moodle is being impossible

can we ost our final or just email it?

Literature we studied this semester

What have I learned from the literature we studied this semester?

Trough out this semester I have enjoyed learning many important key terms that are important when you want to be a better writer and reader. Literature like Persepolis was something really new to me. However I really enjoyed the book overall. I learned lot from the Iranian culture and some of their history. I found it a bit hard to understand initially but I kept on reading and the discussions in class were also very informative. I’m glad I took the time to read it. The Glass Menagerie was also new and interesting literature to me. I enjoyed the activities in class with the play and I found it very interesting how people can interpret the one thing into many different ideas.  In Dubious Battle was a very sad but true story. At times I found the book boring and also hard to understand but I read and re read it. I found it had a meaningful cause and was actually not that bad. The discussions were also appreciated and I enjoyed hearing the different ways people interpret the book.   One very important thing I learned were the different types of critical thinking theories. We were introduced to 7 of them but the one I always found myself doing was the reader response.  This will help me better understand future literature and essays to come. I also want to take the time to thank all my classmates for great feedback and support when editing my essays.

Peer review for Final

The peer review in class once again was very helpful.  I had two other students review my essay. I got a lot of positive feedback from them however they made me realize that my main idea was a bit unclear. I need to work on transitional sentences. I was told that I jump from one idea to another and that was confusing for the reader. I also had time to dissect my paragraphs and realize that I could add to some and take away from some. I also have to find one more source and add it to my essay. Lastly , I need to come up with my conclusion which for me is the hardest to do without sounding repetitive.

Rough draft of final paper 12/9/11

                                                        Reality Strike                                                  Nancy Duarte                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                           English 1B

                                                                                                                              12/08/11

In the book in Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck the author introduces historical events from apple to cotton strikes in California. Steinbeck was born in the farming town of Salinas California on February 27, 1902.  He grew to be a well known writer that was always engaged with place, social inequality, and human rights. “More than any other writer of the United States in the 1900s, he remained engaged in the struggles of his country. He wrote social histories in the 1930s; deeply ecological works in the 1940s; early accounts of the Cold War when covering the Soviet Union in 1947; cultural studies of Mexico and Mexicans from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s; and in the 1960s increasingly concerned essays about the people of the United States, including accounts of the U.S. war in Vietnam. John Steinbeck, winner of the 1962 Nobel Prize, wrote as the conscience of his country for nearly 40 years”.

Through the book in Dubious Battle Steinbeck suggest that there is something essentially wrong with an economic system that starves and oppresses its labor.  In Dubious follows Jim Nolan through the quest of finding himself and how he becomes involved with the labor cause that later cost him his life. The story takes place in a small fictional town called Torgas valley. The time era is 1930’s and I think a big reason why he wrote this book had a lot to do with the Great Depression that also took place in the 1930’s. The books ironies and pessimistic portrayal of capitalism leave the reader wondering if there is any justice in our labor laws today.   

In the beginning of the book we are introduced to a young man by the name of Jim Nolan. As the book initiates he is saying good bye to his land lady Mrs. Meer. He is getting ready to depart from his old pointless life and begin a new one by joining “the party”. The first chapters gives the reader a lot of background information on Jim and his family. For example he goes on to tell us his dad had plans to blow up the slaughter house where he worked. But instead he was shot in the chest from a riot bomb. He gives the reader the sense that Jim’s dad was an angry drunk; his mom had no say in anything and basically followed the dad’s rules. Shortly he reveals his mom dies as well, and his older sister mysteriously disappears one evening when they were young teens.

As he continues to tell Nilson about his life I realize that Nilson is reviewing some sort of application Nolan Submitted to join the party. Nilson tells Jim he will submit the application but it’s really up to the men to except it. The author never really tells the reader what the party actually is. But as I read on I concluded it was some sort of organization that stands up for the pickers rights. Jim learns of such organization when he was put in jail for vagrancy. Nilson asked Jim why he wanted to join the party he says, “In jail there were some Party men. Their life weren’t messes. They were working toward something. I want to work toward something. I feel dead. I thought I might get alive again” (8). As I read this quote it gave me a better understanding of Jim’s life and how hopeless he felt. It amazed me how willing he was to just leave everything and try to join the Party. I could tell he really had no real idea of what he was getting himself into but as long as it had a cause he was for it. Jim was just trying to make something of his life. I got the sense that he hated his life and wanted to be a part of something bigger.  In that same chapter Jim says something I could really connect to and understand. He says to Nilson, “Did you ever work at a job where, when you got enough skill to get a raise in pay, you were fired and a new man put in? Did you ever work in a place where they talked about loyalty to the firm, and loyalty meant spying on the people around you? Hell I’ve got nothing to lose” (10). The author chose specific words that perhaps readers now a day can connect to. I really understand what Jim is talking about because I’ve seen it happen over and over in the retail business. It breaks my heart to admit it but most managers are forced to get rid of good workers because of their earned raises. It’s hard to believe but there is always someone out there willing to do your job at a cheaper cost.

In the next few chapters we are introduced to some of the members of the Party. Nilson takes Jim to a cottage where he meets Mac, Dick, and Joy. Mac seems to be the leader in the Party. Dick is describes as very handsome and uses his looks to get anything out of anyone. Joy is and old restless veteran. He just goes on about how he was beaten for speaking his mind.  As soon as Jim arrives he is put to work on typing some kind of letter. It’s hard to say what the party members are up to. Shortly after typing 20 copies Jim and Mac walk out and start looking for mailboxes. As they walk Jim does most of the talking he goes on about why he wanted to join the party, and he talks more about how the Party men are mad at the whole Capitalist system. Then basically Mac tells Jim he is happy to have him as part of the party.

Later on Mac mentions that a Growers Association in Torgas Valley had announced a pay cut to their pickers. Mac thinks this is a good opportunity to head over there and start a ruckus since the pickers are really upset about the pay cut. So they plan to head over and start working as apple pickers all the while they start an undercover plan to eventually start a strike with all the men down there. The idea is to fire up all the apple pickers to get them to strategically strike against the capitalist system. Eventually if they are successful the cotton pickers won’t be taken advantage of in the near future.

Jim's character

How does Jims characteization progress to a point where he is similar to the growers?


One particular scene comes to my head when a young kid was accused of burnung down the barn. and Mac gives him the beating of his life and when Jim is asked about it he seem so heartless about the whole incident. In the beginning Jim seems to be a bit caring but as he works along the side to Mac his character changes drastically. Im really not too sure how he can be compared to the groers but if i had to guess. I have to say its because like the growers Jim is now thinking more like a capatilist and like them he is willing to do whatever it takes to stand up for what he deserves even if it means screwing people over to meet his objective. The growers are doing the same they want to survive themselves but at the cost of the pickers.

RR In Dubious Battle

                                Reader Response on In Dubious Battle

In the beginning of the book we are introduced to a young man by the name of Jim Nolan. As the book initiates he is saying good bye to his land lady Mrs. Meer. He is getting ready to depart from his old pointless life and begin a new one by joining “the party”. The first chapters give the reader a lot of background information on Jim and his family. For example he goes on to tell us his dad had plans to blow up the slaughter house where he worked. But instead he was shot in the chest from a riot bomb. He gives the reader the sense that Jim’s dad was an angry drunk; his mom had no say in anything and basically followed the dad’s rules. Shortly he reveals his mom dies as well, and his older sister mysteriously disappears one evening when they were young teens.

As he continues to tell Nilson about his life I realize that Nilson is reviewing some sort of application Nolan Submitted to join the party. Nilson tells Jim he will submit the application but it’s really up to the men to except it. The author never really tells the reader what the party actually is. But as I read on I concluded it was some sort of organization that stands up for the pickers rights. Jim learns of such organization when he was put in jail for vagrancy. Nilson asked Jim why he wanted to join the party he says, “In jail there were some Party men. Their life weren’t messes. They were working toward something. I want to work toward something. I feel dead. I thought I might get alive again” (8). As I read this quote it gave me a better understanding of Jim’s life and how hopeless he felt. It amazed me how willing he was to just leave everything and try to join the Party. I could tell he really had no real idea of what he was getting himself into but as long as it had a cause he was for it. Jim was just trying to make something of his life. I got the sense that he hated his life and wanted to be a part of something bigger.  In that same chapter Jim says something I could really connect to and understand. He says to Nilson, “Did you ever work at a job where, when you got enough skill to get a raise in pay, you were fired and a new man put in? Did you ever work in a place where they talked about loyalty to the firm, and loyalty meant spying on the people around you? Hell I’ve got nothing to lose” (10). The author chose specific words that perhaps readers now a day can connect to. I really understand what Jim is talking about because I’ve seen it happen over and over in the retail business. It breaks my heart to admit it but most managers are forced to get rid of good workers because of their earned raises. It’s hard to believe but there is always someone out there willing to do your job at a cheaper cost.

In the next few chapters we are introduced to some of the members of the Party. Nilson takes Jim to a cottage where he meets Mac, Dick, and Joy. Mac seems to be the leader in the Party. Dick is describes as very handsome and uses his looks to get anything out of anyone. Joy is and old restless veteran. He just goes on about how he was beaten for speaking his mind.  As soon as Jim arrives he is put to work on typing some kind of letter. It’s hard to say what the party members are up to. Shortly after typing 20 copies Jim and Mac walk out and start looking for mailboxes. As they walk Jim does most of the talking he goes on about why he wanted to join the party, and he talks more about how the Party men are mad at the whole Capitalist system. Then basically Mac tells Jim he is happy to have him as part of the party.

Later on Mac mentions that a Growers Association in Torgas Valley had announced a pay cut to their pickers. Mac thinks this is a good opportunity to head over there and start a ruckus since the pickers are really upset about the pay cut. So they plan to head over and start working as apple pickers all the while they start an undercover plan to eventually start a strike with all the men down there. The idea is to fire up all the apple pickers to get them to strategically strike against the capitalist system. Eventually if they are successful the cotton pickers won’t be taken advantage of in the near future.

To be continue...

Difficulty Paper

Trouble Reading??

Well to be completely honest initially I was hesitant to start the book just because of the time era it was written. When I did push myself to start reading, I found myself lost constantly. I had trouble comprehending their slang. So I found myself having to re read many sections. If that wasn’t enough the topic didn’t really interest me that much. However when I got the middle of the book I was intrigued  as to how Mac a character in the story is not well educated but understand the dynamics of organizing a successful strike. It was interesting to see how he used people for the cause. I do believe his heart was in the right place but to what cost? That’s really the only thing that drew my attention. Also compared to the UFC website the book doesn’t really go into detail as to the conditions were these workers lived. It would have been a little more interesting I think. I’m curious to find out if the strike is effective and if so how? For now that is what is getting me through the book, I’m just hoping for a happy ending. In addition I really don’t understand Jim or his character. Initially he rally has no directive and when he joins the party he doesn’t really have a voice. I can tell he looks up to Mac but I’m curious to find out how he transitions to a man with a cause.