A Cheesy Way to Describe Myself

Assignment 7 - The Garden Party

After reading Katherine Mansfield's short story, The Garden Party, I set out to answer Foster's test questions. Here is what I came up with after thinking about the questions:

What does the story signify?

The story signifies the struggle between the classes in which both think the other as different and weird. Also expressed is the isolation in which the different classes try to put themselves.

Most of the sample opinions provided by foster picked up on this point as did I.

How does the story signify this?

Geography - The Sheridan's house is separated from the common houses by a giant hill. The upper class sit on top while the lower classes reside below. What better way to symbolize a divide among people than an actual divide in the geography of the setting.

This also was expressed by the opinions provided by Foster


Freedom through Flight - At the beginning of the story Laura "flew away" to meet with the work-men sent to assemble the marque. This moment is the first in which Laura acknowledges her sympathy for the lower class men. As Diane noticed I also picked up on the birds in the nest. Each of the family is at one point referenced in an avian manner and the house on the hill could symbolize a nest. Therefore Laura's actual freedom flight would come at the end as opposed to the beginning when she seems to achieve mental freedom.

Although I noticed several of the same techniques as Diane I did not approach her level of deep thinking.


Foster's paragraphs following the short story create a much greater appreciation for Katherine Mansfield short story. The idea that the author was able to create so much symbolism in a short story is mind-boggling.

Top Ten Reads for 2012

Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen

Originally published in 2007, Water for Elephants was recommended to me by numerous people including my mother and Ms. Huff. Both knew my fascination with history and thought I would enjoy the story set in the 1930's. At 350 pages, the book will not be my longest read ever nor will it be difficult as Gruen writes in a modern style.

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Published in 2003, Martel weaves a story in which Pi Patel finds himself aboard a life boat with among other animals an orangutan, and a tiger. This setup creates, according to my mom, a very thought provoking story as the character must survive months in this situation. According to those who have read the book, the style is easy to read and at 326 pages it is not long winded either. 

Ordinary People - Judith Guest 

One of the bestsellers of the late 20th century, Guest's novel was referenced in Thomas Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor and tweaked my interest. Published in 1976, the book follows the trials of a family after the loss of a son in a boating accident. Ordinary People is 262 pages and should not be a difficult read.

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

I have read this book once before, however I was not ready for the masterpiece as I read it in 2005 (the publication year) and was only 11 years old. At the time I found Zusak's 576 page novel challenging to read. However I do not believe I will have the same troubles reading The Book Thief today as I have developed greatly as a reader.

Going After Cacciato - Tim O'Brien

After reading The Things They Carried, another Tim O'Brien novel about the Vietnam War, I became interested in reading another of O'Brien's works. Going After Cacciato was referenced several times in Foster's analysis of literature and tweaked my interest. Having already read a book by the same author, I know O'Brien's style is fairly easy to read and the 352 pages should keep the novel short-winded.

Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer

This winter I watched Into the Wild, a movie chronicling the life of Christopher McCandless. Recently I learned the story of McCandless was popularized by Krakauer's book. I immediately wanted to read the book. I do not believe the style of the 207 page book will require heavy reading as the sentences seem easy to interpret.

The Killer Angels - Michael Shaara

My love of history as well as my aunt led me to this classic novel of the American Civil War. More specifically centered around the Battle of Gettysburg, The Killer Angels brings classic American figures to life. After reading several sentences, Shaara's writing seems to be descriptive and easy to read and with 355 pages, the novel is average sized.

Letters From The Earth - Mark Twain

Wanting to read a novel by Twain, I found the perfect book in this 317 page collection of stories published posthumously. I have never read anything work of Twain's but after reading a few samples, the style seems easy enough to understand fluently.

The Professor and the Madman - Simon Winchester

Telling the tale of the Oxford English Dictionary, Winchester's novel was recommended to me by my mother and seems to be a extremely interesting answer to the classic childhood question: "Who invented the dictionary?" At 230 pages the story of murder, insanity, and the origin of the OED will be an easy read.

Thunderstruck - Erik Larson

Enthralled by The Devil in the White City, Larson's newest work greatly interests me with its similar style and topic. Larson's style is easy to decipher and the 480 pages should not create an extremely long read.

Assignment 6 - Marked for Greatness

By now anyone who has read Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor can grasp the recurring theme, that most elements of a story have a purpose if not a deeper meaning. This holds true when considering physical imperfections, more specifically Harry Potter and his famous scar. Forever living on as the "Boy Who Lived" Harry survived his encounter with Lord Voldemort with only a scar to bear.

Delving into the deeper meaning of Harry's scar requires a shift of thought. Most commonly known as a representation of the past, the lightning scar should, instead, be thought of as a window into Harry's future. The mark not only represents Harry's previous encounter with Voldemort but more importantly symbolizes the connection between Harry and the dark wizard. This faithful connections must be destroyed before the events of the final chapters. J.K. Rowling creates one imperfection in one of the character's appearances to represent this entire process: Harry's famous scar. The scar becomes the past form of Harry's future. The scar becomes a time-machine. The scar becomes a portal into the future for Harry and even his arch-nemesis.

Assignment 6 - Archetype

Archetype - The basic pattern from which all stories follow.

Once again visiting the idea of one true story, Foster introduces the concept of the archetype. Perry Moore's Hero, a coming of age story, holds true to Foster's idea that all stories have a set pattern or archetype. Although this archetype is used and abused by many authors, Moore creates a story that only proves Foster's concept true. Thom Creed, the main character, is teenager struggling to find himself. Unlike most coming of age books, however, Thom is dealing with very different issues. Not only is his father a disgraced super hero, but he is beginning to develop his own superpowers. To top off the problems, Thom is gay in an increasingly anti-homosexual community.

Creating a not so typical coming of age story seems to be increasingly difficult. By doing just that, Perry Moore helps to prove Foster's ideas about literature and the one true story. Hero is changed in a recognizable enough way to create a decent story that also follows the pattern of all the countless bad coming of age novels.

Assignment 5 - Except Sex

Nearly everyone has seen the Austin Powers trilogy. After reading Foster's opinion of the less descriptive sex scenes, an infamous seen from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me came to mind. During the scene, Austin and Ivana Humpalot play a simple game of chess. However, seconds into the game the two begin to play in a less than traditional manner. Rubbing, moaning, licking, and guttural noises commence. The game of chess contributes to the characterization of Powers and the time period. The sixties, where Austin originates, were a tumultuous period of clashes between the new front of free love and the bastion of old conservatism. By using a simple game to describe the sexual acts that are about to occur, the film creates a feeling that sex was everywhere during the 1960's and could appear anywhere. As for Powers, the scene creates a feeling of the sexual prowess of the International Man of Mystery. The men and women, as Ivana too participated in the sexual game, of the free love era are described without words. Using the game, as opposed to a sex scene, creates the double effect of describing not only an entire time period but a the people who resided in the era.

Assignment 4 - It's All Political

Foster's idea that all writing is political (whether consciously or unconsciously created) provoked my thoughts. Upon further reflection I realized his opinion was quite true. When thinking back to one of my favorite books, Tamar by Mal Peet, I made several quick political connections. Throughout the novel, the implications of war are explored continuously. For example, a major character is forced to take drugs to avoid sleep to perform his job. The effects of this forced drug use indirectly (or directly depending on personal opinion) rip a family apart forty years later. The first time I read the novel I thought of the facts merely as an unfortunate event. However, after Foster's enlightening chapter, I realized what Peet's intentions could have been. What if Peet had wanted to bring to light the lasting effects of normal wartime activities such as drug use? While it may not all be political, the majority of it can certainly be thought of that way.

Assignment 3 - Two Types of Violence

According to Thomas Foster, two different types of violence exist. The first is character violence in which the character directly causes violence to occur. The other occurs when the author purposefully creates violence to further the development of a theme. Examples of both types exist in Anthony Burgess's analysis of evil, A Clockwork Orange. Character-caused violence can be seen almost immediately as Alex, the main character and narrator, and his "droogs" (friends) prowl the streets creating mayhem where ever they step.Among other things, the "malchicks" (teenagers) rape, steal, beat, and drink their way through each evening. This violence is strictly character-caused as their own personalities create the need to be violent. The later type occurs later in the book and is much more mental than physical. After a short stint in prison, Alex is transferred to a mental hospital where the government hopes to successfully test a new prisoner reform program. Alex endures two weeks of mental bombardment as the doctors hope to condition his brain to hate sex and violence. The torturous    reform program over, Alex walks free as a changed man. However, Alex appears to be incapable of functioning in society after his old actions continue to haunt him. All of this results in Alex's attempted suicide. As the reform program was created by Burgess, the violent mental beating Alex endured was a direct result of the author.

The two distinct types of violence used by Burgess have very different effects.The character-caused violence leads to a deeper understanding of the characters and the society in which they reside. A clear mental picture of a violent corrupt world is created in the mind of the reader. Burgess's violence, however, begins to develop the theme of A Clockwork Orange. Questions about the origin of the evil begin to flow through the reader's mind. Without the inclusion of the two types of violence, Burgess's overall picture would by murky and his overall intent veiled.

Assignment 2 - Intertextuality

Intertextuality

Intertextuality can be defined as the constant interaction between texts. This interaction leads to multiple layers of meaning for all characters, plots, and settings.

Oedipus the King, the great tragedy by Sophocles, can be simply described as two men desperately attempting to alter the future predicted by the Oracle of Delphi. This basic plot outline can be found in Ryan North's Machine of Death. In North's novel, a machine prints out a slip of paper with a single word summarizing the death of the machine-user. This modern oracle leads to the modern reincarnation of Oedipus and his father, King Laius. Several people, horrified by the machine's predictions, desperately try to prevent the prophesied deaths from occurring. Although I have not read this book, and only know about it through Sean, the connection between these books is fairly obvious. When reading Machine of Death, I believe the intertextual connection will allow me to think of the short stories in a deeper perspective, instead of as an entertaining read.

When thinking of a connection with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and a modern art, most tend to think of West Side Story, the fifties and sixties adaption of Romeo and Juliet. Yet, there is another novel with ties to Shakespeare's play. S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders contains strong references to the later scenes of Romeo and Juliet. Just as Romeo feels obligated to fight Tybalt after the murder of his friend, Johnny attacks the Soc attempting to drown his friend Ponyboy. Both defensive acts result in the death of the original attacker and the exile of the friend acting as the hero. Although Ponyboy and Johnny do not have flaming romances in the society from which they leave, they do have a strong brotherhood with the fellow greasers. Upon the death of Romeo and Johnny their respective "lovers" commit suicide as they feel they can not live without the other. The brotherly love as well as the tragic ending in both works provides a strong intertextual connection. This connection helped when reading Romeo and Juliet as I was able to think of the plot in terms of a more modern setting which helped to counteract the difficult language of the play.

Fairy-Tale Parallel

Lemuel Gulliver, the luckiest or perhaps unluckiest literary figure, shares his adventures in the four part Gulliver's Travels. The first voyage in Gulliver's odyssey, his adventure in the tiny world of Lilliput, has interesting parallels with Jack and the Beanstalk, the classic fairy-tale. These parallels do not stop at the obvious big versus little saga. The giant in the fairy-tale uses his bulk to easily defeat any "Englishmen" venturing into his realm. Perhaps on purpose (due to the satirical nature of the novel) Swift created the opposite interaction in his classic. Gulliver appeared too incompetent to use his might crush the tiny egotistical beings of Lilliput. He repeatedly allows the Lilliputians to control him with their "dizzying intellect" despite their size. However, despite the completely different interactions between the characters, the giants always seem to lose. The giant is ruthlessly murdered by Jack, while Gulliver is almost poisoned to death by the tiny Lilliputians. Whether or not Swift intended these parallels to exist is nearly impossible to determine. Yet, the parallels between the novel and the fairy-tale create an interesting reiteration of the classic moral: brains always trumps brawn.

Assignment I - Every Trip is a Quest

City of Thieves by David Benoiff

a. (A quester) Lev Benoiv, a citizen of Red Russia, and Koyla Vlasov, a court-marshaled soldier in the Red Army.

b. (A place to go) The unlikely duo do not have a specific location to go, but more of a specific object in an unknown location.

c. (A reason to go) Lev and Koyla, are hoping to save their own lives by finding a dozen eggs for a greedy Russian Colonel.

d. (challenges and trials) Lev and Koyla encounter bitter cold temperatures, savage people, gnawing hunger, and most of the German army.

e. (A real reason to go) Unbeknownst to the pair, the Russian Colonel is no need of eggs. He merely wishes the pests gone. Therefore the real reason Lev and Koyla become questers is in the hope that they will perish in the Russian winter.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Kati Haycock's opinion on this controversial issue hits home. Creating tests for currently tenured teachers will definitely increase respect. In Arkansas, a series of three tests is required to receive a teacher certification. One in general knowledge, another in subject specific knowledge, and yet another in knowledge of educational techniques. However, the third test (educational techniques) was not introduced until recently. Therefore, a majority of the current educators in American schools have not passed tests on educational techniques. A series of mid-career tests should be instituted to fill in the gaps. Requiring these tests every two or three years would provide a net to weed out teachers that do not meet the standards. By creating a better teaching population, the bad teachers will not lower the universal respect for teachers.

Certain individuals might argue that testing does not measure the quality of education of teachers; and that testing will not weed out the bad teachers but just cut down on the population. However the tests would be structured much differently than the standardized tests of today. Performance review would even be a better term to describe the process. The whole process would involve written exams on subject knowledge and a committee of state employees observing your teaching process. This combination allows for the possibility of a bad test or bad observation day to become unimportant. The truly effective teachers will remain and the ineffective teachers will have to find work elsewhere. With a better teacher population, the American public will begin to see teachers as professionals and the respect will accompany this new view.

Great Gatsby Analysis

Fitzgerald's deep, thoughtful words tear off the shroud surrounding the human brain during the the revolutionary 1920's. Conservatives and liberals clashed throughout this time period over morals. These clashes inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald to take up his pen and express his thoughts on the issues.

Fitzgerald's thoughtful use of sexual references throughout the passage continually reference the time period. The "green breast" of the New World and the "orgastic future" allude to the current moral dilemmas of the flapper. The traditional woman of the new century was becoming increasingly nontraditional. Low-cut dresses, shorter skirts, and alcohol became associated with the new woman of the 20th century. Fitzgerald's use of sexually loaded words throws the reader back into the time period.

The conservatives, bred by the 2nd Great Awakening of the 19th century, were "boats" fighting "against the current" in Fitzgerald's eyes. The future was coming. Fitzgerald's metaphor expresses the desire of the more conservative groups to drag society back into the Old World. The world that "flowered" in the "Dutch sailor's eyes." Fitzgerald becomes aware of the "old island" as the New World additions begin to melt away. The future that "eluded [them]" only made them reach farther for the future. The desire to reach the future will always best the desire to stay the same. Desire is the current and stubbornness is the boat.


"The wild women, the wild women," these famous lines may have never come existed in our society today. Fitzgerald expresses his opinions on the fight for the existence of these words in this passage. His sexually loaded words and metaphors force the readers to truly think about the time period as it was: a series of brutal clashes over moral opinions.

Consumerism Quote

Contentment is natural wealth; luxury, artificial poverty.

-Socrates (B.C. 469-399)

Socrates' quote from the ancient world, truly expresses the consumeristic world today. Studies published by The New York Times have shown that people living simple lives are happier, while those living in luxury are often more depressed people. The people in luxury believe themselves to be "poor" with respect to someone with more material possessions. Socrates' insight puts the problem of over-consumerism in a greater perspective. After all, if the ancient Greek philosopher could summarize a 21st Century problem in Ancient times, the disease may not be so confined to the American way of life.

Advertising Techniques

The Home Depot website has many links leading to their "Home Improver Club." This Club offers deals of products as well as home improvement classes. These classes give people basic knowledge in home improvement tasks and provide just enough confidence to warrant a large purchase of goods from the store. This "extra-mile" advertising technique works to the advantage of the post-recession business. People are more likely to purchase something if they can learn how and when to use it afterwards.

"Home Depot Pro Savings Newsletter & Improver Club = BIG Savings For You!"MySweetSavings -

MySweetSavings - Fast and Frugal Savings Advice for the Mother That Knows Best! 1 June 2010. Web.

27 Feb. 2011.

improver-club-big-savings.html