Where is Winston headed?

It is very hard to predict Winston's future. This is mostly because he doesnt even know what he wants. One second he hates the party and decides the proles need to change everything, the next he is ready to commit suicide. One predication I have for Winston is that he might try and join the proles, if that is possible. He seems to really envy them and he knows they’re a party that can change the world. He also seems to envy the freedom they get to enjoy. On the other hand, when Winston is inspired I could see him being the face of a revolution. He has such perfect ideas and they make sense, like when he says “2+2=4” and that knowing what reality is will help. But, right after Winston goes and visits the proles he becomes terrified of the woman again. He also puts all of his trust back into the party as he reads the slogans again. I think the reason it is hard for anyone to rebel is because as much as they might like to, the party makes them feel safe. So, even though he has these ideas, the minute he gets scared he forgets everything he believes in and trusts the party again. His back and forth makes it hard to predict his future. I personally hope that he can be the face of a rebellion, but I think that its really hard to predict.

Chapter 1&2 of 1984: Privacy

In the novel 1984, nothing is secret. The main character, Winston Smith, cannot seem to have a private moment. At this point, it is still hard for me to understand what the thought police really do. It seems that they control how people think and that people cant think beyond certain boundaries. For example, Winston knows if he was ever caught writing in a journal he would be killed by the thought police. I think they don't like when people are able to think for themselves. The telescreen even made me feel a little creeped out. The thought of always being watched is very disturbing. Newspeak was also hard to understand, but from my interpretation it is all the propaganda they use. If newspeak is the propaganda then it truly poses the biggest threat on privacy. Through newspeak, big brother is not only invading in people's lives but even their brains. They control everything people think through their "hate" part of the day. However, certain aspects of America today reminded me of 1984. In 1984, the government gains their faith and loyalty from the people through fear. In America, when the Patriot Act was passed, it too was out of fear. The citizens and the government were so terrified of the 9/11 attacks, that the act seemed perfectly justified. The act allows a little too much snooping for most people to be comfortable with today. Also, many people find the TSA to overstep boundaries. I have never felt that my privacy was invaded. Also, I know that if someone I knew was on a plane and something happened to it, they would be the people I would blame. I understand their purpose and appreciate it.

The Road Not Taken: Robert Frost

I have known this poem for a very long time. In elementary school we may have read it every year. I have not read it since the 5th grade, so I was very excited to take a closer look at it now that I am able to understand much more about poetry. It was fitting that it started off the chapter on symbolism and allegory because the entire poem is a symbol. Through the two paths, Frost is able to represent two choices in life that one must make. His description of the "leaves no step had trodden back" is representative of the less common decision. Just like fewer people had taken and walked that path, fewer people had made a certain decision. It is also representative of something new in Frost's life. In deciding to "take the one less traveled" he is embarking on a new adventure. The one aspect of this poem that causes confusion is his line "I shall be telling this with a sigh." Here, it became unclear to me what Frosts' true purpose was. I interpreted this line to be his deep breath before something new. Maybe he was nervous about taking this new road, so he sighs right before then does it. Before I do something new I often find myself taking a deep breath then doing it. It can seem negative, his sigh, but I do not believe that is his intention. This poem is also representative of a decision that will have a long lasting effect. Frost says, "somewhere ages and ages hence" implying that he will see the effects of taking the road less traveled for a long time. This poem is one that after reading it will stick with anyone. It can resonate with any person because no matter how someone is or what their personality is like, everyone must make tough decisions.

Introduction to Poetry

I feel guilty writing this blog post after having read "Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins. The central theme of the poem is that poetry should be felt and experienced, not criticized and analyzed. To convey this message, he compares poetry to different experiences. The poem is full of metaphors in these different experiences. The author says, "Drop a mouse into a poem/ And watch him probe his way out" to show that, like many science experiments and research, poetry is confusing. The image that comes to mind when I read this is a mouse running through one of those little mazes, sometimes never finding its way out or making it out in record time. The author uses this to show that poetry might not always make sense, and like a mouse can get different results running through a maze, readers can get different results reading poetry. He also compares reading a poem to "feel[ing] the walls for a light switch." Looking for a light switch is almost a scary experience. Dark is something everyone is a little bit afraid of, and when you look for a light switch its really all you want- safety and comfort. Looking for something you know is there is kind of what poetry is like. Every reader seems to know there is a meaning somewhere in there and they hunt for it because they want to know what the poem is about. I really liked the author's line about water-skiing, because it is something I really enjoy doing. When you water ski, you have so much and so little control at the same time. On one side, you can try and control which side you stay on more and how much tension you want between you and the rope. On the other though, one little wave can throw you off really easily and surprise you. I think this is kind of the beauty of poetry. There are many ups and downs and its almost all something you cannot control. His last lines are the most powerful where he ridicules people for doing exactly what I am doing now- digging into poems.

King Lear: Final Words

The final act of king lear was extremely confusing, which perfectly echoed the rest of the play. There was so much going on and although the subplots and main plot seemed to finally connect, I think it was done so poorly. Shakespeare doesnt transition at all; he just lists actions. I thought Lear's final words were especially interesting. It seemed that in Act 4, Lear had been able to understand all of his mistakes. In his final interaction with Kent, I couldn't tell if maybe he had not really learned or if it was truly his insanity setting in. I did not actually like Edmunds final good deed. Throughout the play he has been evil and I feel like his last attempt to do good was only to spare himself. I do not really think he cared for Lear or Cordelia but maybe he just did not want to die with anything negative on his conscious. In Kent's last words I felt bad for him. He's tried so hard to help Lear with everything and I think the reason he is so gloomy at the end is because his helps seems meaningless. Kent, throughout all his positive behavior, ends the play with thoughts of his death. It upset me that Cordelia did not survive, she was a character that was true to herself and her values under whatever circumstances. Her final words were confusing because when she dies it is very unclear. So, her actual final words don't seem as significant. I liked that at the end, Albany was open to sharing his newly gained wealth. I think it showed who he was as a person and that he was a good man. The end of this play was really bad because it seemed rushed. I think all of these events could have been spread out through an entire other play! Shakespeare's writing is so confusing. He is normally so elaborate and everything usually takes a long time to happen, but the last act is abrupt and has no flow.