Sophomore Writing Sample

Warning/Disclaimer: You do not have to read this. I just email myself all my important school assignments and I got sick of storing them there but I don't want to delete them. So here's a collection of AP World Civ, Dance, Honors English and other random essays/assignments!

In The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas, his angelic character Valentine Villefort proves the fairytale truth that true love conquers all. However, this story is anything but a fairytale with the strong, violent emotions and plot that is driven by revenge. Still, Valentine conquers all these sad and harsh events or feelings with the true love she feels for Maximillien, proving that true love does indeed conquer all.

            Valentine is very loving, patient, forgiving and sometimes naive. She is the best communicator with her grandfather and goes to great lengths to help him and make him feel understood. She doesn’t suspect her step-mother to be doing any evil, even though her step-mother tries to poison her and has killed her grandparents as well as an innocent servant. This would be Valentine’s downfall, but the Count helps her by constantly watching the medicine given to her when she becomes ill and switching them for a concoction that is still dangerous but saves her life. She is obedient to the Count even though she doesn’t really know him. She knows that Maximilien trusts the Count which is how she can put all her faith into obeying what he says. Valentine’s personality is symbolized even in her name which evokes sweet, loving characteristics. One of her foils is her step-mother, Heloise who is also symbolized through her name yet in an obviously opposite meaning.

Valentine is naturally kind, smart, and is the perfect character to be involved in a romance. The innocent and young love Valentine shares with Maximilien parallels Edmond and Mercedes’ love at the beginning of the book. Since Maximilien is a younger version of the Count in a sense, it’s logical that his relationship would as well. Mercedes and Edmond’s love did not prove to be true however since it didn’t last the trials Edmond went through and they didn’t get back together when they had the chance. Valentine and Maximilien’s on the other hand survived a murder attempt, thoughts of suicide, an evil step mother, competition, and the fall of both their families. Their hardships are definitely equal to those of Mercedes and Edmond’s, the difference was that theirs was true love which gave them a drastically different outcome and distinguished the difference of true love and plain love throughout the book.

            Some may argue that certain conditions or circumstances could break apart any relationship, even if they shared true love. Dumas challenges this thought and proves it to be incorrect by using Valentine’s motives and actions to show that true love can conquer all. Sure it takes specific people and events to assure that the love does conquer everything, but that’s why the statement is that it can conquer all, it doesn’t mean it always will however. If Valentine shared a true and pure love with Maximilien but the Count decided to punish them for their parents’ sins, they would never conquer everything. The Count was the one who saved Valentine, convinced Maximilen not to commit suicide, and brought Valentine to him safely. Now some readers could infer that the true love didn’t conquer anything, it was just the Count, a human being. However the Count would have never been moved, or felt obligated to help the couple unless their actions showed that they loved each other more than anything else. Valentine and Maximilen show that they do throughout the book and the reader notices this right along with the Count. The actions and love Valentine and Maximilien show for each other was one of the reasons they could conquer all, because another powerful character saw this and assisted them.  

            Some have experienced true love, others may think they have, and others may still be looking for it. The lucky ones who have experienced it know what they’d do for their “sweet heart”. They can’t imagine life without their sweet heart or imagine a circumstance that would separate them. All the true lovers know they would do anything, go through anything, to be with their love. They would go through hell and back to be with their love. They would conquer all if they could do it together, and know they could only do it through true love. How great it is that Alexander Dumas proves this through two young characters who live on pages of a book and breathe by the ink of a dead, but genius writer.

            The truth that true love conquers all is proved by Valentine Villefort in Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. Valentine and Maximilien’s love proves to be true through their pure motives and loving actions throughout the book. True love can conquer anything, but that doesn’t always mean it will. Valentine displays the auspicious outcome that is born from a love that is true and that conquers and will conquer anything, come what may.

  One of the most amazing ballet dancers of all time is Mikhail Baryshnikov. White Nights is inspired by his life, defecting from Russia to follow his dream of being a dancer and being completely free. In the movie, he crash-lands in Russia after defecting to America and forced to stay. The Soviets keep it a secret and plan on forcing him to dance and announcing that he came back because he wanted to. Gregory Hines plays Raymond Greenwood, a black tap dancer who works for Colonel Chaiko. Raymond is forced to live with Mikhail, who’s name in the movie is Nikolai. Raymond loves his wife Darya, and doesn’t want to go back to America because of his horrible experience in the Vietnam War. Raymond and Nikolai create a friendship through dance and Raymound starts to trust Nikolai. All Nikolai can think about is getting back to America. He devises a plan to escape along with Raymond and Darya who is pregnant. The apartment they live in has cameras, guards, and recorders. Since they have white nights in Russia, which means the sun never sets, they decided to attempt escape at midnight, although it still seems like light outside. They make a braided rope and attach it to the window and jump over to a latter on the side of a near building. Colonel Chaiko comes to check on them and Raymond tells Darya he loves her, then goes to distract them so his wife and best friend can get away. Nikolai’s old ballet partner, Gelina Ivanova had helped get a spy to come rescue them at the end of a bridge. They find their rescuers and drive to the gala where cameras and International rulers await. They see Nikolai and Darya and so they’re safe. Later, when night finally gets dark, Colonel Chaiko takes Raymond to a forest and makes him think they’re going to shoot him in the back. Really, they’ve made a political exchange and allowed an embassator to take the place of Raymond and allow him to return with Darya to America.

                All the dancers in this movie were breathtaking and impressive. I especially liked the very first one. At first I was confused because I thought it was real life. It began with Nikolai in a bed, smoking. The only part of the movie that I hated was when Mikhail smoked. He had an amazing body and could dance so well, I hated seeing him ruin it by smoking! I couldn’t believe he could drink and smoke and still dance so beautifully. Nikolai does a very interesting, pedestrian-like dance. You can see movements like checking his watch in a unique way. He seemed trapped, out-of-time, confused, and sad during the piece. In the middle, a woman comes in and seems like his lover, then pushed him down and kicks him. He does an amazing double pirouette with his leg at a 90% angle in second suspended over a table and a handstand that seems to float ever so slowly to the floor. It showed his strength, soaring jumps, and the way he performs that makes it look easy. In the dance he hangs himself, and I didn’t know it was a ballet at first, so I was worried! Then he gets down, alive and takes the bows. I sighed with relief at that part! The woman was portraying death, and wore a skeleton face that she handed to Nikolai after he was hanged. The mask was very effective dramatically, and made the piece come together for me. Her long red cloak was also a good choice to show the bitterness Nikolai’s character had towards death. My favorite part was Mikhail’s triple pirouette in the air because I know how hard it is, but it looked so easy when he flew up and gracefully did it.

                The second amazing piece was when Nikolai sees his old partner again and tries to make her understand how he feels. He tells her he wishes he could scream and shout like the singer she was listening to. He then dances on the Russian stage where they were speaking and his movements are like his body is shouting. It is strong, passionate, wanting to be understood, percussive and yet flowing. He does a spin on his knees like hip hop moves. This was before hip hop and other styles of dance were invented so Mikhail was ahead of his time and very influential in the dance world. His jumps seem to last for days, and his choreography is so explorative. His emotions just come out when he dances. It was like he didn’t know what to say to his partner, so he just danced. You connected with him as he danced on the stage where he began his career. It was where he fell in love with ballet, but he needs to leave it. He feels trapped, like his life is controlled. That came out in his dancing and the piece was bittersweet because of it. His partner was crying; he made her understand. I think in that moment she decides to help him escape, although she is working for Chaiko too.

                The last piece that really moved me was when Mikhail and Gregory danced together. The combination of modern music, Gregory’s tap, and Mikhail’s amazing ballet technique was perfect. It was like a trio of dance perfection and so fun to watch. Mikhail did some simple jumps in the middle of the piece that were magnificent. What made them so amazing was that he was in the air for so long, then came down just because he wanted to, and then bound off again into the air. Gregory was equally impressive, and he was actually improving most of the time! The rhythms he made complemented the music, but he never copied it. His timing was amazing and he is particularly good at sliding on the floor. His tap shoes just glided along it while he held his cool pose and smoothly moved onto the next move. At first they were dancing because they had to; they were being recorded and watch. As they got into it though, you could tell they enjoyed it and became friends. Since they are really supposed to be working out and stretching, it shows both of their abilities to command a stage and perform. They turn the simplest things into a dance. I didn’t know where to look, they’re both so great! Mikhail also stretches during the dance, but makes it a performance. He focuses on his foot and leans out and away from it with his leg in second on the barre. Everything he does fills the stage or studio, his presence is surreal. Mikhail also does a walking handstand and Gregory does some karate-like kicks. They take some of their frustrations and put into their dance. I can connect with that because I do it to. Nothing makes me feel better than a ballet class.

                White Nights is an incredible story inspired my Mikhail Baryshnikov’s life. He had great courage to defect from Russia and freedom was very important to him. I loved this movie. The only part I didn’t like was the swearing, but other than that it’s one of my new favorites. Mikhail and Gregory were so complementary to one another. They were so good at what they did and true pioneers in dance. They were natural and organic in their technique and each had a sense of style to their dance. I love being a dancer, especially since I can appreciate other dancers because I know what they’re doing is so hard. The story taught me a lot about the Soviet Union and political issues in the 80’s. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves dance. White Nights will give you a new outlook on our freedom and the way you can dance that expresses your soul and desires. Just like the famous Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines.

              ANTONIO

Well; tell me now what lady is the same

To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage,

That you to-day promis'd to tell me of? (1.1.7)

The power of love is a powerful theme throughout Shakespeare’s famous play The Merchant of Venice. The theme is not just represented between lovers in the conventional romantic sense, it is shown between friends as well, as Antonio and Bassonio strongly prove. Antonio is a wise and older friend of Bassonio, and Bassanio really admires and respects him. Although Antonio does not have a great romance relationship in this play, he is a true and generous friend. He knows love is important to Antonio and he asks him about his true love. He cares deeply for Bassanio, and Bassanio trusts him enough to tell him about it. Antonio knows Bassanio is in love and wants to know of his “secret pilgrimage”.

PORTIA           

They shall, Nerissa, but in such a habit

That they shall think we are accomplishèd

With that we lack. I’ll hold thee any wager,

When we are both accoutred like young men,

I’ll prove the prettier fellow of the two,

And wear my dagger with the braver grace,

And speak between the change of man and boy

With a reed voice, and turn two mincing steps

Into a manly stride, and speak of frays

Like a fine bragging youth, and tell quaint lies,

How honorable ladies sought my love,

Which I denying, they fell sick and died—

I could not do withal!—Then I’ll repent

And wish for all that, that I had not killed them.

And twenty of these puny lies I’ll tell,

That men shall swear I have discontinued school

Above a twelvemonth. I have within my mind

A thousand raw tricks of these bragging jacks

Which I will practice.

The power of love is a popular theme in many plays, but in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, it is found prominently and found in many forms. The main female characters, Nerissa and Portia share an important love for one another through friendship, similar to Bassanio and Antonio’s relationship. Nerissa and Portia’s love for their husbands forces them to disguise as men to save their husband’s friend and the love they find in their friendship gives them the courage to do this successfully. Although they are somewhat offended that they could trick their husbands into giving them the rings they swore they’d keep forever, it was them that got them. After teasingly questioning their husbands, they each told their husbands how they fooled Shylock into his unfortunate sentence and saved Antonio. This quote does not directly display the love Portia has for Bassanio but the whole reason Portia is willing to do this arduous and dangerous thing is to help him. Her actions speak louder than words in this moment and the power of love she has for her husband forces her to do something she never dreamed of before.

LORENZO

Beshrew me, but I love her heartily,

For she is wise, if I can judge of her,

And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true,

And true she is, as she hath prov'd herself;

And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,

Shall she be placed in my constant soul. (2.6.6)

In the famous play The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare represents the power of love as a strong and driving theme. Lorenzo and Jessica fall in love and escape together, but have to overcome complicated trials before they can be together. Jessica is a Jew and Lorenzo is a Christian. Also, Jessica’s father is controlling and very religious. Jessica must escape from her father and the couple must work out their religious differences. The quote by Lorenzo shows his love and loyalty to Jessica, despite their differences, which would have been exigent during their time. He proves her intelligence, beauty, and loyalty by involving himself saying, “If mine eyes be true,” and “if I can judge of her.” He also believes “she hath prov’d herself,” in line 4. This quote shows Lorenzo’s admiration and love for her despite her religion which was still meaningful to him. Jessica also is deeply in love with Lorenzo, and chooses to become a Christian to please him. However, with Lorenzo and Jessica’s relationship, it hurts someone. Jessica steals most of Skylock’s treasures and money to escape and when he finds out she ran away with a Christian none the less, he is devastated. She even trades his precious ring from his late wife, for a monkey! The absence of love between Shylock and Jessica is very salient, and while Shylock is pitiable, he partly brought it upon himself for not having a loving relationship with his daughter.

 PORTIA

There are some shrewd contents in yond same paper

That steals the colour from Bassanio's cheek:

Some dear friend dead, else nothing in the world

Could turn so much the constitution

Of any constant man. (3.2.10)

The power of love is an intriguing and common-occurring concept in literature. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare is no exception. Throughout this play the power of love is a significant theme. Although this quote is not between the obvious lovers; Bassanio and Portia, Portia states a meaningful fact that she has learned from Bassanio. “Some dear friend dead, else nothing in the world could turn so much the constitution of any constant man.” She now knows that Bassanio’s love for Antonio is important and that friendship will play a major role in her relationship to him as a wife because of his love for his friend Antonio.

PORTIA

I pray you tarry; pause a day or two

Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong,

I lose your company; therefore forbear a while.

There's something tells me- but it is not love-

I would not lose you; and you know yourself

Hate counsels not in such a quality.

But lest you should not understand me well-

And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought-

I would detain you here some month or two

Before you venture for me. I could teach you

How to choose right, but then I am forsworn;

So will I never be; so may you miss me;

But if you do, you'll make me wish a sin,

That I had been forsworn. Beshrew your eyes!

They have o'erlook'd me and divided me;

One half of me is yours, the other half yours-

Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours,

And so all yours. O! these naughty times

Puts bars between the owners and their rights;

And so, though yours, not yours. Prove it so,

Let fortune go to hell for it, not I. (3.2.1)

Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice is a love story filled with humor, revenge, and the power of love. The power of love is a meaningful theme that moves the story along and is the primary factor in character actions and therefore actively influences the whole plot. Bassanio does all he has to do to win over Portia, quite literally. Although he must choose one correct chest out of three and agree to never marry if he chooses incorrectly, he obliges. He even gets a large loan from Jessica’s father, a Jewish moneylender named Shylock just to court Portia in style. Bassanio cleverly chooses the correct chess which is made of lead. Portia is very relieved and happy as is Bassanio. This quotes shows Portia’s early and loyal love to Bassanio and her father, mingled with feelings with the unfair game which will choose her husband. She faces internal complications, which she says aloud, but her love for Bassanio is real. Portia is rather tongue-tied in this quote, or just wants his company. She says this before Bassanio guesses and she offers, “I could teach you to choose right.” However she does still love and honor her dead father. But her father is the one who came up with the game. She catches herself and says, “But then I am foresworn.” She wants desperately for Bassanio to guess right, so she puts all her faith in him to choose correctly so she can remain truthful to her father. This quote also proves that she is already loyal and loving toward Bassonio by saying “One half of me is yours, the other half yours-Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, And so all yours.” She is willing to give everything to him.

Dear Editor,

As everyone knows, many great teachers will be retiring next year from Davis High. One of them is Mr. Miller. All Darts know him as the funny French teacher and amazing advisor of the Student Body Officers. He has been teaching since 19somethin’ and has influenced thousands of students throughout his teaching career. Whether you have known him from French class, Student Body Office, the assemblies he’s made possible or just the cool colorful watches he wears, we all know who Mr. Miller is. He has made the French program here at Davis High very prestigious, fun, and educational. I hope we can make next year an amazing one and all thank him for what he has done for our school.

Aller flechettes! (Go darts!)

Merci beaucoup, Prof. Miller!

~Thankful French student

Teotihuacan~ (100 CE to 750 CE) One of Mesoamerica’s most important classic-period civilizations. Northeast of Mexico City. Height of power in 450 CE it was the largest city in the Americas. People there practiced human sacrifice. Polytheistic, temples, lesser-spirits were worshipped.

Chinampas~ “floating gardens”narrow artificial islands constructed along lakeshores or in marshes. They were constructed by heaping lake muck and waste material on beds of reeds that were anchored to the shore by trees

Mayan culture and society~ people started living in apartment-like houses for the first time, city had pottery and obsidian, had elite members, state bureaucracy, tax collection and commerce. Didn’t have a clear leader, weak kings, or alliances of elite families ruled most likely. Religious and political rituals, temples, loved decoration

Mayan women~ the wife’s of rulers and elite men played an important role in political and religious events. They could participate in blood-letting, society was patrilineal but there’s evidence that some male rulers traced their lineages bilaterally. Lady Wac-Chanil-Ahau was important. Lower-class women most likely were central role in religious rituals of the home and were healers and shamans. Maintained essential garden plots and weaving, and managed family life.

Mayan calendar~ Each day was separated by 3 dating systems and used ritual cycle (260 days, 13 months of 20 days) and a solar calendar (365 days into 18 months of 20 days and 5 extra days at the end of the year) associated 3114 BCE as creation and concurrence every 52 years had special meaning.

Toltecs~ Aztecs looked back on them as powerful and influential predecessors, violent political and religious rituals. Who they really were is controversial. Maybe were nomads placed on northern frontier for protection by the Teotihuacan population or migrants from the north. Created a state largely based on military power which extended their influence from the political Capital at Tula (founded 968 CE)

Altepetl~ what the Mexica were organized as when they came to power after the Toltec collapse and when they created a Mexica-dominated regional power called the Aztec Empire. (Common political building block across the region.

Calpolli~ Group that served as foundation to the altepetl and controlled land allocation, tax collection and local religious life, up to a hundred families each.

Tenochtitlan~ Mexica capital formed around 1325 CE and the twin was Tlatelolco, from modern Mexico City.

Aztec women~ Held substantial power and influence, held in high esteem. Founders of lineages, even the royal line (matriarchal) Genders were complementary and interdependent. Dominated households and markets and were teachers and priestesses.

Aztec society~ Social structure; around 1500 CE great inequalities in wealth and privilege characterized Aztec society. Urban population of 125.000 and was supported with food by organizing labor of the calpolli and additional laborers sent by defeated peoples to expand agricultural land (slaves).

Tribute system~ One-quarter of capital’s food requirements was satisfied by payments of maize, beans, and other foods sent by nearby political dependencies; Even sacrificial victims, feathers, military equipment and luxury goods could be tribute.

Anasazi~ Navajo word meaning Ancient Ones. Used to identify a number of dispersed, though similar, desert cultures located in modern Four Corners in America. Between 450-750 CE. They developed economy based on maize, beans and squash. Enriched cultural life centered in underground buildings called kivas. In 900 CE began to construct large multistory residential and ritual centers. Largest community in Chaco Canyon.

Chaco Canyon~ Modern New Mexico. 8 large towns built in canyon and 4 more surrounding meseas, regional population 15,000. Pueblo Bonito largest town founded in 919 C with 650+ rooms and 38 kivas. Dominance over large region.

Hopewell culture~ around 100 CE spread through Ohio River Valley and built on earlier Adena culture. Constructed large villages characterized by monumental earthworks. Dependent on hunting and gathering, limited agriculture; seed crops. Early example of North American chiefdom, population of 10,000 ruled by a chief.

Mississippian culture~ In one burial, more than 50 young women were sacrificed to accompany dead ruler. Adoption of bow and arrow, expansion of trade networks, Seashells, copper, mica, and flint were drawn to city by trade and tribute from distant sources and converted into ritual goods and tools.

Cahokia~  Where Mississippian culture reached height of evolution. Great urban center, Modern St. Louis, Illinois. Population of 20,00 and had largest terraced structure; 100 feet high, in North America. Controlled surrounding agricultural lands and secondary towns. Decline in 1250 CE.