Reading Critically

Every reading requires a different style of reading and comprehension. Be sure to know the facts about the Writer and the Piece itself. Such as where the piece was written and why. Reading with a pencil in hand and lightly marking your reading is a handy skill to help you remember important things and later look up confusing words or ideas. While you read your assignment you should keep your mind open to all ideas and analyze the deeper meaning of each idea in order to fully understand the piece you are reading.

"Young life" Bo Bartlett

Three claims and supporting details

1. The man is done hunting for the day - His gun is unloaded and the sun is setting
2. This family does not live on the land they are hunting on - The tires of the truck have a fresh layer of dirt on them and the truck is not dirty which suggests that they dont drive on dirt roads often except to come to this place.
3. The son aspires to be like his father - He is holding the stick in nearly the same position as the father is holding the shotgun.

"Shame" The Avett Brothers

Identify subject and tone
-The subject is Regret and Shame after the end ofa relationship.
-The authors feelings towards the subject is Apologetic
Choose three words that push the tone through to the reader. Explain.
-Boatloads- An exageration of how sorry he is
-Promise- giving his word that he will not hurt her again
-Strutted- over confident (speaking negatively about his past)

Content vs. Style comparison

-Content is the subject and details
-Style is how you present the content
Why are we doing this?
-To better our writting when we are writing from a certain perspective or with a specified style.

Voice in literature

-Voice in literature is the way the writer sounds in your head while you are reading
-Ya'll, Howdy, Yeehaw
What are some subjects you would talk around?
-pregnancy
-AIDS
-awkward stuff
What can be identified by the voice of a piece?
-Voice identifies the mood and also how serious the piece is
How can you change your voice in a piece?
-Broaden our vocabulary and change the way we use literary devices.

Dubstep vs. The Beatles

Which do you like more? why?
-I personally liked the original recording done by The Beatles
-It sounded original, not altered in any sort of way

Which was more aesthetically pleasing? why?
- The Beatles
- It was smoother and flowed easier opposed to the loud and harsh Dubstep version.

Kandinsky vs. Pollock

Which painting did you like more? Why?
-I preferred the painting by Pollock
-The use of neutral brown shades creates a calming sense. you can get the gist of the painting by looking in one place without being confused.

Which painting was more pleasing to view?
-Kandinsky was generally the more eye pleasing piece.
-It's use of brighter, happier colors creates a more widely accepted "pleasing" view.

"Sign language" a Short film

The Single Effect

-find the interesting among the normally mundane.

3 specific things that lead to the single effect

-His descriptions of people

-Their misleading disinterest in his greetings

-Their caring message to him at the end

What would you change?

-I would take away the clouds and create a bright sunny day.

-This would negatively effect the Single Effect in the way that his optimism would not seem quite so out of place and the bright clothing worn by him and the girl would not stand out as much.

SOAPSTone "Killing an Elephant"

Subject:

 The subject of Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” is British imperialism. British imperialism is illustrated through the narrator’s action of killing an elephant that had damaged property and killed a man. This demonstrates the subject of British imperialism because the narrator clearly states that his immoral action of killing an elephant was because of the pressures caused by his position as a Western power figure in response to the wishes of the Eastern masses.

Occasion:

 “Shooting an Elephant” was written during the early 1900s. The essay’s time of creation is conveyed by British control of the modern day nation of Myanmar, as well as the fact that Myanmar is referred to in the story as Burma. This shows that “Shooting an Elephant” was written in the early 1900s because that is the time period during which the British ruled Myanmar. The probable place of the essay’s creation is Moulmein, Southern Myanmar. The author states this in the first sentence of the story.

The time and place of the essay’s creation influence the essay by giving an example of one of the nations in which Britain acted imperialistic. Orwell illustrates this when he writes, “I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British,” showing the author was aware of the British repression of Myanmar. Audience: 

Orwell’s specific audience for “Shooting an Elephant” is the more politically educated. The author’s target audience is exhibited by Orwell’s political message as directed to a specific group, “when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.” This demonstrates that Orwell is denouncing white imperialism as worthless. The author’s general audience for the essay is Westerners. The author’s general audience is expressed by his message that imperialism in general is harmful to both the criminal and victim, proven by Orwell’s statement that, “…my whole life, every white man's life in the East, was one long struggle not to be laughed at.” Seeing as Westerners have been viewed as the criminals who started and carry on the imperialistic practices for the past several centuries, it is to them that his message is directed.

Purpose:

 Orwell’s purpose in “Shooting an Elephant” is to inform his audience of his opinion that imperialism is harmful to all groups involved. The harms of imperialism are illustrated with Orwell’s words, “I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.” This proves the harms of imperialism by showing that the actor nation or individuals become harmed in turn; specifically, through the near loss of their freedom. The purpose is further articulated by the narrator’s sentiment regarding his decision to shoot the elephant: “And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all.” This quote proves the harms of imperialism by showing that it removes choice or freedom for even the imperialists and their agents.

Speaker:

 Orwell, the writer of the anti-totalitarian book 1984, believes in personal liberty over government control. This value is illustrated by the statement, “Theoretically – and secretly, of course – I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British.” This illustrates his belief in the supremacy of personal liberty by revealing his personal siding with the oppressed, not the oppressors. This value contributed to the essay because it allows Orwell to provide a moral consideration of how imperialism infringes upon the individual.

Orwell, also author of Animal Farm, believes in the value of the individual. This value is illustrated by Orwell’s portrayal of the converse:  “The crowd would laugh at me.” Mobs, he believes, cause people to do that which they would not otherwise and ignore their individual thoughts. This influences the purpose of the essay in that it provides another ethical harm of imperialism; it encourages groups to think as a whole, instead of each individual thinking for themselves, which is counter to the essence of individualism.

Orwell’s use of casual diction is evident in his style of recounting the story, where he makes such statements as, “That would never do.” This serves to make him more relatable and instead of coming across as better than you, Orwell is able to further his purpose by proving relatable and open to reason. This betters his effectiveness by providing an appeal to ethos.

Orwell’s use of imagery is evident in his description of the elephant as having a “preoccupied grandmotherly air.” This influences the purpose by leading the reader to a stronger emotional reaction and thus a more powerful portrayal of the message. This emotional appeal enhanced effectiveness by appealing to the audience’s pathos.

Tone: 

Orwell shows a frustrated attitude about British imperialism in “Shooting an Elephant.” These attitudes are expressed by repeated use of phrases such as “There was only one alternative.” This shows the frustration because Orwell is unable to view options other than those officially sanctioned or supported by group-think. This serves to further the essay’s purpose by providing evidence of greater deprivation of personal freedom as it applies to the speaker himself, due to the forces of British imperialism. By disallowing the speaker to act as he pleases, the crown’s vast imperialism has, again, removed personal liberty from its own population.

Harry Nilsson - Good Old Desk

S- his old desk
O- office, home, 9a.m.-5p.m.
A-working class
P-entertainment, expression
S-Harry Nilsson
T- calming, enthusiastic, happy

What is [Harry Nilsson] talking about?
At first one would think he is being very literal towards his desk. As soon as you step back and view the piece as a whole, it starts to look like he is reffering to an old friend.
As we disscuss as a class, we figure out he IS representing his God in this song. Nilsson uses the old desk as a symbol for God.

Looking back at the song with this new perspective, we can point out specific lines that make more sense refering to a God than to an old desk.

1. "It's always there"
2. "Never once seen him cry"
3. "Giant of all times"

Rockwell's "The Runaway"

Thesis:
Rockwell's "The Runaway" over looks the fundamental rift that was rising in America throughout the 1950's - An emerging counter culture that was not concerned with how things were in America but rather how things are.

Paragraph:
Ask yourself this, "If a child, who appears to be running away from home, was to sit next to you at a diner, how would you react?" The famous painting, "The Runaway," depicts this very situation. As a young child, approximately 5 years old, sits at the bar of a diner, the manager as well as a police officer do not seem to show very much worry for this child. Whereas today, this child would not have gotten this far without the accompaniment of an adult. [insert thesis here]