March82012
If you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you bring? I have been asked this question many times and my answer sometimes includes a ping-pong table, sun glasses, and a book titled, “How to Build a Boat.”  I have never been stranded on a desert island, but Prospero has.  The play, The Tempest, is set on an island in the New World where Prospero and Miranda must live away from their home of Milan.   What three things would Prospero bring to a desert island? This first thing Prospero would pack is his magic.  Prospero gains his power from his magic.  Without it he would be powerless and weak.  Power is one characteristic that reminds him of his great life back in Milan.  The constant reminder of what he left behind pushes Prospero find a way back home. The next item on Prospero’s list is a book titled, “Manipulation 101.”  Prospero’s power doesn’t only come from his magic, but from his ability to easily manipulate others.  When He first arrived in the island, Prospero quickly gained control over Caliban and Ariel making them his indentured slaves.  With the ability to exploit those around him, Prospero gains authority over all existing forms of power and is able to create his own hierarchy of command. And finally, Prospero would bring his daughter, Miranda.  Like Prospero said in the play, Miranda is 1/3 of himself.  Miranda is Prospero’s only human connection to his past and the his only reason to have a bright future.  We see Prospero’s devotion to Miranda throughout the play.  Without Miranda, Prospero would not be civil and seek pure revenge for what his brother did. So, what three things would you bring if you were stranded on a desert island?  This question doesn’t ask how or why you got onto the island, or even how you would get off.  The question is about the time you spend on the island and what is most important to you.   What does Prospero care about and what does that reveal about his character? Do the things we bring define who we are and what we stand for? -Rachel F.

If you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you bring?

I have been asked this question many times and my answer sometimes includes a ping-pong table, sun glasses, and a book titled, “How to Build a Boat.”  I have never been stranded on a desert island, but Prospero has.  The play, The Tempest, is set on an island in the New World where Prospero and Miranda must live away from their home of Milan.  

What three things would Prospero bring to a desert island?

This first thing Prospero would pack is his magic.  Prospero gains his power from his magic.  Without it he would be powerless and weak.  Power is one characteristic that reminds him of his great life back in Milan.  The constant reminder of what he left behind pushes Prospero find a way back home.

The next item on Prospero’s list is a book titled, “Manipulation 101.”  Prospero’s power doesn’t only come from his magic, but from his ability to easily manipulate others.  When He first arrived in the island, Prospero quickly gained control over Caliban and Ariel making them his indentured slaves.  With the ability to exploit those around him, Prospero gains authority over all existing forms of power and is able to create his own hierarchy of command.

And finally, Prospero would bring his daughter, Miranda.  Like Prospero said in the play, Miranda is 1/3 of himself.  Miranda is Prospero’s only human connection to his past and the his only reason to have a bright future.  We see Prospero’s devotion to Miranda throughout the play.  Without Miranda, Prospero would not be civil and seek pure revenge for what his brother did.

So, what three things would you bring if you were stranded on a desert island?  This question doesn’t ask how or why you got onto the island, or even how you would get off.  The question is about the time you spend on the island and what is most important to you.  

What does Prospero care about and what does that reveal about his character?

Do the things we bring define who we are and what we stand for?

-Rachel F.

True Life truelife Prospero If you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you bring? The Tempest William Shakespeare Miranda power important English desert island island 

February92012

In 7th grade we read The Tempest and maintained a blog/chat similar to this Tumblr.  Strangely, I remember what I posted as a thirteen year old and now four years later I have a greater understanding.  Parentheses by The Blow is about the trust two people have and how their individual personalities contribute to creating this trust.  Four years ago, I interpreted the lines, “There’s plenty space to encase/ whatever weird way my mind goes,/ I know I’ll be safe in these arms” to sum up with relationship between Prospero and Miranda.  All throughout her childhood Miranda has grown up without an understanding of where she comes from until Act 1, Scene 2 in the Tempest when she asks what she is.  Miranda has trusted her father all these years in his “arms” to protect her because she is vulnerable to the unknown in the world.  What does Miranda’s unwavering trust reveal about her character?  Values she was brought us with? And her expectations of her father?  Now, I would like the interpret the opening lines, “Some philosophies fuel a belief in the self,/ constructed to keep one’s goods on one’s own shelf.”  This part of the song underlines the human condition to withhold parts of ones self or ones true actions.  Not disclosing the whole truth is just as bad as lying to someone.  In The Tempest, Prospero puts obstacles in the way of Miranda and Ferdinand’s love to force Ferdinand into enslavement.  Prospero repeatedly uses magic to get others to do what he wants and he never reveals the truth behind his malicious actions.  By withholding the truth behind his actions what does Prospero reveal about his true motives?  Are his untruthful actions deemed acceptable if they don’t hurt anyone?

-Rachel F.

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December152011

Use of Poor

Through out the novel the word “poor” is used as an adjective to describe that of both Harriet and Mrs. Taylor and even once to describe Emma. We previously discussed how the adjective poor is used to describe women of unfavorable circumstance. This got me thinking of what word we as a society today use to describe women of unfavorable circumstances, and I just can not think of one as universal as the word poor in Emma. What dose the repetitive meaning really mean? and is there a word that is commonly used today, used as poor is in Emma?

-Sierra

True Life quotes 

November172011
I think its interesting that the movie based (loosely) on Emma is called Clueless because in the chapters we have been reading (12-14) Mr. John Knightly tells Emma that she is the object of Mr. Eltons affection, which has been displayed ovbiously countless times before in his actions and words, yet she remains clueless and sticks with her assertation. -Clare Schneider

I think its interesting that the movie based (loosely) on Emma is called Clueless because in the chapters we have been reading (12-14) Mr. John Knightly tells Emma that she is the object of Mr. Eltons affection, which has been displayed ovbiously countless times before in his actions and words, yet she remains clueless and sticks with her assertation.

-Clare Schneider

(Source: mouthlikeamagazine)

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