"This Land is Your Land" by Woodie Gunthrie

Is Guthrie's Message Individualist or Collectivist? Explain
Guthrie's message is from an individualist trying to take a step as best he can in a collectivist direction. HE uses "You" and "Me" - an individualistic word, one a collectivist would use would be 'us', to say lets unite under one land - a collectivist goal. 
Do you Find that this Song is Anti-Government or Pro-Government? Explain
Anti Government.  It uses a comedic/Sarcastic by government "that side was made for you and me"

The Egg Discussion Questions

What Kind was the Narrators Father before he Married? What Changes did he Undergo Afterwards?
Before the marriage he was happy and kind, but after the marriage he was lost in his ambitions.  


How does the Narrator Feel About Chickens? What does he View of them?
The narrator despised the chickens, but he also pitied them. He could never look at chickens the same after growing up with them because of the abhorrent amounts of disease and death that would occur with them and he expounded upon this by saying that if the disease "does not kill them they wait until your expectations are thoroughly aroused and then walk under the wheels of a wagon." 


Why does the Narrator Claim to have had Trouble being Happy? What are we to Make of the Narrator's Supposed Gloominess and Cautions against Optimism. 
The narrator claims to have trouble being happy because of his discouragement. This occurred because of the amount of sickness and death and the waste that became of his parent's labor. 

What Role does the Father's Collection of Grotesques play in the Story.
 The father's collection of grotesques show that he never forgot his first disappointment.


What Decisions does the Father make Regarding his Personality and Behavior? What is Wrong with this Decision and what Happens? 
The father becomes even more ambitious and decides to open up a restaurant, but does not get many customers. He later decides that this is because of the lack of entertainment so he does tricks with eggs that end in failure and him looking pathetic. 


What is the Meaning of the Narrator's Statement about the Complete and Final Triumph of the Egg?
I think the egg symbolized disappointment. Because no matter the fathers hope or ambition- to open up a chicken farm, to open up a restaurant, it always ended in failure and disillusionment, thus the triumph of the egg. 

Ebonics vs Standard English

Should people have to "code switch"? 
People should have to 'code switch' because it is what propels us as an American culture. Moving forward from our old ways and becoming educated.


What is the "standard" for American English? Is it race related? 
The standard for American English is proper, pronounced English. 
It is race related in the sense that some cultures have trouble pronouncing certain words, but i feel it should not affect the African American race like it does because unlike those of other cultures whose race causes a speech impediment, they simply refuse to speak the other method. 


Should it be a teacher's job to correct speech? Why/Why not? 
It should be a teacher's job to correct speech because it propels the learners ability which is the teachers job. 


Should the race of a teacher matter in the correction of a student's speech? Why/Why not?
Is correcting speech the same as correcting a math problem? Why/Why not?
The race of the teacher should not matter in the correction of the student's speech because a teacher should speak correct English because they are teaching. Correcting speech is not the same as correcting a math problem, because it is not as short and easy as that of a math problem, it requires time, endurance, and patience. 

American Friendship

What could be Some Reasons Americans could be Perceived in this Way?
In the article it elaborates that American don't look at friends in the Eastern sense, but simply as an acquaintance. This is due to their individualistic culture underlying the friendship to a point that they lack dependability on their friends while those of Eastern cultures, coming from a collectivist culture, depend on their friends. As well, the American connotation for friends is someone you've spoken to a few times while Eastern connotation is someone you can can depend on and who you value.

Me vs We

In a Collectivist Culture and Individualistic Culture what Personality Traits are Ideal? 
Collectivists:

• Loyal
• Family Oriented
• Sentimental
• Progressive for the Group

Individualist:

• Individualistic
• Unloyal
• Progressive for Themself 

How would you Respond to a Person of Authority in you Collectivist/Individualistic Culture?
In a Collectivist culture you would analyze your position in comparison to that of the person with authority and analyze if a move against them would strengthen your group as whole. An individualistic culture would do the same, but only to strengthen his/her position.

Evaluate the Conflict of Values when Someone from an Individual Culture Goes to a Collective one and Applies for a Job. Is it Internal or External, Explain. 
A person from an individualistic culture would only do things to help him/herself and would not care about the group which would cause of a clash of loyalty and dependability to the person giving the job to the individualist. It's internal because it is within yourself/ your own values, but it could also be external because it is how it affects your group.


What is an Acquaintance, does it have a Negative or Positive Connotation.
An acquaintance is someone who you know and acknowledge, but you do not have any personal friendship with. In today's day and age it can be anything. Most american societies perceive an acquaintance as the same thing as a friend while most eastern societies separate the two vastly almost to the point that it has a negative connotation.

"2+2=5" by Radiohead

What is this Song Talking about Lyrically?
The world does not actually grant us rights, it is all put in our minds to the point that we could believe 2+2=5

How does the Music Mirror or Help Push the Message?
The music is consistent at the beginning when he explains our world. However, when he tells us our world is a dystopia it becomes unruly and sporadic.


The Title is an Allusion to 1984 - Explain the Connection
In George Orwell's 1984, Orwell illustrates a world made up of a government -  "Big Brother" -  brainwashing its people to believe that they have rights and freedom or whatever Big Brother wants them to believe. Specifically in the book, Winston Smith compares this sense of authority the government have when he says that if the government wanted them to believe 2+2=5 they would. s

In  your opinion, why is Winston having a difficult time buying in to what Big Brother and the State are selling? Explain and support. 
Winston is having a hard time because his job puts him in a position where he still recalls what life was like before the Big Brother government took over. As a result, he can compare his life to the old life and see the corruptness of the new.


Are his small acts of defiance (questioning) a form of protest? Why/Why not? 
His acts of questioning are not a form of defiance let alone protesting. He has simply questioned the ways of the society, but he has not made any open outbursts of antagonism towards the society at all.


Compare/contrast Winston's small rebellion to a more current act of rebellion within the United States (think Tea Party Movement, Occupy Wall Street, Anti-War Protests, etc.)
The act of so called 'defiance' made by Winston most represent those of the Tea Party Movement, because they are not open declarations of opposition like those of Occupy Wall Street or Anti - War Protests, but rather simple ideas and questions that may or may not formulate into a movement that encompasses the society as a whole. 


In all facets - what they are fighting for, who they are rebelling against, the way their protests seen by the government, the way their protests are seen by the masses?
 The government does not see any protests other than the obvious ones that they must deal with through the wars that they have shielded from the eyes of their citizens. However the masses are fearful of what they have perceived to be protests in questioning the decisions of the government and having such thoughts of revolution.  

Identify the Conflict. Is it Internal or External?

The conflict is that globalization is one sided. This conflict is external between countries.

Why/How does Globalization Create Conflict? In the Speaker's Opinion, Globalization has Flown in only One Direction. What Does She Mean?

Globalization creates conflict through causing conflict between cultures. The speaker means that western ideas influence other cultures; however, other cultures aren't influenced by Western Ideas. 

What Benefit Does the Speaker Mention?
The benefit of female role models. 

 What Two Sources Does She Mention?
 The Qur'an and the Constitution

George Orwell 1984

How Have they Created Equality or Conformity

George Orwell's society has created equality through monitoring the citizens of the society and structuring their lives. As well, the have induced conformity through things such as the Though Police and the "Big Brother is watching you" persona of the oppressive, hypocritical government.

 How Have they Reduced Conflict - Specifically in Regards to Religion, Relationships, and Individual Rights

The Society in George Orwell's 1984 has reduced conflict through the Oppressive Government reducing conflict through the Ministry of Truth, Peace, Plenty, and Love as well as the Though Police that simply vaporizes anyone that may cause conflict.

 How Have they Created or Forced Happiness/Conformity

They have forced happiness through fear. The citizens of George Orwell's society live in fear of being killed if they step out line causing them to succumb to the propaganda and pretend like they are content with the state of living they are in. 

 Make a Claim About this Society as Either a Utopia or a Dystopia

George Orwell's Society is a dystopia because there is no actual happiness and equality, those who break conformity or simply killed, and 'happiness' is instilled into the people through the government Propaganda making people think they are happy; there is no room for emotion or thought. The society is simply a place where the citizens survive, not live. 

Utopia

What is a Utopia?
Oxford World Dictionary defines a Utopia as "An imagined place of state of things in which everything is perfect."A Utopia, in essence, is a perfect world. 

What is Your Ideal World? Explain.

My idea world is a world following perfect Communism - a system of social organization in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs. 

 A world where everyone works for the good of the whole society and individuality in the form of revolt or crime does not exist. It is a perfect world: no discrimination, no hate, everyone working for the good of the whole. Perfect Communism.

What Type of Music Would be the Soundtrack for Your Utopia?
I would have to say my perfect world's music would have to be Opera, Royksopp, or Moby. It would be music that drives the people to keep working and moving forward, but does not send any message to society that would cause them to want to speak out or revolt. 

Chuck Baird

Make a Claim About the Artist's Voice and Support with Facts.

Chuck Baird's voice revolves around enjoying all life has to offer despite what obstacles may erupt. This is proved by his pictures of himself mouthing loving, smiling, and being very optimistic despite how he is deaf.

Identify the Culture
The culture is that of the deaf people because he is deaf.

Write a Claim About the Culture

Chuck Baird's voice has been oppressed because of his deaf culture. This is illustrated through his use of painting showing his lips, mouth, hands, and ears which may show that he has had much to  say and express but no means of communicating to the world. 

"Built to Spill" - You Were Right

Make an Inference About the Lyrical Content of this Song and Support It 
The songwriter has overcome difficult times and is looking back on his experience.The lyrics "you cant always get what you want" insinuates how the songwriter once yearned for something but did not get his way. Other lyrics like "you were wrong" and "it's a hard rain's gonna fall" also shows how he may have been depressed and is finally comfortable with talking and singing about the experience.
Write One Analytic Statement About a Musical Part of the Song and Explain It
The song is an illusion to other songs - "all that glitters isn't gold" and "Everything's gonna be alright" Through these lyrics the songwriter illustrates his reference to other songs showing that the subject of the piece is 'Music.'

Make an Evaluative Statement About the Overall Effectiveness of this Song and Explain It.
 The song didnt get the message across very well because the music and lyrics didnt coincide. This caused the message to be distorted and not take affect very well.

"Reading Critically" Response

After finishing "Reading Critically,"  I have gained knowledge on how to read and write in a more advanced manner. The author's way of elaborating on simple and short ideas is very effective in his method of writing as well. In the Essay the author elaborates on what critical thinking actually is and the steps in involves. Every seemingly unnoticeable aspect of the book must be recognized - Before even starting the reading, one must analyze the title. As well one must examine the 'when and where' of the essay also lets the reader acquire a basic concept of what will happen in the piece of writing. One must first go through the essay and read through it once, annotating while one does, and then go back and analyze the small details as well as the piece as a whole. The three big steps of critical reading are analysis, inference, and synthesis - Which allows one to break an essay essay down, make assumptions as well as questions, and then build it back up into an understanding. This essay was extremely effective in understanding the way of critically analyzing and understanding an essay to better affect my writing.

"Young Life" - Bo Bartlett

3 Claims:

• The man is a hunter
• They are in the south
• The child is neglected/abused

3 Facts:

• He has a rifle and a dead deer on his car and an orange hat
• The terrain is very dry, much like the south and they are weraring baseball caps.
• The child is born without married parents because the parents arent wearing rings. This causes the parents to be young and unexperienced and the child is positioned away from the family with a stick to arm himself in a way.

"Shame" - Avett Brothers

Identify Subject and Tone:

The subject of the song is someone who did something wrong. The tone is Guilty/Regretful

Choose Three Words That Push Tone and Explain How They Do That: 

• Please - Shows that he is begging for forgiveness and it expounds upon subject in how hes done something wrong and the tone in how hes begging for forgiveness which shows his guilt/regret.
• Overwhelming - This word shows how the guilt and regret is affecting him.
• Boatloads - Due to the fact that the writer could have used any other word, this word pushes the tone. Furthermore, the word "boatloads" emphasizes a deeper meaning that stands out to the listener.
  

David Barry’s Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out: SOAPSTone

Subject:

The subject of Dave Barry’s Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out is that men think, act, and perceive things much differently than women do. The differences between the men and women are illustrated through Dave Barry’s use of historical and personal examples to distinguish between how men and women perceive things such as ‘dirt’ and ‘sports.’

Occasion:

Barry’s Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out was written during 1988. The essay’s time of creation is illustrated by the date written in the introduction when the writer of the article states that “this essay [is] from Dave Barry’s Greatest Hits (1988).” The date in quotations tells the date the article was written. The probably place of the essay’s creation is either in New York or Pennsylvania, as the article states Barry’s place of birth as “Armonk, New York” and that he went to “Haverford College” which is located in Pennsylvania – state right next to New York. The time and place of the essay influence the subject matter in how a major topic of the essay is the differences between men and women in regards of sports, specifically baseball. Baseball was a rising surge in America in the late 1980’s especially in states like New York, so that most likely influenced the subject matter.

Audience:

Dave Barry’s audience for Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out is the male population – specifically the stereotypical masculine male persona. The author’s target audience is exhibited by his word choice. This is exemplified when the author states the stereotypical idea that women have less of an interest in sports than men. If this article was written for women he would have left this bias view out as, as he said in the article, many women “are [as] sensitive to sports” as men. As well it is exhibited in how he makes very stereotypical statements of men in how they are all interested in sports and have no eye for cleanliness like women – an attribute stereotypically associated with the more masculine men of society.

Purpose:

Dave Barry’s purpose in Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out is to justify why men and women think, act, and perceive things differently and to achieve understanding by the female population. His purpose to achieve justification and understanding is revealed when Mr. Barry talks about the biological perspective as to why men cannot see dirt as well as women, in stating that “a hormonal secretion takes place in women that enables them to see dirt that men cannot see, dirt at the level of molecules, whereas men don’t generally notice it until it forms clumps large enough to support agriculture.” The author is justifying why men cannot clean as well as women in providing the biological standpoint as to say that men can physically not clean as well as women because of genetics. Furthermore, the author illustrates his desire for understanding in providing an excuse for atrocious male housework through fact and not opinion, therefore it cannot be disputed and the reader has no choice but to achieve understanding.

Speaker:

Dave Barry, journalist and humorist, believes that any perfectly ordinary experienced may be rendered for every ounce of humor.  This value is illustrated by his use of humor in the most odd of places such as when he says a situation he was in was “exactly like that story by Edgar Allan Poe where the murderer can hear the victim’s heart beating louder and louder even though he is dead, until finally he can’t stand it anymore, and he just has to watch the World Series on television.” It is humor like this that the author juices out of seemingly ordain essays to make his articles master pieces.

Tone:

The author exhibits a humorous and stereotypical attitude about why men think, act, and perceive things differently than women do in Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out. These attitudes are expressed through his use of exclamatory, exaggeratory, and stereotypical tone words and phrases. His use of exclamation points exhibits his exclamatory tone, his uses of phrases like “ the men’s room had bacteria you could enter in a rodeo” displays his exaggeratory tone, and his use of phrases such as “ [Sports] is an area where men tend to feel very sensitive and women tend to be extremely callous,” illustrates his stereotypical tone.