AP Poetry Practice Esasy

     The speaker in Weighing the Dog compares the action of weighing his dog to a lost relationship from the past. However, through comparing which individual is being held, the speaker analogously aligns the dog on the scale with himself in the relationship. The poem allows the speaker to reflect upon past relationships and sympathize with others that have had to weigh the value of the situation. The metric inversions and flagrant disunity within the phrases demonstrates the speaker's regretful and reflective tone, and how he is unable to create relationships that parallel his intentions and his actions.
     The choppy sentences and the lack of consistency throughout the poem strengthens the regretful tone of the speaker because he recognizes the disunity of his relationships. The second stanza demonstrates the discord of his relations by utilizing the same word with incongruous meanings: "but this was the way to weigh a dog and easier." Although 'way' and 'weigh' sound the same to the human ear, when written, they do not carry the same meaning. The discord between the words parallels the discord in the relationships of the speaker because although they appear uniform on the outside, they elicit distinct meanings for the individuals involved.
     When reading the poem, not all elements of the poem flow smoothly, reflecting the incongruity in the speaker's relationships. The speaker's description of calculating the weight of his dog is choppy and not well structured. The speaker relates, "from our total to find out the remainder that is his". The awkward phrasing of this phrase parallels the awkward tension and inconsistencies that are present in all of the speaker's relationships. The missing punctuation and fluidity between the words in the phrase demonstrates the missing elements of his relationships. The speaker is regretfully reflecting on his past relationships and lamenting how he "never figured out what you amounted to".
    The contrast between what the speaker is able to appreciate while he is in a relationship versus when it has ended is reflected in the poem's regretful and melancholy tone through its incongruity and auditory disunity. The awkward and bewildering situation of weighing his dog parallels the "all those awkward and bewildering months" he was in a past relationship. The parallel of the analogous relationships contrasted to the incongruity between the elements of the poem: definitions, sentence structure, and metric meter, demonstrates the confusion of the speaker and his attempt to reflect on his past relationships. The disunity of the poem highlights the regretful and reflective tone of the poem as the speaker contemplates the faults in his relationships.

Sound & Sense ch 11-13: Notes

-musical style adds to the communication and presentation of the poem
-two ways: 1. choice and arrangements of sounds   2. arrangement of accents
-art is a combination of repetition and variation
-purpose of repetition: please the ear, emphasize the words, and give structure to the poem
-rhyme repetition of the accented vowel sounds and any succeeding consonant sounds
--masculine: when only one syllable
--feminine: when the rhyme involves 2+ syllables
--internal: when 1+ rhyming words are within
--end: when at end of lines = most common
approximate rhymes: words with any kind of sound similarity, from close to fairly remote
refrain: repetition in a fixed pattern

rhythm: any wavelike recurrence of motion or sound
accented/stressed syllables are more prominent in their pronunciation
rhetorical stresses are used to make the intentions clear
  - the stressed words carry more weight because it changes the way the audience interprets the connotative meaning of the word
end-stopped line: end of the line corresponds with a natural speech pause
run-on line: sense of the line degrees of end-stop and run-on  (normally without punctuation)
caesuras: pauses within lines, either grammatical or rhetorical
-poetic line is predominantly used in free verse  
meter: identifying characteristic of rhythmic language that we can tap our feet to
rhythm designates the flow of the actual, pronounced sound, whereas meter is the pattern that arranges these sounds into a metric verse
foot: one accented syllable plus 1 or 2 unaccented syllables
horseshoe= breve= unstressed syllable
rain drop= ictus= stressed
-monometer= 1 foot in the sentence (call it based on the line)
metrical variations: call attention to some of the sounds because they depart from what is regular
   -substitution, extrametrical syllables, truncation
scansion- the process of defining the metrical form of a poem
expected rhythm is enhanced by the heard rhythm

-rhythm and sound produce the music of poetry
phonetic intensives- word whose sound, by an obscure process, connects with some degree to its meaning
which words and lines are emphasized can change the meaning and delivery of the poem in the minds of the readers

Pride & Prejudice: 1

     I believe that the confidence of every person fluctuates on a spectrum from pride to insecurity, and that his marker is continually shifting with the ever changing surroundings. Some characters, such as Mr. Darcy, have rarely felt flustered or been humbled because their circumstances have abundantly provided for their constant success. Darcy is intelligent, wealthy, respected, and of high social status. Elizabeth Bennet is the first person to challenge his pride and security. When Elizabeth curtly rejects his marriage proposal, Darcy "seemed to catch her words with no less resentment than surprise" (Austen 162). Darcy is seldom denied anything, and he expected Elizabeth to accept his offer given "his sense of her inferiority" (Austen 161). Lizzy's refusal is shattering not only to Darcy's emotions, but also to his pride. Elizabeth is most likely the first person to ever challenge and lower his sense of self-esteem, making Darcy more fascinated with the woman. Although society deems Elizabeth inferior to Darcy in comparison of wealth and status, Elizabeth has the ability to make Darcy feel inferior. Because Lizzy is able to foil his pride, I predict that her refusal will only strengthen the adoration and love that Darcy feels towards her.
     Elizabeth has a very verbal, opinionated mouth that does not filter any of her controversial thoughts. Mr. Darcy first insults Lizzy's pride at the ball when he describes her as "tolerable" and undeserving of his attention and companionship. From the beginning of the novel, Elizabeth appears to have a very wounded self-esteem, and therefore she lashes out at others in an attempt to disclose her insecurity. After receiving Darcy's letter explaining his side of her accusations, Lizzy realizes that she missed many obvious signs of the lies told by Wickham: "She was now struck with the impropriety of such communications to a stranger, and wondered it had escaped her before" (Austen 176). Darcy originally insults Eliza's pride, and so in retaliation she is biased and prejudiced in all of her assumptions of his character. Although she appears bold and confident, I believe that Elizabeth is very self-conscious about the way that she is perceived by others, especially since she does not conform to the expectations of society. Elizabeth's walls of prejudices are utilized to mask her insecurities, and these characteristics allow her to deteriorate the pride of Darcy. The converse effect that the two characters have on each other strengthens their flirtatious tension and fascination of one another.

To the Lighthouse: 4

     The end of a good book should leave the reader pondering, as does the novel To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. During class discussions, we analyze and scrutinize the minute details. However, I find it most enjoyable when we zoom out of the text and use the literature as a lens to reexamine our own lives.
     Upon the finishing the last page, the novel has completed a full circle. The book begins with James begging his mother to go to the lighthouse. After about 200 pages of stormy weather, the son finally arrives at his destination. However, his journey is like an emotional roller coaster, rising and sinking with the waves. When the reader is first introduced to James, he is infuriated by the dismissive way in which he is treated by his father and remarks, "Had there been an axe handy, or a poker, any weapon that would have gashed a hole in his father's breast and killed him, there and then, James would have seized it" (Woolf 4).  Almost twenty years later, Mr. Ramsay is eliciting similar sentiments in his son as they sail to the lighthouse: "James kept dreading the moment when he would look up and speak sharply to him about something or other [...] And if he does, James thought, then I shall take a knife and strike him to the heart" (Woolf 183-184). Time may have passed, but the relationship between Mr. Ramsay and James has not progressed in the past twenty years. However, this time James is steering the ship, and he is in control of his own destiny. James bottles up his immense hatred towards his father; however, it is not so much that James despises his father, but that he despises the worthlessness and inferiority that his father makes him feel. Branching off of the idea that the lighthouse reveals the truth about a person, the sea is like the personal journey. The closer that James sails to the lighthouse, the more he grows and matures. At last, Mr. Ramsay positively acknowledges his son, and James could not feel more triumphant: "He was so pleased that he was not going to let anybody share a grain of his pleasure. His father had praised him" (Woolf 206). With recognition from his father, James is finally able to feel comfortable and confident with himself. His journey to the lighthouse is like his journey to unveiling his own identity; the process is slow and gradual, and it can only be accomplished by the conquest of our biggest insecurities and fears.
     Every person journeys to their own lighthouse, and there is no specific date or time at which this occurs. Our lighthouse illuminates our identity, and with the truth unveiled we are able to conquer our fears and insecurities. The next few years are influential at shaping who we become as people, and it is very probable that many of us will soon travel to our lighthouse. The journey requires people like Mr. Ramsay to weigh us down along the way because we cannot come to appreciate ourselves without conquering our biggest critics.

To the Lighthouse: 3

     Lily is the predominant narrator in this section, allowing the reader to conceptualize and understand her point of view. In one of the passages, Lily's description of her interaction with Mr. Ramsay synecdochially represents her interaction with the world. Lily expresses her relationship with a metaphor: "His immense self-pity, his demand for sympathy poured and spread itself in pools at her feet, and all she did, miserable sinner that she was, was to draw her skirt a little closer round her ankles, lest she should get wet" (Woolf 152). Lily is a bright woman, and she realizes the distinction between her identity and the ideal woman portrayed by society. Women should be subservient and sympathetic towards men, but Lily feels like she is entitled to more respect. The expectations of society are like the puddles forming at her feet; Lily is aware of their presence, but she chooses to ignore the discomfort they bring her. In response to the puddles, Lily attempts to avoid them by subtly altering herself, such as when she complements Mr. Ramsay's boots. Lily cannot avoid the flood forever, and the metaphor insinuates that with the rise of the water levels, Lily may drown in the pressures and expectations of society.

To the Lighthouse: 2

      Charles Tansley is viewed in a negative light by both Mrs. Ramsay and the children; however, the children view Tansley as condescending and arrogant, whereas Mrs. Ramsay remarks on his insecurities. "The atheist," as Mr. Tansley is known by the children, likes to pretend that he is the center of the universe. His mannerisms and point of view upset the children, "until he had turned the whole thing round and made it somehow reflect him and disparage them- he was not satisfied. And he would go to picture galleries they said and he would ask one, did one like his tie? God knows, said Rose, one did not" (8). The children view Mr. Tansley as very condescending and vain. The only good that can be found in a situation must be derived from Mr. Tansley himself, demonstrating how he is very self-serving and conceited. In addition, the children also imply that he is not very well liked in society. Mr. Tansley loves to flatter himself, but the children paint him as very aloof to his surrounding environment. Mrs. Ramsay is also not very intrigued by Mr. Tansley, calling him "an awful prig- oh yes, an insufferable bore" (12). Mrs. Ramsay believes that she can see right through Mr. Tansley's facade of intelligence and superiority: "She saw now why going to the circus had knocked him off his perch, poor little man, and why he came out, instantly, with all that about his father and mother [...]" (12). Mrs. Ramsay believes that Tansley is insecure due to regrets about his childhood. When he becomes uncomfortable, he begins to ramble "ugly academic jargon" (12) in an attempt to salvage his composure and reputation. Although Mrs. Ramsay considers herself subservient to the male gender, she calls Tansley 'little,' indicating that she does not have high respect for him as a man. Each perspective of Mr. Tansley is reflective but biased, and his true personality and motives are probably a blend of the multiple perspectives presented. Taking into consideration the opinions of the children and Mrs. Ramsay, Mr. Tansley is most likely an opinionated character who requires addition attention as an adult to compensate for the lack of attention he thought he deserved as a child. The reader is like a stranger standing outside in the dark, and each character is like a house. Each perspective is like flipping on a light switch in the rooms, partially illuminating the truth of the character. As more perspectives are introduced, the reader is able to have a better understanding of the character as a whole.

To the Lighthouse: 1

     In an attempt to form a character web of the various personas in Virginia Woolf's novel, To the Lighthouse, I find myself struggling to identify definitive character traits when the characters continually introduce subjectivity into their descriptions. For example, James describes his mother as beautiful and beloved. However, Mrs. Ramsay herself is worried that her eagerness to help others is motivated by a selfish desire to feel wanted. Whereas James paints his mother as delicate and selfless, the reader becomes conflicted when Mrs. Ramsay criticizes her husband and reveals her selfish motives. Similarly, the character dynamics are many times understood in a conflicting fashion. Charles Tansley has been nicknamed "the atheist" by the children because he constantly identifies the faults in situations, and he manipulates events so that they reflect beneficially upon himself but disparaging upon others. Before the reader is allowed into the thoughts of Mr. Tansley, they are put off by his superior and egotistical mannerisms. However, upon their walk into town, the reader is allowed inside the thoughts of Mr. Tansley and is able to witness his vulnerability. Mr. Tansley thinks that Mrs. Ramsay is "the most beautiful person he had ever seen" (14), and therefore it is possible that his actions are misinterpreted. Mr. Tansley tells James that he won't be able to go the lighthouse but "in deference to Mrs. Ramsay [he softens] his voice into some semblance of geniality at least" (14). Mr. Tansley is attempting to be kind and gentle in his speech, but Mrs. Ramsay interprets his words as hostile: "Odious little man, thought Mrs. Ramsay, why go on saying that?" (15). The interpretation of Mr. Tansley's words are completely contrary to the tone he intended to convey, demonstrating how subjectivity can alter one's perception of a character or situation.