Macbeth Themes & Motifs

Ambition: people may strive to become successful with their career and fulfill their goals.
An entrepreneur may start with a small local business, while over time expanding it into a larger, more recognizable company.
Students in school that wish to become athletes may have to not only work hard with sports, but also with academics in order to acquire scholarships that helps them take a step towards their dream.

A quote about ambition and persistence, stating that they are needed to reach success.

Fate and free will: individuals have an amount of influence over their lives, despite not being able to control everything.
An individual may not be appreciative of their facial structure derived from birth, and had no control over such (fate). However, the subject may undergo plastic surgery by their own choice in hopes of alleviating their problem (free will).
Some people are born into poverty, while others with a silver spoon in their mouth - both are uncontrollable (fate). That being said, the decisions made by these people throughout their lives can be a factor in them trading bank accounts (free will).
A look at the fate/free will debate involving genetics

Appearance and reality can influence how an individual interprets the themselves and the world around them.
In the working world, people often put on a persona that inflates their abilities and hides their weaknesses, making themselves appear more perfect than they are. If someone gets too used to their act, they may believe that they are in fact what they say they are - which can lead to disappointment once they are proven that they are not invincible, and do have flaws.
The media does not always cover their reports from all angles. Broadcasts are generally one-sided, in order to convey a single point of view or message to the public. The media has influence over how a large population of people view the world, even if it masquerades what it is actually addressing.

An image portraying the personas that people may mask themselves under.

Power in Macbeth and Lord of the Flies

     In both Macbeth and Lord of the Flies (LotF), hunger for power is an essential motive to drive the story, and there are similar ways in which this is illustrated. Macbeth from the play and Jack from LotF are comparable characters which can underline this. At the start of the plot, both characters seem rather tame and pure - Macbeth is highly regarded by his peers, while Jack is a normal schoolboy. However, this changes once a desire for power starts to grow within them - when Macbeth hears the witches' prophecy, while Jack is beaten by Ralph in the election to become leader of the boys. At this time, Macbeth is told about what could be, and this opens his eyes to the possibility of becoming king. On the other hand, Jack got a taste for a chance to become the leader, the strongest on the island. With their wishes in mind, Macbeth pushes the plot by killing king Duncan, while Jack turns a number of the boys against Ralph. marks the start of their hostility, and shows what they are capable of doing to gain power. Macbeth takes power from Duncan just like Jack took power from Ralph. In order to maintain their temporary power, they crossed more boundaries. Macbeth killed his friend Banquo and Macduff's family in hopes of establishing control, while Jack kills a pig as an offering to the beast - and to scare the boys into following him for longer. In both cases, a lust for power was needed in order for these events to happen, and without it Macbeth and Jack would likely have remained pure, without giving into bloodshed.

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A blade through the heart represents betrayal in Macbeth, which was one

of the doings the character underwent to gain and keep his power.

 

The sow's head represents fear, and it was with this fear that Jack aimed

to manipulate the boys on the island to sustain his power.

Lord of the Flies Questions

1.      Individuals are not basically evil, but they are not basically good either. Evil can be defined by "profoundly immoral". Going deeper, moral is described by "a conception of right behaviour". Right behaviour is subjective, and highly dependant on interpretation. To illustrate, someone may consider right behaviour as being helpful towards others. Another person may believe it is right to care for one's own survival, above others. Therefore, it is impossible to depict society's response to this question, as society's views can be conflicting. Additionally, deciding who has the authority to judge and impose their morals unto others is debateable in itself, leaving the possibility a one-sided answer in evanescence.

2.      No, individuals will not always be completely malleable by their peers. This is because people are empowered with the ability to make their own decisions. It is true that one's peers can influence and apply pressure, but this is not equivalent of forcing that person to carry out an act. Furthermore, an individual's peers are chosen by said individual via his/her own free will. This means that actions which the peers push for may have been taken out by the subject regardless. Moreover, unfavourable deeds are be less likely to be proposed, as the subject probably would not have associated him/herself with those kinds of peers in the first place. Taking these reasons into account, individuals have control of their activities, and their peers only amplify the person's intentions.

3.     The human race is destined to destroy itself, and it seems as if this in is our nature. There are a number of reasons for this. One is conflict: warfare has existed for as long as humans have, and such a constant, pronounced habit seems unavoidable. It is a known fact that there are enough nuclear warheads to bring the demise of the human race. Only two have ever been used in combat, and their radioactive traces are still apparent, after seventy years. This leads to the second reason: the environment. Society is often convicted of wreaking havoc among its surroundings; for instance its carbon footprint contributing to global warming. By polluting water sources and cutting down forests, humans are eliminating the resources provided by Earth for sustainability. Once these resources become inadequate for supporting people, they will perish. Lastly, greed is an important factor. The ever-growing issue of overpopulation would be much less problematic if humans were all equal in terms of ability to survive, but this is not the case, partly due to greed for more. Population problems can induce more conflicts, and cause the global village to fall apart piece by piece. As a result of these reasons, it seems as though humans are marching towards their downfall.

4.     No, rules and punishment are not necessary to maintain a civilized society. These types of measures do not cause civilization; they merely concentrate the problems away from society - in jails, for example. Hiding what is problematic away from most people does not mean a system is civilized, it just means the issues are being swept under the rug. On the other hand, a truly civilized society should not need rules and punishments to maintain itself as these would serve no purpose in just, perfect cases.

5.     Yes, we are our own worst enemy. This is simply because there are not many other oppositions that can compete with ourselves. Humans are more likely to do harm to themselves than be harmed by factors such as the environment. Humans can hurt themselves in various ways, and one of these is their expectations. People often have expectations of how things should be. This can range from their fantasies to what they think they deserve. In both cases, they are blinded by these things, making them less capable of appreciating the goodness in their lives that they do have. Their are other forms of expectations, such as the desire for consistency and contentment. These kinds of expectations can lead to disappointment, as most things are subject to change, and unhappiness can be experienced. Not accepting this is toxic, and these expectations often cause more harm than good. Of course, these are just a few of the many reasons why we are our worst enemy.

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This is an article of the US prison system, which is relatable to the third question answered. Although its main focus is on jail conditions themselves, it illustrates the terrible happenings that can take place even after punishments are handed out, because they do not necessarily solve society's problems around civilization.

Lady Macbeth Character Monologue

            My plot has long but failed. How disastrous it is that my ambition be squandered by the incompetence that surrounded me. Things had gone awry since even the beginning steps of my plan. My blasted fool of a husband could not seem to be able to follow simple instructions, and let hallucinations shatter the glass barrier protecting the pity that is his mentality. Such cowardice, to be impregnated by fear; the same fear which thou hadst placed upon thyself! Bringing that bloody dagger back, so that we would have Duncan’s blood tainting our hands. And thus, Macduff, the same that suspected him, shall be the same to slay him.

            Soon, Macbeth will join Banquo; the very soul that inspired torment unto his own. He is condemned as I was, but I had at least realized my fate. I would much rather write the end of my tale than let an enemy do this for me. All my dreams were to meet their demise, and of course the turning of one’s crux on thyself would infect anyone with insanity. I had used Macbeth only as an instrument for my independence, but if the tool becomes broken, the task cannot be seen through. The fear and sorrow that shrouds Macbeth is like the blanket of soil for us to be buried in. His hasty, miscalculated decisions were the shovels that dug us deeper, and the enemies which he created enclosed us in our eternal caskets.

            As my body lays and my thoughts drift, I ponder upon the occurrences which I have experienced, and I can see that my existence was but a tragedy. I was birthed in the weaker form, and my spiritual cries to be unsexed were not heard. I came across an unwilling husband, who hadth pulled me down to the level of his own.  Tendencies of schizophrenia caught a grasp on me, as I obsessively tried to cleanse my hands of Duncan’s filthy blood. This disorder began to haunt me; controlling my body in the depths of the night. And so in my defeat, with the clock still ringing in my ears, I took the plunge into the hereafter. It is now that I can sleep forever and be released from the insomnia that was my life. 

~~~

     Before writing this monologue, I decided to do some research to see what information I could uncover about Lady Macbeth, and I stumbled upon two articles: here and here. Minimal searching was needed to learn that a common belief is that Lady Macbeth's character was not mentally stable throughout the play.  She was often diagnosed with conditions such as psychosis, bipolar disorder, and others. Seeing as the mental aspect of individuals is a major component of themselves, I included my inferences in the monologue, making references to schizophrenia (because of her spirit-calling and sleep walking) and obsessive compulsive disorder (her frequent hand-washing). I believe that these aspects of Lady Macbeth's character makes her more intricate and intriguing in the play. 

Superstitions

     A number of superstitions exist in society; for several reasons. Before discussing specific superstitions, perhaps it is understandable to cover a major cause of such first. As a species, humans are often curious about why events occur and how things come to be. When faced with the logically inexplicable, human minds tent to create rationales whether they are true or not. Knowing this, the task of identifying the origins of superstitions becomes more feasible.

     One common superstition today is the act of knocking on wood when wishing for a certain future happening. This ritualistic behaviour may have been derived from touching a wooden cross while pledging an oath. This means that past beliefs can be handed down and adopted by society, albeit in different forms and interpretations. In addition to conservatory reasons, there are also scientific explanations for why superstitions exist. 

    In tales, it is not uncommon that unfortunate events will present themselves in groups. This is thanks to the superstition that bad luck comes in threes. There is a psychological phenomenon that aids in the explanation of this superstition, and it is called confirmation bias. Confirmation bias has an effect that makes people interpret occurrences in ways which agree with their beliefs. For example, someone may believe they are having a bad day because of a conflict that had taken place. This person is likely to think that their day is getting worse as more events take place; they would correlate said events with the initial negative conflict and mindset. As a result of this, the person may interpret the happenings throughout the day as unfavourable, even if they would be considered neutral if the person was having a normal day. This causes a snowball effect, and gives the appearance that bad things happen in bunches - in three's, for example.
     Despite evidence debunking superstitions, a handful are still used by society, for different reasons. One is the placebo effect, which generated partly because of confirmation bias. Comfort can be derived from the placebo effect, such as the age-old example of sugar pills relieving physical pain. Although the "medication" has no actual effect on one's condition, the belief of taking a prescribed drug can uplift one's state. Another reason why superstitions exist is due to humans being stubborn and neglecting data. People are said to often uphold their beliefs even when faced with contrary evidence, as acceptance change can cause discomfort. Additionally, some people are fearful of being proved wrong or exposed to other ideologies, and this causes a lack of investigation and drive to learn more. This means that humans take bliss in their current mindsets, and are often not very malleable - allowing superstitions to live on.
    Whether it is about black cats or cracked sidewalks, superstitions survive in society. There are numerous causes for their existence, and just as many studies downplaying them. Despite the evidence against them, superstitions are likely to not be banished from the human race in the near future because of the mindsets that are possessed and their tendencies.

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Many superstitions propose luck-influencing objects and occurrences. The picture above shows several of these - good luck is often represented by horse shoes and four-leaf clovers. In contrast,

bad luck is shown by shattered mirrors, Friday the 13th, walking underneath ladders, and

shattered mirrors. Black cats can portray good or bad luck, depending on culture!

About Me and Personality Quizzes

     I am a Canadian eleventh grade student. As most students, I partake in several different activities. I am involved in combative sports and like to read adventurous, thrilling novels. I also enjoy writing, and of course, exploring the internet. I have decided on three learning goals for this course. The first that comes to mind is to strengthen my vocabulary; as the knowledge of a plethora of words invokes insightfulness from various angles (as opposed to redundancy). The second is to become a better short story writer and free verse poet. I believe that these types of works develop creativity skills, which I deem an important aspect to help set individuals from others. Lastly, I wish to enhance my formal reports, as this style of writing is used "in the real world," a la career applications.

I have completed two personality quizzes: the Jung Typology Test and Multiple Intelligences.
     Once I completed the former, I was shown "INTJ". According to the results, I am moderately introverted and intuitive (opposed to extraverted and sensing). Additionally, I was said to be strongly thinking and slightly judging (over feeling and perceiving). I believe that this test was a rather accurate portrayal of me. I am introverted by nature and I consider myself to be a logical person. Derived from this, I am an intuitive and thinking being. Using my observations and thought processes, I can learn how the environment around me works, and I try to make decisions based on thought criteria instead of feelings and emotions. Noting myself as judging is not wrong, as I believe what is around me should be analyzed for its worth and/or opportunities.
     Multiple Intelligences scores eight different "intelligences," with a maximum score of five. According to the test, logic/math, at 4.14/5, is my greatest intelligence, followed by kinesthetic and intrapersonal; both at 3.71/5. The other five categories are ranked as follows:

While analyzing the results, I was slightly surprised that social is considered a more defined strength of mine when compared to spatial. This is because I consider myself to be rather aware of what surrounds me, coupled with the fact that I am somewhat asocial at times. Aside from this, there were no anomalies, and the outcome was similar to that of the Typology Test. With that thought in mind, it seems that the tests are not contradictory and therefore could be considered at least somewhat accurate when representing me. Overall, these personality quizzes affirmed what I had already believed to be my make-up; generally introverted and logical.

Identity Narrative

     "You're special from the rest of them". An unwritten law states that parents must tell this to their children. Despite itself, this trivial statement made me feel anything but special. It seemed rhetorical to me, but if everyone is "unique" then how is anyone special? It was with this mentality that I didn't bother to set myself apart from anyone else. School came easily to me, but I never fully exerted myself. In third grade, my teacher privately attempted to discipline me in algebra as I was mathematically ahead of the other students. She only gave me one lesson, and the session didn't surpass ten minutes. My teacher was quick to give up on me when I couldn't understand the material at first. Did I ask for another shot to get it right? Nope. I accepted that I was insufficient to complete the work, and I had no wish to try and just fail again. I know that I couldn't crash if I didn't pursue flight; but what was unbeknownst to me was that this ideology would cloud me for much longer than a ten minute lecture. This became apparent in fifth grade - my teacher at this time told me that I was classified as "gifted" to which I responded with a thought of "whatever". I lacked the desire to pounce on opportunities presented to me; at the time I was but a paradigm of stale, diminishing potential. I suppose all the dreams I never had would become lucid later in life.

     Today, I am much more aware and appreciative of my abilities than I was in the past. I have matured and begun to realize that I want to make something of my life. I immerse myself in activities that I believe will be of benefit or interest to me. I am not afraid to make mistakes in my endeavours, and I don't mind failures so long as I learn from them and eventually complete what I've started. Often, I try to build my skills in various subjects; even if this means glaring at my laptop screen late at night, while my mother wakes up just to tell me to go to sleep. I do whatever possible to gain an edge above others; in hopes of keeping my options for the future available. An example of this is that I have attended and volunteered the university that I am most likely aiming for (in the field of engineering). However, my repertoire of extra-curricular activities extends to other areas, such as sports (boxing/rugby). In the present, I am more advantageous when it comes to developing and honing my skills; loading the ammunition to fire off in the future.

      I would like to say that I hope to have a plan of what I set out to do in life by the end of high school. Unfortunately, this is merely wishful thinking, and there is a solid chance that I will not be sure of what I want to do until after my first year of university. From what I know now, I will most likely become a chemical engineer, or a stockbroker if I go down the business road, which is also a current interest of mine. Although, my career will require me to expend a large portion of myself, I will retain other facets of my life. This includes hobbies and activities, as well as a family of course. I know that I can make this vision become reality via priorities, and work ethic.