Christine Witmer
English IV
Spring, 2009
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
The ending of “One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” has a bittersweet resolution. The very end is exciting, with the Chief busting out of the ward into the night. However, the fact that McMurphy ultimately looses to the system and become a victim of the lobotomy really got to me. All though the book, I thought that he could really win. Even though he didn’t win every “challenge” that the Nurse threw at him, I really felt that he would what it takes to beat her and the combine.
The fact that McMurphy delayed his escape to help Billy really showed me his true character. He knew the consequences of his actions and he stayed after to help his friend. This shows that McMurphy really didn’t care about himself, and he wasn’t just in the institution to “get something out” of the other patients. He sacrificed his escape, and really his sanity, to be with Billy, and I really admired that.
Looking back on it, I really cannot decide who really won, McMurphy or the combine and the nurse. Literally, the combine won because McMurphy was forced to receive his lobotomy and bend to the rules that were given to him. But instead of going down without a fight, the Chief busts him out right at the last minute, and in a very fitting fashion. By lifting up the water fixture, the training that he had done became full circle and everything fit into place.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (3)
Christine Witmer
English IV
Spring, 2009
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
On this blog I wanted to discuss the theme in the book regarding freedom. Sometimes I think that the book shows a bias. It seems that you can only be “free” or controlled by the combine. It also shows that if people choose to be “free”, than they are shunned by society and considered mentally unhealthy and thrown in an institution. I’m not sure how it was back in the sixties, but I feel that now, in this century, people have become more accepting of the “avant-garde” and conformity is not necessarily the most important thing.
When Chief Bromden is discussing the Combine, he makes it seem that it is the worst thing in the world, and that is a valid point. He says that if you begin to be controlled by the combine than your life is over, you become a person of the system, and I agree with that. However, I think that there aren’t just the two extremes, being free in the mind and being physically imprisoned, or being physically free but imprisoned in the mind. That’s one of the flaws of the book in my opinion. I think that people can find a happy medium and aren’t always put away for being different.
Maybe this book comes across like this because of the time period it was written in. Things back then were very different, especially with the treatment of the patients in the institution. Maybe back then it was those two extremes, and you had to choose which path you wanted to take. But I like to think that in these times, people are more accepting of people who are different.
English IV
Spring, 2009
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
On this blog I wanted to discuss the theme in the book regarding freedom. Sometimes I think that the book shows a bias. It seems that you can only be “free” or controlled by the combine. It also shows that if people choose to be “free”, than they are shunned by society and considered mentally unhealthy and thrown in an institution. I’m not sure how it was back in the sixties, but I feel that now, in this century, people have become more accepting of the “avant-garde” and conformity is not necessarily the most important thing.
When Chief Bromden is discussing the Combine, he makes it seem that it is the worst thing in the world, and that is a valid point. He says that if you begin to be controlled by the combine than your life is over, you become a person of the system, and I agree with that. However, I think that there aren’t just the two extremes, being free in the mind and being physically imprisoned, or being physically free but imprisoned in the mind. That’s one of the flaws of the book in my opinion. I think that people can find a happy medium and aren’t always put away for being different.
Maybe this book comes across like this because of the time period it was written in. Things back then were very different, especially with the treatment of the patients in the institution. Maybe back then it was those two extremes, and you had to choose which path you wanted to take. But I like to think that in these times, people are more accepting of people who are different.
Friday, May 22, 2009
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest #1
Christine Witmer
English 12
Summer, 2009
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, #1”
In the first section of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, we are introduced to the ward and all of its inhabitants. The silent but steady nararation by Chief Bromden adds in his personal feelings about all of the members of the ward and its staff, which I think makes the novel seem more personal and heart felt. Kesey could had decided to add this detail to help the readers feel closer to the patients, so we can get a closer view to what they were actually going through.
If Kesey didn’t decided to portray the novel from a patients point of view, I think the novel would feel more cold and harsh. We wouldn’t know what they were going through, and we would have a harder time relating to the shock treatments and other forms of therapy that they are put though.
I decided to think, however, what the novel would be like if it was written by Nurse Ratched’s point of view. Which led me to the question, does she know that she is totally evil? Does she intentionally cause these people pain? Or does she truly think that she is doing some good in the world? We discussed in class the idea of whether people with mental handicaps should be kept away in wards, or if they had the right to live and survive just like every other citizen? Unfortunately, many people who need help don’t receive it, and end up having to live in poverty and even on the streets. It’s a tough debate, whether to keep free people locked up, even if they could function in a daily living situation with minimal help.
I truly think that some people, like Nurse Ratched, really think that they were doing the world a service by keeping people locked up and in poor conditions because they thought they were servicing the “greater good.” Thankfully, in the later years people became more aware of the cruel treatment that many patients were receiving and they are working of fixing the issue.
English 12
Summer, 2009
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, #1”
In the first section of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, we are introduced to the ward and all of its inhabitants. The silent but steady nararation by Chief Bromden adds in his personal feelings about all of the members of the ward and its staff, which I think makes the novel seem more personal and heart felt. Kesey could had decided to add this detail to help the readers feel closer to the patients, so we can get a closer view to what they were actually going through.
If Kesey didn’t decided to portray the novel from a patients point of view, I think the novel would feel more cold and harsh. We wouldn’t know what they were going through, and we would have a harder time relating to the shock treatments and other forms of therapy that they are put though.
I decided to think, however, what the novel would be like if it was written by Nurse Ratched’s point of view. Which led me to the question, does she know that she is totally evil? Does she intentionally cause these people pain? Or does she truly think that she is doing some good in the world? We discussed in class the idea of whether people with mental handicaps should be kept away in wards, or if they had the right to live and survive just like every other citizen? Unfortunately, many people who need help don’t receive it, and end up having to live in poverty and even on the streets. It’s a tough debate, whether to keep free people locked up, even if they could function in a daily living situation with minimal help.
I truly think that some people, like Nurse Ratched, really think that they were doing the world a service by keeping people locked up and in poor conditions because they thought they were servicing the “greater good.” Thankfully, in the later years people became more aware of the cruel treatment that many patients were receiving and they are working of fixing the issue.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Hamlet Part II
Christine Witmer
12-1
Hamlet, Act ii
This act further develops the madness of Hamlet. He takes the appearance of the ghost in stride, and only for about two minutes does he think that the ghost is the devil is disguise. Hamlet is thoroughly convinced that the ghost is his father, thereby further convincing the audience that Hamlet has gone mad. Though he tries to convince his friends and his family that he is only mad at certain times and can keep himself under control all the others, by reading further on into the play it is obvious that Hamlet cannot be in his right mind.
Shakespeare uses the play “Hamlet” to allow the audience to question exactly what is considered “going mad” and what is considered just careful planning. One of the main questions regarding the play that stuck with me throughout its duration was whether Hamlet was actually crazy or just pretending to fool his family and friends. Considering his circumstances, I would assume that he would be deeply affected by the events that happened to him. (His father dying, his mother remarrying his Uncle, Ophelia, his girlfriend,breaking up with him). However, it was never actually said in the play that Hamlet was close with his father. Would the story have happened differently if Hamlet had not been as close with his father? Would he have cared that his mother had married his uncle? And, the bigger question is, maybe Hamlet would not have died if he had not tried to seek revenge on his Uncle. This, however, is the nature of Shakespeare’s tragedies. In “Othello”, “Romeo and Juliet”, and again in “Hamlet”, the characters are put in compromising circumstances that cause horrible things to happen to them. One large difference between these three plays is that Othello and Romeo and Juliet are all characters that killed other people (or died themselves) because they did not think things through. Othello died because he was to easily persuaded by Iago that his wife was cheating on him. In “Romeo and Juliet,” the two main characters could have survived except for a miscommunication about potions and sleeping and other nonsense. Hamlet is the only one who goes seeking revenge on his Uncle and get it. In the story Hamlet, though he dies, he achieves what he sets out to accomplish and finally reaches his destiny.
12-1
Hamlet, Act ii
This act further develops the madness of Hamlet. He takes the appearance of the ghost in stride, and only for about two minutes does he think that the ghost is the devil is disguise. Hamlet is thoroughly convinced that the ghost is his father, thereby further convincing the audience that Hamlet has gone mad. Though he tries to convince his friends and his family that he is only mad at certain times and can keep himself under control all the others, by reading further on into the play it is obvious that Hamlet cannot be in his right mind.
Shakespeare uses the play “Hamlet” to allow the audience to question exactly what is considered “going mad” and what is considered just careful planning. One of the main questions regarding the play that stuck with me throughout its duration was whether Hamlet was actually crazy or just pretending to fool his family and friends. Considering his circumstances, I would assume that he would be deeply affected by the events that happened to him. (His father dying, his mother remarrying his Uncle, Ophelia, his girlfriend,breaking up with him). However, it was never actually said in the play that Hamlet was close with his father. Would the story have happened differently if Hamlet had not been as close with his father? Would he have cared that his mother had married his uncle? And, the bigger question is, maybe Hamlet would not have died if he had not tried to seek revenge on his Uncle. This, however, is the nature of Shakespeare’s tragedies. In “Othello”, “Romeo and Juliet”, and again in “Hamlet”, the characters are put in compromising circumstances that cause horrible things to happen to them. One large difference between these three plays is that Othello and Romeo and Juliet are all characters that killed other people (or died themselves) because they did not think things through. Othello died because he was to easily persuaded by Iago that his wife was cheating on him. In “Romeo and Juliet,” the two main characters could have survived except for a miscommunication about potions and sleeping and other nonsense. Hamlet is the only one who goes seeking revenge on his Uncle and get it. In the story Hamlet, though he dies, he achieves what he sets out to accomplish and finally reaches his destiny.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Hamlet Act 1
Christine Witmer
12-1
Hamlet, Act 1 Analysis
The tragedy of “Hamlet” does not take very long to get off the ground, even in the start of Act 1. I believe Shakespeare chose to begin his play in this way so he could immediately capture the attention of the audience. Back in Shakespeare’s time, the theatre was not as it is today. With the poor people crammed into the hot, cramped space before the stage, standing, it was probably easy for them to be distracted. By starting the play with the appearance of a ghost, the reader (or watcher) is automatically thrown into the kingdom of Denmark and the interesting turn of events that the members of the palace are going through.
Shakespeare also requires the audience to pay total attention to the play by making it as complex as possible. Not only does Hamlet feel sad about the recent death of his father, but he is angry with his uncle and mother, even though he seems to truly love his mother. On top of that, his love interest, Ophelia, is being encouraged by her father and brother to stay as far away from Hamlet as possible. All of this is combined with the recent appearance of the ghost of Hamlet’s father. If this play was just a simple plot, the audience would quickly loose interest. Shakespeare knows exactly how to work the crowd to now allow them to loose interest for the duration of the performance.
In conclusion, Shakespeare was such a great story teller that he has the ability to keep people entertained, even for the total length of the play, which I believe is about four hours. For this reason, Shakespeare is one of the greatest literary masters of our time.
12-1
Hamlet, Act 1 Analysis
The tragedy of “Hamlet” does not take very long to get off the ground, even in the start of Act 1. I believe Shakespeare chose to begin his play in this way so he could immediately capture the attention of the audience. Back in Shakespeare’s time, the theatre was not as it is today. With the poor people crammed into the hot, cramped space before the stage, standing, it was probably easy for them to be distracted. By starting the play with the appearance of a ghost, the reader (or watcher) is automatically thrown into the kingdom of Denmark and the interesting turn of events that the members of the palace are going through.
Shakespeare also requires the audience to pay total attention to the play by making it as complex as possible. Not only does Hamlet feel sad about the recent death of his father, but he is angry with his uncle and mother, even though he seems to truly love his mother. On top of that, his love interest, Ophelia, is being encouraged by her father and brother to stay as far away from Hamlet as possible. All of this is combined with the recent appearance of the ghost of Hamlet’s father. If this play was just a simple plot, the audience would quickly loose interest. Shakespeare knows exactly how to work the crowd to now allow them to loose interest for the duration of the performance.
In conclusion, Shakespeare was such a great story teller that he has the ability to keep people entertained, even for the total length of the play, which I believe is about four hours. For this reason, Shakespeare is one of the greatest literary masters of our time.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Kubla Khan
1) The power of the imagination is often exalted in Romantic poetry. In your opinion, does “Kubla Khan” celebrate the imagination or caution against its indulgence? To whom might Coleridge be writing and for what purpose(s)?
I think that "Kubla Khan" was written to caution against the indulgences of the imagination. Coleridge shows in his poem that by giving into his imagination, the reader is taken on a wild ride, through a river and over the ground, beneath the moon,and through many other forms of nature. Coleridge also does something interesting when he writes his poem in a lyrical tone and with rhyme, though the actual words and the story he produces is choppy and jumps from subject to subject. THis is very interesting because dreams are often shown in a choppy manner, not exactly a story, just images running together.
2) Even in the brief space of a sonnet, Shelley suggests a number of narrative frames. How many speakers do you hear in "Ozymandias"? What does each of these voices seem to say to you (or to others) as listeners?
In this sonnet, the speakers appear to be a traveler and a sculptor. The traveler describes the ruins to the reader. The sculptor is spoken of because he was the one who created the art that the traveler is seeing. Ozymandias also makes an appearance in the sonnet, and it is ironic because on the worn down sculpture Ozymandias wrote very passionate piece of writing, but it is old and falling apart because of the sculptor.
I think that "Kubla Khan" was written to caution against the indulgences of the imagination. Coleridge shows in his poem that by giving into his imagination, the reader is taken on a wild ride, through a river and over the ground, beneath the moon,and through many other forms of nature. Coleridge also does something interesting when he writes his poem in a lyrical tone and with rhyme, though the actual words and the story he produces is choppy and jumps from subject to subject. THis is very interesting because dreams are often shown in a choppy manner, not exactly a story, just images running together.
2) Even in the brief space of a sonnet, Shelley suggests a number of narrative frames. How many speakers do you hear in "Ozymandias"? What does each of these voices seem to say to you (or to others) as listeners?
In this sonnet, the speakers appear to be a traveler and a sculptor. The traveler describes the ruins to the reader. The sculptor is spoken of because he was the one who created the art that the traveler is seeing. Ozymandias also makes an appearance in the sonnet, and it is ironic because on the worn down sculpture Ozymandias wrote very passionate piece of writing, but it is old and falling apart because of the sculptor.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
"The Chimney Sweeper" Poetry and Social Change
1) Do you agree with the editors of your textbook that Blake's poetry had the power to enact social change by appealing to the imagination of the reader?
I do agree with the editors of the textbook that Blake's poetry, and the work of other romantic poets had the power to enact social change. Especially with a poem such as "The Chimney Sweeper"people were awakened to the harsh conditions and were made aware of the hardships that children were actually going through. After reading this poem in this time period, I at least got the impression that change did occur, that poverty was ended and proper working conditions were provided for children and adults alike.
2) Why might the editors have included the Parliament transcript as a primary source document? How did it affect your reading of Blake's work?
I think to editors included the Parliament transcript to show us, the modern day reader, actually how the change occurred. After reading Blake's poetry, everyone thinks that change happened immediately and everything was fine. However, the excerpt from Parliament shows that change actually took longer to come into place and in our society today we are still struggling with changing the negative and bringing more positive into our society.
I do agree with the editors of the textbook that Blake's poetry, and the work of other romantic poets had the power to enact social change. Especially with a poem such as "The Chimney Sweeper"people were awakened to the harsh conditions and were made aware of the hardships that children were actually going through. After reading this poem in this time period, I at least got the impression that change did occur, that poverty was ended and proper working conditions were provided for children and adults alike.
2) Why might the editors have included the Parliament transcript as a primary source document? How did it affect your reading of Blake's work?
I think to editors included the Parliament transcript to show us, the modern day reader, actually how the change occurred. After reading Blake's poetry, everyone thinks that change happened immediately and everything was fine. However, the excerpt from Parliament shows that change actually took longer to come into place and in our society today we are still struggling with changing the negative and bringing more positive into our society.
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