Reading about Design-
Reading about the different aspects of design was very interesting. Since I was once interested in going into Advertising in college, I took lots of Marketing and Business classes in highschool so I therefor learned a little bit about Advertising as well. I knew the difference between Advertising and Design. Today, though, with all the different ads for different companies and products, I can see where people get confused. I for one know that I only remember certain ads or commercials if they are funny or relate to me in someway.
The article about the Christmas decorations was fun to read. It was cool to see how many different families and people in the world care so much about the appearance of their home over the Holidays and compete with others to have the "best house." Although, I do think that it is a bit over the top to hire someone to put up your Christmas decorations.
Beyond Words- 498-502
It was surprising to read about what we are going to be writing our next big essay about. Obviously something way different than the first one, I am excited to get this one started. When reading, I thought of many different things that I use everyday that I myself feel I would be lost without. Although I was confused in parts when they called the product a "text." There are some parts about the essay Im going to need to be cleared up, but overall, I am excited to get this one started. In reading about the girl who wrote about the Girl Power shirt, I agreed with her on many of the things she said. For example, Queen of the World has to be skinny to wear this shirt, a size XL fits a size 5 frame? Other aspects played into this essay interested me as well.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Car Culture
Prius-Hummer
Reading about the different people and celebrities who purchase what kinds of cars was very interesting. One would think that since celebrities are so wealthy they would want something that is as "expensive" as they are. Hummers obviously were the main attraction of cars in this story. Other than the expensive cars that some celebrities like to be seen in, the new second generation Prius was the other car that seemed to be very popular among the celebrities. However, it seemed to me that since the celebrities were driving these cars only as loaners, that they would normally not be driving these to any affairs or events, such as the Vanity Fair Party. If not for the loaners, they would probably be showing up in flashy hummers or other big cars.
Women Giving Directions
It was very interesting to me to read and find out that women consumers rule the U.S. Auto market. Women are directly respsonsible for the purchase of 50 percent of all new cars and trucks sold in the United States. Overall, according to a study, women influence the purchases of 85 percent of the new vehicles annualy sold in the United States. The study said that "If the woman of the house does not want a certain vehicle in the driveway, it is not likely to wind up there." I actually agree with this, because I know at my house that is a true statement. If my mom does not want a certain car, chances are very high that my family would not be purchasing the car. This story surprised me, because I have always thought that men were the ones more interested in cars and more likely to sway the market of what sells and what doesn't, and whats popular and whats not. When thought about though, the women are most always thinking about whats the best and safest for their family and not just themselves in general. There was also talks about certain cars designed for own personal needs, such as a car that has personal stowing space for things such as a womans purse and an umbrella. Or when the car door opens, the seat rises so the driver does not have to completely lower themselves into the car. A woman interviewed said that while these things were nice, they are uneccesary in her purchase. Lastly, woman want to be original in their purchases. "I don't want to be a part of somebody's everybody's got one parade. I want something different, something that looks good on me, something exclusive."
Love it or Hate it Category
This article was about different types of cars in different shapes and sizes. It mentioned "ugly" cars such as the Scion XB and The Pontiac Aztek. This article stated that "ugly sells." When I read that I was very confused as to why they would say that. After thinking about it I realized that today people are so concerned with standing out instead of blending in that purchasing one of these cars is the perfect way to do so. The article said that it was okay to have large groups of people hate what they sell, as long as that many more love what they sell."
My life, My Cadillac
This article was really fun to read. It reminded me of the show My Super Sweet 16 when the girls get whatever kind of car they want. This girl, instead of a Mercedes or a BMW, wanted a Cadillac pickup truck. She said that all her life she had been raised differently, she had always been a daddys girl but in a different way. When she was little she would want car magazines from the store. She said that she wanted a pickup truck because of the "feminism" factor. Usually guys have them, and when girls have them, the boys notice them more because they are in something they enjoy as well. They say its a "win-win." I feel very different than the girl in this article who did get the truck she wanted when she turned 16. I would never want a truck that big, not because I look at them as a "boyish" car, but because they are so big I would feel uncomfortable driving one.
Reading about the different people and celebrities who purchase what kinds of cars was very interesting. One would think that since celebrities are so wealthy they would want something that is as "expensive" as they are. Hummers obviously were the main attraction of cars in this story. Other than the expensive cars that some celebrities like to be seen in, the new second generation Prius was the other car that seemed to be very popular among the celebrities. However, it seemed to me that since the celebrities were driving these cars only as loaners, that they would normally not be driving these to any affairs or events, such as the Vanity Fair Party. If not for the loaners, they would probably be showing up in flashy hummers or other big cars.
Women Giving Directions
It was very interesting to me to read and find out that women consumers rule the U.S. Auto market. Women are directly respsonsible for the purchase of 50 percent of all new cars and trucks sold in the United States. Overall, according to a study, women influence the purchases of 85 percent of the new vehicles annualy sold in the United States. The study said that "If the woman of the house does not want a certain vehicle in the driveway, it is not likely to wind up there." I actually agree with this, because I know at my house that is a true statement. If my mom does not want a certain car, chances are very high that my family would not be purchasing the car. This story surprised me, because I have always thought that men were the ones more interested in cars and more likely to sway the market of what sells and what doesn't, and whats popular and whats not. When thought about though, the women are most always thinking about whats the best and safest for their family and not just themselves in general. There was also talks about certain cars designed for own personal needs, such as a car that has personal stowing space for things such as a womans purse and an umbrella. Or when the car door opens, the seat rises so the driver does not have to completely lower themselves into the car. A woman interviewed said that while these things were nice, they are uneccesary in her purchase. Lastly, woman want to be original in their purchases. "I don't want to be a part of somebody's everybody's got one parade. I want something different, something that looks good on me, something exclusive."
Love it or Hate it Category
This article was about different types of cars in different shapes and sizes. It mentioned "ugly" cars such as the Scion XB and The Pontiac Aztek. This article stated that "ugly sells." When I read that I was very confused as to why they would say that. After thinking about it I realized that today people are so concerned with standing out instead of blending in that purchasing one of these cars is the perfect way to do so. The article said that it was okay to have large groups of people hate what they sell, as long as that many more love what they sell."
My life, My Cadillac
This article was really fun to read. It reminded me of the show My Super Sweet 16 when the girls get whatever kind of car they want. This girl, instead of a Mercedes or a BMW, wanted a Cadillac pickup truck. She said that all her life she had been raised differently, she had always been a daddys girl but in a different way. When she was little she would want car magazines from the store. She said that she wanted a pickup truck because of the "feminism" factor. Usually guys have them, and when girls have them, the boys notice them more because they are in something they enjoy as well. They say its a "win-win." I feel very different than the girl in this article who did get the truck she wanted when she turned 16. I would never want a truck that big, not because I look at them as a "boyish" car, but because they are so big I would feel uncomfortable driving one.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Mac or PC?
I personally am more of a PC fan. I have a Dell and so far have had no problems with it at all. There is nothing really about the design of the computer that attracted me to get a Dell. One of the reasons I got a Dell is because I wanted a colored computer, and at the time Dell had just come out with tons of different colored laptops. The main reason I did not get a Mac was because I did not want to have to "re learn" how to use a computer since the overall setup of Mac's are completely different. In all honesty, I think that the Mac ad's and commercials are more catchy than the ones for Dell. The Mac computer commericals always have catchy songs and are easily remembered.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Introduction Paragraph
In the piece of writing "Swamp Dog," there are many points trying to be displayed. Many different themes and tones being displayed. Author Kwame Dawes did a wonderful job with discrete yet powerful tones to display the feelings of the young African American girls during rough times. These girls are feeling as though they are second to none to young white girls, who get all the attention by simply being prim and proper. Working hard for everything they earn, they seem to be bitter because the white girls do the exact opposite, yet get all the attention. Kwame Dawes has an interesting way in getting his point across in his poem “Swamp Dog.” In a bitter, yet powerful tone coming from young African American women, a sense of confidence and uneasiness comes across from the narrator. The way Kwame Dawes tells the story of these girls allows the reader to fully understand the point being made through descriptive words and a thoughtful tone. It also helps the reader to fully get a grasp on the underlying theme of the poem, which is confidence and hard work can get anyone anywhere in life.
Topic Proposal, Thesis Statement
1. “Swamp Dog” by Kwame Dawes.
2. The poem “Swamp Dog” seems to be narrated by young African American females. The girls are speaking of how all of the boys eye up the white girls and find them so attractive and find interest in the white girls instead of them. The boys never look at them the way they look at the white girls because the African American girls are always hard at work, just trying to get by. The young white girls do whatever they please and always are prim, proper and beautiful. The African American girls are always hard at work, never caring how they look. They work hard for what they have and are NOT prim and proper like the white girls. In the poem it says, “to simple girls like us, who won’t jitterbug, don’t ride no horse; just work till our fingers are white, stumbling homeward, weary at night.” This is showing how the African American girls seem to be more ‘rough around the edges,’ and are very hard-working. These girls have dreams just like anyone else in the world, and they aren’t going to let any boys hold them back, or even rely on them to pursue their dreams. They are strong and are determined to someday get what they want. They let the boys do as they please, for one day they believe they will be the ones wanting them.
3. Lines 5-10.
4. The lines I chose have some very important passages and meaning behind it. The girls seem to be bitter in these passages, mad at the white girls for getting all of the attention. Saying, “never look at us that way, never got sweet words to say.” There also seems to be a confident tone in the passage in the lines describing how hard they work, “just work till our fingers are white.” On the other hand, while at one point seeming confident, the narrator seems to be self conscious in saying things like “to simple colored girls like us,” meaning there is nothing special about the colored girls, they never get a second look.
5. There is quite a bit of rhyming in this poem. Using words such as candies and pandies, white and night to describe and get a vivid image of the point the narrator is trying to get across.
6. The things I talked about in 4 and 5 relate to everything mentioned about the main point of this poem. The way the narrator says the things she does and the tones she uses all come back to the point of how the narrator feels inferior to the white girls. Yet at the same time, she feels she will someday overcome all of these girls by working hard to get what she deserves.
Thesis Statement: Kwame Dawes has an interesting way in getting his point across in his poem “Swamp Dog.” In a bitter, yet powerful tone coming from young African American women, a sense of confidence and uneasiness comes across from the narrator. The way Kwame Dawes tells the story of these girls allows the reader to fully understand the point being made through descriptive words and a thoughtful tone. It also helps the reader to fully get a grasp on the underlying theme of the poem, which is confidence and hard work can get anyone anywhere in life.
2. The poem “Swamp Dog” seems to be narrated by young African American females. The girls are speaking of how all of the boys eye up the white girls and find them so attractive and find interest in the white girls instead of them. The boys never look at them the way they look at the white girls because the African American girls are always hard at work, just trying to get by. The young white girls do whatever they please and always are prim, proper and beautiful. The African American girls are always hard at work, never caring how they look. They work hard for what they have and are NOT prim and proper like the white girls. In the poem it says, “to simple girls like us, who won’t jitterbug, don’t ride no horse; just work till our fingers are white, stumbling homeward, weary at night.” This is showing how the African American girls seem to be more ‘rough around the edges,’ and are very hard-working. These girls have dreams just like anyone else in the world, and they aren’t going to let any boys hold them back, or even rely on them to pursue their dreams. They are strong and are determined to someday get what they want. They let the boys do as they please, for one day they believe they will be the ones wanting them.
3. Lines 5-10.
4. The lines I chose have some very important passages and meaning behind it. The girls seem to be bitter in these passages, mad at the white girls for getting all of the attention. Saying, “never look at us that way, never got sweet words to say.” There also seems to be a confident tone in the passage in the lines describing how hard they work, “just work till our fingers are white.” On the other hand, while at one point seeming confident, the narrator seems to be self conscious in saying things like “to simple colored girls like us,” meaning there is nothing special about the colored girls, they never get a second look.
5. There is quite a bit of rhyming in this poem. Using words such as candies and pandies, white and night to describe and get a vivid image of the point the narrator is trying to get across.
6. The things I talked about in 4 and 5 relate to everything mentioned about the main point of this poem. The way the narrator says the things she does and the tones she uses all come back to the point of how the narrator feels inferior to the white girls. Yet at the same time, she feels she will someday overcome all of these girls by working hard to get what she deserves.
Thesis Statement: Kwame Dawes has an interesting way in getting his point across in his poem “Swamp Dog.” In a bitter, yet powerful tone coming from young African American women, a sense of confidence and uneasiness comes across from the narrator. The way Kwame Dawes tells the story of these girls allows the reader to fully understand the point being made through descriptive words and a thoughtful tone. It also helps the reader to fully get a grasp on the underlying theme of the poem, which is confidence and hard work can get anyone anywhere in life.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Character by Taslima Nasrim
You're a girl
and you'd better not forget
that when you step over the threshold of your house
men will look askance at you
when you keep on walking down the lane
men will follow you and whistle.
When you cross the lane and step onto the main road
men will revile you and call you a loose woman.
If you've got no character
you'll turn back,
and if not
you'll keep going
as you're going now.
2. This poem is a very powerful poem for women. It shows that a lot of times, woman are looked down upon and looked at as a sex object instead of an actual human being. There are many respsonsibilities that women hold, many of them being for the greater being of men. This poem seems to be a warning for women and the struggles they are going to face in their own life when trying to lead their own life. Woman, a lot of times are looked at as inferior to men simply because of the face that they are a woman. Men are supposovely able to do anything, while women are questioned many times, people not knowing if they can complete a task the same way a man could. This poem is saying that women will not always immediately be respected by everyone and that the respect they get must be earned, and not just given to immediately. It really challenges woman and how motivated they are. Women who are determined to prove people wrong will keep chugging along, working hard for what they believe they deserve.
3. This poem is about women trying to get out int he world on their own without men. Women want to see if they can make it on their own. The narrator is warning the women of the world, saying people will doubt their abilities without men and not give them the time of day simply because of their sex. Warning women of the troubles they will face in life and warning them that it will probably always be that way.
4. I think the narrator of this poem is a woman warning other women about the struggles they are going to face in life. The narrator is speaking to other women, young, old, middle aged, any type of woman. The relationship between the speaker and the listener is that of any woman to woman relationship. Women look out for each other, and this woman is concerned for women everywhere.
5. I think the theme of this poem has to deal with women and how strong they are as an individual. Women, men, or anyone in general should never let the opinions of others bring them down. They have to be strong and never look back, have faith in themselves that they accomplish what they have set out to do.
and you'd better not forget
that when you step over the threshold of your house
men will look askance at you
when you keep on walking down the lane
men will follow you and whistle.
When you cross the lane and step onto the main road
men will revile you and call you a loose woman.
If you've got no character
you'll turn back,
and if not
you'll keep going
as you're going now.
2. This poem is a very powerful poem for women. It shows that a lot of times, woman are looked down upon and looked at as a sex object instead of an actual human being. There are many respsonsibilities that women hold, many of them being for the greater being of men. This poem seems to be a warning for women and the struggles they are going to face in their own life when trying to lead their own life. Woman, a lot of times are looked at as inferior to men simply because of the face that they are a woman. Men are supposovely able to do anything, while women are questioned many times, people not knowing if they can complete a task the same way a man could. This poem is saying that women will not always immediately be respected by everyone and that the respect they get must be earned, and not just given to immediately. It really challenges woman and how motivated they are. Women who are determined to prove people wrong will keep chugging along, working hard for what they believe they deserve.
3. This poem is about women trying to get out int he world on their own without men. Women want to see if they can make it on their own. The narrator is warning the women of the world, saying people will doubt their abilities without men and not give them the time of day simply because of their sex. Warning women of the troubles they will face in life and warning them that it will probably always be that way.
4. I think the narrator of this poem is a woman warning other women about the struggles they are going to face in life. The narrator is speaking to other women, young, old, middle aged, any type of woman. The relationship between the speaker and the listener is that of any woman to woman relationship. Women look out for each other, and this woman is concerned for women everywhere.
5. I think the theme of this poem has to deal with women and how strong they are as an individual. Women, men, or anyone in general should never let the opinions of others bring them down. They have to be strong and never look back, have faith in themselves that they accomplish what they have set out to do.
"Sonnys Blues"-Child
The word child was not portrayed in this story as much as the word boys. The two brothers were always referred to as boys and not children. When the narrator would talk about Sonny or himself, he would always compare him to the other "boys" around him, the boys in his class or the boys he grew up with. He compared him to the other boys that were like him and had the same morals and lived the same type of lifestyle. These boys grew up in a not so good part of town, Harlem. The way these boys were portrayed showed this and how morals and standards were different for these children, or boys. Their futures aren't as bright as other children in different areas. This word contributes to the plot because the life that Sonny led began when he was a child. He started getting into bad things when he was younger and the boys around him and the other children he grew up with affected this life in may different ways.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
January 31 In Class Free Write
Walking to class this morning, I was very tired. Relating my mood to a color I would choose the color grey. Grey to me always seems like a "blah" color and that was how I was feeling this morning as I walked to class, while I was tired and even sick. If I were to paint my mood I would use different assortments of grey and maybe throw a little bit of color in the mix because of my excitement for the weekend.
January 31 Homework Assignment
Hills Like White Elephants-1. The couple in this story is arguing about the girl getting an abortion. The male is completely comfortable and for the operation, while the female is unsure of the procedure and does not know what to do. It seems to me that the girl is easily persuaded and will do anything for this man. In the first part of the story, the girl questions everything the man says, saying things like, "What makes you think so?" and "And if I do it you'll be happy and things will be like they were and you'll love me?" The girl wants the mans assurance in knowing everything will be alright after she goes through with the abortion. She also wants to know if she doesn't go through with the operation if the man will still love her and want to be with her. The man thinks if she goes through with the process that they would get their life back, and they could "Have the whole world." He saysthings like "It's really a simple operation Jig," and "It's really not an operation at all." He also tells her he's known lots of people to do it and they've all been okay. As the story progresses, the girl seems to change her mind, saying things like "I'll do it because I don't care about me," and "I'll do it and everything will be okay," seeming to finally agree with the man. The mans opinion doesn't really change. He keeps saying things like "You've got to realize that I don't want you to do it if you don't want to. I'm perfectly willing to go through with it if it means anything to you." Almost as if putting the guilt trip on her the entire time.Girl-3. In this story, there are only two characters. A mother and her daughter. The story consists of a mother telling her daughter what to do and what not to do while growing up and even after. Mainly the things she tells her are things around the house or things a housewife would do in taking care of a family. The mother says so much to the girl because she seems to think that the girl knows nothing and has so much to learn before becoming a woman, wife and even mother. She tries to tell her everything she needs to know and then some so she is then even accepted in society. It seems the girl got to say two things during the entire story, just things that she seemed to question and not understand. The little girl has nothing to say, so she listens, and the mother has much to say so she just keeps on lecturing to the little girl.The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight In Heaven-2. When the police officer tells the man that he is making people nervous driving around the neighborhood and randomly stopping, he is implying that people do not recognize him or his car and are worried that he is going to bring trouble to the neighborhood. He doesnt fit the profile of the neighborhood which seems to be wealthy and caucasion probably. Also, most residents of the neighborhood probably don't just drive around aimlessly and stop here and there. The narrator takes this comment to heart saying he doesn't fit the profile of the country, meaning he doesn't fit in anywhere really. He doesnt say this outloud though, thinking he would probably get into trouble if he did.
Thursday, January 24 In Class Work
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Free Write-Desert-dry, hot, humid, no rain, cactus, sunny, very flat, a lot of sand and not a lot of green, no water, dusty, Arizona.Universe-large, whole world, a lot of people, wide, exaggerations, all planets.
Posted by Lindsay at 7:24 AM 0 comments
Free-Write 1/24/08
Shephard- pastoral, holy, meaning with a church, someone relating to Jesus and living a life of Christianity, a man taking care of sheep, mentioned in Bible, passionate.
Posted by Lindsay at 7:02 AM 0 comments
Warm Up
1. Close reading is reading something very 'closely.' Closely as in paying extra attention to everything being read and taking in everything as its own meaning. Analyzing and picking the reading apart to clearly understand it. Digging deeper at the text and passages being read and taking extra notes and making connections with the reading and real life.2. Not completely sure what pastoral means, although I do know it has much to do with shephards?OED definition: 1. a. A book on the care of souls. Obs. (n)2. b. A letter from a spiritual pastor; spec. = pastoral letter n. at Special uses. (n)3. a. A literary work portraying rural life or the life of shepherds, esp. in an idealized or romantic form.Comparison: The OED had more to mention on a spiritual aspect and life than just shephards.Mistress- a woman in a relationship with a man, a married woman.OED definition: I. A woman having control or authority.2. a. The female head of a family, household, or other establishment; a woman holding such a position in conjunction with a male counterpart.Comparison: I was close with knowing that it was a woman in a known relationship. I however did not mention the woman having control or authority, and both definitions either mentioned authority or being the head of a household.Nymph-
Free Write-Desert-dry, hot, humid, no rain, cactus, sunny, very flat, a lot of sand and not a lot of green, no water, dusty, Arizona.Universe-large, whole world, a lot of people, wide, exaggerations, all planets.
Posted by Lindsay at 7:24 AM 0 comments
Free-Write 1/24/08
Shephard- pastoral, holy, meaning with a church, someone relating to Jesus and living a life of Christianity, a man taking care of sheep, mentioned in Bible, passionate.
Posted by Lindsay at 7:02 AM 0 comments
Warm Up
1. Close reading is reading something very 'closely.' Closely as in paying extra attention to everything being read and taking in everything as its own meaning. Analyzing and picking the reading apart to clearly understand it. Digging deeper at the text and passages being read and taking extra notes and making connections with the reading and real life.2. Not completely sure what pastoral means, although I do know it has much to do with shephards?OED definition: 1. a. A book on the care of souls. Obs. (n)2. b. A letter from a spiritual pastor; spec. = pastoral letter n. at Special uses. (n)3. a. A literary work portraying rural life or the life of shepherds, esp. in an idealized or romantic form.Comparison: The OED had more to mention on a spiritual aspect and life than just shephards.Mistress- a woman in a relationship with a man, a married woman.OED definition: I. A woman having control or authority.2. a. The female head of a family, household, or other establishment; a woman holding such a position in conjunction with a male counterpart.Comparison: I was close with knowing that it was a woman in a known relationship. I however did not mention the woman having control or authority, and both definitions either mentioned authority or being the head of a household.Nymph-
January 24 Homework Assignment
6-D: In the story "Black Elvis," the main character portrays what he is supposed to be well. He is an African American Elvis impersonater. He considers himself to be professional. There are different metaphors and similes in this story that the author uses to describe "Black Elvis."He has a lot of pride, he considers himself to be important and likes to show people what he does to reveal his happiness. Black Elvis is proud because Elvis himself was so legendary and popular that he wants to be like him.6-E: Grandmother is a word that is important to me. Growing up, I was always close to my grandmother on my moms side. Unfortunately I never got to meet my grandmother on my dads side because she passed away before I was born. My grandmother has always meant a lot to me and has always been there to lighten the mood and have a good time with."In the Desert" (344)In this poem, the author uses the word creature. I feel he uses creature to show how this person has no heart and is very selfish with no care in the world but that of himself. He/she are different from most people. When the author says he held a heart in his hands, I think that means he has finally gotten something, or finally reached a goal and it is all he has for himself. (something he has hunted maybe.) I think the author calls him bitter as in saying what he has worked to get so hard is wrong, bitter as in he is not satisfied with it and/or his life in general, but he is happy to finally have it because he has worked so hard for it."The Passionate Shephard To His Love"Judging by the title of this book, it is obvious that it is going to be about love. The first line reads "Come live with me and be my love." After reading that he goes on to tell his love about all the things they will do in life together if they become lovers. He wont let anything get between them or stop them from pursuing happiness together. He promises her things, romantic things to persuade. It seems that he wants to live in a somewhat magical world with his lover and have no worries.
January 21, Strategies Notes
-Two different types of reading: leisure and academic-Leisure reading seldom includes poetry or short stories, more novels with a particular kind of story-Our purposes for reading are different which means the way we read is different in each type of reading-Academic assignments are reading for understanding and meaning, more active engagement-Academic reading requires active reading and not passive reading, which is critical thinking and reflecting as one reads-Very engaged in your piece of reading when you read the text for the first time-Types of taking notes:-annotation- easiest and most commonly used, taking notes in the margin of the text (be selective)-skeleton outline- brief, sketchy overview in the margins of a text that are usually turned into an actual outline formsummary- works best with short stories and fiction, a summary is an objective restatement of what you read, the main ideas and points-Very important to note your initial reaction of a text after reading for the first time-Photo collage- a visual representation of your response to the verbal text (brainstorm, bubble web)
January 21, 5 Review Questions
3. The focal point of a text is waht you focus on in the work, or a "spark of interest." 4. Genre- expressed through conventions-the features and structures that make them what they are. 12. Context- the who, what, where, when and why that surrounds every word, image, or artifact. (what the reader searches for, to relate everything to somehow, someway.) 14. When "taking a text apart," one should look for things such as, elements that give unity to a text, sequences that link events or different parts of a text, the way a whole is divided into parts, patterns that organize a text, arrangement and balance, contrasts that organize information and more. 17. Point of view- can give shape to a composition and highlight specific themes.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Sonnys Blues, Lost in the Funhouse, Videotape
Sonnys Blues-
Sonnys Blues was a very interesting read. It told the story of two brothers who in reality barely knew each other. The narrator and Sonny are two completely different people with completely different lifestyles and morals. These two brothers were seperated for most of their adult life, only to find each other again when Sonny got into drugs and his brother read about him in the newspaper. The narrator tried the entire story to understand the life that Sonny led. A life of music and a life through drugs, herion specifically. Sonny had many struggles in his life, and in his life he had merely no one to turn to since music was his life. So, instead of turning to people for guidance, he turned to drugs. The narrator led a very different life, so in retrospect he turned to people who cared about him, like his family.
I found it interesting that the huge age gap between the brothers presented such a problem. Granted seven years is much greater than four, I have a brother thats four years older than I am and we are best friends. Sonny felt that he could not do everything around his brother that he wished to do, and when he smoked the cigarette for the first time, he told his brother he just wanted to see if he could bring himself to simply smoke the cigarette in front of him.
Reading about someone with such an addiction was very interesting. Hearing his own explanation of why he did what he did was different to hear, coming from someone who has never been addicted to anything that serious or even knowing someone addicted to something that serious. I found it interesting hearing or seeing how an addiction to drugs even starts. For Sonny, it was his crazy lifestyle as a musician and having no one to turn to. Though the man in the beginning of the story had a very small role, he had one of the most important, for he changed the narrators mind a bit on his feelings for him and Sonny. The man in the beginning is the one who got Sonny into the bad things that the narrator spoke of the entire story. All in all, in using drugs, Sonny was trying to escape from the hectic lifestyle he led. He escaped through music and drugs, and his brother, had a tough time understanding how and why Sonny did what he did. Though he was his brother, so he tried to be there to help him after years of not being a part of his life.
Lost in the Funhouse-
This piece of writing was confusing and tough for me to understand. The writer jumped around and spoke of different things in different ways and used different meanings to get his point across. I couldn't really get a firm grip on what this story was even about, but I think it was about a young boy going through rough times in his adolescent phase. He was growing up and facing things he did not know how to deal with, but like any other kid he had to face reality and grow up. The funhouse, I think was the place that helped him to escape when he was younger and just relax. However, I do not know what the funhouse was in reality. I did not specifically care for this writers style. Jumping around and not making clear note of what was being talked about, I became confused a lot and didn't know what was going on in many parts.
Videotape-
This story, in many ways, disturbed me. This seemed to be a story of a little girl simply learning how to work a video camera when she was young, making a home video. The little girl had her head stuck out a window of a car, taping the car behind her. Later in the story you come to realize the little girl is taping a drive by murder. This makes the reader realize how much violence is out in the world and that even at such a young age, we in America are exposed to violence everywhere we turn. Weather it be in the media, homelife or anywhere else, you really cannot escape it. Though violence is an awful thing, people today are so used to being exposed to it, that when they see it they simply just turn the other cheek to it and act as if it is no big deal. This story also goes to show that little kids are curious and have to be looked after no matter the age and what they are getting involved in.
Sonnys Blues was a very interesting read. It told the story of two brothers who in reality barely knew each other. The narrator and Sonny are two completely different people with completely different lifestyles and morals. These two brothers were seperated for most of their adult life, only to find each other again when Sonny got into drugs and his brother read about him in the newspaper. The narrator tried the entire story to understand the life that Sonny led. A life of music and a life through drugs, herion specifically. Sonny had many struggles in his life, and in his life he had merely no one to turn to since music was his life. So, instead of turning to people for guidance, he turned to drugs. The narrator led a very different life, so in retrospect he turned to people who cared about him, like his family.
I found it interesting that the huge age gap between the brothers presented such a problem. Granted seven years is much greater than four, I have a brother thats four years older than I am and we are best friends. Sonny felt that he could not do everything around his brother that he wished to do, and when he smoked the cigarette for the first time, he told his brother he just wanted to see if he could bring himself to simply smoke the cigarette in front of him.
Reading about someone with such an addiction was very interesting. Hearing his own explanation of why he did what he did was different to hear, coming from someone who has never been addicted to anything that serious or even knowing someone addicted to something that serious. I found it interesting hearing or seeing how an addiction to drugs even starts. For Sonny, it was his crazy lifestyle as a musician and having no one to turn to. Though the man in the beginning of the story had a very small role, he had one of the most important, for he changed the narrators mind a bit on his feelings for him and Sonny. The man in the beginning is the one who got Sonny into the bad things that the narrator spoke of the entire story. All in all, in using drugs, Sonny was trying to escape from the hectic lifestyle he led. He escaped through music and drugs, and his brother, had a tough time understanding how and why Sonny did what he did. Though he was his brother, so he tried to be there to help him after years of not being a part of his life.
Lost in the Funhouse-
This piece of writing was confusing and tough for me to understand. The writer jumped around and spoke of different things in different ways and used different meanings to get his point across. I couldn't really get a firm grip on what this story was even about, but I think it was about a young boy going through rough times in his adolescent phase. He was growing up and facing things he did not know how to deal with, but like any other kid he had to face reality and grow up. The funhouse, I think was the place that helped him to escape when he was younger and just relax. However, I do not know what the funhouse was in reality. I did not specifically care for this writers style. Jumping around and not making clear note of what was being talked about, I became confused a lot and didn't know what was going on in many parts.
Videotape-
This story, in many ways, disturbed me. This seemed to be a story of a little girl simply learning how to work a video camera when she was young, making a home video. The little girl had her head stuck out a window of a car, taping the car behind her. Later in the story you come to realize the little girl is taping a drive by murder. This makes the reader realize how much violence is out in the world and that even at such a young age, we in America are exposed to violence everywhere we turn. Weather it be in the media, homelife or anywhere else, you really cannot escape it. Though violence is an awful thing, people today are so used to being exposed to it, that when they see it they simply just turn the other cheek to it and act as if it is no big deal. This story also goes to show that little kids are curious and have to be looked after no matter the age and what they are getting involved in.
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