Warm-Up #1

Directions: Read the following intro paragraphs and comments. Then, rewrite the
paragraphs eliminating all writing errors and revising all logic flaws.

Intro Sample I:
Throughout history, literature has evolved. It has expanded from “inside the box”
concepts to descriptive and outgoing sincerity. In American poetry, many literary movements
such as Traditionalism, Realism, and Imagism are the very reason for this discussion.

Comments:

1. Throughout history—this is a good intro phrase but perhaps an adjective or

adjective phrase is needed—telling us what type of history
2. What is it? (Don’t start your second sentence with it. Give us a noun.)
3. “Inside the box” is too cliche’ for the second sentence
4. What do you mean “inside the box”?
5. “Inside the box” is not parallel with descriptive and outgoing sincerity.
6. Describe the transition overall in American history and then compare that
transition to the transition of American literature.
7. traditionalism-realism-imagism can be italicized but not capitalized
8. traditionalism, realism, and imagism are in the wrong order
9. there is a verb tense change—from past to present—has evolved to are
10. you are using passive voice—helping verb + main verb—try not to do that
11. the thesis statement is weak....you weren’t asked to have “this
discussion”...you were asked to describe the development of American poetry
since the Civil War—focusing on realism, imagism, and traditionalism

Maybe try something like this....

Perhaps the greatest period of America poetic evolution occurred from 1860 to
1930. During this period, American poetry abandoned the strict rules of closed
poetic form and embraced a period of artistic experimentalism resulting in the
development of three key literary movement—realism, imagism, and traditionalism.

active voice—past tense

Intro Sample Two:

In American literature there are many different forms of literary styles of writing and some were
very influential in the development of U.S. literature such as Realism, Imagism, and
Traditionalism. All of them have their own unique style and way of depicting the point they are
trying to get across in their writings and poetry.

Comments:
1. In American literature is an okay phrase to start with, but introducing American lit
at the beginning of the essay leaves you very little “transition” room.
2. Avoid “there are many”...these are hollow words. They say very little.
3. “literature there are many different forms of literary styles of writing is incredibly
wordy and repetitive”.
literary styles of writing—literature is written—so you don’t need “of writing”
4. How many times can you use literature or some form of the word in one sentence?
5. Sentence one is a run-on. are/were two verbs—
6. All of what? You must use a noun after All of.....them what? their what? they what?
7. What is your thesis? What are you discussing in your essay?
Robert Frost Essay:

In his poem “Fire and Ice,” Robert Frost explores the subject of mankind’s destruction. Read the poem
and write a carefully reasoned essay in which you explore Frost’s concept of the destruction of the world.
(You may write about how the world will end in fire, how the world will end in ice, or how the world will
end as a result of both fire and ice.)

Instructions for essay:

1. Your essay must be a thoughtful composition.
2. You must refer to specific events and/or things that will lead to mankind’s destruction.
3. You must explain how each mention reference is either fire and/or ice like.
4. You must explain how
5. You may not use 1st person and/or 2nd person in this essay. (1, we, you)
Essay Outline:

Thesis:
I. Intro:
A. Attention Getter
B. Author/Title
C. Explanation of poem

II. Destructive Method One

A. Identify first way world might end
B. Explain how the “method” is fire-like or ice-like.
C. Explain how the method meets Frost’s description of the world’s destruction.
D. Make certain you have mentioned specific examples.

III. Destructive Method Two

A. Identify first way world might end
B. Explain how the “method” is fire-like or ice-like.
C. Explain how the method meets Frost’s description of the world’s destruction.
D. Make certain you have mentioned specific examples.

IV. Destructive Method Three

A. Identify first way world might end
B. Explain how the “method” is fire-like or ice-like.
C. Explain how the method meets Frost’s description of the world’s destruction.
D. Make certain you have mentioned specific examples.

V. Conclusion

Sample Body Paragraph: (This sample is not a good example, but it will do.)
Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Robert Frost

Directions: After reading “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost, create a list of things that you think may lead to
the destruction of the world. Place each of those “things” in a category—either cold or hot. Be prepared to
explain how the “thing” is hot or cold in terms of temperature.

Fire—hot things—that when taken to extreme will Ice-cold things-that when taken to extreme will lead
lead to the destruction of the world to the destruction of the world
1 hatred 1 indifference
2 lust 2 depression
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
9 9
10 10
11 11
12 12
13 13
14 14
15 15
16 16
17 17
18 18
19 19
20 20
21 21
22 22
23 23
24 24
25 25

ee cummings poems
i carry your heart with me
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
since feeling is first...
since feeling is first
who pays any attention
to the syntax of things
will never wholly kiss you;
wholly to be a fool
while Spring is in the world
my blood approves,
and kisses are a better fate
than wisdom
lady i swear by all flowers. Don't cry
- the best gesture of my brain is less than
your eyelids' flutter which says
we are for each other; then
laugh, leaning back in my arms
for life's not a paragraph
And death i think is no parenthesis
Seeker Of Truth
seeker of truth
follow no path
all paths lead where
truth is here
i thank you God for this most amazing
i thank You God for this most amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
wich is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any-lifted from the no
of all nothing-human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened
may my heart always be open to little...
may my heart always be open to little
birds who are the secrets of living
whatever they sing is better than to know
and if men should not hear them men are old
may my mind stroll about hungry
and fearless and thirsty and supple
and even if it's sunday may i be wrong
for whenever men are right they are not young
and may myself do nothing usefully
and love yourself so more than truly
there's never been quite such a fool who could fail
pulling all the sky over him with one smile
 Modern Poetry 1910-1930
Experimentalism
Experiementalism
1. Abandon traditional form
2. tried out new teachniques
3. wrote about new subjects
or old subjects in new
ways
3. Explored new themes in
new ways
4. Break rules of punctu-
ation/capitalization
Imagism
1. Abandon traditional form
2. tried out new techniques
3. eliminate unnecessary
words
4. the point of poem is to
convey a “sensual image”
5. no theme has to be
conveyed in poem
Traditionalism
1. Return to traditional form
2. It’s okay to try something
new in moderation.
3. Poems should rhyme or
have a tangible reason for
not rhyming—blank verse
4. Poems must explore an
universal theme
5. the poem must elevate,
illuminate, or educate.
Identify which of the following categories in
which the poem fits. Be prepared to explain how
the poem is experimentalist, imagist, and/or
traditionalist. Remembera poem may exhibit
characteristics of one or more type(s) of poem..
Haiku pg 650 Oread pg 651
In a Station of the Metro pg 652 A Pact pg 654
The Red Wheelbarrow pg 666 Birches pg 708
This Is Just to Say pg 669 Chicago pg 699
Mending Wall pg 704 Fire and Ice
Ars Poetica pg 678 seeker of truth
i thank God for this amazing
The Man with the Blue Guitar pg 692
anyone lived in a pretty how town
Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening pg 711
Acquainted with the Night 713
since feeling is first
i carry your heart with me
may my heart always be open to little
Part II: List the author of each work.
Haiku pg 650 Oread pg 651
In a Station of the Metro pg 652 A Pact pg 654
The Red Wheelbarrow pg 666 Birches pg 708
This Is Just to Say pg 669 Chicago pg 699
Mending Wall pg 704 Fire and Ice
Ars Poetica pg 678 seeker of truth
i thank God for this amazing
The Man with the Blue Guitar pg 692
anyone lived in a pretty how town
Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening pg 711
Acquainted with the Night 713
since feeling is first
i carry your heart with me