Poem Interpretation

"Stairway To Heaven"
Robert Plant

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying the stairway to heaven.
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying the stairway to heaven.

There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder.

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on.
And it makes me wonder.

Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him,
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.

And she's buying the stairway to heaven.

1. Dramatic Situation: The speaker is a male, and he is talking to a lady. The location of this person is irrelevant. It is simply telling s story of a girl..


2. Structure: This poem rhymes. Listening to this poem as a song helps understand the structure better. This song slowly builds throughout. This poem is structured so beautifully, and it has to be heard with the melody to get the full effect. There is repetition in this poem. "Ooh, it makes me wonder."


3. Theme: "My hand was writing out the words, 'There's a lady is sure , all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven'. I just sat there and looked at them and almost leapt out of my seat." Plant's own explanation of the lyrics was that it "was some cynical aside about a woman getting everything she wanted all the time without giving back any thought or consideration. The first line begins with that cynical sweep of the hand ... and it softened up after that."
-Plant

Happiness will come if you take the right path.. "And there's still time to change the road you're on..."

4. Grammar and Meaning: "Your stairway lies on the whispering wind."  This line is amazing! Every line in this song has a purpose and this particular line is so moving and gives the real imagery that Robert Plant intended for this song. The Stairway to Heaven itself symbolizes the road to happiness, good fortune, etc.

5. There are a lot of figurative uses of language: "Our shadows taller than our soul." Then there is use of literal language as well: "When all are one and one is all".

6. Important words: "glitters is gold", "smoke through the trees" "The piper's calling you to join him"

7. Tone: The tone actually changes from the beginning to the end of the poem. As the music builds, the same words begin to take on a new meaning. The character in this poem is starting to figure out what happiness really is, and the change in tone expresses this.

8. Literary Techniques: diction/syntax, figurative language, imagery, metaphor, repetition, narrator point of view, "the forests will echo with laughter" <--- major personification! 

9. Procedy: The song flows and gradually builds into a rhythm that is wells structured. 

Micro-AP part I (Essay)

• What was easy/expected?
• What was difficult/unexpected?
• What did you learn about the AP questions?
• What did you learn about your own performance under pressure?
• How will this experience influence your preparation for the actual exam?

I had an idea of what we were going to be writing about. The two novels were obvious, and I felt confident that with that knowledge, as well as other novels fresh in my mind, I would have a good chance.

I did not know that the essay part was going to be first. I thought the multiple choice was coming first so I was preparing for that, not an essay. Thinking of examples on the spot like that was also difficult, but I definitely think it better prepared me for the real exam. 

I learned that the questions are made to look tricky, but if I try to eliminate at least one answer I can better assess what my other options are. I also learned that I need to not stress so much, and be confident in myself. 

I feel like I perform my best under pressure. The whole time-limit thing doesn't scare me, instead it motivates me to get it done. I usually finish before the time limit is up anyways, so it gives me time to check my answers/ review my essay. 

This experience was very motivating to me. I like that we are doing more activities geared to the AP test now. I am feeling more prepared and with that I am building my confidence. I want to continue to study hard and receive the results I want for myself. 

Tale of Two Cities: Active Reading Notes (Video)

1857- The Frozen Deep play Dickens played in.  Inspired by Franklin expedition in 1845 to the Artic to find the Northwest Passage . In the play he played Richard who sacrificed himself so his best friend can be with the girl they both love. The self sacrifice aspect is passed onto the plot of A Tale of Two Cities Lucie in the story is based off of Ellen, the women he left his wife for. 1858 started a series of public readings for money.  This established a new relationship with his readers. 1858 He separated from his wife. Started a new journal that the majority is his and in late 1858 the first three chapters of A Tale of Two Cities was published. Dickens fell in love with Paris . Paris was modernizing and vibrant city during Dickens time. He was fascinated with the darker side of the city and visited the morgue often. “It was the best of times it was the worst of times”  Uses a historical setting for a very modern parallel. A Tale of Two Cities moved between Paris and France and goes up to the French Revolution <-----------------------------mine ends here Weekly Journal: Weekly Cereal- made Dickens restrict his focus, two illustrations from his novels.  Dickens illustrator for A Tale of Two Cities was Brown. He enjoyed pictures of animals, but didn’t do illustrations after this book. Dickens writes of history, not a problem.  Become aware of how he distributed the novel into cereal issues. He wrote the novel as he went along so the readers didn’t know what was going to happen. Dickens wanted people to read his stories for two reasons, because of a memorable time in France and to see reactions to exaggeration and because he felt it was his best work yet. He kept his writing hidden until it was published.   “The Only Way” in 1948, Dickens builds suspense and tension, by imagery. 1840 Thomas Carlyle influenced Dickens. “Rare and great worth of a loving man”. He enjoyed Dickens readings. Dickens turned to him to preparing A Tale of Two Cities. Weekly Journal: Weekly Cereal- good for Dickens, made him restrict his focus, two illustrations from his novels.  Dickens illustrator for tale of two cities was Brown. Pictures of horses, which he liked doing. He didnt illustrate after the tale of two cities. Dealing with history rather a problem.  Become aware of how he distributed the novel into cereal issues. Makes use of cliffhanger endings..to the next week’s issues of the Weekly Cereal.. Didn’t create the novel in pieces, he wrote as he went along, so people could witness his writings.  He would Adjust characters and split to the way characters would react. He wanted people to Read for 2 reasons: treats of a very memorable time in France and he wanted to kno what pp. Thought of the exaggeration, and because it was the best story he has written. He kept his writing private until it was published.  “the best story I have written” recognize the historical process of events in this novel. France dramatization never happened.. There were other adaptations March 1860 Tom Taylor: “The only Way”- done by two clergyman, best dramatization. Silent film in 1908 of this film. First sound film 1935.  “The Only Way” was shown in 1948. Dickens builds suspense and tension, by imagery. Public issue: revolution -  Thomas Carlyle. Tremendous influence with Dickens. They met in 1840. Dickens said he would go see Carlyle anywhere..they were very good friends.  Elen Turner: 1857 she was 18, he was 45.  “Rare and great worth of a loving man”. C enjoyed Dickens readings. Dickens turned to him to preparing a tale of 2 cities.  “Every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret of mystery…”  “I hope you care to live..”

Dicken's Question

1. Read this quote:
"What is it that makes you want to write songs? In a way you want to stretch yourself into other people's hearts. You want to plant yourself there, or at least get a resonance, where other people become a bigger instrument than the one you're playing. It becomes almost an obsession to touch other people. To write a song that is remembered and taken to heart is a connection, a touching of bases. A thread that runs through all of us. A stab to the heart. Sometimes I think songwriting is about tightening the heartstrings as much as possible without bringing on a heart attack." -Keith Richards
2. Answer this question in a post to your blog: 
What is it that made Charles Dickens write the novel you're reading? What in your analysis of literary techniques led you to this conclusion? (Make sure to include textual support illustrating Dickens' use of at least three techniques.)


-- I am glad we did an analysis of Dickens' life before we started reading our novels. This made it easier for me to understand his motives for writing and motivated me to get through the (for lack of better words) boring parts of the book. 


I believe people write songs to express themselves in a way that they otherwise couldn't in colloquial conversation. Songs are a lot like books in the sense that they are unique and each one has a different message. The author of songs are similar to the author of books because they both share a common goal: Causing a "stab to the heart.... to tighten the heartstrings as much as possible without bringing on a heart attack." Some classic songs will always be remembered, for example, Stairway to Heaven; everyone knows that song and it is referenced to all the time. The same literary techniques are applied to classic books such as Hamlet, or the Great Gatsby.


After doing some further research, I came to find that Dickens was going through a rough time when he wrote Great Expectations. One of Dickens' strongest points as a writer was his use of literary techniques to convey his story in a more creative way. Just like in a song, Dickens created a character with a problem and developed him through use of tone, mood, syntax/diction, and irony. Dickens develops Pip as a character throughout the novel, from an orphan to a gentleman. "It is considered that you must be better educated, in accordance with your altered position, and that you will be alive to the importance and necessity of at once entering on that advantage." To me, his development of learning was subliminal, and I didn't notice it until I looked back. He had learned from Biddy, through Joe,  and Miss Havisham.

Literature Analysis

lit anal

Discussion Notes: Great Expectations

Literary Devies Used:


Allegory
Symbolism
Imagery
Narrator point of view
Allusions 
Tone
Mood
Syntax
Foreshadowing 
Diction 


This whole novel is bound together with elements of darkness. Accompany that with mists and you have a very dark novel. Dickens uses light to symbolize a contrast with the darkness, and this imprints the Gothic element in our brain. Dickens uses the narrator point of view to show that it is a memoir of Pip. Dickens uses Pip to foreshadow events, and give hints to the reader of what is to come ahead without giving everything away. Dickens uses the Allusion when Pip goes to see one of Shakespeare's plays Hamlet. Dickens creates a mood that is very dark, as mentioned above, by using imagery for the reader to picture it. The choice of language in this book suits each character. Pip seems very innocent and this shapes him as a character. The tone is reflective, remorseful, bittersweet, comical, and passionate.


to be continued..

BigQuestion Intro

BIG Q

Reading Questions: Great Expectations

1. What role does social class play in Great Expectations?
2.Explain what you think Pip would look like in person. Use textual examples to help support your analysis. 
3. Where does this novel take place? Why did the author choose this location?
4. What impression do you get of London society after reading Great Expectations?
















A1. Relating this question to Pip, he starts off as a lower middle class person. When he meets  Havisham who is an upper class lady, his views begin to change. When he gets money he realizes it cannot give him happiness. "Money can't buy you happiness."


A2. Just by his name, and how it is so short and unimportant sounding, I picture him being short and scrawny, or the kid that gets beat up after school by bullies. The fact that he is so innocent and compassionate in the beginning of the novel supports my analysis. 


A3. Great Expectations took place in the Kent region of England and London.

A4. ...