Language and Quotes: The content of this article about the Imus fallout uses very distinct language that probably most other articles would be fearful to use. The overall synopsis that James Poniewozik writes about is that Imus as well as other popular big shots have crossed “the line.” However, the author deliberately incorporates specific words and examples into his work to create a sense of irony. If taken out of context, this author can pass as a racist. Cleverly, the tone of the overall allows for a conversational tone rather than a brash condescending one. He interacts with the reader, for example, “You blurt. You deny. You apologize…” Since he chooses the word “you” continuously throughout, he makes it feel as though you are having a conversation over a cup of coffee. By inputting commentary after certain examples, Poniewozik attempts to provide a softer mood so that the reader isn’t constantly inundated with hateful slurs. After using specific language such as, “faggot” or “nigger”, the author startles the reader, but at the same time supports his choice to use the words as he describes certain scenarios in which mostly everyone can relate to. More specifically, bringing up celebrities like Mel Gibson, Sacha Baron Cohen, or even Quentin Tarantino and how they “cross the line” like Imus provides validity to his argument to implement that sort of diction in his article.
Personally, I do not use offensive language. However, there have been times where I have dug myself into a deep hole involving certain situations. In person, my use of a sarcastic, conversational tone has caused for mixed reactions in people. A phrase that was intended to come out as a sense of humor quickly changed into something hurtful. Having experienced that multiple times in my life, I had to manipulate the way I presented my tone. Learning from the Imus fallout and moving forward, I need to realize when the right time to use the sarcastic tone is appropriate and when it is not.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Showing vs. Telling
Andrew Murray
ENC 1102/Sec
January 25, 2010
Andrew.murray@knights.ucf.edu
The Land of the Unknown
(518)
Peering into the realm of the Libra Community at the University of Central Florida, one would notice that one dormitory triumphs over the rest. Rising four stories high into the sunny Orlando sky, Flagler Hall greets its guests with superficial salutations. However, the naive daily visitors are beguiled into believing that Flagler is the paradise of all the land, not knowing the ongoing antics and surprises that plague everyday residents.
It is 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Just a mile down the road, restaurants are in full swing as customers sit to enjoy a fresh, warm first cup of coffee to start the day. Families gather for breakfast and cherish each other’s presence. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the first floor of Flagler Hall is quiet and placid as if an F-5 tornado had immediately blown through just several minutes ago. The spacious pod area has turned from organization of two tables with four chairs tucked meticulously around each table into a pandemonium of overturned furniture and pieces of furniture mysteriously disappearing. Three red couches somehow dwindled down to one lone green couch. To top it off, crumbs of various foods are scattered throughout the carpet as if a chef was sprinkling grated mozzarella on top of a pizza. The walls where sparkling, flamboyant decorations and hand-crafted posters once stood were now bare simply plastered with disheartening white paint. The only question one can put together is, “What on earth could have happened the night before.”
A young third grade boy named Alex sits at his desk in a quaint classroom surrounded by his other classmates as they follow along in their textbooks. His older teacher, dressed in a business suit unlike most teachers, monotonously lectures a math lesson to his students in a dull drone voice. As he turns the page he discovers a mysterious beige envelope which reads “Happy Birthday Alex” in dark bold writing. Immediately, once the envelope is opened, balloons in the shape of Mickey Mouse ears escape and colorful fireworks ignite, lighting up the entire classroom. Alex and his other classmates, and even the classroom hamsters, are appalled and amazed at the splendor of the phenomenon which interrupted the lesson. Consequently, the students from inside that ordinary classroom transition to the magical world of DisneyWorld. Accompanied by the Pirates of the Caribbean, Alex and his friends, donned in pirate apparel, celebrate a birthday with the help of the enchantment of DisneyWorld. The end of this thirty second commercial concludes with the announcer saying, “Celebrate your birthday at Disney parks.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFTV29CJd3o&NR=1
After using the showing vs. telling techniques for both the advertisement and place on campus, I found it to be much easier to write about the place on campus. Having said this, there is more of a three dimensional feel to it. On an advertisement there is only so much that you can write about describing it, while on campus you can add sensory details that you actually experienced, which is why the advertisement was more difficult.
ENC 1102/Sec
January 25, 2010
Andrew.murray@knights.ucf.edu
The Land of the Unknown
(518)
Peering into the realm of the Libra Community at the University of Central Florida, one would notice that one dormitory triumphs over the rest. Rising four stories high into the sunny Orlando sky, Flagler Hall greets its guests with superficial salutations. However, the naive daily visitors are beguiled into believing that Flagler is the paradise of all the land, not knowing the ongoing antics and surprises that plague everyday residents.
It is 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Just a mile down the road, restaurants are in full swing as customers sit to enjoy a fresh, warm first cup of coffee to start the day. Families gather for breakfast and cherish each other’s presence. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the first floor of Flagler Hall is quiet and placid as if an F-5 tornado had immediately blown through just several minutes ago. The spacious pod area has turned from organization of two tables with four chairs tucked meticulously around each table into a pandemonium of overturned furniture and pieces of furniture mysteriously disappearing. Three red couches somehow dwindled down to one lone green couch. To top it off, crumbs of various foods are scattered throughout the carpet as if a chef was sprinkling grated mozzarella on top of a pizza. The walls where sparkling, flamboyant decorations and hand-crafted posters once stood were now bare simply plastered with disheartening white paint. The only question one can put together is, “What on earth could have happened the night before.”
A young third grade boy named Alex sits at his desk in a quaint classroom surrounded by his other classmates as they follow along in their textbooks. His older teacher, dressed in a business suit unlike most teachers, monotonously lectures a math lesson to his students in a dull drone voice. As he turns the page he discovers a mysterious beige envelope which reads “Happy Birthday Alex” in dark bold writing. Immediately, once the envelope is opened, balloons in the shape of Mickey Mouse ears escape and colorful fireworks ignite, lighting up the entire classroom. Alex and his other classmates, and even the classroom hamsters, are appalled and amazed at the splendor of the phenomenon which interrupted the lesson. Consequently, the students from inside that ordinary classroom transition to the magical world of DisneyWorld. Accompanied by the Pirates of the Caribbean, Alex and his friends, donned in pirate apparel, celebrate a birthday with the help of the enchantment of DisneyWorld. The end of this thirty second commercial concludes with the announcer saying, “Celebrate your birthday at Disney parks.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFTV29CJd3o&NR=1
After using the showing vs. telling techniques for both the advertisement and place on campus, I found it to be much easier to write about the place on campus. Having said this, there is more of a three dimensional feel to it. On an advertisement there is only so much that you can write about describing it, while on campus you can add sensory details that you actually experienced, which is why the advertisement was more difficult.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The First Post of the Semester
Andrew Murray
ENC 1102/Sec 30
January 13, 2010
Andrew.murray@knights.ucf.edu
The Worst Essay Known to Mankind
(455)
Throughout my high school and college academic career, I have written many essays on various topics ranging from Abraham Lincoln to explaining the theme of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. A majority of these essays have pushed me to my limit as a writer because they truly tested my ability as a writer. However, the essay that I remember vividly to be the greatest struggle occurred last year during my AP English class. Dealing with the novel Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte, our teacher assigned us to read the whole book and then made us write a narrative as one of the most pointless characters in the novel. This was the worst essay topic I have ever received and consequently the worst essay I have ever written.
To begin with, Jane Eyre was at least 400 pages long and this assignment was given with less than a week to complete. Not to mention, being a senior in high school with an extreme case of senioritis made the assignment seem rather preposterous. Not to feel less guilty, but the other students in the class shared the same opinions about this assignment as I did. I remember walking out of class once it was over thinking, “Sparknotes.com is going to be my best friend while I write this paper.”
After blatantly disregarding my teacher’s instruction of reading the book, I decided to begin writing the essay with the help of Sparknotes.com. Laziness and fatigue accompanied me throughout the entire journey of this assignment; clearly this was the last thing that I had wanted to do my senior year in high school.
The final product of the essay consisted solely of a character summary that could be found on Sparknotes.com. Nonetheless, the essay wound up looking like a bunch of words sloppily thrown together, as if it was written in a foreign language. Asking students to read over 400 pages is one thing, but assigning a paper that dealt with a narrative of pointless character was another thing.
Throughout the construction of this paper, I constantly questioned my ability as a writer because I felt guilty by almost plagiarizing someone else’s ideas for basically the whole narrative. The moment after I turned this essay into my teacher, I knew this was the worst essay I have ever written.
Ever since that day occurred over a year ago, I have been blessed to never have to write an essay of that caliber again. I have regained my confidence as a writer and now, more than ever, am eager to write because I know no essay will ever compare to that disaster.
ENC 1102/Sec 30
January 13, 2010
Andrew.murray@knights.ucf.edu
The Worst Essay Known to Mankind
(455)
Throughout my high school and college academic career, I have written many essays on various topics ranging from Abraham Lincoln to explaining the theme of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. A majority of these essays have pushed me to my limit as a writer because they truly tested my ability as a writer. However, the essay that I remember vividly to be the greatest struggle occurred last year during my AP English class. Dealing with the novel Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte, our teacher assigned us to read the whole book and then made us write a narrative as one of the most pointless characters in the novel. This was the worst essay topic I have ever received and consequently the worst essay I have ever written.
To begin with, Jane Eyre was at least 400 pages long and this assignment was given with less than a week to complete. Not to mention, being a senior in high school with an extreme case of senioritis made the assignment seem rather preposterous. Not to feel less guilty, but the other students in the class shared the same opinions about this assignment as I did. I remember walking out of class once it was over thinking, “Sparknotes.com is going to be my best friend while I write this paper.”
After blatantly disregarding my teacher’s instruction of reading the book, I decided to begin writing the essay with the help of Sparknotes.com. Laziness and fatigue accompanied me throughout the entire journey of this assignment; clearly this was the last thing that I had wanted to do my senior year in high school.
The final product of the essay consisted solely of a character summary that could be found on Sparknotes.com. Nonetheless, the essay wound up looking like a bunch of words sloppily thrown together, as if it was written in a foreign language. Asking students to read over 400 pages is one thing, but assigning a paper that dealt with a narrative of pointless character was another thing.
Throughout the construction of this paper, I constantly questioned my ability as a writer because I felt guilty by almost plagiarizing someone else’s ideas for basically the whole narrative. The moment after I turned this essay into my teacher, I knew this was the worst essay I have ever written.
Ever since that day occurred over a year ago, I have been blessed to never have to write an essay of that caliber again. I have regained my confidence as a writer and now, more than ever, am eager to write because I know no essay will ever compare to that disaster.
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