El Alisal
+2021
MY LUMMIS BOOK OF WRITING
By
Amelia Briones +
Table of Contents 03
Introduction
04
Punctuation & Capitalization
07
Parts of Speech
12
Phrases & Clauses
15
Paragraphs
19
Essays
21
About the Author
Introduction Initially, I was just writing this b k for my H nors English Literature class, but as time went n, I realized that I could use my b k to raise awareness n s mething that means a great deal to me; the Lummis House! I had always thought that the Lummis House had an intriguing history and decided it would be a g od topic for my b k. he last few times I went to the house, I noticed that it had bec me unkempt. After talking to the rangers that worked at the house, they told me that writing to the City of Lo Angeles Department of Recreati n and Parks about the house could help them get more funds. However, after sending in my letter, I realized that my letter al ne would not be enough to persuade the LA Department of Recs. and Parks to use more of their funds to clean up the house. Now I have written this b k of writing not nly to share the history of Charles Lummis and the Lummis House but also to inspire more people to write letters to the LA Department of Recs. and Parks with the hopes of restoring the Lummis house to it former glory. While this b k focuses n the Lummis House and it creator, it also explores the crazy world of grammar, fr m punctuati n and capitalizati n to clauses and everything in between. Remembering all the terminology and rules that c me al ng with grammar can be difficult. I hope that while learning about the Lummis House you also gain a better understanding of how you can improve your grammar!
PUNCTUATION and CAPITALIZATION
1. . A period ends a sentence and abbreviates words. 2. , A c mma is used in many different ways, ranging fr m indicating a pause that would occur if the sentence were sp ken aloud to separating grammatical c mp nent of the sentence to changing the meaning of a sentence. 3. – EM dash is used to emphasize and can take the place of c mmas, parentheses, or col ns. 4. - EN dash hyphenate’s words. 5. : Col n is used to introduce a list of item(s). 6. ; A semicol n c nnect multiple independent clauses. 7. ? A questi n mark ends an interrogative sentence. 8. ! An exclamati n mark ends an exclamatory sentence. 9. ‘ An apo trophe show ownership of s mething, is used for c ntracti ns and is used as a quote mark. 10. “ ” Quotati n marks indicate that it c mes fr m s mewhere else. 11. … Ellipsis mean that s mething in a quote is unsaid. 12. [ ] Bracket are used to change or add s mething to a quote. 13. ( ) Parentheses mean that s mething is parenthetical. 14. / Back slash indicates a ch ice.
EX: Period - Mr. Lummis designed and built the Lummis H me-El Alisal. EX: C mma – As a b k author, magazine editor, preserver of Spanish missi ns, advisor to President heodore R o evelt, and campaigner for civil right for minority groups, Charles Lummis became ne of the mo t flamboyant and pr minent figures of his day. EX: EM Dash - In 1884, a 25-year-old Harvard dropout named Charles Fletcher Lummis embarked n a journey fr m Cincinnati to Lo Angeles. EX: EN Dash - Charles Lummis lived fr m 1859-1928. EX: Col n - Mark h mps n wrote a b k n Lummis’s life called, American Character: he Curious Life of Charles Fletcher Lummis and the Rediscovery of the Southwest. EX: Semicol n - Lummis jumped right into the causes and issues of the day; such as the restorati n of California missi ns; Native American educati n and culture; and collecting basketry and other relics fr m indigenous Southwest cultures. EX: Questi n Mark - Who was Charles Fletcher Lummis? EX: Exclamati n Mark - Charles Lummis walked about 3,507 miles! EX: Apo trophe - he name of Lummis’ house, El Alisal, means the place of the sycamore trees.
EX: Quotati n Marks - In the article Lummis House: Where Highland Park's Herald of the Southwest Reigned over his Kingd m, the Lummis house is described as a “hidden little utopia”. EX: Ellipsis - In the article Lummis House: Where Highland Park's Herald of the Southwest Reigned over his Kingd m, it is shown that Lummis was more than a multiculturalist as it states, “Writer, publisher, editor, photographer, essayist, ethnographer, collector, museum founder, city librarian, b n vivant, … spreading a go pel about indigenous and regi nal Southwestern history and culture, and his h me, based mo tly in Lo Angeles”.
EX: Bracket - Lummis built the Lummis House by himself 1894; he built it using st nes fr m the Arroyo Seco River. EX: Parentheses - When Lummis returned to Lo Angeles he got a new jo as editor of the Land of Sunshine (later called Out West). EX: Back Slash - Lummis claimed that he was the first to use the cultural/geographic term “Southwest”. EX: Capitalizati n – Please list the rules of capitalizati n here: It is used at the beginning of every sentence. It is used for important words such as people’s names and for titles. EX: (Used to begin a sentence) – Charles Lummis was known to be rather boastful and arrogant.
PARTS OF SPEECH NOUNS ypes of nouns: (list three to five words of each type) · C mm n Nouns: name a class of people, places, things, or ideas. EX: Lummis House, Charles Lummis, Harvard · Proper Nouns: give the name or title of a particular pers n, place, thing, or idea (must be capitalized). EX: Mr. Lummis, Harvard Univeristy, El Alisal, Ms. Rhodes · C mpound Nouns: c nsist of words used together to form a single noun. EX: staircase, d orway, bedr m · C ncrete Nouns: refer to material things, to people, or to places. EX: poem, new paper, typewriter ·Abstract Nouns: name ideas, qualities, c ncept , emoti ns, or attitudes. EX: proud, interested, depressed
Functi ns (How nouns are used): Write ne sentence for each functi n. · Subject (c mes before the verb) Mr. Lummis became partially paralyzed after having a str ke fr m overworking himself. · Direct Object (c mes after the verb and answers what or wh m) he Lummis House is 4,000 square feet. · Indirect Object (answers to who or to wh m) Charles Lummis had three wives.
PRONOUNS Pr nouns take the place of nouns that have been established. Pers nal: N minative (subject ) Objective (o ject ) I/we me/us you/you you/you He, she, it, ne/they him, her, it, ne/them Po sessive My, mine our, ours Your, yours your, yours His, her, hers, it , ne’s their, theirs Relative: N minative Objective Po sessive who wh m who e hat that of that tho e/ this Interrogative: who, which, what, whatever, whoever Reflexive: (pers nal pr nouns plus the suffix –self or –selves) Used nly: when the acti n verb is directed toward the subject of the c nstructi n: He poured himself s me hot chocolate which was his favorite drink. to intensify a p int:. Lummis st mped away muttering to himself angrly. Dem nstrative: this, these that, tho e Indefinite: all, another, anybody, any ne, anything, both, each, either, everybody, every ne, everything, everywhere, few, many, much, neither, no ody, n ne, no ne, nothing, ne, other, several, s mebody, s me ne, such.
VERBS Verbs show the time, acti n, and state of being of a subject. ense: verbs indicate time via tenses: simple past past past perfect past progressive simple present present present perfect present progressive present perfect progressive future future perfect ypes: here are at least eleven (11) types of verbs: auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) linking verbs (verbs that do not describe acti n, but c nnect the subject of a sentence to other part of the sentence – usually the predicate) lexical verbs (main verbs) dynamic verbs (indicate acti n) stative verbs (describe a c nditi n) finitive verbs (indicate tense) n nfinitive verbs (infinitives or participles) regular verbs (weak verbs) irregular verbs (str ng verbs) transitive verbs (verbs followed by a direct o ject) intransitive verbs (verbs that do not take direct o ject )
V ice: V ice is the form of the verb that indicates how it relates or interact with the acti n. he English language has two v ices: ACTIVE and PASSIVE. Active: Lummis is getting a memorial. (Lummis is the subject) Passive: Jordan Lummis died by suicide. (Jordan is the subject) Verbals: (VERB FORMS NOT USED AS VERBS) Gerund: word ending in “ing” used as a noun. · here are nly a few pictures where Lummis is smiling. Participle: word ending in “ing” or “ed” used as an adjective · Lummis loved singing. Infinitive: verb preceded by the word “to” (to go, to jump) used as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs · Lummis wanted to leave Cincinnati.
ADJECTIVES Adjectives modify, describe, limit, and identify nouns and pr nouns. · Kinds: Dem nstrative, C mm n, Proper Enormous ADVERBS Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. · Endings (Create ne example related to your subject for each) gladly, downwards, clockwise · C nversi ns (beautifully, historically, upwards) · ypes: Manner, Frequency, Degree, Place, ime Example ypes: (Create ne example each related to your subject) Manner –He boasted loudly. ime – He walked slowly to Lo Angeles Place – Lummis decided to build his h me near the Arroyo Seco River. Degree – His gardens were beautiful. Frequency – He traveled frequently.
CONJUNCTIONS C ordinating (FANBOYS): for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so Correlative: Either/or; neither/nor; not nly/but also; both/and; whether/or; as/so Subordinate: after, though as, as if, as l ng as, as thought, because, before, if, in order that, provided that, since, so, so that, that, though, till, unless, when, where, whereas, while Relative pr nouns: who (refers to people), which (refers to n nliving o ject or animals), that (may refer to animals or n nliving o ject ) PREPOSITIONS Prepo iti ns link nouns, pr nouns, and phrases to other part of the sentence. Prepo iti ns are NEVER followed by verbs. here are ne-word prepo iti ns and c mplex prepo iti ns. hese are s me c mm n ne-word prepo iti ns: aboard, about, above, according to, acro s, acro s fr m, after, against, al ng, al ngside, al ngside of, al ng with, amid, am ng, apart fr m, around, as, as far as, aside fr m, at, away fr m, back of, because of, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, bey nd, but (except), by, by means of, c ncerning, despite, down, down fr m, except, except excluding for, for, fr m, fr m am ng, fr m between, fr m under, in, in additi n to, in behalf of, including, in fr nt of, in place of, in regard to, inside, inside of, in spite of, instead of, into, like, near, near to, notwithstanding, of, off, n, n account of, n behalf of, nto, n top of, oppo ite, out, out of, out ide, out ide of, over, over to, owing to, past, prior to, to, toward, under, underneath, until, unto, up, up n, up to, versus, with, within, without. INTERJECTIONS Interjecti ns are the final part of speech. Examples: Aah, Whoa, Jeez, Oh my, Eww, Eh, Oh no Brr, Hmm, Eek, Ahem, Shh, ops, Yah o, Ouch, Phew, Y o-h o.
PHRASES and CLAUSES Phrases – groups of words that functi n as a part of speech. Noun Phrase: A group of words c nsisting of nouns or pr nouns and their modifiers that functi n as a noun. Lummis’ s ns had to build their own house but could live n their father’s land. Verb Phrase: A group of words c nsisting of verbs working together and that functi n as a verb. he first episode of seas n 8 of Art ound was focusing n Charles Lummis. Prepo iti nal Phrase: A group of words that begins with a prepo iti n and ends with a noun, and functi ns as an adjective or an adverb. he Lummis h me was clo ed for filming. Appo itive Phrase: A group of words that include all the words that modify an appo itive and functi n as an adjective - IT MUST BE SURROUNDED BY COMMAS.
heodore Ro evelt’s classmate, Charles Lummis, dropped out of Harvard his senior year. Verbal Phrases: A group of words that begin with a verbal and ends with a noun. Gerund Phrase verb ending in -ing that functi ns as a noun. Walking to Lo Angeles, Lummis sent weekly dispatches to LA imes about his journey. Participial Phrase word ending in -ing (present participle) or -ed (past participle) that functi ns as an adjective. American Southwest enamored Lummis. Infinitive Phrase verb preceded by the word “to” (to read, to study, to write) that functi n as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. After his transc ntinental walk, Lummis decided to write a b k about his journey.
Clauses – groups of words with BOTH a subject and a verb that functi n as part of speech. here are TWO kinds: Independent and Dependent (called “Subordinate”) INDEPENDENT – CAN stand al ne as a c mplete sentence, known as a simple sentence pattern. Lummis was offered a jo for LA imes. DEPENDENT (SUBORDINATE) – CANNOT stand al ne as a c mplete sentence and MUST begin with a SUBORDINATE CONJUNCTION. here are seven (7) kinds Noun Clause: Used as the noun in a sentence and may functi n as a subject, a predicate noun, a direct o ject, an o ject of a prepo iti n, an indirect o ject, or an appo itive. While at Harvard, Lummis worked as a printer. At the age of 21, Lummis married Dorthea Rhodes. In 1892, Lummis published A ramp Acro s the C ntinent. Lummis was given the jo of the first City Editor for LA imes when he arrived in LA. Adjective Clause: Used to modify a noun in an independent clause. S me adjective clauses begin with an introductory word: Lynn, Massachusett is where Charles Lummis grew up. Lummis was shot, by a hitman, in San Pueblo Eva Douglas, who lived in Isleta, became Lummis’s sec nd wife. S me adjective clauses begin with relative pr nouns: Olivia is o viously the ne who got the mo t votes. (ONE is the antecedent of WHO and is modified by the adjective clause.) here goes the teacher who e class is usually biology. (TEACHER is the antecedent of who e and is modified by the adjective clause.) Science class informatively teaches how relative humidity is the amount of water vapor that the air c ntains. Is this the b k that you so vehemently want? (that is the direct o ject of want) ina is the player wh m he shyly challenged to a duel. (wh m is the direct o ject of challenged.) he rec mmendati n letter to which you refer has sadly been lo t. (which is the o ject of the prepo iti n to.)
Adverb Clause: Used to modify verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in an independent clause, introduced by a subordinate c njuncti n and used to indicate time, place, cause, purpo e, result, c nditi n, and/or c ncessi n. Modifying verbs: I went to the Lummis House n the weekend. (place) I had to go back to the Lummis House when it opened again. (time) here are many rangers at the Lummis House to inform visitors about the House and Charles and to watch over the House. (purpo e) If it doesn’t rain t morrow, I will visit the Lummis House. (c nditi n) Modifying adjectives: Charles Lummis was more than just a multiculturalist. (how much) he back r ms built by Lummis’s s ns are almo t as g od as the many house-made by Lummis himself. (to what extent) Modifying adverbs: If they really cared for the Lummis House they wouldn’t litter in the gardens. (c nditi n) Relative Clauses: Dependent clause that begins with a relative pr noun. Who is the masked man? Elliptical Clauses: Adverb clauses in which part of the clause is mitted. When returning to Lo Angeles his paralysis seemed to have disappeared. Essential Clauses: Clauses necessary to the meaning of the sentence. Land of Sunshine was sp nsored by the Lo Angeles Chamber of C mmerce. N nessential Clauses: Clauses that are NOT necessary to the meaning of the sentence. he first episode of seas n 8 of Art ound, which aired nearly five years ago, was the best episode.
Paragraphs Paragraphs – a group of sentences that together c nvey a shared purpo e structured around the same topic. Introductory Paragraphs (Introducti ns) H k (Lead / Opening Statement) – can begin with the title Anecdotal (Brief story to set the m od and lead the reader into the topic) On the corner of Carlota Boulevard and Avenue 43 sit an eccentric house that ne may even call a castle. o the mere passerby, this house may just seem like an intriguing and mysterious place with it walls made up of st nes and d orways that lead to nowhere. Query Based (Questi n that brings the reader to the topic - av id sec nd pers n POV “you”) But if they would take just a m ment to step inside, they would be able to learn the rich history of the Lummis House and it creator, Charles Fletcher Lummis. hesis Statement (the purpo e of a piece of writing – usually ne sentence in length, but can be l nger depending n the purpo e – must be s mething that is arguable) Asserti n (claim - a subject + a “so what” about the subject) One of Charles’ mo t important acc mplishment was the South West Museum of the American Indian. Fact (empirically verifiable but often difficult to argue extensively about - better used as evidence to support a claim) Charles Lummis was a collector, explorer, and native right activist. Opini n (pers nal po iti n n a topic) Charles Lummis pers nified all of the oppo ing forces that aided in the settlement of the American West. Belief (social, religious, or political in nature – an opini n held by many to be a fact, though it is not necessarily factual – often involves a judgement) It is said that Charles Lummis nly walked fr m Cincinnati to Lo Angeles, which is about 3,507 miles. Generalizati n (uses absolute or statistical pr nouns: all, always, every, never, n ne, mo t, half – av id using this type of thesis statement unless citing the source of the data) Nearly every st ne used to build the Lummis house, which Lummis did by himself, is fr m the Arroyo Seco Riverbed.
Body Paragraphs opic Sentences (must specifically indicate the topic of the paragraph and focus n ne subject and/or area of evidence or support – could start with a “ ransiti n of Logic” that c nnect to the previous paragraph to give c ntext) Ex. Additi nally, multiple sources indicate that the c nsumpti n of fast f od has a dramatic impact n health. (Now every sentence in this paragraph must be related to the c nnecti n between fast f od and health) Lummis first became well-known n a nati nal level with his writing as he had weekly letters, widely reprinted, n his “tramp acro s the c ntinent.” Presenting Evidence fr m Quotati ns (quotes should NEVER be used as individual sentences – quotes should be embedded within sentences) His way with words was stirring, “He went n to bec me ne of the mo t flamboyant and influential pers nalities of his day as a b k author, magazine editor, preserver of Spanish missi ns, advisor to President heodore R o evelt and a crusader for civil right for minority groups” (Mark h mps n). Examining the Evidence Paraphrasing (rewording of a quote into other words of the same length without quotati n marks, but still citing the source - useful for examining the quote and transiti ning to your analysis of the quote) ORIGINAL QUOTE – “He went n to bec me ne of the mo t flamboyant and influential pers nalities of his day as a b k author, magazine editor, preserver of Spanish missi ns, advisor to President heodore R o evelt and a crusader for civil right for minority groups” (Mark h mps n).
PARAPHRASE –As a b k author, magazine editor, preserver of Spanish missi ns, advisor to President heodore R o evelt, and advocate for civil right for minority groups, Lummis became ne of the mo t pr minent individuals of his day. Summarizing (c ndensing larger quotes or secti ns useful for clo ing the examinati n of the quote/evidence and transiti ning to your analysis of the quote) ORIGINAL QUOTE – “He went n to bec me ne of the mo t flamboyant and influential pers nalities of his day as a b k author, magazine editor, preserver of Spanish missi ns, advisor to President heodore R o evelt and a crusader for civil right for minority groups” (Mark h mps n). SUMMARY – Lummis became ne of the mo t pr minent individuals of his day. Abstract Examples (hypothetical, “what if” examples that do not refer to a source – AVOID USING THEM AS EVIDENCE – but useful for examining the quote) Had Lummis decided not to walk fr m Cincinnati to Lo Angeles, LA would mo t likely be very different fr m today’s LA. C ncrete Examples (actual examples that do refer to a source – useful for enhancing your analysis of the quote) A documentary titled Charles Lummis: Reimagining the American West, show how Lummis went fr m working as a printer at a resort in New Hampshire during the summer to a reporter for the Lo Angeles imes. Clo ing Sentences (must end the discussi n of the topic within the paragraph with a transiti nal or culminating word – po sibly an adverb – and should echo the thesis of the essay) Although Lummis had a rough childh od, it is evident that his perseverance and determinati n allowed him to succeed.
Closing Paragraphs C nsequences of Disregarding the hesis (establishing the potential c nsequences of disregarding the implicati ns of the thesis – CREATING A COUNTERARGUMENT – could be ne or more sentences) Many people know Charles Lummis as a great man, s me ne who was an influential writer and advocate for native americans. hese people, however, are sadly mistaken as they have put Lummis n a pedestal. Statement(s) of Extensi n (extending the c nsequences of disregarding the implicati ns of the thesis – could be ne or more sentences) Lummis was unfaithful to not nly his first wife but also to his sec nd and third wife. Reestablishing the Significance of the hesis (could be ne or more sentences) While Lummis may not have been a g od husband or father, he did help with the development of the American West and helped many native americans. Final Sentence (clo ing statement that c nnect to the h k and finishes the essay (finish your argument) – the “Sm ky the Bear”/”Drop the mic”/dot dot dot m ment…) During the 1910s Lummis went through many trials and tribulati ns but luckily a dynamic young Indian right activist named John Collier helped Lummis find his purpo e nce more...
Essays Essays – An essay is a piece of writing that expresses the author's pers nal p int of view; yet, the definiti n is ambiguous, merging with tho e of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short ficti n. ypes – Explain each type of essay and state it purpo e Persuasive (Argumentative): It’s purpo e is to persuade the reader by informing the reader as to why their opini n is correct and why other opini ns are incorrect. Expo itory (Informative): It’s purpo e is to inform the reader by using factual evidence based n primary sources and/or data. Definiti n or Descripti n: he ficti n-writing technique for c nveying a mental image of a story's details. Process (How-to): A direct guide with instructi ns. C mpare and C ntrast: he similarities and differences between topics or of the topic. Cause and Effect: he reas n as to why s mething occurs and what the result are whether po itive or negative. Analytical/Critical: In an analytical essay, you'll need to make a claim or make an argument regarding the subject you're studying. Evaluative: A piece of writing that makes value judgment n a certain issue based n a set of criteria. Interpretive: When ne interpret a piece of literature. Narrative ( ells a story): Any account of a series of related event or experiences, whether n n ficti n or ficti nal, is referred to as a narrative, story, or tale. Pers nal Statement/Anecdote: A pers nal statement is a narrative that describes unexplored areas of neself. Research: An essay in which you describe what you've learnt after thoroughly researching your topic. imed: An essay written with a limited amount of time. Document Based Questi n (DBQ): An essay or set of short-answer questi ns written by student based n their own expertise and informati n fr m a variety of sources. Synthesis: A written discussi n that incorporates support fr m a variety of sources with oppo ing viewp int .
Strategies/Planning ips/Steps – Explain how to plan and organize essays and how to analyze and break down pr mpt . Pre-writing/Pr mpt Analysis/Outlining: o begin your outline it may be helpful to list, cluster, l oping, and freewriting, and asking the 6 journalist’s questi ns. Researching/Evaluating of Sources: Evaluating sources is to recognize whether the informati n ne has read and included in research is reliable and credible. Work Cited Page – Explain and give an example of how to set up a works cited entry in both MLA and APA format there are subtle differences between each format, so be sure to identify them clearly. MLA Format: MLA citing format has the following pieces of informati n, in said order: Author’s last name, first name. “ itle of Source”. itle of c ntainer, other c ntributors, versi n, numbers, publicati n date, publisher, and locati n. APA Format: 1. “References” are centered 1 inch down and are not capitalized, in bold, or italicized. 2. Reference citati ns use double space and there are no additi nal space in between. 3. If the reference goes past the first line, have a hanging indent. 4. All of the references are in alphabetical order.
About the Author My name is Amelia Bri nes and I am 16 years old. I started learning how to write when I was in presch ol and I am still learning how to improve my writing skills to this day. When I was younger I never really cared for writing or reading until I entered the 2nd grade. My 2nd grade teacher introduced me to the amazing world of reading which I believe helped me improve my writing. As I became a str nger reader I also became a str nger writer. I still remember that the very first b k series that I was a huge fan of was he Magic rees House. hese b ks inspired me to want to write my own stories and little did I know at that time that I would have the chance to do so in the future. In the 6th grade I had the opportunity to write a short story that could be a part of an anthology for the Huntingt n Library. Out of 4 5th and 6th grade classes, nly 19 stories were cho en to be a part of the Anthology, and luckily for me, my story was ne of the stories that were cho en. Having my story be a part of the anthology showed me that I could achieve my dream of ne day bec ming a published author. While I want to write a story of my own, I haven’t d ne so as I know that there are still many ways I can (and need) to improve my writing. he Lummis house is very clo e to where I live and I have visited it multiple times, however, during the pandemic I couldn’t go out and see it as it was clo ed. Once they reopened I went to walk around the garden around the house with my mother. When I finally saw the state of the house after such a l ng period of time I was absolutely devastated. he garden was unkept and there was even s me trash n the side of the fences. he house had already been l king more and more disheveled the last few times I had seen it as it was no l nger the headquarters for the Historical Society of Southern California but it wasn’t as bad as it is now. After talking to s me of the rangers that gave tours of the house they told me that I could write a letter to the City of Lo Angeles Department of Recreati n and Parks but I knew that my letter al ne wasn’t g ing to help the Lummis House. When I found out I was g ing to have to do a b k of writing for english I decided that I was g ing to focus n the history of the Lummis House and Charles Lummis with the hopes of bringing more awareness to the house.
