Hello again! :)
Let me start with Ceremony. Can you say confusing? When I first finished the novel, I had no idea what had just happened. So, as always, I'm ecstatic to be going over all of this in class.
All the background insight into the Natives has really helped me understand the book. The articles we read for homework/the forums were pretty useful. I did not understand one of them (I think it was the PoCo one?) but the other was comprehensible. Its always fascinating to see what values to a culture manifest its self in other places. Yes, I am a huge history nerd, but I think it would be really cool to to read more of the Native legends and other stories that they have.
I'm starting to be able to piece together more and more of the novels with less help from my lovely classmates. Its something that I didn't know if I would ever be able to do and am therefore pretty happy about. But, there is still SO much more progress needed to be made before May. 5 months to go!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Close Reading December
The Pentagon is famous for two things, being the site where our national security is planned and executed, and having an excessive budget. According to the author, the Pentagon needs to reduce its budget to be affordable. The author uses details to emphasize his point.
Thinking of having a billion dollars, let alone spending a billion dollars, is slightly mind boggling. the author points out that last year's budget was "$530 billion" from their "basic budget" which does not include the costs for our current entanglements in the Middle East. Calling on the absurdity in needing more money, the author goes through a list of things that the Pentagon could cut. This use of detail generates anger at how our tax dollars are being spent. Instead of buying a purse to get the job done, the Pentagon is buying a Coach Purse and the bill is the proof. After it is all said and done, according to the author we could save $38 billion a year by cutting "unnecessary projects" with "all the bells and whistles". In addition another $600 billion could be saved if we cut back on nuclear-related programs
All in all, this editorial bashed the bloated budget of the Pentagon using details. The details amplified his point by adding a sense of astonishment at how out of control the Pentagon budget has become and that we should encourage their budget being cut.
Thinking of having a billion dollars, let alone spending a billion dollars, is slightly mind boggling. the author points out that last year's budget was "$530 billion" from their "basic budget" which does not include the costs for our current entanglements in the Middle East. Calling on the absurdity in needing more money, the author goes through a list of things that the Pentagon could cut. This use of detail generates anger at how our tax dollars are being spent. Instead of buying a purse to get the job done, the Pentagon is buying a Coach Purse and the bill is the proof. After it is all said and done, according to the author we could save $38 billion a year by cutting "unnecessary projects" with "all the bells and whistles". In addition another $600 billion could be saved if we cut back on nuclear-related programs
All in all, this editorial bashed the bloated budget of the Pentagon using details. The details amplified his point by adding a sense of astonishment at how out of control the Pentagon budget has become and that we should encourage their budget being cut.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
December Open Prompt 1
1976. The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays. Select the work of an essayist who is in opposition to his or her society; or from a work of recognized literary merit, select a fictional character who is in opposition to his or her society. In a critical essay, analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications for both the individual and the society. Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.
Conflict can arise out of almost any situation. Sometimes an individual opposes its society. In the play The American Dream, Albee wrote Grandma to be in opposition with the rest of society, or Mommy and Daddy, who represent the rest of society. Albee’s use of conflict through differing viewpoints can be shown through his diction and details.
Albee uses his dysfunctional family as a simplified cross section of America. Grandma represents the old American Dream, where rights, freedoms, values and the individual were valued. Albee makes his intent known through his choice in diction. Words like “Pioneer” and “fur-trading” are often attributed to Grandma throughout the text. Albee also uses details such as Grandma’s cook off winnings and her age to point us towards the conclusion that she is the old American Dream. Mommy and Daddy represent the new American Dream, filled with consumerism and a growing movement of uniform among communities and their people. Albee uses syntax in his repetitive phrases involving a lack of satisfaction. His details help explain that this lack of satisfaction is trying to be fulfilled by consumerism of a hat or son.
The main problem of the play arises as Grandma, the old American Dream, opposes the majority of the society of Mommy and Daddy or the new American Dream. Grandma, in her opposition, gets threatened with the van man to come take her away. Grandma wants them to get back to the old ways of values and an emphasis on the individual. America has strayed from that, as Albee’s play points out, and Grandma as a result comes to realize this. As she prepares to leave and step down for the new American Dream, she still holds hope for America to return to its old ways.
Mommy and Daddy as society don’t like to be reminded of the olden days when they didn’t get their kicks from consumerism. They don’t want to have Grandma around to remind them how shallow their lives and those of society have become in the wake of the Industrial Revolution. When Grandma leaves the house, and society, Mommy breaks down. She panics and wants the old American Dream back with its values until, that is, she meets the Young Man. Mommy and Daddy value the shiny new Young Man who is there to replace their dead, mangled son. He is a filler, a sense of false satisfaction generated out of the consumerism in buying your own child. The impact on society is that they become so absorbed into their new American Dream that they will not ever be truly happy for long periods of time.
Albee used Mommy and Daddy to act as a society and the new American Dream while he used Grandma as the individualistic old American Dream. His use of diction and details helped support his underlying meaning.
Conflict can arise out of almost any situation. Sometimes an individual opposes its society. In the play The American Dream, Albee wrote Grandma to be in opposition with the rest of society, or Mommy and Daddy, who represent the rest of society. Albee’s use of conflict through differing viewpoints can be shown through his diction and details.
Albee uses his dysfunctional family as a simplified cross section of America. Grandma represents the old American Dream, where rights, freedoms, values and the individual were valued. Albee makes his intent known through his choice in diction. Words like “Pioneer” and “fur-trading” are often attributed to Grandma throughout the text. Albee also uses details such as Grandma’s cook off winnings and her age to point us towards the conclusion that she is the old American Dream. Mommy and Daddy represent the new American Dream, filled with consumerism and a growing movement of uniform among communities and their people. Albee uses syntax in his repetitive phrases involving a lack of satisfaction. His details help explain that this lack of satisfaction is trying to be fulfilled by consumerism of a hat or son.
The main problem of the play arises as Grandma, the old American Dream, opposes the majority of the society of Mommy and Daddy or the new American Dream. Grandma, in her opposition, gets threatened with the van man to come take her away. Grandma wants them to get back to the old ways of values and an emphasis on the individual. America has strayed from that, as Albee’s play points out, and Grandma as a result comes to realize this. As she prepares to leave and step down for the new American Dream, she still holds hope for America to return to its old ways.
Mommy and Daddy as society don’t like to be reminded of the olden days when they didn’t get their kicks from consumerism. They don’t want to have Grandma around to remind them how shallow their lives and those of society have become in the wake of the Industrial Revolution. When Grandma leaves the house, and society, Mommy breaks down. She panics and wants the old American Dream back with its values until, that is, she meets the Young Man. Mommy and Daddy value the shiny new Young Man who is there to replace their dead, mangled son. He is a filler, a sense of false satisfaction generated out of the consumerism in buying your own child. The impact on society is that they become so absorbed into their new American Dream that they will not ever be truly happy for long periods of time.
Albee used Mommy and Daddy to act as a society and the new American Dream while he used Grandma as the individualistic old American Dream. His use of diction and details helped support his underlying meaning.
Monday, November 28, 2011
November Close Reading
Still Fighting AIDS
AIDS is a serious epidemic that still affects million and millions of people. Recently, AIDS has lost the spotlight and funds. The author uses details and language to support his message of not forgetting the AIDS fight.
The author uses details about AIDS to help prove that stopping funds will only increase the epidemic. With funds, and the medicine bought with the money, AIDS is now at a 96% non transmitting rate. (Hope that makes sense?) The author also warned about how many more people could become infected if the funds are allowed to fall any lower then they already have. According to the article we are at a 5 year low in AIDS funding.
The author uses language, specifically juxtaposition, to support his message. By putting the benefits of the life saving funds and how they have poured in for the last 10 years to the tragedies that could occur if the funds cease. His use of language here really creates a feeling of need to send money to help the AIDS epidemics.
AIDS is a serious epidemic that still affects million and millions of people. Recently, AIDS has lost the spotlight and funds. The author uses details and language to support his message of not forgetting the AIDS fight.
The author uses details about AIDS to help prove that stopping funds will only increase the epidemic. With funds, and the medicine bought with the money, AIDS is now at a 96% non transmitting rate. (Hope that makes sense?) The author also warned about how many more people could become infected if the funds are allowed to fall any lower then they already have. According to the article we are at a 5 year low in AIDS funding.
The author uses language, specifically juxtaposition, to support his message. By putting the benefits of the life saving funds and how they have poured in for the last 10 years to the tragedies that could occur if the funds cease. His use of language here really creates a feeling of need to send money to help the AIDS epidemics.
November Response to Course Material
I think we finished Death of a Salesman up? Is that where we left off? (Rhetorical Question) Its where I'm starting. My final impressions of the novel aren't as defined as from The American Dream. My ideas and general feeling of understanding is pretty crappy to be honest. I get it, but I still feel like its just out of reach. Its kind of like fog, you see it and you think you understand what you're talking about but as soon as you try to grasp it or get a closer look it just isn't there. Frustrating really. I hope we get to revisit this text and discuss it more.
Ceremony. I would describe this novel as cerebral diarrhea... It was all over the place! I understand that its a different kind of story telling, but it confused me at first. So today as Mrs H was informing us of connections and what-not I thought it seemed logical. I will always wonder how much of it is conscious decisions, subconscious decisions or just plain coincidence. It seems to me that so far Silko is creating som kind of commentary on Native Americans (duh) and how they view themselves as a stagnant culture and that they should be more flexible? I don't know. We shall see!
Ceremony. I would describe this novel as cerebral diarrhea... It was all over the place! I understand that its a different kind of story telling, but it confused me at first. So today as Mrs H was informing us of connections and what-not I thought it seemed logical. I will always wonder how much of it is conscious decisions, subconscious decisions or just plain coincidence. It seems to me that so far Silko is creating som kind of commentary on Native Americans (duh) and how they view themselves as a stagnant culture and that they should be more flexible? I don't know. We shall see!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
November 14th 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.
Fathers and sons don’t always get along. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy and Biff don’t get along at all. Miller uses their now strained relationship to further his analysis of the American dream.
Willy has a typical American Dream for his family. He wants them to have financial success. Willy’s view of the American Dream is that a person can be successful just by being liked. He tries to push this on his family by stressing popular sports like football and not caring about school and an education. Willy also uses this idea as a basis for his affairs. Bribing secretaries with stockings, Willy gets sex and quick access to the buyers. His success at being a salesman comes from the secretaries liking him. This new American Dream ideal highly favors money over values and enjoyment of ones work. On the other hand, Willy’s son Biff has a very different view of the American Dream. He finds satisfaction in going out west and working on the farms. Biff claims that he likes being out there and using his hands. Biff represents the old American Dream where making money wasn’t as important as your values and happiness.
Willy, the father, and Biff, the son, used to be a loving pair. However after Biff discovers his father’s affair, they become estranged. Their symbolism as the new and old American Dreams brings them to a head on collision of dislike for each other. Biff is unforgiving of his father’s affair because of its unethical ways in pursuit of more money. Willy on the other hand is upset with Biff ruining his potential by going out west. He thinks that Biff is wasting his time making no money and can’t see that it is what Biff wants to do.
Willy and Biff’s relationship with each other creates a deeper meaning in the commentary that Miller creates about the old and new American Dreams.
Fathers and sons don’t always get along. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy and Biff don’t get along at all. Miller uses their now strained relationship to further his analysis of the American dream.
Willy has a typical American Dream for his family. He wants them to have financial success. Willy’s view of the American Dream is that a person can be successful just by being liked. He tries to push this on his family by stressing popular sports like football and not caring about school and an education. Willy also uses this idea as a basis for his affairs. Bribing secretaries with stockings, Willy gets sex and quick access to the buyers. His success at being a salesman comes from the secretaries liking him. This new American Dream ideal highly favors money over values and enjoyment of ones work. On the other hand, Willy’s son Biff has a very different view of the American Dream. He finds satisfaction in going out west and working on the farms. Biff claims that he likes being out there and using his hands. Biff represents the old American Dream where making money wasn’t as important as your values and happiness.
Willy, the father, and Biff, the son, used to be a loving pair. However after Biff discovers his father’s affair, they become estranged. Their symbolism as the new and old American Dreams brings them to a head on collision of dislike for each other. Biff is unforgiving of his father’s affair because of its unethical ways in pursuit of more money. Willy on the other hand is upset with Biff ruining his potential by going out west. He thinks that Biff is wasting his time making no money and can’t see that it is what Biff wants to do.
Willy and Biff’s relationship with each other creates a deeper meaning in the commentary that Miller creates about the old and new American Dreams.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Open Prompt Essay - October 30th
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.
An ending is just that, an ending. After one reaches this point there is nothing else. Edward Albee uses his play The American Dream to display an indeterminate ending that is appropriate for his purposes. By having Grandma effectively end the play, Albee contributes to his idea that the lives of Mommy and Daddy are not to be followed and actually avoided.
The ending of the play has Mrs. Barker introducing the Young Man to Mommy and Daddy as their new child. Hiding “on stage” but unseen by the characters (except for the Young Man), Grandma observes the action. Just as the characters seem to be happy and satisfied in the outcomes of the current action, Grandma addresses the audience that “[the play had] better go no farther...[leaving] things the way they are right now…while everyone’s happy” (Albee 127). Mommy and Daddy are both satisfied with Young Man that they now have for a child and the Young Man is satisfied at having a job where he gets paid. Throughout the play the characters “can’t get satisfaction” or if they gain satisfaction it is fleeting (Albee 61). When Grandma ends the play when “everybody’s got what [they] wants”, where they are satisfied, inferring that if the play were to progress more that the characters would become unsatisfied again (Albee 127). The ending is set up to teach us what the characters don’t learn. While the characters are focused on having this artificial and fleeting sense of satisfaction, Grandma is letting us see that we can have deeper meaning and a fulfilling satisfaction in our lives. The ending in itself is unsatisfying because we don’t know how the lives of the new family will work out or how they will search to find happiness. Therefore the ending of the play fits the overall theme of being dissatisfied.
Edward Albee purposefully made the ending of The American Dream a bit of a cliff hanger so that you could draw your own conclusions about how the satisfaction of Mommy and Daddy and even the Young Man will wane because of its artificial and fleeting nature.
An ending is just that, an ending. After one reaches this point there is nothing else. Edward Albee uses his play The American Dream to display an indeterminate ending that is appropriate for his purposes. By having Grandma effectively end the play, Albee contributes to his idea that the lives of Mommy and Daddy are not to be followed and actually avoided.
The ending of the play has Mrs. Barker introducing the Young Man to Mommy and Daddy as their new child. Hiding “on stage” but unseen by the characters (except for the Young Man), Grandma observes the action. Just as the characters seem to be happy and satisfied in the outcomes of the current action, Grandma addresses the audience that “[the play had] better go no farther...[leaving] things the way they are right now…while everyone’s happy” (Albee 127). Mommy and Daddy are both satisfied with Young Man that they now have for a child and the Young Man is satisfied at having a job where he gets paid. Throughout the play the characters “can’t get satisfaction” or if they gain satisfaction it is fleeting (Albee 61). When Grandma ends the play when “everybody’s got what [they] wants”, where they are satisfied, inferring that if the play were to progress more that the characters would become unsatisfied again (Albee 127). The ending is set up to teach us what the characters don’t learn. While the characters are focused on having this artificial and fleeting sense of satisfaction, Grandma is letting us see that we can have deeper meaning and a fulfilling satisfaction in our lives. The ending in itself is unsatisfying because we don’t know how the lives of the new family will work out or how they will search to find happiness. Therefore the ending of the play fits the overall theme of being dissatisfied.
Edward Albee purposefully made the ending of The American Dream a bit of a cliff hanger so that you could draw your own conclusions about how the satisfaction of Mommy and Daddy and even the Young Man will wane because of its artificial and fleeting nature.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Close Readings (Dont know where to put this either...5)
We all know about the death of Gadhafi, which publicly took a turn for the worse (for Gadhafi that is) this past Thursday. With the tyrant now dead, millions of people in Lybia are celebrating. The author of this article tells us to be wary of the falling tyrants.
The author points out that with each dictator's fall, there leaves room for one more anti-American person in power, one more tyrant, or one extremist. Maybe even all 3. While he enjoys the fact that the dictatorships are falling and that people are more likely to become free under a different rein, he expresses concern. His concern is chiefly on that of Iran and its oil. The US may have supported the downfall of Gadhafi but it supports the monarchy of Iran. This, according to the author, creates anti-American feelings and is only good for the price tag of oil.
Response to Course Material (dont know where to put this 4!)
What have I learned in class since the last time I posted one of these?
A bit, however we've been focusing on actually applying the knowledge we've gained lately. This makes it hard to tell what I have learned. Though I know I have a better understanding in general about everything. So here I am asking myself, what do I write about?
The American Dream is entertaining. I have found amusement and bewilderment within its lines along with done right confusion. Albee sure knows how to make a scene uncomfortable. I'm almost a little sad to be moving on from this play..
I've gained a better understanding of how to proceed in a close reading read. It still seems a bit like pulling it out of a hat, but I am starting to see some connections. I still find it quite challenging to find things on my own though. If you talk about something and point this out then I may be able to point that out, but finding my own path instead of just branching off of what others say has not happened yet. I hope you followed that...
Anyway, I would like to say that I've been learning vocabulary words but truth be told I've been much to busy to actually put any serious effort into it. With the test in 5 days, I"m sure some serious effort will be put into though and soon.
A bit, however we've been focusing on actually applying the knowledge we've gained lately. This makes it hard to tell what I have learned. Though I know I have a better understanding in general about everything. So here I am asking myself, what do I write about?
The American Dream is entertaining. I have found amusement and bewilderment within its lines along with done right confusion. Albee sure knows how to make a scene uncomfortable. I'm almost a little sad to be moving on from this play..
I've gained a better understanding of how to proceed in a close reading read. It still seems a bit like pulling it out of a hat, but I am starting to see some connections. I still find it quite challenging to find things on my own though. If you talk about something and point this out then I may be able to point that out, but finding my own path instead of just branching off of what others say has not happened yet. I hope you followed that...
Anyway, I would like to say that I've been learning vocabulary words but truth be told I've been much to busy to actually put any serious effort into it. With the test in 5 days, I"m sure some serious effort will be put into though and soon.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Prompt 3 (I don't know where to put it!)
1972. In retrospect, the reader often discovers that the first chapter of a novel or the opening scene of a drama introduces some of the major themes of the work. Write an essay about the opening scene of a drama or the first chapter of a novel in which you explain how it functions in this way.
The opening scene in a play is important. They introduce character, setting, plot and even theme. In Albee’s The American Dream the play’s major themes are introduced in the opening scene. Albee introduces the major themes of dissatisfaction and emasculation. He uses these themes to emphasis that the American Dream has fallen from morals to materialism.
Dissatisfaction is clearly found in the opening dialogue between Mommy and Daddy. The pair complains about Mrs. Barker being late, about the apartment managers not fixing their icebox or doorbell in a timely fashion and about Mommy’s new hat. They are clearly dissatisfied with what they think they deserve. This dissatisfaction is tied into the meaning of the play. Mommy and Daddy are concerned with materialistic things and being satisfied by them. Mommy wanted her hat to be beige and when it was called wheat she threw a tantrum until she received a false sense of satisfaction by receiving the same hat as before. This satisfaction was gained through materialistic means. It actually evens spits in the face of manners and morals by having Mommy scream and make a scene over a silly hat.
Emasculation is another theme in this play. Throughout the opening scene, Mommy is constantly emasculating Daddy. She bossily tells him to listen and then questions him repeatedly throughout her story to ensure that he is doing so. Her line “Well, I got satisfaction” is a double entendre. It can mean that she got satisfaction from shopping, or that she got satisfied sexually. Either way, she doesn’t mean that her husband, Daddy, satisfied her at all and emasculates him in this area because of it.
The American Dream is really about how people have lost their sense of humanistic principles for that of materialism. The themes of Dissatisfaction and emasculation clearly emphasized this meaning.
The opening scene in a play is important. They introduce character, setting, plot and even theme. In Albee’s The American Dream the play’s major themes are introduced in the opening scene. Albee introduces the major themes of dissatisfaction and emasculation. He uses these themes to emphasis that the American Dream has fallen from morals to materialism.
Dissatisfaction is clearly found in the opening dialogue between Mommy and Daddy. The pair complains about Mrs. Barker being late, about the apartment managers not fixing their icebox or doorbell in a timely fashion and about Mommy’s new hat. They are clearly dissatisfied with what they think they deserve. This dissatisfaction is tied into the meaning of the play. Mommy and Daddy are concerned with materialistic things and being satisfied by them. Mommy wanted her hat to be beige and when it was called wheat she threw a tantrum until she received a false sense of satisfaction by receiving the same hat as before. This satisfaction was gained through materialistic means. It actually evens spits in the face of manners and morals by having Mommy scream and make a scene over a silly hat.
Emasculation is another theme in this play. Throughout the opening scene, Mommy is constantly emasculating Daddy. She bossily tells him to listen and then questions him repeatedly throughout her story to ensure that he is doing so. Her line “Well, I got satisfaction” is a double entendre. It can mean that she got satisfaction from shopping, or that she got satisfied sexually. Either way, she doesn’t mean that her husband, Daddy, satisfied her at all and emasculates him in this area because of it.
The American Dream is really about how people have lost their sense of humanistic principles for that of materialism. The themes of Dissatisfaction and emasculation clearly emphasized this meaning.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Response to Course Material (dont know where to put this 3!)
What have I learned since my last blog post about this? Quite a bit. I think mainly we’ve been talking about Syntax and applying the techniques we’ve learned to The American Dream. We also have been going over vocabulary a little bit.
Syntax applies to the phrases or sentence structure. It can be anything from colons, to Subject-Verb-Object order, or maybe even run-ons or fragments. These different techniques create different affects. Maybe it makes it seem as if the speaker is crazy, or creates a sense of confusion at what is happening in the piece. Long story short, it can do a lot. This is a little easier to handle then the other DIDLS techniques. I don’t quite know why, but this is just easier for me.
We’ve been using the techniques such as close reading and DIDLS to begin looking at The American Dream. Even though we’ve only done a first read I think I’ve gotten better and finding things! It makes me happy to know I’m improving. ☺ I plan on keeping that up too.
This vocabulary is going to kill me. Just saying. There is so much in such little time to memorize it, plus I don’t think memorizing the definition will help me identify them in literature. I have a hard time transferring that information to application. It will take some practice.
Syntax applies to the phrases or sentence structure. It can be anything from colons, to Subject-Verb-Object order, or maybe even run-ons or fragments. These different techniques create different affects. Maybe it makes it seem as if the speaker is crazy, or creates a sense of confusion at what is happening in the piece. Long story short, it can do a lot. This is a little easier to handle then the other DIDLS techniques. I don’t quite know why, but this is just easier for me.
We’ve been using the techniques such as close reading and DIDLS to begin looking at The American Dream. Even though we’ve only done a first read I think I’ve gotten better and finding things! It makes me happy to know I’m improving. ☺ I plan on keeping that up too.
This vocabulary is going to kill me. Just saying. There is so much in such little time to memorize it, plus I don’t think memorizing the definition will help me identify them in literature. I have a hard time transferring that information to application. It will take some practice.
Close Readings (Dont know where to put this either...)
iSad
The iPod, iPad, Mac computers, Toy Story and other Apple merchandise have become hallmarks of our generation. The inventor, Steve Jobs, is now dead at age 56. The author of iSad, uses details to show that Jobs wasn’t just an inventor, but a true inspiration to the world.
The use of details helps us to see how people were in enthralled with Jobs and his products. “On the sidewalk beside the Apple…Jobs' fans…created a shrine to his memory. They left flowers, lit candles and placed fresh apples on the concrete. The same spontaneous tributes occurred…in London, Paris, Tokyo and elsewhere around the world.” If no one cared about Jobs, they wouldn’t have created shrines, especially ones with such creativity as a fresh apple. According to the article, people flooded Facebook and Twitter with stories “about their first iPod or Macintosh”. Apple has become a worldwide sensation with its cover boy as Jobs.
Steve Jobs wasn’t always a success. As the article details, he was “kicked out of the company he co-founded” in 1985 and went on to fail at selling the NeXT personal computer. His fist major success after leaving Apple would come with Toy Story where he sold millions of tickets. He then slowly made his way back into the high ranks of Apple, creating a true inspirational American story of hard work paying off.
Steve Jobs has been called “the Thomas Edison of our age” and has a sotry that has inspired people all over the world. With his death, he will be missed along with the inventions he might have been able to produce.
The iPod, iPad, Mac computers, Toy Story and other Apple merchandise have become hallmarks of our generation. The inventor, Steve Jobs, is now dead at age 56. The author of iSad, uses details to show that Jobs wasn’t just an inventor, but a true inspiration to the world.
The use of details helps us to see how people were in enthralled with Jobs and his products. “On the sidewalk beside the Apple…Jobs' fans…created a shrine to his memory. They left flowers, lit candles and placed fresh apples on the concrete. The same spontaneous tributes occurred…in London, Paris, Tokyo and elsewhere around the world.” If no one cared about Jobs, they wouldn’t have created shrines, especially ones with such creativity as a fresh apple. According to the article, people flooded Facebook and Twitter with stories “about their first iPod or Macintosh”. Apple has become a worldwide sensation with its cover boy as Jobs.
Steve Jobs wasn’t always a success. As the article details, he was “kicked out of the company he co-founded” in 1985 and went on to fail at selling the NeXT personal computer. His fist major success after leaving Apple would come with Toy Story where he sold millions of tickets. He then slowly made his way back into the high ranks of Apple, creating a true inspirational American story of hard work paying off.
Steve Jobs has been called “the Thomas Edison of our age” and has a sotry that has inspired people all over the world. With his death, he will be missed along with the inventions he might have been able to produce.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Prompt 2 (I don't know where to put it!)
2009, Form B. Many works of literature deal with political or social issues. Choose a novel or play that focuses on a political or social issue. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the author uses literary elements to explore this issue and explain how the issue contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
As World War II came to a close, Communism and its ideals threatened the ‘free’ countries such as England and the US. George Orwell’s novel 1984 explores the political issues of Communism’s control over people’s lives. In 1984, Orwell used language and details to explore how, if England kept progressing the way it was, it soon would be a great Communist nation with out any rights. The whole meaning of this work is to bring to our attention the political patterns of our own country.
The language used in 1984 has a lot of symbols. The telescreens are symbolic in that they are always present. One can never turn them off completely as they are always spurting news or propaganda about the Party. They also have a more sinister function of spying on the residents, watching for any misbehavior. This symbolizes to what extent a totalitarian government can abuse technology instead of putting it to good use and benefiting its civilians. It also supports themes throughout the novel such as the abuse of technology, the dangers of totalitarian governments, the control of information and psychological manipulation. Big Brother is another symbol that Orwell uses through out his novel. The words “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” are posted on posters everywhere in Oceania. Big Brother is symbolic of the government and how its protective, in reference to brother, yet ominous, in reference to always watching. It is an obvious abuse of power by the government of the inalienable right of privacy.
Many details in the novel help push the political issue of Communism into the minds of its readers. Orwell uses such details as the government banning sex with people to really push into the minds of his readers just how far this government has gone and abused their power, how Communism is controlling people’s lives and that this could happen to them. Another detail is that by the end Winston loves Big Brother. Tortured for months and brainwashed, O’Brien finally makes Winston love Big Brother taking away the individuality treasured among people and his ability to think for himself. Both of these are fears that Orwell has about Communism that he is conveying to us.
Orwell’s fear of Communism after World War II led him to write 1984 about how Communism has taken over the rights and minds of its people. Though he doesn’t ever come out and say it, he is warning us with this political novel that our country too could become like Oceania if we aren’t careful.
As World War II came to a close, Communism and its ideals threatened the ‘free’ countries such as England and the US. George Orwell’s novel 1984 explores the political issues of Communism’s control over people’s lives. In 1984, Orwell used language and details to explore how, if England kept progressing the way it was, it soon would be a great Communist nation with out any rights. The whole meaning of this work is to bring to our attention the political patterns of our own country.
The language used in 1984 has a lot of symbols. The telescreens are symbolic in that they are always present. One can never turn them off completely as they are always spurting news or propaganda about the Party. They also have a more sinister function of spying on the residents, watching for any misbehavior. This symbolizes to what extent a totalitarian government can abuse technology instead of putting it to good use and benefiting its civilians. It also supports themes throughout the novel such as the abuse of technology, the dangers of totalitarian governments, the control of information and psychological manipulation. Big Brother is another symbol that Orwell uses through out his novel. The words “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” are posted on posters everywhere in Oceania. Big Brother is symbolic of the government and how its protective, in reference to brother, yet ominous, in reference to always watching. It is an obvious abuse of power by the government of the inalienable right of privacy.
Many details in the novel help push the political issue of Communism into the minds of its readers. Orwell uses such details as the government banning sex with people to really push into the minds of his readers just how far this government has gone and abused their power, how Communism is controlling people’s lives and that this could happen to them. Another detail is that by the end Winston loves Big Brother. Tortured for months and brainwashed, O’Brien finally makes Winston love Big Brother taking away the individuality treasured among people and his ability to think for himself. Both of these are fears that Orwell has about Communism that he is conveying to us.
Orwell’s fear of Communism after World War II led him to write 1984 about how Communism has taken over the rights and minds of its people. Though he doesn’t ever come out and say it, he is warning us with this political novel that our country too could become like Oceania if we aren’t careful.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
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It is for AP Lit with Ms. H
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It is for AP Lit with Ms. H
Click the tabs for my stuff. c
Comment, edit, go crazy.
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