The five prewriting steps Essay Example for Free

The five prewriting steps Essay The five prewriting steps are brainstorming,clustering,freewriting,narrowing a topic,and outlining. There are five steps in the prewriting process that are helpful in the development of any topic. These steps are: brainstorming,clustering,freewriting,narrowing a topic,and outlining. The first step is brainstorming, in which the writer merely lists ideas on the specified topic. At this point, no idea is discarded. This step is the most basic and requires no organization. The second step is clustering. Clustering adds a little more specificity. With this idea, the writer places the main idea in a circle in the center of the organizer. The ideas are then connected with lines; this method is also commonly referred to as a spider web, bubble web, or mind map. Following clustering, the writer should move on to the freewriting stage. At this point, the writer usually has an idea about the topic and the ideas he/she would like to include. When freewriting, the writer simply lets his/her ideas flow onto the page; paying no attention to conventional errors or re-reading until complete. The ideas should be able to flow completely although, at this point, seemingly unorganized. Following the review of the prewriting, the writer is able to see what areas of the topic are well-supported, which areas need support, which areas to omit and therefore can determine how to narrow the topic. Finally, we come to the final stage of creating the outline. The outline is the most detailed and specific. The main idea of the paper is included; along with the main idea of each pragraph and the supporting details to be included within each paragraph. Following this process, the writer will find it very easy to complete a paper on a given topic.

Kurt vonnegut :: essays research papers

Kurt Vonnegut Served as a sensitive cell in the organism of American Society during the 1960's. His work alerted the public about the absurdity of modern warfare and an increasingly mechanized and impersonal society in which humans were essentially worthless and degenerated. The satirical tone and sardonic humor allowed people to read his works and laugh at their own misfortune. Vonnegut was born on November 11, 1922, in Indianapolis, where he was reared. His father was an architect, as his grandfather had been. Though the family's fortune was eroded during the Depression-his father went without an architectural commission from 1929 to 1940-they were well-to-do. Kurt attended Shortridge High School, where he was the editor of the nations oldest daily high school paper, the Echo. (((high school quote))) Vonnegut was expected to become a scientist, and when he went to Cornell in 1940, he chose, at the urging of his father, to major in chemistry. (((college quote))) "Chemistry was everything then," he said. "It was a magic word in the thirties. The Germans, of course, had chemistry, and they were going to take apart the universe and put it together again. At Cornell, he was the managing editor and columnist for its daily paper, the Sun. Among interned as a prisoner of war in Dresden, Germany. It was here that he experienced what would later become the basis for one of his best-selling novels, Slaughterhouse-Five. "(Dresden) was the first fancy city I'd ever seen. Then a siren went off-it was February 13, 1945-and we went down two stories under the pavement into a big meat locker. It was cool there, with (animal) cadavers hanging all around. When we came up the city was gone." This experience, or rather, disaster, was the Allied firebombing of Dresden in w hich over 130,000 people, mostly citizens, died for no apparent reason. Despite the horror of the incident, he maintains that the experience did not change his way of thinking, but rather gave him another viewpoint from which to observe the absurdity and cruelty of the human race. "The importance of Dresden in my life has been considerably exaggerated because my book about it became a best seller." (p. 94 CWV) Vonnegut returned to the United States determined tp be a writer, and to deal with the experience of Dresden, though it was nearly 25 years before he was able to do so.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Dialectical Journal Essay

Historical Context: First published in England in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Naturalism (c. 1865-1900) A literary movement that used detailed realism to suggest that social conditions, heredity, and environment had unavoidable force in shaping human character. Protagonist: Huckleberry Finn was young boy in the late nineteenth century coming of age. He viewed is surroundings practically and logically without judgments. His socially simple-minded self gives the novel a satirical humor. Antagonist: The rules and laws of Society in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn makes Huck think it’s ways of life are the right way and when he doesn’t follow them he is doing wrong. By doing so Huck declares himself a traitor and villain, and says if this is wrong then I will go to hell for it because I think it is right. Huck follows his conscience and what he thinks is right by lying, cheating, and stealing throughout the novel. Plot Summary: Huck Finn has been adopted by the Widow Douglas, who lives with her sister, Miss Watson. Both of the women try to â€Å"sivilize† him by sending him to church and school and teaching him cleanliness and manners. Huck’s drunken father Pap returns to town demanding Huck’s money. Judge Thatcher and the Widow try to get legal custody of Huck. Pap kidnaps Huck and keeps him in a cabin across the Mississippi River form St. Petersburg, Missouri. When Pap leaves the cabin he locks Huck in and beats him when he returns drunk. Huck escapes Pap and the cabin by faking his own death. He hides on Jackson’s Island in the middle of the Mississippi River. Huck runs into Jim, Miss Watson’s slave in the woods and they stay together. Huck and Jim find a raft and house floating down the river. A dead body is in the house but Jim refuses to let Huck see the man’s face. They start downriver in the raft and run into con artist, slave capturers, and many other situations. Jim is sold, Tom and Huck try to get him back, and Huck finds out Pap is dead. Huck decides to go West. Themes Racism and Slavery Conflict between civilization and â€Å"natural life† Symbols The Mississippi River in the novel represents freedom because as Huck and Jim travel alone on their raft, they have no one to answer to but each other. The river can also symbolize the delights and dangers of life because Huck and Jim also encounter evils from people of the towns along the river. The fog as Huck and Jim travel along the Mississippi represent the complex problems that make it difficult to achieve life’s goals. Motifs Childhood: Huck’s childhood excuses him from some of his actions throughout the novel. In some cases he tends to know right from wrong more than the adults in the novel do even though he lacks the guidance that a family and community should have provided. Lies and Cons: Throughout the novel Huck lies and cons many people. He soon realizes that lying can be good, depending on its purpose. Huck also realizes that some things he has learned contradict what is right. Superstitions and Folk Beliefs: Jim tells Huck many superstitions and folktales. At first they seem crazy but end up having some basis of reality. Jim’s superstitions serve as a different view of social teachings and assumptions that provide a reminder that mainstream is not always right. Point of View: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is in first person as Huck narrates the novel. Structure: The plot of the story flows around bends, through darkness and fog, and into bright sunlight just like the Mississippi River itself. The novel is full of surprises and stories that brings the character’s values to light for the reader. â€Å"The Widow Douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time, considering how dismal regular and decent the widow was in all her ways; and so when I couldn’t stand it no longer I lit out. I got into my old rags and my sugar-hogshead again, and was free and satisfied. But Tom Sawyer he hunted me up and said he was going to start a band of robbers, and I might join if I would go back to the widow and be respectable. So I went back. † (Twain 5)| In this quote from the first page of the book Huck describes what has happened since The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He introduces his opposition of the Widow Douglas â€Å"sivilizing† him. He is a young boy who wants his freedom, which may seem normal for a boy his age, but we soon realize this opposition is based on observations of the society in which he lives. This quote is important because it gives you the basis for Huck’s reason of wanting his freedom and why he wants to leave and be on his own. It also shows why Huck lies throughout the novel. Huck doesn’t agree with the ideas that society views as â€Å"right†, which causes him to decide whether to do the â€Å"wrong† things when he listens to what his conscience says, or do society’s â€Å"right† things. This is important because it influences his decisions he makes on his adventures as he travels down the Mississippi River and encounters many people of the towns along the river banks. This quote is important for the reader because it gives us background information before the story begins to understand what has and is occurring. It also gives the reader insight to Huck’s attitude towards his life and society. | â€Å"Pap he hadn’t been seen for more than a year, and that was comfortable for me; I didn’t want to see him no more. He used to always whale me when he was sober and could get his hands on me; though I used to take to the woods most of the time when he was around. †(Twain 14)â€Å"I borrowed three dollars form Judge Thatcher, and Pap took it and got drunk and went-a-blowing around and cussing and whooping and carrying on† (Twain 23)| This quote shows that Huck’s father would leave town for long periods of time often and he was used to it. He used to beat Huck, when he would come home. Huck didn’t like his father and was fine with not seeing him. He would go in the woods when Pap came to town to stay away from him to refrain from the beatings. This explains why the Widow Doulgas adopted Huck because he needed someone to care for him and teach him the â€Å"right† as he grows into a young man. This helps the reader understands why Huck acts the way he does when his father later appears back in town. Huck gives his father money to get him to go away and go get drunk like he always does. Huck also could not want his father around because his actions are very embarrassing. I would be embarrassed if my parents were alcoholics and went around town causing trouble and being obnoxious. I think Pap’s â€Å"blowing around and cussing and whooping and carrying on† is annoying because he does this when he comes to town and gets drunk. â€Å"When we was ready to shove off we was a quarter of a mile below the island, and it was pretty broad day; so I made Jim lay down in the canoe and cover up with a quilt, because if he set up people could tell he was a nigger a good ways off. † (Twain 49)| In this quote I realize Huck does see a big difference between his white skin and Jim’s black skin by making him lay down in the canoe so he won’t be seen from far off. I didn’t understand how people would be able to tell the difference between Huck and Jim’s skin color far off. I also don’t understand if Huck didn’t agree with slavery and racism why he would care if the people saw Jim with him in the raft. Maybe Huck hid Jim because he didn’t want anyone to know they were on the island? I don’t think Jim would’ve been seen from far away. If Huck was so worried about him being seen then they shouldn’t be traveling in the daylight. | â€Å"I hadn’t had a bite to eat since yesterday, so Jim he got out some corn-dodgers and buttermilk, and pork and cabbage and greens-there ain’t nothing in the world so good when it’s cooked right-and whilst I eat my supper we talked and had a good time†¦. We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft. (Twain 107)| I noticed Huck and Jim actually like being in the raft on the river. The raft symbolizes the freedom they both want. On the raft, they are able to be themselves and not worry about others judging them or telling them what to do. They say everywhere else they’ve been â€Å"seems so cramped and smothery†. I think they feel this way because everywhere else they have to conform to society. For example when the Widow Douglas made Huck wear nice clothes and go to school and church because everyone else did it and society thought that was the â€Å"rig ht† way. Also, Jim was a slave to Miss Watson and had to follow her orders because he was black and that’s what he was expected to do. Huck and Jim’s relationship is interesting to me now because they both agree that the raft is home and society would never let this occur if they knew about it. I think the freedom of the raft added to the enjoyment of their simple dinner of cornbread and greens. â€Å"It didn’t take me long, though, to make up my mind that these liars warn’t no kings nor dukes at all, but just low-down humbugs and frauds. But never said nothing, never let on; it’s the best way; then you don’t have no quarrels, and don’t get into no trouble. If they wanted us to call them kings and dukes, I had no objections, long as it would keep peace in the family; and it warn’t no use to tell Jim so I didn’t tell him. If I had never learnt nothing else out of pap, I learnt that the best wat to get along with this kind of people is to let them have their own  way† (Twain 115). I noticed that Huck is beginning to learn how to stay out of trouble. He also shows he wants to stay out of trouble. He doesn’t say something to the cons because Jim told him not to, its because he is realizing the ways of society. I think he figures I’ve already faked my death and I have a black with me causing a fight with them could get him and him caught and sent back to St. Petersburg. They don’t want to go back to St. Petersburg because they have no freedom there like they have on the raft. I really like that Huck didn’t say anything because it demonstrates that since he has left St. Petersburg and been living on his own with Jim he has matured. When Huck makes the decision to keep his mouth closed about the con artist not being dukes, I think he thought about the well-being of Jim and how causing a fight with them could make Jim a slave again. I noticed Huck recognizes by saying he taught him to let con artist of people get their way. I thought this was ironic of him to give his father the recognition of actually teaching him something when he was always drunk and beating him. | â€Å"I was a trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: â€Å"All right, then, I’ll go to hell†-and tore it up. It was awful thoughts, and awful words, but they was said. And I let them stay said; and never thought no more about reforming. I shoved the whole thing out my head; and said I would take up wickedness again, which was in my line, being brung up to it, and the other warn’t. And for a starter, I would go to work and steal Jim out of slavery again; and if I could think up anything worse, I would do that, too; because as long as I was in, and in for good, I might as well go the whole hog. †(Twain 195)| Huck decides he is going to do the â€Å"wrong† thin g and free Jim from slavery again. Huck says again, because he thinks not turning Jim back in when he first found him in the woods was freeing him from slavery. Id don’t think Huck freed Jim form slavery. Jim escaped Miss Watson, on his own, Huck just so happened to find him in the woods an didn’t turn him in. Back then Huck didn’t think it was right for Jim to be a slave and he still doesn’t agree with it. Since society has taught Huck that slavery is the â€Å"right† way, he condemns himself to hell even though he is not doing the â€Å"wrong† thing. This is my favorite quote because it displays Huck character growth. It shows he has grown into his own person and doesn’t conform to the ways of society when he feels they are wrong. This shows Huck has matured since he began his embark down the Mississippi River. This quote is a little humorous to me because Huck basically says if going to do badly, I might as well be totally bad. Even though Huck isn’t doing the â€Å"wrong† thing by freeing Jim, I like that he is conscience there is a right and wrong.

Individual Development of Learning Skills around Reflecting Researching and Writing Free Essay Example, 2500 words

By extending my knowledge of various cultures, people, and ideas I can become a more interesting and thoughtful person. I think a student taking a course should have more vested in it than getting a science credit out-of-the-way. I ve begun to view education more in terms of wisdom and culture and realize and am now more excited about the opportunity to learn more about the world and deepen my critical thinking skills. In high school, I went through my classes because they were required and I never gave much critical thinking to the purpose of learning, or how it can influence my thoughts and the way I see the world. I now think it s important to not only learn what you re told but to learn to question these things. I ve also learned the importance of individual study and reflection. Even though there was homework in high school the vast majority of learning took place within the classroom. The actual amount of hours spent in school was significantly more and it seemed that a certai n amount of assignments existed merely to manage the class and make sure everybody stayed busy and didn t misbehave. We will write a custom essay sample on Individual Development of Learning Skills around Reflecting Researching and Writing or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now At University, a much greater amount of time is spent outside of class studying and a great amount of responsibility is placed on the student to ensure that they are grasping the material and advancing their intellectual capabilities. The classroom setting at University is more of a place of reflection, where I can compare what I learned with other students in a collaborative atmosphere. At University I find that the professors are generally more committed to their subject than typical high school teachers, and the lecture format is generally more informative than the typical high school lesson. While I had a number of excellent teachers and courses in high school, too often I found that teachers were concerned with keeping students busy rather than challenging their intellectual capacities. I also appreciate the University environment, which allows for more liberal perspectives and unique perspectives. I now see education as a chance to expand my h orizons, become exposed to new ideas, and see the world in novel and interesting ways.