Author Overview
Ambrose Bierce was born in 1842 in Ohio. He was an editorialist, short story writer and journalist, among other jobs. His most famous short story is "An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge", which was originally published in 1890. He is known for his use of dark imagery, vague references to time and war-themed pieces. In 1913, as he travelled to Mexico, Bierce disappeared, thus his year of death is unknown.
Ambrose Bierce's writing was influenced was influenced by his military career (he was a major) and his uncle who was an army general. He decided to start writing in part because his father owned a library, but mainly because he could not fight in the war any longer.
Story Overview
The story was published in 1890 and is set in the 1860s, during the Civil War, in Alabama. It's main character is Peyton Farquhar, a slave owner and Confederate sympathizer who is condemned to death by hanging.
Imagery
1. "They hurt his ear like the thrust of a knife."
2. "The wind made in their branches the music of Aeolian harps."
3. "Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect..."
4. "They seemed like streams of pulsating fire heating him to an intolerable temperature."
5. "...he swung through unthinkable arcs of oscillation, like a vast pendulum."
Vocabulary
1. Swift: moving or capable of moving with great speed or velocity; rapid
2. Stout: strong and thick or heavy
3. Sentinels: a solder stationed as a guard to challenge all comers and prevent a surprise attack
4. Secessionist: a person who secedes, advocates secession, or claims secession as a constitutional right
5. Chafed: to be irritated or annoyed
6. Driftwood: wood floating on a body of water or cast ashore by it
7. Ramification: the act or process of branching out or diving
8. Locusts: any of several grasshoppers of the family Acrididae
9. Oscillating: to swing or move to and fro, as a pendulum does
10. Ineffable: incapable of being expressed or described in words
9/27/2009
The Nightingale and the Rose
Author Overview
The story was written by Oscar Wilde, an Irish playwright, poet, and author, born in 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. He was one of the greatest playwrights and celebrities of his time. One of his most popular plays is "The Importance of Being Earnest", which is still performed today. His story "The Nightingale and the Rose" was written for his two sons. Wilde was imprisonned for two years after being convicted for homosexuality. Following his release from prison, he left Britain and never came back. He died in 1900.
Symbolism
1. Student: The student, to me, symbolizes to things; first of all, he symbolizes young love, passionate love, and second of all, he symbolizes naivety.
2. Nightingale: The nightingale is a representation of the motherly figure, who would give her life in order to see her child, or in this case the student, happy and loved.
3. Oak Tree: The oak tree is a symbol for friendship, another form of love.
4. Princess: The princess is a symbol for materialism and how possessions and riches can surpass love in importance for some people.
5. Red Rose: The red rose represents love and how even though you must work hard to obtain it, it is easily thrown away.
Imagery
1. Personification: "But the Tree shook it's head."
2. Simile: "She passed through the grove like a shadow..."
3. Metaphor: "...the Sun in his chariot of gold..."
4. Alliteration: "...and I will sing you my sweetest song." (s)
5. Assonance: "...kisses the lips of the bride." (i)
6. Consonance: "Crimson was the girdle of the petals, and crimson as a ruby was the heart." (r)
Vocabulary
1. Opals: a kind of gem made from an amorphous form of silica, found in many varieties and colours
2. Cynic: a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view
3. Grove: a small wood or forested area, usually with no undergrowth
4. Spray: a single, slender shoot, twig or branch, with its leaves, flower or berries
5. Nipped: to affect sharply and painfully or injuriously, as a very cold temperature
6. Hawthorn: any of numerous plants belonging to the genus Cratageus, of the rose family, typically a small tree with stiff thorns
7. Chamberlain: a high official of a royal court
8. Girdle: anything that encircles, confines, or limits
9. Ecstasy: rapturous delight
10. Reel: a device, such as a cylinder, spool, or frame, that turns on an axis and is used for winding and storing rope, tape, film, or other flexible materials
WRITING
The story was written by Oscar Wilde, an Irish playwright, poet, and author, born in 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. He was one of the greatest playwrights and celebrities of his time. One of his most popular plays is "The Importance of Being Earnest", which is still performed today. His story "The Nightingale and the Rose" was written for his two sons. Wilde was imprisonned for two years after being convicted for homosexuality. Following his release from prison, he left Britain and never came back. He died in 1900.
Symbolism
1. Student: The student, to me, symbolizes to things; first of all, he symbolizes young love, passionate love, and second of all, he symbolizes naivety.
2. Nightingale: The nightingale is a representation of the motherly figure, who would give her life in order to see her child, or in this case the student, happy and loved.
3. Oak Tree: The oak tree is a symbol for friendship, another form of love.
4. Princess: The princess is a symbol for materialism and how possessions and riches can surpass love in importance for some people.
5. Red Rose: The red rose represents love and how even though you must work hard to obtain it, it is easily thrown away.
Imagery
1. Personification: "But the Tree shook it's head."
2. Simile: "She passed through the grove like a shadow..."
3. Metaphor: "...the Sun in his chariot of gold..."
4. Alliteration: "...and I will sing you my sweetest song." (s)
5. Assonance: "...kisses the lips of the bride." (i)
6. Consonance: "Crimson was the girdle of the petals, and crimson as a ruby was the heart." (r)
Vocabulary
1. Opals: a kind of gem made from an amorphous form of silica, found in many varieties and colours
2. Cynic: a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view
3. Grove: a small wood or forested area, usually with no undergrowth
4. Spray: a single, slender shoot, twig or branch, with its leaves, flower or berries
5. Nipped: to affect sharply and painfully or injuriously, as a very cold temperature
6. Hawthorn: any of numerous plants belonging to the genus Cratageus, of the rose family, typically a small tree with stiff thorns
7. Chamberlain: a high official of a royal court
8. Girdle: anything that encircles, confines, or limits
9. Ecstasy: rapturous delight
10. Reel: a device, such as a cylinder, spool, or frame, that turns on an axis and is used for winding and storing rope, tape, film, or other flexible materials
WRITING
9/26/2009
Sentence Patterns
Vocabulary
1. S: subject
2. V: verb
3. P: prepositional phrase
4. M: modify
5. DO: direct object
6. IO: indirect object
7. IC: independent clause; complete idea (s+v)
8. DC: dependent clause; incomplete idea (v)
9. ; : semi-colon
10. : : colon
11. , : comma
12. CC: coordinating conjuction
13. CA: conjuctive adverb: moreover, then, thus, hence, however, therefore (one syllable=no comma afterwards)
14. " ": quotation marks
15. -: hyphen
16. --: dash
Sentence
A sentence is a complete idea (s+v), which can either be simple or complexe (2 ics)
ex: CSL (s) has 3200 talented (m) students, which are really interesting (dc).
A phrase is an incomplete idea (no v).
A clause can either be dependent or independent.
Pattern 1
IC; IC
ex: Hard work is only one dire of the equation; talent is the other.
Some people dream of being something; others stay awake and are.
Most of us choose our fate; some let others decide.
The narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" claimed he was sane; the police thought otherwise.
Pattern 1A
IC; CA, IC
ex: The story was not very interesting; therefore, it is not worth reading.
Edgar Allen Poe had a very unusual life; thus wrote many bizarre stories.
The princess was very cunning and manipulative; consequently, she was able to discover the secret of the two doors.
Pattern 1B
IC; IC, CC
ex: The old man had always been nice to me; however, his glass eye bothered me, and this is why I had to get rid of him.
The princess was very cunning and manipulative; consequently, she was able to discover the secret of the two doors, and she used it to decide the lover's fate.
Frank Stockton started out as a woodcarver ; he later became a writer, for it was something that he loved.
Pattern 2
IC:IC
general statement to specific statement
ex: Darwin's "Origin of Species" forcefully states a harsh truth: only the fittest survive.
The empty coffin in the middle of the crypt had a single horrifying meaning: Dracula had awakened.
The princess had the fate of her lover in her hands: he could live or die.
Wilde expresses a universal sentiment: love is more powerful than logic.
Pattern 3
a series A, B, C (A, B and C/A and B and C)
ex: With passion, determination, purpose, Lincoln fought slavery.
Being rich, being a father, being happy, Peyton still gave his life for the South.
Insane, obsessed, driven to kill, the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" thought he was sane.
1. S: subject
2. V: verb
3. P: prepositional phrase
4. M: modify
5. DO: direct object
6. IO: indirect object
7. IC: independent clause; complete idea (s+v)
8. DC: dependent clause; incomplete idea (v)
9. ; : semi-colon
10. : : colon
11. , : comma
12. CC: coordinating conjuction
13. CA: conjuctive adverb: moreover, then, thus, hence, however, therefore (one syllable=no comma afterwards)
14. " ": quotation marks
15. -: hyphen
16. --: dash
Sentence
A sentence is a complete idea (s+v), which can either be simple or complexe (2 ics)
ex: CSL (s) has 3200 talented (m) students, which are really interesting (dc).
A phrase is an incomplete idea (no v).
A clause can either be dependent or independent.
Pattern 1
IC; IC
ex: Hard work is only one dire of the equation; talent is the other.
Some people dream of being something; others stay awake and are.
Most of us choose our fate; some let others decide.
The narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" claimed he was sane; the police thought otherwise.
Pattern 1A
IC; CA, IC
ex: The story was not very interesting; therefore, it is not worth reading.
Edgar Allen Poe had a very unusual life; thus wrote many bizarre stories.
The princess was very cunning and manipulative; consequently, she was able to discover the secret of the two doors.
Pattern 1B
IC; IC, CC
ex: The old man had always been nice to me; however, his glass eye bothered me, and this is why I had to get rid of him.
The princess was very cunning and manipulative; consequently, she was able to discover the secret of the two doors, and she used it to decide the lover's fate.
Frank Stockton started out as a woodcarver ; he later became a writer, for it was something that he loved.
Pattern 2
IC:IC
general statement to specific statement
ex: Darwin's "Origin of Species" forcefully states a harsh truth: only the fittest survive.
The empty coffin in the middle of the crypt had a single horrifying meaning: Dracula had awakened.
The princess had the fate of her lover in her hands: he could live or die.
Wilde expresses a universal sentiment: love is more powerful than logic.
Pattern 3
a series A, B, C (A, B and C/A and B and C)
ex: With passion, determination, purpose, Lincoln fought slavery.
Being rich, being a father, being happy, Peyton still gave his life for the South.
Insane, obsessed, driven to kill, the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" thought he was sane.
9/14/2009
The Lady or the Tiger?
Author Overview
"The Lady or the Tiger?" is a short story written by American writer and humorist Frank R. Stockton, born in 1834 in Philadelphia. He is most famously known for the aforementioned story, written in 1882, but is the author of countless more litterary works, including many innovative children's tales. His first fairy-tale dates back to 1867 and is entitled "Ting-A-Ling". His litterature is tinted with the influence of the Victorian era, which centered around rewarding good virtue and punishing crime, and this is very noticeable in "The Lady or the Tiger?". He died in 1902.
Vocabulary
1. Will: wish or desire
2. Valour: boldness or determination in facing great danger
3. Poetic Justice: an ideal distribution of rewards and punishments such as is common in some poetry and fiction
4. Wails: a wailing cry, as of grief, pain or despair
5. Mourners: a person who mourns / who attends a funeral to mourn for the deceased
6. Dire: causing or involving great fear or suffering, dreadful, terrible
7. Fate: that which is inevitably predetermined, destiny
8. Fair: free from blemish, imperfection, or anything that impairs the appearance, quality, or character
9. Choristers: a singer in a choir
10. Maidens: an unmarried girl or woman
11. The Apple Of His Eye: something, or someone, cherished above others
12. Unsurpassed: not capable of being improved
13. Startling: creating sudden alarm, surprise, or wonder
14. Damsels: a young woman or girl; a maiden, originally one of gentle or noble birth
15. Glances: a quick or brief look
16. Mazes: any complex system or arrangement that causes bewilderment, confusion or perplexity
17. Fangs: any of the canine teeth of a carnivorous animal, such as a dog or wolf, with which it seizes and tears it's prey
18. Gnashed: to grind or strike the teeth together, especially in rage or pain
19. Shriek: a loud, sharp, shrill cry
20. Anguished: feeling, showing or accompanied by anguish (excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain)
Question
What advice would you give the lover boy and why?
I would tell the lover boy to choose the door the princess did not point to because jealousy is an emotion that often overpowers proper judgement and kindness; during her debating of what to do, the princess seemed more torn up by the idea of seeing her lover happy without her than seeing him dead.
Vocabulary 2
1. Florid: excessively ornate; showy
2. Untrammeled: not limited or restricted; unrestrained
3. Genial: warmly and pleasantly cheerful; cordial
4. Solemnized: to perform the ceremony of mariage
5. Barleycorn: a grain of barley
6. Epithalamic: related to a song or poem in honor of a bride and bridegroom
7. Grievous: causing grief or great sorrow
8. Parapet: any low protective wall or barrier at the edge of a balcony, roof, bridge, or the like
9. Multitude: a great number of people gathered together; common people
10. Futurity: the afterlife
"The Lady or the Tiger?" is a short story written by American writer and humorist Frank R. Stockton, born in 1834 in Philadelphia. He is most famously known for the aforementioned story, written in 1882, but is the author of countless more litterary works, including many innovative children's tales. His first fairy-tale dates back to 1867 and is entitled "Ting-A-Ling". His litterature is tinted with the influence of the Victorian era, which centered around rewarding good virtue and punishing crime, and this is very noticeable in "The Lady or the Tiger?". He died in 1902.
Vocabulary
1. Will: wish or desire
2. Valour: boldness or determination in facing great danger
3. Poetic Justice: an ideal distribution of rewards and punishments such as is common in some poetry and fiction
4. Wails: a wailing cry, as of grief, pain or despair
5. Mourners: a person who mourns / who attends a funeral to mourn for the deceased
6. Dire: causing or involving great fear or suffering, dreadful, terrible
7. Fate: that which is inevitably predetermined, destiny
8. Fair: free from blemish, imperfection, or anything that impairs the appearance, quality, or character
9. Choristers: a singer in a choir
10. Maidens: an unmarried girl or woman
11. The Apple Of His Eye: something, or someone, cherished above others
12. Unsurpassed: not capable of being improved
13. Startling: creating sudden alarm, surprise, or wonder
14. Damsels: a young woman or girl; a maiden, originally one of gentle or noble birth
15. Glances: a quick or brief look
16. Mazes: any complex system or arrangement that causes bewilderment, confusion or perplexity
17. Fangs: any of the canine teeth of a carnivorous animal, such as a dog or wolf, with which it seizes and tears it's prey
18. Gnashed: to grind or strike the teeth together, especially in rage or pain
19. Shriek: a loud, sharp, shrill cry
20. Anguished: feeling, showing or accompanied by anguish (excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain)
Question
What advice would you give the lover boy and why?
I would tell the lover boy to choose the door the princess did not point to because jealousy is an emotion that often overpowers proper judgement and kindness; during her debating of what to do, the princess seemed more torn up by the idea of seeing her lover happy without her than seeing him dead.
Vocabulary 2
1. Florid: excessively ornate; showy
2. Untrammeled: not limited or restricted; unrestrained
3. Genial: warmly and pleasantly cheerful; cordial
4. Solemnized: to perform the ceremony of mariage
5. Barleycorn: a grain of barley
6. Epithalamic: related to a song or poem in honor of a bride and bridegroom
7. Grievous: causing grief or great sorrow
8. Parapet: any low protective wall or barrier at the edge of a balcony, roof, bridge, or the like
9. Multitude: a great number of people gathered together; common people
10. Futurity: the afterlife
Speaking Criteria
There are four main points evaluated in the speaking criteria. Each of these points is also subdivided.
First of all, there is delivery, which consists of loudness, pace (speed at which the person is speaking), pronunciation, enthusiasm and movement (hand gestures, eye contact and body movement).
Second of all, and most obviously, content is evaluated. This focuses on the ability to choose your words wisely (not go into to much detail, keep things concise) and to create a suitable introduction, which can be an overview of what is to come, a question, a statistic, an anecdote or even a quotation.
Then we have organisation, an important aspect covering markers, transitions and the conclusion, which should be a quick but interesting summary of what was previously stated throughout the presentation.
Lastly, quality of the language, which can be subdivided into the use of a rich vocabulary and appropriate grammar, is judged.
First of all, there is delivery, which consists of loudness, pace (speed at which the person is speaking), pronunciation, enthusiasm and movement (hand gestures, eye contact and body movement).
Second of all, and most obviously, content is evaluated. This focuses on the ability to choose your words wisely (not go into to much detail, keep things concise) and to create a suitable introduction, which can be an overview of what is to come, a question, a statistic, an anecdote or even a quotation.
Then we have organisation, an important aspect covering markers, transitions and the conclusion, which should be a quick but interesting summary of what was previously stated throughout the presentation.
Lastly, quality of the language, which can be subdivided into the use of a rich vocabulary and appropriate grammar, is judged.
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