Journal #1

My lit circle group is reading Lord of the Flies. In class so far we've mainly discussed the characters, the setting, and have made some predictions. The two main characters right now are Ralph and Piggy. Ralph is fair, fit, and a natural leader, while Piggy is heavy, wears glasses, has asthma, and doesn't seem too sure of himself. They're opposites, and so I wonder if the contrast in their personalities is going to affect their survival on the tropical island they're stranded on. Right now on the island, the boys seem to be relatively happy and healthy, however, there are some worries of a "beast" that could be on the island.
There is also a conch shell, which was found and used by Ralph to signal the other kids on the island. Because of this, it now represents power. I wonder if this shell is going to keep order (or create violence or jealousy), once the inevitable chaos of the plot begins, which could be because of this "beast".
Our group works really well together. We expand on each other's ideas, ask questions, and make predictions. I'm looking forward to future discussions.

Response

How true that we do need a balance. Unfortunatley that is what are society since the beginning of time has created the need for. That is all we know. We have never known a society that is all pure. It is something sometimes that one would like as an ideal do you not think.
You have raised many good points in your reflection. Can you think of any specific examples to further develop your writing next time?

Why is there darkness in humanity?

I believe that humanity is all about balance. In humanity there will always be both good and evil, happy and sad, positive and negative. There is darkness in humanity because, only if there is darkness, can there be light. I can see how some people would wish for there to be no darkness in the world, and for there to always be light and joy and happiness. If there was no darkness though, humanity would have no light either. Humanity would be unchanging, always in a neutral state, neither light nor dark. Light cannot exist without darkness.
We must experience darkness in order to appreciate the light in humanity. If it were light all the time, we wouldn't even realize it. Every day would be the same, and so that would become neutral.
The only way that we know light is a good thing, is because we can compare it to darkness. Without darkness, we wouldn't even know what light, happiness, or positivity is.

How does Macbeth connect to at least two Essential Questions?

Macbeth connects to many essential questions, but most of all it connects to the essential questions "How does power corrupt?" and "How far is one willing to go to get what they desire?".
Macbeth is entirely about the strive for power, so it corrupts in many ways. There is murder, lying, backstabbing between friends and much more, all because of the strive for power.
The murder of King Duncan is a large corruption, done because of  Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's desire for power. King Duncan was Macbeth's friend, and so that shows how far Macbeth was willing to go to get what he desired (power). When Macbeth for a moment was having second-thoughts, Lady Macbeth stated that she would've
"pluk'd [her] nipple from [her child's] boneless gums,
And dash'd the brains out had [she] so sworn
As [Macbeth] have done to this."-Lady Macbeth ( I,vii, 62-65)
She's saying that'd she'd rather kill her own child than back out of a deal like Macbeth had suggested. That is how far Lady Macbeth would go to get what she desired.
Macbeth's gain of power (him becoming king) corrupted the village, causing chaos because of Duncan's death. " O horror! horror! horror! Tongue nor heart, Cannot conceive nor name thee!"-Macduff(II,iii,69-70)
There are many essential questions that can be related to Macbeth, but "How does power corrupt?" and "How far is one willing to go to get what they desire?" connect to Macbeth the most.

My understanding of Act I scenes 6-7 and EQs

EQs: -How do we deal with conflicting elements within our personalities?
        -What is integrity?

Act I scene 6 is mainly Lady Macbeth and all the other main characters besides Macbeth himself. Lady Macbeth is greeting Duncan and his court, and kind words and compliments are exchanged.

"How you shall bid God 'ild us for your pains,

And thank us for your trouble"-Duncan, Act I scene 6

"Against those honors deep and broad wherewith

Your majesty loads our house" -Lady Macbeth, Act I scene 6, lines 17-18

 

Which brings me to why I chose the essential question "What is integrity?". I chose this question because I feel that it contrasts with this entire scene. Integrity is qualities like honesty or truthfulness. Scene 6 is about the lack of integrity in Lady Macbeth. While she is being polite and treating Duncan as her honoured guest,(see above quotes) she is planning to have him killed. Integrity is the opposite of what Lady Macbeth had in this scene.

Next, in scene 7, Macbeth is deciding that he, after all, does not want to kill Duncan. He is having second thoughts about the original plan. (He's showing integrity!)

"We will proceed no further in this business.

He hath honored me of late, and I have bought

Golden opinions from all sorts of people," -Macbeth, Act I scene 7, lines 33-35

I chose the question "How do we deal with conflicting elements within our personalities?", because here, that is exactly what Macbeth is doing. He is dealing with the conflicting elements in his personality. He wants to be king, yet, he wants the "golden opinions from all sorts of people". Meaning he doesn't want to kill Duncan.

respopnse to selfworth

You have found some good points to support your question and I like how you have backed it up with proof from the play:) Next time, begin by explainng how you define self worth so the reader can further understand the improtance adn the significance of your examples. Good insight adn foreshadowing.

Act I, EQ: How does one define a person's self worth?

There are many ways in which one could define their self worth. Macbeth has done it several ways in act I. First of all, he saw himself as an honourable man, up until his wife, Lady Macbeth, threatened his manhood by saying "Yet do I fear thy nature;

It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness

To catch the nearest way"-Lady Macbeth, Act I scene 5, lines 3-5.

With this he felt like he needed to prove himself a man, and decided to kill Duncan, the king of Scotland.

After he killed him though, he started doubting himself and it was as if the deed had lowered his self worth.

"First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,

Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,

Who should against his murderer shut the door,

Not bear the knife myself"-Macbeth, Act I scene 7 lines 13-16

Macbeth's self worth was defined not only in these two ways throughout Act I, but also throughout the rest of the play.