Course Response for December 11

This week in class we did close reading of Ceremony. One of the major points we touched on was the role of alcohol in the lives of the returning Laguna, and how it morphs them into a hybrid of Laguna and White cultures. Also we read articles on different aspects of ceremony. I read the articles on the structure of the poems and the hidden characters, and the humor in ceremony. I had a hard time seeing eye to eye with the humor article because I don’t see ceremony as that funny, but I think that was mainly because I was trying to digest the entire novel in such a short period of time. The structure and form of the poems though was quite interesting and when you look at it really contributes to the subtle meanings of the different fragments of the stories.

Close Reading for December 11th

Reagan was for taxing millionaires, says new Dem ad.

Posted by Kevin Liptak 

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/08/reagan-was-for-taxing-millionaires-says-new-dem-ad/

Imagery- The imagery of this article comes from tapping into the images that many of us already hold of seeing many of Ronald Reagan’s speeches on the news or in TV specials. The new advertisement described as showing clips of the president giving a speech on taxes invokes the very presidential feeling that Reagan gave off, and creates an image of a man who has all of the answers. This image constantly in our minds while reading makes the article seem much more compelling.

Details - This article is full of details, most of them concerning the advertisement and the effects that the advertisement is intended to have. They focus on the fact the Reagan himself advocated for a closing of the tax loopholes which allowed the wealthiest Americans to avoid playing taxes while lower income americans had to pay large portions of their incomes. They use this in conjunction with showing the opposing side being backed by a superpac run by Karl Rove, who is very polarizing and has been shown as running this pac mainly by the Colbert Report.

Syntax - The structure of the sentences and arguments are mainly centered around making a statement or showing a quote from Ronald Reagan, then using it to back a Democrat favored claim. This is used to try and sway so called “Reagonites” into supporting the advertisements goal.

Open prompt 6

1973.

Battles are won and lost on discipline and strategy, not numbers or brute force alone. In Edward Albee’s, The American Dream, he displays how the old american dream is apparently being beaten down and forced out, but turns out to have been aware and in control the whole time. The ending of the American dream is satisfactory because it affirms the position of control that grandma is.

There are two primary reasons why the ending displays grandma’s power, and in that the old american dream’s power. The first of which being her ability to talk to the audience. Breaking the fourth wall is a uncharacteristic aspect plays, but Alby uses it masterfully. Unlike the rest of the characters, Grandma is actually able to talk to the audience, she is able to connect with those watching on a level that those prescribing to the new american dream cannot. Regardless of the apparent support the new american dream has the old american dream cannot be truly stamped out and still resonates with us all.

Secondly the actual words that Grandma says to the audience serve to reinforce her position. The comments on the story getting to the good part and the end comment of ending it off right there show that she had manipulated her part to get them exactly where they were, and she knows exactly how it is going to end. Grandma’s actions show how the old american dream has the answers while the new american dream lacks much of what is required.

The act of Grandma being able to speak to the audience and the actual things she says make the ending to the play very satisfactory because it affirms the idea that the old american dream is superior to the new one.

Close Reading

Once again, I don’t know how this did not get posted, I re-did it though and hopefully it did not interfere with anyones responses.

Justice officials express new concerns about Alabama immigration law

By Terry Frieden

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/28/us/albama-immigration-law/index.html?hpt=ju_t4

Diction - When portraying both sides of the issue Perez is quoted on saying that victims of domestic abuse are being driven further “underground” this is a very powerful word choice because underground send the message of it being hidden and hard to find, and that the law is impeding efforts to free those who are victim to it. West uses the word “vindicate” when describing the justice departments goal to challenge many state passed immigration law. This word is often associated with a sense of righteousness   making it seem like the Justice department is in the right in challenging these laws.

Details - The article is very focused on explaining the consequences of the law and what the legal aftermath will be. The negative sides of the law are presented as being: a large increase in the absences in the public schools from kids who are most likely worried about their immigration status, an increase in the hiding of domestic abuse, and an increase in racial profiling in which people are being questioned just on their appearance. The proponents of the bill are shown as supporting it based simply on the principal of illegal means illegal. 

Imagery- The supposed vindication by the justice department creates an image of a noble force riding out to combat the evils of the state legislature. This is very powerful especially in the constant debate over whether the states of the federal government should be in control of the most power. Also the description of employers using the law as a method to not pay workers creates the image of a greedy fat cat executive exploiting the masses for personal gain.

Course Response

Somehow this didn't go up on the blog when I made it a week ago.

This week in class we worked extensively on our literature era presentations. We used Prezi to do these, a presentation system I had never used before. It was a little difficult for me to figure out how to use the program but after I got he linking method all figured out it was easy. My group was tasked with the classical antiquity and middle ages eras. This gave us a very large scope of authors to talk about. The most interesting part to me was the allegory of the cave, set forth by plato revolving around his idea of what was necessary for a philosopher king. Another author that I researched was Chaucer, whose work The Canterbury Tales, was quite interesting especially in its portrayal of chivalry.

Open Prompt 5

2007.

The old saying “If at first you don’t succeed, try try again” has little merit if one does not also learn from their mistakes. In The American Dream, Mommy and Daddy have had a dreadful experience with adopting a child, yet they attempt to go through it again, asking for the same instant gratification they requested before. Mommy and Daddy’s inability to come to terms with the past causes them to continue to pursue 

a conformist american dream and not be able to achieve satisfaction.

 White picket fences with two point five kids are the traditional images of the american dream. Unfortunately it has become more and more common to view this as the only american dream. Daddy and Mommy have fallen prey to this and it results in them being compelled to adopt another child. Mommy is the biggest culprit to conformity as seen in her escapades in buying a hat. She needed to be on the same page with the chair of her woman’s club even if it meant causing a large amount of trouble for another human being. After the first child adoption went horribly wrong a normal person would most likely decide to not have another child, but Mommy us dead set on having her satisfaction even though it is apparent that her life choices are not accommodating to one.

 This inability to learn from the past has caused Mommy and Daddy to not be able to reach proper fulfillment in there lives. They continually feel empty as evidenced by the continual inability to reach satisfaction with mundane things such as appliances failing. Instead of re-evaluating their lives though, they continually try to appease this faux american dream. It even causes them to mistreat the one sane individual who is able to learn and adapt, so much so that she leaves the household.

Mommy and Daddy’s inability to learn from the mistake of adopting a child, due to there obsession with an conformist american dream cause them to have a deficit of satisfaction in their lives.

open prompt 4

The classic image of the american dream is the house with the white picket fence and nuclear family. Edward Albee addresses the value of the aesthetic nature of the american dream in his play, The American Dream. Albee uses the repetition of Mommy changing subject with the acknowledgement of the boxes to show how only the exterior of the american dream is valued and how those who chase it tend to become more and more frustrated.

Initially Mommy is quite pleased with the job Grandma has done with the boxes, she does not care what is inside but she praises the exterior. When a conversation delves deeper, Mommy will immediately switch back to praising the boxes when she is challenged logically. Mommy has gotten so caught up in the appearance of life that she has neglected to acquire any logic to back her reasoning up. Even when she was a child and had lunch everyday, she would not unwrap the box because the appearance of her lunch was more important than the actual contents, which ironically are much more important in reality. Switching back to the boxes serves as a quick and reliable method for Mommy to ignore the details of her ideas.

After multiple changes of subject mommy is eventually fed up with the boxes and criticizes them quite harshly. She is focused solely on the image of the american dream and gets increasingly frustrated as it becomes clear that it will take more than wanting it and having a vague idea of what one wants to achieve it. By the end she has given up completely on the boxes, showing the completion of her transition to the new american dream, which is ushered in with the entering of the Young Man.

Edward Albee uses Mommy’s adoration of the aesthetics of the boxes and her gradual animosity toward them to show how society values the american dream only at face value. The Young Man has taken over as the new american dream of the household, but Grandma still plods along her boxes in tow.

close reading 3

Vote a critical hurdle for Tunisia by Ellen Lust

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/22/opinion/lust-tunisia-election/index.html?hpt=op_t1

Diction - Lust uses the word “stumbles” to show how difficult it is to find political advertising in tunisia. When someone stumbles it is an accident and it is an act that is overall avoided when possible. This is the case with the political messages, they are hard to find and easily avoided. The word “hijack” is used when describing the fears of islamist extremists taking over the new government. This term is loaded and is aimed and the largely american audience that has strong ties to the 911 attacks. This creates a greater feeling of fear in the reader

Details - Lust describes the situation with the confusion of the actual election process very well. The thousands of possible officials with hundreds of parties makes it appear chaotic and unorganized, the standard view of a new democracy. The fears of the people regarding the rise of the old party also convey something that many people in the west don’t consider, the fears of the tunisians about where their government is heading. 

Imagery - The most striking imagery in this article comes from the description of the political rules in order to even the playing field. The over crowded billboards, and identical messages paint the idea of a society void of debate and under an authoritarian rule, quite contrary to the idea of the revolution.

Course Response 3

This week we extensively analyzed the American Dream through annotation and discussion. This was mainly achieved through grouping up and annotating and then discussing findings as a class. In this format a great deal more meaning can be derived from the text than any one person analyzing by themselves, and so many different points of view on the same section are presented. For me the biggest issue is that I have a hard time believing that Alby meant for so much to be presented in this relatively short play. I continually get the sense that we are over analyzing the play in class, which results in a slower progression of the annotation. Though this abundance of ideas with definitely come in handy when brainstorming for essay ideas for class and on the AP exam.

Close Reading #2

Future of the Gulf

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/opinion/sunday/future-of-the-gulf.html?ref=opinion


Diction: The words "unfilled" and "failure" in regards to congress' actions target the duty of congress to work  to fix the nation's ailments and trials. These words display how congress has not fulfilled it's job and that it should be pressured to do so. The foundation of this government for many denizens is a government for the people by the people, and these words target that feeling in order to stimulate a greater interest in the issue.


Details: The argument this article is making is that the congress should be enacting more legislation and programs in order to clean up the gulf. Details involving the amount of money that could be saved from further efforts, and the restating of Obama's initial statements are compelling details that encourage the reader to get involved in pressuring congress. In an extremely rough economy a 23 billion dollar industry cannot afford to be lost, not to mention the domino effect one industry can have on others.

Imagery: When the Author describes the disaster in the gulf as being the worst since Hurricane Katrina, it instantly evokes the images of thousands of houses submerged only visible by their roofs and newspapers with giant bold letters tallying the death tole. Unlike nature and animals being destroyed the human disaster of the hurricane triggers a deeper response in the reader and compels them to agree with the author's point on a much higher level.

Course Response #2

The American Dream was probably the first play that I have ever enjoyed reading. The concise and comedic play initially seemed like another generic dig at the stereotypical idea of the american dream, but after a few exchanges between the characters it became apparent that it was more. Ridiculous changes of opinion and an inability to determine a purpose show the opinion of the writer towards those who believe in the American Dream, and the defining of the young man as the American Dream, slyly shows it as all flash and no substance. For me what set this apart from other plays and stories about the American Dream is that it is light-hearted through ought even when describing the murder of a child. I felt jolly and satisfied after reading it, not sad or upset.

My Blog post that my computer situation delayed for a while.......

The philosopher Hobbes viewed Humanity as naturally immoral, and incapable of ruling itself through democracy. Ayn Rand addressed this in her novel, Atlas Shrugged, where she displays the issues of mob rule by the ill-informed. Dagney's interactions with Dr. Staddler represent the broader implications of impulsive mob rule.

Dr. Staddler is the chief scientist in the government technology department. He is approached by Dagney in order to discuss why Rearden Metal has been deemed unfit for public use. As the conversation unfolds Dr. Staddler reveals that he must conform the the public will in order to keep his position and funding. Staddler is the sell-out of the novel, who goes along with the looters even though he knows it is wrong.

This interaction relates to the rest of the novel because it sets the tone of the lesser complaining in order to take down the greater. As people like Balph are unable to be succesful they are convinced that it is due to the lack of regulation in the market place. Since this benefits the majority of people in this society, it is advantageous to join and persecute the makers. Though this philosophy seems good in the short term, it results in a stalling of production and innovation.

The reason this quote is effective is because it is a feeling that is easy to relate to. Giving into peer pressure is something that many people experience in their life-times, and Ayn Rand conveys this feeling on a much larger scale. Anyone who has made a decision based on the will of the majority can attest that it often results in a negative outcome. Dr. Staddler's inability to resist the pressures of society result in a negative impact on the market and his own desires.

Atlas Shrugged, specifically the interactions of Dr. Staddler and Dagney exemplify the danger of impulsive mob rule. Without a leviathan of change, then this system is doomed to fail.

Course Response

This course has had two major points that have stuck in my head, those being DIDLS and how to write a strong thesis. Being an insomniac makes analyzing literature and constructing responses to it difficult, especially in the morning. The technique of DIDLS provides a step by step process that is easily remembered, which I can use even after 2 or 3 days without sleep. Constructing a strong thesis can also be a challenge when one is not able to think clearly, but the way we were taught to analyze the prompt provides an initial blueprint that is immensely helpful.

DIDLS and I have had a complicated relationship so far, even with the accolades I gave it in the previous paragraph. Yes is aids me in my tired hazes and yes it inspired the "Teach Me How to Dougie" parody "Instruct me how to DIDLS", but it has had some negative contributions. In AP lit we are delving deeper into the parts that make up DIDLS, the most annoying for me has been diction. Usually when a lit teacher assigns some form of diction assignment, I take the book, put it on my dartboard and chuck a few at it, then make things up about the words the darts hit. Now with essays hinging on a solid explanation behind the words and not some bull I made up in the 7 minutes before 3rd hour, I'm forced to look at the text with an exponentially higher amount of effort.

I come from the group of students who took AP world. Now in this class we wrote multiple essays, which resulted in multiple thesis statements, unfortunately these were all terrible run on lists of facts. Ever since then I have relied on Lit teachers basically holding my hand into writing a good thesis. The biggest challenge for me in this class will be getting to a point where I can condense all of my thoughts into one clear concise statement.

Libyan Transitional Leader Urges Reconciliation, Using Symbolism of Tripoli Site - Anne Barnard

Details - Barnard does an excellent job of describing all of the major events surrounding the announcements of the Libyan transitional government. From the descriptions of their attire, the " council members who were dressed mainly in civilian clothes", represents the governments attempt to relate with the people and move towards a normal functioning system. Describing the direction the new government is going in as "people, for a moderate Islam", serves to downplay fears held primarily by western countries that radical groups will take hold of the nation, resulting in an even more volatile situation than before. The Rans Lanuf attack has been seen as a resurgence in anti-revolutionary power. Abduhlraman Busin calms the people's fears by setting the record straight and assuring the people that the force "had not come into direct contact with the guards, a very important detail in order to keep up morale and prevent fears of a massive ground assault from spreading.

Diction - Barnard's use of terms like "Oscar-winning actor" in regards to Abdel-Jalil's speech reflect the magnitude of his position and provide a quick and easy way for an American reader to connect with the moment. A comment by a speaker, calling the city of Misurata "the Stalingrad of Libya" is also an impressive multiple tiered analogy. It connects Qaddafi to Adolf Hitler, a universally excepted figure of evil, creating an even higher level of anti-Qaddafi sentiment. Furthermore Stalingrad was a result of a broken pact between the Soviets and the Nazis, it was the bloody battle that shattered Hitler's attempts in Russia, the same type of scenario occurred in Libya. The government broke a "pact" it had with the people to carry out their best interests, and when it was not carried out the came together and after a bloody conflict came out victorious.

Imagery - As with the other aspects of the article, imagery is set in two layers. The imagery set forth by the writer of the article, and the imagery set forth by the speakers at the square. Barnard's imagery focuses on the members of the surrounding crowd; "Women held babies aloft dressed in the red, black and green of the revolution, and ranks of militia members stood below a stage full of council members", this produces an image of a an enthusiastic and prosperous new system. Abdel-Jalil used imagery to inspire the masses and give the crowd an idea of what was to come, statements such as "women will be ambassadors" give that crucial demographic a vision of the future and also creates and image that flies into the face of common stereotypes held by westerners about a woman's role in Islamic society.

Original Article : http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/world/africa/13libya.html?hp