http://www.ibtimes.com/victoria-soto-connecticut-shooting-victim-praised-facebook-being-hero-sandy-hook-941668
The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. It's a tragedy that has shocked the world. However, while everyone is talking about the shooter and why he would commit such an evil act, some people are able to see a sliver of light in a dark time. The author of the article "Victoria Soto, Conneticut Shooting Victim, Praised on Facebook for Being a Hero at Sandy Hook", Maria Vultaggio, uses diction, detail, and tone to share a story about a hero: Victoria Soto.
Honorific diciton is used to describe Soto. Words like, "praise", "bravery", "heroism", and "dedication" are some of the things that embodied Soto. Because she protected the lives of many students, she is being commended by the nation for her act of bravery. Vultaggio uses these words so that readers immediately learn who Soto is and what she stood for.
Detail is used to explain what heroism that Soto displayed in a frightening time. For example, "'She hid her first graders in the cabinets and closets after hearing the gunfire,'" described exactly how Soto quickly reacted to the shooting. These details are also used to create an unthinkable image, where readers are more likely to sympathize, remember, pray, and commend for Soto and all of the other victims in this tragedy. Another detail, "'You have a teacher who cared more about her students than herself," shows Soto's selflessness and caring nature. Details like these can bring hope to family's who lost a child and to the nation who is grieving along with those in Connecticut.
The tone that is used in this article is similar to the tone after other shootings, like the Aurora movie theatre shooting. Vultaggio uses a confused and sad tone that is probably also being used around the country. No one really knows why the shooter would do this. People are wondering if he was psychologically sick. Others are wondering what can be done to prevent this in the future. Not surpringly, many people's tones about this tragedy are sorrowful and depressing. In this article, words like "apparently true" and "believed" are used to create a confused tone. Other words like "devastation", "condolences", and "memorial service" are used to create a sad tone.
Although this is a time of great mouring and greiving, it is a little uplifting to know that there is still courage and love in the world. As Vultaggio described Soto's bravery, the nation can only commend Soto for the devotion that she displayed.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Open Prompt #4
1976. The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays. Select the work of an essayist who is in opposition to his or her society; or from a work of recognized literary merit, select a fictional character who is in opposition to his or her society. In a critical essay, analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications for both the individual and the society. Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.
Dystopian novels are commonly written throughout ages of change and political commotion. Authors of those types of novels most likely write them to warn readers what may happen in the future if things continue to change for the worse. In the novel, 1984, the author, George Orwell, uses themes to show people what moral and ethical implications a totalitarian government may have on its citizens.
One theme that Orwell uses is the control of the mind. The Party (government) alters the news and books to change the history that portrays them in bad light. The Party also monitors the citizens carefully and 24/7. The citizens are not allowed to think or speak rebellious thoughts (thoughtcrime) and are forced to suppress sexual urges. Children are turned into Junior Spies to rat out people that commit those crimes. In addition, the Party creates a new language called Newspeak that contains no rebellious words so that people won't think or speak rebellious thoughts.
Another theme that Orwell includes is the control of the mind. The Party uses immoral and unethical tactics to crack Winston Smith (protagonist). The Party takes Julia (Winston's secret girlfriend) away and forces Winston into Room 101. They threaten to let a bunch of rats (Winston's biggest fear) eat his face unless he gives up Julia. Winston tells the Party to do it to Julia instead and in the end, Winston loves the Party. The Party also forces citizens to do physically demanding workouts every morning. If anyone defies the Party or commits a crime, the Party punishes them severly until they learn to love the Party (like what they did to Winston).
These themes serve as warnings to what may happen if countries convert to totalitarianism. The citizens and society will be oppressed morally and ethically.
One theme that Orwell uses is the control of the mind. The Party (government) alters the news and books to change the history that portrays them in bad light. The Party also monitors the citizens carefully and 24/7. The citizens are not allowed to think or speak rebellious thoughts (thoughtcrime) and are forced to suppress sexual urges. Children are turned into Junior Spies to rat out people that commit those crimes. In addition, the Party creates a new language called Newspeak that contains no rebellious words so that people won't think or speak rebellious thoughts.
Another theme that Orwell includes is the control of the mind. The Party uses immoral and unethical tactics to crack Winston Smith (protagonist). The Party takes Julia (Winston's secret girlfriend) away and forces Winston into Room 101. They threaten to let a bunch of rats (Winston's biggest fear) eat his face unless he gives up Julia. Winston tells the Party to do it to Julia instead and in the end, Winston loves the Party. The Party also forces citizens to do physically demanding workouts every morning. If anyone defies the Party or commits a crime, the Party punishes them severly until they learn to love the Party (like what they did to Winston).
These themes serve as warnings to what may happen if countries convert to totalitarianism. The citizens and society will be oppressed morally and ethically.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Summary/Analysis: Death of a Salesman
Author:
Arthur Miller is an American playwright who began his career in writing during his time at the University of Michigan. His notable plays are The Crucible, All My Sons, and Death of a Salesman. A fun fact about him was that he was married to Marilyn Monroe.
Setting:
This play takes place primarily in Brooklyn, New York. Most of the scenes are in Willy's house (specificially in the kitchen). However, there are some flashbacks which took place in Boston.
Significant Characters:
Willy-
Willy is all bark but no bite. He is too optimistic and talks about what he is going to do, but never acheives it. His attempt of gaining the American Dream fails, so he deludes and pushes his sons to reach for it. Willy does not like to confront his problems, as he has numerous flashbacks whenever someone tries to talk to him about those problems.
Linda-
Linda is Willy's supportive wife. She tries to be realistic about their family's issues, but always continues to persevere with Willy. She is very caring and goes with Willy's unrealistic dreams.
Biff-
Biff is the eldest son of Willy and Linda. He is Willy's "pride and joy" as when he was in high school, he was a star in football and had a great personality. However, after he failed to graduate high school, Biff stole his way out of every job he got. He is a failure, mainly because Willy instilled so much fluff into Biff's mind. Biff doesn't know how to work hard to get what he wants.
Happy-
Happy is the other son of Willy and Linda. He is often ignored and feels the need to womanize to gain attention. Happy is the younger version of Willy, as he says will carry out Willy's dream after Willy died.
Charley-
Charley is Willy's successful neighbor. Willy is very jealous of his success and even though Charley offers Willy a job, Willy turns it down as he doesn't want to be in a "lower" position than Charley. Willy says Charley is his only friend.
Bernard-
Bernard is Charley's son. Although Bernard was labeled as a "nerd" when he was in high school, his hard work ethic payed off. He is now a successful lawyer. He is Biff's friend and always looked out for him.
Narrative Voice:
N/A (it is a play).
Plot:
Willy comes home from a long drive at work. Biff and Happy are upstairs discussing their lives. Willy has a flashback to when Biff was a football star while Bernard pushed Biff into studying math. Willy makes fun of Bernard for not being "well-liked" and brags about his successful business trip. Linda tells Willy that his trip wasn't as successful as he thought and then a woman's laughter pulls Willy out of his flashback. Willy goes into another flashback to when he is talking about moving to Alaska with Ben. Willy goes outside and Biff and Happy come downstairs. Linda tells them that Willy is trying to committ suicide. Willy makes Biff go see Bill Oliver to get hired as a businessman. The next day, Willy gets fired from his job and goes to beg Charley for money. Willy, Biff, and Happy eat lunch together where Willy learns that Biff didn't get the job and stole Oliver's fountain pen. Willy is upset and goes to the bathroom where he has a flashback about Boston and the woman he was cheating with. Back at home, Biff and Willy get into an argument that ends with Willy thinking Biff loves him. Willy drives off and committs suicide, hoping that the insurance money will help Biff succeed.
Quotes:
"'Cause I get so lonely -- especially when business is bad and there's nobody to talk to" (Miller 38).
This quote foreshadows Willy's suicide. Willy cannot cope with his problems and always tries to avoid them. When Willy says he always gets so lonely, it foreshadows his affair with the woman. When Willy is away for business (like his trip to Boston), he meets up with the woman as he doesn't have anyone else to talk to.
"Yeah. He was a happy man with a batch of cement" (Miller 138).
Here, Charley implies that Willy would've been better as a carpenter rather than a businessman. This shows that Willy did what he thought he was supposed to do in his society. Businessman were very "successful" and even though Willy kept failing, he continued to pursue this unattainable dream. He would've been much better off doing something he liked to do and was good at.
Style:
Arthur uses imagery, detail, tone, symbolism, and diction in this play. There is no point of view since it is a play and there is no narrator. Imagery is used many times during flashbacks to vividly show the reader what happened in the past. One example is when Willy is telling the boys how to polish the car. Willy describes in detail what he wants the boys to do, like "Get the chamois to the hubcaps," (Miller 28). Detail is also used to provide extra information for the reader to understand the story better. For example, Willy tells Linda in much detail of his long drive home from work. Through this detail, readers can already become suspicious as to why Willy is "...all of a sudden I'm goin' off the road!" (Miller 14). Miller uses tone to show the characters' personalities, like when Willy has a harsh tone as he tells Linda to be quiet. Readers can see that Willy does not appreciate Linda very much. One symbol that Miller uses is the seeds that Willy tries to plant. His failure of starting a new garden symbolizes his failure in life. He cannot start a successful career in business and he cannot grow anything, as his sons (symbolized by the failure of plants growing from the seeds) are also unsuccessful. Finally, diction like, "crestfallen" and "sour" describe characters' mood and tone. The diction also contributes to the characters' personalities.
Theme:
The main theme of Death of a Salesman is that Willy has a deluded version of the American dream.
Willy thinks the American dream is about being "well-liked" and that this will lead him to success. For example, Willy explains to his sons that being "well-liked" is most important, "Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead" (Miller 33). However, this is not the case as Willy states Bernard is not well-liked, but Bernard ends up very successful later in life. Willy does not see that the real American dream is that hard work and perseverance, not likeability, leads to success.
Arthur Miller is an American playwright who began his career in writing during his time at the University of Michigan. His notable plays are The Crucible, All My Sons, and Death of a Salesman. A fun fact about him was that he was married to Marilyn Monroe.
Setting:
This play takes place primarily in Brooklyn, New York. Most of the scenes are in Willy's house (specificially in the kitchen). However, there are some flashbacks which took place in Boston.
Significant Characters:
Willy-
Willy is all bark but no bite. He is too optimistic and talks about what he is going to do, but never acheives it. His attempt of gaining the American Dream fails, so he deludes and pushes his sons to reach for it. Willy does not like to confront his problems, as he has numerous flashbacks whenever someone tries to talk to him about those problems.
Linda-
Linda is Willy's supportive wife. She tries to be realistic about their family's issues, but always continues to persevere with Willy. She is very caring and goes with Willy's unrealistic dreams.
Biff-
Biff is the eldest son of Willy and Linda. He is Willy's "pride and joy" as when he was in high school, he was a star in football and had a great personality. However, after he failed to graduate high school, Biff stole his way out of every job he got. He is a failure, mainly because Willy instilled so much fluff into Biff's mind. Biff doesn't know how to work hard to get what he wants.
Happy-
Happy is the other son of Willy and Linda. He is often ignored and feels the need to womanize to gain attention. Happy is the younger version of Willy, as he says will carry out Willy's dream after Willy died.
Charley-
Charley is Willy's successful neighbor. Willy is very jealous of his success and even though Charley offers Willy a job, Willy turns it down as he doesn't want to be in a "lower" position than Charley. Willy says Charley is his only friend.
Bernard-
Bernard is Charley's son. Although Bernard was labeled as a "nerd" when he was in high school, his hard work ethic payed off. He is now a successful lawyer. He is Biff's friend and always looked out for him.
Narrative Voice:
N/A (it is a play).
Plot:
Willy comes home from a long drive at work. Biff and Happy are upstairs discussing their lives. Willy has a flashback to when Biff was a football star while Bernard pushed Biff into studying math. Willy makes fun of Bernard for not being "well-liked" and brags about his successful business trip. Linda tells Willy that his trip wasn't as successful as he thought and then a woman's laughter pulls Willy out of his flashback. Willy goes into another flashback to when he is talking about moving to Alaska with Ben. Willy goes outside and Biff and Happy come downstairs. Linda tells them that Willy is trying to committ suicide. Willy makes Biff go see Bill Oliver to get hired as a businessman. The next day, Willy gets fired from his job and goes to beg Charley for money. Willy, Biff, and Happy eat lunch together where Willy learns that Biff didn't get the job and stole Oliver's fountain pen. Willy is upset and goes to the bathroom where he has a flashback about Boston and the woman he was cheating with. Back at home, Biff and Willy get into an argument that ends with Willy thinking Biff loves him. Willy drives off and committs suicide, hoping that the insurance money will help Biff succeed.
Quotes:
"'Cause I get so lonely -- especially when business is bad and there's nobody to talk to" (Miller 38).
This quote foreshadows Willy's suicide. Willy cannot cope with his problems and always tries to avoid them. When Willy says he always gets so lonely, it foreshadows his affair with the woman. When Willy is away for business (like his trip to Boston), he meets up with the woman as he doesn't have anyone else to talk to.
"Yeah. He was a happy man with a batch of cement" (Miller 138).
Here, Charley implies that Willy would've been better as a carpenter rather than a businessman. This shows that Willy did what he thought he was supposed to do in his society. Businessman were very "successful" and even though Willy kept failing, he continued to pursue this unattainable dream. He would've been much better off doing something he liked to do and was good at.
Style:
Arthur uses imagery, detail, tone, symbolism, and diction in this play. There is no point of view since it is a play and there is no narrator. Imagery is used many times during flashbacks to vividly show the reader what happened in the past. One example is when Willy is telling the boys how to polish the car. Willy describes in detail what he wants the boys to do, like "Get the chamois to the hubcaps," (Miller 28). Detail is also used to provide extra information for the reader to understand the story better. For example, Willy tells Linda in much detail of his long drive home from work. Through this detail, readers can already become suspicious as to why Willy is "...all of a sudden I'm goin' off the road!" (Miller 14). Miller uses tone to show the characters' personalities, like when Willy has a harsh tone as he tells Linda to be quiet. Readers can see that Willy does not appreciate Linda very much. One symbol that Miller uses is the seeds that Willy tries to plant. His failure of starting a new garden symbolizes his failure in life. He cannot start a successful career in business and he cannot grow anything, as his sons (symbolized by the failure of plants growing from the seeds) are also unsuccessful. Finally, diction like, "crestfallen" and "sour" describe characters' mood and tone. The diction also contributes to the characters' personalities.
Theme:
The main theme of Death of a Salesman is that Willy has a deluded version of the American dream.
Willy thinks the American dream is about being "well-liked" and that this will lead him to success. For example, Willy explains to his sons that being "well-liked" is most important, "Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead" (Miller 33). However, this is not the case as Willy states Bernard is not well-liked, but Bernard ends up very successful later in life. Willy does not see that the real American dream is that hard work and perseverance, not likeability, leads to success.
Response to Course Material #4
Over the past few weeks, we have finished up reading and analyzing Death of a Salesman. I thought that watching the movie and discussing it the second time really helped push my understanding of it further. I noticed things that I hadn't noticed before. However, as we continued studying this play, my annoyance for Willy grew. As a pessimist, it was very hard for me to see how optimistic and unrealistic Willy was about everything. I honestly just wanted to punch him and tell him to wake up. I am quite glad we are about done reading this play because I don't think I could handle Willy's personality and actions any longer. Other than Willy's character, I thought the play was very interesting. I could see how readers could relate to some of the characters because everyone has family issues at some point. I think that the father-son relationship that Willy and Biff had is common in many people. The father wants the son to follow in his footsteps, while the son just wants to do his own thing.
This past week, we have just started to read Macbeth. Although I didn't particularly like British Lit last year, I feel that it helped me a ton with regard to reading Shakespeare plays. However, I still think I have a long way to go in analyzing these plays and this fact was reinforced by my struggle to read and annotate the play at the same time during class. Maybe this was because I had to use sticky notes for annotations instead of just writing in the book, but I am not sure. I think the old English language is the main reason why reading this play is more difficult than the others. I find that reading Sparknotes before each act helps me understand what is going on much better.
This past week, we have just started to read Macbeth. Although I didn't particularly like British Lit last year, I feel that it helped me a ton with regard to reading Shakespeare plays. However, I still think I have a long way to go in analyzing these plays and this fact was reinforced by my struggle to read and annotate the play at the same time during class. Maybe this was because I had to use sticky notes for annotations instead of just writing in the book, but I am not sure. I think the old English language is the main reason why reading this play is more difficult than the others. I find that reading Sparknotes before each act helps me understand what is going on much better.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Close Reading #3: "Northwestern slips past Michigan State"
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/65468/northwestern-slips-past-michigan-state
During football season, many people become very involved in supporting their favorite team. Things tend to get heated and people's opinions and feelings are often exhibited. This article is one example of a supposedly biased writer blogging about MSU's loss to Northwestern. The disappointed tone of writer, Brian Bennett, is shown in this article through diction, syntax, and detail.
The diction that Bennett uses shows his disdain for MSU. For example, in the sentence, "It's the same old story for Michigan State, which unbelievably went 0-4 in Big Ten play at home this season," the words "same old story" and "unbelievably" seems like Bennet is tired of MSU losing and that their losses are starting to become a regular thing. The pejortive diction that Bennett chooses like "stuffed" and "disaster" create a negative tone that MSU fans can definately relate to.
Bennett uses syntax, specifically interrupters, to emphasize MSU's mistakes and unorganized team. For instance, the interrupter in this sentence, "What inevitably happened though, Michigan State's complete inability to win a game -- especially at home -- proved much more powerful than Northwestern's tendency to blow leads", emphasizes the disappointment of Bennett in that not only can't MSU win a game, but they cannot win a home game (which are viewed as extremely important as all the fans are in person, rooting for the team). These interrupters add to Bennett's tone in the article and may influence readers' viewpoints on MSU as well.
The detail that Bennett includes contribute to his disappointed tone. Even readers who do not know much about football can infer that the details are quite negative. For example, "Or you could say the Spartans found a way to give it away, as they committed four turnovers, including a fumble inside Northwestern's 1 in the first half, and an Andrew Maxwell interception that turned into a 43-yard David Nwabuisi touchdown early in the second half," shows the details like fumbles and turnovers that Bennett uses to describe how and why MSU lost.
Overall, diction, syntax, and details are used by Bennett to show his disappointment in MSU's numerous losses. The latest loss to Northwestern was described thoroughly and readers can blatantly see that Bennett is not impressed by this game.
During football season, many people become very involved in supporting their favorite team. Things tend to get heated and people's opinions and feelings are often exhibited. This article is one example of a supposedly biased writer blogging about MSU's loss to Northwestern. The disappointed tone of writer, Brian Bennett, is shown in this article through diction, syntax, and detail.
The diction that Bennett uses shows his disdain for MSU. For example, in the sentence, "It's the same old story for Michigan State, which unbelievably went 0-4 in Big Ten play at home this season," the words "same old story" and "unbelievably" seems like Bennet is tired of MSU losing and that their losses are starting to become a regular thing. The pejortive diction that Bennett chooses like "stuffed" and "disaster" create a negative tone that MSU fans can definately relate to.
Bennett uses syntax, specifically interrupters, to emphasize MSU's mistakes and unorganized team. For instance, the interrupter in this sentence, "What inevitably happened though, Michigan State's complete inability to win a game -- especially at home -- proved much more powerful than Northwestern's tendency to blow leads", emphasizes the disappointment of Bennett in that not only can't MSU win a game, but they cannot win a home game (which are viewed as extremely important as all the fans are in person, rooting for the team). These interrupters add to Bennett's tone in the article and may influence readers' viewpoints on MSU as well.
The detail that Bennett includes contribute to his disappointed tone. Even readers who do not know much about football can infer that the details are quite negative. For example, "Or you could say the Spartans found a way to give it away, as they committed four turnovers, including a fumble inside Northwestern's 1 in the first half, and an Andrew Maxwell interception that turned into a 43-yard David Nwabuisi touchdown early in the second half," shows the details like fumbles and turnovers that Bennett uses to describe how and why MSU lost.
Overall, diction, syntax, and details are used by Bennett to show his disappointment in MSU's numerous losses. The latest loss to Northwestern was described thoroughly and readers can blatantly see that Bennett is not impressed by this game.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Open Prompt #3
2009. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
One of the most significant symbol is geography. The society is broken up into two places: the East Egg and the West Egg. The East Egg is where the "old rich" live. It represents a classy, fashionable, and elegant society. The West Egg is where the "new rich" live. It represents an extravagant, lavish, and unfashionable society.
Although the characters of the East Egg are considered better than the characters of the West Egg, they are not as satisfied nor happy. For example, Daisy was from the East Egg and even though she loved Gatsby (from the West Egg), she chose to marry her second choice, Tom Buchanan, because Gatsby was at war and Tom was extremely wealthy. Also, Gatsby orginally thought Daisy was the definition of perfection: beautiful, graceful, charming, and wealthy. This was partially because she lived in the East Egg, but was also primarily because Gatsby put her on a pedastle (since he was in love with her). However, Daisy's personality was far from perfection. She was cynicle, uncaring, and shallow. Although Jay Gatsby was from the West Egg, he was a much better person: loyal, kind, and persistant.
The differences in the characters of the two Eggs are extreme. It is evident that Gatsby lives a better and happier life, although he is of the West Egg. Fitzgerald uses these symbols to show that no matter where you are from and what social class you are, you can still live a great life.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Response to Course Material #3
So far, we have dug deeper into The American Dream and have watched the movie, Death of a Salesman. At first, I was extremely confused after only reading the play, but after annotating, discussions with the class, and the close reading, I think I am pretty solid on it. The thing that helped the most was annotating. I would usually just skim through the play, but annotating made me read every line multiple times to not only find DILDS in it, but also the meaning of the line and how it contributes to the characters' personalities or the theme of the story. Before, I have only annotated passages when I took the ACT and SAT and that seemed to help me a lot, as I improved my ACT reading score by 8 points last year. I don't know why it didn't occur to me to annotate school reading as well.
After reading The American Dream, we jumped straight into watching the next play, Death of a Salesman. I liked that we didn't skim the play instead because watching the movie helped me create a visual thought to the play. I was able to actually see the set and the characters and hear the tone of each character. The music and visual effects helped set the mood as well. Although I know what happened in the play, I am still putting together the meaning of it and how the events and actions of the characters reveal the theme of the play. I have just started annotating and already, I am understanding so much more. The annotating the second time around is much quicker and easier for me.
In addition to the plays we have read/watched, we have also retook the terms test. I noticed that I didn't have to study as much this time because I already knew most of the words. I concentrated on putting those words in context and searching for examples. This helped me a ton during the test. However, I realized that I need to pay attention to the specific details and wording of the question stem, as I lost points due to rushed reading. I will definitely use that technique on future tests.
After reading The American Dream, we jumped straight into watching the next play, Death of a Salesman. I liked that we didn't skim the play instead because watching the movie helped me create a visual thought to the play. I was able to actually see the set and the characters and hear the tone of each character. The music and visual effects helped set the mood as well. Although I know what happened in the play, I am still putting together the meaning of it and how the events and actions of the characters reveal the theme of the play. I have just started annotating and already, I am understanding so much more. The annotating the second time around is much quicker and easier for me.
In addition to the plays we have read/watched, we have also retook the terms test. I noticed that I didn't have to study as much this time because I already knew most of the words. I concentrated on putting those words in context and searching for examples. This helped me a ton during the test. However, I realized that I need to pay attention to the specific details and wording of the question stem, as I lost points due to rushed reading. I will definitely use that technique on future tests.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Summary/Analysis: The American Dream
Author:
Edward Albee is sometimes known as a Theater of Absurdist. He has written many famous satirical plays like "The American Dream" and "The Sandbox".
Setting:
The setting is Mommy and Daddy's living room in their apartment. This setting is not described in much detail. There are two armchairs, a sofa, a door exit, and an archway in the back of the room.
Significant Characters:
Grandma-
Grandma is quite different from the other characters. She represents the old American dream and realizes the immoral things that come with the new American dream. She is very wise, mature, and witty and does not succumb to others. Grandma holds her ground and although she is an old lady, she tries to get her voice and opinion into conversations.
Mommy-
Mommy is extremely dominant, competitive, disrepectful, and rude. She emasculates Daddy and constantly degrades Grandma. She represents the new American dream in that she is all about consumerism. Mommy married Daddy for money.
Daddy-
Daddy is weak and emasculated. Mommy repeatedly gives and takes back Daddy's masculinity. Daddy acts like a child that is sometimes punished.
Mrs. Barker-
Mrs. Barker is a professional woman who is the chair of the women's club and also works at the Bye-Bye Adoption Center. She constantly competes with Mommy for dominance. She also is referred to in a plural sense.
Young Man-
The Young Man represents the new American dream. He has a Midwestern physical appearance and refers to himself as the "type". Although he is good looking on the outside, on the inside he feels empty and lost without his twin brother (the bumble), who was murdered.
Narrative Voice: None because it is a play.
Plot:
Mommy and Daddy are waiting for a person who is not specified. Grandma comes in with boxes and then the doorbell rings. Mommy tells her that the van man is here to take her away. Instead, Mrs. Barker enters. Mommy and Daddy then leave the room to get water while Grandma and Mrs. Barker talk about the reason behind Mrs. Barker's visit. After Grandma explains to Mrs. Barker about Mommy and Daddy's bumble incident, the young man rings the doorbell. He says he will do anything for money, so Grandma takes him in. She thinks he will help solve Mommy and Daddy's problem. Mommy and Daddy like the young man and are finally satisfied. Grandma then leaves the stage and narrates the audience, saying she wants to see what will happen next.
Quotes:
"Oh, Daddy, you were so masculine; I shivered and fainted" (Albee 17).
Here, Mommy gives Daddy his masculinity back as she wants him to open the door. This quote shows how controlling Mommy is over Daddy in that she knows exactly what to say and do to get him to obey her. Because Daddy likes being masculine but often is not, he obeys Mommy whenever his masculinity is given back to him in return.
"And that's because old people are gnarled and sagged and twisted into the shape of a complaint" (Albee 21).
Here is one of Grandma's epigrams she uses to describe herself and other old people. This quote emphasizes Albee's theme of deformity in that old people are disfigured and changed into complaining a lot.
Style:
Albee uses diction, imagery, detail, syntax, and symbols in this play. He does not use point of view since there is no narrator because it is a play. Diction like, "gnarled" and "whimpered" describes people and objects in detail. Details like how the bumble was murdered add to the meaning of the story and provide extra information. Also, Mommy shopping for a wheat-colored hat is an example of the imagery that Albee uses to connect with the reader. Syntax like alliteration, "She was a tramp and a trollop and a trull to boot, and she's no better now" create good flow to the play (Albee 15). Another example of syntax is repetition, like when the young man describes his life. This is to emphasize events more and is possibly to indicate that the young man is lost and confused. One symbol that Albee uses is Daddy's operation. This symbolizes Daddy's replacement of man parts with lady parts. Daddy's operation shows his emasculation.
Theme:
The main theme of "The American Dream" is that the old American dream is being replaced by the new American dream.
Grandma symbolizes the old American dream with her wise intelligence and high moral standards. She is hard working and does not succumb to anyone. The other characters, specifically Mommy and the young man, symbolize the new and upcoming American dream. They are primarily focused on money and satisfication and do not care about morals and values. They are very materialistic and like consumerism.
Edward Albee is sometimes known as a Theater of Absurdist. He has written many famous satirical plays like "The American Dream" and "The Sandbox".
Setting:
The setting is Mommy and Daddy's living room in their apartment. This setting is not described in much detail. There are two armchairs, a sofa, a door exit, and an archway in the back of the room.
Significant Characters:
Grandma-
Grandma is quite different from the other characters. She represents the old American dream and realizes the immoral things that come with the new American dream. She is very wise, mature, and witty and does not succumb to others. Grandma holds her ground and although she is an old lady, she tries to get her voice and opinion into conversations.
Mommy-
Mommy is extremely dominant, competitive, disrepectful, and rude. She emasculates Daddy and constantly degrades Grandma. She represents the new American dream in that she is all about consumerism. Mommy married Daddy for money.
Daddy-
Daddy is weak and emasculated. Mommy repeatedly gives and takes back Daddy's masculinity. Daddy acts like a child that is sometimes punished.
Mrs. Barker-
Mrs. Barker is a professional woman who is the chair of the women's club and also works at the Bye-Bye Adoption Center. She constantly competes with Mommy for dominance. She also is referred to in a plural sense.
Young Man-
The Young Man represents the new American dream. He has a Midwestern physical appearance and refers to himself as the "type". Although he is good looking on the outside, on the inside he feels empty and lost without his twin brother (the bumble), who was murdered.
Narrative Voice: None because it is a play.
Plot:
Mommy and Daddy are waiting for a person who is not specified. Grandma comes in with boxes and then the doorbell rings. Mommy tells her that the van man is here to take her away. Instead, Mrs. Barker enters. Mommy and Daddy then leave the room to get water while Grandma and Mrs. Barker talk about the reason behind Mrs. Barker's visit. After Grandma explains to Mrs. Barker about Mommy and Daddy's bumble incident, the young man rings the doorbell. He says he will do anything for money, so Grandma takes him in. She thinks he will help solve Mommy and Daddy's problem. Mommy and Daddy like the young man and are finally satisfied. Grandma then leaves the stage and narrates the audience, saying she wants to see what will happen next.
Quotes:
"Oh, Daddy, you were so masculine; I shivered and fainted" (Albee 17).
Here, Mommy gives Daddy his masculinity back as she wants him to open the door. This quote shows how controlling Mommy is over Daddy in that she knows exactly what to say and do to get him to obey her. Because Daddy likes being masculine but often is not, he obeys Mommy whenever his masculinity is given back to him in return.
"And that's because old people are gnarled and sagged and twisted into the shape of a complaint" (Albee 21).
Here is one of Grandma's epigrams she uses to describe herself and other old people. This quote emphasizes Albee's theme of deformity in that old people are disfigured and changed into complaining a lot.
Style:
Albee uses diction, imagery, detail, syntax, and symbols in this play. He does not use point of view since there is no narrator because it is a play. Diction like, "gnarled" and "whimpered" describes people and objects in detail. Details like how the bumble was murdered add to the meaning of the story and provide extra information. Also, Mommy shopping for a wheat-colored hat is an example of the imagery that Albee uses to connect with the reader. Syntax like alliteration, "She was a tramp and a trollop and a trull to boot, and she's no better now" create good flow to the play (Albee 15). Another example of syntax is repetition, like when the young man describes his life. This is to emphasize events more and is possibly to indicate that the young man is lost and confused. One symbol that Albee uses is Daddy's operation. This symbolizes Daddy's replacement of man parts with lady parts. Daddy's operation shows his emasculation.
Theme:
The main theme of "The American Dream" is that the old American dream is being replaced by the new American dream.
Grandma symbolizes the old American dream with her wise intelligence and high moral standards. She is hard working and does not succumb to anyone. The other characters, specifically Mommy and the young man, symbolize the new and upcoming American dream. They are primarily focused on money and satisfication and do not care about morals and values. They are very materialistic and like consumerism.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Close Reading #2: "Tactics set, Obama, Romney hurtle toward finish"
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2012/president/candidates/romney/2012/10/20/tactics-set-obama-romney-hurtle-toward-finish/HywYmnELFmufPSUH2jqAqJ/story.html
As I was searching for articles to read for this blog post, my eyes landed on the article title that was the most eye-catching. Even in the title, interesting diction is shown, "hurtle", which pertains exactly to the subject. This article also includes syntax and detail.
I think that the best technique that this article has is diction. There are many good word choices and adjectives that the author, Charles Babington, uses to describe the detail that is presented. For example, "He [Mitt Romney] pounded that theme in last week's second debate, sounding almost like a romance counselor in imploring Americans not 'to settle' for a less robust economy than they deserve," includes diction that adds to the tone and makes readers want to continue reading. Both "pounded" and "imploring" are, in my opinion, pejorative diction, which leads me to believe that Babington does not agree with some ideas of Mitt Romney. In addition, Babington's similie that stated that Romney sounded like a romance counselor created a humorous, but also condescending tone. I think that although this article is supposed to be unbiased, Babington's diction causes it to be slightly biased.
Another technique that this article includes is syntax. For instance, the interrupter in this sentence, "And on Nov. 2 - less than 100 hours before Election Day - the government will release its monthly unemployment report, for October," emphasizes the importance of how close Nov. 2 is to Election Day. The emphasis makes readers question if they will factor the unemployment report into who they will vote for and because the report will be released shortly before Election Day, it is highly unlikely that readers will do so. The interrupter is also an important detail that informs readers of new information.
Like the detail in the interrupter example, Babington uses additional details to convey important political information about the presidential race. For example, "Democrats see Ohio, with its lower-than-average unemployment rate and general embrace of the president's auto-industry bailout, as their best chance to stop Romney cold," makes readers aware of the importance of voting in Ohio and may unintentionally cause readers to act upon that new knowledge by advocating their favorite candidate to Ohio voters or to carefully make the decision on who to vote for (if that reader is from Ohio). Details like this one personally pertain to each individual reader, which causes readers to be more interested in this article.
Overall, Babington's use of diction, syntax, and detail create well-written and engaging article. This article's interaction with readers makes them feel connected and continue reading and also helps American citizens participate in voting.
As I was searching for articles to read for this blog post, my eyes landed on the article title that was the most eye-catching. Even in the title, interesting diction is shown, "hurtle", which pertains exactly to the subject. This article also includes syntax and detail.
I think that the best technique that this article has is diction. There are many good word choices and adjectives that the author, Charles Babington, uses to describe the detail that is presented. For example, "He [Mitt Romney] pounded that theme in last week's second debate, sounding almost like a romance counselor in imploring Americans not 'to settle' for a less robust economy than they deserve," includes diction that adds to the tone and makes readers want to continue reading. Both "pounded" and "imploring" are, in my opinion, pejorative diction, which leads me to believe that Babington does not agree with some ideas of Mitt Romney. In addition, Babington's similie that stated that Romney sounded like a romance counselor created a humorous, but also condescending tone. I think that although this article is supposed to be unbiased, Babington's diction causes it to be slightly biased.
Another technique that this article includes is syntax. For instance, the interrupter in this sentence, "And on Nov. 2 - less than 100 hours before Election Day - the government will release its monthly unemployment report, for October," emphasizes the importance of how close Nov. 2 is to Election Day. The emphasis makes readers question if they will factor the unemployment report into who they will vote for and because the report will be released shortly before Election Day, it is highly unlikely that readers will do so. The interrupter is also an important detail that informs readers of new information.
Like the detail in the interrupter example, Babington uses additional details to convey important political information about the presidential race. For example, "Democrats see Ohio, with its lower-than-average unemployment rate and general embrace of the president's auto-industry bailout, as their best chance to stop Romney cold," makes readers aware of the importance of voting in Ohio and may unintentionally cause readers to act upon that new knowledge by advocating their favorite candidate to Ohio voters or to carefully make the decision on who to vote for (if that reader is from Ohio). Details like this one personally pertain to each individual reader, which causes readers to be more interested in this article.
Overall, Babington's use of diction, syntax, and detail create well-written and engaging article. This article's interaction with readers makes them feel connected and continue reading and also helps American citizens participate in voting.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Open Prompt #2
1979. Choose a complex and important character in a novel or a play of recognized literary merit who might on the basis of the character's actions alone be considered evil or immoral. In a well-organized essay, explain both how and why the full presentation of the character in the work makes us react more sympathetically than we otherwise might. Avoid plot summary.
The character, Darcy, in Pride and Prejudice is seen as a "villian". He is wealthy, harsh, proud, and arrogant. Darcy is very quick to judge others and is very aware of his high social standing. At first, readers cannot sympathize with Darcy, as he is extremely rude to Elizabeth, saying to Mr. Bingley that Elizabeth is not handsome enough for him and is just merely tolerable. At the ball, Darcy refuses to dance with anyone who is not rich and of a high social class. His haughtiness creates disdain among Elizabeth and the readers of this story.
As the story progresses, readers are able to see how Darcy changes. Darcy begins to develop a liking for Elizabeth, as she is cunning, clever, and intelligent. After Elizabeth rejects Darcy's marriage proposal, he is so humiliated that he sheds his pride and tries to show Elizabeth that he truly loves her. He helps Elizabeth's sister, Lydia, from being disgraced by paying Wickham the money for the marriage. He also defies his aunt, Lady Catherine, by endlessly pursuing Elizabeth. Darcy shows that he no longer cares that Elizabeth is from a lower class than him. In the end, Elizabeth finally sees the changes that Darcy has made and accepts his marriage proposal.
Not only do readers see how Darcy changes, but they also realize that some of Darcy's actions aren't all that evil and villanous. For example, at first glance, readers may think that Darcy is cruel for manipulating Mr. Bingley to leave Jane by saying Jane is only after Mr. Bingley's money, but later on in the story, readers discover that Darcy only did that to protect Mr. Bingley's heart. Darcy shows that he is an extremely loyal friend. Another example is Darcy's hatred of Wickham. In the beginning, readers are confused why Darcy unfairly treats Wickham, but then it is revealed that Wickham tried to take Darcy's inheritance from Darcy's father.
Darcy is a great example of how reader's should not "judge a book by its cover". Although Darcy is rude and is viewed as the villian of the story, he is able to change himself for the better. Throughout the book, readers can see the full presentation of Darcy, which makes them realize that Darcy is not that bad after all. By the end of the story, readers are able to sympathize with Darcy.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Response to Course Material #2
Over the past few weeks, we have read The American Dream and The Century Quilt, analyzed close reading and DILDS, and learned about different literary movements. In such a short time, we have done so much. I think this fast-paced schedule will properly prepare us for the AP Exam.
My favorite piece of literature we have read so far is The Century Quilt. I liked how we first skimmed the poem, then read it more carefully, and finally analyzed it with DILDS. Through the vivid imagery, I could clearly imagine the quilt, with different colored patches. Using DILDS and annotating the poem, I was able to see that the quilt was a symbol for the author's family tree. The colored patches were the leaves that represented each family member and the stitches were the branches that brought the family members together. I think that DILDS and How To Read Literature Like a Professor helped me see the symbols quicker. I liked how this poem had an underlying meaning in that even though the family members were of different or mixed race, they were still a family. I think that meaning is very important, especially in the huge melting pot that we currently live in.
Another thing that we have studied is different literary movements. It was a nice refresher for me because I realized that I had forgotten most of the movements from my American and British Literature classes. I vaguely remembered that The Great Gatsby was from the Modernist Literary Movement, but I think that was because it was my favorite book that I read in American Lit and I was eager to learn more about it. I also liked filling out the literary movement chart because it helped me see the differences and the evolvement of the movements over time.
We have also done peer responses to blog posts. I thought writing the responses helped me critically analyze the blog posts. In addition, the responses I got from my peers were also helpful and made me see my prompt, article, or book from a different point of view. I noticed that many of my criticisms were to use more examples in my blog posts and to connect different ideas together.
I think that the blog posts, literary movements, and close reading practices we have done in class are really beneficial. I hope to use my new knowledge in my future blog posts, annotating, and writing.
My favorite piece of literature we have read so far is The Century Quilt. I liked how we first skimmed the poem, then read it more carefully, and finally analyzed it with DILDS. Through the vivid imagery, I could clearly imagine the quilt, with different colored patches. Using DILDS and annotating the poem, I was able to see that the quilt was a symbol for the author's family tree. The colored patches were the leaves that represented each family member and the stitches were the branches that brought the family members together. I think that DILDS and How To Read Literature Like a Professor helped me see the symbols quicker. I liked how this poem had an underlying meaning in that even though the family members were of different or mixed race, they were still a family. I think that meaning is very important, especially in the huge melting pot that we currently live in.
Another thing that we have studied is different literary movements. It was a nice refresher for me because I realized that I had forgotten most of the movements from my American and British Literature classes. I vaguely remembered that The Great Gatsby was from the Modernist Literary Movement, but I think that was because it was my favorite book that I read in American Lit and I was eager to learn more about it. I also liked filling out the literary movement chart because it helped me see the differences and the evolvement of the movements over time.
We have also done peer responses to blog posts. I thought writing the responses helped me critically analyze the blog posts. In addition, the responses I got from my peers were also helpful and made me see my prompt, article, or book from a different point of view. I noticed that many of my criticisms were to use more examples in my blog posts and to connect different ideas together.
I think that the blog posts, literary movements, and close reading practices we have done in class are really beneficial. I hope to use my new knowledge in my future blog posts, annotating, and writing.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Close Reading #1: "Is Algebra Necessary?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/opinion/sunday/is-algebra-necessary.html?smid=pl-share&_rmoc.semityn.www
In this article, the author, Andrew Hacker, speculates if alegebra should be required for students to graduate high school. Hacker's choice of diction, syntax, and detail creates a well-written argumentive essay.
The diction in this article is wisely chosen and adds to Hacker's persuasive tone and opinion. Readers can see from the diction that Hacker feels very strongly about the algebra's negative impact on the high school drop out rate and gradutation rate of students. For example, "Algebra is an onerous stumbling block for all kinds of students: disadvantaged and affluent, black and white" describes alegebra in a negative light and lets the readers know how Hacker feels about algebra (Hacker, "Is Algebra Necessary?"). Another pejorative comment about algebra is said in, "Mathematics is used as a hoop, a badge, a totem to impress outsiders and elevate a profession’s status" (Hacker, "Is Alebra Necessary?") By comparing math to, in a sense, unimportant objects, Hacker uses these words to show that he thinks math is also irrelevant and unnecessary.
Hacker's use of syntax affects his tone. For instance, "How many college graduates remember what Fermat’s dilemma was all about?" is written as a question (Hacker, "Is Algebra Necessary?"). This question has a slight mocking tone to it, as Hacker is quite sure that not many college graduates actually remember small details of their algebra class. By writing this sentence in a question form, Hacker also creates a personal effect to the reader. The question causes the reader to think if he/she has remembered what Fermat's dilemma was. This personal effect is a very good technique that Hacker uses to persuade readers into agreeing that math is not necessary and important for many people.
The detail in this article is a big part of the argumentive writing techniques that Hacker uses. It provides meaning to his argument. For example, "Instead, it [citizen statistics] would familiarize students with the kinds of numbers that describe and delineate our personal and public lives" describes an alternative to algebra class (Hacker, "Is Algebra Necessary?"). Hacker includes this detail about citizen statistics to tell readers that there is a better way of learning math. By giving an detailed alternative option, Hacker has a better chance of persuading readers to adopt his stance on algebra and follow this alternative option to algebra.
In conclusion, the diction, syntax, and detail that Hacker uses are important techniques to writing an argumentive essay and also impact Hacker's tone and meaning of his article. Readers are able to clearly see Hacker's point of view and can ask themselves if they think also think that algebra is unnecessary.
In this article, the author, Andrew Hacker, speculates if alegebra should be required for students to graduate high school. Hacker's choice of diction, syntax, and detail creates a well-written argumentive essay.
The diction in this article is wisely chosen and adds to Hacker's persuasive tone and opinion. Readers can see from the diction that Hacker feels very strongly about the algebra's negative impact on the high school drop out rate and gradutation rate of students. For example, "Algebra is an onerous stumbling block for all kinds of students: disadvantaged and affluent, black and white" describes alegebra in a negative light and lets the readers know how Hacker feels about algebra (Hacker, "Is Algebra Necessary?"). Another pejorative comment about algebra is said in, "Mathematics is used as a hoop, a badge, a totem to impress outsiders and elevate a profession’s status" (Hacker, "Is Alebra Necessary?") By comparing math to, in a sense, unimportant objects, Hacker uses these words to show that he thinks math is also irrelevant and unnecessary.
Hacker's use of syntax affects his tone. For instance, "How many college graduates remember what Fermat’s dilemma was all about?" is written as a question (Hacker, "Is Algebra Necessary?"). This question has a slight mocking tone to it, as Hacker is quite sure that not many college graduates actually remember small details of their algebra class. By writing this sentence in a question form, Hacker also creates a personal effect to the reader. The question causes the reader to think if he/she has remembered what Fermat's dilemma was. This personal effect is a very good technique that Hacker uses to persuade readers into agreeing that math is not necessary and important for many people.
The detail in this article is a big part of the argumentive writing techniques that Hacker uses. It provides meaning to his argument. For example, "Instead, it [citizen statistics] would familiarize students with the kinds of numbers that describe and delineate our personal and public lives" describes an alternative to algebra class (Hacker, "Is Algebra Necessary?"). Hacker includes this detail about citizen statistics to tell readers that there is a better way of learning math. By giving an detailed alternative option, Hacker has a better chance of persuading readers to adopt his stance on algebra and follow this alternative option to algebra.
In conclusion, the diction, syntax, and detail that Hacker uses are important techniques to writing an argumentive essay and also impact Hacker's tone and meaning of his article. Readers are able to clearly see Hacker's point of view and can ask themselves if they think also think that algebra is unnecessary.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Open Prompt #1
2008, Form B. In some works of literature, childhood and adolescence are portrayed as times graced by innocence and a sense of wonder; in other works, they are depicted as times of tribulation and terror. Focusing on a single novel or play, explain how its representation of childhood or adolescence shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.
In the series of Harry Potter, many characters' childhoods affected who they became and the decisions they made. Harry Potter, Severus Snape, and Tom Riddle all had troubled pasts, but each of them chose a different path to take in their later lives.
Although Harry was raised by his rude aunt and uncle and was buillied by his cousin, he didn't let them affect him. In his childhood, he chose to ignore his family and stayed out of the way by spending his time in his room under the stairs. Later on, he relied on his friends to help him reach his destiny of defeating Lord Voldemort. He pushed his sad past away from his mind and focused on his goals.
Severus Snape also had a broken family. His mom and muggle dad constantly fought, but like Harry, he chose to avoid them. His parents arguments led him to hate muggles and join the Death Eaters. But, his choice of joining the Order of Pheonix to spy on the Death Eaters helped Harry win the war against Lord Voldemort.
Although Tom Riddle had a sad childhood (he lived in an orphanage) like Harry and Snape, he chose a different path than them. He spent his childhood bullying other orphans and leading them into dangerous situations. He continued to gain followers as he grew older and used dark magic to obtain his goal: to avoid death. Unlike Harry and Snape, Riddle showed how a troubled childhood can lead to a even more troubled life.
JK Rowling's representation of these unfortunate childhoods enforces her theme of the importance of choices. Like the wise words of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, "You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be," it does not matter if one doesn't have a happy childhood, but rather how he lets that affect him and his choices (Rowling 708). Rowling uses this theme to not only teach readers about growing up and making good decisions, but also to develop her charcters and create her storyline. As a whole, the different choices of different characters shape the story of this series by creating a hero, villian, and a helpful spy.
In the series of Harry Potter, many characters' childhoods affected who they became and the decisions they made. Harry Potter, Severus Snape, and Tom Riddle all had troubled pasts, but each of them chose a different path to take in their later lives.
Although Harry was raised by his rude aunt and uncle and was buillied by his cousin, he didn't let them affect him. In his childhood, he chose to ignore his family and stayed out of the way by spending his time in his room under the stairs. Later on, he relied on his friends to help him reach his destiny of defeating Lord Voldemort. He pushed his sad past away from his mind and focused on his goals.
Severus Snape also had a broken family. His mom and muggle dad constantly fought, but like Harry, he chose to avoid them. His parents arguments led him to hate muggles and join the Death Eaters. But, his choice of joining the Order of Pheonix to spy on the Death Eaters helped Harry win the war against Lord Voldemort.
Although Tom Riddle had a sad childhood (he lived in an orphanage) like Harry and Snape, he chose a different path than them. He spent his childhood bullying other orphans and leading them into dangerous situations. He continued to gain followers as he grew older and used dark magic to obtain his goal: to avoid death. Unlike Harry and Snape, Riddle showed how a troubled childhood can lead to a even more troubled life.
JK Rowling's representation of these unfortunate childhoods enforces her theme of the importance of choices. Like the wise words of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, "You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be," it does not matter if one doesn't have a happy childhood, but rather how he lets that affect him and his choices (Rowling 708). Rowling uses this theme to not only teach readers about growing up and making good decisions, but also to develop her charcters and create her storyline. As a whole, the different choices of different characters shape the story of this series by creating a hero, villian, and a helpful spy.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Response to Course Material #1
In only one week of AP Literature, I have already learned so much. One of my goals this year was to learn more poetry vocabulary words and this week, I have gotten closer to that goal. Although I was able to memorize all the words that were used on the test, I realized that actually putting those words into context was a different story. For example, I knew the definitions of paraprosdokian and non-sequitur, but in context it was hard for me to distinguish the difference between the two words. I learned that not only memorizing the terms, but also applying the terms will be beneficial for studying poetry.
Another thing that I have found out was that everything we learn in AP Literature connects and flows into one another. This week, we watched three slides on AP Test Essay Basics, the Rhetorical Situation, and Argument. The first slide taught me the techniques and elements that are needed to write a good essay. These essay basics are the foundation of essay writing and one can not start to write any type of essay without knowing these basics. In addition, the vocabulary terms that we have learned this week also contribute to the basics by showing different style and techniques that a writer can use in an essay. This first slide is connected to the second slide in that once a person learns the basics, he/she can build onto them by using the rhetorical situation. The rhetorical situation includes topics (like subject, purpose, audience, and speaker) that a writer should use to effectively communicate ideas to the reader. This slide flows into the third slide. In order to write a good argument, one needs to not only include the basics of essay writing and the rhetorical situation, but also a thesis, analysis (claims/warrants), and a conclusion. This last slide is more detailed than the previous two slides. It tells the readers exactly what is necessary to write an argument. I wish that I had viewed these slides before I had taken the ACT test because I think they would have greatly helped me write the essay.
I think that because the topics we learn in AP Literature connect to each other, it is easier for me to absorb and analyze the information. I am able to use one topic to develop another topic and compare and contrast different topics. I am excited to use these new techniques in my future essays.
Another thing that I have found out was that everything we learn in AP Literature connects and flows into one another. This week, we watched three slides on AP Test Essay Basics, the Rhetorical Situation, and Argument. The first slide taught me the techniques and elements that are needed to write a good essay. These essay basics are the foundation of essay writing and one can not start to write any type of essay without knowing these basics. In addition, the vocabulary terms that we have learned this week also contribute to the basics by showing different style and techniques that a writer can use in an essay. This first slide is connected to the second slide in that once a person learns the basics, he/she can build onto them by using the rhetorical situation. The rhetorical situation includes topics (like subject, purpose, audience, and speaker) that a writer should use to effectively communicate ideas to the reader. This slide flows into the third slide. In order to write a good argument, one needs to not only include the basics of essay writing and the rhetorical situation, but also a thesis, analysis (claims/warrants), and a conclusion. This last slide is more detailed than the previous two slides. It tells the readers exactly what is necessary to write an argument. I wish that I had viewed these slides before I had taken the ACT test because I think they would have greatly helped me write the essay.
I think that because the topics we learn in AP Literature connect to each other, it is easier for me to absorb and analyze the information. I am able to use one topic to develop another topic and compare and contrast different topics. I am excited to use these new techniques in my future essays.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Analysis of Sedaris' "Me Talk Pretty One Day"
Sedaris’ essay, “Me Talk Pretty One Day”, correctly utilizes the points discussed in The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing. From concision to flow, “Me Talk Pretty One Day” has the clarity, effectiveness, and sense of humor that enables readers to not only understand, but also enjoy the text.
One crucial writing technique that Michael Harvey describes in The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing is concision. This is important because the reader should be able to understand what is happening without feeling overwhelmed by unnecessary adverbs or tiny details. According to Harvey, “Concision can add remarkable grace to our prose. It also makes our prose easier to read and understand” (Harvey 1). Sedaris displays concision throughout his essay, as he sticks to what is essential and cuts out any additional wordiness. For example, the sentence, “After being singled out as a lazy kfdtinvfm, I took to spending four hours a night on my homework, putting in even more time whenever we were assigned an essay,” is descriptive enough to show the readers what is happening but concise enough to not make the readers feel harassed with details (Sedaris 14). Sedaris’ use of concision greatly benefits the overall flow of his essay.
The flow of “Me Talk Pretty One Day” is very smooth. Sedaris correctly uses introductory phrases to “provide other kinds of contextual information” (Harvey 29). In the sentence, “While the optimist struggled to defend herself, I scrambled to think of answer to what had obviously become a trick question,” Sedaris uses the introductory phrase to connect the previous paragraph to the new paragraph (Sedaris 12). By mentioning the struggles of the optimist and then the man’s scramble for an answer, Sedaris combines these two events together to create flow between the two paragraphs. This opening phrase also introduces contextual information about how the man decided on his answer. Clearly, Sedaris’ essay follows the advice of Harvey’s idea of introductory phrases, “In general, these opening phrases make room for contextual information, so that by the time you reach your main point your reader gets it” (Harvey 30).
In addition, Sedaris uses the beginnings and endings techniques that Harvey describes as, “The beginning grabs the reader’s attention, prepares a context, and states the argument. The middle (or body) works through the argument step by step: giving examples, connecting the general and the particular, unfolding causal relationships, and using good supporting materials. The ending (or conclusion) repeats key points and send the reader off feeling that she’s learned something worthwhile” (Harvey 78). This organization of paragraphs is an essential to a good essay because it brings the essay together on a whole. Sedaris’ essay starts out with a strong beginning that catches the eyes of a reader, since most students are not forty-one years old, “At the age of forty-one, I am returning to school and have to think of myself as what my French textbook calls ‘a true debutant’” (Sedaris 11). The body paragraphs give examples and describe relationships and turns of events. One paragraph shows the relationship of the strict teacher and her students and another paragraph shows how the man’s fear of the teacher impacted his learning and everyday life. The ending paragraph repeats what the man has learned and how he has changed, “The world opening up, and it was with great joy that I responded ‘I know the thing that you speak exact now. Talk me more, you, plus, please, plus’” (Sedaris 15). Although it is evident that the man still has a ways to go in learning French, he has improved in that he can now understand the language more clearly.
Overall, “Me Talk Pretty One Day” is a well-written essay. Sedaris displays many of the important qualities that Harvey describes in The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing like concision, flow, and paragraph organization. By using these writing techniques, Sedaris creates an amusing and thoroughly-written essay.
One crucial writing technique that Michael Harvey describes in The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing is concision. This is important because the reader should be able to understand what is happening without feeling overwhelmed by unnecessary adverbs or tiny details. According to Harvey, “Concision can add remarkable grace to our prose. It also makes our prose easier to read and understand” (Harvey 1). Sedaris displays concision throughout his essay, as he sticks to what is essential and cuts out any additional wordiness. For example, the sentence, “After being singled out as a lazy kfdtinvfm, I took to spending four hours a night on my homework, putting in even more time whenever we were assigned an essay,” is descriptive enough to show the readers what is happening but concise enough to not make the readers feel harassed with details (Sedaris 14). Sedaris’ use of concision greatly benefits the overall flow of his essay.
The flow of “Me Talk Pretty One Day” is very smooth. Sedaris correctly uses introductory phrases to “provide other kinds of contextual information” (Harvey 29). In the sentence, “While the optimist struggled to defend herself, I scrambled to think of answer to what had obviously become a trick question,” Sedaris uses the introductory phrase to connect the previous paragraph to the new paragraph (Sedaris 12). By mentioning the struggles of the optimist and then the man’s scramble for an answer, Sedaris combines these two events together to create flow between the two paragraphs. This opening phrase also introduces contextual information about how the man decided on his answer. Clearly, Sedaris’ essay follows the advice of Harvey’s idea of introductory phrases, “In general, these opening phrases make room for contextual information, so that by the time you reach your main point your reader gets it” (Harvey 30).
In addition, Sedaris uses the beginnings and endings techniques that Harvey describes as, “The beginning grabs the reader’s attention, prepares a context, and states the argument. The middle (or body) works through the argument step by step: giving examples, connecting the general and the particular, unfolding causal relationships, and using good supporting materials. The ending (or conclusion) repeats key points and send the reader off feeling that she’s learned something worthwhile” (Harvey 78). This organization of paragraphs is an essential to a good essay because it brings the essay together on a whole. Sedaris’ essay starts out with a strong beginning that catches the eyes of a reader, since most students are not forty-one years old, “At the age of forty-one, I am returning to school and have to think of myself as what my French textbook calls ‘a true debutant’” (Sedaris 11). The body paragraphs give examples and describe relationships and turns of events. One paragraph shows the relationship of the strict teacher and her students and another paragraph shows how the man’s fear of the teacher impacted his learning and everyday life. The ending paragraph repeats what the man has learned and how he has changed, “The world opening up, and it was with great joy that I responded ‘I know the thing that you speak exact now. Talk me more, you, plus, please, plus’” (Sedaris 15). Although it is evident that the man still has a ways to go in learning French, he has improved in that he can now understand the language more clearly.
Overall, “Me Talk Pretty One Day” is a well-written essay. Sedaris displays many of the important qualities that Harvey describes in The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing like concision, flow, and paragraph organization. By using these writing techniques, Sedaris creates an amusing and thoroughly-written essay.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Poetry Study Goals
- be familiar with more poetry terms
- study different forms of poetry
- analyze the poem's meaning
- read by sentences, not lines
- understand why the author chose to write the poem
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Peterson's Diagnostic Test Reflection
Since I'm used to taking tests on paper, it was really hard for me to take this test online because I had to constantly scroll up and down to read the passages and the questions. Other than that I thought the test went okay. I was surprised that the format and questions were very similar to that of the reading sections of the ACT test. It was nice to see some fimilarity. Also, I felt relieved that I hadn't forgotten everything over the summer because I did well on the questions about Pride and Prejudice, which was the last book I read in my British Literature class. I think taking both American and British Literature (but also reading all the books in Lit/Comp 10, since I took the test out exam) helped me a lot in this diagnostic test. However, I did have some struggles in the poetry passages. The poetry passages made me realize that I should brush up on my poetry terms because I had recognized some of the words but couldn't remember what they meant. In addition, the first essay was tough for me because I hadn't written an essay in a while, but once I got into the swing of things I was fine. I liked how they gave you a lot of book choices because sometimes, the most difficult part is deciding what to write about. I often spend the most time on that part of the planning process. Overall, I think this test was a great introduction to AP Literature and I have learned a lot about what things I should study.
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