Close Read- November edition

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/fashion/chelsea-clinton-living-up-to-the-family-name.html?src=mv&ref=general



Chelsea Clinton, tasting the outskirts of the political spotlight, slowly eases toward a new image.




Diction: "she grew from a gangly, curly-haired teenager into the confident, stylishly dressed woman". Instantly the author tries to emphasize change. The use of "gangly" to confident shows a metamorphosis with not only Chelsea Clinton's outlook, but also her personality. Ironic as it may be, the article also makes an effort to emphasize the evils of the media: "Hillary Clinton, under the constant scrutiny of the news media". The use of the word "scrutiny"almost creates this pirate image of the media. The media is out to make loot and nothing more.




Details: As Mr. Smith always says, "Details are everything". In this article they are used as evidence. During the first read of this article you may assume that Chelsea Clinton is trying to become a politician, but you must understand that this point was never stated by chelsea clinton. In fact the only thing this editor has to go by are a couple of quotes and details!



"in the past 12 months, she has joined the board of Barry Diller’s Internet media holding company, IAC/InterActiveCorp; spoken at fund-raisers for organizations like amfAR; taken an increasingly public role with the Clinton Global Initiative; presented an award to her mother at Diane Von Furstenberg’s International Women’s Day event; and hosted her father’s 65th birthday at a Hollywood benefit for the Clinton Foundation with fellow guests Lady Gaga and Bono. She has even started a Facebook page."




This whole paragraph is the beef to the editor's argument. They are the details that prove (if you are a believer) that Chelsea Clinton is climbing up the ranks.

Response to Classwork

Live.Love.APLit

We have been quite studious these last couple of weeks. We primarily worked on our prezi presentations. It was nice to work with Prezi. I have never worked with such a program before so it was a little challenging. In class we have done many things. My failure to acknowledge most is not a representation of the class, simply my failing teenage memory. It is a problem I'm trying tumultuously to fix. I have no idea what tumultuous means...

Open Prompt- leggo!

1990. Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a parent (or a parental figure) and a son or daughter. Write an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid plot summary.

Parental conflict is an everyday experience for the  average teenager. However, in literature, it can often have deeper implications. On such example is in The American Dream by Edward Albee, in which the conflict between Mommy and Grandma  describes a generational change as opposed to a mere act of rebellion.

Mommy illustrates the growing trend in consumerism in America. Mommy enjoys the thrill of getting "satisfaction" of purchasing a "baige" hat opposed to a "wheat" hat. Mommy, while looking up to authority, tries to increase her own social status. Mommy respects Mrs. Barker and engages in an implicit battle with Mrs. Barker over Daddy's satisfaction. Mommy is obsessed with the material world and makes it a job to remind that fact to Daddy, who is still nostalgic of the old beliefs that Grandma promotes.

Grandma, a manifestation of the older American dream, is constantly belittled by Mommy. Though Grandma is an elderly lady, she is the one with all the cards. She manipulates Mommy, Daddy and Mrs. Barker while also acknowledging the audience, which is significant because it creates a piece that isn't just a play but a deeper statement on the changing society and the changing American dream. The conflict between Mommy and Grandma alludes to the dismissal of the old frontier dream.

The surge in comsumerism in America marked a period in which the old frontier dream that founded the country became non-existent the materialistic society that become the new United States of America. Edward Albee highlights such changes through the fued he creates between Mommy and grandma.

Great Stuff Chieftains...

Open Prompt - in light of holloween a dracula post.

1983. From a novel or play of literary merit, select an important character who is a villain. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze the nature of the character's villainy and show how it enhances meaning in the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.

Was it Batman or the joker that made Batman Gotham's dark knight? Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, would probably argue that the Joker made Batman a hero, not the other way around. Similarly, in Bram Stoker's Dracula, it was the evil character Dracula who not only sends the plot rolling and enhances character development,  but also allows the text to surpass a fictional novel and be readily applicable to early 20th century Europe.

Count Dracula bears the essence of all that is evil. He is often even said to be the devil. However, Dracula's greatest evil is far more symbolic than physical. It is his general persona. He is the destroyer of innocence, particularly in females. Had Stoker created a villain that tormented men, the evilness of Dracula would be lost. Though Stoker creates this pure evil villain, there is a certain fondness he conveys with Dracula. Towards the beginning of the novel, Dracula slowly kills Lucy and then turns her into a vampire. The conversion of Lucy by blood is far more symbolic. The loss of innocence through blood transfusion alludes to sex and loss of virginity (often a parallel to innocence).  Again, Dracula doesn't just kill Lucy in the physical world, but also the spiritual and religious world. Dracula is the complete villain: he is foreign (from Transylvania), he attacks females (pure and innocent ones) and he not only kills their bodies, but ruins their souls so they can no longer go to heaven.

Why create an absolutely evil entity?  The idea of an absolutely evil entity is contrary to most ideologies that stress balance or Yin and Yang. However, Dracula is a very symbolic character so making him an absolutely evil entity is a very bold statement. The first conclusion that arises when looking at Dracula is that he is the manifestation of all things foreign in Britain during the early 20th century. Dracula is not only from Transylvania, but he is also anti-christian in the sense that any holy relic will burn him. Alone, this piece of evidence is insignificant, but in the grand scheme of early 20th Britain, Xenophobia was as big of a topic as it is in the sunbelt states in present-day United States. The greater implications that associate Dracula and the whole Anglo-Saxon superiority novel in general is what makes Dracula a must-read when studying British history.

Dracula in Stoker's famous novel is not just any villain used to create a conflict, he is the central key to the novel. His pure evil essence makes him a unique villain whose implications stem far past the details of the plot.

Close Read #too many!

What Your Supermarket knows about You by Martin Lindstrom, is an interesting article describing the intricate world of consumer advertising. Advertising isn't just limited to the television or a newspaper article. It's everywhere, even in the tiling of your local supermarket.

Details: Lindstrom made sure to add many details in describing his experience. Why? Details in Lindstrom's piece adds to the gravity of his message about details! If he didn't provide specific examples, his points on consumer advertising would be less meaningful. In other words, providing a specific example makes Lindstrom's experience more believable, thus making his point on subliminal messaging more persuasive. Lindstrom's first example of subliminal messaging is the supermarket's use of "different floor tiles- a type of parquetry imparting a sense of quality". By using details to describe the tiling, it gives beef to the idea that floor tiling actually play a bigger role than just a floor to step on. His ideas of subliminal messaging wouldn't be relate able to the common consumer, it if wasn't for his specific examples: his details.

Diction: Lindstrom doesn't want this to be a formal essay. He wants it to appeal to the common shopper. He wants to take the idea of consumer advertising out of its normal scientific realm and show its affect on everyday people like you and me. How does Lindstrom accomplish this? Diction! Lindstrom uses colloquial language to make his essay informal though his topic is essentially a research topic. Lindstrom uses words like "Bingo!" and "zone of seduction" to ease the formality of the piece. If Lindstrom were writing a research abstract, these words would be inappropriate, so instead he wrote a creative piece to act like a research abstract for the common consumer.

Imagery: This piece surprisingly also has imagery within it. Lindstrom paints a picture of a the Consumer Factory in Chicago as being like "NASA’s operations area". Lindstrom does this so that his readers associate consumer psychology as a hard science operation, not a pseudo scientific horoscope. Lindstrom understands that the line between psychology and pseudo science is awfully thin, which is why he felt the need to emphasize the current research that is taking place in labs. Lindstrom also paints a picture of what the lab is, "row upon row of people staring intently at hundreds of screens". Again Lindstrom, tries to emphasize the gravity of this science. Lindstrom's piece is meant to be eye-opening, "The more attention you pay to the details, the more aware you’ll become of how you’re being manipulated".

Response to coursework #3

The American Dream is always changing. With each new generation, there is a new idea of perfection and utopianism. In class we have been annotating The American Dream. While annotating the book, we have been practicing close reads.

The American Dream like all other literary texts uses DIDLS to convey a deeper meaning. By examining those techniques you can better understand a text.  However, to convey your findings you have to be knowledgeable in terminology. Thus, throughout the week we have been studying terms that will allow us to convey our close reads better to an educated audience.

Personally, I have never read a book or play as close as we have in class with the American Dream. So this whole second read has been a new and learning experience for me. A tool I hope to use on the AP exam come May.

Open Prompt #3

1970. Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

Almost every American is familiar with the famous love triangle, spurred by rigid societal norms, in the Hollywood classic Titanic. In Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Hermia, like Kate Winslet in Titanic, faces the momentous battle between society and true love. In A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Shakespeare uses the rigid Ancient Greco society to create a comedic twist on Hermia and her love interests through the use of supernatural powers, just like in Ancient Greco epics.

The opening act in A Midsummer's Night Dream displays the rigid societal norms of the Greco Society. While Theseus is portrayed as a lawful and just leader, in modern terms his ruling would be highly controversial. The suppression of Hermia's voice in the ruling is the first huge piece of evidence that shows how rigid the society illustrated in the play is. On top of that, Theseus states that the ruling is a "gift" to Hermia, who is furious that her voice is neglected. Forced to obey her father, Hermia is twisted by society and her longing to be with Lysander, thus the first and main conflict in the play. Though Hermia chooses to take matters into her own hands by running away, it is important to note that none of this would have happened if the societal norms weren't so strict. 

Due to these strict norms, Shakespeare creates a comedic play, while using supernatural powers to emphasize the Greco society. A Midsummer's Night Dream could very easily be a Homeric epic. In ancient Greece, the Gods were not perfect, selfless, deities, often they mirrored the humans. Gods were just as selfish and arrogant as the humans. In Shakespeare's comedy, the Gods are no different than the humans. In fact, the main supernatural conflict is so closely intertwined with the human conflict that the Gods use the humans as pawns in their overbearing battle, just like in an Homeric epic. A key example of such is when Oberon makes his own wife Titania fall in love with a beast, but in doing so he begins to intertwine with Hermia's love affair as well. Thus causing the foundation of any good Shakespearean comedy, love triangles. Another aspect of Shakespearean plays is the use of a vivid setting. Since plays are primarily visual, having this supernatural experience happen in a forest seems almost too perfect. Nature is often associated supernatural Gods. Whether it be Buddhism and the Bo Tree, or in the Old Testament when Moses seeks God on a mountain, nature is always closely related to supernatural spirits. Thus by using the setting, Shakespeare adds to the idea of Ancient Greek Gods on Mount Olympus interfering with mankind and love.

The rigid Greco society in A Midsummer's Night Dream has many implications, primarily the use of supernatural powers to mirror those of the ancient Greek Gods. By doing so, Shakespeare creates a hilarious mortal comedy filled with love triangles and plot twists.

Close Read #2

Steve Jobs: the Magician

The Economist paid a tribute to Steve Jobs, a business and technology genius.

Diction: It is evident that the author holds Steve Jobs in great respect. He/she opens the paper with "nobody else in the computer industry, or any other industry for that matter, could match Steve Jobs". The author almost speaks with a sense of elevation and formality when referring to Steve Jobs. It's almost ironic because it is a tribute because of his mortality(death), but the actual tribute describes his immortality. The journalist strives to propagate the point that Steve Jobs above all else was passionate, "his obsessively high standards". Why use the word obsessively? Obsessively paints an image of Jobs spending long nights toiling away with the ipod prototype. Any other word wouldn't resonate with the audience because we all know that Apple has high standards, but what the author did was make it personal. Often we associate tycoons, like Jobs and Bill Gates, as being machines rather than people. We also like to think that these people are just the lucky figureheads that don't get their hands dirty. However, what the author did was use diction to state that Jobs was central figure behind Apple's success.

Details: Apple wasn't always a computing giant. In fact, it only became a household name in the last decade. How so? Steve Jobs, according to this journalist. This author wants to highlight Jobs's importance, but in doing so he/she is implicitly stating that without Jobs, apple will fall (thus gravity). Whether this is true or not is unknown, but  it is hard to think of a generation where the ipod is unheard of. The author hints at this with stating the trends of companies like Amazon coming out with a popular Kindle. He also states that the on going battle between Microsoft and Apple was only won by Apple because of Job's ingenuity. One of the influential statements in this tribute is "With Mr Jobs gone, Apple is just one of many technology firms". Just another technology firm? It is almost scary to think that one individual can influence a company and the whole world in such a drastic sense.

Imagery: Yes the economist has imagery in it! Through out the article the author is painting a picture of Steve Jobs because the sad reality of the nation is death is the most publicity an individual will receive in his or her lifetime. So while the author has to mourn the death of Steve Jobs, he/she must also describe Jobs to the audience. Who is he? What did he do? Why does that matter? The author must implicitly answer all these questions and imagery is the best way to do such. The author paints a picture of Jobs being a magician, "channelling the magic of computing into products". "Without Mr Jobs to sprinkle his star dust on the event", the event wouldn't be the same. When it comes down to it, this article is trying to say that Steve Jobs made a difference and his death should be honored. Jobs is a modern Henry Ford and his death is like the fall of an enlightened titan. Rest in Peace Steve.

Response to Classwork #2

Practice. Practice. Practice. In the last couple weeks, we have been working on practicing the skills that we learned in the beginning of the year. Syntax has been a big topic that we have been trying to perfect. Syntax is how the writer conveys the other 4 techniques, consciously or subconsciously.  Whether that be through long, complex sentences filled with subordinate clauses and lists or short, concise sentences, syntax always has a deeper meaning. It most often is used to describe an effect, like sentence fluency or tone. These effects are used to formulate a thesis (deeper meaning).

In class, we read the "American Dream" by Edward Albee. The American Dream is a satirical play that criticizes the idea of the american dream. Unlike most other novels or plays about the american dream, the main characters, apart from the grandma, remain clueless on the unattainability of the american dream.

Overall, the class has been a lot of practice. We have been outlining possible essays and writing a lot of intros. In the textbook we read about poetic techniques as well as literary components, like character development, plot, climax and themes. 

Open Prompt #2

 1976. The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays. Select the work of an essayist who is in opposition to his or her society; or from a work of recognized literary merit, select a fictional character who is in opposition to his or her society. In a critical essay, analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications for both the individual and the society. Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.




The will of the common man rising against the power majority strikes a patriotic chord in the hearts of all Americans and Englishmen. Thus, it is no surprise that this theme of opposition has transcended into the field of literature, in particular 1984 by George Orwell. In 1984, Orwell creates a character, Winston Smith, who fights the Big Brother government by breaking moral codes and attempting to destroy ethical barriers resulting in a novel that criticizes a centralized government.

Winston Smith's first signs of protest can be seen in his moral disobedience in standards of the Big Brother government. For instance, Winston's first "sin" is obtaining a diary, knowing full well that the punishment for owning such is death. Why choose this detail in the novel? Why a diary? George Orwell wants to not only show rebellion in Winston's heart, but also describe the Big Brother regime. The Big Brother government is a centralized power that through the use of the media chooses to propagate and manipulate its upper class into supporting the regime. Therefore Orwell chose a diary to illustrate Winston's desires to become an individual in a society of groups. Instantly, Orwell makes a connection to Winston's diary and democracy, rule of the individuals. 

The next big moral "sin" Winston partakes in is sex, which is an attempt by Winston to completely detach himself from ethical barriers of the Big Brother regime. Sex is biologically a natural part of life. However in the Big Brother government, it is banned. Again, you see that Orwell is, through Winston's rebellion, trying to paint a picture of how unnatural the big brother regime is. Orwell, like English philosopher John Locke, is arguing that a government is built for the people and must promote individuality, not conformity.Why is this such an important point? Though the novel's title is 1984, it was written in the late 40's right after the devastating world wars. Thus the idea of "unnatural" government held a lot more weight because it alluded to the idea of regimes like Hitler's Third Reich and Mussolini's Italy, but also warns it audience about the new centralized Soviet Union. 

The final "sin" Winston is guilty for is love, which in itself describes the foreignness of the Big Brother Regime because love is seen as an innocent treasure in most societies. Winston falls in love with Julia and finally he is able to experience life outside the Big brother regime. He experiences true freedom for the first time and craves it. Never does Winston fully recover from this drug of wanting to be free. Thus by breaking moral codes, he grows to crave a free government, not a centralized regime.

By defining the protagonist as a good and regular guy who breaks all the moral codes in this overbearing centralized society, George Orwell is implicitly criticizing all centralized government, primarily relating to the centralized Soviet Union, which was the main centralized regime of the 1950's.

Response to Classwork

In class we have been focusing on tearing apart a text, AKA close readings. We used Diction, Imagery, Details, Language and Syntax to find effects in texts. These effects are used as evidence to formulate a hypothesis(or meaning) for the piece. In essence, a close read is an experiment. A question is posed, the prompt, and you must use your observations, techniques, to formulate and thesis, hypothesis. Within each technique, there are specific subcategories. These subcategories are essentially how you go about analyzing a text. For instance in diction, you look at the elevation of speech, regionalism, and connotations of certain phrases. These sub categories are what you look through during your second read, when you mark up your text.

The introduction and thesis was another spot that we, as a class, spent a lot of time on. We looked at the three sentence intro format as well as the thesis statement. The thesis must include every aspect of the prompt in order to obtain a high score on the AP exam. The thesis statement is the end product of a string of arguments. These arguments are stated in the topic sentence of each body paragraph and thus elaborated on in the respective body paragraph. Together it forms a cohesive and high scoring essay.

Open Prompt 1

1979. Choose a complex and important character in a novel or a play of recognized literary merit who might on the basis of the character's actions alone be considered evil or immoral. In a well-organized essay, explain both how and why the full presentation of the character in the work makes us react more sympathetically than we otherwise might. Avoid plot summary.

 Gru, in the animated hit Despicable Me, is revered and loved among kids, despite his evil intentions. How so? A simple response is that it is not black and white, as Shakespeare loves to show us in his famous MacBeth tragedy. MacBeth is a crazy murderous king, but is nevertheless sympathized by audiences. Shakespeare uses language, imagery and details to create a complex and twisted character, MacBeth, who has committed evil deeds, but at his core is just a weak and scared leader who is twisted by prophetic witches and his own wife, which causes readers to sympathize rather than hate MacBeth.

The prophesies of the three witches propagated by Lady MacBeth incites greed into the mind of MacBeth. In the beginning of the play, MacBeth is a war hero, instantly commanding the respect of the audience. Also, MacBeth is just a common man; he is neither royalty, nor a thane. These details paint a picture of a selfless war hero looking not for money and wealth, but rather a safe home. The introduction of the three witches upon first glance seems to be insignificant in the mind of MacBeth. Greed seems to be the farthest thing from MacBeth's innocent mind. However, as Shakespeare introduces Lady MacBeth, it is evident that Lady MacBeth is far from innocent. She begins to push MacBeth into longing greed and royalty. Using condescending language and questioning MacBeth's manhood, Lady MacBeth is able to turn MacBeth into a power thirsty king. However, is this change the act of MacBeth or Lady MacBeth and the three witches?

Lady MacBeth and the Three Witches are the primary reason for the MacBeth's downward spiral into insanity. Despite your personal view on fate versus freewill, it is evident that had the witches not disclosed MacBeth's prophesy, MacBeth would come home a war hero and the play would cease to have any conflict. Simply put, the witches set up MacBeth up for failure. Notice how the witches never said that if you don't kill king Duncan you will live a prosperous life filled with happiness rather than death. While the witches do warn MacBeth about  MacDuff, they leave out details about his own wife committing suicide. These witches are not impartial fortune tellers, they are diabolical supernaturals seeking chaos. Lady MacBeth is their kerosene to this flame of destruction. Lady MacBeth is the main reason for audience's sympathy in the character MacBeth. MacBeth is twisted and mentally insane because of Lady MacBeth. Lady MacBeth pushes MacBeth into killing King Duncan. Lady MacBeth criticizes MacBeth and questions his manhood using condescending and disgusted language. only trying to gain the respect of his wife, does MacBeth kill Duncan. Though MacBeth may be morally weak, it is Lady MacBeth who, inspired by the three witches, tosses MacBeth off the deep end.

Insanity causes audiences to sympathize with MacBeth. It is agreed upon by most literary analysts that MacBeth is indeed insane by the end of the play. His moral conscious begins to pick away at his once sane mind. Eventually coming to the point where happiness is a foreign emotion to MacBeth. He begins to enter into a state of depression. "Out, out brief candle" describes MacBeth's newly found views on life. Shakespeare uses imagery to describe MacBeth's belief that life is but a play "signifying nothing". MacBeth has not only given up on himself, but also God. MacBeth begins to hallucinate and his wife commits suicide after seeing the monster she created. Audiences respond deeply to idea of any mental illness, such as mental retardation in Of Mice and Men. MacBeth's mental illness is pitied by any who understands the gravity the feeling guilt carries. It is in our human nature to sympathize, not hate MacBeth.

In Shakespeare's MacBeth, the once great war hero MacBeth is corrupted upon the influence to the three evil witches and his own wife causing audiences to sympathize with the now insane, depressed and broken MacBeth. Why would Shakespeare want you to sympathize with MacBeth? While Shakespeare could be making a political statement, I think the more relevant topic is that of female corruption. Shakespeare could very well be making a statement on female corruption in England. After living through Bloody Mary and the power feud between Queen Elizabeth and Mary, Shakespeare's play would resonate deeply with the crowd of men questioning the changing roles between men and women in Elizabethan England.

"Secret Skin" by Michael Chabon- Close Reading 1

"Secret Skin" discusses the truth behind super hero costumes. According to Michael Chabon, a Superhero costume is not a disguise, but rather a "secret skin".

Michael Chabon uses many details primarily to serve as evidence to his claim that costumes are physical portrayals of your inner self. Chabon pulls from comics like: Superman, Batman, Spiderman, "Captain Marvel, Luke Cage, Wonder Woman, Valkyrie, and Supergirl"(Chabon 3). He describes that the S on superman represents the Kryptonian House of El, Superman's home. The spider logo represents Peter Parker's source of power, the spider. These emblems in the costumes describe the superhero's origins, not hide it. Chabon even pulls on details from his childhood in the beginning of the text. These details primarily serve the function of creating a meaningful and relate-able text. For instance, by recalling his Sunday teacher as "Mr. Spector"(1) it allows us, as reader, to think about our childhood and find our own "Mr. Spector"(1).

The language in "Secret Skin" is what you would expect to find in a passionate reflective essay. Chabon does however embrace the comedic aspect of analyzing a topic as hilarious as Superhero costumes. The first example of such is in the title "An essay in Unitard Theory" (1). Chabon also uses language to convey his personality, which is significant in a reflective essay. He shows his secular personality by making fun of his Sunday school, "The one time I felt my soul to be in danger"(1). In this instance he further explains that they were discussing comic books, but continues to hark on Mr. Spector and his lack of comic book knowledge. Chabon also utilizes some wordplay to again to add to the comedic tone that he is trying to convey, "To suit my purpose here, I might construct a similar etiology of the superhero costume, making due reference, say, to professional-wrestling and circus attire"(2).While at first glance, this choice of language may be funny and witty, it serves a bigger purpose, persuasion. Chabon is trying to sell his theory on the meaning of costumes in comic books. By doing so, he wants to write-off all other theories by patronizing them through humor.

Finally, we arrive at imagery. Imagery in this essay is used to show the passion and interest Chabon has in this topic. In the beginning he uses it to help the readers relate to his childhood and paint a picture of his teacher, "Spector was a gently acerbic young man with a black beard and black Roentgen-ray eyes"(1). As the paper turns from his childhood and looks at his theory on costumes, the imagery shows his passion. "Every seam, every cobweb strand of duct-tape gum, every laddered fish-net stocking or visible ridge of underpants elastic—every stray mark, pulled thread, speck of dust—acts to spoil what is instantly revealed to have been, all along, an illusion" (2). Chabon's use of imagery is an act of persuasion. By showing his passion (kind of like his "pre-requisites"), we begin to trust his opinion and theory on superhero costumes, uncreateable suits that symbolize the superhero who wears them, not an elastic cloth used to disguise one.