Close Reading

Don't name your kid Siri 

By Dean Obeidallah, Special to CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/01/opinion/obeidallah-baby-name/index.html?hpt=op_t1
   
    In his editorial, Dean Obeidallah argues that parents who pick uncommon, ridiculous names for their children are not thinking of the long term effects it may have on them. Along with the examples pertaining to his own life, his consistent diction and sarcasm urge the reader to please keep in mind that the name you pick for your child is going to impact them throughout their life.
        By including the details of how the author's name has effected his own life, the reader gets a much better understanding of how it is that something as simple as your name could have a very noticeable impact on your life and the way you're treated. Obeidallah reflects that if his father had had his way, he would have been named the "very Arabic Saladin Obeidallah, [and] you could just imagine all the "fun" I would have had in post-9/11 America. I would have likely volunteered for 'random' security checks at the airport."
        In addition to these details, the sarcastic tone adds humor, and leaves the reader with the impression that it would be completely preposterous not to agree with him. The use of the word "fun" in reference to "random security checks at the airport" is of course obvious to any person who has ever been to an airport in the United States. Obeidallah scolds parents who have named their kid "Luna, Mac or Mars", adding that " it truly is only a matter of time until you meet a kid named DVR or Playstation 3".
        The diction that stands out in Obeidallah's piece could probably all be found under the entry of the word "weird" in a thesaurus. Although this may lack creativity and diversity in the writing, it certainly reenforces his strong opinion on these increasingly popular baby names. When questioning the choice of one parent to name their child "Siri", he exclaims, "Seriously, who would name their bundle of joy after a frustrating Apple product that hardly ever works?"
        Obeidallah uses these various techniques to mock and question any parents who chooses to name their child something that, according to him, is ridiculous. Calling them selfish, he continues to argue that these people do not have the child's best interest at heart. He ends his article offering to new parents that "if you insist on picking a bizarre name for the baby, then I propose that your child be empowered to rename you with any name he or she chooses."

Open Prompt

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.

In The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald, geography is used as a divider between the new rich and the old rich. Those born into their wealth reside in East egg, whereas those that have more recently earned their fortunes live in the West Egg. These contrasting places contribute to Fitzerald's portrayal of the heartlessness of the old aristocracy. 

Although Fitzerald calls the West Egg the "less fashionable of the two", the people there are not pompous and greedy like those of East Egg. Tom and Daisy Buchanan represent the typical East Egg nobility, for they have had money all their lives, and consider themselves to be above those that have earned it themselves. They generally lack any moral principles, but find that they are obsessed with social status and looks. On the other hand, Nick Carraway, who lives in a more modest cottage next to Jay Gatsby on the West Egg. Characters here, like Nick, are seen as less sophisticated, or even very quirky like Gatsby, but generally more innocent than those of the East Egg. Ironically, Gatsby's money comes from his criminal activity, but he proves to be a loyal and sincere man as he goes to great lengths to protect the love of his life, Daisy.

Fitzgerald utilizes the geography to show American's newfound flawed view on moral values, and its overall decay into a greedy nation.

Response to Course Material #3

America, America....and more America....

Wow, we do A LOT about America in AP Lit...!

Alright, I admit it, sometimes I read other people's blogs because I'm stalling on starting my own. Ok, we all do it, (I hope.) Anyway, I was reading someone's blog who said something about wishing we didn't have to worry about the AP exam and boy, do I agree. I hate focusing the class around that stupid test and I wish we could all just focus on the books and the understanding and the (dare I say..) learning? So if OHS wants to form some sort of "Advanced Literature" that doesn't include an AP Test, that would be much appreciated.

Anyway...we finished the American Dream, I loved that play. I really looked forward to our 6th hour discussions and I really enjoyed the way my class was able to bring forward new ideas and challenge each other's thinking. The handouts were a big help, too (:

Death of a Salesman! Wow that movie was slightly depressing, not gonna lie.  But I'm looking forward to starting the book in class.