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.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
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.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Happy Endings, Obituary and Oompah Loompahs Week 10
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.
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.
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
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