OXFORD TUTORIAL SERVICE
Great Books Schedule &Essay Guidelines
Created by Mr. Fritz Hinrichs; developed by Dr. Norm Lund
Great Books Atrium
Welcome! This is the main entrance for
registered Great Books students of Oxford Tutorial Service. It is the main student
page from which you can find all the necessary information you will need as a student of
Oxford Tutorials.
Click here for Raphael's "School of Athens" Picture of Plato & Aristotle
GREAT BOOKS INDEX
GBT 1 Reading Schedule
GBT 2
Reading Schedule
Essay Guidelines
General Guidelines
Review of Grammar & Grammatical Terms
How to read and analyse your GBT assignments
Great Books 1: Reading Schedule '98-'99
1. 9/18/98 Homer, The Iliad, Books 1-2
2. 9/25 Homer, The Iliad, Books 3-5
3. 10/2 Homer, The Iliad, Books 6-9
4. 10/9 Homer, The Iliad, Books 10-13
5. 10/16 Homer, The Iliad, Books 14-18
6. 10/23 Homer, The Iliad, Books 19-24
7. 10/30 Homer, The Odyssey, Books 1-8
8. 11/6 Homer, The Odyssey, Books 9-16
9. 11/13 Homer, The Odyssey, Books 17-24
10. 11/20 Sophocles, The Three Theban Plays, King Oedipus, pp. 159-198
11/23-11/27 THANKSGIVING VACATION
11. 12/4 Sophocles, The Three Theban Plays, King Oedipus, pp. 199-251
12. 12/11 Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, pp. 283-388
13. 12/18 Sophocles, Antigone, pp. 59-96
12/21-1/3/99 CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR'S VACATION
14. 1/8/99 The Three Theban Plays, Antigone, pp. 97-128
15. 1/15 Aeschylus, The Oresteia, Agamemnon, pp. 99-139
16. 1/22 Aeschylus, The Oresteia, Agamemnon, pp. 140-173
END OF FIRST SEMESTER
1. 1/29 Aeschylus, The Oresteia, The Libation Bearers, pp. 173-227
2. 2/5 Aeschylus, The Eumenides, pp. 227-279
3. 2/12 Aristotle, The Poetics, pp. 665-712
4. 2/19 Plato, Gorgias, pp. 19-74
5. 2/26 Plato, Gorgias, pp. 74-111
6. 3/5 Plato, Gorgias, pp. 111-149
7. 3/12 Plutarch, The Rise & Fall of Athens, pp. 13-109
8. 3/19 Plutarch, The Rise & Fall of Athens, pp. 109-206
9. 3/26 Plutarch, The Rise & Fall of Athens, pp. 207-319
3/29-4/2 EASTER/SPRING BREAK
10. 4/9 Herodotus, The History, Book I
11. 4/16 Herodotus, The History,
Books II (50-53,112-120); III (37-87);
12. 4/23 Herodotus, The History, Books V (91-93,105); VI
(42-48,56-72,94-120)
13. 4/30 Herodotus, The History, Books VII; VIII (
*PAPER # 6 DUE*
14. 5/7 Herodotus, The History,
Books VIII; IX
15. 5/14 Plato, The Last Days of Socrates, The Euthyphro, 7-27; The Apology, 37-67
16. 5/21 Plato, " " " " Crito, pp. 76-92; Phaedo, pp. 109-145
17. 5/28 Plato, " " " " Phaedo, pp. 146-191
Essay Guidelines
ESSAY GUIDE #1 - Narrative Writing - Homer's Iliad
NARRATION
Narration is storytelling. It recounts actions and
events, and can be
fiction or non-fiction. A play-by-play commentator
narrates the baseball
game for his radio audience, a biographer narrates
someone's life story,
and Homer narrates the story of Achilles' rage in The
Iliad. Narration
presents characters in action through description and
dialogue.
ASSIGNMENT:
Condense Homer's narrative of the entire Iliad into
your own 500-1000 word
narrative, or pick one book or scene from the Iliad and
condense it into
your own 500-1000 word narrative. Remember, a narrative is
not a summary or a book report. It does not
tell about a story, it *is* the story. It should
have a "Once upon a time..." feel to it,
complete with dialogue, point of view, tone, and vivid description.
SOME ELEMENTS OF NARRATIVE WRITING TO INCLUDE:
* POINT OF VIEW - who the narrator (not to be confused
with the author) is
in connection with your narrative. Homer used the third
person point of view, but you are encouraged to think creatively of how another point of
view could present the story. Here are the five different possiblities:
1) FIRST PERSON PARTICIPANT - the story is narrated by one of the main characters in the story.
2) FIRST PERSON OBSERVER - the story is narrated by a minor character, someone plays only a small part in the plot.
3) THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT - the story is narrated not by a character, but by an impersonal author who sees everything and knows everything (including thoughts) related to all characters.
4) THIRD PERSON LIMITED - the story is narrated by the author, not by a character, but the author focuses on the thinking and actions of a particular character.
5) OBJECTIVE- a narrator who describes only what can be
seen, as a newspaper reporter.
* TONE - the author's attitude towards the main characters and the
* DIALOGUE - use this to convey the thoughts and feelings of characters.
* DESCRIPTION- use your powers of observation to
produce vicarious sensory experiences for your readers. In describing things, think of how
they are perceived by each of your five senses - taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing. Be
specific and detailed (instead of just "green", "emerald green" or
"spinach green"), and try out some figurative language. Think of what that sight
or smell might remind you of and make a simile or a
metaphor out of it. Don't forget that description can be
used to picture
people and illuminate character for the reader.
BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR PAPER TO MR. HINRICHS be sure to click here.
To remind yourself of the ETS Writing Component Policies, click here.
To remind yourself how to think analytically about your
GBT Readings, click here.
For further explanation of Narrative Writing click on
this link to Texas A & M on Narrative Writing:
http://www-english.tamu.edu/wcenter/narrative.html
And this link from Paradigm Online Writing Assistant is
called "Writing Informal Essays", but has many ideas which would be valuable for
this assignment:
http://www.spaceland.org/paradigm/infofrms.htm
Common errors on paper #1 addressed by Dr. Lund
> Dear Students,
> A. NARRATIVE STYLE: When I gave you the assignment I specified that this first essay was to be an exercise in "narrative" writing. That means "telling a story." You were to "re-tell the Iliad in your own words," remember? Well, most of you gave me more of a summary than a story. That's a common problem with an assignment like this. Narrative writing is a challenge, especially when it involves an abbreviated re-telling of such a long epic.
> B. GRAMMAR: There were a number of grammatical mistakes which occurred frequently in your essays:
> 1. TENSE-DISAGREEMENT: Many of you were very inconsistent in the tenses of your verbs. You would switich back and forth frequently between the present tense and the past tense. Verb tenses in an essay, both within the individual sentences, and throughout the essay as a whole, are supposed to agree. For example: "When Achilles heard the news [past tense], he went out and wept openly [past tense]." But many of you wrote things like this: "When Achilles heard the news [past tense], he goes out and weeps openly [present tense]."
> 2. RUN-ON SENTENCES: Some of you periodically ran sentences together, lacking proper punctuation and confusing the relationships among clauses. Learn to recognize main clauses and to distinguish them from subordinate clauses. A clause is a group of related words which contains both a verb and its subject. A main clause can stand alone. A subordinate clause cannot. Correct run-on sentences by one of the following methods, either by subordinating one of the main clauses, or by making each main clause into a separate sentence. For example, consider the following run-on sentence: "The Trojans take their offer to Menelaus and he does not accept, the war continues." This sentence can be corrected either by subordinating the first two clauses as follows: "When the Trojans took their offer to Menelaus and he refused to accept, the war continued;" or by separating the clauses as independent sentences, as follows: "The Trojans took their offer to Menelaus and he did not accept.
> 3. SPELLING & TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS: Please check your spelling before sending in your essays. There were numerous spelling mistakes in some of them, and some mistakes in almost all of them.
> 4. USE OF THE APOSTROPHE: Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's. Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write: Charles's friend; Hector's enemy; the captain's victory. An exception is usually made for the possessives of ancient proper names ending in -es or -is. For example: Jesus' name; Achilles' wrath; Peleus' son; the Achaeans' ships.
> C. PLOT IDENTIFICATION: Although we discussed many times the main plot of this great epic (i.e. Achilles' anger), some of you failed even to mention it in your essays! The main plot of the Iliad is the wrath of Achilles: its cause (the injustice and dishonor of his war-prize being taken away by his Agamemnon, his commander-in-chief); its cost (many of his companions' lives, including that of his dearest friend, Patroclus); and its cure (meeting a grief as great as his own and a bold humility which shocks him in the scene with Priam).
If you have problems in understanding what is expected of you in this assignment, or if you have suggestions for how this assignment could be improved, please contact Oxford Tutorials.
ESSAY GUIDE #2 - Expository Writing - Homer's Odyssey
EXPOSITION
· "Expository writing" or "exposition" is writing that explains.
Your first writing assignment focused on the Narrative
Mode (storytelling). In this assignment we will practice using the Expository Mode.
Most writing done in the world today -- in magazines, books, newspapers, on
websites, and in owner's manuals, is expository writing. Expository writing does not sound
like storytelling.
ASSIGNMENT
Based on Homer's portrayal of Odysseus in The Odyssey, explain the ancient Greek concept of what constituted a hero or an ideal man. Now think about and explain what might constitute an ideal man according to Biblical standards. In what ways is the Greek ideal similar to the Christian ideal? In what ways is it different?
To do this paper you need to closely examine the character of Odysseus. He is constantly faced with challenges, struggles, and adversity. How does he respond? Explain by analysis -- breaking down his character into particulars and then for each particular give me at least one anecdotal illustration from the book.
Another very important aspect of your analysis comes in making connections with things you already know -- things from the Bible, from your life experience with people and human nature, or from your reading in other subject areas. You are welcome to engage your family and friends in discussion on this topic in order to broaden your own perspective. While they may not know about Odysseus, they'll probably have something to say about the Biblical ideal. Bring all of these things to bear on your analysis of Odysseus and the similarities and differences between him and the Christian ideal.
LENGTH - Please write from 500-750 words on this topic.
ELEMENTS OF EXPOSITORY WRITING TO INCLUDE (use this as a checklist)
· Explain by ANALYSIS -- breaking down into particulars. Don't just tell me that Odysseus was good; name his particular virtues.
· ILLUSTRATE. For each particular, give me at least one anecdotal example form the book. In other words, if you think Odysseus was brave, tell me that, but then also tell me of at least one incident from the book that led you to that conclusion. TIP: this is one element of expository writing that is a great weakness among many students. Neglecting to illustrate makes for very weak and boring writing, so be sure to get in the habit of including it now.
· Make connections with things you already know from the Bible, from life experience or from your reading in other subject areas.
· Compare. Find the similarities between the Greek ideal and the Christian ideal.
· Contrast. Find the differences between the
Greek ideal and the Christian ideal.
PREWRITNG TIPS:
Expository writing needs to be organized so that your
reader can easily follow your train of thought. Your basic structure should be:
I. Title
Your title and introduction should grab and focus the reader's attention on what your paper is all about. Your conclusion should "wrap up" your thinking and rephrase your main idea, not leaving the reader hanging.
In between your introduction and your conclusion, the body of your paper must be a step-by-step explanation of your thinking processes on the topic at hand. "Step-by-step" indicates a high level of specifics and an avoidance of generalities. Don't tell us that Odysseus was good; tell us how he was good -- in what particular area of character -- and give us an anecdote from the story to prove it.
To help you collect your thoughts before you begin composing the body of your paper, I would suggest you use one of these three options:
1. OUTLINE - This is probably what most of you have been taught, and it is the most organized approach. However, there are other ways to get the job done with shorter papers or younger students. Read on if you're not yet confident in outlining.
2. LISTS - For this paper, start with two lists: Greek Ideal and Christian Ideal. Under these two headings list descriptive, applicable words or phrases. You might tag each with a "proof" - an illustration from the text. When your lists are done compare the two of them.
3. BUBBLES - An option for artists! Draw a small circle, big enough to hold a couple of words, in the middle of a piece of paper. Write Odysseus in it. Now think of a character trait of Odysseus'. Let's pretend Odysseus was lazy. Draw a line about 1-2 inches out from the edge of the circle, kind of like a ray emanating from the sun or a spoke coming out of the hub of a wheel. Attach a new circle to the other end of it. Write "lazy" in the new circle. Now think of another trait of Odysseus'. Let's say he was a cheat. Go back to the edge of your original "Odysseus" circle and draw another line out from the edge and inch or two, make a new circle and write "cheat" in it. After you have "bubbled" every one of Odysseus' traits, begin to think of what sections in the story illustrated each trait. Go back to each trait bubble and draw a line out from it with a word or two reminding you of an illustration. When you are done with this, repeat the process on another sheet of paper, this time using "The Christian Ideal" as your central bubble.
If you have problems in understanding what is expected of you in this assignment, or if you have suggestions for how this assignment could be improved, please contact Oxford Tutorials.
ESSAY GUIDE #3 - Persuasion - Sophocles' Creon v. Antigone
ASSIGNMENT:
Who is in the right: Antigone or Creon?
Write a 1-3 page essay designed to persuade your
audience to assent to
your point of view on this question. You will need to pick
an imaginary
audience to address, and note above your paper who that
audience is.
THE PERSUASIVE MODE OF WRITING
In PERSUASION, the goal is to get the audience to
change its beliefs or
will - to assent to you - and the means of attaining that
goal is the
stirring of the emotions combined with the use of logic.
Persuasion is often called "sweet reason" because it takes cold, unfeeling
reason and makes it sweet by appealing to the heartstrings of an audience.
Effective persuasion wields power and influence over
people. Its pressure
can cause us to change our minds and our wills in matters
on which we have held strong opinions. Notice that truth is not necessarily a goal
of persuasion. The unscrupulous often employ persuasion with no thought of truth, but only
of selfish gain. A good understanding of the effective use of persuasion will attune you
to reading and listening critically, eyes and ears ready to detect any manipulation of
your emotions by the writer or
speaker.
SOME ELEMENTS OF PERSUASIVE WRITING TO INCLUDE:
* KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE - Tailor the presentation of your
appeal to the
background of your audience. While the point of your
letter to the editor
of your local paper might be the same as your point in the
letter you wrote
to the Christian magazine, your presentation of that point
will lack
effectiveness if you don't consider the worldview of your
audience.
*ESTABLISH COMMON GROUND WITH YOUR AUDIENCE - If you know that your sister favors Creon, and you want to persuade her that Antigone was in the right, start off with a conciliatory attitude by identifying common ground and points of agreement, perhaps even quoting points she has made in her arguments. Remember, until your audience begins to identify with you, they will not hear your point of view. Avoid offending your audience. Ravi Zacharias, a master of persuasive speech, often quotes an old Indian proverb, "Don't cut off a person's nose and then give him a rose to smell".
*ELIMINATE CONFLICT RIGHT AWAY - Anticipate all arguments and deactivate them. In doing this, keep in mind that you don't have to rely entirely on reason, but are free to play on emotions and prejudices. Appeals to authority are especially effective as a persuasive device. Think of what values your audience might hold dear and make reference to authorities who represent those values.
*USE OF FIGURITIVE SPEECH - metaphor, hyperbole, apostrophe, simile - all of these are devices that have strong emotional pull on an audience.
* END WITH AN INDISPUTABLE APPEAL - hopefully, you have won the assent of your audience.
If you have problems in understanding what is expected of you in this assignment, or if you have suggestions for how this assignment could be improved, please contact Oxford Tutorials.
ESSAY GUIDE # 4 - Expository Writing - Aeschylus' Oresteia
ASSIGNMENT
Briefly summarize The Oresteia and then explain Aeschylus' solution to the cycle of revenge as put forward in the plays of the Oresteia.
LENGTH - Please write from 750-1000 words on this topic.
FURTHER ELUCIDATION
You may want to reread Paper Guide #2 which introduced exposition as writing that explains. Please include the following elements of expository writing in your paper on Aeschylus' solution to the cycle of violence:
analysis - breaking down into particulars
illustration - anectdotal examples from the text
making connections with knowledge outside of the
text
contrast and comparison
TIPS TO MINIMIZE WRITING FRUSTRATION
1) You must sit down to write with the mindset that you will be doing more than one draft. Every student knows that good writers write and rewrite and that students are supposed to have a first draft and a second draft at a minimum, but in their secret heart of hearts, many students are hoping to avoid spending time on a second draft by writing near-perfectly the first time around. Unfortunately, then when ideas pop into their head or sentences actually make it onto paper, none seems quite good enough and the student suddenly finds him/herself frustrated and empty-headed, wadding up paper and throwing it away in disgust or staring at a blank computer screen moaning that he/she doesn't know what to write about.
What if you sat down to write your paper with the expectation that what you write initially will be no where near perfect? You are free to be uninhibited in your expression! You can write every thought that comes into your head, without critiquing it . . . yet. Your first sentence doesn't have to be the perfect introduction to the topic. You don't have to be worried about whether or not something "sounds stupid" yet. You can try out a whimsical tone or a sarcastic tone or a serious tone. You don't have to worry about order yet. You don't even have to worry about grammar yet. You just need to get down on paper every thought/idea that is remotely relevant to the assigned topic. Write first, evaluate later. This is a way of sort of "priming the pump", getting the creative idea juices started.
By the way, though for now some of you may be noticing mainly mistakes of grammar, punctuation, and diction when you edit, the more experience you gain in writing (and in responding to critique), the more you will automatically use correct grammar and mechanics the first time around. Your editorial focus will increasingly become scrutinizing for clarity, for amibiguity that needs to be expunged, and for logical order of expression.
2) When analyzing a piece of imaginative literature, answering the two questions below can be a useful springboard for generating ideas. You do not need to directly answer these questions in your paper, but if you spend some advance time thinking about how the questions apply, you will find yourself with a wealth of fodder for your paper. As you answer these questions, jot down your answers and let them connect in your mind with other knowledge. Don't neglect to draw on your understanding of Biblical theology because as Christians we are to reason concerning all knowledge through the lens of God's revelation.
What are the universal truths about life and human nature that the author conveys?
How does this question apply to your discussion of Aeschylus' solution to the cycle of violence? First of all, define the cycle of violence. Then draw on your outside-the-text knowledge in asking yourself whether the cycle of violence is a universal human experience -- something that can be observed in humanity around the globe and throughout history. Is it something that can be observed in only one level of society -- say, the nuclear family -- or is it prevelant at other levels -- the extended family, institutions like the church, religions, cities, nations? Can you cite illustrations of the cycle of violence from history or other literature?
Now think about Aeschylus' solution to the cycle of violence. Is it effective? Why or why not? What do you think of it in light of Biblical history or theology? Have similar solutions been used at any point in history or in any other cultures? Does 20th century America have a solution to the cycle of violence? How does it compare to Aeschylus'? On the back cover of your book, a blurb by Bernard Levin reads, "Moving from darkness to light, from rage to self-governance, from primitive ritual to civilized institution . . . ". What does this quote tell you about the impact that "Aeschylus' solution" has on a society? Did this solution originate with and belong to Aeschylus, or do you know of it occurring at prior points in history, perhaps in a different culture? Whose idea was it anyway?
These are not all of the directions you could go in applying the question of universal truth and human nature to this particular assignment. I have merely tried to illustrate how you can use this question (which I would advise you to memorize and use for your lifetime) to begin to provoke your thinking on an assigned writing topic. Remember, speaking to every issue I have brought up is not required for this paper.
What motivates each character to do what he does?
The application of this question to The Oresteia is probably quite obvious as the entire plot centers around actions that become motives for reactions. But don't stop there -- be sure to dig deeper with this question, asking yourself what values the particular characters hold dear. What is their standard of right and wrong? What things do they view as duty? What do they mean by justice?
Aristotle said Law was, "the mind unaffected by impulse". What character in The Oresteia embodies this idea, and how? This question does not need to be answered directly in your paper, but is given rather to further stimulate your thoughts.
If you have problems in understanding what is expected of you in this assignment, or if you have suggestions for how this assignment could be improved, please contact Oxford Tutorials.
ESSAY GUIDE # 5 - Narrative Writing - Aristotle On Tragedy
ASSIGNMENT
Write a tragedy following Aristotle's guidelines. Your
story line does not have to be original -- you may "borrow" a story from
literature or real life -- but you must write it according to Aristotle's guidelines for
tragedy.
LENGTH - Please write from 750-1250 words on this topic
ELEMENTS OF NARRATIVE WRITING TO INCLUDE
Be sure to include all of the elements discussed in Paper
Guide #1:
point of view
In addition, please incorporate the use of figurative language into your story. Figurative language enhances the clarity and effectiveness of your writing by vividly picturing your ideas. Mastering figures of speech was a part of the classical system of rhetoric because figurative language makes all writing -- expository, descriptive, narrative, and persuasive -- more effective. You are probably familiar with several figures of speech already, such as:
simile - saying that one thing is like another
You are required to try your hand at figurative language at least three times in your tragedy. You may choose any of the figures of speech listed above, but you must use at least three different figures of speech. In other words, the assignment cannot be fulfilled by using alliteration three times.
** Most common error on this paper
Not following Aristotle's guidelines
If you have problems in understanding what is expected of you in this assignment, or if you have suggestions for how this assignment could be improved, please contact Oxford Tutorials.
ESSAY GUIDE # 6 - Characterization - Plutarch's Lives
ASSIGNMENT
Summarize the life of one of the men in Plutarch's Lives,
showing the nature of the individual's character.
LENGTH
Please write from 750-1000 words on this topic.
TIPS
Make a list of the important actions and behaviors in this
character's life.
What circumstances (time in history, place, culture,
events, people) molded this character's life?
What motivated his behaviors? Make another list.
Now list the person's character qualities - those you
observe as well as those that Plutarch points out.
Compare your lists and assign the appropriate character
quality to each behavior or motive you have listed.
Ask yourself what you can learn about life and human
nature from this man's life.
Notice that Mr. Hinrichs has asked you to show, not to
tell the nature of the individual's character. This means that you must not start
out by giving your reader your conclusion that the character is, say, dishonest, but
rather you must "show" your character repeatedly performing some dishonest deed
so that the reader will conclude on his own that your character is dishonest. Once
you have shown your reader a particular trait you may feel free to refer to it by its
name.
Although characterization often uses the narrative mode of
writing, please use the expository mode for this assignment. You should review Paper
Guides # 2, 3, and 5 for their explanations of exposition and figurative language, which
should be used in all modes of writing, including exposition.
analysis
If you have problems in understanding what is expected of you in this assignment, or if you have suggestions for how this assignment could be improved, please contact Oxford Tutorials.
ESSAY GUIDE # 7 - Argument - Socrates' Trial
ASSIGNMENT
Write a dialogue between two jurors at Socrates' trial in which the jurors explain their reasons for voting either for or against Socrates.
LENGTH
Please write 500-750 words for this assignment.
THE ARGUMENT MODE OF WRITING
The argument mode shares many things in common with the persuasive mode which we focused on in Paper Guide #3, but there is an important distinction. In persuasion, the goal is to win the assent of the audience. In argument, the goal is to uncover truth. While persuasion uses reason combined with appeal to emotions or prejudices to win assent, argument -- the uncovering of truth -- is limited to the use of reason alone. Reasoning is the process by which the mind moves from evidence to conclusion.
THREE TYPES OF REASONING
Reasoning by induction - When we use inductive reasoning,
we accumulate particular evidence and use it form a general conclusion. It is a type of
reasoning that can never be completely conclusive because it requires an inductive leap:
we can never observe all of the possible particulars -- past, present, and future --
therefore our conclusion is only based on probability.
Reasoning by deduction - This is the kind of reasoning used in geometry. It begins with a premise -- a statement that must be self-evident and would not demand proof. This is a more conclusive form of reasoning than inductive reasoning. If the premise is true, then the conclusion will always be true.
Reasoning by analogy - In order for analogy to be a valid form of reasoning, the things compared in the analogy must be similar in important respects and different only in unimportant respects.
Elements of argument you must include
1) Doubt about or conflict over a proposition
A proposition is the declaration of a judgement. In this paper the proposition would either be "Socrates is guilty" or "Socrates is not guilty" .
2) Appeal to reason using data, premises, or evidence
There are two kinds of evidence: facts and interpretation of facts (aka opinion)
3) Inferring the consequence or conclusion from the reasons set forth
If you have problems in understanding what is expected
of you in this assignment, or if you have suggestions for how this assignment could be
improved, please contact Peggy Ahern at mahern@gj.net
CHECKLIST - BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR PAPER
Try choosing names for your characters that
meaningfully reflect their character. For example, if one of your characters is a
blockhead that will never change his mind, name him Meno (Greek for "I stand").
Another nice Greek literary device to considering using is the introduction
of your dialogue with a word that somehow reflects its general theme. For example,
remember how the Iliad begins with the word "Rage".
For more on writing in the argumentative/persuasive mode, including exercises, see the
following Paradigm Online Writing Assistant handout:
http://www.spaceland.org/paradigm/argufrms.htm
Purdue University has a good hondout on logic in
argumentative writing:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/Files/123.html
If you have problems in understanding what is expected of you in this assignment, or if you have suggestions for how this assignment could be improved, please contact Oxford Tutorials.
Formatting:
Please head your papers as follows:
George Goody
Title (every paper must have a title!)
The body of the paper should begin here and should be in block paragraph form. This means that you will not indent at the beginning of paragraphs, but will instead be sure to hit "enter" twice at the end of your paragraphs so that a line is skipped between paragraphs.
Just to make sure you understand visually how your paper should look, I'll begin this paragraph. But remember, in most expository writing, each paragraph should have at least three sentences.
Due dates:
Regardless of whether your class meets on Thursday or
Friday, your paper is due in to Dr. Lund by Friday midnight Pacific time of the week the
paper is due.
Late papers:
Papers arriving in Dr. Lund's inbox after Friday midnight of the due date will be noted as late. Papers arriving more than one week late will not be critiqued.
Paper Length:
For Oxford Tutorial purposes, one page will equal 250 words. We will not be hardline, but if an assignment says 1-3 pages, aim to keep it within those parameters, and certainly don't turn in a paper under 230 words or over 900 words.
Critiques:
If you would like comments beyond what Dr. Lund gives you on your writing, try the following link:
Bemidji State University online commenting
http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/wrc/liveWire.html
One of the aims of the Great Books Tutorial is to give
you guidance in
analyzing the literature that you are reading. It is
hoped that as you
progress through the tutorials, you will show increasing
evidence of
analytical skills both in your contribution to class
discussions and in your written compositions.
A common weakness in GBT essays is a lack of analysis by the students.
Below are some ideas gleaned from Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren's How to
Read a Book and applied to the GBT.
Imaginative Readings
The readings for the entire first semester - Homer,
Aeschylus, and
Sophocles -consist of imaginative literature.
Primarily, you are to enjoy
your reading of imaginative literature, and to appreciate
its beauty.
However, the more mature mind will be expected to go
beyond the mere
enjoyment of the work and begin to analyze it - to break
it down into the
parts that make it up in order to better understand the
author's meaning.
In reading this literature, remember that the author's
intent is not just
to tell you about an experience, but to convey the
experience directly by
appealing to your senses and imagination. To evoke
experience, the writer
makes heavy use of impression, suggestion, imagery, and
implication - all
subtle and indirect devices.
As you read these works of literature, you can begin to
analyze by paying
attention to devices the author has used to quicken your
imagination, and
by noticing the characters as they develop - their
thoughts, feelings,
actions, what they say, their responses to each other and
to circumstances. Try to live in each character's world and understand why he does what he
does. What truths about life and human nature is the author trying to convey?
It will also help in your analysis of this
literature if you have an understanding of the
following terms often used in literary criticism to define the devices by which an author communicates directly with
your senses and imaginations.
| metaphor | imagery |
| simile | symbol |
| tone | allusion |
| connotation | figurative language |
| denotation | hyperbole |
| foreshadowing | inference |
| irony | paradox |
Non-Imaginative Readings
In the later GBT I readings which deal with history,
philosophy,
government, and theology - Aristotle, Plutarch, Herodotus,
Plato, and
Clement - each author's intent is to communicate
knowledge, ideas, and
moral perspective with clarity and precision.
Consequently, in reading
these works you will be employing your mind's more
intellectual faculties as opposed to having your senses directly affected by what you are
reading. In analyzing these readings, look for the ideas that drive the author's thinking.
Be sure to follow his train of thought carefully.
For more helpful information on analyzing a text, click
on the following links to Harvard University's Writing Center:
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/analysis.html
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/critresp.html
From the University of Texas on Reading Literature and
Writing an Analysis of Literature:
http://uwc-server.fac.utexas.edu/handouts/reading.html
From Texas A & M on analyzing and writing about
literature:
http://www-english.tamu.edu/wcenter/lit.html
"But writing is soooo hard. . ."
Yup. No pain, no gain. Writing is hard because thinking is hard, and most of us have flabby, undisciplined minds. Think about the following things, and then tackle the acquisition of writing skills with the gusto of an athelete in training for the Gold Medal.
1) Writing comes from thinking. The process of writing forces us to come to terms with our understanding of the subject matter we are writing about.
Often times we think we have a clear
understanding of something until we
are in a position of having to put it into words. "I
know what I mean; I just can't think of how to say it" is somewhat of a self-deluded
statement.
2) Writing can be a means to training the mind to think. As Neil Postman points out, writing fixes our thoughts on paper and gives them a permanency that allows us and our audience to scrutinize our thinking for its organization, rationality, accuracy, coherence, and clarity. In affording the opportunity for examining one's own thinking processes, writing becomes a tool for training the mind to disciplined habits of propositional thought.
3) Refined, precise writing is a practical application
of logic and
rhetoric to one's understanding of the world of ideas, and
gives one the
opportunity to make one's own contribution to the great
conversation.
There are scads of resources available on the internet for improving writing skills. Many universities have "Writing Centers" and those Writing Centers have online handouts on specific areas of writing -- everything from commas and punctuation to rhetoric to peer review. Below is a list of some links to get you started:
Here is an excellent guide to editing your work,
including grammar and spelling:
http://www.spaceland.org/paradigm/editfrms.htm
In critiquing last year's papers, I noted that almost
all students, even the good writers, have problems with comma usage. Check out this link
for a brief synopsis of when to use commas:
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/comma.html
If you think your vocabulary needs work, this looks
like a fun site:
http://www.wordfocus.com/index.html
To read the oft-referred to Elements of Style by
Strunk and White, go to this link:
http://www.cc.columbia.edu:80/acis/bartleby/strunk/
Beimdji State University's "How to Profread and
Edit YOur Own Writing" is very helpful:
http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/wrc/Handouts/ProofAndEdit.html
Here's a good list of helpful transition words and
phrases form Texas A&M:
http://www-english.tamu.edu/wcenter/transition.html
From Paradigm Online Writing Assistant on Revising
Writing:
http://www.spaceland.org/paradigm/revifrms.htm
From Paradigm Online Writing Assistant on Editing
Writing:
http://www.spaceland.org/paradigm/editfrms.htm
From the Bartelby Archives at Columbia University, a wonderful book published in 1908 by H.W. Fowler entitled The King's English:
http://www.columbia.edu/acis/bartleby/fowler/
Please do the following:
1) Read your work aloud. Yes, aloud. You will have the
double check of your eyes and ears to pick up mistakes. If you don't like the sound
of something, change it.
2) Read the paper aloud to someone else. Ask them to stop
you if they hearsomething that doesn't make sense to them, or that sounds awkward.
3) Methodically proceed through this checklist:
Are my facts accurate?
STRUCTURE- Do I have a title that clues the reader in to the focus of my paper?- Does my opening paragraph hook the reader and state main idea?- Do my supporting paragraphs support and give evidence, in clear- flowing order?- Do my closing paragraphs tie together the evidences with the main idea and rephrase the main idea? If you would like further suggestions for paper editing, see some of the links at the bottom of the "But writing is soooo hard. . ." page.
Review of Grammar & Grammatical Terms
A. Parts of Speech
1. Adjective - a word used to modify a noun or pronoun
2. Article - a, an, the
3. Adverb - a word used to modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb
4. Clause - a group of related words which contains both a verb and its subject:
main clause- can stand alone as a simple
sentence, e.g. The Greeks developed democracy.
subordinate clause - cannot stand alone as a
sentence, but only as part of a larger sentence, e.g. what the Greeks developed.
This clause is a noun clause which can function as the subject of a larger
sentence, e.g.: What the Greeks developed was democracy. Other
subordinate clauses are adjective clauses, e.g.: The Greeks, who loved philosophy,
also developed democracy; and adverb clauses, e.g.: Before other ancient cultures did
so, the Greeks developed democracy.
5. Conjunction - a word which connects words, phrases, or clauses:
coordinating conjunctions - connect words,
phrases, or clauses of equal rank ("and, or, but, for, either, neither,
nor," etc.)
subordinating conjunctions - connect
subordinate clauses (see above) with main clauses ("if, although, since, in order
that, as, because, unless, after, before, until, when, whenever, where, while,
wherever," etc.)
6. Conjunctive adverb - an adverb which connects or relates main clauses and thus forms compound sentences ("however, therefore, thus, nevertheless, hence, then, too, besides, also, so, further, moreover, indeed, still, only, thus, consequently, accordingly," etc.)
7. Gerund - a verb form used as a noun and always ending in "-ing" (cf. participles)
8. Infinitive - a verbal noun; a verb form used chiefly as a noun, less frequently as an adjective or an adverb, and usually made up of "to" plus a verb form (e.g.: "To read is a pleasure")
9. Interjection - an exclamation or simple expression of emotion (e.g.: "Whee!, Wow!, Oh!, Ouch! ")
10. Noun: the name of a person, place, thing, quality, or action (e.g.: "Greeks, Romans, truth, courage, Athens, war, attack")
11. Participle - a verbal adjective; a verb form used as an adjective, and ending in "-ing, -ed, -t, or -en" (e.g.: "running, concealed, burnt, seen")
12. Phrase - a group of related words not having a subject and predicate and functioning as a single part of speech within a sentence, e.g.:
verb phrase - "The Greeks have developed."
prepositional phrase - "The Greeks had a
way of their own."
participial phrase - "Hardened though
they were, the Greeks excelled in the pursuit of beauty and truth."
gerund phrase - "Developing democracy
was one the Greeks greatest contributions to future civilizations."
infinitive phrase - "To live a
well-balanced life was a Greek ideal."
13. Predicate - the part of the sentence comprising what is said about the subject, including the verb and its complements and modifiers, e.g.: "The Greeks developed the rule of the people."
14. Preposition - a word used to show the relation of a noun or pronoun to some other word in the sentence (e.g.: "with, in, by, into, to, at, behind, between, over, under, of," etc.)
15. Pronoun - a word used as a substitute for a noun, e.g.:
personal - "I, me, you, he, she, him,
her"
interrogative - "who?, which?, what?"
relative - "who, which, that"
demonstrative - "this, that, these,
those"
indefinite - "one, any, all, each, either,
some, every"
reciprocal - "each other, one
another"
reflexive - "myself, yourself, oneself,
himself, herself"
possessive - "my, yours, whose, mine,
theirs, ours"
16. Sentence - an independent unit of expression consisting of a word, or group of words, which: state, ask, command, request, or exclaim something, and usually containing a subject and predicate. Beginning with a capital letter, a sentence ends with some form of punctuation (a period, question mark, exclamation point, or points of suspension...)
17. Subject - a noun or noun substitute about which something is asserted or asked; the subject usually precedes the predicate (see above) and answers the question Who? or What?
18. Verb - a word or group of words used to assert action or existence; to make a statement; ask a question; or give a command or direction
SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION
1. Simple sentence - consists of one main clause (a group of related words which contains both a verb and its subject) and no subordinate clause (see above: "clause"), e.g.: "The Greeks developed democracy."
2. Compound sentence - consists of two or more main clauses and no subordinate clause, e.g.: "The Greeks developed the rule of the people, but they were not the only ancient culture to do so."
3. Complex sentence - consists of one main clause and one or more subordinate clause, e.g.: "The Greeks developed the rule of the people before other ancient cultures."
4. Compound-complex sentence - consists of two or main clauses and one or more subordinate clause, e.g. "The Greeks developed the rule of the people before other ancient cultures, but they were not the only ancient culture to do so."
VERBS
1. Verb tenses
present tense - "The Greek language survives."
past tense - "The Greek language ruled
the world."
future tense - "The Greek language will
thrive."
present perfect - "The Greek
language has survived."
past perfect - "The Greek language had
ruled the world."
future perfect - "The Greek language
shall have conquered."
2. Verb moods
indicative mood - states a fact or asks a
question
subjunctive mood - expresses a possibility,
wish, or desire
imperative mood - expresses a command
3. Verb voices
active voice - the subject performs the
action, rather than being acted upon
passive voice - the subject is acted
upon, rather than performing the action
1. Subject alone The Greeks developed rule by the people.
2. Adjective and subject The ancient Greeks developed democracy.
3. Adverb before subject Gloriously the Greeks developed democracy.
4. Prepositional phrase Before other ancient cultures, the Greeks developed democracy.
5. Infinitive To rule by common vote was a concept developed by the Greeks.
6. Gerund Ruling by the people was a concept developed by the Greeks.
7. Postponed subjects Above all other cultures it is democracy that was developed by the Greeks.
8. Conjunction But/Moreover/Therefore/ConsequentlyHowever, it was the ancient Greeks who developed rule by the people.
9. Noun clause What the Greeks developed in a unique way was the rule by the people.
10. Verb Developed by the Greeks above all other cultures was the rule of law.