Cold Words...

Hurl : to throw or fling with great force or vigor.

Awning: a rooflike shelter of canvas or other material extending over a doorway, from the top of a window, over a deck, etc., in order to provide protection, as from the sun.

                                

Grunted: to utter the deep, guttural sound characteristic of a hog.

Whines:  to utter a low, usually nasal, complaining cry or sound, as from uneasiness, discontent, peevishness, etc.: The puppies were whining from hunger.

Unison:  coincidence in pitch of two or more musical tones, voices, etc.

Frenzy:  a fit or spell of violent mental excitement; a paroxysm characteristic of or resulting from a mania: He is subject to these frenzies several times a year.

Vinyl:any resin formed by polymerization of compounds containing the vinyl group or plastics made from such resins.

Gurgling:  to flow in a broken, irregular, noisy current: The water gurgled from the bottle.

Vent:  an opening, as in a wall, serving as an outlet for air, smoke, fumes, or the like.

Lurched: an act or instance of swaying abruptly.

Chromatic:  progressing by semitones, especially to a tone having the same letter name, as in C to C sharp.

Seize: to take hold of suddenly or forcibly; grasp: to seize a weapon

Culprit:  a person or other agent guilty of or responsible for an offense or fault.

Fangs:  one of the long, sharp, hollow or grooved teeth of a venomous snake by which poison is injected.

 Totemic: a natural object or an animate being, as an animal or bird, assumed as the emblem of a clan, family, or group.

Pitchfork: a large, long-handled fork for manually lifting and pitching hay, stalks of grain, etc.

Heralded:  a royal or official messenger, especially one representing a monarch in an ambassadorial capacity during wartime.

Don Juan Must Die

         As part of the theater group in my school I got the opportunity to play a loving mother in CNG`s interpretation of Don Juan. This play talks about how a single man had the ability to seduce numerous women and make them fall in love with him.  My character, unfortunately was one of them, she believed Don Juan to be a respectable and honorable man. One the other hand through out the play Don Juan’s true colors flourish and we are able to see how he only cared about his own desire’s and didn’t worry who he hurt in the process.

                                                                  

        In the movie JohnTucker Must Die, we are able to see how the main character a womanizer, thought he could get away with having three different girlfriends. However, what is truly remarkable was how his personally completely resembled that one of Don Juan. Even though this story didn’t end with the character being carried to hell, the three women did make sure he paid for his sins.

Engraved

      The world is filled of diversities, not only religious, but cultural as well. Among the Thugs gives us a closer view of what hooligans in the United Kingdom look like. Bill Buford is able to make his audience understand that the hooligans in the UK aren’t regular football fans. It is engraved in them to fight, support and celebrate all of their team’s victories and/or defeats. It got to such degree that after every match the town, in which the team had played at, would end up completely destroyed after the football fans had passed through it. However, there was no stopping them, some places had no other choice but to ban the fans form coming to watch the games.   

                                      

       It is very amusing to see that even though their team played every weekend the fans were always present. Especially at the bar after the game, drinking there sorrows away or celebrating there victory. One the other had they would always wake up on Monday, ready to work, just like any other ordinary person. They know they had responsibilities; after all being a football fan was an expensive business

Assume Your Audience is Knowledgeable

            One might tend to use syllogisms to prove there point. Although this might seem like a good idea to prove a point since it is the most direct way to use logic it can also pack fire you. Syllogism are the way in which you should thinks and that the argument should be set out but they are not the way in which the logic should be delivered. Making your audience think they are intellectually inferior might cause them to take a stance and generate a feeling of rejection for any idea that you propose. If a person reaches this state, it will be very difficult for you to convince them since they will close their mind to your new ideas and options. This is where enthymemes come in. They provide an equally direct but less obvious way of delivering the logic. By using enthymemes, you are assuming your audience is somewhat knowledgeable on the topic. For the audience it will appear as if you treat them like equal, not as inferiors.

                  One of the best ways to use logic through enthymemes is by either proving or simply stating a premise. This will add credibility to the argument and prove that your ideas are not recalls but have some support from will know facts of commonplaces. This will make the audience belief the argument not only because you said it or because the logic behind it but because it is supporting but facts that are credible and accepted. As Heinrichs says it: “You can already see that logos mean more than just logic.”(p.123) Logos is about using commonplaces and facts to prove a point. The best way to do this is by an effective use of enthymemes  and always be prepared for a knowledgeable audience.

Importnace

The Jewish community has a very particular and unique tradition, they undertake in cemeteries. Instead of bringing flowers to the tombstones of the dead they bring stones. They do so for various reasons. However, their fundamental motive is that a simple breath can’t blow stones away, they stay there forever.  “The bridge is not supported by one stone or another,” Marco answers, “but by the line of the arch that they form.”   (p. 82)   In this quote, Marco underlines the importance that a single stone had on the creation of a bridge. On the other hand this is a simple metaphor that talks about the importance of every persons in the world. How without there existence the world would not be the same.  This is the same believe the Jewish have for the dead. Their values and traditions lead them to conclude that without the existence of the dead they would not be standing were they are. This then guided them to place a stone in the cemeteries to honor each dead for there contributions to the world. As the famous song One Tribe says, “one tribe, one love, one race, one people”. Making every individual valuable and important.

Our live’s are all based on connections either emotional, physical or intellectual. We create relationships only for selfish reasons. Developments of friendships are based on our fear of being lest alone and our kinship relationships are created due to our constant need for support and protection. Humans live in a constant state of mind that makes then aspire for ambition. This led’s them to create business relationships. Relationships in which, a connection with a person or organism is created for the purpose of ones own benefit. This does not indicate that relationships are bad; on the contrary they are the most efficient way of communicating information.  At the end of the day what would the world be without communication?

In Invisible cities, Ersilia, a trading city, is extremely peculiar due to the way they express relationships. Each time a citizen creates a new connection they stretch out a string from one house to the other with its corresponding color. As this strings being to multiply and reach the point that it becomes impossible to circulate they migrate to another place. What would the world be if we followed such tradition? Would it be a complete catastrophe? Our, would it bring the world closer together?    

The Past Describes

You can try to portray an object, a person or place using descriptions. Talking about its appearance, its color and even its infrastructure. However, the audience will not have a real connation to it. In order to describe anything in particular one must mention its past, because that is what makes an object unique and special. “.. written in the corners of the streets, the grating of the windows, the banisters of the steps, the antennae of the lightning rods, the poles of the flags…” (Pg.11). Italo Calvino the author of Invisible Cities, also believes that the best way to describes an object, in this case a city is by looking and illustrating details that tell a particular story about it. In the case of people one must look for burns, cuts, stitches, wrinkles, expression lines, sun burns and scratches . It is due to all these features that one is will be able to know the person before even talking with them

Important Terminologies

Usurper: take (a position of power or importance) illegally or by force

Swaying: move or cause to move slowly or rhythmically backward and forward or from side to side

Halberds: a combined spear and battle-ax.

Barracks: provide (soldiers) with accommodations in a building or set of buildings

Tankard: a tall beer mug, typically made of silver or pewter, with a handle and sometimes a hinged lid.

Awning: a sheet of canvas or other material stretched on a frame and used to keep the sun or rain off a storefront, window, doorway, or deck.

Cornice: an ornamental molding around the wall of a room just below the ceiling.

Dirigibles: capable of being steered, guided, or directed

Uncorked: pull the cork out of (a bottle or other container).

Pagodas: a Hindu or Buddhist temple or sacred building, typically a many-tiered tower, in India and the Far East.

Cranes: a large, tall machine used for moving heavy objects, typically by suspending them from a projecting arm or beam.

Haymows: a stack of hay.

Garrets: a top-floor or attic room, esp. a small dismal one

Equinox: the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are

Solstice: either of the two times in the year, the summer solstice and the winter solstice, when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, marked by the longest and shortest days.

Envy Always Loses

In chapter 12 Dawkins analyzed the idea of a nice and nasty player . His conclusion stated that nice guys always came out ahead from those who play nasty. He demonstrated this by using various high pathetical and real life examples.  It is crucial to mention that there are two different types of games. The first one is called the “zero sum”, this is when there can only be one winner at the end of the game.  The second type is the “nonzero sum”, meaning that two parties are able to unite and come out victorious.

            Since it was proven that nice players, “not envious” come out victorious and that nasty players “envious” ended up achieving less, it seems relevant to analyze why this happened. First it is critical to know the difference between the two. Those “non envious” players are the once that are more forgiving and are happy if the other player wins as much money as they do. On the other hand “envious” players are only satisfied if they achieve more money than their opponent.  There is a very famous tale told to Colombian children so that they realize that being selfish in life accomplishes nothing. The tale tells the story of an American fisherman who was trying to find the best fishing technique in the world. He then went to Colombia to learn the secret of an important fisherman globally known. As they both went out fishing for crabs he noticed that the Colombian fisherman never put a led on the bucket were he was holding his crabs. The American then asked the Colombia why he was doing such thing since he was giving the crabs the opportunity to escape. The Colombian then answered: “They all try to escape, but they never accomplish it, this is because as soon as a crab sees another one half way up the bucket he will pull him down”.  This tale focuses on the thoughts of all those “envois” players, and how at the end of the day they accomplish nothing.  However, if humanity were to follow Dawkins theory and people started becoming less “envious” the world would become a better places were everyone’s priority would be for the greater good rather than personal accomplishments.

           

Faith

 In chapter 11 of The Selfish Gene the idea of faith is seen as a mental illness. One that can drive a person to such a state of mind that he or she might even believe that a martyr’s death can send them straight to heaven.

“ But what, after all, is faith? It is a state of mind that leads people to believe something—it doesn't matter what—in the total absence of supporting evidence.” (pg.330).

This video is an exact representation of Dawkins’s definition of faith. It demonstrates how a child at such a young age was implanted the idea that evolution is not true, that he was the product of Gods creation. The child could even swear on his life that evolution is the creation of fearless lying scientist whose only objective is to pursue common man into believes that God dose not exist. And that humans are the product of the evolution of monkeys. It is important to highlight that evolution is not base on a matter of faith but rather on true viable facts, which makes it true.

Species vs. The World

In chapter 10 Dawkins talks about the interaction between animals of different species. He does so by explaining that there relationship is extremely professional. In other words, they do this because it benefits them. This is called symbiosis. In the book the example of symbiosis given to explain the readers its function is seen through the relationship between the ants and the aphids. However, I find the relationship between the baboons and impalas to be a much clear one.

As you well know and are able to see form the picture at the right the Baboons are tree climbers, and extremely agile creature. On the other hand the Impalas are land walkers and are able to run at a fast speed when found in danger. These two creatures create a symbiosis. In times of winter when there is no food to be found on land Baboons climb the trees and through food down to the Impalas, they will also warn them when they see a predator near them. Mean while Impalas let the Baboons eat their newborn babies when food is not found and they as while warn them when they sense danger. These two animals help each other survive even though they are not from their same species. This is another great example of symbiosis.

Elucidation

Fecundity: adjective: producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth; fertile

Gregarious: adjective:(of a person) fond of company; sociable: he was a popular and gregarious man.

Venture: noun: a risky or daring journey or undertaking:

Intricacy: noun the quality of being intricate

Arbitrary: adjective: based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

Bizarre: adjective: very strange or unusual, esp. so as to cause interest or amusement

Doled: noun benefit paid by the government to the unemployed

Endow: give or bequeath an income or property to

Mosaic: noun: a picture or pattern produced by arranging together small colored pieces of hard material, such as stone, tile, or glass

Subtle: adjective so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe

Meiotic: noun: Biology a type of cell division that results in two daughter cells each with half the chromosome number of the parent cell, as in the production of gametes

Flotilla: noun: a fleet of ships or boats

Point mutation: noun: a mutation affecting only one or very few nucleotides in a gene sequence.

Phenomenon: noun: a fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, esp. one whose cause or explanation is in question

Mimicry: noun: action or art of imitating someone or something, typically in order to entertain or ridicule

Various Theories

              In chapter two of The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins introduces his audience with his belief about evolution. He presents his theory by highlighting that evolution is neither a good nor bad thing for humanity. However, he does focus on the fact that evolution is a mistake. It is the outcome of a series of miscopying on behalf of the genes. He expands his theory by comparing it to the ancient coping of the Gospel. By explaining how there was an original copy, and how as it’s being copied scribes are bound to make mistakes. Nevertheless, what is destined to happen when copies are made from other copies is a series of accumulative mistakes. Evolution therefore, is the outcome of these mistakes.

            One the other hand, Jean Baptiste Lamarck a very recognized scientist, is known to have a different understanding towards why evolutions happens.  He describes his theory by explaining that evolution happens due to the same organisms trying to adapt themselves to their environment and its alternations.  These changes in the organisms are passed to the next generation allowing it to have a higher probability of survival. These two ideas can be very contradictory however, they both arrive to the same point, evolution. The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth.

Reason

Everyone has different ideals towards why humans live. There is no right nor wrong answer, nor anything in between. It is all based on faith. Reaching the end of Candide the readers get a glimpse of what the author believes, regarding humans mission in life.  It all begins with the Garden of Eden; this garden has the symbolic identity of the origins of mankind. On the other hand in the book the garden seems to have a hidden message, one that will later lead to the reasoning behind mans mission in earth. “ When man was placed in the Garden of Eden, he was put there ´to dress it and to keep it`”. (pg. 143).  This quote was manifested to pursue the audience into the believe that from the first time man set foot on earth its mission was to work until the end of time.

These believe was constantly represented along the book and it gave emphasis to the lives of all the characters in it.  After all of the most delightful and horrific adventures had passed, the characters illusion of living and of being prosperous was completely sucked out.  Leaving them with no dreams nor aspirations in life, simply trying to survive the present.

“I also know, said Candide, `that we must go and work in the garden´.” (pg. 143)

Humans are unpredictable creatures. They let their feelings and values influence their decision-making. Every human is unique, making them impossible to predict. These peculiar creatures are strikingly complex. I am only half way through the book and yet I feel I have heard it all. Voltaire filled–up his novel, Candied with an abundance of misfortune characters. To the point that they have all passed through a catastrophe or woe in their lives.  As the old lady once said: "… and if you find even one who has not …told himself that he is the most miserable man alive, you can throw me into the sea head first." (pg. 57). Nonetheless, after seeing how in just a couple of mouth the life of a character can go from being happy, wonderful and even dream full. It can take a total turn in a simple second and make the character the most miserable person of all mankind. Nevertheless it seems crucial to highlight that even though the characters of the story are living a sorrowful life they still wish to continue living. In the book it is explained that the characters manage to fall in love with “life” and even though they know life will simply mean more plain and suffering they will not kill themselves.

On the other hand it is the first time we see a character question Pangloss philosophy. Lady Cunegonde who after the last couple of days has passed through more things that can be described, questions how her daily suffering will eventually lead to a greater good.“ I am afraid Pangloss cruelly deceived me when he told me that all is for the best in this world.” (pg. 43).

These new ideas brought to the table created a series of questions that could maybe answered in the future. Would this signs of doubt spread out through all the characters, even Candide? Will this lead to their irreversible lost of hope? Is it true that everything is for the greater good?

Trends

It is breath taking how two books from different time periods can relate to each other. In Candide, I was able to discern clear trends of the classical book, Don Quixote. More specifically, the way the two novels are able to vividly describe a person, enabling the reader to create a perfect image of them. It is said that a picture is worth more than a thousand words, however, due to the technique both of these eloquent writers use, one may dispute against it. In the case of Don Quixote, one sees this happening every time a description of a woman is being assembled. The author illustrates all women as goddesses. In the novel, Cervantes has the ability of describing a horrific woman and transforming her into the most beautiful of all mankind. He achieves this by converting the ordinary features the woman has and making them glamorous. Voltaire, will repeat this technique 100 years later in his novel, Candide.  A perfect example of the two authors using these techniques is when Cervantes describes Dulcinea in Don Quixote and Voltaire illustrates Lady Conegonde, in Candide. Another example of Voltaire’s superb character description is when he portrays the Old Lady in Candide. “ … My breast began to take its right form, and such a breast! White, firm, and formed like that of the Venus de’ Medici; my eyebrows were as black as jet, as for my eyes, they darted flames and eclipsed the luster of the stars, as I was told by the poets of our part of the world. My maids, when they dressed and undressed me, used to fall into an ecstasy in viewing me…” (pg. 49). It is remarkable to see that some trends of writing are as current today as they were many centuries ago, allowing modern literature to contain classical techniques.

Unknown Words

1.     Infallible: not liable to mislead, deceive, or disappoint

2.     Auto-da-fe: the ceremony for pronouncing judgment by the Inquisition which was followed by the execution of sentence by secular authorities

3.     Cassock: a close-fitting ankle-length garment worn especially in Roman Catholic and Anglican churches by the clergy and by laypersons assisting in services

4.     Flog: to beat with or as if with a rod or whip

5.     Hovel: an open shed or shelter

6.     Ointment: a salve or unguent for application to the skin

7.     Boudoir: a woman's dressing room, bedroom, or private sitting room

8.     Utter: carried to the utmost point or highest degree

9.     Brocaded: a rich silk fabric with raised patterns in gold and silver

10. Feeble: markedly lacking in strength

11. Mincemeat: a finely chopped mixture (as of raisins, apples, and spices) sometimes with meat that is often used as pie filling

12. Brute: of or relating to beasts

13. Amenable: liable to be brought to account

14. Quarrel: to find fault

15. Roused: to cause to break from cover

16. Dwelt: to remain for a time

17. Rogue: a dishonest or worthless person

18. Thoroughbred: thoroughly trained or skilled

19. Dunghill: a heap of dung

20. Buttock: the back of a hip that forms one of the fleshy parts on which a person sits

Bibliographies:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infallible

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auto-da-fé

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cassock

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flogging

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hovel

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ointment

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boudoir

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/utter

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brocaded

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feeble

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buttock

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dunghill

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thoroughbred

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rogue

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dwelt

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarrelling