IB Language and Literature

Carry Poppy - "A Scientific Approach to the Paranormal" I chose to choose a  Ted Talk titled "A Scientific Approach to the Paranormal".  I did this for a few reasons... 1) the speaker's outfit looks kind of like an elf and I think that's cool 2) I am 99% sure I've felt a ghost numerous times and 3) I am a big believer in science.   Cary Poppy starts by saying "Eight years ago, I was haunted by an evil spirt".  Sounds intense, right?  Poppy does not in fact believe her house was haunted by a sprit because she found out, with a little help from the internet, that her house, instead, had carbon monoxide poisoning.   With using such strong wording in her starting phrase, the speaker was able to grab the audience's attention rather effectively.  The phrase included an allusion to a common belief held by a large audience - the belief in the super natural.  At least for me, the word "evil spirit" brings to mind scary movies ...

Don't HYDE from this Blog Post! STEP ONE: HYDE " He is not easy to describe . There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something down-right detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked, and yet I scarce know why. He must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn't specify the point . He's an extraordinary looking man, and yet I really can name nothing out of the way ."                 - Chapter 1, Jekyll and Hyde WHAT I OBSERVE... This excerpt characterizes Hyde in a very indirect way, uncertain of specific characteristics (hilighted in yellow).  Not being able to describe Hyde is a way of instiling ambiguity into the character, giving off a mysterious tone.  Utterson is only able to describe him as deformed or displeasing.  This characteritization of Hyde is described as a feeling, showing the lack of certainty in his obeservations.  ...