The Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/opinion/sunday/the-road-we-need-not-have-traveled.html?ref=editorialsandopinion
In the New York Times editorial "The Road We Need Not Have Traveled", the unidentified author urges the reader to recognize the long forgotten battle for human rights in the United States. Through the use of specific detail, syntax and diction, the author clearly succeeds in drawing in the attention of her reader to get her point across.
The details included in this editorial are probably the best part of the argument. They are slightly relatable while also including information I'm betting most people have never heard before. The author claims that "Mr. Mohammed was waterboarded 183 times in one month alone." This not only grabs the reader's attention, but plays with our emotions and adds some level of sympathy, maybe not in this case specifically, but towards all those that have had torture inflicted on them. The author continues to include details of 9/11, using a date we all remember to help her argument. Details of the crimes of course, are deliberately not included, and this makes her point plain and simple; torture is not okay--period.
According to the narrator, the US has "in the last decade accepted too many damaging and unnecessary changes to its fundamental principles of justice and human rights." Using words like "Justice" and "human rights" are extremely useful in her argument, because most people would agree these are two good things, even though their specific definitions will very between people.
Lastly, the author's strong use of syntax makes the article a casual, easy going conversation, despite its serious topic. The first body paragraph begins with "Let’s start with the delay." Short sentences lead up to longer ones like the following where the narrator claims that "All of the men could have been brought to trial years ago, but President Bush decided he could ignore the Constitution."
By utilizing the techniques found in the editorial, the author of "The Road We Need Not Have Traveled" creates a strong argument against torture in the United States.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Sunday, December 9, 2012
open prompt
1990. Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a parent (or a parental figure) and a son or daughter. Write an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid plot summary.
In Arthur Millers, "Death Of a Salesman", the main character, Willy Loman, is a poor business man who is constantly striving to simply be "well-liked", for he believes this will be the key to his success. His first born son, Biff Loman, is equally unsuccessful, but disagrees with his father on most things, leading to conflict between the two throughout the play. In "Death of a Salesman", Arthur Miller uses the father-son relationship between these two lead roles to present the American Dream in a negative light.
The first conflict that started years of fighting occurs at the end of Biff's high school career, when Biff fails to graduate from High school because of failing a math class. When Biff realizes what is about to happen, he goes to see Willy, and ends up catching him in the middle of an affair Willy is having with another woman in a hotel room. Biff sees his father completely differently after this incident and wonders whether he can trust him about anything. All his life Willy has filled his son with "hot air", constantly praising him and creating the ideal, perfect world in his head. This is why it was so devastating when Biff caught him in the hotel room.
Willy pushes superficial ideas on Biff as he is growing up, telling him that being well-liked will get him far in life, when in fact, Biff finds out this is not at all true. Because of Willy's unsuccessful business success and mistakes in parenting and his marriage, Biff is able to see the falsity of the American dream.
In Arthur Millers, "Death Of a Salesman", the main character, Willy Loman, is a poor business man who is constantly striving to simply be "well-liked", for he believes this will be the key to his success. His first born son, Biff Loman, is equally unsuccessful, but disagrees with his father on most things, leading to conflict between the two throughout the play. In "Death of a Salesman", Arthur Miller uses the father-son relationship between these two lead roles to present the American Dream in a negative light.
The first conflict that started years of fighting occurs at the end of Biff's high school career, when Biff fails to graduate from High school because of failing a math class. When Biff realizes what is about to happen, he goes to see Willy, and ends up catching him in the middle of an affair Willy is having with another woman in a hotel room. Biff sees his father completely differently after this incident and wonders whether he can trust him about anything. All his life Willy has filled his son with "hot air", constantly praising him and creating the ideal, perfect world in his head. This is why it was so devastating when Biff caught him in the hotel room.
Willy pushes superficial ideas on Biff as he is growing up, telling him that being well-liked will get him far in life, when in fact, Biff finds out this is not at all true. Because of Willy's unsuccessful business success and mistakes in parenting and his marriage, Biff is able to see the falsity of the American dream.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Summary and analysis of Death of a Salesman
Author: DOS was written by the American playwright, Arthur Miller. He also wrote other well known plays such as "The Crucible" and "All My Sons". Also...he was married to Marylin Monroe!
Setting: Late 1940's, with day dreams into Willy's past. The whole play takes place in a 24 hour period, except for the requiem, which is a few days after. It takes place in Brooklyn, and places he visits, like Boston.
Plot: Starts off with Willy Loman the Salesman, home from a trip. He complains to Linda that Biff is home and has done nothing with his life. His two sons (Biff and Happy) are upstairs talking. Throughout the play, Willy recalls times with his family in the past. (Ex. the family before Biff's big football game in high school, or when Biff walked in on Willy cheating on his wife, Linda.) Willy asks his boss if he can work as a salesman here in town, and he ends up being fired. Willy goes to visit Charley, and after asking him for more money to pay his bills that usual, he admits he was fired, and Charley offers Willy a job. Willy says no. Linda finds something in the basement with the gas pipes which leads her to believe Willy is thinking of committing suicide. Linda blames Biff and Biff tells Willy and Linda he will leave and never come back. Willy finds that the family will get 20,000 dollars of insurance money if he dies. Willy is found trying to play seeds in the backyard where there is no hope of them growing. Ben discusses the jungle with him. Willy kills himself in the end and the characters stand at his funeral for the requiem. No one but the family shows up for the funeral.
Characters:
Willy Loman: Willy never achieves this full self-actualization that the play seems to lead up to, which definitely relates to Miller's definition of tragedy. Willy is essentially a failure in all areas of his life. He was fired from a job he had worked at his whole life, he had an affair with a woman behind his wife's back, and his relationships with his children are certainly no where near healthy. Willy continues to have hope, as we see him planting seeds in his backyard, and fixing up the house. Willy has numerous flashbacks throughout the play, and we see him in anguish over his poor decisions in the past, and also reminiscing about happier times.
Linda Loman: Linda is Willy's wife. They're very close, and she often acts like a mother to him, persistently serving him milk or manipulating the family to ease his stress. She finds a pipe in the basement that she believes is his attempt at suicide, but refuses to bring this up to him. She blames Biff for Willy's unhappiness.
Biff Loman: Willy's first and favorite son. He was very popular in highschool, and preffered football over doing his schoolwork, and eventually ended up not graduating because he failed his math class. He likes to work with his hands and has a problem with stealing.
Happy Loman: The younger of the two sons who seeks attention from his parents but is often ignored. He is very similar to his father.
Ben: Willy's older brother. Willy admires and looks up to him, and constantly asks for his advice. Ben is very successful and speaks of "the jungle". He is what Willy was constantly striving to be but never accomplished.
Charley: Successful businessman and neighbor to the Lomans who is always trying to help Willy, although Willy always denies it. He even tries to offer him a job.
Bernard: Charlies son and Biff's foil. A nerd in highschool, bernard eventually becomes a very happy, successful man with whom Willy catches up with when Biff is back in town.
Tone and Style: The tone is somewhat pessimistic. There is such a lack of bright, happy experiences from characters in the play that the tone comes of sort of dark and depressing. Miller did a wonderful job however, in creating strong characters that make it something easy to reread.
Point of veiw: I think Miller's point of view is probably most shown through the character of Biff, who seemed to be the only one to actually learn something from the events of the play and from his father's death. He recognizes now that the American Dream and what his father strode for all his life are not necessarily good things.
Symbolism:
The Garden/Growth: Willy continually tries to plant seeds in the garden of his backyard throughout the play, which could be a symbol for the efforts he puts into his work and into fulfilling the American Dream. The buildings around his house have grown so tall that there is too much shade to grow anything at all, but Willy continues to try anyway.
Quotes:
"After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive."-Willy
This is one of my favorite quotes of the play that seems to sum it all up quite nicely. Willy worked at the firm his whole life, and when they let him go he had nothing, and wasn't even happy. This is what he got for trying to hold on to the American Dream.
“Because sometimes I’m afraid that I’m not teaching them the right kind of….. Ben, how should I teach them?” – Willy.
Willy is constantly questioning himself around Ben, wondering if he's doing things right or not.
Theme: Simply: the American dream
Willy thinks that being "well-liked" is the most important thing, and this superficial way of thinking ultimately leads to his unhappiness and suicide.
Setting: Late 1940's, with day dreams into Willy's past. The whole play takes place in a 24 hour period, except for the requiem, which is a few days after. It takes place in Brooklyn, and places he visits, like Boston.
Plot: Starts off with Willy Loman the Salesman, home from a trip. He complains to Linda that Biff is home and has done nothing with his life. His two sons (Biff and Happy) are upstairs talking. Throughout the play, Willy recalls times with his family in the past. (Ex. the family before Biff's big football game in high school, or when Biff walked in on Willy cheating on his wife, Linda.) Willy asks his boss if he can work as a salesman here in town, and he ends up being fired. Willy goes to visit Charley, and after asking him for more money to pay his bills that usual, he admits he was fired, and Charley offers Willy a job. Willy says no. Linda finds something in the basement with the gas pipes which leads her to believe Willy is thinking of committing suicide. Linda blames Biff and Biff tells Willy and Linda he will leave and never come back. Willy finds that the family will get 20,000 dollars of insurance money if he dies. Willy is found trying to play seeds in the backyard where there is no hope of them growing. Ben discusses the jungle with him. Willy kills himself in the end and the characters stand at his funeral for the requiem. No one but the family shows up for the funeral.
Characters:
Willy Loman: Willy never achieves this full self-actualization that the play seems to lead up to, which definitely relates to Miller's definition of tragedy. Willy is essentially a failure in all areas of his life. He was fired from a job he had worked at his whole life, he had an affair with a woman behind his wife's back, and his relationships with his children are certainly no where near healthy. Willy continues to have hope, as we see him planting seeds in his backyard, and fixing up the house. Willy has numerous flashbacks throughout the play, and we see him in anguish over his poor decisions in the past, and also reminiscing about happier times.
Linda Loman: Linda is Willy's wife. They're very close, and she often acts like a mother to him, persistently serving him milk or manipulating the family to ease his stress. She finds a pipe in the basement that she believes is his attempt at suicide, but refuses to bring this up to him. She blames Biff for Willy's unhappiness.
Biff Loman: Willy's first and favorite son. He was very popular in highschool, and preffered football over doing his schoolwork, and eventually ended up not graduating because he failed his math class. He likes to work with his hands and has a problem with stealing.
Happy Loman: The younger of the two sons who seeks attention from his parents but is often ignored. He is very similar to his father.
Ben: Willy's older brother. Willy admires and looks up to him, and constantly asks for his advice. Ben is very successful and speaks of "the jungle". He is what Willy was constantly striving to be but never accomplished.
Charley: Successful businessman and neighbor to the Lomans who is always trying to help Willy, although Willy always denies it. He even tries to offer him a job.
Bernard: Charlies son and Biff's foil. A nerd in highschool, bernard eventually becomes a very happy, successful man with whom Willy catches up with when Biff is back in town.
Tone and Style: The tone is somewhat pessimistic. There is such a lack of bright, happy experiences from characters in the play that the tone comes of sort of dark and depressing. Miller did a wonderful job however, in creating strong characters that make it something easy to reread.
Point of veiw: I think Miller's point of view is probably most shown through the character of Biff, who seemed to be the only one to actually learn something from the events of the play and from his father's death. He recognizes now that the American Dream and what his father strode for all his life are not necessarily good things.
Symbolism:
The Garden/Growth: Willy continually tries to plant seeds in the garden of his backyard throughout the play, which could be a symbol for the efforts he puts into his work and into fulfilling the American Dream. The buildings around his house have grown so tall that there is too much shade to grow anything at all, but Willy continues to try anyway.
Quotes:
"After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive."-Willy
This is one of my favorite quotes of the play that seems to sum it all up quite nicely. Willy worked at the firm his whole life, and when they let him go he had nothing, and wasn't even happy. This is what he got for trying to hold on to the American Dream.
“Because sometimes I’m afraid that I’m not teaching them the right kind of….. Ben, how should I teach them?” – Willy.
Willy is constantly questioning himself around Ben, wondering if he's doing things right or not.
Theme: Simply: the American dream
Willy thinks that being "well-liked" is the most important thing, and this superficial way of thinking ultimately leads to his unhappiness and suicide.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Response to Course Material #4
We've just began Hamlet! I'm very excited to finally read this Shakespear play that I've heard so much about. I lack motivation to read works of literature like this one on my own, so I'm glad to have the chance to read and discuss it with my peers in class! My only problem is that I have never been very good at translating the confusion Elizabethan language so I find myself relying on Mrs. Holme's explanation, which I wish I didn't have to do.
We finally finished the Death of a Salesman, and I felt very satisfied when we were all through with it. I really enjoy spending quite a long time on one piece of literature, and I found something new to add practically every day in discussion because my classmates really make me think about the play. I also found myself comparing DOS and The American Dream, because it was actually pretty cool that we read theses two works in succession. They have a completely different...style, but both focus at some point on the consumerism we talked about in class, although I think it was more present in The American Dream. At first glance I would have said the American Dream was harder to decipher, but after reading DOS, I honestly couldn't tell which was harder. Both had so much "meat" to them, if you know what I mean! I looked forward to discussion everyday, as well as our tone challenges, and learning new words.
We finally finished the Death of a Salesman, and I felt very satisfied when we were all through with it. I really enjoy spending quite a long time on one piece of literature, and I found something new to add practically every day in discussion because my classmates really make me think about the play. I also found myself comparing DOS and The American Dream, because it was actually pretty cool that we read theses two works in succession. They have a completely different...style, but both focus at some point on the consumerism we talked about in class, although I think it was more present in The American Dream. At first glance I would have said the American Dream was harder to decipher, but after reading DOS, I honestly couldn't tell which was harder. Both had so much "meat" to them, if you know what I mean! I looked forward to discussion everyday, as well as our tone challenges, and learning new words.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
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_t1In 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."
Sunday, November 11, 2012
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.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
American Dream Summary and Analysis
Author: The play was written by Edward Albee, a famous American playwrite, who wrote other well known works such as The Zoo Story, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Setting: The story takes place in an apartment, but the time period is never specified. We can infer that the play takes place around the time it was written, but we don't know exactly what year.
Plot: Mommy and Daddy are in their armchairs, complaining that they (Mrs. Barker as we find out later), is late, and that people "just can't get satisfaction these days". Mommy tells Daddy about her experience at the hat store, and makes sure he pays attention. Nobody can remember why Mrs. Barker is coming, not even her. Grandma enters and brings down neatly wrapped boxes. Grandma offers short cynical observations about old people (how they act, how they're treated), and they also discuss Mommy and Grandma's life together before Daddy. Mrs. Barker shows up, and they have conversation about Daddy's ambitions and engage in polite small talk. Sexual tension. Mommy and Daddy leave the room and grandma tells Mrs. Barker the story of a family "much like this one", who adopted a bumble and eventually killed it. This turns out to be the twin of the "young man" Mommy and Daddy are adopting now. Mrs. Barker is the head of the Bye Bye adoption service. The Young Man comes to the door and Grandma invites him in. Grandma leave with her boxes and tells the Young man he will find work here. Mommy implies that she will get "satisfaction" that night, with the Young Man. Grandma tells the audience to leave things the way they are while people think they have what they want, then tells the audience goodnight.
Characters:
Mommy: Very controlling throughout the play, values consumerism and social status. Manipulative and self centered, Mommy likes to be in control of the people around her.
Daddy: Very feminine, not very bright, and easily manipulated. Acts like a young child who needs to be punished. Controlled entirely by Mommy. Daddy cannot give Mommy satisfaction.
Mrs. Barker: Many jobs, a "professional woman", also not very intelligent, and isn't quite aware of what is going on around her.
Grandma: Mommy's mother. Ironic and funny, Grandma mocks the other characters, particularly Mommy and Daddy, and makes it clear that she is not the senile old woman that Mommy and Daddy think she is.
Young Man: The "American Dream". Shows up towards the end of the play. He is very good look, but explains that he feels nothing , due to the loss of his twin, Mommy and Daddy's first child.
Style: The play is written in an absurdist style. It lacks very much action, but has great meaning. Seemingly insignificant conversations take place that are used to develop the character's voices. Comedy is present, both in the form of low humor, like sexual jokes, and also irony, very often from Grandma.
Voice: The voice is not apparent through the conversations between characters that is mostly devoted to absurdist style, like repetition. Albee does use Grandma to get he voice across.
Point Of View: Grandma has a more moral, humanistic point of view, that we can interpret as Albee's as well. Mrs. Barker, Mommy, and Daddy, are all more selfish.
Tone: The tone is more negative almost mocking, as Albee makes it clear that Mommy and Daddy's consumer driven opinions are different than his own.
Imagery: There is not much imagery in a lot of the play, which allows us to focus on the characters interactions. The imagery that is offered mostly has to do with the mutilation of the "bumble". This is to stress the horrific act that is extremely important to plot and meaning.
Symbolism:
Boxes- Mommy and Daddy only care about the exterior of the boxes...the way the look, not at all what is on the inside
Hat- the idea that things are bought not for personal or practical value, but to impress people, and raise social status
Bumble: the idea that everything has been turned into something that can be bought and sold, and thrown out if it isn't "right"
Quotes:
Mommy: What a masculine Daddy! Isn't he a masculine Daddy?
....
Grandma: When you get old, you can't talk to people because people snap at you. That's why you become deaf, so you won't be able to hear people talking to you that way That's why old people die, eventually. People talk to them that way.
.....
Young Man: I no longer have the capacity to feel anything. I have no emotions. I have been drained, torn asunder disemboweled. I have, now, only my person, my body, my face. I use what I have I let people love me I accept the syntax around me, for while I know I cannot relate;I know I must be related to.
Theme:
Two major themes of the work are the commodification of all things, and the role of masculinity in marriage.
commodification: The play makes the point that things that should not be commodities are becoming them. They treat adopting a child like buying a car, and when it doesn't behave the way they want it to, the rip off parts of it one by one. When the bumble "only had eyes for daddy", Mommy ripped out it's eyes. The baby is treated like a commodity, as though children are things bought and sold, and replaced when they are broken.
Setting: The story takes place in an apartment, but the time period is never specified. We can infer that the play takes place around the time it was written, but we don't know exactly what year.
Plot: Mommy and Daddy are in their armchairs, complaining that they (Mrs. Barker as we find out later), is late, and that people "just can't get satisfaction these days". Mommy tells Daddy about her experience at the hat store, and makes sure he pays attention. Nobody can remember why Mrs. Barker is coming, not even her. Grandma enters and brings down neatly wrapped boxes. Grandma offers short cynical observations about old people (how they act, how they're treated), and they also discuss Mommy and Grandma's life together before Daddy. Mrs. Barker shows up, and they have conversation about Daddy's ambitions and engage in polite small talk. Sexual tension. Mommy and Daddy leave the room and grandma tells Mrs. Barker the story of a family "much like this one", who adopted a bumble and eventually killed it. This turns out to be the twin of the "young man" Mommy and Daddy are adopting now. Mrs. Barker is the head of the Bye Bye adoption service. The Young Man comes to the door and Grandma invites him in. Grandma leave with her boxes and tells the Young man he will find work here. Mommy implies that she will get "satisfaction" that night, with the Young Man. Grandma tells the audience to leave things the way they are while people think they have what they want, then tells the audience goodnight.
Characters:
Mommy: Very controlling throughout the play, values consumerism and social status. Manipulative and self centered, Mommy likes to be in control of the people around her.
Daddy: Very feminine, not very bright, and easily manipulated. Acts like a young child who needs to be punished. Controlled entirely by Mommy. Daddy cannot give Mommy satisfaction.
Mrs. Barker: Many jobs, a "professional woman", also not very intelligent, and isn't quite aware of what is going on around her.
Grandma: Mommy's mother. Ironic and funny, Grandma mocks the other characters, particularly Mommy and Daddy, and makes it clear that she is not the senile old woman that Mommy and Daddy think she is.
Young Man: The "American Dream". Shows up towards the end of the play. He is very good look, but explains that he feels nothing , due to the loss of his twin, Mommy and Daddy's first child.
Style: The play is written in an absurdist style. It lacks very much action, but has great meaning. Seemingly insignificant conversations take place that are used to develop the character's voices. Comedy is present, both in the form of low humor, like sexual jokes, and also irony, very often from Grandma.
Voice: The voice is not apparent through the conversations between characters that is mostly devoted to absurdist style, like repetition. Albee does use Grandma to get he voice across.
Point Of View: Grandma has a more moral, humanistic point of view, that we can interpret as Albee's as well. Mrs. Barker, Mommy, and Daddy, are all more selfish.
Tone: The tone is more negative almost mocking, as Albee makes it clear that Mommy and Daddy's consumer driven opinions are different than his own.
Imagery: There is not much imagery in a lot of the play, which allows us to focus on the characters interactions. The imagery that is offered mostly has to do with the mutilation of the "bumble". This is to stress the horrific act that is extremely important to plot and meaning.
Symbolism:
Boxes- Mommy and Daddy only care about the exterior of the boxes...the way the look, not at all what is on the inside
Hat- the idea that things are bought not for personal or practical value, but to impress people, and raise social status
Bumble: the idea that everything has been turned into something that can be bought and sold, and thrown out if it isn't "right"
Quotes:
Mommy: What a masculine Daddy! Isn't he a masculine Daddy?
....
Grandma: When you get old, you can't talk to people because people snap at you. That's why you become deaf, so you won't be able to hear people talking to you that way That's why old people die, eventually. People talk to them that way.
.....
Young Man: I no longer have the capacity to feel anything. I have no emotions. I have been drained, torn asunder disemboweled. I have, now, only my person, my body, my face. I use what I have I let people love me I accept the syntax around me, for while I know I cannot relate;I know I must be related to.
Theme:
Two major themes of the work are the commodification of all things, and the role of masculinity in marriage.
Emasculation: Gender roles are reversed in the play, with a Daddy who doesn't know best, but instead bows down to Mommy who holds his masculinity like a treat right in front of his face, saying, cmon, cmon, do you want it, huh, huh, thats right.... She praises him, but with one wrong move by daddy, she rips the treat from his hands and the mood changes completely. Daddy has "tracks where he used to have tubes". Mommy is the overbearing ruler of the household who simply cannot get satisfaction from Daddy, so she most get it elsewhere.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Close Reading #2
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/for-teenage-smokers-removing-the-allure-of-the-pack/
For my close reading, I've chosen a piece entitled "For Teenage Smokers, Removing the Allure of the Pack", by Tina Rosenburg at the New York Times. Rosenburg argues that the American people are not doing enough to discourage high school students from beginning a lifelong habit of smoking cigarettes. Rosenburg utilizes good persuasive techniques and uses imagery, details, and syntax, while effectively keeping the readers attention throughout her argument.
The strongest part of Rosenburgs argument stems from her generous use of detail. Her well researched argument is chock full of good examples and astonishing statistics. Much of her argument is based on the "cool factor," because she believes that "kids take up smoking to be cool, to impress their friends with their recklessness and defiance of adults." Rosenburg attributes much of the fault to advertising as well as smoking scenes in movies. She says, "Leonardo DiCaprio’s smoking in 'The Titanic' movie will kill far more people than the 1500 who died in the ship accident." She provides this opinion, then follows up with a real life example to prove her point. She further discuses something called the Truth Campaign, a campaign that "took the teenage desire for rebellion and turned it against the tobacco companies." She follows this up with the statistic that "when Florida started the Truth campaign, 27.4 percent of its high school students were smokers. Just two years later, that figure had fallen to 22.6 percent." These details are well thought out, aren't repetitive, and are effective in persuading the reader.
Rosenburg uses specific imagery to help explain her many alternative strategies to keeping kids away from smoking. She argues that by making "all cigarette packs look alike — a generic olive-green, with big health warnings and the brand name written in small, standardized lettering," teenagers will be less inclined to buy them, for it erases this so called cool factor of pulling a flashy pack out of your purse.
A question is not always an effective way to start out a piece of writing--even an editorial--but in this case, it's just right. Rosenburg asks the question, "Remember teenage smoking?" in this blunt, almost sarcastic kind of way. She goes on to compare our efforts to reduce teenage obesity that may be interfering with, in her opinion, an even more important issue: teenage smoking. Rosenburg keeps a casual conversation, continually asking the reader questions, and often answering them herself. She states, "Since 1997, we’ve learned a lot about how to prevent teenage smoking. The best strategy? Make smoking uncool." When compared with something like "the best strategy to prevent teenage smoking is to make smoking uncool," the difference is obvious. One is a casual, but strongly opinionated phrase, and the other is a boring sentence you're going to forget about by the time you're done reading the article, if you haven't gotten so bored that you've already stopped reading completely.
Rosenburg has created a fresh take on a old and increasingly popular opinion: the teenage smoking rate in this country. She uses all of that detail and imagery and structures the piece in a way that is beneficial to her argument and effective in her persuasion techniques.
For my close reading, I've chosen a piece entitled "For Teenage Smokers, Removing the Allure of the Pack", by Tina Rosenburg at the New York Times. Rosenburg argues that the American people are not doing enough to discourage high school students from beginning a lifelong habit of smoking cigarettes. Rosenburg utilizes good persuasive techniques and uses imagery, details, and syntax, while effectively keeping the readers attention throughout her argument.
The strongest part of Rosenburgs argument stems from her generous use of detail. Her well researched argument is chock full of good examples and astonishing statistics. Much of her argument is based on the "cool factor," because she believes that "kids take up smoking to be cool, to impress their friends with their recklessness and defiance of adults." Rosenburg attributes much of the fault to advertising as well as smoking scenes in movies. She says, "Leonardo DiCaprio’s smoking in 'The Titanic' movie will kill far more people than the 1500 who died in the ship accident." She provides this opinion, then follows up with a real life example to prove her point. She further discuses something called the Truth Campaign, a campaign that "took the teenage desire for rebellion and turned it against the tobacco companies." She follows this up with the statistic that "when Florida started the Truth campaign, 27.4 percent of its high school students were smokers. Just two years later, that figure had fallen to 22.6 percent." These details are well thought out, aren't repetitive, and are effective in persuading the reader.
Rosenburg uses specific imagery to help explain her many alternative strategies to keeping kids away from smoking. She argues that by making "all cigarette packs look alike — a generic olive-green, with big health warnings and the brand name written in small, standardized lettering," teenagers will be less inclined to buy them, for it erases this so called cool factor of pulling a flashy pack out of your purse.
A question is not always an effective way to start out a piece of writing--even an editorial--but in this case, it's just right. Rosenburg asks the question, "Remember teenage smoking?" in this blunt, almost sarcastic kind of way. She goes on to compare our efforts to reduce teenage obesity that may be interfering with, in her opinion, an even more important issue: teenage smoking. Rosenburg keeps a casual conversation, continually asking the reader questions, and often answering them herself. She states, "Since 1997, we’ve learned a lot about how to prevent teenage smoking. The best strategy? Make smoking uncool." When compared with something like "the best strategy to prevent teenage smoking is to make smoking uncool," the difference is obvious. One is a casual, but strongly opinionated phrase, and the other is a boring sentence you're going to forget about by the time you're done reading the article, if you haven't gotten so bored that you've already stopped reading completely.
Rosenburg has created a fresh take on a old and increasingly popular opinion: the teenage smoking rate in this country. She uses all of that detail and imagery and structures the piece in a way that is beneficial to her argument and effective in her persuasion techniques.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Open Prompt # 1973
1973. An effective literary work does not merely stop or cease; it concludes. In the view of some critics, a work that does not provide the pleasure of significant closure has terminated with an artistic fault. A satisfactory ending is not, however, always conclusive in every sense; significant closure may require the reader to abide with or adjust to ambiguity and uncertainty. In an essay, discuss the ending of a novel or play of acknowledged literary merit. Explain precisely how and why the ending appropriately or inappropriately concludes the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.
The relationship between the opening and closing of Stienbecks, "Of Mice and Men" is one of the most symbolic and beautifully crafted parts of the book. The final scene brings the book full circle and appropriately leaves the reader with a sense of closure, and plenty of food for thought.
The novel opens up to a serene clearing in the woods as Stienbeck describes the scene in long graceful phrases that create a quiet peaceful tone for the reader, reminiscent of the very first page of the book. This last scene has the same setting as the first, but its mood is completely different. Instead of a a beautiful, innocent meadow, the setting is described with a much harsher tone. Lenny watches as "a motionless heron that stood in the shallows...lanced down and plucked it [a water snake] out by the head"(Stienbeck). We also see that a "a pleasant shade had fallen", unlike the water from before that had "slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight".
Lenny, an innocent man just short of being killed for his ignorance, watches that innocent snake get eaten by the heron. Both creatures of nature who for some reason got the short end of the stick when nature chose who will survive. Death comes quickly to both who are very unaware of their fate, even right up to the very end.
Just before Lenny's murder, George assures him that everything is fine, and forces himself to talk with his best friend one last time about their dream. This one last touch on the theme of everlasting friendship before a bitter ending wraps up the book into a heart wrenching but satisfying novel due to Steinbeck's beautiful description of nature and his ability to bring the book full circle.
The relationship between the opening and closing of Stienbecks, "Of Mice and Men" is one of the most symbolic and beautifully crafted parts of the book. The final scene brings the book full circle and appropriately leaves the reader with a sense of closure, and plenty of food for thought.
The novel opens up to a serene clearing in the woods as Stienbeck describes the scene in long graceful phrases that create a quiet peaceful tone for the reader, reminiscent of the very first page of the book. This last scene has the same setting as the first, but its mood is completely different. Instead of a a beautiful, innocent meadow, the setting is described with a much harsher tone. Lenny watches as "a motionless heron that stood in the shallows...lanced down and plucked it [a water snake] out by the head"(Stienbeck). We also see that a "a pleasant shade had fallen", unlike the water from before that had "slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight".
Lenny, an innocent man just short of being killed for his ignorance, watches that innocent snake get eaten by the heron. Both creatures of nature who for some reason got the short end of the stick when nature chose who will survive. Death comes quickly to both who are very unaware of their fate, even right up to the very end.
Just before Lenny's murder, George assures him that everything is fine, and forces himself to talk with his best friend one last time about their dream. This one last touch on the theme of everlasting friendship before a bitter ending wraps up the book into a heart wrenching but satisfying novel due to Steinbeck's beautiful description of nature and his ability to bring the book full circle.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Response to Course Material #2 10/7/12
We spent a lot of time on the literary periods which was a good refresher from last year. Mrs. Huntley was big on history and literary periods though, so some of it stuck with me. Although I don't relish a nice hour of note taking I do think it's kind of cool how literature changes between these periods. When we read books in class last year we always thought about how it related to it's literary period and I do that now whenever I read older books.
The was really glad we did the mythology and bible stories last week. I know very little about the bible and there is so much mythology that it gets confusing, so it was very helpful. The only thing I didn't like was all that note taking...it was so fast paced and looking back I think my time would have been better spent just listening and paying close attention. We were all so caught up in the note taking that we didn't have time to process the information. I don't think all those names in mythology were that important. Maybe I'm wrong but isn't the general story line the important part for literary allusions we will be looking for in the future?
I really liked The American Dream especially towards the end when I just wanted to know what was going to happen! It definitely made me (and the rest of the class) laugh at points which is so nice to see. It just sucks that this happens in AP lit when all of us already like reading! Maybe Lit Comp 9 should be reading some funny pieces like this! Aside from the humor, I was so glad we had a chance to read that handout written on it. They had so many interesting points and it really tied up the loose ends that were confusing me, and brought the whole play together. I liked what he said about it not being COMPLETELY absurd, but sort of in between. I'm not sure I would like one that makes absolutely no sense at all. There was definitely a lot to talk about with this play.
The was really glad we did the mythology and bible stories last week. I know very little about the bible and there is so much mythology that it gets confusing, so it was very helpful. The only thing I didn't like was all that note taking...it was so fast paced and looking back I think my time would have been better spent just listening and paying close attention. We were all so caught up in the note taking that we didn't have time to process the information. I don't think all those names in mythology were that important. Maybe I'm wrong but isn't the general story line the important part for literary allusions we will be looking for in the future?
I really liked The American Dream especially towards the end when I just wanted to know what was going to happen! It definitely made me (and the rest of the class) laugh at points which is so nice to see. It just sucks that this happens in AP lit when all of us already like reading! Maybe Lit Comp 9 should be reading some funny pieces like this! Aside from the humor, I was so glad we had a chance to read that handout written on it. They had so many interesting points and it really tied up the loose ends that were confusing me, and brought the whole play together. I liked what he said about it not being COMPLETELY absurd, but sort of in between. I'm not sure I would like one that makes absolutely no sense at all. There was definitely a lot to talk about with this play.
Monday, September 24, 2012
September 23, Close Reading Response #1
For my close reading, I read a piece entitled "Burt Reynolds Lives Like a Princess", by Lancio at The Onion. For those unfamiliar with The Onion, the paper is filled with satirical articles about entertainment, news, politics, etc. In this article, Lancio describes his experience of visiting Reynold's "ocean front mansion". By using an extended metaphor and effective imagery, Lancio succeeds in his purpose of the piece: to make the reader laugh.
Lancio begins with a simile right there in the title before the reader even begins the article. The figurative language in the article is carried throughout, creating the extended metaphor of Reynolds to a princes. He wraps up the conclusion with an allusion to the well known story "The Princess and the Pea". The figurative language is not only unexpected which creates more humor, but is exaggerated to the point of absurdity. For instance when Reynods allows Lancio "to kiss his hand before he sinks into slumber".
Consistent choice of effective diction creates phrases that flow well together and a great voice for the author. Lancio uses phrases like "bejeweled hand", "blooming roses", and "a cool garden breeze that caress my skin". This choice of diction creates a very elegant, almost pompous tone, which is very funny for the reader considering the circumstances.
Through Lancio's imagery, the reader is taken on a tour of Reynold's mansion right alongside him. We "sit in the shade of a spreading magnolia", and "sip peppermint tea, [as the] cool garden breezes caress [our] skin." This use of imagery appeals to the reader's senses and enhances the reading experience.
The literary techniques used in the article all contribute to Lancio's intended reaction of his audience. He effectively applies these techniques to bring out the humor and entertain the reader.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/burt-reynolds-lives-like-a-princess,11035/?ref=auto
Lancio begins with a simile right there in the title before the reader even begins the article. The figurative language in the article is carried throughout, creating the extended metaphor of Reynolds to a princes. He wraps up the conclusion with an allusion to the well known story "The Princess and the Pea". The figurative language is not only unexpected which creates more humor, but is exaggerated to the point of absurdity. For instance when Reynods allows Lancio "to kiss his hand before he sinks into slumber".
Consistent choice of effective diction creates phrases that flow well together and a great voice for the author. Lancio uses phrases like "bejeweled hand", "blooming roses", and "a cool garden breeze that caress my skin". This choice of diction creates a very elegant, almost pompous tone, which is very funny for the reader considering the circumstances.
Through Lancio's imagery, the reader is taken on a tour of Reynold's mansion right alongside him. We "sit in the shade of a spreading magnolia", and "sip peppermint tea, [as the] cool garden breezes caress [our] skin." This use of imagery appeals to the reader's senses and enhances the reading experience.
The literary techniques used in the article all contribute to Lancio's intended reaction of his audience. He effectively applies these techniques to bring out the humor and entertain the reader.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/burt-reynolds-lives-like-a-princess,11035/?ref=auto
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Open Prompt # 1984
1984.
Select a line or so of poetry, or a moment or scene in a novel, epic
poem, or play that you find especially memorable. Write an essay in
which you identify the line or the passage, explain its relationship
to the work in which it is found, and analyze the reasons for its
effectiveness.
In
the novel The
Bell Jar by
Sylvia Plath, the protagonist and narrator, Esther Greenwood, is a
young girl who travels to New York City after winning an assignment
on a fashion magazine. The story follows Esther as her life falls
apart and she is eventually institutionalized. One line from The
Bell Jar stands
out to the reader at the beginning of the novel:
"Look
what can happen in this country, they’d say. A girl lives in some
out-of-the-way town for nineteen years, so poor she can’t afford a
magazine, and then she gets a scholarship to college and wins a prize
here and a prize there and ends up steering New York like her own
private car. Only I wasn’t steering anything, not even myself. I
just bumped from my hotel to work and to parties and from parties to
my hotel and back to work like a numb trolleybus. I guess I should
have been excited the way most of the other girls were, but I
couldn’t get myself to react. I felt very still and very empty,
the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the
middle of the surrounding hullabaloo "(Plath
2). This thought from Esther tells the reader more about her
character than Plath could have told us from a simple description.
Plath
provides the metaphor of the eye of the tornado to explain Esther's
inability to connect with her new environment. She herself cannot
understand why she is unhappy, and why her dream is not what she had
expected it to be. The metaphor between Esther's emotional state and
the eye of a tornado is just the beginning of her loss of sanity.
Esther also compares herself to a numb trolleybus as she goes through
the motions of her day. This passage is a signal to a reader that
something isn't write with Esther, and by using figurative language,
Plath makes a comparison that is clear and easily understood.
The
choice of diction in the passage is also significant to its
effectiveness. "still, empty, and dully" all effect this
somber, gloomy tone Plath is beginning to develop. Esther comes off as
helpless and even confused as to her own feelings. This feeling of numbness is the first stage of the madness she is eventually driven to.
Plath's
use of figurative language and diction make this a significant,
effective, and memorable moment in the novel for the reader.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Response to Course Material
Due to the summer reading for this course, a voice that I imagine to be Thomas Foster, is now stuck in my head. I'll be reading a book outside of class, currently The Time Traveler's Wife, and Foster's voice will start asking me questions like "Wait...wait, back up, IS THAT A SYMBOL??" Then my eyes continue over the page, not really reading because I'm thinking about whether or not Henry's extremely disorganized apartment is a symbol. Even when I'm watching TV, Foster's points start popping into my head. I'm on season three of the TV Show Breaking Bad, and I just now realized how incredibly important it is that the show takes place in the desert! Then I was thinking about what Foster said about death and how death and violence almost always mean something in literature, and when Jessie Pingman's girlfriend (From Breaking Bad) dies, it's more than a plot twist, it actually MEANS SOMETHING. I mean, obviously it was significant, but it really got me thinking about how the death used the showing not telling method that we've been learning since what, 1st grade? It showed how malleable Jessie's character is; he's angry and defensive on the outside, but he's also gullible and confused, and has finally lost the last of anything he cared about. The death was also a turning point for him because he finally gave up his meth use. I was so surprised with how much a liked the book, and I really think Foster's views on reading literature are going to stick with me for a long time.
Okay, as for the terms, it both surprises and sort of fascinates me that there are that many words used to describe the most specific of things in literature. And I'm assuming this is only a chunk of them. But the fact that you can apply these terms to hundreds of places in just one book is actually kinda cool. It also made me think about how many of these terms I've used in the past and just not known the name for them! Although the terms test was hard, I was comforted in knowing that many of my classmates had trouble on it, and I feel like with a little more practice I will be able to apply the definitions I've memorized more easily into our future course material.
Okay, as for the terms, it both surprises and sort of fascinates me that there are that many words used to describe the most specific of things in literature. And I'm assuming this is only a chunk of them. But the fact that you can apply these terms to hundreds of places in just one book is actually kinda cool. It also made me think about how many of these terms I've used in the past and just not known the name for them! Although the terms test was hard, I was comforted in knowing that many of my classmates had trouble on it, and I feel like with a little more practice I will be able to apply the definitions I've memorized more easily into our future course material.
Monday, September 3, 2012
"Me Talk Pretty One Day" Analysis
In the excerpt "Me Talk Pretty One Day", the author, David Sedaris, describes his experience of learning French in a foreign country. His writing is funny, casual, and effective in connecting with the reader. By following many of the strategies laid out in The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing, by Michael Harvey, Sedaris turns this experience into an entertaining and effective piece of writing.
Sedaris creates this casual easy-to-read feeling by avoiding what Harvey would call a "pompous style in action: big words, self important phrasing, a flat tone, long globs of prepositional phrases"(1). When reading the excerpt, I could almost picture Sedaris with a microphone on a stage telling his story like a comedian. Not only is he casual, but he is concise. Sedaris writes passages like "I’ve moved to Paris with hopes of learning the language. " He does not embellish or attempt to dress up the sentence with adjectives and adverbs. This keeps the readers attention rather than lulling them to sleep (Harvey 3). This technique of being concise leads to clarity, so the reader can actually understand what he's talking about. Although concision is only a part of clear writing, Sedaris also makes sure that he gets each point he's trying to make across to the reader, even if that means adding length instead of reducing it. For instance, when describing his teacher, she is not simply a "bad teacher" but a teacher that "hadn’t yet punched anyone, but it seemed wise to protect ourselves against the inevitable"(Sedaris 13).
According to Harvey, "good essays unfold like stories"(23). To do this, authors must use consistent characters to keep the text flowing and to avoid choppy sentences. For instance, Sedaris writes, "I’ve moved to Paris with hopes of learning the language. My school is an easy ten-minute walk from my apartment, and on the first day of class I arrived early, watching as the returning students greeted one another in the school lobby"(11). He focuses on himself, then brings in the other students towards the end of the passage. This "control[s] how your reader moves from one character to the next"(Harvey 23).
To build a nicely structured piece of writing, Harvey suggests using opening sentences to prepare the reader for what is going to be discussed in that paragraph (71). For the most part, Sedaris sticks to this strategy and it seems to effectively keep his topics flowing between paragraphs. In the third paragraph, Sedaris begins with "The first day of class was nerve-racking because I knew I’d be expected to perform". Although It's simple and straightforward, it's also very effective in connecting topics. Sedaris had just finished giving us background information on his class, and in the following paragraph, goes on to talk about his first day. The reader knows what to expect and can more easily understand the content while the text continues to flow smoothly.
In most cases, Sedaris utilizes the strategies found in The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing. Although there are a few things he does differently, such as not always avoiding the passive voice (Harvey 17), or making sentences as concise as they could be (Harvey 8), I don't think changing any of these things would make it a better piece of writing. Sedaris uses Harvey's techniques in a way that are effective for his own style of writing.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Poetry Study Goals
Goals:
1. Recognize the setting of the poem
2. Identify the speaker of the poem
3. Learn more about different kinds of poetry
4. Be able to interpret literary devices
5. Have some understanding of poem before continuing
While reading the Poem "The First Snowfall", the setting was very significant and helped in understanding the overall tone and feel of the piece. Identifying the speaker of the poem also stood out to me as being very important. For instance, after reading "Sonnet 55" I had to stop and question who the actual speaker of the poem was. This is definitely an important piece in understanding it but to me at least, it isn't always obvious. It also became clear to me while reading that I don't really know the different kinds of poetry anymore, and it would be helpful to study those. I would also like to be able to understand various literary devices. I know what what the devices are, but I sometimes have trouble understanding them in poems. Lastly, I would like to be able to have some understanding of the poem before I continue to read so I don't end up answering questions before I truly grasp the meaning of the poem.
1. Recognize the setting of the poem
2. Identify the speaker of the poem
3. Learn more about different kinds of poetry
4. Be able to interpret literary devices
5. Have some understanding of poem before continuing
While reading the Poem "The First Snowfall", the setting was very significant and helped in understanding the overall tone and feel of the piece. Identifying the speaker of the poem also stood out to me as being very important. For instance, after reading "Sonnet 55" I had to stop and question who the actual speaker of the poem was. This is definitely an important piece in understanding it but to me at least, it isn't always obvious. It also became clear to me while reading that I don't really know the different kinds of poetry anymore, and it would be helpful to study those. I would also like to be able to understand various literary devices. I know what what the devices are, but I sometimes have trouble understanding them in poems. Lastly, I would like to be able to have some understanding of the poem before I continue to read so I don't end up answering questions before I truly grasp the meaning of the poem.
Diagnostic Test Reflection
This test definitely made me realize a few things. For one, I need to work on my literary devices and brush up on the different forms of poetry. I remember some from Creative Writing last year, but clearly they didn't quite stick. I also need to be more aware of the writers tone and voice to avoid wasting time on a timed test going back and forth between the text and the questions. It often helps me to skim the questions before reading. Overall I didn't do to poorly, but also not as well as I would have hoped.
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