Syntax, Rhetoric, Thanksgiving, and JFK

Today you'll start by browsing through the blogs of other people in the class.  You'll find links to them all on the Home page of the class blog.  Read their entry about Thanksgiving, and feel free to leave a comment afterwards.

Then, we'll shift our attention to look at the ways in which syntax and rhetorical devices play a role in yet another political speech - this time, we'll examine John F. Kennedy's inauguration speech from 1961.

First, read the introduction to the speech on the first page of this document.

Then, we'll listen to the speech while you follow along. Here is a link to a video of it.

Next, download this document which lists a variety of different rhetorical devices JFK uses in his speech.  Spend some time completing it, listing at least one example for each category.

Next you'll look at this document to see the changes between the suggestions JFK received from his closest advisors and the final version he delivered.

Lastly, you'll write an analysis of the speech:

• look at the different rhetorical devices he uses
• look at the difference between the suggestions and the final version of the speech
• choose two sections to analyze / explain:
• How does the language Kennedy used in his inauguration speech affect and play a role in the meaning of it?  

Please type out your response and post it to your blog.  I'll read it and give feedback to you there!!

Thoughts on Thanksgivng

Thanksgiving was earlier than usual this year.  I hope you enjoyed your break and time with family and friends.  Because we did not get a chance to meet beforehand, we'll take some time today to think about this American Holiday by examining what different people have to say about it.

Go to your blog and start a new post (give it a title that has something to do with Thanksgiving) with  few minutes of writing about what Thanksgiving means to you and why you think it is a holiday.

Next, read one of these editorials and add to your post with a response explaining what this other essay is saying about Thanksgiving

• New York Times
• Washington Times
• Hartford Courant
• Chicago Sun-Times

Then, go to this website and read one of the Presidential proclamations about Thanksgiving and write another part of your post explaining what this proclamation is saying about the holiday and its importance.

• Thanksgiving Proclamations

Finally, compare and contrast the syntax used in these three different views of Thanksgiving.  

Syntax is the "grammatical structures in a piece of writing.  This includes the phrases, the classes, the sentences, and the relationships that exist among them" (Heller).  It is understanding where the author is putting her / his emphasis and how that happens: "By manipulating the sentence structure, writers emphasize key images, the tone, diction, or pace - all of which help the reader understand the writing's larger purpose."

Write a paragraph explaining this comparison / contrast, being sure to explain what each author is emphasizing and how s/he achieves it.

Poe's "Tell-Tale Heart" and Syntax

First, read Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart."

Next, on your blog, write a new post to answer the question I put at the end of the story:

• Write a paragraph explaining how Edgar Allan Poe conveys the sense that the narrator is mad and that his motivations are not grounded in reality.
• Please be sure to give your post a title including the name of the story.

Then we will visit each other's blogs and comment on each other's responses.

Blogging!

First, check out these blogs:

 

·         http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/

·         http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1879276,00.html

·         http://www.bestblogs.org/

·         http://blogs.botw.org/

·         http://blogsearch.google.com/

·         http://www.blogged.com/directory

 

Then, make your own blog!

·         https://www.blogger.com/start

Diction and Mitt Romney

Today we'll read this article and discuss the concept of diction