Masterpiece Academy

     
                   Beginning a new year, especially senior year, in a class that breaks traditional standards for a class structure is going to be a wild ride. For eleven years of our lives we have been taught in a certain way and we have created a route for the best ways to succeed in these classes so the class at the beginning was a big challenge. Then we were introduced to a Masterpiece which was a project that allowed students to dedicate themselves to anything and we were thrown even more off.
                    At first we were introduced to a high level of trust by some one that barely even knew us. Looking back at it now I know that we didn't deserve it and by the end of the year the majority of us didn't earn it. We were all so thrilled by the way we used trust to break the system that we forgot that the class was a tool with boundless potential. I used this trust to create something that I will never forget and that is a part of me forever, however I can't help feel like there was so much more I could have done with it.
                    The majority of the year we spent reading stories of fiction and met different characters that weren't all that different to us. Hamlet faced a forked in the road, which didn't seems so divided when he grew up a bit and realized there was really only one long winding road ahead. The way he was courageous and mature enough to make up his mind is very similar to the decisions we as seniors had to make this year, such as where to go to college, how to dedicate our free time, whether or not to join the work force. many small decisions that shape who we are and who we develop into. Pip showed us growth in another way, we saw as he was given choices and stereotypical extreme mentors and how he decided to carve his own way. He didn't conform to one way, he hacked his development and aimed to become Pip. These fictional character aren't all that different than ourselves because they were written by people that could connect with us. we also explored a more darker fictional tale, A Brave, New World by Aldous Huxley which taught us more about the darkness in ourselves and how humans conform to the norms of society. We watched as Bernard Marx fought to be understood and be different then ultimately give in to social pressures. We connected with how the humans interacted and how they weren't so different from our day to day interactions with people and technology, only a futuristic extreme.
                     During the time we had been thinking about these stories we had also had this masterpiece lingering over our heads. For a while I tried to answer a big question I shad which was, can I change the world. Ultimately I had set my goals to high and hoped to create a game that linked social media, gaming, and learning. 5ph1nx started off as a good starting idea that could grow however it seemed like my classmates weren't all that interested in trying this new way of learning because they felt that because they had a choice that they would rather stick to something they knew to get there grade and get out. I tried to put some incentive into the game but that ultimately failed as well.
                    By January I had given up on this project and accepted that the idea wasn't bad but the conditions weren't right. Instead I blindly forced myself to try to awaken a passion I had been hiding for years. I decided to base my project on music. I loved singing and playing music, especially the wide variety of artistic pop culture tones and sounds. I had kept this secret from everyone because I was scared of being called out and then told I was terrible at it. It would have been the most crushing thing in the world to hear that I had a terrible singing voice when singing was my passion. I decided to do it because I knew that someday I would have to show people.
                    I was really lucky to have worked with such supportive and talented people. I got in contact with Laura Ritchie and her students at the University of Chichester and they helped me record my song. All my friends congratulated me and loved it, it was a huge confidence booster for me. It gave me the confidence to continue writing songs and singing. I hope to repay the British students a debt and visit them in Chichester and record some more music.
                   This masterpiece project was a godsend from one of the most different teachers I had ever met, Dr. Preston. thanks to his assignment. many students got to express themselves, and I got to learn something about my classmates that I never knew before. I learned about how brilliantly funny Miles can be, how artistic Laike is, how Chase can turn an idea about personal success and name it stoke, how Imanie had such great ideas and truth and the potential of her book, how much Haley loved Yosemite, and how many people honestly didn't make a masterpiece and tried to make a picture movie or slide show and argue that it was about senior year and about home much we grow.
                    Lastly, I would like to connect this experience to one of a hero's journey. I would never go as far as to say I was a living hero, but by literary standards I didn't complete a hero's journey. I answered an internal call to adventure, I found and amazing mentor Laura Ritchie, I overcame my fear and accomplished a goal, and most of all I was inspired in a way that has changed me forever.
                    Before I end my narrative about my crazy, amazing year in English I would like to point out something that always made me and my friends crack up laughing, and that would be the use of juxtaposition. It occurred so often that sometimes when Dr. Preston would ask us what lit. device was being used you could guess juxtaposition and it seemed like you were right about 50% of the time. whenever some one pointed it out and Preston would praise them for recognizing it, my friends and I would laugh a little.
                    Overall this was a different year because I got to learn more about myself, my classmates, and I got to grow as a person. While I never recited "to be, or not to be", I truly understand what it means and I choose to be. I felt like I was always living behind a light up curtain. You can see my silhouette but my true personality was shown in full color.

Masterpiece Song

Legacy by Omar Dominguez
Chord progression:
Dm-F-Bb-C

I leave my footprints in the sand
The waves come crashing in and there goes all my plans
I was just a moment in the lives of all these waves
But that’s gunna change
But that’s gunna change

Like a light that brightens up a room
All lights will have an end and shroud in darkness too
I won’t be a light or a footprint in the sand
I will, I will be there tomorrow

Chorus: (same chords but faster tempo)
Give me reason, give me doubt
Give me something I can’t live without
I can’t lay here rest in peace
Baby be my legacy(2x)

( instrumental piece before a transition)

Bridge:(continue tempo of chorus)
Can’t press pause now, let it be
We keep living, live the dream
When were broken, back against the wall
We’ve got no more to give, ‘cuz we gave it all

Mac Beth Act 1 questions

I-1
1) Beginning the play with a dialogue between the witches sets the mood to be dark, evil, and mysterious. This foreshadows the plot, theme, and mood for the future of the story in the same manner. In comparison of Shakespeare's other plays, Macbeth requires more ambiguity and the syntax and diction used needs to be more bleak. For example, Hamlet highlighted the themes of betrayal and complexity of relationships and power. Even though, the theme falls in the same ballpark with Macbeth, the gloominess of the plot of Macbeth overpowers that of Hamlet. In the beginning of the play, the witches were going to meet Macbeth at the "ere of sunset." Line 10 was "Paddock calls" and line 11 was "Anon." The phrase paddock class means a toad, which symbolizes transformation. The word anon means soon or shortly. The "toad" and it's transformation could metaphorically be compared to Macbeth and his evolving and transforming to be a completely different person or even having a transformation in his status and power. The witch's response as anon signifies how Macbeth will shortly have a transformation - to be declared a thane.
I-2
1. The bloody seargent indirectly characterizes Macbeth by glorifying his actions towards Macdonwald. Macdonwald is a rebel who was executed. He tried to attack them. Macbeth executed macdonwald with his sword. This did not end the fight with the rebels, the Norwegians are still attacking.
2. The traitor was the Thane of Cawdor, as we learn from Ross. Duncan says that its a relief the thane of cawdor was executed and that Macbeth now owns his previous title.
I-3
1. The witches speech gives a first look at Macbeth and his wife without saying who they are. Indirect characterization of the two. Similar to Hamlet where he gives a mini synopsis early in the story. "Weird" in Shakespeare's day meant future seers not weird as we know it, prophecy and destiny. Shakespeare means that Macbeth's wife has him by the balls. They  cast a spell to control his destiny.
2. Macbeth says something very similar to what the witches said at the beginning of the play. This could be him falling into the destiny the witches set up. Dried, chapped fingers, gender ambiguity, hairy, old, they have literal beards. The witches tell Macbeth that he will thane of Candor and eventually King, right then he finds out he is thane of Cawdor. Banquo asked the witch why they had nothing for him, they told him he is lesser but greater than Macbeth. We knew he was thane before he was thane.
3. Banquo says the witches were a figment of their imagination that they lie or that they are hallucinating. Macbeth learns that he is thane of Cawdor from Ross and Angus. During lines 114-156 he was going over his plan in his head and how everything had just happened to him. He acts very happy and shows no incredulity at being thane. Macbeth's aside shows him rationalizing what happened to him and he begins to think that he is going to be King soon. Macbeth tells Banquo that he is happy and excited and nothing more he explains his behavior by saying he is confused.
I-4
1.Cawdor was executed after openly confessing his treason and pleading for mercy. Malcolm tried to stick up for the thane, but the king responds by basically saying that you can't trust a man according to his face. He doesn't believe the thane was truly repentant.
2.The king greets them by saying that he can never repay them enough for their good deeds, but announces he will leave all his estate and names his son, Malcolm, prince of Cumberland. He then proposes that they go to Macbeth's castle at Inverness. Macbeth tells himself that the only way to be king is to get rid of Malcolm, and even though he'll be appalled at his action, he must do it.
I-5
1. Macbeth was honest with his wife when he informs her of his new title as "Thane of Cawdor." He refers to the witches as "weird sisters" probably because he doesn't want her know that he is associated with the "evil servants."
Lady Macbeth responds by saying that she thinks Macbeth is playng things off as if everything is fine. By saying "but be the serpent under't", she describes him as someone that lies to make everything appear under control. This doesn't really match the characterization of Macbeth so far in the story which implies that there is something the audience doesn't know about him.
2. The wife was confident about the guests visit. She also seemed prepared and a little cocky about the way her and her husband would handle it.
3. Lady Macbeth. Yes she wants to kill Duncan. No, he isn't sure whether he wants to follow through with Lady Macbeths orders or not. She tells him not to let Duncan see tomorrow.
4. The question appears to answer itself.
I-6
1. The opening speeches (1.6.1-10) describe how the surroundings of the castle are "pleasant" and the air is sweet-maybe even too sweet. From the outside, the castle appears to be paradise.
Lady Macbeth's welcome is formal. Her language is totally different from her language in the previous scene which shows how fake and dishonest her welcome was.
I-7
1. "If it were done when 'tis done then 'twere well." If it were done when it was done it was done well. (Meaning if he completed the death quickly and efficiently and with no complications then he did the job well.) Macbeth is determined to kill the king and be done with him but in lines 1-12 he is fearful of how the "inventor" will judge his actions. He's violating the hospitality of his kinship and responsibilities as a host towards his guest by trying to kill his guest instead of protecting them. The motivation that Macbeth attributes to himself in lines 25-28 is the attribute of an Arabic heaven-like God. He will be seen as a "God" and that is his source of motivation to get the job done.
2. In lines 28-30 she is complaining about him leaving the chamber because it was  almost time for dinner. Macbeth responds to her complaining by saying did he ask for me? And lady Macbeth says don't you know he did? The positions are lady Macbeth is ready for the King to be killed while Macbeth is still hesitant and on the fence about it. Macbeth convinced Lady Macbeth by explaining that he is an respected person and doesn't want to lose his honor while Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth by convincing him to gain the power and kill the king. The stronger person in the scene is Lady Macbeth because  she's more verbally confident in her argument while convincing Macbeth to kill the King.

Masterpiece update

So my masterpiece is to explore music songwriting and write my own song. I have been receiving help from Jess from Chichester U in vocal control and songwriting tips. 

I am planning go on to the Yosemite trip to collaborate on their album and have my song recorded on it. I have. Rough draft of my song already written however it is very rough and needs some editting

Poetry dissection

Title: Out, out

Immediately I think the poem is called out, out because the boy at the beginning is trying to save himself work and get done early. This rushing causes him to get his hand cut off and later the loss of blood kills him.

Paraphrase: the beginning goes on with a personification of the saw.

Then it transitions to describe the youth of the boy and his inexperience, yet this adult role he must play.

Connotation: this is a reflection of how the boys immaturity but forced to be in the position causes a tragity.it is a reflection of the time period.

Attitude,tone: the author uses an innocent and nonjudgmental tone when describing the saw and personifying it, this tone changes to a more critical and empathetic tone when describing the child. The end of the poem uses a neutral tone when describing the tragity with a bit of sorrow and empathy.

Shift: the big shift happens when the sister calls the boy for dinner.

Title: the title explains how the character wants out of a job and out of a position but is probably forced by the circumstances, his youth and immaturity however gives him out in the unexpected form of death.

Tobermory

The theme of the short story was that you can't play god. The advancement in science was unnatural and against laws of nature. So how did nature react, it killed everything related to the unnatural experiment as if though it never happened.

Challenge Accepted

My sister in Mrs. Byrne's English said it was too difficult to come up with a good non-rhyming poem that answers why people hide behind masks. The only rule was that it had to be two stanzas maximum and this is what I came up with in 5 minutes.

Fragile

Vibrant colors, lights with joy,
Deep holes with sorrow,
Curious critters, and loyal, bold souls.

They are fragile like glass,
And exposed limb from limb.
They fear taking off their mask
and being attacked and broken.