Friday, March 31, 2017

FFN Chapter 7
-Cogs In the Great Machine is a pretty ominous title.  In these chapters that center around how the animal becomes part of our food supply, Schlosser uses words like produce, process, render, design, etc.  What result is derived from this type of diction?
-Politics and business are brought back to the forefront in Ch. 7, but in a different style than earlier (Ch. 2) in the book.  What has changed about the symbolic qualities that Schlosser gives them?
-Why does Schlosser spend so much time on labor practices?  What is his purpose in giving the working class symbolic value?
-The correlation vs. causation argument comes up again at the end of Ch. 7.  How does Schlosser use it this time, and is it valid?

FFN Chapter 6

-How does Hank function symbolically when juxtaposed against the beef companies in the first sections of Ch. 6?
-How does the emphasis on the market share that the beef and chicken producers control affect the argument about price and fairness?  What is the implication that Schlosser makes indirectly, and why does he stop short of direct accusation?
-How does Schlosser employ cause and effect in his argument, especially specific to the chicken industry but present throughout much of the book?
-Is Schlosser guilty of overuse of the "causation vs. correlation" fallacy of argument?
-How does the structure of the final section affect the overall tone of the chapter?  What is the purpose of bringing the chapter about companies/industries back full circle to an individual person's story?

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Fast Food Nation reading guidelines, continued:

Ch. 5
-How and why is the line between "growing" something and "producing" something blurred, and what effect does it have on both the argument and the tone of the chapter?
-How does diction such as "food product design" compare to the imagery of farms, farmers and agriculture that is present throughout the book?
-Beyond a contrast against the supposedly natural formation of plants and animals, how does Schlosser's attention to scientific detail both aid his argument and his credibility?
-How does the mixture of science and focus on the amount/number of potatoes compare to each other and impact each other's imagery?

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

A reminder as we head into the home stretch for this year and look forward to next:

If you have any questions about AP preparation and how our class aligns with the next two years of English at the AP level, this link to the Vertical Team section of our department website (Raider Writing Center in the toolbar to the right) provides several resources that show both curriculum philosophies as well as results on AP exams.  If you would like clarification or still have questions about your own enrollment, feel free to come talk to me.

Friday, March 24, 2017

Fast Food Nation Reading Guidelines

Ch. 2
-Pay attention to the descriptive word choice that is used for objects, people, buildings and other tangible things
-Focus on architecture and climate descriptions
-Colors, temperatures---imagery of the senses juxtaposed against more natural images
-Interweaving of politics and the industry: What effect does the combination of these two have on the tone of the writing
-When kids and education become part of the example, what rhetorical strategy is being employed and why?

Ch. 3
-Why is so much time spent describing the infrastructure of Colorado Springs
-Why does Schlosser focus on the types of business and growth that CS goes through rather than just the numbers
-Look for more word choice that gives away Schlosser's apparent dislike for the newer populations, businesses, houses and neighborhoods
-How does Schlosser transition and connect the first half of the chapter that deals with housing, population and infrastructure with the second half and its look at crime and the actual workplace environment of the industry?

Ch. 4
-How does the concept of "business" work as an extended metaphor throughout the entire chapter?
-How does isolation play a significant role in this chapter?
-This chapter has a number of references to money.  What do the monetary allusions help reinforce and how does it relate to the first two questions about business and isolation?
-Compare/contrast the experiences of the individuals who are represented in this chapter.  What do they have in common, what separates them and how do their paths cross, either literally or figuratively?

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Crystal Bridges Field Trip List
Guaranteed spots are currently filled, but still send me an email if you are interested.  Spots have reopened every year so being on the overflow list still gives you a good chance.



1 Anna Burns

2 Olivia Sutton

3 Abi Wandling

4 Jack Calderwood

5 Maddie Westcott

6 Cynthia Flores

7 Brenna Dulaney

8 Eliza Fitzgerald

9 Mara Baine

10 Alexandra Soto

11 Lukas Vohs

12 Alexandra werth

13 Lilly Wagner

14 Jordyn Martin

15 Tim Nunez

16 Gabriel Myers

17 Jill Propst

18 Meg Blinzler

19 Valentina Mercado

20 Audrey Hartwell

21 Emma Ross

22 Jane Swanberg

23 Lauren Moreland

24 Heidi Tapko

25 H. Kopp

26 Megan Smith

27 Miah Clark

28 Hannah Carter

29 Kice Mansi

30 Maxie Crimm

31 Trevan Baker

32 Manal Boullaouz

33 Katie Schultz

34 Jermika Jones

35. Olivia Chudik

36. Vincent Jischke

37. Carter Hale