James Gatz is the kind of man that, despite not being quite as perfect as he seems on the surface, still comes of as more charismatic than anyone Nick would ever meet before or after the slice of life featuring Gatsby. His list of accomplishments seems to be longer every time Nick interacts with him, and while it's apparent that something is fishy about his persona and intentions, Nick can't help but still want to be friends with him to the very end. Nick's position of narrator for the story doesn't come off as cliche or derivative due to the simple fact that he is human, and doesn't hold the standard of objectivity one would hold the protagonist to in any other story.
The assumption that Nick is reliable in his narration of the story quickly falls apart during the first few pages of the book, wherein Nick claims that he's "inclined to reserve all judgement" then goes on to go against that completely in the next few paragraphs, using very opinionated diction when describing his father as well as his remark about conduct. Through this, we understand that he isn't exactly truthful in this statement, whether he knows it himself or not. He has an arrogance about him, one that makes him come off almost snobbish, which makes sense considering who he surrounds himself with during the events of the book. Ironically, his idea of not judging others may very well be why he gives Gatsby more tolerance than those around Jay who seem to be more likable. His increasing knowledge of Gatsby's life does little to change his affection for him, a theme shown many times throughout the book.
Nick's first interactions with Gatsby and his life are presented in an almost mysterious fashion, seeing him first staring at the green light at the Buchanan dock and then experiencing his extravagant parties and the many rumors surrounding his life. Even when he actually is introduced to Gatsby, the first thing he finds out is his military background, further making him seem like he's larger than life on all levels. As he starts to know Gatsby and his personal life, he begins to learn about the secretive intentions of a sad man, alone, with only outdated dreams to keep him moving. He finds out about Gatsby's continuous parties, his life as James Gatz, and his acquired wealth, all done for the hope that the only woman he every truly loved would see him once more, and fall right back into his arms. Until the very end, Nick never stops to truly evaluate whether Gatsby is truly worthy of the attention he gives him, yet acknowledges that he represents everything he has an "unaffected scorn for." It becomes truly hard to pinpoint whether his evaluation of Gatsby is justified. For every moment that Nick loses his faith in him, Gatsby gives him a reason to stand by his side once again. However, beyond all of that, Nick can very plainly see that Gatsby is nothing more than a tragic story of a man who never fell out of love with a woman who moved on. Every action he takes is to get him closer to her, and in the end he pays for it with his life. So in that regard, Nick is able to accurately see Gatsby for what he is, even if he can't change his personal feelings towards him through all his misdoings. Essentially, his attachment and emotional state doesn't shroud the fact that Gatsby is a broken mess trying to rebuild unsuccessfully.
His conclusion of who Gatsby is is not reflective of who Nick is as a narrator. The two concepts are able to exist separately of each other, so while Nick might seem somewhat arrogant in his way of thinking, his conclusion of who Gatsby is still comes off as accurate, because it's obvious to anyone who gets close. Even Tom, who didn't spend nearly as much time with Gatsby, was still able to realize who Jay was and how Daisy's love changed him. And unless Nick outright lied about the things that Tom has said within the novel, it further solidifies for the reader that Nick's integrity for telling the story doesn't change his views of Gatsby, and how damaged he is emotionally.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Staking Claims
1) arguable
2) easily verifiable; charter school is the more popular alternative to public schools
3) arguable
4) arguable
5) easily verified; the terms global warming and climate change are the same thing, just different words
6) easily verifiable; many students do not acquire a debt as they go through college
7) arguable
8) easily verifiable; there will be the same amount of online newspapers and print newspaper in the next decade
9) easily verifiable; the competing countries come to a civil agreement as to where the next Olympics will be held.
10) easily verifiable; most kids do 100% of their work, 100% of the time
Monday, May 9, 2016
High's Cool confident child
1) Rhetorical strategies Denby uses:
Irony: Despite being so disliked she's still the most popular
Hyperbole: Calling the blonde the most hated woman in america.
colloquialism: "You're vapor" and "You're spam"
2) The male is painted more as a brute, known more for his actions and loud voice over his looks or how he treats people.
3) He transitions to talking about reality in it's relation to movies and their accuracy.
4) The break is in order to make the reader also take a second to take in what they have read, since the topic changes at this point.
5) He answers the questions by talking about how movies are an exaggerated view of teen life as well as the emotional aspects of it.
6) 6. One way that Denby uses the expertise is to back up his argument by referencing on others work. He talks about specific examples of movies.
7) His main argument is that teen movies don't reflect how high school really is but rather gives an exaggerated view of it. His secondary argument is that these movies are made with the feelings of the viewer in mind and how they perceive things.
8) lolnope
9) He ties the "wound and the bow" theory shows how being an outsider isn't a bad thing but can also be a good thing.
10) He backs up his claim by saying that the columbine shooters didn't learn the lesson that "loners" and "losers" are fine after high school.
11) He says the films that go above and beyond the genre are the ones that actually reflect real life.
12) His audience is likely adults out of high school interested in film, who might reminisce over the movies of their childhood.
Irony: Despite being so disliked she's still the most popular
Hyperbole: Calling the blonde the most hated woman in america.
colloquialism: "You're vapor" and "You're spam"
2) The male is painted more as a brute, known more for his actions and loud voice over his looks or how he treats people.
3) He transitions to talking about reality in it's relation to movies and their accuracy.
4) The break is in order to make the reader also take a second to take in what they have read, since the topic changes at this point.
5) He answers the questions by talking about how movies are an exaggerated view of teen life as well as the emotional aspects of it.
6) 6. One way that Denby uses the expertise is to back up his argument by referencing on others work. He talks about specific examples of movies.
7) His main argument is that teen movies don't reflect how high school really is but rather gives an exaggerated view of it. His secondary argument is that these movies are made with the feelings of the viewer in mind and how they perceive things.
8) lolnope
9) He ties the "wound and the bow" theory shows how being an outsider isn't a bad thing but can also be a good thing.
10) He backs up his claim by saying that the columbine shooters didn't learn the lesson that "loners" and "losers" are fine after high school.
11) He says the films that go above and beyond the genre are the ones that actually reflect real life.
12) His audience is likely adults out of high school interested in film, who might reminisce over the movies of their childhood.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Dez junctions of cultured cheese
1.
2. The relationships between the paragraphs are that they set the next one up directly. He uses the first paragraph in each set as a third person narrative and then uses the following one as a personal experience.
3. These two paragraphs have the effect of showing the reader how disturbing war can be, strengthening his argument.
4. I agree. Media is a massive part of today's world and is how we absorb most of our info outside of personal experience. Because schools have the main priority of teaching students new info and skills, that is also a huge way that info is transmitted.
5. The paragraphs following 22 describe how war has different versions of the same events, being distorted depending on which side writes it. They always view the enemy as the villain in any given situation.
6. The purpose of culture is to create a way that a certain area does things, what they like, how they act, what they want, ect. Meaning it gives a sense of unity to individuals. I agree with this, because our culture seems to be different depending on where one lives. It reflects the interests of the majority of people.
7. I agree that it offers a chance for redemption. Because it was created by those who survived, it offers a more unique perspective that isn't told by those who want to paint a picture that makes our country better than others. I also agree with his second claim about the state, because if we listen ignorantly to them then we could get into the same situation as before and we are doomed to repeat history.
8. He does a fairly effective job of elaborating on Johnson's assertion throughout the chapter. He demonstrates that countries are willing to bend the truth to make themselves look better.
9. I haven't given thought to the idea that wartime materials become mostly ineffective to the public once a war is over. They lose the patriotism that is almost overwhelming during a wartime and serve little to no purpose.
10. The essay hasn't changed my thinking quite as much as the author would like. Many of the ideas that he brings up have already been discussed in school and I'm very aware about the destruction of culture and how states spread propaganda and bend the truth. However it is still provoking to think about how it's able to happen today when we are able to access info from other countries through the internet and other sources.
2. The relationships between the paragraphs are that they set the next one up directly. He uses the first paragraph in each set as a third person narrative and then uses the following one as a personal experience.
3. These two paragraphs have the effect of showing the reader how disturbing war can be, strengthening his argument.
4. I agree. Media is a massive part of today's world and is how we absorb most of our info outside of personal experience. Because schools have the main priority of teaching students new info and skills, that is also a huge way that info is transmitted.
5. The paragraphs following 22 describe how war has different versions of the same events, being distorted depending on which side writes it. They always view the enemy as the villain in any given situation.
6. The purpose of culture is to create a way that a certain area does things, what they like, how they act, what they want, ect. Meaning it gives a sense of unity to individuals. I agree with this, because our culture seems to be different depending on where one lives. It reflects the interests of the majority of people.
7. I agree that it offers a chance for redemption. Because it was created by those who survived, it offers a more unique perspective that isn't told by those who want to paint a picture that makes our country better than others. I also agree with his second claim about the state, because if we listen ignorantly to them then we could get into the same situation as before and we are doomed to repeat history.
8. He does a fairly effective job of elaborating on Johnson's assertion throughout the chapter. He demonstrates that countries are willing to bend the truth to make themselves look better.
9. I haven't given thought to the idea that wartime materials become mostly ineffective to the public once a war is over. They lose the patriotism that is almost overwhelming during a wartime and serve little to no purpose.
10. The essay hasn't changed my thinking quite as much as the author would like. Many of the ideas that he brings up have already been discussed in school and I'm very aware about the destruction of culture and how states spread propaganda and bend the truth. However it is still provoking to think about how it's able to happen today when we are able to access info from other countries through the internet and other sources.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
shooing a telephone
1. Orwell finds Imperialism to be terrible. However, he also feels contempt for the native peoples because they hate him so much despite his feelings towards imperialism. He feels similarly about his position, wanting to get out as fast as possible. Orwell specifically states that he wants to drive a bayonet into a Buddhist priest because they seem to only ever jeer at him.
2. He sees the real nature of Imperialism as being unnecessary, something done for personal gain yet not really advancing or improving the lives of individuals, instead harming those who are under the control of imperialists. The incident of the elephant makes him feel this way because this is very similar to how he acts upon the elephant. It's death wasn't necessary and was done because Orwell saw those around him and thought that doing it would make him more likable or something similar.
3.Orwell shoots the elephant anyways because of the social pressures set upon him by the townspeople who were waiting for him to do it. It's possible that he thought that there would be some sort of change for the townspeople would treat him better.
4. The older Europeans agree that he should have killed the elephant because in their older age they likely care less about the monetary value of the elephant and more about the well being of the people affected by it's rampage. The younger people however, disagree likely because they see that the elephant was worth "at least 100 pounds" and also care about the well being of the creature over the residents of Burma. At this point I don't feel bad for Orwell , yet I do not hate him either, because he made a decision not many would be able to make differently in his given situation.
5. Orwell believes that despite the fact that humans may be able to tell what's right morally, what they might do is different because of social pressures as well as the idea of personal gain, ect. I support this, as it's very evident in his own story, as well as in my own experiences when I want to gain the admiration of others, which can make me act much different than I would when thinking about the best ideas morally.
2. He sees the real nature of Imperialism as being unnecessary, something done for personal gain yet not really advancing or improving the lives of individuals, instead harming those who are under the control of imperialists. The incident of the elephant makes him feel this way because this is very similar to how he acts upon the elephant. It's death wasn't necessary and was done because Orwell saw those around him and thought that doing it would make him more likable or something similar.
3.Orwell shoots the elephant anyways because of the social pressures set upon him by the townspeople who were waiting for him to do it. It's possible that he thought that there would be some sort of change for the townspeople would treat him better.
4. The older Europeans agree that he should have killed the elephant because in their older age they likely care less about the monetary value of the elephant and more about the well being of the people affected by it's rampage. The younger people however, disagree likely because they see that the elephant was worth "at least 100 pounds" and also care about the well being of the creature over the residents of Burma. At this point I don't feel bad for Orwell , yet I do not hate him either, because he made a decision not many would be able to make differently in his given situation.
5. Orwell believes that despite the fact that humans may be able to tell what's right morally, what they might do is different because of social pressures as well as the idea of personal gain, ect. I support this, as it's very evident in his own story, as well as in my own experiences when I want to gain the admiration of others, which can make me act much different than I would when thinking about the best ideas morally.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Oi: Juan, oh Juan
The general argument made by Susan Engel in her work, Joy: A Subject Schools Lack, is that Schools disallow for the creativity of students. More specifically, Engel argues that School is joyless. She writes, “Becoming educated should not require giving up joy but rather lead to finding joy in new kinds of things.” In this passage, Engel is suggesting that Schools do not focus enough on letting students enjoy the things they are laerning. In conclusion, Engel’s belief is that learning should be fun.
In my view, Engel is right, because school has always been about teaching subjects we need instead of ones we want. More specifically, I believe that schools leave joy out. For example, Hedden never made an effort to make students enjoy multiplication, but rather just made us move as fast as possible. Therefore, I conclude that we are being taught things without an enjoyment of it being taken into consideration.
In my view, Engel is right, because school has always been about teaching subjects we need instead of ones we want. More specifically, I believe that schools leave joy out. For example, Hedden never made an effort to make students enjoy multiplication, but rather just made us move as fast as possible. Therefore, I conclude that we are being taught things without an enjoyment of it being taken into consideration.
Monday, February 8, 2016
F is for Fallacies
1. The Amazing Spiderman 2 focuses on action, and Terminator 2: Judgement Day did too, so therefore both must be equally as good.
2. Either we kill all of our enemies in this war or we die.
3. We shouldn't pursue changes to stop global warming, because we could make it worse!
4. A study in the south-west united states found that the US receives very little snow.
5. I wore my bracelet today and my day was good, therefor my bracelet made my day good.
6. person 1: Look, I just want my sweatshirt back that you took on friday.
Person 2: You think I'm some sort of criminal??
person 1: No, I've trusted you for as long as I can remember
person 2: But you've always been suspicious around me...
7. I recently ran into a streak of luck that included winning the lottery, finding my long-lost brother, and meeting the love of my life. I think I've used up just about all of my luck for a while.
2. Either we kill all of our enemies in this war or we die.
3. We shouldn't pursue changes to stop global warming, because we could make it worse!
4. A study in the south-west united states found that the US receives very little snow.
5. I wore my bracelet today and my day was good, therefor my bracelet made my day good.
6. person 1: Look, I just want my sweatshirt back that you took on friday.
Person 2: You think I'm some sort of criminal??
person 1: No, I've trusted you for as long as I can remember
person 2: But you've always been suspicious around me...
7. I recently ran into a streak of luck that included winning the lottery, finding my long-lost brother, and meeting the love of my life. I think I've used up just about all of my luck for a while.
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