#8 Designing a composition

We move on to Elements of Composition from today!

Writing a love letter is different from writing a casual essay, which is different from writing something organised. It is essential for the author to think of the shape of the writing before we begin. In this tiny paragraph, I have introduced the topic for the day, moved on to describing my point and then finished it off with an explanation/example.

It is quite easy to get lost in the writing, as I have often felt in the middle. However, taking time to think of the structure, putting it down and then writing a composition on this foundation works wonders!

#7 Participial phrase rule

Not

Being the only son of the house, she won all of his family's love. 

Instead

Being the only son of the house, his family's love was won by her. 

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I realize this mistake is something very common, when I think about it now. You will realize that something is wrong with the statement, but find it tough to point out the mistake. Today, there was gyan!

#6 Using period inappropriately

Not -

The beach was crowded with little kids. Playing with their kites. 
The marathon was a success. Seeing participation from people all over the country. 

Instead -

The beach was crowded with little kids, playing with their kites. 
The marathon was a success, seeing participation from people all over the country. 

You can use it to stress on expression though.

She moved into the darkness. Swiftly. 

Mobius loop of self-perception and behaviour

My favorite is the idea that people become what they do. This explanation of how people acquire attitudes and traits dates back to the philosopher Gilbert Ryle, but was formalized by the social psychologist Daryl Bem in his self-perception theory. People draw inferences about who they are, Bem suggested, by observing their own behavior.

Self-perception theory turns common wisdom on its head. … Hundreds of experiments have confirmed the theory and shown when this self-inference process is most likely to operate (e.g., when people believe they freely chose to behave the way they did, and when they weren't sure at the outset how they felt).

Self-perception theory is an elegant in its simplicity. But it is also quite deep, with important implications for the nature of the human mind. Two other powerful ideas follow from it. The first is that we are strangers to ourselves. After all, if we knew our own minds, why would we need to guess what our preferences are from our behavior? If our minds were an open book, we would know exactly how honest we are and how much we like lattes. Instead, we often need to look to our behavior to figure out who we are. Self-perception theory thus anticipated the revolution in psychology in the study of human consciousness, a revolution that revealed the limits of introspection.

But it turns out that we don't just use our behavior to reveal our dispositions—we infer dispositions that weren't there before. Often, our behavior is shaped by subtle pressures around us, but we fail to recognize those pressures. As a result, we mistakenly believe that our behavior emanated from some inner disposition.

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I read this amazing paragraph written by psychologist Timothy Wilson. We are what we do. It is a very strong explanation that teaches us how to become, what we want to become. Amy Cuddy's explanation on faking it till you make it also comes to my mind. When you want to become something, tell your brain about it. Act it out. You are faking it, but coaching your brain, at the same time. Be at it constantly, regularly - one fine day, you will become it. 

Original article source

A Woman of Substance

I love stories of strong-willed women. It gives me the hope that I can indeed leave a mark on earth. This movie is about a young yorkshire kitchen maid, Emma Harte, in the late 1890s creating her fortune and building her business empire.

The movie starts with her hard work as a maid and shows her using hatred as the feed for her success in life - hatred against the world, hatred that she was never a part of gentry. She transforms that into manure for her life. She yearns to become rich and build a fortress around her and her dear ones.

Looks like it is true that you need to feel like an outcast to make it big. I was watching Obama speak earlier in the day, in an interview with Ellen, before he became the president. He said, "I have been motivated because I feel I have been an underdog, I am not likely to be here; you don't find that many presidential candidates named Barack Obama..."

Many surprising twists in the story for a strong willed woman. You can see how she loses control over her marital life now and then. I guess every story has a two sides. The good and the bad. The right and the wrong. She succeeded in one part of her life by giving up in some others. I guess you need to "Judge success by what you have given up". 

The movie even threw light on human greed, when her children get too ambitious and forget their mother's sacrifice. Emma Harte was a brave, smart and willed woman. The movie ends with her saying, "I hope my grandchildren discover the secret of life - To endure"

Mrs Dalloway

A recent way of doing things has been recording them. Memories are rarely etched graphically forever. I realized how I had forgotten tiny details of a lot of things from the past, over time. I am not one of those people who remembers events to their minute details and speaks of them elaborately even after 10 years. And in retrospect it would have been nice to remember these things.

I watch a lot of movies. Good ones. Bad ones. Tardy ones. Wanton ones. I have vowed to write reviews and after thoughts on my blog. It helps to revisit these memories!

Mrs Dalloway. I am addicted to victorian age movies. BBC is to blame for the most part. I enjoy the absolutely detailed and specific lives of old english men, the grandeur of living and dressing of english women, the dedication of the housekeepers, the strong human emotions and relationships of the characters. Or atleast the portrayal of these.

It was amusing to see Mrs Dalloway pick her groom. It made me think of the things we assume we want from a relationship, which turn into things we wish we never wished for. 'Not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck', goes a Buddhist saying.

Sally goes, 'You may think me sentimental, but I have come to believe that the only thing worth saying is what you feel'. In reply, Peter goes, 'Well I don't know what I feel... I know that I loved her once and that it stayed with me all my life and that it coloured everything'. 

And one final lovely dialogue, 'What does the brain matter, compared to the heart'. 

Re-watch: Oh yes!

Don't take the first NO

Learnings come in simple little moments; like one subtle wisp of fragrance in your breath.

I got a rejection from an institution yesterday. While the details of the story are not essential, what stuck was a wiser friend's words. 'Don't take the first No'. I have never been good at pushing my way through. I am a staunch believer in what I deserve.

Lately, I have come to realize that, that belief can be blinding. While it is true that I will deserve what I do, it is important for me to ensure that I have provided all the information necessary to the concerned party. This process can be a long one and need not stop with the first exchange.

Let's take a case. I ask Mr A, if he can help me sort out a certain issue. Mr A objects. That's a rejection. The lesson I learnt will ensure I go back to Mr A and give more information about my issue; information that will possibly revoke his interest.

In essence, I will refuse to take the first No. What's the harm in trying, anyway?

#5 Dealing with independent clauses

Bhargav's stories are awe-inspiring; they are based on real life experiences. 

Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses. It is okay to use a full stop as well.

Bhargav's stories are awe-inspiring. They are based on real life experiences. 

One can use the colon to introduce a stop that is less obvious than a full stop. When these clauses are joined by conjunctions, one must stick to a comma. If it is joined by a adverb, go back to semicolon.

John has always been on time; besides, its raining heavily today. 

When the clauses are short and in a flow of tone - it would be an exception to this rule.

Man proposes, God disposes.

#4 Use comma before a conjunction

The tides are high this evening, and I don't feel like talking a walk on the shore. 

Sheila is anxious about her results, but she knows it will all work out. 

However, you don't use comma when the and is connecting something close or immediate. Like..

Take the medicines and drink some water. 

#3 Commas for parenthetic expressions

Seema's exhibition, which was held early May, was awarded the Best Show of the Year prize.

The car, you drove last summer, has just been repaired again. 

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There is a whole lot of rules for this one about parenthetic phrases - phrases which break the flow, dates, abbreviations like Jr. in names, and nonrestrictive clauses. Essentially, we add commas when the phrase gives new information that can be a separate sentence. 

#2 Use comma to separate three or more terms

Aarti, Akshaya, and Dhanya

Painting, Singing, and Dancing

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This is a HUGE learning for me because I always write - Aarti, Akshaya and Dhanya. I could have sworn that was the only way to do until this minute.. Well.

#1 Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's

1) Follow the rule whatever the consonant.
Greeves's dog
Louis's coat
Exceptions - Ancient proper names (Ex: Jesus, Moses) and words such as conscience

2) Pronominal possessives such as hers, yours, its, theirs and ours are exceptions as well. However indefinite pronouns use apostrophe.
One's game
No one else's bag

3) It's vs Its - It's is a contraction, meaning "it is". Its is a possessive.

PS: Starting today I will be blogging a series of grammar lessons from 'The Elements of Style". The aim is to improve my writing/grammar skills.  

On Men and making a Living

Sherwood Anderson sent the following letter to his 17 year old son in 1927. I was amazed at how his thoughts on men and the world still applied. A very hearty letter.. 

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The best thing, I dare say, is first to learn something well so you can always make a living. Bob seems to be catching on at the newspaper business and has had another raise. He is getting a good training by working in a smaller city. As for the scientific fields, any of them require a long schooling and intense application. If you are made for it nothing could be better. In the long run you will have to come to your own conclusion.

The arts, which probably offer a man more satisfaction, are uncertain. It is difficult to make a living.

If I had my own life to lead over I presume I would still be a writer but I am sure I would give my first attention to learning how to do things directly with my hands. Nothing gives quite the satisfaction that doing things brings.

Above all avoid taking the advice of men who have no brains and do not know what they are talking about. Most small businessmen say simply – 'Look at me.' They fancy that if they have accumulated a little money and have got a position in a small circle they are competent to give advice to anyone.

Next to occupation is the building up of good taste. That is difficult, slow work. Few achieve it. It means all the difference in the world in the end.

I am constantly amazed at how little painters know about painting, writers about writing, merchants about business, manufacturers about manufacturing. Most men just drift.

There is a kind of shrewdness many men have that enables them to get money. It is the shrewdness of the fox after the chicken. A low order of mentality often goes with it.

Above all I would like you to see many kinds of men at first hand. That would help you more than anything. Just how it is to be accomplished I do not know. Perhaps a way may be found. Anyway, I'll see you this summer. We begin to pack for the country this week.

With love,

Dad.