Initial Analysis of Potato in Dearth

Potato is the central symbol of the story Dearth, and potatoes are humanized as newborn babies. The lonely woman seems to be going through a dark period in her life. Her boyfriend dumped her, and her mother, father and brother died. She is quiet and depressed. Potato is the symbol of hope and new life after painful experiences in life. The writer describes seven potatoes as babies who come into form in nine months.

At the beginning, the women hated potatoes and tried to get rid of them. However, she failed even she tried to bake them, mail them to Ireland and fired them. The first moment is on the twentieth day, the potatoes “had grown sketches of hands and feet.” This was the moment that the potatoes got the women’s attention, as the text shows, “her heart pulled its curtain as she held each potato up to the bare hanging lightbulb and looked at its hint of neck, its almost torso, its small backside” and “each of the seven had ten very tiny indented toes and ten whispers of fingertips.” The former part of rejecting potatoes is actually the process of denying possibilities of life and rebirth. When the woman first saw the humanlike potato, she was totally freak out and trembled, and she still tried to press down all the emotions and desires to change. “She sliced all seven potatoes up with a knife as fast as she could,” but she was terrified by the arms and legs, which suggest her upset facing the first emergence of hope.

The moment that the woman “brushed away the tears sliding down her nose and put a hand inside the pot, stroking their backsides” is the burst out of emotions and the struggles with inner depression and hopes. The inner struggle is whether to accept the newborn hope in her heart or continue refusing the coming hope. When the woman saw her neighbor going well with her life, she admired and thus shivered and inner hope grew more in her heart. Though she ate one of the potatoes, her desire to realizing love, hope and beauty was blooming. And when two other potatoes were expelled from the pot, “she didn’t want to put them outside, bare, in the cold” and carefully buried them under nasturtium seeds. She began feeling the love from potatoes and caring about the potatoes.

Response to The Forest

I.               What is the research question Barrett is asking?

I think a research question in a research paper of certain discipline is the main idea in a literary writing, and what Barrett is trying to ask is the main idea she wants to convey in this fiction. Unlike academic writing that includes 4 steps—identifying topic, defining key terms, discussing arguments and examples, fiction uses stories that do not follow the rules of academic writing. In fiction, there is no way to find clear arguments, supporting evidences or other sources. Instead, the language is descriptive and narrative, and the author develops the story by presenting scenes, plots, characters and dialogues through out the text, and the main idea is conveyed as a whole.

II.             What data does she collect?

I think that the most important data for a fiction is the primary thoughts that the author has, which can include the intended ideas or motives, author’s range of knowledge involving experiences, and overall frame of a story like what the time, place, characters and plots are in the story. Then, the author can organize and write her story using the above data. After that, I find that other data are needed to improve the authenticity and polish the whole story, and Barrett might collect some background information of scientific field and scientific knowledge that is frequently mentioned in the story. Also, the author’s experience, motives and even imagination can greatly help generate the structural storyline.

III.           How does she collect data?

I think the same question here is that how does she prepare for writing a fiction, and the data of this fiction may include the writer’s inspirations, existing knowledge, experience, imagination and research in scientific knowledge.

IV.           How does she interpret data?

In fiction, I think the interpretation of data is the way Barrett narrates the story by presenting story components like plots, characters, dialogues and so on. The author interprets each character by describing their outlook, conveying inner thoughts and dialogues with other characters. Further questions can be how and why the author sets the dialogue and psychological activities in such ways or why certain characters decide something. In this fiction, Barrett shows many dialogues and reactions of characters to interpret what is happening in the story so as to convey the author’s real idea like science becomes competitive place for money and priority and the hope to escape from the scientific world in reality and find the original pursuit of science.

Response to Designing Gamification in the Right Way

1.     Identify the topic

The author introduced his topic by referring to the latest news in this field, which is that gamification is a new topic of research and few is done on the impact of it. Then, the author establishes his main argument that an educational game should be evaluated according to many variables such as “whether a game is suitable for the learning content”, “whether the learning content is suitable for a game in the first place”, “students’ previous knowledge”, and “individual preferences”.

2.     Define key terms

Gamification

Gamification of learning: apply game elements to the learning context; educational games: full-ledged games (share the same process of gamifying)

3.     Discuss (the development of arguments)

After defining the topic, the author develops his arguments by explicitly explaining the variables he mentioned in his thesis statement.

-A clear goal: game instructors should consider various outcomes or goals and decide the priority of them, which is beneficial to evaluation and improvement process.

(Possible goals: better grades from the students in the low performance group; increase students’ collaboration skills through team works.)

- Target group and user types: he verifies target groups by listing, and he introduces two ways of classifying players, which are Bartle’s “four types: achievers, explorers, socialisers and killers” and Marczewski’s five types: player, socializer, free spirit, achiever and philanthropist.  Also, he explains the difference between these two ways of classification, which is that Marczewski identifies two types of people: extrinsic and intrinsic players. He also points out the complexity of real world.

-Gender, age, culture and academic performance: for each point, the author makes an example to justify.

-Learning Content: the author points out that we should understand how different types of games work and how do games align with learning. Different games can promote different purposes of learning. Then he refers to Kapp’s seven types of knowledge corresponding to its suitable game.

4.     Examples (to illustrate / reinforce the argument)

·      When the author explains the part of a clear goal, he reinforces his argument by specifically making examples in education and library settings.

·      The author lists target groups in library setting, including “freshmen, seniors, international students, business school students,” “students with poor grades in writing classes.” From the list, readers can clearly understand the variety of target groups, which should be considered carefully.

·       When the author talks about user types, he gives definitions after each type of player. Furthermore, he makes concrete examples for each type. For example, “external rewards” like prize or a gift is more suitable for “player” type, senses of “personal mastery and achievement” should be the focus of “game mechanics and dynamics” to “achiever” players, “socialiser” type are into social interactions, and “free spirit” type are attracted by discoveries.

·      It’s meaningful to note that the author involves many others’ research results when he discusses the influence of gender, age, culture and academic performance, like “Kron et al.”, “Wohn and Lee” and “Kanthan and Senger”.

·      When the author explains the relationship between learning content and games, he lists specific games including card games, jeopardy-style games, arcade-style games and adventure games, and each of them has potential for different purposes.

When I read this article, I was impressed by the idea of user types that different people are psychologically different when they are involved in gaming process as some are intrinsically motivated but some are externally appealed. This stresses the variety of characters and incentives in students and the careful design of games in order to fit different target groups, which is really student-centered education.

Analysis of Marge Simpson: Blue-Haired Housewife, Defining Domesticity on the Simpsons in the Sense of Academic Writing

 

1) Identify the topic

The author introduces her topic by referring to various discussions launched by scholars from different disciplines about The Simpsons. Then, she clearly identifies her main argument and thesis statement of this article. Her main argument is that the role of Marge Simpson reveals that those domestic women the TV housewives play are unreal and fantastic, and the thesis statement is that The Simpsons  “questions the function of the nuclear family in American society”(Neuhaus), but it still suggests the central role of “female domesticity”(Neuhaus) to a family.

2) Define key terms

Satire is “more than simplistic cynicism: it asks readers and viewers to perceive the failings of the dominant paradigm”(Neuhaus), and it asks audience to notice what often goes unnoticed and accepted. The author also refers to other scholars’ explanation of satire.

3) Discuss (the development of the argument)

The author explain her argument that The Simpsons satires “the idealized family sitcoms of the past”(Neuhaus) from many aspects.

·      First of all, the author compares the role of Homer with “the attentive and authoritative father”(Neuhaus) in some father-centered sitcoms. She points out that Homer does not know the best and is “boorish, greedy, lazy, clumsy”(Neuhaus) and “less intelligent than Marge”(Neuhaus), then she concludes that The Simpsons did challenged the images of “all-knowing father”(Neuhaus) in postwar family sitcoms.

·      Then, the author demonstrates that The Simpsons also “satirizes other aspects of American family and work life idealized in 1950s sitcoms”(Neuhaus) and reveals “a sad, cynical portrayal of contemporary life”(Neuhaus).

·      Later, the author turns her focus to satire and sentiment, which are successfully combined in The Simpsons. She also indicates that the core of Simpson family lies in the “domestic roles of Homer and Marge”(Neuhaus), which is like other “sitcom families”(Neuhaus).

·      Then, the author justifies her argument from the aspect of Marge, whose role apparently satires the “stereotype of a preternaturally cheerful homemaker”(Neuhaus), which is supported by three sub points.

o   First, she points out Marge’s blue beehive hair suggests her “as a fiction, a cartoon character that does not exist in our physical world”(Neuhaus), which can be compared to the “sleek conservative styles”(Neuhaus) of the TV wives’. The comparison satires that a woman cannot be as perfect as the TV wives.  

o   Second, the author points out that Marge’s voice is another satire to earlier televised housewives. Marge’s voice is “scratchy, rough, undomesticated, the opposite of sweet”(Neuhaus), but it plays an important role in guarding the family. The author further claims that Marge presents “the way women have expanded their domestic sphere to include a public, political role” (Neuhaus).

o   The third point she makes is that Marge’s frustration, anger, or exhaustion is the strongest evidence to explain that Marge challenges the ideal domestic housewives. She mentioned two sources of her discomforts: Homer and homemaking. Though “Marge’s satisfaction with her marriage is always restored”(Neuhaus), “frustrations with homemaking are somewhat less easily resolved”(Neuhaus) and even employment or volunteer work doesn’t solve the dissatisfaction. 

·      After a brief summary of Marge’s role of satire, the author exerts that “Marge is a fundamentally domestic character.” So the author thinks that The Simpsons “ultimately does not satirize the role of homemaker”(Neuhaus).

·      In the last part of the article, the author suggests her disagreements with Keslowitz’s view on Marge and explains the actual limitation of Marge’s satire to domestic housewives.

4) Examples (to illustrate/reinforce the argument)

·      The sentiment in The Simpsons: the Simpson children show their “love, loyalty and affection” to Marge and Homer. They accept “Homer’s failings as a father”(Neuhaus), and Lisa still loves her mother though she is not satisfied with her parents’ “narrow worldview”(Neuhaus). Also, for the combination of satire and sentiment, the author shows the “Gentleman-esque scene”(Neuhaus).

·      Marge’s hair marks her as a fiction: the author illustrates this point by comparing Marge’s hair to other characters’, such as Lisa and Bart, and finding that Marge’s hair always grows back. Another example is given on the scene that Marge saved Lisa from lava, and the author points out that Marge’s ability to save Lisa is only a story.

·      Marge’s voice guards the family: the author mentioned the episodes of “Itchy, Scratchy, and Marge,” “Marge vs. the Monorail,” “Sweet and Sour Marge” and “The Joy of Sect”(Neuhaus).

·      Frustration with homemaking: many jobs are listed to explain how difficult it is to relieve Marge’s “discontent with homemaking” (Neuhaus).

·      Marge is ultimate a domestic woman: the author mentions some episodes that reveal the importance of Marge as a role to maintain the order in the home, for instance, “Homer Alone” and “Marge in Chains”(Neuhaus).

Further thinking about how Marge is represented: 

Satire: Marge’s hair, voice and her discontent with homemaking are all satires to the idealized domestic women.

Exaggerations: Marge’s domestic role is exaggerated in the show that the family and the whole Springfield count on her, which is intended to emphasize that domestic housewife is the fundamental role of Marge.  

Reference:
Neuhaus, Jessamyn. “Marge Simpson, Blue-Haired Housewife: Defining Domesticity on The Simpsons.” The Journal of Popular Culture 43.4 (2010): 761-81. Kean University Library. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.

Symbolism in She Used to Be My Girl, The Simpsons--Eve

Symbolism in She Used to Be My Girl, The Simpsons

Summary:

At the beginning of the text, the mayor’s scandal of personal affairs was demonstrated.  Then the main part of this episode talks about a number of anecdotes that happened between Chloe Talbot’s life and Marge’s. Chloe once lived in Springfield and left there to be a journalist, but Marge still lives in Springfield who is a mother of three children. Chloe led an exciting life as she could meet different people and visit various places while Marge still stayed in a small place with unpleasant environment.  There were some struggling thoughts from Marge in the text that the life she had might be worse than Chloe’s successful life. However, after the experience that she saved her daughter from the volcanic eruption, Marge realized that she loved her children and has chosen the right life.

5 symbols:

Purple scarf: new identity, new life, prestigious social status, high fame

Puppy: innocence

Two-headed goat: distinctive differences existing in a seemingly similar entity

Dark glasses: conceal the truth

Court-ordered ankle bracelet: governments’ control

Interpret 3 symbols:

1. Purple scarf: Purple scarf is what Chloe wears on her neck, which is a special accessory to show her taste and successful life. As the story goes, the life of Chloe became the ideal one for Marge’s family and especially for Lisa. As is shown in the text, Lisa put on a purple scarf when she went to eat dinner with Marge, which is actually a symbol suggesting the clear attitude of Lisa that she wanted her life to be like Chloe’s. Also, Lisa was actually fascinated by Marge’s life with great opportunities to experience new things and she even hid in Marge’s car intended to attend women conference.  

2. Two-headed goat: As Homer mentioned, two goats with the same body could be very different in diet. One ate tin cans, but the other ate healthy food. According to the context, Homer was responding to Bart’s statement which is “I didn’t think anyone successful came from Springfield,” so Homer used two-headed goat to indicate that people in Springfield are very likely to have rather different lives. Further speaking, the two-headed goat tends to represent distinctive lives of Marge and Chloe.

3. Dark glasses: Interestingly, one security man of the mayor put a pair of dark glasses on the baby who was said to be the mayor’s illegitimate child and pretended that the child was his own child. The text showed that as if with a single pair of dark glasses the child’s identity was reversed and concealed. The dark glasses suggested a deeper meaning than just a pair of glasses, which is to cover the truth. In the story, the action of wearing a pair of dark glasses might mean the concealing of the truth that the child was the mayor’s.