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In the next few weeks, we are going to read and write essays that revolve around science. In this course, we will challenge the common conception that scientists and artists are fundamentally different. Many people view science and art as two of the most different disciplines imaginable. In fact, most people view the two as incompatible, and assume that individuals naturally fall into either one or the other category. C. P. Snow, a writer who also had a background in science, felt that the two should be reconciled, but he also believed that the division had grown so strong this past century that there were two separate "cultures," and a great divide between them. So, how do we attempt to bridge that gap? Snow's 1959 lecture, "The Two Cultures" characterized the modern version of this conception, referring to a "gulf of mutual incomprehension" between science and the humanities. Is this really the case? The answer is suggested in one of Jacob Bronowski's poems -- that the principle of reality is "both abacus and rose combined." That is, mathematics and beauty together make up the world we live in. Towards the end of this short course, it will become clear that observation, imagination, and the use of metaphor are all essential aspects of both science and art.
This course, like any writing course, works on the assumption that all of your work could use improvement. If you are entering this course with the notion that everything you write needs no revision, I suggest you adopt a new attitude. In other words, you must be willing to learn to take criticism from your peers in workshop, as well as from your instructor. Also, if you want to write well, you must learn to read well. That means you should be extra-attentive: read closely and carefully. Re-read whenever possible. If you are a fast reader, and you've read something twice, try copying a few lines from the passage to see how much more you can get out of it. Expect to work hard. But if you do, you'll be rewarded. It's fun! To develop our understanding of the readings and to practice articulating inferences, we will discuss each reading and most exercises. These discussions are conversations that, typically, extend over a week (start and end dates are in the class calendar). To have successful discussions, everyone must participate consistently. Your instructor may kick off the discussion with a question, may guide the inquiry in a particular direction, and may even call on a particular student to respond. However, students are primarily responsible for the level of discourse. You must monitor discussions frequently. During the academic year, check on each discussion or workshop at least three times during the week -- more is better. During the intensive summer program, participate daily. You must post at least two significant comments to each discussion. "Significant comments" do not equal "right answers." In discussions and workshops, there are no right answers. Significant comments demonstrate thoughtful inquiry. These comments might offer insights, might be paragraphs exploring aspects of the reading, or they might be meaningful questions that stimulate further insights. The reward for engaging in the discussions is discoveries that enrich your learning process and make your final writing assignments more profound. Because it is our first, Lesson 1's discussion will be somewhat truncated. Your first set of readings is shorter than usual so we can get to the discussion quickly, reach a consensus, and start writing!
Recall a moment when you made an important discovery or learned something. It may have been a moment when you learned something about numbers, string, metal, light, water, etc. Take 10 minutes to write down all the details you remember about that moment. You can write on paper or in your computer. You're not going to post this exercise, but you may use some of these details in your final writing assignment (but you don't have to). The readings for this lesson both involve an important discovery or learning moment, but I don't want you to look at those until you've completed this writing exercise. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Just make sure you can understand what you have written. | Readings for this Lesson: | Finish by: | | Academic Year | Intensive Summer | Annie Dillard, "Handed My Own Life"
Oliver Sacks, "Uncle Tungsten" | Day 4 of course | Day 2 of course | Post two responses to each reading. |
We want to learn to write coherent narratives. Both of the readings we will read hold together nicely. That is, they are written in such a way that one, single idea is the controlling idea. No matter how far any one essay may appear to digress, it always ties in to the central theme of the essay in the end. We'll also need to think about how to sequence action (i.e. chronologically or otherwise), how to shape the structure of a story around a central conflict, and how to present details. - Both of the readings are in chronological order. But that doesn't mean your essay has to be! You can play with flashbacks if you like, provided you handle the basics of storytelling first.
- Both stories revolve around a conflict. Dillard is seeking something. Sacks is recounting the ways that learning about something took unexpected turns. You'll want your story to do more than just say, "I was fascinated by light as a child." (Even though Sacks begins his essay in a similar way, he progresses to a larger concern.)
- Details make or break a story. There are at least two glorious paragraphs of details in both of the readings. When you eventually write your own essay, you'll want to "zoom in" on a spot in your story where your writing comes alive with vivid description.
As you read, ask yourself these questions: - Why does Dillard choose to begin her story with the particular sentence she does?
- Why all the details in the second paragraph? What's the purpose of using those details?
- What is the climax of this story? (Think a little on this one)
- Does the first sentence indicate that this will be a significant story? Show us how. We'll discuss what "significant" means. Does it have to be earth-shattering or monumental?
- What does she do to give the story weight? (How does she make a story about finding an amoeba sound important and meaningful?)
- How does she give the story dramatic structure? (A narrative essay -- an essay that is essentially a story -- describes a series of events. Some events are more emphasized than others. Which events does Dillard emphasize, and which does she de-emphasize?)
- What is the climax? Is it the discovery of the elusive amoeba ("Finally" is a false indicator) or a realization? What does she realize?
Take a close look at the first paragraph, paying special attention to how Sacks conveys his excitement about metals. The first sentence is strong; we know right away what the essay will be about, and how important the topic is to the author. The essay you're going to write will build upon a childhood memory or childhood memories about your own relationship with something scientific -- that is, anything material or any phenomenon of nature that aroused your curiosity. "Bronze! The word was like a trumpet to me...." What word resonates with you? Is there a concept that you are attracted to that is accompanied by wonderful language? (In the next lesson, we will be reading about the language in some disciplines of science.) Finally, consider how Sacks's curiosity grows from liking the visible and tangible properties of metals to wanting to explore their unseen properties? What makes him want to know more? What puzzles him? How did this progression affect you as a reader? Notice how Sacks uses emotions in his piece: the idea that people are made of elements both delights and frightens him. Also notice the string of question marks, which build in intensity. You probably felt the suspension mounting; think about how artfully he achieved that effect. How might you achieve a similar effect in your own piece? Given the stories we've read, do you have a sense of what an appropriately significant event is? We've seen many techniques and devices in Dillard and Sacks. Look back on all of the discussions. Boil them down to a few techniques that you found helpful. You might try different styles. Annie Dillard chose to write about her relentless quest for the amoeba and all the exciting discoveries she made along the way. Oliver Sacks panned out on his childhood and his love of metals, first describing his relationship with each one, then expanding into metals in general. (Each of the three pieces has an element of awe in it. This is where the artist and the scientist meet: at the point where there is beauty and wonder in the everyday things!) Let's recap. So far, we've examined two personal memoirs about science in depth. When you write your final essay for this lesson, you will create your own essay following these models. In the next several lessons, you will be examining nonfiction that confronts scientific ideas. For example, Lesson 2 will allow you to explore the way scientific language has influenced your perception of a particular field. The next lesson will be a revision of the personal memoir. The following lesson will cover the role of metaphor in science. Finally, we will incorporate all of the reading and writing from the course in the final lesson, in which we will discuss the role that science plays with respect to writing nonfiction. Now that we've studied some examples, I'd like you to begin constructing a personal essay of your own. Think back to early childhood, and write about an idea or object that intrigued you so much that you were compelled to investigate it further. Draft the essay on your computer, without worrying about the techniques we've studied just yet. Bear them in mind, but don't try to force all of the devices we've studied into one early draft. You'll have a chance to revise this essay later. Academic Year and
Early Summer Session | You have 6 days to write | | Mid Summer Intensive Session | You have 5 days to write |
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