Existentialism: idea that emphasises free will, responsibility and personal choice. It pretty much says that life is merely a bunch of choices, and that each individual can make their own choices, which will determine how their lives go. Not everything has a logical explanation.
Parts of existentialism:
Responsibility: Some necessary choices will cause suffering, but this is part of being responsible.
Scope: The larger the scope, or audience, the bigger effect every choice made will have. Often choices will have a negative effect on somebody, even if they help somebody else.
Restrictions: Ideally, a society should have as few restrictions as possible.
Free will: the ultimate free will means that one has the choice to sacrifice their life in order to protect others.
The freedom in existentialism often causes stress, because one has the ability to make so many choices that can affect their lives in so many ways.
Look for this idea in Death of a Salesman - do characters use free will to benefit themselves or the rest of society? Are they responsible with their freedom? How many restrictions are in their lives? Does their freedom cause stress?
People Important to Existentialism:
Kierkegaard: Founded the modern idea of existentialism, Christian, believed that human life is absurd and, to a degree, pointless. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kierkegaard
Nietzsche: He questioned religion and the idea of truth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Nietzsche
Heidegger: Although people can have goals and desires for their lives, they need to understand that the end is always death, and there is no escape from that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidegger
Sartre: Humans are constantly chasing purpose and reason, but there is none to find. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sartre
More info on existentialism: http://people.bu.edu/wwildman/WeirdWildWeb/courses/wphil/lectures/wphil_theme20.htm
Final class discussions over Hamlet.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sarah Kells: Class Notes November 15-26
Tips for the multiple choice section of the APE test
- Read slowly
- Read excerpt BEFORE reading over the questions
- Read all of the questions before answering any – sometimes questions help eliminate answers to previous questions.
Types of questions:
1. Rhetorical Function:
Explain a specific part of the text. Often these are comparisons.
2. Context:
Vocab questions, but these more specifically test to see if the reader knows all of the meanings of the word/words. The answer should NOT change the meaning of the text ask a whole.
3. Antecedent:
Antecedents go before or pave the way for something that is coming.
The water was cold, so I jumped out of it.
OR
Because the water
Which was in a small
Town in Minnesota
I had traveled far to
Reach was cold
I quickly
Jumped out of the
Pool to escape
The chill of
It.
Both of these are saying the same thing – in the second one, the reader has to ignore the line breaks and the distracters.
4. Style:
Consider the choices made by the author. These questions often have more than one correct answer, so pick the more correct answer. Save these style questions for last!
5. Tone:
These often have two choices – make sure that both answers are correct, because if one of the answers is wrong, the whole question is wrong.
Remember that the APE test is really a vocabulary test! Continue to practice at http://quizlet.com/1296918/ape-cumulative-vocab-test-flash-cards/
For more help on the APE test, visit http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/english_lit/samp.html?englit
HAMLET:
Themes: insanity, usurper, loyalty, death
Play starts with a question…so?: Mystery, secrecy, not trusting, where do loyalties lie?
Ghost: Real or a figment of Hamlet’s imagination? The ghost is possibly after revenge –
is he there for himself or for Denmark
Always be checking for who everybody’s loyalties seem to be with, and for all reasons behind anything that they do.
Discussion will continue in class…
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sarah Kells: Outside Reading Editorial #2
**EDITED**
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/13/opinion/13lighthizer.html?_r=2&ref=opinion
"Throwing Free Trade Overboard" by Robert E Lighthizer
This editorial has a very professional tone to the entire paper, from the diction to the different techniques used. These techniques include links and facts that clearly required much research. For example, when Lighthizer is writing about the state of the US, he mentions specifics such as a $4.3 trillion deficit and 5.6 million jobs that have been lost.
Although the tone is very mature and advanced, it does not have a very strong voice for an editorial. Generally editorials have a unique and interesting writing style, but this one does not. The focus is clearly more upon giving the facts rather than having a unique way of giving an opinion.
Another unusual part of this editorial is the bias - it is not as obvious to the reader as it is in most editorials. Lighthizer is clearly biased towards the democratic party, but he does not make this very clear. This is a good technique in convinced the audience because it leads the reader into agreeing with the author without even realizing it. He merely throws in some slightly negative sentences such as "the Republican establishment will have to deal with..." and some insulting terms, such as when he puts "elites" in quotation marks, as though he is mocking the republican party. Lighthizer also includes some statistics that point in the way that he wants them to be, and it suddenly seems that he has the reader.
The main strength of this article is certainly the strong diction. This adds an authorative feel to the paper which many editorials lack. It makes the reader feel as through it is reading a professionally writen article, and makes the author seem much more confident about the subject.
Although the diction is strong, the weakness is that the tone is rather weak. There is no interesting technique used in it, nor is there a unique style or opinion given. The mere fact-giving tone is boring and does not draw a reader in.
Even though I do not agree with this editorial, it was doubtlessly very well written. The author led the reader on a trail by giving little bits of information that they must agree with, and then grabbing the audience at the very end. He almost makes it very difficult to find anything specific that is wrong with the editorial because he uses nothing that is not true - everything he says is a fact, and he covers all of the problems with his own political party. The opinion part of this editorial is how he takes the facts and applies them to politics.
If this paper were written on an AP test, I believe that it would be a high rated essay. It displays a large vocabulary and an impressive writing style.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/13/opinion/13lighthizer.html?_r=2&ref=opinion
"Throwing Free Trade Overboard" by Robert E Lighthizer
This editorial has a very professional tone to the entire paper, from the diction to the different techniques used. These techniques include links and facts that clearly required much research. For example, when Lighthizer is writing about the state of the US, he mentions specifics such as a $4.3 trillion deficit and 5.6 million jobs that have been lost.
Although the tone is very mature and advanced, it does not have a very strong voice for an editorial. Generally editorials have a unique and interesting writing style, but this one does not. The focus is clearly more upon giving the facts rather than having a unique way of giving an opinion.
Another unusual part of this editorial is the bias - it is not as obvious to the reader as it is in most editorials. Lighthizer is clearly biased towards the democratic party, but he does not make this very clear. This is a good technique in convinced the audience because it leads the reader into agreeing with the author without even realizing it. He merely throws in some slightly negative sentences such as "the Republican establishment will have to deal with..." and some insulting terms, such as when he puts "elites" in quotation marks, as though he is mocking the republican party. Lighthizer also includes some statistics that point in the way that he wants them to be, and it suddenly seems that he has the reader.
The main strength of this article is certainly the strong diction. This adds an authorative feel to the paper which many editorials lack. It makes the reader feel as through it is reading a professionally writen article, and makes the author seem much more confident about the subject.
Although the diction is strong, the weakness is that the tone is rather weak. There is no interesting technique used in it, nor is there a unique style or opinion given. The mere fact-giving tone is boring and does not draw a reader in.
Even though I do not agree with this editorial, it was doubtlessly very well written. The author led the reader on a trail by giving little bits of information that they must agree with, and then grabbing the audience at the very end. He almost makes it very difficult to find anything specific that is wrong with the editorial because he uses nothing that is not true - everything he says is a fact, and he covers all of the problems with his own political party. The opinion part of this editorial is how he takes the facts and applies them to politics.
If this paper were written on an AP test, I believe that it would be a high rated essay. It displays a large vocabulary and an impressive writing style.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sarah Kells: Outside Reading Reflective Essay #2
**EDITED**
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2010/11/5schang.html
Nov 14
"Circumstances Under Which I Would Enjoy Whale Watching" by Sloan Schang
This essay almost has a whimsical feel to it, with four completely seperated sections about when and where the author would enjoy watching whales. There is no purpose for this essay and there is not really a reason for it to be read, but it still leaves the reader feeling satisfied, perhaps because it reminds the reader of a child in a moment of pure joy.
Schang chose to write this essay in first person, which allows the reader to put themselves in the authors shoes and imagine what it would be like to be in Antartica, or to be a child watching a show in an aquarium. The descriptions and details used also bring the feelings to life, such as in the fourth section where Schang describes Brett as a "sandy blonde man" with a "pouch of fish at his side."
Another intriguing style choice used in this essay is the change in the author from an old man in the first section to a young child in the last. Although the different sections are detached and completely seperated, it is still intriguing to see the difference in tone between all four of them, changing gradually from the formal and mature diction of the first to the less advanced and slightly repetative word choice of the final section. In the first paragraph, the author describes himself as "seasoned," and alludes to David and Goliath. The mature diction used is shown when Schang writes " my shock-white beard has been growing for a full ten months and is now at the ideal length to command the respect and loyalty of my dedicated six-person crew." The fourth paragraph uses the word "Shamu" over and over again, and the punctuation includes question marks and exclamation marks, which often make a paper seem much more child-like. Also, when Schang writes "DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN TOUCH REAL LIVING STING RAYS AS MUCH AS YOU WANT HERE?" in all capitals, it emphasizes the child's point of view. The second and third paragraphs are very similar, as they both seem to be written by men in their early twenties, and the paragraphs are very focused upon the idea of women and fame.
Although the style changes, all four of the paragraphs are very written. Even so, this paper would not work for an AP essay because it is written in first person and there is no specific tone throughout. It also is written much too casually for an AP essay, as if this were a note written from one friend to another, rather than an actual essay to be read by somebody searching for an opinion on a matter.
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2010/11/5schang.html
Nov 14
"Circumstances Under Which I Would Enjoy Whale Watching" by Sloan Schang
This essay almost has a whimsical feel to it, with four completely seperated sections about when and where the author would enjoy watching whales. There is no purpose for this essay and there is not really a reason for it to be read, but it still leaves the reader feeling satisfied, perhaps because it reminds the reader of a child in a moment of pure joy.
Schang chose to write this essay in first person, which allows the reader to put themselves in the authors shoes and imagine what it would be like to be in Antartica, or to be a child watching a show in an aquarium. The descriptions and details used also bring the feelings to life, such as in the fourth section where Schang describes Brett as a "sandy blonde man" with a "pouch of fish at his side."
Another intriguing style choice used in this essay is the change in the author from an old man in the first section to a young child in the last. Although the different sections are detached and completely seperated, it is still intriguing to see the difference in tone between all four of them, changing gradually from the formal and mature diction of the first to the less advanced and slightly repetative word choice of the final section. In the first paragraph, the author describes himself as "seasoned," and alludes to David and Goliath. The mature diction used is shown when Schang writes " my shock-white beard has been growing for a full ten months and is now at the ideal length to command the respect and loyalty of my dedicated six-person crew." The fourth paragraph uses the word "Shamu" over and over again, and the punctuation includes question marks and exclamation marks, which often make a paper seem much more child-like. Also, when Schang writes "DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN TOUCH REAL LIVING STING RAYS AS MUCH AS YOU WANT HERE?" in all capitals, it emphasizes the child's point of view. The second and third paragraphs are very similar, as they both seem to be written by men in their early twenties, and the paragraphs are very focused upon the idea of women and fame.
Although the style changes, all four of the paragraphs are very written. Even so, this paper would not work for an AP essay because it is written in first person and there is no specific tone throughout. It also is written much too casually for an AP essay, as if this were a note written from one friend to another, rather than an actual essay to be read by somebody searching for an opinion on a matter.
Sarah Kells: Outside Reading Book Review #2
**EDITED**
http://contemporarylit.about.com/cs/currentreviews/fr/inkheart.htm
Inkheart book review
This book review by Scholastic brings up the question of whether or not the review is about Inkheart, or Cornelia Funke's previous book The Thief Lord. It is not until the last paragraph of the five paragraph introduction that Inkheart is actually mentioned. This makes the reader uninterested and distracted, but once they reach the sections about the book, it becomes informative and interesting.
The diction chosen in this piece is mature and intriguing, and there are some interesting phrases used to get the author's point across, such as "Inkheart is ever so slightly undercooked and over mixed." Although the writing style tends to be rather advanced, there are several grammatical issues, and a few spelling and word choice errors (instead of 'equally,' 'equality' was written at one point). These are few and far between though, so it does not detract very much from the actual article.
Another style decision chosen by the author was how the different sections of the review are distinguished. All that Scholastic did was include different titles for each part, such as "Where the Story Goes," and "Where the Story Goes Wrong." I found this style to be very distracting and it resulted in breaking up what could have been a very smooth and flowing article.
There were many points throughout this piece where it was clear the the formality of the piece was not constant, and it was difficult to identify whether it was written in a formal or informal tone. Through the review there are sections that were written with advanced diction and very clear writing, but then there were parts where the author seemed to attempting to communicate with the reader. This is seen when the author adds "(Get it ink heart—Inkheart. Just making sure you are still with me.)." The changing tones confused me and made it difficult to concentrate on what was being written.
The biggest weakness in this piece was the lack of structure and consistency. If the essay stayed on topic more and had one tone throughout the entire piece, it would be much easier to read and much more focused. As it is, it if incredibly difficult to stay interested in the essay.
Strengths in this essay are the phrases used by the author and the points were the piece included very mature and intriguing diction. These strengths are outweighed by the weaknesses though because the diction is not consistant enough and the phrases are not a large enough part to make up for the inconsistency and lack of focus.
The author uses the critical approach of feminism throughout this article by showing Maggie as a young girl who manages to save her father and the rest of the world from these criminals. This is really the only critical approach used, however, which detracts from the overall tone and feel of the article.
Overall, the book review had some very strong diction at points, but it also was very weak in tone and grammar, and the style was very immature as it seemed to be merely following a guide. I found the weaknesses to outway the strengths, and I would not chose to read or not to read the book based upon this article.
http://contemporarylit.about.com/cs/currentreviews/fr/inkheart.htm
Inkheart book review
This book review by Scholastic brings up the question of whether or not the review is about Inkheart, or Cornelia Funke's previous book The Thief Lord. It is not until the last paragraph of the five paragraph introduction that Inkheart is actually mentioned. This makes the reader uninterested and distracted, but once they reach the sections about the book, it becomes informative and interesting.
The diction chosen in this piece is mature and intriguing, and there are some interesting phrases used to get the author's point across, such as "Inkheart is ever so slightly undercooked and over mixed." Although the writing style tends to be rather advanced, there are several grammatical issues, and a few spelling and word choice errors (instead of 'equally,' 'equality' was written at one point). These are few and far between though, so it does not detract very much from the actual article.
Another style decision chosen by the author was how the different sections of the review are distinguished. All that Scholastic did was include different titles for each part, such as "Where the Story Goes," and "Where the Story Goes Wrong." I found this style to be very distracting and it resulted in breaking up what could have been a very smooth and flowing article.
There were many points throughout this piece where it was clear the the formality of the piece was not constant, and it was difficult to identify whether it was written in a formal or informal tone. Through the review there are sections that were written with advanced diction and very clear writing, but then there were parts where the author seemed to attempting to communicate with the reader. This is seen when the author adds "(Get it ink heart—Inkheart. Just making sure you are still with me.)." The changing tones confused me and made it difficult to concentrate on what was being written.
The biggest weakness in this piece was the lack of structure and consistency. If the essay stayed on topic more and had one tone throughout the entire piece, it would be much easier to read and much more focused. As it is, it if incredibly difficult to stay interested in the essay.
Strengths in this essay are the phrases used by the author and the points were the piece included very mature and intriguing diction. These strengths are outweighed by the weaknesses though because the diction is not consistant enough and the phrases are not a large enough part to make up for the inconsistency and lack of focus.
The author uses the critical approach of feminism throughout this article by showing Maggie as a young girl who manages to save her father and the rest of the world from these criminals. This is really the only critical approach used, however, which detracts from the overall tone and feel of the article.
Overall, the book review had some very strong diction at points, but it also was very weak in tone and grammar, and the style was very immature as it seemed to be merely following a guide. I found the weaknesses to outway the strengths, and I would not chose to read or not to read the book based upon this article.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Sarah Kells: Class Notes Nov 8-12
Writing a Thesis:
T hesis
A nswers
P rompt
But also make sure that your answer adds value:
What time is it? A time... <-- this adds no extra value because the answer was implied by the question.
Remember the magic question: How does the author use technique to create meaning?
For example:
In Oedipus, a theme is to not judge others too harshly.
A good topic sentence might be "In Sophocles's Oediups Rex, the opening scene establishes the important theme of not judging others too harshly.
Always Remember:
- Include techniques only if it makes sense with your writing style, and your panic level is high.
- Clarity (sometimes a complicated thesis requires a series of thesis statements)
- Include meaning - so what? - even if the question does not explicitly state it.
- Cover ALL goals stated in the prompt, or you will get an automatic 3!
For more info, check out http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml
Continue studying literary terms:
http://quizlet.com/2593050/ap-lit-critical-50-flash-cards/
T hesis
A nswers
P rompt
But also make sure that your answer adds value:
What time is it? A time... <-- this adds no extra value because the answer was implied by the question.
Remember the magic question: How does the author use technique to create meaning?
For example:
In Oedipus, a theme is to not judge others too harshly.
A good topic sentence might be "In Sophocles's Oediups Rex, the opening scene establishes the important theme of not judging others too harshly.
Always Remember:
- Include techniques only if it makes sense with your writing style, and your panic level is high.
- Clarity (sometimes a complicated thesis requires a series of thesis statements)
- Include meaning - so what? - even if the question does not explicitly state it.
- Cover ALL goals stated in the prompt, or you will get an automatic 3!
For more info, check out http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml
Continue studying literary terms:
http://quizlet.com/2593050/ap-lit-critical-50-flash-cards/
Monday, November 1, 2010
Sarah Kells: Class Notes Oct 25-29
**EDITED**
Poetry Terms:
Realistic: Attempts to preserve the illusion of everyday life.
Non-realistic: Opposite of realistic, departs from the outward appearances of life using things such as props, diction, and stage effects.
Hamlet is non-realistic because it uses things such as ghosts, which are not part of everyday life.
Tragedy: downfall or suffering of the protagonist.
'Macbeth' and 'Oedipus' are tragedies.
Melodrama: Similar to a tragedy but with a happy ending where good conquers evil. The plot tends to be very crude or blunt. 'A Tale Of Mystery' by Thomas Holcroft is said to be the first English melodramatic play.
In "Hamlet," although the evil character is killed, the good character is killed as well (there is not even one specific good character). Therefore, this is not a mleodrama.
Comedy: Opposite of a tragedy. Happy ending, emphasizes human limitations, often by making fun of them. William Shakespeare's 'The Taming Of The Shrew' is a comedy.
Farce: Similar to a comedy. Uses improbably situationces to make something comedic, often includes violence, action and wit. 'The Second Shepard's Play' is an example of a farcical play.
Satiric: This ridicules human folly or vices.
Comedies often make fun of human vices.
Protagonist: The central character.
The protagonist in many plays, such as "Hamlet," is debatable.
Antagonist: The character in conflict with the protagonist.
If the protagonist in "Hamlet" is young Hamlet, then the antagonist is Claudius.
Foil Characters: Minor characters, parallel to the major character to emphasize what the major character is doing.
The foil character of Hamlet is Laertes when he is trying to avenge his father.
Suspense: Makes the reader eager to continue reading/watching.
Themes: The central idea(s) or generalization(s) to a piece of literature.
A couple of themes in "Hamlet" are light vs dark and death.
Didactive: A piece of literature with the primary purpose to teach a lesson.
Dramatic exposition: Presents events from before a play or off stage through dialogue.
In "Hamlet," he explains things to his mother that she would often know so that the audience knows.
For more theatre terms, see http://www.tctwebstage.com/glossary.htm
Four assumptions must be made while reading/watching/analyzing a play:
1. There are no such things as perfect definitions or classifications.
2. Not every play should even be attempted to analyze, because they are simply for enjoyment.
3. In order to fully enjoy a play, perception and familiarity are important.
4. Tragedy and comedy are the two most prevelent, and useful classifications of plays.
Tragedies:
1. The tragic hero is a man of noble stature. -Oedipus
2. The tragic hero is good but is not perfect. The fall is an injustice. -Accidently killing his father/murduring his mother
3. The hero is fully responsible for his fall. -He really did kill his father and marry his mother
4. The heros' death is not, however, deserved. -But...he didn't know
5. The fall is not pure loss, because before dying he gains self-awareness. -He blinded himself, thus allowing himself to see
6. Tragedies should not leave the audience depressed, they should leave the audience having learned a
lesson. -Don't kill your dad or marry your mom!
Comedies:
Smile WITH someone, but laugh AT someone. Are the smiling masks supposed to be smiling with you or laughing at you?
Deus exmachina: Discovery of lost will by divine intervention.
Drama:
Drama is an auditory AND visual medium.
Ask WHY there is a narrator.
Consider multiple functions of each line.
Verisimilitude: an illusion of reality
Must be willing to suspend your disbelief.
Antirealistic dramas use absurdity, surrealism and experssionalism to keep the audience from believing too much.
A play is meant to be begun and completed in one reading.
Types of Drama:
Tragedy: See above ("Oedipus")
Comedy: See above
Melodrama: See above
Tragi-Comedy: Serious action, happy ending, complex with more thoughtful treatment of more serious topics.
Problem Play: Discusses and criticises social, economic and politial issues.
Farce: See above
Comedy of Manners: Portrays fashionable life, often negatively.
Domestic/Bourgeois Drama: A serious play dealing with everyday life for average people.
See the following website for more info: http://drb.lifestreamcenter.net/Lessons/Drama.htm
And above all:
DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!!!!!!!!!!
Poetry Terms:
Realistic: Attempts to preserve the illusion of everyday life.
Non-realistic: Opposite of realistic, departs from the outward appearances of life using things such as props, diction, and stage effects.
Hamlet is non-realistic because it uses things such as ghosts, which are not part of everyday life.
Tragedy: downfall or suffering of the protagonist.
'Macbeth' and 'Oedipus' are tragedies.
Melodrama: Similar to a tragedy but with a happy ending where good conquers evil. The plot tends to be very crude or blunt. 'A Tale Of Mystery' by Thomas Holcroft is said to be the first English melodramatic play.
In "Hamlet," although the evil character is killed, the good character is killed as well (there is not even one specific good character). Therefore, this is not a mleodrama.
Comedy: Opposite of a tragedy. Happy ending, emphasizes human limitations, often by making fun of them. William Shakespeare's 'The Taming Of The Shrew' is a comedy.
Farce: Similar to a comedy. Uses improbably situationces to make something comedic, often includes violence, action and wit. 'The Second Shepard's Play' is an example of a farcical play.
Satiric: This ridicules human folly or vices.
Comedies often make fun of human vices.
Protagonist: The central character.
The protagonist in many plays, such as "Hamlet," is debatable.
Antagonist: The character in conflict with the protagonist.
If the protagonist in "Hamlet" is young Hamlet, then the antagonist is Claudius.
Foil Characters: Minor characters, parallel to the major character to emphasize what the major character is doing.
The foil character of Hamlet is Laertes when he is trying to avenge his father.
Suspense: Makes the reader eager to continue reading/watching.
Themes: The central idea(s) or generalization(s) to a piece of literature.
A couple of themes in "Hamlet" are light vs dark and death.
Didactive: A piece of literature with the primary purpose to teach a lesson.
Dramatic exposition: Presents events from before a play or off stage through dialogue.
In "Hamlet," he explains things to his mother that she would often know so that the audience knows.
For more theatre terms, see http://www.tctwebstage.com/glossary.htm
Four assumptions must be made while reading/watching/analyzing a play:
1. There are no such things as perfect definitions or classifications.
2. Not every play should even be attempted to analyze, because they are simply for enjoyment.
3. In order to fully enjoy a play, perception and familiarity are important.
4. Tragedy and comedy are the two most prevelent, and useful classifications of plays.
Tragedies:
1. The tragic hero is a man of noble stature. -Oedipus
2. The tragic hero is good but is not perfect. The fall is an injustice. -Accidently killing his father/murduring his mother
3. The hero is fully responsible for his fall. -He really did kill his father and marry his mother
4. The heros' death is not, however, deserved. -But...he didn't know
5. The fall is not pure loss, because before dying he gains self-awareness. -He blinded himself, thus allowing himself to see
6. Tragedies should not leave the audience depressed, they should leave the audience having learned a
lesson. -Don't kill your dad or marry your mom!
Comedies:
Smile WITH someone, but laugh AT someone. Are the smiling masks supposed to be smiling with you or laughing at you?
Deus exmachina: Discovery of lost will by divine intervention.
Drama:
Drama is an auditory AND visual medium.
Ask WHY there is a narrator.
Consider multiple functions of each line.
Verisimilitude: an illusion of reality
Must be willing to suspend your disbelief.
Antirealistic dramas use absurdity, surrealism and experssionalism to keep the audience from believing too much.
A play is meant to be begun and completed in one reading.
Types of Drama:
Tragedy: See above ("Oedipus")
Comedy: See above
Melodrama: See above
Tragi-Comedy: Serious action, happy ending, complex with more thoughtful treatment of more serious topics.
Problem Play: Discusses and criticises social, economic and politial issues.
Farce: See above
Comedy of Manners: Portrays fashionable life, often negatively.
Domestic/Bourgeois Drama: A serious play dealing with everyday life for average people.
See the following website for more info: http://drb.lifestreamcenter.net/Lessons/Drama.htm
And above all:
DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, October 29, 2010
AP Essay Goals
My goals for this coming APE year are to become more technologically talented, to be able to write formal essays better and to improve my study habits. I will hopefully become better at the technology simply through repetition, and I will study with friends to achieve better study habits. Writing formal essays is something that I will have to work on over time as well, by repetition and learning through examples of well written and high-scored essays.
AP Essay Reading/Writing in College
In college, I hope to not have to take any or to take very few English classes with heavy reading. I will have difficult classes as is, so an English class would just make this more challenging. I would enjoy taking a creative writing class if I get a chance, though, because creative writing is very fun for me.
AP Essay Weaknesses
My weakenesses in AP English include writing fluency, study habits and definately technology. I am not very good at putting my thoughts into essays - I am better with creative writing than with formal papers. AP English is a much different class to study for than most other classes that I have taken, so it is difficult for me to study for it. Technology is a huge weakness for me because I am not very good at doing things on the computer, which is how most things are handed in.
AP Essay What I have Learned
So far in AP English I have learned about syntax, annotating, and how to find different meanings in literature. I did not even know what syntax was before I began this class, and I have learned a lot of interesting things about the meanings behind poems that I thought that I understood. I have also learned that annotating books and poems make them much easier to understand and analyze.
AP Essay Strengths
My strengths in AP English are annotating, analyzing and organization. I enjoy and am good at finding meanings and literary devices, and I am able to keep my notes well organized and easy to reference.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sarah Kells: Class Notes Oct 11-22
TONE: This refers to the narrator's attitude. It changes often with the mood of the piece. It is based upon what is happening the poem or piece of literature, and it is created by techniques such as syntax and diction used by the author.
VOICE: This refers to the narrator's personality. It seldom changes, but if it does that is due to a dynamic change in what is occuring with the narrator. This is created mostly by diction, especially by descriptions of characteristics such as "smart," "beautiful" or "funny."
STYLE: Style refers to the author's personality. The style does not change very often, even between different pieces written by the same author, but it can change when the author gets older or something happens in their life.
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/virtualit/fiction/elements.asp?e=5 This website provides more useful information about style and tone.
When evaluating a poem, ask these three questions:
1. What is the main idea of the poem?
2. Has this been accomplished well?
3. Is this important?
A poem does not acheive excellence if:
1. It is overly sentimental.
2. It is overly rhetorical.
3. It is overly didactic (attempts to "lecture" the reader).
A poem has acheived excellence if:
1. It has an important message.
2. It is pleasing and engaging.
3. It enlightens the reader.
Musical Devices: These are techniques that make a poem more pleasing to the listener.
Alliteration: Repeats the sound of the first letter.
Assonance: Repeats vowel sound.
Consonance: Repeats final sound.
Rhyme: Can be masculine (one syllable) or feminine (two+ syllables), and internal (within the line) or end (at the end of a line).
Rhyme and Meter
Rhythm: The natural flow of language, used in a poem to change the tone.
Stress: Used on different syllables to create different effects. 'I love you' puts the emphasis upon the speaker, while 'I love you' puts the emphasis upon the person being spoken to.
Foot: One accented syllable plus a couple of non-accented.
AP ESSAY:
Use a high level of vocabulary, but it is more important to be succinct and to the point. The AP readers are not interested in reading the same thing over and over again.
Be sure to use vocabulary words correctly. It pretty much ruins a paper to use an impressive word in the wrong way.
The opening paragraph should be made up of claims, but no information about technique at all. Use these claims as topic sentences for the rest of the paragraphs, and then use the techniques to prove the claims.
A concluding paragraph is not nearly as important as the rest of the paper - if a paper is well rounded, the score will not go down based upon having no conclusion.
VOICE: This refers to the narrator's personality. It seldom changes, but if it does that is due to a dynamic change in what is occuring with the narrator. This is created mostly by diction, especially by descriptions of characteristics such as "smart," "beautiful" or "funny."
STYLE: Style refers to the author's personality. The style does not change very often, even between different pieces written by the same author, but it can change when the author gets older or something happens in their life.
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/virtualit/fiction/elements.asp?e=5 This website provides more useful information about style and tone.
When evaluating a poem, ask these three questions:
1. What is the main idea of the poem?
2. Has this been accomplished well?
3. Is this important?
A poem does not acheive excellence if:
1. It is overly sentimental.
2. It is overly rhetorical.
3. It is overly didactic (attempts to "lecture" the reader).
A poem has acheived excellence if:
1. It has an important message.
2. It is pleasing and engaging.
3. It enlightens the reader.
Musical Devices: These are techniques that make a poem more pleasing to the listener.
Alliteration: Repeats the sound of the first letter.
Assonance: Repeats vowel sound.
Consonance: Repeats final sound.
Rhyme: Can be masculine (one syllable) or feminine (two+ syllables), and internal (within the line) or end (at the end of a line).
Rhyme and Meter
Rhythm: The natural flow of language, used in a poem to change the tone.
Stress: Used on different syllables to create different effects. 'I love you' puts the emphasis upon the speaker, while 'I love you' puts the emphasis upon the person being spoken to.
Foot: One accented syllable plus a couple of non-accented.
AP ESSAY:
Use a high level of vocabulary, but it is more important to be succinct and to the point. The AP readers are not interested in reading the same thing over and over again.
Be sure to use vocabulary words correctly. It pretty much ruins a paper to use an impressive word in the wrong way.
The opening paragraph should be made up of claims, but no information about technique at all. Use these claims as topic sentences for the rest of the paragraphs, and then use the techniques to prove the claims.
A concluding paragraph is not nearly as important as the rest of the paper - if a paper is well rounded, the score will not go down based upon having no conclusion.
Sarah Kells: Class Notes Sept 12-18
Poetry: Language condensed to an artistic effect. If a piece of literature has both the intention to create art and takes longer to explain than to read, it is poetry.
Rudyard Kipling's famous poem "If" is not a short poem, but the explanation is even longer. Compare the lengths of the poem: http://www.everypoet.com/archive/poetry/Rudyard_Kipling/kipling_if.htm with the explanation: http://www.enotes.com/if.
There is no such thing as a correct answer in literature!
________________________________________________________
The poem Hidden Meanings at first seems to be a strange poem with some pretty messed up facts about fairytales. Reading more into the poem, however, we saw that the theme was actually the differences between women and men - basically that women have easy lives and they are cruel to men, and men have to put up with it. The poem also contains some unpleasant images of impotence, castration and autoeroticism, probably to show more about what the author, Dabney Stuart, thought were the differences between men and women.
_________________________________________________________
Diction is the study of one word at a time. While reading, we must constantly be thinking about why each particular word was chosen. There are so many words in the English language that can technically mean the same thing, but bring about completely different emotions in the reader. This is connotation versus denotation.
Denotation is the definition of a word. For example, 'thin,' 'slender,' and 'skinny' all mean the same thing in a dictionary.
Connotation is the assumed meaning of a word. Culture and history makes words that seem the same actually bring about very different emotions.
gaunt................skinny..................-thin-....................slender................svelte
<--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
perjorative/negative honorific/positive
Concreteness versus abstraction is another point where the reader must ask why the author decided to be so specific or so vague.
clothes.............................pants............................jeans.........................Levis
<--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
vague specific
Whether a word was intentionally vague/specific does not matter, because even unintended emotions are spread through words. Also keep in mind that if an author uses words that are too specific or too vague, it can add a comical effect.
Precision is the specificity of a word. Good! and Nice! are very empty words. Again, ask why the author chose to use the precise or not precise words.
Elevation versus coloqualism has no real definition. Different people and different sources have different definitions for this word. The levels fade from one word to another.
sure dude..........................................yes.................................................yes sir
<-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
slang epic diction
regionalism: Different areas have different terms for the same idea: 'Pop' is used in the great lakes basin, 'coke' is used in a few areas in the south, and 'soda' is the most common term, used in most areas. The standard dialect in America is Standard American English. There are different dialects within this, however, for different areas in Michigan.
Jargon is a specialized language for people gathered together for one purpose. For example, during marching band everybody understands what is being said, even though an outsider might have no clue. The different command ("Ten Hut" and "Set") make clear sense to the band, but probably not to others.
Rudyard Kipling's famous poem "If" is not a short poem, but the explanation is even longer. Compare the lengths of the poem: http://www.everypoet.com/archive/poetry/Rudyard_Kipling/kipling_if.htm with the explanation: http://www.enotes.com/if.
There is no such thing as a correct answer in literature!
________________________________________________________
The poem Hidden Meanings at first seems to be a strange poem with some pretty messed up facts about fairytales. Reading more into the poem, however, we saw that the theme was actually the differences between women and men - basically that women have easy lives and they are cruel to men, and men have to put up with it. The poem also contains some unpleasant images of impotence, castration and autoeroticism, probably to show more about what the author, Dabney Stuart, thought were the differences between men and women.
_________________________________________________________
Diction is the study of one word at a time. While reading, we must constantly be thinking about why each particular word was chosen. There are so many words in the English language that can technically mean the same thing, but bring about completely different emotions in the reader. This is connotation versus denotation.
Denotation is the definition of a word. For example, 'thin,' 'slender,' and 'skinny' all mean the same thing in a dictionary.
Connotation is the assumed meaning of a word. Culture and history makes words that seem the same actually bring about very different emotions.
gaunt................skinny..................-thin-....................slender................svelte
<--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
perjorative/negative honorific/positive
Concreteness versus abstraction is another point where the reader must ask why the author decided to be so specific or so vague.
clothes.............................pants............................jeans.........................Levis
<--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
vague specific
Whether a word was intentionally vague/specific does not matter, because even unintended emotions are spread through words. Also keep in mind that if an author uses words that are too specific or too vague, it can add a comical effect.
Precision is the specificity of a word. Good! and Nice! are very empty words. Again, ask why the author chose to use the precise or not precise words.
Elevation versus coloqualism has no real definition. Different people and different sources have different definitions for this word. The levels fade from one word to another.
sure dude..........................................yes.................................................yes sir
<-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
slang epic diction
regionalism: Different areas have different terms for the same idea: 'Pop' is used in the great lakes basin, 'coke' is used in a few areas in the south, and 'soda' is the most common term, used in most areas. The standard dialect in America is Standard American English. There are different dialects within this, however, for different areas in Michigan.
Jargon is a specialized language for people gathered together for one purpose. For example, during marching band everybody understands what is being said, even though an outsider might have no clue. The different command ("Ten Hut" and "Set") make clear sense to the band, but probably not to others.
Sarah Kells: Outside Reading Book Review
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/books/review/Berenson-t.html
Book Review: Vanished, over "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"
By Alex Berenson
Oct 3
The book review "Vanished" over "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" opens with a paragraph about Sweden, where the book takes place. As the paper morphs into the actual review in the second paragraph, the very different paragraphs are useful in emphasizing the differences that Berenson is attempting to show between the impression of Sweden that Swedes want to portray and the Sweden that Stieg Larsson, the author of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" wanted to show. The harsh diction of the second paragraph balances the more positive view of the first paragraph.
As the review goes on, Berenson incorporates many different types of syntax into the paper to show the points that he wants to emphasize. For example, he uses many fragments: "Maybe so," and he opens sentences with conjunctions: "Nor will "Girl"...." One of the main syntax ideas that Berenson includes, however, is probably the use of present tense. The entire paper is written in present tense, which seems to make it easier to understand - it makes the book seem more recent and modern compared to how it would seem if the review were written in past tense. This also allows the action to seem more real and forceful than it would otherwise. Some examples of this writing include "...Henrik has never gotten over it," "The novel perks up as the investigation gains speed...," and "Salander teams with Blomkvist...."
In this book review, the diction makes the action stand out more than it would in most reviews, and it actually makes the paper an interesting piece itself. The diction is very fast paced, and although the words themselves are not so special, the way that they work together are what make the biggest difference. "Murky circumstances," and "violent misogynist" are two examples where the combinations of words give the paper a mature and intense feel.
At the end of this review, however, it takes a sudden turn where Berenson begins to put a negative spin on the paper. This confuses the reader, because so far the book has seemed to be a very good piece of literature, and the last three paragraphs change this completely. If Berenson had included some of the negative aspects earlier in the paper, the end would probably make more sense.
Overall, this paper is a well written piece, and it includes aspects that have been discussed recently in AP English such as syntax and diction. The introduction is very well written, as is most of the middle of the paper, but there is no conclusion at all.
Book Review: Vanished, over "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"
By Alex Berenson
Oct 3
The book review "Vanished" over "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" opens with a paragraph about Sweden, where the book takes place. As the paper morphs into the actual review in the second paragraph, the very different paragraphs are useful in emphasizing the differences that Berenson is attempting to show between the impression of Sweden that Swedes want to portray and the Sweden that Stieg Larsson, the author of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" wanted to show. The harsh diction of the second paragraph balances the more positive view of the first paragraph.
As the review goes on, Berenson incorporates many different types of syntax into the paper to show the points that he wants to emphasize. For example, he uses many fragments: "Maybe so," and he opens sentences with conjunctions: "Nor will "Girl"...." One of the main syntax ideas that Berenson includes, however, is probably the use of present tense. The entire paper is written in present tense, which seems to make it easier to understand - it makes the book seem more recent and modern compared to how it would seem if the review were written in past tense. This also allows the action to seem more real and forceful than it would otherwise. Some examples of this writing include "...Henrik has never gotten over it," "The novel perks up as the investigation gains speed...," and "Salander teams with Blomkvist...."
In this book review, the diction makes the action stand out more than it would in most reviews, and it actually makes the paper an interesting piece itself. The diction is very fast paced, and although the words themselves are not so special, the way that they work together are what make the biggest difference. "Murky circumstances," and "violent misogynist" are two examples where the combinations of words give the paper a mature and intense feel.
At the end of this review, however, it takes a sudden turn where Berenson begins to put a negative spin on the paper. This confuses the reader, because so far the book has seemed to be a very good piece of literature, and the last three paragraphs change this completely. If Berenson had included some of the negative aspects earlier in the paper, the end would probably make more sense.
Overall, this paper is a well written piece, and it includes aspects that have been discussed recently in AP English such as syntax and diction. The introduction is very well written, as is most of the middle of the paper, but there is no conclusion at all.
Sarah Kells: Outside Reading Editorial
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/09/opinion/09collins.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Oct 9
"Awful, Awfuler, Awfulest" by Gail Collins
"Awful, Awfuler, Awfulest" is written with a very informal tone, as if the author is a personal friend of the reader. Not only does this cause the reader to feel the same way towards the author, Gail Collins, as they would towards a friend, but it also leads to a more casual, everyday feel. This tone, if used correctly, tends to make editorials more successful because any reader would be, as I was, more likely to agree with someone that they feel a connection with than with someone that seems distanced and unknown.
This editorial begins with the word "I," so it is clear from the beginning that it is written in first person. This makes the piece more personal and perhaps more effective in reaching the reader, but it also makes it seem very informal. This is perhaps Gail Collin's goal in this editorial as she also uses very informal diction: ("Raese is a very rich guy") and many rhetorical questions as well: ("And you know what?...")
Another technique that Collins uses is sarcasm. After she states that a correspondent 'demanded' a response, she turned around and called him/her a "gentle reader." She also calls Florida "The Place Where Other State's Officials Stash Their Loved Ones."
The sarcasm used in this is clearly intended to persuade the reader to agree with the author's opinion that elections have moved from decided who would be the best candidate to who can demolish their opponent's reputation the worst. Collins gives many examples of how ridiculous elections have become recently in different states, and uses diction, sarcasm as well as exaggeration and understatements to convey these to the reader.
Gail Collins uses a very strong voice in her editorial by the confidence of the writing style that she employs. By using some very simple and easy to understand sentences, Collins makes everything she says seem to be common knowledge, even if it is merely an opinion. When she says "...and we appreciate the way...," she adds the reader into the speaking group, and people would be less likely to disagree with this than if she had said "...and I appreciate the way..." This is a technique used throughout the entire paper to add confidence to all of Collin's statements.
Even in the very beginning of the paper, I had a clear idea of what Collins was writing about and I also knew where she stood on the issue. These are very important to an editorial piece, but if this were an AP English essay, it probably would not have been graded very well because it is very informal and this leads to not having very advanced diction or word order throughout the paper. As an editorial, however, it succeeds at its goal to persuade the reader to agree with the author.
Oct 9
"Awful, Awfuler, Awfulest" by Gail Collins
"Awful, Awfuler, Awfulest" is written with a very informal tone, as if the author is a personal friend of the reader. Not only does this cause the reader to feel the same way towards the author, Gail Collins, as they would towards a friend, but it also leads to a more casual, everyday feel. This tone, if used correctly, tends to make editorials more successful because any reader would be, as I was, more likely to agree with someone that they feel a connection with than with someone that seems distanced and unknown.
This editorial begins with the word "I," so it is clear from the beginning that it is written in first person. This makes the piece more personal and perhaps more effective in reaching the reader, but it also makes it seem very informal. This is perhaps Gail Collin's goal in this editorial as she also uses very informal diction: ("Raese is a very rich guy") and many rhetorical questions as well: ("And you know what?...")
Another technique that Collins uses is sarcasm. After she states that a correspondent 'demanded' a response, she turned around and called him/her a "gentle reader." She also calls Florida "The Place Where Other State's Officials Stash Their Loved Ones."
The sarcasm used in this is clearly intended to persuade the reader to agree with the author's opinion that elections have moved from decided who would be the best candidate to who can demolish their opponent's reputation the worst. Collins gives many examples of how ridiculous elections have become recently in different states, and uses diction, sarcasm as well as exaggeration and understatements to convey these to the reader.
Gail Collins uses a very strong voice in her editorial by the confidence of the writing style that she employs. By using some very simple and easy to understand sentences, Collins makes everything she says seem to be common knowledge, even if it is merely an opinion. When she says "...and we appreciate the way...," she adds the reader into the speaking group, and people would be less likely to disagree with this than if she had said "...and I appreciate the way..." This is a technique used throughout the entire paper to add confidence to all of Collin's statements.
Even in the very beginning of the paper, I had a clear idea of what Collins was writing about and I also knew where she stood on the issue. These are very important to an editorial piece, but if this were an AP English essay, it probably would not have been graded very well because it is very informal and this leads to not having very advanced diction or word order throughout the paper. As an editorial, however, it succeeds at its goal to persuade the reader to agree with the author.
Sarah Kells: Class Notes Oct 4-8
AP Test:
Multiple Choice Questions: 50-55 questions, counts for 45% of the score. Different levels of question, from easy (1) to very difficult, possibly with a couple of right answers (5). Don't worry about getting all of the questions correct because that is not the goal. The goal is to get the 1-3 questions right, most of the 4 questions right, and about half of the 5 questions.
For questions and answers to a sample multiple choice test, go to http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap08_english_coursedesc.pdf
Response Questions: Three questions: one that analyzes poetry, one that analyzes prose, and one where the test taker picks a piece of work and analyzes it. Always discuss meaning, because the questions are basically "what is the meaning and how does the author use various techniques to make this clear?" A good score is a seven. Anything higher than a seven requires a very unique point of view. Remember that no matter how amazing an essay is, if it misses one direction the highest score that it can get is a three.
For examples of these questions, see the following website: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/english_lit/samp.html?englit
The AP English test is truly a vocabulary test. To know vocab that might be on the test, take these quizzes: http://quizlet.com/1123826/ap-survival-terms-flash-cards/ , http://quizlet.com/393195/danforth-ap-english-iii-semester-one-vocabulary-1-15-flash-cards/ , http://quizlet.com/701081/danforth-ap-english-iii-semester-two-vocabulary-1-12-flash-cards/ (the two later websites simply have advanced vocabulary that might be found on the AP test.)
Allusion:
Allusion is when a piece of literature references a past event, usually to explain what is happening without writing it all out. The effectiveness of this technique depends upon who is reading it: if the allusion refers to something that most people known of, such as something in mythology or the Bible, most people will understand the work. If the piece refers to something very specific, though, perhaps something that occurred in a small country where only inhabitants of that country would understand, the idea will be much more vague to many people. The following website contains a list of very popular Biblical allusions used in literature: http://www.faqs.org/shareranks/4146,Most-Popular-Biblical-Allusions-in-Literature
Meaning and Ideas:
Meaning is the summary of what the piece of literature itself really is saying.
Prose Meaning can be picked out from the piece of work.
Suspend your disbelief in order to achieve the full experience: even in you do not fully agree with what is being said by the poem, still read it to get the experience that the author is attempting to portray.
Multiple Choice Questions: 50-55 questions, counts for 45% of the score. Different levels of question, from easy (1) to very difficult, possibly with a couple of right answers (5). Don't worry about getting all of the questions correct because that is not the goal. The goal is to get the 1-3 questions right, most of the 4 questions right, and about half of the 5 questions.
For questions and answers to a sample multiple choice test, go to http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap08_english_coursedesc.pdf
Response Questions: Three questions: one that analyzes poetry, one that analyzes prose, and one where the test taker picks a piece of work and analyzes it. Always discuss meaning, because the questions are basically "what is the meaning and how does the author use various techniques to make this clear?" A good score is a seven. Anything higher than a seven requires a very unique point of view. Remember that no matter how amazing an essay is, if it misses one direction the highest score that it can get is a three.
For examples of these questions, see the following website: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/english_lit/samp.html?englit
The AP English test is truly a vocabulary test. To know vocab that might be on the test, take these quizzes: http://quizlet.com/1123826/ap-survival-terms-flash-cards/ , http://quizlet.com/393195/danforth-ap-english-iii-semester-one-vocabulary-1-15-flash-cards/ , http://quizlet.com/701081/danforth-ap-english-iii-semester-two-vocabulary-1-12-flash-cards/ (the two later websites simply have advanced vocabulary that might be found on the AP test.)
Allusion:
Allusion is when a piece of literature references a past event, usually to explain what is happening without writing it all out. The effectiveness of this technique depends upon who is reading it: if the allusion refers to something that most people known of, such as something in mythology or the Bible, most people will understand the work. If the piece refers to something very specific, though, perhaps something that occurred in a small country where only inhabitants of that country would understand, the idea will be much more vague to many people. The following website contains a list of very popular Biblical allusions used in literature: http://www.faqs.org/shareranks/4146,Most-Popular-Biblical-Allusions-in-Literature
Meaning and Ideas:
Meaning is the summary of what the piece of literature itself really is saying.
Prose Meaning can be picked out from the piece of work.
Suspend your disbelief in order to achieve the full experience: even in you do not fully agree with what is being said by the poem, still read it to get the experience that the author is attempting to portray.
Sarah Kells: Outside Reading Reflective Essay
Reflective Essay: The Joy Of Photoshopping" by Oyl Miller.
Sunday, Oct 10
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2010/8/17miller.html
This essay my Oyl Miller seems to be a simple paper about how much he enjoys photoshopping pictures of Chuck Norris, and how he likes adding different pieces to his face for no apparent reason. Reading deeper into this paper shows a different idea altogether: that changing a picture is much like a person's personality. Although some things can be added to it, it can never truly be changed from what it started as and it is futile to attempt to change it.
The paper is kicked off with the introduction of "Hello friends," and the tone becomes even more informal with the first person format ("I've already prepared the canvas") and rhetorical questions added: "Let's see, what kind of Photoshop image...?" The informal tone makes the paper seem almost careless and lighthearted, and as I read it I was constantly thinking that the author appears to almost be making an inside joke that the reader is not aware of.
Diction in this essay is very immature, as Miller uses phrases such as "happy little -----" (which he uses three times) and words like "silly," "totally," and "magic." He actually uses the word "little" nine times. As a matter of fact, this entire essay seemed insultingly condescending to me as I read it. When Miller said "Isn't that majestic, kids?" and "Now I'm just getting silly," I was hesitant to believe that this kind of word choice would be used in an actual published essay.
The grammar throughout this entire essay is also very condescending. This is seen when he says he picked out a "real deep, dark, tentacley green," and with all of the sentence fragments he uses, for example when he says "There we go. Happy little lasers."
The final paragraph switches the tone to a more mature, serious feel where he compares the picture to a personality. This becomes evident through the diction and word order, such as when he says "Keep some reality in your fantasy," and "There are no right answers." The diction is still very deficient, though, and the final sentence ends with "...feel like turning those happy little pixels into next."
Although the goal of this paper was clearly to be humorous and amusing, I was bored by the informal tone used in it, and slightly insulted by the low level of diction throughout the paper. This essay would not work well on an AP English test because one of the main goals of the AP English paper is to tell how advanced the vocabulary of the writer is, and this paper did not display a high level of vocabulary at all.
Sunday, Oct 10
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2010/8/17miller.html
This essay my Oyl Miller seems to be a simple paper about how much he enjoys photoshopping pictures of Chuck Norris, and how he likes adding different pieces to his face for no apparent reason. Reading deeper into this paper shows a different idea altogether: that changing a picture is much like a person's personality. Although some things can be added to it, it can never truly be changed from what it started as and it is futile to attempt to change it.
The paper is kicked off with the introduction of "Hello friends," and the tone becomes even more informal with the first person format ("I've already prepared the canvas") and rhetorical questions added: "Let's see, what kind of Photoshop image...?" The informal tone makes the paper seem almost careless and lighthearted, and as I read it I was constantly thinking that the author appears to almost be making an inside joke that the reader is not aware of.
Diction in this essay is very immature, as Miller uses phrases such as "happy little -----" (which he uses three times) and words like "silly," "totally," and "magic." He actually uses the word "little" nine times. As a matter of fact, this entire essay seemed insultingly condescending to me as I read it. When Miller said "Isn't that majestic, kids?" and "Now I'm just getting silly," I was hesitant to believe that this kind of word choice would be used in an actual published essay.
The grammar throughout this entire essay is also very condescending. This is seen when he says he picked out a "real deep, dark, tentacley green," and with all of the sentence fragments he uses, for example when he says "There we go. Happy little lasers."
The final paragraph switches the tone to a more mature, serious feel where he compares the picture to a personality. This becomes evident through the diction and word order, such as when he says "Keep some reality in your fantasy," and "There are no right answers." The diction is still very deficient, though, and the final sentence ends with "...feel like turning those happy little pixels into next."
Although the goal of this paper was clearly to be humorous and amusing, I was bored by the informal tone used in it, and slightly insulted by the low level of diction throughout the paper. This essay would not work well on an AP English test because one of the main goals of the AP English paper is to tell how advanced the vocabulary of the writer is, and this paper did not display a high level of vocabulary at all.
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