Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Summaries of the first three acts in Much Ado About Nothing

In Act 1 of Much Ado About Nothing we are launched to all the major characters of the book. The play begins when Leonato was given news of the forthcoming coming of Don Pedro, Benedict, Claudio and John the Bastard (who is Don Pedro's half brother) at his home. All these people pull in and were at Leonato’s house. Without more ado Benedict and Beatrice start on discriminating at one another, attesting their hostility which is a very ubiquitous problem in the play. While Beatrice and Benedict show their hatred for one another, Claudio was falling in love with Leonato’s daughter, Hero. When everyone was finally finished with the introduction of each other Benedict and Beatrice's hatred war was over Claudio wastes no time; he quickly approaches Benedict for recommendation on how to persuade his new love Hero. Sadly, Benedict does not consider in the preparation of marriage and wishes "to die a bachelor", but Don Pedro links the conversation between Benedict and Claudio and gladly offers to Claudio to woo Hero and even getting authorization from her father in the name of Signor Claudio.
In Leonato's house the information spreads so fast to the people that Leonato’s brother, Antonio explains the situation of Claudio's love for Hero as he walked with Leonato. By hearing the news Leonato had no trouble with it and still sets off to tell his daughter, Hero.
Unfortunately not everybody heeding this news was pleased. Borachio, a follower of John the Bastard listening in Antonio and Leonato's conversation and reported it to John the Bastard. Being such a hateful person, John the Bastard begins to work out a plan to interfere with his brother's good aims and mess up Claudio and Hero’s love affair.

Act 2

In Act 2 of Much Ado About Nothing all of the characters procedures are placed into action. Leonato planned a banquet where everyone takes advantage of this situation and also Beatrice and Benedict begins to insult one another yet again without even knowing that it was Benedict she was talking to. Don Pedro also used his to masquerade to pursue Hero  in the name of Claudio, which was running completely good until John the Bastard and his follower Borachio deliberately came up to Claudio and fake to think that he was Benedict  to let him know that Don Pedro is setting up to woo Hero for himself which was not true . Claudio was convinced but not for long time due to the fact that later on that night when the masks were elevated; Claudio received the good news of Hero accepting him and Claudio's engagement was announced to all and he was overjoyed again. Don Pedro was also happy that his plan had made it too. He was so inflamed with so much pride he determined to make an effort on another trial, getting Benedict and Beatrice together. He plotted and planned with the others and they agreed with his decision to do so to see the result. In addition the fact that Borachio and John the Bastard saw that their plan didn’t work on Claudio and Hero; they created a different effort to wreck the happiness of Claudio and Hero relationship. They wished-for a plan to have Margaret dress in Lady Hero's clothes and be fascinated in immoral poses in front of her window in range to framework naive Hero.
Don Pedro's plan was lay down and  action was about to take place , when Leonato and Claudio and Don Pedro had a extremely extended talk amongst themselves with intent so that Benedict would hear their conversation about the perpetual love that they affirm poor Beatrice has for Benedick and yet cannot acknowledge. And Benedick keenly takes it all as the law from God above and is without delay love-struck and accepts as truth that a marriage is promising with such a fair woman as the lady Beatrice. Benedick persuades himself that she has the entire characteristics that he is looking for in a woman and totally pays no attention to the "merry war" of which they always share.

Act 3
In Act 3 of Much Ado About Nothing the master plan of Don Pedro is continued, due to the fact that the ladies now admit the irritating love that Benedick has perceived about his love Beatrice. Hero and Ursula talk on what Claudio had supposedly told Hero. But the words of Benedick love were so touching that Beatrice was willing to accept her true love. Beatrice just as easily took the simple scandal as the word of God and believed it.
Also John the Bastard's arrangement stirred along quite rapidly just like how Don Pedro‘s plan had move so fast; he managed to meet Don Pedro, his brother, and Claudio taking a sheer leisurely walk where he proceeded his plan. By leading them to them to Hero’s bedroom window where Margaret was dressed in Hero's clothes and was seen through the window, making love with Borachio. This ruined Claudio's heart and Don Pedro and Claudio came to the conclusion that they will embarrass Hero the next day at the wedding as vengeance for her "disloyalty".
After the action is done, Borachio proceed to tell Comrade the story while walking late at night but he does not recognize the guards are listening to every word after Borachio has finished telling his story the guards quickly rush them and hold them until their boss returns.
Hero, Margaret, Beatrice and Ursula spend the next scene all getting prepared for the wedding that Hero is about to have to Claudio. Hero is entirely unaware to the embarrassment she will receive.
In the meanwhile the boss of the guard Dogberry tries to go to Leonato for him to examine Borachio and Comrade so that he may see just what deceit they have to tell him but sadly Leonato took no time to see what "insignificances" Dogberry had to bid he had a wedding to go to as far as he was concerned. If only he had done the inspection the story would have had a different conclusion about Hero’s incident.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Much Ado About Nothing

1. What does Don John vow to do ?
Don John guarantees to plot against Don Pedro by wooing Hero before Pedro or Claudio does so.

2.Who is Claudio in love with ?
Claudio is in love with Leonato’s daughter,her name is Hero.

3.What is their perspective about love in comparison to Beatrice and Benedict?
With Claudio and Hero they see love as a romantic time well spent with one another exchanging sweet words up on sweet word unlike Beatrice and Benedict they are always quarreling once they see each other and are disgust with the thought of them even being together ; he says that he will never love her and she says she would never waist her time loving him. Hence with no love regards between each of them they are not terrified to speak the thoughts aloud.

4.What is the plan executed by Don Pedro?
Don Pedro would camouflage himself as Claudio so that he could get Hero Claudio's admire and persuade her about him so that in the end they would marry and be happy .


Comparing the Book and the Movie  
within the book Act 1 it begins when Leonato, his wife, Hero his niece Beatrice, and the messenger all talking about the arrival of Don Pedro and his fellow men whereas in the movies it begins when Beatrice reads a story to a limited amount of people who are on a picnic together.

Also in the movie the actors all rush to have a bath ; some of the woman rush to bath as the Don Pedro and his army arrives; and when they do they also took a bath before they met Hero. while in the book it was implied in the narrator's piece to indicate to the readers.

In addition the book and the movie had the same language spoken just one or two words were changed but had the same meaning and the setting arrangement was also different since the book only has just the two brother together while the movie had more than two men approaching.

Music Comments 
The music in the movie varies in some many ways like when the actors speak or walk.Like for instance there was a yet soft/ long music which sooths the setting in the beginning when Beatrice was reading for her audience and it varied every time she reach an interesting part. Also as Don Pedro and the other were approaching their music had a very exciting music as the head towards  their destination. With a sudden rush of the music in the movie when everyone hurried to bath also shows the music changed again because they all wanted to get dress on time.


  

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Life of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare Life and Childhood:



William Shakespeare was born on 23rd of April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. It is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. Although the exact date is unknown, his birthday is celebrated on the 23rd of April. He died April 23rd 1616 at the age of 52 
 in New Place, his house in Stratford upon Avon, England and was buried in Holy Trinity church in Stratford and the cause of his death was unknown.He was 
raised by his parents, John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. William Shakespeare would have attended King Edward IV Grammar School in Stratford-upon-Avon from the age of 7 in 1571 and left school and formal education when he was fourteen in 1578. He was withdrawn from education in 1577 at the age of fourteen due to his father's financial problems. In addition he was married to Anne Hathaway at a very young age in which they had three kids by the name Susanna, Hamnet , and Judith but sad to here his only son Hamnet died at the age of 11.

William Shakespeare Accomplishment and Work:  

The Lord Chamberlain's men accepted William Shakespeare as one of the senior member in which this was a performing arts company which frequently executed before the court. This well-known theatre company later became the royal company called the King's Men, making Shakespeare an authorized playwright to the King of England. His accomplishment flourished so concurrently that he applied for the coat of arms and William and his family was approved a Coat of Arms which gave Shakespeare the designation of a 'gentleman'. Hence later within his life, Shakespeare later became part of the possession of the famous Globe Theatre where many of his plays were later performed. 
 William Shakespeare was recognized as one of literature’s greatest influences. He was famous in the Elizabethan Era and was acknowledged to most by his plays such as: Othello; The Merchant of Venice and Hamlet, Macbeth; Romeo & Juliet; Julius Caesar ; Twelfth Night, are few of his more famous plays. He opens these plays in the purity of the Elizabethan theaters. He moved from theatre to theatre presenting his plays because none of the theatres in those times were stable. However, in 1576 he built a theatre in Shoreditch, the conduct experiment was quite a success and by 1592 there were two more playhouses in London. Shakespeare also includes sonnets as well as his theatrical works as his main form of poetry. He made poems entitled: Venus and Adonis; The Rape of Lucerne and A Lover's Complaint. 

Brother Man Homework

  1. Some narrative techniques in the novel Brother Man are as follow:
  • Foreshadowing-The hostility between Brother Man and Brother Ambo within the early scenes of the book gives you an idea that somewhere to the end of the novel conflict will arise with both of them. Also Papacita and Girlie's unwholesome relationship shows foreshadows of a horrible ending for the couple.
  • Theme- Due to the fact that Roger Mais takes the time to entail everyone to convey their analysis, there are more than a few themes displayed in the book. Hence, when the chapter amends a new character is launched this is a principal factor to the variety of themes.
  • Point of View- Roger Mais frequently writes from an omniscient point of view so as to convey every character involved in the book's thoughts and feelings in the first person.He constantly alters the persona in each chapter thus, giving different point of views and views of the events of the story. Hence he deliberately uses this narrative technique.
  • Setting- Roger Mais tries to imply many different setting by changing every scene . one setting my be showing Girlie and Papacita's home and the other may be showing a scene down orange lane.
   2.   Roger Mais develops the characterization by skillfully illustrating the different personalities of the different characters by using the point of view narrative technique and this give everyone an impending on the different events or situations and therefore giving every character the opportunity to have their individual characteristics depicted. Also, he includes a section of the novel called 'Chorus of the People in the lane' this gives the reader an inside view into the life of the community of Kingston, Jamaica.

  3. The setting of Brother Man takes place in the slums of Orange Lane, Kingston, Jamaica in the 50's as it would seem.

  4.Some of the themes used in the novel brother Man are as follows:
  • Religion
  • Death
  • Love
  • Sorrow 
  • Greed 
  • Envy
  5.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Letter to the Editor

Buckley's Village,
St John's,
Antigua,
4th, November, 2010

The Editor Manager
The Daily Observer
Coolidge
P.O.Box 1318
St.John's
Antigua.

Dear Editor,
              
            I am writing this letter to inform you about a cruel act towards a Rastafarian by the name of John Power better known as Brother Man which to place on Orange Lane in which I was a witness and yet still I am extremely astonished of their behavior towards him . He was a religious and spiritual man who would lend a helping hand to his friends and his enemies also he was loving, kind hearted and a giving person. This cruel act which Brother Man received was an act of unfairness because they attacked his because of his way of living and how he presented himself within the neighbourhood.
          Hence I strongly believe that this brutal act needs special attention before another attack repeats itself because wrong judgement were made on Brother Man thinking he was a rapist and a thief as a result of his way of living. Judging a man by the way he looks is far beyond the point to stone him since everyone has their own opinion of how to dress, speak and act within one's community. I am highly shock to know that some villagers would do such an act in which sad to say i couldn't be of assist to him. For this reason I suggest that justice needs to be serve and as an editor it gives me great pleasure to see you read my letter of concern.

yours, sincerely
A concerned citizen  


Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Questions on Brother Man

The Conflict in Brother :
Internal conflict is show between Minette and Brother Man by her dedicated and passionate feel for affection towards Brother Man because within the novel she persistently hurl herself  next to Brother Man in which he only saw her as a daughter unrestricted love for her meaning she has place an internal love affair within her mind. 


Internal Conflict is shown in Cordelia because her son, Tad was really sick and she was hurt to see that Brother Man can't heal her son in which she develops a hatred towards him.Afterwards she turn to Brother Ambo who deals with obeah but instead after a while she went mad and turn crazy and unfortunately died. 


An External Conflict is shown between Girlie and Papacita with their unhealthy relationship since Papacita would constantly lie to Girlie and go out to defraud himself  then wants to still be with her at nights. By doing so Girlie grew to develop a jealous personality where fights and arguments are regular in their lives which lead to his death.  


An External conflict is shown between Jesmina and Cordelia because when Jesmina heard that her sister was encouraging the usage of obeah she wanted nothing to do with her sister. Also the fact that her relative where sick and she was with Shine cause an additional external conflict.


An External conflict is shown when Nathaniel and the child his girlfriend had - with another man when he went to jail- since he has to deals with the fact that he had try and accept him as a son as a result of unfaithfulness. Also his interaction towards his girlfriend contributes to the external conflict.  








Definition of Internal and External Conflict


Internal conflict is a psychological or arousing effort that takes place inside a character.


External conflict is an inconsistency that is rooted by external forces, which you have no power in excess of.






The three types of irony are: 
1. Situational Irony      2. Verbal Irony        3. Dramatic Irony




 Socratic Irony - is when a person acts as if they are ignorant towards something or someone in order to picture the weak point of another's position.


Verbal Irony usually occurs in discussion, the presenter aims to be unspoken as meaning something that compares with the accurate or usual meaning of what he says like for example ironic remarks.



Dramatic Irony is when the person who reads or viewers are attentive of something that the characters in the story are not.



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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Brother Man By Roger Mais

  • The Biography of Roger Mais



Roger Mais was born on 11 August 1905 in Kingston, Jamaica, into a contented, educated middle-class Jamaican family, living in the Blue Mountains area where his father was a farmer. When he was a younger he was home schooled and received vigilant foundation from the Bible, in which his words and accent is emphasis in his work. He entered Calabar High School in Kingston, but made little use of the Cambridge certificate he obtained. By earning a living he had many different types of jobs like office work, selling insurance and many others within the age range of 17 to 30 years old. In the early 1930s Mais began writing verse and short stories, and later a number of plays. He was swept up in the riots and workers rebellion of 1938, and thereafter was an entirely committed supporter and protester involved with the PNP and Jamaican nationalism. His essays and short stories, mostly published in Public Opinion, were the literary attachment to Edna Manley's discovery of an increase anti-colonial Jamaican spirit in sculpture. He published two collections of stories, Face and Other Stories, and Most of All Man in 1942. He began work of art around this time. His review of Churchill's imperialist philosophy, 'Now We Know' brought Mais to court and he was sentenced to six months in prison for treason. His experience fed into his first published novel. He wrote further unpublished novels and plays before finding a publisher for, The Hills Were Joyful Together in 1951, Brother Man in 1954 and Black Lightning in 1955. His first visit to the United Kingdom was in 1952 but at the same time he went to France in 1954 found out he had
a life-threatening cancer. He returned to Jamaica, tried to finish a fourth novel, but died before its achievement in 1955 at the age of forty- nine.


Critics Review on the Book



 Edward Braithwaite affirms in his introduction that Brother Man is Roger Mais' “most excellent novel because it reveals the author's entire varied talents.”  In addition Edward also stated that, “good and evil in the Jamaican slums are brought to life.”  Others assumed so as to he was fascinated in symbols stemming more or less exclusively from the stories about biblical characters and from Greek mythology.

Roger Mais’ second novel, “Brother Man”, has been considered as an “excellent novel on the start of Rastafarianism in Jamaica.”

A Jamaican novelist and writer by the name of Annie Paul, who wrote many novels, states that Brother Man is “a storyline that is recommended for any reader to be engaged in,” she continues to say that “‘Brother Man’ has unmistakably stood the trial of time”. “The author’s demonstration of an informal discussion” is the only fault Paul finds within the novel. Also Paul states that “Mais chose to copy the Jamaican dialect in a quaint African-Americanized dialect of his own making.”


The Religious View of Rastafarianism




 Rastafarian urbanized in the slums of Kingston, Jamaica, in the 1920s and 30s, The Rastafarian movement began with the teachings of Marcus Garvey (1887-1940), a black Jamaican who led a "Back to Africa" movement. He taught that Africans are the true Israelites and have been exiled to Jamaica and other parts of the world as divine punishment. Garvey is regarded as a second John the Baptist and famously prophesied in 1927. Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned emperor of Ethiopia, he ruled until 1974 and at his coronation he took the name Haile Selassie, meaning "Might of the Trinity."

Selassie also took the titles, "Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God and King of the Kings of Ethiopia," and were traditionally given to Ethiopian kings and reflect the Old Testament emphasis of Ethiopian Christianity. For Rastafarians, Selassie's coronation was a clear fulfillment of Revelation 5:5, Ezekiel 28:25, and Marcus Garvey's prophecy.
Followers of Garvey's teachings believed that Selassie is the messiah that had been predicted, and that his coronation indicated the divine punishment was completed and the return to Africa would begin. Rastafarians named their movement for Ras Tafari and regarded the emperor as the physical presence of God (Jah) on earth.

Haile Selassie was an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and his explicitly denied his divine status as proclaimed in Jamaica. Leonard Howell emerged as an early leader of the movement. He taught six fundamental Rastafarian principles: (1) hatred for the White race; (2) the complete superiority of the Black race; (3) revenge on Whites for their wickedness; (4) the negation, persecution, and humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica; (5) preparation to go back to Africa; and (6) acknowledging Emperor Haile Selassie as the Supreme Being and only ruler of Black people. Many of these principles were subsequently abandoned as the Rastafarian movement developed.
The sacred text of Rastafarians is the Holy Piby, the "Black Man's Bible." It was compiled by Robert Athlyi Rogers of Anguilla from 1913 to 1917 and published in 1924. The Holy Piby is a version of the Christian Bible that has been altered to remove all the deliberate distortions that are believed to have been made by white leaders during its translation into English.
The Ethiopian national epic, the Kebra Negast, is also respected by Rastas, but less so than the Bible.

Rastafarians believe in the Judeo-Christian God, whom they call Jah. In general, Rastafarian beliefs are based in Judaism and Christianity, with an emphasis on Old Testament laws and prophecies and the Book of Revelation. Allegorical meaning is often sought in the Holy Piby.
Rastafarians are perhaps best known for their religious use of marijuana, which grows plentifully in Jamaica. Rastas know it as ganja, the holy herb, Iley or Callie, and believe it was given by God. Scriptural support is found especially in Psalm 104:14: "He causeth the grass for the cattle and herb for the service of man." Other texts interpreted to refer to cannabis include Genesis 3:18, Exodus 10:12, and Proverbs 15:17. In addition to ritual use, Rastas also use marijuana for medicinal purposes, applying it to a variety of ailments including colds. 










Monday, September 27, 2010

The 8 Types Of Fiction

Novel - An extended piece of fiction, normally at least 40,000 words long. Most novels have multiple characters, a central plot building up to an important climax near the end, and two or more subplots.


Novella - A mid-length work of fiction, shorter than a novel but longer than a short story - typically between 20,000 and 35,000 words.


Short Story - A short work of fiction, usually under 20,000 words. It is traditionally based on a single plot, event, character, or set of characters, and typically leads quickly to a climax and resolution.


Short-short Story - A very brief story, usually 1,500 words or less. Most short-shorts are based entirely on a simple plot and end in a surprise, irony, or joke.


Vignette - A brief piece of fiction that vividly depicts or describes a person, place, or event. Vignettes need not (and typically do not) have a climax or much plot. 


Prose Poem - A very brief piece of fiction, usually under 500 words, that emphasizes imagery, rhythm, and other elements of poetry.


Anti-Story - A Work of fiction that takes the form of an essay or other non-fiction work.


Novelette - Not a literary form at all, but simply a designation used by some magazines for short stories longer than 7,500 or 10,000 words.

Literary Devices

Imagery - A writer's or speaker's use of words to produce or create pictures in the mind of the reader or hearer.
Symbol -  is something which represents something also by analogy  or association.
Irony    -  saying the opposite of what you mean in order to emphasize it .
Satire - using humor or exaggeration to show what is bad or weak about a person or thing.
Allusion -  is a brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or ficticious, or to a work of art. Casual reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event.

Structural Devices
Stream of Consciousness-  a technique where the author writes down their thoughts then attempts to convey all the                      contents of a character's mind- memory, feelings and thoughts.
Interior Monologue - an attempt to convey in words, the process of consciousness or thought.
Flask Back - going back in a story to something that happen earlier.
Foreshadowing - a sign of something that is to come.
Time Frame - a given interval of time especially in relation to a particular event or process.
Motif - is some aspect of literature (a type of character, theme, or image) which recurs frequently.
Juxtaposition - side by side or close together

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Elements of Prose Fiction

Narrative techniques -the methods involved in telling a story
Point of View -a mental position from which things are viewed by the author
Characterization -the way in which a writer create the characters in a narrative so as to attract or repel                                                                                              our sympathy.
Setting -a background, scence , surrrounding , of a novel .
Theme -the subject about which a person speak, writes or thinks.
Plot - a plan of a literary work especially of dramas and novels.
Style- the way something done,made,said or written.

Forms of Prose fiction

Novel - An extended piece of fiction, normally at least 40,000 words long.
Novella - A mid-length work of fiction, shorter than a novel but longer than a short story - typically between 20,000 and 35,000 words.
Short Story - A short work of fiction, usually under 20,000 words.