I find Mark's blog very creative and organized. At first, I somewhat misunderstood the concept that a blog can be done as separate posts, rather than just 'one big thing'. I am particularly fond of the new cover page, as it reflects a very high degree of creativity. It is simple, yet it reveals quite a lot the true meaning, and essence, of the story. This is one of the scenarios in which 'less means more'. I also enjoyed how Mark organized the 'comments' on the novel separate from his new cover. This, coupled with the design of the new cover, enhances the reader's first impression of the novel by delivering the message clearly, and not distracting him/her from less important components, even though the perspective of other well-known authors on the novels would also be essential. One suggestion can be that he can dig deeper and be even more creative with the background design of the Blog. Also, while it is very clever to include background information about the author, Cory Doctorow, it is not surprising that at least some of the information is adapted from Wikipedia. Although Wikipedia is a very commonly used and easily accessible source, it might not be the most reliable because it is an online encyclopedia in which anyone can edit. That means that it is possible that any person, regardless of their true knowledge, can put information on it as long as he/she makes an account.
I highly enjoy how the outline of the dystopian society is clear and 'to the point'. Part of how I may improve my writing that I should not describe concepts in detail from the very beginning, but rather give the audience a more comprehensible first impression. The book review is relatively effective; however at some points I felt that it needs more in order to fully entice the reader to read the novel. For instance, Mark could have written phrases such as 'no other novel does...better than Little Brother' or 'Little Brother achieves..., which other novels fail to achieve', etc. The pictures highlight the meaning of the text well, and I especially enjoy the image that Mark created himself, on programming software. For picture 3, I like how he relates the picture to his own perspective on Little Brother, "Previously, I have thought...now I think...". The map seems very creative, and it is especially effective for Mark to compare Marcus' home with the site of the terrorist attack. This adds another dimension to the story, because not only does he outline the site of the worst attack in U.S. history, but he also compares it to the point-of-view of the main character.
I find the journal entries very insightful, as they are able to truly reflect the opinions and personalities of the characters in such depth. In journal 3, it is especially effective that Mark phrased one of the ideas into a question, so that it somehow makes the reader think about his/her own experiences. I am really fond of the degree of drama that has been put into these journal entries. In a sense, they reveal the emotions of the characters 'inside-out'. The quotes that Mark chose are quite powerful, and they mirror the themes of oppression that dominate much of the story. They also effectively represent the development of the storyline, from problem ("I don't get it; you’re making it sound like the bill of rights is optional. It's Constitution. We're supposed to follow it absolutely") to a possible strategy or alternative ("When in trouble or on doubt, run in circles, scream and shout"). My suggestion is that although it is effective to include the Declaration of Independence, it may be even more helpful if there is the inclusion of the perspective of one or more characters. This will give the quote a more 'three-dimensional' feel. For example, Mark could include the phrase in which Mr. Benson responds, "Remembering is not the same as understanding", to give the audience a better impression of how the Declaration of Independence is seen through different eyes. Overall, I find Mark's blog very attractive and insightful. My main suggestion is to make the design more attractive and extend, or build on what is already a very thoughtful response to the novel.
I find Mark's blog very creative and organized. At first, I somewhat misunderstood the concept that a blog can be done as separate posts, rather than just 'one big thing'. I am particularly fond of the new cover page, as it reflects a very high degree of creativity. It is simple, yet it reveals quite a lot the true meaning, and essence, of the story. This is one of the scenarios in which 'less means more'. I also enjoyed how Mark organized the 'comments' on the novel separate from his new cover. This, coupled with the design of the new cover, enhances the reader's first impression of the novel by delivering the message clearly, and not distracting him/her from less important components, even though the perspective of other well-known authors on the novels would also be essential. One suggestion can be that he can dig deeper and be even more creative with the background design of the Blog. Also, while it is very clever to include background information about the author, Cory Doctorow, it is not surprising that at least some of the information is adapted from Wikipedia. Although Wikipedia is a very commonly used and easily accessible source, it might not be the most reliable because it is an online encyclopedia in which anyone can edit. That means that it is possible that any person, regardless of their true knowledge, can put information on it as long as he/she makes an account.
ReplyDeleteI highly enjoy how the outline of the dystopian society is clear and 'to the point'. Part of how I may improve my writing that I should not describe concepts in detail from the very beginning, but rather give the audience a more comprehensible first impression. The book review is relatively effective; however at some points I felt that it needs more in order to fully entice the reader to read the novel. For instance, Mark could have written phrases such as 'no other novel does...better than Little Brother' or 'Little Brother achieves..., which other novels fail to achieve', etc. The pictures highlight the meaning of the text well, and I especially enjoy the image that Mark created himself, on programming software. For picture 3, I like how he relates the picture to his own perspective on Little Brother, "Previously, I have thought...now I think...". The map seems very creative, and it is especially effective for Mark to compare Marcus' home with the site of the terrorist attack. This adds another dimension to the story, because not only does he outline the site of the worst attack in U.S. history, but he also compares it to the point-of-view of the main character.
DeleteI find the journal entries very insightful, as they are able to truly reflect the opinions and personalities of the characters in such depth. In journal 3, it is especially effective that Mark phrased one of the ideas into a question, so that it somehow makes the reader think about his/her own experiences. I am really fond of the degree of drama that has been put into these journal entries. In a sense, they reveal the emotions of the characters 'inside-out'. The quotes that Mark chose are quite powerful, and they mirror the themes of oppression that dominate much of the story. They also effectively represent the development of the storyline, from problem ("I don't get it; you’re making it sound like the bill of rights is optional. It's Constitution. We're supposed to follow it absolutely") to a possible strategy or alternative ("When in trouble or on doubt, run in circles, scream and shout"). My suggestion is that although it is effective to include the Declaration of Independence, it may be even more helpful if there is the inclusion of the perspective of one or more characters. This will give the quote a more 'three-dimensional' feel. For example, Mark could include the phrase in which Mr. Benson responds, "Remembering is not the same as understanding", to give the audience a better impression of how the Declaration of Independence is seen through different eyes. Overall, I find Mark's blog very attractive and insightful. My main suggestion is to make the design more attractive and extend, or build on what is already a very thoughtful response to the novel.
Delete