1984 Socratic Seminar #1 Reflection

      The first seminar influenced my thinking by applying the themes of George Orwell’s 1984 to our current society.  Many comments were made on how the war, hangings, and appreciation of violence in the book compared to violent video games and the excitement of school fights in our world today.  Also, the subject of privacy was discussed, and the increasing prominence of targeted ads and email verification paralleled to the lack of privacy Winston experienced in the story.  One thing that was said which I hadn’t thought about so much before was how the name “Big Brother” was meant to sound protective and reassuring when in reality, Big Brother was an oppressive dictator.  This also could relate to our world today, as many authoritarian leaders are embraced by the people living under their rule.

      The statement made by one of my peers that I agree with the most was that the Party’s regime very closely resembled that of Nazi Germany.  It was mentioned that the Two Minutes Hate rally was meant to turn the people of Oceania against soldiers resembling Jews and Asians.  This favoritism of a “superior” race was one of the main components of Hitler’s administration during World War II.  The statement made by one of my peers that I agree with the least was that the entire population of Oceania was brainwashed into supporting the government.  If I had the opportunity to respond to anything in the seminar, I would have responded to this question, saying that Winston’s revolutionary thoughts are proof of hatred towards the Party.

      Some things that went well in the seminar were extensive preparation, participation, and use of logical appeals.  Everyone in the seminar had obviously prepared, as excellent points and textual evidence were used throughout.  Also, almost everybody in the conversation made helpful contributions that in general, helped maintain the flow of the conversation.  Only one or two people did not fully engage in the seminar, and this may have been due to lack of preparation or shyness.  Finally, the use of logical appeals was very strong because most people referenced the text or their own lives to prove a point.

      Some things that needed improvement in the seminar were use of ethical and emotional appeals.  As the seminar was meant to practice the use of all three rhetorical devices, the lack or ethical and emotional appeals caused a sort of gap in the conversation that was never filled.  Some people, including myself, attempted to bring up an ethical or emotional argument, but the conversation always quickly steered away from the appeal.  Although the seminar was educative and gratifying, the use of these appeals could make the next seminar stronger.       

Othello Dramatic Reading Words and Actions Video

A. Delivery Technique

http://youtu.be/3A_OuQj-OAA

B. Statement of Intent

The passage I chose to read for my dramatic reading was Iago’s plot-twisting soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 3.  I found this specific soliloquy remarkable because it reveals Iago’s duplicity and multi-sided personality – he appears to be supportive of Cassio but reveals himself to the audience as a villain in disguise.  To emphasize this disingenuous personality of Iago’s, I chose to switch the tone of the character midway through the speech, becoming dark and cunning as the character reveals his plan.  I included a slight pause before this tone shift to indicate Iago’s villainous side to the audience.  When speaking in Shakespearian, it is also crucial to put emphasis on important words, so that there is at least some comprehension of the archaic language.  This is why I chose to stress phrases like weak and divinity of hell, to demonstrate Iago’s hatred of Othello.  Lastly, I varied my inflection of each sentence in the soliloquy to keep the speech exciting and realistic.

By “becoming” Iago for a small period of time, I learned much about the character and the play as a whole.  I had realized in the start of the play that Iago was not an ordinary villain, as he masks his jealousy towards Othello and Cassio with kindness and amiability.  However, Iago’s willingness to share his plan brought about an outgoing aspect his personality that I had never before seen.  This openness differed greatly from Iago’s devious attitude up until that point, and it exposed a new dimension which I actually enjoyed.  This soliloquy also taught me the next phase of Iago’s ongoing plan to destroy Othello: while Cassio urges Desdemona to help him, and Desdemona urges Othello to forgive him, Iago will convince Othello that she “repeals him for her body’s lust,” meaning that Desdemona is helping Cassio not out of sympathy, but because she is in love with him. He believes that this will result in the downfall of all the other characters.

The impact of Iago’s Act 2 Scene 3 soliloquy on the play is that it further complicates the relationships between the characters.  Because Iago formulates his fatal plan in this soliloquy, it results in Othello’s suspicion of Cassio even though Cassio has done nothing to Desdemona.  It also paves the way to Othello’s distrust and infuriation towards Desdemona, which eventually leads to both characters’ deaths and Iago’s incarceration.  Furthermore, the soliloquy characterizes Desdemona and Cassio, giving the audience a better understanding of their dispositions.  The speech describes Desdemona as “fruitful as the free elements,” showing that she had a kind nature filled with undying goodness.  It also criticizes Cassio, calling him an “honest fool,” which suggests that he is slow and gullible.  While most of Iago’s monologues in Othello are rather impractical, his soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 3 adds suspense to the plot as well as characterization of himself and others.         

Title Justification Paper #3: Paths Taken and Expectations Fulfilled

The last two chapters of The Other Wes Moore are grouped into one final section– Paths Taken and Expectations Fulfilled.  This section is undoubtedly the most defining moment of the novel, the one the reader has been waiting for.  From the beginning, the reader knows the fates of the two Wes Moores, but they are intrigued on how their lives will play out.  While chapter seven breezes over author Wes’s military recognition and the other Wes’s return to drugs, chapter eight is when the final life-altering murder occurs and the other Wes is sentenced to life in prison.  Paths Taken and Expectations Fulfilled is an appropriate name for this section because it focuses on both boys’ diverging paths as each does what is expected of him – the other Wes engaging in drugs and robberies to support his family and author Wes excelling in military schooling and receiving his Rhodes Scholarship.

The other Wes’s choice to turn back to drugs and rob the jewelry store was the result of the expectation to support his family.  At the end of chapter seven, the author writes that, “The pressure was wearing Wes down.  Alicia complained that he was not giving her enough money to provide for the kids they shared.  Cheryl was now constantly calling him about wanting more time with the kids – which meant she wanted more money to take care of them…Wes held the plastic bag with both hands and poured in nine ounces of cocaine.”  This quote shows that so many people depended on Wes to make money that he was almost forced to reenter the drug game.  Furthermore, in chapter eight, one of Wes’s jewelry-robbing accomplices is quoted saying, “‘I was told I could make fifty-thousand dollars just to break some glass.’”  This demonstrates that the robbery was motivated by Wes’s poverty, which he was expected to alleviate.  Because Wes was expected to provide for his family, he chose to take the wrong path which eventually ended in a heinous murder and prison.  By contrast, peoples’ expectations of author Wes were academic-based and eventually led to his good fortune in life.  In chapter eight, Wes recounts that, “[Mayor Schmoke] did more than just point me to the Rhodes Scholarship; he instructed me to learn the larger historical context of the world.”  This shows that along with his mother and teachers, Mayor Schmoke had expected great things of Wes, and Wes did not fail to impress him.

Because author Wes achieved success in trying to please his mentors, and the other Wes took a dangerous path in life to relieve his family’s poverty, Paths Taken and Expectations Fulfilled is a fitting name for section three.  The real question posed in this section is how and why the expectations for the boys differed, and how their fates would have changed if the expectations had been different.  Could their stories have been interchanged?  Who is there to blame for ruining the life of one Wes when another Wes with a parallel childhood excelled?  Perhaps Wes Moore leaves these questions to suggest to the reader that very little in life is solely determined by the person living it. 

Chapter 8: Surrounded

      ·         “A day later, another member of the crew was captured.  He also confessed to being at the scene but said that he was not the one who pulled the trigger.  In fact, he was later quoted as saying, ‘I was actually unarmed.  I was just told I could make fifty thousand dollars to break some glass.’” (Page 148)

This quote shows that no violence was intended in the jewelry store robbery that Wes was part of.  It demonstrates that the only motive of the crime was to get money, and therefore unveils that this crime, and many others in Baltimore at the time, were induced by poverty.

      ·         “And then one of the officers addressed the group.  ‘Y’all know there is a reward for Tony and Wes if you just tell us where they are.  It’s a lot of money.  You sure you don’t need that money?’” (Page 152)

This quote shows a police officer bribing some of Wes’s friends and family assuming their disadvantaged financial situations.  It illustrates a gap between the rich and the poor in Baltimore, and shows that richer people, such as the cop, believe that they can exploit the lower classes.

      ·         “North Philadelphia reminded Wes of the Baltimore neighborhood he had just left.  The check-cashing stores instead of banks, the rows of beauty salons, liquor stores, laundromats, funeral homes, and their graffiti-laced walls were the universal streetscape of poverty.  The hood was the hood, no matter what city you were in.” (Page 153)

This passage explains that the stereotypical infrastructure of poverty extended across all U.S. cities.  Judging from this, it seems that segregation appears in cities between the nicer parts of town and the “hood” that contains dilapidated shops and services.

      ·         “The truth is that there are two Baltimores.  Almost every other major city in this country leads the same double life.  Those who brag about Baltimore often ignore these substandard areas.  Yet these were the areas Mayor Schmoke knew would determine his legacy of success or failure.” (Pages 158-159)

This quote explains how Baltimore and other U.S. cities are divided between a rich and middle class section and a poor, less developed section.  The quote shows that it is crucial to integrate these areas, especially under a political leader such a Schmoke, so that all of the people in a city can thrive.

      ·         “As I moved closer to the home where my host family lived, I couldn’t stop staring at the shantytown.  Living in the Bronx and Baltimore had given me the foolish impression that I knew what poverty looked like.  At that moment, I realized I had no idea what poverty was – even in West Baltimore we lived like kings compared with this.” (Pages 165-166)

In this quote, Wes explains how visiting a slum in South Africa made him realize how poverty in the U.S. was not nearly as severe as in other places of the world.  This shows that poverty is only a notion that can always be considered better than the situation of others.  In a way, the quote gives hope by saying that even dreadful conditions are not so bad in scope.   

Chapter 7: The Land That God Forgot

      ·         “When you step on the court with players like Kobe Bryant or six foot eight point guards who can dunk from the free throw line, your mind begins to concentrate on your other options.” (Page 130)

In this quote, Wes explains how his aspiration of becoming an athlete was impaired by his realization that he was not good enough.  This shows that it is important to have several life choice paths to take in case one does not work out, and in order to eventually be successful in life.

      ·         “Aside from my family and friends, the men I most trusted all had something in common: they all wore the uniform of the United States of America.” (Page 132)

This quote shows that Wes was inspired and frankly changed forever through military schooling.  This reveals that the military can have a big impact on your life choices and worldview: resulting in an increased sense of pride and dedication to your job and country.

      ·         “’Where did you get this from?’ Wes asked, but Cheryl just kept repeating the same response, as if they were the only words she knew: ‘I’m sorry.’”  (Page 137)

This quote exemplifies the idea of destructive life choices showing that Cheryl, who was perfectly capable of understanding her danger and addiction to heroin, chose to make the wrong choice anyway.  Lack of caring for her children, her absent husband, and her poverty all managed to put her in her miserable state.  The same is true for many depressed people today.

      ·         “Levy would be entering the Job Corps as a high school dropout but was hoping to leave with a general equivalency diploma (GED) and the skills to help him land a job as a hot-water-boiler repairman.  He knew the pay would be lower from what he was making on the streets, but the work was steady and honest, and he would have more time to give his family without injury, death, or incarceration looming.” (Page 139)

This quote shows that Levy chose to put himself through tedious schooling for a job that would result in less pay than his current drug-dealing occupation.  This implies that it is more important to have a moral sense and make honest life choices rather than have more money.

      ·         “’Fuck God,’ he said, drawing in a lungful of smoke.  ‘If He does exist, He sure doesn't spend any time in Wes Baltimore.’” (Page 140)

This quote demonstrates that Wes, who had seen poverty, drugs, and lack of love for his entire love, refused to acknowledge God’s presence.  This choice to decline any sort faith is shown as a consequence of a scarring childhood.

Title Justification Paper #2: Choices and Second Chances

Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of The Other Wes Moore all belong to part two of the book, called Choices and Second Chances.  This section as a whole is about both Wes’ adolescent lives as their paths diverge in different directions.  At the beginning of the section, in chapter 4, both boys are depicted as irresponsible troublemakers who skip school and butt heads with the law.  The other Wes even awaits fatherhood and faces attempted murder charges.  By the end of the section, however, author Wes has become a high-ranking sergeant, athlete, and scholar at military school while the other Wes has been arrested for drug possession.  Choices and Second Chances is an appropriate name for this section because it recounts how both boys made regretful decisions in their lives, but only one Wes was given a second chance to redeem himself at military school. 

In Choices and Second Chances, both Wes Moores start off as reckless kids being corrupted not only by the violence, drugs, and poverty surrounding them, but also by theirs own life choices.  Both boys bring despair upon themselves through their decisions to break the law and skip school.  In this section, Wes writes that, “I could effortlessly recite hip-hop lyrics while struggling with my English class,” showing that he was a perfectly capable learner, but chose not to attend class.  He describes the other Wes saying, “Not surprisingly, without a high school diploma or job training – and with a criminal record – Wes found it almost impossible to find a job to support his growing family.”  This shows that Wes brought his misery upon himself by choosing to rashly involve himself with gun shootings and drop out of school.  Unfortunately, even though the other Wes Moore’s situation seemed worse than the author’s, it was nevertheless the author who was granted a second chance.  According to Wes, his grandparents sacrificed their savings and mortgage payments from their home so that he could become, “A platoon sergeant, a cadet master sergeant, and the youngest senior noncommissioned officer in the entire corps.”  Through his mother’s desperation and his grandparents’ financial aid, Wes’ behavior and life turned around in military school, while the other Wes Moore never became so lucky.

Choices and Second Chances is an appropriate name for the second section of Wes Moore’s novel because it describes how he and his counterpart made destructive choices, but how military school gave him alone a second chance in life.  What sets this section apart is that it begins to dissociate the two Wes’ parallel biographies, molding the images of both boys into what they are today.  While author Wes became a veteran and Rhodes Scholar due to his life-changing military education, the other Wes became a murderer because he was never given the opportunity to repair his fractured life.  With this in mind, Wes Moore may be trying to tell the reader that life is unfair in that it only grants privileges to a select few.    

Chapter 6: Hunted

      ·         “Not surprisingly, without a high-school diploma or job training – and with a criminal record – Wes found it almost impossible to find a job to support his growing family.” (Page 110)

This passage shows the importance of education because it implies that if Wes had received a high school education, he would have had an easier time finding a job to support his family.

      ·         “Three years ago I’d been one of the insubordinate kids first entering the gates of Valley Forge.  In an ironic turn, I was now one of the ones in charge of them.” (Page 115)

This quote shows the importance of education because it explains that Wes changed into both a role model and academic leader when he went to Valley Forge military school.

      ·         “I was making a name on the court, and colleges were taking notice, writing to me fairly frequently.  These two letters, from Lafayette College and Georgetown, were just the most recent.” (Page 115)

This quote demonstrates how important school was for Wes because it allowed him to play basketball at a competitive level, which looked impressive to recruiting colleges.

      ·         “This uniform had become a force field that kept the craziness of the world outside from getting too close to me, but I wondered if it was just an illusion.” (Page 118)

Although this quote questions the legitimacy of Wes’ safety at school, it still demonstrates that school provided a comforting and safe environment for him.

      ·         “The irony of the situation forced me to smile, featuring my newly cracked tooth.  Years earlier, I had run through these same woods with all of my might, looking for safety, trying to get away from campus.  Tonight, I ran through the same woods looking for safety, but in the other direction.” (Page 122)

This quote illustrates the importance of education because it shows how Wes had come to realize that school was a safe haven from danger, instead of an unlikable obligation.