It is a common habit for most great writers to impart part of their life into their works. They weave it into the already complicated structure of a story and wait for their readers to recognize the connections.
In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald bases his protagonist off himself. Nick Carraway's high education and temperament mimics that of Fitzgerald. Also using characters based off real people, Fitzgerald creates a world of possibilities he wished to be immersed in. Through the interactions of each romantically involved couple, like Tom and Daisy or Nick and Jordan, he could exemplify his real life relationship with Zelda. He could show their abnormalities: the lying, the blatant disregard of infidelity, the love that continued through hardships. Through writing a realistic fiction novel, he left his life story in the pages.
Like in The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien, though through metafiction, crafted a novel that probed the innermost thoughts of his readers through his "personal narrative". He uses himself as the main character, but it isn't an autobiography. He changes his story to influence the reader in the way he wants, much like Fitzgerald- much like any successful writer, actually. Also like Fitzgerald though, he relies on personal experiences to piece together his story.
All great writers, including O'Brien and Fitzgerald, draw from personal memories and feelings. With them, their stories are more relate-able, more popular. Without them, well, we might find ourselves reading pretentious, cliche novels.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Extra Cred Post... (that is actually about extra credit)
Oh, most joyous gift! Blessed is my soul. I praise thy appearance and scorn thee's enemies! Oh, Extra Credit.
There is nothing better than an extra credit opportunity flying in to save your precariously borderline grade, and, for that, I'm adding it to my "Thankful for..." list this holiday.
I am positive nearly every Troy High student has wavered between a "B" and an "A" during the close of a marking period before. Sitting at the edge of a chair, the nervous student anxiously fears opening Edline, praying to see their GPA intact. And, thankfully, some teachers only put in extra credit in the final report card update, relieving many students of their stressful worries.
Though teachers (and some exceptional students) argue that extra credit is detrimental to the learning environment because high marks would still be awarded to a slacker, I believe that it is essential to the mental well-being of a student. Without it, that almost-A test would remain a B- even though the only mistake was minute and careless. One mistake on a test that was intensely studied for; Hours of being annoyed at not catching that one mistake. It just doesn't seem like a fair trade-off. Extra credit is a little wiggle room to accommodate these small accidents throughout a semester.
Thank you to all teachers who offer this opportunity!
There is nothing better than an extra credit opportunity flying in to save your precariously borderline grade, and, for that, I'm adding it to my "Thankful for..." list this holiday.
I am positive nearly every Troy High student has wavered between a "B" and an "A" during the close of a marking period before. Sitting at the edge of a chair, the nervous student anxiously fears opening Edline, praying to see their GPA intact. And, thankfully, some teachers only put in extra credit in the final report card update, relieving many students of their stressful worries.
Though teachers (and some exceptional students) argue that extra credit is detrimental to the learning environment because high marks would still be awarded to a slacker, I believe that it is essential to the mental well-being of a student. Without it, that almost-A test would remain a B- even though the only mistake was minute and careless. One mistake on a test that was intensely studied for; Hours of being annoyed at not catching that one mistake. It just doesn't seem like a fair trade-off. Extra credit is a little wiggle room to accommodate these small accidents throughout a semester.
Thank you to all teachers who offer this opportunity!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Interpretations
John simply states, "We should hang out tonight." and Jane goes off into her internal-distressed mode. What does he mean? Is this like a date? Does he just want to go to the movies as friends? Or is he just really bored? "I'd love to! You can pick the movie," Jane replies as she picks up her books and leaves John wondering, why is she letting me pick the movie?
Everyone unconsciously and constantly interprets things around them, picking out conclusions and inferring facts on their own. Like in "Sanctuary: For Harry Potter the Movie", Nikki Giovanni asserts her belief that Harry Potter is merely an average person and not a tremendous hero of hope, but just part of an allegory for slavery. Contrary to popular interpretations of the theme JK Rowling sets forth (good prevails over evil, a mother's love is strong, you can overcome anything...), Giovanni takes a different and innovative approach to Harry Potter. The confusion this piece brought to 2nd hour reveals how nearly everyone missed the purpose because it was so creative and different from the normal interpretations. However, yes, the diction in the second paragraph, like "auction blocks", "middle passage", "enforced hopelessness", should have set off bells in our heads to alert us to her purpose for writing, but it didn't click. Most students have been accustomed to finding the common overriding theme, something that can be easily drawn from with multiple examples, something simple, but "deep" at the same time, something that an English teacher would want to read instead of personal opinionated interpretations.
I think we should all be like Giovanni; we should think completely out of the box and tie in as many odd, abstract ideas as possible to everything we read, see, or do. I support John's and Jane's stupid worry over the words of each other. I happen to like making ridiculous connections to everything- but that's just me.
(Also, this picture is an example of how someone can draw a symbolic meaning without it necessarily ever been created. Please excuse the slight informality of the caption.)
Everyone unconsciously and constantly interprets things around them, picking out conclusions and inferring facts on their own. Like in "Sanctuary: For Harry Potter the Movie", Nikki Giovanni asserts her belief that Harry Potter is merely an average person and not a tremendous hero of hope, but just part of an allegory for slavery. Contrary to popular interpretations of the theme JK Rowling sets forth (good prevails over evil, a mother's love is strong, you can overcome anything...), Giovanni takes a different and innovative approach to Harry Potter. The confusion this piece brought to 2nd hour reveals how nearly everyone missed the purpose because it was so creative and different from the normal interpretations. However, yes, the diction in the second paragraph, like "auction blocks", "middle passage", "enforced hopelessness", should have set off bells in our heads to alert us to her purpose for writing, but it didn't click. Most students have been accustomed to finding the common overriding theme, something that can be easily drawn from with multiple examples, something simple, but "deep" at the same time, something that an English teacher would want to read instead of personal opinionated interpretations.
I think we should all be like Giovanni; we should think completely out of the box and tie in as many odd, abstract ideas as possible to everything we read, see, or do. I support John's and Jane's stupid worry over the words of each other. I happen to like making ridiculous connections to everything- but that's just me.
(Also, this picture is an example of how someone can draw a symbolic meaning without it necessarily ever been created. Please excuse the slight informality of the caption.)
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Status and Punishment
Last year, there was a cheating scandal in an AP class among a group of five students. The planning to access the teacher's computer wasn't simple. Trying to find out when the teacher isn't in the room, but has his computer logged in? Following the teacher's schedule for a few days? Tough to pull off sneakily- it required a multiple cheaters to brainstorm, but only one idiot in the group to carry out the plans.
Reverend Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne are both partners in an infamous crime, one that would merit murder if a nobody of the town committed it. However, since Hester's husband is assumed deceased, her punishment is lightened to an "A". After her sentence, she carries more than just the embroidered letter around. She has the town's scorn, pity, and anger on her shoulders; she has the obnoxious wrath of children to deal with and disrespect from the poor she helps; she has to be isolated completely because she is an adulterer. Contrasted to how the village reacts to Dimmesdale's revelation, Hester's chastisement is unfair. Some claim that when he revealed his chest, there was nothing there- that it was symbolic for those who have sinned. Had he not willed himself to die, the townspeople would've granted him leniency because he is so respected, saving and helping and encouraging his congregation for years.
The teacher walked in as one student was printing off test answers. He was mad. However, the teacher didn't report him to administration because the student had so much going for himself, high marks, talented athlete, and compassionate volunteer, that he felt he deserved only a harsh reprimand, like Dimmedale would've gotten. And the other members? They weren't punished at all because "clearly" only that one student was to blame- like Hester.
Reverend Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne are both partners in an infamous crime, one that would merit murder if a nobody of the town committed it. However, since Hester's husband is assumed deceased, her punishment is lightened to an "A". After her sentence, she carries more than just the embroidered letter around. She has the town's scorn, pity, and anger on her shoulders; she has the obnoxious wrath of children to deal with and disrespect from the poor she helps; she has to be isolated completely because she is an adulterer. Contrasted to how the village reacts to Dimmesdale's revelation, Hester's chastisement is unfair. Some claim that when he revealed his chest, there was nothing there- that it was symbolic for those who have sinned. Had he not willed himself to die, the townspeople would've granted him leniency because he is so respected, saving and helping and encouraging his congregation for years.
The teacher walked in as one student was printing off test answers. He was mad. However, the teacher didn't report him to administration because the student had so much going for himself, high marks, talented athlete, and compassionate volunteer, that he felt he deserved only a harsh reprimand, like Dimmedale would've gotten. And the other members? They weren't punished at all because "clearly" only that one student was to blame- like Hester.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Scarlet Letter Levels
The townspeople of The Scarlet Letter exaggerate Reverend Dimmesdale's goodness when they compare his sin to their own. "Oh, if Dimmesdale thinks his sin is bad- mine must be a thousand times worse!" But, if Hester, with the glory and shame of her "A", revealed another sin, they would have her hanged without a second thought, believing that the town whore deserves nothing better.
The religious head and the other extreme, the adulteress, are being judged by two different standards. Dimmesdale is praised for being a priest, for having that "other worldly, holy connection"; Hester is shunned, ignored, abandoned- even with all the good works she has done. Their mutual sin links them together forever- secretly, of course, in the privacy of their hearts. I think when Dimmesdale reveals his secret, though, the people will snatch away his prestige and lower him to Hester's social status, ripped away from his pulpit and spat upon by the village poor, also. Just because there is a preconceived notion about a man from his vocation, it does not mean he is, in actuality, any better than anyone else, or above the laws everyone else abides by.
In a community theater, the actor who constantly gets the lead will probably get the next center stage position again- unless he messes up so completely, so destructively that his abilities are questioned as "unstable?". He will then slowly be valued less in the director's eyes and reduced to support or even a chorus position. I can't wait to find out how Dimmesdale is treated once he reveals his secret.
The religious head and the other extreme, the adulteress, are being judged by two different standards. Dimmesdale is praised for being a priest, for having that "other worldly, holy connection"; Hester is shunned, ignored, abandoned- even with all the good works she has done. Their mutual sin links them together forever- secretly, of course, in the privacy of their hearts. I think when Dimmesdale reveals his secret, though, the people will snatch away his prestige and lower him to Hester's social status, ripped away from his pulpit and spat upon by the village poor, also. Just because there is a preconceived notion about a man from his vocation, it does not mean he is, in actuality, any better than anyone else, or above the laws everyone else abides by.
In a community theater, the actor who constantly gets the lead will probably get the next center stage position again- unless he messes up so completely, so destructively that his abilities are questioned as "unstable?". He will then slowly be valued less in the director's eyes and reduced to support or even a chorus position. I can't wait to find out how Dimmesdale is treated once he reveals his secret.
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