Vocab and Sentences List #7

1. aberration: (noun) the act of departing from the right, normal, or usual course

Kids who don't go to school are apart of an aberration.

2. ad hoc: (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration

I gave the students a study guide ad hoc so they could do well on the test.

3. bane: (noun) death; destruction; ruin

There is no greater destroyer then the bane of all, god.

4. bathos: (noun) a ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax

Robin Hood allows the rich to take on a bathos so that they are no longer proud.

5. cantankerous: (adjective) cranky

The old man was very cantankerous.

6. casuistry: (noun) specious, deceptive, or oversubtle reasoning, especially in questions of morality

Friar Bob used casuistry to earn or funds, which were used for his alcoholic ways.

7. de facto: (noun) actually existing, especially when without lawful authority

Anarchy is de facto when the government no longer decides to control.

8. depredation: (noun) the act of preying upon or plundering

I find depredation not only hateful, but extremely ignorant.

9. empathy: (verb) active hatred

The man showed empathy to the driver that had cut him off.

10. harbinger: (noun) a messenger; a sign from the future

The harbinger was small, but very significant to the man's future.

11. hedonism: (noun) the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good

Hedonism could be the answer to your problems, or the start of them.

12. lackluster: (adjective) dull

The man's jokes were unusually lackluster.

13. malcontent: (adjective) not satisfied or content  with currently prevailing conditions or circumstances

We found that those who had money were so malcontent with their lives.

14. mellifluous: (adjective) sweetly or smoothly flowing

The poem was mellifluous, absorbing my attention.

15. nepotism: (noun) patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics

Sports teams that are run by people who follow nepotism fail every time they try to win.

16. pander: (noun) a person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others

My life becomes more difficult when colleges, who are panders, will take my money and time 

17. peccadillo: (noun) a very minor or slight sin or offense

Homeless children will try to steal food, but this is a peccadillo compared to the other crimes of the world.

18. piece de resistance: the most noteworthy or prized feature

His athleticism was his piece de resistance.

19. remand: (verb) to send back, remit, or consign again

I will remand my effort towards practice at one moment, and school the next.

20. syndrome: (noun) a group of related or coincident things
She showed a that her attitude was a syndrome, connected always to her problems.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: A Literature Analysis

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde:

1. The story begins to introduce the three most important characters in the story. Basil Hallward, the artist of Dorian's Picture, who believes that his sole purpose of art is to portray himself. Lord Henry, who is introduced as Basil's friend in the beginning of the story, is a man who ends up greatly influencing Dorian with his love of beauty, nature, and capturing life attitude. Dorian Gray is a young man who is confused between the truths and lies of life, and desperately tries to develop a life style, which is his downfall. Lord Henry and Dorian are introduced in the story at later times, not until Chapter 2 do they meet, at first, Dorian dislikes Lord Henry, thinking about what he said as an insult, and becomes concerned about becoming an older man.  After that, Dorian takes his picture and curses it, wishing to be young forever. As the story progresses Lord Henry's influence on Dorian greatly increases, and Dorian delves into love and lust, sin and corruption fills Dorian throughout the story. Dorian's life is driven to confusion, losing his love for life in his own sins then, years after his scandalous life style, he meets Basil again. Dorian's portrait has become hideous and old, being a direct reflection of Dorian's soul. Basil is then killed by Dorian, because of Dorian's fear and outrage. Dorian runs to his country estate. There he meets his end. Dorian, in an effort to destroy the painting, which he feels has been the cause of his insanity, tries to stab the painting with a knife. The painting falls, crashing to the ground, only heard by the servants. Dorian is found dead, looking old and stabbed with the very same knife that he had killed Basil with.

2. The greatest theme of the story is that a person can be easily be changed by the things that he/she believes, and the importance of the influence that one person may have upon the other. Lord Henry's influence leads to the downfall of Dorian, by changing his thinking to realize his natural beauty, but taking advantage of the sins of the world. Dorian believed himself young and innocent at the beginning of the story, but at the end, his life is completely changed because of the imposed views of Henry.

3. The author begins the story using flowery descriptions of the world, interpreting the life of beauty. As the influence of Lord Henry's ideas increase upon Dorian, the dark spots of life are seen. A quote for descending beauty, "Summer followed, and the yellow jonquils bloomed and died many times, and nights of horror repeated the story of their shame, but he was unchanged. No winter marred his face or stained his flower-like bloom." Quote showing early examples of beauty, as the very first paragraph of the story. "The studio was filled with the rich odor of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink flowering thorn." These two quotes she the authors change in tone from beauty, to the diminishing and useless beauty that is seen later.

4. The author uses many literary elements in the story to amplify the effect the words have to the reader. One use is his use of analogies. Lord Henry uses analogy's to influence Dorian many times in the story. Another technique used are aphorisms, also used by both Basil and Henry, to describe their perspectives on life. "Beauty" in the story was used in several different ways as a connotation for love, youth, passion, lust, etc. Lord Henry usually speaks with a hyperbolic tone, expressing his "extreme" love of passion. Wilde's use of juxtaposition was used to contrast the darkness of sin and the life in nature.

Vocabulary List and Sentences # 6

1. obsequious: (adj) characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning
Obsequious students who suck up to the teacher are extremely annoying.
2. beatitude: (noun) supreme blessedness; exalted happiness
Every person should, at one time, have beatitudes.
3. bete noire: (noun) a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded; bane
A hero's bete noire is his archenemy.
4. bode: (verb) to be an omen of; portend
The witch bode me a farewell, which was discomforting.
5. dank: (adj) unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and, often, chilly
The dark, dank forest was filled with terrifying noises.
6. ecumenical: (adj) general; universal
The ecumenical icon, the White House, has been repaired several times.
7. fervid: (adj) heated or vehement in spirit
Many religious leaders have a fervid attitude.
8. fetid: (adj) having an offensive odor; stinking
The homeless man's smell was extremely fetid.
9. gargantuan: (adj) enormous
Men, these days, are gargantuan compared to those of the 18th century.
10. heyday: (noun) the stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success
Babe Ruth, because of my lack of knowledge in the field of baseball, lived in the heyday of sports.
11. incubus: (noun) a nightmare
Avoid an incubus at all costs
12. infrastructure: (noun) the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization
In order to destroy a government, you must demolish its infrastructure.
13. inveigle: (verb) to acquire, win, or obtain by beguiling talk or methods
Sports teams plan to inveigle the championship.
14. kudos: (noun) honor; glory
A lot of people give other people kudos, as a kind and polite thing to do.
15. lagniappe: (noun) a small trinket
Kids enjoy playing with lagniappes.
16. prolix: (adj) extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy
I avoid trying to write prolix sentences.
17. protege: (noun) someone interested in his or her career or welfare
If you love your job and are successful in it, you are a protege.
18. prototype: (noun) the original or model on which something is based or formed
It would be an rewarding job to be able to test prototypes.
19. sycophant: (noun) a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite
The fact he is obsequious is enough, but to be a sycophant is even worse.
20. tautology: (noun) needless repetition of an idea
Much of misunderstood writings in early english were thought to be consisting of tautologies.
21. truckle: (verb) to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely
In a wrestling match, the first to truckle will lose.

Notes On Reading:

On Epics:

• Epics are poems that are prolonged and consist of usually a hero figure as well as their achievements and their exaggerated power
• Heroes are characterized differently according to their own culture

Gilgamesh (Prologue):

• Gilgamesh is a great warrior with the ability to cut down mighty kings and create great nations
• Described as, "one who digs deep walls into the mountainside."
• Characteristic of Gilgamesh is god-like
• Extremities of description are included as he is nearly described as a creator
• Uruk is a part or the cities of Gilgamesh

Iliad:

• Athene speaks to Hektor about killing Achellius
• Athene also points out the destructive power Achellius has in battle
• Achellius poses threats as a one who seeks justice for the Achanians and Hektor threats by saying he will show his strength by bringing Achellius back to the Achanians, dead
• Death is described, as must of been for the tradition, as a fleeting soul fluttering away from his body
• Achellius shows respect at the end of the passage by speaking of the gods and his acceptance of it when the gods decide it is his time

A History of the English Church and People:

• Britain was previously known as Albion
• Belgic Gaul is France
• black jet=coal
• Describes the long days and short nights during the summer in England
• Scythia is the area that was only a nation in medieval times and is the nation in which the Picts came from to England 

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle:

• Alfred , Son of Aethwald was king of all English except for the Danish
• Aethelwauld and many Anglo-Saxon kings came into conflict with the Danish and the traditions of England
• Aethelwald fought Sigulf in the land of Mercia
• Alfred's Death brought together the East Anglicans and Northumbrians

Vocabulary List #5 and Sentences

1. acumen:  (noun) keen insight; shrewdness
    The United States' CIA must have an immense of acumen to know as much as they do.
2. adjudicate: (verb)  to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence. 
    Man was made to destroy other men through there power to adjudicate.
3. anachronism:  (noun) something or someone that is not in its correct historical 
or chronological time, especially a thing or person that belongsto an earlier time
    If Monty Python was walking around in the busy streets of New York, that would be an       anachronism.
4. apocryphal: (adjective)  of doubtful authorship or authenticity. 
    I am displeased with the students and their apocryphal homework.
5. disparity:  (noun) lack of similarity or equality; inequality; difference 
    The Civil War was a fight against disparity.
6. dissimulate: (verb)  to disguise or conceal under a false appearance 
    Secret agents often are good at dissimulating themselves.
7. empirical: (adjective)  derived from or guided by experience or experiment 
    My grandparents are both empirical.
8. flamboyant: (adjective)  strikingly bold or brilliant 
    Cheerleaders are often very flamboyant.
9. fulsome: (adjective)  offensive to good taste, especially as being excessive;overdone or gross 
    People who say that Saturday Night Live is fulsome must be strict to their taste of humor.
10. immolate: (verb)  to sacrifice 
      The Aztec's immolated someone every day.
11. imperceptible: (adjective)  very slight, gradual, or subtle 
      Someone's life develops at a imperceptible rate.
12. lackey: (noun)  a servile follower 
      Being a lackey must involve always serving others.
13. liaison: (noun)  the contact or connection maintained by communicationsbetween units of the armed forces or of any otherorganization in order to ensure concerted action,cooperation
      Most people who connect via the internet are a liaison.
14. monolithic: (adjective)  solid; of one peace; unbreakable
      Someone who is monolithic finds that they are out of the loop.
15. mot juste:  the exact, appropriate word 
      It is hard to find the mot juste when writing at a quick pace.
16. nihilism: (noun)  total rejection of established laws and institutions 
      Gangsters are a good example of a nihilism to the government
17. patrician: (noun)  a person of noble or high rank; aristocrat 
      A commoner finds it hard to be elevated to the rank of patrician
18. propitiate: (verb)  to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate 
      When a teacher makes an exception for you, the teacher is propitiating you.
19. sic: (verb)  to attack 
      I tell my dog to sic the robber.
20. sublimate: (verb)  to divert the energy of (a sexual or other biological impulse) from its immediate goal to one of a more acceptable social, moral, or aesthetic nature or use
      A bear once tried to eat my friend, but i was able to sublimate it by leading it away from him using a handful of oysters.

Beowulf ond Godsylla

Meanehwæl, baccat meaddehæle, monstær lurccen;
Fulle few too many drincce, hie luccen for fyht.
Ðen Hreorfneorhtðhwr, son of Hrwærowþheororthwl,
Æsccen æwful jeork to steop outsyd. Þhud! Bashe! Crasch! Beoom! Ðe bigge gye
Eallum his bon brak, byt his nose offe;
Wicced Godsylla wæld on his asse.
Monstær moppe fleor wyþ eallum men in hælle.
Beowulf in bacceroome fonecall bamaccen wæs;
Hearen sond of ruccus sæd, "Hwæt ðe helle?"
Graben sheold strang ond swich-blæd scharp
Stond feorth to fyht ðe grimlic foe. "Me," Godsylla sæd, "mac ðe minsemete."
Heoro cwyc geten heold wiþ fæmed half-nelson
Ond flyng him lic frisbe bac to fen
Beowulf belly up to meaddehæle bar,
Sæd, "Ne foe beaten mie færsom cung-fu."
Eorderen cocca-cohla yce-coeld, ðe reol þyng.

Translated:

Meanwhile, back at the Meade hall, a monster was lurking;
Full of too many drinks, he was looking for a fight.
Then Hreorfneorhtðhwr, son of Hrwærowþheororthwl,
Asked awful jerk to step outside. Thud! Bash! Crash! Boom! The big guy 
His bone broke, bite his nose off;
Wicked Godzilla wailed on his ass.
Monster mopped the floor with all the men in hall.
Beowulf in the back of the room phone called bamaccen was;
Haren son of Ruccus said, "What the hell?"
Grabbing shoulder strangle and switch blade sharp
Stand forth to fight the grim foe. "Me," Godzilla said, "mac of innocent."
Hero quick getting hold whipped famed half-nelson
And flung him like a frisbee back to fen.
Beowulf bellied up to the Meade Hall bar,
Said, "No foe has beaten my fearsome kung-fu."
He ordered a coca-cola ice-cold, of real thing.

Analysis of a Hero

Everyone must have a role model or someone that they look up to. The hero that I have come to known and see as those qualities that I value in a person is my mother. A hero must have patience, patience is valuable to the wise and is something that must be learned over time in order to have great benefits, my mother using it all of the time. My mom often is generous, with her time and love, giving enough for everyone, and having an immense amount of it left. All heroes are generous. Maybe with there time, maybe with themselves, they freely give themselves to the people the deem fit to serve. Another quality she has is the ability to be brave, her courage to have six children and take care of three of them in Africa. My mom is not only my favorite hero, though it may seem childish, but is the hero in my own life.