Thursday, December 20, 2007

MAAN & Ethics

As we begin to read the play Much Ado About Nothing, consider all the characters in the play who engage in some form of lying. Please create a blog post in which you discuss whether or not lying is ever ethically or morally justified. Support your ideas with cited examples from the play and with examples pulled from real life. Remember, posts should be 2-3 paragraphs in length. The comments you leave on other's posts should respond to their IDEAS and you should provide backup/rationale for your agreement or disagreement with their ideas. Your initial post is due by 12-22. Your comments on other's posts are due by 1-10-08.



Throughout the play Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespear enhance the plot by making the characters taking part in various lies. In my personal opinion I don't think anyone should ever lie, its just taking the easy way out of situations plus its usually unethical to do so. One of the first times we witness these characters lie is at the mascarade party, the characters continuously lie about who they are and discover things that weren't ment for their ears. It's wrong of Benedick to tell Beatrice that he is not himself and that he doesn't even know a Signior Benedick, and by wrongful decieving her she tells him how much dis taste she has for him. It was wrong of him to do so but Beatrice was overly open about the things she said, saying them to someone she believed to be a stranger. Therefore I don't think Benedick should be blamed, its Beatrices fault for not checking he identity of some she was telling somewhat confidential information. I realize that in real life you would be able to tell if Benedick was really Benedick of some french guy, but Beatrice shoulod really watch what she say becaus ejust lie in the real world, gossip and such spreads liek wildfire and it eventualy comes back around to you.

Later on in the play the Prince, Leonato, Claudio, Hero, and Ursula all join together in tricking Beatrice and Benedick into falling in love with eachother by letting them overhear their fake conversations each saying ofne was in love with the other. This is a clever and complex plan, however they are lieing and decieving both Benedick and Beatrice which is wrong. I know they have the best intentions but I think its wrong to play with peoples hearts and this could potentially end badly with both of them discovering the truth that could have an ireversible negative effect of certain relationships. I think this whole plan is unethical but it isn't that extreame of terrible so I dont think really matters that much. They could have talked both Benedick and Beatrice into like the other without lies or trickery but I must admit this does spice up the plot a bit. Im sure this happens in the real world and i probably know someone ho has been involved in a sceem like this one.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Find And Discuss A Poem You Enjoy

Begin reading some poetry on your own. Feel free to explore more poems from the authors in our poetry packet, or begin to read the poetry of other authors. By the end of this week (12-2) find and choose a poem that resonated with you. Post it on your blog with a 2 paragraph analysis/explanation of what the poem explores and why you find it compelling. Next, read/comment on other people's poem selections by 12-7



o by the by by e.e.cummings
o by the by
has anybody seen
little you-I
who stood on a green
hill and threw
his wish at blue

with a swoop and a dart
out flew his wish
(it dived like a fish
but it climbed like a dream)
throbbing like a heart
singing like a flame

blue took it my
far beyond far
and high beyond high
bluer took it your
but bluest took it our
away beyond where

what a wonderful thing
is the end of a string
(murmurs little you-I
as the hill becomes nil)
and will somebody tell
me why people let go



T-also first line of poem, significant??
P- as life goes by, has anyone seen a small kid, stand on a hill & through a kite into the sky
as it flies the kid wish comes true, it darts around but is the childs dream, pounds in the wind and is un predictable
when i did it the kite went high and far, when you did the kite went higher and farther, when we worked together it went the highest and the furthest
its amazing what you can achieve by just holding a kite string, the child thinks, as the obstacles transform to nothing, but why do people give up
C- wish & dream = childhood, aspirations
blue & green = nice day, beautiful, fresh
dart & swoop = fun, carelessness, playing
A-joy, freedom, confusion
S- (22-23) from achievement to questioning
T- accomplishment, pride, success
D- onomatopeia: swoop, dart, singing
conotation: carefree, fun, happy
personification: "climbed like a dream" (10). "singing like a flame" (12).
similie: "dived like a fish" (9). "climbed like a dream" (10). throbbing like a heart" (11). "singing like a flame" (12).
metaphor: "and threw his wish at blue" his wish is the kite (5-6).


In the poem o by the by, e.e.cummings uses a tone of achievement and many similies to express how one should press on when faced with challanges. The goals and standards one sets for themselves can shape th lives of an individual. To encounter challanges in inevitable and the way one deals with these problems can truely tell alot about them as a person. From doing well on an assignment to conjuring up the courage to ride a roller coaster, overcoming the obstacles in ones way is the only way to achieve these goals. In this poem, the narrator describes a bit child who wants to fly a kite, and when his goal is finally reached he says:
(it dived like a fish
but it climbed like a dream)
throbbing like a heart
singing like a flame (9-12).
By using these similies to describe this amazing event e.e.cummings has created a picturing in our head of the child and the kite on this lovely summers day. These lines indepthly express the feelings of the childs achievment and creates a tone of joy and freedom. By trying his best the kid is not only feeling success from doing so but he has also reached his gaol and is happy about that. The tone created from not only these lines but also the other lines throughout the peom are of achievment. After reading the entire poem one feels as if they can do like the boy reach their full potential but this only possible if they overcome the obsticles in the way and try their best. Giving up is the last thing one should do if they want to feel successful and e.e.cummings describes this in the last line by questioning "and will someone tell me why people let go" (23-24). By asking this rhetorical question the poet makes the reader think of all the good reasons to endure hardships and to keep on trying in life. Through using a tone of achievment and similies to describe acomplishment, e.e.cummings show how one should overcome obstacles to achieve their goals and in doing so you will gain a feeling of success atleast for trying your hardest.