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I, JURY

After reading six essay I have come to the conclusion that there are things I do well and others that I can work to better. As I read over some of my peers essays I noticed that some of them got lost in thought and started to summarize just like I tend to do sometimes. I also learned that I need to use more of my vocabulary words and literary terms. I was very glad to see that we all answered the prompt, and had a point to prove in the essay.


Lindsey- Wow! What an essay! I often found myself thinking, “why didn’t I do that?” or “oh that’s really good.” The prompt was not only addressed but also present in the whole essay. It was very clear and the use of vocabulary was good. I was most impressed with the easy flow of the essay and the comparisons between their world and ours, and also between Bernard and us. (I had no idea how to post this on your Tumblr)

Jacob- I really enjoyed reading your essay because though our topics were similar you approached this essay in a different way. First of all nice work! The introduction that you created for Bernard really set the atmosphere of the essay and that is always good to have. Solid intro. Your thesis is very straightforward and to the point…something I find very troubling. Something I can also work on that you did great on is incorporating literary terms. Nice Job!

Java- Nice Job! Your essay was very informative. I enjoyed that you brought up the similarities of Bernard’s character and people in our world today. Connections like these are vital in AP essays. That is definitely something I will keep practicing in my own writing. I am not sure if it is just me, but I feel like there is a lot of summarizing going on. Other than that it was good. ☺

Marisol- Good Job! I enjoyed reading your approach to the essay. Kudos to you for mentioning that Bernard truly is the closest the reader gets to a real human person. I feel like I knew where you were going, but got a little lost in the process, maybe less summarizing and more of your ideas… Anyhow you did a good job on comparing humans of our world with Bernard and the other characters.

Amara- Nice Job! The fact that your essay prompt was different than all the other essay’s I have read made me very happy! In your essay you dive right into what you are going to talk about, no fluff, just facts. I have trouble doing that sometimes so kudos to you! I also liked how you added examples from the text to support your essay. Very well written, and I know you stopped at 50 minutes, but reading more of it would be very interesting! ☺

Lesther- You have very good ideas and great thoughts that tie into your prompt very well. One thing I would suggest is to get to your main idea a little quicker. No worries that is something I myself have to work on. The structure of the essay was a little shaky, but I honestly think this is a great and interesting topic that you can tackle! I wish you luck! Nice job so far.

BRAVE NEW ESSAY

In Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899), protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to process "that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions." In a novel or play that you have studied, identify a character who conforms outwardly while questioning inwardly. Then write an essay in which you analyze how this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid mere plot summary. 

      According to our world’s morals today, Bernard Marx is a character that serves as possibly the only sane person in the novel “Brave New World.” Unlike in our world, in the World State Bernard is seen as an outcast. Though people view Bernard in different ways he has the most trouble dealing with his own self. He is surrounded by the World State rules, but tormented by his own mind and beliefs. This battle between Bernard himself contributes to the meaning of the work, because it makes it relatable to the reader.

      Although Bernard is an Alpha, he is very distinct from the pack. He is considered, short, abnormal, and an outcast. He believes sex is something intimate that should not be discussed with others, and believes in monogamous relationships, something the D.H.C is against of. The first to notice that something is different about him is Bernard himself. The reader later learns through indirect characterization that he very different. A good example of this is when Bernard is grounding his teeth while hearing Foster talk about Lenina as if she were a piece of meat. He is evidently angered and annoyed by Foster’s talking of Lenina in sexual/graphic terms. This behavior is abnormal in the World State and that is exactly why Bernard observes and keeps quiet throughout the conversation. He keeps to himself because his inward feelings do not match those of the outward world.

      Bernard is different and the people around him notice these differences quickly. Unlike all of the inhabitants of the World State, Bernard focuses on one woman, Lenina. Some of the first observations the reader sees from Bernard are through direct characterization. When Fanny and Lenina speak of Bernard, they bring up how he is an Alpha plus, but does not have such a good reputation, and spends his time alone. An example of direct characterization would be when Lenina approaches Bernard about their relationship and intimacy. Everyone around the two characters freezes and stares. They are waiting for a response. This moment is a getaway for Bernard. It is the moment in which he can prove himself a bit “normal” to the men, but quickly looses the opportunity by trying to change the subject on Lenina. Bernard is trying very hard not to be a part of the World State, but cannot help but participate in some of its practices.

      No matter how hard Bernard tries to fight the World State he will always be a part of it. His inward feelings are not as strong or as big as the World State pressures.  Though we see Bernard battling inwardly we also see him slightly conforming to this world. An example of this is his participation in the Fordson Community Singery. He is a part of it yet he fakes his feelings of “wonderfulness” to please the people there. Bernard is not conformed with his world, but is unsure of how to battle it out just like many of us human beings want to be a part of society, but do not want to be dragged in to peer pressure. There are many things in our world that I agree and disagree on, but one thing I fight against as a teenager is peer pressure. I have to inwardly fight with myself and not conform with something if I know it is not right. Bernard is one of us, confused and fighting.

BRAVE NEW ESSAY TOPIC

Find an AP essay prompt that is related to Brave New World.  Post it to your course blog along with your strategy for answering it.

AP English Literature and Composition
2005 Free-Response Questions
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/_ap05_frq_englishlit_45549.pdf

In Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899), protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to process "that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions." In a novel or play that you have studied, identify a character who conforms outwardly while questioning inwardly. Then write an essay in which you analyze how this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid mere plot summary. 

You may select a work from the list below or another appropriate novel or play of comparable literary merit.... (list)

Outline:

Bernard Marx or Hemholtz

• Outcast
• short 
• disagrees with Foster
• Believes sex should not be talked about in the way everyone else talks about it
• Alpha
• abnormal

Inward:

• He does a lot of inword thinking though he is more of an outword thinker because he expresses jealousy, fear, and romanticism.
• He thinks to himself a lot.
• Ex: when Foster is talking about Lenina as a piece of meat
• Ex: When Lenina approaches him about intimacy in front of all of the males he wants to speak of it in a more private area. 

Conformity:

• Bernard conforms because he has nothing else to do. Everyone around him is doing it so why not do it also. 
• He tells himself he does not care, but the more he does the more he is involved. 
• He is part of the society whether he likes it or not. 
• He fights with his demons about it, but in the end he forms as part of them and practices their rituals. 
• Ex: Ch.5 part 2

* I'm thinking Helmholtz would probably be a better candidate for this essay prompt since he is more of any inward thinker but I do not know much about him yet from what I have read so far in the novel. 

Cesar Chavez Movie

If he were still alive would he be satisfied with the way the farm workers are treated today? Would he enjoy the sight of no tables or chairs to rest on? The conditions have been improved, but there is still work to do.

Such a great Movie trailer. It gives me the chills every time I watch it. Hope the movie turns out to be a good representation of what Chavez did for his people.

I AM HERE

 I AM HERE please explain your progress in this course during the first grading period.  Have you begun thinking/working on your senior project, big question, collaborative working group, or other endeavor/venture that shows how you're putting this course to work for you? Document and explain your performance.

Coming fully back this semester with as much as enthusiasm as the first was and continues to be very difficult. Aside from this I have kept up with this course and the rest of my classes. I feel more comfortable in the course, I know what is expected of me and I know what I expect out of myself. I have completed all of the course assignments to best of my ability and I am constantly up to date on blog post, reading, and assignments.

My senior project is going to be a continuation of my compassion project from first semester. Since I know I am not the best video editor so I plan to collaborate with Miranda Nillo this time around. My project's theme will be compassion, but I am planning on expanding and adding people's thoughts on love, failure, acceptance etc. I am not quite sure that I will embed all of these different threads into compassion, but the ideas are flowing. I have not started to film any new footage yet, but will do this coming week.

WELCOME TO THE INTERDISCIPLINARITY

Launch/Draft:  Compassion Project

• Sympathy and Kindness
• Etiquette/Manners
• Science of how it works
• Ethnic Studies
• Humanity as a whole
• Interdependence
• Awareness
• Connections
• Collaboration
• Research
• Education
• Neuroeconomics
• Neuroscience 
• Society