TOW #13- Luncheon of the Boating Party

This text, labeled Luncheon of the Boating Party, was created by Pierre-Auguste Renoir in 1880. The artist creates a beautiful, lively painting that, in its use of light, diversity, and facial expressions, displays the changing society in France at this time and Renoir’s love for his friends. The French Third Republic was the system of government in France during the 1880s. This government brought a lot of change to the country, not just politically and economically, but socially as well. Renoir shows the modernized community through the painting by depicting his friends, all of different genders, occupations, social classes, beliefs, and more. The people of France at this time were much more open to change and diversity. People who normally would never associate with each other were becoming friends and having nice meals together, and Renoir shows in his painting. With this integration of people, the country as whole will improve in the next few years. In addition, the artist uses light to emphasize certain aspects of the painting, especially his future wife. The entire left side of the painting is more open and bright than the right side, and that is where Renoir’s future wife is sitting with her dog. This contrast in color makes the love of Renoir’s life stand out, and draws the audience’s attention to that side of the painting. Making the woman stand out by shining light on her displays the artist’s infatuation with her by pulling the entire audiences’ attention to her. Lastly, the facial expressions created by Renoir show that the society is changing because, although these people of are different descents and backgrounds, they are all still having fun. Some even seem as though they are in love, like the woman leaning on the balcony, or perhaps the man in the bottom right-hand corner looking down on the lady sitting at the table. The love and enjoyment displayed on each of the subjects’ faces show that change is positive, and that the country is able to prosper during this time of change. 

TOW #11- Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine – “The American Crisis” Chapter 1

            As the Revolutionary War waged on in America, Thomas Paine released this text that summarized his opinions regarding the state of the fighting. Thomas Paine was a political activist who is famous for his role in the American Revolution, which was convincing more people to become involved through his writing. Overall, Paine wanted to break away from Britain, and in his pamphlet he was trying to prove to the citizens of the colonies that they needed to help the cause in order to obtain independence. The author used metaphors and personification in order to make his argument appeal to all Americans, therefore pushing them to help gain independence. Primarily, Paine’s use of metaphors connected the ideas of war, which could be overwhelming, to everyday happenings. For example, he states, “Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever" to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?” (Paine 4). By comparing the war to a personal attack on someone’s home, he grabs the attention of the citizens because homes are sacred places where people eat, sleep, live, and love. Paine appeals to the emotions of the readers, and, by doing this, brings about unity. Comparing American to one’s specific home makes feelings of nationalism rise in citizens, urging them to join in the war. In addition, personification is used when Paine refers to America as a woman, and states all of the good things about her along with her vulnerability (Paine 3). Since women were seen as weak at this time, and the country mainly wanted men fighting in the war, descriptions such as these would make men want to assert themselves and protect the “woman” who gave them a home. Also, personifying the country gives it feelings, which makes protecting “her” more important. I believe that Thomas Paine’s use of metaphor and personification was successful not only because America won the Revolutionary War, but because he was able to bring about feelings of national pride in the audience, and convince even present day readers that helping your country as much as possible is important.

TOW #10- Global Warming

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/03/global-warming-the-convenient-truth/305749/

Global Warming: The Convenient Truth

Especially recently, the environment truly has been deteriorating, whether we like it or not. With coral reefs that are bleaching due to high water temperatures, a hole in the ozone layer, and an innumerable amount of endangered species, our planet is slowly being ruined. Jonathan Rauch, a reporter for The Atlantic, captured the problems with the environment in this article. In addition to describing what is wrong with the environment, Rauch also tells the audience what they can do in order to help improve the planet, and when to do so. His audience is anyone in the world who is willing to help make our home a better place. This is evident in the way that he uses “we”. Rauch often uses this word to relate with the audience, show that he is also a concerned member of the planet, and encourage everyone who is able to help the cause. The purpose of the article, therefore, is to create a call to action and urge people to do something about the struggling environment. Although the author states that the aid does not need to come immediately, it would be most beneficial for the positive changes to occur in the coming years due to the fact that the problem is already widespread, and that there is no singular culprit. One of the main issues causing global warming is the amount of CO2 in the environment; however, this comes from many people, places, and products, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint and put an end to each and every person, place, or thing responsible. In addition to creating this call to action, Rauch uses informal diction in order to relate to his audience. By using words that are not too scientific or sophisticated, he appeals to his more specific audience: people on the internet looking for a quick synopsis of global warming and what we can do about it. The simple diction makes the article easily accessible to a wide variety of people, which means that its message is able to be spread more rapidly and effectively.  

IRB Intro #2- Stiff

I have chosen to read Stiff by Mary Roach because it was recommended to me by a friend, and because I usually do not read books on this topic.

TOW #8- Outliers

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell is a book that documents the author’s research and explanation of success in human beings. Specifically, in the second half of the book Gladwell compares and contrasts the lives, successes, and failures of Christopher Langan and Robert Oppenheimer. Christopher Langan is a man who has a tremendous IQ; however, he grew up only to become a horse farmer, rather than pursue a more profitable occupation. Robert Oppenheimer, on the other hand, played a massive role in the Manhattan Project, helping the US create its first atomic bomb. Gladwell attributes this difference in success to the environments in which the two men grew up. Using vivid imagery and anecdotes, the author builds up the stories of both men, strongly displaying their differences, and how these differences impacted their accomplishments. This helped the audience see how someone’s home life can negatively affect their adult life, no matter how smart the person may be. In this chapter, the author’s purpose was to prove to the audience that experiences have as much or even more of an effect on a person’s future as their intelligence does. The audience of this book would mainly be teenagers or adults who are interested in psychology, sociology, or other similar sciences. This is mainly due to the fact that the topic or genre of the book itself is a little too complicated for many younger kids, in addition to the mature diction. In 2008, when this book was published, Malcolm Gladwell, who had previously worked for The Washington Post, continued to write for The New Yorker. Prior to creating Outliers, Gladwell wrote The Tipping Point and Blink. The Tipping Point is about the effects that all decisions have on everyday life, while Blink is about the unconscious. Although both of these books were successful, Outliers is the most popular of the trio.   

TOW #7- Visual Text

This cartoon was posted on The Onion, a popular, satirical newspaper founded in 1988. Created in August of 2016, the visual gives insight on the current police violence in the United States. Recently, many police have responded to innocent citizens violently, causing worry and paranoia in the cities that have been touched by this event. In the drawing, a family in a safe neighborhood celebrates the fact that their area has not been affected by police brutality. The addition of Lady Liberty cheering with the family symbolizes the entirety of America, showing that not only are “Families in Nice Neighborhoods” targeted, but also the rest of the country. The author uses labeling to show the views of certain Americans on this issue, and to point fingers at certain groups of Americans. This device makes the audience want to take action because the author targets certain people. Targeting specific groups of people makes the viewers look at themselves, what they may be doing wrong, and cause them to want to change the way they look at a topic or act upon it. The author is appealing to Americans because police brutality is largely prevalent in the United States presently. He is urging Americans to take action, and to realize that even though the violence is not occurring in their neighborhood, it is still a relevant and important issue that the country as a whole is suffering from. Therefore, American citizens should act do more than hope that their town is not involved in the brutality, but they need to help the issue by providing support and improving their own police forces. I think that the device of labeling helped the author achieve his purpose because it helps bring specific groups of people into the picture, especially those who have thought that police brutality is not their problem. 

TOW #6

“The Figure a Poem Makes” by Robert Frost

            Robert Frost was an American poet who won four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry and the Congressional Gold medal for his works. When he wrote “The Figure a Poem Makes” in 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt was still president of the United States, and John Steinbeck had just published The Grapes of Wrath. This text focuses on Frost’s definition of a poem, and how he believes both the author and the reader should think and feel whilst reading a poem. He thinks that poems should be spontaneous, original, thought-provoking, and long-lasting. Throughout the passage, he describes how and why poems can be produced to reach all of his expectations, and how this connects to his political views. Frost’s audience is directly stated at the end of the text: Americans, but especially the youth of America. He urges the people of the United States to be unique, and to relax, write a poem, and eternally bask in the glory of its meaning. Additionally, he wants to show the country that poems are important. Frost is able to achieve this purpose of encouraging young Americans through personification. Throughout the passage, the author gives poems a new meaning by providing them with human-like qualities. This makes the reader prioritize poems and see the importance in them that Frost is trying to display because of their seemingly human characteristics. In addition, Frost repeats the same phrase “The figure is the same as for love” multiple times in the essay. He hopes to further convey the importance of poetry through this repetition by applying it to the matter of love. Love is a feeling that all humans have, and that all humans can relate to. Comparing poetry to love appeals to his target audience and others as well because love is a universal topic that people spend a lot of time thinking about or acting upon. Frost wants the youth of America to put as much time into their writing as they do in affinity. These rhetorical devices were successful in helping Frost achieve his purpose because they appealed to his specific audience.   

TOW #5- Tasteless

“Tasteless” by David Sedaris via The New Yorker

David Sedaris is an author whose works have frequently been published on popular, credible sources such as National Public Radio and The New Yorker. “Tasteless”, is a reflection on one piece of Sedaris’s life and childhood: his taste buds. Ever since he was younger, Sedaris would only eat in order to fill his stomach. Living in a large family, the author was always worried about not having enough to eat; therefore, he would inhale food rather than slow down to critique the taste. This memoir was published in 2007, and touched on ideas about obesity in America, which has been presently prevalent due to fast food chains and the large portions that many restaurants offer. However, the main purpose of the article would be to allow other people who are also part of a big family to connect to him and his experiences, or to show members of small families what it is like to have a lot of siblings. This is shown through the article’s numerous anecdotes, which provide the audience with examples of what the life of a child in a big family. The reader, most likely used to sharing as well, is able to connect this text to their own lives through these anecdotes, and consider whether or not they agree with the information Sedaris gives in the article. In addition, the text supplies readers who do not know what it is like to have a large family with accurate and descriptive depictions of what it is like to have the constant fear of not having enough food to eat. The anecdotes successfully prove Sedaris’s purpose because they help other people with multiple siblings relate to him and see that they are not alone, but also appeal to people with few or no siblings in order to display what such a life is like. 

TOW #4- Outliers

IRB- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell was written in 2008, which was the same year that Barack Obama was elected president of the United States. In addition to writing five books that were all on The New York Times Best Seller list, Gladwell attended the University of Toronto, and has been working for The New Yorker since 1996. Since not all readers of his books are aware of Gladwell’s credentials, throughout Outliers he uses many different and popular studies and scientists in order to prove his point and gain the trust of his audience. One example of Gladwell’s appeals to ethos is when he cites “a study done in the early 1990s by the psychologist K. Anders Ericsson and two colleagues at Berlin’s elite Academy of Music” (Gladwell 38). This statement is relevant to the topic of that section (how famous musicians such as Mozart did not master orchestrating overnight), and also shows that Gladwell’s argument has been proven by other credible scientists. In the first part of Outliers, Gladwell describes strange patterns in the birthdays of ice hockey players, and how the amount of time a person invests in a hobby affects their success in said hobby. Thus said, as Gladwell is attempting to demonstrate that the mastery of a subject takes time, his frequent appeals to ethos ensure that readers understand and believe what Gladwell is writing. It is obvious that the intended audience of Outliers is the general public because, while Gladwell uses many studies and statistics in his book, the vocabulary is not outstandingly difficult. Here and there, a reader might stumble upon a word they have never seen before; however, for the most part, the book is easy to understand and stay engaged in. I believe that the appeals to ethos in this book were successful because it made Gladwell’s argument more believable, and I was able to truly become invested in his purpose while reading.

TOW #3- The Sunless Sea

Excerpt from The Sunless Sea by Rachel Carson (from A World of Ideas)

Rachel Carson received a master’s degree in zoology at Johns Hopkins University, and also studied marine biology at the Marine Biological Laboratory of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts. With this education, she wrote many magazine articles and books to educate people both in and out of the science community on Earth’s vastly unexplored oceans and the harm that pesticides cause, especially to sea life. Her audience is clear due to the fact that The Sunless Sea’s vocabulary is that which someone who has not extensively studied biology could understand, but that other scientists could still relate to through some scientific terms and examples. In the 1950s, while Watson and Crick were studying the structure of DNA, Carson was writing about marine life. In The Sunless Sea, Carson describes the depths of the sea, which are unknown to many people, even marine biologists. She depicts the wonder and excitement of the discoveries of new species, and the people responsible for several deep-sea expeditions. The main goal of this passage is to bring attention to the understudied ocean, and how there are is so much that humans are unaware of swimming in the seas. Appeals to ethos are made often in this essay. For example, “the British biologist Edward Forbes” (619) is quoted recounting his trip to an abyss in the ocean, as well as William Beebe (618), Johan Hjort (622), and Thor Heyerdahl (623). These appeals effectively prove Carson’s credibility further than simply her credentials, which are provided in A World of Ideas prior to her text, because these scientists have experienced the ocean firsthand. They know what it is like to be on boats and in submarines, studying the various creatures the ocean is home to. Without quotes and information from and about these biologists, Carson’s argument would be weaker due to the absence of first-hand accounts.   

TOW #2- Visual Text

http://www.theonion.com/graphic/veiled-threat-53749

On August 24, 2016, a woman attending a beach in Nice, France was forced by police to remove her burkini because of the ban on such attire in the town in light of recent terrorism shocks. Images of this event spread across the Internet, causing outrage due to the fact that many people believe this woman should have been able to wear what she wants and what her religion prompts she should. On the other hand, there are people who defend the band and believe that any woman who wears a burqa is dangerous, or an outcast. The cartoon pictured above uses satire to show how the religious beliefs of other people do not personally affect anyone but themselves. The bald eagle, our national animal, is drawn dead, and the Statue of Liberty is crying, both of which exaggerate the effect that burkinis have on America as a whole. The creator of the cartoon is hoping that viewers see just how ridiculous it is for people to judge someone on their clothing, and that by allowing the women to wear burkinis, the country itself is not affected in any way. The target audience of this image was mainly Americans, which is made obvious by the bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, and the Miss America Pageant contestants. The person who made the cartoon is mainly hoping to get the attention of Americans because our country has a massive effect on the rest of the world. If the United States allow burqas, burkinis, etc. to be worn, then other countries will hopefully follow suit due to this country’s large influence. I found this visual text on The Onion, a popular satirical newspaper that has been up and running since 1988. While the specific illustrator is not written on the website, this source is reliable due to the fact that many people view it and the company employs many well-known reporters. I believe that the image achieved its purpose because it makes people who disagree with burqas look silly and uneducated.    

TOW #1- Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying

Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying by Adrienne Rich (from The Best American Essays of the Century)

Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying was written by Adrienne Rich in 1977, the year that the National Women’s Conference took place in Houston, Texas. Rich was a Radcliffe College graduate, and her and her works received many awards, including the National Book Award for Poetry and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lannan Foundation. This essay explains to readers how and why women lie by exploring the different techniques and motives that the majority of women are known to use when stretching the truth. Rich writes to women, frequently using words like “we” and “us” to connect to her audience. In addition, it is apparent that she is writing for women in order to convince the readers that they are their own person, and that they should not let anyone get in their way of happiness. She writes about how men are the main reason that women lie so often, and that women have been forced to change their own looks, personalities, and lives simply to please men; however, Rich believes that women deserve to create their own honor, and that they have the potential to be more truthful. Throughout Women and Honor, Rich continually uses repetition to further prove the importance of her purpose. For example, she asks, “As we cease to lie with our bodies, as we cease to take on faith what men have said about us, is a truly womanly idea of honor in the making?” (Rich 415). Her use of repetition at the beginning of the two consecutive phrases shows that what she is writing is imperative for the reader to comprehend and retain. She wants this specific statement to be ingrained in her readers’ minds; she wants it to stand out to them, and she wants them to truly ponder the question she is posing. The author’s frequent repetition is successful because her main points are highlighted and stick out to readers due to the recurrent reiteration.

IRB Intro #1- Outliers

I chose to read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell this marking period because my English teacher from last year, Ms. Torresani, suggested them. In addition, a few of my friends have read them, and they also thought I would be interested. From what they have told me and what I read online, I am very intrigued by this book and cannot wait to read it.

How It Feels to Be Colored Me by Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston was a Columbia University graduate, and the author of 4 novels as well as more than 50 other works. One of those essays, How it Feels to Be Colored Me, was written during the Roaring Twenties and the Harlem Renaissance, both of which were times of self expression. Hurston describes her life as a colored woman in America, the times when she started to feel like an outcast, and the ways she does not allow her ancestry to limit her present life. For example, she states that, “Someone is always at my elbow reminding me that I am the granddaughter of slaves. It fails to register depression with me” (Hurston 115). Even though Hurston’s family members were negatively affected by racism, she continued to live her life without letting that bring her down. Her purpose in writing the piece is to show readers that race, or any other characteristic of a human being, should not define who they are or how they act. Hurston does not let other people’s views of her affect her outlook on life, and attempts to convince her readers to ignore differences rather than single them out. She often utilizes metaphors throughout the essay, allowing her audience to connect to her words no matter their gender or race. The author specifically proves this at the end of  her work, when she describes “the jumble in the bags, could they be emptied, that all might be dumped in a single heap” (Hurston 117). At this point in the essay Hurston is describing how, while she sometimes feels discriminated against, she never truly has understood why. When she writes about the brown bags, she is stating that, while the items look different, when they are in the same environment (or in the human case, the same country), each of the objects are equally important. Despite the fact that Hurston did not utilize many rhetorical devices, her frequent use of metaphors successfully helps her audience relate to her story, whether or not they went through the same experiences as she did.  

Similar, but Different

This image, from Business Insider Australia, relates to How It Feels to Be Colored Me because the lion, tigers, and monkey all get along, despite the fact that they are different animals. Similarly, in How it Feels to Be Colored Me, Zora Neale Hurston discusses the fact that she tries to ignore any differences between her and her fellow American citizens.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/unlikely-animal-friendships-2013-6

The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday

The Way To Rainy Mountain was written in 1967 by N. Scott Momaday, who acquired his Ph.D. at Stanford University, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1969, and received the National Medal of Arts in 2007. While events such as the Space Race and Vietnam War raged on, The Way to Rainy Mountain’s tranquil and nostalgic tone is helpful in reminding Americans of the beauty of their land, and of the hardships of the Native Americans. Momaday describes the land on which his family’s tribe, the Kiowas, lived before his time in order to appeal to Americans. The author mainly focuses on his grandmother’s house, which he visits following her death, and the stories she used to tell about life with the Kiowas. Figurative language, especially imagery, personification, similes, and alliteration, are frequent in this paper. The descriptive word choice and recurrent rhetorical devices are valuable strategies attributes for keeping the audience attentive and showing the beauty that his ancestors saw in the land before it was taken away from them. It is evident that Momaday’s audience is adult Americans due to the fact that, although the paper is overall informal, there are sophisticated words here and there. In addition, the author references landmarks in the United States, such as Palo Duro Canyon and the Smoky Hill River familiar only to Americans, specifically from the Midwest; therefore, Momaday targets citizens of the United States, educating them on his culture and the beauty of the Earth that his family sees. I believe that the author accomplished his goal in proving his purpose because, while keeping readers entertained with his figurative language, Momaday also includes information on how innocent Kiowas “surrendered to the soldiers at Fort Sill” in order to save themselves, and “were imprisoned” (Momaday 314) by said soldiers. N. Scott Momaday successfully opened Americans’ eyes to the beauty and sadness in the soil of the country.

Native Americans’ Lost Land

Sam B. Hilliard, a Louisiana State University geography and anthropology professor, created these maps. The images show how much of United States territory used to belong to Native Americans, and illustrates the amount of homes the Native Americans lost due to new settlers.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/07/21/animated-map-shows-loss-western-tribal-lands-1784-124688

The Old Stone House by Edmund Wilson

In 1933, while the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression devastated America, Edmund Wilson wrote The Old Stone House. Wilson graduated from Princeton University in 1916. After receiving his diploma, he worked as a reporter for the New York Sun, managing editor of Vanity Fair, associate editor of The New Republic, and more. His essay The Old Stone House describes the building in which his ancestors lived, and the place his family visited every year. The author provides readers with the appearance of the house, an inventory of the items within the building, and a short history on the past inhabitants of the home and the town. Wilson’s target audience would be adults, due to the higher-level vocabulary and the frequent allusions to books, events, and people of the time period. Whilst reading this essay, the audience is awed by Wilson’s love for the old house. The imagery and description of his memories is meant to intrigue and entertain the audience, and reminds readers of the importance of family. In my opinion, Edmund Wilson accomplished his purpose in his essay because his nostalgic tone and descriptive writing caused me to think back on the adventures that I had as a kid, the stories of my family members, and the antiques found in the homes of my elders. For example, when Wilson names the objects in the house “that are nowadays sold in antique stores” (Wilson 122), I was reminded of the random items that I used to come across in my grandmother’s house, each paired with a story. Part of Edmund Wilson’s purpose was to do just that: make his readers connect their own lives to the story, and remember the constant presence of family in everyone’s lives. In order to achieve his purpose, Wilson uses repetition frequently in order to display how he reminisces often, and will never forget the house. Also, Wilson alludes to books, such as The Woman Who Did and History of Lewis County, and quotes them, building to his ethos and making it easier for the audience to relate to his story.

The Uniqueness of Homes

This is a picture of Gru’s house from Despicable Me (This specific image is from http://despicableme.wikia.com/wiki/Gru's_House). Edmund Wilson describes his family’s home in The Old Stone House; however, all houses are unique. The combination of The Old Stone House and Gru’s house could cause readers to share what makes their own homes special, or, perhaps, what each of the buildings have in common.