Emily's Super Cool Blogs (try to enjoy!)

What is the climax (turning point) of the novel? How do you know? How is the central conflict addressed in the climax? Use textual evidence to back up your claims. There are two possible turning points in The Great Gatsby. They are when Gatsby and Daisy meet for the first time in a long time (chapter 5-6) and when Tom and Gatsby fight the hotel (chapter 7). I believe that the climax of the novel is when Tom and Gatsby fight in the hotel. This fight is over who loves Daisy more and Gatsby tells Tom that she loves him more and she always has. Tom disagrees but also admits that he has “cheated” and he says “And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time." (7.251-252) Later on in the book Daisy actually runs away with Tom instead of Gatsby, which makes Gatsby in a very melancholy manner. I think that this is the climax because after a climax there has to be a big fa...

Prompt: In chapter 5, when Daisy and Gatsby meet, how is weather used to create mood, and what mood(s) is created? In chapter 5, Gatsby and Daisy meet for the first time in 5 years. In the morning, when Gatsby sends people to Nick's house to fix it up a bit, it is raining. Gatsby is nervous and scared of reuniting with Daisy. Gatsby doesn't think that it will be the same between him and Daisy. When Daisy comes to Nick’s house it is still raining. When Nick and Daisy enter the house Nick expects Gatsby to be sitting in the same place he was before. To Nick’s surprise Gatsby is gone, but he then hears a knock at the door and he finds Gatsby drenched in rain. Gatsby goes into Nick’s house with a scared attitude and his meeting was very awkward with Daisy. Nick leaves but Gatsby catches him before he can and tells him he should stay and that the meeting was a big mistake. At this point it is still raining, but when Nick comes back he finds Gatsby glowing with happiness an...

Prompt: In the first two pages of the novel, Nick Carraway claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgment." Do you find that this is true so far? Please provide textual evidence to support your position. When Nick Carraway claims that he is not judgemental, this statement became a quote that was very questionable. I believe that he will become more judgemental throughout the story. As the narrator, Nick has to eventually give his own thoughts about people in the story. This book was meant to show the reader what other people think about you. Nick narrates what other people think and judge about people, but he also does the same. A paragraph after he states that he is “inclined to reserve all judgment” he then says, “Conduct may be founded on the hard rock or the wet marshes but after a certain point I don't care what it's founded on.” This meant that he doesn't care if he judges. Nick is also quite fond of Gatsby and he is the “only one” who sees the good i...

Describe the characteristics of the type of play that you are reading (history, tragedy, or comedy). How does your play conform to these characteristics. Does it differ? If so, in what way? I am studying Henry V for my play. It is a historical play that was written in 1599. Characteristics of a historical play include English monarchs, dangers of civil war, and glorification of queens. I feel like Henry V was more of a play leading up to a fight not a war. It was not considered a civil war in the play. Also there wasn't very much information of a queen in the play. It was about Henry V trying to be a monarch. It would be more relevant if he was already the king/monarch in the play. It would have made it more clear that the play was a historical one.

Reflect on your project. How did it go? Do you feel like it was successful? If you could change something about the process or the outcome, what would you do differently? Would you do this type of project again? Be sure to briefly describe your project before reflecting upon it?           My project was about how the women in The Merchant of Venice and how they weren't like the women during the time it was written in but more like women in the modern ages. It went well and I feel like I did a pretty good job getting my point across. I wrote a paper and I took examples of women being strong, independent, and modern.  I think I did a pretty good job doing this.  Presenting it was a bit confusing because I didn't know if I should have read my paper, make a slide, or talk about it.  I just decided to make a overview of my report and just talk about what I found.  I could have been better at presenting but I am pretty shy when it comes to presen...

Write about anything having to do with The Merchant of Venice that you did not already write about that interests you.      In The Merchant of Venice something that interested me was that when Jessica and Lorenzo decided to elope. I think that this was something that was very uncommon thing to do in the 16th century.  I feel as though Jessica would have been judged by a lot of women and obviously her dad. Women usually had big eventful weddings in the 16th century and what Jessica and Lorenzo did was very strange. When they eloped I would have liked to see other characters reactions. I thought this was interesting because there weren't many reactions to the elopement. People in the 16th century defiantly didn't elope and they didn't want to on a norm.

Q: At the end of the play, social order should be restored. One facet of this in the 16th century is men having dominance over women. Is this true in this play? Who has the upper-hand, and why? Provide textual evidence. Out of all 20 characters there are only 3 women. These women were Portia, Nerissa, and Jessica.  The women in The Merchant of Venice had a big role in the play and were not like the women in the 16th century. They are more like the women in our community today. The women in the play were strong, independent, and modern.  These characteristics would be thought of as proper to women during the 16th century.  It is true that men in the 16th century were dominant over women but in this play I believe that they were quite even in social status. They help their husbands like a women in the 16th century old but they didn't just do housework or come to events with them. The women chose to help their husbands and fight with them. Portia and Nerissa tricked their ...