Essential #4

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight
Choice 2: Where do we see seduction and lust start to destroy Gawain, our young hero? What is the author trying to tell us?

Lust and seduction are the downfall of many. Sometimes it brings the best of people to a lower level. In the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight lust and seduction also helps to bring down Gawain.
Gawain is given a warm welcome by his host while on his journey to find the Green Knight. His host feeds and clothes him. He shows him a lot of hospitality. Gawain sees the wife of his host and thinks she is beautiful. In the text the author alludes to affair between the two. Through this affair Gawain would break the five knightly virtues of friendship, generosity, courtesy, chastity, and piety. He takes all the hospitality that was shown to him and throws it right back in his hosts face. This will most likely lead to the downfall of Gawain because in novels of this nature no bad act goes without punishment. The only question is how severe will Gawain’s punishment be?

Rules of Relationships

1. Never talk about the opposite sex in a sexual manner.
2. On the first date hugs and kiss on the cheek only don't make yourself look too easy.
3. Be polite. Chivalry is not dead.
4. Treat them around others like you would if you were alone.
5. The guy should pay. After time they should split the bill.
6. Always be honest. Any lie is a bad lie.
7. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Respect it, even if you don't agree with it.
8. Don't spend too much time together. Don't forget about your friends.
9. Remind important dates, just because you may not think it is important does not mean that your significant other thinks the same.
10. Don't say I love you unless you mean it.

Beowulf Essential 2

Discuss biblical allusions and religious symbolism in Beowulf
Religion plays a huge role in Beowulf. During the time that this poem was written Christianity was becoming big, and there is a religious undertone throughout the text. Whenever anyone accomplishes anything they praise and thank God for what they have done. An example of religious undertone is the explanation of Grendel and how he was born. Grendel is born from the seed of Cane and is essentially a spawn of Satan. The same goes for Grendel’s mother. She knows her fate, but still chooses to live her life the way she does because she gave birth to a demon. Religion is key in the poem.
After Beowulf defeats Grendel’s mother he says, “our encounter would have ended at once if God had not guarded me” (1640-1641). Beowulf thanks God for him defeating Grendel’s mother. He said if God were not with him he would have died. This is just one of the numerous examples of religious symbolism in Beowulf.

Beowulf Essential 1

What are the social obligations of a hero? Is Beowulf aware of his deification process?

A hero is a person who helps protect society, and a hero is also admired by the people that he or she protects. A hero is courageous, strong, and is loyal to the people that he protects. the obligations of a hero are to uphold the certain qualities like selflessness and leadership. A hero must also live up to the expectations of society, and take upon themselves a role of leadership during a time of conflict or crisis. The hero must protect the people he serves, no matter how the outcome will affect him, and the hero must never give up because a hero is the one whom everyone relies on.

Beowulf is aware of his status as a hero, but not his deification process. He knows of his family's strong history. Beowulf knows of his great strength and bravery. Not only is Beowulf aware of these qualities but also others are aware. Beowulf is said to be "the strongest man alive, princely and powerful" (197-198). Beowulf is renowned for his strength and bravery, and Beowulf is highly respected because of these qualities. The people believe in Beowulf as a hero, but he has not reached the level of being a god yet.

P&P Essay

Andy Medina

AP English

Mr. George

Pride and Prejudice Essay

4/14/09

First Impressions vs. Pride and Prejudice

First impressions can be everything.  They are a major factor in how a person will be remembered.  In the novel Pride and Prejudice, first interactions between people are key to their future relationship.  In this novel there are many times when these first impressions turn out to be inaccurate.  First impressions in this novel are major factors in how the story plays out, and that is why the original title of First Impressions is more appropriate for this novel.  This title relates more to the characters than the title Pride and Prejudice, and is more fitting for the story.

Making a good first impression is hard, and the novel it proves this.  Many characters struggle with making good first impressions.  Jane is a good example of a character that makes a bad first impression which is very different from her true personality.  Mr. Darcy is close friends with Mr. Bingley who has seemingly fallen in love with Jane Bennet.  Mr. Darcy examines Jane at a ball, and the first impression she gives him is not good.  Mr. Darcy says that Jane’s “look and manners were open, cheerful, and engaging as ever, but without any symptom of peculiar regard” (Austen 195).  Mr. Darcy went on to say that Jane “received [Bingley’s] attentions with pleasure, [but] she did not invite them by any participation of sentiment” (195).  He thinks he is looking out for Mr. Bingley’s best interests and breaks up the intended marriage that Jane and the rest of the Bennet family were hoping for.  Mr. Darcy’s first impression of Jane was that she was not fully interested in Bingley, but in reality she loved him.  This event leads to Mr. Darcy stopping the marriage, for the time being, of Jane and Mr. Bingley.  This is not the only case of misleading first impressions in this novel as similar situations arise as the plot plays on.  

Mr. Darcy himself does not avoid a bad first impression.  He comes off as a proud, as many note: “‘His pride,’ said Miss Lucas, ‘does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. […] he has a right to be proud’” (21).  Mr. Darcy’s place at the top of the societal ladder makes him come off as haughty to those who are below his status, and this hurts his relationships with many, especially Elizabeth Bennet.  Elizabeth is told, by Mr. Wickham, that Mr. Darcy is an overcome with pride.  Mr. Wickham says these things about Mr. Darcy just a few minutes after he says that “It gives [him] pain to speak ill of a Darcy” (82).  Elizabeth already had been having ill feelings toward Mr. Darcy, and this created a prejudice against him.  Elizabeth believed that Mr. Darcy was an abominable man, but Mr. Darcy is far from that, he is almost perfect.  

Mr. Darcy is truly a kindhearted man, willing to give up a variety of things for Elizabeth, but she was blinded by the prejudice that was created by the bad impressions that Darcy had left with her.  This prejudice would lead to her rejecting his marriage proposal because she thought that he was such a debauched individual who cared for no one but himself.  Her prejudice blinded her to all the good deeds that Mr. Darcy had done and when the truth is revealed to her through Mr. Darcy’s letter she is humiliated and says, “Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind” (205).  The first impression of Mr. Darcy led Elizabeth to believe the worst about him, but luckily his love for her was not deterred by the cruel things that she said to him.  They are eventually married, but the poor first impression and the prejudice created from that, almost stopped that from happening.

In some cases, first impressions are not always bad.  In Mr. Wickham’s case his first impression is very beneficial to his public image.  He is a man who goes after girls for money and is in debt in many cities, but his strong first impressions make people believe that he is a respectable man.  Mr. Wickham is described as the “happy man towards whom almost every female eye was turned” (77).  Elizabeth is attracted to him and she was the “happy woman by whom he finally seated himself” (77).  Mr. Wickham shows interest in Elizabeth out of mercenary needs only.  Elizabeth is unaware of this, and it is not until Mr. Darcy’s letter to Elizabeth that the truth about Mr. Wickham is revealed.  Mr. Darcy told Elizabeth that Mr. Wickham had taken the money that Mr. Darcy had given him, wasted it, and then came back for more.  When Mr. Darcy refused, Mr. Wickham tries to elope with Georgiana Darcy to get her money, but he fails.  Elizabeth is humiliated that she was deceived: “She grew absolutely ashamed of herself.  Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudice, absurd” (204).  Impressions can blind a person with prejudice, and decisions should not always be based on those feelings.

Pride and Prejudice is an appropriate title for this novel.  Pride and Prejudice is an exclusive title to the book and only is relevant to two characters, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.  The title First Impressions relates to more characters and the different relationships between them.  The prejudice amongst the characters is hard to avoid and is derived from the first impressions that people make.  The prejudices created from these initial meetings are important throughout the novel and are an integral part to the development of the relationship between the characters.  These impressions can be misleading, but in the end the true nature of the characters are unveiled, and things are made right.  The first meetings between characters in the story are important and are major factors in the novel, and that is why First Impressions would be the more appropriate title.  As everyone knows you can never have a second chance at making a first impression, so make it a good one, but do not let it misconstrue who you really are.  

Works Cited

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice New York: Barnes & Noble Books 2004

Character Analysis- Darcy

Andy Medina

AP English

Mr. George

Character Analysis

4/12/09

Darcy

Mr. Darcy is the perfect man; he is rich, handsome, and would do anything for the woman he loves.  

Mr. Darcy is a unique character.  He is a man of great stature, and many have a lot of respect for him.  Through his actions others see him as a haughty, prideful individual, but there are times where he is depicted as a caring man, especially in his interactions with Elizabeth.  Throughout the novel opinions on Darcy change, but his mannerisms do not change.  As the novel continues, Darcy proposes to Elizabeth only to be turned down.  She thinks that his pride is overwhelming and that he only cares for himself, but she could not be more wrong.  Elizabeth thought badly of Darcy because she misinterpreted his actions.  He broke up her sister’s marriage because he believed it was in the best interests for his friend.  Darcy did not give Wickham the money he asked for because he had already given him extra money before, not because Darcy hated him.  Darcy did things in the interests of others, and that is truly the individual that he is.  

Mr. Darcy is like a pineapple.  When you first look at a pineapple you see a thorny object that looks like it could never be a fruit.  Darcy was mistaken for a man who only cared for himself.  When you get past the thorns on a pineapple you get to the delicious fruit that many love.  As the novel went on people saw Darcy for who he really was, and not the pompous man they first thought he was.  

Mr. Darcy can be compared to George Clooney because of they are both very handsome, rich men who are also very caring.  

Character Analysis- Jane

Jane Bennet

Jane Bennet is a very sweet young woman who cares for everyone that she meets, as long as they have good manners.

Jane is the oldest of the Bennet sisters.  She is very kind and beautiful.  Everyone takes notice of her beauty.  “Jane united with great strength of feeling, a composure of temper and an uniform cheerfulness of manner, which would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent” (22).  Jane is an optimistic person, and always gives a positive spin on negative situations.  She defends people, like Wickham, when others think very poorly of them.  The only way for someone to end up on her bad side is if she realizes their faults, like she did with Miss Bingley.  When Jane realizes Miss Bingley’s insincerity she does not look for a positive in her negative actions.  She does not make excuses for her, but when they become sister-in-laws Jane’s kindheartedness makes it so she accepts Miss Bingley again.  Jane is a good natured human being, and many other characters within the novel see that in her.  

Jane is a positive character and her feelings toward people stay the same like the needles on an evergreen tree.  There are times where her feelings toward others change, just as there are some needles of the tree fall off and become discolored.  For the most part Jane remains as a positive person, like an evergreen tree stays green all year round.  

Jane Bennet is comparable to Juliette Noonan, or really any of the Noonan girls, because they are very positive people, and try to see the best in people even if it is a bad situation.