Post by anthonyb on Mar 16, 2009 20:47:39 GMT -5
Purpose and meaning
1. Annie Dillard’s mother was a woman full of wit and bored by the mundane nature of society; she found humor and amusement in the frustration of others and was impressed by those who possessed the same intelligence. Because Annie’s mother was such an epigrammatical and ingenious woman, some of her traits were passed on to Annie herself, revealing that Annie possesses a quick thinking mind and can catch, with not much effort, on to any ambiguity and even be entertained by creating some of her own, and with this sense of ingenuity and originality, Annie was able to think and take a stand for herself and what she believed in.
2. Language is a national characteristic which separates people by region; language is also a cultural factor which can separate people within a nation. However, language is not only a factor which unites certain people, but also amuses people. Annie’s mother was clearly entertained by the use of language, whether it be through puns and tricks with words, or the way words are spoken in general. Such as the “Pittsburghisms” which those living within and around Pittsburgh use, is an example of how language both separates, by means of the way words are spoken, and how language places people by region.
3. Language is everywhere, spoken, written, in many different styles and with many different explicit purposes. However, language all serves the same basic implicit purpose, to convey a message or point. This is what the thesis of An American Childhood is, that language is a factor which, if interpreted correctly, can enlighten one with his or her own ability to speak for themselves and formulate their own thoughts.
Language and Style
1. Each phrase, “Terwilliger bunts one,” “royal poinciana,” and “Tamiami Trail” are all phrases in which a certain group of people have used their own style of language to influence their own environment, grammatically and linguistically. These phrases become appealing because they are all different and show a different style, one that is unique and original respectfully.
3. Specificity is a writing characteristic necessary to convey the most effective and brilliant images when telling a story or telling of an event that had taken place. By being specific, the author decreases the readers obligation to imagine vague images, rather the author narrows the options for the reader to imagine. By doing so each reader can imagine and picture nearly the same image, eliminating room for confusion within the story. In paragraph 39 Dillard made sure to describe the "party" as a "thingytail party," in order to effectively convey a much more formal setting, ensuring the reader will interpret the scene as she had intended it to be.
4. Throughout Annie Dillard's memoir, a humorous tone is achieved through her own style. Annie's style is one that is very descriptive and specific, so the readers all get the same picture. Dillard usues stylistic devices such as the usage of short periodic sentences following longer periodic sentences while telling a story, building the tension slowly, then releasing it to achieve her humorous goal. Such as paragraph 26, Dillard tells the story of how her mother was entertained by others' frustrations, and how she was able to nearly cause an argument between a young couple. The setting was described by using longer sentences, this built tension because the reader didn't know what was going to happen next. Finally, Dillard releases the stress with short sentences describing the man's reaction and his spouses reaction.
Strategy and Structure
1. Throughout all of pur lives we pick up traits, habits, and characteristics from our parents without even knowing. If we describe a few of our parents' characteristics, then we have also described a few of our own. This is why Dillard centralizes her essay about her mother, for she has picked up many of her mother's own characteristics. While we learn directly about her mother, Annie herself is also being described, making this approach very effective, however somewhat ellusive because of its complexity.
2. Individuality is signified by a name, or is it? Names don't make people who they are, people do, for names are commonly shared amongst some of the most varied peoples. By never telling the reader what her mother's name is, Dillard adds to the readers perception of Annie's stylistic format. That is, that she centralizes her memoir arbout her mother and by describing her mother she describes herself indirectly, yet very effectively.
3. Dillard includes many instences of her mother and traits which her mother possessed that were also traits of her own. Her last and final account of her mother was intended to be the most effective and most profound. This is because the characteristic of her mother which the account describes is the characteristic which Dillard both possesses and takes the most pride in. This sense of pride is what makes her final account so important to her, both her and her mother have the same instencing characteristics.
1. Annie Dillard’s mother was a woman full of wit and bored by the mundane nature of society; she found humor and amusement in the frustration of others and was impressed by those who possessed the same intelligence. Because Annie’s mother was such an epigrammatical and ingenious woman, some of her traits were passed on to Annie herself, revealing that Annie possesses a quick thinking mind and can catch, with not much effort, on to any ambiguity and even be entertained by creating some of her own, and with this sense of ingenuity and originality, Annie was able to think and take a stand for herself and what she believed in.
2. Language is a national characteristic which separates people by region; language is also a cultural factor which can separate people within a nation. However, language is not only a factor which unites certain people, but also amuses people. Annie’s mother was clearly entertained by the use of language, whether it be through puns and tricks with words, or the way words are spoken in general. Such as the “Pittsburghisms” which those living within and around Pittsburgh use, is an example of how language both separates, by means of the way words are spoken, and how language places people by region.
3. Language is everywhere, spoken, written, in many different styles and with many different explicit purposes. However, language all serves the same basic implicit purpose, to convey a message or point. This is what the thesis of An American Childhood is, that language is a factor which, if interpreted correctly, can enlighten one with his or her own ability to speak for themselves and formulate their own thoughts.
Language and Style
1. Each phrase, “Terwilliger bunts one,” “royal poinciana,” and “Tamiami Trail” are all phrases in which a certain group of people have used their own style of language to influence their own environment, grammatically and linguistically. These phrases become appealing because they are all different and show a different style, one that is unique and original respectfully.
3. Specificity is a writing characteristic necessary to convey the most effective and brilliant images when telling a story or telling of an event that had taken place. By being specific, the author decreases the readers obligation to imagine vague images, rather the author narrows the options for the reader to imagine. By doing so each reader can imagine and picture nearly the same image, eliminating room for confusion within the story. In paragraph 39 Dillard made sure to describe the "party" as a "thingytail party," in order to effectively convey a much more formal setting, ensuring the reader will interpret the scene as she had intended it to be.
4. Throughout Annie Dillard's memoir, a humorous tone is achieved through her own style. Annie's style is one that is very descriptive and specific, so the readers all get the same picture. Dillard usues stylistic devices such as the usage of short periodic sentences following longer periodic sentences while telling a story, building the tension slowly, then releasing it to achieve her humorous goal. Such as paragraph 26, Dillard tells the story of how her mother was entertained by others' frustrations, and how she was able to nearly cause an argument between a young couple. The setting was described by using longer sentences, this built tension because the reader didn't know what was going to happen next. Finally, Dillard releases the stress with short sentences describing the man's reaction and his spouses reaction.
Strategy and Structure
1. Throughout all of pur lives we pick up traits, habits, and characteristics from our parents without even knowing. If we describe a few of our parents' characteristics, then we have also described a few of our own. This is why Dillard centralizes her essay about her mother, for she has picked up many of her mother's own characteristics. While we learn directly about her mother, Annie herself is also being described, making this approach very effective, however somewhat ellusive because of its complexity.
2. Individuality is signified by a name, or is it? Names don't make people who they are, people do, for names are commonly shared amongst some of the most varied peoples. By never telling the reader what her mother's name is, Dillard adds to the readers perception of Annie's stylistic format. That is, that she centralizes her memoir arbout her mother and by describing her mother she describes herself indirectly, yet very effectively.
3. Dillard includes many instences of her mother and traits which her mother possessed that were also traits of her own. Her last and final account of her mother was intended to be the most effective and most profound. This is because the characteristic of her mother which the account describes is the characteristic which Dillard both possesses and takes the most pride in. This sense of pride is what makes her final account so important to her, both her and her mother have the same instencing characteristics.