Class Notes 9/13 - 9/17

Monday, September 13th
Close Reading- Specific analysis of an excerpt of reading.  Affective techniques include highlighting, making notes in margins, drawing arrows, and brackets. Paying close attention to imagery, syntax, words, and diction when reading.  Close reading is useful not only in analyzing literature but also in taking information out of dense texts, such as historical documents.
Tuesday, September 14th
What is Poetry?
Poetry is language condensed to artistic affect.
Poetry is distinct from other literature in that it takes more to explain the writing then it does to read it. Hence, language condensed. Poetry must also be artistic, to prevent any slogan as being classified as poetry.
Wednesday, September 15th
We discussed Hidden Meanings as a class.
After scratching the surface we found the blatant sexually inferences taken from innocent fairy tales. But even deeper were the suggestions about gender, about men being suppressed by women.
Thursday, September 16th
Connotation and Denotation:
Authors chose certain words for a reason, as do all people, subconscious or not.
Concreteness v. Abstraction:

Clothes     Pants     Jeans  Levis <------------------------------------------------->

Abstract                                          Concrete

 

Precision:
Is a passage or word exact or vague?
Authors use precision to create different tones and affects
ex. Cool, Nice, Sweet = Vague
Elevation v. Colloquialism:

<--------------------------------------------->

Slang                                             Epic Diction

Slang is used by outside groups as a way to define and separate themselves, such as the youth from the maturer/old. Epic diction is used in acceptance speeches.

 

Dialect: specific word replacement
Jargon: technical language
Regionalism: regional-specific expression and pronunciations. regionalism is heavily used in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Friday, September 17th
Worked on Diction and Imagery worksheets.
Diction definition: Choice and use of words in writing and speech
Imagery definition: The use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas.
Works Cited
Help with definitions
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/575/01/