Polished Response Writing ''Oh the horror...the horror''

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The quote ''Oh the horror...the horror''is the last sentence Kurtz says to people before he dies. This scene from ''Heart of Darkness'' reminds me of the chapter when Simon discovers that the beast is a human being in the ''Lord of the Flies''. Things happen mysteriously and come to nothing. The most you can hope is that you learn something about yourself. Like the way Kurtz chooses death, or like how the beast is a dead parachutist, sometimes things development much differently than how we would image. Nonetheless, we still need to face life and we must be brave and wise enough to live. For instance, when Simon realizes the truth, he thinks deeply and worries a lot. Likewise, Marlow holds the idea that life is a more difficult puzzle than some of us think. Accordingly, it is necessary and meaningful to contemplate life and reflect so that we become mature and experienced.

Choice assignment #2

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Choice assignment #2---Verbal- visual

V1

In the novel ''Lord of the Flies'', a group of boys are abandoned on a deserted and humid island during a raging war. The boys don't have any scientific machines. Nonetheless, they need fire. Golding describes a scene about making fire: '' His specs --- use them as burning glasses!'' Piggy was surrounded before he could back away. ( p40, Lord of the Flies) Without a doubt, fire is the origin and symbol of human civilization. Piggy's glasses symbolize the power of science and wisdom in that the glasses can make fire. We can also find the significance of the glasses when the savages effectively steal the power to make fire and leave Ralph's group helpless. In summary, Piggy's glasses represent human civilization and the power of science.

V2

The adventure novel '' Lord of the Flies'' describes that a group of English boys are trapped on an isolated and tropical island. When a boy tell the others that he sees a beast, all of the boys are frightened. Then they decide to find the beast. However, what they found was surprising, ''As Simon thought this, he turned to the poor broken thing that sat stinking by his side. The beast was harmless and horrible.'' ( P 162 ,Lord of the Flies) To my surprise, the beast that are scared of is actually a dead parachutist. It symbolizes that what people are frightened of isn't something evil and terrible, but rather people's own selves and other human beings. For instance, Jack's desire for power is very horrible and it influences Jack's words and actions. In conclusion, because the beast is human, the boys are actually afraid of themselves.

V 3

The vision of youth culture in A Clockwork Orange written by Anthony Burgess is entirely negative and horrible. Deltoid is the protagonist, Alex’s Post-Corrective Adviser who tries to stop Alex's violence. Deltoid said, ''What gets into you all? We study the problem and we've been studying it for damn well near a century, yes, but we get no further with our studies. You've got a good home here, good loving parents, you've got not too bad of a brain. Is it some devil that crawls inside you?'' ( P30, A Clockwork Orange ) It is true that Alex is a dangerous and ruthless criminal. However, all people have natural characters which include good and evil. Even science tries to take control of humanity's destructive impulses. They haven't solved this problem yet. The dark, the destructive and the good all can be the parts of who we are. It is better that we accept it rather than changing it. In conclusion, free will is important and we cannot really control or change humanity's natural personality. 

 

V4

The main character Alex in this novel '' A Clockwork Orange'' is violent and wicked. However he loves classical music. When he is forced to watch the violent movie, there is a scene, ''Then I noticed, in all my pain and sickness, what music it was that like crackled and boomed on the sound-track, and it was Ludwing van, the last movement of the Fifth Symphony, and I creeched like bezoomny at that,'' ''Stop!''(P 85, A Clockwork Orange) In the readers' mind, Alex is an evil and bad boy. To my surprise, after he becomes a good man ,everything changes but his interest in classical music is still strong. It demonstrates that the outside appearance and personality may be changed but the inside natural characteristics remain. Accordingly, the personal character remains and it is unnecessary and impossible to change them.

Quarter #4 of A Clockwork Orange

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A Clockwork Orange Q#4

Part two chapter 1—7 and part three chapter 1---7

Major events

1. Alex gets sentenced to fourteen years in State Jail. The first two years of prison are hellish for Alex.

2. After several years, Alex gets a job, playing the stereo for the prison chaplain every Sunday mass. And he begins to take an interest in the bible.
3. Minister selects Alex for Reclamation Treatment, a two-week program which will culminate in the State releasing Alex. Alex is happy with that.
4. The doctors force Alex to watch numbers of violent movies. Even when Alex feels horribly sick and screams, Dr. Brodsky and the others just simply laugh at him.
5. Alex’s torture continues for the following days, he is very painful. For one time, Alex attempts an escape but fails.
6. The last time Alex went to the screening room where he always sees the movies, a man insults and beats him. But Alex just clings to the man's ankles until the man falls.
7. Dr.Brpdsky declares that Alex is a true Christian and after doctor's successful presentation, Alex is free then.
8. When Alex arrives home, he sees a strange man and his room is totally changed. From the conversation, Alex realizes that he is not wanted so he leaves.
9. Any violence makes Alex ill, such as pop music and the Korova Milkbar. Therefore, Alex decides to suicide. Then in the library, a schoolteacher-type man recognizes Alex and beats him but Alex doesn't fight back. On the contrary, Alex begs others to call the police.
10. To Alex's amazement, he finds the policemen are Billyboy and Dim. They recognize Alex and then the officers take Alex to a deserted place where they beat him brutally and abandon him.
11. Alex goes to a cottage for help. Inside, Alex recognizes the man as the writer who he and his friends robbed before. But the writer doesn't recognize him and even treats his well. Alex tells the writer all the things about the Ludovico's Technique.
12. Alex reads the book ''A Clockwork Orange'' written by the writer F. Alexander and thinks the book sounds crazy and worries that perhaps F. Alexander is insane.
13. F. Alexander and his friends plan to use Alex to revolt against the government. They want to describe him as ''a superb device''. And soon when F. Alexander recognizes that Alex is the man who raped his wife and robbed his house, Alex tried to run away but fails. Finally, he is locked in a room.
14. Alex has no way to go out so he jumps from the window to suicide. He doesn't die, instead, he lies in the hospital and a lot of people come to visit him.
15. ,Alex realizes that something has changed, and that he is able to have violent thoughts without any negative consequence. The doctor tells him that he is cured as a result of “deep hypnopaedia.”
16. Alex goes back to his former life. He has a new gang and a new job. However, one day, Alex criticizes his friends in the bar and says that he will go home to be on his own and think things out.
17. Alex meets Pete and his pretty wife, they are going to a party. In the end, Alex decides it’s time to start a new chapter in his life, of finding the mother for his children. He is growing up.

Characters' introduction

Alex

As we know, Alex is the narrator and main character, in the second and third part of the novel, he experiences the life in jail and there's a change in his character. When Alex is in the jail, he is put through an experimental ''Reclamation Treatment'' to make him incapable of doing any wrong. However, F. Alexander who Alex later meets, tries to use Alex to go against the government. Alex is unfortunately used and duped by both the government and F. Alexander. He completely loses his born natural personality during this time. Alex's childish actions and immature thoughts lead him to a miserable during his youth time. Finally, Alex's freedom restores. He makes the choice to grow up on his own.

F. Alexander

F. Alexander is a writer and an anti-government activist. He is also the author of A Clockwork Orange, a book about the importance of free will. In the first part, F. Alexander is the one whose wife was raped and beaten by Alex. Nonetheless, F. Alexander appears again in the third part and uses Alex to oppose the government. At the end of the story, F. Alexander is thrown in prison by the government. Although he is a liberal ideologist who claims to help Alex but he doesn't really care about Alex's thoughts. F. Alexander is fake and evil.

Dr. Brodsky

Dr. Brodsky is the scientist who is taking control of Alex in the Ludovico’s Technique. Brodsky is short, fat, hairy, and wears thick glasses. He and his assistant always are laughing at Alex’s suffering. Unlike Alex, Dr. Brodsky knows nothing about classical music and does not appreciate it either.

Prison Chaplain

Prison Chaplain is a good friend of Alex in the jail. He tries to stop Alex choosing the Ludovico’s Technique. Prison Chaplain is big, burly drunk with a red face. He gives the most concise definition in his speech of the importance of free will in the novel.

Point of view

The narrator speaks in the first person. It's good because we can know Alex's thoughts and actions. Therefore, we can compare Alex's true natural personality with the changed one. But we cannot feel other characters' thoughts.

Setting

In the second part, the setting is the jail and a nice building for experiment in result from Alex's punishment. In the third part, the setting changes back to the small city in England because Alex is free then.

Notables about the writers' style

Notables are the same as the last one.

Burgess' clever and unique style owes much to his use of nadsat, which has its fair share of onomatopoeia to clue us in on what is being said. A Clockwork Orange is Anthoy Burgess's rebellion against brainwashing and political suppression. It is a mixture of Russian, English, and American slang, and rhyming words and phrases, with a touch of Shakespearean English.

Themes

1. The Inherent Evil of Government exists and it affects people because the State seeks to control Alex and take his will free away. The State also does not tolerate dissent. F. Alexander who aims to go against the government is finally arrested.

2. The author presents the attraction to evil as a natural part of being human. Alex does evil simply because he likes to. Human nature should be respected but Alex is forced to become a good man who is afraid of violence. However, it doesn't last long. Alex changes back to himself later. Therefore, human nature is something essential and changeless.

Quarter #3 A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange

Part One

Chapter1---7

Major event---

1. Alex, a 15-year-old leader of a violent teenage gang with Peter, Georgie and Dim, always takes drugs , comments on others and robs people. They love two bars, one is the Duke of New York, another is the Korova Mlikbar.

2. The boys fight with another thug Billyboy and his gangs after that they steal a car and drive to the country to do ''the old surprise visit'' which involved breaking into a house, beating and raping people inside the house.

3. Alex and his gang return to the Korova Milkbar and notice some changes. Because Dim hates classic opera, Alex beats him with anger.

4. Alex refused to go to school and then his Post-Corrective Adviser Deltoid educates and blames him.

5.Alex's parents worry about him but Alex comforts them in a ridiculous way. At night, Alex rapes two young girls.

6. When the boys break into the manse, Dim defrays Alex to cause trouble to Alex. Policemen arrest Alex and force to finish statement.

Characters' introduction---

Alex

The protagonist is Alex who is 15-year-old and leads a violent gang. Alex lives with his loving parents who is unaware of his criminal lifestyle in the beginning. Alex occasionally goes to school and does a plenty of bad things like taking drugs, raping girls and robbing citizens for fun. Classical music is Alex's favourite. To Alex, being bad is as natural as being good.

Dim

Dim is a dumb and brutish member of Alex's gang. Because for one time Dim stops a woman who is singing classical opera, Alex beats him. After that, Dim betrays Alex and makes Alex arrested by the officers.

P. R. Deltoid

Deltoid is Alex’s Post-Corrective Adviser. Deltoid is a man who assigned to monitor Alex’s behavior. He warns Alex not to do bad things. Deltoid cannot understand why Alex continues to get into trouble when he has a good home and loving parents. When Alex fails to listen and does end up in jail, Deltoid spits on his face.

Point of view---

Anthony Burgess narrates in the first person Alex. The benefit to this is that we get extremely intimate with and engaged in Alex's life. It assists us to know all the thoughts and life details of Alex so that we can know him well. Nonetheless, the disadvantage is that we don't know the other people 's thoughts.

Setting---

The setting is a small city in England during the not-so-distant future.

Notables about the writers' style---

Burgess' clever and unique style owes much to his use of nadsat, which has its fair share of onomatopoeia to clue us in on what is being said. A Clockwork Orange is Anthoy Burgess's rebellion against brainwashing and political suppression. It is a mixture of Russian, English, and American slang, and rhyming words and phrases, with a touch of Shakespearean English.

Statement of theme---

Free will: In the novel, Burgess asks and answers the question, "Is a man who has been forced to be good better than a man who chooses evil?" Alex chooses evil because it is in his nature to do so. However, people force Alex to correct all the bad habits and to be a good man. It is significant for a man to take control of his own will.

Choice Assignment 1st ---Character sketches

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Character sketches of Jack

When Jack appears, he leads a party of choir boys. They all wear a square black cap with a silver badge. These boy's bodies are hidden by black cloaks. This appearance and action of the hunters demonstrate Jack's leadership. He is about Ralph's age. Jack is strong and appointed by Ralph to be the leader of hunters.

As the story goes, Jack, the novel's antagonist, gradually becomes a villainous and egomaniacal savage leader. His desire for power tempts him to go against Ralph's group and leave them helpless. When Piggy is killed by a boulder, Jack screams wildly, ''See?See? That's what you'll get! I meant that! There isn't a tribe for you any more! The conch is gone---.'' in the later half of the novel, Jack's words are cruel and his actions are very violent. Jack only cares for his own power and not for the common good. He shows innate human evil nature and represents savagery. 

 

Character sketches of Piggy

In the novel '' Lord of the Flies'', Piggy is a support character who is short and overweight. He dresses similar to the other boys in a typical school uniform and wears glasses. Piggy's aunt tells him not to run because he suffers from asthma. Therefore, Piggy is weak and not suitable to be a hunter.

Piggy is friendly, intellectual and rational. Compared with the other boys, Piggy's insight and intelligence assists the whole group. For instance, Piggy suggests to Ralph to use the conch shell to call the others so they can have a meeting anytime. Likewise, Piggy comes up with a sundial that everyone can use to tell the time. Nonetheless, Piggy is hated by Jack because Piggy is nagging and insisting on supporting Ralph. In the story, Piggy is a just and tragic character who is killed by the savages in the end.

wordle

Quarter 2 ( Chapter 7--12 from Lord of the flies)

Lord of the Flies

Chapter 7---12

Major event

1.  On the mountain, the boys fail to hunt a pig so they reenact the chase and nearly kill Robert.

2. At night, Jack, Ralph and Roger climb to the summit and see the "beast".

3. Simon find that the beast is the dead pilot with his flapping parachute. However, when he goes back to tell everyone, the boys kill him because they think he is the beast.

4. Jack holds a feast to attract the Ralph’s followers and then warns the boys against Ralph's small group.

5. Jack's hunters steal Piggy's glasses.

6. When Ralph and Piggy want to get glasses back, Jack and Ralph have a fight. Piggy is killed by a massive rock.

7. Jack leads his hunters to try to kill Ralph.

8. Ralph and the Jack's group meet an officer at the beach. Then the officer is shocked and reproachful when he know what happened and the boys sob.

Character's introduction

Ralph

Ralph's power decreases gradually because Jack uses the meat to attract the boys and warns them against Ralph. Ralph still insists justice but he is alone after Piggy is killed. Ralph represents the human being's civilization. However, apparently, he loses the whole power at last.

Jack

Jack becomes increasingly barbaric and cruel as the story goes in result from his desire of power. He represents the human being's savagery. Finally, Jack becomes the leader and even tries to kill Ralph.

Piggy

Piggy is weak, smart, friendly and always the most rational one among the boys although he looks ordinary. He follows Ralph from the beginning to the end. Also, his glasses can make fire and that just like him, he represents the wisdom and intellect of civilization.

Point of view---

Golding writes the novel in the third person perspective. Although the book generally follows Ralph, it occasionally breaks off and follows another character for a time.  To know the characters' inner thoughts is significant in that we can figure out changes of the main characters' personalities. Through out the novel, Golding shows us and warns us of the evil nature of human beings.

Setting---

The novel takes place on a deserted tropical island during World War II. The specific scene is the beach, the mountain and the jungle. This environment makes the novel vivid.

Notables about the writers' style---

Golding makes his novel come alive with a significant use of symbolism, physiological development, and general truths. His writing style is simple but the subject matter is deep. He uses a rather comparatively simple story to convey a weighty idea.

Statement of theme---

At the last, we find out that the beast is human. It demonstrates that what they are frightened is not something creepy but themselves and other humans.

Also, everybody has a evil nature so we should face it and learn to take control of it, or the civilization will disappear.

Quarter 1 (chapter 1--6 from Lord of the flies)

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Lord of the flies

Chapter 1—6

Synopsis---

Major events:

1. Ralph is elected as the leader of the boys and Jack leads the hunters.
2. Jack killed a pig successfully with his hunters.
3. Jack and Ralph's first contradiction.
4. One of the littluns claims that he saw a beast and is terrifies all the boys.
5. Ralph and Jack lead the boys to look for the beast.

Characters' introduction---

Ralph

He is a representative and talented leader at the beginning of the novel. Because he cares about shelters and the boys' safety, his influence is stable at that time. However, because the boys are concerned with playing and avoiding work, he feels tired and wants to relinquish his position at one time but he continues.

Jack

He is athletic and desires power. In the beginning, he is a bit annoyed because he loses the position of leader. Afterwards, he hunts a pig successfully and becomes a savage. He is trying to achieve more power. And Jack begins to get tired of Piggy's nagging.

Point of view---

In the story, the author speaks in the third person. The author is omniscient and gives us access to the characters’ inner thoughts.

Setting---

After a raging war, a group of the boys are abandoned on a deserted tropical island. This island is the environment of the whole story. It gives the story the possibility of development. 

Notables about the writers' style---

He is a honest writer and apt at detailed description. William Golding ’s characters have a depth. Each character, while being their own person, symbolizes some idea, but not to the point where the characters are flat.

Statement of themes---

In the novel, the author represents the conflict between civilization and savagery. The protagonist Ralph stands for leadership and the hope of justice and the antagonist Jack represents the savagery and the desire for power.

Hi, I'm Even Fan:-)

Hello. :P

I'm Even. This is my second semester at Stelly's. I love reading and jazz dance.
I choose to read the book "Lord of the Flies" and "Clockwork Orange". I have finished reading Chapter1-6 so far. In this novel, Ralph is my favorite character because he is kind and talented. And the development of the story becomes dark and interesting now. Also, I find some interesting symbols,such as Piggy's glasses and signal fire. I'll keep reading and hope I can finish this 2 novels soon.:D