Outside Reading
Isn’t it Rich by Paul Simon
Published on 10.27.10
The book: Finishing the Hat by Stephen Sondheim
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31 /books/review/Simon-t.html?ref=books
Paul Simon starts his review by explaining what the book’s title means. He explains that the title came from the song, “Sunday in the park with George”, and then it gives details about the book itself and how he comes to enjoy the book.
The critical perspective in this work seems to be Formalism for Simon only discusses the details of the book such as quotes and plot rather than explaining the background of the author or history.
I see dictions that illustrate Simon’s feelings toward the book. For instance, he describes the book as “fascinating”, which is a positive word. He could have used the negative word such as “terrible” or “awful to denounce the book. Also, I see syntax in this piece. For example, there is a variety of sentences such as conjugating and complex. He also starts his beginning sentences with variety. For instance, he uses the word “after” to start the sentence other than “the”.
One of the strengths that I see in this piece is numerous evidences to support his position. He praises the book then often cites the exempts from it to support it. He also relates his own experiences from the musical, “West Side Story” to praise the book, thus telling his own experience rather than adding reluctant examples. In addition, he adds his own thoughts to the details of the book such as humming a song.
A weakness that I have found in this piece is switching point of view. Paul Simon switches from the third point of view to first point of view. For example, he starts the sentence with “I”. He should have chosen one point of view and stick to that.
I see a connection between this piece and the materials that I learned in US America History four years ago. In that class, I learned about roaring twenties, the time period where people started to play jazz, sing songs, and great musicals, filling the lives of people with excitement. This piece is similar to this for the book also covers about musical and songs. It also talks about how they were fascinating and filled people with entertainment.
Overall, I laud Simon for staying on topic and supporting his position with his own experience and numerous examples. He includes great diction and syntax. Even though he made mistakes with switching the point of views sometimes, this book review is a great piece that everyone should look at.
Jae, your entry can focus more on rhetoric. You can do more to come up with more examples of rhetoric in the article and say more about how those examples of rhetoric impact the essay. Good job identifying and explaining the critical perspectives at work, and connecting this piece to other course materials. Also, in my opinion, Paul Simon does not switch points of view, he merely talks about the book in third person because he is not the book, and the goes on to talk about himself in first person. But overall, good job analyzing the book review and pass!
답글삭제Good job with this - pass! I really appreciate how you connected this to other experiences in your life (American History). However, you focused upon the strength and weaknesses, and again some of your sentences were very simple and repetative ("One of the strenghts..." "One of the weaknesses"), but some of them were terrific ("thus telling his own experience rather than adding reluctant examples"). Try to make all of your sentences more varied and interesting.
답글삭제Great job, Jae! Pass. Good connections, to your life and to other stuff- more academic. You could have focused more on analyzing the rhetoric.
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