Another Question

In Chapter 38 I was a little confused as to why Pip was following Estella around. I understand that he wants to spend time with her but he was just watching her with other men that she treats poorly. Was he told to follow her around or was it his choice? If it was his choice was it to make sure she didn't go for another man? I don't fully understand.

Great Expectations: Question

• "So throughout life our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the people whom we most despise." (Chp. 27) This is right after Pip is rude to Joe when he comes to visit him in London. I'm wondering why Pip was so rude to Joe, was it just to show-off that he was better than him now? Why did Pip care more about showing off to Drummle than Joe's feelings?

Great Expectations: Photo

I chose a picture of two hands pulling away from each other because it represents Pip being pulled away from his home. Although he made the decision to go, and he wants to, it doesn't change the fact that he has to leave everything he knows behind and make the tough transition into being a gentleman. The hand higher up represents Pip because he is moving on to bigger and better things.

Great Expectations: The First Stage

"Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day."

In this quote from Great Expectations, Pip is referring to the day he first became acquainted with Miss Havisham and Estella. Before this day, he had no idea what it was like outside of his life in his average home. When he saw the way of life in the Manor House his view of the world changed completely. He realized that he could have a better life than the path he was headed for as a blacksmith. He made the decision to make the most of his life and get educated so he could become more than what was expected of him.

A day in my own life that began my "chain" was the day I realized I couldn't go without ballet. I was in sixth grade, and I had just taken a year off of dancing to focus on basketball. When the decision came to choose a priority for the coming year, I recognized that I enjoyed dancing more than playing basketball. After that day, I was more focused than ever on improving my technique in ballet. Although I kept playing basketball, I knew dancing was the higher priority and that decision put me on the path that I am now on.

Earnest: Group Essay.

My group has the topic of satire on social institutions. My five part paragraph is on marriage, and how it was seen as a business deal to heighten a person's social standing. My first CD is when Algernon says that he considers proposing business, not pleasure.(30) I talked about how Wilde is making fun of the upper class for being shallow and marrying for reasons other than love. My second CD is when Algernon says three is company and two is none.(37) I elaborated on that by saying that in married life people are never satisfied with just their spouse and they need to find pleasure elsewhere. My third CD is when Lady Bracknell says she would never undeceive her husband. (94) She thinks it would be wrong to be truthful because it would cause conflicts. Wilde is pointing out the lack of respect spouses showed towards each other and how much they depended on lies and deceit.

In my opening sentence I incorporated ideas from the other paragraphs as well as my own. I don't have a conclusion sentence yet that ties everything together, any ideas?

The Importance of Being Earnest

As we've been reading the play The Importance of Being Earnest, I have noticed some themes come up that I remembered from my Victorian Era research. One of them being the difference in social classes, and the other being marriage. In my research I learned that the lower classes were not respected by the upper class. Even though the upper class had far more wealth, they rarely had to work for it, whereas the lower classes often had to do hard physical labor just to feed their families. In the play, Algernon is a perfect example of the snobby upper class when he says, "They seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility."(28).

As for the topic of marriage, I learned in my research that it was looked at as an opportunity to gain wealth and social standing, and not romance or love. Women married wealthy men so they could live a luxurious lifestyle, and men gained the woman's possessions; it was like a business deal. In the play, Algernon proposes to Cecily after just meeting her, and it is clear how shallow a relationship it is when Cecily announces, "I like his hair so much. I must enter his proposal in my diary."(77.) Obviously she does not actually care for him, just his wealth and looks.

Animal Farm Project: Poem.

Mr. Jones was a cruel old man,

Who drank too much as he farmed the land.

The animals despised him for always yellin’

And Old Major informed them of the upcoming rebellion.

Soon enough the battle was fought

Leaving Mr. Jones and the humans distraught.

As they had feared, the animals had won,

And were under the leadership of Snowball and Napoleon.

Snowball came up with lots of ideas,

But Napoleon disagreed, and sent dogs on his heels.

After that day,

If anyone disobeyed,

Napoleon would surely have it his way.

He changed the commandments to fit his desires

And to cover the truth, that he was a liar.

He went against everything the rebellion was for,

But no one could stop him

He was wicked to the core!

He kept all the apples and milk for the pigs,

in comparison the animals looked like skeletal twigs.

Power corrupted Mr. Napoleon,

he abused his authority after the rebellion.

He blamed everything dreadful on poor Snowball,

and viciously killed his fellow animals.

Soon enough, he walked on two legs

and resembled a human, much more than a pig.