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Allen's Writing: March 2009
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Wednesday, March 25, 2009. As I read over Natalie Angier's "Intolerance of Boyish Behavior" (. Reading Critically, Writing Well. Page 388) I thought of three different boys I've known. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom). A Blog of Writing Samples. I started this blog so I could show my students examples of how I might have fulfilled the assignments I've given you. You will notice several things here:. The most recent writing (often the current assignment) is at the top of the list. Links for all English students.
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Allen's Writing: January 2008
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Tuesday, January 29, 2008. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Friday, January 11, 2008. This isn't a formal Definitional paper, just a few thoughts that might turn into one. No Several very unsporty cars, such as the Plymouth Business Coupe were two-seaters.). Built low to the ground? How low is "low"? There were some pretty low Studebakers.). Many European economy sedans had floor shift at the time.). Looking back, it's interesting that the definition never focused on the car's abilities or purp...
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Allen's Writing: February 2008
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Thursday, February 28, 2008. Response to Audrey Edwards. The Incredible Non-Vanishing Negro. Audrey Edwards' article, "Making the Case for Teaching Our Boys to . 'Bring Me Home a Black Girl'". I'd counter with the question, "Who is Black? My daughter-in-law is from Central America. She was adopted as an infant by a family in Ohio. Her maiden name is decidedly north-European. She doesn't speak a single word of Spanish. Is she a "person of color"? Is my son in a mixed marriage? Is the gangs themselves?
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Allen's Writing: March 2008
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Tuesday, March 18, 2008. Do the standard student stuff about abortion or alcoholism or gay marriage, but I don't think I could face it—those three topics will probably cover sixty percent of my papers this year, and it's impossible to come up with anything very new. Then I remembered one of the hottest issues in the teaching of English: Ebonics. It seemed perfect. For one thing, it's not exactly a settled issue. For another, it. Defining a few terms:. If AAE is just carelessness. By people who know bette...
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Allen's Writing: What's "old"?
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Friday, November 6, 2009. A few years ago, I was offered "senior checking" by my bank. It was quite a shock, because it meant that in someone's eyes I was now old. Not too long after that, my dentist observed that everything in my mouth looked just fine, "not counting the bone loss that is normal for a man your age.". I tried to put a number on "old." In The Full Monty,. The committee auditioning dancers looks at one guy and someone says, "Look at him! A Blog of Writing Samples. These items are tagged by...
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Allen's Writing: June 2008
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Thursday, June 26, 2008. This is one of those phrases that makes most literature teachers cringe: the "hidden meaning" of the piece. It's as if we were in an episode of Indiana Jones. The straightforward meaning of the story or poem might be about romantic love, but there's a "hidden meaning" (only available to the high priests who have gone through certain rituals) that has to do with something totally different. We look at Emily Dickinson's poem, "I like to see it lap the miles," and ask, "What is IT?
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Allen's Writing: Richard Cory
http://allenswriting.blogspot.com/2008/07/richard-cory.html
Tuesday, July 22, 2008. Images of Royalty in Cory — not what you might expect in New York. Royal words — many words here do double duty, meaning one thing, connoting something completely different; Robinson often works against the common meaning of the word. Gentleman (l. 3). Favored (dual meaning: facial appearance {archaic} and blessed with advantages). Imperially slim (are emperors normally slim? Arrayed (means decorative clothing, but this is quiet). Richer than a king. Flutters pulses (movie star?
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Allen's Writing: August 2008
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Thursday, August 7, 2008. Yes, I know I'm getting tiring. But I wanted to write down something that I thought of today in class—very much on the "hidden meaning" wavelength. The other day I watched a movie adaptation of Dorothy Sayers'. In this drama, Lord Peter Wimsey, an amateur detective, sets out to find some missing jewels. (Warning: plot spoiler ahead) He finally does solve the mystery. To do so he must:. Figure out that a gibberish letter is really some form of code. It's more like a letter from y...
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Allen's Writing: Portrait of a Boss
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Sunday, August 23, 2009. Portrait of a Boss. While the mother watched helplessly from the porch, screaming and waving her arms. It was another first day of school when I learned about Dave's generosity. I had driven my unusual old foreign car to Washington, D.C., to visit my parents. School started on Monday, but on Friday something under the old car went "clunk"! I'd like you to notice several things about this short essay:. Though I do tell two stories about Dave, they are stories that illustrate parti...
