How does Howe make a fairly ordinary street in Columbus, Ohio, an interesting subject?
In “High Street” Howe had cleverly combined the emotional and historical appeal of a fairly ordinary street to captivate his readers. Howe made use of the fact that the “High Street” has been a witness to the changing times and way of life of the people of Columbus, Ohio. At the same time, Howe also depicts the street with emotional attachment such that the street helps him remember who he was, what life was back then, and how life has changed. The many people who have had memories and experiences in the same street also leave their mark on the street which to Howe has made the street take a life of its own.
What makes this profile of Lau, a businessman and food manufacturer interesting? (Or, if you didn’t find it interesting, why not?) From what angle does Olshan approach his subject?
The profile of Lau is not very interesting in the sense that it gives too much account of what Lau had done as a writer of fortunes, as a worker for Wonton Foods, Inc. and not more about his personality and his life. The profile was focused on his daily tasks, how he became a fortune writer and how he ran out of fortunes and opted to recycle or rely on computers. It gives the reader the feeling that Lau is bored and not enjoying his work at all. It is not very inspiring and profiles ought to inspire or motivate readers by the life of the subject, in this case Lau. Olshan merely reports the kind of work that Lau does, moreover he does not give Lau any credit for being creative or ingenious and for being successful.
What is Smiths stance toward Depp, his subject? Point to specific places in the text that reveal this stance.
Smith is obviously a fan of Johnny Depp, he makes it a point to emphasize that Depp is a complex person who wants to be different and has been punished for being different. He wants to convince the reader that Depp does not want fame and commercialism and that Depp had problems because he was fighting Hollywood and its social system. Smith said that “no one has worked harder at not being a movie star than Depp”. Even, Smith’s justification of Depp’s tardiness for interviews tells the reader that Smith does not find it offensive and is consistent with Depp’s personality.
References
- The Norton Reader (2008) 12th ed. Boston, W.W. Norton & Co.
