Close Reading Bingo

Sadness, Tears, and Broken Rules in Writing

Rule 6: In the exerpt from Cather in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, utilizes a use of simple, but complex vocabulary. http://barrellxc2012.blogspot.com/

Rule 1: On the subject of his parents, he says "they're touchy as hell." http://laughapalooza22.blogspot.com/

Rule 4: Also, the matter of fact way Baker describes the lobby makes the reader sense that this is somewhere to not be impressed with, its an everyday occurrence. http://skullandglossbones3.blogspot.com/

Rule 3: Although the language is simple in usage, it builds upon itself and becomes figuratively advanced. http://bookworm-days.blogspot.com/

I found that one of the best excerpts came from Intrusion of the Soul.

In this excerpt from his novel "Catcher in the Rye", J. D. Salinger's common and vulgar diction expresses the irksome discontent the protagonist has for the world. He excessively uses expletives and demonstrates the only implication of a simile is when something is compared to "as hell". This and his irritation of his current situation and Hollywood convey his resentful irritation of the artificiality which lies heavily in society. His employment of the hyperbole that his "parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything personal about them" underscore his hostile attitude toward their preoccupied parenting style and dark secrets they want kept hidden. The easily readable syntax invites the reader into Holden's world of aggravation. http://mallorymills94.blogspot.com/

Irksome is a great word.

Slaughterhouse-Two

The most repeated statement in the entire book is "so it goes." Vonnegut repeats it anytime death is mentioned. His themes are conveyed by his made up, highly stereotypical aliens, the Tralfamdorians. They have a different grasp of time than Billy Pilgrim and the rest of the inhabitants of Earth do. They see time as a human would see "the Rocky Mountains. It's all one big line." This is basically the idea that time cannot be changed, it is as set-in-stone as a mountain range is. To the Tralfamadorians, time is one big line, made up of various moments. Each moment has neither a cause nor an effect, but simply is. The question, "Why?" doesn't exist. I thought that was one of the most interesting parts of everything that's happening in this book. I think this sort of indifference and meaninglessness is Vonnegut's biggest theme too.

Slaughterhouse-One

This is my first response post concerning the book I'm currently reading, Slaughterhouse-Five. The title of the book has yet to be explained, and I'm almost halfway through the book. I've found it interesting and entertaining thus far. Humor is definitely a huge part of the book, but it's not laugh-out-loud funny. Vonnegut is a satirist, and he comments on everything from religion to authority to, most importantly, war and violence.

The main character's name alone is a comment I think. Billy Pilgrim's last name is typically defined as one on a religious journey of some sort. I suppose that means that by the end of this book, if Vonnegut's ironic style continues, Billy Pilgrim will have lost any sort of religion he ever had. So far, the book reminds me of Catch-22 a lot, but it's certainly not as painful to read. Catch-22 was a war book that didn't include time travel, and was made up entirely of contradictions that were supposed to be funny. I personally got tired of them very quickly. In Slaughterhouse-Five, however, the ironies are entertaining and the black humor stands out quite a bit from anything else I've ever read.

Practice Diction Analysis

J. D. Salinger's coarse and personal language in Catcher in the Rye creates an informal characterization of the narrator and his circumstances that is easy to relate to. The uncensored and colloquial words used in this excerpt are blunt and common in elevation. The narrator references David Copperfield by stating that his childhood was full of that "kind of crap," which underscores the idea that the narrator himself is part of the hoi polloi. The language most often has a negative connotation, including a phrase the describes certain characters as, "touchy as hell." The narrator's tone is resentful toward his own circumstances, of which he obviously has poor impressions. The language lacks any sort of mellifluous musicality, the sounds are dull and discordant. They too convey the narrator's "crumby" perspective on others' lives and successes.

New Zealand

Well, this is the first post I've ever made about New Zealand, and I thought it appropriate considering the title of my blog.

New Zealand won the Rugby World Cup yesterday! France lost 8-7 to this mighty island nation that once ruled over Oceania, but now holds the world in the palm of its highly skilled and athletic hand.

Currently

Week 1 Q2

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Pages this week: 101
Pages last week: 109
Pages this semester: 987

1) It is written like an infuriated tirade, with no hint of class. (A Scrap of Parchment)
2)Up Your Score on the other hand, speaks with a mixture of intricate words and slang pop-culture references that are very punctuated, straightforward at times, but somewhat suggestive, and often light. (Contemplations) 
3) Ron McLarthy's novel "the Memory of Running" is common and lacking picturesque, very bland and basic. (Case 1)
4) On the other hand, in the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a more blunt and vulgar form of diction is used. (bill963)
5) This book takes place in the 1800's so naturally the diction and language is more formal and musical. (UNDERWATER)

Explanations

1. I really like this comparison. I'm not completely sure what's meant by an "infuriated trade," but it sort of makes sense.
2. The contrast explained in this sentence caught my attention. Intricate mix of words, but still a straightforward and light tone.
3. I think the way it's described as "lacking a picturesque nature" was innovative.
4. I can relate, I think this book is described well, seeing as I've also read it. I would agree.
5. I found it interesting that this blog related the sound of the language to the setting of the novel. I guess we don't talk or write as elegantly or as musically as people did in the 1800's.

Style Mapping

The three excerpts I will be comparing today are from Neil Gaiman's Stardust, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian and Cormac McCarthy's No Country For Old Men. The language Gaiman uses in Stardust is not intricate or fancy, but rather plain. The writing is formal, descriptive, yet not eye-catching. A few adjectives could be categorized as elevated language, but as a whole, the passage falls in the middle of the gamut. Some predictable repetition of words occurs, creating neither a harsh, coarse sound, nor a melodious one. Thus, with this indifferent word choice, the passage is denotative; no suggestions are made about positive or negative meanings. Cormac McCarthy, on the other hand, has written various novels in various styles on various ends of the spectrum. Blood Meridian is written in ornate and unique language, and employs the use of several elevated adjectives and profoundly original nouns. It is much more connotative in language than Gaiman's selection, the words are used to portray either a negative image of the harsh effects of the elements of nature, or a positive, charismatic image of a simple country boy. The passage has a slight musicality to it, the words and the images they create are soothing in a way. However, a passage from one of McCarthy's other books, No Country For Old Men, is vastly different. The language is rough and coarse in order to portray the common colloquialisms of southern Texas. Often times, the words used by the narrator are denotative, as most of the opinions are given through character dialogue. In this piece, in contrast to the first two excerpts, the language gives a harsh, southern sound, because it fits the setting and the themes of the novel.