A Topic Proposal for The Handmaid's Tale

ENG 102
Topic Proposal
Jennifer McFarland

The Handmaid’s Tale
I really feel like I am going to lean towards Margaret Atwood’s feelings and perception of why she would write a story like this. Did maybe something go on in her life that inspired her to write the book? Did something or someone she knew help inspire her? These are just a couple of the questions I have had while I was reading the book. I would have to say my guiding question I am going to be asking myself is: What has inspired her, if anything, to write this book? I am going to take some time and read into her past and see if anything is there that shows. I want to look into the times of when this book took place and the events that were going on.
I am planning on looking into her biography and her back ground to see if any of the events in this book have anything to do with her. I would also like to look into the events, the historical back ground, when the events in this book occurred. This book is so detailed and emotional that this is why this book makes for such a great study.
I feel that if I research her back ground as well as the historical events that went on during this time will help me to better understand what is going on and why. I feel that this would help conclude and close any questions I have on the reading of this book. I had a good time reading it.

http://www.poemhunter.com/margaret-atwood/

Picture URL: http://schol.wordpress.com/2007/11/12/the-handmaids-tale-narrative-structure/

Thesis Statement

ENG 102
Thesis Statements
Tim O’Brien

Identify the weak thesis statement:

1.I’m going to write about Darwin’s concerns with evolution in The Origin of the Species.

-Or-

3.Darwin’s concern with survival of the fittest in The Origin of the Species leads him to neglect a potentially conflicting aspect of his theory of evolution-survival as a matter of interdependence.

An important part of one’s college education is learning to better understand others’ points of view.

-Or-

4.Although an important part of one’s college education is learning to better understand others’ points of view a persistent danger is that the students will simply be required to substitute the teacher’s answers for the ones they grew up uncritically believing.

By inventing terms, such as “loose fit” and “relaxed fit”, the jean industry has attempted to normalize, even glorify, its product for an older and fatter generation.

-or-

2.The jeans industry targets its advertisements to appeal to young adults.

Othello is a play about love and jealousy.

-or-

5. Although Othello appears to attack jealousy, it also supports the skepticism of the jealous characters over the naïvete of the lovers.

The songs of the punk rock group Minor Threat relate to the Feelings of individuals who dare to be different. Their songs are just composed of pure emotion. Pure emotion is very important in music, because it serves as a vehicle to convey the important message of individuality. Minor Threat’s songs are meaningful to me because I can identify with them.
-or-
The punk rock group Minor Threat uses emotional lyrics to appeal to their target audience, which considers itself individualistic and therefore the lyrics must convey a message of individuality.


My Chosen Sentence: I chose the sentence; “I’m going to write about Darwin’s concerns with evolution in The Origin of the Species.” Right away we already know what we are reading in your paper, so there is no need to explain what you are about to write about again. A thesis statement needs to have detail about the subject and an argument able theory to back it up. A thesis is the way to set up your paper to allow the reader an insight of your opinions as well as the facts that are in the story. This allows the reader to have their own judgments and then compare them to the writer’s.
My Thesis Statement: Among the many short stories that O’Brien gives us as readers, he shows you in mind and emotions what it is like out there fighting that war. Each page you read keeps you wanting more and at the same time you feel like you are on that battle field with him, you just want to put the book aside. He allows you to go into the depths of a true war story and truths behind each of these stories.

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/thesis.html

Article Search

Library Article Search

.">Timmermen, John. "Tim O'Brien and the Art of the True War Story: "Night March" and "Speaking of Courage"." Hofstra University 46.1 (2000): pp 100-114. Web. 25 Oct 2010. .

This article is of good choice due to the critism and truthfulness in this war and the stories about it. This article is describing the many different angles of war. This article captures all the different angles wars is thought. It also captures the many perspectives people have on war not only from the outside, but from the inside looking out. I feel this article is full of good information about Tim O’Brien and his fictional/true war stories. It also introduces some of his other work that also pertains to war and the many emotions expressed. This article has allowed me to learn more about O’brien and why he writes the way he does and I believe it will help me in making my paper more informational. I found this article using JSTOR literary article search.


Smith, Jack. "The things he carries." Kalmback Publishing Company. Boston 2010 123.7: pg 16 5pp. Print.

This is an article about an interview on Tim O’Brien’s life and why he writes his novels the way he does. He talks about how war is to him and the many different details that are involved. A lot of it is back talking about the Vietnam war and the events that took place around that time. I found my article on the Proquest search. I like this search engine because there articles updated on the search regularly and gives good information. I believe this article will help in my paper as well as give me a better understanding of who Tim O’Brien is and his thoughts.

Midterm Letter

Midterm Letter
ENG 102
Oct 17, 2010



Dear Laura Darrow,



My experience in English 102 so far has been an interesting ride. I have learned a great deal of new ways of studying, reading, and handling information. I have felt like my biggest challenge in this class has been literary analysis. This is a whole new experience for me. My biggest success in this class has been the feeling of wanting to keep giving my best at my assignments. I have enjoyed reading the books.


While spending this time reading the stories of war, I have a different respect for those who have fought for our country. These books have given me a greater understanding of war and what is involved in it. The stories were dramatic and vivid. I felt like they were in the same room with me. This is my first time trying literary analysis; all my other English classes have only been research and summarizing. This has been a very enjoyable, educational class.


Some of my goals are to improve my ability in literary analysis, my reading ability, and my efforts in my assignments. I would like to go above and beyond what my norm is. I want to set a goal of a better grade letter and push myself to do my best and beyond. I have always had a little trouble in English and I want to have more confidence in the papers I write.



Sincerely Yours,

Jennifer McFarland

Summary vs. Anaylsis

Summary vs. Analysis Blog Post
“On The Rainy River” by Tim O’Brien

Summary- “On the Rainy River” started out with Tim talking about himself being a twenty-one year old in 1968 just graduated college and had a full ride scholarship to a University when they were drafting men for war and he receives his letter. He spoke of his family, his life, and his job. The day that he got his draft letter, he went into a downward mind spiral of his life and how he was not ready to go to war. He spends a few days contemplating running to the Canada border so he doesn’t have to go to war, but he doesn’t want to hurt his family either. A couple of days go by and he spends some time talking about his job at the pig plant. He goes into great detail of his emotions and thoughts towards war and his life he is trying to live.
He then suddenly gets a weird feeling in his stomach, leaves his job, packs his bags, and drives towards Canada. He spends a couple days driving then comes to some cabins and decides to stop there. He meets a man that runs the place that has a silent, but comforting array about him. He spends the next six days with this man at the cabins and while going through the roller coaster of emotions and thoughts about his home and the war, he is pondering the thoughts of the man at the cabins. He wanders each day if the man knows why he is there or what he is really doing. He has thoughts of why the man is so quite in his routine. At the end of his six days the gentleman takes him out on the lake for some fishing, but takes him about twenty miles from the border and he then goes into a mind spin about his life and everyone in it and what he needs to do to make his life right.
Analysis- “On the Rainy River” Tim O’Brien has the biggest decision to make in his life. He is completely opposed to the war and doesn’t want to go, but he also doesn’t want to feel the shame from his family and friends. He takes himself on a mind journey of what he needs to do in his life. The guilt that O’Brien has became heavy on his shoulders and he has to decide. In the end of the story though it leads the reader to an openness of questions to what he feels. The reader is lost in to his thoughts of doing the right thing. In the lines “He was a witness, like God, or like the gods, who look on in absolute silence as we live our lives, as we make our choices or fail to make them.”(O’Brien 57), O’Brien is stating that we as people are watching as if we know what to do, but don’t react to it. He makes his decision to do off to the war.
http://www.lzsally.com/popage.html

Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried"

Response to Tim O’Brien
“The Things They Carried”

Now that I have had the opportunity to read about war, my perspective is completely different. I have always stayed away from war stories because I don’t want to know what war is really about. I have a great deal of respect for all the men and women that go out there to defend our country. After reading the stories, I have a much better understand mentally and visually about what they have to go through each day and night. It’s like it is never ending for them when on the war front. In the story “They Things They Carried”, by Tim O’Brien, the emotions were so real to me that it gave me chills. The bond that these men seem to have grown together is unimaginable to us unless you are there with them. Even though Lieutenant Cross is so in love with this girl Martha, he still has to manage to stay strong and steady for his men. The description of all the items that they carried with them seemed to be never ending as well. To get through each day it seems like they have to put their emotions aside while in battle because that might cause them their life. When one of the men was describing how he cut off the boys dead finger, I couldn’t fathom why someone would do that and have no remorse, but after reading what they are all going through and seeing how tough it is for them when one of their men falls right in front of them, I could understand why. I do believe that it is a good thing that these men and women are willing to go out there and fight for us and their country, because I think if they wouldn’t then we wouldn’t have the freedom we have today. In this chapter, they didn’t only describe what they were carrying, but deeply expressed how their feelings were and how they carried them as well. This was a great way to get the book going and wanting you to read more.
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-03-11/news/vw-490_1_war-stories

Sean Huze's "The Sand Storm"

Sean Huze “The Sand Storm” Response
While reading “The Sand Storm”, I cannot believe the amount of emotion I felt. I cannot imagine, if I had such strong emotions come out, how strong these men’s emotions were during their time there. As I read along, I was able to vividly picture what was going on. I really felt like I lost myself in his descriptive scenes. I have multiple friends that have been overseas to fight in the war and the amount of worry and sadness I have is so deep, but I just try and remind myself they are doing it for their country and are proud to be there for their country. It was wonderful to hear of all the different thoughts and feelings of how the war was perceived to them.
Throughout the play there was a couple of different scenes where the men were describing their thoughts on killing and some more gruesome than others. In the play where CPL WATERS states, “I never took my eyes off of him the whole time I ate. The more he wept and pleaded, the more I enjoyed my meal” (pg. 9). He is showing how he has no regret or sadness to allow this man to suffer as he is dying. I truly believe everyone has a different mindset on when it comes to death and how they handle it. My thoughts about when you take that oath to join the military, you have to have the strength to be put through anything.
For these men that have been on the battle field the life that lay ahead of them will never be the same. This play has definitely given a better understanding of what is going on with the men that have had to go through the tragedy of death and their fallen soldiers to protect our country. In the play they talk about the men’s empty shells, well when the men come out the war zone and back into reality, they are not really ever leaving the zone. They are living the rest of their lives with the visuals and stories of the tragedies that they have just faced.
Works Cited
The Sandstorm: Stories From The Front. By Sean Huze. Directed by David Fofi. The Elephant Asylum Theater, Los Angeles. 29 April 2005.


http://www.alternet.org/world/20358/