Sunday, December 20, 2015
TOW #13 - The Fear of Islam in Tennessee Public Schools
Williamson County, Tennessee, a predominantly white county north of Nashville, many parents fear that by educating their children about Islam, teachers are indoctrinating them into the religion. They feel that teachers preach pro-Islam tendencies and mostly bad things about Judaeo-Christian religions. They want the textbooks to stop calling Islam a peaceful religion, and teach them about the few extremists instead. Emma Green, author of The Fear of Islam in Tennessee Public Schools, seeks to prove these people wrong with logical reasoning and by mentioning sudden hints about the groups who support the cause. When talking about the county, Green calls the idea of kids being indoctrinated into Islam most impossible by saying that the county is: "overwhelmingly white, Christian place like Williamson County" (Green para 7). By using logic, she proves the irrational people against her wrong, simply by showing that the environment around kids that would be "indoctrinated" would not be hospitable to them in any way, shape, or form. Throughout her essay, the author mentions Glenn Beck and Pat Robertson, people who are largely against Islam and any non Judaeo-Christian in every way, when describing who is fighting against this "indoctrination". These names leave a sour taste in the mouth, a reminder of the hugely conservative and very hateful roots of this movement. This fact alone would probably turn away people in disgust, as these men listed invoke feelings of distrust and malignment. Thus, the reader is already turned against the parent's of Tennessee's cause. These are the nails in the coffin, they are what makes the author successful.
Saturday, December 12, 2015
TOW #12 - IRB: Four Seasons in Rome
Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr is not a simple and generic tale about the love of a romantic city. It as about his growth with Rome, his discovery of the city and then a discovery of himself. Anthony Doerr was chosen by an Academy in Rome to have a fellowship to live on Rome in a year. He wanted to describe his experience in the city and how he grew here by writing Four Seasons in Rome. Doerr used powerful imagery and deep anecdotes in order to show how powerful the city of Rome is and how it transformed him as the person. "It tastes like nutmeg and brine and cream; we eat slices as if it were cake" (Doerr 39). His culinary tastes grew in Italy, as well as the rest of him, too. The experiences he has illustrate the changes in his lifestyle, how the beauty of Rome transformed him as a person. This illustration showed how powerful the experience was for him, and how deeply it affected his existence in no other way other rhetoric will not. Doerr also used anecdotes to show how he grows too. When he describes how he adjusts to the age of the city, "The oldest building in Idaho... built by... 1853... The oldest building in Rome with its original roof still intact is the Pantheon... by the emperor Hadrian around AD 125" (56-57). When explaining how he ponders the descriptions of time, he juxstaposes the age of the Pantheon with the oldest building in Idaho, adeptly showing how the definition of our time is so brief without truly saying it, and this shows the reader how Rome changes one's opinion about the world. He says what he wants to say through experiences, not by the words that we typically do. That is the power of imagery and anecdotes.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
TOW #11 - Go ahead, please - TAKE DAY OFF!
World War Two is probably the era where US Propaganda was the most powerful. It was a hard fought war, and needed the most support it could possibly get. Above is an example encouraging people to work hard and do their best at home, implying that if they do not, the Japanese will win the war. In this image, the artists play off of the purveying sense of racism at the time and sarcasm in order to guilt a "lazy" worker into not taking the day off. The usage of racism sets the stage for the sarcasm. The picture contains an image of a Japanese man, with all of his stereotypes, that his skin is yellow, his eyes slanted and evil, almost portraying him as a gremlin. This all plays on the racism that most Americans had at the time, firing them up and making them want to ruin this man. Then, the artist utilizes sarcasm to condemn the audience and manipulate them into continuing to work. The text saying "Go ahead, please - TAKE DAY OFF", implies that the Japanese will win the war if one person takes off work. Obviously, this is not true, but it has a guilting effect that will certainly make the audience want to work instead of taking off. Thus this piece is overall quite effective, as the racism would certainly play off of the audience's prejudices, and the sarcasm would convince them to work. It is a shame that this was resorted to, but nonetheless the government saw it as necessary in order to save the nation.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
TOW #10 - Why Affluent Parents Put So Much Pressure on Their Kids
To many children who have affluent parents, the force behind them telling them to succeed can overcome them. A constant pressure to be perfect, to build an amazing resume, to get into what seems to be a smaller pool of colleges and universities can cause all sorts of issues for these kids. Many develop mental health disorders due to all of the stress, and some even turn to suicide. Why Affluent Parents Put So Much Pressure on Their Kids, written by Rebecca Rosen, a business writer who understands the high pressure environment pushed on to their kids, examines why this is the case. In her piece, Rosen uses paradoxes and logical reasoning to show why rich kids are faced with such intense stress. Rosen starts her piece by saying: "With financial success ought to come some measure of relief..." (para 1), and then spends the rest of the essay disproving this. She introduces the piece with a paradox to address the misconception that many affluent kids have an easy life. Rosen also uses logical reasoning to show why these kids are stressed. If you’re a doctor, lawyer, or MBA—you can’t pass those on to your kids." (Para 5). This shows why many kids have to work so hard in high school, so that they can maintain the way of life their parents had. It also shows the limits of wealth in helping kids succeed, as it can only do so much and kids have to contribute a great deal to their own success. This essay is successful, as it educates the reader about the pain that affluence afflicts on students. As a child of two JDs, I find this piece hard hitting, it could not be more right. I never have to worry about my material possessions at the moment, but the stress from all of the work I need to do to keep this way of life is incredibly taxing.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
TOW #9 - Paris and the Lessons of 9/11
We stand for the Tricolore. We stand for Justice. We Stand With Paris. Nous sommes tous Français. However, we must learn from their actions when supporting us in the past. They served as our anchor of logic when we were about to start the war in Iraq. They did not support the war because they believed it to be rash and thought that rage clouded our judgement. Now, in France's time of trouble, Americans rally with them to hopefully crush the source of terror, ISIS. The author wrote this article to have us learn from the past, and hopefully be a logical anchor to stop any rash decisions by the French Government in their time of need. Graduate of Pomona College and New York University Conor Friedersdorf calls for the US to be an ally to France in his article Paris and the Lessons of 9/11, but at the same time reminds us to be tactful with our alliances and convinces the reader to follow this train of thought with hard hitting historical evidence and a careful diction that builds ethos. He reminds the reader very carefully that he is for solidarity with France, just not complete agreement by saying: "I endorse the widespread affirmation of solidarity with the French" (para 3) and continues his point by saying: " good allies engage in constructive criticism as best they can" (9). He reminds us that we should support our ally, and then tells us that challenging them is perhaps the best thing an ally can do, as it is for their benefit, not us being evil to them. He also uses hard hitting historical evidence to show the need for a logical anchor. "a majority of Americans began to conclude that Saddam Hussein posed an uncontainable threat, our allies in Paris insisted that our trauma was clouding our judgment" (4). We fell into a trap that France warned against, but they were being good allies by reminding us to not be so rash. This also hits home to Americans, as many see the Iraq War as a mistake, and France's foresight will perhaps make people want to reciprocate this kindness. The careful diction that leaves the reader open to Friedersdorf's ideas and the relatable historical evidence converts the reader to want to make the US a better ally to a struggling nation. The delicate subject was handled with rhetoric, and the author was so successful in doing so.
Monday, November 9, 2015
IRB Intro Post #2
For my second independent reading book, I will be reading Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr. I chose this book because it follows a man and his journey in the wonderful city of Rome, and is a different way to romanticize a European city. I think it will give me a perspective on living abroad, and perhaps encourage me to make a similar journey.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
TOW #8 - IRB: My Beloved World
My Beloved World is a profound story of triumph unlike any ever released before. Sonia Sotomayor painted such a meaningful and rich picture with the story, and defined herself and her experiences through it. In My Beloved World, Sonia Sotomayor uses powerful anecdotes in order to define her life and her principles, too. Every experience she included had meaning, from advocacy at Princeton to struggles at Yale Law to triumph on the bench, every piece of the book conveyed her principles, and captured her essence as well. Sotomayor starts the second half describing her activism for minorities in general at Princeton, continues to explain her marriage, then provides stories from her days at the challenging Yale Law School. Then she can be found in the New York District Attorney's Office, skillfully making moves from misdemeanor department up to the felony department and even having a homicide case. She then found herself getting a job from a posh international law firm in Midtown, succeeding in every imaginable situation she found herself in. When she was finally nominated to become a judge by a national senator, she saw her dreams being realized, and the power of this moment will be immortalized in this book. The anecdotes in this story show the morals and ideals that she values more effectively than just blatantly stating her thoughts. For example, when talking about the rigors of law school, she said that: "Even a correct answer could lead to further probing that might leave you looking for a hole to crawl into" (Sotomayor 218). She later explains that this would shape her into a successful lawyer as it would teach her the pressure she would have to operate under. Her story of anguish was included for a reason, as it shaped her being. Every piece included in the book shaped Sotomayor, so all of it helped her to achieve her purpose and made the book so interesting. Few people are like Sotomayor, and her one of a kind biography exemplifies this.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
TOW #7 - Ten Borders
Ten Borders by activist Nicholas Schmide is perhaps one of the most profoundly impacting articles I have ever read. It is a narrative describing how a man named Ghaith was able to travel from Syria to Sweden, and is perhaps the most well written and powerful accounts of his trek. His harrowing accounts of escape, pain, and joy creates an emotional piece and leaves the reader wanting to help the struggling refugees. Schmide wrote Ten Borders with powerful anecdotes in order to cause the reader to emphasize with embattled Syrian Refugees. This text was composed for readers who do not already sympathize with Syrian Refugees, and his aim is to convert these people. With his profound text, he succeeds. Gaith's story seems unreal, but it is experienced by many daily. He travels to places that abuse him, to places that welcome him, and everywhere in between. He made friends along the way, and helped other refugees to get to their desired destination, as well. The story of his reunification with his brother brings great feelings of joy, and his stories of dread along the way feel quite similar to a dystopian novel. The joyful ending leaves the reader feeling happy, but also reminds them that many refugees are not nearly as lucky as he is. Many die along the way, or are forced to live in refugee camps in anti-foreigner Hungary. It inspires the reader to pitch in and help in such a dire situation. The authors use of anecdote greatly impacts the effectiveness of the essay. When describing the horrors of a Lebanese prison, the example of a pregnant woman being surrounded by a pool of blood made the reader empathize with the pain experienced in the situation (para 17). An example of joy could be found in paragraph 36, where Ghaith reunited with his brother, a high of emotion. These anecdotes make the story, an more importantly make the reader empathize with the refugees, and in turn support them.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
TOW #6 - Clinton News Network
This political cartoon was drawn by Henry Payne, a syndicated conservative political cartoonist who is well respected. It was created after the Democratic debate hosted by CNN, which was struck by controversy when many believed it supported Hillary Clinton over other contenders such as Bernie Sanders. In his political cartoon, Payne seeks to mock CNN for supporting Hillary Clinton by using a play on words and depicting Anderson Cooper as a buffoon. Many who watched the debate would probably agree with Payne, too. Hillary had more time to speak and seemingly easier questions in this debate. She emerged a victor, many thinking that CNN helped her in this regard. CNN has also been criticized in the past for being overly supportive to Clinton, a bias many think a news network should not have in order to report effectively. Many thought that they completely disregarded all candidates except for Clinton and maybe Sanders. Enter the rhetorical devices. To show the biases of CNN, Payne changes its name from Cable News network to Clinton News Network. The humorous play on words shows CNN's bias effectively while also making the reader laugh a little. The next thing to do would be to make fun of the moderator, Anderson Cooper. Cooper portrays himself as unbiased and a pretty great public figure, but the cartoon attempts to discredit this. By having his caricature wear a Clinton pin, it accuses him of supporting Clinton thereby destroying his objective nature. His caricature is also contorted and makes him seem like a buffoon, what the author is trying to convey. The overall success of the cartoon is debatable. Though it is humorous, it offers no substantive proof of the claim, so it falls short of its purpose. Obviously, any data to back up the claim could be found easily, but this makes the cartoon feel rushed and half baked.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
TOW #5 - The Case for Getting Rid of Borders—Completely
The Case of Getting Rid of Borders-- Completely contains the radical idea that nations should do just that. It is a piece that leaves the reader almost speechless in both confusion in wonder, it is clear that Alex Tabarrok did his job. He is an economics professor at George Mason University, so the piece focused mainly on the economic implications of this issue. He argues that people do not have mobility, and thus they cannot easily move to a place where their lives would be better or they would be paid more. He says that "Immigration is the greatest anti-poverty program ever devised" (para 5), an interesting idea that shows creates a new perspective on the issue of poverty. Before that if the developed world added one percent immigrant to its population, they would have raised more money than all foreign aid programs combined. This usage of statistics completely proves his point that the mobility to move to better places would help solve the issue of poverty. He also looks at the idea from the perspective of the privileged and still found positives. They would have access to a cheap work force, and would be able to focus on their work more. "The immigrant who mows the lawn of the nuclear physicist indirectly helps to unlock the secrets of the universe" (para 6) gives an illustration of this idea, and again proves his point. In the end of the essay, he blames the whole idea of physical borders on nationalism, which makes logical sense. He says that nationalism views immigrants as "others" (para 7), and thus undeserving to enter the nation. It is intriguing that he defines nationalism this way, as he is thus blaming it for much of the worlds economic troubles. Though this essay baffled readers with a new perspective and proved his point economically, there are many things unaccounted for in this study, such as ethnic, political, linguistic, and social disagreement. Perhaps this essay could be the groundwork for other analyses to be written on, and the world could be changed forever.
Saturday, October 3, 2015
TOW #4 - My Beloved World
My Beloved World is a collection of poignant memoirs from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor's Life. The first half of the story describes the challenges she faced as a child and a young adult living with an alcoholic father in perilous sections of the Bronx. Through her juxstaposition of these powerful anecdotes, Sotomayor illustrates how she overcame adversity in hopes in inspire the disadvantaged who cling to their dreams. The story starts in her young life when she finds out that she has diabetes. She uses a powerful symbol in this story to show how she developed her independence at an early age, describing that she learned to give herself shots of insulin at the age of eight, a task far more complicated then in comparison to the simplicity of it today. This sets the stage for the rest of the story, and shows how she matured by herself, with her family members structuring her growth rather than leading it. She describes the her father's slow death from his alcoholism, and describes the angst she, her mother, and her brother experienced due to it. She then describes her school life, and the interesting friends that she made along the way. Her hard work and she displays throughout high school shows how greatly one's life can change if they put in the work, seen in her acceptance to Princeton University. She specifically juxtaposes these stories together in order to achieve her purpose, and she succeeds. It is not quite "homeless to Harvard", but "projects to Princeton" has the same profound effect on the reader and certainly inspires anyone, but it is specifically relateable to those who are disadvantaged but still desire to succeed. This piece achieves its purpose in every way, and is perhaps one of the most inspiring works of the decade.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
TOW #3 - How Catalan Survived
How Catalan Survived is a piece written by Irene Boada, a lecturer on Spanish and Catalan in the United Kingdom. It describes the rocky life of the Catalan language, and the obstacles it has overcome. It describes how Catalan survived through Francisco Franco's dictatorship, and how it now flourishes and unites a people today. When he was in power, Franco wanted a homogenous state, and having two different languages defeated this purpose. This line of thought led him to ban Catalan, unless it was used solely in the home. Their whole language was erased, yet it was kept thriving in family life, and people continue to speak it to this day. The author attributes this to people wanting to fight Franco's oppressive rule, and they felt they could do that by continuing the tradition of speaking Catalan. The author also complains that Catalan is still widely ignored by universities in Spain, to the point that more Catalan is taught outside of the nation, and attributes this to Spanish prejudices against Catalans. She explains that the solidarity of having to keep one's language secret has kept Catalans in a tight knit community, to the point that many desire a new, separate nation. This text was directed to those that are not very well versed in the problems between Catalans and Spaniards, as it grants a very basic understanding of these issues to the reader. Perhaps most integral to the success of the piece is that the author established her ethos. She writes about a personal and emotional moment connecting to the Catalan language, and it seems to substantiate her points and research. Everything seems true due to this, so the almost pedantic tone of the piece is softened by knowing the emotions of the author. This makes me believe and understand the author, and makes the whole idea so much more important.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
TOW #2 - "Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?"
"Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?"
The British Government commissioned this poster as a form of propaganda to recruit men to the British Army in World War One. This was published in 1915, a time where Britain was struggling against Germany in the "Great War", and needed all the help they could get from their citizens. They needed a large land force to match Germany, so Propaganda was used to attract the intended audience, younger men. This can be seen because the man depicted in the image has two young children and also has a relatively youthful (and health) appearance. By having a child make the man consider his contributions to Britain's war efforts, it makes the man think about his choices, much like it should make the audience think about their choices, too. The piece plays on the audiences' pathos by guilting them. It makes them take into account their actions, and want to have grand stories of valor to tell their children. It is a truly powerful tool to persuade the audience to join the war, as it makes them consider ideas that they have not thought of before. The piece questions their honor, ensuing that if one does not join the war, they will be cowards that will be forever embarrassed, even around their children. This appeal to pathos is what makes the the piece so effective. It makes the reader think upon their actions, even if they recognize that this is a piece of propaganda, and it subconsciously threatens their egos. It would leave them thinking about it for a long time, and perhaps cause those who did not previously consider joining the military to do so. This image is an excellent example of how propaganda should work, because even those who can identify it as a tool used by the government are still greatly affected by it.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Tow #1 - The Ivy League, Mental Illness, and the Meaning of Life
The Ivy League, Mental Illness, and the Meaning of Life is a powerful interview of former Yale professor William Deresiewicz. His purpose is to inform elite university hopefuls that perhaps their goal could stunt their mental growth and crush them. Maybe his cause is a personal homily, as he too found meaninglessness in life when he ignored himself in order to get a respectable education. It is an essay directed towards elite students and their parents about the dangers of their non stop pursuit of perfection. It describes the elite student as a sheep, albeit a successful one, constantly being guided to acceptance at one of the best universities in the nation. Then, once it gets in, it collapses, and realizes that it has lost meaning in life. All of their lives they have been guided to this goal, and once they are guided no more, they no longer know what to do. Some even realize that their time has been meaningless, and they do not truly understand themselves or their goals beyond college because they were too focused on getting into a prestigious institution. Perhaps more sinister is that when many are first introduced to leadership and service, they learn to treat it as a resume builder, and not as a humanitarian act. This essay was successful in its purpose by masterfully using conceit. The extended metaphor comparing hyper intelligent students and simple sheep was really quite powerful, as it showed that these students are really being manipulated and being intoxicated by the allure of success via an excellent institution. The interviewee's personal experience of ignoring his dream of studying Egnlish and instead studying science felt made the essay have a personal touch, and thus developed ethos. By crafting his powerful argument using expertly manipulated rhetoric, the author made me believe that perhaps by pushing myself too hard toward elite education, I may be permanently damaging my future happiness.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
IRB Intro Post #1
For my first independent research book, I will be reading My Beloved World, a memoir by Supreme Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor. I chose this book because it details a truly inspiring story about one woman's determination to rise above her impoverished roots and change the world. This is a true story of inspiration, therefore I believe I an personally benefit from reading this book, as this woman's story of perseverance will perhaps inspire me to work hard for my goals.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, former colleague of Martin Luther King Jr., is a moving piece about black oppression in the South. It describes her young life, which she spent with her brother and grandmother. The story starts with a painful humiliation at Angelou's church, where she reveals that she hates her blackness, and though she cannot seem to properly verbalize it, she desires to be white. She then describes experiences in her grandmother's store. She gains an understanding of the struggle of being black in the South, seeing her neighbor's exhaustion, and their struggle to support their families. The painful reality is that virtually earned made enough to support their families, and they would never be able to escape the cycle of poverty that entrapped them. They always masked worry with hope in the mornings, but Angelou knew that they would always come back dejected and concerned. Everyone lived in fear of the Ku Klux Klan, and white people scared everyone, even the poorest of them seemed to have a stronghold on the blacks, no economic power could change that. The essay ends with Angelou's grandmother being humiliated by some white children, yet she achieves the impossible and rises above them, perhaps inspiring Angelou to become that powerful activist that she would become. The essay argues that in order for a person to overcome oppression, they must be morally superior to the oppressor to enact real change. When Angelou sees her grandmother once she overcomes her white oppressors, she describes her as angelic, a hyperbole to describe the woman's mental power to overcome. She uses descriptive language to convey that her oppressors are evil, yet her descriptions of them show that they are simple, and lack real power. She also uses narrative form to paint vignettes of the daily oppression that she, her family, and her friends faced. By showing her grandmother overcoming oppressors by ignoring and praying whilst they tormented her, Angelou proves her argument that to overcome tyranny, one must be morally superior to the oppressor.
(frashogard.com)
This is a picture of a plant defeating all odds and growing in a hostile environment, much like how Angelou suggests one should overcome adversity.
The Way to Rainy Mountain
The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is a masterpiece about the life of Momaday's grandmother. She was of Kiowah descent, and was born in their peak as a nation. After her birth, they had a standoff with the US government, and were forced out of their home, and eventually moved to Rainy Mountain, a magnificent places that causes one to contemplate their existence. The people who lived there were profoundly devoted to their roots, living the culture every day. These people die, along with Aho, the grandmother. Their home was then largely abandoned; their children had left this home, and the culture left with them. These memories of the past defined Momaday's perceptions of the Kiowah, and left him with good memories about his ancestors. In the end, Momaday reflects on the Rainy Mountain. Without his grandmother and her friends, Rainy Mountain is a desolate and sad place, somewhere that is no longer the Kiowah home, as it no longer held the people that defined it. He leaves it with little regret and sadness, as it no longer houses his people. The author wrote this for anyone who believes that location defines where someone's home is. He believes that home is where one's family and friends is. Without them, home is just a place, with no joy or memories. The author used vivid description throughout the story in order to paint a picture of the joy felt when Rainy Mountain was full of people. In the end, the author did prove his point, because as more and more people left Rainy Mountain, it became a less friendly and lovely place, until it just became a location with no meaning at all. This proved that what defines a home is the people in it, not the location.
(barrywinbolt.com)
I chose an image of birds flying away because it represents how people left Rainy mountain, and brought its joys with them.
Friday, August 28, 2015
A Hundred Thousand Straightened Nails
A Hundred Thousand Straightened Nails by Donald Hall, former professor at Stanford University and the University of Michigan, is about a cousin from Hall's boyhood in New Hampshire named Washington Woodward. It is about the life of a strange man with a very robust work ethic and a simple outlook on life. He tirelessly worked for low wages, and was content with his basic way of life. His upbringing was abnormal, as he was separated from his siblings, and his father was lazy and mean. In life he was never able to find romance, thus he never had a family. He was rarely visited by others, so when they did visit, he could speak for an eternity. In the end of the story he died in a state nursing home utterly alone. The author was showing that though this man was content with his life, it had no meaning, and nothing of importance occurred. He left nothing significant after he died, as he chose to pursue trivial interests instead of doing anything with meaning, like collecting a hundred thousand straightened nails. In the text, Hall was trying to prove to all people that life can be wasted, and showed it through Washington's lonely and meaningless life. Washington was an excellent worker, yet all the work that he did rotted away, and his physical works decomposed to show insignificance. The author used hyperbole when explaining Washington's legacy, saying he left things like one hundred thousand nails instead of lasting intangible things. Other than that, little rhetoric had to be used, Washington's life story was enough to prove that it had no meaning, and was scary enough to the readers to remind them that they must leave something more than works to the world in order to have a lasting legacy.
(Image sourced from MSN)
This image was chosen because it represents Washington's legacy. Like the house, his legacy is rotting away.
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