Close Reading Assignment 4

Death in Connecticut
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/opinion/death-in-connecticut.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=0


In the editorial, Death in Connecticut, the author discusses the Newton, Connecticut elementary school shooting and the push for gun control that accompanies it.  The article appeals to pathos from the reader to emphasizes the importance of gun control through its use of emotional details, rhetorical questions, and dramatic word choice.

The topic of the article, an elementary school shooting, lends itself to a method to draw emotion out of the reader, and the author capitalizes on the fact by emphasizing specific details.  The children killed are described as "little more than babies".  The parents too who "agonized for hours before taking their traumatized children home."  These details provide information that allows the reader to step into the shoes of the parents, waiting to hear about their young child.  In this way, the author appeals to the sympathies of the readers and perhaps try to turn them towards increasing gun control.

Rhetorical questions are also used throughout the editorial as a method of obtaining the reader's agreement in increasing gun control and the tragedy of the shooting.  The beginning of the article asks questions about the children.  "What are their names? What did they dream of becoming? Did they enjoy finger painting? Or tee ball?"  These give life to the children, making them less statistics and more living, breathing humans, whose lives were tragically cut short.  It makes the reader think of them even more as individuals and not simply names or numbers.  In this way, the author appeals still more towards the compassion of the readers and makes his points more understandable.

Finally, the word choice used by the author create a sense of the horrors of shootings and the lack of gun control.  Words like "torn away" and "traumatized" emphasize the horror and tragedy in the shooting and may plant the seed in the reader's mind that something must be done to prevent more of such horrors from occurring.  The stance on continuing the current freedom of gun ownership is debased, describing the Republicans who support that belief as "mired" in their ideology, a word implying stubbornness and entrenched in something distasteful.  Equally condemning is the description of an argument that the teachers would be better off if they had guns as "grotesque".  The automatic connotation of such a word is disgusting and unpalatable.  Such word choice deeply conveys a disgust of the current system and provides support for the author's argument towards gun control.

Through these techniques, the author discusses the tragedy that took place in Newtown, Connecticut and points out society's need for increased gun control in an effort to prevent future shootings.  The editorial argues to push readers to support those who want to make the nation a safer place.

I Do (Not): The First Marriage of Jane Eyre

1997. Novels and plays often include scenes of weddings, funerals, parties, and other social occasions. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the society in which they live. Select a novel or play that includes such a scene and, in a focused essay, discuss the contribution the scene makes to the meaning of the work as a whole. You may choose a work from the list below or another novel or play of literary merit.


Weddings are commonly seen as joyous occasions that celebrate love and an interrupted wedding never bodes well for the characters.  This can especially be seen in the classic novel, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.  Through the use of the incomplete wedding, the author divulges information about the plot, about the characters themselves, and about the society in which they live.

The interrupted wedding between Mr. Rochester and Jane first serves to provide the conclusion and solution to a mystery that had been plaguing Jane - and the reader - throughout her time at Thornfield.  There had been hints that something was not right scattered within the text, of the laughter Jane hears in the halls of the manor on occasion, and the mysterious figure who lights Mr. Rochester's curtains afire.  More ominous omens rested in the attack upon Mr. Mason and the woman who sneaks into her room and rips her wedding veil in two.  They are all explained during the wedding: Mr. Rochester is already married to a madwoman and therefore cannot marry Jane.  This also furthers the plot, as Jane feels required to leave Thornfield for good after her disastrous attempted wedding.  At its most basic level, Bronte uses the wedding to create a plot twist that pushes the plot forward.

The scene also provides more characterization to Mr. Rochester and Jane, however.  Jane had already been proven to be a woman who is very morally straight.  During the wedding scene, she refuses to go through or even stay with Mr. Rochester as Adele's governess after his deception is revealed.  Her morality would not allow it and she runs away.  This dedication  to her beliefs in the face of such adversary helps indicate Jane's internal strength.  On the other hand, Mr. Rochester shows his ability to be swayed by his feelings, passions, and desires in his determination to marry Jane without any thought for the consequences.  He hopes to live his life with her, even though she is not aware of much of his life.  Combined with his eventual fate of being injured and blinded in the fire that kills his wife, this scene illustrates the weakness of his character and moral compass.  Thus, the wedding scene reveals much to the reader about the characters themselves.

Aspects of Bronte's society can also be found in the scene.  For instance, the shock and dismay of the characters as Rochester's attempt at infidelity reveal a very different society from the one in which the modern reader lives.  Now, though it is still looked down upon, it is not unbelievable for characters to be unfaithful to their spouses.  Mr. Rochester's attempts of ridding himself of his wife would also be a much easier path; American society is much more accepting of divorce than England during the 1800s.  The modern reader can learn a lot about marriage customs and beliefs during 19th century England from this scene.  Furthermore, the story told about Mr. Rochester's marriage to Bertha Rochester reveals the nature of many marriages during the time in that the wife and husband do not have enough time to become intimate with each other's secrets.  The events in Jane's incomplete marriage therefore reveal much to the modern reader about the society in which Bronte lived.

Through the fiasco that became of what was meant to be a happy occasion for Mr. Rochester and Jane, Bronte shares a lot of information about the plot and characters of Jane Eyre, as well as of the society in which she and her characters live.

Death of a Salesman Summary

Arthur Miller

• author of Death of a Salesman
• wrote dramas and essays
• also wrote The Crucible

Setting

• centered around the house and yard - scenes not in the house achieved by ignoring the house walls
• house surrounded by tall buildings - possibly implying a city?
• takes place around the time of the publication of the play
• other settings include Howard's office, Charley's office, the restaurant, and a hotel room in Boston

Plot

Act 1

• Willy Loman returns home after being unable to drive to Boston
• He and Linda discuss their lives and their children - Biff's relationship with Willy comes up
• Happy and Biff talk - Biff reveals his discontent with Willy's dream for him
• Willy begins to talk in the past, setting stage for his later mental lapses
• First Flashback: Willy returns home for Biff's big game; Biff needs to score well in math to graduate, conversation with Linda and interaction with The Woman
• Conversation between Willy and Charley sets up Willy's jealousy and competitiveness in his friend, and Willy's cheating nature with the card game.
• Second Flashback: Ben arrives from past to tempt Willy and offer more history and advice - fighting with Biff, using dirty tricks to get ahead, Biff stealing from the builders
• Linda talks to Biff about loving Willy, how Biff has to either love them both or stop visiting, and Willy's attempts at suicide
• Argument between Willy and Biff; Happy proposes an idea about sports business.  Biff and Willy agree to call truce over it.  Willy reminisces over the past.

Act 2

• Much more optimistic beginning: breakfast and overall cheerfulness.
• Willy argues slightly over his old electronics and mending stockings, told he has been asked to dinner with the boys, wants to plant a garden, reminded to ask for a raise (work in the city)
• Conversation between Linda and Biff over the phone - emphasizes Linda's treatment of Willy as another child instead of as a husband
• Willy talks to Howard, demonstrates his incompetence (acts like the daughter, son, maid, and wife), and is fired - Willy's rantings show his reason for being a salesman
• Third Flashback: Linda and Ben argue over traveling out to Alaska (the woman makes the "wrong" move), Ben leaves and everyone is preparing to leave for Biff's big game, rivalry between Charley and Willy
• Willy goes to Charley's office, meets modern Bernard and sees success, asks where Biff went wrong - reveals some secret occurring in Boston when Biff went to ask Willy for help
• Charley and Willy talk about having a reputation and stating a reputation, Willy's being fired, Willy's jealousy of Charley, and Willy's incorrect belief in the importance of being liked - Willy provides another foreshadowing of suicide.
• Biff and Happy show up at the restaurant.  Happy focuses on getting the girls.  Biff tries to explain his meeting (or lack thereof) with Bill Oliver and his ensuing revelation, but constantly interrupted by Happy.  Happy advocates lying to Willy to keep him happy.
• Willy shows up and argues with Biff about Biff's past "successes", reveals he'd been fired, and makes assumptions about Biff's reception.
• Fourth Flashback: Bernard pounds on the door and tells Linda that Biff failed math and is going to visit Willy.
• Continued argument between Willy and Biff.  Biff promises to make things right, lies to Willy to snap him out of the past, and reverts back to arguing.  Biff tries to get them to stop but ignores them once the girls show up.
• Biff and Happy argue about caring about Willy.  Biff leaves and Happy and the girls follow him.
• Fifth Flashback: The scene in the Boston hotel room is revealed.  The Woman is how Willy gets special treatment and Biff, going to ask Willy to help him get his grade up, recognizes that Willy was lying and cheating.  Biff gives up on life here.
• Stanley interrupts Willy, is a decent sort, shows him to the hardware store and refuses to take money.
• Linda argues with Biff (and Happy) about leaving Willy behind.  Biff reveals self-hatred.
• Sixth Flashback: Not really a flashback, Ben steers Willy's thinking on insurance.
• Biff and Willy talk and argue.  Willy refuses to let Biff do anything other than his dream for him, continues to maintain belief in their abilities.  Biff cries to Willy and leaves.
• Willy sends everyone to bed, listens to his mental Ben, and drives away.  Car crash.

Requiem

• Only ones at the funeral were the Lomans and Bernard and Charley.
• Biff speaks of Willy not knowing himself.  Happy destined to follow Willy's footsteps.  Charley's opinion of Willy changes.
• The house is paid for.  Linda tells Willy that they are free.

Characters

Willy Loman

• Salesman, works under Howard, fired
• Believes in the importance of appearance above actual intelligence and training - "He's liked, but he's not well-liked."  "Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets again.  Be liked and you will never want."
• Did not have a father figure growing up, never managed to find himself
• Refuses to accept any responsibility for the chaos around him
• Violent and mentally unstable towards the end, easily angered, sensitive - "Why do you always insult me?"
• Arrogant and self-important approach to life - "I am not a dime a dozen!  I am Willy Loman!"
• Beaten down by society - "He's a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine.  And when they start not smiling back -- that's an earthquake."
• Goal to be well-liked - "'Cause what could be more satisfying than to be... remembered and loved and helped by so many different people?"

Biff Loman

• Raised by his father on the importance of appearance
• Aspects of Oedipus Complex on his father instead of his mother
• Had the realities of Willy's life shoved at him to change his mind about following Willy's dreams - "You fake!  You phony little fake!  You fake!"
• Wants to use his muscles and just listen to himself instead of following others
• Fighting against society to properly earn his name - "What am I doing in an office, making a contemptuous, begging fool of myself, when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am!"

Happy Loman

• Generally ignored by most of his family.
• Determined to do the best he can with what he has.
• Believes in keeping up appearances but secretly hates working for others (subversion through other means). - "...Maybe I just have an overdeveloped sense of competition or something...  I don't want the girl, and, still, I take it and -- I love it!"
• Doesn't learn and will follow his father's footsteps - "I'm gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain...  It's the only dream you can have -- to come out number-one man."
• Hides his head under the grass and doesn't acknowledge what would make life complicated

Linda Loman

• Extremely forgiving to her husband - "He's the dearest man in the world to me, and I won't have anyone making him feel unwanted and low and blue...  I know he's not easy to get along with -- nobody knows that better than me -- but..."
• Is a sort of Madonna - treats her husband more like a son - "Just rest.  Should I sing to you?"  "Did you have some cheese?"
• Quiet strength and very firm in her beliefs - "Biff, dear, if you don't have any feeling for him, then you can't have any feeling for me."
• Illustrates the homely strength of women?
• Her dislike of Ben pushed her husband away from being "successful"?

Others

• Charley and Bernard: Foils to Willy and Biff -- Charley pushed his son to be strong academically and doesn't blow him full of hot air. - "And you never told him what to do, did you  You never took any interest in him."  "The Supreme Court!  And he didn't even mention it!"
• Stanley: Legitimately one of the few good characters in the play.  Had good intentions throughout.
• Ben: Represented success, but also the uncertain and unscrupulous life necessary to achieve it. - "Never fight fair with a stranger, boy.  You'll never get out of the jungle that way."  "The jungle is dark but full of diamonds."
• Howard: Illustrated the changing nature of human enterprise and the role of technology on it

Style and Voice

Point of View

• written as a play so no clear thoughts on characters' inner thoughts
• role as outside viewer attempting to understand the mystery and history of a dysfunctional family
• Willy's flashbacks provide a glimpse into himself and his memories
• The ranting by the characters provide source for understanding motive and inspiration.
• commentary on women through objectification and Linda - "I'd like to find a girl -- steady, somebody with substance."  "Somebody with character, with resistance!  Like Mom, y'know?"

Tone

• Changing tone but mainly pessimistic - cast negative light upon the American Dream
• all exaggerated emotions and tones - provide more archetypal responses and clearer understanding
• Brief moments of optimism punctured by dramatic irony and looming feeling of foreboding

Imagery

• Over-emphasis on objects (the various cars, the refrigerator, etc.) illustrate the materialistic society and its focuses
• Relatively vivid descriptions of characters and actions provide a deeper meaning to particular details that Miller wants to make evident
• Description of setting provide a constrained, jailed, and confined feeling - mirrors society's binds on the family
• Flute music (not always a flute in the movie, but close enough) described to provide a calming, pastoral feel, contrasting past with present

Symbolism

• Flute - past, less competitive and less materialistic times
• Garden/Jungle - place where things can be made to grow, the location where lives can be changed and names made, seeds are proper skills and tools necessary to be successful in the future
• Stockings - specifically serve as an overall reminder of Willy's infidelity, described as "expensive" by Linda who mends her own, given to The Woman as a gift, perhaps showing the cheating nature of the entire situation
• The Mortgage/The House - Willy's life, all of his money and efforts were in order to pay everything off and be in the clear, he dies when the final payments can be made, his mental and physical health deteriorate as the amount becomes closer to being paid off. - "There's more of him in that front stoop than in all the sales he ever made."
• Silver Trophy - Likely Biff's trophy from his state championship game.  Silver generally denotes second place, like Biff's dreams of passing math and getting a good career.  Willy still keeps it, like Biff's position as second-best, having never gone to college.  Also a symbol of Biff's "second-best" career goal?

Themes

• "The materialistic American Dream is a daily struggle that cannot be overcome through friendship alone and warps all who try."
• Willy focuses on being liked and friendship and dies struggling to be recognized.
• Bernard's success story focuses on education and dedication, allowing him to become successful through his own means.
• Those like Willy, Ben, and Biff who try to "cheat" the system end up cheating, lying, and stealing, and sometimes are still unsuccessful.
• Willy's dream for Biff is essentially the economic American Dream, which Biff, having learned from his father's mistake, refuses for his own dream, which focuses on hard-work and traditional farming.

Response to Course Material 4

So...  What have we done recently...?

Well, we finished up our discussion on Death of a Salesman.  In fact, I think the last time I wrote this, we hadn't even started discussing it yet.  At any rate, I liked seeing why we had to learn so much about Oedipus; while the whole story doesn't apply to Salesman, one of the articles we read (something about A Commodity Roosts or something like that) really brought out some points that made other aspects of it seem quite parts of the Oedipus story.  Biff's love for his father, the way it's manifested, and his reaction to Willy's betrayal all really brought out the fact that their relationship was definitely more than simply that of a father and son.  I also like the link it provides to Hamlet, which is also about father/son relationships, only in a much more complicated manner (Claudius is his step-father and his uncle).  Then there was the talk about The American Dream which links back to the play of the same title.  Both are about the focus of money in society and both seem to illustrate the problems, though one was a dramatic tragedy and the other a comedy (that was kind of really creepy).  It sort of reminded me of The Great Gatsby as well, because that book is also about how a focus on money can kill people, though it was more on the differences between old money and new money than obtaining money.  Still, it was about struggling against society (and the protagonist dies in both novels).

Then we moved on to Hamlet.  I enjoy reading plays in class; for me, it's more entertaining and easier to remember than watching a movie.  Granted, that could also be because I had missed part of the movie because of the Stratford trip.  But anyway, I both like and dislike the need to have to stop in the middle of reading.  While I understand that it is to go over certain aspects of the text that may be difficult to understand because of a lack of understanding in the society or language of the time, it also takes away from the overall picture of the text.  On the other hand, I came to enjoy Macbeth a lot when we went through analyzing it, so maybe I'll enjoy this as well.  I love seeing how clever Shakespeare is though, with his usage of parallels between Claudius' marriage to Gertrude and Henry's marriage to Catherine.  He's brilliant.

And... that's all I really have to say.  I look forward to reading more of Hamlet.

Close Reading Assignment 3

How to Live Without Irony

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/17/how-to-live-without-irony/?ref=opinion

In the article "How to Live Without Irony", Christy Wampole discusses the irony that, according to her, is infecting society today.  She emphasizes its negative impact through her usage of sophisticated language, detailed examples, and interesting syntax.

From the beginning of the article, Wampole's sophisticated word choice creates a very disconnected and almost scholarly approach to interpreting irony.  When she insists that "scoffing at the hipster is only a diluted form of his own affliction. He is merely a symptom and the most extreme manifestation of ironic living", her usage of medical and scientific terminology, seen in the terms "affliction", "symptom", and "diluted", she creates a practical air to her analysis.  In the third paragraph, she dissects the etymology of "subterfuge" for the reader, again creating a scholarly and learned tone.  Her language further in the article also indicates a more learned tone.  By using words such as "postmodern cynicism, detachment and meta-referentiality" to describe the wide-spread ironic atmosphere, Wampole almost scorns the existence of irony through her own sophisticated language.  Her wording throughout the article borders on pretentious, of establishing herself above the irony, which she sees as unsophisticated.

Wampole also emphasizes her views on the pervasiveness of irony through the detailed examples she uses.  Her examples all relate to our common lives, referencing advertisements and other commonplace items and events we see and experience.  She begins the article by describing the "hipster haunting every street corner and university town", bringing to mind images of the people we see every day.  Her later example of the advertisements which laugh at themselves also bring up memories.  By being relatively open in her description, she allows her audience to select a memory that fits her example, providing a detailed and vivid image.  Her example of her own lack of sincerity also stirs up images that are familiar to many people.  "A kitschy painting from a thrift store", "a coffee mug with flashy images of 'Texas, the Lone Star State'", and "plastic Mexican wrestler figures" are all easily imaginable gifts that many people may have seen or interacted with at some point.  By explicitly describing them, Wampole allows her audience to get a mental picture that provide memories corresponding to her own views.  In using detailed and specific examples, Wampole allows the audience to connect to her article, thus allowing them to perceive her points more clearly.

Aspects of syntax also allow for Wampole's point to be expressed more clearly.  Her use of rhetorical questions bring to light different issues and questions the audience may have either her argument, which she then uses to explain her views and refute the opposition or elaborate on an unclear point.  Later questions also connect the message back to the reader.  By asking questions such as "Do I communicate primarily through inside jokes and pop culture?" and "Do I feign indifference?", Wampole asks us to examine our own actions and thereby determine for ourselves how true her statements are.  She seems to rely on the expectation that many would find these questions pointing towards their own ironic tendencies, but it seems like a safe assumption and allows her point to be quite a distance.  At other points, Wampole uses parallelism to emphasize points in her argument.  At one point, she informs us, "Fundamentalists are never ironists; dictators are never ironists; people who move things in the political landscape, regardless of the sides they choose, are never ironists."  Her parallelism emphasize the characters of people who aren't ironic, thus providing emphasis on the particular characteristics of both those who are and aren't ironic.  Using such syntax, Wampole furthers her points and more deeply ingrains the overall message into her readers.

Through these techniques, Wampole brings to light the pervasiveness of irony in today's society, pointing out its flaws in being so widespread as to be relatively unrecognized as a threat.  Her editorial works to bring the overly sarcastic age to an end and convince the audience to start again with sincerity.

Jane's Struggle: Honor vs. Love

1980. A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility. For instance, a personal cause, a love, a desire for revenge, a determination to redress a wrong, or some other emotion or drive may conflict with moral duty. Choose a literary work in which a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with his or her responsibilities. In a well-written essay show clearly the nature of the conflict, its effects upon the character, and its significance to the work.

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is a classic and beloved novel about a young orphan, Jane Eyre, who faces down all of the challenges in her life to find happiness in the end.  Time and time again, her determination, honor, and spirit are tested, but each time she prevails.  One of her most striking and memorable struggles was that which tested her moral resolve with love, the love she feels for Mr. Rochester.

Even at the beginning of the novel, Jane's character is seen as strong, both mentally and morally.  From her childhood with her aunt and cousins, the Reeds, Jane is abused.  However, in spite of chaos and fear, she remains, for the most part, mentally strong.  While she is being picked on by John Reed, her cousin, she allows him some liberty, but strikes out and harshly when it becomes too much to bear.  Though her aunt never goes to her defense, she keeps her spirit, one of curiosity and perseverance with her.  Her schooling continues at the Lowood School, where more trouble befalls the students.  They all suffer from deprivation and starvation in the name of piety, causing many of the students to fall ill during an epidemic of typhoid   While others, like her friend Helen Burns, submitted and were ultimately consumed, Jane's morality does not allow her to meekly tolerate the treatment they receive and she fights against the school, first by protesting her innocence in the face of accusations of deceit, and later by being unaffected by the typhoid.  She knows and respects the moral importance of telling the truth, though Mrs. Reed did little to instill it in her.  Her life with the Reeds also taught her that she could win battles and it was worth trying.  In spite of her upbringing, Jane feels a certain moral and personal obligation to stand up for herself and do the best she can under the circumstances, which comes back to cause her future pain.

However, trouble arises when she meets the man who employs her as his ward's governess, Mr. Edward Rochester.  At first, he seems only strange, dark, and brooding, perhaps distracted by some unhappy past events.  As time passes, however, mysteries begin to arise and Jane falls in love with him.  When, following a convoluted process which involves her questioning his feelings towards her many times over, he declares his love and asks her to marry him, she is deliriously happy.  However, trouble makes itself apparent in the form of Bertha Rochester, Mr. Rochester's first wife.  During the wedding itself, Mr. Mason, the sister of Bertha, reveals that Mr. Rochester is already married and Jane is thrown into a personal struggle.  Though her heart wishes to stay with her beloved, her morals and honor insist that she cannot stay.  It would be wrong to continue to live under the same roof as a man she loved but could not have, who had tried to deceive her into marrying him, whatever his reasons were.  In the end, her mind and honor reign supreme and she runs away, retaining her name and her honor in spite of her feelings.  During this pivotal moment, Jane demonstrates the strength of her character and the importance of following what is right rather than what is easy.  Though it hurts her to know that she cannot stay with him, she leaves anyway, because her morals dictate that it is the right thing to do.  Jane's personality, her most defining trait, is illustrated through her taking control of her life and the way she leaves Mr. Rochester.

Through the character and struggles of her character, Jane Eyre, Bronte constructs a powerful message towards women, that they can be strong and take control of their lives, an inspiring message for women living in her time period to assert their own capabilities and make their own life, as Jane did.

Response to Course Material 3

Wow, it's Second Quarter already.  The year seems to have gone by really fast.  But anyway, what have we covered since last time?

The unit on The American Dream has been wrapped up.  That was fun, and I enjoyed being able to analyze it with respect to the different samples of literature that we read from our textbooks.  It allows us to make intertextual connections better, which I always find both enjoyable and informative.  I like drawing connections between different works and doing so often helps me remember things as well.  (It did strike me as amusing that I had to read Two Kinds by Amy Tan.  Again.  For probably the third of fourth time.  In different language arts classes.)  So yeah, that was fun.

What else...?  I've been enjoying those exercises that we have in the beginning of class, both the ones where we have to come up with a sentence that exemplifies the tone word, and when we practice analyzing then writing our own passages from an example.  The latter normally turns into a competition on what hour (normally 6th hour wins, just sayin') can come up with the most ridiculous example, but still...  Again, making things funny makes them memorable.

The only other thing I really remember us doing is watch Death of a Salesman.  From what I've heard, a lot of people have covered it before, in their American Literature classes.  They would probably find that we're going to slowly through it.  Though I took American Literature, in Mrs. Reed's class, we only ever talked about his The Crucible.  I'd never discussed Death of a Salesman before.  In fact, the only mentions I'd ever heard of it outside of this class was for QuizBowl.  I enjoyed watching the movie.  It was a good way of introducing the material to someone who had never read the play before.  Unfortunately, the Stratford trip (which was really fun!) happened to fall over one of those days, so I missed part of the plot.  The close reading should fix that problem, though the discussions that we've had during class have been a little bit annoying when scenes are brought up that I'm unfamiliar with.  I'm definitely looking forward to analyzing it though; if The American Dream was anything to go by, there are going to be a lot of hidden messages to unravel in this play!

The American Dream Summary

Edward Albee

• author of The American Dream
• Postmodernist author
• author of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
• author for the Theater of the Absurd

Setting

• apartment sitting room
• America during consumerism society - likely mid 1900s
• implied to be in some kind of city setting - apartments and department stores?

Plot

• begins with Mommy and Daddy awaiting the arrival of someone
• Mommy talks about buying a hat, controls the conversation and Daddy
• Grandma comes in with her boxes
• Mommy tells story of her boxed lunches -- shows manipulative nature and insight on past
• Mrs. Barker knocks, Mommy taunts Daddy about masculinity
• Mrs. Barker enters, nobody knows why she's there, and conversation about family and pleasantries -- we find out about Daddy's operation and see signs of a power struggle between Mommy and the other women (Mrs. Barker and Grandma)
• Mommy and Daddy leave the room, Mrs. Barker and Grandma talk about why Mrs. Barker is there, story about the adopted "bumble" -- we find out more about the past and the adopted child
• Mommy returns, summons Mrs. Barker to get the water, the Young Man enters, interacts with Grandma -- Young Man established as American Dream, looking for work, will do anything for money
• Young Man tells his story, Grandma hires him for the family -- establishes Young Man as the twin of the "bumble"
• Grandma leaves, family meets the Young Man, they have a small celebration -- replacement of character, illustrate ephemeral emotions

Characters

Mommy

• manipulative
• in control/power-hungry
• social climber -- illustrate aspects of society in consumerist world
• shallow, focus on the details and lack of logic

Daddy

• weak male character, masculinity replaced by femininity -- feminist movement critique?
• rich man with ambition but no ability to achieve ambition, constantly controlled
• also focus on details and lack of logic

Grandma

• balance between female and male (ex. look like man or woman, Uncle Henry vs. Grandma) -- ideal gender role needs to be balanced?
• believes in dignity and pride -- more traditional values
• makes comments that seem inane but are insightful
• show logic and thinking, help solve the conflict in the play
• possibly symbolizing the old American Dream

Mrs. Barker

• a "professional woman", takes off her dress, gives "satisfaction" and says "Don't mind if I do" -- prostitute or otherwise morally loose
• conflict with Mommy over social status
• shallow and condescending
• of low intelligence, little logic
• has no true personality, seems to be dominated by her various roles in society

Young Man

• called "The American Dream" by Grandma
• twin of the "bumble"
• looking for work and will do anything for money
• symbolizes the aspects of society that are being welcomed
• new values and ideas replacing the old (AKA Grandma)
• cannot feel emotion or desire, let's others take advantage of his physical attractiveness

Style and Voice

Point of View

• written as a play so no thoughts on character's inner thoughts
• lack of monologues allow for less understanding of characters' thinking
• display consumerism perspective through Mommy and Mrs. Barker
• commentary on women through Daddy's weakness and feminist nature
• show flaws of society through Grandma - "Middle-aged people think they're special because they're like everybody else.  We live in the age of deformity."

Tone

• sarcastic, caustic through Grandma's commentary -- illustrate the Albee's thoughts
• bitter through exaggeration in Mommy, Daddy, and Mrs. Barker -- illustrate the flaws of society through ridiculous actions

Imagery

• lack of vivid imagery
• description of baby mutilation particularly scientific but also detailed
• overall lack of imagery allow for reader/directors to apply story to any family in society

Symbolism

• Mommy's hat: the story as a whole, replacing the original "flawed" one with something exactly like it but gaining satisfaction; consumerism ideals; conformity with Mrs. Barker's hat
• baby: the effect of consumerism on the innocent; child did not give satisfaction so it can be maltreated and destroyed without concern or regret; it is a toy
• Grandma's boxes: the life as a whole; beautifully wrapped on the outside but plain or bizarre on the inside shows society - normal and elegant on the outside but warped on the inside

Absurdism

• use of humor to mask horror of the social norms
• Mommy and Daddy are anti-heroes
• people are bewildered like Mrs. Barker for her purpose of visiting (Bonus: Neither Mommy nor Daddy know either)
• circular structure ("Who says you can't get satisfaction these days?" vs. "You just can't get satisfaction these days.")
• sterility and lack of values in the modern world - literal sterility in Daddy and Mr. Barker, lack of values through mutilation of baby
• civilized people acting in uncivilized and barbaric ways - see baby mutilation by a civilized and upper class family

Themes

• "The current American Dream that focuses on consumerism is a plague to the morals of society."
• shown that consumerism is bad through symbols, tone
• American Dream focus on consumerism through the Young Man, the title of the play
• imagery and plot illustrate the horrors of the society, contrasting the morals
• Grandma's censure show the fall of morals
• setting indicate the coming of such a society; normal city around the time of the publication

Close Reading Assignment

Mr. Romney’s Version of Equal Rights

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/18/opinion/mr-romneys-version-of-equal-rights.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

In the editorial, Mr. Romney's Version of Equal Rights, the author (assumed to be female) argues that Governor Romney's approach to equality for women is no equality at all.   She denounces his attempts to gain more female voters, and by extension, his campaign for the presidency as a whole, by her use of negative diction, specific details, and syntax.

The author's choice of diction provides a negative tone throughout the article.  In the first paragraph, she informs the reader that Romney "bumbled his way through a cringe-inducing attempt to graft what he thinks should be 2012 talking points onto his 1952 sensibility."  Using the term "bumbled", denoting failure and incompetence, the author paints Romney into the form of a incapable leader, which then causes the reader to question whether Romney is appropriate to be the next president.  Her tone continues in the ninth paragraph, where she writes that "started a slow, painful slide into one of the most bizarre comments on this issue we've ever heard," and sarcastically points out that his comment about finding qualified women was said in a way that made it sound "as if it were a herculean task."  The words "slow", "painful", and "bizarre" all have a negative connotation that ridicule the governor's comment.  The line referring to the "herculean task" furthers the ridicule by comparing Romney's effort to a nearly insurmountable quest, downplaying Romney's attempt to hire women.  Through her word choice, the author brings out the ludicrousness of Romney's stance on women and indirectly jabs at his appropriateness for being president as a whole.

The details given in the article also illustrate the author's view of Romney's equality in the rights of women.  She points out incongruencies throughout his campaign in the subject of women.  In the second paragraph, she mentions his vow in ending Planned Parenthood and his criticism in requiring employers who are not religiously affiliated to provide coverage for contraceptives.  She then contrasts that to his statement that he believes all women should have equal access to contraceptives in the next paragraph.  Further examples of his actions which contradict his statement were listed below, as the author explicitly points out "how hard it must be for him to remember where he stands at any given moment."  Later, she changes the topic to equal opportunity, another subject in which she has given plenty of details which illustrate his inconsistency.  She contrasts his opposition of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act with his line about being given "binders full of women" to have as representatives in his cabinet.  By showing his inability to decide on a single stance in his policies on women, the author points out his flawed approach and seems to emphasize his failings as a presidential candidate.

The author's formatting of the editorial also highlight the absurdities of Romney's views of women.  In paragraph six and seven, the author uses an anaphora, starting both sentences with "perhaps" to give possible explanations for Romney's changing stance on contraceptives.  The parallel structure also emphasize the contradictions between the two different explanations, which she hammers home in the next sentence: "But all those possibilities are just reminders of how hard it must be for him to remember where he stands at any given moment."  Later, she furthers her point of his views of equality by the usage of questions.  He spoke of flexibility for women in their jobs due to their need to take care of their families.  She points out several of his unmentioned but well-known stances on other versions of equality through her questioning of "But what if a woman had wanted to go home to study Spanish? Or rebuild an old car? Or spend time with her lesbian partner? Would Mr. Romney have been flexible about that? Or if a man wanted similar treatment?"  By asking questions, the author allows the readers themselves to draw conclusions about how Romney would respond, making the thoughts of the reader's own, even if all the conclusions are, as she intends them to be, similar.  In the editorial, the syntax also allows the author to convey her point on the problems surrounding Romney's view of women and equality.

Through these techniques, the author overwhelmingly casts a negative light on Romney's views of women and the lack of equality illustrated by his claims.  The editorial points out the flaws in his stance and seems to attempt to weaken his qualifications as a strong presidential candidate for this year's election.

Macbeth vs. Macduff: Emasculated or Human?

2008. In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of a minor character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Choose a novel or play in which a minor character serves as a foil for the main character. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the relation between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of the work.

In the famous play by William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Lord Macbeth expresses insecurity on his own masculinity, which are cast further into light by the scheming words of his wife as she presses him to strive for power by killing the king of Scotland so he can take control of the kingdom.  This is in stark contrast to the attitudes of Lord Macduff, who is unafraid to show sorrow or pain and expresses them freely when he views appropriate.  Through Macbeth and his foil, Shakespeare provides commentary on the appropriate balance of masculinity and femininity.

Lord Macbeth's insecurity is easily seen through his wife's methods of controlling him.  When he expresses discomfort with the idea of killing the king of Scotland, who has taken him in, is a good leader, and is his kin, she scorns him and accuses him of being weak and feminine.  In response, he performs the necessary actions which lead to the deaths of the king, as well as his friend Banquo, who discovers the actions.  Macbeth continues to order atrocious actions to be performed, including the murder of Lady Macduff and her innocent children in hearing that Lord Macduff would cause his downfall.  Through his titular character's heinous actions, Shakespeare denounces those who focus too heavily on their appearance of masculinity and being what men ought to be.

Macbeth's foil, Lord Macduff, on the other hand, provides a contrasting take on masculinity.  When Macduff is informed of the deaths of his wife and children, he does not pretend to hide his sorrow, but openly displays his grief.  When the prince and rightful heir to the throne, Malcolm, questions him on his display, Macduff's response indicates that it is not shameful to mourn that which has been lost, nor does it show any sign of weakness in his status as a man.  Though a minor character, Macduff's righteousness and honor endear him to the reader and his actions proclaim the appropriate response of man to painful news.  Shakespeare uses Macduff to illustrate that proper balance of emotions, acclaiming his actions as those of a proper and dignified man who has nothing of which to be ashamed.

By setting up very contrasting characters in both personality and morality, Shakespeare uses Macbeth as a method of indicating the proper balance of femininity and masculinity in an honorable man.  It does not do to be wholly one, Shakespeare insists, but a balance will create a much better man, such as the strengths of Macduff over Macbeth, which eventually lead to the downfall of the main character.

Response to Course Materials 2

In class, we've covered a variety of topics since the last time we were told to write one of these.  We spent a lot of time at first talking about the different eras and movements of literature.  That was actually really interesting, because we could incorporate a lot of time periods that we talked about in both American Literature and British Literature into what we covered.  For example, when we talked about Medievalism, I found myself remembering how Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales demonstrated aspects of the movement, with their epic heroes and references to religion.  Being able to look back on the writing helped me remember the unique aspects of different literary movements better.

What really stood out to me were our (longer than usual they took quite a while to go through) presentations on Greek mythology and the Bible.  I've always loved Greek mythology, so going over the myths was a very enjoyable experience for me, especially as I learned a few new ones from my section, such as "Baucis and Philemon" or "Alpheus and Arethusa".  Hearing details that I'd forgotten of the Trojan War and the creation of the gods was also fun.  (And I don't think anybody will forget Emily's drawings any time soon.)  Of course, we weren't reviewing them only to go over the stories, but to be able to find allusions to them in other literature.  Unlike many of the class, it seems, I was rather unfamiliar with the Bible stories, so I took more notes on them.  I have before heard allusions to "The Prodigal Son", which I'd never really understood, though I could make an educated guess from the context.  After hearing about it in class, though, I can think back on the discussion (which, for those who would appreciate it, was about Sirius Black's relationship with his family).  In general (at least to me), there is something very satisfying about being able to spot allusions to mythology and Bible stories in literature, so I definitely appreciated the opportunity to learn/review them to help me in my endeavor.

At some point in there, we also talked about different critical lenses.  I found that it was an easier lesson for me, at least, because I remember covering quite a few of them in American Literature in particular.  I mentioned in my previous Response to Course Materials that in American Literature, Mrs. Reed had us watch Star Wars through different critical lenses.  That was part of a unit dedicated to them.  Therefore, many of the big ones covered in the Prezi - the one with the creepy dolls and eyes which haunt my nightmares - were review from that class.  New Criticism (only by the name Formalism), Psychoanalytic, New Historical, Marxism, Feminist, Reader Response, Archetypal, and Structuralism (also with a different name), were all mentioned before, in American Literature.  The others were new, but pretty self-explanatory, for the most part.  I do find it useful to look through texts from different perspectives, which critical lenses help accomplish.

And finally, we spent time more time recently talking about Theater of the Absurd and Comedy.  Very appropriate, given what we read: The American Dream.  I really enjoyed learning about Comedy, in particular, and how people believe humor works.  While I was familiar with the concept of a comedy, my overall idea came from what Shakespeare had written as his comedies - basically stories where not many people died and a whole bunch of people got married.  And a lot of mistaken identities or people falling in love with the wrong people and such, if I recall correctly.  This more modern comedy seems a lot different and reading through how to analyze the different aspects of it was great.  The play itself was really fun.  I found it completely strange in the beginning and until the very end, I had no idea what the characters - especially Mommy - were talking about most of the time.  Yet, many things seemed to work themselves out and it was entertaining.  I have not yet managed to find many examples of allusions - I suppose we were supposed to notice them, given how much time we spent on the topic of allusions to mythology and religion- in the play, but there is still time to keep looking, especially after a more thorough reading.

I think I've covered everything that we've done in class since the last Response to Course Materials.  I find that these are actually a really great way of making sure I remember everything we've covered and help get everything straight in my head.

Close Reading Assignment

Shades of gray for SEAL book 'No Easy Day'

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/story/2012-09-17/shades-grey-no-easy-day/57797934/1

In this editorial, the author (whom I will assume to be male in order to avoid using "he or she" everywhere) addresses the book about the killing of Osama bin Laden, No Easy Day.  The book is a best-seller, topping the list of USA Today's best-sellers.  The article, however, focuses specifically on the controversy publishing the book has caused; he had signed non-disclosure forms to never reveals classified secrets and some believe the publication of the book broke the agreement.  The author of the article addresses and emphasizes this ambiguity through different aspects of rhetoric.

As it is written for the average population, much of the diction in the editorial is casual.  Phrases such as "kiss-and-tell" are scattered within the text and there is minimal technical jargon.  Such an effect allows readers of most backgrounds to understand the writing, without the need for particular training in specific fields.  Since the author's purpose is to share his opinion, this makes the job a lot easier by ensuring that the opinion can, at least, be understood.  Other words also emphasize the ambiguity in the author's tone, as if he does not want to commit too heavily to a side of the discussion.  The words seem skeptical at times, such as the usage of the term "far-fetched", and fair-minded at others, as is evident in the phrase "but other considerations cast the book in a different light."  Such wording reminds the reader that there is more than one side to the tale and both need to be considered.

Figurative language also grace the article.  From the very beginning, the title alludes to another book whose name is widely known: Shades of Gray.  In the editorial itself, however, the usage of the term has been more of an expression, emphasizing the meaning of the title itself rather than the book.  There are continued references to color.  The situation is claimed to be "anything but black and white" and the article itself ends with the phrase "'shades of gray''.  The references help emphasize the popularity of the book No Easy Day, as the beginning of the article states that the book has passed Shades of Gray, which is perhaps infamously widely known, in the USA Today best-seller list.  It also provides emphasis on the ambiguity of the situation which can be sensed through other aspects of the author's writing.  The use of understatement in the line "Then there's the inconvenient fact that SEAL Team 6 carved itself a unique place in U.S. history, and at great risk" also illustrates the controversy.  The weakness of the term "inconvenient" reminds the reader that it is far more than inconvenient, but it does not help arrive at a solution.  However, the situation has no easy way of being resolved.

The formation of the sentences continue to illustrate the controversy of the book's publication.  The paragraphs that are not used for description or detail are short.  This provides a feeling of almost hesitance, as though there is not much definitive to say on any particular topic.  Short transition sentences in the article are placed as separate paragraphs, which points them out to the reader.  The sentences themselves remind the reader of the ambiguity in how to treat the book's publication and the formatting of these sentences keep them from hiding in the shadows of other sentences.  The usage of questions to move forward the writing also helps highlight the controversy.  Lines like "So what to do?" explicitly announce the problem with the situation and asks for a solution.  They keep the audience's mind focused on the problem at hand and suggest that there may not be a good idea at the moment.

Through its use of rhetoric, the author of the editorial gets his message across clearly in ways other than simply the meaning of the sentences themselves.  Aspects of his language, his diction, and his syntax provide emphasis for the controversy of the publication.  This article is effective in communicating the gray area that the publication of No Easy Day resides in.

The Daughter of the Silliest Woman in the World

1990. Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a parent (or a parental figure) and a son or daughter. Write an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid plot summary.

Perhaps one of the most recognizable opening lines ever penned, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" is Jane Austen's manner of setting the stage for her satirical novel, Pride and Prejudice.  Through the story of the changes and struggles in Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy's relationship, she addresses what she perceives as oddities or flaws in society of Regency England.  One particular way this is done is by the relationship between the protagonist, Elizabeth, and her mother, Mrs. Bennet, which works to symbolize the relationship Elizabeth has to the societal norms around her.

From the very opening of the book, it is hinted that Mrs. Bennet does not have a very close relationship to her second-oldest daughter.  When Mr. Bennet comments that he wishes to mention Lizzy's good traits to the newly arrived Mr. Bingley, her mother protests vehemently, insisting that she is not as pretty as Jane and not as friendly as Lydia.  Mr. Bennet goes to his favorite child's defense, insisting that she is more clever and witty than any of the other girls, she responds by insisting that he cannot abuse his children in such a way.  She completely ignoring her own hypocrisy in doing the same only moments earlier when she implied that Elizabeth was not worthy of positive words and attentions from the new neighbor when compared to her sisters.  From the very first chapter, therefore, it can be established that there will be arising conflicts between Elizabeth and her mother originating from their rough relationship, which further serve to move the plot along.

Throughout the novel, many different situations help give rise to a characterization of Mrs. Bennet as a woman who is easily excitable and of a weak mind.  Her focus on marrying off her daughters, originating from the need to find them all good homes once her husband dies and their estate is then inherited by a distant family member, resembles the concerns of society as a whole.  In the Regency era and particularly in the gentry, the primary goal of women were to get married and be proper wives to their husbands.  They had limited powers and many inheritances were through the male line, which further emphasized their reliance on their dowry and their position in society.  Because of this, the marriage of young daughters was of vital importance to parents, and Mrs. Bennet is a clear indication of that fact.  Her chief concern has been described to be the goal of marrying off all of her daughters and throughout the book, her opinions have been voracious on the subject of marriage.

Elizabeth's personalities and beliefs contrast strongly with her mothers, resulting in many moments of exasperation throughout the book.  Seeing the tale from Elizabeth's perspective, the reader sympathizes with her in various stages as she rebels against the expectations that society, and her mother, have set for her.  The usage of limited third person perspective allows the reader to understand the inner thoughts and workings of Elizabeth's mind as she shares her beliefs.  She shares that she believes in marrying for love and happiness through her actions and her discussion about marriage with her close friend Charlotte Lucas, who insists that happiness in marriage is entirely by chance.  When Elizabeth disagrees, she shows her own beliefs, that happiness and love are important for marriage, a belief that her mother seems to disagree with.  This can be seen in Mrs. Bennet's reaction to Elizabeth turning down a marriage proposal from Mr. Collins, a man of extreme self-esteem and strange attitudes, with whom Elizabeth asserts that she could never be happy.  However, Mrs. Bennet completely ignores her daughter's protests, insisting that her daughter marry the man and proclaiming dramatically that the family shall be turned out to the hedgerows  - that is, be without home - due to her daughter's pigheadedness.  Again, Mrs. Bennet shows that her thoughts are primarily that of marriage for security, rather than for the love, respect, and happiness that her daughter wishes for.  The mother's view more closely resembles that of her society as a whole, while Elizabeth protests such ideas.

As a satirical author, Austen likes to show problems in the society in which she lives.  Her characterization of Mrs. Bennet addresses her dislikes of the concerns of society as a whole.  From the very first sentence of the novel, her distaste for the pressing importance of marital concerns on women of the gentry class from Regency era is apparent.  Throughout Pride and Prejudice, this abhorrence of societal expectations continues through her ridicule of Mrs. Bennet, who represents them.  The woman is established as silly and nervous, making a fool of herself and her family in public.  She constantly embarrasses her children through her loud proclamations that Mr. Bingley will marry her beautiful and gentle Jane, insisting on showing off her daughter's good fortune before there is any established proof of an engagement of any sort.  Again and again, through her loud and rather rude behavior, Austen emphasizes the silliness and shamefulness of the typical views and hopes of society.

Through the rocky relationship between Elizabeth and her mother, the reader can find more than just a woman who does not understand her daughter.  Instead, the reader can discover through the portrayal and actions of Mrs. Bennet the faults of the society itself and the way her daughter can find happiness even without following society's norms.

So Far...

To be honest, it doesn't seem like we've actually covered a ton so far.  Well, I don't say this meaning that we haven't learned anything or that I haven't learned anything because I definitely have.  What  I meant is that I'm sure we have a lot of things to cover that we haven't even begun to touch on yet.  Most of the material we've touched on has been summer work material; we have had only four days of school, after all.  However, much of it has been focusing on two points that I think are actually probably the most important of the class, which is unsurprising.

The summer work especially seems to be focusing on how to read.  How To Read Literature Like a Professor was actually very entertaining as well as informative.  I definitely enjoyed reading it, since it had a pretty entertaining and strong voice.  Much of it seemed to focus on different aspects of literature that can be understood deeper than simply as a plot element.  I've heard of some things, like the Journey/Quest, before, when we were talking about archetypes.  It reminded me of when, in Mrs. Reed's American Literature class, we watched Star Wars through different critical lenses and the characteristics of many epic tales stood out clearly through the archetypal lens.  Certain aspects of Foster's book seem to focus on similar concepts, such as the meanings behind disfigurement or the commonality of Greek mythology.  It really makes me think more now on the meaning of Darth Vader's prosthetic body or how Luke not knowing his father is reminiscent of Oedipus' lack of knowledge, though luckily for Luke, it doesn't cause complete destruction of his life.  Our reading of the poems and the questions we had to answer for the diagnostic test also work on reading.  While some of them focused more on the vocabulary we had to learn, others - mainly those that talked about theme and author's message - also did use certain aspects of the book, such as the meaning of weather or spring.  In a way, the diagnostic tests and other reading we've had to do allowed me to focus on using the techniques, which was great.  They helped me practice understanding exactly what I was looking for and how it'd help me on the AP exam and in the future (The Foster presentation was actually really hard; I don't know that many things from pop culture.)

Our practice with reading also focused a lot on poetry, particularly the different vocabulary that we'd need.  And I feel I must mention again that the vocabulary test we had to do on Quia was actually really really hard.  But I digress.  Some of the words I thought I knew, but clearly not well enough.  It makes me wonder whether I've been mislabeling poems and poetic devices when we talked about them in Lit/Comp 9.  At the same time, it's also given me quite a few new concepts to work into my poems in the future (I do like to write poetry in my spare time, though it's sometimes hard to come up with something I really like).  I do hope we get to practice recognizing these different poetic devices more in the future; given the results of the quiz, we all still need a lot of work with them.  I'm thinking not only in terms of my test score, but also because they are interesting and I like securely learning things, just for myself.  I'm not really sure where I'm going with this point, except that the poetry reading was fun and I hope we do them more.  (I also really liked that Shakespeare sonnet we read as part of our diagnostics test.  I think Sonnet 55 has just become my favorite sonnet.)

We've also talked a bit on how to write properly.  The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing started that discussion off, which focused primarily on not sounding like a snob in college essays and such.  Of course, when I was writing my response to it, and even as I type now, I'm a little self-conscious about how I write.  I know for a fact that I used to have this problem; I somehow made the connection between "mature" writing and very unauthentic (I'm not sure if that's the word I'm actually looking for but that's as close as I'm going to get for now) writing.  Thinking back to all of the things I've written for English classes before, I wonder sometimes how I haven't bored my teachers to sleep, considering the fact that I'm sure some of them was rather bland and void of good voice.  This is also partially related to what the powerpoints were talking about.  They focused primarily on the art of AP writing and how to make arguments, but the basic idea is the same.  We have to not bore our audiences, which is why audience is something to consider in rhetoric.  And Nuts and Bolts also focuses on keeping things concise, which makes our arguments easier to follow, a point made in the powerpoint on crafting good arguments.  This is another problem I think I have in my writing; I tend to write my thoughts as they come to me, which means that they aren't always extremely organized.  This blog post might even be an example of that, though at least I'm pretty sure I'm not writing with a particularly snobby voice right now.  Hopefully, I'll be able to focus on these ideas more in the future and improve that aspect of my writing.

So overall, even though we haven't been in school for long, this class has given me quite a few things to focus on, many of which can likely be carried over into other classes as well.  The things we've covered related to reading and writing have given me much cause for thought and I can't wait to see what we cover in class next.

(P.S.  I know this is submitted a bit late.  I would have done it earlier but my laptop is refusing to connect to the Internet and I just got on my family's desktop now.)

Me Talk Pretty One Day: Writing Pretty

David Sedaris' "Me Talk Pretty One Day" reads like a story.  He narrates his experience returning to school as a middle-aged man to learn to speak French and "talk pretty".  His tone is compelling and distinctive, with a healthy dose of humor to keep the narration moving and the readers interested.  It seems entirely unlike the writing that is expected out of a college student.  However, a closer examination shows that he follows many of the guidelines laid out for college undergraduate writers in The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing by Michael Harvey.

This can be seen through the language usage in the excerpt.  In Nuts and Bolts, Harvey denounces the so-called "pompous style" of writing, which dresses up our prose with big words and elaborate sentence structures (1).  He emphasizes simple, concise wording that tells the facts plainly (Harvey 9).  Throughout Sedaris' writing, his active and descriptive voice keeps the reader's attention through his plain language.  "The first day of class was nerve-wracking because I knew I'd be expected to perform," he tells us (Sedaris 11).  The facts are plainly stated and the words all familiar.  Many of his descriptions throughout the excerpt remain in such a form.  "When the phone rang, I ignored it.  If someone asked me a question, I pretended to be deaf" (Sedaris 14).  Sedaris shows us his actions and choices, keeping the situation clear and easy to follow.  Until the very end, the writing is simple and consistent, keeping the reader engaged and following without much difficulties.

Through his skillful use of language, Sedaris shares with his readers not only an essay but a memory.  His diction and plain vocabulary illustrate his meaning far better than if he had chosen to use complicated sentence structures, way too many prepositional phrases, and vocabulary that seemed to come from abusing a thesaurus.  Though it is uncertain whether David Sedaris eventually learned to "talk pretty someday," according to the The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing, at least, he provides a great example at "writing pretty."

Poetry Analysis

Well, I didn't do as badly as I thought I would.  That's always a good thing.  And even as I worked through the five examples, I could tell that I was improving.  Still, there are specific things I should probably focus on, which will make my improvement easier, I think.

1.  Learn more poetry terms.

2.  Read every word carefully.

3.  Different kinds of figurative language.

4.  When looking at themes, focus on the big picture.

5.  Context, context, context.

Runner ups: Review meter and review poetry forms.

A lot of these are probably pretty self-explanatory.  Poetry terms.  Yes, I know this tripped me up a couple of times.  I'd never even heard of masculine vs. feminine rhyming before.  Half-rhymes I've heard of but aren't familiar with.  Same with consonance.  Knowing these terms would have been helpful in answering more of these questions correctly.

Reading every word is actually very important.  I'm a skimmer; I always have been when I read things for tests and such.  But it's way too easy to skip over something that might be of vital importance.  Poetry is different from prose in that poetry has to be very concise.  Every word matters.  I need to remember that.

As much as I feel like I know figurative language pretty well, they still managed to trip me up a few times.  The differences between simply using a term as a descriptor and using it as a metaphor.  What is a synecdoche?  I know how to use some of them in my writing and others I might use without knowing the technical name for them, but recognizing them in literature appears to be an entirely different story.

Focusing on the big picture is important.  I know myself.  I know that I like to get sidetracked by little things that catch my attention.  When I'm answering questions on the main idea, however, this can trip me up.  My brain remembers some little detail that suddenly seems really important and I get an urge that the small detail, not the main idea, is what the theme of the poem is.  This is actually also applicable to normal literature as well.  The main idea is often related in the text, but hidden.  It's not a small detail.

By context, I mainly mean relating things in the poem to other things.  At least twice, I was caught on not knowing what "manna dew" or "relish" was (from the first poem).  As such, I guessed on one and missed the point on the other.  Reading in context, and hopefully reading more in general, will help me work out this problem.  Context also refers to everything else earlier in the list as well.  Some things are different in different context.  Recognizing context will help in recognizing that particular aspect of poetry.

And I might as well address the runner-ups as well.  I usually do not have much trouble with meter, but that question in the first poem about the meter confused me.  Counting the syllables gave me 4-4-4-2, which doesn't fit with any of the answers.  Reviewing meter (and terms related to meter) will likely help in the future.  Furthermore, poetry forms are also a bit of trouble.  Sonnets are easily recognizable, but other forms can seem very similar and I should review those as well.

74%. Okay...

I got a 74% or 37/50.  I'll admit that I wasn't nearly as surprised as some other people seem to have been with their scores.  I'm a bit behind on the homework and my friends have talked about how much harder the test is than they expected, and that their scores were a surprise to them.  I cannot say that I'm overly disappointed or shocked.  I just sort of... am.  And from what I can tell, the score really isn't that bad.  But I digress.

There were a few minutes of frustration, however, as I looked through the correct answers, reasoning my way through what made them correct (and occasionally referring to the given explanations.  Far too often, I find myself thinking that I over-thought a situation.  At least twice, my original instinct was the right answer, but when I thought it through, it seemed to obvious or too shallow.  I suppose I am expecting more out of everything than necessarily exists.  I know this is a problem of mine, though, and I plan on addressing it accordingly.

Funnily enough, I am also rather amused by my results.  Going in, I had expectations about which passages I would be able to answer well and which ones I would make a mess of.  While some of them were correct (I know I am bad at analyzing writing similar to that of the last passage), I had not expected my answers for the first poem to go so well, nor my answers for the excerpt of Pride and Prejudice to go so poorly.  I have often believed that my understanding of authors' meanings in poetry is a little different from their original intentions, simply because there are different interpretations (which, I suppose, also means that everybody is correct, but I'm not quite sure what that means in terms of multiple choice questions with one right answer and four wrong answers).  However, for both poems, I did considerably better than I had expected.  On the other hand, I expected the excerpt from a book that I have always enjoyed reading to have gone much better than it did.  Having read the entire novel multiple times, I was confident that I was able to tell what Austen's intentions and messages were.  There, I think, rests my problems; I was over-confident and brought in information that was better implied in other parts of the novel, that reading the rest of the book would make visible in the first passage.  I think it is a good thing I did badly on this; I will definitely learn from the experience for potential future situations like this one.

And I think this is getting a bit longer than the original assignment meant for this post to be, so I should probably stop soon.  I guess, overall, I'm not disappointed.  Actually, part of me is pretty excited; there's a lot yet that I have to learn and I'm looking forward to learning it.