Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Chapter 2 Peter

Chapter 2  Peter

  1. (9) Who are speaking at the beginning of the chapter again?

The two mean who have been analyzing Ender in the 1st chapter



  1. From what these voices say what can we speculate the ‘monitor’ allowed these people to do with Ender?

From what we have learned the monitor has allowed the two men to hear Ender's thoughts, feel enders facial expressions and feel what Ender feels


  1. How do the soldiers react to Ender attacking the bully
They compare Ender's battle with some called Mazer Rackham, and say that he didn't just beat him but he beat him deep and thorough.


  1. What effect do the soldiers admit that they had on Ender’s brother Peter?
They originally thought that Peter would be the right commander for battle school

  1. What voice do we switch into when the soldiers section of the text is through?
Valentine's voice

  1. (10) What is Ender’s sister’s name and what is implied by her name?
Valentine, that she is docile or lovable 

  1. What are the two sides of Peter?
In the mean, Ender is ruthlessly arggressive, but at the end of the text we discover a nice side of him that he keeps hidden. 

  1. (11) What do we learn about the greater world from the description of the game that Peter forces Ender to play called Buggers vs. Astronauts?
That Buggers are some kind of alien species, and the astronauts are humans who are fighting them

  1. (13) What informatioin does Valentine have that she uses to keep Peter under control?
Valentine threatens 'to tell', and expose Peter for who and what he really is - by completing disputing Peter's killing plans and saying that they wouldn't work because of a note she would leave

  1. (15) Who tells the Enders to have 3 children? What does this tell us about the power of the government?
The government

  1. What does Ender do at the end of the chapter? What emotional state is he in? Why?

Monday, May 16, 2011

Setting - Enders Game

Describe different settings utilised in the novel.

What makes them Sci Fi Settings?


There are a few settings in Ender's Game, some of which, aren't all science fiction they are:


SPACE



Asteroid Belt - Where all the hidden schools are

Battle School - A training facility for the best and the brightest

Command School - A school for the best of the graduates from Battle School

Bugger Worlds - Planets of the alien race 'Buggers'

EARTH



Earth - Specifically America in the future


Wiggin Home and surroundings - Where Ender, Peter and Valentine live(d)


North Carolina 


VIRTUAL


Internet servers


Fantasy


FUTURISTIC TECH


Monitor


Disk Computers













Sunday, May 8, 2011

Chapter 1 notes

1 - (pg1) Strange that the first chapter is called ‘Third’


Having the title as 'Third', is ironic because we wouldn't expect it to be called 'one'


What can you tell about the story through the use of two different fonts?


The two fonts, (1) bold, represents dialog since it has speech marks and the other (2) is narrative - explaining the novel.


What person is the narrative told in?


The story is in 3rd person, the narrator is not telling the story someone else is.


We learn about a ‘special’ family









Take one of your day to day experiences and turn it sci fi. 200 - 400 words

The tactical grid remains weaken over the skyline of Sydney, numerous countries have been exterminated, billions are dead. They came out of nowhere, attacking and bombarding little could stop the initial waves. On the face of Earth; craters mark atomic warfare, canyons show desperate fighting, and the skies reveal the smoke of months of clashes. I awake to witness this every day.

After eating an army ration breakfast which proves to be nutritional yet satisfyingly tasteless, i leave my home at a deadly attempt to make it to school. Rifleman line the streets behind strategical barricades protecting the main highway and most importantly, the train line. Even with squadrons of fighters, anti aircraft guns and turrets, our airways remain vulnerable and suspectiable to the inter stellar oppressors. 
The soldiers on the highway escort me to the train station, carefully watching the skies for incoming fire and aircrafts - you can never be too careful at a time like this. A soldier approaches me sheathing his rifle. "Be careful citizen, watch the skies make sure....

I watched in horror as the building behind the soldier explodes, i tried to open my mouth and shout but the words just wouldn't come out, the shock wave and debris kill and lethally shatter many of the soldiers bones and cast me into a wall behind. Rounds from anti aircraft defenses on the train station relentlessly rain fire upon the enemy bombing raid. Friendly fighters scream in from behind me, their engines roaring, weapons exploding, urging to destroy the enemy aggressors. 

I struggle to my feet, my ears are popped but the ringing in my ears continues. Soldiers sprint over to me whilst firing at the attackers in the air. I am urged to the cover of the station, with my memory phased i look up at the torn black sign which says 'Turramurra Station'. One of the soldiers yells for a medic to assess me, he pats me on the back and said "You made it".

After suffering only minor physical injuries, a mild concussion, i am walked to the station to await the train. The fighting seizes and the bombing raid is unsuccessful. I walked over the edge of the faint yellow line at the station and gazed at the oncoming train. It was lined with layers upon layers of  grey metal, the bullet proof glass was 7 inches thick, the roof  stationed many mounted machine guns and protective soldiers, the red paint was black and scorched, stains of gore were present on the forward carriage's plow. The train came to a halt and i stepped on board.

I looked at the grim sky to see smoke. I looked at my feet and sighed
Just another day....




Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Othello (Act I sc iii) - Iago

Summary: In this section of the play, the villain Iago is motivating Rodrigo to act upon his feelings for Desdemona and even though she is committed to Othello ('the Moor'). Iago wants to take down Othello without actually doing it himself.


Highlight where the following persuasive techniques are used:

repetition
alliteration
extended metaphor

Answer the following questions using quotes where applicable:

  • What extended metaphor is used in this speech? Is this metaphor positive or negative towards women? Explain. The extended metaphor is used in the speech is the repeated stating to be "drowned" or "put money in thy purse" have negative connotations suggesting 
  • How does the metaphor related to Rodrigo becoming more proactive in his pursuit of Desdemona? As the speech goes on emphasis is placed on the other man Othello describing him as being "an erring barbarian" and how he is not suitable for Desdemona.
  • How does Iago characterise Othello ('the moor')?Lago characterizes Othello as being "an erring barbarian" giving him negative connotations through the use of describing him as being a "barbarian"
  • How does Iago describe Rodrigo being passive? What will he do to himself if he doesn't act? Lago describes Rodrigo as to be drowning himself and destroying himself and others if he does not act upon his feelings "drown thyself! Drown cats and blind puppies"..

IAGO

It is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of
the will. Come, be a man. Drown thyself! drown
cats and blind puppies. I have professed me thy
friend and I confess me knit to thy deserving with
cables of perdurable toughness; I could never
better stead thee than now. Put money in thy
purse
; follow thou the wars; defeat thy favour with
an usurped beard; I say, put money in thy purse. It
cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her
love to the Moor,-- put money in thy purse,--nor he
his to her
: it was a violent commencement, and thou
shalt see an answerable sequestration:--put but
money in thy purse
. These Moors are changeable in
their wills: fill thy purse with money:--the food
that to him now is as luscious as locusts, shall be
to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida. She must
change for youth: when she is sated with his body,
she will find the error of her choice: she must
have change, she must: therefore put money in thy
purse
. If thou wilt needs damn thyself, do it a
more delicate way than drowningMake all the money
thou canst: if sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt
an erring barbarian and a supersubtle Venetian not
too hard for my wits and all the tribe of hell, thou
shalt enjoy her; therefore make money. A pox of
drowning thyself! it is clean out of the way: seek
thou rather to be hanged in compassing thy joy than
to be drowned and go without her.

Henry V 'once more unto the breach'

Henry V 'once more unto the breach'


Find and Highlight where these techniques are used:
  • repetition
  • inclusive language
  • alliteration
  • metaphor

2. Answer the following Questions (use quotes where applicable):
  • What characteristics does King Henry say are best for men in times of PEACE?
Modesty, Stillness and humility
  • What should men be like in war?
They should become a Tiger
  • What does Henry say about the English and their ancestors?
That their blood is fet from fathers of war-proof
  • What does he mean when he says 'Be copy now to men of grosser blood.'?
That the people they are fighting have gross blood compared to the English blood
  • What is Henry saying you have to become in order to be successful in war?
follow their spirit upon this charge and they will become successful in war

KING HARRY:
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility,
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger.
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect,
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon, let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, your noblest English,
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof,
Fathers that like so many Alexanders
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument.
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you called fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeomen,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding- which I doubt not,
For there is none of you so mean and base
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot.
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
By William Shakespeare.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Science Fiction Genre Research Assignment

1.    Origins
Trace the development of the sci-fi genre. Explain where the genre came from. What did it grow from? Consider the role of other genres which had a direct or indirect influence on the development of sci-fi? Examples to consider include: westerns, horror, the heroes’ journey, other? (100words)

The origin of Science fiction has not been proven but it has been a source of active debate. There have been many theories regarding the origins of Sci Fi, ranging from middle age times to the age of the Scientific Revolution, most notably with the astronomical discoveries of Galileo and Newton. Science Fiction is derived from many mythical understandings - epically fantasy genres (e.g tales, myths, legends ect) and is heavily influenced by astronomy. It was not only until the 20th century that Sci Fi really started to pick up with our increased knowledge of deep space.
2.    
    Categories (500 words)
Science fiction can be broken up into a number of sub-categories. Identify and explain the various sub-categories and the features which make each distinguishable. Give examples of texts you are familiar with which may represent these sub-categories.

The Three biggest science fiction sub categories are;
Hard Science Fiction: This particular science fiction category pays significant attention to scientific detail and accuracy, instead of placing priorities on story telling. It was first introduced in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell, Jr.'s Islands of Space in Astounding Science Fiction. The heart of the "hard SF" designation is the relationship of the science content and attitude to the rest of the narrative, and (for some readers, at least) the "hardness" or rigor of the science itself.One requirement for hard SF is to create an intentional a story that should try to be accurate, logical, credible and rigorous in its use of current scientific and technical knowledge.


Soft Science Fiction:
 focus on human characters and their relations and feelings, while de-emphasizing the details of technological hardware and physical laws
Social Science Fiction
concerned less with technology and space opera and more with sociological speculation about human society
3.  
           Conventions (200 words)
Explain in detail the conventions of the science fiction genre. The conventions should also include those frequently borrowed from other genres ie the heroic journey, horror, etc.

Depending on what type of science fiction genre is used, the conventions of the novel can be entirely different. But usually, novels will incoperate technology, space, alien civilizations, the future and even space battles.