Classroom Discussion

For the past few weeks we have continued to learn the skills needed to read literature closely. Like the strange acronym STIFS for poetry. This is very much like DIDLS but focuses much more on imagery because of the nature of poems. 
Also we have been discussing Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman". This play is interesting to me and the rest of the class because it makes you almost bipolar, one second you pity Willy and the next you think he is the worst man ever. Because of this emotional roller coaster we have been discussing tragedies and what it is. As a class I think at the moment we are saying that this is tragic but not a tragedy. But we may be mistaken because we seemed unsure of the situation upon leaving class Friday. 
I am enjoying these Socratic discussions because I think that we come up with many original ideas this way. I  am excited to see what we will have to say tomorrow and I love relating this play to other works of art. 

2008 Question 3 Response 3C Analysis:

Your introduction is confusing, “In the book The Kite Runner, it is discovered that the character Baba is also the father to Hanssan, who was his servant’s son.” I reread this a few times and I think the trouble in this sentence is the word also, what are you comparing this too? Furthermore, it is worded awkwardly. The first sentence sets the tone for an essay and this sentence is showing that you are unsure of what to write. As you continue with the essay it is obvious that you are filling space, we know what a foil is so explaining that Baba “emphasizes the good qualities in Hassan.” is unnecessary.

As you continue you keep your argument very basic with short sentences. If you expand on your thoughts a bit more, your essay will be much better. Also you may think about rewriting the introduction and try to talk about foils in the conclusion, not about the theme of the story.

2008 Question 3 Response 3B Analysis

This has a great introduction paragraph. I know that you are planning to talk about Celle’s father as the foil and it gives a short and simple synopsis of “The Color Purple”. The next paragraph starts off powerful, talking about the direct actions of Celle’s father and their impact on Celle, “With none to turn to, Celle has no means of coping with her fears; therefore she believes that she should sucumb to a man’s demands.” You make it clear here that her father’s rape made her who she was, a servant to men.

Next you go off topic about her husband. Although it does show Celle’s lack of will power against men, it does not show how her father is her foil. It is important on these timed essays that the question is read multiple times while writing because this paragraph it would have been easy to tie her actions in with her father. Also, you introduce Shug in a way that makes her seem as if she is Celle’s foil, “When Celle meets Shug her entire life changes.” This is confusing when you are trying to show how her father is the foil.

Overall you did okay but just remember to stay focused on the question, you can rant about other characters to friends and family after this paper.  

2008 Question 3 Response 3A Analysis

This is a well written essay. As I have not read the story I thought that the summary was a great way to explain the foil in this story, although at times it was a bit detailed. I am impressed with the evidence you chose to support your choice of Huang as Lindo’s foil, with sentences like “Because of Huangs treatment to Lindo, she found the power within herself to not just accept this forced marriage, and do something to change it.” This sentence gives a direct example of Huang’s evil acts that contrast with Lindo’s self empowered resolve. Also, you seem confident in all aspects of this essay and because you are sure of your opinion, the essay flows. The only suggestions that I would give would be a more intriguing introductory paragraph because it drags on near the end and I would shorten the summary slightly for similar reasons.

Summary and Analysis of the American Dream

Edward Albee:

• Born in 1928
• Mistaken as a theater of the absurd playwright  
• Adopted and ran away from his adoptive parents
• “ I am not a gay writer. I am a writer who happens to be gay.”

Setting:

• An apartment living room with the layout of furniture described in detail
• Although set in the 60’s the play happens presently

Plot

• Mommy and Daddy sit across the living room from each other waiting for their visitor(s)
• Mommy talks about her trip to the hat store, in which she runs into the Mrs. Barker who informs Mommy that her hat is not beige, but wheat
• Mommy throws a tantrum and ends up with the same hat
• Mommy says she can get satisfaction but Daddy can not and complains about Mrs. Barker and compliments her crippled husband
• Grandma then enters with her wrapped boxes
• Characters chat and argue about old people, Mommy’s lunches as a kid, and Mommy living off of Daddy’s money
• Daddy then has a sexual experience with Mommy about opening the door while Grandma watches
• In comes Mrs. Barker a professional woman
• All characters are confused about the reason for the visit except Grandma who is constantly silenced by Mommy
• Daddy goes to break Grandma’s t.v. and Mommy goes to get water for Mrs. Barker while Grandma tells the story of Mommy and Daddy’s abused “bumble”
• Mrs. Barker is confused and Daddy and Mommy cannot find anything, not even the water
• Mrs. Barker is called to help find the water and Grandma opens the door to the Young Man who is searching for money
• Grandma has him help bring her bags downstairs and they talk about Uncle Henrys Day Old cake and his emptiness
• Grandma sends him into the apartment and she stays in the audience
• Mommy is upset for a moment that Grandma is gone but then she flirts with the Young Man
• Grandma asks the audience to change their ways

Characters:

• Mommy is controlling, superficial, and abusive
• Daddy is “whipped” by Mommy, is straight but was forced to change his reproductive organs, and is wealthy
• Grandma represents the old American Dream, she is the only person who thinks clearly and can travel between the stage and the audience, she also is sarcastic.
• Mrs. Barker is a professional woman, the chairman of Mommy’s woman’s club, and works for the Bye-Bye Adoption Service company
• Young Man represents the New American dream, hollow on the inside but has an attractive appearance

Albee’s Techniques:

• no narration, but Grandma speaks to the audience at the end
• no point of view due to lack of narration
• comedic tone that plays lightly on the darkness of the actions in the play
• From the personalities of the characters you can imagine what they look like but Albee does not state many physical characteristics except about the nicely wrapped boxes and the attractiveness of Young Man
• Symbols:
• Young Man- American Dream
• Boxes - values of the Old American Dream
• Grandma - The Old American Dream
• Hat - Superficialness

• Malapropism is used with the bumble instead of bundle when describing the “bumble” of joy, implying the foolishness of the adoption

Quotes:

“You can’t get satisfaction; just try. I can get satisfaction, but you can’t.”(62)

Here Mommy shows that Daddy will never be happy because he can never achieve satisfaction, physically since the procedure, or mentally since marrying Mommy.

“Well, that’s all that counts. People being sorry. Makes you feel better; gives you a sense of dignity, and that’s all that’s important . . . a sense of dignity.” (64)

Grandma explicitly states the Old American Dream values and is appreciative of Daddy still holding on to some of them. But she leaves as she knows that her views are no longer valued by this generation.

“Daddy? What did we call the other one?”(126)

Here Mommy and Daddy cannot remember the name of their previous child who is assumed to have recently passed. This shows their lack of real care for anything like Grandma’s departure scene.

Theme:

Edward Albee’s “American Dream” warns that the current generation of Americans has gutted the heart and soul of traditional American values and has replaced them with  a materialistic longing to acquire unattainable satisfaction.

Supporting the theme:

• The gutting of the American Dream can be shown by the literal way Mommy tore apart her adoptive son. Because of the pain she inflicted on one boy his twin brother, the American Dream, stopped feeling emotion.
• The characters’ obsession with looks shows that they are materialistic, for example Mommy purchases the same hat after throwing a temper tantrum because somebody told her it was a slightly different shade.

Close Reading 2: Women's Equality

Hannah Rosin tries to connect to all in “Men Dither While Women Lead in the World”. Although I think that she is being disrespectful throughout this article, she retells Washington’s week in a manner that is understood by many.

By using everyday language she appeals to a greater audience. Her choice in words like “shining” and “macho” demonstrates her want for all to understand the power of women. I support women equality but I think that the words she chose to describe the men were harsh. Obama is trying to fix the issue and of course to news reporters he can only “shake his head and loosen his collar,” he is the person this reflects most on. The women are not as sought out for answers because they are not president and so are not feeling the same pressure.

Rosin’s depiction of men in Washington shows her bitterness towards men as she describes them in an dim light. With descriptions of their faces looking like “... he swallowed a lemon” and “bizarrely smug” it is easy to hate these men who have been running our country for years. Yes, I think that this break in government is stupid and that the men need to get back to work, but I do not think that the image of an egotistical man needs to be shown in a women empowerment work. I think that this imagery would be better used for the description of the women,

Furthermore, throughout this editorial her sentences run long. There are times when one sentence starts and completes a paragraph:

“Oh, and there was one other person smiling in Washington: Christine Lagarde, chief of the International Monetary Fund, who was in the U.S. capital for the organization's annual meeting and who said just about the only sensible thing anyone in town has said all week on the debt ceiling crisis: "I hope that in a few weeks' time, we will look back and say, 'What a waste of time that was.' "”

With syntax like this the reader feels as if Rosin is talking passionately about the situation, which I agree with. I think that the story does need feeling in it and by writing this article with descriptive sentences she does just that.

Rosin’s words and sentence lengths will impact most readers, no matter their education, but I am not a fan of this article. I am not sure why but I get angry reading it, maybe it is the imagery of smug men or the long sentences, but this is not a great editorial. I hope that if she writes another it will be less angry.