A6 Project

I posted this to the 102 Facebook already, but no harm in putting it here, too!
http://youtu.be/Wl8SPloFUlc
The pacing is a bit off, and the idea changed a bunch, but that's just further proof in my mind that I essentially have the same relationship to my animation as Frankenstein does to his creation. Granted, my animations don't go around killing my loved ones, but they do sometimes become my masters.
Hope you guys enjoy this! I had an awesome semester with you all, and I hope to see you all around in the next few years of TO. :)

A6 Project

Here's the link to Paradise Lost, the video game!

http://www.stencyl.com/game/play/16045

A6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7duMBMq_tnw&feature=youtu.be
I recorded my A6...hopefully it's not too bad.

A6 Project

Here's a Shakespearean version of "Call Me Maybe." My rendition is called "Kill Me Maybe," based on Hamlet.

Lyrics:

I feel like crap, I’m not well  

Don’t ask me, can’t you tell
That I’m depressed as hell,
So get out of my way

He traded my dad for a wish

Ophelia, blow me a kiss

You know you want some of this
But now you're in my way

Laertes was holdin’

A sword and we were duelin’

Hot words, blood was flowin’

Didn’t mean to kill his daddy

Hey, he’s my uncle,
And this is crazy,
But he killed my father,
So kill me, maybe?

It's hard to look right,
At you Mommy,
Since you married that scum,
So kill me, maybe?

Hey, I just slept with you,
And this is crazy,
But you broke it off,
So kill me, maybe?

And all the other boys,
Try to chase me,
Even my own friends,
So kill me, maybe?

You took your time with the kill

I took time summoning will

You got away with it all,
But I’m still in your way

I lie and fake what I feel
My insanity’s real
You act like it’s a big deal
I must be in your way

This kingdom’s rotten
They’ve really forgotten
That my mom’s a dirty sinner

Am I no longer her baby?

Hey, you’re my uncle,
And this is crazy,
But you killed my father,
So kill me, maybe?

It's hard to look right,
At you Mommy,
Since you married that scum,
So kill me, maybe?

Hey, I just slept with you,
And this is crazy,
But you broke it off,
So kill me, maybe?

And all the other boys,
Try to chase me,
Even my own friends,
So kill me, maybe?

Before I hated my own life
I wasn’t so bad
I wasn’t so bad

I didn’t feel so bad

Before I hated my own life
I wasn’t so bad
I wasn’t so bad

I didn’t feel so bad

Hey, you’re my uncle,
And this is crazy,
But you killed my father,
So kill me, maybe?

It's hard to look right,
At you Mommy,
Since you married that scum,
So kill me, maybe?

Hey, I just slept with you,
And this is crazy,
But you broke it off,
So kill me, maybe?

And all the other boys,
Try to chase me,
Even my own friends,
So kill me, maybe?

Before I hated my own life
I wasn’t so bad
I wasn’t so bad

I didn’t feel so bad

Before I hated my own life

I wasn’t so bad

And you should know that

So kill me, maybe?

The song & video (mostly just my face) should be uploaded....On Youtube!! Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxOxEoOz5W8

The Being's Hovel

Here's my model of the being's hovel.  In this version, yes, its under the house.  And no, there wasn't a sign there that welcomed newcomers to the hovel.  PS, sorry that the "water" looks like crap.  It's some type of liquid glass that soaked right through the plaster base...oops.  The rest of the plaster turned out alright though.

A6 Creative Project (Continued)

And for your convenience. English versions of our letters!

Mother,

Which would you rather: to be the bastard child of an absent king or the powerless son of a mother whose name floats around men’s mouths? My power is only in my words if I am not able to ascend to royal lineage, yet the men whom I try to make see the truth mock me for what I attempt.

I have to listen to Antinoös as he shames you for what I believed to be great cunning. If nothing else I do think I have your mental strength and wit, and thought it brilliant when I heard rumors float around of your unweaving shroud. My steadfast, loyal mother, using her cunning to stop the country as she awaits the return of my father - this is the pristine image I had of you.

But then I was a child, and now I am a man. I must think of the crown that should be mine but is out of reach. I must think of my nation that is left leaderless while you play games. I must think of a royal house that is without king, without guidance, without happiness. We are lacking in too much for me to stand around and just wait, mother.

I am no longer a child, and heretofore I must make decisions as well. You have done well, but stalling is not the way to ensure a prosperous country. It is now time for me to grow and ensure the growth of Ithaca. Thank you for all you have done, Mother, but it is my time now.

Yours always and in good faith,

Telémakhos


Mother,

I enter our dining rooms and am ashamed to call this place our home. These men come and take our food and wine then spit in the face of our hospitality with their brutish nature and rude words. Are you blind? Do you not see that they are here for the throne and and your beauty care so little about you?

And sometimes I wonder if you care so little about me, as well. You hear the people whisper on the streets, wondering whether I am the song of the great Odysseus. I cannot help but wonder the same thing. For now I have the title of Prince, but how long will that last?

If you take one of these men as your own, then it is only expected that you will begin your own lineage. Maybe there will be a daughter, but also sons to line up in order to posses the throne after their father who will be the rightful king. And then where will I be, mother? When this new husband’s son tries to take the throne that was once my own good and loving father’s, I will be nothing but the bastard child standing in the way of the rightful prince.

I have faith that you love me as much as you declare, but for now I am unsure. Please think of the lineage you wish upon this kingdom when you enter the halls filled with men unworthy of the crown who will bear children that are just as unworthy of being the sons of this kingdom.

Yours always and in good faith,

Telémakhos


Father,

I want to wish, but I don’t know what to wish for. Some days I wish you were home with my mother, and then I realize I am not even sure if you are alive. Then I wish I knew if you were dead, but I know my mother and grandfather would be petrified. The saddest thing it all? Even if you are dead, I cannot grieve for you because I don’t know you.

I am glad for your victories in battle, I am glad that we were victorious in the Trojan War. I am glad that you were a hero in that conflict. I am sad that you are not here to recount those adventures. I am sad that I cannot identify with you at all. 

Even though deep in my heart I know you must be dead or you would have returned by now, I cannot help but be irrational. I cannot help but continue to wish in my heart that you will return one day. Every time a visitor comes to Ithaca I pray that it will be you father. I pray that you will run to us, mother and me, and pull us into your arms. I pray that we can be reunited once more. 

I pray that my birth can be legitimized and I can be free of the questions that I ask every day. I want a companion, and I long for you every day. I miss you, and the effects of your absence from the thrown are a constant reminder of the void in my life. And although I hate to say it: I love you. 

Yours Always, 

Telémakhos

Father, 

I no longer know who I am writing these letters to. But I will tell you that for now, something inside me believes that you are somewhere on this earth. You, the great Odysseus, are alive and ready and desperate to return home to Ithaca. 

I pray this is the case, for you do not know how your kingdom needs you. I beseech you, even if you no longer care for your family, come save us! Think not of me, your lost son, of your father, or even your wife. Merely think of all that our family has fought and died for. We rule Ithaca, but every day that rule is being put into question. It is being questioned by the suitors who parade about our house like mongrels! All of this is a cruel and sad way of living life, but it was what we must accept. For you are not here to defend us.

I implore you to return here to Ithaca. WIthout you I certainly cannot fight these men, and if no one can stand up to them, then there is no way that we can ever defeat them and take back our kingdom. Ithaca is ours father, and I hope you will not allow it to be taken over by a band of cruel thieves.

Lovingly Yours,

Telémakhos

Father,

I have nothing left. I am less than a king, but more than a prince. I am more than a boy, but less than a man. I am always caught between two things, and so much of my identity, so much of who I am and could be is caught in you. There is so much I have been confused about ever since I was a boy, and I know that is partially because you are not here with me.

But my biggest concern is how I am going to fit into the dynamic that is being created here. My mother, your wife, has tried her best, but it is not a woman’s job to fight against men. Men. So many men who plunder our reserves, treat the home of kings as if it means nothing. But these men, while they are cruel and disrespectful, will be difficult to defeat. Especially for me.

I must confess, that I have no idea what to do. Should I act, or should I not? I do not know how to fight like those men, and it is certain that they will not take me seriously, why would they? I am just a boy to them, a boy who is to inherent the rule of a ruined kingdom. I am not the man you were, I am not a warrior. But it is not my fault, because no one taught me to be. I am desperately searching for an answer, but again I am stuck. 

I am stuck between my question and answer, stuck between your life or death. I never exactly what I should do, but I feel as though I should do something. Father, with our without you this kingdom is not going to fall. I hope that it will be me that can do something, but I pray the gods intervene. I pray for mercy from the heavens. I feel as though a change is coming, and I hope you are a part of it.

Always Yours,

Telémakhos 

Mother,

I wish to comfort you during this time, during your time of need. But in all honesty I am not sure what my purpose is. Do I act as my father would? Do I savagely take back the kingdom of Ithaca from these thieves? Or do I stay a quiet and passive prince. I feel like  a sheltered little boy, mother. It’s as though you do not want me to face the realities of our situation. 

These men are here, they are thieves and they are attempting to steal all that we have. I want to defeat them, but what does that make me? What does that make us. I am first and foremost your son, but if I save you are not I a hero? Does not that make me a king? Does that not make me your equal in more than one respect? I do not wish to suggest an atrocity should occur, but I know no other way to reconcile this. 

Tell me what I should do mother? Should I be the one to help you finish your shroud like a husband would? Should I not save this kingdom? I am unsure of what options are left to me. Please, I am begging for your guidance, do not leave me in the dark.

Love,

Telémakhos

A6: Letters from Telemakhos

Telemakhos, the young prince from Ithaca, is often powerless before he sets out on his own journey. Barbaric men are abusing the hospitality of the royal family while they try to get his mother to marry them, there is gossip that he is a bastard child, and he is now a man in society with no proper royal role or prospect for marriage. His age is the stereotypical moment for identity crises and soul searching, but he has it worse off than any other kid because of the pressure from everyone else around him. Therefore, Telemakhos can do little but keep quiet at most points.

That made us decide to explore the realization and recognition scenes from when he DOES speak. What is going on in his mind that finally makes him decide to finally speak up? This included when he addressed the people of Ithaca on the troubles inside the royal castle, verbally sparring with Antinoos and when he spoke to Athena. Telemakhos is a character that has a lot to say, but very little opportunity to do so. If he could speak whenever he wanted, his place in society aside, what would he say? We believed he would express anger and love, faith and distrust, fear and determination and a range of emotions fitting for a character that is reserved most of the time but so articulate and intelligent when he does speak. Above all, we believed that Telemakhos is a lot stronger than anyone in Ithaca realizes, and wished to give him the respect and due credit he deserves.

A6 Creative Project

This is our (Marina, Marie, and myself) project for A6! I took pictures of the letters we wrote from various angles. Just as a reminder they are letters written from Telémakhos during his childhood and the entire period before The Odyssey written to his mother and father. Again sorry about the scanning issues, I'll resolve them ASAP. Glad to have had 111 with all of you! :)

A6: Welcome to Hailsham

http://neverletmego.wix.com/hailsham

- Austin & Irene's A6 project!

Shit Oedipus Doesn't Say

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCjrRLz5ck8

--
Chloé Warehall
Janis Yue
Kelly Peretzman

A6 Songs!!

Odyssey/Oedipus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfLHeuG409w&feature=youtu.be


Hamlet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InAZVC7Ia5Q&feature=plcp


Paradise Lost:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmriSkvVDOk&feature=youtu.be


Frankenstein:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz86C2hCKx4&feature=youtu.be


All lyrics and music copyright Spencer Prescott & Jacob Lehr

Why Stephenie Meyer Sucks

Pick up a copy of Twilight and tell me that you'd want to be friends with Bella Swan in real life. Without lying! Better yet, tell me that you'd want to be friends with Stephenie Meyer. No? Ehh, didn't think so. People can say whatever they want about the writing of a novel, but the most frequent criticism people resort to will be either "Oh my gawwwwdd I hate X/Y/Z character" or "That author SUCKS". Few will pinpoint certain specific problems, as most allow one or two slip ups to pass by if they're engaged in the text. After all, Great Expectations could be retitled Great Bedtime Story because nine times out of ten the prose will just put you  to sleep, but SOMEONE saw something in Dickens' story. The technique can be overlooked if what you're reading is compelling and interesting. My number one advice for good writing?

Don't let the readers know you suck.

Or, in SMeyer's case, don't let the readers know you AND your characters suck. Keep them interested and let them know you have something new or refreshing to tell them. If it's not new or refreshing, at least tell it to them in a way they've never heard before. People will use your writing as kindling for the fire within ten words if they don't give a damn what you're saying. Make them care by making them care about you or what you're writing about - or both, in the best case scenario. Keep the narrative moving forward into new and enlightening territories, because nobody wants to read the same thing over, and over, and over andoverandoverandoverandover again. Irritated? Thought so.

However, keeping an eye out for technical issues also helps. After all, if SMeyer used one more adjective in place of more exciting verb choice, I would've just sent her back to the eighth grade because that's where that sort of lazy writing belongs. Keeping it fresh means keeping the writing equally exciting. Of course, don't be pedantic and no, thesaurus.com is not your BFF. In fact, it wanted me to tell you that it feels abused and like it's putting way more into the relationship than you ever will. Don't patronize your reader; they'll get pissed off and stop reading or have to look up every word you use, THEN get pissed off and stop reading. Vary your sentence lengths so that they're not all mind-numbingly long nor staccato and flowless. Grammar should be checked once, twice, thrice even and if you're not sure where that apostrophe or semicolon goes, it doesn't kill to ask somebody. At the very least, google it - that website was made for the lazy, needy and ashamed, and at that point you should be all three. Don't sound too stupid, and it'll allow readers to focus on what's most important: your subject matter and yourself.

I wanted to gouge out Bella's eyes for being a stupid bitch. Edward deserved to be set on flames for his sketchy and mildly abusive over protection. Sparkling vampires is a dumb idea. However, while Meyer eagerly abused adjectives and synonyms, I would've been decently intrigued if the story was decently intriguing. After all, most of the time people know what sort of material they're picking up, whether it's a research paper, literary journal or guilty pleasure. Alas, even with my full knowledge that Twilight was the latter, it still couldn't meet my low expectations.

Moral of the story is, writer, take care of the minutiae so it's not distracting to readers. However, after that, make everybody at least think you and your subject matter rock. Your reader shouldn't know you found solar energy more boring than watching snails race. To them, reading about it should be just as exciting as getting tickets to the Beyonce concert. After all, how do tabloid magazines sell so much? Mediocre writing, enticing content. You could make millions, future EL James of the world.

Writing can be judged in the way that it fulfills its purpose.

There are many different types of writing, which is why it is impossible to regulate “good” writing to rules of grammar, length, content, formality, diction, etc.  But within certain contexts, we begin to expect certain things from our writing, and we become frustrated if they are not there.  We can best understand a piece’s quality by understanding its purpose.  If a third grader gives us a birthday card, we shouldn’t criticize it for errors in spelling or grammar because it is not what we expect—these silly mistakes don’t take away from the card’s purpose.  As long as the kid throws down a “Happy Birthdday,” we should be satisfied.  The same goes for a text message.  If my friend decided to let me know that he had arrived at my house in Shakespearean verse, I would likely become daunted by the text’s length and stop reading before I absorb the necessary information.  A simple “Here” would suffice. 

            But as we move into more sophisticated contexts, our expectations of good writing grow.  Grammar suddenly becomes more important in an English analysis for a variety of reasons.  If we don’t see adequate grammar in an essay on a novel, how can we can we be sure our author even knows what they’re talking about? (I might have stolen that idea from Trimble, but I can’t quite remember.)  In a novel itself, our expectations change again.  In many contexts, authors decide to closely follow the rules of grammar, but we cannot say that this is entirely necessary.  It would be ridiculous to argue that Huck Finn or Ulysses were poorly written by only looking at their neglect of proper grammar.  They do, however, excellently fulfill their purpose of taking on different peoples’ personae. 

            The purpose of most writing is to engage us by triggering an emotional response.  Many types of writing attempt to do this in different ways.  If any of them are successful, it’s safe to say they author has achieved “good” writing.   

Blog 12

Good writing is something that you know when you see it. Ultimately, writing comes down to the enjoyment of the reader. A good sentence is one that makes you want to read the next one. Now, what does  make us want to read the next sentence? For me, the key components are momentum, concision, precision, and a vivid image. Good fictional writing puts you in the world of the story, good analytical writing gives you a clear understanding of the subject.

In my opinion, momentum is the singular most important attribute to possess in writing. You build momentum through structure, and structure naturally builds to a conclusion. Nicely structured paragraphs keep an easy thread to follow as well as a thread that we want to see resolved. We also build momentum within paragraphs through sentence structure. Generally, concision builds momentum from sentence to sentence. Nice and snappy sentences lead easily to the next sentence. At the same time, it's good to vary sentence structure so the reader isn't bored, as long as each clause is said in the most concise way possible.

Precision is also key. I know at least that I hate reading things that don't make sense to me. (Quick aside, I'm not referring to things like Paradise Lost where you can unpack layers of meanings - I'm referring to situations where the writer him/herself has not thought through the implications of the sentence). In general, I like things to be presented in a rapidly accessible manner, with as much specificity as possible.

This applies more to fiction than anything else, but being vivid is crucial to good sentences, good paragraphs and good stories. For example, I read Frankenstein a few years ago, and as I reread it this year, I found that the same moments in the story conjured up the exact same mental images, in great detail, as I had experienced in 8th grade. This sense of deja vu was made even more odd by the fact that I had not thought about the novel at all for quite some time. Yet, I could easily imagine the exact same Lake Geneva, Ingolstadt, monster, Orkney Islands, family and woods and many other things as I had before. This is because Shelley's language was vivid enough to make a distinct impression on me, an impression specific enough not to change over time.

Of course, everyone may completely disagree with me, but these are the things that strike me first when I read.

If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.

Disclaimer: I can't seem to produce good writing, so for lack of an actual sense of authority on the subject, I might end up departing into platitudes without saying anything of substance. How is a shitty writer like myself supposed to give advice on writing well? ...You have been warned. 

After reading Trimble (and getting my ass resoundingly kicked in Ed's notes for my essays) I feel I have a vague idea of what I can do to make my writing "good": find good ideas, organize them well, find the right words, follow grammatical and syntactical conventions--all expressed with voice. 

All that aside, though, I have to think about good writing as a goal... and if I am to be crowned a Good Writer, I have to think about process. My process, until this semester, consisted of the following: (barely) read what you're supposed to, think deep thoughts, stare at a blank document, think some more deep thoughts, and then ohmygodit's10pmherewegowordvomituntilyou'redone! If I was feeling particularly fancy, maybe I'd outline it. Now, I am discovering these things you guys call "drafts," and this awesome thing you do call "editing," as well as this wonderful substance called "caffeine," and it's all quite new and interesting. 

In all seriousness, though, the best things I've done for my writing were to outline, to draft, to edit, and to sleep. In trying to understand "good writing," I have to think in terms with which I'm more familiar: those of film and animation. This applies to my filmmaking endeavors as well... if I spend too much time in production (read: shooting) and not enough in pre-production (script, storyboard, shot list, shooting schedule) or in post-production (editing), I end up with a pile of caca instead of a fleshed-out film. Same goes for writing; as soon as I turn my focus to the ideas, the outline, and the editing, the end result communicates everything so much more effectively. If I don't have my intent clear through the entire process, I lose track of my ideas and derail.

Just to expand on the idea of intent, I'm going to go back to analogies of film. I started making films with the intent of manipulating the audience's emotional state through narrative. I knew what I wanted to say already. They weren't good films, because they didn't read well--the connections between events and ideas weren't clear enough, so the audience didn't "get" what I was trying to convey. Plus, when I made films for an audience, I made what I thought they wanted to see, which was pretty much dishonest. It wasn't me. But when I started making films for me, I somehow got a better response from the audience. With writing, I'm still at the first stage. I'm still learning the rules, operating within the system, doing what I need to do to get my ideas onto the page. Processing ideas, outlining, and editing are vital to me getting beyond this stage; I'm not even at the point of thinking about an audience.

As with film, and any art, I don't think we can (or should) reduce "good writing" to a set of rules. Of course, we have to learn the system and operate within it for a while in order to challenge and change it; as Carl Sagan would say, if you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe. But if we approach it with only externally-imposed rules, without considering substance, and our own ideas, we get the written equivalent of my first few films: all technique and no soul. 

Good writing is about balance: of form and content, of technique and voice, of ideation and edition. But  to me, it's still just a goal. I just have to aspire a little harder.

And just to be super cliché, I'll end with this fantastic quote from Ira Glass:
"Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it's just not that good. It's trying to be good, it has potential, but it's not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase. They quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn't have this special thing we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you finish one project. It's only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I've ever met. It's gonna take a while. It's normal to take a while. You've just gotta fight your way through."

Good Writing: Not for the Writer to Decide

Good writing is predominantly focused on the reader. It must assume the absolute worst case scenario: that the reader hates you and will not understood any of your points unless they're blindingly clear. In this sense, good writing happens when writers mentally place themselves on the opposite side of the reader-writer relationship--they toss a part of their egos out the door. To sway a predisposed reader, writers must establish a tone/voice that fits their probable audience; they must know readers better than readers know readers. To make points clear, writers must work meticulously to ensure that every one of their sentences has continuity.

Meticulously is the key word here.

We can't all be Milton and rattle off our thoughts slam-poetry style, instantly creating a masterpiece.

The majority of good writing follows a meticulous process of drafting and editing. Every word has a purpose and good writers will make sure that none of the other 1-10 possible options for every word would be favorable alternatives. Essentially, good writing is aware of each word's connotation and how it may sway a reader or invoke particular emotions. It is proofread so many times that author's get sick of seeing their own work. Additionally, good writers also over-research their topics. They never have a problem of mustering enough evidence. Rather, they have issues narrowing down which evidence is the most convincing.

But the intricacies of these word choices only have meaning so long as the reader has not lost attention. Sounds easy? It's not. To engage readers, each sentence must be a unique surprise to them, something that becomes challenging once 10 sentences become 10,000. In this sense, writers must out-predict their readers expectations. Yet on the more physical side, good writing simply has to have nice formatting and flow. Same-length paragraphs? Boring. Static punctuation? Stale. Constant sentence structure? Snoozefest. Good writers vary their sentence structure, paragraph structure, and use of punctuation. For example, after a few long compound-complex sentences, writers will often throw in a short sentence that now has more impact and allows readers to "catch their breath." Likewise, as readers approach a monster paragraph, they will likely be intimidated; writers must intersperse "rest stops" that allow readers to simplify the density of the text and prepare for the next few sentences to come.

These aspects of good writing are mostly prerequisites. Writers distinguish themselves through the beauty of the medium--no two styles are identical. In this light, good writers write to their strengths and work to improve their weaknesses. Essentially, writers often achieve magic within their own comfort zones. The witty writer is witty. The sardonic writer is sardonic. But this is exactly why examining weakness is equally important. A discerning reader will never look past a writer's weaknesses no matter how well the writer covers or hides them. As a result, the only option is for writers to fix their weaknesses or at least make sure they are not a weak link--they must expand their comfort zones. Achieving this goal requires the ability to take in criticism from others and criticize one's own work equally. With this ability, writers will improve from draft to draft and from work to work.

But returning to my title, good writing is ultimately relative. In 1st grade, good writing was dotting "i"s and crossing "t"s. Later, it was establishing an argument that y'know...actually made sense. In those times, those traits were all that my audience was looking for. 

(They didn't care if my sentence ended with a preposition)

I Write Good

Did my title make you cringe? It should have, because that's a big grammar no-no. I actually just imagined every grammar stickler out there convulsing in pain because I used an adjective to modify a verb. It sounds so...juvenile. Unprofessional. Horrendous!

There's something about quality writing that fools you into thinking that it came effortlessly. Somehow, many poor souls assume that a truly great writer just wakes up one morning with a flash of inspiration, perhaps from a dream, a spontaneous epiphany, or even a personal observation/experience, and somehow gets it all down on paper and wa-la! A Pulitzer-worthy story.

But good writing doesn't materialize in one sitting. A good story isn't conceived from a single mind or place. The best writing is a culmination of various thoughts, sights, smells, experiences, people, conversations, dreams, and values. All these elements, however, are organized and shaped according to the author's choice of audience. And all of that comes with effort.
I consider good writing to be any piece that keeps a reader's mind active while reading it. President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, for example, is engaging, challenging, and expressive of the author's views. It also achieves its purpose of informing and moving the audience; it basically has all the components of good writing. Another example of excellent writing is the Harry Potter series, mainly because it's a wonderful model of a story coming alive on paper, without the need for illustration. Rowling is a creator of a fantasy, a second world that has become real to her loyal followers. But why is Harry Potter good writing? Because it's not just someone's imagination compressed into a book; it's a whole web of characters, stories, dialogue, and places familiar and unreal.  More importantly, it's written in such a way that is catered to all readers.
My favorite example of good writing is Hemingway's novella, The Old Man and the Sea. He says a million things with a few words. Concise writing, as we all know, is not formulaic, and not easy to achieve. Hemingway just happens to be the awesome, undefeated god of concision. The Old Man and the Sea also exemplifies great writing because it's reflective of its author. Hemingway was a simple and masculine man; so is his writing. When the essence of any author is embedded in his/her writing, I consider it to be truly great.
There are so many other works of literature and poetry and music that are examples of good writing, but for the sake of my audience and their time, I will muse about them on my own.

The one thing that always sets apart good writing from mediocre writing is the amount of variety. Writing shouldn't be the same throughout; it should have a shape, because good writing doesn't just consist of words---it's also made up of rhythm, structure, tone, style, and content. If a writer can find a good balance among all these components, the writing has a shape. There are changes in paragraph length, sentence structure, and punctuation. Good writing also varies in tone and mood, while keeping consistent voice throughout.

I believe that good writing is not a matter of pure genius, but rather a matter of pure effort. A brilliant idea can't be translated onto a page without the right words. Finding the right words is hard work--a difficulty I face daily as an aspiring journalist. Producing good writing means sacrificing time, because the longest part of the whole process is the proofreading. After the first draft, you must purge your mind of all pride in order to make significant changes. Even better is when the writing goes through many other pairs of eyes other than yours. The best constructive criticism, after all, comes from a third-person perspective. In short, once you crank out the pages, you must go through a rigorous editing process to make your writing the best it can be.

Most importantly, any good writer must be willing to learn from the best and worst. You have to know what not to do as much as learning all the right things to do. Whether it's going back to all your old writing and having the sudden urge to slap yourself from self-humiliation, or reading a terribly-written newspaper article, or actually reading Fifty Shades of Grey without the intention of getting horny, you learn from not only your own mistakes, but also from other writers' mistakes. From there, you can develop ways to make your writing better, and eventually something that others enjoy reading.
In reality, there really is no "right" or "wrong" to good writing. Good writing, at its core, exists when there is a connection and inexplicable understanding between the writer and the reader. When that connection forms, the writer not only achieves his or her purpose, but the reader also receives the wonderful benefits of reading good writing.

Last Blog!!

What counts as good writing? What does it look like? How does one go about producing it? NOTE: answer this question without telling us what counts as bad writing or what good writing is not.

Everybody Dance Now

I think I'm the only one without a blog pass this week, awks.

Also, whoever wrote this went a little overboard on thesaurus.com....just sayin'.

p.s. Formatting troubles, just highlight over the white part to see what's written.

Fate and pain – two ideas that manifest interconnected in Oedipus the King. Unavoidable, inescapable and stemming from something much bigger than the self – both fate and pain are ubiquitous and humbling, forces outside mortal control.  Oedipus, since his youth, knew of his fate decreed by the gods and its vehicle of pain: “the god Apollo spurned me, sent me away/ denied the fact I came for,/ but first he flashed before my eyes a future/ great with pain, terror, disaster-“ (Oedipus the King, 869-872). The “greatness” of the “pain, terror, disaster” carries too much weight to be included in the previous line. The linear singularity of these words echo throughout our minds, highlighting the magnitude of their significance: pain-terror-disaster-pain-terror-disaster-pain-terror-disaster… Oedipus at one believes he can outwit his fate, lending layer upon layer of ironies to his arrogant boast: “Now my curse on the murderer…let that man drag out/ his life in agony, step by painful step-/ I curse myself as well… if by any chance/ he proves to be an intimate of our house,/… may the curse I just called down on him strike me!” (Oedipus the King, 279-286). “My”, “I” and “Me”, or in other words haughty Oedipus, attempts to flee by placing spatial distance between “that man”, “he” and “him”, the inevitable murderer fate. We follow the game of cat and mouse with bated breath until we are on the edge of our seats, clinging to the pages until the final showdown that we knew was coming but hoped never would: Oedipus is cornered by fate as “him” and “me” clash. As these two join, Oedipus is left helpless in the face of fate and its harbinger of pain: “Apollo, friends, Apollo-/ he ordained my agonies- these, my pains on pains!” (Oedipus the King, 1467-1468). The repetitions used mirror each other through parallel structure, “Apollo” and “pains” separated by only one word. The chorus laments Oedipus’ fate while entwining the inseparable nature of pain: “But now to hear your story- is there a man more agonized?/ More wed to pain and frenzy? Not a man on earth,/ the joy of your life ground down to nothing” (Oedipus the King, 1331-1333). The word “wed” carries the connotations of a lifelong and binding relationship, parallel to the inescapable nature of Mr. Fate and his muscle: pain. His entire “life” is tangled between the pains that fate bring, and he has been suffocated between these two until they dragged him into nothingness. Yet this relationship does not apply to Oedipus alone; every prophesy and divine dictum places agonizing shackles on mortal agency, making it clear: pain and fate are forever intertwined.

Blog #12

Using strategic (and symbolic) syntax, make this paragraph DANCE!!! Yes, you need to rewrite the entire paragraph.

Despite the connections between the ideas of life and pain in Oedipus the King, the manifestation of fate represents the basic function of pain. Fate descends from the gods: irreproachable forces dealing inescapable destinies. Pain symbolizes and simultaneously constitutes the unavoidable and omnipotent power; pain is ubiquitous and humbling, a force outside mortal control. Oedipus, since his youth, knew of his fate and its vehicle of pain: “the god Apollo spurned me, sent me away/ denied the fact I came for,/ but first he flashed before my eyes a future/ great with pain, terror, disaster-“ (Oedipus the King, 869-872). The “greatness” of the “pain, terror, disaster” carries too much weight to be included in the previous line. The potency of their thematic role necessitates their linear singularity in order to highlight the magnitude of their significance. Oedipus, in his arrogance, believes he could outwit his fate, lending layer upon layer of ironies to his righteous lambast, “Now my curse on the murderer…let that man drag out/ his life in agony, step by painful step-/ I curse myself as well… if by any chance/ he proves to be an intimate of our house,/… may the curse I just called down on him strike me!” (Oedipus the King, 279-286). Oedipus, represented by the words “my”, “I” and “me,” attempts to spatially flee upon the page from the murderer, his fate. The distance between Oedipus and the murderer, “That man”, “he” and “him”, stays large until the final line where Oedipus is inevitably cornered by fate: “him” and “me” are as close as possible in proximity. Yet his tantrums availed him little, leaving him helpless in the face of fate and its harbinger of pain: “Apollo, friends, Apollo-/ he ordained my agonies- these, my pains on pains!” (Oedipus the King, 1467-1468). The repetition of “Apollo” and “pain” mirrors each other, further emphasized by the parallel structure of the words: the repeated words are both separated by only one word. These correlations illustrate the intertwined nature of fate and pain . The chorus dictates the inextricable nature of pain when lamenting Oedipus’ fate, “But now to hear your story- is there a man more agonized?/ More wed to pain and frenzy? Not a man on earth,/ the joy of your life ground down to nothing” (Oedipus the King, 1331-1333). The word “wed” carries the connotations of a lifelong and binding relationship, parallel to the inescapable nature of Mr. Fate and his muscle: pain. Yet this relationship does not apply to Oedipus alone; every prophesy, every divine dictum, places agonizing shackles upon mortal agency leading to the clear conclusion of the role of pain as the symbol and constitution of fate.

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A6 Proposal

Spoilers for Frankenstein, btw.

After the monster shares his story in the second volume, we never really hear from him again.  He is featured in dialogue, but his story isn't presented in full.  He becomes an enigma...the way that he travels, stalks Victor, justifies his actions (mostly the violent one in volume 3 chapter 7), etc. are all hidden from us.  This is surprising, especially considering that Shelley writes the monster as a powerful orator.

I really enjoy the portions of the book where the monster shares his story and they present a unique perspective on the way the world works.  I'm planning on writing either a series of "journal entries" or a single chapter-sized portion in the monster's perspective that focuses on his excitement and hope for a mate and the anger and betrayal he feels when Victor can't follow through.

A6 Proposal

I will be working with Irene to create a website based on Never Let Me Go.

Blog 11 - A6 Proposal

For A6, I want to use my violin skills to present a kind of synopsis of the books that we've read this semester. I'll find composers whose lives are similar to a character in each of the books, and synthesize them to make a "Frankenstein" of a piece. I'll pull out the main melodies and compose transitions, but it will nonetheless be jagged and imperfect, like Frankenstein. Also the fact that I'm creating something out of parts that were already there makes the blur between creator and creation more intense. Also, it'll reflect how the themes of the semester pop up in Frankenstein. Ed -  I'd prefer to play live, but if you want me to record it that's fine too.

A6 Proposal

Jacob and Spencer will write an original song that features the stories of the main characters we have come across this year. It will most likely take a satiric perspective on the actions of these characters by pointing out their foolish mistakes (what better way to reflect on tragedies?).  Expect humor and catchiness. It will probably present itself as a low quality sound file (we will likely have to use the terrible electret MacBook mics), but maybe as a YouTube video of a live performance. We're looking forward to our Pop debut!

Blog Response #11: A6 Proposal

Hello All!

I will be working in a group with Marie and Marina.

For our A6 project we have chosen to focus on the The Odyssey. A thematic presence that was influential in the work was the relationship between Odysseus and Telémakhos. All of the works that we have read this semester possess themes having to do with greater epistemological questions but at the core of any work is the human element. We all agreed that this relationship is a universal complication, and the universality of a work is something that enables readers of various geographical locations, ethnic backgrounds, and time periods to appreciate a piece of literature.

Additionally, we wanted to sort of fill in the cracks that come with the Odyssey. As far as epistemological problems go, the majority of the knowledge that we obtain in the epic is obtained vicariously. Only with the advent of the novel in the eighteenth century were readers offered an extended first-person character perspective. Additionally, only Odysseus' story of what happened in-between The Iliad and The Odyssey is conveyed in the latter epic, so we wanted to fill readers in with what happened to a young Telémakhos as he pondered his father and himself during his boyhood.

We have chosen to compose letters at various points in Telémakhos' life to his father Odysseus. All of the letters will relate to a major issue that he voices at some point in the epic, which we will illuminate the reader to with a quote. I would like to note that we're not just randomly writing and turning in these letters, they're going to be handwritten and look like they have come from Telémakhos himself (and from the days of Ancient Greece).

A6 Proposal

I am working with Kelly and Janis on the A6 project! We are planning on making a video of "Shit  Oedipus doesn't say." Since Oedipus has several moments of recognition and realization most of the quotes will deal with several of the more obvious things he fails to realize. We will also cover blindness, light, dark, etc and of course his infamous relationship with his mother. We are looking for a guy to feature as Oedipus so if you don't have a group, let us know!

A6 Proposal

For my A6 project, I want to work with the novel Never Let Me Go. I read it a while ago and it is one of my favorite novels. Since I am not very artistic or musical, I am going to make a website to make my A6! I’m going to be using wix.com to make a comprehensive mock-website for the boarding school Hailsham, so there will be other elements included such as videos, pictures, music, and blogs. When I read the book, I’ll be paying specific attention to the small details of Hailsham to create a realistic website. For example take a look at: http://monstersuniversity.com/edu/ 

Anyone is welcome to join my group! Just let me know! The only issue is that since it’s the last book we read for Core102, you’ll probably need to read it earlier to get this project done on time!

A6 Proposal

For my A6, I'm going to make a short hand-drawn animation based on the ideas of recognition and realization we've been discussing this semester, especially regarding creation. It's going to be REALLY short, probably 10-15 seconds (1 second is about 12 drawings, so it usually takes a long time), but should hopefully convey my idea well.

I want to make something where the character's journey through the space I create for it (yes, I totally do play God every time I animate) mirrors my process/journey of creating the character. Almost as soon as my character is fully created, it's going to find something that enables it to... move beyond the confines I initially made. This is vague as hell for a reason, I swear! If it's not, I won't have anything with which to surprise you guys :)

A6 Proposal

For my A6, I plan to make a video game based on one or more of the books we've read so far (most likely the Odyssey or Paradise Lost. It will probably either be:

A crossover fighting game using characters from Paradise Lost (Satan, God, etc.) and the Odyssey (Odysseus, Athena, etc).

or

A simple platformer using one of those two works.

I won't get into too much techie riffraff, but I will be using either GameMaker, M.U.G.E.N. or StencylWorks to make this game.

Right now, it's looking like I'm doing this project solo, but if anybody is interested in joining me let me know. I could use some help particularly from a sprite/animation perspective because when it comes to art, my hand might as well be a foot.

Obviously, because of the time frame,  this game won't be too complex, but it should be fun!

A6 Proposal!

Hello, beautiful darlings of my Core111 class.

Here's my A6 proposal:

I'm going to rewrite the lyrics of a song (you'll have to wait to see what song it is). It will be in the same rhythm/flow; I'm just tweaking the lyrics so that when I sing it, it sounds like the actual song but with different words. Of course, these lyrics will have to do with the books we read in Core102 this semester! I will be attempting to somehow mention all of them. I will then make a music video to go along with the song. I'm probably going to record the song first on Garageband and then lip dub it. I'm no genius in the world of technology, but I do have a MacBook and have used iMovie/Garageband before, so hopefully I can make it look amazing...hopefully.
If anyone is especially knowledgable about all that tech stuff, please let me know! I might ask you for a little help.

I'm content on completing the assignment solo (with the help of a friend who will do the filming for the video), but if anyone likes my proposal and would like to join me, let me know! Comment, email, or text! The more the merrier :)

An Ode to Ed

He dwelt among the halls of school,
close reading all the time;
a man whose words were never cruel,
at least inside his mind.

A poker face that none could read,
as muffins bluffed all day.
A velvet coat that gave him lead:
for cigs he went away.

For his great thoughts we now all owe
our skills that we can see -
I saw my grade and shouted, O!
The difference to me.

Blog Response #10: Close Reading of Paradise Lost

I feel as though the passage is used to defend the sort of "choice to be evil". Milton begins by having Eve lament about how grateful she is to have been made from the flesh of Adam, to have been born, and to later be taken care of by God. Yet despite all of her good intentions, there is no way she can avoid her fate, she will betray God, and both she and Adam will be kicked out of the Garden of Eden.

I do agree that Milton establishes a difference between fate and predestination in the play. It is clear, however, that Eve is not akin to either Oedipus or Odysseus in relation to fate and free will in their own plays. Although an arbitrary warning is given to her by God, she in no way seeks out disobedience, instead it seeks her out. She is afraid at first, shying away, but then (naturally curious) she is intrigued.

The rest of the passage continues as Eve helplessly accounts her transition and disobedience of God's rules. Although she does not specifically place the blame, the diction Eve uses makes it seem as if her descent is not of her own bringing about. Although God gave humans free will, was it his decision to ensure that they would be susceptible enough in the Garden to outsiders who might attempt to trick or take advantage of them? Ultimately, Eve is played as a mere pawn in one of the most important stories of the Bible, rather than a raging heretic, something she is far from.

This lends itself, since Milton writes that man views things from his own fallen perspective, to the idea that such a denigration is not completely our fault. It perhaps also relates to this idea of a sympathy for Satan and evil itself, never actually saying God is wrong, but questioning whether we are the ones who are actually inherently evil or if evil comes to us and takes advantage of our weakness.