Joseph Conrad mixes the imagination of boredom with the "interference," of reality. When at a task people are prone to separate themselves with their imagination in order to keep their personal interests intact. He creates the transition from the experience of being alone and what we do with our imagination and then how the motions of people bring us back to reality. Where are our own personal interests and desires in this mix of reality and imagination and where did they stem from? Is a question that sparks to my mind when reading this.
"They had simply to be equal to their tasks; but I wondered how far I should turn out faithful to that idea conception of one's own personality every man sets up for himself secretly."
It's interesting to see how Conrad conveys the mind of a writer on pg. 117 when he states, " and he told me the story roughly in brusque, disconnected sentences. I needed no more. I saw it all going on as though I were myself inside that other sleeping-suit." He announces voice and perspective and how if told properly can move the person into another persons perspective.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Paste
Henry James sets the story about the truth of an object and it's attachment to the living even after they are no longer alive. It's obvious that James is a prose writer, he creates a dissattachemnt from the story alotogether by creating a lack of personal point of view. He lets his ideas about truth, honor, class and respect shine through the voice of the characters. He constantly and quickly shifts through time leaving no space inbetween days, creating almost a looming anxiety about the truth of the pearls and the dead women whom they belonged to. When I read "Paste," I get a sense of opening a humming box full of light and the light slowly getts brighter and brighter, and the humming gets louder and louder until the truth is seem and comes to a sudden halt. He screams the voice of the society while simultaneously allowing his perspective to be seen only through the eyes of the characters in relation to their social filter.
Parker's Back
Flannery O' Conner keeps a steady pace that inclines the suspense of his story over time. He starts the story off with the present moment and why the main character is unhappy and then it floats into his past and gives back story as to why he got his tattoos. The sentence structures are very vague and just for what the characters feel, and by not creating an exact emotion and leaving it vague, it leave the feeling open to the reader, allowing them to be more emotionally involved.
"Hungry people made Parker nervous. He has always had plenty to eat himself. He grew very uncomfortable. " There is no description leaving the how uncomfortable he felt open to the readers interpretation, the visual is here left open to be created by the reader, perhaps creating their own feelings of how they would feel uncomfortable in a situation, unconsciously placing themselves in Parker's place.
Matched with the description of the setting, which is also open to the readers interpretation with the characters seemed emotions creates almost a conversational tone between the character and the reader in order to unconsciously compare themselves to the main character, allowing the reader to either pity or love Parker and his life.
"Hungry people made Parker nervous. He has always had plenty to eat himself. He grew very uncomfortable. " There is no description leaving the how uncomfortable he felt open to the readers interpretation, the visual is here left open to be created by the reader, perhaps creating their own feelings of how they would feel uncomfortable in a situation, unconsciously placing themselves in Parker's place.
Matched with the description of the setting, which is also open to the readers interpretation with the characters seemed emotions creates almost a conversational tone between the character and the reader in order to unconsciously compare themselves to the main character, allowing the reader to either pity or love Parker and his life.
Hills Like White Elephants
Ernest Hemingway sets up a vauge setting and story in order to hold an undertone of conflict amongst the two characters. By never stating directly what the source of conflict was he leaves the interpretation about the issue in the hands of the reader. Hemingway creates a dry/warm atmosphere with short and seemingly caring coversation. He makes the reader question if the characters are actually in love by using short and airy dialogue.
"I'll love it. I love it now but I just can't think about it. You know how I get when I worry." - Matched with the very last sentence. " I feel fine," she said "there's nothing wrong me with. I feel fine."
These two sentences can move the reader into many different forms of interpretation. Why can't the American think about it? Whatever "it," is so overtly discrete it creates the wonder the drags through the passage.
The repetition of "I feel fine," sounds like self reassurance, along with "there's nothing wrong with me." The added "me," at the end makes it a hyper personal statement separating her emotions from the American, making it very clear how she truly feels.
"I'll love it. I love it now but I just can't think about it. You know how I get when I worry." - Matched with the very last sentence. " I feel fine," she said "there's nothing wrong me with. I feel fine."
These two sentences can move the reader into many different forms of interpretation. Why can't the American think about it? Whatever "it," is so overtly discrete it creates the wonder the drags through the passage.
The repetition of "I feel fine," sounds like self reassurance, along with "there's nothing wrong with me." The added "me," at the end makes it a hyper personal statement separating her emotions from the American, making it very clear how she truly feels.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Paper Pills - Sherwood Anderson
Anderson's writing is completely symbolic and metaphorical. It's interesting how she sets up the story and informs the reader about the entire story and how it ends. Then after going into explicit detail about how the story unfolds and the end result. This creates a type of aware pensiveness which draws in the reader to find the how and just the ending. She perfectly sets up the story about the the Doctor/Old man and who he was and how he was viewed amongst other people and how he influenced his wife.
At first glance the reader is lead to think that the wife dies literally but on page 3 it states " he worked ceaselessly, building up something that he himself destroyed." What he destroyed is the old person he wife was before she met him with the sweet and rare deliciousness of his hands - or influence. Anderson plays with time by using the seasons, and planned out sentence structures in order to not create a uniform time stream of events. Sherwood ended it with clarity that if not paid close to could throw off the reader. Fall - marriage, Spring - she dies; metaphorically, but then Anderson moves back into the Winter where the Doctor read her all of his notes and thoughts, but don't forget it took her a year to die and Sherwood states, "After the tall girl came to know Doctor Reefy it seemed to her that she never wanted to leave him again. She went into his office one morning and without her saying anything he seemed to know what happened to her." Sherwood is playing with ambiguity. The tall dark girl would have never understood the doctors thoughts if she was never presented with the two men - one who talks of virginity and secret desire and the other who lustfully took her every moment.
Lastly, the titles Paper Pills is almost a pun as to say that the Doctor killed his wife with and overdoes of knowledge.
At first glance the reader is lead to think that the wife dies literally but on page 3 it states " he worked ceaselessly, building up something that he himself destroyed." What he destroyed is the old person he wife was before she met him with the sweet and rare deliciousness of his hands - or influence. Anderson plays with time by using the seasons, and planned out sentence structures in order to not create a uniform time stream of events. Sherwood ended it with clarity that if not paid close to could throw off the reader. Fall - marriage, Spring - she dies; metaphorically, but then Anderson moves back into the Winter where the Doctor read her all of his notes and thoughts, but don't forget it took her a year to die and Sherwood states, "After the tall girl came to know Doctor Reefy it seemed to her that she never wanted to leave him again. She went into his office one morning and without her saying anything he seemed to know what happened to her." Sherwood is playing with ambiguity. The tall dark girl would have never understood the doctors thoughts if she was never presented with the two men - one who talks of virginity and secret desire and the other who lustfully took her every moment.
Lastly, the titles Paper Pills is almost a pun as to say that the Doctor killed his wife with and overdoes of knowledge.
Nanny Dearest
Woody Allen cleverly mixes high style with the particular serious situation in order to create a high contrast comedy. He mocks high society by highlighting a situation that didn't have to be taken as seriously and dramatically measures that the solution to his problem is to kill the nanny. Allen plays with wording by making a word that would be seen as concrete, perhaps in it's context of science and moves the word into a space of everyday use. For example he uses the word "quantum particles," and "skull," and then uses the words to express action as if it was the words normative use. It's interesting how the characters don't change because of their environments imposition; they are sure of their ways, behavior and language. The particular use of the vernacular can make it hard to understand and their are possibilities that the audience won't understand and will have to perhaps look up the word, which suggest that they have the time and resources to expand their vocabulary.
He uses serious sarcasm to make his intentions seem more innocent and selfless than they actually are. For example when he talks about the baby sitter with beauty over qualification on pg. 55 he states
" I adjusted to the creatures personal style more flexibly than my wife did and ever attempted to help her relax with an occasional back rub..."
The humor in this sentence is written beautifully because Harvey honestly tires to project himself as innocent in this matter, when in actually the undertone of his actions scream to his make perversions.
He uses serious sarcasm to make his intentions seem more innocent and selfless than they actually are. For example when he talks about the baby sitter with beauty over qualification on pg. 55 he states
" I adjusted to the creatures personal style more flexibly than my wife did and ever attempted to help her relax with an occasional back rub..."
The humor in this sentence is written beautifully because Harvey honestly tires to project himself as innocent in this matter, when in actually the undertone of his actions scream to his make perversions.
Muakami
This first person narrative by Marakami sets up the reader with a character who is nonchalant and very with his existence. Murakami tries to insert a sense of ambiguity when the main characters wife Kumiko calls but personally fails to completely draw in the reader with complete subjectivity. Murakami informs the reader by inserting past bibs of conversation between the husband and wife, also with the husbands reflections which seem to be his only interest and excitement. The husband seems sure of himself and his life situation with his wife and his pretentiousness.
The time line is slow paced and the structure serves no interest to continue. Murakami does use great paratatic and hypo-tactic sentences. There is a high stress of desire and passion on the wife's behalf and complete boredom,knowledge, and apathy that drags out through the entire passage. It is clear that it is solely the husbands choice to live the sad life he leads, and Murkami strains this passage with complete imagery using words that are obscure but exact dually to express the characters feelings.
The time line is slow paced and the structure serves no interest to continue. Murakami does use great paratatic and hypo-tactic sentences. There is a high stress of desire and passion on the wife's behalf and complete boredom,knowledge, and apathy that drags out through the entire passage. It is clear that it is solely the husbands choice to live the sad life he leads, and Murkami strains this passage with complete imagery using words that are obscure but exact dually to express the characters feelings.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Upon Some Verses Of Virgil
"I found it necessary, when I was young, to put myself in mind and solicit myself to
keep me to my duty: gayety and health do not, they say, so well agree with those grave
and serious meditations; I am at present in another state: the conditions of age but too
much put me in mind, urge me to wisdom, and preach to me. From the excess of
sprightliness I am fallen into that of severity, which is much more troublesome:
and for that reason I now and then suffer myself purposely a little to run into disorder,
and occupy my mind in wanton and youthful thoughts, wherewith it diverts itself."
This passage speaks so well to me; the way this suspensive sentence is set up is almost
in the form of a puzzle. It's a perspective of thoughts that wants to speak for itself,
the passion of the thought wants to convey itself quickly so in it's form it synthesizes
it's entirety within each sentence while still conveying it's point to the very end.
I feel that this style is close to the style and form that I strive to achieve and I
admire it all to well.
"Years every day read to me lectures of coldness and temperance."
Ah! It's amazing how he sets up this sentence to create a double meaning. Almost a pun.
"Years every day," reads as an exhaustion, the everyday feels like years and in thoughts
years deep thoughts of coldness and temperance drag on.
I now defend myself from temperance, as I have formerly done from pleasure;
it draws me too much back, and even to stupidity.Now I will be master of myself,
to all intent and purposes; wisdom has its excesses, and has no less need of moderation
than folly.
This sentence structure sets up two parts to a whole. He tells us what he's going to say
and then he says it again in explanation and why. His thoughts are intriguing,
and the sentence structure and style most definitely suites what he is trying to convey.
"I gently turn aside, and avert my eyes from the stormy and cloudy sky I have before me,
which, thanks be to God I regard without fear,but not without meditation and study,
and amuse myself in the remembrance of my better years:"
HA!HA!HA! The humor and pretentiousness in the this sentence is amazing. But he's so
justified within himself which makes this statement
"thanks be to God," not "thank God," he's clearing stating that he is own God and is
creation careless controversy toward anyone who regards God as something higher than
human.
keep me to my duty: gayety and health do not, they say, so well agree with those grave
and serious meditations; I am at present in another state: the conditions of age but too
much put me in mind, urge me to wisdom, and preach to me. From the excess of
sprightliness I am fallen into that of severity, which is much more troublesome:
and for that reason I now and then suffer myself purposely a little to run into disorder,
and occupy my mind in wanton and youthful thoughts, wherewith it diverts itself."
This passage speaks so well to me; the way this suspensive sentence is set up is almost
in the form of a puzzle. It's a perspective of thoughts that wants to speak for itself,
the passion of the thought wants to convey itself quickly so in it's form it synthesizes
it's entirety within each sentence while still conveying it's point to the very end.
I feel that this style is close to the style and form that I strive to achieve and I
admire it all to well.
"Years every day read to me lectures of coldness and temperance."
Ah! It's amazing how he sets up this sentence to create a double meaning. Almost a pun.
"Years every day," reads as an exhaustion, the everyday feels like years and in thoughts
years deep thoughts of coldness and temperance drag on.
I now defend myself from temperance, as I have formerly done from pleasure;
it draws me too much back, and even to stupidity.Now I will be master of myself,
to all intent and purposes; wisdom has its excesses, and has no less need of moderation
than folly.
This sentence structure sets up two parts to a whole. He tells us what he's going to say
and then he says it again in explanation and why. His thoughts are intriguing,
and the sentence structure and style most definitely suites what he is trying to convey.
"I gently turn aside, and avert my eyes from the stormy and cloudy sky I have before me,
which, thanks be to God I regard without fear,but not without meditation and study,
and amuse myself in the remembrance of my better years:"
HA!HA!HA! The humor and pretentiousness in the this sentence is amazing. But he's so
justified within himself which makes this statement
"thanks be to God," not "thank God," he's clearing stating that he is own God and is
creation careless controversy toward anyone who regards God as something higher than
human.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Dry September
The use of the Drummer to build the tension and anger was a great technical symbol. The drummer only spoke to raise the tension of the other speakers. When the drummer spoke I could imagine a drum pulsing to heighten the tension.
The description of Butch on the bottom of page 2 tell a lot about his character. He is used as an archetype for the "angry,old and dim witted," people of the south who hate black people for a reason that they are unsure of themselves.
"Butch sprang up again. The silk of his shirt clung flat to his heavy shoulders. At each armpit was a dark half moon. ' That's what I been telling what I --'"
Butches opinion holds no real substance and through this description it's shown that he wouldn't be able to argue for himself because he's simply just a brute.
The random clients are tools to give background information and information that isn't told through description. It's interesting how the men from in the story killed the "accused," without knowing the whole story, if it was true or not. They didn't give him a chance to speak and they treated him like an animal, but Faulkner shapes the story well and clearly makes the men who acted irrationally the animals.
The use of the car was also a great symbol of a belief that wouldn't stop not even for one man to get out. The believe was going so fast and strong but he still wanted out, and for his belief that they shouldn't kill the black man for something they are unsure of he risked his own life by jumping out of the car.
The description of Butch on the bottom of page 2 tell a lot about his character. He is used as an archetype for the "angry,old and dim witted," people of the south who hate black people for a reason that they are unsure of themselves.
"Butch sprang up again. The silk of his shirt clung flat to his heavy shoulders. At each armpit was a dark half moon. ' That's what I been telling what I --'"
Butches opinion holds no real substance and through this description it's shown that he wouldn't be able to argue for himself because he's simply just a brute.
The random clients are tools to give background information and information that isn't told through description. It's interesting how the men from in the story killed the "accused," without knowing the whole story, if it was true or not. They didn't give him a chance to speak and they treated him like an animal, but Faulkner shapes the story well and clearly makes the men who acted irrationally the animals.
The use of the car was also a great symbol of a belief that wouldn't stop not even for one man to get out. The believe was going so fast and strong but he still wanted out, and for his belief that they shouldn't kill the black man for something they are unsure of he risked his own life by jumping out of the car.
Chaper 6 Tacit Persuasion Patterns
Sound (voiced description of an event) can only reach so far until it reaches it's distance and sight (observation of environment) has the ability to move beyond sound. By using description and observation together to voice an understanding of what is internalized from both combined creates a contrast in voice,description,style, and form.
High contrast is great for tacit persuasion. The use of word play is also very important. A word is formed and is used for a general meaning. Playing with the word and using it outside of it's general content is much more interesting than the conventional use of the word. The audience word play interesting because it goes back to originality and voice. Instead of creating new words, new structures such as ABABAB are formed in order to form multiple meanings for the word and sentence.
High contrast is great for tacit persuasion. The use of word play is also very important. A word is formed and is used for a general meaning. Playing with the word and using it outside of it's general content is much more interesting than the conventional use of the word. The audience word play interesting because it goes back to originality and voice. Instead of creating new words, new structures such as ABABAB are formed in order to form multiple meanings for the word and sentence.
Chapter 5
Voiced and unvoiced are two different types of writing styles and also two different types of thinkers. Voiced is more emotional and dependent on outside influence for a reaction. Unvoiced is trying to be objective.
What kind of person is prose style reaching out to?
Chapter 5 is stating that voice makes a point to the personal and individual. With all of the personal significance involved a statement can be stretched out because of the personal psychology of what is being internalized.
In order to keep it prose writing with a strong voice, central words of description should be added. Something that is understand generally and not in I think this...statements.
Singular words from a cultural idea provide a descriptive view that a person is voicing. Background, perhaps time period, personality, all flood in with these periodic words.
You can get closer to the identity of the writer with voiced prose because all of the scattered filler information is omitted, taking us straight to the core of what needs to be said.
This is my understanding of voiced prose.
We have an overall desire to move closer to each other, this is why we create. The more we can understand our-self and our own voice the better we can convey our meaning. The more people find that understanding of their own voice the closer we can move into a deeper understanding of another persons voice.
"The point of life is to sing our song until others chime in."
What kind of person is prose style reaching out to?
Chapter 5 is stating that voice makes a point to the personal and individual. With all of the personal significance involved a statement can be stretched out because of the personal psychology of what is being internalized.
In order to keep it prose writing with a strong voice, central words of description should be added. Something that is understand generally and not in I think this...statements.
Singular words from a cultural idea provide a descriptive view that a person is voicing. Background, perhaps time period, personality, all flood in with these periodic words.
You can get closer to the identity of the writer with voiced prose because all of the scattered filler information is omitted, taking us straight to the core of what needs to be said.
This is my understanding of voiced prose.
We have an overall desire to move closer to each other, this is why we create. The more we can understand our-self and our own voice the better we can convey our meaning. The more people find that understanding of their own voice the closer we can move into a deeper understanding of another persons voice.
"The point of life is to sing our song until others chime in."
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Suspensive Sentence
4:43am and the glow of Facebook meekly rested on her frazzled stare which made her look like an anime cartoon and gave her all the personality and voice without a word needing to be spoken, while meds that needed to be taken laid at her waist and the warmth of her laptop crept through the gift of a hand-sewn quilt which did justice to only her fair thighs; if someone walked in 2F3 there could be a mistaken illusion of warmth filtering throughout Jade's "crack-den" of a suite
exploded with: clothing, toiletries scattered under a mirror that laid semi-diagonally against the face of collages on the wall that reminded her of past endeavors and current friends, florescent dorm room lights which were never used but when it was, was covered by a green pashmina so the ugly glow would never surface, plastic orange pumpkin Halloween lights with creepy carved faces that streamed the frame of her bed paralleled with a stream of white Christmas lights across her windowsill which were catered by handcrafted flowers made of recycled egg carton boxes, while the latter to her bed was unseen because the ground was cocooned in clothing - yet it was still visible that her floor was marked up with an assortment of markers - little notes from her friends that rose up to a refrigerator housed with hummus, Baileys and some left over vanilla pudding - but all she could do is stare at her guitar which she rarely used but when she did the Sirens song could reel you in at instant and still she sat there, anxious, bored, cold and heady, her thoughts were the only company she desired; so she slowly grabbed her meds, snipped them in quickly and with a heavy"uuuugggggggghhhhhhh" and then a quick smile that held all the secrets in the world, she began to type.
exploded with: clothing, toiletries scattered under a mirror that laid semi-diagonally against the face of collages on the wall that reminded her of past endeavors and current friends, florescent dorm room lights which were never used but when it was, was covered by a green pashmina so the ugly glow would never surface, plastic orange pumpkin Halloween lights with creepy carved faces that streamed the frame of her bed paralleled with a stream of white Christmas lights across her windowsill which were catered by handcrafted flowers made of recycled egg carton boxes, while the latter to her bed was unseen because the ground was cocooned in clothing - yet it was still visible that her floor was marked up with an assortment of markers - little notes from her friends that rose up to a refrigerator housed with hummus, Baileys and some left over vanilla pudding - but all she could do is stare at her guitar which she rarely used but when she did the Sirens song could reel you in at instant and still she sat there, anxious, bored, cold and heady, her thoughts were the only company she desired; so she slowly grabbed her meds, snipped them in quickly and with a heavy"uuuugggggggghhhhhhh" and then a quick smile that held all the secrets in the world, she began to type.
Stranger in the Village
Bladwin Perfectly combines the periodic style with paratactic progression very well, clearly exerting his control and understanding of his assertions. The connections he forms from the very beginning of the reading set the reader up to think about religion in this small Swizz village and it's effect on his stay there. Always listing the things that the village did not have was a great to way explain that outlets to experience and diversity were not apparent. He sets up the reader, if no one knew who Baldwin was we wouldn't understand why he felt estranged. We know that he is from America where these appliances or banks, movies theaters are much more prevalent. He moves to show that with lack of diversity , the people of the village have a one track mind. For example on page 160 he writes about how the Swiss in the village believed that "black men come from Africa..."
He moves back to connect religion to the Africa Natives and how the Swizz "buy" them for the purpose of converting them. There is an association with darker skin being associated with the devil or evil but if the Africa Natives convert to Catholicism - the very religion that criticizes the Africans, they will be saved.
Bladwin also shows the reader the humor in the ignorance when on page 161 he states: The bistro owners wife beamed with a pleasure far more genuine than my own and seemed to feel that I might now breathe more easily concerning the souls of at least six of my kinsmen."
Before he writes about his rage he justifies why he should or would be anger, when informs us with background information about his father and his believes. This makes it clear that he has moved away from those beliefs and has controlled his rage through understanding it, making him more progressive and show us that he is willing to move away from instilled or past beliefs.
Baldwin perfectly structures this essay, and layers it three fold with icing on top.
He moves back to connect religion to the Africa Natives and how the Swizz "buy" them for the purpose of converting them. There is an association with darker skin being associated with the devil or evil but if the Africa Natives convert to Catholicism - the very religion that criticizes the Africans, they will be saved.
Bladwin also shows the reader the humor in the ignorance when on page 161 he states: The bistro owners wife beamed with a pleasure far more genuine than my own and seemed to feel that I might now breathe more easily concerning the souls of at least six of my kinsmen."
Before he writes about his rage he justifies why he should or would be anger, when informs us with background information about his father and his believes. This makes it clear that he has moved away from those beliefs and has controlled his rage through understanding it, making him more progressive and show us that he is willing to move away from instilled or past beliefs.
Baldwin perfectly structures this essay, and layers it three fold with icing on top.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
kipps and belsey
This reading of Kipps and Belsey did not interest me in slightest. The emotion of the characters was unapparent and very disconnected. Perhaps it was the intention of author the write in this manner but it read as very confusing. I'm going to give a few examples of what I liked and disliked about this passage.
On page 5. in one of the emails Jerome seems very disconnected when writing to his family. A certain level of misunderstanding of his families issues is also very apparent when he states " I hope you can see from everything I've written that your feud, or whatever it is, is a complete waste of time." He then moves to assert his moral views, " Most of the cruelty in the world is just misplaced energy." He doesn't try to give a suggestion as to how his family should fix there issues, but just simply states that he is above it.
The form used in the email on page 4: "(a) passing wind (b) shouting (c) analysing the 'phoney metaphysics' of prayer (d) singing loudly (e) laughing," doesn't seem very personal. It seems more of a formal way to write. Keeping in mind that Jerome is writing to his father, shows again the disconnect, and it would have made much more sense to just use a list instead of solely singling out each category that way. It seems that the author was just showing that she can use this form, but it primarily doesn't fix and it makes no sense for it to be there. Also, the smileys used on page 5. seem very out of place as well and doesn't flow into the sentence at all. If humor was trying to be conveyed it came off very fake. Making the son seem very passive-aggressive.
The Smith doesn't set up a good visual for what the family looks like! I didn't know until half way through the reading that the family was Black. Everything she describes is surface, implying the reader should try and discover their meaning of the situation. Although, she does a great job of contrasting the family in South Africa and the boys family through his nonchalant description of them.
Smith show's that there is an underlying issue between the husband and wife when he ignores a statement she asserts to him:
"Howard frowned. 'That's your contribution'
'Howard - there's an egg on the stove, I don't know who put it on, but the water's evaporated already - smells nasty. Switch it off, please.'
'That's your contribution?"
This also implies that the wife's only contribution to the house or husband to to provide him with food and living, and nothing more, with how the dialogue was structured.
Zadie Smith is trying to divulged into the psychology of the characters, by showing us the formality, in which, the characters are moving to assert their deep rooted issues, through dialogue that is formal and disconnected, and doing so poorly created a description that is unclear.
On page 5. in one of the emails Jerome seems very disconnected when writing to his family. A certain level of misunderstanding of his families issues is also very apparent when he states " I hope you can see from everything I've written that your feud, or whatever it is, is a complete waste of time." He then moves to assert his moral views, " Most of the cruelty in the world is just misplaced energy." He doesn't try to give a suggestion as to how his family should fix there issues, but just simply states that he is above it.
The form used in the email on page 4: "(a) passing wind (b) shouting (c) analysing the 'phoney metaphysics' of prayer (d) singing loudly (e) laughing," doesn't seem very personal. It seems more of a formal way to write. Keeping in mind that Jerome is writing to his father, shows again the disconnect, and it would have made much more sense to just use a list instead of solely singling out each category that way. It seems that the author was just showing that she can use this form, but it primarily doesn't fix and it makes no sense for it to be there. Also, the smileys used on page 5. seem very out of place as well and doesn't flow into the sentence at all. If humor was trying to be conveyed it came off very fake. Making the son seem very passive-aggressive.
The Smith doesn't set up a good visual for what the family looks like! I didn't know until half way through the reading that the family was Black. Everything she describes is surface, implying the reader should try and discover their meaning of the situation. Although, she does a great job of contrasting the family in South Africa and the boys family through his nonchalant description of them.
Smith show's that there is an underlying issue between the husband and wife when he ignores a statement she asserts to him:
"Howard frowned. 'That's your contribution'
'Howard - there's an egg on the stove, I don't know who put it on, but the water's evaporated already - smells nasty. Switch it off, please.'
'That's your contribution?"
This also implies that the wife's only contribution to the house or husband to to provide him with food and living, and nothing more, with how the dialogue was structured.
Zadie Smith is trying to divulged into the psychology of the characters, by showing us the formality, in which, the characters are moving to assert their deep rooted issues, through dialogue that is formal and disconnected, and doing so poorly created a description that is unclear.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Goodbye To All That Presentation
The “Goodbye To All That” reading made me think of what New York is and what it's not and how outsiders can get the wrong perception of what lies beneath the surface of the city. The presenters did a great job of giving the class background information on the author and when the work was completed, as well as raising discussion about the author and her place once she arrived in New York.
In the beginning of the reading there was almost an anxiety to relate to the reader. It is clear that Joan was unsure of her self when she first arrived in New York. It was observed that the city was a place for the rich, poor, and young. To her it was a place where anything could happen but slowly this image of New York, in her eyes, faded.
I wonder how much judgment she is allowed to place on New York becoming mundane. I asked myself, what is her racial background? Class? Where in New York did she mostly live? Where did she go for entertainment? What were the things she spent her time and money on?
On page 4, she writes about these expensive perfumes that with the swipe of a credit card was forgotten, and how she hung out in bars such as Grand Central Bars and spent her time on Madison Avenue.
Joan had no sense of direction and it seems to me that she didn’t experience the grime of New York. Why did she go to New York? For work or to have fun? Who were the type that kept her company?
A comment in the class that stuck with me was “ Joan creates the tourist world of what she expected New York to be.”
Having grown up in New York for 19 years I find that there is a different perspective than from someone who moved to New York. I find that New York is about the experience, which is always constantly relative, and it is up to the individual living in it to decide how they perceive New York and what they have to offer it. Yes, New York is viewed as a lonely city but the matter of loneliness is relative as well. Subjectivity speaking, if one is comfortable with themselves then spending time alone can be the most pleasing experience. But if you are scattered and not stable, mental, emotionally, financially, then in this city you’re bound to loose site of yourself and what you want. Hence why she found herself crying in taxi cabs, Chinese food restaurants, etc. Those times of solitude could be viewed as precious moments for self-reflection, yet she chose the safe route in marriage.
The matter of timelessness was also raised in class. Didion uses decades in order to describe her time in New York, which I don’t think justifies each year of her stay by grouping it all into one experience as she remembers it. I would have been more beneficial if she went more in-depth and wrote about why she felt the way she did, the experiences that caused them, and people that influenced her.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The Bell Jar Presentation
The presentation of the Bell jar contained great observation of the reading. Plath's voice was clearly highlighted in that she was writing from observation and perception of her environment. This leaves her opinion to be just because it is solely based on her personal experience.
Plath's use of sounding out words by spelling them out how they sound serves great purpose to show how the character has power over her words. On page 113 she says "Root Wan Twenny Ate" turning her train stop into a name less meaningful.
The presenters also did a great job in highlighting Plath's feminist ideals and how she asserted them through her character. Dodo was used as a means to show what life meant to women in the suburbs and how was a victim to herself and environment. Even though she had an education, taking care of her children is what she seemed most happy with.
Plath uses:
Fragmentary sentences and paragraphs to layout her mental state.
The paragraphs make it work for compressed time
She uses a lot of descriptive verbs
Tone - Dark - Painting a picture of morbid mind
Listing of objects - showing the reader the mundane in her listing
Questions I asked:
What do you think Plath is saying about women, and how does she work in her views through her style and structure?
Plath's use of sounding out words by spelling them out how they sound serves great purpose to show how the character has power over her words. On page 113 she says "Root Wan Twenny Ate" turning her train stop into a name less meaningful.
The presenters also did a great job in highlighting Plath's feminist ideals and how she asserted them through her character. Dodo was used as a means to show what life meant to women in the suburbs and how was a victim to herself and environment. Even though she had an education, taking care of her children is what she seemed most happy with.
Plath uses:
Fragmentary sentences and paragraphs to layout her mental state.
The paragraphs make it work for compressed time
She uses a lot of descriptive verbs
Tone - Dark - Painting a picture of morbid mind
Listing of objects - showing the reader the mundane in her listing
Questions I asked:
What do you think Plath is saying about women, and how does she work in her views through her style and structure?
Saturday, October 3, 2009
The Rocking Horse Winner
It is clear that all of the pressure and conflict that derives in D.H. Laurence's "The Rocking Horse Winner" is set to be the mother's fault. From the very beginning we learn that the mother is very unlucky and always has been and at the end of the story she is viewed as the reason for her sons death. When her son states,
'I never told you, mother, that if I can ride my horse, and get there, then I'm absolutely sure - oh absolutely! Mother, did I ever tell you? I am lucky!'
'No, you never did,' said the mother.'
But the boy died in the night'
The mother's neglect in the fact that she never told her son that he was lucky and never believed in him is one of the main causes for why the son went on a rampage in order to become lucky and make money for the family. The boys mother never satisfied his hunger for love.
Lawrence also has a very particular use of style by using the dialog to reveal the characters. The story is not about what happens - Lawrence tell us - but about how it happens. Making his style metaphorical.
Lawrence shows us by only bringing the father in the story twice, and it is very significant that at the end the first appearance of the father is a drinking one. Maybe the absence of his presence shows that he doesn't want to around the unlucky mother as well. He she's her addiction to satisfaction through money and knows that it is the only way he can truly satisfy her. Perhaps he keeps away from her because sexual satisfaction doesn't do the job.
Lastly, Lawrence gives the effort to show the mother has talent when she tries to go out to use her sketching skills. But once she finds out that someone is already ahead of her she doubts herself and fails at sketching. She believes that since she is lower than someone in skill and income, luck isn't on her-side but someone else. It's also very ridiculous of her because she had just started and then gave up just as quickly.
'I never told you, mother, that if I can ride my horse, and get there, then I'm absolutely sure - oh absolutely! Mother, did I ever tell you? I am lucky!'
'No, you never did,' said the mother.'
But the boy died in the night'
The mother's neglect in the fact that she never told her son that he was lucky and never believed in him is one of the main causes for why the son went on a rampage in order to become lucky and make money for the family. The boys mother never satisfied his hunger for love.
Lawrence also has a very particular use of style by using the dialog to reveal the characters. The story is not about what happens - Lawrence tell us - but about how it happens. Making his style metaphorical.
Lawrence shows us by only bringing the father in the story twice, and it is very significant that at the end the first appearance of the father is a drinking one. Maybe the absence of his presence shows that he doesn't want to around the unlucky mother as well. He she's her addiction to satisfaction through money and knows that it is the only way he can truly satisfy her. Perhaps he keeps away from her because sexual satisfaction doesn't do the job.
Lastly, Lawrence gives the effort to show the mother has talent when she tries to go out to use her sketching skills. But once she finds out that someone is already ahead of her she doubts herself and fails at sketching. She believes that since she is lower than someone in skill and income, luck isn't on her-side but someone else. It's also very ridiculous of her because she had just started and then gave up just as quickly.
Orwell
The message that I've received from George Orwell's "Politics and the English Language" is about how to state an argument where the reader can decide for themselves which point is more to their liking instead of the points being forced upon them because of the writers choice of words. He makes it clear where he stands on the politics of the English language while keeping the reader aware of what he disagrees with. Instead of just stating his argument he cleverly uses where he sees modern English is heading and what it's doing to the American mind to juxtapose his views. By carefully choosing how we use our words we can avoid a foolish, vague and seemly justified tone. The less forced an argument can be. Our words are wordless until we give them meaning. How we word ourselves determines how the reader or listener perceives our argument. Orwell states that a passive voice should be used where the active could also be inserted. What Orwell is saying to me is to don't deprive the reader of the option to choose, if your argument is substantial stating what the other side claims to offer is fine. In order to do this writers must use their words to create their own meaning instead of using a figure of speech that has already been used. Once this is done, words are not controlling the writer or speaker but vice- verse. Perhaps in order for a better understanding of a view point the other must be acknowledged and by doing this internal and external extremities of conflict can be avoided.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Bill Clintons Inaugural Speech
Bill Clinton Inaugural speech is filled with many complicated, multilevel sentence structures. He moves through his speech with a suspension not only trying to seemingly, but modestly build up his ideas to making him seem as if he a reflective thinker. He uses perfect a combination of anaphora with a heavy usage of asyndeton. For example:
“But when most people are working harder for less; when others cannot work at all; when the cost of health care devastates families and threatens to bankrupt many of our enterprises, great and small; when fear of crime robs law-abiding citizens of their freedom; and when millions of poor children cannot even imagine the lives we are calling them to lead—we have not made change our friend.”
His tone is a tone of reassurance and optimism for what’s to come. He manages to mix elements of anaphora with a hypotactic style as well.
“Communications and commerce are global; investment is mobile; technology is almost magical; and ambition for a better life is now universal.”
“…global; …mobile;…magical;…universal”
Again he also asserts a hypotactic style with another line
“Thomas Jefferson believed that to preserve the very foundations of our nation, we would need dramatic change from time to time. Well, my fellow citizens, this is our time. Let us embrace it.”
He educates his audience with logic – historical context – then readily moves to his assertion that the time for change is now.
His steady pacing is building to a larger and overall idea which is what he concludes with at the end of his speech.
Anaphora can again be found in this sentence:
“Profound and powerful forces are shaking and remaking our world, and the urgent question of our time is whether we can make change our friend and not our enemy.”
“shake and remake” with the use of conjunction
A reflective periodical sentence structure:
“And so today, we pledge an end to the era of deadlock and drift—a new season of American renewal has begun.”
Monday, September 21, 2009
Lolita
"My very photogenic mother died in a freak accident (picnic, lightning) when I was three, and, save for a pocket of warmth in the darkest past, nothing of her subsists within the hollows and dells of memory, over which, if you can still stand my style (I am writing under observation), the sun of my infancy had set..."
In this passage, Nabokov exemplifies the post modernistic techniques found throughout Lolita. The death of his mother, historically depicted as a tragic ordeal, is given nothing more than a passing mention":(picnic,lightning)". Evoking the characteristic fragmentary experience of Postmodern writing, the details of her death are abstract at best. The narrator,Humbert Humbert(the name itself a reference to Poe's William Wilson, in which the character is haunted by his doppelganger.In the case of Lolita, it is Clare Quilty) refutes the objectivist writing of the earlier Modernist period. Humbert Humbert is the classic unreliable narrator,utilizing his skillful wordplay to elicit sympathy from the reader. Humbert graciously asks the reader if they "can still stand his style", and sentimentally tells his story of a deprived/traumatic childhood.
In this passage, Nabokov exemplifies the post modernistic techniques found throughout Lolita. The death of his mother, historically depicted as a tragic ordeal, is given nothing more than a passing mention":(picnic,lightning)". Evoking the characteristic fragmentary experience of Postmodern writing, the details of her death are abstract at best. The narrator,Humbert Humbert(the name itself a reference to Poe's William Wilson, in which the character is haunted by his doppelganger.In the case of Lolita, it is Clare Quilty) refutes the objectivist writing of the earlier Modernist period. Humbert Humbert is the classic unreliable narrator,utilizing his skillful wordplay to elicit sympathy from the reader. Humbert graciously asks the reader if they "can still stand his style", and sentimentally tells his story of a deprived/traumatic childhood.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Assignment 3
"Take this matter of mourning, and take it against a contemporary background. How, against a contemporary background, do you mourn an octogenarian father, nearly blind, his heart enlarged, his lungs filling with fluid, who creeps, stumbles, gives off the odors, the moldiness or gassiness of old men."
Since this sentence uses connectors it would be considered asyndetic. His use of sarcasm is what helps to connect his view points on death in contemporary times. He asks the reader in the most exaggerated way, are you desensitized toward death by old age when more glamorized ways to die is the forefront of what everyone wants to see.
"Thanksgiving turkey was stuffed with hashish. This was much enjoyed. That was practically the last feast at which Pop, who also relished risk or defiance, was present."
Bellow also moves quickly from asyndetic to polysyndetic pretty swifty. This sentence justifies itself by not creating any space for opinion about the food, how it was enjoyed, and the importance of the dinner to "Pop" and exaggerates that he isn't a person whos is hard to satisfy.
"In and out of the hospital, he dwindled, his mind wandered, he couldn’t even concentrate enough to complain, except in exceptional moments on the Sundays Woody regularly devoted to him."
This is a clear example of parataxis and a moving action. Bellow describes his mind as well as his body is moving in a downward flux. The connecting sentences makes it a moving actions making it appear as if time wasn't a factor and these events were quickly happening. It makes it appear monotonous but still an important motion.
Since this sentence uses connectors it would be considered asyndetic. His use of sarcasm is what helps to connect his view points on death in contemporary times. He asks the reader in the most exaggerated way, are you desensitized toward death by old age when more glamorized ways to die is the forefront of what everyone wants to see.
"Thanksgiving turkey was stuffed with hashish. This was much enjoyed. That was practically the last feast at which Pop, who also relished risk or defiance, was present."
Bellow also moves quickly from asyndetic to polysyndetic pretty swifty. This sentence justifies itself by not creating any space for opinion about the food, how it was enjoyed, and the importance of the dinner to "Pop" and exaggerates that he isn't a person whos is hard to satisfy.
"In and out of the hospital, he dwindled, his mind wandered, he couldn’t even concentrate enough to complain, except in exceptional moments on the Sundays Woody regularly devoted to him."
This is a clear example of parataxis and a moving action. Bellow describes his mind as well as his body is moving in a downward flux. The connecting sentences makes it a moving actions making it appear as if time wasn't a factor and these events were quickly happening. It makes it appear monotonous but still an important motion.
Introduction
Vladimir Nabokov is one of my favorite prose writers. I admire him for his many literary tricks and allusions to literary works. He writes in heavy detail on note cards using the fragments of his story to assembles his compositions. For style he uses a lot of lyrical sentences, riddles and word play to form elegant solutions. Lastly, his writing is more of a phenomena of design sacrificing plot and lofty ideas in favor of aesthetic bliss.
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