FAMOUS DEAD PEOPLE: A Biographical Narrative
Famous Dead People – THEME Assignment
THEME:
1. a subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition; topic: The need for world peace was the theme of the meeting.
2. a unifying or dominant idea, motif, etc., as in a work of art.
In the visual arts, a theme is a broad idea or a message conveyed by a work, such as a performance, a painting, or a motion picture. This message is usually about life, society or human nature. Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a work. Themes are usually implied rather than explicitly stated. Deep thematic content is not required in a visual work; however, some observers would say that all visual work inherently projects some kind of outlook on life that can be taken as a theme, regardless of whether or not this is the intent of the author. Analysis of changes (or implied change) in dynamic characteristics of the work can provide insight into a particular theme. A theme is not the same as the subject of a work. For example, the subject of Star Wars is "the battle for control of the galaxy between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance". The themes explored in the films might be "moral ambiguity" or "the conflict between technology and nature".
Themes differ from motifs in that themes are ideas conveyed by the visual experience as a whole, while motifs are repeated symbols found inside an over-arching theme. Simply having repeated symbolism related to chess, does not make the story's theme the similarity of life to chess. Themes arise from the interplay of the plot, the characters, and the attitude the author takes to them, and the same story can be given very different themes in the hands of different authors.
While thematic analysis is a primary concern of Art critics, a minority viewpoint holds that explicitly stating the theme of a work universalizes it in an inappropriate way. For example, many love stories end happily when the hero and heroine marry, thus the theme "Marriage equals happiness." Critics would point out that marriage rarely does simply equate to happiness and that marriage and happiness are individual and cultural intangibles that may or may not relate.
The term theme may be used in the same way to refer to works of literature. The examples below are not necessarily the only themes in the works listed.
A theme in Literature is a broad idea, message, or moral of a story. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. Along with plot, character, setting, and style, theme is considered one of the fundamental components of fiction.[1] Another approach to literature stresses that idea, message, and moral are abstractions and that fiction makes the idea concrete through action. In this view many themes exist in any given story but that what gives a story unity is one action of the human condition that is rendered through the various actions of the characters in the story.
Think of your subject as a piece of art, and his/her life as a work of literature. What is the "theme" of their life and legacy? Themes are general ideas that a story (including a life's story) encompasses: fate vs. free will, man vs. man, man vs. self all would work. Other ideas of themes are the impact of grief, the cost of revenge, the intensity of human bonds, the brutality of war, the driving force of passion, the costs of fame, the lure of addiction, the art of rebellion, life on the edge... or Barq's Root Beer!, etc.). Remember, a theme is a phrase or idea more often than it is a single word.
However, you should choose a single KEY WORD to weave through your essay. That key word will likely be part of your theme. This provides a thematic element to your obituary that keeps the reader pulled into your biographical narrative. Make sure you choose your word wisely and that it is appropriately reflective of the person about whom you are writing.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Narrative: An account of an experience or event that can be true or fictitious. A personal narrative is based on a personal experience.
Look at a picture. What story does it tell? Can you describe the scene? Can you imagine the emotions of the subjects in the picture? Can you relate in any way? The snapshot is a brief moment in time. A narrative would bring the photo to life, recalling the experience of the moment.
What is narration? Narration is a type of writing that “tells a story by presenting events in an orderly, logical sequence” (Kirszner and Mandell 71). A picture can also tell a story. Through narrative writing, one can record those pictures like a director records images to tell a story on film; however, you will tell the story with words.
Notes: Plan your narrative-- include enough detail.
* Vary your sentence structure so that not all of your sentences sound alike.
* Maintain a clear, narrative order. This may mean sticking to a strict, chronological order or beginning in the present and using flashbacks. Whichever you choose, make the narrative order clear & flowing.
* Use accurate verb tense. Some shifts may be necessary (from present tense to an actual past event), but avoid all unwarranted shifts, as they may confuse the reader.
* Structure your essay: You will follow a 4 (usually 5, but I find 4 works best for this assignment) paragraph format with an introduction, 2 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph must contain a minimum of 5 sentences. Body paragraphs will likely be longer, 7-8 sentences, in order to reach 2 pages.
TUTORIAL-- NARRATION: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwqEkgOI-3k
Concept Tutorial: Chapter 29, "How to Write Good Sentences," (551).
Chapter 31, "Checking for Common Mistakes," (591)
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES (108):
What Happened?
Where did it happen?
What are the details? (Be vivid and descriptive)
A consistent point of view (Clear who is telling the story).
Why does this story matter?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Assignment:
You will be grouped (2 students per topic). You will choose a subject to write about-- a "famous dead person." You will do a bit of research on your subject-- I suggest finding at least 1 book and 2 articles; you will have to cite at least 3 separate sources. Then, you will write a 4 paragraph, approximately 2 page, OBITUARY (biographical narrative) for your chosen subject. Your challenge is to 1. Be creative. 2. Incorporate a THEME (of the person's life, character, etc.). 3. Incorporate a KEY WORD that is woven throughout the essay and is adequately reflective of who the person was.
In addition, I am looking for an obit that is not too dry, not too factual... the facts are there, and why this person is considered ICONIC is clearly stated, but there is a creative element to the write up as well. A lot of times, all obituaries sound the same, but your subjects were unique individuals who lived extraordinary lives--and their obits should reflect that!
You will need to include a Works Consulted Page (in MLA format) for your essay. A minimum of 4 mixed sources (books, articles, videos, interviews, etc.) are required on the WCP. There ARE books on these subjects in the NCTC library; please check them out TODAY! In addition to the biographical narrative, you will also have a presentation over your subject.
After you choose your subject for your biographical narrative, ask yourself:
1. What was important about this person/what was their contribution to their art?
2. What did the world learn from this person?
3. How did this person change/contribute to popular culture/society?
4. When it comes to introducing this person to a younger generation who may not have heard of him/her, how would you answer the question, "So what?"
* Note: There are any number of "famous dead people" that we could write about. I tried to narrow the focus here to celebs of music & film who died young/unexpectedly and left a slew of sobbing fans in their wake.
Jim Morrison * John Lennon * Jimi Hendrix * Kurt Cobain * Tupac
James Dean * River Phoenix * Corey Haim * Freddie Mercury *Bob Marley
Notable people who died at age 27 (the term "forever 27 club" applies to the slew of famous musicians who met their untimely death at age 27: http://listverse.com/2008/10/14/20-notable-people-who-died-at-27/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/24/20-celebrities-who-died-before-35_n_908079.html
Saturn Return: A time of "astrological transition" that occurs in a person's late 20's. "Psychologically, the first Saturn return is seen as the time of reaching full adulthood, and being faced, perhaps for the first time, with adult challenges and responsibilities."
* BACKGROUND INFORMATION: If your subject is a musician, then I expect you to listen to his/her music; if your subject is an actor/actress, then I expect you to watch his/her films-- or at very least, clips from the films. You must gain some BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE.
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/104017/chapters/The-Importance-of-Background-Knowledge.aspx
Format:
Creative Title
Write up organized into 4 separate paragraphs-- "a beginning, a middle, an end."
Sample Organization: Build up to contribution, contribution, death, afterlife (how they live on through their contribution to their art).
**Remember to center your write-up around a THEME... use key words to carry the theme throughout the entire write-up.
Include a Works Consulted Page
Sample Works Consulted Page:
http://www.nmsd.wednet.edu/cms/lib6/WA01000979/Centricity/Domain/329/Works_Consulted_revised_May_2010.pdf
In addition, a CREATIVE ELEMENT must accompany your essay. This could be a visual collage, a sculpture, a drawing, a video, a power point, etc. You will be asked to PRESENT your subjects on the day the essay is due and show your visual to the class. Although everyone is writing their own obituary, you will present as a group with the other student(s) who have your same topic. How much time you have to present will depend upon how many groups we have.
The Bio outline is Due on Thursday 7/16.
The Bio Draft is Due on Monday 7/20.
The Bio Final Copy & Presentations are due on Tuesday 7/21.
http://stars.topix.com/slideshow/14785/slide80
The passing of a loved one is a time in our lives when we can't help but to reflect on singular moments or choices that maybe didn't seem so important at the time but ended up being "defining moments/choices in our lives". This was dealt with in the previous assignment. This assignment is about looking at a whole story-- the story of a person's life-- and picking out that one characteristic that captures the essence of who they were and what they accomplished. Recently my hometown was shaken by the suicide of a very popular and beloved 18 year old, the Salutatorian of his 2012 graduating class. Dylon loved performing; he was always bringing smiles to peoples' faces by doing magic tricks or impressions of famous people. This poem, written in honor of Dylon, focuses on the magic he shared-- both literally and figuratively.
Poem by Lance Boudreaux in honor of Dylon
You couldn’t see the light
Because you were the flame
Yet your smile was upon
Your face all the same
You filled the world with awe and joy
And people hung on your every word
As your fingers danced deftly with their grace
Not a motion, not a sound, was out of place
The simple man was the part you knew
Complexity coincided with charisma gold
As the child always shown through
And the laughter came from the soul
Here is Dylon's graduation speech... can you spot his "themes"?
Dylon L. Boudreaux
Salutatorian
May 15, 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls…Welcome. I’m not sure that everyone knows, but I am – what am I saying: OF COURSE everyone knows- that I am a performer, actor, well- trained magician, but most of all, I am a part of this place that you have entered tonight, this school. I am a part of this class that is seated before you. What’s more, I am a part of a legacy that will live on in each of these now graduating young men and women’s lives. It is quoted that there is “A time for all things;” a time to enter high school, a time to learn new rules, a time to consider the temptation of breaking these rules, a time to laugh, a time to play, a time to cry, a time to gather knowledge…and of the greatest of these, a time to believe.
“Before we can succeed, we must first believe,”- the theme of our 2011 Literary Rally T-shirts, thanking kindly Ms. Lori Capritto for her generous work in submitting that. With anything that is worth doing, it is necessary to believe in oneself. Not only must you believe in yourself, but what I, and all of us...what all of us have been taught is that there is something greater than ourselves to pursue – and whether that may be music, or art, acting, or even magic – it is something we will devote our lives for…not only for ourselves, but also for those that believe in us.
If you didn’t know, all magic consists of three parts: the first of these, is the Pledge; what the magician shows in front of you. Our pledge is that we came to this high school and we were going to do the best that we could and we would do it all together as a group and somewhat of a family. The next part of the magic is called the Turn; the magician takes his Pledge and he turns it into something extraordinary. Back in 2009, it was our “turn” to make something for ourselves, and we came all the way and over the years, encountering all kinds of hilarious events, overpowering obstacles, and a few memorable people here and there, to get where we are now. We made the most of our time here, learning all the lessons we had to either the easy way or with difficulty, we managed to make it here. And it is this point where extraordinary becomes reality. For the final part of magic, the hardest and most applauded part, is not making something disappear…it is making something emerge. That is why, for these prestigious young people before you, the final act , called the Prestige, is the beginning of their lives. Their lives emerging, coming into view, and seeing it out, through thick and thin, good times, bad, and everything in between. It’s not always going to be perfect. Nothing in life is. But it’s not about the fact that you dropped the ball – the part that matters is what you do when you pick it back up.
I take a direct quote for the book that all of these people seated before you are desperately wanting to read – my own personal memoirs.The Class of 2012 novel: “It is not about their faults…not about what they couldn’t do, and what they didn’t. Even now, after all that has happened – I am here to tell you that they were of the best, they were what the future is about, and they were of the many who stood for what they believed in. We weren’t all taught everything we needed to know…but we were taught what we know now about the lives we choose for ourselves. There are none like us…and there will never be…”
Of course, any true magician would save the best for last. And it is after my talking about these such wonderful people, that I haven’t explained about what I believe in and what my future holds: ladies and gentlemen, you will see me on the screen one day, but for the next years, I plan on being in the U.S. Air Force, helping to serve this great country that we were born to and have been so blessed to be a part of…because I believe in all of you, them, and in myself.. and remember this above anything…Don’t Stop Believin’…!
Obituaries are types of narratives. They are meant to capture the "story" of a person. Of course, some are written better than others. The best ones leave the reader with a lasting impression of the essence of the person's spirit. This is the gist of this assignment.
http://www.pellerinfuneralhome.com/component/obituary/?task=details&oid=209354
I want to share with you a very memorable essay I once had the pleasure of receiving. The theme John came up with for his subject-- Barq's Root Beer. John is why I love my job. * Note: His prompt wasn't exactly the same as yours. And while the essay doesn't exactly follow all the rules of writing that I have conveyed to you over the past two days, his creativity can't be denied.
J.M.
English 1301
Essay 1: Narration
Heart-Shaped Barq's
The life and personality of Kurt Cobain can easily be described using an anagram I developed called “The Musician’s D.E.A.T.H. Pattern:” depressing, eccentric, artful, tragic, and hilarious. Kurt was born in 1967 in a town that doesn’t matter because the only important fact is that he ended up in Seattle. His home life was hectic and slated with domestic disturbances, but it would inspire him to lead one of the biggest rock bands in history and would also sprout an addiction to Barq’s Root Beer. Don’t tell Kurt about the popularity thing though; he’d be pissed. As Kurt grew into a man, music began to act as the only cure for his chronic depression and angst brought on by his home and school-life, but he quickly resorted to Barq’s Root Beer.
Cobain’s parents were the source of most of Kurt’s angst; his father was negligent and only desired for Kurt to do what he himself wanted. When his parents divorced, Cobain felt completely alienated from his friends and family, like a separate entity that couldn’t be touched. In school, Cobain was ridiculed and called “gay,” and, while these comments were worth a grain of salt to him, they took their toll may have been responsible for his incompletion of high school. Kurt’s tough upbringing could be blamed for his use of drugs; his first experience was at 13, when he drank a can of MUG’s Root Beer with a friend. He soon found a new vice with music, though, when he got his first guitar for Christmas in his early teens. After teaching himself guitar, and growing into his angst, he eventually formed the punk band “Fecal Matter,” and finally went on to form one of the most popular bands in rock music.
Cobain formed Nirvana with friend Kris Noveselic; after settling on a lineup, Nirvana recorded their first album, Bleach, which was welcomed with a large underground following and play time on college rock stations. Cobain was ecstatic with their level of success, but their fame skyrocketed with the release of Nevermind, led by the hit single “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” leading to a highly profitable tour of Europe. The tour began to take a beating on Cobain, though; he had been experiencing chronic stomach pain his entire life, but the pain was now constant, and no doctor could cure it. Cobain had been drinking Barq’s Root Beer in moderation since he was nineteen years old, but he began drinking Barq’s Root Beer more often to ease the pain as it grew. Mentally, Kurt was uneasy; the touring schedule of any band gaining new levels of success can be hard, but Kurt had been battling what now seemed to be a case of depression grown from his adolescent angst. On top of this, he began to feel like most of his fans misunderstood him, and he felt guilt for betraying his underground rock idols by giving his music to, what he considered, the undeserving masses. Everything seemed to start colliding together in an incontrollable sphere of chaos, and Barq’s Root Beer seemed to be the only thing that could tame the madness.
As his addiction to the bubbly pop grew off-and-on, so did his self destructing love life. After Cobain began dating Courtney Love in 1991, his friends believed the strong relationship would wean Kurt off of his Barq’s Root Beer addiction, but it only grew when Cobain learned that Courtney loved to drink Barq’s Root Beer as well, and it became a pastime for both of them to participate in together. After fathering a child, relapsing after rehab, a couple of overdoses on Barq’s Root Beer and an attempted suicide, Love, along with Kurt’s friends, convinced him to go through a detox program in L.A. Cobain reluctantly complied, but escaped from the facility and caught a plan back to Seattle. Over the next week, Cobain was a ghost. He was seen in random spots throughout Seattle, but could not be contacted; his depression was uncontrollable, and his loved ones began to worry.
Kurt Cobain was found dead on April 8, 1994 of an apparent self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head, and a lethal dose of Barq’s Root Beer in his blood. Found next to him was a shot gun, a syringe, a suicide note, and a crumpled can of Barq’s Root Beer. His suicide note referenced how he no longer felt moved by listening to or writing music, and he hadn’t felt that excitement that he loved in too long. Clearly, Barq’s Root Beer took over a part of his life that music had previously fulfilled, but as many people know, in the long run, no brand of root beer can stem the type of fruit that is longed for. Barq’s Root Beer pulled that trigger on Cobain, figuratively and perhaps physically (it’s possible, supposedly); and all Kurt was left with was a dead body and a freed soul; a beating heart had been absent long before he died and replaced with Barq’s Root Beer; in his chest now underneath his ribcage lay nothing but heart shaped Barqs’.
A Post Script
To Whom It May Concern:
The previous document was, as you know by now, a written report on the artist Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. While reading this biography, you may have noticed one of several fallacious statements:
There are many allegations in this paper that accuse root beer (namely Barq’s Famous Olde Tyme Root Beer) of deteriorating Kurt Cobain’s mental and physical health. This is not true; it was Heroin.
There is one instance in which a can of Barq’s Root Beer is incriminated for flat-out murdering Kurt Cobain. This is impossible, as a can of Barq’s Root Beer is rounded and doesn’t have many sharp points. Also, the can of Barq’s Root Beer found at the scene of Kurt Cobain’s death was empty and crumpled, so it was dead.
You may think that the Barq’s Root Beer can committed a murder/suicide, but that’s ridiculous.
The voice of this report may deceive you into thinking that the writer is opposed to Barq’s Root Beer, but this is wrong; Barq’s Root Beer is the writer’s second favorite root beer, after IBC Root Beer.
Thank you,
The writer
Famous Dead People – THEME Assignment
THEME:
1. a subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition; topic: The need for world peace was the theme of the meeting.
2. a unifying or dominant idea, motif, etc., as in a work of art.
In the visual arts, a theme is a broad idea or a message conveyed by a work, such as a performance, a painting, or a motion picture. This message is usually about life, society or human nature. Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a work. Themes are usually implied rather than explicitly stated. Deep thematic content is not required in a visual work; however, some observers would say that all visual work inherently projects some kind of outlook on life that can be taken as a theme, regardless of whether or not this is the intent of the author. Analysis of changes (or implied change) in dynamic characteristics of the work can provide insight into a particular theme. A theme is not the same as the subject of a work. For example, the subject of Star Wars is "the battle for control of the galaxy between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance". The themes explored in the films might be "moral ambiguity" or "the conflict between technology and nature".
Themes differ from motifs in that themes are ideas conveyed by the visual experience as a whole, while motifs are repeated symbols found inside an over-arching theme. Simply having repeated symbolism related to chess, does not make the story's theme the similarity of life to chess. Themes arise from the interplay of the plot, the characters, and the attitude the author takes to them, and the same story can be given very different themes in the hands of different authors.
While thematic analysis is a primary concern of Art critics, a minority viewpoint holds that explicitly stating the theme of a work universalizes it in an inappropriate way. For example, many love stories end happily when the hero and heroine marry, thus the theme "Marriage equals happiness." Critics would point out that marriage rarely does simply equate to happiness and that marriage and happiness are individual and cultural intangibles that may or may not relate.
The term theme may be used in the same way to refer to works of literature. The examples below are not necessarily the only themes in the works listed.
A theme in Literature is a broad idea, message, or moral of a story. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. Along with plot, character, setting, and style, theme is considered one of the fundamental components of fiction.[1] Another approach to literature stresses that idea, message, and moral are abstractions and that fiction makes the idea concrete through action. In this view many themes exist in any given story but that what gives a story unity is one action of the human condition that is rendered through the various actions of the characters in the story.
Think of your subject as a piece of art, and his/her life as a work of literature. What is the "theme" of their life and legacy? Themes are general ideas that a story (including a life's story) encompasses: fate vs. free will, man vs. man, man vs. self all would work. Other ideas of themes are the impact of grief, the cost of revenge, the intensity of human bonds, the brutality of war, the driving force of passion, the costs of fame, the lure of addiction, the art of rebellion, life on the edge... or Barq's Root Beer!, etc.). Remember, a theme is a phrase or idea more often than it is a single word.
However, you should choose a single KEY WORD to weave through your essay. That key word will likely be part of your theme. This provides a thematic element to your obituary that keeps the reader pulled into your biographical narrative. Make sure you choose your word wisely and that it is appropriately reflective of the person about whom you are writing.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Narrative: An account of an experience or event that can be true or fictitious. A personal narrative is based on a personal experience.
Look at a picture. What story does it tell? Can you describe the scene? Can you imagine the emotions of the subjects in the picture? Can you relate in any way? The snapshot is a brief moment in time. A narrative would bring the photo to life, recalling the experience of the moment.
What is narration? Narration is a type of writing that “tells a story by presenting events in an orderly, logical sequence” (Kirszner and Mandell 71). A picture can also tell a story. Through narrative writing, one can record those pictures like a director records images to tell a story on film; however, you will tell the story with words.
Notes: Plan your narrative-- include enough detail.
* Vary your sentence structure so that not all of your sentences sound alike.
* Maintain a clear, narrative order. This may mean sticking to a strict, chronological order or beginning in the present and using flashbacks. Whichever you choose, make the narrative order clear & flowing.
* Use accurate verb tense. Some shifts may be necessary (from present tense to an actual past event), but avoid all unwarranted shifts, as they may confuse the reader.
* Structure your essay: You will follow a 4 (usually 5, but I find 4 works best for this assignment) paragraph format with an introduction, 2 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph must contain a minimum of 5 sentences. Body paragraphs will likely be longer, 7-8 sentences, in order to reach 2 pages.
TUTORIAL-- NARRATION: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwqEkgOI-3k
Concept Tutorial: Chapter 29, "How to Write Good Sentences," (551).
Chapter 31, "Checking for Common Mistakes," (591)
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES (108):
What Happened?
Where did it happen?
What are the details? (Be vivid and descriptive)
A consistent point of view (Clear who is telling the story).
Why does this story matter?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Assignment:
You will be grouped (2 students per topic). You will choose a subject to write about-- a "famous dead person." You will do a bit of research on your subject-- I suggest finding at least 1 book and 2 articles; you will have to cite at least 3 separate sources. Then, you will write a 4 paragraph, approximately 2 page, OBITUARY (biographical narrative) for your chosen subject. Your challenge is to 1. Be creative. 2. Incorporate a THEME (of the person's life, character, etc.). 3. Incorporate a KEY WORD that is woven throughout the essay and is adequately reflective of who the person was.
In addition, I am looking for an obit that is not too dry, not too factual... the facts are there, and why this person is considered ICONIC is clearly stated, but there is a creative element to the write up as well. A lot of times, all obituaries sound the same, but your subjects were unique individuals who lived extraordinary lives--and their obits should reflect that!
You will need to include a Works Consulted Page (in MLA format) for your essay. A minimum of 4 mixed sources (books, articles, videos, interviews, etc.) are required on the WCP. There ARE books on these subjects in the NCTC library; please check them out TODAY! In addition to the biographical narrative, you will also have a presentation over your subject.
After you choose your subject for your biographical narrative, ask yourself:
1. What was important about this person/what was their contribution to their art?
2. What did the world learn from this person?
3. How did this person change/contribute to popular culture/society?
4. When it comes to introducing this person to a younger generation who may not have heard of him/her, how would you answer the question, "So what?"
* Note: There are any number of "famous dead people" that we could write about. I tried to narrow the focus here to celebs of music & film who died young/unexpectedly and left a slew of sobbing fans in their wake.
Jim Morrison * John Lennon * Jimi Hendrix * Kurt Cobain * Tupac
James Dean * River Phoenix * Corey Haim * Freddie Mercury *Bob Marley
Notable people who died at age 27 (the term "forever 27 club" applies to the slew of famous musicians who met their untimely death at age 27: http://listverse.com/2008/10/14/20-notable-people-who-died-at-27/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/24/20-celebrities-who-died-before-35_n_908079.html
Saturn Return: A time of "astrological transition" that occurs in a person's late 20's. "Psychologically, the first Saturn return is seen as the time of reaching full adulthood, and being faced, perhaps for the first time, with adult challenges and responsibilities."
* BACKGROUND INFORMATION: If your subject is a musician, then I expect you to listen to his/her music; if your subject is an actor/actress, then I expect you to watch his/her films-- or at very least, clips from the films. You must gain some BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE.
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/104017/chapters/The-Importance-of-Background-Knowledge.aspx
Format:
Creative Title
Write up organized into 4 separate paragraphs-- "a beginning, a middle, an end."
Sample Organization: Build up to contribution, contribution, death, afterlife (how they live on through their contribution to their art).
**Remember to center your write-up around a THEME... use key words to carry the theme throughout the entire write-up.
Include a Works Consulted Page
Sample Works Consulted Page:
http://www.nmsd.wednet.edu/cms/lib6/WA01000979/Centricity/Domain/329/Works_Consulted_revised_May_2010.pdf
In addition, a CREATIVE ELEMENT must accompany your essay. This could be a visual collage, a sculpture, a drawing, a video, a power point, etc. You will be asked to PRESENT your subjects on the day the essay is due and show your visual to the class. Although everyone is writing their own obituary, you will present as a group with the other student(s) who have your same topic. How much time you have to present will depend upon how many groups we have.
The Bio outline is Due on Thursday 7/16.
The Bio Draft is Due on Monday 7/20.
The Bio Final Copy & Presentations are due on Tuesday 7/21.
http://stars.topix.com/slideshow/14785/slide80
The passing of a loved one is a time in our lives when we can't help but to reflect on singular moments or choices that maybe didn't seem so important at the time but ended up being "defining moments/choices in our lives". This was dealt with in the previous assignment. This assignment is about looking at a whole story-- the story of a person's life-- and picking out that one characteristic that captures the essence of who they were and what they accomplished. Recently my hometown was shaken by the suicide of a very popular and beloved 18 year old, the Salutatorian of his 2012 graduating class. Dylon loved performing; he was always bringing smiles to peoples' faces by doing magic tricks or impressions of famous people. This poem, written in honor of Dylon, focuses on the magic he shared-- both literally and figuratively.
Poem by Lance Boudreaux in honor of Dylon
You couldn’t see the light
Because you were the flame
Yet your smile was upon
Your face all the same
You filled the world with awe and joy
And people hung on your every word
As your fingers danced deftly with their grace
Not a motion, not a sound, was out of place
The simple man was the part you knew
Complexity coincided with charisma gold
As the child always shown through
And the laughter came from the soul
Here is Dylon's graduation speech... can you spot his "themes"?
Dylon L. Boudreaux
Salutatorian
May 15, 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls…Welcome. I’m not sure that everyone knows, but I am – what am I saying: OF COURSE everyone knows- that I am a performer, actor, well- trained magician, but most of all, I am a part of this place that you have entered tonight, this school. I am a part of this class that is seated before you. What’s more, I am a part of a legacy that will live on in each of these now graduating young men and women’s lives. It is quoted that there is “A time for all things;” a time to enter high school, a time to learn new rules, a time to consider the temptation of breaking these rules, a time to laugh, a time to play, a time to cry, a time to gather knowledge…and of the greatest of these, a time to believe.
“Before we can succeed, we must first believe,”- the theme of our 2011 Literary Rally T-shirts, thanking kindly Ms. Lori Capritto for her generous work in submitting that. With anything that is worth doing, it is necessary to believe in oneself. Not only must you believe in yourself, but what I, and all of us...what all of us have been taught is that there is something greater than ourselves to pursue – and whether that may be music, or art, acting, or even magic – it is something we will devote our lives for…not only for ourselves, but also for those that believe in us.
If you didn’t know, all magic consists of three parts: the first of these, is the Pledge; what the magician shows in front of you. Our pledge is that we came to this high school and we were going to do the best that we could and we would do it all together as a group and somewhat of a family. The next part of the magic is called the Turn; the magician takes his Pledge and he turns it into something extraordinary. Back in 2009, it was our “turn” to make something for ourselves, and we came all the way and over the years, encountering all kinds of hilarious events, overpowering obstacles, and a few memorable people here and there, to get where we are now. We made the most of our time here, learning all the lessons we had to either the easy way or with difficulty, we managed to make it here. And it is this point where extraordinary becomes reality. For the final part of magic, the hardest and most applauded part, is not making something disappear…it is making something emerge. That is why, for these prestigious young people before you, the final act , called the Prestige, is the beginning of their lives. Their lives emerging, coming into view, and seeing it out, through thick and thin, good times, bad, and everything in between. It’s not always going to be perfect. Nothing in life is. But it’s not about the fact that you dropped the ball – the part that matters is what you do when you pick it back up.
I take a direct quote for the book that all of these people seated before you are desperately wanting to read – my own personal memoirs.The Class of 2012 novel: “It is not about their faults…not about what they couldn’t do, and what they didn’t. Even now, after all that has happened – I am here to tell you that they were of the best, they were what the future is about, and they were of the many who stood for what they believed in. We weren’t all taught everything we needed to know…but we were taught what we know now about the lives we choose for ourselves. There are none like us…and there will never be…”
Of course, any true magician would save the best for last. And it is after my talking about these such wonderful people, that I haven’t explained about what I believe in and what my future holds: ladies and gentlemen, you will see me on the screen one day, but for the next years, I plan on being in the U.S. Air Force, helping to serve this great country that we were born to and have been so blessed to be a part of…because I believe in all of you, them, and in myself.. and remember this above anything…Don’t Stop Believin’…!
Obituaries are types of narratives. They are meant to capture the "story" of a person. Of course, some are written better than others. The best ones leave the reader with a lasting impression of the essence of the person's spirit. This is the gist of this assignment.
http://www.pellerinfuneralhome.com/component/obituary/?task=details&oid=209354
I want to share with you a very memorable essay I once had the pleasure of receiving. The theme John came up with for his subject-- Barq's Root Beer. John is why I love my job. * Note: His prompt wasn't exactly the same as yours. And while the essay doesn't exactly follow all the rules of writing that I have conveyed to you over the past two days, his creativity can't be denied.
J.M.
English 1301
Essay 1: Narration
Heart-Shaped Barq's
The life and personality of Kurt Cobain can easily be described using an anagram I developed called “The Musician’s D.E.A.T.H. Pattern:” depressing, eccentric, artful, tragic, and hilarious. Kurt was born in 1967 in a town that doesn’t matter because the only important fact is that he ended up in Seattle. His home life was hectic and slated with domestic disturbances, but it would inspire him to lead one of the biggest rock bands in history and would also sprout an addiction to Barq’s Root Beer. Don’t tell Kurt about the popularity thing though; he’d be pissed. As Kurt grew into a man, music began to act as the only cure for his chronic depression and angst brought on by his home and school-life, but he quickly resorted to Barq’s Root Beer.
Cobain’s parents were the source of most of Kurt’s angst; his father was negligent and only desired for Kurt to do what he himself wanted. When his parents divorced, Cobain felt completely alienated from his friends and family, like a separate entity that couldn’t be touched. In school, Cobain was ridiculed and called “gay,” and, while these comments were worth a grain of salt to him, they took their toll may have been responsible for his incompletion of high school. Kurt’s tough upbringing could be blamed for his use of drugs; his first experience was at 13, when he drank a can of MUG’s Root Beer with a friend. He soon found a new vice with music, though, when he got his first guitar for Christmas in his early teens. After teaching himself guitar, and growing into his angst, he eventually formed the punk band “Fecal Matter,” and finally went on to form one of the most popular bands in rock music.
Cobain formed Nirvana with friend Kris Noveselic; after settling on a lineup, Nirvana recorded their first album, Bleach, which was welcomed with a large underground following and play time on college rock stations. Cobain was ecstatic with their level of success, but their fame skyrocketed with the release of Nevermind, led by the hit single “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” leading to a highly profitable tour of Europe. The tour began to take a beating on Cobain, though; he had been experiencing chronic stomach pain his entire life, but the pain was now constant, and no doctor could cure it. Cobain had been drinking Barq’s Root Beer in moderation since he was nineteen years old, but he began drinking Barq’s Root Beer more often to ease the pain as it grew. Mentally, Kurt was uneasy; the touring schedule of any band gaining new levels of success can be hard, but Kurt had been battling what now seemed to be a case of depression grown from his adolescent angst. On top of this, he began to feel like most of his fans misunderstood him, and he felt guilt for betraying his underground rock idols by giving his music to, what he considered, the undeserving masses. Everything seemed to start colliding together in an incontrollable sphere of chaos, and Barq’s Root Beer seemed to be the only thing that could tame the madness.
As his addiction to the bubbly pop grew off-and-on, so did his self destructing love life. After Cobain began dating Courtney Love in 1991, his friends believed the strong relationship would wean Kurt off of his Barq’s Root Beer addiction, but it only grew when Cobain learned that Courtney loved to drink Barq’s Root Beer as well, and it became a pastime for both of them to participate in together. After fathering a child, relapsing after rehab, a couple of overdoses on Barq’s Root Beer and an attempted suicide, Love, along with Kurt’s friends, convinced him to go through a detox program in L.A. Cobain reluctantly complied, but escaped from the facility and caught a plan back to Seattle. Over the next week, Cobain was a ghost. He was seen in random spots throughout Seattle, but could not be contacted; his depression was uncontrollable, and his loved ones began to worry.
Kurt Cobain was found dead on April 8, 1994 of an apparent self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head, and a lethal dose of Barq’s Root Beer in his blood. Found next to him was a shot gun, a syringe, a suicide note, and a crumpled can of Barq’s Root Beer. His suicide note referenced how he no longer felt moved by listening to or writing music, and he hadn’t felt that excitement that he loved in too long. Clearly, Barq’s Root Beer took over a part of his life that music had previously fulfilled, but as many people know, in the long run, no brand of root beer can stem the type of fruit that is longed for. Barq’s Root Beer pulled that trigger on Cobain, figuratively and perhaps physically (it’s possible, supposedly); and all Kurt was left with was a dead body and a freed soul; a beating heart had been absent long before he died and replaced with Barq’s Root Beer; in his chest now underneath his ribcage lay nothing but heart shaped Barqs’.
A Post Script
To Whom It May Concern:
The previous document was, as you know by now, a written report on the artist Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. While reading this biography, you may have noticed one of several fallacious statements:
There are many allegations in this paper that accuse root beer (namely Barq’s Famous Olde Tyme Root Beer) of deteriorating Kurt Cobain’s mental and physical health. This is not true; it was Heroin.
There is one instance in which a can of Barq’s Root Beer is incriminated for flat-out murdering Kurt Cobain. This is impossible, as a can of Barq’s Root Beer is rounded and doesn’t have many sharp points. Also, the can of Barq’s Root Beer found at the scene of Kurt Cobain’s death was empty and crumpled, so it was dead.
You may think that the Barq’s Root Beer can committed a murder/suicide, but that’s ridiculous.
The voice of this report may deceive you into thinking that the writer is opposed to Barq’s Root Beer, but this is wrong; Barq’s Root Beer is the writer’s second favorite root beer, after IBC Root Beer.
Thank you,
The writer
The samples below are fictional-- Dillon Kavenaugh was not a real person.
Sample Title:
The Magic Within
Sample Intro:
Author J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame said, "“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.”
Dillon J. Kavenaugh was a transformed the world around him, though it will never be known if he realized just how much. Dillon was born in a small town in south Louisiana where the summers are lazy and the days are long. From an early age he became interested in magic and theater; what started out as small living room performances for family and friends became a dream of making it to the big stage in New York City. His goals and dreams seemed more attainable as he grew into a talented young man, full of joy and accomplishments. Sadly, behind the smiles and the awards also lurked deep hurt and sadness. Dillon's life and legacy are a constant reminder to never stop believing.
Sample Body:
Some people are born with a spark, a glow, a light... and Dillon was one of those rare people. In high school, Dillon grew into his identity as "the magic man." He would carry cards wherever he went and perform tricks to enthusiastic crowds. But, Dillon's magic wasn't limited to tricks; he lifted people up in other ways as well. For example, Dillon would arrive to school early every morning and hold the door open for classmates, always greeting them with a smile. After school, you could find him helping teachers or participating in the school's poetry club. He lit up the stage in theater, garnering standing ovations for his performances of local plays. He was an inspiration to all who knew him... to be better and to believe. It was in high school that Dillon began to vocalize his dreams of entertaining people on a wider level; people believed in Dillon, and it appeared that he believed in himself.
Sample Conclusion:
On June 29, 2012, Dillon would perform his final trick: a disappearing act. He left home with a magic wand and a deck of cards; he had recently graduated high school and had just finished up a play and taken his final bow a few short days before. Family and friends reported him missing and searched relentlessly for their magic man; sadly, he was found alone in a wooded area where he had taken his own life. Over the 18 short years he spent on this planet, he impacted countless lives. He inspired young kids to take interest in magic and for his friends and family to find their own magic within. Anyone who looks at a photograph of Dillon can still see the spark of life that he carried. There is no doubt that he would have succeeded in the entertainment industry and taken his magic to new levels. He got people to believe... in themselves; perhaps that was his real magic.
American Culture Through the Decades
1920's: Economic boom after WWI in Europe & America. "The Jazz Age," The Golden Age," "The Roaring 20's". Europe experienced an art & cultural boom (Surrealism, Art Deco). Culminated in the stock market crash of 1929.
1930's: The Great Depression. Widespread poverty led to the rise of authoritarian powers, eventually leading to WWII. FDR is elected and enacts "The New Deal," "welfare" programs to aid in the depression. Music saw the popularity of Delta Blues and Swing.
1940's: World War II. Impending economic instability after the war (though the war helped us out of depression as there were more need for goods and services at that time). Cinema eased into its "golden age". At the end of the decade, "crooners" like Frank Sinatra were popular in music. This was also the dawning of "Modern American Literature"-- some of the greatest American works were written during this delicate time: Hemingway, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams... and in Europe-- Camus, Sartre, etc. and the rise of the philosophy of Existentialism, which was influential across the arts.
1950's: The Korean War. The Cold War. Economic recovery and the beginning of "keeping up with the Jones'" mentality. Rise in popularity/availability of television. "Leave it to Beaver." The space race. Period of low inflation. American politics became more "conservative" during this period. Rock 'n' Roll gained popularity (Elvis). Jazz continued to be popular. "The Day the Music Died".
1960's: "The Cultural Decade"- America experienced a culmination of many social and political movements during this time, such as integration and women's rights, in response to racism and sexism. Also called "the swinging 60's" for the lax in cultural taboos and the rise of "counter-culture" (clothes, music, drugs, sex, etc.), perhaps in response to the conservative values of the 1950's. Great strides in social reform, such as civil rights and healthcare for the elderly and poor were overshadowed by the unpopularity of the Vietnam War. Assassination of JFK, LBJ actually passed the reforms. MLK gives his famous speech and is later assassinated. Nixon comes into power at the end of the decade. The Berlin Wall is constructed to separate East (Communist) and West (Democracy) Berlin. Music saw "the summer of love" and Woodstock. Counterculture bands and war protest anthems were popular-- Bob Dylan, The Doors, The Beatles...
1970's: The "me" decade. Individualism replaced communitarianism. Political awareness and strides in social reforms, such as towards women and minorities, continued to grow. The economy saw low economic gains, high inflation. Nixon resigned in light of the Watergate scandal. The oil crisis brought to light an awareness that our energy supplies were not endless and gave rise to the beginnings of the environmental movement. Disco, southern rock and folk rock became popular music styles. A new type of family comedy emerged with "The Brady Bunch" and "The Partridge Family" (they were supposed to be cooler than Beaver). Game shows and news programs also saw a rise in popularity.
1980's: The Reagan Years. A time of economic prosperity. Laissez faire economic policy (pre-Great Depression) again came into play. Cold war comes to an end; the Berlin Wall is torn down. "The Millennials" are born. The AIDS crisis strikes fear into the public. "Just Say No". Challenger crashes. John Lennon is assassinated. Cinema is in another golden age and the rise of blockbusters: the horror genre peaks, "the brat pack", John Hughes, Back to the Future, E.T., Steven Spielberg, etc. Family comedies were still popular: "The Cosby Show," "Family Ties". MTV launches, and we get the golden age of pop: Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna... rap music becomes popular, along with metal and hair bands. Video games are born: Pac-Man!
1990's: "The Alternative Era". Bill Clinton is President, the first democrat since Jimmy Carter. We see economic prosperity after a period of decline in the late 80's, partly due to a balanced budget and partly due to a technology boom: computers! There was a rising skepticism toward government in general. "Getting dirt" on the other guy reached new highs (or lows): "I did not sleep with that woman!"... Grunge, raves, goth, and hip hop were popular. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Radiohead, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails... Tupac, Snoop Dogg... The L.A. riots/Rodney King beating were an example of toxic race relations of the time. There was a collective angst among the American youth, and this was portrayed in music, fashion, and the arts.
2000's: 9/11 ...
1920's: Economic boom after WWI in Europe & America. "The Jazz Age," The Golden Age," "The Roaring 20's". Europe experienced an art & cultural boom (Surrealism, Art Deco). Culminated in the stock market crash of 1929.
1930's: The Great Depression. Widespread poverty led to the rise of authoritarian powers, eventually leading to WWII. FDR is elected and enacts "The New Deal," "welfare" programs to aid in the depression. Music saw the popularity of Delta Blues and Swing.
1940's: World War II. Impending economic instability after the war (though the war helped us out of depression as there were more need for goods and services at that time). Cinema eased into its "golden age". At the end of the decade, "crooners" like Frank Sinatra were popular in music. This was also the dawning of "Modern American Literature"-- some of the greatest American works were written during this delicate time: Hemingway, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams... and in Europe-- Camus, Sartre, etc. and the rise of the philosophy of Existentialism, which was influential across the arts.
1950's: The Korean War. The Cold War. Economic recovery and the beginning of "keeping up with the Jones'" mentality. Rise in popularity/availability of television. "Leave it to Beaver." The space race. Period of low inflation. American politics became more "conservative" during this period. Rock 'n' Roll gained popularity (Elvis). Jazz continued to be popular. "The Day the Music Died".
1960's: "The Cultural Decade"- America experienced a culmination of many social and political movements during this time, such as integration and women's rights, in response to racism and sexism. Also called "the swinging 60's" for the lax in cultural taboos and the rise of "counter-culture" (clothes, music, drugs, sex, etc.), perhaps in response to the conservative values of the 1950's. Great strides in social reform, such as civil rights and healthcare for the elderly and poor were overshadowed by the unpopularity of the Vietnam War. Assassination of JFK, LBJ actually passed the reforms. MLK gives his famous speech and is later assassinated. Nixon comes into power at the end of the decade. The Berlin Wall is constructed to separate East (Communist) and West (Democracy) Berlin. Music saw "the summer of love" and Woodstock. Counterculture bands and war protest anthems were popular-- Bob Dylan, The Doors, The Beatles...
1970's: The "me" decade. Individualism replaced communitarianism. Political awareness and strides in social reforms, such as towards women and minorities, continued to grow. The economy saw low economic gains, high inflation. Nixon resigned in light of the Watergate scandal. The oil crisis brought to light an awareness that our energy supplies were not endless and gave rise to the beginnings of the environmental movement. Disco, southern rock and folk rock became popular music styles. A new type of family comedy emerged with "The Brady Bunch" and "The Partridge Family" (they were supposed to be cooler than Beaver). Game shows and news programs also saw a rise in popularity.
1980's: The Reagan Years. A time of economic prosperity. Laissez faire economic policy (pre-Great Depression) again came into play. Cold war comes to an end; the Berlin Wall is torn down. "The Millennials" are born. The AIDS crisis strikes fear into the public. "Just Say No". Challenger crashes. John Lennon is assassinated. Cinema is in another golden age and the rise of blockbusters: the horror genre peaks, "the brat pack", John Hughes, Back to the Future, E.T., Steven Spielberg, etc. Family comedies were still popular: "The Cosby Show," "Family Ties". MTV launches, and we get the golden age of pop: Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna... rap music becomes popular, along with metal and hair bands. Video games are born: Pac-Man!
1990's: "The Alternative Era". Bill Clinton is President, the first democrat since Jimmy Carter. We see economic prosperity after a period of decline in the late 80's, partly due to a balanced budget and partly due to a technology boom: computers! There was a rising skepticism toward government in general. "Getting dirt" on the other guy reached new highs (or lows): "I did not sleep with that woman!"... Grunge, raves, goth, and hip hop were popular. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Radiohead, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails... Tupac, Snoop Dogg... The L.A. riots/Rodney King beating were an example of toxic race relations of the time. There was a collective angst among the American youth, and this was portrayed in music, fashion, and the arts.
2000's: 9/11 ...
Presentation Schedule:
9:30-9:50: John Lennon
9:50-10:10: Kurt Cobain
10:10-10:30: Tupac Shakur
10:30-10:50: James Dean
10:50-11:10: Amy Winehouse
11:10-11:30: Jimi Hendrix
11:30-11:50: Marilyn Monroe
Your biographical narrative essay is due tomorrow. As we discussed in class today, here is a list of what you turn in:
1. The paper (2 pages-- and yes, if you went on to the third page, that is fine!)
2. The Works Consulted page (on a separate page)
3. The rough draft
4. The peer editing sheet
5. Any proof of tutoring (if you have this-- it is not a requirement)
Staple everything together in this order, please.
I also want to give you a bit of "overall feedback" based on what I saw by glancing at the drafts today:
* I enjoyed seeing some great attempts at original, creative titles! Take the advice I gave today and try to tie those title key words into your essay, particularly in the conclusion to bring your paper "full circle".
* Make sure that your essay is not a LIST of facts or details. You are telling a unique story, not reciting facts. That is why we worked so much daily on this concept of "key word" and "theme". The key to doing this is in your THESIS and TOPIC statements.
Let's take the following sentence for example:
Jim Morrison was born in 1943.
I saw this particular kind of detail stated this way in many different papers today. I challenge you to do more with it.
This is not a valid topic statement-- it is merely a fact. I am not stating anything here that needs to be defended or expanded upon. I don't provide any key words to build a paragraph upon. If I use this as the first sentence in my body paragraph, what I am likely to end up with is a list of facts that have no unifying effect.
While a person's birth and death date are important information in a paper like this, the challenge is to work those details into larger sentences with more overreaching goals. Tell a story, not a list of details. Remember, your goal here is to convey the "theme" of someone's life, the "value" of their contributions.
Example:
Jim Morrison's experiences a child and young adult greatly influenced his art. Born 8 December 1943, Jim's childhood was spent embarking upon journeys, both literally, through his travels with his military family, and figuratively, through his voracious appetite for reading poetry and philosophy.
** You can see how I took that small detail about his birth and have now woven it in to a larger detail. Rather than make that my topic statement, my topic is now generalized: "experiences influenced art"... All the details I provide will be about experiences he has and how they influenced his art.
The next step would be to provide a specific details in an organized fashion. First, I'd provide a detail about his travels and how they influenced him; next, I'd provide a detail about the authors he studied and how they influenced him:
The trip that Morrison's family took to New Mexico when Jim was four is often referenced for being a pivotal moment in his life; the family came across a tragic car accident on an Indian reservation, and Jim witnessed suffering and death. ... I'd go on to describe how this influenced him specifically. Then I'd give another example, this time about his studies.
9:30-9:50: John Lennon
9:50-10:10: Kurt Cobain
10:10-10:30: Tupac Shakur
10:30-10:50: James Dean
10:50-11:10: Amy Winehouse
11:10-11:30: Jimi Hendrix
11:30-11:50: Marilyn Monroe
Your biographical narrative essay is due tomorrow. As we discussed in class today, here is a list of what you turn in:
1. The paper (2 pages-- and yes, if you went on to the third page, that is fine!)
2. The Works Consulted page (on a separate page)
3. The rough draft
4. The peer editing sheet
5. Any proof of tutoring (if you have this-- it is not a requirement)
Staple everything together in this order, please.
I also want to give you a bit of "overall feedback" based on what I saw by glancing at the drafts today:
* I enjoyed seeing some great attempts at original, creative titles! Take the advice I gave today and try to tie those title key words into your essay, particularly in the conclusion to bring your paper "full circle".
* Make sure that your essay is not a LIST of facts or details. You are telling a unique story, not reciting facts. That is why we worked so much daily on this concept of "key word" and "theme". The key to doing this is in your THESIS and TOPIC statements.
Let's take the following sentence for example:
Jim Morrison was born in 1943.
I saw this particular kind of detail stated this way in many different papers today. I challenge you to do more with it.
This is not a valid topic statement-- it is merely a fact. I am not stating anything here that needs to be defended or expanded upon. I don't provide any key words to build a paragraph upon. If I use this as the first sentence in my body paragraph, what I am likely to end up with is a list of facts that have no unifying effect.
While a person's birth and death date are important information in a paper like this, the challenge is to work those details into larger sentences with more overreaching goals. Tell a story, not a list of details. Remember, your goal here is to convey the "theme" of someone's life, the "value" of their contributions.
Example:
Jim Morrison's experiences a child and young adult greatly influenced his art. Born 8 December 1943, Jim's childhood was spent embarking upon journeys, both literally, through his travels with his military family, and figuratively, through his voracious appetite for reading poetry and philosophy.
** You can see how I took that small detail about his birth and have now woven it in to a larger detail. Rather than make that my topic statement, my topic is now generalized: "experiences influenced art"... All the details I provide will be about experiences he has and how they influenced his art.
The next step would be to provide a specific details in an organized fashion. First, I'd provide a detail about his travels and how they influenced him; next, I'd provide a detail about the authors he studied and how they influenced him:
The trip that Morrison's family took to New Mexico when Jim was four is often referenced for being a pivotal moment in his life; the family came across a tragic car accident on an Indian reservation, and Jim witnessed suffering and death. ... I'd go on to describe how this influenced him specifically. Then I'd give another example, this time about his studies.