Common Sense, Practicality, and the Literary Canon
In keeping with my more-or-less conservative views, it seems obvious that what is most lacking in the English culture-war debates is a little common sense and practicality. Take, for example, the question of the literary canon (by which I mean the canon of imaginative literature: fiction, poetry, and drama). In his preface to Falling Into Theory, David H. Richter articulates three basic positions on the issue of the standard or traditional canon: defend the canon, expand it to include works by women and minorities, or eliminate it altogether (vii- viii). The obvious answer to the conundrum of the canon is, I believe, to use some common sense and chart a middle course: the traditional canon should continue to be expanded to include works by women and minorities, for several reasons. 1.) It is impossible to teach literature without having some sort of a canon -- a common or core reading list of "acknowledged classics." Likewise, the notion of abolishing the canon (which no one seems to seriously suggest) is impractical; to do so would result in anarchy. 2.) The canon of English literature, itself of relatively recent origin (Horner, 2-3), is protean -- it has been and is changing and evolving, expanding to include works by women and minorities. 3.) Such evolution is natural, since canon selection is not based on aesthetic principles alone, but on values, which also evolve.
The so-called "traditional canon" theoretically represented what the oft-quoted Matthew Arnold called the "best that is known and thought in the world" (38). Only relatively recently was Arnold's view questioned as controversial (Searle, 82). With the breakdown of the fo...
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* Arnold, Matthew. "The Function of Criticism at the Present Time." Essays in Criticism: First Series. London: MacMillan, 1910. 1-41.
* Horner, Winifred Bryan. "Introduction." Literature and Composition. Ed. Winifred Bryan Horner. Chicago: U Chicago P, 1983. 1-13.
* Menand, Louis. "What Are Universities For?" Falling Into Theory: Conflicting Views on Reading Literature. Ed. David H. Richter. Boston: Bedford, 1994. 88-99.
* Pratt, Mary Louise. "Humanities for the Future: Reflections on Western Culture Debates at Stanford." Falling Into Theory: Conflicting Views on Reading Literature. Ed. David H. Richter. Boston: Bedford, 1994. 55-63.
* Searle, John. "The Storm Over the University." 79-88. Falling Into Theory: Conflicting Views on Reading Literature. Ed. David H. Richter. Boston: Bedford, 1994. 79-88.
Foster, Thomas C. How to Read Literature like a Professor: a Lively and Entertaining Guide to
Meyer, Michael, ed. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999.
Hingson, Ralph. "Prevention of Drinking and Driving." Alcohol Research & Health. Winter 1996-1997: 219-226. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.
People do not realize how much of a problem drinking and driving can cause, not only in the United States but all over the world. In 2009, 1.4 million drivers have been arrested, but the influenced by alcohol or drugs. There is a very high percentage of motorcycle fatalities and about a third of them are alcohol accidents and there levels are above legal
DiYanni, Robert. "Literature, Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama." Walker, Alice. Everyday Use. Boston: McGraw Hill, 1973. 743-749.
While drunk drivers who cause injuries or deaths may spend some time behind bars as punishment for their actions, for their victims the accident can often be a life sentence. Drunk driving has lifelong ramifications for those who are injured and who must live the rest of their lives with pain, disability, isolation, medical bills, or the loss of loved ones. While drunk-driving offenders can usually reclaim a normal life after their eventual release from jail, victims may never regain the normalcy that was taken from them so abruptly.
Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism. (3rd ed.) Upper Saddle River New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. 2003
Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell. Literature: Reading & Reacting & Writing. 4th ed. Boston: Earl McPeek, 2000. 388-423.
“If all the plays ever suddenly disappeared and only Hamlet miraculously survived, all the theaters in the world would be saved. They could all put on Hamlet and be successful”- Vsevolod Meyerhold (a Russian director). Why is it that Hamlet alone could save the theaters? It could be the basic, underlying story: that the King kills his brother in order to obtain the throne forcing his son to seek revenge. This key factor can be interpreted differently depending on who is reading the play which leads to its timelessness and universality.
The biggest problem with drunk driving by young adults is the high rate of traffic accidents. Although young drivers ages 16 through 25 makeup only 15% of U.S. licensed drivers, they constitute 30 percent of all alcohol-related driving fatalities. This is double the amount of licensed drivers in that age group. Inexperience with both drinking and driving may contribute to this disproportionate rate. Nationwide in 1996, people ages 15 to 24 died in fatal motor vehicle crashes and 45 percent of those deaths were a result of alcohol (NHTSA 4). So it comes to no surprise that traffic crashes are the leading cause of death in the United States for people younger than 25 (NCHS 98).
Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. 5th ed. New York: Longman, 2011. Print.
Drunk driving can be very deadly. Yet many people drive while under the influence everyday. Drivers who are drunk are blamed for the loss of as many as twentyfive thousand lives in highway crashes each year and hundreds of thousands of severe injurys.
A theme is a fundamental and often universal idea explored in a literary work. In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, there are three main themes: the side-by-side existence of good and evil, the importance of moral education, and the presence of social inequality. These themes help the story be what it is and help to create a proper setting, plot, conflict, and characters. The themes in the book have good meaning and make the book what it is.
The movie Pursuit of Happyness shows how a person became a homeless then eventually how he survived from being a homeless. Then, to being a multi millionaire. Even though he experienced how hard life can be he still pursued to reach his goals in his life for his son. This movie shows how a homeless person stand up and pursue to be successful.
As a bartender, you will be expected to know the ins and outs of the liquors you are handling, as well as the types of glasses your drinks are to be served in. Learning the different types of liquors and what they mix well with can be a daunting task, but one that is mandatory. Some people who come to your bar may want to try something new, or have a question about what mixes well. While you are not required to provide the most elaborate answ...