The author talks about Shirley Temple and how much the main character Lovey looked forward to watching her on Sunday mornings. Every time she watched her it made her cry even though she rarely saw the endings because her and her best friends Jerry had to leave for Sunday school. As Lovey says, "I used to wish I was just like her, with perfect blond ringlets and pink cheeks and pout lips.”(25). Calhoon, Lovey’s sister teased her and called her an Oompah Loompah after she gets a perm which turns out looking like what they called a Toni perm that resembles an afro and definitely not the ringlet curls Shirley Temple had. This is the contrast of Shirley Temple and Oompah Loompahs that the author is referencing to in this story. Shirley Temple represents who Lovey wants to be, she sees Shirley as never being teased for how she talks and looks the way that Lovey and she considers herself ugly, struggling with standard English, so she was placed in the “dumb” class; as she puts it, and her family often calls her stupid.
Oompah Loompahs are completely the opposite and not what Lovey wants to be, they are the one’s teasing her for the way she talks and calling her names. Shirley Temple is Lovey’s idol, who she feels she needs to be to be accepted. My meaning of the contrast is the detailed description of Lovey’s rapture of infatuation with Shirley Temple’s perfect ringlets, cherubic smile, bright eyes, happy endings and her love for Grandpa. Lovey looks up to Shirley Temple and wants to be just like her not the girl she is who is awkward and struggles to fit in while struggling to be herself. Lovey has taken images such as Shirley Temple and Oompah Loompahs and compares herself to them and finds she ends up with a low self esteem and lacking in many areas. She is negatively shaping her identity between the contrast of Shirley Temple who she wants to be and Oompah Loompahs that she doesn't want to be.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Chapter 48 Week 10
Being able to distinguish between good and bad arguments is vital to being able to be successful in incorporating research into writing. Most good arguments or reasonable arguments I have noticed use strategies and are generally used by drawing analogies, tracing causes and weighing options when making assumptions that are effective in writing. Bad or fallacious arguments are difficult to recognize as Hacker points out in chapter 48 and the strategies that are used to twist your writing into a fallacious one.
Basically chapter 48 main topic is arguments and you first want to make sure your tactics are between reasonable and fallacious by staying away from generalizing. Hacker also shows us how to use inductive reasoning by recognizing whether your evidence is sufficient, representative and relevant. Cause and effect is another good way to argue your point, but Hacker does suggest watching out for the post hoc fallacy which is an approach writer's do to show one event comes from another. You must weigh all options to be fair and then make your assumptions. Lastly, you deduce a conclusion by putting things together using deducive reasoning Hacker explains in this chapter. The three steps in deducive reasoning Hacker informs us about are called: Syllogism and they are: major premise, minor premise and conclusion.
Next Hacker explains when evaluating arguments you want to understand the difference between legitimate and unfair emotional appeals. I really like the idea Hacker shares about writing an argument and that is you will find when someone opposes views it actually helps you gain credibility in your writing to make it better. I learned from this that it is important to quote the opposing viewers because it is accurate and fair, this will definitely be something I will pay attention to incorporating in my writing from now on. I also learned from this chapter to watch out for emotional appeals because you want to use them the right way.
Learning about arguments has been interesting and confusing because it can be so challenging to use them in writing.
Basically chapter 48 main topic is arguments and you first want to make sure your tactics are between reasonable and fallacious by staying away from generalizing. Hacker also shows us how to use inductive reasoning by recognizing whether your evidence is sufficient, representative and relevant. Cause and effect is another good way to argue your point, but Hacker does suggest watching out for the post hoc fallacy which is an approach writer's do to show one event comes from another. You must weigh all options to be fair and then make your assumptions. Lastly, you deduce a conclusion by putting things together using deducive reasoning Hacker explains in this chapter. The three steps in deducive reasoning Hacker informs us about are called: Syllogism and they are: major premise, minor premise and conclusion.
Next Hacker explains when evaluating arguments you want to understand the difference between legitimate and unfair emotional appeals. I really like the idea Hacker shares about writing an argument and that is you will find when someone opposes views it actually helps you gain credibility in your writing to make it better. I learned from this that it is important to quote the opposing viewers because it is accurate and fair, this will definitely be something I will pay attention to incorporating in my writing from now on. I also learned from this chapter to watch out for emotional appeals because you want to use them the right way.
Learning about arguments has been interesting and confusing because it can be so challenging to use them in writing.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Chapter 47 Rules for Writers week 9
In reading this chapter, I am starting to see how the aspects are all coming together to be a good writer, one of these is learning how to construct a good argument with a good logical argument introduction in writing. You also must understand how to get to the point and write convincingly about a topic and not ramble on. In this chapter it was also advised to not worry as much about anticipating a reader’s objection and more on building your argument or own case in your writing. In doing this you need to provide support and not arguments with alternatives, it means that you just focus on the evidence of the argument. All this was so beneficial for me to read and write about as part of my assignment I felt it better implanted this in my brain to utilize going forward in learning the art of constructing good arguments in my writing so that I can recognize my strengths and weaknesses in my writing process.
Diana Hacker has such a commonsense language and terminology that has been so easy to follow and learn from with each chapter and this one is no exception in providing helpful skills to evaluate and learn how to begin to write logical arguments. Hacker actually walks you through how to construct an actual argument, which for me the hands on approach makes things so much more clear and understandable. I will definitely use the tactics Hacker provided to use to argue points and avoid pitfalls; I found this to be a great tool.
In my own words I believe what writing my own argument means is including: an introduction, thesis, evidence, logical support, transitions and discussion of my sources and then I approach my writing topic with and intellectual open mind, I establish my position of the topic in a clear, logical, consistent and organized way as I consider my reader’s possible objections.
Concluding this by that if my paper must be written in an argument for the purpose of this chapter, my thesis and evidence must define and support a position that my audience could potentially disagree with. An argument is not just informing my audience of a topic. I believe this clarifies what I have read so that I can now practice these skills and tools in my writing.
Diana Hacker has such a commonsense language and terminology that has been so easy to follow and learn from with each chapter and this one is no exception in providing helpful skills to evaluate and learn how to begin to write logical arguments. Hacker actually walks you through how to construct an actual argument, which for me the hands on approach makes things so much more clear and understandable. I will definitely use the tactics Hacker provided to use to argue points and avoid pitfalls; I found this to be a great tool.
In my own words I believe what writing my own argument means is including: an introduction, thesis, evidence, logical support, transitions and discussion of my sources and then I approach my writing topic with and intellectual open mind, I establish my position of the topic in a clear, logical, consistent and organized way as I consider my reader’s possible objections.
Concluding this by that if my paper must be written in an argument for the purpose of this chapter, my thesis and evidence must define and support a position that my audience could potentially disagree with. An argument is not just informing my audience of a topic. I believe this clarifies what I have read so that I can now practice these skills and tools in my writing.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Extra Credit Optional Writing Summary on Fiction Week # 9
The urge to write fiction seems god given to some and a learned skill to others, but I find it can be a bit intimidating, Purdue offers great mini courses as well as reasons you may want to write fiction, of course I think it is just because a person is compelled.
I found the major topics that Purdue discussed when writing about fiction were: pre-writing, close reading, thesis development, drafting and many others. What I found interesting are the resources this particular chapter covered on basics of plot writing, character, theme, conflict and point of view when writing fiction.
There were two of these that I really focused on, the first is plot which I have found I need to structure my writing toward my plot better and watch my organization. Basically, plot is what happens in the story, not just the action of the story, but the way the writer arranges and organizes particular actions writing the plot. The suggestion was to think of the plot as a chain reaction, which I found beneficial to keep in mind and I will keep this planted going forward as a tool to access in writing an organized sequence of events as my other events of the story are arranged. The stories meaning has to still have a selection of detail as well as the cause and effect also needs to have connection between the events that make sense are logical and believable so that the reader isn't loosing interest because its hard to follow. The plot doesn't have to be written in chronological order when writing fiction, I found this interesting but at the same time, I need to be careful that I am still clear and concise because I have found my audience can get lost in the way I interrupt this and then I write my story as I know what I am writing about and not keeping in mind of my audience. I realize I have to keep in mind there are additional tools such as Point-of-View that work with each other. Basically the plot is what examines the human relations to situations that change throughout a story.Plot also strongly depends on character along with human value or idea about an experience related to the theme of the paper.
For the purpose of what I concentrated on for chapter 47, my next tool I focused on was point-of-view, this is what refers to the perspective the writer uses when writing the story. There are three points of view in writing traditional fiction they are: Third person, which means the author tells the story. Second person: is not common in writing fiction but more common in poetry, this is that the character is not referred to by name or he or she but by you. Lastly is First Person: this is when a narrator who is a character in the story speaks or tells the story usually as the main character of the story. I have learned that which ever one of these points of view above are chosen a story can change drastically from how the writer tells it. I also will keep in mind that to know which one to use for the story is a very important tool for fiction writing.
I can see how the ability to writing fiction is not easy to achieve without practice and a set of tools, skills and techniques. Obviously understand the basics of storytelling which I have mentioned and learned about myself such as plot and point of view, that I am enthused to take away from this and use ongoing in my fiction writing.
I found the major topics that Purdue discussed when writing about fiction were: pre-writing, close reading, thesis development, drafting and many others. What I found interesting are the resources this particular chapter covered on basics of plot writing, character, theme, conflict and point of view when writing fiction.
There were two of these that I really focused on, the first is plot which I have found I need to structure my writing toward my plot better and watch my organization. Basically, plot is what happens in the story, not just the action of the story, but the way the writer arranges and organizes particular actions writing the plot. The suggestion was to think of the plot as a chain reaction, which I found beneficial to keep in mind and I will keep this planted going forward as a tool to access in writing an organized sequence of events as my other events of the story are arranged. The stories meaning has to still have a selection of detail as well as the cause and effect also needs to have connection between the events that make sense are logical and believable so that the reader isn't loosing interest because its hard to follow. The plot doesn't have to be written in chronological order when writing fiction, I found this interesting but at the same time, I need to be careful that I am still clear and concise because I have found my audience can get lost in the way I interrupt this and then I write my story as I know what I am writing about and not keeping in mind of my audience. I realize I have to keep in mind there are additional tools such as Point-of-View that work with each other. Basically the plot is what examines the human relations to situations that change throughout a story.Plot also strongly depends on character along with human value or idea about an experience related to the theme of the paper.
For the purpose of what I concentrated on for chapter 47, my next tool I focused on was point-of-view, this is what refers to the perspective the writer uses when writing the story. There are three points of view in writing traditional fiction they are: Third person, which means the author tells the story. Second person: is not common in writing fiction but more common in poetry, this is that the character is not referred to by name or he or she but by you. Lastly is First Person: this is when a narrator who is a character in the story speaks or tells the story usually as the main character of the story. I have learned that which ever one of these points of view above are chosen a story can change drastically from how the writer tells it. I also will keep in mind that to know which one to use for the story is a very important tool for fiction writing.
I can see how the ability to writing fiction is not easy to achieve without practice and a set of tools, skills and techniques. Obviously understand the basics of storytelling which I have mentioned and learned about myself such as plot and point of view, that I am enthused to take away from this and use ongoing in my fiction writing.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Essay 2 Rough Draft Week 8
My Essay 2 Workshop ~ Rough Draft
By: Daye Richardson email: doccottage@yahoo.com
English100 section # 8736 instructor: Lauren Servais
The Day my Dad came home, it may seem a little confusing as to why I am relating this to the story “Shooting Dad” by Sarah Vowell and that somehow I compare myself to her story. Possibly I can help invite you into why I feel it has a relationship to my life; I will begin with the uncountable days I would get up at 6:30am every morning to get ready for the day. The one thing that was always a joy was having breakfast with my Dad at the kitchen table each morning, barely ever missing one. I always finished and hugged my dad goodbye on my way out the door to school.
Every day I came home he was there, of course along with my Mom…if for some reason he wasn’t home he always was shortly thereafter I got home.
My family and friends always looked at me and said that I was “Daddy’s little girl” proud of that I was and I didn’t mind a bit that it was broadcasted to all. I loved my daddy, looked up to him and enjoyed tagging along with him every chance I could.
People who can relate to each other share one or more of the same interests, hobbies, outlooks, ideals or personality traits. Or you can just learn to get along with almost anyone and you never know some of the people someone else knows, at any rate we all have hang-ups. I do believe though that one of the most rewarding things in the world is when you realize you relate well or similarly with someone. It is a great bridge being built and not a hopeless situation that we can relate and enjoy others and they us as well. We don’t automatically understand other people and of course there are millions such as Sarah and her Dad who don’t understand how to get along but there are millions out there who can and do. We need to grow in our understanding for people, just as we don’t individually just become for example a pianist, there are insights and principles to understand and practice just as there are in getting along with people. The best place to start is with ourselves, by taking inventory of our own personality traits and attitudes and this is because the feelings we have down deep about ourselves influence how we feel about others.
Human beings have several basic
emotional needs, including the feeling
that one belongs, that he is loved,
and that he is a worthwhile person. ~ unknown
We must remember to accept people “As is”, the problem occurs when we tend to want a person to change. We can learn to focus on their strengths and not their weaknesses. One last thing on this thought, people sense whether we are being honest or not and there are aspects of honesty that make the difference whether you get along with a person or you don’t.
It certainly just seems like yesterday to me when the news came, they were shipping my dad over-seas for 2 years. “I thought mom was kidding, right…Their not taking my dad, he won’t go! We won’t let him! I couldn’t believe it not for days, weeks, until the day came and he was gone, Gone!! I sunk, I knew at that moment I wasn’t going to see my Dad, of course I couldn’t even contemplate two years, I couldn’t get past tomorrow. But, two years, not seeing my Dad, no more breakfast together talking about our days, joking around, empty I sat…I couldn’t wrap myself around the thought no more hugs before I left for school.
Months I would lay in bed every morning when I woke up knowing I wouldn’t see my Dad downstairs, his face, his hug… twenty minutes would pass daily and my mom would call me finally, “Daye”! You won’t have time for breakfast, I didn’t eat at the table for six months after he left, I didn’t care but I got up anyway knowing I had to leave for school in 30 minutes.
Somehow when I got to school as hard as it was to smile for days otherwise my friends always made it easier.
I relate my story and myself a lot to Sarah Vowell, my family was the same I had a sister who never had anything in common with my Dad as far as activities like I did and also unlike Sarah and her sister, my sister and I received equal attention. We both grew up like Sarah, in a home where we were free to make our own choices and voice our own opinions, not living in town the same as Sarah, we grew up on a ranch in the Columbia Gorge Oregon population 25,000 if you count the animals (that was a joke we passed around town just to chuckle). Our property resembled Sarah’s families as it also included an orchard, horse pasture although on 20 acres which Sarah only had 2 acres of woods and our property was all pasture land.
We also were not much of a political family per-say that we partitioned off territories, but yet my era was much different then Sarah’s yet very similar lifestyles as far as Dad being the center of our home. Also my dad and I had our differences at times with different view-points but we didn’t collide as often as Sarah with her father, although my sister and my dad never seemed to see the same eye on anything, but somehow we all managed to sit and eat and talk with compassion.
I believe a lot of my feelings of similarity to Sarah come from our fathers living very self-absorbed our whole lives in their own interests, one of my dad’s also being guns but, yet he always tried somehow to include us in his interests, differently then Sarah though he enjoyed sharing our interests as well. I didn’t grow up with antlers on my walls but many guns and rifles of all varieties lined them. Dad’s shop wasn’t messy but he definitely enjoyed having his own space, just as I did mine. My domain similar to Sarah’s but called the “Peach Room” where all walls, curtains, bed spread were painted peach and my trim cream. My sister much different she liked blue. Oh, yeah, similar in the sense that I too like musical instruments; piano, drum set, guitars and other doodads as well. Funny, I can say that now without skipping a beat, as where before even saying a word that had “dad” in it would bring me to my knees sobbing.
My sister and I also never had to be the up-talkers to impress suitors such as Sarah did, but he sure liked to show off his prize possession guns and then my sister and I. I also don’t remember a time my sister and I didn’t like to go shooting with my Dad unless we were sick, we did love Dad!!
So, as Sarah’s dad was building his replica of the cannon called the “big horn gun” his most elaborate tool of death, my father too was a man that would putter in his space called “the shop”, I would sneak out every chance I got to hang with my Dad, but my mom didn’t like me out there much, she said, his verbal expressions would get away from him. My time was always cut short from the “the shop”, and we didn’t have a long history of nefarious ancestors as Sarah did but we seem to be a little piece of everything under the sun.
My great moments I shared with my dad were also some of the same as Sarah; although my dad never had to change my mind about guns…It sometimes worried me when he pulled the trigger the gun always got bigger and the BOOM ~ louder! Oh, and not to mention I love music…Sarah Vowell!! I too had many Awe Hah…moments when I would think, Oh, My God, My dad and I am the same person and I liked it, well so did my sister.
September 13, 1987, on my 16th birthday, I woke up and lay in my bed for twenty minutes just like any other day when I would have been jumping to my feet and full of energy excited for My Birthday day, not this year. I still felt the pain from a year ago, the day dad left. My mom in the background faintly, I hear “Daye” you are not going to have time for breakfast and again as usual I wasn’t hungry for it, but today mom made my favorite eggs in the middle of toast. I sat down not any more radiant then I was prior I slowly put the fork to my mouth and noticed a note with my name on it, puzzled I opened the official looking envelope and inside a small hand-printed paragraph…”My darling daughter, Daye..I love you so much “Happy Birthday” and I will see you soon, Love Dad. Dad is coming home, to me? Soon!! I instantly rose, yelled “Yippee” ran out the door and my day was bright, my feet skipping, my heart racing the world was changing and my dad was coming back home!! Maybe at this point, I felt more like Chang-rae Lee in “Coming Home Again”, we would gather around the table again and share breakfast, how our day went and be a family together again!
All my friends, today on my birthday saw the spark, the gleam the joy of happiness radiating from and knew…my dad was going to be home soon! When, I see him they all knew I would throw my arms around him as I always did and he knew and give him the biggest hug until it hurt!!
Reference:
1. Servais, L., professor. (n.d.). Shooting Dad [Chapter Four]. In English 100
College Reading & Writing (pp. 19-23). Santa Rosa, Ca: LAD Publishing, Inc. . . .
Tracking number SRJ0198
2. Servais, L., Professor. (n.d.). Coming Home Again [Chapter Three]. In English
100 College Reading & Writing (pp. 11-18). Santa Rosa, CA: LAD Publishing, Inc. . . .
Tracking number: SRJ0198
3. Narramore, C. M., Dr. (1998-2011). Psychology for living (Version Narramore
Christian Foundation) [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.ncfliving.org/
bk_123_relate4.php
By: Daye Richardson email: doccottage@yahoo.com
English100 section # 8736 instructor: Lauren Servais
The Day my Dad came home, it may seem a little confusing as to why I am relating this to the story “Shooting Dad” by Sarah Vowell and that somehow I compare myself to her story. Possibly I can help invite you into why I feel it has a relationship to my life; I will begin with the uncountable days I would get up at 6:30am every morning to get ready for the day. The one thing that was always a joy was having breakfast with my Dad at the kitchen table each morning, barely ever missing one. I always finished and hugged my dad goodbye on my way out the door to school.
Every day I came home he was there, of course along with my Mom…if for some reason he wasn’t home he always was shortly thereafter I got home.
My family and friends always looked at me and said that I was “Daddy’s little girl” proud of that I was and I didn’t mind a bit that it was broadcasted to all. I loved my daddy, looked up to him and enjoyed tagging along with him every chance I could.
People who can relate to each other share one or more of the same interests, hobbies, outlooks, ideals or personality traits. Or you can just learn to get along with almost anyone and you never know some of the people someone else knows, at any rate we all have hang-ups. I do believe though that one of the most rewarding things in the world is when you realize you relate well or similarly with someone. It is a great bridge being built and not a hopeless situation that we can relate and enjoy others and they us as well. We don’t automatically understand other people and of course there are millions such as Sarah and her Dad who don’t understand how to get along but there are millions out there who can and do. We need to grow in our understanding for people, just as we don’t individually just become for example a pianist, there are insights and principles to understand and practice just as there are in getting along with people. The best place to start is with ourselves, by taking inventory of our own personality traits and attitudes and this is because the feelings we have down deep about ourselves influence how we feel about others.
Human beings have several basic
emotional needs, including the feeling
that one belongs, that he is loved,
and that he is a worthwhile person. ~ unknown
We must remember to accept people “As is”, the problem occurs when we tend to want a person to change. We can learn to focus on their strengths and not their weaknesses. One last thing on this thought, people sense whether we are being honest or not and there are aspects of honesty that make the difference whether you get along with a person or you don’t.
It certainly just seems like yesterday to me when the news came, they were shipping my dad over-seas for 2 years. “I thought mom was kidding, right…Their not taking my dad, he won’t go! We won’t let him! I couldn’t believe it not for days, weeks, until the day came and he was gone, Gone!! I sunk, I knew at that moment I wasn’t going to see my Dad, of course I couldn’t even contemplate two years, I couldn’t get past tomorrow. But, two years, not seeing my Dad, no more breakfast together talking about our days, joking around, empty I sat…I couldn’t wrap myself around the thought no more hugs before I left for school.
Months I would lay in bed every morning when I woke up knowing I wouldn’t see my Dad downstairs, his face, his hug… twenty minutes would pass daily and my mom would call me finally, “Daye”! You won’t have time for breakfast, I didn’t eat at the table for six months after he left, I didn’t care but I got up anyway knowing I had to leave for school in 30 minutes.
Somehow when I got to school as hard as it was to smile for days otherwise my friends always made it easier.
I relate my story and myself a lot to Sarah Vowell, my family was the same I had a sister who never had anything in common with my Dad as far as activities like I did and also unlike Sarah and her sister, my sister and I received equal attention. We both grew up like Sarah, in a home where we were free to make our own choices and voice our own opinions, not living in town the same as Sarah, we grew up on a ranch in the Columbia Gorge Oregon population 25,000 if you count the animals (that was a joke we passed around town just to chuckle). Our property resembled Sarah’s families as it also included an orchard, horse pasture although on 20 acres which Sarah only had 2 acres of woods and our property was all pasture land.
We also were not much of a political family per-say that we partitioned off territories, but yet my era was much different then Sarah’s yet very similar lifestyles as far as Dad being the center of our home. Also my dad and I had our differences at times with different view-points but we didn’t collide as often as Sarah with her father, although my sister and my dad never seemed to see the same eye on anything, but somehow we all managed to sit and eat and talk with compassion.
I believe a lot of my feelings of similarity to Sarah come from our fathers living very self-absorbed our whole lives in their own interests, one of my dad’s also being guns but, yet he always tried somehow to include us in his interests, differently then Sarah though he enjoyed sharing our interests as well. I didn’t grow up with antlers on my walls but many guns and rifles of all varieties lined them. Dad’s shop wasn’t messy but he definitely enjoyed having his own space, just as I did mine. My domain similar to Sarah’s but called the “Peach Room” where all walls, curtains, bed spread were painted peach and my trim cream. My sister much different she liked blue. Oh, yeah, similar in the sense that I too like musical instruments; piano, drum set, guitars and other doodads as well. Funny, I can say that now without skipping a beat, as where before even saying a word that had “dad” in it would bring me to my knees sobbing.
My sister and I also never had to be the up-talkers to impress suitors such as Sarah did, but he sure liked to show off his prize possession guns and then my sister and I. I also don’t remember a time my sister and I didn’t like to go shooting with my Dad unless we were sick, we did love Dad!!
So, as Sarah’s dad was building his replica of the cannon called the “big horn gun” his most elaborate tool of death, my father too was a man that would putter in his space called “the shop”, I would sneak out every chance I got to hang with my Dad, but my mom didn’t like me out there much, she said, his verbal expressions would get away from him. My time was always cut short from the “the shop”, and we didn’t have a long history of nefarious ancestors as Sarah did but we seem to be a little piece of everything under the sun.
My great moments I shared with my dad were also some of the same as Sarah; although my dad never had to change my mind about guns…It sometimes worried me when he pulled the trigger the gun always got bigger and the BOOM ~ louder! Oh, and not to mention I love music…Sarah Vowell!! I too had many Awe Hah…moments when I would think, Oh, My God, My dad and I am the same person and I liked it, well so did my sister.
September 13, 1987, on my 16th birthday, I woke up and lay in my bed for twenty minutes just like any other day when I would have been jumping to my feet and full of energy excited for My Birthday day, not this year. I still felt the pain from a year ago, the day dad left. My mom in the background faintly, I hear “Daye” you are not going to have time for breakfast and again as usual I wasn’t hungry for it, but today mom made my favorite eggs in the middle of toast. I sat down not any more radiant then I was prior I slowly put the fork to my mouth and noticed a note with my name on it, puzzled I opened the official looking envelope and inside a small hand-printed paragraph…”My darling daughter, Daye..I love you so much “Happy Birthday” and I will see you soon, Love Dad. Dad is coming home, to me? Soon!! I instantly rose, yelled “Yippee” ran out the door and my day was bright, my feet skipping, my heart racing the world was changing and my dad was coming back home!! Maybe at this point, I felt more like Chang-rae Lee in “Coming Home Again”, we would gather around the table again and share breakfast, how our day went and be a family together again!
All my friends, today on my birthday saw the spark, the gleam the joy of happiness radiating from and knew…my dad was going to be home soon! When, I see him they all knew I would throw my arms around him as I always did and he knew and give him the biggest hug until it hurt!!
Reference:
1. Servais, L., professor. (n.d.). Shooting Dad [Chapter Four]. In English 100
College Reading & Writing (pp. 19-23). Santa Rosa, Ca: LAD Publishing, Inc. . . .
Tracking number SRJ0198
2. Servais, L., Professor. (n.d.). Coming Home Again [Chapter Three]. In English
100 College Reading & Writing (pp. 11-18). Santa Rosa, CA: LAD Publishing, Inc. . . .
Tracking number: SRJ0198
3. Narramore, C. M., Dr. (1998-2011). Psychology for living (Version Narramore
Christian Foundation) [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.ncfliving.org/
bk_123_relate4.php
Extra Credit: Optional Writing Topic Summary
Starting this writing topic on Purdue’s Online Writing Lab, it seemed to make sense to reference the first sentence considering I have little or no experience in writing an extended literary essay and I definitely didn’t take into consideration that I am essentially writing an argument. This seemed very interesting to me on how it suggested how to become comfortable with the uses of quotations, paraphrases and summaries basically to summarize and synthesize a comprehensive discussion about the issue. The examples showed me how to summarize the topic phrase or sentence to generate free flow in developing an outline. Reading Purdue’s online writing lab I also found out that it ranks among the best known and most highly valued.
First, I encountered the understanding that there are four genres of essays: description, narration, exposition and argumentation or “EDNA” for short known as the modes of discourse. I went onto what makes for a good extended literary essay one that requires research, and found that you argue about your interpretation or perspective of an evaluated critical judgment assuring that it is a valid one. This online lab stated that you must start with a specific detailed thesis statement which includes your perspective and that it must be debatable.
Basically the argument/evaluation is the extent that the essay develops an argument relevant to the research question of the essay from the materials being considered and that a conclusion is consistent with the argument.
I found this very interesting and exciting to understand the meaning of this and now when I intensively look for a literary topic that is in the scope for discussion, I can then engage personal critical judgment of literature establishing critical comment as I develop persuasive views in a structured manner appropriate to the study of the literature. I see the argument as the backbone of the essay and that my personal views should be supported with reasoned argument that persuades my audience of the validity of my argument, which I will keep with me as my tool of knowledge that I learned when I write my essays. I also noted that a narration of the action or straightforward description of a literary summary should be avoided in the argument.
The conclusion of this literary writing essay is that the argument should come out of it and not introduce new matter in the end or repeat the introduction but yet present a synthesis of the discussion. In knowing this I better understand the process and going forward using this as a tool and guideline.
First, I encountered the understanding that there are four genres of essays: description, narration, exposition and argumentation or “EDNA” for short known as the modes of discourse. I went onto what makes for a good extended literary essay one that requires research, and found that you argue about your interpretation or perspective of an evaluated critical judgment assuring that it is a valid one. This online lab stated that you must start with a specific detailed thesis statement which includes your perspective and that it must be debatable.
Basically the argument/evaluation is the extent that the essay develops an argument relevant to the research question of the essay from the materials being considered and that a conclusion is consistent with the argument.
I found this very interesting and exciting to understand the meaning of this and now when I intensively look for a literary topic that is in the scope for discussion, I can then engage personal critical judgment of literature establishing critical comment as I develop persuasive views in a structured manner appropriate to the study of the literature. I see the argument as the backbone of the essay and that my personal views should be supported with reasoned argument that persuades my audience of the validity of my argument, which I will keep with me as my tool of knowledge that I learned when I write my essays. I also noted that a narration of the action or straightforward description of a literary summary should be avoided in the argument.
The conclusion of this literary writing essay is that the argument should come out of it and not introduce new matter in the end or repeat the introduction but yet present a synthesis of the discussion. In knowing this I better understand the process and going forward using this as a tool and guideline.
Insufficiency of Honesty Week 8
“The Insufficiency of Honesty" Dialogue
a. Choose one of the examples Carter provides. Do you agree with Carter's reasoning?
Stephen L. Carter states that “one cannot have integrity without being honest but one can certainly be honest yet have little integrity.” He also states that “honesty can be used quite selfishly.” As he points out there are specific differences between honesty and integrity.
The statement in the first paragraph I used of Carter’s is linked to integrity and honesty and I do agree with his reasoning. Honesty is most laudable when we risk harm to ourselves he said, which is why I agree with his reasoning as well as he goes on to say that honesty becomes a good deal less if we instead risk harm to others when there is no gain to any other other than ourselves. I believe what he says about integrity also ties into the example I chose above and that is integrity may counsel keeping our secrets in order to spare the feelings of others as in the example of the wayward.
There are three constraints discussed in Carter’s insufficiency of Honesty essay that determined why I agree with his reasoning. One is integrity does require moral reflectiveness, second: integrity may cause conflict to be resolved and third: someone with integrity can be trusted. I also believe what ties all this together is the “American Core” that has six values necessary for good character that Carter spoke about and they are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, caring, fairness and citizenship.
My example is that in class many times students have plenty of opportunity to cheat during tests, quizzes or assignments. Integrity is not taking advantage of these opportunities and being honest with others especially yourself. I think if integrity didn’t exist many people in these situations would copy other people’s work and be dishonest. Think of how the world is today if Martin Luther King didn’t have the integrity to fight against segregation.
I also feel that it is important to recognize that integrity and honesty are quoted in the bible and the examples I have chosen are:
1) 1 Thessalonians 2:10 “You are witnesses, and God also, how holily, justly and honest, we behaved ourselves in front of all that believe.”
2) Proverbs 2:7 “He lad up solid wisdom for the righteous: he is a shield to them that walk with integrity.”
3) Titus 2:7 “Do away with all yourself, a pattern of good works: in teaching incorruptness, gravity, sincerity.”
I do believe that integrity is taking responsibility for one’s own actions, being in the military I was taught this first hand because straying from ones core values compromises both my own and another’s integrity. In the military we defined integrity as “Doing what is right legally, and morally.” This is so successful team building can be built.
A distant relative of mine I grew up with taught me honesty, not because he was honest but because he lied all the time. It seemed he took the easiest way out of any situation and I think he felt it was the best way out. This meant telling a lie that seemed believable and when we were young it seemed cool at the time to lie and then I started going to him with a problem or issue wanting to know what to do and of course he insisted I lie. Naturally, I would and soon found out that these occasions taught me that it was more painful to be caught in the lie than to actually tell the truth and be honest. I wondered why he never learned that lesson, and I had so painfully easily. He told so many lies after lie, but what bothered me the most about him being dishonest was that he used me in his lies.
I feel like living in the world these days is hard, people are not honest with each other which to me is a problem because it seems to always lead to someone getting hurt emotionally or physically. Actually in the end the truth eventually comes out and it causes more pain and a bigger problem, it seems much easier to me to have a clean conscious. “Honesty is the best policy.” So in researching this statement I also saw a series of comments regarding the definition of honesty, what I came up with is that human quality that values integrity and truth during communication with other people. Honesty is characterized by truth and sincerity and building a positive self-image, and creating a heart-warming social atmosphere.
Concluding that my agreeing with Carter’s statement leads me to end by saying that the faith of honesty may be decreasing today from mistrust, lack of communication, deceit and hate which all decline social values. Such as the common saying “Cheater’s never win and winners never cheat.” This goes with fair play, prosperity of self and others in an honest lifestyle. You must know your limitations in life and build on your strengths to face situations where honesty pays with integrity and good self-image.
a. Choose one of the examples Carter provides. Do you agree with Carter's reasoning?
Stephen L. Carter states that “one cannot have integrity without being honest but one can certainly be honest yet have little integrity.” He also states that “honesty can be used quite selfishly.” As he points out there are specific differences between honesty and integrity.
The statement in the first paragraph I used of Carter’s is linked to integrity and honesty and I do agree with his reasoning. Honesty is most laudable when we risk harm to ourselves he said, which is why I agree with his reasoning as well as he goes on to say that honesty becomes a good deal less if we instead risk harm to others when there is no gain to any other other than ourselves. I believe what he says about integrity also ties into the example I chose above and that is integrity may counsel keeping our secrets in order to spare the feelings of others as in the example of the wayward.
There are three constraints discussed in Carter’s insufficiency of Honesty essay that determined why I agree with his reasoning. One is integrity does require moral reflectiveness, second: integrity may cause conflict to be resolved and third: someone with integrity can be trusted. I also believe what ties all this together is the “American Core” that has six values necessary for good character that Carter spoke about and they are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, caring, fairness and citizenship.
My example is that in class many times students have plenty of opportunity to cheat during tests, quizzes or assignments. Integrity is not taking advantage of these opportunities and being honest with others especially yourself. I think if integrity didn’t exist many people in these situations would copy other people’s work and be dishonest. Think of how the world is today if Martin Luther King didn’t have the integrity to fight against segregation.
I also feel that it is important to recognize that integrity and honesty are quoted in the bible and the examples I have chosen are:
1) 1 Thessalonians 2:10 “You are witnesses, and God also, how holily, justly and honest, we behaved ourselves in front of all that believe.”
2) Proverbs 2:7 “He lad up solid wisdom for the righteous: he is a shield to them that walk with integrity.”
3) Titus 2:7 “Do away with all yourself, a pattern of good works: in teaching incorruptness, gravity, sincerity.”
I do believe that integrity is taking responsibility for one’s own actions, being in the military I was taught this first hand because straying from ones core values compromises both my own and another’s integrity. In the military we defined integrity as “Doing what is right legally, and morally.” This is so successful team building can be built.
A distant relative of mine I grew up with taught me honesty, not because he was honest but because he lied all the time. It seemed he took the easiest way out of any situation and I think he felt it was the best way out. This meant telling a lie that seemed believable and when we were young it seemed cool at the time to lie and then I started going to him with a problem or issue wanting to know what to do and of course he insisted I lie. Naturally, I would and soon found out that these occasions taught me that it was more painful to be caught in the lie than to actually tell the truth and be honest. I wondered why he never learned that lesson, and I had so painfully easily. He told so many lies after lie, but what bothered me the most about him being dishonest was that he used me in his lies.
I feel like living in the world these days is hard, people are not honest with each other which to me is a problem because it seems to always lead to someone getting hurt emotionally or physically. Actually in the end the truth eventually comes out and it causes more pain and a bigger problem, it seems much easier to me to have a clean conscious. “Honesty is the best policy.” So in researching this statement I also saw a series of comments regarding the definition of honesty, what I came up with is that human quality that values integrity and truth during communication with other people. Honesty is characterized by truth and sincerity and building a positive self-image, and creating a heart-warming social atmosphere.
Concluding that my agreeing with Carter’s statement leads me to end by saying that the faith of honesty may be decreasing today from mistrust, lack of communication, deceit and hate which all decline social values. Such as the common saying “Cheater’s never win and winners never cheat.” This goes with fair play, prosperity of self and others in an honest lifestyle. You must know your limitations in life and build on your strengths to face situations where honesty pays with integrity and good self-image.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Chapter four Paragraphs
Chapter four was a great learning experience for me that I felt I greatly needed to grasp some of these pointers so my enthuiasm opened up I noticed to absorb this chapter. Focusing on main points in sentences by restating them, recapping and summarizing arguments and expanding on topics I seemed to consider the broader meaning of what this was informing me to do when I read this chapter, more than I have before which I feel will be a great benefit going forward in helping my proofreading and hearing what I write from an audience point rather than my own personal experience of knowing what I am writing. I also found that relaxing so I can focus on my choices o fmy main points and how I develop them is a great tool to have so that all my sentences flow and relate to the topic in that paragraph or basically supporting the development of my single idea of the paragraph. I gathered what this means is that each paragraph should have its own topic sentence or main idea. The paragraph Hacker stated should have three main points including the topic sentence and then the conclusion tying them all together. This will form a clear concise eligible paper for your audience which is what chooses the suitable pattern of organization for the paper and the paragraphs.
Unity was mentioned in making paragraphs coherent, using transitional words to create understanding and structure. Bascially coherence combines every paragraph and sentence to contribute to the meaning of the topic. Suggested that you make sure that the sentences look good backward and forward for a paragraph to be coherent.
I think I have learned to write a paragraph and share it with someone to see if the meaning I am trying to relate to is the meaning that is being read. this obviously is a learning skill with practice to beable to write paragraphs from the heart that make sense to your reader and I look forward to using these skills to better my skills in writing readable coherent paragraphs and sentences going forward using these tools.
Thank you ...
Unity was mentioned in making paragraphs coherent, using transitional words to create understanding and structure. Bascially coherence combines every paragraph and sentence to contribute to the meaning of the topic. Suggested that you make sure that the sentences look good backward and forward for a paragraph to be coherent.
I think I have learned to write a paragraph and share it with someone to see if the meaning I am trying to relate to is the meaning that is being read. this obviously is a learning skill with practice to beable to write paragraphs from the heart that make sense to your reader and I look forward to using these skills to better my skills in writing readable coherent paragraphs and sentences going forward using these tools.
Thank you ...
Shooting Dad Dialogue
Shooting Dad Dialogue
What is the significance of the title?
Sarah struggles with her relationship with her father because he admires firearms and she music, both at high octane. She also conflict's with her Dad's politics one Repulic and the other democratic under the same roof. Sarah and her sister were allowed to voice their own opinions of politics and beliefs in the house and Sarah doesnt fall short holding her tongue which causes many disputes between her father and her.
I believe that the title of this story is directly related to the last sentence "Because when I blow what used to be my dad into the earth, I want it to hurt." I feel it has some sort of Farwell to arms meaning, finally peace resting of their differences but yet somewhat similarites just in different areas.
I think Sarah and her father both disillusioned themselves into believing each of their views was right but yet their relationship struggled in a tug-o-war, but yet the same person.
I found this reading so enjoyable, I shared it with my family because the way Sarah used comparisons was so interesting to me. This story captured my attention by how she used figures of speech, my imagination was inspired which lead me to ponder into what the title actually meant of this story. I think it was Sarah's way of preparing her written statement to burry her father with closure.
I think she feels that shooting her father out of that cannon is for the love of him and what his wishes are and therefore she feels is one of the most loving acts she will perform.
So I feel that Sarah realizes that she related to her father more than was acknowledged because in reality they existed harmoniously through different passions but yet similar dedications to their respective arts. I also see how Sarah may have felt she failed to see the appeal of her father's trait as his art, she later recognized that her Dad was a driven talented enthusiast and it was her that early on failed to see the appeal firearms possessed and finding a way to bond with her father.
What is the significance of the title?
Sarah struggles with her relationship with her father because he admires firearms and she music, both at high octane. She also conflict's with her Dad's politics one Repulic and the other democratic under the same roof. Sarah and her sister were allowed to voice their own opinions of politics and beliefs in the house and Sarah doesnt fall short holding her tongue which causes many disputes between her father and her.
I believe that the title of this story is directly related to the last sentence "Because when I blow what used to be my dad into the earth, I want it to hurt." I feel it has some sort of Farwell to arms meaning, finally peace resting of their differences but yet somewhat similarites just in different areas.
I think Sarah and her father both disillusioned themselves into believing each of their views was right but yet their relationship struggled in a tug-o-war, but yet the same person.
I found this reading so enjoyable, I shared it with my family because the way Sarah used comparisons was so interesting to me. This story captured my attention by how she used figures of speech, my imagination was inspired which lead me to ponder into what the title actually meant of this story. I think it was Sarah's way of preparing her written statement to burry her father with closure.
I think she feels that shooting her father out of that cannon is for the love of him and what his wishes are and therefore she feels is one of the most loving acts she will perform.
So I feel that Sarah realizes that she related to her father more than was acknowledged because in reality they existed harmoniously through different passions but yet similar dedications to their respective arts. I also see how Sarah may have felt she failed to see the appeal of her father's trait as his art, she later recognized that her Dad was a driven talented enthusiast and it was her that early on failed to see the appeal firearms possessed and finding a way to bond with her father.
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