Well, I must say, I thought the exercise from last class was pretty interesting. You could take any seemingly meaningless prose and turn into potentially life altering poetry if you tried hard enough. I think I'm semi-obsessed with making these mini poems now. And I'm just itching to post the one that I made in class...
Here goes nothin....(Its an excerpt from the Styles book--the chapter called Grace)
Title: Well Spoken
Eloquence
Indeed scarce
deserves the name of it
Consists chiefly in laboured and Polished period
An over-curious
Artificial arrangement
Words tinseled over
a gaudy embellishment of words
Friday, February 27, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
What time is office hours?
I lost the original syllabus, and the hours and GSI e-mail addresses are nowhere to be found.
Sorry for the spam -- if someone could answer by commenting, that'd be great.
Sorry for the spam -- if someone could answer by commenting, that'd be great.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Whitman, As I Ebb'd with the Ocean of Life
I am having trouble connecting how Whitman uses diction to convey his meaning.
In the first stanza of part one, Whitman uses the word "rustle" to describe the movement of the "ripples" (a word I associate with the movement of leaves) on an autumn day. Does his reliance on fall imagery have any significance? Does "fall" reflect the inbetween place (between spring-birth-and-winter-death) that Whitman has found himself--a place where he recognizes his poetry has not reflected his true nature? Am I reading into this too much?
Also the first part of Whitman's poem, utilizes the "sss" sound--"straw, splinters...sea-gluten" and "scum, scales from shining rocks, leave of salt-lettuce." Is this intended to mirror the "sibilant" ripples? Also, what is the purpose of using this device in the first part but not the second? Does the change have something to do with Whitman's recognition that he actually doesn't know "the shores" so the "sss" associated with the sound of waves can't be used?
Now that I've written this, I feel I may have a better idea than I thought. Input appreciated!
In the first stanza of part one, Whitman uses the word "rustle" to describe the movement of the "ripples" (a word I associate with the movement of leaves) on an autumn day. Does his reliance on fall imagery have any significance? Does "fall" reflect the inbetween place (between spring-birth-and-winter-death) that Whitman has found himself--a place where he recognizes his poetry has not reflected his true nature? Am I reading into this too much?
Also the first part of Whitman's poem, utilizes the "sss" sound--"straw, splinters...sea-gluten" and "scum, scales from shining rocks, leave of salt-lettuce." Is this intended to mirror the "sibilant" ripples? Also, what is the purpose of using this device in the first part but not the second? Does the change have something to do with Whitman's recognition that he actually doesn't know "the shores" so the "sss" associated with the sound of waves can't be used?
Now that I've written this, I feel I may have a better idea than I thought. Input appreciated!
Friday, February 20, 2009
For Monday
Hey all,
So I posted the paper topics below. Check them out, start writing, come to office hours on Monday and talk about your ideas!
Slight change of plans from what I announced at the end of class last time: for Monday, let's make sure we do Whitman's "I Hear America Singing" and Hughes' "I, Too, Sing America." Assuming we get through those (and also Writing Analytically, Chapter 7,) let's also maybe look at "As I Ebb'd With the Ocean of Life" and, if there's still time, Dickinson's "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant."
Have a great weekend.
-Ben
So I posted the paper topics below. Check them out, start writing, come to office hours on Monday and talk about your ideas!
Slight change of plans from what I announced at the end of class last time: for Monday, let's make sure we do Whitman's "I Hear America Singing" and Hughes' "I, Too, Sing America." Assuming we get through those (and also Writing Analytically, Chapter 7,) let's also maybe look at "As I Ebb'd With the Ocean of Life" and, if there's still time, Dickinson's "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant."
Have a great weekend.
-Ben
Paper Topics!
Essays are due at 3pm on Friday, February 27 in either Hui-Hui or Ben’s mailbox in 7408 Dwinelle. Your essay should be 4-5 pages long (minimum 4, maximum 5), and should employ standard formatting (double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman or equivalent, standard margins, etc).
Choose one of the topics below, or feel free to make up your own. If you choose to write on a topic of your own creation, you must get your topic approved by either Hui-Hui or Ben.
1. Despite their varying approaches to the problem, in all the texts we’ve read this semester the issue of contradiction seems to play a constitutive role. One could perhaps even argue that the arguments of all three thinkers – Nietzsche, Emerson, Whitman – gain a great deal of force from their inner contradictions. A few examples (out of many):
- Nietzsche explicitly tells us that “truths are illusions about which one has forgotten that this is what they are,” yet seems to ask us to accept his word on the issue as final (and thus truthful, it would seem).
- Emerson describes his ideal self as willing to “speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words … though it contradict everything you said to-day,” but at the same time tells us that “the actions” of this character “will be harmonious, however unlike they seem.”
- A number of Whitman’s poems announce themselves as “singing” a new notion of the self into existence, yet they often do so with lines and words that are about as un-song-like as one could imagine.
- Both Emerson and Whitman work hard to celebrate the power of the individual, but both eventually, almost grudgingly, have to acknowledge that “individual” means nothing if it is not defined in relation to something like the “collective.”
Take a single contradiction from one of these three figures (the contradiction you identify may be one of the above, or may be something else entirely) and write a paper exploring the implications of that contradiction for the figure you analyze. After locating and fleshing out the contradiction, that is, you want to provide a reading of the importance of that contradiction for the argument as a whole. Does the existence of a contradiction mean that we need to toss the argument as a whole out the window (a hint: the answer probably isn’t “yes”)? Does is lessen the force of the argument in question, or does it ask us to respond to the argument in a new, perhaps unanticipated way? Is the contradiction you identify at end only superficial, or does it rest at the core of the argument you’re engaging? If the latter, what are we supposed to do with it? The key here is to go beyond merely stating that there is a contradiction and then saying something like “therefore, contradiction is important to Whitman,” but to show how it is important.
2. Given that the theme of the class deals in part with figuration, it is not surprising that the figural as such (figural language, metaphor, analogy, etc) does important work for all of the texts we’ve read. In your paper, take one of the figures put into play in either the Nietzsche or the Emerson and explain how that figure works to assist, complicate, deepen, modify, cut across, define or otherwise engage the argument of the work as a whole. Whatever you choose, your goal should be to show both how the figure you’ve selected works as a piece of the larger text and why it matters to the argument. Your discussion may open itself up to the job “figuration” as a category does in the work you analyze (this might be especially helpful if discussing Nietzsche), but it need not do so.
Just to be clear, by “one of the figures” I mean one of the uses of figurative language found in the essay you choose. For example, Nietzsche’s opening “fable,” his claim that truth is a “mobile army” and his description of man as a “herd animal” all fit, as do Emerson’s claim that “every heart vibrates to that iron string,” his comparison (which we discussed in class) between society understood as a “joint-stock company” and the individual as an “eater,” or his description of memory as a “corpse.” There are many many more, so you should have no trouble finding one that is compelling to you.
3. Perform a close reading of one of the poems in the packet (whether we discussed it in class or not) with an eye towards the way the poem complements, complicates, contradicts or can otherwise be read in conjunction with either Nietzsche or Emerson (or if you choose Langston Hughes’ “I, Too, Sing America,” how it matches with Whitman). As a good close reading, your analysis of the poem should attend to one or more of the poem’s formal elements - syntax (word order), diction (choice of words), rhythm, meter, enjambment (line breaks), structure or punctuation, among many others. Whether you use those formal names or not isn’t important (i.e. we don’t care if you call what you describe “syntax” or not); what is important is that you show how the elements you’ve selected help us understand how the poem works, what it communicates, and how this understanding links up with either Nietzsche or Emerson (or Whitman).
Choose one of the topics below, or feel free to make up your own. If you choose to write on a topic of your own creation, you must get your topic approved by either Hui-Hui or Ben.
1. Despite their varying approaches to the problem, in all the texts we’ve read this semester the issue of contradiction seems to play a constitutive role. One could perhaps even argue that the arguments of all three thinkers – Nietzsche, Emerson, Whitman – gain a great deal of force from their inner contradictions. A few examples (out of many):
- Nietzsche explicitly tells us that “truths are illusions about which one has forgotten that this is what they are,” yet seems to ask us to accept his word on the issue as final (and thus truthful, it would seem).
- Emerson describes his ideal self as willing to “speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words … though it contradict everything you said to-day,” but at the same time tells us that “the actions” of this character “will be harmonious, however unlike they seem.”
- A number of Whitman’s poems announce themselves as “singing” a new notion of the self into existence, yet they often do so with lines and words that are about as un-song-like as one could imagine.
- Both Emerson and Whitman work hard to celebrate the power of the individual, but both eventually, almost grudgingly, have to acknowledge that “individual” means nothing if it is not defined in relation to something like the “collective.”
Take a single contradiction from one of these three figures (the contradiction you identify may be one of the above, or may be something else entirely) and write a paper exploring the implications of that contradiction for the figure you analyze. After locating and fleshing out the contradiction, that is, you want to provide a reading of the importance of that contradiction for the argument as a whole. Does the existence of a contradiction mean that we need to toss the argument as a whole out the window (a hint: the answer probably isn’t “yes”)? Does is lessen the force of the argument in question, or does it ask us to respond to the argument in a new, perhaps unanticipated way? Is the contradiction you identify at end only superficial, or does it rest at the core of the argument you’re engaging? If the latter, what are we supposed to do with it? The key here is to go beyond merely stating that there is a contradiction and then saying something like “therefore, contradiction is important to Whitman,” but to show how it is important.
2. Given that the theme of the class deals in part with figuration, it is not surprising that the figural as such (figural language, metaphor, analogy, etc) does important work for all of the texts we’ve read. In your paper, take one of the figures put into play in either the Nietzsche or the Emerson and explain how that figure works to assist, complicate, deepen, modify, cut across, define or otherwise engage the argument of the work as a whole. Whatever you choose, your goal should be to show both how the figure you’ve selected works as a piece of the larger text and why it matters to the argument. Your discussion may open itself up to the job “figuration” as a category does in the work you analyze (this might be especially helpful if discussing Nietzsche), but it need not do so.
Just to be clear, by “one of the figures” I mean one of the uses of figurative language found in the essay you choose. For example, Nietzsche’s opening “fable,” his claim that truth is a “mobile army” and his description of man as a “herd animal” all fit, as do Emerson’s claim that “every heart vibrates to that iron string,” his comparison (which we discussed in class) between society understood as a “joint-stock company” and the individual as an “eater,” or his description of memory as a “corpse.” There are many many more, so you should have no trouble finding one that is compelling to you.
3. Perform a close reading of one of the poems in the packet (whether we discussed it in class or not) with an eye towards the way the poem complements, complicates, contradicts or can otherwise be read in conjunction with either Nietzsche or Emerson (or if you choose Langston Hughes’ “I, Too, Sing America,” how it matches with Whitman). As a good close reading, your analysis of the poem should attend to one or more of the poem’s formal elements - syntax (word order), diction (choice of words), rhythm, meter, enjambment (line breaks), structure or punctuation, among many others. Whether you use those formal names or not isn’t important (i.e. we don’t care if you call what you describe “syntax” or not); what is important is that you show how the elements you’ve selected help us understand how the poem works, what it communicates, and how this understanding links up with either Nietzsche or Emerson (or Whitman).
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
4.2 Assignment #s 2,6,9
2. New house designs are tending increasingly toward open plans in which the kitchen is not separate from the rest of the house. New house designs continue to have a room called the living room, usually a space at the front of the house near the door, but many also have a separate space called the family room, which is usually in some part of the house farther removed from the front door and closer to the kitchen.
-The kitchen are has now evolved into a space where all members of the house engage in. There is decline in the traditional use of the where only the mother was allowed and cooked everyday; thus, the kitchen area is a more practical room and is usually open and in the center of the house.
-Kitchen designs are becoming more open because women (mothers) sometimes must/enjoy multitasking, there is a want for watching over small children and maybe some television when mothers are perhaps cooking in the kitchen.
-Arriving at home from work, most people enjoy leisurely time in the living room. This space is usually decorated as it is the first impression (face) of the house.
-Family rooms are designated for quality family time. It is the room where most waking hours are spent and therefore near the kitchen. Also it is where the family spends their time when they are together home alone.
6. Neuroscientists tell us that the frontal cortex of the brain, the part that is responsible for judgement and especially impulse control, is not fully developed in humans until roughly the age of twenty one. What are the implications of this observation relative to 5?
-People under twenty one sometimes make decisions without fully thinking through the consequences; these decisions are skewed.
-Recourses for committing crimes are now more feasible then ever; hence, there is potential for an increase in crime rate among people under the age of twenty one.
-Juveniles are being convicted as adults when in fact they lack some adult attributes. I think this is unfair but is not a valid defense.
9. All data are neutral; they are neither good nor bad.
-Data is unbiased factual information.
-Peoples emotion toward data ie. happy or sad is completely independent of the data itself.
-A single set of statistical data can make two people feel extremely different.
-People are predetermined to feel certain ways in some situations.
Some Implications
4.2: Inferring Implications
3. "Good fences make good neighbors." -Robert Frost
a) Clearly defined boundaries prevent conflicts by eliminating ambiguity of the rules.
b) Humans are territorial and animalistic in character and sometimes need their selfish impulses restrained by the intervention of their fellow humans or by social contract
c) Keeping people separate and guaranteeing personal space is the best way to prevent conflict
5. An increasing number of juveniles- people younger than 18- are being tried and convicted as adults, rather an as minors, in America, with the result that more minors are serving adult sentences for crimes they committed while still in their teens.
a) America is a crime-ridden place
b) America has low regard for its juveniles
c) America has an inept justice system
d) American juveniles are getting worse and worse
e) America's prison system is going to face a crowding problem
f) America's school system is failing its students and parents
6. Neuroscientists tell us that the frontal cortex of the brain, the part that is responsible for judgment and especially for impulse control, is not fully developed in humans until roughly the age of twenty-one. What are the implications for this relative to #5?
a) American juveniles are less able than adults to regulate their impulses and make good choices
b) The age of 18 for "adulthood" may be inappropriate
c) American juveniles are being held to an unfair standard
d) American juveniles should be tried as minors, not adults, since they have inherently different abilities
8. Shopping malls and grocery stores rarely have clocks.
a) They do this to keep customers' minds off the time and on buying things
b) Clocks help people remember what they need to be doing
c) Capitalist companies exploit all possible advantages in luring customers to spend more
3. "Good fences make good neighbors." -Robert Frost
a) Clearly defined boundaries prevent conflicts by eliminating ambiguity of the rules.
b) Humans are territorial and animalistic in character and sometimes need their selfish impulses restrained by the intervention of their fellow humans or by social contract
c) Keeping people separate and guaranteeing personal space is the best way to prevent conflict
5. An increasing number of juveniles- people younger than 18- are being tried and convicted as adults, rather an as minors, in America, with the result that more minors are serving adult sentences for crimes they committed while still in their teens.
a) America is a crime-ridden place
b) America has low regard for its juveniles
c) America has an inept justice system
d) American juveniles are getting worse and worse
e) America's prison system is going to face a crowding problem
f) America's school system is failing its students and parents
6. Neuroscientists tell us that the frontal cortex of the brain, the part that is responsible for judgment and especially for impulse control, is not fully developed in humans until roughly the age of twenty-one. What are the implications for this relative to #5?
a) American juveniles are less able than adults to regulate their impulses and make good choices
b) The age of 18 for "adulthood" may be inappropriate
c) American juveniles are being held to an unfair standard
d) American juveniles should be tried as minors, not adults, since they have inherently different abilities
8. Shopping malls and grocery stores rarely have clocks.
a) They do this to keep customers' minds off the time and on buying things
b) Clocks help people remember what they need to be doing
c) Capitalist companies exploit all possible advantages in luring customers to spend more
Why?
Hi all,
I have a confession. I am terribly afraid of poetry. It takes me forever, if ever, to understand the bizarre order of words and seemingly strange addition of punctuation. Fortunately, I think after reading Nietzsche and Emerson, nothing seems "complicated" anymore. The three Whitman poems (One's-Self, I Hear, Noiseless Spider) all seem to have straightforward and clear meanings (unless I'm not reading them deeply enough), but I am still troubled by one question: "why?"
What is the point of "I Hear America Singing?" Is he trying to present a certain "figure" of America? Or is he simply trying to make an observational statement? Why does he use carpenter, mason, boatman, shoemaker, wood-cutter, mother, and not lawyer, teacher, father, etc.?
In "A Noiseless Patient Spider," what is he trying to say by presenting such an isolated image of the human soul? Is he expressing his personal emotions, or is there a deeper implication waiting to be discovered?
I'm quite sure many of you already have it figured out, so I'm really looking forward to the discussion tomorrow. Thanks!
Best,
Ian Zhu
P.S. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate poetry. When I fully understand what the poem is about and how it is written, I realize that it is one of the most elegant and beautiful expressions out there.
For tomorrow
Hey all,
Hopefully you've gotten the poems for the next week or so and had a chance to look through them. Just in case you're interested and want to know what to prepare, tomorrow we'll probably be spending a bunch of time on the first two Whitman poems and, if there's time, "A Noiseless Patient Spider." I'd like if possible to keep "As I Ebb'd with the Ocean of Life" for next Monday, when we'll read it with one or two of the Dickinson poems.
Oh, I'll also be getting essay questions to you by the end of the week. I'd like to see where tomorrow's discussion goes before I fully write them up.
Any questions? Feel free to post them here.
See you tomorrow,
Ben
Hopefully you've gotten the poems for the next week or so and had a chance to look through them. Just in case you're interested and want to know what to prepare, tomorrow we'll probably be spending a bunch of time on the first two Whitman poems and, if there's time, "A Noiseless Patient Spider." I'd like if possible to keep "As I Ebb'd with the Ocean of Life" for next Monday, when we'll read it with one or two of the Dickinson poems.
Oh, I'll also be getting essay questions to you by the end of the week. I'd like to see where tomorrow's discussion goes before I fully write them up.
Any questions? Feel free to post them here.
See you tomorrow,
Ben
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Try this 4.2: Statements 1, 2, 5, 7
1. The sidewalk is disappearing as a feature of the American residential landscape. New housing developments have them only if a township requires them of the developer.
-Increasing population density is increasing land value, thus sidewalks may no longer be considered worth the space they require.
-The safety of pedestrians will be at an increasing risk, as they will have to share the road with vehicles and bicyclists for walking space.
-Reflector sales will skyrocket.
2. New house designs are tending increasingly toward open plans in which the kitchen is not separated from the rest of the house. New house designs continue to have a room called the living room, usually a space at the front of the house near the front door, but many (not all) also have a separate space called the family room, which is usually in some part of the house farther removed from the front door and closer to the kitchen.
-House designs are co-evolving with society's trends.
-The need for a living room has been a long staple to house design.
-The living room's position by the front door is welcoming to guests too intimidated to venture deeply into a host's home for comfort.
-On the other hand, the family room is elsewhere to serve as a place not necessarily for new guests, but for residents, friends and family. Its position is at the heart of the home. Its proximity to the kitchen is of practicality.
-Kitchens are losing their importance in the home, because a large portion of meals nowadays are purchased. Homemade cooking is declining in this busy world. Traditionally, women cook the meals, but as female employment and workforce gender equality continue to increase, there are less "traditional" cooks around to utilize kitchens.
-American justice frequently adjudicates exceptions, and follows a loose constructionist interpretation of laws that define differing treatments between minors and adults.
-Juvenile criminality is recklessly increasing.
-There must be quite a bit of debate about this subject.
7. Linguists have long commented on the tendency of women's speech to use rising inflection at the end of statements as if the statements were questions. An actual command form - Be home by midnight! - thus becomes a question instead. What are we to make of the fact that in recent years younger men (under thirty) have begun to end declarative statements and command forms with rising inflections?
-Women carry a weaker tone of voice; they are less commanding and less confident.
-Males are becoming weaker, becoming less commanding, and losing confidence. They are becoming more effeminate.
-There is a growing trend towards androgyny. -The traditional concept of masculinity is being challenged, and is losing its powerful status in society.
-Rugged men of the past would scoff at today's "girly man" in homophobic disgust.
I must add, to save my reputation from claims of misogyny, bigotry, and perhaps stupidity, that many of these listed implications are not of my personal opinion. Merely, they serve as examples of another person's possible interpretations.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Poems for the next few weeks
Hey all,
Here's a packet of poems that we'll be dealing with for the next few weeks. We probably won't get to all of them, but you're definitely free to write about the ones we don't talk about in class in your papers. Anyway, print these poems out, read them, mark them up and bring them to class on Wednesday:
Poems
Enjoy your holiday!
-Ben
Here's a packet of poems that we'll be dealing with for the next few weeks. We probably won't get to all of them, but you're definitely free to write about the ones we don't talk about in class in your papers. Anyway, print these poems out, read them, mark them up and bring them to class on Wednesday:
Poems
Enjoy your holiday!
-Ben
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Writing Analytically (p.55): Inferring Implications from Observations
Exercise 4.2
3. “Good fences make good neighbors.”—Robert Frost
Fences provide protection, but they do not completely isolate homeowners from the outside world. A good neighbor is just like a fence: by your side, through rain and shine. A good fence takes time and effort to build; bad fences are built in haste. Bad fences make bad neighbors. If your neighbor’s and your relationship is likened to a bad fence, both of you should make repairs. At some point in his life, Robert Frost probably had a bad neighbor, so he built a good fence. Fences are more pleasant than actual neighbors.
6. Neuroscientists tell us that the frontal cortex of the brain, the part that is responsible for judgment and especially for impulse control, is not fully developed in humans until roughly the age of twenty-one. What are the implications of this observation relative to observation 5?
Juveniles act irresponsibly because they rely less on good judgment and more on impulse to make decisions. Juveniles cannot be held fully responsible for their actions because their frontal cortices are not fully developed. Perhaps they should not be tried as adults until age twenty-one. Criminal sentencing is a partial decision-making process in America; minors are sentenced based on the result of their actions, not what fueled those actions.
8. Shopping malls and grocery stores rarely have clocks.
Shopping malls and grocery stores wish for their customers to shop without the restriction of time. However, customers always complain that they need clocks to shop efficiently. The absence of clocks poses an inconvenience to customers who run on tight schedules, but, at the same time, gives store owners an advantage to increase the sales of impulse buys.
9. All data are neutral; they’re neither good nor bad.
Facts are true statements about reality, so they cannot be disputed. Data describe situations as they exist and do not judge things as good or bad. In sticky situations, facts offer logical and consistent support for decision-making. In contrast, the words good and bad have obscure meanings. They are judged relative to each other, and, therefore, the validity they hold is arbitrary.
Writing Analytically (Interpretatio/Implication)
4. In the female brain, there are more connections between the right hemisphere (emotions, spatial reasoning) and the left hemisphere (verbal facility). In the male brain, these two hemispheres remain more separate.
¨ This could be a reason young girls develop faster that young boys in the earlier stages of life. This could also be used as a support for a feminist argument that women are more capable of effectively communicating their thoughts than men are. They are more likely to relate what they say to how they think and also use speaking as a way of facilitating an effective thought process.
6. Neuroscientists tell us that the frontal cortex of the brain, the part that is responsible for judgment and especially for impulse control, is not fully developed in humans until roughly the age of twenty-one. What are the implications of this observation relative to observation 5?
¨ Until young adults reach the age of twenty-one, they cannot biologically be held responsible for their own actions or poor judgment. This could be why the drinking age is twenty-one years old. However, if juveniles under eighteen are now being tried and convicted as adults, there is no chance for teens to even realize the extent of their crimes before they have to pay for them in prison.
8. Shopping malls and grocery stores rarely have clocks.
¨ Corporations continue to perpetuate the idea that all people love to shop. If there are no clocks in grocery stores or shopping malls than the people in them are not aware of time passing as they spend massive amounts of money. Thus, corporations gain financially from something as simple as removing the clocks from their businesses. Although it seems harmless act could prove to be a disadvantage to consumers.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Emerson, "Self-Reliance"
Hello, all. I thought I would get things started with the discussion on Emerson's "Self-Reliance."
Similar to Nietzsche's work, where the opening fable summarized the point of his essay, Emerson's "Self Reliance" uses a Latin phrase to do the same.
"Ne te quaesiveris extra." OR "Do not look outside of yourself."
Emerson's main argument is that human beings need to rely on themselves (their ideas), follow their initial instincts, and refrain from allowing society's norms and ideals to dictate their thoughts. He urges individuals to allow their ideas to emerge and develop because these ideas have the potential to become the "universal sense." Emerson points out a few of the greatest thinkers--"Moses, Plato, and Milton" as men who were not afraid to trust themselves and voice their opinions. In this sense, their greatest contribution to man may not have been the ideas themselves, but their ability to recognize the grandeur of their own thought and to then share it with the world. He warns that if we do not make our gut instincts known, then on the "Last Judgment" day, the ideas and thoughts we hesitated to share, will be reflected back as our ultimate regret.
Question to Readers:
Is the opening poem the"verses written by an eminent painter" or are the "verses" intended to be ambiguous?
Also, I find it interesting that both Nietzsche and Emerson seem to contradict themselves (no doubt, intentionally) . If the opening poem is in fact the "verses written by an eminent painter", then Emerson , by presenting the unconventional thoughts of another, is providing an example of man's suppression of his own self-expression. Similarily, Nietzche's "On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense" is dense and pedantic, reflecting human beings' construction of metaphors upon metaphors...upon metaphors. Both essays' forms match their functions.
Similar to Nietzsche's work, where the opening fable summarized the point of his essay, Emerson's "Self Reliance" uses a Latin phrase to do the same.
"Ne te quaesiveris extra." OR "Do not look outside of yourself."
Emerson's main argument is that human beings need to rely on themselves (their ideas), follow their initial instincts, and refrain from allowing society's norms and ideals to dictate their thoughts. He urges individuals to allow their ideas to emerge and develop because these ideas have the potential to become the "universal sense." Emerson points out a few of the greatest thinkers--"Moses, Plato, and Milton" as men who were not afraid to trust themselves and voice their opinions. In this sense, their greatest contribution to man may not have been the ideas themselves, but their ability to recognize the grandeur of their own thought and to then share it with the world. He warns that if we do not make our gut instincts known, then on the "Last Judgment" day, the ideas and thoughts we hesitated to share, will be reflected back as our ultimate regret.
Question to Readers:
Is the opening poem the"verses written by an eminent painter" or are the "verses" intended to be ambiguous?
Also, I find it interesting that both Nietzsche and Emerson seem to contradict themselves (no doubt, intentionally) . If the opening poem is in fact the "verses written by an eminent painter", then Emerson , by presenting the unconventional thoughts of another, is providing an example of man's suppression of his own self-expression. Similarily, Nietzche's "On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense" is dense and pedantic, reflecting human beings' construction of metaphors upon metaphors...upon metaphors. Both essays' forms match their functions.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Style: Lesson 3, Ex. 3.6
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter war became inevitable.
2.The president’s aides attempted to immunize the president from a congressional subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted the economy would revive quickly.
4. When you analyzed my report you did not support what you criticized.
5. Since the health care industry is unable to control costs, the public may decide that congress needs to act.
6. The papal appealed to the world’s richest nations to assist starving Africans.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why more voters participated in this year’s elections.
8. The class agreed on the reading list because they assumed there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. No independent business-sector studied why trade surplus suddenly increased.
10. Fraternities recognized the need to control drinking on campus.
11.The CIA is uncertain whether North Korea intends to cease testing missiles.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for physically conditioning the team.
13. The contradicting data needs explained.
14. We were disappointed but not surprised the Dean rejected our proposal since we expected he had already decided.
15. They performed the play enthusiastically, but it wasn’t staged intelligently.
2.The president’s aides attempted to immunize the president from a congressional subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted the economy would revive quickly.
4. When you analyzed my report you did not support what you criticized.
5. Since the health care industry is unable to control costs, the public may decide that congress needs to act.
6. The papal appealed to the world’s richest nations to assist starving Africans.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why more voters participated in this year’s elections.
8. The class agreed on the reading list because they assumed there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. No independent business-sector studied why trade surplus suddenly increased.
10. Fraternities recognized the need to control drinking on campus.
11.The CIA is uncertain whether North Korea intends to cease testing missiles.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for physically conditioning the team.
13. The contradicting data needs explained.
14. We were disappointed but not surprised the Dean rejected our proposal since we expected he had already decided.
15. They performed the play enthusiastically, but it wasn’t staged intelligently.
Exercise 3.6
Exercise 3.6
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but the South attacked Fort Sumter and made war inevitable.
2. The president’s aides attempted to immunize him from congress’ subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted that the economy would revive quickly.
4. You analyze my report omitting any data that supports you criticizing what I find.
5. Because the health care industry is unable to control cost, the public could decide that congress may need to act.
6. The Pope appealed to the world’s rich nations to assist Africans facing the threat of starvation.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why voters participated increasingly in this year’s elections.
8. The class agreed on the reading list assuming that they would be tested on only certain selections.
9. The business-sector did not independently study the cause of the trade surplus suddenly increasing.
10. The fraternities understood the need for controls over drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain about North Korea intending to cease testing missiles.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for physically conditioning the team.
13. We are required to explain the contradicting data.
14. We were disappointed but not surprised because we expected that the Dean had already decided to reject our proposal.
15. The actors enthused the play but did not stage it intelligently.
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but the South attacked Fort Sumter and made war inevitable.
2. The president’s aides attempted to immunize him from congress’ subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted that the economy would revive quickly.
4. You analyze my report omitting any data that supports you criticizing what I find.
5. Because the health care industry is unable to control cost, the public could decide that congress may need to act.
6. The Pope appealed to the world’s rich nations to assist Africans facing the threat of starvation.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why voters participated increasingly in this year’s elections.
8. The class agreed on the reading list assuming that they would be tested on only certain selections.
9. The business-sector did not independently study the cause of the trade surplus suddenly increasing.
10. The fraternities understood the need for controls over drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain about North Korea intending to cease testing missiles.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for physically conditioning the team.
13. We are required to explain the contradicting data.
14. We were disappointed but not surprised because we expected that the Dean had already decided to reject our proposal.
15. The actors enthused the play but did not stage it intelligently.
HW Exercise 3.6
Exercise 3.6
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, the war became inevitable.
2. President’s aides attempted to immunize him from Congress’ subpoena.
3. The business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4. You analyzed my report, but you omitted any data to support what you have criticized.
5. Because the health care industry cannot control costs, the public may decide that Congress needs to act.
6. The Pope appealed to the world's rich nations to assist those facing the threat of starvation in Africa.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why more voters participated in this year's election.
8. The class agreed on the reading list based on the assumption that there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. The business-sector did not independently study the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10. Fraternities understand the need to control drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain whether North Korea intends to cease its missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for the team's physical condition.
13. You need to explain why the data contradicts itself.
14. Although we were disappointed that the Dean rejected our proposal, we were not surprised because we expected him to decide against it.
15. The actors performed the play enthusiastically, but they did not stage intelligently.
Hee Kyun Chung.
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, the war became inevitable.
2. President’s aides attempted to immunize him from Congress’ subpoena.
3. The business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4. You analyzed my report, but you omitted any data to support what you have criticized.
5. Because the health care industry cannot control costs, the public may decide that Congress needs to act.
6. The Pope appealed to the world's rich nations to assist those facing the threat of starvation in Africa.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why more voters participated in this year's election.
8. The class agreed on the reading list based on the assumption that there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. The business-sector did not independently study the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10. Fraternities understand the need to control drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain whether North Korea intends to cease its missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for the team's physical condition.
13. You need to explain why the data contradicts itself.
14. Although we were disappointed that the Dean rejected our proposal, we were not surprised because we expected him to decide against it.
15. The actors performed the play enthusiastically, but they did not stage intelligently.
Hee Kyun Chung.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Style: Lesson 3, Exercise 3.6
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, war could no longer be avoided.
2. The president’s aides attempted to immunize him from a congressional subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4. When you analyzed my report, you criticized it without support.
5. Since the health care industry can’t control costs, the public may decide to seek the aid of Congress.
6. The pope appealed to the world’s rich nations to assist those in Africa who were starving.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why voter participation in this year’s election increased.
8. The class agreed on the reading list because they assumed that there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. The independent business sector did not try to find out why the trade surplus suddenly increased.
10. The fraternities recognized why drinking on campus needed to be controlled.
11. The CIA is unsure about whether North Korea intends to cease testing missiles.
12. The coaching staff needs to physically condition the team.
13. Contradictions among the data must be explained.
14. I was disappointed when the Dean rejected our proposal, but I was not surprised because we expected that he had already decided.
15. They performed enthusiastically but did not stage intelligently.
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