Final Project (Surojnie Deonaraine)

Summary:

The Research-Based Argument paper “How Indo-Guyanese Stereotypes Came to Be” talks about, as the title says, the origins of Indo-Guyanese stereotypes. The paper gives context of the country first and follows by explaining there’s a feud between the two largest races of the country. The paper goes on to explaining that the feud along with oral traditions and the retention of the Indian culture create and sustain Indo-Guyanese stereotypes. The paper uses historical details and supports the claim using both peer-reviewed and outside sources. After giving a little context in the beginning and including the main point of the paper which is the race-conflicts, oral traditions, and retention of culture being the cause of the stereotypes, The rest of the paper develops and supports the claim with the mentioning of politics worsening the race-conflicts and the oral traditions, although they mean no harm, also make the stereotypes pass down from generations. There is also the mentioning of the retention of culture, although it isn’t a bad thing, being one of the causes of generalizations (stereotypes) being made of the Indo-Guyanese.

Response:

This was the hardest paper to write, in my opinion, because after writing so much information and focusing on getting a full argument through for the draft, I had to condense the information and organize the argument which became very tough to do. For my paper, there was so much information and everything had some sort of relation to each other so I didn’t know how to tackle the says/does or to clean up the paper in that way. I also didn’t really want to take out anything that would have contributed to a better understanding or development of the argument. I was unsure of the next steps I should take in fixing this paper because I didn’t know how the viewer/audience would understand it.

Memes:

https://goo.gl/images/G Zr0IS

https://goo.gl/images/NB2K5Z

Day 26: Style Imitation (Surojnie Deonaraine)

It was the day after Nationals, and everyone congratulated them for winning 3rd place. They were happy and proud of themselves. Yasmeen and I hugged, I was so proud of her, proud of all of them. Then, she asked me “what now?.” We looked at each other and laughed. That was the moment I realized, that winning didn’t really change anything. So I reflected from that point on until the end of the year and after I walked across the stage at Graduation, I decided that I wouldn’t let work take over my life again. We sacrificed so much time, energy, and even our health to work toward winning, but in the end we realized that wasn’t the ultimate goal. The goal was to transform the people we were, into sophisticated and mature adults. My decision has guided me to the path of searching for a balance, which is a path where I haven’t yet found my destination. I have stuck with my decision, and I’m happier because of it.

Charlotte Bronte Imitation

Reader, we all yelled at him. A quiet Christmas we had: my mom, dad, sister, and I, every year when my aunt and the family didn’t come down from Georgia. The Christmas tree was lit, decorations were hung, and packages filled with gifts were being delivered day by day. All was done to put everyone, including dad, into the Christmas cheer. Dad did change his attitude when we continued to ask him: his eyes stared at the tv with which he tried to use as a diversion but even though he was almost near saying yes to going, he found a way to make an excuse. Reader, he still hasn’t said yes.

Reader, I married him. A quiet wedding we had: he and I, the

parson and clerk, were alone present. When we got back from church,

I went into the kitchen of the manor-house, where Mary was cooking

the dinner and John cleaning the knives, and I said –

“Mary, I have been married to Mr. Rochester this morning.” The

housekeeper and her husband were both of that decent phlegmatic

order of people, to whom one may at any time safely communicate a

remarkable piece of news without incurring the danger of having

one’s ears pierced by some shrill ejaculation, and subsequently

stunned by a torrent of wordy wonderment.

Day 21: Using Sources/ Writing Style (Surojnie Deonaraine)

“Using Sources” Summary & Response

There are advantages and disadvantages of having an unlimited amount of information at our reach. The advantage is that there is information about anything imaginable, but the disadvantage is that the information must be deciphered as to being credible or not. The term “infotention” was created by Rheingold as to combine attention skills and information filters and I think that’s very clever because from experience I know that having a long enough attention span to filter large amounts of information is such a dreadful task. The dread begins as soon as a long article is seen or many articles, for that matter. The passage also states that to practice “infotention,” synthesizing and critical thinking is used from the “collective intelligence”of the internet. The passage sums it up as saying focus is needed for attention. There is also the mentioning of “circumstantial evidence” that does not explicitly state the occurrence of something and should not be the only piece of evidence to support a claim. I think the aspect of synthesizing is fairly explanatory but, the question I have is how far can you twist the evidence in your favor without having it be twisted so much that it’s no longer the truth? The passage also talks about paraphrasing and summarizing in which paraphrasing is putting the authors original ideas in your own words and summarizing where enough of the gist of the passage is identified to emphasize a certain point. I was pleased to see the difference between the two because they seemed similar to me even though I knew there was some difference. However, I never knew that the summary was supposed to lean toward a certain point rather than just succinctly rephrasing the text.

“Intro to Refining Your Writing Style” Summary & Response

Writing Styles differ with that of the audience and rhetorical situation/context. There are different styles because different professions or field value different things. The passage gives the example that the scientific field’s writing style differs from the humanities writing style because scientific scholars value timeliness more than the author of the works cited. The following parts of the passage remind me of the previous lectures in which professor mentions the audience should not be the “universe” but should be a specific group or person to give the writing a focus. There is also the aspect of rules/conventions in writing that should be known in order to maintain credibility. The passage raises a good point in that if you break the rules on purpose it could be a writing style or have meaning behind it, but if you’re not aware of the rules then the breaking of them will be meaningless. The point raised about being honest with the audience I think takes a lot of pressure off when it comes to impressing the audience. I think when the writer is just being honest there is a more sincere tone and the argument is more convincing.

Day 19: Research Process (Surojnie Deonaraine)

Finding Evidence

The article explains that the types of evidence used in certain situations can vary because some may convince the audience in certain circumstances and some may not. Evidence is used with the ultimate goal of supporting your argument and convincing your audience. Evidence should match the time and place of your claim thus, the pieces of evidence can vary. The article raises the point that every situation that evidence supports, meaning the argument, can be thought of as a rhetorical situation. I think this is a good point which I never thought of before because every argument poses an idea that can be inputted into society or put into practice thus being a rhetorical situation. There are also many pieces of evidence that are data-related because statistics are fact that cannot necessarily be proven wrong unless there were non-credible sources. The article stresses the point that the same evidence may not always be useful in different fields or situations. It also informs the reader that there are many resources available in libraries and databases which would make them credible. I think this article informs you very well on the different types of sources that can be used to get evidence for your argument and it clearly explains that you have to know the contexts of the evidence and how it matches the time and place of the situation.

Under My Thumb

The writer starts the essay with dialogue of her own experience with altering her truth in order to feel equal in return. I think this tactic really draws in the reader and has them thinking of so many questions. She clarifies at the end of the dialogue of what she means by the whole example and how it relates to her paper. The paper explains that women in music are overlooked and have to work harder for their credibility than men and even in the writers syllabi there is a low number of women musicians compared to men. The writer presents claims of the argument she is against and afterwards she rejects them with her own supporting details. She also supports her claim using sources from authors who wrote books about the female musicians she is talking about like Spiegal. When reading the writers graphic example of how she was sexually harassed at the concert, my reaction was of disgust and astonishment as I would have had a worse reaction in the situation than she did. Her point was further explained in the paragraph that followed in which she talks about how women are unsafe at crowded concerts. The last paragraph of her paper is very eye-opening as she blames herself and opens up about her self-realization about the issue and her involvement in it. I think the use of her experiences as examples made the paper more interesting while she made her point with regular pieces of evidence as well.

Day 18: Manifesto (Surojnie Deonaraine)

George Saunders’ “Manifesto” tells of the phases of the show organized by his organization. He uses time to separate each phase that involves the members not committing an act of violence. In a sense, Saunders’ piece explains that the show featured by his organization is a world without inhumane actions and violence against others. He explains that the members of the organization aren’t doing any harm to anyone and that’s the way the world should be. There should be no chaos and nothing should be done to anyone that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. The piece also explains that even though there is an abundance of negative and horrible things happening in the world, there are also people who are not in his organization that are doing things in light of the same idea. The organization wants to make this world a better place and there are some people out there doing so without being a part of the organization. The last few sentences of the article sum up what the purpose of the article was which was to explain the PRKA organization and their purpose. By using contradictory ideas, examples of the negative and positive things that are happening in this world, Saunders shows the purpose of the article and the message of his organization.

Day 17: Researching Stereotypes and “Fake News” (Surojnie Deonaraine)

“Introduction to Researching and Making Claims”

In the piece, Graves writes about all writing being considered as research because in each piece we are going further in depth about a topic which, in the end, reveals something new that can be learned from that topic. Research also gives credibility to both the work and the writer because it shows the work’s argument is being supported by evidence and the writer know’s what they are writing about because they have facts behind it. The most interesting sentence of the piece is “As you pay attention to the differences between these trees– and really begin to see each tree in the forest–you become aware of your own feelings about this debate” because it makes the tree example make sense and reveals that research is not entirely a negative and lengthy journey but it can simply be looking at a topic in a closer way that reveals the emotions involved or even something different. I think that sentence makes the passage make sense as to what research is all about and that it doesn’t have to be paired with a negative connotation.

“The Research Process”

In this work, the authors write about the process of wanting to know more about something. They claim that research is all about the process of inquiry in which you look more in depth into a topic which is also known as research. This passage is also trying to change the negative connotation associated with the word “research.” The work also goes on to say that it is the exigence of reasoning that many wonder about. The most interesting sentence in this work is “A problem from everyday life can produce a line of inquiry that leads you toward all sorts of other questions” because it shows that research is not so bad when you think of it in the way that everything when looked into further becomes an inquiry which is research.

Questions about assignment

Would “engaging with other’s views” be the counter-argument?

What do you mean by contains few “to be” verbs?

3 Groups

-The Border and Illegal Immigration (How Illegal Immigrants are portrayed in Media- Both sides)

-How the Media portrays teenagers (both sides)

-How the Media portrays women (both sides) (feminists?)

Day 15: Revision (Surojnie Deonaraine)

When Dethier writes “… for most of us revision is the only road to success,” he means every revision brings the piece closer to being a better and more refined piece. Dethier is trying to give rise to the notion that the revision process is not the enemy that is finding the faults of the writing piece but rather finding ways to enhance the piece. Dethier is acknowledging others’ resistance of revision and explaining the reason behind the resistances as well as the misunderstandings of the revision process. Each revision only makes the piece better because every time the piece is re-examined there is something new that can be further developed or there is a new lens that can be used to analyze the piece. The statement can also be interpreted as success is only measured by the withholder thus, the revision process ends when the writer has felt that the piece is worthy of being labeled complete or published. There is also the fact that success, for many, is always changing which correlates perfectly to the revision process.

Dethier uses the metaphor of working on a car to explain further the fact that there is always additional work that can be done to improve the functioning of the piece or the car in this instance. A metaphor that I use to describe the revision process is that revision is deciding what outfit to wear for a certain event. I thought of this metaphor because for every event you might have a certain outfit picked out that you think will perfectly suit the type of event, however, there will always be something you could change or add to make the outfit look better. Nonetheless, you stop altering the outfit when you feel content about how it looks pertaining to your style. Additionally, there are multiple parts of the outfit that can be judged or examined by others that see you at the event so you think in those perspectives as well. Using this as a comparison can stem a more positive response toward revision.

When Murray writes “Good writing is essentially rewriting” he is referring to the fact that everything takes time and effort. Thus, if one recurrently edits a piece it will in turn be better than it started off. The revision process is also rewriting the thoughts in your head by putting it on paper. In addition, revision takes multiple tries and getting good at something does also; for example when being considered as “good” for a sport or skill it takes a lot of practice and concentration.

Day 13: Anzaldua & Naylor (Surojnie Deonaraine)

How to Tame a Wild Tongue

The author speaks of her experience with taming her wild tongue and how she was forced to change the language she spoke to American. She writes of how they tried to get rid of the Spanish accent as a whole. It is also said that in her culture talking too much was also looked down upon. Good girls should not talk too much because they would be known as the gossip or known for committing a sin. It is also said that gender played a large role in her fight against language. Language was known as a male discourse and should only be conformed by the female. The author was also discriminated against and treated differently by her fellow Latinos who treated her badly for not speaking purely Spanish. She also mentions that the Chicanos created their own language of Spanish called Chicano Spanish which they did to identify as a distinct group. It is also because of the stereotype of a poor and illegitimate language that others in the community associate with the Chicanos that they consider their language as a bastard one. This diminishes the community’s sense of self and forces them to change.

If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is

The piece states that language is affected by society and the environment it is involved in. Language is affected and changed by the person it is spoken by and the circumstances it is used in. It is only made official when it is accepted by a large population and thus put into use. Language is a political instrument and proof of power because it reveals identity and status. The terms using ‘black’ refer to those metaphors or other phrases used to represent different things that only other ‘blacks’ would understand. Black English began with the slaves as a form of communication that the ‘whites’ could never understand. They also realized over time that they would not be accepted by the ‘whites’ because even without language it was the experience that showed them the different treatment.

Response

In Anzaldua’s piece she explains through examples that the way her wild tongue was tamed was from the stereotypes about her language which made her lose confidence in herself. I found this to be the main point of the article which also answers the question that the question poses. Naylor’s piece relates to the new languages that the modern society created using emojis and text along with social media as well as images. It also reminds me of the new ways that the upcoming generation is speaking in terms of texting shortcuts used in verbal communication. The use of the word ‘Jazz’ surprised me as it has a sexual meaning, however, it was changed by the ‘whites’ into a musical age.

Day 12: Alexie and Tan (Surojnie Deonaraine)

Superman and Me

Alexie’s “Superman and Me,” is a Literacy Narrative of his experience with books and his fight against the Indian Reservation stereotype. Alexie writes about his escape and how the knowledge he gained from books, even though he wasn’t initially reading correctly, had given him an advantage over others. He was able to identify with the language of images and used what he knew, which was actions and body language, to form an idea of what was happening. He also realized that the more he read and exposed himself to this new type of language, the more he could achieve small feats which were answering questions and being involved in the classroom. One thing that stood out to me in his story was the fact that he viewed paragraphs as fences. This metaphor made me reminisce because I had this same experience when I was younger and was trying to make sense of reading and writing. Alexie didn’t know the exact meaning of ‘paragraph’ but, he had an idea of what it was and used that to develop his understanding further.

Mother Tongue

Tan’s “Mother Tongue” is about her journey with the English language and the reason behind her challenges with it. She explains that she realized it was the language she used at home with her family that became so natural that she could hardly escape from it. She then goes on to say that instead of fighting against the ‘Mother Tongue’ any longer she decided to embrace it and write stories that were easily understandable and that captured the real intent rather than having to sound ‘smart.’ I relate with this story, in a way, because I speak a dialect in my home that would seem foreign to those that have never heard anything like it before. Tan’s story reminds me of when I was younger and I would have to speak for my parents because even though they knew what they wanted to say, they couldn’t quite find the exact words that would have the other person understand them. I also understand the fact that she understood her mother perfectly when others didn’t because it was the language she grew up with and it was embedded into her thought process. I know sometimes I can’t express certain things without relating it to a Guyanese term and then trying to figure out what is most similar to it in the English language. What surprised me the most, however, was the difference in treatment Tan’s mother received from the hospital before and after they spoke to Tan. I was shocked as to the drastic change in the hospital staff’s demeanor and it made me angry that any person would be treated that way.

Day 11: Literacy Narrative (Surojnie Deonaraine)

(Re)Making Language; Intro

Gothic fiction was the genre of Frankenstein but it was also the genre of the 1700s after the Enlightenment where Western interests were changed to become more about the relationships between the human body parts. Many people were able to learn how to read and write and ideas circulated because of this. Enlightenment ideas of individuality and emotions led to experiments with horror and corruption with the mind. The nameless monster in Frankenstein learns language by observing another human speaking of the history of humanity. The monster learns of humanity’s good and bad sides and is puzzled yet also intrigued by this. He also learns of war and the concept of hurting another person. Through his thought process, he learns to create language and considers himself through language as well. He now values communication and language with other people but realizes he is an outcast because he is a monster. With the knowledge the monster has gained, he has also gained the understanding and effect of emotion both negative and positive.

Language, Discourse, and Literacy

Language is an interaction recognized by a community rather than a focus on grammar. It is also a tool that is used to boost cooperation and stimulate production/development in a society. Language is evolving constantly due to the people that use it and the developing generations. When a group shares a language it is known as a discourse or discourse community. Literacy is the knowledge of a discourse meaning the ability to use language that is used in any discourse. There are also multiple types of literacies that refer to understandings of a literacy practice. Literacy is also how people use different legal writing systems whether it be fiction or even religious writing. It can also change ideology that is followed by society.

Response

Frankenstein is a great example of how the time period affected the writing of the time and how language can be developed without being taught. It shows how even though the monster wasn’t taught, he was able to observe and process information while creating opinions and his own realizations. I agree completely that it takes understanding of knowledge to then develop a reaction from one’s own emotions. I also agree that literacy depends on how a large group perceives it and thus it can give rise to stereotypes and specific connotations of ideas in society.