jueves, 3 de diciembre de 2009

Assigment # 3 post modernist literature

1. Which 2 readings did you choose, and why did you choose them?

I read The Secret Pilgrim and Crash, because I thought they could be interesting.
2. Are these readings very good or excellent examples of post-modernist literature, basing your analysis on the ppt presentations given in class? Why/Why Not?

I think they are very good, for example The Secret Pilgrim In many senses it is a collection of short stories, tied together as Ned's recollection. Many of them are recognisable anecdotes or urban legends within the British Intelligence community. The theme of the book is the moral ambiguity of spying, which forms the basis of Smiley's lectures, and also Ned's description of his own growing self-awareness.

And Crash It is a story about car-crash sexual fetishism, its protagonists become sexually aroused by staging and participating in real car-crashes. It was written in a highly sensationalized manner.
Gathering around Vaughan is a group of alienated people, all of them former crash victims, who follow him in his pursuit to re-enact the crashes of celebrities, and experience what the narrator calls "a new sexuality, born from a perverse technology".
3. Of all the readings you did this semester, which one was your favourite? Why?

A Dangerous Man is very interesting production, because it shows things such as racism, politics, homosexuality and homages which occurred during difficult times after World War I, like in the Victorian era. The film is more overtly political than its predecessor, but also tries to further explore Lawrence's enigmatic personality.

4. Of the 3 time periods we looked at this semester (Victorian, Modernist & Post-Modernist), which did you enjoy the most? Why?

I enjoyed most was the Victorian era, because I think it has most interesting things that we have to know nowadays.

martes, 27 de octubre de 2009

Blog Assignment #2: Modernist Literature

Modernist Literature


1. Which two readings did you complete from the readings list provided?

I read The Big Sleep and The Quiet American.

2. Based on these readings compare and contrast with 3 examples with the themes ppt presentation in class from the modernist culture and literature.


The big sleep
The big sleep shows the Cynicism and corruption in the war, The Big Sleep takes place in a big city in America during the 1930s the period of the Great Depression when America was, as a whole, disillusioned and cynical about its prospects for the future.

Chandler mentions money throughout the novel as an ideal, a goal for the seedy crime ring that lives within the novel. Many of the characters kill and bribe for money. The opening page of the novel claims that Marlowe is "dressed up" because he is about to enter a house that is worth millions. Money, in short, is something that is coveted, enjoyed, and respected.


This makes perfect sense given that the economy of the 1930s in America was in serious turmoil. Also, many of the characters find themselves in troublesome situations, such as Agnes Lozelle and Harry Jones, therefore mirroring the desperation in which Americans found themselves throughout the period about which Chandler is writing.


The Corruption of American Society Branching out of the cynicism of the Great Depression, Chandler chooses not only to represent a world of money-hungry people, but also chooses to make this world dark and corrupt.

The Quiet American
It shows the excessive Idealism to put it simply, an idealist is one who imagines that the world can be a much better place than it is.

Obsessed with the way things could be, he remains mired in dissatisfaction and bitterness about the way things actually are. Although the wish to help the poor is a noble sentiment, dreams of starting over, erasing history, and wiping out all religious belief are simply not realizable.

Moreover, being unable to bring about the impossible leads the lieutenant to feelings of frustration and anger, an even more keen awareness of how imperfect the world is, and hatred for those people whom he views as obstacles to the realization of his dream. Moreover, his conviction that he knows what is best for the people is itself a form of arrogance.

3. Do you feel the works you read are very good or excellent representations of modernist literature? why? why not?

I feel the works are good representations of modernist literature, because they show things that accurate in this time such as idealism, cynicism and corruption.


4.Would you recommend the readings to friends or family? why? why not?

I would like to recommend these stories people who want to know about what happened in the past about idealism, cynicism and corruption in the war.

miércoles, 30 de septiembre de 2009

LITERATURE II

Assigment #1: Victorian Literature
1.Which 2 readings did you complete from the reading list provided (or from your own selections)?

- I read A Dangerous Man and Hearts of Darkness
2.Based on these readings, compare (3 examples) and contrast (3 examples) the works you read with themes from the ppt presentations given in class on Victorian Culture and Literature.

A Dangerous Man is very interesting production, because it shows things such as racism, politics, homosexuality and homages which occurred during difficult times after World War I, like in the Victorian era. The film is more overtly political than its predecessor, but also tries to further explore Lawrence's enigmatic personality.
Hearts and darkness talks about light and darkness of the struggle of god and it refer to Africa in the Victorian era with the attributes of darkness to Africans by the British, and it explores the issues surrounding imperialism in complicated ways on the other hand, is open about the fact that he does not trade but rather takes ivory by force, and he describes his own treatment of the natives with the words suppression and extermination it does not hide the fact that he rules through violence and intimidation.
3.Do you feel that the works you read are very good or excellent representations of Victorian Literature? Why/Why Not?
I think these are good representations because the writers showed different things such as politics, society, money and various mysteries which were not treated freely within people, because they were trying to hide things as much as possible.
4.Would you recommend the readings to friends or family? Why/ Why Not?
On the one hand I would not recommend these stories to you because there are many deaths, but on the other hand yes, because there are also interesting and entertaining things that people might like to read

lunes, 25 de mayo de 2009

LITERATURE I/2009

Shakespeare and Early Modern English/ Negrete Karen




1. Define and explain, The Great Vowel Shift.

The Great Vowel Shift was a major change in the pronunciation of the English language that took place in the south of England. The Great Vowel Shift was an important event between Middle English and modern English it has two highest long vowels became diphthongs.

2. Name 5 dialects of Modern English.

-American English
-Australian English
-Canadian English
-Indo-Pakistani English
-New Zealand English

3. One of the problems with Early Modern English was a lack of uniformity in spelling. Which 2 people (1-English, 1-American) helped establish standardized spelling?

Samuel Johnson, English
Noah Webster, American

4. How many countries in the world have given Modern English official status?

There are 12 countries.

5. the most recent statistics show that approximately how many people speak Modern English as a: I. First language? II. Second Language?

There are over 508 million speakers.

6. When was Early Modern English spoken?

It was spoken since the Great Vowel Shift

7. How are the use of Pronouns different between Early Modern & Modern English?

The standardisation of English spelling falls within the Early Modern English period and is influenced by conventions predating the Great Vowel Shift, explaining much of the non-phonetic spelling of contemporary Modern English.

8. Which language families does Modern English belong in?

American English, Australian English, British English, Canadian English, Caribbean English, Hiberno-English, Indo-Pakistani English, New Zealand English, Philippine English, Singaporean English, and South African English.

9. Name 4 worldwide uses for Modern English.
There are:
-Business relations
-Economic
-Education
-Entertainment
-Internet

10. In your opinion, what was the greatest influence on the spread of Modern English around the world? Why?

I think the great influence is the economic of the United States, because they have controlled and manage of the economic and business in many places of our world.

11. There has been a lot of controversy over the true authorship of Shakespeare's writings. Which 3 people are also candidates as the possible authors of Shakespeare's plays?

They are Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, William Stanley and Edward de Vere.

12. Briefly explain The Oxfordian Theory.

The case for Oxford's authorship is based on perceived similarities between Oxford's biography and events in Shakespeare's plays. Oxfordians point to the acclaim of Oxford's contemporaries regarding his talent as a poet and a playwright, his reputation as a concealed poet, and his connections to London theatre and the contemporary playwrights of Shakespeare's day. Supporters of the standard view, often referred to as "Stratfordian" or "Mainstream", dispute all contentions in favour of Oxford. Aside from the issue of Oxford's early death, their main argument against the theory, they assert that the connections between Oxford's life and the plots of Shakespeare's plays are conjectural.

13. Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, which according to the Folio Classification, fall into 3 categories. Name the 3 categories.

There are:

-Plays
-Sonnets
-Poems

14. In which town was Shakespeare born?

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon.

15. Which famous London theatre (built by actors, for actors) is connected with Shakespeare's plays?

The Blackfriars indoor theatre

16. Even though Richard III is the most performed play, Hamlet is Shakespeare's most famous play. In your opinion, what does this portion of Hamlet's famous soliloquy mean:

To be or not to be, that is the question;Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to sufferThe slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,And by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep;No more; and by a sleep to say we endThe heart-ache and the thousand natural shocksThat flesh is heir to — 'tis a consummationDevoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub,...

17. Name 5 post-Shakespearean artists whose work was heavily influenced by the writings of William Shakespeare.

-Henry Fuseli, William Faulkner, Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, Herman Melville.

18. Which of Shakespeare's plays are included in The Wars of the Roses series?

-Henry VI
-Edward IV
-Edward V
-Richard III
-Henry VII

19. Shakespeare wrote most of his works in blank verse composed in iambic pentameter. What is blank verse & iambic pentameter?

Blank verse: is a type of poetry, distinguished by having a regular meter, but no rhyme. In English, the meter most commonly used with blank verse has been iambic pentameter.

Iambic pentameter: it used in poetry and drama. It describes a particular rhythm that the words established in each line. That rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables are called "feet". The word "iambic" describes the type of foot that is used. The word "pentameter" indicates that a line has five of these "feet".

20. Name 4 actors from Shakepeare's original company.

The original cast Barbara Barrie (Sarah) Charles Braswell (Larry) Susan Browning (April) George Coe (David) Steve Elmore (Paul) Beth Howland (Amy)

21. What were the Wars of the Roses (1377-1485)?

The Wars of the Roses were a series of bloody dynastic civil wars between supporters of the rival houses of Lancaster and York, for the throne of England. They are generally accepted to have been fought in several spasmodic episodes between 1455 and 1487

22. Why was this war called the Wars of the Roses?

Because the war of the roses has origins in the badges associated with the two royal houses, the White Rose of York and the Red Rose of Lancaster. While the roses were occasionally used as symbols during the wars.

23. What were the names of the 2 houses which fought in this war?

The two royal houses, the White Rose of York and the Red Rose of Lancaster

24. What prompted this civil war to begin?

The antagonism between the two houses started with the overthrow of King Richard II by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, in 1399. Richard its government had been highly unpopular and Bolingbroke returned from exile, initially to reclaim his rights as Duke of Lancaster. With the support of most of the nobles, Bolingbroke then deposed Richard and was crowned as Henry IV

25. How did the war end?

Edward then reigned peacefully until his death (1483), but his uncle, Edward IV’s youngest brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, usurped the throne as Richard III. The alienated nobles threw their support behind Henry Tudor, the claimant from the House of Lancaster. With their aid and that of the French, his forces defeated Richard’s army at the Battle of Bosworth Field (1485). Richard himself was killed in a bold but futile charge against the rebels, and Henry Tudor then assumed the throne as King Henry VII, the first king in the Tudor dynasty. Thus did the Wars of the Roses end at last. After decades of bloody civil war, the English people were grateful for the peace and prosperity they experienced under Henry VII, who reigned until his death from tuberculosis in 1509.

26. Which Kings of England were participants in the Wars of the
Roses?

- King Edward IV
- King Henry VI
- Richard III
- Edward V
- Henry VII

sábado, 16 de mayo de 2009

COMPOSITION I/2009

Biography Paragraph/Negrete Karen
My Classmate

He has been living in Macul for twenty years with his family. Now, he has a girlfriend. Her name is Johanna. They have been together for seven months and he would like to get married to her in the future. In his free time, Diego Caceres loves to play soccer with his friends, but he doesn´t like it when his girlfriend is looking at him. He feels very nervous. It’s much better for him to play without her presence. Diego feels very good about himself right now and he would like to be a good English Teacher in the future.

lunes, 11 de mayo de 2009

COMPOSITION I/2009

I Love My Thesis to Pieces/ Negrete Karen

1. What do the words thesis and dissertation, mean?

Thesis means position and refer to an intelligent position also thesis means a statement in a logical way and presented with evidence in order to prove that it is true.
Dissertation is a document that presents the author's research and findings and a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one written for a university degree.


2. What is the difference between a thesis and a dissertation?

The difference between a thesis and a dissertation is that dissertation is a research´s document but thesis is an opinion about an analysis document and the person who writes it has a posture about a subject.


3. List 10 (ten) components of a thesis.

· Title
· Dedication
· Acknowledgements
· Abstract
· Table of Consents
· Table of Figures
· Table of Tables
· Table of Abbreviations
· Introduction
· Motivation

4. Define the following terms:


a. title page: is the name of the thesis that describes it.

b. abstract: is a short piece of writing containing the main ideas in a document, It will be most read by people and should be written with a great care, It is About the problem you want to solve and about your solution – how you solve the problem.

c. table of contents: they are the contents that the writer is going to use.


d. annotated bibliography: is the list of different references.

e. introduction: is the first part of information that gives a general idea of what is to follow in the topic.


f. materials and methods: materials are the different type of information or ideas used in the thesis and methods are a particular way of doing the thesis, it will be planned and organized.

g. Results: they are the final things that are achieved successfully, based in the main question.


5. What is a style guide?

style guide is a set of standards for design and writing of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication or organization.

6. What is an examining committee?

They are the persons who evaluate the thesis.
7. In Canada, how many pages is the average undergraduate thesis?

In Canada a classic undergraduate thesis has forty pages.


8. What are the 4 verdicts, you can receive on your thesis?

Accepted / pass with no corrections.RevisionsExtensive revision required.Inaceptable

9. What is a thesis committee?

The thesis committee is a group that supervises your work, the progress. They take the oral examination of the thesis.

10. Describe the process of submission of the thesis?

Is when the thesis must be approved by the committee and accepted by the members of the student's committee. It should be prepared in agreement with the instructions given in the Style Guide.

11. Define the term, thesis statement.

A thesis statement is a focused section of text which clearly delineates the argument that will be presented in a proposed. It should be prepared in order to determine if it is too broad or too narrow, it is a useful instrument for investigating.

12. Now that you've answered these questions, do you feel that writing a thesis will be hell? Explain.

I think I have to work very hard if I want to do a good job, also thesis requires to spend a lot of
time, dedication, different kind of information, own knowledges. Obviously I feel a bit nervous.

jueves, 30 de abril de 2009

COMPOSITION I/2009

Writing Assignment/Autobiography Paragraph/Negrete, Karen
A FRIENDLY GIRL

I can be charming when I want to be. Sometimes, I get angry easily because I have a strong personality, but I am a good person with my friends and family. I can be your best friend, too.