Day: May 14, 2024

Learning To Make Life Stranger, Romantic, and a Bit More Beloved

On By Kristopher S.In Albert Camus, Beloved, Story Power, Stranger, Toni MorrisonLeave a comment

Throughout the years in high school, the pressures from friends and family to work hard to get into the right college and the right career path have been the most intense. Although this pressure often molds one into a student who has self-control, grit, and organization, they can very quickly become lost in what truly makes them happy and their well-being in the present. This AP Lit class, along with the works including Beloved, The Stranger, and the collection of romantic poems, have all influenced me to take a step back, relax a little, and understand that truly living and learning is not all about percentages. They taught me that life is short and therefore I will benefit from enjoying the emotions of my senior year rather than the mistakes during COVID or the uncertainty of my career path in college.

Meursault and Sethe both encounter this ideology throughout their works as they struggle against the societies around them, which seek to limit their happiness by forcing beliefs. Meursault is often battling the institution of Christianity and the expectation of showing mourning but continues to act on his own and feel content despite those like the Chaplain and his lawyer disregarding him often. He still is a normal human being, and towards the ending chapters he lashes out against the Chaplain and reveals emotions of anger, yet remains defiant and proud that he hasn’t spent his energy on a God he deems meaningless or on emotions he thinks are unnecessary. His defiance has made me think twice about stressing before a test or a grade, as those are the meaningless things society has conditioned me to worry about instead of my actual learning or pleasures of being a senior.

Sethe is often fighting the mistakes she has made in the past throughout Beloved, and her relationships with Denver and Beloved signify the importance of keeping a balance between the past and present. The act of her killing one of her children in the act of self defiance against the institution of slavery was eye-opening and although some might have viewed it as selfish and offensive, I perceived it as heroic. And even when the community avoided her she still continued to have a life and remain strong-willed, maintaining a job and continuing to raise Denver despite being haunted both physically and mentally by the ghost of her past. It was only when she obsessed too much over her mistake that she lost all of this. I found myself relating this idea to not worrying about friendships falling out or past grade reports, and instead dedicating my energy to studying the things in the present and the relationships I had in the present.

Ending our semester by reading romantic works embodied the spirit I learned to adopt this year and tied the lessons from The Stranger and Beloved into a nice little bow. Sometimes I needed to get out of my desk, go outside, and look at the trees and clouds to be grateful for how far I’ve come and know that a single grade or test score won’t change that.

Celebrating Individuality: Comparing ‘Song of Myself’ and ‘This Is Me’

On By Henry St.In Story PowerLeave a comment

Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” and the song “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman both share similar themes about celebrating individuality and self-acceptance. Despite being from different periods and art forms, they both convey powerful messages of embracing one’s true self and standing up against societal expectations.

In “Song of Myself,” Whitman celebrates the uniqueness of every individual and emphasizes the importance of self-expression. He highlights the interconnectedness of all life and encourages readers to discover and express their true identities, regardless of societal norms. Similarly, the song “This Is Me” sends a strong message of self-acceptance and empowerment. It expresses the struggles of individuals facing discrimination or judgment based on their differences and encourages them to embrace who they are with pride.

Additionally, both “Song of Myself” and “This Is Me” convey a sense of inclusivity and acceptance of diversity. In Whitman’s poem, the poet celebrates the multitude of identities and experiences that make up humanity, emphasizing the equality and interconnectedness of all individuals. Similarly, “This Is Me” portrays a group of marginalized individuals coming together to assert their identities and demand recognition and respect. The song’s message of inclusivity resonates with Whitman’s vision of embracing the full spectrum of human diversity without judgment or prejudice.

Both works highlight the bravery required to assert one’s true identity in a world that often expects people to conform. Whitman’s poem encourages readers to be true to themselves, while “This Is Me” celebrates resilience and courage in the face of adversity. They both inspire audiences to embrace their individuality and stand up for their value. They remind us that embracing our true selves requires courage and strength, and encourage us to take pride in who we are, despite societal pressures.

Beloved’s impact and inspiration

On By Aisha AIn Story Power1 Comment

Literature has the power to profoundly influence and reshape our perceptions, values, and approaches to life. This year, reading Toni Morrison’s Beloved has had a significant impact on my sense of self, my values, and my worldview. The novel’s exploration of trauma, memory, and identity has left a mark on my understanding of human nature and the complexities of historical and personal suffering.

This narrative has taught me the importance of historical memory and the resilience required to face painful truths. Sethe’s determination to protect her children from the horrors of slavery, even at a great personal cost, has resonated with me, prompting a deeper understanding of how past experiences shape our present selves.

A powerful lesson from Beloved is the importance of community and support in the healing process. Throughout the novel, Sethe’s relationships with other characters, such as Paul D and Denver, illustrate the vital role that community plays in overcoming trauma. The communal efforts to exorcise Beloved from 124 Bluestone Road represent the collective strength and solidarity necessary for healing. This has influenced my values by emphasizing the importance of empathy, support, and solidarity in addressing both personal and societal issues.

Sethe’s complex relationship with her children, especially the act of infanticide to spare her daughter from slavery, challenges conventional notions of motherhood and sacrifice. This extreme act, driven by a desperate need to protect her child, forces readers to grapple with the moral ambiguities and deep love that can drive a mother to such lengths. This aspect of the novel has deepened my appreciation for the complexities of parental love and the sacrifices parents are willing to make for their children. It has made me more empathetic towards the difficult choices that individuals must sometimes make under dire circumstances. Reading Beloved this year has profoundly influenced my sense of self, my values, and my approach to the world. The novel’s exploration of trauma, memory, and identity has deepened my understanding of historical and personal suffering. It has underscored the importance of confronting the past, the power of community support, and the complexities of motherhood and sacrifice. Beloved has not only enriched my appreciation of literature but also equipped me with valuable insights for navigating the complexities of life and contributing meaningfully to society.

Expressions of Grief

On By AMELIA R.In Story PowerLeave a comment

Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey is a sad song thought to be about the grief she is experiencing about a loved one. Experiences from her own life, she experienced both the sadness along with all of the beautiful aspects of summertime. She gives deep descriptions of the feeling of summertime and how she feels with this person by her side. 

Though Lana Del Ray has not explicitly stated the exact meaning of the song, many people speculate it was written as a tribute to a friend who took their life during the summer. The song encapsulates the contrast between her sorrow and the world around her. It captures the juxtaposition of the seasonal beauty and her sorrow, as summer’s warmth and vibrancy serve as a stark contrast to the pain and suffering she feels in the absence of her friend. She expresses both freeing and joyous emotions and longing and nostalgia over this person. 

Lana uses figurative language such as similes to convey her message of grief throughout the song. She says, “Think I’ll miss you forever, Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky.” The simile helps relay the intensity of her grief, by comparing her loved ones absence to the stars in the morning. She also helps convey her message with the chorus and title itself. Summer is usually not associated with sadness, but more so the opposite. So by using the phrase “Summertime Sadness,” it conveys a more intense and darker grief. 

The similarities between the “Ode: Intimations of Immortality” and the song are the experiences of grief. This is an occasion shared by both pieces of art. The poem includes and really uses the power of nature to describe and picture the stages of grief being experienced, and Lana Del Rey does the same thing, except she uses the nature of the summertime to detail her experience with grief. Both the poem and the song do a wonderful job of showing us how the writer is experiencing those emotions and feelings in the moment without telling us directly, but by telling us through how they feel their surroundings and the nature around them.

– Mimi, Skai, Saskia

Pride and Prejudice and its Female Role Models!

On By SKAI T.In Story Power1 Comment

How have the texts this year changed you – your sense of self, your values, your approach to other people, your approach toward the larger problems in the world, etc?

The texts this year have changed my sense of self in the way that I want to be more carefree. Books like Pride and Prejudice have such admirable characters, mostly women, who already don’t care what others think of them, or end up learning that they shouldn’t along their own personal journey. I think that’s something that’s very important in today’s society and always will be. Having fun, carefree, and confident heroins who are able to inspire others to think the same. Lizzy in pride and Prejudice is a great example of a character who knew who she was and what she wanted for herself in life. She didn’t want to conform to society’s idea of an arranged marriage or her mothers wishes for it, and marry a man she didn’t love. Reading books like that make me feel inspired to always choose my own path for my life as well.

Pride and Prejudice displays good examples of family values too. All of the sisters go through their own personal struggles throughout the story and they all continue to be there for each other. This is a value that’s pretty high up for me, and reading Pride and Prejudice made me want to make sure it still was, and just reiterating it for myself as I read. I think the story itself is eye-opening because although its set in the past, women still face the same and even more severe pressures from society so it made me think a lot about that and how its importent for women and men to strive for lower standard and way less pressure on women in our society.

I love reading stories of women supporting other women, family or not. Especially in a world like what the Bennett sisters were living in, where a woman’s worth was determined by her wealth, her husband, and her status. I think that Pride and Prejudice while it conveys a lot of messages to always do what you love and to not conform or care what others think of you, and to not base your worth off of other’s opinions, It also portrays strong female characters who break out off society’s rules. Stories like that are important for young women to see because of all the societal pressure put on them, and helps teach them that no one determines your own self worth.

A look back on Shakespeare’s “King Lear”

On By AUGUSTIN SHUMAKERIn Story Power2 Comments

To begin my year of AP literature I never thought I would appreciate Shakespeare. I had read “Hamlet” my sophomore year and was not very big on it. This all changed when our class read Shakespeare’s “King Lear”. The lessons and narratives I read in this book changed my entire outlook on literature. Themes such as family relations, loyalty, justice, and self-knowledge provided the groundwork for a truly eye-catching and sensational book.

Initially, I went into the book with a negative attitude not giving it a chance. But after I really started reading it and giving my full attention to it, I was immediately sucked in. Whether it was through our fun warm-ups for acting directed by our teacher or the actual acting of the book, this book produced the most fun part of the year in literature. The acting out of high-emotion characters like Gloucester, Edmund, and Edgar provided for a fun acting experience and a great way to dive into a masterpiece like “King Lear”.

The literature of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” changed me as it taught me many valuable lessons including it is important to give every piece of literature a fair chance regardless of the impression it has on me. If I had not put the effort into “King Lear” that I did, I would have deeply regretted it and would have had nowhere near as much fun as I did. As well as changing my mind of how my first impression would be on literature, my mind on how I approached every situation changed. “King Lear” not only taught me the lesson to give every piece of literature a fair shot, but to have this positive outlook on all aspects of life as well.

Cutting the Ties in “King Lear”

On By VILAS A.In Story Power1 Comment

Out of the books we immersed ourselves in throughout the course of this school year in English class, I believe that King Lear taught one of the most clear-cut lessons that can be relevant to any reader in some aspect of life, whether it is physical, emotional, or familial. Reading wasn’t always something I was excited for and looked forward to, especially not when assigned in class and given a concrete schedule to follow, with checkpoints along the way. However, books like King Lear were ones that intrigued me within the first few pages of the book, and held my attention throughout the rest.

Having read and performed other pieces by Shakespeare like “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in middle school, I would always look forward to putting on the costumes in my English class and acting out the play, but often failed to retrieve the deeper underlying explanation of these storylines. In reading King Lear mostly in-class and performing numerous analyses and holding discussions in Heidkamp’s class, I was able to pull out some of the most meaningful themes taught by King Lear, such as the fragility of a familial relationship and the strong influence that a rank within a hierarchy can hold on someone within society. 

On the relationship aspect of King Lear, I think one of the most powerful concepts is expressing the possibly hidden strength of holding a bond or relationship with one another and how it is often taken for granted. I often look at this as one of those things where you don’t realize how good it was until you no longer have it, in this case it being Lear’s familial ties with his daughters and how that quickly backfired when he attempted to split up his kingdom based on flattery. Once Cordelia, his then-favorite daughter, refused this and his other two daughters took him over and proceeded to betray him, Lear, felt a strong sense of hopelessness and often encountered mental “storms” as he was approaching old age where he couldn’t control his thoughts and was losing his mind. This was a valuable example of how Lear took his relationship with his daughters for granted and tried to abuse his power which ended up hurting him. I learned from this that no matter the relationship, biological or not, to embrace and be grateful for the fact that this bond exists in the first place.

Lear’s misuse of power ties into my final point, which is the social and societal hierarchy he was a part of, and within a blink slid from the top of the pyramid as King, down to more of a general member of society. Since he had never experienced this “commoner” role in society, he lost sense of what to do with his time and turned mad. This is another example of how Lear started to realize how good his situation was only after he was in a painful situation that was unusual to him, but frequent with normal members of society. From this, I came to understand how no matter your situation, it can always be better, but more importantly, you could always have it worse; so expect the unexpected and take every opportunity to embrace your role and be the best at what you do. 

Looking Back

On By HENRY Sc.In King Lear, Power of Stories/Storytelling, Story Power1 Comment

Of all the writing we read this year in class, I think King Lear is the thing that stood out to me the most. It is the book that I remember the best and it is the book that I wrote about on the AP test. I don’t think that I associate with this book so much because of the plot or the writing though. I think instead it was the experience I had reading the story that made it so influential.

Going into King Lear I was not opposed to the idea of having a speaking role but I was for sure not loving the idea either. My previous experiences with reading plays had been more from your seat stuff rather than getting up in front of the class and I was not looking forward to having to do that.

I randomly chose Kent as my character. As the time when we had to act out our characters approached, there was one day when everyone happened to be out of my house, so I decided to try practicing my part. I started off pretty slow but after a couple of minutes, I was yelling out my lines and getting really into it. I think it helps that my specific Kent act was one where he had lines like, “A knave; a rascal; an eater of broken meats; a base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hundred-pound, filthy, worsted-stocking knave; a lily-livered, action-taking knave, a whoreson, glass-gazing, super-serviceable finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldst be a bawd, in way of good service, and art nothing but the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pandar, and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I will beat into clamorous whining, if thou deniest the least syllable of thy addition.” Then in class when I got to act it out with the fake sword and everything I had a really good time.

The self-expression that I was able to have through this is something that I feel is important to reflect upon. I do not really think that I will do anything with theater or acting going forward. But what is important for me to take away is that I tried something new and had a very good time doing it. That idea of getting out of my comfort zone and trying something that I am a bit apprehensive about is my big takeaway from not only this book but from my time in this English class.