Dec.11th
Well I'm just going to come out and say this one- I hate Ceremony. Absolutely hate it. I think over half of people in this class can sympathize with me on that one. Every time I try to annotate it I either end up frustrated, brain dead, or asleep. I get it's a hard book to fully understand, but that doesn't make the discussion and annotation process any more bearable; my least favorite book to date in this class by far.
On a more uplifting note, I felt the articles we've read for the book have been incredibly interesting and insightful. I had the articles dealing with Pueblo Culture and Analysis of the book Ceremony. The cultural article was much more straightforward, however I felt I gained a great amount of knowledge trying to break apart the analysis to find key details that helped me overall understand the purpose and meaning of Leslie Marmon Silko's book.
I notice i didn't put much detail into what I learned in the articles, or for that matter what I've "learned" in my annotations. For that you can go under forums and read my analysis if you're really so inclined, or hit me up to look through my immensely vague and unsatisfying annotations. I think everyone's ready for a much needed break, even if that does involve some work with Ceremony.
Nov.20th
Since the last response we have covered the book Death of a Salesman in class, and wrote another practice essay for the AP English test. About the play- it was awesome. I thought it was so much better than The American Dream. The reason I thought this was because Arthur Miller created an entire plot with his characters where their inner feelings towards one another really showed through and created an interesting read. I felt that with Albee, one scene just didn't cut it. I actually enjoyed reading and annotating Death of a Salesman and trying to piece together the deeper meanings.
The practice for the AP essays were a little less enjoyable. I don't really know how I'm going to get good enough at finding all these literature patterns and DIDLS in poems and such to be able to get a seven essay by the time testing comes around. I did find it incredible though that there was so much deeper meaning behind the two poems we compared and contrasted, especial all the stuff I didn't find (which may have been a lot...). I'll be excited to keep practicing those essays though and hopefully watch my scores creep up the scale during the school year.
Oct. 21st
Yep, I missed the entire deeper meaning to The American Dream; as I figured. There are so many thoughts about that play just lurking in the back of my mind that I'd like to set on the table, so to speak. First, Mommy's a *insert spicy language here*. Second, Daddy needs to grow a pair, and I'm not trying to be ironic.
Aside from those two very dominant thoughts I get well annotating, there is some serious DIDLS at play in Edward Albee's work. I often feel as though we're reading too far into the text, but then I step back and think "nah, Albee probably did mean that, his brain is just far more matured than mine". He created a play characterizing the American Dream as a Grandma (the old dream), and a Young Man (the new dream). Let's be honest, if I ever think of something that deep, and I mean just that, not the whole diction and syntax and all that other junk he used, I mean JUST the concept of personifying a dream; I'm going to be a millionaire.
One last big thing that was like my own "wah-lah!" moment this week was when my group found out that Mommy and Daddy basically just complain the entire play, and these complaints signify their utter oblivion to anyone aside from themselves, namely Mommy. Consequently, Mrs. Barker is just someone there to fix their complaints. It's odd that Albee even decided to give her a specific name in the text at all, as she is just another woman who is too busy with her insignificant task to be noticed by anyone but Grandma.
That about wraps up my thoughts as of now on The American Dream. I give Edward Albee props for shoving so much deeper meaning into such a short play, thanks for giving me something to frustrated about.
Oct. 6th
Before I went into AP English I would never have been able to tell you what syntax is, let alone how to find it in a piece of literature. Now not only can I find it (sometimes...) but I can also tell you why the author did it (normally my answer is something like "uh, to enhance the meaning by *insert literature term*...). So maybe I'm not the best at finding and making sense of syntax yet, but we're working on it, and the sheets that had us try to pull meanings from different examples using syntax really helped.
If I had to compare the writing part of this class to the reading part so far, I'm going to be honest- the writing part's killing me! I feel like all those obnoxiously over thought intros we worked on are going to get easier as the year goes on; but that in no way means they're coming easy to me right now! Hopefully by the time the AP exam rolls around I'll have gotten the hang of the writing process and will be able to write one (more like three) of those babies on my own. The reading part, that's going a whole lot smoother. The American Dream was a nice first time read, but I feel like as soon as we discuss it I'm going to be like "no way- I missed the entire deeper meaning to this piece?" because you can't read that book and then in the back of your mind not be wondering "oh my gosh, what in the word does this writer mean by all of this?" Talk about a real life deeper meaning question. Alas, I'm sure well get to it in time.
Sept. 22nd
In Lit. class we've talked a lot so far about creating a thesis statement. I never really knew there was so much you had to consider before you said what the paper you're going to write is about. Apparently you need to emphasize such things as goal, technique, effect, and meaning (also known as that darn awful stupid "so what?" question I can never seem to find and address that's hidden in the prompts).
I never knew the difference between techniques (something you can physically point to on the page, such as diction) and effect (something you cant physically point to in a writing, such as tone) until this week.
A couple things on poetry. One: since when has Dr. Seuss not been poetry? Mrs. Holmes would answer forever, that he writes something called Doggerel (rhymed rhythmic PROSE), and that anything prose is not poetry. Two: Something to reflect on; good job Mrs. Holmes on picking probably the best example of all time for how poetry takes longer to explain than to read. I've read the poem "The Red Wheelbarrow" my William Carlos Williams last year and I'm pretty sure I said something rude along the lines of "wow, people consider anything poetry." Maybe I should just shut my big trap sometimes; after hearing the roughly five minute explanation and background information on that poem I was like "alright, alright, time for a standing O'!" Like dang, talk about a deeper meaning...
Just so I can use this to look back, I'd like to place in here that TAP stands for Thesis Answers the Prompt, and also DIDLS stands for diction, imagery, detail, language, and syntax (though if Mrs. Holmes actually reads this she'll be shaking her head over because we use those acronyms literally everyday...).
On Chapter 3, I wanted to put my thoughts into words that stream of consciousness narratives can be used in both first and third person point of view, something that I found confusing when reading the text book because I was like "oh my gosh, then what in the world are books like Catcher in the Rye?" Yes indeed, stream of consciousness is a sub-category of the larger 1st, 2nd, and 3rd point of views, just like omniscient and objective narrator. I'd also like to say just how much I personally disapprove of layered and 2nd point of view; no explanation required.
In other news- This Is Sparta!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Prompts
Dec.3rd
2008. In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of a minor character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Choose a novel or play in which a minor character serves as a foil for the main character. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the relation between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of the work.
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain the character Buck is used as a foil to the main character Huckleberry. The two boys are almost the same age, have very similar names, and become very good friends. The author puts this character foil in the book in order to show the reader that upbringing and social status aren't everything.
The character Buck comes from an aristocratic family, one of high social class and incredible wealth. The family however, acts very uncivilized and uneducated towards another family, the Shepherdsons, whom they are having a feud with. You would not generally thing high social class and brutish characteristics go together, but you also wouldn't think a poor upbringing by an awful role model of a father would create a child like Huck; someone very clever, witty, and ethical.
This contrast of Buck being well off and still being ignorant to Huck coming from a lower social class and having sensible morals shows the reader that Mark Twain wanted them to realize that a person can never chose where they come from, but they can always chose where they go and who they become from there.
Due to the character Buck being Huck's foil, you can more clearly see what differentiates Huck as an individual. The reader finds out he has a good sense of whats right and whats wrong, even though he came from a very unfortunate atmosphere as a child.
Nov. 13th
1990. Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a parent (or a parental figure) and a son or daughter. Write an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid plot summary.
In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, there is a deep conflict between the main character Willy, and his son Biff. The biggest reason for the conflict between them is Willy's inability to accept Biff as his own being, and instead views much like he views Uncle Ben; as a sort of idol. Arthur Miller created Willy's idolization of Biff in order to show how parents dreams for their children can shape a child's being.
Throughout the entire play Biff speaks of wanting to move out West again to do farm work. This dream of his is a rough contrast to his fathers dreams for Biff of being "successful". To Willy, Biff won't be a great unless he's bringing in a handsome sum of money; something Willy thinks Biff can do because of his similarities to Uncle Ben, who was successful in Willy's eyes.
The similarities Uncle Ben and Biff share are that they are both not only liked, but well liked; along with the fact that Willy doesn't see himself in Biff. Willy takes comfort in not seeing his own personality in Biff because he knows he hasn't been successful in the business world, and the thought of Biff being unlike him gives Willy hope.
If Willy had accepted Biff's dreams to farm instead of to enter in the business world, this parent-child conflict wouldn't occur. However, this conflict is put in by Miller in order to show how much parents dreams for their children influence the child's life. Biff would be happy if he didn't have his fathers opinions of what it is to really be successful and a great man riding on him all the time, and because of his father's opinions his pursuit of happiness is faltered.
Arthur Miller creates many different character conflicts in Death of a Salesman in order to show different meanings. The conflict between Willy and Biff makes the audience think about how parents influence their children.
Oct. 28th
1987. Some novels and plays seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a novel or play and note briefly the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the techniques the author uses to influence the reader's or audience's views. Avoid plot summary.
Many people in this day and age have read the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It's just one of those books; not only a classic, but a book that changed the world. People often wonder, what makes one of those books? In the case of Huckleberry Finn, it was Twain advocating social change and tradition. He took a very untouchable subject in that time period; the wrongs of slavery, and made it touchable, so to speak. He made this happen by using such techniques as language, imagery, diction, and most famously, satire.
Language in Huckleberry Finn accentuates the need for social change through the character Jim. Jim speaks in a rough, southern dialect, unlike all the other characters. This signifies the difference between education of white Americas during this time period opposed to African American slaves. An example of Jim's unpolished speech is when he says "I doan’ hanker for no mo’ un um, Huck. Dese is all I kin stan’." Though this language slows down the reader, it is also a red flag as to the difference between main character Huckleberry and slave Jim. Twain was trying to tell the reader that this sort of indifference wasn't right through the use of written speech patterns.
One of the strongest uses of imagery in this book is when Jim is captured in the end and made to live in a tiny little shack full of snakes, insects, and other nasty creatures that frighten him. He is given almost no food by the people that capture him, and is treated very harshly. This makes the reader feel bad for Jim, and sympathizes with the fact that the people in the book treat him on a lower social status due to his race.
This piece is well know on the controversial topic of Twain's use of the N-word. He uses such diction in order to show that people during that time period didn't give the word a second thought, well people nowadays take high offense and think very negatively of this term. Through use of the N-word the reader can see more clearly that the writer thought that the average white America's treatment of slaves was appalling due to having the N-word be used by such a young and innocent character such as Huck. Though Huck didn't think anything of the word, we as reader's view that diction as a very big thing, and it leads the reader to believe Twain was trying to make the point that we treat slaves wrongly.
This book is most well known for one thing- satire. Mark Twain uses it constantly throughout this book in order to poke fun at certain issues of the time. An example of this is "“by and by they fetched the n*******s in and had prayers, and then everybody was off to bed” (5). This makes fun of of the fact that Miss Watson tries so hard to be a good christian, yet she's doing something very wrong by owning another human being and considering them property, yet not thinking anything of it. Another example of Twain's religious satire is in the dialect "anybody hurt?" [asked Aunt Sally.] "No'm. Killed a nigger." "Well, it's lucky...two years ago...the old Lally Rook...blowed out a cylinder-head and crippled a man. He was a Baptist...I remember now, he did die." This shows that the characters think nothing of an African American dying, but everything of a white Baptist mans death. Twain is clearly trying to make the reader think that way of thought is ridiculous, and by that trying to say that racial inequality isn't right.
Though the use of language, imagery, diction, and satire, Mark Twain puts a pretty good argument as to why slavery is not a good thing in the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Clearly Mark Twain wanted the reader to make a more ethical decision on the topic of slavery.
Oct. 14th
2002. Morally ambiguous characters -- characters whose behavior discourages readers from identifying them as purely evil or purely good -- are at the heart of many works of literature. Choose a novel or play in which a morally ambiguous character plays a pivotal role. Then write an essay in which you explain how the character can be viewed as morally ambiguous and why his or her moral ambiguity is significant to the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
The book My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult features the main character Anna, a thirteen year old girl with a very unique situation. Anna was born in order to keep her older sister Kate who is a severe leukemia patient alive. By using Anna as a savior sibling, Kate was able to be kept alive through Anna's bodily donations. However, your feelings as a reader towards Anna change drastically when she refuses to donate a kidney to her sister. Without Anna's kidney, Kate's death is almost guaranteed.
This dilemma in the plot can bring the reader to view Anna as morally ambiguous. The whole situation makes the reader wonder if Anna is morally correct in wanting to declare her own medical emancipation, even if that means taking away her own sisters life. She has the rights to her own body, and no one- not even her family, is able to infringe upon those rights. However, this decision of Anna's to fight back really makes you feel conflicted because you have to decide for yourself if what she's fighting for is ethical.
Anna's moral ambiguity is significant to the book as a whole because the entire plot is centered around the case for individual rights. The question of whether Anna's fighting back for her own body is good or bad is what ultimately pulls the reader into this book.
For these reasons you can definitely say that the main character Anna in My Sisters Keeper is a morally ambiguous character. Due to the question of Anna being right or wrong in her thoughts, the entire plot to the book is formed.
Sept. 30th
2004. Critic Roland Barthes has said, "Literature is the question minus the answer." Choose a novel, or play, and, considering Barthes' observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question the work raises and the extent to which it offers answers. Explain how the author's treatment of this question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
The book Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult is no laughing matter. The plot centralizes around a school shooting that left many dead and injured from a single student who was bullied too far. Throughout the novel the same question runs through the back of the readers mind- "Do we ever REALLY know someone?" Picoult shows us that you may not know your friend, your significant other, or even your child as well as you think you do. By having this question become apparent again and again in the book, it creates a deeper meaning than just a book about school shootings and bullying, into a case of relationships between individuals and trust. The deeper meaning throws a whole different element of interest and emotion into an otherwise plot based book.
There are different relationships that example the reader's thought of "Do we ever really know someone?" in Nineteen Minutes. First off, there's the relationship between Josie (the main character) and Peter (the shooter). They were friends when they were very young for a few years until Josie drifted off into the popular group, leaving Peter to be made fun of my the same friends she'd joined. The reader has to wonder "Could Josie have seen the shooting coming? Could she have ever know Peter was going to do what he did?" The author does many flash backs to the times when Josie and Peter were friends, making the reader feel bad for Peter even though he's a murderer.
Then there's Josie, who has two other huge relationships in the plot; one to her mother, and one to her boyfriend Matt. At the end of the book, Josie is put on trail as a witness. There, she tells everyone that she shot her boyfriend. At that point the reader has got to be thinking "What the...?" But then you think about Josie's mom. What do you think a mom is like who just found out her daughter committed murder. Probably a more advanced form of that same question the readers asking. The reader knew that Josie's mother trusted her a great deal, and now shes probably feeling like she doesn't even know her real daughter.
Another relationship that brings on the feeling of "Do we ever really know someone?" in the book is between Josie and Matt. Though they didn't fight around people, Matt was very abusive to Josie, which led to her shooting him. The abusive in their relationship makes you think "Gosh, I hope no couple I know is like them." You could never know what someones hiding, and in Josie's case, their "perfect relationship" to everybody else was half romance and half a living nightmare.
Lastly, you can't forget the relationship between Peter and his mother Lacy. Every mother that's ever read this book is probably thinking "How did she not know?" Well, Picoult explores that question through the character Lacy; a mother so perfectly relate able. She's the perfect, caring mother, so how could she have created a monster? The author draws deep emotions of pity towards Lacy, because she never could have known her son would do what he did; yet everyone in the town is blaming her for his actions like she committed the crime.
All throughout Nineteen Minutes the reader feels a sense of diminishing trust between relationship bonds. It leaves you feeling like there might be some people where you don't know their whole life picture, even if you felt that wasn't the case before. Jodi Picoult did a great job of using this deeper meaning question to draw emotion and feeling from the reader.
Sept. 16th
1984. Select a line or so of poetry, or a moment or scene in a novel, epic poem, or play that you find especially memorable. Write an essay in which you identify the line or the passage, explain its relationship to the work in which it is found, and analyze the reasons for its effectiveness.
In Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" the last three lines are "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." These lines create a very profound meaning to the poem. Having those lines in the poem show both diction, abstract language, and meaning to the author.
Frost uses the word I repetitively in the this poem. By saying things such as "I doubted if I should ever come back" along with "I could" "I stood" and many other I sentences, he's making it more announced to the reader that in the poem, the road he's taking is HIS decision.
This piece has the feeling of a writer trying to be abstract with his language. Frost doesn't want the reader knowing every single detail, he doesn't try to make the scene appeal to the senses. It's as if he wanted the reader to make up their own visual of what a "wood" is, or what the "difference" is, so that each person can take away a little something different from this poem.
These lines of text also show us as readers a deeper interpretation of the poem. The impression I got after reading and rereading this poem is that Frost is trying to say that in life, there are going to be many different paths you can take. You're free to chose whichever one you want; but keep in mind that whichever road you take will lead you to a different outcome. If you're just reading this poem as a surface read for the first time, you might not get those thoughts from reading the close to his poem. You just might think "Alright, this guy chose a road! Good for him." when in fact, he's trying to say something much deeper.
All in all, the last three lines of Robert Frosts poem really do have a deep meaning that is seen throughout the entire poem. He uses great diction and abstract language to show the reader a deeper meaning of a person in the woods trying to chose between to roads.
2008. In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of a minor character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Choose a novel or play in which a minor character serves as a foil for the main character. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the relation between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of the work.
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain the character Buck is used as a foil to the main character Huckleberry. The two boys are almost the same age, have very similar names, and become very good friends. The author puts this character foil in the book in order to show the reader that upbringing and social status aren't everything.
The character Buck comes from an aristocratic family, one of high social class and incredible wealth. The family however, acts very uncivilized and uneducated towards another family, the Shepherdsons, whom they are having a feud with. You would not generally thing high social class and brutish characteristics go together, but you also wouldn't think a poor upbringing by an awful role model of a father would create a child like Huck; someone very clever, witty, and ethical.
This contrast of Buck being well off and still being ignorant to Huck coming from a lower social class and having sensible morals shows the reader that Mark Twain wanted them to realize that a person can never chose where they come from, but they can always chose where they go and who they become from there.
Due to the character Buck being Huck's foil, you can more clearly see what differentiates Huck as an individual. The reader finds out he has a good sense of whats right and whats wrong, even though he came from a very unfortunate atmosphere as a child.
Nov. 13th
1990. Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a parent (or a parental figure) and a son or daughter. Write an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid plot summary.
In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, there is a deep conflict between the main character Willy, and his son Biff. The biggest reason for the conflict between them is Willy's inability to accept Biff as his own being, and instead views much like he views Uncle Ben; as a sort of idol. Arthur Miller created Willy's idolization of Biff in order to show how parents dreams for their children can shape a child's being.
Throughout the entire play Biff speaks of wanting to move out West again to do farm work. This dream of his is a rough contrast to his fathers dreams for Biff of being "successful". To Willy, Biff won't be a great unless he's bringing in a handsome sum of money; something Willy thinks Biff can do because of his similarities to Uncle Ben, who was successful in Willy's eyes.
The similarities Uncle Ben and Biff share are that they are both not only liked, but well liked; along with the fact that Willy doesn't see himself in Biff. Willy takes comfort in not seeing his own personality in Biff because he knows he hasn't been successful in the business world, and the thought of Biff being unlike him gives Willy hope.
If Willy had accepted Biff's dreams to farm instead of to enter in the business world, this parent-child conflict wouldn't occur. However, this conflict is put in by Miller in order to show how much parents dreams for their children influence the child's life. Biff would be happy if he didn't have his fathers opinions of what it is to really be successful and a great man riding on him all the time, and because of his father's opinions his pursuit of happiness is faltered.
Arthur Miller creates many different character conflicts in Death of a Salesman in order to show different meanings. The conflict between Willy and Biff makes the audience think about how parents influence their children.
Oct. 28th
1987. Some novels and plays seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a novel or play and note briefly the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the techniques the author uses to influence the reader's or audience's views. Avoid plot summary.
Many people in this day and age have read the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It's just one of those books; not only a classic, but a book that changed the world. People often wonder, what makes one of those books? In the case of Huckleberry Finn, it was Twain advocating social change and tradition. He took a very untouchable subject in that time period; the wrongs of slavery, and made it touchable, so to speak. He made this happen by using such techniques as language, imagery, diction, and most famously, satire.
Language in Huckleberry Finn accentuates the need for social change through the character Jim. Jim speaks in a rough, southern dialect, unlike all the other characters. This signifies the difference between education of white Americas during this time period opposed to African American slaves. An example of Jim's unpolished speech is when he says "I doan’ hanker for no mo’ un um, Huck. Dese is all I kin stan’." Though this language slows down the reader, it is also a red flag as to the difference between main character Huckleberry and slave Jim. Twain was trying to tell the reader that this sort of indifference wasn't right through the use of written speech patterns.
One of the strongest uses of imagery in this book is when Jim is captured in the end and made to live in a tiny little shack full of snakes, insects, and other nasty creatures that frighten him. He is given almost no food by the people that capture him, and is treated very harshly. This makes the reader feel bad for Jim, and sympathizes with the fact that the people in the book treat him on a lower social status due to his race.
This piece is well know on the controversial topic of Twain's use of the N-word. He uses such diction in order to show that people during that time period didn't give the word a second thought, well people nowadays take high offense and think very negatively of this term. Through use of the N-word the reader can see more clearly that the writer thought that the average white America's treatment of slaves was appalling due to having the N-word be used by such a young and innocent character such as Huck. Though Huck didn't think anything of the word, we as reader's view that diction as a very big thing, and it leads the reader to believe Twain was trying to make the point that we treat slaves wrongly.
This book is most well known for one thing- satire. Mark Twain uses it constantly throughout this book in order to poke fun at certain issues of the time. An example of this is "“by and by they fetched the n*******s in and had prayers, and then everybody was off to bed” (5). This makes fun of of the fact that Miss Watson tries so hard to be a good christian, yet she's doing something very wrong by owning another human being and considering them property, yet not thinking anything of it. Another example of Twain's religious satire is in the dialect "anybody hurt?" [asked Aunt Sally.] "No'm. Killed a nigger." "Well, it's lucky...two years ago...the old Lally Rook...blowed out a cylinder-head and crippled a man. He was a Baptist...I remember now, he did die." This shows that the characters think nothing of an African American dying, but everything of a white Baptist mans death. Twain is clearly trying to make the reader think that way of thought is ridiculous, and by that trying to say that racial inequality isn't right.
Though the use of language, imagery, diction, and satire, Mark Twain puts a pretty good argument as to why slavery is not a good thing in the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Clearly Mark Twain wanted the reader to make a more ethical decision on the topic of slavery.
Oct. 14th
2002. Morally ambiguous characters -- characters whose behavior discourages readers from identifying them as purely evil or purely good -- are at the heart of many works of literature. Choose a novel or play in which a morally ambiguous character plays a pivotal role. Then write an essay in which you explain how the character can be viewed as morally ambiguous and why his or her moral ambiguity is significant to the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
The book My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult features the main character Anna, a thirteen year old girl with a very unique situation. Anna was born in order to keep her older sister Kate who is a severe leukemia patient alive. By using Anna as a savior sibling, Kate was able to be kept alive through Anna's bodily donations. However, your feelings as a reader towards Anna change drastically when she refuses to donate a kidney to her sister. Without Anna's kidney, Kate's death is almost guaranteed.
This dilemma in the plot can bring the reader to view Anna as morally ambiguous. The whole situation makes the reader wonder if Anna is morally correct in wanting to declare her own medical emancipation, even if that means taking away her own sisters life. She has the rights to her own body, and no one- not even her family, is able to infringe upon those rights. However, this decision of Anna's to fight back really makes you feel conflicted because you have to decide for yourself if what she's fighting for is ethical.
Anna's moral ambiguity is significant to the book as a whole because the entire plot is centered around the case for individual rights. The question of whether Anna's fighting back for her own body is good or bad is what ultimately pulls the reader into this book.
For these reasons you can definitely say that the main character Anna in My Sisters Keeper is a morally ambiguous character. Due to the question of Anna being right or wrong in her thoughts, the entire plot to the book is formed.
Sept. 30th
2004. Critic Roland Barthes has said, "Literature is the question minus the answer." Choose a novel, or play, and, considering Barthes' observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question the work raises and the extent to which it offers answers. Explain how the author's treatment of this question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
The book Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult is no laughing matter. The plot centralizes around a school shooting that left many dead and injured from a single student who was bullied too far. Throughout the novel the same question runs through the back of the readers mind- "Do we ever REALLY know someone?" Picoult shows us that you may not know your friend, your significant other, or even your child as well as you think you do. By having this question become apparent again and again in the book, it creates a deeper meaning than just a book about school shootings and bullying, into a case of relationships between individuals and trust. The deeper meaning throws a whole different element of interest and emotion into an otherwise plot based book.
There are different relationships that example the reader's thought of "Do we ever really know someone?" in Nineteen Minutes. First off, there's the relationship between Josie (the main character) and Peter (the shooter). They were friends when they were very young for a few years until Josie drifted off into the popular group, leaving Peter to be made fun of my the same friends she'd joined. The reader has to wonder "Could Josie have seen the shooting coming? Could she have ever know Peter was going to do what he did?" The author does many flash backs to the times when Josie and Peter were friends, making the reader feel bad for Peter even though he's a murderer.
Then there's Josie, who has two other huge relationships in the plot; one to her mother, and one to her boyfriend Matt. At the end of the book, Josie is put on trail as a witness. There, she tells everyone that she shot her boyfriend. At that point the reader has got to be thinking "What the...?" But then you think about Josie's mom. What do you think a mom is like who just found out her daughter committed murder. Probably a more advanced form of that same question the readers asking. The reader knew that Josie's mother trusted her a great deal, and now shes probably feeling like she doesn't even know her real daughter.
Another relationship that brings on the feeling of "Do we ever really know someone?" in the book is between Josie and Matt. Though they didn't fight around people, Matt was very abusive to Josie, which led to her shooting him. The abusive in their relationship makes you think "Gosh, I hope no couple I know is like them." You could never know what someones hiding, and in Josie's case, their "perfect relationship" to everybody else was half romance and half a living nightmare.
Lastly, you can't forget the relationship between Peter and his mother Lacy. Every mother that's ever read this book is probably thinking "How did she not know?" Well, Picoult explores that question through the character Lacy; a mother so perfectly relate able. She's the perfect, caring mother, so how could she have created a monster? The author draws deep emotions of pity towards Lacy, because she never could have known her son would do what he did; yet everyone in the town is blaming her for his actions like she committed the crime.
All throughout Nineteen Minutes the reader feels a sense of diminishing trust between relationship bonds. It leaves you feeling like there might be some people where you don't know their whole life picture, even if you felt that wasn't the case before. Jodi Picoult did a great job of using this deeper meaning question to draw emotion and feeling from the reader.
Sept. 16th
1984. Select a line or so of poetry, or a moment or scene in a novel, epic poem, or play that you find especially memorable. Write an essay in which you identify the line or the passage, explain its relationship to the work in which it is found, and analyze the reasons for its effectiveness.
In Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" the last three lines are "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." These lines create a very profound meaning to the poem. Having those lines in the poem show both diction, abstract language, and meaning to the author.
Frost uses the word I repetitively in the this poem. By saying things such as "I doubted if I should ever come back" along with "I could" "I stood" and many other I sentences, he's making it more announced to the reader that in the poem, the road he's taking is HIS decision.
This piece has the feeling of a writer trying to be abstract with his language. Frost doesn't want the reader knowing every single detail, he doesn't try to make the scene appeal to the senses. It's as if he wanted the reader to make up their own visual of what a "wood" is, or what the "difference" is, so that each person can take away a little something different from this poem.
These lines of text also show us as readers a deeper interpretation of the poem. The impression I got after reading and rereading this poem is that Frost is trying to say that in life, there are going to be many different paths you can take. You're free to chose whichever one you want; but keep in mind that whichever road you take will lead you to a different outcome. If you're just reading this poem as a surface read for the first time, you might not get those thoughts from reading the close to his poem. You just might think "Alright, this guy chose a road! Good for him." when in fact, he's trying to say something much deeper.
All in all, the last three lines of Robert Frosts poem really do have a deep meaning that is seen throughout the entire poem. He uses great diction and abstract language to show the reader a deeper meaning of a person in the woods trying to chose between to roads.
Close Readings
Dec.11th
Animal McMansion: Students Trade Dorm for Suburban Luxury
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/homework-and-jacuzzis-as-dorms-move-to-mcmansions-in-california.html
This article makes a reader say "What?! No!" It's just so wrong, teenagers that get to live in mcmansions for a fraction of the cost they should be paying due to the over sized homes being foreclosed. This feeling is exactly what author Patricia Leigh Brown wants from you.
Certain images come to your mind when you read "This was supposed to be an edge-of-town, Desperate Housewifey community." You picture a beautiful, affluent, picture perfect neighborhood. In a way you feel bad for this man because he has to pay so much more a month ("$3,000 a month, while student neighbors pay one-tenth of that", a detail that would frighten the average reader) than college students that use the homes to recreate a modern day "Animal House"; a visual most of us don't even want to visualize.
Another incredibly specific detail that makes you feel like you're not getting enough for your money is "the university estimates yearly on-campus room and board at $13,720 a year, compared with roughly $7,000 off-campus. Sprawl rats sharing a McMansion — with each getting a bedroom and often a private bath — pay $200 to $350 a month each", which makes you as a reader really rationalize this situation in your head. The amenities these college kids get from these overdone homes include "three-car garages, wall-to-wall carpeting, whirlpool baths, granite kitchen countertops, walk-in closets and inviting gas fireplaces", things no college student needs, let alone should be easily accessible and in this case more affordable than an average dorm.
By describing the normal college dorm room as "shoe-box size" and the contrasting mcmansions as "luxurious" it makes the reader feel as though these students are not only lucky, but almost over privileged by their good fortune.
It makes you feel a little sick in a "what is wrong with the world?" kind of way. This article really brings to light how much some people in America have that is excessive, while others are very clearly still in need.
Nov. 20th
Marijuana In Drug Tunnel: 17 Tons Seized Between San Diego And Tijuana
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/marijuana-drug-tunnel_n_1097804.html
You often hear of drug bust in large cities and local towns, but do you ever think about where the drugs actually come from? This article answers that question with astounding numbers and examples of different busts that explain how literally tons of drugs get into American's hands.
By use of detail author Elliot Spagat shocks the reader with astounding facts the average reader might feel are hard to believe. When details are stated such as "Raids last November on two tunnels linking San Diego and Tijuana netted a combined 50 tons of marijuana on both sides of the border" and "More than 70 tunnels have been found on the border since October 2008" it gives the reader a feeling of just how real this situation is, even from an outsiders perspective.
Spagat also uses great imagery to enhance the readers thoughts. By saying things like "The tunnel was about four feet high and three feet wide. It dropped about 20 feet on the U.S. side." and "California is popular because its clay-like soil is easy to dig with shovels. In Nogales, smugglers tap into vast underground drainage canals." it's incredibly easy for the reader to picture these tunnels being made, and start to think more seriously about how something like this could occur under the noses of governmental officials.
Lastly, by using words like "seized", "allegedly", "conspiracy", and "raids" Elliot Spagat portrays the situation very clearly to the reader; finding seventeen tons of Marijuana between San Diego and Tijuana is good in that we found it, but very bad that the tunnel and drugs were there to begin with. He uses such words as these to depict a strong feeling of negativity to all those involved in the drug cartels.
For a news report that was supposed to be informative to the reader, Spagat did a great job of slipping in images, details, and a strong voice. By doing so the readers thoughts on these drug raids is made to be very negative, and feelings of safety at the drugs found is ensured.
Oct. 21st
Sticky Fingers, Male and Female
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/opinion/sunday/equal-opportunity-crime-shoplifting-men-do-it-too.html?ref=opinion
What image do you get in your mind when you think of a shoplifter? You probably see a young female between the ages of 18-24, but Rachel Shteir informs the reader in the article "Sticky Fingers, Male and Female" that over half of people that steal are male. Through Shteir's use of diction, detail, and imagery the overall message the reader gets upon reading this article is a very strong one; stealing is a problem no matter what age, no matter what gender.
When explaining the act of stealing words such as "petty, indulged, heist, and smuggle" are thrown around generously. In general, those words tend to gravitate towards a more negative feeling, giving the reader a feel towards Shteir's thoughts on stealing. Though she doesn't say straight up "stealings an awful crime" you get the message through her choice of words that this author is more than a little opinionated on the subject.
The attention to detail the author used was very important. By saying things like "Men also saw shoplifting as a transitional crime, a pit stop to more profitable criminal pursuits, whereas women sometimes shoplifted for years — though many stopped after marriage." the reader feels like they have been greatly informed of a fact they didn't know before, and therefor gain insight on shoplifting. Another example of detail is "One housewife, who had shoplifted for over three decades, told me she took “almost anything,” including Advil and steak — which happen to be two of the most commonly stolen items." Shteir obviously didn't have to include the last part about the two most commonly stolen items, but that little snippet of information makes the reader go "really?". If people are stealing items like that, it makes you wonder, what else are they going for?
Lastly, the author uses imagery that that greatly enhance the readers interest. Such examples include "While women took clothes, groceries and perfume, men grabbed TVs, household appliances and power tools. According to Mr. Bamfield, men tended to hide their power tools in backpacks, while women were more likely to smuggle the perfume out in strollers. " Can you picture a woman trying to get out of a store with a stroller in tow just for some perfume? That image just enhances the ridiculousness of how far these people go in order to get ordinary things. Another example of this almost comical situation is when the author says "The men sounded as if they saw themselves as heroes in video games; one described the excitement of racing through the aisles of Target, outwitting the sales staff, security people and cameras." The reader gets this image in their head, one of a fully grown man racing through a department store. This imagery overall makes the reader feel as though people that steal have something wrong with them, and are very much in the wrong.
Through the use of diction, detail, and imagery Rachel Shteir enhances the meaning of this article about shoplifting. Without these techniques her opinion would not be shared with the reader about the topic of shoplifting.
Oct. 6th
Meth Abuse: Easy Cheap Deadly
http://www.drug-addiction-support.org/Easy-Cheap-Deadly.html
Everybody knows it; drugs are bad. There's no getting around that fact. But are there some drugs that are worse to get addicted to than others? Let's be realistic- the answer's yes. Methamphetamine is one of the most joked about drugs out there, people say things like "man that's the lowest drug, you'd have to be dirt to try that" and the like. But Author of "Meth Abuse: Easy Cheap Deadly" Ned Wicker gives us a little different account; one of a middle class suburban boy who was an "upright and valuable citizen" but who fell into a scary dependency for something incredibly lethal.
Ned Wicker did something interesting in this piece of writing that very much enhanced its effect on the reader; instead of using great detail to describe the progression of an addict, he used very little. By doing this it left the readers mind to wander, so maybe instead of this "Josh" in the reflection, they get a picture in their mind of someone they know with the same behavior. The sort of awkward thing in this piece of writing is that it goes from areas being so vague with the story, to having great detail about the drug itself such as "According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “The drug has limited medical uses for the treatment of narcolepsy, attention deficit disorders, and obesity.”" along with a lengthy list of street names you may have heard Meth being called.
Along with detail, the author also uses words that could possibly be deemed as sketchy when talking about Methamphetamine. These words include "smuggled", "illicit", and "havoc", which present to the reader an extremely negative view of the production and use of this drug.
Another choice of diction that really stands out is Wicker's use of slang terms such as "smoking grass" which was in complete contrast and almost made the reader feel the term was inappropriate in contrast with the above paragraph which properly stated "smoked marijuana or drank alcohol".
Lastly, the use of language in this writing draws the reader into the subject. To want to learn more, and to truly hope for an end to these people's addictions. In the last paragraph Wicker states "meth addicts are not skid row bums as much as they are suburban professionals, or promising athletes, or otherwise upright and valuable citizens". Most people reading the paper consider themselves to be "upright and valuable citizens" I'm sure, which causes the reader to relate more to someone that in the beginning of the paper they might not have thought they could relate to-namely, a Meth addict.
I thought this piece of writing had some good qualities. There were things that made the average reader think just a little bit more about the life of someone addicted, and how that addict could have just as easily been you.
Sept. 9th
A Reflective Essay On My Weight Loss Journey
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jhendricks123/view/a-reflective-essay-on-my-weight-loss-journey-142160
DIDLS: Diction. Imagery. Details. Language. Syntax.
I would first like to show the authors use of imagery in his weight loss essay. He says many things throughout the essay that give me a great visual as to just how large he was when he started his journey. By saying "The chirping of a cricket near the fence paused briefly as I stepped outside my apartment in a snug grey 2XL t-shirt" i got the image of the t-shirts on the rack that I would swim in, one's that should only ever fit football players. He also said "When my weight exceeded the capacity of the scale and it read “ERROR” instead, I changed nothing." which made me think very quickly to a Homer Simpson like person, standing on the scale not being able to see over their fat and yelling D'OH! There's also extensive talk of his eating habits, ordering out multiple times a week, and eating fast food the rest of the time. Oh my goodness, can you even visualize a person like that? I feel like he'd probably just be sitting there, eating 2-3 servings of high calorie food all by himself (he referred to himself being in a relationship only after his weight loss).
The author also used many details; this aids the reader in just how serious the writers weight loss journey was. By going in depth and saying things like "For the most part everything tasted pretty good, but the texture left something to be desired. The scrambled eggs, for example, had the consistency of a rubber ball if you microwaved them for too long. On the other hand the meatloaf and the BBQ beef, beans and rice were to die for!" the reader really gets a feel as to what the author had to do and just how into doing it he was. I for one wouldn't want to eat anything with the consistency of a rubber ball! He also details the conversation between him and his friend Nathan, writing about it as if it had just happened. In the text it also shows courtesy to the reader by explaining different components of the weigh loss program NutriSystem, an arrangement of planned meals and online support some readers have never heard of in their life.
Lastly, I'd like to respond on the language the author used for this reflective essay. In one paragraph alone he used such words as "purpose, despair, drastic, and desperate" to help strengthen the readers thoughts towards how he felt towards himself and his weight when it was at its highest point. In the last paragraph he states "I haven’t felt sadness, despair, or self-pity in a very long time." This helps the reader go full circle in thought; from reading about a man that was by all means lame, to one who loves who himself. Another example of language used in this text is the harsh words his friend Nathan says to him, and how much more able that made the author not only in his weight loss, but in his way of life. Apparently sometimes being blunt to people really gets the point across, and can change their life.
Animal McMansion: Students Trade Dorm for Suburban Luxury
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/homework-and-jacuzzis-as-dorms-move-to-mcmansions-in-california.html
This article makes a reader say "What?! No!" It's just so wrong, teenagers that get to live in mcmansions for a fraction of the cost they should be paying due to the over sized homes being foreclosed. This feeling is exactly what author Patricia Leigh Brown wants from you.
Certain images come to your mind when you read "This was supposed to be an edge-of-town, Desperate Housewifey community." You picture a beautiful, affluent, picture perfect neighborhood. In a way you feel bad for this man because he has to pay so much more a month ("$3,000 a month, while student neighbors pay one-tenth of that", a detail that would frighten the average reader) than college students that use the homes to recreate a modern day "Animal House"; a visual most of us don't even want to visualize.
Another incredibly specific detail that makes you feel like you're not getting enough for your money is "the university estimates yearly on-campus room and board at $13,720 a year, compared with roughly $7,000 off-campus. Sprawl rats sharing a McMansion — with each getting a bedroom and often a private bath — pay $200 to $350 a month each", which makes you as a reader really rationalize this situation in your head. The amenities these college kids get from these overdone homes include "three-car garages, wall-to-wall carpeting, whirlpool baths, granite kitchen countertops, walk-in closets and inviting gas fireplaces", things no college student needs, let alone should be easily accessible and in this case more affordable than an average dorm.
By describing the normal college dorm room as "shoe-box size" and the contrasting mcmansions as "luxurious" it makes the reader feel as though these students are not only lucky, but almost over privileged by their good fortune.
It makes you feel a little sick in a "what is wrong with the world?" kind of way. This article really brings to light how much some people in America have that is excessive, while others are very clearly still in need.
Nov. 20th
Marijuana In Drug Tunnel: 17 Tons Seized Between San Diego And Tijuana
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/marijuana-drug-tunnel_n_1097804.html
You often hear of drug bust in large cities and local towns, but do you ever think about where the drugs actually come from? This article answers that question with astounding numbers and examples of different busts that explain how literally tons of drugs get into American's hands.
By use of detail author Elliot Spagat shocks the reader with astounding facts the average reader might feel are hard to believe. When details are stated such as "Raids last November on two tunnels linking San Diego and Tijuana netted a combined 50 tons of marijuana on both sides of the border" and "More than 70 tunnels have been found on the border since October 2008" it gives the reader a feeling of just how real this situation is, even from an outsiders perspective.
Spagat also uses great imagery to enhance the readers thoughts. By saying things like "The tunnel was about four feet high and three feet wide. It dropped about 20 feet on the U.S. side." and "California is popular because its clay-like soil is easy to dig with shovels. In Nogales, smugglers tap into vast underground drainage canals." it's incredibly easy for the reader to picture these tunnels being made, and start to think more seriously about how something like this could occur under the noses of governmental officials.
Lastly, by using words like "seized", "allegedly", "conspiracy", and "raids" Elliot Spagat portrays the situation very clearly to the reader; finding seventeen tons of Marijuana between San Diego and Tijuana is good in that we found it, but very bad that the tunnel and drugs were there to begin with. He uses such words as these to depict a strong feeling of negativity to all those involved in the drug cartels.
For a news report that was supposed to be informative to the reader, Spagat did a great job of slipping in images, details, and a strong voice. By doing so the readers thoughts on these drug raids is made to be very negative, and feelings of safety at the drugs found is ensured.
Oct. 21st
Sticky Fingers, Male and Female
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/opinion/sunday/equal-opportunity-crime-shoplifting-men-do-it-too.html?ref=opinion
What image do you get in your mind when you think of a shoplifter? You probably see a young female between the ages of 18-24, but Rachel Shteir informs the reader in the article "Sticky Fingers, Male and Female" that over half of people that steal are male. Through Shteir's use of diction, detail, and imagery the overall message the reader gets upon reading this article is a very strong one; stealing is a problem no matter what age, no matter what gender.
When explaining the act of stealing words such as "petty, indulged, heist, and smuggle" are thrown around generously. In general, those words tend to gravitate towards a more negative feeling, giving the reader a feel towards Shteir's thoughts on stealing. Though she doesn't say straight up "stealings an awful crime" you get the message through her choice of words that this author is more than a little opinionated on the subject.
The attention to detail the author used was very important. By saying things like "Men also saw shoplifting as a transitional crime, a pit stop to more profitable criminal pursuits, whereas women sometimes shoplifted for years — though many stopped after marriage." the reader feels like they have been greatly informed of a fact they didn't know before, and therefor gain insight on shoplifting. Another example of detail is "One housewife, who had shoplifted for over three decades, told me she took “almost anything,” including Advil and steak — which happen to be two of the most commonly stolen items." Shteir obviously didn't have to include the last part about the two most commonly stolen items, but that little snippet of information makes the reader go "really?". If people are stealing items like that, it makes you wonder, what else are they going for?
Lastly, the author uses imagery that that greatly enhance the readers interest. Such examples include "While women took clothes, groceries and perfume, men grabbed TVs, household appliances and power tools. According to Mr. Bamfield, men tended to hide their power tools in backpacks, while women were more likely to smuggle the perfume out in strollers. " Can you picture a woman trying to get out of a store with a stroller in tow just for some perfume? That image just enhances the ridiculousness of how far these people go in order to get ordinary things. Another example of this almost comical situation is when the author says "The men sounded as if they saw themselves as heroes in video games; one described the excitement of racing through the aisles of Target, outwitting the sales staff, security people and cameras." The reader gets this image in their head, one of a fully grown man racing through a department store. This imagery overall makes the reader feel as though people that steal have something wrong with them, and are very much in the wrong.
Through the use of diction, detail, and imagery Rachel Shteir enhances the meaning of this article about shoplifting. Without these techniques her opinion would not be shared with the reader about the topic of shoplifting.
Oct. 6th
Meth Abuse: Easy Cheap Deadly
http://www.drug-addiction-support.org/Easy-Cheap-Deadly.html
Everybody knows it; drugs are bad. There's no getting around that fact. But are there some drugs that are worse to get addicted to than others? Let's be realistic- the answer's yes. Methamphetamine is one of the most joked about drugs out there, people say things like "man that's the lowest drug, you'd have to be dirt to try that" and the like. But Author of "Meth Abuse: Easy Cheap Deadly" Ned Wicker gives us a little different account; one of a middle class suburban boy who was an "upright and valuable citizen" but who fell into a scary dependency for something incredibly lethal.
Ned Wicker did something interesting in this piece of writing that very much enhanced its effect on the reader; instead of using great detail to describe the progression of an addict, he used very little. By doing this it left the readers mind to wander, so maybe instead of this "Josh" in the reflection, they get a picture in their mind of someone they know with the same behavior. The sort of awkward thing in this piece of writing is that it goes from areas being so vague with the story, to having great detail about the drug itself such as "According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “The drug has limited medical uses for the treatment of narcolepsy, attention deficit disorders, and obesity.”" along with a lengthy list of street names you may have heard Meth being called.
Along with detail, the author also uses words that could possibly be deemed as sketchy when talking about Methamphetamine. These words include "smuggled", "illicit", and "havoc", which present to the reader an extremely negative view of the production and use of this drug.
Another choice of diction that really stands out is Wicker's use of slang terms such as "smoking grass" which was in complete contrast and almost made the reader feel the term was inappropriate in contrast with the above paragraph which properly stated "smoked marijuana or drank alcohol".
Lastly, the use of language in this writing draws the reader into the subject. To want to learn more, and to truly hope for an end to these people's addictions. In the last paragraph Wicker states "meth addicts are not skid row bums as much as they are suburban professionals, or promising athletes, or otherwise upright and valuable citizens". Most people reading the paper consider themselves to be "upright and valuable citizens" I'm sure, which causes the reader to relate more to someone that in the beginning of the paper they might not have thought they could relate to-namely, a Meth addict.
I thought this piece of writing had some good qualities. There were things that made the average reader think just a little bit more about the life of someone addicted, and how that addict could have just as easily been you.
Sept. 9th
A Reflective Essay On My Weight Loss Journey
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jhendricks123/view/a-reflective-essay-on-my-weight-loss-journey-142160
DIDLS: Diction. Imagery. Details. Language. Syntax.
I would first like to show the authors use of imagery in his weight loss essay. He says many things throughout the essay that give me a great visual as to just how large he was when he started his journey. By saying "The chirping of a cricket near the fence paused briefly as I stepped outside my apartment in a snug grey 2XL t-shirt" i got the image of the t-shirts on the rack that I would swim in, one's that should only ever fit football players. He also said "When my weight exceeded the capacity of the scale and it read “ERROR” instead, I changed nothing." which made me think very quickly to a Homer Simpson like person, standing on the scale not being able to see over their fat and yelling D'OH! There's also extensive talk of his eating habits, ordering out multiple times a week, and eating fast food the rest of the time. Oh my goodness, can you even visualize a person like that? I feel like he'd probably just be sitting there, eating 2-3 servings of high calorie food all by himself (he referred to himself being in a relationship only after his weight loss).
The author also used many details; this aids the reader in just how serious the writers weight loss journey was. By going in depth and saying things like "For the most part everything tasted pretty good, but the texture left something to be desired. The scrambled eggs, for example, had the consistency of a rubber ball if you microwaved them for too long. On the other hand the meatloaf and the BBQ beef, beans and rice were to die for!" the reader really gets a feel as to what the author had to do and just how into doing it he was. I for one wouldn't want to eat anything with the consistency of a rubber ball! He also details the conversation between him and his friend Nathan, writing about it as if it had just happened. In the text it also shows courtesy to the reader by explaining different components of the weigh loss program NutriSystem, an arrangement of planned meals and online support some readers have never heard of in their life.
Lastly, I'd like to respond on the language the author used for this reflective essay. In one paragraph alone he used such words as "purpose, despair, drastic, and desperate" to help strengthen the readers thoughts towards how he felt towards himself and his weight when it was at its highest point. In the last paragraph he states "I haven’t felt sadness, despair, or self-pity in a very long time." This helps the reader go full circle in thought; from reading about a man that was by all means lame, to one who loves who himself. Another example of language used in this text is the harsh words his friend Nathan says to him, and how much more able that made the author not only in his weight loss, but in his way of life. Apparently sometimes being blunt to people really gets the point across, and can change their life.
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