Hypnopaedia

The phrase "To disagree hurts you and me" ties into the World State's attitude in Brave New World. It highlights the importance that people place on conforming, and their idea that everyone is created a certain way. The background music on the slideshow is repetitive, in order to enhance the consistency of the message, and calming to create a mood of acceptance. Pictures of people and animals cooperating assist in the visualization of teamwork and conformity.

Dramatic Monologue

How stupid of me
Giving in
Going agaisnt what I know is right
Aligning myself with him
A crook; a swindler

All my life making decisions,
Performing surgeries
With the best of intentions
Now I cave in to
A dishonest man,
And I pay the price
My sweet sister, taken from me,
In his arms, I see no one's fault
Except for mine

Now I know what is right
I see what must be done
It's all so clear now,
His life should end
As he ended mine
Now, with shame on my family
My sister, a whore
A mistress to deception
The path I have chosen
Cannot end here,
But must be altered

College Essay, for real this time

Piano lessons, yet another structured childhood activity suggested by my parents. Were they covering all the bases, or did they have foresight? For their sake, I'll credit them with the latter. For my sake, this was a first introduction to real music, learning without being taught, and discovering a passion for knowledge.

The piano lessons came to an end, but the learning continues. Guitars, banjo, saxophone, bass, harmonica, and playing in a band have become part of my life. Music structure, theory, composition, history, production, and economics all have become part of my learning. Much of the learning has been on my own, but some has presented itself through experiences and acquaintances with others interested in music. I have found that when their specific musical interests differ from mine, rather than shut them out, I've learned from them. When my friend Mark asked me to compose with him, I was reluctant, due to my distaste of country music. He insisted on teaching me about bluegrass and old-time string bands. This smashed the mental barrier I had placed between country-style music and myself. Artists like Old and in the Way, Bill Monroe, and Earl Scruggs began to interest me, and Mark and I discovered a bridge between our two styles. This bridge came through artists that bridge the gap between bluegrass and modern music, such as Bela Fleck. I have assimilated the new knowledge into my ever changing understanding of music.

This has brought me to a new self understanding. I realize that I can focus intense concentration on, and put tremendous energy into, acquiring knowledge about a subject while retaining an open mind to the viewpoints of others. My friendship with Sam exemplifies this. He was an older student at my high school and now is a student at the Berklee College of music. He too has a great passion for music, but his focus was originally on much different genres than my own. Surprisingly this did not present an obstacle, as our exchange of information and insight into one another s interpretations has led to an enhanced understanding of music. I've incorporated this into my interactions with others, expanding my understanding.

I ve discovered that nothing stands on its own. My pursuit of musical knowledge has led me to the investigation of many things associated with it. Economics, history, social influence (all of these things and more) are affected by, and have effect on, music.

Although music is not my only interest, it has provided insight into my passionate intellectual curiosity. I know that this will translate positively in my college experience. Also, it has taught me that I get great pleasure from sharing interests and knowledge with others. This will hopefully make me an asset to my university, fellow students, and chosen field of study.

Found Poem

Congested with phlegm and an idea,
Liver-spotted hands,
She snapped the match out
The world is made of money

Bust the boys: strong arm, blackmail,
A tempest of feeling
Playing against the rules with
A metal gut like a spider

The plain unvarnished truth prevails
Right and wrong become disregarded
Another night ends,
She walks away on stubby little legs

A Long Day's Journey Into Night

In Long Day's Journey Into Night, Eugene O'Neill tells the story of a dysfunctional family that perseveres through disappointment and lack of achievement. Through the conflicts and events that occur during the play, he pieces together a creative self-portrait. This picture becomes clear by observing the traits O'Neill presents each character with, and the background information that they each possess. Even the setting of the story plays a role in O'Neill's attempt at an autobiography. Janet Witalec describes a creative autobiography as "A rich self-portrait of the artist, allowing us to experience the older self returning in time to re-enact and meditate upon the discovery by his younger self of his life's work." Long Day's Journey Into Night enables Eugene O'Neill to describe himself, and his painful past experiences, by crafting an intricate tale of people with similar personalities.

One of O'Neill's main vehicles appears as the similarities between all of the Tyrone family members. Out of all of the play's characters, Edmund is most directly modeled after O'Neill himself. Edmund exists as the youngest of the Tyrones, and deals with his older brother Jamie and father James. Edmund also suffers from tuberculosis, whcih O'Neill also dealt with as a child. The relationship Edmund has with James is a direct portrayal of Eugene O'Neill's relationship with his own miserly father. There is also a lot of resemblance in all three men in the family. They display similar temper-related outbursts, and all three have an infatuation with alcohol abuse. O'Neill cultivates the character traits of each person, and, by giving them similar qualities, shows that they are a description of him and his own past life.

The setting of the story also presents fairly detailed insight into O'Neill's past. Both the time and place of the play serve to enhance the idea that Long Day's Journey Into Night is a creative autobiography. The play is set in August of 1912, which happens to be the same year that O'Neill left home to become a writer, and recover from tuberculosis. The play also coincidentally takes place during one day. Beginning at day break and ending at dusk, the format of the time in Long Day's Journey Into Night parallels the format of a person's life. O'Neill sets the past as a main theme in the story, and by causing the characters to dwell on past events, he is doing the same thing himself. O'Neill intertwines many different devices and effects into the fabric of the story, all of which contribute to the retelling of his past life.

The characters, setting, and style of Long Day's Journey Into Night all play key roles in Eugene O'Neill's efforts to mold a look into his personal life. By incorporating his own experiences into the play, O'Neill gives a realistic feel to the events in the story, and provides enhancing detail to the progression, or lack of progression, of character development. This twist helps Long Day's Journey Into Night set itself apart from other plays, and makes it one of the most distinguishable works in Eugene O'Neill's extensive catalogue.

Mann, Bruce J. "O'Neill's 'Presence' in Long Day's Journey into Night." Theatre Annual. 43.(1988) 15-30. Rpt. in Drama Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 20. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 15-30. Literature Resource Center. Gale. LEE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM. 21 Sept. 2008

Feet

Look at my feet, please
A glimpse, then understanding grows
Awe replaces repulsion
Pure majesty lies within

Decades, centuries, generations
Both the creator and the creation
So accepted in everyday use,
Yet so unappreciated

Your gaze becomes more fixed
Now almost a gawk, you start to wonder
How long have you been eluded?
Where does mystery end, and truth begin?

Now engulfed in wonder,
The day becomes abbreviated
Priorities lose value
Why are you staring?