Week 14: Essay- What the Hell?

This week I read the story from Dante's Inferno. This was probably my favorite reading unit of the semester. For some reason that I don't really understand, I have always enjoyed reading excerpt from the Inferno. I also really enjoyed learning about the other two parts of Dante's Divine Comedy, where he discusses Purgatory and Heaven. Obviously, I am not alone in my love for Dante's work, because the Divine Comedy is so widely and totally loved. It is still taught in high school, and I'm sure there are whole courses that are devoted to it at colleges all across the country. Why, though, does it capture our attention in such a profound way?

Certainly Dante's writing must have something to do with his popularity, but I think, even more than that, it is the subject that he is writing about: Hell. I think humanity has always been concerned with what happens to us to when we die. It seems like every civilization of all-time has its own ideas of what happens to us when we die. The ancient Egyptians, the ancient Greeks and many other ancient civilizations are extremely concerned with the after-life. In fact, they all have ways in which souls are judged for their time on earth. The good souls, or those who lived virtuously on earth, receive some kind of eternal reward in Heaven. On the other hand though, are those bad souls, who lived life selfishly or violently on earth. These souls, unfortunately, receive some kind of eternal punishment. Thus, Dante is so successful with Inferno, because he gives us all a story that we naturally seem to care about: our eternity. We love his description of Hell and all of the specific punishments for all the different sinners, because, sub-consciously, I believe that we judge ourselves, and imagine where we would go: Heaven or Hell. 

Dante and Virgil face some Demons, source: Wikipedia

Week 13: Essay- Disney: The Modern Brothers Grimm

While I was reading the stories from this unit on the Brothers Grimm. I was thinking about just how important children's stories are in terms of teaching a child invaluable life lessons. When I look at my own childhood, I can definitely tell that I learned some important things on what it means to be a hero, or the be courageous, or virtuous from children's stories. I think the children who heard these stories by the Brothers Grimm were supposed to learn lessons from them too. They would have their mother or father read them the story, and I'm sure that they would learn something from it. I'm sure that having those stories read to them was one of the most entertaining parts of their childhoods. However, I didn't read most of my children's stories, and I didn't even have them read to me. In fact, I learned about my fairy tales in the way of Disney movies. Disney is really adept at taking stories like those in the Brothers Grimm, and adapting them to animated movies. Cinderella, Snow White, and many other Disney movies are based on short stories from years and years ago. The principle behind the movies is the same as the stories. Cinderella is a story about not judging someone based on their appearance, and it shows little girls that anyone can be a princess. This lesson is the same in a movie as it is in a short story. So, I think it is really interesting that, despite all of our technology and animation, people still use the same stories to teach their children the same lessons. Disney is just a more advanced and entertaining form of the Brothers Grimm. I'm sure that fifty years from now, kids will be seeing the same stories that I grew up watching, but they just might be watching a hologram, and not a screen.

Cinderella, source: flickr

Week 12: Essay- Is Robin Hood Heroic?

One of the things that I've really enjoyed about this class so far, is that I have been able to read about many different heroes from many different civilizations and time periods. Through this, I've been able to try and determine what it is that makes a character a hero. That is kind of what I'm trying to do with my storybook, and I've kind of done it with a few of my essays. For this week though, I want to take a look at Robin Hood. Is he a hero? Or is he a misguided vigilante?

I think we can all agree that Batman is a hero. So, our heroes definitely don't need to operate within the framework of the law in the same way that normal citizens do. However, they still must have their own sense of justice, or what constitutes right and wrong. The Robin Hood that we see in modern re-tellings certainly meets this criteria. Though he is an outlaw, he robs from the rich to feed the poor. Helping the poor, or those unable to help themselves, is another fundamental aspect of being a hero, at least in my opinion. It also helps that he has an almost supernatural ability with a bow and arrow. So, the Robin Hood that we know today is definitely a hero. He is the defender of the weak who must work outside of the law, because it is a corrupt and broken system. But how does our Robin Hood line up with the original?

Robin shoots with Sir Guy, by Louis Rhead- source: Wikipedia

From my readings, he does not appear to be all that heroic. He appears to be out in Sherwood forest just looking for a good time. He is constantly picking fights, and nowhere do we get the idea that he is a champion of the common people. He is still an extremely interesting and entertaining character, but I don't know if I would go so far as to describe him as heroic. All in all, I prefer the Disney version of Robin Hood to these ballads.

Week 11: Essay- My College Writing Experience

When I came into College, I had tested out of both of the Intro Comp. classes. My first class in College that required a paper was an Old English Literature Class. I had to write papers analyzing different aspects of really old literature, like Geoffrey Chaucer and Beowulf. I remember being really intimidated by my first paper. It wasn't that my professor was asking me to do anything that I had never done before, but it was just the idea that this was a College paper that freaked me out. I think I probably spent more time on that paper than I had ever spent on any High School paper, but I think I got an A-, so I guess it paid off. Getting that first grade back gave me a lot of confidence in my abilities as a writer.

Throes of Creation by Leonid Pasternak, Source: Wikipedia

As difficult as that first class was, it was definitely not the most challenging class that I have taken at OU. Just last year, I took a class called Law and Justice. It was about the development of the ideals of law and justice from their earliest roots in Aristotle to their modern interpretations by John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. I thought this class was right in my wheel-house, but the professor really challenged me. I knew him before the class, so he really pushed me and never let me settle. He would find flaws in my arguments that never would have occurred to me. It really frustrated me at the time, but I think he really helped me to develop as a writer. I owe a lot of the development of my style and voice to him, because he didn't let me be satisfied with where I was. At the end of the day, I think that people improve their writing when they have teachers that care and teachers that challenge them. This can happen in High School or College. Teachers who care about helping their students become better writers are the teachers who see their students become better writers.

Week 10: Essay- My High School Writing Experience

I went to a small private school in Oklahoma City for high school. So, I'd like to think that I was very prepared as a writer for whatever college was going to throw at me. Most of my English and history classes had about twenty people in them, so my teachers were able to give me a lot of personal feedback, which is what I think it takes for someone to improve in their writing. In particular, my  senior year, AP Literature and Composition, teacher helped me the most in my writing.

He did this in a number of ways. First of all, he gave us many different types of writing assignments-- Short argumentative essays, longer research papers and even some creative writing. I think each of these assignments incorporates a different element of writing and communicating effectively. I love to argue, so naturally, the shorter argumentative papers were the most fun for me. I really enjoy putting an argument into words, and watching in turn into a coherent essay. One way my professor challenged me in writing these types of essays was that he actively tried to find flaws in my arguments. There would be times when I would turn in what I thought was a great paper, and I would not do very well. He'd point out that I failed to examine my position from the other side, and that there was a lot more that I needed to explain or give evidence for. Regardless, I really enjoyed writing these kinds of papers. On the other hand though, I hated creative writing. Maybe I was just super self-conscious? For whatever reason though, I couldn't stand it. Even though I hated writing these papers, I think they helped me find my voice, and helped my figure out how to just let my imagination loose. I'll never forget that class, because I think that it was instrumental in turning me into the writer that I am today.

Fountain Pen, Source: Wikipedia

Next week, I'll talk about my writing experiences in college!

Week 7: Essay- Is Brer Rabbit Heroic?

Last week, I read about Sun Wu Kung, the Monkey King, and it lead me to thinking about what makes character's heroic. I concluded that heroes were heroes not because of their strength or pwer or abilities, but for their willingness to sacrifice their own good for the greater good. So, when I was reading Brer Rabbit, I wondered if he was a hero?

While, I do think that we are supposed to identify with Brer Rabbit as the main character, I do not believe that Brer Rabbit is a hero in the strictest sense. Brer Rabbit fails to possess one of the key traits that belongs to a hero. He is not particularly strong or powerful. However,  he is very clever and extremely likable. If he was to be a hero, he would be most comparable to the Greek hero, Odysseus. Odysseus was never as strong, or as skilled in combat as other Greek heroes, like Ajax or Achilles. He was, though, the cleverest of all of them. Odysseus is still remembered as a hero though, so it seems that a hero doesn't necessarily need to possess raw strength or power. So I would say that Brer Rabbit possesses the cleverness that might make him a hero, but he does he use that cleverness in a way that would make him heroic?

Brer Rabbit from London Charivari, source: Wikipedia

Odysseus uses his cleverness to effectively win the war for the Greeks by creating the Trojan Horse. Brer Rabbit, though, never uses his cleverness is any cause so big. He is uses his ingenuity to save his own skin, time and time again. If Brer Rabbit were to use his brain-power to save the townspeople from Brer Wolf or Brer Fox, then I would definitely call him a hero. However, he never does anything for the greater good. So, I would call him a trickster, not a hero.

Week 6: Essay- What makes a hero?

I think the concept of a "hero" has been present in every civilization. Accordingly, I think that every person or civilization has its own way of defining what make a hero heroic. Is it super strength? Or is it the ability to overcome incredible obstacles? There are a lot of things that I think going into making a hero, but I think that most fundamental trait that a hero must possess is selflessness. In my opinion, a hero becomes more than just a really powerful being whenever he or she begins to make sacrifices for those around them. In fact, I think that this trait is more important than super strength or any other power. This self-sacrifice, when coupled with super powers, is what creates "superheroes."

            

For example, Superman is arguably the greatest superhero of all time, or at least the most recognizable. We all know his powers: flying, super strength, having bullets bounce off of him, shooting lasers from his eyes, etc. But what good do these powers do if he uses them selfishly? If he gets really selfish, then he becomes not a superhero, but a super-villain. Even if he's kind of neutral, then he still isn't really a hero. Therefore, it is unfailing commitment to do good, and to protect the lives of those around him that make him heroic. His super powers only make him more equipped to do those things.

Superman, source: flickr

           

On the other hand though, I read about the The Monkey King, Sun Wu Kung this week. He was certainly powerful. He called himself the "Great Saint who is Heaven's Equal" and got away with it. However, I would never in a million describe this King as heroic. All of the decisions he makes are selfish. He cares very little about anyone other than himself. He uses his considerable power for his own gain. So, judging by my criteria, the Monkey King is most definitely not a hero. Though he clearly has the potential to be an awesome superhero. I guess to sum up points, I would say that heroism has nothing to do with strength or power, and it has everything to do with self-sacrifice.

Week 4: Essay-

(Punctuation Symbol, source: New Punctuation Mark)

Name: The Sarcastrophe

Usage: This new punctuation mark has been a long time coming. It would be used to designate whenever someone is attempting to be sarcastic or facetious. It would be implemented in the same way as quotation marks. The symbol would "bookend" whatever statement was made, indicating that it was intended to be sarcastic. It could also be used in conjunction with quotation marks to indicate that a character in a story is speaking sarcastically. This punctuation serves to replicate the change in speaking tone that occurs whenever someone is being sarcastic.

Advantage: I believe that each and every one of us is sarcastic every now and then. I know that I am sarcastic all the time. I've also been in situations where I have been unable to accurately portray my sarcasm over text or in writing. This inhibits by ability to communicate, because I always have to be conscious of whether someone would be able to tell if I was being sarcastic. This new punctuation mark, the "sarcastrophe," would effectively eliminate any of the ambiguity about sarcasm over text messages or in writing. Clearly it would not be used in most kinds of scholarly writing, instead it would be used more colloquially. The only downside I foresee is that definitely showing when you are being sarcastic could potentially take part of the fun of being sarcastic away. Sometimes someone not realizing you are being sarcastic is the funniest part about whatever you said. Regardless, I believe this punctuation mark is a necessary addition to our existing list of punctuation.

Examples:

¤Wow man, you're the best basketball player I've ever seen.¤

¤I honestly dream about being you one day when I grow up.¤

¤That's the best idea I've ever heard!¤

¤You've been watching Netflix all day? It must have been extremely productive.¤ 

Week 3: Storytelling- Ease of reading

Who would have ever thought that all the punctuation and grammar rules that we all learned in lower school would actually be so important? Periods, commas, capitalization and spaces between letters make all the difference in the world. Yet, some of them are more important, or make it easier to read, than others. I read twelve jokes, and by far the most difficult ones to read were the ones without spaces between the words, but why is this?

Without the clear distinction between words, I had to work a lot harder to determine when certain words ended and other words began. This slowed me down considerably. Interestingly, capitalization made little difference so long as it was all lower-case or all upper-case. However, when upper-case letters were used to make the beginning of a sentence apparent, the difference was significant.

After spaces between words, the next most important piece of writing "technology" was definitely punctuation: periods and commas. These devices help give the reading a sense of flow and rhythm, providing natural stopping points and pauses that are essential for ease of reading. Again, however, these periods and commas offer little help without the blessed spaces between words that we all take for granted.

All of these writing devices are tools that we all, at least until we try to read without them, take for granted. So how did the originators of written language go so long without something as basic as spaces between words. How could a language as sophisticated as Latin have been read without punctuation? Obviously they didn't know any better, but still, you would think that they would've come up with these devices so much sooner.

(Example of Ancient Latin, Wikipedia)

            thiswasanextremelyinterestingandhelpfulwaytorecognizetheimportanceandusefullnessofpunctuationlikethesayinggoesyouneverknowhowgoodyouhaveituntilitsgone

Maybe next week, I'll come up with my own type of punctuation!

Week 2: Essay- The Real Perks of Being an English Major

(Comic by Jacob Andrews- forlackofabettercomic.com)

This comic hit just too close to home... but not for me, for some of my friends. I only know two or three people who are just English majors. I don't say "just" contemptuously, but I mean that most English majors I know are either double-majored or are on a Pre-Law track or something else. Most people don't go to a university for a "classical" education anymore. Instead, most people opt for a practical major that all but guarantees a job right out of college, like engineering or accounting. Why is that? This cartoon shows us in the most sarcastic way possible.

The kid we see in this cartoon has it all: girls, job offers(plural!), even influence with the President, but most importantly lots and lots of money. So why is this satire? Most English majors I know are hoping to get any job out of college, let alone a super  high paying, glamorous one. Despite what the bottom left panel says, the ability to analyze a Shakespearean play is just not that marketable.  Obviously, the "Perks of Being an English Major" shown are not what really comes with an English degree. As a Letters major, even if I am Pre-Med, I have a little bit of an idea of the real "perks" of being an English major.

I've probably read more old English literature than I could ever possibly use. Most of the super impressive words I have in my vocabulary will never be used in anything but a term paper, because most of my friends wouldn't understand them.  I've more than likely lost time of my life from the hours of sleep I've lost reading and writing papers hours before the deadline. These definitely don't sound like perks, but I would never change my Letters degree for a Science or Engineering one. Sure I'm still Pre-Med, but Letters has allowed me to study some great works of literature and learn a lot more than just marketable skills. I think my degree has made me more well-rounded and prepared me for more than just a job. It's forced me to think critically and appreciate great works of art, even if they're not altogether useful. English, or Letters, may not be the most practical major ever, but they are definitely not worthless.