Does the author make any improvements in his writing through out the book?
While the author's writing style seems to be constant through the entire book, it will attract a certain kind of audience. Even though the book is very historical and full of facts, Watson seems to be stating an argument, which may change the opinion of the readers later on in the book. While I don't feel many people will read this purely for pleasure, it is an interesting book to read to learn about the Jacksonian era in American history.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Blog 5: Liberty and Power by Harry L. Watson
What could constitute this as bad writing?
This is an argumentative book in which Watson argues that the "policy disputes of the nineteenth century significantly influenced the future of the Republic and the nature of its society and economy." Having only read the introduction and the first chapter, it seems that this book will read less like a novel and more like a history text book. Instead of opinions, arguments, or even a story line, the book is littered with facts, dates, and names much like a text book.
This is an argumentative book in which Watson argues that the "policy disputes of the nineteenth century significantly influenced the future of the Republic and the nature of its society and economy." Having only read the introduction and the first chapter, it seems that this book will read less like a novel and more like a history text book. Instead of opinions, arguments, or even a story line, the book is littered with facts, dates, and names much like a text book.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Blog 4: If You Want Answers, Ask the Right Questions. Ryan Bueckendorf
How is the author able to draw in the attention of the reader?
I was looking through my old high school newspapers and I found the last one that was written during my time at the school. This article was written by the editor of the paper and was written for seniors. the column was about seniors asking themselves whether or not they got all they could out of high school, if they had their future planned out, and if they were ready to move on.
If any of my fellow graduates are like me, this article really got their attention and got them thinking. Bueckendorf told us to ask ourself questions about our high school experience in a way that really made people think about how they lived their lives between the ages of 14 and 18.
I was looking through my old high school newspapers and I found the last one that was written during my time at the school. This article was written by the editor of the paper and was written for seniors. the column was about seniors asking themselves whether or not they got all they could out of high school, if they had their future planned out, and if they were ready to move on.
If any of my fellow graduates are like me, this article really got their attention and got them thinking. Bueckendorf told us to ask ourself questions about our high school experience in a way that really made people think about how they lived their lives between the ages of 14 and 18.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Blog 3: Spilt Milk by Tim Miller
What did Tim Miller do that made this a good piece of writing?
His story was of himself as a homosexual 19 year old homeless person. He begins his story hitchhiking to California. When he gets there he gets sucked into a cult, but is able to get himself out. He then goes to meet his friends in California who take him to a beach. The exerpt ends with him meeting a new person and going to his house for dinner.
What, in my opinion, made this piece so fun to read was the use of imagery. When he is hitchiking, he describes each car that goes by until he gets picked up. When he gets sucked into the cult, he describes the dinner that they feed him. He says that everything is made from brocoli, but is was yellow and wilting. He also describes how cold the ocean water was at the beach.
His story was of himself as a homosexual 19 year old homeless person. He begins his story hitchhiking to California. When he gets there he gets sucked into a cult, but is able to get himself out. He then goes to meet his friends in California who take him to a beach. The exerpt ends with him meeting a new person and going to his house for dinner.
What, in my opinion, made this piece so fun to read was the use of imagery. When he is hitchiking, he describes each car that goes by until he gets picked up. When he gets sucked into the cult, he describes the dinner that they feed him. He says that everything is made from brocoli, but is was yellow and wilting. He also describes how cold the ocean water was at the beach.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Blog 2: The Performance of Drowning- Terry Galloway
The title of the piece is The Performance of Drowning. Why does the author choose to use the word "performance" in the title and what kinds of things does she say to convey a performance?
Terry Galloway wrote this piece in a very specific way. There are two strong explanations for the way she wrote this story. First of all, she wrote it in a way that brings the reader into her head. It seems as though she explained every thought she had during her experience in extreme detail. She uses very good imagery and she is able to write her story in a way in which the reader can see everything just the way she saw them. In a way, it is as if the words are putting on a performance themselves.
Also, Galloway wrote this story in a way that made it seem as though it could be an actual performance. As I read it I could picture her on a stage telling this story to a crowd of people. It is written with all of her thoughts completely mapped out just as if she was going to speak the words to an audience.
Terry Galloway wrote this piece in a very specific way. There are two strong explanations for the way she wrote this story. First of all, she wrote it in a way that brings the reader into her head. It seems as though she explained every thought she had during her experience in extreme detail. She uses very good imagery and she is able to write her story in a way in which the reader can see everything just the way she saw them. In a way, it is as if the words are putting on a performance themselves.
Also, Galloway wrote this story in a way that made it seem as though it could be an actual performance. As I read it I could picture her on a stage telling this story to a crowd of people. It is written with all of her thoughts completely mapped out just as if she was going to speak the words to an audience.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Blog 1: Life and Literature. Paul H. Gray (Chpt 1)
What kinds of things did the author do to get his point across to the reader?
To begin, Gray's main point of the first chapter was to show that to perform something well, one must read well. He explains this at the beginning of the chapter by discussing the idea that reading doesn't always mean reading words. For instance, in golf, one must learn how to read the break on the putting green. Also, he explains that a weather forecaster must read the elements well. If you read the putting green or the elements well, you will perform well in that given field. He uses these examples to later explain his main point, which is reading a piece of literature well will allow you to perform the given piece well.
He later explains how a person reads well. He uses text from two plays that explain that just reading the words is not enough to perform well, and that you must also use the words to create a world around you that conveys the world of the text. He explains that, if you are performing with another person, that your characters must have some kind of relationship with one another.
To begin, Gray's main point of the first chapter was to show that to perform something well, one must read well. He explains this at the beginning of the chapter by discussing the idea that reading doesn't always mean reading words. For instance, in golf, one must learn how to read the break on the putting green. Also, he explains that a weather forecaster must read the elements well. If you read the putting green or the elements well, you will perform well in that given field. He uses these examples to later explain his main point, which is reading a piece of literature well will allow you to perform the given piece well.
He later explains how a person reads well. He uses text from two plays that explain that just reading the words is not enough to perform well, and that you must also use the words to create a world around you that conveys the world of the text. He explains that, if you are performing with another person, that your characters must have some kind of relationship with one another.
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