...Growing up in a Puerto Rican American household, Spanish speaking was mainly done between my grandparents and parents. Both of my parents were born here in Chicago, but they were around the language and picked it up growing up having parents that had migrated from Puerto Rico. Having a common Hispanic last name, I feel like I have the expectancy to know Spanish and to be able to translate to other Hispanic, non-English speakers. This didn’t really bother me until I got to high school. I would get questions and comments like, “How are you even Hispanic if you don’t speak Spanish?”, or “but your last name is Rodriguez”, and things along those lines. When I would see people speaking Spanish who weren’t even of a Hispanic descent, it really bothered...
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...Shaking hands, tear-like sweat on foreheads, mouths running fast to think of anything but our impending doom. It seemed as if we had waited for hours. On Tuesday, May 3rd, my classmates and I sat to take the AP Physics 1 exam. On this dreadful day, we were ushered into the testing room promptly at 12:00 p.m. and were told to put away the study materials we were all cramming with in the hall. We thought the test would begin shortly, but –much to our dismay– it did not. One of the A.M. tests of the day, AP Spanish, had technical difficulties and had not yet let out. We were forced to wait in this bleak room until the other test let out. Unable to even glance at our notes, the confidence we were filled with upon entering the room chipped away with each minute. When the final student arrived...
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...Theme and Narrative Elements in Hills like White Elephants Lila Wright ENG 125 Kendall Shearman October 2, 2014 Theme and Narrative Elements in Hills like White Elephants In the short story Hills like White Elephants, symbols are other narrative elements are used to illuminate the theme by stirring feelings in the reader, heightening the conflict, or creating a certain mood while reading the story. Theme in a story is a representation of the idea behind the story (Clugston, 2014). In Hills like White Elephants the theme of meaningless is contributed to many literary elements, in which setting, symbols, and characters will be discussed in this paper. In Hills like White Elephants, the story is primarily a conversation between an American man and a girl nicknamed Jig. The rift between the two characters is shown by the way the course of the conversation, in which it is merely just talking because neither of the characters is truly communicating with the other. Both the American man and the girl are talking but not listening to the other’s point of view. Although it is not mentioned by name, the operation they speak of is an abortion. The American man is frustrated and tries to convince the girl, his girlfriend, to have the operation anyway he can. He tells her things will go back to the way they used to be if she has the abortion. The girl’s mind keeps changing and she ends up telling him at one point that she will do it just to get him to shut up. After he still persists...
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...profanity and slang, code-switching seamlessly between Spanish and English, the language of the streets and the academy. Over the course of three books, and nearly two decades, Junot Díaz has used the character of Yunior to explore the intersections between love and loss, displacement and desire, within the American immigrant experience.In This Is How You Lose Her, Díaz focuses on Yunior’s own life as a successful writer and college professor struggling through a series of passionate romantic relationships. From the neighbourhoods of Santo Domingo through the rough streets of New Jersey to every brick of Harvard’s halls, Yunior’s journey closely mirrors that of his creator. In This Is How You Lose Her, Yunior’s voice holds all of these worlds at once in a singular and intoxicating balance.The collection begins with “The Sun, the Moon, the Stars.” Yunior paints a cynical picture of the upscale Dominican resort to which his girlfriend has dragged him on the eve of their ailing relationship’s demise: “A goddamn fortress, walled away from everybody else,” with “beaches so white they ache to be trampled.” Isolated there, he finds himself surrounded by “Garcías and Colóns” who “come to relax after a long month of oppressing the masses,” and the “melanin deficient Eurofucks” who look like “budget Foucaults … too many of them in the company of a dark-assed Dominican girl.”In this passage, as in much of Díaz’s work, Yunior interrupts his narrative descriptions to directly address the reader—“Let’s...
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...‚The Happy Man’ The story I’m going to analyze is entitled ‘The happy man’ and it was written by Somerset Maugham, a well-known English writer. He was born on 25 of January in 1874, he was an English playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was one of the most popular authors of his era. Now, I’d like to give the summary of the story. At the beginning of the story the author tells us that the narrator didn’t like to give advices. The narrator thought about life and showed his attitude to the whole life. He said that he didn’t know anything of others. But then the narrator remembered that once he had advised well. Once a man, a total stranger, came to him and ask him for a piece of advice. He wanted to know if he would have any chance to have a job in Spain. The narrator said that if he wasn’t worried about money, he would be success. 15 years later the narrator happened to be in Servile. He had some in disposition and went to an English doctor. It turned out that this doctor was Stephens. He was happy in Spain. And thanked the narrator a lot. The method of character’s portrayed is indirect, which sometimes called dramatic. The author didn’t comment upon the person ages, the author made them act, speak and let the reader judge for himself. The main characters of the story are the narrator and Stephens. The narrator was an intelligent, clever and bright. We can judge by his way of narration, speech. He was a doctor but didn’t practice. And first of all he...
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...Drown Drown, the compilation of ten short stories written by Junot Diaz narrates the experience of Hispanic Latino teenagers with different themes and from one part of life to another. He pictured the world of Drown as a rough, violent, poor and seemingly hopeless experiences. The compilation of stories narrated by Yunior tells his stories from different points of view of life. The events and experiences mentioned in this novel by Diaz are what most Hispanic teenagers go through. As the novel begins with “The fact that I am writing you in English already falsifies what I wanted to tell you.” (Drown). This epigraph in beginning by Gustavo Perez Firmat gives a clue of focusing Hispanic community. After reading the whole book my question is this book merely story telling or autobiographical? This question came to my mind by relating Diaz’s interview in Colbert’s show. Stephen Colbert, the host of show when asked him how he came to America, Diaz answered that his father first came to New York, settled here and called them over. Diaz also mentioned that he saw his dad the first time as he was away from family and once they landed to America his father took them to New Jersey which was weird according to Diaz. Same scenario was somewhat presented in beginning of Drown but through Yunior- the narrator. Diaz used the specific words and some symbols which the reader can almost feel the story as if it is real. Diaz, who was born in Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic and migrated...
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...be found in the movie. What’s more, the lighting in this film is high-key lighting which connotes the meaning of happiness and serenity. Moreover, the mode of address in this film is indirect to the audience which was used the third person angle to encode the meaning to the audience. On the other hand, I choose this movie because of few reasons. Firstly, I love the main character- Zac Efron very much. He has acted in many teenage romance films before, for instance, High School Musical 1, 2 and3. After I watched the High School Musical, I admire his out-looking and his acting skills. Therefore, I choose this film. Besides, the narrative of this movie is very special, which is a non-linear structure and always include some flashback scenes. Firstly, I am going to analyzing the narrative structure of this text. As Todorov mentioned; narrative structure can be divided into 5 parts, which are equilibrium, disequilibrium conflict, recognition of disequilibrium, attempt to...
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...October 31, 2012 Point of View The short story, The Lady with the Pet Dog, written by Anton Chekhov is narrated in the omniscient, third person style. “From this point of view, the narrator can move from place to place and pass back and forth through time” (136). Also, “this narrator can report the characters’ thoughts and feelings aw well as what they say and do” (136). The all knowing speaker of this story tells us, the readers, all about the whirl wind affair of Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna in such a way that we can draw our own conclusions about their characters. The narrator, who plays no character part in this story, does seem to know everything about the lovebirds. S/he also explains each character’s personality and quips portions of their conversations. The conversations that we are told about give the reader insight into the feelings of Dmitry and Anna. We learn about their comings and goings from the narrator. In Yalta, the narrator tells us of the many social scenes like the esplanade, confectionery shop and a public garden. The narrator sees into the romantic situations of Dmitry and Anna’s hotel room encounters and the private conversations that also welcome the reader into the relationship. The pain and restraints of each character’s home and life are addresses by the narrator also. Whether ensconced in safe houses and relationships or free to roam while on vacation the reader learns it all from the narrator. The point of view of this...
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...Crash: Of Racial Discrimination and Stereotypes November 3rd, 2011 Crash: Of Racial Discrimination and Stereotypes Directed by Paul Haggis and produced in 2004, Crash was the Oscar Awards winner of Best Picture in 2006. Aside from Best Picture, the movie won only one other award: Best Original Screenplay for Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco. Despite its little recognition, Crash is an important movie to watch. Plot The plot of Crash is not about a typical, narrative story in the usual sense. Instead, it focuses on a theme or message and weaves several linked stories to highlight the theme. The movie is essentially about racial discrimination and the consequences of stereotyping people. Set in LA, the story covers a 24-hour period. The movie depicts the stories of several people whose lives are intertwined by accidental and casual encounters, usually on the streets. The characters in the story are people of varying ethnic groups: a bad and a good cop, a group of police investigators, a couple of teenage robbers, a DA and his wife, an Arab family, a Hispanic locksmith and his family, and an affluent African American movie director and his wife. The story revolves around how all of these people have deeply ingrained prejudices and how they themselves could suffer from discrimination. Theme and depiction Discrimination and stereotyping of people sometimes happen as a result of reinforcement of the behavior of the people being discriminatory...
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...Appendix C Rhetorical Modes Matrix Rhetorical modes are methods for effectively communicating through language and writing. Complete the following chart to identify the purpose and structure of the various rhetorical modes used in academic writing. Provide at least 2 tips for writing each type of rhetorical device. |Rhetorical Mode |Purpose – Explain when or why |Structure – Explain what organizational |Provide 2 tips for writing in | | |each rhetorical mode is used. |method works best with each rhetorical mode. |each rhetorical mode. | |Narration |Anytime you tell what happened |The organizational method that works best |Two tips for narrative writing| | |or tell a story you use |with narrative writing is chronological |are decide if the story is | | |narration. |order. |factual or fictional, and use | | | | |transitional words and | | | | |phrases. | | |The purpose of an illustration |Order of importance is the best way to |One tip is to use transitional| |Illustration |essay is to show or demonstrate |organize an illustration essay. |words...
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...This excerpt from Nabokov's Pnin focuses on the main character Pnin and how he is obsessed about his health and assumes every worst possibilities that could happen to him. In this extract Pnin is in a station waiting to board a bus to Cremona. Due to circumstances he has to leave his bag in the station and board the bus and that's when he starts getting paranoid and anxious that something is happening to him and he thinks to himself that it's because he left his bag in the station and something bad is going to happen to him. So he stops the bus, gets his refund and lands in the middle of a strange town and starts thinking more about why he is feeling the way he is. He manages to pull out all sort of discomfort he is feeling at that moment and questions everything he did the day earlier. It seems like this story was written from the viewpoint of Pnin's Physician and he knows that Pnin has always had the tendency to over think every situation that comes his way and has a way to make it look bad, like it's written in the excerpt, “...That the repulsive automation he lodged had developed consciousness of its own”. Pnin has also kept track of and noted down the date of all those time he got the same anxious feeling and he's very specific about it. He seem like a very fidgety and a nervous person as a whole. The narrators of this story sounds like he is also in the same state of mind as Pnin's because of the way he ponders about life, death and the world. Pnin seems very confused...
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...“The Gift of the Magi” Milton Wiscovitch Jr. ENG 125 Prof. Jennifer Chunn November 26, 2012 Theme and Narrative Elements of “The Gift of the Magi” O Henry’s short story written in 1906 “The Gift of the Magi” identifies the theme elements as poverty and love. The lack of money and living in a poor neighborhood affected both Della and Jim. They expressed their unconditional love for each other by sacrificing their most prized possessions in order to buy a Christmas gift. Through this act of love both Della and Jim saw how much they really loved each other by wanting to make their partner happy. This short story identifies that love has no boundaries over having money through self sacrifice when it comes to giving all you have for the one you love. The couple sacrificed items that brought them joy such as Della’s hair and Jim’s watch which was important to the both of them but wasn’t worth much financially (Clugston, 2010). The plot’s analysis centers around the initial situation which states that Della only has $1.87 to purchase her husband Jim a gift on Christmas Eve. Both Della and Jim are poor and love her husband more than in the whole world. Della’s long hair and Jim’s gold watch were the only things they had and gave them up for one another. In the conflict, Della sells her hair to get the money in order to purchase her husband Jim a gift. This solves the problem of not having enough money and later she finds the perfect present for her husband. This opposes...
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...The Role of Sound in The Thin Red Line Terrence Malick attempts to recreate a part of the war in the pacific on screen through the use of a variety of techniques in The Thin Red Line (1998). One of the most prevalent of these techniques is the use of sound in the movie. Unlike the majority of war movies this movie doesn’t feature a soundtrack that glorifies the battle scenes. The presence of periodic narration and a focus on natural sounds like wind and water moving across the landscape also set this film apart. These audio features combine flawlessly with video to create a very deep and seemingly realistic depiction of the horrors of war. There is little, if any, soundtrack in the intense scenes of battle. This stands out in contrast to the blockbuster action flicks that portray intense action as thrilling and exciting with high tempo musical scores. By creating this contrast with typical action movies Malick lets the audience know that this movie should not go down the same way as the latest Rambo movie does. When a musical soundtrack is present it is often sad and low or it is associated with the environment of the film, such as native islanders singing or sticks drumming against one another. The toned-down soundtrack gives the movie a more authentic feel. The musical soundtrack is most lighthearted when Pvt. Witt is with the natives, separated from the army and civilization. Malick also uses the soundtrack to highlight shifts in emotional scenes. An excellent example...
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...Associate Program Material Appendix C Rhetorical Modes Matrix Rhetorical modes are methods for effectively communicating through language and writing. Complete the following chart to identify the purpose and structure of the various rhetorical modes used in academic writing. Provide at least 2 tips for writing each type of rhetorical device. |Rhetorical Mode |Purpose – Explain when or why |Structure – Explain what organizational |Provide 2 tips for writing in | | |each rhetorical mode is used. |method works best with each rhetorical mode. |each rhetorical mode. | |Narration |Is to tell a story, an event or |The organizational method that will work best| The 2 tips for narration is | | |series of events |is chronological order. |to decide if the story is | | | | |factual or fictional and use | | | | |transitional words or phrases.| | |Is to show a point to the reader|Organize the evidence in terms of importance,|Vary the phrases of | |Illustration |and uses evidence to support it |either from least important to most important|illustration you use. | | | |and vice versa ...
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...Associate Program Material Appendix C Rhetorical Modes Matrix Rhetorical modes are methods for effectively communicating through language and writing. Complete the following chart to identify the purpose and structure of the various rhetorical modes used in academic writing. Provide at least two tips for writing each type of rhetorical device. NOTE: You may not copy and paste anything directly from the textbook or a web site. All information included in this assignment must be written in your own words. Rhetorical Mode | * Purpose – Explain when or why each rhetorical mode is used. | Structure – Identify the organizational method that works best with each rhetorical mode. | Tips – Provide two tips for writing in each rhetorical mode. | Narration | The art of telling stories | Usually a chronological order which events are told in order in which they occurred | 1. A plot summary can help you create a chronological outline. 2. Start with a strong intro hook, your reader into wanting you to continue reading. | Illustration | Demonstrates and support a point through the use of evidence | Order of importance: Arrange ideas according to the significance | 1. Use the evidence that is appropriate to your topic. and your audience.2. Vary phrases of illustration you used, it is critical when trying to keep readers engaged. | Description | To make sure your audience is | | | Classification | | | | Processanalysis | | | | Definition | | | | ...
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