writing that looks good and is good! using be’s and lv’s
TRANSCRIPT
WRITING THAT LOOKS GOOD AND IS
GOOD!
Using Be’s and LV’s
HW:
Final Maya Angelou Influence essay is due by
tomorrow, 2.28.14
Extra credit will be given to those who turn it in
today! (5 pts)
WARM UP
Study for your Gothic Literature and Fall of the
House of Usher Quiz!
WARM UP:
What do all of these words have in
common? • Diction- • Tone-• Voice (in writing or literature)-• Clarity-
DICTION
(n) The choice and use
of words and phrases in
speech or writing.
DICTION
TONE
(n) The attitude of the
author on the subject in
which they are writing.
TONE
Media reports have likely made you aware of
this problem, but they have neglected the
implications. Your brother catches a cold that
turns into a sinus infection. His doctor treats
him with antibiotics, but the bacteria are
resistant to all of them. The infection enters his
bloodstream — a condition known as septicemia
— and a few days later, your brother dies.
(Septicemia is what killed Muppets creator Jim
Henson several years ago.) Or instead of a cold,
he has an infected cut that won't heal, or any
other common bacterial disease, such as an ear
or prostate infection.
Governments everywhere are at a loss
regarding the best policy for regulating the
dwindling forest reserves of the world. Few
ethical guidelines have been established from
which agreement might be reached, and those
are based on an insufficient knowledge of
ecology. Even if adequate scientific knowledge
were available, we would have little basis for
the long-term valuation of forests. The
economics of sustainable yield is still a primitive
art, and the psychological benefits of natural
ecosystems are almost wholly unexplored.
WHICH HAS A MORE FORMAL TONE?
Example A Example B
VOICE
(n) Voice is the author's style, the quality
that makes his or her writing unique, and
which conveys the author's attitude and
personality. Voice is made up of syntax,
diction, punctuation, character development,
and dialogue.
It shows the writer's personality
It sounds different from everyone
else's
It contains feelings and emotions
The words come to life
It comes from the heart
Uses “active” voice where subject
is performing the action of the
sentence
It is vague
It is bland and does not have much
distinction
Descriptions are not colorful and
diction is poor
There is a lack of emotion
It does not seem genuine
Uses “passive voice” where the action
is being performed to the subject
STRONG VS. WEAK
Strong Voice Weak voice
The burglar stole the
silver. (active voice
declarative)
Did the burglar steal
the silver? (active voice
interrogative)
Steal the silver! (active
voice imperative)
The silver was stolen
by the burglar. (passive
voice declarative)
Was the silver stolen
by the burglar? (passive
voice interrogative)
ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE VOICE
CLARITY
(n) The quality in writing to
be clear and easily
understood or visualized.
CLARITY
"The 'successful communication' that 'clarity'
points to is finally our success in getting someone
else to share our view of the world, a view we have
composed by perceiving it. And if this is true of
perception it must hold true for prose too. To write is
to compose a world as well as view one."
(Richard Lanham, Analyzing Prose. Continuum,
2003)
WHICH IS CLEARER?
Every semester after final exams are over, I'm faced with the problem
of what to do with books of lecture notes (new information). They (old)
might be useful some day, but they just keep piling up on my bookcase
(new). Someday, it (old) will collapse under the weight of information I
might never need.
Lately, most movies I've seen have been merely second-rate
entertainment, but occasionally there are some with worthwhile themes.
The rapid disappearance of the Indian culture (new) is the topic of a
recent movie (old) I saw.
REVIEW!
II• NP be ADJ
III • NP be NP
IV• NP linking verb (other than be) ADJ
V• NP linking verb (other than be ) NP
WHICH PATTERN IS IT?
“Although as boys, we
had been even intimate
associates, yet I really
knew little of my friend.”
p. 2
WHICH PATTERN IS IT?
This tastes awfully
disgusting!
WHICH PATTERN IS IT?
“The general furniture
was profuse, comfortless,
antique, and tattered.” p. 4
WHICH PATTERN IS IT?
“His action was alternately vivacious and sullen.” p. 4
“The room in which I found myself was very large and
lofty.” p. 3
“It was perhaps the narrow limits to which he thus
confined himself upon the guitar, which gave birth, in
great measure, to the fantastic character of his
performances.” p. 7
WRITING SUBJECT IDEAS
MUST BE SOMETHING WITH GOTHIC CHARACTERISTICS
(SCARY!)
Edgar Allan Poe
The House of Usher
Madeline Usher
Roderick Usher
The short story itself, “The Fall of the House of Usher”
The narrator in “The Fall of the House of Usher”