Final 2012 Post:I Can't English.

   Blogs. Stupid blogs. At the beginning of the semester , the idea of writing a blog for our grade seemed brilliant. It was so open ended and gave me the chance to say what ever I wanted. By now, I know better, it is simply a tool to bring our grade down.  It's hard enough to remember to actually do them, but then our classmates get to read (and judge...) our words? Then I realized the teacher would get to see our  opinions...and realize how stupid they are. The freedom seemed to be too much for me. I had no idea what to write about, no idea how to make it sound intellectual and contain proper reflection and analysis. I still don't know, actually. The last blog of the semester and I am still simply ranting and complaining,  and hoping for the best. What should I be writing here? I felt better once we received weekly blog suggestions, but even then I was at a loss on how to articulate it as such that I don't sound like I'm copying everyone else's posts or am just plain dumb. This inability to communicate my ideas seems to have bled into my class work as well. I loved reading and watching everything that we were given, but couldn't for the life of me properly explain or analyse it in class!  I got to a point where I just told my friends,
      "Don't ask me, I can't English."
   Why is it so hard to write a good essay? Why is it that I feel I can now justly call The Importance of Being Earnest one of my favorite films but can't explain it's humor to my mother?  Why can't I ever rewrite a passage for the warm-ups? Why can't I English?  In no other class besides my Junior and senior English have I ever felt so entirely shallow-brained and useless. Yet I dare say I enjoy reading and writing? Blasphemy.
   I hope that next semester I will feel more secure in my interpretations and usage of the English language and it's works.

Mullins, I don't blame you. You're a fine teacher. I blame myself. I hope my work wasn't really as bad as I felt it was.

How I've felt quite often:

Blog makeup 12/06

Students Rave at Literary Genius of Hamlet!

     Upon completion of Shakespeare's Hamlet, students in Mr. Mullins AP English class are in a frenzy of excitement. The literary work brought up several issues which- according to recent films, school discussion and many studies- are very relevant in students lives, such as suicide, depression, sex and, f course, procrastination. These reoccurring ideas in Hamlet, really helped the students be able to relate to the characters. The shallow characters too helped students to picture the story line happening in their very lives. the work proved to be a perfect selection for High school students. It even had an abrupt ending to keep them interested and on their toes while still teaching them valuable lessons, such as the importance of extracting revenge,  how patriarchal prevails - the females in the class often felt relieved at the sight of the weak willed Ophelia and Queen, making their own dependence on their significant others or family seem more normal- and  obvious all great works must have everyone important in the plot die at the end- plus some. One student remarked,
     "At first the confusing language left me a little lost, but so does most AP English grade writing so I took it as a chance to learn a life skill of effectively utilizing all resources at hand (not cheating) by looking it up on Sparknotes. A lot of the words still sounded weird though, like they were made up, but I liked it because it reminded me of Doctor Seuss- it was like being a kid again!"
     Overall, Hamlet has proved to be a literary masterpiece and impressed the students a great deal. I'm sure that after reading this, all students will come away with a new respect for Shakespeare.
   

Blog makeup 11/29

Words Words Words Words Words
When shall I use you?
I could lie and say  I love vocab quizzes and admire their ability to enhance  my every sentence to a degree such that people are left utterly speechless, but I'm sure my adulation would quickly be sensed as sarcastic.
This not to say that I believe they are completely useless and are teacher is a dunce for assigning them, now that is a calumny if I could ever identify one.
I recognize they are useful to my understanding of advanced texts and writing at an AP level. But I wish I could see the words used more often in text, to see examples as to how they are properly used.  I would quit complaining so much if said examples were given, I would  happily capitulate to those terms.
In fact, I find that arrangement beneficial to all parties. Students would better remember the terms if they see them used and could grasp a better understanding of them, what more could a teacher wish for? I see no reason for one to censure the simple suggestion of providing real life examples of our vocabulary words.
I do not mean to dissemble  the nature of my complaints, for I admit that I will be wary of these vocab quizzes regardless.
I believe myself not to be too much of a pusillanimous individual, so I will say honestly that I find vocab quizzes to be utterly horrid, nor do I mean that in any  light-hearted or droll sense, I  find them, no joke, horrid.
Mullins, if you read this I hope you don't find my statements offensive, or my suggestion peremptory, but I stand by my suggestion. If we can not trash the vocab quizzes, please at least let us see them in a first hand source so we know we aren't learning made-up words. Also, please don't be angry at my calling them horrid. If I get scolded for voicing my opinion then I just might go home and sob on my couch, with a surfeit of junk food surrounding me- true to stereotypical female way of dealing with things.

Sadly, I can't think of a way to incorporate palpate. :(

Blog makeup 11/08

If English class has taught me one thing thus far, it is that the main characters in all old famous plays are all emotionally unstable and illogical. Oedipus's pride  and ignorance led to him stabbing out his own eyes, now Hamlet is suffering from depression and can't seem to force himself to act. Hamlet also demonstrates a sense of pride, much like Oedipus in that he assumes he CAN extract revenge, and that he CAN depend on Oephelia, and at the end, that he CAN trust his friend and that he CAN  beat anyone in a sword match.  he doesn't want to do any of it, but has no doubts that he can pull off whatever plan he thinks of. Oedipus too never questioned his own logic or guilt until it was undeniable. Though the plays are hundreds of years and lands apart, they bear the same basic ideas. What about arrogance did these people find so appealing? What about fate and helpless tragedy enraptured people for so many centuries?

blog makeup 10/18

In my sophomore year English class we were taught about Oedipus Rex, so I knew basically what to expect upon starting it in class. However, knowing the story line had given me this predisposition to find everyone ignorant- which reading it has only reinforced. Perhaps it truly is due to my aforementioned bias, but I fail to see any character exhibiting a logical thought process. I fail to see how Oedipus could solve the riddle of the sphinx when he is simply so...dumb. Can he not see reason? Why would his friend and brother in law ( and Uncle) betray him, and take his accusations so calmly? Why would the oracle lie,knowing know one would believe him and he'd get in trouble anyway? Why does Jocasta not realize he is her son?? Why didn't Kreon figure out the oracle was telling the truth, when he obviously trusts him so? Sophocles has set up his characters to be so cripplingly  daft that I find it to be a huge inconstant of character to also describe them as wise and loved leaders.