Thoughts of Today

This morning I was watching the news and they said President Obama's stimulus plan passed the Senate House with about 200 supporting votes and 100 nays. I'm really not sure if the stimulus will actually work, because most of the $800 billion dollars is going for spendings. The stimulus plan especially will help the home foreclosure crisis and bailout banks around the nation. Where is the government going to get $800 billion dollars though? The government would be in an even greater debt just to support the ec0nomy. Of course our situation right now is not as nearly like the Depression, but it still took a long period for the economy to rebuild. So we can expect the same for the recession right now too. I think it will probably take five to ten years to keep the economy in order again. Everyone has high expectations of Obama and let us all hope everything will get resolve soon. Everyone is tired of this bad economy already.

Beowulf: LRJ #1

Annie Moua
10 IB Prep 5th Hour
Ms. Peifer
05 Nov. 2008

One value presented in Beowulf is the ritual for a proper funeral. "They stretched their beloved lord in his boat,/laid out by the mast, amidships,/the great ring-giver. Far-fetched treasures were piled upon him, and precious gear (Heaney 34-37). Instead of giving Shield a burial, his people laid his body on a ship along with many treasures and some of Shield's closest belongings. They let the ship drift into the sea without knowing who salvaged the ship and his body afterward. A proper funeral viewed to their society is not seen as a burial, but as a journey to the other world through the sea.

A literacy tools used by Heaney in the story of Beowulf is alliteration. "Then out of the night/came the shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift;/the hall-guards were slack" (Heaney 703-704). The alliteration describes the movement of Grendel entering the hall. It gives the reader a better image of a large, dark shadow walking swiftly at a steady pace, approaching the men sleeping in the hall.

Kennings are used numerous times in the story of Beowulf. An example of a kenning is "the Lord of Life" (Heaney 16). "Lord of the Life" refers to God. The significance of this kenning is that it is proclaiming God as an important worship to the people, because of his creation of life. Another kenning found in Beowulf is "mail-shirts glinted,/hard and hand-linked; the high-gloss iron of their armour rang" (Heaney 321-322). "Mail-shirts" refer to chain mails. The kenning signifies that chain mails have been made into shirts and armor for protection during battle.

Antigone Paper

Annie Moua
10 IB Prep 5th Hour
Ms. Peifer
26 Nov. 2008

Antigone is an innocent women. Her decision to bury Polyneices followed the law of the gods, laws, which are even higher than the law of the state. There is no fault for her loyalty to her family. Also the death of Polyneices and Eteocles resulted from the greed for power, so their honor and consequence are of the same level. The burial of Polyneices was an action of justice not a crime.

Antigone buried Polyneices for the honor of her brother's soul and as a contribution of respect to the gods. "My honours for the dead/must last much longer than for those up here...for those laws the gods all hold in honour" (Sophocles 92). The laws of the gods are unbreakable and they hold a stronger value to the people than the laws of the state. Even though Antigone did break the laws of the state, she followed the more significant laws of the gods. "The most important part of true success/is wisdom—not to act impiously/towards the gods" (Sophocles 1491-1493). As the ending lesson, the downfall of Creon sets an good example of why one should not underestimate the laws of the gods. He saw his laws more valuable than the laws of the gods.

Antigone views her family as an important part of her life. " I’ll still bury him. It would be fine to die/while doing that. I’ll lie there with him, /with a man I love, pure and innocent,/for all my crime" (Sophocles 89-91). Making sure Polyneices had a proper burial was so important to her that she knew her consequence would be death. She had a strong purpose to bury Polyneices and she saw it as the most rightful thing to do.


She also felt that the fight between Polyneices and Eteocles should not be a reason to bury one with honor and leave the body of the other to birds and dogs to feast on."But the one who died/was not some slave—it was his own brother" (Sophocles 588-589). Antigone felt it was not necessary one of her brother's fault.

As a good citizen, Antigone followed the law of the gods, the most important laws. As a loyal sister, she felt it was her duty to honor her family. Antigone also saw no point to buried just one of her brothers when both of them fought for power. Therefore, Antigone is an innocent person, who stood for justice and honor even when others didn't think so.


Works Cited:
Sophocles. “Antigone.” Sophocles Antigone. Trans. Ian Johnston. 9 Aug. 2008. Vancouver Island University Malaspira. 24 Nov. 2008 <http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/index.htm>.

LRJ #2: Antigone

Annie Moua
10 IB Prep 5th Hour
Ms. Peifer
26 Nov. 2008

Sophocles uses imagery of the corpse of Polyneices repeatedly in Antigone. "He’s to have no funeral or lament,/but to be left unburied and unwept,/a sweet treasure for the birds to look at,/for them to feed on to their heart’s content/" (Sophocles 34-37). The imagery can be seen as a representation of honor and respect. The concept of scavenging birds and dogs feasting on Polyneices, disturbed Antigone deeply. She was highly against leaving the Polyneices without a proper burial. "He’ll be left unburied,/his body there for birds and dogs to eat,/a clear reminder of his shameful fate" (Sophocles 234-236). In contrast, Creon believed Polyneices deserved to be feasted by birds and dogs. The imagery of the corpse is important, because it is basically the controversy if Polyneices should be left in the plains for birds and dogs to eat his body or give him a formal burial.

The fatal flaw of Creon starts to unravel with his conversation with the prophet, Teiresias. "You know you’re speaking of the man who rules you" (Sophocles 1184). At that point, the reader can come to a conclusion that Creon has been thinking of himself as someone superior to everyone else with a very arrogant opinion. "You can be sure/you won’t change my mind to make yourself more rich" ( Sophocles 1190). Creon, being stubborn argues with Teiresias, even though he knows Teiresias has never been wrong before. By not listening to Teiresias' words more carefully, his own actions creates a chain of tradegy.

The anagnorisis in Antigone appears after Creon talks to Teiresias. "Alas—it’s difficult. But I’ll give up./I’ll not do what I’d set my heart upon./It’s not right to fight against necessity" (Sophocles 1236-1238). Creon realizes he misunderstood the situation and accepts the fact that he had made a mistake. He can't fight against fate, because of what Teiresias about "a corpse in payment for these corpses" (Sophocles 1195).

Peripeteia resulted in the downfall of Creon. Creon reached Antigone too late and she hung herself. Haimon stabbed himself and he died. When the news reached the queen, Eurydice, she committed suicide too. "I’ve just held/my own son in my arms, and now I see/right here in front of me another corpse./Alas for this suffering mother" (Sophocles 1440-1443). Creon's mistakes led him to lose everyone he had. The whole situation turned around and everything went wrong unexpectedly.

Catharsis, the emotions of pity or fear from the audience, appeared at the very end. As Creon's last line, he said "i killed you, my son, without intending to,/and you, as well, my wife. How useless I am now./I don’t know where to look or find support./Everything I touch goes wrong, and on my head/fate climbs up with its overwhelming load" (Sophocles 1340-1344). The audience can feel pity and sympathy for Creon. He lost all his love ones because of his own careless actions. He finally realize his life worth nothing now with no support.

In Antigone, women are characterized as feeble people, but also people with great loyalty and compassion. "We must remember that by birth we’re women,/and, as such, we shouldn’t fight with men" (Sophocles 62-63). In the Thebes society, women are in a lower class than the men. Ismene believes they are only women and they don't have power equal to men. However, Antigone contradicts this idea that women have no power. Antigone stood up for a proper burial for her brother although it went against the law. Loyalty and compassion is shown from her actions to go against the words of Creon and rightfully buried Polyneices. She knew her punishment was death, but she still continued her task.



Works Cited:
Sophocles. “Antigone.” Sophocles Antigone. Trans. Ian Johnston. 9 Aug. 2008. Vancouver Island University Malaspira. 24 Nov. 2008 <http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/index.htm>.

Thebes Times: Burial of Polyneices?

Antigone, the person who buried Polyneices? No signs of digging or wheel tracks were discovered at first, but a group along with the sentry kept guard over the plains of Thebes and found Antigone at the scene of the crime, pouring wine on what seemed to be the burial of Polyneices. It was later revealed that it was she who buried him a day ago. Disobeying King Creon's commands, Antigone removed Polyneices's body from its original place and buried him lightly with dirt, just enough to relief the ghost of Polyneices, according to the sentry.

When interviewed, Antigone did not deny the crime, but simply accepted the consequences. When asked her real motive, she replied she could not bare to see one of dear brothers go without a burial after both her brothers fell to the palm of Death. King Creon was furious when the news reached him. He immediately arrested Antigone.

However what do the people of Thebes think? It seems like the opinions are deeply divided. Some argue Antigone's action was greatly against the law. Some argue her actions came from her love for her family especially after the incident with her father, Oedipus. More information will be given soon. Stay tune for more updates.

Actual Blog Assignment.

Technology? I feel like I don't need to explain much about it, because its such a big part of everyone's life already. We're surrounded by technology and I bet we'll be even more dependent on it. If there is ever going to be a worldwide blackout or malfunction, I bet people would go crazy and I think that's one of the downfall of technology. When we start to depend so much on it, it's difficult to live without it. For me, personally, I'm like that. I can't live without the computer, the T.V., or my ipod. (Soon, it will be my cellphone after my parents get it!)

Over the summer, my internet was down for some unknown reason. So I was left without the net for a month. It was very stressful, because I couldn't check my emails or chat with my friends online anytime I wanted too. I had to go to the library or my grandparent's house to use it and I was barely able to. I was so unhappy about it everyday. Inside, I was screaming for the net. So I begged my dad to reinstall it. I got very annoying after awhile and so he did evenutally. :)

I'm grateful that we're able to set up blogs for classes. It is a great way to start an online community. I think students are able to address and share their ideas more openly. It's really fun too! Like I said in my first blog that I ever made, I never knew we could do this. I didn't even know this website existed!

It would be so awesome, if all our classes had a system somewhat like this. I think students would feel more motivated to do their work, because its such an interesting way to learn. Plus, it saves paper, so its helping the environment. Our world has enter into the Technology Age, so why not the school go more in depth too?

First Blog I Ever Made:)

I have never done this before and so far it has been very fun. I wouldn't call myself an expert on computers, but I think its cool that we're able to do this in class. I think a lot of people don't even know about this and its amazing how fast young people are adapting and using technology to their advantages. I didn't even know websites like this one exist. I think it's more motivating for students to do their work, because its more interesting to post blogs than just writing regular LRJ's on paper. Plus, you get the advantage of getting feedback from other classmates:)