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Oct. 6th, 2004 10:32 pmI have figured something out. The first assignment for my Renaissance class gave me trouble because the assignment seemed to indicate that we were to take a theory outlined in a piece of criticism and explained in class, and illustrate how that theory applied to a certain poem. I struggled with the assignment, because I concluded there was no way it could be that simple. Graduate papers do not generally include simple demonstration of the use of critical theory -- one is usually required to develop an argument and use both the evidence of the text and critical theory to support your argument. It took me quite awhile before I could come up with something to argue that was still in keeping with the assignment. When I finally did so, I wrote what I considered to be a mediocre paper that successfully argued my thesis, but could have done so better. The professor nearly fell over himself praising it. I was confused.
This second assignment for my Renaissance class is much the same thing. Although this time he gave us our choice of theories, the assignment still seems to ask us simply to pick a theory we like and illustrate its application to one of two poems (we get to choose). And I finally get it. He's not *expecting* us to argue anything. He just wants us to demonstrate that we understand the theory we've chosen and can show how it applies to the poem we've chosen -- both theories apply to both poems, without necessarily contradicting one another, so there are numerous combinations, none of which necessitate arguing against anyone else's position.
The reason he was so excited over the last essay is that I managed to take what was intended to be a simple regurgitation and connect-the-dots essay and turn it into a critical argument. Go me.
I'm sure if I thought long and hard enough, I *might* be able to come up with something to argue for this essay. But quite frankly, I've had a long and miserable week, and I'm tired. So I'm simply going to regurgitate and illustrate. It makes my life easier. Of course, now that I've done all the reading and taken my notes and I understand my chosen theory and how it applies to my chosen poem, I find that I have little motivation to actually *write* my essay.
Ah well. The damn thing's not due until midnight tomorrow. I've already got a page of background material and I haven't even started explaining my theory yet. It'll get done, if I have to reward myself with a chapter of fiction (which I've been craving like a starved child) after each paragraph.
This second assignment for my Renaissance class is much the same thing. Although this time he gave us our choice of theories, the assignment still seems to ask us simply to pick a theory we like and illustrate its application to one of two poems (we get to choose). And I finally get it. He's not *expecting* us to argue anything. He just wants us to demonstrate that we understand the theory we've chosen and can show how it applies to the poem we've chosen -- both theories apply to both poems, without necessarily contradicting one another, so there are numerous combinations, none of which necessitate arguing against anyone else's position.
The reason he was so excited over the last essay is that I managed to take what was intended to be a simple regurgitation and connect-the-dots essay and turn it into a critical argument. Go me.
I'm sure if I thought long and hard enough, I *might* be able to come up with something to argue for this essay. But quite frankly, I've had a long and miserable week, and I'm tired. So I'm simply going to regurgitate and illustrate. It makes my life easier. Of course, now that I've done all the reading and taken my notes and I understand my chosen theory and how it applies to my chosen poem, I find that I have little motivation to actually *write* my essay.
Ah well. The damn thing's not due until midnight tomorrow. I've already got a page of background material and I haven't even started explaining my theory yet. It'll get done, if I have to reward myself with a chapter of fiction (which I've been craving like a starved child) after each paragraph.
