King Lear is a story about a man who decides to give up his land and resources to his daughters. Because of that, he causes a divide in his family, and they all turn against him. He is left with no land, no power, and no family. 

In his solitude, he did, however, grow and was able to find himself. He was left with nothing and felt nothing but chaos around him while his family was splitting apart but this did not last forever. He was able to accept that what he did caused a divide in his family and after accepting what he did and coming to terms with that he had lost the relationship he once had with his daughter. This gave him peace, he no longer felt the chaos surrounding him and was at peace with his situation. 

This resonated with me because not everything lasts forever, and this is especially true about friendships. Friends will come and go, and relationships will change, but if you are stuck in the past, you won’t be able to grow in new relationships. 

This applied to me because at times, I could find myself thinking about the past and what could have been or looking to the future, wondering what could happen instead of enjoying what is happening. Living in the current moment is something everyone can and should do. When you focus too much on the past or future and try and live in a time that isn’t now, you are pulling yourself away from the current and not living your life to its full potential. By living in the moment, you give yourself more enjoyment in what is happening around you and will make it a better memory for later on. 

We are also in a moment where it is easy to get stuck on the past or owrry about the future. Being a senior in high school you can think of all the good times that you had while also worrying about what college will bring. While both of these are valid, it is important not to get stuck in those moments. This period of life only happens once, and if you spend it thinking about what could have been or what will be, then you are taking yourself out of the moment and not living it at all. 

After reading about King Lear, I think all students and readers can learn the dangers of trying to fix the past and the positives of living in the moment. Lear’s life got better when he wasn’t worried about what would happen or what had happened. The same applies to all of us, and we should all do our best to do the same as Lear and live in the present. 

When I walked into first period AP literature on the first day of school, I was ready to challenge certain beliefs that I held about myself and the world. However, I held certain preconceptions that I had not thought about, or challenged in years. These include political ideas, my personal outlook on my own life, views of society.

Previously, I found the wealth gap to be very unfair and thought it needed to change. However, I never thought about a solution or truly considered what lower class families go through. Reading King Lear brought me a new perspective by displaying class disparities from centuries ago. Shockingly enough, these disparities exist today as well. As King Lear was thrown into worse, he realized that the worse conditions had existed the entire time. This made me realize that just because I do not actively experience struggles of poverty in the U.S does not mean it is not actively affecting millions of Americans. Obviously I was aware of the issues, but this perspective made me think of it as a human issue, and not just a poverty statistic.

Towards the end of the story, King Lear realizes that he was in a position of power, so ignoring the problem would only make it worse. When I read this, I was forced to acknowledge my own privilege in my life. I want to understand that understanding the issue is not enough, but trying to make a change by volunteering or doing what I can is essential. 

Not only did this story affect my political and societal thought process, It also changed the way I viewed my own choices. One of my biggest takeaways from King Lear was that characters can be so devoted to one path, and so convinced that they are right, but be on the entirely wrong path. This was seen when King Lear banished his loyal servant and genuine daughter at the beginning of the story. Additionally, Edmund was convinced that he needed approval from his father or others. He devoted his entire life to gaining such approval when none of that mattered in reality. Watching these characters devote themselves to the wrong cause made me re assess the time and energy I spent in my life. Now, I spend more time with family and my closest friends, while also getting a job and doing activities that I genuinely enjoy. King Lear helped give me a bit of clarity that has improved my life. 

In the end, King Lear made me like reading Shakespear even more. At the beginning of the year, I was hesitant to throw myself into stories as Mr. Hiedkamp suggested. Fortunately, I slowly entered the universe of literature and allowed Shakespeare’s story to move me.

George Sunderer’s Tenth of December was one of my favorite books this year. It has such a captivating array of short stories, peculiar and complex in their own ways. Looking through the blog, I am quite surprised there aren’t too many, if any, blog posts about it, especially considering the masterpiece that resides within the fourth chapter, “Escape from Spiderhead.”

I absolutely loved Escape from Spiderhead, somehow even more than the movie, and that’s saying a lot because Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller are co-stars. Saunders’ storytelling combines science fiction elements with intriguing psychological insight, creating a haunting narrative that sticks with you well after the story is finished. As Jeff grapples with the consequences of his actions and struggles to maintain his sense of self in a world where every thought and emotion can be manipulated, readers are compelled to confront their own beliefs about the ethical implications of scientific advancement. “Escape from Spiderhead” is not just a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power, but an exploration of what it means to be human in a world where the boundaries between right and wrong are increasingly blurred.

Escape from Spiderhead was truly a masterpiece, and I enjoyed every moment of reading from start to finish. It was a powerful piece that I feel connects with today, given the rise of artificial intelligence and technological advancements in every aspect of life. It really made me think and put our possible future into perspective, but it’s also just an entertaining read, and it was definitely my favorite piece of the year.

“King Lear” explores themes like power, betrayal, and madness. Lear’s tragic flaw is his inability to tell true love from flattery, which leads to his downfall. The play shows how greed and deceit destroy family bonds and societal order. 

Madness, both literal and metaphorical, is a key theme, revealing how distorted perception can unravel lives and relationships. Shakespeare suggests that true madness isn’t just about losing reason but also about seeing the world in a twisted way.

I believe even though I didn’t go mad senior year learning in English, Senior year as a whole is very similar to what Lear goes through as his whole life flips many times. Which is what happened to me during the college process. I believe English was what taught me that no matter the power shift that happens there has to be two sides to a power dynamic and it can be easily changed by what actions you take. Even later in the year when we learned romanticism taught me how to appreciate things and it’s what Edgar goes through and senior showed me to appreciate what I got from nature and high school at the same time and not to lose the moment in present time thinking about the future.

Original Poem reponse:

Riots Throughout Centuries

I am Emboldened by

Stones thrown, 

Unity enveloped in sweet twigs and twine,

Sparrows flying free from the clutches of nests

They once considered perennial. 

I am Emboldened by 

Centuries of justice found in pandemonium,

Women before me defiling what it means to be a man,

And for necklaces on chests 

Made of pearls curated by the akin gender. 

I am Emboldened by

Poetry found in corners of desk drawers

That mark the disparity between then and now;

Reluctance of discovery versus orated speeches

And for the podium below me built by Hands of the past.

I am Emboldened by 

Oceans of calmed tides,

Sparrows that build their own crests 

From the materials of old nests,

As their love for one another is simply natural order.

Reflection: 

I responded personally to Emily Dickinson’s “Her Breast Is Fit For Pearls.” poem with a creative piece of my own. I wrote this poem to represent a modern take on antiquated poems that describe the sapphic experience or queer experience of that era of time. Emily Dickinson was a closeted writer, and I covered that in my poem when talking about how her poetry was found in the corners of desk drawers while mine and other queer modern writers can or their art to the world. Though there is still prevalent struggle within the LGBTQ plus community, artists like Emily Dickinson from that era have inspired raw and real rebellion. Without her brave words and her determination to express her love for other women in poetry like she did in this one, it is unlikely that we would’ve had the courage to be as vocal in our activism. In this poem, I start by talking about a major riot for the movement, “Stonewall”, in which,  lesbian women change the history of LGBTQ plus policy and legislature. I relate this to Emily Dickinson’s writing and speak of how our wings have broken her perennial nest meaning her everlasting nest. I think she would’ve been overcome with pride herself and her preceding generations if she had seen the progress that we have today. This poem serves as a letter of things to all of the generations of LGBTQ plus activists that came before me, allowing me to be who I am today without fear to vocalize what I wish to be heard. Emily’s poem serves as a cry of hopelessness. In this poem, she speaks about how the woman she loves is unattainable due to the gender that they share. My poem is quite the opposite. It elaborates on my personal experience with my queerness and how willingly I am to accept it due to poetry like hers and activists like her. I use metaphors like the ocean to represent the legislative floor, and a calming tide to represent how progressive it has become, allowing queer citizens to feel more open in their identity. Though we have so much work that still needs to be done, I am beyond grateful for what we have due to women like Emily Dickinson. sparrows that build their own crests represent the voices that have demanded that they be heard. It represents the millions of queer activists that have come forth and made it their mission to better the world for future generations like myself. This poem is my big thank you to these amazing and dedicated people who have made everything today possible for me and my community.

There are many texts that changed me this year, in and out of school, however the one that changed me the most was The Stranger. The Stranger was one of the first books we read but it stayed with me throughout the year. The Stranger’s themes of existentialism and finding the meaning in life gave me a different outlook on things. Not that I was taking it to the extreme and contemplating life’s purpose but I found it could be applied to even the smallest parts of life.

When pairing it with our beginning short stories about putting yourself into the book and applying yourself to that world, we can experience the story of The Stranger how it was meant to be experienced. After experiencing The Stranger and being introduced to its lessons and values, I then started to see more of it in my everyday life. Meursault, the main character, went through his life seemingly without a care, but when examined closely, he appreciated the smaller things of his life, to him those are what gave it meaning.

After that I began looking at my days to appreciate the little things. Just stuff as simple as making smaller observations to stay cognizant of my surroundings. I found there were a lot of things I was missing and after I started seeing them my days got better. I didn’t have to know great secrets to life but even just noticing something as small as waving good morning to the neighbors or noticing the plants first growing in during the beginning of spring. It will be different for everyone, I think it would be based on many things such as interests and hobbies, however I think there’s small things for everyone to enjoy to make their everyday life a little better. No need to complicate things with big ideas or meaningful theories, just keep it simple and appreciate the little things.

Senior year is ending, and where did I end up? Camus taught me to be an individual. He taught me to think for myself and find my own meaning in life, but I did find solace in things like religion. Where does that leave me? Exist West made me reevaluate how I think about my family. My father is an immigrant and this year, it’s fair to say I didn’t treat him the way I should have. It really made me reflect. Beloved reminded me of the worst of humanity. It reminded me that while love exists, hate isn’t too far from it. Lear reminded me to have fun and find the silver lining in moments of tragedy. I aspire to have the level of humility Lear gained at the end of the story. Pride and Prejudiced was gassed up to be one of the best books to ever be written. Now that I’ve read it, I’m inclined to agree. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so invested in a fictional relationship despite loving fiction. So I guess what I’m trying to say, is that I’m not the same. I’ve learned a lot and done some reflecting. I will face what tomorrow brings and accept it no matter what so that I can make the most of it. I will treat my father the way every immigrant who makes it deserves. I will look at the worst of humanity and thrive to bring joy to what I can. I will love like Lear worked so hard to. I will embrace the world the same way I did Pride and Prejudice. Thank you

Recollecting all outstanding experiences I received over this year’s course of the literary journey sparks a deep quest for the understanding of who I am, what matters to me and human relations. These two masterpieces, “The Stranger” and “Pride and Prejudice,” set off my inner journey, when I tried to unmask the complex masks of my personality. I realize finding myself in the process of the journey.

At the beginning of the given literary vacation, I, too, set out on the road with Meursault as a stranger who is nameless and enigmatic. His journey towards existence made me face many challenges and willingly acknowledge the complexities of human nature beyond society’s norms. By Meursault’s through the eyes, I started to reevaluate my self only, I become hardly understand whether my actions are in the authentic or socially acceptable, so I began to doubt. His disregard for society who believes in such fabricated things made me see that in fact, all these norms are illogical and human-driven, thus, I became convinced that an unequivocal aspect of who I am is simply who I am without any apologies.

Nevertheless, stirred by Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”, the world of genteel society started to engulf me and a thunderstorm of societal norms and prejudices was created in me. When Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy especially met up, the different facets of love and deep thinking were shown. Elizabeth’s unshakeable independence and superficially complimented deep thinking were like a drenched clothing for me that challenged me to disregard societal traditions and insist on my individuality without any second thoughts. However, Mr. Darcy’s story of self-discovery and his quest for becoming a better person in the end was the most meaningful highlight of the novel in my view where he learnt to reflect and showed compassion.

Given that I have become increasingly capable of recognizing multiple characters and themes during this year-long journey, I want to emphasize the fact that this process has greatly influenced my identity and outlook. Whether it’s Meursault’s weird existentialism or Elizabeth’s romantic pains, friends will always be there when you need them.

Frankly, the stories we have read in this year’s literature have not only been delightful resources of entertainment or stimulus but the best catalysts of growth and self-introspection. By means of She’s truth and Elizabeth Bennet, I move through the minefield of my character and come out of it as a person much more informed than I have ever been, with a new powerful experience. As I leave my beloved characters and their fictional worlds, the appreciation I hold for the remarkable effect that literature has on me, which is unlike any other creative output, because it has helped in my self-discovery, grows in my heart.

Lover, You Should’ve Come Over

Additional context: “Grace” was the only studio album released by Jeff Buckley prior to his death and it is considered a masterpiece of 1990s alternative rock. The album showcases his unique vocal range and poignant songwriting. Lover, You Should’ve Come Over is one of the tracks on it which is known for its haunting melody and evocative lyrics.

Theme : The main theme in “Lover, you should’ve come over” revolves around longing, regret and pain resulting from missed chances in love. This poem –song reveals emotional turmoil of someone yearning for one who isn’t present anymore and realizing what could have been. It also expresses Romanticism as it explores deep human emotions and Love-Loss complexities.

How:

Sensual imagery: Sensual imagery helps Jeff Buckley evoke the intensity of longing and desire throughout the song. By saying “It’s never over//My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder//”, or “It’s never over//All my riches for her smiles when I slept so soft against her,” he creates strong mental images that suggest both intimacy and longing. These physical contacts help emphasize more on desire through touch as well as nearness thereby expanding on the theme of longing drawing the listener into the speaker’s emotional landscape.

Metaphorical language: Metaphors are used by the songwriter to describe the complexities of love and remorse. Repeating “Lover, you should’ve come over” is a sad reminder of the missed opportunity for intimacy and connection. The phrase holds more meaning than it seems at first glance; it stands for the literal absence of a lover as well as metaphorical emptiness or lack of fulfillment. Within this metaphorical mode, Buckley captures the deep loss and yearning that pervade his song-poem.

Musicality and voice: Apart from the lyrics, there is also the manner of which Buckley delivers his voice and the musical arrangement of the song. One feels how one can hear Buckley break into a soaring falsetto, delivering impassioned lines that really make those lyrics hurt a little bit more. The musical arrangement follows through with haunting guitar melodies and dynamic shifts in intensity to make the listener experience the rise and fall of the speaker’s emotions. Music further plunges one into the poetic depths and drowns him or her within its atmosphere.

In summary, “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” is a haunting and powerful meditation on love and regret. The song-poem, drenched in sensual imagery, metaphorical language, and musicality, captures the high order of emotional complexity of human relationships and hence is resonant with the Romantic spirit that privileges introspection and emotional depth.

I’ve learned in AP Lit that you can’t be truly happy or successful without community engagement or being a part of something greater. In the novels, Beloved by Toni Morrison and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tocarczuk, the protagonists struggle with isolation and engaging with their respective communities. As a result, the two both have tragic lives when their novels take place.

As someone who’s perfectly content with being alone when I’m out and about or studying, it’s easy to forget the necessity of routine engagement with my community. The experience of Sethe from Beloved has shown me that creating a tiny circle as a response to trauma is unhealthy and only leads to more problems. Having that isolated and small support group isn’t enough. It’s the same deal with Janina from Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. She isolates herself both physically and metaphorically from her community and this stems from a sense of disillusionment with the values held by her society. Both well-written novels critique this isolationist way of life through the consequences for both characters (Sethe’s past literally coming back to haunt her and Janina’s dogs dying).

It’s easy to ball up and build walls around you when you’re going through something. Letting people in and being a part of something greater is the only way to heal and live. I’ve learned through these novels that being a limb of a greater community gives a sense of reassurance and commitment that prompts moving forward with life.

Also, I’d like to say thank you for Mr. Heidkamp. I couldn’t be happier with anyone else as my AP Lit teacher. To have someone that is passionate, knowledgeable, and thoughtful every day is a rare but special trait. I hope to carry these lessons with me as I enter college.

The Stranger by Albert Camus will easily stand as one of the strangest books I have ever read. On the surface it seems almost unsettling to “learn” something from this book. Meursault’s Journey is one of great struggle. Throughout this book he seems almost emotionless and morally challenging. I found myself at times disturbed but intrigued on how Meursault lived his life. Now this is not to say that one day I’m going to commit homicide but the idea of his challenge on the “Meaning of life” got me to start think on how we as high school students put so much emphasis on what we want to do in college that we begin to enjoy the moment.

The Stranger’s way of portraying this idea of “Freedom” was Meursault understanding his current predicament and finding joy in his everyday life just as the myth of Sisyphus. When reading this I started to think how this related to me. Surely I couldn’t relate to someone who had everything stricken from him and a total loss of freedom. However when I began to step back and analyze the book I realized I fell in the same trap Camus was warning the reader about the whole time. I had become so focused on my goals that I had eventually stopped finding Joy in my life.

From this I haven chosen to look forward to every single day. I look back at this book that originally I found sort of mental and chaotic and think fondly on it. While I may not be facing the death penalty or have all my freedom stricken. I have found that each day there is no singular point. It is perfectly ok to have goals and to have needs just as Meursault displays in the book. However, to find joy in each day off of just simply living is a philosophy I will never let go.

This year in English, I learned so much about not just how to analyze and find the deeper meaning in complex works of literature, but also how to learn from literature and apply it to my daily life.

One of my favorite reading experiences this year was reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I actually looked forward to reading this book each day for homework, and I generally do not enjoy reading very much. I think what drew me to this book was the main character, Elizabeth Bennet. I found that she was a very inspiring and interesting person to follow the story of in her society, and I’m glad the story was centered around her. 

Pride and Prejudice had a great impact on me as there are many things about Elizabeth that I admire. Her ability to stay true and be unapologetically herself throughout the book was something that took her a long way, and that I think is one of the many important lessons from the book. One of the most striking parts of the book where Elizabeth truly defined societal expectations was when she attended dinner at Rosings with Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Lady Catherine was unwelcoming of Elizabeth and asked her questions while immediately judging her due to her class and status in society. Elizabeth, remaining unbothered, responded with class and confidence to Lady Catherine’s rude comments and questions. Elizabeth’s ability to not feel pressured to respond to whatever Lady Catherine asked just because of her high status within society and remain polite while still standing her ground, is something that I learned from while reading. Elizabeth continually rejected societal standards and what was expected of her to follow her path and what she believed in, and I enjoyed following her story and I try to implement a bit of Elizabeth’s attitude into my own life.

In addition, reading many Romantic poems at the end of the year and understanding their ability to create so much meaning with sometimes so few words has stuck with me. The idea of Romanticizing your life and the beauty of how even the simple things around you could be considered Romantic is something that I will remember as I go into the next part of my life. I’ve learned that sometimes the key to happiness lies within our imaginations from William Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” and that it is best to follow your dreams and goals despite what society might say about it from Emily Dickinson’s “A solemn thing–it was–I said–” and Pride and Prejudice, in addition to so many other valuable lessons that will only help me continue to develop a better, broader understanding of myself and the world around me.