creative.blog.1.

Connecting Hamlet, and Pride and Prejudice into everyday, senior year life. I felt that this was a good topic to discuss because so many of us are going through this right now. Pressure. Whether it is peer-pressure, pressure from our families, our teachers, or our college counselors, we are going through a very important time in our lives. Just like in Pride and Prejudice, where women are usually forced to conform to the way of life, and marry someone for security rather than love, or in Hamlet, where the passion protagonist was forced to stay calm, and not act out and ordered by his step father. Pressure goes on in novels, and in everyday life. For us, the main topic is college. Which college we will get into, where we will go, what college will make us go the farthest. Sometimes I step back and have to realize that at the end of the day it is what I want, what WE want, not what all of the adult figures want for us. It is stressful. Just like the stress Hamlet faced, or the stress Liz faced when she did not want to marry Collins. Pressure is everywhere.

Introduction Paragraph

What is conformity? Conformity is the rules and regulations one gives into in an academic institution, conformity is the pressure that one's peers puts on their shoulder, conformity is the expectations one must live up to by their family's standards, conformity is complex. There are many different types of conforming, and it happens everyday all around us, and whether it is apart of our normal everyday activity, or something we rarely do, there is no doubt one must conform to something, somewhere, at one point in their life. Throughout time, and as generations pass the normal conformity, and standards for society are always changing, and as we compare different times and eras we notice how society has gone from more strict, to lenient, and then strict again. But some families and children are raised in a happy medium. Gregor Sams felt the pressure all around him, and was forced to conform to the strict German ways, while nowadays, society is completely different, but not for all. Conformity moves in importance throughout the generations, and the pressure that families put on their children is different in all cases, but moreover, at the end of the day, each person finds them self in a state of restriction, and giving into conformity at one point in their life.

Conformity

I believe that there are different levels of conformity, and it really depends on the institution that you are either working for, and studying with. For example, different southern california schools have different rules and opposite ways of conforming. Buckley, has many rules and restrictions. From not cheating, to not wearing any color socks besides white or black. But also I believe that because of Buckley's rules and because we must conform in order to stay out of trouble, Buckley breeds (for the most part) good kids that are independent thinkers. Although, I do believe that one should have as much freedom as that person desires, I know that if we were given that freedom, there would be much chaos. So I'm not saying our rules and conformity are bad, and I'm not saying that you should do whatever you want. But a nice balance between freedom and minor conformity is ok.

But... rules are there to be broken right?!

Today's New Class Experience

I really loved today's class. I felt like when there wasn't a main authority more students were involved. We were so engaged with the conversations and topics that were brought up, it was great. I loved how when one person would start or throw out an idea, immediately there would be 2 or 3 other people who would begin to add on and to elaborate on that idea, and contribute their own thoughts. Basically, I felt like we really came together as a class today and worked really hard. It was nice to see people who usually keep their thoughts to themselves (sometimes, me included) really come out and express their opinions. I loved the class! We should operate more classes like this!!

Essay Ideas

I want to write about the cannibals and the people on the ship. And compare and contrast their differences and how they are actually similar. Although right off the bat we assume that actually the cannibals are theworse people in the situation, who is actually worse? The people who kill each other, but who are honest or the people who are dishonest and sneaky. I want to explore around this idea and see how I can exaggerate on this point. Also possibly comparing the Thames to the Congo River.

The Physical Journey...

It is interesting to notice how Marlow's speech pattern, and word usage differs and changes as he goes through his physical journey and as he gets deeper into the heart of darkness. Examining what we have read so far, one can notice the more staccato and short phrases and sentences, often separated by a hyphen, even. This demonstrates Marlow's uncertainty, and fear. He isn't quite positive about what he will endure next in this journey, and his language expresses that. It is interested to see how his emotions reflect from his  words.

Heart Of Darkness (Q. #2)

In the Heart of Darkness, Marlow (in much detail) describes the setting of London during the time. And I believe it's connection to Africa is actually positive. Marlow describes the grey, dark, drab London, when the Romans were present, and talks of how it once was disease filled and depressed but soon after colonization by the English people, it became a powerful city with growth and rapid improvement. He is insinuating and hinting that with English colonizing Africa as well as London, Africa can grow in power as well. And be changed from its dark society, to something brighter and more powerful.