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Sonnet 13: O! That You Were Your Self, But, Love, You Are - Recording

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Sonnet 13: O! That You Were Your Self, But, Love, You Are - Recording

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Hard Work Pays What?

My name is Elizabeth, and for as long as I could remember I wanted to go pro in basketball. I even have a picture of me as a baby holding a mini basketball. My plan has always been to play college ball before getting into the big leagues. I understand that for girls, going pro doesn't give as many rewards as it would for men. My goal has never been to make money, I love the game and want to advance to the next level, the highest level. I've always known what college I want to go to. When I was little my parents used to take me to their games, mostly soccer games. My entire life I've loved this school and felt a sense of pride towards it. So whenever someone asked me about my future plans, I didn't even have to think about it.

“So where did you apply to college?”  My friend Daisy obviously knew what my answer would be. We played on the same team for four years, we became close friends our second highschool season. Eventually I told her all about my pro dreams and ever since she's been cheering me on. Although I sometimes wish that she could take basketball as seriously as I do. She's always saying that she doesn't really see a future in basketball for her.

“You already know, UCLA” I replied, but continued.

“I'm a little worried though, I just feel off about it all, I can't explain why.”

“But this has always been your plan.”

“Yeah, do you know if Coach Howell would be able to get me in for an interview?”

“For sure.”

Our basketball coach had connections to UCLA basketball staff and coaches, he once worked there as an assistant coach. He's a pretty well known coach and I specifically chose to play on his team for the connections.

Later that day after school I decided to see if Coach Howell was in his office. Like always, he was. I saw him through the window and went to knock at the door. I felt nervous. I knocked and heard the usual, “come in,” so I opened the door. As I went to sat down I said,

“Hey Coach,” there was a sort of long pause like there usually is. He was looking over some papers and looked pretty focused on them. Finally he said,

“So, what's going on?” He placed the papers down and looked right at me. I felt bad asking for an interview, I felt entitled in a way.

“So, I was wondering if there's a way for me to get an interview with the head coach at UCLA, I applied a couple weeks ago but I don't feel too sure about my application. I think if I got an interview it would definitely help. I thought you'd be the person to go to for this kind of thing since you know the head coach.” I basically spit out everything that I was saying. I've always hated asking for favors. I've always been the kind of person to just do the work myself instead of asking others for help.

“Well sure, I’ll give him a call this afternoon.” That simple? Wow.

“Thank you Coach, I mean really. This means a lot.” He gave me a simple smile and said

“It's no problem.”

I left his office that day feeling excited. I was finally going to make my dreams come true. Everything that I had worked so hard for was finally here.

As I thought more and more about what was to come, I felt more and more anxious. I had one chance to make a good impression. If I blew it, I would lose everything.

At dinner I told my parents briefly about the interview. I would have to drive down to LA for the interview. I was worried at dinner that Coach Howell had not called, or wasn't able to set the interview up. As I was cleaning up my dads phone rang. My heart dropped, what if he said he could get it? Or the coach couldn't meet? Or did he change his mind? Anything could happen. As my dad talked on the phone, his face stayed the same, serious. Once he hung up he looked at me,

“You got the interview!!” he yelled. It had been as much his dream as it had been mine to go to UCLA.

The interview was set for next Friday afternoon. After school I would have to start my drive down to LA immediately. I couldn't even sleep the night I found out I had the interview. I don't think I slept at all the days before the interview.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in a waiting room waiting to meet with the head coach of the girls basketball team for UCLA. All alone. I couldn't stop fidgeting with my hands.

The first question I was asked was, “why do you think you deserve a spot on my team?” All other questions that followed were about myself, my career, my plans, and why I even deserved to play for UCLA. I thought I bombed the interview. As I drove home I had to suppress my tears. When I finally got home I cried and cried to my parents. I just knew that I had messed up. I had no hope left for getting into that school.

Until one day, I was getting home from school and my parents were sitting at the dinner table with an envelope sitting in front of them as well. When I saw the look on their faces I thought it meant I had failed.

“We haven't opened it yet, we were waiting for you.” my mom finally said.

I sat down and picked the envelope up. As I opened it I felt my skin run cold and my future flash before my eyes. The possibility of going to my dream school, or the possibility of ending up with nothing. I read the first words of the letter.

“We are happy to inform you…”

Before I could ever continue I dropped the letter and shouted. I had worked my entire life for this. For years I spent every day of my life practicing and preparing for this moment. With everyone's help, with all of their support I was able to do this. Finally I saw the result I had been waiting for. All my work had paid off.

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Why does Paris challenge Menelaus to a fight?

Paris seeks to settle the problem and argument over Helen. However instead of challenging Hector he challenges Menelaus to a duel because Menelaus hurt his pride. When the men approached eachother Menelaus said to Paris that he is more beautiful than brave. In the end Paris does end up losing after Menelaus' sword breaks over his helmet and he drops to the ground but Aphrodite intervenes.

Why are Helens feeling towards Paris so complicated?

Apart of Helen hates Paris, and her feelings are very complicated. But it is through divine intervention that Helen was persuaded into liking Paris. Aphrodite is able to bend and control Helen and her feelings. This explains Helens rapid changing and hard to understand emotions which are not just the product of human ways but also of divine intervention.

Why would Helens brothers not want to be apart of the Achaean army?

The entire Achaean army is fighting to recapture Helen from Paris. Her brothers would most likely view Helen as an embarrassment as well as some sort of a traitor. The entire conflict is caused by her, so many men died all because of her. Her brothers would most likely not want to be apart of or responsible for the war because of their closeness and relation to Helen.

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Sonnet 13: O! That You Were Your Self, But, Love, You Are - Modern English

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Sonnet 13: O! That You Were Your Self, But, Love, You Are - Modern English

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Oh, how I long for you to be yourself forever, unchanged, but, my love, you don’t have any identity for any longer than your time on earth. You should prepare yourself for this approaching end and pass your sweet likeness on to someone else. In that way, the lease that you hold for that beauty would not expire and you would survive after your self’s death, when your beautiful children would carry your beautiful form. Who allows such a lovely house to fall into decay when it could, with good management, be properly protected from the stormy winds of winter and the frustration of the eternal coldness of death? Oh, no-one except the irresponsible. My dear love, you once had a father: let your son be able to say the same thing.

My interpretation of this sonnet, is shakespeare is writing to a woman who has beautiful qualities. He is telling her that she should have kids so that her beauty will be passed down. He is also saying that her future children will protect and nourish her image. The final line says that she was once able to say she had a father so her children should be able to say the same thing. What this means to me is that she and her children deserve a good mad who will be there and to provide so that her future sons or daughters will be able to say that they have their father.

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Sonnet 13: O! That You Were Your Self, But, Love, You Are

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Sonnet 13: O! That You Were Your Self, But, Love, You Are

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O, that you were yourself! but, love, you are
No longer yours than you yourself here live:
Against this coming end you should prepare,
And your sweet semblance to some other give.
So should that beauty which you hold in lease
Find no determination: then you were
Yourself again after yourself’s decease,
When your sweet issue your sweet form should bear.
Who lets so fair a house fall to decay,
Which husbandry in honour might uphold
Against the stormy gusts of winter’s day
And barren rage of death’s eternal cold?
O, none but unthrifts! Dear my love, you know
You had a father: let your son say so.

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Still I rise By Maya Angelou

When I was in 8th grade I did a project on Maya Angelou. Although she is known mainly for her poetry and not much else, in her life she actually acheived many things and had many careers and worked many jobs. Ever since I did that project I respected her as a writer more and respected her as a woman who overcame so many challenges. Her early life and upbringing was extremely hard and she faced adversity yet continued on to be an actress, poet, screenplay writer, and mother. "Still I Rise" is the perfect poem to describe her perseverance. I included a picture of the moon and sun because of the imagery she uses and explains that the sun and moon will always rise just like her.

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Still I Rise

BY MAYA ANGELOU

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

’Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops,

Weakened by my soulful cries?

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don't you take it awful hard

’Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines

Diggin’ in my own backyard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame

I rise

Up from a past that’s rooted in pain

I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise.

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1. The speaker repeatedly refers to a “war drum.” This is not necessarily meant to be taken literally, but what does it
represent? Who is the “you” that the speaker is addressing?

From my interpretation, the speaker is directly addressing those in charge and providing efforts to continue this war. In most of the poem, this entity is the main subject, being the villian or force that the speaker is working against.

2. What does the speaker propose as opposition to the “war drum”?

This "war drum" that she refuses to participate in is a metaphor likely to aid the war efforts and believe in propaganda. Her rebuttal to this "war drum" is to create her own beat of the drum. What I understood this as, is that she is forming and creating her own opinions on this war and choosing to not support it.

3. How would you describe the speaker of this poem? What evidence from the poem supports your interpretation?

From reading the poem as well as watching the video I think that the speaker is a very free spirited and opinionated individual. The constant use of the phrase "I will not" is showing defiance.

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How does power affect a story? Critical Thinking: Analyze the quote: "History is written by the winners."

The story of whoever has the most power will almost always outshine the story of the one that doesnt have power. The quote, "History is written by the winners" essentially describes how power affects storytelling. An example is the Native Americans vs Colonists. Had the Native Americans won, we would have many more stories of the brutality of the American Colonists. We would see the colonists as barbaric pirates that attempted to steal land from the Native Americans. However, the Native Americans did not win the war, and American Colonists expended westward and formed what is now known as the United States Of America. Heroes like Christopher Columbus that we now celebrate for taking the land of the Americas would NOT be seen the same way had the Native Americans won.

Why are stories so important? Why is it so important to reject the "single story"?

Multiple stories are crucial to understand what really happened in history or what is even happening in the real world. Rejecting the "single story" means to do your own research. To not feed into all of the ideas that are being served to you. "rejecting the single story" means to take first hand accounts instead of people writing about that topic based on other accounts.