Tools That Change The Way We Think.

"Back in 2004, I asked [Google founders] Page and Brin what they saw as the future of Google search. 'It will be included in people's brains,' said Page. 'When you think about something and don't really know much about it, you will automatically get information.'

'That's true,' said Brin. 'Ultimately I view Google as a way to augment your brain with the knowledge of the world. Right now you go into your computer and type a phrase, but you can imagine that it could be easier in the future, that you can have just devices you talk into, or you can have computers that pay attention to what's going on around them and suggest useful information.'

'Somebody introduces themselves to you, and your watch goes to your web page,' said Page. 'Or if you met this person two years ago, this is what they said to you... Eventually you'll have the implant, where if you think about a fact, it will just tell you the answer."

Internet, media, and technology does influence the way we think since we use it in everyday life. These tools have provided a source of new information that allows us to learn, grow, and prosper. Each of us has our own point of view and being able to see those within various resources allows me to have a better understand of what I am studying or researching. Now, technology and social media is constantly being attacked for being a bad influence on the younger generation since some believe that technology is blocking their choice of opinion, but I think this is completely ludicrous. We are still able to create our own opinions even if we have the exposure to various points of views.  This may not be the traditional way of learning, but the internet and other technology resources are causing individuals to become less close-minded and more educated with what is going on with society around them.

Vocabulary #9

Definitions:

-Aficionado: a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued interest or activity.
-Browbeat: to intimidate or disconcert by a stern manner or arrogant speech.
-Commensurate: equal in measure or extent.
-Diaphanous: characterized by such fineness of texture as to permit seeing through.
-Emolument: the returns arising from office or employment usually in the form of compensation or perquisites.
-Foray: to ravage in search of spoils.
-Genre: a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content.
-Homily: a usually short sermon; a lecture or discourse on or of a moral theme.
-Immure: to enclose within or as if within walls (imprison).
-Insouciant: lighthearted unconcern.
-Matrix: something within or from which something else originates, develops, or takes form.
-Obsequies: marked by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness.
-Panache: an ornamental tuft (as of feathers) especially on a helmet.
-Persona: a character assumed by an author in a written work.
-Philippic: a discourse or declamation full of bitter condemnation.
-Prurient: marked by or arousing an immoderate or unwholesome interest or desire.
-Sacrosanct: most sacred or holy.
-Systemic: relating to or a common to a system; affects the body typically.
-Tendentious: marked by a tendency in favor of a particular point of view.
-Vicissitude: the quality or state of being changeable.

On a gloomy Halloween night, a group of teenagers always decided to pillage and foray the candy in each neighborhood each year. The younger kids scattered as soon as they saw the teenagers walk by due to the fact that they would browbeat the children through vicious stares, which felt diaphanous. The gang of teens had a leader named Ryan. Ryan was the aficionado of this most devious plan because it felt sacrosanct to him since this was his last year of trick or treating. His persona was philippic, unreasonable, and insouciant. He wore a panache with various other random thrift shop items, which lacked any prurient. His outfit was vicissitude, which made it into a matrix due to the fact that he was constantly changing throughout the night in order to create different genres of horror. The girls is the group were obsequious over Ryan even though the guys thought he was a pompous idiot. Sadly, the girl's point of view was tendentious, so Ryan was able to use others in systemic ways to get what he desired through homily speeches. He did give emolument to those, who helped him, but it was not commensurate to what they did for him. Sadly, Ryan was able to immure some of friends in a toxic friendship.

The Performative Utterance in Hamlet

-"The Performative Utterance in Hamlet" by Fredrick deBoer showed a new point of view of the character Hamlet. Hamlet is all talk, but barely any bite. He uses soliloquies and the loss of mental stability as a way to show of his emotions in a dramatic way in order to show others without doing something about it.
- This paper was very interesting because the discussion of what is in his mind and what is real is a key question within the story. The ghost and various other events show how Hamlet is completely and utterly lost within his own mind, which causes him to over think more and act less. We, the audience, have no idea if the ghost is real or not because it can go either way.
-Overall, I agree with the statement presented in this paper partially because Hamlet is all talk in the beginning, but once he kills Polonius, I believe that Hamlet will become more active which will cause him to not think before he acts.

Thoughts on Hamlet (in progress).

This piece of literature has been a emotional roller coaster for both the characters and the audience. The audience is a direct witness to characters losing their minds from revenge, grief, and guilt. Each event that has happened during the acts have elicited pathos and caused the audience to create their own bias. Some are on Hamlet's side and relate to his plan for revenge in order to honor his father while others believe that Hamlet is completely insane due to the fact that he has conversations with ghosts and kills Polonius without a single blink of the eye. Shakespeare is able to create different sides to one story, which is remarkable. Now, after reading Act III, I believe that the play is going down a slippery slope. Things are going to get worse and worse without warning. In addition, I also believe that this story is going to end suddenly, which will leave the audience with thousands of questions and not a single answer.

"To be or not to be"

"To be or not to be"is a soliloquy from Hamlet by Shakespeare that allows the readers to understand Hamlet on a deeper level. The soliloquy is basically about Hamlet's internal struggle of the choice to live or not to live. He is constantly looking at the negative, which is not the way to live life (Nick's presentation was all about spreading positive energy). Hamlet sees life as a extremely painful experience and the only reason why we all haven't killed ourselves is that we are scared of what is on the "other side". In addition, he says that we also over think each action we make, so that is why we aren't able to pull the trigger.

This speech was difficult to memorize due to its descriptive language and rhythm, but the message is quite clear. Honestly, this speech sucked to memorize. I'm not going to sugar coat it and say that it was a piece of cake, but it was worth memorizing. The words gained more meaning and I began to connect them to things within in my life such as "-perchance to dream" and "-to be or not to be". They had different meanings to me like "to be or not to be" was more about success in my eyes, but I was able to see Hamlet's point of view. Now, I decided to do a video of myself reciting the speech at home because I was able to do it when my memory was fresh and in a low stress environment. It allowed me to better understand and know it, which I believe will help me connect with the rest of the play in the future. I was going to post my video to this post, but I'm having technical difficulties downloading my video to youtube. It's not letting me download it off my phone for some odd reason. I will have the video up very soon though! Overall, memorizing the soliloquy and reciting it at home was a great learning experience.

What I think about when I think about Act 3 of Hamlet

The first thought that went through my mind after reading Act III was what the hell just happened?! The murder of Polonius was so nonchalant and lacked any emotion. That was extremely shocking for me because it shows how Hamlet is so emotionally invested in revenge. He's let go of all morals in order to get this revenge, which I believe will lead to him losing himself completely. The fact that he was able to murder Polonius and just drag him out like he was a suitcase is just one example of Hamlet's loss in self. In addition, it shows how Hamlet thinks of him as a pest or rat and lacks importance in any manner. Now, another event that shocked me was Claudius's reaction to the play. I foreshadowed that he was going to have no emotion towards the play and remain calm, cool, and collected, but that was the opposite of what happened. Claudius reacted violently to the play and had to leave the room. He starts to pray of forgiveness, but he isn't able to do it because he knows what he was did was extremely wrong. This event shows how Claudius is human and is not just this monster which is what Hamlet has portrayed him as. Overall, this Act was action packed and I look forward to reading the rest of the play. I have a feeling things are going to take a turn for the worse, but I have no idea what is going to happen next.

Literary Analysis #3

Literature Analysis:

Summary:

1. The Color Purple by Alice Walker is an exceptional book and has become a classic. The story takes place in the rural regions of Georgia during the 1930’s. The narrator is an African American woman named Celie, who was raped and abused by her Pa. The story begins when Celie is just 14 years-old and she becomes pregnant with two of her father’s children. Her father abducts the kids from Celie to get rid of them, but her mother soon dies and blames Celie for everything on her deathbed. Soon after, Celie has an arranged marriage with a man named Mr.          . Sadly, Mr.            is just as abusive as her father and uses Celie as a household slave. Orginally Nettie, Celie’s younger sister, was supposed to marry him, but their father forced Celie to causing her to leave Nettie at home with her father. Poor Celie is treated terribly by not only Mr.          , but his children as well. Although over time, she is able to bring them under control some what. Now, Nettie soon runs away from her father’s and hides with Celie, but then Mr.            attempts to make moves on Nettie, which was absolutely terrible. Celie sends Nettie to an Afican American woman, who was well-dressed at the genera store due to the fact that she was the only woman that provided for herself. The irony in that situation is that woman adopted one of Celie’s abducted children. Nettie leaves and tells Celie that she will write to her, but not a single letter comes, which causes Celie to believe her beloved sister is dead. Celie soon begins to take care of Mr.          ‘s mistress named Shug, who is sexy and passionate. Celie and Shug become very close and fall in love with one another. In addition, one of Mr.           ‘s children, Harpo,  falls head over heels for a woman named Sofia. Harpo is not like his father in most aspects, but doesn’t feel like the man in his relationship. Celie gives him the advice to beat Sofia into submission, which shows how Celie thinks what has happened to her is acceptable. Sofia is unlike Celie and she revolts against Harpo in order to remain strong. Due to this incident, Sofia is extremely upset with Celie about her noxious advice. Later on in the story, Shug helps Celie find Nettie’s letters in which Mr.            has been hiding for years. Celie learns that her sister is in Africa on a missonary trip with Reverend Samuel and Corrine, who adopted Celie’s two children named Adam and Olivia. Corrine becomes ill (later dies) and Reverend Samuel tells Nettie that their father is not their biological, but actually their step father. Sadly, their real father was lynched due to his success as an African American, which is why their mother was emotionally unstable. This eye-opening information causes Celie to leave her husband with Shug and actually lose some of her faith to God. Nettie and Celie’s  step father die suddenly, so Nettie returns from Africa and is now married to Samuel. The two women find out that the house and land was theirs after their mother’s death. The novel closes by the reunion of the two sisters after years of not seeing each other and meeting each other’s loved ones. 

2. “People think pleasing God is all God cares about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.” This novel has many themes that are used throughout the novel, but the theme of religion is present throughout. Celie’s view of God changes and evolves as the book goes on. In the beginning, she uses God as someone to talk to and he almost seems like a distant figure. As the the book progresses, God changes from an individual to an idea. She thinks of God as a sense of goodness and happiness, but she also believes that each and every one of us has a different meaning of God. God is supportive and helps Celie live the life in which she wants to live, which is monumental for Celie since she had been beaten down both mentally and physically throughout her life. “I believe God is everything, say Shug. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you've found It.” 

3. The narrator of this book is the main character named Celie, so the mood and the tone changes constantly due to the fact that she has personal connections and emotions towards those events, which makes the audience more biased to Celie’s point of view and elicits pathos.

4. "-pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."

The title of this book is directly connected to the quote about. The color purple is thought of as royalty especially in Ancient Greek times, which is why Caesar has a entire rope dyed purple. Celie desires a long purple dress due to the meaning of the color of purple to show her independence and strength. 

“-Dear God,-”

Each letter starts with the quote above, which directly connects with the theme of religion and Celie’s changing point of view in religion. 

“Time moves slowly, but passes quickly” 

The quote above is a contradiction and shows the point is that time may seem infinite during the moment, but as we look back, time seems scarce. 

“Shug is a beautiful something-”

The quote represents had oxymoron because it seems like a back-handed complement. There are both negative and positive comments within that statement.

“He beat me like he beat the children.-”

This quote is an example of a simile and shows the amount of abuse within this novel.

“She look so stylish it like the trees all round the house draw themself up tall for a better look.” 

This is another example of a simile and gives the audience a better understanding of Shug’s appearance. 

“The more I wonder, the more I love.” 

The quote above causes the audience to allude to a bigger picture about love and the true possibilities of life. It encourages the reader to live the life in which they dream about instead of “being clubbed into dank submission.”

“I'm poor, black, I may even be ugly; but dear God, I'm here! I'm here!” 

This quote symbolizes the strength in which Celie has despite her struggles or skin color. It also connect to the theme of racism within this novel.

“- I been so busy thinking bout him I never truly notice nothing God make. Not a blade of corn (how it do that?) not the color purple (where it come from?)." 

This quote creates a connection with the main theme of religion and the title of the book, which is very significant and symbolic.

“For the first time in my life, I feel just right-”

The quote elicited pathos from the audience because after years of pain and suffering, Celie is able to find happiness and love.

1. First of all, the definitions for indirect and direct characterization are:

- Indirect characterization is the process by which the personality of a fictitious character is revealed through the character's speech, actions, appearance, etc.

-Direct characterization is the process by which the personality of a fictitious character is revealed by the use of descriptive adjectives, phrases, or epithets.

“I'm poor, black, I may even be ugly; but dear God, I'm here! I'm here!”

This is an example of direct characterization due to the fact that Celie is using descriptive adjectives to describe herself.

“Shug a beautiful something, let me tell you. She frown a little, look out cross the yard, lean back in her chair, look like a big rose.-”

The quote above is direct characterization for Shug said by Celie because it directly describes her physical appearances. In addition, Celie uses similes to create imagery and allusions to things that symbolize true beauty such as roses.

“Us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved.-”

The quote above is an example of indirect characterization because it shows how Celie desires love and independence due to her past experiences. 

“The Olinka girls do not believe girls should be educated. When I asked a mother why she thought this, she said: A girl is nothing to herself; only to her husband can she become something.

What can she become? I asked.

Why, she said, the mother of his children.

But I am not the mother of anybody's children, I said, and I am something.” 

The section above shows indirect characterization of the beliefs within Africa and connects with the life of Celie. They may be two different cultures, but the role of women isn’t appreciated in either society and are often used to help the men prosper.

2. The novel is written in first person, which causes the diction to change throughout due to Celie’s personal emotions. The book is written as if they are letters, which causes the story to feel more realistic. 

3. The Color Purple stars a round character named Celie, who is dynamic and full of life because I felt as if I knew her personally. I became emotionally connected with her especially since the story is written in a letter format, so you feel as if you are reading real letters. 

4. While I was reading this book, I thought of Celie as a friend and I felt her joy, sadness, and pain. Overall, this novel was amazing and I would recommend it!

Vocabulary #8

This week, I chose to use every vocabulary word in my Dear Ophelia post instead of writing sentences. By doing so, I felt like I was able to get a better understanding of the vocabulary words and Hamlet. 

Dear Ophelia,

My name is O. and I'm trapped in this weird sort of dating thing-- a prince says he loves me, but my father & brother hate him and tell me to stay away. What should I do? 

Dear O,

Wow! That is quite a conundrum! Your father and brother may think the gauche prince is abased or an abomination to your family due to his nomenclature, but all that matters is how you feel. Do what you want to! This may be a paradox to others or considered an anomaly, but they don't matter in the long run. You need to expurgate and abdicate your family's opinion in order for you to be happy. I apologize for being brusque, but follow your heart. Now, if this is a debauchery, it will only last a ephemeral period of time, so be careful. In addition, watch out for bellicose saboteurs since some may be rancorous, rapacious, and churlish in order to break you guys up. Plus, they continue to proliferate due to the fact that society loves to gossip even if it may contradict social manners. Well, anyway, good luck is your love life, which is an anachronism.

Good Luck!
M

Literary Fiction & Empathy

Reading fiction allows me to understand others better because it shows the importance of speech, actions, and even reactions to certain situations. Each of us can read about a certain character and understand who they truly are just by there actions or dialogue. For example,  Hamlet's first big soliloquy   showed how uncontrollably upset and angry Hamlet was for various reasons such as his mother, which even caused his to think about suicide.

What I meant to say was.....

In the Canterbury Tales, the author, Chaucer, uses various tones and characterization techniques in order to present his style of writing and provide his audience with the purpose for his tale, which was that things may not be what they appear, which translates to how society isn't that different despite their particular social standing. Each of these characters, especially the Monk and the Lawyer, opens the door to a new point of view and instead of looking from the outside, the audience is able to look out from within in order to elicit pathos and cause the audience to bond mentally with the characters.

Green Eggs & Hamlet:

a.) What do you know about Hamlet, the "Melancholy Dane"?
-To be honest, I don't know anything about Hamlet really due to the fact that I've never read to play or seen any of the movies.
b.) What do you know about "Shakespeare"?
- Shakespeare was a poet and playwright, who published most of his own works. He is most famous for his tragedies, which are considered absolute classics within English literature. Originally, Shakespeare wasn't that popular, but his reputation soared in the 19th century due to Romanticism.
c.) Why do so many students involuntarily frown when they hear the name "Shakespeare"?
-I believe that most students involuntarily do that because they have created a mental block within their minds about how Shakespeare is too hard to even try to figure out, which seems like an excuse to me. Personally, Shakespeare is a difficult topic due to his writing style and various other factors, but it's not impossible and can be enjoyable if you're willing to take the time to understand it.
d.) What can we do to make studying this play an amazing experience we'll never forget?
-We should read or act it out in class in order to get feedback or additional information from not only Dr.Preston, but also my classmates as well.

Vocab #7

After our shenanigans with the drug cartel, we began to ricochet from truck to truck in order to eschew our enemies. Our ephemeral happiness was curtailed by a plethora of bullets that pierced the truck right before we entered the port. Luckily, we were able to outsmart the wonky grunts they sent after us, but we still found ourselves running through the marketplace with capricious music which juxtaposed the terror of our position. There was a schism between the massive crowd, so we were able to lose the additional ebullient drug cartel assassins. After the sesquipedalian chase, the four of us decided that we needed to get on a boat in order lose all trace of the drug cartel. Shane and Colter went to ask a local fisherman to help us, but instead it turned into a garrulous, inchoate debate that provided no help once so ever. The fisherman was perspicacious, who wore clothes made of mungo and used various diphthongs, which made his speech sound like complete codswallop at times. Now, his loquacious speech was absolutely terrible, but it was worth it in the end since he agreed to allow us to come on his boat. Each of us felt a great sense of relief and interdependence once we finally boarded the boat and set sail.

If I Just Had More Time

The midterm on Friday was a challenge, but it was actually quite helpful. At that point in time, I was trying to figure out words that were on the lists and constantly over-thinking about the time, which was a mistake in the long run. I should have been putting all of my focus on remembering the words that I had studied for hours instead of the lack of time. If I had more time, I would have done better on this exam, but the fact in the matter is that I didn't. This showed me that instead of worrying about time or something I can't change, focus on what  you can impact.

Literary Analysis #2

Literature Analysis #2:

Memoirs of a Geisha
By: Arthur Golden

1. Summary: Memoirs of a Geisha is about a woman named Chiyo Sakamoto, who was made a geisha before and during World War Il. The story begins with Chiyo Sakamoto being sold to an okiya along with her sister named Satsu, which is a geisha training school. Sadly, Satsu wasn’t as beautiful as some of the others girls, so she was forced to become a prostitute against her own will instead of being a part of the okiya. Now, a famous geisha named Hatsumomo begins to hate Chiyo because she is afraid that she will replace her and take over, so she starts to plot against Chiyo to get rid of her entirely.  In the okiya, Chiyo lives with Pumpkin, Granny, Mother, and Auntie a long with Hatsumomo. Later on in the story, Chiyo runs into Hatsumomo having sex with her boyfriend, which was absolutely unacceptable for a geisha since their availability is what makes them so popular to the public. Hatsumomo then changes what happened and gets Chiyo punished, but Hatsumomo ends up paying for her trickery once mother found out the truth by being forced to never speak to her boyfriend ever again. After this chaotic situation, Chiyo tries to escape the okiya, but ends up falling and hurting herself, which causes her to be caught. Due to this incident, Mother tries to get rid of Chiyo since she embarrassed the okiya and the social image of a geisha. Years later, Chiyo desires to become a wonderful geisha and she donates her money to the Yasaka Shrine in order to achieve this goal. Now, at this time, Pumpkin has become a very successful geisha while Chiyo has remained a maid (slave) for mother. Soon, Pumpkin’s name is changed to Hatsumiyo since she has become a geisha after years of training. As the story progresses, Chiyo is taken under the guidance of Mameha, who was a rival of her original okiya. This ends up being a terrible decision and causes Chiyo to never be able to gain a danna to receive her independence, so she is forced to go back to being a slave for Mother.  Chiyo’s name also changes to Sayuri since she was able to become a geisha. Sayuri was arranged to go through a ceremony called mizuage, which is defined as the ceremony in which they become a full-fledged geisha. Now, Hatsumomo tries to mess with this ceremony, but a mentor named Toshikazu Nobu sees through her trickery and ends up paying for her mizuage. This allows Sayuri to pay off each of her debts and become the new heiress for the okiya, which causes Pumpkin to become upset since she was the one who was originally supposed to be the heiress. Due to this event, Pumpkin hates Sayuri just like Hatsumomo and they both end up leaving the okiya later on. Later on, Sayuri teams up with Pumpkin in order to entertain the Nobu in in order to obtain her danna, but the problem is the Sayuri fell in love with the Chairman. Sayuri tries to avoid Nobu since she doesn’t want him to be her danna due to her love for the Chairman. She soon develops a plan to get caught entertaining another man, but Pumpkin ruins the plan due to her resentment towards Sayuri due to the fact that Mother adopted her. This caused Sayuri to agree to Nobu’s offer to be his danna. Eventually, Sayuri ends up giving up on the life of a geisha and accidentally runs into the Chairman. The two characters end up falling in love, having a child together, and opens a small, sweet tea house in New York City. 

2. There are various themes presented in this novel, but the biggest theme is about how things may not be as wonderful or great as they appear.“I didn't say to act dead. I said act helpless.” A geisha is perfect example of how a woman should be and are used as entertainers, but most don’t even realize that under the makeup and clothes, is an average woman trying to survive and are actually forced in this role against their will, which makes them into slaves. “Geisha is always called beautiful even if she is not.”


3. “I've lived my life again just telling it to you.” The tone within this novel changes throughout since it’s told in first person, so it varies within different situations due to her own personal bias. 

4.  Ten Examples:

• “The heart dies a slow death, shedding each hope like leaves until one day there are none. No hopes. Nothing remains.” This quote is an example of personification, which is defined as something nonhuman being give human characteristics. The heart is personified above to express how humans die and to elicit emotion from his audience. 

• “This is why dreams can be such dangerous things: they smolder on like a fire does, and sometimes they consume us completely.” This quote is an example of a simile since it compares dreams to fire in order to show how dangerous they truly can be.

• “Can't you see? Every step I have taken, since I was that child on the bridge, has been to bring myself closer to you. ” The quote used above is a immaculate example of a rhetorical question, which influences the readers to foreshadow and think about what is being written.

• “I could no more have stopped myself from feeling that sadness than you could stop yourself from smelling an apple that has been cut open on the table before you.” This quote above is metaphor and allows the reader to make connections with there own lives in order to become emotionally invested in the characters.

• “Those of us with water in our personalities don't pick where we'll flow to. All we can do is flow where the landscape of our lives carries us”.This statement above uses elements of nature to create imagery in hopes to develop a comparison that supports the idea that sometimes we must go with the flow of life instead of always fighting back.

• “We don't become geisha because we want our lives to be happy; we become geisha because we have no choice.” The quote presented above shows a very significant due to the fact that it embodies the theme of the entire novel itself, which is presented in question 2 written above.

• “No one knows the author of memoir so well like himself.” This quote shows the author’s purpose in writing this novel in first person, which was monumental in the impact of this novel.

• “A wounded tiger is a dangerous beast.” The quote above alludes to the idea that the wounded tiger is going to be even more dangerous than it would be if it wasn’t since it feels weak, hopeless, and unprotected, which could lead to more reckless actions.

• “You're eighteen years old, Sayuri," she went on. "Neither you nor I can know your destiny.” This quote presents a common cliche throughout the world about how teenagers aren’t responsible and lack a sense of intelligence.

• “Every step I have taken has been to bring myself closer to you.” This quote elicits pathos from the audience because it uses love to draw the attention and hearts of the audience.

Characterization:

1. Indirect and Direct Characterization Examples:

• "You should have told me sooner what a pretty girl you brought with you. Her eyes...they're the color of a mirror!" This is an example of direct characterization due to the fact that it is describing her appearance through speech and action.

• "...some girls are smart and some are stupid" This is another example of direct characterization because she is being described through speech and action.

• “She paints her face to hide her face. Her eyes are deep water. It is not for Geisha to want. It is not for geisha to feel. Geisha is an artist of the floating world. She dances, she sings. She entertains you, whatever you want. The rest is shadows, the rest is secret.”  This show indirect characterization and also expresses the most significant theme within the novel, but also describes the characters as well.

• “A tree may look as beautiful as ever; but when you notice the insects infesting it, and the tips of the branches that are brown from disease, even the trunk seems to lose some of its magnificence. ” This quote above personifies the characterization of a geisha in order to show the true emotions going on underneath the makeup and expensive outfits.
• The author uses these two approaches to show how the character’s feelings from within and how she is appeared to the public. This style is exactly like Chaucer’s in The Canterbury Tales.

2. “A memoir provides a record not so much of the memoirist as of the memoirist's world.”  The author’s diction does really change due to the fact that this book was written in first person, but it does have personal experiences and connections in which changes her point of view and influences the audience to side with her.


3. The protagonist within this story is round because as the reader, you feel as if you know her or even friends with her. She is a dynamic character due to the fact that as the story progresses, the audience sees her highs, her lows, and her challenges, which shaped who she becomes later on in her life.

4. After reading this book, I felt as if I have met her in person before. I became so emotionally invested in the story and in her character. “She paints her face to hide her face. Her eyes are deep water. It is not for Geisha to want. It is not for geisha to feel. Geisha is an artist of the floating world. She dances, she sings. She entertains you, whatever you want. The rest is shadows, the rest is secret.” This quote caused me to feel absolutely terrible inside. I felt her pain and her feeling of hopelessness, which caused me to view her differently as a character.

The Comparison's Tale

During class, various character's tales were introduced and explained. My group focused on the tale of the Sergeant of the Law, which was similar to the tale of the Monk. The Monk's tale shows the theme of tragedy in an immaculate manner and this theme is also presented in the Sergeant of the Law's tale through Constantine's struggles despite her perfect, goddess like appearance.  In addition, both tales are written in a straight-forward, direct manner in order to present a clear point and have a slight dark, bland tone.

TALE OF A CANTERBURY TALE

The Tale of the Sergeant of the Law (Lawyer):

Summary:

The Sergeant of the Law is basically a medieval lawyer, who performs various skills needed to be a lawyer with ease. He uses his success to climb up the social ladder, which was very significant in medieval times since it allowed him to live a more luxurious lifestyle. His guidance and services are used by kings, queens, and other high-ranking individuals, so this gives him to opportunity to be able to associate himself with the high-ranked people in order to gain even more success and prestige. With his new financial success, the Sergeant of the Law purchased a good amount of land, which was almost like the stairway into helping his future children or even his family name gain nobility. Now, the Sergeant of the Law is always trying to create this image that he is always so swamped with work and works extremely hard at his job when in reality he is kinda sluggish. Overall, the tale of the Sergeant of the Law is about a merchant and how he taught the lawyer to use others to help yourself along with your own personal hard-work.

Question #1:

1. "You earn by land and sea, your wealth accrues, While also you gain knowledge of the state Of kingdoms; you've been bearers, too, of news, Of tales of peace and war. And desolate I'd be right now for stories to relate Had not a merchant taught me, many a year Ago, a tale, and one that you shall hear."

The quotes above show how the Sergeant of the Law believes that society must earn their wealth and also show the importance of knowledge. Knowledge is valuable despite the fact that it may not be land or money. This is shows indirectly a  belief within the Sergeant of the Law. In addition, this quote leads into the Lawyer's Tale.

     2.  "My lords," said he, "I warn you all the rout,

A fourth part of the day's already gone. Now for the love of God and of Saint John, Let's lose as little time now as we may. My lords, it's time that wastes both night and day, That robs us while we sleep without defense, And while awake, through our own negligence. It's like a stream returning not again, Descending from the mountain to the plain. Well Seneca, like others of his measure, Bewails the loss of time more than of treasure: 'Of chattels there may be recovery, But we are ruined by loss of time,' said he. It will not come again, that's safely said, No more than may come Malkin's maidenhead Once she has lost it in her wantonness. Let's not grow moldy, then, through idleness."

The quotes presented above show his desire to lose himself to his religion instead of being taken over by his own negligence. This could be one of the various reason why the Sergeant of the Law decided to make the trip to Canterbury.

3. "You blame Lord Jesus, saying bitterly
His temporal blessings aren't proportional; You also blame your neighbor wrongfully, You say that you have little, he has all. You say, "He'll pay, by faith, it shall befall That his tail will be burning in the coals Because he doesn't help us needy souls."

The quotes above show how the Sergeant of the Law doesn't believe in using religion as an excuse to do your work. Everyone must work in order to prosper and religion is there to support us not do it for us. This showed his strong belief in the guidance of religion, which affects his own decisions, beliefs, and bias.

4. "Host," he replied, "depardieux, I assent,

To break agreements is not my intent. A promise is a debt, and I will pay What I have promised--what more can I say? Laws he would give another man one should Obey himself, it's only right, our good Text so requires. But I know very well There's not one worthy tale that I could tell That Chaucer (though he's not too good at meter, And not too skillful in his rhyming either) Has not been telling folks as best he can.

For quite a while, as known to any man."

The quotes above express the Sergeant of the Law's need to follow the rules or the guidelines because he basically says that he can not do it justice like Chaucer and doesn't wish to break the rules of "the game.

  5. "He's told of lovers, paid them much attention,

Much more than Ovid ever made a mention In his Epistles that are very old. Why should I tell what's been already told? "In youth, of Ceyx and Alcyone he wrote, And since then has of everyone made note Among the noblest wives, their lovers too. Whoever reads his lengthy volume through, The one called The Legend of Cupid's Saints, Will find therein the great wounds and complaints: Lucretia's; those of Babylonian Thisbe, The sword of Dido (false Aeneas!); tree Of Phyllis, who for Demophon would die; Hermione's and Dejanira's cry, Hypsipyle's, and that of Ariadne (Left on that barren island in the sea); Leander drowning for his love of Hero; The tears of Helen, and also the woe Of you, Briseis, and you, Laodamia; The cruelty of you, O Queen Medea, To hang your children, all for hatred of Your Jason who was faithless in his love; Alcestis, Hypermnestra, Penelope, Your wifehood with the best commended he."

This collection of quotes above shows the vast knowledge the Sergeant of Law has in both regular scholar subjects and law subjects.

Question #2:

Personally, I believe that the Sergeant of the Law is used to satirize society because he is written has a perfect, cliche image of a lawyer. He follows the rules, intelligent, shrewd at times, proud, and even lazy. An example of those traits would be when the Sergeant goes on and on about various tales written by Chaucer (#5 in question one).