Wednesday, September 28, 2011

"Reading Critically" Summary

"Reading Critically" explained how to read materials closely and to not only understand them, but to also comprehend and apply the materials to other things. The first paragraph introduced the idea of reading critically. It then proceeded in sections to outline each different idea. They were all written in an informational tone to allow the reader to understand and make inferences about the different ideas while reading. All the sections were titled such as "The Title" "When the Work was Published", etc. to give the readers an idea of what to expect. Within the reading was an essay titled "The Broken Chain" by M.F.K. Fisher that was used as an example for the subjects outlined. It was used as an example in sections such as "Summarizing", "Thinking Critically" and others to show how certain actions should be carried out. The author's intention was to teach and inform the readers on how to read critically and get the most out of the reading as possible.

Monday, September 26, 2011

"Shame" Avett Brothers

The subject in this song is shame. The tone is focused on how shame is overpowering and creates weight on his shoulders. Three words I saw in the song that demonstrated the tone were overwhelming, fall apart, and lift. Overwhelming displays how things are hard to handle and there is a lot of weight being placed on his shoulders due to the "boatloads" of shame he is experiencing. Fall apart merely exhibits how things aren't going right and how they are falling apart around him; it shows how hard it is to maintain control. Lift is a unique and important word in the song because it's demonstrating how he is begging to have the weight taken off his shoulders. Lift is a word that demonstrates a physical action, yet "weight on someone's shoulders" is simply figurative, rather than literal. This exhibits how severe the situation is and how desperate he is to get rid of the pain and shame.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out by Dave Barry

Subject-The subject of Dave Barry’s “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out” is the difference between men and women’s priorities. The contrast between the two sexes is illustrated through Barry’s use of examples. He uses dirt and cleaning to portray what women notice, and he uses sports as an example of what men’s priorities are. He explains how women are sensitive to things like dirt and cleaning, whereas men are sensitive to sports through stories he tells.
Occasion- “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out” was written during the 1980’s. The essay’s time of creation is exhibited in the introduction to the essay where it is conveyed that this essay is from the collection of essays in the book Dave Barry’s Greatest Hits, written in 1988. The probable place of the essay’s creation is in America-more specifically in Miami, Florida. He started working as a humor columnist for The Miami Herald in 1983 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, thus proving he was writing in 1988 when he wrote Dave Barry’s Greatest Hits in Miami.
The time and place of the essay’s creation influenced the essay through the stories he told and how they related to his life. Barry uses the story of how his wife still notices dirt in the bathroom after he has just cleaned it, and he also uses the story of a dinner he and his wife were invited to on the night of a World Series Game. These stories pertain to the time setting being fairly modern and the location being in America.
Audience- Dave Barry’s specific audience for “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out” is married couples. The author’s target audience is exhibited by the stories he tells. These stories involve him and his wife and how their differences affect their lives. These stories are attracting couples because these stories are most likely to resemble married couples’ past experiences to some extent.
The author’s general audience for the essay is young Americans. The author’s general audience is expressed through his somewhat adult humor and the way he perceives American men and women in their relationships.
Purpose- Dave Barry’s purpose in “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out” is to show the differences in the priorities men and women have. The message he wanted to convey to the audience is that both women and men have things that are sensitive about-they just aren’t about the same things. The different priorities men and women have are revealed when he says, “She is there looking at the very walls I just Windexed, and she is seeing dirt!” This shows that women are very sensitive to cleaning, whereas men are clearly not. He then goes on to say, “The opposite side of the dirt coin, of course, is sports. This is an area where men tend to feel very sensitive and women tend to be extremely callous.” This is what men are sensitive about, thus proving that while priorities for the different sexes alter, those sensitivities still exist.
Speaker- Dave Barry, Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist, believes that women and men differ in their preferences. This value is illustrated by his use of “coin”, meaning that it’s two-sided, one being men and one being women. They have different preferences, yet are one.
Dave Barry, columnist for the Miami Herald, also believes that women and men should stick to their own “thing”. He uses the example of Pompeii where men didn’t notice things that women did, ending in disaster. He mentions that from then on, men have never done housework because they don’t notice the little details. This proves that certain people are meant for different things and they should stick to what they know.
Dave Barry’s use of phrasing is evident throughout the essay by using the beginning paragraph to talk about the difference of men and women, the next few paragraphs to talk about women’s priority, and the last paragraphs to talk about men’s preferences. It is structured well to allow organization to take place.
Dave Barry’s use of diction is evident throughout the essay through his humor. He uses his humor to keep the essay flowing and to create a light mood. This is seen when he talks about the Windex incident and the World Series Game. He uses italics to emphasize his humor through his sarcasm towards the subject.
Tone-Dave Barry exhibits a humorous and discerning attitude about the differences in priorities between men and women in “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out”. These attitudes are expressed by amusement and an understanding seen throughout the piece. He uses jokes throughout the essay to keep the mood lively, but also creates a very understanding tone that shows he knows what he is talking about in relationship to the differences between men and women. His tone serves the purpose of keeping the readers interested and to have an understanding of the realization he has come to. When he claims that “…I always get irate letters from women who say they are the heavyweight racquetball champion…and are sensitive to sports to the point where they could crush my skull like a rip grape, but I feel these women are the exception.” Here, he creates humor, but also knows that there always exception. This proves that he is understanding, but can also have fun with it.

"American Tongues"

Voice in literature is how the writer connects with the audience. The writer creates a voice by using a certain tone, attitude, and syntax. I think that it's originally unintentional; however, once the voice is discovered, it can be altered in whatever way the writer wants it to be. People in Eastern Kentucky tend to talk around the subject to create a comfortable setting so there is a connection beforehand. They see that it's better to become social before asking for something. By seeing the way a writer approaches a topic, we can see what their feelings are toward it and what tone they are taking on. Voice is important in writing because you learn what message the writer is trying to make and their attitude towards the topic.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Eleanor Rigby- PAIN vs. Beatles

I like the Beatles version of "Eleanor Rigby" more than PAIN's cover of it. I have listened to the Beatles all my life, and this song is a classic to me. Not only have I grown up listening to it, but it's also very calming and it allows me to listen to the lyrics and the music more. However, since it's familiar to me it gives me bias, and I also tend to like original songs more than covers of songs. I think that the Beatles version is more pleasing to listen to because it was soothing rather than loud and harsh. In the PAIN version, the singer appeared to be "screaming" at us rather than actually singing, whereas in the Beatles version the singer has a soft and quiet voice that is pleasing to listen to.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Kandinsky vs. Pollack

I like the Pollack painting more because I like the use of his colors. They go well with each other and complement each other. I also am a fan of splatter pain, which is what the painting is. It has no definite shapes; therefore, it makes it seem as though it has a sense of freedom to it. While I like the Pollack painting more than Kandinsky's, I'd have to say that Kandinsky's painting is more pleasing to the eye. It has definite shapes, mostly geometric ones, and uses pastel colors. There is more to look at and there are different aspects of the painting one can look at, whereas Pollack's is the splatter paint-the same throughout.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

"Sign Language"

The single effect I got from this short film was hope. At the beginning he mentions that he is being promoted, which indicates he will be moving up in life; this provides a sense of hope for him to have a better life. The way he describes the community and life-that its beauty is all around us-shows the audience that he has hope in life altogether because of the way he sees the world. His friends also tell him to go talk to the girl he likes by using signs. They motivate him to talk to her; this shows that he has hope and that it could work out. If I were to take out the background music in the film, it would lose that feeling and sense of community. The music provided almost a calm feeling, and it created a nice contrast from the busy and hectic hustle and bustle of the city streets. The music made the film flow well, and it gave the audience a sense of belonging in the community he was trying to explain.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Harry Nilsson "Good Old Desk"

S- The subject in this song is God.
O- The recording was published in 1968.
A- The audience Nilsson is trying to target are people in need of comforting advice.
P- The purpose of the song is to prove that God is always there for him to rely on and lean back on when needed.
S- The speaker is someone who loves to be with and near God.
T- The tone throughout the song is happy, comforting, and has a very content feeling to it.

Nilsson is talking about God and what a comfort it is to have someone who is always there for him and remain stable in his life. He talks about how God is there " to keep[s] [his] hopes alive." He also says He's "the one friend I've got, a giant of all times," indicating that God will never let him down. Overall, Nilsson is trying to prove the point that no matter what happens, God is always there to catch him when he falls and that it's "such a comfort to know, it's got no place to go, it's always there."

Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell

Subject- The subject of George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" is imperialism that the author wished to convey to the audience. British imperialism is illustrated through his decision to kill an elephant that has broken loose and caused damage to the villages only for the purpose of not being seen as a fool. Here, the author implies that his intended purpose of using the rifle merely as a defense mechanism was overridden by the pressure the British government created.
Occasion- "Shooting an Elephant" was written during the early 1900s. The essay's time of creation is displayed by stating that Burma was where the story took place, which is now present day Myanmar. We know that it was the early 1900s because the British were still controlling Myanmar at that time, which was still Burma- a province of India. The probable place of the essay's creation is Moulmein, Burma. We know this because the narrator states it at the beginning.
The time and place of the essay's creation influenced the essay by illustrating how government was enforced under British imperialism at this time. This claim is illustrated when Orwell says, "For at that time I had already made up my mind that imperialism was an evil thing....I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British." This shows how he was against imperialism, and that while he was not friendly with the Burmese, he knew they were being oppressed by the British and he did hate the type of rule they were being governed under.
Audience- George Orwell's specific audience for "Shooting an Elephant" are the English people, specifically ones under imperial rule.The author's target audience is revealed by his aggressive attacks on the idea of imperialism. He blatantly states that his decision of killing the elephant was on behalf of the government pressure when he says "Here was I, the white man with his gun, standing in front of the unarmed native crowd — seemingly the leading actor of the piece; but in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind. ...He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it." This proves that he has been forced to give up his freedom and followed what he is expected to do.
The author's general audience are people lacking knowledge of imperial rule. The author's general audience is shown how imperialistic rule has negative affects and can lead to unfortunate events to educate the people lacking this information. The knowledge he is providing is illustrated with his statement, "And it was at this moment, as I stood there with the rifle in my hands, that I first grasped the hollowness, the futility of the white man's dominion in the East." He proves that a white man, even one who can have complete dominion over others, is still useless and is being pressured into doing something he knows isn't right when it comes to terms of the government.
Purpose- George Orwell's purpose in "Shooting an Elephant" is to create awareness of self-destruction caused by imperialism. He wants to let the audience know what imperialism can do and tries to create or support repulsion towards this type of government. Creating a negative outlook on imperialism is revealed with, "I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.” He says this, trying to show that harm will come to people who follow imperialism and it will destroy their freedom. The purpose is further revealed by "There was only one alternative." He is stating here how he must kill the elephant- he has no other choice anymore and his freedom is now gone.
Speaker- George Orwell, a writer opposed to totalitarianism and aware of social injustice, believes in freedom rather than being under government rule. This value is illustrated by "...secretly, of course — I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British." This proves how he was for the Burmese, even given the fact that he was not liked by them. His values of freedom are illustrated by his desire to be against the oppressing British.
George Orwell's use of irony is evident in his last sentence, "I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool." Irony presents the anecdote and helps the readers understand how imperialistic power limits freedom. Ironically, the natives control the executioner instead of the executioner controlling the natives. The execution of the elephant presented makes him feel important because he only cared of not being seen as a fool, even though he lost his freedom and did what he was expected to do.
George Orwell's use of imagery is evident when he describes the elephant saying that "peacefully eating, the elephant looked no more dangerous than a cow...with that preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have." This is used to create a more sympathetic feeling towards the elephant, as it is doing no harm. This allows for a bigger reaction when he kills the elephant due to the feelings the audience now has towards the elephant.
Tone- George Orwell exhibits a bitter and critical attitude about the idea of imperialism in "Shooting an Elephant". These attitudes are expressed with seriousness and attacks. The seriousness created throughout the story implements a critical tone where there is no room for "dilly-dallying". He is straight and to the point and very straightforward with his remarks. His attacks used on imperialism create a bitter tone that he uses to show his negative attitude toward imperialism as a whole.

Friday, September 2, 2011

"The Runaway"

"The Runaway" is a picture of a little boy around the age of 7 on a bar stool in what would appear as a diner. The boy is turned looking at a policeman who is also looking at him from his place on the bar stool next to him. A stick with a small bundle at the end tied with a bandanna is sitting on the ground next to the little boy. Artist Norman Rockwell provides a new way to look at the 1950's in this painting. The 1950's were the years following World War II and new families were being started as servicemen returned home. This started a new, fresh beginning for everyone. Here, we see how this little boy has attempted to "run away", most likely just to have fun and play what he thought was a game. Not knowing and not caring about the bigger aspects of life happening around him, the boy was simply living his childhood. This shows how carefree and innocent the little boy is. With the turn around from the war, this painting overlooks the issues of America and focuses on something more or less bittersweet for the audience- creating almost a nostalgic longing for that innocent childhood we all once had. "The Runaway" overlooks the fundamental rift that was rising in America throughout the 1950's- an emerging counter culture that was not concerned with how things were in America but rather how they are.

"Across the Universe" the Beatles

In the song, images I saw were "...endless rain in a paper cup" where I saw a paper cup on a sidewalk continuously overflowing with every drop of rain, "images of broken light" which I envisioned as light darting in from the window, making specks of light on the wall, and "...like a restless wind inside a letter box" where I saw a small wooden box sitting on a table shaking and rattling as if something were inside trying to get out. I saw the "images of broken light" standing as a symbol. I thought the light represented good times and the broken part being the amounts of "dark" time between those good times. My favorite symbol that has remained with me throughout all my life is the dove, the symbol of peace.