The Unmentioned

This entry is built upon the foundation of my first blogging portfolio for this semester. Please feel free to browse through it in order to get a comprehensive sense of my accomplishments:

Below Zero Portfolio - Spring 2006 (#1)

I've worked hard to keep up with the readings assigned in my American Literature course, and I feel that I've produced some quality work over the past few months. There's always a moment of pause before I start one of these portfolios when I realize just how much material I've covered in such a short time (and really with little time to spare for blogging, thanks to a handful of other writing-intensive courses). I'm glad that I took this course, if for no other reason than that it forced me to read with a critical mind, a useful process for any writer (and any student, for that matter).

Without further ado. Enjoy. I know I did.

[Note to Dr. Jerz: I've put an asterisk (*) beside each entry or comment that was part of my make-up work.]

(*) [Coverage, Depth] Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby: Marital incarceration - In this entry, I explain an insightful observation about the portrayal of marriage in Fitzgerald's novel.

[Coverage] A Good Man is Hard to Find: Toombsboro - Here I point to some foreshadowing symbolism in O'Connor's short story.

[Coverage, Discussion, Timeliness] The River: A burden blue - In this entry, I give my thoughts about birds as a possible symbol in O'Connor's short story.

[Coverage] Simburbia: Daisy appraises the goods - Here I reflect on an academic essay and provide an extension of the material based upon my own experience with the computer game it examines in tandem with Fitzgerald's novel.

[Coverage] Writing About Literature: Comparison and contrast - In this entry, I very briefly mention a possible approach to a literary research paper for my American Literature course.

[Coverage] Writing About Literature: Demonstrative Research Essay - Another brief entry, here I mention a sentence that struck me while reading an example of a research essay in Roberts's text.

[Coverage, Depth] The Life You Save May Be Your Own: Do the ends justify the means? - In this entry, I launch from a classmate's entry into an insightful response to O'Connor's short story.

[Coverage, Interaction, Discussion] O'Connor, A Stroke of Good Fortune: Whodunit? Bill Hill - Here I explain some of my thoughts about a character's actions and motives in O'Connor's short story, inspired by a classmate's post.

[Coverage, Discussion, Timeliness] O'Connor, A Temple of the Holy Ghost: The best way to go - In this entry, I provided a brief response to a passage in O'Connor's short story that stimulated a thoughtful, insightful discussion with my classmates.

[Coverage] O'Connor, The Artificial Nigger: To Hell and back - Here I briefly mention a metaphor I noted in O'Connor's short story.

[Coverage, Interaction] Roberts, Appendix A: Making your own meaning - In this entry, I reflect on the value of the reader response method as a critical approach to literature, establishing a connection to a classmate's thoughts.

[Coverage, Discussion] O'Connor, A Late Encounter with the Enemy - Here I briefly question the historical context of O'Connor's short story and receive a quick response from a classmate that clears up my misconception.

[Coverage, Depth, Interaction] O'Connor, A Circle in the Fire: Cope with a problem - In this entry, I use a classmate's entry as a foundation and then delve deeper into O'Connor's short story in order to discover new meanings.

[Coverage] O'Connor, The Displaced Person: Peacock symbolism - Here I ponder the meaning of the peacock as a symbol in O'Connor's short story.

[Coverage, Depth, Interaction] O'Connor, Good Country People: What is the meaning of this? - In this entry, I describe my adverse emotional reaction to O'Connor's short story and catch the attention of an... interesting character.

[Coverage, Depth] Roberts, Writing About Literature: Looking beyond the characters - Here I reflect upon the purpose of dialogue in literature and reveal some information I dug up about O'Connor's reaction to critical analysis of her works.

[Coverage] Roberts, Chapter 12: How to reject objections - In this entry, I explain how a passage in Roberts's text helped to clarify an important essay-writing issue for me.

[Coverage] Hughes and Frost, Six American Poets: Obscure meanings - Here I reflect upon the power of obscurity in poetry.

[Coverage] Roberts, Writing About Literature: Avoid compartmentalization - In this entry, I connect a concept from Roberts's text to a teaching method used by one of my professors.

[Coverage, Depth] McBride, The Color of Water: Synthesizing key concepts - In response to a request by Dr. Jerz, here I provide an example of a synthesis of concepts, using some from McBride's memoir.

[Coverage, Depth, Interaction] McBride, The Color of Water: Reality literature - In this entry, I describe my admiration of McBride's ability to notice the symbolism in everyday life and incorporate it into his memoir.

[Coverage, Timeliness] Roberts, Writing About Literature: Ideas about characters - Here I describe how a concept from Roberts's text fits well with one of my literary research papers.

[Coverage, Depth, Timeliness, Wildcard] Character studies in Flannery O'Connor's short fiction - In this entry, which I used as a guide for an in-class formal oral presentation, I describe the key concepts and ideas found in my last (and longest) literary research paper for my American Literature Course.

[Coverage, Depth, Interaction] Roberts, Writing About Literature: Procrastination, typical - Here I contrast my test-taking tendencies with those of a classmate.

(*) [Coverage, Depth, Interaction Miller, Resurrection Blues: Who's pulling the strings? - In this entry, I extend an analysis that I began in brief in a comment on a classmate's blog.

(*) [Coverage, Depth, Interaction] Miller, Resurrection Blues (Online Study Guide): Not funny - Here I describe my reactions to material found in an online study guide for Miller's play.

Xenoblogging

BrendaChristeleit - Langston Hughes bio - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed to her reflection on poetry readings.

BrendaChristeleit - Flannery O'Connor starring in the role of Mrs. Freeman, a Good Country Person - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed to an ongoing discussion about O'Connor's short story.

(*) The Gentle Giant - Oral Presentation/Questions for F. Scott Fitzgerald - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and answered a sample final exam question he posted.

MatthewHampton - History lesson - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed to an ongoing discussion about McBride's memoir.

MatthewHampton - Pairaguys Lost - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed to an ongoing discussion about one of O'Connor's short stories.

(*) JenniferDiFulvio - behind the scenes - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to her personal reflection on an assigned reading.

(*) JenniferDiFulvio - amazing - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to her personal reflection on an assigned reading.

(*) JenniferDiFulvio - assimilation - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to her personal reflection on an assigned reading.

(*) MelissaLupari - Ressurection BLues - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to her personal reflection on an assigned reading.

(*) MelissaLupari - Ressuration Blues - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to her personal reflection on an assigned reading.

(*) TerraStumpf - Ressurection Blues - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to her personal reflection on an assigned reading.

(*) TerraStumpf - A Late Encounter with the Enemy - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to her personal reflection on an assigned reading.

(*) TerraStumpf - Practice your answers! - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to her personal reflection on an assigned reading.

(*) The Gentle Giant - Resurrection Blues Part II - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to his personal reflection on an assigned reading.

(*) The Gentle Giant - The Color of Something Special - Here I commented on a classmate's blog and contributed a timely response to his personal reflection on an assigned reading.