Literature Analysis #1

All the Pretty Horses 1. This novel consists of three guys' journeys from the United States into through the Mexican border. The novel has three main characters John Grady Cole, who runs away with his friend Rawlins on horse back, at the age of sixteen after his grandfather passes away. Another character is Jimmy Belvins whom the other two boys meet along the way. The novels goes on to talk about the boys struggles in Mexico along with a twist of a love story in it. In the end all the boys split up through out all their difficulties and John Grady finds himself with out a home or any sort of family. 2. The theme of the novel is the strive for independence and freedom in ones' own mind. Another theme could be coming of age because these were young boys who didn't know what the world held for them and they were rudely awakened in Mexico. 3. The author's tone is sort of hopeless. An example of this tone from McCarthy is, "The wind was much abated and it was very cold and the sun sat blood red and elliptic under the reefs of bloodred cloud before him." Another example of the hopeless tone shown in the novel is, "The closest bonds we will ever know are bonds of grief." I thought this was an example of this tone because not many people think that they have a bond with grief, that's sort of a depressing statement. The last example from the text that i found was, "Those whom life does not cure death will." 4. Literary elements that i found in the novel that helped me better understand it were diction, imagery, description, tone, and the use of metaphors. In the novel the description McCarthy used really put me right there with John Grady especially when he says, "They rode out along the fenceline and across the open pasture-land. The leather creaked in the morning cold. They pushed the horses into a lope. The light fell away behind them. They rode out on the high prairie where they slowed the horses to a walk and the stars swarmed around them out of the blackness. They heard somewhere in that tenantless night a bell that tolled and ceased where no bell was and they rode out on the round dais of the earth which alone was dark and no light to it and which carried their figures and bore them up into the swarming stars so that they rode not under but among them and they rode at once jaunty and circumspect, like thieves newly loosed in that dark electric, like young thieves in a glowing orchard, loosely jacketed against the cold and ten thousand worlds for the choosing." This whole passage let me grasp the way the author writes in a completely different way than usual. The way he wrote allowed me to stay focused on the novel. The tone especially helped understand the theme in the end. With in the novel if the author would have written in a joyful tone I would never have grasped the true struggle that the three boys; John Grady, Jimmy Belvins, and Rawlins, had gone through in Mexico. When they are abused in jail the way McCarthy tells the torture being done really sets the tone perfectly for the reader to interpret the theme accurately.

Vocab #5

acumen -The ability to make good judgments and quick decisions
-
adjudicate -Make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter
-
anachronism -at the wrong place in the wrong time
-
apocryphal -Of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true
-
disparity -A great difference
-
dissimulate -Conceal or disguise (one's thoughts, feelings, or character)
-
empirical -Based on an observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic
-
flamboyant -Tending to attract attention because of their exuberance, confidence, and stylishness
-
fulsome - flattering to an excessive degree / of large size or quantity; generous
-
immolate -Kill or offer as a sacrifice, esp. by burning
-
imperceptible - impossible to perceive
-
lackey -A servant
-
liaison -A person who acts as a link to assist communication or cooperation between groups of people
-
monolithic -very large and characterless
-
mot juste -The exact, appropriate word.
-
nihilism -The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless.
-
patrician - an aristocrat or nobleman
-
propitiate -Win or regain the favor of someone by doing something that pleases them
-
sic -Used in brackets after a copied or quoted word that appears odd or erroneous to show that the word is quoted exactly as it stands
-
sublimate-Divert or modify into a culturally higher or socially more acceptable activity

How to Design Blogger templates or Blogspot Templates

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsXeTverQt8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
If anyone wants to design a template for your blog this is how you can do it!

Jake Baro and Dan Murillo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTA2Hy-E034&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Everyone should check out our class mates that are good and probably have a future in singing! We should all support each other :)

Reflections on week 1

1. This year the homework load could definitly be challenging. Twice a week I have soccer practice in Santa Barbara which makes it very challenging to complete homework on those days. Also over the weekends I usually have soccer tournaments and starting in the fall I have league games every weekend that range from the closest ones which are in Santa Barbara to the farther ones in San Diego, this also makes doing work on the weekends pretty challenging. I do have a smart phone so I have easy access to the Internet but I'm not very skilled in how to use it all which also brings some challenges.

2. I can't really think of my best or most awesome learning experience. I feel like the learning experiencesthat have the biggest impact on me usually do not come from a classroom setting but more based on real life mistakes. I've never really made any huge mistakes yet that have left a significant impact on me that's worth noting, however my mistakes are what teach me the most.

3. I am most excited to learn using technology this year. I am hoping to become a lot more familiar and experienced with technology because I feel like technology plays a big role in society today. I look forward to this new style of leaning because I always like to try new things and it appears to make the class much more interesting by not limiting it to just the typical classroom setting.

Reflections on Socratic Seminar

In today's Socratic seminar I didn't get the chance to say much on my thoughts on whether or not we really do have the right or entitlement to our opinion. Hearing Conner and Alex's ideas on it did, however, keep me still imbetween on the subject. I feel as though I cannot make the decision on whether or not we really do have this right to our opinion because the definition to "right" and "entitlement" are all just people's interpretations. Thinking about it like that leaves me in a place where I cannot make a straight forward answer on the subject based on the basicness of the way the question is worded and viewed.

Vocab list #4

APOSTATE: a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.
EFFUSIVE: unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve.
IMPASSE: a position or situation from which there is no escape.
EUPHORIA: a state of intense happiness and self-confidence
LUGUBRIOUS: mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner.
BRAVADO: a pretentious, swaggering display of courage.
CONSENSUS: majority of opinion
DICHOTOMY: division into two parts
COMSTRICT: to slow or stop the natural course or to contract or shrink
GOTHIC: characterized by gloom and mystery
PUNCTILIO: a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony, or procedure.
METAMORPHISIS: a complete change of form, structure, or substance, as transformation
raconteur to tell
SINE QUA NON: an indispensable condition, element, or factor; something essential
QUIXOTIC: extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable
VENDETTA: any prolonged and bitter feud, rivalry, contention
NON SEQUITUR: an inference or a conclusion that does not follow from the premises.
MYSTIQUE: a framework of doctrines, ideas, beliefs, or the like, constructed around a person or object, endowing the person or object with enhanced value or profound meaninG
QUAGMIRE: anything soft or flabby
PARLOUS: perilous; dangerous