Outline

Topic Material Love/ Materialism

In the following text about Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist you will read about the theme of materialism and how it affects us on our way to find our personal legend.

In Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, materialism represents temptation, which can help us to achieve our goals but simultaneously is a danger to finding our Personal Legend.

·         

Introduction

·         Thesis

·         Paragraph 1

-Topic Sentence (Santiago’s rejection of materialism as a shepherd)

- Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

-Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

- Conclusion

·         Paragraph 2

-Topic Sentence ( Santiago’s  first contact with materialism, Merchant’s daughter)

- Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

-Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

- Conclusion

·         Paragraph 3

-Topic Sentence ( Wealth as a requirement to find personal legend)

- Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

-Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

- Conclusion

·         Paragraph 4

-Topic Sentence (Wealth as a hindrance for Santiago to continue journey)

- Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

-Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

- Conclusion

·         Paragraph 5

-Topic Sentence

- Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

-Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

- Conclusion

·         Paragraph 6

-Topic Sentence

- Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

-Statement

- Proof Evidence

- Explanation

- Conclusion

Thesis and Topic Alchemist Essay

Topic Material Love/ Materialism

On Santiago’s way to his personal legend material love and materialism helps him to achieve his goals but it is a danger at the same time.

Material Love and materialism represents a temptation for everybody on their way to find their personal legend. It can help you to achieve your goals but it is a danger at the same time.

Thesis Alchemist Essay

The theme I will discuss in the essay about the Alchemist is the desert. The desert and its harsh conditions stand for the difficulties and the feat everybody has to go through on their way to their personal legend.

The desert in the Alchemist stands for the fear and the difficulties everybody has to face on their way to the personal legend. 

the man with night sweats

The poem has nine stanzas and it changes between two and four verses. The poem is written by Thom Gunn. The mood of the poem is very scary and despite. The author is talking about gashed flesh and pains which go through the protagonist. The tone of the poem is calm and descriptive. In the poem a depression or something painful is described and it shows how the person suffers. In verse 14 there is a metaphor when it says, that the shield is cracked. Every other verse rhymes which gives a rhythm to the poem.

The Man with Night Sweats

BY THOM GUNN

I wake up cold, I who

Prospered through dreams of heat   

Wake to their residue,   

Sweat, and a clinging sheet.   

My flesh was its own shield:   

Where it was gashed, it healed.

I grew as I explored   

The body I could trust   

Even while I adored

The risk that made robust,

A world of wonders in

Each challenge to the skin.

I cannot but be sorry

The given shield was cracked,

My mind reduced to hurry,   

My flesh reduced and wrecked.

I have to change the bed,   

But catch myself instead

Stopped upright where I am   

Hugging my body to me   

As if to shield it from   

The pains that will go through me,

         

As if hands were enough   

To hold an avalanche off.

Discussion Question The Alchemist

1.  The prologue of The Alchemist includes a unique retelling of the myth of Narcissus.

- What do you know about this myth?

The myth of Narcissus is a very old greek myth which is about the flower,  the narcissus. The myth is about a young man who loves to look at his self in a mirror. He does it every day by the lake, when he looks at the water. One day a leaf falls on the water and the leaf made a wave which distorted his reflection. He was upset about that because he thought he is ugly. He died from the shock being ugly and the the spot where somebody found his corpse, there grew a beautiful yellow narcissus.

       

 - What is the traditional interpretation of this myth?

The traditional interpretation is about the young man who loved himself and who was really concerned about his beauty. The end of the story is kind of ironic and shows, that self-love can make things worse. The young man was totally blinded from his beauty and probably forgot about the really important things in life. That he died because of a wave which distorted his reflection shows, that he didn’t have any time to think about the reality and real life.

         

- What is the relationship of the prologue to the rest of the story?

The prologue introduces the theme of self-love and the realization of your dreams. In the prologue you can see that self-love can be important to reach your goals. I also think that the prologue should show the reader that a little bit of egoism is needed to succeed and to get satisfied. It is also related to the internal conflict of the boy who still doesn’t know what he is going to do because of opinions of others.

2.  Tell where the boy comes from and in what part of the world much of the story is set. What might be the significance of the setting in the book?

The boy is from Andalusia which is an area in the south of Spain. It is a really try and banal area where is not much to get product of except agriculture. Especially the profession of a shepherd was common around the 1500 and 1600 hundreds. Because of the area the choices of jobs are very small for Santiago. It is also a very poor area and not many people could afford to travel. That is probably a reason why travelling is such a desire and special thing for the boy. As a son of a poor family there are not many ways how he could travel, besides being a shepherd.

3.  Talk about the role the merchant's daughter plays in the boy's quest. What themes does her introduction bring up?

The merchant’s daughter is one of the biggest reasons for the internal conflict of the boy. The boy falls in love with the merchant’s daughter and the fact the he loves her even he doesn’t really know her shows the reader, that it is something special and magical for the boy. You can see how important the merchant’s daughter is for the boy on page 11 when Santiago says: “I haven’t thought of other women since I met the merchant’s daughter.”

Another quote on page 10 shows Santiago’s special attraction to the merchant’s daughter: “he had already seen many castles and met many women (but none the equal of the one who awaited him several days hence).” The merchant’s daughter is probably the reason why he is not sure about if he should go to Egypt, Africa to search the treasure he dreamed of. The girl and the internal conflict of Santiago are part of Santiago’s discovering of his personal legend. The fact, that the shepherd doesn’t know his personal legend yet, “The boy didn’t know what a person’s personal legend was” (page 21), and the theme of finding his personal legend introduces the main conflict and theme of the story. The uncertainty of something new and an adventure makes the boy think about his future and what he is going to do next. You can see that the love to the merchant’s daughter holds the boy from realize his dreams without worrying about past and home.

4.  What is the boy's original motive in the quest that takes him across the Mediterranean? What rewards, material or nonmaterial, do you think the boy will reap from his journey? What might this say about the relationship between material and spiritual rewards?

The main reason why the boy is a shepherd is because he wants to see as many parts as possible of the world. I think his original quest what takes him across the Mediterranean is because he wants to travel and he is also looking for an adventure and challenge. I think the boy is going to get rewarded by seeing the world and maybe he will find his personal legend at the end of his journey. It is very hard to compare the material rewards with the spiritual rewards, but even if the will be disappointed if he is not going to find a treasure, after a while he will be happy about his experience.

vocab

ostracism: exclusion of society

presumptuous: behavior of person which is inappropriate

pugnacious: looking for fights and conflicts

quotidian: a daily happening,

relish: to savor something a lot

solicitous: interested in somethings/ someones condition

toady: exaggerated sort of kindness

usurp: dictators often usurp their power

viscous: thick or syrupy liquid

vivacious: blithely

The Destructors Discussion Question Answers

1. I think the antagonist of the story is Old Misery. The protagonist is the gang or Trevor a induvidual. The main conflict of the gang and Old Misery is the destruction of the house and themes like a class warfare or jealousy.

2. The process of a total destruction before Thomas comes back causes a raising action and a suspense at the same time. The suspense is caused by questions if the make it before he comes back, if somebody else will notice.

3. The story doesn't have a happy ending from the perspective of the house owner, because his property got destroyed. For the gang and Trevor there might be a happy ending, because the achieved their goals and the got satisfied.

4. Both of these exploits offend against the law and for the gang both things are a challenge a daring.

5. It is special because Old Misery is a 200 year old building which was one of the few buildings which didn't get destroyed by the bomb attack.

6. a) the gang doesn't call Trevor by his full name, they call him T. He wants to get called T. because so the gang can't make fun about him.
b) the gang didn't want the chocolates


7. Trevor is a good leader, because he is organized and he has a plan B when Thomas comes back earlier than they thought he would come.

Vocabs

abated: His enthusiasm for playing chess abated after he had an accident.

abdicate: The pope abdicated yesterday because of his age.

balked: He balked for cleaning the bathroom.

cadence: The cadence of the song was very upbeating.

daunting:His bad grades were daunting for him to keep working hard.

eclectic: Jon bought an eclectic car which he can use for many things.

fabricated: The company fabricated shirts.

garish:The lightning was scary and garish.

hackneyed: after 10 years the story is hackneyed

idiosyncratic: The new student was idiosyncratic and weird.

maelstrom. The maelstrom pulled him underwater.

rail: the old lady railed against the young people who drive too fast.

veneer: The old house got a new veneer.

Poetry Oration

Trying to Get Through

BY ELEANOR ROSS TAYLOR

I make a knife of words.

I sit here waiting.

I play with crumbs.

Her eyes that should look

straight at me are

toward the window, glazed—

husband’s horizon?

Not armored. Only armed

with pots and pans.

Not out of arm’s reach,

beyond curtains of doorbells,

garden gates.

She puts up ironwork

in her eyes; it draws a bolt

over what’s real—

then looks at me.

I wish I’d brought my saw.

Source: Poetry (October 2010).

The Snow Leopard by Jason Gray

The Snow Leopard

BY JASON GRAY

In the Metro Toronto Zoo

He pads on grassy banks behind a fence,

          with measured paces slow and tense.

          Beyond his cage his thoughts are sharp and white;

                  he lives a compelled anchorite.

                  A solid ghost gone blind with all the green,

                              he waits and waits to be unseen.

                                                         -For Paul Strong

The poem "The Snow Leopard" is written by Jason Gray and it is dedicated to a person called Paul Strong. The poem has three stanzas and each stanza has two verses, The title of the poem describes the opposite of the actual meaning and the appearance of the tiger. The tiger is described as a "compelled anchorite" which shows that  he doesn't like his environment and it wasn't his decission to live there. The word "compelled anchorite" (line 4) is also a methapor. The mood of the tone is very sad and depressing. This mood shows the sadness of the tiger. The tone of the poem is is very banal and monotonous. It says that the tiger lives in a zoo which explains why he is in a "cage" (line3). The monotonous environment is supported by the way how the tiger is described, "with measured paces slow and tens" (line 2), (gone blind whitch all the green). The last line shows how the tiger wishes to disappear and he is tired of  getting watched by the visitors of the zoo. In line five a metaphor describes a snow blindness  which is described with the color green.

Vocabulary 1

abase: Because of his haircut Jon got abased by the teacher in front of his class. He felt very sad.

ambiguous: Some people think Casear married Cleopatra for her power; others believe he was charmed by her beauty. His actual reasons are ambiguous.

aversion: Because he lives in Spain he has an aversion to winter and snow.

banal: Studyhall is boring and banal.

beguile: Sam beguiled his friend that he can borrow his skis.

cacophony: His younger brother is learning to play the drums, which creates a cacophony.

cleave: The testament of the died grandmother cleaved the family.

connive: The population connived the wrong decissions of their leader because of his popularity.

ebullient: The success of the team caused an ebullient emotion.

facade: After the death of his hamster he made up a facade of happiness.

gratuitous: The car ride to the city was gratuitous because we could have taken the train for free.

indefatigable: He was working in the garden for many hours in the rain which shows that he is an indefatigable worker.

linchpin: The student government is a lunchpin between teachers and students.

oblique: Because of his oblique writing style many readers think it is a book for children.

privation: World War two caused a privation of food and medicine in Germany and many other countries.

reveled: Theodore reveled in his new status as Big Man on campus.

sanguine: Everybody was sad except Samuel was smiling because of his sanguine character.

Anylisis

The poem has seven stanzas and each stanza has 2 verses. It is written by Malachi Black and at the end of each stanza you can find an enjambment. These enjambments cause that the reader reads the poem attentively and it is also like a little break after each stanza. The tone of the poem is very serious and descriptive what you can see at the precise description of the room. This room expresses a special place. You can see this, when the author uses the word “spare” to describe it. The mood of the poem is sad and thoughtfully. There is a climax in stanza six which starts with the words “but now”.

Sifting in the Afternoon

BY MALACHI BLACK

Some people might describe this room as spare:

a bedside table and an ashtray and an antique

chair; a mattress and a coffee mug;

an unwashed cotton blanket and a rug

my mother used to own. I used to have

a phone. I used to have another

room, a bigger broom, a wetter sponge.

I used to water my bouquet

of paper clips and empty pens, of things

I thought I’d want to say if given chance;

but now, to live, to sit somehow, to watch

a particle of thought dote on the dust

and dwindle in a little grid of shadow

on the sunset’s patchy rust seems like enough.

Poetry Oration

Drifting at Midday

BY MALACHI BLACK

Now I can see: even the trees

are tired: they are bones bent forward

in a skin of wind, leaning in

osteoporosis, reaching

for a little more than any

oxygen can give: when living

is in season, they can live;

but living is no reason

to continue: everything begins:

and everything is desperate

to extend: and everything is

insufficient in the end:

and everything is ending:

Now I can see: even the trees

Source: Poetry (September 2009).

Poetry Oration

So many
letters in my life I started
most of them I threw away.

So many
friendships shall last forever,
most of us will go astry.

So many
chances in my life,
ideas left unborn.
Will I wake up in the end -
realizing it's all gone?

No.
I see the sunlight breaking through the clouds,
see me standing there.
Seemed to me that all hope was lost, BUT
my eyes keep on shining,
my heart goes on beating
and I'll try again.

The main idea of the poem is about missed chances, a new beginning and even a change to something better. The mood of the poem is very desperate and sad, what you can see when the author lists the things which didn’t work. The poem has four stanzas and eighteen verses. In the last stanza you can find a change from a desperate mood to an optimistic and confident mood. This also marks the climax of the poem. In verse thirteen there is a metaphor when it says: “I see the sunlight breaking through the clouds.” It means that there is hope and the hopeless situation improves. You can find a rhetorical question in verse eleven which doesn’t require to be answered.

Poetry Oration

The poem “To the new year” is written by W. S. Merwin. The poem has two stanzas and 18 verses. In the first stanza you can read about the sun and how the sun appears and shines in the morning. The author describes how the sun rises in the morning what the sun shines. In verse eight there is a voice which is expressed by the dove. The dove with the voice is also a personification. In the second stanza the author writes about the things that happened in the past and about our hopes for the future.

Poem oration

To the New Year

                                                                                           BY W. S. MERWIN

With what stillness at last

you appear in the valley

your first sunlight reaching down

to touch the tips of a few

high leaves that do not stir

as though they had not noticed

and did not know you at all

then the voice of a dove calls

from far away in itself

to the hush of the morning

so this is the sound of you

here and now whether or not

anyone hears it this is

where we have come with our age

our knowledge such as it is

and our hopes such as they are

invisible before us

untouched and still possible