Annotating “LIteracy, A Lineage”

pg 132 p#1- The author opens with her main point, and then illustrates that point by providing a poem that means something to her now because of her father. 

pg 133 p#1- The story goes on to show how the tradition was passed down to her, that she continues her bike rides even without her father. 

pg 133 p#2- For the next several paragraphs, the author describes her father, and how his ideals were impressed upon her and her siblings when they were children. 

pg 134 p#3- The author now starts to recall her own writing career, and how her academic writing was influenced by her father. 

pg 135 p#4- To make her last point, the author defines what her literacy means to her, and concludes with how her father passed down her literacy to her.

Characteristics of a Narrative

These are the five characteristics of a narrative, and how I will include them in my essay. 
A clearly identified event: The experience I want to talk about is using a fiction novel I chose for my final paper in my high school sophomore English class. 

A clearly described setting: My settings will primarily be in my English class, and sitting at my desk, reading and trying to write my paper. 

Descriptive details: The bright red numbers on my alarm clock, the soft clicks of my keyboard, the coyotes howling late at night outside my window, books scattered about my table, sticky notes pointing out pages that held quotations I liked. 

A consistent point of view: As this is a narrative about my experience, first person is probably the best choice for me to write in. 

A clear point: I want this essay to be about how having to chose my own topic and materials for this essay made it clear to me my identity as a reader, and a writer. I can't write about something I don't care about, and being pushed by my English teacher to find something I wanted to write about proved to me how important it is to thoroughly enjoy what you chose to read, or write about. I don't think I could have written that paper otherwise. 

Thinking and Acting Rhetorically

To think and act rhetorically is to use your voice effectively. Thinking rhetorically is when you carefully listen to others, considering their thoughts, processing, and using new information to further your own opinions. To act rhetorically, you have to know what you're talking about, and be well informed in not only your own points, but your opposing side's point of view. Knowing what others think of your topic gives you more insight on how to explain your stance. Acting rhetorically is when you use your voice to make an impact, and your ideas to make a difference. Using rhetoric means you are using all the information available to you to make your words thoughtful, persuasive, and concise. Besides just knowing your material, it is also important to know your audience. What type of language will get your point across the best? How is your audience going to respond to your idea? Trying to convince your group of friends of where you should go out to dinner would sound vastly different than convincing a group of peers what you think is the best way to plan out a presentation. Another consideration is your personal feelings about your topic, what is the purpose behind your writing? What are your personal feelings about your topic? Writing will always be more powerful when you're explaining something you care about. There are many elements required to use rhetoric to its full potential, but with a little practice, anyone can use it.

Rhetorical Situations-Narratives: In Class Lab

1. What was the author’s main point?

• sharing a message of courage/hope
• tell Lydia’s story to inspire people to help
• understanding of a horrible event by bringing in a relatable character

POV

• third person
• being told a story
• more immersed in the story, can feel the emotions

How does the narrative come alive?

• all negative descriptive words
• start to sympathize and try to understand Lydia’s perspective

What is the audience? How does the tone fit the audience?

• trying to get people to help
• not asking or pushing to get people to act, more like welcoming

2. Chapter 2 and “Lydia’s Story”

• using the right tone/genre for your audience
• the story was a good example of using the right voice to reach your audience
• giving an example of the rhetoric discussed in chapter 2

12. Compare Narratives

Stories in Video Games:

• interaction in the story
• strong visuals
• probably strong fantasy elements

Stories from a Textbook:

• mostly for informative purposes
• not interactive, just processing
• helps you learn/understand something specific

Think Beyond Words pg 107

The many videos on itgetsbetter.org all have one thing in common, wanting to help others by sharing a narrative about their own experience. Many of the most popular videos are from famous people, which have more of an impact simply because a lot of people already recognize the person in it as being popular, and are well liked. Most of the better made videos are more powerful because it looks like more time and care went into creating them. Some of the things that make videos look better made were camera quality, having a title sequence of some kind, and background music. The music in particular really made me feel more for that particular story. Also, one video I saw was made by a company of some kind, and had lots of different people telling their story, the video edited to cut back and forth between them.

Narratives, Think About pg 104

Everyday Narratives:

• hearing about a friend's experience at an assembly I missed
• seeing posts on Facebook about other people's Homecoming experiences 
• hearing about things my mom did on her trip 
• playing a story in a video game
• reading the backstory/lore of a character from a video game 
• reading a book
• set of songs that tell a story, music videos 
• talking to family about their days 
• asking about someone's experiences 

Group Discussion:

• talking to friends or family, over dinner
• share your experience to get someone to understand better
• songs, books, movies
• youtube videos
• from teachers, part of lessons ie “Lydia’s Story”
• narrative is an important tool to understanding another’s experiences and feelings

Lydia's Story, Response

1. What is Brideau's main point, and where in the essay is it located?
After Brideau finishes telling Lydia's story, the end of the article describes the author's feelings towards the devastation left after the hurricanes. She describes how Lydia's story "represents the essence of hope and determination." Sharing that hope is the point of writing down Lydia's experience.

2. What is the primary point of view from which Brideau narrates "Lydia's Story"? What impact does that point of view have on you as a reader?
The story is primarily told from third person, describing what happened to Lydia. This point of view made me imagine watching what was happening, waiting for what would happen next. It's told like how Brideau would have heard it from Lydia, which I think made the story sound more real.

3. How does Brideau make her narrative "come alive"? List of description words:
Toxic, terrible, humid, devastated, precarious, terrified
The descriptive words used mostly have a negative connotation, to impress upon the readers how awful the situation in Louisiana really was. These words really make the readers try to understand and sympathize with what happened to Lydia, and lots of other people in this tragedy.

4. Who would be the audience for this piece, and how does Brideau's tone suit those readers?
The readers of Health Affairs are probably interested in helping people, or at least want to know how people are doing in other parts of the country or world. Lydia's struggle is a really good way to call interested people into action, to volunteer or donate to hurricane victims. The way Brideau describes Lydia makes people want to help her; the author specifically points out Lydia's past as an overly sympathetic nurse, and how the only thing she tries to save is her photo album of her family. Such  an overly human story pulls on the heartstrings of its readers, and makes us want to help those in need.