Learning Express Library 2

Course 3: Grammar Practise 1

Interest: This test was very interesting, because even though I am quite comfortable around grammar, I realized I had experienced difficulties, and it helped me eliminate my uncertainties. The questions looked easy, but grammar is very complicated, and this test made it easy, as well as educational.

Difficulty: I was not sure, at times, if the sentences needed a punctuation mark, and it frustrated me. At some time, I was confused with the many choices I had to choose from, which contained a grammatical error. As for the rest of the test, the questions flowed easily.

What I learned: I learned when to use capital letters, when to put punctuation marks, how to conjugate verbs, according to the sentence. I also learned where to put comas during a dialogue.

My score: 28/40, my greatest difficulty being adjectives, verbs and pronouns.

Course rating: I rate this course 8/10, because, it was quite easy, and, overall, was very effective, and helped me improve myself.

Course 4: Fundamentals of writing 2: Drafting

Interest: It is very interesting, for it explains step by step how you should procede to write an introduction, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. It helps in the process of organizing the ideas, and writing them down. The examples are simple, and make us easily understand the point of the lesson.

Difficulty: Some practice exercices were somewhat difficult, and demanded reflexion. As for the rest of the lesson, it was in the middle of easy and hard. When you had to compose paragraphs, it was a little bit difficult, but more long than anything else.

What I learned: I learned how to organize my ideas, how to make informal outlines and graphic organizers, how to do hierarchical charts, and Venn diagrams. I also learned ways to invite the reader, with attention grabbers, and good thesis statements. Furthermore, the lesson teached me how to make the reader interesting, by writing solid and supporting paragraphs, and use directed brainstorming. Finally, I learned how to inspire the reader by writing a conclusion, and learned what to do and what not to do in conclusions.

My score: There was not score in this lesson, but if I based myself on the practice exercices I did, I would still need to work on my writing.

Course rating: I give it a 8.5/10, because it was helpful, but the lesson was very long.

11 Sexy Ways To Introduce A Literary Essay

BACKGROUND

-Thesis statement is necessary.
-Thesis is an interpretation.
-Thesis is based on literary elements: plot, characterization, setting, symbolism, theme, dialogue, imagery, narration,
-A thesis is not a fact
-A litterary essay never uses "I think".
- Literary essay needs proof based on quotations.


1. BIOGRAPHICAL INFO: In A. Pierce's "Occurence at...", he takes the view point of his enemy, a Confederate, -- even though he was a federal soldier-- to show the horrors of war.

2. QUOTATION: "I'm not mad. No I'm not." Why did the narrator say this? Was he really sane? E.A. Poe's "Tell.." explores the fine line between madness and sanity.

3. DEFINITION: Acoording to the dictionary, the word "lottery" means a random draw with money as the prize. In S. Jackson's "Lottery", the prize is very macabre indeed: death by stoning.

4. A LITTERARY ELEMENT: Imagery is a powerful way to express feelings and emotion. In John Keats' "Ode to Psyche", there is stunning visual imagery to depict the environment surrounding Psyche.

5. LIFE EXPERIENCE (AUTHOR): E. Hemingway had major problems dealing with women in his life. This is reflected in " Hill...", where Jig and the American never really communicate.

6. PLOT: At the beginning of DO. Wilde's "Nightingale...", the bird is heartbroken because the student is in emotional pain. At the end, the bird's heart literally broken by the thorn of a rose tree.

7. PHILOSOPHICAL OR SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPT: Racism has always existed and will always exist, particularly towards black people. In A. Meeropol's "Strange Fruits", the savagery of racism is clearly exposed.

8. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: Romanticism and gothicism were in vogue in the early nineteenth century. In E. A. Poe's "The Tell...", there are many gothic elements, such as the dark side of human nature.

9. CLAIM TO FAME (NOTORIETY) : J. D. Salinger's "Catcher in the rye" is still read in classrooms across North America, because of its relevance to young people.

10. USING IMAGERY: "A painting for the painter is what the novel is for the writer. The authors of all genres face endless possibilities when shaping the canvas of their work."

11. ALLUSION: Many classic works are based on trials: Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird", Rose's "Twelve Angry Men", and Miller's "The Crucible". Lee and Lawrence's "Inherit The Wind", uses the context of a trial to pit freedom of thought versus fondamentalism.

Book Review

The book Wuthering Heights was written by Emily Brontë and was first published in 1847, a year before the author's death. During the process of reading this book, many questions surfaced within me, concerning it's content. First of all, at the beginning, too much information was given at the same time, not altogether coherent. Up until the beginning of the story-telling by Ellen Dean, I did not understand many things. The setting was very confusing; one moment the narrator was at Wuthering Heights, and the next, he was talking about a morning elsewhere. My first question when I read this passage was: Where is he?. This passage brought many more questions to my mind. Most of all, my questions were axed toward this quotation: "On coming up from dinner, however, (N.B. -- I dine between twelve and one o'clock; the housekeeper, a matronly lady, taken as a fixture along with the house, could not, or would not, comprehend my request that I might be served at five.)". It says he dines between twelve and one o'clock; why does the matronly lady serve him dinner so early? It is lunchtime at this hour. Furthermore, the sentence does not make sense. The narrator says "On coming up from dinner, however...", and then parenthesis are opened, to be closed at the end of the sentence. However what?

Further in the book, we learn that Catherine Linton, one of the main characters, is ill from a conflict between the man she loves, her husband, and herself. How can she contract a fever from a little fight, and stay abed for at least two months? Then suddenly, at the very beginning of chapter sixteen, we learn that she delivers a baby girl. Catherine was pregnant? I was extremely surprised. I reread at least five times this passage, and never understood how she could have borne a child, since it was never mentioned beforehand that she was indeed pregnant. Isn't it crucial to mention something as important as this, instead of surprising the reader of this startling fact?

The previous most questionable aspects of the story line, brings me now to develop one of several of its ambiguous parts. When Heathcliff, an orphan boy that Mr. Earnshaw found in Liverpool, was younger, and lived with the Earnshaw family, he was daily beaten by the son called Hindley. The father never realized these events. Wouldn't a sensed man take notice of a beaten child, and even more Heathcliff being his favourite? Why did the nurse, Nelly, left the Hindley beat up Heathcliff, without preventing them?

Finally, in this book, although it is very interesting, many of its aspects are questionable. Apart from this unfortunate literary negative point that obstructs the flow for the reader, the book, overall, was a good story, that pleased me and entertained me.

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Inherit The Wind Questions

2. What does Meeker, the bailiff’s, willingness to let Cates out of jail to meet with Rachel
tell us both about his offence and the town?
Meeker thinks Cates offence is ludicrous. He thinks that the town has no reason to put him in jail, only because he teaches a different belief than what the Bible teaches.
It tells that the offense is not serious and not a physical threat to the town.

3. What kind of town does Hillsboro seem to be in its preparations for Brady’s arrival?
The town seems very happy to receive Brady. They prepare a buffet and they parade around the town to show their joy.
It seems to be very religious and proud to show it, by displaying banners, singing christian songs.

4. What does Brady’s relationship with his wife tell us about his character?
She calls him baby, and he calls her mom. He follows her when she leaves. It shows that he is dependant, and submisive.

5. What does Brady’s conversation with Rachel, and subsequent behaviour afterwards tell
us about his character?
He is very manipulative. Rachel only wanted to relate to him the facts during their conversation, but he used her knowledge and her relations with the town's priest to bait her to be a witness for them, and go against her boyfriend.
It tells us that Brady could be untrustworthy, conniving, and manipulative.

6. How is Drummond characterized by the townspeople? Later when we meet him do
they seem to be correct?
The towns people see Drummond as a man who has no scrupples. He defensed criminals, and had no care for morals during the court process. They don't want him to enter the town. When Drummond arrives, the people were right to think the worst of him.
Drummond is depicted as the devil, or evil incarnate, because he had prviously defended hard-core criminal; however, we find him to be free thinking and a man of principle.

7. What role does Hornbeck play in the action of the play? What is the significance of the
way he speaks?
Hornbeck is the journalist in the play. He relates the events, and makes many comments on the absurdity of the accusations. He like to incorporate his opinions when he speaks, even though poeple tend to ignore those comments. He tries to understand why the poeple are so distressed by the beliefs of a man.
Hornbeck shows another point of view that is seemingly open minded, but isn't. He was more articulate, but he was not superior, though he thought so.0

8. Do the elements of the trial seem fair to you? Why or why not?
I don't think the elements of the trial are fair, because the jury is chosen by Drummond and Brady, but everytime Drummond questions someone, the questions are declared unsuitabble for the cause, and the judge always agrees. It seemed like the whole town already had a opinion, even the jury, though they were chosen for the fact that they were neutral in the situation.

9. What do you think Rachel’s motivations for asking Cates to drop the trial and admit
his guilt stem from?
Rachel is torn between her father and her boyfriend Cates. She doesn't want to choose, so she asks Cates to admit his guilt so she would be freed of the weight on her shoulders. Furthermore, she believes his reputation will suffer the consequences of the trial. And she wants the case to end, because it is a completly absurd case.

10. What does Brady’s intervention in Reverend Brown’s sermon say about him? Does
this contradict what you thought about him as a character?
When he interrupted Reverend Brown's sermon, Brady talked about forgiveness, and this showed that he held deep inside him some compassion. It does a bit contradict what I thought about him, because I thought he was the austere man who strongly believed in justice, and the speech he made shattered this concept of him.

11. What is the central issue that Drummond is arguing for in the courtroom?
Drummond is arguing about the human's right to think. And that the Bible has many issues that can be argued about.

12. Do you think it is fair that none of Drummond’s expert witnesses are allowed to act as
witnesses?
I don't think it is fair that Drummond isn't allowed to question the experts on his list, because when you judge someone, you have to have all the facts, and information in hand before proceeding to the judgement. Why should Brady be allowed to bring forward as many witnesses as he wants, when Drummond can't do the same?