"This is Your Life" Poem Recital

Life Is Like Pizza by John Green

I think this unique description is accurate and I agree with John Green

If anyone disagrees/agrees with Mr. Green comment below I want to see what you guys think.

Week 1 Reflection

1. Right now, nothing should inhibit my participation in this class, I have internet, computers, and a phone (for now.) My parents are divorced and I need to switch back and forth from homes and make sure I have my laptop with me but other than that I should be fine.
2. An awesome learning experience for me was in Sophomore year. I had to learn Marc Antony's speech for Mrs. Byrne's class. I was scared, but I discovered that reading the lines while typing the lines while saying the lines with the speech playing in the background, helps in the memorizing process as it requires all parts of the brain to do all this at once, thus maximizing the capacity to memorize a relatively long speech.
3. I look forward to learning about anything really. I have desires to learn about the medical field and get a much deeper understanding of the professions in the field. I am also a little intrigued to do some of the Shakespearean literature later down the road. 

VOCABULARY #1

adumbrate - verb give to understand; describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
apotheosis - noun the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god); model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
ascetic - adj. practicing great self-denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; noun someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
bauble - noun a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
beguile - verb attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
burgeon - verb grow and flourish
complement - noun something added to complete or make perfect; either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction;number needed to make up a whole force; a complete number or quantity; one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; verb make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
contumacious - adj. wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
curmudgeon - noun a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
didactic - adj. instructive (especially excessively)
disingenuous - adj. not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
exculpate - verb pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
faux pas - noun an embarrassing act
fulminate - noun a salt or ester of fulminic acid; verb cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
fustian - noun a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap;pompous or pretentious talk or writing
hauteur - noun overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
inhibit - verb limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
jeremiad - noun a long and mournful complaint
opportunist - adj. taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; noun a person who places expediency above principle
unconscionable - adj. greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience

There are many types of people in this world. One being an adumbrate, who summarizes situations without much detail. Then there are self righteous asshats, apotheoses, who are so elevated above everyone that they are almost god-like. There are also ascetic people, these people are beating themselves up over their mistakes and lack self confidence. Some people can be the baubles of society, not applying themselves just being a decorative ornament. Beguilers are deceptive and manipulative non-trustworthy people. Surprisingly there are people that aren't so bad, the people that help burgeon others, by complimenting them and making people feel good about themselves. Sometimes people get married because there personalities complement each other very nicely. The "brick-walls" or the contumacious people in this world are the stubborn people that are thick-skulled. You know that old guy across the street, the curmudgeon, who constantly seems to hate life and would contribute more to his community on his deathbed, yeah don't be that guy. We all have parents that will didactically tell us to do our chores, go to bed, get good grades in school, or to stop lighting the neighborhood squirrels on fire because you won't listen to them. We all can be disingenuous at times, showing up to an interview for a job and stating that you love people, but truly you hate everyone and only enjoy food, netflix and sleep. There are also nice people that forgive so easily, it is almost unhuman; they would be so nice as to even exculpate a murderer of their wrong doings. Like me, there are the faux pas of the bunch, gracelessly falling at every chance given, and can barely talk in coherent language without sounding like a total jackass. Bipolar disorder can cause one of the personalities an affected person to fulminate at any giving instant with a loud outburst of screaming or emotion. I will revere great sarcasm toward the elitist scum in society the ones with the hauteur and pride that makes them feel like they are superior to everyone. Inhibitors are the ones that clog others, the ones that put people down and limit others. There are the opportunists, taking advantages of good deals, or even good people. I am a jeremiad, constantly complaining about how unethical society is and how people can be so reckless. Lastly the unconscionable are the people that have immoral values and are often irrational. This long and non-descriptive paragraph describes the different qualities in people, a variation of each of these qualities is what makes each of us unique. The possibilities of a personality are endless with many traits and qualities to chose from.

!987 AP English Literature and Composition Exam

1. c
2. a
3. b- c
4. e
5. d
6. d
7. d- e
8. b
9. a- e
10. c
11. c- d
12. b
13. b
14. a- c
15. a
16. b
17. c
18. e
19. b- a
20. b
21. e
22. e
23. d- a
24. a
25. c
26. e
27. a- d
28. c
29. a
30. b
31. d
32. b
33. c- d
34. a
35. e
36. d- e
37. c
38. e- d
39. c
40. c
41. d
42. c- a
43. a- b
44. d- e
45. d- a
46. b
47. b
48. b- a
49. c
50. d
51. b- c
52. a- b
53. e
54. b
55. e- a
56. b
57. b
58. d
59. e
60. b
61. c- a

Numbers 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 19, 23, 27, 33, 36, 38, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48, 51, 52, 55, 61 were the harder ones. the rest of the questions were easy, moderately easy or I guessed the right answer.

• Much of what made these particular questions difficult was that I haven't practiced the various literary terms enough, these are something that we should know extensively by now but i don't feel entirely comfortable with them. 
• I also am prone to reading through text to quickly and cannot grasp a concept because I didn't spend enough time reading thoroughly.
•  If I were to take the time to be more analytic, questions that ask about how particular lines affect the piece would be much easier to understand because I know what is past the letters but the entire message.
• One huge thing that will help me is to read more novels, poems, stories etc to help me get back into the groove of understanding literature.  

Poetry #1

1.       The Levi’s and Strauss Company borrowed a poem by the name of “The Laughing Heart” by Charles Bukowski.

2.       The use of this poem by The Levi’s and Strauss company is considered ironic, because Bukowski meant for this poem to be message that teaches each and every human to be themselves and basically a non-conformist. Bukowski wants people to shape themselves not be shaped by others. While the Levi’s company uses a strong message to sell clothing they are shaping the consumers mind to psychologically want to go out and buy a pair of Levi’s Jeans.

3.       Yes, Bukowski was an avid “hippie” in the sixties and wanted people to not conform to “the man.” Bukowski was a man free of the mind, he was so free-willed that even the FBI had tabs on him.  Especially in 60s to 70s when there were more liberal movements and people who were becoming more open about themselves.

4.       I typed into the default google search bar in my web browser, “Charles Bukowski,” went to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bukowski and used information from here to help aid me and what I got from the video to form my answers.

Essay #1

Poisonwood Bible AP Essay

A missionary trip set for Kilanga, Congo; a family is ready for what seems to be a whole new world with new customs, lifestyles, and gods. The Price family consisting of Orleanna, Nathan, Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May are all part of this rift from a missionary trip to Africa in the book The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. The rift creates both negative aspects and positive aspects in the Price family’s life. They experience some traumatic events, but there are also character building events that shape most of the characters.

The story is set in a period of turmoil in the Congo. The Price family leaves behind a well balanced American lifestyle from Georgia to live in a poverty ridden village in the middle of the Congo. The family hopes to spread the word of Jesus Christ. The story flashes back to a time after World War Two where Nathan regrets his actions during the war, wishing to help his lost comrades he decides to commit to saving others through Jesus. The rest of the family comes along because they too would like to share the power of Jesus. During their stay their life begins to spiral downward, Congo was free from Belgian control, the Missionary League wasn’t funding the Prices any more Ruth May died of snakebite and the neighboring villages began to kill the white people in town. Orleanna wanted to leave and return home, but the rift was already established they were too poor to fly home and Nathan was too stubborn to leave. The family is torn apart as all the girls find a way out of Kilanga, Nathan still works tirelessly to get the villagers to convert. Rachel later on in her older age is mildly depressed about how she never reconnected to American culture. Leah hates the American way after the coup of Lumumba, she forgets all roots of her American past and is now an African at heart. This is how the cultural rift affects the family negatively.

On a more positive note Adah and Orleanna go back to Georgia and are safe in their home country. Adah forgets about her past in Africa and goes to Emory College and becomes a doctor, her limp is gone after therapy and her mom is happy. Orleanna lives close to her daughter and the two girls are much closer and appreciate what they have due to the rift. Leah visits her mother and sister and is thankful that they are alive and safe. Leah is also affected positively by the rift and is happily married to Anatole as they help teach in Angola.

Though the rift ruptured the Price family, it also helped them grow, similarly to the plants at the beginning of the story they were lost and destroyed at first by the nature around them but when planted right they grew. The jungles of the Congo taught a few westerners to value their life a little more because they will never know when all hope seems to fade away and family begins to tear apart. 

The Poisonwood Bible Notes

Themes

• The power of nature is prevalent. The natives live in harmony with nature and take what they need and are very appreciative of the land. While westerners don't appreciate the land and take what they don't need.
• The western way of life is not suitable for the African population, especially when the African population is very fragmented with set customs for each tribe.
• The speaker is not set, everyone has their voice and the story is told like a folk-tale.

Plot

1.      Book One: Genesis

·         Orleanna Price mother of four girls. Price starts off by talking about a mother, her husband and four daughters trudging through a rain forest in the Congo.

·         Orleanna is deeply saddened by the death of one of the daughters that doesn’t make it out of the jungle.

·         This tale of a mother losing her daughter is one that can represent many things throughout this world. This event can be taken literally or seen in a larger scope. Orleanna’s story can be seen as allegorical to the relationship that the western countries have toward Africa and how they see the many conflicts yet don’t do much and try to handle the guilt.

·         The story flashes back to 1959 when the Price Family travelled from Sanderling Island to the Congo.The family is making a mission trip to Africa and they see how life is going to change immensely, from their sheltered lifestyle to an open poorer life during their trip. (From Leah Price’s POV)

·         Ruth May’s POV:  this five year old tells the natives that Blacks descend from Noah’s son Ham, he was a bad child and was made to be a slave and was given darker skin. She also talks about Jim Crow laws in the South and how they force segregation.

·         Rachel Price’s POV:  an adolescent girl is not as religious as her family. She notices a strong stench as soon as she gets to the town (Kilanga). She questions much of what the villagers do and is surprised during Nathan’s sermon when he yells out at a topless native.

·         Adah Price: Leah’s twin has hemiplegia and she cannot use the left side of her body. She describes the town to be rows of mud houses. She also says that the women of Kilanga are always topless.

·         Leah’s POV: she talks about how her father plants seeds for the family, but also shows the villagers how to plant so they too can have food. Mama Tataba tells Mr. Price that he is planting it wrong. The next morning his face, covered with poisonwood and eye swollen. They go outside and notice the plants were replanted with mounds above the ground.

·         Rachel: Mr. Price tries to get people to go to church by holding an Easter Sunday. He wanted to baptize people but none of the villagers agreed but there was some partying.

·         Ruth May: Ruth notices an important aspect about the village. Most of the villagers are disabled but don’t seem to care. Some with missing eyes, amputated limbs. Mr Price doesn’t like this and thinks that they should take care of their bodies.

·         Adah: The rainy season started early and then the Price’s garden is washed away, both Mr. Price and leah replant the garden but in mounds.

·         Leah: It is Rachel’s birthday and the family wants to bake a cake. Mrs. Price tries to use the Betty Crocker cake mix and it went bad. The bird Methuselah says “DAMN” and the three girls get in trouble for teaching it profanity.

·         Adah: Mama Tataba tell the girls that Mr. Price should abandon the efforts of trying baptize the villagers. Mr. Price tells the girls a story about a Mercedes truck with boys fanning elephant grass instead of a fan belt. He then says anything is possible.

·         Leah: Mr. Price gives a sermon on baptism and Tataba is infuriated, she leaves the prices. Mr. Price realizes the plants aren’t bearing fruit because the insects in Africa don’t recognize these plants.

2.      Book Two: The Revelation

·         Orleanna: The life for the Price family. After Tataba left, the family has had travel almost two miles to get water, and they had to eat a lot compared to the villagers. Orleanna was worried for her family and even dreamed about their death. Nathan still believed he was a figure of goodness in the community.

·         Leah: Orleanna makes her daughters study most of the time, but they have some time to play. They make a game of “Mother May I” and some of the village kids come play, they play for some days, but then the village kids stop playing with them except for Leah’s new friend Pascal

·         Ruth: Ruth May had to be flown to Stanleyville for a Broken arm, she was spying on some anti-Belgian forces and she fell. Ruth May sees that Axelroot has a bag with diamonds in it, he threatens to kill her mom if she spills the beans. The Doctor and Nathan get into an argument over the politics of the Congolese people, they talk about the Patrice Lumumba movement and how there was a riot that killed 12 people.

·         Rachel: Anatole is invited to dinner; he is the person that translates the sermons for the villagers. He relays to Nathan that Chief Ndu thinks that Christianity is going to demoralize the villagers. Anatole says that Tata Kuvundu is the religious leader of the town.

·         Adah: Leah and Adah go to the river to get water, Leah walks to fast and Adah is left behind. Then a lion comes up behind her and she is fearful that she is going to get killed, but she outsmarts it and gets home safely. Chief Ndu notices some footprints a lion and a girl. He sees blood too and he thinks one of the Price’s was killed he relays the information to the villagers, as he is happy. Adah comes out and she is still alive and surprises everyone. Chief Ndu is unhappy.

·         Leah: Anatole leaves a boy at the Price home and he helps around the house for pay and a basket of eggs to pay for a wife. This boy’s name is Nelson he learns English pretty quickly. The village is then hit by a bug that causes digestive problems and is fatal. Orleanna keeps her daughters away from the sick villagers. Leah catches malaria because they weren’t counting their quinine doses accurately.

·         Ruth May: More of the villagers go to the sermons because of the lion incident. They think Jesus was watching Adah. Leah finds an owl and keeps it in the house. Nelson and Pascal think the owl is a soul-eater, but Nathan allows Leah to keep it. She walks around pompously and is beaten for pride. Leah then releases her owl.

·         Rachel: News arrives to the Prices about an election for the Congolese. It is an opportunity for them to elect to be free. Orleanna is saddened because they are going to have to leave the Congo; also their mission wasn’t officially sanctioned by the Missions League. Nathan decides to stay until July to greet the next missionary.

·         Adah: The election takes place and each candidate is symbolized by something because the villagers cannot read.  

·         Rachel: Lumumba wins the election, the Underdowns tell the prices to pack-up so they can leave the Congo. Orleanna wants to leave but Nathan decides to stay.

3.      Book Three: The Judges

·         Orleanna talks about how she cannot get the family to go home. Nathan is not listening and Orleanna doesn’t have any power. She thinks God is assisting Nathan

·         Nathan served in WWII and was injured but he saw many people die. He believed it was his duty to create a missionary to save more people than what he saw died in the war. This was to make his supposed amends with God.

·         Leah: The Prices aren’t getting any money from the League anymore, and the villagers aren’t selling them food either. Only Mama Mwanza gives them free oranges.

·         Adah: Nelson tells Adah that the only reasons why some people even go to the sermons is because that they are already social outcasts in their religion. Some are lepers, and murderers.

·         Ruth May: both Ruth and Orleanna stay in bed daily due to sickness

·         Adah: Nathan scolds Orleanna and Ruth for laying in bed sick. He wants them to do things too. At night the girls hear Orleanna plead Nathan to let them go home. Nathan tells her that God works in mysterious ways.

·         Leah: Leah gets Ruth out of bed and gets her to play on the swing. Anatole gives the Price family a rabbit to eat. Southern Congo breaks away from the rest of the Congo.

·         Ruth May: Ruth lies sick in bed and listens to her parents talk. They say that in Stanleyville many whites were murdered and that they may come to Kilanga. Nelson gives Ruth an amulet in the middle of the night and it supposedly holds a soul in it just in case she dies.

·         Leah: Orleanna gets better and is finally able to take care of the family. She stops heading to Nathan and looks for a way to get her daughters home. She tries to get Axelroot to fly them out but they have no money. Leah starts to feel defiant of her father for keeping them in the Congo.

·         Rachel: Brother Fowles visits the village everyone is excited. He tells the Price family that the villagers are really close to nature. Nathan comes home and isn’t too happy to see Fowles.

·         Adah: A drought causes famine in the area and Ruth gets worse. Tata Ndu brings gifts to the Price family, he wants to make Rachel his wife.

·         Leah: Tata Ndu’s marriage proposal cannot be turned down because the village would be outraged. Rache is scared about the situation. Orleanna moves Ruth into the living room to watch her, they find that her quinine tablets are stuck t the cement by her bed and that she has malaria.

·         Rachel: The Prince gets the village and Tata Ndu to believe that Rachel is engaged to Axelroot. Rachel and Axelroot become acquaintances and Axelroot tells Rachel that he is part of the CIA. Rachel doesn’t believe him but tries to get Axelroot to fly them out of the village.

·         Ruth May: ruth thinks she got sick for seeing Axelroots’s diamonds. She wants to return as a mamba snake when she dies.

·         Rachel: Turns 17 and is astonished to see that nobody is paying attention to her. Ruth gets a fever of 105 degrees and Adah gets stung by a scorpion.

·         Adah: Ruth gets better, and Leah teaches at Anatole’s school. She teaches math and english and learns French.

·         Leah: Leah tells Anotole about the U.S. and the huge cities. Anatole thinks that she is lying. Leah asks Anatole why he translates the sermons if he doesn’t agree with the message. Anatole wants the others to make their own decisions.

·         Rachel: goes with Axelroot to the forest and they kiss. He informs her about Lumumba’s assassination. Rachel doesn’t believe him.   

·         Adah: Adah, spying on Axelroot, learns about the assassination and hears that it is affiliated with Eisenhower. She doesn’t believe that the U.S. is going o kill an innocent man.

·         Leah: Driver ants take over the village and everyone leaves the village. Leah doesn’t seem to care and just sits there as the ants crawl on her.

·         Rachel: Selfishly she tries to escape the ants by getting onto her neighbors boat. She is kicked off and her mirror breaks.

·         Ruth May: Mrs. Prices takes Ruth but lets someone else carry her Ruth is frightened and thinks about being a snake.

·         Adah: Orleanna is torn between who to carry Ruth or Adah, she picks Ruth and Adah falls and almost get trampled. Anatole rescues Adah and takes her to a boat.

·         Leah: Anatole goes on the boat with Ruth and Leah, she confides in Anatole and tells him the issue about Lumumba. She starts to freak out and then tells Anatole she loves him.

4.      Book Four: Bel and the Serpent

·         Orleanna talks about the political events in the Congo. Lumumba was overhrown and Mobutu was put into power. Lumumba was under house arrest, he tried escaping so he was sent to jail where he was killed.

·         Leah: Tata Ndu stands up in the sermon and questions Nathan for a vote on if Jesus should be worshipped or another god in Kilanga. Nathan doesn’t like the idea because it is blasphemous. The election still proceeds and the vote is 56-11 Jesus loses.

·         Rachel: The entire village is desperate for food as a famine has struck. The villagers vote for a fire hunt to get all the animals out of the forest. Leah wanted to participate but the other villagers didn’t want a woman in the hunt. Leah goes anyway defying her father. There is an evil symbol outside their home and someone put a Mamba snake under Anatole’s bead.

·         Adah: The rest of the girls stay home and kill bugs for food. Adah can see some of the hunt and is disgusted.

·         Leah:  Leah kills an antelope. Gbenye takes credit for her kill, but Nelson says otherwise and pulls Leah’s arrow out of the carcass. Gbenye makes Leah skin the animal.

·         Rachel: Rachel is grossed out by the killing and goes home takes a bath and becomes a vegetarian.

·         Leah: After the hunt the village fights over who gets what. Kuvundu repeats his concern for the animal uprising.

·         Leah Nathan doesn’t punish Leah for hunting, at dinner Nelson comes and asks if he could stay the night. The girls are curious about who keeps leaving snakes in the chicken coop so they leave ashes and dust to find footprints.

·         Adah: They found that the footprints are Tata Kuvundu’s. With 6 toes on his left foot.

·         Leah: They watch the snake leave but hear a noise and it was Ruth May. Nelson tell Leah to get milk, Leah stays and notices a bite mark of the snake on Ruth May’s back. She dies

·         Rachel: The girls and Nelson watch the body to afraid to tell Mrs. Price. Rachel tries to forget about the Congo.

·         Leah: They tell Orleanna and she simply cleans Ruth and lays her o the table. Nathan says that he wanted to baptize her first with the villagers. Leah is disgusted by Nathan’s response. During her funeral it rains, Nathan baptizes each and every child.

5.      Book Five: Exodus

·         Orleanna Price: she is grieved after Ruth’s death and decides to leave with her daughters

·         Leah Price: While the girls are leaving to Leopoldville in the jungle Leah gets malaria and cnnot keep going. They were with some women headed to bulungu so Leah was able to rest in a hut of Anatole’s old student. Rachel goes with Axelroot and escape the Congo. Adah and Orleanna continue to Leopoldville.

·         Rachel Axelroot: She arrives in Johannesburg and pretends to be married to Axelroot to get a place to live in the “white” part of town.

·         Adah Price: Orleanna and Adah are traveling to Leopoldville until they are sighted by soldiers. They are taken to Leopoldville and the Belgian embassy takes them and treats them for diseases. They are sent to Georgia. The two girls move into a cabin. Orleanna starts selling flowers while Adah goes to Emory college for science.

·         Leah Price: Leah and Anatole go to Stanleyville but Leah is left at a mission along the way because they people in Stanleyville don’t like white people. Anatle is arrested for supporting Lumumba. Leah waits for Anatole to get out of jail.

·         Rachel Axelroot: Rachel unhappy that Axelroot didn’t marry her yet she seeks a new husband. Daniel a French politician is her go-to man.

·         Leah Ngemba: After Anatole was released from prison the two go to Bikoki to live. Leah works at the clinic and Anatole at the school.

·         Adah Price: Adah goes to med school and learns to walk better. Leah visits her in Atlanta with Anatole and Pascal. Orleanna moves closer to Adah too.

·         Leah Ngembe: Leah and Anatole both hate Mobutu immensely as most citizens live in poverty and Mobutu has everything. Leah also hates tht the west is supporting such a terrible and how it is only causing great harm for the Congo.

·         Rachel Dupree Fairley: Rachel isn’t married to Daniel anymore then her next husband, Remy, died. She was left with a hotel in Brazzaville. She

6. Book Six: Song of the Three Children

·         Rachel Price: She finishes off living in Africa at 50. She never got hold of American culture. She stayed mentally stable throughout the story.

·         Leah Price: At  the end Leah’s children are on their own except for Nathaniel, living in Angola and she teaches health classes

·         Adah Price: She abandons being a doctor and does scientific research. She thinks viruses have right to be on earth.

7. Book Seven: The Eyes in the Trees

·         The book ends in Ruth’s point of view. Orleanna wants to see her daughter’s grave one more time but she cannot enter the Congo because of the mass scale of war. Orleanna finds a woman from Kilanga that sells wooden animals, she buys some. 

Montaigne's Essays

Montaigne’s Essays Notes

A Collaboration between

Hikaru Kasai

Eric Jackson

Taylor Wall

Ephraim Rodriguez

Michael Hall

Book 1 (1-57)

Ch.1 That Mean by Various Ways Arrive at the same end

• people deal with someone they angered before who has the upper hand in 2 ways
• they act nice to make them feel sorry
• or they act against according to their will

Ch. 2 Of Sorrow

• argues that the strongest emotions can’t be expressed

Ch. 3 that our affections carry themselves beyond us should be buried

• even after death, the work or symbol of the person can still live on through a physical object to remind others of that person

Ch. 4 That the Soul Expends Its Passions Upon False Objects, Where the True Are Wanting

• people tend to blame others when something bad happens

Ch. 5  Whether the Governor of a Place Besieged Ought Himself To Go Out To Parley

• in war, Montaigne wouldn’t negotiate with enemies unless he has no choice

Ch. 6 That the Hour of Parley Dangerous

• in war, he would use all his force to win in a fair manner

Ch. 7 That the Intention is the Judge of Our Actions

• those who reveal their grudge or hatred right before they die are cowards and wrong

Ch. 8 Of Idleness

• an idle mind creates endless thoughts - stream of consciousness

Ch. 9 Of Liars

• Montaigne has bad memory
• 2 types of liars, one who make everything up and one who alters the truth

Ch. 10 Of Quick or Slow Speech

• Montaigne is better unprepared in most situations as he can freely express his thoughts at that moment

Ch. 11 Of Prognostications

• people like to think more about the future than the present, and Montaigne thinks it needs to be vice-versa

Ch. 12 Of Constancy

• when reacting to a sudden negative event, one should not be overtaken by fear, but act rationally

Ch. 13 The Ceremony of the Interview of Princes

• It is important to use one’s judgement to decide if a social custom should be followed
• good social rules can create positive role models for others

Ch. 14 That Men are Justly Punished for Being Obstinate in the Defence of a Fort that is not in reason to be defended

• it is foolish for a person with bravery to overtake something they cannot win (the soldier facing an entire squad knowing he will be defeated is stupid)

Ch. 15 Of the Punishment of Cowardice

• cowardice should be punished by humiliating that person so that it may “awaken their courage”
• harshly punishing a coward can end up making them enemies, or killing them wouldn’t do any good either

Ch. 16 A Proceeding of Some Ambassadors

• Ambassadors sometimes need to use their own good judgement appropriate
• taking the literal orders from kings can sometimes delay or worsen the situation

Ch. 17 Of Fear

• fear can nullify all of our senses and rationality
• Greeks describe a type of fear that strikes crowds of people without warning
• fear has the potential to turn the strongest into the weakest

Ch. 18 That Men are Not to Judge of Our Happiness Till After Death

• life can be very uncertain and unpredictable - kings become clerks, conquerors become beggars
• One can’t determine the happiness of another’s life until they have died
• one could be pretending or living a false life , and the truth will come to light at the moment of death
• Montaigne recalls his close friend Etienne de la Boetie’s death, where he explains his friend has died in happiness

Ch. 19 That to Study Philosophy is to Learn to Die

• Cicero-studying philosophy is to prepare you for your death
• the main goals in life is to seek pleasure, and make the most use of it
• voluptuous (extreme sensational pleasure)
• Montaigne tried to live life to ease the fear of death since the thought and fate of death is inevitable
• the Roman euphemized the word death as “he has ceased to live”
• according to Montaigne, the best way to prepare for death is to be constantly reminded of it (dried human skeleton was brought during an Egyptian feast)
• people should always be ready to accept death
• a life without death is worse than a life with death, all beings need to be mortal

Ch. 20 Of the Force of Imagination

• Montaigne dislikes dirty tricks
• sometimes your body will believe imaginations/tricks and make that physical part happen

Ch. 21 That the Profit of One Man is the Damage of Another

• For one to gain or profit, another must lose - balance in life

Ch. 22 of Custom, and that we should not change easily change a law received

• Tradition and ignorance around the world blinds most cultures to new ideas, technology, and rationality keeping people living in the past.

Ch. 23 Various Events from the Same Counsel

• Assassination attempts 'under the same console' reviewing different attempts made by leaders of Europe to prevent their disposition.
• Mentions Ancient and Renaissance rulers methods of gaining power, increasing it, and protecting it.

Ch. 24 Of Pedantry

• Knowledge like anything else should expand at a steady rate too intelligent makes one arrogant.
• Being pompous about nobility and bloodline is a flaw of many men.

Ch. 25 Of the Education of Children

• Education is best done through reading various authors and a want to learn. "...the greatest and most important difficulty of human science is the education of children".

Ch. 26 That it is Folly to Measure Truth

• Listening and believing everything one hears is foolish.
• Not everything unexplainable should be attributed to divinity or witchcraft.
• "Glory and curiosity are the scourges of the soul; the last prompts us to thrust our noses into everything, the other forbids us to leave anything doubtful and undecided".

Ch. 27 Of Friendship

• Friendship can be a close relationship but never as close as blood.
• Friendships are forged not from obligations but voluntary choice of both people to help each other.

Ch. 28  nine and Twenty Sonnets of Estienne De La Boitie

• These were not enjoyed by the author he said they were, "They scarce contain anything but amorous complaints, expressed in a very rough style, discovering the follies and outrages of a restless."

Ch. 29 Of Moderation

• Religious points of view support conservation from Benedictine monk practices of almost nothing to limited possessions. Trade makes moderation harder to keep as more wealth and greed can lead to overconsumption.

Ch. 30 Of Cannibals

• The passage equates barbarism with cannibalism talking about how most pre Hellenistic societies were one or both.
• A friend who visited the New World continues this by explaining how the natives lived as the Europeans colonized.

Ch. 31 That a Man is Soberly to judge of the Divine Ordinances

• Few men have the ability and true right to speak for God as too many attempt to do.
• Examples of pagans speaking to their deities for forgiveness.
• It ends by saying no one can know God's will or thoughts.

Ch. 32 That We are to Avoid Pleasures, Even at the Expenses of Life

• Moderation and morality should guide be away from overindulging. Saint Hilary suffered from his greed and materialism and not enough to God.

Ch. 33 That Fortune is Oftentimes Observed to Act by the Rule of Reason

• Examples of rulers from Antiquity to the Renaissance and how they used reason to aid their fortune.
• The wise leaders led to thriving states whereas explained later those who were tyrants failed and lost their kingdoms.

Ch. 34 Of the One Defect in Our Government

• The defect Montaigne refers to is the need to aid the meek and poor.
• This should be done not through simple handouts but a hand up by employing the person.
• That way both parties will mutually gain in value and experience.

Ch. 35 Of the Custom of Wearing Clothes

• In discussing different cultures the necessity of clothing is mentioned. In Turkey it is said men would walk nude this is not considered disgraceful there.
• Other places are new areas being discovered by Europeans in the tropics where almost no clothes are worn.
• This is seen as uncivilized and unacceptable to any civilized person.

Ch. 36 Of Cato the Younger

• being judgmental or overly critical is never just nor good. Judgments should be reversed until more information on the matter is present or left up to God.

Ch. 37 That We Laugh and Cry for the Same Thing

• throughout the essay there are instances of conquerors and the defeated. The moral of the story is victory may be intoxicating but there is always sorrow even for the victor.

Ch. 38 Of Solitude

• General corruption from statesman to give themselves advantages over others. Other thoughts on how we can abandon an area but never truly escape ourselves. Trying to or having others do so is beneficial to no one.

Ch. 39 A Consideration Upon Cicero

• Like most Montaigne thinks Cicero was extremely arrogant and self-centered. He finds aspects of Cicero enjoyable but much of his personal life revolting as he only wanted power and fame.

Ch. 40 That the Relish for Good and Evil Depends in Great Measure Upon that Opinion We Have of Them

• This excerpt was written for the reasons to die for their cause. Wars in the Greek world over who dictates the laws.
• To foreign religious beliefs such as satari, when one joins their husband on the funeral pyre. Other reasons include customs, culture, and the want to fight tyranny.

Ch. 41 Not to Communicate a Man’s Honour

• The thesis is primarily about the endless quest for more desirable things and how it leads most down a destructive pathway.

Ch. 42 Of the Inequality Amongst Us

• “the wise man is the master of all his fortunes” - Plautus
• One should be judged based on their character and not of his physical features
• importunate - persistence to where it is annoying
• People tend to structure themselves with a leader/ruler/king etc to maintain the lower class

Ch. 43 Of Sumptuary Laws

• Sumptuary - limiting private spending of food and personal items
• Locrians had laws about manners of women for night
• Only certain classes of people should consume certain items
• pestiferous - annoying
• criticized the french laws of 1600

Ch. 44 Of Sleep

• Many great men are serene before doing great things
• Believes passion should take hold sometimes so that they aren’t insensible

Ch. 45 Of the Battle of Dreux

• Sometimes in life you have to lead with your head instead of your heart
• Courage and valor do not always win battles

Ch. 46 Of Names

• People often use titles and names to up their status or fame
• None of the accreditation is real because they didn’t earn it
• Some claim to be someone they’re not
• Real names and accomplishment are eventually lost

Ch. 47 Of the Uncertainty of Our Judgment

• Decisions have consequences on both sides
• Those that choose not to kick people while they are down are seen as weak
• Those that do run the risk of inciting revolt based on necessity and desperation
• A leader who chooses to head an army in disguise risks losing the courage his men derive from his presence
• Making an army stand still to receive an enemy can deprive them of the ferocity and anticipation that comes with the first clash
• Making an army stand still can help preserve strength while the enemy wastes theirs

Ch. 48 Of War Horses, or Destriers

• There are many different uses for horses in battle
• Some were taught to distinguish enemies and attack them
• This would either help or hurt their master who rode them
• In some cultures those who rode horses were above slaves who walked on foot
• In battle you stake your valor and fortune upon that of your horse
• Horses returning from battle were honored with the soldiers

Ch. 49 Of Ancient Customs

• Every different population has its own unique customs, and some that they share
• Such customs were to fight with rapier and cloak and bathe in perfumed water
• We in the present constantly try to emulate their debauchery and viciousness
• This vigor of soul seen in ancient generations is lost in us no matter how hard we try to parallel it

Ch. 50 Of Democritus and Heraclitus

• Judgment is present in all things
• Montaigne tries his hardest to see every point in his argument but its impossible
• Those who don’t see the functions of the soul in their inferior offices as well as in their nobler offices can never fully judge it
• Democritus was a philosopher who thought mankind ridiculous and vain and always had a laughing countenance, Montaigne agreed with him because laughing expresses condemnation and he felt mankind could never be despised enough
• Heraclitus was always weeping, and Montaigne disagreed with him because he seemed to have compassion for mankind which implied that it was worth the effort

ch. 51 of the vanity of words

• Rhetoric is defined as “a science to persuade the people” and “an art to flatter and deceive”
• It is useful when trying to govern a disorderly government like Rome
• Words and eloquence are present in chambermaids and cooks even though they are thought to be associated with power and status
• Titles have no bearing on one’s character or worth

ch. 52 of the parsimony of the ancients

• The ancients were very frugal in their spending
• Cato sold his horse so he wouldn’t have to pay for it to be brought back
• Homer never had more than one servant, and Zeno had none

ch. 53 Of a saying of Caesar

• We cannot establish our satisfaction in any one thing
• It is the saying of Caesar “that we at once repose most confidence, and receive the greatest apprehensions, from things unseen, concealed, and unknown.”

ch. 54 of vain subtleties

• In studying two extremities they always meet in the middle
• Avarice and desire, ignorance and knowledge
• There are an infinite number of parallel examples

ch. 55 of smells

• Some believe that to smell at all is to stink and have an odor
• They believe people who use perfumes to stink because they are trying to disguise another odor
• Montaigne likes simple and natural smells which is why he doesn’t like Paris or Venice

ch. 56 of prayers

• Montaigne believes we are to have our souls clean of all wicked passions when we pray to God
• Some people pray only as a custom or as a fashion, and others pray in hypocrisy
• An untoward disease that a man should be so riveted to his own belief as to fancy that others cannot believe otherwise
• The Holy Book is to be read and handled with care
• Some forbid the alteration of the book into another language
• Some people don’t understand one syllable of the religion they profess and in this their devoutness is present
• It is better to keep the divine doctrine apart from the state
• Some make use of prayers as a kind of jargon

ch. 57 of age

• We call dying of old age a natural death, but more people die in shipwrecks and accidents
• Montaigne believes that because living to forty is considered abnormal that the age to be able to become a judge etc. was too old
• He also believed that they spent too much time as apprentices and weren’t employed early enough
• Great men did great things and achieved glory more in their youth than in their old age
• As people grow old either the mind submits first or the body

Book 2 (1-36)

Ch. 1 of the inconstancy of our actions

• Irresolution appears to be the most common vice of our nature
• Some choose to form a judgment of a man based on his general nature without observing all his faults and virtues
• No one can be constant because life is based on circumstance
• We follow the inclinations of our appetite
• Anger and necessity can rouse someone’s spirits and make them appear to be brave
• There are so many traits present in a person, and sometimes the action is commendable not the man

Ch. 2 Of Drunkenness

• There are good vices and bad vices and Montaigne thinks drinking is a gross and brutish vice
• The worst state of a man is when he loses the knowledge and government of himself
• Some philosophers promote drinking
• The most perfect soul in the world has to do too much to keep itself upright and from being overthrown by weakness
• It is not in our nature to suppress our vices completely

Ch. 3 A Custom of the Isle of Cea

• Montaigne believes suicide is our right if dying is easier than living
• Some believe we cannot die by our own hand because it was not willed by God
• In endeavoring to evade death we often run right into it
• It is a disease particular to man to despise itself and want to become something else

Ch. 4 To-Morrow’s a New Day

• When people defer to read letters it can show respect to their present company
• It can also be looked upon as negligence if they are important men
• Some instances where letters were left until tomorrow proved to be fatal

Ch. 5 Of Conscience

• Conscience makes us betray and fight against ourselves for want of another witness
• Punishment is born at the same time as sin
• Whoever expects punishment already suffers it, and whoever has deserved it expects it

Ch. 6 Use Makes Perfect

• We need to exercise and form the soul by experience to the course for which we designed it
• Merely approaching death is to practice it
• Men must look inward to truly know themselves

Ch. 7 Of Recompenses of Honour

• talks about how men with great valor should be recompensed

• Honor should not be awarded cheap or without value
• valour is considered “the highest degree of virtue”

Ch. 8 Of the Affection of Fathers to their Children

• a letter to Madame D’Estissac (a widow) talking about her son
• Fathers should lead a good role model for children, and make education their priority for children
• imbecility - something that is foolish
• argues that parents need to have their kids love them through love, and not by their need for money
• Montaigne married when he was 33

Ch 9. Of the Arms of the Parthians

• Montaigne describes the history of battle and the apparel soldiers used to wear. During Roman times they were nearly bare and only carried a pear and a shield. In more recent times they for suits of iron with limited mobility and vision. This symbolizes the change in people, it is harder for people to be more open about things and how people can be so close-minded.

Ch 10. Of Books

• Montaigne states, “These are fancies of my own, by which I do not pretend to discover things but to lay open myself…” This is personal evidence from Montaigne that what he is writing is personal and coming straight from him. This can also show that he is writing his stream of consciousness.
• Montaigne’s inspirations are Virgil, Lucretius, Catullus, and Horace.

Ch. 11 Of Cruelty

• Virtue: Behaving morally, but it is not natural and requires some type of effort. Montaigne says God is naturally good therefore he is not virtuous.
• Montaigne’s shows reverence to “beasts” (animals) he enjoys that in past civilizations that they showed care toward animals. The Romans used to feed public geese, the Agrigentines  had kindness for horses dogs and birds, and the Egyptians mummified dogs, cats, wolves, bears, and crocodiles.

Ch. 12 Of Judging the Death of Another

• Montaigne writes about the many types of death; suicide, murder , and premeditated murder. Julius Caesar says that he preferred a faster death that wasn’t planned.

Ch. 13 That Our Mind Hinders Itself

• Montaigne says that our mind is always stuck between two things that are of necessity. An example he uses is the bottle and the ham, one can either starve or die of thirst but we are destined to die so no matter what we choose the outcome is no different.

Ch. 14 That Our desires are Augmented by Difficulty

• Montaigne alludes to a philosopher that says that anything that is good for you will not bring pleasure.
• Montaigne advises his audience to not mess around with mistresses because in the end they are more detrimental than the pleasure they may bring

Ch. 15 Of Glory

• Though there are many glorious acts being committed, like soldiers going to war. Not all of them are going to be heard by the public. It is unfair that many people will not get the recognition they deserve, only the people that  are “wealthy” like Caesar and Augustine, both f their stories were told except for their valiant soldiers.

Ch. 16 Of Presumption

• Montaigne says that being ambitious can sometimes bring is worse than just staying conservative and playing it safe. He says that the fear of falling is scarier than the falling itself.  I entirely disagree with this statement and fell like there should be more risk in life
• Montaigne loves his adopted daughter Marie de Gournay le Jars more than anything in his life.

Ch. 17 Of Giving the Lie

• Montaigne’s thoughts on lying are that it is cowardly to do so, a good and honest man is the most honorable.

Ch. 18 Of Liberty of Conscience

• Montaigne judges pagan books and calls them barbarians. He dislikes anyone that doesn’t believe in god and thinks that they are living life blind. Though this contradicts the title of this essay Montaigne is heavily religious and wants everyone to be that way.

Ch. 19 That We Taste Nothing Pure

• consanguinity - state of noting one has descended from the same ancestor
• Metrodorus - “in sorrow, there is some mixture of pleasure”
• pleasure always has some form of bitterness that comes with it

Ch. 20 Against Idleness

• Vespasian died of disease.
• He compliments Mule Muloch on his strategic advancements on Portugal and how he won the battle that killed three kings.

Ch. 21 Of Posting

• Montaigne talks about speed of travel. Caesar 100 miles a day. Nero went 200 miles in only one day
• Cecina utilizes a swallow to send messages back to his family during travel.

Ch. 22 Of Ill means Employed to a Good End

• Diseases within Europe flourish rapidly. It scares everyone even the doctors. People are purged (bled out) as a remedy but it only kills off the population.
• Montaigne also talks about slavery and how it is not right for these innocent people.

Ch. 23 Of the Roman Grandeur

• Montaigne talks about how the Romans weren’t a group that took everything, but a group that also gave. Augustus would take over new territories but restore the people he took from

Ch. 24 Not to Counterfeit Being Sick

• The story of Caelius where he pretended to have gout by wearing bandages and limping around everywhere, in the end he actually got the sickness. Metaphorically speaking it is not okay to pretend to be the victim because in the end you will be th victim

Ch. 25 Of Thumbs

• “The populace, with inverted thumbs, kill all that come before them.” This quote symbolizes the colosseum games and how many were killed just by the flick of a thumb

Ch. 26 Cowardice the Mother of Cruelty

• Emperor Mohammed used to cut people in half through the diaphragm. It was swift but cruel.
• Croesus took his brother to shop and had him scratched to death.
• Lucat, George Sachel’s brother, and 20 other captains ate George and drank his blood.

Ch. 27 All Things have Their Season

• “Various things delight various men, all things are not for all ages.” Montaigne uses this quote to state that there is a time and place for everything. Like some people are hungry for acquiring wealth, but Montaigne advises the to be patient and the wealth will come eventually.

Ch. 28 Of Virtue

• Montaigne talks about the bad many people do like a man would beat his wife, she got ill with cholera and jumped into a river and drowned. He uses examples of sin to explain that being virtuous is important in life to be a better person to better the world for everyone and for God.

Ch. 29  Of a Monstrous Child

• story about a child who is connected to another, the moral being that while some things seems strange to us, it is not in the eyes of god for he has made them that way for a reason.  

Ch. 30 Of Anger

• describes how anger can cause rash decisions and that one should not hit their children or severts out of anger because it is not a wise form of correction, rather it is revenge
• saying one thing and doing is another

Ch. 31 Defence of Seneca and Plutarch

• talks about how useful and important these two authors work has been  for his own books
• defends the reputation of Plutarch from Jean Bodin who accuses him of being ignorant and writing things that are “incredible, and absolutely fabulous”

Ch. 32 The Story of Spurina  

• moderation is a virtue and gives more work than suffering
• reason excels the ordinary life in innocence, while the great excel in unity and force

Ch.33 Observation on the Means to Carry on a War According  to Julius Caesar

• this selection is detailed descriptions of some the battles Caesar lead, such as wars in Gual

Ch.34 Of Three Good Woman

• talks about the connections of husband and wife and how they react with death

Ch. 35 Of the Most Excellent Men

• in his views three of the greatest men were: Homer, Alexander the Great, and  Epaminondas. All of these men were chosen for different reasons

Ch. 36 Of the Resemblance of Children to their Fathers

• as far as physicians go, chance is more valuable than knowledge
• there were never two opinions alike

Book 3 (1-13)

Ch.1 of Profit and Honesty

• “I will follow the good side right to the fire, but not into it if I can help it.”

Ch.2 of Repentance

• Few men have been admired by their own households.
• I may desire in general to be other than I am but I ought not to call this repentance, no more than the being dissatisfied that I am not an angel

Ch. 3 of Three Commerces

• testimony of the elder cato
• “Tis to be, but not to live, to keep a man's self tied and bound by necessity to one only course; those are the bravest souls that have in them the most variety and pliancy.”

Ch. 4 of Diversion

• "Let no man be ashamed to speak what he is not ashamed to think”
• A man goes the wrong way to work when he opposes this passion; for opposition does but irritate and make them more obstinate in sorrow; the evil is exasperated by discussion

Ch. 5  Upon Some Verses of Virgil

• marriage happens as with cages: the birds without despair to get in, and those within despair of getting out.

Ch. 6 of Coaches

• It is very easy to verify, that great authors, when they write of causes, not only make use of those they think to be the true causes, but also of those they believe not to be so

Ch. 7 of the Inconvenience of Greatness

• Greatness has, in general, this manifest advantage, that it can lower itself when it pleases, and has, very near, the choice of both the one and the other condition

Ch. 8 of the art of Conference

• what is done can never be undone, all judgments in gross are weak and imperfect.
• “'Tis a custom of our justice to condemn some for a warning to others.”

Ch. 9 of Vanity

• There is no man so good that if he placed all his actions and thoughts under the scrutiny of the laws, he would not deserve hanging ten times in his life.
• “A man must be a little mad if he does not want to be even more stupid.”

Ch.10 of Managing the Will

• 'Tis my opinion that a man should lend himself to others, and only give himself to himself. Were my will easy to lend itself out and to be swayed, I should not stick there; I am too tender both by nature and use”

Ch. 11 of Cripples

• “I have seen no more evident monstrosity and miracle in the world than myself.”

Ch. 12 Of Physiognomy

• physiognomy - relating a person’s physical features to his or her character
• impetuous - acting on emotion, acting without thought
• gestures and facial expressions have the ability to tell others your thoughts
• certain physical features of a person can supposively categorize their nature (ex: round face means that person tends to be lazy, easy going)

Ch. 13 Of Experience

• knowledge is the most desired entity for man
• Montaigne desired to study himself at a greater depth
• Having concise laws would only favor a few while having less concise laws would lead to ambiguity
• Since the “art of medicine” during his time was not great, he argues people should accept diseases and learn how to cope with them
• stresses the importance of the blending of mind, body, and soul; one cannot improve without the other
• “A man must search into the nature of things, and fully examine what she requires.” -  Cicero
• Montaigne makes use of everything or every idea he comes across to his advantage, and not let it “slide” and have the opportunity wasted