Responses to Course Material

(Response #3)
Since the last post, we have mostly focused on close reading Edward Albee's "The American Dream." We also wrote improved versions of the Eros prompt.

"The American Dream" by Edward Albee's central message is about the dream of many Americans during the 1950's and 1960's. Albee specifically emphasizes the falseness and shallowness of the dream, and recognizes a departure from the old American dream. Through the characters of Mommy and Daddy, Albee demonstrates the consumerist values of the dream. Mommy seeks "satisfaction" and can only seem to achieve it through shopping, like for the beige..,wheat...or cream hat. Albee shocks the audience with the details of Mommy and Daddy's mutilation of their son, and shows just how far people will go to try to achieve the perfection that is the American dream. The ease with which Mommy and Daddy replace their son shows how shallow and meaningless the dream really is. Through Grandma's character, Albee represents the old American dream. Grandma possesses "pioneer" values, and is the only character with any dignity in the play. The Young Man represents the new American dream- he is simply the beauty he possesses on the outside and has nothing on the inside. I think the way that Albee writes the play as an allegory adds a lot to the meaning. He doesn't just come out and state his opinion on the American dream, but does it through symbolism and indirect characterization. This makes the reader think about what Albee is saying through every character's action. I liked uncovering meaning behind all the actions and words. The play reminded me in a way of The Great Gatsby because both have similar meanings about the American dream.

Redoing the Eros prompt helped me to write a much stronger essay. I was able to incorporate more elements of DIDLS because I had a better understanding of the techniques and could use them more correctly. I also had another chace to understand the poems and analyze them on a deeper level. I was able to see the meaning behind the characterizations of the god Eros. I think practicing the same essay twice is very helpful because you can correct the mistakes you made instead of just recognizing them and moving on.


(Response #2)
Recently in class we have covered the last element of DIDLS (syntax), the use of indirect and direct characterization, and comedy.

Syntax is how an author structures a sentence as well as the sentence length is order to affect pace, tone, and emphasis. Some methods commonly used to affect syntax are sentence length, verb tense, the use of imperatives over declaratives, passive voice, asyndeton and polysyndeton, changing the order of words, interrogatives, and interrupters. Each of these methods have different effects on the tone of the sentence. For example, the use of an interrupter will add suspense to a sentence while passive voice will create mystery and an impersonal tone. Syntax is a hard concept for me to grasp because I commonly confuse it with diction and language. After we learned about syntax, however, I notice more about the structure of sentences and how they affect the way I feel and react them

We have also recently learned about direct and indirect characterization. Direct characterization is when an author explicitly states something about a character, or how a character feels about something. Indirect characterization is when an author "shows not tells." The author will reveal things about a character through their reactions to events and their own actions. Indirect characterization is often used in plays because usually there is no narrator, and characters must develop through their actions. In "The American Dream" by Edward Albee, he characterizes the personalities through their actions and reactions to each other. I find that authors will usually use indirect characterization because it is more interesting for the reader to not be told something, but to figure it out on his own.

In class, we read about comedy. We learned about the different types (high, low, burlesque, parody, slapstick, etc) and the techniques used to creates these different types. We also learned new comedy vocabulary and the differences between comedies and tragedies. Specifically, we read about the Theatre of the Absurd, which is an unconventional form of comedy that seeks to portray reality and the fact that "human condition is basically meaningless." This type of theatre is often surreal and illogical, such as Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot." I find the Theatre of the Absurd especially interesting because although it makes no sense, it has a deeper meaning and makes a statement about human nature.


(Response #1)
So far in class we have covered much about how to read actively and respond to both open and closed prompts in the format of the AP English essays. We have covered "DIDLS" (diction, imagery, details, language, and syntax) and how these techniques are used to support an idea or arguement in an essay. We have also learned specifics on poetry and the special types and techniques that are used to read and analyze poetry effectively.
We have yet to practice much with open prompt essays, because we haven't started reading yet in class, but we have learned how to structure an introduction for the AP open and closed prompt essays. In the introductions for these essays, it's important to keep the ideas short and to the point. The goal of the introduction is not to summarize the essay, but to introduce the ideas and provide an outline. The method we learned has three steps: first, to introduce the subject with a general idea, then provide background information on the topic, and then provide a detailed thesis statement. These essays are different from what I have normally written in other english classes because my previous introductions have been much longer and tend to take longer to get to the point. The AP introductions are much shorter and include only what is necessary to effectively introduce the essay. I remind myself that "if it's longer than half a page, it's much too long" -Ms. Holmes.
The theses for these essays require much thought and detail, because the thesis essentially sums up what will be in the essay, and must answer ALL of the goals put forth by the prompt. We learned "TAP"-thesis answers prompt, which is the most important thing for me to remember. The thesis functions to respond to all the goals in the prompt, which should be elaborated on later in the essay. A very important step when faced with an AP prompt is to spend time with the prompt (3-5 minutes, according to Ms. Holmes) in order to find all of the goals, because if even one goal is missed, the highest score possible on the essay is a 3. This is different for me because I usually quickly read a prompt and get to work on planning and writing the essay. Commonly, the prompt will ask for comparison and contrast, and it's important to do both because both count as goals. After finding all of the goals in the prompt, it's important to label the effects and the meanings. I struggled to figure out the difference between techniques, effects, and meanings. The techniques are the "DIDLS"- which are used purely to support an arguement. The techniques are tangible and can clearly be pointed to on the page. The techniques cause the effects of the work- things like tone, mood, and atmosphere. Effects cannot be physically pointed to or proved, but are results of the techniques and the feelings they evoke. Techniques combine with the effects to form the meaning of the work. The meaning is usually the hidden "so what?" question that is not clearly asked in the prompt. All essays need to answer the "so what?" question, otherwise the essay isn't saying anything.
When writing a closed prompt essay, the DIDLS techniques are used to analyze the work. The essay should not be structured around the techniques, but instead function as support within the paragraphs. It's difficult for me personally to not structure the paragraphs around the techniques, because that is the way my mind finds most logical. I predict the structuring of my essays may be the most difficult part for me this year. The effects and meanings should be used in the topic sentences of the paragraphs.
Diction, we have learned, includes many different subtopics and ways to look at words. First, one must look at the words' level of formality. Are the words colloquial or elevated? Words can be used to connect to the reader, or to put a wall up. Words can reveal the education of the speaker. When analyzing the words, one must also look at words that are specific to a region or broader area (dialect). Often if a character is from a certain region, the author has done this deliberately to make a statement. The connotation and denotation of words are important, because the words can be saying a lot more than what they look like on the surface because of the associated meanings. If an author is deliberately abstract, they are most likely doing it for a reason and trying to make a statement or portray a certain idea. I find diction to be one of the easier techniques to analyze because often certain words will stand out and make an obvious statement. However, I also think it's easy to misunderstand a word or how the author is trying to use it.
The next technique, imagery, I find quite connected to diction and sometimes hard to distinguish the two. Diction is essentially what creates images. Imagery, by definition, appeals vividly to the senses. Often it evokes a sensory image and gives the reader interior sensations. Carefully constructed words have the ability to make the reader imagine vividly exactly what is going on. Imagery is my personal favorite technique because I enjoy analyzing a work based on the images it has created in my mind.
For details, it's important to remember that authors choose every detail for a reason. The details will contribute to the overall meaning of the work. Details will often be allusions to other works or quotes or specific names that have an obvious meaning.
Language and syntax are the two categories we have covered least in class this year. Language is easy enough to understand: things like alliteration, metaphors, and similes. These are things we have been taught to look for since middle school english classes. Syntax can often be confused with diction. Syntax is the way words are put together into sentences, while diction focuses on single words. Authors commonly put sentences together artfully, and it's worth spending time looking at the way a sentence is constructed.
If it takes longer to explain than to read, then it's poetry. This is something we have learned that has stuck in my head. It makes a lot of sense to me because poetry is what I usually struggle with most to understand. Our book taught us certain special considerations for reading and analyzing poetry. The many types of rhyme (end rhyme, internal rhyme, sight rhyme, and near rhyme) all contribute to the sound of the poem. The sound usually contributes to the way to poem is read and the effect it has on the reader. Meter must also be analyzed in poetry, whether it be iambic pentameter, tetrameter, or blank verse. The rhythm of the poem also contributes to its sound. The form of the poem is important. When in traditional form, does the poem maintain or go against conventions? This will often reinforce the meaning of a poem. Sonnets come in the form of Italian sonnets and English sonnets. Sonnets will often pose a question with the first lines and answer or respond to it in the end of the poem. Poetic syntax considers the length of the poem, pauses in the poem, and run-on lines. These affect the way the poem is read.
Much of what we have learned thus far is very new to me. In past english classes, we have done much less analyzing and are more pointed in a direction and guided to where our thoughts should go. Never before have I done this type of close reading, in which a work is read several times to get the full effect and find the meaning. I'm looking forward to becoming a more active and analytical reader and being able to find and develop my own ideas on a work.