Happy Endings Dialogue

What is the significance of Shirley Temple? What meaning does she hold for Lovey?

The significance that Shirley Temple holds for Lovey is happiness. Lovey uses the scenes from Shirley Temple movies to visualize “happy endings” (3) that she also wishes she can experience; love, security and happiness. Lovey experiences emotional moments every time she watches when Shirley Temple is reunited with her father, and this has her yearning for that parent-child connection with her own parents. Lovey fantasizes happy endings for Shirley Temple and for herself. She does this along with Jerry, her good friend, who seems to bring her the only love and happiness in her life. This daydreaming allows Lovey to endure her own mundane ever day struggles. Shirley Temple holds hope for Lovey that happy endings can come true.

Shirley Temple gives Lovey not only hope but prove to be an idol; someone for her to believe in and strive to become like. Lovey longs to be cute, happy and loved like Shirley Temple is. Lovey is devastated after her mother gives her a home perm that turns out to look like an afro because she had visualized looking like Farrah Fawcett or her true icon, Shirley Temple. Hence, the nickname that was given Lovey was “Oompah Loompah” (59). This can be hurtful to a young girl’s self-esteem and self-image. I can attest to this as I grew up with my mother and sister teasing me in a similar fashion and it proved to lower my view of myself. Some may think its all in good fun but the hurtful feelings that stick with the young person can last years.

Rules for Writers Chapter 48

When evaluating arguments we must use reasonableness and beware of being "fallacious, unfair, or both"(371). Most fallacies are due to hasty generalizations and incorrect analogies. The major fallback of generalizing is that it most likely will produce probabilities and not certainties, which can also lead to stereotyping. We can test our reasoning by asking ourselves, is the evidence sufficient, representative and relevant. Refrain from assuming that two things that seem to alike in one areas with be alike in all other areas when drawing our analogies. We must take precaution in showing a connection between cause and effect. We must weigh our options and acknowledge all alternatives that may exist to show your fairness to the opposing opinions. Therefore, avoid making assumptions and provide sufficient evidence to support your argument. Reaching the readers on an unfair emotional level can be a pitfall, along with using “bias language” (378).  In order to pose a fair argument, include the opposing writer’s argument but avoid quoting out of context.

Assuming ideas without proper evidence is something I will beware as I am posing my argument. I will also take caution showing the connection between the cause and effect, avoiding using my own opinion as evidence. I found this chapter beneficial for writing and supporting arguments. I believe this will help in the critical response assignments.

Rules for Writers Chapter 47

There is a constructive way to pose a reasonable argument in which to offer your opinion to your readers to rethink how they view your topic. It is important to not sound too aggressive or passive but have an assertive tone in your argument. You want your readers to consider your view and reasons supporting your outlook on the topic which may make them rethink their own viewpoint.

Your argument should include “social and intellectual contexts” (360) which your readers most likely would be knowledgeable about so as to add to your own credibility. Regard your readers as “a panel of jurors” (360) as they probably will not agree with your opinion and you will have some convincing to do. Clearly state your viewpoint in your introduction to establish your credibility to show “you are knowledgeable and fair-minded”. (361) The argument that you are presenting must be convincing in order to back up your thesis. Most importantly, your essay must include precise evidence to support your argument. Lastly, predict what the objections may be from the readers who would disagree with your argument and try to include a counter argument in your essay.

This information most certainly can be used in the critical thinking essays that I will be working on. I tend to be a little passive in my argument, so I will be working on the more assertive approach without sounding too aggressive. I will also work on a strong introduction to establish credibility and clearly set up my position on the argument that I am about to write about.

Essay 2 Rough Draft

There are many influences in our childhoods that shape our personality that ultimately mold the person that we are today. But there is nothing like the influence that we receive from our families. Both positive and negative attributes are learned as we transition from childhood to adulthood. At the same time, it can also depend on how we decide to receive those influences. We can take the negatives and turn them into something positive. The choice is ours.

As in the case of Sarah Vowell, she had a strong influence from her father being a gunsmith as she grew up. She developed an immediately dislike for guns after her first experience shooting one at the age of six. This created a distinctive wedge between her and her father that lasted quite a few years. A time came in her life came when she longed for a relationship with her father that she had been missing throughout the years. Sarah came to the decision that she needed to bridge the gap of the distant rivalry that had been between them. As a child reaches out for her father’s hand before crossing the street, Sarah reached out to her father by requesting to see his handmade cannon that he had worked so hard on. And to her amazement she actually enjoyed the excitement of the blast which at the end of the day brought her and her father closer together. Her excitement was so intense that she had a difficult time conveying “the giddiness she felt when the cannon shot off”. (438) The thrill of the blast compelled her to bust out her tape recorder and produce evidence of the memory that brought them together.

            Pivotal moments such as these, shape to change our outlook of the relationships with our family members and how we should treasure one another despite our differences. It is beneficial to all to examine the similarities and the differences that we share to development our appreciation each other. Sarah’s appreciation for her father and what he loved was displayed in the way she carried out the ceremony of his death. Knowing his love for his artillery and appreciating his invention of the cannon, she paid the greatest respect to her father; shooting her father's ashes out of his handmade cannon was the ultimate depiction of her father's life and what he stood for. The symbolization of the ceremony would have made him proud.

            The need for a parent and child to establish and maintain a close bond is undeniable. When this bond is successful the is an sense of significant accomplishment on both sides. This connection is extremely important to establish before it is too late, before our loving parent is no longer with us. Although there had been stifling road blocks for both, I believe Chang-rae Lee and Sarah Vowel had this situation in common. They both had a longing to be close to their parent before their passing. They both reached out to experience what their parent had a passion about. Chang-rae Lee attempted to cook as his mother did, feeling her passion for food and engaging in their culture of cuisine. And Sarah put forth the effort to experience the excitement that her father felt regarding his love for firearms and understand the accomplishment of his inventions. They both developed an appreciation for their parent and what their parent stood for.

As a daughter myself, the need to maintain a close bond with my father is one of importance. Like Sarah, I have experienced a large wedge between my father and I until about two years ago. The longing for us to have that father-daughter bond was something so deep that I thought would never take place. I took advantage of a situation to extend myself out to my father in his time of need. Surprisingly, he accepted my help and the lines of communication opened and mended the bond that we both had longed for.

Writing about Literature

When one writes about literature it is important that it contains a debatable thesis. A debateable thesis must have a strong arguement that consists our your own personal viewpoint. There are three things that should be apart of your perspective: an interpretation, an evaluative judgment, or a critical evaluation. (1) The argument provided should be supported by scholar examples of your viewpoint.

There are several places in which to research your carefully chosen topic. One of the most common is the Internet which an abundance of information can be found to support your opinion. The other common place to find the information for your paper is the good old library. It may take a little more time to perform your research at the library but it has proven to be enlightening way to find supporting facts for me. Although the information you find is important, this is to support your own ideas and critical thinking. Lastly, you must give credit where credit is due. List where you have found your supporting fact by listing it MLA style at the end of your paper.

I have written only a couple research papers but they were not considered critical thinking. This will prove to be a challenge for me. But I will take this information in consideration when research a topic and when finding the evidence to support my opinion.

The Insufficiency of Honesty

Carter’s definition of integrity has much more meaning than just being honest. Her definitions consists of three parts: “discerning what is right and what is wrong; acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost; and saying open­ly that you are acting on your understanding of right and wrong.” (pg. 1) According to her definition, integrity requires a person to be more than truthful but also requires one to follow up the honesty with actions and to fulfill the commitments that we have made.

In my opinion, integrity involves a significant amount of discernment with choosing when to express our truthful words and when to exercise omission. There is a time and place for both; times when we would need to truthful as to our partners and times when we may choose to withhold comments as not to hurt the feelings of others. This includes examining what is right and what is wrong to what lies behind our decision and actions. Regardless of the choice that we have make, one must maintain to the commitments that they have made. Upholding our commitments is what makes the difference between honesty and integrity. Have you heard the term, “Actions prove louder than words”? Honesty is a verbal display of truthfulness, but integrity puts our honesty into play. Integrity is an open display of our honesty.

Shooting Dad

What is the significance behind the title "Shooting Dad"?

Sarah Vowell found it difficult to have a positive relationship with her father growing up. They seemed to be rivals in many instances. Their disagreements stemmed from the political views that they held but were mostly surrounding the second amendment regarding the right to bear arms. Sarah's father was a gunsmith, hence, his entire life revolved around firearms. She developed an immediately dislike for guns after her first experience shooting one at the age of six. This created a distinctive wedge between her and her father that lasted quite a few years. I think that Sarah had longed for a bond between her father and herself and this is why she decided to extend the effort to bridge the gap by asking to see him shoot off his homemade cannon. For reasons that maybe she does'nt understand herself, that gap was mended.

As a daughter myself, the need to maintain a close bond with my father is one of importance. Like Sarah, I have experienced a large wedge between my father and I until about two years ago. The longing for us to have that father-daughter bond was something so deep that I thought would never take place. I took advantage of a situation to extend myself out to my father in his time of need. Surprisingly, he accepted my help and the lines of communication opened and mended the bond that we both had longed for.

John Vowell had a passionate love for guns and this showed throughout his life. He literally was a shooter, having a houseful of firearms. After many years of rivalry between his daughter Sarah, they mended there relationship and she grew to appreciate in her own way her father's love of guns. Her appreciation for her father and what he loved was displayed in the way she carried out the ceremony of his death. Shooting her father's ashes out of his handmade cannon was the ultimate depiction of her father's life and what he stood for. The symbolization of the ceremony would have made him proud.

Rules for Writers Chapter 4

A successful essay consists of effective paragraphs that support the essay’s main point throughout its entirety. It is important that the length of each paragraph be just the correct length. If the paragraph is too short it may not portray the correct supporting information to the reader, and if the paragraph is too long the reader may because uninterested. The key function of paragraphs is to link itself and the reader back to the main point.

The majority of paragraphs should start out the first sentence including the main point as to orient the reader to the topic. Throughout the paragraph it is important to “stick to the point”, keep the reader focus on the main point. Refrain from including information that does not support the topic sentence. There are many “patterns of organization” we could use when constructing our paragraph. Examples and illustrations, narration, description, comparison and contrast, and definition are to name a few ways in which to organize our paragraphs as to capture our reader focus. Repetition of our main point is key in keeping our paragraph consistent and coherent.

Just a few weeks ago, I had little knowledge in how to formulate a paragraph. My ideas seemed to go in different directions. I believe that I have improved some but am well aware that there is much more to learn in writing paragraphs. I will create a topic sentence at each paragraph as to acquaint the reader with the main point. I will also use repetition through the paragraphs and whole essay to drive home the main point as well. I will experiment with the different organizational patterns to formulate my paragraphs. In the end, my expectations are that these pointers will improve my essays.