What the Blog?!

Hi my name is Andrew, this is my blog for my ENL 003 class at UC Davis.

[yourandy96]

Writer's Choice

I was not too sure what to do my Writer’s Choice writing on, but our discussion in class today of the Ari Banias poem really had me thinking of the different interpretations of “we” in the poem.

In her poem, Being with you Makes me Think About, Banias presents a quite ambiguous writing in which many interpretations can be pulled from this work. Banias essentially discusses the idea of individuality and the strength of a bond that can be created between two individuals. This can be seen in the opening lines of the poem, “We is something like a cloud,” in which we—being a couple or group of individuals—is discussed as singular. Looking at this first quote from the novel and looking back at the title, I quickly felt a connection this writing had towards the idea and concepts of marriage. This may seem quite odd considering that in class there was a very deep discussion on how this text can be seen in relation to government, however looking at the title and back at the text I am able to see more of the idea of marriage. The reason being is because in a marriage, two individuals have essentially committed into fastening such an unbreakable bond in which they are now seen as one in a sense. As we look at the quote, “A cloud is a changing thing… Other times we spread out so thin we almost don’t exist,” this can be seen as the ups and downs in a marriage which essentially strain the integrity of that bond, whether this is strain due to a number of possible sources of resistance, however it still remains unbreakable. 

As we move along towards the final lines of the poem, it seems as if Banias paints a picture as if marriage, although it is quite beautiful in a way, it does not always end up perfect. Banias writes, “Putting together so many small things you have a better, bigger thing…” which can be viewed as marriage being something of beauty because it makes each individual grow in a much more positive way, hopefully, but this view is not necessarily concrete.  Looking further into the text, Banias also states, “And aloneness only keeps getting bigger. One day we will tell you all about it. At our own table. There are things we cannot see,” which if we were still viewing this in terms of marriage then we can argue that marriage is not always perfect. There are problems that may arise and although they are not necessarily seen, they still strain the bond the two individuals are trying to uphold. 

Source: Banias, Ari. “Being With You Makes Me Think About.” “Ari Banias: Two         Poems.” PEN Poetry Series. PEN American Center, 3 Aug. 2012. Web. 29 Dec. 2014.

[yourandy96]

Stay on Track

Writing Genre Adaptations (Revised)

"Don't Marry the Fly"

When it comes to analytical writing it is essential for us to stay in line with our thoughts and not become so distracted by little details that do not necessarily further our analysis. Granted this is easier said than done. It is very easy as a writer to become lost in our thoughts due to our overwhelming excitement for our writing, for our amazing ideas in analysis, and maybe even just for the work you are analyzing. This excitement is not bad at all, in fact it is great if this excitement is reflected into your writing, however this excitement can cause us to become side tracked in our analysis which ultimately veers the reader into a realm of confusion—which is not good.

Now the question we must ask is what can we do to avoid our readers from becoming confused or befuddled as they attempt to track our thoughts in our writing? Well the truth is there is no right or wrong way this issue can be addressed, however the simplest step we can take is creating an outline for our writing. Use an outline to essentially outline your thoughts and ideas this way you can structure your essay in a manner that will clearly present your central argument for your analysis. Also be sure to label pieces of evidence that can potentially be used in each one of your sub-arguments that will ultimately create a much more sound and concrete central argument overall. Unfortunately, some students do not necessarily enjoy the idea of prewriting an outline and that is perfectly fine because students can possess different methods of writing. So to those students who do not like outlines, my advice to you is to still write down your arguments on paper along with several potential pieces of evidence. This is similar to an outline yet it is not as rigorous as an outline. This practice is essentially to get your ideas onto paper so if you do happen to get lost in your thoughts as you write, there is still some guidance that can bring your writing back on track to your intended argument.

Another critical tip that must be presented is to avoid being strayed away through the tiny details. What do I mean by this? Say you are writing an analytical paper on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and you try to demonstrate, through your writing, the binaries of good and evil in the novel. As you begin to write, you discuss the monster and Frankenstein and then all of a sudden you begin to focus, in minute detail, the beauty of the weather in the novel. As you can probably tell, that whole weather bit is quite irrelevant and it can ultimately make the reader lose focus and lose track of your writing—which is unfortunate. It is fine to like the weather in the novel, but you do not have to mention it unless the topic of weather will push forward your central argument.

Hopefully this short guide helps with future analytical writing. Just remember to plan ahead, whether it be creating a small outline or even putting down your thoughts on paper, this way you can keep track of your thoughts. Also, try not to focus on the tiny details that do not necessarily advance your analysis, they are nice to mention but not too significant to spend so much time on. Hopefully you were able to follow my crazy train of thought—sometimes my excitement gets the best of me. Happy writing.

Works Cited:

Goldberg, Natalie. “Don’t Marry the Fly”. Writing Down the Bones. Boston: Shambhala, 1986. Print.

[yourandy96]

Analysis Review

C2: Looking at my Analysis 1, where I compare and contrast the different aspects of Caliban and Prospero in The Tempest, I feel that I present many ideas but I do not exactly support them with any concrete evidence. Especially with the quote I provide, it does not seem to support my assumptions as much.  

Excerpt: “Both Prospero and Caliban fail to see the vices within themselves due to the fact that they are too busy in accusing the other of not being virtuous”  

Revision: Prospero accuses Caliban of being a monster as we see in the initial moments in which Caliban is introduced, however Caliban does the exact same to Prospero. Essentially, they both consume themselves in this process of accusations which ultimately hinders their ability to change for the better and grow as individuals.

J1: Also in my Analysis 2, where I analyze the Wolf in the Wolf’s Postscript. Although my position was quite interesting, however it seems that my argument is too opinion based which forces the reader to view the Wolf in my perspective only. I do not allow the reader to develop their own thoughts through my analysis.

Excerpt:  The irony is the fact that the Wolf hopes to use death as a way to teach children what not to do

Revision: The Wolf tries to teach children a lesson through his death, essentially becoming a martyr for a much greater cause. Although the Wolf finds his actions justified, which some argue to be quite reasonable, however the Wolf seems to miss a much bigger picture and that is he is now exposing children to death. Granted the Wolf may call it to be necessary, however death can be very impactful to a child and such an impact cannot be guaranteed positive.

[yourandy96]

Literary Adaptation

Space Traders

It is the beginning of a new year. Great hopes and aspirations fill the air, however the harsh economic conditions of the United States truly overwhelm such ambitions. Carbon emissions beat upon the many citizens of the great cities in the country and as people try to carry on with their days, they cannot help but notice the foreboding signs of the fall of what once was the greatest nation in the world. However, the many citizens of the United States will soon be faced with a life-changing decision, a decision that will do nothing but uplift the nation to its success and greatness once again. But, there is a price to pay, a sacrifice to be made, in order obtain such assistance.

That afternoon, as people went on with their day, a sudden ear aching noise burst throughout the air, as if forty fighter jets broke the sound barrier simultaneously. Everyone began to panic and suddenly an enormous space craft breaks through the smog in the air, letting through the bright light of the sun.  The spacecraft gently descends onto Lincoln memorial. Truly a thing of unmeasurable beauty, everyone just stared at the spacecraft in amazement, they had become hypnotized as if they had seen the heavens descend upon the Earth. Then there was silence. Nothing and nobody moved, the only sound that was heard were the gentle gusts of wind. The spacecraft then releases pressure and a door is opened in which an Extra-Terrestrial being came out from. Although people were shocked at seeing such a strange creature, however the strangeness of the people looked upon the creature as if it were their savior—someone who would save them from their hardship and ultimately be the key in finding paradise.

The creature walked forward and announced, surprisingly in English and no accent was noticeable in the creature’s speech:

“My crew and I visit you all not to bring you harm, but rather to bring you aid and guidance. We offer you, the United States, the key to safe and renewable energy which will do nothing more than clear your skies and clean the pollution you have put upon this beautiful world. Also, we have treasure that will improve your economy to the greatest heights, ultimately completely relieving the nation’s debt as a whole. All of this can be yours if we can be given something in return. What is that something you may ask? Well we ask for all the African Americans who reside in the United States. If you are able to meet this request of ours, you will soon be in your own paradise here on Earth. You have seventeen days to decide, please I remind you if you do not want to go about this trade of ours no harm will be put upon anyone of this world.”

Silence was all that was left after the creature’s speech, jaws were dropped and people were astonished. Although many were happy to hear such a proposal was offered, however there were also many who were saddened by the sacrifice that was needed to take place. Before any unanimous decision was to be made by anyone one of authority, in the distance a white male stands up and speaks:

“I do not see why our fellow African Americans must be the only who sacrifice for this so called space trade. My country has given a lot to me, it is time for me to give onto my country.”

The man then walks upon the space craft and the creature surprisingly accepts this man’s sacrifice. Suddenly, swarms of people begin going upon the space craft sacrificing themselves for the good of many. Although many were scared for what was to come, they were still happy to have saved their nation for their future generations.

Once the creature felt the trade was met, he then fulfilled his end of the agreement and flies off into space. But what is to happen next, well we will just have to wait and see. Will this opportunity be used wisely and for the greater good, or will people fail and lose paradise once again?

[yourandy96]

Analysis 4: Space Traders

By describing Golightly both as a person who, “dreamed of… a moment… that would enable him to perform a heroic act to both save his people great grief and gain for him the recognition,” and as , “… [rejected] by both whites and blacks… as untrustworthy [towards] himself and his plans,” Space Traders seems to support the idea that a man’s ambition, although initially deemed as good, can eventually lead to failure if that ambition makes that person blind from what they truly believe is right and wrong . However, “Golightly had failed, and he knew it, ”contradicts this notion. This evidence implies instead that even though someone’s blind ambition can lead them to failure, it is still possible to gain awareness of the faults we have made which is crucial in improving on those faults. This means that it is fine for individuals to have such astounding ambitions that allow them to reach new heights, however they must not be blinded by their own ambitions and goals—causing that person to go against their own personal morals.  If this blindness does occur than in order to improve the individual must recognize their fault just as Golightly does in Space Traders.

[yourandy96]

Writer's Choice

"The value of an education ... is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks."      — Albert Einstein

Since I have been so consumed in my mathematics for quite some time, and since my math midterm is right around the corner, I have been thinking a lot about different aspects of the world in terms of mathematics. It is really quite interesting looking at the things in such a way because you begin to see the many possible relations math creates when trying to explain the mysteries of the world and in the universe! Mathematics is a very simple yet complex language, but just like any other language practice is needed in order to fully grasp the meaning of that language. You cannot just look at a language and expect to understand it in the matter of seconds, you have to continue to use it in any way you can. Many students, including myself at times, find mathematics to be very difficult to grasp and that is because they do not take the time to practice and understand the underlying meanings, just like in English class. We practice English every day, many of us speak it and practice it throughout the day which makes us understand this language so quickly.

Mathematics is more so similar to language in the sense that it makes our minds think in new and different ways as we try to explain the meaning of a problem. In math one is constantly encountering problems that require a little extra thinking on how we approach and view the problem so that it seems not as complicated as what it really is. Once we are able to see the problem in a different way by the use of our critical thinking skills, we can finally figure out the mystery on what is the solution to the problem. This is no different than what we do in our English classes. In English class, we read a novel and we look at the plot, story, and characters in a critical way so that we see the underlying meanings that the author left. As we continue to further analyze and search and collaborate different possible meanings of the work, we can come to a final conclusion on what was the author’s intent in writing the novel.

Although this relationship between Language and Mathematics may seem too farfetched, however we still must not see the two as being worlds apart from each other. Both subjects share similar aspects and practices in reaching one goal, and that is training our minds to think of the world and different problems in a more critical way. And isn’t that the true value of our education as a whole.

[yourandy96]

Analysis 3: Beyond ENL 003

http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0123-ikarashi-nuclear-power-helps-biodiversity.html

In her article, Conservationists ask, “Is nuclear the way to go?”, Anna Ikarashi discusses the need for a new “greener” source of energy that both meets the energy demand and conservation needs. Ikarashi argues that the best source of energy that best meets the energy demand while being a renewable, “green” alternative is nuclear power. The primary reason Ikarshi pushes for this movement in advancing nuclear power is because of the unbelievable amount of carbon emissions, land use, and pollution our primary resources of energy are creating and using up. Nuclear power will essentially cut back on the amount of carbon emissions—save 2.4 billion tons of emission to be exact— and pollution, and even the amount the land that is needed to produce energy. For example, Uranium the size of a golf ball will produce enough energy for a person’s lifetime, rather than 3,200 tons of coal needed to produce the same amount of energy. 

Looking at Ikarashi’s research it is hard to look away at the idea of nuclear power, but then again the question of safety and national security arise. If more Uranium is being produced would not the proliferation of nuclear weapons arise? Ikarashi addresses this issue in her article as well, she argues that 90 percent of the world already has nuclear knowledge so the proliferation of nuclear weapons is highly unlikely. Granted this is nothing more than an assumption, however it could be possible that if most countries adopted this method of energy then no one will use it as a weapon because everyone will then have the same weapon. This has been seen in the current Post-Cold War era in which the United States has nuclear weapons as well as other big countries however they have never attacked each other. Also, if nuclear power is only being used for a positive case across the world then it can be argued that it is unlikely that this power would be used for negative purposes, but then again this is nothing more than an assumption.

Although Anna Ikarashi does not present a very strong rebuttal to the possibility of there being a proliferation of nuclear weapons as a result of the expansion of nuclear power, but we must not hold that against her. The primary reason is that she and nobody else can predict what can possibly happen in the future, all we can do is take certain precautions and hope for the best. Not everything is perfect. With that said, it should be understood the good that could come about the use of nuclear power if it is used properly. And we must recognize that it is fine for other countries to adopt this method as well because—in theory—the more who see the good in nuclear energy the less likely nuclear power would be used for negative purposes. Plus, if nuclear power is good why shouldn't other countries have it, and if nuclear power is bad then why do we already have it.

Citation:

Ikarashi, Anna. "Conservationists Ask, 'Is Nuclear the Way to Go?'" Mongabay.     22 Jan. 2015.Web. 5 Feb. 2015. <http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0123           ikarashi-nuclear-power-helps-biodiversity.html>.

[yourandy96]

Notes 4: Reflection of Analysis 1

Reviewing my Analysis on The Tempest, focusing on the relationship between Caliban and Prospero, and looking at the feedback given to me by Karolyn, I found that I did not go as in depth as I actually though I did. My analysis remained quite broad because of the lack of evidence that was provided and my failure to link my implications back to the text. In all honesty, I had a little trouble following Shakespeare's writing in the Tempest which made it more difficult than to further analyze the text. Also, in my analysis I seem to focus on too much on trying to show the likeness between Prospero and Caliban which causes me too lose focus on referring back to their differences, in terms of class and power. I also lose sight in trying to use Prospero and Caliban's relationship as a way to further analyze the binaries I presented, which again is me just losing focus on my main purpose in my writing. I can improve on my analyses by doing another close reading of certain sections of the text and use outside resources, such as SparkNotes and Shmoop, to help clear up the cloudy areas in my understanding of the novel.

[yourandy96]

Analysis 2: 2-3 on 2

The Wolf's Postscript

Pre-Write

Binary or Division:

In The Wolf’s Postscript, a binary that it presented in the novel is the idea innocence and guilt. The Wolf has this “postscript” to essentially argue his case in order to make his innocence come to light, however the graveness of the situation—murder—is something quite difficult to justify for. The Wolf argues the moral of his actions by stating that it was to teach children to not wander off into the woods, “in search of strange flowers,” which seems quite reasonable as the Wolf furthers his argument by saying he could of “swallowed” the old woman anytime he wanted but he did not. Unfortunately, the Wolf’s innocence is still questionable because using death to teach others is beyond, what society deems, morally sound.

Evidence of the Wolf’s attempt to Prove Innocence:

“… Why did I ask her where her grandma lived? As if I, a forest-dweller, didn’t know of the cottage under the three oak trees and the old woman lived there all alone? As if I couldn’t have swallowed her years before?”

Analytical Paragraph

As it is clearly seen through the very title of the poem, and the text itself, the Wolf argues his position on the actions he had done and the result of those actions. At first glance, the Wolf’s claims seem to be justified and his innocence seems to be at grasp. However, as we read the poem closer we are able to notice the irony in the Wolf’s argument. The irony is the fact that the Wolf hopes to use death as a way to teach children what not to do. How is such an act of death deemed reasonable for teaching children? In our everyday lives and in other works of literature, what is the one thing that we try to preserve within children? Innocence (as seen in The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger). Protecting children from revealing the cruelties and sadness of the world is a crucial component in the upbringing of children. And if death is what is used to teach, then the innocence of children will be tarnished which will cause more harm than good. The Wolf attempts to show his innocence but his guilt outweighs his position too greatly that he can be seen as nothing more than a Big Bad Wolf.

Reflection

I was a little unsure what was needed for the pre-write section of this assignment, but I tried to show the breakdown of my thought process of the Binary presented. This analysis really allowed me to get my thoughts onto "paper" and really think critically about the reading.

[yourandy96]

Notes 3

Caliban

Brief Summary:

In The Tempest, Caliban is a very powerful character in the sense that his actions truly push the novel’s plot forward. However, he is depicted as a horrid, un-humane, monster that serves no better use than to be a servant—well more a slave—to Prospero. Although at the start of the novel we first see Caliban through the threatening descriptions of both Prospero and Miranda, however once Caliban argues with Prospero we notice some new qualities of Caliban. We find that Caliban has been unwillingly oppressed and betrayed by Prospero as Prospero takes Caliban’s homeland for the benefit of his own. Unfortunately, we are left in a bit of a conundrum as Prospero reveals the savagery of Caliban as he tried to rape Miranda, which made Prospero lose all respect and kindness towards Caliban.

Here the novel puts us (the reader) in a very interesting position and that is who we trust. Do we believe Prospero’s description of Caliban being an unforgivable wretch, or do we listen to Caliban and view him as someone who was simply betrayed and seeks vengeance?

Spark Notes Paraphrase:

Spark Notes presents a very interesting take on looking at Caliban in the novel. Spark Notes claims that Caliban mirrors and contrasts different aspects of Prospero and other characters in the novel. On the site, it is explained that Prospero and Caliban are similar in the sense that they both have experienced similar situations. Prospero had lost his dukedom before when he was betrayed by his brother, just as Caliban loses everything when Prospero takes what is his. Similarly, Caliban’s plot to murder Prospero “mirrors” the conspiracy of Antonio’s and Sebastian’s plot against Alonso.

Also Spark Notes discusses that although Caliban’s savagery and “grotesque appearance” tend to overtake the view of his character throughout the novel, however Caliban also has a nobler side that the audience briefly sees in the beginning of the novel.

Comparison:

Caliban is in fact a very interesting character in the novel. His experiences almost make you sympathize for him as he loses his homeland to a man he thought he could trust, however his unforgivable actions (such as his unlawful approach towards Miranda, and his murder scheme towards Prospero) tend to make him a less likeable character as he appears as the villain rather than the heroine. This mixed nature for the character is similarly seen in Prospero’s character. For example, as Prospero speaks to Ariel, Prospero seems to abuse his power as he manipulates Ariel into doing what he wants him to do. However, there is also sympathy for Prospero for which he had also lost what was once his by someone he trusted as well. Through this we see the mirror comparison Caliban presents which Spark Notes discusses in their analysis of Caliban.

[yourandy96]

Analysis 1: 3-4 on 1

The Tempest

Quote: "“Thou most lying slave, Whom strip may move, not kindness. I have used thee (Filth as thou art) with human care, and lodged thee In mine own cell till thou didst seek to violate The honor of my child.”

(Act ii, scene 1)

Mini Summary of Immediate Context:

At this moment of Act 1, Scene 2 in The Tempest, Prospero is arguing with Caliban and through this argument we learn the backstory of how Prospero and Caliban met. 

Mini Summary of Broader Text:

Caliban is first introduced at this point of the novel, he is ridiculed by both Miranda and Prospero as they call him a poisonous and “Abhorred” slave. Also, we find out, through Caliban, the truth on how Prospero attained his power and land. We find that Prospero ends up overtaking the land of Sycorax, the mother of Caliban and Ariel, and he actually initially treated both Ariel and Caliban as equals. However, Prospero betrays them and makes himself the position of being superior.

Focal Phrase:

“Whom strip may move, not kindness”

Binaries, Divisions, and Concepts:

Views the Upper Class has of the Lower Class/ The Views the Lower Class has of the Upper Class Division between Classes Influence and Abuse of Power

Possible Implications:

Although Caliban tries to argue the faults in Prospero in the way he was able to attain his power. However, we find that Caliban also is not so virtuous either. From the reading we see that Prospero actually tended to Caliban—he may not have saw him as equal but there was till care given—until Caliban attempted to rape Miranda, Prospero’s daughter. Essentially, these two men argue of the faults the other has when they are blind in seeing their own. Although these men are different in appearance and in social class, however they are still the same in the way that neither of them are able to see the wrong in themselves when they are so quick to judge others.

Possible Implications of Focal Phrase:

As Prospero states, “…Whom strip may move, not kindness…,” it seems his strength and power and his way of ruling truly come to light. As strip is known as a whip, we can conclude the possibility that Prospero likes to rule with fear rather than with kindness. The reason this can be viewed is because Prospero tried to be kind with Caliban, however Prospero was in a sense betrayed through Caliban’s unforgivable actions towards Miranda. Also this phrase demonstrates the stubbornness, or it can be viewed as the strength, of Caliban, as he is not moved with just the kindness of Prospero, there is the need of the whip. 

Analytical Paragraph:

Prospero and Caliban have a lot of resistance towards one another and the primary reason why is because they see each other more different than the other. One accuses the other of being so immoral and disgusting, while the other accuses the other of betrayal. Although these accusation bring about some truth, neither of the individuals are able to realize the faults of their own. Both Prospero and Caliban fail to see the vices within themselves due to the fact that they are too busy in accusing the other of not being virtuous. Although their many differences, both Caliban and Prospero are the same in that they both cannot see the faults within themselves.

[yourandy96]

Notes 2

Appendix B: The Education of Victor Frankenstein: Davy (pgs. 245-249)

In Appendix B, Davy argues his point of view towards man's use of nature and science. Davy addresses, through his "Discourses," the notion that man abuses nature and their greed and selfishness only make them harm the beauty of nature even further. However man is blind to this because they justify their actions by arguing it is for the "greater good" and how they're discoveries will only lead to a more beneficial and greater quality of life. This idea is seen very well in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, through Victor and Robert Walton (well pretty much the majority of the men in the novel). Robert Walton ventures through cruel weather and breaks through thick ice with his ship, as well as putting the lives of many men in danger, all for the hopes of discovering the "mysteries of the magnet."

You may say, "One can only hope to attain such ambition and bravery from such a person, what a hero he is!"

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Robert Walton risks his life and the many lives of others for the sole purpose of making HIMSELF known to the world. Where does nature come in? Well I'm getting there, be patient. Mr. Walton, exploits his resources for his self-interests and those resources consist that of nature. So as he exploits his resources, he also exploits nature (Oh! the Humanity!). 

Now looking at the man of the hour, Victor Frankenstein. Victor greatly exploits nature all for his own benefit, but he takes this concept to a whole different level. Victor makes the monster, or as he calls him "the daemon" (so lovely), out of dead human body parts and brings life to the dead. Essentially, Victor is "throwing off" the balance of nature as he does this process. (Please note this idea of throwing off the balance off nature was also seen in Oedipus Rex). Also, Victor's creation end up causing much harm, granted this can be justified in a way, which makes his "great discovery" more of a burden and danger to society-- unfortunately.

As Davy states, "the powerful... ambitions of the soul; which, delighting in the anticipation of enjoyment is never satisfied with knowledge," which is seen through Victor's pursuits. Victor did everything he could to attain knowledge but was disappointed in the end, making everything made all for nothing. So we must ask ourselves, was this search of knowledge truly worth it? Or should we just listen to Davy's writings and appreciate the beauty of nature for what it truly is.

[yourandy96]

Adaptation: "Don't Marry the Fly"

When it comes to writing it is crucial obtain a central idea and to stick to it. As we begin writing any work, it can be quite easy to wander off into your own thoughts. Our thoughts can jump around from detail to detail and sometimes they may never land on the central idea of what you were truly writing about. Although it is quite unfortunate, but our writing will reflect the random trails our thoughts take and this can ultimately confuse the reader beyond belief or it just might keep the reader on track. It is hard to say what your thoughts can bring about in your writing. However, if we are able to layout our thoughts beforehand and plan what we are going to write, we can obtain a clear thought processes in which the reader can follow.

Even though we do all the planning that it may take to write an essay, there is still the trouble in focusing on the wrong things in the writing. There is the possibility of focusing on our tangent thought for far too long and although it flows quite well, the reader, however, gets lost on what exactly the central idea of the writing may be. For example one can be writing about the terror of getting lost in the past and the excitement of getting back to the future, and the writer is describing the whole experience in great detail, but then out of nowhere the writer goes off on a tangent and begins to discuss the delicious burger he saw on his way back to the future. This tangent completely throws off the entire mood of the potential great storyline that the reader may have been so enveloped in, but now that there is a sudden break in rhythm the reader has potentially lost the central idea and underlying meaning of the story… which is to save Marty McFly. So the moral of the story is, do not focus on details that are not necessarily relevant in giving that extra push to your central idea. You can recognize the burger in your story, and you can love it if you want, but you do not have to marry it.

Reflection:

Hopefully you enjoyed my adaptation of Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones, selection “Don’t Marry the Fly,” and I hope it was not too confusing and you were able to follow my train of thought. I hope (last hope, I promise) that I was able to teach you the crucial idea of sticking to the point as well and fun-filled as Goldberg’s writing was able to teach me. This idea may seem as something minimal and nothing more than just an easy fix, but the reality is that it is more complex than that. Sometimes, as writers, we may not even know when what we are saying is making any sense or if our writing flows together. Also, as we write, it is quite simple to veer off course as we try to describe, analyze, and prove our central idea to the reader. Goldberg tells us not to “marry” the fly because of this reason of potentially getting off topic or spending too much time on some insignificant detail that does not add to the writing’s central idea. If we focus too much on the details that do not necessarily mean anything, then that is when our writing becomes meaningless. So as long as we stick to the point and grasp the central idea, all while keeping our thoughts aligned, then our writing will be nothing such of great work… in theory.

[yourandy96]

Notes 1: Binaries in Frankenstein

"She was docile and good tempered, yet gay and playful as a summer insect... her hazel eyes, although as lively as a bird's, possessed an attractive softness." (Shelley 66)

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, there are many comparisons throughout the novel that truly bring light to interesting underlying ideas. One such comparison is the relationship Mary Shelley creates between the beauty and innocence of Women with Nature. As we see in the quote above, in which Victor Frankenstein is describing Elizabeth's beauty to the reader, Victor continues to compare Elizabeth to beautiful natural things in a positive way. This comparison with nature further enhances the beauty in almost all the women in the novel, including Victor's mother and Justine, as well as characterizing women as the ultimate nurturing figure. This nurturing aspect of women is seen many times throughout the novel, we see it in Chapter 1 when Victor's mother takes care of Elizabeth even though Elizabeth's illness had the potential of getting her sick.

What makes this binary in Frankenstein, however, so crucial to the novel is that this view enhances the stark contrasts between the men and women in the novel. As the men in the novel are driven by their blind ambitions and seek to obtain riches and hope to discover the mysteries of science, they begin to become "mad" and destroy the beauty in nature. Unfortunately, as we further read in the novel, we find that it is mainly the women who have to pay the price for the unforgivable behavior of men. One such prime example is Justine being blamed for the killing of William when in fact it was Victor's "daemon" who killed the boy. Even though Victor didn't want Justine to pay for his mistakes, his pride still got the better of him and he failed to speak the truth to the court and Elizabeth.

Although the "madness" and blind ambitions of men, in the novel, tend to harm the innocent women, however the importance of women for men is still quite apparent. What I mean by this is that the men in the novel, specifically Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein, continue to write to a woman on their explorations-- especially when they have nearly gone insane. Essentially, it can be argued that the women are key for restoring order within the men themselves.