The academic research paper is not the only form of writing that uses research. Personal essays also use research to set a tone or provide background information.
For an effective example of this, read Molly Minturn's "Knight of the Swan," and notice how she incorporates material from conversations/interviews along with an article from Discover Magazine, a fairy tale, and song out of pop culture.
For your blog post, explain (in a few sentences) how one of these references/sources contributes to the overall theme of Minturn's essay.
I think that the quote from the nine year old girl that was featured in the New York Times article about paternity testing contributed to the theme of the essay.
ReplyDelete"At first, it made me scared, because if my dad wasn't related to me, then I was living with someone who wasn't a part of my family, like a stranger. I want him to always be my real dad. Because if he's not my dad, who is he?"
This quote illustrates a heartbreaking level of uncertainty about something that most of us could never conceive of having to worry about. It emphasizes the importance of blood relation that the author seems to share when comparing her feelings when looking at pictures of both her biological grandfather and the one she grew up knowing. She wants to feel like she knows where she comes from and what the past means for her future. It also parallels the author's focus on herself and her own feelings about the situation and not giving much thought to the feelings of the other parties involved.
"I’mma take your grandpa style, I’mma take your grandpa style, no for real, ask your grandpa. Can I have his hand-me-downs?"
ReplyDeleteMolly Minturn uses the song "Thrift Shop" as a contribution to the overall theme of her personal essay, "Knight of the Swan". Minturn seemingly uses an excerpt of the song in order to lighten the overall tone of her paper. The song explores the idea of a young man using a grandfathers hand-me-downs. Minturn places the excerpt in the scene following her realization that her father and Bobby share physical resemblances, which seems to be a serious point in the essay. By placing the song excerpt after this point, Minturn is not only lightening up the tone in the essay, but also conveying the idea that she was enjoying the idea of finding out the truth.
Molly Minturn is trying to find out the truth about her father's paternity. The song Thrift Shop is asking Minturn to go ask her grandpa for hand-me-downs, but Minturn is confused as to who her real grandfather could be. Many people who listen to this song could easily identify or know who their grandpa is but for Minturn it is complicated. I think that the reference to this song points out the simplicity in the question but the complicated answer for Minturn.
ReplyDelete"I have advised that it is better to drowne them or make them to die in their childe hode than to have a greater sclaunder." I think this quote from the fairy tale contributes to the tone of the essay as well as present the feeling of shame that the father feels when he finds out the truth. The tone of the story being the quest for truth. The sort of truth that one only chases after in order to obtain a feeling of closure.
ReplyDeleteMolly Minturn is confused about who her grandfather is and this essay is explaining what she went through when she was looking for answers. I think that the New York Times contributes to the theme of this essay because the little girl finds out that the person she thought was her father actually was not. Minturn goes through a similar situation where she wants to know the truth about her grandfather.
ReplyDeleteThe author Molly Minturn is trying figure out the truth about her father's background, whether he was "an accident" like the family would refer to him as. The issue here is that Minturn's father is son of Bobby Putnam, who is the Godfather and the mystery here is that if everyone knew about this all along. The authors father is bewildered and bothered about this because part of him doesn't want to accept it, but the immense resemblance in physical traits say otherwise. The author incorporates actual pieces of conversation she and her father would have to make the personal essay have more meaning and value since it includes statements actually said between her and the father; "Do you think they all knew?" and "How could they not know when i looked just like him?" These quotes add to the theme of the essay because it connects the reader in a more profound way to the situation she and her father were going through, by actually reading the conversations they had about this whole paternity matter.
ReplyDelete“Traumatic experiences in our past, or in our recent ancestors’ past, leave molecular scars adhering to our DNA/ They become a part of us, a molecular residue holding fast to our genetic scaffolding. The DNA remains the same, but psychological and behavioral tendencies are inherited” (Discover Magazine). The allusion to these quotes from Discover Magazine emphasize the overall theme of the article. In the beginning of the article we learn that the author’s father was conceived from a relationship between her paternal grandmother and Bobby Putnam. As the author goes on this journey to discover her father’s background, we see her come to terms with the elements of physical and emotional inheritances of family history. She repeatedly mentions that her father, brother, and herself have the same facial features as Bobby Putnam. However, she also states that she and her father have the habit of saying “Jeeeeesus” when startled or exasperated, a trait that was passed down from her grandfather. This implies that she admits that she may share physical similarities from Bobby Putnam, but her behavioral tendencies come from her father, passed down from her grandfather.
ReplyDeleteThe source used from Discover magazine, stating "Traumatic experiences in our past, or in our recent ancestors’ past, leave molecular scars adhering to our DNA" emphasizes the overall tone of the essay. It does by giving affirmation to her thesis.
ReplyDeleteMolly Minturn is unsure about her real grandfather. When Molly quotes the Discovery Magazine's about DNA, it provides support to her underlying question. It sets the tone for how obsessed with finding out her real grandfather. It also creates a passage and clear connection to her researching and questioning whether or not she should try and do DNA testing on this other man who may be her grandfather.
ReplyDelete"At first, it made me scared, because if my dad wasn’t related to me, then I was living with someone who wasn’t a part of my family, like a stranger. I want him always to be my real dad. Because if he’s not my dad, then who is he?"
ReplyDeleteThis was found by the author in The New York Times. An article about DNA testing and how many controversies come along with it. This contributes to the theme of the essay by giving the readers a source that goes along with the authors attempt to find out more about her ancestors and inheritance. It also gives the reader a chance to view DNA testing in a different way besides just a test that gives answers about inheritance. DNA testing comes along with a lot of emotions and possibly can start more controversy on the matter.
"At first, it made me scared, because if my dad wasn’t related to me, then I was living with someone who wasn’t a part of my family, like a stranger. I want him always to be my real dad. Because if he’s not my dad, then who is he?"
ReplyDeleteMolly Minturn found this quote in The New York Times, about how DNA testing has cause many problems to the fathers who believed that the child or children were theirs. The affect that this has had to the children is unimaginable as the nine-year old states in the quote above. This quote contributes to overall theme of the essay because the writer does not know who her real grandfather is. Her father reacted in disbelief when Minturn showed him the picture of Bobby Putnam, she found in the Yale freshman yearbook. His reaction was similar to the little girl because he began to question if everyone knew and laughed about it. The emotions he faced at that moment are the consequences of finding out the truth years later that the father who raised you was not your biological father.
“I don’t know where my children got their mouths.”
ReplyDeleteWhen Molly Minturn mentions this quote her mother would constantly say it gives away the overall theme of the essay. The not knowing, which Minturn is constantly going back to. Minturn does not know if her grandfather is her real grandfather or if Bobby Putnam is. By hearing this come from her mother it in a way makes Minturn constantly question what is going on with the rumor.
Molly Minturn incorporates different material from conversations, interviews, articles from Discover Magazine, fairy tails, and songs into her article. In Minturn’s article her brother states "It’s me. And it isn’t me. But it’s me. It’s the nose. And the eyes. And the mouth. And shape of the face. His face! His whole face! " This quote contributes to the overall theme because after hearing stories of a man named Bobby Putnam, she begins to do research to find out who this man is. When her brother and her find a photograph of Bobby, her brother begins to say that he looks just like that man. She is confused about who here grandfather could be. This photograph contributes to the theme because it adds to the confusion about her grandfather. Her brother looks just like the guy in the photo which clarifies that her grandfather might not be her biological grandfather after all.
ReplyDelete"He was always a shadowy figure in my life..."-Molly Minturn
ReplyDeleteThis quote does touch basis on both a tone and some background information. First, the tone shows that there will not be high evaluation statements of the godfather. Second, it provides background information to her readers that she does not have a grasp on who he truly is. Therefore, with them both combined, Minturn, instantly provides her foreshadowed tone for the rest of the essay. This will allow for her readers to know the emotion she will have upon the memory of her father's statement of the godfather. Thus, it will help the readers understand her perspective more clearly.
"Many years later, I read about the Knight of the Swan, a midevil tale about a mysterious stranger who travels through a forest in a swan-drawn boat to defend a damsel. His sole condition was that he must never be asked his name. I can't explain how I felt reading the story, only that it was like remembering a dream."
ReplyDeleteMolly Minturn has interpreted the presence of Bobby Putnam as the mysterious stranger In the the fairytale the, Knight of the Swan. This is the reference that contributes the most to the essay because Bobby Putman is suspected of being the biological father and Minture is referenceing him as being the shadowy stranger lurking in the back ground. People in the family believe he is the real father, but it was never discussed openly. Mintur may have even interpret him as being the one who never wanted to be confronted. Minture quotes,"...His sole condition was that he must never be asked his name." This fairytale is what I believe gives this article it's overall theme to Mintures's essay.
" He was always a shadowy figure in my life."
ReplyDeleteThis quote which is said by the father of Molly Minturn provides an overall theme to Minturn's essay. It sets the tone because it creates question of who can really be her grandfather. He is someone who her father remembers but has no idea of his true identity. It brings up curiosity if Bobby Putnam could have been her real grandfather. This creates emotion because it is a mystery that she finds interest in and is driven to find answers to. It is something that could change her family line and the perspective she had on them.
The following quote contributes to the overall theme of the article "They become a part of us, a molecular residue holding fast to our genetic scaffolding.The DNA remains the same, but psychological and behavioral tendencies are inherited". In the most part of the article family history is discussed, which is related to DNA. Also, the author tries to find about more about her grandfather. The facial expressions or language expression are also explained based on the family history.
ReplyDeleteThe overall theme is self-discovery and Molly uses various quotes to give her readers a broader perspective of what this feels like. She doesn't bore us saying the same thing again and again, rather she emphasizes it with quotes from articles of how others felt in that situation, of what researches have to say on the subject, of how fiction literature describes scribes her situation. This gives readers a detailed view on the theme and helps us identify with it and understand much better.
ReplyDeleteThe findings from Discovery magazine that the main character comes upon helps contribute to the overall theme of the story. She wants to figure out the biological DNA makeup that her grandfather inherited to her, her brother, and even her father. She knows that her grandfather probably plays a huge part in her appearance and the way she behaves, and The mystery behind it bugs her and makes her even more determined to seek the hidden information about her grandfather. Minturn not only uses pieces of articles to emphasize the discovery she wants to be made, but she also uses parts of her fairytale and a song to bring the audience in deeper into her journey.
ReplyDeleteMolly Minturn uses the quote "I’mma take your grandpa style, I’mma take your grandpa style, no for real, ask your grandpa. Can I have his hand-me-downs?" an excerpt from the song "Thrift Shop," to explain the complication of how her and her grandfather are related. This is also another technique used to lighten the tone of her essay the seriousness of how she is trying to figure out if he is actually her grandfather.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite line was "Do you think everyone in town knew and were laughing about it? How could they not know when I looked just liked him? What a fucking joke." The source is the conversation the author had with her father. His reaction was significant to her but what she really wanted to know was what her bloodline was like especially after having her own child.
ReplyDeleteThe fact the that author uses real sources and interviews gives the viewer a sense of interest. It lets the reader know that the person has had core evidence about the issue or topic they are discussing. I am able to believe what i read because i know the stories are being told by people that really experienced the topic being discussed. The stories are more valid this way and are more believable using these types of sources.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the sources in this article make it easier for most readers to relate to. Molly Minturn used an article by Discover Magazine to discuss genetic markings and how they can be passed down. Molly could have used more scientific articles that would have likely bored the reader, but instead she chose a source that most people can comprehend.
ReplyDelete