Tuesday, October 6, 2015

PB1B - Genre Generators


                For every problem you have a solution, for every action you have a reaction, for every idiot there will always be a bigger idiot, just like for every genre you have conventions. There are hundreds, if not thousands of different types of genres, and with each genre there are countless amounts of conventions that follow. Memes, comics, and formal essays are a few genres that have a specific form which typically appears most frequently. Through online generators that allow individuals to learn more about each genre, it becomes more clear and easier to understand the format and content most genres follow.

                The generator, “An Automatic CS Paper Generator,” allows individuals to view random essays which lets them obtain a better understanding on how to format, structure, and organize a formal paper. First-off, centered in the middle of the page is the title in bold describing what your paper will address. The titles provided through this generator are rather long, arbitrary, and abstract ideas. Right underneath the title is your name, which is also centered. Then comes the Abstract which is supposed to be aligned in the left margin. The Abstract is defined as, “existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence” (Oxford Dictionary). An Abstract is similar to an idea introduced beforehand to allow the audience form a preconceived notion and develop an impression as to what will be discussed. Following the Abstract is the Table of Contents (which is pretty self-explanatory), then you begin to analyze and elaborate on the topic. As you explore and discuss the topic, you can use images, graphs, and outside information to educate the readers. As you come to an end and finish reading the paper, references are listed to provide credibility and assurance to the audience.

                The website that generates comics is one in which is used to cause laughter and enjoyment. The comics presented on this site were related in content and characters, but differed in the storyline.  The story pertains to two main character, each given random dialect through various comics. Comics range from anger, to awkward moments, to comedic moments, to the most random and ridiculous conversations. “Pandyland” is formatted through three scenes, horizontally placed, and the character’s replies were written in thought bubbles. For example, a conversation started with, “I just had a fantastic wink,” then replied with, “IPads are great! I love apple!!” Finally the conversation ended with, “Um…That was awkward.” Obviously, as seen through this discussion, there was no point or purpose driving this comic. Fortunately, through the colorful and vibrant colors displayed in each comic, it made it enjoyable and clear to understand what was going on.

                Last, but not least, the memes generator was the most entertaining and amusing one thus far. Memes are defined as, “an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The meme generator was primarily composed of images with captions that cause laughter. Most are formatted with a statement in the upper center and a response with that statement in the lower center or a whole statement broken into two parts. The depiction displayed may be a reaction that signifies the situation or it explains the situation in a single picture. A couple popular figures include the Grumpy Cat, Foul Bachelor Frog, and Donald Trump. An example is, “If it’s okay for a girl to state ‘no shorties’… A man should be able to state ‘no fatties.’” Memes generally tend to be harsh, funny, ironic, sarcastic, sexist, or even racist- none of which should be taken seriously or personally.

                Studying these three types of genres is extremely helpful, because it educates an individual about the concept of genres and its convention. A genre is a general idea that can be broken down into multiple and a wide range of examples.  When studying multiple examples within the same genre, with the same conventions being repeated, it becomes much simpler to distinguish which ones are similar or formatted the same as the model example. Comprehending what’s happening in these websites allows the audience to clearly understand genres through relatable and relevant topics. Memes and comics are genres students come across every day, so connecting the newly learned idea of genres to frequently used and admired examples makes the process of understanding the material much easier. A student who spends time on Buzzfeed daily would be able to distinguish Buzzfeed blogs from other blogging sites.


Other Generators: http://gigglepedia.com/f/funny-generator.asp (the ditch letter and boss insulter were fun to play around with).




2 comments:

  1. Your hook is definitely funny and fantastic!! I love how you defined the abstract directly from the Oxford Dictionary and defined memes from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. It is definitely a good way to back up what you are saying. You also clearly defined what genre is in the last paragraph. It’s always a good idea to clarify basic definitions in order to make your argument even stronger. The organization of your post is also very well done. I especially like your idea that the conventions help make the process of understanding the material easier. Your post was delightful to read! I look forward to more posts from you.

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  2. Haddad,

    A parademic, huh? Do it! In my very firm opinion, I think it’s reallllllly important for folks, if it’s possible (if they have options/opportunities, to love their job and to think that it’s super cool. So: good for you. ☺

    Re: PB1A, I like how much you’re thinking about the variation of FB posts: “Facebook posts concerning the death of a loved one, the acknowledgment and voicing of a social problem, or a “love post” that expresses affection generally tend to be longer than most.” That’s a smart thought, and it speaks directly to all of this genre/rhetoric stuff—depending on the writer’s purpose(s) and audience(s), what’s included in the piece (conventions) will shift. Since people post virtually aaaaaany and everything on FB, we’re likely to see a lot of variation in that particular genre. Still, though—like all genres—it’s got its limitations.

    Re: PB1B, solid work on dissecting the conventions of these various genres. I’ve written this on some other folks’ blogs, and I’d like to include it here too: with memes, the white capitalized font is outlined in black. Why would that be? Well, this way, the language can be displayed on any kind of background without getting drowned out. Also consider: what’s the content of pictures that are typically used? (Usually pop culture references, although some grainy “homemade” pictures are typically used too.) These are the sorts of angles and questions that I want us to develop an eye for.

    Nice job here, Haddad. Keep it up, and try to include some images/multimedia if think it’ll help bring your ideas to life!

    Z

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