Vicology

      Narcissists harbor a strong sense of entitlement, self-glorifying fantasies, and a craving for admiration from others. Narcissists can be charismatic and charming, but are often self-absorbed, controlling, and insensitive. If one is even slightly ridiculed, they might be provoked into a fit of destructive rage and will seek revenge.      Both Dorian Gray and Lord Henry are strongly narcissistic; while Lord Henry’s narcissism is insightful and quite charming, Dorian’s narcissism is cold and detrimental. The latter’s self-absorption and blind self-love leads Sibyl to kill herself and Basil to be horrifically murdered. Dorian’s narcissistic personality causes him to be highly ambitious, confident, driven, and allows him to possess the ability to exploit people and situations to maximize advantage at that given time. On the other hand, Henry’s narcissistic personality causes him to be an expert at charming and manipulating others, and thus adept at buildi...

      The phrase “the best of both worlds” refers to an item or situation that offers the benefits of two contrasting situations, often disregarding any undesirable disadvantages. It implies that you are essentially getting a two-for-one deal. Double lives are commonly used to obtain this deceptive deal.      Psychologists claim that a large number of people are living in 2 separate worlds, captured in their own lies, shame, and guilt that eventually power them into behaviors that are way too different from their daily lives. These behaviors can damage careers, break families, and ruin the lives of many people. In the most appalling scenarios, these dual lives lead to criminal acts, violence, and sometimes even murder. It often separates an individual from reality and forces them to live a life of secrecy. The ideology behind double lives are both corruptive and destructive.      A well-known example would be the show Hannah Montana. Miley Cy...

  Acknowledgements 11 English AP was a rollercoaster of emotions. The stress of analyzing Puritan writings that still don’t really make sense, the anxiety of writing an in class essay in 40 minutes, and the joy of being surrounded by such kind and intelligent individuals. Everything that happened (good or bad) within the walls of Mrs. Parks and Mrs. Valentino’s classroom will forever hold a dear place in my heart. I believe the key ingredient to my growth recipe is Mrs. Valentino. I remember looking at a sample essay after my first ICE and saying “I could never be able to write this”. Maybe it was the advanced word choice or the sophisticated structure but I was terrified of the skill difference between my writing and the sample. But, unfortunately for me, Mrs. Valentino’s sharp hearing heard my small confession and urged me to get rid of such thoughts because “I was in this class for a reason”. That statement was what got me through this year. From getting constant 3s on in class ...