Table of Contents:

Foreword: pg. 1

Chaucer Character Essay: pg. 3

Beowulf Compare and Contrast: pg. 5

Diary Project: pg. 8

Modest Proposal Essay: pg. 10

Frankenstein Newspaper Article: pg. 13

Frankenstein Essay: pg. 14

Prose Piece- “Lady of Shallot:” pg. 15

Literary Analysis: pg. 17

1

Senior year has brought several new and interesting challenges. From

learning to balance school, work, and the business that accompanies the last

year of high school, I have discovered something which will be essential in

my future college life. Good writing takes focus. I have always thought of

myself as a good writer. I have historically always done well on essays and

compositions without much effort, and I did the same thing this year. Slowly

throughout the course of this year, however, I became very discontent with

my writing. I felt like the half job I had been doing was not sufficient and I

should hold myself to a much higher standard if I want to grow both as a

writer and as a person.

What follows this writer’s statement is not my best writing, however it

is what I wrote and should be judged as such. While these pieces are not

alone in mediocrity, the mediocrity will hopefully be isolated to my high

school career. There is something to be said of taking pride in your work. I

have taken great pride in work that I have done in the past, but this year I

failed to accomplish this. I feel like I let myself down this year, and I hope to

accomplish more in the future. Despite my shortcomings, I believe that my

writing has grown a great deal this year. While the growth may not be

evinced very clearly in the works that follow, I believe that I learned a great

deal this year about what my writing should not be. I tend to be wordy and

redundant. I waste too much time using generic adjectives and adverbs.

Additionally, my sentence structure is very repetitive and leads the reader to

get bored very easily.

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I hope to remedy these issues next year and in the years to come by

working on improving my writing through repetition. I intend on doing a

great deal of reading and writing this summer in the hope of reaching my

maximum potential in my literary capabilities. Only through this can I truly

achieve what I would like to achieve next year and for the rest of my life.

3

Greetings my fellow voyagers! My name is Theodoric the Vain. I have

explored the far ends of the earth and discovered many lands. In other

nations they know me by many different names, but you can refer to me as

“Theo.” I am pleased to make your acquaintance as I am sure you are

thrilled to make mine. As the greatest explorer in history, I am naturally

sought after by kings and queens on all ends of the earth. Today, however,

you have the privilege of making an expedition with me. I assure you that

this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. When you return to your humble

abodes, your wives and children will surely be flabbergasted at the fact that

a lowly peasant like yourself had the honor of being escorted by the greatest

discoverer this world (or any other world) has ever seen.

This is one of the few trips that I am taking voluntarily, as the majority

of my travel comes at the request of royalty. Actually, request is putting it

quite lightly. Typically, I have a king offering me his daughter’s hand in

marriage along with more wealth than you can even imagine. Naturally I

decline these requests, however, as I would find it degrading to take such

compensation for what I do. I travel for the glory, the honor, and the women.

I have a natural sense of bravery and courage that few women can resist.

Obviously, I have accumulated a great deal of glory, honor, and women over

the years, but one thing that I have never acquired was knowledge of Sir

Thomas Beckett.

4

I have traveled far and wide and I have seen many nations and many

people, but one person has made an indelible mark on me. While traveling

through Europe, I encountered a lowly peasant like you. I was traveling quite

heavily at the time as I had not had time to store my equipment anywhere.

At the time I stored all of my maps in a leather-bound booklet with my name

inscribed on it. It just so happened that I dropped by booklet and did not

realize its disappearance until much later. Without my maps I would lose

everything I had as I would serve no purpose. This peasant retrieved the

booklet and searched far and wide to find me to return my maps, and when

he did I praised him for what felt like years. Honestly, this was the first time

I had ever thanked anyone for anything. At the time, he said, he was on his

way to Canterbury and I made it my goal to go there someday and I never

did. Today I shall meet that goal just as I have met every goal in my past.

5

To most modern readers, Beowulf may appear to be barbaric, savage,

or at the very least arrogant. During the Anglo-Saxon period, however, he

was not only heroic, but noble and brave as well. Despite the sharp

contrasts between Anglo-Saxon culture and our own, several aspects of the

character of Beowulf can still be perceived as heroic today as long as it is

read in the correct mindset. The values of the Anglo-Saxon period such as

honor, the role of fate, the importance of family history, and loyalty are all

evinced throughout the epic of Beowulf.

Despite its age, the epic of Beowulf embodies an arrogant search for

honor that has resonated throughout all of time, including the present.

Beowulf does not seek wealth, fame, fortune, infamy, or anything between.

All Beowulf desires is glory. Glory can be solely accomplished through an

honorable and venerable battle. This is why he requests to battle Grendel

without the assistance of any of Hrothgar’s men (ll. 244-245). Additionally,

he acknowledges the fact that Grendel cannot battle with weaponry,

therefore he decides to fight the beast barehanded to level the proverbial

playing field (ll. 246-247). Additionally, however, he makes sure to boast the

honor and glory he has already achieved in his lifetime such as hunting sea

monsters and being a highly revered warrior (ll. 230-236).

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Another key aspect to the Anglo-Saxon culture was the role of fate.

Later replaced by a supposed higher deity, fate was the “god” of a pagan

time period. He not only attributes his successes to fate (l. 237), but he also

his failures (ll. 796-797). Fate is not only an intervening entity, but also a

personified, biased individual. The Anglo-Saxons believed that their entire

existence was based upon fate. If fate deemed them worthy to accomplish a

goal or win a battle, then fate has the final say above work, strength, and

ability.

Every official Beowulf met, he introduced himself not by a name or a

nationality, rather by his lineage. When he first meets the Danish guard at

the beach, he utilizes his family history to gain a level of both trust and

respect from the soldier (ll. 156-159). In the Anglo-Saxon period, one’s

lineage was thought to be a fortuitous representation of one’s capabilities,

aspirations, and accomplishments. Despite Beowulf’s innumerable

accomplishments, he mentions his father’s above his own. This pride is no

doubt the result of strong family histories. This does not end at his direct

lineage either. He also mentions his cousin (l. 221) to substantiate his

strength.

Loyalty, thought by many to be the most noble of all the Anglo-Saxon

characteristics, is fundamental to comprehend the premise of the epic.

Death is not an object to Beowulf as long as his nobility and loyalty remain

intact (ll. 265-267). Without fully comprehending the concept of true loyalty,

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the foundation of the entire story is inconceivable. No man in the modern

age would rather die than retreat in the heat of battle, in the epic of Beowulf,

however, this is a reality. Beowulf proves time and time again that he would

rather die in a blaze of glory than run from a battle (ll. 755-758). This hubris,

however, would inevitably be his downfall.

Without fully comprehending the context of the epic of Beowulf, no one

can easily comprehend the subtext. The Anglo-Saxon period was a rich time

that defined a very distinct part of our history. Several of their values have

died off, but a select few live on today in our everyday lives. Through his

honor, fate, lineage, and loyalty, Beowulf substantiated his claim as the

quintessential Anglo-Saxon. In the end, however, the only thing that

mattered was his inevitable grave.

8

            Today has been a glorious day.  This morning I was walking to the

convenience store where I work and that’s when I saw it.  I saw one beautiful

silver airplane strike the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan.  The north

tower was the first one struck.  I rejoiced when I saw this, not because I

wanted Americans dead, but rather because of what this represented to my

family and me.  No longer did America stand tall and reign supreme as the

kings of the world.  Today, someone took a blow at them and they could not

strike back, because of Allah’s will.

            Oh sweet Allah!  Do my eyes deceive me?  As I am sitting here

writing this entry, another plane just hit the south tower.  This is beautiful. 

Allah is great!  I feel sympathy for those who have died, but I feel so much

satisfaction knowing that today America was attacked.  For years they have

supported the Jews and those who wish to persecute my people.  Today the

persecutors have become the persecuted and I am very excited. 

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            I just walked over to Times Square where I learned that the Pentagon

was also hit.  This is great.  I find it hard to believe that the people who have

been bullying my friends and family are finally forced to suffer.  It feels so

good to know that I am not alone in my frustration and now I do not have to

be alone in my redemption.  Today, America was dealt a great blow at the

hands of the people they have tortured.  This is the same America who

supported the Jews when they killed my brother last year.  This is the same

America who supported the Jews that took my house.  This is the same

America that has military occupying my homeland.  They deserve to be

leveled, and finally someone has done it.  Today has been great.  Today

Israel is crushed and Allah’s will can be done!  Today is the day that

Americans learn, once and for all, that the Persian gulf is not their home and

they should stay away from it.  Allah be praised!

10

Every day, thousands of children go to sleep in orphanages and foster

homes all across America. Adoption rates are growing, but despite this, over

251,000 children are still in foster care. We need to work together to find

these children good homes. The quagmire that the United States now finds

itself in is that these children have nowhere to go. They need to be raised by

someone who truly loves them and cares about them, and no one loves

these children more than pedophiles. We would like to make the most

modest proposal to you to help these children find homes and help fulfill the

lives of those pedophiles who have been disenfranchised and persecuted all

throughout this land. If you pass an act to legalize all sexual relationships

and help establish the Youth-Elder Love and Paternity Association (YELPA).

11

We have an epidemic in America. Every day, hundreds of men

nationwide are arrested for sexual harassment, sexual preditation, and

statutory rape. The current laws in America do not allow for men over

eighteen to have a sexual relationship with anyone under sixteen. This is a

travesty. Not only does this infringe our constitutional rights, but it can

prevent these men from helping, mentoring, and teaching these young

children like father figures. Chris Hansen is a correspondent for Dateline

NBC. On his segment “To Catch a Predator,” he takes part in using methods

of entrapment along with Perverted Justice law enforcement to catch men

trying to meet young children online. John Frantz is one of the men he

caught. After being interrogated by Hansen, Frantz said that “...if she really

is who she says she is, my intention is to befriend her and try to mentor her.”

Frantz’s intentions were benign, yet he was taken into custody by law

enforcement due to these unnecessary laws.

By giving adults like Frantz the capability to host, mentor, and make

sweet love to young teenage girls, we can move the orphans stuck in foster

care back into a loving home. Studies show that sixty percent of children put

into foster care return to their birth parents. After experiencing the love,

care, and passion that people like Franz and others can provide for them,

these children will not have the desire to return to their birthparents who

often live in dangerous, lower-class settings and cannot provide as well for

the child. Additionally, many of these children may learn what it’s like to

have brothers and sisters, as several men who are interested in younger

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children often have children of their own. Frantz is only one example of this,

as he has two sons.

Additionally, YELPA will save the taxpayers’ money. The United States

spends millions of dollars every year on foster care for young children who

have nowhere else to go. If we could provide good and loving homes for

these children, then we could save this money and spend it in other areas

such as our educational system or healthcare. The National Debt has grown

to over 10.6 trillion dollars and our government has made no serious effort to

combat it. The Obama administration has been in office for almost two

whole days and, as of now, it appears that its calls for change are derelict.

Obama promised to cut the budget, and now forty-eight hours later, they are

still yet to make one single cutback. Where better to start making cuts than

in the shoddy foster care system that has put hundreds of children on the

streets and in harm’s way?

In foster care, the children’s morale is low. Many feel unwanted and

unloved by their foster parents, and almost sixty percent of those children

return to their birth parents who do not love them. This needs to be

stopped. By utilizing pedophiles who truly love these children and crave to

mentor them, so much so that they are willing to be arrested for it, we can

easily boost child morale and let these children know that they are loved by

someone. This love is genuine and pure, and b letting these men express it,

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we can take a bite out of child poverty and make this world a much better

place.

ARTICLE

Throughout Frankenstein, Mary Shelly depicts two very different

characters inhabiting Victor’s creation.  Early on, the creature is peaceful and

benevolent, but later is turned cynical by the hateful actions of others.  This

leads to terror and destruction.  One must ask, however, what led others to

treat him so horribly.  His appearance was grotesque, but no more so than

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that of a very ugly human.  Additionally, ugliness is no reason to shoot

someone nor chase them out of town.  The creature was persecuted not for

his appearance, but rather out of fear and awe of his power.  Because of this,

his story is one of a tragic hero.

                From the beginning, we are told that the creature is a work of

goodness.  Dr. Frankenstein believed that his actions would “pour a torrent

of light into our dark world” (32).  To him, the creature is not a monster upon

its birth, but rather a work of art.  On page 35 he calls the creature

“Beautiful… his hair was of a lustrous black and flowing; his teeth of pearly

whiteness.”  Soon after, however, he rejects his creation calling it a

“demonical corpse” and saying that “no mortal could support the horror of

that countenance” (36).  It is this kind of dejection that leads the creature to

become hateful towards mankind.

                Consequently, the dejection that he is treated with leads him to do

unthinkable things.  His murders, however, are no more unthinkable than the

murders committed by such tragic heroes as Beowulf of Macbeth. 

Conversely, the creature’s murders are more easily justifiable due to his

great suffering.  His creator hates him and refuses to create a woman

companion for him, saying “Shall I create another like yourself whose joint

wickedness might desolate the world?” (104)  When even his creator finds it

impossible to love him, difficulty will arise with his ability to love himself, so

15

much so that on page 104 he declares “If I cannot inspire love, I will cause

fear.”  Therefore, his tragic flaw is the inability to inspire love.

                By the end of the novel, he has murdered and tortured several

innocent people.  He later acknowledges his faults saying that “crime has

degraded me beneath the meanest animal” (165).  His inability to inspire

love caused him to hate his creator and the entirety of the human race,

which did not love him.  Later, when he is not granted a mate, he knows he

will never be loved and instead seeks to inspire hate.  Finally, his inability to

inspire love leads him to hate himself enough to “seek the most northern

extremity of the globe; I shall collect my funeral pile, and consume to ashes

this miserable frame” (166).  His dejection led to his rise, his fall, and

eventually his death.  This creature made out of love never received an

ounce in return.

16

There was once a river and a road, leading to the town of Camelot,

which passed through long fields of grain. The Island of Shalott, which

contains such plants as lilies, aspens, and willows, lies further down the river.

On the island there is a woman imprisoned by four gray walls and four gray

towers. There are several boats that bass this island, but only the reapers

who harvest the barley hear her singing.

The lady of Shalott weaves a colorful web. She has been told that if

she looks at Camelot, she will be cursed, but she has no idea what this curse

may be. Consequently, she concentrates on her weaving and never lifts her

eyes. As she weaves, there is a mirror hanging before her, in which she sees

the shadows of the world. She sees such things as a highway road,

peasants, damsels, an abbot, a young shepherd, knights, and a page dressed

in red.

A knight in brass armor rides through the fields and the sun shines on

his armor and his armor makes ringing noises as he gallops. His forehead

glows in the sunlight and he has black curly hair flowing out from under his

helmet. His image shows on the lady of Shalott’s mirror and he sings our

“tirra lirra.” The lady then abandons her loom and announces that the curse

is upon her.

17

It begins to storm as the Lady of Shalott descends from her tower to

find a boat. She writes her title around the boat’s bow and looks

downstream to Camelot. That night, she lies down in the boat and the

current takes her to Camelot. She is wearing a white robe and she sings her

last song as she sails to Camelot. She sings until her blood freezes and her

eyes darken. When her boat arrives at Camelot, all the knights, lords, and

ladies of Camelot come to see her. They all read that her boat says “The

Lady of Shalott” on it, and they are afraid. Knight Lancelot pushes aside the

crowd, looks at the lady, and says that she has a lovely face and that God

will have mercy on her.

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Writing symbolically has always been one of Charles Dickens’ strongest

suits. Nearly all of his pieces have an innumerable amount of symbols to

help convey his message more fully to the reader, and Hard Times is no

exception. Subtly within the novel, Dickens sprinkled in several Christian

symbols that correspond with the message he attempts to convey.

Additionally, Dickens uses several symbols to emphasize the importance of

the greater educational system espousing the arts and creativity as

legitimate forms of intelligence with equal, if not greater, significance than

the memorization and regurgitation of facts and figures.

As well as Dickens used symbolism to communicate his message, his

brilliance is evinced most clearly throughout the course of the second

chapter. Using characters especially as symbols, Dickens conveys a very

strong sense of discontent with the educational system of his day.

Employing symbolic character names was an especially prominent feature

within this chapter. Naming his characters things such as “Thomas

Gradgrind” and “Sissie Jupe” are clear signs of satire and convey certain

levels of the character. Obviously, he uses the last name of the teacher,

Gradgrind, to pass off abrasive character traits and the name of Sissy Jupe to

try to show a level of ditziness which would be frowned upon in an

educational facility. However, through closer analysis of these names, the

19

true character of said characters is manifested. While Thomas Gradgrind’s

last name shows one dimension of the character Dickens attempts to

establish, his first name also has great significance. Biblically, Saint Thomas

is notorious for doubting the validity of the claims that Jesus rose from the

dead. As Bruce Wallis said, Thomas Gradgrind is “guilty of nothing so much

as spiritual blindness-like the original doubting Thomas, he must weigh and

measure and touch before he can attain to belief.” [sic] Similarly, in

analyzing Sissy Jupe, the realization that her full name is Cecilia is

imperative. As most Christian scholars would know, Saint Cecilia is the

patron saint of music, “an art form loosely known to evoke an intuitive and

emotional, rather than objective and rational responses” [sic] (Wallis).

Embodied in the occupation of Thomas Gradgrind in addition to the

setting of the novel is a great deal of symbolism. Described by Robin

Jackson as “a dealer of hardware and a proprietor of a utilitarian school,”

Gradgrind is very obviously dealing with two very similar professions.

Representing a very industrial state of education, “hardware” is thought of in

many educational circles as the tools necessary to achieve a higher

education, as opposed to software which is the actual “programming” of the

mind to think intelligently. Utilizing this “hardware” approach towards

education like Gradgrind does shows the truest flaws of the industrial

revolution. Consequently, the unilateral teaching methods of Gradgrind put

in this context represent the flaws of a much larger institution than England’s

educational system. Rather, Dickens is taking a blow here at the industrial

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revolution at large and the detrimental impact it had on not only the arts, but

the general creativity of student populace as a whole.

Additionally, there is a great deal of symbolism behind the

conversation Sissy Jupe and Thomas Gradgrind have regarding the flowers

on the carpet. Smiling pretentiously, Gradgrind takes another opportunity

here to embarrass young Sissy by questioning the class as to whether or not

it would be practical to have carpet with floral designs. While the majority of

the class responds with a decisive “no” when presented the question, Sissy

says that she would like her carpet to have pictures of flowers on it for the

aesthetic qualities. Subsequently, Gradgrind persists to mock the concept by

asking Sissy, “And is that why you would put tables and chairs upon them,

and have people walking over them with heavy boots?” Consequently,

Dickens creates the image of flowers being trampled on by less beautiful,

more practical things, representing the stifling of Sissy Jupe’s creativity.

Albeit harsh, Dickens’ portrayal of the educational system and society

as a whole in Hard Times is not only accurately portrayed, but also very

vividly portrayed. Shortly after beginning the novel, several symbols

become very obvious. Using both Christian symbols through character

names and images created through dialog creates a very real sense of

concern for British society. Raising several concerns, including fear of

industrialization, Dickens did a phenomenal job of scaring the reader into

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submission. Several symbols, both obvious and subtle, are what made this

piece a classic and Dickens a legend.