[SOLVED] Percy’s HW
Percy’s essay is full of subtle references and allusions. Some of these he explains; many he does not. For this homework assignment, everyone is responsible for asking a question they have about the reading and trying their best to answer it. This might be about his ideas or his references. For example, you might identify one reference, example, etc. that Percy makes in the essay, explain or define it (be sure to cite your sources), and then explain what sort of point Percy is trying to make with it. Or, you might explore what you think he means by “creature.” For example, he begins the essay by writing “Every explorer names his island Formosa, beautiful” (298). What is he talking about here? Who names their island Formosa? Why? When? So, a quick internet search and glance at Wikipedia reveals that “Formosa” was the Portuguese name given to the island now known as Taiwan. In 1544, Portuguese explorers encountered the island and gave it that name. How does knowing this help explain or make clear just what it is that Percy is talking about? When you write your example, please use something other than Formosa. Another example is Percy’s reference to P in the early part of the discussion of the Grand Canyon. What is P? It seems like a mathematical symbol. A quick internet search for P Value yields… “In statistical significance testing, the p-value is the probability of obtaining a test statistic at least as extreme as the one that was actually observed…” from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-value In this case, Percy is talking about the difference between what one sees and what one can measure…. Why does he put it in these statistical terms? What does he gain by doing that? Lose?
