Sunday, December 11, 2011
Response to Course Material
I'm glad that we're reading Ceremony because it puts a heavy emphasis on Native American culture, which is very interesting to learn about. The amount of symbols and motifs in the novel also make for some interesting discussions. However, I think our class goes a little to far into analyzing sometimes (as evidenced by our failure to complete one group's passage in three days). But I guess it's better than not having engaging discussion at all :)
Close Reading (11 December 2011)
Machine Age- By Meredith Bryan
http://www.marieclaire.com/hair-beauty/trends/beauty-gadgets
Through the use of comedic language, entertaining images, and relatable details, Bryan produces a very personable, yet well-informed, article about the maze of new anti-aging technology on the market today. The article begins with a sentence that many women can relate to: "...after a decade spent tithing embarrassing portions of my meager salary to the French face cream gods in an attempt to soothe symptoms ranging from dark circles to boyfriendlessness, I quit products cold turkey." This sentence contains several inviting aspects. First, the reality of meager salaries and incredibly expensive French face creams immediately cause the reader to feel a connect with the writer. Also, the use of comedic language when saying "French face cream gods" rather than just "French face creams" or something to that extent, shows a common sense of mocking towards something not necessarily loved. All in all, the first sentence draws in a variety of readers by relating to various common woes. Later on in the article, when discussing the Fine-Light Skin Rejuvenation System, Bryan uses comedic language to maintain her connection with the audience. She states: "I read the instructions three times before I'm even able to put the damn thing on." Again, several of her readers were probably able to relate to similar experiences. The comedic language used by Bryan leads to a connection between her and her audience that establishes a sense of trust not commonly associated with new technologies in the cosmetic market.
The details Bryan uses throughout her article come from various sources within popular culture and contribute to the personable nature of this piece. Some are slightly obscure, like her reference to the high-end skin care company "La Mer". However, most of them are immediately recognizable. When sharing her experiences with a teeth whitening device, she compares it to a "white iPod" that "can even be charged through [her] MacBook with a USB cable." In a technology-obsessed world, these details surely had an impact on many of her readers.
The comedic tone that pervades this article leads to some very entertaining images throughout the piece. Here, she relates her unique experience with the personal teeth whitening device: "I haven't even cleared the first eight minutes when I'm drooling heavily and my jaw feels slightly warm." Further into the piece, she describes the strange feeling of using an LED skin rejuvenation system: "I... am suddenly overcome by the sensation that my life has ended and I am walking into the blinding light à la Ghost." These images, while hilarious, also give the audience another opportunity to relate to the author.
All of these factors combine to result in an personable article that provides feedback and information the readers can trust.
http://www.marieclaire.com/hair-beauty/trends/beauty-gadgets
Through the use of comedic language, entertaining images, and relatable details, Bryan produces a very personable, yet well-informed, article about the maze of new anti-aging technology on the market today. The article begins with a sentence that many women can relate to: "...after a decade spent tithing embarrassing portions of my meager salary to the French face cream gods in an attempt to soothe symptoms ranging from dark circles to boyfriendlessness, I quit products cold turkey." This sentence contains several inviting aspects. First, the reality of meager salaries and incredibly expensive French face creams immediately cause the reader to feel a connect with the writer. Also, the use of comedic language when saying "French face cream gods" rather than just "French face creams" or something to that extent, shows a common sense of mocking towards something not necessarily loved. All in all, the first sentence draws in a variety of readers by relating to various common woes. Later on in the article, when discussing the Fine-Light Skin Rejuvenation System, Bryan uses comedic language to maintain her connection with the audience. She states: "I read the instructions three times before I'm even able to put the damn thing on." Again, several of her readers were probably able to relate to similar experiences. The comedic language used by Bryan leads to a connection between her and her audience that establishes a sense of trust not commonly associated with new technologies in the cosmetic market.
The details Bryan uses throughout her article come from various sources within popular culture and contribute to the personable nature of this piece. Some are slightly obscure, like her reference to the high-end skin care company "La Mer". However, most of them are immediately recognizable. When sharing her experiences with a teeth whitening device, she compares it to a "white iPod" that "can even be charged through [her] MacBook with a USB cable." In a technology-obsessed world, these details surely had an impact on many of her readers.
The comedic tone that pervades this article leads to some very entertaining images throughout the piece. Here, she relates her unique experience with the personal teeth whitening device: "I haven't even cleared the first eight minutes when I'm drooling heavily and my jaw feels slightly warm." Further into the piece, she describes the strange feeling of using an LED skin rejuvenation system: "I... am suddenly overcome by the sensation that my life has ended and I am walking into the blinding light à la Ghost." These images, while hilarious, also give the audience another opportunity to relate to the author.
All of these factors combine to result in an personable article that provides feedback and information the readers can trust.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Wuthering Heights v. Thrushcross Grange
1991. Many plays and novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Choose a novel or play that contrasts two such places. Write an essay explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.
Authors often emphasize differences in ideas throughout a novel by physically separating two contrasting groups. In Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange are the settings of two very different series of events that contribute to the emotions of those involved. These emotions reflect the role and effects of love in the characters' lives.
Thrushcross Grange is the more benevolent of the two houses. Here, Catherine is transformed into a young lady after gallivanting through the night with Heathcliff. This change shows the more sophisticated nature of Thrushcross Grange, where Wuthering Heights is in a continual state of wild discontent. Later in the novel, Thrushcross Grange is the place where Catherine and Heathcliff carry out their secret love affair, even as Catherine is dying. This setting is where Heathcliff displays his more gentle and sane side, further contributing to the more agreeable nature of Thrushcross Grange.
Wuthering Heights, on the other hand, is a setting full of drunken rage. All three of the dominating male figures at Wuthering Heights, Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley, and Heathcliff, give in to the lures of gambling and alcohol, leading to unthinkable violence and insanity. Wuthering Heights also plays the role of a prison for various characters; Isabella succeeds in fleeing after 'falling in love' with Heathcliff, and Cathy is able to leave only after being forced to marry Linton per Heathcliff's demand. In general, the emotions of many characters in this novel proceeds in a downward spiral when they spend any great length of time at Wuthering Heights.
The intense, yet secret, love that Heathcliff displays towards Catherine at Thrushcross Grange explodes in insanity at Wuthering Heights upon her death. This love is a central fixture in Heathcliff's life, and its absence leads to his demise, however slow and violent it may be. The forced love between Cathy and Linton for the sake of Heathcliff's possession of Thrushcross Grange leads to an acceleration of Linton's illness and, later, his death. Note Heathcliff's motive for forcing the marriage: to regain the property where Catherine lived and died. His insanity leads to his extreme actions, all stemming from his acute love for Catherine. As a result of her forced marriage and the death of her father, Cathy retreats into herself, becoming very closed off to the outside world. However, towards the end of the novel, Cathy and Hareton plan to marry on New Year's Day, signifying a new love and new chapter in her life.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Close Reading (18 November 2011)
High Drama- By Adam Green
http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/jesse-eisenberg-high-drama/
Adam Green uses precise diction and imagery to create accurate depictions of both Jessie Eisenberg and Nina Arianda that highlight key differences between the two. He begins with a detailed description of Eisenberg, stating he posesses a "brainy, made-in-New York brand of awkwardness". The author creates a deeper image as he describes how Eisenberg "slouched in a seat" during the interview. Eisenberg, writer and star of Asuncion, plays a "cerebral, neurotic loser"; a character supposedly modeled after Eisenberg himself. However, he wants to make clear that the character, Edgar, "is more of a character--his professed anatonical inadequacies... are 'not autobiographical,'". The resulting image of Eisenberg is one of a slightly messy, incredibly artistic person.
Conversely, Green's depiction of Nina Arianda begins with an engaging introduction: "an unknown actress sets the theater world on fire with a knockout performance". Already the reader notices a sharp contrast to Eisenberg's eccentric description. Green goes on to set up the play Arianda is starring in, Venus in Fur, and continues to praise the young actress: "...Arianda is an unalloyed delight, taking us through Vanda's every transformation with whip-crack precision and a pro's comic timing." The use of "whip-crack precision" brings a sense of razor-sharp clarity into Arianda's depiction, further contrasting Eisenberg's more hazy characterization.
http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/jesse-eisenberg-high-drama/
Adam Green uses precise diction and imagery to create accurate depictions of both Jessie Eisenberg and Nina Arianda that highlight key differences between the two. He begins with a detailed description of Eisenberg, stating he posesses a "brainy, made-in-New York brand of awkwardness". The author creates a deeper image as he describes how Eisenberg "slouched in a seat" during the interview. Eisenberg, writer and star of Asuncion, plays a "cerebral, neurotic loser"; a character supposedly modeled after Eisenberg himself. However, he wants to make clear that the character, Edgar, "is more of a character--his professed anatonical inadequacies... are 'not autobiographical,'". The resulting image of Eisenberg is one of a slightly messy, incredibly artistic person.
Conversely, Green's depiction of Nina Arianda begins with an engaging introduction: "an unknown actress sets the theater world on fire with a knockout performance". Already the reader notices a sharp contrast to Eisenberg's eccentric description. Green goes on to set up the play Arianda is starring in, Venus in Fur, and continues to praise the young actress: "...Arianda is an unalloyed delight, taking us through Vanda's every transformation with whip-crack precision and a pro's comic timing." The use of "whip-crack precision" brings a sense of razor-sharp clarity into Arianda's depiction, further contrasting Eisenberg's more hazy characterization.
Response to Course Material
After looking over the poems we wrote our second essay on, I still think I don't have the skill of picking apart a poem and being able to write on it. I think that will be the hardest part of this class.
I really appreciate the review of the different literary eras because sometimes it's important to revisit basic information like that. However, while Prezi looks cool, I think it's really hard at first to be able to use the confusing controls.
Analyzing Ceremony will be really different from analyzing the two plays we have so far. I think we will need to focus more on the larger ideas rather than looking at every word and sentence, because of the sheer length of the novel.
I really appreciate the review of the different literary eras because sometimes it's important to revisit basic information like that. However, while Prezi looks cool, I think it's really hard at first to be able to use the confusing controls.
Analyzing Ceremony will be really different from analyzing the two plays we have so far. I think we will need to focus more on the larger ideas rather than looking at every word and sentence, because of the sheer length of the novel.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Conch Shell
1970 Also. Choose a work of recognized literary merit in which a specific inanimate object (e.g., a seashell, a handkerchief, a painting) is important, and write an essay in which you show how two or three of the purposes the object serves are related to one another.
Inamimate objects, such as a flag, can serve a variety of purposes: they can bring people together or represent specific values. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, an important object is the conch shell discovered upon arrival on the island. The conch shell serves as a signal to bring the group of boys together, an object of power and control, and finally a symbol of order on the island.
When Ralph and Piggy first arrive on the island, they know that some of the boys from the plane crash must also be on the same island with them. The conch shell serves as a auditory signal to bring the boys together. By blowing the conch, Piggy establishes a common meeting point for the group, which in turn creates a sense of community and identity among the boys. The boys begin to exhibit social tendencies found within the adult world, such as the need for a leader and the resulting tensions from the search for power.
Piggy remains in possession of the conch because, as a stout boy with health issues, he realizes that his only source of power in that primal microcosm of adult society is the conch. The conch, which brought the boys together, continues to be an object of control. By establishing the precedent of the power of speech in anyone who holds the conch, Piggy hopes to create power for himself in a democratic way as the boys begin the deliberations to find a leader.
The situation on the island remains relatively organized and orderly as the conch shell remains present. The group of boys go about choosing a leader, allotting specific tasks, and carrying out those tasks without any major problems. The conch, however, loses its vibrancy and power as tensions between groups on the island erupt. With the death of the conch's constant guardian, Piggy, the conch is also shattered and pure animal violence breaks out among the boys. The chaos that ensues is a testament to the conch's role as a symbol of order.
The conch begins the novel as a signal to bring the boys together through its ability to produce sound. It becomes a object of power, specifically for Piggy, and then is revealed as a symbol of order that, when destroyed, releases a wave of barbarity crashing down on the boys. Overall, the power the conch possesses manifests itself in different forms that create various reactions from the boys throughout the novel.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The Jungle's Wedding
Throughout history, weddings have been a time of love, extravagance, and togetherness. In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, the wedding scene of Jurgis and Ona exhibits the sense of community and family that was present among immigrants in America during the first quarter of the 20th century.
The Jungle opens with this wedding scene, immediately creating a heavy emphasis on tradition and alliance within the Lithuanian community in Chicago. Song and dance, food and drink are all authentic of what would appear in Lithuania. Many of the men present are reminiscing about their home country, and that is when the reader realizes that this party is an escape for many of the revelers. The event is costing the young couple a majority of their thin savings, but it is tradition, and as a foreigner to America, one of the few things they have left is there traditions. These traditions, and the celebration thereof, allow that immigrant community to keep their country alive, even if it's only for a night in some bar in Chicago.
After the opening wedding scene of The Jungle, the Great Depression ensues, and its effects on the new family are clearly illustrated. While the hardships the family endures are incredible, Jurgis stands by his firm values that mandate he do everything in his power to support his family. However the impossible odds against him and his family, including injury and blacklisting in the Chicago stockyards, lead to his failure and the death of his wife and son. It is then we see him depart from his ethics and leave the city.
The strong traditions and values that are represented in the first scene of The Jungle can also be seen throughout the entire book. These traditions are presented as essential to the survival of the Lithuanian immigrant culture in early 20th century America.
The Jungle opens with this wedding scene, immediately creating a heavy emphasis on tradition and alliance within the Lithuanian community in Chicago. Song and dance, food and drink are all authentic of what would appear in Lithuania. Many of the men present are reminiscing about their home country, and that is when the reader realizes that this party is an escape for many of the revelers. The event is costing the young couple a majority of their thin savings, but it is tradition, and as a foreigner to America, one of the few things they have left is there traditions. These traditions, and the celebration thereof, allow that immigrant community to keep their country alive, even if it's only for a night in some bar in Chicago.
After the opening wedding scene of The Jungle, the Great Depression ensues, and its effects on the new family are clearly illustrated. While the hardships the family endures are incredible, Jurgis stands by his firm values that mandate he do everything in his power to support his family. However the impossible odds against him and his family, including injury and blacklisting in the Chicago stockyards, lead to his failure and the death of his wife and son. It is then we see him depart from his ethics and leave the city.
The strong traditions and values that are represented in the first scene of The Jungle can also be seen throughout the entire book. These traditions are presented as essential to the survival of the Lithuanian immigrant culture in early 20th century America.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Response to Course Material
I really appreciate the historical background info that Holmes is providing. I think an important part of this play is knowing what's comedy and what isn't, and knowing how Albee is deviating from social norm for the sake of comedy is impossible without knowing what the social norms were. Mommy and Daddy present a very interesting situation, in which they are completely average and iconic to that time period, but also appallingly atypical in their fixations and mutilation of the baby. Satisfaction in this play is unattainable, just as it is in real life. Albee is trying to make a point here, I think, that the American Dream is unattianable because the dream is about getting satisfaction, and while Mommy claims she can get satisfaction, really she's in the same satisfaction-less boat with the rest of us. I think we're making very good progress in class as far as digging deeper into the play, but I would like to know more about the 'big picture' themes and ideas.
Close Reading (23 October 2011)
THE SHIRT: When I wore it, I was invincible - By Edith Zimmerman
This article can be found in the October 2011 issue of Elle magazine. (I couldn't find it online, and I'm not going to take the time now to type it up, but if you REALLY want to read it, I'll let you borrow the magazine)
Remember, when you were a little kid, or maybe in that awkward tween stage, and you wore a certain piece of clothing way too much? Edith Zimmerman does; she recounts and defends her unconditional love for her not necessarily fashionable, but still favorite gray polo. She uses vivid images and details, along with colloquial diction to create a memorable tribute to her beloved shirt.
At the very beginning of the piece, Zimmerman provides two images that are integral to the meaning of the piece as a whole. First, she describes "The Shirt" as "long-sleeved, gray cotton polo from the men's section of the Gap." While not necessarily a fashionable image, the image begins to define her. We can already deduce that she is sort of a tomboy, maybe not too popular or interested in feminine things. Secondly, she describes her "popular" cousin: "He skateboarded and dyed his hair and wore wallet chains," We are further introduced to the younger version of the author, and our deductions are confirmed. These descriptions, all within the first short paragraph have captured the attention of the reader and incited them to make important deductions. Later on, it is stated that she had "only recently started to befriend the popular girls," so our insecure tomboy now has a motive to purchase a "cool" new shirt, emphasis on the "cool".
Zimmerman uses relatively colloquial language, in particular the word "cool" repeatedly throughout this piece. The definition of cool that she uses is purely based on the slang connotation of the word. She uses this word mostly do describe The Shirt, but also to describe her "intended... lifetime of coolness". This diction choice brings the reader further into the mentality of a seventh grade girl, who is just trying to be cool.
To make her piece more appealing to her fashion-oriented audience (this work is found in Elle, a fashion magazine) Zimmerman includes details related to specific designers and past trends. When describing her potential popular friends, she mentions they sport "Doc Martens". If her readers recognize this trend from the late 1900s, they are drawn further into the story by her key fashion reference. Zimmerman reflects her evolved fashion sense when, at the conclusion of the story, she refers to a specific dress that her dad gave her for a birthday present. This "beautiful blue Madison Marcus sueded-silk sheathdress" not only provides relevance and legitimacy to the audience, it also is an important dress, in that it shows how her fashion sense has changed. She also mentioned earlier in the piece that she didn't mind wearing The Shirt when it wasn't totally clean. This background knowledge, along with a description of her modern preferences, lead to her final statement of loyalty: "... I think he'd [her Dad] would be happy to know that I immediately got it [the blue dress] dry-cleaned after dripping ranch dressing down the front." While she appreciates her new fashion articles, the older, and maybe ranch-stained, Shirt has a permanent place in her heart.
This article can be found in the October 2011 issue of Elle magazine. (I couldn't find it online, and I'm not going to take the time now to type it up, but if you REALLY want to read it, I'll let you borrow the magazine)
Remember, when you were a little kid, or maybe in that awkward tween stage, and you wore a certain piece of clothing way too much? Edith Zimmerman does; she recounts and defends her unconditional love for her not necessarily fashionable, but still favorite gray polo. She uses vivid images and details, along with colloquial diction to create a memorable tribute to her beloved shirt.
At the very beginning of the piece, Zimmerman provides two images that are integral to the meaning of the piece as a whole. First, she describes "The Shirt" as "long-sleeved, gray cotton polo from the men's section of the Gap." While not necessarily a fashionable image, the image begins to define her. We can already deduce that she is sort of a tomboy, maybe not too popular or interested in feminine things. Secondly, she describes her "popular" cousin: "He skateboarded and dyed his hair and wore wallet chains," We are further introduced to the younger version of the author, and our deductions are confirmed. These descriptions, all within the first short paragraph have captured the attention of the reader and incited them to make important deductions. Later on, it is stated that she had "only recently started to befriend the popular girls," so our insecure tomboy now has a motive to purchase a "cool" new shirt, emphasis on the "cool".
Zimmerman uses relatively colloquial language, in particular the word "cool" repeatedly throughout this piece. The definition of cool that she uses is purely based on the slang connotation of the word. She uses this word mostly do describe The Shirt, but also to describe her "intended... lifetime of coolness". This diction choice brings the reader further into the mentality of a seventh grade girl, who is just trying to be cool.
To make her piece more appealing to her fashion-oriented audience (this work is found in Elle, a fashion magazine) Zimmerman includes details related to specific designers and past trends. When describing her potential popular friends, she mentions they sport "Doc Martens". If her readers recognize this trend from the late 1900s, they are drawn further into the story by her key fashion reference. Zimmerman reflects her evolved fashion sense when, at the conclusion of the story, she refers to a specific dress that her dad gave her for a birthday present. This "beautiful blue Madison Marcus sueded-silk sheathdress" not only provides relevance and legitimacy to the audience, it also is an important dress, in that it shows how her fashion sense has changed. She also mentioned earlier in the piece that she didn't mind wearing The Shirt when it wasn't totally clean. This background knowledge, along with a description of her modern preferences, lead to her final statement of loyalty: "... I think he'd [her Dad] would be happy to know that I immediately got it [the blue dress] dry-cleaned after dripping ranch dressing down the front." While she appreciates her new fashion articles, the older, and maybe ranch-stained, Shirt has a permanent place in her heart.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Stormy Rochester, Stormy Weather
Nature can embody a variety of values or moods within a novel. Specifically, it can act as a setting of birth and renewal, or, conversely, it can be a place of raw natural instinct. In Charlotte Bronte's renowned novel, Jane Eyre, nature provides a crucial backdrop that enhances Rochester's emotional tendencies and stages within his life.
Thornfield Hall instantly causes red flags to pop up in the reader's mind the moment it is described. It is imposing, dark, and spooky. As the story unfolds, we discover that the brooding master is keeping many secrets behind heavy, locked doors, including an insane, exotic wife. The isolated nature of Thornfield is perfect for the unfolding of all of these events. By being far apart from any interactions, except those that are prompted, such as the rare dinner parties held by Rochester, the mansion acts as a center in the novel. All interactions within the Thornfield phase of the novel are traced back to the house and surrounding countryside. This countryside emulates a reflecting screen for the mood of the circumstances presented in the novel. When Rochester declares his love for Jane, it is a sunny day beside the flowing stream, with wildflowers and butterflies abundant. On the other hand, thunder crashes and rain comes down in torrents when Rochester's crazy wife tries to burn him alive. The sheer power demonstrated by the weather in the countryside can be seen also in Rochester when he veers towards the more extreme end of his emotional spectrum. The country setting reacts in tandem with Rochester's emotions to provide a unique effect on the reader.
At the conclusion of the novel, we find a destroyed Rochester regaining his sense of vitality in a, yet again, isolated setting. This time he is in a small cabin in the forest. This more humble set of circumstances reflects his fall from grace, more literally his fall from his burning ancestral home, and his recovery in the forest his symbolic of a rebirth. Rather than recovering in luxury, he retreats with his most trusted servant. Possibly more important, his loss of sight allows him to focus on reorganizing himself mentally. This loss of an important sense is seen in the densely wooded, very isolated setting he is in. With the return of Jane, his rebirth, exemplified in the nature-oriented woodland setting, is complete. He is then free to move on with his new life. It is important to note that as he grows in to his new, better habits, he even gains back some of his vision, resulting in the precious moment when he sees the color of his son's eyes.
The isolated settings in Jane Eyre reflect a variety of character traits in Rochester, including his temper and brooding moods. The weather, as part of the setting, enhances these effects. The slightly different forms of Rochester that can be witnessed in the novel can thus be witnessed in the surrounding countryside.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Response to Course Material
Finally we read something! I mean, we've read pieces in class, but this was an actual, tangible book and it made me happy :) I realized how much deeper into the piece we went even on our first read when I asked my mom, who I had seen reading The American Dream, how she liked it. Her reply: "I just couldn't get into it... That woman was so annoying with the whole thing about the hat!" I'm excited to learn more about how consumer culture and gender roles play parts in this play.
The essay practice, while not as fun as the play, is very important. I am beginning to comprehend more of how an essay should flow; if you read your intro and the topic sentences, they should sound like a cohesive essay, minus the details and supporting evidence. I think I need to get better at not being very repetitive in my essays, because I tend to reinforce my points through repetition rather than elaboration.
The essay practice, while not as fun as the play, is very important. I am beginning to comprehend more of how an essay should flow; if you read your intro and the topic sentences, they should sound like a cohesive essay, minus the details and supporting evidence. I think I need to get better at not being very repetitive in my essays, because I tend to reinforce my points through repetition rather than elaboration.
Close Reading (9 October 2011)
Arianna Huffington: The Connector- by Elizabeth Rubin
http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/arianna-huffington-the-connector/
Arianna Huffington is no small subject for a writer to tackle, and the piece produced by Elizabeth Rubin reflects the larger-than-life character that Huffington embodies. Towards the beginning of the piece, Rubin creates an image of Huffington that is exudes an air of loftiness. She is described as having "...hair unflappable, the makeup thick." Not knowing much about Huffington at this point, the reader gains an intimidating feeling from the image created by Rubin. However, as we learn more about Huffington, we realize that she does have her flaws. "Despite her elegance, there is always something slightly teeter-tottery about Arianna. And she must know it..." This description, followed by further descriptions of interactions with her daughters and business associates, concludes in a strong, well-rounded image of Arianna Huffington. Other characters in the story, however, did not receive quite the treatment Huffington did from the author.
Rubin utilizes a slightly different style of syntax when discussing Huffington's meeting with the Middle East Google marketing manager, Wael Ghonim. After demonstrating the staff's interest in the visitor with two very short sentences, "They are riveted. No one is BlackBerrying.", Rubin emulates Wael's "blunt" attitude with a few to-the-point sentences containing his opinions. Both of these sentences begin with a repeated use of "He" followed by a verb: "He trashes Malcolm Gladwell's theory... He says he hates..." This creates an effect on the reader that this man knows his stuff, and he's not afraid to voice his opinions. The syntax used by Rubin accurately transfers this tone to the reader.
An interesting word appears repeatedly throughout this piece, and it contributes to the main idea Rubin is trying to convey. That word is Zeitgeist. Now, if you're a normal person like me who has no idea what Zeitgeist means, you will be utterly confused until you finally give in to googling it. If you took four years of German and know what it means, good for you. Anyways, the all-powerful Google supplied me with the definition of Zeitgeist: 'The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time." The use of this foreign word elevates the language and makes it more formal, which is acceptable for a renowned magazine such as Vogue. This use of the word also contributes to the meaning of the piece, which is Huffington's contribution to our zeitgeist "that self-expression is the new entertainment of our age."
http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/arianna-huffington-the-connector/
Arianna Huffington is no small subject for a writer to tackle, and the piece produced by Elizabeth Rubin reflects the larger-than-life character that Huffington embodies. Towards the beginning of the piece, Rubin creates an image of Huffington that is exudes an air of loftiness. She is described as having "...hair unflappable, the makeup thick." Not knowing much about Huffington at this point, the reader gains an intimidating feeling from the image created by Rubin. However, as we learn more about Huffington, we realize that she does have her flaws. "Despite her elegance, there is always something slightly teeter-tottery about Arianna. And she must know it..." This description, followed by further descriptions of interactions with her daughters and business associates, concludes in a strong, well-rounded image of Arianna Huffington. Other characters in the story, however, did not receive quite the treatment Huffington did from the author.
Rubin utilizes a slightly different style of syntax when discussing Huffington's meeting with the Middle East Google marketing manager, Wael Ghonim. After demonstrating the staff's interest in the visitor with two very short sentences, "They are riveted. No one is BlackBerrying.", Rubin emulates Wael's "blunt" attitude with a few to-the-point sentences containing his opinions. Both of these sentences begin with a repeated use of "He" followed by a verb: "He trashes Malcolm Gladwell's theory... He says he hates..." This creates an effect on the reader that this man knows his stuff, and he's not afraid to voice his opinions. The syntax used by Rubin accurately transfers this tone to the reader.
An interesting word appears repeatedly throughout this piece, and it contributes to the main idea Rubin is trying to convey. That word is Zeitgeist. Now, if you're a normal person like me who has no idea what Zeitgeist means, you will be utterly confused until you finally give in to googling it. If you took four years of German and know what it means, good for you. Anyways, the all-powerful Google supplied me with the definition of Zeitgeist: 'The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time." The use of this foreign word elevates the language and makes it more formal, which is acceptable for a renowned magazine such as Vogue. This use of the word also contributes to the meaning of the piece, which is Huffington's contribution to our zeitgeist "that self-expression is the new entertainment of our age."
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Moral and Ethical Implications in A Clockwork Orange
History has been a constant struggle between the government and the people; when either gets too strong, the other uprises or cracks down. Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange is an example of an uprising people, but also a strict government. The extreme behavior of both the government and the citizens in this novel lead to extreme moral and ethical complications for both groups.
A Clockwork Orange is set in a distopian society. Alex and his cronies run rampant throughout the streets at night, raping, murdering, and stealing. During the day, Alex skips school and lies in a heroin-induced state on his bed, listening to classical music. The boys are able to cause such damage because the police force, while feared, is scarce. This situation exemplifies an under-protective government; even the government worker who comes to Alex's flat in order to check on his school attendence is easily lied to and driven off. Where the government is not present physically, neither is the law it enforces. An incredibly dangerous environment is thus created, where no citizen is safe from these rebellious teens.
The opposite actions from the government appear when Alex is arrested after being betrayed by his friends while robbing an old lady's house. He is given a choice: stay in prison, or become part of a revolutionary new experiement. He chooses the experiment, and goes through a process in which the government reprograms his mind to become sick at the thought of things that formerly brought him pleasure, including women, drugs, and violence. This drastic invasion of personal space demonstrated by the government is a direct departure from the previous situation, where only the physical presence of governmental authority would guarantee safety. The result of Alex's altered mind is the constant presence of authority, but now it is mental, not physical. While this does have a positive effect for the greater good, major questions are raised as far as the morality of the government's actions.
The horrifying acts committed by both Alex and the government are both agreeably corrupt. However, just because both parties did horrible things, doesn't mean those things are cancelled out. The moral and ethical complications of Alex's actions are more overt. One can look his actions and say, "What he is doing is bad." It makes the reader want the police to show up and drag him away to jail, because in our society, we know that relatively fair justice would be served. However, the audience discovers that fair justice doesn't necessarily exist in Alex's world. This leads to the more covert complications of the government's actions. One questions the morality of the government's actions: they seem bad, but, the greater good is benefitting from them. This questioning that results is not a conformation of morality, but a conformation immorality. Just because the ethical complications that result from the government's actions are less concrete than the ones that result from Alex's actions does not make either series of acts more or less moral.
A Clockwork Orange is set in a distopian society. Alex and his cronies run rampant throughout the streets at night, raping, murdering, and stealing. During the day, Alex skips school and lies in a heroin-induced state on his bed, listening to classical music. The boys are able to cause such damage because the police force, while feared, is scarce. This situation exemplifies an under-protective government; even the government worker who comes to Alex's flat in order to check on his school attendence is easily lied to and driven off. Where the government is not present physically, neither is the law it enforces. An incredibly dangerous environment is thus created, where no citizen is safe from these rebellious teens.
The opposite actions from the government appear when Alex is arrested after being betrayed by his friends while robbing an old lady's house. He is given a choice: stay in prison, or become part of a revolutionary new experiement. He chooses the experiment, and goes through a process in which the government reprograms his mind to become sick at the thought of things that formerly brought him pleasure, including women, drugs, and violence. This drastic invasion of personal space demonstrated by the government is a direct departure from the previous situation, where only the physical presence of governmental authority would guarantee safety. The result of Alex's altered mind is the constant presence of authority, but now it is mental, not physical. While this does have a positive effect for the greater good, major questions are raised as far as the morality of the government's actions.
The horrifying acts committed by both Alex and the government are both agreeably corrupt. However, just because both parties did horrible things, doesn't mean those things are cancelled out. The moral and ethical complications of Alex's actions are more overt. One can look his actions and say, "What he is doing is bad." It makes the reader want the police to show up and drag him away to jail, because in our society, we know that relatively fair justice would be served. However, the audience discovers that fair justice doesn't necessarily exist in Alex's world. This leads to the more covert complications of the government's actions. One questions the morality of the government's actions: they seem bad, but, the greater good is benefitting from them. This questioning that results is not a conformation of morality, but a conformation immorality. Just because the ethical complications that result from the government's actions are less concrete than the ones that result from Alex's actions does not make either series of acts more or less moral.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Response to Course Material
Making connections within a piece of writing, whether it's poetry or an essay or something else, has been a major 'epiphany area' for me these last couple of weeks. Finding interesting words or images, and then drawing lines to other words or images, and then taking it one step further to make conclusions about what the author is trying to say has always been hard for me to do, but these past couple weeks have taught me to take it one step at a time. It's gotten much easier, and will, hopefully, continue to do so.
The way that diction, or single words, can influence a piece of literature is amazing. The level of elevation or colloquialism, the dialect, and the connotations of words matter so much more than I thought. They contribute to the tone (the speaker's attitude) and mood (feeling the reader experiences) of the writing.
As someone who has taken two AP history classes, the essay format of the AP English essay makes me a little nervous, because I'm used to writing my essay and being able to check off bullet points from a rubric. Now, I have to be able to come up with unique interpretations and evidence, which is a lot harder than putting as many proper nouns on the page, as it was with the history essays. I hope that I can get better at writing these essays by reading a lot of sample ones and practicing writing them.
The way that diction, or single words, can influence a piece of literature is amazing. The level of elevation or colloquialism, the dialect, and the connotations of words matter so much more than I thought. They contribute to the tone (the speaker's attitude) and mood (feeling the reader experiences) of the writing.
As someone who has taken two AP history classes, the essay format of the AP English essay makes me a little nervous, because I'm used to writing my essay and being able to check off bullet points from a rubric. Now, I have to be able to come up with unique interpretations and evidence, which is a lot harder than putting as many proper nouns on the page, as it was with the history essays. I hope that I can get better at writing these essays by reading a lot of sample ones and practicing writing them.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
The Death of The Savage
Many crazy events can take place without people really grasping the reality of the situation, but when a death results from those events, people start to pay attention. In Aldous Huxley's A Brave New World, John Savage was a misfit within his Native American reservation until Bernard brought him back to the World State located in London. The people he met and things he experienced, along with his struggle with sin in a sin-filled world, led to his eventual suicide.
The World State was the genious creation of Huxley and showed what happens when a government goes to extreme lenghts make its citizens content. At an early age, humans are produced without a mother or father, and conditioned through repetition not to do anything moderately out of the ordinary. A class system is strictly enforced, and daily soma doses keep the population in a happily drugged state. As someone coming from the 'outside' world, John represents something out of the ordinary. Immediately red flags pop up in the reader's mind; in a society so rigidly controlled, something so wild and untamed cannot mean anything good. However, John becomes an instant sensation, and people come from all over the city to speak with him. Bernard, the man who brought him to London from the reservation, is enjoying his newly found popularity as well. The pattern of change, however, contains a foreboding feeling as the novel progresses.
The dynamic between John and Bernard changes when Bernard's love interest, Lenina, begins showing interest in John. John, as a devotely religious young man, resists whatever advances Lenina makes on him. The artificiality of the World State society has little effect on John. He continues to hang on to his memories of real feelings that he experienced on the reservation, whether they were bad or good. His emotions come to a peak when he is called to the death bed of his mother. After her drawn-out, drug-soaked death, John invokes a riot in which he throws the daily soma rations of some workers out of a window. Bernard is also involved in this fiasco, and unfortunately, he loses his popularity just as quickly as he recieved in. John's raw emotions are very out of place in the society he finds himself in, so he decides to isolate himself from the world. He goes to the middle of the forest and lives by himself in a tower, living off the natural land and reverting back to what his life was like on the reservation. However, certain antics he creates, like whipping himself as a part of an Indian tradition he was denied, draws the attention of the media and public. The pervasiveness of the World State society finally engulfs John, and he gives into a soma induced orgy when a host of people discover his tower. His guilt is overwhelming the next day, as he realizes what took place the night before. Knowing there is no way he can live with his guilt, John hangs himself.
When the media arrives the next day to observe more happenings, they find just Johns body swaying in the wind. The author describes his feet as if they were the needle on a compass, rotating "north, north-east, east...". This symbolizes the moral compass that the World State society is missing. All of their innovations: the conditioning, helicopters, soma, mean nothing if no one cares about their actions. The death of the savage illuminates the need for a moral standard in a society that has none.
The World State was the genious creation of Huxley and showed what happens when a government goes to extreme lenghts make its citizens content. At an early age, humans are produced without a mother or father, and conditioned through repetition not to do anything moderately out of the ordinary. A class system is strictly enforced, and daily soma doses keep the population in a happily drugged state. As someone coming from the 'outside' world, John represents something out of the ordinary. Immediately red flags pop up in the reader's mind; in a society so rigidly controlled, something so wild and untamed cannot mean anything good. However, John becomes an instant sensation, and people come from all over the city to speak with him. Bernard, the man who brought him to London from the reservation, is enjoying his newly found popularity as well. The pattern of change, however, contains a foreboding feeling as the novel progresses.
The dynamic between John and Bernard changes when Bernard's love interest, Lenina, begins showing interest in John. John, as a devotely religious young man, resists whatever advances Lenina makes on him. The artificiality of the World State society has little effect on John. He continues to hang on to his memories of real feelings that he experienced on the reservation, whether they were bad or good. His emotions come to a peak when he is called to the death bed of his mother. After her drawn-out, drug-soaked death, John invokes a riot in which he throws the daily soma rations of some workers out of a window. Bernard is also involved in this fiasco, and unfortunately, he loses his popularity just as quickly as he recieved in. John's raw emotions are very out of place in the society he finds himself in, so he decides to isolate himself from the world. He goes to the middle of the forest and lives by himself in a tower, living off the natural land and reverting back to what his life was like on the reservation. However, certain antics he creates, like whipping himself as a part of an Indian tradition he was denied, draws the attention of the media and public. The pervasiveness of the World State society finally engulfs John, and he gives into a soma induced orgy when a host of people discover his tower. His guilt is overwhelming the next day, as he realizes what took place the night before. Knowing there is no way he can live with his guilt, John hangs himself.
When the media arrives the next day to observe more happenings, they find just Johns body swaying in the wind. The author describes his feet as if they were the needle on a compass, rotating "north, north-east, east...". This symbolizes the moral compass that the World State society is missing. All of their innovations: the conditioning, helicopters, soma, mean nothing if no one cares about their actions. The death of the savage illuminates the need for a moral standard in a society that has none.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Close Reading (9 September 2011)
Me Talk Pretty One Day - by David Sedaris
http://www.macobo.com/essays/epdf/Me%20Talk%20Pretty%20One%20Day%20by%20Sedaris.pdf
David Sedaris's writing is unique in many ways, but one thing that really sets him apart from the rest is his use of vivid imagery. Within the first paragraph, he draws in his reader with a, quite frankly, weird image of the "Festyland" amusement park sign. This "far-flung amusement park... advertises with billboards picturing a cartoon stegosaurus sitting in a canoe and eating what appears to be a ham sandwich." Already the reader feels like they don't belong in their sorroundings, which is just as Sedaris felt. As he becomes more alienated throughout the essay, his mental strength degrades and he begins to create the most interesting images in his head. For example, he asks himself: "why they don't sell cuts of meat in vending machines." The sudden image in the reader's mind of a vending machine full of meat is what makes reading a David Sedaris essay one of a kind.
An overarching theme in this essay, and in many of Sedaris's essays that are from his time in France, is the feeling of not belonging. The language used in the second paragraph is key to introducing this theme. He begins by having the students around him talking about all of their "vacations", which, by the way, are very important in French culture. Words like "mutual friends" are used to further create an atmosphere of which Sedaris is not part of. Moreover, all of the other students appear "young, attractive, and well-dressed" with "an ease and confidence" that he does not posess. This continues to contribute to his feeling of alienation and uncertainty. With the introduction of his malicious French teacher, on the other hand, David suddenly comes to the conclusion that "I was not alone." This outside force pops the bubble formed around the 'cool kids' and brings everyone closer together. The students bond over their terrifying experiences with the teacher and use their bad French "in the sort of conversation commonly overheard in refugee camps." This goes to show, a common enemy may still defeat you, but the victims usually end up bonding together over the experience.
The most detail in this piece goes into describing the French teacher that seems to have traumatized Sedaris. At first the reader can accredit the teacher's image to a novice student's first-day jitters. However, the teacher goes on to repeatedly harass the students. She makes the students feel as if they are not good enough to learn the French language. For example, "The teachers reaction led me to believe that these mistakes were capital crimes in the country of France." The in-depth description of her as she "crouched low for her attack" instills fear in the reader, probably because most of us have encountered a teacher sometime in our student years that reminds us of this horrible woman. But even in the darkest of times, Sedaris still manages to fit in a couple jokes: "'I hate you,' she said to me one afternoon. Her english was flawless. 'I really really hate you.' Call me sensitive, but I couldn't help but take that personally." In the end, however, her cruelty ends up giving a sense of hope that only a true American could muster up: "The teacher continued her diatribe and I settled back, bathing in the subtle beauty of each new curse and insult."
http://www.macobo.com/essays/epdf/Me%20Talk%20Pretty%20One%20Day%20by%20Sedaris.pdf
David Sedaris's writing is unique in many ways, but one thing that really sets him apart from the rest is his use of vivid imagery. Within the first paragraph, he draws in his reader with a, quite frankly, weird image of the "Festyland" amusement park sign. This "far-flung amusement park... advertises with billboards picturing a cartoon stegosaurus sitting in a canoe and eating what appears to be a ham sandwich." Already the reader feels like they don't belong in their sorroundings, which is just as Sedaris felt. As he becomes more alienated throughout the essay, his mental strength degrades and he begins to create the most interesting images in his head. For example, he asks himself: "why they don't sell cuts of meat in vending machines." The sudden image in the reader's mind of a vending machine full of meat is what makes reading a David Sedaris essay one of a kind.
An overarching theme in this essay, and in many of Sedaris's essays that are from his time in France, is the feeling of not belonging. The language used in the second paragraph is key to introducing this theme. He begins by having the students around him talking about all of their "vacations", which, by the way, are very important in French culture. Words like "mutual friends" are used to further create an atmosphere of which Sedaris is not part of. Moreover, all of the other students appear "young, attractive, and well-dressed" with "an ease and confidence" that he does not posess. This continues to contribute to his feeling of alienation and uncertainty. With the introduction of his malicious French teacher, on the other hand, David suddenly comes to the conclusion that "I was not alone." This outside force pops the bubble formed around the 'cool kids' and brings everyone closer together. The students bond over their terrifying experiences with the teacher and use their bad French "in the sort of conversation commonly overheard in refugee camps." This goes to show, a common enemy may still defeat you, but the victims usually end up bonding together over the experience.
The most detail in this piece goes into describing the French teacher that seems to have traumatized Sedaris. At first the reader can accredit the teacher's image to a novice student's first-day jitters. However, the teacher goes on to repeatedly harass the students. She makes the students feel as if they are not good enough to learn the French language. For example, "The teachers reaction led me to believe that these mistakes were capital crimes in the country of France." The in-depth description of her as she "crouched low for her attack" instills fear in the reader, probably because most of us have encountered a teacher sometime in our student years that reminds us of this horrible woman. But even in the darkest of times, Sedaris still manages to fit in a couple jokes: "'I hate you,' she said to me one afternoon. Her english was flawless. 'I really really hate you.' Call me sensitive, but I couldn't help but take that personally." In the end, however, her cruelty ends up giving a sense of hope that only a true American could muster up: "The teacher continued her diatribe and I settled back, bathing in the subtle beauty of each new curse and insult."
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