Literary Periods

Literary Periods

This past week in AP English our class studied the various literary periods throughout history. At first I struggled to find the importance of this assignment, but as I saw the values of this assignment as our group gathered information and we saw how the different literary periods where a reflection of the time periods. Seeing how different literary movements had a relationship to history made me think about the importance of literature to society. Our society has seen the benefits of literature, and they have seen the power of literature to spark ideas and movements. However, a part of literature that if feel that we tend to overlook is the value it has as being a looking glass into to the past. While we were looking at this different literary periods in class I couldn’t help but to see how what authors were writing about were the problems that were faced at society in that time. When we where talking about the lost generation I saw how writers were concerned with war and wanted peace, and how during the enlightenment period how authors wrote about the reason and order in society. I feel that literature is more than just a tool to spark an idea, but it is more a tool to give the present generation a look into to the past. The real value of literature is that it preserves the ideas of many different generations so that the current generation can read, learn, and understand the problems of our past and not repeat them in the future.

-          Jordan Gray

"The world is too much with us"

"Modern technology

Owes ecology

An apology."

~Alan M. Eddison

As time has passed by, we tend to rely more and more in technology. We can't do a homework without using the internet, we can't talk to our friends if its not through a cellphone, and we can't go out with our friends without having to update our status in a social network. Technology has made our lives easier but it is not entirely beneficial. We don't show any kind of appreciation for nature anymore. We're always complaining if our grass is too long, if the weather is hot or cold, or if the flowers in our backyard grow too much. Every action that nature takes has a benefit behind it. Without any vegetation, we would not be able to breath the pure air that gives us life. Without the rain, our crops would be dry and we would not be able to eat any food. Nature is more essential to us than technology is. I don't think anyone would die without checking their email or Facebook for a day, but all of us would be dead if we don't breath for 24 hours. According to the author of the poem, we should care more about whats behind our industrialized life. We should give a break to technology and start running under the rain, going out and having a picnic in a park, or simply enjoying the smell of flowers. Lets bring back a little part of the time we've given to technology and bring ourselves closer to the naturalistic side of us.  

-Heidy Garcia

Science vs Religion

As we begin to read Frankenstein, one of the many questions posed from the novel is that of science vs. religion. In the 17th century (the time that Frankenstein was written) many people were firm believers in their religions. However, the book challenges religious beliefs as a scientific creation is developed. Another question posed by the novel is that of creationism. If you created something, are you ultimately responsible for its actions or behaviors? Or, do you allow it to be at fault for any and everything that it does? As we move through life, these are questions that we are likely to ask ourselves. 


-Bree Griffith

"To be of use" Response

"The pitcher cries for water to carry / and a person for work that is real"

In her poem "To be of use" Marge Piercy explores the value that work has in our everyday lives and how the work that we do as individuals shapes how we perceive ourselves. Particularly the last two lines bring forth ideas of people actual needing work to reach fulfillment, and not just any work, but work that plays to each of our strengths. Not everyone is strong, intellectual, or social, but playing to our strengths increases the benefit our actions have for society and the self worth that we feel as a result. We all strive to stand out and be accepted by those around us, and the best way is to "jump into work head first" and create a splash to make everyone notice. How you work can show your true character and earn the respect of others, which often leads to respect of yourself. We live our lives to find purpose, and sitting around does nothing to aid in the search. Struggling and persevering through work adds depth, passion, and meaning to every aspect of our lives, without which life would be easier, but not nearly as worthwhile. As we work through our senior year of high school, maybe thinking of work as yet another facilitator of growth can help us in fighting off the senioritis and help us appreciate our last year at Los Osos, rather than wishing it all away.

-Elise Pertusati

Big Fish

As we English students now know, Big Fish has many examples of archetypes and symbols that are used to put a theme together. Some of these archetypes are the witch, mermaid, giant, werewolf, circus, Spectre, and the list goes on. These archetypes are what the father, Edward, uses to compose a story of his "history", which leads to the frustration of his son, Will. However, although the main focus of watching the movie was to analyze the archetypes, I think the message the movie had to offer through these archetypes was just as important, if not, more so. A prevailing theme of the movie is that we are all made up of our "stories", and the "real" self that we see everyday may not be our truest one. Each one of those archetypes that we analyzed all had a significant meaning in Edward's life, and the importance he gave to those things is what made him who he was. Each person likes and gives importance to different things, and that is what makes up each persons core or soul. What we show people everyday is very different from the person we all are inside, and these stories are a way of symbolically expressing that inner core and getting people to know what the human soul is made up of. Perhaps the existence of symbols and archetypes came by the want to be able to show people what we feel instead of explaining it or to express what we feel without using formal definitions. Regardless, maybe it's not the study of the archetypes themselves that's as important, but rather what they mean instead.

-Daniel Hawkins

Alice Reading Response #1

"Alice replied, rather shyly, 'I-I hardly know, Sir, just at present--at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.'"

-Chapter 5 (Advice from a Caterpillar)

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Growing up, I felt like this a lot. I didn't quite know who I was, what "label" I fit under, and what I even desired to be. I'd change my persona day to day--even class to class. How I was in first period definitely was not consistent with how I was sixth period. It was all unconscious and very confusing. Random forces that I still can't accurately identify seemed to toy with my very own identity.

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By having Alice try to identify herself to the Caterpillar, Carroll explains the confusion involved with the entrance into puberty and maturity. Carroll uses Alice's chaotic dream to serve as a parallel to the "adult" world that children are thrust into at a certain age. Wonderland's talking creatures and various other eccentricities resemble new responsibilites, ideas, fears, and opportunities that present themselves to those entering the "adult" world. Alice's confusion and uncertainty with who she is (and who she is supposed to be) is universal amongst children at that age. She has yet to truly define herself and cannot properly answer the Caterpillar. Her consistently evolving size adds another dimension to her self-pronounced changes. Pubery changes identities of children physically, extending the realm of confusion. Alice's answer resounds with anyone experiencing drastic life change.

--Emily T.