...I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the 1969 autobiography about the early years of African-American writer and poet Maya Angelou. The first in a seven-volume series, it is a coming-of-age story that illustrates how strength of character and a love of literature can help overcome racism and trauma. The book begins when three-year-old Maya and her older brother are sent to Stamps, Arkansas, to live with their grandmother and ends when Maya becomes a mother at the age of 16. In the course of Caged Bird, Maya transforms from a victim of racism with an inferiority complex into a self-possessed, dignified young woman capable of responding to prejudice. Angelou was challenged by her friend, author James Baldwin, and her editor, Robert Loomis, to write an autobiography that was also a piece of literature. Reviewers often categorize Caged Bird as autobiographical fiction because Angelou uses thematic development and other techniques common to fiction, but the prevailing critical view characterizes it as an autobiography, a genre she attempts to critique, change, and expand. The book covers topics common to autobiographies written by Black American women in the years following the civil rights movement: a celebration of Black motherhood; a critique of racism; the importance of family; and the quest for independence, personal dignity, and self-definition. Angelou uses her autobiography to explore subjects such as identity, rape, racism, and literacy. She also writes in new ways about...
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...HOW TO ANALYSE SOURCES ANALYSING OF SOURCES Historical criticism.-> Original document? How, when, and why did it come into being? Where does it come from? Who is the author or the cartoonist or the cameraman? 2 critical questions: Could the witness possibly have known the truth? Did the witness wish to tell the truth? EVALUATING OF SOURCES Authenticity? (are there factual errors in the source?) Reliability? (how long after the event was the source produced?) Bias/Prejudice? Subjectivity VS objectivity? Historians have an issue, the source is problematic (biased, emotions, etc) and the historian is a human writer. To guard oneself from being manipulated by bias sources, one must cross-reference. This means one must analyse a few sources and then synthesise their own conclusion. QUESTIONS WHICH ASK YOU TO COMPARE IN THE TEST OR EXAM Generally sources can have two characteristics with each other. They are either similar or they are contradictory/different with each other. One should consider the following aspects when answering these types of exam questions: What are the similarities(1) and the differences(2) between the sources? How do these sources complement each other(3)? Which of these sources provides a more accurate viewpoint on the topic(4)? QUESTIONS WHICH ASK YOU TO USE ALL THE SOURCES This is an eight mark question which comes prior to the essay. One is required to write approximately 10-15 lines;...
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...Natural Effects on a Boy Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Confessions has the entire life of its author’s experiences, virtues, and detailed imperfections. Rousseau’s Confessions is one of the first notable autobiographies and has influenced many forms of narratives. It inaugurated modern day autobiography and inspired a narrative technic used in many great novels. Rousseau wrote this autobiography in order to tell the world about himself and express the nature of man. He did not want to be known by how people thought of him, but rather be able to tell people exactly what happened in his life and let them be the judge. Rousseau begins Confessions by stating, “this is the only portrait of a man, painted exactly according to nature and in all of its truth, that exists and will probably ever exist” (57). He included embarrassing experiences and personal thoughts from throughout his life to show every possible virtue of his life. He portrays what every boy encounters from mischievous trickery to entering sexual adulthood. The events that change his life and himself become a consistent theme while he describes his childhood, sexual cravings, and natural thoughts of a boy’s life. One of the most common subjects in Rousseau autobiography is the story of his childhood and the nature of a boy. Rousseau’s mother passed away during his birth, which strained the relation between him and his father. When they tried to speak of her the conversation would end with tears because his father saw Rousseau’s...
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...López de Córdoba, a Spanish noblewoman, wrote her Memorias, which may be the first autobiography in Castillian. Zāhir ud-Dīn Mohammad Bābur,who founded the Mughal dynasty of South Asia kept a journal Bāburnāma (Chagatai/Persian: بابر نامہ; literally: "Book of Babur" or "Letters of Babur") which was written between 1493 and 1529. One of the first great autobiographies of the Renaissance is that of the sculptor and goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini (1500–1571), written between 1556 and 1558, and entitled by him simply Vita (Italian: Life). He declares at the start: "No matter what sort he is, everyone who has to his credit what are or really seem great achievements, if he cares for truth and goodness, ought to write the story of his own life in his own hand; but no one should venture on such a splendid undertaking before he is over forty."[2] These criteria for autobiography generally persisted until recent times, and most serious autobiographies of the next three hundred years conformed to them. Another autobiography of the period is De vita propria, by the Italian mathematician, physician and astrologer Gerolamo Cardano (1574). The earliest known autobiography in English is the early 15th-century Booke of Margery Kempe, describing among other things her pilgrimage to the Holy Land and visit to Rome. The book remained in manuscript and was not published until 1936. Notable English autobiographies of the 17th century include those of Lord Herbert of Cherbury (1643, published 1764)...
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...The page before Donald M. Murray’s “All Writing is Autobiography” warns readers that Murray’s opinion on writing is different from most other opinions. Prior to reading Murray’s article, I agreed with those opinions which included the rule: never use the word “I” in a formal paper. While writing this paper, I feel a strong urge to erase the words “I agreed” and rewrite the entire page in a more formal manner. Murray’s article changed my idea of the writing process by making me realize that every piece of writing is autobiographical whether or not an author is writing objectively through word choice, sentence structure, metaphors, and even punctuation. A reader can learn much about an author through his or her word choice. An author’s diction may seem more colloquial or more obscure and academic depending on his or her personality. Murray demonstrates how an author can use creativity by creating words when he uses the words “squenched and “companioned” in his poem “At 64, Talking Without Words.” Though these are not words one would find in a dictionary, they are understood by readers and aid in defining the author. Sentence structure is an important piece of writing. An author may utilize a run-on sentence or a one-worded sentence in order to create a point or emphasize one, however grammatically incorrect the sentence may be. Charlotte Brontë, for example, frequently uses run-one sentences in order to complete a thought without the interruption of a period. Authors may...
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...Chinese Cinderella by Adeline yen Mah is an autobiography written to general audience who may be interested in childhood memoirs or perhaps in understanding the different culture Adeline came from. Whereas animal refuge is an article written for general audience as well but to describe not only what they did and how money they had to spend but also how they felt about their lives. However both the texts share the same concept to inform, explain and describe their experiences to the readers by the writers various techniques. In Chinese Cinderella, the extract sets the stage for Adeline’s story. Mah uses plain language, simple sentences and first person (I) to invoke the feeling of childhood nostalgia, giving the story a perspective from Adeline’s viewpoint, ‘I watched her open the closet door and take out her safe deposit box’. Mah characterizes her younger self as an innocent and curious girl, eager to please and learn. Moreover, Aunt Baba’s pride and patience with Adeline creates the illusion that they come from a loving house because of The way that Aunt Baba treats Adeline’s certificate like “some precious jewel” shows how Aunt Baba vies Adeline as a treasure “impossible to replace”. However the article animal refuge, the writer uses 2nd person to show the view point of Sarah who states that being 14 can be horrible as adults ignore your opinions. The writer uses phrases such as ‘social breakdown’, ‘Reebok’ or ‘Levis jeans’ to relate to the audience as such phrases are quite...
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...An author’s style refers to the way a writer writes and the technique in which an individual author uses in his writing. It can also be described as a voice readers listen to when they read the work of a writer. Many authors choose different styles of writing when creating a novel. Some focus on feelings in order to draw the reader in emotionally. Some authors rush the pace of the book to emphasize some events over others. An author chooses a certain style to allow them get their point across effectively. In the novel, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, James Weldon Johnson uses character development, vague emotions and narration style to communicate his feelings and beliefs about the realities of race by creating a stronger relationship between the author, narrator, and reader. The narrator discloses his unclear sense of identity through how he expresses characters, specifically by not using any names. He uses nicknames that distinguish characteristics. For example, in the beginning of the book, he describes who “Red-Head” is, “He was a big awkward boy with a face full of freckles and a head full of very red hair” (5). The emphasis is on the actual character, instead of a name. By...
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...Literature and the Individual in Early Modern Masterpieces Monique Dean ENG/106 August 21, 2012 Ann Francis Literature and the Individual in Early Modern Masterpieces Montaigne is known as one of the most prolific authors throughout history. His works are largely based upon his life, a life that began in the 1500’s. One of the more fascinating facts about Montaigne is that he had an absolutely horrible memory. This goes on throughout many of his books, he holds nothing back speaking about how he is just an ordinary person and not perfect. Even with his memory failures and other shortfalls, there have been many successful writers and readers all over who admired and looked to him as someone they aspire to be. Early Writers Montaigne was not known for being a follower however; he did have those who he admired throughout his life. He was a huge fan of Socrates. Socrates usually made it known that there were many things that he did not know. Montaigne adopted this mindset as well, and is known for asking the question, “What do I know” (Laundry, 2011)? “Unlike Socrates, his is not the mastering of nature by reason, the subordination of the outer self by the intellect, but a bringing into balance of the inner and outer self” (Losse, 2002). Montaigne would also provide most of the information in his essays on himself, and his situations as they relate to his life. This is why most considered him to be a bit of a skeptic. Montaigne also had his favorites that...
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...Imagine reading a poorly written review of a movie that you would like to see this weekend. You cannot follow the characters, action, or conflict because the author of the review rambles on and on. Without clear paragraphs, this review will likely lose your interest, and you may skip the movie altogether! When you are the writer, it is helpful to position yourself as a reader. Ask yourself whether you can focus easily on each point you make. Effective writers use a single paragraph for each new idea they introduce. Paragraphs separate ideas into logical, manageable, and distinct units. Each paragraph focuses on only one main idea and presents coherent sentences to support that single point. Because all the sentences in one paragraph support the same point, a paragraph may stand on its own. Each paragraph is shaped by Purpose: the reason why the writer composes the paragraph. < Tone: the attitude the writer conveys about the paragraph’s subject. < Audience: the individual or group whom the writer intends to address. < Content: the written material in the paragraph. < 174 WRITING FOR SUCCESS To create longer assignments and to discuss more than one point, writers group together paragraphs and link them together with transitions. The assignment’s purpose, audience, and tone dictate the content, which determines what paragraphs cover and how each will support a main point. The main point of the paragraph is the message you want to share with the...
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...Writing for me was never a struggle, I was just lazy. I learned to write better when I started college. I would practice writing more because I had to. My writing improved and I desired to write more. When a student doesn’t want to write because they feel they can’t, you can’t expect them to try. Writing is hard and messy; it takes will and caring enough to want to write. It’s that more interesting, stimulating and fun when you write about something that captures your interest to get students motivated to write. I’ll start with one good old fashion method, “motivation.” Motivation plays an essential role in developing good writing skills. Teachers want to be able to present students with the materials and tools they need to gain their interest. It’s also important for them to have access to everything they need at their fingertips. What I also think would make a student’s successful at writing is to implement writing workshops daily, into their everyday curriculum. Routines and rituals are set-up for the workshops. This gives them something to look forward too. It’s a way to work out the things that they struggle with, like not getting enough writing or expectations of how much they should write about. They need to grow on those things, motivate them to focus and brainstorm on ideas and get those ideas down on paper. Motivate them to share and reflect on what they write about. Every day, during the beginning of the class, they start with an expectation for the activity, they...
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...In the past 5 years, I have been using my opportunities for writing in my work environment. I work in a Mini Medical Health insurance company where I have to communicate with not only my co-workers but the clients. A lot of my writing is done through emails and billing. I also write letters to our patients who are also members, notifying them of any problems regarding their insurance. Another form of writing I do through out the week is discussion questions for my English class and my Math class. The discussion questions are usually about what we learned that week. One example of the discussion questions would be, “How would I improve in my writing”? Another example would be, “How does mathematics affect our lives?” Also, I would respond to one of my classmate’s answer and give them my feedback on what they wrote. I know that writing is used a lot in the business world and that I need to improve in it because I am not very good at writing. It is hard for me to come up with ideas and conclusions. Writing also sometimes is confusing for me when it comes to using certain words in writing. An example would be remembering when to use the words” there” and “their”. One is talking about a place and the other about a group of people, but sometimes I use it incorrectly in my writing. What I would do in that situation is look it up in a dictionary to make sure I use the correct word in the sentence. There was once a time when I wrote an email to my boss and I did not proof...
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...understand | استنتج | 5 | explicit | specific | صريح | 6 | frequently | Much , a lot | كثيرا | 7 | illustration | clarification, explanation | توضيح | 8 | critique | criticism | نقد | 9 | generalization | popularization | تعميم | 10 | desirable | eligible | مرغوب فيه | 11 | authors | writer, bookkeeper, prosaist | الكتاب | 12 | assignment | task, mission, job | مهمة | 13 | argue | dispute, debate, quarrel, | تجادل | 14 | proposition | suggestion, motion, | اقتراح | 15 | mass | Collective, memorial prayer | كتلة | 16 | perception | understanding, grasp | الإدراك | 17 | influenced | affected | متأثر | 18 | apparent | visible, obvious, manifest | واضح | 19 | theoretical | abstract, notional | نظري | 20 | approaches | oncoming, access | المناهج | 21 | argument | excuse, pretext, | حجة | 22 | coherent | solid, concrete | متماسك | 23 | demonstrate | explain, expound, | شرح | 24 | | | | 25 | | | | 26 | | | | 27 | | | | The Explanatory Synthesis The purpose of this handout is to describe briefly the purpose of the explanatory synthesis essay and to provide you with some writing suggestions. In the explanatory synthesis, writers divide a subject into its component parts and present them to the reader in a clear and orderly fashion. You will present the facts objectively, without judgment. Your purpose is to use your sources to inform your readers. In developing a thesis for your explanatory synthesis, base your thesis on...
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...Experiences as a writer My experience as a writer is very limted. As a mechanic and seeing that this is my first time attending college I do not have much experience. The only time have to dedicate to writing is when I’m off from work. I am usually writing about my feelings for my loved ones in a journal. When at work I am required to write reports on the equipment and the functions of the machines. At school I am allowed to expand my knowledge for writing. My feelings towards writing are mixed. On one hand I enjoy writing but, because of my lack of knowledge and my busy schedule I do not have time to fully dedicated myself to it. To me in order to write u have to have a feeling towards it, and truly understand what you are doing. I believe that you cannot simply jump into writing it has to be learned over time and practice in order to become a good writer. My experience from writing comes from my journal entries that I try to write in every day. I believe that is going to help me become more adjusted to writing in a class room. My bad experiences with writing come from when I was in high school. I was not a very good writer and it showed in my grades. I do believe it’s because of I lacked the passion to write. So that taught me that whenever I pick a topic to write about it has to be sometime that I could relate to as closely as...
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...Communication Channel Scenarios In business and social environments good communication is vital. It is therefore of great importance to produce viable channels of communication when addressing situations, to effectively transmit a message clear from barriers that may cause distortion. Author Robins (2011) presents three scenarios requiring a proper form of communication to address each situation. The first scenario presents a situation requiring a formal channel of oral communication conveyed through group discussion. This would be the most efficient means of communication to best facilitate strategic planning within the time frame given as stated in the first scenario. This channel of communication proves to be most beneficial, because it is direct and promotes speed and feedback with the least amount of distortion among team members. The composite of team ideas should then be placed in the written format of a marketing plan. Author Robins (2011) suggests that “written communications are more likely to be well thought out, logical, and clear.” Once completed, the final written layout of execution should be submitted to the Vice President of Operations by email. The second scenario presents an IT issue affecting all levels of a business. I would contact the IT department utilizing the channel of oral communication to efficiently address the issue, while receiving immediate feedback. I would then relay the new login name and password to all employees by channel of written...
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...During the 1890s, many women were limited to what they were allowed to do. They could not go to school, have a job, or even vote. Men viewed women as though they were only meant to bear children and be a housewife. However, a writer by the name of Kate Chopin was a voice for women all the over the world. Two of her most famous writings are “The Storm”, and “Story of an Hour”. Within these two writings, she discussed issues that many other women writers would have avoided. Another writer who was famous for his portrayal of gritty topics was Ernest Hemingway. One of his most memorable writding is titled “Hills like White Elephants”. These writers were able to write about challenging realistic new ideas such as freedom after the death of a love one, abortion, and adultery. Although some of these stories are deemed gritty, Hemingway’s “Hills like White Elephants” deals with realistic issues couples often face. These writings also have ironic undertones such as, when Mrs. Mallards dies from seeing from dead husband and the girl who thinks about abortion, but notices greener fields on the other side of the track. Furthermore realism is when an author intends to tell real life events to his/her audience. Realism can appear in many different aspects of society. When it comes to writing, realism focuses on the average individual, and can be heard as a voice for the ordinary human being. There is a focus on realistic people and events. For example in “Hills like White Elephants”...
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