A Never-Ending Debate

       Robert Lane Greene and Bryan A. Garner provide a very interesting debate about how language is used and how it should be used. Most of the people take the usage of language for granted and do not really realize why they make mistakes or the actual reasoning behind making the mistake. Here is where the “descriptivists” and the “prescriptivists” differ. Although both of them acknowledge that their goal is the good of the language and its appropriate use, the methods by which they plan to accomplish this task vary a great deal. Greene exemplifies this by declaring, “…I would open fire by saying that you preach stodgy nonrules that most people don’t obey, and that people like you don’t understand that language must grow and change” (Greene). This is a very harsh attack on the prescriptivists, since they actually preach rules than many people follow. I agree there are some exceptions that do not follow the rules of standard English, but the vast majority do. I share most of the ideas proposed by the prescriptivists because I think that there should be a hierarchy in language usage. According to the descriptivists, the people decide how language should be used and what is right or wrong. If this takes place, then language would change very often and there would not be a defined set of accepted rules by which to decide if something is right or wrong. The rules of standard English would become very subjective.

       Both of the writers use logos as their main rhetoric mode. They appeal to logic and present their argument based on very well-known writers' ideas. Their points seem to be said as a sequence of arguments which lead to their conclusions either as descriptivists or prescriptivists. I would say that it is almost the same debate that has occurred between conservatives and liberals. The conservatives want to have a defined structure that is based on the traditional styles. On the other hand, the liberals want a structure that changes and evolves as time goes by and as society progresses. Although the descriptivists have a good point in stating that language must evolve along with the people that use it, it is more important that those changes take place gradually and without any sudden shift in the basics. If this does not happen, even more dialects than the existing ones will form and each time they will be more different from the original language. I agree with both of the writers in the sense that there should not be a big debate over very specific wording concerns. Garner depicts this when he says. “I’m happy to live in disagreement with you on that tiny point – given that we agreed on so much else” (Garner). He is implicitly saying that prescriptivists have many of the qualities of descriptivists and vice versa. However, in the very end, Garner recognizes the fact that the debate will never end that “the fighting must stop” (Garner). This is a never-ending debate in which there will be no defined winner, but I am hopeful that language will still be ruled by a clear set of traditional rules and that will only change when it is completely necessary and will do so in a slow and gradual manner.

Prescriptive: Sanctioned or authorized by long-standing custom or usage.

Descriptive: Of or relating to the study or the description of a language or a specific stage of a language, with emphasis on constructing a grammar without regard to historical development, comparison with other languages, or advocated norms for correct or proper usage.

Permissivism: Lenience toward or indulgence of a wide variety of social behavior.

Nonrule: A rule that states that a person cannot be held liable for a loss caused by his or her behavior if the loss would have occurred regardless.

Memoir Book

http://issuu.com/manuelandres95/docs/cassette_of_emotions/1

A Memoir Told From Different Perspectives

       Just having begun reading The Motorcycle Diaries, I was intrigued by the preface in the book. I thought this memoir would be a historic one, with the main topic being the famous political events and the role Ernesto “Che” Guevara played in them. However, this is not the case. According to Aleida Guevara, her daughter, the book will have a completely different approach. She states, “…I do not doubt that when you have finished the book you will want to go back to enjoy some passages again, either for the beauty they describe or the intensity of the feelings” (p. 1). The book will not be remembered by the importance of the figure it emphasizes on (“Che” Guevara) but by the way he is described and presented. It is very interesting to observe the way Aleida begins to briefly describe her father’s personality and mission in life. She is one of the persons that know him the most, which engages me to the text and makes me want to keep on reading. It is very different when a memoir is narrated from a third person point of view or by another individual, since the intimacy to the main character is never the same. Therefore, by being the daughter the one narrating the memoir, I seek to learn the details about Guevara’s life that are not commonly depicted in the news.

       The magnitude and importance of “Che” Guevara is pointed out from the first sentence in the introduction, which declares, “If there is one hero in Latin America’s struggle for liberation – stretching from Bolivar’s time until our own - … that hero is Ernesto Che Guevara” (p. 15). I really liked the beginning of the introduction, since it not only explains what the book is going to be about, but it provides clear examples of the main techniques that are going to be used for description. In addition, this imposing first line makes me reflect upon the fact that all great heroes in history had once been regular people with dreams. The desire to pursue those dreams and their determination is what made them heroes. In this book, the focus will not be to analyze Guevara’s life as a hero (which is what most historical books do) but to comprehend his early life as a motivated and goal-striving individual. What importance does the motorcycle adventures have in Guevara’s life? How did Guevara become the great hero we know today? I expect to answer this and other questions while reading The Motorcycle Diaries.     

Punctuation: A World of Causes and Effects

       I never thought quotations could have such a great impact of a piece of writing. After thoroughly reading Q As In Quotation, one can realize that the use of quotations, which is most commonly known to be very beneficial, is actually harmful in conveying a message. Usually, I thought of a quotation as a way to reinforce my point and provide evidence to make my text more profound and credible. However, when a quotation is inserted into a writing piece, “…another voice, a thinking significantly different from yours, will cast a shadow, making everything you’ve written so far as well as everything you will have to say in the future appear in a different light” (Q As In Quotation, p. 76). It is truly remarkable to analyze this perspective, since it contradicts many of the ideas that schools and other academic institutions instruct. The real challenge in writing a credible paper is being able to analyze the sources at hand and interpret them so they can be used implicitly in the writing piece. Placing a quotation simply tells the reader that the writer could not completely and profoundly analyze that important idea. The writer is in a sense submitting his perspective to another one that he may not necessarily agree with. Every individual is unique when it comes to proposing a point of view concerning a certain topic. Therefore, when two viewpoints (even if they are very similar) are joined in a piece of writing, neither of them is effectively transmitted to the reader, since he would not know which one to go with.

       In Survival of the Fittest, Nicholson Baker examines the nine most important marks of punctuation. Although they seem common since we use them daily, most of them have a history of evolution that is described in the essay. I found it very interesting to observe the concept that “pointing was viewed from the beginning as a form of ornament, as well as a means of what Parkes calls ‘disambiguation’” (Baker, p. 6). Punctuation serves the purpose of clarifying the author’s message in the sentence or paragraph. It is therefore essential for a well-written text to have correct punctuation, since it will allow the message to be clear and direct, without any room for misinterpretation. This relates a great deal to the topics being discussed in class. When learning how to deal with quotations, commas, and other punctuation marks, one is, at the same time, learning how to write effectively and not be subject to misunderstandings. In order to be an accurate writer, one needs to have the clarity to be able to avoid quotations or at least make excellent use of them and have the knowledge to visualize the effects certain kinds of punctuation marks have on the audience.

 

Breathtaking Ending

In the culminating portion of The Burn Journals, Brent’s attitude seems to change once again into a more hopeful and enthusiastic one. Although the diction used in Brent’s thoughts towards other people is harsh and wrathful, when he is reflecting upon his future, he feels like it is possible to go back to normality. Runyon’s word choice allows the reader to see Brent’s gradual mental recuperation from the incident. For example, when Brent reflects, “Okay, so I can use my hands, arms, and legs. I can think. I can walk. I can talk. I’m fifteen. I’m alive. Life’s pretty good” (p. 292). In this quote, one can see how Brent has started to reflect upon the good things he has and of the results of all his hard work, instead of only thinking about the negative aspects of his life. Although Brent has certainly not fully recovered, he is taking little steps on his own for a faster improvement. On one hand, I think it might be the fact that he has learned how to live in hospitals and deal with doctors/psychologists. This has made him more resistant to their continual direct interrogations, which previously had diminished his self-esteem and made him feel inferior. On the other hand, I believe that Brent’s reintegration to his normal life is a process that his parents have done very successfully. By not making him go back to Marshall High School directly after Children’s Hospital and having hired a home tutor to give him classes, Brent has gradually regained his regular routine without exposing him too much to the outside world.

The ending of the book leaves the reader with a lot to imagine about Brent’s immediate future. During the last section of the book, all the events were leading to Brent’s return to school. I expected the end to be the description of Brent’s entrance to the school, including his first day in it. This was not the case. The book culminates with the same image Brent draws after he sees his brother drawing. He states, “Jesus, the bus is stopped. I’ve got to get off the bus. I’m getting off. I’m walking up the steps. I’m opening the door. I’m standing in the doorway” (p. 319). The short sentences make this ending moment very exciting and breathtaking. The reader wants to know how Brent’s first day of school is. However, it is up to his imagination to picture this day, since the story ends in that moment. Runyon depicts Brent’s anxiousness throughout the ending of the book. Although he is very worried about going back to school, I believe that he is also excited about returning to his regular life, as it was before the horrible event took place. How will Brent manage to deal with the imminent comments that he will get upon his return to school? Will he be able to overcome them? My prediction is that Brent will have a very difficult adaptation in school and it will take some time for him to get used to Marshall High School. Nevertheless, in the end, Brent will go back to be the teenager he was before and although he will not forget about the incident, he will get emotionally stronger and demonstrate that he is able to strive for success.

 

 

Surprises and Frustrations

       Dennis Miller is coming to visit Brent. It is very interesting to observe how Brent changes his attitude completely when he hears this news. Runyon changes his diction to emphasize on Brent’s enthusiasm and emotion. This is demonstrated when Brent thinks, “Jesus, I can’t think of anything to say. I’m such an idiot” (p. 255). The reader can visualize the frustration Brent is going through at that moment. The use of the word idiot also grabs the reader’s attention and warns him that something is happening in Brent’s mind. It is important to highlight that Brent’s parents are doing a very good job in distracting Brent from his main problem. Although he is still getting frustrated with most of the activities he does, Brent is not thinking as much on why he got burned and the horrible scars he has around his body. Even though he has not completely forgotten about the incident, the big surprises his parents gave him have shifted his attention. Brent demonstrates this when he states, “Wow, that’s completely right. I never thought of that” (p. 263). Brent has gone, little by little, back to the life with his friends and outdoor activities. The diction used in the quote above also makes the reader see Brent’s surprise as this is the first doctor that he feels says something useful.

       When Brent goes into Dominion Hospital, he begins to feel that it is not the place for him. The word choice in this section of the book is also key in demonstrating Brent’s discontent and fury in the hospital. For example, when Brent thinks: “I can’t believe she asked me that. Do I look like a druggie? I thought it would be obvious” (p. 280). The fact that all the interns think he is a drug addict and treat him as one disturbs him. The first sentence’s diction is very clear in emphasizing his surprise and indignation at such a comment. I believe that Brent is beginning to regain the feeling that there is something definitely wrong with him and that he cannot live a normal life. He is at the point where he can believe in himself and, with the support of others, achieve his full mental recuperation or go back to feeling he is different from everybody else. Other situations shock Brent, such as the one where one of his best friends is going to move out just because his parents are too afraid that he might do something like Brent did. This kind of astonishments make him feel like he is responsible for the bad things that happen and will enter a profound depression. Runyon is able to demonstrate the struggle Brent is going through by his effective and detailed use of diction in situations where comprehension is key to understand the main character’s reasoning. Which path will Brent take?      

Complex Descriptions

Jobst Garments: (n) Trademark for a type of pressure wrap applied to control hypertrophic scar formation or lymphedema. p. 212

Corduroy: (n) A durable cut-pile fabric, usually made of cotton, with vertical ribs. p. 232

Smock: (n) A loose coatlike outer garment, often worn to protect the clothes while working. p. 247

Warped: (v) To turn from a correct or proper course; deflect. p. 248

Beret: (n) A round close-fitting brimless cap of soft wool material or felt. p. 248

Vamped: (v) To put together; fabricate or improvise. p. 252

Light-Headed: (adj.) Giddy; feeling faint or slightly delirious. p. 252

Hypertrophic: (n) A nontumorous enlargement of an organ or a tissue as a result of an increase in the size rather than the number of constituent cells. p. 237

Yammering: (v) To talk volubly and loudly. p. 221

Blanched: (v)  To cause to turn white or become pale. p. 222

Nobody Knows You Well Enough

       In this next portion of the book, I found it very interesting to see how Brent’s attitude changed in a negative way, even when they told him that his recuperation was going very good and that he was even going to go to his House for the weekend. I would expect Brent being worried about seeing the incident site again. But, he only reflects upon this a little bit. When his parents come, the tone of the story immediately changes to indignant, since he could not believe the accusations his parents were saying. Brent thinks: “Jesus, who do these people think I am? Some kind of Satan worshipper? Jesus, leave me alone” (p. 192). For the first time throughout the book, his parents begin to act as the psychologists do. Brent always found himself in a comfortable situation when his parents visited him. But, now, they started questioning him and implying that he was some kind of creature who worshipped Satan. It is understandable that they were concerned since they found the knife and the piece of paper with the word death written on it. In anyway, this was not the best way to approach Brent and get him to speak to them. What this attempt resulted in was in a lack of trust and a moment of extreme disgust on Brent’s behalf. At this moment, he feels that nobody understands him and not even his parents, whom he though were going to support him all the time, try to comprehend that he was living a moment of despair and desperation. It is very interesting to see how no one was able to break into Brent’s head. This means that actually no one knows him well enough in order to try to understand why he did what he did. This is very true. The only person who is able to comprehend everything you do and the reasons why you did it is yourself. Even psychologists cannot go into a person’s head and retrieve that information.

       When Brent arrives at his house and then at his bedroom, the anxiety builds up for the reader. Since Runyon starts being very descriptive with Brent’s feelings and thoughts about arriving at the site where it had all happened. Surprisingly, the story seems to shift and take on a confident tone, exemplified when Brent reflects: “You would think I would be thinking about those things, but I’m not” (p. 197). He is referring to the emotions he had while burning. Certainly Brent began to feel more comfortable in his house than what he had been in the hospital. Even though one receives very good attention at a hospital, the feeling of being there instantly makes you think that you are very sick. Seeing all the injured people around you is not very encouraging since you begin to associate with them and feel like them. Brent has finally returned home and confronted reality. How will Brent react when going back to the institute? When will he be discharged? Now, Brent has another objective in mind: return home.

 

 

Getting Better While Getting Worse

       Brent has now moved to a completely different stage in his recovery. Even though he is getting better every day, he feels less and less comfortable as he is not treated with the same care and kindness as he was used to at the hospital. It is interesting to observe how Brent has a very hard time in the duPont Institute because he is faced with the reality that he is not the only one being taken care of. He demonstrates his rage when he says: “I was in Children’s for like four months and had my own room, and now I have to fucking share a room with another person” (p. 172). I was impressed by how spoiled Brent had become. First, he was saying that he did not like Children’s Hospital because of the food and Dr. Rubinstein. Now he says he does not like the institute either. It might be the desperation he is experiencing that makes him think like this and have trouble enjoying things. Brent has become more stubborn as time goes by and is only willing to accept the best of the best. Under his conditions, one should be grateful to have people taking care of him as they are doing.

       The tone in the book is for the most part regretful, since Brent repeatedly has stated his desire to go back in time and stop himself from lighting the robe on fire. There are two main ways in which his regret is exposed. One is through sorrow when he reflects upon his decision and thinks that it was certainly not the correct one. The second way is when he is angry with himself, which makes him be angry with the people around him. The first one can be seen in Brent’s reflection: “Someone who could jump into your body just when you were about to make the biggest mistake of your life and keep you from doing it. That would be great. That would be amazing. I wish that was true” (p. 149). Even TV shows remind him of the dreadful decision he made and how it will affect him for the rest of his existence.

       Will Brent continue to develop this attitude of frustration towards life? Will he continue to shut himself up? Although Brent does not talk to other people about the incident, he thinks about it all the time. I know it is very difficult to talk to other people about such personal and uncomfortable subjects, but it seems to be the only way for Brent to get help and to learn a better way of dealing with the problem. Rose is definitely not helping in this sense with her useless comments. Brent will have to learn who is best to talk to and reintegrate with the real world, leaving behind the decision that marked his life.

Back to Normal?

       At last Brent is beginning to feel much better as he sees the possibility of leaving the hospital very soon. I imagined this would make him extremely joyful, since after four months of being interned in a hospital room, one would do anything to get out and continue his life as before. The first time Brent began to feel he was able to do activities as usual was when Tina went out with him to Ben & Jerry’s and then to the movies. This was probably the moment up to now that Runyon will remember best and with more pleasure throughout his life. In his farewell party, Brent reflects upon the effect Tina had on his recovery: “And Tina. Tina, you did everything for me. You held my hand and you told me I was going to be all right and made me laugh and took me outside the hospital and made me feel normal” (p. 137). Brent did not feel normal while he was in Burn Care. The feeling that everyone is looking at you and everyone knows what you did makes it incredibly difficult to overcome the mistake. Only Tina took the initiative and was not afraid to take him out and make him feel like a teenager once again.

       I found it very interesting to see Brent’s frustration with the gifts his mother gave the hospital staff who had treated him. He explained: “It’s dumb. It’s so dumb, I can’t believe it. It doesn’t say what I wanted it to say. It doesn’t say, I could never have gotten better without you. It doesn’t say anything” (p. 138). I can relate to the feeling Brent was having, since there are times when there are not enough words or gifts to express your gratitude toward someone special. Additionally, anyone who tries to interpret that feeling and tries to help you gets on your nerves because you think they do not understand, and never will.

       After leaving the hospital, I expected Brent to go back to his normal life and periodically visit the rehab center. But, it shocked me to observe that the first thing Brent sees in the rehab center was the broken glasses on top of the huge stone wall. That is certainly not the image anyone should give a boy who has gone through so many struggles. That is a sign of danger and precaution. Is Brent going to be treated like a maniac? In my opinion, that is not the way to approach the problem and less when it is the day after leaving the hospital and at last being able to see the outside world. Is this the image the parents want Brent to have of them? That they dropped him off in such a horrible place? This will only make things worse and will probably make Brent go back into depression and despair.

 

 

Late Second Thoughts

       Brent will never get used to being in the hospital. Every time he thinks he is progressing and everything will get better, there is always a bad side to the situation. An example is when he explains that “…the good part is I don’t have to have another major surgery. That’s good. The bad part is that I have to lie on my stomach for another four days.” (p. 85) Runyon has resigned to the fact that he will need to live his life under those situations and the best thing he can do at this point is collaborate with the therapists and doctors in order to get a full recovery as soon as possible. He constantly regrets not having stopped before lighting the match and putting it beside the robe, but he knows what is done is done and he has to accept the consequences of his actions. When I do something wrong, I always think about a lot more about it after the situation took place. Although this is very good to learn from your mistakes and not do them the next time, you have to keep on going and strive to be better. If you stay mourning on your errors for too long, you will probably lose confidence and will not get better.

       In this point, it is important to highlight that the book is written from Runyon’s perspective when he was fourteen years old, which allows the narrator to have a much closer relation with the audience. This also adds suspense to the memoir since the future is unexpected and unknown. Also, Runyon allows the reader to connect and sympathize with him by providing insight on his thoughts and feelings. The short sentences used throughout the book emphasize the key points Runyon wants to imply. This variety in the sentence length makes the book active and enhances the understanding of Brent’s thoughts. Most of the book is written in a regretful and hopeless tone. Brent never talks about his wishes of getting out. Although he probably has them, he knows that his stay at the hospital is going to be a long time.

       One of the things that Brent misses the most is going out with his brother and his parents. Although he explicitly says that he does not like to go visit universities with his brother, the fact that he talks about these trips means that he misses them and that they were important to him. In one of his reflections, he says: “I’m glad Craig thought that was funny.” (p. 86) For the first time Brent talks about how he misses his brother and how it would all have been different if he had not ignited that robe. Will Brent be able to enjoy the same activities as he did before the accident when he gets out? Did he really learn his lesson? He says he certainly did, but the only way to really find out is when he goes back to the outside world.