When I read and annotate passages, I try to stay away from simply summarizing what the author already said. I will underline sentences that I think are important or that I either agree or disagree with. In the margins next to these sentences I will usually write down something about it, whether it is connecting it to another reading, writing what I think it means, questions I have about it, or I will summarize large paragraphs in addition to what I think is important. Another technique I use is putting a box around a sentence. These sentences are usually what I think the thesis and main ideas are. I may write something next to it summarizing the main idea and then underlining sentences that support it. I do not usually write anything next to the boxes, but I may put a star next to it to draw my attention to it so that when I go back over the reading later, I can easily identify what I thought were the main ideas. I like to draw arrows when I see that an idea later on the same page relates to a similar idea that I wrote in the margins. This helps me to see the authors train of thought. While I am trying to find evidence for papers, these marking (arrows, stars, boxes, underlines) that I made, help me to focus on what I deemed important and use that to support my arguments in my essays. For my evidence of this, I tried to pick pages in multiple readings we have read throughout the semester that clearly show the different techniques I use. The pictures of these techniques can be seen below.
When I write the journals, I like to read the prompt before I start reading the paper to help me focus on what I should annotate on. This helps me to pick out what I am going to write about. A majority of the journals we had to write were picking out passages that we might use in our essays and then explain how we might use them. I liked to mark the paragraph with brackets, star it, and then underline important sentences in that paragraph I might use in an essay. This helped me to focus my thoughts on what the assignment is and not annotate every sentence, significant or otherwise.
The techniques that I like to use while annotating helps me draw relationships because I will often connect the current readings to past readings that I already annotated. If I had a question while reading, I will often write a question mark and then underline the confusing part. Later in class when we discuss the reading, I will ask for clarification about that specific section. If I do not agree with something in the text, I will underline it and either write “no” or explain why I do not agree, and similar to when I agree with something, I will write “yes” or explain why I agree.
Annotated Pages:
Journal Entry Relating to “Consider the Lobster”: (Journal #1)
- If David Foster Wallace came into the classroom I would ask him:
- Why did you chose to write about lobsters being cooked alive when other animals are also killed inhumanely to be used for human consumption?
- You mention a lot about whether or not an animal as simple as lobsters can feel or express pain, but have you thought that maybe they do not show this emotion how humans might express it because they have different pain receptors and internal organs?
- I noticed while I was reading the essay that you were on the lobsters side, but then by the end you appeared to be on either side. What is your honest opinion about cooking lobsters alive?
- Have you ever been to the festival and participated in the eating of the lobster or the protection of the lobster?
- Why do you think the switch was made from lobster being a prison, poor person food to being a delicacy that the wealthier people indulge into?
The limits of a written discussion are that you have to wait for someone else to reply completely before you can give your response. Also, if you are just asking questions and waiting for people to answer to have a discussion, it could be hard to keep the conversation going if the person stops writing. Another thing that can limit a written discussion is if the questions being asked are very one dimensional, there is not much room for multiple people to answer it. You might anticipate your audience’s questions when you write by making a list of questions yourself and giving a mock response to it. Another thing you can do to anticipate their questions is to make sure you know a lot about you are talking or writing about. Both of these suggestions together can help you be prepared for the questions asked of you because you will already be expecting questions and if any question you were not expected is asked of you, you will be prepared because you have a large knowledge about that topic.
Journal Entry Relating to “The End of Food”: (Journal #4)
P.5, paragraph 2 – This paragraph illustrates that people always want a quick fix, but it can end up turning into a disastrous situation. This paragraph shows examples of some of these “quick fixes.” I will use this paragraph to help support my claim that Soylent should not be an end all be all. P.8, paragraph 6 – This paragraph gives evidence that Soylent is hopping on the train for food to become a drink. This paragraph offers other brands and drinks that have done the same thing, however to a lesser degree of replacing all meals. I will use this as a counterpoint because I do not agree that Soylent is like the other powered drinks. P.9, paragraph 2 – this paragraph offers an opposing view to Rhinehart’s. This comes from a doctor who says that we could live off of Soylent but we would be missing many other nutrients that have added health benefits. I will use this to support my claim because I feel like we need actual food to survive.
Journal Entry Relating to “Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch”: (Journal #10)
Page 4, paragraph 2– This paragraph is essentially his thesis and outlines the rest of the essay. I agree with what he says in this paragraph. Why do people watch cooking shows if they are not going to make the food themselves? Pollan suggests that it’s because of women working outside the home and not cooking homemade meals anymore, and the fact that cooking is not necessary anymore with all of the technology and fast food out there. I agree with this as well because everyone always talks about cooking and making meals but usually end up either ordering out or buying something frozen from the store and heating it up. Food is such an important part of American culture but Americans rarely cook but love to watch other people cook and eat homemade meals. Page 9, paragraph 3– This paragraph discusses how the skills on the Food Network could never really be applied to real life. I agree and disagree with this statement. I agree because the things that they have to do and in the time frame is unrealistic. No one can really make a decent meal in 20 minutes when not given the ingredients a head of time. However, chefs in restaurants must cook quickly and efficiently in order to keep the guests happy. Although the skills, like making a meal out of string cheese, is unrealistic in real life some of the skills, like cooking with a time limit, is very much a real-life application. Page 13, paragraph 5– In this paragraph, Pollan offers his explanation as to why we like watching food shows. He suggests that it is because the people on the show are actually doing something with their hands and working to create something while the average person has a desk job. I disagree with this because I feel like people watch these shows to see what other people can really do that, they themselves cannot do. I believe that people are naturally curious and enjoy watching others perform outrageous tasks, such as cooking an entire meal perfectly in under 30 minutes.
Other Journal Entries Relating to Annotated Texts:
Journal #3: “The Art of Quoting”
This chapter in “They Say I Say”,brings up a lot of very useful tips on how to quote sources properly, as well as how to frame the quote. I like how the author refers to it as a “quotation sandwich.” This was how I was taught in middle school and high school how to properly quote; my teachers would always tell me to introduce the quote and then after, explain the quote in detail. However, one of my teachers told me that the explanation of the quote should always be longer than the quote itself. After reading this book, I now know that this is not always the case.
I felt to me like some of the points made in this chapter were targeted towards a specific type of paper. Some papers need more of a flow between sentences, such as when you are telling a narrative, and dropping in the phrase, “According to X…” can disrupt the flow of the paragraph. In my opinion, using quotes at the end of the sentence would work in an essay if “X” was presented before in a previous sentence.
Journal #5: “Entering the Conversation”
This chapter in “They Say, I Say” provides many useful tips in how to argue against a point but still make it sound eloquent and not like you are attacking the opposing view point. The templates that they included are going to be very helpful when writing argumentative essays because it offers a basic structure that will add new levels to your writing. I think the most important part of this chapter is on page 5-6 when they discuss that you have to use the “they say” piece because it makes the readers understand where you are coming from and why you are even writing the paper. Doing this also adds another dimension to your writing because you can elaborate more on what your opinion is if you state the opposing side’s as well.
Journal #11: “Starting with What Others Say” (TS/IS)
This chapter in TS/IS will be very beneficial when introducing new ideas and point of views into my essay, especially the essay for Project 2. The advice about making sure you state the thesis and both opposing views in the introduction, or at least early enough in the paper that the reader is not confused about what the claim is, is very helpful to create a cohesive essay that will make sense and generate good flow. I really like the part where is says, “remember that you are entering a conversation and therefore need to start with ‘what others are saying,’ as the title of this chapter recommends, and the introduce your own ideas as a response” (20). I like this part because it creates an image in my head of two people actually having a conversation and I just state my views as they discuss. This chapter also offers very useful templates that will help make my writing seem more appealing and interesting to read. The templates are very specific to certain topics about introducing a new point of view versus introducing your point of view.
Journal #13: “Playing the Naysayer in Your Text”
This chapter in TS/IS illustrates many interesting points about how to introduce a rebuttal into your paper. The authors say that by adding in a “naysayer” your paper will become stronger and more interesting to read. By looking at your weak spots in your idea and trying to think of things that people might say to ruin your argument, can help the reader believe your ideas more. However, the book brought up a good point that if the rebuttal is too strong, the central argument will fall apart. I like how this chapter demonstrates that you cannot simply say the opposing view is completely incorrect because 1. that does not provide any evidence as too why and 2. the reader will lose trust in you as an authentic author. I think the templates throughout the chapter will help me in my own writing, especially in the current essay, because we are trying to argue a certain point and this rebuttal will help make it stronger.
Journal #15: Flu Narrative Reactions
Narrative 1- I Survived by Betty Somppi
This narrative gave me chills while I was reading it. The fact that both children had the disease and only the one who received treatment survived made me sad. I have had a flu-like virus before and I know that it is not an enjoyable experience. However, this story gave me perspective as to what medicine was like back then and how far it has progressed. Although she lived a long and healthy life, her neighbor did not. If he had taken the medicine then he might have survived. It is also crazy to think that the treatment for the flu back then was considered “experimental” but now, we have a little pill that helps reduce symptoms and speeds up the healing process. After reading the narratives in the section about finding a cure, one question I would ask the narrator is what treatment she was given. She was only told it was a shot but I wonder what was in the syringe.
Narrative 2- Plantings by Linda Krause
This narrative made me sit there in awe as I read it. The amount of dead bodies that would require using a school as a graveyard must have been an unimaginable amount. While reading this, I thought of the Holocaust and seeing pictures of the piles of dead bodies. It must have been horrific seeing the dead bodies of loved ones on display in a school. However, I can relate to this narrative because there are rumors that some college dorm rooms in Connecticut might be used as housing for patients with the corona virus because the hospitals might not have enough room for all the patients. One question I would ask the narrator, who is the daughter of the person in the story, is what would you have done if you were in your mother’s shoes and saw those horrible images.
Journal #22: Ellen Bryant Voigt Poem Analysis
I have a few questions about this poem. Why did they kill the cat? Was this flu able to spread from animal to human or vise versa? Were those home methods to help fight the flu symptoms or were they recommended by a doctor because of the lack of medicine?
An image that really sticks out to me is cutting the cats throat and then leaving it out for flies to take. I can visualize the number of flies that must have flown into the house and the hear the sound of the buzzing that was there, almost deafening. I am curious as to why they wanted to draw the flies in. Was it maybe to take care of the dead around the house as well as the cat carcass? Or is the cat carcass a symbol for an infected person? In a biblical sense, a lamb would be used as a sacrifice, but as long as it was pure and had no blemishes. In this case, Voigt could be symbolizing that there are no perfect creature, animal or human, leading me to believe that the disease had an impact on everyone.
I do notice a few parallels between this poem (about the flu pandemic) and the current COVID-19 pandemic. The most obvious one being that they also quarantined themselves in their homes and practiced social distancing. In the poem, the author wrote that the people in the homes would lock the doors and not let anyone is, leading to their survival. Today, this is really the only thing we can all do to stop the spread of the disease and have hope for a day where we can go out in the public again and not be scared of getting a deadly virus. Another parallel I see is that people are trying home remedies to control the symptoms of the virus. There is no cure for viruses because they do not react to antibiotics, only prevention methods (vaccines, proper hygiene, and social distancing) and symptom remedies once the virus is contracted.
