Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Assignment #4: Effective Composition Blog

Causal Analysis / Literature Analysis
So far, we have explored the keyhole template for essay writing, have worked on sentence and paragraph development, grammar issues (dangling modifiers, parallelism, inference use, etc), have wrote personal expository essays, an informational (teaching) essay, a professional narrative paragraph, weekly blogs and daily journals. Our next project paper is a Literary Analysis Report/Essay.  For this essay, you will use the library book you have been reading every Friday and develop a paper around it.  Using the criteria discussed in class, you will develop an essay which analyzes at least two elements of the story.  While this is not a full blown “persuasive essay,” a literary analysis does use some persuasive techniques to convince the reader about your perspective on the elements you are exploring in your paper.  This is sometimes also referred to as a “causal analysis.”

    ·        Read in your textbook (Writing with a Purpose) pages 459 to 468.

    ·     Pick one of the following questions to answer for this week’s blog:

    1) How do Judith S. Wallerstein and Sandra Blakeslee
demonstrate that the "trickle down"
 is not relevant to parent-child relationships?
    2) How do the authors illustrate some of the effects of divorce on children (e.g., fear, rejection, anger, loneliness, guilt, and grief)?
    3) How do the authors use the metaphor of "tapestry of many threads" to suggests the complex, long-term effects of the postdivorce period on children?

·    Also, for full credit, respond to at least one other student’s blog. 

·    This is due by Wednesday, October 24, 2012.

26 comments:

  1. The “trickle down” effect generally summarizes how the mood of an adult has corresponding effects on the child in the situation. It has often been said that a happy parent makes for a happy child, therefore creating a content family. On the other hand it would mean that an unsatisfied adult can negatively influence their child’s emotions. Sometimes people presume that when a parent isn’t happy, they think less about the needs and circumstances of their children. So would that mean a more pleased adult would be a better parent? Not always because the fact that the adult in the situation is content does not always reflect directly on the kid by making them happier. A parent could be ecstatic about their new job, but that could mean that they spend less time caring for their children at home which could have a negative effect.

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    1. I think a more pleased adult is a happier parent. Parents don't have it easy, so if they were happy all the time and things were easy then they'd be better parents.

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    2. I have heard that saying before, but it is hard to say whether or not I agree with it. I believe that the correspondance of a happy parent and a happy child has more to do with the previous relationship and situation.

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    3. Some parents, being ecstatic about their new job, would sometimes spend less time caring for their children. I don't think they would do that on purpose though. They're probably so caught up in their job trying to get a good start.

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    4. Parents who seem to be spending more time at work then at home with their child sometimes may just be working 10 times harder just to please their child. Some parents dont realize you can't buy your children. They need to spend actually time with them to care for them.

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    5. I agree a happy parent by itself isn't the only factor in raising a happy child. The parent must also tend to the child. However, a negative parent tending to a child may cause stress for the child due to the parent's mood. I think happy parenting is key.

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  2. Authors illustrate effects of divorce for children by showing sadness and grief. Children's lives can be changed forever from their parents getting divorce and authors let people know that. Authors portray exactly what children feel. They show kids crying or wishing their parents would stay together. They try and set them back up in any way possible. Children sometimes go off doing crazy unordinary things, and authors try and make it seem that its because of the divorce. Divorce is not a good things and is basically all negative, their is no positive from it

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    1. Divorces aren't always negative as the reading suggests. In some aspects a parent can be happy which would reflect on the child becoming happier.

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    2. Getting divorced sometimes is positive, only because it is making the parent happy or it is for the better. Based off of how you said "their is no positive from it," i think that majority of the time it is both positive and negative depending on why they are divorcing.

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    3. A divorce can be both positive and negative. If the parents have a destructive relationship it will in the long run help the child in life. If the parents are fine at home yet one is 100% happy the the child can be crushed. This because that child might not think that anything is wrong, because of the front and how their parents act at home.

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  3. The authors of this essay demonstrate that the "trickle down" effect is not relevent in parent-child relationships by using multiple examples. The adult may become happier from things like a new found love or a job advance, but that does not mean they will suddenly become more sentive or have a greater concern for their children. Sometimes things that may make an adult happier can also take away from time they would have to spend with their children. The kids of a divorcing family usually do not expect the divorce, causing the child to be shocked and unhappy with the dissolution of their family structure.

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    1. I think we got the same understanding, and agree with the authors too.

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  4. The authors talk about the children's feelings just to show how they feel and to show what's it like being them. Like me. I'm a single child, my parents got a divorce when i was 4, and i do get lonely sometimes. That's why i turn on the radio or do something active. I've never thought that "i was a mistake or he doesn't care about me." I thought I was a pretty awesome kid back then. That should mean that I was always in a positive mood! I think that's when the "trickle down" effect comes along because my mom IS usually happy and I'M usually smiling everyday. I found out why my parents had a divorce and it was just drama between the families. It's pretty tough being the only child. Most of the things the authors said are true.

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    1. Happy someone can point out that when it comes to divorce yes it is not s happy time in anyone's life but it does go on and you need to live your life and stay positive. The author only focuses on the negative side of it all which is good to have a side when writing but why only show one is my question,

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  5. The authors clearly state in the essay that the trickle down theory is "not relevant to parent-child relationships'. This is because exciting things may happen to an adult, for example, an advancement in a job, as mentioned in the essay. That does not necessarily mean that that will make that person a better parents. It may even be more difficult for a child whose parents are re-married. No matter how much you try, the child and step-parents can not have a close relationship, resembling one with full blooded parents. Also, a lot of children hold in their anger, as mentioned, and keep it in in fear of disappointing their parents.

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  6. From what the author had written and showed threw his writing was a lot of negitive energy and sadness when it comes to the child of a family from divorce. He showed all the guilt and emotions a child can feel when a divorce is taking place. He also showed how it can change a child in many ways. He gave examples of this by saying how crime rates are higher with kids in divorce family's and more. He gave the negitive side and made it hard to see any good coming from a divorce ever happening.

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    1. I think we both understand the authors concept on divorce. Usually it is a sad time in a child's life but every so often it is good because of physical abuse or other things.

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  7. Divorce is a different experience for children and adults because the children lose something that is fundamental to their development. Leaving children who feel alone and very frightened about the present and the future. When their family breaks up, children feel vulnerable, for they fear that their lifeline is in danger of being cut. Their sense of sadness and loss is profound. Children cry over parents that they were close to and parents who were distant. They are concerned not only for themselves but for the welfare of their parents. Children of all ages feel intensely rejected when their parents divorce. Children get angry at their parents for violating the unwritten rules of parenthood. Some keep their anger hidden for years out of fear of upsetting parents or for fear of retribution and punishment; others show it. Little children may have temper tantrums; older children may explode. Children feel that they have no say, no way to influence this major event in their lives. They cannot prevent divorce, fix it, rescue mom or dad, or rescue the marriage. No one gives priority to their wishes, concerns, and fears.

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    1. It is sad when a child is in a position where there parents get divorced and they feel lots of loneliness and anger build up it really does jeopardize there life.

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  8. The authors, Judith and Sandra, try to explain they way children think and feel as their parents are going through a divorce. Many children feel guilt because they feel they could have prevented the divorce or because they feel they are the reason for the divorce. Children feel lonely during this time because they aren't getting the comfort from their parents as they wish. When parents get a divorce there is a lot of adjusting for the child. They have to get used to either splitting their time with both parents or only seeing one of them. When parents get a divorce it affects more of their children then they may expect but it does.

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  9. In the reading the author explains how the "trickle down effect," is not relevant in parents relationships with their kids. This is true due to many reasons. For example, some people will say that if you are happy as an adult, then your child will be happy, and therefore you will have a happy family. Contrary to that, it could be possible that the parent is happy due to a raise or new found love, in that case, the child could become the opposite. Just because the parent is making more money doesn't mean the child is going to be, because let's be honest, what kid pays that much attention in their parents jobs. If their mom or dad has a new found love who in which the child might not like, making them rebellious and not a happy person. All of these examples can also take away parent and child time. This in the end can cause a family with very little structure and not happy members.

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  10. The author paints a cloudy rainy day picture. Divorce can play a big role in a child's life when a child hears that their parents are getting a divorce it hurts them the most because the child losses something fundamental to the development of a family. When that happens the child may feel lonely because kids are dependent on family for protection and to help them when they don't feel good. Sometimes the child blames it on them self because they felt as if they weren't good enough for their parents. It jeopardizes their child hood it gives them a fear of being left alone and most of the time they are because the parent that take care of the child are out trying to better both of there lives, when the kid is at home worrying and not knowing how things ended up so bad.

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  11. The authors have illustrated some effects of divorce on children. They showed how intensely children rely on adults. They showed some depressive effects by showing how acute childrens' perception if time are, and how that can cause them initial shock when the short term effects of divorce can make their whole lives feel shattered. They showed a few children's quotes and interviews. This helps the authors back up their analysis.

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  12. The trickle down effect is how the mood of an adult can affect the moods of their children. A happy parent equals happy children and vice versa. The authors don’t agree with this trickle down effect. Parents may be happy with a new job, or car, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that their children will be happy for them. Likewise, if a child gets a new toy and is excited, it doesn’t mean that their parents will be happy just because their children are happy.

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  13. I will still accept responses on this blog #4 through Friday morning at 9 AM (11/2). After that, blog #4 will be closed for grading and no additional responses will be accepted for a grade.

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  14. When mothers and fathers get divorced, it is a huge impact on their children's life. When parents get divorced they are single parents which makes it hard to nurture and make decisions alone. Parents usually are not happy and take their anger out on their children which makes them feel like its their fault. Children lose the function of having a family with both the mother and father together. When a little child see's their parent sad it affects them a lot because its upsetting. When a father or mother leaves usually the child thinks the one that left does not care and will never speak to them. Divorce is a huge impact on the whole family's life because its a family breaking up and it hurts everyone, but sometimes it is the best for everyone.

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