Part Two
Essays that I read for this week:
1. "Semi-Colon" by Barbara Mallonee
2. "Bookless in Biak" by Lawrence Millman
"Semi-Colon"
Revealing the historical and - what should be - modern importance of the semi-colon, Barbara Mallonee demonstrates how language can break barriers and "subdue strife." Not only does she show this through her subject matter and interesting quotes from significant historical figures - for example, I love this quote she uses from Samuel Johnson, "I have found you an argument; I am not obliged to find you an understanding." - but also through her own writing and form. For example, she begins the essay with a sentence that uses a semi-colon, "Shadows stir; the season shifts." She shows the purpose of a semi-colon to tie two thoughts together in a sentence using a semi-colon. Her words then reflect her message: that the semi-colon like language can "balance contested views;" to which, I believe this technique was very effective.
That's really interesting! It sounds like this essay was more factual and educational than emotional and sensuous, is that true?
ReplyDeleteI love how you incorporated a quote! And especially one by someone relevant to our subject matter!
Great job!
would you recommend the other essay?
Yeah, I guess it was more educational than emotional. She used more academic language and it was more academic curiosity and information. But it was still really good!
DeleteAnd yes, I would definitely recommend the other essay as well! : ) He talked about how above all other diseases or illnesses, he has a fear of not having something to read. So it was humorous, and he used a direct tone that made you read through it really quickly.
I agree with Katie that it seems to be more factual than emotional. Not many people really know how to use the semi colon completely, and Im sad to say Im one of those people so this could be a great read for me. Great work and how was the other essay?
ReplyDeleteThe semi-colon is rarely taught at school well or at least really well, or at least that has been my experience. So it was an interesting read.
DeleteThe other essay was also really good and humorous! I would definitely recommend it. : )
I'll say this about semi-colons; some people know how to use them; and some don't;
ReplyDeleteWould you recommend; this essay?;
I think most people just use semi-colons to wink electronically.
Haha, I see what you did there. ; )
DeleteAnd sadly, that is probably true that most people use the semi-colon to wink electronically. It is like text-speak, right?
Good discussion here. Elinor, you're a terrific moderator!
ReplyDeleteSo, the semi-colon can work so well, as in the following two-line imagist poem by Ezra Pound, In a Station of the Metro:
"THE apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough."
_____
The idea is that we're supposed to see the two images smushed together, a palimpsest, a diptych. So, the semi-colon can force us to feel the same thing a montage can. What is this world in which both of these things are true at the exact same time?
It's also a coaxer. We see it beckoning us from the first to the second sentence--c'mon, it says (I'm being a poseur now, but I love it). In that way, it makes sense that a semi-colon is also used as a wink. Hey, wink, this next sentence is going to relate to the one that precedes it just a little bit more strongly than normal. It's a flirty punctuation mark!
DW