Misery- Stephen King

1) Paul Sheldon, an author of a successful series on the character of Misery Chastain, crashes his car during a winter storm and becomes completely unconscious.  A woman by the name of Annie Wilkes is the woman that Paul wakes up to in a bedroom. She is sitting next to the bed, reading. Paul learns that he is in a farmhouse in Sidewinder, Colorado. "My name is Annie Wilkes. And I am -" "I know," he said.  "You're my number-one fan" (part 1, chapter 2, page 6).  Annie has no intention of notifying the authorities and intends to keep him under her watch as long as it takes for her to fulfill her darkest fantasies or psychosis.  She soon becomes out of control after she reads the latest manuscript in the Misery series.  In order for Paul to save his own life, she demands that he resurrects the character of Misery.  Annie obsesses over Paul, and physically abuses and tortures him until the very end.... in which you must read to find out what happens! Don't want to completely spoil it for you.


2) Fanaticism- Misery is Annie's escape into the 19th century which was a more gentler time in which people did not behave like they do now.  Annie is equally obsessed with Paul and the idea of him writing "Misery's Return" for her.  The worst episode of Annie's rage was when she finishes reading "Misery's Child" which blows her into a complete psychosis when she learns that Miser is dead.


3)  Misery is written in an omniscient/ suspenseful tone.  This third person omniscient is used when talking about Annie Wilkes.  "I am your number one fan." "I am in trouble here.  This woman is not right."  "And then woe is you, Pauly.  Woe to the max."  "There are lots of guys out there who write a better prose line than i do and who have a better understanding of what people are really like and what humanity is supposed to mean- hell, I know that."


4)  the literary techniques used in this novel include flashbacks, third person point of view, combining horror genre with the romance, structure, and graphic maiming.

Tools That Change The Way We Think

I do not believe that extensive use of technology makes a person lazier. It is not a matter of interest as much as it is a convenience. For example, it would be a waste of precious time to look up a word in a dictionary or encyclopedia when you can search the internet for the same thing and get the needed information needed. Therefore if you do happen to be in the situation when your only source is a dictionary or encyclopedia, you will be dreading every second of it because in your mind you know that this could be done so much faster online. Thus completely disassembles our concentration. If the resources that are given to you are used correctly and efficiently, then success is what is to come. The problem that arouses is when people get distracted while using the internet by going on other sites. This would not be the case if this same person was reading in a book to retain information at the library. The role of technology is refine information to make it more easier and convenient to find exactly what your looking for. Information found on the internet may not always be valid or detailed, but it is very easy and quick to obtain. We can now use our phones to access the internet as well, which pretty much eliminates us from searching through hundreds of books at the library. The fact that there are many site where people can give their own opinions and information on certain articles is a big negative. These articles are very easy to access, and sometimes it is hard to know what is valid and what is not. This also holds you back from gathering your own information and creating an opinion of your own. The internet does supply an environment where thinking is not really necessary, but it also creates an opportunity to gather numerous sources of ideas, opinions, facts, and information with the click of a button.

In Search Of...

This presentation makes me think differently because everyone is not seeing the same thing, therefore the information I would get from a google search engine is completely different then the information someone else might get. When I re-did the Shakespeare search I made it more specific. I searched "Shakespeares life in comparison to De Vere" since that was specifically what i was looking for. Instead of just searching "Shakespeare" i was more specific so i got more specific results which better correlated with what i was looking for.

Who Was Shakespeare

My own personal knowledge of Shakespeare includes his writings of Romeo and Juliet  and Hamlet.  I also knew that he didn’t have the typical upbringing of that of a typical writing genius. He was truly  in my eyes, the greatest poet and dramatist the world has ever seen.   There aren’t many facts about Shakespeare, and that is what causes some to question his credibility.  The opposing side has absolutely no evidence to argue against Shakespeare’s authenticity.  He is thought to be one of the greatest of all time, but no matter how great he was, students still have a hard time interpreting his language and iambic pentameter.  Because of this many students don’t even give his writing a chance to make sense of it.  I have personally learned how to interpret Shakespeare’s work a whole lot better from where I started.  I am able to translate easier, and by using the footnotes, I am able to see what the whole meaning is, and this allows me to compare my thinking to Shakespeare’s in writing this play.  I do still continue to struggle with some of the illusions Shakespeare mentions.  

I typed in “Who was Shakespeare” into google, and I visited the PBS website, Wikipedia, and shakespear.about.com

To Facebook or Not to Facebook

Initially I viewed Facebook as being a social networking site for older adults.  I saw it as a play off of Myspace, but for a more mature audience.  The potential harms that Facebook includes the fact the 7.5 million Facebook users are 12 years & under, what you post will never go away, and EVERYONE can see your Facebook.  The dangers of kids under the age of 12 putting their personal business online makes it that much easier for internet creepers to follow these young kids which could potentially result in a very unsafe situation.  The posts and pictures that are anywhere on the web will always be there and follow you for the rest of your life whether you like it or not.  Therefore the fact that Facebook feels like such a comfortable place to express your thoughts and/or emotions, but we sometimes forget that once something is said by us or about us on the web...it follows us...FOREVER.  Most people think their Facebook accounts are private, but what they seem to look forget is the fact that ANYONE can hack into their “private accounts” and view their information, posts, and pictures.  There are benefits to Facebook, such as promoting businesses through ads and connecting with family that your not able to see or visit.  These ads don’t seem very negative.  I mean Facebook does need to make money, and by selling information about what kinds of ads to show certain consumers isn’t a very bad thing in my mind. We also discussed the fact that some Facebook consumers are on there only to connect with family members. In class there were various testimonials of students who had joined Facebook to connect with family in different states or countries that they are unable to see.   Facebook is a business, and honestly they can care less whether you post pictures or comments that are inappropriate.   As long as they make their money, they’re satisfied.

Don't Be Hamlet

Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy from the play represents his mental struggle on whether he should continue living, or if he should just end his life.  He also is asking to be prayed for.  This shows that he is looking for hope from anywhere possible. He doesn’t want to give up, but at the same time he’s tired of fighting the controversy and drama that fills his life.

Hamlet’s life is FILLED with problems, and its because of these problems that make him feel like his life is hopeless and there’s no way out of these conflicts he’s faced with.  If Hamlet wasn’t a coward then he would fix these problems that are right in front of him, rather than consider killing himself as a resolution.  Suicide is not the answer at all, but if he was to fight Claudius and take the throne back for his father, then that will fix all the problems in which Hamlet is faced with.

Hamlet’s emotions are very unstable and quite frankly they are all over the place.   Every thought in his mind is filled with the wrong that is going on around him and in his life, and because of this he feels as if theres no way out.  He feels trapped, and this is what causes him to crumble and fold to this pressure of avenging his father.  Suicide seems like the easy way out to Hamlet, but what he doesn’t understand is the fact that NOTHING will become any easier to him... HE’LL BE DEAD!

Notes on Hamlet

Hamlet was very upset by the passing of his father at the beginning of the play, and this created somewhat of a foreshadow for what was to come.  This passion for his father is what makes him think the way he does and add the pressure of retaining his father’s throne.  The more the play unravels, the more you see Hamlet show signs of being mentally unstable, which results in his inability to deal with the decisions of what todo about his fathers death.  The ghost tells Hamlet that his Uncle Claudius, who was now married to Hamlet’s mother, was the one who killed him.  In knowing this, Hamlet goes through the mental battle of avenging his father’s death, or committing suicide.  Hamlet has gone somewhat mad, but I do believe that he has a plan , and he’ll go through with killing his uncle.  Once he has done so, Hamlet will have to face the consequences for his actions.