Today

Today we will... Learninghowtowriteanintegratedparagraphthatshows theabilitytosynthesiseinformation To achieve this, we will be... Lookingacrossthetextsforsignificantsimilaritiesand differences Lookingatanexemplar Writinginpairs

Last Week
OnFridaywestartedworkingwithintegratedthinking tryingtosynthesiseacrossthetextsinordertoanswera question. Wenowwanttodrawonthatlearningandapplyitina contextthatwillfitwitharesponsetotextessay. Thiswillbethelastpieceofworkforourunitonshort stories,whichisappropriate,aswearenowbringingitall together.

Heading: Significant Comparisons

Letsstartwithtryingtoidentifysomesignificant similaritiesanddifferencesacrossthethreemaintexts: RockSprings,GreatFalls,andTheBath. e.g.RockSpringsandGreatFallsmakeuseofsymbolism. Thesymbolsoftenexpresstheproblemofcertainty,suchas thegoldmineinRockSpringsandthegunthatJackusesin GreatFalls.Carverusesnosuchsymbolism,whichmakes itmoredifficultforustofindsignificanceinhistext.

Letsstartwithtryingtoidentifysomesignificant similaritiesanddifferencesacrossthethreemaintexts: RockSprings,GreatFalls,andTheBath. e.g.RockSpringsandGreatFallsmakeuseofsymbolism. Thesymbolsoftenexpresstheproblemofcertainty,suchas thegoldmineinRockSpringsandthegunthatJackusesin GreatFalls.Carverusesnosuchsymbolism,whichmakes itmoredifficultforustofindsignificanceinhistext. Task Inapair,comeupwithonesignificantconnectionacross thetexts. Youmightconsidercharacter,pointofview, simile/metaphor,motifsoflightanddark,setting,other symbols. Youwillneedtobeabletosaywhyyourconnectionis significant,whichmeansbeingabletoconnectittoakey argument

Application to essays
Wenowwanttobeabletousethiskindofhigherorder thinkinginouressays.AndsowhatIrecommendforyouthis year,istowriteanessaythatinvolvesthreebodyparagraphs: oneonyourfirsttext oneonyoursecondtext oneintegratedparagraphthatspeaksacrossthetexts ThisstylewillprobablyworkbestifyoufocusonFordswriting foryourfirsttwoparagraphs,andthenbringinCarveratthe endtoshowapointofdifference,tohelpexpresshoweach authorhastheirownuniquetakeontheissues.

The writing itself...

Step One: Initial Connecting Statement youneedtointroducea connectionbetweenthetextsthatisphrasedspecificallyintermsof thetopic. Thesis: I would arguethatFordconfrontsthedifficult complexityofexistence,exposingitsbleak,darknaturebecause hewantstocreateworldthatrepresentsthetruthofthemodern humancondition. ApreoccupationwithuncertaintycanbeseenacrossFordsand Carverswork,withbothauthorsdealingwiththedifficultand darknotionofeverestablishingorconfirmingcertainty.

The writing itself...

Step Two: Discuss Text #1 pulloutatechniquefromoneofthetextsthatshowsthe authordoingwhatyouvesaidintheintegratingstatement.Thisbecomesyou pointofcomparison.Itshouldbeyourbestexample,whichincludesaspecific examplethatyoucanunpackandthecompareandcontrastto. Fordtendstomakeuseofsymbolinordertoachievethis.Hecontinuesto returntotheimageofthegoldmineinRockSpringstoexpresstheuncertainty thatEarlsuffers.Thegoldmineisalwaysagreaterdistancefromusthanit seemed,andsoForddrawsthereadersattentiontothedifficultyforEarl(and thereader)toeverfullyestablishproximitytothegoldmine.Withthegoldmine representinghopeandsuccessforEarl,thereadercomestorealisethatEarlwill neverbecertainofhisproximitytoeitheroftheseconcepts;heisalienatedfrom them.

The writing itself...

Step Three: Connecting Statement useconnectinglanguagetoshow aconnectionacrossthetexts. JustasthegoldminecanprovidenocertaintyforEarl,the gunthatJackRussellwieldsinGreatFallsisequally impotent.

The writing itself...

Step Four: Discuss Text #2 whenconnectingtoFord,lookforcomplimentary evidence.IttendstobeeasiesttotalkaboutFordstextsidebysideand thenfinishonCarversdifference.Itsusefultoconnectbackintothetopic here,asthisensuresthatyourmarkerdoesntthinkyourdriftingofftopic. Forallthepowerthegunexpresses,Jackstillendssaying,Idontknow whattodonow.Thegunisessentiallyimpotent,withWoodyleaving andtakingJackswifewithhim.HereFordexpressestheultimatefailing ofcertainty,andparticularlysymbolsofcertainty.Fordillustratesthedark lessoninbothtextsthatasmuchaswetryandimposecertaintyon existence,itisessentiallyoutofthecontroloftheindividual.

The writing itself...

Step Five: Connecting Statement useconnectinglanguagetoshow aconnectionacrossthetexts. Fordallowsustolearntheselessonsbyreflectingonthe experiencesofhischaracters,yetCarverbarelygivesthe readercharacteratall.

The writing itself...

Step Six: Discuss Text #3 itcanbeusefultoshowapointofdifferenceherethis helpsyoushowanuancedunderstandingofhowthetextstreatthesame issue,butinadifferentmanner.Thisiswhyitcanbeusefultoendwith Carver,duetohistendencytobebleaker,colder,etc.especiallyinTheBath. Bystrippingawaypropernounsandusingaparticularlydistancedthird personnarratorinTheBath,Carverisabletomakehisreaderexperience thesamealienationanduncertaintythatFordscharactersexperience.The readerispositionedtowardsfrustration,astheyarenotallowedtoknowthe charactersinTheBath,leftuncertainastotheirpurposeorsignificancedue toCarversminimalistapproachtocharacterdevelopment.

The writing itself...

Step Seven: Thesis and topic itsimportanttofinishoffwithanumberofsentencesthat outlinethesignificanceoftheseconnections.Thistendstomeandiscussinghowan examinationofthetextssidebysidegivesusamuchstrongerunderstandingofa fundamentalissue.Finishwithaconnectionbackintothetopicandthethesis. Andsobothauthorsleadthereadertoparticularlydarkplaces:wherehopeand purposebecomeillusory,andtheabilitytoknowanythingbecomesproblematic andpotentiallyimpossible.Theseareindeeddarkanddifficultissuestoconfronta readerwith;however,asFordsays,itsnotthatwearenotconnoisseurs,butthat wearesurroundedbyit,andsoitisimportantthatFordandCarvertakeusto thesedarkanddifficultplacessothatwemightbetterappreciatetheuncertainty andalienationattheheartofthemodernhumancondition.

1.Shortstorywritersshyawayfrompresentingworksthataredifficult and dark.Towhatextentdoyouagreewiththisview? I would arguethatFordconfrontsthedifficultcomplexityofexistence, exposingitsbleak,darknaturebecausehewantstocreateworldthat representsthetruthofthemodernhumancondition.

2.Shortstoriesaremostoftenaboutcharacterswhose livesaresolitary, poor, nasty, or brief.Towhatextent doyouagreewiththisview? I would arguethatFordsfictioncentresonindividuals whosufferfromsolitudeandalienationbecausehewants 3.Techniquesusedbyshortstorywritersallowthemto torepresentthewideralienationofhumanityinamodern, say more with less.Towhatextentdoyouagreewith uncertainworld. thisview? I would arguethatFordcraftshistechniqueswithgreat carebecauseitishisintentiontowritewithinthestark 4.Shortstorywritersareskilledatpresentingessential DirtyRealistgenrewhilealsoallowinghisreaderto detail.Towhatextentdoyouagreewiththisview? considerthewidercomplexityofmodernalienation. I would arguethatwhatmakesFordsuchashort story expertishisabilitytoselectnarrativesandnarratorsthat reflectonessentialmomentsintheirlives,which allowshis