Literary Criticism

Literary criticism is an extremely important aspect of the writing process. Literary criticism is a technique used during the revision process which allows us to take the ideas we have written, and build on them to make them stronger and more powerful. Although it can be called literary criticism, I prefer to call it literary suggestion. I feel like this is a better way to put it due to the fact that quite often when someone hears the word "criticism", they automatically thing negatively. Literary criticism though, is not something that is negative. The greatest writers have used this technique to perfect the works of art they have produced.

I feel literary criticism is extremely important for us as students for many reasons. Often times when writing a paper, my eyes become weak and my mind becomes a mush. Looking at a computer screen, brainstorming, and employing the techniques taught to us in class takes a toll on you. As I reread my work I fail to recognize sentences which are lacking edge or just don't sound right. By allowing for someone with a fresh set of eyes who has no tie to what has been written criticize my work, I can receive constructive suggestions on how to take what I have written and make it better.

Although you often feel frustrated when someone tells you to change what you have done, it is important to keep a positive out look. The fact that you have put down something to edit, is a task in itself. By then taking what someone else has said, and incorporating it into your paper, you have accomplished two monumental tasks. No one person is flawless, and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you will publish great works!

New Journalism

So often when we read the newspaper our eyes begin to get real heavy and we get closer and closer to a state of sleep. When a journalist puts all talent aside and squeeze as many facts into one little article as he or she can there is nothing to prevent this. Yet, there is a form of journalism which this same writer could have used that would have kept their reader on the edge of their subway seat while providing them with all the facts they need. What form of journalism is this you ask?

The answer, New Journalism. New Journalism is a form of reporting that keeps the reader hooked. Instead of just stating facts the writer employs many techniques to make their writing easier and more interesting to read. Although we refer to it as New Journalism, it is often said to be anything but new. During the 1960's and 70's this trend of reporting became big. Its origins though can be traced back a long ways, "what calls itself "new journalism", but which is really as old as sin itself"(The New York Society of Suppression and Vice 46) .

Two aspects of New Journalism include dialogue and point-of-view. Through the use of dialogue while reporting, a journalist is bringing in the emotions and thoughts of those who have first hand experience on what the paper is trying to report. New Journalism also employs point-of-view reporting. Through the use of point-of-view the reporter breaks the story to the public through the view point of a person who was there. This allows the reader to look at the story through the eyes of someone, making reading the article more like reading a book then a newspaper. Both of these aspects make New Journalism a very catchy technique.

Huxley Footnote

In class we read an excerpt of Huxley's Doors To Perception. The theme we discussed in class was the need for everyone to occasionally have a chemical vacation. To experience a chemical vacation Huxley ingested mescalin mixed with water. This gave him a high in which he would experience abnormal thoughts and feeling. I feel though, that through use of a drug to experience a chemical vacation, you will not receive the full experience. Natural ways should be found to put your body on a chemical vacation. Events and activities that take your mind off events happening around you will definitely produce the chemical vacation experience that taking a drug like mescalin does, minus the need for a drug. For example, if a person sits down and listens to music and looses touch with reality for a bit, they have accomplished the same thing that Huxley was doing.

Abstract on Snapple Lemon Citrus

Snapple Lemon Ice Tea allows for the ability to jump higher. A recent study conducted, showed that Snapple Citrus, a special chemical found only in lemons produced by Snapple, allowed for eighteen subjects to jump higher than others recorded. Sixty subjects were originally involved in the experiment. Twenty were assigned to drink Snapple Lemon Ice Tea twice a day for a year. Another group was required to drink Arizona Lemon Ice Tea twice a day for a year. The final twenty were assigned to drink water twice a day.

Two test jumps and one final recorded jump were given to all test subjects before the start of the experiment. Every group was then tested at the end of each month to see if there was any change in height able to be jumped. At the conclusion on the second month, two members of the Snapple Lemon Ice Tea group fell and broke a leg walking into the testing center. Both were unable to complete the experiment. After the fifth month, three members of the Arizona test group developed a rare condition called lemoncotosis. This condition was caused by the ersatz lemon juice used in Arizona Lemon Ice Tea to give it its flavor. For their health, all three members were taken out of the experiment. The final group, who was assigned to drink water, had three members admit to drinking Snapple Lemon Ice Tea instead of water as instructed to do. These three members were also taken out of the experiment to assure that all results were as accurate as possible.

At the end of the twelfth month fourteen out of the eighteen remaining members of the Snapple Lemon Ice Tea group had an increase of at least eight inches in jump height. The Arizona Lemon Ice Tea group had an overall decrease in height able to be jumped. Only seven members had an improvement of eight or more inches in jumping ability. The water group had three members jump eight or more inches higher than there original height.

It is clear that consumption of Snapple Citrus allows for the ability to jump higher over an extended period of time.

Have you ever heard of the art form Cubism? Unfortunately, probably not! This extremely important art type has been neglected for years due to its abstractness. Over the century, many important painters have taken this technique and employed it in their art to set themselves apart from others. When the common folk began to take interest in this art form though, they often misunderstood the technique, leading to a fear in learning about it. This fear rolled over on many writers, who once would have written about such a topic but stopped immediately when confronted with the common folk's thoughts on such a subject. As time has gone on though, this once neglected and feared topic is making mainstream news. The common man has finally realized its importance due to the work famous painters such as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque have done. Thanks to these two pioneers, the world will finally begin to understand the effect Cubism has had on the world.

Welcome

Hello,

Welcome to Seandolansblog.blogspot.com. Have a great weekend and a safe holiday!!

Sean P. Dolan