TOW #24- Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (IRB post 2)

Laura Hillenbrand supports her story well in the book Unbroken with primary source quotes and research. By doing this, Hillenbrand is able to appeal to ethos well and make the story more believable, as well as familiarize readers on the details of war with which they might not be familiar (assuming they are not World War II historians). This helps the reader better understand the story, and Hillenbrand is able to accomplish her purpose. Hillenbrand’s purpose is to inform the reader of the miraculous life events of Louis Zamperini, from his incredible Olympic journal to his ability to beat all the odds in surviving the war, from surviving a plane crash to surviving a prisoner of war camp. Since Hillenbrand’s book is based on a true story, she must provide this extensive research for her audience to help solidify the validity of her writing. For example, when explaining the troubles faced by B-24 planes landing on small islands, Hillenbrand writes, “For loaded B-24s, which needed well over four thousand feet for takeoff, the cropped island runways, often abutted by towering palm trees, were a challenge, ‘The takeoff proved exciting,’ wrote Sergeant Frank Rosynek of one overloaded departure” (82). In this quote, Hillenbrand is able to give background information to the reader about some of the difficulties faced by planes liked Zamperini’s as well as provide a primary source quotation to help give the reader a more well-rounded opinion of the time period. Also, in addition to simply citing facts of the time period, Hillenbrand is able to use primary source quotations to help set the tone and provide the emotions of the soldiers for the readers. For example, Hillenbrand writes, “‘There was a SWOOSH and pieces of palm fronds suddenly appeared jammed in the cracks, on both sides!...Only the laundry knew how scared I was’”(82). The story is more believable and intriguing with Hillenbrand’s provided primary sources, which helps her complete her purpose well and write a thoroughly interesting and informative book.

TOW #23- How to speak so that people want to listen by Julian Treasure (written text)

Julian Treasure studies sound and then advises people on how to use it. He is the chair of the Sound Agency, which advises businesses on how to use sound. This background in studying sound provides Treasure with the automatic ethos he needs in order to make an effective speech about sound. Although Treasure has made a total of five TED Talk speeches on different aspects of sound, this TED Talk, “How to speak so that people want to listen,” focuses on the production of sound from the individual, while other speeches of his focus more on listening, etc. Treasure has an effective introduction in this speech, connecting with his audience before explaining to them how to speak well. He begins by stating a fact that connects everyone to him (saying that the human voice is an instrument we all play) while using the first person pronoun of “we” to show that what he is saying applies to him as well, which helps his appeal to ethos. He then immediately provides examples of using the voice that also connect to the audience while proving his point that the voice is a powerful tool (such as when he explains using the voice to say “I love you”). The organization of Treasure’s speech is also very effective. He begins by listing all of the mistakes people make when speaking and then he goes on to correct these mistakes by explaining how to talk correctly. He uses verbal numbered lists that also appear sequentially on his power point to help with the organization of his ideas. Since his purpose is to explain how to speak well, following this structure allows him to explain this in a clear, direct way that allows for easy visualization since this was intended to be an oral speech. Using all of these strategies, Treasure’s purpose of explaining how to speak well is accomplished.

https://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_how_to_speak_so_that_people_want_to_listen/transcript?language=en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIho2S0ZahI

TOW #22- #DearMe by YouTube (visual text)

YouTube’s #DearMe campaign seeks to inspire young girls to not be afraid of being themselves. In an attempt to accomplish this, YouTube must gear the advertisement towards the audience of the young girls. YouTube does this by compiling the videos of many different girls from different ages, races, personalities, etc. This provides the advertisement with automatic ethos since the young girls are bound to listen to at least one of the girls who connects to them the most. Additionally, since the advertisement is compiled of real life videos that average people (not paid actors, etc.) made in honor of the campaign, the young girls are more likely to listen to and believe the older girls. Finally, since the advertisement is created by YouTube, a well-known, popular Internet site, the advertisement has automatic ethos since it is sponsored by such a reputable source. While most of the girls have relatively serious things to say, a couple of the girls make humorous remarks, which helps appeal to the pathos of the ad. By doing this, the advertisement makes an appeal to the emotions of the young girls, which helps them believe the advertisement more (which is the purpose of it). Additionally, the music in the background helps set the inspirational tone. The organization of the advertisement begins by the older girls saying “Dear [specific name].” This makes these girls seem more real and helps the younger girls connect to them more easily. The girls in the advertisement then go on to discuss some of the things that they felt insecure about when they were younger, which helps the younger girls who might be experiencing similar things connect to these older girls and want to listen to the advice the older girls are giving towards the end. The advertisement also creates one letter by picking and choosing certain phrases from many girls’ letters, which helps portray the universal message, as well as make the advertisement exciting as opposed to one person just giving a speech. By doing all of these things, the advertisement seems to be successful in attempting to accomplish young girls to not be insecure about themselves. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/YouTube?feature=inp-gh-ydr-us 

TOW #21- A Modest Proposal to Convert Shopping Malls into Prisons by Dan Geddes (written text)

The article, “A Modest Proposal to Convert Shopping Malls into Prisons” by Dan Geddes, is a satirical article from The Satirist. The explicit purpose is to argue that shopping malls should be turned into prisons. However, the implicit purpose is to comment on the behaviors of society, such as the tendencies to work hard to buy cheaply made goods or to eat oneself to death by eating over-priced, unhealthy foods. The title of the article is an allusion to “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift. By doing this, Geddes is able to demonstrate that his article will follow a similar style to Swift’s: heavily satirical, but still making a valid statement about something that needs to be fixed (in Swift’s case, it is about the Irish famine, while in Geddes’ case, it is about the negative tendencies of society). Geddes also uses many of the elements in Swift’s essay in his own as well. For example, both authors go through the math of why their proposals are the best solution to the given problem, which helps appeal to the logos of the argument, making it more believable. Additionally, Geddes article uses humor in an attempt to appeal to pathos. For example, Geddes comments on the traffic light situation of shopping malls, how the lights seem to be always green on the way into the mall, but seem to be always red on the way out. While he comments on this situation in the context of preventing inmates from escaping, this is humorous to the audience who may have experienced a similar occurrence with the traffic lights when just completing “normal” shopping (as opposed to being in mall prison). The intended audience is the members of society who are guilty of committing the things to which Geddes refers. For example, Geddes talks about people being glued to their couches when watching TV or using the Internet, as well as the negative eating and shopping habits of people. Geddes is attempting to open their eyes to the negative effects of their ways but using what they do on a daily basis as parts of his prison. He is able to negatively comment on their actions without offending them too much since it is written in a satirical way and Geddes is not directly criticizing people for doing these things, rather, he suggests making them part of a prison. Geddes ends with a clincher, saying, “And from that, we all benefit” (27). By saying this, Geddes uses irony, since it is ironic that the things done on a regular basis by the general population would be enough of a punishment to prisoners to benefit society on a whole.

http://www.thesatirist.com/satires/PoliticalSatire/mall_prisons.html

TOW #20- Unbroken by Laura Hillenebrand (IRB post 1)

     The book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is similar to a biography about Louis Zamperini. However, instead of following a typical biography format where it spends an equal length describing all of the events in someone’s life, this book only gives a relatively short intro to give some background information about Zamperini’s personality, the conditions of his early life, etc. The book then focuses heavily on Zamperini’s seemingly impossible experiences working his way to the Olympics. However, I am only half way through the book so far, and it seems that most of the rest of the book wil be focused on Zamperini’s experiences in World War II (this was also given away by the subtitle of the book: “A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.”) Additionally, I read the summary in the front flap of the book before I started reading in order to make sure I would like this book to read for my IRB, and it mentioned how the plane in which Zamperini and his fellow soldiers are flying is going to crash into the ocean, and I predict that the book will focus mainly on Zamperini’s realizations while lost at sea.

    The format of this book is very similar to the format of a fiction book in its story-like style. This format makes the book more interesting to read, since it is more like a story than simply facts. The purpose is to inform the audience about the remarkable life experiences of Zamperini. Though its word choice, as well as its topic being about World War II, this book is written for the general adult/older high school population. However, since this book is based on a true story, it uses expert quotes as well as primary sources and specific dates and events in order to help appeal to the ethos of the story. For example, Hillenbrand writes, “‘I grew a little older that night, sweet, believe me,’ he wrote to Cecy” (Hillenbrand 61). Hillenbrand then proceeds to quote a letter that Louie had received from a friend in order to help more thoroughly describe the type of plane in which Louie would be flying. This ethos makes the book more believable and interesting to read, which helps leave the reader with the impression that Louie was an extraordinary human being who had great resilience when dealing with his experiences. 

TOW #19- Pearl Harbor Speech: Day of Infamy by Franklin D. Roosevelt (written text)

Franklin D. Roosevelt begins his speech for Pearl Harbor by directly addressing his audience, saying “To the Congress of the United States...” However, it is evident that Roosevelt also wants to rile up support from amongst the general American population, since it will not be easy to summon the American people into another war during an already difficult time economically. He then proceeds to directly state the occasion for which he is giving the speech, presenting the details of the attack. His use of the words “suddenly” and “deliberately” add to his argument that the country should go to war in an attempt to portray the Japanese as having provoked this war against America, which is emphasized when Roosevelt says: “The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan...” By doing this, Roosevelt attempts to show that Japan is totally at fault, and if the Americans want peace, we must fight back against this deliberate attack. Roosevelt tries to prove that the war was deliberate by stating facts about the peace messages from the leader of Japan, the distance from Japan to Hawaii, and the preparations that would have needed to occur in order to try to argue his point and gain supporters by portraying Japan as having deliberately attacked America. Roosevelt uses anaphora in an attempt to emphasize all of the places attacked by Japan and the necessity of a war against Japan, saying, “Last night, Japanese forces attacked...” and then listing all of the attacked places. This anaphora appeals to pathos because it portrays the rampant attacks of Japan and inspires fear in the people. This fear provokes people to be more likely to go to war in order to try to prevent any more deliberate attacks. When Roosevelt says, “The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation,” he emphasizes the idea that the people would want to go to war to prevent these attacks, and he uses it to help persuade Congress, since they are theoretically the representatives of the people. Roosevelt also argues to go to war by trying to arouse a sense of nationalism from amongst the people, saying, “No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.”  Finally, Roosevelt concludes by stating his purpose (that the United States need to go to war against Pearl Harbor) as a result of the attacks by Japan on America, saying, “I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.” Looking from a historical perspective, his purpose was successful, since we know the United States participated in World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, Roosevelt’s emphasis on Japan’s fault in the attack, as well as the motivational nationalism he attempts to inspire amongst the people, help contribute to Roosevelt’s successful purpose of declaring war on Japan.

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=1082 

TOW #18- Nissan Commerical "With Dad" (visual text)

Nissan’s Superbowl commercial for 2015 relies heavily on an appeal to pathos in an attempt to be effective. Nissan already has automatic ethos from being a well-known car manufacturer, so the commercial does not have to spend any time explaining what Nissan is or how reliable its cars are, etc. Additionally, the purpose of the ad is not really to explain the advantages of all of the different cars produced by Nissan, but rather to stand out from amongst all of the other commercials during the Superbowl and just gain awareness and popularity as a result of the commercial. Nissan does this by portraying a story of a boy growing up while his father is away most of the time racing cars. This story attempts to appeal to the pathos of the general American population who is watching the Superbowl by portraying the story to which many American families with working parents can relate (the working parents feel as though they have missed watching their children grow up because they are always at work, which is a common feeling amongst many American working families). The Harry Chapin song in the background aids in this appeal to pathos by sounding sad and regretful, which attempts to cause the viewer to feel sad a regretful as well. Additionally, Harry Chapin died in a car crash, so an inferred meaning of the use of this song could be that Nissan is trying to prove that their cars are safe, so that will not happen if you drive a Nissan car (which is shown through the part of the commercial when the father is in the car crash on the track but manages to walk away from it unharmed because he was driving a Nissan car). The commercial ends, however, on a happy note when the father comes to pick up the boy, immediately before the commercial puts up the Nissan logo, which helps the audience to make the connection between the happy feelings and Nissan and makes them, even subconsciously, associate happy family feelings with the car and want to buy that brand of car.  

http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/watch/superbowl-commercial-nissan-supernumberwithdad/vi-AA8RWIw