Post Secret Response

The post card that I was most drawn to was the image of people's legs in a parking lot.  I found the swirling effect that the artist did really interesting and it made me want to take a closer look.  On this card the author wrote, "Sometimes I try to convince myself that the reason I have no friends is because I'm so beautiful everyone is too intimidated to approach me."  The creator of this text is explicitly stating that they have no friends, but he or she is also implicitly claiming that she lies to her self to lessen the pain of being friendless.  By stating this the creator is appealing to the viewer's emotions, which is why I think the author aimed her post card at his/her peers. It seems like the artist really wants to be noticed, so by creating this card I think she is trying to communicate that desire. If those people were to read the card then maybe they would feel sorry for her and become her friend.  Also by writing her text in this way I think the creator of this post card is a young female, because those are the people who care most about their self image. Teenage girls in particular obsess about how they look and what others think of them, so by stating that her beauty is what drives people away from her the artist is trying to convince herself that she is just as intimidating as the beautiful girls on magazine covers. I think this is why the artist had the image blurry: to show her lie.  She is not really seeing the world the way it is but through a blurred perspective, so she created that same effect for the viewer.  I also found it interesting how the image became clear around one persons feet.  The swirling throughout the post card made it look like the image was revolving around this one part.  Initially this made me think the artist was conveying that he/she was the center of the world.  If you just view the card for it's content you could think the girl is selfish and snobby, but when you look deeper into the meaning you come up with an array of possibilities.

Hungry Planet Photos

As a collection these pictures made the reader see the differences in what is eaten and how much is eaten by individuals trough out the world.  I was able to observe that the people in wealthy countries and large cities were able to eat more because there was more available to them, but the people in underdeveloped countries were left with very little toe eat.  I think because of this food shortage they ate things that Americans would consider gross, such as bugs, pigs feet, and tropical fish.   Much of their food choice primarily comes from tradition but I think these foundations for what you are expected to eat come from a history of little to eat.  I think this is why Menzel called this collection Hungry Planet.

The Pleasures of Eating Question 3

1. Put a group together in your dorm to create a garden club.  The club will be able to rent space on the grounds of the university and plant a garden.  Also by haveing a group everyone will be able to take turns caring for the garden so it will not take up too much time.
2. Use the kitchens located in each dorm building to cook a meal when you can.  This could mean once a week or once a day.  Most likely you wont be able to organize a meal everyday but if you work with a group you will be able to cook in your dorm more often. 
3. Learn the origins of the food you buy, and buy the food that is produced closest to your home.  You can also use this knowlegde to pick local foods when in your campus food court.
4. Buy food from local farmer's markets when possible.  Find one in your city and make trips as often as you can.
5. Learn as much as you can about the economy and technology of industrial food production so that you can make healthier decisions.
6. Learn what is involved in the best farming and gardening. 
7. Learn as much as you can from direct observation and experience if possible.

I changed some of the points but many of Berry's suggestions can be applied to a dorm setting.  If the reader really wants to live this way then they will make the effort to find reasonable ways to follow Berry's suggested actions.  Also I did this asignment with USC in mind so our dorms provide kitchens and there are plenty of open spaces where someone could make a garden.

The Cooking Ape Question 1

Wrangham stated that how early humans were looked indicates that our food had to be more digestible than just raw meat.  By making this first link Wrangham was casually suggesting that these early humans had to cook to be able to eat their prehistoric foods.  He also stated that the way our bodies are formed is primarily shaped by what we eat.  Wangham then provides us with a time period in which he believes our bodies began to change as a result of a change in how we ate.  Wangham followed this estimate by talking about how long ago humans mastered fire, which happened to be around the same time that human quickly evolved.  By putting these two dates together the reader was able to see the connection by themselves.

I found that your paper flowed very well. I really enjoyed reading your paper and I'm sure that with some small revisions it will be perfect.
The first suggestion I can make in terms of flow is go back and make sure that each paragraph's content relates to it's topic sentence.  This will eliminate the feeling that your points are disconnected.  Also be sure to refer back to Blakley in every paragraph. And finally you need to make sure that you go back in and add more so that you fill the page requirments

Concerns for Rhetorical Analysis

One concern that I have about my paper is that I did not focus very much on pathos, ethos, and logos directly.  Will this hurt my grade?

Another problem I have with my paper is word choice.  I feel like I repeat words too often and some of my words don't feel like they are words that should be seen in a college paper.

Outline for Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis of “The Story of a Snitch”

Thesis: In his article “The Story of a Snitch” Jeremy Kahn, an independent journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Newsweek, and The Atlantic, attempts to discuss how the term snitching has changed and developed in our society, what effect witness intimidation has on a case, and the effects both of these terms have in a community.  To do this Kahn employs a combination of pathos, ethos, and logos.

1.      By using emotional diction and heart wrenching accounts of snitch brutality Kahn attempts to gain the readers empathy, however, this actually distracts the reader from his main point: that until witnesses feel safe to come forward they will continue to remain obscure.

a.       Kahn heavily relies on the experiences of John Dowery Jr., an attacked and threatened witness, to evict an emotional response from his readers. Although the main story that Dowery provides a real life example for Kahn’s argument it can be mistaken for the main point of the paper.

b.      Kahn also briefly focuses on a number of other horror stories related to snitching, but rather than make you feel angry at the criminals behind the attack these stories make you angry at the police for failing in their duty to protect them.

c.       An additional way Kahn tries to evoke emotion from is by his word choice.  Kahn uses emotional diction. 

2.       Kahn does a satisfactory job of providing views from both people on the street and police, but he neglects to acknowledge the other side of the argument.

a.        He provides quotes from people extremely against informing the police as well as attorneys and police detectives, which give the reader a well-rounded evaluation of the situation. 

b.      Although Kahn does give these peoples views he never provides a person who thinks that the laws are fine the way they are.  Kahn states proposed bills that have been shot down in the past but never provides a reason why. 

c.        At the end of his piece Kahn states a way this project can be fixed: by creating harsher laws, which is a possibility but he does not give any other alternatives and he neglects to explain how this change would help the problem.

3.      Kahn’s directed audience was society at large but concentrated his study to impoverished neighborhoods where this problem is a larger issue.

a.       This paper was originally published in the Atlantic, a paper that is primarily aimed at business men and women.  Because his article was published here Kahn needed to include the input of this type of individual.

b.      Kahn never pays attention to areas other than troubled neighborhoods, which narrows his argument to certain regions and lessens the ability to truly impact change.  Another thing that Kahn does which off puts his readers is by stating the price for making it safer for witnesses. 

c.       The title of the paper points the reader’s attention on to Dowery’s story further distracting them from Kahn’s argument.

Conclusion: Kahn does a good job of making his story readable however he does a poor job of making it relevant to everyone.  The reader is able to keep their attention because they are following a narrative, and although that is an effective way of keeping one’s audience it limits the impact of Kahn’s message.  Kahn’s main focus was on Dowery’s story, which let the focal point underdeveloped and poorly delivered. Overall Kahn’s paper was easy to read, simple to understand, but of little impact.

Working Thesis Statement

"The Story of a Snitch"

In his article, Jeremy Kahn focused on how the term snitch has evolved to encompass a much wider range. To do this Kahn used a lot of emotion and logic to persuade us to his point.

Lady Power possible response

Nancy Bauer, author of “Lady Power,” wrote this article to question modern feminist Lady Gaga and examine how old society roles still influence our way of thinking.  Bauer first takes the reader through some of Gaga’s claims about her role as a modern day feminist.  Then Bauer describes one of Gaga’s videos, “telephone.”  Following this description she begins to introduce her argument.  Bauer believes that our society’s view of women is still not equal to that of a man’s.  Women, she claims, are still seen as objects, however, unlike in the past men are not the only ones labeling us in this way.  Bauer claims that today women are putting this label on ourselves.  In her article, Bauer directs her argument at women who a relatively young.  By doing this Bauer is limiting the scope of her article down to only a portion of the population.  Bauer constructs her article using ethos and very little pathos.  Bauer appeals to us ethically by pointing out what she calls hook-up-hangover and by accusing us of allowing this to occur. These parts make us question how we act in our own lives and question why.  Although, Bauer does appeal to our sense of ethics she never offers a solution to this problem or offer an opposing view to her argument.  Bauer neglects to acknowledge any opposing arguments, which makes her own argument questionable. Also the lack of pathos makes it difficult to decide my feelings about this topic. I did appreciate how Bauer allowed me to ultimately make my own decisions about the topic but I would like to better understand how Bauer feels about modern feminism.  Overall I found Bauer's weak and slightly tough to follow.

The Story of a Snitch possible response 2

In this article Jeremy Kahn examines the concept of snitching and witness intimidation.  To do this Kahn introduces a story pertaining to witness intimidation and follows what happened to John Dowery Jr., the witness, after he came forward to testify.  As the story progresses Kahn also discusses how the term snitching has changed and developed, what effect witness intimidation has on a case, and the effects both of these terms have in a community. 

To develop the argument Kahn utilizes ethos and pathos.  He creates a strong ethos by providing quotes from police officers, civilians in dangerous neighborhoods, and people who have expressed a dislike for snitchers.  These testimonies provide proof of the issue and add insight into why the problem exists.  Another way the author develops ethos is by providing us with ways to reduce witness intimidation and lessen the bad reputation of snitching.  To appeal to pathos Kahn provided us with the account of what Dowery went through.  Kahn also provided other horror stories of witness intimidation, which developed a feeling of remorse for those attacked and anger at the people who were threatening the “snitches.”  These real life events illicit an emotional response from the reader and thus create a strong pathos.

 This paper Kahn wrote was directed not only at people who live in communities where snitching is considered a taboo but also to society at large.  In his article, Kahn focused on how the term snitch had evolved to encompass a much wider range.  He noted how rap music and modern television shows were now showing snitching as bad and as a result there was a drop in the amount of police cooperation.

Cindy Sherman and Lady Gaga extra credit

Cindy Sherman was an artist in the late twentieth century who specialized in photography.  Her photos were created to examine a variety of issues, such as the woman’s role in society.  When I looked at her pictures I thought they were pretty but overall I found them thought provoking.  I think in this sense she and Lady Gaga are very similar.  They do not create their art just for art’s sake; there is always an underlying reason.  One of Sherman’s best known pieces, entitled “untitled, 1992,” depicts a broken female doll in a pile of condoms.  I think her piece was trying to show that people perceive women as sex toys.  Her piece was abstract though so I am not completely sure that this is the correct interpretation of her art.  Lady Gaga also likes to let her audience decide for themselves what her purpose is.  In 2010 Lady Gaga walked on to the VMA’s stage to accept an award dressed head to toe in meat.  Lady Gaga and Cindy Sherman make their audiences think about reason and normalcy which is why I find Bauer’s comparison accurate. Both women are strong and sure of themselves, which makes them similar. 

Womb for Rent - For a Price

Ellen Goodman wrote her article, “Womb for Rent- For a Price,” to introduce the issue of international surrogacy. Goodman began her article by explaining what and how international baby production developed.  Goodman claims that an industry has emerged as the result of an increase in the number of women trying to obtain international surrogates. She then stated that women in poor countries had found a new way to make money; they would be surrogates for people willing to pay.  Goodman sympathized with those who are infertile and looking for cheaper ways to find surrogates for their babies, however, she was clearly uncomfortable with the idea of women selling out their wombs. 

Goodman stated that by engaging in any part of this process the people involved were coming closer and closer to selling themselves and our children in to slavery.  By making this statement Goodman is appealing to the reader’s emotional side.  Slavery is a very strong word which is wrapped in a lot of history and pain. It paints a clear picture of both unethical and immoral actions. Goodman places this pathos word and others near the end of her article to persuade her readers into feeling sorry for the babies and the women who sell their wombs. The emotional diction forces a reaction. 

            This emotional diction also contributes to the tone of Goodman’s article.  Goodman began her paper very respectfully.  Goodman was not criticizing or judging the industry.  She just stated what the situation was and why people were turning to it as a solution to their problems.  I liked this part of her paper because the author was letting me, the reader, decide for myself how I felt about this peculiar situation.  Then during Goodman’s conclusion her tone changed.  Her paragraphs were now full of emotional diction and her opinion. She was now pushing her feelings and views on to me, which I did not appreciate.  Goodman was no longer a bystander to the action; she was actively telling me it was wrong.  I like to come to my own conclusion about a topic, so this conclusion made dislike the entire paper when really I just did not appreciate Goodman’s conclusion.

On the Preservation of a Good Temper in a Housekeeper

Catharine E. Beecher, author of “On the Preservation of a Good Temper in a Housekeeper,” defined a housekeeper as being the woman who commands her home. It is her job to see that her home runs smoothly and that everything essential gets done.  Back in the time period when Beecher’s book was written men were seen as the head of a household but women were expected to run their home. In her paper Beecher makes the assumption that most women run their homes with help. She assumes that most women have maids and nurses, so a large portion of Beecher’s paper is dedicated to the fair treatment of the household’s help.  Beecher believes women set the tone for how their households function, and when these women are calm when addressing their employees their homes tend to run better. Beecher claims that the best way for a woman to run her home is with tranquil emotions and no angry tones.  A woman who has control of her emotions when dealing with troublesome situations in her home will create a happy life for herself and her family. Although I found the content of the article a little dated I found Beecher’s main ideas true. 

The excerpt mainly focused on treating the house employees with a cheerful temper so that they will work harder, however many of the ideas can apply to many other situations. A person who approaches life with a calm temper will be able to achieve happiness more easily than an angry or stressed person.  In the paper Beecher gave three ways for a person to achieve this cheerful temper.  The first was to point out that scolding people was in very bad taste, and that women who reprimand others in public are not seen as lady-like.  Beecher means that it would be embarrassing to the scolder. When I see a person yelling at their children in the grocery store I feel bad for the children.  No matter what they do no one deserves to be yelled at.  The second suggestion Beecher made for women was to allow people to make mistakes.  Mistakes are a part of life and women who expect for mistakes never to happen are bound to be disappointed.  I found this suggestion most helpful because it is easy to look around the world and see people who are expecting too much, one example being brides.  This afternoon I walked into my room and my roommate was watching Bridezillas. This show focuses on women who set too high of standards and make no allowances for human error.  These women would definitely benefit from following Beecher’s suggestions.  The final suggestion Beecher made was to look at all the unplanned events that occur in a woman’s home and to regard them as an act of God.  Beecher observed that no one spoke angrily when true tragedies occurred because these events are seen as a part of God’s plan, but when minor mistakes are made by maids or nurses some women act as though it is the end of the world.  If these housekeepers were able to see these minor hiccups as part of His plan they would be able to have the calm temper that Beecher was promoting. 

Catharine Beecher wrote this article a long time ago however many of the points she made about calm tempers are still true today.  A person who can live by the guide lines Beecher proposed would be a much happier person.  Beecher stated that women were looked at and judged by how they conducted themselves; that statement is very much true in present times.  Everyone is judged by how you look but what I think is more important is how a person acts. Beecher is correct that a calm temper can inspire others, make you happy, and promote your eloquence.

Am I My Brother's Keeper? Response

In this article Elie Wiesel and Richard D. Heffner discuss their reactions to the multitude of information that our society is now bombarded with.  Wiesel believed that as humans we are only able to taken in a limited amount of information and be able to remember it later.  He defines knowledge as the information we take in and remember.  The media gives multitudes of information about many different topics.  Wiesel states that we are overly informed about too many things.  We are now able to read news in the newspaper, listen to it on the radio, watch it on the television, or even see it live online.  There are now hundreds of locations to access information that we often find ourselves overloaded with information.  These media sources tell us that we need to respond to events and that it is our moral responsibility.  Wiesel thinks all the information pulls our attention in a lot of directions and makes concentrating on one cause difficult.  Many causes are left unattended to which Wiesel draws our attention to, like the racist killings in South Africa.  We are expected to help those who are in need but with so many people to help it is often difficult to decide who to help.  In the beginning of the paper Wiesel discusses the phrase “my brother’s keeper,” which is found in the bible and its implications to today’s society. He questioned whether people today could really consider themselves their “brother’s” keeper when so many people need our help.  The Bible tells us that we should help each other but when so many people need assistance we are left to either choose one person to help or wait until we are told to help a certain person.  Wiesel uses the example of Cain and Able to explain how poor communication can lead to a neglecting of our responsibilities.  He believed that because we live in a world of much increased information we are neglecting more of our ethical responsibilities. To emphasize this point Wiesel mentions how images of concentration camps were in magazines around the country for five years but that we did nothing.  The reason for this, Wiesel claims, is because we are informed about too many things.  I do not agree with this idea however.  Being well informed is not a problem but allows us to really focus our attention on to what matters most to us rather than just what is on the cover of the newspaper.  I also did not like the writing style of the paper. I felt as though I was listening in on someone’s conversation or watching an interview.  It did not allow me to feel as if I was participating in the argument, which left me feeling a little isolated.