Month: November 2020

Analyzing the Text

The article is made up of many short paragraphs, briefly covering each of Kurzweil’s ideas. This is effective because he is trying to relay much information in a short article.

They are similar in that they both begin very slowly, but when they increase, they increase very rapidly (exponential growth).

Moore’s Law states that the technology is doubling in efficiency and intelligence every year. After 2019, “computer architectures” will grow exponentially instead of transistor features.

Because of the Law of Accelerating Returns, Kurzweil says a computer will be equivalent to the human brain by 2020, but that by 2055 a computer will be equivalent to all of the human brains in the world.

In this context, to “reverse-engineer” is to create artificially an organ that is already constructed and perfectly functional on its own. The idea of engineering an artificial brain would support his predictions of future artificial intelligence.

The tone is dynamic as the paragraph changes from formal academic prose to a conversational tone when he uses “I.”

Kurzweil claims that because of the rapid evolution of technology, beings of artificial intelligence will overtake humans because they can outsmart them. In addition, they will learn to procreate without human intervention. Despite his idea that artificial beings will take over the Earth, Kurzweil does not seem displeased with humanity’s obsession with technology.

Kurzweil attempts to persuade the reader by providing scientific methods and statistics, but the material seems to be too speculative to be realistic.

Critical Vocabulary

‘Principled’ is a good alternative to ‘scrupulous’ because they both invoke a sense of being firm in one’s viewpoint.

‘Budding’ is a good alternative to ‘nascent’ because of the imagery associated with growth (in this case a ‘growing rebellion’).

‘Argumentative’ might be a good alternative to ‘disputatious’ because of the way it suggests the normalization of ‘disputes’ (as in ‘disputatious’) without necessarily implying violence.

In this case, ‘claims’ might be a good alternative to ‘purports’ because both relate to the question of perception.

A classroom would be considered an enclave as defined on page 554, because a classroom is a small part of a whole school.

That student is a bully, not a friend, because of the implication that to arrogate something is “unjust” page 558.

He strongly opposes it, because to disclaim something is to separate oneself from it.

Vocabulary Strategy: Legal Terminology

Stare decisis is latin and indicates that previous decisions should be used to determine the outcome of a particular case.

Habeas corpus is latin. “Corpus” suggests body, and the phrase means that someone must enter the court in person.

Amicus curiae is latin and indicates a person who can be useful to the court because they are unbiased.

Voir dire is of French origin and means to tell the truth.

Ex parte is latin and suggests a side.

In camera is latin and suggests that a person or case is separated from the main court, perhaps visiting a judge privately.

Analyzing the Text

The court holds that the petitioners were not disruptive, that freedom of speech is available to students and teachers, and that regulations barring free speech without proof that the speech will actually disrupt school discipline is unconstitutional. The amendments at stake here are the 1st and 4th.

He says that the apprehension of a disturbance is not enough to warrant the banning of free speech. He says that by their very nature, schools are places in which many ideas are exchanged – and, he adds, some of these ideas will doubtless cause disruption of their own. Here, he is saying that there is no difference between the armbands and other forms of speech that occur on school grounds and so no rule should be made regarding armbands.

Pure speech refers to the spoken or written word. (In contrast, symbolic speech would be something that isn’t uttered or written down, such as the wearing of an armband.)

Justice Fortas believes that judges should have the right to decide whether a law is unconstitutional or not, similar to the way that the school officials believe they have the right to decide that black armbands denouncing the war are not permitted but buttons in support of political campaigns are.

Justice Black brings up cases which do not relate to schoolchildren and do not use the “reasonableness test,” arguing that previous examples given by other Justices are invalid.

Justice Black worries that the Court is making decisions for schools when school officials know what is best for their schools because they work there on a daily basis. He claims that previous cases are not applicable in this situation and that children and teachers have a different relationship. Children are not mature adults so they do not have the same rights/ freedoms.

Justice Fortas brings up Burnside v. Byars, which he quotes as the law to determine the outcome of this case. Similarly, Justice Black discusses Cox v. Louisiana, which he argues has already disproven the idea that anyone can say whatever they want at any time because of the First Amendment Right to Free Speech.

Analyzing the Text and Media

The photographs suggest that he is something of a slob, since he is dirty and unshaven. In reality, this is his appearance after having been in prison for months.

Photographs don’t easily allow the viewers to figure out what is happening in this scene. An audio recording makes a little more sense, but it may be tricky for some listeners to keep track of who is speaking when. Film allows the viewers to experience this scene almost as if it were happening in real life, right in front of them.

He appears horrified at the scene unfolding before his eyes, as well as protective of Abigail. In actuality, he has a troubled relationship with Abigail. While it may be true that he is horrified by what is happening, it is also true that he himself played a large role in it.

Analyzing the Text and Media

The actors are wearing costumes similar to the clothes the Puritans would have worn at the time. This film adaptation doesn’t attempt to reinterpret Miller’s play into, say, the modern world complete with a different setting and the clothes we wear today.

This was the scene in act one at Betty’s bedside, when Abigail and John are alone in the room. This photo suggests that in this interpretation, the scene takes place outside for some reason.

Analyzing the Text and Media

Language and Style: Dialogue

Go you into the house!

Aye, sir, ’tis true that I, myself, with Rebecca Nurse did see the devil.

Of their guilt, are you sure?

Confess you to these sins!

Analyzing the Text

They show what a dark and lonely place this town has become. The setting in act one is homey and fairly comforting, even as Parris is worried for his daughter. In contrast, the stage directions for act four show how irrevocably life has changed for the residents of Salem.

Danforth doesn’t want his authority to be undermined and knows that having the prisoners “prove” their guilt by confessing will make him look good in the eyes of the town. Parris feels guilty for the role he played in instigating this whole situation. Hale is sorry that he may have played a part in condemning Proctor to die.

Her words portray him as a determined and principled man who skillfully evades Danforth by never confessing one way or another. To Miller, Giles represents someone who is faithful to his own principles until the very end and refuses to, as the saying goes, “throw others under the bus” in order to save himself.

All the characters in this play find their courage, loyalty, faith, et cetera tested under such extreme conditions. Titling this play The Crucible alludes to and foreshadows the fact that all the characters undergo immense pressure and reshaping.

The central paradox is that if the accused don’t confess to witchcraft, they will be hanged for something. But if they confess to witchcraft, they are living a lie and must face the judgement of the town. Here, Miller stresses the point that these situations can quickly spiral out of control and may be used for neighbors to enact old grudges.

Proctor’s conflict is one many other characters face: Do they die knowing they have stayed true to what they know is right or do they capitulate to the wishes of others? Proctor’s determination is, apart from Giles’, probably the strongest in this play.

It hints at how the condemned, including Proctor, will indeed hang. It is also hinted that the nearby town of Andover was more sensible in their handling of the situation and that residents of Salem are beginning to suspect Danforth & his cronies.

Analyzing the Text

Mary, in contrast to Abigail, is lonely, naive, and plain-looking. She wants to fit in and so is easily swayed by Abigail.

Danforth is extremely condescending to Giles and uses his authority to threaten the other man into shutting up.

She doesn’t know that he has already confessed and doesn’t want to get him in any more trouble.

Sunday is a day of rest in this society, so they believe that if he occasionally plows on those days it “proves” that he does not believe in God and is in league with the devil.

He has become increasingly bold, as well as more worried. He no longer hides his indiscretion with Abigail. His actions in this act reveal the lengths to which he will go to protect his wife and expose injustice for what it is.

Analyzing the Text

In act 2, the stakes are raised and readers begin to realize the danger that various characters are in – and who has put them there.

Ever since his affair with Abigail, Elizabeth has mistrusted John. Meanwhile, he is frustrated because he is trying his best to prove his loyalty but she still doesn’t believe him. They have a very tense relationship.

The “secret blasphemy” refers to Abigail’s part in this situation and the way in which she is taking revenge against those who have hurt her. Proctor feels guilty for his part in this and resolves to take Abigail down with him.

She has collaborated with Abigail and so will not testify against her. She will, however, likely testify against Elizabeth Proctor and John Proctor

Analyzing the Text

It provides historical and cultural background for the events of 1692. In particular, it discusses their intensely repressive and pious society, as well as the deep-seated disagreements and even hatred between neighbors that eventually bubbled over into accusations of outright witchcraft.

In a conversation without any of the adults around, the girls are revealed to be frightened and secretive about what they asked Tituba to do. They made a big mistake and aren’t quite sure how to talk their way out of it.

Putnam holds numerous grudges because he feels that, as a wealthy man, his opinion should have more weight than others’. Therefore, he resents those who challenge his authority and seeks to ruin their lives. Parris is convinced that everyone else is out to get him and, additionally, doesn’t know how to handle children – so he is especially ill-equipped to deal with this scenario.

He isn’t as religious as most of the others in Salem and so feels that he doesn’t fit in. Additionally, his relationship with Abigail makes him feel very guilty.

Analyzing the Text

Nature doesn’t love a wall, since the thawing of the ground after winter dislodges the carefully-constructed wall and sends stones falling down. Besides the natural world, the speaker himself isn’t too fond of walls.

“Spring is the mischief in me,” he says, wanting to have a little fun and attribute the wall falling down to elves and not to natural forces.

Rather than directly saying that he doesn’t like walls, the speaker presents more than one interpretation of his lines. Evidence supporting the idea that he believes good walls make good neighbors include the lines when he companionably works alongside his neighbor to rebuild their mutual wall each spring. Evidence against that is the tense relationship revealed toward the end of the poem, which leads the reader to realize that without a wall to divide their property the two neighbors would end up squabbling.

Mary is kind-hearted, while Silas is exhausted and lonely. This information foreshadows Mary’s worries about Silas and Silas’ eventual fate.

It reveals a pensive, sad side of her character.

He sees it as a refuge and a familiar place. Mary understands what the place truly means to him, while Warren is initially frustrated because he doesn’t think Silas is much good at anything and wishes he worked harder.

In the first poem, two men are speaking. In the second, it is a husband and wife. The plot is much more mundane in the first, while the second is a little more dramatic and sad since it contains a death. The first poem shows that the narrator has a sense of humor, while the second is much more serious and includes elements such as pity and frustration. The setting of both poems is a farm.

Analyzing the Text

Literally, he is describing a scene in the forest as the sun sets. Figuratively, he is describing the end of an era – one by one, the formerly enslaved are dying off. Some of the themes conveyed include respect for the elderly and the passing down of history/memory.

The speaker was never a slave himself, but is descended from them. He represents the poet’s own generation, which watched as those who came before them and had once been enslaved one by one disappeared and are now preserved only through memory and history.

It refers to the profits earned by white people on the food grown by slaves.

The first eight lines describe slavery, and in particular how the slaves weep and toil for no profit of their own. The last six lines reassure the reader that being black is nothing to be ashamed of and that one day this people will rise.

“My brother” does not refer to his biological brother, but to the white man, who owned his people in the past. Therefore, this line refers to how the white man’s children prosper while his own do not, or find it much more difficult to. “Bitter fruit” refers to the fact that the labor of his ancestors was not rewarded; his people are still downtrodden.

The extended metaphor in “Song of the Son” is the “everlasting song.” In “From The Dark Tower,” it is flowers. In “A Black Man Talks of Reaping,” it is planting.

It pulls the somewhat lengthy poem into one cohesive unit and drives his point home by making sure the reader understands it 100%.

They describe slaves – as well as their descendants – as shrouded in darkness, with the promise that someday the sun will rise and black people will not suffer.

All three are mournful. The first is reverential of the narrator’s ancestors, while the last two express frustration for the narrator’s lot in life.

“Song of the Son” seems more interested in looking backward and musing about the experience of slaves. “From The Dark Tower” is hopeful. “A Black Man Talks of Reaping” focuses on the fate of the speaker’s children.

Vocabulary Strategy: Precise Usage

blatantly: brazenly, plainly, unabashedly; precarious: risky, uncertain, unreliable; flux: change. fluidity, motion; precipitate: trigger, dispatch, fling; petulance: bitterness; mundane: banal, everyday, commonplace; turbulence: turmoil, commotion, frenzy; plaintive: sorrowful, melancholy, sad

She blatantly ignored him. The bird perched precariously on the branch. The constant flux of dancers made her dizzy. The food precipitated them into a food coma. Her petulance annoyed him. The mundane conversation bored him. The turbulent waters made them sick. The plaintive lullaby made him cry.

She brazenly ignored him. The bird perched riskily on the branch. The constant motion of the dancers made her dizzy. The food dispatched them into a food coma. Her bitterness annoyed him. The banal conversation bored him. The water’s frenzy made them sick. The melancholy lullaby made him cry.

Analyzing the Text

Dexter’s family, while not the richest in the area, is still fairly well-to-do.

Dexter dreams of a better and more exciting life among the rich. This choice on the part of Fitzgerald foreshadows what will happen in Dexter’s adult life.

He is shocked by how much he is attracted to the young Judy and wants to be her equal, rather than serving her.

His winter dreams are about beauty, success, and wealth. They shape Dexter’s decision to pursue Judy and eventually move to the East Coast.

She is used to getting her way through beauty and charm and has a bunch of male admirers/suitors. Although she is beautiful on the outside, internally she is troubled.

He probably suspected as much. The clues can be found on lines 660-664, when he feels a mixture of emotions including anger and hatred at his complicated relationship with Judy.

He laughs when with Devlin, but as soon as the other man leaves he begins to weep. “There was something in me, but now that thing is gone” means that he could cling to the image of Judy’s beauty but now that it no longer exists, it is only a memory. That era of his life is gone.

He is motivated to succeed by the promise of money and the possibility of a future with a beautiful woman such as Judy. He deserves some sympathy, since Judy broke his heart numerous times, but also merits criticism since it would seem that he doesn’t care about her personality but only her beauty. He loved her, but it was a shallow love.

He has lost the reason for his motivation to succeed. Ever since he was a young boy and saw Judy for the first time, he wanted to be part of that beautiful and wealthy life. He worked hard to succeed and make a lot of money, which allowed him to socialize with a higher class than the one he was born into. Now that her beauty is no more, though, his primary motivation to reach and maintain that way of life is gone.