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.

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.

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.

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.