How Will My English Professor React to My Writing?

Arian Maverick

Well-known member
I feel somewhat foolish for creating this horary chart, but I am extremely concerned as to how my English Composition professor will regard the writing sample he had each of his students submit today; this document is the first impression he will have of us, and I do not believe that it is an exaggeration to suggest that it will set the tone for the semester.

I am not so much concerned about my writing ability as I am about his particular style and preference for writing; if his lectures are any indication of his values in this regard, I fear that I will fail my first assignment.

Strangely enough, my favored style of writing does not quite show itself here because the topic of astrology does not lend itself to towards imagination and fantasy, although if someone asked me to wax poetic about the art and science I probably could produce a beautiful document with little concrete substance based mostly on fleeting impressions. In astrological terms, I can only describe this writing as Venusian or Neptunian.

Now imagine my professor being of a Mercurial or Saturnian nature, perhaps with a little unexpected Uranus thrown in to keep his students awake during long lectures, and you have an idea of the conflict I fear may develop. It is possible that I am imagining fears just as I imagine scenarios to write about, yet today's lecture was almost entirely about clarity in thought and in writing, and my face paled immediately. It is not that I believe I am incapable of such expression, but it goes against my very nature of expression, and I fear that I will lose much of my creative spark in the ensuing battle between logic and reason and creative expression, or worse, be rendered incapable of writing anything at all.

I have been thinking of this question for much of yesterday and today, but it was not until I was attempting to sleep last night did I realize I should form a horary question, to distract my mind if nothing else. Unfortunately, I cannot post the chart right now because I am at school and feel uncomfortable doing so, and I don't want to provide all of the data, but perhaps I'll ask a few basic questions.

How would one go about interpreting such a chart?

Would I compare my significator to that of my professor?

What planet would be his significator--the ruler of the ninth house of higher education?

Would the writing document I produced have a different significator than me--perhaps the ruler of the third house?

What do I do if none of the traditional planets make Ptolemic aspects with a 50% Astrodienst orb reduction to other traditional planets? Can I use nontraditional planets to interpret a horary chart in this instance?

Unfortunately, I'm none to familiar with relationship horaries in which an individual asks how they are perceived by another individual, but I assume this horary would follow a similar format--except although I care how I am perceived by my professor, I mostly care about how my writing will be perceived from him. I'm actually contemplating using different significators in this case because I feel that I present a much different "vibe" as a student than I do as a writer.

In case anyone is curious, I am signified by Venus in Capricorn in the third house in this chart, which I believe beautifully symbolizes my dilemma--Venus undoubtedly feels some discomfort in the sign of Saturn because she must change her inherent nature. This conflict is in the third house, which I also believe is appropriate firstly because I regard the third house as having a relationship with writing, and secondly, because I commute to college (the third house rules short distances). Due to this distinction, should I possibly use the third house to signify college or my professor rather than the ninth house? Yet this is still higher education despite the close distance...

I apologize for rambling on here; I will post the chart in about two hours or so.

Thank you in advance for any assistance :)

Arian Maverick

P.S. I don't know if this is significant, but the Moon is in its detriment in Capricorn, which worries me somewhat. If I remember correctly, Venus is separating from a conjunction with Jupiter and applying towards a conjunction with the Moon.
 

archergirl

Well-known member
Hi A.M.

Just relax! :p From my experience of university (universities, actually; I have attended several over the years) most of your peers will have appalling writing skills and you will be head and shoulders above them, no matter how detrimented you personally feel your skills to be.

You are on the right track with your Venus significator, but you should use the 9th for your professor, nonetheless; the 9th will always represent the teacher/mentor/bestower of knowledge. You can use the 3rd significator to show your writing style (e.g. how you communicate) and look for receptions between the professor's significator and the 3rd significator.

The detrimented Moon in this case would simply show your emotional state; that is, very worried and feeling rather helpless.

But honestly, you will be fine, and this professor is only one of many professors you will have; if you don't get along with him or he finds you 'substandard' somehow, stuff him. ;)

Best,
AG:)
 

Arian Maverick

Well-known member
Just relax! From my experience of university (universities, actually; I have attended several over the years) most of your peers will have appalling writing skills and you will be head and shoulders above them, no matter how detrimented you personally feel your skills to be.

Thanks for the reassurances, archergirl; one of the unforeseen benefits of taking this course in the second semester is that many of my classmates are entering this class after passing the lower level course or are retaking it after failing last semester, so as terrible as this sounds, I hope he won't judge me as harshly against them.

It's not that I personally feel my writing skills to be lacking, but rather, I fear that he won't like my somewhat "stream of consciousness" style and penalized me for it. The approach I chose sort of called for it, though; how organized are an individual's thoughts? I did a dramatic projection into the characters' mind, which he referred to as psychological interior monologue.

You are on the right track with your Venus significator, but you should use the 9th for your professor, nonetheless; the 9th will always represent the teacher/mentor/bestower of knowledge. You can use the 3rd significator to show your writing style (e.g. how you communicate) and look for receptions between the professor's significator and the 3rd significator.

Thank you, archergirl; this is what I thought, but I always like to get a second opinion, especially in matters of horary astrology.

So Venus is my significator, retrograde Mercury in Aquarius is my professor significator, and Jupiter in Capricorn is the significator of my writing style. Jupiter seems to fit the description due to its association with Pisces, but I don't consider my writing style to be very Capricornian at all--above all, I fear it lacks structure (Saturn). Do you suppose that it's a good sign that Jupiter is in the house it rules, even if it does not have any special dignity in Capricorn?

My significator, Venus, is separating from the significator of my writing style, Jupiter. Do you supposes this symbolizes that I had already completed the assignment at the moment I posed this horary question? Unfortunately, I did not think to record the exact time that I finished, but I find it interesting that Venus is separate from Jupiter by about four degrees, since I had completed the assignment perhaps three or four hours prior.

I'm also somewhat hopeful that I have both the Greater and the Lesser Benefics in my third house, even if the influence is weakened in Capricorn.

What should I make of Venus' applying conjunction to the Moon?

Also, should I be worried that Mars in in the ninth house?

I'm not yet sure exactly how Ptolemy's Table of Essential Dignities is used in horary astrology, but I thought it would be good practice to list the triplicity, term, and face each significator is located in, as well as other pertinent information from the chart.

Venus (My Significator): 14 Capricorn 33

  • Venus is in the triplicity of the Moon, the term of Jupiter, and the face of Mars.

Jupiter (My Writing Ability): 10 Capricorn 47

  • Jupiter is in the sign of its fall.
  • Jupiter is in the triplicity of the Moon, the term of Mercury (my professor's significator), and the face of Mars (perhaps my professor's co-significator since Mars is in the ninth house).

Mercury (My Professor): 19 Aquarius 13

  • Mercury is retrograde.
  • Mercury is combust.
  • Mercury is in its own triplicity and face and is in the term of Venus (my significator).

It seems clear to me that Mercury has the greatest power of the three significators, even if this power is diminished somewhat due to its retrograde motion and combustion. I did not need to look at a horary chart to know this, however; my professor yields absolute power over the grade I will receive.



Arian Maverick
 
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archergirl

Well-known member
Aargh. Mercury Rx is really MOST irritating!! I had a reply to this and it vanished into the ether. Mercury Rx PLUS WiFi is a big red flag, I guess...:mad:

Anyhoo, I was going to say that Mercury is very debilitated; it doesn't matter that he has dignity by triplicity or whatever, because he is both retrograde AND combust; a bad combination, and not as powerful as you would imagine him to be.

Everything having some share of terms and face with one another indicates a 'mild interest'. It may be that the professor is neither over the moon about your writing style, nor particularly displeased. I wonder how big your class size is...this may make all the difference to a professor's cynicism about writing style.

In any case, the Moon is VOC in this chart; its only aspect is an approaching square to your 1st house angle. What I see this as is you are winding yourself up into knots, but with a VOC Moon, 'nothing will come of the question'. I'm not sure if this means that the professor won't 'react' at all, or that your worries will come to nought. In either case, I don't think it'll be as bad as you might worry that it is.

The point being, a professor worth his/her salt will want to help you improve your writing style, if s/he feels that it needs help; and should you get a grade you aren't especially happy with, the best thing to do is actually approach the professor for advice. Professors usually love playing 'consultant': that is actually what they are paid to do, and it will benefit you to make the most of these resources while you can!

In the big picture it really won't matter whether this professor 'likes' your writing style or disagrees with it; what matters is that you develop and hone your own style, and then own it with pride. K?

Best,
AG:)
 

Arian Maverick

Well-known member
Anyhoo, I was going to say that Mercury is very debilitated; it doesn't matter that he has dignity by triplicity or whatever, because he is both retrograde AND combust; a bad combination, and not as powerful as you would imagine him to be.

This is interesting, but I can't imagine why he would be both retrograde and combust. He's an older man and supposedly takes lots of different medications, but he doesn't appear particularly frail to me. This would probably be more of a Saturn influence than a retrograde/combust influence, though...

Everything having some share of terms and face with one another indicates a 'mild interest'. It may be that the professor is neither over the moon about your writing style, nor particularly displeased.

I'll take neither pleased nor displeased of my writing style for now; my professor does not strike me as the type to dole out compliments, which I can accept as long as I'm not on the receiving end of his sarcasm and possibly harsh criticism. I understand that some criticism is necessary to improve any skill, but I'm just afraid of being ripped to shreads, which will make me less confident in my abilities and more likely to perform worse. This is my greatest fear.

I wonder how big your class size is...this may make all the difference to a professor's cynicism about writing style.

It's neither a large lecture hall nor a particularly small class; I haven't counted heads yet, but my college closes most classes at 35 students and I'd guess that we have that number in my class--perhaps slightly less, but it's difficult to tell because some students may be absent or walk in late on any particular day, and I often don't notice them coming in as I'm scribbling away notes.

In any case, the Moon is VOC in this chart; its only aspect is an approaching square to your 1st house angle. What I see this as is you are winding yourself up into knots, but with a VOC Moon, 'nothing will come of the question'. I'm not sure if this means that the professor won't 'react' at all, or that your worries will come to nought. In either case, I don't think it'll be as bad as you might worry that it is.

I could easily see myself worrying over nothing. You're also right that most professors don't 'react' strongly to any assignments students hand in because they have a lot of similar ones to grade. However, I'm not yet assured by a lack of reaction because many professors can fail an entire class without blinking an eye; a lack of reaction doesn't necessarily guarantee a favorable outcome.

I should have asked what grade I'd receive on the darn thing instead, but I've been worrying over various matters for so long that I fear any horary chart I create will be inaccurate, and I don't want to appear obsessive even though I am.

Thank you again for your skill and time, archergirl :)

Arian Maverick
 
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Culpeper

Premium Member
Your chart says that either you are worried about nothing, or you already have a chart cast for a more general but related topic, yet it will answer this question.

Remember, your professor is being paid to mark up your papers and help you improve your writing no matter what your skill level. I have read the manuscripts of published authors after an editor has worked on them. They are covered with all sorts of marks ups and changes. Professional writers face this all through their careers.
 

Arian Maverick

Well-known member
Your chart says that either you are worried about nothing, or you already have a chart cast for a more general but related topic, yet it will answer this question.

I was thinking--or rather, worrying--about this matter for a few days before creating the chart, but this is the only chart I have created asking this question or any similar question; I really try to limit the horary charts I create, although sometimes it is hard to do so.

I can't think of any charts I have cast for a "more general but related topic," but I think I did cast a chart a few hours after I had finished writing the composition because I was wondering as I've often wondered where my style of writing comes from. If anything, this is the chart that probably could not be judged because I've thought of this question before.

Remember, your professor is being paid to mark up your papers and help you improve your writing no matter what your skill level. I have read the manuscripts of published authors after an editor has worked on them. They are covered with all sorts of marks ups and changes. Professional writers face this all through their careers.

I'm not as concerned with my professor making corrections or improvements to my writing as I am of him punishing me for any deficits in skill he may perceive me to have. This assignment was supposed to be a raw, unedited copy, so I'm nervous that this is what he's grading.

Getting back to astrology, what parts of the chart indicate that I'm worrying about nothing?

Arian Maverick
 

archergirl

Well-known member
Getting back to astrology, what parts of the chart indicate that I'm worrying about nothing?

That would be the VOC moon. A generally clear indication of 'much ado about nothing'. So to speak. ;)

AG:)
 

Arian Maverick

Well-known member
I must be insane, but I have been thinking over this question for the past week or more and decided to summon my courage and talk with my professor after class about my writing assignment, which he was supposed to have graded and distributed to us today but did not have time to do so.

To make a long story short, I sat in his office with baited breath as he took a red pen to my blue book and made corrections to my prose, and I nearly squeaked a few times when his eyes stopped moving across the page and his brow furrowed to reread a section. It was probably the most nervewracking thing I've done all semester or even all year, but a few moments of intense scrutiny and discomfort were worth ending the anticipation.

He commented to me that I was teetering on an A- towards the beginning, but I must have won him over somewhere in the middle and he bumped me up to an A.

I noted the approximate time I exited his office, yet I'm curious if there are any indications in this chart that may have suggested a favorable outcome. I know the original question was phrased to ask how my English professor would react to my writing, yet I believe the grade is indicative of that, although I can go into greater detail about his reaction. It wasn't overt, but I did think I grudgingly earned his respect, which I have deemed quite an achievement from this man; he mentioning something about this being an "auspicious beginning" and pretty much outlined what I should be aiming for in the remainder of time at college.

So in summary, my worries were for naught.

In hindsight, though, I wonder if there is also any indication in this chart that I would choose to confront him privately after class? Is the timing for this possibly indicated in the chart?

I hope to learn as much as possible from this chart and other horary charts posted on the forums with given results.

I also want to thank archergirl and Culpeper for assisting me :)

Arian Maverick
 

archergirl

Well-known member
To make a long story short, I sat in his office with baited breath as he took a red pen to my blue book and made corrections to my prose, and I nearly squeaked a few times when his eyes stopped moving across the page and his brow furrowed to reread a section. It was probably the most nervewracking thing I've done all semester or even all year, but a few moments of intense scrutiny and discomfort were worth ending the anticipation.

LOL.:D "Squeaked". That's a very Tolkienesque word, AM. :p

I'm not sure we can squeeze a timing out of this chart as it wasn't really a part of the context of the question. There were seven days between the time you asked the question and the time you posted your reply,and there are seven degrees between Venus and the Moon, but this is pure extrapolation, done in hindsight. I think this is a good example of why there is a caution about reading too much into a chart, especially one with a VOC moon.

If confronting the professor had been a part of the original context of the question; e.g. if you had been preparing for a conversation with him in regards to your grade, that would have been a different thing (and likely a different chart). I really think that horary charts are distillations of whatever is going on at the time of the question, and from what I gather, confronting the professor wasn't really in your radar at that moment, so it can't be shown in the chart. Don't ask me why it seems to work this way; it just does. Your question was: what will the professor think? And the answer was: you have nothing to worry about. In the widest picture, you should probably stop yourself and be satisfied with this answer. ;)

Best,
AG:)
 
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