Lit Anal reading choice # 1
 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
I am choosing this reading because I have heard good reviews from my peers and some teachers that have read it and they really enjoyed it. So i strongly believe that I will enjoy it as well. It is similar to a story I have read before which is The Giver by Lois Lowry. Which I loved reading and strongly recommend to others if they'd like to read it one day.

Vocabulary Definitions

1. accolade- any award, honor or laudatory notice
 The student received an accolade for opening the door for a teacher rather then letting it slam in their face.

2. attrition- reduction, decrease in numbers, size or strength
Haven't really seen much of an attrition on the price of gas these past couple of years or so.

3. acerbity- harshness or severity, sourness.
The acerbity of the lemon caused her to spit out the piece she bit.

4. bromide- platitude or trite saying
My brothers personality seemed to be very bromide and bland.

5. chauvinist- a person aggressively and blindly patriotic,
My father's chauvinist attitude of our country might be a little to much.

6. chronic- constant
Our teacher has a chronic disorder of OCD.

7. expound- explain, state in detail.
 I had to expound my examples in my essay to receive the grade I aimed for.

8. factionalism- self-interested; partisan
In early territorial politics, factionalism and prejudice ruled the day.

9. immaculate- free from spit/stain, moral blemish/impurity.
My white clothes are always so immaculate until I get it dirty by the third time I wear it.

10. imprecation- cursing
My imprecation is to an extant were it has become my daily language.

11. ineluctable- incapable of being evaded; inescapable
Chance seemed to be ineluctable in the quantum world.

12. mercurial- changeable
 His mercurial personality has been an irritant to the teammates and coaches.

13. palliate- to relieve or lessen without curing, alleviate
The soldier had to palliate his burn wounds to relieve himself from the pain.

14. protocol- an original draft, record from a document (treaty)
The baseball league an in-game protocol designed to detect the players concussions.

15. resplendent- shining brilliantly, gleaming
My daughters smile is resplendent that she attracts all the little toddler boys.

16. stigmatize- to set some work of disgrace or infamy
The problem with ads is that they not unfairly stigmatize children or blame the parents.

17. sub rosa- confidentially
The presidents information is sub rosa that no one, not even his wife can know of it just yet.


18. vainglory- boastful, excessive elation or pride over one's own achievements.
In performing their funerals, they show no state in vainglory.

19. vestige- surviving evidence
It has tiny rounded ears and the mere vestige of  the tail.

20. volition- the power of willing, choice or decision made by will.
As he was finishing up, he took the flag down as his own volition.

Beowulf Questions -

[Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation] (Lines 1-85, pp. 33-34)

1. Realize that this prologue introduces the Danes, not Beowulf or his people the Geats. What was unusual about the way Shield came to be ruler of the Danes? What was his funeral like? What relation is Hrothgar to Shield? 

Shield became the king because he had the strength and ability to take down enemies. Hrothgar  was king through wealth. Hrothgar happened to be Shields grandson and when Shields died the Danes buried him along with his treasures in the sea. 

[Heorot is Attacked] (lines 86-188, pp. 34-36)

1. Grendel, the monster, attached thirty warriors while they were asleep and ran home with their bodies for a couple of nights. This devastated the Danes and the sorrow soon spread overseas.What magnificent work did Hrothgar undertake? Who attacked it, and with what result? How long did the attacks last? What was the response of the Danes?

[The Hero Comes to Heorot] (Lines 189-490, pp. 36-42)

1. What does Beowulf do when he hears of Hrothgar's problems with Grendel?

As soon as Beowulf heard about the trouble that Hrothgar was having with Grendel he decided to gather 14 of his strongest men and they traveled to Denmark to fight Grendel. 

2. Whom do the Geats first meet when they arrive in Denmark? What does he do, and what do they do?

The Geats arrived at Denmark and Hrothgar's lieutenant was patrolling the seaside. The lieutenant asked what there purpose was for stepping foot on there land and Beowulf replied for the reason to bring down the monster Grendel.

3. They next meet Hrothgar's herald. Who is he? What does he tell them? What does he tell Hrothgar? What does Hrothgar respond? Are you surprised that Hrothgar knows Beowulf so well?

Hrothgar's herald interrogates the Geats about where they've come from and what they're doing. He is impressed by their mighty appearance. Hrothgar is thrilled the men are there to help bring down the monster. He had given them a lot of trust especially since he doesn't know them at all.

4. What does Beowulf tell Hrothgar when he enters? What did Hrothgar do for Beowulf's father?

Beowulf tells Hrothgar that his men follow Higlac. (King of Geats) Hrothgar knew Beowulf’s father because he was a famous soldier known as a leader of men.

[Feast at Heorot] (Lines 491-661, pp. 42-46)

1. What does Unferth accuse Beowulf of? How does Beowulf answer him? How is this episode relevant to the poem as a whole? What does Beowulf accuse Unferth of?

Unferth accuses Beowulf of losing a swimming match and will once again have to defeat the Grendel. Beowulf retaliates by accusing Unferth of drunkenness and describes what happen in the swimming match. This is relevant because Unferth may indeed be correct; Beowulf would have met defeat again if it wasn’t for Wiglaf.

2. What is Queen Wealhtheow doing during the feasting?

She offers all the men drinks and passes around food and drinks to everyone. She strived  for goodwill and peace.

[The Fight with Grendel] (Lines 662-835, pp. 46-49)

1. Heroic poetry normally has a scene in which the hero arms for battle. What is different about Beowulf's preparations for his fight with Grendel?

Beowulf doesn't do much preparing for the fight. In fact in the middle of fighting he gets rid of his sword and just fights with his bare hands.

2. What happens when Grendel enters Heorot? How does Beowulf fight with him? What happens when Grendel tries to leave? Does Grendel escape? What does he leave behind?

When Grendel enters Heorot, he became furious searching for the warriors until he found them and kills one Geat. While fighting the monster, Beowulf uses his bare hands. Grendel does escape, however; he somehow managed to leave behind his arm.

[Celebration at Heorot] (lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60)

1.When the Danes and Geats return from following Grendel's tracks to the mere, someone sings in Beowulf's presence, comparing him to Sigemund and saying that he was not like Heremod (lines 883-914). How is Beowulf like Sigemund? How is he not like Heremod? (Be alert for inserted stories such as this one. Beowulf contains many of them, most much more complex that this one.)

Beowulf is like Sigemund because he too killed many monsters and was considered a great hereo. Unlike Beowulf, Heremod didn't protect his people that's why they are different.

2.How does Hrothgar respond to Beowulf's deed? What does he offer to do for him? What does Unferth have to say now?

Hrothgar responds by making a speech and thanking Beowulf for killing the monster that haunted him. He claims to now love Beowulf like a son and provide him with wealth and glory. Unferth stayed silent as everyone saw the proof of Beowulf's power.

3.The singer sings of Finn during the feasting (lines 1070-1158). The exact details of the Finn story are not clear, but in general, what happens? What does it suggest about the wisdom of using a woman as bride to heal enmity between tribes?

It mentions someone getting slaughtered so I'm guessing that he was killed. It also states 'her land' in the poem so I'm guessing they use women as a way of sharing land or taking it over?

4.When the feasting resumes, what does Wealhtheow ask Hrothgar not to do?

5.Wealhtheow gives Beowulf a large, broad necklace. What later happens to it? What does Wealhtheow ask Beowulf to do?

Later, Beowulf gives the necklace to his uncle Hygelac, who wore it when he died in battle. Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to be good to her sons, friendly and respectful to their king.

6.Why do so many men remain in the beer hall to sleep? Why is it a mistake?

-They are there to guard and protect in case of danger. It's a mistake because Grendel's Mother comes for revenge and takes one of the men plus her son's arm.

BEOWULF AND GRENDEL'S MOTHER (lines 1251-2199, pp. 60-79)

[Another Attack] (lines 1251-1382, pp. 60-62)

1. Why has Grendel's mother come to Heorot? Is it the same reason Grendel had?

Grendel’s mother comes to Heorot to seek revenge and take her sons claw back.

2. What is Hrothgar's response? Whom has Grendel's mother killed?

Hrothgar was thankful that the Danes grief ended and the arm hanging was proof of victory. He hoped that Beowulf can stop Grendel’s mother from destructing his town again. Grendel’s mother killed Hrothgar’s closest friend

3.What sort of place is the mere?

The mere is was under the water. It was full of mud, water, and it is dark down there.

[Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother] (Lines 1383-1650, pp. 63-68)

1. How does Beowulf tell Hrothgar to respond?

Beowulf agrees to fight again for the Danes. He feels it is an honor and the last battle made him a bit more confident to do it.

2. What happens at the mere before Beowulf enters it?

Before Beowulf enters the mere, he sinks for hours going down in the water.

3. How does Beowulf prepare for the battle? What sword does he take with him?

Beowulf prepared for battle by telling Hrothgar what his wishes are if he may die. Beowulf took his ring-marked blade.

4. What happens when Beowulf enters the mere? What is surprising about where Grendel and his mother live in the mere?

When he finally lands, Grendel’s mother grabs him, but his armor protects him. To me its not surprising that the monsters live in a dark place, however; it is surprising that it takes half a day to get down there.

5. What happens to the sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth?

Beowulf strikes at Grendel’s mother with the borrowed sword, Hrunting, but the blade has no effect and breaks

6. At one point Beowulf is on the floor, with Grendel's mother sitting on him and drawing her knife. How does Beowulf escape?

Beowulf escapes Grendel’s mother by having the strength and faith to defeat her and using his strength to get off the ground.

7. How does Beowulf kill Grendel's mother? What weapon does he use? What happens when she dies? What does Beowulf take with him from her home? What happens to the sword he used to kill her?

Beowulf drew a sword he seen hanging on her wall to cut right through her neck and break all her bones. After her death the light shone very bright. Beowulf beheaded Grendel and took it with him and half of what was left of the sword. (The other half was in Grendel’s mother)

8. What happens when Beowulf returns to the surface? Did his men expect him to return?

When Beowulf returns from the surface nobody is there. They all had suspected that Grendel’s mother had killed him.

[Further Celebration at Heorot] (lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71)
1.What does Beowulf give to Hrothgar?

-Beowulf gives Hrothgar the sword of the giants, the one he used to defeat the beasts.

2.What message does Hrothgar have for Beowulf? What and why does he tell us about Heremod? Why and how did Heremod die? What lesson does Hrothgar teach with the Heremod example?

-Hrothgar tells Beowolf to seek virtue since Heremod was opposite in personality and became too proud. He died because he didn't see the signs the Gods were giving him. Hrothgar's lesson teaches to keep your pride in check or else things will fail and the person will fall as a result of it.

3.What does Beowulf give to Unferth as he leaves?

[Beowulf Returns Home] (lines 1799-2199, pp. 71-79)
1.What future does Hrothgar predict for Beowulf?

A good future since he's strong in both body and mind.

2.Who is Hygd and why is she not like Modthryth?

-Hygd is Hygelac's wife, she isn't like Modthryth mainly because Modthyrth would have any man killed for looking at her in the face and that's not how the queen now acts.

3.Beowulf reports to Hygelac that Hrothgar may marry his daughter Freawaru to Ingeld. Why does he plan to do that? What does Beowulf expect the result will be? (Remember the Finn story, lines 1070-1158.) How does Beowulf think the peace will be broken? Is this the type of report we expected from the hero Beowulf, or are we seeing a new side of him?

- He expects for the wedding to go bad since there's a possibility that someone might remember about the old feud and revive the violence. I would expect something like this coming from Beowulf since he has seen and been through a lot. The fact that he's gained knowledge about others and their ways doesn't surprise this comment coming from him.

4.How does Beowulf report about his own adventures? Does he report accurately?

-How I remember it, it does seem pretty accurate. Maybe he exaggerated on some parts but that's only because the story is being repeated and not everything is going to be exact.

5.What does Beowulf do with the treasure he was given? What does Hygelac give him?

-Beowulf offers his treasures to his Lord as a form of respect, but also gives other treasures away to other people. Hygelac gives the most glorious sword of the Geats to Beowulf, some land and a huge house.

BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON (lines 2200-3182, pp. 79-99)

[The Dragon Wakes] (lines 2200-2509, pp. 79-86)

1.How much later does Part 2 take place? What kings have died in the meanwhile? What danger now exists?
It was fifty years later and sadly King Hygelac and King Heardred have died. A dragon now causes danger among Beowulf's land.

2. Why is the dragon angry? Why did the man take a cup? How did the treasure come to be there in the first place? (The speech of the lone survivor, the one who put the gold in the barrow, is in a typically Old English elegiac tone.
The dragon's angry because someone stole its treasure though the man only took the cup because he was startled by the dragon and ran. The treasure was left there by an ancient Lord who had lost everything (companions) but the treasure itself.

3. What did the dragon destroy that evening?

-He destroyed everything in sight as he searched for the thief.

4. Why does Beowulf think his home was burnt? Why does he order a new shield? How will he fight this battle? What will happen to him?
Beowulf thinks that the Gods were punishing him for something he had done. He orders a new shield because he has decided to go up against the dragon but fight with only a few men by his side.

5. How did Hygelac die? (The description in lines 2354-2379 begins one of several versions of Geatish history and Hygelac's death we will get.) What did Beowulf do after Hygelac's death? What happened when he returned home? Did he accept Hygd's offer to become king?

Hygelac died going up against a monster and after Beowulf swam through the sea wearing 30 sets of armor. Queen Hygd offered Beowulf to become king but instead he assisted and advised Heardred. 

6. What happened to Hygelac's son Heardred? (That's the story in lines 2380-2390.) How did Beowulf plan to revenge Heardred's death (lines 2391-2396)?

Hearded was killed in battle after the Sweds came looking for the exciles, but he avenged Heardred by killing Onela. 

7. How many men accompany Beowulf as he goes to meet the dragon?

Fourteen of Beowulf’s bravest men accompany him to fight the dragon.

8. What happened to Hygelac's oldest brother Herebeald? Who killed him? What did this do to his father King Hrethel? (This passage, lines 2425-2509, is the second account of Geatish history and of the death of Hygelac.) What happened between the Swedes and Geats after Hrethel's death? What happened to Haethcyn? How die Beowulf revenge Hygelac's death?
His brother, Heathcyn, accidently killed Herebeald with an arrow which was a bad scene for their father since he couldn't avenge the death. Then many wars started between the Swedes and Geats and Haethcyn was killed in combat. Beowulf fought by his side and was always in the front.   


[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon] (Lines 2510-2820, pp. 86-92)

1. What does Beowulf tell his companions to do?

Beowulf tells his companions to stay on top of the barrow in safety, observing the fight rather than participating in it.

2. What happens the first time Beowulf and the dragon fight? What do his companions do? How is Wiglaf different? What does he tell the others? What does he then do?

The first time Beowulf fights the dragon his “brave” companions flee the scene. With the exception of Wiglaf. He reminded the men they should have all repaid Beowulf then ran off to go help kill the dragon

3. What happens the second time Beowulf meets the dragon? What happens to Beowulf? Who kills the dragon?

Beowulf’s sword fails and makes him humiliated/ afraid for his life. The dragon hits Beowulf with another blast of fire. Beowulf took the final swing but both men, Beowulf and Wiglaf, killed the dragon.

4. What does the dying Beowulf ask Wiglaf to do? What happens when Beowulf sees the gold? How does Beowulf want to be buried?

Beowulf asks Wiglaf to get him the treasure so he may see it. Then Beowulf thanks God for getting rid of the dragon. He asks to be burned at the coastal headland and it be known as Beowulf’s Barrow.

[Beowulf's Funeral] (Lines 2821-3182, pp. 92-99)

1. What happens when the companions return? What does Wiglaf say to him? What does he expect will happen in the future?

Wiglaf tells them that they will now lead a shameful life, it would be better if they had died.

2. What does the messenger tell the city? (This passage, lines 2900-3027, is the third account of the history of the Geats and the death of Hygelac. These are the enemies that will attack the Geats when they learn of Beowulf's death.) What happened overnight in Ravenswood after Ongentheow killed Haethcyn? What happened the next morning? What happened to Ongentheow? What does the messenger say to do with the gold? What is the final image (animal) of the messenger's speech?

3. What does Wiglaf tell the crowd that comes to see the dragon and Beowulf?

4. What happens to the dragon?

5. What happens during and after the funeral celebration?

6. What did the Geats say about Beowulf in the last three lines of the poem? Are these the terms one would expect to be used to describe a military hero?

Socratic Seminar...
- Something to say about how people are stubborn to believe that they're opinion is right rather then accepting they are wrong and trying to change their opinion is that people are afraid of being judged. A person is going to be judged whether their opinion is right or wrong but when you are being judged in a negative way (so the person thinks) the individual is going to get defensive and will not want to accept that there are other styles of whatever. It is just the individual is not being willing to accept their wrong answer and learn from it to view a different side of things. Therefore they are being a bit close minded about things and are not confident in the backup information that holds them to have the opinion they carry.

Reflections on week ONE.
 1. I have no complaints of my access to electronics. I have no smart phone so that is the down set about things. I won't be able to access my blog or others during school until I get home. I am a dancer for Ballet and that takes a lot of time out of your afternoon time. Especially when the time comes around for our daily Celebration of Mexican Culture in the fall an in the spring our performance of The Big Show. I will probably be having trouble since most of my time will be spent preparing for the shows and will get home late!

 2. Some of the best experience I've had learning would be playing music. So I would be learning a new piece for Marimba and it would seem difficult and funky to learn but once you practice and get the idea of it you catch on. And I eventually caught on! It was a amazing feeling being able to play the songs that give me chills when I would plain listen to them. But now being able to play it on my flute seems even better. Cause then I can I know that song and can play it on my flute!

 3. Well a concern would be is spending most of my time focusing on English homework and feeling not enough time to give as much focus on my other home works. But it is all time management in the end. I am excited to learn about 80% that will be thrown at us. I know I wont enjoy everything but most of what is to come I'm sure will love to learn about.

AP English Oreintation

 Assignment # 1
I signed up for AP English to challenge myself and give myself something to complain about. I know this class will need a lot of attention especially because it is for our own education so of course we need to put work into it. I know if I took this class I will learn more than just English but I will be learning skills that will hep me improve in my school work. And work ethics.

I am excited to take this class because I do not know why. I took Honors my sophomore  year and I really enjoyed it. I heard that senior year is a little more challenging and well isn't that what we all want? To challenge ourselves so we can further our knowledge. And I also see this class that it is taught differently compared to our classes. Well that is a good thing, it will prepare us to the variety of teaching methods there are out in the world. It seems like there is a lot of technology and well technology is not for everyone. I am not the best but hopefully it will improve my skills.

My goal for this class is to learn as much as I possibly can and to take the AP test and pass it! I will try my hardest for my procrastination to not get in the way of that! I know when I took Honors sophomore year it opened my eyes to view things differently, which is awesome. And I know that I will open my mind even more about life and how it works in learning to understand the beauty of it all.