Farewell English IV

-I can't believe senior year is finally over. Four years of waking up at 7, putting on the same old Buckley uniform, sitting in choir every morning, and seeing all of my friends. It's a weird feeling knowing I will never be able to say: "see you at school tomorrow." As far as English IV is concerned, it is safe to say that it has been my favorite year of English ever. Blogging was a great way to write everyday and it has inspired me to start a blog in college about my experiences in the Bandier Program. Also, getting introduced to philosophy and the ideas of Freud has inspired me to continue studying philosophy in college. Overall, it has been a great year filled with a lot of laughs and memories that will last a lifetime. I thank Dr. Forman and the rest of F period for a great year that I will never forget! kkcya.

Creative College Blog

What I need to take to college:

1. Keyboard
2. Guitar
3. Super 55 Microphone
4. Laptop
5. iPad
6. 2 soft pillows
7. Mini basketball hoop for the door
8. Mini refrigerator 
9. TV
10. Music Posters

Concert Review: Death Cab for Cutie

I was fortunate enough to see Death Cab for Cutie at Disney Concert Hall this past Monday night. I have been to many concerts, and for me, what makes a band great is how well they play live and their stage presence. Death cab had it all. The lead singer, Ben Gibbard, not only sounded just as great as he does on their recordings, but he also has wonderful stage presence. It is extremely hard for a front man to keep the crowd entertained in between songs if the band stops a lot, like death cab, but Gibbard does it flawlessly. I highly recommend seeing Death Cab in concert because they play great music and seeing them live is an experience you wont forget!

Bandier Program: Classes for Freshman & Sophomore Year

Syracuse University: Academic Integrity

At Syracuse University, academic integrity is expected of every community member in all endeavors. Academic integrity includes a commitment to the values of honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, and respect. These values are essential to the overall success of an academic society. In addition, each member of the university community has a right to expect the highest standards of academic integrity from all other community members. An individual’s academic dishonesty threatens and undermines the central mission of the University. It is unfair to other community members who do not cheat, because it devalues efforts to learn, to teach, and to conduct research. Academic dishonesty interferes with moral and intellectual development, and poisons the atmosphere of open and trusting intellectual discourse. Syracuse University’s academic integrity policy and procedures are administered by the Academic Integrity Office in the Division of Academic Affairs, and all schools and colleges (see supplemental policy and procedures for the College of Law).

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY EXPECTATIONS
Academic integrity is violated by any dishonest act which is committed in an academic context including, but not limited to the following:


Use of Sources  Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s language, ideas, information, or original material without acknowledging the source. Examples of plagiarism:

1. Paper is downloaded from an Internet source and/or obtained from a paper mill.
2. Paper contains part or all of the writings of another person (including another student), copied without citation.
3. Paper contains passages that were cut and pasted from an Internet source, without citation.

While students are responsible for knowing how to quote from, paraphrase, and cite sources correctly, the ability to apply that information in all writing situations is an advanced literacy skill acquired over time through repeated practice. When a student has attempted to acknowledge sources but has not done so fully or completely, the instructor may determine that the issue is misuse of sources or bad writing, rather than plagiarism. Factors that may be relevant to the determination between misuse of sources and plagiarism include prior academic integrity education at Syracuse University, and the program level of the student.  

 Course Work and Research

1. The use or attempted use of unauthorized aids in examinations or other academic exercises submitted for evaluation;
2. Fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation of data, results, sources for papers or reports; in clinical practice, as in reporting experiments, measurements, statistical analyses, tests, or other studies never performed; manipulating or altering data or other manifestations of research to achieve a desired result; selective reporting, including the deliberate suppression of conflicting or unwanted data;
3. Copying from another student’s work;
4. Actions that destroy or alter the work of another student;
5. Unauthorized cooperation in completing assignments or examinations;
6. Submission of the same written work in more than one course without prior written approval from both instructors.

Communications

1. Violating the confidentiality of an academic integrity investigation, resolution, or documentation;
2. Making a false report of academic dishonesty;
3. Dishonesty in requests for make-up exams, for extensions of deadlines for submitting papers, or in any other matter relating to a course.

Representations and Materials Misuse

1. Falsification of records, reports, or documents associated with the educational process;
2. Misrepresentation of one’s own or another’s identity for academic purposes;
3. Misrepresentation of material facts or circumstances in relation to examinations, papers, or other academic activities;
4. Sale of papers, essays, or research for fraudulent use;
5. Alteration or falsification of University records;
6. Unauthorized use of University academic facilities or equipment, including computer accounts and files;
7. Unauthorized recording, sale, purchase, or use of academic lectures, academic computer software, or other instructional materials;
8. Expropriation or abuse of ideas and preliminary data obtained during the process of editorial or peer review of work submitted to journals, or in proposals for funding by agency panels or by internal University committees;
9. Expropriation and/or inappropriate dissemination of personally-identifying human subject data;
10. Unauthorized removal, mutilation, or deliberate concealment of materials in University libraries, media, laboratories, or academic resource centers.

COURSE-SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

A. The instructor of record is responsible for determining and communicating course-specific academic integrity expectations. Instructors of record are responsible for stating, in writing, course-specific expectations, particularly those regarding use of sources and collaboration.
B. Students are responsible for consulting their instructors for any clarification needed on academic integrity standards, including those set forth in this policy and those that are course-specific.
C. Collusion is assisting or attempting to assist another in an act of academic dishonesty. Collusion is distinct from collaborative learning, which may be a valuable component of scholarly development. Acceptable levels of collaboration vary in different courses, and students are expected to consult with their instructor if they are uncertain whether their cooperative activities are acceptable.

TRANSCRIPT NOTATIONS
When an “F” grade for course failure is imposed for an academic integrity violation, the grade on the transcript will be marked with the notation “(X).” The failing grade is counted toward the GPA. If the “(X)” notation is applied for a first violation, it will be removed only upon the student’s completion of an educational program and full compliance with all consequences associated with the violation. After the “(X)” notation is removed, the student may petition to flag the failing grade. If the “(X)” is applied for a subsequent violation, the notation will be permanently retained on the transcript.

College Catalogue: Bandier Program at Syracuse University

Bandier Pillars:
In order to share the overriding beliefs that guide us in the study and practice of the business of music, the faculty, students, staff and advisors of the Bandier Program affirm the following:
INTEGRITY
DOING WELL & DOING GOOD
WHY WAIT?
COMMUNITY OF EXPERTS
EXPERIENCE LEARNING
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
BRAND MANAGEMENT VS. HUMILITY
PAY IT FORWARD


From the Syarcuse Website: "The curriculum prepares you for the music and entertainment industries via a rigorous 125-credit hour course progression, weekly contact with prestigious industry professionals, hands-on learning opportunities, a semester in Los Angeles, and a study abroad semester in London, England. You are part of a small, selective class of 25 students per year.

The program focuses on music as it functions in all media, particularly new media. This exciting field is the new frontier where media consumption is constantly evolving. Opportunities abound for young women and men of all backgrounds to shape the future of the music business."

I am extremely excited to start this rigorous program. Although I am required to take a large amount of classes, and that they will take up a lot of my time, I know that this program is setting me up for the future. I will have such a upper-hand compared to others trying to make it in the industry due to the Bandier Program. I cannot wait to start and make a name for myself in the industry!

Website: http://vpa.syr.edu/bandier

Safe Sex v. Sex without Love

-Sex without Love is much more direct and to the point, and has less double meaning type lines. Safe sex is full of "if" and lines that mean the opposite of what is actually states. Sex without Love starts out with a question. The narrator questions how these people have sex without love, and makes it clear he is confused. Then the narrator continues to create possible explanations for how these people have sex without love. Yes, although the narrator does use metaphors and other literary devices to create possible explanations, he is doing so in a direct manor.

Blogs

-I follow a bunch of music blogs, but the best music blog around is RecordLabel. http://www.rcrdlbl.com/
RecordLabel has many different writers with all different tastes in music. You will see posts about all styles and genres of music ranging from rap to indie rock. RecordLabel is the best blog to find the latest great music, and what is great about it is that the music you find on the blog is not usually mainstream music. It is interesting to find great underground music that most people have never heard about.

-If I were to write a blog of my own, it would easily be a music blog. What would make it different from other music blogs would be that there would be different types of posts. Some posts would be about specific songs, others about the artists as a whole, some about albums, and also live concert reviews. Each post would be accompanied by a photo, as well as a video or a mp3.

Camus Essay Continued

According to Meriam-Webster, disconnect is defined as "to become detached or withdrawn." Disconnect clearly defines Mersault's relationship with his mother. Mersault's seemingly indifferent attitude towards everything in his life affected his relationship with his mother. He ended up putting her in a home and rarely visiting her. When he found out the news of her death, he was evidently unaffected by what had happened. The result of his disconnected relationship could have been caused by his later teenage years. Most teenagers today try very hard to disconnect themselves from their parents in order to mature and become more independent. If teenagers become too independent and disconnected they can end up having relationships with their parents similar to Mersault's; however, if they do not gain enough independence, they will not be emotionally ready to go off to college and mature as an adult.

Mersault’s relationship with his mother is easily described as detached and dysfunctional. On the surface, Mersault is very distant from his mother and they don’t seem to have a typical mother-son relationship. Mersault decides to put his mother into a nursing home for the remainder of her life, and barely visits her. When he hears the news of her passing, it almost seems as though going to her funeral is a nuisance. He states at the very beginning of the novel: “Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know” (Camus 3).  This disconnected relationship between mother and son must have been caused by something in Mersault’s childhood. Analyzing their relationship, the deep-rooted disconnect must come from Mersault’s teenage years as he was becoming an adult. It seems that as teenagers grow up, they attempt to become more independent and break away from their parents. It seems as though Mersault became too independent, and broke away too much from his mother, ruining their relationship.

Today’s generation of teenagers, I believe more than ever, are trying to break the standard of the traditional mother-child relationship. Even comparing my generation to my parents’ generation, relationships between mother and child have progressed and modernized. It seems that as society progresses, teenagers are attempting to become more independent. According to Nietzsche, a person is in a constant struggle to be an individual. He states: “The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.”

Rough Camus Essay (Intro + Body 1)

According to Meriam-Webster, disconnect is defined as "to become detached or withdrawn." Disconnect clearly defines Mersault's relationship with his mother. Mersault's seemingly indifferent attitude towards everything in his life affected his relationship with his mother. He ended up putting her in a home and rarely visiting her. When he found out the news of her death, he was evidently unaffected by what had happened. The result of his disconnected relationship could have been caused by his later teenage years. Most teenagers today try very hard to disconnect themselves from their parents in order to mature and become more independent. If teenagers become too independent and disconnected they can end up having relationships with their parents similar to Mersault's; however, if they do not gain enough independence, they will not be emotionally ready to go off to college and mature as an adult.

Mersault’s relationship with his mother is easily described as detached and dysfunctional. On the surface, Mersault is very distant from his mother and they don’t seem to have a typical mother-son relationship. Mersault decides to put his mother into a nursing home for the remainder of her life, and barely visits her. When he hears the news of her passing, it almost seems as though going to her funeral is a nuisance. He states at the very beginning of the novel: “Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know” (Camus 3).  This disconnected relationship between mother and son must have been caused by something in Mersault’s childhood. Analyzing their relationship, the deep-rooted disconnect must come from Mersault’s teenage years as he was becoming an adult. It seems that as teenagers grow up, they attempt to become more independent and break away from their parents. It seems as though Mersault became too independent, and broke away too much from his mother, ruining their relationship.

Rough Working Intro - Camus Essay

-According to Meriam-Webster, disconnect is defined as "to become detached or withdrawn." Disconnect clearly defines Mersault's relationship with his mother. Mersault's seeminly indifferent attitude towards everything in his life affected his relationship with his mother. He ended up putting her in a home and rarely visiting her. When he found out the news of her death, he was evidently unaffected by what had happened. The result of his disconnected relationship could have been caused by his later teenage years. Most teenagers today try very hard to disconnect themselves from their parents in order to mature and become more independant. If teenagers become too independent and disconnected they can end up having relationships with their parents similar to Mersault's; however, if they do not gain enough independenc, they will not be emotionally ready to go off to college and mature as an adult.

Camus Essay Brainstorm

1. My main point that I am trying to get across is comparing Mersault's disconnected relationship with his mother, with teenager's today and there disconnect from there parents in order to mature and be indepedent. If you disconnect too much, however, you will end up too disconnected and lose all relationship like Mersault.
2. I haven't decided a second work yet but I want it to be the opposite of Mersault and having a relationship that is too connected.

Daily Cup of English IV Tea: The Stranger

-Mersault's statements on page 65 prove the disconnect from his mother. "I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feeling." "I probably did love Maman, but that didn't mean anything."
-My plan for my essay is to compare and contrast Mersault's relationship with his mother to teenager's relationships with their parents in today's society. I will relate the disconnect of Merault to his mom & how in high school, kids today start to disconnect from their parents in order to become independent. Too much disconnect and kids will end up like Mersault, but not enough independence and teens won't be emotionally able to handle growing up, maturing, and going to college.

Daily Cup of English IV Tea: Romania 1975

-In the photograph, there is an extreme contrast between the couple being comfortable and uncomfortable. The man seems to be in a deep sleep where as the woman seems like she is barely asleep, in more of a tossing and turning type of rest. The man is slouched, in an uncomfortable position. The woman's arm on her forhead proves her stress of trying to fall asleep. They couple is comfortable in each others arms; however, their sleep position is extremely uncomfortable.

Blogosphere

Favorite Blogs:

RCRDLBL - http://rcrdlbl.com/
   -I really enjoy record label because it keeps me informed on the latest music. I always find music I like on this website. They have great writers and all have great tastes in music.

BLARGKABOOM - http://blargkaboom.com/
   -Best tech blog I have ever read...I am so sad that the writers stopped posting. I love it so much, I even have a BlargKaboom t-shirt!

HYPEMACHINE - http://hypem.com/#!/
   -HypeMachine is another music blog I follow. HypeMachine is great because you can make an account and it makes it much easier to find out the latest on your favorite genres and artists.

The Story of a Photo

-In analyzing the picture in class, we thought it was extremely interesting that the two soldiers were smiling in the graveyard. In this picture, the soldiers seem to be smiling in a trench in between fire-fights. At first glance, you don't really understand the significance of the pictures. When analyzing photos like you do with text, you can find the deeper meaning, and figure out what the picture has to say. For example, in this photo, you could assume that these soldiers are just happy to still be alive, and smiling and laughing just to have fun and get through the war.

The Stranger - Albert Camus

-"Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know."

-The significance that Meursault stated that his mother died with such little compassion is a concerning and interesting idea. Meursault is completely physically and emotionally detached from the world around him. He shows little to no emotion when he speaks. Most of his sentences are short and to the point, with little to no explanation of how certain things make him feel. These first two sentences set up the whole novel and set up Meursault's emotional indifference and detachment.

Genesis: The Beginning

"And God said...it was so."

-The repetitive nature of God commanding and creating without question creates a definite connotation. When first reading Genesis, and with no other view of creation, the connotation shapes the thought that you cannot question the words, and what is written is the truth. This is the reason why we see Darwin being so hesitant in his final chapter. His theory is extremely radically and contradicts the words of the bible. It is very interesting that although Darwin presents evidence as to why his theory is correct, and answers all questions about his theory, he is still extremely hesitant in his final chapter because he does not want to upset people who believe in the words of the bible.

Darwin

-"Such is the sum of the several chief objections and difficulties which may justly be urged against my theory; and I have now briefly recapitulated the answers and explanations which can be given to them."

-I believe how Darwin sets up his final chapter is a wonderful way to present the arguments against his viewpoints. Darwin clearly states many different questions arguing against his claim. He then states what he is doing, in the quote above. Darwin then continues in his chapter to go into depth on answering all the questions that could possibly arise while reading his book. The reason Darwin writes his last chapter is because he begins to believe that too many people will disagree with his claim, and therefore he attempts to counter all the the questions that people may have while reading. Clearly stating the opposing viewpoint, and explaining why it is wrong is an intelligent way to convince readers that Darwin's theory is correct.

Andrew's Contemplations on Conformity: WEBSITE

http://keffensalt.weebly.com/

Generations of Conformity: Socially & Musically

Generations of Conformity: Socially & Musically

            Conformity is defined as behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards. In more general terms, to conform is to change your personality in order to be socially accepted. It is extremely intriguing when comparing the connotation of conformity through multiple generations. Interestingly enough, when interviewing my grandmother, Betty Saltman, she defined conforming as doing certain actions that you normally wouldn’t want to in order to fit it. This is very similar to the general consensus of what conformity means to my generation. Personally, I would define conformity in a very similar manor. I conform somewhat, in order to be able to connect with my peers. Conformity is a very slippery slope, because to a certain degree it is okay to conform, but if one begins to conform too much, they loose all sense of individualism. My hypothesis before starting my research suggested that in my grandmother’s generation, most would not have thought of it as conforming, but rather following the social structure. However, in my interview with my grandmother, I uncovered many social ironies, not only about her generation, but about mine as well. Conformity is only acceptable to a certain extent, and it should not encroach on one’s individuality; however, throughout generations, conformity has evolved and changed over time into a ___________.

Notes from Interview

1.     Do you think you conformed as a teenager?

a.     “We did a lot of that (conformity). It was a small town of only about 2 thousand. I grew up in a small group of people. Family was very important growing up. My family was very important.”

2.     Do you think you were pressured to conform?

a.     “I just went along I guess, to be social. I never felt pressured though.” “Some kids smoked and others drank but I didn’t do any of that. I was my own person.” “They stayed my friends though and didn’t pressure me to do any of that.” “I wasn’t a conformer.”

1.     Did your parents pressure you to practice and play, or were they against your musical passion?

a.     “My family wasn’t very musical…but if my father gave it a chance I think he would have been very musical.”

b.     “They didn’t pressure me into play. My dad was happy about my passion but he wasn’t happy that I wouldn’t play for people. My mother just thought of it as something I would do.”

2.     How do you think the pressure you received from playing piano affect your feelings towards it?

a.     “I even got sick from the pressure of playing. I couldn’t take it. It caused me not to play a lot. I couldn’t stand playing in competitions.”

b.     “I did well in competitions and I don’t know why I felt so pressured. I was just hard on myself.”

c.     “One judge praised me as very talented and said I would progress very well. He gave me perfect marks for one of my pieces but I still came out of the competition crying because I did not think I did well enough.

d.     “I remember he wrote ‘very talented and keen.’”

e.     “I wasn’t cut out for performing, I was just to sensitive.”

f.      “I was very hard on myself and I think that may be because of my teacher, but also myself.”

3.     If you could go back and do it again, would you change anything?

a.     “I would have gone to college.” “I was interested in a broader education, not just piano. But they thought I should major in music. I was really interested in getting a good education.” 

Essay Topic

-I want to focus my essay on social conformity through gender roles. I am going to interview my grandmother, a skilled pianist, and try to discover whether or not society pressured her to fill a more "female" role in life, instead of music. I want to find out whether or not her parents and her peers pressured her to give up her dreams in order to meet society's norms. Also, I am wondering if her severe stage fright had to do with society's pressures. My hypothesis is that she indeed was pressured by society to fulfill a more female role in life, instead of her dream of pursuing music as a career.

Interview Questions

1.     How was it being a teenage girl growing up in Canada?

2.     What were considered the “cool” things to do when you were in high school?

3.     How did you fit into social groups? Were the interests you had common among your friends? Were what you enjoyed considered cool?

4.     How would you define conformity?

5.     Do you think you were pressured to conform?

1.     When did you start playing piano and when did you realize it was your passion?

2.     How did your friends view your love for piano?

3.     Did your parents pressure you to practice and play, or were they against your musical passion?

4.     In your response above, do you think that affected your stage fright?

5.     If you could go back and do it again, would you change anything?

Brainstorming: Conformity, Then and Now

How has the pressure to conform changed over the years?

-In my opinion, conformity has always been about fitting into the "norm" of society. Most people have the urge to feel like they belong somewhere. This is why we see people giving up their individuality, or being influenced by peer-pressure, all in attempt to fit into social groups. Wanting a sense of belonging pressures people into conforming in whatever way fulfills their needs.

Why has conformity changed?

-The reason different generations have different ideas of conforming is because society changes. Although I may have a different view of what conformity means from my grandparent, both views will lead back to trying to find a sense of belonging. Whether it be my generation's pressures of getting into an elite college, or my grandparent's generation's pressure to become successful in the workplace, we all feel the pressure because we want to be accepted and feel that sense of belonging.

Heart of Darkness Essay: Second Body

-The deeper Marlow travels into the darkness of the African Congo, more light is not only shed on the false perception of the African people, but also on his unconscious thought. Marlow’s eyes metaphorically begin to open to understand more about his unconscious thought. Again, it is extremely ironic how the darker it gets for Marlow emotionally, the more light he sees in himself and his unconscious. The reader can view this phenomenon as Marlow discovering more about the ninety percent of his thoughts, his unconscious thoughts. Ross C. Murfin touches on the subject of how little control we have over our thoughts. In his essay, Murfin states: “Freud went further, suggesting that the powers motivating men and women are mainly and normally unconscious” (Murfin 114). What both Murfin and Freud are suggesting is that what people believe are the own, original conscious thoughts are really influenced by outside sources and come up with in the unconscious part of the mind. This can relate to Marlow quite well due to the fact that Marlow started his journey with thoughts that the Africans were savages. This concept most likely came from the culture in which he grew up. The general consensus of the Europeans at that time was that the Africans were uncivilized savages; so naturally, Marlow would acquire the same perception. It is not until he travels deep into his unconscious that he can understand his previous perception is far from the truth, and that the Africans are people just like he is. Freud created a brilliant analogy to explain this phenomenon. The Freudian Iceberg explains his conception of the human psyche. Roughly ten percent of the iceberg is above water, which represents the conscious mind, and the other ninety percent is submerged into the unconscious ocean. Within the unconscious, the Superego, Ego, and Id lie. Freud’s Superego is the voice of reason in the unconscious, and the Id is the direct emotional response. The Ego finds itself in between and can flow freely in both the conscious and unconscious part of the mind. The Ego is the tool in which Marlow can shed more light on his unconscious. As he travels deeper into the darkness of his mind, he uses the Ego to do so. Freudian theory sheds immense light on understanding how to view Marlow’s journey and how/why he comes to his decisions.

Heart of Darkness Essay: First Body

-When Marlow decides to venture into the darkness of the African Congo, he is convinced his reasons are only for profit, despite his Aunt’s ideas. Marlow’s Aunt believes that Marlow will go to Africa to spread knowledge and kindness to the savages of Africa. Throughout Marlow’s journey, the reader begins to see signs of Marlow shifting more from a standpoint of profit, to truly caring and wanting to understand more about the peoples of Africa. Marlow states, as he rambles on about how the Africans are good crewmembers on his ship: “Fine fellows – cannibals – in their place” (Conrad 395). Although Marlow’s statement is still extremely racist and objectifying, there are signs of his conscious thoughts shifting from the majority of the racist Europeans, to a view of equality. This is radical thinking for a European of the time, which explains why Marlow’s thought process takes so long to shift. Marlow begins to realize that the African people are just trying to survive in the best way they can. He also realizes that they are extremely motivated and hard working individuals, which he admires. It is necessary to understand that Marlow still has an extremely skewed and racist view, but the deeper he travels both into the jungle and into his unconscious, he begins to break the ties with his unconscious European ideas of the Africans. Marlow indeed does have a breakthrough and dismisses his un-original, unconscious thought that the Africans are savages when he is the deepest into the darkness he will ever be. Once Marlow has found Kurtz and is ready to head back down the river, many of the savages who knew Kurtz gathered on the bank of the river near the boat just staring. The other Europeans get the idea that it would be fun to take target practice at the Africans, as if they were animals. With Marlow’s newly acquired knowledge and understanding, he is disgusted by their actions and does the best he can to stop them. Marlow blows the steamboat horn to scare away the Africans, and to much success the Europeans are angry with Marlow because they cannot shoot the Africans. “’Don’t! don’t you frighten them away,’ cried someone on deck disconsolately. I pulled the sting time after time” (421). Marlow’s actions prove his compassion and understanding that the Africans are just as much of people as the Europeans are. Marlow cannot be at fault for not coming to this realization sooner due to the fact that the society he grew up in unconsciously affected his perception of the African theory. Freudian theory can explain this phenomenon and outline Marlow’s journey from a psychoanalytic outlook.

Conrad & Freud Essay: Intro

-In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Marlow travels not only on a physical journey to discover what lies in the darkness of the African Congo, but also on a mental journey deep into his unconscious mind. Sigmund Freud, an Austrian neurologist, created the discipline of psychoanalysis. Freud’s theories on the human mind’s conscious and unconscious in relation to the superego, ego, and id, create a clear idea of what Marlow is experiencing on his emotional journey. The deeper Marlow travels into the darkness, the more light is shred on the “savages” of the Congo. Ironic enough, the deeper Marlow travels into his dark unconscious, the more he begins to see. He soon realizes that these savages are just as much of a human as he is. With the help of Freud’s psychoanalytic theories, Marlow’s dual journey into the darkness is discover himself as well as the wrongs of his European society can be both analyzed and explained. Joseph Conrad’s short novel, not only touches on the notion of how free we really are as humans, but also on the social issues of his time period.

Heart of Darkness Essay

-I would like to explore the concept of Marlow's dual journey. His first journey is to find himself and explore his unconscious mind as he travels into the darkness. His other journey is to find out more about the African people of the congo and attempt to understand that they are indeed human. I will be relating a lot of Freud's ideas to Marlow and his Journey.

Frederick R. Karl

-One idea I found very interesting in Karl's essay is his connection with Freud and Conrad. He states that there are extraordinary parallels between their achievements. Freud studied dreams at around the same time Conrad was creating ideas about the Congo. Freud even wrote his book about his observations of dreams shortly before Conrad's Heart of Darkness was published. This is a very interesting connection that I would love to further explore with my classmates during our discussion next class.

Ross C. Murfin: Heart of Darkness

-An idea I really enjoy in Murfin's article is the notion that most "powers motivating men and women are mainly and normally unconscious. We have been talking a lot about this subject in my Brain and Behavior class. We have looked at many studies with shocking results that leads us to believe that most decisions we make are influenced, unconciously, by outside sources. This is a strange phenomenon is a little scary to think about...not being able to realize that the decisions you make that you believe are your own, are really influenced by outside sources. How free are we?

Heart of Darkness: Analysis

-There is not a specific quote I would like to analyze in tonight's blog; however, I do want to blog about a specific scene. As Marlow begins his trek back from the heart of darkness with the ill Kurtz, the "savages" all stand around the river bank staring at the boat. When Marlow realizes that his fellow Europeans are about to begin to shoot at the savages, strictly for fun, he blows the boat's horn to scare them away. He repeatedly blows the whistle even when his fellow Europeans yell at him, saying he is scaring the savages away. I fully believe that this says a lot about Marlow's character. Although sometimes he is unwilling to admit it, he feels compassion for the Africans, and views them as humans, not savages. Spread throughout the story, the reader notices this trend of Marlow's compassion for the Africans, and this act of kindness proves his empathy towards the Africans of the Congo.

Heart of Darkness - Quote Analysis

-"When the sun rose there was a white fog, very warm and clammy, and more blinding than the night."
-Marlow's vivid imagery clearly paints a mental picture in the reader's head. The reader gets a clear description of a blinding white fog covering the sky. What is interesting about this picture is the fact that usually fog darkens the sky, and a bright sun with no clouds is very blinding. This light closely relates to the perception of whites and blacks. At that time, people believed that whites were good and blacks were "bad." In this case, Marlow flips the circumstances. Marlow has alluded to this notion that the savages of Africa are good people, and his statement, though a metaphor, proves that he believes the Africans can be good, and what the Europeans are doing is bad.

Heart of Darkness - Question #4

-Marlow stops to meet with his aunt before he sets out on his journey to Africa. His aunt believes that he will be "an emissary of light" (para. 28). She believes that Marlow will bring knowledge to Africa, a continent that is believed to be filled with savages having no modern knowledge, just how England was thought of during Roman times. The irony is Marlow's aunts statement is that Marlow is going to Africa strictly for profit. Marlow has no intention to be an emissary of light, rather, he is only going to Africa for personal reasons; to make money.

Heart of Darkness - Question #2

-Marlow begins his tale with an account of Roman England because he is making the point that, what is now the hub of the world, used to be a place for savages. The Romans used England to excile people that were not suitable to live in Rome. Marlow makes this point to show that Africa is now viewed as a place that is not modern or industrial. Africa relates to how England was once viewed by the Romans. This poses the question of whether or not Africa can become a hub of the world, just like London did.