What is a Blog?

Why would someone want to create a blog? I think this was a question posed in many classmates minds at the beginning of the semester. A blog is a website that offers a way to express your feelings and emotions by connecting with people who share like interests. It is similar to a diary. It’s a sense of freedom and relief. There is no limit on what you can and cannot say. It is strictly your opinion, and people can choose to judge you or agree with you, and through this you are able to learn valuable information. It is your space to do whatever you choose. This might include a profile containing pictures, quotes, poems, bright colors, videos, graphs etc. It provides a way for people to speak openly about things they are uncomfortable talking about in person. It also allows people to share personal stories about themselves. As a class, it has become a way that we, as students, can share our work communicate with each other, and provide valuable feedback.

This semester is the first time I had ever used the blogging website. I had no clue what a blog consisted of, and I didn’t have the slightest idea of how to use it. Although, with the help of Nick, and a “test post,” I was on my way! English 105 has introduced me to what a blog is all about, and more importantly opened up my perspective on others critical thinking and writing skills. I have been impressed with what I have read on classmate’s blogs this semester. They have gone from short paragraphs to an entire page of writing. I think this has shown a change in our writing as well as a increase in confidence. Each blog assignment has led us into each writing assignment, creating multiple ideas on how to approach them. I believe the object of writing a blog is to pose questions, as well as show your own thought about different aspects in the many subjects in life. With this, you receive valuable feedback either to boost your confidence, or to learn from. I’m not sure how others feel about the comments that have been posted on their blogs this semester, but I have read the comments posted on my blog and have taken them into consideration. The comments left on my blog caused me to think critically. The one thing I would consider changing though is the consistency of blog responses. They seemed to be redundant towards the end of the semester and I felt as if they also got noticeably shorter. I believe by participating in blog assignments, and taking them seriously, we learned from each other and became stronger writers as a class.

I see now why blogging is something that has become more popular over time. I had never used it before, although it’s easy to use and a swift way to share feelings as well as communicate with others. Blogging is like a form of email, only quicker. In fact, it has become so easy that companies now blog rather than using a website. Considering it is so fast, I believe more and more companies will consider blogging, and this will increase the population of people using it. Now that I am familiar with the website, I think it is something I will consider using in the future to keep in contact with friends and family.

An Imperial Message

Authority is the right to exercise power. I have analyzed through reading Kafka that he writes about the power of authority, and the unimportance it has on a person. In the reading it says, “He takes the filth of those who command authority.”

This reading was very difficult for me to understand. I had to read through it a couple of times to grasp the concept, and even now, I don’t know if I understand it correctly. The Emperor who is dead has commanded a message be sent to a palace containing a man of no importance to anyone. The man is “cowering,” in the imperial sun. I believe he is a man of much wealth, who over time has deteriorated away from the world because of his arrogance and self worthiness. The message being sent is very special and important to the Emperor, and he must succeed in getting there. No matter how hard the messenger tries, he cannot make it to this place of relevance. I think what Kafka is trying to say is a man who listens and tries will succeed in life, even if he cannot conquer his goal. Whereas a man of arrogance, who bathes in the imperial sun will go nowhere, and instead hide in the shadows like a coward his entire life.

Discrimination is a Virtue

In the short story “discrimination is a virtue,” by Robert Keith Miller he recognizes the meaning of the word discrimination and the way society perceives it. He claims that society is pretending differences that do not exist. It is something we desperately need to keep in our vocabulary, although we need to understand the meaning and how to use it. There are many things we discriminate about such as: disabilities, wealth, food, etc. We don’t even realize we do this and it’s important to understand that we, as a society, “see failure to tell differences.”

The current Democratic presidential nomination race has come down to two nominees. The two nominees are an African American male, Barack Obama, and a Caucasian woman, Hillary Clinton. Are people basing their votes based on color or gender? This shouldn’t have to be an issue or a concern for either candidate, although it exists, and has become one. Society should not be allowed to base their decision on either of these aspects. But just like Miller said, we have grown up believing that “discrimination” means “racism.” This shouldn’t be the case either but that’s what we know of it. I believe that for many, their vote is biased in this case, because of color or gender. Everyone needs to stop discriminating, and focus on who will represent, and make the best decisions for the United States.

MySpace Controversy

Adults are concerned about teen security and safety, while teens utilize MySpace as a social network with their friends and/or individuals with like interests. This is a picture of a sexual predator who was caught on the prowl for underage boys. Along with catching this guy, they discovered 744 sex offenders with MySpace profiles, and 479 are registered for crimes against children. This would be useful in my long argument paper, because it is an actual picture of a sexual predator who has been caught online. It shows teens what a profile make look like, and also that sexual predators do exist online. They should be aware of this. His profile also shares false information which is common among sexual predators. This should scare teens and effect them in a way that they become more cautious about who they are talking to online. This data represents the concern of parents, educators, and government officials.

Prospectus

1. The setup in the second paragraph was done well, but I feel as if the last sentence in the paragraph does not fit. The writer talks about two aspects; how to do it and how to prevent it throughout the paragraph. The last sentence brings up an entirely different topic that doesn't lead into the next paragraph.

2. I think maybe the writer could set up their paper differently, by rearranging the paragraphs. The paragraphs are fine for the most part, but it may be easier to understand if they switched the third and fourth paragraphs. I think the last sentence in the second paragraph would transition better with the fourth paragraph. The third paragraph ends with "instructors," and the fourth paragraph begins with "instructors." The transition betweent he two paragraphs would look better and make more sense this way.

3. In the third paragraph the author starts the paragraph out with, "There are several ways to plagiarize.." although what are these ways? I think they need to give more detail on the different ways a student can plagiarize.

The Logic of Baldwin's Argument

James Baldwin is a credible author in the short story, “If Black English Isn’t a Language, then Tell Me, What is?” because of his background of being involved in the Civil Rights Movement. He has also lived outside the United States; In France, where he has learned and experienced another’s way of living.

James argues the many classifications of language. Breaking language down into specific categories such as control, confronting life, political means of proof, and passion. He argues that the status or reality of Black English is not in fact the language itself, but the role it plays in revealing the speaker. There are about 7,330 languages that exist today. Each language has its own different interpretations that can be controlled. Although, there are many languages that make sure their language is not destroyed such as the Basque countries, and Wales. I find this interesting because I am Basque, and I know this is an extremely hard language to speak.

James is trying to prove that the Black language does in fact exist, and that it has helped to create white Americans language through passion, skill, intelligence, music, and achievement. He then makes a counter argument stating: “if this absolutely unprecedented journey does not indicate that Black English is a language, then I am curious to know what definition of language is to be trusted.” Who is to decide what definition of language is to be trusted? This is a very strong argument that supports his facts and causes the audience to stop and think before continuing to read on. He draws his audience in, to believe his argument. To James, this is an issue; White Americans are looking past this and taking the credibility. He claims the standards are “untrustworthy.” Black Americans are no different than white Americans and they deserve the same credibility. Black’s should not feel that they have nothing to learn from the people of a “country that has managed to learn so little.”

"Will Anyone Ever Be Happy with Their Insurance?"

Palmer, John. "Will Anyone Ever Be Happy With Their Insurance?" Canadian Press 24 May

2005.


The article I chose to site and evaluate is called “Will Anyone Ever Be Happy with Their Insurance?” The title sums up the entire argument of the article. It argues the changes in insurance in the Newfoundland. Insurance companies in Newfoundland will no longer base their auto insurance on age, gender, or marital status. Government Services Minister Dianne Whalen argues that many young drivers cannot afford to drive because the prices are so high. She also argues that it is unfair to make young drivers pay higher insurance rates when they are not causing accidents. The other side; Eclectic Econoclast argue that the insurance companies need their money, and it is unfair to make everyone pay more based on the new changes in Newfoundland. It is an interesting topic that has biased opinions, and these opinions change based on the age of the person. Obviously, young drivers as well as their parents want insurance rates to match everyone else’s, while older folks don’t want to have to pay more to balance out the insurance. Who is to decide at what age you’re a bad driver, and is this considered discrimination?

The website lists statistics, as well as relevant information that are of key importance to the argument of the article. It was published within the last two years, and has been updated since then. Also, it was published in the Canadian Press, which lets me know its correct information that would be applicable to use in my argument paper as well as anything else I might need it for. The article uses valuable individuals such as the Government Services Minister Dianne Whalen. Not only does the article involve valuable people, but it also gives quotes that were directly spoken. The purpose is clear, and that is to understand the argument of car insurance and the opinion of tow opposing parties. The article is targeted to people of all ages to inform them of the controversy, and also so they are aware that in some areas of the country, actions are being taken. Both sides of the argument have a good stand on their opinion and it’s very easy to understand and read.

"Right To Fail"

“Maybe we are learning again to cherish this right of every person to succeed on his own terms and to fail as often as necessary along the way.” The essay ends with this quote, but it caught my attention and seemed to sum up everything I had just read. I think the quote is meaningful, but do we really think in that respect, or is that just the way we should be thinking?

Today, it seems the younger generation is afraid of failure. They view the lives of their successful parents and hope that they will one day be just as successful, if not more. This is the case with me. I come from a very successful family who has always been hard workers. My mom has never been a stay at home mom, she has always worked. In fact she is a high manager at Hewlet Packard. My dad has worked his way up from being a commercial real estate banker, to opening up his own bank in Idaho, and is now president and CEO of his bank. He has also been very successful real estate (land) on the side. On top of my parents being successful, my brother is very bright. He just graduated with a 3.9 and a double major is accounting and finance, and was recently hired by a very big firm who hasn’t hired anyone in ten years. With everyone being so successful in my family, I often become stressed and worried. I am scared to fail and not be as successful as my parents and brother. I feel like I have extremely high standards to live up to. My dad has always told me, “no matter what you do, in my eyes you will never fail.” He knows the pressure I feel and has always made it clear to me that no matter what I do he is proud. I have noticed this the most now that I am in college and trying my hardest to have success in the near future.

Do we choose our own success, or follow the paths of the ones closest to us? If I chose to follow the path of my family will I ever be happy and successful? This refers back to the quote I stated at the beginning of my blog, I believe the right thing to do is cherish the right of every person to succeed on his own terms.

CRAAP TEST

http://www.martinlutherking.org/

The website I chose to analyze is Martin Luther King. This is obvious by the title of the website as well as the moment you encounter the page. The first thing that caught my eye was the big picture of him in the center of the page. They currency of the page has not been kept up. The most recent information posted is from 1998. It appears the information has not been revised or updated, and is considered out of date. Although, the links to the right side of the page, are functional and provide a lot of different information. Some of the other links are irrelevant. There seems to be many different sources used to make this website and many of them are questionable based on the content of the writing.

Some, but not all of the information is relevant to the information one might need to find when researching Martin Luther King. For example the link: “Rap Lyrics.” I think this is unnecessary and shouldn’t be on the site. The audience for this website is students, for the purpose of educating them about Martin Luther King. I know this because of the link at the bottom of the page providing flyers to print out and post around school. I would not use this source for a research paper.

This website was hosted by Stormfront, which is a broadcasting company. This host doesn’t seem very professional or accurate with their information. When you click on the link below they include a listing of the number of their radio station, and what caught me off guard the most was the fact that they are a white nationalist community, yet they have posted and provided this information on Martin Luther King. The URL reveals that the author isn’t a very good source because it ends in “org.”

The information comes from many sources and not a lot of it is supported by evidence. The tone is biased by stating “The King holiday should be repealed.” This is Stormfronts own opinion. Also it seems that the information hasn’t been reviewed for a really long time, and it also hasn’t been referred.

The purpose of the information is to inform people about Martin Luther King. There seems to be a personal bias against him by the things they have posted. For example: “…including kings cries of I’m f---ing for God and I’m not Negro tonight!” I think this is very inappropriate and makes him look like a bad character. I wouldn’t ever use this source for a research paper. The information is not accurate and bias.

Underage Drinking Not the Problem

The article I chose is about underage drinking. It argues many facts in hope to convince the reader that alcohol among minors is not a problem. The problematic situation according to the article is over consumption within our society. The author argues that many Western democracies have set their drinking age to 16, or 18 giving them an advantage to become more aware and educated about alcohol. The opposing argument states that Americans frown upon the act of underage drinking and consider it unacceptable. Instead of showing the activity of drinking done responsibly, children are exposed to horrific pictures and terror stories to become “educated.” Should children be exposed to alcohol early to be more aware of their actions and the difference between right and wrong, or should they drink illegally and irresponsibly because of poor education?

The author uses overgeneralization in the first paragraph. He states “Underage drinking is not a problem. The problematic situation here is over-consumption — a result of our society’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol.” This is an extremely broad statement to start the article out with. He then makes the mistake of not backing up the facts of the sentence. He gives no reason as to why the problematic situation is over consumption and not underage drinking.

The author also uses the bandwagon approach when he states that all of society frowns upon underage drinking. This is not a true statement because he does not back it up with facts, and also everyone has a different opinion about underage drinking, not “everyone” frowns upon it. He states: “Binge drinking is a direct result of the necessity for underage drinkers to consume alcohol before they go out.” This is false analogy. The author assumes the characteristics of underage drinking and binge drinking is based on “going out,” and “exciting.” Who is he to judge how many people binge drink to go out and have fun? He doesn’t have any facts to back this up. “Why do we trust young adults to choose the future leaders of our nation before we allow them to make a choice on what they can drink with their friends?” The author uses the patriotic approach by bringing in patriotism into his argument. He brings up a good point although he only states it in the article without supporting facts as to why this is the case.

This article contains numerous logical fallacies. The author has relied more on the techniques of appeal rather than fact. I concluded after reading the article that there is a lot of overgeneralization and oversimplification. This makes it hard to persuade the audience, as well as argue your topic. His arguments are broad, not containing reasoning behind his facts. He gives no evidence of why underage drinking is a law compared to why it is not in Western countries. Who defines what is considered “appropriate education,” for underage drinking?

"Middle-Schoolers Get the Pill"

Should middle schoolers be able to receive the contraceptive pill and patches from the student health center without their parents knowing? Realists as well as Margery Eagan argue some students are already having sex, and by taking actions such as these we are keeping students “as safe as possible.” The district is trying to make the same health care available to lower class girls who cannot afford a gynecologist. The nurses at the health center also inform girls who go to receive the pill the many risks of underage sex and the urge to talk to their parents. This provides girls with knowledge and maybe even persuasion to stop them from having sex. Although, the opposing side which involves Charles Sykes, states that middle school girls are too young to be having sex and that they should wait to have sex until they understand their hormones. If we look at this issue logically we might see that the evidence is urging kids to delay sex, or helping them to avoid getting pregnant or a sexually transmitted disease.

The opposing argument is that no one thinks it’s a good idea for 11-year-olds to be having sex. This argument was presented to challenge the argument of 11-year-olds having ability and choice of sex. The age of eleven is so young, and they have not yet realized the danger is having underage sex. They need to wait until they are informed about the risks of sex in order to make decisions they are comfortable with. This is in hopes girls will delay having sex. The only argument with this, is girls are already having sex at this age, and for those that are sexually active, they have a place to go in which they trust. It is a form of protection that makes them feel secure. They know it is private, and it’s a way for them to be able to make their own decisions without the consent of their parents, and also knowing they are being safe.

The article covered two main perspectives. They included the perspective of urging kids to delay sex, or helping them to avoid getting pregnant or a sexually transmitted disease. I think an issue that was highly overlooked was the concern of a parent, and their feelings toward their daughter receiving the pill without their knowledge. I think this is a major concern parents have, and it’s something they want to be able to inform their children about themselves. This brings up the concern again that: “Nobody thinks it’s a good idea for 11-year-olds to have sex,” (Eagan 1). If this is the case then why is it being overlooked and how come parents aren’t stepping up to take action to change this issue?

Rhetorical Analysis Reflection

“One must have chaos in one to give birth to a dancing star” – Nietzsche. The power comes from not hanging your head down but picking yourself up and striving to do the best you can. The way you learn is from your mistakes and when you pull through you realize the power within yourself. Every great thing you do starts with disappointment. In order to do the best you can you have to keep your head high. I believe the saying “You learn something new every day.” I think I have learned a lot of important lessons from this single paper. I will take each mistake into consideration and improve it on my synthesis paper. There is room for improvement and now I know and am able to understand what Nick is looking for within writing, and within a paper. I am a little disappointed with my grade because I know I can do better, although that just motivates me to try harder. The thing I need to work on the most is writing clearly instead of getting fancy with my writing. I tend to focus too much on elaborating on a subject and not stating what I want to say clearly. My sentences tend to be wordy and very in depth, and I need to cut down on my sentences and make them less wordy. It seems he is looking for a more factual form of writing in order for it to be clear and precise. If I focus more on a writing style such as this, I believe I will receive the grade I am looking for. Also, I need to constantly revise my paper for grammatical errors. I need to be careful on commas and quotations. Something that might help is having someone other than Nick also read my paper to check for errors. The writing center may possibly be a useful source. I have never been there personally, although I have heard it is very helpful. Even though my paper had flaws I also had some very good quotes to support what I was trying to say. All of my quotes were cited properly. I also made sure to really focus on the audience and keep them in mind throughout my entire paper. It is important to focus on you reader so they are aware at all times what you are talking about. I have always thought of myself as a decent writer and I know that in this class I will exceed. I’m excited to see the grades I will receive on my next papers after learning from my mistakes. I will continue to try my hardest to get the grades I want and hopefully they will continue to rise. I want an A in the class and to do this I will work hard. The effort I put into my paper from here on out will show. I know I will be proud of whatever I do because I know I will be trying my hardest.

"Allegory" and "Banking Concept"

Palo Freire’s essay “The Banking Concept of Education,” and Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” both make the point that very often students as well as others believe what they are told. It becomes a concept in their mind of what is right and wrong and what is factual in this world. Throughout Freire’s essay the teacher is the supreme authority who knows everything, while the students are to learn from and trust the teacher. Plato’s essay talks about ignorance and learning explaining you can’t go through life with a closed mind. The understanding comes from what you perceive and your senses. There is no authority telling you what to think. The point that both authors portray is there are authority figures in life who we believe tell us the facts and there is what we as people perceive from our senses. It is for us to decide what is right and wrong, and who is correct.

Palo Freire’s banking concept of education consists of the students receiving the information, repeating it, and memorizing it. They then repeat the process again. This concept limits the ability of a student to think freely on their own. It’s controlling their thought process and altering their ability to learn in a critical way. Humanists highly agree with this idea that students will eventually be alone in this world and they need to know how to handle it themselves. The students taught using the banking of education method will not be prepared for what is to come, and they will be unable to think on their own.

Plato’s “Allegory of the cave,” argues and different point of view. He portrays the students are full of knowledge, while the teachers are there to help guide and act as a support system. Plato’s ideas come from what you perceive as factual. He believes we learn through reasoning and this is the correct path to take in order to do so. With an open mind and learning through reason students will be prepared for situations to come.

Through the eyes of a student the teacher is authority. Although it is not factual that the teacher is better than the student. Students simply need to participate to their ability while learning. Believe it or not the teacher also learns from the student. It works both ways. We need to seek learning and not let this perception get in the way of our education. It is a thought perceived by many. The best thing to do is be active and learn from others.

The Evolution of Unemployment Relief in Great Britain - Synthesis

The article “Evolution of Unemployment relief in Great Britain,” is about the unemployment insecurity of British workers during the nineteenth century. In Britain, business downturn was occurring every five to eight years, and not only was this affecting worker’s lives personally, but it also had a huge impact on the economy. Unemployment lasting longer than a few weeks lead to “acute financial” distress. This forced them to rely on other sources such as the government or charities as a form of income. The author focuses on Britain although this is happening too many of us in today’s society. Unemployment has been in existence and a big issue for a long time. It’s something the government is trying to fix, but it continues to occur. Do you think the problem of unemployment will ever diminish?

In this article, the main evaluation is that little has been written about unemployment relief during the period between the Poor Law Amendment Act in 1834 and the adoption of national unemployment insurance in 1911. Public assistance was more generous to the unemployed then they probably should have been. This was a huge problem, and in 1870 cities throughout Britain cut the payment of relief to able-bodied males, while many skilled workers received unemployed benefits from their trade union. This showed no improvement to those who didn’t work in the union or from preventing unemployment.

This lead to the adoption compulsory unemployment insurance in 1911, paid for by a government subsidy. The controversy remained between the Poor Law Amendment Act, and compulsory unemployment insurance. This is true because the Poor Law Act still remained an important income for those who were unemployed. It also had a way of deciding who would pay the unemployment rate. They can be divided into three groups: factory owners, workers, and the remaining ratepayers (merchants, shopkeepers, landlords, tradesmen, etc.). In total they would contribute twenty 20 to 46 percent. The Poor Law was able to cover most everyone, but the increases in the poor rate tended, causing further increases in the default rate. The good news is, both public and private charity would take a lead on the few turndowns the law could not afford. It had its “ups” and “downs,” but it helped. This information is key to understanding the main idea of the article as well as what the author is trying to come across.

This particular article related closely to the film “Roger & Me,” each author working to portray similar messages to the citizens as well as the world. Both authors use of persuasive research combined with relevant information proves their point and gains the respect they needed. The citizens of Flint, Michigan were going through extremely hard times, many being unemployed. It relates to the fact that in both places they were unemployed but they had the help of others. In Britain’s case it was the Poor Act being passed which was established by the government with the help of charity. In Flint’s case it was the support of the community and the help of those who were successful in the community such as Miss Michigan. Although, the authors posses the same subject matter they also have their differences. In the documentary “Roger & Me,” Moore leaves out the government while Boyer talks a lot about the governments support. Moore does this in order to distract his audience in order to focus more on the people. Boyer’s goal is to focus on the government, and the many laws passed. Each author takes a different approach allowing the audience to comprehend the two pieces differently. When you narrow your views, all of these factors come down to one thing and that is to preserve the place in which they live, and to protect their economy.

The Evolution of Unemployment Relief in Great Britain

This article is about the unemployment insecurity of British workers during the nineteenth century. Business downturn was occurring every five to eight years, and not only was this affecting worker’s lives personally, but it also had a huge impact on the economy. Unemployment lasting longer than a few weeks lead to “acute financial” distress. This forced them to rely on other sources such as the government or charities as a form of income.

The main evaluation is that little has been written about unemployment relief during the period between the Poor Law Amendment Act in 1834 and the adoption of national unemployment insurance in 1911. Public assistance was more generous to the unemployed then they probably should have been. This was a huge problem, and in 1870 cities throughout Britain cut the payment of relief to able-bodied males, while many skilled workers received unemployed benefits from their trade union. This showed no improvement to those who didn’t work in the union or from preventing unemployment.

This lead to the adoption compulsory unemployment insurance in 1911, paid for by a government subsidy. The controversy remained between the Poor Law Amendment Act, and compulsory unemployment insurance. This is true because the Poor Law Act still remained an important income for those who were unemployed. It also had a way of deciding who would pay the unemployment rate. They can be divided into three groups: factory owners, workers, and the remaining ratepayers (merchants, shopkeepers, landlords, tradesmen, etc.). In total they would contribute twenty 20 to 46 percent. During most of the downturns the Poor Law was able to cover everyone, but the increases in the poor rate tended caused further increases in the default rate. The good news is, charity both public and private would take a lead on the few turndowns the law could not afford. It had its ups and downs but it helped out so much and meant a lot to the unemployed workers. The citizens of Britain went through extremely hard times and managed to pull through. Their economy remained strong and everyone worked together to make it happen.

This particular article related closely to the film “Roger & Me.” The citizens of Flint, Michigan were going through extremely hard times, many being unemployed. It relates in the fact that in both places they were unemployed but they had the help of others. In Britain’s case it was the Poor Act passed established by the government with the help of charity. In Flint’s case it was the support of the community and the help of those who were successful in the community such as Miss Michigan. All of these factors come down to one thing and that is to preserve the place in which they live, and to protect their economy.

http://wf2la5.webfeat.org/

"Passing Before Life's Very Eyes"

This story compares to nothing I have ever read before. It caused me to think and analyze the pictures in order to understand the story. You would infer from the title of the story: “Passing Before Life’s Very Eyes,” that the pathos would portray an emotional image. Although, the pictures and the choice of words the author chose to use portrays a sense of humor throughout the entire story.


The images depict a sense of humor. You can observe this through the x’s representing the man’s eyes showing he is dead, and the many hectic objects around them. The x’s serve as a symbol to help differentiate life and death, and this is understood as he is taken back in time to view his life before he dies. It is as if his life flashes before his eyes. Also what I have observed is that he is dying from smoking. Even though this was the possible cause of his death the author brings in humor by showing him smoking throughout all of his pictures during his flashback.


You not only can see the sarcasm but the language also expresses it. For example, it is hard for people to accept death, and not many do. Towards the end of the story he gets scared. Instead of making it serious they make a joke about death by saying “So what do we do now, just sit around and wait for everything to turn black?” (Wolfgang 230). This is only one example but there are many during the story.


The author did a great job appealing to emotions seen through sensory description and objects of emotion such as symbols. The story clearly portrays a sense of humor unlike anything you have ever read. Through elaborate pictures and few words you are able to unmistakably depict the pathos.

Roger and Me

In the movie Roger and Me, Michael Moore uses expert testimony in which he had reasoning behind to appeal to his audience. It is a documentary on the struggle of a small town in Flint, Michigan to try to overcome the economy and the low it has hit. General Motors shut down their factory lying off 30,000 employees. This caused distress throughout the community. This is where expert testimony played a key role. Michael Moore spends time interviewing people who have recently lost their jobs, each one struggling to make a living. An example of logos is when he interviewed such people as the General Motor lobbyist, and Mr. Chevrolet. Both of whom were of much importance. These people provided us with valuable insight on the controversy that was occurring. He used pathos to draw you into each employee’s stories, and then logos providing the audience with insight on their life stories. I believe after watching the movie and hearing all the different perspectives, his reason behind making the movie was to show the audience the dilemma and sacrifice of the ex-employees of Flint, Michigan. I was able to observe this through the many examples of logos throughout the film.

"The Southland"

The Southland was written to inform people about vast domain, and all it has to present. It targets a large audience of people of all ages, male or female. The author wants to let the audience know everything about the south and how deeply he feels. He uses ethos to appeal to his audience by explaining in detail exactly what he had seen. His knowledge and background of the topic has had an impression of sincere interest, and professional grasp on the subject. He also uses logos by stating the name and location of each specific place. He first talks about the battle between the North and the South using imagery to explain. He uses imagery such as “The south is crumbling under the heel of the conqueror.” This is only one example of the many he has created. This imagery to me creates a sense of emotion; pathos. He uses sensory description and ideas of the Southland enabling my mind to wander and mentally picture the vast land. He uses words in place of pictures to create images for people to relate to. The purpose is to emotionally attach people to this vast land by saying there is no longer an old south. But the author gives the audience hope: the start of a new south has begun, although the memories and pictures in his mind will remain forever. I consider his thoughts to be such a manner because towards the end of the writing he uses Buddha as a symbol. Buddha represents hope, desire, courage, and belief. This is what I perceived the author realized upon seeing Buddha. But who am I to state the author’s thoughts? This is just an example of the way I interpreted and analyzed his writing.

Help Darfur Now!

While looking at websites I made sure to analyze the different aspects they had to offer. Each website is unique in how the author sets it up. Colors, pictures and bold headlines drew me into the website I finally chose. I truly believe these are important aspects that have a lot to offer to the audience.
The author is a member or president of a nonprofit organization. It’s obvious to me that this website is created through a nonprofit organization because Darfur’s sole purpose is to raise capital for those who were affected by the genocide of Darfur. This is clear through the pictures and various captions. The captions that caught my eye leading me to believe it was an organization were such words as “help,” “endorsements,” and the most obvious of the three: “donations.” The tone of this website is elaborate explaining the details of the organization, and objective in showing their goal and how significant it is.
The audience is targeted to people who are willing to donate capital in order to help the organization. This may consist of males or females at a variety of ages. Many of those who are enthusiastic to help this foundation will base their decision off the effect they receive from viewing the website. This is important for the author to keep in mind.
The purpose is to inform people about the genocide of Darfur and the affects it has had on the community. Not only does it inform but it also persuades people to get involved and help. The various pictures portray emotion and reach farther than just that. It catches people’s attention and draws them into their organization.
The websites main appeal is pathos. The pictures of crying people and skeleton bodies depict a sad sensation. When I look at the pictures there is a feeling of helplessness. Although, I know there are people helping them. This leads to ethos showing how valuable and rewarding this organization is. The site contains pictures of all the citizens they have received endorsements from. They range from actors, to governors. The site has captured their audience and a professional manner. I am able to observe this through logos. The pictures of citizens who have donated capital are expert testimony. By seeing who had contributed, you know the site is real.
By taking critical approach on the websites I observed, it helped me to depict and understand what the site was about without even reading any of the captions. I noticed pictures, colors, and bold headlines drew me into the website I chose to observe. From now on, I will analyze websites with a deeper meaning and understanding!

Analysis of Scott's Blog

The blog I chose to analyze is titled shark cage. The title basically sums up the entire page. Out of all the blogs I analyzed, this one in particular caught my eye. The author is Scott. His bright blue and green colors and pictures of sharks made his blog unique. He did a great job in creating a theme that shows his audience he enjoys scuba diving. Even though he stated he likes to scuba dive, I think by the pictures and colors of his profile one would be able to figure it out on their own. I also think he is an outgoing and possibly an extreme person because of the lime green writing and pictures of sharks displayed on the side of his blog. I really enjoyed analyzing Scott’s blog and think he did a great job of incorporating his personality and hobbies into it!

Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue"

The author of Mother Tongue is Amy Tan. She is a first-generation Asian-American, and the author of multiple books. I have actually read The Joy Luck Club and really enjoyed it. Her passion for writing and incorporation of her background is unique and interesting. For example, her mother has extremely broken English and Amy was ashamed of this almost her entire childhood. Although, she always writes keeping her mother in mind. Amy's main audience is her mother. I believe the information about the author has helped me as a reader to relate to what she is writing about and the background she comes from. This sets the tone of the short story. Amy's purpose of the story was to portray her background and explain the difficulties she went through coming from a family of poor English. She talks about the struggles she has, and the ignorance of people who do not understand her life style. I find it interesing that people can understand and will listen to Amy but not her mother only because of her English. Who is the judge in deciding the treatment of a person based on their background?

Why We Blog, How We Blog

Prior to reading articles and watching videos on blogs I was unaware of the content and full purpose. Now, after reading the various articles and watching videos, I have an enhanced understanding of what a blog is. A blog to me is an extremely useful source that allows you to express your feelings, opinions and emotions. It is a way to share and communicate personally about your thoughts with others. A blog can be educational, an approach to extend your thoughts by comparing them with thoughts of others. Teemu Arina explained a blog as a reflection. He proposed a strong point that created ideas in my mind. It’s a way to communicate with others and view thoughts outside of your own. You are able to reflect and really think about your personal thoughts and learn from them based on others opinions. Blogs are beneficial because you are capable of discovering people with the same interests. Although they can also be unbeneficial. This seems to be a concern for people, and there has been an issue among hate groups. These groups use blogger websites to communicate about racism, gender, religion and more. I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I feel as if judgments regarding racism, gender, and religion should not be blogged on. It is insensitive and even though it’s a form of expression, I strongly feel such expressions should not be posted on anything that can be viewed by everyone. A blog should be inoffensive, a place where everyone is able to express themselves and feel comfortable.

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