A Tale of Two Cities

I am reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens and I believe that the first several pages are very interesting, and relate to Charles Dickens’s life. After today’s lecture in class about the life of Dickens, I came to better understand his motives and tone behind this novel. It begins by explaining the similarities and differences between France and England, and how it was a state of confusion, and where the strong were practicing injustice. Confusion is shown by the famous opening lines of “It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.” Then is later supported by many examples, including the example of a man who plays a robber at night, but a businessman by day. He even explains how two criminals of wildly different crimes are sentenced to the same fate. The murderer is beheaded on the guillotine, and so is the man who stole pennies to keep himself from starving to death. This is obviously unfair, and as I learned from today’s lecture, Charles Dickens believes in equality and a level playing field because he grew up disenfranchised.

Literary Analysis: The Catcher and the Rye

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
3. Describe the author's tone.  Include three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
4. Describe five literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the theme and/or your sense of the tone.  Include three excerpts that will help your reader understand each one.


....

1. The plot of J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher and the Rye is a story about a wealthy boarding school boy named Holden Caulfield. Holden is going through the internal struggle of loneliness. He gets kicked out of his school and sent home for fighting, but on the way home decided to experience New York City alone for the weekend. He spends his entire time battling loneliness and trying to cope. He debates over calling a girl friend for some company, and even hires a prostitute just so she can help him verbalize his thoughts. Unfortunately, Holden does not find relief.

2. A theme in The Catcher and the Rye is the fear of growing up. Before getting expelled from school, Holden is criticized for immature. I even felt myself being annoyed with his character’s lack of maturity. While in New York, Holden visited places from his childhood, and thought of adulthood as a world filled with phonies and fakes. He also identified best with his little sister, Phoebe.

3. The authors tone, I believe, is similar to that of Holden Caulfield because of the strong message. He is a cynic. Examples from the novel would be his assumption of Catholics, that they always try to find out if you’re Catholic or not. Another example would be his quote, “People never believe you.” And then my favorite quotes, “If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she’s late? Nobody.”

4. One. Protagonist; Holden Caulfield is the protagonist, and he helped me understand the author’s tone. I know that in many instances, the narrator and the author may have different views, but in this case, I feel like they were one in the same. Holden is very sarcastic and cynical, and wants to stay young forever because he believes that adults are “phonies”. Secondly, I believe that diction played a huge rule in developing and conveying the tone and theme because of the type of wording that J.D. Salinger used to convey his character’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Thirdly, syntax is very similar to that and is added for the same reasons. Fourthly, minor characters play a big role as well. For example, Phoebe, Holden’s little sister acted as a portal into Holden’s mind. He liked Phoebe better than his parents and older brother because he did not think of her as a phony or fake person. This shows that he likes people who you can accept at face value. Finally, the largest literature term used to convey the tone and theme would be the plot because it drives the story and is the purpose meant to straightly convey the theme. The plot of this story was about a boy searching to find himself and accept the inevitable of growing up and maturing.

A Tale of Two Cities

From  learning about Charles Dickens, and examining the title of his novel, A Tale of Two Cities, I expect that the novel will be about social unrest in two cities, as well as confusion. For the book starts out with "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" I am excited to read this piece of literature and see what it has in store between its pages...

Cited sources

"A Science Odyssey: People and Discoveries: Discoveries." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 29 Jan. 2012. .

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Tutani, Conway. "Muhammad Ali: Still The Greatest at 70." Newsday Zimbabwe: Everyday News for Everyday People. News Day, 19 Jan. 2012. Web. 19 Jan. 2012.http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2012-01-19-muhammad-ali-still-the-greatest-at-70/.


Adams, Russell, Great Negroes Past and Present, pp. 106-107. Chicago, Afro-Am Publishing Co., 1963.

Bennett, Lerone, Jr., What Manner of Man: A Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr.Chicago, Johnson, 1964.

I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King in Text and Pictures. New York, Time Life Books, 1968.

King, Martin Luther, Jr., The Measure of a Man. Philadelphia. The Christian Education Press, 1959. Two devotional addresses.

King, Martin Luther, Jr., Strength to Love. New York, Harper & Row, 1963. Sixteen sermons and one essay entitled "Pilgrimage to Nonviolence."

King, Martin Luther, Jr., Stride toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. New York, Harper, 1958.

King, Martin Luther, Jr., The Trumpet of Conscience. New York, Harper & Row, 1968.

King, Martin Luther, Jr., Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? New York, Harper & Row, 1967.

King, Martin Luther, Jr., Why We Can't Wait. New York, Harper & Row, 1963.

"Man of the Year", Time, 83 (January 3, 1964) 13-16; 25-27.

"Martin Luther King, Jr.", in Current Biography Yearbook 1965, ed. by Charles Moritz, pp. 220-223. New York, H.W. Wilson.

Reddick, Lawrence D., Crusader without Violence: A Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York, Harper, 1959.

"Great - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary." Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. Web. 29 Jan. 2012.

Big Question Introduction

BQ Introduction

"Our Greatest Fear" by Marianne Williamson

it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other

people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

—Marianne Williamson

...

I first heard this poem on the movie Akeelah and the Bee. A story of an innercity girl who went on to win the National Spelling Bee. I posted this because it has encouraged me through many situations, and I find its words to be truth.

Big Question Abstract

How does one reach greatness?
Many mainstream rappers or even TV hosts are proclaiming themselves "The Greatest". Muhammad Ali is known as “The Greatest Boxer of All Time”. Historically greatness has been measured by accomplishments, whether it is holding the gold medal at the Olympics or winning a Nobel Prize. So now my question is, how does one reach greatness? This question is important because in answering it, it will allow everyone to become the greatest version of themselves. Achieving greatness has always been a dream of mine because in doing so, I believe it will make the world a better place. To find this I will research individuals who have achieved greatness, and analyze their lives to see what aspects they have in common.