Clerks Scene - Title Doesn't Dictate Behavior

CHARACTER STUDY (I)

Professor #1:
Henry Freebourn sits in a chair, relaxed.  He never takes notes but still manages to pass all the tests.  I glare at him and the other slackers from beneath my spectacles as I stand in front of the class, lecturing.  I can't help but think how much I'd love to walk up to each of those little bitches and punch em in the face.  I want to feel their bones with my knuckles.  I want to hear Henry's glasses snap against his nose.  That would be so great. 

Professor #2:
Henry Freebourn sits in a chair, relaxed.  He never takes notes but still manages to pass all the tests.  That's pretty goddamn impressive.  In fact, he reminds me a lot of myself when I was a student.  If he had applied himself more, he could have gone so much farther.  But he's okay with his academic performance.  He's one of the students who has potential.

Me:
I just exist.  I work towards my degree.  I'm not sure what my major will be yet; I didn't have to declare a major when I applied to this place, so that was cool.  I am not as sickened by this place as I was by my high school.  Less fences. 

I just renewed my medical marijuana license last week and the local dispensary is actually pretty nice.  I buy a lot of THC pills these days, mostly because it's a lot more convenient than smoking when in public.  The pharmacy in town is not that bad either.  My new therapist is a lot better than my old one, and he put me on something that I can actually feel.  I can't remember if I took any this morning so I take two now and force myself to eat a protein bar and a banana and get moving.  I've got a class at twelve o'clock and it's only 11:25, so I have time to stop at the library and look for a book.  Time slips away from me and it's 11:55.  I can get there in ten minutes if I try really hard.  Still late.  Oh well, I better go I realize.  It's probably important.  So I do.

I sit in a chair, relaxed.  I listen to the lecture for ten minutes and absorb quite a bit of great information.  Then I space out and get lost in my thoughts.  I watch the clock for most of the class, but also take some notes to feel like I did something productive.  That's enough for today.  I check what time it is and listen to the professor lecture for a little while longer and before I know it the class has ended.  I'm going to go eat something.

Masterpiece Idea #2

I think it would be cool to learn the basics of coding.  This website seems like a good place to start:

http://www.codecademy.com/

PHONAR14 VIDEO

Well...

Today I did something that everyone who drives a car will probably do at some point- I left stuff on top of my car and drove away.  Unfortunately that stuff happened to be two notebooks with schoolwork in them.  And yes... one of them was my English journal.  So all of the work I did in my journal is lost, which sucks, especially since I forgot to turn it in last week.  I lost my graphing calculator too.  I didn't realize it for like an hour so by the time I got back my notebooks and calculator were gone, probably thrown away.  Now I've only got about 10 papers with tire tracks on them.  My bad.  I messed up, but at least I'm pretty certain that I won't leave anything on top of my car in the near future.

I can't change it though, so no use thinking about the past.  I bought two fresh notebooks so it's cool.  New journal begins tomorrow.

Notes pg 74-82, 90-115

Bede's work - p. 74-82

A History of the English Church and People

• Britain was once named Albion
• France is referred as "Belgic Gaul"
• Multiple other countries are spoken of but have different names; written 1300 years ago
• Excerpt is about Britain; Bede clearly loves the country
• "...in which are often found excellent pearls of several colors: red, purple, violet, and green, but mainly white."  [textbook pg. 76]  The use of a variety of colors makes it seem like a more vibrant place; Bede uses this in support of Britain
• He also states, "...the older the cloth, the more beautiful its color." [pg. 76]  Again Bede is using his literary techniques to influence the opinion of the reader.  It would be great if things became more beautiful with time, but that usually does not happen.  This makes it seem an unusual place in a good way.
• More insight into the time period: "...all are united in their study of God's truth..." [pg. 76].  This is referring to the alliance of four countries.  This is one of the strongest things that united them; anyone who did not share their views was an enemy
• Reference to women: "...when any dispute arose, they should choose a king from the female royal line rather than the male." [pg. 77]  Interesting that Bede says "a king from the female royal line" instead of queen.  That word did not yet exist.

The Anglo Saxon Chronicle


Prologue to Canterbury Tales- p. 90-115

DECLARATION OF LEARNING INDEPENDENCE

I declare that I am not limited to the learning that I experience through school; using outside resources [the Internet] I will advance my learning myself.  I declare that independently I can teach myself just as well as many public school teachers.

VOCABULARY #4

obsequious - attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
Example: The obsequious Frank Underwood from House of Cards always knows exactly when and how to flatter the person he is speaking with.

beatitude - a state of supreme happiness
Example: I was jealous of her constant beatitude; she was rarely sad.

bete noire - a person or thing that one particularly dislikes
Example: I cannot be in this room any longer with my bete noire; I will hurt this man.

bode - indicate by signs
Example: In As I Lay Dying, the two collapsed bridges did not bode well for the Bundrens.

dank - unpleasantly cool and humid
Example: The dragon's dank cave did not deter Beowulf, who refused to quit until the monster was dead.

ecumenical - of worldwide scope or applicability; concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions
Example: Christianity will never be an ecumenical religion; it is broken up into many sects that will never agree with one another.

fervid - extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion
Example: The fervid desert began to melt my brain; I knew then that I would die here.

fetid - offensively malodorous
Example: The fetid bathrooms at Righetti disgust me beyond words.  It's hard to believe there aren't any regulations that require these bathrooms to be cleaned at least a little bit.

gargantuan - of great mass; huge and bulky
Example: Looking down on the peasants, the chief of police felt gargantuan; no one would question his authority.

heyday - the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
Example: I wish I had been able to try Coke in its heyday, when it had cocaine in it.

incubus - a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; someone who depresses or worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream
Example: It was only a matter of time before she discovered I was an incubus and left.

infrastructure - the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; the basic structure or features of a system or organization
Example: The infrastructure of the American public system needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.

inveigle - influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
Example: It wasn't until the next week, after she had left, that I questioned how she was able to inveigle me to such a huge degree.

kudos - an expression of approval and commendation
Example: Kudos to Snowden for his exposure of the extent of the NSA's reach to the American public.

lagniappe - a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)
Example: When he showed me the lagniappe that he was offering to go along with the book (a small collectible created by the author) I knew I had to make the purchase.

prolix - tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length
Example: No offense to Nesper, but his lectures are very prolix.

protégé - a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
Example: The worst part of his death was the fact that it was his protégé who shot him.

prototype - a standard or typical example
Example: Watchmen is the prototype of political expression through comics.

sycophant - a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
Example: I'm sick of being around sycophants like you.

tautology - useless repetition of an idea, statement, or word
Example: This teacher's tautology makes his class excruciating.

truckle -yield to out of weakness; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
Example: I was at a loss for words and had to truckle; I was too unprepared to win this argument.

LITERATURE ANALYSIS #1

"How often have I lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home."

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
[For page number reference: First Vintage International Edition, October 1990]

1.  The inciting incident in As I Lay Dying is when Addie Bundren becomes severely sick.  The exposition expands upon the characters, mainly taking place on the Bundren farm.  Cash builds the coffin, Darl and Jewel head into town to make three dollars, and Anse relaxes at home.  As they leave the house, things begin to advance and the plot enters the rising action stage.  The family tries to get Addie buried in Jefferson, forty miles from their home.  This stage details the obstacles and struggles they must overcome to complete their mission.  The climax of the story is when Darl is arrested for burning down the barn.  The falling action is what comes directly after; Dewey Dell is taken advantage of by the doctor and Darl is taken to Jackson.  The resolution brings an end to the story, closing it off.  This is when Anse introduces the rest of the family to Mrs. Bundren, whom he met only the day before.  He also shows off his brand new teeth, bought with the small amount of money the family had left.

2.  Thematically, As I Lay Dying deals with death, family, and loss.  The story revolves around the family trying to carry Addie's body to Jefferson; the actual death happens near the beginning of the novel, but it stays present until the end.  Buzzards begin to follow the Bundrens as they advance on their journey, and the smell of Addie's body becomes stronger and stronger.  The ugly realities of death are spoken of- realities that people typically shy away from. 
     The complexity of family is a steady theme of the novel, which thoroughly studies all aspects of the family. 

3.  Faulkner's tone through this novel is rather cynical and dark.  One of my favorite lines from the novel sums up the tone well:  "'God Almighty, why didn't Anse carry you to the nearest sawmill and stick your leg in the saw?  That would have cured it.  Then you all could have stuck his head into the saw and cured a whole family...'" [Page 240].  Anse's reaction to Addie's death shows that Faulkner's tone is also darkly comical.  "Pa breathes with a quiet, rasping sound, mouthing the snuff against his gums.  'God's will be done,' he says, 'Now I can get them teeth.'" [Page 52].  Note: Anse has lost most of his teeth and wants to go into town and buy dentures.  Another example of Faulkner's dark and cynical tone can be found in Dewey Dell's interaction with the second doctor, who trades her talcum-powder filled pills for sex, which he tells her will terminate her pregnancy.
     "'Are you sure it'll work?' she says.
     'Sure,' I says.  'When you take the rest of the treatment.'
     'Where do I take it?' she says.
     'Down in the cellar,' I says." [Page 248].

4.  "Squatting, Dewey Dell's wet dress shapes for the dead eyes of three blind men those ludicrosities which are the horizons and the valleys of the Earth." [Page 164].  This metaphor carries a lot of meaning, adding
     "My mother is a fish." [Page 84].  The symbol of the fish reappears throughout the novel, with relation to Vardaman.  "My mother is not in the box.  My mother does not smell like that.  My mother is a fish." [Page 196].  Adds to the theme of death and Vardaman's encounter with it.  No young child wants to smell the eight-day old rotting body of his mother.
     Darl's philosophical musings incorporate a lot of literary elements.  "Yet the wagon is, because when the wagon is was, Addie Bundren will not be.  And Jewel is, so Addie Bundren must be.  And then I must be, or I could not empty myself for sleep in a strange room.  And so if I am not empty yet, I am is." [Pages 80-81].  This quote is very layered and heavy, and is also a departure from Darl's usually proper grammar.
     "Darl puts the rope back, pulling hard.  Cash's teeth look out.  'Hurt?' Darl says." [Page 196].  This is an example of personification; Cash's teeth did not literally "look out."  He was baring his teeth in pain caused by his broken leg.
     Faulkner uses repetition to explain Darl's mental state.  "Darl is our brother, our brother Darl.  Our brother Darl in a cage in Jackson where, his grimed hands lying light in the quiet interstices, looking out he foams.  'Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.'" [Page 254].  Whether or not Darl was insane, as most everyone believed by the end, is a matter of perspective.
     "...After a while the two lines are too far apart for the same person to straddle from one to the other; and that sin and love and fear are just sounds that people who never sinned nor loved nor feared have for what they never had and cannot have until they forget the words." [Pages 173-174].  These are "sounds" and not words because the people forming them have no real concept of them.  Faulkner is able to expressive a very large concept with this sentence.
     "I heard that my mother is dead.  I wish I had more time to let her die.  I wish I had time to wish I had.  It is because in the wild and outraged earth too soon too soon too soon." [Page 120].  Again, Faulkner's literary technique is very disjointed, but this is on purpose.  It expresses the feelings of a person in shock or grieving in the wake of a relative's death.
     Faulkner does not refer to what Cash is making as a coffin for a long time, but it is clear very early what it is, though the reader is left to infer it.  "Where every breath she draws is full of his knocking and sawing where she can see him saying See.  See what a good one I am making for you.  I told him to go somewhere else.  I said Good God do you want to see her in it." [Page 14].
     "Whitfield stops at last.  The women sing again.  In the thick air it's like their voices come out of the air, flowing together and on in the sad, comforting tunes." [Page 91].  Faulkner's description of the voices as 'flowing' makes the reader think of water.
     "The water was cold.  It was thick, like slush ice.  Only it kind of lived.  One part of you knowed it was just water, the same thing that had been running under this same bridge for a long time, yet when them logs would come spewing up outen it, you were not surprised, like they was a part of the water, of the waiting and the threat." [Page 138].  The water is personified here, as if it willfully shot logs at people.  It is a very real threat, and causes huge trouble for the Bundrens when trying to cross the river.  This technique makes the water seem a living threat comparable to a person lurking in the shadows with a gun.

CHARACTERIZATION

1.  Direct characterization examples:  Anse is directly described to the reader by Darl.  "Pa leans above the bed in the twilight, his humped silhouette partaking of that owl-like quality of awry-feathered, disgruntled outrage within which lurks a wisdom too profound or too inert for even thought." [Page 49].  Here, Cash is directly characterized.  "Cash works on, half turned into the feeble light, one thigh and one pole-thin arm braced, his face sloped into the light with a rapt, dynamic immobility above his tireless elbow." [Page 76].

Indirect characterization examples:  You learn a lot about Anse from a conversation between Vernon and his wife, Cora.  "'His place was there,' Cora said.  'If he had been a man, he would a been there instead of making his sons do what he dursn't.'" [Page 153].  Anse is indirectly characterized by Dewey Dell:  "Pa dassent sweat because he will catch his death from the sickness so everybody that comes to help us." [Page 26].  Darl is indirectly and directly characterized throughout the novel.  "I cannot love my mother because I have no mother.  Jewel's mother is a horse." [Page 95].  Shows Darl's disconnect from his mother, or her disconnect from him.

     The use of both direct and indirect characterization towards nearly every character in the book allows for a well-rounded view of the character.  Anse believes he is doing what is right, even if it makes trouble for the rest of his family.  By the end I thoroughly disliked Anse's character, even though positive sides of him were presented.  As I Lay Dying is primarily a character study; a large amount of time is spent developing each character.

2.  Yes, Faulkner's diction and syntax both vary greatly between characters.  The novel is written in first person but from the perspectives of multiple characters.  Most characters do not use proper grammar or large vocabulary words.  From the perspective of Anse, "Well, I reckon I aint no call to expect no more of him than of his man-growed brothers." [Page 38].
     Compare that to this passage that is from the perspective of Darl: "For an instant it resists, as though volitional, as though within it her pole-thin body clings furiously, even though dead, to a sort of modesty, as she would have tried to conceal a soiled garment that she could not prevent her body soiling." [Pages 97-98].

Despite this variance in diction and syntax Faulkner is able to make most characters seem equally intelligent, which is one of the best aspects of this novel.

3.  There is no traditional protagonist in As I Lay Dying; instead, the family is its own protagonist.  The family is very round though.  Each individual is characterized well; Faulkner balances the focus very equally amongst them.  Anse is a round character, but static and not dynamic.  In the end of the novel, he is still the same old Anse.  Darl's arrest didn't faze him, nor did the loss of Cash's leg.  In ten days since his wife's death, Anse is remarried.  Darl is definitely dynamic and round, as is Vardaman.  Darl undergoes a massive character transformation from the beginning of the novel to the end, and it is very effective

4.  I felt like I could relate to some of the characters as people by the end of the novel.  Particularly Darl, whose last chapter is strange and a departure from the format of the the others.  Each of these characters did seem like people though.  Dewey Dell's unwanted pregnancy is something not typically addressed in older novels, and the fact that she cannot find a doctor who will give her an abortion.  The difficulty for women to have access to safe and legal abortions is still a problem in the modern day, and Faulkner's acknowledge of it brings Dewey Dell further towards life.

Which Iraq War Are You? [Clickhole Quiz]

Click this link for a nice quiz:

Which Iraq War Are You? - Clickhole

My Possible Masterpiece (?) Still Unsure

I have thought for a while about what I'd like to do for my masterpiece...  Every time I have an idea for what I could do I'll put it on my blog and then choose whichever one I like best.

Idea:  I'm thinking about writing a paper on how Righetti has let me down as a student and a person.  I will also discuss how the way the public school system treats kids has a very negative impact on learning.  No, I'm not going to be insulting teachers.  I won't be badmouthing anyone; I'm going to use facts to write this paper.  I will write about how difficult it is to be taken seriously as a student.

But as I said in the title, I'm still unsure of whether or not I will stick with this idea.  The biggest factor right now is how Hutton handles the questions I have about the gates.  Unfortunately he is very hard to get a hold of.  I went into his office today since it wasn't locked.  I spoke with a secretary who basically told me the same thing they always say: the reason there isn't someone unlocking the gate in the 600 block at lunch to let seniors who have finished classes leave is because they "don't have anyone else."  I asked her when Hutton would be in, since he was the one I actually wanted to talk to, and she told me maybe after lunch "if there isn't a situation." It would be cool if Hutton had a set time where he was in his office and students could talk with him... but of course that would be too much of a hassle; he doesn't have time for us.

So the excuse for the gate is that there is not enough security.  Obviously this is a lie... on the entire campus full of staff, you can't get one person in the entire school to open a single gate at the other end of the school?  Instead they coral us into one segregated entrance, and give us no other way to get out.  There are police out in the quad every once in a while at lunch surveying everything, and they are always on campus.  Why do they need so many security guards to wander around and keep tabs on us when they have cops there?  [Which brings up another issue- the installation of cops on campus.  But I'm not going to get into how much that angers me right now.]  I am just... sick of the way these people handle this stuff, and other situations on campus.

There would obviously be a solution to this if they cared enough, but the fact of the matter is that it is convenient for them and inconvenient for students to only open one gate.  The idea that it's okay to earn your pay for the day as easily as you can without paying attention to the students is common across this country, and many others as well.  I think that if your job is in the field of education you have an obligation to help the students who go to the school you work at.

The situation I wrote about is just an example of this distorted public school system.  The most important thing I've learned (though I've learned a lot from a lot of great teachers) is the injustice of class division, and I didn't learn that from the textbooks.  The fact that they won't unlock the gate isn't what I have the biggest problem with, but the implications of this.  When you stop and think about this- the fact that they felt the solution to issues they had with an open campus was to put up a giant locked fence- you get to the heart of the ideals of the American public school system.  I want to convey something like this in my masterpiece, but I'm not sure if it will be aimed at the school system or not yet.

I have also always been interested in the lives of serial killers or other people who commit horrible acts and what they feel psychologically, so maybe I could do a masterpiece on something to do with this... If I think of something good I'll post an idea.

Why I have (always had) an authority problem

As I tried to leave Righetti's Campus by the front door today as I've been doing for 3 weeks, I was shouted at by the people working who said I could no longer exit there.  Sick of this kind of treatment, I confronted someone.  I was hoping to be treated like a human but I was treated like a child.

I asked why I couldn't go through and they said because it was disruptive.  Then I asked, since that was the case, why don't you unlock a gate in the 600 block for people who have to go that way?  As usual, they did not even try to answer my question but instead told me to go over to Hutton.  I did and the goddamm office was locked.  This school is a disgrace.  The people in these offices couldn't care less about us.

The worst part was the way this guy I talked to tried to humiliate me in front of 5 people.  As two guys exited the front, he yelled and went after them.  Turns out it was his son and a friend so naturally it's fine,  while I was still blocked from leaving.  I said "So it's okay when it's your kid?  All right, goodbye."  I tried to leave then and he called me back.  He asked if I was ok in a tone that sounded not like he cared about me, but like he was establishing his authority.  Then he called me out for my shaking hands, an issue that I have had and been insecure about for years.  Feeling like shit, I left the office and walked out the 100 block gate.  Then I walked back in the opposite direction to my car.

"A gate isn't worth getting worked up about," he told me.  I disagree.  It's not about the gate but the fact that I was harassed and treated like I was subhuman. 

I wanted to put this here because I have constantly been treated poorly by the people in Righetti's office and by security.  They have no respect, nor do they pretend to.  Dr. Preston seems to be one of the few teachers on campus who gives a shit about this kind of thing so I figured it would be fine to post it here.

I'm sick of the intimidation they employ by getting in your face, and I'm sick of the disgust I can see in their eyes every time they look at me.
I just want these condescending administrators and faculty to treat me like I am a fucking person.
It's the least they can do.

I have always hated authority because I have been in so many situations like this.  I guess that's just the type of person I am.  I will never be okay with people talking down to me like that.  If you are irritated about a school policy, speak up.  They want you to think you're insignificant and can do nothing to make a change, but that isn't true.  When they piss you off, let them know.

VOCABULARY #3

1.  accolade - a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
Example:  The accolades on his chest meant nothing to me; he had earned them in another time.

2.  acerbity - a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
Example:  Your excessive acerbity makes me want to punch myself in the face but in a good way.

3.  attrition - a wearing down to weaken or destroy; sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation
Example:  Wrought with the attrition his parents had embedded in him, his mind was fracturing.

4.  bromide - a trite or obvious remark
Example:  Next time try to keep that bromide to yourself.

5.  chauvinist - a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
Example:  Perhaps people would like you more if you were less of a chauvinist.

6.  chronic - being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
Example:  It was only with medical grade chronic that she was able to lessen the crushing weight of her chronic insomnia and achieve some degree of terrifying sleep.

7.  expound - add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; state
Example:  Can you please expound upon this ridiculously vague law that allows for state sponsored prejudice?

8.  factionalism - the breaking apart of a larger group into factions, smaller groups each with their own ideas/agendas
Example:  The innate factionalism of politics assures us that democracy is not possible.

9.  immaculate - completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error
Example:  The are not as immaculate as you claim to be; I know what you have done and it is disgusting.

10.  imprecation - the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult); a slanderous accusation
Example:  Unbeknownst to them, my imprecations were not empty words; I had invoked the majestic power of Lucifer, who now held claim to their souls.

11.  ineluctable - impossible to avoid or evade:"inescapable conclusion"
Example:  I suppose this was ineluctable I thought to myself as the man in the white mask took a power saw to my legs.

12.  mercurial - relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury
Example:  Your mercurial nature suits you, but gets annoying after a time.

13.  palliate - provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
Example:  The only procedure that could palliate the burning black cloud in her mind was taken from her by people who were intent on controlling her body.

14.  protocol - code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state
Example:   Such a casual dismissal of protocol deserves a reprimand at the very least, but the officer responsible was instead placed on paid laid.

15.  resplendent - having great beauty and splendor
Example:  The resplendent forest was quickly turned into a desolate wasteland by men interested only in profit.

16.  stigmatize - mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
Example:  Because of his use of medical marijuana to alleviate his depression he was stigmatized by his family.

17.  sub rosa- in secret; privately or confidentially
Example:  We met sub rosa on the hill at midnight; it felt like the rest of the world was draped in fog.

18.  vainglory - outspoken conceit
Example:  This disrespect emanating from this vainglorious, self-titled cuber is really getting on my nerves.

19.  vestige - an indication that something has been present
Example:  There was no vestige at the bottom of the hill save for a dead rat; it was then that I knew if I stayed here I would die alone.

20.  volition - the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
Example:  You don't have the volition to handle something with such big consequences; you only have the money.

Beowulf and the Modern Epic

          Beowulf is not a poem; it is a photograph.  It is a freeze frame of the values of the society from which it came.  Clearly, Beowulf is a Christian poem.  The religiousness of the era is on full display here, with pagans portrayed as evil.  As the first English language epic, Beowulf is an important jumping off point for examining the evolution of the epic.  In today’s world, epics are very highly regarded.  They have branched out in all directions in regard to content, but almost all of them share the same goal: to entertain.  Or rather, to capitalize on entertainment.  The greatest variation between modern epics and Beowulf is not in structure but in characterization.  Perhaps the most well-known contemporary hero is Harry Potter.  In comparison to Beowulf, Harry Potter’s strength is intellectual and not physical.  His character has a myriad of traits that serve as stark contrasts to Beowulf’s, yet the concept of heroism is similar in both.

            Heroic traits are reflective of the era in which they are from.  The vast differences between Beowulf and Harry Potter are a perfect example of this.  Harry is a modest person.  Though he has special abilities, he is a regular person.  Where Harry’s gift is magic, Beowulf’s is strength.  He does not fit the role of the “average human” as well as Harry does, but this is intentional.  He may come off as arrogant to a modern audience, but Beowulf was written in an entirely different period.  These traits of Beowulf’s were not excessively prideful; they were earned.  Beowulf was a hero who was able to back up his boasts.  Much as Beowulf has negative aspects to a modern audience, Harry would be viewed negatively by the audience Beowulf was written for.  He is not strong and is timid in the beginning.  He cares more about love than he does about fighting.  Yet the worst of all is the religious aspect.  Magic was seen as inherently evil by Christians at the time of Beowulf.  Wizardry is central to Harry Potter and it is portrayed as a tool for good, contrary to this viewpoint.

            Not only magic, but every pagan concept that clashed with Christianity was seen as evil by the authors of Beowulf.  Grendel is a monster; a murderous and uncivilized creature.  Pagans were viewed as being just as uncivilized by Christians, and were treated as subhuman.  The people who depicted extreme acts of violence in Beowulf did so while criticizing pagans for violence.  The violence in Beowulf was more than heroic for these people, it was godly.  Beowulf was killing evildoers who opposed his god; this was more than simply being honorable, it was holy through and through.  It’s easy to tell through reading Beowulf that the society that birthed it strictly adhered to Christian scripture.  Christianity was once as small as the pagan religions that Christians worked to erase from existence.  Moving forward this religion became massive and unparalleled in scope.  It would have been impossible for Beowulf to have had no ties to Christianity, yet the Harry Potter series was able to gain huge popularity without a big incorporation of religion into it.  Because of this Harry Potter, along with every other modern epic, was open to a much more diverse audience than Beowulf, which had no audience beside Christians.

            Beyond character, technology, and even language, the greatest change from Beowulf to a modern epic of one’s choice is the values held by the societies that they came from.  While Christianity is now a monolithic entity present in everyday life, it is no longer the sole element.  Where strength and victory were once the staples of a hero, smarts and kindness have replaced them.  The larger part of society has not embraced fundamentalist religion, which is similar in intensity to religion in Beowulf.  Society has experienced a shift in general ideas of morality as a result.  Because of the diversity of modern society, there is a wider range of what people think is right and wrong.  Though this range exists, there is still a primary set of morals that society accepts and pushes on those who disagree.

            Beowulf is the embodiment of first century values.  Through studying the text, one instantly gets a sense of the massive shift in what was considered morally acceptable then and now.  Modern audiences are exposed to a different kind of hero than Beowulf, such as Harry Potter.  Just like Beowulf, Harry Potter is a reflection of the society from which it came from.  Compassion is valued more than faith; intellect is valued more than strength.  What was once created for simple entertainment can now be looked back on by contemporary society as a piece of a puzzle that gives one insight into what life was like two thousand years ago.  Two thousand years from today, though print will likely not exist, people will look back on the epics of our time and use them to learn about society in this day and age.  Like Beowulf, any epic that accomplishes this transcends text; it becomes a photograph.

Follow through on post about officer who threatened to kill protestors while aiming an assault rifle at them

Remember one of the many videos released from Ferguson in which a cop wildly waves his gun at a group of peaceful protestors? And how about the cop who posted on Facebook that the protestors in Ferguson should be "put down like wild dogs?" Well now, neither of them has a job. The one caught on video was forced to resign, and the other was fired. It's rare to actually see this, as 99.999% of the time police who do something wrong are put on paid leave by their department until the situation blows over.  Police accountability is a huge issue.  It is obvious by now that police departments will make zero attempt to hold officers accountable unless an outside force puts pressure on them to do so.  Recording videos of police misuse of power is one of the best ways to fight it.  If you don't hold police accountable when you see them abusing their power, no one will.

Rushmore Scene

WILL STUDY FOR FOOD

I haven't been involved with scholarships very much at all so far. I've just put it off until later or filled out forms that seemed simple. I did actually get a scholarship that was a little over one hundred dollars for a bowling tournament about four years ago. I might have another hundred or so from another organization, but I'm not aware of any. So obviously this isn't going to get me very far and I've got to start applying for more.

Tonight I set up an account on this website called scholarships.com. After inputting a lot of information, it showed me a list with a bunch of possible scholarships. Almost all of the scholarships seemed completely hopeless; many were totally out of my reach while others were for things that didn't interest me at all. I'll continue searching for any that seem possible through scholarships.com for a while and see if any catch my interest.

Vocabulary #2

Accoutrements- an accessory item of equipment; outward forms of recognition Example: Her military vest was coated in accoutrements.
Apogee - a final climactic stage Example: The apogee of the film was disturbing in a great way. Apropos - of an appropriate or pertinent nature; by the way; at an opportune time Example: Your points are not apropos in this discussion, please stop.
Bicker - a quarrel about petty points; argue over petty things Example: Stop bickering over which sports team is better.
Coalesce - fuse or cause to grow together; mix together different elements Example: The band's sound formed a perfect coalescence of doom and black metal.
Contretemps - an inopportune occurrence or situation Example: Life is a series of contretemps that lead nowhere.
Convolution - the action of coiling or twisting or winding together; a convex fold or elevation in the surface of the brain; the shape of something rotating rapidly Example: A strange convolution rocked my skull, and I found myself enjoying it.
Cull - the person or thing is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality; remove something that has been rejected; look for and gather Example: The people were violently culled by their leaders.
Disparate - including markedly dissimilar elements; fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind Example: The disparate nature of our political system makes democracy impossible.
Dogmatic - characterized by assertion of unproved or unprovable principles; relating to or involving dogma; of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative Example: You can believe whatever you want to about your dogmatic scripture, but don't shove it in my face.
Licentious - lacking moral discipline Example: They were very licentious because they only cared for themselves and did whatever they wanted to others.
Mete - a line that indicates a boundary Example: After you cross that mete don't be surprised if I shove you to the ground.
Noxious - injurious to physical or mental health Example: Though the medication treated the infection, it was noxious towards the patient's appetite.
Polemic - of or involving dispute or controversy(especially over a belief or dogma) Example: The polemic argument between the two groups will never end.
Populous - densely populated Example: The populous country began to experience a severe food shortage as time passed.
Probity - complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles Example: The organization's self-proclaimed probity was shattered after the scandal.
Repartee - adroitness and cleverness in reply Example: Her repartee was so great that everyone in the vicinity laughed.
Supervene - take place as an additional or unexpected development Example: Hopefully no natural disaster supervenes our weekend plans.
Truncate - terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off Example: The Fox News anchor casually truncated the guest's argument within ten seconds.
Unimpeachable - beyond doubt or reproach; not subject to blame Example: Stop spending the club's money on bulk cocaine deals; you aren't impeachable.