Paraphrases
“Firstly, then, what do we do when we interpret a work of literature in the usual ‘close reading’ situation without making any specific use of literary theory?” – First of all; how can we understand a text with just close reading and not use any literary theory?
“We will always need these ten elements of interpretation” – We can not really understand a text without these ten elements.
“That is the ways the words collocate, as a linguist would say…”- A specialist in linguistics would explain it as how to put the words together…
Quotations
“Close reading”
“Literature and language”
“Literature and history”
“Literature and gender”
“Literature and physchoanalysis”
“This necessary looking outwards from the text is why we have and why we need literary theory”
“gendered social norms”
“Deconstructive reading is like stroking the cat the wrong way”
Review
I thought Peter Barry’s article was very interesting and I agree on several arguments. But I do think the start of the article was a bit unclear; the introduction was a bit hard to understand. I was not sure of what the paradox actually was to start with.
I agree with his argument that traditional literary training is not enough to see the different aspects in a text. You really have to consider the language, history, gender and use a bit of psychoanalysis just as Barry suggest in his article. He convinced me!
Even though the article was interesting and mostly well written, I sometimes thought it was a bit hard to understand. If I was Barry I would have divided up the text in smaller paragraphs and stuck to the subject. He sometimes went on and on about things that was unneedful to make his point; especially in the end of the text. Sometimes the text felt very “heavy” and also… a bit boring.
Work cited
Barry, Peter. “Tackling Textuality – With Theory” The Use of English Volume 52, Number 1,
Autumn 2000
Linda Cooper
lördag 1 maj 2010
söndag 18 april 2010
Assignment 5
KEYWORDS
• literature
• theory
• interpretation
• close reading
• language
• history
• gender
• physchoanalysis
• deconstructive reading
SUMMERY
In the article”Tackling Textuality – With Theory” published in The Use of English (volume 52, Number 1, Autumn 2000) Peter Barry claims that there is a paradox in the new ’A’ level Specifications. Teachers should not just be aware of developing the students reading, the teachers should also show them how to interpret the texts with help of “close reading”.
In his article Barry describes the traditional literary training of ‘close reading’ and shows us why he thinks this sometimes is not enough to really understand a text. And if you do not understand a text, how can you then develop your reading?
Barry explains the traditional literary training with ten operations we do during ‘close reading’:
• We look for some overall structure pattern
• We look fro similarity beneath apparent dissimilarity or vice versa.
• We distinguish between overt and covert content
• We distinguish between meaning and significance
• We think in terms of genre or literary type – how the literary genre affects the content
• We frequently read the literal as metaphorical
• We read the surfaces of the work accurately
• We look for patterns in literary works accurately
• We identify stages and phases within a literary work
• We read in linguistic period aware of semantic changes
Barry claims that these ten steps are really important and that you, as reader and as a critic, can not exclude them. These steps are essential in all interpretation. But also, according to Barry they are not enough. He explains that the 10 steps describes the contents of the text but does not look outwards and according to the author this is necessary to really understand a text. “This necessary looking outwards from the text is why we have and why we need literary theory.”(Peter Barry)
The author declares that there are four other aspects/theories that are important for understanding the literature and in his article he describes all four theories one by one:
• the relationship between literature and history
• the relationship between literature and language
• the relationship between literature and gender
• the relationship between literature and psychoanalysis
To explain how these theories work, Bryan uses Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73. He explains the first and second theory the relationship between literature and history, and the second one, the relationship between literature and language with showing us how that the language in the poem tells us about the history present when Shakespeare wrote it and how the words can be used to say something else than what you first think as a reader.
In the third theory, the relationship between literature and gender, the author describes what signs of gender there can be in a text. Can we as readers decide if it is written by a man or a woman? Barry explains that society has made up some “gendered social norms” and that sometimes helps us to sort out if it is written by a man or a woman.
The author continues with explaining how writers, and in this case William Shakespeare, sometimes hides things by put it out in the open. This theory he calls the relationship between literature and psychoanalysis.
But the author does not stop there, after presenting his four aspects he continues with introducing a change of article two the relationship between literature and language. That article has things in common with what Barry refers to as “deconstructive reading”. Deconstructive reading has according to the author one foot in the traditional close reading as well as one in literature and language and is also important to have in mind when you should analyze a text.
To explain deconstructive reading Barry refers to definitions made of different writers but also offers us his own definition: “Deconstructive reading is like stroking the cat the wrong way”. To deconstruct a text you should not just look for what it wants to tell us, you should look for contradictions, linguistics quirks, aporia, shifts or breaks and absences or omissions. To his help Barry uses the poem Ored (Hilda Doolittle, 1886-1961) to show how it can be done.
Finally Barry sum up his article with the reasons why you should use literature theory when it makes your reading so much more complicated. He claims that it is important if you really want to understand a text, and not at least… it is fun!
Linda Cooper
• literature
• theory
• interpretation
• close reading
• language
• history
• gender
• physchoanalysis
• deconstructive reading
SUMMERY
In the article”Tackling Textuality – With Theory” published in The Use of English (volume 52, Number 1, Autumn 2000) Peter Barry claims that there is a paradox in the new ’A’ level Specifications. Teachers should not just be aware of developing the students reading, the teachers should also show them how to interpret the texts with help of “close reading”.
In his article Barry describes the traditional literary training of ‘close reading’ and shows us why he thinks this sometimes is not enough to really understand a text. And if you do not understand a text, how can you then develop your reading?
Barry explains the traditional literary training with ten operations we do during ‘close reading’:
• We look for some overall structure pattern
• We look fro similarity beneath apparent dissimilarity or vice versa.
• We distinguish between overt and covert content
• We distinguish between meaning and significance
• We think in terms of genre or literary type – how the literary genre affects the content
• We frequently read the literal as metaphorical
• We read the surfaces of the work accurately
• We look for patterns in literary works accurately
• We identify stages and phases within a literary work
• We read in linguistic period aware of semantic changes
Barry claims that these ten steps are really important and that you, as reader and as a critic, can not exclude them. These steps are essential in all interpretation. But also, according to Barry they are not enough. He explains that the 10 steps describes the contents of the text but does not look outwards and according to the author this is necessary to really understand a text. “This necessary looking outwards from the text is why we have and why we need literary theory.”(Peter Barry)
The author declares that there are four other aspects/theories that are important for understanding the literature and in his article he describes all four theories one by one:
• the relationship between literature and history
• the relationship between literature and language
• the relationship between literature and gender
• the relationship between literature and psychoanalysis
To explain how these theories work, Bryan uses Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73. He explains the first and second theory the relationship between literature and history, and the second one, the relationship between literature and language with showing us how that the language in the poem tells us about the history present when Shakespeare wrote it and how the words can be used to say something else than what you first think as a reader.
In the third theory, the relationship between literature and gender, the author describes what signs of gender there can be in a text. Can we as readers decide if it is written by a man or a woman? Barry explains that society has made up some “gendered social norms” and that sometimes helps us to sort out if it is written by a man or a woman.
The author continues with explaining how writers, and in this case William Shakespeare, sometimes hides things by put it out in the open. This theory he calls the relationship between literature and psychoanalysis.
But the author does not stop there, after presenting his four aspects he continues with introducing a change of article two the relationship between literature and language. That article has things in common with what Barry refers to as “deconstructive reading”. Deconstructive reading has according to the author one foot in the traditional close reading as well as one in literature and language and is also important to have in mind when you should analyze a text.
To explain deconstructive reading Barry refers to definitions made of different writers but also offers us his own definition: “Deconstructive reading is like stroking the cat the wrong way”. To deconstruct a text you should not just look for what it wants to tell us, you should look for contradictions, linguistics quirks, aporia, shifts or breaks and absences or omissions. To his help Barry uses the poem Ored (Hilda Doolittle, 1886-1961) to show how it can be done.
Finally Barry sum up his article with the reasons why you should use literature theory when it makes your reading so much more complicated. He claims that it is important if you really want to understand a text, and not at least… it is fun!
Linda Cooper
måndag 29 mars 2010
Assignment 4
Grades vs. No Grades
Everywhere in today’s society people get judged. Good or bad is strictly connected to your achievements. We meet this way of thinking even at school; good students make good schoolwork and honestly do we not also see them as good people? And is it not a risk that we then look at the not so good students who do not do as good schoolwork as bad people?
I am against the grading of students in primary school and the reasons why are many.
For example; I think that the early years at school should focus more on group dynamics than on the academic subjects (maths, learning how to read and write). It is vital for all people to know how to behave in different situations and how to interact in the “social game” and that is something you must start learning at an early age. In some families children spend a lot of time in front of the computer and do not learn how to interact with other children; this is why it is so important that the schools focus on social skills. I would even go as far as saying that the importance is bigger today than ever before.
To be graded as a slow reader who does not reach a certain level when you are 6-7 years old can be devastating for your self esteem. There is a risk that the child puts himself/herself down and sees himself/herself as slow and this can actually stop the child from learning to read faster. And to kill the desire to learn which so many children have in the early years at school should not really be the goal for the education, should it?
Another risk with grading children in the academic subjects would be that the girls might be favoured. It is a fact that there is a difference in maturity between young boys and girls. Most boys like to play role plays and do not fit in to the “sit still and learn system” as we expect of good students; compared with the girls that like to sit down and draw nice pictures and please their teachers.
Some people will probably say that I generalise too much; that most of today’s children do know how to interact with other children and there are boys that do like to sit and work with some academic schoolwork as well. I am fully aware of this but my point is that these children would probably succeed no matter if we put grades on them or not. If we want everyone to have a chance to participate in the society as grownups we need to help them when they are children and make sure that everyone get what they need. The challenge for the school system is to make everyone to succeed not just the already successful.
I am fully aware of the fact that some parents will get upset with what I claim but we have to be honest; are the grades meant to develop the children’s skills or are the grades made to make it easy for the parents to take part in their child’s development? If the parents instead got more involved in their children’s schoolwork and actually spent some time with their child at school I am sure that grades in primary school would be unnecessary.
Linda Cooper
Everywhere in today’s society people get judged. Good or bad is strictly connected to your achievements. We meet this way of thinking even at school; good students make good schoolwork and honestly do we not also see them as good people? And is it not a risk that we then look at the not so good students who do not do as good schoolwork as bad people?
I am against the grading of students in primary school and the reasons why are many.
For example; I think that the early years at school should focus more on group dynamics than on the academic subjects (maths, learning how to read and write). It is vital for all people to know how to behave in different situations and how to interact in the “social game” and that is something you must start learning at an early age. In some families children spend a lot of time in front of the computer and do not learn how to interact with other children; this is why it is so important that the schools focus on social skills. I would even go as far as saying that the importance is bigger today than ever before.
To be graded as a slow reader who does not reach a certain level when you are 6-7 years old can be devastating for your self esteem. There is a risk that the child puts himself/herself down and sees himself/herself as slow and this can actually stop the child from learning to read faster. And to kill the desire to learn which so many children have in the early years at school should not really be the goal for the education, should it?
Another risk with grading children in the academic subjects would be that the girls might be favoured. It is a fact that there is a difference in maturity between young boys and girls. Most boys like to play role plays and do not fit in to the “sit still and learn system” as we expect of good students; compared with the girls that like to sit down and draw nice pictures and please their teachers.
Some people will probably say that I generalise too much; that most of today’s children do know how to interact with other children and there are boys that do like to sit and work with some academic schoolwork as well. I am fully aware of this but my point is that these children would probably succeed no matter if we put grades on them or not. If we want everyone to have a chance to participate in the society as grownups we need to help them when they are children and make sure that everyone get what they need. The challenge for the school system is to make everyone to succeed not just the already successful.
I am fully aware of the fact that some parents will get upset with what I claim but we have to be honest; are the grades meant to develop the children’s skills or are the grades made to make it easy for the parents to take part in their child’s development? If the parents instead got more involved in their children’s schoolwork and actually spent some time with their child at school I am sure that grades in primary school would be unnecessary.
Linda Cooper
söndag 14 mars 2010
Assignment 3
The Spa voucher deserves to be Christmas Gift of the Year 2010!
Are you like me, tired of running around town in the last second, with sweat running down your back looking for the perfect present at Christmas time? It is a situation filled with pressure; you want to make the receiver of your present feel happy and special. It should also be personal and useful. And if you should have an idea of a gift it is always too expensive, too big or too hard to get.
Most of us work really hard and struggle to solve the puzzle of life to day; you should be a supporting parent, an understanding partner and successful at work. On the other hand we should not forget that there is also people who are depressed because they do not have a job or a family. What ever situation your friends might be in I am sure there are times when they feel the pressure and the stress of everyday life.
This is why I think the Spa voucher is the perfect present! It is perfect for the giver and perfect for the receiver! Perfect for the giver because it is easy to buy; sometimes it can be as easy as booking it on-line and that way you save time. You can easily decide how much it is allowed to cost, even if you can not afford to buy an expensive voucher the receiver can always add more money if he/she wants to pamper themselves more.
There are lots of advantages for the receiver as well: it suits everyone; there are so many different spa treatments to choose from and they can book it for a time that suits them. This special time all to themselves might be exactly what your friend needs to get back on his/her feet after a hectic year.
I am fully aware that some people might say that this present is impersonal and boring; a thing a lazy person would buy in the last minute. But tell me what present is more personal? Another sweater? Another watch? Most people of to day do not need more things, I think what we need is time to ourselves! Of course it would be lots more fun to give a way a car or a skydive but I am not so sure the receiver would agree, and the cost would be impossible for most of us. My idea of a present is very flexible and gives people a choice of their own. I cannot honestly see what is boring with that?
Am I then a lazy person? I think there is a big difference between being lazy and being efficient. Time is money and you have never enough time when it gets close to Christmas. So to save ourselves the strenuous effort and still make our friends and family pleased with their presents I claim that the spa voucher deserves to be the Christmas Gift of the Year 2010!
Linda Cooper
.
Are you like me, tired of running around town in the last second, with sweat running down your back looking for the perfect present at Christmas time? It is a situation filled with pressure; you want to make the receiver of your present feel happy and special. It should also be personal and useful. And if you should have an idea of a gift it is always too expensive, too big or too hard to get.
Most of us work really hard and struggle to solve the puzzle of life to day; you should be a supporting parent, an understanding partner and successful at work. On the other hand we should not forget that there is also people who are depressed because they do not have a job or a family. What ever situation your friends might be in I am sure there are times when they feel the pressure and the stress of everyday life.
This is why I think the Spa voucher is the perfect present! It is perfect for the giver and perfect for the receiver! Perfect for the giver because it is easy to buy; sometimes it can be as easy as booking it on-line and that way you save time. You can easily decide how much it is allowed to cost, even if you can not afford to buy an expensive voucher the receiver can always add more money if he/she wants to pamper themselves more.
There are lots of advantages for the receiver as well: it suits everyone; there are so many different spa treatments to choose from and they can book it for a time that suits them. This special time all to themselves might be exactly what your friend needs to get back on his/her feet after a hectic year.
I am fully aware that some people might say that this present is impersonal and boring; a thing a lazy person would buy in the last minute. But tell me what present is more personal? Another sweater? Another watch? Most people of to day do not need more things, I think what we need is time to ourselves! Of course it would be lots more fun to give a way a car or a skydive but I am not so sure the receiver would agree, and the cost would be impossible for most of us. My idea of a present is very flexible and gives people a choice of their own. I cannot honestly see what is boring with that?
Am I then a lazy person? I think there is a big difference between being lazy and being efficient. Time is money and you have never enough time when it gets close to Christmas. So to save ourselves the strenuous effort and still make our friends and family pleased with their presents I claim that the spa voucher deserves to be the Christmas Gift of the Year 2010!
Linda Cooper
.
lördag 20 februari 2010
Assignment 2
Proposal to solve the problem of unhappy pigs
Ways to make the pigs’ situation better
Lately we have been reading about the pigs’ horrible situation in the press. We have seen pictures of pigs feast on their still living friends. This is caused by humans urge for pork; the pig farmers force lots of pigs to live together on a too small area to make big money. In such small areas the pigs cannot follow their natural instincts but get unhappy, stressed and aggressive. The unhappiness will lead to destructive behaviour like pigs that do not respect each other but are quite violent towards other pigs. Sickness might spread and the pig farmers can get in a situation were they need to give the pigs medical treatment.
If this situation remains this can lead to unnecessary cruelty to animals and a overuse of medicines like antibiotics. The overuse might cause multidrug resistance and that would be a threat for mankind as we know it.
As a consumer of pork and therefore part responsible for the pigs situation I feel I owe them a solution.
First of all, we need to eat less. It is a problem in general, the fact that a lot of us eat too much. Not just meat but everything, human people in the west world really have to start thinking about the fact that we over consume the assets of the earth. If we instead spent more time outdoors or kept ourselves busy I am sure we would lower the urge for food.
Secondly, we eat too much meat. There are so many other things that we can eat instead. I am not saying that we should stop eating pork or meat “full stop” but scientists all over the world agree on that we need to diversify our diet. Now some people may say that we need protein and that is true, but there is other sources of protein; beans, eggs etc.
If we decrease our consumption of pork we should be able to pay more for the meat. This way the pig farmers will earn just as much money on a much smaller stock.
I am fully aware that some people might think that the ultimate solution would be if all humans became vegetarians. I do not think it is realistic though as eating pork/meat is something we have done for thousands of years and people will not change their habits that easily. For a lot of us fried eggs should be accompanied with bacon and as a Swede, Christmas without ham is not really a Christmas. I therefore think that eating less and of course less pork is a perfect solution. People do not have to change their habits dramatically and with just small changes we can make a big difference for the pigs’ state of mind.
If we all take responsibility about how much and how often we eat we might get the result we all are interested in: not just better conscious but happier pigs!
Linda Cooper
Ways to make the pigs’ situation better
Lately we have been reading about the pigs’ horrible situation in the press. We have seen pictures of pigs feast on their still living friends. This is caused by humans urge for pork; the pig farmers force lots of pigs to live together on a too small area to make big money. In such small areas the pigs cannot follow their natural instincts but get unhappy, stressed and aggressive. The unhappiness will lead to destructive behaviour like pigs that do not respect each other but are quite violent towards other pigs. Sickness might spread and the pig farmers can get in a situation were they need to give the pigs medical treatment.
If this situation remains this can lead to unnecessary cruelty to animals and a overuse of medicines like antibiotics. The overuse might cause multidrug resistance and that would be a threat for mankind as we know it.
As a consumer of pork and therefore part responsible for the pigs situation I feel I owe them a solution.
First of all, we need to eat less. It is a problem in general, the fact that a lot of us eat too much. Not just meat but everything, human people in the west world really have to start thinking about the fact that we over consume the assets of the earth. If we instead spent more time outdoors or kept ourselves busy I am sure we would lower the urge for food.
Secondly, we eat too much meat. There are so many other things that we can eat instead. I am not saying that we should stop eating pork or meat “full stop” but scientists all over the world agree on that we need to diversify our diet. Now some people may say that we need protein and that is true, but there is other sources of protein; beans, eggs etc.
If we decrease our consumption of pork we should be able to pay more for the meat. This way the pig farmers will earn just as much money on a much smaller stock.
I am fully aware that some people might think that the ultimate solution would be if all humans became vegetarians. I do not think it is realistic though as eating pork/meat is something we have done for thousands of years and people will not change their habits that easily. For a lot of us fried eggs should be accompanied with bacon and as a Swede, Christmas without ham is not really a Christmas. I therefore think that eating less and of course less pork is a perfect solution. People do not have to change their habits dramatically and with just small changes we can make a big difference for the pigs’ state of mind.
If we all take responsibility about how much and how often we eat we might get the result we all are interested in: not just better conscious but happier pigs!
Linda Cooper
lördag 6 februari 2010
Assignment 1
1. Define the term “style” in the context of (academic) writing.
Style –”the manner in which way you present the information” (Linzie, 2010)
I would define the term “style” as it is how you say/write things. For example: If friends write letters to each other the style might be informal because they know each other and the language does not have to keep to a certain standard of formalities. It is the opposite if someone writes to the Government or to a company, then you are expected to follow certain “rules” and keep to a formal style. If you do not follow these rules the reader of your text might misjudge you and not take you and what you want with your text seriously.
2. Formal/informal writing
I have chosen two very different texts. The first one is an informal text from Teen Magazine. The Magazine has a page called “Embarrassing Moments From Teen Girls” were young girls share some embarrassing moments with the readers. The second text is a formal text from the European Commission Research information centre. In that text we can read about hydrogen vehicles.
Embarrassing Moments from Teen Girls
http://www.teenmag.com/seen-in-teen/why-me/652295-10-2
“The guys from my grade picked it up and start running around with it! Worst of all, the older guys who have been crushing on me since last year were there, and so were the guys in my grade who I kinda liked!”
What makes it informal?
• The text is very personal; it tells a story about her bra!
• The language includes slang like: guys, kinda, stuff
• She writes like she speaks, it feels like I can hear a teenager’s voice in my head when I read.
Advancing on hydrogen
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?
p=57&item=Infocentre&artid=14214
“Using the hydrogen energy system for the wheelchair has three primary advantages: a longer travelling range than conventional electrical wheelchairs; it only takes a few minutes to replace an empty hydrogen canister rather than up to 8 hours to recharge an electrical wheelchair; and the lightweight hydrogen makes transportation easier.
What makes it formal?
• The text wants to inform us about the latest news to do with hydrogen energy. It is academic and sticks to its topic.
• The language is academic = it is impersonal and does not include any slang or abbreviations.
3. Two very short texts
Informal:
G’day mate! What’s up? Haven’t heard from you for a loooong time. I’m fine, just
chill’in and wait’in for spring. It’s too damn cold right now if you ask me; if I go out I
will freeze my buns of.
Formal:
Dear Terry,
How are you? It has been a long time since I last heard from you. I am fine; I spend most of my time waiting patiently for springtime. I really think this winter’s cold weather really has reached its limits; it can not be good for humans to go out in such cold weather.
Style –”the manner in which way you present the information” (Linzie, 2010)
I would define the term “style” as it is how you say/write things. For example: If friends write letters to each other the style might be informal because they know each other and the language does not have to keep to a certain standard of formalities. It is the opposite if someone writes to the Government or to a company, then you are expected to follow certain “rules” and keep to a formal style. If you do not follow these rules the reader of your text might misjudge you and not take you and what you want with your text seriously.
2. Formal/informal writing
I have chosen two very different texts. The first one is an informal text from Teen Magazine. The Magazine has a page called “Embarrassing Moments From Teen Girls” were young girls share some embarrassing moments with the readers. The second text is a formal text from the European Commission Research information centre. In that text we can read about hydrogen vehicles.
Embarrassing Moments from Teen Girls
http://www.teenmag.com/seen-in-teen/why-me/652295-10-2
“The guys from my grade picked it up and start running around with it! Worst of all, the older guys who have been crushing on me since last year were there, and so were the guys in my grade who I kinda liked!”
What makes it informal?
• The text is very personal; it tells a story about her bra!
• The language includes slang like: guys, kinda, stuff
• She writes like she speaks, it feels like I can hear a teenager’s voice in my head when I read.
Advancing on hydrogen
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?
p=57&item=Infocentre&artid=14214
“Using the hydrogen energy system for the wheelchair has three primary advantages: a longer travelling range than conventional electrical wheelchairs; it only takes a few minutes to replace an empty hydrogen canister rather than up to 8 hours to recharge an electrical wheelchair; and the lightweight hydrogen makes transportation easier.
What makes it formal?
• The text wants to inform us about the latest news to do with hydrogen energy. It is academic and sticks to its topic.
• The language is academic = it is impersonal and does not include any slang or abbreviations.
3. Two very short texts
Informal:
G’day mate! What’s up? Haven’t heard from you for a loooong time. I’m fine, just
chill’in and wait’in for spring. It’s too damn cold right now if you ask me; if I go out I
will freeze my buns of.
Formal:
Dear Terry,
How are you? It has been a long time since I last heard from you. I am fine; I spend most of my time waiting patiently for springtime. I really think this winter’s cold weather really has reached its limits; it can not be good for humans to go out in such cold weather.
söndag 24 januari 2010
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