Common Place Blog #3

Looking at the nature of plants, whence they come. For some come down from the mountains and grow up from the valleys and some come from the plains. But look how they develop,for it is at certain seasons and days that you must gather them. And you take them from the islands of the sea. And from the most lofty places. And look at the air which ministers to them and the nourishment circling around them, that they perish not die. Look at the divine water which gives them drink and the air that governs them after they have been given a body in a single being”.
-Cleopatra 

I came across this quote in a hair salon one day. The hair salon has this quote in the entrance with a frame and different colors around the q. The image of the quote on the wall immediately caught my eye. I decided to take a picture and read it. This quote was written by Cleopatra addressing an issue to philosophers of human societies. She expresses how people are like plants. Which are able to move from one place to another and have the ability to adapt, but need resources to survive such as water, and air. With these resource people and plants are able to grow and survive.

In this quote Cleopatra uses different style techniques to get her point and opinion across to her audience. She uses “whence” instead of where is a type of word choice she decided to use which was during that time period. There are many textual arenas in this quote such as repetition of words “ some come, and them” which expresses that the author is making a connection and talking about “them” as people. Plants not as an object like “it”.

Pathos is also involved in the quote, Cleopatra gives emotion in the quote regarding to plants needing to survive and not die with the help of water and air. “look at the air which ministers to them and the nourishment circling around them, that they perish not die”. With this part she explaining the connection between plants and humans that need recourses such as water and air to survive to keep moving forward and not to fail in society. The reader could feel the emotion she is giving and the social arena of the connection that the audience has to plants that they both need outside resources to stay alive.

Metaphors are used throughout the quote, “Grow up from valleys” grow up can have two meaning. Grow up can be interpreted as upbringing, or actually growing older by age. By using these metaphors the reader is able to understand and reflect with the interpretation that Cleopatra is meaning. It makes the quote more interesting to read and understand which is what Cleopatra wanted to grab the attention of her audience.

Cleopatra uses metaphors, pathos, and different stylistics arenas to come across her connection of humans and plants.

common Place blog #2

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The most important things is not to stop questioning”
-Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein was a very intelligent man. He was a physicist and a philosopher. He is greatly known for coming up with the Theory of relatively, which is highly important in physics today. He is also known for his famous quotes. One that I practically like is the one above. This quote can be interpreted in many different ways , depending on the perception of the person reading it.

This quote is a message to every human being on the planet. My interpretation of the quote is, we as humans make mistakes, and we learn from them. We should try not to make the same mistake the second time around, and continue with life no matter what obstacles or thoughts we may have. Even though, we continue we should hope for tomorrow, because we never known when our time is up. But never stop questioning of what can and will happen in life. My second interpretation is, life is a reason of hope so enjoy life and do not question for hope is always there. No matter what people have come across in life there is still a reason to keep pushing and keep moving forward and never to give up on life or you will never follow through and be left behind.

Albert Einstein uses stylistic arenas to communicate with his audience the message and meaning of the quote. He used the stylistic social arena area to choose the audience he wanted to get his message across. Albert used simple words that are colloquial instead of higher educated (SAT) type of words to connect with his audience. He wanted everyone to understand and relate to quote. No matter if they are in a higher class society or lower class he used words that everyone can understand and relate too.

Also, he used the textual arena in an orderly fashion. By using “yesterday, today and tomorrow” which are interrupted as past present and future meanings gives the audience a sense of order in which life is and how we can prosper and continue with life no matter what we have had to encounter in the pass or will encounter. It’s the rules of life in the Albert Einstein’s words.

The uses motives on language which he used to really explain his quote really grabbed my attention. He uses the it is not x; but y theory in the following example,“the most important thing…”. By using that part he is implying to the reader that is the “Y” of the quote.It’s what sums up everything and should be focused on more. That all these parts (X) are intertwined with each other to have an outcome which is (Y).

Albert used this quote to come across a common ground of how life is and how we are as human being. No matter where we come from we all have hope and want to keep living.This quote is intended for a universal audience.

Stylistic Epitome

To “Immortal Beloved
“Even in bed my ideas yearn towards you, my Immortal Beloved, here and there joyfully, then again sadly, awaiting from Fate, whether it will listen to us. I can only live, either altogether with you or not at all. Yes, I have determined to wander about for so longer far away, until I can fly into your arms and call myself quite at home with you, can send my soul enveloped by yours into the realm of spirits-yes,I regret, it must be. You will get over it all the more as you known my faithfulness to you; never another one can own my heart, never-never! Oh god, why must one away from what one loves so, and yet my life in W. As it is now is a miserable life. Your love made me the happiest and unhappiest at the same time. At my actual age I should need some continuity, sameness of life- can that exist under our circumstance? Angel, I just hear that the post goes out every day- and must close therefore, so that you get the L at once. Be clam-love me-to-day-yesterday. What longing in tears for you-You-my Life-my All-farwell. Oh, go on loving me-never doubt the faithfullest heart.
Of your beloved,
L
Ever thine,
Ever mine,
Ever ours” (Ludwig Van Beethoven, Love letter of Great men)

In this love letter written by Ludwig Van Beethoven in 1812 he expresses his last emotional thoughts and desires to his “immortal love”. The letter was written a couple of days before his tragic death. Beethoven writes to his secret love of his true and sincere feelings for her. During this period of time he knows he is dying and takes the last and final opportunity to put all thoughts and feelings in writing. This unidentified woman gave him the ability to convey all his energy in writing the final letter to her before he died.

He starts off by expressing thoughts he has about her which are good and bad, but extends his thoughts of longing to be together again, unfortunately it never happens. He then continues but changes direction and writes about wanting to be with her physically and regretting the moments that have not been spent. Then ends with writing he will always love her and to never doubt the love they had for each other and that it will always their love “Ever thine, Ever mine, Ever ours’’.

In this romantic and rhetoric letter he makes the reader feel and identify with love. Even though it uses many metaphors he make the letter seem as strange and rare love. As kids we have been told that love exist but as we get older parents say that love is not true and it dies. With his word choice and using pathos he is able to tell a story that has never been told before. This letter has a hidden secret of love which seems this relationship as a forbidden one. His word choice such as “yearn” he could have been substituted for strong ,but he wanted to make a drastic meaning of thinking about his love. The style that he uses is middle age type of english writing which changes the meaning of his letter to have more meaning and be extremely emotional. By using a fancy style he was able to show his emotion by using more dramatic and uncommon words which helped with presenting his point of the letter. He also uses textual and social area which both overlap to make a clear order of his idea and meaning of the letter. By using these two areas he incorporated metaphors and alliterations to give a unique and special feeling to the reader. This letter has used a styles of writing that brings a fancy and magical feeling to the reader and expresses his point across perfectly.