1970 prompt

1970. Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

     
      Death of a Salesman shows the suffocation of a family by a dream. That dream is what created the standards that Happy grows up surrounded by. He strives for them, determined to create his self-identity the way his father showed as the only real way. He was determined to walk out of the jungle rich.
      In the boys' highschool years, Willy clearly favored Biff. Biff embodied the kind of potential that Willy wanted to see: he was popular. Though Happy was liked, he, compared with Biff, was ordinary. Many times, he tries to get Willy's attention by exercising and mentioning that he's lost weight, but Willy doesn't take notice. He constantly pushed for his own father's attention, and had an example- Biff- to work towards. That competitive spirit is instilled in him, and later it's apparent that the principles his father held in high regard became his own.
      In trying to earn his father's praise, he lunges into business. He received a certain kind of dream from his father- one of reaching the top. Greatness, and making his father proud, have become his center.

‘Quixote,’ Colbert and the Reality of Fiction

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/quixote-colbert-and-the-reality-of-fiction/?pagemode=print
      Egginton writes his article to an interested, yet not expert, audience. He tries to make his piece relatable with a balance between an informal and intelligent tone.
     Egginton welcomes the readers by calling for participation in his outrage. "Does their fictional art not offer insights into human nature as illuminating as many of those the physical sciences have produced?" His rhetorical questions are meant to cause a pause and consideration. They call for the readers to choose a side and enter his argument aware. His diction also pulls the reader to his side. The opposing intellectual "breezily dismissed" fiction, and the act, now light, can be dismissed by the readers. 
      Throughout, the tone of the piece is specific to an audience. While Egginton's voice is simple, it's not so simple as to not sound informed. Common words such as "packed," "naive," and "savvy" help readers to relax into his piece. Still, he includes language like "the very epistemological signature of modernity," an intelligent phrase. His readers aren't very focused on literature; he takes a large amount of time describing Don Quixote. He knows they're interested, however, and follows the etymology of "reality." To avoid confusing literary terms and to relate to the audience, Egginton uses examples from current culture, such as his Stephen Colbert quotes. The piece takes an developed intellectual response and makes it understandable.

third class response

      Since my last Response to Course Material, we've been close reading The American Dream. Though the process of close reading is definitely not new to me, I haven't had time to read a work more than once before analyzing. I'm used to taking the first read more slowly, like it's the second, and revisiting the places that are relevant to my argument after finishing. In close reading The American Dream, I'm aware of many more connections than I would have been. Breezing through, I hadn't really considered gender roles, but now it's difficult to read any passage without seeing that struggle; it seems central to the piece. With the slow pace, I find myself writing an odd combination of analysis and observations in the margins; the two are much less separated than I'm used to. With that map of how my arguments formed, I'm hoping evidence will be easier to find.

1972 prompt

1972. In retrospect, the reader often discovers that the first chapter of a novel or the opening scene of a drama introduces some of the major themes of the work. Write an essay about the opening scene of a drama or the first chapter of a novel in which you explain how it functions in this way.

      Rereading literature allows one to see much more in a work. In The American Dream, for example, the beginning echoes the themes of the rest of the play, both foreshadowing and connecting the play back to itself.

      Childishness is quickly introduced. The first two characters the audience meets call each other "mommy" and "daddy," something usually reserved for when among children. Mommy talks to Daddy like he is a small child, often stopping to ask for proof that he had been listening. The two treat each other condescendingly, she with her style of speech, and he with his agreement that she "did get satisfaction" after stating that it was impossible. Mommy's immature behavior in the store also makes them seem less like responsible adults; she was upset over something as trivial as beige and wheat.

      The beige and wheat are an example of the miscommunication so central to absurdist plays. The difference between them is shown as one of opinion. The characters, throughout the beginning of the play, don't respond to or present ideas clearly. While Daddy can repeat what Mommy last said, he's not focused on the meaning; he rarely adds his own responses to the conversation, and is disinterested.

      Satisfaction is often referred to in the play, as well. Mommy proclaims that shopping gives her satisfaction, while Daddy says "you just can't get satisfaction." The opening of The American Dream prepares the rest of the play through introducing themes.

Shockingly Orange, Invitingly Meandering, Immensely Imposing

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/arts/design/richard-serras-sculpture-at-gagosian-gallery-review.html?ref=design
      Rosenberg describes the two pieces as formidable and moving, praising the artists as "perhaps the only artist who is capable" of making such dynamic usage of the gallery space. To capture the readers and make the article relevant to those who haven't experienced the pieces, he brings the feelings they inspire forward and draw the readers to its mystery.
     Even the title reflects his image of the pieces. The commas support the "meandering," the action in the fragment make it seem more modern, and the repetition of sounds- in the "ly"s and "Immensely Imposing"- call to mind the ties he describes between the two works. He brings the reader through the "intimate and even claustrophobic" feel with his phrasings. The pieces are "giant, snaking swaths of steel." The comma and alliteration accent the winding quality he's reaching for. they are "graceful spirals" and "blind curves." The pieces, Rosenberg suggests, are a break from the norm, even calling to mind a dark forest, the "buzz of fluorescent light fixtures" being "miles away." He describes the experience of walking through and meeting other travelers "appear[ing] and reappear[ing]," trying to describe how individual the journey is. The viewer "emerge[ing]... discombobulated" focuses on the break between being in the pieces and the rest of the museum, assuring of its effectiveness.
     Rosenberg shows the pieces as being intriguing. The viewer is "forced to make a choice" in which way to go. The viewer is "propelled" through the second piece, a strong, interesting action. They are "velvety sweeps of metal," a contradiction, again, drawing the reader in.Through phrases like this, Rosenberg is making the installation appealing. the reader can imagine both its physical qualities and the emotional experience through the dynamic writing.

second class response

      The in-class essay practice has helped me understand where everything should go and how they should connect in the AP English format. I questioned the topic sentences before, but now have a better grasp on their purpose; they are both stepping stones to the thesis and sub-arguments leading to the thesis stated at the beginning. The essay does nothing more than provide evidence and logic to support the thesis; it does not further its claims.
      Reading about syntax was interesting, but it seemed like the majority of examples focused on "form follows function," making me wonder if the packet was trying to make a point, or if the technique really is that common.
      It was nice having comedic terms laid out, but most of it, as well as the purpose of comedy, were review. After reading Beckett's Endgame last year, The American Dream seemed, though complex, accessible. Still, it was difficult to write about after one reading and a limited discussion. Not being able to draw out quotes did not help me, either.
      The small lesson on plagiarism was surprising and intimidating. Common knowledge not depending on the context and audience struck me as odd. I hadn't thought of being so careful in homages, either. Still, the buffer that academic students have was comforting to hear of.

1997 Prompt

1997. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the society in which they live. Discuss the contribution the scene makes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

      Weddings are usually joyous occasions, symbolizing a new beginning. In The Jungle, Sinclair uses that cliché to introduce the contrast between the “American dream” and the reality of the novel. The scene, which should traditionally be filled with hope, sets the family off on their trail of hardships.

      The wedding scene emphasizes the Rudkus' original innocence. The family invites everyone who walks past to join them, despite the cost of the bar and feast they'll have to pay for; they trust the people to give donations. They are more welcoming than they can afford; after eating and drinking, many of the guests sneak out of the building, leaving the poor family with a staggering bill. The behavior is shocking to the Rudkus family. It's a betrayal. The family, still, carries on with innocence and optimism, Jurgis confronting the situation by saying he “will work harder.” it's clear that they still believe in the America that had been advertised to them, a place for hope. The wedding sets up a place for the characters to fall from. It's the reference point to compare the darkness in the rest of the book with.

      The family's traditional values go through a similar fall. In this environment, their generosity harms them. It's traditional to invite people nearby inside, but it's not as practical in Chicago as it was in Lithuania; the sidewalks are much more crowded. Their kindness, unrequited, is out of place. They're faced with people out for themselves, a foreshadowing to their own eventual loss of values.

      The family, battered by harsh surroundings, is later broken. The structure of the novel is an ironic twist, beginning with a wedding and ending apart, again emphasizing the family's fallen hopes.