Close Reading: "Americans: Undecided About God?"

The controversy over what the holidays represent for certain individuals has been a debate for decades. In the article, Eric Weiner, discusses how he is conflicted when it comes to a subject of God, and describes how is a "None" who has no religion and how he is proud of it. Weiner uses diction, and syntax to further allow his readers to understand his disappointment in the concept of believing in God.

Weiner talks about how he thinks God is "for suckers" and that subject is only discussed in "mocking or derisive tones". He reflects his emotions through his diction. This allows the audience to understand where he stands on this subject matter, and how he may feel that the holidays are shameful because they celebrate religious beliefs. He also believes that "there is very good religion out there" because people feel obligated to feel pain or consequence when they commit a sin and God will always "smite them". These choice of words clearly represent that religion has a negative impact on people rather than a positive one. 

The syntax in this article uses shorter sentences to emphasis points. Such as when Weiner explains that "None are the undecided of the religion world", here the readers can understand that the Nones attitude is just "I don't know, but let's find out". This syntax makes the article more visually appealing and comprehensive. Although this may not necessarily display Weiner's disappointment in believers, the readers can see his perspective on why religion leads him to believe so, since he does not have one himself. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/opinion/sunday/americans-and-god.html?ref=opinion

Response to Course Material 12/10

Wow. It's hard to believe that we are nearly half way done with this class. I almost feel overwhelmed when I think to myself all the knowledge I have acquired in just nearly 3 months. I will admit, I have never read anything like Ceremony ever before, and it is a difficult read in my opinion. Thankfully, in class discussions, peer advice and a little bit of research is getting me through annotating this book. Native American Literature is a different world to explore, and I am glad that I am understanding the realms in which this world exists.
The eras presentation was a good topic to touch on, and prezi isn't all that bad. I was nervous when I first started using it, but it's compatible. Hopefully I will keep on improving on my essays, and will nail the next one ( I HOPE). 

Open Prompt: December 4th

2007. In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present activities, attitudes, or values of a character. Choose a novel or play in which a character must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal. Then write an essay in which you show how the character's relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

            Often times in literature, a character’s attitude is strongly influenced by their past and can be expressed likewise in their current attitude. In Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman, Willy’s confidence and actions are derived from his past. Arthur Miller uses Willy’s success as a salesman  in the past and his brother Ben’s words of wisdom to further present why Willy has such a high self esteem as a salesman  currently when he is failing in life.

            When Willy was young, he used to sleep with women who were receptionists to big businesses to allow for his business as a salesman to flourish. This was his tactic to making money, and boosting his self esteem as a character. As he ages over time, his appearance does also. Less women were willing to support his business, and his business also started to diminish. Willy’s thoughts and conscience is always focused on the past, so when he promotes his business in the current life, his motivation is his past success.

            Willy’s deceased brother Ben is a successful man who went into the “jungle”  and  became rich. Willy thus takes Ben’s advice and allows for himself to lead his life in such a manner that Ben would. In order to be successful in Willy’s eyes, one must adhere to examples and superiority to lead their own lives. Ben’s past conversation with Willy still run through Willy’s mind as if Ben were still alive. Not realizing that time has passed and it’s too late to go into the “jungle”, Willy still keeps hope.

            Willy’s attitude is not influenced by his failure, but rather his past. This allows for him to keep a positive outlook on life due to his past success as a salesman. 

Close Reading: "Lack of soap means illness, death for millions of children"

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/15/health/cnnheroes-soap-hygiene/index.html?hpt=he_t3

The author of this article describes how the lack of soap can kill millions across the world. The author uses diction and imagery to further the readers understanding on how soap leads to proper hygiene and prevents death for the underprivileged.
When analyzing the cause of death in countries that are on the brink of war and that are "politically vulnerable", the author comes to a consensus that these stress factors contribute to the cause of illness and poor sanitation. These choice of words such as "politically vulnerable" shows that the author is targeting the less fortunate to portray how more privileged countries, such as America, take objects such as soap for granted. This shows that the author wants to make it clear that we undermine the power of soap, as it could be "worth more than a day's wage to afford" in other countries. Thus, the author tries to convey her message with such  power with words and phrases to make the readers appreciate the advantages of soap.
The author uses imagery when describing the earthquake that hit Haiti and how millions were forced to live in communal tents and "use water that was contaminated" to further exploit her message that soap can save millions of lives. By describing the spread of cholera through out Haiti and how millions had to share bathrooms with contaminated water, the author over powers us with her strong sense of words and images that she paints in our minds of these consequences of the earthquake that hit Haiti. The readers can feel sympathy for those that are less fortunate, and can only be thankful for the fact that they are able to wash their hands. The author also describes how Dia, a member of the hotel staff that cleans rooms, "retrieves gently used bars of soap in each room" and keeps them for herself. Through this image, the author conquers our emotions by making us feel grateful that we can afford soap while simultaneously making us feel guilty that we take it for granted when people such as Dia takes used soap to keep herself sanitary. While we waste away our money on more materialistic possessions, Dia considers soap to be a luxury. Thus, the author conquers our emotions through this powerful image. 

Response to Course Material 11/20

After revising my work from this past month, I have come to realize how much I have improved on my organization skills when it comes to my essays. Not only have I learned how to keep my paragraphs in an essay relevant to the topic, but I have made sure that my essays flow in a sequential manner. In this aspect, I have redeemed myself from all of my lack of coherency in my previous essays. 

On another note, the in class essay we had to do on "A Barred Owl" and "The History Teacher" opened my eyes to finding DIDLS when it came to comparisons and contrasts of both poems. I accurately found the meaning of both poems, but failed on giving valid explanations for both of them. I will make sure to improve on doing so throughout the year. Another flaw I noticed in my writing is the way I insert quotes in my essays, I will be sure that they sound like they belong there rather than throw them in there as evidence. Finding errors in my writing allows me to fix them and flourish as a writer. Thus, it will only get better as the year progresses. 

Annotating "Death of A Salesman" helped me understand common Western rules in stories such as the conflict between father and son in Western society or how the West represents a new beginning. I am glad that our in class discussions helped me further my understanding on these subjects, as they appeared to be vague to me before. 

Open Prompt: November 13th

1993. "The true test of comedy is that it shall awaken thoughtful laughter." Choose a novel, play, or long poem in which a scene or character awakens "thoughtful laughter" in the reader. Write an essay in which you show why this laughter is "thoughtful" and how it contributes to the meaning of the work.

A true piece of comedy is said to evoke "thoughtful laughter" which causes one to think intellectually about a joke or subject. In "The American Dream", Edward Albee promotes thoughtful laughter by presenting scenarios where intellectual thought must be applied. Albee uses various techniques such as tone and diction to show how the manipulation of power and contrast of idealistic values promotes laughter. 

 Mommy is proven to be masculine; she is given more power than Daddy. This represents the idea that women have more power than men shows a "backward society" , which contrasts the idealistic value that men have more power than women. Albee uses this technique to promote laughter through a series of events such as Mommy forcing daddy to laugh at her jokes or forcing Daddy to answer the door upon her command. When Daddy is hesitating to answering the door, Mommy states "You're indecisive, you're a woman" ( Albee 18), this shows that Mommy is well aware of the lack of coherent thought that women possess but also that Daddy's inability to be more masculine is a flaw in his character, as if being a women makes him less authoritative. It is evident that Mommy is strong and firm in her actions, and Daddy is weak and has no control. Through this contrast of idea, the audience can clearly see how the manipulation of power promotes laughter.

Mommy and Daddy commonly address each other in a child-like tone. When Mommy goes shopping and ends up buying the same hat twice just to feel that she bought a "beige colored hat" rather than a "wheat colored hat", Daddy applauds at her immature behavior when she throws a fit in the store. The idea that Daddy would promote childlike behavior presents how Mommy needs attention at all times. This promotes thoughtful laughter because the audience is forced to think about how once one has grown up, society does not address each other in a childish manner and constantly nag for attention. In this sense, Mommy is once again given more power, and Daddy is forced to encourage her immature behavior; he is less authoritative in this respect and has no control. 

Albee uses diction and tone to show how Mommy is given more power than Daddy. Through a series of events that contrast to idealistic values, he promote "thoughtful laughter" that displays the manipulation of power in a backwards society. 

Open Prompt: October 29th

1975 Also. Unlike the novelist, the writer of a play does not use his own voice and only rarely uses a narrator's voice to guide the audience's responses to character and action. Select a play you have read and write an essay in which you explain the techniques the playwright uses to guide his audience's responses to the central characters and the action. You might consider the effect on the audience of things like setting, the use of comparable and contrasting characters, and the characters' responses to each other. Support your argument with specific references to the play. Do not give a plot summary.

The playwright Hamlet focuses on the central conflict between the protagonist Hamlet and his desire to kill his uncle, King Cladius, for betraying his father to claim the thrown. To show the audience the struggles that Hamlet faces, this play uses techniques such as blank verse, soliloquies, and foils to guide the audiences responses to characters and actions of the play. 

The playwright uses blank verse to add emphasis on the emotions of the characters. This technique gives the audience a sense of what the character is feeling as he speaks and how strongly he or she may feel about what is going in the play. For example, lines 33-68 in Act 4 scene 4 form a blank verse as a part of a monologue spoken by Hamlet that adds emphasis on how he is feeling. He compares the bravery of the soldiers to that of his conscience of killing King Cladius. Hamlet is trying to help himself understand that bravery is found behind the principal of one's action, and not in the manner in which it is performed. Thus, the audience is able to interpret that Hamlet is not killing out of honor, but rather out of the love that he has for his father. 

The soliloquies Hamlet gives during briefs moments of the play gives insight to the audience about what Hamlet's motives are, and how the audience can relate to the complexity of emotions he feels. For example, when Hamlet states "Oh what a rogue Peasant Slave Am I" ( Act 2 Scene 2) ,he discusses how nervous he is to kill King Cladius yet how badly his desire is growing to kill him. Thus, the audience understands Hamlet's selfishness and anger. 

The character Fortinbras foils Hamlet to allow the audience to understand why Hamlet acts the way he does. Fortinbras has many similarities to Hamlet such as he is also a son of a deceased king whose uncle has taken over the thrown and he also seeks avenge death of his father. However, Hamlet seeks revenge on his uncle, King Cladius, purely out of hatred as Fortinbras seeks avenge out of honor and dignity for his country of Norway. These two contrasting motives to kill are shown in action when king Cladius is praying and Hamlet does not kill him because he believes the act of personal vengeance will send King Cladius to heaven as Fortinbras is not considering these morals when he kills his uncle. Thus, showing the audience that Hamlet has morals and a strong faith in his religion. 

This playwright uses these techniques to show the complexity that the Hamlet feels before killing his uncle, King Cladius, and how the audience is to respond to these actions of the play.