spoooooks!

For the final project I have had a lot of trouble deciding on what to write about.  Picking Option #2 because who wouldn't want to read and write about spooks?  I have a large interest in ghosts, goblins, monsters and all of the other "villains" or creatures that go bump in the night.  After going back and fourth I think I am set on the werewolf.  The primary source that made me choose werewolves was The Wolf Man.  A film first made in the early 1940's, then readapted last year, in 2010.  It depicts the classic tale of a man returning to his homeland only to be bitten and transformed into a werewolf.  I haven't found a specific text that I want to use because there are many stories portraying this same concept.  I hope to open people up to the idea that the werewolf is just a man with monsters inside that he cannot hold back.  We all have a dark side, but we have the choice on how much is allowed out, unlike the wolf man.  I plan to use many different sources.  I found a good site… www.werewolves.com that is full of pictures and stories about werewolves that I thought was pretty cool!!

photo credit: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/TheWolfMan?from=Main.TheWolfMan

letter...

Mrs. Cline,

This semester has been an interesting one, for me anyway.  My personal life has been a little crazy, therefore I feel my schooling habits have been as well.  This is definitely my biggest challenge.  Online learning can be hard, but I have to say that you have been a great help.  Your videos and resources have really helped me to stay on top of things.  They have also helped me to fully and thoroughly understand what is being asked, which I can't say the same for other online courses I have taken.  Other than that, I have also had a tough time with the poetry.  I have always been this way, so it's nothing new.   I have never really done literary analysis, so it has been a bit difficult.  I m more productive as a factual writer in such classes like biology.  Your comments have been of great help, though!   The readings in the course have been really great too.  I have enjoyed what were are learning and discussing and I think that it really makes a difference.  It's hard to keep track if you aren't interested, and I have been! I read Frankenstein my junior year of high school, and I didn't get much out of it.  This time around I was able to really dig into it and understand deeper meanings and how it relates to the author. I can't wait to do the mid term also!!!! I think I might do something along the lines of witches. They have always fascinated me, but I haven't yet found something to read…Hopefully I will soon!  

Sincerely,

Jamie Cottrell

Percy Bysshe Shelley!

      Percy Bysshe Shelley was not only the husband of Mary Shelley, but also a major English poet in romance.  He lived from August of 1792 to July of 1822, and was the son of an English Sir.   In his criticism of Frankenstein, he talks a lot about emotions and how the novel was written with such.  Percy stays on the basics of society being the reason for evil, as well.  "Treat a person ill, and he will become wicked."  (Percy Shelley: On Frankenstein)  I think this is pretty clear.  He talks about how this is a universal moral, and of great importance in the novel.

       I feel that the author and I shared the emotions in the story.  It is suspenseful, and sad; an emotional roller coaster.  I also agree with Percy about the moral.  I think that his interpretation of Frankenstein turning on the inside what he looks like on the outside was an effect of the treatment he received from society.  It's something we can relate to, even this far from when the novel was written.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Bysshe_Shelley

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRshelley.htm

photo: hallofheretics.net

revisions, revisions!

                  Revising has always been a little hard for me, as writing has.  I do believe that revising is a bit easier, though as

a whole.  I have a really tough time spitting out anything of an essay.  I sit for a bit, and then end up just having to dive into

 it.  When writing an essay I definitely outline my ideas first.  It seems a little elementary, but it really helps and acts as a 

guideline.  I throw everything that I feel needs to be in the essay (general stuff) and then go from there.  Throughout the 

writing process I am  constantly  revising.  Re-reading each sentence, and asking myself, "Wait, is that right? Is it too much 

or not enough?".  I could do this all day, but my essay would never get finished, so I usually just go with my gut in the end.  

The second draft revision process is sort of the same, for me.  I like to go into it thinking that the paper has not been written 

by me.  I need that sort of mindset to just do revising on what I think needs changed.  It makes it easier to try and look at the 

paper from an outsiders stand point.   I do read it over and over as well, also letting others read it and give me feedback.  

Letting other epode read it gives me a real view on how the reader is feeling and what they are thinking.  It usually ends up 

that the other person reading it has found a weird spot or a mistake that I didn't notice after all of the re-reading.  

With this essay, I hope to be able to bring it all together.  I think the first step was really understanding the poem.  I 

thought that I really understood it, but maybe going back to it after a few days, I can grasp it a little better.  I also feel I need 

to get better vocabulary.  In speech, I don't seem to reuse words, or repeat my thoughts, but for some reason I do in my 

writing, and I'd like to change that!!

I though this was kind of cool for those of us who aren't the best writers… :)

http://www.you-can-teach-writing.com/becoming-a-writer.html

photo credit: http://cheezburger.com/andykatz/lolz/View/3246163456

Frankenstein!

"Mingled with this horror, I felt the bitterness of disappointment: dreams that had been my food and pleasant rest for so long a space, were now become a hell to me; and the change so rapid, the overthrow so complete!"

(Mary Shelley: Page 35)

                Reading Frankenstein, I have found that it comes from positive place.  It's about someone who wanted something so bad; who had a passion.  This feeling doesn't stay long, though.  The book is about sadness, depression,  and confusion.  Victor is so passionate about creating life that it's what keeps him going, until what he creates is not what he expects.  He is frightened by what he sees when the creature opens his eyes.  It's not what he wanted or expected.  I think we can relate to something along these lines, even if it hasn't happened to us. Wanting, needing, and having a passion for something and then having it turn out terribly wrong.  It almost breaks your heart when you read it because you feel his pain.  

http://vintagegal.tumblr.com/post/4202373968/boris-karloff-and-colin-clive-on-the-set-of-bride

Very rough draft!!!

I have trouble with analysis I think.  I guess I need feedback on what to add and what not to add.  I have issues with over-analyzing and summarizing, so I tried not to...now I think I may not have put enough :(

Jamie Cottrell

Cline

ENG 102

09-17-11

The Goblin's Cry!

"Goblin Market", a poem written by Christina Rosetti was full of amazing description and imagery.  At first glance, the poem seems to be a fairy-tale with the goblins as the villains and Lizzie the heroin, yet there is more to it.  It's a tale of temptation, yes, but also how monstrosities are hiding beneath what the surface shows.  Laura is our victim showing what happens when we give into our temptations, and Lizzie shows us how we can over come our erosional fears and obstacles.

The poem opens up immediately with beautiful imagery of the goblins cry, 

"Come buy our orchard fruits,
Come buy, come buy:" (Goblin Market: Lines 3&4)

drawing the reader in.

"Taste them and try:
Currants and gooseberries,
Bright-fire-like barberries,
Figs to fill your mouth,
Citrons from the South,
Sweet to tongue and sound to eye;
Come buy, come buy." (Goblin Market: Lines 25-31) Enticing the reader to want more.  She makes the goblins' cry seem happy and merry.  The words paint a picture of fruits a plenty, seeming harmless enough.  It's almost as she wants us to use all of our senses to imagine how hard it must be for the maidens to ignore.  

Getting to know the goblin men a little more, we learn that they aren't as pleasing as one would hope.  

"One had a cat's face,
One whisk'd a tail,
One tramp'd at a rat's pace,
One crawl'd like a snail,
One like a wombat prowl'd obtuse and furry,
One like a ratel tumbled hurry scurry." (Goblin Market: Lines 71-76)

Rosetti describes them like little monsters.  She gave them animalistic characteristics, but not the sweet furry kind.  They have a creepy feeling; picturing half man-half animal crawling, and creeping, yet despite their hideous appearance, they are still sucking us in with their alluring voices.

"They sounded kind and full of loves" (Goblin Market: Line 79)

Their voices are what bring the story to a dark turn.  Laura, despite her sisters' warning,

"No, no, no;
Their offers should not charm us,
Their evil gifts would harm us." (Goblin Market: Lines 64-66)
gives in to the goblin men. 

"She clipp'd a precious golden lock,
She dropp'd a tear more rare than pearl,
Then suck'd their fruit globes fair or red:" (Goblin Market: Lines 126-128) The author put in line 127, because it shows that Laura was almost ashamed of what she was doing. She knew that their would be some sort of consequence, yet the goblin men were so intense she couldn't help herself. Everyone can relate to a situation where we have done something wrong because we can't handle the pressure of not knowing.  Laura, unlike her sister hasn't been a very strong character.

Time goes by, and Laura has to deal with the effects of eating the forbidden goblin fruits.  

"Laura turn'd cold as stone
To find her sister heard that cry alone," (Goblin Market: Lines 253&254)  She can no longer hear the Goblin's cry, even though she longs for it.  

"Day after day, night after night,
Laura kept watch in vain
In sullen silence of exceeding pain.
She never caught again the goblin cry:" (Goblin Market: Lines 269-272)

Things got worse and worse, until Lizzie decided she must do something to save her sister,

" Till Laura dwindling
Seem'd knocking at Death's door:
Then Lizzie weigh'd no more" (Goblin Market: Lines 320-322)

The poem looks up here, in a sense that it gives us hope.  Lizzie is about to fight her demons and do something for her sister before it is too late.  She knows what the monsters have done to Laura, yet her love overcomes her fear.  

When she returns to hear the goblins, they try and coax Lizzie the way they did her sister,
"Hugg'd her and kiss'd her:
Squeez'd and caress'd her:
Stretch'd up their dishes,
Panniers, and plates:" (Goblin Market: Lines 348-351)

She pays then their money, but when she does not want to enjoy their fruits with them, they grow evil.  

"They began to scratch their pates,
No longer wagging, purring,
But visibly demurring,
Grunting and snarling." (Goblin Market: Lines 390-393)

They become violent and mean.  Lizzie takes a beating from the men, but despite their madness she never gives in. 

"Though the goblins cuff'd and caught her,
Coax'd and fought her,
Bullied and besought her," (Goblin Market: Lines 424-426)

Lizzie triumphs over the goblin men, winning "Life out of death." (Goblin Market: Line 524) 

In the end, good overcomes evil.  Rosetti painted a beautiful and magical picture that draws us in, then turns for the worst.  She uses incredible imagery that captivates the reader helping us to really see the ugly that is beyond something so enchanting.  The lesson learned here is not only about not judging a book by its cover, but also our choices in life and how we must sometimes resist our deepest cravings as they may not always be what they seem.

Works Cited:

Rosetti, Christina. "Goblin Market." Goblin Market and other Poems. Cambridge: Macmillan, 1862. Print.

http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/40909/Goblin_Market.JPG

a sister's fairytale.

      

    "Goblin Market", by Christina Rossetti was full of amazing description and imagery.  It was the poem that really caught my attention, and stood out.  It's a story full of lust, love and giving in to temptation.  How a young girl couldn't resist the goblins, even though she knew it to be wrong.  "Laura bow'd her head to hear," (Rossetti's "Goblin Market" line 34) yet her sister knows not to and doesn't give in, "Lizzie veil'd her blushes:" (Rossetti's "Goblin Market" line 35) At the end, after Laura had given in to the goblins (who turn out to be evil after feeding her fruits that turned her close to death)

" She dwindled, as the fair full moon doth turn
To swift decay and burn
Her fire away. " (Rossetti's "Goblin Market" lines 278-280) Lizzie braved the goblins and saved her sister.  This is the main point that I loved about the poem.  A girl loved her sister so much that she put herself in danger to save her.  I have a sister, and I know that we would do the same for each other.  It's an amazing bond and I could really relate.  I also loved the image that the author put into it.  It was a fantasy land with copious amounts of descriptive words. 

       From lines 3 to 31, she opens up the world of the goblins where I could see, smell, and taste their fruits.  

"Sweet to tongue and sound to eye; 

Come buy, come." (Rossetti's "Goblin Market" lines 30 & 31)  This line makes me want to be there.  It's inciting, which is what the goblins are.  They ARE temptation.  I could list hundreds of lines where I felt I was really there.  I could see Laura and Lizzie. 

" Golden head by golden head, 

Like two pigeons in one nest 

Folded in each other's wings, " (Rossetti's "Goblin Market" lines 184-186) Two young women with smooth skin and beautiful curls.  It was a picture painted in my mind amazingly.  I loved the poem, the lesson it told, and the love felt in the happy ending.  I sat imagining the goblins, first happy, then mean and full of hate.  I saw Laura being young and pretty, then eating the fruit and then growing old looking. It was emotional and sad when the goblins tried frying the fruit to Lizzie,

"They trod and hustled her,
Elbow'd and jostled her,
Claw'd with their nails,

Barking, mewing, hissing, mocking,
Tore her gown and soil'd her stocking,
Twitch'd her hair out by the roots,
Stamp'd upon her tender feet,

Held her hands and squeez'd their fruits
Against her mouth to make her eat." (Rossetti's "Goblin Market" lines 399-407)

Yet, by the end it was bright and happy again.  

"Laura awoke as from a dream,
Laugh'd in the innocent old way,
Hugg'd Lizzie but not twice or thrice;
Her gleaming locks show'd not one thread of grey,
Her breath was sweet as May
And light danced in her eyes." (Rossetti's "Goblin Market" lines 537-542)

      It was a fairytale from start to finish full of metaphors like, " Her locks stream'd like the torch" (Rossetti's "Goblin Market" line 500) with a vital lesson to be learned.

Poem: "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti April, 1859

Photo: therainbownotebook.blogspot.com