9B: Sample Macbeth paragraph

Here's the sample paragraph we wrote in class Tuesday.

Discuss the symbolism of blood in scene two, and apply it to specific lines.

In act 2 scene 2 of Macbeth, Shakespeare uses blood as a symbol of guilt in order to contrast for the audience how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth deal with the guilt over the death of Duncan. When Macbeth returns from having killed Duncan and finds blood on his hands, he worries about the ability to wash his hands clean. ‘Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas in incarnadine, / Making the green one red.’ (II.ii.27-30) Shakespeare does this to show Macbeth’s strong sense of guilt over the act he has just performed. By saying that he doubts whether he can wash his hands clean, Macbeth symbolically shows his doubts that he will ever be free of the guilt over the murder. In fact, not only will his guilt be permanently on his hands, but it will make all of the sea red: this foreshadows the fact that Macbeth’s sense of guilt will affect not only him, but all of Scotland as it motivates his tyranny. On the other hand, Lady Macbeth has a totally different attitude about the blood and, symbolically, her sense of guilt. She says, ‘My hands are of your colour,’ but in contrast with Macbeth, assumes that ‘A little water clears us of this deed: / How easy is it, then!’ (II.ii.39-40) Lady Macbeth sees the guilt, symbolized by the blood on her hands, as insignificant; it can easily be washed away, forgotten, left behind. By having both characters talk about the blood on their hands, Shakespeare contrasts the two characters’ attitudes about guilt and the consequences of evil actions.

10B: sample analysis paragraph

Here’s the sample we wrote in class. It’s about the ad linked above.

Association

One of the most common ways of selling a product is through association. With this technique, the product is linked to a desire to which the advertiser believes the target audience will have some attachment. In the 1971 Coca-Cola advertisement, the association is with idealism, unity and internationalism. Because the late 1960s and early 1970s were heavily influenced by the youth counter-culture movement of the anti-war protests and the ‘hippie lifestyle,’ these were ideas and desires that were important, especially to young people. Naturally, young people are the target audience of the ad. When the ad starts, a young woman is singing the song alone. Her natural appearance and the fact that she is looking off into the distant sky gives the impression of her sincerity and idealism. As the song continues, more people start singing with her, giving the impression that the song is gaining in strength as the voices, belonging to a group of people with various ethnicities and wearing clothing suggestive of national costumes. (I would then go on the describe the nature of the song, the outdoor setting, the girl at the end looking like she might cry, the slogan 'The Real Thing,' etc.)

10A: sample analysis paragraph

Here's the sample we wrote in class. It's about the ad thumbnailed above. (Click for a bigger copy.)

ironic ad

Some advertisers will avoid the more mainstream advertising techniques and instead use ironic ads. Ironic ads make fun of traditional ads, and by so doing they make the consumer feel like the product trusts them. In other words, the consumer is treated like she is too smart to actually be advertised to. A classic example is the Volkswagen ‘Think Small’ campaign. Volkswagen wants to make a claim of a unique selling proposition, so they emphasize not only the differences between this car and other cars on the market, but also the differences between this ad and other car ads. For instance, the car is shown very small and on a neutral, white background, making it look somewhat ridiculous. Most car ads would show the car in great detail and in a highly associative context. The slogan ‘Think Small’ is the opposite of what one expects a car ad to say, thus making fun of that more traditional style of advertising. (Then you would keep writing about the other techniques in the ad.)