Hamlet Prediscussion ?'s

1. Is revenge sometimes the right approach in dealing with someone that has wronged you? Why or why not?

I think that revenge is never the wrong approach because you are just going to cause more problems by taking revenge.


2. Is it better to think before you act or act before you think? Why?

It is better to think before you act because you may not know all the facts in a situation so you don't make a mistake in your act.


3. Is there one singular reality, or do each of create our own realities through our perceptions and attitudes?

Our perceptions create our realities because we all think differently.

4. What are the qualities of a good friendship? Is it ever okay to spy on a friend if you are concerned about them?

Trust and belief are qualities of a good friendship, and I think it would be ok to spy on someone in some situations.


5. Should parents let their children make their own mistakes and let them learn from it, or should they keep a close eye on them?

They should let them make their own mistakes, so they learn from personal experience.

6. Should children always be supportive of parents if they decide to remarry after their spouse’s death or divorce?

I think that that decision should be up to the child because their personality may just clash with their new parent.


7. Is there ever a time when grieving process goes too far?

I think there is a certain point where it gets ridiculous and you have to grow up sometime and just become a bigger and more mature person.

Matrix Questions #2

1. The character of Cypher makes a decision that returning to the Matrix and living in its alternative reality instead of being fully conscious of the reality. This goes against the decision made by the released prisoner from the Cave. Why do you think Cypher decided to go back to the Matrix instead of living fully aware? Is his reasoning valid? Is ignorance bliss? Why?

I think that he did it because he didn't want to live the hard life of the real world anymore. In one of the previous scenes, it seemed kind of like he was tired of being a part of the real world. I would say that his reasoning is valid because he just felt no reason to stay in the real world. I would also say that ignorance is bliss because if you don't know about something, you have no reason to worry about it.

2. Neo is prophecized to be the one by Morpheus. Does Neo seem to accept this high profile role? What other character from literature you've read seems to be placed in this hero/savior role by others?

I don't think that he accepts this role until the part where Morpheus goes through the wall to fight the agent. Another character in this role would be Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit.

3. Humans are described by humans as a disease, imperfect, for a perfected technological program, yet the machine is viewed as the enemy/evil even though its reason and logic is supposed unflawed. What would the world be like if everyone was perfect and logical? What are other examples in movies and books where technology becomes the enemy/evil?

The world would be very, very boring if everyone was perfect. There would be no personalities and no exciting events, such as sporting events, would never happen. Another example of a movie where technology is evil is I Am Robot.

Matrix Questions #1

1. Explain how Neo's experience in and out of the Matrix parallels the Allegory of the Cave. Be specific using examples from each text.

They are similar because when they come out of the narrow world they were in before, they feel pain because they have never experienced the things that they are experiencing now. There are lots of new things in the actual world of the matrix just like there are new things in the world outside of the cave.

2. Morpheus poses the question, "what is real? how do you define real?" We're going to read literature that poses that very question. What tools and indicator do we use to define and describe the world around us? Is reality a definite concept measurable and quantifiable, or is it a fluid concept defined by perceptions? Why?

I think that we use our own mind to define the world around us. I think that what is real is a fluid concept by what we think in our mind. If we cannot grasp a concept, we just think that something is unreal and that it is foolish to even think that it is a real thing. I think the reason for this is that we are scared of the things that we cannot grasp and so we just deny those things.


3. The Matrix is part of the science-fiction genre, and while we may not be controlled by technology in the literal sense as The Matrix describes, does our current society in 2008 parallel the the world of The Matrix in certain ways? Has technology actually the lessened the quality of life in some ways? Why or why not?

Technology has allowed for new types of criminals such as hackers and scam artists. This makes it dangerous for us to be on the internet and to share our information with other people in fear that it might get stolen. So I would say that it has lessened the quality of life in some ways, but it has mostly improved life because it has made jobs easier and information sharing easier.

"The Cave"

1. Summarize what the allegory is about in your own paragraph

I think that the story is about learning new things and having new experiences. Even though you may not like it at first, you will come to appreciate it and cherish it. It becomes your responsibility to teach others about the new things that you have learned and get them in touch with the new things in their lives.


2. What do you think Socrates is trying to say about the nature of reality/truth?

I think that he is saying that it takes a while to understand the truth of reality, but once we do understand it then we will truly be able to appreciate it.

3. How does this allegory relate to the learning process and education in general?

We may think that some of the things we are learning right now are stupid and worthless to learn, but we will soon come to find out that we are learning many important lessons right now that we won't realize until later in our lives.

4. Think about our modern day technological society; how does this allegory written thousands of years ago connect to our culture?

People used to think that technology was bad, but more and more of those people have came to realize that technology can have a great positive impact on our lives and that they are very useful for doing things in our lives.

Sentence Composing # 7- Delayed Adverbs Practice 2

Sentence Composing # 7- Delayed Adverbs Practice 2

Single Delayed Adverb: They smiled, delicately, like weary children remembering a party.
--John Steinbeck, Cannery Row

Multiple Delayed Adverb: He worked himself to death, finally and precisely, at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning
--Ellen Goodman, Close to Home

Practice 2: Unscrambling to Imitate

In the model and the scrambled list, identify the delayed adverb. Next, unscramble and write out the sentence parts to imitate the model. Finally, write your own imitation of the model and identify and delayed adverb.

Model: As I watched him, he seemed to adjust himself a little, visibly
--F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
a. a bit

b. she tried to excuse herself

c. when she told him

d. lamely
c,b,a,d
Own Sentence: When we saw them, they tried to move away, feebly.

Practice 3: Combining to Imitate

In the model identify the delayed adverbs. Next, combine the list of sentences to imitate the model. Finally, write your own imitation of the model and identify any delayed adverbs.

Model: The cars traveled Reynolds Streets, slowly and evenly.
--Annie Dillard, An American Childhood

a. a girl crossed a street

b. The street was Washington Avenue.

c. She crossed the street confidently.

d. And she cross the street purposefully.

A girl crossed Washington Avenue, confidently and purposefully.

Own Sentence: Barbara walked through the plaza, speedily and angrily.

Practice 4: Imitating

Identify the delayed adverbs in the models and sample imitations. Then write an imitation of each model sentence, one sentence part at a time.

1. Still winded, Smith sat up, slowly.
--Robert Ludlum, The Moscow Vector

Sample: Almost finished, Peter speed up triumphantly.

Own Sentence: At the end, John pumped his arms victoriously.

2. We explored the streams, quietly, where the turtles slid off the sunny logs and dug their way into the soft lake bottom.
--E.B. White "Once More to the Lake"

Sample: We walked the streets, dreamily, where the sun set in the crystal sky and melted its way over the inky black skyscrapers.


Own Sentence: They rode the course timidly, and didn't finish until most of the crowd had left because of boredom.

3. He was clambering, heavily, among the creepers and broken trunks, when a bird, a vision of red and yellow, flashed upwards with a witch-like cry.
--William Golding, Lord of the Flies

Sample: She was running, desperately, between the road the railroad track, after a car, her hope for escape and rescue, passed by with an oblivious driver.

Own Sentence: He was skating, slowly, between the two goals, after his daughter, his pride and joy, when he was hit by another skater