Closed Reading

Article Title: BIPOLAR: SCOTT STERNBACH AT THE EARTH’S EXTREMES

Article Link: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/photobooth/2011/12/scott-sternbach.html


          The ambition drive of human beings has forced us to go the extreme and explore the earth's pole. In this article, photographer Scott Sternbach journeys to the south pole to bring back pictures of the developments due to human involvement with respect to oil exploration and mineral mining. In essence, Sternbach utlizes this article as a means to comment on the effects of the natural as well as human-driven effects that have ensued in the region, to both the people as well as nature.

          One of the most significant literary techniques used by Sternbach is imagery, where the article explicitly includes a photo gallery that highlights some of the conditions that the indigenous populations live in, in addition to the human developments due to external involvement. Some of the pictures, especially that of a lone girl and another of a family with a small child, evoke sympathy in the reader to convey the negative manifestations of the worldly involvement in the region in the name of research. In addition, diction is also included in the writing to illustrate the motive for Sternbach's journey. The two words that stand out in the second paragraph are "consideration" and "balance", both alluding to a sense of harmony that is essential for paying deference to all groups and communities in this world equally. Last but not the least, certain details are used in the piece, such as how "thirty-odd researchers, biologists, cooks, pilots, and boat captains [who] [were] involved in a federal project to study the effects of global warming on the region", demonstrating the magnitude of involvement and interest that the "civilized" part of the world was taking to further global understanding while at the same time overlooking the significance of change for the indigenous populations.


          Overall, Sterbach's purpose in journeying to the south pole was to experience the lives lived by the native populations, experiencing pressure under the man-made negative effects through oil exploration and mineral mining that diminish their livelihood along with the detrimental effects of global warming. Through the course of the piece, the literary pieces of evidence show how the priorities of the world in comparison with the livelihood of the indigenous population conflict. The importance of balance in nature is overlooked for the sake of increased scientific understanding and satisfying the world's needs for economic stability. In the end, the motive behind Sterbach's efforts is the sustenance of the indigenous populations along with their land in order to preserve their identity, their livelihood, and eventually their posterity.    

Responses to Course Material

          The highlight of the last few weeks has been reading Ceremony, by Leslie Marmon Silko. Over Thanksgiving break, reading the novel was very challenging. The syntax was one that I had not encountered before, being different in the aspect of the organization and writing style utilized by Silko to portray the narrative in a very disjointed format, conveying a sense of continuity and at the same time hinting at the underlying conflict that developed throughout the novel. During my individual reading, I was only able to analyze the motives and desires of the characters at the superficial level, preventing me from connecting their role to the larger theme of the novel. The incorporation of a long poem that spanned the length of the novel was very interesting as it allowed the reader to see the narrative in light of an old Native American narrative.

          Once we started discussing the novel in class, especially the first day when Ms. Holmes described the deities and their interactions and inter-relations, I started to develop a firmer grasp on the novel. By acquiring the views of my class, I was able to see the characters and the novel as a whole through a different literary lens that delved deeper than the superficial level to the symbolic level, analyzing each instance in the novel extensively. Moreover, breaking into groups and discussing each section separately allowed me to enhance my understanding of the novel and bring points to the table that necessitated further discussion.

          Lastly, I feel that the forums augmented my understanding of the novel by offering a new perspective through the eyes of learned individuals in the field of literature. I was responsible for reading Nelson's and Costa's piece, which demonstrated the overall importance of the novel as well as analysis of a particular theme of the novel, respectively. Upon reading their commentaries, I was able to understand and apply their reasoning to the class discussions and offer a nuanced perspective on a few of the various themes of the novel.

Open Prompt

2001. One definition of madness is "mental delusion or the eccentric behavior arising from it." But Emily Dickinson wrote

    Much madness is divinest Sense-

    To a discerning Eye-

Novelists and playwrights have often seen madness with a "discerning Eye." Select a novel or play in which a character's apparent madness or irrational behavior plays an important role. Then write a well-organized essay in which you explain what this delusion or eccentric behavior consists of and how it might be judged reasonable. Explain the significance of the "madness" to the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.

          One only need to modify one's perspective in order to view madness through a different lens and see the inherent meaning within. In the Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, the central character, Willy, displays his eccentricity in order to allow the audience to perceive him in a different light that penetrates his persona and illuminates his inner soul. Looking beyond the superficial madness of Willy, at a deeper level, his eccentricity is a testament to his dependence on the past in order to find hope for the future, a place which he has transformed into his irrational reality.

          Throughout the course of the play, Miller depends on the literary technique of diction in order to portray the underlying purpose of Willy's madness. The word "Willy" itself indicates, Willy's will to live in adherence with optimism. Several times during the play, Willy states that it is very important to be "well-liked", reflecting on his struggle through life that has left him squandering for recognition of his talents and skills to progress. Furthermore, this piece of diction also sheds light on Willy's brother, Ben, who is a star character on his way to greater and greater success, indirectly overriding Willy's efforts and constantly reminding him of the hopeful future that Willy could have molded for himself. Transition from the past to the present several times during the play, Willy finds himself to be in a trance-like state where, in the past, he is confident for the future.

          The setting of the play itself is also a conduit to highlight the eccentricity of Willy Loman. Living in a quaint American style cozy and compact house, Willy is constantly reminded of the past, when he dreamt of being the richest among all, relishing the riches he would gain. In one instance, when Willy is recalling the past, he is in a scene with Linda, recounting the bills to be paid and expressing anger at the non-functioning refrigerator, which further enhanced Miller's point in demonstrating how Willy's eccentricity is exacerbated by his frequent trips to the past in his own mind, reminding him of what could have been and what is. While Willy Loman may appear to be nothing but a disturbed and demolished man, by closer inspection, one can see how he is merely lost in time and trying to find his place in society where he is well-recognized and accepted by society's standards.

          

           

Closed Reading

Article Title: EYE SCREEN, YOU SCREEN

Article Website: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/movies/2011/11/eye-screen-you-screen.html

          Technological growth continues to progress exponentially. In this article, the writer Richard Brody comments on the possible creation of a minuscule LED that could be embedded in a transparent chip at the center of the contact lens. Brody is indirectly illustrating his point of the increase in technology lending to greater human progress while at the same time utilizing his piece as a means to hint at the possible manifestations of this new discovery.

          Brody utilizes imagery to demonstrate the prevalence and application of this new from of technology in everyday life. He states how "G.P.S. will enable you to get a map superimposed on your view of a town or to get a yard marker or a strike zone or athletes’ statistics overlaid on your view of a game..." and many other implications in order to attract significant attention form the audience to treasure this piece of technology. He also utilizes language, especially in its technical form, by referring to phrases such as "...minuscule LED in a transparent chip..." and "...connected to the LED by an integrated circuit..." in order to give a feel of a well thought-out technological breakthrough that is well-supported and consists of a significant amount of complexity. Both of these literary techniques, while they reinforce the importance of the LED in a transparent chip on contact lenses, they consequently arouse a sense of doubt in the mid of the reader of where this technological growth will end and what marks it will leave on this world.

          The use of syntax in the form of questions, such as "So just how big does a screen have to be in order to provide a satisfying movie-watching experience?" attract the interest of the reader in learning more about this new piece of technology by reading this article and reveling in the technological growth and purportedly thought of simplicity that accompanies discoveries. On the other side of this argument, it is also visible that the incredible amount of technological growth that human beings are experiencing may very well be detrimental to our own perception of reality and judgement, leaving us with nothing but a false sense of simplicity in our lives. While technological growth may be beneficial to human progress, it may, however, forever change our position and role in this world.

Responses to Course Material

          Over last three weeks, the Death of a Salesman, The American Dream, and the Eras Presentation have greatly enhanced my critical analysis skills as well as augmented my general awareness of how the literary eras, especially the Renaissance, have impacted the literature produced by authors of the particular literary periods.

          The analysis of the Death of a Salesman as a class allowed me to gain ideas from others and see the work of literature in a different light. One idea that I felt would have been beneficial to discuss is how Willy is solely a salesman and he always just wants to sell, whether it be a material product or an idea. The discussion about the religious aspect of the work was also interesting to note, along with the feminist considerations as well as the purpose the names of the characters serve. Overall, I feel that I have a solid understanding of what the text generally means, but I would like to discuss the text as a whole so as to grasp the central theme as well as the various sub-themes.

          I feel that we should spend more time talking about the relationship between the Death of a Salesman and The American Dream. For myself, I found many converging instances and themes in both plays. I am very much interested in acquiring the views of others in my class and what they think about the relationship between the two texts, in terms of specifically the larger theme. By doing so, I believe I will be better able to understand both texts in order to effectively apply its various aspects in my open prompts for my blogs as well as the AP exam.

          Researching the Renaissance literary era has provided me with greater insight into understanding how the characteristics of the literature from the 14th to 17th century developed in the first place and how they influenced authors and their works in the future. By reading about the famous writers of the Renaissance and acquiring a general picture of the situation at the time, I can now see what motivated them to write their particular texts. Over Thanksgiving Break, I look forward to reading Ceremony and being transported to the Native American past, attempting to reconcile the past with the present to project for the future.

Open Prompt

1972. In retrospect, the reader often discovers that the first chapter of a novel or the opening scene of a drama introduces some of the major themes of the work. Write an essay about the opening scene of a drama or the first chapter of a novel in which you explain how it functions in this way.

          

          Understanding the beginning of the play is one of the most important ways to ensure an adequate understanding of the central theme. In The American Dream, Edward Albee utilizes the first scene in his one-act play to indirectly refer to the major themes that are going to be further explored in the work. In the first scene of The American Dream, Albee portrays the feminist condescending aspect as well as materialism to hint at the larger theme of how the passage of time has altered the image of the old American Dream.

          By first staging the scene with only Mommy and Daddy, Albee cleverly utilizes the setting to portray the gender division in society by separating the chairs in which the characters are sitting by a considerable distance and even going as far as to place them almost back to back. This set-up creates a very distanced and isolated atmosphere in the play and a skeptical view in the eyes of the audience about the marriage of Mommy and Daddy. The on-going conversation between Mommy and Daddy further enhances the gender division between the two characters and implies how Mommy is dominating Daddy by constantly berating him and reminding him to pay attention to what she is saying. At a deeper level, Albee is trying to portray how the change in the old American values of oppressed women has metamorphosed to the new, more liberal American values of granting greater freedom to women and allowing them to play a more pronounced role in the world. In a sense, Albee is using Daddy's character to show how he slightly disapproves of this drastic change in the societal perception of females by showing Daddy as apathetic to Mommy's monologues.

          The content of the conversation further augments the central theme of the play. Mommy is endlessly elaborating on the subject of how she was deeply engrossed in buying a hat and debating between a more avant-garde beige and a common wheat color. The use of repetition by Mommy, constantly emphasizing her zeal to be involved in consumerism, points to the change in the old American values into a more materialistic inclination towards consumer satisfaction. This conversation in the first scene also refers to the class division that greater consumerism has ensued in America and led to a more unsatisfied populace.

          Through the use of various literary techniques, including repetition and setting, Albee attempts to display the metamorphosis of the old American Dream to incline more towards feminism and materialism in order to create a community where each member only strives to be at the top of the societal hierarchy rather than to find a unique level of satisfaction within.

Open Prompt

2004, Form B. The most important themes in literature are sometimes developed in scenes in which a death or deaths take place. Choose a novel or play and write a well-organized essay in which you show how a specific death scene helps to illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

                  “Death is a natural part of life” is a clichéd phrase recognized since the dawn of the search for greater human understanding. However, in plays such as “Romeo and Juliet,” death goes beyond serving its core function and hints at its possible manifestations and effects in the context of the play. In “Romeo and Juliet,” the scene of the death of Romeo and Juliet points to how the play as a whole is reflective of the internal conflict that exposes itself externally in the form of hopelessness and also references the consistently present worldly message of standing strong in the face of opposition and advocating for one’s own control over one’s life and choices.

            The death of Romeo and Juliet, an end result of the priest’s efforts to reunite the two lovers, was caused due to an intricate plot to feign the death of Juliet in an attempt to forever untie the two star-crossed lovers. The futility and desperateness was clearly reflective in the death scene where Juliet held the already dead Romeo in her arms and lamented the passing away of her true love. The discouragement that Juliet experienced was immense, an emotion that manifested itself to directly portray how the friction between the two houses led to the eventual death of the two lovers. Despite of Romeo and Juliet’s persistent efforts to live together forever, the conflict between the two houses was too great and deep-rooted to move their families enough to accept the pair of lovers with open arms. Furthermore, the consequent death of Juliet after Romeo references the hopelessness of their attempts to convince their families. Despite of working tirelessly, Romeo and Juliet were never able to reconvene these to enemies of old in order to allow for the ever-lasting presence of their love.

            Beyond the context of the play, the death scene of Romeo and Juliet serves a critical function to apply the theme globally. I feel that Shakespeare intended to use this play as a basis for applying the concept of initiative, confidence, and belief emanating from one’s self. Through the death scene, a reader can obtain a perspective on how the root cause of the death of these two lovers was their inability to stand strong in the face of opposition. Applying it to the modern world, Shakespeare is trying to convey how it is essential to advocate for one’s choices in order to establish a sense of satisfaction in life rather than pass away with regrets in your heart. With the freedoms that we possess today, it would be easier for us to root for our opinions than it was for Romeo and Juliet. The only thing we need is a passionate purpose in mind to drive us towards our distinct goals without concern for society’s restraints. In the face of discouragement and limits on one’s choices, we can progress forward confidently to achieve fulfillment and prosperity in life. 

Closed Reading

Article Link: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/10/whats-left-in-iraq.html

Article Title: WHAT’S LEFT IN IRAQ by Dexter Filkins

            Democratization of a country is one process that the United States has played a significant role in. In this article, the author, Dexter Filkins, utilizes U.S. engagement in Iraq to illustrate the effects of American involvement in the attempted stabilization of another country. Filkins is highlighting how American involvement in the reformation of Iraq among constant inter-fighting has incurred drawbacks in the forms of innumerable deaths and benefits in the form of a hope for the future, culminating in a breeding ground for self-sustenance and passionate purpose.

            Starting with the second paragraph of the article, the use of diction such as “crimson” is indicative of a very unique reflection on the bloodshed occurring in Iraq. Rather than using the color “red”, the author relies on “crimson” to display the magnitude of bloodshed occurring in Iraq. Furthermore, in the same paragraph, the author states that we will “…find some of those young men in the years to come: in shallow graves, in garbage dumps, at the bottom of the Tigris, their skeletons still handcuffed and gagged, alongside the rusting cars and washing machines.” This use of imagery sets-up a very gruesome image of the Iraqi condition. Is this what American habitation in Iraq has caused? If this is the result with American presence, what will it be without? The author is attempting to incite the question “Is it really worth it?” Over the past nine years, the author clearly illustrates how the situation has exacerbated and led to nothing but more bloodshed. The country is on its path to deterioration. While it may be worth noting that Americans have helped build “schools, roads, and bridges”, a detail utilized by Filkins, the resulting bloodshed in the past decade seems to have engulfed all efforts.

            Upon establishing this scenario, the author questions: Is there any good in this? He demonstrates a scenario where an Iraqi teenager is captivated by the Oakley sunglasses worn by an American soldier and asks to wear them with alacrity, thinking that they have built-in X-rays. When he is dismayed by his inaccurate claim, he pleads to the American soldier in the last line of the article “Please. Turn them on.” While American presence on Iraqi soil may not have significantly altered the worsening situation in Iraq, it has, nevertheless, conveyed a sense of hope for a better future. By seeing the American condition through the common American soldier, Iraqis have developed an urge to experience the satisfaction of being a free citizen of a country that is self-sufficient and is able to provide for its residents, ensuring their livelihood under the banner of democracy. While nine years of bloodshed may have wrought only some progress, it certainly has instilled a desire to achieve fulfillment in life, whether today or in the next 100 years.