Character Questions: Dead Poet's Society

1. In my opinion, Todd Anderson developed most in his experience with the people at the school. He started off being too shy to talk or go to student's activities. However, with the help of Neil Perry he made more friends and started being himself. Then Mr. Keating stepped in to fix his speaking problem by putting him in front of the class and making him close his eyes while reciting his original poem.
2. Richard Cameron is the static character, meaning he does not change. He is solid in his opinion and set in the rules. Though persuaded, he did not sway in stepping outside of his comfort zone.
3.Mr.Keating is a unique character that care about his students, unlike most of the teachers. He cares about their thoughts and feelings, and most importantly their future. He sees potential in every person and believes they should not be limited to one form or way of thinking.
4.Todd Anderson- He has the ability to form poems and beautifully words, but his fear of speaking confronts him. By going to the school and being taught by Mr. Keating, he overcomes his fear by standing up and his desk and bidding his teacher a farewell.
Neil Perry- He has the trait of acting and persuading other to follow him, a leader. His fear is being discovered and/or rejected by his father with his dream of acting. He was scared in the beginning of the movie when he father decided his classes for him and at the end where he decides his future in military school. So, no, Neil does not overcome his fear, taking the easier way out of his problems by death.
Knox Overstreet- Knox has the trait of affection and a fearless spirit that many boys lack with the opposite sex. However, despite his obsession of love for one girl, he can't shake the fear of being rejected. He overcomes this fear by taking risks like visiting her school with a poem and flower, reading the poem aloud, exposing his feelings. He put himself out there and made the girl consider loving him, which she did.
Charlie (Nwanda) Dalton- Nwanda has the ability to be fearless like Knox, but with his peers. He also has the main talent of making people laugh, which he uses to stand out from the other boys. His worst fear is being normal and fitting in with the same, controlled actions of the boys and their teachers. He feels trapped by conformity and let's himself out constantly. He has always faced and overcome his fear, the main event being in the confrontational meeting in the chapel with all the boys when he answered a telephone. He made everyone laugh and got in trouble for it, that was what he wanted: to be different. 

Mona Lisa Smile Discussion

1. The 1950's role of women was strictly to get a basic education, marry a well off young man, take care of the household, and have kids. That was how every girl was brought up at the school and no one questioned the unwavering tradition. However, when Katherine Watson started teaching at the college, she began stirring up different ideas, different lifestyles much like her own.
She was an independent women who did not depend on men to please or provide for her. Ms. Watson pursued her own career in teaching, graduate from college, and taught in many schools. So, when she came to the all girls' school where they were basically expected to learn, but more importantly to be married, she disagreed. She wanted the girls to be themselves, to think for themselves, and not let the men be the main goal for their future. She wanted them to be independent.

5.When Betty was engaged to Spencer, Betty was so excited to marry a guy and have her own home. It was what every girl dreamed to do. Spencer had a good job and bought a good house. Although as time went on, the "honey-moon" phase faded away and Spencer started to consume himself in his work to avoid her and being at home. Betty felt useless by not being at school and tending to the house. She wasn't happy. She did all her mother asked of her: marry Spencer.
And after she found out Spencer cheated on her, she wanted to do what she wanted: divorce him. However, at those times divorce was looked down upon, and her mother definitely didn't want her to make the family name look bad. Even after Betty came to her mother for help, she told her to go home and forget Spencer cheated on her. Her mother wanted a good home and income not a love story. Deciding for herself, she divorced him and pursued her own career. The pressure of being a "trophy wife" lifted; she was now independent with what her future held.

Katherine Watson vs. Hard Times by Charles Dickens

Katherine Watson encouraged her students personally and in the classroom, to come up with their own ideas, their own words instead of what the textbook told them. She wanted the girls to be an original and not a copy and paste portrait or a paint by numbers painting. Whereas, in the Charles Dickens' novel, "You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service upon these children." The novel directly battles with Watson's teaching of "thinking independently." It suggests that thinking outside the box is wrong and it is not beneficial to the student in life. That concrete evidence of an idea or theory is relevant and a guess or consideration of an organic idea is irrelevant. Challenging the overpowering school board and even the girls themselves, Katherine Watson told them they are "not required to like it; just consider it," and she used this to eventually gain the girls' real thoughts and independence within themselves. She freed their minds. 

Mona Lisa Smile Favorite Theme

During this movie, I discovered a certain theme of individualism in the girls through the influence of their teacher, Ms. Watson. The girls realized something more than being a wife and mother, they saw something within themselves, a goal they wanted to achieve besides getting married. The developed an individualism air within the uptight all girls' school, the girls were learning more than what's on the canvas. They saw who they truly were, beneath the paint.

Mona Lisa Smile

For the movie Mona Lisa smile, I think the girls will be influenced by their teacher to be educated and not just to be married. Some will not want to be married at the time, but instead furthering their education. I also predict the teacher to fall in love as she is teaching the young girls. Overall, the movie will end with a different view on woman's education. It will start up a changing in woman everywhere and maybe even in society and the man's view on woman.

High School and College Exams

High school exams cover small amounts and are spread throughout the school year, whereas college exams cover large amounts and are given only a few times a semester. And the grade difference is a large one. The college grades for exams are always a major grade, whereas high school grades are low and high depending quizzes, worksheets, and tests. Overall, high school exams are way easier and less pressuring than the huge college exams. Some of the ways I prepare to study is using note cards, whiteboards, audio repetition of words, and review of materials or concepts of large information each day so they are spread out and not crammed.

Christmas Break

For Christmas break I will be going out of town to my grandparent's house. We will see most of my dad's side of the family and do our family Christmas stuff. Then after Christmas day we will return home and have both my mom's side's family Christmas and our own family Christmas. Hopefully before all the house lights go down my family and I will go lighting. I am going to have no homework!!! So I will have plenty of time to spend with my friends as well. I want a laptop for Christmas because it will be easier to type papers due to our family's sharing of computers. I also want to catch up on my shows and enjoy my family as much as possible. But most of all I want to celebrate Jesus, the reason for the season. He's the birthday boy, so it should be all about him.