Life of Pi Essay: 1988 Prompt
Unconsciousness
In the awe-inspiring, famous novel, The Life of Pi, by Yann Mertel, the audience is displayed events that did not necessarily happen in the story. They are mental allusions that the main character, Pi, faces throughout his journey of survival on his lifeboat. These small instances of imagination occur throughout the story, making it more unfathomable to think that these events actually happened, eventually leading up to what some may say is the most powerful, blinding allusion there is: religion.
Pi oftentimes has allusions that are clear to the audience -- ones we know that for certain have not happened. For example, on page 236, Mertel writes, "'I love you!' the words burst out pure and unfettered, infinite. The feeling flooded my chest. 'Truly I do, I love you, Richard Parker.'" The reader knows this love for a tiger cannot actually be true, considering all the times the two have plotted to kill each other. The audience knows that Pi is having a crazed, weak moment. He is so desperate for some sort of love and acceptance that he rampages a profession of love for a deadly tiger. Usually, Pi can keep his ducks in a row, but in times of desperation for survival, even he can't stay completely put together, and bursts out a crazy thing or two. We see a mad state of almost unconsciousness here, where Pi isn't precisely aware of what is going on. Mertel builds this moment with surprise to the audience by making Pi exclaim this loudly, something he wouldn't normally do if he were alert.
In Pi's diction, we also see expansive amounts of figurative language. From phrases like, "The passing of the day slowly did the job of unbending my smile," (Mertel. 123) to, "The pattering of the invisible rain got to be deafening," (Mertel. 157) to even, "Trying to put out the fire of fear blazing within me," (Mertel. 206.) we see beautiful, allusive language that Pi uses. Even though the audience fully realizes that this is not literal language, it makes you wonder what is happening for real. Is there actually a tiger on board with him, or is this another allusion for something else as well? What about the chimpanzee? Was she real? Figurative language really puts the audience at a state of confusion in this instance, making them wonder if Pi is actually awake or dreaming things out of his head.
The audience's sense of allusion they receive throughout the novel however, is nothing more than a prerequisite for what is truly to come. The reader knows that Pi is a boy of many faiths, very devout to his God's. But what the reader didn't see coming was Mertel's bold stance that religion too -- is the most powerful allusion at all. In the final line of the novel, Pi displays two stories, one of the story we read and another where his mother was on board with him, and asks Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba which is better. They answer, the story with the animals. Pi replies, "Thank you. And so it goes with God." This is extremely powerful because it takes the stance that religion may not be real at all, but it makes people's lives better -- even with the allusion is sweeps upon us, similar to how Pi's allusions and state of unconsciousness has made the story we read better. It makes it interesting to live and watch.
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Monday, October 10, 2016
Blog Post 5: Greek Tragedy
Greek Tragedy Oedipus Rex-
Oedipus Rex Colbert Show:
Menu Slides:
Planning sheet and Script:
Oedipus Rex Colbert Show:
Menu Slides:
Planning sheet and Script:
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Blog Post 4: Mutiple Choice
Reflection:
In multiple choice, I feel that it was extremely helpful that we were able to reevaluate as a group and rethink our answers that were wrong. I realized through this process, that I have trouble finding the best answer on occasion. Most of the answer choices you can find to be correct in some way, but in an AP course I need to be able to find the BEST answer, not just a partially correct one. Furthermore, I really need to review on literary terms as well because these are somewhat foggy from last year in AP Comp. Multiple choice was hardest for me last year, so I feel that I really need to work on improving this in AP literature. Overall, I also need to improve my pace. I think I need to spend less time trying to read and understand every single bit and piece of the writing, and spend more time understanding every little bit and piece of each question. I'm not graded on how well I understood the prompt, but on how well I understood it's elements.
In multiple choice, I feel that it was extremely helpful that we were able to reevaluate as a group and rethink our answers that were wrong. I realized through this process, that I have trouble finding the best answer on occasion. Most of the answer choices you can find to be correct in some way, but in an AP course I need to be able to find the BEST answer, not just a partially correct one. Furthermore, I really need to review on literary terms as well because these are somewhat foggy from last year in AP Comp. Multiple choice was hardest for me last year, so I feel that I really need to work on improving this in AP literature. Overall, I also need to improve my pace. I think I need to spend less time trying to read and understand every single bit and piece of the writing, and spend more time understanding every little bit and piece of each question. I'm not graded on how well I understood the prompt, but on how well I understood it's elements.
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Blog Post 3: Poetic Prompt
Draft 1: The Black Walnut Tree Blog Post 3
In Mary Oliver's poem, "The Black Walnut Tree," we see a family that is struggling to make ends meat, held down by their heavy mortgage. Throughout the poem the mother and daughter debate, coming up with reasons why to sell a tree. And although their reasons are wise and make sense, the audience knows they will never sell this tree. Through Mary Oliver's use of figurative language and poetic devices we see that to this family the tree means more than money- it means a connection with Bohemia and their ancestors.
In the first few lines of poem, the mother and daughter state, "Likely some storm anyway will churn down its dark boughs, smashing the house" (III. 6-8). This personification makes the storm feel alive and suggests that the tree must be protected from this future storm- a tangible threat to the tree. Oliver's use of figurative language here gives the impression that if the family doesn't take down the tree, a storm will do it for them anyway.
In the first focus shift which moves into further reasons the tree should be removed we see the quote, "roots in the cellar drains...leaves are getting heavier every year, and the fruit harder to gather away" (V. 11-15). This poetic technique of a list Oliver uses conveys to the reader that there are multiple reasons why the tree should be removed -- making the concept of selling it even more likeable to both the audience, and mother and daughter.
Next, we see a tone shift, to a more sentimental and sincere mood which changes the audience's perception of how these two family members feel about the tree. Oliver writes, "But something brighter than money moves in our blood -- an edge sharp as a trowel that wants us to dig and sow. So, we talk, but we don't do anything" (VI. 16-21). This reveals that the mother and daughter are all talk and never could sell this tree. This simile in this line exemplifies that a greater part of them wants to care for this tree and it is needed in their life.
We see this illustrated further when the daughtet narrates, "I dream of my father's out of Bohemia filling the blue fields of fresh and generous Ohio" (IV. 21-24) which shows that this greater part of wanting to care for this tree stems from family roots of Bohemia, wanting to salvage some part of her family tree. The connection of family is too strong for this walnut tree to be given up for economic benefits.
Another powerful quote describing the two's true feelings is, "We'd crawl with shame in the emptiness we'd made in our own father's backyard" (III. 27-29). This hyperbole exaggerates the mother and daughter's theoretical regret by imposing that they would literally crawl with shame, but also has a sumbolistic meaning. Cutting down this tree would create a literal emptiness in their backyard, which represents the hole in their hearts they would feel if they ever made that decision. The tree will never be cut down because the benefit of money will only lead to the family's sorrow and regret.
The poem ends with a resolution of the tree staying put. "So the black walnut tree swings through another year... and month after month, the whipcrack of the mortgage" (VI. 30-35). This section allows the audience to know that the decision was made to keep the tree, but money problems are still very much present in their lives. And although these problems are difficult, the connection of family to this pair are worth the sacrifices.
In Mary Oliver's poem, "The Black Walnut Tree," we see a family that is struggling to make ends meat, held down by their heavy mortgage. Throughout the poem the mother and daughter debate, coming up with reasons why to sell a tree. And although their reasons are wise and make sense, the audience knows they will never sell this tree. Through Mary Oliver's use of figurative language and poetic devices we see that to this family the tree means more than money- it means a connection with Bohemia and their ancestors.
In the first few lines of poem, the mother and daughter state, "Likely some storm anyway will churn down its dark boughs, smashing the house" (III. 6-8). This personification makes the storm feel alive and suggests that the tree must be protected from this future storm- a tangible threat to the tree. Oliver's use of figurative language here gives the impression that if the family doesn't take down the tree, a storm will do it for them anyway.
In the first focus shift which moves into further reasons the tree should be removed we see the quote, "roots in the cellar drains...leaves are getting heavier every year, and the fruit harder to gather away" (V. 11-15). This poetic technique of a list Oliver uses conveys to the reader that there are multiple reasons why the tree should be removed -- making the concept of selling it even more likeable to both the audience, and mother and daughter.
Next, we see a tone shift, to a more sentimental and sincere mood which changes the audience's perception of how these two family members feel about the tree. Oliver writes, "But something brighter than money moves in our blood -- an edge sharp as a trowel that wants us to dig and sow. So, we talk, but we don't do anything" (VI. 16-21). This reveals that the mother and daughter are all talk and never could sell this tree. This simile in this line exemplifies that a greater part of them wants to care for this tree and it is needed in their life.
We see this illustrated further when the daughtet narrates, "I dream of my father's out of Bohemia filling the blue fields of fresh and generous Ohio" (IV. 21-24) which shows that this greater part of wanting to care for this tree stems from family roots of Bohemia, wanting to salvage some part of her family tree. The connection of family is too strong for this walnut tree to be given up for economic benefits.
Another powerful quote describing the two's true feelings is, "We'd crawl with shame in the emptiness we'd made in our own father's backyard" (III. 27-29). This hyperbole exaggerates the mother and daughter's theoretical regret by imposing that they would literally crawl with shame, but also has a sumbolistic meaning. Cutting down this tree would create a literal emptiness in their backyard, which represents the hole in their hearts they would feel if they ever made that decision. The tree will never be cut down because the benefit of money will only lead to the family's sorrow and regret.
The poem ends with a resolution of the tree staying put. "So the black walnut tree swings through another year... and month after month, the whipcrack of the mortgage" (VI. 30-35). This section allows the audience to know that the decision was made to keep the tree, but money problems are still very much present in their lives. And although these problems are difficult, the connection of family to this pair are worth the sacrifices.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)