Rossi, 1
Michael Rossi
September 28, 2009
Advanced Placement English Language and Composition
Analyze Mr. Collins proposal looking for examples of the appeals that he uses. Explain clearly why his appeals are ineffective and how he could have improved his proposal. I'd like you to have a one sentence thesis as your introduction, followed by at least two body paragraphs citing examples from the text. Focus on his diction and syntax in analyzing the appeals. Cite the text. The author is Jane Austen, and don't bother about page numbers.
Throughout the excerpt Mr. Collins verbalizes three types of crass appeal to win the heart of Elizabeth: Logic (logos), Pathos (emotional), and Ethos (character).
The first jab at romantic appeal Mr. Collins employs is one of logic. In the vast majority of speech and forms of literature, logic is the basis on which arguments are founded and support character and emotional appeal. Mr. Collins attempts to make Elizabeth understand the reasoning for his desire to marry her. His explanation exudes an unforgivable tone of condescension and only works against him: “”My reasons for marrying are, first that I think it a right for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly—which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness’” (Austin). This type of speech immediately breaks any potential positive reception because Mr. Collins’ wishes to wed are based on selfishness and the approval of a friend whose opinion matters more to Mr. Collins than that of the woman he wishes to marry. Mr. Collins logic shows that he will put himself before his wife and does not know how to treat a woman or even acknowledge the fact that his entire argument’s goal should be Elizabeth’s answer.
Based off a unique set of logic Mr. Collins attempts to change Elizabeth’s utter rejection by referencing characteristic points that only emphasize his arrogance and inability to understand
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a member of the opposite sex. Mr. Collins asserts his said qualities when he makes crude remarks upon the stern rejection Elizabeth had given him: “because I know it to be the establish custom of your sex to reject a man on the first application, and perhaps you have even now said as much to encourage my suit as would be consistent with the delicacy of the female character” (Austin). Not only does the argument lose steam for its insensitivity but it also defeats the purpose of Mr. Collins attempting to convince Elizabeth of anything. If her answer truly does not matter then why should he waste his time asking her?
Lastly Mr. Collins’ attempt at an emotional appeal was an insensitive faux pas. Mr. Collins states that he will open up to Elizabeth about his affection only to not follow through: “And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection” (Austen). This, violent affection, is never displayed. In its stead Collins speaks coldly of fortune and inheritance emphasizing his absent mindedness and inability to elaborate on something he so boldly declared he would.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Huckleberry Finn Social critique
Rossi, 1
Michael Rossi
September 15, 2009
Advanced Placement English Language
Huckleberry Finn Notes: How is Huckleberry Finn a social critique
Notes
Escaping society’s demands and punishments allows Huck to develop pure social critiques pertaining to the bigotry of the south. He makes an astounding growth away from the prejudice that the widow taught to him. When Huck and Jim escaped on the raft Huck was deeply vexed by the guilt of contributing to the freedom of an African American. He realizes he did not directly steal and liberate Jim from his owner, however he feels the guilt the one would
feel if he went on vacation and found that his neighbor’s pet cat slipped to into his luggage and he continued on vacation without bothering to notify the neighbors. It’s the sort of guilt that isn’t
serious enough to control your actions unless one ponders over it for extensive periods of time. Huck was aided in distracting himself from guilt by getting to know Jim as time passes. Huck feels torn between turning Jim in because he believes it is the right thing to do, when it is society telling him what to do. On the other hand, Huck believes delivering Jim to his freedom originated from a self serving motivation while in reality he is following Christianity. Without a modern Christian education, Huck is forced to make the decision that his nagging conscience and Christianity are one and the same. Huck believes that choosing Jim’s freedom means heading straight for hell. The sheer intensity of Huck’s decision is best represented in the following quote: “I was a trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right, then, I’ll go to hell’ (228). Accepting the worst fate know to man is a bold step against the southern racial repression and because it shows how it is wrong through the eyes of a child.
Michael Rossi
September 15, 2009
Advanced Placement English Language
Huckleberry Finn Notes: How is Huckleberry Finn a social critique
Notes
Escaping society’s demands and punishments allows Huck to develop pure social critiques pertaining to the bigotry of the south. He makes an astounding growth away from the prejudice that the widow taught to him. When Huck and Jim escaped on the raft Huck was deeply vexed by the guilt of contributing to the freedom of an African American. He realizes he did not directly steal and liberate Jim from his owner, however he feels the guilt the one would
feel if he went on vacation and found that his neighbor’s pet cat slipped to into his luggage and he continued on vacation without bothering to notify the neighbors. It’s the sort of guilt that isn’t
serious enough to control your actions unless one ponders over it for extensive periods of time. Huck was aided in distracting himself from guilt by getting to know Jim as time passes. Huck feels torn between turning Jim in because he believes it is the right thing to do, when it is society telling him what to do. On the other hand, Huck believes delivering Jim to his freedom originated from a self serving motivation while in reality he is following Christianity. Without a modern Christian education, Huck is forced to make the decision that his nagging conscience and Christianity are one and the same. Huck believes that choosing Jim’s freedom means heading straight for hell. The sheer intensity of Huck’s decision is best represented in the following quote: “I was a trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right, then, I’ll go to hell’ (228). Accepting the worst fate know to man is a bold step against the southern racial repression and because it shows how it is wrong through the eyes of a child.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Monte Cristo Notes- Religion
Rossi, 1
Michael Rossi
September 9, 2009
Advanced Placement English Language
Prepare a page of notes on The Count of Monte Cristo:1 page of notes on Dantes playing the role of God. Post to blogs and have a typed sheet to hand in. Have quotes for support.
Notes
Throughout much of the text Edmond Dantes had believed that the riches given to him by Abbe Faria was actually a weapon given to him from in God in order for Dantes to extract vengeance upon those who had harmed him and to bless those who were true to him before his days in the Chateau D’if. Dantes’ mindset began with him taking his vow of vengeance: “This treasure […] doubled its value in his eyes; daily would he expatiate on the amount, holding forth to Dantes’ face would darken, for the oath of vengeance he had taken would come into his mind, and he was occupied with the thought of how much harm a man could do to his enemies in modern times with a fortune of thirteen or fourteen million (115).This vow led Dantes to believe that his life roll as an avenger was chosen by God.
Dantes became the Count of Monte Cristo and carried out all of what he believed to be his divine tasks. The Count emanated an aura of perfection and eloquence. The Count made a firm effort to squash any signs of his imperfection, however dealing with his long, lost love proved to be too overbearing for Dantes and his knees buckled under the weight: “Then his plans were frustrated at the eleventh hour through no action on his part; now, just as his schemes for revenge were materializing, he must relinquish them for ever, solely because he had no reckoned with one factor-his love for Mercedes” (567). Mercedes proved to be the single crack in Dantes’ armor, forcing the pain of humanity back into Dantes life. Other schemes of vengeance were foiled by Mercedes influence. Very soon it was not only those whom Edmond loved that pulled him back to humanity, but his enemies whom the Count had set out to destroy. This is best
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demonstrated when the count reached a realization of his cruelty when he was wreaking havoc on the house of Noirtier: “Realizing that he had passed beyond the bounds of vengeance, he felt he could no longer say: ‘God is for me and with me.’ With an expression of indescribable anguish, he threw himself on the child’s body, opened his eyes, felt his pulse, and, rushing with him into valentine’s room, locked the door” (475). It took the count a moment to step back to rise above himself and view the situation as the count should have viewed it, as the humble Edmond Dantes.
Michael Rossi
September 9, 2009
Advanced Placement English Language
Prepare a page of notes on The Count of Monte Cristo:1 page of notes on Dantes playing the role of God. Post to blogs and have a typed sheet to hand in. Have quotes for support.
Notes
Throughout much of the text Edmond Dantes had believed that the riches given to him by Abbe Faria was actually a weapon given to him from in God in order for Dantes to extract vengeance upon those who had harmed him and to bless those who were true to him before his days in the Chateau D’if. Dantes’ mindset began with him taking his vow of vengeance: “This treasure […] doubled its value in his eyes; daily would he expatiate on the amount, holding forth to Dantes’ face would darken, for the oath of vengeance he had taken would come into his mind, and he was occupied with the thought of how much harm a man could do to his enemies in modern times with a fortune of thirteen or fourteen million (115).This vow led Dantes to believe that his life roll as an avenger was chosen by God.
Dantes became the Count of Monte Cristo and carried out all of what he believed to be his divine tasks. The Count emanated an aura of perfection and eloquence. The Count made a firm effort to squash any signs of his imperfection, however dealing with his long, lost love proved to be too overbearing for Dantes and his knees buckled under the weight: “Then his plans were frustrated at the eleventh hour through no action on his part; now, just as his schemes for revenge were materializing, he must relinquish them for ever, solely because he had no reckoned with one factor-his love for Mercedes” (567). Mercedes proved to be the single crack in Dantes’ armor, forcing the pain of humanity back into Dantes life. Other schemes of vengeance were foiled by Mercedes influence. Very soon it was not only those whom Edmond loved that pulled him back to humanity, but his enemies whom the Count had set out to destroy. This is best
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demonstrated when the count reached a realization of his cruelty when he was wreaking havoc on the house of Noirtier: “Realizing that he had passed beyond the bounds of vengeance, he felt he could no longer say: ‘God is for me and with me.’ With an expression of indescribable anguish, he threw himself on the child’s body, opened his eyes, felt his pulse, and, rushing with him into valentine’s room, locked the door” (475). It took the count a moment to step back to rise above himself and view the situation as the count should have viewed it, as the humble Edmond Dantes.
Monte Cristo Notes- Honor
Rossi, 1
Michael Rossi
September 10, 2009
Advanced Placement English Language
Prep (2/3rds of a page of ) notes on the role of honor in the Count of Monte Cristo. Focus on Morrel
Notes
The theme of honor arises throughout the novel and has a heavy impact upon many of the characters and their behavior. An excellent example of an honorable character that lives by his word and exhibits incredible generosity is Monsieur. Morrel. Morrel was being assailed by debt due his cargo ships sinking. A group of surviving sailors from the Pharaon confronted the Morrel and spoke of the tragedy that had befallen them at sea and reported that they desired no such payment from their financially crippled employer “If you have no money, you surely shall not pay us; like the Pharaon, we can go under bare poles” (177). Not allowing himself to wallow in his sadness Morrel responded, “’Enough, enough, my friends!’ said Morrel, choking with emotion. ‘Leave me, I beg you’(177). Monsieur Morrel remained true to his word and showed the sailors out of his home so that he would not be tempted to stray from his code of honor.
The remarkable aspect about Morrel is that his desire to stand by his honor is so strict that it can only be the result of Christian purity , not the result of him simply trying to look like society’s perfect man in order to impress his peers. Morrel holds dear to his virtue of honor even in the face of death: “’you will be paid or else I shall be dead’ (178). Morrel was extremely close to taking his life when Edmond Dantes’ stepped in and alleviated Morrel’s debt much like God had sparred the child of Abraham.
Michael Rossi
September 10, 2009
Advanced Placement English Language
Prep (2/3rds of a page of ) notes on the role of honor in the Count of Monte Cristo. Focus on Morrel
Notes
The theme of honor arises throughout the novel and has a heavy impact upon many of the characters and their behavior. An excellent example of an honorable character that lives by his word and exhibits incredible generosity is Monsieur. Morrel. Morrel was being assailed by debt due his cargo ships sinking. A group of surviving sailors from the Pharaon confronted the Morrel and spoke of the tragedy that had befallen them at sea and reported that they desired no such payment from their financially crippled employer “If you have no money, you surely shall not pay us; like the Pharaon, we can go under bare poles” (177). Not allowing himself to wallow in his sadness Morrel responded, “’Enough, enough, my friends!’ said Morrel, choking with emotion. ‘Leave me, I beg you’(177). Monsieur Morrel remained true to his word and showed the sailors out of his home so that he would not be tempted to stray from his code of honor.
The remarkable aspect about Morrel is that his desire to stand by his honor is so strict that it can only be the result of Christian purity , not the result of him simply trying to look like society’s perfect man in order to impress his peers. Morrel holds dear to his virtue of honor even in the face of death: “’you will be paid or else I shall be dead’ (178). Morrel was extremely close to taking his life when Edmond Dantes’ stepped in and alleviated Morrel’s debt much like God had sparred the child of Abraham.
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