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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in
DownWithBarbie's Blurty:
| Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 | |
| 2:54 pm | Henderson, Open Letter Part I The third piece for you to consider is a letter by Bobby Henderson, “Open Letter to Kansas School Board.” Go to http://www.venganza.org/about/open-letter to read it. Complete a Rhetorical Square for this piece. Hint: You should see that there are TWO answers to each of the four RS categories, one superficial and one underlying Bring to class Friday Part II – Swift, Larson, Henderson Compare and contrast the central rhetorical strategies used by Swift, Larson, and Henderson to achieve their purposes. Compose your analysis in paragraph form. While not a formal essay, attention to organization, development, and focus will work in your favor. In your analysis, be sure you are identifying and evaluating specific devices and techniques that have a rhetorical effect. Properly quote and cite all examples you incorporate into your writing. In addition, evaluate the relative effectiveness of each piece. Do not post your analysis here. Bring your paper to class Friday. |
| Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 | |
| 7:25 am | Larson, "A natural selection: intelligent design" Carefully read “A natural selection: intelligent design” by Edward Larson, an op-ed piece written in response to the actions of some school boards around the country to alter local or state science curricula. Note: If you are unfamiliar with Intelligent Design (ID) as a topic, you may need to inform yourself a bit to understand the issues involved. See, for example, the introduction to the rather long Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design for a summary. Consider *how* Larson makes his argument, and answer the following questions. Use your own paper & bring to class tomorrow. 1. What is the issue? 2. What is Larson's position? 3. What underlying assumptions does he make? 4. What assertions most strongly make his case? Which assertions are problematic? Why? 5. How does he refute the positions of those who take an opposing view? 6. Does he make any concessions? Where? 7. Which appeals come through most strongly in his writing? Do not post your responses here. However, you may post questions about the assignment or about the op-ed piece itself. |
| Sunday, December 6th, 2009 | |
| 12:35 pm | JFK, "Ich bin ein Berliner" Read the speech & number the paragraphs (you should have 15). Annotate the speech, looking for the following devices: • Connotation • Allusion • Parallelism • Metaphor • Rhetorical question Identify the key structural aspects of the speech: • Central claim • Supporting reasons • Concession • Refutation Finally, note the integration of appeals: • Logical • Emotional • Ethical Bring your annotated speech to class Tuesday. |
| Friday, December 4th, 2009 | |
| 8:10 am | Swift, A Modest Proposal First read Jonathan Swift’s essay “A Modest Proposal” in Prose Models, pp. 450-9. (You may also read it online at http://www.online-literature.com/swift/947 if you wish.) 1. Briefly comment on the subtitle of the essay (which begins "For Preventing the Children"). 2. What persona does Swift set up in the opening paragraphs? Explain your thinking. 3. Swift takes several paragraphs before he unambiguously lays out what he has in mind. Analyze how Swift leads up to his main proposal. Notice, too, that he tricks his readers in the third paragraph. Do you see how and why? Explain! 4. Comment on Swift’s actual proposal itself. Why would he suggest such a thing? 5. After he makes his proposal clear, how does he argue for it? Analyze how he structures his argument. 6. Analyze the tone of the essay. Give reasons and evidence to back up your assertions. 7. Swift’s language sounds old-fashioned to a modern ear. Nevertheless, you should, after a careful reading, be able to discern what makes his diction remarkable. Find one word that has a particularly powerful connotative force and explain what associations the word suggests. (Cite the paragraph in which the word occurs.) Explain how the connotations contribute to the tone of the essay. Note: If the word you want to write about has already been posted, choose another word! 8. What other rhetorical strategies does Swift use in his argument? Find something noteworthy to write about! Do not simply repeat what someone posting before you has written! Post by Monday midnight. |
| 7:59 am | Stunning Sentences, Ch. 5-6 If you did not do very well on today's quiz, reread these chapters & note especially the following: Ch. 5 is important to see how writers properly integrate quotations. Look at all the examples closely; how many of the effective ways to make another person's words a part of your own sentence did you already know about? • Contrast the two types: Direct and Indirect. • Opening With a Quotation: A standard opening strategy. • Showing Omission: Know how to use … (compare with the dash in the first example). Additional note: If a quotation is properly integrated into your sentence, ellipses is generally not necessary at the very beginning or end of the quotation. Ch. 6 is important to understand an author's style and tone. You need to recognize what authors are doing when they use this technique, even if you have little opportunity to use it yourself. (It includes parenthetical statements, such as this one; you should already be familiar with this device from reading drama, when a character speaks in an aside to the audience.) • Comments: Pay close attention to what Ross-Larson says about "reveal[ing] more of [the author's] view" (49)--this is the key point to keep in mind! Notice the various ways that comments can be effectively integrated into sentences. • Questions: Used in jounalistic writing and longer works. Should be avoided in a formal interpretive essay, unless a more conversational tone is called for. • Questions Answered: Another stylistic device that is best left for expository and persuasive writing, not interpretive. • Parenthetical Asides: Notice how the parentetical statements in the examples are not integrated into the sentences syntactically, but are separate from it, creating an interrupted sentence. • Slipped-in modifiers: Notice the sarcasm created through the use of this device! It's quite useful in argumentative writing. • Contractions: It's important to be consciously aware of this common device so you can tell when an author is manipulating it. Again, though, it's best avoided in your own writing unless you want an "air of informality" (53). |
| Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 | |
| 8:18 pm | Stunning Sentences, Ch. 1-4 Start with the introduction, "Approach to Semantics" (17-20), of course! There are four important pieces of advice to get from this section. (What are they?) Ch. 1 "Common Forms" (21-25) This chapter presents Ross-Larson's alternative to traditional sentence structure. Note that he advocates two, somewhat conflicting, principles: Don't clutter your sentences needlessly—"Keep them clean" (21); and basic sentences often need to be made more complex—"embellished," "complicated," "conditioned," or "multiplied." (Well, writing is never easy, is it?) Take notes on the specific types of sentences he describes. Ch.2 "Ocassional Short Forms" (26-29) Variety, variety, variety—you want to mix it up when you write! (But don't go overboard.) Take notes on the ways fragments can be effectively used. Ch. 3 "Dramatic Flourishes" (30-39) By "flourish" Ross-Larson means a creative, novel feature—something unusual. Take notes on the various types he discusses. BTW, do you know the difference between these three punctuation marks: hyphen, en-dash, em-dash? It's the last one that is meant here. The em-dash is the longest one (good for visually separating); do not mistakenly use a hyphen. Notice in American English that no space precedes or follows the dash. Ask if you are confused about these confusing punctuation marks or can't find the dash on your keyboard! Ch. 4 "Elegant Repetitions" (40-44) Up until this point, Ross-Larson has pretty much been talking about making writing stand out by being different. That is, through variety. In this chapter, he considers harmony—repeating elements for pleasing effect. To a large extent, of course, what he's talking about here is parallelism. Pay close attention to (& take notes on) the ways one can "repeat." Note especially the key words: "order" and "balance." |
| 7:51 pm | Logical Reasoning There are a few sections in Prose Models having to do with logical reasoning that you should read. As you read, take brief notes, and write out questions you have about each section. (You should have 2-3 questions per section; more is better.) Read in this order: (a) "Inductive Reasoning" (257ff) (b) "Analogy" (283) + Atkinson (284ff) -- be sure you understand the analogy (c) "Cause and Effect" (296) (d) "Deductive Reasoning" (316ff) (e) "Controversy" (350ff) |
| Friday, November 20th, 2009 | |
| 6:39 am | Sy Safransky, “Their Turn,” The Sun (1994) Following the 1994 national midterm election, the editor of The Sun, an independent, nonprofit journal, wrote about the election results and the effects he felt they would have on the country. (1) Read Safransky’s essay carefully and note his use of language. Look up words you do not know and briefly research allusions that you do not understand. Take time to comprehend all of the essay’s literal meaning before you analyze and respond. (2) Complete a SOAPSTone analysis (short version) as a check of your understanding of the text. Keep in mind that there may be both a superficial and an underlying (implied) answer to one or more of the SOAPSTone categories. (3) Write a formal analytical essay in which you examine the central metaphor of Safransky’s essay, characterize his view of his subject, and explain how he conveys this view through aspects of diction, imagery, choice of detail, figurative language, syntax, and tone. Your paper should be typed (double-spaced, normal 12-pt. font, one-inch margins all around). Use MLA form with proper headings (see your Writers INC handbook, 275-84 and 259-74) and the one-page formatting handout. No title (cover) page or essay outline is necessary. NOTE: The sample research paper (277-83) has subheadings and the thesis highlighted. Your shorter paper does NOT need subheadings, and you should NOT highlight your thesis. Due Tuesday in class (to be collected in G-3). Do not post your SOAPSTone analysis or paper here! Questions about the these instructions are, however, welcome as comments to this post. |
| Saturday, November 14th, 2009 | |
| 6:05 am | Syntax Review (Grammar I) Your task is to review and learn the terms on the front side of the "Syntax & Sentence Structure" handout by reading and studying the following sections in the Writers INC handbook. Depending on your prior level of understanding, you may have to spend a substantial amount of time reviewing and studying. It is recommended that you make your own flash cards as necessary! I. Sections to Read & Understand • Parts of speech (501-17) • Sentence (518) • Subject (518-19) • Predicate (519) • Phrase (520-21) • Clause (521) • "Kinds of Sentences" [Purpose/Form] (522) • "Types of Sentences" [Complexity] (522-23) • "Arrangement of a Sentence" [Pattern] (523) Note: Grammatical voice (active/passive) on the handout is covered under "Voice of a Verb" (510). It is also recommended that you read "Agreement of Subject and Verb" (526-28). As with other terminology, there are a variety of ways to talk about syntax. Not all terms on the handout match the terms in the handbook exactly. If you are confused or uncertain, ask questions! (You may post any question about syntax here.) II. Sentences to Analyze (1) Barbie was born in 1959, which is commonly known, but neither her fans nor her detractors generally realize that Barbie was originally two dolls, one blond and another brunette. (2) In addition to a pilot’s license, a medical degree, and a teacher’s certificate, Barbie has had over forty pets, a wide range of vehicles, and a multitude of outfits. (3) In February 2004, it was reported around the world that Barbie and Ken decided to end their relationship and go their separate ways, but in February 2006 the world learned that they were happily back together again. (4) In one of her more controversial early guises, Slumber Party Barbie advised “Don’t eat” in a book which was entitled How to Lose Weight. (5) Why do you think that Barbie has been portrayed in numerous parodies, condemned by Feminists, and completely banned in Saudi Arabia? For EACH of the five sentences, you will need to identify ALL of the following: (A) independent clause(s) & dependent clause(s), (B) clause subject(s) & clause main verb(s) for all clauses, (C) grammatical voice of all main verb(s), (D) sentence complexity, (E) sentence purpose/form, and (F) parallel elements, both simple & complex. To begin, type (or cut & paste) the sentences, formatting each sentence to show clause structure and parallelism. Print out double or triple spaced to allow ample room for annotating the requested syntactic features. Neatly handwritten papers are permitted, but skip two lines when writing out each sentence. Due at the beginning of class Wednesday. Post only questions, not analysis, here. |
| Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 | |
| 3:31 pm | Syntax Review (Parallelism I) Analyze the following sentences. In your analysis, you must clearly identify: (a) Clause structure & type (Where are the clauses? Which are independent? Which dependent?) (b) Subject & verb (Where is the grammatical subject and verb in each clause, whether independent or dependent?) (c) Parallelism, both simple and complex (Where is there parallel structure?) You may find it easiest to type out the sentences (or cut & paste), so that you can format them to show the clause structure and parallelism more clearly. Hand annotations are acceptable. (1) Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. (Frederick Douglass, 1852) (2) No one need wonder at the disorganization, at the fragmentary condition of everything, when we remember that man, who represents but half a complete being, with but half an idea on every subject, has undertaken the absolute control of all sublunary matters. (Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 1868) (3) And should we defeat every enemy, and should we double our wealth and conquer the stars, and still be unequal to this issue, then we will have failed as a people and as a nation. (President Johnson, 1965) Do not post your analysis here. Instead, bring your work to class on Friday. Questions about the assignment, however, may be posted. |
| Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 | |
| 10:05 am | O'Brien You have the first seven pages of O’Brien’s work. (The text begins "First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried…") First complete a SOAPSTone (short version) for this text as part of your personal annotation. (No need to post or write on a separate sheet.) Next, focus on denotation and connotation. There is an obvious need to consider the key word carry. How many ways does O’Brien use this word? What effect does the varying use of this word have on purpose and tone? What denotations of carry are missing in this selection? (That is, imagine what other meanings O’Brien might have made use of in pages 8-26 of his work.) Also consider other words, or other aspects of diction, which seem to play an important role in the passage. Post your thoughts and analysis. Third, comment on the style level of the language. In other words, using the appropriate terminology from you diction terms sheet in the “Language Style and Usage Level” section, describe the language of the passage. Finally, focus on the tone. Your first impression may be to think of the tone as “informative” or “objective.” While O’Brien’s detailed descriptions make this feeling understandable, there is a subtle, yet discernible, nonobjective component to the tone. What is it? (Keep in mind that tone describes the speaker's attitude towards his SUBJECT!) Post you comment by Monday midnight. |
| 9:58 am | "4" Directions: Read the text aloud, periodically stopping to annotate in the usual way. I. After puzzling through the text, see how far you can get with a basic SOAPSTone analysis. (Use text-internal clues only Do not rely on outside research for your analysis.) Post your thoughts. II. Comment separately on the linguistic register of the text. Make specific reference to the diction terms. III. End your post with at least one question about the text. Then try to answer at least one question that someone else has posted. Post by Monday midnight. |
| 9:57 am | Register Variation (Usage Level & Style) Read the sentences below. Each basically contains the same message but expresses this message using different words. The difference is one of language usage and style (= linguistic register). 1. Formal Standard “Never did she lend thee aid and succor in thy distress.” (archaic/Biblical) “She did not assist you in your moment of greatest need.” (most fomal) “She did not support you when you most needed assistance.” (less formal) 2. Informal Standard “She didn’t help you out when you needed it the most.” (uses contraction) “It was a matter of life or death and she didn’t help.” (uses cliché) 3. Colloquial Nonstandard “She wasn’t there for you and you really, really needed it.” 4. Vernacular Nonstandard “Ain’t nobody seen her helpin’ ya’ and you’s need some powerful help.” Directions: Think of a message that can be expressed in a sentence. Then write at least 4 sentences in 4 different registers (labeled as above) that express this message. (If you can, make finer distinctions among the four basic registers by labeling your examples.) Then write a paragraph justifying your choices (that is, explain the thinking behind your examples). Post your sentences and justification by Monday midnight |
| Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 | |
| 9:26 am | Text A This passage, a translation from Latin, is difficult to read for two reasons: (a) it is written in Early Modern English (16th century), and (b) essential context is missing. Nevertheless, you should be able to ascertain the basic meaning through careful reading. Your task here is to choose ONE of the standard SOAPSTone categories and venture an analysis. Avoid simply repeating what someone before you has said; instead, amplify previous comments with a comment of your own. Also, avoid the temptation to research the source of the text. Try to get as much out of the text as you can on your own! When a SOAPSTone category (the word below) has been crossed out, regard it as exhausted. Please choose a different one on which to post! Occasion Subject Tone Post by Tuesday midnight |
| 9:19 am | Theroux, "Blue" What you have in your hands to read are the first 8 pages of a 67 page essay by Alexander Theroux on the color "blue" from his book The Primary Colors. Bet you never in your wildest dreams imagined that there was so much to say about a single word! As you read the excerpt, pause every now and then and take note of all sources of Theroux's information, especially the different fields of study (e.g. pharmacology) which have informed his work. (1) Post one example of "blue" that surprises you. Quote the sentence in which the example occurs, and explain what you find surprising about it. (2) What is the tone of the essay? Post the "what," "why," and "where" of the tone. That is, state the tone(s) you find and explain why you believe you are right, giving evidence from the text. Post by midnight Tuesday. |
| Friday, October 30th, 2009 | |
| 10:07 am | Brown, "To the Victor Belongs the Language" The author gives us (in essay form) a detailed history of the word "revolution," beginning with its entry into English in the 14th century with the meaning "turning around," referring to planets and other celestial bodies. (Here's where the OED comes into play: it has a very nice early quotation from Chaucer to illustrate the original denotation: "The day natural, that is to seyn 24 houris, is a reuolucioun of the equinoxial" [1391].) Brown then contrasts the use of this word with the use of a related word, "rebellion." They are similar in meaning, but strongly differ in connotative force. Think about these two words--as well as other synonyms you know or can turn up. (How many can you find?) How are these words used today? In what contexts are you likely to find them used? What connotations and associations come to mind? (You might refer to recent LA history!) Address the above questions and post brief observations on the article here; no CRQs necessary. Post your critical commentary by Monday midnight. |
| 10:06 am | Naylor, "A Word's Meaning" I. One of the things the author provides is a definition of "the N-word" for her audience. What reactions do you have to Naylor's views on this word? Choose a statement that Naylor makes that you find remarkable. Copy the statement and explain your surprise/delight/wonder/amazement. If the statement you want to post is already posted, write a comment to the original post instead of posting anew. II. You will be interested to know that in 2002 a Harvard Law School professor, Randall Kennedy (who is an African American), wrote a book about the N-word. The book stirred up quite a bit of controversy at the time. There is a detailed interview with him at Booknotes: http://www.booknotes.org/Transcript/?ProgramID=1665 In the interview (about a quarter of the way down), he relates some of his own personal experiences with the N-word. Read some of what he has to say and compare what he thinks with what Naylor writes. Post by Monday midnight. |
| Friday, October 16th, 2009 | |
| 11:49 am | Synecdoche, NY  Wow. Fascinating film. And since you've all seen BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, ADAPTATION and ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, you can appreciate what an enthralling genius Charlie Kaufman is. SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK is his first work as a director.Like his other films, Kaufman is focused on our life and how we experience it. How each of us is our own universe and sometimes the futility of understanding or connecting to another "universe" in the guise of a person. We are all the "stars" of our own drama and EVERYONE ELSE...your parents, your spouse, your children, your friends....are just EXTRAS in this crazy, extraordinary play that our brain (whose the "director" anyway?) is observing. Ultimately don't we all live in a state of incredible denial? Religion or no, we all know deep down that we will cease to exist at least on this plane of existence. But we go about our lives not thinking about it, keeping ourselves distracted with jobs, televisions, sex, iPods, fancy cars, and various "hobbies". Take a look at the final speech the minister gives at the funeral: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9PzSNy3xj0 "Now, it is waiting, and nobody cares. And when your wait is over, this room will still exist, and it will continue to hold shoes, and dresses, and boxes. And maybe someday, another waiting person. And maybe not. The room doesn't care either. Walk... What was once before you, an exciting mysterious future is now behind you; lived, understood, disappointing. You realize you are not special. You have struggled into existence, and are now slipping silently out of it. This is everyone's experience, every single one--the specifics hardly matter. Everyone is everyone. You were Adele, Hazel, Claire, Olive... you were Ellen; all her meagre sadnesses are yours. All her gloominess. The gray, straw-like hair. Her red raw hands. It's yours. It's time for you to understand this." ![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__ECMaMvhL2E/STCJHOAfzxI/AAAAAAAADQk/JyRCsrQ6VnM/s400/synecdochepostertop.jpg") So now that you know that a SYNECDOCHE is a figure of speech that means something that comes to represent a smaller part of a whole. It is the thing and vice versa. So many warehouses representing warehouses which represent what?????Okay. So much to say. So many memorable scenes. So many moments to ponder...Now write your thoughts about the movie! P.S. Spike Jonze who directed BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and ADAPTATION said he read the children's book WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE every single night to understand what kind of story he wanted to depict in those Charlie Kaufman-scripted films. His movie of that book comes out today. |
| Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 | |
| 3:38 pm | Syntax Review II Optional: Redo your analysis of sentences 3-5 from the previous post. (Be sure to attach your original assignment.) Post any syntax questions here. |
| Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 | |
| 11:18 am | SOAPSTone Assignments for Text C If you had Speaker for Text B, do Occasion for Text C. If you had Occasion, do Audience. And so on. If you had Tone, do Speaker. |