A.P. Lit Is Evaluating: February 6, 2015

Focus: What kind of work do our critical review essays need?

1. Playing a little warm-up game:

Paraphrasing, analysis, or evaluation? You be the judge!

Passage 1:
Edgar’s grandfather commits to breeding dogs, attempting to create his own breed, a clan known as “Sawtelle Dogs,” and easily discernible by the eyes.

Passage 2:
The dog was more than a pet; he was a brother. When Gar finds himself drunkenly shooting his “brother” it tears him apart and scars him for life.  When the reality of his actions sink in, Gar is unable to face the world and his family, as he finally grows to understand the meaning of life.

Passage 3:
When learning how to train his own litter of dogs, Edgar realizes that “the intelligence factor of an animal can only be discovered through their eyes, as their English is as silent as Edgar” (Wroblewski 120).  And so, the definition of understanding continues as the correlation and connection between Edgar and the Sawtelle dogs is made apparent.  The dogs appreciate Edgar’s silence, as he communicates like them, through his movements and eyes.

Passage 4:
Wroblewski invites his to readers to connect deeply to his characters. As the novel logically unfolds, the events appear to be further climactic, the themes increasingly relevant, the realizations realistically believable, all due to power of the characters. Through Wroblewski's plausible dialogue and frequent personification, dogs turn into our companions, and along with Edgar, we feel a close tie with the Sawtelle Dogs.

2. Peer or self editing the critical review: Click HERE for the slides of enlightenment!

3. Trying out SAS Writing Reviser (also linked to our class website)

4. Drafting, drafting, drafting

HW:
1. Because of the critical review, we will not be discussing Beloved for a week. By next Wednesday, you will need to finish all of Part 2. I will warn you that the next few chapters are structurally experimental (aka, tough to understand).

2. Friday will be draft day: If you have a draft going, you'll get more out of the editing. However, if you're stuck, use Friday simply to start.

3. I'm extending the due date of your next poetry response since you already have a big essay due Monday.  You may have all the way until next Tuesday, Feb 17 to complete this poetry response.