Cuckoo's Nest Part 4

The fourth section of this novel depicts the final feud between Randle Patrick McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. This part begins with Chief telling the reader that Ratched began planning a counterattack on McMurphy while he and the group were on their fishing excursion. Chief somewhat omnisciently relates that Ratched knows that people eventually grow suspicious of individuals who seemingly operate selflessly on behalf of others. 

She plants the seeds of dissent in the group while McMurphy takes a phone call. She prompts the group to question McMurphy's motive when she tells them he has won more than $300 from the other patients. While the patients enjoy the additional benefits that McMurphy has provided, they suspect that he may be motivated by more than philanthropic impulses.

 Ratched manipulates the conversation by asking if any member of the group considers McMurphy a saint. She continues that McMurphy is taking credit for giving the patients items and freedoms that were not his to give. She climaxes her attack on McMurphy by revealing to the patients that McMurphy made money off the patients when he arranged the fishing trip. Ratched tells Billy Bibbit, McMurphy's most staunch defender, that she doesn't disapprove of McMurphy's actions, but that she feels the patients shouldn't delude themselves that McMurphy's actions are selfless.

Cuckoo's Nest Part 3

The third section of this novel begins with Chief recognizing that McMurphy's behavior also has infected Doctor Spivey. Spivey stands up to Ratched when she questions the wisdom of allowing the patients to play basketball on the ward.

 The relationship between Ratched and McMurphy has become marked by a strained politeness until Ratched denies McMurphy an Accompanied Pass with a woman named Candy Starr. In response, McMurphy puts his hand through the glass of the nurses' station again, pretending it was an accident.

McMurphy coaches a game pitting the patients against the African-American aides that soon turns unruly. McMurphy bloodies the nose of the aide named Washington, which will impact future events in the novel.

The patients' behavior is changed because of McMurphy's influence. Harding flirts with the student nurses, Billy Bibbit stops writing about other patients in Ratched's log book, and Scanlon throws the basketball through the recently replaced glass in the nurses' station.

Cuckoo's Nest Part 2

The second section of this novel begins with the patients still watching the blank television screen. All except McMurphy, however, are completely aware of Ratched's anger. Even the orderlies and aides watch Ratched to see how she will react to the insubordinate behavior. Chief remarks that "there's no more fog anyplace," indicating that he believes McMurphy's rebellious behavior has removed it.

  Chief is led to the staff room, where Nurse Ratched will conduct a staff meeting. Chief tells the reader that cleaning the staff room is a frightening chore because the staff emits poisonous and acidic gases and fluids. At times, Chief says, the staff is able to make a patient materialize on the table, "vulnerable to any fiendish notion they took."

The staff room is tense, and Nurse Ratched reacts suspiciously to Chief's presence. In a humorously and satirically written discussion, the staff debates what they should do with the impertinent McMurphy. The staff, described by Chief as "boys," attempts to anticipate Ratched's wishes by recommending that he be sent to the Disturbed Ward. Ratched disagrees, telling the staff that McMurphy is her responsibility and that she isn't prepared to admit failure this soon. She declares that McMurphy resembles Charles Cheswick, a man she says backs down when challenged. She reminds the staff that the length of McMurphy's stay at the hospital is entirely dependent on the determination of the staff based upon his ability to conform.

Cuckoo's Nest Part 1

The conclusion of Part 1 begins with a stream of consciousness passage by Chief Bromden that details the extent of his paranoia and some of his mental condition's causes. He first experiences the fog while serving in the military during World War II. He believes the fog machine used on the ward is Army Surplus. He senses that the Combine is increasing the output of the fog machine until it can find a way to control McMurphy. 

At a group meeting, McMurphy tells Nurse Ratched that he'd like another vote to change the television viewing schedule. Nurse Ratched realizes that McMurphy will never win a vote because she counts the votes of the Chronics as well as the Acutes, and the Chronics are not cognizant enough to understand what they're voting for. Ratched ends the meeting before a final vote is tallied; a tally that favors McMurphy and the Acutes. While the other patients are disillusioned, McMurphy denies Ratched her victory by placing himself in front of the television. When she shuts off the power, he and the other Acutes stay fixed to the television while Ratched yells at them to resume their duties. McMurphy has won another battle.

Vergil in Hamlet; Act II, scene ii

Throughout the play I am noticing a parallel trend between the two families (hamlet’s and ophelia’s).  Their parents are both strict and demanding. They both check upon their kids more then often and make sure they are doing what their told. For example, Polonius sends his servant Reynaldo to Paris to question Laertes' friends and acquaintances in order to discover how his son is living.  He wants to be sure that Laertes hasn't returned to the wild, youthful behavior that marked his past. Polonius does the same thing with his daughter Ophelia by making sure she avoids Hamlet after he fears that Hamlet is mad for her love.  I find it strange and unnecessary for their parents to control their kids especially when they are both over 18 and they are adults now. Ophelia should be allowed to make her decisions on her own. And Laertes should not have to be checked upon while he is in Paris.  

Also, in Act II King Claudius sends Rosencratz and Guildenstern to check upon Hamlet because he is acting so strange. Hamlet is an adult and he should be trusted with making his own decisions and whatever he feels he needs to do. 

It just seems that in each family there is a missing trust factor and they feel the need to be overprotective of their children that are already grown up. 

Vision, Perception, and Belief in Act I, scenes i and ii of Hamlet

In the first Act, Shakespeare reveals some background information, which includes different character’s feelings and their relationship between each other. Hamlet’s father (King Hamlet) recently passed away and he represents his depression through black mourning attire. Apparently it is strange for Hamlet to still be mourning; as his uncle, now known as King Claudius, asks him why “the clouds still hang upon him.” I personally feel it is normal behavior for Hamlet to act this way because a lot is changing in his life; his father is deceased, his mother is now married to his uncle, and he will not be attending the Wittenberg school anymore.
Hamlet’s excessive mourning can also represent a strong, close relationship with his father. But it seems as if Claudius finds Hamlet’s behavior bizarre and “unmanly” of him. This is a little ridiculous seeing that it was Hamlet’s father and Claudius’s brother who died. The whole conversation between Claudius and Hamlet is kind of awkward and it represents hostility between the two, well at least for Hamlet towards his uncle.
I also find it ridiculous that Queen Gertrude only abides by Claudius’s feelings and she fails to give any sympathy for her son or even for herself. Gertrude’s husband, the man she was in love with, did pass away and she is not really showing any signs of sorrow. Gertrude is failing at her duties of being a mother because she is not giving her son any affection and she seems to be acting like nothing is wrong.
It also boggles my mind as to why King Claudius and Queen Gertrude do not want Hamlet to attend the school he had been going to before his father died. If anything this would help Hamlet get his mind off of things instead of sitting at home and mourning with his pitiless mother and uncle.
Hamlet expresses his feelings in is monologue towards the end of scene ii. Hamlet describes his desire to die and grieves over his father’s death. He also describes his hatred towards his mother and uncle’s quick marriage right after King Hamlet’s death. I feel deep sympathy for Hamlet and couldn’t agree with him anymore then I do.

Coleridge and Shelley - Imagination and Narrative Voice

"Kubla Khan" is a poem of mixed feelings. I believe it celebrates imagination and then takes a turn to caution against its indulgence. According to the background information (pg. 758) Coleridge was describing a dream until it was interrupted when he awoke. As the first stanza starts off Coleridge describes a "pleasure-dome" with a sacred river that runs "through caverns measureless to man." This by all means seems to be a creative possibilty of paradise. In the second stanza is where the poem ventures off in to an opposite (negative) direction as he says "then reached the caverns endless to man." "Prophesying war" leads me to believe his dream was interuppted and he awoke to a reality, "with caves of ice." The caution of indugence is revealed when Coleridge says "and all should cry, beware! beware!" Coleridge seems to be setting in a theme to draw the line between the imaginative mind and reality.

In the sonnet “Ozymandias,” there are 4 speakers: the narrator, the traveler, the sculptor, and King Ozymandias.” The narrator is obviously just narrating the story that he is discovering from the traveler. The traveler is like a messenger between the sculptor and the narrator. His main purpose is to describe the sculptor’s thoughts of the king’s personality which are hostility and arrogance (“cold sneer”). Under the sculpture is a quote from King Ozymandias that says “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" it reflects his conceded personality and the irony of that statement since the statue is surrounded by nothing and it just sunken in to the sand. This represents King Ozymandias’ pride and how it backfired on him.

"The Chimney Sweeper"

1. Yes, I do agree that Blake’s poetry had the power to enact social change by appealing to the imagination of the reader. Imagination can draw quicker conclusions by demonstrating to the public positivity and negativity from similar situations. In Blake’s first poem he represents optimism towards child labor law, which may enforce children to work harder. In Blake’s second poem he represents hopelessness towards child labor laws, which may cause people’s sympathy to emphasize change on the laws. Either way, imagination is encouraging the public for social change.

2. The editors might have included the Parliament transcript as a primary source document in order for the reader to refer to the historical background of child labor laws. The document can show the audience the facts and the reality of how harsh the laws actually were. This can also give readers greater dramatic effects when reading the poem because then they can only imagine that person’s feelings in that moment. Blake’s work affected my reading emotionally because I pictured myself in that position and made me feel great sympathy for those children who had to live through this situation.

Jonathan Swift Teacher Prep Work

Four Questions:
1) How did Gulliver get to Lilliput in the first place?
2) What are the motives of Lilliputians for capturing Gulliver? Were they threatened by him?
3) Why hasn’t Gulliver attempted to escape when it is incredibly easy for him to?
4) Is Gulliver’s lack of effort to leave trying to portray something about humans?

Significant Moments:
-On page 654, Gulliver describes the fact that he can easily free himself from the Lilliputians but he is unwilling to do so because they are continuously feeding him and comforting him. However, this boggles my mind because he is still a prisoner and is away from his home. I think this just shows how gullible humans can really be and can easily feed in to things. It also represents some human’s incapability of effort to force change and their laziness.
-Another significant moment is on page 656 when Gulliver learns the Lilliputians language. This proves that body language can be stronger then oral language because Gulliver only learned the language orally by using body language to express each others feelings. Learning the language is a big step to adapting to another persons culture which I think, Gulliver has adapted at this point.

Predictions:
I think students will find difficulties discovering the satire of the story. My group will help them better understand that by having them read the historical background inserted before the story. This will help them understand the concept of humans being gullible and how Gulliver represents this.

1984 assignment

The role that the doctrine O’Brien proclaims reveals the reasoning of the party’s behavior. He expresses that “submission is the price of sanity” and anything else is madness. O’Brien basically makes it clear that rebellion is not an option. Oceania’s system of Oligarchical Collectivism is based around three mantras which easily generate their control over the oblivious citizens. They are: war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength. The party maintains these mantras by using certain tactics to manage the human’s obedience.
The government has gained such a strong amount of control on the people that they can tell them absolutely anything and the citizens will believe it. The party’s slogans are quite illogical but, the citizens willingly abide by it because they are completely brainwashed by the government. “War is peace” is one contribution to the government’s dictatorship because if the country remains at a constant war the people’s contact to other countries is cut off. Thus, war is one of the party’s tactics which keeps the citizens oblivious to reality and conveys peace within Oceania. The slogan “freedom is slavery” has the citizens believe independence is condemned to failure. This tactic allows the citizens not to desire thinking on their own; which causes fewer rebellions. “Ignorance is strength” represents the people’s failure to realize the truth which increases the government’s power for them to do whatever they please. Another tactic of the party is to induce the citizens with fear for them to have a less likely chance of rebellion. They do so by, placing telescreens in everyone’s home which observes the people very carefully to prevent them from acting up. Not only are the citizens observed by the telescreens, but they are also patrolled by “thought police” and “junior spies.” They are just more contributions to the governments surveillance of the people. The government also rewrites history as one of their tactics of control. The control of the past limits the future. If the past was idealized then people would want to re-enact it. But, since the past is believed as a time of misery they can only strive for limited goals because they are oblivious to anything higher. The party even erases people from history as if they never existed. The reason to this is if a person discovers the party’s secret the party would have them “disappear” to leave no traces of rebellion so others wouldn’t gain any ideas. Winston is one of the people who figures out the government’s system. But of course nothing gets past the party, thus, leads Winston to his fate of torture until he is rehabilitated to “sanity.” O’Brien proclaims that Winston “has failed humility, in self- discipline,” because Winston went against the government. O’Brien also expresses to Winston that reality is only within the party and nowhere else. He is telling Winston that there is no reality in the individual mind “except by looking through the party’s eyes.” Every individual must believe everything the Party says or else they must “relearn” just as Winston had to at the end of the book.

In a World

In a world where being brainwashed is the law,
Where suspicion is crime,
And where independence is rebellion;
All you can think is “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.”

Who is Big Brother?
Never seen or heard, but he is world-renowned.
He’s a metaphor of a corrupt version of God,
With his junior spies and telescreens functioning like demented angels of heaven.

In a world where isolation is the key to ignorance,
Where people are programmed to be oblivious,
And to believe in altered history and “unpersons.”
Basically, to listen to lies that become the truth.

In a government of contradictions:
The Ministry of Peace, provokes war;
The Ministry of Plenty, plans economic scarcity;
And the Ministry of Love, prevents true love.

The misconceptions of the Party’s slogan:
WAR IS PEACE,
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY,
And IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.

In a world where you may start to realize the government’s game,
You may test how far you can rebel before fear gets the best of you,
Or before they get you,
Before the Proles realize your suspicion and take you away.

In a world where the place where there is no darkness is a mystery until you get there,
Until you find it’s Room 101 or better yet a torturous rehab.
It’s there to discipline the ones, who try to outsmart the system,
But they can’t.

Until you learn either through the hard or easy way,
“You must love Big Brother. It is not enough to obey him;
You must love him.”
Or else, you vanish.