Post Secret

The post secret I chose is the one with the crying baby that says "My biggest fear is that if I have a daughter, she will inherit my eating disorder."
The author of the card explicitly implies that he or she (probably a she, since the card says 'daughter' rather than 'child') has an eating disorder, and they fear that it will be passed to their child. The implicit claim is that an eating disorder is a bad thing, and that the author hopes that her child will not suffer the same feelings of poor body image towards herself that the author felt (towards her own self).
The author, as previously stated, is probably a woman who at some point in her life had a bad personal body image, and developed an eating disorder to try to improve her self image. The audience is directed towards mothers who themselves have had an eating disorder, as well as young girls who are experiencing the same feelings, because the text only says daughters, not sons.
The visual components of the card work at an emotional level, because it is a picture of a baby crying, which can easily stir feelings. Of course, babies do not have a body image at such a young age, but many mothers see their daughters as their babies, even when they get into their teenage years.

Newspaper Advertisement

The post that I found was in a newspaper, an ad for the store American Apparel. The header for the ad is "Short Shorts Shiny Tights" in black bold letters. Below this, there are three pictures of the same girl, in different poses, wearing the same outfit in different colors; she is wearing short shorts, shiny tights, and a tank top. Below the picture, the name of the store is listed, and there are addresses for the locations of the store, and additional information.
This work fails me, personally, as the audience, because i have no desire to wear short shorts with shiny tights. Also, the way the model poses is not "model-esque" (pardon me for the lack of a better word), but instead the model has a lifeless look on her face, and the background is plain white. The intended audience of this ad is young women who are in their late teens to early twenties, who want to wear short shorts and shiny tights, and clothes of the like.
The claim of the ad, which is that that store sells shiny tights and short shorts is implied through the words at the top of the ad. Its support (and evidence) are shown through the pictures of the girl wearing short shorts and shiny tights. The warrant for this ad is that anyone reading the article wants to wear short shorts and shiny tights, even though many probably do not.

Article Responses

“Ugly, the American” is an article written by James Poniewozik, who claims that America is a melting pot of different cultures, and that the combination of new blood is what makes this country what it is. His main example is based off of the TV series, “Ugly Betty,” a show about the daughter of an illegal immigrant, who, although she wears strange clothing and brings Mexican food to work, becomes accepted by her coworkers at Mode magazine. Poniewozik also shows that most reality television in America is taken from other countries-American Idol is British; Survivor was originated in Sweden-yet another reason that American culture is not, well, all-American.
One of the author’s warrants in this essay is that laws to keep illegal immigrants out of the country are made to protect American culture from being changed by other countries. Another warrant is that because many of the television programs are adapted from other countries, their culture is seeping into the pop-culture of America. The opposing views are successfully refuted because the author conveys to the reader that although borders need to be protected, American mainstream culture is a mixture of customs, and helps America see itself.

Kim McLarin’s essay, “Race Wasn’t an Issue to Him, Which Was an Issue to Me”, claims that she could not be in a relationship with a white man who was willing to grapple with race, unlike her ex-husband, because his ‘grappling’ was just beginning and hers had started at 5. Her reasoning for this is that while Jerry, the white man she was seeing, was not racist, his grappling was less mature than hers.
The author’s warrants in this article are that only black people can grapple with race from childhood, whereas white individuals can not start grappling with race until that have fully matured into adulthood, and that a white person is born with an innocence (although I believe this detail must also include how and where the person was brought up). The opposing views are successfully refuted, because the author reveals that even though people can be open to inter-racial relationships, they can only work if both individuals can grapple on the same level of maturity.

Rhetorical Analysis

Essay "Shades of Black"
Louis Chude-Sokei

Central Claim: "Immigrant status is deployed not against race but against the messy and unresolved tensions of domestic American racial relationships." (pg. 189)

My Central Claim:
"Chude-Sokei effectively relates to the audience that Obama does not surpass race, but instead embodies the strains that go beyond black and white." (pg. 3)

My Revised Claim:
"Louis Chude-Sokei presents his argument in such a way, through claims, warrants, and evidence, that he gains credibility by his knowledge and presentation."

My conclusion:
"Louis Chude-Sokei wrote it to inform and persuade the readers about racial tensions that are in American, between immigrant blacks and African Americans."

Rhetorical Essay Readings and Outline

"Shades of Black"
Louis Chude-Sokei

This essay was the first that really caught my attention. It addresses many racial issues; however, it is all within the same race. The article is called "Shades of Black" because the author describes the tensions between native blacks and immigrant blacks, because the immigrant blacks are oftentimes more educated, and whites use differences in the two groups to charge the African Americans with problems without being accused of racism.

"Welcome Candy, Sam & George: Immigrants Change Countries, and Their Names"
Yvonne Abraham
This essay was very interesting to me. I was never aware of how many immigrants changed their names when they moved into the US. Many people change their names to avoid scrutiny and complications when dealing with American citizens who are too ignorant to realize the importance of diversity.

The essay that I chose to use for my rhetorical analysis is "Shades of Black". I chose this essay because it had more of an argument than that of "Welcome Candy, Sam & George: Immigrants Change Countries, and Their Names".

I. Introduction
II. Text
a. Essay
b. Argumentative
III. Reader/Audience
a. General Public
b. Readers of the Los Angeles Times
c. Those either supporting or interested in Barack Obama
d. More specifically, minorities
IV. Author
a. Louis Chude-Sokei
b. Associate Professor of literature at the University of California-Santa Cruz
c. Author of The Last ‘Darky’: Bert Williams, Black-on-Black Minstrelsy and the African Diaspora
V. Constraints
a. Because the author is a professor of African-American Studies, he has a first-hand look at African American prejudices.
b. He believes that white America looks down on native blacks as opposed to immigrant blacks.
c. Depending on who is reading it, these constraints can limit effectiveness of the essay, or create common ground.
i. Anyone who is racist can oppose any of the author’s views.
ii. Those who are racially tolerant will agree with the author and therefore accept the essay’s claims.
VI. Exigence
a. The essay was written because Barack Obama is running for presidency.
b. He is biracial, however, he is not considered white; black, but not African American; American but not African.
VII. Conclusion

Short Writing Assignment #5

In Mike White’s “Making a Killing”, the TRACE Method can be used to analyze the argument of the text, whether or not the gory movies had an influence on the outcome of the Virginia Tech Massacre. In this crisis, the killer, Seung-Hui Cho, initiated the mass murder of 32 people on a school campus in Virginia.
This argument is a newspaper article written for The New York Times that presents evidence that horror movies involving gruesome material and violent scenes may provoke mentally unstable individuals to irrationally avenge personal situations. This essay has allusions to many dramatic works ranging from horror movies to Shakespearean plays. The article is directed towards the public, in general, since it was published in a major newspaper, and is about an event that was widely publicized in media nationally. The anticipated outcome is to get the reader thinking about the effects of violent movies on young viewers, convincing them some people may let fantasy coincide with reality. The author is Mike White, a screenwriter who, as a teenager, let movies influence his personality and image, and questions whether other aspects of film-such as gory bloodbaths-can inspire some individuals to emulate the scenes. Readers emotionally involved in the event may perceive these movies as Cho’s motive for the massacre, and therefore create common ground between the reader and the author. The event that caused this argument was the Virginia Tech Massacre, which may have been inspired by a violent scene in a movie. It is obviously perceived as a problem, because many lives were lost in the tragedy.
This argument was written to examine the effects that sadistic movies have on young viewers. The author presented evidence to the audience to persuade them that Americans need to consider the messages being sent through these entertaining yet brutal movies.

Short Writing Assignment #4

After analyzing the two blogs on the different forums using the TRACE method, I found a distinct difference between David Friedman’s blog and the blog I found on Facebook. Friedman’s blog is written to discuss the irony created by inexpensive hotel costs that include free internet service and pricier hotels that charge an extra fee for it. The blog posted on Facebook is written by a newlywed questioning why things change in the first year of marriage.
Both Friedman’s text and the text found on Facebook are written in a “web log” style, but Friedman’s blog is an informative piece posted online to inform the public about price discrimination dealing with hotels and internet service, while the blog on Facebook is written in an inquisitive form by a recently married woman, unsure of where her marriage is headed. Friedman’s blog is directed towards the general public, more specifically to those interested in economics, who can more easily relate to the issue. The targeted audience of the Facebook blog, on the other hand, is the group of friends close to the author, because these are the people she trusts most with her problems, and can give her the best advice. The author of Friedman’s blog is obviously David Friedman, who had probably traveled to many cities, and stayed in several places, ranging from inexpensive motels with free internet service to high priced hotels that charge extra for the service. The author of the Facebook blog is a young woman that has only been married for 3 months, and has therefore had little experience with marriage, and seeking help from her friends. A constraint found in Friedman’s blog could be that a reader is a manager of a hotel who understands why there is price discrimination in the situation. The Facebook blog’s author is constrained by the belief that people have high expectations of marriage, and that it creates problems. Exigence in Friedman’s blog is that he traveled to different hotels and was confused as to why internet service was or was not free in “cheap” or “expensive hotels, respectively. The Facebook blog was written because the author hit a rocky patch in her marriage and felt as though she was abandoned by her husband.
The similarities and differences in the two forums were created because Friedman’s blog was a more professional entry, open for anyone to read, while the newlywed’s blog was a less formal piece asking for advice from her friends.

Short Writing Assignment #3

After completing the analysis, I found that I had checked items in both columns, consensual and adversarial; however, I feel that I am more of a consensual arguer. When bringing up an issue to another person or group, I tend to be indirect in my approach. I always try to back my opinion with logical reasoning, as to try to get the opposing party to see my views. I prefer cooperation; if I am in a group discussion, I like rational conversation as opposed to all-out war, with both parties competing to force the other to see their views. I usually try to avoid confrontation, because I am intimidated by others’ opinions and aggressive nature. I can easily see more than one view in an argument, so it is also easy for me to see logic in another person’s opinion. Most of what I argue about comes from a logical perspective, as well as emotional. If I feel that what is being argued crosses a line, perhaps attacking people’s morals, I tend to fight on more of an emotional level. I prefer negotiation over winning, because a compromise is a victory for both parties, and prevents further dispute.
Most of my argumentative style comes from my parents. Although they have strong opinions involving my upbringing, expenses, and politics, they always came to a compromise in arguments. If I went out with my friends, and they gave me an eleven o’clock curfew, but I wanted to be home at midnight, we would agree that I should be home at eleven-thirty, to avoid yelling and bickering. Disagreements over similar issues involving expenses, politics, etc. normally end in a consensus between the two of them. Also, another aspect of my consensual style comes from my gender. A lot of emotions are involved with the decisions I make, because I try to take other people’s feelings into account, which is another reason I like to reach a compromise, to avoid conflict.
Although I have qualities of both consensual and adversarial arguers, I tend to have more of a consensual style of argument. I would be more likely to resolve an argument than to provoke one. This form of argument was brought on by my parents, as well as my compassionate nature, being a girl.

Short Writing Assignment #2

Kathleen Parker’s article, “Seeking Balance in an Either-Or World” describes to the reader her take on liberal and conservative extremes. Although she can easily pick a side, she often finds herself straddling the fence when it comes to issues such as abortion. First, she relates that as a columnist, many people expect her to choose a particular political view, because “It depends” shows and indecisive nature. She continues about the nation’s abortion policy, pushing for a pro-life position, but later returning to the unjust policy of motherhood forced by the government. Parker discusses many people’s desire to compromise these issues, stating that the country needs more practical education standards, teaching students the advantages and disadvantages of abortion as effective birth control. She conveys her disgruntled attitude towards the population caught in the boundaries, because unlike her, they have a clear opinion. Parker introduces new voice for those wandering down the middle path, John. P. Avlon. Avlon has presented centrism, the idea that discards both ends of a concern, and instead supports concepts such as motive, civility, and a practical standpoint. Parker articulates that extremist have been in control of the country long enough, and that Independents are gaining more support across the nation.
Parker’s assessment is one of a strong voice, and she had many valid points, especially for a person who cannot choose a particular side in a political situation. She brings forth many aspects of the abortion topic; however, she never seemed fully back her opinion, whether it be from a pro-life or pro-choice standpoint. By presenting centrism into the text, Parker engaged the reader with the idea that many Americans are, like her, straddling both sides, and therefore representing the “moderate” half of the United States population. Avlon’s claim that the inflexibility of the extremists creates a deadlock or causes irrelevance convey to the audience that although a person may not choose particular sides, their open-minded angle is still a means for opposition.
In my experiences, I have found many of Parker’s claims to be true. I have never been a person to choose a side in a debate, because I could find reasons for both sides to be true. I have always wandered down the middle path, and until now, I had never heard of centrist ideals. I always assumed that everyone had always been on either side, defined in black and white. Although extremists will object to centrism as being patriotic, I believe that being able to see both sides can enable you to appreciate the morals of any political figure, and also make decisions for the best outcome, rather than being set in one frame of mind that may not always be the right path.

Short Writing Assignment #1

Many college professors are concerned with students’ lack of interest in literature. Although several high school graduates manage to receive their diplomas with more than a 3.5 GPA, some speculate that these students did not read much in high school, or that they have given up reading as they progressed to college.
Journalism professor Michael Skube notes that although students are able to identify well known authors, it is obvious when these students do not read for class or for leisure. When engaged in conversation or writing a paper, the students’ vocabulary falls short of college level, and sometimes even high school level. The students that are enrolled in college courses are the same students that cannot form a complete sentence, a concept taught in grade school. Because of this dilemma, many people question whether a high school diploma is worth what it is made out to be. Skube also speculates that while some students have GPAs well above 3.5, the students with high standardized test scores are those that are familiar with the English language and more likely to excel in a university.
In my classroom experience, much of what Skube stated is true. In my high school, the students in honors classes were very competitive, and most had high standardized test scores. However, because many students not taking the honors courses took the ‘easy’ way out by enrolling in the generic classes, their GPAs were sky-rocketed, and these pupils had GPAs comparable to those of students in Advanced Placement classes. The students in the honors classes were required to read many novels and passages throughout the school year, and this was reflected in our standardized test scores. Contrary to Skube’s assertions, however, many colleges to which I applied seemed to base a student’s acceptance on standardized test scores than high school GPAs.
Todd Hagstette’s “aggressive” reading may be of some help to those students described in Skube’s article; however, it may not be of any help at all. If these students read on a regular basis, but read for enjoyment rather than comprehension, learning to read aggressively could improve their vocabulary and conversation. On the contrary, if the students do not read at all, aggressive reading would not help them at all, unless they begin reading, and in the so-called “uncomfortable” manner.
According to Michael Skube, many students do not read, and it shows in their standardized test scores, as opposed to their excellent GPAs. This statement is proven in many schools, including the rankings in the high school from which I graduated. These students may benefit from aggressive reading, however, if they do not read in the first place, changing their reading strategies would not help them.