senior year portfolio 2
DESCRIPTION
A collection of essays from my senior yearTRANSCRIPT
Table of Contents
Forward … 2
The White Knight … 3 – 4
The Villain and The Victim … 4 -5
Sir Gawain Critical Essay … 5 - 6
Diary Entry … 6 - 7
Frankenstein Essay … 7 - 8
The Lady of Shallot 8 - 10
The LADY of Shallot? … 10 - 11
1
Forward
My senior year was not what I expected. Stories of the final year of high school floated down the
hallways. “You can just take a bunch of blow-off classes.” “I never do any homework. I just sleep in most
of my classes.” “It is the easiest and best year of high school.” I believed these statements, and soon
enough it was time to begin my senior year. I expected to be walking down Easy Street.
I was in for a rude and sudden awakening. I found myself having to work harder. I was going to
have to earn that diploma. I worked through my first semester of senior year, and kept my grades up.
Not much had changed, including my style of writing. I did alright on my English papers, so I did not feel
the need, or motivation, to alter my style.
Whenever I had to write a paper, I would wait till the night before hand. I would proceed to sit
down, and just start typing. I rarely did a rough draft. I almost never did an outline, or a web chart. I just
started typing. I would type a paper all the way through, read it, make revisions, and then print it off.
This would make any English teacher cringe and want to hurt me. However, this was my senior year, and
I was trying to make it as easy as possible.
Within my papers, I would use mediocre vocabulary, and I did not put much into my sentence
structures. I used simple, compound, and complex sentences, but it was nothing great. I did a great deal
of summarizing in my writing. However, I managed to get A's and B's on papers.
Moreover, when I entered my second semester of senior year, I decided I wanted to take it easy,
and slack off. So I did not do some work, and my English grade slipped. I ended up having to actually
work on writing my papers. I now focused more on my sentence structures, and trying to improve my
word-choice. I was able to raise my English grade to pass the quarter.
As a result of my slacking off, my writing style has been reinvented. I now start papers a few
days before they are due. I do not do a complete outline, but I do jot down a few notes before I begin
typing. I use a thesaurus, and contemplate more on what I want to write.2
This year was my hardest year in high school. However, it was the most rewarding one. I learned
much more this year than the previous three years combined. I learned that pre-writing does really
make a difference. Taking the time to look up another work for “change” can give the paper a more
intellectual, and non-repetitive, conviction. Finally, I learned that I put less stress on myself by not
waiting till the night before.
These writings reflect only the beginning of my writing career. I hope to continue to develop and
nurture my writing style. It will mature over the years, and I will learn different writing techniques. I plan
to major in Broadcast Journalism and News Editorial, thus I will be able to sharpen all aspects of writing.
I am thankful for the foundation that my teachers have laid for me; a strong foundation waiting to be
built upon.
The White Knight
Good day to my future travelers! My name is Lady Salazar of Franklin, and I have come to join
you on the path to Canterbury. I am not traveling with you because I felt the need to leave my
homeland, or because I need a spiritual awakening. In fact, I am not on this journey for any reason for
myself. I am here for my family. They need the prayers that I intend to say upon our arrival to
Canterbury. I do not do things for myself, for you see, I am the White Knight.
I know that there are very few female knights. There are especially few female knights as dark-
skinned, and short as I. I have been complimented on my brown, curly hair and black eyes, but I refuse
to let them distract me. If you have not heard of me or my name, then I am doing the right thing. I try to
remain as anonymous as possible, for I see more reward in giving. I travel near and around my
hometown, doing what I can for others. I own nothing more than the clothing and armor on my back
and the sword at my side. That is all I need.
I spend my days helping others. I help women carry objects from the market to their homes. I
save children from getting hurt, and the men from dangers when they are drunk. I do other things, but 3
that is the general description. I do not want any rewards, or recognition, for what I do. I feel that the
giving is more than enough reward for me.
I am taking this journey to Canterbury for my family. They are facing a difficult time. My younger
sister has been ill for quite some time. My family does not have enough money to pay a doctor for a
cure. I am going to pray that God will help my parents earn enough money for the doctor. I am also
praying that God will give my sister the strength needed to endure the illness. My family does not know I
am here, and that is how I want it to be.
I hope that you will allow me to help where ever help is needed. I do not want any repayment
for what I do. I ask that you not announce when I have done something if you see it. Anonymous is my
name. I pray that journey will allow me to help others, and that we have safe travels.
The Villain and The Victim
The epic poem Beowulf, and the novel, Grendel, follow the same storyline; a monster, called
Grendel, attacks the mead hall. However, there is one obvious difference between the two tales: the
portrayal of Grendel. In one version, he is a villainous monster. On the other hand, he is a victim. These
two contrasting characterizations of the same character is what separates Beowulf from Grendel.
In Beowulf, the epic poem, Grendel is the fiend. Physically, he has a large body. Grendel's hands
are “plundering claws” with fur (l. 73). He is the son of a sea-witch mother. Intellectually, Grendel's
“thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws” (l. 35). However, he has little control over his own
emotions. Grendel would slip into the mead hall, and murder thirty men at once. When he was satisfied
with his work, Grendel would travel back “to his lair, delighted with his night's slaughter” (l. 40).
Grendel is the evil in Beowulf. He conducts his murderous raids on the mead hall because the
men were happy. Grendel lived in constant pain, and his home was “in a hell not hell but earth” (ll. 18-
19). Grendel was lonely, and it caused him pain to see all the men happy. He wanted that to feel the
same way: free of pain.4
On the other hand, Grendel is portrayed more so as a victim. In John Gardner's novel, Grendel,
Grendel is not a monster. His appearance is more closely to a human physique. Grendel possesses more
intellect in this characterization. He would listen to the men and realized “they talked in something akin
to my language which meant that we were, incredibly, related” (Gardner 4). Grendel is also able to
speak, and be understood by the men. For example, when Grendel and Unferth first meet, Grendel
speaks to him. This takes Unferth by suprise.
In Grendel, Grendel does not attack the mead hall because he is angry and in pain. He attacks
the mead hall because he does not like the way the men are when they are drunk. The drunken men
would go and terrorize others. They would raid other villages, and they even raided Grendel's cave. This
upsets him because he wants to interact with the men. Grendel felt that since they looked similar, he
would be able to join them.
Grendel's character evolves from one extreme to the next. He is both seen as the villain and the
victim. Grendel is the evil determined to slay men, and cause chaos within the village. He is also the
helpless victim who just wanted to interact with men. Like everything in life, there are two sides. This is
still present in today's society. People can be viewed as a monster and a misunderstood being. People
need to look at both characterizations, and decide for themselves who that person is; villain or victim.
Sir Gawain Critical Essay
Many twentieth century literary critics have dissected the tale, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
There is one main question proposed about the tale: was Sir Gawain acting with morality and with
chivalry? Manish Sharma states that Sir Gawain did not. She explains that Sir Gawain failed in several
ways. His first failure is not refusing the Green Knight's challenge. This shows that he does not value life.
Sir Gawain's second failure is he values his own life over everything else. Finally, Sir Gawain was not
critical in his interpretation of the Green Knight's challenge. The classification of the failure has been
argued over. Weiss, Nuis, and Strite argue that Sir Gawain's mistakes are ethical. Other critics, including 5
Blanch, Wasserman, and Shoaf, support the notion that the shortcomings are interpretative.
I agree with Manish Sharma. Sir Gawain did not show any concern for human life. He hearty
accepted the Green Knight's challenge, without stopping to interpret what the challenge could mean. Sir
Gawain did not flinch when he decapitated the Green Knight. However, when it came time for Sir
Gawain to receive his, he acted in a cowardly manner.
Diary Entry
June 7, 2008
Dear Diary,
What a day! Or should I say days? These past two days shall not be forgotten soon. We have just
gone through a flood. It all started on June 6th. It was just raining and raining. I was forced to stay inside
with Katie and Tyler instead of going on our planned bike ride. It had started raining early in the
afternoon, and did not lighten. It got harder. There was so much water. The ground was absolutely
saturated, and the creek in Providence Park was close to being filled. I did not worry too much since the
creek usually gets that high when it rains.
By eleven o'clock that night, we were in the midst of a full fledged thunderstorm. The rain came
down like God had turned on a hose and held it over Johnson County. I could feel the thunder shake the
house I went to bed. I woke up at eight o'clock to my baby sister sitting on my chest. She was talking to
me about something. I sat up and she pulled me to the window. It was still raining! I quickly showered
and dressed. My dad was already downstairs.
He had gone out and moved our truck, suburban, and car to the top of our driveway. He thought
he was overreacting, but left them up there. The rain kept falling, with no end in sight. We turned on the
news, and watched as the dams and levees near Martinsville began to crack, and burst.
Dad and I decided to try to get into town. We made turned onto Airport Road because U.S. 31 was
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completely flooded. With no luck going North, we turned about and headed South. We took 250 to
Greensburo Road. We made it all the way to the library, but my dad did not want to try to drive through
the flooded road in front of us. He was not sure if our truck could handle it since it was so deep.
By the time we returned home, the field next to our house was under six feet of water. Our
pond was spilling over the edge. My siblings and I moved all the books, and other valuable things to the
top floor. We also packed some clothes for everyone. My parents decided if the water reached a certain
point in the driveway, we would leave.
Thankfully, the rain has stopped! We cannot drive down our driveway, due to the fact that it is
underwater. But we did not have to evacuate our home. As I am sitting on our back deck, all I see is
water. All I have to say is, if it never rains again, that would be too soon!
Shelby
Frankenstein Essay
Victor Frankenstein brought to life the creature he created. However, the creature was not what
he hoped for, thus he abandoned the creature. The creature was hideous looking on the outside, so
other people mistreated him. There was nobody to show the creature any love or kindness. When the
creature finally found Victor, he told him his story, and asked for one favor. He asked Victor for a mate.
The creature tells Frankenstein how he had been mistreated since the day of his creation. He
tells the story of DeLancy, and how Felix beat him away. The creature also tells Victor of how he was
shot after saving the drowning girl. Since no man had shown him love or compassion, the creature
turned against man. The creature asked Victor Frankenstein to create a female creature, “with whom I
can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being (104).”
The creature tell Frankenstein, “what I ask of you is reasonable...(105).” The creature blames
Frankenstein and all men for his unhappiness. He says he will “... revenge my injuries...(104).” However,
the creature said if just one person showed him kindness, he would “return them an hundred and an 7
hundredfold; for that one creature's sake (105.” That is the first reason the creature gives Victor for
making the female. He will make peace with all mankind.
The creature is asking his creator for a small amount of happiness. The creature says, “you nor
any other human being shall ever see us again ... (105).” The creature said he would leave Victor alone,
which is what Victor wants. Frankenstein is starting to feel like he owes the creature this much. He
agrees to create the female, on the condition that the creature, “...quit Europe forever and every other
place in the neighborhood of man ... (107).”
As Victor is creating the female, he begins to have second thoughts. Victor is worried that she
“might refuse to comply with the compact ... (121).” He wondered if she will be more attracted to men
because the creature is so hideous. If the female creature was to leave the creature, Frankenstein feared
the creature would kill everyone.. Then Victor realized they might have children. He does not want to be
responsible for unleashing an army of demons on the world. He then destroys the female.
Victor did the wrong thing. He should have given the creature the female partner. There was too
much on the line. He put his entire family at risk, and all of mankind. This took away the creature's last
chance for happiness.
The Lady of Shallot
There was a river with fields of barley and rye on each side. Through the field is a road that leads
past Camelot. The people are always moving and looking down to where the river flows to the Island of
Shallot. There are four towers surrounded by four gray walls in a field of flowers. The silent island is
home to the Lady of Shallot. The ships are always sailing past the island, yet not one person has seen the
Lady. She has never waved her hand to them or has been seen standing in the window. Only the
farmers, working very early in the morning, hear a song traveling down the river. They stop and whisper,
“It's the fairy Lady of Shallot.”
The Lady of Shallot sewed all day and night, using colors so bright. She has heard a rumor of a 8
curse that will be on her if she stays in that tower. She does not know what the curse is, so the Lady of
Shallot sews all the time, without any other cares. Looking into the mirror, she sees the road leading to
Camelot. She sees the river swirling around, and the people walking about, passing the Island of Shallot.
The Lady of Shallot sees groups of girls, a curly-haired shepherd, and a page in red clothes all
walk by to Camelot. In her mirror, she also sees a knight or two on the way to Camelot. The poor Lady of
Shallot has no loyal and true knight of her own. She just continues on sewing what she sees in her
mirror. However, when the Lady of Shallot sees two lovers just married, she says, “I am half sick of
shadows.”
One day Sir Lancelot came riding through, the sun shining down on him. He shined like the stars
we see at night. Sir Lancelot rode down to Camelot, his sword shining in the light as he passed Shallot. It
was a clear, bright day and his helmet and feather looked like fire. He rode down to the Camelot and
was seen in the magic mirror, singing “Tirra lirra” by the river. The Lady of Shallot heard him. She
dropped her sewing, walked across the room, and looked out the window. She saw the lilies blooming
and Sir Lancelot's helmet. Suddenly, the mirror cracked from side to side. “The curse is come upon me,”
cried the Lady of Shallot.
A stormy wind blew, the trees swayed, and the rain came pouring down. The Lady of Shallot
walked down and found a boat. She carved her name into the side, got in the boat, and sailed off, letting
the river carry her away. Wearing a white dress, the Lady of Shallot sailed down the river, down to
Camelot. As she floated down the river, the people heard her singing her last song.
She sung her last song mournfully and loudly, singing till she died. Her blood froze and her eyes
turned dark. Floating to Camelot, she reached the first house. The Lady of Shallot was dead. She floated
by the house silently. The knight and the burgher, the lord and the dame all came outside and read her
name on the side of the boat. “Who is this?” they all asked, as they crossed themselves with fear. Sir
Lancelot appeared and said, “She had a lovely face; God in His mercy lend her grace, The Lady of 9
Shallot.”
The LADY of Shallot?
The Lady of Shallot, by Lord Alfred Tennyson, is the tragic tale of an unknown woman and her
curse. This woman is only known as the Lady of Shallot due to the fact that she lives on the Island of
Shallot. However, she is given no real name throughout the story. We are also never told why the Lady
of Shallot is important to Camelot. This, along with several other factors within the poem, reflects the
role of women in the Pre-Raphaelite period.
In the poem, the Lady of Shallot has a curse that hangs over her. She cannot leave the tower,
and we later discover why. If the Lady of Shallot leaves the tower, she dies. The curse goes even as far as
to not allow her to look out the window. Thus, she is forced to live in a dark, gray world with only a
mirror to catch glimpses of the outside world. As the Lady of Shallot watches the world, she weaves
what she sees into a tapestry. Then came the fateful day when she saw Sir Lancelot.
She was “sick of the shadows” and the Lady of Shallot rushes to the window to see Sir Lancelot.
The desire for love immediately fulfills the curse, and the mirror begins to crack and the tapestry
unravels (Mariotti 1). She carves her name into a boat and sails down the river to Camelot. The Lady of
Shallot dies, singing, before she reaches the town. The townspeople are afraid because she is unknown.
Sir Lancelot on the other hand is amazed by her beauty and wonders who the Lady of Shallot was.
The Lady of Shallot represents a woman who disregards her social responsibilities for love
(Mariotti 2). In the Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite era, women were expected to be submissive and to not
take impulsive actions. For many years, the Lady of Shallot sat quietly in the tower, passing the days by
weaving the imagines flashing in her mirror. This theme of submissiveness and being unknown is also
reflected in the way Tennyson wrote the poem. He puts much more emphasis on the settings of the
story (Mariotti 2). He puts more details into the tower, the landscape of the island and Camelot, and the
outside world. This in turn causes the Lady of Shallot to be “... a passive figure, subsumed into her 10
surroundings and defined by her task” (Mariotti 2).
In this piece of work, we are not told why the Lady of Shallot is important to Camelot. When she
leaves the tower, she sailed down the river. She ended on the shore in Camelot, where the townspeople
were startled by the discovery of the dead, unknown woman. Had she not carved her name into the side
of the boat, the Lady of Shallot would have forever remained unknown. The Lady of Shallot left the
tower in pursuit of love and a life; a life outside of the tower, the mirror, and the tapestry. Her arrival
into Camelot shakes up the town (Colley 4). The people are afraid because they do not know who she is.
They think there is an evil spirit accompanying the woman. They begin to bless themselves. Sir Lancelot
is captivated by her beauty.
Outside of that, the reason of the Lady of Shallot's importance to Camelot remains a mystery.
There is so much that remains a mystery throughout this poem. Critics have tried to decipher what Lord
Alfred Tennyson meant to convey through this story of tragic love. The Lady of Shallot is the
representative of the view of women back in that time period. She puts that state of passiveness into a
character. She represents the public view of women, and what their private, opposing desires are. By
leaving the tower, the Lady of Shallot challenges that public expectation of women. However, there are
numerous, unanswered questions for the future to unravel.
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