First of all, I found your slides (19 and 20) regarding the application to AP exam very helpful in that you highlighted a list of very relevant, overarching themes that could be applied to a multitude of prompts. The subsequent slide containing the past prompts that related to those themes was very convincing, and it enticed me to become more familiar with Anna Karenina. I was particularly intrigued by the theme of happiness with the first quote that you included in your PowerPoint (“All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”). I found that it connected well with the thought provoking questions that you posed on that same slide (slide 5), especially the question that asked if happiness is a human right.
What resonated with me the most from your presentation is the idea that the open pursuits of happiness for women (in Russia in that time period) was viewed as hedonistic and inevitably lead to negative consequences. The conformity in the misogynistic and conventional roles that women were forced to comply with by society answered the rhetorical question that you posed earlier. The answer being that for many, happiness is a right that is often repressed. Furthermore, you did a great job on explaining key literary devices that were relevant to the text. I learned a lot!
Hi Ally ☺ So I love how you included so much about Tolstoy’s style and tone of writing. The fact that the English translation doesn’t quite capture the same bite that his words have in Russian was really interesting, and resonates as true for a lot of other languages too. There’s just something about the original language that a translation can’t capture. Also, the way you connected his upbringing and experiences with his philosophical approach was fascinating. They way he writes his moral views and uses religious diction all has a background influence, and you highlighted that really well.
You introduced a crap ton of literary devices. Right out of the gate, I learned like five new things from your presentation. In excelsis, anagnorisis, hamartia, and soteriology were all new concepts for me. You did a great job connecting these devices back to the novel to strengthen the learning process, and I definitely feel like these will come in handy on the AP test. You clearly have a love for literature, and I hope this love only grows as you pursue higher English studies at that one college in Boston (I forget the name).
This paragraph was a perfect sample prose essay to include in your presentation. There is a sense of urgency to this paragraph of prose that heightens the intensity of this moment. Without having to read Anna Karenina, I can tell that this is one of the most pivotal moments for Levin and Anna's relationship. Because of the moment's importance and urgency, it was a good choice for you to incorporate this into your PowerPoint! It's a great representation of both Tolstoy's writing and of Anna Karenina.
Additionally, I liked the way you analyzed it on your presentation! By color coding different words, it was very easy to see the different themes and complexities Tolstoy weaved into his novel. The enumeration of Anna's attributes as Levin praised her was more prominent when it was highlighted. Similarly, the tragedy of her situation and the pity Levin felt for her was more prevalent after it was highlighted in neon green. By visually categorizing the enumeration and the pity, their juxtaposition within the paragraph was glaring. This was a good tip for me as it allowed me to literally see the complexities within the prose and it exemplified how I can categorize complexities in prose samples I might read on the AP Exam.
Hey hon- I appreciated the fact that not only did you inform us of Tolstoy’s upbringing, you explicitly highlighted characteristics that contributed to his writing style and themes. It distinguished you from most other presenters. Another thing you did differently is you introduced literary devices that most of us had never heard of before, thus adding to the tools we can reference on the AP test. I felt this demonstrated how much work you put into this project that you were able to discover such devices. I appreciated the juxtaposition between the comedic and tragic storylines that you introduced, and the extra analytical element this added to your analysis. I felt it also related to my presentation on Shakespeare, and thought it was interesting to see the differences between Greek and Shakespearean tragedies and comedies. Thank you, and good luck with your future English endeavors!
First of all, just the minimalistic fonts and colors that you chose to incorporate in your presentation reflect as sense of calmness and encompassment, emphasizing the concept of “universality of human experience”, an aspect of Tolstoy’s writing style that plays a great role in the success of his works. This concept also stood out because I have explored a similar angle in studying my author, Alice Walker. While she does not focus so much on the commonality of individual experience, Walker also addresses the importance of universality by placing an “everywoman”, the common woman, as the main character of her novel, a character who carries the same abilities as those around her, creating a hero that everyone can relate to.
Also, the symbol of the train was a very interesting and definitely unique representation of many ideas. Tolstoy’s complexity in writing can be seen solely by his use of the train as an indication of both something beneficial such as transportation and as a bad omen such as the instrument of death as you had mentioned. Finally, I appreciated that you mentioned the consequences of the English translation on his original work of Russian literature. Overall, this presentation opened my eyes to a much deeper understanding of what the search for happiness truly underlies, an understanding that will definitely help me in the essay portion of the AP exam.
Hi Allison! Your research paper, entitled “When Love Isn’t Enough: Misogyny and the Double Standard in Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina” really delved into Tolstoy’s exploration of societal boundaries and how they are created, preserved, and even challenged. I found your presentation to be really engaging and informative, and you did a great job (especially since you went first!). The Russian poppy-seed roulette and various sweets you brought in were tasty, and I appreciate the fact that you went out to purchase these treats for us to indulge in while you presented. From your presentation and paper, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of Russian literature during that time period, as well as identify distinct characteristics of Tolstoy’s voice in his writing. I like how you included a slide near the beginning which had the rhetorical questions of “Is happiness a human right?” and “Do happiness and morality fully intersect?” By including these before you go into the specifics of your chosen novel, the audience was able to bear those lingering questions about the pursuit of happiness in mind. I noticed that you chose green text for any mention of happiness in your quotes from Anna Karenina, and red text for unhappiness. This pops out on your slides, effectively allows us to notice the dichotomy between the two subjects. I didn’t know what “soteriological” language was, so I had to look it up. I now know that soteriology is the doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ, so this helped me tie that specific writing style with Tolstoy’s point of convergence with his philosophical tone. I applaud you for reading Anna Karenina, because it’s a whopping 964 pages that’s split into eight parts. Your PowerPoint also went into the Greek drama parallels with comedy vs. tragedy, and how Anna’s story is a tragedy of romance. This relates to Sylvia Plath because she too is an esteemed woman who ends up committing suicide. In conclusion, your presentation and paper on “The Law of Loving Others” made me more interested in Tolstoy’s work, and I might just give Anna Karenina a try during the summer!
First of all, I found your slides (19 and 20) regarding the application to AP exam very helpful in that you highlighted a list of very relevant, overarching themes that could be applied to a multitude of prompts. The subsequent slide containing the past prompts that related to those themes was very convincing, and it enticed me to become more familiar with Anna Karenina. I was particularly intrigued by the theme of happiness with the first quote that you included in your PowerPoint (“All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”). I found that it connected well with the thought provoking questions that you posed on that same slide (slide 5), especially the question that asked if happiness is a human right.
ReplyDeleteWhat resonated with me the most from your presentation is the idea that the open pursuits of happiness for women (in Russia in that time period) was viewed as hedonistic and inevitably lead to negative consequences. The conformity in the misogynistic and conventional roles that women were forced to comply with by society answered the rhetorical question that you posed earlier. The answer being that for many, happiness is a right that is often repressed. Furthermore, you did a great job on explaining key literary devices that were relevant to the text. I learned a lot!
Hi Ally ☺ So I love how you included so much about Tolstoy’s style and tone of writing. The fact that the English translation doesn’t quite capture the same bite that his words have in Russian was really interesting, and resonates as true for a lot of other languages too. There’s just something about the original language that a translation can’t capture. Also, the way you connected his upbringing and experiences with his philosophical approach was fascinating. They way he writes his moral views and uses religious diction all has a background influence, and you highlighted that really well.
ReplyDeleteYou introduced a crap ton of literary devices. Right out of the gate, I learned like five new things from your presentation. In excelsis, anagnorisis, hamartia, and soteriology were all new concepts for me. You did a great job connecting these devices back to the novel to strengthen the learning process, and I definitely feel like these will come in handy on the AP test. You clearly have a love for literature, and I hope this love only grows as you pursue higher English studies at that one college in Boston (I forget the name).
This paragraph was a perfect sample prose essay to include in your presentation. There is a sense of urgency to this paragraph of prose that heightens the intensity of this moment. Without having to read Anna Karenina, I can tell that this is one of the most pivotal moments for Levin and Anna's relationship. Because of the moment's importance and urgency, it was a good choice for you to incorporate this into your PowerPoint! It's a great representation of both Tolstoy's writing and of Anna Karenina.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I liked the way you analyzed it on your presentation! By color coding different words, it was very easy to see the different themes and complexities Tolstoy weaved into his novel. The enumeration of Anna's attributes as Levin praised her was more prominent when it was highlighted. Similarly, the tragedy of her situation and the pity Levin felt for her was more prevalent after it was highlighted in neon green. By visually categorizing the enumeration and the pity, their juxtaposition within the paragraph was glaring. This was a good tip for me as it allowed me to literally see the complexities within the prose and it exemplified how I can categorize complexities in prose samples I might read on the AP Exam.
Hey hon- I appreciated the fact that not only did you inform us of Tolstoy’s upbringing, you explicitly highlighted characteristics that contributed to his writing style and themes. It distinguished you from most other presenters. Another thing you did differently is you introduced literary devices that most of us had never heard of before, thus adding to the tools we can reference on the AP test. I felt this demonstrated how much work you put into this project that you were able to discover such devices.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated the juxtaposition between the comedic and tragic storylines that you introduced, and the extra analytical element this added to your analysis. I felt it also related to my presentation on Shakespeare, and thought it was interesting to see the differences between Greek and Shakespearean tragedies and comedies. Thank you, and good luck with your future English endeavors!
Hi Allison,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, just the minimalistic fonts and colors that you chose to incorporate in your presentation reflect as sense of calmness and encompassment, emphasizing the concept of “universality of human experience”, an aspect of Tolstoy’s writing style that plays a great role in the success of his works. This concept also stood out because I have explored a similar angle in studying my author, Alice Walker. While she does not focus so much on the commonality of individual experience, Walker also addresses the importance of universality by placing an “everywoman”, the common woman, as the main character of her novel, a character who carries the same abilities as those around her, creating a hero that everyone can relate to.
Also, the symbol of the train was a very interesting and definitely unique representation of many ideas. Tolstoy’s complexity in writing can be seen solely by his use of the train as an indication of both something beneficial such as transportation and as a bad omen such as the instrument of death as you had mentioned. Finally, I appreciated that you mentioned the consequences of the English translation on his original work of Russian literature. Overall, this presentation opened my eyes to a much deeper understanding of what the search for happiness truly underlies, an understanding that will definitely help me in the essay portion of the AP exam.
Hi Allison! Your research paper, entitled “When Love Isn’t Enough: Misogyny and the Double Standard in Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina” really delved into Tolstoy’s exploration of societal boundaries and how they are created, preserved, and even challenged. I found your presentation to be really engaging and informative, and you did a great job (especially since you went first!). The Russian poppy-seed roulette and various sweets you brought in were tasty, and I appreciate the fact that you went out to purchase these treats for us to indulge in while you presented. From your presentation and paper, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of Russian literature during that time period, as well as identify distinct characteristics of Tolstoy’s voice in his writing. I like how you included a slide near the beginning which had the rhetorical questions of “Is happiness a human right?” and “Do happiness and morality fully intersect?” By including these before you go into the specifics of your chosen novel, the audience was able to bear those lingering questions about the pursuit of happiness in mind.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that you chose green text for any mention of happiness in your quotes from Anna Karenina, and red text for unhappiness. This pops out on your slides, effectively allows us to notice the dichotomy between the two subjects. I didn’t know what “soteriological” language was, so I had to look it up. I now know that soteriology is the doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ, so this helped me tie that specific writing style with Tolstoy’s point of convergence with his philosophical tone. I applaud you for reading Anna Karenina, because it’s a whopping 964 pages that’s split into eight parts. Your PowerPoint also went into the Greek drama parallels with comedy vs. tragedy, and how Anna’s story is a tragedy of romance. This relates to Sylvia Plath because she too is an esteemed woman who ends up committing suicide. In conclusion, your presentation and paper on “The Law of Loving Others” made me more interested in Tolstoy’s work, and I might just give Anna Karenina a try during the summer!