If I were to continue with the writing project that we began in class, the first thing I would do is start a freewrite about the subject (my sister, who I haven't spoken to in years.) I have already done some clustering, but I would have to take each individual piece of the cluster and break it down further. I would interview my mom and my aunt to get their perspective on our relationship and what we were like together growing up so that I could talk about it some in the essay. I would probably also go to my mom's house and sit in my sister's old bedroom and reflect upon our childhood together. I write better when I just kind of start writing and then re-read, and add things in here and there as I think of them. I am generally a creative writer, so this type of writing comes easiest to me. I always have my best friend, Shannon, read my writing before I turn it in, so I would send it to her when I thought I was "done" to get her opinion, and since I have known her for 15 years, she could probably add some perspective of her own. After Shannon's opinion, I might have my mom read the piece as well, and then I could go back and edit it again to add anything the two of them suggested. I think that this particular project would take a lot of reflection. Since it is very painful for me, I don't think about it often, so I would need to spend a lot of time thinking about it and trying to find a deeper meaning.
I think that ultimately, my focus and/or purpose for the piece would be to demonstrate to the reader the importance of honest communication and of family. I could probably do some research about family discourse and relationships, and include my findings in my writing, also.This piece would be difficult for me in the same way it was for Pope in "Teacher Training", and I think that my writing process would be very similar to hers. I am not sure, however, that I'd ever actually be comfortable writing this story. :(
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Senior Seminar ideas
Project #1: I may continue writing the piece I started for my creative writing class. Since it is an autobiographical reflection piece, I would likely look through my old journals and any old writing I did. Although I remember most of what I want to say about the times I am talking about, I am probably forgetting a lot, so this type of research would likely be helpful. I may also interview my mom and some of my lifelong/close friends to gather their perspective on the events, as well as see if they have any stories that I've since forgotten. It would also be helpful for me to write as much as I can about the subject and reflect on it, as I may help myself remember some more details that way. I don't think I'd have an issue writing this piece, other than the fact that it's kind of emotional and could become difficult for me to reflect upon in that respect.
Project #2: Continue writing a fiction piece I started last semester. Since this is a fiction piece, the research I would have to do would be for background/setting within the story. The book is based on religion, albeit loosely, so it would be important for me to make sure any statements I make are not based on assumptions. I am planning on taking a theology/religious studies class next semester for this purpose. Additionally, I can do some textual analysis on biblical and historical texts. Perhaps I could also get some ideas by going to a church service and observing religious people in that element. Based on the sample syllabus for senior seminar, I assume it's acceptable to write a fiction piece? Am I better off working with something more scholarly?
Project #3: I could do something like writing about the pedagogy of teachers in inner city classrooms. I could read books written by other teachers and professors to find out what research has been done on this subject and compare their opinions. I could do ethnographic studies of children who live in low income areas, with single parents, or are on welfare. Then, I could interview teachers who work in inner city classrooms and ask their ideas on what it means to be a teacher in their situation and what they think are important things to teach/methods of teaching. My concern with this topic or similar would basically be that I'm not terribly interested in it. Should my senior seminar be based on something that I enjoy, like creative writing, or something that better reflects what I have gained from college thus far? I understand that I need to be doing research, but what type of research should I be doing? I am also worried that if I choose this type of project, I would be disinclined to finish it because I would lose interest in it rather quickly.
Project #2: Continue writing a fiction piece I started last semester. Since this is a fiction piece, the research I would have to do would be for background/setting within the story. The book is based on religion, albeit loosely, so it would be important for me to make sure any statements I make are not based on assumptions. I am planning on taking a theology/religious studies class next semester for this purpose. Additionally, I can do some textual analysis on biblical and historical texts. Perhaps I could also get some ideas by going to a church service and observing religious people in that element. Based on the sample syllabus for senior seminar, I assume it's acceptable to write a fiction piece? Am I better off working with something more scholarly?
Project #3: I could do something like writing about the pedagogy of teachers in inner city classrooms. I could read books written by other teachers and professors to find out what research has been done on this subject and compare their opinions. I could do ethnographic studies of children who live in low income areas, with single parents, or are on welfare. Then, I could interview teachers who work in inner city classrooms and ask their ideas on what it means to be a teacher in their situation and what they think are important things to teach/methods of teaching. My concern with this topic or similar would basically be that I'm not terribly interested in it. Should my senior seminar be based on something that I enjoy, like creative writing, or something that better reflects what I have gained from college thus far? I understand that I need to be doing research, but what type of research should I be doing? I am also worried that if I choose this type of project, I would be disinclined to finish it because I would lose interest in it rather quickly.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Autobiography
Lucy Grealy wrote Autobiography of a Face to share her story about finding a sense of self after many years of being more concerned about her image. The disfiguring cancer she suffered as a child caused her to feel ugly and different, but years of scorn and loneliness eventually taught her who she really was. Although it is the story of her life, Grealy really tells the story of her face - losing part of her face, undergoing many surgeries on her face, and then learning to appreciate what's behind her face.
Grealy did a lot of self-reflection to write this book. Since it is an autobiography, she may have done a self-interview, perhaps sitting down and writing as many memories as she could pertaining to her facial disfigurement, cancer, and emotions during the time of her surgeries. She may have gone through old journals to collect some of this information, as well as perhaps interviewing family members for their points of view. She may also have analyzed some texts pertaining to the type of cancer she suffered or some of the treatments she underwent to ensure that her accounts of those situations were completely factual and not just based on her memory.
Grealy did a lot of self-reflection to write this book. Since it is an autobiography, she may have done a self-interview, perhaps sitting down and writing as many memories as she could pertaining to her facial disfigurement, cancer, and emotions during the time of her surgeries. She may have gone through old journals to collect some of this information, as well as perhaps interviewing family members for their points of view. She may also have analyzed some texts pertaining to the type of cancer she suffered or some of the treatments she underwent to ensure that her accounts of those situations were completely factual and not just based on her memory.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Types of Research
I don't really know how to answer the prompt for blog two, which is why I have taken forever to post it. I am interested in becoming a professor, but beyond that I haven't developed a good idea of what I want to do. I am interested in teaching, but haven't really considered a specific type of research I might do. Therefore, I don't really know what type of research is relevant to my interests or career goals. I should probably have a better idea of what I want to do by this point, but I don't. I read pretty much every all of the sample essays, but I don't know where to go with this. I feel like everyone else in the class seems to have a solid idea of what they want to do with their education, but I am still in a place where I'm kind of working that out. Bear with me.
I just re-read the Oates essay and realized something - this writer essentially admits that she has done little research for her writing. She didn't do extensive research in the sense that she ought to have as a biographer, she didn't interview anyone that knew her subject or was an expert on her subject. She also admits that "Some of these are rather more playful/caricatured than serious portrayals of 'real people'. So much of Blonde is obviously fiction, to call it 'non-fiction' would be misleading.(I explain in my preface: if you want historical veracity, you must go to the biographies. Even while perhaps not 100% accurate, they are at least predicated upon literal truth, while the novel aspires to a spiritual/poetic truth.)" I suppose the aim of this essay is to prove that research isn't always necessary in writing. The writer has lots of leeway and can write from whatever viewpoint they want. However, is writing a fiction novel based on a real person ethical? Doesn't Oates have a responsibility as a writer to present factual information about a person rather than creating lies? I'm generally not a non-fiction writer, and I do understand that there are genres like "historical fiction", but I feel as though such genres only serve to perpetuate misconceptions that people have about history, so I wouldn't therefore consider them literature. Although Oates isn't claiming to be a nonfiction writer, I feel like it's easy for people to become confused and by writing something that could be nonfiction, she's leaving a lot of room for speculation. I suppose this interview was done as a way to give this information to readers of her novel, and the way that the interviewer asked questions helped the audience to understand Oates' method of writing,
I did really like the example of ethnographic research. Generally, I think of this type of research as more scientific, where the writer gathers statistics and it isn't very personal or interesting. Livingstone is able to write to her audience (perhaps college students or parents of internet-savvy children looking to gain some understanding,) by using the words of the children she is studying, rather than her own words. She uses three specific children as examples of different ways that children/teenagers use the internet, which in all cases proves her point, "Each is treading a careful line between parent-approved and child-favored activities, raising issues of domestic regulation (and its dependence on national regulation), which balance freedom, safety, and privacy, and each is developing valued expertise—'internet literacy,' though they seem more focused on making the interface work rather than on developing the broader and more ambitious critical and creative literacies that internet use affords." I particularly thought it was interesting when Livingstone would describe a scenario involving a family on the internet. She describes each family member's reactions and ideas, and then discusses the situation in relation to her research. In this way, she incorporates the ideas of her identity group, but also of the people surrounding them. I don't know how I would use this research method, but I do think it's much more interesting than some of the others.
I just re-read the Oates essay and realized something - this writer essentially admits that she has done little research for her writing. She didn't do extensive research in the sense that she ought to have as a biographer, she didn't interview anyone that knew her subject or was an expert on her subject. She also admits that "Some of these are rather more playful/caricatured than serious portrayals of 'real people'. So much of Blonde is obviously fiction, to call it 'non-fiction' would be misleading.(I explain in my preface: if you want historical veracity, you must go to the biographies. Even while perhaps not 100% accurate, they are at least predicated upon literal truth, while the novel aspires to a spiritual/poetic truth.)" I suppose the aim of this essay is to prove that research isn't always necessary in writing. The writer has lots of leeway and can write from whatever viewpoint they want. However, is writing a fiction novel based on a real person ethical? Doesn't Oates have a responsibility as a writer to present factual information about a person rather than creating lies? I'm generally not a non-fiction writer, and I do understand that there are genres like "historical fiction", but I feel as though such genres only serve to perpetuate misconceptions that people have about history, so I wouldn't therefore consider them literature. Although Oates isn't claiming to be a nonfiction writer, I feel like it's easy for people to become confused and by writing something that could be nonfiction, she's leaving a lot of room for speculation. I suppose this interview was done as a way to give this information to readers of her novel, and the way that the interviewer asked questions helped the audience to understand Oates' method of writing,
I did really like the example of ethnographic research. Generally, I think of this type of research as more scientific, where the writer gathers statistics and it isn't very personal or interesting. Livingstone is able to write to her audience (perhaps college students or parents of internet-savvy children looking to gain some understanding,) by using the words of the children she is studying, rather than her own words. She uses three specific children as examples of different ways that children/teenagers use the internet, which in all cases proves her point, "Each is treading a careful line between parent-approved and child-favored activities, raising issues of domestic regulation (and its dependence on national regulation), which balance freedom, safety, and privacy, and each is developing valued expertise—'internet literacy,' though they seem more focused on making the interface work rather than on developing the broader and more ambitious critical and creative literacies that internet use affords." I particularly thought it was interesting when Livingstone would describe a scenario involving a family on the internet. She describes each family member's reactions and ideas, and then discusses the situation in relation to her research. In this way, she incorporates the ideas of her identity group, but also of the people surrounding them. I don't know how I would use this research method, but I do think it's much more interesting than some of the others.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Fetterly/Moreno
The main focus of Fetterly's essay was that "A Rose for Emily" was written as a sexual conflict, proving that the reality that women live in is different from the reality that women are typically written into. Throughout the essay, Fetterly compares "A Rose for Emily" to Hawthorne's "The Birthmark", which she uses to prove that typically, women are servile and weak in literature, but in Faulkner's story, Miss Emily empowers herself (although negatively, as her empowerment leads her to murder her lover,) despite her town's habit of coddling her and treating her like a typical woman in polite society.
Fetterly uses her textual analysis to create a convincing argument against a patriarchal society, making her feminist ideals apparent. This type of research is used commonly in literature courses and within the English department. I can't think of another situation where one would use this type of research, as I think it's tailored to fit what an nerdy English person would do. (Which, of course, is why I enjoyed this essay and was bored by the Moreno piece.) Textual analysis is used to appropriate a text to ones' own views (Fetterly looks at Faulker through a feminist lens, etc.)
In Moreno's essay, she uses a lot of quotations to prove that what she is saying is valid. She assumes that because her student felt a certain way, that she can assert that others feel the same. The issue with this essay is that although Raymundo's writing was an excellent way to understand writers who come from other cultures or backgrounds, it is not necessarily telling the audience anything on a particularly deeper level. The class was a "race and ethnicity writing couse", so Raymundo was following prompts and was therefore not as candid and honest as he may have otherwise been - this made it easy for Moreno to use his words to prove her own.I found her writing convoluted, and worst of all, boring. After class discussion, I understand that this essay was meant to show a classic example of this type of research, but I think what I really gained from it is that I never, ever want to do this type of research. Ever.
Fetterly uses her textual analysis to create a convincing argument against a patriarchal society, making her feminist ideals apparent. This type of research is used commonly in literature courses and within the English department. I can't think of another situation where one would use this type of research, as I think it's tailored to fit what an nerdy English person would do. (Which, of course, is why I enjoyed this essay and was bored by the Moreno piece.) Textual analysis is used to appropriate a text to ones' own views (Fetterly looks at Faulker through a feminist lens, etc.)
In Moreno's essay, she uses a lot of quotations to prove that what she is saying is valid. She assumes that because her student felt a certain way, that she can assert that others feel the same. The issue with this essay is that although Raymundo's writing was an excellent way to understand writers who come from other cultures or backgrounds, it is not necessarily telling the audience anything on a particularly deeper level. The class was a "race and ethnicity writing couse", so Raymundo was following prompts and was therefore not as candid and honest as he may have otherwise been - this made it easy for Moreno to use his words to prove her own.I found her writing convoluted, and worst of all, boring. After class discussion, I understand that this essay was meant to show a classic example of this type of research, but I think what I really gained from it is that I never, ever want to do this type of research. Ever.
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