Author: gaughan.28

Interview with David Markson

I decided to write about David Markson because he was the author of the most popular fiction book on the site called Wittgenstein’s Mistress. He was the author of many postmodern novels. Markson was educated at Union College and Columbia University. His career began as a journalist, book editor, and college instructor. Malcolm Lowry was a big influence in Markson’s writing career. Markson spent several weeks with him in New York after Markson graduated from Columbia. He published his first novel in the late 1950s but he didn’t gain popularity until the 1980s. Wittgenstein’s Mistress was known as his most popular piece, even though it was first rejected 54 times before being published. The book is an experimental novel about a woman who thinks she is the last person on earth. She makes a series of statements on western cultural icons in the first person. He later published a book of poetry, a study of Malcolm Lowry, and The Ballard of Dingus Magee which was later turned into a movie.

Markson’s works included,

  • Epitaph for a Tramp Dell, 1959.
  • Epitaph for a Dead Beat Dell, 1961.
  • The Ballad of Dingus Magee; Being the Immortal True Saga of the Most Notorious and Desperate Bad Man of the Olden Days, His Blood-Shedding, His Ruination of Poor Helpless Females, & Cetera Bobbs-Merrill, 1965.
  • Miss Doll, Go Home Dell, 1965.
  • Going Down Holt Rinehart Winston, 1970.
  • Springer’s Progress Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1977.
  • Malcolm Lowry’s Volcano: Myth, Symbol, Meaning Times Books, 1978.
  • Wittgenstein’s Mistress Dalkey Archive, 1988.
  • Collected Poems Dalkey Archive Press, 1993.
  • Reader’s Block Dalkey Archive Press, 1996.
  • This Is Not a Novel Counterpoint, 2001.
  • Vanishing Point Shoemaker & Hoard, 2004.
  • The Last Novel Shoemaker & Hoard, 2007.

If I were to interview David Markson I would ask him why he writes in such an unconventional and experimental way. Markson said that he gets some of his writing style from Malcolm Lowry and William Faulkner. I would also ask him why he decided to go visit Malcolm Lowry after graduated. He spent several weeks learning from Lowry in New York. Also, I would ask how he was able to stay focused after not getting anything published for a long time. His first published novel was in the 1950s and he didn’t gain recognition until the 1980s.

 

Title: David Markson

The website is a biography with many links to other sources.

Author: Anonymous

Rating: 4 out of 5

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Markson

Common Sense – The Power of Education By Ricky

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The Power of Education

Education has always been an important aspect of our society. It gives people the necessary skills to be successful in life. Education creates opportunities for people who otherwise wouldn’t have them. One freedom given to us as Americans is our right to free public school education. This freedom has improved our country’s in many ways. I believe that expanding that freedom to free college education would continue to help our society and would be worth the extra cost.

        College is now seen as a necessary step to get a quality job. The number of students going to college has been increasing throughout history. Many students see this tend and start college unaware of what they want to study. They continue to rack up student loans as they major in something that isn’t a fit for them. The debt pressures the student to continue with something that makes them unhappy. Imagine being able to switch studies without the massive penalty of student loans. Many are unable to switch from the fear of too much debt. Also, some students decide that college isn’t the right fit for them and drop out. This combination of student loans and being unable to get a college required job can be devastating. Some students that find the right major and graduate may be unable to find a job. This could be cause by a lack of jobs or a change in society that makes the job obsolete. Many different issues could create situations where students have massive amounts of debt and are unable to succeed.

        Another reason college education should be free is many people who deserve to go cannot afford it. Most people deserve to attend college no matter their financial situation. They are forced to find a job that only requires a high school education which limits their opportunities. This causes the same issue where their children are unable to attend college and the cycle continues. Free college would improve the quality of many lives.

        The education gained at college can help improve many people’s ways of living. Free college has been found to be very effective in other countries. Education helps the society improve socially and economically while also decreasing poverty and crime rates. Education is a very powerful tool that can be more impactful with free college.

Works Cited

Butcher, Amy. “What Exactly Is the Impact of Free Higher Education?” Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly. N.p., 02 Sept. 2015. Web. 12 Feb. 2017.

The Coach by Ricky

           As we all get prepared for practice, our coach stands there watching us with the eyes of a hawk. His hands behind his back looking down as he waits motionless. Coach has the same sun glasses and cleats on as always. His cleanly shaved head makes him look like some robot ready to control his players. We all know what’s in to store today, as coach warned us after our last loss.

            He makes us start our daily sprint around the soccer complex. He watches us from a distance, never looking away to ensure we complete the task to his standards. Next, the coach leads us through dribble moves as he performs them with swiftness and precision. As we attempt to replicate what he showed us, he continues to criticize us. We continue through the two-hour practice working on more drills as everyone is dreading what will come at the end.

He has us all line up as he paces back and forth, telling us how much more he expects. We all get in position to start our sprints as he starts to count down. I can hear the power in his voice. As we sprint back and forth he yells for us to go faster. We run for what feels like forever as he tells us were not stopping soon. I see a small smirk on his thin lips as I run by. Some kids start to vomit as it becomes too much. He shows no remorse as he commands us to continue. I pretend to get sick just to catch my breath. I look up and I see him in the same pose as always, standing tall with his hands behind his back. He finally put an end to our misery when he thinks we’ve had enough. He sees the exhaustion flow through the team when he lets us know it’s time to leave. I pack my things in fear for what practice will bring tomorrow.

Lost and Without Meaning by Ricky

     The Academy Award-winning animated film short “The Lost Thing” by Shaun Tan has a deep meaning that many can relate to. In the film a boy finds the Lost Thing at a beach while looking for bottle caps. He starts building a connection with the Lost Thing and is determined to find him a home. The boy eventually finds the Lost Thing a place where he belongs with others just like him. The film shows how easy it is to get lost in life and how difficult it is to find purpose.

     The Lost Thing represents being lost in life and not being able to find a purpose. The Lost Thing was all alone with no one to help it before the boy came along. None of the other people seemed to notice the Lost Thing. Many people can relate to the Lost Thing, just flowing through life not knowing what they want to do. People that don’t have a purpose in life sometimes need someone to help guide them to it. The boy helps guide the Lost Thing to his paradise. He sees something that needs help and he was willing to unlike the many people that just passed the Lost Thing.

     “The Lost Thing” by Shaun Tan showed how some people are lost without purpose in life. The Lost Thing gives hope to people that even if you are lost in life it is possible to find purpose. The boy breaks the mold of the society and is willing to help the Lost Thing. The film shows the importance of finding meaning and importance in life.