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Thursday, May 19, 2011

Why I Write

Q: Why does Orwell write?
A: He writes because of his sheer egoism, aesthetic enthusiasm and historical impulse!
It says that he never cared for political purpose, but he did attempt to write several pieces of literature inspired by political purpose.

Q: Why do you write?
A: I think I write because of aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse, and also to vent. I like writing about nature and I like finding out answers/truths; this led me to believe that I write because of aesthetic enthusiasm and historical impulse. I also noticed that I write well when I am full of anger, sadness, happiness, etc. which leads me to believe that I also write to vent and show my feelings.

Q: What did you learn about writing?
A: Writing is hard. You have to be extremely descriptive and sometimes it isn't enjoyable. I also learned that it takes practice and hard work to become excellent at writing. 

Q: What did you find most interesting about the piece?
A: I found the story of his life to be the most interesting. It seems that Orwell struggled with writing in his early years and didn't exactly love it. Who would have thought that he would later grow up and become a writer. He also say, "Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness." I honestly thought that all authors really enjoyed writing books and that it was easy for them. I assumed this about Orwell because I noticed when I forcibly write without enjoyment, my pieces of writing turn out poor. Orwell wrote amazing books like Animal Farm that I enjoyed reading, so I assumed that he wrote these stories with ease and happiness. 

Q: What one sentence would be best grounds for an argument? Why?
A: "All writers are vain, selfish, and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives there lies a mystery." I think that this was the most arguable statement in the essay because it is an opinion of Orwell. I do not believe ALL writers are vain selfish and lazy. I think that writers are definitely diligent workers because it take a lot of time, patience, and thinking to write good pieces of literature.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Tolkien Quotes

"Little by little, one travels far."
 
"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens."

These are my two most favorite quotes from J.R.R. Tolkien. The first quote is my favorite because it teaches perseverance; I believe that perseverance is important! I liked the second quote because it teaches a truth that I struggle with sometimes. When things are not going so well, the one who gives up has little faith. Therefore it is important not to give up!

 Here are two helpful links for more information and quotes from J.R.R. Tolkien:
J.R.R. Tolkien Quotes
Tolkien Information

Monday, May 16, 2011

Coronation Address and Truisms


I believe that the theme of the two stories was to learn from others' lives. In "Coronation Address," they learned to be honorable from the life of the queen and in "The Truisms," the son learned truths from the life of his dad. 

Works Cited 

Graves, Robert. "Coronation Address." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 712-712. Print. 

MacNeice, Louis. "The Truisms." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 716-717. Print

Friday, May 13, 2011

Lord of the Flies


Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Monday, April 25, 2011

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Response of Hope

Dear Virginia Wolfe, 

Be strong and don't give up. Things may be hard, and you may feel like quitting, but have faith. I have hope in you that you will recover. If you are ever struggling with having faith remember this: Jeremiah 17:7 says that we are to trust in the Lord because we know He will take care of us throughout our struggles. I encourage you to keep your chin up and continue trying. I will keep praying for you!

Scincerely
- Cody Murakami

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Lawrence and The Rocking Horse Winner

Here is our mashup of D.H. Lawrence's The Rocking Horse Winner. 
Picture Credit: http://www.casinoclubgambling.com/images/online_gambling_dice.gif

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Joyce Recap

Here is my sixty second (or close to sixty second) recap of James Joyce's Eveline.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Yeat's Tour



Works Cited
"The National Library of Ireland - The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats - Online Exhibition." National Library of Ireland - Homepage. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nli.ie/yeats/main.html>

Monday, April 11, 2011

Kipling Short Story

Name of Story - The Amir's Homily 

I believe the moral of the story was--if there is a will, there is a way; in other words anything can be done if you put your mind to it. 

I believe the story is true. God will never put us through trials we can't handle. So every trial/struggle can be overcome through faith in God, but it's also important to remember God helps those who help themselves. If you are doing absolutely nothing to have victory over your struggle, you will not be able to overcome it. 

Works Cited
Kipling, Rudyard. "Rudyard Kipling's Short Story: The Amir's Homily." Read Book Online: Literature Books,novels,short Stories,fiction,non-fiction, Poems,essays,plays,Pulitzer Prize, Nobel Prize. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. <http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/2433/>.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

A Poem Inspired by Kipling

What Will You Do? 
by Cody Murakami

IF you run into struggles,
Will you be able to win?
If you happen to stumble,
Will you fall into sin?

IF you loose all you have,
Will you still keep a smile?
If you can't get it back,
Can you still pass this trial?

IF you have little hope left,
Will your faith remain strong?
Or will you completely give up?
Or regret you were wrong?

IF you can't get what you want,
But you have all you need,
Will you appreciate what you have?
Or will you toil in greed?

IF you find you're betrayed,
Will you forgive and forget?
Or will you hold those responsible,
To repay you their debt?

IF you find that in life,
Things don't go your way,
Will you drop to your knees,
Bow your head, and then pray?

As you go through your life,
Who, when, or where,
You'll find that sometimes,
Life just isn't fair.

But keep your chin up,
And to God, be true.
He's got your back,
Now its all up to you.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Dickens' Stories

David Copperfield Three-sentence Summary

David Copperfield is extremely depressed from experiencing life's struggles, but is encouraged by Agnes Wickfield, a friend who has fallen in love with him, to continue living. Copperfield thanks her, but explains to her that he loves Dora Spenlow. However, Agnes Wickfield remains adamant about her feelings towards David and ends up winning his love. 

Link to Book a Minute's summary of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.

Works Cited
"Book-A-Minute Classics: David Copperfield." RinkWorks. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. <http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/b/dickens.copperfield.shtml>.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Hound of Heaven


Works Cited
Thompson(18591907), Francis. "239. The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson. Nicholson & Lee, Eds. 1917. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse." Bartleby.com: Great Books ONline -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More. Web. 05 Apr. 2011. <http://www.bartleby.com/236/239.html>.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Housman


Eight O'Clock
by A. E. Housman

He stood, and heard the steeple
Sprinkle the quarters on the morning of town. 
One, two, three, four, to market place and people
It tossed them down.

Strapped, noosed, nighing his hour, 
He stood and counted them and cursed his luck;
And then the clock collected in the tower
Its strength, and struck.


Storyboard


Scene one is of the man staring at the clock tower. Scene two shows the noose being tightened/tied to his neck. Scene three you see a close up of the bottom of his face revealing his solem look. Scene four is a view of the clock as it suddenly strikes eight. 

Works Cited
Housman, A. E. "Eight O'Clock". British Literature.  Ed. Ronald H. Horton Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 679. Print. 

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Hopkins



God's Grandeur
An example of internal rhyme: "And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared wiith toil;"


Works Cited
Hopkins, Gerard. "Pied Beauty". British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 675. Print. 


Hopkins, Gerard. "God's Grandeur". British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 676. Print. 

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Answer to the White Queen's Riddle

I think the answer to the White Queen's Riddle is either a sandwich or a muscle/clam. One of the ironic twists was the sun shining in the middle of the night. 


Works Cited
Carrol, Lewis. "The White Queen's Riddle". British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 652. Print. 

Carrol, Lewis. "The Walrus and the Carpenter". British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 652-655. Print. 

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Love Similes

Love is Like the Beach

Love is as warm as the sun.
Love is powerful like a wave.
Love is as beautiful as a shell.
Love is invsible like a current. 
But sometimes it is like the weather:
Alwatys changing and unpredictable. 
It is like the reef:
Unstable and dangerous to travel.
It is like the water:
At times, cold and unforgiving. 
It is like the ocean:
Impossible to control. 
Love is like the beach.
Yet it is so much more.
It is warmer then the sun, 
And more powerful than a wave.
And although it can be uncertain, 
And maybe even frightening, 
It is gentler than a sea breeze, 
And softer than the sand. 
Love is like you and me. 

Monday, March 14, 2011

My Last Duchess


Works Cited
Browning, Robert. "My Last Duchess." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. Web. 14 Mar. 2011. <http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15701>.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Ulysses and Crossing the Bar

"Ulysses"

"Crossing the Bar"



Works Cited
Tennyson, Alfred. "Ulysses." Bristish Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 615-616. Print. 

Tennyson, Alfred. "Crossing the Bar." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 615-616. Print. 

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Poet and Kapiolani



Works Cited
Tennyson, Alfred. "The Poet." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 615-616. Print. 

"XX. Kapiolani and Pele." Internet Sacred Text Archive Home. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. <http://www.sacred-texts.com/pac/hlov/hlov25.htm>.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Dover Beach AudioBoo


Works Cited
Arnold, Matthew. "Dover Beach." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 642- 643. Print.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Newman Survey


Works Cited
Newman, John. "The Tamworth Reading Room". British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 610-612. Print. 

Monday, February 28, 2011

Carlyle Hero


Carlyle believes that heros are just common people. He also sees them as a sign of "spiritual disease" (Horton 607). 

Hero Description 
The hero I made is kind of like a transformer. He can be many things and disguise himself. This is attributed to his chameleon skin that allows him to morph into different people. Depending upon the environment around him, my hero can disguese himself in order to blend in. "...that Hero can be Poet, Prophet, King, Priest or what you will, according to the kind of world he finds himself born into..." (Horton 608). Just like how my hero can change his looks according to where he is, Carlyle states a Hero is someone who is shaped by "the kind of world he finds himself born into." So the main similarity between Carlyle's hero and my hero is that the world/environment they are placed in determines who they are. 

Works Cited
Carlyle, Thomas. "On Heros, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 607-608. Print

Monday, February 7, 2011

Timeless Themes


Connections between Jane Eyre and "The Reason"

In "The Reason" it talks about the person being imperfect and for making many mistakes. Jane is imperfect and makes many mistakes. The reason she tries to change and learn from these mistakes to strive to be more perfect, is because of Mr. Rochester. But she knows they are from two different worlds. The song also says "And so I have to say before I go" which says that the person is leaving or giving up like Jane. She has realized that he is out of her league and has now given up.

Connections between Jane Eyre and "It Ends Tonight"

I think that "It Ends Tonight" had the most simliarities to Jane Eyre. The song is about breaking up, but it can be related to Jane and her situation. It talks about the someone giving another stress, which becomes the reason why "it ends tonight". For Jane, falling in love with Mr. Rochester gives her stress. It makes her jealous of the women around Mr. Rochester and brings her sadness that he doesn't have the same feelings for her. Just as the person in the song has given up to relieve their stress, so has Jane.

"It Ends Tonight" by The All American Rejects

Your subtleties
They strangle me
I can't explain myself at all.
And all the wants
And all the needs
All I don't want to need at all.

The walls start breathing
My mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone.
A weight is lifted
On this evening
I give the final blow.

When darkness turns to light,
It ends tonight
It ends tonight.

A falling star
Least I fall alone.
I can't explain what you can't explain.
You're finding things that you didn't know
I look at you with such disdain 

The walls start breathing
My mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone.
A weight is lifted
On this evening
I give the final blow.

When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.

Now I'm on my own side
It's better than being on your side
It's my fault when you're blind
It's better that I see it through your eyes

All these thoughts locked inside
Now you're the first to know

When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight
It ends tonight,
It ends 

When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.

Tonight
Insight
When darkness turns to light,
It ends tonight.





Monday, January 24, 2011

Keats' Poem



"Dawn"

I cannot find that which I seek.
It's somewhere around.
Lost but hasn't been found.
The air has a feeling of mystique.

It's extremely important this item is sought!
For if it is gone,
And night reaches dawn,
No warmth will be felt! No light will be brought!

I check ever place that I know.
Is it possible I will fail?
Tomorrow will have no sparkle or glow!
Yet there it is! My face so pale,
Sees the beam through the thick snow.
Rejoice! For the sun has set sail!

In John Keats' poem, "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer", he describes how he discovered Chapman's story, and how excited he felt! He used examples such as an astronomer finding a planet and Cortez seeing the Isthms of Panama. In my poem I decided to follow Keats' rhyme order and I also tried to incorporate that excitement of discovery. 

Works Cited

Keats, John. " On First Looking into Chapman's Homer." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press 2003. 575. Print.

Hamauzu, Masashi. "FINAL FANTASY XIII - The Promise." FINAL FANTASY XIII Original Soundtrack.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Percy Bysshe Shelley Resume

Percy Bysshe Shelley Resume
Date of Birth: August 4, 1792


Education:
Attended Sion House Academy from 1802-1804.
Transfered to Eton and attended there from 1804-1810.
Short college education from Oxford University from 1810-1811.


Experience:
Extremely experienced in poetry. 
Well Known for These Poems

  • Queen Mab, 1813
  • "Alastor," 1816
  • The Revolt of Islam, 1818
  • The Cenci,1819
  • Prometheus Unbound, 1820
  • "Epipsychidion" and "Adonais," 1821
  • "Mont Blank: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni" 
Skills lie mostly in romantic poems. 


Family Life:
First wife was Harriet Westbrook.
After his first wife passed away, he married William Godwin's daughter, Mary. 
He had two children from Harriet and had three other children from Mary. 
Unfortunately, his three children from marry passed away. 


Activities:
A strong advocator of vegetarianism. 
Also known for being antiauthoritarian and for promoting the rebellion against England.
Well known for his passion for civil rights and freedom, which were conveyed through the various romantic poems he rote. 
Also discipled Victorian poet Robert Browning. 


Works Cited

Horton, Ronald A. "Percy Blysshe Shelly 1792-1822." British Literature. Ed. Greenville, SC: BJU Press, 2003. 565-567. Print

"P.B. Shelly: An Overview "The Dancing Girl" by John Barlas." The Victorian Web: An Overview. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/shelly/shelleyov.html>

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Byron Poem

The Arranged Bride

The day has come.
It is the end.
My mind is numb.
My heart can't mend.

As she walks,
With all so white, 
And as she talks,
Here tonight...

For it's today,
The knot is tied.
But I must say,
She's not my bride.

For It's not real.
It must be fake.
For I don't feel, 
What love can make. 

My poem follows the same rhyme scheme of Byron's "On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sixth Year". This poem is meant to represent natural over the artificial. It's about an arranged marriage and how this person doesn't feel natural love. It's as if this "artificial" love was forced on them and its nothing like the real thing. 

Works Cited

Gordon, George. "On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sixth Year." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press, 2003. 562-563. Print

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Old China Voicemail


Here is a Voicemail recording of what I think the theme and structure was in Charles Lamb's "Old China". 

Works Cited

Lamb, Charles. "Old China." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press, 2003. 556-559. Print

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

The Robot and the Boy

A tall metal robot sat silently alone. The robot was confused and had a troubled look on his face. The huge metal contraption scratched its head, its mind focused on thinking. He thought of math equations, scientific laws, and history. He thought of nature, the planets, the animals, the sky, and the sea. Looking back upon the many things he had learned. For he was the smartest one in the world; the one who knew it all. But he was faced with a new problem that was never heard of before. A problem that even his great and all-knowing mechanical brain could not solve. The world had become far advanced and many of its inhabitants were machines. Humans became the minority in this metal futuristic world, but played only a small role in the world today. The robots were in charge of it all; innovative, unchanging, and infallible, creations the robots were, but something was definitely wrong. For years and years, the world stayed the same. Although this developed utopia did things efficiently, nothing had changed for centuries. So one day a human came up to this robot and told him this, "Our world is wonderful and orderly, but somethings just not right! We've stayed in the same spot for a thousands of years, and we haven't gotten better!" The robot was appointed to solve this problem, but he just couldn't figure it out, until one day a mother and her son passed by the sad meditating robot. The kid let go of his mothers hand and ran up to the hunk of iron. He asked the piece of metal what was wrong and the machine replied, "I need to make this world better, but with all the knowledge I know, I don't understand why I haven't found an answer! Run along little boy. You can't help me! Your only a child and by the looks of it, in first grade! How would you know anything about my predicament." The kid stood there angry at what the robot had said, but the anger faded away and was replaced with a happy expression on his face. The boy looked up at the tall robot and told him what he thought, "I can help you Mr. Robot, because I know many things that you don't know! Knowledge that can't be found in books or computers or on the internet sites or from your mechanical friends!" The robot was shocked and was filled with excitement; he desperately asked the boy, "What is it? Tell me now?!" And the little six-year-old said, "Lets create toys that can fly to the stars and back, or something that can travel far beneath the sea! A car that can dig through the ground or maybe some medicine to help my sick grandma! Maybe lets make skate boards that float or a gum that never looses taste! All these things are awesome and cool, so how bout it? What do you think?" The robot answered, "Your crazy! Those things will NEVER happen! Although their "awesome" and "cool", they will never be a reality. What was I thinking asking a kid like you who doesn't know a thing!" The machine walked away, continuing his thought, but the kid smiled and laughed while skipping back to his mom. Many years later, that boy grew up and became a world-renown inventor. This tiny first grade kid, turned into a scientist, much more famous then even the robot. He made space ships that could fly to the stars and back and submarines that could travel to the deepest part of the sea. He created drills that could dig to the center of the earth and cures for many diseases. In the end, the young boy was right, he did have something the robot didn't. And that was imagination, creativity, and ingenuity, things only humans could have. Things that would make a small little boy, better then even the most tallest and intelligent machine. 


Draft 1 of my story. 
Imagination vs. Reason

Monday, January 10, 2011

Common Things in an Uncommon Light

 Can you guess what this is? This is actually a knot on a piece of wood outside but it resembles the shape of an owl swooping down to grab its prey. I used iPhoto to mess around with the picture. I flipped it,changed its color, enhanced and sharpened it, faded it,  and framed the picture in white. 

William Wordsworth seemed to have a dramatic early life. I think it might have affected his actions and decisions he made when he was older, but I believe what saved him from continuing his foolish activities was his love for nature when he was young. It was his love for nature that brought him peace and tranquility in his later years before he passed away. 

Works Cited

"William Wordsworth - Biography and works. Search Texts, Read Online. Discuss." The Literature Network: Online Classic Literature, Poems, and Quotes. Essays & Summaries. Web. 10 Jan. 2011. <http://www.online-literature.com/wordsworth/>.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Blake Video Response


Works Cited

Blake, William. "The Clod and the Pebble." British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton. Greenville, SC: BJU Press, 2003. 520. Print