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Assignment: Choose a character from William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies, and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay, do not merely summarize plot.

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Ralph, the elected leader of the group of British boys in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, strives to take the civilized society to which he is accustomed and apply it to society on the island on which he and the other boys are stranded. As leader, this task seems simple – tell the other boys what they each need to do and expect them to do it. Ralph fails to realize the difference between the rest of the boys and himself.

The world is in the middle of a massive war, a war in…

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Assignment: Write a two-page personal essay in which you compare and contrast yourself to a parent, sibling, cousin, or friend. In this essay, you must both compare and contrast yourself to another individual and provide specific examples that defend your assertions. This essay must provide specific evidence. Be careful not to simply list adjectives, but to show your audience the differences and similarities between yourself and someone else. Can you draw any conclusions as to why two people can be so similar or so different?

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In a world of over six billion people, what could be more boring than a bunch of look-alike clones? Everyone on this earth shares certain traits with others. Each person, though, shares more similarities with some people than with others. Strong similarities can be seen most frequently among family members, most likely because people in one family come from the same gene pool. My dad and I represent prime examples of people who share a lot in common. Regardless of how much we resemble each other, though, we are different people and always will be.

Setting aside…

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Assignment: Read and annotate the excerpt from John Milton’s Areopagitica and Zayed Yasin’s speech, “Of Faith and Citizenship: My American Jihad.” Then write a two-to-three page essay taking a stand about Yasin’s speech delivered at Harvard University’s 351st commencement ceremonies on June 6, 2002. In this essay, you should either argue against Yasin’s speech as it was originally entitled or defend Yasin’s right to call his speech “American Jihad.” If you support Yasin’s use of the term “jihad” in his speech, you should refer to Milton’s Areopagitica as evidence to support your position. If you oppose Yasin’s use of the term “jihad,” then you should still give examples from Milton’s Areopagitica and explain how your position connects to the author’s opinions.

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In June of 2002, when asked to give a graduation speech at Harvard, Zayed Yasin, a Muslim, wrote a speech in which he explained his definition of a Jihad. In accordance with the subject matter, Yasin titled his speech “My American Jihad.” When Harvard requested him to change the title, he complied. This action, though, stirred up many who believed Yasin had a right to use his original title. From the stance John Milton takes in his essay, Aeropagitica, one can clearly see that he would argue against Harvard’s decision to censor the title of Yasin’s…

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Assignment: Choose two of the poems you have been given in class that address a similar theme. Make sure to read each poem carefully. Then write a three to five page well-organized essay in which you compare and contrast the two poems, specifically discussing both theme and style. This essay must include specific references to the text.

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Ever since the beginning of time, love has played an enormous role among humans. Everyone feels a need to love and to be loved. Some attempt to fill this yearning with activities and possessions that will not satisfy – with activities in which they should not participate and possessions they should not own. In Andrew Marvell’s poem, “To His Coy Mistress,” the speaker encounters an emotion some would call love but fits better under the designation of lust for a woman. In contrast, the speaker of Robert Herrick’s poem, “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time,” urges…

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Since I was student of the month for September, my school's newspaper asked me some questions. This document is composed of my responses to the questions.

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Freshman year, simply because high school was a new thing for me, I was especially concerned with my studies and did not participate in really anything related to school. Outside of school, though, I continued to work with computers and continued to refine my web design skills.

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Assignment: Draft a narrative about a conflict against an embodiment of evil. In the essay, the writer should:

1. Begin in the middle of the action by reporting on the monster’s current attack. While the narrator reflects upon events that are occurring, he/she should describe the monster’s physical appearance, personality, and origins.
2. Follow with a description, from the narrator, of the distress people feel after they have been harmed by the monster’s attack. In this description, people give the monster a unique name and resolve to rid the community of the monster, but they seem powerless to do what needs to be done.
3. Introduce a hero or someone who is qualified to stop the monster. This character should be described in detail through a scene in which he/she confers with the leader of the community.
4. Describe another attack by the monster in which he/she meets significant opposition from the hero. After a battle, the monster flees, and the narrator hints that the monster is likely to return.
5. Conclude the narrative with a description of how the community becomes less vigilant after the monster runs away. The monster should attack, a tremendous battle should follow, and either the hero or the monster should die.

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He was merely another shopper, another source of income for my humble electronics store. He looked like every other tourist – a little out of place, but otherwise normal. Attempting to help this customer as I would any other, I walked up to the man and asked him if I could help him find anything. After thanking me for the offer of assistance, he began to describe the workings of the TV in which he possessed interest. He explained things to me I had always wondered – the method by which the TV signal traveled through the air waves or cable…

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Background Information: Beowulf’s poet composed the epic poem to be recited aloud in the oral tradition of the Anglo-Saxon period. Most likely, a bard or scop recited or possibly even sang the poem before a company of men to remind them about legendary stories of the period.

Assignment: Imagine you are a bard living in the Anglo-Saxon period and the members of our class are your audience. Prepare a 20-line monologue in which you tell a story about significant events involving a character from Beowulf. The twenty lines should come directly from the poem, although you may add transition phrases and words to make your monologue more understandable for your audience. The twenty lines do not need to be consecutive.

My Chracter: Beowulf

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The monster wrenched and wrestled with him (1269)
but Beowulf was mindful of his mighty strength, (1270)
the wondrous gifts God had showered on him: (1271)
He relied for help on the Lord of All, (1272)
on His care and favour. So he overcame the foe, (1273)
brought down the hell-brute. (1274)

But now his mother (1276)
had sallied forth on a savage journey, (1277)
grief-racked and ravenous, desperate for revenge. (1278)

So the Shieldings' hero, hard-pressed and enraged, (1573)
took a firm hold of the hilt and swung (1574)
the blade in an arc, a resolute…

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Objective: To read and analyze one book independently that addresses the themes discussed in this course. After reading one work of literature, submit a five-page literary analysis that demonstrates your understanding of the work.

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A mere glance at the title of Ralph Ellison's book, Invisible Man, stimulates questions such as, "Who is this man?" and, more importantly, "Why is this man invisible?" The anonymous narrator of Ellison's novel begins by assuring the reader that he is, in fact, a real person and is not invisible in the Hollywood sense of the term, but, rather, invisible "simply because people refuse to see" him for who he really is (3). The actions of both blacks and whites toward the anonymous narrator of the novel during his search for identity lead him to this conclusion…/

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Objective: To write a literary analysis essay on one of the tales from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales or on the "General Prologue" to Chaucer's narrative poem.

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In "The Ending of 'Troilus,'" E. Talbot Donaldson writes in response to the conclusion of the "Knight’s Tale," one of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, "What it does suggest…is that Providence is not working justly." Though Donaldson correctly points out the fact that the "Knight’s Tale" ends in injustice, he confuses the role of sin in the injustice with the role of God.

The Knight, an honorable, generous, courteous, and noble member of a party of twenty-nine people on a pilgrimage to the English town of Canterbury during the Middle Ages, tells…

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Assignment: Write a two-page response to the following question: "In the first soliloquy of the play, Helena discusses love. What kind of love is she talking about? What are its qualities and characteristics? In what way do the relationships in the play connect to her ideas about love?" Your answer should be as complete as possible and should demonstrate that you have given considerable thought to the play.

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In the first soliloquy of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Helena talks primarily of a love that contains depth, a love that looks at who a person is, personality-wise, as opposed to nothing more than their appearance. Helena explains, "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind" (1.1.240). In the shallow culture in which Helena lives, and even in today's society, it is difficult for people to look beyond the outer shell and follow a deeper perception. the concept of the "perfect person" is constantly drilled into people's minds. In Helena's day, this was through expectations…

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In my American Government class, we were required to find two articles in a newspaper and then summarize them, explain our opinion, place our opinion on the political spectrum, and then write a resolution based on the article. This is the first of my two "Current Events."

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Many post-secondary educational institutions across the nation have policies in place that require student organizations to allow participation from all students, regardless of the student's race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and so forth. Often, these requirements not only dictate who may join the school's clubs, but they are often extended to the leadership positions of each organization. For example, the Student Government organization could not tell someone they could not hold the office of President due to the fact that they're Muslim. One belief, freedom, right on which the United States was founded was the fact that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Thus, such a ruling would seem appropriate. But, what happens when you have a religious organization, such as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF)? Christianity is a very exclusive religion – only those who believe on Christ as the Savior for their sins – their wrongdoings – can get into Heaven. As a result, it would be contradictory for a Muslim, Buddhist, anyone but a Christian to hold a position of leadership in a Christian organization. Recently, the IVCF organization at University of North Carolina was told to modify their charter to allow anyone in a position of leadership, under the assumption that if they did not change their charter, they would no longer be an "official" organization at the school – they wouldn't receive the funds that other student-run school organizations receive. Because of their inability to compromise their strong moral beliefs, UNC's IVCF organization refused to change the charter. After pressure and the threat of a lawsuit from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), UNC changed their decision regarding the issue. IVCF's charter and their status as an "official" student organization at UNC remain unchanged. Other schools across the nation have dealt with and are dealing with similar issues.

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In my American Government class, we were required to find two articles in a newspaper and then summarize them, explain our opinion, place our opinion on the political spectrum, and then write a resolution based on the article. This is the second of my two "Current Events."

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In this day and age, Americans seem "lawsuit-happy" - they sue for just about anything imaginable. Of all the categories of people that commonly get sued, doctors are probably some of the people sued most frequently. To protect themselves from paying the attorney fees and any money awarded to those suing them, doctors purchase malpractice insurance. This article discusses some recent problems in the malpractice insurance system.

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My school's American Government course is acutally a simulation of real American government. We get in groups and write bills and have a full session and so forth. My bill, HB-207, deals with banning alcohol advertisements, and this is the position paper I had to write explaining my position on the issue.

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Everywhere we go, we're bombarded by all sorts of advertisements. We can seldom go through one day without receiving at least one phone call from a telemarketer. Turn on the TV for 15 or 20 minutes and you'll see at least one 5-minute commercial break. Advertisements are abundant everywhere we go: alongside roads, at airports, and at train stations. Why is advertising so popular, why do so many companies pump millions of dollars each year into advertising? The answer is simple: ads inform people of products they otherwise wouldn't have heard of, they make products look appealing to so that people…

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My school's American Government course is acutally a simulation of real American government. We get in groups and write bills and have a full session and so forth. This page is the text for my bill, HB-207, which deals with banning alcohol advertisements.

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Be it enacted a FEDERAL law to ban advertisements for alcoholic beverages on any medium of electronic communication governed by the Federal Communications Commission as well as on all billboards in the nation.

HB #207 will change the current advertising policy that bans persons from advertising alcoholic beverages to audiences primarily consisting of persons under the age of twenty-one (21). This law will be put into effect on May 1, 2003. Those entities currently advertising alcoholic beverages on one or more mediums of electronic communication and/or billboards must remove all current advertisements by 12:00 AM on January 1, 2004. Beginning 12:00 AM, January 1, 2004, both…

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Assignment: Write an essay in which you discuss Hamlet's "antic dispositon" (1.5.192). Is his madness real or is it feigned? How does Hamlet's mental development connect to the meaning of the play?

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Many criminal suspects today divert guilt from themselves by attributing their actions to some sort of insanity. Prince Hamlet, of Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, puts on a similar fake lunacy that eventually takes over Hamlet, controls him, and leads to his downfall.

Hamlet returns to his home, Denmark's palace, one day to find King Hamlet, his father, dead. While still mourning his father's death, his mother marries, of all people, Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. Then, Hamlet meets a ghost whose appearance is like that of the dead King Hamlet. To confuse Hamlet's…

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Objective: To write a 3 to 5 page literary analysis essay on Shakespeare's The Tragedy of King Lear answering the following prompt: In Lear claims “I am a man more sinned against than sinning” (3.2.60-61). Is Lear’s observation correct? Is Lear’s punishment justified? Does his folly and harsh treatment of Cordelia and Kent justify his fate? Your discussion should follow a clear definition of justice, applying the criteria to Lear’s situation.

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Though King Lear, of Shakespeare's The Tragedy of King Lear, wrongs both Cordelia and Kent in his harsh treatment against them, the unjust actions of Regan and Goneril against King Lear cause him to be "a man more sinned against than sinning" (3.2.60-61).

In order to relieve himself of the problems and work associated with holding his position so he can "unburdened crawl toward death," King Lear, of pre-Christ Britain, divides up his kingdom into three portions, one for each of his daughters (1.1.41). To decide the daughter to whom he should give the largest portion…

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Third quarter of Spanish 4, we studied Spanish art. At the end of the unit, we had to write an essay describing the work of three artists - one early Spanish artist, one modern Spanish artist, and a non-Spanish artist of any time. For each artist, we had to select a painting we had not looked at in class and then analyze it, including details we learned outside of class. Please note that, being Spanish class, this essay is in Spanish, so if you don't know the language, you won't understand it! :)

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One bill we debated in American Government class was a bill that legalized stem cell research and provided federal funding to those organizations conducting research on stem cells. This is a speech I wrote and delivered in oppostion to the bill.

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From a very young age, I've been told that a monetary value cannot be placed on my life – my parents would not accept any sum of money, no matter how large, in return for my life. When I have kids, though, I'm not sure I'll be able to tell them the same thing. With the increasing popularity and interest in stem cell research, it's very possible that by the time I have kids, I could have just as easily sacrificed my children in order to provide a new organ for some stranger and in return for a large sum…

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One bill we debated in American Government class was a bill that banned abortion, except in cases of rape and endangerment the mother's life. This is a speech I wrote and delivered in support of the bill.

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As Seniors in High School, I'm sure most of you already have made up your minds on abortion-related issues such as whether a fetus or embryo can really be deemed a human, whether abortion really kills a human being, or just a bunch of tissue, and so forth. Though I have very strong positions on such issues, I'm not going to get up here and tell you to change your mind on them. Rather, I would like you to consider a few comments related to the issue of abortion – namely, its effects, and the government's role in abortion-related legislation…/

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Objective: To read and analyze one book independently that addresses the themes discussed in this course. After reading one work of literature, submit a five-page literary analysis that demonstrates your understanding of the work.

I read Ernest J. Gaines' novel, A Lesson Before Dying for this project.

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After the Civil War ended, many blacks and whites, especially in the South, continued living as if nothing had changed with regards to the oppression and poor treatment of African Americans. Narrator Grant Wiggins, of Ernest J. Gaines' A Lesson Before Dying, possesses a similar attitude toward race relations. Through his experiences with a young man wrongly accused of murder, Grant transforms from a pessimistic, hopeless, and insensitive man into a more selfless and compassionate human being who can see the possibility of change in relations between whites and blacks.

Grant Wiggins, one of the…

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One bill we debated in American Government class was a bill that banned the death penalty completely. This is a speech I wrote and delivered in oppostion to the bill.

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Due to the fact that the entire concept revolves around death, capital punishment is a sensitive subject. When, if ever, is it alright to take the life of another human being. A week ago, you all heard me get up here and argue against stem cell research, based on the fact that the embryos utilized in stem cell research are lives that we are needlessly killing. You may be wondering, what the difference is between killing an embryo and a criminal, when, in your mind, the embryo might be less human than the murderer. Let me ask you a…

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As an introduction to Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, we did an activity in class in which the teacher divided us up into two groups - the Alphas and the Betas. Each group represented a culture and we were forced to interact with the other culture, so as to experience the difficulty in relating to a culture different from your own. This is my response to the activity.

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In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the title character becomes infuriated when he sees an actor shed real tears in response to the fictional story he acts out. Many people, like this actor, can get themselves worked up about something fictional, made up by their own imagination. I'm sure I've done the same somewhere along the line, but I felt it difficult to approach Monday's activity from the mindset I was supposed to take on. To me, all my responses to the Betas, though fabricated, were probably realistic – in character – but I just could not make myself fell as an Alpha would…

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A few other members of the class and I had to lead a discussion on chapters 12 - 14 of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. These are the questions (both closed and open ended) I came up with for the chapters.