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When I first entered the exam room for AP Lit, I have to admit that I was really nervous. Although we prepared for the exam throughout the entire year, I was just hoping that my skills would reflect what I had learned, and I had learned so much. My desire for a 5 wasn’t because I was hoping for college credit or because I wanted to say that I earned a 5 on AP Literature. I was driven to do my best on the AP exam, so I could give justice to what Mrs. Clinch has done for our class and what she has done for me. While I wasn’t as successful in the poetry and prose passages as I hoped I would be, I actually enjoyed the exam, and I thank Mrs. Clinch for providing me with a new and exciting love for literature.

After first entering Mrs. Clinch’s AP Lit class, I had learned of certain horror stories about all the work that she gives. Still, I looked confidently through my summer reading annotations, thinking that I had at least scraped a low A. Upon received my low B, I was a little bit in shock. I wasn’t used to putting so much work into an assignment and getting a terrible grade out of it. I didn’t realize then that literature was so much more about hard work. Sure, I could have gotten average grades simply putting in effort into my assignments, but I think that I really started being successful in the class when I started enjoying reading, writing, and analyzing.

Honestly, I have always been more of a math and science person, always striving to solve logical problems that have definite answers. I think that before this class, I always did approach my timed writings through a certain logical lens. Now, I can’t honestly and truly say that I am in love with literature. I loved going to class every day and hearing all the brilliant theories in the class. I loved the ability to converse about a book that conveyed so much in so little words. I loved how we all had a teacher who cared so much that she opened up her mind and her heart so that we could appreciate literature just a little bit more.

I’m not the best at conveying emotions, and I really don’t like to show my sentimental side. Still, I think I can get pretty emotional, and sitting here writing this blog is making me sad. I’m not going to see most of the people in high school ever again, and I won’t get to have many more discussions in our amazing, tiny, intelligent, crazy, and wonderful lit class. In fact, I think it is now just hitting me that our lives are about to change. And I absolutely hate change. I hate that we all are going to move away, and as odd as it sounds, I am upset that I am leaving high school. I don’t feel like I am ready to move away, and I really wish that I could spend another four years in Alpharetta, Georgia. Still, I know that I need to move on one day, and it’s going to be really, really hard to let go of all the people in high school. Ms. Clinch, you have prepared so well for all the Lit classes that I am going to take, and I’ll be sure to try to “make the world more beautiful.” I can truly say that, at least for me, you have made literature so incredibly beautiful.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

Reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead has been a pleasure for the past few weeks. Amidst AP exam stresses and graduation problems, it’s nice to sit, read an interesting, appreciate its literary brilliance, and genuinely laugh at the Stoppard’s sheer comedic genius. I have to admit that I recently haven’t given the play the analysis or the appreciation that it deserves. However, I acknowledge that its publication was almost revolutionary and hope to be able to delve deeper into the more important elements of the play.

While reading this play, I wonder what absurdist theater really represents. Sure, it has its theoretical definition, which is the lack of meaning in a world of characters that are almost represented by puppets. However, Tom Stoppard must have a specific purpose in creating such a play. Beyond its obvious entertainment value, Stoppard’s portrayal of the two characters as ignorant fools conveys much about the values of our society. The two titular characters are actually complete opposites of Hamlet. While Hamlet is an intelligent, verbose man, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are, frankly, a little stupid. They seemingly don’t have any control over their actions and only follow the stage directions given to them. Is Tom Stoppard telling us that the lives of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern parallel the lives in the modern world? Are we all ignorant fools? On a deeper level, are we guided by an outward force, never in control of our actions? While Tom Stoppard’s questions aren’t unique or new, they are important. Even more, Stoppard presents his old questions in a new way. Perhaps, Tom Stoppard is criticizing modern society, but we can create our own stage directions and end our ignorance. Although I haven’t realized the play’s true message, I look forward to reading more and trying to raise some unanswered and most likely unanswerable questions.

My spell check (almost through fate) propelled me to consider another important issue within the play. When I wrote Rosencrantz and Guildenstern “are,” the spell check incorrectly prompted me to change the “are” to an “is.” It’s ironic because Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are actually almost like one. In class, we discussed distinguishing them, and unlike the characters in other novels, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern don’t have distinctive dialogue, and I wouldn’t be able to designate specific characteristics between the two. I think their unity represents a lack of identity especially characteristic in modern times. In fact, Fight Club brought up the same issue of the growing lack of identity. However in Palahniuk’s novel, there is one man composed of two very distinctive personalities. In Stoppard’s play, there are two men composed of one very similar personality. In essence, both works send messages on identity. I think that Tom Stoppard especially wanted to show the degeneration of people into one ignorant mass, represented by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Still, if the two characters are controlled by fate, can they ever really control their lack of identity and growing ignorance? Can we control any ignorance that we have? The play raises so many deep questions that I have a feeling I’m going to be left unsatisfied at the end.