A Phone App for Switching Out Your Light Bulbshttp://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/a-phone-app-for-switching-out-your-light-bulbs/?scp=7&sq=phone&st=cse
This passage isn't especially special in my opinion, although I like the diction use, there were a lot of them, and I like the fact Witkin used the reference "light bulb" in his story, it is the main reason why I kept on reading. Also Witkin's syntax grabbed me, "How many mobile-phone apps does it take to change a light bulb?" this "how many.... to change light bulb" phrase has been around for ever. It usually meant to be a joke, but Witkin worked his way around it. He started out by making the passage seem funny, but what he is trying to achieve is for readers to read about the new information that he is proposing. His information is dull, but his writing skill is old school, funny, and clever.
Tell the reader why the diction is significant and how it aids to the rest of the article. I'm not sure that the syntax quotes have anything relevant to syntax too... maybe I'm not seeing it? How does this fit into syntax? Don't forget the other element of DIDLS.
ReplyDeleteMy advice to you is to further explain DIDLS.
If the essay is not special or contains DIDLS I would suggest finding another article; it would help with writing the essay and make good practice. However, what you did analyze was good.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what you meant by the passage not being especially special. There's DIDLS in there for sure. It was an unorthodox choice for a close reading, sure, but there were things you could have analyzed like person, use of detail, and a lot of very "advertising" syntax. Go for it! Look deeper! You made some good insights on the opening line; analyze on!
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