usage and understanding themes part deux

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Grammarnub  #336497  Wed, 07 Mar 07 05:57 AM
For some reason I get an error in the previous thread I created, so here's to hoping the second time works.

In any case, I'm not sure if this is the right subforum, but I had a question about themes.  I recently had to do a paper analyzing tobacco ads from various magazines.  I was to select several themes that were prominent throughout most of those ads.  I had selected what I thought was 3 themes, however, my professor considers them 5 themes.  I was wondering if anyone else would agree with the professor?

"After examining each ad, I came to several conclusions regarding their portrayal: they displayed either sophisticated or homely traits (theme 1), provoked an aura of mystery (theme 2), or issued a sense of glamour and rebellion (theme 3)."

Could those 3 groupings be considered 3 different themes?

I also had an issue with her regarding the usage of homely.  As she describes it, homely denotes a negative connotation.  However, I had looked it up prior in the dictionary and was able to find an alternate meaning of "simple" and "unpretentious."  I even had an argument about using down-to-earth with hyphens.

"It provides a more down-to-earth feeling and doesn’t selectively outcast the reader according to their persona, much like the sophisticated ads."

The paper was for my upper level Sociology class - Sociology of Health and Illness. 

  
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Clive  #336507  Wed, 07 Mar 07 06:29 AM

Hi,

I had selected what I thought was 3 themes, however, my professor considers them 5 themes.  I was wondering if anyone else would agree with the professor? Yes, I see them as 5.

"After examining each ad, I came to several conclusions regarding their portrayal: they displayed either sophisticated or homely traits (theme 1), provoked an aura of mystery (theme 2), or issued a sense of glamour and rebellion (theme 3)."

Could those 3 groupings be considered 3 different themes? Perhaps you could change sophisticated or homely traits to widely varying levels of sophistication, and thus make it into 1 theme. However, I don't see how you can combine
glamour and rebellion into one theme. 

I also had an issue with her regarding the usage of homely.  As she describes it, homely denotes a negative connotation.  However, I had looked it up prior in the dictionary and was able to find an alternate meaning of "simple" and "unpretentious."  <<< I would say this meaning is not used very much. I even had an argument about using down-to-earth with hyphens.

"It provides a more down-to-earth feeling and doesn’t selectively outcast the reader according to their persona, much like the sophisticated ads."
I don't really understand the phrase I've italicized. The words in it are not a good choice.

Best wishes, Clive

  
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