English assignment #2

Today we read a passage in class dealing with television and the corruption thereof of the sacred family time. Afterwards, our teacher asked us to answer this question from the book.

Q: [The author] asks, “How long are we going to keep passively selling our own and our children’s souls to keep Madison Avenue on Easy Street?” (sic) Do you agree or disagree with Mayer’s contention that television has had a largely negative effect on our children and families? Write a paragraph in which you defend one of the following statements: “I believe TV is generally a harmful influence on children and families” or “I believe TV is not all that bad for children and families.” Use specific examples to support your argument.

pictured: your childhood dying.

So this is what I came up with:

I believe TV is not all that bad for children and families. To say it were would be to cast aspersions on such folk as Wilde, Marlowe, and Shakespeare. Television is nothing more than a technologically advanced version of the playhouse where Will Kemp and the Lord Chamberlain’s Men did strut and fret their weary hours. Television is a storytelling medium, with a rich history stretching back as far as language itself. Even when the stories are not strictly educational, still they can teach, in their finer moments, about the underlying truths of humanity – teaching us that we are not alone in the darkness. Television can remind us that there are others like us, laughing, crying, and courageous, sharing with us the rich tapestry that is life – a far better purpose than mere entertainment.

pictured: art.

So what would you do differently? ^^ I’d like to know.

english assignment #1

Okay, fellow bogosphere dwellers, here it is – the first english assignment.

Assignment: Write a paragraph on the topic sentence “The person who motivates me to succeed is ________.” Be sure to include the topic sentence in your paragraph.

What i wrote:

   The person who motivates me to succeed is my mother, Brenda. I admire her for the way she’s always been there for me. I want to show her that because she believes in me, I believe – and that because of that belief, I can succeed. She inspires me through her dedication to everything she does. Furthermore, she’s going back to college herself for a degree at twice my age, while supporting a family of four. I want to make her proud and be able to tell her that I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her. For all these reasons and more, my mom is the person who inspires me.

What would you have written?

Is there anything that you would have phrased differently? If so, how would you have phrased it?