Sunday, October 21, 2012

close reading numero dos


‘Leaf and Death’


     In this fairly short and simple editorial by Jeff Scher, lies the story of autumn leaves after death. Throughout his writing, Scher uses literary techniques such as imagery, detail, and unique language to attract readers to what he has seen and felt. 
     Leaves are just leaves, and fall is usually the only time when leaves maybe start looking colorful and trendy. No one really thinks about it after they hit the ground until they have get raked and cleaned, but that's just my opinion. However, Scher uses expressive imagery to describe the beauties of the leaf and its death. He describes the leaves as "glowing embers" and the landscape covered in dead leaves an "agitated technicolor"... to him, they were "slow-motion fireworks" falling from the tree branches. I find his use of imagery very attractive. I can just see animated glowing leaves falling like fireworks in front of my eyes. I feel that I've had a fun conversation with him just through his imagery; it helps create a fanciful tone to his writing. 
     I used to view details and imagery closely related if not, the same. Only because it's hard to see vivid imagery without detail, but I found out that it's not the same for details; Details don't technically need to rely on imagery. This is showcased through Schers editorial when he uses uncommon words as adjectives and adverbs to make it stick to the reader. If I had to describe the sky in which I see every autumn, it wouldn't be anything like "the infinite blues of a chilly October sky," how more detailed can it get? The "electrical green... frosted glass.... crackling in flickering reds..." no material nor objects contribute to his detail, just words. Without his descriptive detail, the scene would be much dull and flat. 
     Last but not least, I would have to say that his language is what wraps the detail and imagery into a package of his fanciful voice. Scher has a sensuous language which helps his editorial to connect with the readers' emotions and senses. The way he concludes with "leaves caught on rhythm and pretty much animated itself" uses at least two of the five senses. I can hear the crackling leaves catching the rhythm, and see the leaves changing itself. 
     Even though Jeff Scher's editorial was simple and straight-forward, the use of abundant literary techniques created a distinct vibe to his voice. His descriptive detail and vivid imagery and a unique language that summed everything up has made me view the leaves in a different manner than before., and Not only did he focus on the three techniques, but in addition to those three, the tone was complete as well.  

5 comments:

  1. This a very well set up, simple essay to follow. You state your points directly in your thesis and back them up very well in your body paragraphs. It is very good and easy for the reader, which is nice! However, I think that it is almost as simple and straight forward as the article. Though you do use good evidence and support, it is almost as if your just stating it, and then moving on to the next thing. Also, I feel like you should maybe take out a few of the sentences where you talk about how you view imagery and details. This is supposed to be about the article, not about how you could write something similar to it, yet not as good. Don't get me wrong, it is a very well written essay and has very nice claims and evidence! I just feel like you could improve it a little bit more by taking out the more personal elements of it and analyzing the article itself more deeply.

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  2. You did a great job describing the details/language/etc used in the article. But I think it's missing some interpretation. The article itself is plain and basically only gives a description of the leaves it seems, but I suspect he was trying to make some point by writing it. To me, the title suggests he means the life and death to relate to human life and death somehow, but it's difficult to tell exactly how. Any ideas?

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  3. Last month's peer reviewers suggested that you needed to trim your quotes down to only the necessary material, provide context for those quotes, give more examples, and not define terms that are standard in the field ("diction," for example.)You have partly responded to their suggestions in this month's post--I see carefully trimmed quotes and some context, (though you don't always offer context,) and you have eliminated expository definitions for terms. But now you have this kind of personal narrative of definition where you explore your own understanding of the terms--what's that doing in this essay? YOU can't be in a formal argument at all (No "me," my," "I," etc.). For next month, let's really focus on a thesis, clear topic sentences (claims) and lots of technique-based evidence, okay? =)

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    1. yes, I noticed that I began a new habit. I'll try to focus on a thesis, clear topic sentences!(:

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  4. I think I am with Greg here in that you didn't include the meaning of the article. Remember when we practiced doing AP poetry analysis how you had to find techniques and then use then to find meanings? You did an especially great job of identifying some of the imagery, but you need to tie it back to what the author is trying to get the author to believe. This article is difficult to get a tone out of, but to me it may be trying to push the reader to enjoy the simpler things in life, such as the changing colors of the leaves.

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