Instead of being in English class (the wonderful and amazing learning environment that is Preston’s class) I was allowed to help out a friend in the Photography room. I was asked to help with the design elements and flow of a poster for the upcoming film fest. Basically I told Nevada and Kimmi where I thought the different elements of the posters layout should go and which order worked best for the theme that they were going for.

1.During his stay with the Samanas, Siddhartha did all of the following EXCEPT

A. grew his beard

B. aided the poor

C. went without food

D. abjured humanity

E. meditated deeply

I choose D, because I didnt think that he fully renounced humanity through his actions.

source (http://www.learnerator.com/ap-english-literature/q/1041/siddharthas-actions)

2. What was Siddhartha’s purpose for staying with the Samanas?

A. to become empty

B. to learn meditation

C. to become enlightened

D. to deprive himself of food

E. to be reincarnated

I choose C, i thought that the reason he stayed with him so that he may have a better chance of reaching enlightenment.

source (http://www.learnerator.com/ap-english-literature/q/1041/siddharthas-purpose)

3. Essay Question

“Siddhartha and Buddha both eventually attain Nirvana. However, the way that each achieves it is different. Explain the difference, relating this to the reason for Siddhartha’s not following the Buddha.”

Siddartha achieved enlightenment by studying by the river with Buddha and reaching it after many years, the difference was that Siddhartha left a promising life because he became out of sync with the material world, while Buddha was on a similiar path but he left his wife and kid in order to pursue enlightenment.

source (http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/s/siddhartha/study-help/essay-questions)

4. In the passage, Siddhartha’s primary attitude toward normal human life was that it appeared

A. out-of-reach

B. too cerebral

C. commonplace

D. commercial

E. illusory

I choose E for my answer, because I thought his attitude was that he did view it as though it might have been just another test or obstacle because of the way reality presented itself to him.

source (http://www.learnerator.com/ap-english-literature/q/1041/siddharthas-attitude)

5. If you were the river, would you be enlightenment or would you know enlightenment? In other words, what’s up with the river? What is it’s relation to enlightenment?

The river is supposed to represent the unity and flluidy and constant change of the universe and reality, I dont know whether I would know elightenment or be enlightened but the relationship to enlightenment is that through the river whithin the constant change knowing that change is a form of enlightenment.

source (http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/questions.html)

AP Reflection

I thought that most of the questions I as able to find were asking you to explain in immense detail or to recall a obscure fact of the story that may not be pertainable to every AP student,