Symbolism in "Masque of the Red Death"

   Edgar Allan Poe was a master writer who filled his stories with symbolism. In “The Masque of the Red Death”, Edgar Allan Poe used many different colors as symbols. All of the colors in the story could represent the stages of life. The color violet is a dark shade of red. In some instances, red can be viewed as a color associated with love and happiness. An example of this is the presence of this color at Valentine’s Day. However, since Poe chose to use the deeper shade of red in the form of violet, this color represents the emotions of pain and suffering. The color violet is one of the room colors in the prince’s palace. In the palace, the colors of the rooms progress to darkness, with violet and black at the end. Violet represents people who range from 60 to 70 years old to 90 years old. Unfortunately, it means that death is near. The people in the story are afraid of death, so they try to escape it by hiding away in the palace.

   Violet symbolizes the progression of life because the color is dark and gloomy. As people approach old age, they often feel depressed that time is running out. At this point in their life, they may have health problems that would cause them pain and suffering. Edgar Allan Poe used violet and the clock in the black room to show how people fear death. As the colors become more dreary and as the clock of life chimes, people feel the end of life nearing and become afraid. In this story, the revelers did not know how to act when the clock chimed. They found the chiming of the clock to be an unwelcoming reminder of their short life on Earth. They sometimes felt scared. As soon as the sound faded, the revelers quickly resumed their party activities as if nothing happened. Edgar Allan Poe used these symbols to demonstrate how death is coming closer no matter how much the revelers try to avoid it.

   The color violet relates to my life because I can use this understanding of the avoidance of death to provide comfort to those who are elderly. Violet is important in this story, “The Masque of the Red Death”, because its deep, dark color symbolizes the unknown. As the revelers in the story worked frantically to avoid the thought of death or the presence of death, Edgar Allan Poe kept reminding them of death through the use of this color and the chiming of the clock. I don't think that Prince Prospero knows that he can't buy his way out of death. When the unknown guest arrives in the story, Prince Prospero is met with suspicion and fear because the figure is unknown. This color symbolizes a stage in life because it represents the transition from light colors to black and death. Violet is used to show pain and suffering that may be physical or may be an emotional response to the approach of life’s end. This color and Poe’s symbolism will be a reminder to me to accept life in all its stages, rather than live in fear of growing older.

November Book

The Penderwicks                               

                                                      By: Jeanne Birdsall                        This is the author. 

                                                       

This is a awesome book; just at a look, I got hooked.

In the book, the girls encounter two rabbits, a boy, a malevolent woman and her boyfriend, and even a bull!! This is definitely a book you never want to put down! I am reading it and I highly recommend.                                            

                                                                                              

                                                                                           

                                                                                                      

                                                              Watch out for the bull!!                          

O. Henry

                                                  

• O. Henry's real name is William Sydney Porter.
• He lived from 1862-1910.
• He is known for his ironic twists in his plots.
• He only attended school until he was 15 years old so he could help his uncle in a drugstore.
• He did not write professionally until he was in his mid-30s. He wrote in a newspaper.
• From 1891-1894 he worked in a bank. He was charged with embezzling money while he worked there which was probably an accountant error.
• He left the bank to live with his wife which died very shortly after.
• He returned to the bank and turned himself in.
• While in prison, he started to write his stories. He was in prison for 3 years. 
• In the next ten years, he became one of the most popular authors.

Edgar Allan Poe

   Edgar Allan Poe was a very famous writer who lived some of his life in Baltimore. He was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Even though he was born in Boston, he said his home state is Virginia because that is where he lived most of his life. Unfortunately, Poe's mother (Eliza Poe) died when he was only two years old. He lived with John and Frances Allan. This greatly influenced his writing.
   During his life, he attended various schools. However, in 1831 he was expelled from West Point. He married Virginia Clemm at age 13; he was 27 years old. I think that would be a little awkward to be married to someone who was almost 15 years younger than you.He wrote The Tell-Tale Heart and The Black Cat in 1843. The Raven was published in 1845. He also created "Murders in the Rue Morgue" which was the first mystery story.
   He died on October 7, 1849 at age 40. There are at least 13 theories to why he died. One of them says he died from liver failure. Another one says it was from  diabetes or rabies. Also one said it was from syphilis, a digestive disorder. Others say it was heart disease, but he showed no symptoms. Finally, some even say it was murder. We are not sure because all medical records were lost, if there were any.
   Poe Toaster is a non-official name given to a disguised person who leaves three roses and a partially-filled bottle of French cognac at Poe's grave every year on January 19. Poe was a great writer who influenced many other writings. He is a man who should be known throughout history. His works were truly amazing and should be read by all.

Cited Sources:

http://strangebehaviors.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/the-species-seekers-quiz-edgar-allan-poe%E2%80%99s-only-bestseller/ 

 http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061030155416AAlucND

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_did_Edgar_Allan_Poe_die&alreadyAsked=1&rtitle=How_did_Edgar_Allen_Poe_really_die 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe_Toaster
http://www.poemuseum.org/index.php

Second Quarter

In the second quarter, I hope to get good grades. Hopefully, I will get straight A's. I want to, at least, make one new friend. I also want to get my homework done faster so I can get some free time. This way I also have more time to study. I think this will be a good second quarter.

Maintaining a Positive Self-identity in Today’s Society

Xavia 

Mrs. Zurkowski

Green

1 October 2010

                Self-identity is very important in your life.  It defines how you view your strengths and weaknesses.  This perception causes you to either have a positive or negative image of yourself.  A positive self-image will lead to self-acceptance.  Therefore, self-identity is an essential part of your personality.  Self-identity is the reason you are yourself today.  It must not be taken for granted because it is how people see you; it should be valued because nobody else has the same image. 

You are not born with a self-identity.  ”All people have a picture of themselves, their strengths, and their weaknesses.  It is formed through learning experiences starting at birth.(“Self-Esteem”)” Your identity can be formed in many ways.  Experiences and relationships play a large role in this.  As a child, your self-identity is influenced by your parents.  Supportive behavior, praise, and encouragement help a child to develop a positive self-identity.  As a teen or young adult, your self-identity is heavily influenced by your friends and your achievements in school and sports.  As a result, you develop a mental image of yourself.  This image can shift over time as relationships change, different goals are reached, and as you mature.  Your self-identity helps to define who you are as a person and as a unique individual.

                Self-esteem is important to your self-identity.  “Self-esteem is the value judgment or degree of worth a person attributes to his or her self-image.(“Self-Esteem”)” If you have a highly positive self-image, you will have a high degree of self-esteem.  This, in turn, will lead to increased self-confidence and ultimately self-acceptance.  Unfortunately, some people are bullied and as a result, they have  low self-esteem.  Victims of bullying remain victims becomes they do not know how to defend themselves.(“Bullying is serious problem that needs addressing”)” Self-esteem is an important part of your self-confidence.  In a recent study, nearly half of the sample (43%) reported that they were tomboys as children (Michele).  The study showed that the tomboys had higher self-esteem than regular adult women.  This could be due to the fact that their accomplishments in sports led to praise, increased self-confidence, and self-acceptance.  Self-esteem ultimately affects how you behave in social settings, but it is significantly influenced by your perception of your accomplishments.

                There are programs and activities to help raise self-esteem. One-third (34 percent) of ninth grade students in U.S. public schools in 2002 left school three years  later, in 2005, with a high-school diploma and the qualifications to apply to a four-year college (“Self-Esteem”).  This is a small number considering how many people go to high school.  So, Programs such as Bully Buster Week have been used.  This program was designed to show children what to do if there is a bully problem. These programs have been used to help troubled kids raise their self-esteem so that they can break the cycle of bullying.  “Efforts have been made to incorporate activities to raise self-esteem in school curricula. (“Bullying is serious problem that needs addressing”)” Schools hope to use these programs more often.  Although these programs have been used, it is not clear yet if they have been helpful.

                Everyone does not agree with the results of various self-esteem studies.  Some experts say there is no way to measure self-esteem.  However, others say that studies can be used to measure it.  Many studies have been performed throughout the years to measure and evaluate self-esteem.  The results of these studies have been used to develop programs, to provide tools for an individual to enhance personal self-esteem, and to evaluate how self-esteem and self-identity play a role in social behavior.  These studies have played a valuable role in the assessment of self-identity and have provided valuable insights into ways to improve social behavior.                           

Some experts say self-esteem includes a mastery of skills.  This means that children should figure out problems on their own without their parents’ help. This is called trial and error.  Others say that since children do not participate in the family’s economic life like they did during agricultural times, then they don’t have the opportunity to resolve large problems on their own.  Typically, young children in developed countries do not have jobs.  Therefore, others should help them solve problems of everyday life.  This group of experts believes that guidance is more important than self-mastery.  As many studies have shown, positive feedback, encouragement, and a strong support system are just as important as learning through trial and error.  A home and family that provide a loving and supportive environment are more important to social development than experiencing failure at a young age.   

As you can see, many experts have different opinions about this topic of self-identity and self-esteem.  However, all experts agree that self-identity exists in relationship to self-esteem.  Studies that measure self-esteem have proven useful.  Because self-identity is linked to self-confidence, praise and encouragement are more likely to raise your self-confidence as a young child rather than tackling large problems without guidance.  Self-identity is very important to everyone.  Although your self-identity changes over time, it always exists as an essential part of you.  Self-esteem makes a big contribution to self-identity; it is very important to have a positive mental picture of yourself.  

 Works Cited:

“Bullying is serious problem that needs addressing." Victoria Advocate [Victoria, TX] 31 Aug. 2010. Gale   

               Student Resources In Context. Web. 28 Sept. 2010.

Microsoft word, Michele. "The effects of childhood tomboyism and family experiences on the self-      

               esteem of college females." College Student Journal 43.3  (2009): 736+. Gale Student Resources  

               In Context. Web. 19 Sept. 2010.

"Self-esteem." World of Health. Gale, 2007. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.

Article 3

• Bullying can play a big part in low self-esteem.
• "The victims turn to deep depression, which can result in long-term psychological harm, thoughts of ending it all and, unfortunately, suicide."
• "And bullies are no longer kids who have low self-esteem; they are youth who know they can bully and get away with it."
• Bully Buster Week is designed to teach kids what to do if they have a bully problem.
• It is a week long program.
• It was designed by the Safe Schools Healthy Students program.
• Clara Ramos said this,"We're trying to get a number (telephone) -- a plain simple number. We can't get it done. If I had the resources, I would do it myself. They have the paid staff to do it,"
• She is trying to create a telephone number for those who are being bullied.
• Bloomington school district has a report a bully website.
• If bullying is not treated, it can cause long term low self-esteem.

Source Citation:

"EDITORIAL: Advocate editorial board opionion: Bullying is serious problem that needs addressing." Victoria Advocate [Victoria, TX] 31 Aug. 2010. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 28 Sept. 2010.

More Information

Xavia P.
Mrs. Zurkowski
English Green
September 25, 2010

Source Citation:

Van Volkom, Michele. "The effects of childhood tomboyism and family  experiences on the self-esteem of college females." College Student Journal 43.3  (2009): 736+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 19 Sept. 2010.

• If you were a tomboy, you will probably have a lower self-esteem in college.
•  " In his meta-analysis of thirty-five studies, they found a relationship between masculine traits and self-esteem. Kleinplatz et al. (1992) found that women who were "non-traditional" had significantly higher self-esteem than their traditional counterparts."
• " It was hypothesized that childhood tomboys would have higher self-esteem in adulthood than non-tomboys."
• Tomboys have a slightly high self-esteem than regular women.
• Tomboyism usually occurs during childhood.
• However, few women said that they were tomboys in adulthood. 
• Nearly half of women (41%) were tomboys.
• Someone who was usually over protected by their parents usually has a low self-esteem.
• Tomboys usually have older brothers as their role models.
•  " Parents' marital status, parents' employment status, and participants' birth order were not related to tomboyism."

My Profile

Hi, my name is Xavia. I attended St. Joseph School, Fullerton, from Kindergarten to 8th grade. I like to play tennis for fun. In my first year of high school, I want to become involved in the Photo Club and learn more about the Russian language and culture. In my later years of high school, I want to take courses in photography and ceramics. I have one brother and three sisters. The triplets (two girls and one boy) are in 6th grade and my little sister is in 1st grade.

Gathering Information

Citation: "Self-esteem." World of Health. Gale, 2007. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.

·         “All people have a mental picture of themselves, their strengths and weaknesses. This mental picture is called self-concept or self-image.”

·         “The idea that self-esteem and self-image are related to how people behave in society, perform in school, react to peer pressure, and interact with others has received a great deal of attention from psychologists and child development experts, beginning in the 1980s.”

·         National Association for Self-Esteem (NASE) was created to research and teach self-esteem issues.

·         Age can determine how you may feel about yourself.

·         You determine how you picture yourself.

·         Schools are trying to promote self-esteem through academics and extracurricular activities.

·         You create a self-identity through interactions and experiences with others.

·         You are not born with an identity.

·         Attitudes of parents also influence the image of yourself.

·         Many people find school achievement and self-esteem together.

·         “…one-third (34 percent) of ninth grade students in U.S. public schools in 2002 left school three years later, in 2005, with a high-school diploma and the qualifications to apply to a four-year college”.

·         Identity is also linked to violent actions and substance abuse.                     

·         No matter how high or low your esteem is, it can always change.

·         You can develop self-esteem and identity by facing and overcoming challenges.

Questions

Here are some question that I could try to answer in my research paper.

1. Do issues at home affect how the person may see themselves as?
2. What does self-identity have to do with self-esteem?
3. How could self-identity possibly affect the person academically?

Xavia 
Mrs. Zurkowski
Green

September 14, 2010

Book: Anything But Ordinary by Valerie Hobbs

Topic: Self-identity

Search Terms:

1.      “Personal Identity”

2.      “Identity”

3.      “Self-concept”

4.      “Self-perspective”

5.      “Identity Crisis”

6.      “Self-construction”

7.      “Self-image”

Self-identity

     One of the key issues in Anything But Ordinary by Valerie Hobbs is the concept of self-identity.  A person’s identity is based in their relationship to other people and things.  “All identity is ultimately in relationship to something else" (http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=9697).  This means that as a person develops new relationships and breaks bonds, a person's identity changes.  This was seen in the book when Winifred's personality changed drastically after she made new college friends and broke up with Bernie.  Both physically and emotionally, Winifred became a different person.  "A person's self-identity may change with time" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-concept).  Personal relationships, accomplishments, self-esteem, group memberships, and experiences shape how a person sees himself and how other people see him.  "Throughout later childhood and adolescence, the self-concept becomes more abstract and complex" (http://social.jrank.org/pages/554/Self-Concept.html).  This allows a person to modify his self-identity by adding layers to his personality.  Winifred tried this when she went to college and made new friends.  She was no longer the same person she was when she had been with Bernie.  However, I don't think this made Winifred feel happy or fulfilled.  I think you can change your identity by changing what you think about yourself.  You can be anyone you want to be.  But as Winifred learned, you need to avoid peer pressure and be true to yourself.  

Image Picture:         http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wB_B2FyhJMM/S8ns2LW9ZKI/AAAAAAAABtg/7O65CE1-SiA/s1600/identity.gif

Winifred Owens

I pretended that the main character in the story (Anything But Ordinary) was real. So, I wrote a friendly letter to her. What are your opinions on this letter? This is what I wrote...

703 Churchville Road

Bel Air, MD 21014

September 3, 2010

Dear Winifred,

Hey, Winifred! How are you? It’s me, your old high school friend, Xavia. Did you do anything fun this summer? I took a photography course that was pretty interesting. I also took tennis lessons. Did you and Bernie go anywhere on vacation? I went to Ocean City, Maryland Did you and Bernie stay in California for the summer or did you go back home? 

You went through a lot in your first year at college! Also, I am glad you made the right choice in the end of the novel by choosing to be with Bernie. You and Bernie are good together! I am also glad you became your own person again rather than following the crowd. Stay the way you are; don’t change your personality! You should stick with Bernie. He truly cares for you.

I like how the author, Valerie Hobbs, talked about your point of view and Bernie’s. I was able to know what you and Bernie were thinking and why you made certain choices. You were completely realistic to me. You did what almost everyone else would do in the same circumstances. It is tempting to follow the crowd, especially when that makes you popular for the first time in your life. However, I am glad you changed back to the normal “Winifred” instead of “Wini”.

I was just wondering how come, when you just met Sam, Tori, and Calista, you dyed your hair black. Why did you change it? I thought it was fine the way it was. Also, why did you try to break up with Bernie? I know you thought it was Bernie’s fault that you were not ordinary, but it was not his fault. Besides, I thought you didn’t want to be ordinary. You were special just the way you were.

I think I could raise awareness about self-identity by giving public speeches at some high schools in the area, perhaps at one of their morning assemblies. This would let the students know that they are not alone in their struggle to find themselves. Then, I would suggest that they read Anything But Ordinary. I would ask them for their opinion about the topic. I would want to know if the book made them think more about the importance of being yourself. Finally, I would ask them what they think they could do to resist peer pressure. I know that reading this novel definitely made me more aware of the issue and the importance of remaining true to yourself.

You and Bernie should keep dating. You two make a good couple. You should continue your major in nanoscience and get that degree! Someday you will be a great nanoscientologist. I can’t wait to talk to you again! Please write back soon.

Your friend,
Xavia

Summer Book

Over the summer, I read the book, AnythingBut Ordinary. Have you read the book? What are your answers to these questions? What is your opinion about the book?

1. Who is the main character and what is that character’s personality like? Type a complete sentence or two that include three different adjectives that describe your character.            
 2. Most good stories have a beginning, middle, and end. Type a complete sentence for each of these three parts that summarizes what happens.
3. Think about the experiences that the main character has and the changes that she or he experiences by the end of the story. In a complete sentence or two, describe what you think the author is trying to say about life?
4. Explain how one of these issues affects the character(s) in the story. Write three complete sentences – either three different ways that one character is affected, or one way each that three different characters are affected.
5. In complete sentences, describe two specific events that make the book’s social issue(s) seem real and important. How does the author make a big issue immediate and personal?