For this blog post I analyzed seventeen.com (the website version of the magazine) and I read through the pages and analyzed the set up as well as compared and contrasted it to the magazine version.
http://www.seventeen.com/
First of all, the context of this magazine/website is current fashion, current trends, and current celebrity gossip that is directed to the teenaged girl population of America. Every month this magazine comes out with a brand new spread, and the cover always consists of the same elements. There is always a celebrity or a model that is posing a friendly/inviting way... with surrounding captions that intrigue readers into buying the magazine. For example, an issue might have on the cover "15 Great Gifts for Guys" which is a great way to relate to the current context of time and always makes people buy the magazine. Something I realized while flipping through a seventeen magazine was that the front cover conveys the articles that are hidden underneath the title page with a lot more energy and interest then the actual articles themselves. The captions draw viewers in but then the piece they wish to view seems to not reach expectations... although that could be personal preference it is an observation that I made.
While browsing through the website I took note of all pages and the design of the website. The site is jam-packed with pictures, vibrant colors, and many sections to choose from to browse the site. They have pages for fashion, quizzes, celebrities, love life, and others. Within the tabs the pieces that lay within are quite concise. Compared to the magazine version the online articles are very short and there are twice as many. While the magazine has a few articles but they can be pretty lengthy. In this case I would make the argument that the use of conciseness is a rhetorical device used to reach the editors purpose of drawing as many readers in as possible while making a profit if readers decide to sign up for the monthly magazine. Another rhetorical device used in the website is arrangement. The tabs for the various pages are arranged from fashion, to celebrities/gossip, to personal teenaged stuff like college and prom. Articles are also arranged with pictures on the left and writing on the right side while the pictures are large the captions or articles are fairly short which gives the page a certain picture book feel. The pictures are what most likely draw people in in the first place.
I feel like the editors did achieve their purpose because the seventeen magazine is found in every convenience store nationwide and has millions of regular readers and viewers on its website.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Blog 14 (week 5) (IRB!!) (MP2)
Independent Reading Post Number 1 or MP2
Title of Book: Heaven Is For Real
Author: Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
Section I read: 6 Page prologue with first 9 chapters (Pages 1 - 47)
The book is a memoir about the author's son Colton. Todd Burpo (the father) is a young pastor from Imperial, Nebraska who has shared more then his fair share of medical atrocities in his life. He has a wife named Sonja and two children, Cassie and Colton. The prologue is a scene taken from somewhere near the end of the book, while the first chapter starts a year before the prologue. This section of the book explains Todd's life before his son had his medical emergency that brought him to the brink of death. Todd had suffered a broken leg, kidney stones, and a breast cancer scare all within the same seven months. Then the month came where he was not limping anymore and he took his family to an insect "amusement park" where they were celebrating Todd's renewed health. But the trip took a devilish turn when his son began to get sick. After about five days of non-stop throwing up and two hospitals that gave no answers, Todd and his wife take Colton to a different hospital where they rush him into surgery to clean his body from an ruptured appendix. The section ends where Colton is now home from emergency surgery and is being taken care of my nurses who come to their home and by his parents.
Although the book is about Colton's near death experience and how he begins to have visions of heaven and angels, that part of the book has not happened yet. The context of this section was during a time of needed faith by the Burpo family and their struggle to keep their family together. Todd's purpose for writing this book was to get his true story out to the public to prove to the world that heaven and God IS indeed real. His audience is anyone who picks up the book to read it.
Rhetorical Devices:
Pathos: Todd uses extreme imagery to describe his son and his near death experiences. He uses words like "sunken eyes" and "weeping silently" and uses family to appeal to the audiences emotions.
Anaphora: On page 27 Todd says the words "we wanted" or "we needed" in about 6 consecutive sentences in order to get a point across to audience by using this kind o repetition.
Appositives: Todd uses appositives to explain the doctors and hospitals and situations more clearly.. for example on page 11 he explains who the doctor is by using an appositive.
The purpose Todd is trying to achieve by writing this book is effective because it is already convincing me that heaven and God is real and I am only a fourth way into the book.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Blog 13 (week 4) ( MP2) (Article)
Source: Sciencemag.org (science journal/news website)
Article: Chorus of presidents. rock stars, and industry titans calls for the end to AIDS.
This article was found within a science journal website with the intent of informing readers of the current president and past presidents view points on the standing predicament with AIDS. Singers like Bono and Elton John were present at this affair as well as scientists and authorized MDs. The event to discuss the AIDS epidemic took place on December 1st and the context of the meeting was that it was a national holiday for AIDS awareness.
The author's purpose was to convey that many cultural people as well as political people all take part in the act to raise awarenss of AIDS and to stop the epidemic from escalading any further.. It shows that a bunch of people from different back grounds are able to push differences aside in order to solve a global issue and show unity within the people. The audience is every person in the United States as well as people affected by AIDS globally in order to show awareness to not just this country but to others as well.
Rhetorical devices used :
Pathos - draws the passion for AIDS topic from survivors, people who were affected by it, and it appeals to people nationally who are for unity.
Quotations - quotations are used in order to have proof of the context of the situation and of the actual people who were at the meeting for AIDS
Urgency - urgency could be a rhetorical device in this case because it is used throughout the entire article as a key term to moving the audience to take action in the AIDS awareness cause. Which further promotes the author's overall purpose.
symbolism - this whole event of a bunch of different people from different aspects of culture are coming together for a certain cause and to promote a certain awareness for the benefit of America and more importantly victims of AIDS. This is symbolic to past events that involved all sorts of leaders coming together to make a decision in America.... which could relate to the signing of the declaration of independence, or the revolutionary war where a bunch of colonies that had almost nothing in common came together for a certain cause. So this article symbolizes another step in American unity.
I believe that the author did achieve their purpose because it has reached a public viewer such as myself and has reached others. This event was national and also made the news.
Article: Chorus of presidents. rock stars, and industry titans calls for the end to AIDS.
This article was found within a science journal website with the intent of informing readers of the current president and past presidents view points on the standing predicament with AIDS. Singers like Bono and Elton John were present at this affair as well as scientists and authorized MDs. The event to discuss the AIDS epidemic took place on December 1st and the context of the meeting was that it was a national holiday for AIDS awareness.
The author's purpose was to convey that many cultural people as well as political people all take part in the act to raise awarenss of AIDS and to stop the epidemic from escalading any further.. It shows that a bunch of people from different back grounds are able to push differences aside in order to solve a global issue and show unity within the people. The audience is every person in the United States as well as people affected by AIDS globally in order to show awareness to not just this country but to others as well.
Rhetorical devices used :
Pathos - draws the passion for AIDS topic from survivors, people who were affected by it, and it appeals to people nationally who are for unity.
Quotations - quotations are used in order to have proof of the context of the situation and of the actual people who were at the meeting for AIDS
Urgency - urgency could be a rhetorical device in this case because it is used throughout the entire article as a key term to moving the audience to take action in the AIDS awareness cause. Which further promotes the author's overall purpose.
symbolism - this whole event of a bunch of different people from different aspects of culture are coming together for a certain cause and to promote a certain awareness for the benefit of America and more importantly victims of AIDS. This is symbolic to past events that involved all sorts of leaders coming together to make a decision in America.... which could relate to the signing of the declaration of independence, or the revolutionary war where a bunch of colonies that had almost nothing in common came together for a certain cause. So this article symbolizes another step in American unity.
I believe that the author did achieve their purpose because it has reached a public viewer such as myself and has reached others. This event was national and also made the news.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Blog 12 (Week 3) (MP2) (Advertisement)
Advertisement
Subject: Kohls
Type: Commercial
Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-5lmAAFbUM&pfx=pfx_google_branding
The commercial advertisement posted above concerns the national store called "Kohls" which is a clothing store for men and women. The context of this commercial is that it is nearing Christmas time and the store is using this commercial to reel in business for the Christmas gift shopping sales. The audience is anyone with money or anyone who watches TV and sees this commercial. This commercial is not credible because it is using an angle to attract customers to the store. What the commercial says could be extremely exaggerated in order to gain business which means it is not a credible source of information.
Rhetorical Devices Used:
Pathos: There is a scene of a young woman and man kissing and exchanging gifts that are from Kohls which could attract a couple to go to Kohls to buy gifts for one another. It appeals to their passion.
Hyperbole: The commercial uses extreme exaggerations in order to pull the viewers of the commercial into going to Kohls and purchasing their items because they use terms such as "memories that last a lifetime" referring to the items that the store sells.
Expression: The facial expressions of the actors in the commercial reveals their feelings of excitement and joy over the items sold at Kohls which pulls customers in and leads them into thinking they will be feeling that way if they buy a Christmas present from Kohls.
The achievement of the purpose of this commercial is unknown as of now because it is a new commercial and Christmas sales have only just begun. But the commercial has achieved the purpose of informing the public and getting this information on air in order to appeal to customers.
Subject: Kohls
Type: Commercial
Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-5lmAAFbUM&pfx=pfx_google_branding
The commercial advertisement posted above concerns the national store called "Kohls" which is a clothing store for men and women. The context of this commercial is that it is nearing Christmas time and the store is using this commercial to reel in business for the Christmas gift shopping sales. The audience is anyone with money or anyone who watches TV and sees this commercial. This commercial is not credible because it is using an angle to attract customers to the store. What the commercial says could be extremely exaggerated in order to gain business which means it is not a credible source of information.
Rhetorical Devices Used:
Pathos: There is a scene of a young woman and man kissing and exchanging gifts that are from Kohls which could attract a couple to go to Kohls to buy gifts for one another. It appeals to their passion.
Hyperbole: The commercial uses extreme exaggerations in order to pull the viewers of the commercial into going to Kohls and purchasing their items because they use terms such as "memories that last a lifetime" referring to the items that the store sells.
Expression: The facial expressions of the actors in the commercial reveals their feelings of excitement and joy over the items sold at Kohls which pulls customers in and leads them into thinking they will be feeling that way if they buy a Christmas present from Kohls.
The achievement of the purpose of this commercial is unknown as of now because it is a new commercial and Christmas sales have only just begun. But the commercial has achieved the purpose of informing the public and getting this information on air in order to appeal to customers.
Reflective Argument Essay (Due 11-28-11)
Ali Mason
Mr. Gabriele
Period 8/9
Reflection/Argumentative Essay
11-28-11
One of the most fundamental enlightened thinkers and writers of all time is John Locke. Spoken from true belief and wisdom Locke expresses his hypotheses and assumptions of mankind through many works. One of which was called Leviathan where he states, “in the nature of man, we find three principal causes of quarrel. First, competition; secondly, diffidence; thirdly, glory” (Locke 1). Locke’s claim that the nature of all men, which is comprised of selfishness and the overwhelming goal of personal glory holds true in modern society through the American pursuit to personal happiness and stability.
Occupy Wallstreet is a political protest that is sweeping the American nation. Citizens taking part in this group share common beliefs regarding the economy and the government. Some believe that they are not being paid enough; therefore the government is to blame. While others believe that the reason the United States may descend into a depression is at the fault of President Obama’s, and in order to better their own personal lives a new leader must be inaugurated. These people lack the understanding that what they are protesting is strictly for their own personal gain and happiness in this world. The distressed unemployed blame the government for their problems and will keep protesting unless they are completely financially stable and no longer have a need to blame anyone for their losses. Along with these beliefs, violence and mayhem has come about through this protests which further proves Locke’s point that quarrel is caused because of competition and glory. The young protesters are there to gain personal welfare for their lives and are competing with the rest of the country for a steady job and a hefty income that pays their extensive bills.
Through analyzing Locke’s claims and comparing them to modern society one can capture the essence of the time period Locke thrived in. In that day and age men were competing for land, for a wife, for a financially powerful family. In the eyes of most the greatest achievement was to gain the most and provide the most for a family. Understanding the view point that Locke displays through his writing is crucial to the time period it was written in and the parallels to modern day are unsettling compared to the rich content of Locke’s book on the nature of man. The idea of diffidence is contrived from the human level of self-confidence. A man may be subject to a low sense of confidence by being belittled by their government or surrounding environment or competition. A quarrel such as one caused during the time period of the Salem witch trials is another example of the selfishness of human nature. The blaming of others for doing witchcraft became an extended issue in the year of 1692 because of the claims of young girls and surrounding townsmen. People used the issue for personal gain, realizing that if they named a “witch” and succeeded with banning them from the earth a new piece of land would be fresh on the market. Thus allowing for personal gain through selfish deeds.
Personal gain, glory, and self-confidence are elements within the human soul that push the human mind to be selfish at its core. Locke is absolutely right with his claim regarding these issues. Through Leviathan he conveys a never-ending issue that the human race will always have the same underlying desires for their own life to be perfected. Whether or not they are a good person, there will always be the subconscious need for quarrel in order to retrieve what they believe is rightfully theirs. These characteristics are shown in the modern American society and have been portrayed throughout history through the actions of men and women alike, conveying Locke’s claims over and over again.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Blog 11 (Week 2) (MP2) (Political Cartoon)
Site: http://thesocialpoets.blogspot.com/2011/01/political-cartoons-obama-2011-state-of.html
This political cartoon is in the context of the current situation with Obama's presidency. It depicts the idea that Obama is promising many things to the people of our country but is not following through. The author clearly drew this picture because he is unhappy with the way Obama is ruling our country. The audience is clearly the American public and the purpose the author is trying to achieve is the need for other people to join in his cause to go against the current president and to have a new one who actually gives the country what he is saying he will give them. The author is not credible because he is bias with his own personal views and would sway the viewer into thinking what he thinks is an accurate generalization about Obama.
Rhetorical Devices:
Symbolism: What is interesting is that the cartoonist chose to have the main two characters to be conveyed as an elephant and as a donkey. The donkey is portrayed as the person who does not really have their own opinion and is just there because they have to be and that that is the way the country is run. This alludes to the cartoonist's thoughts about our country as a whole who go alone with what Obama says but don't pay attention as closely as the elephant seems to in the photo. In general, an elephant is seen as a huge and overbearing animal, one that is feared by other animals and is pretty on the food chain as well as having the wisdom that other animals lack. Interestingly enough the elephant is the animal chosen to be the American that has a "brain" and understands that Obama needs to be put out of office which is the underlying view point of the cartoonist himself in this case,
Logos: It is logical to throw Obama out of office if he is going to keep making false promises and not going through with them.
Expression: The cartoonist uses a goofy expression to convey the donkey's face and a wise unhappy look on the elephants face to further his generalizations about the smart and dumb people of America.
I believe the author did not achieve his purpose because the cartoon is too bias and it is not convincing enough to change the views of onlookers. Although it does achieve the purpose of getting information out to the general public.
IRB BOOK SIGN UP POST (MP2)
Book Title: Heaven is For Real
Author: Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
Summary: A toddler aged boy has a near death experience and after he "comes back to life" he has all of these spiritual epiphanies and is preaching God's word. He also claims he has seen heaven although he is doing all of this without any knowledge of God's word or what the bible says. It is a religious miracle that is a true account of this young boy's story.
Author: Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
Summary: A toddler aged boy has a near death experience and after he "comes back to life" he has all of these spiritual epiphanies and is preaching God's word. He also claims he has seen heaven although he is doing all of this without any knowledge of God's word or what the bible says. It is a religious miracle that is a true account of this young boy's story.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Blog 10 ~2nd MP~ Week 1 (Visual)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Apple?v=q6oGhLvLfgs&feature=pyv&ad=6744972792&kw=mac%20commercial
Subject: Apple MacBook Air
Company: Apple
The above link is to Apple's MacBook Air commercial. The MacBook Air is a laptop that is EXTREMELY thin and durable. The commercial is in context of the modern and global need for the best technology which includes the thinnest and most prestigious laptop. Companies all over the world are competing for the most customers in the computer world and Apple's new creation of the MacBook Air is scoring major points. The purpose for this commercial was to promote Apple's new product to it's audience which in this case is everyone in the world who has access to a computer. The commercial is not credible for a few reasons, one) it is not an information ad therefore there are no statistics backing up how good the laptop actually is and two) it is a bias ad because the Apple created a commercial to sway customers to buy their product instead of giving out the real facts and how it compares with other laptops.
Rhetorical Devices used:
Communal memory - in order to understand the commercial the audience would need to know what Apple is, what other laptops there are in the world, the history of technology, and the most basic knowledge of what a laptop even is.
simplicity - The commercial is 30 seconds and has about three colors shown throughout the whole thing. it is simple which draws the audience in because it is not to bombarded with information. the music is calming and the video is simple with the motion of the laptop and the hands moving the laptop.
logos - the ad refers to logos because in simple terms the ad is conveying to the audience that it is logical to buy this new laptop because it is thin, and is the "next generation of macbooks" which creates a human desire for the new laptop.
The ad achieved it's purpose because millions of this laptop have been sold and it is still in stores... which means the product has had success in order to continue being sold.
- Ali Mason
Subject: Apple MacBook Air
Company: Apple
The above link is to Apple's MacBook Air commercial. The MacBook Air is a laptop that is EXTREMELY thin and durable. The commercial is in context of the modern and global need for the best technology which includes the thinnest and most prestigious laptop. Companies all over the world are competing for the most customers in the computer world and Apple's new creation of the MacBook Air is scoring major points. The purpose for this commercial was to promote Apple's new product to it's audience which in this case is everyone in the world who has access to a computer. The commercial is not credible for a few reasons, one) it is not an information ad therefore there are no statistics backing up how good the laptop actually is and two) it is a bias ad because the Apple created a commercial to sway customers to buy their product instead of giving out the real facts and how it compares with other laptops.
Rhetorical Devices used:
Communal memory - in order to understand the commercial the audience would need to know what Apple is, what other laptops there are in the world, the history of technology, and the most basic knowledge of what a laptop even is.
simplicity - The commercial is 30 seconds and has about three colors shown throughout the whole thing. it is simple which draws the audience in because it is not to bombarded with information. the music is calming and the video is simple with the motion of the laptop and the hands moving the laptop.
logos - the ad refers to logos because in simple terms the ad is conveying to the audience that it is logical to buy this new laptop because it is thin, and is the "next generation of macbooks" which creates a human desire for the new laptop.
The ad achieved it's purpose because millions of this laptop have been sold and it is still in stores... which means the product has had success in order to continue being sold.
- Ali Mason
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Blog 9 ~Last IRB post for MP 1's book~
Title of Book: My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey
Author: Autobiography by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D
Section of book - Pgs 48 - 115
(Although this was not a planned section in the previous irb reading outline i posted in the beginning of the marking period, this section of the book was the most interesting and had the biggest impact on me. Therefore I feel it was appropriate to post this group of pages as my last IRB post for this book)
This section begins in the middle of Jill experiencing her stroke. Her brain is gushing with blood that is pouring over the systems her body needs to process language, movement, normal thought connections, speech in general, movement, the ability to connect words with a picture or any meaning at all. She has to focus on each task she is doing with an immense amount of concentration and effort. At this time she is trying to focus on the task of calling for help. Then after hours of fulfilling this task she receives help from a co-worker (she lives alone). The next few days within this section she is being evaluated by doctors, nurses, and is being taught to read, write, and speak again as if she was a child. Her mother comes to take care of her and is nurturing her as if she were a toddler. This section ends with her gaining skills back, one at a time, even though it will take her eight years to fully recover from her stroke.
To fully understand Jill's thought process as she goes through this trauma is hard to grasp. She does her best of explaining through her book what exactly it meant for her body to feel as if it were liquid with no end instead of a tightly packed atom-filled human being. Through extremely sophisticated diction and uses of description and imagery she shows the audience her mind during the time of the stroke. As her mind deteriorates readers follow her through her journey, yet no matter how much she explains through her personal accounts of the effects of the stroke the ending result of what exactly went through her blood-soaked mind will forever be hard to fully understand.
Jill also uses every aspect of the Appeals; logos, pathos, and ethos. She is extremely credible because the first 1/4 of the book is strictly factual information about the brain, brain systems, the different parts of the brain, and medical terms. She is a Ph.D graduate, a brain scientist, and she worked at Harvard University in their medical field. She has surpassed the credibility line. She also uses logic through statistics and pathos through the mind of a wounded woman needing love and comfort from family and friends as her brain lost all power.
Through the use of these devices and her affective use of language her purpose was fulfilled to engage the world in what she had gone through and she has informed the globe about strokes and the important facts every person should know. This book was fascinating and gave me a whole new point of view to the possibilities of the human mind.
- Ali Mason
Author: Autobiography by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D
Section of book - Pgs 48 - 115
(Although this was not a planned section in the previous irb reading outline i posted in the beginning of the marking period, this section of the book was the most interesting and had the biggest impact on me. Therefore I feel it was appropriate to post this group of pages as my last IRB post for this book)
This section begins in the middle of Jill experiencing her stroke. Her brain is gushing with blood that is pouring over the systems her body needs to process language, movement, normal thought connections, speech in general, movement, the ability to connect words with a picture or any meaning at all. She has to focus on each task she is doing with an immense amount of concentration and effort. At this time she is trying to focus on the task of calling for help. Then after hours of fulfilling this task she receives help from a co-worker (she lives alone). The next few days within this section she is being evaluated by doctors, nurses, and is being taught to read, write, and speak again as if she was a child. Her mother comes to take care of her and is nurturing her as if she were a toddler. This section ends with her gaining skills back, one at a time, even though it will take her eight years to fully recover from her stroke.
To fully understand Jill's thought process as she goes through this trauma is hard to grasp. She does her best of explaining through her book what exactly it meant for her body to feel as if it were liquid with no end instead of a tightly packed atom-filled human being. Through extremely sophisticated diction and uses of description and imagery she shows the audience her mind during the time of the stroke. As her mind deteriorates readers follow her through her journey, yet no matter how much she explains through her personal accounts of the effects of the stroke the ending result of what exactly went through her blood-soaked mind will forever be hard to fully understand.
Jill also uses every aspect of the Appeals; logos, pathos, and ethos. She is extremely credible because the first 1/4 of the book is strictly factual information about the brain, brain systems, the different parts of the brain, and medical terms. She is a Ph.D graduate, a brain scientist, and she worked at Harvard University in their medical field. She has surpassed the credibility line. She also uses logic through statistics and pathos through the mind of a wounded woman needing love and comfort from family and friends as her brain lost all power.
Through the use of these devices and her affective use of language her purpose was fulfilled to engage the world in what she had gone through and she has informed the globe about strokes and the important facts every person should know. This book was fascinating and gave me a whole new point of view to the possibilities of the human mind.
- Ali Mason
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Blog 8 (Week 4) (Editorial) ~HaLlOwEeN~
Article: "Death Row in Pennsylvania"
Source: NYTimes Editorials Page
Published: October 28, 2011
Though simple and concise, this editorial expresses the authors opinion towards the civility of Pennsylvania through the faltering "death row" system. Lawyers in Pennsylvania do not get paid enough to defend the cases of the said criminals and so there are 208 women on death row but no one has been put to death since 1999. He feels that death row should not exist because one) it is too expensive for nothing, and two) he believes it is barbaric.
It is not credible because it is an editorial piece and not an informational piece, therefore the information is bias and is only information needed to back up this specific view point. This means not all the information is there to back up all the factual back ground that would need to be known in order to understand the whole story.
The context of this piece is that this is a current issue which the author clearly felt as if it needed to be addressed. His purpose was clearly to inform his audience (people in general, or citizens of pennsylvania) about a current issue in the justice system or to sway them to believe in the same thing he does. The author does achieve his purpose because this editorial was published in the NYTimes a nationally well known newspaper.
Rhetorical Devices:
- Statistics; he uses statistics to further establish the credibility of his argument...
- ethos; goes hand in hand with the statistics.
- memory... when reading this editorial it appeals the audience's memory of what death row is, of what lawyers are/what they do, and the justice system of pennsylvania.
It is not credible because it is an editorial piece and not an informational piece, therefore the information is bias and is only information needed to back up this specific view point. This means not all the information is there to back up all the factual back ground that would need to be known in order to understand the whole story.
The context of this piece is that this is a current issue which the author clearly felt as if it needed to be addressed. His purpose was clearly to inform his audience (people in general, or citizens of pennsylvania) about a current issue in the justice system or to sway them to believe in the same thing he does. The author does achieve his purpose because this editorial was published in the NYTimes a nationally well known newspaper.
Rhetorical Devices:
- Statistics; he uses statistics to further establish the credibility of his argument...
- ethos; goes hand in hand with the statistics.
- memory... when reading this editorial it appeals the audience's memory of what death row is, of what lawyers are/what they do, and the justice system of pennsylvania.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Blog 7 (Week 3) (Visual.. Commercial) 10-24-11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK2VZgJ4AoM
(Link to Brooke Shields Calvin Klein Jeans commercial from 1981)
In journalism class sophomore year we were learning about controversy in the media, especially in the involvement of commercials. I chose to do my AOW on this commercial in particular because it really stood out to me and I thought it would be a good commercial to analyze.
The focus point of it is to promote the product of Calvin Klein Jeans. Brooke Shields is only 15 years old in this commercial, yet she holds herself in a way that makes her seem as if she was in her early twenties. The context of this commercial was that the 80s was an era of fashion and new trends. Calvin Klein saw her youngness as a variable they could play with in a commercial. Although she is young, they have her sitting in a stance that almost alludes to sexuality or seduction. Since the company's target market in this case was the younger population they used her in the commercial to reel in customers.
The purpose of the commercial was for Calvin Klein to gain more customers who were in their early twenties and their teen years... which is also their target market (or main audience in this case). The goal was to have more juveniles see the commercial even though the audience is still everyone who watched TV back in the 1980s. I believe the commercial is not credible because the company created the commercial just to sway the minds of anyone watching it. They want as many customers as possible, whether the jeans are as amazing as Brooke Shields claims they are or not, the commercial does not prove either way. Therefore it is not a credible source of information regarding Calvin Klein jeans.
The creators of the commercial did achieve their purpose because this commercial went viral, it caused years of controversy, and is still well known today... even though it is 30 years later. The commercial became famous and it DID bring in customers for Calvin Klein.
Rhetorical devices used:
- logos.. The commercial uses logos to express the "logical" act of buying Calvin Klein jeans, "Brooke Shields is wearing them, so obviously YOU need to buy them as well"
- exaggeration - when shields says her line in the commercial she exaggerates how much her jeans mean to her by saying nothing comes between her and the jeans (this also coincides with her seductive tone she uses when expressing her love for CK jeans)
- simplicity - the commercial is simple, short, has one line, and then it ends. It draws enough attention to it for a viewer to watch it and understand the point of the commercial without waiting for a big introduction to end or for the "plot" of the commercial to hit the screen.
(Link to Brooke Shields Calvin Klein Jeans commercial from 1981)
In journalism class sophomore year we were learning about controversy in the media, especially in the involvement of commercials. I chose to do my AOW on this commercial in particular because it really stood out to me and I thought it would be a good commercial to analyze.
The focus point of it is to promote the product of Calvin Klein Jeans. Brooke Shields is only 15 years old in this commercial, yet she holds herself in a way that makes her seem as if she was in her early twenties. The context of this commercial was that the 80s was an era of fashion and new trends. Calvin Klein saw her youngness as a variable they could play with in a commercial. Although she is young, they have her sitting in a stance that almost alludes to sexuality or seduction. Since the company's target market in this case was the younger population they used her in the commercial to reel in customers.
The purpose of the commercial was for Calvin Klein to gain more customers who were in their early twenties and their teen years... which is also their target market (or main audience in this case). The goal was to have more juveniles see the commercial even though the audience is still everyone who watched TV back in the 1980s. I believe the commercial is not credible because the company created the commercial just to sway the minds of anyone watching it. They want as many customers as possible, whether the jeans are as amazing as Brooke Shields claims they are or not, the commercial does not prove either way. Therefore it is not a credible source of information regarding Calvin Klein jeans.
The creators of the commercial did achieve their purpose because this commercial went viral, it caused years of controversy, and is still well known today... even though it is 30 years later. The commercial became famous and it DID bring in customers for Calvin Klein.
Rhetorical devices used:
- logos.. The commercial uses logos to express the "logical" act of buying Calvin Klein jeans, "Brooke Shields is wearing them, so obviously YOU need to buy them as well"
- exaggeration - when shields says her line in the commercial she exaggerates how much her jeans mean to her by saying nothing comes between her and the jeans (this also coincides with her seductive tone she uses when expressing her love for CK jeans)
- simplicity - the commercial is simple, short, has one line, and then it ends. It draws enough attention to it for a viewer to watch it and understand the point of the commercial without waiting for a big introduction to end or for the "plot" of the commercial to hit the screen.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Prompt on "Books Bound in Human Skin?" article
Prompt:
Read the following excerpt, "But here's the secret: the book is bound in human skin. A number of prestigious libraries - including Harvard University's - have such books in their collection". The idea mentioned in the excerpt is that years ago some books were bound in the skin of humans and the books are still displayed to this day in public places. In a well written essay, develop a position on the ethics of human skin bound books being displayed in public places today. Support your position with evidence from your reading, observation, and/or experience.
Read the following excerpt, "But here's the secret: the book is bound in human skin. A number of prestigious libraries - including Harvard University's - have such books in their collection". The idea mentioned in the excerpt is that years ago some books were bound in the skin of humans and the books are still displayed to this day in public places. In a well written essay, develop a position on the ethics of human skin bound books being displayed in public places today. Support your position with evidence from your reading, observation, and/or experience.
Blog 6 (Week 2) (Article) 10-17-11
Title: Armless, Legless Man to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
Author: Courtney Hutchison
News Source: ABC News (website)
This news article is about a man who was born with no arms or legs, but has climbed one of the hardest mountains in the world. Mount Kilimanjaro has been his dream and he proved that even a disabled man can climb a mountain. The context is that this man was able to achieve something great and has given hope to people who have lost limbs through war or are in a similar situation as him.
The author's purpose was to get this achievement out to the public to show the miracles that can be achieved through determination. The audience in this case is the general public, or maybe people in the same situation as this man who are disabled. This article could give them hope.
The credibility is established through the news source because ABC news is a well known public news channel as well as a website that provides truthful information for the nation. I feel the author did achieve it's purpose because many people read ABC news and this story is becoming more well known.
Rhetorical devices used:
- Pathos (readers are pulled in through the story.. an emotional miracle for a disabled man)
- Quotes from the man himself, ethos (the credible information from the primary source)
- Diction (use of words to describe the mans appearance/other descriptions, creates imagery)
Author: Courtney Hutchison
News Source: ABC News (website)
This news article is about a man who was born with no arms or legs, but has climbed one of the hardest mountains in the world. Mount Kilimanjaro has been his dream and he proved that even a disabled man can climb a mountain. The context is that this man was able to achieve something great and has given hope to people who have lost limbs through war or are in a similar situation as him.
The author's purpose was to get this achievement out to the public to show the miracles that can be achieved through determination. The audience in this case is the general public, or maybe people in the same situation as this man who are disabled. This article could give them hope.
The credibility is established through the news source because ABC news is a well known public news channel as well as a website that provides truthful information for the nation. I feel the author did achieve it's purpose because many people read ABC news and this story is becoming more well known.
Rhetorical devices used:
- Pathos (readers are pulled in through the story.. an emotional miracle for a disabled man)
- Quotes from the man himself, ethos (the credible information from the primary source)
- Diction (use of words to describe the mans appearance/other descriptions, creates imagery)
Friday, October 14, 2011
Unit 1 Reflection Questions
Essential Question:
What makes an effective Argument?
An effective Argument is comprised of a few essential elements. It includes a claim that MUST be an arguable statement that will be proved through clear and credible evidence as well as a stable support for this evidence. Using invention strategies to gather good support and evidence makes for a good Argument. Analysis also plays a role in the development of an Argument, the writer must analyze what they are claiming to be true based off of their opinion. Through this analyzing process and using invention to obtain evidence one must use available sources (intuitive or systematic) to build the most effective argument.
REFLECTION OF Ess. Q:
At the beginning of the course I had had a basic understanding of what Argument is, and how it is used in a formal essay. I have learned how to form a proper thesis as well as how to use my inner knowledge to connect with available outside sources to form different supports to my evidence in my Argument. At first I was unsure of what invention was, giving the word a different definition in the point of view of a rhetor was hard to grasp. Yet now I am able to depict what intuitive information I am able to gather as well as various sources to create my Argument. I also have gained experience in the ability to write a proper claim, one that is arguable and one that has a strong view point that has a strong support system to provide an essay full of persuasion and credibility.
Assignment Question Reflection Question:
The assignment thus far that has helped me the most in AP English was the period in class where we spent the whole time analyzing the Pablo Picasso painting called "Guernica". This assignment helped me a lot because it was a class activity that was interactive and got everyone involved and it taught me how to analyze visual work as well as anything else I would like to analyze. For example, I was confused for a while on what "context" was. I had people explain it to me but for some reason the idea did not take root in my head, but doing this assignment in class really helped me distinguish the different parts of an analysis and really showed me what context was as well as figuring out purpose, subject, and picking out rhetorical devices. It was also intriguing to hear what my classmates had to say about their analyzations because not only did I learn from my own analyzation but I learned from my peers as well which really helped me get a better understanding of how to analyze and pick out context.
What makes an effective Argument?
An effective Argument is comprised of a few essential elements. It includes a claim that MUST be an arguable statement that will be proved through clear and credible evidence as well as a stable support for this evidence. Using invention strategies to gather good support and evidence makes for a good Argument. Analysis also plays a role in the development of an Argument, the writer must analyze what they are claiming to be true based off of their opinion. Through this analyzing process and using invention to obtain evidence one must use available sources (intuitive or systematic) to build the most effective argument.
REFLECTION OF Ess. Q:
At the beginning of the course I had had a basic understanding of what Argument is, and how it is used in a formal essay. I have learned how to form a proper thesis as well as how to use my inner knowledge to connect with available outside sources to form different supports to my evidence in my Argument. At first I was unsure of what invention was, giving the word a different definition in the point of view of a rhetor was hard to grasp. Yet now I am able to depict what intuitive information I am able to gather as well as various sources to create my Argument. I also have gained experience in the ability to write a proper claim, one that is arguable and one that has a strong view point that has a strong support system to provide an essay full of persuasion and credibility.
Assignment Question Reflection Question:
The assignment thus far that has helped me the most in AP English was the period in class where we spent the whole time analyzing the Pablo Picasso painting called "Guernica". This assignment helped me a lot because it was a class activity that was interactive and got everyone involved and it taught me how to analyze visual work as well as anything else I would like to analyze. For example, I was confused for a while on what "context" was. I had people explain it to me but for some reason the idea did not take root in my head, but doing this assignment in class really helped me distinguish the different parts of an analysis and really showed me what context was as well as figuring out purpose, subject, and picking out rhetorical devices. It was also intriguing to hear what my classmates had to say about their analyzations because not only did I learn from my own analyzation but I learned from my peers as well which really helped me get a better understanding of how to analyze and pick out context.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Blog 5 (Week 1) (Article) 10-10-11
Title of Article: "Research on Bleeding and Heat Could Help Soldiers and Outdoor Workers"
This article is about a new medical miracle involving the control of blood and temperature in order to cure soldiers, policeman, and other workers who might have suffered internal bleeding. The process involves using a wooden box to "pool blood" using pressure, into the legs in order to decrease blood flow to the most important organs which are in the torso area. They then increase the temperature of the upper half of the body in order to eliminate the possibility of hypothermia and damaging the vital organs.
This article was written in the context of the war that is going on in the Middle East where thousands of soldiers are dying from blood loss every day. Now there is a new treatment to aide them as well as workers in our country itself who are suffering from similar injuries. The author's purpose of this article was to inform her audience (the general public) of new possibilities for the safety of our family and friends over seas and who work with difficult jobs in the US.
This article is credible because the New York Times is a world known published newspaper, an article like this that is full of facts and statistics HAS to be proven true before publication.
Rhetorical Elements:
- Statistics
- Logos
- Ethos
- Arrangement (of quotes, information, structure...)
- Anecdotes of other people
- Organization
- Audience
- Point of View (Objective)
The author did fulfill her purpose because the NYTimes is a nationally read newspaper, the public is bound to come across this article.
Author: Susannah Jacob
Source: New York Times
This article is about a new medical miracle involving the control of blood and temperature in order to cure soldiers, policeman, and other workers who might have suffered internal bleeding. The process involves using a wooden box to "pool blood" using pressure, into the legs in order to decrease blood flow to the most important organs which are in the torso area. They then increase the temperature of the upper half of the body in order to eliminate the possibility of hypothermia and damaging the vital organs.
This article was written in the context of the war that is going on in the Middle East where thousands of soldiers are dying from blood loss every day. Now there is a new treatment to aide them as well as workers in our country itself who are suffering from similar injuries. The author's purpose of this article was to inform her audience (the general public) of new possibilities for the safety of our family and friends over seas and who work with difficult jobs in the US.
This article is credible because the New York Times is a world known published newspaper, an article like this that is full of facts and statistics HAS to be proven true before publication.
Rhetorical Elements:
- Statistics
- Logos
- Ethos
- Arrangement (of quotes, information, structure...)
- Anecdotes of other people
- Organization
- Audience
- Point of View (Objective)
The author did fulfill her purpose because the NYTimes is a nationally read newspaper, the public is bound to come across this article.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Blog 4 (week 4) (article) 10-3-11
Article: Occupy Wall Street Protesters: We Are Americans
Author: TJ Winick
Source: ABC News (online)
Hundreds of people have been arrested for protesting in New York City concerning the corruption of our democracy and the loss of human rights. This website ABC News is credible because there is a video with pictures from a primary source photographer that shows what actually is happening as well as this website is an established news source credible nation wide.
The article was written at this time because the protesting has been going on for the past few weeks and is still going on while also spreading to different cities. It is a current event with our current government which makes this article lush with present information about our country.
After I had read through the article and watched the two minute video about this event I came to the conclusion that the author's purpose was to inform the nation of not only what the police have been doing, but of what and why citizens all over the country have been exploding with anger towards our government. The audience the author was trying to connect with would be the general public because this information is needed by everyone in the country.
Rhetorical elements:
- Logos
- ethos
- exact quotes
The author accomplished his purpose because some of the footage from the video has gone viral on youtube and more and more people every day are becoming aware of these protests.
Author: TJ Winick
Source: ABC News (online)
Hundreds of people have been arrested for protesting in New York City concerning the corruption of our democracy and the loss of human rights. This website ABC News is credible because there is a video with pictures from a primary source photographer that shows what actually is happening as well as this website is an established news source credible nation wide.
The article was written at this time because the protesting has been going on for the past few weeks and is still going on while also spreading to different cities. It is a current event with our current government which makes this article lush with present information about our country.
After I had read through the article and watched the two minute video about this event I came to the conclusion that the author's purpose was to inform the nation of not only what the police have been doing, but of what and why citizens all over the country have been exploding with anger towards our government. The audience the author was trying to connect with would be the general public because this information is needed by everyone in the country.
Rhetorical elements:
- Logos
- ethos
- exact quotes
The author accomplished his purpose because some of the footage from the video has gone viral on youtube and more and more people every day are becoming aware of these protests.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Blog 3 (Week 3) (Visual) 9-26-11
This political cartoon is about the United States' current economic situation. The main view point this picture portrays is that no matter what the government does to try and fix the current situation, our economy is only getting worse.
The author of this cartoon is Clay Bennet who has won awards such as the Pulitzer Prize for his cartoons, and has had his cartoons in various newspapers as well as online cartoon websites. He drew this piece in context of the U.S current situation of economic stress.
The purpose of this piece is to show that nothing can work if it is upside down like the car in the picture. The economy right now is to the point where it just won't work anymore at the rate our country is going. His purpose was to show this through drawing his views for the national public. The audience that Bennet was aiming towards was most likely political activists in the United States and to inform the general public of what has happened to our economy.
Some rhetorical devices:
~exaggeration (exaggerating how bad the economy has become)
~placement (of the wires from working car, to the FRONT of the economy car)
~captions (within text where "stimulus" is placed, and "economy" as license plate)
~ bias (viewpoint of stance of economy/government)
The author accomplished his purpose because this political cartoon has gone viral all over the internet and has been looked at by thousands of people.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Blog 2 (Week 2) (IRB): 9-19-11
Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D, author of My Stroke of Insight, is a Harvard-trained neuroanatomist (brain scientist) who has become a health celebrity through her eight year recovery from a stroke.
In the first quarter of the book I read she has introduced her childhood, and what motivated her to become a brain scientist when she was younger. She ends this mini autobiography with the day of her stroke, and proceeds the next chapters explaining what exactly goes on in the brain and what went wrong with her brain for it to rupture on the morning of December 10, 1996.
The book was written in 2009, which was five years after she had made her full recovery from the stroke. The context of this is that she printed the book after she recovered, sorted her thoughts, and wrote them down in order to help other victims of this brain malfunction make full recoveries also. In her journey she found her inner peace and with this realization she wrote the book for others to find themselves as well as help and inform people of how to properly care for a stroke victim through the eyes of a recovered patient.
There are two specific audiences Taylor appeals to through this book, one of which is people in general that she wants to inspire to live life full of hope and inner peace. Secondly, she wrote the book for friends and families of stroke victims to help them understand what is going on in the brain of their loved one, and what they can do to help them get better.
Rhetorical elements used in this section of the book:
- Pathos
- Logos (her facts about the brain, statistics)
- Quoted passages
- Vocabulary
- Cause and effect (illness description)
- Persona (developed who she was through her autobiography)
- Anecdotes
The author did fulfill her purpose because the book became a New York Times best seller and has sold millions of copies all over the world, globally informing the public about her story and how to help victims of strokes.
In the first quarter of the book I read she has introduced her childhood, and what motivated her to become a brain scientist when she was younger. She ends this mini autobiography with the day of her stroke, and proceeds the next chapters explaining what exactly goes on in the brain and what went wrong with her brain for it to rupture on the morning of December 10, 1996.
The book was written in 2009, which was five years after she had made her full recovery from the stroke. The context of this is that she printed the book after she recovered, sorted her thoughts, and wrote them down in order to help other victims of this brain malfunction make full recoveries also. In her journey she found her inner peace and with this realization she wrote the book for others to find themselves as well as help and inform people of how to properly care for a stroke victim through the eyes of a recovered patient.
There are two specific audiences Taylor appeals to through this book, one of which is people in general that she wants to inspire to live life full of hope and inner peace. Secondly, she wrote the book for friends and families of stroke victims to help them understand what is going on in the brain of their loved one, and what they can do to help them get better.
Rhetorical elements used in this section of the book:
- Pathos
- Logos (her facts about the brain, statistics)
- Quoted passages
- Vocabulary
- Cause and effect (illness description)
- Persona (developed who she was through her autobiography)
- Anecdotes
The author did fulfill her purpose because the book became a New York Times best seller and has sold millions of copies all over the world, globally informing the public about her story and how to help victims of strokes.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Intro. to IRB (NOT one of weekly blogs...)
Title: My Stroke of Insight
Author: Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D
Breakdown of reading:
First section: Pg 1 - 48 (Ending on Chapter 5)
Second: Pgs 48 - 96 (Ending on Chapter 11)
Third: Pgs 96 - 144 (Ending on Chapter 16)
Fourth: Pgs 144 - 187 (End of book)
A few days ago on Monday, I was looking around Barnes and Noble browsing through non-fiction books just to get a feel of what type of non-fiction book I was most drawn to. At first I had picked up a book about the unwritten fact that beauty is sometimes the key to success, such as getting a job, etc. Then I picked up a book at random on a table that had bestselling non-fiction books. I read the back summary and I came to find it was a book about a brain scientist (neurologist) from Harvard who had a very successful life through medical school and also when she went on through her discoveries and successes as a researcher of brain tissue and different brain dysfunctions. Then one morning she wakes up and is in the middle of a stroke, one that causes her brain to collapse within four hours. She finds that she can not walk, talk, or remember any of her life. Yet after eight years she makes a full recovery and writes this book called My Stroke of Insight where she tells all about how during those years of no speech she finds her inner peace and finds a new meaning about life. I chose this book because it seems as if it would be a life changing read, and I have never read any book about brain science so I would like to see if this is something I become more interested in.
Author: Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D
Breakdown of reading:
First section: Pg 1 - 48 (Ending on Chapter 5)
Second: Pgs 48 - 96 (Ending on Chapter 11)
Third: Pgs 96 - 144 (Ending on Chapter 16)
Fourth: Pgs 144 - 187 (End of book)
A few days ago on Monday, I was looking around Barnes and Noble browsing through non-fiction books just to get a feel of what type of non-fiction book I was most drawn to. At first I had picked up a book about the unwritten fact that beauty is sometimes the key to success, such as getting a job, etc. Then I picked up a book at random on a table that had bestselling non-fiction books. I read the back summary and I came to find it was a book about a brain scientist (neurologist) from Harvard who had a very successful life through medical school and also when she went on through her discoveries and successes as a researcher of brain tissue and different brain dysfunctions. Then one morning she wakes up and is in the middle of a stroke, one that causes her brain to collapse within four hours. She finds that she can not walk, talk, or remember any of her life. Yet after eight years she makes a full recovery and writes this book called My Stroke of Insight where she tells all about how during those years of no speech she finds her inner peace and finds a new meaning about life. I chose this book because it seems as if it would be a life changing read, and I have never read any book about brain science so I would like to see if this is something I become more interested in.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Blog 1 (Week 1) (Article): 9-12-11
Title of article: "Congressman Resigns Amid Craigslist Scandal"
Source: msnbc.com (NBC news)
Author: N/A
I was browsing through my small collection of Ok! magazines when I came across an article featuring a scandal concerning a representative of congress in New York over a Craigslist scandal that happened back in February. I searched online for a more detailed article, and I came across a link to msnbc.com that had a whole page of information about what had actually happened. I was able to confirm the credibility of msnbc.com because it is the online version of the nbc news station that has to provide accurate and credible information to the public.
In a nutshell, Congressman Christopher Lee had responded to a post by a woman on Craigslist who was searching for a man, by sending her a picture of himself posing shirtless in front of his bathroom mirror and told her lies about himself. The woman traced his e-mail to his facebook page and found that he was indeed lying. As a result she posted on Gawker his picture which leaked into the public. A few hours later, he announced that he was resigning from office.
The context of this article is that at the time it was making national headlines. The author's purpose for writing the piece was just to inform the public which is the audience the author was aiming towards.
Some rhetorical elements that were used in this piece were:
-Insightful vocabulary
-Anecdotes from the congressman's past
-Pathos
-Ethos
I feel as if the author did fulfill the purpose they were trying to get across by writing this article because the same article has been reprinted elsewhere, and many people across the country are aware of this course of events.
- Ali Mason
Period 8/9
Source: msnbc.com (NBC news)
Author: N/A
I was browsing through my small collection of Ok! magazines when I came across an article featuring a scandal concerning a representative of congress in New York over a Craigslist scandal that happened back in February. I searched online for a more detailed article, and I came across a link to msnbc.com that had a whole page of information about what had actually happened. I was able to confirm the credibility of msnbc.com because it is the online version of the nbc news station that has to provide accurate and credible information to the public.
In a nutshell, Congressman Christopher Lee had responded to a post by a woman on Craigslist who was searching for a man, by sending her a picture of himself posing shirtless in front of his bathroom mirror and told her lies about himself. The woman traced his e-mail to his facebook page and found that he was indeed lying. As a result she posted on Gawker his picture which leaked into the public. A few hours later, he announced that he was resigning from office.
The context of this article is that at the time it was making national headlines. The author's purpose for writing the piece was just to inform the public which is the audience the author was aiming towards.
Some rhetorical elements that were used in this piece were:
-Insightful vocabulary
-Anecdotes from the congressman's past
-Pathos
-Ethos
I feel as if the author did fulfill the purpose they were trying to get across by writing this article because the same article has been reprinted elsewhere, and many people across the country are aware of this course of events.
- Ali Mason
Period 8/9
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