A Tale of Two Cities: Title Explanation

            Superficially, it can be explained that this novel is set in and is about London and France during 1775, the time of the American Revolution.  The title, not directly stating the names of the two cities corresponds with the indirect tone that Dickens sets in the introduction of the novel.  This helps create a sense of the past, since this novel was written 67 years after the historical events it is based on.  The title, in a way, reminds the reader that the novel is, in fact, a tale or story, and not a non-fiction historical account.  A historically based fictional tale is a great medium for communicating the themes and lessons of the time period and history it is based upon.

Walt Whitman: Sea Drift: Out of the Cradle and Endlessly Rocking.

OUT of the cradle endlessly rocking,

Out of the mocking-bird's throat, the musical shuttle,

Out of the Ninth-month midnight,

Over the sterile sands and the fields beyond, where the child
         leaving his bed wander'd alone, bareheaded, barefoot, 

Down from the shower'd halo,

Up from the mystic play of shadows twining and twisting as if
         they were alive, 

Out from the patches of briers and blackberries,

From the memories of the bird that chanted to me,

From your memories sad brother, from the fitful risings and fall-
         ings I heard, 

From under that yellow half-moon late-risen and swollen as if with
         tears, 

From those beginning notes of yearning and love there in the mist,

From the thousand responses of my heart never to cease,

From the myriad thence-arous'd words,

From the word stronger and more delicious than any,

From such as now they start the scene revisiting,

As a flock, twittering, rising, or overhead passing,

Borne hither, ere all eludes me, hurriedly,

A man, yet by these tears a little boy again,

Throwing myself on the sand, confronting the waves,

I, chanter of pains and joys, uniter of here and hereafter,

Taking all hints to use them, but swiftly leaping beyond them,

A reminiscence sing.

Big Question: Abstract

Background:  Debussy composed in a time where many were trying to diverge from Classicism.  The period before Debussy was Romanticism, a period that, too, revolted against Classicism, however, to make no real, significant changes.  Composers still wrote in Sonata form, with four bar motives, and resolving dissonance.
   
     "Romantic: a label that to my mind has no significance.  The language of Schumann, Berlioz, and Liszt is the classical language.  I hear in them all the same kind of music." --Claude Debussy.

Essentially, they wrote with the same aesthetics, or musical language, as Debussy put it.  He, having learned all of classical music, ten years at the Paris Conservatoire, disliked all of it, questioned all of Classicism's dogma.  He didn't believe music was anything his teachers said it was.  Due to this thinking, Debussy changed classical music, and now, many study his mind and music to understand why and how.

Need:  The need to study Debussy's mind and music is to unveil and understand this enigmatic and revolutionary composer.  This, sense he led a somewhat secluded and secretive life, is quite difficult and has been pursued since before he died.

Purpose:  Debussy accomplished something different.  Yet the inter-workings of this accomplishment remains shrouded and misty.  The purpose of my work is to remove the veil of dust and mist around his mind and music.

Structure:  This work will be structured mainly in two parts:  The psychology and life of Debussy that resulted in his philosophy and view on music as well as the technical, compositional, and the musically theoretical side of him.

AP Essay Practice: Number 1

"By their deeds shall ye know them." We often judge people by what they do; therefore, we consider people who commit cruel or reprehensible acts corrupt, base or amoral. In literature, however, authors often introduce us to characters whom we learn to like or even respect, despite their deeds. 

Write an essay about one such character for whom you developed admiration or compassion. Briefly explain why you felt his or her behavior to be condemnable or contemptible, and how the author's techniques influenced you to admire that person. Do not summarize the plot. (40 minutes)

            In the light, or perhaps shadow, of Holden Caulfield, the quote, “By their deeds shall ye know them,” is wrong.  Caulfield is not nearly understood when just looking at his deeds.  A person’s deeds can say a lot about their character, psychology, or culture, however, deeds can, too, be misleading.  People act certain ways regardless of their typical disposition when put in difficult situations.  There are so many outer world variables and forces influencing a person’s actions that, in some cases, one’s actions may be completely determined regardless of that one’s own desires, thus revealing to the watcher of the one’s deeds, a falsity, an incongruity between person and deed.  In Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger wrote Caulfield, on the surface of deeds, to be extremely disagreeable.  However, within Caulfield’s depths, we find a different truth.  This is revealed to us by Salinger through plot, and first person narration.