Response to Material

DIDLS. I'm still gonna pronounce it "Diddles." Helps me as a student. Anyhow, it's certainly been at the forefront of the curriculum and it's actually making a lot of sense to me. The progression from techniques to effects to meanings, and exploring the various signs of each is helping me to break down literature in ways I haven't ever been able to do. My past attempts, before this class, have either had me picking at small details and being unsure what to do with them, or made me try to step back and see the big picture but be unable to do so in depth. What we've learned so far, building our analysis from the specific, concrete DIDLS and moving on to interpret effect and meaning has allowed me to put these skills together and really see not only what the author is doing or saying but HOW she is doing it and what that says about the work. I'm a bit lost on essay scoring because my estimates on those we looked at were way off, but I guess that's just something that will come as i write and get back more responses to prompts. Ooh, also, a big help for me was the assertion that a good essay can make sense and have a point by simply looking at the first sentences of each paragraph. Organization of my body has never been a strong point of mine and that bit helps. Overall I'm pleased with what we've done and it's been much more helpful as far as writing goes than months of some other classes I've been in. DIDLS to effects to meaning; it just makes sense.

Open Prompt Essay

1976. The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays. Select the work of an essayist who is in opposition to his or her society; or from a work of recognized literary merit, select a fictional character who is in opposition to his or her society. In a critical essay, analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications for both the individual and the society. Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.

                Most people, when thrust into a new environment, will adapt and blend in, altering their behavior to match that of those around them. However, this cannot be said for Oliver Twist of the Dickens novel by the same name. Although Oliver's surroundings teem with dishonesty and ill will, he steadfastly holds to his own moral code, illustrating the resilience of good and the power of innocence.

                Oliver's innocence is a trait which time and again serves exclusively to benefit. When questioned by Mr. Brownlow, it is Oliver's true innocence which convinces him that the boy was not to blame for thievery, and even causes the man to take Oliver in. His innocence serves not only himself but others as well, starting a series of events which puts Fagin to justice and enriches the life of a lonely Mr. Brownlow. The quality of life of not only Oliver but those around him, or at least those who aren't entirely corrupt, improves because of Oliver's innocence.

                Oliver's strong moral sense is unchanged by his total immersion into a society that operates on acts of thievery and perpetuates violence, even when this society directly attempts to corrupt him. In the clash between Fagin's and his gang's cruelty and Oliver's purity, Oliver repeatedly wins:  Nancy's resistance against Fagin's and Syke's attempts to beat Oliver represents her finally resisting the evil that's surrounded her, and she was inspired to do so by the good she found in Oliver, and after being surrounded by a society of murderers and thieves, Oliver still has the goodness to give Monks a second chance. These events serve as a testament to the power of unyielding kindness for both Oliver and society in general.

                Throughout the novel, the world that Oliver is immersed in is at ends with the beliefs and traits of Oliver himself. By showing repeated examples of Oliver's traits of good and innocence overcoming the oppressive, violent society that surrounds him, Dickens demonstrates that innocence can serve as a powerful force for good, and that good will triumph over evil.

Closed Reading #1

Does Avatar's Political Agenda Matter? by Andrew Price


Diction: This articles has a very informal and colloquial tone throughout, and starts especially so: Phrases like "first got rolling" and "pretty much agree" establish an easy, conversational relationship with the reader which makes the article seem personal and friendly. With transitions like "Oh, and..." and "sure, but..." Price makes the reader feel comfortable enough to consider his opinion. By referring directly to the reader as "you" and himself as "I" he deepens this dialogue-like feeling. By opening up himself with this casual tone, Price aims to open his readers up as well so they'll be more receptive to what he has to say. He also uses more negative words to describe the opinions of those on the opposite stance. David brook supplies "The first volley" while "John Podhoritz rails against the film." At one point he refers to the opposition as the "conservative assault."

Details: Writing an opinion paper, Price has great control over how he presents his sources and ideas. Most of the criticism he selects to show his opposition is harshly worded, and follows his quotations with ideas which refute or lessen the criticism's message. Read this paragraph:

"Some of the complaints are about the movie's plausibility. Podhoretz's piece harps on the ridiculousness of the 'fiber-optic cables coming out of their patooties' as if we weren't searching for 'unobtanium' on another planet that also somehow happened to evolve Earth-like trees and sentient bipeds. If he needs more fodder for columns, I'd point him to the entire genres of science fiction and fantasy."

Price deliberately includes this criticism of the film's realism, which isn't a point he had much to say on. He then soundly refutes the criticism by attributing the supposed flaws to the film's genre. By including this section which in itself doesn't provide strong evidence for his overall point, Price gets readers in the habit of seeing his opinion triumph those of others.


Language: Price makes use of many rhetorical devices throughout the article. Observe when he drives his main point home:

"But here's the real question: What are the stakes? I can't imagine the voter who would change his or her opinion about cap-and-trade legislation or the justification for the war in Afghanistan or the ethics of private security firms based on Avatar. Are any Roman Catholics going to switch to Gaia worship because Home Tree seems nicer than Giovanni Ribisi's headquarters"

Price asks rhetorical questions to get readers to consider answer these questions themselves AFTER he has already provided much evidence which would cause readers to answer them in accordance with his own ideas. His language is casual and easy throughout to get readers relaxed enough to come to these conclusions seemingly of their own accord.