The more organized way to come up with a paper.

Done with my thesis statement “Clinging to the past fails Blanche”, now I am working on my main points to support the mentioned thesis statement. I have to come up with 5 main points in order to support my thesis statement. I would say that NOW I have learned the proper way to come up with a paper (any paper – essay, article, research, position). This is simply because I can see the development in me through following the method that is being used in the course EDU3234. First, I chose the literary text that I am going to work on. Secondly, I worked on thesis statement and now I am working on the points that support my stand. Doesn’t it sound organized? I think it does. I am almost done with my points and I think after getting the approval from my lecturer, I will start working on my position paper. The due date isn’t so far.

Thesis statement.

Coming up with a thesis statement is not an easy job! I wrote more than 3 times on the board – each time with an improved version but it was all rejected. Finally, Dr. Edwin helped me out come up with a more appropriate one. After going through the process of creating a thesis statement, I would say that the whole process is interesting and beneficial. It has actually given me a clear and vivid picture of how a thesis statement should be. I reworked and reworked and reworked on my thesis statement and that has made me (a little bit) knowledgeable. Many of my friends too through went through the same process. Some of them were lucky as their first attempt itself was successful but for some theirs were only approved after more than 8 trials. Interesting right! A number of my friends came up with a really good thesis statement. It sounded professional. Some of them also came up with funny statements. The funniest would be the thesis statement that says “Unicorn is real. It proves the wife is crazy”. Even though it made me laugh to the maximum but I appreciate the way my friend thinks. I think he is trying to argue something that is different from the rest. Overall, coming up with a good thesis statement is very crucial as it is the foundation of a paper. The process that I went through is really an awakening!

Musée des Beaux Arts by W.H Auden

Simple poem with a profound / philosophical message! Here is where the problem lies. Sometimes I just feel I am so stupid because I couldn’t get the points of what all the poets in the world trying to say…or is it that I do not find pleasure in exploring their points? Or is it that I like to make my very own meaning out of it? What ever is it…it is literature – something to be appreciated and analyzed. Doesn’t it sound funny? Do you analyze something that you appreciate? Well I doubt I do. Hmm… let’s compare love and literature (as both deals with arts). You appreciate love and that is the reason why you don’t analyze it right? May be that is why people say love is blind. In the case of literature since you analyze it – it has eyes! Justified-deal!
Well, let’s get back to the track. The poem entitled Musée des Beaux Arts by W.H Auden is what I want to talk about. Reading the poem once…well to be frank it didn’t make me to even look at it again. Why? Well may be I didn’t take my regular cup of coffee and that made all the difference. The title in the first place weren’t attractive and the poem –DuLL. That is what I thought initially but after a few readings, I found something interesting, something thought provoking and that made me to think. The first stanza itself sounds motivating. The third one focuses on the painting of ‘Fall of Icarus’. Then I got the connection. It is something that is very general in the beginning and has been specified towards the end. It is about life! No matter what happens in this world- life still goes on! Thank you W.H Auden for the reminder. We will be discussing this poem in class next week or shall I say in 3 days times. Let’s see what happens…to be continued.

Fall of Icarus- the painting

Browsing the internet, searching for the painting entitled “Fall of Icarus” I found ample of images popping up. However, there were only two images that were very close to what I was searching for. The first one is a painting which involves two human with wings, one falling and the one looking at it. The other painting is hardly focusing on the fall of Icarus but in a way it is more attractive and lively. Looking at it closely, I realized that only the legs of Icarus sticking out of the water. Perplexed which is the most accurate one; I printed out both of the paintings.
After much discussion with my fellow friends, I was convinced that the painting which is more colourful and basically not focusing on the fall of Icarus is the exact one. The question “why this one” kept popping in my mind and to answer that I went back to the internet and yes I got the answer! The painter Peter Breughel actually in a way wanted to portray that the Icarus event as a non-significant one. He is telling the world that what ever happens life still goes on! The sun is still shining, the ship is still sailing and…and…
Discussing the same issue in class, I think I am on the right track.

EDU 3234

As for this semester we are required to take EDU 3234 Reading and Project Work for Teaching Literature in ESL Context course. I think this course would be a heavy one as it basically deals with project papers. Position paper and research paper are the two main projects that must be completed within 14 weeks.
As for the position paper, a thesis statement needs to be developed. After, listening to the explanation on how a thesis statement should be, I think I have to revise my understanding on it. All this while, I thought a thesis statement is some sort of a topic but only after entering the first class of EDU 3234, I have a clear picture of a thesis statement. Meanwhile as for the research paper, there will be a supervisor to guide and as for me it is Cik Sharifah. I have not thought about the topic that I am going to work on as I am only going to cross the bridge when I come to it.
Even though this course might be a weighty one, the advantageous part of it is that it will definitely expose me to the massive world of literary materials (which I hardly explore).