CoreyStruss

Card, Ender's Game Finish -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)

I liked the realization that Ender doesn't have hate towards his brother. All he wants is to be able to have a mutual love for him, and vice versa. Ender knows so much more about himself than he did at the beginning.
I didn't like how the leaders wanted Ender, the *protagonist*, to be as independent as he was. To me, a main character who relies only on himself is attributes to his bigheadedness. But, Ender sort of went against what they wanted in the Third Invasion. Although I felt that he could have been more involved with others, the story finished on a climactic scale. I'm interested in the other books that Card wrote in this series, only to find out if his characters end up the same way?

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Card, Ender's Game Ch 1-6 -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)

After reading the first few chapters of Ender’s Game, I was kind of surprised by how much depth there really is to this science-fiction novel. First off, I know that Ender, being the third child born into a world that only permits two children per couple, is significant. But I found myself wondering if maybe this had deeper meaning? I also feel that the monitor on the back of his neck could also signify something. Is Orson Scott Card referring to the book, 1984? It seems to be so.
With his acceptance into the Battle School, I found myself thinking, “Shouldn’t he have been punished or reprimanded for his crimes?”. I mean, he did kill Stilson. But I guess in this day and age, anything goes. It turned out that Ender was actually accepted into the Battle School, solely because he acted out violently towards Stilson. And just to think about the armies that fight in zero-gravity with laser guns, is just freaking cool.

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Blogging Checkpoint -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)

So. Here is just a tease of the stuff we have been blogging about in EL150. Enjoy.

Shakespeare - King Lear Acts 1 & 2
Shakespeare - King Lear Acts 3-5


Kennedy - Shakespeare's King Lear
Zunder - Shakespeare and the End of Feudalism...

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Shakespeare, King Lear Acts 3-5 -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)

Edmund: I pant for life: some good I mean to do,
Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send,
Be brief in it, to th' castle; for my writ
Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia:
Nay, send in time.

Wow. The deception in this play is mind-bending. There is so much backstabbing, so much hatred, so much ... drama! Edmund is as evil as they come. I mean, he gouged his dad's eyes out, and ordered the only two redeeming people in the play (King Lear and Cordelia) to death. It was awesome how Shakespeare showed how evil Goneril and Regan were, by making them compete for the love of a purely evil person. This really contrasted the evil and purity between Cordelia, and her two other sisters. William Shakespeare had little foreshadowing in this play, and it was better that way. All of acts 3-5 were one big puzzle, and it kept me guessing until the very last page.

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Zunder, "Shakespeare and the End of Feudalism..." -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)

"She [Coredelia] represents the inner humanity within feudal relations that rested upon the maintenance of mutual obligation. She is what Shakespeare in a later play was to call the 'milk of human kindness'."

It's all in the name, dude. I go back to what I blogged about a few days ago --> A lot of author's can give away a character's flaws and attributes through their name. Just listen to it. Cordelia. Doesn't it sound like a flower in a meadow? I think it does. :-)

She is the 'milk of human kindness', because eventually, she professes to her father that she loves her unlike any of her siblings. They share a bond that no other people in this play have. She is not motivated by material things, but instead, is obligated to love King Lear, because he is her father. And a caring one, at that.

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Kennedy, "Shakespare's King Lear" -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)

"Darnel prevents corn from growing; hemlock is poisonous; and the cuckoo-flowers suggest madness. All of the plants Cordelia lists are noxious, bitter tasting, or contain skin irritants."

This might be the best argument in the whole article. It really gives support to the image of King Lear wearing the crown of weeds, and connection to the Green Man. It was good that Ms. Kennedy pointed out the parasitic nature of these plants listed by Cordelia. I also liked how she pointed out that in centuries back, The Green Man's relationship between human and earth was hostile.

It was also cool to figure out that this "green man" has changed image throughout time, by being portrayed as Robin Hood, and the Green Knight in Sir Gawain. But, even with all this change, the Green Man's motives and relationships have withstood time. He is the same person, just recreated every few hundred years.

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Shakespeare, King Lear Acts 1,2 -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)

Wow. Good point, BETH! Goneril does sound like a horrible name. And it aptly fits the character. She is a horrible person, and I can see how the techniques of having a name describe a character dates back to even Shakespeare's time. It kinda sounds like a certain disease that males and females can obtain. ::shudder::

But really, I feel that these girls are just plain evil. I moderately respect Cordelia for giving King Lear the blunt truth, but the other two have committed an act that is almost unforgivable. But, on the contrary, I think that King Lear is just as corrupt. What kind of guy has his daughters compete for his love? That is wrong too. And don't even get me started on his idiocy. Grrrr...Derek made a good point when he said how shocking it was when he read how the daughters thought King Lear was in the way.

I don't know. I've never read this story, so it's all kinda new to me. It reminds me of a Japanese film by Zhang Yimou called Curse of The Golden Flower. Also, I saw a movie by legendary Akira Korusawa called "Ran" which is a Japanese version of King Lear. I <3 IT!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111

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Portfolio 2 -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)

Alright. *Sigh*. This is the second portfolio for ED150 this semester, and blogging just seems like a habit anymore. I don't even question whether I want to do it or not, I just do, so I don't look like a dummy in class. :)

This is a collection of some of the stuff I've accomplished through the first 2/3 of the semester. I feel that I have made leaps and bounds in understanding literature, especially that lunatic Flannery O'Connor. >:O Check it out, maybe this portfolio could help you understand the lunacy of some of the stuff that we've had to read. Good luck!

Coverage
- Catchy first paragraphs...
- The rhythm's used in poetry.
- Short poetry and how it is effective.
- The woes of graduate school.
- What people want to read.
- ALLITERATIONS = VERY YES!
- FREE VERSE = VERY NO!!
- Sticklers for grammar. ::shudder::
- Shifty Mr. Shiftlet, more like CRAZY FLANNERY O'CONNOR. >:O
- More crazy O'Connor
- The Misfit was the protagonist, darnit!
- A late encounter with the enemy.
- A blog written in blank verse... ::shudder::

Depth

These next blogs were entry's in which I went into a bit more depth than usual. I feel that they present some pretty solid thoughts, and can be considered controversial. I'm pretty proud of that.

- How I've progressed in the understanding of Flannery O'Connor
- What I really felt about the Misfit.

Interaction

These are my peers' entries that I have commented on, shared my ideas, and analyzed what they have to say. Here are a few of my favorite ones.

- Derek's Blog
- Blank Verse Commenting. It was...fun?
- Maggie Jones' blank verse entry.

Discussions

These next blogs sparked conversation, because I think that they brought up some controversial or debatable issues. Enjoy!

- A Clash of Ideas
- Punctual Agreement

Timeliness

This blog entries prove that I can be punctual in my blogging. They can arrive on time, and potentially spark good discussion. Some don't, but hey, it's alright!

- Alliterations are so fun.
- Understanding diction

Xenoblogging

This section of my portfolio proves that I am able to be the first person to comment on someone else's blog. I guess it shows responsibility and an initiate to get ahead.
-
Mike's *thought-provoking* entry.
- Kayla's massive blog.

Wildcard

ITS TIME TO GET BUCKWILD, WOOOOOOOH. The wildcard is probably my best entry out of the batch. It shows how I have developed and changed as a Seton Hill Blogger, and indicates my level of comprehension on the stuff we read. I couldn't choose one entry, so I have two wildcards. I hope no one minds!

- A Late Encounter with the Enemy - At the start of the O'Connor stories, I had no idea what was going on. I didn't have any clue what techniques she was using, or why. This entry is one of the last stories we read from O'Connor, and it really proves how much I've grown so that the stories make sense to me.
- The Misfit, and the Mystery of Evil - This blog was one of my best. I expressed a debatable thought, and was able to have my peers' comment what they felt. Because of this blog, I have taken into account what my peers have said about the Misfit, and how he was truly an evil character.

ICE CREAM HAS NO BONES

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O'Connor, "Good Country People" -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)

"She looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity."

She's fat and smart, just hates most every man.
She's isolated, there's just no one there.
She's like a veteran from Vietnam.
A peg leg keeps her from most everywhere.

The name of Joy is very ironic.
For she is anything but jubilant.
The actions of young Pointer made me sick.
He took her wooden leg and then he went.

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