1

By: Robbie Mountel5/5/09

2

Senior Writing Portfolio is a collection of pieces written by Roncalli High School

senior Robbie Mountel. This collection includes several essays written over prose pieces

including novels such as Frankenstein, Slaughter House Five, and The Things They

Carried. These essays offer insight as to the literary devices used by the respective

authors of the books, as well as analyze any themes in the novels. Also included are

essays over older works such as Euripides’ Helen and William Shakespeare’s great

tragedy Othello. Another essay answers an open ended question that was once on the AP

Literature Test about the role violence plays in great writing.

Another primary focus of this collection is the examination of poetry. Essays in

this collection include pieces over poetry written by John Donne, Langston Hughes, and

Walt Whitman. These essays examine poetic devices such as allusions, metaphors,

figurative language, and diction that the writers utilize. Also included in this compilation

is an annotated bibliography that analyzes several articles written about the themes of

Othello and a college application essay that was used in Mountel’s application process at

the University of Notre Dame and at Purdue University. Senior Writing Portfolio covers

a wide variety of literature and serves primarily to analyze these great works.

3

Table of Contents

Compare and Contrast TTTC and SH5 4

Position Paper Short Stories 6

Frankenstein 8

Poetry Response 10

Whitman and Hughes 12

Position Paper-Helen 14

Annotated Bibliography-Othello 16

The Pawnbroker 17

Prose Response 19

Open Ended Question-Violence 21

College Essay 23

4

Compare and Contrast TTTC and SH5

It is possible for story-truth to be truer sometimes than literal truth. In The Things

They Carried by Tim O’Brien, the truth is expressed through a series of stories. These

stories, however, are not entirely true. In Slaughter-House-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, facts

about the main character’s life are used. While TTTC uses story truth and SH5 uses

actual happening=truth, the truth of TTTC is portrayed much more clearly.

Kurt Vonnegut opens the first chapter of the novel by stating “All this happened,

more or less” (SH5, 1). This predominately invokes a sense of literal truth about the

book. Throughout the novel, from the point where Billy is captured by Germans to when

his plane crashes, the story is told as if it is fact. The truth is not questioned because most

of the events, with the exception of the Trafalmadore narrative, are completely realistic

and believable.

O’Brien, on the other hand, states in the middle of the novel that “almost

everything is invented.” At first this invokes a sense of being cheated or lied to by the

author. However, there is actually much realism to O’Brien’s lies than to Vonnegut’s

facts. In TTTC, Tim O’Brien kills an enemy soldier with a hand grenade. O’Brien

repeatedly states that “his other eye was a star-shaped hole” (TTTC, 124). By doing this,

the author portrays a sense of shock. The back story of the man that O’Brien killed is

also told in the novel. This appeals to the emotions and allows one to feel what Tim

O’Brien is going through.

The truths of TTTC and SH5 are presented in drastically different ways.

However, both methods of story telling allow the author to depict what actually

happened. In this case, the story-truth of TTTC proves to be more realistic than the

5

happening truth of SH5. While most of the stories told by O’Brien are lies, similar events

actually happened. By dressing up the stories the way O’Brien does, he is able to reveal

his emotions throughout the war without literally stating the truth. In this instance, there

proves to be great truth in O’Brien’s lies.

6

Position Paper Short Stories

In the stories of “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka and “Sin Dolor” by T.

Coraghessan Boyle, the authors share a common purpose.  The protagonists in both

stories are exploited by the ones that they love.  The purpose of both authors is to portray

a theme of greed and senselessness toward the protagonists of each story. 

                In Sin Dolor, Damaso’s family is far less than nice to him.  Boyle characterizes

the father as being cruel and unloving toward his son. Damaso’s father exploits him and

treats him more like an animal than a son.  In the story, the doctor proceeds to wander the

streets of the city on a day after the boy has left him.  He finds Damaso “stuck all over

like a kind of hedgehog with perhaps twenty of those stainless steel skewers people use

for making shish kebab, including one that projected through both of his cheeks.”  The

father’s willingness to force his son to mutilate himself in front of hundreds of people,

simply because he himself would rather not work, is a terrible form of greed.

                The Doctor in “Sin Dolor” is equally guilty of fraudulently loving young

Damaso.  While he seems to intend to treat the boy more humanely, there is a part of him

that only wants to exploit the boy.  In the story when the doctor takes Damaso to his

office and shows him that he is a connoisseur of scorpions, he doesn’t keep a very close

eye on the boy.  He seems as if he actually wants Damaso to touch the scorpion just to

see if he will feel the pain.   The main goal of the doctor is not in fact to help the boy

escape his dreadful life at home with his family, but rather to make a name for himself as

being one of the giants of the medical field.  Boyle implies that, like the protagonist’s

father, the doctor only cares for the boy out of greed and thirst for power.

7

                Gregor Samsa’s family in “The metamorphosis” does not seem to genuinely

care about him at all.  He is only viewed as a source of income for the family.  Kafka

characterizes Gregor’s mother, father, and sister as not genuinely caring about him for

any reason other than money. Towards the beginning of Gregor’s transformation, his

sister Grete begins to bring him food.  However, towards the end of the novella, she is

actually the one who suggests to the parents that they can no longer continue to house the

creature, which eventually leads to Damaso’s demise.  In the end, the family actually

goes out on a walk and seems glad to be rid of the burden of taking care of Gregor. 

Kafka portrays the fact that the family only kept Gregor around at all because of his

lucrative properties.

                The purpose of both Boyle and Kafka’s stories are to show the greed and

selfishness of people.  More specifically, the authors want to show how terrible this self-

centeredness is in order to teach the reader a lesson.  In each story, the ones who should

love the protagonist the most are, in fact, the ones who exploit them for money.  The

authors do this to show the reader how personal greed can destroy a family and cannot

lead to good.

8

Frankenstein

In tragedies, there is often one particular figure who serves as the source of all

suffering in the story. In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor serves as this tragic

figure. All of the suffering brought upon Victor as well as the rest of his friends and

family is brought upon by the monster that Victor created. This concept adds to the theme

of the dangers of science as well as to the tragic mood of the entire work as a whole.

Without the character of Victor, virtually no suffering in the novel would take

place. His thirst for fame and self glory drives him to want to create life. He then creates

a monster that he despises from the moment of its birth. In the moment after the creature

is brought to life, Victor exclaims, "How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe,

or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to

form?" (Shelley, 35) From the moment the monster is created, Victor knows that he will

only be a disgusting cause of pain and suffering.

Victor is ultimately responsible for numerous deaths in the novel as well as the

suffering of many people that Victor knows and loves. On the day of Victor's wedding, a

day that should be filled with joy and euphoria, Elizabeth instead seems to have a morose

disposition because of the grave truth that she knows Victor is about to tell her. After

Elizabeth is dead, Victor's father dies of sadness and remorse. Because Victor is

responsible for bestowing life upon the monster, he is also responsible for the monster's

behavior. Thus, Victor is ultimately to blame for the suffering of both his father and

Elizabeth. Although the monster is actually the murderer of Elizabeth, William, and

Henry, Victor is indirectly responsible due to the fact that he is the monster's creator.

These murders are the source of the overall tragic theme of the story. When one thinks of

9

tragedy, they most often think of death and sorrow. This is exactly what Victor creates by

constructing the monster. He creates a being that can do no good, but can only kill and

destroy. It is the monster's purpose in life to make Victor miserable and to kill everyone

he loves. Victors serves as an instrument that is used to create a product that only serves

to inflict pain. Thus, Victor is ultimately responsible for the deaths of his wife Elizabeth,

his brother William, his friend Henry, and his father.

The theme of the dangers of science is prevalent in Frankenstein. There are many

things that should not be tested scientifically, and Mary Shelley is implying that playing

God is one of them. By creating life, Victor accomplishes absolutely nothing but causing

suffering to others. Science can be a wonderful asset when used correctly, but when

abused, it can be an immense source of suffering. The creation of the monster is a perfect

example of this.

In Frankenstein, Victor serves as a tragic figure that functions as an instrument of

the suffering of others. Victor's story is particularly tragic because he originally had good

intentions in creating the monster. He wanted to contribute to science and he believed

that the power to give life would lead to a plethora of scientific breakthroughs. However,

his creation went terribly wrong and eventually destroyed his life as well as the lives of

others. As a whole, the novel is dreadfully tragic, and Victor is the primary source of the

pain and suffering.

10

Poetry Response

In A Hymn to God the Father, John Donne utilizes several literary techniques in

order to convey his attitude to the reader. The poem describes a prayer in which the

speaker converses with God. The attitude of the speaker throughout the work is very

religious and repentant. Donne employs diction, form, and an allusion in order to convey

his repentant attitude.

In the first stanza of the poem, Donne asks, “Will thou forgive those sins through

which I run?” (Donne, 3). These words imply that the speaker is an extremely sinful man

due to the fact that he describes himself as running through sin. The phrase “wilt though

forgive” indicates the author’s serious and repentant attitude. Asking forgiveness implies

that one is somber and regretful of their sins, and wants nothing more than for those sins

to be washed away.

Throughout the poem, Donne uses a unique form to convey his purpose and

attitude. The phrase “Wilt though forgive” is repeated four times in the first two stanzas

of the poem. This suggests that the poem actually progresses from beginning to end. In

the first two stanzas, the speaker is just beginning his confession by stating his minor

sins. This progression from beginning to end can also be seen in the last line of each

stanza. The first two stanzas and with the phrase “For I have more”, implying that the

speaker has sins that he has not yet confessed. This contrasts with eh end of the poem in

which he states “I have no more” (Donne, 18).

In the last stanza of the poem, Donne also utilizes an allusion. He states, “Swear

by thyself that at my death thy Sun” (Donne, 15). While this may literally imply that he

11

is talking about the Sun, the author is also alluding to the Son of God. This allusion to

Jesus Christ reminds the reader that Donne is speaking to God and confessing his sins.

Throughout the poem, Donne utilizes a plethora of literary devices in order to

convey his repentant attitude to the reader. Through diction, form, and allusions the

author exhibits his somber attitude and replays his conversation with God. These

techniques allow the reader to really feel the regret of the speaker and to ultimately feel

his repentance.

12

Whitman and Hughes

In I Hear America Singing, by Walt Whitman, and I, Too Sing America, by

Langston Hughes, the authors convey very different attitudes to the reader. But while

these attitudes are radically different, they are still both patriotic in their own way.

Whitman uses repetition and uniformity in his poem to convey a proud attitude while

Hughes utilizes shifts in tone to create his angry, yet hopeful attitude.

In I Hear America Singing, by Walt Whitman, the author uses both imagery and

repetition to convey his attitude to the reader. At the beginning of each line, Whitman

states a voice that he hears singing from a different occupation each time. He includes

most of the major jobs from the time period such as a carpenter, a mechanic, a mason, a

boatman, a shoemaker, a woodcutter, and even a mother. By stating each occupation,

Whitman conveys that the song of each worker contributes to the song of America as a

whole. This use of uniformity and repetition creates an attitude that is proud in the

hardworking and diverse nation.

In I, Too, Sing America, by Langston Hughes, the author uses poetic structure, as

well as shifts to convey an attitude that is angry and frustrated, but also hopeful for the

future. The first stanza is all about how Hughes is segregated and sent to “eat in the

kitchen when company comes” (Hughes, 3-4). This stanza uses imagery to paint a

picture about the unfairness of segregation. Between the first and second stanzas, a shift

in attitude occurs. He states at the beginning of the second stanza that “tomorrow, I’ll be

at the table when company comes” (Hughes, 8-10). This contrasting imagery creates a

shift in attitude from frustrated to hopeful about the future.

13

While Hughes’ poem is more resentful towards America than Whitman’s, both

authors have a very patriotic attitude toward America. Whitman’s patriotism is more

obvious than that of Hughes. Whitman uses diction that is mainly happy to describe the

songs of different workers such as blithe, strong, delicious, and melodious (Whitman

2,8,10). These words portray Whitman’s love for his country. While Langston Hughes’

patriotism is not as obvious, it can still be seen in the title of the poem. By titling the

poem, I, Too, Sing America, Whitman expresses that he too wants to be considered part

of America. Although he is mistreated and segregated, Hughes is hopeful in America’s

potential for equality.

Both poets use different strategies to convey distinctly different attitudes.

Whitman uses repetition and uniformity to create a proud attitude, while Hughes uses

shifts to create attitudes that are both angry and hopeful. But while the poems are both

unique, both also convey and attitude of patriotism and loyalty towards America.

14

Position Paper-Helen

Euripides has been hailed by many as one of the great authors of Greek tragedy.

Throughout history, many famous authors have tried to translate the ancient works of

Euripides. Rachel Hadas brings to the table a feministic view that is praising of Helen’s

actions and sympathetic toward her lack of presence at the city of Troy during the famous

Trojan War. Aristotle’s six elements of drama can be seen in virtually every modern

work from books to movies. Rachel Hadas’ translation of Euripides’ Helen presents a

feministic thought process and theme as well as modern diction and syntax.

In the time of the Trojan War, women were thought of mainly as possessions to

be won and traded. Women were not often thought of as being particularly intelligent or

thoughtful. However, Hadas provides a very different view of women. She instead

portrays Helen as a thoughtful and blameless part of the Trojan War. While many people

in the drama seem to blame Helen for the war, Helen is portrayed as though she clearly

had no choice or say in what has happened to her. Hadas is making a statement about

women of this time and their lack of authority in society.

Throughout the drama, a constant theme is the effects that women have on men.

One clear way this theme can be seen is through the fact that an entire full-scale war is

being waged over a single woman. However, another way that Hadas emphasizes

women’s control is through the plan used by Helen and Menelaus to escape from Egypt.

In line 830, Helen states, “What if the king were ignorant that you had ever come here.”

This comment made by a woman sparks their elaborate plan to escape a very high

security situation. The fact that Helen crafts the majority of this scheme accentuates

Hadas’ feministic tendencies and thought processes.

15

While Helen was written hundreds of years ago in a completely different country,

Rachel Hadas has created a translation that is extremely easy to read given the

circumstances. She does this through simple yet descriptive diction and syntax. In line

822 when Helen is speaking with her husband Menelaus, Helen states, “You’ll see. The

man who dares impossible deeds is not a hero but a fool.” The sentence structure of this

passage is very easy to read and gets Hadas’ point across effectively. Hadas also uses a

contraction in this passage. This underlines her use of modern diction by speaking as a

real woman would speak, rather than further complicating the speech.

Rachel Hadas’ feministic thought processes add to the author’s message in the

work. Helen never had any control over what happened to her and was simply used as

the property of men. Hadas depicts Helen as a strong woman who is capable of thinking

for herself. This is done through the diction and syntax throughout the drama as well as

through the theme. Hadas uses Aristotle’s elements of a drama to comment on the

strength of women in society and to punctuate previous notions about women of that time

period.

16

Annotated Bibliography-Othello

Aubrey, James R. "Race and the Spectacle of the Monstrous in Othello." CLIO 22 no. 3

(Spring 1993): 221-38.

James R. Aubrey’s main purpose in Race and the Spectacle of the Monstrous in

Othello is to explain how Othello is portrayed as a monster. Aubrey offers information

about how blacks were not often seen on stage by audiences. The mere sight of seeing

Othello as a black person would have created feelings of monstrosity in the eyes of the

audience. Rodrigo also portrays Othello as a monster in Act 1 when he refers to him as a

black ram and later refers to the image of “the beast with two backs”. Aubrey includes an

important quote from Aristotle that defines monstrosities as formations that are contrary

to the usual. Due to the fact that Othello is black and is among other white characters, he

is viewed as a monster.

West, Fred. "Iago the Psychopath." South Atlantic Bulletin 43 (Mar. 1978): 27-35

Fred West’s main purpose in Iago the Psychopath is to argue that William

Shakespeare created an accurate portrait of a psychopath through the character of Iago.

West argues that Iago possesses several traits that are traditionally seen not only in

psychopathic characters, but also in real psychopaths. One such trait is that the character

of Iago seems to be passionless, and rather cold in his pursuit of destroying Othello.

West also argues that psychopaths often are more intelligent than normal beings. This

trait is clearly portrayed in Iago. West utilizes the ideas of several other literary analysts

including Coleridge, Cleckley, and Bradley. Their thoughts and ideas reinforce the

argument that Iago is a psychopath.

17

The Pawnbroker

In “The Pawnbroker” by Maxine Kumin, a father passes away after many years of

laboring on his feet as a pawnbroker. At the end of the poem, the children bear the pain

after their provider in life dies. Kumin uses diction, imagery, and symbolism to depict the

inside and outside worlds of the speaker.

Kumin utilizes unique diction to describe the inward and outward lives of the

speaker. The word “hurt” is used three times in the first, fourth, and fifth stanzas of the

poem. This word is representative to the outside world of the speaker, in that it describes

the physical pain of the father, or pawnbroker. The speaker also describes the feet of the

pawnbroker as “tender and smooth” in the first stanza, as well as “graceful and clean” in

the third stanza. These phrases are used to describe the inside, or emotional world of the

speaker. By saying that his father’s feet were tender, smooth, graceful, and clean, the

speaker is implying that the pawnbroker always had good and pure motives for all of his

work. The pawnbroker’s primary focus in his life was to serve his family, no matter what

the physical cost was.

Kumin uses several forms of imagery to describe his physical and emotional life.

The beginning of the poem describes the pain of human weight. The speaker describes

“fifty years of standing behind the counter waiting on trade.” This insinuates the lifelong

pain the Pawnbroker has suffered with at work. The pawnbroker’s emotional sorrows

were ever present in his inability to face the pain of his children. He even says “The sight

of his children barefoot gave him a pain.” His sacrificing for his children was returned to

him however. His child said “I had from my father a love ingrown tight as an oyster.”

The father to child relationship seemed to be mutual. The Pawnbroker had a difficult life

18

and through the visual imagery of painful feet, the reader is able to relate to some of his

pains.

As the physical and emotional worlds of the characters continues to develop in

“The Pawnbroker”, Kumin utilizes symbolism to strengthen the already existing

personalities. In line 1, Kumin makes this symbolic measure obvious in saying that “the

symbol inside this poem is my father’s feet”. The father’s feet prove to be an important

aspect of Kumin’s poem in that it becomes the gauge of the father’s love and devotion to

his children’s future. As his physical agony and discomfort build, the children’s, and the

father’s, emotional happiness rise. Line 9 offers one example of this balance system when

the sight of his children barefoot gave him a pain. A pain not caused by anger but by the

grief of seeing his hard work go unappreciated. With this delicate balance, the eventual

death of the father will reverse the roles the characters possess and provide an interesting

outlook on life.

In the end, Kumin masterfully interweaves diction, imagery, and symbolism in

order to portray the inside and outside worlds of the characters. As the father labored

endlessly for his children, his inner emotions struggle to maintain sanity while his body

begins to break down. This poem profoundly relates to the similarities of the modern

economic status which requires parents to strive to make ends meet.

19

Prose Response

In George Eliot’s novel Middlemarch, Dorthea Brooke is characterized as being a

very unique individual. While Dorthea is described as being better looking than her sister

Celia, it is in fact Celia who is preferred by suitors as being the better candidate for

marriage. The author uses diction, similes, and allusions to convey his feelings that while

Dorthea is very good looking, it is her erratic religious beliefs that seem to turn men away

from her.

Throughout the passage, the narrator uses a plethora of words that portray

Dorthea as being beautiful. Eliot states that “her profile as well as her stature and bearing

seem to gain the more dignity her plain garments” (Lines 5-7). By using the words

stature, bearing, and dignity while talking about her plain dress, it can be perceived that it

is no her clothes that make the narrator attracted to her, but rather her natural good looks.

While much of the passage offers likeable traits about Dorthea, she is also characterized

as having a religion that is “unusual” (Line 45). Eliot later uses the words “pagan” and

“sensuous” (Line 59) to describe how Dorthea feels when riding on horseback. This

choice of words adds to the overall feeling that Dorthea’s beliefs are very irregular.

To convey the erratic religious beliefs of Dorthea, the narrator uses similes. He

states that “Miss Brooke’s large eyes seemed, like her religion, too unusual and striking”

(Lines 44-46). There is a dual meaning of this statement. The first is that Dorthea clearly

had unusual religious beliefs. The second meaning is to further reiterate how beautiful

the narrator thinks she is.

Eliot also utilizes allusions in this passage to characterize his attitude toward

Dorthea. He alludes to the Virgin Mary when he states that Dorthea “could wear sleeves

20

not less bare of style than those in which the Blessed Virgin appeared to Italian painters”

(Lines 3-5). By alluding to Mary, the narrator is commenting on how plain Dorthea’s

clothes were. Mary is always portrayed, especially by Italian painters, as being a very

simple and ordinary woman in plain dress. By comparing Dorthea to Mary, he is

portraying the idea of beauty, regardless of clothing or wealth.

The word choice of the narrator as well as his use of allusions and similes

conveys his feelings about Dorthea. While she is better looking and more interesting

than her sister, Celia is most often preferred by men. The narrator is interested in

Dorthea, but thinks that because of her unusual religious tendencies and more wild

behavior, she is not as good of a candidate for marriage.

21

Open Ended Question-Violence

In modern times, violence is often thought of as a needless and terrible concept.

However, in great literature, violence is rarely without reason and nearly always

contributes to the meaning of the work. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, two

brief scenes of violence are essential to the meaning of the work as a whole.

Towards the end of the play, both Romeo and Juliet take their own lives after

thinking that the other is dead. These acts of violence, Romeo drinking poison and Juliet

stabbing herself, are critical to the theme of forbidden love in the play. If this act of

violence had not occurred, the play would have ended happily with Romeo and Juliet

each still being alive. However, their deaths are essential to the tragic sense of the work.

By their deaths, Shakespeare ties together the fitting, yet tragic end of the fight between

the Capulets and Montagues.

The violent deaths of Romeo and Juliet are the result of needless fighting between

the Capulets and Montagues. This needless fighting is another theme of the play. The

two families do not even remember what they are fighting about, just that they are each

other’s sworn enemy. Another act of violence, the death of Tibolt, exemplifies this anger

between the families. He is a casualty in the seemingly aimless fight between the two

families. Tibolt’s death escalates the tension between the Montagues and Capulets, and

thus makes the love of Romeo and Juliet even more deadly.

The needless deaths of Romeo and Juliet are symbolic of the needless fighting

between the two families. Neither Romeo nor Juliet knows that the other was not really

dead when they committed suicide, just as neither family really knew why they were

22

fighting. These brief acts of violence are essential to the tragic ending as well as the

central theme of forbidden love in the play.

23

College Essay

Ever since I was a young boy, the subjects that I have excelled in have been math

and science. Everything from algebra to physics to chemistry has always fascinated me.

I like knowing how things work and why they work the way they do. Because of this

curiosity and willingness to learn, I have made it a priority to find a career that I am

interested in. This has led me to decide that engineering is the clear career choice for me.

A college education will allow me to pursue both my personal and professional goals.

Throughout my life, it has always been one of my goals to challenge myself. In

high school, I have taken the most rigorous course schedule possible. When scheduling

my senior courses, it was very tempting to only take the classes that I needed to take to

achieve academic honors. However, because of my willingness to be challenged, I

decided to take a schedule that involved as many honors and advanced placement courses

that I could take. This has allowed me to challenge myself and to see what I am capable

of accomplishing. I believe that continuing my education at a college level will allow me

to continue the goal of challenging myself.

Another one of my goals has been to have a career that I really enjoy. Since the

subjects that I both excel at and enjoy are math and science, I believe that engineering is

the clear choice for me. I have attended the Engineering Explore Program at Eli Lilly in

order to give me a better understanding of what engineers do and what type of

engineering I may be interested in. This experience has allowed me to see the type of

environment an engineer works in, what an engineer does on a typical day to day basis,

and has given me insight into the type of projects that different classes of engineers work

on. I have concluded that engineering is something that I would really enjoy as a career.

24

While money isn’t everything, it is also one of my goals to obtain a job that pays

reasonably well. Due to the ever increasing demand for engineers, I believe that a degree

in engineering will aid me in this goal. With the vast rate at which technology is

advancing in today’s world, there is a huge demand for engineers. Nearly every major

company of any sort, whether it is Sony or Eli Lilly, requires engineers to advance their

company. This growing desire for engineers will help me to achieve my goal of

obtaining a job that pays well.

A college degree in engineering will help me to pursue my dreams of challenging

myself, obtaining an enjoyable job, and making a sufficient amount of money. But above

all, a college education in engineering will allow me to obtain the knowledge I need to

understand how a device works, and then create a better way of doing it. A college

education is essential to the accomplishment of my personal and professional goals.