F. Scott Fitzgerald can easily be regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Despite having many pieces published without much recognition, The Great Gatsby proved to be his greatest novel and one of the best pieces of that time period.
Fitzgerald first began writing small stories and such for his high school newspaper. After graduating high school, he attended Princeton. World War I hit within his first years there. With being on academic probation, he decided to enlist in the army. At one of the locations, he met a woman named Zelda who he knew he had to turn into his wife. She, however, wouldn't commit to him unless he was financially stable to support her. Fitzgerald's piece, The Side of Paradise, made him much money. He then moved to France for inspiration on his next piece, with his last one becoming very popular, very quickly he needed to up his game and be able provide for his wife, Zelda. A year later, The Great Gatsby was published. He felt comfortable with the amount of money he had made at that point that he asked her to marry him. They wed and had a child together. Though, after the success of Gatsby, he wasn't able to produce something as great after. He ventured off to Hollywood to make scripts for movies and shows attempting to come up with enough money to produce a piece as great at Gatsby. Sadly, he passed away from a heart attack while in the middle of another piece.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Punctuation
Parts of the opening statement for the debate on punctuation are included (side apposing strict punctuation rules):
Due to the evolving world's increasingly modernist/minimalist perspective it is only natural that punctuation also adjusts to differing norms. As source A states "The reality is that language evolves in conjunction with culture." Due to changing punctuation there has never been a correct standard to follow. For example Shakespeare didnt use the same rules we have now yet did it affect us for the worse? no. We have never stuck to a "correct standard" of writing. With the evolution of the English language the value of punctuation has decreased. Therefore the unnecessary rules shouldnt be strictly enforced. Why are they as strictly enforced now and at school if its bound to change sooner or later? There are hundreds of rules for just a comma but we arent about to sit down and learn every single one. Also strict punctuation rules restrict the freedom of expression and individual style. We can specifically remember certain writers not just for their words but also for their use of rules or rather how they make their own. We arent in school just so we can learn all the rules but also how to make writing into something that sets us apart from others not make us the same.
Due to the evolving world's increasingly modernist/minimalist perspective it is only natural that punctuation also adjusts to differing norms. As source A states "The reality is that language evolves in conjunction with culture." Due to changing punctuation there has never been a correct standard to follow. For example Shakespeare didnt use the same rules we have now yet did it affect us for the worse? no. We have never stuck to a "correct standard" of writing. With the evolution of the English language the value of punctuation has decreased. Therefore the unnecessary rules shouldnt be strictly enforced. Why are they as strictly enforced now and at school if its bound to change sooner or later? There are hundreds of rules for just a comma but we arent about to sit down and learn every single one. Also strict punctuation rules restrict the freedom of expression and individual style. We can specifically remember certain writers not just for their words but also for their use of rules or rather how they make their own. We arent in school just so we can learn all the rules but also how to make writing into something that sets us apart from others not make us the same.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Annotating
Something we've done often in our english classes has been to annotate written works. As the classes got harder and it became more strenuous, people became annoyed of the process. I, for one, enjoy annotating. I'm crazy, I know. Yet, it's solely for the reason that we as students are capable of finding a deeper meaning to a book, phrase, or even a name.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hester's daughter, Pearl, provides one of the biggest symbols in the novel. Her name gives much insight into her as a person and it feels great to put together the pieces of how to two are alike. A pearl is derived from an oyster, the oyster lives a painful life upon delivering the pearl, the black pearls, that mimic Pearl's appearance, are the most beautiful and unique, etc. As we found all of these correlations from Hester's daughter's name to her life situation, we obtain knowledge of a deeper meaning as to why the author chose that name, it fits her to a T.
Authors will often find ways of incorporating meanings or correlations into details in their works. Though, you have to find them and make the connection. Again, a process I enjoy.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hester's daughter, Pearl, provides one of the biggest symbols in the novel. Her name gives much insight into her as a person and it feels great to put together the pieces of how to two are alike. A pearl is derived from an oyster, the oyster lives a painful life upon delivering the pearl, the black pearls, that mimic Pearl's appearance, are the most beautiful and unique, etc. As we found all of these correlations from Hester's daughter's name to her life situation, we obtain knowledge of a deeper meaning as to why the author chose that name, it fits her to a T.
Authors will often find ways of incorporating meanings or correlations into details in their works. Though, you have to find them and make the connection. Again, a process I enjoy.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Judgement; Letter or not
In the Scarlet Letter, Hester is forced to wear, on her clothing, a letter A. The A represents the sin committed by an adulterer. Though, what would the world be like if everyone was forced to wear the letter of their committed sin?
In our society people judge. Most of the time they don't know if what they're judging you for is true or not yet they do it anyways. They could be envious of a quality you possess or an object you attain. In Hester's case she was beautiful as was her letter. It made the women of the town even more envious and nasty, much like what happens in our society. It gave them a way to make certain remarks or faces at her. A leeway into projecting their hatred.
Everyone will perform a sin of some kind, small or large, in their life. Having a letter to represent the largest one visibly on your clothing would share it with the world. It would give people an automatic viewpoint of you and make room for their judgement.
The main point of this blog post was to share my opinion on the similarity between how people judge each other, letter or not. Because at least to me, it doesn't seem like much of a difference.
In our society people judge. Most of the time they don't know if what they're judging you for is true or not yet they do it anyways. They could be envious of a quality you possess or an object you attain. In Hester's case she was beautiful as was her letter. It made the women of the town even more envious and nasty, much like what happens in our society. It gave them a way to make certain remarks or faces at her. A leeway into projecting their hatred.
Everyone will perform a sin of some kind, small or large, in their life. Having a letter to represent the largest one visibly on your clothing would share it with the world. It would give people an automatic viewpoint of you and make room for their judgement.
The main point of this blog post was to share my opinion on the similarity between how people judge each other, letter or not. Because at least to me, it doesn't seem like much of a difference.
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