I chose to give an overview of the chapters I found extremely helpful throughout the course in Diana Hackers, Rules for Writers book. The chapters I found most helpful were the ones dealing with writing research papers. The book gave specific guidelines and examples to help me through the research and arguing to construct an organized paper.
One of the areas in the book was Chapter 46 on constructing arguments which advises on how to construct a paper including the arguments. The chapter gives suggestions on how to backup the argument with facts and expert opinions with examples of papers which was extremely helpful to me because then I could see how the suggestions were used.
Chapter 47 I learned how to evaluate arguments and tactics writers use to argue their points. I think being able to see writers evaluate each other’s arguments and suggestions on avoiding pitfalls helped me to improve in these areas, especially because it offered specific arguments so that I could determine the problems of the arguments.
Chapter 48 was also helpful on conducting research, by helping you pick a topic and determine a research strategy. The book shows traditional and non-traditional sources of information, as well as suggestions on how to narrow a search when looking on the internet to write your paper.
The chapter I found the most valuable was chapter 49 evaluating sources, it gave specific guidelines on determining how valuable information is for my topic and how realiable the information is to my topic by giving a checklist to help me through writing my paper.
All these chapters gave specific information to easily and clearly help me from picking my topic, developing my arguments to researching the topic and being able to backup the topic with reliable sources. I will hang on to this book for future use.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
All I Asking for is My Body Week 14
All I Asking For Is My Body
Who is Makot? Do you feel sorry for him? What are your thoughts about him and the way he copes with his parents?
Makot is a teenage boy living in Pepelau, Hawaii with his parents they are a traditional Japanese family who migrated to the sugar plantation; he is also the main character of the story. Makot finds himself always hanging out with kids much younger than him, like Kiyosh. Makot comes from a wealthy family and seems to like to spend money on his group of friends and because of this I believe is the reason no one his age will hang out with him, they make fun of him and his family. There seems to be an oddity about Makot, he is always having his group of friends over for dinner. This is when Kiyoshi acquired the feeling that Makot’s parents act very strange and told his folks and they responded by saying that Makot’s parents are bad people and live a questionable life.
Makot appears to me to be somewhat childish, this could possibly be because his parents do not spend a lot of time with him as well as check up on what is doing, he seems to run free a lot. This could also be why his behavior toward his parents is arrogant and angered. I believe that Makot learned this behavior from his parents they are not a good role model and therefore the way they act or treat him affects the way Makot treats them. I also think this is why no one Makot’s age wants to be friends with him, which I find very sad.
Kiyoshi’s mother feels Makot is a bad influence and knows that he is getting caught up in the ideas that Makot introduced him to and they are not traditional ways she feels. Eventually, Kiyoshi has to tell Makot he cannot play with him anymore.
I think that Makot is losing his friends either because he is trying to buy them or because his parents are not approved of either way it seems there is always separation because of social -economic status.
Who is Makot? Do you feel sorry for him? What are your thoughts about him and the way he copes with his parents?
Makot is a teenage boy living in Pepelau, Hawaii with his parents they are a traditional Japanese family who migrated to the sugar plantation; he is also the main character of the story. Makot finds himself always hanging out with kids much younger than him, like Kiyosh. Makot comes from a wealthy family and seems to like to spend money on his group of friends and because of this I believe is the reason no one his age will hang out with him, they make fun of him and his family. There seems to be an oddity about Makot, he is always having his group of friends over for dinner. This is when Kiyoshi acquired the feeling that Makot’s parents act very strange and told his folks and they responded by saying that Makot’s parents are bad people and live a questionable life.
Makot appears to me to be somewhat childish, this could possibly be because his parents do not spend a lot of time with him as well as check up on what is doing, he seems to run free a lot. This could also be why his behavior toward his parents is arrogant and angered. I believe that Makot learned this behavior from his parents they are not a good role model and therefore the way they act or treat him affects the way Makot treats them. I also think this is why no one Makot’s age wants to be friends with him, which I find very sad.
Kiyoshi’s mother feels Makot is a bad influence and knows that he is getting caught up in the ideas that Makot introduced him to and they are not traditional ways she feels. Eventually, Kiyoshi has to tell Makot he cannot play with him anymore.
I think that Makot is losing his friends either because he is trying to buy them or because his parents are not approved of either way it seems there is always separation because of social -economic status.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Extra Credit week 13 Dartmouth's Program Writing About Film
“Extra Credit Dartmouth’s Writing Program on Writing About Film”
By Daye Richardson April 23, 2011
English 100 Section # 8736 Instructor: Servais
"Other cultures and nations have different values and so produce different sorts of films. Sometimes these films baffle us. We might watch a French film, for example, and wonder why it's funny. Or we might watch a Russian film and wonder why the director never calls for a close up. These observations are in fact excellent starting places. Consider differences. Find out if these differences reflect something about the national character, or if they reflect trends in the national cinema. You may find that you have something interesting to say."
—Dartmouth Writing Program, Writing about Film
In this extra credit assignment I took a look at Dartmouth’s writing program on writing about film which I found very helpful. This program contains a number of materials that answer a very important question about what an academic paper is as well as provide information on researching topics for writing.
I found it useful that this program was designed in categories of writing and getting to know glossary terms. The categories included: writing academically academically which was about starting the paper and having a critical eye, in humanities which explains how to write with tools for a art history-English-film-music-religion or philosophy paper, in social sciences gives great hints on the biology and chemistry of the paper, writing about sciences explains a lot of the same tools and advice for social science but without a social environment, and finally in special tasks which basically gives you hints on using English as a second language in writing, overcoming disabilities, how to write for a job or professional audience and which I found interesting was the writing a graduate school application.
This glossary of categories is referred back to many times throughout the program to use when analyzing movies before, during and after viewing them. This program discusses how to analyze the film in a review and a comprehensive analysis. Different types of film papers that can be written was pointed out, along with analyzing behind the scenes, sequence of parts of the film, the lighting and the history of the film to use in writing a paper about film.
The program talks about writing tips, which I found a great tool to store for myself and how not to write the paper as a review by using the word “I” and do not limit as you write in discussion of plot characters.
Throughout this program I learned at ways to look at and analyze movies and how the author suggests doing research on writing a paper. What I found is that looking at the reviews of certain films and what the director’s style is in film making was critical in analyzing a film to write a paper.
I found it helpful and well noted for future use on the information given on writing about film and the suggestions on writing from fellow students which to me is using the critiquing to help write a final paper. This program also addressed how to come up with a topic for a paper, developing your thesis, structure with logic and argument which were main points that I reviewed in this program and will take with me for future use.
Concluding that the main helpful tips of this program for me were the writing tips in writing about film being no different than other kinds of humanities papers was very useful and they included Don’t simply summarize a film or summarize camera angles or editing techniques, don’t limit yourself in talking about plot and characters, and lastly avoid using “I” so that you don’t fall into a review in writing your paper.
The last point that was stated was as prevalent that film is in our lives when writing about it we must find a familiarity with the film or this will present the greatest challenge when writing a paper. We also must recognize the invisible aspects about the film and then proceed as I mentioned above in writing the kind of paper you want to write about the film.
By Daye Richardson April 23, 2011
English 100 Section # 8736 Instructor: Servais
"Other cultures and nations have different values and so produce different sorts of films. Sometimes these films baffle us. We might watch a French film, for example, and wonder why it's funny. Or we might watch a Russian film and wonder why the director never calls for a close up. These observations are in fact excellent starting places. Consider differences. Find out if these differences reflect something about the national character, or if they reflect trends in the national cinema. You may find that you have something interesting to say."
—Dartmouth Writing Program, Writing about Film
In this extra credit assignment I took a look at Dartmouth’s writing program on writing about film which I found very helpful. This program contains a number of materials that answer a very important question about what an academic paper is as well as provide information on researching topics for writing.
I found it useful that this program was designed in categories of writing and getting to know glossary terms. The categories included: writing academically academically which was about starting the paper and having a critical eye, in humanities which explains how to write with tools for a art history-English-film-music-religion or philosophy paper, in social sciences gives great hints on the biology and chemistry of the paper, writing about sciences explains a lot of the same tools and advice for social science but without a social environment, and finally in special tasks which basically gives you hints on using English as a second language in writing, overcoming disabilities, how to write for a job or professional audience and which I found interesting was the writing a graduate school application.
This glossary of categories is referred back to many times throughout the program to use when analyzing movies before, during and after viewing them. This program discusses how to analyze the film in a review and a comprehensive analysis. Different types of film papers that can be written was pointed out, along with analyzing behind the scenes, sequence of parts of the film, the lighting and the history of the film to use in writing a paper about film.
The program talks about writing tips, which I found a great tool to store for myself and how not to write the paper as a review by using the word “I” and do not limit as you write in discussion of plot characters.
Throughout this program I learned at ways to look at and analyze movies and how the author suggests doing research on writing a paper. What I found is that looking at the reviews of certain films and what the director’s style is in film making was critical in analyzing a film to write a paper.
I found it helpful and well noted for future use on the information given on writing about film and the suggestions on writing from fellow students which to me is using the critiquing to help write a final paper. This program also addressed how to come up with a topic for a paper, developing your thesis, structure with logic and argument which were main points that I reviewed in this program and will take with me for future use.
Concluding that the main helpful tips of this program for me were the writing tips in writing about film being no different than other kinds of humanities papers was very useful and they included Don’t simply summarize a film or summarize camera angles or editing techniques, don’t limit yourself in talking about plot and characters, and lastly avoid using “I” so that you don’t fall into a review in writing your paper.
The last point that was stated was as prevalent that film is in our lives when writing about it we must find a familiarity with the film or this will present the greatest challenge when writing a paper. We also must recognize the invisible aspects about the film and then proceed as I mentioned above in writing the kind of paper you want to write about the film.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Week 13 Essay 3 Workshop
What role does forgiveness play in smoke signals?
I wanted to start this essay with the part where Victor, a young Native American boy, is asked by his parents who his favorite Indian is and he replies “nobody”…of course they didn’t believe that answer nor settle for it. They asked him several more times and he kept saying, “nobody”, until he replied for the last time with a yell “Nobody!” He grew up not trusting people; he carries a lot of bitterness and hopelessness. This leads me into why I chose how forgiveness plays a role in this particular film.
Forgiveness is strongly portrayed in the part where Victor throws his father’s ashes off the bridge into the river and lets out his primal scream, but what I noticed that is also conveyed in this part is Victor is also able to let go of the bitterness and hopelessness he has carried with him his whole life since childhood. What ties forgiveness all together in this film is the last line of the movie showing Thomas asking “if we forgive our fathers, what is left?” This line is an adaption of the film, which makes me wonder why it is so hard forgiving those that are closest to us and usually it isn’t until they are no longer living and then we realize how much it helps, just as Victor experienced and revealed through this film. I believe that forgiveness gives us freedom and love possibly without the stigma of “daddy” that weighs us down. The last line in the film portraying forgiveness is taken from the poem written by Dick Lourie, called “forgiving our Fathers”. Lourie, is a self-described beatnik poet that brought a beauty to the motional climax of this film through his poem.
(Referenced website:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080627084016AAbcdTe)
I must say the film also coaxed my response out, of emotional abandonment I have with my father, so as I sat watching, crying out as if a blubbering-fest was taken place, I found that I had something in common with Victor self-reconciliation. I truly felt the movie tenderly moved through love, pain and hopelessness through twisted past and present scenes so well, you can see in these scenes how the emotions were faced and felt by Victor and Thomas, I too sat there watching and experiencing them within myself.
Watching this film I could see the alienation and reconciliation displayed through the Native American eyes of Victor and Thomas as they begin the film toward understanding of two opposites shared on common culture land.
Victor had to forgive the years of abuse and alcoholism that destroyed his family as it raged through his life from his father, until he separated from his mother and eventually his father died in a fire. This is also depicted in the beginning of the film narrated by Thomas of children who are born of fire and ash. Then the film opens up displaying the struggle Victor undergoes facing his past and recovering his lost identity from the personal effects of his father in a warrior role he takes on a journey with his friend Thomas in a sensitive manner.
This film is a depiction of contemporary Native American culture through a journey of Thomas and Victor Joseph’s lives woven together that leads us through the film with keen understanding of a sensitivity of universal human emotion and social commentary with love, regret, pain and forgiveness which can be related to and not just that but that these characters show moments of humor, sadness through the past and present that we understand. Both of these boys learn acceptance, human compassion, perseverance understanding and forgiveness in which is sad and comforting in this film and also opened me up to care about them. I too compared my life experiences of learning to accept and forgive my father with compassion and understanding to let go and go on with my life.
The forgiveness shown in this film certainly made me think, I wondered if Victor needed to find forgiveness for his father because his father could not forgive himself for the life he gave his family, which certainly gave me heavy thoughts into my own life of suffering of this. I also believe that by Victor forgiving his father he will then be able to move on with his own life as I have mine and possibly make his life for his children different then his own. I also thought that possibly it is us that needs to ask for forgiveness and that we are here to teach our fathers and not the other way around and we may need to find forgiveness for our fathers in our age and not in theirs or at their deaths. Forgiveness is the central theme of this movie and is important to viewers everywhere, it is about letting go and what holding on does to us and even learning to forgive the unforgivable. This film is about what has happened in our past and our present and what we become because of things our fathers did when we were young and how find forgiveness from the rage. This film has such a strong plot that triggers lost feelings of not ever understanding our fathers or ourselves because things were never expressed the way they were meant to be or things were done that couldn’t be forgiven.
This film does not receive the recognition it deserves and it seems to be largely misunderstood as it shows the quality of a very sad life on a Native American Indian reservation. I think that this movie talks to everyone about forgiveness no matter what ethnic background they may be and I think if it hadn’t been for my English teacher I may have missed watching this amazing film myself. Thank you!!
References:
1. Alexie, S. (1998). Forgiveness on movie Smoke Signals . In Smoke Signals (p.
196). English : Hyperion; 1st edition (July 1, 1998). (Reprinted from
Smoke Signals , 2008, November 21, Movie , pp. ISBN-13: 978-0786883929)
I wanted to start this essay with the part where Victor, a young Native American boy, is asked by his parents who his favorite Indian is and he replies “nobody”…of course they didn’t believe that answer nor settle for it. They asked him several more times and he kept saying, “nobody”, until he replied for the last time with a yell “Nobody!” He grew up not trusting people; he carries a lot of bitterness and hopelessness. This leads me into why I chose how forgiveness plays a role in this particular film.
Forgiveness is strongly portrayed in the part where Victor throws his father’s ashes off the bridge into the river and lets out his primal scream, but what I noticed that is also conveyed in this part is Victor is also able to let go of the bitterness and hopelessness he has carried with him his whole life since childhood. What ties forgiveness all together in this film is the last line of the movie showing Thomas asking “if we forgive our fathers, what is left?” This line is an adaption of the film, which makes me wonder why it is so hard forgiving those that are closest to us and usually it isn’t until they are no longer living and then we realize how much it helps, just as Victor experienced and revealed through this film. I believe that forgiveness gives us freedom and love possibly without the stigma of “daddy” that weighs us down. The last line in the film portraying forgiveness is taken from the poem written by Dick Lourie, called “forgiving our Fathers”. Lourie, is a self-described beatnik poet that brought a beauty to the motional climax of this film through his poem.
(Referenced website:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080627084016AAbcdTe)
I must say the film also coaxed my response out, of emotional abandonment I have with my father, so as I sat watching, crying out as if a blubbering-fest was taken place, I found that I had something in common with Victor self-reconciliation. I truly felt the movie tenderly moved through love, pain and hopelessness through twisted past and present scenes so well, you can see in these scenes how the emotions were faced and felt by Victor and Thomas, I too sat there watching and experiencing them within myself.
Watching this film I could see the alienation and reconciliation displayed through the Native American eyes of Victor and Thomas as they begin the film toward understanding of two opposites shared on common culture land.
Victor had to forgive the years of abuse and alcoholism that destroyed his family as it raged through his life from his father, until he separated from his mother and eventually his father died in a fire. This is also depicted in the beginning of the film narrated by Thomas of children who are born of fire and ash. Then the film opens up displaying the struggle Victor undergoes facing his past and recovering his lost identity from the personal effects of his father in a warrior role he takes on a journey with his friend Thomas in a sensitive manner.
This film is a depiction of contemporary Native American culture through a journey of Thomas and Victor Joseph’s lives woven together that leads us through the film with keen understanding of a sensitivity of universal human emotion and social commentary with love, regret, pain and forgiveness which can be related to and not just that but that these characters show moments of humor, sadness through the past and present that we understand. Both of these boys learn acceptance, human compassion, perseverance understanding and forgiveness in which is sad and comforting in this film and also opened me up to care about them. I too compared my life experiences of learning to accept and forgive my father with compassion and understanding to let go and go on with my life.
The forgiveness shown in this film certainly made me think, I wondered if Victor needed to find forgiveness for his father because his father could not forgive himself for the life he gave his family, which certainly gave me heavy thoughts into my own life of suffering of this. I also believe that by Victor forgiving his father he will then be able to move on with his own life as I have mine and possibly make his life for his children different then his own. I also thought that possibly it is us that needs to ask for forgiveness and that we are here to teach our fathers and not the other way around and we may need to find forgiveness for our fathers in our age and not in theirs or at their deaths. Forgiveness is the central theme of this movie and is important to viewers everywhere, it is about letting go and what holding on does to us and even learning to forgive the unforgivable. This film is about what has happened in our past and our present and what we become because of things our fathers did when we were young and how find forgiveness from the rage. This film has such a strong plot that triggers lost feelings of not ever understanding our fathers or ourselves because things were never expressed the way they were meant to be or things were done that couldn’t be forgiven.
This film does not receive the recognition it deserves and it seems to be largely misunderstood as it shows the quality of a very sad life on a Native American Indian reservation. I think that this movie talks to everyone about forgiveness no matter what ethnic background they may be and I think if it hadn’t been for my English teacher I may have missed watching this amazing film myself. Thank you!!
References:
1. Alexie, S. (1998). Forgiveness on movie Smoke Signals . In Smoke Signals (p.
196). English : Hyperion; 1st edition (July 1, 1998). (Reprinted from
Smoke Signals , 2008, November 21, Movie , pp. ISBN-13: 978-0786883929)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
"This is What it means to say Phoenix Arizona" Dialogue
Are you more impressed with the film or the story? Why?
“This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”. Some of the differences of the story and the film are that in the short story they travel to Arizona by airplane while in the film they travel by bus. Other major changes include the addition of parts in the story for the film which was possibly to increase the length for viewers. One example in the film was when Thomas and Victor walk to Victor’s Father’s home from the bus and in the book they take a taxi. Suzy Song is also in the movie and not discussed in any of the stories of the book. In addition, I noticed that they added the dialogue and actions with the part about the fry bread in the film and this is not talked about in the book at all. It seems in the film a lot of phrases, places and characters were added that were not mentioned in the book which is why I was impressed more watching the film than reading the book.
I would have to say that whether you are a book reader or a film buff, this story is a look at sometimes difficult, sometimes brilliant times of these characters lives but from printed page to the big screen both capture a remarkable story that it is hard to decide which I liked more. Although the film did include parts that were not in the book which seemed to give the story zest to me, but in the book the characters seemed more real than they did in the film.
The book has a great way of teaching the way of Native Americans and how they were treated in the past which is not much different then now. Although I feel the book is a rough draft of the story as to where the film develops into a much more interesting story.
I think the film has great actors which gave the story life much more to me than the book and this is the main reason I preferred the movie over the book, Evan Adam is brilliant as Thomas and he brought a story of Native Americans that I think is somewhat understated out in a better way through the movie than you clearly see in the book. What I found with the film that I didn’t with the book is the understanding of American Indians lives on a reservation which included: poverty, inability to improve their economic status, addiction, public alcoholism, racism and domestic violence. The scene in the film that this brings to mind is when Victor’s father lights Thomas’ parent’s home on fire being intoxicated, and the scene that shows domestic violence is highlighted by Victor’s father’s abuse to his mother. I had a better picture of the social, cultural, political and personal issues faced by American Indians living on reservations that was expressed in the film that the book didn’t seem to make as clear to me.
“This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”. Some of the differences of the story and the film are that in the short story they travel to Arizona by airplane while in the film they travel by bus. Other major changes include the addition of parts in the story for the film which was possibly to increase the length for viewers. One example in the film was when Thomas and Victor walk to Victor’s Father’s home from the bus and in the book they take a taxi. Suzy Song is also in the movie and not discussed in any of the stories of the book. In addition, I noticed that they added the dialogue and actions with the part about the fry bread in the film and this is not talked about in the book at all. It seems in the film a lot of phrases, places and characters were added that were not mentioned in the book which is why I was impressed more watching the film than reading the book.
I would have to say that whether you are a book reader or a film buff, this story is a look at sometimes difficult, sometimes brilliant times of these characters lives but from printed page to the big screen both capture a remarkable story that it is hard to decide which I liked more. Although the film did include parts that were not in the book which seemed to give the story zest to me, but in the book the characters seemed more real than they did in the film.
The book has a great way of teaching the way of Native Americans and how they were treated in the past which is not much different then now. Although I feel the book is a rough draft of the story as to where the film develops into a much more interesting story.
I think the film has great actors which gave the story life much more to me than the book and this is the main reason I preferred the movie over the book, Evan Adam is brilliant as Thomas and he brought a story of Native Americans that I think is somewhat understated out in a better way through the movie than you clearly see in the book. What I found with the film that I didn’t with the book is the understanding of American Indians lives on a reservation which included: poverty, inability to improve their economic status, addiction, public alcoholism, racism and domestic violence. The scene in the film that this brings to mind is when Victor’s father lights Thomas’ parent’s home on fire being intoxicated, and the scene that shows domestic violence is highlighted by Victor’s father’s abuse to his mother. I had a better picture of the social, cultural, political and personal issues faced by American Indians living on reservations that was expressed in the film that the book didn’t seem to make as clear to me.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Clarity Chapter Rules for Writer's Week 11
I have chosen the chapter on Clarity, particularly emphasizing on untangle mixed constructions, which I need to focus on so I thought it was fitting.
I have at many times myself read emails or letters from someone that was too wordy, lacked focus, and left me confused. So, how do you compose a writing that someone actually wants to read? I understand this is crucial to getting my message across no matter what I am writing about. Clear and concise writing is vital to having words read and understood; I seem to spend a lot of time over worded thoughts.
Diana Hacker suggests, to spend some time thinking about what you are going to write, which too often I think this is overshadowed by my concern with content and I fail to express myself clearly which in return my content doesn’t even get read.
Hacker suggested pretending that you are writing for someone else that way you don’t worry about your own performance, what a great concept one I would like to hang on to and store for future use. Hacker goes on to say, that you can then focus on the performance of your words in terms of the audience who will read it rather than you as your own audience. This seems liberating to me, possibly in developing a better relationship with my writing so that I am the director of my own words, sentences, paragraphs, punctuations. Hacker mentions that carefully directed words create clarity! (94)
I slowly am getting the techniques and developing the skills of writing, although in the particular area of clarity I seem to still struggle. I am not ever sure I think clearly, so how will I be able to untangle enough to write with clarity, it all seems like a new transition. I seem to try to write more intelligently and attractively than I need to or so this is a hint that Hacker suggests is common in writers. Possibly it comes across as trying too hard and it isn’t attractive writing this way. I can see how it is more important to be clear and inviting to my readers to write with clarity rather than try to impress with language or clever ways that end up diminishing the message. So, my first lesson of this chapter is learning to inform my readers, rather than impress them. Ultimately, I stand a better chance impressing my readers with expressed points that are clear.
I usually have a general idea of what I want to say, but apparently I am not very good at capturing it in one short sentence. I seem to touch my topic with different angles and all the bits of information that I think is relevant instead of being clear about my message, which is a common mistake Hacker points out in this chapter. Thinking back about this, a lot of the time my comments are that my writing is usually readable and professional sounding, but my readers come away thinking that they understood the gist of my intent but that they can’t really say what the point was exactly. Hacker says, this is because I never really knew what it was either.
I think this may be a possibility of too many distractions; I need to find a space to clear my mind so that my writing is precise. My focus a lot of the time is eradicated, which I will now start finding space to myself for my writing without outside influences.
Also Hacker suggests developing a clear mental state for writing, by reading broadly; searching for the right words instead of intelligent sounding words, and this will provide a much more natural feel with clear fluid writing. As well as exposing myself to new ideas and perspectives which she goes onto state this opens you up to think more critically in general and enables you to concentrate on the subjects on which I am writing about.
My key ideas I will take with me from this chapter are: clearing my writing space, block off time for writing, and eliminate distractions for starters. Next, I will take time to think about my subject thoroughly and then write out in one or two short sentences the main idea I am trying to get across. Consider my purpose of the writing and my expected outcome. This will serve as a guide for structure in my writing that I can refer back to, Hacker states.
Instead of reaching for soaring words and phrases I can just write as normal people speak; of course Hacker suggests adjusting for the difference between spoken words and written words.
I also realize that a summary or thesis statement is like a company’s mission statement, it is the clear direction of whatever I am writing about. My headline acts as my guiding force for my entire piece of writing. Once I have this, as my reference point I can then begin to write with more clarity and purpose.
I have at many times myself read emails or letters from someone that was too wordy, lacked focus, and left me confused. So, how do you compose a writing that someone actually wants to read? I understand this is crucial to getting my message across no matter what I am writing about. Clear and concise writing is vital to having words read and understood; I seem to spend a lot of time over worded thoughts.
Diana Hacker suggests, to spend some time thinking about what you are going to write, which too often I think this is overshadowed by my concern with content and I fail to express myself clearly which in return my content doesn’t even get read.
Hacker suggested pretending that you are writing for someone else that way you don’t worry about your own performance, what a great concept one I would like to hang on to and store for future use. Hacker goes on to say, that you can then focus on the performance of your words in terms of the audience who will read it rather than you as your own audience. This seems liberating to me, possibly in developing a better relationship with my writing so that I am the director of my own words, sentences, paragraphs, punctuations. Hacker mentions that carefully directed words create clarity! (94)
I slowly am getting the techniques and developing the skills of writing, although in the particular area of clarity I seem to still struggle. I am not ever sure I think clearly, so how will I be able to untangle enough to write with clarity, it all seems like a new transition. I seem to try to write more intelligently and attractively than I need to or so this is a hint that Hacker suggests is common in writers. Possibly it comes across as trying too hard and it isn’t attractive writing this way. I can see how it is more important to be clear and inviting to my readers to write with clarity rather than try to impress with language or clever ways that end up diminishing the message. So, my first lesson of this chapter is learning to inform my readers, rather than impress them. Ultimately, I stand a better chance impressing my readers with expressed points that are clear.
I usually have a general idea of what I want to say, but apparently I am not very good at capturing it in one short sentence. I seem to touch my topic with different angles and all the bits of information that I think is relevant instead of being clear about my message, which is a common mistake Hacker points out in this chapter. Thinking back about this, a lot of the time my comments are that my writing is usually readable and professional sounding, but my readers come away thinking that they understood the gist of my intent but that they can’t really say what the point was exactly. Hacker says, this is because I never really knew what it was either.
I think this may be a possibility of too many distractions; I need to find a space to clear my mind so that my writing is precise. My focus a lot of the time is eradicated, which I will now start finding space to myself for my writing without outside influences.
Also Hacker suggests developing a clear mental state for writing, by reading broadly; searching for the right words instead of intelligent sounding words, and this will provide a much more natural feel with clear fluid writing. As well as exposing myself to new ideas and perspectives which she goes onto state this opens you up to think more critically in general and enables you to concentrate on the subjects on which I am writing about.
My key ideas I will take with me from this chapter are: clearing my writing space, block off time for writing, and eliminate distractions for starters. Next, I will take time to think about my subject thoroughly and then write out in one or two short sentences the main idea I am trying to get across. Consider my purpose of the writing and my expected outcome. This will serve as a guide for structure in my writing that I can refer back to, Hacker states.
Instead of reaching for soaring words and phrases I can just write as normal people speak; of course Hacker suggests adjusting for the difference between spoken words and written words.
I also realize that a summary or thesis statement is like a company’s mission statement, it is the clear direction of whatever I am writing about. My headline acts as my guiding force for my entire piece of writing. Once I have this, as my reference point I can then begin to write with more clarity and purpose.
Smoke Signals Dialogue
Smoke Signals seems to be a successful film based exclusively of Native American Persons. The film explores the relationship between Victor Joseph and Thomas, which is important aspect of this film and what I chose to discuss for this writing.
In the beginning of the film, Thomas’s grandmother says to Victor’s mother that “Victor is a good name, because it means he’s gonna win.” I feel this is truly an inspiring part of the movie. The other scene is also in the beginning of the movie where Thomas says, “You know, there are some children who aren’t really children at all, they’re just pillars of flame that burn everything they touch. And there are some children who are just pillars of ash, that fall apart if you touch’em. Me and Victor – we were children born of flame and ash.”
The movie Smoke Signals, is written by Coeur D’ Alene Sherman Alexie and is based on a short story collection, which includes The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. For the purpose of this week Smoke Signals will be the focus of topic. The movie depicts a journey from Coeur D’ Alene reservation in Idaho to Phoenix by two teen-aged Indians, Victor Joseph and Thomas, they are headed to Victor’s fathers trailer because he has just died and Victor is returning his ashes to the reservation. This journey shows how the boys move from the reservation into the United States facing discrimination and stereotypes along the way head on. In my opinion if I may, we have all had points to make and scores to settle the Native Americans are not singled out. I think this film mirrors reality but is not overwhelming with sociological critiques.
Thomas, who Victor regards as a pest, begs to be taken along, this is basically where their relation to each other develops the central make up of the movie. Thomas is looked at as somewhat of a nerd, eccentric, a smiling young man on the reservation, the girls laugh at him, but Thomas Joseph allows him to accompany his travels. At one point in the film there is a scene where, Victor requests Thomas to “get stoic, undue his braids and lose the suit.” Thomas certainly is a complex character in the film, which blends traditional American Indian traits and contemporary American ones. An example, Thomas unties his braids at Victor’s request and puts on a T-shirt that says “Fry bread Power.” I think this is when it shows him transition in his character from the traditional to the contemporary American Indian. Thomas seems to serve as a spiritual guide for Victor. Thomas seems to be portrayed as a threat to white culture with a storytelling fetish but yet an extreme need to tell the truth.
I noticed this movie is built on honesty, partly due to the location being on a reservation and the other the way the characters are portrayed and develop and unfold in the movie and that truth is depicted much the same way that time is treated by American Indians. There is a particular scene of the movie, which I believe is the line between truth and lies that is powerful in this movie and also prior to the boys leaving where Sonya Song, Thomas Joseph’s ex-girlfriend says, “Do you want lies or the truth?” and he responded by saying, “I want both”, to me this shows a little tricky type of a character in him. Thomas seems to represent traditional Indian values, but it seems he has little concern about whether his stories are truth or not. Such as when he lied to Sonya about Victor hitting a winning shot, but in reality he missed the shot and lost the game. These stories he told seem to be a theme of the movie for his character.
Victor and Arnold are brought together through Victor’s father, who rescued Thomas as an infant from a house fire that killed his parents, so Thomas considers him a hero. On the other side, Victor has to endure his alcoholism, domestic violence and as I will discuss again later abandonment from his father, he has deep love and bitter resentment toward his father for these things. The boys grow up together as neighbors, fighting each other and at the same time forming a close alliance. Victor being the stoic and pragmatic one and Thomas more idealistic and traditional, this shows in the film as Victor’s irritation with Thomas and Thomas’s fascination with Victor. They both are true to their identity as Indians but their perspectives differ throughout the movie although the trip seems to be a soul-searching endeavor for both of them. Arnold, Victor’s father dies in Phoenix where he lived after leaving Victor’s mother Arlene this is what leads to the journey that the boys will embark together cross country to retrieve his ashes and belongings.
Continuing into the relationship of Victor and Thomas there is a scene where they are heading back to the reservation in an old truck which belonged to Thomas’s dad and they have a heated argument. Thomas shows aggression and yells at Victor telling him that he doesn’t know who he is and accuses him of making his mother cry although most of the time they are cordial and Victor always seems enthused to hear Thomas’s stories. There are several scenes that show a very abrasive and confrontational relationship between the two of them. There is also a great deal of humor in the movie that seems to be a way the movie uses this to show the characters connecting with people who have nothing in common.
I must mention a particular funny scene where there was a moment in the end of the film that Victor and Thomas were praised for their bravery because they witnessed a drunken driving accident. I mention this particular scene because it caught my attention that the nurse said, the two of them are like the lone ranger and tonto and Thomas corrects the nurse by saying, “No, we’re more like Tonto and Tonto.” As though it is depicted to show how American Indians do not always stick together. I also see this throughout the film by how Victor in the beginning wants nothing to do with Thomas and that he may even be using him for his money because they argue and fight throughout the film. It is also said in the movie that “the most intense competition on any reservation is Indians versus Indians.”
This movie is a true journey between two different types of men who form a comradeship as Victor finds the healing he needs to forgive his father. We see flashbacks of both of these men’s lives throughout the movie, which to some extent threw my attention off a little; although it also reminded me to pay attention that I am not doing this in my writing as I generally do. I also see that these flashbacks give a vivid idea of how events throughout their lives affected them in their present. The scene I will point out that shows this is when Victor remembered a party his parents had when he was a child that leads to his father leaving and his mother to stop drinking. My belief is that these flashbacks are showing a gradual view of what happened in these boys lives and it gives us a way of connecting to the movie. This gives comfort to the movie but it also tells the story of accepting whatever fate has handed to these boys.
The final scene of the movie is what ties it altogether for me, Victor finally poured his fathers ashes into the river and during this moment we hear his words and message of forgiveness which seems to be that the movie is not only about honesty as I believed in the beginning but also about forgiveness, he thanks Thomas for his support and wisdom, I think this is where the movie shows an understanding of a more tangible and meaningful relationship between Thomas and Victor. I also felt a sense of redemption towards Victor’s feelings of his father and also of his own identity and a way he could separate from his abandonment of his father.
In the beginning of the film, Thomas’s grandmother says to Victor’s mother that “Victor is a good name, because it means he’s gonna win.” I feel this is truly an inspiring part of the movie. The other scene is also in the beginning of the movie where Thomas says, “You know, there are some children who aren’t really children at all, they’re just pillars of flame that burn everything they touch. And there are some children who are just pillars of ash, that fall apart if you touch’em. Me and Victor – we were children born of flame and ash.”
The movie Smoke Signals, is written by Coeur D’ Alene Sherman Alexie and is based on a short story collection, which includes The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. For the purpose of this week Smoke Signals will be the focus of topic. The movie depicts a journey from Coeur D’ Alene reservation in Idaho to Phoenix by two teen-aged Indians, Victor Joseph and Thomas, they are headed to Victor’s fathers trailer because he has just died and Victor is returning his ashes to the reservation. This journey shows how the boys move from the reservation into the United States facing discrimination and stereotypes along the way head on. In my opinion if I may, we have all had points to make and scores to settle the Native Americans are not singled out. I think this film mirrors reality but is not overwhelming with sociological critiques.
Thomas, who Victor regards as a pest, begs to be taken along, this is basically where their relation to each other develops the central make up of the movie. Thomas is looked at as somewhat of a nerd, eccentric, a smiling young man on the reservation, the girls laugh at him, but Thomas Joseph allows him to accompany his travels. At one point in the film there is a scene where, Victor requests Thomas to “get stoic, undue his braids and lose the suit.” Thomas certainly is a complex character in the film, which blends traditional American Indian traits and contemporary American ones. An example, Thomas unties his braids at Victor’s request and puts on a T-shirt that says “Fry bread Power.” I think this is when it shows him transition in his character from the traditional to the contemporary American Indian. Thomas seems to serve as a spiritual guide for Victor. Thomas seems to be portrayed as a threat to white culture with a storytelling fetish but yet an extreme need to tell the truth.
I noticed this movie is built on honesty, partly due to the location being on a reservation and the other the way the characters are portrayed and develop and unfold in the movie and that truth is depicted much the same way that time is treated by American Indians. There is a particular scene of the movie, which I believe is the line between truth and lies that is powerful in this movie and also prior to the boys leaving where Sonya Song, Thomas Joseph’s ex-girlfriend says, “Do you want lies or the truth?” and he responded by saying, “I want both”, to me this shows a little tricky type of a character in him. Thomas seems to represent traditional Indian values, but it seems he has little concern about whether his stories are truth or not. Such as when he lied to Sonya about Victor hitting a winning shot, but in reality he missed the shot and lost the game. These stories he told seem to be a theme of the movie for his character.
Victor and Arnold are brought together through Victor’s father, who rescued Thomas as an infant from a house fire that killed his parents, so Thomas considers him a hero. On the other side, Victor has to endure his alcoholism, domestic violence and as I will discuss again later abandonment from his father, he has deep love and bitter resentment toward his father for these things. The boys grow up together as neighbors, fighting each other and at the same time forming a close alliance. Victor being the stoic and pragmatic one and Thomas more idealistic and traditional, this shows in the film as Victor’s irritation with Thomas and Thomas’s fascination with Victor. They both are true to their identity as Indians but their perspectives differ throughout the movie although the trip seems to be a soul-searching endeavor for both of them. Arnold, Victor’s father dies in Phoenix where he lived after leaving Victor’s mother Arlene this is what leads to the journey that the boys will embark together cross country to retrieve his ashes and belongings.
Continuing into the relationship of Victor and Thomas there is a scene where they are heading back to the reservation in an old truck which belonged to Thomas’s dad and they have a heated argument. Thomas shows aggression and yells at Victor telling him that he doesn’t know who he is and accuses him of making his mother cry although most of the time they are cordial and Victor always seems enthused to hear Thomas’s stories. There are several scenes that show a very abrasive and confrontational relationship between the two of them. There is also a great deal of humor in the movie that seems to be a way the movie uses this to show the characters connecting with people who have nothing in common.
I must mention a particular funny scene where there was a moment in the end of the film that Victor and Thomas were praised for their bravery because they witnessed a drunken driving accident. I mention this particular scene because it caught my attention that the nurse said, the two of them are like the lone ranger and tonto and Thomas corrects the nurse by saying, “No, we’re more like Tonto and Tonto.” As though it is depicted to show how American Indians do not always stick together. I also see this throughout the film by how Victor in the beginning wants nothing to do with Thomas and that he may even be using him for his money because they argue and fight throughout the film. It is also said in the movie that “the most intense competition on any reservation is Indians versus Indians.”
This movie is a true journey between two different types of men who form a comradeship as Victor finds the healing he needs to forgive his father. We see flashbacks of both of these men’s lives throughout the movie, which to some extent threw my attention off a little; although it also reminded me to pay attention that I am not doing this in my writing as I generally do. I also see that these flashbacks give a vivid idea of how events throughout their lives affected them in their present. The scene I will point out that shows this is when Victor remembered a party his parents had when he was a child that leads to his father leaving and his mother to stop drinking. My belief is that these flashbacks are showing a gradual view of what happened in these boys lives and it gives us a way of connecting to the movie. This gives comfort to the movie but it also tells the story of accepting whatever fate has handed to these boys.
The final scene of the movie is what ties it altogether for me, Victor finally poured his fathers ashes into the river and during this moment we hear his words and message of forgiveness which seems to be that the movie is not only about honesty as I believed in the beginning but also about forgiveness, he thanks Thomas for his support and wisdom, I think this is where the movie shows an understanding of a more tangible and meaningful relationship between Thomas and Victor. I also felt a sense of redemption towards Victor’s feelings of his father and also of his own identity and a way he could separate from his abandonment of his father.
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