English Language IV Paper II

October 25^th, 2019

Select one of the essay prompts below and write an argument essay.

1. Alienation and Separation from Society
2. Nature vs. Nurture in the development of a human being.

Remember to use the stories read and/or the films seen during the year. Be sure to label which option you chose at the top of your paper. Do not forget to include a counterargument and refutation.

Your paper is due November 1^st

In Cold Blood - Part 3 - Question 1-5

Part III - ANSWER

1. Why is Floyd Wells concerned when he hears the news of the Clutter murders?

Floyd was shocked because he knew the Clutters. He had worked with Herb many years ago. He was part responsible for their murder. He was the one who told Dick about the Clutter family when they were in prison.

2. How does fate come up again in Floyd’s encounter?

Floyd is a clear example of the butterfly effect theory, where a butterfly moving its wings can produce  a storm in other part of the planet. In this case, the simple action of talking about the Clutters, with the purpose of making friends, results in the massacre of the family. Floyd triggered the events that made Dick decide to assault the Clutters, and this, to call Perry who was the one that killed all the Clutters when Dick shrank back.

3. Why doesn’t Floyd want to tell his story to the KBI?

He was afraid to say that Dick and Perry were the murderers because he might be killed if someone in the prison find out he talk to the police (“moles” are killed in prison). Or maybe, he could be consider as an accessory to the crime and punished for being part of the crime.

4. How does Marie, Dewey’s wife, react when she sees pictures of Dick and Perry?

She saw that Perry has eyes that showed sensitivity and wickedness. But she had another impression when she saw Dick`s eyes. Marie felt afraid because his eyes showed pain and hatred and they reminded her a traumatic event of her childhood. Finally, she regretted for seeing the pictures.

5. How do the Hickocks feel about their son? In what way do they “cover” for their son? In what ways do they recognize and admit his mistakes?

Dick`s parents didn`t want to believe that their son could have committed such crime. They saw him as an athlete, a husband, someone intelligent. For them, Dick wasn`t the problem, Perry was a bad influence for him. The parents blame Perry for all their problems.

They knew Dick was resentful for not going to college or living well because they couldn`t afford that. When Dick went back from prison for stealing, he was another person, he was always angry.

Dear ALL,

Debo contarles que me pasó algo que espero no les pase a ninguno de ustedes. El jueves cuando llegué de San Carlos, me senté a trabajar y la computadora no me respondió más y cada vez que intentaba prenderla aparecía el cartel de la foto y no se podía hacer más nada. Ayer la llevé a Compumundo, que es donde la compré y me dijeron que puede que me autoricen el cambio directo (otra vez) o que la deba llevar al servicio técnico oficial para que le cambien el disco. Eso significa que todo archivo, programa, etc., que tenía en la compu lo he perdido. Por suerte tengo un respaldo de la mayoría del material hasta antes de las vacaciones de invierno, pero todo lo que he trabajado nuevo desde julio en adelante lo he perdido, incluidas las correcciones de sus ensayos. Es en esa reflexión donde me dio terrible depresión; pensar en que iba a tener que volver a hacer la exhaustiva corrección de cada uno de sus ensayos me provocó muchísima angustia, considerando que me lleva en promedio dos horas por ensayo.

Es por eso que he tomado una decisión que en alguna medida los va a beneficiar (más allá del trabajo que van a tener que hacer). Les voy a pedir que revisen y coediten sus última versión del ensayo. Este último mes hemos trabajado varios aspectos de la escritura de ensayo que los puede ayudar a mejorar sus versiones. Igualmente aquí va un listado de los errores que en general están cometiendo en sus redacciones:

• Dificultades de colocación (muchas): hace falta mucho trabajo con el “collocation dictionary” y luego confirmar que el significado de la expresión refleja el mensaje que queremos dar.
• Problemas de estructuras paralelas: esto lo hemos trabajado últimamente, así que pueden beneficiarse de lo visto.
• Mala elección en la categoría gramatical de las palabras: por ejemplo, a veces asumen que cierta palabra es un sustantivo pero resulta ser que es un adjetivo. Lo mismo puede pasar con los verbos y a veces hasta con los adverbios.
• Selección de términos que no expresan lo que ustedes desean: Este fenómeno se da particularmente porque nuestro español interfiere, y como la palabra es parecida en ambos idiomas, asumimos que significa lo mismo.
• Coherencia en la redacción de los párrafos: cambio de foco, discusión de aspectos irrelevantes en la fundamentación de algo que plantean(thesis statement o topic sentence).
• Cohesión: selección de un conector erróneo.
• Coherencia en los tiempos verbales.

Recuerden que este no es un ensayo argumentativo, así que no necesitan agregar un contraargumento.

Por último, debo decirles que algunos ensayos (no todos) iban a quedar desaprobados, porque las debilidades que presentaban eran demasiadas para una tercera versión, es por eso que les decía que a algunos los iba a beneficiar en mayor medida. Espero que de toda esta experiencia negativa, logremos transformarla en una positiva y que al menos todos los ensayos vuelvan a mi en condiciones de ser aprobados. Estoy segura que cuando ustedes mismos los vuelvan a leer y a revisar van a encontrar muchísimas cosas que van a necesitar ser cambiadas. Si el compañero coeditor hace también un trabajo a conciencia, las ventajas de esta nueva versión van a ser muchísimas.

Les pido que me envíen sus nuevas versiones durante el día lunes 14.

Cuento con su comprensión y paciencia ¡Muchas gracias a todos!

In Cold Blood- questions 6-10 Part III

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.

Part III

6. How do the views about Dick differ between the community and his family?

Dick is just the opposite. He is a good guy in front of his family and of course in the community his is a terrible human being. He has like a double personality. Outside his house he is cruel and without empathy.

7. Why do you think the agent does not mention the murders in talking with Dick’s parents?

Even though, there are lots of proves Dick and Perry killed the Clutters, the agents have to check and investigate everything to finally conclude they did it.  Moreover, Nye could not mention to Dick’s parents about the murders yet they were aged people, it could be dangerous for their health.

8. What is the Hickocks’ impression of Perry? Why is this ironic?

His parents love and care about him so much. Her mother tries to protect him against Perry. They do not even know their son. For the Hickocks Dick is a good guy. It is ironic because once Dick is outside his house he becomes in another person. But it is even more ironic because he did received love, care, health care, food, a house, a warm bed where to sleep. He had everything to become a good human being and he did not. Perry is more humble and empathic than Dick. Even though, Perry never had all what Dick could have had access when young.

9. Why do you think the agent does not take the gun with him?

I think it was because at the moment to hold it he realized it was the gun used to kill the Clutters. It causes Nye a sort of bad feeling.

10. Why had Mr. Bell stopped to pick up Dick and Perry? How is he later saved? (Is this another

example of fate?)

Mr Bell was bored and drowsy and looked at them like “O.K. boys”.

It is a coloured military stood on the road and Mr Bell stops to give him a ride.

I think Mr Bell is a very lucky person. He is about to be killed and some other unknown person saves his life. It is unbelievable.  

Hi people.  I found this interview. It is very interesting to know Truman a bit more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiSiNgaQBYE

The second one is interesting as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Ua-NSiL2Y

In cold blood

Hi everyone! I found a documentary called "Cold Blooded" which is about the Clutter family and seems to be quite interesting
Here I share with you the trailer. It's divided into 2 episodes. If I find a web page with the full episodes I will share it too
https://youtu.be/v11WcZM7ZpM

Argument Essay!

For tomorrow’s class I’ll ask you to bring the new set of copies. Please work on pages 114 -119. It’s just resding and completing two outlines!