Brave New World- Third Reading

What is Huxley’s main objection to utilitarian aims to maximize happiness?

Why did Huxley choose the title Brave New World, given the seeming cowardice and comfort present in the world?

Why did both Huxley and Orwell choose protagonists with severe personality flaws to advocate their views?

Brave New World- Second Reading

Disclaimer: I wasn’t sure how much we were supposed to read, so I went to chapter 16. I’ll try to minimize the impact of the extra reading on what follows.

How durable is the one-state?

The one-state appears at present to be very durable. For one, its scope is enormous, both in its extent of geographical control and in its intrusion into the lives of its citizens. Huxley writes, “But as the two thousand million inhabitants of the planet only had ten thousand names between them, the coincidence was not particularly surprising” (49). This statement demonstrates that the government controls the entirety of the world populace, and furthermore, that such control extends to so personal a level as naming. Additionally, it has moved beyond the cruder, more brutish punishments levied in 1984 to a life filled with apathy derived from pleasure and contentment. Huxley explains, “’Old men in the past used to renounce, retire, take to religion, spend their time reading, thinking­—thinking! Now-- such is progress—the old men work, the old men copulate, the old men have no time, no leisure from pleasure, not a moment to sit down and think…” (68). From the moment consciousness begins, the individual is stimulated, through work and pleasure: leisure is structured; free time unavailable in a perversion of “idle hands do the devil’s work.” No one has a motive to rebel, and so the one-state is durable and powerful.

Does the one-state regularly deal with dissidence, and if so, how?

First, as indicated above, dissidence is minimally problematic because the vast majority of individuals are quite happy. Dissident individuals would presumably feel isolated and unusual, as Marx does. “’But wouldn’t you like to be free to be happy in your own way, Lenina?’” questions Marx, “’in your own way, for example; not in everyone else’s way’” (101). Marx is unhappy and an outcast for it—quite literally, being abnormal for an alpha—but he is one of the few (so far, two) who feel this way. The only implement for dealing with subversives mentioned so far is a job transfer to a remote location, where, according to the director, they “will have small opportunity to lead others astray by [their] unfordly example” (157). So far, no stricter means of punishment --punitive, rehabilitative, or otherwise—seems to be common.

How did the world come to accept what we would view as totalitarian rule?

This remains unclear to this point. What is clear, however, is that the society in which Marx and the other characters reside is far removed from our present-day society. The connotation of the word “mother” most vividly demonstrates this. The word is described as “smutty” (48) and “pornographic impropriety” (159), whereas in our society it carries a positive connotation of caring affection. Time is measured “after Ford,” and it is currently over a century after Ford; however, it is not clear when Ford lived or who exactly Ford was. Presumably, given allusion regarding the letter “T” Ford refers to Henry Ford, which would seem logical in tandem with the novel’s theme of technological abuse. This seems logical given the novel’s 1931 publishing date, but outdated now given both the year and the prevalence of mass-production techniques.

"Don't You Want Me"- The Human League

-The subject is unreciprocated love or desire. Specifically, the speaker feels abandoned by the woman in question. This is demonstrated by the lines, "You think you've changed your mind/ You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry," showing that the narrator feels a negative development as occurred in their relationship and that they should revert to the previous status quo.
-One side, the man, wants to continue the relationship. The woman feels that the relationship should end. "You'd better change back or we will both be sorry," threatens the man, demonstrating that he believes that their separation will directly or indirectly harm both parties and is thus undesirable. "Now I think it's time I lived my life on my own," counters the woman: she has decided that the man should no longer be part of her life.
-I sympathize with the woman over the man because she appears to be looking towards progress in her life. The man appears constraining, alternating between clingy and threatening, whiny and arrogant. She does appreciate what the man has done for her, but contends that she would have done the same herself. The woman appears to be ready to progress, while the man attempts to cling to a past state- denying hope and optimism for the future.

Brave New World- First Reading

To create conformity, the World State combines indoctrination, social pressures, and the threat of coercive action. Indoctrination consists of repetition of recordings played constantly to children as they mature in laboratory settings. Huxley writes, “’Till at last the child’s mind is these suggestions, and the sum of these suggestions is the child’s mind. And not the child’s mind only. The adult’s mind too-all his life long’” (41). Additionally, the World State utilizes social pressures. The most obvious example of these social pressures and constructs are the classes, ranging from alpha to epsilon. Combined with indoctrination, citizens are taught to appreciate the caste structure and their specific position within it. Social pressures also reduce dissidence by ostracizing those who practice independent thought. Fanny says, “’And then he spends most of his time by himself-alone’” (57). Thus, it is socially unacceptable to practice independent thought. Finally, although at this point not fully developed, threat of corrective actions such as the director sending Bernard to Iceland (108). These three tools together minimize dissent against the World State.

To reduce conflict, the World State appears to have eliminated religion, literature, and art. Everyone has an established social station, and through the use of indoctrination, people are content with their social standings. Thus, class strife and the desire for upward mobility have been eliminated.  On a larger scale, independent thought has largely been removed through the use of the three methods described above.

Happiness and satisfaction have been created through elimination of ambition, as described above, the use of soma, a high standard of living, and abundant leisure activities. Soma is a widespread, officially endorsed drug that creates a sense of relaxation and contentment, perhaps comparable to marijuana. The standard of living in Brave New World does indeed appear to be high, although human life itself is not valued very heavily, as made clear by Foster’s comment regarding an earthquake causing him to have to create more babies (24). Leisure activities, ranging from various forms of golf to community singings, are abundant and widely enjoyed. Additionally, sexual activity is treated as a leisure activity much like a sport. Combined, these factors create apathetic contentment.

At this point in the book, the World State appears more utopian than dystopian. Given our societal emphasis on individualism, the society created seems unpleasant and problematic. But for the majority of its citizens, it provides contentment and satisfaction. It is only through a few individuals that the society’s flaws are exposed. Even then, these flaws do not seem significant when weighed against the happiness felt by the vast majority of the citizenry. However, I predict that Huxley will create a more dysfunctional and dystopian society as the plot develops.

Emic and Etic

-An emic perspective allows an anthropologist to understand the psychology behind individuals' actions- their motives for partaking in certain practices. It also allows a better sense of how actions relate to each other. An etic perspective permits analysis of underlying societal motives and emotional detachment. Neither perspective is inherently better, as both have appropriate applications.
-These rules exist to avoid inaccurate results caused by projection of one's own society onto the studied society. One generally assumes certain societal constructs if not careful to avoid the influence of one's own society.

Love Language

1. These people are from China. The man is attracted to the woman. The woman doesn't speak English and isn't speaking to the man because of her lack of lingual proficiency.
2. The conflict is between the deaf and hearing cultures, and the conflict is one of misunderstanding. Although the two groups do not bear animosity toward each other, they communicate very differently, and problems can result from this barrier.
3. The initial inability of the man and woman to communicate is an external conflict because the man and woman are unable to achieve their shared goal of communicating.
4. The man has an internal conflict over whether or not to continue his interactions with a deaf woman. This conflict is caused by conflicting desires for good communication and his interest in this woman.
5. The conflicts were resolved by the man deciding to continue talking to the woman even when he finds out that she's deaf. In this way, the man has resolved his internal conflict by deciding that the woman's positive characteristics outweigh the challenges of communication that they face. He has also resolved the external conflict by accepting her-with her physical flaws- as an individual with whom he shares interests and values.

1984- Final

Big Brother has failed. Although Winston’s acts of rebellion and dissidence throughout 1984 may not have had any actual effect, the Party was still unable to prevent the act of dissident thought. Orwell writes, “Will you understand, Winston, that no one whom we bring to this place ever leaves our hands uncured? We are not interested in those stupid crimes that you have committed,” meaning that the Party is concerned with thought more than action- and though is what they were unable to prevent (146). In essence, the Party focus on thoughtcrime more than other crime means that its failure to prevent anti-Party thoughts is the greatest failing it could have.

The only certain end of the Party is the continued deterioration of quality of life until it has reached unsustainable levels.  Orwell explains:

In principle the war effort is always so planned as to eat up any surplus

that might exist after meeting the bare needs of the population. In practice the

needs of the population are always underestimated, with the result that there

is a chronic shortage of half the necessities of life… (112).

Although the destruction of resources may be advantageous for the party in the short run, as resources and productivity dwindle and as estimates continue to be made poorly, the populace will not be able to secure the bare minimum required to live. Eventually, regardless of knowledge of past conditions, this will result in a revolt. Historically, food shortages are one of the best indicators of societal unrest: in Egypt, for example, a rise in grain prices shortly preceded Mubarak’s overthrow.

That said, it is possible- and perhaps even likely- that the party can be overthrown more rapidly than the aforementioned method. Should this happen, it will most likely be a result of proletarian revolt, as Winston writes: “If there was hope, it must lie in the proles, because only there in those swarming disregarded masses, 85 per cent of the population of Oceania, could the force to destroy the Party ever be generated” (40). Granted, agitation must precede revolt- the proles seem fairly content- but because the Party does not view the proles as human, and as such fails to regiment their daily lives, a proletarian revolt is possible.

At the end of the novel, Winston Smith has effectively been brainwashed, or broken, by the Party. The use of pain as a psychological tool has allowed O’Brien to destroy Smith’s powers of logic and reasoning- the very forces which compelled him to oppose the party in the first place.

American Friendships

Americans are perceived as not forming deep friendships because the deep friendships formed are not as explicit as relationships in other countries: in other words, we do not come out and acknowledge very close friendships as such. That does not mean that such friendships do not exist- it is ridiculous to assume that people, by virtue of living in the United States, don't form meaningful relationships.
One challenge in asserting statements such as the shallowness of American friendship is that of generalization. The world's premiere cultural, economic, and military power, with a population of over 300 million, is not easily encapsulated by any one statement, much less one so deeply personal. Cultural differences undoubtedly exist (although the cultural diffusion in the US minimizes even these) but deep social relations are not consistently different.

"This Land is Your Land"- Woodie Guthrie

-Guthrie's message is collectivist. He views land as a resource or the betterment of people as a whole. For example, he objects to "the sign [which] said 'No Trespassing'" because it deprives people of the beauty of the land.
-This song is more anti- than pro-government. It seems that Guthrie views government as a constraint on his ability to enjoy the land. He also point to its inadequacy with the phrase, "By the relief office I seen my people."
-A side note: Collectivism is not synonymous with support of authoritarian government. Collectivism implies community cooperation toward shared goals-perhaps to the point of individual suppression- but the cooperation needn't be imposed by the government. Religious institutions are very collectivist, encouraging actions such as tithing that harm the individual financially but aid the community as a whole. While authoritarian governments purport to be collectivist, they are not necessarily-nor, perhaps, usually- working for the common good.

The Egg

-Before he married, he was a "cheerful, kindly man" (Anderson 1). After he married, he became "habitually silent and discouraged" (1). The change was caused by disillusionment, especially with his failing chicken business.
-He feels that the egg symbolizes a cyclical confining force. He evidences this with the statement, "It has stayed there, I imagine, because I am the son of my father" (8). He is doomed to repeat the negative aspects of his parents' lives.
-The grotesques are the most obvious extension of his father's problems and flaws that will be transferred down to the narrator. He will be "deformed" by defects in his father, much as chicks are deformed by genetic defects in their mothers.
-The narrator believes that the egg, as a symbol of cyclical constraints, is inescapable.

Aristotle

I agree with this quote. To be able to consider beliefs opposing your own demonstrates openness and an interest in other ideas. It also shows the conviction of one's own beliefs and the logical basis for those beliefs by avoiding a knee-jerk rejection of the opposition. Finally, to not immediately accept other beliefs demonstrates healthy skepticism.

1984 Blog 2

Several factors combine to make Winston opposed to the party doctrine. First, Winston is old enough to remember the world before the party and thus has a point of comparison lacking to the younger generation. Next, his profession places him in a unique position where he is confronted by the party’s revisionism of history on a daily basis. Orwell writes, “I know, of course, that the past is falsified, but it would never be possible for me to prove it, even when I did the falsification myself” (128). This shows that Winston’s powers of self-deception or double-think are strained regularly by his profession- and have begun to crack.  Finally, Winston is morally troubled by the party. Although he is by no means brave, Winston sees moral problems in party actions. When conversing with Julia about these problems, she responds, “One knew that it was all rubbish, so why let oneself be worried about it? (129).” However, this does not content Winston- he is bothered by these problems and cannot stop thinking about them.

Winston’s actions do not constitute a protest by the narrowest definition of the term. While it is clear that Winston objects to and defies the status quo, a protest is defined as a public declaration of discontent. In effect, the party has made protest impossible, and Winston expresses his discontent to only a few, select individuals. He does not attempt to sabotage the party through his work- and indeed, continues to aid the party- and to this point in the book, never publicly proclaims his objections. That said, Winston does exhibit signs of a more personal, introspective protest- he rebels in small ways that are meaningless to anyone but himself. He tells Julia of his discovery of evidence of falsification, saying, “’It was no good, because I threw it away later. But if the same thing happened today, I should keep it’” (128-129). Although that act would not be meaningful to anyone beyond himself, it remains an act of internal protest.

Perhaps the greatest difference in Winston’s act of rebellion and in current protests is the impetus. Recent protests within the United States have been sparked by some change in the status quo, be it the beginning of a war, a faltering economy, or unpopular policy. In 1984, the protest is against that which has been a fact of life for decades and is likely to remain present- the power of the party. This difference makes Winston’s task harder: with more dramatic change, it is easier for one to compare the state of affairs before and after. As Goldstein writes, “The  subsidiary reason [for the alteration of the past] is that the Party member, like the proletarian, tolerations present-day conditions partly because he has no standards of comparison” (175). People are less likely to be discontented if they know nothing else.

American society is not Orwellian. Undoubtedly, it has political problems, perhaps most dramatically evidenced in the miniscule voter turnout for younger Americans. However, the plurality of opinions in America is diametrically opposed to an Orwellian effort to promote state control of thought. Our government itself acts against Orwellian unity- a trend that some would say has gone too far, with excessive partisanship causing barriers to effective policymaking (such as the debt crisis). Furthermore, I believe that America’s current political state is far removed from the lack of independent thought that characterizes 1984. If a danger exists that would move us toward such a society, it is in widespread political apathy. The expression, “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain,” is not taken to heart by many Americans. Apathy stems from a variety of sources: arguments that your vote doesn’t matter (disproven by races such as Chandler and Barr’s, decided by 600 votes), arguments that all the candidates are the same (disproven by policy differences), and other similar objections. So long as political apathy is controlled, America will continue to promote discussion and debate that will differentiate our society from Orwell’s society.

2+2=5 Radiohead

-This song is about not resisting oppression and merely giving in to domineering powers. Specifically, it discussres self-deception with lines such as, "Oh, go and tell the king that the sky is falling in/but it's not," showing thawt although the speaker knows the truth, he chooses not to recognize it.
-The tempo begins slow and accelerates throughout the song. This acceleration reflects how self-deception is increasingly detrimental aas time goes on and how domineering authority, if unchecked, continues to grow more extreme and absolute in its control.
-This title references the party's encouragement of slef-deception (doublethink). "2+2=5" is a statement that Winston believes, once accepted, will signal the party's achievement of its goals, which are essentially total control through directed self-deception.

Conflict-Hijab

-Internal conflic is conflict with self, while external conflict is with some external force.
-Globalization creates conflict because it exposes individuals to beliefs with which they disagree and forces them to confront that from which they were formerly isolated. The speaker views globalization as Western imposition of beliefs.
-The benefit mentioned is that women have a variety of highly achieving and powerful women such as Sandra Day O'connor, allowing breakdown of stereotypes and discrimination.
-Muslims, according to the speaker, base their lives on the teachings of the Quran. She believes that the equivalent text is the Constitution.

1984 Reading Response 1

In the society of 1984, equality is merely a façade, as evidenced by the proletariats. Conformity, however, is demanded, and the means of enforcement is the fearsome “thought police” as well as citizen spies.  Conformity is not merely forced through violence, however: Winston joins in the frenzy of hatred toward a purported enemy of the people not by intent, but rather because, “A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group…turning one even against one’s will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic.” (Page 16). Thus, conformity is created by a perverse system of law enforcement as well as inescapable societal pressures on the individual.

It should be noted that conformity and the reduction of conflict are addressed mainly within party members. Little attempt is made to control the proletariats’ thoughts or actions beyond obedience when absolutely necessary. In this regard, then, conflict isn’t reduced within the “prole” class. On page 60, for example, Orwell describes a conflict over pots, “Two bloated women, one of them with her hair coming down, had got hold of the same saucepan and were trying to tear it out of one another’s hands.” Prostitution, alcoholism, misery, and poverty are widespread within the prole community. Within party ranks, however, interpersonal and religious conflicts have been banned by simply eliminating all institutions that would allow for conflict- the church, marriage, and independent thought, for example.

1984 is a dystopian novel. Clearly, the society is not functional. On page 68 and 69, Orwell writes, “It was as though some huge force were pressing down upon you-something that penetrated inside your skull, battering against your brain, frightening you out of your beliefs, persuading you, almost, to deny the evidence of your senses.” From a physical standpoint, the society is obviously dysfunctional. Resources are perpetually scarce, and rations continue to shrink. Socially, the society does not permit close friendships or romantic relationships.  Most strikingly, the society is intellectually devoid- dissent is muted, history rewritten, and thought altogether suppressed.  Orwellian society, however, has its benefits. It has achieved happiness for a wide sector of the population, represented by Parsons. It is unclear but possible that the overall standard of living has risen. Yet, overall, 1984 represents dystopia in its destruction of fundamental human and civil rights.

Utopia

• A utopia is a perfect place. Strife and conflict have vanished, and all factors are idea. However, I believe that a utopia can't exist for multiple people because there is no objective truth. I also believe that most people have other people in their utopias, so a true utopia is impossible.
• My ideal world would eliminate major world problems (hunger, war, and so on) and also shrink my personal community to those I like. I would limit interactions to people that are interesting or kind. My society would be structured to allow adequate time for leisure and productivity, as both are important.
• My personal soundtrack would be all from other cultures and languages, such as Tuvan throat singing. I choose this type of music because I dislike instrumental music but lyrical music always deals with problems, which, by definition, aren't present in a utopia.

Built to Spill- "You Were Right"

• The lyrics are directed to a former romantic partner. The statements "you were wrong when you said/everything's gonna be alright" and "you were right when you said/this is the end" show the termination of a relationship. "Life goes on after the thrill of living is gone" suggests a romantic element as such a relationship would be more likely to be thrilling than a friendship, familial, or other relationship.
• The loud volume of the piece indicates the frustration and anger in the speaker's tone. This supports the tone by allowing the audience to identify with the emotions of the speaker.
• Despite my personal dislike of the song, it was effective in its purpose as its musical elements and lyrics combine to create a frustrated and sad tone with which the author regards his subject. Although frustrated music and sad lyrics may seem contradictory, they are effective in this context as they combine to create a tone that synthesizes these two emotions.

Reading Critically Summary

"Reading Critically" attempts to provide several strategies (and one example) of how to best approach literary analysis or critical reading. The article recommends the use of contextual information, such as the title of a work, the author's personal history, and the place and time in which the work was written. To further one's understanding and focus, the author suggests the use of note-taking strategies. Ultimately, critical reading should result in the following processes: summary, a shortened description of the material; analysis, examining individual components of a work and their relations; inference, drawing conclusions; and meaning, the main purpose of a piece. Additionally, "Reading Critically" promotes the examination of word choice and writing structure as a means of furthering literary analysis. To illustrate this process, "Reading Critically" performs the process on Mary Fisher's "The Broken Chain," a story about the distinction between impulsive and restrained physical force (in other words, corporal punishment as opposed to violence).

The Avett Brothers- "Shame"

• The subject of this song is a failed relationship. The tone with which the speaker approaches the subject is regretful.
• The use of "sink" shows regret because the speaker suggests that he slipped into poor behavior in a manner that was weak and helpless. The choice of "fall" shows the inability to the speaker to repair the relationship; in essence, the futility of his current attempts to undo his past misdeeds. The use of "float" indicates ambiguity and a lack of direction which plagues the speaker.

SOAPSTone- "Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out"

Subject

The subject of Dave Barry’s “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out” is the differences between men and women. The disparity between the genders is illustrated by two examples: cleanliness and sports. The cleanliness example shows women’s supposed higher emphasis on hygiene. The sports example illustrates male emphasis on athletic competition, while women purportedly remain indifferent.

Occasion

“Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out” was written during the late 20^th century. The essay’s time of creation is illustrated by the use of brand names such as “Windex.” Because that company was not a household name until recently, the essay wasn’t written very long ago. The probable place of the essay’s creation is America. The emphasis on baseball and action figures portrays stereotypical American pastimes.

The time and place of the essay’s creation influence the essay by determining the examples which Barry uses to demonstrate differences between genders.  …”We could actually feel the World Series television and radio broadcast rays zinging through the air...” illustrates the importance of setting on the examples, as the use of television and radio broadcasts is limited to a certain time period, and the importance of the World Series is highest in only a few countries.

Audience

Barry’s specific audience for “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out” is American men. The author’s target audience is exhibited by the statement, “If you can imagine such a social gaffe.”  The social gaffe to which he refers is one which, as per his argument, only men would find objectionable, and so he assumes that his reader is probably male.

The author’s general audience for the essay is Westerners. The author’s general audience is shown by “…she gives me this look that she has perfected, the same look she used on me the time I selected Robert’s outfit for school and part of it turned out to be pajamas.” This shows Barry’s wider audience because he is self deprecating and as an extension, is poking fun at males as well as females- an approach that avoids alienation of women.

Purpose

Barry’s purpose in “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out” is to amuse the readers. His goal of entertaining the audience is illustrated by quotes such as, “….I always get irate letters from women who say they are the heavyweight racquetball champion of some place like Iowa and are sensitive to sports to the point where they could crush my skull like a ripe grape, but I feel these women are the exception.” This quote demonstrates Barry’s purpose because here he provides an anecdote designed to entertain and amuse the audience. The purpose is further revealed by the statement, “…moving very quickly for a big man holding a baby.” This statement shows the purpose because Barry paints an amusing mental image for his audience.

Speaker:

Barry, an acclaimed humorist, believes in the import of humor. This value is illustrated by his consistent use of a light tone throughout this and other essays. The light tone demonstrates his belief in the import of humor because he uses humor as a forum in which to discuss serious issues. In this essay, the use of a humorous tone allowed Barry to amuse his readers as well as discussing an issue, gender roles, that is frequently accompanied by passionate, stubborn advocacy on both sides.

Barry, a former writing teacher for businessmen, also believes in simplicity and clarity of thought. This value is illustrated by statements such as, “The primary difference between men and women is that women can see extremely small quantities of dirt.” This sentence expresses a humorous sentiment in a straightforward, direct manner. This value is important to this essay because it allows the reader to further enjoy the piece without having to examine complex sentence structures.

Barry’s use of italics is evident in the statement “…a hormonal secretion takes place in women that enables them to see dirt that men cannot see, dirt at the level of molecules…” The use of italics allows Barry to further stress certain statements and add to the humor of the piece. In this essay, Barry chose to use italics to allow the audience to imagine a scenario more vividly because of the aid of emphasis.

Barry’s use of imagery is evident in the statement, “ When I hear the world ‘filthy’ used to describe a bathroom, I think about this bar where I used to hang out called Joe’s Sportsman’s Lounge, where the men’s room had bacteria you could enter in a rodeo.” This use of imagery allows the reader to imagine the squalor of the bathroom of which Barry writes. Such imagery is important to this piece because it allows the author to exaggerate gender differences in a manner that is amusing.

Tone:

Barry exhibits a light and humorous attitude about gender differences in “Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out.” These attitudes are expressed by the use of phrases such as “the opposite side of the dirt coin.” By using such phrases, Barry is joking about the issues which he discusses. The tone serves the purpose by allowing the reader to be more amused and interested. The tone does this because humor and lightness draw interest and dispel boredom. “That was how we felt [in reference to Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’],” illustrates this because it uses light, simple words to make the previous paragraph more amusing and cohesive.

Voice

1. Voice is how an author expresses a point. Syntax, diction, word choice, and approach are used to create voice.
2. "I prefer the Beatles version because the dubstep version adds unpleasant clutter to the music."This quote, taken from a previous blog post, expresses my tone because it is straightforward and explicit. The use of words such as "prefer" in lieu of "like" shows my preferred use of higher level vocabulary.
3. I talk around or avoid the use of unpleasant and coarse language because I view it as unnecessarily inflammatory.
4. Voice helps establish credibility and build audience interest. In academic essays, the use of "I" or "me" (first person- though "we" is sometimes acceptable) is eschewed, as is excessive informality or verbosity.
5. Voice can be developed by expanding vocabulary and thinking carefully about how syntax is best utilized to create an appropriate tone. Reading and writing also contribute to voice.

Dubstep vs. Beatles

• I prefer the Beatles version (original) because the dubstep version adds unpleasant clutter to the music. The dubstep also fails to add substance to the music and while some of the beat is interesting, most is detrimental to the song.
• The original is more pleasing because it maintains a steady and consistent beat while emphasizing interesting lyrics.

Kandinsky vs. Pollack

• I prefer the Kandinsky piece because it is more linear and clean looking, traits that often appeal to me in art. The Pollack work has colors which I dislike because they are dull and drab, while the Kandinsky paint ing uses light, clear colors to dcreate a more cheerful mood.
• The Kandisky piece is more pleasing to look at because its lack of clutter and geometric forms make it easier to look at. It also has a clear focal point with dramatic contrast and provides the audence with interesting material to examine.

Sign Language

• The effect of this film is to reexaminize that which seems mundane and to find the touching and interesting details.
• The main character's discussion of his collleagues, the focus on a group of people typically thought of as being part of the background, and the use of the signs to send an uplfiting and touching message contribute to the single effect.
• I would use a long shot to show how people holding signs are not visible unless specifically focused upon. This would help demonstrate how people are prone to overlooking interesting details.

SOAPSTone- "Shooting an Elephant"

Subject: The subject of Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” is British imperialism. British imperialism is illustrated through the narrator’s action of killing an elephant that had damaged property and killed a man. This demonstrates the subject of British imperialism because the narrator clearly states that his morally suspect action of needlessly killing an elephant was in response to pressures caused by his position as a Western power figure in response to the wishes of the Eastern masses.

Occasion: “Shooting an Elephant” was written during the early 1900s. The essay’s time of creation is conveyed by British control of the modern day nation of Myanmar, as well as the fact that Myanmar is referred to in the story as Burma. This shows that “Shooting an Elephant” was written in the early 1900s because that is the time period during which the British ruled Myanmar. The probable place of the essay’s creation is Moulmain, Southern Myanmar. The narrator states this in the first sentence of the story.

The time and place of the essay’s creation influence the essay by providing a lesser-known example of one of the nations in which Britain acted imperialistic. Orwell illustrates this when he writes, “I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British,” portraying the narrator as being aware of British repression of Myanmar. Myanmar is especially impactful because it is not as well known as other former British colonies, such as the United States or India: by using a nation which many are unaware was formerly under the British crown, Orwell has expanded the scope of what he sees as the problem of British imperialism and made the problem seem more drastic. Orwell also avoided a cliché or overdone setting that India or the United States would have provided, making his story more interesting to readers.

Audience: Orwell’s specific audience for “Shooting an Elephant” is politically active English people. The author’s target audience is exhibited by Orwell’s political message as directed to a specific demographic: “when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.” Clearly, this demonstrates that Orwell is decrying white imperialism, and given context of the story and of his own life, that imperialism can be specified to be British.

The author’s general audience for the essay is Westerners. The author’s general audience is expressed by his broad message that imperialism in general is harmful to both the perpetrator and victim, as evidenced by Orwell’s statement that, “…my whole life, every white man's life in the East, was one long struggle not to be laughed at.” Seeing as Westerners have been the perpetrators of imperialism for the past several centuries, it is to them that his message is directed.

Purpose: Orwell’s purpose in “Shooting an Elephant” is to persuade his audience that imperialism is harmful to all parties involved. The harms of imperialism are illustrated with Orwell’s words, “I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.” This evidences the harms of imperialism by showing that the actor nation or individuals become harmed in turn; specifically, through the deprivation of their freedom. The purpose is further articulated by the narrator’s sentiment regarding his decision to shoot the elephant: “And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all.” This quote evidences the harms of imperialism by showing that it removes choice or freedom for even the imperialists and their agents.

Speaker: Orwell, the writer of the anti-totalitarian book 1984, believes in personal liberty over government control. This value is illustrated by the statement, “Theoretically – and secretly, of course – I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British.” This illustrates his belief in the supremacy of personal liberty by revealing his personal siding with the oppressed, not the oppressors. This value contributed to the essay because it allows Orwell to provide a moral consideration of how imperialism infringes upon the individual.

Orwell, a vehement anti-communist, also believes in the value of the individual. This value is illustrated by Orwell’s portrayal of the converse:  “The crowd would laugh at me.” Mobs, he believes, cause people to do that which they would not otherwise and subvert individual thought. This influences the purpose of the essay in that it provides another ethical harm of imperialism: it encourages group-think, which is counter to the essence of individualism.

Orwell’s use of imagery is evident in his description of the elephant as having a “preoccupied grandmotherly air.” This influences the purpose by leading the reader to a stronger emotional reaction and thus a more powerful portrayal of the message. This emotional appeal enhanced effectiveness by appealing to the audience’s pathos.

Orwell’s use of casual diction is evident in his style of recounting the story, where he makes such statements as, “That would never do.” This serves to make him more relatable and instead of coming across as holier-than-thou, Orwell is able to further his purpose by proving relatable and open to reason. This enhances his effectiveness by providing an appeal to ethos: it increases how relatable and credible he is, thus maximizing the impact of his message.

Tone: Orwell exhibits a helpless and frustrated attitude about British imperialism in “Shooting an Elephant.” These attitudes are expressed by repeated use of phrases such as “There was only one alternative.” This demonstrates helplessness and frustration because Orwell is unable to view options other than those officially sanctioned or supported by group-think. This serves to further the essay’s purpose by providing evidence of further deprivation of personal liberty as it applies to the speaker himself, due to the forces of British imperialism. By disallowing the speaker to act as he wishes or believes is right (“But I did not want to shoot the elephant.”), the crown’s far reaching imperialism has once again removed personal liberty from even its own subjects.

Harry Nilsson- Good Old Desk

• S-desk, O-1960s America, A- middle-aged Americans, P- to extol importance of dependability, S-9-5 office worker, T- cheerful and comfortable
• He is talking about how important dependability is, even in small ways, to his everyday life.
• Evidence of religiosity as the message: "To keep my hopes alive"- Nilsson believes that God has the power to fulfill hopes. "A giant of all times"- God is portrayed as being immense, omnipotent, and timeless. "My old desk isn't picturesque"- God cannot be seen and thus isn't pretty or visually pleasing.

Rockwell Intro Paragraph

America in the 1950s is widely seen as being calm and peaceful. And yet while not reflected in mainstream culture, strong undertones of resistance and opposition existed. Rockwell's "The Runaway" overlooks the fundamental rift that was rising in America throughout the 1950s- an emerging counter-culture that was not concerned with how things were in America but rather how they are.

Inspiration Information- Shuggie Otis

• This song feels groovy.
• The use of synthesizer, strong beat, moderate tempo, and unclear vocals contribute to this feeling.
• Otis' choice to make heavy use of the synthesizer contributed to its feel because it created unnatural, otherworldly sounds.  His choice of unclear vocals helps the feel by creating a focus on sound of the voice rather than lyrics.

Semeadores- Diego Rivera

• Subject: Mexican farmers, Occasion: 20th century Mexico, Audience: everyday Mexicans who don't farm, Purpose: to show harmony of peasantry with land, Speaker: Mexican, communist, pro-labor, Tone: harmonious
• Rivera's painting deals with the harmony between peasants and the land by expressing the literal and figurative beauty associated with this relationshiop. He shows this harmony through the use of lines: the peasants' bodies are curved to match the background of the land. Color is also used to demonstrate this harmony: the man on the right's shirt and pants blend together.

Wilco-Creative Process

• They come up with a rough outline of what the song should sound like, and then go through and test alternate options to determine the most interesting form the song can take.
• When writing, I first create an outline. Next, I write a thesis statement. I then sit down and write my paper ( if necessary, I do research beforehand). I edit my paper and revise it as needed. Depending on its importance, I may read it aloud to minimize grammar and spelling mistakes.

Wilco- Creative Process

• They come up with a rough outline of what the song should sound like, and then go through and test alternate options to determine the most interesting form the song can take. 
• When writing, I first create an outline. Next, I write a thesis statement. I then sit down and write my paper (if necessary, I do research beforehand). I edit my paper and revise it as needed. Depending on its importance, I may read it aloud to minimize grammar and spelling mistakes.

American Graffiti

• Nostalgia is a sense of longing for some aspect of the past
• This song made me think of college-aged students driving in a convertible along the West coast.
• Many of my childhood memories took place on my preschool (Central Christian) playground or Maxwell Elementary's classrooms. Sounds I remember include a kindergarten teacher speaking slowly in Spanish, and a first grade teacher (Srta. Swilski) speaking in fast, Peruvian Spanish. A smell and texture I remember is that of the slimy ham we ate in preschool. 

The Pinch of Poverty

• Causes of poverty include lack of access to education, class disparities, and familial poverty.
• Poverty is portrayed in a negative light, as the artist shows poverty's negative effects on those who don't deserve it: children and a woman who looks victimized by society.
• He believes that poverty has negative effects on many different people- even women and children who've done nothing to deserve poverty feel its ill effects.
• The use of a rainy day is symbolic of how poverty removes joy and happiness from its victims. The children and mother are dressed in gray scale, also showing the sadness and dreariness that accompany poverty.

Reading Response- Poverty

Chitra Divakaruni's "Live Free and Starve" argues that a bill that passed the US House designed to improve the lives of children throughout the world by outlawing child labor is counterproductive in that such labor is the only means of sustaining themselves available to many children of third world countries. I agree with the author in her argument that for improvement of children's lives in developing countries, a more holistic approach is needed. Divakaruni writes, "A bill like the one we've just passed is of no use unless it goes hand in hand with programs that will offer a new life to these newly released children." I agree, and while I have difficulty with the notion that America has an interminable moral obligation to all children-or indeed, all people- if America should wish to aid children abroad, we should do so in a manner that accounts for underlying factors and not merely symptoms. One bias I have in this situation is toward extensive evaluation of the entirety of an effort, resulting from my debate experience and my parent's anthropological background. This encourages me to side with Divakaruni, and I do.

Peter Singer's "The Singer Solution to World Poverty" advocates that citizens of wealthy nations donate as close to all of their disposable income to charity in order to alleviate poverty. While I believe that the work of UNICEF, OXFAM, and such organizations is vitally important to humanitarian efforts, Singer commits multiple logical fallacies that weaken his argument. For example, Singer argues against group-think, writing, "We do not excuse them [Germans who didn't stop Nazi atrocities] because others were behaving no better." And yes, group-think can be bad- but it can also have immense positive results. For example, volunteerism is heightened by its social component. Singer also leaves unproven the assertion that individuals have a moral obligation to assist others to their own detriment, thus leaving untouched the most important philosophical question inherent in his scenarios. A bias present here is my rejection of utter utilitarianism, as to me such a concept justifies genocide, discrimination, and numerous other societal ills. This bias leads me to reject Singer's philosophical argument, while accepting much of his practical argument.

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti- "Round and Round"

The fact that I found the lyrics in this song hard to understand leads me to have a negative opinion of the song. To me, lyrics are an important part of music with vocals, and because I was not able to easily understand these lyrics, I felt as though I missed out on a great portion of the meaning and value of the music. The fact that there was a varying tempo also had a negative impact on my opinion because I tend towards steady, strong beats. I selected those two facts as they are good examples of my opinion of the song: while not awful, I did not particularly like it. Yes, I have bias. My exposure to meaningful lyrics in the past (ex: Flobots) has led me to appreciate lyrics as an important part of song, and my exposure to songs with strong beats has predisposed my liking of beat-oriented songs.