Crucible and Perfume- Comaparitive Essay (Draft)

Many people judge other people based on first impressions. It can shape a person’s view on one person depending on what type of impression they gave. The setting of a story operates in a similar fashion; in fact it can tell the reader if a story is going to be very depressing or very cheerful. The setting can provide clues such as weather, clothing and environment which can help create a perception as to what type of story is being displayed. Perfume and The crucible both embark with a setting which depicts the book as very dark, gloomy and mysterious. Arthur Miller and Patrick Suskind have written the books with a similar beginning but in a different variation, depicting the theme of evil.
In the story Perfume, Patrick Suskind begins the story with a very dirty environment. It becomes very clear with the smelly fish market, a mother who tries and kills her son Grenouille. Paris which is where the setting took place was depicted as very unclean and it was normal for everyone to have an odor. Grenouille was an odd ball and did not flow well with the norms of that society. He did not have an odor, was extremely intelligent and near to perfect, as well as very hardworking. The other children in the book were portrayed as very lazy and did not perform well at the tasks that they were given. Grenouille was seen as mysterious as to the abilities that he possessed. In the story The Crucible, Arthur Miller begins the plot with a mysterious bunch of women dancing in the forest performing some kind of black magic. This immediately gave a sense of mystery and an environment which was dark and gloomy. The forest was depicted as dark and covered with trees, and definitely seemed like a place people in those days would not want to stand around just for fun. This story also referred to social norms, especially because these women were doing black magic which was considered abnormal and something society would down upon.

Perfume later translated into a novel about Grenouille, who was first seen as abnormal and the opposite of society. He would kill women for their scent and for nothing further, this depicts evil. Even if Grenouille killed them for only their scent and not to rape or commit robbery on them, he was killing many virgin girls. The setting of the story plays nicely with the theme of evil, especially when Grenouille himself was faced with evil. His own mother tried to kill him, and Madame Gaillard even questioned later as to why she took Grenouille into her home, in the first place. One of the most key indicators of evil was how people didn’t see any good in Grenouille. The setting displayed how people thought that he was the devils child, because he had no odor and seemed to do his entire task with perfection and was very helpful. Many other kids around him seemed to be the opposite of that, and were portrayed as the normal bunch in that particular society.

The crucible took place in Salem, Massachusetts in the year 1962. Witchcraft during those times was forbidden and people would be sentenced to hang if they were a witch or practicing black magic. If people heard someone was a witch in our modern day society, people will take you for a joker. The setting of the crucible displayed evil through the mysterious dance by the women in the forest. It was very dark and foggy outside, and they were all surrounded by trees. In a typical horror film, that would mean monsters coming out from behind the trees or a killer waiting to prey on the innocent. Black magic was also considered very evil and something related closely with the devil.

Both The Crucible and Perfume depict evil in the setting of their stories. The setting can help shape an impression on the reader, and in these two stories, the feeling of mystery, gloominess and darkness display signs of an evil theme.

Good Vs. Evil: How does film deal with these questions?

Good and evil doesn't necessarily have to fit the common view of a good or evil person. This is especially true in movies, and even some TV shows. A person who may appear to be an average decent person, can actually be doing terrible things. Likewise, a person who may appear to be like a mean or tough person may actually be the real good person. I agree with this statement from personal experience. There can be people who appear to be a legitimate person, but take a look at some things they do and right there you've caught onto something. When it comes to a person looking mean and tough, some of those people are actually very decent and good hearted people.

I believe that there is no way you can put everyone into the same category, especially because everyone is different. One example I'd like to use is the show 24, from one point of view Jack is seen as a criminal but in fact he is on the good guys side, infiltrating an evil organization. One character who was a secret service agent, had been killing people who were about to reveal what kind of work he actually was doing with a Militia organization. This example shows how a person who may look like the good person can actually be bad. From the movie Executive decision, Air force one was taken over by a number of armed men. Once again, one of the President's secret service had helped the group get on board the plane secretly. This agent had been working for the President for many years, but suddenly got a pay off by this particular group. This is why, in those types of positions you have to constantly make sure you have the right people working for you. Agents even keep and eye on each other to make sure there isn't any corruption or conspiracy's brewing up. So this is an example of a person who seems legit but actually is a major threat. One other thing, I'd like to point out is that even a superhero such as Batman uses violence to protect people from these villains. So people may argue that he is doing the same things as his enemies.

All the examples I provided are from movies or shows, but it even applies to real life when people are being mislead today. You don't really know a person, unless you get to know them. As I stated earlier, a person who may seem legit can actually be a very bad person, a person who may appear to be an individual you can't trust may be a person of good moral character. It may be even more obvious than that, such as a person who appears to be good and is completely legit. Even a person who appears to be bad can be bad. It wouldn't be smart to misjudge a person, unless you really look into it and find out or get to know them. Film is very good at portraying good and evil in different ways, and helps people look at the different ways good or evil can come.

Can good characters engender judgement?

I believe good characters do engender judgement. People as a whole probably get judged on decisions made, things said or actions. Maybe not always, but usually they get some form of judgement put upon them. People have different opinions which are based on what they already know and maybe on certain assumptions. Depending on their viewpoint, they may see a good character doing something bad or doing something good. Even small things can be put under scrutiny, and people tend to disregard these things as insignificant.

A couple examples of this would be: King Richards was doing a noble act by spreading Christianity, on the other hand he was killing people in the name of Christianity. For some he was a hero and for others he was a bad man. Regardless of if someone is good or bad they will somewhere or somehow face judgement, its unavoidable. There are also different degrees of judgement, for example it may be very harsh or it can be something minor. An example of harsh judgement would be doing something terrible which would effect many people, or doing something morally wrong. From a minor side, something like taking a pencil from some one's desk. Judgement can make a person stronger or weaker, depending on how they take it, analyse it and look at it. Some judgement can improve one as a person, and some is just destructive and can ruin one's feelings towards one's self. There is positive judgement like constructive criticism and negative which is plainly making up things about a person.

Can evil characters Ingender sympathy?

I think that evil characters aren't always 100% evil and have a soft spot. In certain movies or stories I've seen, certain villains do show some sense of feeling but don't want to show it, and believe its a sign of weakness. Evil characters want to be seen as powerful and cause demise to other people, and if they are seen as too sympathetic, they probably believe that it will effect their image.

Examples of sympathy can include, when characters may not go through with a plan that would cause catastrophic results and maybe even tone it down. When an evil character is complemented for showing some sort of sympathy, they may brush it off and say that it was nothing and still insist that they are evil. So it may be apparent that deep down inside, they really do feel something but can't or don't want to show it on the outside. Evil characters may even begin to show some sort of sympathy, but then realize what they are doing and suddenly force themselves to display evil once again. So in summary, I do think that evil people can show sympathy but it doesn't show too often unless you analyze the person carefully. They probably hate being seen as nice or sympathetic person because they want the title of being evil, and status or how they are viewed is probably prudent for them.

Clearly Defined roles?

I don't think good and evil are 100% defined, simply because evil people can do good things and good people can do evil things. To make this statement more clear, I can start off by illustrating some examples. When an evil person does something good, we should question: what is their purpose of the act? Likewise, we should ask a good person doing something evil: what is the purpose of what they did? In some cases, the action may not be deliberate or it may be done, knowing full well what the person was doing.

Realistically speaking, i doubt very many people would be 100% good. Just imagine if people listened to everything that every single person said, aside from constructive criticism or important things to improve yourself. That would mean that if someone says to go jump off a bridge, you would listen and jump off. A good person doesn't have to go to that extreme where, they do exactly as everyone tells them to, but they should be able to think of the greater good and think for themselves. Some people may seem like they are 100% evil by horrendous crimes they may have committed but who's to say behind closed doors, they can't live with themselves? Even if it is a bit of remorse of some sort, they still have a bit of goodness inside of them, its just overpowered by evil. In that case, an evil person would have to posses qualities or do things primarily evil, even if they do a few good things.

So if someone was 100% good, and listened to the letter of every person's word, it can cause some trouble. Same thing is someone was 100% evil, its obvious that they would have no remorse for evil actions, can live with themselves and they are pretty much a programmed machine, with no feelings. So you can achieve the same effect by having too much of one side. Without evil there is no good but without good there is no evil.

Nature of evil

Evil is when a person's feelings of anger, hate, disgust, fear drive them to execute actions which can cause harm to themselves but more specifically other people. Psychopaths are one example of evil people, and they lack empathy which basically means they will do anything including killing people without feeling any remorse. In my belief, behind an evil person can lie some good, but the good inside of them is overpowered by the feelings listed earlier such as: anger, hate, disgust and fear. I would describe this as a shadow or wall which is blocking the good inside them, and it is hard to break through it. However, the subject of "evil" gets tricky when mentally unstable people murder someone and the suspect did not know what they were doing.

Sometimes some one's actions or attitude can be a defence mechanism in order to present themselves as stronger or bigger. In reality behind closed doors, the person is actually a mess and constantly in tears. A broken person, who is depressed and down and under with their life and ready to explode. The person may be good in someways, but they essentially let their evil feelings or thoughts take over them. Soon enough, the evil became the person and most of their actions are dictated by evil morals. It is more easier to be "evil" than "good" morally. It is understandable why many people are evil in this world, there are various reasons.

Sometimes we can't comprehend some people's actions, such as the killing of Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. I believe that murder is murder but when someone does it intentionally vs. doing it due to schizophrenia, the cases are looked at differently. Parents of murder victims do feel anger, but they may (they may not) feel differently if someone killed someone on purpose or did not know what they were doing. Certain parents may feel "why my son/daughter?" In a schizophrenic case versus more anger in a premeditated murder case.

What is the nature of good?

What makes a good person?

A person will prove themselves as "good" through their actions. Knowing what is right and wrong, and having a strong sense of morality. The individual won't intentionally hurt and tear someone apart emotionally or physically to make themselves look better or for fun. A "good" person does not have to be 100% saint and hurt some one's feelings by being too truthful. For example, telling someone that their friend had made some harsh comments about them. Although, telling the truth is good, it is actually hurtful when you go around telling people what other people said about them. It is probably better for the people who made the comments, to tell the person themselves, in a respectful way. One other case is when a wife asks her husband, "did you cheat on me?" The husband replies, "no, i didn't" The husband was telling the truth and had never cheated, however a couple weeks later he goes to a bar. At the bar is a beautiful woman, and they both start talking to each other and flirting. His wife's friend happens to also be at the bar and later tells his wife that he was talking and laughing with another lady. In the wife's mind, this is cheating and in truth he never had any physical relations with her, besides just flirting. So in the wife's eyes she sees something else in comparison to what he saw. All of this because, a friend went out of her way and told his wife that she saw him talking to another woman. So in other words, the husband was telling the half truth but it wasn't the full story, the wife would see.

A "good" person would also live by a certain number of principles or rules individually speaking. They may be selective in what they say to certain people, or understand where different people are coming from, in terms of personality or attitude. They can interact and choose different ways of communication with different people. You may want to talk to a boisterous person differently than, a person who is more shy or soft spoken. All this relates, to consideration of another person's feelings and some sort of respect. In terms of respect, a "good" person will treat people impartially, and get along with many people through respect. This doesn't mean the person has to do certain evil things to get respect, but the way they treat others will determine how others feel about them. So that way, many people will have great things to say about you and for the great attitude you have. It is clear some people may not like a "good" person, no matter how "good" they are. However, the person with the greater good will step up and not be the same like a person who treats them badly. They will not stoop down to their level, in order to prove a point but they will stand out in character.

Consistency is also important, because they can do a variety of good things and be involved with positive activities. However, they can still be doing evil things as a double life. A "good" person would be consistent with what they stand for and wouldn't do half one thing and half another. It's like having a leader of a nation which steals money but tells other people not to steal. This would be hypocritical, so consistency is important because someone may be looking up to them as a "good" person and they need to set the right example.

Adolescents and the Media

This piece is quite different from the other ones, especially because it has subheadings that say "What do we know?" and "What don't we know?" This will definately help the reader better understand the issue at hand, because it is clearly marked beforehand. In the "What we don't know" section, readers are more likely to think critically about the questions put in there. The author uses "in my own opinion" which clearly means that it isn't formal. This writing piece seems to be shorter than the previous ones I've read and the structure epescially is alot different. There are just three paragraphs to begin with, which talk about the media's influence in adolecents lives and why its a major player. The information following that is what I mentioned above about the "What do we know?" and "What don't we know?" sections. These sections are refering to the amount of knowledge people have in general about the media, in relation to adolecents. This particular piece alot lists a bunch of sources which include: website articles, books and studies.

Overall I think this piece is short and a quick read. People can just read it quickly, for fun and it isn't formal but readable. I like how it has subheadings and clearly defines what they are talking about. The sources which are presented are also good on the writer's part, and the reader's can look into the sources.

Debunking Media Violence- Formal Tone

For starters, this essay is definitely written in a formal tone. Simply because it doesn't address anyone specifically and doesn't use any street language or slang. In this piece the writer includes personal stories which is one rhetorical device. This proves to be effective when the writer is trying to convey a message to the audience and it connects to them on a more personal level. Another rhetorical device that this author uses is, rhetorical questions and it helps the reader think about an idea and finally the author explains in detail, following the rhetorical question. The amount of sources used in this piece is phenomenal, there are citings left, right and centre. What I though was a good idea, was how the author wrote a reference section and clearly listed his sources, for the reader to see. This helps improve credibility and also helps the reader see if this author is just making up facts or if its actually legitimate.

The author talks about cartoons, video games and even includes research. This author touched on an important argument of school shootings, and used real life events to help explain a statement. Within the school shooting subject, he once again used rhetorical devices in order to put a question into the reader's mind. This can initiate critical thinking on the reader's part and the reader will be more intrigued into the written piece. Overall I think this piece was well written, and includes proper grammer, puntucation and spelling. The author backs up alot of his statements through facts, studies and statistics.

A few thoughts on media violence

I'm very impressed at how this author started off his piece, with rolling punches. The way he had worded his starting point was incredible. He used words such as: reformers, culture warriors, scurrying, public eye etc. The piece sounded very sophisticated and well written, as well as well thought out. This piece did seem in-formal for sure, and the author used plenty of facts, nicely blended in with the arguments. His statements stood out to me and he would use rhetorical questions in large amounts. This author spoke beyond reasonable doubt, and would refer to what his critics may rebut with. He addresses logical fallacies extremely well and his work is well crafted and proper grammar, spelling as well as punctuation.

The author uses examples from movies, books, video games and so forth. His sources include a wide variety of newspapers, studies and statistics. Overall, I would say this author has presented his work very well, and contains all the good elements of a informal writing piece.

Media violence: Formal Tone

This particular article talked about how violence has plagued society consistently for a long period of time. The author provided various examples of drugs, inadequate parenting, availability of weapons, unemployment as causes of violence. Not only that, the author displayed examples relating to media such as: TV, newspapers, comic books etc. It was interesting to see how the reader displayed the low end of violence and the extreme end. I noted that the author used statistics to back up their arguments and one point that stood out to me was how television affects people in different ways, and its hard to see the effects because of the variation of it. It was a strong point, because it explained about the complexity about it. However, the author could use more facts to back up statements like these.

For a formal tone, this was a bit under par. It seemed like it needed some more life into it, and the audience may not be interested. I think its good how the facts were placed, but its important to use more devices to attract interest and make the piece more formal. There were some capital errors where the writer put TV in lower case t.v. I think it was an alright piece to read, but some sections did not seem formal and it was more on a causal level. It wasn't the worst nor was it the greatest, it was more in between.

Reflection

What are some of the reasons why writing a persuasive piece is particularly difficult?
In what ways can this be improved? (Preparation, Writing, Editing)
What kind of support will be needed to realistically improve these skills without severely placing the course behind schedule? (which it is now)

Persuasive writing is meant to convey a message that convinces the audience of a certain opinion you are presenting. It is backed up by facts, and in order to make a strong persuasive writing piece, you need to avoid using other people's opinion's to back up your own. When statistics are used and actual facts, they make your opinion stronger and make it more believable as well as legitimate. Some of the reasons why writing a persuasive piece is particularly difficult is because, its so simple to just write down someone Else's opinion. Some people would rather just find another person's opinion, instead of researching actual facts or statistics and spending the time to do it. Another reason would be, that the arguments should flow properly and they should be able to make sense. If the audience fails to understand what message you are trying to convey, then the whole piece is down the drain. Not only that, but if the audience sees you constantly repeating the same statements over and over, it makes it look like a cheap job.

I think persuasive writing can be improved by doing, more in depth research into the topics we are doing. We should get at least 3 different people to check over our work, in case we don't catch some of our own mistakes. It would also be important to think twice before writing something, for example: "would the audience understand this, if they don't know anything about the topic?" "Would the audience agree with the statement and are they backed up by facts or nothing?" It would also be good to learn from the best, try and get some tips from the good writers and learn something from them. Also, try and think in the other person's perspective and how they would look at the arguments presented and if they would question anything about it?

The type of support that our class would need is, to work as a team in my opinion. There are some strong writers in our class, and if we did some group activities, we can learn some things from them. We can also, do activities that train us in various aspects of writing and then combine those aspects together and eventually we will learn to do it independently.

Speech Analysis Part 3

This will be the 3rd speech analysis, Obama's previous speeches which I have discussed in my blog are somewhat similar to this particular one. To begin with, Obama starts his speech off by congratulating president bush and various other people for their support and help in a long fought campaign. Once again, Obama is using rhetorical techniques such as repetition. A clear example of repetition is when Obama talks about the foundation of America and its founding documents: : "So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans." Obama also uses a good amount of cause and affect, especially when discussing its major issues. Another example of Obama using repetition is when he says this famous line: "On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord." This section is particularly catchy, primarily because he talks about having hope and purpose instead of fear and conflict. For many Americans and people abroad, this means something fresh and something different as well as a sign of change.

"That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet."

In this section he discusses the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economy, American homes, job loss, and an energy crisis. He clearly identifies the causes and effects of these various issues on his plate. Another rhetorical device used by Obama is, rhetorical climax. Especially when he gets fired up by this statement: "Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America they will be met." This statement is personally one of my favourite ones, simply because he shows honesty and showing the American people and the world, what is the reality of the situation. Obama will help people come to grips with reality and understand what needs to be done to help resolve these various issues. He can help educate those, who may not understand how it will effect them personally or even indirectly.

This is speech is different because he is talking about his victory and what road lies ahead for America and the world. In previous speeches he talked more about what he can offer once he was elected and what he would do, and what he would do differently compared to his counterparts. Obama can't sound like he's winning for sure, or else he would come off as overconfident, and that's something people would despise. He needed to present himself as a mature, and strong leader who knew he may lose but he's committed to his country and the world. Once he was elected president, the green light would be set up for a victory speech, however the victory speech can't sound too cocky or unrealistic. Obama needed to present the problems, the truth and the solutions and what he can do within his power. He admitted himself, that he needed every one's help to make this happen, and it can't be a one man show. Obama lives on a principle of not misleading the public but rather leading them to what is the good news and bad, but he states it in a respectful manner.

Speech Analysis: Part 2

Obama's speech has many Rhetorical devices and much of his speech includes Anecdotes, Cause of effect and chaiasmus. These rhetorical devices can be used to draw in the audiences attention, and to better connect to the audience. As a speaker, Obama can effectively speak to an audience and has plenty of charisma. Rhetorical devices also help, him send the right kind of message to the American people and the world.



Obama uses plenty of personal stories (anecdotes) to illustrate a point to the American people primarily or even the rest of the world. One example of this is when Obama spoke of Ann Nixon Cooper, who was a 106 years old. "She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin." He also speaks of his campaign professionals who have helped him. "To my campaign manager David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best political campaign in the history of the United States of America. My chief strategist David Axelrod, who has been a partner with me every step of the way, and to the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done."



The president elect also uses, cause and effect when he says, "There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for their child's college education. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair." In this case, he is referring to the need to make some major changes in America. Obama wants to make it clear to the American people, of what results can come out of a certain course of action taken, and what changes will come about.



Repetition is also used in Obama's speech, when he imposes the point about rebuilding America and starting off fresh. "I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand." d This particular part of his speech is meant to get Americans motivated about rebuilding their country and taking a stand. The repetition would get the message across effectively.



Chiasmus is another element used in Obama's speech, one example of this is when he talks about America's image to the world. "For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow." In this section, he is addressing the world and the American people, and ensuring that America can change for the good and not be known as a bad country internationally.



In combination with a variety of Rhetorical devices, Obama can premote hope and send a strong message to the world and the American people. Each Rhetorical device has its individual effects. Anecdotes, connect to people on a more personal level and help people understand the circumstances some have to go through. Cause and effect helps the audience understand, what are the possible outcomes from a certain course of action. Chiasmus, which is crisscrossing of words, helps people think in a thoughtful way and provides words of wisdom. Repition helps get the message across by repeating certain words and the statement becomes even more powerful.

Reaction to Obama's Speech

I found that Obama is a very effective speaker and can connect to his audience very clearly. He appears as a very caring and compassionate individual and he believes in standing up for those who can't really stand up for themselves. The way he speaks also, indicates confidence and also demonstrates his commitment to changing his country and being honest and transparent. I have also found that the remarks that he makes is very inspiring and brings a sense of hope, not only to America but also for the rest of the world. He shows a great sign of respect to his family, the American people, and the world, by addressing pretty much everybody in the picture. Obama doesn't just address the rich and cast down the poor, he mentions the lawyers, doctors, janitors, farmers and teachers. He also, mentions the reality of the problems that America and the world faces, and also instills a sense of teamwork in order to solve these problems. When you read his speech you miss out on his facial cues or hand gestures and various other actions. Body language does also add more power to the speech or can take away. Obama, a figure that many kids even admire, simply because he is incredible to watch. Everything he says next, is like a new chapter of wisdom and hope, and keeps you wanting to hear more. Obama can also be seen as a down to earth type of guy, he gets along with everyone, regardless of their age, sex, religion and so forth. He clearly makes an effort not to forget anybody or leave them behind, and even makes the people's problem, his own personal commitment. Very rarely has a president been so upbeat and inspirational. Some may even think of this individual as a best friend, dad, uncle and like I mentioned earlier, many kids look up to this man. Obama is clearly doing an immaculate job, and he's not even well into a presidency yet.

Dramatic devices

Dramatic devices are elements in a play, which allow the writer to build tension or other intended effects. The particular effects influence the actions of the play and the response of the characters and auidence. These devices include dialogue, rhyme, description, soliloquy, aside and metaphor. It is usually meant to leave an impression to the reader and audience, about a play.


http://www.englishbiz.co.uk/popups/devices.htm

Literary devices and definitions

Literary devices include:

Allegory - a symbolic representationi.e. The blindfolded figure with scales is an allegory of justice.

Alliteration - the repetition of the initial consonant. There should be at least two repetitions in a row. i.e. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Allusion – A reference to a famous person or event in life or literature. i.e. She is as pretty as the Mona Lisa.

Analogy - the comparison of two pairs which have the same relationship. i.e. shoe is to foot as tire is to wheel

Assonance - the repetition of similar vowel sounds in a sentence.
Climax - the turning point of the action in the plot of a play or story. The climax represents the point of greatest tension in the work.

Foreshadowing - hints of what is to come in the action of a play or a story

Hyperbole - a figure of speech involving exaggeration.

Metaphor - A comparison in which one thing is said to be another. i.e. The cat's eyes were jewels, gleaming in the darkness.

Onomatopoeia - the use of words to imitate the sounds they describe.i.e. The burning wood crackled and hissed.

Oxymoron - putting two contradictory words together. i.e. bittersweet, jumbo shrimp, and act naturally

Personification - is giving human qualities to animals or objects.i.e. The daffodils nodded their yellow heads.

Pun - A word is used which has two meanings at the same time, which results in humor.

Simile - figure of speech involving a comparison between unlike things using like, as, or as though.
i.e. She floated in like a cloud.

http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/resources/litdevices/index.html

LINK BELOW INCLUDES MORE LITERARY DEVICES
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Literary-Terms-Poetry-Glossary.id-305499,articleId-30165.html

MLA CIATATIONS

MLA citations are used to leave a trail of clues for interested readers. Documentation of sources leaves readers to identify the sources that you have used while assemblying your paper and citations are there to ensure ethical responsibility and academic consistancy within a discipline. Plagarism is a major issue in the academic world, and citing sources helps the reader to clearly see if plagarism has occured or if proper sources were used. You might ask, what needs to be citied?

You need to document:

Direct quotes, both entire sentences and phrases
Paraphrases (rephrased or summarized material)
Words specific or unique to the author's research, theories, or ideas
Use of an author's argument or line of thinking
Historical, statistical, or scientific facts
Articles or studies you refer to within your text

You do not need to document:

Proverbs, axioms, and sayings ("A stitch in time saves nine.")
Well-known quotations ("The personal is political.")
Common knowledge (Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, or oxygen has an atomic number of 8, or "The Starry Night" was painted by Vincent Van Gogh.)

RULE OF THUMB: MAKE SURE A KNOWLEDGABLE READER WOULD KNOW THE INFORMATION PROVIDED

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/mla.html

FOLLOWING LINK PROVIDES EXAMPLES RELATING TO MLA CITATIONS
http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citmla.htm

Structuring an arguement

An arguement is a reason given in proof or rebuttal, or can be a discourse intended to persuade. It is also known as a coherent series of statements leading from a premise to a conclusion. There is a certain structure to making an arguement. This structure includes making a claim and taking a position, supporting the claim and anticipating reader's concerns. The first part which is, making the claim invovlves making your position very clear and doing so earlier on in an essay. It's important to begin with a clear focus and keep that focus in mind and the rest of the paper should also be focused. This is not a detailed discussion but a detailed defence of your portion on this issue.

http://www.ask.com/bar?q=structuring+an+argument&page=1&qsrc=19&zoom=Types+of+Organizational+%3CKW%3EStructures%3C%2FKW%3E%7CWhat+Is+%3CKW%3EStructuring%3C%2FKW%3E+in+Money+Laundering%7C%3CKW%3EStructuring%3C%2FKW%3E+Transactions&ab=6&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.public.asu.edu%2F%7Ekheenan%2Fcourses%2F102%2Fsummer99%2Fstruct.htm

Review Intro and Rhetoric, Rhetoric devices

This is my first blog for Ms.Cornetopolous's grade 12 U english class, regarding the topics that will be covered today. These topics will include:

Rhetoric and Rhetorical Devices
Structuring an Argument (Logic, Thesis, etc)
MLA Citation
Literary Devices and Narrative Techniques
Dramatic Devices

Rhetoric means the art of speaking or writing effectively, the study of principles and rules of composition formulated by critics of ancient times, the study of writing or speaking as a means of communication or pursuation. The source of this information was the webster online dictionary. A rethorical device is a use of language that creates a literary effect, and this is often without regard for literal significance. Examples of devices include: rethorical question, emotive language, parallel structures, sound patterns, contrast, description and imagery, the rule of three, repetition, hyberbole and anecdote .

1. Rhetorical question
Can we really expect the school to keep paying from its limited resources?

2. Emotive language
Imagine being cast out into the street, cold, lonely and frightened.

3. Parallel structures
To show kindness is praiseworthy; to show hatred is evil.

4. Sound patterns
Alliteration: Callous, calculating cruelty – is this what we must expect?
Assonance: A fine time we all had, too.

5. Contrast
Sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind.

6. Description and Imagery (i.e. using metaphor, simile and personification)
While we wait and do nothing, we must not forget that the fuse is already burning.

7. The 'rule of three'
I ask you, is this fair, is it right, is it just?

8. Repetition
Evil minds will use evil means.

9. Hyperbole (using exaggeration for effect)
While we await your decision, the whole school holds its breath.

10. Anecdote
The exam question asks you to write an article to persuade your readers that homeless people suffer and need help but you know that many people have no sympathy for the homeless, maybe thinking they are lazy and don't want work or that the government help them out enough already with social security. So you make up an anecdote...
'I know that many of you think the homeless are a lost cause and that they are lazy good for nothings. Well, of course, that might be true for some of them, but let me tell you about Dave. I went to school with Dave for three years until Year 11. It was just before our exams when Dave's mum and dad hit problems - big-time! From there on in life began to fall apart for Dave. He just wasn't able to cope. By the time he was eighteen, when I was sitting for my A-levels, Dave was on the streets...'

http://www.englishbiz.co.uk/extras/rhetoricalexamples.htm

First blog

whats up,
hows everyone doing on thier assignment?