spring break

Well the snow today was defintly not cool but I dont care because im going to indiana tomorrow so it sucks for you guys who have to stay here lol im going to warmer weather and were gonna play baseball so it will be sweet.

Irony of To a Louse

Because we ran out of time in class to talk about a bunch of stuff, Mrs. Stariha wanted me to post how "To a Louse" was a very ironic piece. If you remember, this story was about how a louse was making its home on a very nice lady and the the narrator was saying to the louse how it didn't belong there and how it belonged on a much more poor person instead. Well, the diction used was very plain and choppy, not at all elaborate or sophisticated, which implied that the narrator was a poor man himself. So the irony is that the poor man was telling the louse to stop harming the nice lady and to harm someone like himself instead. The social commentary here is showing how society forces people to think that the higher end of society is superior in every way to the lower class and the lower class seems to follow along with that rule and even support putting themselves down to elevate the higher class even more in some cases.

Snow during Spring Break is just depressing.

It's really sad when Brit Lit starts seeping into your everyday life. A few days ago I found myself listening to Lily Allen in the car and realized quite a few of her songs could be considered satire. Then I heard a song that reminded of the Passionate Shepard, and The Nymph's Reply. Even little things like the new Arthur movie reminds me of OFK and all the posters we made. I'm bracing myself for even more connections as we move more into the modern times.
Also, for all of you that went somewhere nice and sunny break- It's cold, it's cloudy, and it's snowing. This is not okay.

whoo hoo?

yeahh, I'm currently in a huge van with the rest of mi familia, on the way to warmer weather! Anddd, I'm doing homework :( whoo hoo? lol, I started the optional project and it's actually kind of hard, good thing I'm doing it for more credit, right? Which i really need right now.

Poem Summary For Laura (and all other United Brit Lit-ers)

1. Woman by Goldsmith: This poem mocks the stereotypes of both men and women.  It mocks the concept of man as a cheater... who will inevitably betray woman and not care about her at all.  And it mocks the over-dramatic women, who will respond with tears, but who will not really get his sympathy unless she is dead.  Of course Goldsmith is not serious about the woman dying, but he plays up the social stereotypes of his time.  He uses irony in the ending to emphasize his sarcastic tone.  He also uses the open form poem (it is only 8 lines rather than the rigid 14 line sonnet structure) to create an abrupt poem that creates black and white assessment of all gender relations.
2. Infant Sorrow by Blake: This poem uses the symbol of the infant as the "innocent" born into the human world of cruelty and suffering.  The tone of the poem is one of despair and doom.  The words suggest inevitable failing and pain.  The infant's birth is not joyous, rather than infant struggles against the bands of the world.  This shows Blake's belief that the corruption and cruelty of 18th century society will destroy all beauty and innocence in humanity.
3. Human Abstract by Blake: This poem uses allusion to the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Knowledge (the shade of Mystery... deceitful fruit).  These allusions help Blake deliver a message that the quest for ultimate knowledge has led to cruelty and pain.  That true knowledge of good and evil already exists within the human soul and that knowledge is enough.  The concepts of the Enlightenment are really questioned in this poem that points out a truly enlightened society wouldn't treat its people so harshly.  Cruelty is personified in the poem to show its power and place among the people of the 18th century society.
4. To A Mouse by Burns:  This poem is written in dialect.  The dialect represents the speaking patterns of poor and uneducated people.  The poem talks about how the mouse has to worry about losing its home to the actions of the people (ie the plow).  The poor mouse is little and insignificant, and as a result, it is totally helpless in the face of the actions of humans.  The poem even takes the point of view of the mouse to help the reader sympathize with the poor creature.  This technique along with dialect allows the reader to sympathize with a lower class that is virtually "run over" by the factory and land owners of the time and a political system that deems them inconsequential.
5. To A Louse by Burns:  This funny poem is a satirical criticism of the class divisions in British society.  The speaker is telling a louse (singular for lice) not to eat off of a rich lady, but to feed on a poor lady instead.  This shows the stereotypes of the time and additionally casts social commentary on a system that feeds off of the poor to benefit the rich.  This poem also uses dialect.

ALL of these poems are representative of the Pre-Romantic movement at the end of the 18th century.  Remember that during this time people began to question the conventions of the Enlightenment.

Hope this helps!

Brit Liters Unite!

Kudos to Mrs Stariha for making that prodject optional! I didnt fin out until just now, after I sat on the plane writing a song and tapping my foot and humming like an idiot. but hey it's already half way done so I might as well finish right? Also I would greatly appreciate it if some of youe (cough stariha cough) could post some stuff about Friday (today's) poems because I really liked them and I wnt to know what you all said about them. Rock on 18th century!! My favorite time period so far! Brit Liters Unite and post things so that I can read them and learn!!!

Miss Tonya

Hey the computer down here is all janky and it wont let me comment on your Ed=Tiger post. So I'm just gonna post it separatly. Ed is stalking us like prey and he will attack us viciously. (he told me so himself) Tonya we are like helpless little lambs unable to defend ourselves! AH