A Gun Battle Worth Fighting
People with guns can only kill with guns if they have guns in the first place. That's what the author of the editorial, "A Gun Battle Worth Fighting," tries to send in the fiery choice of words. Like a coach giving a pep talk just before a big game, he (or she) points out the most encouraging details and a promising way of action. Using powerful syntax he boosts the spirits of the anti-gun readers, edging them to fight harder for their ideals.
The very first word in the article is an accident by no means. The author wishes to rally the anti-gun enthusiasts together with a sense of community, to give them power through unison, to tell them they are not alone. All this he wraps up in a single word: we. "WE don't have to cower..." "WE don't have to murmur..." "WE don't have to tiptoe..." He reminds his readers that, if banded together, no person is weak. Then, to give a sense of solidity, he uses short, simple words like "take on" and "a long, hard slog." Our minds are wired like engineers. We all prefer simplicity for its lack of glitches. By using simple words, the author gives the reader the feeling of a known direction and a promise to move forwards if they but stand.
While the diction gives the feeling of an unstoppable force, the author keeps his facts realistic, though not discouraging. He knows that his cause has not been on the winning side, but he also knows that more and more, problems are building for his opponents. More guns, he says, has not been keeping people safe as the gun supporters promise, and that will be their downfall.
Finally, syntax. The use of the number three in the article's syntax has profound effects on the message. Three has a feeling of completion and finality, and the author uses it to his advantage. For example, to start the article, he gives three "we don't have to"s about recent occurrences. Then he ends it with the word "No." The three paragraphs about weakness build on each other, making it seem as though the weakness shown by the given situations is final, then the author topples the whole feeling down in one word, allowing hope to blossom in the anti-gun group.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Open Prompt Practice (Dec. 9)
1992. In a novel or play, a
confidant (male) or a confidante (female) is a character, often a
friend or relative of the hero or heroine, whose role is to be
present when the hero or heroine needs a sympathetic listener to
confide in. Frequently the result is, as Henry James remarked, that
the confidant or confidante can be as much "the reader's friend
as the protagonist's." However, the author sometimes uses this
character for other purposes as well. Choose a confidant or
confidante from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and
write an essay in which you discuss the various ways this character
functions in the work. You may write your essay on one of the
following novels or plays or on another of comparable quality. Do not
write on a poem or short story.
Since the beginning of Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Horatio was Hamlet's loyal companion. The two had gone to school in Wittenberg together, becoming close friends, able to share even the most confidential of secrets. All throughout the play, even in the strangest situations, Horatio kept the secret of Hamlet's alleged madness and acted as his confidant when no one was around. He was the outsider, the only one left untainted by the deception that prevailed in the castle Elsinore.
Everyone trusted Horatio. At the start of the play, he was the first person the guards went to for advice about the ghost they had seen, even before Hamlet was notified. Being a scholar of philosophy, he was well respected by all. He acted not only as Hamlet's counselor and companion, but also as an adviser to the queen about Ophelia and even as Ophelia's caretaker. Even Fortinbras, without ever once meeting Horatio in the past, chose to speak with him rather than with any one of the nobles in the room when he arrived. Horatio was the voice of truth, telling things as they were and not as was most convenient for himself.
Time elapsed: 45 minutes
Time elapsed: 45 minutes
Monday, December 3, 2012
Summary & Analysis of The Death of a Salesman
The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller was, in short, a story of both the conflict between the dreams of a father and son and between man and society. Willy is a salesman who had high hopes about his future, aspiring to be a rich man simply by being "well liked." Needless to say, he was rather unsuccessful in his efforts due to his faulty philosophy. His failure leads him to look to his firstborn son, Biff, for his redemption. He insists that Biff take up his dream where he left off, to become a salesman and strive for wealth on the basis of being well liked. However, after a scandal is unearthed between Willy and another woman, the trust between Biff and Willy is broken, and Biff leaves to find himself in the West.
Arguably, Biff succeeds in discovering what he wants, to work with his hands, but Biff is too engrained with his father's desire for instant, painless gratification, resulting in a desperate frustration with both himself and his father. His return, the start of the play, began a period where old scabs were opened to bleed. Biff tries to explain to his father that their dream was incompatible, but Willy will have none of it, accusing Biff of ruining himself out of spite. After a climatic clash of wills, Willy realizes that Biff loved him all along, even after the incident between Willy and the whore. Enthralled, Willy comes up with a scheme to give Biff the money he needed to get started in the world. He figures he is worth nothing while alive, but his death was worth twenty thousand dollars in life insurance, and minutes later, he commits suicide.
It is very important to note that the play is from Willy's point of view. Willy is the only one reminiscing about the past and imagining his brother Ben. While driving, he thinks he is enjoying scenery that isn't there. While playing cards with Charlie, he speaks with his brother Ben, leaving Charlie confused. By writing from Willy's perspective, Miller is able to show the audience both Willy's unrealistically "perfect" dream he lived in his mind and the resulting reality to which he was bound. Willy was obsessed with a notion of being well liked, but that, rather than being the cause of the success he saw around him, was merely a side effect of being wealthy.
Miller creates a very tangible tone of despair in this play through multiple flashbacks where Willy is transported into the past where he once had hope, yet was living a lie that only just began to backlash on him. His flashbacks brought hope, but as Bane says to Batman, hope is the seed of despair. He continued to lie to himself, believing he was better than he really was, well known, and successful. However, every time he glimpsed a spark of hope--when his sons describe their idealized business plan to him, for example--it is instantly battered down again by yet another reminder of his failure, and he falls back into his pit of self pity.
Being a play, much of the imagery comes from director's decisions. However, on occasion, when Miller finds imagery important, he works it into the dialogue. For example, when Willy is bemusing the expansion of the city, he describes the loss of the elm trees where he had wished to hang a hammock, describes the apartment buildings that crowded out the sun, and describes the garden that he could never plant as a result. Otherwise, much of the imagery is left to the director.
One of the most important pieces of symbolism in The Death of a Salesman is that Willy himself represents us, the people living in a society where possessions are the mark of a successful person. Willy has fallen prey to this trap, even compromising relationships in an effort to maintain his perceptive status in the social order. Ironically, Willy seems to believe in the opposite end of the spectrum: that it is one's relationships with those around him that make him successful.
Charlie, Willy's foil, is the embodiment of the ideal businessman. He says little, is well respected, and is successful in life. He believes the opposite of Willy's "well-liked" philosophy--that one must be successful to be well liked, even bringing up an example: "Who liked J. P. Morgan? Was he impressive? In a Turkish bath he’d look like a butcher. But with his pockets on he was very well liked" (Miller n.p.). Being well liked is not as important to one's monetary success as Willy makes it out to be. However, Charlie has something wrong as well. One does not simply become well liked when he "puts on his pockets." The friends gained because of the money are really friends with the money and not the person.
"The only thing you got in this world is what you can sell" (Miller n.p.). There are two extremes in this respect. On one side, you have Charlie's view--a strict capitalistic perspective where possessions are everything. On the other hand Willy's point of view is that relationships are everything. Willy's perspective, however, is incompatible with the society he lives in, but he continues to try to jam it in and make it fit, trying to believe relationships result in possessions.
Arguably, Biff succeeds in discovering what he wants, to work with his hands, but Biff is too engrained with his father's desire for instant, painless gratification, resulting in a desperate frustration with both himself and his father. His return, the start of the play, began a period where old scabs were opened to bleed. Biff tries to explain to his father that their dream was incompatible, but Willy will have none of it, accusing Biff of ruining himself out of spite. After a climatic clash of wills, Willy realizes that Biff loved him all along, even after the incident between Willy and the whore. Enthralled, Willy comes up with a scheme to give Biff the money he needed to get started in the world. He figures he is worth nothing while alive, but his death was worth twenty thousand dollars in life insurance, and minutes later, he commits suicide.
It is very important to note that the play is from Willy's point of view. Willy is the only one reminiscing about the past and imagining his brother Ben. While driving, he thinks he is enjoying scenery that isn't there. While playing cards with Charlie, he speaks with his brother Ben, leaving Charlie confused. By writing from Willy's perspective, Miller is able to show the audience both Willy's unrealistically "perfect" dream he lived in his mind and the resulting reality to which he was bound. Willy was obsessed with a notion of being well liked, but that, rather than being the cause of the success he saw around him, was merely a side effect of being wealthy.
Miller creates a very tangible tone of despair in this play through multiple flashbacks where Willy is transported into the past where he once had hope, yet was living a lie that only just began to backlash on him. His flashbacks brought hope, but as Bane says to Batman, hope is the seed of despair. He continued to lie to himself, believing he was better than he really was, well known, and successful. However, every time he glimpsed a spark of hope--when his sons describe their idealized business plan to him, for example--it is instantly battered down again by yet another reminder of his failure, and he falls back into his pit of self pity.
Being a play, much of the imagery comes from director's decisions. However, on occasion, when Miller finds imagery important, he works it into the dialogue. For example, when Willy is bemusing the expansion of the city, he describes the loss of the elm trees where he had wished to hang a hammock, describes the apartment buildings that crowded out the sun, and describes the garden that he could never plant as a result. Otherwise, much of the imagery is left to the director.
One of the most important pieces of symbolism in The Death of a Salesman is that Willy himself represents us, the people living in a society where possessions are the mark of a successful person. Willy has fallen prey to this trap, even compromising relationships in an effort to maintain his perceptive status in the social order. Ironically, Willy seems to believe in the opposite end of the spectrum: that it is one's relationships with those around him that make him successful.
Charlie, Willy's foil, is the embodiment of the ideal businessman. He says little, is well respected, and is successful in life. He believes the opposite of Willy's "well-liked" philosophy--that one must be successful to be well liked, even bringing up an example: "Who liked J. P. Morgan? Was he impressive? In a Turkish bath he’d look like a butcher. But with his pockets on he was very well liked" (Miller n.p.). Being well liked is not as important to one's monetary success as Willy makes it out to be. However, Charlie has something wrong as well. One does not simply become well liked when he "puts on his pockets." The friends gained because of the money are really friends with the money and not the person.
"The only thing you got in this world is what you can sell" (Miller n.p.). There are two extremes in this respect. On one side, you have Charlie's view--a strict capitalistic perspective where possessions are everything. On the other hand Willy's point of view is that relationships are everything. Willy's perspective, however, is incompatible with the society he lives in, but he continues to try to jam it in and make it fit, trying to believe relationships result in possessions.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Response to Course Material (Dec. 2)
This time around, things went a whole lot more smoothly. For one, The Death of a Salesman was a lot less abstract than theater of the absurd. Nobody was stripping just for the sake of stripping, and nobody was hiding a blind dog in a box. Perhaps the most helpful thing for me was that we followed the movie in our copies of the play. When I read on my own, I have the attention span of a goldfish with ADHD. After about fifteen minutes of careful reading, I get impatient and skim through the rest, missing all the symbolism and picking up only the overarching plot. Following the movie really helped me hold a steady pace and see all the details.
We've started our first read of Hamlet. Reading it through kindle has been quite helpful to me (you can get Hamlet for free on gutenberg.org). Being able to conveniently double-click words to see definitions helps a lot. Otherwise, I'd never bother searching the dictionary and would end up making shaky guesses off of context. Besides...free is cheaper than a six dollar paperback plus shipping.
We've started our first read of Hamlet. Reading it through kindle has been quite helpful to me (you can get Hamlet for free on gutenberg.org). Being able to conveniently double-click words to see definitions helps a lot. Otherwise, I'd never bother searching the dictionary and would end up making shaky guesses off of context. Besides...free is cheaper than a six dollar paperback plus shipping.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Close Reading (Nov. 18)
To Slow Warming, Tax Carbon
Most people agree that the natural environment around the world is steadily on the decline. Often, however, our goals are set too far out of reach, and we give up long before we begin. The high consumption of gas in the US is often looked down upon by environmentalists, but an oft-ignored fact, as noted by Dieter Helm, is that gas is a much cleaner source of energy than coal. Citing various details and applying diction and syntax, Helm makes his point--that companies around the world should be taxed on carbon emissions--to his audience with remarkable clarity.
Rather than getting distracted by all the facts bloated to disproportion by environmentalists, Helm exposes important details to his readers, returning things to their proper perspectives. For example, he reveals that, "between 1990 and 2005, Britain’s carbon production fell by about 15 percent — but its carbon consumption rose by 19 percent, when imports were counted." By the common standard, Britain has reduced its carbon production significantly, but Helm points out that, in reality, Britain has not only failed to reduce the overall carbon emissions, but increased its contributions to the problem. Another important detail is that, though Europe has "spent lots of money on wind farms and rooftop solar panels," the global environmental situation has experienced little to no change, even growing worse as a result.
Doom and gloom aside, Mr. Helm is very careful to pick his words carefully to reflect his tone and perspective in the article. His use of diction is most clearly seen in the first two paragraphs. In an effort to appear politically neutral, Helm unearths uncommon words like "lauded" and "faulted" to describe the presidential candidates, avoiding positive and negative connotation as best possible. When he does wish to reveal his standpoint, however, he describes the cries of the environmentalist groups with the word "lamented" which comes across as "overly exaggerated wailing." Helm wants the reader to understand that, though the US doesn't spend mountains of money on under-developed, inefficient, "clean" energy, it is the small step from coal to gas that has made all the difference no matter what the environmentalists claim.
To top it all, Helm uses excellent syntax techniques--most prominently, the em dash--to draw the reader's attention to punch lines and important ideas. For example, to start his discussion on causes of increasing carbon emissions, he writes, "The main reason emissions have been going up is the rise of coal — in China, in particular." By separating the last phrase with an em dash, he causes the reader to save it for later use while he finishes his thoughts about coal consumption. This gives the idea time to mill about in the reader's mind as he or she comes slowly to the realization that, as a result of Europe's deindustrialization, coal-consuming companies are moving to China, not finding alternative, clean energy like we had hoped.
Helm makes it abundantly clear that the US, in fact, is not as far behind Europe in the effort to reduce carbon emissions after all. The result of the taxes on coal in Europe have been more harmful than beneficial. By drawing the reader to details and using specialized words to make his point, Helm shows that, in order for any plan to "save the environment" to work, every country must work together, not apart from one another. A plan to benefit the whole earth must be agreed upon and followed through as one unified body.
Most people agree that the natural environment around the world is steadily on the decline. Often, however, our goals are set too far out of reach, and we give up long before we begin. The high consumption of gas in the US is often looked down upon by environmentalists, but an oft-ignored fact, as noted by Dieter Helm, is that gas is a much cleaner source of energy than coal. Citing various details and applying diction and syntax, Helm makes his point--that companies around the world should be taxed on carbon emissions--to his audience with remarkable clarity.
Rather than getting distracted by all the facts bloated to disproportion by environmentalists, Helm exposes important details to his readers, returning things to their proper perspectives. For example, he reveals that, "between 1990 and 2005, Britain’s carbon production fell by about 15 percent — but its carbon consumption rose by 19 percent, when imports were counted." By the common standard, Britain has reduced its carbon production significantly, but Helm points out that, in reality, Britain has not only failed to reduce the overall carbon emissions, but increased its contributions to the problem. Another important detail is that, though Europe has "spent lots of money on wind farms and rooftop solar panels," the global environmental situation has experienced little to no change, even growing worse as a result.
Doom and gloom aside, Mr. Helm is very careful to pick his words carefully to reflect his tone and perspective in the article. His use of diction is most clearly seen in the first two paragraphs. In an effort to appear politically neutral, Helm unearths uncommon words like "lauded" and "faulted" to describe the presidential candidates, avoiding positive and negative connotation as best possible. When he does wish to reveal his standpoint, however, he describes the cries of the environmentalist groups with the word "lamented" which comes across as "overly exaggerated wailing." Helm wants the reader to understand that, though the US doesn't spend mountains of money on under-developed, inefficient, "clean" energy, it is the small step from coal to gas that has made all the difference no matter what the environmentalists claim.
To top it all, Helm uses excellent syntax techniques--most prominently, the em dash--to draw the reader's attention to punch lines and important ideas. For example, to start his discussion on causes of increasing carbon emissions, he writes, "The main reason emissions have been going up is the rise of coal — in China, in particular." By separating the last phrase with an em dash, he causes the reader to save it for later use while he finishes his thoughts about coal consumption. This gives the idea time to mill about in the reader's mind as he or she comes slowly to the realization that, as a result of Europe's deindustrialization, coal-consuming companies are moving to China, not finding alternative, clean energy like we had hoped.
Helm makes it abundantly clear that the US, in fact, is not as far behind Europe in the effort to reduce carbon emissions after all. The result of the taxes on coal in Europe have been more harmful than beneficial. By drawing the reader to details and using specialized words to make his point, Helm shows that, in order for any plan to "save the environment" to work, every country must work together, not apart from one another. A plan to benefit the whole earth must be agreed upon and followed through as one unified body.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Open Prompt Practice (Nov. 11)
2009. A symbol is an object,
action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of
associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an
idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or
play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that
symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters
or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
Sometimes, perhaps more often than not, a person's most prized possession is not the most costly, but the one with the most sentimental value--the one that holds the most meaning. In Tennessee Williams' play, The Glass Menagerie, Laura Wingfield has an clear attachment to her set of glass creatures, especially a unicorn which loses its horn later in the story. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that the unicorn is meant to represent Laura, and the fragile zoo is her connection with the outside world. She, being the unicorn, feels singled out for her differences in a world of "normal" creatures.
After the Wingfield family is introduced, Laura is seen polishing her glass figurines. She, though shy, fantasizes about the outside world, creating an idealized picture of her interactions. However, she lacks the confidence to step out of her sphere and shrinks from opportunities her mother brings to her because she feels crippled by her slight deformity in her leg. Hoping to avoid further disappointment in her failure to connect with the world, she hides her true desire, to become a part of society--represented by the glass menagerie--under the table as her mother steps in.
Later, Laura's brother Tom, after a heated discussion with their mother about his job, throws his coat across the room, breaking some of Laura's glass figures. Tom worked in a factory to pay the bills, but he had been visiting bars at night and risked being fired. Without his income, the family would be unable to support itself and, as represented by the broken glass, Laura's chance to connect with the world would be shattered. Somewhat regretful of how he impacted his sister, Tom picks up the pieces and promises to himself that he would try to help her reach her goal.
Some time later, Tom invites one of his friends, Jim, to dinner, intending to hook him up with Laura. At first, Laura is traumatized and separates herself from the others, preferring the company of the record player; but soon, she peeks out of her shell and shares her glass menagerie with Jim, effectively showing she has gained confidence in herself in making her first connection. In their interactions, the unicorn takes a fall and loses its horn, to which Laura says the unicorn has become just a normal horse. She has forgotten her differences in the moment and understands she can be accepted into the world even if she is a little different from everyone else.
Being a "unicorn" is not an especially easy task in a world of normal creatures. Laura hid her menagerie from her mother, herself from the world, because she feared she would be judged for her differences. When her brother was on the boarder of losing his job, her fragile connection with society was nearly shattered completely. With his assistance, however, she was able to pick up the pieces and share her menagerie. Unfortunately, the relationship was fleeting, as Jim was already engaged, but with bolstered confidence, she was able to, at least temporarily, step out of the glass walls she built around herself and become a part of the world she lived in.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Response to Course Materials (Nov. 4)
This has been the single most stressful, discouraging class of my life. Who knew that many things could go wrong in two weeks? If only Literature were like math where there are definite answers. In math, you don't add numbers because they are not given, you just label them as unknown and move on. Here in Lit, however, if something doesn't look like it is supposed to mean anything, it probably means something and you have to make your best guess based on the comma in the last sentence (ok, I'm exaggerating a little bit...).
For example, I had a completely different interpretation of Mommy's relationship with Daddy The American Dream from everyone else. Instead of Mommy emasculating Daddy, I read all of Daddy's lines as if he were bored or annoyed with Mommy. I thought he found Mommy to be ridiculously petty and he made fun of her lack of common sense. The whole thing with the "tubes instead of tracts" went way over my head. How does that imply Daddy had his manhood replaced with a lady-part? Tubes may occasionally be used as a euphemism for the ladies, but tract? I've only ever heard that used for internal organs, specifically the digestive tract. Everyone agreed about both of those points, though, so I don't know if I'm simply doing something wrong, or if people just agree with the first thing they hear. Or maybe it doesn't matter and I can have whatever interpretation I want as long as I have a good reason for it. Either way, I'm thoroughly befused and confuddled as well as frustrated.
The Death Of a Salesman was quite a relief after my bout with the Theater of the Absurd. At least something happened in the story, so I have something to work with. I'm actually ready for it this time, too, so hopefully, I'll have time to sleep at night this time around.
The vocab quiz was disconcerting. Somehow, I ended up with a lower grade than the first time around, correcting some of the errors I made last time and second-guessing myself on a whole bunch that I had right. Luckily, it appears Mrs. Holmes has made adjustments to the quiz grades, so I don't have a 60% in the grade book. I almost beat the adjusted grade my first try...what a great way to end the quarter.
For example, I had a completely different interpretation of Mommy's relationship with Daddy The American Dream from everyone else. Instead of Mommy emasculating Daddy, I read all of Daddy's lines as if he were bored or annoyed with Mommy. I thought he found Mommy to be ridiculously petty and he made fun of her lack of common sense. The whole thing with the "tubes instead of tracts" went way over my head. How does that imply Daddy had his manhood replaced with a lady-part? Tubes may occasionally be used as a euphemism for the ladies, but tract? I've only ever heard that used for internal organs, specifically the digestive tract. Everyone agreed about both of those points, though, so I don't know if I'm simply doing something wrong, or if people just agree with the first thing they hear. Or maybe it doesn't matter and I can have whatever interpretation I want as long as I have a good reason for it. Either way, I'm thoroughly befused and confuddled as well as frustrated.
The Death Of a Salesman was quite a relief after my bout with the Theater of the Absurd. At least something happened in the story, so I have something to work with. I'm actually ready for it this time, too, so hopefully, I'll have time to sleep at night this time around.
The vocab quiz was disconcerting. Somehow, I ended up with a lower grade than the first time around, correcting some of the errors I made last time and second-guessing myself on a whole bunch that I had right. Luckily, it appears Mrs. Holmes has made adjustments to the quiz grades, so I don't have a 60% in the grade book. I almost beat the adjusted grade my first try...what a great way to end the quarter.
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