TOW #14- Precision Parking by Volkswagen (visual text)

 

This advertisement was published by Volkswagen. Volkswagen is a well-known, prestigious car company with a good reputation. Therefore, the advertisement does not have to do much to establish ethos, since Volkswagen already has automatic ethos as a maker of good cars. The advertisement was made to advertise the “park assist” feature in the Volkswagen cars. It does this by humorously comparing the ability of the car to a hedgehog and bags of goldfish. This humor appeals to pathos and catches the viewer’s attention. The use specifically of the hedgehog and the bags of goldfish emphasize the importance of the feature of the car to park accurately (it is implied that if the hedgehog is the slightest bit off from where it is “parked”, then it will pop the fish bag and the fish will die). The simplicity of the white background draws attention to the hedgehog and the fish (specifically the hedgehog since it is the one different object in the advertisement). Additionally, attention is drawn to the animals with the words being very small and out of the way (they are just on the bottom right corner, as opposed to being large in the center). However, the words are also very simple, only saying “Precision Parking,” as opposed to describing thoroughly how the hedgehog needs to be in the right place or else, etc. As a result, the words contribute slightly to the humor as well as give context to the importance of the hedgehog being in the right place (for example, one might just view the image as a hedgehog and some fish and be confused about why the car company is showing this picture). Therefore, the words provide context to the ability of the car that Volkswagen is advertising. The viewer is likely to be inclined to buy the car because of its amazing parking feature, as portrayed through the animals in the advertisement.

TOW #13- The Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas (written text)

“The Lives of a Cell” was written by Lewis Thomas in 1971. Thomas was a physician, and although he just started writing “for fun,” he soon became a successful author as well. Thomas was a prominent medical researcher, and he was the dean of both NYU Medical School and Yale Medical School. He was well-known for his creative and original hypotheses and for his writings. This significant scientific research and important professions provided Thomas with automatic ethos in his writings. “The Lives of a Cell” was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. As a result, this essay was probably published for other people involved in medicine to read. Another clue that this was published for other people involved in medicine is that Thomas references specific terms, such as “mitochondria,” that the general public might not understand, unless they were involved in medicine. Therefore, Thomas’s purpose in writing this essay is to give the people involved in medicine a more uncommon view of the earth, the ecosystem, and the cells, etc. Thomas’s essay seems argumentative, and he is arguing that the earth is not nearly as fragile a place as one might imagine. Instead, it is composed of a multitude of complex parts working together, and humanity is the fragile part. In order to to argue this, Thomas begins by refuting the counterargument, and common belief, that humanity is fragile. Thomas writes, “We are told that the trouble with Modern Man is that he has been trying to detach himself from nature...In this scenario, Man comes on as a stupendous lethal force and the earth is pictured as something delicate...But it is illusion to think that there is anything fragile about the life of the earth...” (Thomas 1-2). By beginning with this common belief and then subsequently refuting it in a logical way with research, the reader is able to more easily be persuaded to believe Thomas’s opinion. After the initial counterargument rebuttal in the beginning of the essay, Thomas goes on to prove his point throughout the essay with specific examples, such as by explaining the complexity of mitochondria within us, before concluding at the end with a full circle, thought-provoking ending that the earth is in fact a living cell. In this way, Thomas draws together the title and his description of the cells, as well as his description of the earth, in order to give a final declaration of the complexity of the earth and the frailness of humanity.  

TOW #12- Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks (IRB post 1)

For my IRB, I am reading Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks. Oliver Sacks is a world-renowned neurologist who is a professor of neurology at the NYU School of Medicine, as well as a physician and an author. He has written many books about neurology in addition to this book. He establishes ethos in his written by referencing the numerous patients he has treated on the topic, saying, “...I have occasionally had patients with a similar sudden onset of musical or artistic interests” (8). The first part of the book that I have read so far is about anomalies people have experienced in their brains with a connection to music. For example, some people have experienced seizures triggered by certain types and sounds of music, while other people have experienced a sudden appreciation and desire to learn certain things about music as a result of a traumatic brain experience, such as being in an accident, struck by lightning, or having a brain tumor. The book is written in order to inform the reader about these crazy, seemingly unnatural experiences. It is written for the general public, so although the topic is a highly advanced medical idea, it is written in a way that the general public has to be able to understand. As a result, the Sacks writes using a plethora of anecdotes, both personal and general, and footnotes. Sacks’ personal anecdotes refer to his personal experiences, while his general anecdotes give clear examples of people who have experienced the topics about which he is writing. As a personal anecdote, Sacks writes, “As I was dressing this morning after a swim, I was reminded, now I was on land again, of my painful, arthritic old knees-and I thought too about my friend Nick, who would be visiting that day” (36). This personal anecdotes give Sacks a personal connection to his audience, as well as to the topic about which he is speaking. The general anecdotes give examples of the experiences about which Sacks is writing in order to help the audience understand more clearly. For example, Sacks writes, “Tony Cicoria was forty-two, very fit and robust, a former college football player who had become a well-regarded orthopedic surgeon in a small city in upstate New York” (3). The footnotes, as well, help the reader understand the topic, since they provide additional information on the studies and topics referenced that the general public might not know otherwise. In this way, Sacks effectively accomplishes his purpose of informing the general public about crazy experiences relating music and the brain.

TOW #11- A Drugstore in Winter by Cynthia Ozick (written text)

“A Drugstore in Winter” was written by Cynthia Ozick in 1982. Ozick is a well-known Jewish writer about her life growing up in New York City. She often writes pieces about how she dreamed of becoming a famous writer and writing multiple successful novels when she was a child. In this essay, Ozick shares her experiences growing older and realizing she has not fulfilled her childhood dreams completely (she kind of has a realization of “what has my life come to?”). Ozick is writing to the general adult public, more specifically, to people near her age in their late 60s who would relate to the topic of realizing she has not fulfilled her childhood dreams. Ozick writes using many allusions (some of which would only be understood by an older audience, hence the older audience to whom she is writing). Ozick writes about her childhood and her connections to the innumerable books she read. She specifically explains her connection to the book Little Women that she read “ten thousand times,” saying, “I am Jo in her ‘vortex’; no Jo exactly, but some Jo-of-the-future,” which references one of the main characters from the book (6). This allusion helps the reader to understand some of the connections she had to the books she read, as well as helps the reader to better understand Ozick’s personality (for example, if she is a person who acts like Jo and has similar aspirations, etc.). Additionally, Ozick uses personal and historical anecdotes in order to create a personal connection to the piece and help to better portray her experiences of growing older and not fulfilling her dreams. Ozick writes, “Hymie, after Italy, after the Battle of the Bulge, comes back from the war with a present: From Here to Eternity” (6). Ozick also portrays her whole life throughout the essay by explaining many of the different books she read as a child and the impacts those books had on her, as well as the relationships with different people she had as a result of those books. Throughout her examples of childhood books, the reader is able to gain an insight into her childhood. Therefore, Ozick effectively portrays her experiences growing older and realizing the childhood dreams she has yet to accomplish in her “future that shrinks and darkens” (7).

TOW #10- The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday (written text)

The Way to Rainy Mountain was written by N. Scott Momaday. Momaday is an award-winning Native American author, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his fiction writing in 1969. This particular essay was published in The Reporter in 1967, which is a reputable news source for the general public. Momaday wrote this essay to inform people about his dying culture to spread awareness. Throughout the essay, and especially in the beginning, Momaday uses nature imagery. When describing the weather, Momaday describes the harsh climate and how “the grass turns brittle and brown, and it cracks beneath your feet” (1). Instead of simply saying that is was very hot and dry, Momaday gets his point across more descriptively by describing the effects of the weather on the grass as opposed to just describing the weather. This helps the reader to more clearly understand the hardships through which Momaday’s tribe, the Kiowa, lived and to feel a stronger appreciation for them, as well as more easily understand their habitat. Momaday also uses anaphora in the beginning to describe the desolate landscape, saying, “...there is no confusion of objects in the eye, but one hill or one tree or one man” (1). By doing this, Momaday is emphasizing the plain, emptiness of the prairie, which helps the reader to understand the home of his tribe and how alone they were. Finally, Momaday uses personal anecdotes about his memories of his grandmother in order to  give a more personal connection to the reader. The reader is more likely to sympathize with Momaday and his culture when they hear personal stories about it than if Momaday were to just speak in general terms. For example, Momaday writes, “Once there was a lot of sound in my grandmother’s house, a lot of coming and going, feasting and talk” (3). Throughout the description of his personal memories, the reader feels as though he/she was there, which makes him/her feel sympathy that the Kiowa tribe is dying. Therefore, Momaday successfully achieves his purpose by using nature imagery, anaphora, and personal anecdotes.

IRB Intro- Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks

This marking period, I am reading Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks. It is a book that talks about the effects music has on the brain. I do not know much about this topic, but I cannot wait to learn about it since I love studying music and focusing on the effects music has on people. I have never read anything by this author before, so it will be interesting to see what his style of writing is. However, this book was recommended to me by Ms. Pronko, so hopefully it will be an enjoyable read!  

TOW #9- M&Ms Wizard of Oz Commercial (visual text)

http://youtu.be/iSp3_33NIig

This was an M&Ms commercial from 2008. The purpose of the commercial is to get people to buy M&Ms by spreading awareness about the company and catching people’s attention. This is a TV commercial, so the audience is the general public. Additionally, it is referencing the Wizard of Oz, which is a reference that the general public would get, since it is a classic, old movie. The ad uses a parody of the Wizard of Oz to appeal to humor. It starts out similarly to the actual Wizard of Oz, where Dorothy wakes up at home and explains how her family members (or in this case, M&Ms) where in Oz with her. However, when the M&M says, “I’m Aunt M,” the viewer makes the connection to the M&Ms (because the M&M’s name is Aunt M, but so is the name of Auntie Em in the movie). Additionally, the viewer’s own knowledge of the Wizard of Oz is required when Dorothy references how the M&Ms were in color in Oz (because in the movie, Dorothy does not talk about the change in color, but the viewer just sees the change in color in order to emphasize Dorothy’s dream world, while in the commercial, Dorothy talks about how all of the M&Ms were in color and were so beautiful). This mention of M&Ms being in color emphasizes the idea that M&Ms are chocolate in color, which differentiates them from other chocolates (which is one of the main advertising ideas of the M&Ms company). Finally, having Judy Garland star as Dorothy in this commercial is an allusion to the real Wizard of Oz film, where Judy Garland also stars as Dorothy. This gives the commercial credibility since it is referencing a well-known, classic movie (in which the main character is even saying that chocolate is very beautiful and wonderful when it is in color). Therefore, the purpose of the commercial to get people to buy the M&Ms and to spread awareness about the pleasure of having chocolate in color is accomplished well in this commercial.

TOW #8- Boston Cruise Line Introduces New Whale Ramming Tour by The Onion (written text)

This article was written by The Onion. The Onion is known for writing satirical, false articles about popular current news topics. Although this article is written using a seemingly serious tone, it is actually being satirical throughout its entirety. The article writes, “‘Our new tour gives passengers the chance to observe firsthand some of the ocean’s most majestic animals as we relentlessly bash into them at speeds up to 40 miles per hour,’ said Captain Richard McDermott” (paragraph 3). The incongruity used as an element of satire in this quote by putting together the “chance to view the majestic animals” and “relentlessly bashing into them” at high speeds helps contribute to the satirical tone. In this way, the article is able to portray the idea that people who seemingly treasure the whales are actually harming the whales (even if they are not directly hitting the whales with their boats). The purpose of the article is to portray the idea that the whales are in a diminishing situation in which they cannot escape those who believe they are not harming the whales. For example, although most of the details in the article are false, the article writes, “...in an attempt to warn their pods of danger as they vainly attempt to evade the tour company’s sonar-equipped watercraft” (paragraph 7). It is true that boats are now able to listen and interrupt whales’ sonar communications, even if their intent on doing so is innocent. The audience of the article are the “innocent” people who believe they are not doing anything to harm the whales (since they feel as though they are not taking such extreme measures such as hitting the whales with their boats). Additionally, the article uses understatements as an element of satire in order emphasize the extremities in other parts of the article. For example, the article writes, “The captain cautioned, however, that the tour may not be ideal for those who are easily made seasick” (paragraph 11). The reader is able to obviously see that there are more elements that can make the reader sick on the tour besides seasickness, yet the article only emphasizes the seasickness. As a result, the reader can clearly see that the negative effects of the boats’ actions when contrasted so clearly with the simplicity of the caution of seasickness. By using these elements of satire, the article is able to effectively accomplish its purpose of satirically commenting on the situation of the whales. 

 Article:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/boston-cruise-line-introduces-new-whale-ramming-to,37277/ 

TOW #7- Night by Elie Wiesel (IRB post)

The second half of Night by Elie Wiesel describes experiences in the Holocaust that were significantly worse than the experiences described in the first half of the book. For example, the first part of the book explains Wiesel’s life before being taken to the concentration camps and it explains his experiences in the ghetto (which, although incredibly difficult, were not as bad as those in the second half of the book), while, in the second half of the book, Wiesel explains losing his father, the extreme cold and long runs, and the starvation and surrender to death. As a result, Wiesel frequently uses anaphora to help appeal to pathos. Wiesel writes, “The last night in Buna. Once more, the last night. The last night at home, the last night in the cattle car, and, now, the last night in Buna” (83). The repetition of the words “last night” cause the reader to feel sad. Although it is not directly stated, Wiesel is implying that soon there will be a “last night” of his life, which also creates sad emotions for the reader. Wiesel’s audience is the general public, and Wiesel is trying to inform everybody about his previous experiences in order to prevent something so horrendous from happening again. This use of anaphora which appeals to pathos allows Wiesel to play with the reader’s emotions and make them feel sad (therefore, the reader would be less likely to allow something like the Holocaust from happening again in the future). Additionally, this quote connects to the title, Night. It emphasizes how Wiesel has reached a point in his life where he can begin to count the time he has left to live by nights. Finally, Wiesel uses the symbolism associated with nights to once more appeal to pathos. Usually, “night” is associated with darkness (symbolic for bad things) and a fear of the unknown, both of which are prominent emotions and occurrences throughout Wiesel’s experiences in the Holocaust. Therefore, Wiesel effectively uses the repetition of the word “night” to appeal to pathos and create a parallel structure with his experiences, which helps him to successfully achieve his purpose of informing the general public about his experiences in order to prevent something like the Holocaust from happening again.

TOW #6- Street Stories Ad (visual text)

 

This advertisement is different than typical advertisements because it is presented as graffiti. It was made to support the “Don’t Let Their Stories End on the Street” campaign that strives to help the homeless. It strives to “bring the message with true stories right to the street, right to the people.” Therefore, the audience is the general public who is passing this graffiti on the street. However, it is typically for an audience of city people since it is located in a city environment rather than a country or suburban environment. As a result, the diction is catered to city people. For example, the image talks about how the city is a “jungle” at night. Someone from the countryside, or an actual jungle, might be confused about how the city is a jungle (or even offended that the city is being called a jungle because it is not an actual jungle). On the other hand, people from the city would be able to relate to the jungle-like experience of living in the city (for example, perhaps both living in the city and the jungle provide a sense of something lurking in the darkness at night, etc.), which would make these people more likely to support the cause. The diction also appeals to pathos because it says, “Dad Died,” which makes the audience feel sad and feel sympathy. All of the graffiti made by this organization is made by the person (usually teens and young adults) who is affected, and by using syntax with simply phrased sentences, the innocence and youngness of the artist is portrayed. Also, the audience feels bad for the artist because he is homeless because his father died, not because he did something wrong, etc. Since the image is located in the city, it is more in place, since there is a lot of graffiti in the city. However, it might catch people’s attention because graffiti is not usually used to promote social action campaigns. The purpose of the ad is to gain support in helping to decrease homeless population. The creator of this ad was streetstories.org.uk, which gives the impression of being a reliable speaker since it is a “.org” site, and therefore a defined organization. All of the prints that were made that are sold for support on the website were sold. Therefore, the purpose was successfully accomplished.

TOW #5- Coatesville by John Jay Chapman (written text)

Coatesville was written by John Jay Chapman. Chapman was a writer in the early twentieth century who often wrote about political matters, especially on topics like anti-slavery and civil rights. His family was very involved in anti-slavery organizations, which most likely influenced his opinions in writing about anti-slavery. This particular speech was published in 1912 to be given at a prayer meeting to commemorate the 1911 lynching of a black man in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Chapman wrote this essay because he felt strongly about the injustice that had been taken against the black man, and he felt disappointed that the whole country had witnessed the event, but no one had stood up to the cruelty. As a result, Chapman writes with a seemingly annoyed tone in order to express his disappointment in the country. Chapman writes, “Some months ago I asked a friend who lives not far...something about this case...and he replied to me: ‘It wasn’t in my county,’ and that made me wonder whose county it was in” (3). In this quote, Chapman’s annoyance is expressed through his speculation of ownership of the event (by wondering “whose county” in which the event took place and who should take ownership). Although he gave this speech at a prayer meeting to which only two people attended, his speech was also published in Harper’s Weekly (the primary political magazine of Chapman’s time period), so Chapman was actually writing for an audience of the whole country, especially for people who have influence on political matters (since these people would most likely read this magazine). By doing this, Chapman is able to get his opinion about anti-slavery across to people who have power to influence the country’s politics and initiate change. Therefore, Chapman is writing with the argumentative mode of writing, using mostly pathos and ethos to argue his point. Chapman is arguing that each person must take ownership for their own neglect at standing up for people who are suffering because of their race in his time period, and that people can’t just blame this neglect on history. His purpose, as a result, is to get people to stand up for civil rights and take responsibility for their actions (or lack thereof), and is achieved well through is tone and mode, as well as his credibility on writing about the subject.

TOW #4- Corn-pone Opinions by Mark Twain (non-fiction text)

Corn-pone Opinions was written by Mark Twain. Mark Twain was a famous literary icon from the late 1800s, and is often referred to as the father of American literature. He wrote a mix of fiction and nonfiction writing. This particular essay was published posthumously in 1923,and was found in his papers after his death. As a result, it can be assumed that this essay was never written for an audience, and was written more as a personal contemplation as opposed to being published for an audience. However, if he did intend for it to be published, it seems to be written for the general public since he references a variety of topics that would connect to multiple different people, from topics like religion to politics. In this essay, Twain writes about public opinion and the inability for people to have independent thoughts and ideas. Twain begins the essay by referencing his childhood and the black slave who told Twain about his ideas that no one can have their own opinion and about the constant conforming of society. Twain’s purpose in mentioning this is to explain to the reader about public opinion and about how people cannot ever have their own thoughts that are not influenced by something else in some way. He uses the personal anecdote about the man from his childhood in order to describe the origins of his thoughts on public opinion. Twain uses rhetorical questions as another rhetoric device in his writing. He asks the question and then immediately answers it. For example, Twain writes, “Was the acceptance reasoned out? No” (Twain 2). In this way, Twain is able to connect to the reader’s thought process (since he/she is probably thinking a similar question as the rhetorical question in the essay) and the reader can better understand about public opinion when Twain promptly answers the asked question. As a result, Twain is able to more clearly explain his ideas about public opinion to the reader, and his purpose of explaining these ideas is accomplished well.

Source: http://www.cmgww.com/historic/twain/about/index.php

TOW #3- Night By Elie Wiesel (IRB post)

This marking period I am reading Night by Elie Wiesel. It is a memoir about Wiesel’s experiences in the Holocaust. So far, I am only halfway through the book. Wiesel, the main character, has left his “normal” life, and has been deported to multiple concentration camps, including Birkenau and Auschwitz. He has been separated from his mother and sister, and he only has his father left as they work in the labor camps. After reading the preface to the book, written by Elie Wiesel himself, I learned that his purpose in writing is to inform people of the horrors through which he lived so similar horrors do not occur in the future. Wiesel writes, “The witness has forced himself to testify. For the youth of today, for the children who will be born tomorrow. He does not want his past to become their future” (xv). Based on this excerpt from the preface, it seems as though Wiesel is writing to inform the children of his experiences. However, the topic of the book, as well as the graphic detail to which he explains events (such as when he writes, “Never shall I forget the small faces of children whose bodies I saw transformed into smoke under a silent sky” (34)) does not seem to be appropriate for children to read. Therefore, the audience is the general public, and Wiesel is trying to inform everybody about his previous experiences in order to prevent something so horrendous from happening again. In the beginning of the preface, Wiesel questions why he wrote the book. Based on his response to this question, it is clear that the occasion for which Wiesel is writing the book is because he felt he needed to put into words what happened, since he couldn’t speak and stand up for himself back then, and since he feels God let him survive for some greater purpose. In order to meaningfully achieve his purpose, Wiesel uses the narrative mode of writing in order to make the reader feel as though they are living the events with Wiesel. Additionally, Wiesel uses many metaphors to help describe what it is like to live through the Holocaust, as well as to intensify the monstrosities he lived through (such as by writing “...his aides were veritable monsters” (44)). As a result, Wiesel is able to achieve his purpose of writing to inform people of his past in order to prevent events like the Holocaust from happening in the future.

TOW #2- Bluefin Tuna Overfishing by WWF (visual text)

This ad was published by the WWF in order to help gain awareness and support against bluefin tuna overfishing. The WWF is an organization that strives to protect wildlife. Their most well-recognized symbol is the panda. This advertisement is seemingly mocking the lack of support for the bluefin tuna because they are not pandas. Additionally, this idea of lack of support is the way the WWF is using pathos. The viewer of this ad feels sorry for the bluefin tuna because they are not receiving the support they need to survive since they are not as cute or popular as pandas. With this sympathy, the viewer feels inclined to help support the less-known cause of the bluefin tuna. In this case, the intended audience is most likely people who do not know about the bluefin tuna, and the purpose of the ad is to gain awareness to help support their cause. The use of the quote, “Would you care more if I was a panda?”, is the author of the ad’s use of satire, to show that average people do not care about saving wildlife unless they are saving the pandas, or other well-known, cute animals. In addition to the quote, there is a picture of a bluefin tuna wearing a panda mask. It is portraying the idea that the bluefin tuna is the same on the “inside” as it always is but just has a different appearance that makes it seem cuter and more in need of help. This image is another way the creator uses pathos, by making the bluefin tuna seem like an innocent child searching for attention by wearing a mask. In this way, the reader is able to feel more sympathy for the bluefin tuna and the reader is inclined to support the cause of stopping overfishing. By doing this, the creator’s purpose of gaining support for the bluefin tuna is well accomplished. 

Source: 
http://webdesignledger.com/inspiration/30-examples-of-smart-print-advertisement 

IRB Intro- Night by Elie Wiesel

My first Independent Reading Book is Night by Elie Wiesel. It is a memoir about Wiesel’s experiences in the Holocaust. The version I am reading is: “A new translation by Marion Wiesel,” who I learned is Elie Wiesel’s wife by reading his preface. I have read the preface and the foreword so far, as well as random pages from throughout the book in order to get a sense of what the book will be like. From these short readings, I have enjoyed the book so far, although it is very honest and sad, and I can’t wait to read it.

TOW #1- How to Say Nothing in 500 Words by Paul Roberts (written text)

Many students connect to feeling this frustration when writing essays, as stated by Roberts. Source: http://jackiemurphy21.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/students-who-struggle-with-written-expression/

How to Say Nothing in 500 Words is written by Paul Roberts. Roberts was an accomplished writer of multiple English textbooks, and he focused on writing rules and descriptions about the art of writing. In this particular excerpt, Roberts writes about word choice and making your writing more meaningful. It is intended for student writers who write just because there is an assignment (and are only writing to fulfill the number of words they need), and it is meant to help the student writers improve their writing and word choice. As a result, Roberts needs to write the passage in a way that is interesting to students, and in a way that students will connect to his ideas. Roberts does this by using anecdotes to show the students he knows what they are going through, and he connects with them on an emotional level. For example, Roberts writes, “It’s Friday afternoon, and you have almost survived another week of classes...the English instructor says: ‘For Monday you will turn in a five-hundred-word composition on college football.’ Well, that puts a good big hole in the weekend” (Roberts 1). Most students have experienced a similar situation, and perhaps even a very similar essay prompt about which to write, and in the first few sentences of his writing, Roberts is able to catch the students’ attention. The student is now drawn in and is waiting for Roberts to tell him/her how he/she should write the essay, as opposed to the way he/she usually writes this type of essay. By doing this, Roberts is also using pathos (by connecting to his readers on an emotional level). As a result, the constant connections to the reader throughout the passage are effective at getting the reader to listen to Roberts’ ideas and learn about ways to improve word choice and writing styles.

Bop by Langston Hughes

Be-Bop sheet music. Source: http://www.sheetmusicdirect.us/sheetmusic/song/1000049949/be-bop?redirect=1

Langston Hughes’ essay, Bop, is entirely a conversation between the narrator and the character named Simple (seemingly a father and a son since Simple refers to the narrator as “Daddy-o” (1)). It seeks to portray the cultural significance of Be-Bop music to those who might just take this type of music for granted, as well portray the hardships faced by African-American people during the time period of this essay. This essay was written in 1949, at a time when Jim Crow laws were still prevalent and African-American people were being persecuted because of their race. As a result, the essay strives to share about the unique cultural bond shared by African-American people through their music as a result of this persecution. It was written by Langston Hughes, who was an award winning poet. This essay is written in an interesting, poem-like way since it is comprised entirely of dialogue. The use of African-American dialect in the conversation helps the reader feel more connected to the author, since the audience of this essay is the white population trying to better understand Be-Bop music. Additionally, the repetition of the word “depressing” at the end of the essay provides an emphasis on Hughes opinion that this is a depressing topic that is being shielded by the positive facade of the happy music, and as a result, white people do not understand the hardships being faced by the African-American people at this time. Hughes also uses anecdotes. Hughes writes, “‘Then I have to go into my whole pedigree because I am a black man in a white neighborhood. And if my answers do not satisfy them, BOP!’” (2). The anecdotes in the middle of the essay of Simple’s experiences being hit in the head and feeling the rhythm of the music help the reader to understand the true meaning of the music in a “real-life” way. Hughes purpose of showing that Be-Bop music is more than just nonsense music and is a meaningful bond between African-Americans because of their struggles is fulfilled by the use of repetition and of anecdotes.

Sources:

http://www.pbs.org/thewar/at_home_civil_rights_minorities.htm

http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/langston-hughes

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou’s essay, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, explains her coming-of-age experience when she begins to understand the struggles she faces because of her race. Angelou was a successful writer, winning many awards, as well as being an actress, dancer, and singer. This essay was written as a memoir about her childhood, and it was written to explain to the general public about the difficulties she faced growing up as an African-American child. Additionally, it portrays the epiphany she has when she realizes that it is important to remain kind and strong instead of lashing out in order to defeat evil. Angelou uses the narrative mode of writing for this memoir, and the essay is comprised entirely of multiple personal anecdotes. Angelou also uses rhetorical questions and metaphors throughout the essay. The rhetorical questions help put the reader in Angelou’s mindset and allow Angelou to insert the thoughts she was having during the situations in the essay. For example, Angelou writes, “How long could Momma hold out? What new indignity would they think of to subject her to?” (15). These questions allow the reader to understand Angelou’s thoughts and feelings while the event is taking place, and therefore, create a stronger connection to Angelou.

The metaphors provide more thorough descriptions that place the reader in the story and give the reader a better understanding. For example, Angelou writes, “I burst. A firecracker July-the-Fourth burst” (15). This metaphor describes how angry Angelou was when the girls were disrespectful to Momma, and it helps the reader better understand Angelou’s feelings about their nasty actions. These two rhetorical devices are useful in helping Angelou’s purpose of portraying the struggles of her childhood because they place the reader in the story in Angelou’s shoes, which form stronger connections between Angelou and the reader. The connections that are formed are then used to help the reader better understand and become informed about the struggles Angelou faced growing up as an African-American girl, since the essay is written well after the events in the essay took place and the audience has not lived through similar events themselves.

Maya Angelou as a child.   Source: http://www.eurweb.com/2014/05/author-poet-maya-angelou-dies-in-north-carolina-at-86/

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/people/maya-angelou-9185388#career-beginnings

How It Feels to Be Colored Me by Zora Neale Hurston

Glass Beach by Christopher Jobson

Zora Neale Hurston’s essay, How It Feels to Be Colored Me, provides an interesting insight into her unique mindset about being “colored.” Hurston was a renowned author who wrote African-American literature in the twentieth century. This particular essay was published in 1928, at a time when segregation was still prevalent between African-American and white people. As a result, this essay seems to be directed towards the American society and suggests Hurston’s view of equality between people of different races. Hurston writes, “A bit of colored glass more or less would not matter. Perhaps that is how the Great Stuffer of Bags filled them in the first place--who knows?” (4). Hurston uses a child-like tone when referring to “the Great Stuffer of Bags,” which demonstrates her opinion that segregation is an immature action. This quote seeks to make the reader feel foolish when Hurston uses glass in bags to symbolize society and the lack of importance of the glasses’ colors (similar to the lack of importance of people’s colors). Hurston includes multiple other objects in her figurative bag as symbols for different aspects of life, as well as personal anecdotes about her life. These anecdotes strive to create a stronger connection between Hurston and the reader on a more personal level, which helps to more easily portray to the reader the triviality of skin color. Additionally, Hurston aims at making a connection with her audience in the beginning of her essay when she says, “I am colored but I offer nothing in the way of extenuating circumstances except the fact that I am the only Negro in the United States whose grandfather on the mother’s side was not an Indian chief” (1). By saying this, Hurston is explaining that she is an ordinary American, just like her reader, and there is nothing special or different about her. By making these connections with her audience through the usage of personal anecdotes and by explaining her average life, Hurston is able to accomplish her purpose of explaining the importance of equality between races. Through these connections, Hurston is able to reach her audience’s emotions and cause them to agree with her opinion on equality. Furthermore, her simplistic symbolism of items as pieces of society give the reader perspective on the childishness of segregation.