William Collage

Reflection for Alchemist and Julius Caesar Essay

Idea's and Content

When I select my ideas that I am going to write about, I try to pick the best ones to use and not any idea that sounds like I'm desperate for ideas. For example for my Alchemist essay it took me a very long time to think of ideas of how Santiago stayed positive because I thought that my quotes and idea was similar to him being brave, so I do like to think about my ideas and content. To improve how I express my ideas, well I don't really know how I would do that, but I would just use the teachers notes. In both essays I was noted that my ideas apparently don't relate back to the main idea so I think that I should work on that. Also, ask the teacher for help.

Organization

Well, I always follow the structure the teacher wants us to use, because it's stupid if you don't because then you would just completly fail that part of the grade. I have a thesis statement and a conclusion paragraph at the end. I think I could link each paragrapgh more effectively.

Personal Growth

Well, there was a decline it the letter grade. In the Alchemist, I didn't ask for help because I thought i wouldnt have time. When I got an A- I was really surprised because I thought it was bad. I wish now that I had asked for help because I think I could have got an A or A+. In the Brutus essay I think that I was lower because we didnt pratice wrting a whole draft and letting the teachers read it over. I think I could have gotten a higher score if the teachers proof read it. I'm not so good at pointing out my mistakes.

SLR Reflection

Reason Critically. I use this slr because I try to pick the best ideas and the right way to express my ideas.

Brutus Essay

William Costley

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Humanities Pink

Ms. Smith

Brutus

“And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg, Which hatch’d, as his kind, grow mischievous And kill him in his shell.” This quote tells us that Brutus has decided to kill his beloved friend Caesar because he sees Caesar becoming good side becoming ‘naughty’. Brutus was motivated to kill Caesar because he loved Rome and he wanted to keep Rome as a Republic.

Brutus is a character that poses extremely high love for Rome, which allows Brutus to overcome his personal relationship with Caesar. Brutus loves Rome and doesn’t want them to be slaves and loose all their freedom. We know Brutus loves Rome because when Brutus says, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I love Rome more”. Brutus says this straight after he has killed Caesar, which proves that he had overcome his relationship with Caesar because he admits that it was because of love and also tells the people too that he loves them more. This quote really shows that Brutus was motivated to kill Caesar over love because Brutus use’s it as his very own defense of why he killed Caesar and this quote tells ‘us’ why he killed Caesar. Another quote that shows Brutus killed Caesar because his love for Rome is when Brutus says, “Lets be sacrificers, not butchers, Caius. We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar, and in the spirit of men there is no blood.” This quote is when Brutus is with Cassius and the other conspirators, telling him that they should kill Caesar because they would look like murderers and that the whole thing would look like they were killing Caesar because they hated them. It tells us that Brutus has forgotten his personal issues with Brutus and is doing it for Rome and their freedom; not because he hates Caesar and wants him dead, which I think is what Cassius is doing. Brutus is clearly saying showing through his words that he is an extremely honourable man and he does things (like assassinating Caesar) for his people because he loves them and believes that if Caesar would become a tyrant then the people would loose all their freedom. Brutus loves them so much he would kill for them to be free. Brutus was unmistakably motivated by love to kill his friend Caesar.

Gaining honour from his ancestors, Brutus feels that it his responsibility to defend the democracy of Rome and attack the close coming dictatorship. He feels that it his responsibility because his ancestors also took out the dictatorship, so he wants to follow their footsteps, plus by having so much honour he is naturally motivated to keep the democracy. Just before Caesar was going to be crowned king of Rome he said, “Et tu Brute? Then fall Caesar!” This quote tells us that Brutus had killed Caesar finally and had killed him right before he became a tyrant. This quotation tells us that Brutus had killed Caesar just when was about to become King. I think that Brutus wouldn’t have killed Caesar so soon if Caesar wasn’t being crowned king so quickly. Like Brutus killed Caesar on the day he was going to become king, which shows that he was prepared to kill him whenever the time came. Also, as we think that Brutus was still overcoming his relationship with Caesar, but killed him without hesitation really signifies Brutus’s desperation and honour for a democracy. Brutus totally pushed his friendship with Caesar away and his responsibility of keeping the democracy kicked in a huge amount motivating him to kill Caesar. Here is another quote, which supports that Brutus was motivated because he wanted to keep a democracy. When Brutus says, “Another general shout? I do believe that these applauses are For some new honours are heap’d on Caesar.” Brutus has noticed the people cheering for Caesar and fears that Caesar is gaining new power and he could become a king. This quote tells us that he is thinking about the safety of the Roman Republic and this scene is also when Brutus tells us that he is at war with himself. This quote tells us that his desire of sustaining a democracy is motivating him to kill his friend, which I believe is probably a very frightening thought to be thinking. However, it clearly shows that Brutus is motivated to kill Caesar because of Caesar being a tyrant and losing the democracy. I think that Brutus is also doing this because he feels that if he doesn’t fulfill his responsibility then he would be bringing shame upon his ancestors. Brutus’s responsibility of having of maintaining a democracy motivates him to kill Caesar.

Brutus’s was in a cloud of emotions and thoughts, which gave him tough decisions to make. Brutus’s love for Rome and his responsibility of keeping the Roman Republic motivated him to kill one of his most loyal and loving friends. Brutus achieved his goal by successfully stabbing Caesar, however, when he thought the people of Rome would be on his side, they unfortunately were not. Instead they turned against his actions and reasons and wanted to brutally murder him. I do not know whether it was entirely worthy or not. Brutus and the other conspirators would predict that Caesar would be a mean, snake like man that would cast the Romans into slavery and look down upon them as if they were stupid. The unfairness of this is that the conspirators did not know what Caesar would have been like or what he would have done. They completely jumped to rash conclusions, which made them kill one of the most powerful men that have ever lived. Plus, I don’t think that Caesar would have captured so much of Italy and increase the population and then suddenly put them all in slavery. But I understand why Brutus wanted to kill him and respect that but I feel that they should have completely got the people on their side too. For example, if Caesar was snake like and horrible then I’m sure the people would have went with Brutus (including Antony) but the people are like sheep and change their mind so easily. Therefore I think the conspirators should have waited for a more appropriate time to kill Caesar.

I-Movie.

There is no Heaven on Earth

I thought I was going to die on that terrible night. The ground I was sleeping on shuddered constantly like the giants, in my grandfather's stories, were coming to squash our village. However, it was worse than a giant, it was like we were witnessing the devil. My family were being slaughtered in front of my own eyes, so I ran as far away as possible. I walked for so long, I probably the whole of Sudan. There were thousands of other Dinka boys walking with me through the Sudan, battling the murderous sun. Boys would just fall on the sizzling floor and they wouldn't wake up. The sun was killing us one by one and I could feel it's hot breath on my blistering back ready to dry me out.

We came to a refugee camp in Kenya where they took care of us and gave us the name "Lost Boys". After some years the camp told us that we were going to live in America! We would get work!

When we arrived in America it was all so strange. You see, the whole place was so clean and there were so many white people. I felt very out of place in America because I felt that I was too black even amongst the black community. The refugee people introduced us to our new homes and showed us all these crazy things like using this electricity. Well, it was all so interesting and exciting. However as life went on, things got tougher and my room mates were becoming so untidy. Only me and Peter were helping out around the apartment. We became good friends Peter and I so I told him that soon we were going to go and buy a house together and buy a beautiful car... But sooner I realised that what I had said was all just a fantasy; like our African myths.

Life in America is very stressful because my family want me to send money, but my work doesn't give me much money therefore it is hard to help then when I am struggling here myself. I think that my family back in Africa will be angry at me and this makes me feel extremely bleak. Even Peter has gone to live this new life in Kansas and he left me so abruptly which shattered me because I feel even more lonely and frustrated. As life went on, life got harder. The Ameircan culture has countless rules! They are bizarre! I really wish the SPLA had informed us about these regulations! Oh my gosh... It is so dreadful!

The white culture can really offence me. They think that all the black people are criminals and they cower like little calves that are being attacked by a lion. But the white people have a reason to be scared because the black people here have the characteristics of a criminal and this is bad because us Dinka tribe are not criminals.

I have trProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

d to forget my Dinka culture because my Dinka culture is nothing like America. It is harder than I thought it would be because I don't know anything about the American culture. We go to work (which I have gotten good at), we eat and then nothing else. There is not much to live for. It has not gotten better since Africa. Today they ask me to pay the rent, so I got my money and put in the place where they collected it. Some days later they told me that they didn't get it. These people dont know hw hard it is to pay the rent on a 7$ per hour salary! I don't know what they will do now.

What I think will happen in two years or more, is impossible to say with the situation I'm in. I think that I might go back to Sudan, but America is my new home now so I will not leave unless it is very important. I found out that there is a course where you can learn to create electricity so I think I will do this and bring electricity back to Africa.

The days are long and hard, I guess there really is no Heaven on Earth.

Santino.

Julius Caesar

My partner is Eun Pyo.

Content
A storm has started and Casca is very scared of all the parts of a storm like lightning, thunder and rain. Casca describes that other weird things have been happening like men were on fire, a man put his hand in fire without getting burnt, a lion was at the Capitol and owls were hooting and shrieking in daylight. Casca believes that they are omens and that the gods are sending some sort of warning. Then Cassius then comes out the storm and explains to Casca that the gods were against Caesar and this is also the part where Cassius joins Casca into the conspiracy.

Significance of Passage
This passage is significant because it characterizes some characters and also sets a mood to the play. Casca is characterized as a scared and frightened, and is wary of omens. Since Casca is wary and believes that this is a warning form the gods, Cassius can easily put Casca in a state of mind that Caesar is the reason behins all of these weird occurences. Cassius does this by telling Casca that he offered himself to the gods to see if he was the trouble maker but because the gods didn't strike Cassius he proved himself innocent. This action immediatley gives Casca the idea that the true cause is Caesar even though it is a normal storm. This really characterizes Cassius as cunning and manipulaitve because he has turned Casca against Caesar in only a few lines. This can also charatcerize Casca as a gullible man. It also shows that Cassius has a lot of confidence in himself because he tells Casca is plan so quickly, not even taking his time or making sure that Casca was completly on his side. When Cassius says:
"But of Grief,
Where hadst thou led me? I, perhaps, speak this
Before a willing bondman; then I know
My answer must be made. But I a arm'd,
And dangers are to me indifferent."
This quote tells us that Cassius has purposely told Casca that he plans to kill Caesar and was so good at it, we know that Cassius is extremely confident and manipulative with people. The importance of this is that we've gone deeper into the character of Cassius which later on helps us notice how his character differs further into the conspiracy. Also when Cassius says:
"Now know you, Casca, I have mov'd already
Some of the noblest-minded Romans
To undergo with me an enterprise."
This quote ups the tension in the story. We've beem thinking that Cassius has just started gathering all the consprirators but suddenly Cassius is telling us that he's got some of he 'noblest-minded Romans" on his side which probably foreshadows that by having these types of people, Caesar will probably be killed. By knowing that there are more people against Caesar the tension goes up. Plus, this whole scence is about violent storms and weird things happening gives a scary mood and fear. There is a lot of imagery too especially when Casca decribes all the abnormal things which he saw and people saw. Altogether, this passage shows a lot of literary elements such as mood, characterization, foreshadowing and imagery.

Passage
Since the parts are in the same scene but are not together I would like to read out the parts that are most significant. I joined different parts together so it made sense. Hopefully I am allowed to do this.

Casca
"A common slave, wou know him well by sight,
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand,
Not sensible of fire, remained unscorch'd.
Besides (I ha' not since put up my sword)
Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who glazed upon me, and surly by,
Without annoying me. And there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women,
Transformed with their fear, who swore they saw
Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets.
And yesterday the bird of night did sit,
Even at noonday upon the market place,
Hooting and shrieking. With these prodigies
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say,
'These are their reasons, they are natural';
For I believe, they are portentous things
Unto the climate that the point upon."
(Lines 15-32)

Cassius
You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life
That should be in a Roman you so want,
Or else you use not. You look plae, and gaze,
And put in fear, and cast yoursel in wonder,
To see the strange impatience of the heavens;
But if you would consider the true cause
Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts,
Why birds and beasts from quality and kind
Why old men, fools, and children calculate,
Why all thesse things change from thir ordinanc,
Their natures and pre-formed faculties,
To monstrous state. Now could I, Casca name to thee a man
Most like this dreadful night,
That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars
As doth the lion in the Capitol;
A man not mightier than thyself, or me,
In personal action, yet prodigious grown,
And fearful, as these strage eruptions are.
(Lines 56-78)

Casca
'Tis Caesar that you mean, is it not Cassius?(Line 79)
Indeed, they say the senators tomorrow
Mean to establish Caesar as a king;
And he shall wear his crown by sea and land,
In every place, slave here in Italy.
(Lines 85-88)

Cassius
And why should Caesar be a tyrant then?
Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf,
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep:
Here no lion were not Romans hinds. (Lines 103- 106)
But, O grief,
Where hadst thou led me? I, perhaps, speak this
Before a willing bondman; then I know
My answer must made. But I am arm'd,
And dangers are to me indifferent.
(Lines 111-115)

Casca
You speak to Casca, and to such a man
That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand;
Be factious for redress of all these griefs,
And I will set this foor of mine as far
As who goes the furthest.
(Lines 116-120)


Cassius
Now know you, Casca, I have mov'd already
Some of the noblest-minded Romans
To undergo me an enterprise.
(Lines 121-123)