JessicaOrlowski

"During the last four decades, a well-publicized shift in what undergraduate students prefer to study has taken place in American higher education. The number of young men and women majoring in English has dropped dramatically; the same is true of philosophy, foreign languages, art history, and kindred fields, including history. As someone who has taught in four university English departments over the last 40 years, I am dismayed by this shift, as are my colleagues here and there across the land. And because it is probably irreversible, it is important to attempt to sort out the reasons--the many reasons--for what has happened. --William M. Chace, The American Scholar"

 

"Irriversible"? Why? Just because the level has dropped dramatically does not mean that it won't restore itself. I hardly think that the English major will drop off of the face of the planet. I believe that the English major, like everything in the American mindset, is a part of the economy. It's an investment, like all other majors.

Of course, I've seen a shift, as well. It's not hard to sort out the reasons for this particular shift... growing competition with China and others; fast-paced lifestyle; Man vs. Machine. It's indirectly our fault. If we weren't so worried about being the fastest and the best, this wouldn't have happened. However, there is an inevitability about society's progression. We are constantly moving forward because we are blesssed with the capacity to do so. This bless is evidently a curse- the same capacity with which we have created all these amazing machines has also driven us further away from the outlets that fully explain our human condition to us. The appealing nature of Literature (with a capital "L") and history is that they show us where we've been and where we should go. For instance, anyone who's read the John Henry story can attest that the "wonderful" progression of machines will soon be our downfall.

So, do I believe that there has been a change? Yes. Do I believe that SOME of the damage is irreversible? You could say that... We're always going to want to move forward faster than our feet can carry us (that's what hyper speed cars are for). But eventually, all of that won't matter. Eventually, we're going to want to get back to our roots (that ALWAYS happens. Not for everyone, but for most). Therefore, the English major is not going to disappear, nor are history and philosophy. While we can not fix what happened in the past, we can try to work with the future- use technology to our advantage while teaching the Humanities (funny name, right). This way, while we pump out our future scientists and business people, they can automatically know where they're going because they'll know where they've been. 

 

 

Dear Roberts,

Hi. Love the book (most of the time). Those chapters (Insert numerous chapter numbers here) on essay writing were wonderful. Additionally, I would just like to reflect on something in Chapter 13, the chapter about Prosody and other awesome English terms. You say that "It is important- vital- to understand the differences between spelling, or graphics, and pronunciation, or phonetics" (185). It pains me to say this, but not everyone knows this. As an English major, I am a huge advocate for spelling, and for once, I completely agree with you. Now, I'm not saying that one has to be a perfect speller in order to be successful at writing, but it certainly helps.

Thank you for your time.
Your friend,
Jessica


PS) If you could write a supplementary chapter that deals with "Methods of Finding the Perfect Thesis Statement," please let me know. I'd be very interested to read that, as would most of my classmates!

"In one long yellow string I wound 
Three times her little throat around, 
And strangled her. No pain felt she; 
I am quite sure she felt no pain."

Porpyria's Lover, Robert Browning.


When I first read this poem, I was shocked and kind of sickened- the man just killed a woman whom he supposedly loved. Initially, I thought that Porphyria may have cheated on the speaker, and this is why he killed her. This could explain her paleness:

Murmuring how she loved me--she 
Too weak, for all her heart's endeavor, 
To set its struggling passion free 
From pride, and vainer ties dissever, 
And give herself to me forever. 
But passion sometimes would prevail, 
Nor could tonight's gay feast restrain 
A sudden thought of one so pale 
For love of her, and all in vain:

The vainness of his love almost surely indicated an instance of cheating to me. However, palness also indicates illness. Upon a second reading of the poem, I realized that rather than the speaker of the poem killing this woman because of disdain for unfaithful acts, he killed her because he loved her. He wanted to remove her pain due to an illness.

"Mrs. Popov: Oh, how he loved Toby! He always used to ride on him to visit the Korchagins or the Vlaslovs. How wonderfully he rode! How graceful he was when he pulled at the reins with all his strength! Do you remember? Toby, Toby! Tell them to give him an extra bag of oats today" (385).

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"Mrs. Popov: [lowering her eyes.] Luka, tell them in the stable not to give Toby any oats today" (392).


Well, Chekhov certainly did a great job at portraying the indecisiveness of the human race. Also, I believe he wanted to make a point that human beings have such animalistic qualities about them that they are willing to forsake love after one occurrence of horrible treatment. It's ironic- the man fell in love with the woman after she showed some backbone, and the woman fell in love with the man after his continuous horrific treatment of her. Could this be a political statement? In the 1880's, there was a revolution occurring in Russia which required women to become a part of the labor force. Maybe Chekhov was trying to encourage readers to embrace the role of the new female.

Also, I sort of found that Mrs. Popov is living with her husband vicariously through Toby, the poor horse, further emphasizing Chekov's comparison between humans and animals (with their animal instincts). It's extremely cruel that she didn't feed Toby at all near the end, but I believe that could be for two possible reasons. 1) She could be indicating that she's finally letting her husband's memory go. 2) She and this stranger, since they fell into deep love so quickly, may be going into the barn to do.. you know. I haven't really researched the topic, but I wonder if, along with the social reformation in Russia regarding the roles of women in the working world, there was a sexual revolution, as well.


PS) Brooke has a great entry about this same subject. Check it out:
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/BrookeKuehn/2009/11/poor_toby.html

"Although single words can name ideas, we must put these words into operation in sentences, or assertions before they can advance our understanding."

-- Roberts, Chapter 7, p. 119


'Assertion' is just a fancy word for sentence, yet this fancy term is extremely important for anyone who wants to write a decent paper (particularly a precise thesis statement). Roberts says that "you might state that an idea in Chekhov's "The Bear" is 'love,' but it would be difficult to discuss anything more unless you make an assertion promising such an argument, such as "This play demonstrates the idea that love is irrational and irresistible" (119). While Roberts' assertion about "love" in "The Bear" will not cut it as a thesis, it's well on its way. You have to have clear thoughts before you develop a thesis. If I wanted to turn Roberts' assertion into a thesis, I'd have to make a statement that identifies even more fully with the play in question. e.g) The Bear by Chekhov demonstrates that, while love is irrational and irresistible, (main claim).  

Coverage: This is a compilation of all the entries I've done this semester.

Comparisons and Biblical References (Cargoes)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/comparisons_and_biblical_refer.html
- I wrote this entry about Cargoes by John Masefield. In it, I discuss the historical atmosphere surrounding the composition of the poem.

I Smell a Good Story (Roberts Ch. 8)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/i_smell_a_good_story.html
- In this entry, I discuss the importance of the senses are in creating a writer to reader connection.

Mighty Maus
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/mighty_maus.html
- This was an entry in which I explored some of the prevalent themes in Maus by Art Spiegelman.

My Presentation About Maus (section 2)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/my_presentation_about_maus_sec.html
- We had to complete a presentation in which we close-read a work that we would study during class and provide an additional peer-reviewed article to support this analysis. This blog entry details my process in completing the project.

Dear Prince Prospero,
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/dear_prince_prospero.html
- In this blog entry, I wrote a letter to Prince Prospero, the main character in Poe's Masque of the Red Death, and questioned him as to why he acted in the way that he did.

If You Can Spell "Verisimilitude" Without Peeking, I'll Give You a Cookie
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/if_you_can_spell_verisimilitud.html
- I elaborated on the importance of a setting's realism in the creation of a story.

"Who is Making the Distinction, Then?"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/who_is_making_the_distinction.html
- In this entry, I elaborated upon the use of music as a unifying factor in Hughes' "Theme"

"Was That Supposed to Be... Funny"?
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/was_that_supposed_to_be_funny.html
- I used a song from a popular musical in order to convey the concept of humor in Roberts.

"The Hitler in Every Generation"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/the_hitler_in_every_generation.html
- I compared the "Angels" in Colson Whitehead's "John Henry Days" to Adolf Hitler's Holocaust.

What Makes a Poem a Poem?
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/what_makes_a_poem_a_poem.html
- In this entry, I describe the importance of simile and metaphor in the writing of poetry.

Fried Fish... Not Something I'd Wear Every Day
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/fried_fish_not_something_id_we.html
- I analyze Miss Brill's relationship with her beloved fur.

Footnotes... The Bane of My Existence
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/footnotes_the_bane_of_my_exist_1.html
- Not only do I state my distaste for the overuse of footnotes, but I also analyze the use of simile and metaphor in Keats' "On First Looking."

Only But a Memory Away
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/only_but_a_memory_away.html
- I analyzed Shakespeare's Sonnet 30: "When to the Sessions of Sweet Silent Thought"

What's in a Name?
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/whats_in_a_name.html
- In this entry, I made speculations as to whether J. in "John Henry Days" returned to continue his junketeering record or if he went to New York with Pamela.


Timeliness: These are the entries that were submitted on time

Comparisons and Biblical References (Cargoes)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/comparisons_and_biblical_refer.html

I Smell a Good Story (Roberts Ch. 8)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/i_smell_a_good_story.html

Mighty Maus
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/mighty_maus.html

My Presentation About Maus (section 2)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/my_presentation_about_maus_sec.html

The Hitler in Every Generation
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/DiannaGriffin/2009/11/it_makes_no_difference_to_me.html

Who Is Making the Distinction, Then?
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/who_is_making_the_distinction.html

Was That Supposed to Be... Funny?
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/was_that_supposed_to_be_funny.html

Depth: These are the entries that I put a little extra effort into.

Comparisons and Biblical References (Cargoes)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/comparisons_and_biblical_refer.html

Dear Prince Prospero
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/dear_prince_prospero.html

My Presentation About Maus (section 2)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/my_presentation_about_maus_sec.html

The Hitler in Every Generation
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/the_hitler_in_every_generation.html

Only But a Memory Away
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/only_but_a_memory_away.html

 

Interaction: These are occurrences during which I contributed to a classmate's blog

Cody Naylor's "The "Mask" of the Red Death"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/CodyNaylor/2009/10/the_mask_of_the_red_death.html
- I questioned Cody's opinion on the identity of the narrator in the story, and this spurred a discussion between the two of us.

Melissa Schwenk's "A Ghostly Alternative"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/MelissaSchwenk/2009/10/a_ghostly_alternative.html
- I contributed to a discussion between Melissa and Josie by refuting Josie's argument about ghosts and offering an opposing viewpoint.

Karyssa Blair's "Masquerade! Paper Faces on Parade..."
 http://blogs.setonhill.edu/KaryssaBlair/2009/10/masquerade_paper_faces_on_para.html
- I agreed with Karyssa's claim and posed some interesting questions about the subject of Divinity in Poe's short story.

Josie Rush's "You Can Judge an Editorial by Its Title"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JosieRush/2009/10/you_can_judge_an_editorial_by.html
- Though I agreed with most of what Josie said in her blog, I also raised some opposing claims and contributed to the discussion on her blog.

Karyssa Blair's "Of Golden Leaves and Furry Things"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/KaryssaBlair/2009/10/of_golden_leaves_and_furry_thi.html
- In this blog, Karyssa talks about the symbolism that appears in Miss Brill. I add to her thoughts and state some additional thoughts as well.

Dianna Griffin's "It Makes No Difference to Me"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/DiannaGriffin/2009/11/it_makes_no_difference_to_me.html
- Dianna and I were involved in an interesting discussion about "racism" in Langston Hughes' "Theme."

 

Discussion: These are my blogs that spurred discussion among my classmates.

Dear Prince Prospero
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/dear_prince_prospero.html

Was That Supposed to Be... Funny?
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/was_that_supposed_to_be_funny.html

The Hitler in Every Generation
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/the_hitler_in_every_generation.html


Xenoblogging: How I contributed to the blogging community

Comparisons and Biblical References (Cargoes)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/comparisons_and_biblical_refer.html
- I completed extensive research on not only the historical background of the time in which the poem was written, but also on the footnotes of the poem.

My Presentation About Maus (section 2)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/10/my_presentation_about_maus_sec.html
- I was able to spur a conversation in class about section 2 of Maus.

Was That Supposed to Be... Funny?
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/was_that_supposed_to_be_funny.html
- I pulled song lyrics from an outside source in order to prove my point about "humor" in Roberts.

Karyssa Blair's "Of Golden Leaves and Furry Things"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/KaryssaBlair/2009/10/of_golden_leaves_and_furry_thi.html
- I provided an additional link concerning the symbolism in "Miss Brill"

Dianna Griffin's "It Makes No Difference to Me"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/DiannaGriffin/2009/11/it_makes_no_difference_to_me.html
- I left a rather lengthy comment on Dianna's blog entry. I was also the first to comment on her blog.

Karyssa Blair's "It Makes No Difference to Me"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/KaryssaBlair/2009/11/unaccepted_nonacceptance.html
- Karyssa mentioned two of my blogs in her entry, "Mighty Maus" and "My Presentation About Maus."


Wildcard:

The Hitler In Every Generation:
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/the_hitler_in_every_generation.html
- This entry is my favorite entry because I have a profound interest in the Holocaust, and I was glad that I could make connections between "John Henry Days" and an interest of mine. Also, the reason this blog is under Wildcard is because a lengthy discussion ensued, and I believe it showcases not only some of my best blogging, but also thoughtful response to those who commented.

"Who is Making the Distinction, Then?"
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/who_is_making_the_distinction.html
- Somehow, this never showed up on the course website, and I believe that I made some interesting assertions about Hughes' poem "Theme" and how he used music as a symbol of humanitarian unity.

What Makes a Poem a Poem?
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/JessicaOrlowski/2009/11/what_makes_a_poem_a_poem.html
- I wrote a small poem that I think you may find interesting to read.

"She asked one last hting when they came down the mountain. When they came down the mountain she asked, what's the J. stand for? He told her" (389).

- Colson Whitehead, John Henry Days.

Throughout the novel, we've all wondered what the J. stood for in J's name. Obviously, it could stand for John Henry, but it could also stand for "John Smith," one of those general names exactly like the generality in John Henry's name.

Regardless, I was a very disappointed and jealous reader- why did Pamela get to know J's name, but I didn't. I've been growing with J. this entire time. Why can't I get into his head? Well, then I realized that the answer to this doesn't really matter all that much. Regardless of what J's real name is, the fact that he told Pamela kind of makes me speculate that he went to New York with her in the end. It seems like he trusted her enough to tell her his name. Also, his coworkers don't even know his real name. This could mean that he's ready to move onto something other than junketeering.

"But if the whilte I think on thee (dear friend)/ All losses are restored, and sorrows end" (lines 13-14)

This poem is a beautiful description of the bittersweet nature of the passage of time. Initially, I thought that the speaker in Shakespeare's Sonnet "When to the Sessions of Sweet Silent Thought" was contemplating the passage of time in his own life. There is a clear indication of this in lines 1-4:

"When to the sessions of sweet silent thought,/ I summon up remembrance of things past,/ I sigh the lack of many a thing I shought,/ And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste:"

These lines present the speaker as a bit self- absorbed. He or she is contemplating his or her failures and wasted time and opportunities. However, from line 5 on, we can see a clear connection between the speaker and a friend who had passed away. Clearly, the speaker is crying when he or she states in lines 5- 8:

"Then can I drown an eye (un-used to flow)/ For precious friends hid in death's dateless night,/ and weep afresh love's long since cancelled woe,/ and moan th'expense of many a vanished sight."

Not only is the speaker informing the reader that he or she had not shed many tears in the past, but this also indicates a long-gone lover of some sort. Additionally, the reader may perceive that the speaker is at fault for his or her friend's death in saying that "Which I new pay as if not paid before" in line 12. The occurrence may be coming back to haunt the speaker.

Then, in the final two lines, the speaker states "But if the while I think on thee (dear friend)/ All losses are restored, and sorrows end," which makes me believe that the speaker could be referring to not a lover, but a close friend that unexpectedly passed away ("For precious friends hid in death's dateless night" -line 6).

Before I get into the actual meat of Keats' poem, "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer," can I just say something? I absolutely detest when a poem refers to a section of footnotes that is longer than the poem itself.

Anyway, I really love Keats' use of metaphor and simile in this poem. It's not possible to one of travel to "realms of gold" (line 1), but can't you just picture hills bathed in glorious golden sunlight (the footnotes refute this claim, but oh well). Also, Cortez does not have actual eagle eyes, but I can picture his sharp vision.

Before I get into the actual meat of Keats' poem, "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer," can I just say something? I absolutely detest when a poem refers to a section of footnotes that is longer than the poem itself.

Anyway, I really love Keats' use of metaphor and simile in this poem. It's not possible to one of travel to "realms of gold" (line 1), but can't you just picture hills bathed in glorious golden sunlight (the footnotes refute this claim, but oh well). Also, Cortez does not have actual eagle eyes, but I can picture his sharp vision.