The Importance Of Being Earnest LRJ #1

Ryan Readinger

English 10 IB

May 10th, 2009

Ms. Peifer

The Importance Of Being Earnest LRJ#1

In Act One, Algernon describes how marriage is great, but proposing is like business. He feels that marriage and romance are an uncertainty. "The very essence of romance is uncertainty. I i ever get married, I'll certainly try to for get the fact."(Wilde,118). Algernon states this with a tone of blandness, he believes that marriage is good, but still not all that amazing, and his matter-of-fact tone implies this certain belief. His beliefs on marriage give the audience a slight look at what Algernon's character will turn out to be. These insights tell the audience that Algernon is a no nonsense character, or at least he pretends to be, because he is very open with the fact that there should'nt be divorces and that romance is no fun if you already know whats going to happen. "Oh! there is no use speculating on that subject. Divorces are made in Heaven"(Wilde, 118).
The tone of the conversation between Algernon and Jack is really quite proper, even if the things they are talking about aren't proper at all. They are always speaking in delicate and informed speech, as if they were trying to impress one another because they had just met. They both use extensive vocabulary in places they don't really need to, but that is part of the humor and wit contained in the play (Algernon: I may mention that I have always suspected you of being a confirmed and secret Bunburyist;, and I am quite sure of it now. Jack: Bunburyist? What on earth do you mean by a Bunburyist?"(Wilde, 121)

LRJ #2

Ryan Readinger

English 10 IB

April 26, 2009

Ms. Peifer

Haiku And Senryu Poems

In "On a Withered Branch" by Matsuo Basho, nature is well represented. When Basho says "A crow has settled"(line 2), the crow represents the sun, according to Japanese culture. So nature is represented in the sun and the withered branch, which represents seeing the sun through the trees. The Significance of nature in this poem is that the poem is about the sun and trees, and the sun gives life to all nature.
In "Even Stones in Streams" by Uejima Onitsura, the importance of nature is that even the stillest things in nature can still create a wonderful noise or, in this case, a song. Onitsura says"Even stones in streams of moutain water compose"(line 1-2), and what he means to say is that even the most bleak things in nature can be lively.
In "Blossoms on the Pear" by Taniguchi Buson, nature is very imporant in the setting of this partuicular haiku. It would be meaningless if Buson said just "A woman in the moonlight reads a letter"(line 2-3), so Buson adds a bit of imagery into his peice, and thus making it wonderful to image in the mind. That is the importance of nature in all haikus, as well as this one.
In "A Morning-Glory Vine" by Kobayashi Issa, nature has intertwined itself with the makings of man, thus strengthening Issa's hut with the blossoms of the morning glories. Nature is the all-important part of this haiku, making the hut more beautiful to the mind's eye, and giving detail to the poem

Haikus and Senryus may be similar in structure and format, but they are totally different in tone and meaning. The Haikus are meant to be thought envoking and natural, whereas the senryus are really meant to be sort of comedic and funny. The haiku was intended for more educated persons, but the senryu was intended for everyone. The was no deeper meaning in the senryus, and the haikus you had to think about the peom to get your own understanding of what the author was trying to convey.

Many leaves and herbs
from the great earth and fresh soil
make this cup of tea

Along a great wall
wiht thousands of hooves pounding
I sit thinking

As You Like It LRJ #5

Ryan Readinger

English 10 IB

3/16/09

Ms. Peifer

As You like It LRJ #5

Act Five is probably the most exciting act out of them all, and probably the most active too. Almost all the characters are seen on-stage in this act, and most of them are heard from. The ending is great with everybody finding love in some way or another. Duke Senior doesnt necessarily find love, but he comes across it with his daughter Rosalind and Orlando.

In Act Five, most of the action takes place in the Forest of Arden, where Duke Senior resides as an exile of his brothers court. It takes about half of the act to get to a scene that he is in. In Scene Four, he is talking with Orlando about his upcoming wedding to the Dukes daughter Rosalind.

Duke Senior in Act Five wants his daughter to get married to Orlando. That's pretty much his goal, which would also be the same as Orlando and Rosalind. He achieves this goal by making sure the festivities will go on, and by giving his word to Ganymede that he will give his daughter to be married to Orlando.

Duke Seniors relationships in this act are pretty much the same as they have been for most of the time. His relationship with his brother that hates him doesn't change at all throughout the play, and he stays friendly with almost everybody else. He invites the marriages of the different couples at the end of Act Five, so that makes him a loving and loveable guy.

As You Like It LRJ #4

Ryan Readinger

English 10 IB

3/19/09

Ms. Peifer

As You Like It LRJ #4

As in Act Three, Duke Senior does not appear on-stage in Act Four. He is mentioned about in a scene, but not explicitly. Even though he doesn't appear much on stage, he does have an important role overall in the plot for As You Like It. He is still in the Forest of Arden, enjoying himself as he always does. He doesn't play that key of a role in the mix of things in Act Four, but his existence is important enough for him to be significant throughout the play. He still controls his band of merry men, and in one scene in Act Four, Jaques and other lords are bringing back a deer for the band to eat."Let's present him[the deer] to the/ Duke like a Roman conqueror."(3-4,4.3). That shows that the men are still loyal to him and still pay respect to him. Duke Senior still plays a role of authority even though he is in exile in a strange forest.

As You Like It LRJ #3

Ryan Readinger

English 10 IB

3/16/09

Ms. Peifer

As You Like It LRJ #3

Duke Senior in Act Three does not appear in the text, but he still plays an important role in the plot of the play. Even though you dont hear from him, he still has importance and significance to other characters. Duke Senior is still an outcast from Duke Frederick's, his brother, court. He still presides in the Forest of Arden with his band of merry men, along with other characters that have ventured into the forest as well. He has met with his daughter, but not knowing it was her, and she talked with him.

Duke Senior is in the Forest of Arden enjoying the life of an exile during Act Three. He doesnt really ever move from the Forest, and he enjoys it there so he shouldn't have to. He doesnt ever appear on stage either in Act Three.

Duke Seniors goal in this act is to lay low and have a good time with trustworthy friends. He wants and acheives this in all acts. He doesnt want to cause harm to anybody or cause conflict between anybody, so he pretty much stays on everybodys side for most of the time.

The relastionships with the Duke and other characters remain the same, but also more relationships develop off the stage. Ganymede visits the Duke in the Forest and speaks with him, and, of course, he doesnt realize the Ganymede is actually his daughter, Rosilynde. That relationship remains good and healthy, and she praises his parenting in a sly way. "I met the Duke yesterday and had much/ question with him. He asked me of what parentage, I was. I told him, of as good as he. So he laughed/ and let me go."(33-36, 3.4)

As You Like It LRJ #2

Ryan Readinger

English 10 IB

3/11/09

Ms. Peifer

As You Like It LRJ #2

In Act Two of As You Like It, Duke Senior makes regular appearances and it is easier for the audience to understand his character and his motives and how he develops throughout the play. From Act One to Act Two, there really is no character development in him, I believe because Shakespeare intends for Duke Senior to be the old, wise, mentor figure. His mentality stays the same thoughout the act, with no real change in the way he thihnks or speaks.

As in Act One, Duke Senior is in the Forest Of Arden with his great and jolly companions. He makes appearances throughout the act, and all of the scenes he appears in are set in the forest. He is almost always accompanied by other lords or others of his loyal followers. His positions in the forest will almost undountedly lead to interaction with him and his daughter, whether he will recognize her or not is unknown to the audience. It also shows that Duke Frederick still reigns in his court, and that he still leads the life of an outcast.

For the most part, Duke Senior remains to be the character that is the mentoring figure, and older and much wiser person than say Orlando or some of his Lords. His goal I think is to stay in the Forest Of Arden with his good friends, and remain in exile to keep everybody happy. That is really his overall goal, and it is also his goal throughout the acts. Duke Senior relaxes in exile, which all in all is his goal, so that is what he does to achieve it.

The relationships between Duke Senior and the other characters in the play are mostly good and healthy relationships. The only relationship that is not good and healthy is with all of the people that dislike him or don't trust him in Duke Frederick's court. Duke Senior doesn't really do anything to cure the relationship, but he also doesn't do anything to make it worse.

As You Like It LRJ #1

Ryan Readinger

English 10 IB

3/11/09

Ms Peifer

As You Like It LRJ #1

Duke Senior is the older, wiser, but also more carefree character in the play. He is content with just being with the woods with loyal friends, and he doesn't really seem to be phased by his expulsion from the court by Duke Frederick. He and his counterparts relax in the Forest of Arden, with not really a care in the world, but he still does have things to say to people, using is knowledge to assert his authority.

In Act One, Duke Senior is in the Forest of Arden with his loyal band of merry, merry men. He has already been banished from the court and had his throne usurped, and yet he still is happy in the forest, without a care for the court of his younger brother. This sets up the contest between the two and the implications of that because since Rosalynd is his daughter, Duke Frederick banishes her as well. That is pretty much the basis of the play, so Duke Senior being an outcast is a major part of the plot.

Duke Seniors goal and ambition is unclear in this act since we never hear from him. It is assumed that he is in the forest with his loyal companions, relaxing and having fun in the forest. His motive may be later explained in the play, but in Act One it remains unclear.

Duke Seniors relationships are again not known yet, but it is also assumed he has good relationships with all of his loyal men, but that his relationship with his younger bother, Duke Frederick is not good in the slightest. His relationship with his daughter is also not known, for they have not spoken yet in the play.