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Argument: Joan Hope, in her literary criticism of "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier", makes an assertion that Baeh highlights the complexity of human nature under strenuous conditions. Furthermore, Hope stresses the importance of political discussions on the effects of war on children. Components of Argument: 1) Hope supports her argument by highlighting Baeh's narration technique - helping the reader through story by maintaining the tone of a story teller somewhat distanced from what has happened. Hope also acknowledges the neutral tone in which the story is told which allows the reader to draw his/her own horrific conclusions. 2) Hope's secondary support lies in her recognition of the first person account by a child with little understanding of the reasons for the war. Evidence: 1) "Their conversation shows no compassion for the people they killed and no remorse for their actions" (Hope). 2) "In fact, Baeh's memoir describes a society in so much chaos that it is not clear that even the military leaders have a good understanding of what war is about" (Hope). 3) "In the end, the book gives no evidence that one side had greater moral authority than the other" (Hope). MLA Format (My choice to do this): Hope, Joan. "A Long Way Gone." Magill'S Literary Annual 2008 (2008): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 11 Dec. 2011.

In the literature critique "Dissent, Assent, and the Body in Nineteen Eighty-Four", Naomi Jacobs analyzes how George Orwell groups the public in what is called the 'Body' in order to explain the totalitarian oppression in Oceania. Both utopian and dysutopian empires utilize the collective mind of the public in order to sway opinions, build ignorance and subjugate the masses. Utopian empires aim to build a country where "suffering is minimized and pleasure is maximized" (Jacobs 1) while on the contrary a dysutopian empire maximizes ignorance in order to keep the masses from questioning the totalitarian authority. Jacobs claims that the government in Oceania created by Orwell uses the degradation of the physical body as another way to homogenize the population in hopes of destroying any outliers that may question the government. While a utopia uses the "powers of eroticism to regenerate the [individual]" (Jacobs 4), Oceania undergoes a change towards uniformity where everyone is described as "small, dark and ill-favored" (1984, Orwell 52-53). A dysutopian government suppresses natural human instincts such as lust and desire as a way to break the all desires of humans such as rebellion and reform. Ultimately, Jacobs argues that Orwell builds a dysutopian government through the use of population homogenization and the suppression of human instincts.

Argument: Gurdip Panesar in her article "Mockingbird in Context" argues that "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a rare single work of literature that is said to have attained a mythical status. Claim: Her view on this is that the story seems to "impress people on a deeply human level." She is saying that it has had deep impacts similar to the bible. The message in this book inspired many people and also helped the Black Rights Movement with it's racial conflicts and examples throughout the book. Evidence: " g o es on to n o te that the n o v el c a me in s e c o nd o n ly to the B i b le in o ne r e a d e r s' list of b o o ks that w e re felt to c o n t r i b u te m o st s igni f i c ant ly to i n d i v i d u al p e o p l e 's lives. Mockingbird is o ne of t h o se r e l a t i v e ly r a re s ingle w o r ks of lite r a t u re t h at c an t ruly be s a id to h a ve a t t a i n ed a my t h i c al s t a t u s; it is u l t im a t e ly l a u d ed less for its b r i l l i a n ce in t e rms of l i t e r a ry art t h an for t he w ay in w h i ch it s e ems to i m p r e ss p e o p le on a d e e p ly h u m an l e v e l."

Human behavior is based off of observational studies of matured adults and a need for social heiarchy. As the boys stranded on the island find from living in a previous urban, hiechiarchal society, they cant escape the fate of creating a social pyramid with a central leader. As seen through out history a central ruled has been favored as a political structure to maintain order within the public and is used by Ralph to create a democracy in his group of chior boys. "When an author consciously dramatizes Freudian theory--only the imaginative re-creation of human behavior rather than the sustaining structure of ideas is apparent."(Rosenfield). Rosenfield argues the boys just as all society created a government to enter into a state of comfort and contentment. The purpose of government is to increase the chances of survival as species who live in groups do to reap the most benificial qualities from every member. The new instilled government leads to a change in communication and other social skills created by the children to carry out their entertainment needs and to help the boys stay clear of danger. Rosenfield supports this by stating "Jack's ascendency over the group begins when the children's fears distort the natural objects around them: twigs become creepers, shadows become demons. He serves as a physical manifestation of irrational forces.

Argument: In the literary critique Camus' The Stranger, written by Arthur Scherr, the concept of Meursault's characterization and the misinterpretations that result due to this characterization are discussed. The author discusses and dismisses the various viewpoints of literary scholars in regards to discussing the intellectual competence of the main character. Claims: The author claims that many literary scholars view the existential hero as an "irrational, unintelligent child" due to his inability to emphasize with others and rationalize his own actions. However, Scherr claims that no such correlation between Meursault's irrationality and intelligence exist. More so, the author discusses how Camus actually presents the stranger as an individual of high intelligence, citing interactions Meursault has with other characters as prime examples. Evidence: "Meursault's ephemeral comrade…Raymond Sintes…trusts that Meursault possesses sufficient intellect and verbal acuity to compose a convincing letter for Raymond to send to his unfaithful girlfriend" (Scherr). "Meursault's boss recognizes his abilities and offers him a promotion" (Schell). "Appropriately enough, the last person to remark on Meursault's intelligence is the prosecuting attorney at his trial for murder. 'The prisoner is an educated man,' he tells the jury. 'You havee observed the way in which he answered my questions; he is intelligent and he knows the value of words'" (Scherr).

Argument- The timelessness of Anne Claims- Evidence- 2 sticky notes

Kirsten, make sure to state the claims next time to avoid losing points.

Argument: Rand's creation of her characters and plot elements in such away that she illustrates her ideal world, make the Fountainhead a good novel. Claims: Roark and Dominique are ideal characters. Roark foils Toohey in the sense that his[Roark's] motives are completely selfish, in hopes of him living his life its fullest capacity, while Toohey acts in an altruistic manner to control other. Dominique helps other characters "grow" by destroying them. This is how Roark, Keating, and Wynand grow stronger. Evidence: Analyzations of character's based on their actions and behaviors in the book.

Argument: Both Orwell's nonfiction and fiction works deserve further attention. His novels are able to fully grasp social and political struggles while captivating the audience. Saunder's book makes a convincing argument describing the captivating authors importance. Claim: Clerke acknowledges that many academics including, Orwell himself saw the author of 1984 as a nonfiction writer. Although many of his novels have not been studied, they deserve attention because they capture a character's conflict in a unique light. Character's are brought to life as they share real-world experiences with those living in Orwell's time. His powerful voice as analyzed by Saunder's bring economic, social, and political conflicts to for front of the reader's mind. Evidence: "Orwell was acutely aware of the political connotations of such words and the complex economic and cultural structures they attempted to describe. His use of them shifted as his ideas developed, and it was always shaped by a sensitivity to context" "Saunders's emphasis on artistry enables her to engage with the texture of Orwell's prose, even in this relatively short critical study, and she is at her best in her close readings of specific passages, which expose the varied, often sophisticated methods Orwell employs to achieve particular effects. She is especially illuminating in her analyses of his use of free indirect discourse, and the dangers of identifying the narrative voice with Orwell himself" "insisting that his own voice tended to intrude in his narratives and that he was continually tempted to incorporate accounts of experiences that interested him even when they did not fit the design of a novel"

Argument: Marion Dalvai argues that a Utopia--the perfect society--is a fantasy due to the lack of perfection in the world. The idea to satisfy everyone equally in a society seems impossible and is ridiculed by Orwell. Since Winston is not satisfied, the idea of Emanuel Goldstein seems very appealing to Winston as he wishes to dissent from the party as much as possible. Claim: Orwell explains how a Utopian government fails to appease everyone. The narrator, Winston, is tired of long years of working and the lack of adequate care by the government. Due to this dissatisfaction, Winston relates to Emanuel Goldstein and the Brotherhood and their beliefs and wants to join the resistance. In essence, dissatisfaction in the government will eventually lead to the fall of the government, as seen throughout history, and Utopianism accelerates the process. Evidence: "He finds Goldstein to be an intelligent man with insight and vision; capable of analyzing the historical and social factors that led to the creation of the totalitarian state of Oceania" (Dalvai, 391). "Utopias reflect this inherent ambiguity: they are vision of good and possibly attainable social systems as well as fantasies of desirable but inaccessible perfection" (Dalvai, 388)

Argument: Orwell's 1984 is a work of fiction reflecting real-life experiences. Orwell's personal life, from his upbringing to his political experiences, played an important role in the novel. Claim: Inspiration for "Big Brother" came from brutality Orwell experienced at an early age. Beginning in preparatory he was viciously tormented. Later he witnessed oppressive cruelty while stationed in Burma. After Burma Orwell chose to live among the poor to experience poverty. His decision would later give birth to "the proles". Through Orwell's experiences he was able to create fiction based on his real events and people. The novel was intended to warn against corruption in any society after witnessing such corruption in the Spanish Civil War that forced him to flee the country. Although it was wrongly mistaken as a prophecy or attack on socialism it was a warning to all countries the results of corruption. Evidence: "Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four toward the end of his career, at a point in his life when many of his experiences and political complexities had aged with him through a decades-long internal contemplation" "he intended to warn society of the potential perversions of bureaucracy and the state, the perversions of power that he had witnessed over the previous decade, in a variety of forms, in England and Spain" "His work for the POUM had shown him the contradictions of official appearance, doctored news, class conflict, and the basic human desire for power. Lines can easily be drawn to the thematic structure of Nineteen Eighty-Four"

Argument: The theme of the story is derived from the characters' setting and other factors, not the characters themselves. Claim: "Christmas's response to Freedman Town is not the only time heresponds to African Americans in this way. It actually echoes several otheroccasions on which he responds to African Americans, not as a mass, butas individuals whose individuality and language he fails to understand." Evidence: "Focusing on the unstable margins of Jefferson,and presenting the role of African Americans as an unbridgeable gap atthe heart of the text." "Faulkner provides in Light in August an even moreeloquent expression of the southern need for social change."

In the literary critique Heroes of Our Time: The Stranger, written by Germaine Bree, the author discusses the characterization of Meursault as the "absurd" hero. She claims that he is content to live and ask no questions, refusing to make any concession to the norms of society. Meursault's development throughout the course of the novel is also tracked. Bree claims that Meursault's error lies in his disassociation from society. She describes him as an individual whose story is used by Camus to ridicule modern man's strive to put meaning to their lives, emphasizes Camus' absurdist philosophy. Furthermore, she tracks the development of Meursault's characterization in order to emphasize Meursault's innocence in the fact of society. "In L'Etranger Camus thus suggests that in the face of the absurd no man can afford passively just to exist. To fail to question the meaning of the spectacle of life is to condemn both ourselves, as individuals, and the whole world to nothingness"(Bree). "Meursault's attitude at first merely reveals how arbitrary and superficial are the codes with which we cover up the stark incomprehensibility of life" (Bree). "He is a stranger to society, because he refuses to make any concession whatsoever to its codes and rituals. He sees no relation at all between his mother's death and the fact that he goes to see a comic film two days later, and he establishes none" (Bree).

Argument: An essay by Zaleski, summarizing the plot of "The Wedding" by Nicholas Sparks, and providing opinion on the likability of the text. Evidence: For the most part this paragraph summarizes the plot of "The Wedding", however the last few sentences express the authors opinion on how Sparks writes in a romantic, yet not too mushy type of way through use of his diction and plot twists. Claims:  "Sparks tells his sweet story competently, without sinking too deeply into the mire of sentiment; a gasp-inducing twist comes at the very end. Satisfied female readers will close the covers with a sigh and a wish that a little of the earnest, too-good-to-be-true Wilson might rub off on their own bedmates"      Though I would not include the whole quote, there is valuable substance within this quote that speaks of how SParks writes and develops a story, and audience reactions to his writing, plus this article is specifically relevant to "The Wedding" which is a text I read for the project.

Argument: Women in Dickens novels represent the common worker. Dickens found it important to emphasize that men and their respective mates should be saved from themselves. Main Idea of Argument: In Charles Dicken's Great Expectations Estella is a strong female, taking the lead of the relationship (or lack of) between Pip and herself. As opposed to doing only what she should be doing as a woman in the era. Comparatively, the workers of the era in which the novel was written were oppressed, but still maintained a strong facade. Evidence: 1)"In his portrayal of women in Great Expectations, Dickens saw the world with almost the same unbalanced perspective as does Pip when Magwitch turns him upside down in the churchyard" (Schechner 4). 2) "Crying over lost women, repentant prostitutes, and dying impoverished girls--provided none of these women were wives or political reformers--were causes Dickens loved to champion and did" (Schechner 7). 3)" Dickens wrote as if he believed a woman's place was mostly in the home, doing domestic things and supporting her husband. Mrs. Joe Gargery is an example of what happens when a woman tries to boss a man. Even though Mrs. Joe stays home by the hearth, when she gets too assertive she becomes very unattractive and may even deserve a strong smack on the head" (Schnecher 9). 4) Dickens is unsympathetic with women who socially rebel and who have public causes. Such women become either terrible or ludicrous" (Schnecher 10).

Exploring the more violent side of the segregation between Jack's group and Ralph's tribes, a more ritualistic behavior breaks out in desperation to seek reasoning and in a sense a religion to be guided through in a situation in which order is lacking. The tribe Jack belongs to adopts a "God" figure in which a sacrifice must be offered to maintain peace and fortune to the tribe. Jack evolves and leads an elite group of warriors which are called pig- hunters who chant graphic and murderous statements and present themsleves as barbaric hunters. Gordon compares Goldings ideas to Homers workings using similarities such as disguise and the chant Jack's pig hunters use to Homer's soldiers' war scream. "Electra in Orestes: Murder! Butcher! Kill! Thrust your twin swords home! Slash, now slash again! foreshadows the brutish, imperative yell of Jack's pig-hunters: "Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!"" The idea of law and morality are replaced with the savage instinct of a berseker that Jacks tribe of followers live by.

Argument: Matthew Wynn Sivils argues that William Faulkner, in his novel "Sound and the Fury", uses ecological disturbances in his books from real life events. Claim: "The convict was bearing again that sound which he had heard twice before and would never forget-that sound of deliberate and irresistible and monstrously disturbed water." Sivils uses this quote from one of Faulkner's books, "If I Forget Thee, Jersualem", to mimic the forthcoming of a tsunami. Evidence: "The flourishing of Faulkner's literary career coincided with perhaps the worst period of environmental abuse the South has ever known, and it is unsurprising that he incorporates such desolation into his writing." "Faulkner's literary symbiosis between African Americans and the land helps reveal his environmental consciousness-his view of the South as a place of complicated racial and natural conflict." "Anyone who understands the effect of seasonal changes on the land and the relationships between animals, or knows the best place to hunt or fish is thinking not only environmentally but ecologically. This way of knowing the natural world is based upon an understanding of community, and few writers understood community, human or non human, as well as Faulkner"