parable: a brief story from which a lesson may be drawn; Jesus used the parable to teach his followers moral truths. The parable of the Good Samaritan is an example
"There was a message brought one day, from the worshipful Gervayse Pyncheon to young Matthew Maule, the carpenter, desiring his immediate presence at the House of the Seven Gables...He meant to humble Alice, not to kill her, but he had taken a woman's delicate sould into his rde gripe, to play with;-and she was dead!"
-The House of the Seven Gables
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
This parable is a story read by Holgrave to Phoebe. It recounts the saga of a certain Alice Pyncheon. One of the morals of the story is the harmfulness of pride. Gervayse Pyncheon is proud and ends up losing his daughter because of it. Alice Pyncheon is proud and ends up losing her life because of it. Matthew Maule is proud and ends up causing Alice's death because of it. All the pride and thinking of oneself as better than the rest is rewarded with death in one form or another. Hawthorne is telling the reader that peace is found in the equality of people, not in the ranked social classes prevalent at the time.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Spatial Order
spatial order: organization of information using spatial clues such as top to bottom or left to right
"On the northern margin of the Alaska Range, just before the hulking ramparts of Mt. McKinley and its satellites surrender to the low Kantishna plain, a series of lesser ridges, known as the Outer Range, sprawls across the flats like a rumpled blanket on an unmade bed. Between the flinty crests of the two outermost escarpments of the Outer Range runs an east-west trough, maybe fivemiles across, carpeted in a boggy amalgam of muskeg, alder, thickets, and veins of scrwany spruce. Meandering through the tangled, rolling bottomland is the Stampede Train, the route Chris McCandless followed into the wilderness."
-Into the Wild
by Jon Krakauer
Krakaeur describes the scene of McCandlass' last days and the surrounding area from out to in. He starts with the outermost landmarks and works his way to the center, where McCandless died. This provides the reader with a rough picture of the isolation of McCandless and what his last days would have been like. The reader is shown what the area looks like to better understand McCandless' situation.
"On the northern margin of the Alaska Range, just before the hulking ramparts of Mt. McKinley and its satellites surrender to the low Kantishna plain, a series of lesser ridges, known as the Outer Range, sprawls across the flats like a rumpled blanket on an unmade bed. Between the flinty crests of the two outermost escarpments of the Outer Range runs an east-west trough, maybe fivemiles across, carpeted in a boggy amalgam of muskeg, alder, thickets, and veins of scrwany spruce. Meandering through the tangled, rolling bottomland is the Stampede Train, the route Chris McCandless followed into the wilderness."
-Into the Wild
by Jon Krakauer
Krakaeur describes the scene of McCandlass' last days and the surrounding area from out to in. He starts with the outermost landmarks and works his way to the center, where McCandless died. This provides the reader with a rough picture of the isolation of McCandless and what his last days would have been like. The reader is shown what the area looks like to better understand McCandless' situation.
Semantics
semantics: the branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their connotations, and their relation to one another
"The moon, too, which had long been climbing overhead, and unobtrusively melting its disk into the azure-like an ambitious demagogue, who hides his aspiring purpose by assuming the prevalent hue of popular sentiment-now began to shine out, broad and oval, in its middle pathway."
-The House of the Seven Gables
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Hawthorne's word choice here has multiple affects. It is symbolic of the youth and light (hope) of the new ideas the young lovers have; the descriptive language is characteristic of a romance and helps the reader envision the scene. Hawthorne casts the two characteristics in the light even at night, showing their potential and hope. The descriptions of the scene provide the reader with a mental image and help accentuate the role of nature as true. Hawthorne is letting the reader experience the scene while communicating the role's of Holgrave and Phoebe as the hero and heroine.
"The moon, too, which had long been climbing overhead, and unobtrusively melting its disk into the azure-like an ambitious demagogue, who hides his aspiring purpose by assuming the prevalent hue of popular sentiment-now began to shine out, broad and oval, in its middle pathway."
-The House of the Seven Gables
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Hawthorne's word choice here has multiple affects. It is symbolic of the youth and light (hope) of the new ideas the young lovers have; the descriptive language is characteristic of a romance and helps the reader envision the scene. Hawthorne casts the two characteristics in the light even at night, showing their potential and hope. The descriptions of the scene provide the reader with a mental image and help accentuate the role of nature as true. Hawthorne is letting the reader experience the scene while communicating the role's of Holgrave and Phoebe as the hero and heroine.
Either/Or Fallacy
either/or fallacy: reducing an argument or issue to two polar opposites and ignoring possible alternatives
In George Orwell's 1984 every person is either a Party member or an enemy. One cannot feel mediocre about the Party and Big Brother, this is the same as hating it in Oceania. This either/or fallacy communicates the extremes Orwell sees in the future. He communicating that there will be no individuality, every one will be for the Party, completely, or will be an enemy and will die. Absolutely no distinction is made between the captured POW, the enemy spy, and the lukewarm Party member. Orwell is communicating what the totalitarian world will look like in the future for the purpose of warning the world about the direction he sees it heading in.
In George Orwell's 1984 every person is either a Party member or an enemy. One cannot feel mediocre about the Party and Big Brother, this is the same as hating it in Oceania. This either/or fallacy communicates the extremes Orwell sees in the future. He communicating that there will be no individuality, every one will be for the Party, completely, or will be an enemy and will die. Absolutely no distinction is made between the captured POW, the enemy spy, and the lukewarm Party member. Orwell is communicating what the totalitarian world will look like in the future for the purpose of warning the world about the direction he sees it heading in.
Oxymoron
oxymoron: (from the Greek, 'pointedly foolish") a figure of speech in which an author juxtaposes apparently contradictory terms. A rhetorical antithesis. Examples: wise fool; thundering silence
"Winston thought for a moment, then pulled the speakwrite toward him and began dictating in Big Brother's familiar style..."
-1984
by George Orwell
The oxymoron here is the noun "speakwrite," a gadget that the Party uses instead of pens. Speaking, and writing are opposites, one is verbal, the other is a concrete recording of information. Orwell includes this here to show the technical advances he envisions for the future and to show an utter lack of privacy. If the only way to record something is to say it into a machine which writes it for you, all of the information is heard by those around you and, in this case, by the telecom. Orwell is giving the reader a warning about the complete control he sees the government taking if the course of the world is not turned.
"Winston thought for a moment, then pulled the speakwrite toward him and began dictating in Big Brother's familiar style..."
-1984
by George Orwell
The oxymoron here is the noun "speakwrite," a gadget that the Party uses instead of pens. Speaking, and writing are opposites, one is verbal, the other is a concrete recording of information. Orwell includes this here to show the technical advances he envisions for the future and to show an utter lack of privacy. If the only way to record something is to say it into a machine which writes it for you, all of the information is heard by those around you and, in this case, by the telecom. Orwell is giving the reader a warning about the complete control he sees the government taking if the course of the world is not turned.
Subject Complement
subject complement: the word (with any accompanying phrases) or clause that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either (1) renaming it or (2) describing it
"The principle entrance, which had almost the breadth of a church door, was in the angle between the two front gables, and was covered by an open porch, with benches beneath its shelter."
-The House of the Seven Gables
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The subject complement describes the "principle entrance" in the excerpt above. It helps the reader to visualize the setting and gain a better understanding of the enormity and grandeur of the House. Hawthorne includes this description to help the reader to see and to communicate the wealth of the original owner. Hawthorne wants the reader to know that the family was well off and is used to being served, as they live in a mansion. This contrasts with the inhabitant's current predicament, poor (mentally, physically, socially, socioeconomically), working class, old, and dying. Hawthorne wants to communicate that the best way to live is to work for yourself and not expect to be waited on and pampered. Hawthorne wants the reader to come away with the impression that all should be equal and treated fairly, not be excused because of their social status.
"The principle entrance, which had almost the breadth of a church door, was in the angle between the two front gables, and was covered by an open porch, with benches beneath its shelter."
-The House of the Seven Gables
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The subject complement describes the "principle entrance" in the excerpt above. It helps the reader to visualize the setting and gain a better understanding of the enormity and grandeur of the House. Hawthorne includes this description to help the reader to see and to communicate the wealth of the original owner. Hawthorne wants the reader to know that the family was well off and is used to being served, as they live in a mansion. This contrasts with the inhabitant's current predicament, poor (mentally, physically, socially, socioeconomically), working class, old, and dying. Hawthorne wants to communicate that the best way to live is to work for yourself and not expect to be waited on and pampered. Hawthorne wants the reader to come away with the impression that all should be equal and treated fairly, not be excused because of their social status.
Subordinate Clause
subordinate clause: containing both a subject and a verb, but unlike the independent clause,
unable to stand alone; it does not express a complete thought. Easily
recognized key words and phrases usually begin these clauses-- for
example: although, because, unless, if, even though, since, as soon as,
while, who, when, where, how, which, and that
"They took Boggs to a little drug store, the crowd pressing around, just the same, and the whole town following, and I rushed and got a good place at the window, where I was close to him and could see in."
-Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain
The subordinate clause here is "the crowd pressing around." The subject is "the crowd" and the verb, "pressing." However, it is not a complete sentence because of the verb tense. Twain includes this subordinate clause to help the reader visualize and experience the scene. Twain wants the reader to feel what is happening and experience what is happening, not just observe what is happening.
"They took Boggs to a little drug store, the crowd pressing around, just the same, and the whole town following, and I rushed and got a good place at the window, where I was close to him and could see in."
-Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain
The subordinate clause here is "the crowd pressing around." The subject is "the crowd" and the verb, "pressing." However, it is not a complete sentence because of the verb tense. Twain includes this subordinate clause to help the reader visualize and experience the scene. Twain wants the reader to feel what is happening and experience what is happening, not just observe what is happening.
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