Post by Mr. Wells on Mar 4, 2008 12:08:19 GMT -5
Now that I have your attention, and have given you the title of the piece you are about to read, let me explain what you are going to do.
You will read Black Men and Public Space, by Brent Staples, one time through for understanding. You can also find this essay in your Bedford Reader, on pages 205 - 207. Then, either individually or with a partner, you are going to read the piece a second time, paying close attention to the sounds of words in conjunction with one another.
You will be explicitly looking for examples of cacophonous and euphonious language. As you find each example, think about what effect the sounds in each particular section have on the meaning.
You are to find ten examples of cacophonous and euphonious language, and write one paragraph analyzing each example. You will post the analyses as a new thread, and then respond to at least one classmate's posting. Look at the model below to see an example of what I am expecting for each paragraph:
One example in which Staples's writing becomes cacophonous is the sentence "The office manager called security and, with an ad hoc posse, pursued me through the labyrinthine halls, nearly to me editor's door." Each individual word, viewed separately, does not seem to be particularly cacophonous (except labyrinthine, perhaps). But together, the sounds of the words are very much discordant, and they help to emphasize Staples's struggle to avoid the "posse" and prove that he, ironically, was the one not to be feared or mistrusted.
And that, my friends, is analysis. We have the evidence (specific words and text alluded to and used in the context of the discussion); commentary is found in "the words...emphasize Staples's struggle to avoid the "posse" and prove that he. . . was . . . not to be feared or mistrusted"; and the assertion is that the evidence was an example of cacophony.
This is worth 50 points, and is due by lunchtime on Wednesday
You will read Black Men and Public Space, by Brent Staples, one time through for understanding. You can also find this essay in your Bedford Reader, on pages 205 - 207. Then, either individually or with a partner, you are going to read the piece a second time, paying close attention to the sounds of words in conjunction with one another.
You will be explicitly looking for examples of cacophonous and euphonious language. As you find each example, think about what effect the sounds in each particular section have on the meaning.
You are to find ten examples of cacophonous and euphonious language, and write one paragraph analyzing each example. You will post the analyses as a new thread, and then respond to at least one classmate's posting. Look at the model below to see an example of what I am expecting for each paragraph:
One example in which Staples's writing becomes cacophonous is the sentence "The office manager called security and, with an ad hoc posse, pursued me through the labyrinthine halls, nearly to me editor's door." Each individual word, viewed separately, does not seem to be particularly cacophonous (except labyrinthine, perhaps). But together, the sounds of the words are very much discordant, and they help to emphasize Staples's struggle to avoid the "posse" and prove that he, ironically, was the one not to be feared or mistrusted.
And that, my friends, is analysis. We have the evidence (specific words and text alluded to and used in the context of the discussion); commentary is found in "the words...emphasize Staples's struggle to avoid the "posse" and prove that he. . . was . . . not to be feared or mistrusted"; and the assertion is that the evidence was an example of cacophony.
This is worth 50 points, and is due by lunchtime on Wednesday