Outside Reading: Book Review #3

 Book Review: "Forbidden Planet"
By M.G. Lord
published December 29, 2010

     In M.G. Lord's book review of "How I Killed Pluto," by Mike Brown, he uses critical perspectives such as feminism and formalism for his analysis of the novel. Without quite giving the reader a definite thumbs up or down for the book, M.G. Lord skillfully highlights what he believes to be the novel's positives and negatives, allowing the reader to make their decision about the book for themselves.

     Lord begins by telling the reader the surprise he felt when he realized the novel was actually not really about Pluto and the decision on the ninth and tenth planets at all. Instead, his most memorable part of the novel was the "scene in which Brown groggily dumped cat litter instead of detergent into his washing machine," because of his exhaustion from taking care of his new baby daughter (1). This leads to his feminist critical perspective of Brown's book. "How I Killed Pluto," unexpectedly turning out to be the "chronicles of infant development," causes M.G. Lord to believe that much of the novel is a stand on gender discrimination in science.

      After discussing the feminist aspect of the piece, M.G. Lord moves on to discussing it with a formalism perspective. The writer identifies one of Brown's strengths in the novel as the emotional element added to the scientist. Although occasionally "stopped by irrelevancies," readers are "swept along by the thrill of a gigantic story" (2). Using fantastic tone, Brown shares his emotional experience with the reader, allowing them to feel the excitement and aggravation along with him. Although M.G. Lord emphasizes positive elements of the novel, including the tone and feminist stance, he also questions the importance of the magnitude of time spent reading and writing about his fathering experience. Is it symbolic? How is it related to Pluto? And after his emphasis on female scientist would women really be taken seriously after writing a book with so much of that content in it? Lord does a great job leaving the question open for the reader to think about and make their own judgements, only giving a slightly implied opinion.

       Some connections between this book review and English class could be the attention paid to feminism. In "Death of Salesman," we had a large discussion on Linda's character and the other women characters of the novel. Also Ophelia's character in "Hamlet" is another female character we spent a while discussing. We seemed to focus on typical female stereotypes, whether they are show up in the play or the writer is going against them.

       Overall, M.G. Lord does a great job communicating the feeling and content of the piece, using feminism and formalism critical perspectives. He gives a clear enough, but subjective view of the novel, leaving much of it for the reader to discover when they read the book.

Outside Reading: Editorial #3

Editorial: "Anonymity and the Dark Side of the Internet"
By Stanley Fish
published January 3, 2011

      Stanley Fish's editorial, "Anonymity and the Dark Side of the Internet," uses a strong voice and many supporting examples to persuade the readers that a speaker's identity of a piece of information is crucial to understand the text's full meaning. The emphasis of his discussion is based on internet liability.

       
      Fish starts his piece with perfect English persuasive formatting, beginning with the other side's argument and then countering it with his opinion and supporting details. Arguing that a text's meaning is really not the same whether there is a known speaker or not, the writer gives two reasons. One of which is that Fish believes leaving the speaker anonymous is a way of avoid[ing] responsibility and accountability for what one is saying. This is a horrible problem on the internet with internet bloggers who can cause others harm without guilt of them knowing it was them, or having to see their reaction to it. There is also the problem of whether a piece of information is the truth when the source is unknown and possibly unreliable. Fish gives the example that if one receives an anonymous text, the reader of the text can't be sure if she should believe it. The reliability depends on whether it's the class gossiper of her trustful friend.

       The writer of this editorial not only gives his complaint of internet anonymity, but also gives a solution to the problem, involving repealing a section of the Communications Decency Act basically saying that "the provider is not liable for what others have said." This has been interpreted by courts as a way of "immunizing providers even when they 'have knowledge that [a statement] is defamatory or invasive of privacy.'”

         Fish successfully achieved his communication purposes, using a clear, confident voice, reinforced with some great evidence and ideas. Myself as the reader, was completely turned to his side of the argument based on his facts and persuasive writing style.

Outside Reading: Reflective Essay #3

Reflective Essay: "Enigma: Asking the Mind to Jump Through Hoops"
By Teller
published December 6, 2010

       In this reflective essay, Teller uses a dinner conversation between his friends to discuss the idea of mental games like puzzles and what their point is. Teller questions them using a logical and persuasive tone. He argues that instead of "deliberately expos[ing] yourself to stress and frustration," why wouldn't you spend your time more usefully (1)? Then he switches to a more thoughtful tone as his guests give their opinion and teach him the importance the puzzles have. 

       

      The guests begin to convince Teller about the importance of puzzles using personal experiences about ways they can impact ones life. One guest shares his puzzle experience as a way to learn that one can break down difficult and overwhelming problems to solve them in a simpler way, helping as a historian to write history. Another guest tells how he makes workouts more effective by teaching people to "break down the lifting movement in their heads, like his puzzle... to identify which muscles need to fire" (2). The next guest shares her experience of crossword puzzles as a way to bond with her mother and build a strong vocabulary. After more discussion involving a sour cranberry in the cranberry sauce and magic tricks that "drive people crazy and scare them to death," they come to the conclusion that "pain... can be pleasure"(4). 

      

      By writing his reflective essay as a discussion with a persuasive and thought provoking tone, Teller successfully gets his point across. Rather than a whole paper trying to explain why he believes pain can be pleasure, he shows us the conversations that led to this conclusion, helping the reader understand the idea much more.  This tone would work for an AP essay because it is appropriate and easily understandable. 

      Teller does a fantastic job using a persuasive, thoughtful, and logical tone in a conversation setting to justify his explanation that, "whether in a jigsaw, a workout, a crossword, a magic trick or a too-tart fruit," oddly enough people enjoy this pain anyway (4). 

Notes Jan 3-7

Death of Salesman Discussion

• Why does Miller use non realistic techniques?
• What are they and now do they follow important precept "forum follows function" (every choice is made for meaning)?
• How does Linda "mother" her husband?
• Is this a healthy dynamic?
• Do her son's have to compete for her maternal love?

• What is purpose of Ben?
• Willy looks up to Ben
• Sees Ben as successful and wants to be like him so causes him to not give up trying to achieve his unrealistic dream 
• separated from reality of the play- can't actually help family financially
• Ben= American Dream -> dead
• goes away to exploit other areas, take things, and get money
• "man is not an orange whose peel can just be thrown away when they're done"- but they are in this play- Willy fighting against it
• Flashbacks- choppy and confusing- reflects Willy's confusion
• flashbacks usually positive- false ideas about past- idea that those were the good days
• Two iconic cars
• Chevy= american dream
• cleaning car- encouraging american dream
• Studibaker= dream doomed to fail
• dies in car
• Willy's contradictions:
• material things (car refrigerator)= his success and money
• at one point says how great they are
• at another he feels victimized by them- how bad they are and losing money from them
• says "Gee" is a boy's word and then he says it
• Failed in everything
• even his own death- wanted death of a salesman- but nobody showed up at his funeral
• Linda
• Is she respectful for letting them fool themselves or is it more respectful to make them face reality?
• Willy not fully adult- is called "kid," says "gee"
• dairy product motif- always getting dairy products for Willy- breast feeding
• accepts less from Willy, wants him to always be happy, doesn't treat him like he's her equal and with respect, doesn't challenge him.
• how does this effect their relationships?
• Biff and Happy don't treat women well- learned from their father
• Archetypal american escape fantasy- go out west, get married and have a ranch- Biff, of Mice and Men

• Difference between success and happiness?
• Willy thought he needed success (money, respect, and material goods) to be happy.
• 2 brothers motif
• Ben and Willy= Biff and Happy? -pattern
• Ben and Biff- went away for happiness and success
• Willy and Happy- seek approval from father figure

• Possible to have the wrong dream?
• Willy saw one salesman and said he would be happy doing that 
• never changed idea -> little kids have irrational dreams that change over time as they learn about themselves- all stuck in boyhood

Notes Dec 13-17

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"Life in a box is better than no life at all" -thematic element

• Just like their life
• they're living in a box waiting for someone to come knocking

Playwright is God and we are the characters.

They (characters) have no control on the world- their outcome and role is already predetermined.

• Hamlet's identity and choices are already made for him.
• Would it have been better to not have been born at all?

Notes Dec 6-10

Hamlet in Film

• Does actor cover all perspectives of Hamlet?
• How does film show Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia, Gertrude, and the ghost?
• Why would the second movie begin with the view from the security camera?
• Hamlet constantly physically lower than ghost (father) and is physically close to him many times in that scene?  - Shows father and son relationship.
• To be or not to be soliloquy
• Mirrors in first movie- everyone constantly watching everyone, vanity, Hamlet's obsession with self reflection
•  second movie he is in shadows.

Notes Nov 29- Dec 3

Hamlet Discussion
Questions to ponder... day 1 of discussion

• What's up with the delay? Why does Hamlet take so long for revenge?
• Maybe he's scared to do it, hesitant, coward
• careful thinker, takes a lot of things into consideration
• Why do Hamlet's words dominate the play and yet we still don't know much about him?
• constantly changes what he's thinking
• sometimes pretending to be another type of person- so you never get his true personality
• What is Shakespeare trying to reveal with Hamlet?
• Oedipal Complex- Hamlet and Gertrude- scene in her room
• Fortinbras and Hamlet --> foils
• Laertes is also a foil
• foil is like protagonist in all ways but one
• Fortinbras and Hamlet: both looking for revenge, both their fathers died, both royals.
• Laertes and Hamlet: both looking for revenge, both their fathers died, but he isn't royal.
• If they are foils, why did Fortinbras survive? What is the one thing different about him?
• Is Hamlet really mad and insane?
• How should we feel about Hamlet?
• Is the ghost really his father? Is it trying to trick him?
• Hamlet has a new set of values brought from Germany. Should he ignore his values and listen to what his father is telling him to do?

Discussion day 2


Why does this play open with a question ("Who's there?")? Of what significance is its answer?

• *Opening of play is a question of identity.
• Shows confusion, shows that maybe its dark and foggy because they can't see who is there.
• audience confused- we don't know who characters are at first.
• Everyone's on edge, mistrust
• Importance of showing loyalty- "long live the king" (password)
• differences between good and bad.
• King either came back as ghost to help and warn city of trouble or maybe he hid treasure and came to get it.
• day more pure than night- ghosts only come out at night- not holy, bad                      ----> Scene ends with question of ghost's identity.

Ophelia

Act 1 Scene 3

• violet- symbol of innocence
• "no more but so?" - tone used in line can completely change our perspective of Ophelia
• Changing moon- good, bad, night, day
• "For nature cresent..." everything at night is bad
• moon is insane, can't be trusted- always changing- like Hamlet
• --> saying Ophelia's relationship with Hamlet won't last
• "But here my father comes."
• father-son motif
• it's not just his father
• father giving advice about how to get ahead no matter what- speech seems typical on the surface but is really political
• Polonius always rises to top, powerful
• Ophelia and Laertes were raised by him
• Laertes confident knowing he will be ahead in the world
• Polonius criticizing Ophelia for falling in love with Hamlet without playing the game, worried about his reputation
• after speech Ophelia not sure about his love
• BUT is she innocent and humble after his remarks or is she just playing him trying to get him to stop talking/

Act 2 Scene 1

• When Hamlet comes into Ophelia's closet, instead of going and asking him what's wrong she goes to tell her father.
• They don't speak even when they have a moment alone
• Maybe she made this whole scene up to show her father that Hamlet really does love her?

Act 3 Scene 1

• Gertrude likes Ophelia and would be okay with her and Hamlet marrying even though she isn't as high of class.
• Hamlet and Ophelia's discussion
• Hamlet accuses her of sexual corruption- but he's the one who corrupted her.
• But she is actually corrupt because she is spying for her father
• Does Hamlet know they're spying?