Jessica's Amayayayayzing Blog » Jessica

Blessay in Merchant of Venice

Jessica — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:12:11 +0000

William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice is full of many characters exploring love, friendship, money and revenge. Two characters that are obviously very different are Antonio and Shylock, but these characters have some similarities as well. Many of their similarities lie beneath but with some digging are apparent. Many of their differences are found on the surface. First, is their religion, Shylock being a Jew and of lower status in Elizabethan society is considered inferior by Antonio. This is apparent when of Antonio speaks of Shylock’s heart and how hard it is. He says, “…as seek to softer that—than which what’s harder?—his Jewish heart.”(pg. 26) Antonio is personally offended by Shylocks choice of religion but is especially against Shylock’s career as a creditor. Antonio is smug about his money and loans it out without interest hurting Shylock. Shylock expresses his views on Antonio saying, “How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Christian, but more for that he lends out money gratis and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice.” (pg.5) The hate between these two runs deep but similarities are equally important. First off, both men are business people, Antonio as an investor and Shylock a creditor. They are also, deeply religious, even though their religions are a reason of conflict. Another similarity is that both have given much to a person that they love. Shylock’s daughter runs away with most of his money, still Shylock finds a way to love his daughter. Also, at the end he gives half of all he has to her. Similarly, Antonio uses his credit against his better judgment, to make his friend Bassiano happy in love. Antonio’s life is spared at the last minute but he was willing to give his life for Bassanio. Although the conflict between Antonio and Shylock are what make The Merchant of Venice a great story and one worth telling, Their similarities are also important to the story and the harmony between the two of them.

Merchant of Venice Post #2

Jessica — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:48:44 +0000

Today in class as we listened to the NPR report on modern Italy I started to make some connections that surprised me but were reasonable and logical. Before when I thought of Italy in Elizabethan times I had a harder time understanding the tension between Shylock and Antonio as well as the motivation behind the tension. After listening to the way Blacks are treated in Italy today I am able to relate the two situations to each other as well as make other connections to other incidents. One of the first things I thought of was the equal rights movement in America not so long ago. Many of the things the Italians were saying such as, segregated schools and poor job opportunities relate exactly to what African Americans went through. Another group that I didn’t first connect to but later started to consider is women. The suffrage movement was an important change in American culture. Although women don’t come from a different country (or planet as it sometimes seems), they are different from one another and this is the starting point for tension and women’s need to stand up and achieve equal rights. Although two groups may be different from one another, that is no reason for people to feel a prejudice toward one another. This is shown through Shylock’s interactions to Christians, mainly Bassiano thus far in the book.

Merchant of Venice Post #2

Jessica — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:48:13 +0000

Merchant of Venice #1

Jessica — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 07:54:00 +0000

A. So far in merchant of Venice we have discovered a lot about certain characters as well as themes and motifs in the book. Two of my favorite characters are Portia and Nerissa. In the scene where the two are talking about possible suitors I found their witty humor and rude comments funny because they reminded me of high school girls picking dates for the prom. I never thought Shakespeare was as funny as he is until I began to pull apart the meanings and find humor in them. Another character that I enjoyed was Lorenzo. He is so love sick that he wants to break Jessica out of her father’s house dressed as a boy. He is a little pathetic in how he speaks in Elizabethan language but it adds to the scenes in a comedic way. However, a character I don’t enjoy is Lorenzo’s love Jessica. I don’t think she has a very high moral code, the fact that she wants to forsake her father and his religion doesn’t bother me, it is that she does it with no integrity and she steals from him. The way she speaks about it she tries to act like she had to do it but I think she would have been more of a noble heroine for standing up for her love if she hadn’t stooped to such a low level.

In the commoner scene with Lancelot Gobbo and his father, as well as Bassaino I started to crack up once I realized what they were talking about. The way they worded things and because I couldn’t hear him speak it made it difficult to hear it how Shakespeare meant it to. In other Shakespeare plays I found the commoners funny and witty. As Ms. Robison said in class I they offer good comic relief after intense scenes.

Chap 55-76

Jessica — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:33:36 +0000

A: The plane lands in S.L. and the passengers get off to some kind of welcoming ceremony. When Papa Monanzo is trying to speak he collapses and while he is on the ground Jonah sees Mona put her foot on some guy. Jonah goes to the hotel where he sees a man making a mosaic. The man is Julian castle who wrote the manuscript. He talks to him briefly. While finding his room he sees 2 painters doing the same thing Mona was doing. They plead for him not to tell on them and Jonah is puzzled. When he gets to his room he gets a call to go to Frank H’s house. He goes and meets Newt and Angela. Newt is finishing a painting of a Cat’s Cradle. Julian Castle comes by and tosses is over the balcony.

B: Fecculent- foul with impurities

Paltry- inferior or trashy

Avocation- a subordinate occupation pursued in addition to one’s vocation especially for enjoyment

C: Why is Juliamn Catsle so rude? Does he mean to be rude?

Why does Newt let angela bos him around when he is clearly and adult?

Chap 35-54

Jessica — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:24:31 +0000

A: After Jonah is walking through the cemetery the cab driver asks to go to the shop that sells headstones because he is looking into getting one for his mother. As it turns out the shop owner’s brother is Dr. Breed whom Jonah had just interviewed. Jonah gets some thoughts on the Honneiker family from the shop owner. The man once tried to date Mrs. Honneiker but his brother Dr. Breed stole her from him but then she ended up married to Dr. H. The man was bitter but other than that story Jonah fins out the Frank h. worked in a model shop in town. On the way back Jonah spots the shop and goes in to talk to the owner about Frank. The owner of the model shop was absolutely in love with Frank and praises him openly. Once returned to home Jonah find a paper that discloses the new home of Frank H. A little island called San Lorenzo. Frank hops a plane to S.L. and on the plan is introduced to the Mintons and through them discovers bokononism in a manuscript they give him to read.

B: Nihilistic-a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless

Copiously-yielding something abundantly

Cadaverous-of or relating to a corpse

C: Is Jonah “in love” or just “in lust” with Mona?

Does Ice-9 come into play before the plane lands and why does he keep alluding to it so ominously.

Cat’s Cradle Chap 18-34

Jessica — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 01:45:33 +0000

A: Jonah’s interview with Dr. Breed turns sour and he is asked to leave, but before this happens Jonah learns about ice-9 from Dr. Breed. It is a story meant to tell us of the way Dr. H thought but it turns out that ice-9 exists and a little piece of it is with each of the Hoenikker children. Wampeters are things that a karass can be centered around. Jonah explains how the ice-9 is a wampeter of his karass. Jonah is led by a woman out of the laboratories but before he leaves he convinces her to show him Dr. H’s lab. In there she tells him how he was a fan of cannon balls stacked on lawns. The elevator they take to exit the building is staffed by a very odd man who is not very important to the story, at least not now. Jonah goes to the Honneiker burial plot with a cab driver and finds a huge monument to the Dr.’s late wife and a small marker for himself. The cab driver asks to go to the marker shop close by and Jonah reluctantly agrees. When they get there he learns that the shop owner is the brother of Dr. Breed. He explains the grave markers. As they turn to leave a maker is discovered that a marker had been purchased by Jonah’s ancestors and it reads his name.

B: Piquant- engagingly provocative

Winsome- generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence

Miasma- an influence or atmosphere that tends to deplete or corrupt

C: Why didn’t Dr. H tell Dr. Breed about ice-9?

What relationship do the cannon balls have to do with the story?

Cat’s Cradle Chap. 7-17

Jessica — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 01:25:57 +0000

A: Chapter 7 is Newt’s postscripts to his letter. He says he is not being allowed entry into the fraternity. He also explains why his family isn’t fitting for Jonah’s description of illustrious. And in the third and final postscript Newt announces that he is engaged to be married. Jonah soon discovers that the woman Newt was to marry has run off after her identity became known. The woman was Zinka, a Ukrainian ballet dancer who lied about her age. Jonah journeys to Illium, the previous home of the Honneikers, and continues his research while he is there. He meets with the Dr.’s Colleague Dr. Breed. Here he learns about the research side of the story. At his hotel he meets a prostitute and a bar tender and learns more.

B: Sordid- marked by baseness or grossness

Desiccated- to drain of emotional or intellectual vitality

Dulcitude- sweetness

C: Did Newt know of Zinka’s true identity?

Why did the prostitute feel so harshly against Frank Honneiker?

Cat’s Cradle Chap 4-6

Jessica — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:46:31 +0000

A: in this section Jonah talks more in depth about his karass. He informs us that Dr. Honneiker, the father of the atom bomb, as well as his own children are a member of Jonah’s karass. To continue his research Jonah decides to write a letter to Newt Honnieker. Newt is pledging a fraternity to which Jonah belonged. Newt replies to this letter with an interesting insight into the Dr.’s family and research. Jonah learns about the other Honnieker children as well. From this letter we know that Dr. Honnieker is a very peculiar man. The most vivid story is of Dr. H playing with a Cat’s Cradle in front of Newt. Newt becomes scared and runs away. The description of the doctor is frightening and the story that ensues is comical. Newt’s letter is interrupted by his roommates sleep schedule but as a whole is very important information wise to the book.

B: Tendril-a leaf, stipule, or stem modified into a slender spirally coiling sensitive organ serving to attach a climbing plant to its support

Flue-a channel in a chimney for conveying flame and smoke to the outer air

Spiraea-any of a genus (Spiraea) of deciduous shrubs of the rose family with small

usually white or pink flowers in dense racemes, corymbs, cymes, or panicles

C: Where is Frank Honneiker?

Why does Dr. Honneiker treat Angela so poorly, does he realize the toll his actions take on her?

Cat’s Cradle 1-3

Jessica — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:27:34 +0000

A: We are introduced to Jonah. He talks briefly about his parents and a book he was previously writing about the day the atomic bomb was dropped. He says he was once a Christian but claims to have converted to Bokononism, and he gives a glimpse into what this religion is all about.

B: Calypso: a sea nymph in Homer’s Odyssey sevne years on the island of Ogygia

Drunkard: one who is habitually drunk

Episcopalian: an adherent of the episcopal church gout.

C: What was JOnah’s previous life like?

What is a karass?

Why was the Bokononist song included?