viernes, diciembre 7

Even heroes need a parachute

Hey so what's the deal-io, yo? Are we going to get a Christmas arbol tomorrow? And if yes, where? What time?

CM

miércoles, diciembre 5

The Chase

Questions of Meaning

1. The story is that of how approaching a problem with passion and zeal can make the outcome all the more glorious, memorable, and not to mention, successful. Dillard is making the case that the only way to truly fulfill your mission is to forget yourself, and throw your whole heart into “climbing the mountain.”

2. I don’t believe the pursuer’s persistence is reasonable, given that the children were of a very young age, and their offense was of no long-lasting consequence. They were simply “kids being kids.”

3. To the narrator, the pursuer represents passion and devotion to a certain cause, no matter the sacrifices. As the chase goes on, the author thinks of the pursuer as a glorious example of dedication. Yet, when the chase ends, the climax turns out to be a monotonous tongue lashing, and over-all the author finds it quite anti-climactic.

4. The author uses that particular imagery because at the end of the glorious and magnificent chase, the only climax that would heighten the mood would have been violence. But, in reality, it was just a regular, ordinary, adult form of punishment. She says that the punishment was “beside the point” because, in her mind, the chase had been what had set the pursuer apart, and now that it was over there was nothing of real consequence left to incur.

Questions on Writing Strategy

1. Dillard opens her story by telling how the key to football is putting the consequences for oneself aside, and having wide open, yet focused passion, for the task ahead. This serves as a metaphor for the rest of the story when the author is making the point that the key to life in general is passion.

2. In paragraph two Dillard goes from speaking of her “boy arm” straight to “winter.” She also goes from being in trouble to her happiest days. I believe this helps establish the quick pace of her story.

3. Dillard interrupts the chase to describe her “immense discovery” because it gives emphasis to the moral of the story. It weakens the quick paced lead up to the climax, however it gives good emphasis to the moral of the narrative.

4. Dillard’s point of view is that of a seven-year-old girl. Her view of things is simplified, and the narrative is centered very much on the here and now.

5. Dillard implies that children are much more likely to do something, regardless of the outcome for themselves if that is what is truly necessary, while adults are much less likely to do so.
Questions on Language


1.crenellated = having battlements
nigh = nearly, almost
impelled/compelled = urged or driven forward
perfunctorily = lacking interest of enthusiasm
translucent = permitting the passage of light

2. In the statement “I got in trouble for throwing snowballs, and have seldom been happier since,” the author clearly states a paradox. This is that, in general, it is not a pleasant, or “happy” experience to be in trouble, however the author is saying she delighted in it. In her apparent view of childhood, Dillard shows that she believes a child in trouble is learning valuable life lessons.

3. The effect of the last sentence is to relive the tension of the story, as well as to bring the story back the glorious recounting of a child, rather than the musings of an adult.

K.D.

Cheeks of the Fish

Fish Cheeks

"Questions on Meaning"

1. Tan cries when she finds out the boy she loves is coming to dinner because she is ashamed that her family will be having a traditional Chinese dinner. The boy she loves is "as white as Mary in the manger" and she feels that her household and their traditions may be embarrassing.

2. Tan's mother went out of her way to prepare a disturbingly Chinese dinner because she wanted to demonstrate to her guests as well as her daughter that their Chinese heritage was nothing to be embarrassed about but rather something to be proud of. She proved this by taking the menu to the extreme. The last sentence, "For Christmas Eve that year, she had chosen all my favorite foods.", demonstrates that although Tan was embarrassed at the time of the dinner her mother had chosen, she now realizes that she knew in her heart that the dinner did represent her Chinese heritage and that she should have been proud of it.

3. The fourteen-year-old Tan feels ashamed of her Chinese background because it is different from the rest of her peers. Although she loves her mother, Tan still feels some slight embarrassment and resent that her mother went through the trouble of preparing a disturbingly traditional meal for the minister and his family.

4. Tan's purpose is to demonstrate to readers is more than sole entertainment. She tries to communicate to the audience that being different and coming from a different background is not necessarily a bad thing. It can, in fact, be beneficial because diversity has the ability to add to the interest of a person.

"Questions on Writing Strategy"

1. Tan's statement "For Christmas I prayed for this blond-haired boy, Robert, and a slim new American nose." show directly from the beginning what Tan's true desire is for, she wants to fit in with the culture around her.

2. Tan's use of transitions helps the story to flow and at the same time keep the reader interested in the narrative with details.

3. The last sentence of the essay demonstrates irony as Tan remarks that her mother had chosen all her favorite foods for Christmas Eve that year because at the time, Tan was not pleased with the outrageous dinner her mother had cooked and it wasn't until years later that she realized the purpose behind her mother's choice.

4. By lingering over the description of the food on the table, Tan emphasizes the grotesqueness (it's a word, I promise) of the dinner and how unappealing it may have looked to the dinner guests.

"Questions on Language"

1. The simile about Mary is surprising because referencing such a person is not ordinarily done by authors. It's amusing because… you know, I'm really not sure why it's amusing. Sorry.

2. The author being only fourteen makes the tone of the essay more appropriately youthful. Teenage girls tend to be overly conscious of aspects of their lives that may be slightly embarrassing to them but not to others and this adds to the emotions expressed by the author. Statements such as "…and I pretended he was not worthy of existence" and "I wanted to disappear" are indicative of a teenager's language.

CM

El Campeon del Mundo

Questions On Meaning:
1.) Angelou's purpose is to explain the importance of this figure and his struggle as a metaphor for the struggle of her race.
2.) The victory of the African-American boxer is shared by much of his race that put their faith and pride in him.
3.) Those atrocities don't actually occur because of a lost boxing match but they do represent the broken pride of people who have been hurt so many times before.
4.) No, the anecdote is simply a metaphor for a larger struggle that is very real.

Question On Writing Strategy:
1.) The room was crowded and there is a feeling of tension. (Okay sorry I did el lamo on this one. K wants exact quotes and I don't have my Bedford with me to find them.)
2.) There is a climax in which the champion is weakened and the room is suspenseful. After the climax he makes a comeback and it is clear that he will be the winner.
3.) It is ironic that although an African-American won the fight, they were still victimized in the larger struggle.
4.) The use of direct quotation allows you to feel as though you were listening to the fight yourself. You also get to know the personalities of the people in the room this way.
5.) Angelou uses analogy to describe the nature of the people in the store after the fight. Her narrative depends on this setting and the attitudes of the people in it.

Questions On Language:
1.) Angelou is referring to the referee's explanation of the rules before the fight.
2.) Angelou's use of nonstandard English contributes to the conversational tone of the piece and allows you to better understand the cultural dialect of the characters.

Love always,
CARL