There is an overwhelming amount of evidence in history showing the power of persuasive speech and the effects it may have on a people. Only in the last century, individuals such as King, Kennedy, Churchill and others have moved, through a direct play on emotions, masses of people to do uncanny things (yes, even evil …
LIFO
“Was that excessively loud,” the old man asked? He was adjusting something in his ears. The announcement had come blaring over the P.A. system, “Cold Stroke in Room 4 Emergency. Cold Stroke in Room 4 Emergency.” There was a slight pause and it came over the system again, just as loud. “Yes,” I said to …
What’s a Bentley?
Years ago I would walk down to the client’s cafeteria to grab a bite to eat with the people I worked for. It was a good way to listen and connect beyond business. You hear a lot of things when you do this. And you meet many of the people you normally don’t come into …
Whose Baby Was It? An Interpretation of The Book of Ruth
When a friend told me that the Book of Ruth as “one of the best short stories ever told,” I asked myself: did I miss something? I read it before, of course, and I also recalled Stuart Whitman was in the movie in the 1960s I liked to watch about this story. But “one of …
How I Graduated Without Distinction
Sun Tzu said that “In war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.” This is often interpreted as “Every battle is won before it is ever fought.” You can debate the meaning, but it really says …
Nowakoski, “Love as Energy”: Tom Murphy’s Response to My Paper
I had agreed to submit my paper to Dr. Murphy as the other professional medievalist on the DePaul faculty because Dr. Kelly found it impossible to “provide an objective grade.” This is his evaluation, including the scanned original at the end with some editorial comments. Note the mis-spelling of my name in his title. Always …
TO: Dr. Ellin M. Kelly FROM: James A. Nowakowski
One week after I received Dr. Kelly’s comments, I returned to class with my own envelope. Inside was my original paper, and the following 6-page rebuttal to her charges. Before class began, walked up to her desk and handed her the envelope, saying “I don’t think you’ll be too happy with this.” The transcribed from …
TO: Mr. Nowakowski FROM: Dr. Ellen M. Kelly
These are the scanned pages of Dr. Kelly’s comments on my paper for your review. Her handwriting is legible, and it’s probably better your read it for yourself if you are interested. You can imagine perhaps what I was feeling as I read them while she taught that class and leveled her charges against me. …
LOVE AS ENERGY: Some Philosophical Implications of Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur
I wrote this paper in 1975 during my final year as a graduate student majoring in English at DePaul University. It sparked a battle between me and the instructor, Dr. Ellin M. Kelly. The fallout was that I graduated with the M.A., but not with honors. I needed an A in the course to get …
On Re-Reading Sir Thomas Elyot’s (1490 – 1546) THE GOVERNOR on December 4, 2021
What if? I mean, what if? As Elyot outlined the order of learning, and which authors to read first, I remembered, and ask, “What if?” What if people had listened to Elyot throughout the centuries? Learn Greek, then Latin, then Grammar he said, and follow it all with Aesop who has “much variety in words.” …