Diagramming the Opening Sentences of Famous Novels

Love it or hate it, diagramming sentences still lives on. In this interesting creation from pop culture lab, the opening lines of 25 famous novels have been diagrammed. Our discussion went back and forth between those that saw the usefulness of the practice and those who felt diagramming was akin to reducing writing to mathematical formulas. Some interesting ideas did evolve. Marcy suggested labeling Lego blocks with words, with each color representing a different part of speech, and challenging students to put the sentences back. Whatever your position though, this visual representation shows the complexity of our language in an aesthetic form.

Diagramming the Opening Sentences

 “Stop-And-Frisk” by Claudia Rankine

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I knew whatever was in front of me was happening and then the police vehicles came to a screeching halt in front of me like they were setting up a blockade. Everywhere were flashes, a siren sounding and a stretched-out roar. Get on the ground. Get on the ground now. Then I just knew.

And you are not the guy and still you fit the description because there is only one guy who is always the guy fitting the description.

I left my client’s house knowing I would be pulled over. I knew. I just knew. I opened my briefcase on the passenger seat, just so they could see. Yes officer rolled around on my tongue, which grew out of a bell that could never ring because its emergency was a tolling I was meant to swallow.

In a landscape drawn from an ocean bed, you can’t drive yourself sane–so angry you are crying. You can’t drive yourself sane. This motion wears a guy out. Our motion is wearing you out and still you are not that guy.

Then flashes, a siren, a stretched-out roar–and you are not the guy and still you fit the description because there is only one guy who is always the guy fitting the description.

Get on the ground. Get on the ground now. I must have been speeding. No, you weren’t speeding. I wasn’t speeding? You didn’t do anything wrong. Then why are you pulling me over? Why am I pulled over? Put your hands where they can be seen. Put your hands in the air. Put your hands up.

Then you are stretched out on the hood. Then cuffed. Get on the ground now.

Each time it begins in the same way, it doesn’t begin the same way, each time it begins it’s the same. Flashes, a siren, the stretched-out roar–

Maybe because home was a hood the officer could not afford, not that a reason was needed, I was pulled out of my vehicle a block from my door, handcuffed and pushed into the police vehicle’s back seat, the officer’s knee pressing into my collarbone, the officer’s warm breath vacating a face creased into the smile of its own private joke.

Each time it begins in the same way, it doesn’t begin the same way, each time it begins it’s the same.

Go ahead hit me motherfucker fled my lips and the officer did not need to hit me, the officer did not need anything from me except the look on my face on the drive across town. You can’t drive yourself sane. You are not insane. Our motion is wearing you out. You are not the guy.

This is what it looks like. You know this is wrong. This is not what it looks like. You need to be quiet. This is wrong. You need to close your mouth now. This is what it looks like. Why are you talking if you haven’t done anything wrong?

And you are not the guy and still you fit the description because there is only one guy who is always the guy fitting the description.

In a landscape drawn from an ocean bed, you can’t drive yourself sane–so angry you can’t drive yourself sane.

The charge the officer decided on was exhibition of speed. I was told, after the fingerprinting, to stand naked. I stood naked. It was only then I was instructed to dress, to leave, to walk all those miles back home.

And still you are not the guy and still you fit the description because there is only one guy who is always the guy fitting the description.

We Are Teaching Kids to Write All Wrong

We are Teaching Kids to Write All Wrong

What better way to start off this year's Summer Institute than with a spirited discussion of teaching writing? The morning reflection dealt with the disparate views of writing instruction - focusing on ideas vs. focusing on grammar. While we all agreed that grammar and the basic nuts and bolts of writing are vitally important for clear communication, unless there are robust ideas to be communicated, it's all for naught.