3/1 Iliad Reading

1. What does Patroclus propose to Achilles and what is Achilles’ response? Why does Achilles grant Patroclus’ request?

Patroclus proposes that he go to battle with Achilles armor on so as to trick the Trojans into thinking it’s him.

He accepts it because he thinks it will make the Trojans go away. (page 414. line 81)

2. On p. 413 line 35 (approximately), Patroclus tells Achilles that Achilles is “cursed in [his] own courage.” What does Patroclus mean by that and do you agree with him?

I think he means that Achilles impending doom is tied in with his courage to take the lead and take on several men at once.

3. Either ask questions about the text or write down vocab words from the text with definitions.

QUESTION:

How come Zeus doesn’t answer both of Achilles prayers? More importantly, does no one seriously notice Achilles walking out into battle pouring wine on the floor and going back to his ship? Wouldn’t they then realize that he is not fighting.

DUE WED 2/28 Iliad Assignment

Write a question you have about the text, either an interpretive question that you have an opinion on, or something that you don't understand. You don't need to write the answer.

I can’t understand for the life of me why Achilles won't accept the offer given by Agamemnon. It clearly says that he will not be remembered if he doesn’t accept the offer.

What was your opinion of Achilles before reading Book 9? Does it change after reading Book 9? Explain why or why not.

I thought Achilles was a loner stand alone fighter before I read book 9. My opinion did not change after reading it; he just seems more frustrated with Agamemnon afterwards.

Who is speaking?
Phoenix

What does that person say and to whom does he say it?
He says to Achilles: Why aren’t you accepting the gift and joining the battle? You should be ashamed of yourself; in fact I remember when you were just a baby, I can’t believe you turned out this way.

What persuasive strategy is it?
Emotional and Ethics

Why is it an example of that strategy?
Phoenix says that he remembers Achilles was young and how he shouldn’t be acting this way.

Who is speaking?
Achilles

What does that person say and to whom does he say it?
He says that Agamemnon still won't give him what he wants.

What persuasive strategy is it?
Reason

Why is it an example of that strategy?
He says that Agamemnon won't do the simplest thing in order for him to fight. He offers huge gifts and won't listen to what Achilles wants.

DUE TUE 2/27 – Iliad Assignment

Q:

I am confused why who a lot of the characters are. Such as Atrides, Diomedes, Orestes, Chrysothemis, Laodice, Iphianassa, Ajax, Odysseus, Heralds, Odius, and Eurybates. I also don’t know what a tripod is; I'm assuming they don’t mean the thing that holds cameras.

Opinion of Agamemnon before and after:

I thought that Agamemnon was a power hungry jerk who got what he wanted while not doing much work himself. It seemed like he gave his men (this is especially true with Achilles) just barley what they need to want to work for him. After reading the text I think the same from him, because he acts the same. He offers Achilles an immense reward to try to bring him back to fight for him. But if you think about it you realize that he is just trying to give Achilles the bare minimum that he can offer (Agamemnon has much more fortune that what he is offering) to get him to fight. Yet Achilles doesn’t accept it still and he thinks that Agamemnon is so much of a jerk that he still won’t fight for him.

Persuasive conversation notes:

Nestor, Odysseus, and Ajax try and convince Achilles that he should continue to fight for Agamemnon. The say that Agamemnon will give him a lot of riches and luxuries if he comes backs to fight. That is what Nestor, Odysseus, and Ajax use to appeal to reason. They use a really good ethics reason too. They say that Achilles should join to help save the Greeks. They try to get him to feel sorry for them because they are going to die if he won't fight. As to what they used to appeal to him emotionally I still can not figure it out after reading the text over and over again.

2/22 - Disagreements and Fights

The following are just the details of my argument (the names have bean changed… sort of):

My friend Illy and I were talking about the new video game that came out: Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters (yes that really is the name). Anyways, I was talking about how the game was really cool especially because it was made for the PSP™ and all the games for the PSP™ (besides Loco Roco) are really bad. Illy then revolted saying that the game is not good and then told me that I should go eat some fish. After that we hated each other for that very reason but eventually (about 5 sec. after the personal attack) he said he was sorry because he knew I didn’t like seafood.

2/22 Iliad Reflection - Book One

Achilles’ rage is justified and I support his decision not to fight, even if it means the Greeks might lose lots of men, or even the war itself.

-OR-

Agamemnon is the commander, as such he is in the right, and I support his decision to ask for Achilles’ war prize Briseis – even if it means that Achilles will sit out the war.

RESPONSE:

I don’t really know what an ancient Greek would think of Achilles, but I do not agree with both of these statements. I can understand why Achilles would want to not fight and I can understand why Agamemnon should take Briseis. Although I personally think that neither Achilles nor Agamemnon should really care that much of their ‘war prize’ should be taken away. They should realize that they forcefully took then away and that other people could do the same thing. If they were really that upset they should just go steal another one, that’s what Agamemnon did.

2/13 My Rage - Cause

The one thing that really makes me mad more then anything else is my brother. It’s not completely because he annoys me, but it mostly why he annoys me. He annoys me because he is bored. It makes me so mad that he when he can’t find something to do he resorts to annoying me. The worst thing about it though is I can’t do anything about it. If I just ignore him, he will go mess with my stuff and of course break them. If I hurt him he does stop but its only temporary and then I get in trouble. If I simply tell me parents to get him to stop all they do is kindly tell him to stop, they never actually do anything to control him.

page 44: The Lost world

I am currently on page 44 in my book report book. So far a scientist named Levine who everyone finds quite annoying goes on an expedition to Costa Rica to find dinosaurs. Soon after Richard Levine arrives at Costa Rica a local touring group flew Levine and his guide Diego to an unidentified lizard that was found dead on a beach. Levine took a sample of the creature right before a hazmat crew incinerated the animal. Levine sent the sample to a research company in San Jose so his friend could look at it. Richard hears that some animals were thought to be located on a nearby island that was recently owned by BioGen so he plans a trip to that island. Once he arrived, his guide Diego gets mauled by a dinosaur and dies. Then Levine gets trampled by a dinosaur yet the book never officially says that he dies, Levine just thinks to himself that he is going to die.

Book Report Posting

Recently everyone was assigned to read a book. You could choose any book of your preference. I chose the lost world, by Michael Crichton. I’m not sure if that’s how you spell his name though. From now on I am going to write posts about him, I would keep writing but I have to go.

descriptive paragraph

I was reading my book all alone in the dark crevasses of my house with only the dim light showing from my antique lamp I bought when I was little. As I was reading the rich text illuminated by the yellow light I heard blaring sirens in the background. It seems as if they just suddenly appeared like a light switch being tuned on, its either there or not, it doesn't fade in. My heart pounded as the firemen burst through my door instantly covering all my books with there black ooze, the color of their unforgiving hearts. I quickly threw my book in my safe chest in the corner, out of the way of the firemen. I prayed they wouldn't see it as they quickly yet efficiently burned my books to the ground. Suddenly they were done and they asked me to leave. I didn’t want to go; I knew there must be a way to avoid this. “No.” I said, they agreed and left. A smile went across my face as I grabbed my book and fled through the back door.

2/6 Descriptive Writing Assignment

This is the scene were all the “books” watch the city get bombed as they hold on for their life.

Descriptive words:

Gasping, clawed, bursting, shouting, sanity, ripped, tore, gritting, concussion, crushed, squeezing, and oblivion.

I think these words emphasize everything that ray was saying. Also they were dreadful words too, nothing like scratched, he used clawed. That is a much stronger and more frightening word to add to the mood. There were a lot of these strong words too, these are just scratching the surface compared to how many there were on the scene.