Fifth Business

Author: Robertson Davies

Time/Setting: Unknown, sometime shorty before WWI

Significant Characters:

• Dunny - The main character who is named after a saint and devotes his life to finding saints. He is writing a letter to the Headmaster to explain his life and justify his existence. Dunny tells every single detail about his life, from the first snowball that hit Mrs. Dempster to an unsolved murder of a friend. Dunny is very one-dimensional and somewhat dry. 

• Mary Dempster - The wife of Amasa Dempster and mother to Paul. She is a love interest of Dunny's and he falls in love with her as the first snowball is thrown. Dunny later goes on to think that she is a Saint and claim that she has preformed miracles

• Liesal - A lover of Dunny's. She us the one to tell Dunny that he is fifth business and he needs to accept that as a fact. She is a voice of reason to Dunny, as he finally listens to someone else about what kind of man he is. 

• Diana - The first lover of Dunny's. She meets Dunny in a hospital during the war and the two hit it off right away. While in the end they do not marry, they become great and longtime friends 

• Paul - The son of the Dempsters who almost dies. 

Significant/Important Plot Points:

• Dunny is writting this long letter to a newspaper 
• A snowball is thrown at Dunny one day, hits the pregnant Mrs. Dempster and causes her to fall and go into labor; Dunny falls in love with her 
• Mrs Dempster gives birth to a son, Paul 
• Dunny grows up and goes off to war; eventually returns to town and falls in love with a nurse, Diana 
• Dunny returns home to see that Mrs. Dempster is in a bad mental state; he decides to put her in a mental assylum
• Dunny belives that Mary is a saint and becomes obsessed with her sainthood and the finding of other saints 
• Mrs. Dempster continues to go mad and begins to drift away from Dunny and the world around her
• Dunny meets a woman named Liesal; they argue, fight and then begin to talk about his life
• Liesal tells Dunny that he is Fifth Business, someone who watches the world go on all around them but doesn't make an impact on anyone's life; Dunny never agknowledges this 
• Dunny is comission to write a biography of former Mr. Dempster - now a magician
• Dunny hears of Percy's murder and is unsure of what exactly happened. He concludes that no one will ever know
• All of those Dunny has grown up with have died and he is the last one on Earth to live the remainder of his life 

Significant Quotes:

• "Falling, she burst into nervous tears, and suddenly there she was, on the ground, with her husband kneeling before her, holding her in his arms and speaking to her in terms of endearment that were strange and embarrassing to me; I had never heard married people - or any people - speak in unashamedly loving words before. I knew that I was watching a 'scene,' and my parents had always warned against scenes as very serious breaches of propriety." - Dunny

• Dunny is still very young as this happens in the novel. He doesn't fully understand the situation and can only judge on what he sees happening. When he looks on the snowball later in life and grasps what happened, he feels somewhat responsible for ducking behind Mrs. Dempster and puts the blame on himself. This shows how easily Dunny is willing to give himself up for others and what will lead him down a long path with the Dempsters.  

• "But what I knew then was that nobody--not even my mother--was to be trusted in a strange world that showed very little of itself on the surface." - Dunny

• Another quote of Dunny's judgment! Dunny doesn't seem to look on the world with an open eye and doesn't even trust his own family. He is very critical of everything and is both afraid and unafraid to state that.  

Theme:

• Don't get caught up in the race of life; take the moment to see that you are making a different both in the world and in the lives of those around you

Hamlet

Author: William Shakespeare

Time/Setting: Unknown; State of Denmark

Significant Characters: 

• Hamlet - Prince of Denmark; has been away at school in France 

• Claudius  - The King of Denmark; brother of the recent dead King Hamlet 

• Ophelia - Love interest of Hamlet; daughter  of Polonius and sister of Laertes 

• Gertrude - Queen of Denmark; Hamlet's mother who has married her dead husbands brother 

• Laertes - Brother of Ophelia; wants to protect her from Hamlet 

• Polonius -Father of Ophelia and Laertes 

• Horatio - Best friend of Hamlet; has been away at school with him 

• The Ghost - The spirit of Hamlet's dead father; appears only to the Watch and speaks only to Hamlet 

• The Watch - On guard outside the palace; the first ones to see The Ghost 

• Two Clowns - Gravediggers

• Rosencrantz/Guildenstern - Friends of Hamlet

Significant/Important Plot Points:

• The Watch stands guard outsides thee palace where they meet Horatio, a god friend of Hamlet's 
• Horatio tells The Watch about how Old Hamlet and Fortibras bet their lands to the victor of a duel - Old Hamlet won and now Old Fortinbras' nephew (Young Fortinbras) is now raising an army against Denmark 
• The Watch and Horatio see The Ghost but it does not speak to them; Horatio believes that it will speak to Hamlet 
• Claudius and Gertrude celebrate that they are now married; Hamlet is not happy 
• Horatio tells Hamlet of what he and The Watch saw; Hamlet tells him that he will go with them tonight
• Laertes leaves Denmark to return to school; Polonius tells Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet 
• The Ghost appears to Hamlet, Horatio and The Watch; Hamlet goes away with the ghost to hear it speak 
• The Ghost tells Hamlet of how he was murdered by his brother who is now the King and has married his queen; Hamlet vows to revenge his father
• Polonius warns the King of Hamlet's "madness" and they decide to have him confront Ophelia and reveal his true feelings for her 
• Hamlets friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive in Denmark; they have been charged to find out what is wrong with Hamlet; Hamlet doesn't fall for their "only coming to visit"
• Players enter; Hamlet asks them to preform 'The Murder of Gonzago' to see how the King reacts 
• Hamlet and Ophelia meet; Polonius and the King hide themselves and watch Hamlet throw Ophelia around the room and tell her how he used to be in love with her 
• The play is preformed; the King is astonished and leaves the room
• Ros/Guild tell Hamlet that his mother wishes to speak with him 
• Polonius hides himself in Gertrude's room; Hamlet confront Gertrude on what she has done and discovers Polonius; he stabs him and kills him 
• The King learns of this news and decides to send Hamlet to England where he will be killed 
• Ophelia begins to go mad; Laertes returns from school to find her in this state and learns that Hamlet is the one who killed his father 
• The King and Laertes talk alone, when the Queen shows up and tells them that Ophelia is dead - she drowned herself 
• A small and short ceremony is preformed for Ophelia and Laertes discovers that Hamlet is there hiding in the woods 
• Laertes blames Hamlet for the death of his sister
• Horatio and Hamlet the next day meet Osric, who tells them that Laertes has challenged Hamlet to a duel and The  King has bet on Laertes and not his own son
• Hamlet tells Horatio that he will die at this duel; they say their final good-byes 
• Hamlet and Laertes duel - unaware that one of the swords tips is poisoned 
• The King offers a cup of poisoned wine to Hamlet who refuses - but the Queen drinks it instead; The King decides not to save her because he would then reveal that villian he is to all of Denmark 
• Both Hamlet and Laertes are wounded and the Queen now is dead; Laertes tells Hamlet that the King is to blame 
• Hamlet takes what is left of the poisoned cup and pours it down the Kings throat 
• Osric announces that Young Fortinbras' army has charged the palace and is right outside the door 
• Hamlet tells Horatio that if he wants his memory to live on, he should tell everyone the story of what has happened; Hamlet dies
• An ambassador enters with news that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead 
• Fortinbras enters with his army and orders Hamlet be given a proper burial and be carried out like a soldier 

Tone:

• The tone of Hamlet is very sad and depressing. The whole plays outlook on life and other people is very grim and negative, unlike The American Dream or one of Shakespeares more comedic plays. The tone never really shifts in the whole play.

Symbolism:

• Biblical Allusion - In the beginning of the play, there is a biblical allusion to Peters betrayal of Jesus. He denies his knowing Jesus three times and then the cock crows to signal that he has done this. Horatio and the Watch do the same, only they ask the Ghost three times to speak to them and then the cock crows. This is only one of the first biblical allusions in Hamlet

• Hamlet as a Christ Figure - There are many ideas that can lead readers to relate Hamlet to a Christ figure:
• His existence in Denamrk is to cleanse it of its evil ways; as Jesus did with the Earth
• Hamlet thinks himself to be a man of high and mighty power 
• Hamlet is ordered by Young Fortinbras to be carried out like a soldier; in some film version of Hamlet he looks like Christ up on the cross 

  
Significant Quotes:

• "O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason, would have mourn’d longer,—married with mine uncle, my father’s brother; but no more like my father than I to Hercules: within a month; ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her galled eyes, she married:— O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good; but break my heart,—for I must hold my tongue." - Hamlet 

• This is one of the times that we see Hamlets internal struggle with himself and the world that he lives in. Hamlet must be on constant alert and watch what and who he says things to. Hamlet must even do this around his own family, including his mother and new father.

• "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" - Marcellus 

• One of the simplest yet powerful lines in Shakespeare's entire drama. While Marcellus states right out that something is wrong in Denmark,  he leads into the next section of the play where Hamlet talks with the ghost. 

• "To be or not to be....(entire soliloquy)" - Hamlet 

   
 Theme:

• You are free to feel, say and do what you think is best and right for you and others, but you have to know that things that even go slightly wrong can have the longest lasting impacts 

Pride and Prejudice

Author: Jane Austin

Time/Setting: 1800's England

Significant Characters:

• Lizzy Bennet: Most independent of the Bennet daughters, wants to marry for love and not just money (like her mother wants)

• Mr Darcy: Very proud of himself and his title, says he'll never end up marrying someone like Lizzy but ultimately falls in love with her 

• Mrs. Bennet: A gold-digger who wants to marry off her daughter to the richest men she can find

• Mr. Bennet: Protector of his daughters, even if it means disagreeing and crossing paths with his wife

• Jane Bennet: Eldest daughter who falls in love with the rich and single Mr. Bingley 

• Mr Bingley: Newly single and very rich, love interest of Jane Bennet

• Mr. Collins: The one who will inherit the Bennet house if none of them marry him, he falls in love with Lizzy who turns his marriage proposal down flat

• Lady Catherine: Important head figure who greatly disagrees with Lizzy's independant ideas and views of society 

•  Lydia Bennet: One of the youngest Bennet sisters, eventually runs away and gets married to Wickham, a past friend of Lizzy's 

• Wickham: Once a friend of Mr Darcy and is not to be trusted

Significant/Important Plot Points:

• Mrs. Bennet is trying to marry off her daughter to well off men 
• Mrs. Bennet and her daughters are overjoyed that rich man Mr. Bingley is newly single and that one of them might have the chance of marrying him 
• The Bennets attend a ball where they are all intoroduced to Mr. Bingley and his good friend Mr. Darcy 
• Jane Bennet falls in love with Mr. Bingley (and vise versa)
• Lydia and another one of her sisters are only concerned with the men at the ball 
• Mary, the youngest daughter, is not interested in balls or chasing men; she would rather read a book
• Mrs. Bennet sends Jane to visit Mr. Bingley and is happy when she writes saying how she caught a cold on the way to his house and that she will have to stay for a few weeks 
• Lizzy decides to visit her sister and see where Mr. Bingley's feelings for her lie 
• Lizzy returns home with Jane to find that Mr Collins has come to stay in their home (and secretly find a wife)
• Mr Collins takes interest in Jane but upon discovering that she is pratically already engaged, his eyes turn to the next eldest, Lizzy 
• Mr Collins proposes to Lizzy, who turns him down straight away
• After being turned down by Lizzy, Mr Collins proposes to Lizzy's best friend who accepts his proposal 
• Lizzy meets Mr. Wickham, who was once a friend of Mr. Darcy's 
• Lizzy believes that she loves Wickham until she talks to Mr Darcy about what kind of man he really is 
• Lizzy discovers one day that Mr. Darcy broke up Mr. Bingley and her sister Jane because he didn't approve of her mother and family
• Lizzy is taken completely by surprise when Mr Darcy admits that he has strong feelings for her and wants to marry her 
• Lizzy is asked to stay at the Darcy's and receives a letter from her sister Lydia, who has run away with Mr. Wickham. Mr. Darcy feels responsible for  this and makes a vow to Lizzy that he himself will go out and try to find them
• Lizzy returns home to be with her mother and sisters, and is glad when her father returns home with news that they will most likely marry
• Lydia and Wickham return home shortly to show that they are married and then head back out to their home 
• Without her knowing, Mr. Darcy rejoins Mr. Bingley and her sister together by convincing Bingley that he was wrong to have done what he did and that he should go to her and propose 
• Mr. Bingley does this and Jane accepts!!
• Jane and Lizzy talk of finding husbands and Lizzy can only think of Mr Darcy 
• Lizzy and Mr Darcy meet early one day and tell each other of their love 
• Lizzy and Mr. Darcy go to Mr. Bennet and ask for his blessing of their marriage; he gives it willingly and the two of them marry 

Narrative Voice/Tone:

• The narrative voice of this novel fits exactly into the time period it is set in. Austin lived during this time and was right in the middle of this society when she wrote P&P. Throughout the novel, and especially through Lizzy, her comments about society being a place where women look to marry rich first and love second are everywhere. It would be interesting to find out if any of the other significant characters are based on people in her life and if so, how they affected her and influenced this book. While Austin takes some time to explain certain passages, her voice comes through quite clearly and gets right to the point. 
• The tone of this novel is not extremely happy or gut-wrenching sad, but in the middle. There is no real shift in tone in the novel except for the passage where Mr. Darcy first declares his love for Lizzy and she doesn't know what to say. The novels tone holds a happy medium, focusing more on the characters, the situations they are in and how they handle what society has thrown at them.

Significant Quotes: 

• "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me." - Mr. Darcy

• "An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do." - Mr. Bennet

• "You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever." - Mr. Darcy

Theme:

• While being in a society that has strict rules from how to dress to getting a husband, there is still a way to be a part of that society and still be happy with the one you love           

Ceremony

Author: Leslie Silko

Time/Setting: Shortly after WWII; The Laguna Pueblo Reservation 

Significant Characters: 

• Tayo: Born of the Laguna people but was taken away from his Reservation at an early age to attend a white school. Since he has learned the white ways and gone to war, he is newly returned home where he finds himself confused and must relearn the old customs of his people. Tayo goes through many spiritual journeys and ceremonies with various members (and non-members) of the reservation, who contribute to his life and his new statement of what man he is. 

• Auntie: The one who took Tayo in when his mother left him. She likes to protest what a burden he is to her and make it seem like she is some kind of martyr to the Reservation. While she is not Tayo's most trusted confidant, she runs the house when he is a child and is the one reponsible for making him feel like an outcast

• Betonie: Preforms one of many ceremonies with Tayo to help him feel like one of the people again. Betonie can be considered a witch, in that he preforms this ceremony with Tayo to help him but may also have another reason. 

• T'seh: The main lover of Tayo. She helps Tayo discover who he really is and how he has always been a part of the people, even though he has learned the white mans ways and how to fight a white mans war.  

• Josiah: The father figure to Tayo as he grows up. He is the one who teaches Tayo the Laguna ways and watches him grow into a young man. He is killed while Tayo is away at war, and Tayo is stricken with grief at this news, feeling that he has lost the one person in the world he felt a true connection with is gone. 

• Harley: A friend of Tayo's who drinks heavily and sleeps with many random white girls. Tayo doesn't look good on his actions, but he is unable to vocalize his feelings about it anytime he is with him.

• Rocky: Tayo's adopted "brother". Tayo is at first very unhappy that he has a brother, but over time the two grow close and leave the Reservation for war together.

• Grandma: The most constructive, wise adult and true confidant in Tayo's life 

• Emo: Both a friend and enemy to Tayo. The two clash on many occasions, especially when Emo likes to tell stories of the war which causes Tayo to remember its horror. One night Tayo eventually stands up to him by stabbing him with the end of a broken beer bottle in an attempt to kill him. Emo recovers and is last seen in the novel drunk and torturing Tayo's friend

• Helen Jean: A white girl that Tayo's friends meet, drink and hook up with. Tayo doesn't know what to do in this situation, so he sits quietly and drinks his beer.   
  

Significant/Important Plot Points:

• Tayo has just returned to his Reservation after being a soldier fighting against the Japanese in WWII
• He returns to his home feeling disconnected with his people's ways and cultures, which he must now relearn and put aside the "white" ways he was taught as a child
• Tayo often thinks back to his days in the war, and the death of his "brother" Rockey and good friend Josiah
• Tayo finds that his friends (Harley, Emo etc) are also struggling with things after returning from the war and that they are dealing with things by drinking heavily
• Tayo prays to his Gods that things will work out and he does ceremonies with a ceremonial medicine man in the community
• Tayo seeks the help of another medicine man but is sidetracked when he meets T'seh, a woman he spends his summer with 
• Tayo returns to the reservation, having finally discovered who he truly is 

Narrative Voice:

• This novel has one of the most interesting narrative voices! Silko's own storytelling voice flows throughout the whole novel through both the characters dialogue and the regular narrative. The novel is very descriptive from its descriptions of the different settings, to the characters ad right down to what way they each travel. Unlike many novels, Ceremony uses a completely different narrative voice because of Silko's personal background and her culture. Her novel is strange and very different to us because it is not written in the typical "Western white culture" way that many others novels are. 

Significant Quotes:

• "Here they were, trying to bring back that old feeling, that feeling they belonged to America the way they felt during the war. They blamed themselves for losing the new feeling; they never talked about it, but they blamed themselves just like they blamed themselves for losing the land the white people took" - Narrator 

Theme:

• No matter what the circumstances are or have been throughout your life, there is always a way to rediscover who you truly are and where your place in the world and among the people is 

Death of a Salesman

Author:  Arthur Miller

Type of Theater: Tragic/Tragedy

Time/Setting: Unknown time period, various places in New York and Boston

Significant Characters: Willy, Biff, Linda, Happy, The Woman, Charlie and others

• Willy: Husband of Linda and father to Happy and Biff. He has been a salesman his whole life making money for the family to pay off their house and is so close to owning it completely. He is mentally unstable yet devoted to his work and family, most of  the time. He has constant flashbacks to the past and because of this is stuck in an ongoing downward spiral throughout the entire drama

• Biff: The younger son of Willy and Linda. He would rather work on a farm or out in the open with nature than become a salesman or work in a city where he is confined. Biff is very uncertain, undecided and lost about himself and what he wants in this life, while Willy constantly tries to make him a respected man in the business world. As a result of this, Biff doesn't know how to stand up for himself in many situations, and it is not until the end of the drama that he has the guts and the realization to do so.  

• Linda: Wife of Willy. She is trying to hold the family together with Happy and Biff unemployed and Willy away on trips constantly. She takes care of Willy when he is home and constantly worries that one day he will not come home to her. She is a very motherly figure, devoting all her time to her sons and husband, mending stockings and keeping her wits about her.

• Happy: The brother of Biff. Like his brother, Happy is misguided but also very selfish. He doesn't understand why Biff would want to work with nature and not in the city where he could make loads more money every hour. Because of this view, Happy only seems to care about sleeping with women and making as much money as possible.

• The Woman: The one who Willy is caught having an affair with. She is the one who ultimately tears the Loeman family apart because of her alluring youth and beauty. These are things that Linda no longer has, which is what draws Willy in and makes his decision to sleep with her perhaps the worst decision of his life. 

• Charlie: Willy's closest friend who becomes very concerned with his work and overall well-being. Charlie seems to be Willy's only voice of reason until Biff joins in at the end, right before Willy takes his life. 

Synopsis/Important Plot Points:

• Willy is mentally unstable and Linda often worries that one day he will not come home
• Willy is often gone from home - supporting the family by being a salesman 

Willy is a salesman so he can make money to pay off the house and appliances in it - they are one payment away from completely owning the house

• Happy is only concerned with women and money while Biff is more concerned with finding out what he is meant to do and find what his purpose is
• Linda is seen in many scenes mending or knitting stockings
• Willy often "sees" and "talks" with his brother, who was also a salesman and recently passed away  
• There are many flashbacks to Willy's more happier days; Biff is the high schools football star and while he is not doing well in some of his classes, Willy tells him that none of that matters. 
• Willy gets fired by the Company he has been working with for most of his business career 
• Biff goes to see a big time salesman to tell him an idea he has had; he waits for hours and only gets one minute to talk with him. Biff becomes so angry that he steals his fountain pen 
• When Biff tries to tell his father what happened, Willy cannot accept and comprehend that his son has failed as a Salesman and businessman   
• Willy has a flashback to his last night with The Woman - They are alone in a hotel when Biff unexpectedly shows up. Willy shoves The Woman into the bathroom and pretends that he is on any other business trip. Biff discovers The Woman and sees as she rushes out that Willy has given her a pair of his mothers stockings. Biff breaks down and Willy is unable to control him. When Biff leaves, Willy realizes that this woman has ruined his family and there is nothing he can do but be angry 
• Willy returns home and is questioned by Biff about the car hose he found in the basement; Willy denies trying to commit suicide by crashing or sabotaging the car
• When Biff and Happy have gone to bed, Willy tells Linda that he will stay up for a little while longer and "sees" his brother one more time
• Willy leaves the house and crashes the car that night 
• The family attends the funeral, where one of Willy's good friends Charlie explains the life of being a Salesman
• Linda says her good-byes and tells Willy that she made the last house payment and they are free 

 Tone:

• This dramas tone is very serious and realistic. Like real life, these characters face a wide variety of situations and must deal with problems the best way they can. Miller's own voice and opinions on society (at the time) come especially through with Biff and Willy's feelings and actions. They are both a bit disoriented and are just trying to be the best men they can, while holding the family together.

Significant Quotes:

• "He's a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back - that's an earthquake" - Charlie

• This is part of a speech Charlie gives at Willy's funeral, where he attempts to explain Willy's life and actions. While he considered himself one of Willy's closest friends, he admits he was unaware of how serious Willy's situation was, but still attempts to justify his work and existence in the world. He tells the others that Willy was like every other man who only wanted to be successful and well respected in the world, but became lost when the world did not take kindly to him.  

• "Pop! I'm a dime a dozen, and so are you!" - Biff 

• This is one of the most important lines in Miller's entire drama. Once Biff says this to Willy, he finally seems to listen and understand how he is just like everyone else. 

• "I've always made a point of not wasting my life, and every time I come back here I know that all I've done is to waste my life" - Biff 

• Equivalent1 to Willy's realization, this is where Biff realizes that he has wasted his entire life thus far by trying to become something he's not. By spending a day out in the city and trying to becomes a salesman like his father, Biff finally sees that this kind of life is not for him, and he will not be held down by his father in the future.     

Theme:

• Every mans work has a cost - not only to himself, but to his family, closest friends and all those who are near and dear to him  

The American Dream

Author: Edward Albee

Type of Theater: Theater of the Absurd

Time/Setting: 1959-1960, An Apartment

Significant Characters: Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Mrs. Barker, The Young Man

• Mommy: Controlling, rude and became rich by marrying Daddy. She is obsessed with a materialistic world and finds buying and owning things to be of high importance. She doesn't have much depth to her like Grandma, which is somewhat strange since she came from Grandma

• Daddy: A very child-like character. He is very meek and a "follower" of Mommy's in both action and words. He differs from Mommy because he does not care about the material world and would rather not listen to her go on and on about a dis-colored hat or misplacing the water

• Grandma: Very opinionated, cunning and witty. She loves to irritate and outsmart Mommy and Daddy any chance she gets and doesn't understand why Mommy and Daddy are the way they are. She is the only one who can see what Mommy and Daddy truly consider 'The American Dream' and isn't afraid to voice her feelings and opinions about it

• Mrs. Barker: The Social Worker who comes to visit Mommy and Daddy after getting a call about a certain "bumble". While she is quite normal in all other aspects, Mrs. Barker joins  Grandma in helping to outsmart Mommy and Daddy after being drawn in by her story of this "bumble"

• The Young Man: The twin of Mommy/Daddy's first child. Mommy and Daddy's first child was torn apart after failing to be what they expected. The Young Man has qualities that make him their true American Dream, including a love/want of money and is only concerned with his appearance in the outside world.  

Synopsis/Important Plot Points: 

• Mommy tells Daddy her long story of how she bought a new hate and instead of it being Creame, it was realy Beige! 
• Grandma enters the play carrying wrapped boxes and piling them by the door and round the house
• Grandma is completely able to keep both Mommy and Daddy in line
• Grandma has many asides and often breaks the fourth wall with the audience
• Daddy is going to have an operation; Mommy and Daddy cannot have children
• Mommy and Daddy tell Grandma that someone is coming over to their apartment and Grandma believes it is "the van man", who will take her away
• Mrs. Barker, a social worker, comes to the apartment
• While Mommy and Daddy leave to get Mrs. Barker a glass of water, Grandma decides to share a secret with Mrs. Barker  
• Grandma tells Mrs. Barker that Mommy and Daddy were once sold a "bumble" who they tore apart (physically) because he was not what they expected. After letting the "bumble" die off, they called the person who gave them "bumble" and had them come over to their apartment (Mrs. Barker)
• Grandma answers a knock at the door to find a young man standing there looking for work 
• The Young Man enters and Grandma recognizes him, yet she cannot figure how or where she has seen him before
• Mommy and Daddy return to the living room with water and are intrigued by The Young Man. They are somewhat obsessed with him and Mommy also recognizes him but cannot figure out where they have met before 
• As an aside, Grandma proclaims The Young Man to be Mommy and Daddy's American Dream
• Grandma leaves Mommy/Daddy's apartment and ends the play by breaking the fourth wall with the audience

Tone & Symbolism: 

• The plays tone changes with each of the characters; Mommy is very negative while Daddy tends to repeat what Mommy says and is more of a child. Grandma (and possibly The Young Man) are the only characters who are able to hold Mommy and Daddy in check because of her personalities and goals. The overall tone is very upbeat and childlike, fitting many of the plays subjects and character situations.
• The plays biggest piece of symbolism is Mommy's new hat. She goes on for pages about how she was told it was a cream hat and when she walked out of store, it was really beige. She then tells how she went back into the store to ask why she was just sold a beige hat when she was told it was cream. The hat is very similar to Mommy/Daddy's first bumble. When they find out that the bumble is not what they expected and wanted, they discard it and let it die off.

Significant Quotes:

• "It's that I have no talents at all, except what you see ... my person; my body, my face. In every other way I am incomplete, and I must therefore ... compensate" - The Young Man

• This is what Mommy and Daddy consider to be the true American Dream. They see this dream as someone who is only concerned with money and appearance, and not something that has personality or skills.  

• "Mommy comes for extremely bad stock. And, besides, when Mommy was born ... well, it was a difficult delivery, and she had a head shaped like a banana" - Grandma  

• This quote is just one of the examples that Grandma gives us about her feeling of Mommy. She doesn't like her much and sees her marriage to Daddy as one just because of money.

• "There's too much hostility in the world these days, as it is; but I'll not badger you. There's a surfeit of badgers, as well" - Mrs. Barker 

• There are many interpretations of this quote. Mrs. Barker could be talking strictly about Mommy and Daddy or the world as a whole, who may share a similar view to Mommy and Daddy. Mrs. Barker seems to believe that there are to many people out there like Mommy and Daddy and that maybe one day, it may hurt the world in the future. 

Theme: 

• While the American Dream may seem perfect in every way, it has flaws and is only interested in a materialistic and selfish world.

Synthesis of Course Material - Post 4

Near the beginning of the year we also talked about comedy and tragedy novels. Since we began the year reading Albee’s The American Dream we first had to learn about theater of the absurd. In a handout we read how Esslin, the man who invented theater of the absurd, used it as a device to draw attention to the traits of the playwright and have people focus on what he is trying to say through his work. Through his characters and situations he is almost always commented on today’s society and its values and gives his hidden opinion of these matters. It was interesting to learn how theater of the absurd began and how much it has influenced dramas and theater.

On another handout we looked at the theories of humor and comedy. We looked at the six elements for something to be funny and many examples of correctly written comedy. Learning about humor more than finding jokes in a work was very fun and gave me a whole new look at things as we read, annotated and discussed The American Dream, a prime novel of the absurd.

In other handouts in class we turned to the opposite of comedy; tragedy. While talking about tragedy and how something can become tragic, I found that many tragedies were Dystopian and were set in a place less than perfect. Tragedy had many characteristics; the hero is involved and starts from the top and ends at the bottom, rational, sensible and many times ending in mass death. Many of Shakespeare’s tragedies (i.e Hamlet, The Tempest, etc) are good examples to show how a story doesn’t have to have a happy ending.   

Synthesis of Course Material - Post 3

Moving from the basics to annotation/discussion, it was time to learn more about the five "Eras of Literature"; Classical Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Romantic/Victorian, Realist/Naturalist and Modern/Post Modern. My group presented on the Classical Antiquity and the Middle Ages, taking us back to the times of famous authors Plato, Aristotle and Homer and famous novels Oedipus Rex, Beowulf and The Odyssey.I not only got the chance to work with Prezi for the first time, I got to see presentations on all the other times and how literature has grown from the beginning to where it is today.

For a month or two we also focused on many literary terms that every AP student should know. It was TONS to memorize but it wasn't so hard because of the many games on the Spruz site that gave me multiple practice at matching terms to their definitions. After we had learned and tested over  the terms, we began to look for them in passages. It was hard at first to pick out "synecdoche" from part of a play or novel, but after practice it was easy! Like everything we've done in AP Lit, constant repetition has been one of the most helpful things throughout the year.     

Synthesis of Course Material - Post 2

After learning about DIDLS and how to attack literature with a critical eye, it came time to learn how to annotate. It seemed a crime to write in books but to annotate them correctly and effectively it had to be done. With annotating we learned about what  we should write in the margins, underline, circle and pay special attention to as well as how to apply and look for concepts we learned about; DIDLS, T+E=M (technique+effect=meaning) and how to find mood/tone from them. By finding the techniques we could delve deeper into each novel and focus on the question of "what is its meaning?"

After learning what these techniques were and how to find them, we began reading books/plays to begin applying our new skills. So far we have read four very different novels:

1.      The American Dream - Albee 

• Characters: Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Mrs. Barker, Young Man 
• Type of Drama: Theater of the Absurd
• Plot: Mommy and Daddy talk discuss putting Grandma in a nursing home while she has already piled up boxes of her belongings by the door. When Mrs. Barker comes to their home, Grandma tells her a story of a child who Mommy and Daddy had addopted and killed. When the Young Man enters Mommy and Daddy are thrilled and talk about how he is everything they wish he could be: The American Dream. Grandma comes  up with a plan to fool Mommy and Daddy leaving them all alone with what they believe is the true "American Dream"

2.      Ceremony – Silko

• Characters: Tayo, Auntie, Emo, Grandma, Harley, Josiah, Rocky, Robert and others
• Plot: Tayo has just returned from fighting in an American war. Being away from his reservation has made him an outsider to his own culture, language and people that he grew up with and loved. Tayo now drinks, swears, sleeps with many white and Native women and has flashbacks to his days in the war. He must learn about his culture again and remember all the stories of his people and the ceremonies that go with them.

3.    Pride  and Prejudice – Jane Austin

• Characters: Lizzy, Mr. Darcy, Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Collins, Wickham, Jane, Mr. Bingly, Lydia, Charlotte, Mary, Kitty and others
• Plot: Mrs. Bennett is determined to marry off as many of her daughters to wealthy men as she can, and Mr. Bennett agrees. Many balls and gatherings are held, one where the newly single and rich Mr. Bingly dotes upon Jane and where Lizzy meets the much too proud Mr. Darcy. Shortly after this ball the girls are introduced to Mr. Collins who is next in line for their estate. Mr. Collins quickly falls for Lizzy after learning that Jane is almost already engaged and after a few weeks proposes. Lizzy refuses and vows to her mother and father that who she marries will be because of love rather than money or title.

4.      Hamlet – Shakespeare

• Characters: Hamlet, King, Queen, Ophelia, Horatio, Laertes, Polonius, Old Hamlet (Ghost), Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Player, Fortinbraus, Osric, Clown One, Clown Two and others
•  Plot: The old King of Denmark is dead and his brother has taken the throne and married his queen. One night outside the palace, watchmen are confronted by the Ghost of the dead King and they know that it will speak to Young Hamlet. While his father and mother are content with their marriage and life, Hamlet is disgusted and makes his feelings about it known to all. When he is told that his father ghost has been seen, he goes to see it himself and speak with it. When this happens, the ghost tells him of how he was murdered by his brother who has now taken his throne and his queen. Hamlet vows to revenge his death and sets on a journey to fulfill this deed by any means possible, even if it means losing sight of himself and his mind on the way.    

After reading these books and annotating in small groups and on our own, we moved to the next step; discussion.Class discussions have always been a riot. Fifth hour has never had trouble discussing these novels and their many possible meanings. I love class discussions because they can get very heated and bring up a lot of good points that I didn't pick up on while reading. Class discussions give me the chance to see what other people find in the text and give my opinion/elaboration on their points.

Synthesis of Course Material - Post 1

I didn't know what to expect walking into AP Lit in September. I knew we would be reading a lot of books...and not much else. I was surprised and glad to know that we would be doing much more than "just reading" to help us prepare for the big test in May.

We first learned about DIDLS:

• Diction  - How an authors choice of words sounds
• Imagery - Use of words to create pictures and images in the head of a reader while reading
• Detail - Specific features of a character or plot line in a novel
• Language - A group of text
• Syntax - The structure of a sentence

We learned how we could look at any authors use of diction, imagery, details, language and syntax to get a sense of the mood and tone of a essay, passage or novel. I had never learned anything like this in my other English classes and continue to find DIDLS extremely helpful when attacking a passage.
From day one we also learned about the Open and Close Prompt, three essays that are a huge part of the AP test.

Open & Closed Prompt: 

• Open Prompt: Use any novel/drama of literary merit to answer prompt 
• Closed Prompt: MUST use poem or novel to answer prompt
• Introduction should be short and to the point 
• Make sure the thesis answers all parts of the question 
• Use examples (if possible) from the text to support your thesis
• T+E = M (Technique + Effect = Meaning) 
• Answer the hidden "So what?" question
• TAP 

After learning these techniques we began to do practice essays that would be graded on the official AP test scale. Scores go from 1 to 9 and can be varied by minor things:

•   9-8: Focused on the prompt, answer all parts of the prompt, excellent use of evidence, show understanding of the text 
• 7-6: Less maturity, show limited understanding of work 
• 5: Mostly focuses on the prompt with some effort to comment on the analysis of the work 
•  4-3: Essay is underdeveloped and summarizes more plot than examples and comments on analysis
• 2-1: Poorly written in several areas and do not address parts of the prompt

Open Promt Essay 6 - REVISION (In Plain Style!)

1994. In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence. Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how such a character functions in the work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects action, theme, or the development of other characters. Avoid plot summary.

Characters that only appear briefly or are just mentioned give a novel or play a much bigger purpose than a reader might expect. These minor characters can cause many problems and sometimes provide solutions for the main characters. In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesmen, "the woman", who only appears twice, tears the Loemen family apart by bringing out the truth about Willie.

First seeing the women, she has no real purpose and is in the play for no reason. It is her actions and feelings toward Willie show us that Willie is more connected physically and emotionally to her because of her perfection, youth and beauty, things that his wife Linda doesn't have. The woman's qualities that Willie falls in love with sets him in a spiral. Because of the woman Willie for the first time shows that he has flaws and imperfection . When he loses control he doesn't think that his affair with the woman effected his personality, ideals and family life. 

Later in the play, it can be argued that the woman is one of the most important characters. Biff enters the scene discovering that everything his father has told him is a lie and because of this woman his family is destroyed. He is pushed over the edge when he sees that "[Willie] gave her mama's stockings". Willie's gift of Linda's stockings is complete betrayal to Biff, showing the woman's real importance and an example of how one person can be the difference between a functional and dis-functional family.  

The overall theme of the play is greatly shaped by the woman and her actions. While she is not in the play very long, her actions and feelings shape the other characters, their roles and their overall outcomes.

Open Promt Essay 5 - REVISION (In Plain Style!)

2005, Form B. One of the strongest human drives seems to be a desire for power. Write an essay in which you discuss how a character in a novel or a drama struggles to free himself or herself from the power of others or seeks to gain power over others. Be sure to demonstrate in your essay how the author uses this power struggle to enhance the meaning of the work.

What would you do if your personal power and individualism was taken away? Some find ways to regain this lost freedom while others give up on life completely and feel it's better to be dead than alive. Offred, the protagonist of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, finds herself in this constant struggle to break free of power over her and regain those freedoms and individuality she has lost.

Offreds struggle begins when she is captured after trying to cross the boarder out of the Republic of Giliad. She later joins a small group of women who are most valuable because they can still bear children, who will serve their country by becoming handmaids. Upon learning that a dominating power has total control over her decisions and life, Offred is suddenly stripped of personality and individual rights/freedoms.This stress on the loss of individuality gives the novel a dark tone and makes comments on the ideas of conformity in society. 

When Offred is given a job she can't complete on her part, she feels that she has regained some individual power. This first taste of freedom makes her hungry for more and begins to change her idea on following the rules. These brief moments give a small glimpse of hope to the reader and show how important individuality is to a person and how it should never be taken for granted.

When she escapes this society with the man she loves Offred gains back her personal freedoms from  supreme authority. She can now live a normal life again, while still be careful not to get caught and sent right back. Atwood's ideas to of individualism and freedom are strongly enhanced through Offred and her actions, informing readers of how important they are, because one day they might be gone.

Open Promt Essay 3 - REVISION (In Plain Style!)

1972. In retrospect, the reader often discovers that the first chapter of a novel or the opening scene of a drama introduces some of the major themes of the work. Write an essay about the opening scene of a drama or the first chapter of a novel in which you explain how it functions in this way.

The opening scene of any play sets the story and if done correctly, gives the audience a good idea of what the play will contain. In Shakespeare's first tragedy, Titus Andronicus, the opening scene introduces three major themes; control, war and the promise of revenge. By various behavior, characters through the use of imagery and detail show these and how they can effect many individuals.

Titus returns from war, bringing the Queen of the Goths and her three sons as prisoners. We can see his upheld morals, values and dedication to his country by this. Titus addresses the Roman people telling them of his years as a soldier and how war has changed his life. This monologue uses bloody images and strong language that impacts both the audience and Titus' speech emotionally. Some audiences may think that Titus is unaware of the true value of power as well as the cost of war, but others see his want and need to be in power. Titus' emotions and values in the first scene leave his character up to individual audience judgement, leaving more room for interpretation as the play goes on. 

The Roman people still call for bloodshed and the death of the remaining prisoners. Titus protests, but must comply to avoid a riot by his own people. He slays one of Tamora's sons setting a cycle of revenge in motion. His actions set all the characters to get their own revenge by slaying and harming each other. Shakespeare's attention to individual detail shows how each character has "gone wrong" after having wrong done to them. Each case of revenge gives the characters new determination and raises the question of why Shakespeare used so much violence in his play and what is its effect on the meaning.

The plays struggles of the human power vs. human emotions brings the themes of control, war and revenge to the stage in a whole new way that is clearly one of Shakespeare's own creation.  

Open Promt Essay 1 - REVISION (In Plain Style!)

1983. From a novel or play of literary merit, select an important character who is a villain. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze the nature of the character's villainy and show how it enhances meaning in the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.

A film or dramas villain has one purpose; to stop the hero. By trying to stop the hero, they show how their villainy affects the hero and how it adds to the story. Richard, from Shakespeare's Richard III, shows this use of villainy willingly and  takes us down the costly road to gaining power and becoming king at any cost. Shakespeare's use of language, and imagery help to characterize Richard as a "tainted" man who is foreign to the concepts of love and family. 

We enter the play with Richard speaking of how England has no king. He at first seems harmless, speaking about his brother in "the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York". He quickly turns on his "good" values to find Lady Anne, the recent widow of the Prince of Whales. Here Richard tells the audience that Lady Anne is beautiful and he must have her for wife.  Richards words of love are showy and have no meaning, though he talks of how her love has changed him. Richards language is precise and sounds rehearsed, giving an off an odd feeling about him as a person. He ends the scene saying "I'll have her; but I will not keep her long". These quotes give the audience a look at Richards character and give them the chance to decide if he really is a nice guy who's a little crazy or a pure villain.

As the last Act begins, the death toll is over ten. Everyone who has crossed paths with Richard is now dead and Richard, all alone, starts going mad. The night of the final battle for the throne, Richard is visited by eight ghosts of those he has killed. Appearing in his dreams they prophesy that Richard will "despair and die". This is the first time we see Richard feeling vulnerable and realize his actions. The imagery the ghost present to him gives a spooky feeling and shows how Richard is truly proud to be a villain. These doubts severely change the mood of the show and turn it from a show of murder into a the test of Richards conciseness. Before the final battle Richard exclaims, "a horse. A horse! My kingdom for a horse!!" Richard has many similar statements, short, to the point and picturesque.

  

Richard III's villainy commands Shakespeare's play. It focuses on villainy and the consequences of its actions, trying to show only what Richard has only every wanted; acceptance and love.