Analysis of Four Modes

Rhetorical Analysis of Four Modes

 

Book

 

Brown, Dan. Angels and Demons. New York: Washington Square P, 2006.

 

            I first learned of the CERN when I read Angels and Demons for a class I took in high school called Studies in Popular Literature.  Dan Brown’s mysterious thriller finds its conflict circling around the power of CERN and its powerful particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).  While the facts concerning the LHC are not completely accurate, the concept of the powerful machine and its surrounding controversies are portrayed vividly.  While it is possible that the LHC will create antimatter, this is not the main reason for which it was created.  Also, it is quite unlikely that it would be possible to remove such microscopic amounts of antimatter from the LHC’s vacuum.  The overall purpose of this story is to present conversation between religion and science in a creative and stimulating fashion.  While I often struggle to place labels on the particular audiences sought by authors, Angels and Demons seems to speak to middle class, educated, suburb-inhabiting men.  This is not necessarily a reflection of the audience that is actually entertained by Dan Brown’s novel; it is more so a projection of which crowd, based on generalization, this book would appeal most to.

            The success of Angels and Demons can be attributed to the skillful way in which Dan Brown incorporated rhetorical appeals into his book.  He appeals to ethos by addressing the conflict, or conversation, that exists between science and religion.  He appeals to pathos through the relationships formed between characters.  Two obvious examples are the initial murder of our Victoria’s father, and the developing relationship between Robert and Victoria throughout the adventure.  Logos is a very significant part of the complex plot woven by Dan Brown.  The progression of the plot is completely dependent upon deciphering ambigrams and using logic and prior knowledge to further knowledge regarding the mystery of the murder.  Angels and Demons was a bestseller, which shows just how effectively Dan Brown appeals rhetorically to his audience.  It is a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable adventure to follow.  Finally, while scientific explanations are dramatized and, for the most part, inaccurate, Angels and Demons is a nice introduction to CERN and is an interesting representation of the conflicts that have arisen between science and religion.

 

Art

 

Ryan, David. LHC. 2008. Mark Moore Gallery, New York.

 

            David Ryan’s LHC is an abstract painting of a commonly shown aerial shot of the LHC.  Ryan’s work shows another point of view of the project.  I believe Ryan’s purpose in creating such a frivolous yet complex work was to portray how those qualities might show themselves in the actual LHC project.  The juxtaposition of complexity and frivolity is of great significance because it addresses all the controversies surrounding this very basic desire to discover where we came from.  “LHC’ appeals greatly to upper middle class, educated, urban-living men.  However, the initial frivolous quality of the work makes it more universal than the subject of the LHC might otherwise be.

            Ethos shows itself in this work through its classification as a reaction to the LHC.  The LHC has raised much concern and provoked much curiosity, two qualities that very likely inspired Ryan to paint “LHC”.  Pathos is appealed to in the confusing, frivolous quality of the work.  The frivolity raises a sense of innocence, a contradiction that causes one to feel intrigued to study the work at greater length.  The incredible thing about Ryan’s work is how thrown together it looks at first glance.  However, if you were to look closely and take the time to truly ponder the work, you would observe the incredibly precise manner in which he constructed his work.  It is this crucial aspect of his work that appeals to logos.  In actuality, his work is precise much like CERN’s LHC.  The rhetorical appeals of Ryan’s work are incredibly effective.  “LHC” is visually appealing and its intricacies are fascinating to ponder.  David Ryan’s work is a great representation of alternate views of the LHC.  “LHC” appeals rhetorically in a different way than the other modes.  It is a much more artistic view of the scientific and concrete idea of the LHC.

 

Movie

 

Back to the Future. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Perf. Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. VHS. 1985.

 

            Back to the Future addresses the aspect of CERN’s LHC project that is playing around with new technologies.  Back to the Future is a representation of both the dangers and benefits that can come from new scientific discoveries and opportunities.  Scientists are hopeful that the LHC will fill the missing pieces in the Big Bang Theory.  Both the LHC project and Back to the Future entertain a curiosity regarding the past.  Therefore, the overall purpose of this film is to get its audience thinking about technology and the basic desire to know the truth about where we come from.  The intended audience for this film is most likely elementary to middle school-aged, boys.

            Back to the Future appeals to ethos with its central theme of playing around with things we don’t know about by going back in time and changing the future.  Many of us have experienced things we wish we could go back in time and change; Back to the Future gives us an opportunity to see what might happen if we were allowed such power over our lives, and why it might be dangerous.  However, this is still a comical, whimsical, and childish film, which is where the appeal to pathos comes into play.  Commonly, technology is considered a very dry topic that is addressed solely based on mechanical needs.  Back to the Future overrides such dryness with comedy and the development of human relationships as a crucial part of the plot.  Logos appears in the mathematical calculations and logic used by the professor to figure out how to travel through time.  The great popularity of this film shows how effective these rhetorical appeals are.  The audience is enthralled by this demonstration of a light-hearted attitude toward new and unknown aspects of science.

 

Song

 

Barras, Will. "Large Hadron Rap." By Will Barras. Large Hadron Rap. YouTube. 2008. 2008 .

            The “Large Hadron Rap” explains, through rapping, the inner-workings of CERN and the entire LHC project.  It’s overall purpose, therefore, is to inform the public about CERN and how the various parts of the LHC function.  This song’s audience can primarily be found in teenagers interested in science since that is the crowd to who rap appeals most.

            Ethos is appealed to in a similar way as in Back to the Future; the quality of “rap” implies a playful approach to a serious and new technology.  Scholars who fear the power of the LHC might not find this song to be helpful in the research process.  On the other hand, pathos is greatly appealed to due to the humorous quality of this education tool.  Logos is appealed to in the general content of the rap.  The lyrics are entirely educational; they explain the inner workings of CERN and the LHC very logically.  The humor makes this an effective and helpful educational tool for anyone seeking basic information on the structure and function of CERN and its many projects.  The Rap’s effectiveness at fulfilling its purpose as an alternate approach to conventional teaching methods shows what an effective rhetorical tool it is.

Analysis for Four Modes

Extra Credit

I am going to use my perfect attendance to substitute week 11's extra credit, submission to eckerd review.

Extra Credit 8

I interviewed Brian Southworth, who worked at CERN for thirty years.  In his time there his job was to write in a publication about CERN's activities.  I learned a lot about how CERN, as an organization, functions and the scientific capabilities that it possesses.  I was very interested to discover what a large part internationalism plays in the function of CERN.  I am very glad I spoke with Brian.  It was wonderful to be able to talk to someone who has been with the organization first hand.  He also helped me to see that there are fields that combine my scientific and international interests.  For these reasons, I would very much recommend this activity to others.  It does not need to necessarily be formal interview; it could be simply sitting down and having a conversation with someone older that pursued interests similar to yours.  That is what my "interview" ended up being more like.  I had many questions prepared and typed up but I didn't get the opportunity to ask many of them.  He mostly just sat down and started teaching me, and I was alarmed to discover that at the end of our conversation he had answered most of my questions anyways.

Extra Credit 10

This extra credit was for me to vote.  I voted via mail in Florida.  This was an incredibly fulfilling experience.  I planned to vote in Vermont, where I am from, but discovered that as a student I was able to vote in Florida.  I was really excited to vote in a swing state for the first time in a crucial election.  I was especially thrilled when Florida, a state that for much time was "too close to call", tipped in favor of Obama, making me feel like it was my vote that tipped the scale.  Voting is something that all eligible peoples should participate in.  It is a right and a unique opportunity given the citizens of our country to give some say in the way our country ought to be run.  If this election taught me anything, it is that Americans maybe aren't as greedy and hopeless as the past has made us seem.

Extra Credit 9

Extra Credit 14

http://www.1000000monkeys.com/snippet.html?branch=11609

Reflect/Action

So far, I interviewed Professor Cox and scheduled volunteer hours in which I will help her clean out the store room and work on a demo for my presentation.  I recorded our interview, in which she told me about her experience in science and specifically the field of physics as a woman.  She also answered some of my questions about the field and was attentive to my personal aspirations and interests.  

I have yet to discuss and analyze my four modes.  I will have it posted by Tuesday.

Makeup project 2 peer review

Strengths: A lot of research is evident, all ideas are there, solid "so what" at end

Weaknesses: Organization, over-saturated with data, thesis could be clearer

Vogler Annotations #11

Vogler Annotation #11

18 November 2008

 

Vogler, Christopher, and Michele Montez. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Boston: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 293-312.

 

Summary

 

            Vogler relates the Writer’s Journey to the Hero’s Journey.  He expresses how similar the paths we follow and the trials we are confronted with as writers are to that of Heroes’.  Vogler then goes on to explain the great amount of meaning and reality that can be portrayed through letters in words, particularly in the symbolic writing of other cultures.  The healing powers of words are one of the greatest aspects of writing.  Vogler, furthermore, compares writers to shamans.  Many writers go through great Ordeals before they feel internally stimulated to write.  Shamans are godlike beings who, likewise, have been through great Ordeals that mutilate them and give them the ability to communicate between words.  Vogler compares the journey of a Shaman to the work of a writer.  He says, “As writers we travel to other worlds not as mere daydreamers, but as shamans with the magic power to bottle up those worlds and bring them back in the form of stories for others to share” (295).

 

            In his section, “The Story is Alive,” Vogler talks about four important ways he views or believes good stories ought to possess:  (1) Survival value for the human species, (2) metaphors, (3) outer and inner journey, (4) orientation devices.  Stories are alive and are meant to make us seem more human by comparing us to their characters.  Vogler goes on to discuss the fairy creatures that appear in stories like Rumpelstiltskin:  The commonalities between these creatures like their attraction to strong human emotions and their inability to have children, and, therefore, desire to attain a human child.  “The Power of Wishing” discusses the great implications and symbolism behind wishes as well as literally, the great power that their contents contain.  Vogler then deciphers between Wants and Needs.  Often, when stories appear to treat our hero poorly or take something from him, the aim is actually to give him something greater than what he initially has by removing something he does not know impedes his path.  Wishes are also a very effective way of getting one’s audience to relate to her tale since we all have wants, desires, and wishes.  He deciphers between what we think we want and what we actually need.  It is often the case that if the audience’s desires are not fulfilled in the plot, the film will not do as well in the box-office.  Vogler, furthermore, discusses those that Progress from Wishing to Willing.  Willing is taken on by those who act to get their wish and are willing to accept the set backs and difficulties that accompany accomplishing their desire.  Vogler addresses that we don’t adequately question the ethical dilemmas present in simple fairy tales like Rumpelstiltskin.

 

Reaction

 

            Vogler very effectively relates the importance of the Hero’s Journey to our own personal journeys as writers and as human beings.  I, furthermore, found it very interesting at the end of the reading when Vogler discussed whether Rumpelstiltskin has just results.  We do not take the time, as the audience, to question whether the beautiful fair maiden is equipped to mother a child.  Although, we feel slightly sorrowful at Rumpelstiltskin’s death, it is not as great a sense of sadness as if our maiden were to not get her child back.

 

Questions

 

1.     Is the type of justice we seek in stories the same as the type of justice we desire from life?

2.     How is the Writer’s Journey different from the Hero’s Journey?  Is there a difference?

3.     Is there any way in which it might be bad to live by The Journey?

Actual Picture of me in Halloween Costume

Picture of me in Halloween costume

file:///Users/elenakw2008/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Originals/2008/Halloween%202008/n549497236_1438363_7014.jpg

Vogler Annotations 9 & 10

Get out of jail free

Four Modes

Fiction: "Blasphemy" by Douglas Preston

Film: "Angels and Demons"(2009)

Song: 

Large Hadron Rap

Artwork:

"LHC" by David Ryan

Good Paragraph: Jack Kerouac "On The Road"

Kerouac approaches his Hero's Journey with a much more abstract view.  For most of the reading I found myself struggling with what exactly the Approach to the Inmost Cave and the Ordeal would be.  Upon the culmination of events at the end of chapter 7, however, I realized that it is in fact the confusion of the night that makes for our Ordeal.  There is a building tension with the passing of events as Sal reunites with Carlo, followed by Dean, and then is dragged through the night in a series of uncomfortable situations.  It is, therefore, this build-up of tension that is the Approach to the Inmost Cave.

Extra Credit 7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQNpucos9wc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk8Vr00EBHA

I found these three links about CERN's Large Hadron Collider online. I found this a very helpful activity because I learned a lot about my area of inquiry. This also gave me the opportunity to see how controversial this topic has in fact become. There are hundreds of videos that explain how the LHC works and why it could be a potential danger. However, most of the videos seek to justify why it is that we don't need to fear the massive particle accelerator. It is for this reason that I thoroughly recommend this activity. It is a great way to see the more commercialized aspect of your research project. The research we are doing then becomes much more applicable to our lives and the world around us.

Project Two Strengths and Weaknesses

My overall strengths were I have an organized structure and a well defined, interesting topic.

Some constructive criticism I received showed me that my information on the topic could be more thorough and I should be more specific about the controversies.

Extra Credit 6

I read up on random acts of kindness people have come up with. There are a lot of really simple nice things you can do for other people if you take a second to step outside your own world. A random act of kindness I will be acting on next is I am surprising my sister and coming home for her school play. I know that I personally have a tendency to get caught up in my own world and it sometimes doesn't occur to me to do things like this for others. This activity was a great reminder of simple, random acts of kindness and how good they can make you and everyone around you feel.

Good Paragraph: The Bell Jar (10/31)

Esther's ordeal is marked clearly by the suicide of her dear friend Joan. The reward with which she leaves this ordeal is much less clear. It is very much a psychological lesson she learns but it is not clear that she in fact draws a healthy conclusion about her life. After Esther chooses to sleep with Irwin, an intelligent man she comes to know, her family is upset and ashamed of her actions. Esther's family then expects her to pick up where she left off and move on. While Esther very well should find a way to move on, she will not simply be able to "pick up where she left off." Her experiences have left her a changed woman. Her efforts to take the Road Back are shown in her call to Irwin in which she asks him to pay the hospital bill for her injury from their encounter and refuses to see or speak to him ever again. It is Esther's strength in this respect that makes her a valuable Hero in her own personal quest for self-understanding.

Vogler Annotation #8

Vogler Annotation #8

31 October 2008

Vogler, Christopher, and Michele Montez. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Boston: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 175-194.

Summary

The ninth stage of Vogler’s Hero’s Journey is the Reward. This is the stage where our hero realizes the change that has come over him as a result of his “near death” experience. The quotations are necessary to express that not all heroes literally approach their own physical demise. This is the stage in which celebration may take place. The “campfire scene” also occurs in this stage and allows an opportunity for the audience to experience their hero’s relief at his or her survival. This scene also allows us to get to know our hero better and take a closer look into his mind and natural character. This stage in the journey allows our hero to take possession of his conquest. This may appear in the form of a “love scene”, a “seizing of the sword”, or even “elixir theft”.

Vogler’s tenth stage is The Road Back. This step refers to the hero’s return from the Special World back to the Ordinary World. The Hero does not always make this return consciously or voluntarily. Often, the hero is “chased” back into his Special World. The Road Back is, in a sense, a sort of second Call to Adventure, in that it requires our Hero to take the initiative to return to her former lifestyle with a new perspective on things. The Road Back is also, essentially, a rebuild of the tension experienced earlier by the audience. It is the stage in which, you are surprised to discover that the journey is not as complete as you may have initially thought.

Reaction

I have noticed a recurrent theme in these Vogler Hero’s Journey Stages: Every time you think the adventure is complete, something else comes up. There are moments of relief and joy at the Hero’s accomplishments but it is quickly discovered that nothing is as simple as it initially seems to be. This is also interesting to me because I have begun to notice in myself that, when reading books and watching films, I expect the unexpected. It is very unusual for a film to completely catch me off guard with its plot direction, and I do believe that is because of this recurrent formula that has become engrained in our society.

Questions

1. We have sought to apply Vogler to our lives in every way imaginable. I was considering this stage—The Road Back—and was not exactly sure of examples in my own life when I have been through this. Can you think of any examples in your own life that have caused you to undergo “The Road Back”?

2. Do you think a psychological reward is more valuable than a tangible one?

3. How does the Reward contribute to the type of Road Back a hero may experience?

Vogler annotation #7

Vogler Annotation #7

21 October 2008

 

Vogler, Christopher, and Michele Montez. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Boston: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 143-173.

 

Summary

 

            In The Approach to the Inmost Cave, our Hero finds himself yet closer to the Ordeal with which he will be confronted at the heart of the Special World.  This stage sometimes appears as a courtship, while other times it may be a “bold approach” as seen in confident and committed heroes.  This is also the step in which many obstacles will commonly appear, like in The Wizard of Oz.  They are happy and relieved to finally reach the Emerald City but there are still a number of impediments they must overcome.  Threshold Guardians will also appear in this step, as a form of obstacle.  This is the point where the Hero is ultimately shown that she must complete the task at hand.

            The Ordeal is the stage where our hero is finally confronted with death or its equivalent.  The Ordeal must not be confused with the climax, however.  The Ordeal can more accurately be called the crisis.  The placement of the Ordeal in your piece of writing is crucial to audience engagement.  A reliable source of suspense and entertainment is found in a central crisis.  A central crisis is a crisis placed at the midpoint of the story.  A delayed crisis is also a very effective way to instill suspense in your audience.

            The Ordeal is also the stage in which our Hero confronts their Shadow.  The outcomes of this stage vary from the death of the villain to the villain escapes death.  Villains are also sometimes heroes of their own stories.  We will also commonly see our hero cheat death in this step.

 

Reaction

 

            The Approach to the Inmost Cave is the step where the reader feels a sense of relief while simultaneously questioning, “Could it really be that easy?”  We, therefore, know as readers that there is more coming in the story.  The Ordeal is that for which we have been waiting throughout the story.  It is the culmination of the suspense built up and is also the most awe-inspiring of the story.  It is this step that makes us forget to breathe and cling to our seats as we longingly wait to see what will become of our Hero.

 

Questions

 

1.     Is the Ordeal always the most suspenseful part of the story?

2.     Is the Approach to the Inmost Cave sometimes more suspenseful of a stage than that of the Ordeal?

3.     How does this affect the flow or content of the story?

Vogler annotation #6

Vogler Annotation #6

Elena Weinberg

14 October 2008

 

Vogler, Christopher, and Michele Montez. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Boston: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 127-141.

 

Summary

 

            After the initial Refusal of the Call to Adventure, our hero is ready to Cross the First Threshold.  The First Threshold may take on a physical form like a river or may merely be a shift in tone.  These “energy shifts” may be effectively portrayed through music or a dimming of the screen.  This step requires, what is called “a leap of faith.”  Our hero is forced to step in to the Special World of the unknown, which requires a special type of courage. 

 

            Once the Hero has Crossed the First Threshold into the Special World, he is confronted with a series of tasks and tests that cause him to step outside of his comfort zone.  This step is called “Tests, Allies, Enemies.”  This stage of the Hero’s Journey is where our Hero makes friends and meets or becomes familiar with his enemies.  As this step includes the introduction to the Special World, a sharp contrast should be made between the two worlds, so that the audience is better able to relate to the Hero on his quest in this unknown land.  This step is also intended to prepare our hero for the more dangerous task(s) ahead.  Additionally, this is where a character will generally stop at a “local watering hole” to recuperate and become more familiar with the new world into which he has entered.  A “local watering hole” is commonly seen in the bars and saloons in old western films.  This is also a place where our Hero can quickly become familiar with New Rules of the Special World.

 

Reaction

 

            Stages Six and Seven of the Hero’s Journey (Crossing the First Threshold and Tests, Allies, Enemies) are very much preparatory steps.  While the entire Hero’s Journey is meant to prepare its audience for what lies ahead, these are the two major steps in which the hero receives his preparation for Stage Seven:  Approach to the Inmost Cave.  While they are not perhaps the most exciting of the steps in the Hero’s Journey, they are crucial steps because it is in these scenes that the Hero receives information and experience necessary for conquering the Inmost Cave.

 

Questions

 

1.     What would happen if we were to remove either of these steps from the Hero’s Journey?  Would there still be a story?  Would it still be entertaining?

 

2.     Is there a time in your own life that you have had trouble deciphering your friends from your enemies?  How does this affect your own personal Hero’s Journey?

 

3.     Is the theme of ambiguous friends and enemies a common theme in many films or stories that you can think of?

Vogler annotation #5

Elena Weinberg

Kelly

Analytic and Persuasive Writing

7 October 2008

Annotated Bibliography #5

Vogler, Christopher, and Michele Montez. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Boston: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 107-125.

 

Summary

 

            The third step to the Hero’s Journey is the Refusal of the Call.  This step is used for dramatic effect and signals to the audience that an adventure is risky.  One response a hero may have to a call is avoidance.  The hero may question whether the trip is really necessary based on past experience.  The greater the protest, the more the audience seeks to view their hero “worn down.” 

The Refusal may also take on the form of excuses.  This is a “transparent attempt to delay their inevitable fate,” and is commonly seen in children’s shows in movies when a character lists several reasons why they should not go on the adventure. 

The next concept introduced by Vogler is  “Persistent Refusal Leads to Tragedy.” Vogler explains that this is a common trait of a tragic hero. 

“Conflicting Calls” is a way for an author to articulate the difficult choices of a hero when he or she is Called to Adventure by more than one source. 

Although, the Refusal is often portrayed negatively, there are also Positive Refusals.  An example of this is the Three Little Pigs, in which it is in fact a wise choice for the pigs to Refuse the wolf entry to their homes

The Artist as Hero is also an outlet for Conflicting Calls.  The Artist commonly finds herself torn between their inner feelings and the outer world.  Artists will often refuse “the powerful Call of the world, in order to follow the wider Call of artistic expression.”

As has been discussed in previous chapters, there exists a willing hero.  In this special case, the sense of danger or risk is portrayed through other characters.  As a hero bravely embraces the challenge ahead, others may warn him against moving forward as so many others have failed at the feat.  Another way risk is portrayed is through Threshold Guardians.

A “symbol of human curiosity” that is often used to further portray danger is the concept of The Secret Door.  For example, in Beauty and the Beast, Belle is warned by the beast never to enter the West Wing.   Belle, of course, from then on has a passionate desire to enter the forbidden West Wing.

 

The fourth step to the Hero’s Journey is the Meeting with the Mentor.  This step is the preparation for the journey ahead, and provides our hero with supplies and wisdom necessary for the accomplishment of the pending adventure.  A very prevalent example of such a Hero-Mentor relationship exists in Karate Kid, a film entirely based on the preparation to complete a task.  In some films, the sources of wisdom may greatly vary and can come from different characters and experiences throughout the story, without there being one particular character serving that role. 

Mentors of Folklore and Myth take on the form of gods, goddesses, magical animals, and creatures such as centaurs.  Centaurs are commonly wild and savage creatures, so the notion of Chiron, an unusually kind and peaceful centaur, is what most picture in terms of a mentor.  He possesses a very spiritual connection to nature.  The origin of the Mentor Himself finds its place in The Odyssey.

 

Reaction

 

            I think it is amazing how we have very much engraved in our culture a visual conception of a Mentor.  When considering more recent films or stories, however, it is very clear that writers have sought to vary up their uses of such a character exactly as Vogler suggests.  For example, it is not uncommon today, to see a young child take on the role of Mentor to someone much older than she.  This is a very interesting way to portray the natural wisdom each of us possesses before we are corrupted by experience?

 

Questions

 

1.  We have all had to Refuse or Accept a Call at one point or another in our lives.  How did it feel to make that choice?  Do you think you made the right choice?

 

2.  Do you think our lives should be guided by the wisdom we gain through experiences or that which we possess from birth?  Does one take on a greater role than the other in our decision-making processes?  Have we discarded notions of the wisdom of innocence?

 

3.  Can you think of any examples of a story where the Mentor figure is excluded?  How does that effect the flow or content of a piece of writing?

Extra Credit-Week 4

I read the article titled, "Urban Legend:  don't end sentence with preposition."  I was intrigued by this article because, since studying spanish, one of my greatest pet peeves has become when anything ends in a preposition.  Within the past couple years, especially, I always notice when a sentences ends in a preposition and my OCD wants to rework the sentence.  I go insane when I can't figure out how to reword those sentences.  I, therefore, found it very fascinating that this law that is so greatly stressed in spanish and preached by many english scholars is in fact "an urban legend."  Others should participate in this activity because there are a lot of interesting and surprising articles present on this site that will open your mind and cause you to become better informed on miscellaneous issues.

Extra Credit-Week 5

I watched two YouTube videos on rhetoric.  It was very interesting to see how rhetoric is so universally used in various media and in daily life.  I found it helpful to see examples of rhetoric in well-known films.  It put ethos, pathos, and logos in context and although I still struggle to categorize them all, it is helpful to have so many representations of rhetoric.  Furthermore, the video, "Rhetoric for Kids," was an entertaining and helpful guide to the definition and uses of rhetoric.  It is for these reasons that I recommend this activity to other students, as a helpful tool in understanding rhetoric and putting it into context, as well is for its complete and utter entertainment value.

Quiz on Kafka-Week 4

1.  After reading all of Book 1, it seems to me that Kafka uniquely portrays the Call to Adventure before introducing the Ordinary World.  Gregor's Call to Adventure is that he woke up "from anxious dreams" and discovered that "he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug."  This depiction causes me, as the reader, to wonder what Gregor is going to do about the task set before him, and I hope that the succeeding plot action will be based around conquering or resolving this Call to Adventure.  The Ordinary World is then portrayed in the following paragraphs, where we are shown through Gregor's thoughts that he is a traveling salesman stuck in a crippling career due to a feud between his parents and his manager.

2.  The most obvious critique of social issues in this story so far appears to be the overall mistreatment of the working class.  Although we may not be able to completely trust Gregor's thoughts at this point, he spends a lot of time thinking about how unfairly treated he is in his job and the way in which the manager takes advantage of him.  On the other hand, his family must be relatively well-off because they have a servant, so maybe it is just Gregor's own, flawed perception of his life.  In relation to "The Red Scare," Kafka's portrayal of Gregor as "a monstrous verminous bug" could be used as a metaphor for McCarthy's manipulation of the American people in the 1950's.  Gregor's response to his metamorphosis almost implies that it was not an unexpected transformation; Like it was something he chose or at least, in some way, saw coming.  He seems more concerned with the fact that he woke up three hours late than with the fact that he woke up a different species.  Therefore, his disposition on the matter reminds me much of McCarthy.  McCarthy created an idea in his head that he wanted to use to manipulate the world around him and get what he wanted; He used the scare tactic of Communism.  Perhaps Gregor is not much unlike this.  He seems to feel quite out of control of his life, so perhaps in order to gain a certain amount of power over the people in his life, he chose to become a creature that would scare the people around him into believing in him rather than taking him for granted--as he may have felt in the past.  This is essentially what The Red Scare was about.

3.  Gregor turns into "a monstrous verminous bug" that sounds something like a spider.

Annotated Bibliography Vogler (83-105)

Elena Weinberg

Kelly

Analytic and Persuasive Writing

30 September 2008

Annotated Bibliography #4

Vogler, Christopher, and Michele Montez. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Boston: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 83-105.

 

Summary

 

            The Ordinary World is essential to the affective portrayal of the hero’s journey.  Without the depiction of the Ordinary World, the audience has no way of recognizing their hero’s transformation, which makes it, in actuality, difficult to determine which character is the hero.  There are several crucial elements that result in the delineation of The Ordinary World.  The first is the title.  The title is the first thing an audience will see and can be a powerful metaphor in terms of the grand scheme of the story.  The next is the opening image, an important tool that sets the mood and familiarizes the audience with its characters.  Prologues serve many purposes and are useful devices for setting the scene in the Ordinary World

            The Call To Adventure is the force that sets the plot in motion.  Up until this point we are introduced to our hero in his or her daily routine, and feel an acute desire for something out-of-the-ordinary or a change to occur.  This step to the hero’s journey is the trigger for that change.  This Call may appear as synchronicity, temptation, heralds of change, reconnaissance, disorientation and discomfort, lack or need, no more options, warnings for tragic heroes, and more than one call:  call waiting.

 

Reaction

 

            The Ordinary World and The Call To Adventure are the very initial aspects of the Hero’s Journey.  Without these two steps, the plot would not have the same development or affect on the audience.

 

Questions

 

1.     Does the way in which the Hero is Called To Adventure have a large affect on the initial tone set in the film?

 

2.     Can different combinations of Ordinary Worlds and Calls To Adventure cause the same plot to take on many different facets?

 

3.     Is a more concrete Call To Adventure more affective than one that is more abstract?

Annotated Bibliography Vogler (49-80)

Vogler, Christopher, and Michele Montez. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Boston: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 49-80.

 

Summary

 

This reading discussed six archetypes:  Threshold Guardian, Herald, Shapeshifter, Shadow, Ally, and Trickster.

 The Threshold Guardian serves the primary purpose of presenting a challenge to the Hero that must be conquered or overcome in order for the Hero to learn something critical about him/herself.  Vogler describes it as a feat meant “not necessarily to stop you, but to test if you are really determined to accept the challenge of change” (50).  He then goes on to say, “Ideally, Threshold Guardians are not to be defeated but incorporated” (51) into a Hero’s character.

The Herald provides the motivation for conflict, essentially announcing the need for change.  He is the Call to Adventure in the Heroes’ Journey, and may appear in the form of a human or a force. 

The Shapeshifter changes constantly from the Hero’s point of view and often is found in a romantic interest of the opposite sex.  This character can be either helpful or destructive to the protagonist and often serves as a catalyst for change, a symbol for the Hero’s psychological urge to transform.  Vogler calls the Shapeshifter one of the most flexible archetypes.

The Shadow can be portrayed negatively through villains, antagonists, and enemies.  It can also take on the psychological form of an internal force with which the Hero struggles.  Many Shadow figures are also Shapeshifters.  Shadows serve the dramatic function of challenging the Hero, offering him a worthy opponent to create conflict, and bring out the best in the Hero.  Vogler points out that humanizing Shadow figures is very effective because it makes “killing such figures…a true moral choice rather than a thoughtless reflex” (67).

The Ally serves the purpose of humanizing our Heroes.  This character often appears in the form of a best friend in whom the hero may confide or share human feelings.  Some of the common Allies mentioned by Vogler are Multiple Allies, Western Allies (Sidekicks), Non-human Allies, Animal Allies, Allies From Beyond the Grave, Helpful Servants, and Modern Allies.  Allies also may function as a window to “the Special World.”  They may introduce us to the new, unfamiliar world into which we are about to follow our Hero, and even explain its significance.  The Ally could also psychologically function as powerful internal forces that result in a sort of epiphany or spiritual realization.

The Trickster “embodies energies of mischief and desire for change” (77).  This archetype may psychologically present “itself through impish accidents or slips of the tongue that alert us to the need for change” (77).  The Trickster is also functions dramatically as a comic relief.  There are also Trickster Heroes that often affect the lives of others but don’t change much themselves.

 

Reaction

 

            These six archetypes have the common trait that they are incredibly versatile in terms of which characters possess which and when and how they are depicted.  These archetypes deal a lot with change and how Heroes cope with it as a catalyst and impediment to their psychological and sometimes even physical development.  It seems that many of these archetypes can very easily and concretely be related to ancient mythological tales like Homer’s Odyssey.  For example, Odysseus is very much a Trickster Hero.  Furthermore, Athena serves as Herald when she takes on the form of Odysseus’ old friend, Mentor, and tells Telemachus that it is his responsibility to get revenge on the suitors.

 

Questions

1.     Are there any examples of works in which the same character takes on every archetype at one point or another in the story? 

2.     Is this an affective method?

3.     Why might an author choose to bestow upon one character several archetypes?

Extra Credits 1, 2 and 3

Free Rice

For this extra credit assignment I went to freerice.com, a vocabulary quizzing website that donates grains of rice to the UN World Food Program. For each vocabulary word of which you guess the meaning, freerice.com donates 20 grains of rice to the UN World Food Program. I defined 50 vocabulary words and donated 1000 grains of rice in approximately ten minutes. Before this assignment I didn't really know what freerice.com was and I had no desire to explore it. I was surprised to discover that my vocabulary and common sense in guessing words' meanings is quite keen and I really enjoyed using the website. Others should definitely use this website because it is a great way to improve your vocabulary and simultaneously benefit those in need.

Six Word Memoir

I came up with the six word memoir, "nostalgically clinically sardonically imaginatively conceivably thoughtful." These are six words I thought of to describe my life and myself. I learned that I find adverbs quite aesthetically pleasing. I must, to use so many to describe my general state of being. I found it very interesting to reflect on myself for a moment and see what kind of words came to mind when I thought about the six that sum me up. It's not easy to do--find the right combination of six words that define You. I think this is a valuable activity in which others should partake because it causes you to take a moment to reflect on yourself and consider yourself in new and intriguing ways. You can learn a lot about yourself and really open your mind by taking the time to think in this fashion.

NPR: StoryCorps

I listened to a story about an elderly married couple. He is now 96 years old and she is in her 80's. They met in 1940 because he was working as a physician over the summer and stayed in her family's lodge. Their story touched me for some reason. It seems so simple, but they have been married for 60 years now, and appear to be as in love today as they were when they first met. This kind of love seems so unusual these days and I feel great amounts of both jealousy and admiration toward them for the life they have lived. Furthermore, I find it quite generous that they should desire to share their story with the Nation via NPR. Others should participate in this activity because it is important to see how others feel and perceive things. Their experiences are ones to be learned from and enjoyed: That is why they share them.

Character Analysis

It is hard for me to distinguish exactly what it is about the eldest daughter of The Twelve Dancing Princesses with which I identify most.  In any case, there must be some reason for the strong attachment I feel to this story and the way in which her character strikes me.  Perhaps, the mere fact that I am the eldest of my siblings brings me the greatest sense of connection with this character.  It could also be the way in which she is the leader of the girls, persuading them to follow her into the night to dance with inhumanly handsome men until their shoes are worn.  On that note, perhaps it is simply the love of dancing with which I identify.  I relate to the burning desire these girls feel to escape the stresses of their own lives through dancing.  Escape is not the right word.  It is a way to channel all that you are feeling into this one form of powerful and invigorating expression.  It is the way in which you feel you have control over your body, but at the same time allow your body a certain amount of control over your internal self.  I understand how someone might get lost in that high and allow several mediocre suitors to lose their heads or their ears, depending upon the version with which you are familiar.

In terms of leadership, I have always been more of an outgoing, comedic, overbearing type, than a quiet, do-what-I’m-told, keep to myself kind of girl.  Although I have adapted those traits more with age, I am still very much the same girl.  I love to act and sing and dance and play sports and hike and explore and be active in any way possible.  I suppose it is my itch for change and activity that makes me like the eldest of the sisters.  Since she is the oldest, I assume that she initiated this tradition that so greatly contradicts the norm by which twelve princesses are thought to live.  By instigating this tradition, she is demonstrating such an itch for variation in a monotonous lifestyle.  I cannot conceive of having to live such a life, and although I am not the rebellious type, I imagine I would be if such constraints were placed on me in daily life.  I am not sure which of these characteristics it is that I feel connects me most to this character, whose name I don’t even know.  It is most clearly a connection with the story of twelve girls and this burning desire and ability to enter an imaginary world in which my love for dance and the metaphorical experience of dance illustrate themselves.