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A PDF article about a theme from Canterbury (specifically the Franklin's Tale). a. Identify the author's purpose b. Critique the effectiveness of the organizational pattern or structure of argument. Address all of the following: logic, focus, consistency, coherence, c. Evaluate the evidence that is provided to support the author's perspective. In your opinion, does this evidence help or hinder the author's case? Is enough evidence provided? Is the evidence provided typical or a rare case? d. What conclusions are reached by the author? e. What biases, beliefs, and assumptions may contribute to the author's purpose or conclusions? f. What are the author's implicit (unstated) and/or explicit (stated) assumptions about this subject? How do you know this? Answer these questions, or simplify: 1. What is the argument? 2. What is the evidence? 3. What are your thoughts on this? 4. What are some quotes you would want to use as support or to argue against in your paper?

Branislav L. Slantchev's purpose of discussing Eiji Yoshikawa's, Taiko, is to relate this work to Yoshikawa's more popular title, Musashi, and to also show the few faults Yoshikawa has made in his writing. Slantchev's opinion is that since so few people know of Yoshikawa, those who are familiar will become enthralled and find his work flawless. Slantchev is one of the few to finally go against the majority critical opinion and voice his personal issues with Yoshikawa. The article begins with a general summary of Taiko with an explanation of the tale as one that is about bringing "prosperity to the ravaged land is an inspiring, if bloody, tale of courage, imagination, and political intrigue." This statement already sets up the beginning with the multiple literary similarities between Taiko and Musashi. The article even discusses the "historical reality" still being "fictionalized." Nevertheless, Slantchev still continues to praise Yoshikawa when speaking of the engaging narrative and attention to battles until he reaches the character development. Slantchev argues, "Hideyoshi is so likable, he appears terribly one-dimensional." This statement is supported by the fact that even though the main character, Hideyoshi, has a "monkey face" he is still able to have success when it comes to the opposite sex. Slantchev recommends many other novels that would actually contain a more balanced point of view. Ultimately, Slantchev still ties his argument back to how Yoshikawa is still a stunning author that has the ability to write a complex mixture of "loyalty, honor, calculation, and greed that is bound to baffle the foreigner." There is a perfect consistency of admiration as well as points of dissatisfaction within the article. Thorough evidence is provided for all of the arguments made. Slantchev does appear to possess a slight bias in writing his article, as he occasionally slants his writing in comparing Taiko to Musashi almost too often. Al

As the title suggests, "Oscar Wilde: Aesthetics and Criticism" focuses on a very important subject in Oscar Wilde's books: the purpose of art. During this time, Wilde was a very avid supporter of Aestheticism, which was the idea that art had no other purpose than being beautiful. This criticism is one that also highlights the works that Wilde has done that focuses on Aestheticism, such as "The Picture of Dorian Gray", "The Portrait of W.H", "The Decay of Lying", "The Critic as Artist", etc. It also enforces the fact that all of Wilde's works are intertwined, and work towards the goal of promoting aestheticism. Also, this criticism backs up Wilde's argument that "art in its highest form is something more and other than a mere reflection of the natural world" and praises Wilde, saying that he holds a "prominent place…in our cultural landscape to this day." After all, we see his words and influence everywhere, whether it be on cards or in movies. Wilde truly was the face of the Aesthetic movement, and continues to be so through his one and only novel ("The Picture of Dorian Gray") and other short works.

Argument: John Steinbeck's Tortilla Flat is a nihilistic novel filled with loneliness and death. The paisanos have destruction following them one step at a time and believe in a God that only brings more destruction to their lives. Fire from a holy candle burned down one home, and the irresponsible personalities of each paisano ultimately ruined the second house along with the relationships that were contained inside it. Evidence: "The people of Tortilla Flat melted into the darkness. Danny's friends still stood looking at the smoking ruin. They looked at one another strangely, and then back to the burned house. And after a while they turned and walked slowly away, and no two walked together" "The paisanos start to put out the accidental fire but then, "struck with a celestial thought," let the house burn, looking at each other and smiling "the wise smiles of the deathless and hopeless ones." "Ah the prayers of the millions, how they must fight and destroy each other on their way to the throne of God." "In the sky, saints and martyrs looked on with set and unforgiving faces. The candle was blessed. It belonged to Saint Francis. Saint Francis will have a big candle in its place tonight." Thoughts: The author, Bethea made several solid points during her analysis. She had a high amount of direct quotes from the novel along with quotes from past criticisms. She organized her thoughts very efficiently and in an easy to understand format. I do not agree with her belief on all the men burning the second house down after their friend died as a way of ending the group friendship. I think the companionship between the men was very close knit however after Danny died they payed their respects to him by letting his home pass away with him. Danny allowed each paisano stay at his home for free, therefore once he died the house had the right to die as well, as respect to Danny from his fellow room mates.

This article tells you a little more about the author and also some about the story of The Almost Moon. It show how the main character has to deal with her mothers sickness after her fathers death and that leads her to the action that she does which is killing her mother. Unlike in Lovely bones how someones actions leads to people having to cope with the situation at hand but in The Almost Moon the main character having to cope with her mothers illness leads her to take action

AP Literature Analysis 3 Although George Bernard Shaw had the standing of a classic dramatist, people still question how good he truly was. This is in fact the purpose of the author writing this criticism. Morgan wanted to look into Shaw's work to see if he was justly able to have that prestigious standing. The critique was very well written, and supported the argument throughout. To back up her argument Morgan referred to not only his great works, but also situations in his life that shaped his writing. The author uses substantial evidence in order to support Shaw's standing. In his works Shaw focused on marriage, genius, and class distinctions. He wrote about these things in a satiric way in order to show society during that time period. And when he was unable to keep people interested, he changed the way he wrote by adding more of a comedic element to his work. The author of this criticism concludes that Shaw did in fact deserve that prestigious title, and he was in fact an amazing writer. She shows this by describing how he was able to change his work when he needed to appeal to his audience. Morgan also points out how Shaw put heartrending human emotions in the center of all of his plays. His plays showed the pure grain of true feelings amongst the irrationalities. Morgan states "…Shaw's comedic brilliance and his geniality tend to enliven the mind and break down prejudice". Morgan may in fact be a fan of the Great Shaw's works making it very easy for her to see Shaw as a classic dramatist.

Argument: John Stinson suggests that through allusion Anthony Burgess displays different facets of himself throughout his novels. Stinson focuses on three of Burgess' works centering on how his identification with other artists allows him to confront his own contradictions as an artist. Stinson also argues that Burgess' use of an alter-ego gives him an outlet of manageability in his own life. Evidence:"...alike in their evident feeling that the novel of a consistent tone, moving through a recognized and restricted cycle of emotional keys was outdated . . . their attempt has been to combine the violent and the absurd, the grotesque and the romantic, the farcical and the horrific within a single novel" (Amis).  "What hurts me . . . is the allegation . . . that there is a gratuitous indulgence in violence which turns an intended homiletic work into a pornographic one" (Burgess). "The artist's desire to reconcile the apparent opposites is, somewhat paradoxically, often what provides the motive force for his art, but it also makes his personal life very difficult" (Stinson). Thoughts: Stinson offers a unique view on Burgess' writing style and use of allusion. By focusing on Burgess' lesser known works (known being A Clockwork Orange) he gives a greater sense of the writer's analogy between his own life and his artist persona. Stinson achieves his assertions in a clear and logical manner, first denoting Burgess' relationship with the artist, then by providing examples from three of Burgess' works.

The author John Iverson main purpose of writing the paper was to show how much O'Neil revealed about himself in The Iceman Cometh. Each character Parritt, Hickey and Slade represented Id, Ego, Super Ego about O'Neil. John Iverson quickly went to each point of Id, Ego, and Super Ego in a logical and organized theme. He stayed focused at the point at hand. Every tad bit that the author adds supports his views of how the characters in the play are pieces of O'Neil. There is clearly enough evidence in the paper to support the author. This evidence used is typical. The main conclusion the author is trying to portray is that the three characters represent O'Neill's Oedipus complex. The character Don Parritt represents the ID, Hickey the Ego, and Slade the Super Ego. Iverson bases the information given from the great psychologist Sigmund Freud who believes in the Oedipus complex. Freud believed that all people have a Oedipus complex that shows the internal desires and external conflicts that relate to their parents. O'Neill at the time had a bad relationship with his mother due to her abuse of morphine. The author does not correlate with the subject on a personal basis. Nowhere does it state how the author felt or interfered his own life about the conclusion.

In what is known as one of Beckett's most infamous works, it appears that what occurs on stage and even between the actors and audience is a game. In his review of the work, Atkinson boldly claims that it was "Impressive in the macabre intensity of the mood", making it a close contender with Beckett's "Waiting for Godot". While the argument of the article may not be relatively easy to pick up, upon closer inspection of the critique it may seem as if Atkinson has no opinion on the matter due to the highly interpretive and almost incomprehensible manner in which Beckett's works are put forth. Atkinson even states "Don't expect this column to give a coherent account of what--if anything-- happens. Almost nothing happens in the sense of action." So what exactly can be said about the work? Clearly Beckett has found a knack in creating a feeling of nothing, in "Endgame" as well as in "Waiting for Godot", the settings are never clearly described, and what little details are given out may in fact be seen in infinite number of ways. For example the author, Atkinson, has seen the other works of Beckett before reviewing his latest, this article being published the day after the debut in new york on Jan. 29, 1958, which would indeed give him a bias as to how he would experience the work. If someone were to review the play who had never seen anything of Beckett's before, it may be almost certain that most of what is said would be confusion, and misunderstanding about the purpose of the play. I feel that Atkinson, having had the experience, accurately portrays the works in his article/review. Beckett is a modern writer who plays out work in an old style. His two plays mentioned before are both considered comedies, but not in the laugh out loud sense, but the classical interpretation of what comedies where meant to be. Yet still creating an almost post- apocalyptic environment while maintaining an elevated psychological approach to the viewing experience.

Argument: The references to western culture and the similarities as well as the differences between Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker and Gravity Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon. During an interview Alice Walker made a comment that said, "Why would they want to?" in regards to "Why write a novel like the one Pynchon wrote? ". Walker refers to her book as "a romance of the last 500,000 years" when according to Adam (writer of the literary criticism) Walker's novel has the "ambition" of Pynchon text. Throughout the text, Adam uses quotes from Walker's novel to relate it to Pynchon's. His purpose for writing this literary criticism was to judge or prove to the public that Walker's novel is in fact similar the Pynchon's. Also, he writes about the difference they have in social views towards the government, and the culture of families. Evidence: "Walker has in common with Pynchon and Wallace a sweeping distrust of the current political, religious, and economic systems of domination prevalent in the world" (Adam). "The world view of The Temple of My Familiar also differs from that of Gravity's Rainbow and many other postmodern texts in its belief in the power of the spiritual to redeem and nourish, even in the midst of oppression and tragedy" (Adam). "Another difference between Walker's novel and Gravity's Rainbow is its concern with communal relationships. Families, tribes, and cultures are of primary importance to the novel, both in the ways that they support the various characters and in the ways in which the characters choose to perpetuate them" (Adam).

TIME Magazine's "Books: The Strength of One" draws similarities between Kesey's McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Hank Stamper from Sometimes a Great Notion. Both characters possess strength not often seen in one person and characteristics that could categorize them as antiheros. They are rough and tough and seek to stand up against what the feel is wrong and will use force to do so. This article presents the theme of Sometimes a Great Notion to be "the weakness of the strong and the persistent tensility of the weak". The townspeople within the novel can't stand to see Stamper win in the final "battle", but they are confused when he begins to lose. Kesey understands that intolerable as a good man may be to men, his defeat is even more so. This is the major paradox presented within the novel and explains the prominence of strength captured in both books. This article presents strong ideas that are tied in with the plot very well, however the author did not include quotes, which would have provided more support for the conclusions. The connections to the author included in the article suggest that the author has thorough knowledge into Kesey's background and his motives for writing each novel. It was almost as if the author was in Kesey's mind while writing this piece. The author drew parallels between Kesey's works and Greek mythology that posed interesting thoughts for the reader. Overall, Ken Kesey's ideas are transferred well in this article and are analyzed with a fresh outlook.

Argument: Coupland uses noteworthy pop-culture to name and create his novel Girlfriend in a Coma. The Smiths' a popular band of the '80s was the reason behind the books title while Karen Ann Quinlan was the true reason the teenage girl in the book who slipped into a coma was also ironically named Karen. Starting with the basics Coupland constructed Girlfriend in a Coma to mean more than what was put on the surface. The turning point of Coupland's career as a serious author blossomed after he successfully published Girlfriend in a Coma, a dark and daring book that involves post-apocalyptic events. Difficult overbearing situations was what fascinated Coupland and was one of the main influential reasons Coupland wrote the novel Girlfriend in a Coma; the thrill of watching teenagers and later on adults survive in a world where their only worry was to find their true purpose on Earth. Evidence: "On the surface, the book seems vintage Coupland, taking a cue from pop-culture icons like Karen Ann Quinlan, the New Jersey teenager who spent 10 years in a coma before dying in 1985, and The Smiths, the quintessential band of '80s disaffection from whose song the book takes its title." ". And yet, Girlfriend in a Coma is Coupland's most audacious novel to date, and it marks something of a watershed in his career." "Sitting in a posh Toronto hotel lounge sipping coffee, Coupland struggles to find words to describe the genesis of Girlfriend in a Coma. "It's so weird to talk about this out loud," he says. But eventually, between frequent changes of subject, he remembers that it began with a quote from novelist Thomas Pynchon. "He said the way young people deal with the overwhelming-ness of existence--I'm paraphrasing--is through time travel or sleep," Coupland says. "So what I wanted to do was present sleep and time travel, and the coma as the embodiment of both." "Then there was his fascination with Karen Ann Quinlan. "I just remember in the '70s, every

Argument:As Clark started developing more mystery novels in the 1970's, she became more successful and found her strength in writing.  Claim:Edward D. Hoch states that Clark's form of mystery is not simple murder or crime cases, but rather suspenseful plot lines that keep the tone of the book like something that cannot be put down. Hoch also claims that Clark's use of characters and victims that are somewhat related to real life people bring a different atmosphere to the novel. Clark's use of a heroine throughout her characters brings in an audience of women, and allows her books to be more successful with this specific audience.  Evidence: "But it is the suspense rather than the mystery that makes the book so compulsively readable."  "The idea of children in jeopardy strikes a responsive chord with women readers.." "The plot and its motivation are somewhat reminiscent of the sort of hospital thrillers Robin Cook excels at, but clark produces a few new twists of her own." "The story of a young woman who marries a man without really knowing him, and then goes off to live in an isolated house, is one of the classic themes of fiction." 

Argument: Dexter Filkins, of the New York Times Book Review, delivers a tough critique of Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer. Filkins believes that "This would have been a better book had it been a hundred pages shorter." Claim: Much of the background about Pat Tillman's life is unnecessary. Also, the tiny details that Krakauer recounts are "banal and inconsequential." Evidence: "Tillman doesn't arrive in Afghanistan until Page 230." The book is supposed to be about the death of Pat Tillman, and the ensuing cover-up, but Krakauer talks too much about Tillman's early life and the NFL. However, once Tillman reaches Afghanistan and Krakauer starts telling the story he promised, the book takes a turn for the better. Filkins writes "The death of Tillman is handled deftly" and that "Krakauer performs a valuable service by bringing them [facts] all together". http://go.galegroup.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/ps/i.do?id=GALE|A207732676&v=2.1&u=chandler_main&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w

The Kite Runner Analysis Phillip Spires's purpose in his analysis is to examine how The Kite Runner's drama is important to the story that involves, informs, and enlightens the reader. He does a great job of keeping his focus on how Khaled can master a technique that many other writers can't, thus changing how his writing is viewed. His analysis is consistency and coherence is backed up by background from the book. The evidence he uses helps his case because it gives the reader of this analysis some background into what he is trying to prove. For instance, when he is talking about the changes in Afghanistan, "war dominated by the Taliban. Amir tries to uncover his past…his personal experience becomes both painful, taxing and trying." This is the drama that Spires addresses that enlightens the reader. There is plenty of evidence to make his case and prove his purpose. The evidence provided is typical because it helps make sure the purpose is understandable and he uses paraphrased passages in his analysis. Such as "with the arrival of the Russian, part of Amir's family flees to the United States, Amir along with them." Allowing him to conclude that it is a book that will take you on a journey. His beliefs are that he has been on many journeys himself that help contribute to allowing him to analyze the journey within this book. The implicit assumption is that he wants to be as great as Khaled in his writings. The explicit assumption is that he likes to write about journey just drawing the idea from the title of his book.

Roxanne Llamzon writes about the main idea of the play An Enemy of The People and the meaning behind Ibsen's writings and the real meanings behind his work. Llamzon says, "In An Enemy of the People, he shows the tyranny of the majority. The majority is seen as a "tyrant" because the leaders of society are afraid to do what is right since they are the people's mercy." This means that I should look for quotes about how Ibsen targets leaders of a society and the political system in the play, as this is his real purpose in writing the play. Llamzon directly states that Ibsen's opinion on these political leaders are is that to them "the idea and threat of the majority keeps [them] from acting honestly." This relates to our society and the way that the officials that are elected do not do what they think is the right thing, but rather what will get them re-elected and popular among those who voted for them. Roxanne Llamzon says that Henrik Ibsen's writings are devoted to the purpose of getting this point across, as it is the motivation behind the plays that he writes.

In Laszlo K. Géfin's criticism of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Géfin explores the satirical elements which lie beneath the characters in Kesey's novel. Géfin focuses his ideas on the Big Nurse, who captures the archetypal monstrous, castrating woman. Some saw the novel as an "Oedipal family romance", named for the mythological king Oedipus, who killed his father and married his mother, which captures several dark elements. The Big Nurse represents the bad mother, McMurphy is the good father, and the mental patients are the children. Others suggest that Kesey's ideas are a reflection of the male fear turned aggression of the Eisenhower era. Either way, family dynamics can be found within One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. This article makes it evident that the Big Nurse's character has been and will continue to be interpreted differently from person to person. The clearest idea that Géfin communicated was that the character of the Big Nurse should not be interpreted literally. It is vital to understand that these characters were created from a man's viewpoint because Kesey's ideas were translated through the Big Nurse. This is why feminist critics often try to downplay the menacing aspects of her character. This article was written quite awhile ago, so many of the media references are a bit outdated, although still applicable. Géfin most likely possesses similar views as Kesey as he was defending the nature of Kesey's characters. According to Géfin, Kesey's Big Nurse is another classic archetypal woman in literature, which will continue to influence further works.