Second Semester Reflection

Second Semester Reflection Top Ten Things Ive Learned Closing Remarks | Infographics

Historical Fiction

If I were to write a piece of historical fiction, I would pick the Sengoku period of Japan as my background. I would probably try to integrate a famous traveling ronin in that time period named Miyamoto Musashi. I would pick the Sengoku period, also known as the period of Warring States, due to the extensive social, political, and military conflicts that dominated that time. This period is also known for having many famous ninja and samurai and is consequently filled with many great stories and battles that I would want to write about. Miyamoto Musashi's travels brought him to a variety of different places in Japan, so I think that he'd be the perfect person to follow in my historical fiction. With samurai, ninja, and duels all across Japan, I think that this historical fiction would definitely be a great action-packed read.

Dracula

A book trailer project based on Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. Produced by the Honors English class of Hanalani Schools. Please watch in 720p for the best possible quality.

List of Actors in order of appearance:

Amy F. as Mina Murray
Christopher T. as Jonathan Harker
Laurie C. as Vampire 1
Cricket D. as Vampire 2
Hannah J. as Vampire 3
Makana M. as Count Dracula
Trey T. as Doctor Van Helsing
Shannon R. as Lucy Westenra

Filmed by:
Amy F.
Laurie C.

Editors & Filming Help:
Amy F.
Laurie C.
Hannah J.
Shannon R.
Kacie H.

Music (Original Score):
Kacie H.

Costume & Makeup:
Shannon R.
Laurie C.

Thank you to:

A big thanks to Chris, Trey, and Makana for giving their time and being a part of the trailer.

Thank you to Ami for allowing us to use her dress.

Also thanks to Mr. Robinson for opening the Videography Room up for our filming.

Works cited:

Stoker, Bram, and Tudor Humphries. "DR. SEWARD'S PHONOGRAPH DIARY." Dracula. New York: DK Pub., 1997. N. pag. Print.

Citations & Information Provided By:
Keora K.

Dickens' London

My experience playing Dickens' London was a fun one. I saw the game while completing the blog post last week, but I decided not to play in order to stay focused on the assignment. That said, I was really excited to see today's blog post assignment! I had a lot of fun going through London, discovering all of the little hidden facts, and playing the mini games. My first attempt left me with a score of 750, so I decided to try again. Dickens' London is definitely not a place I'd like to live though. The black skies in the middle of the day, the pickpockets, and the overworking of children were terrible. I was so saddened to hear that half of the funerals held were for young children. Overall, I really enjoyed the assignment and learning some new tidbits about London in Dickens' time.

Dickens

After reading this article by Matthew Davis and watching this video, I believe I have a better grasp as to why Charles Dickens has had such a strong and lasting effect in society. Although Dickens' novels are no quick or easy read, I would definitely agree with Davis' comment on "the richness and variety of Dickens' sprawling plots, vivid characters, comedy and social commentary." Even after reading only the first few chapters of A Tale of Two Cities, I found myself in awe at Dickens' masterful writing skills. He has a wonderful ability to make characters seem real, and I have seen my connection to them and their situations grow as I have continued reading. By the end of the book, I definitely think that I will have grown so close to some of the characters that I will continue to remember them and "return to them" throughout my life.

"But does any of this make it relevant to read Dickens today?" was one of the questions that Davis mentioned in his article. My answer to that question is a definite yes. Davis then mentions an author who recently wrote a biography on Dickens' life. This author, Claire Tomalin, mentioned that, "Why are we still reading him today, and is he relevant, are really two separate questions." I believe she makes a good point. Dickens' writings truly provide his readers with a certain timeless relatable aspect that I believe many modern works lack. He includes topics, situations, and feelings that society as a whole can understand and see in their own lives. I believe that Dickens has the right focus on what relates human beings as a whole and not on what may characterize one certain time period.

 Sir Francis Bacon said, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention." When I think of Dickens' books, I most definitely believe that they are some of the few books that are worthy of being chewed and digested. I think that the timelessness and relatability of his works truly make them books that any person could learn from and grow through if willing to take the time to understand and comprehend them.

1800s: The Tiers of Education

1820-60: Cotton Is Crowned

1788: Race, Gender and Property—the U.S. Constitution

1682: Christian Parentage (Virginia Slave Act)

Stowe 18-22

I've also attached an identical picture of the word cloud since the interactive one is a bit small...

The following words and characters were the ones I thought were most important in chapters 18-22. Many of the words show either a characteristic or important item/feeling that the character possessed in the chapter. (For example, in chapter 18, St. Clare trusted Uncle Tom and gave him more responsibility because of his honesty and faith. Additionally, Uncle Tom showed concern for his master's soul and bad habits.)

Chapter 18

Uncle Tom

Responsibility

Concern

Faith

Honesty

St. Clare

Trust

Ophelia

Order

Efficiency

Prue

Sorrow

Agony

Chapter 19

Ophelia

Alarm

Furious

St. Clare

Ignorance

Morality

Tom

Letter

 Eva

Mature

Helpful

Chapter 20

Topsy

Unpolished

Abused

Scarred

Disobedient

Ophelia

Teacher

Gracious

Christian

Eva

Kind

Friendly

Chapter 21

Chloe

Worker

Earnings

Mrs. Shelby

Loyal

Attached

Mr. Shelby

Detached

Chapter 22

Tom

Friendship

Attached

Faithful

Eva

Sickly

Angelic

Heaven

St. Clare

Disbelief

Doubt

Stowe, Chapters 13-17

Phew.. Never mind! I got Skype to work! :)

Stowe, Chapters 5-8

Sorry for the background noise/white noise... I had to record at my grandparent's house which is right next to the highway.

Dracula Storyboard

Pride and Prejudice Trailer

Based on the novel by Jane Austen. Please watch in 720p for the best quality.

Actors (in order of appearance):

Cricket D. as Elizabeth Bennet
Hannah J. as Mrs. Bennet
Trey T. as Mr. Darcy
Michael M. as Mr. Bingley
Shannon R. as Miss Caroline Bingley
Keora C. as Jane Bennet

Crew:
Laurie C. - Camera
Amy F. - Camera, Editing
Kacie H. - Music

Works Cited:

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 2003. New York: Bantam Dell, 1996. Print.

Special Thanks:
To Mr. Robinson for allowing us to use one of his cameras!
To Trey, Michael, and Ami B. for taking time to help us with this project!

Philosophy on Objectionable Elements

My personal philosophy towards objectionable elements is pretty moderate. I believe that the most important thing to remember is to always "guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." This verse, Proverbs 4:23, holds so much truth and is what I strive to do when dealing with any type of objectionable element. As a believer, I think that it's always best to ask God for guidance when deciding where to place limits on objectionable elements. I am ultimately held accountable to Him, and He is the one who truly knows my heart and mind. That said, whenever I am faced with a situation dealing with objectionable elements, God's standards and prayer are what I first turn to for guidance. I ask myself whether these elements will be hurtful or beneficial in my spiritual walk and whether or not I can view these elements as a means of strengthening myself. I firmly believe that every person has a different limit when it comes to objectionable elements, and I often find myself needing to set different boundaries from my family and friends based on what I know I am able to handle. Personally, I have the most trouble when I read or hear swear words since they tend to stick in my head for long periods afterwards. It's not always just an audible problem either. I can often have something of a photographic memory when it comes to reading inappropriate language as well, so it's always important for me to set strict boundaries in those situations.

It's almost a certainty that my standards will be violated as I move into a more secular setting. When my standards are violated, I will first seek God's guidance through prayer and Scripture and use my best knowledge and discernment in handling the situation. I know that He will never tempt me beyond my capabilities and should be the one I first turn to for help. I know that there will be struggles and challenges in my life as I move into a more secular and unguarded society, but I will always do my best to guard my heart no matter the time or situation.

My philosophy definitely applies to all forms of communication and media. Books, music, videos, and all other forms of media need to be equally guarded against. It doesn't matter whether you read, hear, or watch something. Taking in any form of media can equally affect the heart.

Stoker 21-23

1.Page 297. " The Acherontia atropos of the Sphinges "

by hector

Death's-head Hawk Moth - Credit: Orin Zebest
Acherontia atropos is one of three species of Death's-head Hawk moth. It is a particularly large moth, with a wingspan of up to five inches.
The species name is heavily connected with death. In Greek mythology, Atropos was one of the three goddesses of Fate and Acheron was the river of pain in the Underworld. The moth is completely harmless, but the skull pattern on the thorax has caused it to be associated with evil and misfortune.
"Sphinges" is the plural of sphinx, and refers to the hawk moth family, Sphingidae.

2. Page 306. " flesh of my flesh; blood of my blood; kin of my kin "

by victoriahooper

The Creation of Eve - Credit: Georges Jansoone/Wikimedia Commons
This seems to be a reference to the Biblical creation of woman (Genesis 2:23-24), when Eve was made using one of Adam’s ribs:
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Dracula is insinuating that he has re-made Mina in his own image – a vampire!

3. Page 321. " the highest development of the science-knowledge of his time "

by sammycumes

Alchemist's Laboratoy - Credit: Heinrich Khunrath
Alchemy was popularly understood to be the mystical science of turning base metals into gold, but in fact it was a much broader discipline. Alchemy was more like a philosophy, incorporating ideas like transmutation, immortality and self-awareness.
The word "alchemy" stems from the Arabic "al-kimia" meaning "the art of transformation". However the earliest alchemists are believed to have worked in China or the Persian Empire. Modern inorganic chemistry owes much to early alchemical investigations.

4. Page 323. " the Devil, though he may purchase, does not keep faith "

by onelittlething

19th century engraving of Homunculus from Goethe's Faust part II
This may refer to the story of Faust.
Faust is a successful doctor or alchemist, but dissatisfied with his life he sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and pleasure. Although he seems to get what he asks for, he ends up condemned to an eternity in Hell.
The Faust story has been reworked through the ages and appears in many forms. Best known are two plays: Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe(1564-1593), and Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832).

5. Page 325. " for he had ready his great Kukri knife "

by victoriahooper

Kukri Knife - Credit: Sonett72/Wikimedia CommonsA Kukri knife is a close combat weapon with an inwardly curved cutting edge. It is the icon of Nepal, and used by the Gurkhas.

6. Page 332. " I want you to hypnotise me "

by victoriahooper

A Victorian Hypnotist - Credit: Library of Congress
Victorian readers were very familiar with hypnotism. Scottish surgeon James Braidintroduced the concept of neuro-hypnotism (neural sleep) in 1841, and by the 1890s it was being used to treat the widespread disorder of hysteria. While Stoker was writing Dracula, Sigmund Freud was developing the practice of regression hypnotherapy.
At the same time, hypnosis was already in demand on the stage. Indeed James Braid took his inspiration from a "mesmerism" show.

7. Page 333. " your so great Port of London "

by hector

The Pool of London, 1841 - Credit: W. Parrott
London has been a significant maritime trading port since Roman times. With the growth of the British Empire, it became the busiest port in the world during the 18th and 19th centuries. For nearly two millenia, most loading and unloading took place in the Pool of London, the stretch of the River Thames from London Bridge to Rotherhithe. But by the end of the 18th century, demand for quayside space had outstripped capacity, and throughout the 19th century private companies constructed new enclosed docks in what became known as Docklands.
Although Docklands was very heavily bombed in World War II, and has now been redeveloped for office and residential use, London remains one of the largest ports in Britain, with new docks further downriver. Its capacity will increase considerably with the completion of the massive deep-water port at London Gateway.
Map of London's Docks, 1882

London Docks, 1845 - Credit: Illustrated London News

8. Page 334. " Tally Ho "

by victoriahooper

Fox Hunters - Credit: Henrik Jessen/Wikimedia Commons
‘Tally Ho’ is the traditional cry of the fox-hunter. Fox-hunting was a sport enjoyed by the upper classes in Britain until a ban on the activity in 2005 (though it is still practised in many other countries).
A group of hunters riding horses would follow a pack of hounds trained to track and chase foxes. A red coat is traditional fox-hunting attire.

9. Page 337. " he must go by the Danube mouth "

by victoriahooper

The Danube Delta in Romania - Credit: Danutz/wikimedia commons
The Danube drains into the Black Sea via the Danube Delta, the greater part of which is situated in Romania, with a smaller, northern part in the Ukraine.
A delta forms when the sediment carried by a moving river reaches a body of still or slower moving water, and spreads out to form a wide area of deposited sediment, often in the shape of the Greek letter Delta.

10. Page 340. " There are deep caverns and fissures "

by hector

Timisoara Cave - Credit: Francisco Gonzalez
There are indeed some fine caves in Transylvania. Romania as a whole boasts over 12,000 caves, many of them in the Carpathians.
For the adventurous who want to explore them, here are a couple of options:
Outdoor Holidays Green Mountain Holidays

Muierilor Cave - Credit: Cristian Bortes

Stoker 18-20

1. Page 255. " He may not enter anywhere at the first, unless there be some one of the household who bid him to come "
by victoriahooper

Welcome - Credit:Photofinish 2009Though this may sound reassuring to us, a well-to-do Victorian household was full of servants and regular visitors (food deliveries, coal deliveries, etc), and the chances of unwittingly inviting a vampire in would have been much higher.
Though most later fiction tends to ignore this aspect of vampirism, some have played with it effectively; e.g. in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a reverse spell can be performed in order to ‘change the locks.’

2. Page 256. " a sacred bullet fired into the coffin kill him so that he be true dead "
by victoriahooper

Bullet - Credit: An Nguyen/Wikimedia Commons
In Romania, the precautionary measure of shooting a bullet through the coffin of the recently deceased might be taken. Presumably a sacred bullet is one that has been blessed by a clergyman.
The use of bullets (specifically silver ones) is more common in werewolf fiction.

3. Page 256. " over the great river on the very frontier of Turkey-land "
by hector

The Danube, Bulgaria

Map of Bulgarian and Romanian territory as it was in 1853, with the Danube drawn above "TÜRKEI"
The Danube is one of the longest rivers in Europe, stretching 1,785 miles from the Black Forest (Germany) to the Black Sea. It forms the majority of the border between Romania and Bulgaria, which had languished under Ottoman rule for five hundred years. Hence, for centuries the Danube had indeed been the "frontier of Turkey-land", although Ottoman control and influence frequently extended north of it.
By the time of Dracula, things were starting to change south of the river. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 had led to the liberation of part of Bulgaria. The Principality of Bulgaria, though nominally a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire, was now effectively independent. The restored and enlarged nation finally declared full independence in 1908, pushing the decrepit empire back close to the border of modern Turkey.

4. Page 256. " They learned his secrets in the Scholomance "
by victoriahooper

Scholomance was said to be a castle on a lake - Credit: Stuart Yeates at Flickr
The Scholomance was a legendary school of black magic in Transylvania. It was said to be run by the devil himself. An extract from Emily Gerard’s article ‘Transylvanian Superstitions’ describes the Scholomance:
As I am on the subject of thunderstorms, I may as well here mention the Scholomance, or school supposed to exist somewhere in the heart of the mountains, and where all the secrets of nature, the language of animals, and all imaginable magic spells and charms are taught by the devil in person. Only ten scholars are admitted at a time, and when the course of learning has expired and nine of them are released to return to their homes, the tenth scholar is detained by the devil as payment, and mounted upon an Ismeju (dragon) he becomes henceforward the devil's aide-de-camp, and assists him in 'making the weather,' that is, in preparing thunderbolts.

5. Page 259. " a burnt rum punch, much patronized on Derby night "
by hector

Feuerzangenbowle - Credit: Kore Nordmann
This is Feuerzangenbowle (fire-tongs punch), a traditional German concoction made by setting light to rum-soaked sugar and letting it drip into mulled wine.
Derby Night follows the Epsom Derby, one of the classic British horse races. It is a flat horse race over theEpsom Downs that takes place in June each year. The name Derby has now been adopted for prestigious horse races around the world.

Derby Day, 1850s - Credit: William Powell Frith



6. Page 269. " rushed at his natural enemies "
by hector

The celebrated terrier "Major" kills 100 rats in 8 minutes and 58 seconds

Jack Russell Terrier - Credit: Emery Way
Terriers are small but plucky dogs, bred in Britain to hunt and kill rodents, rabbits, foxes and otters. Many are adept at hunting underground in burrows, hence their name (from the Latin terra, meaning earth). Rat-catching breeds include the Jack Russell, the Border and the YorkshireTerrier. Other breeds, such as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, were developed for pit fighting.
As a largely nineteenth century invention, with most breeds being established in the latter part of the century, the terrier can be seen here as another of the recent technological innovations with which Stoker arms his heroes in their fight against the ancient forces of Dracula.

Border Terrier - Credit: Samuel Cockman


7. Page 284. " the Aërated Bread Company "
by hector

ABC Tea Shop in Fleet Street
The Aërated Bread Company was both a bakery and a chain of tea shops. Like Lyons Corner Houses, ABC Tea Shops were considered suitable for unaccompanied ladies to frequent, and so became popular as London's population of working women grew.
The company was founded in 1862 with a new bread-leavening technology that made use of carbon dioxide instead of yeast. The company was acquired by Allied Bakeries in 1955, and the name was finally phased out in the 1980s.

ABC Menu, 1900

8. Page 289. " Rats and mice and such small deer "
by victoriahooper

Shakespeare
And now we're back to Shakespeare’s King Lear, and once again Act 3 Scene 4:
But mice and rats, and such small deer,
Have been Tom's food for seven long year
That makes four consecutive Shakespeare quotes - from three different plays - all from Act 3, Scene 4. What is Bram Stoker up to?! Is it a code?

9. Page 294. " we must trephine at once "
by hector

Trephining - Credit: Hieronymus Bosch
A trephine is a surgical instrument for cutting out discs of bone, generally from the skull. It has a circular, saw-like blade. Trephining, or trepanning, is the act of cutting a hole in the skull, often to relieve pressure or enable cranial surgery.

Trephine - Credit:Chambers, 1908

10. Page 295. " men who have heard the death-watch "
by victoriahooper

The Death-Watch Beetle - Credit: Sarefo/wikimedia commonsThe Death-watch beetle is a wood-boring beetle that creates a distinctive ticking sound, often heard in the rafters or floorboards during quiet nights. Because of this they have become associated with the watch kept over the dying, and so their ticking noise is sometimes considered to be an omen of death. A person who hears the death-watch beetle, according to superstition, does not have long to live.