"Lydia's Story"

   1.  What is Brideau’s main point, and where in the essay is it indicated?

Throughout “Lydia’s Story” up in till it end I believe the main point is to describe the tragic event of Hurricane Katrina, and its affects on the people falling victim to its wrath. The author wanted us to see what people had to go through to survive such a fate, and for what they lost such as there home’s. Jan Brideau makes this very clear in her last paragraph when she writes “For me, the enormity of the double hurricanes became clear only after witnessing so many people left without their homes.”

   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 primary point of view from which Brideau narrates is third person. Honestly the reading impacted me by making me feel a sense of dread, and determination. The reason is while yes a third person point of view is looking over “Lydia’s” events, I could also put myself in her place if it were me. The loss of control of things around a person as well as losing things they deem valuable is terrible, but the will to keep one’s self alive despite dire circumstances is brave.

   3. How does Brideau make her narrative “come alive”? Make a list of words she uses to describe the setting and the characters. How do they appeal to the readers emotions?

While reading this narrative I could see that Brideau used words in the second and third paragraph to make the reader get an idea of the circumstances that were about to be retold.  Describing the current setting as seemingly to have a “toxic odor”, and tell us that the inside of the VFW fall was “uncomfortably cold” already showed us that conditions were very poor. Then when the author was used words such as “soft-spoken”, “eager”, “waxed”, “waned”, and “tender” to describe “Lydia” as to what she is like. Through those words I can get the feel that she was a kind elderly women suffering some uncomfortable pains after her past trials. I get the idea of what tragedy befell her, and through the words in the reading get a better idea of how the events played out.

   4. Who would be the audience for this piece, and how does Brideau’s tone suit those readers? Point to specific words, and phrases that create that tone.

The audience in this case would be in the country this event occurred which in this case would be the people of the United States. Through the serious, but informative story I could tell the author was trying to provide the idea through the effective experience “Lydia” of what Hurricane Katrina was for the people who fell victim to it. Again by describing the tale of how heavy homes were being “swept up” by the strong currents, and to describe the sheer force of what the storm brought forth to the people who weren’t there. Using words like “precarious” to tell how challenging it was to evade the harsh water levels, and “spurted” to describe how rapidly the water was gorging in the home’s such as “Lydia’s” were used to point out how dangerous the storm truly was. It was through “Lydia’s Story” that people can see the hardships people faced just trying to stay alive, what they lost, and how the aftermath was still a long hard road of recovery.

In Class Lab: Writers, Authors, and Genres

Similarities:  

    We can agree that being an author is sharing information to one another.

    We can agree that there are different levels of being an author.

    Writing is a form of expression, and communication.

     Everyone has the possibly of being an author if they have a way to broadcast               there writing to an audience.

Differences:

     Some of us see Facebook posts as a way of being an author at any given time,       but some believe there is a divine line.

     Texting was torn with being counted as an actual author, or not.

  

Writers:	Authors:
Private (Journal, Diary)	Share(Books, Articles, Newspaper)
Only have to learn about themselves.	Have to learn their audience.
Writers don’t need a filter.	Authors need to be careful with what they say.
Writers don’t need citations.	Authors need to cite there sources.

Type of Writing:	Why I Enjoy/Despite:
Blog Posts	Sharing with ease with friends, and family. In developed cases.
Guides	Sometimes can it be too complicated, or not enough information.
Shopping List	There organized, and to the point.
Letter		Usually friendly, or with an objective.

  (By Tori) To-Do List   

Please help me get ready for our costume party by doing these things

1.      Buy cake, napkins, décor and CD’s

2.      Send invitations

3.      Decorate the interior of the apartment

4.      Set up candy for the trick-or-treaters

(By Jacob Smith) LETTER

           Dear Bob,

          I am of need of your assistance. There is party coming late this October, and the event is a costume gathering, but there’s a problem. The supplies we currently hold aren’t enough to provide to the people who are attending. What I need is for you to gather food, and hire a DJ for some hot jams. As well as candy for the children who happen to approach the door that late night, but before all that I really need you to send out invitations to everyone in the state. If you can do all this, I would be very much if your debt. Thank you.

                                                                                      -Jacob

(By Ælfhild Wiklund) Peotry

Friend of mine, friend dear

Please help me with the party on the darkest day of the year,

Follow me to fetch pumpkins from the squash field

Several stalks of corn from this year’s yield

The wood to build the bonfire bright

And help me fill the cider jug to pour the toasts of the night,

Then dance with me around the burning fire

That our combined efforts have built higher

Communiques: Shopping list is simple and to the point, the letter is friendly and the poem is focused on the words lending its form to tell a story.

“Is everyone an author?” (9/25/2015)

          Is everyone an author? First off if I break down the meaning of what an author is I would get other words like writer, publisher, or creator. With these synonyms in mind almost anyone would believe they were a writer strictly because they text written paragraphs to others, email, send letters, or even post subjects on Facebook. However does that really make everyone an author? I would say yes. Allow me to level with you (the reader); when you create a written piece of work of nearly any kind, and post, send, or publish it- you’re an author. Why? Well what do people normally think an author is associated writing? Books. They are normally read by individuals who may choose to share it with friends, parents, or the world around them. People in today’s society do the exact same thing when they have information to spare on Google+, a story to tell on their blog, or a conversation to uphold on their phones (texting). They’ll share what they have learned with others, or continue writing back, and forth on the subject if any.

          They’ll of course fall into different levels of what an author is, or go by other names. Some will post on their blogs with small paragraphs to answer a question, and then be called bloggers. Others will write pages among pages of their story, or of another in a leather binding, and be called writers. No matter what the case, or name they are all authors. Everyone is an author.

Collaborative Writing on Writing

What is Writing?

·       Expressing your opinion.

·       A form of communication.

·       Can be debatable.

·       Answers questions.

What kind of writing do we do?

·       Write about ourselves, and academic writings.

·       Recording facts, or notes.

·       Different genres such as fantasy, fiction, and nonfiction; specific formats such as poetry or stories, applications or essays.

How does your persona (tone, level of formality, etc.) shift depending on your audience?

Why?

·       Your persona is more relaxed in comfortable situations such as a letter to your parents, you allow more of your personality and a wider range of tone to show.  However when you are applying for a scholarship you use a more formal tone and only allow the most appropriate side of your personality to show.  Fictional writing is more influenced by the author’s personality whereas nonfiction is more factual.

·       You shift tones depending on the impression you wish to make, so they will perceive you in the most appropriate fashion, with sufficient clarity and suitable humor to drive home the point.

Testing

The life of a blogger. I need to figure this out....