THERE, THEIR, THEY'RE: COMFORTING GRAMMAR ANXIETY IN A "SYNTAXED" MIND...

There are many quite unflattering names to describe those individuals for whom  proper grammar and syntax is extremely important:  The Grammar Hammar, Grammar Nazi,  OCGD's (obsessive compulsive grammar disorder), and Grammar Police (which technically would need to refer to a group of grammar sticklers) are only a few examples.

I guess it makes sense that our current culture would refer to these grammar gurus in the negative.  After all, we live in a high tech, speed of light, word counting world, and these detail crazies are annoying.  We don't have time to write out the whole words.  And that extra button to capitalize the personal I?  Well, it can be a personal pain that interrupts the texting flow.  Numbers have started to find their way into our words:  l8r, m8, let's go sk8ing, for the sake of time and a strange sort of cleverness I don't fully understand.  As far as capital letters to begin our sentences or put nouns in their "proper place?" (only the true grammar nerds will get that one) That is almost a dead art.

Believe it or not, I was your age once.  I remember believing that it was more about the creativity and "word painting" ability as a writer than where the commas and semi-colons belonged.  I wanted my writing to move people, make them see something differently, or maybe even REALLY see something for the first time.  That should be the assessment focus.   Punctuation?  Well, that was cute, too, but not as important as style.  Much to my chagrin, Marina High School's Honors English III teacher, Mr. Hole, had a very different point of view.

The first piece of writing I ever turned into him was a narrative.  I was very proud of that narrative, and was expecting to receive some very encouraging comments of recognition when it was returned.  Instead, my paper floated back to me in a river of red ink.  I was crushed, and if I am completely honest, I was also indignant and a little bitter.

For a while, I was afraid to write for Mr. Hole.  I experienced blocks that I had never known as a student writer.  I was convinced my past glowing reports were all just a sham, and now that I had entered the world of REAL writers, well, I just plain wasn't one.  I went to see him during office hours every time we had a paper due brimming with all sorts of insecure questions.  I would write, rewrite, throw away and write again before I would show anything to him.   Then, one day, he said this to me, and it really changed everything:  "Kristin, you are a great writer.  You are creative and I can tell you have a genuine love of words and storytelling.  You must believe you are an artist.  But what good will any of that do you if people cannot clearly see the vision you have poured out on the page?"

It stuck.  I even wrote it down to remind myself of that.  What good, indeed?  And furthermore, what if a poorly placed comma or missing semi-colon placed my work in a negative light for an intelligent, syntax-savvy reader?  This was a necessary, humbling experience that not only made me a better more effective writer, but it also made me realize how complex the process of creating communication really was...and you know what?  It SHOULD be!  Communicating effectively deserves our time and close attention!  Words are extremely powerful!  We have certainly explored that notion this year.  But that power is quickly drained in untrained hands.  Nathaniel Hawthorne said it best:  "Words--so innocent and powerless as they are standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows well how to combine them."

So why should you care?  Well, for one, like it or not, the professional world cares.  According to an article in Forbes Magazine, (dated March 11, 2013):  "....good grammar is a fairly accurate predictor of professional success."  Apparently, there are studies to prove it.
1.  Professionals with fewer grammar errors in their profiles had achieved higher positions.  The profiles of those who'd failed to achieve director-level positions within the first ten years of their careers made almost three times as many grammatical errors as their director-level colleagues.
2.  Fewer grammar errors correlate with more promotions.  Professionals with six to nine promotions made 45% fewer grammatical errors than those who'd been promoted 1-4 times.

 In the article, Forbes interviewed iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens, who maintained that grammar skills typically indicate positive workplace traits, including but not limited to attention to detail, critical thinking and intellectual aptitude.

You don't need to be a Forbes editor or a Fortune 500 CEO to know that you only get one chance to make a first impression.  In our tech-savvy world, most communication is now written and sent via email or text messaging.  When face time is used, grammar and syntax skills still come through in verbal communication, as well: "With whom shall I conference on this topic?" vs. "Who do I follow up with?"  OR  "Where shall we meet on Friday?"  vs.  "Where do you wanna meet up at this Friday?"



I'll admit, that last so-called sentence I just typed made me cringe.  I do not at all profess to be perfect or even nearly so when it comes to English grammar and syntax, but I do strongly believe in its great significance.  As you are revising and then editing your essays for me this week, please take the time to consult grammar and syntax resources, such as the classic Elements of Style book that graced many an English major's personal desk-handy library or the newer Purdue Owl online writing reference.  It is time very well spent as it makes such a difference in how others perceive you as a communicator!  We may be moving from the calligraphy pen to the stylus, but that just means communication is now more readily available and easy to access.  Now more than ever, it is important to be an excellent, effective communicator....literally!

Enjoy these humorous blog commentaries.  The first one about the "alot" is one of my favorites, and it will certainly give you a much needed comic relief, but on another level, it will also show you how seriously the Grammar Hammers of the world take this issue.  Hey, let's be honest, you should probably take it seriously, too, because according to Forbes, these Grammar Nazi, OCGD, Grammar Police Officers will most likely be your employers and promoters someday!

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

https://theoatmeal.com/comics/who_vs_whom

https://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon

Enjoy reading these links and comment on your favorite!

THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH in an uncertain world...

"There is an eternal landscape, a geography of the soul.  We spend our entire lives looking for the outlines." ~Josephine Hart

Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, each one of us is on a quest for truth.  It is human nature to wonder--to seek--to fill the gaps of knowledge, and color in the spaces between the known and the unknown.  We are not satisfied to "let it be" and accept that perhaps some information is beyond our grasp.  It is what makes life frustrating and wonderful.  It is what makes us pathetic and extraordinary at the same time.

We are seekers.

And thank goodness we are.  If we weren't, polio would still plague us.  The world would be flat.  Lands and islands would remain undiscovered.  We want answers.  We want to be able to look into the looking glass and see not the murky image but the real one.  We are searching for the truth.

Whether it's the Truth with a capital T or the truth about something specific, it is the same general concept.  Every subject you take in school supports this search:  What really happened on December 7, 1941 and what were the events that led up to it?  What is the answer to this mathematical puzzle, or what steps did Einstein take to derive his theory of relativity?  What is the author really trying to tell us in this passage, and does this symbolize anything profoundly universal?  We want the answers, and we want them to make sense to us.  We want to know, once and for all.  

Schools seek to teach us not only how to uncover "truth," but how to recognize when something might be masquerading as truth.  It starts early--some might argue too early--in elementary grades when we try to identify the differences between facts and opinions.  We try to define both--put them into a neat little box--so we can easily and quickly recognize both and decipher their differences.  

But...that begs another question...can "truth" be characterized in this way?  Can opinions also be facts?  What about morals and ethics?  Are they facts?  According to many dictionary definitions, they are not. So if our notions of right and wrong cannot be characterized as truth, but merely opinion, then why was the world so outraged recently when a cartoonist was brutally murdered because someone did not like what he had to say?  What right do we have to point fingers if "Murder is wrong" is a moral opinion, not fact?

So much to sift through.  I would like to challenge you to read this opinion article recently submitted to the New York Times.  Not only is it an excellent  piece of persuasive writing, but it also challenges the way we define truth and differentiate truth from opinion.  After you read, please answer the following questions:  1.  What, if anything, is wrong with the current distinction between fact and opinion?  2.  Is there such thing as "moral truths" or does everything that is classified as a moral or belief indicate opinion only?  3.  Is there such a thing as truth?  How do we recognize it? 

 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/opinionator/2015/03/02/why-our-children-dont-think-there-are-moral-facts/?_r=0&referrer

Maybe the search for the truth will always remain just that:  a search.  As the quote indicates at the top of this post, maybe truth is eternal.  Therein lies the quandary:  

We are bound creatures searching for  something boundless....

GUILT or SHAME? Exploring the differences and applying it to literature

Like two peas in a pod, guilt and shame are two human experiences that we intrinsically tie together.  But is that where they belong?  Are they really so synonymous?

According to psychologists, the answer is sometimes.  But these same psychologists assert that this is not where they should stay.  Both don't feel too great, but one of them serves a valuable purpose while the other is not too much unlike that prison door back in Salem or the scarlet letter Hester Prynne wore constantly affixed to her chest.

This week, I would like you to read an article that explores the differences between guilt and shame and how they affect us throughout our lives.  Then, there is a short video that very clearly gives us a definitive line between guilt and shame.  It is pretty eye opening.  I can honestly say that it really increased my awareness of how I have evaluated my own shortcomings and those of others.  Once again, the power of our words is emphasized.  The tiniest change in our language expression to ourselves and others can make a world of difference:  "I made a very careless error," vs.  "I am a very careless person."

Guilt requires cognitive dissonance--a sense that a very important moral code or valued rule has been broken.  Shame, on the other hand, does not necessarily require the breaking of a rule or moral code.  It could come from feeling wronged or embarrassed.  Guilt is more closely associated with me hurting someone else in some way while shame may also be associated with a hurt that has been inflicted upon myself.  How does this apply to our literature, The Scarlet Letter?  Hester felt internal guilt for adultery, but the scarlet A she wore made her a victim of disapproval and ostracization.  That, my friends, is shame.


Here is the link for the article:  http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/guilt-shame
Here is the link for the short video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgm5PdENAxM
Enjoy, and share your reactions.

Are you holding on to some hidden shame?  Something that is inhibiting you from moving forward and becoming the best version of you?  Reflect on these two messages, and then maybe you will enjoy the freedom Hester discovered for one precious moment on a walk through a forest....  "The stigma gone, Hester heaved a long, deep sigh, in which the burden of shame and anguish departed from her spirit.  O exquisite relief!  She had not known the weight

                                                                until she felt the freedom..." (186).

FOLLOWING THE THEME....Unlocking the Secrets

In my experience as a literature teacher, I have learned that the one thing that usually stumps the literature scholar is theme.  First of all, it takes a scholar awhile to fully comprehend what a theme is...what it means.  It's more than just the lesson, isn't it?  It's too universal to be summed up that way.  But it certainly is a message...it's an important truth or observation that the author is making about his or her world...not just his or her created world, but the world, in general.

Once a scholar seems to have an understanding of what theme is, then comes the fun of finding them.  That's right, them.  Very seldom to you find a novel that has only one.  Of course, there may be an overriding theme, an "umbrella" theme, but there are often many others lining up, hidden amongst the words and phrases, intermingling with the dialogue, waiting to be uncovered to sweeten the story.

You will be assigned a poster project this week.  You will have a choice to create a character collage poster, or a theme collage.  Whichever you choose, however, theme is important.  It not only drives the deeper meaning, it also drives the character--it can even be his or her major motivation, objective, or source of conflict.  It matters.

The following is more than an article, it is an exploration into several themes for The Scarlett Letter.  Have fun exploring, and let me know here which theme you found most compelling.

Happy unlocking!
http://www.shmoop.com/scarlet-letter/themes.html

A HEART TO RECEIVE YOURS: Nathaniel Hawthorne & The Scarlet Letter

"The Scarlet Letter continues to enthrall, asking us over and over what it means to live with others and feel apart; to be part of history yet separate from it; to love passionately and never forget; to hope too long, plot secrets, face reality, feel scared and yet still believe in the promise, as Hester does at the novel's end, of a better world." ~Brenda Wineapple

What better topic for literary scholars on Saint Valentine's Day than an American romance novel written by a true Romanticist?  (Alright...Dark Romanticist.  Semantics!)  The English in which he writes may feel antiquated and require closer reading by contemporary readers, but the layers of meaning, the universal themes and use of allegory, the rich imagery that burns into our imaginations just as the scarlet letter itself burned the chest of the author when he found it in The Custom House, is what gives Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel its permanent place on the greatest American literature shelf.

Here is a mind blowing fact about this novel.  Since the 1920's, seven Scarlet Letter films have been made, and one is currently in the works, and one film has been made inspired by the story and its themes (Easy A) and became quite a hit at the box office.  High school classrooms all over The United States and Europe have it on their classroom studies list, and it has even seeped into our idiomology ("Gosh, one mistake and it's like I'm wearing a scarlet A or something!")  Whatever you may think of this novel, it has that lasting quality.  It is here to stay.

This begs the question, of course:  What makes a work of literature timeless?  Language is constantly evolving, so it is a given that as time marches on, the language on the pages will go out of vogue.  Meaning may be harder to access.  It will take patience, dedication, passion for great story, and a sophisticated vocabulary to muddle through and find that diamond.  But the pursuit is worth the time in the end. The Scarlett Letter is a haunting story that stays with you.  Hawthorne purposefully leaves some questions unanswered.  This adds to the mystery of Hester Prynne as well as makes us, the reader respect her a little bit more for stubbornly refusing to reveal to her nosy, judgmental neighbors the identity of her lover and the details of their sinful tryst.  In many ways, we see fractals of Hawthorne, himself in Prynne:  beauty, austere determination and fierce protection of privacy.  There is also the fact that Prynne is described as a beautiful, dark-haired woman.  Many of Hawthorne's contemporaries have hinted that Hawthorne, himself had a weakness for stunning brunette ladies. Here, I am stepping outside the arena of supportable fact and into the dangerous realm of assumption, but it IS Valentine's Day!

I digress.  In this literary lover's humble opinion, one of the biggest reasons The Scarlet Letter will remain steadfastly on the greatest works bookshelf is the same reason that Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet  will never be knocked out of its position as the most famous and beloved love story of all time.  It is, in its heart, a story of a love that can never be.  It tugs at our own hearts.  It turns us all into, for at least that short span of time it takes us to read it, fellow Dark Romantics who share in Hawthorne's angst.  We want desperately to create a different, happier ever after ending for our protagonists, but somewhere in our hearts and minds, we realize the truth of the dichotomy: it is the painful tragedy of it that makes the story beautiful.

Please read the essay via the link below about Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter.  It is an excellent resource, and provides some insights as to what it is about this novel that still draws us in and intrigues us.  Below, tell us what you found most compelling in the article, and any new things you learned, or inspirations that struck you as you read.

Happy Saint Valentine's Day, and here is to the steadfast Romanticists everywhere.

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE/SCARLET LETTER ARTICLE

CREATING CHARACTER....fantastically flawed, beautifully broken, readily redeemed

What is it about a character that makes him or her so memorable?

Hero or villain, damsal or duke, rebel or royal, the characters in a story are the author's greatest assets in the quest to win the heart, mind and soul of the reader.

How that character is manipulated by the plot, and how he/she in turn manipulates it right back, that is the key to story telling.We have been exploring characters in our FOA presentations and we are also, from different angles and approaches, analyzing how stories impact readers and how the author creates a unique story to entice and inspire the reader in our Written Task 2.  Each one of you represents a very unique and original set of backstories and experiences.  You bring these in to each new experience you encounter, including reading a novel.  Because of that, how you interpret stories and respond to and relate to characters will always be different.  Your culture, your virtues and values, your personality and preferences and past experiences will color the lenses through which you read and interpret literature.

The first step in becoming a thorough and credible literary critic (critic in this case meaning someone who engages in the act of dissection, evaluation or appreciation of literature) is to acknowledge the fact that you do look at everything through a unique perspective that can and will color your evaluation.  That is not a bad thing, it's a human thing.  Recognizing it and graciously allowing for other possible interpretations is a professional thing.

Okay, so we've acknowledged that we do have a limited view--a unique and valid one, but limited as we, in each of our own unique perspectives are limited.  Now; how do we become more comfortable and confident in that adventure that is dissecting, exploring and detecting as readers?

You know the answer.  It's the same answer for everything you seek to do well:  you practice.

This week, that is exactly what you are going to do!  I am giving you a chapter to read.  The title of this chapter is:  A Drink with the Devil.   It is about ten pages long.  Not bad at all as far as chapter lengths are concerned.  Here is the catch and part of the fun:  this chapter is not from the beginning, but the deep middle of a novel.  So, you really are going to have to depend on your own personal detective skills.  You won't have a lot of context, so you will have to read for clues the author gives you in this excerpt as to setting, character backgrounds, and story.
Your main study focus is character, so this is reflected in the questions you will answer for your blog this week.  Here are the questions:
1.  When does this story take place and how do you know?
2.  Where does this story take place and how do you know?
3.  One of the two characters is Will.  Tell me what you know about Will.  Not just surface stuff like what he does for a living, but WHO IS HE?  What is he about?  What are his values?  What type of person is he and why do you think so?  In other words, how does the author reveal him?
4.  Same question, this time for the character of Mick O'Shaughnessy.  GO BELOW THE SURFACE.  How does the author reveal him and how is this different?
5.  Finally:  What are some flaws you see in the characters?  How does the author present them?

You will have TWO weeks to complete this blog.  There will not be a new blog next weekend.  It is this one.  I realize it requires more work and effort, therefore you have more time and it is worth more points (ten instead of five).  My advice?  Type your answer up on a word or text document.  Then, when you are happy with it and it is finished, copy and paste your answer in the blog.

Thank you, and happy detecting!
https://vicosystems.net/Kristin/Chapter35.pdf

THE BLINDING GLARE OF THE EMPTY PAGE...or 10 Tips to Writing an Interesting Essay

Your teacher has just assigned you the one thing you dread, but know you will face several times during the school year in several of your classes.  Yes, that's right, kids, it's time to write

THE ESSAY.  

You let out a deep sigh as you feel the heavy weight of dread in your gut, and your entire attitude fades to black.  It's as if someone has pulled a dark veil over your formerly sunny outlook.

Okay, maybe that's a BIT dramatic.  But for many of us, writing the essay is a task that takes more gumption just to begin than to actually complete.

We have now been assigned Written Task 2, which is the formal essay.  If that isn't punishment enough, we also must include an outline with it to clarify for ourselves and our reader just what we are supposed to be focusing on in our paper (thus providing a possible highlight of where we have fallen short!)  

Now, now, now.  Writing the essay doesn't have to be such a downer.  In fact, it can become something you look forward to!  (Okay, maybe that's taking it a bit too far).  At the very least, it can be a challenge you are ready and able to meet.

Like anything else worth doing, writing takes what I like to refer to as the three P's:  perseverance, passion and patience.  You need to eliminate the idea of "trying my best" and substitute that notion with "I will DO my best."  Do not even entertain the notion of "this will be hard" or "I cannot do this well," or "my teacher will hate this."  Do not put it off until the last minute or it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy of doom.

Instead, set aside a quiet space, do some relaxation breathing like we learned in class, and ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS.  Silence your phone.  Do not allow yourself to text friends or scope out Facebook.  It's just you, some paper (or a screen) and words.  Take some time to go through your notes and quotes, and begin the process of writing.  Don't put the pressure of editing or grammar on yourself at this stage.  Writing is a process.  Allow your subconscious creativity to flow first, uninhibited.  You can fix it all later.

Be patient with yourself and your thoughts.  Wait for the right words or search them out until you find the one you truly feel is best.  Use a thesaurus for inspiration.  DON'T SURRENDER.

Write something YOU like.  Don't think about me (aka your teacher), or anyone else.  Take your topic, and write about it in an interesting way that appeals to you and reflects your writing style.

 Again, revision and editing will come later.  The first stage of the writing process is....wait for it....WRITING!  Find something fun in it...something that stirs your creative passion.

Writing the essay may never be your favorite thing to do, but at the very least it doesn't have to be a punishment.  Take some time to read this article about "Writing the Essay."  The tips are awesome, I think.  Drink them in, and come ready to attack Written Task 2....

AND WIN.

http://thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/