Reflections

First of all I must mention that Garrett's blog was hilarious! It made class very enjoyable on Wednesday, and it would be a shame if you had missed it.

When going through Chekhov's version of "The Lady with the Pet Dog", I learned how we are supposed to read and pay attention the the little details. I have a tendency to look at a story as a whole rather than the individual details, and from this class I have learned how the individual details can show important things about the story. It was especially interesting to look at how Chekhov used words to portray ideas about females, such as how the "Lace on their lingerie reminded him of scales."

Next, we learned about sonnets. I love reading poetry. Sometimes a poem clicks with me and I can identify with it, while other times I have absolutely no idea what the poem is talking about and I have to break it apart and examine it closer to interpret it. In class, we learned about how four lines are called a quatraine. their are 14 lines in total, which means there are 3 quatrains and a couplet at the end. I haven't written my sonnet to my significant other yet, but it should be an interesting experience seeing his reaction when I give it to him.

I was looking through some famous sonnets, and I found many by Shakespeare and also this one by Elizabeth Barrett Browning that I instantly recognized.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
my soul can reach when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
most quiet need, by sun and candle-light
I love thee freely, as men strive for right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
with my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.