For this assignment, you will be writing a paper that combines two elements: Description and Comparing/Contrasting.
The assignment can be done one of several ways. Choose one of the 3 prompts below, depending on how you want to write your essay:
Prompt One: Black and White, Good and Bad, Hero and Villain
The news media often uses description to create "good guys" and "bad guys" out of public figures. Choose two different public figures who are portrayed by the media in drastically different ways. (Example: Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie) Compare and Contrast the ways that each figure is described, making an argument about what you think the comparison says about the media's attitude towards celebrities/public figures. How do the descriptions you encounter boil very complex humans down into simple notions of "good" and "bad"? How does the media use description to forward the idea that there are heroes, villains, and nothing in between?
Prompt Two: Damned if you do, Damned if you don't
Catch hypocrisy! Often, we are critical of public figures no matter HOW they appear. In this essay, you can choose 1 public figure who is portrayed in two conflicting ways (ex: George W. Bush) or two different figures who are portrayed the same way, despite being very different people (ex. Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton). Compare and contrast their portrayals. Why do you think we are able to take the same material and interpret it in completely different ways? What underlying ideas cause these types of hypocrisy?
Prompt Three: People in Our Lives
The media is not the only place where people are described in conflicting ways. Choose a figure from your own life who is seen in 2 completely opposing ways. (ex. a teacher that some students love and some hate) How do the "pro" and "con" teams use description to forward their views on the person? What types of details do they choose to focus on to make their audience believe THEIR version of the story? How does each side spin the SAME details DIFFERENTLY to tell a different story?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sample Essay Description/Compare Contrast
Description is a very telling act - an act that often conveys more about the writer or speaker than it does about the person being described. When we describe political figures we are also describing our own politics, whether we intend to or not. The adjectives we apply to his appearance speak volumes about how much of his narrative we believe. Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Ronald Reagan - all divisive political figures - were analyzed constantly in the press; the descriptions that surrounded them both in and out of office were excellent indicators of where they stood with the majority of the public. But never has this effect been more drastic than when Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin both appeared on the political scene in 2008. While men are subject to some judgment based on appearance, a woman is often DEFINED by her physical attractiveness relative to media standards. During the 2008 campaign, Clinton’s and Palin’s appearances were used to (incorrectly) support claims about their politics.
Hillary Clinton’s critics have used her physical traits as cannon fodder ever since her first appearance on the political scene, when her husband ran for president. A quick glance at a photo of Clinton can give us the actual facts of her appearance: she generally wears her hair a dark shade of blonde, cut relatively short (whether in a bob or closer around her face). She is famous for her brightly colored pantsuits in shades of red, yellow, and occasionally blue. Beyond these few elements of her appearance, though, it is difficult to comment upon her physicality without invoking adjectives that are less-than-neutral.
In the photo of Clinton speaking before the UN, her lips are set tightly and wrinkles around her eyes and mouth are visible. A detractor might focus on these features by saying that she looks “stern” or “harsh.” She is rarely seen smiling in photos, something that might indicate to opponents that she is unhappy, angry, or even - as many have suggested before - bitchy Because women are generally expected to be the more submissive gender, Hillary’s unsmiling countenance is often cited as evidence that she is “castrating” or “emasculating” - a tough woman who seeks power and wishes to crush all the men in her path. On the other hand, in photos where she does smile, she might be accused of appearing fake. Or a detractor might suggest that the smile is one of secret contempt for her audience rather than genuine joy. Clinton has suffered the most, however, at the hands of those who critique her because her appearance is not one of traditionally-accepted feminine beauty. She is often called “masculine” and “mannish” in the press, suggesting that she is not a real woman and that her power and ambition make her less-than-feminine.
A woman who does conform to traditional standards of beauty suffers just as much, however. Sarah Palin has been critiqued just as harshly as Clinton, but for opposing reasons. While Clinton is viewed negatively for being too manly, Palin is lambasted for being too soft and too feminine. She wears her hair longer than Clinton and often lets it down to frame her face, or clips it up in a fairly soft, feminine style. She is frequently seen smiling and waving in the press - in contrast with Clinton’s firmly set countenance. But their opposing appearances do not mean that Palin is let off the hook. When she smiles at the camera or winks at her audience, critics label her vapid and dumb. When she highlights her hair or spends money on expensive brand-name suits, she is accused of being uncaring and out-of-touch, of spending money on frivolities - when, in reality, she would be equally criticized for going on the campaign trail wearing jeans and a polar fleece.
The media is also fond of making presumptions about the candidates’ personal lives based largely on their appearance. Because Clinton is seen as the more masculine figure, she is labeled “butch” and is portrayed as a dry, desexualized figure incapable of intimate human relationships. Palin, on the other hand, has been parodied in countless pornographic films. During her time on the campaign trail she was routinely sexualized by members of print and television media. Her history as a beauty queen didn’t help; media commentators called her a “bimbo.” Her overt sexualization was a result of the belief that her appearance is inherently “feminine” and the insistence that women who conform to traditional standards of beauty are automatically fodder for sexualization. Both women were critiqued for their appearances the way they might be critiqued for a sexual choice - Clinton was seen as frigid and uninviting, while Palin was accused of being slutty or oversexed.
The labels that critics applied to Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin during their time in the political spotlight tell us a great deal about how the American media handles women in general. While Clinton was criticized for her refusal to conform to traditional standards of feminine beauty, Palin was equally lambasted for her tendency to adopt those same standards. While all political figures are judged based on their appearance from time to time, women in politics are trapped within a particularly harsh catch-22, a media world in which they will be negatively impacted by any choice they make.
Hillary Clinton’s critics have used her physical traits as cannon fodder ever since her first appearance on the political scene, when her husband ran for president. A quick glance at a photo of Clinton can give us the actual facts of her appearance: she generally wears her hair a dark shade of blonde, cut relatively short (whether in a bob or closer around her face). She is famous for her brightly colored pantsuits in shades of red, yellow, and occasionally blue. Beyond these few elements of her appearance, though, it is difficult to comment upon her physicality without invoking adjectives that are less-than-neutral.
In the photo of Clinton speaking before the UN, her lips are set tightly and wrinkles around her eyes and mouth are visible. A detractor might focus on these features by saying that she looks “stern” or “harsh.” She is rarely seen smiling in photos, something that might indicate to opponents that she is unhappy, angry, or even - as many have suggested before - bitchy Because women are generally expected to be the more submissive gender, Hillary’s unsmiling countenance is often cited as evidence that she is “castrating” or “emasculating” - a tough woman who seeks power and wishes to crush all the men in her path. On the other hand, in photos where she does smile, she might be accused of appearing fake. Or a detractor might suggest that the smile is one of secret contempt for her audience rather than genuine joy. Clinton has suffered the most, however, at the hands of those who critique her because her appearance is not one of traditionally-accepted feminine beauty. She is often called “masculine” and “mannish” in the press, suggesting that she is not a real woman and that her power and ambition make her less-than-feminine.
A woman who does conform to traditional standards of beauty suffers just as much, however. Sarah Palin has been critiqued just as harshly as Clinton, but for opposing reasons. While Clinton is viewed negatively for being too manly, Palin is lambasted for being too soft and too feminine. She wears her hair longer than Clinton and often lets it down to frame her face, or clips it up in a fairly soft, feminine style. She is frequently seen smiling and waving in the press - in contrast with Clinton’s firmly set countenance. But their opposing appearances do not mean that Palin is let off the hook. When she smiles at the camera or winks at her audience, critics label her vapid and dumb. When she highlights her hair or spends money on expensive brand-name suits, she is accused of being uncaring and out-of-touch, of spending money on frivolities - when, in reality, she would be equally criticized for going on the campaign trail wearing jeans and a polar fleece.
The media is also fond of making presumptions about the candidates’ personal lives based largely on their appearance. Because Clinton is seen as the more masculine figure, she is labeled “butch” and is portrayed as a dry, desexualized figure incapable of intimate human relationships. Palin, on the other hand, has been parodied in countless pornographic films. During her time on the campaign trail she was routinely sexualized by members of print and television media. Her history as a beauty queen didn’t help; media commentators called her a “bimbo.” Her overt sexualization was a result of the belief that her appearance is inherently “feminine” and the insistence that women who conform to traditional standards of beauty are automatically fodder for sexualization. Both women were critiqued for their appearances the way they might be critiqued for a sexual choice - Clinton was seen as frigid and uninviting, while Palin was accused of being slutty or oversexed.
The labels that critics applied to Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin during their time in the political spotlight tell us a great deal about how the American media handles women in general. While Clinton was criticized for her refusal to conform to traditional standards of feminine beauty, Palin was equally lambasted for her tendency to adopt those same standards. While all political figures are judged based on their appearance from time to time, women in politics are trapped within a particularly harsh catch-22, a media world in which they will be negatively impacted by any choice they make.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Class Cancelled Today 2/7
Hi All,
I'm sorry about canceling today so suddenly; my car broke down out by the airport and I didn't manage to get a tow and make it to class in time. (That's why I always tell y'all to let me know if you have trouble or something keeps you from making it to class - because this stuff happens to me too!)
Here's the plan for Wednesday: I'd still like to try to get rough drafts done in class, so I'll plan to use the first 15-20 minutes for us to write an essay together as a class. That way you can get warmed up and see how the narrative structure works. That will give us 55 min to an hour to rough draft. Hopefully that will give you time to get through everything, but if you end up not making it all the way through your essay, it's okay. We'll work with whatever you complete. You aren't given a letter grade on roughs; the points for doing them are folded into the grade for the final essay. So having an unfinished rough won't make your score any lower.
To help you keep your thoughts together, I'd suggest making a brief outline of what you want to say sometime between now and Wednesday. It will allow you to utilize the whole hour for writing rather than having to spend part of it scrambling for ideas.
If you have any questions, I'll be at PJ's before class Wed from about 11:30-12:20. Or you can email me at my olol address or at sharon.tohline@gmail.com. Or just leave your question here as a comment on the post.
See you all Wednesday!
I'm sorry about canceling today so suddenly; my car broke down out by the airport and I didn't manage to get a tow and make it to class in time. (That's why I always tell y'all to let me know if you have trouble or something keeps you from making it to class - because this stuff happens to me too!)
Here's the plan for Wednesday: I'd still like to try to get rough drafts done in class, so I'll plan to use the first 15-20 minutes for us to write an essay together as a class. That way you can get warmed up and see how the narrative structure works. That will give us 55 min to an hour to rough draft. Hopefully that will give you time to get through everything, but if you end up not making it all the way through your essay, it's okay. We'll work with whatever you complete. You aren't given a letter grade on roughs; the points for doing them are folded into the grade for the final essay. So having an unfinished rough won't make your score any lower.
To help you keep your thoughts together, I'd suggest making a brief outline of what you want to say sometime between now and Wednesday. It will allow you to utilize the whole hour for writing rather than having to spend part of it scrambling for ideas.
If you have any questions, I'll be at PJ's before class Wed from about 11:30-12:20. Or you can email me at my olol address or at sharon.tohline@gmail.com. Or just leave your question here as a comment on the post.
See you all Wednesday!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Welcome to the Course Blog
Hi all,
Welcome to our blog! I'll post announcements, upcoming assignments, etc. over the weekend each week so that you'll know what''s coming up. On Thursdays I'll post an overview of the week, so anyone who missed class will know what they need to do to catch up. If you have questions you can always ask them by simply replying in the comment thread.
By now you should have a copy of the syllabus in your OLOL email, but if not I've posted the major information below.
English 1310
MW 12:30-1:45
Instructor: S. Tohline
sharon.tohline@ololcollege.edu
Office Hours: by appointment preferred, but I am generally available from 2-4 MW at PJ’s across Essen from campus
Course Assignments and Grading:
Essay 1 - 10%
Essay 2 - 10%
Essay 3 - 15%
Essay 4 - 15%
Essay 5 - 20%
Reading Journals and in-class writing - 10%
Quizzes, group work - 10%
Final Exam - 10%
Class Policies:
Attendance: Attending class is part of your success on both daily assignments and essays. Your course grade will fall five points for every absence beyond three, no matter the circumstances. If you know you will be absent ahead of time, please contact me where possible and get in touch with another student, or see Blackboard, to find out what you may have missed. Quizzes cannot be made up.
Late papers: Any paper turned in after the due date suffers a one-letter-grade penalty.
Optional final revisions: Any out-of-class essay assignment may be revised again after it has been graded, but the final revision must be accompanied by a Revision Process Analysis. Revisions may be handed in at any time up to the date of the final exam (May 2).
Paper format: All out-of-class essays must be typed. See additional formatting requirements on individual essay prompts.
Rough Draft of Essay 1 in class 2/7
Editing and Revising Essay 1 in class 2/9
Final Draft Essay 1 due at the beginning of class 2/14
Essay 2 Rough/Outline due at the beginning of class 2/21
Final Draft In-class 2/23
Essay 3 Rough/Outline due at the beginning of class 3/7
Essay 3 Final in-class 3/9
Rough Draft Workshop Essay 4 in class 4/4
Final Draft Essay 4 due at the END of class 4/6
Rough Draft Essay 5 workshopped 4/27
May 2 - last date to hand in revisions of essays 1-4
Final Exam May 2
Essay 5 Final Draft due May 5
Welcome to our blog! I'll post announcements, upcoming assignments, etc. over the weekend each week so that you'll know what''s coming up. On Thursdays I'll post an overview of the week, so anyone who missed class will know what they need to do to catch up. If you have questions you can always ask them by simply replying in the comment thread.
By now you should have a copy of the syllabus in your OLOL email, but if not I've posted the major information below.
English 1310
MW 12:30-1:45
Instructor: S. Tohline
sharon.tohline@ololcollege.edu
Office Hours: by appointment preferred, but I am generally available from 2-4 MW at PJ’s across Essen from campus
Course Assignments and Grading:
Essay 1 - 10%
Essay 2 - 10%
Essay 3 - 15%
Essay 4 - 15%
Essay 5 - 20%
Reading Journals and in-class writing - 10%
Quizzes, group work - 10%
Final Exam - 10%
Class Policies:
Attendance: Attending class is part of your success on both daily assignments and essays. Your course grade will fall five points for every absence beyond three, no matter the circumstances. If you know you will be absent ahead of time, please contact me where possible and get in touch with another student, or see Blackboard, to find out what you may have missed. Quizzes cannot be made up.
Late papers: Any paper turned in after the due date suffers a one-letter-grade penalty.
Optional final revisions: Any out-of-class essay assignment may be revised again after it has been graded, but the final revision must be accompanied by a Revision Process Analysis. Revisions may be handed in at any time up to the date of the final exam (May 2).
Paper format: All out-of-class essays must be typed. See additional formatting requirements on individual essay prompts.
Rough Draft of Essay 1 in class 2/7
Editing and Revising Essay 1 in class 2/9
Final Draft Essay 1 due at the beginning of class 2/14
Essay 2 Rough/Outline due at the beginning of class 2/21
Final Draft In-class 2/23
Essay 3 Rough/Outline due at the beginning of class 3/7
Essay 3 Final in-class 3/9
Rough Draft Workshop Essay 4 in class 4/4
Final Draft Essay 4 due at the END of class 4/6
Rough Draft Essay 5 workshopped 4/27
May 2 - last date to hand in revisions of essays 1-4
Final Exam May 2
Essay 5 Final Draft due May 5
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