The final blog again to put my blogs to rest

Wow the final blog. It seems like just yesterday I typed my very first one, but alas an entire semester has passed. Goes to show how fast time flies when you're in another world.
That is what this class has done for me. It has taken me from my everyday boring scheduled every minute life and put me into a world where anything is possible and everything is probable. Its as though I have peered to far into the rabbit whole and am now wandering around in a world of non-sense. It is my own world that I have developed from the visuals I created in my head while reading the wonderful literature that was specifically selected for us this semester. Some parts of my world are scary, like the one where I see an innocent child being tortured to near death, and a city being burned to death while a woman is turned to a pillar of salt. Parts of my world are filled with abandonment and negativity like the actions of Fydor Karamazov, while others are spiritual and uplifting like the thoughts of dear Alyosha. There are tricksters like the Cheshire cat, earth mothers, death mothers, smother mothers and temptresses. Some of the men are wise like Father Zossima, while others are devilish like creepy Arnold Friend. Around every corner waits adventure, emotions, determination, conflict, and an experience of a life time.
As my thoughts intertwine they select words of powerful meaning and repeat them creating a sort of poem that is found only within my minds inner workings. Each step I take adds meter to my poem; tetrameter, pentameter, hexameter, heptemeter, octameter. Some parts become stressed da dum da dum da dum. But no matter the beat, my heart sticks with my feet as I take on the fight, till day turns to night.

This class has brought me more than this though, more than this world non-sense you know. It has brought me to a new chapter in life that I had not seen before. One that requires understanding of tragedy but the strength to find beauty, one that presents sarvam dukkham sarvam anityam as more than just gobble gook. It has brought me many realizations of what this world has to offer and shown me the most opportune way to take advantage of it. I have come to realize that nothing is original because everything comes from something else and has outside influences along the way. I have come to understand the importance of not just making the characters you write about little clones of yourself, but instead develop a new character that had different opinions and reactions. I know now that it is important to draw a very fine line between the quotes that you write and the quotes that you quote. Also that we must tell the truth but at a slant.

I wish I could say that this all came to me in a dream and was a realization that only I had but I cannot. This was not simply my realizations, these were a collaboration of the thoughts of literature, my thoughts, the thoughts of our professor, but mostly the creative thoughts of my immaculate peers. I would like to thank all of you for your wonderful input this semester, it has helped me develop myself far more than I have ever been able alone. I can only hope that I have done the same for others in the class as well. I apologize for reserving my thoughts till right here at the end but it took me some time to sort what was really important to me that you take from me during this experience.

and now I will leave you with a poem dedicated to my LIT11o class of 2010:

Its been a big load,
This path we have traveled,
Down a long twisted road
Which we have unraveled.
My hope now for you
Is to take on the challenge
Of following through
And finding your balance,
Of listening and talking
To improve yourself
For confident walking
As a means of health
Go now my peers be ready, take flight
May your souls and your spirits forever shine bright

Presentations II

Lindsey- I know what it feels like to have more teacher friends than student friends and I know how saddening it can feel once you realize it. I am just sorry for you that there was so much pressure on you during high school to change the ways that you had for so long enjoyed. I am super glad though that in the end you were able to find an appropriate balance of the two. Just remember to never forget those times and how happy you were then. Nice presentation by the way!



Brittany- You and I have something very much in common in that this was the first class that I had to blog for. I have never blogged before, I mean I can barely check my Facebook account and check my e-mail. But you and I have advanced technologically more than we ever would have with out this class agreed?



Something else that was discussed during the presentations is the idea that we live in paradise right now no matter where you are. It is bizarre to me that we don't understand that we are in paradise now and we are always searching for it. What is it that we think paradise looks like, what is it that we can't see now? How do we get satisfied with the idea that we are in paradise now and that it is not really looking up at all for the future. Since all these questions are formulating in my mind with no answers I suppose I need to move ahead and come up with solutions of my own. So my solution to this proclamation is that I am going to enjoy every moment of my life and not focus so much energy on finding happiness later in life. I have to remember that now is the opportunity to live not later. I hope that others can come to their own realization that suits them for their lives. But most importantly I hope that they can live up to the realization they have come to. Right now is paradise, paradise is bliss.

Questions for the Exam

What was scandelous about Father Zossima's death?
---The odor of corruption---

Who is Smerdyakov's mother?
---Stinking Lizaveta---

What is one of the great lessons of Zossima about responsibility?
---Everyone is responsible for everyone---

Who actually murdered Father Karamazov?
---Smerdyakov---

How does Smerdyakov die?
---He hangs himself---

Where is paradise?
---Right here, right now---

What are the last chapters of the Brothers Karamazov depicting?
---The enditement of the western legal system---

How is each brother personally responsible for Father Karamazov's death?
---Smerdyakov- actually kills him
Alyosha- doesn't stop Smerdyakov
Ivan- plants the idea in Smerdyakov
Dmitri- wants him to die---

Who brings/ what is the evidence against Dmitri?
---The letter from Katerina---

Who is Alyosha's childhood "bully/not friend" that later becomes his "deciple"
---Kolya---

Who was the hero of Brothers Karamazov in the eyes of Anne?
---Ilusha---

Who does Hamlet stab through the curtain?
---Thelonius---

Who does Hamlet think he is stabbing behind the curtain?
---Claudius---

Who is the only one that challenges Hamlet's wit?
---The grave digger---

My Final Blog

Wow the final blog. It seems like just yesterday I typed my very first one, but alas an entire semester has passed. Goes to show how fast time flies when you're in another world.

That is what this class has done for me. It has taken me from my everyday boring scheduled every minute life and put me into a world where anything is possible and everything is probable. Its as though I have peered to far into the rabbit whole and am now wandering around in a world of non-sense. It is my own world that I have developed from the visuals I created in my head while reading the wonderful literature that was specifically selected for us this semester. Some parts of my world are scary, like the one where I see an innocent child being tortured to near death, and a city being burned to death while a woman is turned to a pillar of salt. Parts of my world are filled with abandonment and negativity like the actions of Fydor Karamazov, while others are spiritual and uplifting like the thoughts of dear Alyosha. There are tricksters like the Cheshire cat, earth mothers, death mothers, smother mothers and temptresses. Some of the men are wise like Father Zossima, while others are devilish like creepy Arnold Friend. Around every corner waits adventure, emotions, determination, conflict, and an experience of a life time.

As my thoughts intertwine they select words of powerful meaning and repeat them creating a sort of poem that is found only within my minds inner workings. Each step I take adds meter to my poem; tetrameter, pentameter, hexameter, heptemeter, octameter. Some parts become stressed da dum da dum da dum. But no matter the beat, my heart sticks with my feet as I take on the fight, till day turns to night.

This class has brought me more than this though, more than this world non-sense you know. It has brought me to a new chapter in life that I had not seen before. One that requires understanding of tragedy but the strength to find beauty, one that presents sarvam dukkham sarvam anityam as more than just gobble gook. It has brought me many realizations of what this world has to offer and shown me the most opportune way to take advantage of it. I have come to realize that nothing is original because everything comes from something else and has outside influences along the way. I have come to understand the importance of not just making the characters you write about little clones of yourself, but instead develop a new character that had different opinions and reactions. I know now that it is important to draw a very fine line between the quotes that you write and the quotes that you quote. Also that we must tell the truth but at a slant.

I wish I could say that this all came to me in a dream and was a realization that only I had but I cannot. This was not simply my realizations, these were a collaboration of the thoughts of literature, my thoughts, the thoughts of our professor, but mostly the creative thoughts of my immaculate peers. I would like to thank all of you for your wonderful input this semester, it has helped me develop myself far more than I have ever been able alone. I can only hope that I have done the same for others in the class as well. I apologize for reserving my thoughts till right here at the end but it took me some time to sort what was really important to me that you take from me during this experience.

and now I will leave you with a poem dedicated to my LIT11o class of 2010:

Its been a big load,

This path we have traveled,

Down a long twisted road

Which we have unraveled.

My hope now for you

Is to take on the challenge

Of following through

And finding your balance,

Of listening and talking

To improve yourself

For confident walking

As a means of health

Go now my peers be ready, take flight

May your souls and your spirits forever shine bright

Sweet Alyosha

In the first book of the Brothers K when the sons are born and the mothers "leave" old man Karamazov my heart was struck with sadness when old man Karamazov didn't take the opportunity to prove himself a good man and a good father to his three wonderful boys. During the time that I was reading this first section was when I met my new dog for the first time. We found her at the Humane Society amongst a litter of small tri-colored puppies. Immediately I knew she was the one and could not wait to take her home. She was perfect. When the Humane Society staff came to us to ask how they could be of assistance I showed her which one I wanted and asked how they all made it here to the Humane Society. The woman replied to me that they had discovered the puppies completely abandoned in a crack house looking shed. Their owners had left them to fend for themselves. I was heart broken to hear that but realized it was similar to the occurrence in the Brothers K. Only this sweet puppies new care taker was not a house "slave/butler/house keeper", it was me!!!

After taking the puppy home, I decided to return to the novel and find an appropriate name for the new puppy in remembrance of the great Brothers Karamazov. After many thoughts and discussions with my family we decided that Alyosha was the right one. Even though the puppy is a she and Alyosha is a boy's name we had hoped that she would grow up to have a similar similar mentality as Alyosha. She still has quite a bit of puppy energy but you can see already when she rests in your arms or lap that she is there for you and just as kind a sweet Alyosha.

Character Comparisons

While reading the Brothers Karamazov I realized that each of the sons reminded me of famous influential people.

Alyosha reminded me of a lot of Gandhi. From the information I have researched and read about Gandhi, he and Alyosha have very similar personalities with some very key traits. Both Gandhi and Alyosha have very a very calm, easing, and poised day to day personality that shows how at peace with themselves they both are. They are both very caring people and believe truly in forgiveness and redemption. They are both strong individuals in the sense of their connection with God. The words they speak seem to be very well chosen and it seems as though they take advantage of nothing. Neither of them put any body below themselves even the "horrible" old man Karamazov. One thing that I have thought about while comparing the two of them is how their reactions to the idea of an innocent child suffering for the worlds peace and unity would differ. Would Gandhi be left nearly speechless? Would he have something wise and uplifting to answer back with? What would Gandhi do?

Ivan Karamazov did not strike me as similar to any particular influential person until I was researching around and found some interesting comments that were posted by very important people about the Brothers K. I found a web site that had multiple quotes from Albert Einstein praising Dostoevsky's wonderful work of literature. That's when I realized that Ivan Karamazov has very similar personalities to Einstein. They are both questioners of almost all material placed in front of them. They are men of extreme intelligence and devoted to the their work. They both like to take claim of their actions and discoveries which sadly leads to a period of near insanity for Ivan as he contemplates his contributions to the old man Karamazov's murder.

Last but not least Dimitri Karamazov bares a striking resemblance to Chris McCandless the 1980's and early 90's most powerful voice of man speaking for the earth. McCandless spent his time outdoors, traveling and living amongst the earths creatures. Both Dmitri and McCandless are very sensual and are considered men of earth. One main difference that I see between McCandless and Dimitri is their idea of money well spent. While Dmitri spends his money on whatever he wants as a means of leisure, McCandless if he had any money would spend it on only the necessary tools to survive, knives, food, maps, etc...

So these are some of the characteristics that popped out at me as similar to influential people of the world. What other people do you draw connections to when reading the Brothers K?

The Grand Inquisitor

I found this section of the Brothers Karamazov particularly interesting. The idea of the church needing to be in control of every ones decisions makes me question church more than I already do. I personally think that it is important to believe in something whatever that may be for people, however absolutely only in my opinion, I think that church attendance is not necessary. In my eyes some of the head members that work to translate the bible to the attendees, translate it in combination with their own personal feeling and opinions on the matter and then tell people that what they tell them is how it is and we all must follow it. I think it is important for people to be able to make up their minds on their own. I do think that people should have to option to ask for help deciphering the bible if they chose but it should not be pushed on people as necessary to be a faithful follower.

Although that was a little off topic I was trying to get to a point. That is how I feel as far as the church which brings me to the idea of humans not being able to handle the freedom of choice. Could I? Could I handle the power of absolute freedom? Could I handle the freedom of not feeling guilty and wrong committing crimes and violent acts? Even more importantly could I handle everyone else having the same powers? I would like to think that we could handle them but honestly I have no idea. It seems that today, having no mandatory attendance to go to church and be religious, only some of us are able to handle the powers of freedom. There is still crime and injustice, poverty and corruption. But is that because we have or don't have ultimate freedom. Are we prisoners of the church? Are we prisoners of ourselves?

Who knows??