Response to Course Material #1

     Ever since the first day of school, we have been going in depth on how to really read literature in order to understand every aspect of it. In every other class I've been taught to look further into literature, but the acronym DIDLS really helped me remember what exactly I should be looking for every time I read (diction, imagery, details, language, and syntax). This acronym has already made it easier to analyze pieces. At first when I read the short story "The Way We Were" by David Sedaris, I was unsure on the overall meaning of the story. Then, after I applied DIDLS to this piece, I was able to see what Sedaris was saying all along whether it be in the length of his sentences or the choice of his words. After I realized what a great tool DIDLS is, I had the urge to reread a few of my favorite books to analyze all of their hidden meanings just in case I had missed something! 

     Another thing that I have found really helpful in preparation for the AP test this spring, is how to write both a well structured introduction and thesis. All throughout my career as a student I have been taught that an introduction should be five sentences long, and I have always struggled finding enough to say in that first paragraph. You can imagine my relief when I learned that a good introduction paragraph is short and to the point containing only three sentences, a connection to the real world, a connection to the book, and a thesis. Writing these introductions became a little easier when we began discussing how to write a thesis. Writing a thesis has never been a strong point for me. I learned these past few weeks that a thesis should give the audience a general idea of what my essay is about, but most importantly that it should ALWAYS answer the prompt. Although there is still tons of room for improvement, I am one step closer to tackling the challenge of writing a thesis. I have always thought of myself as a strong reader and writer, but after these first few weeks I have realized there is a lot I do not know, and I am excited for what I have been missing out on after all these years. 

Open Prompt #1

Prompt:1991. Many plays and novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Choose a novel or play that contrasts two such places. Write an essay explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.

Our location can influence our actions, emotions, and thoughts; you wouldn’t act like you do in your house like you would at school, would you? In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is influenced by the actions of others on land, but is able to think on his own on the raft in the river. In this novel, the contrast of the Mississippi River and the land surrounding it represent the difference between innocence and corrupt values.

On the river, Huck is alone on a raft with Jim, a runaway slave, which would be considered absurd to anyone who saw the two of them. If anyone were to know the truth of their relationship, the two would be judged severely and punished. However, none of this matters to Huck because on the river, he is his own person. Huck has no one to tell him how to act or how to think. Twain writes these river scenes to allow Huck to interpret Jim’s words and treat him as an equal.

However, when Jim and Huck stop on land, Huck is suddenly influenced by everything and everyone around him. Not only does he treat Jim differently, but he lies, cheats, and ventures around as if he were a parrot repeating someone else’s words. Huck’s actions are directly related to his location. Each time Huck steps his foot on land, he is back to thinking like a typical southerner of the time period would.

Twains juxtaposition of the land and the river contrast the ideas found in each location. On the Mississippi River, Huck and Jim are out of sight from everyone else leaving there minds free and untainted. But on land, these two deal with blending into the expectations of society. Twain uses this method of comparing the two places to put emphasis on Huck’s actions when he is being watched, and when he is not.

Close Reading #1

In New Sitcoms, Parents Need the Growing Up by Heather Havrilesky


     In this article, Harilesky discusses the differences in the roles of adults and children in several of today's hit TV shows. She discusses the different ways  adults and children interact on these shows and how the standards of parenting have changed. Harilesky makes her view apparent to her readers with the use of diction, imagery, details.


Diction:
     The word choice Havrilesky uses heavily reflects her opinion. Words like hopeless, misguided, and imperfect all have a negative connotation giving the readers a negative view of these parents. Phrases like "overachiever and underachiever", "idealist and pragmatist", "valiant hero and lazy jerk", "jittery angst", and "aggressively unpleasant" are used to describe both parents and the TV shows of today. This allows readers to think about parenting while being shown the negative side of it causing disdain towards these topics.
  
Imagery:
     At the beginning of the article, Havrilesky mentions being an adult and living next to a house that held several children's parties involving a bounce house. She then goes on to describe the bounce house as a place where "little kids and big kids shrieked and giggled and barely missed injuring one another" and then compares it to the actions of adults on current TV shows. Because the image of children in a bounce house and the chaos that goes with it is both a strong image and familiar sight to most, Havrilesky's readers are able to easily compare the two actions together. Another example of how imagery explains Havrilesky's opinion is the comparison of the two styles of TV, the then and the now. She describes the shows of the past as "sassy kids. . . engaging in mildly naughty activities. . . necessitating awkward family discussions that end when the perp apologizes. . ." allowing her readers to remember the TV shows they grew up on and recall clips of such shows. Havrilesky then switches gears and discusses the shows of today. Her example involves daughters who disrespect their parents, parents who fret over what to do, and finally parents doing a foolish act as a sign of retaliation. Havrilesky uses the imagery of these TV show descriptions to sway her readers to question the TV shows of today.


Details:
     The details that Havrilesky uses show her opinions of these shows and parents. Havrilesky includes specific examples from shows such as "Modern Family", "Up All Night", and "Suburgatory" to expand the readers view on how TV shows are portraying the role of parents of today by explaining scenarios in episodes that represent these roles. Her knowledge of these shows and the specific details give the article a sense of reliability and truth even though the article is based purely on opinion.