Rough Draft

The title of a book may hold more meaning than the reader generally realizes. In the case of the book, The Fault in Our Stars, the title of the novel contains significant meaning that contributes to an entire theme of the book. The title is derived from a line in William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, which states “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.”  The interpretation of this line depicts that whatever higher power we were created from is not the cause of our corruption, mistakes, flaws or imperfections. This fault lies in ourselves, because we are the inferior and subordinate ones to the inferiority of our stars. 

Introduction

Whaddup doe! Obviously my name is Sophie Cordes. My real name is Sophia, but I'm only addressed by that name when I am in some serious trouble.

Apparently people think I have a huge family, but it's just five kids and my parents. Also, two girl dogs. I'm in the exact middle. The middle child. However, it does not work to my benefit in any way. I have two older brothers in college. My younger sister is a freshman and my little brother is in fourth grade. There's pros and cons of having a big family, and no matter how annoying it can be sometimes, I wouldn't have it any other way!

I'm not really fond of describing myself and my life as a 16 year old. It's not very interesting, honestly. Just the same old same old. The one thing that everyone finds out by just spending a few simple minutes with me is that I'm CRAZY. I have too much energy that I love exerting on people, especially to make them laugh and smile. Although some people probably finally me stupid... and not humorous. There's nothing or no one that I don't like! Sports are my thing. Soccer is my number one sport though! I've played it my whole life and have a love for every part of the game. In middle school I played basketball and soccer and ran cross country. Freshman year I ran track, and last year I played tennis and soccer. I also swam for four years on swim team back in my hometown. I absolutely love all sports. 

I LOVE FOOD. Enough said. 

Being outside makes me really happy. Hiking is amazing, and it's wonderful to see all the breathtaking views nature has to offer. I try to spend as much time outside as I can. I'm always up for an adventure, too! 

THE most valuable part about my life is my faith. I'm a strong believer of Jesus Christ. I'm far from perfect, but God's love is and I strive every day to be the woman of God I am called to be. Church is basically my second home and I'm there all the time. I always look forward to going to church and seeing the incredible people there. My youth group contains the most amazing people I've ever met. We are so closely knit and are all family, and love each other like it. We're not just brothers and sisters in Christ, but in real life, too! The church that I attend is Christ Alive Church! 

Congratulations, you now know my life! 

Thanatopsis Questions

1. The two Greek words combined to make the title are "thanatos", meaning death and "opsis", meaning sight. The meanings of these words contribute to the poem in that they make the reader realize that the poem is talking about looking past the "obstacle" of death, to truly see the beauty of one's surroundings. 

2. To shroud is the act of covering or concealing, and it related to the poem because death is described to shroud, hindering us from being aware and appreciating what is around us. A pall is anything that shrouds, relating to the poem in that death is a pall to us. The narrow house is a synonym for the grave. The word relates to the poem because it refers to a person dying and him or her being placed in a grave, or narrow house, and becoming one with nature. Like a narrow house, a sepulcher is a grave, tomb, or burial place, relating to the poem by nature being characterized as a comfortable grave. 

3. I personally believe that this poem is about life. While it talks about death most of the time, there's more emphasis on life. It's main purpose is to remind the reader of the inevitable and impending end, and that while we are alive we cannot take advantage of the nature or atmosphere around us. 

4.The tone of the first part of the poem is one of coldness, sorrow, and mourning as it speaks about someone dying and leaving behind the beauty of nature. The tones shifts at line 31 to a tone of hope and joy as the realization is made that when one does they do not die alone, but rather with all the others who have passed, and they're not leaving the beauty of nature but becoming one with it.

5. An elegy is a poem of deep reflection on topics of sorrow, death, loss and other sad things. Thanatopsis meets these conventions as most of the poem speaks about death and departing from the world which had been so full of care and beauty, indicating immense sorrow and loss. 

6. In the poem there are many elements of nature. If the poem were to be a painting then it'd most likely be a really beautiful hilly landscape of some sort with various details depicted on the plants, sky, land, etc. There may be a shift in the light of the painting to relate to the shift in 

7. This poem so an example of a historical piece because it represents literature in the time era it was written and the fact that people heavily believed in the comforting of nature. The poem uses an older form of the English language. Because of the vivid imagery it depicts, and the deep feelings of emotion behind it, this poem is also a Romantic poem. The poem can also be interpreted as a Calvanist poem because it reveals to the reader that God can be accessed through nature. It is a description of the ultimatum that a relationship with God can be emphasized through nature.