Kate Lebo's essay notable essay "The Loudproof Room" succeeds in defamiliarizing her hearing "disability." Defamiliarlization refers to the process of taking something mundane, ordinary, and oft-overlooked and presenting it in a new light, in a way that makes it seem fresh, new, sudden, and alive.
Lebo's defamiliarization rings most clearly in the first sentence of the final paragraph: "Disability can create sensibility." If this were an academic essay, we would call this her thesis, but since this is a personal essay, we might call this the essay's epiphany, the moment of truth. Another method Lebo uses to foster defamiliarization is metaphor, of which this sentence is a prime example: "When my otolaryngologist says everyone's ear has three windows and that at least one of those windows must be closed to maintain balance and prevent vertigo, he turns my eardrum into a breezy little house." In this way, Lebo's metaphor changes her medical condition into a home, which is an odd--and effective--way of framing her "disability." Finally, Lebo uses alternate definitions of dehiscence in the fifth and sixth paragraphs to invite the readers to consider two contrasting ways of seeing her life: as a "flower bud that's about to burst into bloom" or two spots in the skull that "have thinned to two tiny gaps." Is Lebo's dehiscence a gift? Or a flaw? In this essay, it's both, and this ironic, defamiliarized perspective allows us to step back and examine our own lives in a similar manner.
1. In your essay, for what term, word, or idea might you explore alternate definitions?
2. How might you use a metaphor in your essay?
3. What might your epiphany be?
Monday, May 16, 2016
Post #13: "The Crooked Ladder"
Malcolm Gladwell's "The Crooked Ladder" effectively uses two published texts --A Family Business: Kinship and Social Control in Organized Crime and On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City-- to compare and contrast how the relationship between social mobility and crime has changed from the 1960s to now. If one were to describe this essay under the heading of "Lost & Found," one could say that this essay explores how criminals in the past "found" legitimacy and how society and the law enforcement system have changed to make it so that today's criminals stay "lost" in their criminal endeavors.
If you had to compare and contrast two different "texts" (novels, scholarly texts, newspaper accounts, television shows, songs, movies) in your essay, which two texts would you use? Why?
If you had to compare and contrast two different "texts" (novels, scholarly texts, newspaper accounts, television shows, songs, movies) in your essay, which two texts would you use? Why?
Post #12: "Thing with Feathers That Perches in the Soul"
First, read Anthony Doerr's essay "Thing with Feathers That Perches in the Soul."
Then, answer these questions . . .
1. What is the effect of breaking the essay into sections and then numbering each section. Why might Doerr want to organize his essay in this manner?
2. Why have section five be composed of a series of questions? Why might Doerr want to pose questions instead of writing statements?
3. Why use an Emily Dickinson poem as the source of the title and as a running thread through the essay? Why would he want to refer to and quote this poem?
4. Near the end of the essay, Doerr writes, "What does not last, if they are not retold, are the stories. Stories need to be resurrected, revivified, reimagined; otherwise they get bundled with us into our graves: a hundred thousand of them going into the ground every hour." What is one story from your life you will retell in the future (to your friends, lovers, children)?
Then, answer these questions . . .
1. What is the effect of breaking the essay into sections and then numbering each section. Why might Doerr want to organize his essay in this manner?
2. Why have section five be composed of a series of questions? Why might Doerr want to pose questions instead of writing statements?
3. Why use an Emily Dickinson poem as the source of the title and as a running thread through the essay? Why would he want to refer to and quote this poem?
4. Near the end of the essay, Doerr writes, "What does not last, if they are not retold, are the stories. Stories need to be resurrected, revivified, reimagined; otherwise they get bundled with us into our graves: a hundred thousand of them going into the ground every hour." What is one story from your life you will retell in the future (to your friends, lovers, children)?
Monday, May 2, 2016
Post #11: Syntax Variety
Though it may seem enough to have sentences that are free of grammar or mechanics errors, effective writers know how to combine different types of sentences in order to build rhythm and tension within a paragraph. This tension keeps the reader interested on a subconscious level, and the end result is that the reader will be more invested in reading what you have to say. As a general rule of thumb, use short, simple sentences for emphasis or when you want to clarify an otherwise confusing concept. Use long, complicated sentences to establish connections between ideas and develop the broad context or worldview. What writers should avoid is a paragraph (or essay) in which every sentence is the same general type or the same general length; this monotony is death.
In terms of the four basic types of sentences, there are simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.
1. A simple sentence (also known as an independent clause) is one complete thought. In other words, there is a subject and predicate. Here is an example: "Photographs surround us."
2. A compound sentence is when the writer uses two complete thoughts (two independent clauses) linked with either a comma and coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or a semicolon. Here are two examples: "Photography can be an art form, or a photograph can be a commercial mode of advertising" and "Photography can be an art form; conversely, a photograph can be a commercial mode of advertising." In that second example, "conversely" is a conjunctive adverb. Other examples of conjunctive adverbs include furthermore, however, and nonetheless.
3. A complex sentence is when the writer uses a complete thought combined with a thought made incomplete through the use of a subordinating conjunction (such as while, since, after, although, because, and even though). In other words, a complex sentence has an independent clause paired with a dependent clause. Here are two examples of a complex sentence: "Because photographs surround us, we often take them for granted" and "We often take photographs for granted because they surround us." A writer can either begin the sentence with the dependent clause (in which case a comma would come at the end of that introductory dependent clause) or with the independent clause (in which case there would be no comma).
4. A compound-complex sentence is when the writer has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. Generally, these are the longest sentences. Here is an example: "When we take and post a selfie to Instagram, we are sharing a vision of both ourselves and how we see the world; this vision can be empowering, but for teenagers these images can also lead to bullying and insecurity."
For this assignment, review your essay's use of syntax, and make sure each paragraph has an effective combination of short, medium, and long sentences. Finally, choose one paragraph to revise and ensure it has an example of a simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentence. Post those four sentences to the blog.
In terms of the four basic types of sentences, there are simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.
1. A simple sentence (also known as an independent clause) is one complete thought. In other words, there is a subject and predicate. Here is an example: "Photographs surround us."
2. A compound sentence is when the writer uses two complete thoughts (two independent clauses) linked with either a comma and coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or a semicolon. Here are two examples: "Photography can be an art form, or a photograph can be a commercial mode of advertising" and "Photography can be an art form; conversely, a photograph can be a commercial mode of advertising." In that second example, "conversely" is a conjunctive adverb. Other examples of conjunctive adverbs include furthermore, however, and nonetheless.
3. A complex sentence is when the writer uses a complete thought combined with a thought made incomplete through the use of a subordinating conjunction (such as while, since, after, although, because, and even though). In other words, a complex sentence has an independent clause paired with a dependent clause. Here are two examples of a complex sentence: "Because photographs surround us, we often take them for granted" and "We often take photographs for granted because they surround us." A writer can either begin the sentence with the dependent clause (in which case a comma would come at the end of that introductory dependent clause) or with the independent clause (in which case there would be no comma).
4. A compound-complex sentence is when the writer has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. Generally, these are the longest sentences. Here is an example: "When we take and post a selfie to Instagram, we are sharing a vision of both ourselves and how we see the world; this vision can be empowering, but for teenagers these images can also lead to bullying and insecurity."
For this assignment, review your essay's use of syntax, and make sure each paragraph has an effective combination of short, medium, and long sentences. Finally, choose one paragraph to revise and ensure it has an example of a simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentence. Post those four sentences to the blog.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Post #10: Using Quotes
One hallmark of advanced writing is the effectiveness with which one uses another person's words and ideas. There are three ways to accomplish this: summary, paraphrase, and direct quote. To summarize or paraphrase means to keep the author's ideas but to reconstruct them in your own language, syntax, and voice (while giving attribution to the original author, of course). To directly quote a source is to keep the author's ideas and words (if the language is vivid enough to be worth keeping). However, when using a direct quote, writers should avoid free-standing quotes (also known as dropped, floating, or cut-and-pasted quotes). A free-standing quote is a quote that a writer uses without introduction or integration, and it will disrupt the writer's own tone and flow.
There are three ways of introducing quotes to prevent them from being free-standing.
1. Use a simple introductory phrase, like "According to" or "So-and-so argues." This method emphasizes the author, so a writer would use this when he or she wants to emphasize the person as an expert or someone offering testimony.
Here's an example.
According to Siegfried Kracauer, "While time is not part of the photograph like the smile or the chignon, the photograph itself, so it seems to them, is a representation of time" (424).
2. Write your own sentence, then use a quote (introduced with a colon) that functions as evidence or demonstration of your sentence's ideas. Be sure your sentence is a complete sentence; otherwise, the sentence becomes a fragment. This method works most effectively for using source material as evidence for the writer's own claims.
Here's an example.
In certain ways, a photograph functions as a more reliable witness than our own memory: "Memory encompasses neither the entire spatial appearance nor the entire temporal course of an event. Compared to photography memory's records are full of gaps" (Kracauer 425).
3. Instead of introducing the entire quote, integrate pieces (words, phrases, or clauses) into the context of the writer's own syntax. This method works best to synthesize ideas and to create a smooth flow.
Here's an example.
When we reduce our experience of the world to collecting photographs, we become guilty of the "warehousing of nature" (Kracauer 435) and loved ones in dusty albums as forgotten souvenirs.
Your assignment:
A. Find three quotes from Susan Sontag's On Photography that you will use in your essay.
B. Introduce those quotes and/or incorporate them into a sentence of your own that you will use in your essay.
C. Post those three sentences to the blog.
There are three ways of introducing quotes to prevent them from being free-standing.
1. Use a simple introductory phrase, like "According to" or "So-and-so argues." This method emphasizes the author, so a writer would use this when he or she wants to emphasize the person as an expert or someone offering testimony.
Here's an example.
According to Siegfried Kracauer, "While time is not part of the photograph like the smile or the chignon, the photograph itself, so it seems to them, is a representation of time" (424).
2. Write your own sentence, then use a quote (introduced with a colon) that functions as evidence or demonstration of your sentence's ideas. Be sure your sentence is a complete sentence; otherwise, the sentence becomes a fragment. This method works most effectively for using source material as evidence for the writer's own claims.
Here's an example.
In certain ways, a photograph functions as a more reliable witness than our own memory: "Memory encompasses neither the entire spatial appearance nor the entire temporal course of an event. Compared to photography memory's records are full of gaps" (Kracauer 425).
3. Instead of introducing the entire quote, integrate pieces (words, phrases, or clauses) into the context of the writer's own syntax. This method works best to synthesize ideas and to create a smooth flow.
Here's an example.
When we reduce our experience of the world to collecting photographs, we become guilty of the "warehousing of nature" (Kracauer 435) and loved ones in dusty albums as forgotten souvenirs.
Your assignment:
A. Find three quotes from Susan Sontag's On Photography that you will use in your essay.
B. Introduce those quotes and/or incorporate them into a sentence of your own that you will use in your essay.
C. Post those three sentences to the blog.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Post #9: Introductions
As we briefly discussed during our Saturday orientation, effective introductions are comprised of three basic parts: hook, context, thesis.
1. The hook (also known as the lead, the attention-grabber, and the opening) is designed to catch the reader's attention and get him/her thinking about your essay's topic. These hooks should be original (avoid cliches!), relevant (stay on topic!), and interesting (don't be boring!) and can may take the form of a question, direct quote, definition, anecdote, description, fact/statistic, or example.
2. The second part of the introduction is when the writer establishes background and context. In other words, this is when the writer should introduce and explain the broad topic as well as any specific information needed in order to understand the writer's argument.
3. The thesis is the concise distillation of that argument. This is where the author makes his or her claim about the topic at hand and implies (if not explicitly stating) the reasons for that claim.
How long should an introduction be? That depends on the length of the overall essay. For a book-length work, the introduction might be a full chapter. For a short response, the introduction might be one long sentence.
For your essay, which needs to be at least four full pages of analysis, you should probably aim for an introduction somewhere between 1/2 page and one full page (typed, double-spaced).
For this post, answer the following questions:
1. What form of a hook will you choose? Will you ask a question? Open with a quote? Another option?
2. What ideas will you establish in the section for background/context? (For this blog, you can just list these ideas).
3. What is your thesis? (Write the thesis statement).
1. The hook (also known as the lead, the attention-grabber, and the opening) is designed to catch the reader's attention and get him/her thinking about your essay's topic. These hooks should be original (avoid cliches!), relevant (stay on topic!), and interesting (don't be boring!) and can may take the form of a question, direct quote, definition, anecdote, description, fact/statistic, or example.
2. The second part of the introduction is when the writer establishes background and context. In other words, this is when the writer should introduce and explain the broad topic as well as any specific information needed in order to understand the writer's argument.
3. The thesis is the concise distillation of that argument. This is where the author makes his or her claim about the topic at hand and implies (if not explicitly stating) the reasons for that claim.
How long should an introduction be? That depends on the length of the overall essay. For a book-length work, the introduction might be a full chapter. For a short response, the introduction might be one long sentence.
For your essay, which needs to be at least four full pages of analysis, you should probably aim for an introduction somewhere between 1/2 page and one full page (typed, double-spaced).
For this post, answer the following questions:
1. What form of a hook will you choose? Will you ask a question? Open with a quote? Another option?
2. What ideas will you establish in the section for background/context? (For this blog, you can just list these ideas).
3. What is your thesis? (Write the thesis statement).
Friday, April 15, 2016
Post #8: Your First Essay
Now that you have read and thought about Susan Sontag's views of photography, it is time to craft your own meditation, analysis, and argument.
In terms of your essay's overall topic, your thesis should answer a simple question: "What can/does/should a photograph do?"
When you explore this topic, I want you to consider how a photograph is both an object and a tool and how its utility changes depending on context and intent. For example, we see photographs in museums, in advertising, in news stories, on the walls of our homes, and on our driver's licenses and mugshots.
As you develop this essay, use Sontag's ideas (and direct quotes from her essays) as support for your claims, and use specific photographs (from your fellow classmates, from Slate's Behold blog, and from your own life) as examples.
To help you generate ideas and plan an overall structure, use the nine rhetorical modes for guidance. These modes are methods of structuring and presenting information and will keep you focused (and will help you avoid writer's block).
Argument: Make an assertion, and support that assertion through reasons and evidence.
Description: Illustrate an object or idea by providing specific imagery (such as visual details) or figurative language (such as metaphors).
Definition: Specify the essential qualities of an object or idea.
Exemplification: Provide examples.
Narration: Tell a story.
Compare/Contrast: Detail similarities and differences.
Cause/Effect: Detail the causes (and/or effects).
Process Analysis: Explain how to do something or how something was done.
Division / Classification: Break an idea down into categories, and then label each category.
These rhetorical modes often work in conjunction with one another. For example, a writer using division/classification would probably find him/herself transitioning from there into exemplification.
Your essay does not need to use all nine rhetorical modes; rather, think in terms of what you want each paragraph or section of your essay to accomplish.
This essay needs to be at least four pages long, so assuming your introduction is 1/2 page and your conclusion is 1/2 page, you will need to have at least three pages of body paragraphs. Assuming that your body paragraphs will be well-developed, that will probably work out to somewhere between four and six body paragraphs.
For this post, provide a rough outline of what each of these body paragraphs will do.
For example, if I were writing this essay, I might want to explore how bureaucracies use photographs, so...
Body Paragraph 1: Division/Classification. I will explore how bureaucracies (such as the judicial system, the educational system, and the health care system) use photographs. I will explore both the types of bureaucracies as well as the various purposes/functions of photography in those contexts. I think I'll have a lot to say in this section, so this might end up being more than one body paragraph...
Body Paragraph 2:
Body Paragraph 3:
Body Paragraph 4:
Body Paragraph 5:
If you get stuck and can't think of what to say, read what your fellow students have written, and feel free to steal their ideas. First of all, they won't mind, and second, when you actually write the essay, it will turn out completely different anyway.
In terms of your essay's overall topic, your thesis should answer a simple question: "What can/does/should a photograph do?"
When you explore this topic, I want you to consider how a photograph is both an object and a tool and how its utility changes depending on context and intent. For example, we see photographs in museums, in advertising, in news stories, on the walls of our homes, and on our driver's licenses and mugshots.
As you develop this essay, use Sontag's ideas (and direct quotes from her essays) as support for your claims, and use specific photographs (from your fellow classmates, from Slate's Behold blog, and from your own life) as examples.
To help you generate ideas and plan an overall structure, use the nine rhetorical modes for guidance. These modes are methods of structuring and presenting information and will keep you focused (and will help you avoid writer's block).
Argument: Make an assertion, and support that assertion through reasons and evidence.
Description: Illustrate an object or idea by providing specific imagery (such as visual details) or figurative language (such as metaphors).
Definition: Specify the essential qualities of an object or idea.
Exemplification: Provide examples.
Narration: Tell a story.
Compare/Contrast: Detail similarities and differences.
Cause/Effect: Detail the causes (and/or effects).
Process Analysis: Explain how to do something or how something was done.
Division / Classification: Break an idea down into categories, and then label each category.
These rhetorical modes often work in conjunction with one another. For example, a writer using division/classification would probably find him/herself transitioning from there into exemplification.
Your essay does not need to use all nine rhetorical modes; rather, think in terms of what you want each paragraph or section of your essay to accomplish.
This essay needs to be at least four pages long, so assuming your introduction is 1/2 page and your conclusion is 1/2 page, you will need to have at least three pages of body paragraphs. Assuming that your body paragraphs will be well-developed, that will probably work out to somewhere between four and six body paragraphs.
For this post, provide a rough outline of what each of these body paragraphs will do.
For example, if I were writing this essay, I might want to explore how bureaucracies use photographs, so...
Body Paragraph 1: Division/Classification. I will explore how bureaucracies (such as the judicial system, the educational system, and the health care system) use photographs. I will explore both the types of bureaucracies as well as the various purposes/functions of photography in those contexts. I think I'll have a lot to say in this section, so this might end up being more than one body paragraph...
Body Paragraph 2:
Body Paragraph 3:
Body Paragraph 4:
Body Paragraph 5:
If you get stuck and can't think of what to say, read what your fellow students have written, and feel free to steal their ideas. First of all, they won't mind, and second, when you actually write the essay, it will turn out completely different anyway.
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