Master Piece essay

                                                                                                                                             Sheckherd 1 

Lukas Sheckherd

Dr. Preston

AP English Lit and Comp

9 June 2015

            This class was a new experience for every one of us.  You gave us freedom of our education and helped us truly look into paths for our future.  A majority of the students this year go to work with something they absolutely were passionate about.  Although I thought I had found mine in filming again, I realized I was sadly mistaken.  Although my masterpiece wasn’t something I ended up being really passionate about, I still love what I took out of this class and will use to tools to find my passion and pursue it to the fullest. 

This class has been something I never thought I would get in the high school education system. This class was as rare as finding a needle in the haystack.  I never thought I would be completely trusted by my teacher from day one.  It was a phenomenal feeling and sense of control over my learning.  I got to read books of my choice, ones that interested me, not books that I was forced to read that made me hate reading. I’m starting to read on my own again and that’s something I lost at the beginning of high school, because I was forced to read things against my will. This is something I will appreciate for the rest of my life.

Working one what people were passionate about in these masterpieces was enlightening to me.  Seeing a new side to each person I never saw was amazing and although everyone had different topics for their projects, just watching people talk about them showed me a new side.  When Miles told the bagel and lox story, I was dying of laughter because it was such a relatable reaction for me. I believe a lot of them had the same theme.  That theme being unity. Will’s project, Sean’s project, Terry’s project, Haley’s project, even mine had a theme of unity.  Whether it was unity with the people around you, unity with nature, unity in the world, or unity through social media, we all were unified with someone or something.

I believe my hero’s hasn’t quite begun yet. It begins in eleven days when I start the next big chapter of my life and set step at United States Air Force Academy.  I prolonged this call because I wasn’t sure this is what I wanted, but after seeing the environment I will be in, I accepted it.   I do not know if I will be a hero, but I will see.  I think this next step of my life can be represented by three different books.  Answering the call and choosing to go there can be related to The Hunger Games and how Katniss volunteers as tribute.  Going in not know what to fully expect, what I am going to face, or what I will get out of it can relate to Gregor the Overlander and his sense of adventure in trying new things.  Finally The Percy Jackson series shows the hardships I have endured to get where I am today.

I know you gave all of us your trust this year and each person honored it to different level.  I know I may have seemed to honor it at a half empty level, but I like to think of it as half full.  I took what I needed out of this class and it has helped me immensely this year.  It helped me love learning again, not being taught, but learning and teaching myself new things.  So thank you for everything.

Adventure Moods Come at All Times

Its hard to keep focused on one thing nowadays with the multiple distraction that are present in my life.  Like sports, work, and school are just a few examples.  I constantly find myself day dreaming of me travelling to some random country and living with the people, not being a tourist with my flower designed button up shirt, bucket hat, camera hung around my neck, cargo shorts equipped with a fanny pack, and finished off with the infamous pair of socks and sandals.  No I see myself as the guy who has all he needs in his camping backpack on his back, long, pulled back, dread-like hair style because he hasn't got it cut since he left home years ago.  The scraggly beard going because he has no care for what his appearance is in this new world of his.  Dirt under his nails from climbing around in the unscathed forest to find that perfect view of the sunrise.  A worn out rain jacket that never seems to come off because he never knows what tomorrows weather will bring.  A pair of dirty torn jeans from all the falls he  has taken while hiking or chasing down his next ride.  A pair of hiking boots with frayed laces and worn out souls, this man's soul is alive.  You can see it in the sparkle of amazement in his eyes, the constant gleam of a smile underneath his messy beard.

Some days I see myself going on a hike through a forest, a mist coming down off the mountains, absorbed by the trees and plants around me.  Following the distant sound of water crashing on rock, plant, and itself. After walking through the fern and morning fog the was only a few feet off the ground, I come to an opening, where in front of me is a beautiful water fall.  This waterfall falls twenty feet down a cliff face, lined with fern and moss trying to grab a hold to soft rock, into an immense water hole that is so crystal clear you can see each individual pebble in the depths of the water. This is one of the many reoccurring places I visit in my day dreams.  I never get to do anything once I get to the place, I also lose the thought when I get to that point, as if these exact places are out there somewhere in this world and these dreams are pushing me to  go out and find them.  To experience it in the flesh rather than in my mind.  They are always the exact same, except for one thing.  Some times its just me, and others I am holding hands with a girl as she runs ahead pulling me to move faster because she can't wait to get there.  I never see her face, just her dark hair and arm as she continues to urge me on and comment on how slow I am, and I slightly smile because I'm in love with this faceless girl.

List 1

allegory - noun an expressive style that uses fictional characters and events to describe some subject by suggestive resemblances; an extended metaphor; a short moral story (often with animal characters); a visible symbol representing an abstract idea
alliteration - noun use of the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable in a line of verse
allusion - noun passing reference or indirect mention
ambiguity - noun unclearness by virtue of having more than one meaning; an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context
anachronism - noun an artifact that belongs to another time; a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age; something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
analogy - noun drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity in some respect; an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others; the religious belief that between creature and creator no similarity can be found so great but that the dissimilarity is always greater; language can point in the right direction but any analogy between God and humans will always be inadequate
analysis - noun an investigation of the component parts of a whole and their relations in making up the whole; the abstract separation of a whole into its constituent parts in order to study the parts and their relations; a branch of mathematics involving calculus and the theory of limits; sequences and series and integration and differentiation; a form of literary criticism in which the structure of a piece of writing is analyzed; the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., `the father of the bride' instead of `the bride's father'; a set of techniques for exploring underlying motives and a method of treating various mental disorders; based on the theories of Sigmund Freud
anaphora - noun using a pronoun or similar word instead of repeating a word used earlier; repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
anecdote - noun short account of an incident (especially a biographical one)
antagonist - noun a drug that neutralizes or counteracts the effects of another drug; a muscle that relaxes while another contracts; someone who offers opposition
antithesis - noun the juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas to give a feeling of balance; exact opposite
aphorism - noun a short pithy instructive saying
apologia - noun a formal written defense of something you believe in strongly
apostrophe - noun the mark (') used to indicate the omission of one or more letters from a printed word; address to an absent or imaginary person
argument - noun a variable in a logical or mathematical expression whose value determines the dependent variable; if f(x)=y, x is the independent variable; a summary of the subject or plot of a literary work or play or movie; a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true; a discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal; a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement
assumption - noun the act of taking possession of or power over something; the act of assuming or taking for granted; a hypothesis that is taken for granted; (Christianity) the taking up of the body and soul of the Virgin Mary when her earthly life had ended; celebration in the Roman Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary's being taken up into heaven when her earthly life ended; corresponds to the Dormition in the Eastern Orthodox church; audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to; a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
audience - noun a gathering of spectators or listeners at a (usually public) performance; the part of the general public interested in a source of information or entertainment; a conference (usually with someone important); an opportunity to state your case and be heard
characterization - noun the act of describing distinctive characteristics or essential features; acting the part of a character on stage; dramatically representing the character by speech and action and gesture; a graphic or vivid verbal description
chiasmus - noun inversion in the second of two parallel phrases

list 2

Circumlocution - noun an indirect way of expressing something; a style that involves indirect ways of expressing things
Classicism - noun a movement in literature and art during the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe that favored rationality and restraint and strict forms
Cliche- noun a trite or obvious remark
Climax - noun the decisive moment in a novel or play;arrangement of clauses in ascending order of forcefulness; the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding; the most severe stage of a disease; the moment of most intense pleasure in sexual intercourse; verb end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage
Colloquialism - noun a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
Comedy - noun light and humorous drama with a happy ending; a comic incident or series of incidents
Conflict - noun an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals); an incompatibility of dates or events; opposition between two simultaneous but incompatible feelings; opposition in a work of drama or fiction between characters or forces (especially an opposition that motivates the development of the plot); a state of opposition between persons or ideas or interests; a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war; a disagreement or argument about something important; verb go against, as of rules and laws; be in conflict
Connotation - noun an idea that is implied or suggested; what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression
Contrast - noun the act of distinguishing by comparing differences;the range of optical density and tone on a photographic negative or print (or the extent to which adjacent areas on a television screen differ in brightness); the perceptual effect of the juxtaposition of very different colors; the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared; a conceptual separation or distinction; verb put in opposition to show or emphasize differences; to show differences when compared; be different
Denotation - noun the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to; the act of indicating or pointing out by name
Denouement - noun the final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work; the outcome of a complex sequence of events
Dialect - noun the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people
Dialectics - noun a rationale for dialectical materialism based on change through the conflict of opposing forces
Dichotomy - noun being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
Diction - noun the manner in which something is expressed in words; the articulation of speech regarded from the point of view of its intelligibility to the audience
Didactic - adj. instructive (especially excessively)
Dogmatic - adj. 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
Elegy - noun a mournful poem; a lament for the dead
Epic - adj. very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale); constituting or having to do with or suggestive of a literary epic; noun a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
Epigram - noun a witty saying

lit term list 3

exposition - noun (music) the section of a movement (especially in sonata form) where the major musical themes first occur; an account that sets forth the meaning or intent of a writing or discourse; a systematic interpretation or explanation (usually written) of a specific topic; a collection of things (goods or works of art etc.) for public display
expressionism - noun an art movement early in the 20th century; the artist's subjective expression of inner experiences was emphasized; an inner feeling was expressed through a distorted rendition of reality
fable - noun a short moral story (often with animal characters); a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events; a deliberately false or improbable account
fallacy - noun a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
falling - adj. becoming lower or less in degree or value; decreasing in amount or degree; coming down freely under the influence of gravity
action - noun something done (usually as opposed to something said); the most important or interesting work or activity in a specific area or field; an act by a government body or supranational organization; the operating part that transmits power to a mechanism; the trait of being active and energetic and forceful; the series of events that form a plot; the state of being active; a military engagement; a judicial proceeding brought by one party against another; one party prosecutes another for a wrong done or for protection of a right or for prevention of a wrong; a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); verb institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against;put in effect
farce - noun a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations; mixture of ground raw chicken and mushrooms with pistachios and truffles and onions and parsley and lots of butter and bound with eggs; verb fill with a stuffing while cooking
figurative - adj. (used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech; consisting of or forming human or animal figures
language - noun the mental faculty or power of vocal communication; a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols; the cognitive processes involved in producing and understanding linguistic communication;a system of words used to name things in a particular discipline;the text of a popular song or musical-comedy number; (language) communication by word of mouth
flashback - noun a transition (in literary or theatrical works or films) to an earlier event or scene that interrupts the normal chronological development of the story; an unexpected but vivid recurrence of a past experience (especially a recurrence of the effects of an hallucinogenic drug taken much earlier)
foil - noun a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button; a piece of thin and flexible sheet metal; picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projector; anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities; a device consisting of a flat or curved piece (as a metal plate) so that its surface reacts to the water it is passing through; verb cover or back with foil; enhance by contrast; hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
folk - noun people in general (often used in the plural); the traditional and typically anonymous music that is an expression of the life of people in a community; people descended from a common ancestor; a social division of (usually preliterate) people
tale - noun a trivial lie; a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
foreshadowing - adj. indistinctly prophetic; noun the act of providing vague advance indications; representing beforehand
free - adj. not literal; unconstrained or not chemically bound in a molecule or not fixed and capable of relatively unrestricted motion;able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint;not held in servitude; not occupied or in use; not fixed in position;not taken up by scheduled activities; costing nothing; adv. without restraint; noun people who are free; verb free or remove obstruction from; grant freedom to; free from confinement; free from obligations or duties; make (information) available publication;make (assets) available; let off the hook; remove or force out from a position; part with a possession or right; relieve from; grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to
verse - noun a piece of poetry; a line of metrical text; literature in metrical form; verb familiarize through thorough study or experience; compose verses or put into verse
genre - noun a class of art (or artistic endeavor) having a characteristic form or technique; a kind of literary or artistic work; an expressive style of music; a style of expressing yourself in writing
gothic - adj. characterized by gloom and mystery and the grotesque; of or relating to the Goths; of or relating to the language of the ancient Goths; characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German; as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened; noun a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches; a heavy typeface in use from 15th to 18th centuries; extinct East Germanic language of the ancient Goths; the only surviving record being fragments of a 4th-century translation of the Bible by Bishop Ulfilas
tale - noun a trivial lie; a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
hyperbole - noun extravagant exaggeration
imagery - noun the ability to form mental images of things or events
implication - noun an accusation that brings into intimate and usually incriminating connection; a relation implicated by virtue of involvement or close connection (especially an incriminating involvement); a logical relation between propositions p and q of the form `if p then q'; if p is true then q cannot be false; something that is inferred (deduced or entailed or implied); a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred
incongruity - noun the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate
inference - noun the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation
irony - noun incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs; a trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs; witty language used to convey insults or scorn

All that David Copperfield crap

What JD Salinger was trying to say in The opening lines of Catcher in the Rye was, he was going to spare you of the immensely deep and precise details to build up characters and settings found in David Copperfield and other novels by Charles Dickens.   Dickens paints a picture in your head that compared to what Salinger did, it would be like looking at Mona Lisa and comparing it to the Weeping Women.

Great expectation lecture notes

• Could be considered cinderella childhood fantasy
• Pip has to change from effortless life to life of work
• He fantasizes his "parents"
• Believes he is above having a family/being married
• Has no knowledge of being normal 
• Uses other male characters a a father like role model
• Pip is uses other men's personalities and mannerisms as "outfits" he is trying on to find himself
• Magwitch-just trying to survive, animal like, lower class
• Pip fears that he can become magwitch
• Miss Havasham- witch like figure, double sided- adopted Estella, women of means/represents horrible decay, home is untouched since she was left at the alter
• Pip plays begger your neighbor with Estella. Realizes miss Havasham raised Estella to ruin men, pip still falls for her. 
• Many men require trophy like female companions 
• Dickens uses Joe and jaggers as opposites on the moral scale
• Joe is physical strong but doesn't use it, doesn't judge by looks, not monetary successful but happy
• Jaggers is mentally string but doesn't use it, lives by the law, breaks everything down to evidence
• Joe meets mother and child and marries
• Jaggers meets mother and child splits them up. Sells child an uses mother as slave
•