My Crazy Thoughts.

In the book, Merchants of Venice, Shakespeare portrays that reality is not always as it appears to be. It seems to be an important part of the book’s message. Love can distort a person’s perception of a person or thing into something other than what it is in reality. There are three instances where that happens: the three different caskets, Jessica dressing up as a boy, and Portia dresses up to be a man to see if Bassanio’s love is strong.

There were three caskets: gold, silver, and unpolished lead. Every time a guy wanted to marry Portia they had to pick one of them and if they guessed the right one they would win her hand in marriage. The gold represented what every man wants and desire, the silver represents what a man desires and the lead represents that a man must be willing to give up and risk everything.  In the end the unpolished, dull lead casket is the right one (75). This casket was the right one because if any man was to pick the other two it would show he wasn’t genuine with his choice or that he doesn’t completely have his whole heart into it. Sometimes the ugliest looking one is the best one. In this case, it was. Appearances aren’t everything. It’s like the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”.  If a person does they will never see the truth in anything. In order to really be in love a person must look past the flaws of a person and uncover what’s underneath.

Another situation where reality isn’t always what it seems is when Jessica dresses up as a boy. She disguises herself so no one would know she was running away with a Christian. In order to get what she wants she has to appears to be something she is not. Jessica says, “I am glad ‘tis night, you do not look at me, for I am much ashamed of my exchange” (71). In reality a person can be ugly or doing something shameful, but love stops them from seeing it or caring about it. Jessica wanted to run away, so in order to not get caught she had to be deceiving to the eye.  She was in love and love is blinding.

A similar occurrence is when Portia and Nerissa dress up as men. Bassanio, who didn’t know his wife was present because she was dressed as a boy said, “But life itself, my wife and all the world…I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all (161). Without knowing that his wife was there he turned his love to his friend. 

Well my assumption was wrong. She didn’t marry Antonio. I did have a hunch, however, that she was going to offer her money to help get Antonio out of Shylock’s hold. Bassanio is a good friend to Antonio. He goes to help him out. He tries and offer double of what he originally said he would give to him. Anything that would help get his friend out of trouble. His friendship is true to him, because he was willing to give his ring that his wife gave him away because Antonio asked him to. I would be loyal to my friend that I have known my whole life than my wife, or in my case, husband, whom I had just met. This book has a lot of twists to it. I like it because that’s what keeps people interested. Shakespeare is an interesting writer if you look past his writing style. One of the key themes that appearances can be deceiving is portrayed again. Another example other than the three caskets is when Portia and Nerrisa dress up as boys. The people thought they were important men whose opinion mattered. They listened to what they had to say because their appearance weren’t as they seemed. 

Well honestly, at first, I didn’t like this book. Shakespeare is a hard person to understand. Reading Merchant of Venice I had no idea what it was talking about. The Elizabethan way of speaking was throwing me off. However, I found that if I read out loud, like it was a play, I actually began to understand it more. It is an interesting story line. I think that Antonio is going to end up marrying Portia instead of Bassanio because why else would the book be called Merchant of Venice. Antonio is the merchant in Venice. There are some scenes that I enjoy in the book. I like the part when Lancelot and his father are talking to each other. They are both entertaining people. Also I like when Shylock and Antonio talk about lending money. They are both so mean to each other. Shakespeare, even way back then, knew how to keep people entertained in his plays. He adds great dynamics to his writing. My favorite character is probably is Jessica. She, in a way, is like me. She is running away from her strict, overruling parent. I sort of did that too. I wasn’t able to do anything when I lived with my mom because she had so many rules. I moved out to live with my dad. I think she is a great character addition to the book/play.

A. The sixth book of Bokonon is about pain, tortures form men to men. Mona and Jonah were still underground. There were tornados going on above, or worms. Everyone was going to die when there wasn’t any more water. Jonah read the books of Bokonan. Mona was not interested in having a baby, because “it would be very sad to have a baby now” (266). On the forth day in the ground the weather was finally getting better above. When they went above ground there was nothing, no movement and no life, just blue frost. There had to have been one survivor because there was a new calypso written on the gate. They went to Mount McCabe and when they began to climb, they saw all the dead people, thousands of them all covered in ice-nine.  Almost all the body’s had their fingers in their mouths meaning they tasted the ice-nine.  Close to the people was a note signed Bokonon. Mona asked Jonah a question said he wasn’t quick enough to answer and with that touch the blue stuff and put it to her lip. A single cab had been spared by the storm. In it were the Crosby’s and Newt. They led him back to Frank.  

It had been six months since the event. It is now that Jonah is writing this book. They got along fine. The weather was always dry and warm; they had plenty of food and clothing. Mr. Crosby was the cook. Frank still experimented and Newt painted pictures. The seventh book of Bokonon is about Utopias. Jonah seems to have lost all hope in the religion Bokonism. Angela died when she touched her mouth to her clarinet. Jonah saw Bokonon. He was a black man. Bokonon wrote the last sentence of his book.

B. 

Sordid- demonstrating the worst aspects of human nature such as immorality, selfishness, and greed

Spurious- different from what it is claimed to be, not authentic, or not valid or well-founded

Ménage- a group of people living together as a household

C. If this book is all lies then why read it?

    Did Bokonon actually bring hope to the people in the end?

A. These chapters start with the Hoenikker children and Jonah cleaning off ice-nine from the room. They told Jonah what happened Christmas Eve. Dr. Hoenikker talked about ice nine all night. When he took a break experimenting he died in the wicker chair. The dog licked a rag containing ice-nine and he froze. Dr. Hoenikker was the same way. The children then discussed who divided the ice-nine. They all seemed to have taken a part.

They were now finished cleaning the and hid the doctor’s body in the closest. There were a lot of lies told that day. They old the guests that Papa was better and the soliders were building a funeral pyre for somehitng they didn’t know. The Ambassdor gave his speech. He talked about the wreath and about his son dying in war. Then they watched the show. A plane crashed and the Mintons were trapped so they held hands and “went” together. Then Papa’s body fell from the boat and the sea became filled with ice-nine. Mona and Jonah ran to shelter.

B.

Reticule- a small fabric purse

Tableau- vivid and wide-ranging description or display

Pyre- a pile of burning material

Fustian- pompous or pretentious speech or writing

Bombast- language that is full of long or pretentious words, used to impress others

Oratory- a religious society that has secular priests

Effigies- a dummy, often roughly made and intentionally amusing or insulting, representing somebody disliked or despised

C. What does the wreath represent?

Is the plane crash scene a symbol of what the world is like? rocky?

A.      The next day Jonah got married to Mona and became the President of San Lorenzo. On his way to get Papa’s blessing he learned that man was the only sacred thing to Bokononists. When he got to the castle he was a hook for Bokonon himself. While Frank and Jonah were wating to see Papa they met Dr. Vox Humana. Papa was in agonizing pain. Papa told Jonah to kill Bokonan and to tell him he was sorry he didn’t kill him. He wants the people to learn truths, not lies. Papa wanted the last rites done, but no one would confess to knowing them so Dr. Von Koenigswald said he would. Even after the rites Papa didn’t die. Jonah had to prepare a speech for the next day and had some guests come and help him. Jonah went to the bathroom and when he came out Dr. Schlichter Von Koenigswald said Papa had taken what was in the cylinder, ice-nine, and died. Dr. Von Koenigswald touched the “blue-white mystery” to his tongue and was dead, fell over, and shattered. Jonah called the three children of Dr. Hoenikker to the room. Newt puked. Frank gave Papa some ice-nine to buy himself a job, Angela used it to find love, and Newt bought himself a weekend with a Russian midget, meaning that the Soviet Union had it and so did the US. The fourteenth book of Bokonan was called “What Can a Thoughtful Man Hope For Mankind on Earth, Given the Experience of the Past Million Years? “ The only word in the chapter: “nothing” (245).

B.       

Sin-wat- a man who wants all somebody’s love

Cetacean- large ocean mammal

Crenels-a gap in the top of a castle wall

Machicolations- projecting gallery on top of a castle wall

Precipice-a high, vertical, or very steep rock face

Oubliette-a dungeon made so that the only way in or out is through a trapdoor at the top

Litany- a long and repetitious list

Apotheosis- the highest point of glory, power, or importance

Vacillate- waver

Dinghy- a small boat

Pool-pah-shit storm, wrath of God

C.      Is doing Boko-maru with many people the same thing as having sex with many people?

[this was my question before we talked about it in class]

A.       While Jonah was talking to Julian Castle he learns that everyone is Bokonan on the island, “the hy-u-o-okk-kuh notwithstanding” (172). Bokonanism came around because McCabe and Johnson got rid of the priest and made up their own religion. They drank and Angela played her clarinet. She was good, very good.  Frank called because he wasn’t home yet. He wanted Jonah to stay. He had something to tell him about what Jonah was going to do. Papa Monzona was dying of cancer. The night continued on and all the power went out in the city, Soldiers came to the house and started digging. They were told to protect the President. The next morning the three of them were awoken when the power came back on. Frank had returned home and they went to talk. Frank wanted Jonah to be the PRESIDENT! Frank didn’t become his full potential because he was “screwing” Jack’s wife. There was a catch for Jonah becoming President, he had to marry Mona. Mona was okay with it and they shared Boko-Muro together.

B.        

Penance-self-punishment or an act of religious devotion performed to show sorrow for having committed a sin

Vied-to strive for superiority or compete with somebody or something

Diaphanous- delicate or gauzy, so as to be transparent

Borasisi- sun

Pabu- moon

Zah mah ki bo- fate

Duffle- destroy of thousands of persons when placed in stuppa

Stuppa- a fog bound child

C.       Does cat’s cradle represent things that are hidden or not there?

A.      Jonah is still on the plane reading the manuscript. He is learning about the background of San Lorenzo.  After having another drink the plane finally lands. An interesting fact is that Bokonanism is prohibited in San Lorenzo. Jonah met the Monzona’s and Frank. Papa died and made Frank President. Jonah and his travelers went to the hotel Casa Mona, where he encountered Philip Castle. Frank called him and told him urgently to come to his house. When he got there Angela came home with Julian Castle. He didn’t seem very friendly.

B.      Arable- land that is fit for planting crops

Feudalism- the legal and social system that existed in medieval Europe, in which vassals held land from lords in exchange for military service

Flaccidly-soft, limp, or lacking firmness

Idyllic-serenely beautiful, untroubled, and happy

Hop toad-to jump lightly or quickly, especially on one foot

Tremolo-the rapid repetition of a tone

Piously- religious reverence

Squalor-shabbiness and dirtiness resulting from poverty or neglect

Tumid- body part or organ that is swollen

Cantilevered- a projecting structure that is attached or supported at only one end

Caromed-a collision that is followed by one of the objects rebounding off at an angle

C.      Is death a theme?

Why does Philip Castle keep saying “the happiness is mine”?

Why cat’s cradle is called cat’s cradle?

A. These chapters start off with Jonah going to learn about what kind of person Frank was. Jonah discovers that Frank is still alive. He was on San Lorenzo and was getting married. In these chapters Jonah introduces the reader to a lot of new people: The Monzano’s, the Mintons, and the Crosby’s. The Crosby’s were going to San Lorenzo so they could make bicycles in peace. The Minton’s were the Ambassadors. While Jonah was on the plane he encountered a book, which talked about Bokonan. The reader is now giving information regarding the topic. It seems like every important person is on this plane, or everything important is happening on it. Newt and Angela Hoenikker are on the plane as well.

B.

Cadaverous- extremely thin

Keen-intense, sharp

Soldering- something that unites, alloy for joining metal

Trestle- supporting framework, tower for supporting bridge

Nihilistic- total rejection of social customs

Wrang-wrang- a person who steers people away from a line of speculation by reducing that line to an absurdity

Pompadour- hairstyle

Lechery- distasteful lustful behavior

Duprass- a karass only composed of two people

Hoosier – somebody from Indiana

C.

What are the Ambassadors hiding?

Who is in Jonah’s Karass?

A. These chapters gave the reader more insight of Dr. Hoenikker and his family. Jonah saw Dr. Hoenikker’s office. He also met Marvin Breed, Dr. Asa Breed’s brother. The angel sculpture that Marvin’s Great Grandfather carved was made for someone that was related to Jonah.

B.

Miasma- unwholesome atmosphere

Apparatus- system allowing something to function

Piquant- refreshingly interesting, simulating, or provocative

Winsome-charming

Gyroscope- self-stabilizing device

C.

Was the atomic bomb wrong?

What importance is ice-9 in the novel?