Blackwood’s 12th Grade AP L & C

1.  Hamlet waits so long to kill Claudius for a few reasons.  He does not find out that Claudius killed his father until the third act.  He had to make sure that Claudius was guilty and he did this by creating a play reinacting the murder of his father.  He wants the murder of the king to be perfect; the subjects must know of the death.  He spends more time planning then actually committing the murder.  So when finally it is almost too late he realizes that he has waited too long and finally kills Claudius.  Sure he has many opportunities to kill Claudius but he wants to do it perfectly, and it is that reason that it takes him so long to finally do it.

2.  His madness has a method; which is used to deceive his opponents.  By pretending to be mad, he makes Polonius, the king’s spy to believe that Hamlet is no longer a threat to the king.  However, Ophelia’s madness is very real, and as a result she suicides.  I believe that at one point, when Hamlet was contemplating the death of Yorick that he truley crosses the line of madness.  But very quickly, he becomes sober when he sees that Ophelia has killed herself.  His indecisiveness is often falsely interpreted as being madness, he changes his mind so often that it is easy to think that he is mad.

3.  The Oedipal attraction is definitely present in Hamlet.  Laertes talks to his sister Ophelia in sexually suggestive terms.  Also, when Ophelia’s funeral procession takes place, Laertes jumps into Ophelia’s grave to hold her.  Hamlet is also obsessed with his mother’s sexuality and always is concerned about what she is doing.  I believe that it wasn’t her fault for Hamlet Sr’s death but she is interacting with the enemy by being involved with Claudius.  By joining him in bed she is guilty.  The age difference is not much between Hamlet in Gertrude, probably 20 years at the most.  Although people could interpret some sexual themes between Hamlet and his mother, I think it’s because his father just died.Hamlet is mad at ophelia because he needs to take his anger out on someone.

4.  Suicide and death becomes a huge part of the play once Hamlet dies.  Death is a really taboo topic and is very mysterious.  To be or not to be really means… to live or suicide that is the question.  He comes to the conclusion that people are afraid of death and for that reason, they will not commit suicide even though life is cruel.  Morally, suicide is bad, but if it is for a reason that is just, then it is ok.  But mortality is questioned often, and he concludes that suicide is wrong.

5. ”Tis now the very witching time of night”… Hamlet tries to catch Claudius to be guilty for killing his father by using the play.  Since the play worked, and he now knows that Claudius is guilty he becomes confident and says this sililoquy.  He is now sure that he will avenge his father’s death.  Yet, he still is indecisive, and only when he is near death, does he kill Claudius.

6.  I believe that Hamlet is one of the best plays ever written because it has so many underlying themes, motifs and drama.  Misogyny, contemplating death, indecisiveness, hearing and incest.  Very dramatic language is used, every word seems to have a purpose yet it is hard to understand what some of the characters see.  Which makes people have to watch/read this play many times to fully understand it, which truly makes it great.

I learned that establishing a position was essential to making your point. If your position flip flops then your essay will become weak. Reading the question is the most important part of all, if you don’t understand the question you could totally miss the point.  After all, which is better?  Earning a 6 or a 0?  It’s better to hit the point somewhat then not at all.

The advice falls short when it comes to using outside information. Although, a synthetic essay may not need that, it would be more enticing to the reader to hear outside information that is relevant to the essay. However, if the information was not correct or relevant it would hurt the essay.  So making sure that you know what the question is asking is very important.

Jonathan Swift starts his proposal very formally and seriously, but without warning he becomes a morbid comedian. “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust.” Which I was caught off guard by. He seems to compare the children in the street to being cattle, or sheep.

The proposal to remove many of the people on the streets is obviously not serious. But the problem is real, and by addressing it so comedically he draws attention to the problems. “I can think of no one objection, that will possibly be raised against this proposal, unless it should be urged, that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom. This I freely own, and ’twas indeed one principal design in offering it
to the world.” This piece may have been so controversial that it could have caught the attention of the government at that time.

He expresses his reasoning so confidently it would be hard to argue with him if it were not for cannibalism. “There being a round million of creatures in humane figure throughout this kingdom, whose whole subsistence put into a common stock, would leave them in debt two million of pounds sterling, adding those who are beggars by profession, to the bulk of farmers, cottagers and labourers, with their wives and children, who are beggars in effect.” He supports his claims with math and figures that would make it reasonable.

The infamous WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) has been inconveniencing students for years. Rate of Failing has increased year after year the easier the test becomes. PTAs have been protesting that the WASL is unessecary; that students have been adequately educated. Results show that one in two tenth graders have failed any part of the WASL. To graduate, students are required to pass this test, and if failed; they must retake it. The probability of failing a second, third or fourth time is high. Upon further inspection I have discovered that the WASL employs three techniques to fail students.

1. Stupidification factor: Problems are made so easy that they are actually difficult. Example problem: “A cat walks towards two bowls of milk, which one does it choose? Take into account that both bowls are equally desireable in quantity, flavor and nutrition value.”

2. Inconvenience factor: The WASL test lasts two weeks and many many hours. Why spend the time taking a test that will determine nothing about your future? 

3. Incentive factor: Nothing is gained from passing this test except from the fact that you wouldn’t have to take the test again. A sort of roundabout, circular logic fallacy.

Katy from Everett, Washington reports “I had no idea how easy the test was, it caught me by surprise and dumbfounded me why they would even have a test so easy, and by the time I got back to doing the test, it was too late.”

My own personal experiences had been very similar because I had to struggle to stay focused on the question.  I was one of the lucky ones, I barely passed.

G. K. Chesterton enjoys quoting people who might be relevant back then but I don’t know where those quotes originated and what their context was. Cyrano de Bergerac says, “Il me faut des géants” [“I need giants”] “Use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do.” He fails to explain these quotes further, or give some background information on them. He also explains that in order to properly lay in bed, it must be done just for the heck of it. If someone lays in bed because they need to, they cannot experience what he has. By laying in bed, you may experience what other famous artists, philosophers and personalities have.

What he is trying to say is that the act of lying in bed is frowned upon; relaxing rather then working. But mankind is allowed to to do such free things, it is our right as humans to do so. Men who have created great pieces have laid in bed, so to speak.

He also says that people saying such things against him also say: “A playwright can attack the institution of marriage so long as he does not misrepresent the manners of society, and I have met Ibsenite pessimists who thought it wrong to take beer but right to take prussic acid.” You might also beable to say that it would be wrong to beg for money, but lie in bed; a crime.

One such example of a a person who was lying down is: ” I am sure that it was only because Michael Angelo was engaged in the ancient and honourable occupation of lying in bed that he ever realized how the roof of the Sistine Chapel might be made into an awful imitation of a divine drama that could only be acted in the heavens.” We must first lie down to then progress.

John Downe is trying to get his wife to immigrate to the United States. He uses many logos; the resources and opportunities are amazing… so join me here in America. “A Farmer took me one day in his waggon into the country, from Hudson, to see a factory and I dined with him, and he would not have a farthing, and told me I was welcome to come to his house at any time; they had on the table pudding, pyes, and fruit of all kind that was in season, and preserves, pickles, vegetables, meat, and everything that a person could wish, and the servants set down at the same table with their masters.” John is trying to show how equality, freedom, and plenty resources exist. He also goes on to say what the costs of food are. “And I can have a barrel of cider holding 32 gallons, for 4s., and they will lend me the barrel till I have emptied it. And I can have 100 lbs. of Beef for 10s. English money. Lamb is five farthings the pound, and the butcher brings it to your door.” Basically, he is trying to say that life is a whole lot better then what is like in his homeland. He also employs pathos: “I would rather cross the Atlantic ten times then hear my children cry for victuals once.” Which says that he cannot bear to hear his children cry for food, and would take great pains to keep that from happening. He also uses ethos: “America is not like England, for here no man thinks himself your superior. There is no improper or disgusting equality, for Character has its weight and influence, and the man which is really your superior does not plume himself on being so.” People are treated equal, and so will you.

The United States should boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympics. China is the largest supporter of Omar al-Bashir, who is the dictator in charge of Sudan. He is committing genocide against the people of Darfur. China is currently buying two-thirds of Sudan’s oil. This is direct attempt by Omar al-Bashir to commit genocide on Darfur with the Tatmadaw. Ethnic villages are being attacked, they would be all victims if it were not for the mountains, forests or the nearby Thailand refuge. The 2008 Olympics are being celebrated and will be a large boost for the economy and their relations with the rest of the world. But if we can boycott the olympics it will be a negative effect and take notice to the genocide.

But then again, look from the viewpoint of someone who has trained their whole life to compete in the olympics. How would you feel if you had to do what they had to endure, and then be denied that opportunity? If I was an athlete it would take alot of alot of convincing to make me boycott the olympics. I know that sounds terrible but the olympics is one of the most prestigious and competitive events and without competing then their whole career would be for naught. Plus, boycotting their olympics may not be enough to do any damage to their reputation and against the genocide in Darfur.

In the United States we are constantly bombarded with the media in many different forms: radio, television, internet, and newspaper. The fashion, trends and fads control our social life. I can imagine that this influence is greater now in 2008 then it was in 1953 when suburbia was all the rage. I really get what George F. Kennan is saying by being controlled by our social life.  Sometimes that media can take control of our lives, causing us to buy things, go places and make choices that we normally wouldn’t

He says that “The force of the common opinion within our country — in the respect that we have for the good opinion of our neighbors. For reasons highly complex, we Americans place upon ourselve quite extraordinarily obligations of conformity to the group in utterance and behavior, and this feature of our national life seems to be growing rather than declining.” Which I interpret that we take our physical looks too seriously, both then and now. Americans are probably the worst when it comes to this; spending rediculous amounts every year trying to keep up on the fashion trends.  But that would also explain why we are one of the richest countries in the world, constantly cycling money through our economy. But perhaps the environment is the only one to pay the price, that our hunger desires.

The full document can be seen here.

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