These past few weeks I have been able to acquire a great deal of information. I have learned that this class is a ton of work and to not leave annotations for the night before.
Going back a few weeks ago we continued to discuss The American Dream. We read two different essays that gave me a new outlook on this bizarre play. These opinionated pieces assisted me in annotating the play and furthered my understanding of Theater of the Absurd. Our class discussions opened my eyes to all the hidden details I missed the first two times reading. Just about everything in the play has a significant role. The next text we examined was How to Read Literature Like a Professor. This book was filled to the brim with repetitive information, but nonetheless useful. We learned that Foster is a large fan of Machiavelli as he was referenced in just about every chapter.
We have also been doing various activities together as a class to expand our knowledge of diction, imagery, and syntax. These have stretched and forced me to think beyond what I have done in the past. Creating examples and then immediately discussing them with the whole class helps me directly apply what I have just learned. When we began to examine AP strategies, I was a little intimidated. Those multiple choice questions are close to impossible. The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing was helpful in revising my essay. The style the book was written in makes it an easy reference when writing. Recently, we have watched Death of a Salesman which is proving to being another unique literary work. I am eager to see what this play brings to the table.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
The American Dream Analysis
Wow. The American Dream was the oddest and most interesting piece of literature I have read. This was also my first time reading a Theater of the Absurd piece.
The author, Edward Albee was adopted at a young age by two parents who did not always except him for him. Conflict was something that he had to deal with and it also made a difference in his writing.
This play begins with Mommy and Daddy sitting in their New York city apartment living room which we have come to believe it takes place at some point in the 1950's. Grandma lives with Mommy and Daddy and is ridiculed mostly by Mommy throughout the whole play. Mommy and Daddy continuously converse about how the person is late, "Why are they so late? Why can't they get here on time?" (16). We find out this mystery person is Mrs. Barker of Bye-Bye Adoption Service. Grandma tells a story to Mrs. Barker about a couple "similar" to Mommy and Daddy. They previously mutilated their adopted son which resulted in death. Another knock on the door occurs and it is the Young Man. This Young Man is very attractive but has been wounded deeply inside. The ironic part is this boy is their previous son's twin. Mommy and Daddy are drawn to his outer features, as this is what they find important. The play concludes with Grandma hiding off to the side and Mommy and Daddy clinging to this new Young Man. The Young Man is perceived as the "American Dream."
Motifs:
Overall Theme:
Consumerism is corrupting American societal structure and values.
The author, Edward Albee was adopted at a young age by two parents who did not always except him for him. Conflict was something that he had to deal with and it also made a difference in his writing.
This play begins with Mommy and Daddy sitting in their New York city apartment living room which we have come to believe it takes place at some point in the 1950's. Grandma lives with Mommy and Daddy and is ridiculed mostly by Mommy throughout the whole play. Mommy and Daddy continuously converse about how the person is late, "Why are they so late? Why can't they get here on time?" (16). We find out this mystery person is Mrs. Barker of Bye-Bye Adoption Service. Grandma tells a story to Mrs. Barker about a couple "similar" to Mommy and Daddy. They previously mutilated their adopted son which resulted in death. Another knock on the door occurs and it is the Young Man. This Young Man is very attractive but has been wounded deeply inside. The ironic part is this boy is their previous son's twin. Mommy and Daddy are drawn to his outer features, as this is what they find important. The play concludes with Grandma hiding off to the side and Mommy and Daddy clinging to this new Young Man. The Young Man is perceived as the "American Dream."
Motifs:
- Emasculation, gender roles, sexuality, control: Right from the start, the in masculinity of Daddy was quite obvious. He is constantly being thrown under the bus by Mommy, was forced to forego a sex change, and was unable to remember simple things such as Mrs. Barker's name. For example, "... that name again?" (23).
- Boxes, new versus old: The boxes play a large role in this play. Grandma is very persistent on making sure the boxes look nice and it is a mystery until the end with what is in them. Grandma is "packing up the old" into the boxes. Mommy and Daddy only chose to comment on the surface of the boxes, which is very important to them. Daddy says, "They're wrapped so nicely" (14). It can also be interpreted as Grandma representing the old American Dream, and Mommy and Daddy representing the new one. Grandma is a hard wo
- Social status, manners, artificiality: Mommy and Daddy care a great deal about where they fit on the social ladder. Mommy is very persistent on getting the wheat colored hat when she originally received the beige hat. But, the crazy thing is... they are the same hat! Mommy says, "They have artificial light, Daddy." (10 ) Mommy was upset about the artificial or fake light, but fake is all she is too.
Overall Theme:
Consumerism is corrupting American societal structure and values.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Close Reading: The Last Right
In The Last Right: Why America Is Moving Slowly on Assisted Suicide, by Ross Douthat, the issue of committing doctor assisted suicide is examined. This topic has resurfaced in the news most recently with the Brittany Maynard story. This New York Times columnist uses diction, syntax, and details to effectively communicate his message to his readers.
Douthat uses diction throughout the article to establish a strong retort to this timely news. In paragraph one we read, "lethal prescription and die by suicide" (Douthat). The next section consists of the descriptive words such as suffering, terminal, pain, and suicide. In the third paragraph, Douthat writes, "The tragedy... a striking fact." The use of these words creates a sense of fear. In paragraph six, the word "fiercely" is used. These are a handful of Douthat's conscious word choices in his piece.
Another exceptional technique used by Douthat is the skillful use of syntax. From the beginning, we are educated on Brittany Maynard's story. This makes the article extremely personable and relative to many. In paragraph three we are asked questions such as, "Why, in a society where individualism seems to be carrying the day, is the right that Maynard intends to exercise still confined to just a handful of states?" or "Why has assisted suicide’s advance been slow, when on other social issues the landscape has shifted dramatically in a libertarian direction?" These questions are thought-provoking and allow the reader an opportunity to contemplate what they will read in the upcoming paragraphs. The second half of the article presents legislative and political influences around assisted suicide.
Douthat includes a multitude of details to inform us as readers on the history of doctor assisted suicide. He references that the "Supreme Court, which in 1997 ruled 9 to 0 that the Constitution does not include a right to suicide. (Douthat). We are additionally given the opportunity to reference an article posted that advocates for doctor assisted suicide. Conservatives and liberal viewpoints are shared as well. Douthat writes that,
"Many liberals seem considerably more uncomfortable with the idea of physician-assisted suicide than with other causes, from abortion to homosexuality, where claims about personal autonomy and liberty are at stake." to illustrate their side. For the opposition he states, "Conservatives oppose assisted suicide more fiercely." With these perspectives, we are able to make our own conclusions.
Throught this piece we are given an abundance of information on euthanasia. Ross Douthat provides us as readers with an abundance of evidence, allowing us to make our own choice. He effectively uses different types of rhetoric to convey the issue of doctor assisted suicide.
Douthat uses diction throughout the article to establish a strong retort to this timely news. In paragraph one we read, "lethal prescription and die by suicide" (Douthat). The next section consists of the descriptive words such as suffering, terminal, pain, and suicide. In the third paragraph, Douthat writes, "The tragedy... a striking fact." The use of these words creates a sense of fear. In paragraph six, the word "fiercely" is used. These are a handful of Douthat's conscious word choices in his piece.
Another exceptional technique used by Douthat is the skillful use of syntax. From the beginning, we are educated on Brittany Maynard's story. This makes the article extremely personable and relative to many. In paragraph three we are asked questions such as, "Why, in a society where individualism seems to be carrying the day, is the right that Maynard intends to exercise still confined to just a handful of states?" or "Why has assisted suicide’s advance been slow, when on other social issues the landscape has shifted dramatically in a libertarian direction?" These questions are thought-provoking and allow the reader an opportunity to contemplate what they will read in the upcoming paragraphs. The second half of the article presents legislative and political influences around assisted suicide.
Douthat includes a multitude of details to inform us as readers on the history of doctor assisted suicide. He references that the "Supreme Court, which in 1997 ruled 9 to 0 that the Constitution does not include a right to suicide. (Douthat). We are additionally given the opportunity to reference an article posted that advocates for doctor assisted suicide. Conservatives and liberal viewpoints are shared as well. Douthat writes that,
"Many liberals seem considerably more uncomfortable with the idea of physician-assisted suicide than with other causes, from abortion to homosexuality, where claims about personal autonomy and liberty are at stake." to illustrate their side. For the opposition he states, "Conservatives oppose assisted suicide more fiercely." With these perspectives, we are able to make our own conclusions.
Throught this piece we are given an abundance of information on euthanasia. Ross Douthat provides us as readers with an abundance of evidence, allowing us to make our own choice. He effectively uses different types of rhetoric to convey the issue of doctor assisted suicide.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)