Week 7 - Fair is foul and foul is fair...

Your task: Watch this short clip of Act I, scene i from Macbeth. (There are actually lots of great Macbeth video clips on YouTube. Some are even school projects by other high school students.) Does this video clip portray the witches as you had imagined them? Is there another video that does a better job? Or had you pictured something entirely different as you read about the witches in the beginning of the play? Watch the video, create your own post about your idea for the witches, and comment on another post by Monday, April 6. Have fun! Fair is foul and foul is fair....

Macbeth Blog

Destiny,to me, parallels Faith. I was granted free will, and the ability to voice and follow it, this doesn't mean I have the exclusive rights to my future, or Destiny if you must, but that God has given me the power to make my own decisions, even though he already knows what they will be. Because I am a human, with inherant flaws, I will make mistakes and the wrong decisions. So to say that the means ALWAYS justifies the end is arrogant. We all stumble and slip up and with the privelage that is free will, comes the responsiblity to admit when we are wrong and accept the consequences to it.

Character analysis

Willy- I think that he was kind of a selfesh man. Really all that he wanted was the best for his family but tried making it happen in all the wrong ways. All he seemed to care about was money and being well known and it ended up mkaing him have a major downfall.
Biff- Biff in high school seemed to be the all american boy. He was a good athlete, good looking, and well liked. He seemed kind of careless though about the things in life that really mattered. He just wanted to be in the country.
Hap- He seemed to be the peacemaker. He would always try to tell everyone what they wanted to hear to make all the problems go away.
Linda-She was happy with what she had and how things were and she seemed to just want Willy to be happy with everything. She really loved Willy too. She just wanted everyone to get along.

Destiny?

Statement 1: I totally agree with it. Everyday we face choices about our lives whether they be big ones that will effect our lives as a whole, or little ones that just effect the present. You have the opportunity to choose your own path. Your destiny is set by you.

Statement 2: I also agree with this statement. I think that if you reach your goals, then the result will be what you wanted. You will get a sort of reward at the end of the journey.

Macbeth

In answer to the two statments that were posted:
Statement 1: You are the maker of your own destiny.
Statement 2: If you reach your goal, the end always justifies the means.
I believe that we are free to make our own chocies but we can't choose the consequences to our actions.
In response to statment 2, I believe we should not go against our moral standing to get to the end, for if we do then I believe we never really got to the end.
Glenn

Master of you Own Domain

I believe we are the makers of our own destinies to an extent. The choices we make ultimatley affect our position in life. There is a higher force than us that has set the path for us to make the choices that will lead us to our destinies. I also believe that if you achieve your ultimate goal in life you will be completely happy with all the costs it took to achieve it. The feeling of confidence and achievement is on that is not earned easily. We all must make sacrafices in order to achieve our goals in life.

Whats Between The Lines In Destiny?

The Statement that we make our own destiny is for the most ways true...we can't choose our birth right but our future is ours to mold into what we find comfortable and interesting. With hard work your dreams and ambitions seem to fall into place. The statement that the means is justified is somewhat true in my mind. Everyday people compete for jobs in this strickened economy and the loser goes home. This is a natural way that business grows and thrives. We must push others to survive. Although we as a species have grown to be more intelligent the rules of nature still apply. "kill" or be "killed" if you will. This world isn't always fair so the means rule can be bent a little in my opinion.

Macbeth

1 - Yes, I believe we are the makers of our own destinys. The things that happen in our lives are the results of the actions and choices that we made. I think every thing we do has an effect on someone else.
2 - The end doesn't always justify the means. I think if you have a goal and attain it, then you have done well. But what kind of path did you take to get there? Did you have to step on several others, and push people out of your way to get there? Or did you reach your goal because you worked hard and good at what you do? I believe the path to the end is just as important is the end itself.

Death of a Salesman

I know this is late.
I thought that the whole problem this the Loman family is that they live in their own world thinking: that they will make it big because they are Loman, they can keep secrets from each other and when they are together they lie to each other. I think that Willy didn't realize all he had going for him until it is to late and it is all falling apart before his eyes. Happy it seems does exactly what his name states if things turn out wrong he lies to make it better and keep you happy in your ignorance. Biff is the only one of the Loman men that really is finally tired of the lies and tries to come clean, and pick up the pieces and start again. Linda is the one I think that is tired of all the lies, but doesn't have the courage to make things right. I thouhgt that "The Crucible" was better.
Glenn

Week 6 - Macbeth

We'll soon be reading one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies, Macbeth. Before we start reading, I want to hear your ideas on some of the themes found in Macbeth. In this week's post, please respond to the following two statements. Tell us if you agree or disagree and explain why. Also, don't forget to comment on a classmate's post as well. This needs to be finished by Monday, March 30 at 8 a.m.

Statement 1: You are the maker of your own destiny.
Statement 2: If you reach your goal, the end always justifies the means.

Character Analysis

Willy Loman:
He is sort of an intelligent man, but he's been through some hard times in his life. He even kills himself in the end of the movie. I believe it's safe to say that he was starting to go crazy.

Biff:
Biff thinks that he's always going to be a disappointment to his dad. Biff doesn't even really try, in my eyes, to please his dad.

Happy:
Just as his nickname, Happy is always happy. He's kind of the glue that holds the family together. He cares deeply for his family and wants his family to stay together.

Linda:
I'm not fond of her character. I think she is too much of a hypochondriac. Everything that Biff does is wrong to her. Either way you look at it Biff is still her son. Linda is always yelling at Biff to be nice to his father and try to fulfill his dream.

Willy!?!? Is That You Out There In The Prairie Grass?

Mr Willy Loman....author of the heavens....creator of the fantasy world known as "Death of a Salesman." The characters in this story are so detailed down to the smallest of details. Happy, Biff, Linda, Willy, and Porkchop all are very emotional characters and have something to say about anything. Willy is a very depressed man with alot of stuff going on inside his head. Biff is a misunderstood young man, who is plagued by what his father said to him once. Linda loves her family and just wants everything to be fine. Happy is just trying to stay out of everything and keep the peace. Willy has so much going on in his head about biff being unsuccessful that he eventually drives himself crazy. Porkchop lives in an igloo right by the Lomans house. Doug, who his best friends with Skeeter are very adventurous and like to have alot of fun. Rodger is always trying to find ways to embarrass these two in any way he can. To be honest, i didn't like Willy any because of the way he acted. He was kind of a drama queen! He was a turd Ferguson, a real chicken dinner, a scrumdidilyumpcious! In my opinion, i think that Willy would have been better off staying with the girl he cheated with. She was a fox, plus she wasn't prude by any means! GO WILLY!!
:)
GO TEAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

BEN? IS THAT YOU?!

Willy is an odd character. I feel bad for him. He tried for over thirty years to build up a dream. A dream that included money and having friends in all parts of the country. Everyone could look up and laugh and love him because he is so great. But that didn't happen. In the end, he sort of went senile and suicidal because his dreams failed him. He wanted to be like his brother Ben, who came out of the jungle rich (a real jungle or a metaphorical one?). I liked Willy, he tried his hardest, but a sad fact is that sometimes dreams don't come true, no matter how hard you try.

Death of a Salesman

I really think the bottom line, underlying problem of the Loman family is that not one single family member is willing to accept their plot in life. Willy wants to be loved and remembered, the only way to become immortal is to be remembered. He isn't as obsessed with money as most antithesis' concerning the American Dream are. He will accept unearned money from his neighbor if it means he can continue to work at a non-paying job that leads to interactions with people and having them love and respect him, even if it means mooching. His wife enables Willy's problems and insecurities because she feels it's a reflection of her own failure as a loving wife. She blames her son's and her husbands ungrateful company for his unhappiness and silently plays the dutiful wife to keep her hands clean. All the while, Biff wants nothing more than to simply be seen. Either as a success, a failure, neither--he just wants to be loved for who he is, but his father loves important success stories so he accepts that he doesn't deserve to be loved and ops for staying away. I think it's an extremely relatable example of both kids and parents putting their hopes and dreams in the other and assuming the responsiblity and consequence when it surely fails.

Week 5 - Death of a Salesman

For your next post, I want to read your thoughts about the characters in Death of a Salesman. What do you think of Willy Loman? What about the rest of his family? Do you think they are sympathetic characters? Likable? Really, I'm just asking for your supported opinions about the characters. Also, be sure to COMMENT on someone else's post. This is due by Monday, March 23, at 8:00 a.m. Have fun!

YOUR Dreams

My dream is to attend college for a year, after which I plan on going on a two year church mission. When I get back from my mission I want to pursue a career in either engineering, the agricultural field, or in the medical field. During my that time I want to get married and have a family. Also be successful in what ever I plan on doing, or at least learn from my mistakes and never repeat them.
Glenn

Some Day

I have many dreams. At the beginning of my senior year, my goal was to experience as many new things as I possibly could. Fortunately for me, I have been able to do that. New experiences are given to us every day. It's just a matter of whether we take or leave them. I feel like a new person this year. I've grown out my shell and grown as a person. I'm ready to begin a life as more than a highschooler. I dream of going to college and becoming successful, whether it's through art or something else along the way. I dream of one day getting married and having kids of my own. I dream of being able to influence others' lives, the way that so many have positively influenced me. I dream of exploring new things while remembering the old. "Make new friends, and keep the old--one is silver and the other gold."

My Big Dream

First of all, I just want to make it through to graduation. After high school, I'm going to the University of Central Missouri and am entered in the Honors College there. I'm majoring in secondary education with a minor in mathematics. So yeah, I want to be a middle school math teacher. I know, I know. Everyone calls me crazy and gives me a funny look when I say that, but it's what I really want to do with my life. After I get my Bachelor's degree I plan on getting married, and pursuing my Master's. Other than that, I just plan on going with the flow of life. :)

dreams, but not really, but seriously

My dream is probably like everyone elses, finish college, get a job that I love, and just do whatever it is I want to do. I know I want to travel and see new places, meet my family that lives in the Phillippines (because I haven't ever). And being an artistic person I'd like to sell some art work and perhaps write a book. I'd also like to be a Guitar Hero.

lolz~

My Dream

Talking about my personal dreams on a public blog in Mt. Vernon MO is kind of hard for me to do. I've never been an athlete, or had a publicly assimilated family with any semblance of immunity from it. I've had the same aspirations for ten years, and for ten years they've been misunderstood or frowned upon. I'm not gay, and I don't want to be a ballerina dancer. All I want is to choreograph and be successful in my own eyes. I've realized that the terms regarding a successful life in small town MO aren't going to work for. I've had to dance in spite of a community instead of for them and with their support, making me more determined, and the end result that much more rewarding.

American Dream poetry...sorry it took so long

Poems of the american dream are everywhere. They mean much more than the individual words that compose them. Apart the words mean little, but together they can describe a persons goals for their one and only life. I read the Poem " A dream within a dream", and although there were parts i did not understand the poem as a whole made sense. Poe was just longing to keep hold of the things that fade from life for just one more moment. I think we all wish we could have just one more moment with something that has faded from our lives, but in the end all things fade and become mearly dust in the wind. So we should not focus on what we did not get accomplished, rather we should focus on accomplishing much more with the opprotunites to come.

Future plans

Well let's see..... If i have learned anything from the past week of my life, it is that although your sure you know what your life is going to turn out like you never really know. Expect the unexpected and some of the greatest blessings in life seem like mistakes at first. My future plans are somewhat undecided. I know that I am going to college at Evangel to play football and that im going to most likely major in Enviromental biology. I hope to take that degree into some type of outdoor oriented job. My dream is to just be happy with what i have done with my life. For right now though, i am just enjoying being a teenager while I still can. We have our whole lives to be grown ups so we might as well be kids for a while.

My Personal Dream

My Dream after i graduate highschool is to go to OTC (Pretty lame.. lol) for 1 year and then transfer to St. Johns Radiology School. which is a 2 year program in radiology Techincian and then i want to specialize in sonography.. which is Ultra sound! :D im really excited!! Also at some point in time i want to settle down and have a family!! Oh.. and after i work for forever.. lol. when i get close to retiring or after working for awhile and get good hours.. i plan to own my own bakery/mini cafe-resturant type place!! Im really looking forward to that!! Its really cool though when you look at it, because other people (americans) are going to be incooperated into my american dream!! like i would be interacting with them in my jobs, and people coming to my resturant and supporting it, and so on!! thats my dream as an american!!!

My dreams and goals...

One of my main goals for the rest of my high school career is to just enjoy it. I dont want to slack off and completly be lazy i just want to enjoy myself. I want to be able to look back at high school and know that i participated in everything that i wanted to and just enjoyed my life. Next year my dream is to keep my GPA at atleast a 3.0. I hope i have enough drive and will power to stay deticated to my school work and do all that i am capable of doing. After college i just hope that i go into a career that is going to make me happy and not do it for the money but just because i love it.

My Dream: Living for myself

My dream is to become something in music; whether it's being part of Celtic Woman or becoming a professional singer. I know these dreams are far beyond my life right now but someday they will be within reach. Living my life as I want to live it is my American Dream. I don't want anybody to tell me how to live it. I want to make my own mistakes and learn from them. It may take a while, but in the end it's worth it.

Freedom Fighters

American girls and american guysWell always stand up and saluteWell always recognizeWhen we see old glory flyingTheres a lot of men deadSo we can sleep in peace at nightWhen we lay down our headMy daddy served in the armyWhere he lost his right eyeBut he flew a flag out in our yardUntil the day that he diedHe wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and meTo grow up and live happyIn the land of the free.Now this nation that I loveHas fallen under attackA mighty sucker punch came flyin inFrom somewhere in the backSoon as we could see clearlyThrough our big black eyeMan, we lit up your worldLike the 4th of julyHey uncle samPut your name at the top of his listAnd the statue of libertyStarted shakin her fistAnd the eagle will flyMan, its gonna be hellWhen you hear mother freedomStart ringin her bellAnd it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on youBrought to you courtesy of the red white and blue. "Toby Keith" Freedom Fighter for the American Dream


I also choose this selection because it truly speaks to me as an American. I feel like the Amercan dream is to have true patriotism. To have a pure and honest love for this country is what all Americans should strive for. They should be willing to put themselves on the front line for their country, and of course put a boot in the backside of anyone that is not.

My own A.D. :)

It's probably cliche to say my dream is to become successful & live my life to the fullest, but honestly thats the simpliest way to explain what i want in life. It's always been a dream to go far in softball. I push myself to become the best i can be. With loads of practice, dedication and hard work, its only the start of achieving my American Dream. :]
On the other side of things, with the future plans of college, realizing there is more to the world than the controlled enviroment during high school, and (farther down the road) starting a family, its my dream to achieve the goals i've set for my future. :]

My Dreams: The Carousel of Progress

In my life i wish to achieve immortality. Once achieved, I think I will be happy with my life and I will be able to go to sleep at night and realize that no one can hurt me. It will take many months and years of hardships and overcoming goals to reach this state of living. Before all of this i am going to go 4 years at MSSU in Joplin and pursue a Biology major and see where that takes me too. Physical Therapy? or something like that. After all of this I will try to round up all 7 of the dragon balls and summon Shenron to grant me the wish of immortality. Vegeta will probably try to stop me but I will stun him with my tazer rifle. After all of this i plan on starting a family and then hiring Bulma to look for the dragon balls for me again
GL

Who Knows What They Want?

At this age in life, I find myself choosing my path: school, occupation, salaries, taxes BBBBLLLAAHHH! I know we are human and it's our nature to be logical beings but I don't understand the need for constant planning and organization. Can't success come from our own observation and experience? This belief following the beaten path is the best bet. Why as a species cant was just simply exist. My dream is for enlightment for mankind. It's time to slow down and enjoy day to day beauty. Be successful without letting the idea of success own you. My path should be successful just because I chose it. let's "live" a little.

America=Eqaulity

This poem symbolizes the black discrimination as a whole and the black communities want for equality, We as a new generation have never seen the elements of ineqaulity and I believe that that is a blessing in itself. From my perspective, my relationship with my bestfriend would be looked down upon. The poem shows the contradictions of slavery to the exact thing amercia stands for, and thats freedom and eqaulity.

Week 4 - YOUR Dreams

So we've spent lots of time writing and talking about the American Dream in the context of history and of literature. Now I want you to spend some time reflecting your own personal dreams. As we near the last quarter of your senior year, what are YOUR dreams? For the next few months? For life after high school?

Who knows? Someday we might be reading your short stories or talking about your historical speeches!

Your task: Create your post about your own dream and comment on at least one other post by Monday, March 9. Have fun!

Mrs. W

I really liked the particular poem by Langston Hughes because i think it really showed what these people thought of America back then. Their idea of the American dream seemed so simple to ours today. They simply wanted to be free and have the same rights as everyone else while in todays society you have to have money and fame to be living the American dream. I really liked the part in the poem wher it says, "O, let America be America again".

American Poetry

I read two poems about Americans (provided by Mrs. Witt) that talked about singing freely. In Walt Whitman's "I Hear America Singing" he writes about several different American lives, how each one is similar because they sing together in freedom, and how they're different because each sings a song of their own. Langston Hugh's "I, Too, Sing America" sounds like a response to Whitman's poem. He too sings a song about freedom, and how one day blacks will be able to be free to sing and laugh in the same kitchen as white people.

+1 vote dumbledore