Journal #4: Descriptive Food

Important elements:
1. Concrete/abstract image
2. Multi-sensory image
3. Simile, metaphor, analogy
4. Dominant impression

I speak only the truth when I say you have not lived until you’ve tasted my mother’s famous dirt cake. Composed of only the finest ingredients, it is layers of velvety, vanilla pudding folded in cool whip, and crushed double stuffed Oreos with gummies worms in the mix. The name “dirt cake” is quite deceiving. It looks like dirt, but it most certainly does not taste like it. It is safe to say that it is the best dirt you will ever eat. The very top layer is “dirt” and when you break through that, you dip into the smooth, silky vanilla cool-whipped pudding. It’s like breaking through storm clouds and reaching heaven. Spread evenly throughout is slippery, colorful gummy worms that act as little surprises throughout the desert. With every scoop, you hope to get a handful of the delicious little critters. The last time I had this desert was at my annual block party. It was simply scrumptious. Carol, my mother, outdid herself. The overall taste of this famous dirt cake is cool, delectable, and has the perfect balance of sweetness. This desert isn’t baked, so you cannot smell it, as you would be able to with fudgy brownies. I love hearing the sound of the mixer and the food processor crushing up the double-stuffed Oreos. My neighbor Vince is probably the biggest fan of this dish. If you’re ever at a party with him, be sure to get in line in front of him because he is notorious for helping himself to half the bowl. I know by now your mouth is watering, so you are welcome to ask me for the recipe. This is a must have desert before you go six feet under.

Journal #3: "No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch"

“No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch” – Ann Hodgman
(The Norton Sampler p.77)

Read the selection and write a one paragraph response to the following questions.

1. Cite three specific examples of Hodgman’s descriptive imagery that you find to be particularly effective.

I find mostly all of Hodgman’s descriptive imagery about K-9 food choices to be rather repugnant. She describes canned dog food with high quality meat as a “lumpy, frightening, bloody, and stringy horror”. Those words used in the same sentence, under any circumstance, are effective to the extent that you should never ingest such a thing. The rancid description of the “dark, dark brown, surrounded by gelatin that was almost black” meat in the Mighty Dog Prime Entrée that Hodgman refused to try was equally effective as the description of the meat in canned dog food. Both descriptions persuaded others to not eat wet dog food. Her encounter with dry dog food was a much better experience but is still not advised. Hodgman stated that Purina O.N.E. dry dog food was “pretty palatable”. This was effective because even though it tasted better, it contained 100 percent more fat. The packaging said Purina O.N.E was the optimum nutrition choice for a dog. When is 100 percent of fat ever healthy for a dog, or anyone for that matter? Never. The moral of her story is that packages are deceiving and look appealing to try, but once actually eaten, it is a whole other story. The descriptions on dog food packages are anything but truthful. Labels lie.


2. What do you think Hodgman’s purpose was in writing this essay? What overall message/meaning do you take from the essay?

I believe that Hodgman’s purpose in writing this essay was to be satirical and provide a message about the curiosity of humans. Hodgman’s is a food critic who has written about human food in Eating Well magazine, satirical pieces in Spy magazine, more than forty children’s books, and several cookbooks. I do believe that Hodgman’s did eat some of the dog food she describes but she humorously adds in remarks such as “can you fry it?”, pertaining to Gaines-burgers dog food. You wouldn’t need to fry a cheeseburger for your dog. Her purpose is to be satirical about the hype of over-exaggerating the packages and labels on dog food that companies do in order to boost their sales. It is a money game. The better dog food sounds to humans, the more they will want to buy it for their dogs. Humans are curious about everything, especially things they would not normally try. I think we can all agree that the message of Hodgman is to say that advertisements are deceiving and human curiosity influences what we feed our pets.

Journal #2: "The Death of a Moth"

Annie Dillard – “The Death of a Moth,” from Holy the
Firm R

1. The moths in the essay’s opening are dead. The moth’s bodies are in a confusion of arching strips of chitin, like peeling varnish. They are hollow, empty, and headless. The moths at the campsite are very much alive, yet they catch fire and burn like candle wicks. The dead moths represent people who have no “burning” desire to pursue their passions. The moths getting burned by the candle represent those who are giving it their all to achieve their dreams. The fire moths are going towards the light; they are drawn to light. In order to achieve your dreams, one must give everything and risk it all.

2. The moths who did not try were dead and lifeless like those on the author’s bathroom floor, collecting dust. Dillard wanted her students to pursue passion and achieve greatness. They would have to give everything and risk it all to get what they wanted. Her lesson is to not be like the lifeless, uninspired bathroom floor moths, rather be like the moths that gravitate toward the burning candle, or their own burning desires.

3. There are many references to fire in the essay. For example, Dillard uses fire when describing the burning wick moth, leaving candles burning in her home, and her cat’s tail catching on fire. The larger significance of fire in the essay is to encourage people to go towards the light. She urges others to quench the fires of their desires. Dillard ultimately wishes that her students will become writers, but if not, to find something that they are passionate about and pursue it.

4.
a. Jack London’s quote connects to Dillard’s overall point in a sense that being a spark and starting a fire is better than being dust. Ashes are the aftermath of a fire. Dust is dead. London explains how being alive is better than being dead. Even if you reduce to ashes, you still once were alive. Dillard wants her students and others to go out and conquer their dreams. London reinforces this idea but stating to not waste any time in going out and living.

b. Yeats’ quote connects to Dillard in such a way that both of these authors are involved in education. Education is not humdrum or monotonous, such as filling a bucket up with water. You cannot learn anything that way. Education is a desire to learn. Education is a gift, not a privileged. Education can hit you like lightning and spark your interest to learn and start an unquenchable fire.

c. Kafka uses the reference of an ax such as Dillard did in her essay. An ax is a powerful tool that can be used to break things, or be plainly viewed as something strong. Kafka relates to Dillard because her ultimate goal is for her students to become writers and writers write books. Kafka hopes that books and inspiration will break the frozen ice in everyone and open up a new door, or as Dillard would probably say, start a fire.

Journal #1: Photo Narrative

Rock-a-“Bye” Baby

My name is Kit Raines. All I ever wanted was fame. I wanted to hear the roar of a crowd. I wanted to feel my heart thump with every booming thud of the bass drum. I wanted people to chant my name. Because when it Raines, it pours. I wanted to rock until I could rock no longer. I wanted the money, the power, the fame, and everything else that came with it. I am here to say, be careful what you wish for. All my life I dreamed of fame. I wanted to become the greatest rocker alive just like my daddy, the one and only, Steely Raines. I had a knack for anything that involved music and I could get up and perform in front of anyone. I grew up knowing only what tour buses, hotel rooms, and backstage looked like. The rockstar lifestyle seemed so carefree and liberal. My mother was never around because she couldn’t handle the lifestyle that my father and I both loved deeply. Steely didn’t seem to care about her, so I didn’t either. My father was my rock icon, my idol, and I was his baby. When I was 17 years old, one morning after a long show and a late night, I found him in his hotel room, dead. I’m not going to candy-coat this ending. Everyone deserves to know about the cold, hard, truth about the rockstar lifestyle and my father’s battle with addiction. I was surrounded by drugs and alcohol all my life, but I never knew my father had a problem. I only saw the glitz and glamour of being a rockstar and I thought it was normal to have a couple drinks here, pop a couple pills there. I wanted fame and everything that came with it. But I didn’t want the ailment of addiction. I never thought fame would get the best of the father. I didn’t even get to say goodbye. So, today I rock for a different reason. I rock so that my voice will be heard. I rock out to teach others that addition is a serious problem and it shouldn’t be ignored. The bigger your fame, the bigger your responsibility is. If you’re going to dream big, be smart enough to know exactly what to wish for, because you might just get it. We all can make a difference.