Metacognitive Reflection #1

The Socratic Circle of Analysis

Part II: Self Awareness

I am a passionate idealist with very formulated opinions. I am extroverted in social situations and unafraid to voice my opinions. I have always been a leader in group activities, it is the role I am most comfortable in. I try to be just in allowing all other participants to contribute their opinions - but sometimes I roar too loudly and lose others voices in the noise of my own. I am a strong speaker, but I am not very competent in analysis. So, as a defense mechanism, I talk too much and pull logic out of my bottom when I am lost in conversation I do not comprehend. My weakness in a Socratic circle is my strength; my outspokenness.

I must learn to be a better listener. The next Socratic Circle that I cooperate in, I will not speak if I do not know what to say. I will listen as opposed to speak. I will address those who may be too shy to contribute, or don't know how to. I will question what I do not understand to learn. I also must be competent of the topic of discussion. I went into this Socratic Circle without ever having read the text five minutes before the debate - I must educate myself of the topic before I endevour to critique it.

As a participant, I am a "driver." I am incredibly vocal and passionate about my opinions and beliefs, I am also stubborn.

A Fire Truck: The Analysis

In my opinion:

1.) The purpose of this poem is to understand the extraordinary simplicity of a common situation. How often does one see a firetruck zoom "down the shocked street?" I doubt many view such an experiance as fascinating or romantic. This poem allows the reader to dream about a situation that has occurred in their lives hundreds of times. It interperates ordinary reality as something beautiful and epic.

2.) A Fire Truck is excellent poetry. The language used creates a tone of haste, fruseration and stress. The content creates a wonderful image of a man taking time to comprehend his surroundings, and to be affected by them. The poem is ambitious and direct. The style is unique in a very positive way. The vividness of the situation evokes a definite connection within ourselves, for we have all experianced the passing of a fire truck. The refreshign perspective of such wonder Richard Wilbur evokes within the reader is most charming and very effective.

April Fools On Polar Circus

1.a.) The thesis of April Fools On Polar Circus is "the dance with fear makes me wise."



b.)"I learn the language; I articulate the right series of moves, body positions, ice axe and crampon placements to dance with a frozen tongue of ice." Already, in the first instances of climbing Janet Roddan is acquiring knowledge/wisdom. She must contort and balance, adjust and maneuver to achieve a successful vertical hike. The geometric obstacles that are the contours and ridges of ice become her teachers.

Emotional wisdom can only be gained through experience. "One of the strong pulls of ice climbing is the tremendous range of feelings one is forced to endure." Unless one climbs a giant block of ice, they cannot know how it feels. During the hours of risk it took to achieve such glory the thoughts, sensations and emotions must have been enlightening.



2.) Roddan uses deductive reasoning to prove her thesis. She states her thesis at the beginning of the essay, and throughout establishes her reasoning with her first hand account of adventure.



3.) She effectively uses narration to support her thesis. She accounts her story in an exciting way using beautiful imagery, and vivid mental conceptions. "The dance becomes a struggle" is a sensational way to say "I was in peril." If not for her very personal account of this undertaking, knowing and feeling her experiences, there would be no evidence that any wisdom was gained.





Throughout this essay Roddan uses casual analysis to its full advantage. She examines and relays the reasons that produced the result of gained wisdom. She tells us of her emotions and what she is sensing. She stares into fears eyes and continues, becoming a stronger person with a deeper understanding within and of herself. "Filled with solemn focus, I proceed."



4.) "Two tiny fireflies humming and buzzing softly." I can only assume that there is no human emotion that can describe the sensation of conquering such a great height, so simile is used. When Roddan uses the images of two contented fireflies she creates incredible tone and we sense their joy.

"We are filled with our fear and our audacity." Parallel structure has been used very well in this example. Roddan is experiencing conflicting emotions and to express so, must list one after the other. It is contradictory at first glance, but with the style of the piece most beneficial.

It would be horribly boring to keep referring to the mountain as such. To breath life and personality into the hulk of ice Roddan uses personification as a common theme. "I witness her dark, foreboding pinnacles, her places of silent, quiet peace, her vistas too vast to contain in a single glance." She refers the the mountain as a woman. This allows the audience to perceive the mountain as a feminine energy and gives us imagery we can relate to since, presumably, we have not climbed an ice mountain ourselves. It is difficult to comprehend the unknown and is pleasing to the ear and imagination to visualize this goddesses silent, quiet places.

"The entire world shrinks to a section of frozen water in front of my face." A very great metaphor. The symbolism is very clear in this sentence. She is terrified and more aware of her surroundings then she ever has been. No other thoughts enter her mind but the struggle in front of her.

5.) A wedding is a commitment of two entities and the unification of two souls. Her voyage to the top of Polar Circus is a journey that allows her to connect deeply with her own soul and allows her to tap into the energies of the mountain. The two are entwined and therefore one. The climb up is the sweet yet unsure swooning of two young lovers - unacquainted with one another, yet learning intimate details as their time together increases. Her standing atop the peak is the exchange of vows - the proud happiness of achievement. And, much like marriage the climb down the magic becomes tedious. As soon as she is in her car, she is divorced from the mountain, though she will always have the memories of their time together.
Dancing is a synchronized movement of two. One must lead, the other must follow. The mountain is the leader, she is the partner. The mountain is strong and if she knows the rhythm it supports her through their dance. Like dancing, if her footing is awkward, she will fail. In climbing the same physics of dancing apply but on a momentous and dangerous scale.

6.) Many would consider Roddan and her friend fools for even considering such a professedly unnecessary feat aside from physically actualizing the endevour. Her circus is entertaining and the admission is time, energy and devotion. They are in actuality, two fools on April first who undertake the circus like confusion, absurdity and intrigue that is the icy Polar Circus.

Good and Bad Writing.

BAD WRITING

Exhibit A: Paragraph Number One

This piece is presumably written by an non existing entity. The author begins: "Within our society, it has been shown that there is an individual." Based upon this statement alone, the author would have us believe that there is only one individual within 'this' society. Which society? This society. The author does not specify which society the paragraph is relative to and we are left to guess armed only with strange, incoherent sentences of rambling thoughts that follow. The second sentence is even less coherent. The author refers to the individual as "He" and then five words later refers to the same individual as "their." The third sentence contradicts the opening statement. The author suggests that the individual is either brainwashed by the media, or molded by their friends. If "their" friends are in fact trying to "direct us in the right direction" are the friends then unaffected by this apparent brainwashing? The author is now referring to the individual as "us." The author is undecided as to who the individual is - he has now pulled the reader into this confusion. The fifth sentence enlightens us to the fact that, "no one may ever know what is right or wrong." This statement has come out of nowhere. It is seemingly an anachronism to short cut through any explanation as to how they came to this conclusion. Then, they go on to surprise us with the introduction of ethical relativism which remains unexplained and the definition and origins of ethical relativism are actually questioned by the author. Apparently the author is not asking a rhetorical question - they too seem to be looking for the answers. The next sentence is completely unnecessary for it is so horrifyingly obvious a statement. I am amused by the following sentence which vaguely defines ethical relativism indirectly with improper usage of grammar and confusing language. The author thinks that they have avoided using a truism in the ninth sentence by stating "one may conclude" when addressing the diverse nature of humanity but they have not. It is just made to be a more confusing truism. There are no facts to support their claim besides experience and due to the previous content of this essay, one may question if there is even more than one society. I do not understand the conclusion of this paragraph in the least. I do not know how the author convicts both ethical relativists and philosophers of wasting their time. Nor do I comprehend what the author is stating! They do not explain their deductions; they assume we understand and have all along. I must say, I am impressed with this authors ability to talk in circles and jump from topic to topic. It is a most bewildering paragraph which contains no fact, no support and no sense. It has too many directions and no purpose.

Exhibit B: Paragraph Number Two

A paragraph has no right to be one sentence in length. The author is clearly unaware of the lung capacity of a human. The author is trying to be overly clever with the usage of 'big words.' It is an ironic intention, for the author becomes silly and pretentious in doing so. Quantity over quality is this authors motto.

Exhibit C: Paragraph Number Three

This paragraph supplies no solid fact or references so how is it they come up with such a sure conclusion? This paragraph is a wonderful explanation of a truism. If there is no support of an opinion it can only ever be speculation and opinion. If one tries to force an opinion with aggressive 'logic' then this thought becomes a lie.

Good Writing

Exhibit A: Paragraph Number Four

This paragraph is reliable, coherent, direct and accurate. It has support and is well delivered. It captures the reader with fascinating imagery and does not use more words than it must.

Exhibit B: Paragraph Number Five

The author possesses the readers interest with a beautiful quote from a Leigh Hunt the poet. "colours are the smiles of nature." Artfully, they proceed to refer to colours as smiles. They then go on to explain the science of this statement with appropriate referencing. This paragraph has definite direction and a nice style that evokes a lovely thought in the audience.

Exhibit C: Paragraph Number Six

This paragraph is especially 'good.' It asks seemingly obvious questions to aid their thesis. It clearly defines what a machine is, and it is a broad enough definition to prove their point. It proceeds to raise an interesting possibility that cannot be disproved about future machinery. This paragraph then sets up the following paragraph nicely with a question that concludes the previous thought. It is a valid paragraph as it has scientific backing. It asks the reader to think and to question yet rigs the questions to lead the reader to a clear agreement.

Slurred thoughts, wordy phrases, lack of evidence, lack of interest, and most importantly no direction make bad writing.

Clear concise reasoning, valid evidence, references, rhetorical devices, definite direction, make up good writing.