Hi, everyone.
Just wanted to remind you of a few things about tomorrow's exam:
1. It takes place in the Phys. Ed. gymnasium at 9 a.m.
2. It's a two and a half hour exam. (Divide your time as evenly as possible. Writing a strong essay in Part A will not really compensate for writing only a couple of vague paragraphs in Part B.)
3. You're expected to write two essays in total, one on short stories and one on poetry.
4. You don't HAVE to double space your essays.
5. You can write in pen or pencil. Crayon usually doesn't work so well and Magic Markers are tough to make loops with.
6. It's okay to end a sentence with a preposition (see #5)--no matter what anyone tells you. It's like falling in love with Taylor Swift: you should try to avoid it, but it's okay if you do.
7. Don't bring coffee into the exam room. Spillage could occur and if it does, I will deny even knowing you.
8. Bathroom breaks: See the last sentence in #6.
9. Try to relax. Breathe deep. Go to your happy place (as long as your happy place is within a fifteen foot radius of the centre of the gymnaisum).
10. BE THERE ON TIME! (Again, a wizard arrives just when he means to, so if you see yourself as a bit of a wizard, I hope you mean to be there at a few minutes before 9 a.m.)
11. BRING YOUR STUDENT I.D. CARD! (Especially useful if you bring coffee and I deny knowing you.)
12. They won't let you leave the exam room between 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Even if you're hungry, thirsty or need to pee. Resistance is futile. The only thing that might work is if you're part of a very stealthy flash mob that feigns bathroom break, but morphs instantly into a Jingle Bell Rock group dance. And, remember, if it isn't on YouTube within an hour, it didn't happen.
13. Don't write in sentence fragments. There is a sentence fragment in #12. See if you can find it. Maybe not. (There it is again.)
14. Don't write in comma splices, this is a comma splice.
15. Don't write plot summary. This isn't a "How I Met Your Mother" voice-over. Don't tell me what happens; tell me why I need to know what happens.
16. Have fun. Seriously. After tomorrow, you won't have to write any more English essays... until next semester.
Also, have a fantastic Christmas and/or break from studying. It has been an honour being your teacher.
All the best,
Gerard
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Saturday, December 7, 2013
The Ghost of Exams Future
So, what about the exam? In total, you have to write two essays, answer only one question from each section. Here's the format for the final exam, one more time:
Section A (Short fiction): There are 3 questions. You need to answer only 1 of them. They are all comparative analysis.
Section B (poetry): There are 3 questions. You need to answer only 1 of them. Two are comparative analysis and one is a "sight poem"--one you've likely never seen before.
If I were you, I'd try to know 4-5 stories and 5-6 poems really well. Again, if you've been to class most of the semester, especially in the past week, you have a very good idea of what to expect. My course is designed so that those who come to classes get the most out of it, and, as a result, when it comes to writing the final exam, you are best prepared if I've seen you most of the semester, sitting in a desk in the classroom.
If you haven't been to class very much, well, good luck. Most of you know that if you come to see me, or just stay in touch with me during the semester, and/or show some sign that you care and are trying, I will do anything to help you at least raise your grade, or hopefully pass, or achieve the best mark possible. But if you've been absent a lot and I don't know why, or you've give me nothing but attitude, good luck once again.
The final exam is designed to find out what you know, not what you don't know. Now if you "know" absolutely nothing, then you're pretty sure of not doing well. The trick is to know your stories and poems well enough so that you can write about them. That doesn't necessarily mean memorizing the poems or stories. Memory will only get you so far. With the poems, I'd make sure I knew a few lines that I could throw in, but I'd also make sure I was pretty intimate with the whole thing.
Show me, for example, that you get the difference between "blackening" in one poem and "golden" in the other. Show me that you understand why wandering through pristine, lively nature will yield different results for a poet than wandering through a dirty street filled with the reminders of all that's wrong with a 19th century city. Better yet, show me how both poets are saying similar things and, in their own way, use rhyme and/or meter, and imagery, and symbolism to say it.
Be as specific as possible. Talk about daffodils as symbols and wandering as a symbolic act. Talk about how "Stopping" can be a signficant moment in understanding one's place in a big, dark world. Talk about what "True Love" really is, according to one poet and how it's so similar to the love expressed in "Sonnet 130". Be able to see, and express, how Simpson's poetry captures the strength or fear of a particular speaker and has a broader application as well--what might "Old Balloon Seller" or "Tamarack" have in common with "Sonnet 130" or "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud," respectively? The answer is "lots," but I won't get into it again. I've been through all of this before. Keep in mind that the choice of poems about which to write will be mainly yours, the only limitations being imposed by the subject indicated in the question itself. But I won't be telling you specifically which poems, or stories, to write about.
The key to a good essay is to be specific about the details and to discuss what those details signify, symbolize, indicate, suggest or reflect about the character or object they're associated with, whether you're discussing poetry or short stories. There really is no mystery.
Oh, and be organized about it. Remember: 1-2-3. Make a statement. Give evidence. Discuss evidence. (And 4: see grades rise.)
The poetry section will be easy, by the way. As long as you've studied and compared some of the poems in a detailed way (as I've discussed at length in class recently), you should be well prepared to write that part of the exam. Plus, there's the sight poem (one of the options) where all you have to do is talk about the usual assortment of poetic techniques. Mostly, though, focus on individual words in the poem. That will make all the difference. But also make sure you form a clear statement of what the poem is about overall and set about proving your theory to be true.
The short story section has three questions and you get to choose one (lucky you). If you were in the last class of the semester, you have a good idea of what kind of question you'll get. If not, I can't really help you with that. Get someone's notes, if you can't.
Beyond that, though, it's still a matter of knowing some of those stories really well. Focus on knowing some of the symbols (a car, a gun, some clothing like a hat, a skirt, or a pink ribbon) for each story, images you can discuss (a girl in her house on the threshold while a stalker waits outside because he "promised" he would or a family whose car has turned upside down in a ditch while a man called the Misfit descends). You know what a Misfit is, right? If not, maybe you should. We talked about a lot of them in this course. But a misfit is more than just an outsider in society (and there are different kinds of societies--and while we're at it, what the heck is a society?); a misfit also has a place in society because he shows us something about ourselves: about the things we most fear, about what we most want, about what we are capable of in our darkest or most important hour. That sort of thing. I don't exactly ask you a question about misfits, but, if you think about it, every one of these stories features a misfit, or an isolated or alienated character, of some kind, whether it's Jason in "Serotonin," the young man in "Young Goodman Brown" or Elisa in "The Chrysanthemums". Again, it's not that I'll ask you to discuss misfits specifically (in fact, I really won't), but you should be able to see how certain characters are related to each other in a meaningful way--that's how comparative analysis is done.
All of these stories have characters who are looking to change their situation somehow. There will surely be an opportunity to discuss that. And with every story we talked extensively about how a character represents the times in which he or she lives/lived by being a part of the moral fabric, a generational attitude or stance towards society, a trend that is prevalent in a particular time. In short, the character symbolizes certain qualities and ideas. Brainstorm on these and see how they fit (or, equally important, don't fit) within the predominant values and prevailing ideas of the time. One need look no further than Elisa Allen in her man's clothes in a male-dominated world who winds up crying like a "weak, old woman". How is she representative of her time? Or how is she symbolic of a certain kind of person, struggling to be free of society's expectations? What role does the tinker play in that struggle? Does Arnold Friend play a similar role in Connie's striving for adulthood and independence amid the backdrop of the 1960s rock and roll era, which was rife with civil and social unrest, ideals about what mankind, especially the young people, could accomplish. Change is certainly at the heart of these stories (as it is for "Young Goodman Brown" in 1692 New England and for characters in a a bunch of other stories). It's always about change. Otherwise, there is no story. Then there's the Misfit who, somewhat like Arnold Friend, represents the lawless violence of America, the part of civilized society that nobody likes to talk about.
Each of these characters is on a journey, one that is sometimes a physical quest, but is most often a psychological, or symbolic, one--just one more way to consider these characters and stories. And, of course, there is no story without change, and a journey usually leads to some form of enlightenment about one's self and one's place in the world and/or newfound awareness about the nature of human existence. Just about every character we've studied has a physical journey that embodies a more psychological journey, and it's useful to look at the key moments in that journey, the significant people the protagonist encounters and what they represent for them, both literally and figuratively. Again, I'm not necessarily asking you a question on the journey motif (which we didn't directly study this semester - I'd suggest you pay attention to the subjects that kept coming up now and then), but all characters take journeys of various sorts, and it can be a useful way to discuss character development, or character evolution.
Again, I could keep going. But I won't. These ramblings, as with those in the last class of the semester, do not necessarily reflect any specific questions on the exam, but are but shadows of that which might be, directly or indirectly.
Just come Thursday morning and write your heart out. Be prepared. Be strong. Be brave. As Gandalf says, "This is no place for Hobbits." But if you must be a Hobbit, which you can hardly help, then be the best, bravest, and most prepared Hobbit you can be.
Better yet, be a wizard. Weave some magic. Of course, a wizard is never early or late; a wizard appears just when he means to - in which case, I hope you mean to appear at the exam room well before 9 a.m. I'd strongly suggest that you have a backup plan for getting you out of bed - in case you oversleep for whatever reason. "My alarm didn't go off" or "My roommate didn't wake me in time" isn't much of an excuse for missing something as important as a final exam at university.
When you write your two essays, show me that you get it. You just do. Make me proud. Better yet, make yourself proud. You only have to impress me. For that, all you have to do is write your best essays that you've written all semester.
Many of you wrote your best essay on the last one you did. So there is no reason to think you won't improve even more for the final exam. But that will happen only if I've done my job properly and, equally important, if you have done yours.
I'll see you in the exam room. Oh and, yeah: don't forget to breathe. My theory about these kinds of things is that you'll always do better if you can find a way to relax, whatever that means for you. You'll notice that in sports it's the player who is most relaxed who finds a way to succeed, to come through in the clutch situation. The relaxed batter will always be the one to get the game-winning hit because he relishes the opportunity, and he is able to find that state of mind because he is well prepared. You'll find the same is true for nearly any situation in life: whether you become a nurse, a doctor, a teacher or a financial planner, you will make fewer mistakes if you achieve a peaceful state of mind. Job interviews are the same. Driving through the streets of any city is like that. Making a souffle, walking a tightrope or milking a cow - all the same: if you're relaxed, it's easier to tame the beast.
And the surest way to achieve success is to be prepared. You've been doing that all semester long. This is merely the playoffs - no time to be scared, but a time to find some kind of innner peace. Breathing is essential. Meaningful, deep breaths that cleanse the soul and clear the mind are even more helpful. For me, personally, it always helps to listen to the right kind of music before facing the challenge. There have been many moments this semester - whether I'm teaching a class, getting ready to face a crowded room at a writers' conference or about to go live on the air for a radio interview - when a good night's sleep, a few sips of tea and a few songs from my favourite songs on the old iPad just prior to "show time" got me through by helping to clear my head and my soul. I've been here before, I always tell myself, and I've survived this far.
And you will too.
Good luck. See you Monday morning. I'll be blogging once more, tomorrow.
GC
Section A (Short fiction): There are 3 questions. You need to answer only 1 of them. They are all comparative analysis.
Section B (poetry): There are 3 questions. You need to answer only 1 of them. Two are comparative analysis and one is a "sight poem"--one you've likely never seen before.
If I were you, I'd try to know 4-5 stories and 5-6 poems really well. Again, if you've been to class most of the semester, especially in the past week, you have a very good idea of what to expect. My course is designed so that those who come to classes get the most out of it, and, as a result, when it comes to writing the final exam, you are best prepared if I've seen you most of the semester, sitting in a desk in the classroom.
If you haven't been to class very much, well, good luck. Most of you know that if you come to see me, or just stay in touch with me during the semester, and/or show some sign that you care and are trying, I will do anything to help you at least raise your grade, or hopefully pass, or achieve the best mark possible. But if you've been absent a lot and I don't know why, or you've give me nothing but attitude, good luck once again.
The final exam is designed to find out what you know, not what you don't know. Now if you "know" absolutely nothing, then you're pretty sure of not doing well. The trick is to know your stories and poems well enough so that you can write about them. That doesn't necessarily mean memorizing the poems or stories. Memory will only get you so far. With the poems, I'd make sure I knew a few lines that I could throw in, but I'd also make sure I was pretty intimate with the whole thing.
Show me, for example, that you get the difference between "blackening" in one poem and "golden" in the other. Show me that you understand why wandering through pristine, lively nature will yield different results for a poet than wandering through a dirty street filled with the reminders of all that's wrong with a 19th century city. Better yet, show me how both poets are saying similar things and, in their own way, use rhyme and/or meter, and imagery, and symbolism to say it.
Be as specific as possible. Talk about daffodils as symbols and wandering as a symbolic act. Talk about how "Stopping" can be a signficant moment in understanding one's place in a big, dark world. Talk about what "True Love" really is, according to one poet and how it's so similar to the love expressed in "Sonnet 130". Be able to see, and express, how Simpson's poetry captures the strength or fear of a particular speaker and has a broader application as well--what might "Old Balloon Seller" or "Tamarack" have in common with "Sonnet 130" or "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud," respectively? The answer is "lots," but I won't get into it again. I've been through all of this before. Keep in mind that the choice of poems about which to write will be mainly yours, the only limitations being imposed by the subject indicated in the question itself. But I won't be telling you specifically which poems, or stories, to write about.
The key to a good essay is to be specific about the details and to discuss what those details signify, symbolize, indicate, suggest or reflect about the character or object they're associated with, whether you're discussing poetry or short stories. There really is no mystery.
Oh, and be organized about it. Remember: 1-2-3. Make a statement. Give evidence. Discuss evidence. (And 4: see grades rise.)
The poetry section will be easy, by the way. As long as you've studied and compared some of the poems in a detailed way (as I've discussed at length in class recently), you should be well prepared to write that part of the exam. Plus, there's the sight poem (one of the options) where all you have to do is talk about the usual assortment of poetic techniques. Mostly, though, focus on individual words in the poem. That will make all the difference. But also make sure you form a clear statement of what the poem is about overall and set about proving your theory to be true.
The short story section has three questions and you get to choose one (lucky you). If you were in the last class of the semester, you have a good idea of what kind of question you'll get. If not, I can't really help you with that. Get someone's notes, if you can't.
Beyond that, though, it's still a matter of knowing some of those stories really well. Focus on knowing some of the symbols (a car, a gun, some clothing like a hat, a skirt, or a pink ribbon) for each story, images you can discuss (a girl in her house on the threshold while a stalker waits outside because he "promised" he would or a family whose car has turned upside down in a ditch while a man called the Misfit descends). You know what a Misfit is, right? If not, maybe you should. We talked about a lot of them in this course. But a misfit is more than just an outsider in society (and there are different kinds of societies--and while we're at it, what the heck is a society?); a misfit also has a place in society because he shows us something about ourselves: about the things we most fear, about what we most want, about what we are capable of in our darkest or most important hour. That sort of thing. I don't exactly ask you a question about misfits, but, if you think about it, every one of these stories features a misfit, or an isolated or alienated character, of some kind, whether it's Jason in "Serotonin," the young man in "Young Goodman Brown" or Elisa in "The Chrysanthemums". Again, it's not that I'll ask you to discuss misfits specifically (in fact, I really won't), but you should be able to see how certain characters are related to each other in a meaningful way--that's how comparative analysis is done.
All of these stories have characters who are looking to change their situation somehow. There will surely be an opportunity to discuss that. And with every story we talked extensively about how a character represents the times in which he or she lives/lived by being a part of the moral fabric, a generational attitude or stance towards society, a trend that is prevalent in a particular time. In short, the character symbolizes certain qualities and ideas. Brainstorm on these and see how they fit (or, equally important, don't fit) within the predominant values and prevailing ideas of the time. One need look no further than Elisa Allen in her man's clothes in a male-dominated world who winds up crying like a "weak, old woman". How is she representative of her time? Or how is she symbolic of a certain kind of person, struggling to be free of society's expectations? What role does the tinker play in that struggle? Does Arnold Friend play a similar role in Connie's striving for adulthood and independence amid the backdrop of the 1960s rock and roll era, which was rife with civil and social unrest, ideals about what mankind, especially the young people, could accomplish. Change is certainly at the heart of these stories (as it is for "Young Goodman Brown" in 1692 New England and for characters in a a bunch of other stories). It's always about change. Otherwise, there is no story. Then there's the Misfit who, somewhat like Arnold Friend, represents the lawless violence of America, the part of civilized society that nobody likes to talk about.
Each of these characters is on a journey, one that is sometimes a physical quest, but is most often a psychological, or symbolic, one--just one more way to consider these characters and stories. And, of course, there is no story without change, and a journey usually leads to some form of enlightenment about one's self and one's place in the world and/or newfound awareness about the nature of human existence. Just about every character we've studied has a physical journey that embodies a more psychological journey, and it's useful to look at the key moments in that journey, the significant people the protagonist encounters and what they represent for them, both literally and figuratively. Again, I'm not necessarily asking you a question on the journey motif (which we didn't directly study this semester - I'd suggest you pay attention to the subjects that kept coming up now and then), but all characters take journeys of various sorts, and it can be a useful way to discuss character development, or character evolution.
Again, I could keep going. But I won't. These ramblings, as with those in the last class of the semester, do not necessarily reflect any specific questions on the exam, but are but shadows of that which might be, directly or indirectly.
Just come Thursday morning and write your heart out. Be prepared. Be strong. Be brave. As Gandalf says, "This is no place for Hobbits." But if you must be a Hobbit, which you can hardly help, then be the best, bravest, and most prepared Hobbit you can be.
Better yet, be a wizard. Weave some magic. Of course, a wizard is never early or late; a wizard appears just when he means to - in which case, I hope you mean to appear at the exam room well before 9 a.m. I'd strongly suggest that you have a backup plan for getting you out of bed - in case you oversleep for whatever reason. "My alarm didn't go off" or "My roommate didn't wake me in time" isn't much of an excuse for missing something as important as a final exam at university.
When you write your two essays, show me that you get it. You just do. Make me proud. Better yet, make yourself proud. You only have to impress me. For that, all you have to do is write your best essays that you've written all semester.
Many of you wrote your best essay on the last one you did. So there is no reason to think you won't improve even more for the final exam. But that will happen only if I've done my job properly and, equally important, if you have done yours.
I'll see you in the exam room. Oh and, yeah: don't forget to breathe. My theory about these kinds of things is that you'll always do better if you can find a way to relax, whatever that means for you. You'll notice that in sports it's the player who is most relaxed who finds a way to succeed, to come through in the clutch situation. The relaxed batter will always be the one to get the game-winning hit because he relishes the opportunity, and he is able to find that state of mind because he is well prepared. You'll find the same is true for nearly any situation in life: whether you become a nurse, a doctor, a teacher or a financial planner, you will make fewer mistakes if you achieve a peaceful state of mind. Job interviews are the same. Driving through the streets of any city is like that. Making a souffle, walking a tightrope or milking a cow - all the same: if you're relaxed, it's easier to tame the beast.
And the surest way to achieve success is to be prepared. You've been doing that all semester long. This is merely the playoffs - no time to be scared, but a time to find some kind of innner peace. Breathing is essential. Meaningful, deep breaths that cleanse the soul and clear the mind are even more helpful. For me, personally, it always helps to listen to the right kind of music before facing the challenge. There have been many moments this semester - whether I'm teaching a class, getting ready to face a crowded room at a writers' conference or about to go live on the air for a radio interview - when a good night's sleep, a few sips of tea and a few songs from my favourite songs on the old iPad just prior to "show time" got me through by helping to clear my head and my soul. I've been here before, I always tell myself, and I've survived this far.
And you will too.
Good luck. See you Monday morning. I'll be blogging once more, tomorrow.
GC
The Ghost of Semesters Present
Okay, so here's my first blog post regarding the end of semester and the final exam.
The exam is being held on Monday, December 9 in the Physical Education Building gymnasium at 9 a.m., and it's a 2.5 hour exam.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please bring your student I.D. card to the exam room with you. Otherwise, they won't let you write the exam. (On a more humane note, if you happen to come to the gym next Thursday morning and realize, "Crap! I forgot my student I.D.!" do not panic. Come on in to the exam room. If you've been to class on a regular basis, I know who you are. (Only you can guess whether I'd be willing to admit it.)
You are not allowed to use cellphones or other electronic devices during the exam. No eating, and please don't bring coffee or tea in with you, and no smoking (anything) during the exam.
Also, no taxidermy. (I said this last year, too, and I'll be damned if Empire Theatres didn't start issuing the same warning before their movies. Just goes to show. Taxidermy is generally frowned upon.)
Also, if you must use the bathroom, you will be accompanied by a professor - me, if you're male and not me, if you're female.
I strongly recommend you study for the exam.
Okay, the other stuff. I really did enjoy teaching this semester. I mean, always do, but this semester was my favourite in a long time simply because I had two excellent 1080 classes who showed up regularly and took literature seriously enough to want to discuss it in an intelligent way. Most days, it was a lot of fun. Even those who didn't talk much but showed up almost all the time really impressed me. Believe me, I noticed who was there and who wasn't. It was one of those semesters when I couldn't wait to go to class, and when the semester was over, I was genuinely melancholy about it.
As I mentioned in class on Wednesday, I'm taking next semester and the summer (at least) to work on some writing projects, as well as an extensive book tour through the Maritimes this winter. It should be fun, cold and cozy, not to mention exciting. If you have any relatives up that way, tell them to keep a look out for an event near them. If you want to follow what I'm up to, you're welcome to sign on to my author page: http://www.facebook.com/leedeetee/posts/10152279143015577?comment_id=36687074&ref=notif¬if_t=feed_comment#!/pages/Gerard-Collins-Author/176696569065790
Or you can keep up with my literary and personal shenanigans on my author blog: http://gerardcollinsblog.blogspot.ca/
Those of you who have friend requested me on Facebook, or plan to, of course, I will accept but while I'm not responding to everyone personally just yet, you should know that I'll be waiting until after I've graded the final exams next weekend before accepting. It's not necessarily about being fair, but about the appearance of being fair. And justice for all.
It's another busy weekend, but I wanted to touch base. I'll be blogging again at least once and probably twice more before the exam.
Meanwhile, I'll see you in the exam room. Expect the next blog post before the bell tolls... two.
GC
The exam is being held on Monday, December 9 in the Physical Education Building gymnasium at 9 a.m., and it's a 2.5 hour exam.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please bring your student I.D. card to the exam room with you. Otherwise, they won't let you write the exam. (On a more humane note, if you happen to come to the gym next Thursday morning and realize, "Crap! I forgot my student I.D.!" do not panic. Come on in to the exam room. If you've been to class on a regular basis, I know who you are. (Only you can guess whether I'd be willing to admit it.)
You are not allowed to use cellphones or other electronic devices during the exam. No eating, and please don't bring coffee or tea in with you, and no smoking (anything) during the exam.
Also, no taxidermy. (I said this last year, too, and I'll be damned if Empire Theatres didn't start issuing the same warning before their movies. Just goes to show. Taxidermy is generally frowned upon.)
Also, if you must use the bathroom, you will be accompanied by a professor - me, if you're male and not me, if you're female.
I strongly recommend you study for the exam.
Okay, the other stuff. I really did enjoy teaching this semester. I mean, always do, but this semester was my favourite in a long time simply because I had two excellent 1080 classes who showed up regularly and took literature seriously enough to want to discuss it in an intelligent way. Most days, it was a lot of fun. Even those who didn't talk much but showed up almost all the time really impressed me. Believe me, I noticed who was there and who wasn't. It was one of those semesters when I couldn't wait to go to class, and when the semester was over, I was genuinely melancholy about it.
As I mentioned in class on Wednesday, I'm taking next semester and the summer (at least) to work on some writing projects, as well as an extensive book tour through the Maritimes this winter. It should be fun, cold and cozy, not to mention exciting. If you have any relatives up that way, tell them to keep a look out for an event near them. If you want to follow what I'm up to, you're welcome to sign on to my author page: http://www.facebook.com/leedeetee/posts/10152279143015577?comment_id=36687074&ref=notif¬if_t=feed_comment#!/pages/Gerard-Collins-Author/176696569065790
Or you can keep up with my literary and personal shenanigans on my author blog: http://gerardcollinsblog.blogspot.ca/
Those of you who have friend requested me on Facebook, or plan to, of course, I will accept but while I'm not responding to everyone personally just yet, you should know that I'll be waiting until after I've graded the final exams next weekend before accepting. It's not necessarily about being fair, but about the appearance of being fair. And justice for all.
It's another busy weekend, but I wanted to touch base. I'll be blogging again at least once and probably twice more before the exam.
Meanwhile, I'll see you in the exam room. Expect the next blog post before the bell tolls... two.
GC
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
In-class essay, English 1080 (1 of 2)
If you’re in my English 1080 classes, you’ll be writing an in-class essay on poetry Wednesday, and I’m guessing that some of you are a little worried. That would be particularly true if you didn’t do so well on the last assignment or if you’re just not comfortable writing about poetry. Up until now, you’ve been writing about short stories, and writing about poetry is really not so different. I mean, yes, it is slightly different, but not completely.
You’ll be ask to write a critical analysis of a poem. We will have covered Robert Frost’s “Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening” and “I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud” by William Wordsworth, both of them much more intricately composed than at first glance. In fact, that would be a good starting point to write about: the poem is about a seemingly simple event which is more profound and complex than would appear on the surface. Furthermore, the manner in which the poem is written reflects this very idea of something being deceptively effortless. The speaker in Frost’s poem is striving to enjoy a moment of solitude, while the speaker in Wordsworth’s poem seems to have found a way to achieve such a moment. Both poems, in effect, capture, memorialize, and convey the complexity and profundity of such a moment. Sometimes peace of mind can elude us, particularly when we must strive for it. But does that necessarily mean we should not try to achieve it?
Anyway, it's not my intention to tell you what to think or to write about, but I get so many students who, for some reason, are scared sh*tless about discussing poetry, that I needed to show how it's done. There are many ways to approach the assignment and these two poems, and I certainly don't wish to see my ideas replicated on Friday. Learn from HOW I do this, and don't focus so much on the content of what I say about the poem. Get your own ideas. Sure, build on what other people say, but get to know the poem on your own terms. Otherwise, you just become a drone. The poet is speaking to you. Are you listening?
I’ve talked extensively about these poems in class and, regardless of which poem you’re asked to write about, there are ways to be prepared for the assignment.
First of all, try to forget all the notes you’ve taken and everything you’ve heard or read about the poem, and try to read it as if for the first time. Just try to feel the poem, to envision what the poet has rendered on the page.
Ask yourself: What do I know for sure about this poem? Do some freewriting on that. You might be surprised at how much you know.
Then, ask yourself another question: What about this poem don’t I understand? Articulating a response to that question, on paper, might help you move forward in your search to comprehend the most difficult part of the poem.
If there’s a certain symbol or image that’s bothering you, then do some free-writing on that. Take the “house in the village,” for example. Write the word “house”. Underneath that word, write some words, thoughts, and feelings that you associate with “house.” Don’t edit yourself and don’t stop. Just keep going. I’ll try it myself in fact, right now.
House:
Home
four walls and a roof
security
a haven
ownership of property something solid
something somebody bought
something most people wish they had if they don’t have
but mostly a place to call home
Keep in mind that these are my random thoughts, guided by nothing except a genuine reaction to the word “house”. I gave it no thought beforehand.So when I look back over my notes, I see what a house represents. I see several things I could use in writing about the “house in the village” and what it probably means for the speaker of the poem. Mostly, I see words about solidity and safety, home, a sense of belonging, security, and even ownership of something solid. These are possibly things that one person (the one “whose house is in the village”) has, but which the speaker shows no signs of having within the poem. We see him as being in between, rather homeless (if only figuratively—we don’t think he’s a vagrant or street person, only metaphorically homeless) or feeling displaced or detached from society as it is represented by the man who owns the woods by which the persona is stopping.
Perform the same sort of free-writing for the word “village” and you’ll probably come up with words like (this is me free-writing again, without thought): civilization, many houses, lights, streets, a place where many people live, a place that is NOT the woods—which would represent the wild, rather than civilization—a place not as dark as the woods, and so on. I won’t keep going. I want to leave something for you to discover on your own.
Really, that is the only way to proceed: make the poem your own. Become intimate with it. It’s like when you’re getting to know a boyfriend or girlfriend. Becoming intimate means getting to know them. That means getting to know their habits, the way they like to do things, the good parts and the bad parts, the way the talk, the sound of their voice, what their bodies look like, how they react to certain ideas of yours, and what kind of ideas they have to share with you.
And they do, you know, have ideas to share. You just have to listen. Becoming intimate with a poem means spending some time with it. Make it your boyfriend or girlfriend. Go on a date for an hour and see if you like this poem. But you can’t know if you like it unless you spend the time, ask it some questions, and get to know it bit by bit.
That means taking key words and free-writing about them, just as I did, and as I have done in class. It’s truly the only way to make a poem your own, to understand it on your own terms. Studying notes from class, reading Sparks Notes or Googling just won’t cut it. They can help, but they won't engage your thoughts, imagination and understanding in quite the same way. Remember that you’re looking for repetition: a pattern. If your girlfriend keeps using words like “baby” and “marriage” over and over, then you’ll notice a pattern emerging: she yearns for a man with a sense of commitment. If she keeps mentioning words like “tarot” and “magic,” she might be a closet Wiccan. If it’s “cool,” “rad” and “gnarly” over and over, she’s probably a closet surfer or a wannabe hippie. You get the picture. Words mean something. Patterns of words mean something more, something bigger: an idea begins to emerge.
If a poem uses words like “cold,” “dark,” “frozen” and “winter” there’s a good possibility that the persona is fixated on winter. But the words have other connotations. They are somewhat negative words, connoting metaphorical death or dying, and what exactly is dead or dying depends on the content of the poem. Maybe it’s a dying soul—of the individual or of society. Maybe the person feels isolated and alone, or just detached, frozen inside, as it were. Is there a suggestion that this is a passing, or fleeting, moment, or is it an eternal winter that he’s talking about? (Notice that I’m not talking about the Frost poem in particular, just showing you can glean connotations from a pattern of words.) If the words invoke bright, fun, positive images, and there are several such words in the poem (or just in one stanza), then the implications for the tone of the poem are obvious.
I could go on and on about content, but many of you probably are wondering about the actual writing process.
Once you’ve got your ideas and organized them, come up with a good thesis that will allow you to argue something about the poem, then you’ll start to write. Have a plan of attack (e.g. “I want to write about figurative language in one paragraph, a certain repeated image in the next paragraph, and rhyme and meter in another paragraph. I will show how each of these is connected to the theme I’m discussing that is portrayed in this poem”). That would be a solid plan and a good way to get yourself ready to tackle the critical analysis of the poem. Then you have to just do that.
You’ll have the poem in front of you on Wednesday, so it’s a good idea to quote occasionally from the poem. Don’t use really long quotes. Just use brief phrases here and there, such as “wandered lonely” in the middle of sentences, and then go on to explain that the word “wandered” implies a melancholy, perhaps aimless traveling on the part of the person. In fact, the word “lonely” confirms not only the lacking of company, but also a sense of yearning for company at the same time. If you’re going to quote an entire line, do it like this: “That floats on high o’er vales and hills,” placing a comma inside the quotation marks as I just did. Also, notice how I introduced the line using a colon: the colon means “that is” or “like so”.
If you’re quoting two lines or more, use a slash between lines: “The only other sound’s the sweep/Of easy wind and downy flake.” Use the same line length and punctuation that the poet uses so that you maintain the integrity and meaning of the original words.
Other than that, make sure you do the same things in writing your essay that I’ve been preaching all semester. It all starts with a solid thesis statement that tells me what the poem is about. For example: In his poem “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening,” Robert Frost depicts a moment that is more complex and troubling than it might appear on the surface.” Then, round out your introductory paragraph by telling me, what you mean and how you know. Explain what “complex” and “troubling” mean in contrast to the “surface” appearances. And tell me how the poet conveys that theme—for example: “The poet presents a man at a literal and figurative crossroads, pondering his place in the world and his relationship to all that surrounds him. The troubled nature of the man’s mind can be seen in the sight and sound imagery, figurative language, and rhythm of the poem. While the speaker seems to be at ease as he watches the snow fall, a close look at his words suggest otherwise.” (Notice how my last sentence makes my intentions clear by explaining my thesis statement, but without repeating it. In a way, that last sentence acts as a second thesis statement.)
So my opening paragraph might look like this:In his poem “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening,” Robert Frost depicts a moment that is more complex and troubling than it might appear on the surface. The poet presents a man at a literal and figurative crossroads, pondering his place in the world and his relationship to all that surrounds him. The troubled nature of the man’s mind can be seen in the sight and sound imagery, figurative language, and rhythm of the poem. While the speaker seems to be at ease as he watches the snow fall, a close look at his words suggests otherwise.
From there, it’s obvious what you need to talk about: in separate paragraphs, show how the poet employs imagery, figurative language, and meter to illuminate the theme of deceptive simplicity. In each paragraph, you’ll use sample words and phrases, sometimes an entire line, to illustrate your point. Then, you’ll proceed to discuss those words and phrases (like the free-writing I mentioned earlier, only in miniature form, with more of a sense of purpose).
I’ve already given you a handout on "Writing About Poetry," which will give you more concrete things to discuss. But this is how I would go about writing a critical analysis of one of these two poems on Friday. Remember what I said though: make the poem your own. Get to know it intimately, one word and line at a time. There is no other way to be honest and real, and to really get something out of the reading. You might just learn something about yourself in the process.
There’s always that hope.
You’ll be ask to write a critical analysis of a poem. We will have covered Robert Frost’s “Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening” and “I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud” by William Wordsworth, both of them much more intricately composed than at first glance. In fact, that would be a good starting point to write about: the poem is about a seemingly simple event which is more profound and complex than would appear on the surface. Furthermore, the manner in which the poem is written reflects this very idea of something being deceptively effortless. The speaker in Frost’s poem is striving to enjoy a moment of solitude, while the speaker in Wordsworth’s poem seems to have found a way to achieve such a moment. Both poems, in effect, capture, memorialize, and convey the complexity and profundity of such a moment. Sometimes peace of mind can elude us, particularly when we must strive for it. But does that necessarily mean we should not try to achieve it?
Anyway, it's not my intention to tell you what to think or to write about, but I get so many students who, for some reason, are scared sh*tless about discussing poetry, that I needed to show how it's done. There are many ways to approach the assignment and these two poems, and I certainly don't wish to see my ideas replicated on Friday. Learn from HOW I do this, and don't focus so much on the content of what I say about the poem. Get your own ideas. Sure, build on what other people say, but get to know the poem on your own terms. Otherwise, you just become a drone. The poet is speaking to you. Are you listening?
I’ve talked extensively about these poems in class and, regardless of which poem you’re asked to write about, there are ways to be prepared for the assignment.
First of all, try to forget all the notes you’ve taken and everything you’ve heard or read about the poem, and try to read it as if for the first time. Just try to feel the poem, to envision what the poet has rendered on the page.
Ask yourself: What do I know for sure about this poem? Do some freewriting on that. You might be surprised at how much you know.
Then, ask yourself another question: What about this poem don’t I understand? Articulating a response to that question, on paper, might help you move forward in your search to comprehend the most difficult part of the poem.
If there’s a certain symbol or image that’s bothering you, then do some free-writing on that. Take the “house in the village,” for example. Write the word “house”. Underneath that word, write some words, thoughts, and feelings that you associate with “house.” Don’t edit yourself and don’t stop. Just keep going. I’ll try it myself in fact, right now.
House:
Home
four walls and a roof
security
a haven
ownership of property something solid
something somebody bought
something most people wish they had if they don’t have
but mostly a place to call home
Keep in mind that these are my random thoughts, guided by nothing except a genuine reaction to the word “house”. I gave it no thought beforehand.So when I look back over my notes, I see what a house represents. I see several things I could use in writing about the “house in the village” and what it probably means for the speaker of the poem. Mostly, I see words about solidity and safety, home, a sense of belonging, security, and even ownership of something solid. These are possibly things that one person (the one “whose house is in the village”) has, but which the speaker shows no signs of having within the poem. We see him as being in between, rather homeless (if only figuratively—we don’t think he’s a vagrant or street person, only metaphorically homeless) or feeling displaced or detached from society as it is represented by the man who owns the woods by which the persona is stopping.
Perform the same sort of free-writing for the word “village” and you’ll probably come up with words like (this is me free-writing again, without thought): civilization, many houses, lights, streets, a place where many people live, a place that is NOT the woods—which would represent the wild, rather than civilization—a place not as dark as the woods, and so on. I won’t keep going. I want to leave something for you to discover on your own.
Really, that is the only way to proceed: make the poem your own. Become intimate with it. It’s like when you’re getting to know a boyfriend or girlfriend. Becoming intimate means getting to know them. That means getting to know their habits, the way they like to do things, the good parts and the bad parts, the way the talk, the sound of their voice, what their bodies look like, how they react to certain ideas of yours, and what kind of ideas they have to share with you.
And they do, you know, have ideas to share. You just have to listen. Becoming intimate with a poem means spending some time with it. Make it your boyfriend or girlfriend. Go on a date for an hour and see if you like this poem. But you can’t know if you like it unless you spend the time, ask it some questions, and get to know it bit by bit.
That means taking key words and free-writing about them, just as I did, and as I have done in class. It’s truly the only way to make a poem your own, to understand it on your own terms. Studying notes from class, reading Sparks Notes or Googling just won’t cut it. They can help, but they won't engage your thoughts, imagination and understanding in quite the same way. Remember that you’re looking for repetition: a pattern. If your girlfriend keeps using words like “baby” and “marriage” over and over, then you’ll notice a pattern emerging: she yearns for a man with a sense of commitment. If she keeps mentioning words like “tarot” and “magic,” she might be a closet Wiccan. If it’s “cool,” “rad” and “gnarly” over and over, she’s probably a closet surfer or a wannabe hippie. You get the picture. Words mean something. Patterns of words mean something more, something bigger: an idea begins to emerge.
If a poem uses words like “cold,” “dark,” “frozen” and “winter” there’s a good possibility that the persona is fixated on winter. But the words have other connotations. They are somewhat negative words, connoting metaphorical death or dying, and what exactly is dead or dying depends on the content of the poem. Maybe it’s a dying soul—of the individual or of society. Maybe the person feels isolated and alone, or just detached, frozen inside, as it were. Is there a suggestion that this is a passing, or fleeting, moment, or is it an eternal winter that he’s talking about? (Notice that I’m not talking about the Frost poem in particular, just showing you can glean connotations from a pattern of words.) If the words invoke bright, fun, positive images, and there are several such words in the poem (or just in one stanza), then the implications for the tone of the poem are obvious.
I could go on and on about content, but many of you probably are wondering about the actual writing process.
Once you’ve got your ideas and organized them, come up with a good thesis that will allow you to argue something about the poem, then you’ll start to write. Have a plan of attack (e.g. “I want to write about figurative language in one paragraph, a certain repeated image in the next paragraph, and rhyme and meter in another paragraph. I will show how each of these is connected to the theme I’m discussing that is portrayed in this poem”). That would be a solid plan and a good way to get yourself ready to tackle the critical analysis of the poem. Then you have to just do that.
You’ll have the poem in front of you on Wednesday, so it’s a good idea to quote occasionally from the poem. Don’t use really long quotes. Just use brief phrases here and there, such as “wandered lonely” in the middle of sentences, and then go on to explain that the word “wandered” implies a melancholy, perhaps aimless traveling on the part of the person. In fact, the word “lonely” confirms not only the lacking of company, but also a sense of yearning for company at the same time. If you’re going to quote an entire line, do it like this: “That floats on high o’er vales and hills,” placing a comma inside the quotation marks as I just did. Also, notice how I introduced the line using a colon: the colon means “that is” or “like so”.
If you’re quoting two lines or more, use a slash between lines: “The only other sound’s the sweep/Of easy wind and downy flake.” Use the same line length and punctuation that the poet uses so that you maintain the integrity and meaning of the original words.
Other than that, make sure you do the same things in writing your essay that I’ve been preaching all semester. It all starts with a solid thesis statement that tells me what the poem is about. For example: In his poem “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening,” Robert Frost depicts a moment that is more complex and troubling than it might appear on the surface.” Then, round out your introductory paragraph by telling me, what you mean and how you know. Explain what “complex” and “troubling” mean in contrast to the “surface” appearances. And tell me how the poet conveys that theme—for example: “The poet presents a man at a literal and figurative crossroads, pondering his place in the world and his relationship to all that surrounds him. The troubled nature of the man’s mind can be seen in the sight and sound imagery, figurative language, and rhythm of the poem. While the speaker seems to be at ease as he watches the snow fall, a close look at his words suggest otherwise.” (Notice how my last sentence makes my intentions clear by explaining my thesis statement, but without repeating it. In a way, that last sentence acts as a second thesis statement.)
So my opening paragraph might look like this:In his poem “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening,” Robert Frost depicts a moment that is more complex and troubling than it might appear on the surface. The poet presents a man at a literal and figurative crossroads, pondering his place in the world and his relationship to all that surrounds him. The troubled nature of the man’s mind can be seen in the sight and sound imagery, figurative language, and rhythm of the poem. While the speaker seems to be at ease as he watches the snow fall, a close look at his words suggests otherwise.
From there, it’s obvious what you need to talk about: in separate paragraphs, show how the poet employs imagery, figurative language, and meter to illuminate the theme of deceptive simplicity. In each paragraph, you’ll use sample words and phrases, sometimes an entire line, to illustrate your point. Then, you’ll proceed to discuss those words and phrases (like the free-writing I mentioned earlier, only in miniature form, with more of a sense of purpose).
I’ve already given you a handout on "Writing About Poetry," which will give you more concrete things to discuss. But this is how I would go about writing a critical analysis of one of these two poems on Friday. Remember what I said though: make the poem your own. Get to know it intimately, one word and line at a time. There is no other way to be honest and real, and to really get something out of the reading. You might just learn something about yourself in the process.
There’s always that hope.
GC
Quoting from poetry (2 of 2)
Quotation used to be taught in high school and, to some degree, in elementary school, but that seems not to be the case anymore since I rarely encounter a first-year essay that presents quotes the right way.
It’s been hard finding time to write about this topic, as there are so many issues involved with quotation. That said, here is one excellent source:
Please note, however, that I am not concerned that you include the line number when you quote poetry. I am more concerned that you do the following:
1. Put quotation marks around the TITLE of the poem.
2. Put quotation marks around the direct words quoted from the poem.
3. Use a slash between lines of quoted poetry:
a) Frost’s speaker finds himself wondering, “Whose woods these are I think I know/His house is in the village though,” thereby placing emphasis on the ownership of property.
b) The speaker in Wordsworth’s poem suddenly finds comfort in nature, speaking of the flowers as if they are human: “When all at once I saw a crowd/A host of golden daffodils.”
4. If you use a long quote, indent ten spaces, but quotation marks are not necessary.
As the speaker moves on, he encounters a variety of movement in nature:
Beside the lake, beneath the trees
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze
The waves beside them danced but they
Outdid the sparkling waves with glee.
Notice that I introduce the quote using a colon.
5. Don’t use “hanging quotes” (also called “floating quotes”). That is, don’t place the quote in the midst of your discussion, without leading into it or setting it up properly.
Here’s a hanging quote:
The speaker admires the beauty of the woods. “The woods are lovely.” Also, he sees that they are mysterious. “dark and deep”.
Here’s how that quotation should look, with a little extra analysis thrown in:
The speaker admires the beauty of the woods, thinking they are “lovely,” but he also appreciates their hidden quality, as they are “dark and deep,” perhaps impenetrable and unknowable. In this way, he remains somewhat detached from the woods as suggested by the preposition “by” in the title. That is, rather than stopping in the woods or venturing into them where he might be able to see them up close and engage with nature, he is merely “stopping by,” perhaps because his work will only allow him a certain physical and emotional distance from the object of his affection.
Notice the placement of the quotation marks, as well the commas, which go inside the quotation marks. Notice also that I made my point without using unnecessarily long quotes, but focused instead on discussing specific word choices of the poet. I don’t just give the quote; I explain its significance.
I’ll post this much for now. It should give you an idea of what I am talking about. Most of this information is applicable also to writing about prose (fiction and novels). Use shorter quotes instead of longer ones when possible. Either way, your quote should be incorporated properly into your discussion, using quotation marks.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
This is the next poem we'll be doing in English 1080.
London
I wander through each chartered street,
Near where the chartered Thames does flow,
And mark in every face I meet,
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
In every cry of every man,
In every infant's cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban,
The mind-forged manacles I hear:
How the chimney-sweeper's cry
Every blackening church apalls,
And the hapless soldier's sigh
Runs in blood down palace-walls.
But most, through midnight streets I hear
How the youthful harlot's curse
Blasts the new-born infant's tear,
And blights with plagues the marriage-hearse
William Blake (1738)
London
I wander through each chartered street,
Near where the chartered Thames does flow,
And mark in every face I meet,
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
In every cry of every man,
In every infant's cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban,
The mind-forged manacles I hear:
How the chimney-sweeper's cry
Every blackening church apalls,
And the hapless soldier's sigh
Runs in blood down palace-walls.
But most, through midnight streets I hear
How the youthful harlot's curse
Blasts the new-born infant's tear,
And blights with plagues the marriage-hearse
William Blake (1738)
I posted this a while back, but thought it would be fun to post it again.
It's is a blast from my childhood, as I recall this exact moment on the Muppets show. Until now, it only existed for me in my memory. But I went looking one night and, lo and behold, there it was, in faded color and quivering lines.
It's is a blast from my childhood, as I recall this exact moment on the Muppets show. Until now, it only existed for me in my memory. But I went looking one night and, lo and behold, there it was, in faded color and quivering lines.
Enjoy! Poetry can be fun. (Although sometimes it's about death.)
Sunday, October 20, 2013
My earlier blog post on quotation methods might have been a bit misleading. I didn't mean to suggest that all quotes have to be preceded by a colon. Another option is to lead in with a comma:
e.g. Elisa wants more out of life, but the Tinker tells her, "It's no life for a woman."
That's one way. Another one would be to simply put quotation marks around the exact words without any attribute phrases ("he said" and "She told him," for example). You could just make the quote a natural part of your sentence:
e.g. While Elisa wants more out of her life, the travelling supposedly offers "no life for a woman."
The one thing you shouldn't do is the hanging quote, as I've often talked about. Don't just throw the complete quote, wrapped in quotation marks in the middle of a paragraph, a sentence all by itself. You should always lead in to it.
Hope this clarifies things a bit. The example I gave previously was for a specific circumstance, but I didn't take the time (because I didn't have the time) to give other examples because, frankly, the option regarding the colon is often the easiest and, usually, ignored one.
Good luck on the essays this coming Friday. Before then I'll be posting at least twice more on how to write about poetry. Stay tuned.
GC
e.g. Elisa wants more out of life, but the Tinker tells her, "It's no life for a woman."
That's one way. Another one would be to simply put quotation marks around the exact words without any attribute phrases ("he said" and "She told him," for example). You could just make the quote a natural part of your sentence:
e.g. While Elisa wants more out of her life, the travelling supposedly offers "no life for a woman."
The one thing you shouldn't do is the hanging quote, as I've often talked about. Don't just throw the complete quote, wrapped in quotation marks in the middle of a paragraph, a sentence all by itself. You should always lead in to it.
Hope this clarifies things a bit. The example I gave previously was for a specific circumstance, but I didn't take the time (because I didn't have the time) to give other examples because, frankly, the option regarding the colon is often the easiest and, usually, ignored one.
Good luck on the essays this coming Friday. Before then I'll be posting at least twice more on how to write about poetry. Stay tuned.
GC
Quoting from short stories
When you quote directly from a short story, please place quotation marks around the exact words of the author.
Don't use hanging quotes. What I mean is don't just throw your quote into the middle of a paragraph (or anywhere else) without leading into it. "Resist the Wicked One!" That's an example of a hanging quote. I should lead into the quote with a colon: “‘Resist the Wicked One,’” Goodman Brown begs her. His words are ironic considering that, ultimately, it is Brown himself who gives in to his own dark nature, and he himself might be considered “wicked.” After all, as Hawthorne writes, Brown is “the chief horror” within the woods. If Brown represents mankind, or is a kind of everyman, Hawthorne is clearly suggesting that, although a person may hide his true intentions and stand in judgment of others, man is the most horrible of creatures because of such harmful tendencies. (Notice that I follow the quote with an explanation of what his words imply and why they are significant.) Notice also that, because a character is speaking within the quote, I use single quotation marks to mark his words and then wrap the entire quote inside double quotation marks. I even exchange the exlamation point for a comma because it suits my purpose, allowing me to use a smaller portion of the quote and add an attributive phrase.
Speaking of which, note that, even though I introduce the quote with a colon, I also use an attributive phrase, "Goodman Brown begs her," to clarify who is speaking. Always guide your reader. Make sure it's clear who is speaking. You don't always need attribute phrases like this one, but sometimes they are needed.
You would do well to notice several points in that paragraph:
1. The comma goes inside the quotation marks.
2. The quotation is only four words long. In fact, I could choose to use only the words “resist” or “Wicked One” (for example, I just use the word “wicked” in my explanation). Technically, I could delete the entire quote that precedes it. How much of a quote I use depends on how much of it I need. Generally, I prefer to use my precious words for discussion rather than just quotation. This is the most important part of the quote, for my purposes here, so it's all I need to use.
3. Notice that I don't just satisfy myself with saying YGB’s words are ironic. I suggest what the words’ connotations might be in the context of the story and then, even better, I go on to say how they relate to some of the story’s bigger issues: mankind’s dark nature and how, according to Hawthorne’s allegory, we judge others while we, in fact, are the worst beings of all.
That's all for now: set your quotes up properly. Lead into them. Don't use hanging quotes, and make sure you ALWAYS explain the significance of key words in your quotes. Do as I have done.
GC
Don't use hanging quotes. What I mean is don't just throw your quote into the middle of a paragraph (or anywhere else) without leading into it. "Resist the Wicked One!" That's an example of a hanging quote. I should lead into the quote with a colon: “‘Resist the Wicked One,’” Goodman Brown begs her. His words are ironic considering that, ultimately, it is Brown himself who gives in to his own dark nature, and he himself might be considered “wicked.” After all, as Hawthorne writes, Brown is “the chief horror” within the woods. If Brown represents mankind, or is a kind of everyman, Hawthorne is clearly suggesting that, although a person may hide his true intentions and stand in judgment of others, man is the most horrible of creatures because of such harmful tendencies. (Notice that I follow the quote with an explanation of what his words imply and why they are significant.) Notice also that, because a character is speaking within the quote, I use single quotation marks to mark his words and then wrap the entire quote inside double quotation marks. I even exchange the exlamation point for a comma because it suits my purpose, allowing me to use a smaller portion of the quote and add an attributive phrase.
Speaking of which, note that, even though I introduce the quote with a colon, I also use an attributive phrase, "Goodman Brown begs her," to clarify who is speaking. Always guide your reader. Make sure it's clear who is speaking. You don't always need attribute phrases like this one, but sometimes they are needed.
You would do well to notice several points in that paragraph:
1. The comma goes inside the quotation marks.
2. The quotation is only four words long. In fact, I could choose to use only the words “resist” or “Wicked One” (for example, I just use the word “wicked” in my explanation). Technically, I could delete the entire quote that precedes it. How much of a quote I use depends on how much of it I need. Generally, I prefer to use my precious words for discussion rather than just quotation. This is the most important part of the quote, for my purposes here, so it's all I need to use.
3. Notice that I don't just satisfy myself with saying YGB’s words are ironic. I suggest what the words’ connotations might be in the context of the story and then, even better, I go on to say how they relate to some of the story’s bigger issues: mankind’s dark nature and how, according to Hawthorne’s allegory, we judge others while we, in fact, are the worst beings of all.
That's all for now: set your quotes up properly. Lead into them. Don't use hanging quotes, and make sure you ALWAYS explain the significance of key words in your quotes. Do as I have done.
GC
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Sample Essay for "The Chrysanthemums"
Here's a sample essay from English 1080, written for an in-class assignment. Keep in mind that this essay is a near-exact replica of the original and is intended to show you how such an essay might be done. It's not a perfect example of how to write an out-of-class essay, as you would have more time to organize, enrich, and perfect your work in a takeaway assignment.
Mostly, you should note the usual things:
1. How each paragraph, for the most part, exhibits an organized pattern of a statement (topic sentence), evidence, and discussion of evidence.
2. Notice how ideas are fully discussed and multiple connections are made to the original idea or example. This student's topic sentences are exemplary, and she follows through on her ideas, not just resting with the easy, simple statement. This essay discusses nearly every significant topic it's possible to mention in a short essay.
3. Of course, notice the near-perfect expression, devoid of most grammar and punctuation errors.
4. The method of quotation is exemplary as well. Many of you have problems with the "hanging quote," which means you aren't setting your quotes up properly. This essay will give you an idea of how to do that.
4. I've tweaked a few things so as not to deceive you, but this is pretty much the same essay that was composed in a 50-minute period by the student who so graciously allowed me to reproduce her work here for the benefit of you all.
These ideas are copyrighted by the original author. Do not replicate the word choice or original ideas in your own essay. The idea is for you to learn from how this student approaches an essay, not to steal from her. Please get ideas of your own.
Colour coding:
Thesis statement
Topic sentence
Sample essay for English 1080:
In John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums," Elisa Allen signifies the idea that it is only through revealing ourselves to another person that we can truly feel, and subsequently, grow. Steinbeck explores this notion of human nature though the symbolism of Elisa's clothing, her garden, and ultimately her environment, portraying a young woman whose self-imposed walls present her from experiencing the true essence of what it means to be human. Through this symbolism, Steinbeck reveals that it is only when these walls come down that we can live and grow as humans, regardless of how painful that experience might be.
At the beginning of "The Chrysanthemums," Elisa is a prisoner of her own need for protection. She has shielded herself from her world so that she does not have to be vulnerable to its experiences. Elisa's walls are symbolized by her clothing. Steinbeck desribes her as being "blocked and heavy," wearing thick gloves to protect her hands and a man's hat that shields her "clear eyes". These articles prevent her from being present in her environment, even when she is doing what she loves best, working in her garden. Although Elisa loves her flowers, she does not allow herself to truly feel this joy, as symbolized by the thick gloves she wears so that her fingers will never truly touch that which she so adores. Elisa's flowers, and therefore happiness, are also kept behind walls. Her garden is enclosed by a wire fence behind which only Elisa enters. Even her husband, Henry, only "leans over the wire fence." Elisa does not let anyone into her life. She keeps people out with her high fences and keeps feeling out with her thick gloves. [Prof's note: some repetition here.] Like her environment, Elisa is guarded by a "thick flannel fog." But as Steinbeck suggests, what Elisa needs is growth, feeling, and change. This concept is symbolized by rain, a rain which would enable growth and, ultimately, life. But Steinbeck tells us that "fog and rain do not go together." While Elisa is still guarded by her heavy walls (her own "fog") she will never truly be able to experience life through feeling and growth, a "rain" which she so desperately needs.
When the tinker comes into Elisa's life, she begins to reveal herself to another person for the first time. As soon as she meets him, Elisa and the tinker immediately begin to laugh and joke a bit. As they continue to speak, Elisa "removes her gloves." This action is of great significance. It is Elisa's means of talking down one of the walls she has put up around herslf; she is allowing herself to be exposed, not only visually, but to the elements, to all the feelings, and sensations of life. As Elisa and the tinker talk further, he experiecnes interest in her life's work -- her chrysanthemums. Elisa has never let anyone into this world of hers before [Prof's note: we don't know for sure about the "never" part.]; before the joy she has found in her garden has usually been private. But Elisa is thrilled that someone should take interest in her joy like that, and she lets the tinker into her garden. This [trustful] act symbolizes Elisa letting someone into her life. Like the reomval of her gloves, by letting the tinker into her garden, Elisa is exposing herself. [Prof's note: some repetion here again.] She is revealing herself to the tinker in an intimate way, a way that she has never done before. Once she does this, Elisa throws herself into her garden with a new passion. As Steinbeck tells us, "The gloves were forgotten," meaning that Elisa no longer wants a protective "fog" to keep her from feeling her life. Instead, now she touches the earth, she feels the buds and the stems of her flowers. Elisa removes her hat, further revealing herself to the tinker and subsequently feeling her environment and, thus, her joy.
As Elisa and the tinker talk further, we see that Elisa wants to feel. She describes her pleasure in view the stars. They are "hot and sharp--and lovely," Elisa says. She wants so desperately to feel her life, she wants so desperately to be able to grow. But in the heaviness and monotony of her life, shielded by her clothing and her garden fence, she has been unable to do that. That is, at least until someone finally comes into Elisa's life and she is able to let that person into herself. One must note that it is not the tinker, per se, who allows Elisa to transition as she does, but rather Elisa herself. Elisa is the one who removes her own barriers, who lets someone else into her life. The tinker is merely a catalyst to allow Elisa to do so.
At the end of the story, although it may seems as if Elisa is broken, in reality she has actually truly grown. As Elisa and her husband leave for dinner, she sees that the tinker has thrown her chrysanthemums onto the side of the road. This is a painful experience for her--she realizes that she has been exploited, in a way. She has let someone into the most personal aspects of her life and soul, has given him a piece of herself (quite literally) and the tinker has merely discarded it. Up until this moment, allowing herself to feel has only been positive for Elisa. But now she realizes that to truly experience life, one must feel pain as well. This is difficult for Elisa. She wants to revert back to her "fog" of not feeling; she wants to take away the pain by putting up her barriers again. We see this when she asks Henry if they can have "wine with dinner." Elisa wants to dull her sense; she doesn't want to be subject to the pain and hurt. But Elisa cannot turn back now. At the end of the story, Elisa is "crying weakly, like an old woman." Her symbolic "rain" has come. No longer is she shielded by the "fog" of her walls; instead, she is open to feeling; she is open to the groth that the "rain" implies. Steinbeck is not saying that this feeling and growth is always pleasant, but he is making a comment that to feel life, even in all its pain, is far better than to not live at all, as Elisa has beforehand. Because Elisa now has the capacity to cry, we know that Elisa has grown. [Prof's note: What about the word "enough" that she uses? How does that fit in?]
Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" makes a fascinating and beautiful comment on the meaning of life. Through one brief moment in the life of a protagonist, he argues that to feel is the essence of the human experience, even when feeling is painful. He argues that the only way we can truly live and grow as humans is to feel in this way, and the only way to feel is to let another into one's life. Although the tinker ultimately hurts Elisa, if she had not let him into her world and revealed herself to him, she would never have felt anything in the first place -- not the hurt of his betrayal or the joy of his interest in her. A positive growth does not always mean a happy ending, and in "The Chrysanthemums," Steinbeck shows us just that.
Prof's note: And that, dear students, is how you write an "A" paper.
Mostly, you should note the usual things:
1. How each paragraph, for the most part, exhibits an organized pattern of a statement (topic sentence), evidence, and discussion of evidence.
2. Notice how ideas are fully discussed and multiple connections are made to the original idea or example. This student's topic sentences are exemplary, and she follows through on her ideas, not just resting with the easy, simple statement. This essay discusses nearly every significant topic it's possible to mention in a short essay.
3. Of course, notice the near-perfect expression, devoid of most grammar and punctuation errors.
4. The method of quotation is exemplary as well. Many of you have problems with the "hanging quote," which means you aren't setting your quotes up properly. This essay will give you an idea of how to do that.
4. I've tweaked a few things so as not to deceive you, but this is pretty much the same essay that was composed in a 50-minute period by the student who so graciously allowed me to reproduce her work here for the benefit of you all.
These ideas are copyrighted by the original author. Do not replicate the word choice or original ideas in your own essay. The idea is for you to learn from how this student approaches an essay, not to steal from her. Please get ideas of your own.
Colour coding:
Thesis statement
Topic sentence
Sample essay for English 1080:
In John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums," Elisa Allen signifies the idea that it is only through revealing ourselves to another person that we can truly feel, and subsequently, grow. Steinbeck explores this notion of human nature though the symbolism of Elisa's clothing, her garden, and ultimately her environment, portraying a young woman whose self-imposed walls present her from experiencing the true essence of what it means to be human. Through this symbolism, Steinbeck reveals that it is only when these walls come down that we can live and grow as humans, regardless of how painful that experience might be.
At the beginning of "The Chrysanthemums," Elisa is a prisoner of her own need for protection. She has shielded herself from her world so that she does not have to be vulnerable to its experiences. Elisa's walls are symbolized by her clothing. Steinbeck desribes her as being "blocked and heavy," wearing thick gloves to protect her hands and a man's hat that shields her "clear eyes". These articles prevent her from being present in her environment, even when she is doing what she loves best, working in her garden. Although Elisa loves her flowers, she does not allow herself to truly feel this joy, as symbolized by the thick gloves she wears so that her fingers will never truly touch that which she so adores. Elisa's flowers, and therefore happiness, are also kept behind walls. Her garden is enclosed by a wire fence behind which only Elisa enters. Even her husband, Henry, only "leans over the wire fence." Elisa does not let anyone into her life. She keeps people out with her high fences and keeps feeling out with her thick gloves. [Prof's note: some repetition here.] Like her environment, Elisa is guarded by a "thick flannel fog." But as Steinbeck suggests, what Elisa needs is growth, feeling, and change. This concept is symbolized by rain, a rain which would enable growth and, ultimately, life. But Steinbeck tells us that "fog and rain do not go together." While Elisa is still guarded by her heavy walls (her own "fog") she will never truly be able to experience life through feeling and growth, a "rain" which she so desperately needs.
When the tinker comes into Elisa's life, she begins to reveal herself to another person for the first time. As soon as she meets him, Elisa and the tinker immediately begin to laugh and joke a bit. As they continue to speak, Elisa "removes her gloves." This action is of great significance. It is Elisa's means of talking down one of the walls she has put up around herslf; she is allowing herself to be exposed, not only visually, but to the elements, to all the feelings, and sensations of life. As Elisa and the tinker talk further, he experiecnes interest in her life's work -- her chrysanthemums. Elisa has never let anyone into this world of hers before [Prof's note: we don't know for sure about the "never" part.]; before the joy she has found in her garden has usually been private. But Elisa is thrilled that someone should take interest in her joy like that, and she lets the tinker into her garden. This [trustful] act symbolizes Elisa letting someone into her life. Like the reomval of her gloves, by letting the tinker into her garden, Elisa is exposing herself. [Prof's note: some repetion here again.] She is revealing herself to the tinker in an intimate way, a way that she has never done before. Once she does this, Elisa throws herself into her garden with a new passion. As Steinbeck tells us, "The gloves were forgotten," meaning that Elisa no longer wants a protective "fog" to keep her from feeling her life. Instead, now she touches the earth, she feels the buds and the stems of her flowers. Elisa removes her hat, further revealing herself to the tinker and subsequently feeling her environment and, thus, her joy.
As Elisa and the tinker talk further, we see that Elisa wants to feel. She describes her pleasure in view the stars. They are "hot and sharp--and lovely," Elisa says. She wants so desperately to feel her life, she wants so desperately to be able to grow. But in the heaviness and monotony of her life, shielded by her clothing and her garden fence, she has been unable to do that. That is, at least until someone finally comes into Elisa's life and she is able to let that person into herself. One must note that it is not the tinker, per se, who allows Elisa to transition as she does, but rather Elisa herself. Elisa is the one who removes her own barriers, who lets someone else into her life. The tinker is merely a catalyst to allow Elisa to do so.
At the end of the story, although it may seems as if Elisa is broken, in reality she has actually truly grown. As Elisa and her husband leave for dinner, she sees that the tinker has thrown her chrysanthemums onto the side of the road. This is a painful experience for her--she realizes that she has been exploited, in a way. She has let someone into the most personal aspects of her life and soul, has given him a piece of herself (quite literally) and the tinker has merely discarded it. Up until this moment, allowing herself to feel has only been positive for Elisa. But now she realizes that to truly experience life, one must feel pain as well. This is difficult for Elisa. She wants to revert back to her "fog" of not feeling; she wants to take away the pain by putting up her barriers again. We see this when she asks Henry if they can have "wine with dinner." Elisa wants to dull her sense; she doesn't want to be subject to the pain and hurt. But Elisa cannot turn back now. At the end of the story, Elisa is "crying weakly, like an old woman." Her symbolic "rain" has come. No longer is she shielded by the "fog" of her walls; instead, she is open to feeling; she is open to the groth that the "rain" implies. Steinbeck is not saying that this feeling and growth is always pleasant, but he is making a comment that to feel life, even in all its pain, is far better than to not live at all, as Elisa has beforehand. Because Elisa now has the capacity to cry, we know that Elisa has grown. [Prof's note: What about the word "enough" that she uses? How does that fit in?]
Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" makes a fascinating and beautiful comment on the meaning of life. Through one brief moment in the life of a protagonist, he argues that to feel is the essence of the human experience, even when feeling is painful. He argues that the only way we can truly live and grow as humans is to feel in this way, and the only way to feel is to let another into one's life. Although the tinker ultimately hurts Elisa, if she had not let him into her world and revealed herself to him, she would never have felt anything in the first place -- not the hurt of his betrayal or the joy of his interest in her. A positive growth does not always mean a happy ending, and in "The Chrysanthemums," Steinbeck shows us just that.
Prof's note: And that, dear students, is how you write an "A" paper.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Thanksgiving is not just a state of mind; it's a philosophy.
Regardless of the high marks, there’s still a lot of work to do, especially with another assignment due on October 18 (giving out the question for that on Friday). So I figure a little advice for that, and future, essays wouldn’t hurt. That said, the next couple of bloggings from me will concern how to fix up some of the major problems nearly everyone had on the first essays.
First of all, I don't make these things up. Sentence fragment, tense shift, and comma splice are real words and have real consequences for your writing. You should have learned about them in high school English, but either no one showed you or the lesson just didn't take. Or maybe in the couple of times since you last wrote an essay, you forgot how to do it. That's all understandable, but what can we do about it? First, you might notice that I used some abbreviations on your essays:
1. "T.S." means "tense shift."
2. "C.S." means "comma splice."
3. "S.F." means "sentence fragment" (probably not what you were thinking SF could stand for).
4. “Sp.” means "spelling mistake."
1. Tense shift just means that you're switching from speaking in the present voice to speaking in the past voice. You're using "was" when you should be using "is". You're ending words in an "-ed" suffix instead of ending them in "-es" or just "s". Just be consistent. Somtimes, it's fine to use past tense, but most of the time you should consistently use the present tense when talking about fiction, as if the action were happening right now as you read it. So if you said something like "Elisa worked in her garden most of the time," it should read: "Elisa works in her garden most of the time."
2. Comma splice means that you're joining (i.e. "splicing") together two sentences using a humble comma. The comma wasn't intended for such heavy labor. It's like using a screwdriver as a chisel. You can do it, but eventually there will be breakage. Your sentences get too long and, usually, tough to follow.
Here's how to recognize a comma splice: read what you've written on both sides of the comma; if both sides read like a complete sentence, then you've used a comma splice, which is a major grammatical error, not to mention confusing. See, a comma tells you to pause. But periods at the ends of sentences, for the sake of clarity, require you to stop. (See what I mean there in that last sentence?)
So how do you fix a comma splice, supposing you should see one?
1. Use a period and make two separate sentences.
2. Or use a semi-colon, which is designed to join/separate two complete sentences that are related to each other in thought/theme.
3. Or use a conjunction (e.g. “but,” “however,” “and,” “because,” and so on) and use a comma with it. That's probably the easiest and most common fix. You'll have to get used to recognizing comma splices in your sentences. That's the only way to eradicate the problem from your writing: practice. After a while, it will become natural to you. I've seen it happen for thousands of students and it can happen for you. Depends on how bad you want it.
Here's an example of a comma splice:
Comma Splice: Henry leans over the fence, he startles his wife.
Fix: Henry leans over the fence. He startles his wife.
Fix: Henry leans over the fence; he startles his wife.
Fix: Henry leans over the fence, but he startles his wife.
Fix: Henry leans over the fence and startles his wife.
Fix: When Henry leans over the fence, he startles his wife.
3. Sentence Fragment just means that what you've said (and obviously think is a full sentence because it starts with a capital letter and ends in a period after a string of seemingly meaningful words) is not a complete sentence. It's a fragment of a sentence, a mere piece of one: a pretend sentence in disguise, and it's up to you to start recognizing its covert behaviour. It shouldn't be hanging out with the other sentences because, well, it just isn't one and it should just solve the problem by BECOMING one. Their main offense is that they just don't make sense on their own, sort of like Chris Brown. Or Snooki. (See? Sentence fragment: doesn't make sense by itself. However, be aware that you can get away with using them in creative writing, but it's inappropriate to use sentence fragments in formal writing, such as academic essays.)
That's how you fix a sentence fragment: either make it a full sentence by itself OR join it to the preceding clause. That's right: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Here's an example of a sentence fragment.
Sentence fragment: Arnold Friend, standing outside her door, asking if he can come in, which Connie refuses.
Looks, smells, sounds, and feels like a sentence, doesn't it? And yet, on closer look, it isn't quite complete. It needs something else, doesn't it? The sentence lacks context.
So the fix is in:
Arnold Friend is standing outside her door, asking if he can come in, which Connie refuses.
Or:
Arnold Friend stands outside her door, asking if he can come in, but Connie refuses.
See the difference a simple verb can make? I just add the word "is" or change “standing” to “stands” and now it all makes sense because we can (sort of) see them doing what we've implied they are doing. Fixing sentence fragments is usually just a matter of revising your verb (the word that implies action).
The other way to fix this problem would be to simply connect the fragment to a preceding sentence. For example, let's say you (okay, somebody else. Denial has its uses.) wrote this:
Connie looks into mirrors a lot and looks at other people’s faces. Which tells her how she is doing.
You no doubt recognize that the second "sentence" is an imposter: a mere sentence fragment.
Here's a quick fix: Connie looks into mirrors a lot and looks at other people’s faces, which tells her how she is doing.
Notice that all it takes is a simple comma (also notice that what follows the comma is NOT a complete sentence, so we haven't created a dastardly comma splice, and so everyone sleeps well, except for maybe Chris Brown. And Snooki. Not sure what to do about either one. Oh, and pardon the sentence fragment there. It should read: I'm not sure what to do about either one. I'm really not).
Anyway, I hope this helps. If you're still confused, just come see me or get in touch, okay? There's no need to feel like you're out there on your own with nowhere to turn. Help is available. :-) And my e-mail address is toll free: gnc@nf.sympatico.ca. Act now and you'll get free advice about plot summary. Offer available for a limited time only (till December 15, 2013).
Thanksgiving weekend is almost here, just a little more than a week away, and I’m guessing most of us have a lot to be thankful for. I’ll be very grateful if I never have to talk about comma splice, sentence fragment, or tense shift again this semester. But that probably falls under the category of wishful thinking.
Next time: paragraphing and organizing your essay, perhaps a little on thesis statements and topic sentences too.
Till later,
GC
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