Summary-Oscar Wilde writes with such description, that I feel as if I am right in the room with him, smelling what he smells and hearing what passes by, just as he does. The story begins with Basil Hallaward who is the artist of a new portrait. Basil has recently shut himself out of society, and the portrait that he has just completed is of a man he met at a bar, and was striken by his his unique features and brilliant personality. Basil describes Dorian as having an extraordinary effect on him. His description of him and the effect he has on his life is very vague and cannot be grasped by Lord Henry Wotton, so he wants to meet Dorian.
Dorian Gray mysteriously shows up at Basil's home and Lord Henry then meets him, and stays with him, while Basil finishes up his portrait of Gray. Gray has a very feminine personality, he seems to whine when he speaks like little girl, which gets annoying after a few paragraphs. Lord Henry begins to speak to Dorian like he wants to corrupt his innocence. What about Gray makes people so infatuated with him?Henry also talks to Gray about youth and beauty, and how it leaves the body when you grow old and die. With these haunting thoughts in mind Dorian began to look at his picture and feel pain because he knew he would eventually lose his youth. Basil and Henry are fighting over Dorian's attention, and Lord Henry is winning.
Quote:
Monday, May 30, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Salt (180-270)
Summary: Rekigion played a major part in the economic uprising of Salt because priests would sell rights to eat meat to certain people during fast. This was very corupt and did not provide for a good reputation for the Catholic Church. British food was very salted because they ate lots of meats and and dairy products. They salted their bacon because it made for a good flavor as well. Bacon had to be soaked before eating. Vegtables were also put into salt and had to be "refreshed" before eating. Butter was also very salty. The salt was to perserve the butter rather than spice up the taste. In the middle ages exoctis yellow flowers were salted and beaten to exract juice so they could add color to butter. The church didn't allow butter to be eaten on fast days because it came form cows. Cheese was also a popular salted food for the poor but the rich got the better cheese. Ketchup, or "catsup", was frequently used by french as a condiment.
Salt production was increasing because hauling coal became a major expense. To make certain recipes, nutmeg, fresh butter, and salt were commonly used together to add a unique flavor to the dish. North American Cod became a popular dish between 1713 and 1759 and that recipe of nutmeg, salt, and fresh butter was used to freshen up the flavor.
Salt was found in major brine springs, brackish water, rock salt an any available natural salt for licking. Sometimes salt ended up in a large mixture with sand which led to bad salt. The Aztecs believed that only men could gather salt but the Navajo allowed women.
The Incas were large salt producers with salt wells just outside Cuzco, Colombia. The Chibcha salt lords honored the gods two time a year by abstaining from sex and salt. Aztecs made salt from evaporing urine. Salt conveys feared enemy warships and pirate ship. New Englanders slaughtered their meat in the fall and salted it.
Salt production was increasing because hauling coal became a major expense. To make certain recipes, nutmeg, fresh butter, and salt were commonly used together to add a unique flavor to the dish. North American Cod became a popular dish between 1713 and 1759 and that recipe of nutmeg, salt, and fresh butter was used to freshen up the flavor.
Salt was found in major brine springs, brackish water, rock salt an any available natural salt for licking. Sometimes salt ended up in a large mixture with sand which led to bad salt. The Aztecs believed that only men could gather salt but the Navajo allowed women.
The Incas were large salt producers with salt wells just outside Cuzco, Colombia. The Chibcha salt lords honored the gods two time a year by abstaining from sex and salt. Aztecs made salt from evaporing urine. Salt conveys feared enemy warships and pirate ship. New Englanders slaughtered their meat in the fall and salted it.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Salt (90-180)
Summary:
Thus far we have journeyed through Venice, Egypt, and The Celts of whatever land they came from. Now we are moving up from the common uses of Salt and transitioning into the more traditional and royal uses of the famous rock. Our journey takes us to Italy and introduces us to the famous Parma. The Parma was the salted ham of Italy it was the most famous of its kind(salted meats). The name Parmesan, of the equally famous cheese was derived form the Parma meat of Italy because of it's rare texture and somewhat semi-aged nature, but still maintained its dairy-like flavor.
Now we are introduced to the role of salt in the age old battle of aged cheese vs. fresh cheese. Because cheese is as old as domesticated animals, fresh cheese was always easier to come by, so it was readily available. On the other hand aged cheese took experience to perfect and lots of time and energy to produce on the market. The revolution of salt in salted cheese made the market for that product open up completely.
Then we are introduced to the different kinds of salts and the types of uses they are primarily used for. Cardona's rock salt for example was a salt in high demand but was not available to those who could not pay the hefty price tag that came along with the demanding rock. The rock was not of higher quality but its variety of uses made it a favorite to those who were always experimenting. Then the products of salt in the preservation of fishes was introduced. Salt provided for whiter and leaner fish which cold have been kept in an inexpensive packaging and storage facility and still maintain its fresh quality. Different spices mainly from the Mediterranean, made the fish brown and not nearly as lean as with salt curing. Also the packaging of the Mediterranean had to be tightly sealed with little to no oxygen exposure. The exposure would cause the fish to turn rancid, and that kind of packaging was not readily available during that time.
The topic of Vikings also comes up, and is explained with their economic involvement with salt.Like the Celts the Vikings were always on the move and came across Salt as they did so, and they made a life out of selling and trading salt. They were either selling salt or making tools and weapons out of elephant tusks or reindeer antler.
Back to the royal portion of the book: Royalty had many superstitions regarding the wa y salt was eaten and passed, or even placed around the table. When royalty had company they would send their servant to the saltcellar(yes their homes/castles were that big that they had e cellar especially made for salt) to fetch their best batch. Salt would be placed in front of the Dinner guests and then was never to be touched with one's fingers, only by knife or fork, etc.
Thus far we have journeyed through Venice, Egypt, and The Celts of whatever land they came from. Now we are moving up from the common uses of Salt and transitioning into the more traditional and royal uses of the famous rock. Our journey takes us to Italy and introduces us to the famous Parma. The Parma was the salted ham of Italy it was the most famous of its kind(salted meats). The name Parmesan, of the equally famous cheese was derived form the Parma meat of Italy because of it's rare texture and somewhat semi-aged nature, but still maintained its dairy-like flavor.
Now we are introduced to the role of salt in the age old battle of aged cheese vs. fresh cheese. Because cheese is as old as domesticated animals, fresh cheese was always easier to come by, so it was readily available. On the other hand aged cheese took experience to perfect and lots of time and energy to produce on the market. The revolution of salt in salted cheese made the market for that product open up completely.
Then we are introduced to the different kinds of salts and the types of uses they are primarily used for. Cardona's rock salt for example was a salt in high demand but was not available to those who could not pay the hefty price tag that came along with the demanding rock. The rock was not of higher quality but its variety of uses made it a favorite to those who were always experimenting. Then the products of salt in the preservation of fishes was introduced. Salt provided for whiter and leaner fish which cold have been kept in an inexpensive packaging and storage facility and still maintain its fresh quality. Different spices mainly from the Mediterranean, made the fish brown and not nearly as lean as with salt curing. Also the packaging of the Mediterranean had to be tightly sealed with little to no oxygen exposure. The exposure would cause the fish to turn rancid, and that kind of packaging was not readily available during that time.
The topic of Vikings also comes up, and is explained with their economic involvement with salt.Like the Celts the Vikings were always on the move and came across Salt as they did so, and they made a life out of selling and trading salt. They were either selling salt or making tools and weapons out of elephant tusks or reindeer antler.
Back to the royal portion of the book: Royalty had many superstitions regarding the wa y salt was eaten and passed, or even placed around the table. When royalty had company they would send their servant to the saltcellar(yes their homes/castles were that big that they had e cellar especially made for salt) to fetch their best batch. Salt would be placed in front of the Dinner guests and then was never to be touched with one's fingers, only by knife or fork, etc.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Salt:A World History (1-90)
Summary- Salt has been in our worlds history as long as there have been records kept. They were first introduced in China, used as currency when they built the Great Wall. Salt was made by boiling sea water then extracting the salt crystals from the bottom of the mixture. The provinces of China spent centuries perfecting the process and did not do so until the completion of the Great Wall, and its counterparts. With the revolution of Salt in China's culture we now move on to Europe and its strange take on the edible rock. The first location of preserved bodies came in Europe with the discovery of Celts. They were found near a salt mine, and appeared to be in a fair condition with their clothes and flesh and hair still completely intact. Celts were recognized by the Romans as a savage race who had no civility and depended on its barbarism to survive. The truth is that Celts were the first civilization to actually preserve meats and foods. The majority of their products were salted meats such as porks and hams in general. Celts were actually known as the salt people according to the Greeks and Romans. The smart thing to do, as many generals noticed was to put a price on salt, and then tax it to make a profit.
Italy took the need of salt and made small businesses out of it. The farmers and citizens who wanted to make a profit out of the salt business created small ponds that kept salt-water handy. Then on hot days the salt-water crystallized, and could be sold by the pound. Roman Empire: The roman army was a very strong one indeed and made an effort to keep it that way. A commonly-used term that was derived fromt he use of salt in the army is "salary." Another word that came from the roman empire was "salad" which was salted vegetables, and "soldier" which means paid. Saalt was mandatory to be present at a propr\er Dinner gathering, if not present it would be an insult to guest attending Dinner. Olives were also very important because they were made by being soaked in salt-water.
Egypt: Mummies were preseved with salt and many other things. The process is very grusome, but i will explain it anyways. They extract all of the brains throught the nostrils and the take out all o9f the inerds from the stomach.
Italy: Garum is very nasty, but was supposably good for you at the time. Garum is fermented fish sauce, and physicians saw it as a good healing power for sores headaches, and digestive disorders.
Quote: "The fact that in ancient Egypt the poor were mummified with sodium chloride and the rich with natron suggests that the Egyptians valued natron more."
Analysis: This qoute was well managed through the text because natron was widely-valued all throughout ancient egypt.
Italy took the need of salt and made small businesses out of it. The farmers and citizens who wanted to make a profit out of the salt business created small ponds that kept salt-water handy. Then on hot days the salt-water crystallized, and could be sold by the pound. Roman Empire: The roman army was a very strong one indeed and made an effort to keep it that way. A commonly-used term that was derived fromt he use of salt in the army is "salary." Another word that came from the roman empire was "salad" which was salted vegetables, and "soldier" which means paid. Saalt was mandatory to be present at a propr\er Dinner gathering, if not present it would be an insult to guest attending Dinner. Olives were also very important because they were made by being soaked in salt-water.
Egypt: Mummies were preseved with salt and many other things. The process is very grusome, but i will explain it anyways. They extract all of the brains throught the nostrils and the take out all o9f the inerds from the stomach.
Italy: Garum is very nasty, but was supposably good for you at the time. Garum is fermented fish sauce, and physicians saw it as a good healing power for sores headaches, and digestive disorders.
Quote: "The fact that in ancient Egypt the poor were mummified with sodium chloride and the rich with natron suggests that the Egyptians valued natron more."
Analysis: This qoute was well managed through the text because natron was widely-valued all throughout ancient egypt.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Dracula Film
The film begins with tricky camera work and special effects, that have a narrarator in the backdrop. The voice of the Archbishop of Transylvania in the fiftenth century tell the story of Vlad the Impaler, the character that Dracula is based off of. We see him in war and the pain that he brings to his country's enemies. There is a crane shot that follows Dracula as he battles and it also tells of his wife, and her worry. In this transition shot we see Dracula turn into his evil self and the man he eventually turns out to be. Fast forward to a close-up shot of Jonathan Harker and his travel in a wagon. He begins writing in his journal entry and the special effects show Dracula's face in the pages of his journal. The story is properly reflected through the film but in a more fast-paced atmosphere, because Harker's stay at the mansion is more than enough months. After an extended stay in Dracula's mansion the point of view switches to Mina Murray's and we see crane shots that follow her as she anticipates Jonathan's letters. In her surroundings we see spring colors and wide shots that capture the colorful surroundings and it brought me out of the gloomy mood form Draxula's castle.
Afer a while we see Lucy Westerna and her flurtacios attitude, contrasted against Mina's modest personality. Ther is no referal to Dracula or Jonathan Harker for that matter, and we are left to settle what became of him to our imaginations. Not long afte Lucy is engaged and to be married to Arthur, a wealthy land owner. With some more special effects Lucy is stalked by a beast in her garden as she is sleep-walking, and she was bitten, but the next day Mina makes nothing of it , and categorizes it as only a dream. With LLucy's wedding approaching Mina spends her time down by the market, where, with a speedy close-up, we are introduced to a mysterious gentleman with a Transylvanian accent(hint hint!!) who finds her attractive. Mina is not immediately drawn to the man, but we know that he is Dracula and want this attraction not to happen. Meanwhile, Lucy has gone mad with illness and is losing blood like a pig on Thanksgiving, and her friend Dr. Seward refers to Dr.Abraham Van Helsing for medical expertice. After a long awaited diagnosis, we know that Lucy is suffering from bite and is slowly dying. Every scene has similar transitions, which take place with a fade, and then a moving-camera shot of the following scene. This particular shot makes the suspense of the film rise, beause we don'y know what awaits us as the scene slides.
As we approach the climax of the film he music begins to deepen and the scenes get cut shorter. Jonathan has been found and knows that the mysterious man tht Mina is infatuated with is in fact Dracula as a younger man. Lucy is a Vampyr and has been crucified with a stake to the heart and her head flying off with a crane-shot capturing it as it moves. Van Helsing knows that in order to end Dracula's life he mus t do what he did to Lucy, but they must first track him down. Mina is completely obsessed with Dracula because he used his Vampyr charm to make her fall underhis spell. Mina must be kept away from Dracula because she no longer thinks of him as a monster but as her love, and he also does so , because Mina(Winona Ryder) resembles his wife, who commited suicide at the beginning of the film. With only ten minuted in the film the epic fight scene breaks out just as the sun goes down. Dracula comes after Van Helsing, but he is faster and he slices his throat, whil Jonathan Harker stakes his heat with a wooden stick.
The film goes full circle as the final scene takes us back to the beginning of the film, where Dracula's bride lay dead and where he eventuaally goes himself, bit not beore his soul is cleansed. Mina proffesses her love to hima nd he to her , and his evil rises from him and the broken cross heals itself and all is happy.
Afer a while we see Lucy Westerna and her flurtacios attitude, contrasted against Mina's modest personality. Ther is no referal to Dracula or Jonathan Harker for that matter, and we are left to settle what became of him to our imaginations. Not long afte Lucy is engaged and to be married to Arthur, a wealthy land owner. With some more special effects Lucy is stalked by a beast in her garden as she is sleep-walking, and she was bitten, but the next day Mina makes nothing of it , and categorizes it as only a dream. With LLucy's wedding approaching Mina spends her time down by the market, where, with a speedy close-up, we are introduced to a mysterious gentleman with a Transylvanian accent(hint hint!!) who finds her attractive. Mina is not immediately drawn to the man, but we know that he is Dracula and want this attraction not to happen. Meanwhile, Lucy has gone mad with illness and is losing blood like a pig on Thanksgiving, and her friend Dr. Seward refers to Dr.Abraham Van Helsing for medical expertice. After a long awaited diagnosis, we know that Lucy is suffering from bite and is slowly dying. Every scene has similar transitions, which take place with a fade, and then a moving-camera shot of the following scene. This particular shot makes the suspense of the film rise, beause we don'y know what awaits us as the scene slides.
As we approach the climax of the film he music begins to deepen and the scenes get cut shorter. Jonathan has been found and knows that the mysterious man tht Mina is infatuated with is in fact Dracula as a younger man. Lucy is a Vampyr and has been crucified with a stake to the heart and her head flying off with a crane-shot capturing it as it moves. Van Helsing knows that in order to end Dracula's life he mus t do what he did to Lucy, but they must first track him down. Mina is completely obsessed with Dracula because he used his Vampyr charm to make her fall underhis spell. Mina must be kept away from Dracula because she no longer thinks of him as a monster but as her love, and he also does so , because Mina(Winona Ryder) resembles his wife, who commited suicide at the beginning of the film. With only ten minuted in the film the epic fight scene breaks out just as the sun goes down. Dracula comes after Van Helsing, but he is faster and he slices his throat, whil Jonathan Harker stakes his heat with a wooden stick.
The film goes full circle as the final scene takes us back to the beginning of the film, where Dracula's bride lay dead and where he eventuaally goes himself, bit not beore his soul is cleansed. Mina proffesses her love to hima nd he to her , and his evil rises from him and the broken cross heals itself and all is happy.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Dracula (141-280)
Summary
Upon Dr. Van Helsing' arrival he treats Lucy with a blood transfusion. She feels much better the next day and Dr. Van goes back to Austria. Meanwhile Dr. Seward is still dealing with his patient and his multiple escapes. On one strange night the man escapes and Dr. Swar follows him to an alley where the man is speaking to a strange tall man resembling the man that stands over Lucy. acouple of days later Lucy is back to the way she was. Ther is no doctor but Dr. Sweard. He tells Dr. Helsing snd perform a blood transfusion using his blood. After Van Helsing instructsDr. swear to watch over Lucy. Lucy is bloodless and pale the next day as she was before. Now Dr. Van Helsing giveshis blood to Lucy and he puts garlic flower in the house to protect her . Mind you that every night Lucy hears a bat outside of her window. An escaped wolf appears in a news article in the book. Two nights later Lucy is feeling a lot better, and is at hime with her mother. The bat and a wolf were at her window and the wolf break the glass and come into the house and attacks Lucy. Van Helsing finds Lucy is an even worse state. Her mom is dead and her house maids are drugged and Knocked out. The put lucy in a hot bath, and she gets another blood transfusion.
Quote
" As I expected (Stoker 156)."
Reaction
This quote si exactly the opposite of this book. Its rather ironic. While reading this book, you can not expect what comes next. Thats why I enjoy reading it so much. The unexpected gives the story a sense of mystery and thrill. SO far is bokk has been a little confusing but it has been greatly entertaining. The details are great and this is quickly becoming one of my farovites.
Upon Dr. Van Helsing' arrival he treats Lucy with a blood transfusion. She feels much better the next day and Dr. Van goes back to Austria. Meanwhile Dr. Seward is still dealing with his patient and his multiple escapes. On one strange night the man escapes and Dr. Swar follows him to an alley where the man is speaking to a strange tall man resembling the man that stands over Lucy. acouple of days later Lucy is back to the way she was. Ther is no doctor but Dr. Sweard. He tells Dr. Helsing snd perform a blood transfusion using his blood. After Van Helsing instructsDr. swear to watch over Lucy. Lucy is bloodless and pale the next day as she was before. Now Dr. Van Helsing giveshis blood to Lucy and he puts garlic flower in the house to protect her . Mind you that every night Lucy hears a bat outside of her window. An escaped wolf appears in a news article in the book. Two nights later Lucy is feeling a lot better, and is at hime with her mother. The bat and a wolf were at her window and the wolf break the glass and come into the house and attacks Lucy. Van Helsing finds Lucy is an even worse state. Her mom is dead and her house maids are drugged and Knocked out. The put lucy in a hot bath, and she gets another blood transfusion.
Quote
" As I expected (Stoker 156)."
Reaction
This quote si exactly the opposite of this book. Its rather ironic. While reading this book, you can not expect what comes next. Thats why I enjoy reading it so much. The unexpected gives the story a sense of mystery and thrill. SO far is bokk has been a little confusing but it has been greatly entertaining. The details are great and this is quickly becoming one of my farovites.
Dracula (1-140)
Summary
The story begins with Johnathan Harker on his way to Count Dracula castle in Transylvana. It takes him two days to get to the castle and in those two days he meets many people that warning him not to go to the castle. They say the castle has evil in it. Once he get in it, he meets Dracula. Dracula is an old man who is interested in buying London real estate. Dracula spends all night talking to Harker and sleeps through the entire day. Harker thinks nothing of this becasue he has become use to it also. Next, he encounters a house filled with locked doors. Dracula tells Harker not to go in any but he disobeys and opens a door. Inside are three women who try to drink his blood. However, everything that happens to him feels like a dream. The weeks pass buy and Johnathan is held prisoner in his room. He is beginning to worry that Dracula is who he seems to be. Then, Dracula promises to let him go in one week and when that day came he got out of his room. He went inside Draculas room and foiund him sleeping a coffin, and slammed his with a shovel. He panicked and found out the doors were locked.
Next, the point of view switched to Mina Murray she is Johnathan Harker's fiance. Mina is worried about Johnathans well being becasue she has not heard from him in weeks. The entire time that Johnathan is away she was worries about him. It switches off between Lucy and Mina's journal entries. Lucy is getting courqed and she finally chooses Arthur to be her husband. The wedding is set and she lives with Mina becasue she can not see her husband. Lucy begins to sleep walk every night. It gets a lot worse when Mina has to lock doors and windows to keep her from getting out. There is also strange things happening in London, like a ship arriving with the captain strapped to the wheel. Howling dogs are everywhere. One night Lucy manages to go outside and lays on a bench. Mina panicks when she sees Lucy is gone and finds her with a man standing over her. As Mina approaches Lucy, the man disappears. She wraps a scarf around her and pins it. She thought she pinned her becasue there is blood on the scarf.
Now we are in the world of Johnathan Seward and owns a mental institution. One of his patients has a strange obsession with eating strange things like bugs, and spiders. When he goes to Lucy's house, she looks pale and sick and weak. He telegraphs his old professor Dr. Van Helsing and tells him of this strange occurance. Van Helsing examines her, and notices two little pricks on her neck that are very curious.
Quote:
"I awoke in my own bed"(Stroker 52).
Reaction
This is a quote from Johnathan Harker's journal. It is right after her has that starnge "Dream" about the women that wanted to suck his blood. He wakes up feeling that something strange has occured or is going to occur. This quote gives a small summary of the story so far becasue the whole story seems like a nightmare. This book is definatly one of the most suspenseful I ever read! Every page has such descriptive language that I feel as if I am the characters portrayed in the story. Putting this book down is a challege becasue I always want to keep reading it .
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