Hello!
Task 1:
Read the following website about ENGFISH. There are only two things to remember:
1) DON’T USE IT!
2) Be able to detect it when other people talk to you like this – professors use ENGFISH, too!
Today, we will work in groups, and each group will post one short summary on our blog. (Add all the names of your group members to your blog entry.)
Task 2:
We are going to prepare for our Unit 1 essay, a Song Text Argument Analysis.
Topic: SONG TEXT ABOUT A SOCIAL ISSUE
Work in groups of 3-4 people. Pick a song text (one of the links below). In your group, discuss what the writer’s main point is. Then, create a “perfect” introduction and summary of no more than 200 words, and publish it on this blog. Hint: Do some Internet research to expand your background knowledge (when did the composer write it, in which country, during which social / political circumstances). Distribute those tasks fairly in your group - one person has to type the blog, another does a specific research....
Group 1: “Another Day in Paradise” by Phil Collins
Group 2: “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan
Group 3: “Mother’s Little Helper” by the Rolling Stones
Group 4: “The Streets of London” by Ralph McTell
Group 5: “Space Oddity” by David Bowie
Group 6: “The Town I Loved So Well” by Phil Coulter
Task 3:
Write an analysis of the ARGUMENT the song makes. What feelings does the song text appeal to? Does it inform, convince, or encourage you to explore and take action? Does it talk about past (forensic), future (deliberative), or our daily life in the present (ceremonial)? What is its target? If you don't know, google it and find out what the composer might have wanted to say. (If there are unknown words in your song, google them to find out what they mean, or use an online dictionary.)
Homework:
These were the songs I grew up with, some 25 years ago…. ;-) Now it’s up to you: pick a song YOU like which contains an ARGUMENT dealing with a SOCIAL ISSUE, and write a short MEMO to me why you want to choose this song for your Unit 1 Essay. Either email the link with the song text and your memo to me for Monday, or bring them to class on Monday in paper format, so I can approve of your song by Wednesday.
Have fun!
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8 comments:
Group 5
Sara and Ashley
In the “Space Oddity” by David Bowie the theme is about a man trapped in space. The song starts off with this guy preparing to go into space, followed by a countdown to a lift off. The song continues with difficulties in the spaceship and finally he is unable to communicate and is lost in space. “This song was produced in 1969 in the U.K . and Major Tom is a fictional astronaut created by David Bowie” “…reinterpret Major Tom as an oblique autobiographical symbol for himself”(Wikipedia).
Argument:
• Pathos: Refers to David Bowie’s feelings at the time
• Encourages you to explore; use of imagination
• Target; use imagination and interpret the song in your own way
• Maybe present; talks about his feelings
Dephane, Alex, Sara
The song Another Day in Paradise written by Phil Collins in 1989, talks about a homeless woman begging for help. Throughout the song the homeless woman repeatedly asks for help but she is rejected. During the time this song was written, the United States had just recently elected a new president and the cold war was coming to a close. This song was written in Great Britain and his main objective was to bring attention to the widespread problem of homelessness.
-song appeals to pathos: feelings of pity and makes the listener feel empathetic
-based on the present
-target is to bring awareness to homelessness
Bob Dylan wrote one of the greatest rock n' roll songs of all time in 1965, titled "Like a Rolling Stone". The first verse is about a rich woman that is in her prime of her life and has everything that she could want. She was on top and people were telling her that she would soon be at the bottom with everyone else. The second verse is about how she went to a good school, but she never learned the life lessons she needed. The third verse seems to be about how she never enjoyed her life while it was good, and then when the man in her life stole everything good from her she had nothing and no skills to live on her own. In the final verse she goes back to a normal person and nothing more then anyone else, and sells her last possessions to find where the next meals are coming from.
>Present
>Pathos
>Inform
David
Brandon
Justin
The song "Mother's Little Helper" by Rolling Stones was first recorded in 1965 and released on their 1966 album "Aftermath." Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song touches on the wide spread of Valium among housewives during the 1960's. The high ranks on the billboard singles charts proves the link to society that Valium was a very powerful drug. Not only did the Valium pill have an effect on the mother, but also on the family as a whole. For example, in the song they state "Life's just much too hard today." The mother cannot deal with the pressures of everyone depending on her so she turns to Valium because , "they just help you on your way, through your busy dying day."
Argument:
Pathos: Refers to the feelings of housewives.
To Inform & To Explore: Like to learn more about Valium and how it become so popular.
Past: Talks mostly about the past due to drug abuse in the 60's.
Brittany Denney
Bettie Tannahill
Allyson Scrutchens
Todd Kostecki
Jerad Romine
Chelsea Burg
Patrick Hogan
Ralph McTell’s famous folk song, “Streets of London,” recorded in 1969 speaks to the everyday problems and struggles of the so called “forgotten people” of society. McTell was greatly inspired to write this through his experiences while hitchhiking throughout Europe, especially Paris and London. Around this time revolutionary ways originated after the conservative decade of the fifties that resulted in a new way of thinking; this could have had significant influence on McTell while writing, “Streets of London."
List
Past. The song was done in the 1969.
Pathos. The song has a depressing feeling because of the detailed descriptions of the homeless and the forgotten .
Informative and convince . It tells about the street of London. It also tries to convince someone that their life isn’t as bad as they believe it is.
Group 6
Michael, CJ, Joe, and Chris
This song, 'The Town I Loved So Well', is about a person who reflects about his past memories of his beloved town. The artist reminisces about the times playing ball in the school yard, singing songs with friends, and playing in a local band. When the writer returns to his town later in life he is very sad to see how much the town has suffered through the war. The town he loves has been over taken by armored cars, barbed wire, and military weapons. Even though this is all going on he still doesn't give up hope that the town will be better one day. Phil Coulter, the writer of this song, refers this bad time to the civil war between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which took place in the late 1960's to the early 1970's.
Group 6
Michael, CJ, Joe, and Chris
This song, 'The Town I Loved So Well', is about a person who reflects about his past memories of his beloved town. The artist reminisces about the times playing ball in the school yard, singing songs with friends, and playing in a local band. When the writer returns to his town later in life he is very sad to see how much the town has suffered through the war. The town he loves has been over taken by armored cars, barbed wire, and military weapons. Even though this is all going on he still doesn't give up hope that the town will be better one day. Phil Coulter, the writer of this song, refers this bad time to the civil war between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which took place in the late 1960's to the early 1970's.
Group 6
Michael, CJ, Joe, and Chris
This song, 'The Town I Loved So Well', is about a person who reflects about his past memories of his beloved town. The artist reminisces about the times playing ball in the school yard, singing songs with friends, and playing in a local band. When the writer returns to his town later in life he is very sad to see how much the town has suffered through the war. The town he loves has been over taken by armored cars, barbed wire, and military weapons. Even though this is all going on he still doesn't give up hope that the town will be better one day. Phil Coulter, the writer of this song, refers this bad time to the civil war between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which took place in the late 1960's to the early 1970's.
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