THANK YOU!

I am going to post my Thanksgiving post early. Thank you to all of you who have helped me this entire semester whether it be about school or not about school! Thank you to all of you who have commented on my blog and have supported me in other ways! And in advance, thank you to all of you who may be posting on my "Think Outside the Box" post and the "No Exit" question post. Thank you all again! Have a great Thanksgiving!

Thinking Outside the Box

Create a post for your blog entitled THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX in which you compare how Plato and Sartre describe the limitations of our thinking and imply solutions to the problem.  Be sure to analyze their literary techniques, especially their use of allegory and extended metaphor.

I am not quite sure yet, if what I am about to type answers the prompt. But here it goes.

Plato says that the only way out of our cave, our mind, is through intellect. We must be able to think for ourselves. We also must be able to hear what other people say, and from what other people say, we can venture out on our own way and experience it ourselves. Plato says that is the only way to reality. The cave represents our mind, and the outside world represents reality.

Through the use of the characters in the play "No Exit", Sartre describes the place where we tend to reflect on life and the place where our mind tends to bombard us with millions and millions of thoughts are one and the same. It is sort of hell-like because that is a place of isolation because hell is a place where there is no way to get out, but if we are able to think things through, then we will be able to find a way out. I am not sure if he using this as an allusion to the Biblical hell, but I think so.

Questions for Sartre's "No Exit"

1.) Think about the place you have chosen as your hell. Does it look ordinary and bourgeois, like Sartre's drawing room, or is it equipped with literal instruments of torture like Dante's Inferno? Can the mind be in hell in a beautiful place? Is there a way to find peace in a hellish physical environment? Enter Sartre's space more fully and imagine how it would feel to live there endlessly, night and day:

• My hell is just a big lake of fire that never dies. 
• No the mind cannot be in hell and in a beautiful place.
• There is no way to find peace in a hellish physical environment because you are constantly bombarded by your brain feeding things to your mind endlessly.

2.) Could hell be described as too much of anything without a break? Are variety, moderation and balance instruments we use to keep us from boiling in any inferno of excess,' whether it be cheesecake or ravenous sex?

• In our modern language, hell can be described as something that is like really cold, really difficult, really this, really that, etc. But, really, it is true, hell can be described as too much of anything without a break.
• Yes, variety, moderation, and balance are instruments we use to keep us sane, after all, we are human, and we must be able to have that balance in order to have a life that is in the middle between peaceful and insane.

3.) How does Sartre create a sense of place through dialogue? Can you imagine what it feels like to stay awake all the time with the lights on with no hope of leaving a specific place? How does GARCIN react to this hell? How could you twist your daily activities around so that everyday habits become hell? Is there a pattern of circumstances that reinforces the experience of hell?

• Sartre uses specific words in the dialogue to be like key words for the readers to sense where the characters are in.
• I can't imagine what it would feel like to stay awake all the time with the lights on with no hope of leaving a specific place because usually when it is dark, my mind tends to wander and go to a place where my mind has always wanted to go. Usually this is happening when I am sleeping, or dumping my mental trash.
• Garcin thinks his newspaper caused him to go to hell because of the war that broke out due to his newspaper. He describes the place as stifling hot.
• Maybe I could just do one daily activity which would turn into a never ending hell.
• Yes, there is a pattern of circumstances that reinforces the experience of hell depending on what you think it is or what you believe it is.

Allegory of the Cave Sonnet

What's the difference between light and dark?
The light is filled with vision and insight
And the dark is not the right
The prisoners can only see
Only to some certain degree
Their eyes fool their brain
Which now they are restrained
Now they cannot embark

The only way out
Is through the intellectual route
And one must introspect
In order for real life to take effect
Life is not all about isolation
It works through self motivation and self determination

BRAIN WITH 10 LEGS

We chose A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens because Dickens is one of the most used authors in the AP test which may benefit us in the future. He is also widely known as one of the most famous fictitious novel writers. Our plan is to read about 37 pages everyday, starting tomorrow. After the section we read, we will post our view/understanding to our blog. With this, our group members will be able to learn or recommend something new when they feel is necessary. Next week, in class, we will discuss how we feel the book is going for us, and if we have a hard time understanding, we can ask our peers for some assistance. I am in a group with Danny Luu, Ian Steller, Miranda Nillo, and Eli Esparza. But, anbyone and everyone is able to join and participate!

Study Questions for Plato's "Allegory of the Cave"

1. According to Socrates, what does the Allegory of the Cave represent?

• The Allegory of the Cave represents our view or take of reality. It represents how much we think we know, see, and believe as opposed to how reality truly is what we really don't know yet. The only way we know what reality truly is if we went out of the "cave" or in modern terms, our comfort zone.

2. What are the key elements in the imagery used in the allegory?

• cave-the prison, our own mind
• outside world- reality, what we ought to understand and believe in
• shadows- a glimpse of what we are missing
• the fire- "the light at the end of the tunnel", our way of getting out of there

3. What are some things the allegory suggests about the process of enlightenment or education?

• Education cannot be forced upon. Education must be something that is enjoyed in order for us to absorb instead of being forced-fed something that we might not want at the moment. 
• Enlightenment is the only way we can use to achieve pure knowledge. If we are enlightened, then we are more motivated to become educated.

4. What do the imagery of "shackles" and the "cave" suggest about the perspective of the cave dwellers or prisoners?

• The shackles symbolize the restriction from the outside world.
• The cave symbolizes the isolation area from the outside world.

5. In society today or in your own life, what sorts of things shackle the mind?

• In our own life, sometimes getting every single paperwork ready for college shackles the mind. It creates stress which then makes us think and think about this one important thing.
• Sometimes, it could be relationships with your boyfriend or girlfriend or even with family or friends.
• In my life, a long to-do list shackles my mind because I want to make sure that I squeeze in every single thing in before I head to bed. Sometimes, that means staying up late if I have to. It shackles my mind because one thing sometimes restricts me from doing another thing, especially when one of those things on my to-do list is my top priority of the day.

6. Compare the perspective of the freed prisoner with the cave prisoners?

• The freed prisoner now has the knowledge of what reality is really like because that freed prisoner can experience it while the cave prisoners are stuck in the cave with no knowledge of what is outside. They only have a perspective of the outside from whatever the freed prisoners have told them.

7. According to the allegory, lack of clarity or intellectual confusion can occur in two distinct ways or contexts. What are they?

• Lack of clarity or intellectual confusion can occur when people restrict themselves from seeing and experiencing the truth and when people allow themselves to become ignorant about what  the truth really is when it is being explained to them.

8. According to the allegory, how do cave prisoners get free? What does this suggest about intellectual freedom?

• The prisoners get free if they choose to listen to what the freed prisoner says and acts on it. If the prisoners take action because of what the freed prisoner said and experience the truth, then they will be freed. "The truth will set you free" really plays a role in this. Intellectual freedom is the only way to getting out of the dark, dingy cave and getting to the outside world, the light (enlightenment).

9. The allegory presupposes that there is a distinction between appearances and reality. Do you agree? Why or why not?

• I agree that there is a distinction between appearances and reality because in art class, my teacher always says to take multiple looks at our object that we are going to paint or draw of. The things that we see are the appearances, but the more that we look, the more we study, and the more we study, the more enlightened we are which brings us to reality.

10. If Socrates is incorrect in his assumption that there is a distinction between reality and appearances, what are the two alternative metaphysical assumptions?

• The two alternative metaphysical assumptions are that we have our own perspective of reality and that we will only believe our own perspective because we are living it, which would be our only way of proving the distinction between reality and appearances. But for me, I do believe there is a distinction between reality and appearances.

MindMaps

I searched "mindmaps" on Google search and I got

https://bubbl.us/

It looks easy, but I am not sure if it is free.

Also, from class, I remember learning about

http://www.mindomo.com/

We Hang Together

Here are my notes for Dr. Preston's article. http://drprestonsrhsenglitcomp13.blogspot.com/2013/11/november-12.html#more

• interdependence-"the underlying key to any strategic alliance, community partnership, or interpersonal collaboration"
• "inter-organizational relationships can be competitive, interdependent, or a combination of the two"
• "To deal with unforeseen contingencies, the partners must make decisions jointly."
• Leaders can't adopt strategies that are based on isolationism, competition, or self-interest because that would give too much power. They must adopt strategies that fits the majority's interest.
• It is for influential and helpful to work with others because we simply depend on each other for our existence and survival.
• "The distinction between fighting the absence of a valuable resource versus attracting, cultivating, and depending upon the resource itself is critical."
• "the fittest are the most adaptable, the most diverse, and the most interdependent"
• We must identify, build, and sustain strategic relationships.
• To use interdependence, we must have the qualities of collaboration and to use the tools for collaboration effectively and efficiently.
• the most effective collaborative groups must have trust and organizational culture
• we must have an organization audit in order to have a successful strategic relationship
• "lies not in the the alliances but in ourselves"
• we need other people and strategic relationships no matter what
• we must distinguish between the value of a strategic relationship and the values of a strategic relationship
• the value of a strategic relationship is the reduced costs, economy of scale, or shared investment burden
• the values of a strategic relationship are similar to the values of the participating organizations (integrity, quality speed)
• "Interdependence requires that one party do for the other and vice versa."
• the internet strategic relationships are more real and more effective than spending money on advertising
• Basically, we need each other.
• "participants in alliances need complimentary skills, experiences, and assets"
• "Creating and sustaining effective strategic partnerships requires an understanding of how interdependence works, and the human factors that influence both individual and organizational relationships.
• two ways by Friedman-
• "central direction involving the use of coercion"
• "Voluntary cooperation of individuals"

Sonnet:Big Question & Sonnet Remix

The Sonnet I thought that relates to my Big Question which is about equality for all.

Frederick Douglass
by Robert Hayden

When it is finally ours, this freedom, this liberty, this beautiful
and terrible thing, needful to man as air,
usable as earth; when it belongs at last to all,
when it is truly instinct, brain matter, diastole, systole,
reflex action; when it is finally won; when it is more
than the gaudy mumbo jumbo of politicians:
this man, this Douglass, this former slave, this Negro
beaten to his knees, exiled, visioning a world
where none is lonely, none hunted, alien,
this man, superb in love and logic, this man
shall be remembered. Oh, not with statues’ rhetoric,
not with legends and poems and wreaths of bronze alone,
but with the lives grown out of his life, the lives
fleshing his dream of the beautiful, needful thing.


Provided by http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/175757

My big question

Why can't we be united, forget about our problems, forget about putting other people down, and just help others to make a better world?

Sonnet Remix

 When it is finally ours, this freedom, this liberty, this beautiful

and terrible thing, needful to man as air,

usable as earth; when it belongs at last to all,

when it is truly instinct, brain matter, diastole, systole,

reflex action; when it is finally won; when it is more

than the gaudy mumbo jumbo of politicians:

this man, this Douglass, this former slave, this Negro

beaten to his knees, exiled, visioning a world

where none is lonely, none hunted, alien,

this man, superb in love and logic, this man

shall be remembered. Oh, not with statues’ rhetoric,

not with legends and poems and wreaths of bronze alone,

but with the lives grown out of his life, the lives

fleshing his dream of the beautiful, needful thing.

SONNET ANALYSIS #1

Here is my notes from today's lecture about Sonnets. I was trying my best to write everything down.

A POETIC INQUIRY

Honestly, I am not sure which sonnet will relate to my Big Question. But, I will try my best to find one that is the closest to my Big Question as much as possible. My Big Question is about loving each other and being a united family. I will look into the link Brenna McNamara posted on the course blog to search for the right sonnet.

Hamlet Remix

I am not fully sure on how to remix my essay, but here is my attempt. I just illustrated my main points.

Think about the use of words.

Speaking to yourself isn't only normal, but it also, make things much more memorable and understandable. Sometimes it could build self-esteem and create a sense of peace with own-self.

We must self-overhear in order to keep sane, make sure what we are doing is morally right, and that our words must constitute the right action or else we will lose touch with reality. We must also let go of our anger and our grief in a way that is effective but not harmful such as talking to ourselves. We aren't insane for doing that. We are normal.

Hamlet Essay

I don't usually use the 5 paragraph essay format, but when I was typing, my essay ended up in 5 paragraphs. Sorry, that was not my intention. 

What Did I Just Say?

Think about how you use words. Even in this essay, think about how I am using words. Shakespeare used words to write the whole play of Hamlet. But, let us dive in deeper in between each word. Hamlet, the character, and every other character in this play always have something to say because the play is written in a dialogue format. But when you read closer, you notice that each word used has a special meaning. When I read, I look at how the words were used to finally get a well-rounded understanding of the play. In this play, we read that Hamlet’s father was killed by his own uncle. Throughout this whole play, Hamlet displays disgust and grief, but Hamlet keeps talking about getting revenge for his father. Hamlet speaks about plotting to kill his uncle in his soliloquies and at other times. Let’s focus more on his soliloquies because his soliloquies display performative utterances that we can analyze to get a better grasp on who and what Hamlet is.

In the play, I’ve noticed that he talks about his plot to kill his uncle. But you know what else I have noticed? I’ve noticed that he hasn’t done it yet until the very last moment before he dies. With this play, the saying “It’s easier said than done” because Hamlet keeps talking about killing his uncle, but he never does it. I have a feeling that talking about it out loud has helped Hamlet to calm down. I don’t talk about killing, but when I say my thoughts out loud, even when I’m by myself, I have a sense of calmness and assurance. If I am worried and am anxious about something, then I tend to say it out loud. Some people say that it is quite odd that I do that, but for me, it gives me a sense of calmness, assurance, and the “I can do it!” feeling. I feel it is the same thing with Hamlet. It is truly easier said than done.

Now let’s branch out to something even deeper. Why do we say things out loud that were initially in our minds? This is where we come to learn the term “self-overhearing”.  Not only does it apply in Hamlet, but it also applies to us in real life situations. For the time period that we were given to memorize “To Be or Not To Be”, I kept telling myself from day one that I need to memorize it, and I did. Every day, I list out things I need to do before I go to bed that same night. Sometimes, I’ll just list them in my head, but I’ve noticed that when I make a checklist out loud, I tend to act on it and accomplish the task. Speaking out loud not only helps you remember things and helps you memorize things, but it also starts to make things seem much more understandable than it was when you read it or say it in your head, at least with me. When saying each line out loud, I started to get a better understanding of what Hamlet was trying to say in his “To Be or not To Be” soliloquy. Saying these words out loud not only helped me to memorize this piece, but these words also helped me to understand Hamlet’s conflict about suicide and the unclear purpose of his father’s murder. Allowing to hear himself say those things in his soliloquy, he then learns of what he needs to do and what he has become.

What does all of this have to do with performative utterances? Well in class, we talked about “the locutionary force, the illocutionary force, and the percolutionary force” as stated in deBoer’s work about Performative Utterances in Hamlet. First, Hamlet uses the locutionary force when he talks about killing his uncle. Next, Hamlet uses the illocutionary force when he kills his uncle because of his obligation to from what he said before. Finally, Hamlet uses the perlocutionary force because he then does what he said he was going to do; he acted on what he said. "The central problem of the play is that people represent their feelings and their intentions in ways that are contrary to reality” as stated in deBoer’s work is right. Hamlet represented his feelings and intentions through his use of words, but in reality those feelings and intentions were not displayed outside of his persona. The problem is, life cannot always be based on the saying “it’s easier said than done” because then we won’t accomplish anything in life. If I were to base my life on that saying, then I wouldn’t be in this class today. I told myself that I will challenge myself in order to prepare myself for something huge that will greatly impact my life. Killing someone is bad, but the main point is that we must say things in life and do them in order to take those giant steps towards the true reality, the real life outside of our comfort zone. But, self-overhearing could change our thought process and our feelings because then when we self-overhear, we might realize that what we are saying should not constitute any action because it could be morally wrong.

When reading Hamlet, we see the way Hamlet talks, thinks, and acts. For the most part we see the way he talks and thinks through his soliloquies and his conversations with the other people. We see that he is disgusted by what his uncle had done to his father, and we see his grief over the loss of his father. The disgust and the grief mixed together which ultimately overwhelmed Hamlet. From being overwhelmed, Hamlet starts to plot things out loud which then helps him to calm down and think straight. Some say that Hamlet is mad, but really, we see that Hamlet is using his words to express his deep emotions about the conflict. We see that the use of self-overhearing helps him to keep sane and to function better when he hears himself speak and think out loud. My point in saying all of this is that we must speak in order to act. We must self-overhear in order to keep sane, make sure what we are doing is morally right, and that our words must constitute the right action or else we will lose touch with reality.