling us by insisting to hold our hand throughout every assignment. You are one of the few teachers I have ever had that has encouraged me to take personal pursuits for knowledge, but not simply left me alone to try to figure things out with no mentoring. Being a part of this class has been an eye-opening experience and I will remember lessons learned here, both about literature and from it, for  years to come.
   Thank you Mr Thomas
   Juliette Mudd

What I carry

   Everybody carries something of value with them: Spiritual things, physical things, emotional things, and even memories. What do I carry? Such a question is personal, but I won't shy away from giving an outright answer in the way that Tim O'Brien does in The Things They Carried.

Physical - Physically, I always carry my rings and necklace. My ring on my left pointer finger resembles and embellished cross, and it was given to me by my boyfriend for Christmas this past year. The necklace I wear is a cross with a heart, and it was also given to me by my boyfriend. He, however, gave this to me on our one year anniversary, so it holds quite a bit more weight to me. Finally my ring on my left middle finger was given to me by my mother on my 17th birthday. It reminds me that I will always have a friend in her, right by my side.

Dreams/Goals - My dream that I always hold in my heart is to exceed expectations. I always want to be a step above the average (if not a bound). If I am asked to write a 6-7 point essay, I better write at least an 8. If I am asked to lift 1 gram with my physics project, you better bet I'll push for 2. My goal is to always push myself as hard as I can, because average is never an option.

Relationship - As described prior in my post, one can easily tell that my boyfriend means a lot to me - Lenny. He is there for me no matter what sort of day I'm having and in my saddest moments he reminds me that I'm beautiful. In addition to this are my best friends Caroline and Elena. They have been there for me for years, we have been through everything together, and I know if I want to turn my day around I just need to call Elena and I will be set. I love these best friends of mine; they are my inspirations.

Personality - I would say that I am determined, compassionate, and patient. I always push myself to do what I've never done before, I like to help those who are in need - whatever that may mean- , and I have the ability to hold my tongue under nearly any circumstance. When people see me, they probably see the "perfect" "smart" "happy" girl, at least this is what I've been told. What they don't know, however, is I rarely see myself in this light. I fall short of these high expectations constantly. I love who I am though, and I can only work to better myself everyday.

Memories - My older sister was diagnosed at age 1 with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (long story short, she suffers from mental impairment, seizures, and large red skin blemishes). She is 21 now, and my childhood with her in the house has shaped me to who I am today. She taught me that you need to choose your battles wisely. She taught me that there is beauty in imperfection. Most importantly, she taught me that joy can be found in any and every situation. My memory of my lovely, beautiful, amazing older sister Mackenzie is the most extraordinary of the things I carry.

The Great Compromise

   Compromise has always been a fervently sought after achievement. Whether it be in relationships, in real world/political situations, etc. compromises can be difficult to come to. In Everyday Use, Dee doesn't believe that a compromise can be met between two cultures. I believe there can be.

   I feel that I am living prof of this. My parents are both relatively left-brain thinkers. I, however, am truly a soul of the arts and expression. My parents would love to see to it that I am made to be a lawyer or engineer, but I could much more see myself in front of people. Although nursing and pediatrics are also of large interest to me, I have a fervent passion for the arts.

  I do not long to strain for freedom from my parents either. I value their morals that they've laid out for me: respect yourself and others, respect authority, be kind always. I see their lessons as highly worthwhile, and do not plan to act as Dee did and reject their ways of thinking. A compromise truly  be met.

   In short, there are not only two options when dealing with finding a true identity. There are millions, and a compromise between two cultures can surely be met, if one puts their mind to it.

Where Scrutiny Meets Bigotry

 

"It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority" - Benjamin Franklin

    From the formation of the United States of America and it's landmark culture, it has not only been accepted but rather encouraged for citizens  to question the person(s) to whom they are being called to follow. This has caused an exponential amount of turmoil as pertaining to Americans and their relationships and opinions about authority figures. Whether it be the harsh criticism of John Buchanan's personal affairs, Bill Nixon's political shortcomings, or even Barack Obama's views on healthcare and civil rights, it has become obvious from generation to generation that the denunciation of authority figures, presidents in particular, is regrettably unavoidable.

    One president who had to endure a painfully large amount of criticism in his life was President Warren G. Harding. He was the 29th president, a former Ohio senator, and served in office from March 4, 1921 to August 2, 1923. He was the "compromise candidate" of the 1920 election, and promised to recreate America's strong economy, independent of foreign interference or influence. He sought to shake off the troubling memories and damage left behind after World War I, and intended to return the nation to "normalcy". Throughout his term, however, he fell victim to the Teapot Dome Scandal, and his weaknesses of gambling. These led to the imprisonment of various members of his cabinet, and his marking in history as "one of the worst presidents that the U.S. has ever seen".

    

    The Teapot Dome Scandal was one caused by the presidents aid in the bribing of certain oil companies, causing them to compete with one another and, as an end result, haul in more government money. After this scandal's investigation and exploitation in 1922, much trust in President Harding was lost. In addition to this vast slip up, Harding was known for having a nettlesome gambling problem. He once lost an entire set of White House china in a single hand - a set dating back to the times of Benjamin Harrison. Soon after both of these upsets, the president collapsed and died in California in 1923. His disappointments to the general public were never able to be put right, because he hadn't the time - he was gone sooner than any could have guessed.

    President Harding is rarely remembered for his achievements, however. He was a large supporter of the 8-hour work day, brought the unemployment rate down by 50%, and signed the first child welfare program. The public overlooked these groundbreaking improvements, rather to focus on Warren G. Harding's follies. This parallel to Hawthorne's disdain of authority in "Young Goodman Brown" truly displays the severity in which citizens of the United States choose to mistrust their leaders, counting them out before the possibility of achieving greatness becomes tangible. Through the decades, Americans have loathed authority, and likely will continue until the end of the age.

Ichabod v Will: An Anti-hero Match from Hell

  Greed? Lost love? Fear? Not many classic heroes acquire these traits, let alone all of them! Washington Irving began this American obsession with the Anti-hero through his short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, lighting the spark for the transcendental literary movement of the early 19th century, inspiring writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville to follow in his footsteps. In modern day America, Anti-heroes are an obsession in the media and in common TV series, movies and books. One particular anti-hero who shares an astonishing amount of similar characteristics with Ichabod Crane is Will Graham, from the popular TV series Hannibal. This character has moved from writing to the cinema to a successful television series, and it is no wonder why.

   If you are not familiar with Will Graham, I highly suggest you watch this quick video about him, and his unhealthy relationship with his psychiatrist and companion, Dr. Hannibal Lector. (Warning: slightly disturbing scenes. Watch with discretion.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZOC-w1XpeA

   Both characters experience bouts of greed. Ichabod Crane longs to marry the wealthy Katrina Van Tassel and leave his schoolyard behind, while Will Graham thirsts to earn his place as a police officer back once again. Will's way of chasing his ambitions is to time and time again place himself in crime scenes which he know he is not stable enough to handle, in hopes that he will prove himself. Ichabod plays pranks, tries to sway Katrina's heart, and sacrifices all dignity in hopes to get what he is after. Ultimately, neither character reaches what he desires.

   Both characters experience lost love throughout the courses of their stories. Ichabod proposes to Katrina the night after her father's harvest festival, yet she turns him down. She instead chooses Brom Bones. Will Graham confesses his love to his coworker Dr. Alana Bloom after a lifetime of being in love with her. She admits that she has always felt a draw towards him too, but it will never work because Will is simply too mentally unstable. As Will begins to go after more and more grotesque murders, his sanity is fraying and it causes him to lose the ones that he loves. Both protagonists do not succeed to secure the love of the ones whom they fancy.

   Lastly, both Will Graham and Ichabod Crane's entire lives revolve around fear. Ichabod fears the rejection of Katrina, not to mention the frightening encounters which he meets in the forest. Will fears his fraying mental stability leading to hurting someone close to him. Fear is a large driving force in the lives of both Ichabod and Will: it hinders them from living, but is the only reason they remain alive.

   In conclusion, the fascination of Americans with anti-heroes is not an odd one, seeing as characters 200 years apart share common characteristics. One thing can be certain, however: due to their inclination to go towards fear, greed and abandonment, Will Graham and Ichabod Crane are truly an anti-hero match from Hell.

Welcome

   Hello! My name is Juliette Mudd. I'm a junior at WHS and love singing, dancing, acting, playing the piano, and learning. If there's a new trade that I can learn (baking, painting, math, science) I am more than enthralled at the thought of it. I hope you enjoy my blog! I will be excited to share my experiences through this second semester of Mr. Thomas' class with you. :)