The topic for this blog comes from the point where all of our books/shows/movies are supposed to convey a certain message that impacts or influences American culture, or culture in general. Here's the prompt:
What is your topic for the research paper? How does this topic currently impact American culture (or another country, if that's where you're going with this)? How is your book/show/movie different from all of the other books/shows/movies out there like it? How is it unique? What specific cultural issue will you be addressing in your research essay and why is it relevant TODAY?
My topic for the research paper is the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I decided to pick this particular film because I remember as a child going to Disneyland and Disneyworld, and that those places made me really happy. All of the makings put into those places had to start somewhere, and the first animated film by Walt Disney was Snow White. Disney impacts the entire world because the messages it conveys in the films, such as perserverance, determination, and accomplishing goals. All of the Disney animated films reach out to children in some way, shape, or form. Snow White is different from all the other movies out there because this is where the Disney legacy started, inspiring others to produce animated films and being creative. In my essay I will be specifically addressing the messages that Disney movies convey to children. These Disney films continue to bring revenues from the movie theaters and inspire other attractions at the parks worldwide as well.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
English 101.25 - Ramble On
I had to throw a Led Zeppelin title into one of my blogs. Basically, using more description and all that is rambling on in my opinion.
Here's the prompt:
"From the reading last Tuesday, what is the author Patricia Hampl's purpose in writing about description and word choice in, The Dark Art of Description? Why are the last few paragraphs, about the story she tells with one of her students, significant to the purpose?"
Patricia Hampl's purpose of her work, The Dark Art of Description, is to make others realize the alteration of language can really impact what one writes. In her work, Hampl says, "I was painfully aware of just how specific every bit of writing is, full of choices and chances." What she means by this is that every single placement of a word or punctuation has a significant influence on what the reader will read. She mentions about whether to put a comma or dash in certain areas. Additionally, she give an example of a story writer by the name of J.F. Poewrs who spent an entire morning deciding whether to put the word "chum" or "pal" to describe how a character referred to a friend. These descriptions play a role in the "Show, don't tell" aspect that is taught in introductory writing workshops. Still, Hampl begins to tell about Alfred Kazin, who published a "memoir of his boyhood in Brooklyn, A Walker in the City". Kazin was able to show and tell in his writing, thus making it more effective. All in all, description can come in many forms, as the images in peoples' minds can involve many possibilities due to what they have encountered in their lifetimes.
Going along the lines of the last few paragraphs of this work and the story told about the student, the purpose outlines that everyone has a point of view. People don't necessarily have the same ideas, thoughts, words, or can demonstrate them in the same ways. So everyone's voice is important. Individuals who are capable of writing can come up with fabulous ways to convey their ideas, even though at times it seems they have come to a dead end. No two people have the same exact life in every aspect, whether it be growing up, their childhood, or even what they do on a daily basis. Just using that individuality that each person has is the key to description.
Here's the prompt:
"From the reading last Tuesday, what is the author Patricia Hampl's purpose in writing about description and word choice in, The Dark Art of Description? Why are the last few paragraphs, about the story she tells with one of her students, significant to the purpose?"
Patricia Hampl's purpose of her work, The Dark Art of Description, is to make others realize the alteration of language can really impact what one writes. In her work, Hampl says, "I was painfully aware of just how specific every bit of writing is, full of choices and chances." What she means by this is that every single placement of a word or punctuation has a significant influence on what the reader will read. She mentions about whether to put a comma or dash in certain areas. Additionally, she give an example of a story writer by the name of J.F. Poewrs who spent an entire morning deciding whether to put the word "chum" or "pal" to describe how a character referred to a friend. These descriptions play a role in the "Show, don't tell" aspect that is taught in introductory writing workshops. Still, Hampl begins to tell about Alfred Kazin, who published a "memoir of his boyhood in Brooklyn, A Walker in the City". Kazin was able to show and tell in his writing, thus making it more effective. All in all, description can come in many forms, as the images in peoples' minds can involve many possibilities due to what they have encountered in their lifetimes.
Going along the lines of the last few paragraphs of this work and the story told about the student, the purpose outlines that everyone has a point of view. People don't necessarily have the same ideas, thoughts, words, or can demonstrate them in the same ways. So everyone's voice is important. Individuals who are capable of writing can come up with fabulous ways to convey their ideas, even though at times it seems they have come to a dead end. No two people have the same exact life in every aspect, whether it be growing up, their childhood, or even what they do on a daily basis. Just using that individuality that each person has is the key to description.
Friday, March 5, 2010
English 101.25 - Stronger
Yes I know the title is from a Kanye West song, but I had a real difficult time figuring out what the title of this post would be. Here's the prompt:
"Do you think it was a good idea to add the chapters about Walt (Chris’ father) and Krakauer as individuals? What did it do for you for your views of the novel? Did anything change your opinion or did it support what you already thought? Why?"
So I guess it's back to talking about Into the Wild and all that good stuff. Anyways, for Krakauer to add the chapters about Walt and himself as individuals were good. However, I would have preferred that the chapter about Walt be placed earlier to get a better sense of Chris' parents. But I suppose the way they are placed is beneficial for the story in the sense that it does not give any information away until later on in the novel. These accounts have impacted my view on Chris, who I believed at the beginning of the story was just a kid who was foolish in venturing out to Alaska. Towards the beginning of the book gave me the persception that Chris was begging for someone to save his life even though he knew what he was getting himself into. I based my 'judgment' more-so on the decision instead of the motive behind it. Also, seeing how Krakauer went out like Chris did showed a lot about his character and that various circumstances can happen to alter different situations. Take for example the incident with the tent; it put Krakauer in a really bad spot out in the cold without a protective shield on his tent. Some things could have happened to Chris that could have been essentially unpreventable, but we don't know entirely.
I wish I had more to say since this feels like a short blog. I guess I'm not as interested in talking about this topic this week.
"Do you think it was a good idea to add the chapters about Walt (Chris’ father) and Krakauer as individuals? What did it do for you for your views of the novel? Did anything change your opinion or did it support what you already thought? Why?"
So I guess it's back to talking about Into the Wild and all that good stuff. Anyways, for Krakauer to add the chapters about Walt and himself as individuals were good. However, I would have preferred that the chapter about Walt be placed earlier to get a better sense of Chris' parents. But I suppose the way they are placed is beneficial for the story in the sense that it does not give any information away until later on in the novel. These accounts have impacted my view on Chris, who I believed at the beginning of the story was just a kid who was foolish in venturing out to Alaska. Towards the beginning of the book gave me the persception that Chris was begging for someone to save his life even though he knew what he was getting himself into. I based my 'judgment' more-so on the decision instead of the motive behind it. Also, seeing how Krakauer went out like Chris did showed a lot about his character and that various circumstances can happen to alter different situations. Take for example the incident with the tent; it put Krakauer in a really bad spot out in the cold without a protective shield on his tent. Some things could have happened to Chris that could have been essentially unpreventable, but we don't know entirely.
I wish I had more to say since this feels like a short blog. I guess I'm not as interested in talking about this topic this week.
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