Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Parent Comment for Portfolio
First off, I was very impressed by this assignment in itself...the amount of energy that he has put into it. Then again, I've noticed that throughout the year, Lennon has been extremely involved with this MeneMac projects. The amount of energy that the students are required to put into their various assignments, has help Lennon remain interested in school. Coming from a private middle school that challenged him, I was worried that he wouldn't be challenged in high school and he would lose interest in his studies. The exact opposite occured and I was thankfully proven wrong...I believe it is due to the MeneMac program. The other concern I had with Lennon transitioning into Moanalua High School, was his adjustment to a much bigger student population and how he would adapt to meeting new students in such a large capacity. Thanks to this program and the familiar classmates and smaller cohorts in their classes, he has adjusted very well socially and comfortably. I am proud of what he has achieved so far and look forward to his continued interested and involvement in the MeneMAC program, a program that Moanalua HS should be 200% proud of.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Merchant of Venice: Final Draft
In todays society, it is very hard to trust someone. The reason being is because many people could double ross you or not hold up their end of a certain deal. There are very little people that are able to do buisness with little stakes. The story, A Merchant of Venice, is a story that tells the story of many themes. When this story was written, the times were very much different from ours. The author, William Shakespeare, lived in a time were one could only trust anothers word. Business was corrupt from segregation with religion, race, and gender. The main character of this story, Antonio, is a prime example of a great business man that would survive in both modern and ancient times. He has the intellects and values of someone that thinks critically and outside the box. Throughout this play, it is shown that the character Antonio portraits a person of great intellegence that the people of both the 1500s and modern times need so that the aspects of society remain stable.
In the beginning of the story, we find Antonio very sad, almost depressed. "In sooth I know not why I am so sad: It wearies me, you say, it wearies you; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn."(Act 1, Scene 1, lines 1-5) Unlike most depression cases, he knows not why he feels this way. Although not very touched upon further in the story, it is believed that love is the thing that keeps he spirit on the low end. But disregarding he inner feelings and self conflicts, he decides to help he "BFF" Bassanio. This is the first example of Antonio's kind side. "You know me well, and herein spend but time To wind about my love with circumstance, And doubt you do me now more wrong In making question of my uttermost Than if you had made waste of all I have: Then do say to me what i should do, That in your knowledge may by me be done, And I am preset into it: therefore, speak."( Act 1, Scene1, lines 153-160) This particular saying shows the audience how he feels to his friend. He would be more hurt if Bassanio told him none of his social foibles than if Bassanio squandered with his fortune. He also, toward the ending of the story, is willing to give his life so that his friend could remain happy. In this particular time period, kindness was a little difficult to come by mostly because areas would be over cumbered by business and religious segregation. Antonio breaks that barrier and shows to Bassanio the kindness that most certainly he wouldn't have received from anyone else.
Another trait of Antonio that is shown to us through the play is his slightly wise yet very clever way of thinking. We most see this we he is striking the deal with Shylock for the three thousand ducats. While discussing with Bassanio the terms of the actual contract, Shylock nearly has a change of heart when he finally meets Antonio. Reason being is that Antonio discriminated Shylock because of his religon being Jewish. But finding a way to talk him into loaning the money, Shylock was forced to give in. "If though lend this money, lend it not As thy friends- for when did friendship take A breed for barren metal of his friend? But lend it rather to thine enemy,Who if he break, thou mayst with better face Exact the penalty." (Act 1, Scene 3, lines 129-134) This line shows Antonio's true intellects. He doesn't beg that Shylock loans the money, yet, he basically tempts Shylock to. He persuades Shylock, knowing that with the way he thinks, he will do anything to embrace his enemies suffering. Although this is really the only evidence of his cleverness, it is proven to be a very powerful example. The reason is that you can tell by modern day examples and history that enemies aren't very well persuaded by each other. so you can see the cunning intellects that Antonio has.
Lastly, the main trait that basically makes the story so great is Antonio's way of keeping his promises. Antonio is a great example of a man of his word. In this story, he promises many things. He promises Bassanio that he would help him see Portia and get him the money, and He also promised Shylock that he would pay back all three thousand ducats, and if not, he would basically give his life. Although there are only 2 main promises, they are very divine in a way. He put himself in a life or death situation and was willing to suffer the consequences. Knowing that it wasn't gonna be easy, he still undertook the task of asking a loan from his archenemy Shylock. And after thoroughly convincing him, which wasn't a very easy job, he was able to get the required money. Also, he was willing to keep the promise of cutting a pound of flesh because he wasn't able to pay back the loan. Most people would have found a way out of the punishment, of escaped in hopes of relieving themselves of the responsibility. But Antonio was ready to go through with what he put himself into.
Our modern world has many problems equivalent to the historical world of Shakespeare. We still have racial and religious segregation in some places, we still have many people that do not keep their word. Although there may not harsh business or religious segregation, there are still major foibles that go against our values, such as unequal salary, incomplete deals, etc. The character of Antonio is someone that is still needed in the modern world. A person that is clever/wise, kind, and a man of the word, is a person that can survive through hardships and set the example for people who are corrupt. He has the intelligence of a business man, yet the somewhat values of a monk. Overall, Antonio is a very important character to this story that reveals one of the many morals that is to be learned by people of our society, and that is selflessness and respect to all.
In the beginning of the story, we find Antonio very sad, almost depressed. "In sooth I know not why I am so sad: It wearies me, you say, it wearies you; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn."(Act 1, Scene 1, lines 1-5) Unlike most depression cases, he knows not why he feels this way. Although not very touched upon further in the story, it is believed that love is the thing that keeps he spirit on the low end. But disregarding he inner feelings and self conflicts, he decides to help he "BFF" Bassanio. This is the first example of Antonio's kind side. "You know me well, and herein spend but time To wind about my love with circumstance, And doubt you do me now more wrong In making question of my uttermost Than if you had made waste of all I have: Then do say to me what i should do, That in your knowledge may by me be done, And I am preset into it: therefore, speak."( Act 1, Scene1, lines 153-160) This particular saying shows the audience how he feels to his friend. He would be more hurt if Bassanio told him none of his social foibles than if Bassanio squandered with his fortune. He also, toward the ending of the story, is willing to give his life so that his friend could remain happy. In this particular time period, kindness was a little difficult to come by mostly because areas would be over cumbered by business and religious segregation. Antonio breaks that barrier and shows to Bassanio the kindness that most certainly he wouldn't have received from anyone else.
Another trait of Antonio that is shown to us through the play is his slightly wise yet very clever way of thinking. We most see this we he is striking the deal with Shylock for the three thousand ducats. While discussing with Bassanio the terms of the actual contract, Shylock nearly has a change of heart when he finally meets Antonio. Reason being is that Antonio discriminated Shylock because of his religon being Jewish. But finding a way to talk him into loaning the money, Shylock was forced to give in. "If though lend this money, lend it not As thy friends- for when did friendship take A breed for barren metal of his friend? But lend it rather to thine enemy,Who if he break, thou mayst with better face Exact the penalty." (Act 1, Scene 3, lines 129-134) This line shows Antonio's true intellects. He doesn't beg that Shylock loans the money, yet, he basically tempts Shylock to. He persuades Shylock, knowing that with the way he thinks, he will do anything to embrace his enemies suffering. Although this is really the only evidence of his cleverness, it is proven to be a very powerful example. The reason is that you can tell by modern day examples and history that enemies aren't very well persuaded by each other. so you can see the cunning intellects that Antonio has.
Lastly, the main trait that basically makes the story so great is Antonio's way of keeping his promises. Antonio is a great example of a man of his word. In this story, he promises many things. He promises Bassanio that he would help him see Portia and get him the money, and He also promised Shylock that he would pay back all three thousand ducats, and if not, he would basically give his life. Although there are only 2 main promises, they are very divine in a way. He put himself in a life or death situation and was willing to suffer the consequences. Knowing that it wasn't gonna be easy, he still undertook the task of asking a loan from his archenemy Shylock. And after thoroughly convincing him, which wasn't a very easy job, he was able to get the required money. Also, he was willing to keep the promise of cutting a pound of flesh because he wasn't able to pay back the loan. Most people would have found a way out of the punishment, of escaped in hopes of relieving themselves of the responsibility. But Antonio was ready to go through with what he put himself into.
Our modern world has many problems equivalent to the historical world of Shakespeare. We still have racial and religious segregation in some places, we still have many people that do not keep their word. Although there may not harsh business or religious segregation, there are still major foibles that go against our values, such as unequal salary, incomplete deals, etc. The character of Antonio is someone that is still needed in the modern world. A person that is clever/wise, kind, and a man of the word, is a person that can survive through hardships and set the example for people who are corrupt. He has the intelligence of a business man, yet the somewhat values of a monk. Overall, Antonio is a very important character to this story that reveals one of the many morals that is to be learned by people of our society, and that is selflessness and respect to all.
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