Short History of Photography

For this first essay, choose one text that we have discussed in class Benjamin’s “Short History of Photography,” to write about how the text represents a particular technology, the photograph I can provide “Short History of the Photograph” but cannot provide the They Say/I Say book.

Use the moves discussed in They Say/ I Say to develop a strong interpretive claim that situates your claim within the larger discussion as outlined by your chosen author. For instance, you may choose to develop an interpretive claim about how Edison fails to see the entertainment value of the phonograph. Using They Say/ I Say, you will want to develop 1) a foundation that indicates your understanding of Edison’s writing; 2) a summary of what Edison’s point for writing about the phonograph; 3) a series of statements that makes a distinction between what Edison says and what YOU say. In other words, what is your interpretive claim that emerges from reading Edison’s work?You will want to pay attention to the rhetorical strategies that the writer uses and attempt to answer the following questions: What does this author have to tell us about the photograph, phonograph/ gramophone, or radio? What role does this technology play within the text? What are the rhetorical strategies that the writer uses?For what purpose does the writer use such strategies?How might these strategies be historically, culturally, and socially informed? What does this tell you about the underlying values of the culture from which the text came? What type of narrative does the document construct?

You can use outside references, but limit them

Use THey say I say chapters 1-4