Hamlet Act II Blog

1. Based on what he does during Act II, how would you characterize Polonius?
I would say that he is not a very worthy character because he uses other people for alterior motives and he is really not willing to help anyone else out.

2. During his conversations with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Act II Sc ii, Hamlet describes his perceptions of reality? In your own words, describe Hamlet's worldview? Are you an optimist, pessimist, or a realist? Why?
I would say that he is a pessimist because he thinks of the world as a prison. I would say that I am a realist because I don't really think of the world as a good or bad place, I just think of it as a place.
3. Is Polonius justified in how he plans to use Ophelia to find more about Hamlet?
I would say that this is an unfair way to do this because Hamlet does not know who is around during his actions

4. At this point in the play, do you think Hamlet is really crazy or his he pretending to be insane? How does Hamlet act differently when he's around people and when he's giving soliloquies by himself i.e. end of Act II?
I think that he is pretending to be insane because he is so frustrated with every thing that is happening in his world right now. He is more calm when he is giving soliloquies.

5. Why do you think Hamlet's so attracted to the theater/acting? Why do you think he uses the play as a way to test his theory? Is Hamlet right be angry at himself for not acting on the ghost's words? Why?
He likes it because he can use it as an alternate reality to the world. He uses the play as a test because he thinks there is very low risk to it. I think that he is right for not acting on the ghosts words because he said that he believed in the words and apparently he doesn't now.

6. Are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wrong for spying on Hamlet? Why or why not? How do you think Hamlet feels after they admit they were sent for by the Queen and King?
I would not say they are wrong because they are being forced by the King and Queen to do it. I think he feels worried after they tell him that they were sent.

1. Pick a passage from Act I of Hamlet. Write it down. Practice citing it (Ham.Act.Scene.Line Numbers). Why did you pick this passage? What do you think it's trying to say?

Before my God, I might not this believe withought the sensible and true avouch of mine own eyes (Hamlet.ActI.SceneI.68-70)

I picked this passage because to me it is kind of funny for me to imagine what a person in Horatio's position would say in modern times.

I think that he is pretty much saying: Wow! I cannot believe that I just saw a ghost even though I saw it with my own eyes.


2. The ghost is Hamlet plays a crucial role in setting events in motion? Are you a Horatio(skeptic of ghosts) or a Marcellus(believer in ghosts)? Why or why not?

I would say that I am a lot more like Horatio because I like to have concrete evidence that I can see to be able to believe in most things.

3. We get to know characters via a variety of channels: what they do, what they say, what they think, how they're described, and what others say/think about them. Do a character analysis of one of the following characters: Hamlet, Claudius, Horatio, Gertrude Find a specific passage for each of the following.
Hamlet
What They Say/Think: He is kind of sad and depressed

Passage:(Hamlet.ActI.SceneII.79-89)

What They Do:Talks about how he wants to take action against Claudius, but can't.

Passage:(Hamlet.ActI.SceneII.134-163)

How They're Described:Described as being sad all the time

Passage:(Hamlet.ActI.SceneII.70-74)

What Other Characters Say/Think About Them:He is not liked by many people

Passsage:(Hamlet.ActI.SceneSceneIII.122-142)


Based on all of the textual evidence, what is your overall opinion about this character?
I would say that he is very misunderstood because he cannot show his true personality because he is very sad.

4. Put yourself in Hamlet's position, what would would do with the news from the ghost? Do you trust the ghost's word or do you need better evidence? Would you tell anyone else what the ghost said to you or would you keep it a secret?
I would trust the ghost's word because I would think that there would be a good reason for there being a ghost. I would keep the news a secret and then I would carry out what he has asked me to do.

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