comment

Well done Desmond. You have creatively shown M's development and transformation throughout the play. You have brought in some good examples from the play to show his integrity and loyalty and his change from it. I like how you referred to Neptune's seas. You have definitely demonstrated his evolution as a character. when you reposted your journals, why did you not keep your EQ parts? They are still part of the assignment. Since i knew you had them, I went and reread them all, the beauty of the blog. Good work.

Macbeth Jounal Entries 1-8

1) Dear Journal,

    It has been a while since the last time I wrote in you. War definitely changes a man, I have no reason to doubt it doesn't. I have come to realise how fragile life is, after witnessing the deaths of fellow countrymen and youngsters. I will never forget the faces that gazed upon my own at that moment when I took their lives! I now value what I have in my own life and going home to my beautiful wife will give me all the self worth I need. My wife loves me very much, and I will always be grateful that I was able to go home. However, not every man on the battlefield was lucky to go home. I pray and honour the men that gave their lives to their country. For all the men who fought alongside me, I salute to you! And to my brother in arms, Banquo, I am glad that you came through and stuck with me all the way.

 -Macbeth
 

2) Dear Journal,

    Today has been a fantastical day for me. On our quest to visit the King, Banquo and I ran into three rather strangely looking people. At first to the human eye we could not make out what we saw before us. There were three of them standing there, speaking about the future to come. We were astounded at the phrases that came out of their mouths. They told me I was to become King! And Banquo was to father future Kings. We could not believe our ears! They were witches! Before we could ask any questions, they began walking away, vanishing before our eyes. For now, I must stay loyal to Banquo and he the same. We must not let word about the new prophecy reach the ears of the King himself. For all we know, he may have us killed for treason to overthrow the crown.

 -Macbeth


3) Dear Journal,

    I had never realised the importance of becoming a soldier for war. All my father wanted me to do was to become a soldier one day, totally ignorant towards my feelings. I could have become a great artist, mathematician, philosopher, but no. I was born into a family of honour and dignity. My bloodlines made me who I am today. I now realise how amazing the feeling to become a respected soldier is. Today, the King himself thanked Banquo and I for serving our country. We are no longer little minions in the army; instead we are respected as noble knights who fight for the crown. My hard work and all my sacrifices finally paid off. All of this sudden glory that has been given to me surely has a price waiting for me to pay. I do not know what I must do, but for now I will continue to enjoy the joy that has been placed at my doorstep. I cannot see my wife but I am writing to her, telling her all about my successes. From becoming a respected Knight to the future King, she disserves to know every aspect for it is not only my happiness to come, but her's too.

 -Macbeth

4) Dear Journal,

    Things have changed. My wife is beginning to sound more and more influential. Perhaps telling her about the foretold prophecy was a mistake. On the other hand, perhaps telling her was a good thing. My lady speaks about what she desires for the both of us. She wants power and glory. Her plan was to overthrow the crown, and kill him. Is she mad? Does her desire to obtain fame cloud her judgement of humanity and loyalty? I cannot decide for my own acts. I personally do not feel that this is the right thing to do. But, she snapped at me in a way I had never seen in her before. She told me to trust her and leave all the plans to her. I could not abandon her for I love her, yet my humanity is questioning my heart. What will I do? I am alone, scared, and lost. As her husband, I must support her and follow through with my lady's wishes. However, as a servant to the king, I must remain loyal to my duties. The pain and suffering that this plight has caused me, I cannot bear. I am feeling weak to my bone. My lady does have a point though. We can have it all. The power, money, fame, glory, all at our disposal. I am beginning to see the picture. I shall talk to her once more about this matter in the morning.

 -Macbeth

5) Dear Journal,

    I cannot believe what I have done. All my life I have been serving and respecting the King. I owe it to my country to serve in his honour, yet tonight I betrayed myself and my country. What hath gotten into my soul. What cruel, in just person had become of me? I do not understand how I have become such a demon. The very thing I swore to never become has become my own self. He lay there as an innocent calf. I plunged into him like a sword piercing through his flesh. I can remember the whole process. The warmth of his blood dripping down my arm. I kept on stabbing until finally, I could feel his heart beat no more. What are my hands? Will all of the seas in the world not wash away the blood stained on my skin? There is no going back, what is done, is done. Fear me not, self. I am acting as the better part of us.

 -Macbeth

 6) Dear Journal,

    I do not understand health. Why am I suffering from nightmares? Why am I unable to sleep at night? Where has my appetite gone? As ruler and King, I can have the best cut meat in all state, yet I do not have the hunger of a growing teenager. Tonight was the banquet, I needed to stay sharp and seem like a man with a grip in his new life. My friends suspect nothing of me; I am like an eagle in the sky, unnoticeable by the naked eye. I have not yet received word from the murderers; however I am sure they are en route in killing Banquo. I have managed to send another murderer, just in case the worst happens. My loyalty to Banquo has faded; he is no longer an ally, but an enemy. I told my lady I had a plan for actions to take place, she did not seem very happy with me. Lately I've been noticing that she hasn't been having the greatest sleep either. Perhaps when all things cool off, we will live life and prosper.

-Macbeth

 7) Dear Journal,

    Tonight was one of my most embarrassing nights I have ever experienced. I am lost, and truly sorry for the illness in thought that I have burdened my wife with. I have displayed shame to myself and to my lady. My horrid actions have caused my friends to think poorly of me. How can this have happened? Why did Fleance escape? I will never be so scared as I was at tonight at the dinner table. I saw Banquo twice. His ghost haunts me. My friends did not see it, so to them, I was mental. My wife tried to cover it up by saying my health is poor. But I feel the same physically. There isn't anything wrong with my mental state; after all I am the King. I must visit the witches again, for Macduff is standing in my way. They will guide me, and tell me what to do next. Yes, yes, more from the wonderful creatures! I must go! I mustn't let my wife down; I mustn't let myself fall weak.

 -Macbeth

 8) Dear Journal,

   I fear this may be the last time I write in you. We are now living at Dunsinane Castle; it is on a hill which makes it easier to defend. The doctor says my wife is no longer in a stable condition. She is suicidal, and there is nothing that we can do for her. How did all of this happen? My wife is losing her mind, and I am slowly beginning to lose mine. Everyone has deserted me, except for those who I am forcing to stay. The witches told me that until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane I will not be defeated. In addition, no man born of woman may harm me. I must keep this valuable information close to my heart. For it is the only piece left in me that keeps me going. Life is but too short. Out, brief candle. Life is a tale told by an insane person, and in the end, it will have no meaning. I am chained, but I must fight to the last drop of blood in me.

 -Macbeth

Macbeth Journal Entry No.8

Dear Journal,

   I fear this may be the last time I write in you. We are now living at Dunsinane Castle; it is on a hill which makes it easier to defend. The doctor says my wife is no longer in a stable condition. She is suicidal, and there is nothing that we can do for her. How did all of this happen? My wife is losing her mind, and I am slowly beginning to lose mine. Everyone has deserted me, except for those who I am forcing to stay. The witches told me that until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane I will not be defeated. In addition, no man born of woman may harm me. I must keep this valuable information close to my heart. For it is the only piece left in me that keeps me going. Life is but too short. Out, brief candle. Life is a tale told by an insane person, and in the end, it will have no meaning. I am chained, but I must fight to the last drop of blood in me.

-Macbeth

EQ:Is ones self worth constant or ever changing?
Througout the story, we see Macbeth's self worth fluctuate. Near the end of his life, he begins to realize that all he has done has no meaning. He will not be remembed for anything but the bad. He wishes and regrets all the things he has done.

Macbeth Journal Entry No.7

Dear Journal,

   Tonight was one of my most embarrassing nights I have ever experienced. I am lost, and truly sorry for the illness in thought that I have burdened my wife with. I have displayed shame to myself and to my lady. My horrid actions have caused my friends to think poorly of me. How can this have happened? Why did Fleance escape? I will never be so scared as I was at tonight at the dinner table. I saw Banquo twice. His ghost haunts me. My friends did not see it, so to them, I was mental. My wife tried to cover it up by saying my health is poor. But I feel the same physically. There isn't anything wrong with my mental state; after all I am the King. I must visit the witches again, for Macduff is standing in my way. They will guide me, and tell me what to do next. Yes, yes, more from the wonderful creatures! I must go! I mustn't let my wife down; I mustn't let myself fall weak.

-Macbeth

EQ: How do we deal with conflicting elements within our personality?
Macbeth feels weak, so he seeks for answers from the witches that put him in this position in the first place. When we have confliction elements in our personality, we look for refuge within either one. Humans need closure in order to feel safe, and comfortable. Macbeth is embarassed and now he wishes to find closure, from the embarassment he put upon himself.

Macbeth Journal Entry No.6

Dear Journal,

   I do not understand health. Why am I suffering from nightmares? Why am I unable to sleep at night? Where has my appetite gone? As ruler and King, I can have the best cut meat in all state, yet I do not have the hunger of a growing teenager. Tonight was the banquet, I needed to stay sharp and seem like a man with a grip in his new life. My friends suspect nothing of me; I am like an eagle in the sky, unnoticeable by the naked eye. I have not yet received word from the murderers; however I am sure they are en route in killing Banquo. I have managed to send another murderer, just in case the worst happens. My loyalty to Banquo has faded; he is no longer an ally, but an enemy. I told my lady I had a plan for actions to take place, she did not seem very happy with me. Lately I've been noticing that she hasn't been having the greatest sleep either. Perhaps when all things cool off, we will live life and prosper.

-Macbeth

EQ: What could destroy or build a person's self worth?
Macbeth is trying to build more confidence and self woth by killing Banquo, the only one left in his way. Perhaps because Macbeth suspects Banquo suspects he murdered the King. Or he does not wish to loose this newly gained throne.

Macbeth Journal Entry No.5

Dear Journal,

   I cannot believe what I have done. All my life I have been serving and respecting the King. I owe it to my country to serve in his honour, yet tonight I betrayed myself and my country. What hath gotten into my soul. What cruel, in just person had become of me? I do not understand how I have become such a demon. The very thing I swore to never become has become my own self. He lay there as an innocent calf. I plunged into him like a sword piercing through his flesh. I can remember the whole process. The warmth of his blood dripping down my arm. I kept on stabbing until finally, I could feel his heart beat no more. What are my hands? Will all of the seas in the world not wash away the blood stained on my skin? There is no going back, what is done, is done. Fear me not, self. I am acting as the better part of us.

-Macbeth

EQ: How far is one willing to "go" to get what they desire most?
-Macbeth talks about his experience as a killer, and the moments that will haunt him forever. He shows he was willing to throw away all his humanity, for his self gains.

Feedback

Keep up the creative writing. I like how you are evolving. You are definitely showing an understanding of the changes your character is going through. I love how you are connecting to an Eq. Great insight in your writing.

Macbeth Journal Entry No.4

Dear Journal,

   Things have changed. My wife is beginning to sound more and more influential. Perhaps telling her about the foretold prophecy was a mistake. On the other hand, perhaps telling her was a good thing. My lady speaks about what she desires for the both of us. She wants power and glory. Her plan was to overthrow the crown, and kill him. Is she mad? Does her desire to obtain fame cloud her judgement of humanity and loyalty? I cannot decide for my own acts. I personally do not feel that this is the right thing to do. But, she snapped at me in a way I had never seen in her before. She told me to trust her and leave all the plans to her. I could not abandon her for I love her, yet my humanity is questioning my heart. What will I do? I am alone, scared, and lost. As her husband, I must support her and follow through with my lady's wishes. However, as a servant to the king, I must remain loyal to my duties. The pain and suffering that this plight has caused me, I cannot bear. I am feeling weak to my bone. My lady does have a point though. We can have it all. The power, money, fame, glory, all at our disposal. I am beginning to see the picture. I shall talk to her once more about this matter in the morning.

-Macbeth

EQ: What is loyalty? (Macbeth is torn between his duties to the crown and his wife, we see a twisted Macbeth in this journal write)

Macbeth Journal Entry No.3

Dear Journal,

   I had never realised the importance of becoming a soldier for war. All my father wanted me to do was to become a soldier one day, totally ignorant towards my feelings. I could have become a great artist, mathematician, philosopher, but no. I was born into a family of honour and dignity. My bloodlines made me who I am today. I now realise how amazing the feeling to become a respected soldier is. Today, the King himself thanked Banquo and I for serving our country. We are no longer little minions in the army; instead we are respected as noble knights who fight for the crown. My hard work and all my sacrifices finally paid off. All of this sudden glory that has been given to me surely has a price waiting for me to pay. I do not know what I must do, but for now I will continue to enjoy the joy that has been placed at my doorstep. I cannot see my wife but I am writing to her, telling her all about my successes. From becoming a respected Knight to the future King, she disserves to know every aspect for it is not only my happiness to come, but her's too.

-Macbeth

EQ: What does it mean to be human? (Macbeth feels joy from all compliments, and greed for more)

Macbeth Journal Entry No.2

Dear Journal,

   Today has been a fantastical day for me. On our quest to visit the King, Banquo and I ran into three rather strangely looking people. At first to the human eye we could not make out what we saw before us. There were three of them standing there, speaking about the future to come. We were astounded at the phrases that came out of their mouths. They told me I was to become King! And Banquo was to father future Kings. We could not believe our ears! They were witches! Before we could ask any questions, they began walking away, vanishing before our eyes. For now, I must stay loyal to Banquo and he the same. We must not let word about the new prophecy reach the ears of the King himself. For all we know, he may have us killed for treason to overthrow the crown.

-Macbeth

EQ: What is loyalty?

Macbeth Journal Entry No.1

Dear Journal,

  It has been a while since the last time I wrote in you. War definitely changes a man, I have no reason to doubt it doesn't. I have come to realise how fragile life is, after witnessing the deaths of fellow countrymen and youngsters. I will never forget the faces that gazed upon my own at that moment when I took their lives! I now value what I have in my own life and going home to my beautiful wife will give me all the self worth I need. My wife loves me very much, and I will always be grateful that I was able to go home. However, not every man on the battlefield was lucky to go home. I pray and honour the men that gave their lives to their country. For all the men who fought alongside me, I salute to you! And to my brother in arms, Banquo, I am glad that you came through and stuck with me all the way.

-Macbeth

EQ: Is self worth constant or ever changing?

Macbeth Movie URL

http://video.pbs.org/video/1604122998/

Macbeth Journal Entries: Who Do I Want To Be?

Dear Ms. Caldwell,

   For the course of next following eight to ten journal entries, I would like to write from the perspective of Macbeth. I would like to do so, becuase I want to analyze how Macbeth was feeling throughout the story, and how he changed. Also I think in life, there are moments where you must make tough decisions, and I think Macbeth would be a good example of how one choice affects all. With this in mind, I think that this will further help me develop my critical thinking abilities.

Desmond

Feedback

Congratulations on making it to Provincials. I like how you have brought in a personal examples to help demonstrate your understanding of the quote. YOu have a deep understanding of the quotes and can see the big pciture. I like how you hve connected the quotes to identity. Excellent writing! Well done.

Identity- Song

I think that this song "I Don't Want To Be" by Gavin DeGraw relates to identity because the meaning of this song it that one doesn't have to be anything except what they want to be! Your identity is yours and no body has the right to tell you to be someone else! I dentity is about how you are unique from others, and I think that being what you personally want to be is a perfect example of that!

Blog Response: 5 pieces of Poetry

Questions to answer:

1. What ideas or feelings seem most significant to you? Why?
2. How can reflecting on the differences and similarities in the poems/pieces help you clarify your own identity as distinct/or similar from/to the character in the text?

   I believe that there are various ways to determine what your individual personality is. You can express this through literature, art, music, verbal, style, and how you choose to live your life. Identity is a broad spectrum that ranges from infinity to negative infinity. Everyone has their own unique method of acting, speaking, reading, thinking, and connecting. All these attributes produce something that defines who you are, and who you will become. For instance, the five poems that I read and analyzed gave me a better picture of who I am.

   Some of the ideas/feelings that were most significant to me included:

• dreams vs. reality (As I Grew Older)-Langston Hughes
• relationships with others (Alone)- Maya Angelou
• inside/outside appearances (Richard Cory)- E.A. Robinson
• personal experiences (I Am From Swingsets and Jungle Gyms)- Debby Gordon & (Where I'm From)- George Ella Lyon

   "Dreams vs. Reality" was significant to me because I personally understand why this phrase is so important. Sometimes in life, one must be able to separate their dreams with what is real. From past experiences I can say that I once hoped for this not to be true but in fact, it is. I once believed that one day I would become the King of the World. This was my dream as a young boy, and as I grew up I began to learn about the truth, and how things worked in our society today. The reality was I don't belong the the royal family bloodline, hence, I will never become King.  I am not ashamed to say that I once had this dream, because like all children we wish to provide our families with the best possible resources and have all the toys in the world. However, I am proud to say that I came to realize that I do not necessarily have to be King for me to be happy, and provide for my family! Time was a very important aspect that helped me to come to this conclusion!

    "Relationships with others" was significant to me because I live to build relationships with others. Like Maya Angelou said, "Nobody, but nobody, can make it out here alone". I believe that this author was trying to say that in order for one to truly live and die a successful life, one must have relationships with others. It is clear to me that in order for one to achieve happiness, all they would have to do is spend time with family or friends. Money is not the answer to everything, and the sooner people realize that, the sooner their life will turn around. For example, "There are some millionaires with money they can't use".

   "Inside/Outside appearances" was another part that struck my feelings when analyzing the poems. I think that sometimes how we choose to dress or act on the outside, defines how we are on the inside. In the poem "Richard Cory" by E.A. Robinson, a young man is described as rich, happy, polite, and sensitive.However, when we read further on, we see that Richard Cory commits suicide. After realizing this, one must be thinking, why would he do such a thing? This man looked so happy and successful, yet he was so unhappy that he decided to kill himself. Well the moral of the poem is that sometimes, appearances can be deceiving. Someone that looks successful and happy may not be happy at all. In this particular case, Richard Cory was definitely not happy even though to others, he looked like the happiest man on the planet!
   "Personal Experiences" was the last quote that really made an impact on how I felt towards the poems. "I am from Swingsets and Jungle Gyms" by Debby Gordon and "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon both focused on personal experiences. Both authors in the story wrote about their individual experiences that helped shape who they are today. I believe that personal experiences are crucial to people because they help us see many unique things other people may never get to see! Every action that one does has a cause and effect. Personal experiences not only help us see the differences in ourselves, but they help us see the differences in others as well. Our friends may never seem to be the friends they were, from what they said, or what you remember them doing. I personally believe this is relevant to identity, because personal experiences define who you are.




  In conclusion, as you can see, I am a like many of the characters in the poems yet I am also different from them in many ways. This shows that everyone is distinct from each other, and we all have different morals in life!

Journal Response #1: Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes GOOD COPY

"To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, -- that is genius. Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string."

   I believe that Mr. Emerson is trying to say that one should always listen to their own heart. "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, -- that is genius", clearly states believing in yourself is essential for one to be successful. Many times in life, one often wonders whether or not they can trust themselves because of previous shortcomings. In life, I believe that there are always going to be some experiences that are not necessarily awesome! In fact, sometimes experiences can be very painful or embarrassing. For example, you are asked to prepare a dish for a potluck that you have never heard of before. You're heart tells you to make it and try your best, but you choose to make something different because you don't want to make a mistake. On the day of the large gathering of family and friends you show up with your dish, and before long somebody has an allergic reaction from your dish! Now, you feel extremely bad because that person got sick from your dish. Not only would you feel bad, but it's embarrassing when people ask you why you didn't make your assigned dish. On the contrary, most of the time, people regret not listing to their hearts or "gut". This is because as it turn out, their "gut" was right. For instance, when writing a test, you circle B for a question you are unsure of. When you finish and check over your answers, you change it to D. A few days later, the teacher hands back the test and you see that the answer that you put down in the first place was in fact correct. This would be where you begin to hit yourself on the head! Personally, this situation has happened to me many times before. However, I decided to learn from my mistakes. Instead of second guessing myself, I made sure I knew the material even more. Besides believing in this quote, one must live it. I think that Mr. Emerson was trying to influence people to not only listen to his teachings but to also act on behalf of them as well.

      "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string", and this quote is basically saying, you heart is connected to what you think and do. I think that this quote is relevant to identity because many people can be judged/identified through the way they act. For example, a person that follows their heart every single time will achieve goals that they never thought they could achieve. This is because they are taking a chance, believing that their heart knows what is best. Equally, a person who never listens to their heart will realize that life is very dull and boring. They are only going to get so far, because they are unwilling to step out of their comfort zone even if deep down inside they really want to. These two people may be twins and they may look exactly alike on the outside. But, if they were to be interviewed by a specialist, the results would clearly indicate a retracting person and an outgoing person. I think that this quote really satisfies one of my own personal experiences. For instance, when I was competing to qualify for provincial championships in summer swimming, I listened to my heart and stepped up. After preliminary races that day, I saw that I made finals and I was seated 4th. To qualify, you need to be either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Before my race, I could hear my heart pound and pound as I saw other swimmers finish their races. Something in my heart told me that this was my opportunity to accomplish something I've never done before. Soon after, it was my time to race and I got up to the blocks. Throughout the entire race, my body felt numb and I had no idea what position I was in because I was so focused on swimming the race. Truthfully, this race felt less painful physically from previous swims. On the other hand, psychologically, this was much worse! After swimming in from my last stroke, I looked up to the clock and saw that my lane finished 3rd place. I realized that I just qualified for provincials for the first time in my life! I felt amazed because I listened to my heart, and prevailed. From my own personal experience I can say that my heart vibrated the right strings.  

   In conclusion, I strongly believe that listening to your heart is beneficial in developing your personality. This is life, and sometimes your gut makes you feel embarrassed, other times it makes you feel like you should have listened to it. Not only do you need to step out of your comfort zone, you need to step into a new place you've never been before. Your heart is yours, and no one will ever be able to understand it but you! These quotes mentioned above are not referring to the organ that pumps blood throughout your body; instead, they are referring to the emotional universe that dwells within your body. Really, the moral of the quotes are saying that sometimes it takes courage to listen to your heart, and if you do, you will have success. Your heart knows who you are, so you should listen to it because you never know where it will take you!

I am... Video Project

Journal Response #1: Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes

Question:
   "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, -- that is genius. Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string."
 -You can either respond freely in your journals or on your blog to the above quotes.

   I believe that Mr. Emerson is trying to say that one should always listen to their own heart. "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, -- that is genius", clearly states believing in yourself is essential for one to be successful. Many times in life, one often wonders whether or not they can trust themselves because of previous shortcomings. In life, I believe that there are always going to be some experiences that are not necessarily awesome! In fact, sometimes experiences can be very painful or embarrassing. For example, you are asked to prepare a dish for a potluck and you were assigned something you have never heard of before. You're heart tells you to make it and try your best, but you choose to make something different because you don't want to make a mistake. On the day of the large gathering of family and friends you show up with your dish, and before long someone has an allergic reaction from your dish! Now, you feel extremely bad because that person got sick from your dish. Not only would you feel bad, but it's embarrassing when people ask you why you didn't make your assigned dish. On the contrary, most of the time, people regret not listing to their hearts or "gut". This is because as it turn out, their "gut" was right. For instance, when writing a test, you circle B for a question you are unsure of. When you finish and check over your answers, you change it to D. A few days later, the teacher hands back the test and you see that the answer that you put down in the first place was in fact correct. Now you begin to hit yourself on the head!

   "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string", and this quote is basically saying, you heart is connected to what you think and do. I think that this quote is relevant to identity because many people can be judged/identified through the way they act. For example, a person that follows their heart every single time will achieve goals that they never thought they could achieve. This is because they are taking chance, believing that their heart knows what is best. Equally, a person who never listens to their heart will realize that life is very dull and boring. They are only going to get so far, because they are unwilling to step out of their comfort zone even if deep down inside they really want to. These two people may be twins and they may look exactly alike on the outside. But, if they were to be interviewed by a specialist, the results would clealry indicate a retracting person and an outgoing person. 

   In conclusion, I strongly believe that listening to your heart is beneficial in developing your personality. This is life, and sometimes your gut makes you feel embarrassed, other times it makes you feel like you should have listened to it. Really, the moral of the quotes is saying that sometimes it takes courage to listen to your heart, and if you do, you will have success. Your heart knows who you are, so you should listen to it because you never know where it will take you!