Chapter 9 of Great Gatsby

Nick tries to get in touch with Daisy - who had fled with Tom.
He then tries to find family members for Gatsby or for someone to pay their respects but he finds no one.

Nick gets a call - intended for Gatsby - find out he was involved in something suspicious

Gatsby's father than turns up - father is very proud (doesn't know about the dodgey business Gatsby got all his money from)

A guy phones up knowing that Gatsby is dead asking for a pair of shoes - nick rightly hangs up on him.

we learn how Gatsby was always trying to improve himself - idea that he was always wanting to do well for himself.

Weather - day of the family - rainy days

at the funeral - owl eyes turns up. (agrees with Nick about how terrible it is that tons of people go to Gatsby's party but  none to his funeral)

he concludes that all of the characters in the book were all from the West and therefore could not conform to the ways of the East.
          - Nick decided to go home to the East.

Before the end he meets Jordon who accuses him of being "dishonest" after all.

Nick’s cryptic response? "I’m thirty. I’m five years too old to lie to myself and call it Honor." He then remarks that he’s "half in love with her" and "tremendously sorry" when he leaves.


Some time later he runs into Tom Buchanan.
Tom reveals that he is the one who told Mr. Wilson that the car belonged to Gatsby.
Nick can’t bring himself to utter the truth – that Daisy was the one driving. He doesn’t even know anymore whom to believe.

• Nick realises that Tom and Daisy were "careless people," people who made messes and then left others to clean them up.

He thinks of what the island must have looked like years ago to the first sailors that came to "the new world."

Chapter 8 of Greatt Gatsby

Time = Next morning

Nick tells Gatsby that he should leave until Myrtles death is forgotten - Gatsby refuses because he believes that him and Daisy still have a future.

learn more about Gatsby's past:

• Daisy was the first "nice" girl Gatsby had ever known or met. His initial plan was to get some backseat action, but then he accidentally fell in love. It happens.
• In the war, Gatsby did well for himself. He tried to get home as soon as the war was over but he was sent to Oxford.
• Meanwhile, Daisy got tired of waiting for him and married Tom.

One of Gatsby's servants announces that they are going to have the pool drained.

As he leaves Nick says "They’re a rotten crowd ... You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together."
BUT Nick reminds us that he "disapproved" of Gatsby "from beginning to end."

Nick phones Jordon and there relationship goes from courting to "complicated"

Brought back to the present of Myrtles death

•  Wilson, in the midst of his grieving, revealed that he had recently started to suspect his wife of having an affair. He had found an expensive dog collar in her room and huge bruises on her face one day.
• Wilson came to the sudden conclusion that whoever was driving the car was the same man having an affair with his wife.
• Hear all of this from Nick who wasn't there (imagination/Michaelis/reports)

Wilson works out that the yellow car belongs to Gatsby
Gatsby is in the pool

Nick hears shots fired
Nick finds Gatsby and Wilson's bodies
the finding of Gatsby's body is very descriptive - not like the rest of the main event that happen.

Chapter 7 of Great Gatsby

 

Time = next Saturday
Gatsby has locked himself into his house and fired all of his servants - makes you think something bad has happened.
Find out that Daisy has been coming round Gatsby's house (something fishy going on there)

Weather = hottest day ever

Nick goes round to Daisy and Tom's house

• Tom is talking to his mistress on the phone - Nick tries to pretend it isn't her but everyone knows its her. Is he ashamed because he knows and he hasn't said anything.
• Daisy and Jordon wearing white again (symbol of purity)
• Gatsby is there
• Daisy sends Tom into the other room to make a drink and kisses him, declaring that she loves him.

Daisy's daughter is brought in. Gatsby does not like this.

"What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon? and the day after that, and the next thirty years" - Daisy

Daisy says "you always look so cool." - everyone knows she just admitted to loving Gatsby

They then decide to go into town.
While everyone is getting ready, Nick and Gatsby are alone to discuss Daisy’s voice, which Gatsby decides is "full of money." Nick agrees.
     - shows the extent of Gatsby's desire to be rich and how much he associates money with Daisy

Daisy and Gatsby go in the Buchanans’ car (blue) and Tom drives Gatsby’s car (yellow) with Nick and Jordan as passengers.
Tom realises two things: First, his wife is having an affair with Gatsby. Second, Jordan and Nick know about the whole thing.


They stop for gas at Wilson's gas station
Myrtle see's Tom with Gatsby's car and Jordon - she thinks Jordon is his wife, thinks Tom is driving
                                                                               the yellow car.
Wilson, who now knows about his wife’s affair but doesn’t know it’s with Tom, reveals that he needs money because he and his wife are going to move out West.

Tom realises he’s losing control – of his wife and of his mistress.

They end up at a suite in the Plaza hotel in an attempt to cool off.
Tensions increases between Gatsby and Tom. Tom accuses him of lying about his being an Oxford man.
- find out he was but only for a few months
Tom finally confronts then about the affair.
Gatsby tells Tom that "Daisy never loved you."
Tom says that she does love him, and that in fact he loves her too (very fake - does he really love her just saying it)

have an argument and Daisy admits that she did at one point love Tom but not anymore.
Gatsby then insists to Tom that Daisy is leaving him.
Tom reveals that Gatsby is a bootlegger but Gatsby gets excited and tries to deny it.


Daisy begs to go, and they head home with Daisy and Gatsby together in Gatsby’s car.

Nick realises it is his birthday – he is thirty. ( what an odd thing to remember and comment on.

 Nick narrates, "So we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight." - very sinister and could be foreshadowing Myrtles death

Tom, Jordan, and Nick stop at the Wilson’s place again because their is a crowd gathered

 - obvious something bad has happened

Michaelis, Wilson’s neighbour, reveals that Myrtle came running out when she saw a yellow car. The car struck and killed her, and then sped off without stopping.

It is obvious to Nick and company that the car was Gatsby’s.

Tom converses with a policeman at the scene of the crime about how the guilty car is YELLOW, but his own car is BLUE. makes sure her gets Gatsby in trouble and at the same time save his own back

As they drive away, Tom starts to cry - sad (did he actually love Myrtle?)

When they get back to Tom's house Nick finds Gatsby waiting outside there house in a bush ( not odd at all) says he is there to make sure Tom doesn’t get violent with Daisy.

Gatsby reveals that Daisy was driving the car when it struck Myrtle – but says he will say he did it so as not to get Daisy in trouble.

Nick sneaks round to the back of the house and sees Tom and Daisy together - very intimate it is obvious the two have reconciled

leaves Gatsby "watching over nothing."

Chapter 6 of Great Gatsby

We learn the real background of Gatsby,

• Real name is James Gatz - changed his name, Why? hiding, because it sound foreign, prefers it?
• Comes from a poor family
• worked on a ship - 'got himself started' - well travelled
• oxford - well educated?

At the party (Gatsby invites Daisy and Tom) he drops names this makes him seem important and makes Tom awkward.
Know that Gatsby really wants to impress Daisy
Becomes clear that Daisy is not enjoying the party at all.
Gatsby upset, very childlike. "she didn't like it" whinny - Nick is left to comfort him.

Gatsby's love for Daisy is very unrealistic and sad because he is living in the past, to Daisy there relationship may of just been a fling however to him it was serious, life binding.

Gatsby throughout the novel is labelled as a classic stereotype romantic hero.

Tom and Daisy are outcasts at this party
Get the idea that Tom and Gatsby are in a game (snakes and ladders?) of power.

Chapter 5 of Great Gatsby

The first sentence in this chapter is "when i came home to West Egg that night i was afraid for a moment that my house was on fire" - this sets the mood for the chapter, build up of tension.

This is the chapter were we first see Gatsby as a weak character.

• has hands in pockets a very childlike posture,
• upset,
• defencive.

Clock is knocked over and Gatsby catches it - idea of psychically stopping time, waiting for an

appropriate time with Daisy, time moving slowly.          



Daisy is very happy "erratic smile" - talks to Gatsby very matter of fact (awkward)
Very descriptive about Gatsby's house - does he have all these possessions purely because of Daisy?

Lyrics - all about the rich getting richer and the poor get - children. (juxta position to the rest of the chapter) - Gatsby does not have any children, could this be significant?

Romantic imagery - makes the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby obvious.


Weather is very important - raining than sunny (juxta position)
"crying stromally" - Daisy sense of loss - freedom, Gatsby, she could of been with him now...
Raining - shirts are a rainbow (colours of the rainbow) - the shirts show Gatsby's character and you're opinion of him.
A Storm is broken emotionally

Chapter 4 of Great Gatsby

 

Chapter 4

 

Nicks begins the chapter listing all the people he meets at Gatsby's parties - it becomes apparent that Nick has become a regular at the parties. The list is like he has to say it all and say it all really quickly.

 

Time reference - 9.00 July.

                         -  October 1917

 

Another direct reference to Gatsby's car.

 

Nick says how his admiration for Gatsby faded as he got to know him - realised he was just a normal guy. "he was a person of some undefined consequence, had gradually faded and he had become simply the proprietor of an elaborate roadhouse next door."

 

 

Gatsby tells him that he was brought up by a wealthy family and went to Oxford - begin to think that Gatsby is very well educated but in chapter 6 we realise it is all lies and his parents were farmers and he was only at Oxford for two months. Nick picks up on something funny but doesn't say anything.

 

Gatsby tells him that he has asked Jordon to tell Nick something at tea but we don't know what it is - holds us in suspense.

 

Nick makes a point in telling us about the hearse that drives buy - could this be to make the book more sinister? Gatsby more sinister? Or is it to foreshadow what will happen to Myrtle at the end?

 

We are introduced to a character called Mr. Wolfsheim.

     Soon realise that he is an eccentric character - learn that his friend was shot in the restaurant they are in.

 

Wolfsheim leaves and Nick introduces Gatsby to Tom however Gatsby walks off after the introduction. Is this because he knows that Tom is Daisy's husband?

 

Jordon takes over the story for a while telling the story of how Daisy and Gatsby meet, how she decided to marry Tom then got drunk and cold feet before the wedding.  (change in narrator)

 

Know that Gatsby has never stopped loving her and he brought the house so she would be just across the bay. (Gatsby is still living in the past)

The two decide to invite Daisy to Nicks house so he can meet Daisy.

 

Nick and Jordon begin to have a moment - Is Nick developing feelings for Jordon? Do they kiss or not?

 



Chapter 3 of Great Gatsby

 

Chapter 3

 

Nick describes Gatsby having a "blue garden" - I think the use of blue in this sentence could mean two things either 'blue' as in blue blood like the royals and 'blue' as in it is a very vivid colour.

 

Makes a point about telling us about the amount of servants who come to his house - he notes that they come every Friday, this makes his life seem very regimented and robotic like its in a cycle.

 

Nick is also very descriptive about the food, money and the people there creating the illusion of wealth. He makes sure we know that the orchestra is very big not just a "thin five piece affair."

 

The main colour in this scene for me if the colour YELLOW Nick draws close attention to this colour - yellow dresses

- yellow bug (car)

- yellow cocktail music  

 

People walk in who are not invited - Nick refers to it as an amusement park.

Very superficial - just there because it is the place to be 'to make a name for themeselves'

People are very fake, selfish,  materialistic.

 

Jordon says " I  like large parties. They're more intimate. At small parties there isn't any privacy"

 

Their are many different rumours about Gatsby like 'he killed a man' etc but only important people have people whispering about you.

 

Everyone makes a massive deal about Gatsby and you imagine a very distinctive figure but when Nick does not even know who he is talking to you realise he is just the same as everyone else.

Nick makes a very distinctive image about the crowds yet when he is with Gatsby he likes to create a sense of intimacy like its just him and Gatsby in the room.

 

Nick keeps telling us how Gatsby keeps getting called away to answer phone calls - makes Gatsby seem very important and also makes a direct reference to new technology of the phone

 

Jordon and Nick go to find Gatsby and instead they find a man who is described as being "owl eyed" he is drunk and trying to sober up (hasn't been sober for a week - shows what kind of life these people lead) he is amazed at the fact the books are real.

 

 

Lots of time references throughout the book,

- Vladimir Tostroff, 

- Late when Nick leaves the house. 

 

Outsiders appear to be a massive theme in this book - chapter 1 Daisy's house is uncomfortable

                                                                                                      Now Nick is an outsider at the party

                                                                                                      because he knows no one at the party.

Nick lacks social structure - goes to the bar "the only place in the garden where a single man could linger without looking purposeless or alone"

 

The car crash could be a sense of foreshadow to what is going to happen to Myrtle.

 

Nick has an over exaggerated imagination - imagines following women home and going out with them.

Very lonely - wants to be with someone.

Becomes fascinated with Jordon - not in love.

He says she has grey eyes - grey is a slightly odd colour and he uses grey a lot to describe the 'valley off ashes' in chapter two is there a link between these two?

 

Thinks he is very honest but i think he is one of the most deceitful.

Get the idea that Nick does not know himself - doesn't know what he wants (2 affairs) - wants to fit in with everyone else and be accepted.

 

 

There is a sense of foreboding at the end of the chapter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Chapter 2 of Great Gatsby

Chapter two

 



 

As in chapter one there are a lot of emphasis on colour however in this chapter it is mainly about the colour grey. grey is a bleak - dark and scared (area of the town is plain compared to chapter 1)  

 

Grey cars - very mechanical (they are very slow)

Invisible = the place is desolate (valley of ashes) - lower class area - place could be swept away.

Like a ghost town. There is a theme of death at the beginning of the chapter.

Train always stops at the valley of ash for at least a minute (makes it seem like more than it is) again emphasis on the new technology.

 

Their are references to the time - Dr.T.J.Eckleburg and John Rockerfeller

date  a summer Sunday afternoon - summer and Sundays and afternoons are always slow

Ton Buchanan's mistress

• Their is no hesitation when introducing her - like when introducing Gatsby because their is no mystery  about her and the affair.
• Why does Nick not care?
• Myrtle is a very average women - quite plump. Why does Tom risk an affair with her?
• Is Nick only criticising Myrtle because Tom is having an affair with his relation

Wilson is a cold hard man - only in it for the money

Myrtle is very materialistic - wants a dog
Myrtle likes to pretend that she is rich and upper class when around Tom.
Tom rents out a very expensive apartment on 5th avenue - Nick revues it as small



Tom is sensitive about his name and therefore his wife's - punches Myrtles friend and breaks her nose.

The ending is very disjointed - written in the mind of a drunk man
Begin to question the reliability of the narration as he is drunk (an immoral act )

At the beginning of the book Nick acts like he has very high morals.

Nick creates a lot of judgements in this chapter - judgement on Myrtle
                                                                              judgement on Tom's apartment

 



Chapter 1 of Great Gatsby

Chapter one

 

The book is narrated my Nick

The book begins with Nick saying 'when you feel like criticising anyone ... just remember that all the people in the world haven't had the advantages that you've had' this shows that Nick believes he has high moral values but also shows that he comes from a wealthy family.

We are introduced to the character Gatsby and from the shirt description given we learn that Nick regarded very highly. and changed the way he views life.

The title is the Great Gatsby - Why is he great?

 

Nicks family ran a prosperous family business - believes he is descended from a wealthy and high status background.

He decided to go into the bond business.

 

 

- The language is very matter of fact like a biography

 

Introduced to Daisy (Nicks 2nd cousin once removed) and Tom (her husband).

• Tom has got lots of money also from a wealthy background
• Nick is very descriptive about Toms face and body
• You already have a feeling of Toms character by the description e.g. 'arrogant eyes' and ' a cruel body'

The name Daisy is used in literature for the idea of an unattainable lover.

Nick goes and visits Daisy and Tom, again Nick is very descriptive about their house - encourages the view of them being very rich (lists of references to light and gold eg reflected gold)

Introduced to Jordon Baker

•  The name Jordon = masculine name
• Dressed also very masculine (tom boy)

There are lots of sound references. (unquiet darkness)

He personifies the night - makes it come alive

Fitzgerald was influenced by John Keats (a poet he was very romantic) Mr Gatsby is the stereotype of the the romantic character.

 

When Nick is looking out of his window he sees a cats silhouette

- there are lots of silhouettes and shadows used. 

- only see a shadow of Gatsby (shadow = idea of what he is - only has rumours to base his views on him)

there is a fascination with new technology throughout this chapter and the rest of the novel eg. telephones, cars and mechanical objects.

 

Book is very cinematic due to the dramatic imagery

There is a lot of emphasis put on the use of colours and lights. very bright and vivid. 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  



Reading journal act 5

Scene 1 

1. Antonio is trying too comfort Leonato about his daughter's 'death.'
2. Leonato quarrels with Claudio and Don Pedro and they almost duel.
3. Claudio is convinced he killed her and when Benedick turns up his fears are confirmed.
4. Benedick tells them that Don Pedro has fled.
5. Claudio and Don Pedro try to steer the conversation onto to Beatrice but Benedick walks away.
6.  Dogberry and Verges enter leading Borachio and Conrade bound together.
7. The men tell Claudio and Don Pedro all that has happened and they are sad, when they ask Leonato for forgiveness he tells them to spread the word that Hero died honourably, for Claudio to write a poem for her grave and for him to marry his brothers daughter tomorrow.
8. The men agree.

• Why does Claudio so readily agree to marry a women straight after he finds out the women he 'loves' is dead by his hand?
• Why do Claudio and Don Pedro not find it weird that they have such light punishments even though they have killed Hero?
• Why do they not punish Borachio and Conrade further but instead pin all the blame on Don John?
• Why does Benedick so readily slander his best friends name for Beatrice who is just using her power over him?
• Why does Dogberry suddenly uncover his wit in this scene but in act 3 scene 3 he is a rambling idiot?

Their is great importance in this scene mainly being the fact that the plot is uncovered and there looks like their will be a happy ending after all but also because again we see the flippant nature of Claudio and Benedick succumbing to the will of love.

Scene 2

1. The scene begins with Benedick and Margret sharing a crude joke.
2. Beatrice then confronts Benedick about not killing Claudio, they then share another moment when Benedick confesses his love for Beatrice and she does encourage him this time.
3. Ursula then enters and tells them all that the plot has been uncovered.

• What is the significance of the joke between Benedick and Margret at the beginning?

Scene 3

1. The scene is the reading out of Claudio's poem and Hero's 'funeral'

Scene 4

1. The wedding is about to begin, all the women are masked.
2. Leonato brings Hero forward and Claudio is relieved to be marrying the same women.
3. Benedick and Beatrice then find out that they have been played, however when poems and letters are brought forward by their friends it becomes obvious that they do love each other.
4. They decide to get married as well, however they pretend they are doing it on the others behalf.
5. At the end of the scene we learn that Don John is on his way back to Messina with armed guards, however Benedick waves it off.

• Why does Claudio not raise more questions when Hero is brought forth?
• Why is Benedick not more concerned about Don John and his army?

The scene begins with the friar saying "Did i not tell you she was innocent?" this shows that the friar knew her better then her father or just has faith in god and that women cannot lie.
This scene is both serious and comedic.
Their is comedic value to this scene especially when Beatrice and Benedick decide to get married.

Reading journal act 4

Scene 1

1. The wedding scene - they are all at the alt
2. Claudio accuses Hero of being unfaithful to him, he is backed up by the prince.
3. Hero faints and her father encourages that death should take her as she has shamed herself.
4. Friar comes up with a plan to pretend that Hero is dead and then when all the slander has died come back but as a different person.
5. Benedick then comforts Beatrice and then reveals his love for her, she does not discourage him nor encourage him.
6. She tells Benedick to prove his love for her, he must kill Claudio.
7. After a while Benedick agrees.

• Why did Hero not stand up to Claudio's accusations? And why did Margret knowing it was her they saw stand up and say it was her?
• Why does Leonato beg for her daughter's death?
• Why does he not believe her protests?
• Why is it the friar who comes up with the idea to save her and not her father?
• Is their significance in the fact that it is the friar who wants to help and deceive when he is meant to be a godly man? Is their significance in the fact that it is the friar who comes up with the solution like in Romeo and Juliet and they both revolve around death?

This scene is very serious and we begin to see the stereotypes and the levels of authority clearly of the Shakespearean era.
This is act 4 scene 1 and most major tragedy's happen in this seen in Shakespeare's plays.
I think the reason why Leonato prays for the death of his daughter is because she has brought shame to the family and the slander of this will follow her all her life and therefore no one will ever want to marry her.

Scene 2

1. In this scene Dogberry, Verges have brought Borachio and Conrade to be judged before Sexton (new character)
2. Borachio and Conrade confess to their crime and Sexton reveals the news of Hero's death and that Don John has fled.
3. Dogberry then reminds them that he is wealthy and basically 'bigs himself up' and makes a comedic speech about being called an 'ass'

• Why does Dogberry continue to be comedic in such a funny scene? What is the purpose of this?

Reading journal act 3

Scene 1

1. In this scene Hero and Ursula plant the bait that Benedick loves Beatrice.
2. Beatrice believes them

• Again the same question Did Beatrice have feelings before she overheard Hero and Ursula talking?
• Because the scene is between women does this make it more romantic?

This scene also has the comic and serious elements of act 2 scene 3.

Scene 2

1. Don Pedro and Claudio are taking the mick out of Benedick saying that he is in love and Benedick is not denying it nor making any comment against their banter like he normally does.
2. Don John then enters and convinces Don Pedro and Claudio that Hero is unfaithful.
3. They agree to go with Don John to Hero's window later that evening.
4. Te two men agree that if she had been unfaithful then they shall disgrace her at the alter tomorrow.

• Is their significance in the rapid change between comedy and seriousness in this play?
• Why does Claudio so readily believe Don John after he has already deceived him in act 2 scene 1?
• Why does Claudio not believe Hero - surely if he loved her he would?
• Why do the two men decide what fate, and such an extreme one at that, before finding out what is actually happening?

Claudio's flippant nature resurfaces in this scene.
I think that Claudio's belief of what Don John says is from the fact that Claudio and Hero had only just meet and do not really know each other.

Scene 3

1. In this scene we are introduced to Dogberry, Verges and the Watchmen.
2. The scene begins with a somewhat dumb Dogberry giving his instructions to the Watchmen which basically goes along the lines of if you meet trouble then just ignore it.
3. Borachio enters drunk and tells Conrade all about the plan and how he wooed Margret outside Hero's window.
4. The watchmen hearing this but not quite understanding the significance of the information arrests the two men and take them away.

• Is their dramatic significance in the fact that we do not see this scene between Margret and Borachio take place? Is it more significant coming from the 'horses mouth'?
• What would be the effect if Dogberry was not a stupid character but was in fact a serious character?
• How would the story plot be changed if Borahio and Conrade never showed up? Or if the men did not arrest them?

Their is great significance in this scene in the fact that we now know the deed has taken place and that Don John and Claudio believed it.
Dogberry is seen as a dumb and stupid character which is comedic.

Scene 4

1. In this scene Hero is getting ready for her wedding choosing the gown to wear,
2. When Beatrice arrives she is ill, Margret makes some crude jokes and about Benedick and Beatrice becomes quite curious and defencive.

• Could the fact that Beatrice is sick be a pun for being love struck?

Scene 5

1. In this scene Leonato is preparing for the wedding
2. Dogberry and Verges try to tell him about Borachio and Conrade but babble and ramble on that they never get to the point sending them away.
3. He tells them they should judge them for him.

• If Dogberry and Verges had got to the point would the story of stopped their?

This scene is very quick, I think the length of Dogberry's and Verges's speeches and the short reply of Leonato's shows the busyness of the scene.

Bollywood Shakespeare ... ?

At first I will admit the concept of Bollywood and Shakespeare didn't really appeal to me, I thought it would be tacky, boring and to be fair I didn't think I would understand a single word. How is this going to help me? I thought to myself, but I decided to go, heck it was a day of from college!!

BUT ....

I was pleasantly surprised!

The acting was very impressive and at times I forgot that we were watching a Shakespeare play and I really enjoyed the performance. The dancing and singing was very good and fit in well, however Don John was played as quite a comical character however I would of preferred him to of been more sinister then sarcastic to of emphasised the fact that he was a villain and to of confirmed my thoughts of him being the more serious side of the play.

 

Overall though i thought the day was very fun, can't wait for the next one

 

DON,DON,DON....

Reading journal act 2

Scene 1

1. They are having a masked ball, throughout the scene they each steal each others identity - Claudio becomes Benedick and Don Pedro becomes Claudio.
2. Beatrice does try and encourage Hero to not bow down to her fathers whim.
3. Don John tells Claudio that Don Pedro is stealing Hero for himself.
4. Both Claudio and Benedick go to Don Pedro for help.

• Does the flippant nature of Claudio have a more serious subtext then just for a comedic purpose?
• The fact that both Claudio and Benedick go to the prince for help could show their bond, friendship, the hierarchy the group.
• Masks are a hidden identity. Could this have a more sinister or foreshadowing side to the story?
• Don John does not wear a mask - Is this significant? could this be to show that he is who he is and does not feel the need to hide it? Or could it mean that he was simply not invited to this party?
• the fact that Beatrice tries to encourage her cousin not to obey her father could be Beatrice showing her hatred of the male dominance and how she thinks women have just the same rights as men? 
• Why does Beatrice have more power over Hero and why does her father and uncle let her say the things that she does?

Many of Benedick's and Beatrice's are in jest however Don Johns are evil.
Don Johns scenes are quite slow paced (like a tragedy) but the rest are read quite quickly
Benedick and Beatrice were a couple beforehand (DRAMATIC SIGNIFICANCE)
the piece begins with Beatrice saying that Don John gives her heart burn this shows the groups feelings on Don John and I do not believe that they are good.

Scene 2

1. in this scene Don John and Borachio hatch the plan that Borachio should woe Margret outside Hero's window.

• Why does Borachio feel the need to help Don John in this plan?
• If Marget knew of this plan would she take part in it? Would she still love Borachio?

this scene again shows the evilness of Don John and again this scene to is quite slow paced.

Scene 3

1. In this scene Benedick wonders how love can have such a strange effect on a man.
2. Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato place the bait that Beatrice loves Benedick
3. Benedick falls in love with these words and the fact the Beatrice loves him.

• Is their significance in the fact that straight after Benedick questions love he falls in love with Beatrice?
• Benedick falls in love with Beatrice very quickly after he hears what Don Pedro and co say. Could this show that Benedick already had feelings for Beatrice?
• Why do the three men feel the need to make Beatrice and Benedick a couple.

This scene is very fast and very funny however their is seriousness there to, the group is munipulating Benedicks mind just like Don John is about to do.

Reading journal act 1

scene 1

1. Their is the introduction of main characters
2. The setting is made clear and the context is developed - the context being that their has been a war and the men are returning home.
3. Hierarchy is developed ('lord' and an anonymous messenger)
4. banter between Beatrice and Benedick
5. we are introduced to Claudio's love for hero

• don Pedro and Claudio speak in verse together. Could this be to show their friendship?

scene 2

1. We are introduced to Antonio who is the brother of Leonato.
2. learn that Antonio over heard Claudio confessing his love for Hero. The two are happy and plan to tell Hero.

scene 3

1. We are introduced to Don John, Conrade and Borachio.
2. Borachio tells Don John that he too has overheard Claudio confessing his love for Hero but apart from being happy Don John decides to try and break up the couple.
3. Don john is the typical stereotype of a villain.

• Is Don John making up the fact that nobody likes him and just makes himself think that?
• Does Don John like the feeling of power? is that why he enlists Borachio and Conrade into helping him or are they just good friends?

The fact that the war has ended could be a paradox for the war has just started

eg - the war of wit has begun with Benedick and Beatrice 

eg - Don John's war on love and his brother (spiteful)

Act 2 and 3 are juxta positions - both have the same information but the way the two groups plan to use the information are different.
Don John speeches are written in blank verse

Could this show seriousness and comedy or evil and good ?

Don Pedro's speeches are written in verse

The Pied Piper of Hamelin.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin is about the classic children's fairytale portrayed in verse by Robert Browning. The poem is written in third person, this is uncommon in Browning poems however it does make the poem seem more like a story, another point that makes you believe the piece is meant to be a child's story is the subtitle which happens to be 'A child's story'. Browning uses a lot of rhyming, this I believe is to make the poem seem very child friendly this also creates an almost song like rhythm to the poem. Browning also writes the poem in clear stanzas and notably numbering them, this could be to show the different levels of the poem because it is a linear poem however I believe that the stanzas are meant to represent different chapters in the story which again links back to the subtitle of the poem. 

The poem although written in third person does have a gendered voice, I believe that the narrator of this story is male however their is no clue as to why this is as nowhere in the poem does Browning hint at the gender of the speaker, in this section of the play however Browning does use the voice of the crowd in stanza two and the voice of the council in stanza three. The introduction of the multiple voices creates the feeling that the narrator is omniscient, another point about the narrator is the lack of discourse markers used, this could be to symbolise the fact that the narrator has told this story over and over again.  

The imagery in the poem is very strong and powerful, Browning uses words such as 'fought, bite and shrieking' in stanza two to show the terror of the rats. The clear imagery of the rats instantly makes you sympathies with the town folk this therefore makes there acts later on in the poem even more unmoral. The rats are seen to be the terror of the town however in stanza three it becomes apparent that the main terrors could be the council.

In stanza three Browning introduces us to the council, they are described as being 'old' and 'fat' which shows that they are greedy but Browning also describes the fact that they were wearing 'coats lined with ermine' and also refers to the 'furry civic robe' in line 29 this I think is there so you have the direct connection to the rats. I think what Browning is trying to personify the council as the rats, this does not only foreshadow their fates but you also take pity on the rats. Browning also uses primary color's a lot in this poem however they are mainly used to describe the pied piper who we are introduced to in line 56 ' And in did come the strangest figure! His queer long coat from heel to head, Was half of yellow and half of red' I think the fact that the pied piper is described using these bright color's and is seen as quite an out of this world character because he is seen as a very child friendly figure. Browning also uses a lot of sound imagery as well as visual imagery the use of rhyme in the poem as I said earlier makes the poem sound almost like a song and in line 20 their is a direct musical quotation. Stanza two also creates an illusion of thousands of rats. in line 10 there is just one word 'rats!' however the use of the exclamation mark shows that the amount is just so great that the narrator is just so overwhelmed by the amount.  The very first stanza is written as though it is setting the scene for you, the description is very vivid, allowing the reader to almost picture this magical town of Hamelin.      


This poem at first seems to be a child's story however as the poem continues the older generation may begin to pick up on a subtext, many of Robert Browning's poems seem to be a direct dig at the present period in which Robert is writing in, and i do not think that this poem is any exception.    

 Overall I think the Browning tells the story in The Pied Piper of Hamelin through vivid imagery and through the use of structure and rhyming helps create the feeling of a child's story.

Hey if anyone's looking for a really good book series to sink their teeth into i would recomend Phillipa Gregory's many historic novel series (author of the other bolyen girl if anyone knows the film)
 REALLY GOOD BOOKS PEEPS

 READ THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Similarities between Browning's poems.

There are many similarities between all of Browning’s poems the main one in my view is probably the many references to god in his poems for example the last stanza of the patriot and the last sentence of Porphyria’s lover. I think there is a significance in the mention of god at the very end of each poem as it could mean that in the end – god is the end.

Another similarity between Browning’s poems could be the fact that they are all dramatic monologues except for the Pied Piper of Hamelin, also many of his poems also use a traditional rhyming scheme and rhythm this I think shows that he writes about things that are relevant to his time and is not an uncommon site in his day and age, this can then be related to the idea that Browning may of written his poems to make a jab at society without doing it in a way that would cause offense.  

The final similarity that I’ve found is that all of his poems seems to have a hidden meaning to them which is normally most symbolic in the title.

The Asian nerd

The Asian nerd. 

Today i've had English, Art and Maths

And the only thing i get are laughs,

The kids at school they don't understand, 

What its like to be in a foreign land. 

They laugh and tease, 

At my quiet unease, 

And when I get home, its all the same

And I still have to face the shame. 

The life I lead, 

Is hard indeed. 

They look no further then their street creed, 

They do not care about what I need.

I always try and that's no lie

So why do people always pass me by. 

All I want is a couple of friends 

In two's and three's and nine's and ten's. 

So that is me, 

I'm not what everyone wants me to be, 

I want to be free like a bird, 

But instead I am the Asian nerd.

The Asian nerd 

By Courtney Chapman, Ann Young and Aaron Murphy. 

Porphyria's lover

Porphyria’s lover.

How is the story told?

The poem ‘Porphyria’s lover’ is in my interpretation is a story about a young man who is in love with a women but for one reason or another they cannot be together, maybe because of a difference in social class so to make sure they can always be together the author kills her however at points in the poem I feel maybe the reason for the women’s death may be blamed on the authors struggle for dominance.

The story begins with a storm this could be to foreshadow the evil that is about to come as he describes the storm with negative connotations such as ‘sullen’ and ‘spite’. However when Porphyria enters the room the writer changes from writing in a negative way to quite a positive way for instance using words like ‘warm’ and ‘glided’ which is quite an angelic word. He also uses strong imagery to portray Porphyria allowing you to fall in love with her character and pureness but he also makes her seem quite dominating when the autho uses imperitive verbs against her like 'out' and 'made'. In line 21 the use of the hyphen suggests a pause of disbelief almost as if he cannot believe that she does love him.

Between lines 17 – 20 the word ‘and’ is repeated four times this may mean that he is so excited in the trail of events that he just has more and more to say however on line 36 he repeats mine twice which could suggest that he is very possessive and the repetition of ‘no pain’ may mean that he is trying to reconcile himself with this fact and may make him believe that he did no wrong.

The rhythm of this piece is in iambic tetrameter but in places this pattern is broken and this could be to represent the fact that this is a broken love story which could also be why it has not been written in iambic pentameter like most love poems/sonnets.     

“When I woke up the knife was still there.”

By Courtney Chapman.

 The first time I read this piece of writing I instantly thought that it was very dark and sinister. I think the aim of this story is so that it leaves you guessing and wanting more, instantly I find myself trying to guess the background of the knife and why it is there, could the knife of been used as a weapon? Could it be there for suicidal purposes perhaps? Could the knife actually be an innocent knife that happened to be lying next to him? Or maybe it is for protection, but I instantly want to know why the knife is there and what significance it has to the character.

The character or gendered voice also plays a big part in the deciphering of the story; I personally believe this piece is written from a male’s point of view, this could be because of the many stereotypes in today’s society. The word knife for instance makes me think of knife crime and violence which the media also normally associates with young adolescent males hence why I think the character is a male knowing this it also helps to prompt a setting in my mind even though the piece is very dark the fact that knife crime is an everyday issue in today’s society that I picture a normal bedroom in a slightly more ‘run down’ area. 

The fact that the story is made up of a series of one syllable words which also adds to the mood of the story being very dark and gloomy but it also creates a very steady pace almost like it is rising to become a climax, however the words “still there” almost seem to be said with a sigh of relief. I would say the genre of this piece is probably a mystery. The use of the word ‘I’  and the fact that it is written in 1^st person instantly makes the piece more personal and is more powerful rather than the author writing ‘he’ or ‘she’. This also allows the reader to connect with the character on a more personal level and the pressure to create a character is less of a burden because you begin to ‘fill the shoes’ of the character by which I mean putting your own emotions into this situation where as if the author had chosen to write the word ‘he’ for example I would feel a little alienated from the character. Another significant point about the word ‘I’ is that it is not the main focus point of the sentence the word ‘knife’ is, if the story was written in 3^rd or 2^nd person I would feel like I would have to focus on the characters background but instead I find that I am drawn to the word ‘knife’ and am therefore more curious as to why the knife is there and the knifes back ground.

The story also has no added adjectives to draw the attention to one single story plot allowing the readers mind to create their own ideas about the story. Although the story is only a sentence it does have a beginning middle and end. However there is no time frame mentioned in the story except for that the character has woken up however we do not know for how long ‘he’ has been sleeping nor the time of day it could be 8 o’clock in the morning or 12 at night we do not know.

If you read into the text more you could see certain words as metaphors for instance “woke up” could be a metaphor for coming out of a daze and seeing the knife in the hand or it could be that ‘he’ had just realised what he had been doing. The “knife” could be an emotion for a feeling or a memory.