Posted by Jared Lawandales on August 14, 2010 at 11:25 pm
Fullsail University English Composition Assignment: Persepolis Excerpt Discussion
The words and images in this graphic novel work together to provide the reader with a negative impression of Satrapi’s situation. The use of black and white imagery speaks of the time frame and probable resources available to a poor family during this revolution. It also helps to provide the basis for this negative impression, as the predominantly black images create a gloomy undertone. While the words in the narrative may have broken sentence structure and not include great detail, the images help to portray these missing descriptions.
The perspective of a child is commonly considered innocent and unbiased. The use of a child’s perspective gives the piece a more genuine and authentic feel. I believe that it puts the reader into the same mindset as the child, therefore eliminating any preconceived political bias. Had the story been told from the perspective of an adult, it may have included some of Satrapi’s grown political views, and therefore incited the reader to compare these to their own political views. This could convolute the meaning of the narrative by distracting from its purpose, which I believe is that at the time this revolution was contagious.
Her choice of subtle yet powerful imagery added to the level of seriousness in this narrative. I think that telling the story from the perspective of a child, as well as the decision to write it as a graphic novel, allows the reader to adopt a simpler point of view while reading the piece. She explains these important and stressful times from this innocent, questioning perspective of a young child. You will also notice that she remains the embodiment of optimism throughout this excerpt.
In the writing from Sedaris there was an obvious aggressor, the teacher, directly in conflict with the author. While in the excerpt from Persepolis, the Shah, was not in direct conflict with the author, but her mother and grandmother. Another contrast between these two readings is, in Satrapi’s excerpt the difficulties were caused by a political situation, whereas the difficulties were caused by a language barrier and in a school setting for Sedaris.
A graphic novel of my life, I don’t think it could be done. I am a very poor artist and am by no means a visual learner. My best drawling of a stick figure is mediocre at best. While I admit that I would likely need a proofreader and an editor, my capabilities with the written word are significantly more powerful than my capabilities with images. The honest truth is that I couldn’t name three different art styles if my life depended on it. This piece was extremely difficult to read, as well as understand and I had to read it numerous times in an effort to write this response. Ask anyone who knows, I am not at all interested in art, nor art philosophy. While I am a partner in a web design and marketing firm, my business partner will happily attest to the fact that he is the graphic designer and I stay as far away from the design aspect of my company as humanly possible.
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Posted by Jared Lawandales on August 11, 2010 at 5:09 pm
Fullsail University English Composition Assignment: Me Talk Pretty One Day Discussion
Two descriptions stood out to me from the Sedaris story Me Talk Pretty One Day. The first came from “the billboard for the amusement park” where the author would receive discounted admission with his student id. The second relates to how his teacher left him with such a great feeling of insecurity that he began to seclude himself from their society.
I can see the billboard for this amusement park. Similar to the canoe riding stegosaurus described by Sedaris, I see several of the signs from the annual family vacations of my childhood. Most of these signs depicted some theme park mascot committed to a seemingly silly and erroneous task. The second description was significant for no particular reason other than the fact that he did an amazing job at painting the visual image of a gentleman walking through a town square, contemplating and questioning himself before walking up to each store, only to turn away, ashamed of his own perceived shortcomings.
The use of English, broken English, and scrambled characters was hardly comic, in my opinion. The humor completely eluded me, as I was left wondering why this confusion was necessary. The first sentence containing randomly jumbled characters required several examinations before I finally realized the author’s intent. I believe that there are several different ways Sedaris could have conveyed his confusion in a less “confusing”, more concise and understandable fashion.
The failures were well represented by the teacher’s snide comments to the student’s minor imperfections. In addition to this were feelings of insufficiency, felt by the author due to these rude comments. The triumphs also seem to have eluded me, because, although I can tell there is some sort of success or personal triumph described at the end of this story, no matter how many times I read it, I do not understand whatever message he is trying to convey. I feel as if this essay carries a negative tone because, while there seemed to be this personal victory in the conclusion, the story’s main focus was the several negative aspects of this situation.
The attitude in the classroom is one of fear and discomfort. This process begins with his early feelings of “nerve-racking” uncertainty about the “everybody into the language pool, sink or swim” expectations of the school. It then builds with the constant dialogue between the teacher and students who were belittled, little by little by the teacher. Finally, this process concludes with Sedaris’ heightened discomfort explored later when he says, “My fear and discomfort crept beyond the borders of the classroom.” His classmates were presented one at a time, from a cornucopia of ethnic and language backgrounds.
I cannot really relate to this story at all. As I have never traveled abroad, I have never experienced anything like this. I have also had few difficulties with learning subjects in the past. As far as making a personal association with the feelings described in this story, my only relation is that of the discomfort and possibly fear of uncertainty associated with a lack of understanding.
~ Jared Lawandales
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Posted by Jared Lawandales on August 7, 2010 at 6:45 pm
Fullsail University English Composition Assignment: Writing A How To
How to Test Swimming Pool Water:
Using a Taylor® test kit, I will describe how to test for: chlorine, which includes free, combined, and total; ph; total alkalinity; calcium hardness; and cyanuric acid.
For the best results all water samples must be taken from below a depth of twelve inches and away from the water return jets. I always recommend holding the block upside down, then reaching elbow deep into the pool, and finally flipping the block right side up to fill it with water. You will notice that your test block has two cylinders built onto either side of the block, with some rectangular color gradient samples, and corresponding numerical values in between. These color gradients will be used to determine the results of the chlorine and ph tests.
First we will set up the cyanuric acid test, and leave it for a later reading. Using the small bottle, labeled Part #9191, fill to the 7ml line with pool water. Then, using R-0013, or cyanuric acid reagent, fill to the 14ml line. Cap, mix, and let stand until later.
The chlorine test and ph test can be done at the same time. Gather your sample as described above, making sure to reduce the water inside each cylinder to the designated fill lines, about half an inch down, on the outside of each cylinder. Using the smaller cylinder you will add five drops of R-0001, or DPD reagent #1, followed by five drops of R-0002, or DPD reagent #2. Place both caps on the cylinders and agitate, then compare the color you get to the gradient color indicators next to the smaller cylinder. Record the corresponding numerical result as your free chlorine reading. Uncap the smaller tube and add five drops of R-0003, or DPD reagent #3, then recap, agitate, and compare your reading again. This is your total chlorine reading. When you subtract your total chlorine from your free chlorine, you will get the combined chlorine reading. Now, uncap the larger cylinder and add five drops of R-0004, or ph indicator solution (Phenol Red), recap, agitate, and compare your result to the color gradients for ph. Record this result as your ph.
The next two tests will be done in a similar manner; however, we will be looking for a total color change, as opposed to a color gradient. To test the total alkalinity, the larger cylinder will be filled about half way, to the 25ml mark. Begin by: adding two drops of R-0007, or Thiosulfate; then swirl; add five drops R-0008, or alkalinity indicator; swirl again; while continuing to swirl add R-0009, or Sulfuric Acid, drop by drop, making sure to count each drop, until the color changes from green to red. Multiply your number of drops by ten and record this as your alkalinity in ppm.
Your calcium hardness will be tested the same way. Begin by: filling the larger tube up to the 25ml mark; followed by adding twenty drops of R-0010, or calcium buffer; then swirl; add five drops R-0011, or calcium indicator; swirl again; while continuing to swirl add R-0012, or hardness reagent, drop by drop, making sure to count each drop, until the color changes from red to blue. Multiply your number of drops by ten and record this as your calcium hardness in ppm.
Finally, take your cyanuric acid test bottle from earlier, and slowly add it to the smaller tube, viewing from the top, until the black dot disappears. Read the tube at the liquid level on the back of the block, and record this as your cyanuric acid in ppm.
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