Thinking Outside the Box

The theme of how individuals must over come their ignorance in order to achieve a deeper truth or understanding is a common ideal shared by both Plato and Sartre. Each author has a different way of portraying it through their dialogue. For example, Sartre used actions to create imagery within his piece while Plato developed his story through the questions going on between each of the characters. Now, these two authors have their differences in points of views such as Plato believes that its up to the individual to make the choice in order to obtain knowledge while Sartre believes that individuals learn through being tortured or being around others.

"No Exit"

Reading notes:

- There are three characters who are stuck in a single room. 

- The characters' names are Estelle, Garcin, and Inez.

- They setting is placed in the afterlife, but the three characters have trouble figuring out what they are being punished for.

- Setting: a single room with no mirrors.

- Estelle killed her baby by drowning it since the father of the child was not her husband. She later died of pneumonia while the father of the child committed suicide.

- Garcin was a soldier, who deserted, but was later shot 12 times while escaping to Mexico.

- Inez was is love with a woman, who had a husband, but that didn't stop the affair. The woman's husband ends up being killed by a tram, which causes the woman to lose her mind and kill both herself and Inez by turning the gas on within their home.

-The concept of torture: -Estelle is tortured by Garcin since he doesn't love her , but she is torturing Inez by being so interested in Garcin. -Inez tortures Garcin about not admitting whether or not he is a coward. 

-This makes the story ironic due to the fact that they have no idea who or what they are being published by when in reality they are torturing themselves.

Answers:

1. I imagine my hell looking like the setting described by Sartre. I have a tendency to over- think, so  my mind would become either a prison or an escape to relaxation. Personally, I don't believe that there is a fiery physical place called hell. I believe that hell depends on the individual's point of view and beliefs. Each human being is different, so our personal ideas of hell are going to be different as well. Now, if I were to be trapped in the room created by Sartre, I would probably begin to over-think about certain aspects of my past life and develop a feeling of being trapped with no escape.
2. "Everything in moderation" is a quote that I completely agree with. There can be too much of a good thing and can ruin the overall experience since it's no longer as special due to its over usage.
3. The usage of dialogue to develop the tone of the setting provides a sort of challenge to the audience since we must create the imagine of the setting within our own minds. The setting in which Sartre created would be terrible to live in and I would probably still practice my daily routine, but I hope I would be able to accept my surroundings in order to move on and relax peacefully. 

"Allegory of the Cave" Essay and Vocabulary Quiz all wrapped in one

Touch, smell, sight, and sound are the senses in which we, as humans, use to survive each and every day, but what about the usage of our minds? “The Allegory of the Cave” within the book called The Republic  by Plato is centered around the idea that our senses hide a deeper truth. Each of us rely on our senses rather than our analytical thoughts. Now, the figurative language within this piece alludes to this concept and also shows the purpose for which Plato wrote the book, The Republic , which was to show the people and the government that should abdicate or expurgate their gothic senses and understand the true reality of what is going on in order to make the best decisions for their society. 

The term allegory is defined as a story, poem, or picture that hides or alludes to a bigger meaning. “The Allegory of the Cave” illustrates the theme that our minds are the only tool we posses that will allow us to reach a true concept of reality or euphoria. That may have been brusque, but that is the reason why Plato wrote this piece of literature. He wanted to show the people about the importance of knowledge and expanding their horizons, which is why he uses the metaphor of the sun. In addition, Plato wrote to the people for his mentor Socrates, who was killed by the government since they didn’t like how was asking others within the community to question the government’s and their own authority or integrity. What we believe to be the truth or correct may be completely incorrect within the eyes of another. Looking past what we see, hear, or touch will open the doors of our mind and allow a deeper understanding to develop in which we can use to make our lives and the lives around us better. 

Figurative language and vivid imagery bring the allegory to life. The images of shackles binding the characters down expresses how each of us are allowing ourselves to be controlled by our senses rather than our thoughts or beliefs. In addition, we must be willing to accept the real reality in which we discover through knowledge. Our point of views will go through a metamorphosis in which will cause our old point of views to become impossible to relive and those who remained at an impasse with their senses will not relate to your new analytical ideals causing a dichotomy. For example, the remaining individuals in the cave see their old friend as a new shadow instead of who he truly his once he returned to cave. The true reality may not be what was expected, but that doesn’t mean its incorrect. That is up for the individual to decide through their mind. The usage of figurative language and imagery expresses Plato’s belief in mind over matter.

The involvement of our senses is a sine qua non within our daily lives, but that does not mean that we must live by them. Questions, idea, and thoughts are the senses in which we should look to on the parlous quest for the ultimate truth. Plato wrote the “Allegory of the Cave” to express that to the public and to keep Socrates’s beliefs alive through imagery and figurative language. Now, it’s up to us to decide whether to gain the knowledge in order to discover the true reality or to remain attached to our physical senses. 

Allegory of the Cave Sonnet

What we believe to be the ultimate truth may be a just a sham,
Each of us rely on our senses rather than our analytical thoughts.
The allegory of the cave shows how the reliance on our senses can allude to a fake reality that seems as useless as spam.
The chains represent the shackles of our sense their own senses in which that leaves them to be unenlightened and to continue to make decisions through drawing lots.

The metaphor of the sun is a flawless exemplification symbolizes the main theme in which Plato is trying to allude the audience towards bit by bit;
The sun makes a connection with how the light of the sun provides the illumination of the things that remain around us, but yet it does highlight everything that remains a part of reality.
The world in which we live in can only be seen through the knowledge in which we provide regarding it.
Knowledge is the key to gaining pure morality.

Once the true reality has been revealed, it's impossible to return to what once was.
Those who remained in the past point of view will be resistant to the new concepts in which you have discovered.
The truth may not be worth the glory or the applause.
Be cautious to what is uncovered.

The choice to learn and uncover knowledge is up to the individual.
The best teachers and guide can't teach an individual, who is dead set on remaining close-minded and monolingual. 

The Laughing Heart 2.0

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

By: Charles Bukowski

This poem was an assignment at the beginning of the year in which we had to memorize the speech during class. Now, memorizing this piece was worth it due to the fact that I am still in love with this poem. It's empowering yet reserved. I wanted to post this poem once again because it helps put things in perspective especially with college application deadlines coming up.

Hamlet "To Be or Not to Be" Collaboration!

A few students and I decided to team up in order to recite the "To Be or Not to Be" soliloquy from Hamlet. We created a video that showed various students reciting a few lines of the speech in places on campus that were significant to them. For example, I said my lines in the gym since volleyball is a passion of mine. The video is on Shane's blog and the link to the blog is right here. Hope you guys like it!

Allegory of the Cave Questions

1. The Allegory of the Cave symbolizes the chains in which blind them from the exposure to new knowledge or information while others have those opportunities.

2. The key elements of imagery presented within the cave would be that we take the knowledge that is given to us and we don’t fight against it since we believe that we know the whole situation when we don’t. The usage of the word light means the vast collection of education and learning (limitless). 

3. The allegory shows that often times, we allow our knowledge to be controlled just like filter bubbles. In order to fully see what is going on, we must enlighten ourselves.

4. The imagery of shackles and chains is used to show the limits of knowledge. Due to these limits, the prisoners are chained to their beliefs and believe that it is the only correct thing out there since they think their is no other additional information. 

5. Similar to the shackles, traditions chain us down due to the fact that we do one thing and believe what others are saying if it’s a apart of the culture of the tradition.

6. The freed prisoner is used to express the sensation of enlightened and sees the world in a completely different life. 

7. The absence of clarity provides the audience with suspense and is shown throughout the story. The contrast between dark and light is used to show this concept in an exceptional way.

8. Knowledge is a choice for the prisoners, but they must be willing yo go out and learn, grow, and prosper.

9. There is a difference between appearance and reality within the Allegory of the Cave due to the fact that appearance (shadows) cause individuals to lose their common sense. 

10. Hypothetically speaking If Socrates is incorrect, every individual would be chained to their limited knowledge. This would cause major problems due to bias in which could lead to war, revolutions, etc.

Sonnet Analysis #1

We Hang Together

• The business realm originally focused on the individual instead of the entire organization alone, but this has changed in recent years. Corporations and businesses are working together as a company in order to make the most profit or to succeed instead of fighting for the "top spot" within the business.
• Darwin's theory is based around the concept that the fittest species is the one who can adapt in order to create the best possible outcome. Adapting to those around you and working together can produce the best possible result because each individual brings something new to the table, which allows more information to be used when making the correct choices.
• From a young age, we are told to be independent, which makes us more inclined to do things on our own instead of looking for others to help or to provide new data. 
• Companies and other firms need to place trust within their employees and show the world that they are just as human as they are. By doing so, individuals will have more respect for their companies and work harder than ever before to succeed.

A Poetic Inquiry

When thou shalt be disposed to set me light,
And place my merit in the eye of scorn,
Upon thy side, against myself I'll fight,
And prove thee virtuous, though thou art forsworn.
With mine own weakness being best acquainted,
Upon thy part I can set down a story
Of faults concealed, wherein I am attainted;
That thou in losing me shalt win much glory: 
And I by this will be a gainer too;
For bending all my loving thoughts on thee,
The injuries that to myself I do,
Doing thee vantage, double-vantage me.
   Such is my love, to thee I so belong,
   That for thy right, myself will bear all wrong.

My Big Question: How do we determine what is right and what is wrong? Each and everyday we are faced with choices that can determine our path of life and what we could or will become in the future. Decisions we make at different points in time may seem right in that moment, but is it really the best choice?

Sonnet 88 stood out to me and related to my big question in a different light. The sonnet is about the emotions of love the Fair Youth has towards a particular young man. He struggles with if his emotions should be shared or even if they are justified and wonders if he is good enough.  Although my big question doesn't necessarily connect to the idea of love, the concept of uncertainty does.  This sonnet has traits of uncertainty that are similar to my big question due to the fact that the idea of right and wrong is up to interpretation and timing. What is right to you may not be right to those around you. The Fair Youth believes his love is true, but is it? Over the course of this school year, I have realized that there is no set rules of what is right or wrong when it comes to the decisions we make. Society does have rules in which we are supposed to follow, but that doesn't mean we have to follow them. We create our own set of rules that pertain to what is the best option or choice for us.

Hamlet Remix!

Hamlet Essay

Words allow us to portray ourselves or who were aspire to be, which can turn each spoken word into a place to hide. At times, words are like masks. We are able to see and hear the individual, but yet we still don’t know who they truly are, so we judge them based on what they are provoking. In Hamlet, Hamlet gains the reputation of being absolutely bonkers from the other characters in the play due to his random outbursts and disheveled appearance, but in reality there is a method to his madness. He uses his actions to show the blueprints of his plot of revenge against Claudius in a interesting yet twisted way while his soliloquies express his true emotions of anger, sadness, and hopelessness. Now, the old cliche about how actions speak louder than words can be a fallacy. Words are incredibly influential to not only ourselves, but to also the others around us. Our own words can cause others individuals to act even if that wasn’t their intention. Hamlet is a perfect example of this due to the fact that his actions cause the others around him to feel various emotions, which influences their future actions and words. Often time we don’t realize how words or the repetition of words can be so powerful in both literature and in life. Each word spoken, written, or sung can symbolize more than was originally intended.

“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” The plot of Hamlet is based around the character Hamlet’s thirst for revenge against Claudius for the murder of his father. He acts psychotic in order to provide those around him with clues of his sub rosa plans. “The spirit that I have seen; May be the devil: and the devil hath power; To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps; Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me.” This quote shows Hamlet worries how maybe his madness isn’t justified and wonders if the ghost is a reincarnation of the devil, who is picking on him due to his vulnerable emotional state. This emotions show how Hamlet is unsure of his actions at times despite his strong, powerful language. “O, it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious; periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatter, to; very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who; for the most part are capable of nothing but; inexplicable dumbshows and noises: I would have such; a fellow whipped for o’erdoing Termangant; out-herods Herod: pray you, avoid it.” This particular quote spoken by Hamlet is directed towards the actors, who are reenacting the murder of Hamlet’s father. He is basically saying how they must be convincing, but not obvious or over the top. I found this to be quite interesting because it is almost as if Hamlet is convincing and giving advice to the actors and himself. Hamlet has been acting mad for quite sometimes and he must remember to keep his act up in order to make the others around him believe that is madness is legitimate if he wants to achieve his plans for revenge. Due to his false actions, the only time we truly see the uncensored emotions of Hamlet are during his soliloquies in which he is able to let release his thoughts, concerns, and feelings without the influence of other around him despite the fact that they can be a burden at times (“Let me not think on ’t; frailty, thy name is woman!”). 

“To be, or not to be--that is the question” After memorizing this speech the “to be or not to be” speech, the words had developed meaning instead of being a bunch of words scattered on a page. When I memorize, I always use the techniques of self-overhearing because it allows me to see the words in a totally different life. As each word rolls of my tongue, I am not only able to say the words, but I’m also able to feel then due to the fact that I make personal connections with  various words and verses. Now, self-overhearing doesn’t just apply to the memorization. This concept is used in every day life whether we realize it or not. For example, last year I was trying to get recruited to play volleyball in college and I would spend hours on the computer sending dozens of emails to colleges all across the country some of which I had know idea, who or where they were. After a while, the emails became an endless stack of words, but things soon changed after I began to read the responses to those emails out loud. Each response was like an adrenaline rush and seemed almost unbelievable. I would read them over and over again until I could picture the words in my head. For me, each email I read out loud symbolized an opportunity to make my dream of playing college volleyball a reality.

Words are extremely powerful and can influence various aspects of the world around us. Each spoken word can have various meanings that can show your true feelings or  provide lies in which were created to fool those around you. We must never underestimate the power of language and its influence on others including ourselves. Hearing ourselves use words can create new meanings in which we would have never found if we read it on a page or hear it from another. Words can speak louder than actions.