TOW #13

Roxane Gay, American Author and writer for the New York Times, shared her story of racial profiling in a personal essay called, "My Receipt Was Not Good Enough." Gay wrote about a specific encounter with racial profiling in a Best Buy. Her recently purchased item still had the security tag on it, and set off the alarm. She showed her receipt to the employee standing by the door but he was hesitant to except it. Instead, he waited for the manager who brought over the person who checked her out, only for the cashier to say Gay did indeed buy the video game. All the while, the employee by the door let an old couple who set off the alarm through with Gay watching the whole time. Infuriated, Gay wrote My Receipt Was Not Good Enough, in order to express how racial profiling still exists and is a major issue, by including repetition and allusions. When describing the encounter, Roxanne Gay uses repetition to emphasize the neglect she was experiencing because of her race. She wrote, " I asked him what the problem was and he ignored me. I asked to speak to a manager and he ignored me" (para 4). By repeating the phrase "he ignored me," Gay is able to make it clear to readers that she was not being treated fairly. Not only did the employee let another couple with the same issue leave, he was not even acknowledging Roxanne's presence. As an employee it is his job to respect and communicate properly with a customer. The repetition is showing that the one employee was not the only one to ignore her. The repetition helps Gay express that this was in part to racial profiling because the employees that were ignoring her were helping non-blacks in the store. Along with this Gay includes allusions to show that racial issues are prevalent far beyond her. She writes, "I was mindful of Trayvon Martin and Renisha McBride and Eric Garner who lost their lives to racial profiling" (para 7). By introducing major names that the public knows were killed because of racism, Gay appeals to pathos. By alluding to the deaths of these three people, Gay evokes sadness and sympathy within her readers. By doing so, she is able to express how big of an issue racial profiling is. By including the three big names, it also shows that the racial barrier extends way farther than the walls of the best buy. Her allusions ties together her own story with the greater issue, which helps her express how prevalent racial profiling still is today. Her essay was not only eye-opening but very powerful and expressed an issue that needs to be stopped.  She effectively takes the idea of racial profiling and narrows it down to a spectrum that any reader could understand. Gay's courage of sharing her own story is helping the battle for equality stay afloat, and help erase stigmas that are still apparent, even if we like to think they are not.

TOW #12

Freakonomics is the work of a collaboration between Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Levitt, an economist, joined powers with Dubner, an author, to create a book that teaches readers the hidden side to everything. After reading the beginning parts of this book, I realized nothing is ever as it seems. The numerous stories told in Freakonomics have changed my view on how the world works, and made me realized two completely different things could truly have a connection. Throughout the story, Dubner and Levitt use statistics, and narrative diction aimed toward the reader in order to keep readers interested and to teach the hidden connections of everything. The book makes many claims about things being connected in the world that don't make a lot of sense. As a reader, it could be hard to believe what you are reading is true. The authors include statistics in order to back up what they are saying. For example they wrote, "The teenage murder rate, instead of rising 100 percent or even 15 percent like James Alan Fox warned, fell more than 50 percent within five years. By 2000 the overall murder rate in the United States dropped to the lowest level in thirty-five years." Now readers have actual proof that the crime rate dropped. This appeals to logos, and makes the left field claims have more reason. This effectively helps readers believe what they are reading and make connections on the way things are connected. Along with this, Freakonomics uses narrative diction that speaks to the reader. This is a vital key in keeping readers engaged in a book that is full of facts and statistics. The book reads, "What do the numbers have to say about such cases? Here's the surprise: the amount of money spent by the candidates hardly matters at all." The narrative tone of the book helps improve the flow and make it feel more like a story rather then a fact chart. Along with this, the use of rhetorical questioning and addressing the audience helps engage readers. This helps keep the audience's attention long enough for them to realize the secret connections that happen everyday. I think that the diction of the book is the most important, because that is what has kept me intrigued. This book is by far one of the most interesting non-fiction books I've read, and I look forward to continuing it.

TOW #11

One of the main causes of death in the USA is from car accidents. There have been many attempts to try to diminish the number of these accidents, but none of these attempts have been quite like the one of  The Elm Grove Police. This police force used powerful captions and personalizing it to the driver on their new speed limit signs in order to convince drivers to drive within the speed limit. The sign contains a few powerful captions that really effect the purpose of the sign. Underneath where it says the speed limit, the sign has the slogan, "slower is better." This creates a soft tone of the poster, compared to usual slogans seen on campaigns that yell at their audience. It is stated as a fact to prevent defensive reactions from their audience. The more prominent caption on the sign, however, reads "days in hospital bed," replacing the usual "miles per hour" caption of drivers speed. This is an alerting sign to drivers. No one wants to end up in a hospital bed. The sign is saying if you continue driving at the speed you are, then you will end up hospitalized. This appeals to pathos, evoking fear and guilt within the audience. Drivers are most likely to slow down if they feel like they are going to harm themselves or others. Usually, drivers don't think of the consequences of their driving, but this sign forces them too. This goes hand in hand with personalizing the sign to the driver. The sign uses an automatic speed detector that tells drivers how fast they are driving. By doing so, drivers can see that it is their own speed next to the caption "days in hospital bed." This appeals to pathos as well, because they realize if it is their speed limit, then it will be their fault if someone ends up hospitalized. I think this speed limit sign is very powerful and really makes drivers think. It is a scary thought to think about a car accident, but this poster is allowing drivers to know to slow down if they are above the speed limit. However, I think this sign could also create more damage, because it seems very distracting to drivers. First they have to read all of the words, and next they are afraid of being in a hospital, and scared drivers are at a higher risk for crashing. However, the Elm Grove police did a great job at convincing drivers to slow down through their use of powerful captions and personalizing.

TOW #10

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Arthur C. Brooks, writer for the NY times, released an article about gratefulness. He claims that even if you are not grateful, pretend to be until it starts happening. In "Choose to Be Grateful. It Will Make You Happier," Brooks uses scientific facts as well as personal anecdotes to express how acting grateful will lead to a better and happier life. The beginning of the essay introduces how acting grateful and thankful, even if it isn't always true, can create a more positive life. However, Brooks takes this accusation one step further, and backs it up with scientific evidence. He writes, "gratitude stimulates the hypothalamus (a key part of the brain that regulates stress) and the ventral tegmental area (part of our “reward circuitry” that produces the sensation of pleasure)." Including this piece of information brings his theory from being theoretical to being actual. By including evidence of how gratitude creates pleasure, as well as other case studies, Brooks appeals to logos, which creates a more logical connection for his audience. People are much more likely to trust theories like Brooks' when it is supported with science. Along with including scientific facts, Brooks also includes personal anecdotes to show how his theory has proven to be true in his own life. He shares a story about how a letter he received full of criticism and complaints about his book. Brooks decided to reply with a letter that expressed to his criticizer how grateful he was for him to take the time to read his book and send him a list of ways he could improve it. The criticizer later replied with a much friendlier and warmer letter and both him and Brooks were left feeling satisfied. This anecdote takes Brooks theory and shows the audience that it is proabable, because it has worked in a real life situation. Brooks acted grateful even when he wasn't and both him and the person who wrote the letter were leading happier lives. Both the use of scientific facts and personal anecdotes helped Brooks prove that acting grateful and thankful can create a more positive life.

TOW #9

The Washington Post posted a blog post written by former teacher and current High School Learning Coach, Alexis Wiggins. After 14 years of teaching, Wiggins decided to spend two days shadowing students. Her discoveries shocked her, so she decided to share them with the world. Wiggins writes her blog in sections labeled as 'key takeaways' involving her experience and how she would change her own class if she could to effectively show how teachers don't fully understand what it's like to be a student, and how schooling should be changed. Alexis wrote her article by splitting it up into three key takeaways. She began each takeaway with a summary of what her experience was, and then followed up with the things she would change if she was still a teacher. For example, after explaining how she found herself exhausted at the end of the day from sitting down and listening all day, she wrote about what she would change. One of them being, "build in a hands-on, move-around activity into every single class day. Yes, we would sacrifice some content to do this – that’s fine. I was so tired by the end of the day, I wasn’t absorbing most of the content, so I am not sure my previous method of making kids sit through hour-long, sit-down discussions of the texts was all that effective." This not only told the audience that school should be changed, but gave a key example of how it could be changed. Throughout her essay, she expressed that throughout her 14 years of teaching, she never realized what her students were experiencing. After reading the article, I found that I agreed with a lot of what she said. All of her take-aways began with a statement about students, and I found that most of them were applicable to my daily life as a student. For example, "Students sit all day and sitting is exhausting." In the majority of my classes, I am sitting the entire time, and by the time 1:00 rolls around I have trouble concentrating or keeping my eyes open. I think that Alexis Wiggins took on a very interesting endeavor, and I am interested to know if other teachers would find the same results if they were to take on the same project. 

IRB Intro #2

For my second IRB book, I will be reading Freakonomics by Stephen J Dubner and Steven Levitt. Dubner, an economist teamed up with Levitt, a famous journalist and author, to create the book. The book is written based on what they describe as "the hidden side of everything." The book focuses on why things happen, why people make decisions they do, and how things are or are not connected. I think I will enjoy this book because it offers a new way of viewing life. I really like reading about different interpretations people have and discovering ideas I never would have found on my own. The book was a New York Times Best Seller, and was even turned into a movie. I know many people who read this book last year for IRB, and they loved it. I think it will be a great choice.

TOW #8

One of the most haunting and effective chapters of Unbroken, is titled "200 Silent Men". Author, Laura Hillenbrand uses descriptions and imagry to express the horror and hardships the American prisoners had to face while being captured by the Japenese during World War II. The main character Louie was captured during war, and taken to a place called Ofuna. He soon learned that Ofuna was not a POW(Prisoner of War) camp, but a place off the records to the government where Japense interrogated high profile Americans. The title of the chapter becomes apparent to readers when it is revealed that none of the prisoners are allowed to speak. Louie faces harsh punishments, betrayal, and immense fear at his time at the camp. Hillenbrand writes, " There were rules about every detail of life, from the folding of blankets to the buttoning of clothes, each reinforcing isolation and total obedience" (199). This description expresses the severity of what was expected from the prisoners. They had no freedom to do anything, and there were consequences if they did not obey. Hillenbrand also writes, "Men were beaten for folding their arms, for sitting naked to help heal sores, for cleaning their teeth, for talking in their sleep" (200). This expresses how often they were attacked and how impossible it was to avoid being beaten. The descriptions and imagry created in these sentences by Hillenbrand appeal to pathos, allowing the audience to feel sad and afraid for the men in the interrogation center. This helps the author show the hardhsips the men and the main character Louie faced during his time as a prisoner. I think this chapter was necessary in telling Louie's story. His time spent at the camp played a huge role in shaping the man Louie becomes. Although it was one of the harder chapters to read, because it talked a lot about the torture these men faced, it was very effective in understanding Louie.

TOW #7

This is a campaign ad created by the Web Design Core as part of their campaign to end smoking. The picture depicts a women holding a cigarette, the cigarette smoke forming into a noose around her neck. The bottom of the ad reads, "Kill a Cigarette and Save a Life. Yours. " The author of this ad used metaphors, dark color tones and relatablility to convince the audience to stop smoking. The author used the metaphor of the smoke as the noose to express the high costs of smoking. It expressed that even though it may not seem like it, smoking over time can lead to death. This appeals to pathos, evoking fear and sadness in the audience of smokers. Any one who smokes does not want to see that they are essentially killing themselves. Along with this, the author uses dark color tones to set the mood of the ad. By using only black and white, it tells the audience that it is a serious topic, and the white smoke stands out against the black background. Alone witht this, the ad is very relatable. The person is a normal looking person who anyone who smokes could see themselves as. Along with this, the sentence at the bottom reads "Save a life. Yours" By using yours, and emphasizing it by making it its own sentence, it stands out to readers. It shows them that this ad is made for them, and that if they continue to smoke then they will end up like the person in the picture, killing themselves. The authors effective use is very convincing in getting people to quit smoking. I don't think you can go as far to say that she got everyone who saw the poster to stop smoking, but I think many people who saw this poster and were smokers were greatly effected by it. 

TOW #6

               Hannah Greenwald is a High School student from New Jersey, who's blog was published in the Times of Israel. Hannah's article was about an experience she had with an Uber driver. Hannah is Israeli, and her driver was a Muslim. The beginning of the article discusses the numerous tensions between the two groups, and summarizes a recent killing of Israelis. She explains her hesitation when the app informs her that her driver will be Mohammad, but she proceeds with the ride anyway. Once she was in the car, Mohammad started friendly conversation with her. Eventually, it came up that Hannah was Jewish. However, instead of Mohammad being hostile to her, he was immensely intrigued by her religion. They both began discussing their religions, informing one another on the similarities and differences, and what they thought was interesting. Greenwald even speaks the small amount of Arabic she has been learning for him. Throughout the piece, Hannah Greenwald uses dialogue to appeal to pathos in order to prove to her audience that society should not judge a person based on stereotypes that were given to their religion, ethnicity, etc. Towards the end of her story, she writes,
 "“And here, people think we’re all terrorists. When they see my name, Mohammad, they don’t want me to drive them"
And at that moment my heart broke for him and his people.
“Why do you want to learn Arabic, anyway?” he went on to ask.
“Because I don’t think you’re all terrorists.” I responded.""
This dialogue triggers similar feelings that Hannah experienced in the audience. This helps put the audience in Mohammad's shoes, and have them realize that the stereotypes society has put against him are unfair. Hannah, who's 'people' have been persecuted by his 'people' has no trouble understanding this. She knows that just because he is Muslim means he has prejudices against Jews. This is very important, because if Hannah can get past the stereotypes, then society can too.
           As a Jew myself,  I easily connected with this piece. I have heard the common stereotypes, and it is hard to grow up in a world surrounded with negative groupings to grow up unbiased. However, luckily I live in a part of the world where I do not need to worry about being attacked for my religion. This is why Hannah's piece spoke so much to me. It was able to express the necesity for learning to understand other religions. If both sides approach this learning with an eagerness, rather than skepticism, then there should be no conflict. I think a new generation with Hannah and Mohammad's attitudes can be a start to ending the tensions between religions.

TOW #5

One of the most controversial topics in America is gun violence. In an article written by Timothy Egan for the New York Times, he takes a new approach on who should be held responsible. He begins his article with a criticism on the political approach to gun violence. He mentions many political figures, and directly attacks their responses to the issue. Once he establishes his view on the politics of the issue, he moves on to the main point of the article. He believes moms are the ones who are truly responsible when it comes to gun violence. Egan is able to argue that moms should be responsible for gun violence by using real world examples. The author believes that a major part of the reason mass shootings happen is that the mothers of the shooters give too easy access of guns to their sons. Egan references multiple real life examples of shootings where he believes this can be the case. In reference to the Sandy Hook shooting, he writes, "Can we blame the mother of Adam Lanza, who let a mentally disturbed child arm himself to the teeth just before he slaughtered 20 children and six adults in Newtown? The home was an arsenal, supplied in part by the mother" (Egan para. 8). Referencing real life occurrences appeals to both ethos and pathos. By including an example like Sandy Hook, Egan establishes his credibility. The majority of American adults, which is his audience, have heard of this shooting. This reference is bound to get their attention that the author has some sort of idea of what he is talking about. It also applies to pathos. The references of shootings themselves stir emotions within readers, but Egan brings it one step farther by accusing mothers. Everyone has a mother, and many feel relatively protective and close to their's. Trying to put part of the blame on mothers can either make feel more connected to the issue, and understand the importance of good parenting, or create a defensive reaction, people being offended at the accusation of a loved one. Personally, I understand the logic behind Egan's reasoning, but I do not believe that if the mothers of shooters such as Adam Lanza did not have guns in the house, then they would not have occured. Of course, if his mother knew he was mentally disturbed, she should not have allowed him any sort of access to guns. But that does not mean the shooting is her fault. Lanza could have gotten hold of a gun some other way. Maybe not that day, but definitely at some point, and a shooting still would have occured. 

TOW #4

         The first words Laura Hillenbrand writes in the book Unbroken pull the reader in. Before the book even began, her dedication was adressed to "The wounded and the lost" (Hillenbrand). Immediately I was intruiged. Next came the preface, which jumped right into the middle of the story, telling readers how Zamperini had been stranded among miles of ocean for 27 days. The second page of the preface had me on the edge of my seat, for she wrote how they were finally discovered by a plane, after almost a month of barely surviving, only to find it was an enemy plane, who began to shoot at them. That was how the preface ended. The next page was Part I, talking about Louie Zamperini's childhood. By including such an intruiging preface, I was eager to read on. This is a stretagy the author uses throughout her book. By including a large amount of suspense in Unbroken, Hillenbrand engages readers and demonstrates that people can overcome the hardest obstacles in life and achieve greatness. Because she uses so much excitement and suspese, Unbroken reaches a very large audience. It is not limited to only people who enjoy war stories, because this biography is much more than that. It tells the personal struggles of an individual, and the crazy events in his life. It can appeal to anyone who is old enough to understand the language.
         Louie Zamperini, the person Unbroken is based around, is a main demonstration of someone who was able to overcome obstacles to reach greatness. The beginning parts of the book focus on his childhood, before he was even part of World War II. As a young child, Louie was the face of misbehavior. He continuously robbed stores and people's homes for food, got in fights with other kids, and made trouble at school. This went on for years, with his parent's and teacher's numerous attempts to tame him having no affect. Most people began to give up hope for Louie, expecting him to grow up a failure. However one day, his older brother Pete, marched into the principles office and demanded his brother an opportunity on a sports team. He said he believed that Louie would stop his behavior if he began to recieve positive reenforcement rather than the negative punishments he had been recieving his whole life. Pete convinced Louie to join the track team. The first race Louie ran, he came in last, and shamefully tried to quit the team. But Pete urged him to continue, making him train countless hours a day. Soon, Louie was the best high school track star there was, breaking records left and right. It wasn't long until he was racing for a spot on the olympic team. Hillenbrand writes, "With heads thrown back, legs pumping out of sync, Louie and Lash dove fo the tape. With just a few yards remaining, Lash began inching up, drawing even. The two runners, legs rubbery with exhaustion, flung themselves past the judges in a dinish so cloes, Louie later said, "you couldn't put a hair between us'" (Hillenbrand 26). The suspense she created in this sentence not only kept the readers engaged and curious to see who won the race, but showed how far Louie had come. 20 pages earlier, Louie was a trouble maker with no hope for a future. Now he was one of the most beloved members of his town, and was head to head in a race with Lash, the best runner in the nation. Not to mention that Lash was 26 while Louie was a mere 19. Hillenbrand utilizes the use of suspense in her writing in order to create a sense of desperation in Louie, and to show how he can overcome obstacles. Although I have not finished the book yet, it seems very clear that this style of writing will be consistent throughout the book.

Zamperini and Lash in the final qualifying race for the Olympics

TOW #3

The Art of Failure is an essay written by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell is a well known journalist and non-fiction author, who has worked as a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1996. Throughout the essay, Gladwell furthers his credibility through the mentioning of famous psychologists as well as including information from their studies. The Art of Failure is an essay written about how when people are under stress, they tend to either panic or choke. Through a series of examples and studies, he is able to show that these types of 'failures' are enduced by stress, an occur because that is how the brain reacts to stress. His main purpose is to show that different types of failures happen to everyone, and that they are not necessarily a failure, but a result of their brain's reaction. Gladwell demonstrates this throught the use of famous events in history including famous figures. Along with this, he includes intense imagry and suspense in order to recreate the feelings of stress during each situation. One of the main examples he uses is the 1993 Wimbledon finals. Jana Novotna was winning the match 4-1 and was on her winning point when she choked. For the rest of the game, she could not get a point and her opponent Steffi Graf deafeted her. In order to transfer this sort of pressure to the audience Gladwell writes, "On the sidelines, Novotna wiped her raquet and her face with a towel, and then each finger individually. It was her turn to serve. She missed a routine volley wide, shook her head, talked to herself" (Gladwell para. 1).  By including the example from Wimbledon, with Jana Novotna, Gladwell was able to express to his audience that even pro tennis players can mess up. He explained how the type of failure Novotna was experiencing was a choke, because she resorted back to her primary tennis skills, as if she was a beginner rather than a professional. Along with this, the imagry demonstrated to the audience the extreme pressure Novotna was under. This way, Gladwell's audience was able to understand why she choked without Gladwell having to say, "she was under a lot of pressure." Overall, Gladwell's essay was extremely informative as well as effective. His essay had the ability to appeal to anyone who was able to understand the vocabulary. He was able to explain to the world that failure is inevitable, and it's not always our fault.

Jana Novotna Wimbledon 1993

TOW #2

This political cartoon came from the opionion section of the popular satire website, The Onion. It was published on July 6th, 2015 and titled Stars and Snipes. The main idea of this cartoon is that many Americans have fake nationalim, especially around the time of the 4th of July. Many Americans hang up American flags on the 4th of July to show that they have pride in their country, yet they take it down the day after. The contrasting family, across the street is upset by this. They believe in truly resepcting America, and their flag stays up year round. Three famous Americans, Betsy Ross, George Washington, and Lee Greenwood are seen in the top corner looking down on the situation with tears. It shows that these people worked hard to found our country, and in the 21st centruy the majority of people no longer hold a respect for that. The author dressed the 'fair-weather patriots' and the 'grubby neighbor kids' in dark colors to show they have a negative connotation. The family across the street is wearing light colors, to show that their values are the opposite. Along with this, the license plate of the family taking down the flag reads, "H8 USA," to show by taking down the flag, they aren't demonstrating true respect and loyalty to their country, just because they hung up a flag the day before. This appeals to a audience of any age old enough to understand what his happening, that believes people need to have more respect and nationalism for America. By including the license plate, the famous public figures, the colors of the families shirts, and the contrasting family across the street, the author is able to achieve her purpose. The author is showing her audience that many people pretend to have nationalism for their country by putting up a flag for one day, however true patriots leave their flag up all year around. 

IRB 1

I chose to read the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. The book was the #1 New York Times Best Seller, and it has been reccomended to me but many friends. The book is about an American Lieutenant in World War II who survives a crash into the ocean, only to realize he is stranded and alone. I believe I will enjoy this book, because although I don't have a particular interest in wars, I love reading about the personal struggles people experience during the wars.

TOW #1

Mars One: 'It's important what you do before you die'

In February, an article was released by CNN stating the seemingly unrealistic mission of Mars One. CNN, standing for Cable News Network, is one of the most trusted news networks in America. Founded in 1980, they have released a countless number of articles, with educated journalists, such as Sarah Curddas, the one who wrote this article. Mars One is a non-profit with no plan other than to colonize Mars. The mission called for every-day people to volunteer themselves for a one way ticket to Mars. 200,000 applicants applied at the original release of the mission. By February, they were down to 100 final candidates. The finalists will have to go through a series of tests, including an extended period of isolation, before narrowing it down to the four strongest. Starting in 2024, these four citizens will be flied out to mars, and a new set of four sent every two years. The article includes pictures and accounts of two hopeful finalists. Although they admit that what they are doing is terrifying, both finalists agree that they are doing it for the greater good of human kind. They believe they can be the first life on mars, enabling a new world when earth is no longer suitable. Alison Rigby, age 35, shares "I say we are all going to die, but it's important what you do before you die." This article has been released in order to raise awareness of the mission. Mars One needs to gain six billion dollars from various donors in order to be able to complete their mission. Although there are still nine years prior to the initial release date, funding needs to happen as soon as possible.Therefore one of the audiences of this article are wealthy people who may be interested in donating. Along with this, the article is aimed towards people with a special interest in space, or the new development of colonization on other planets. The author's purpose is inform readers on a reality that once seemed impossible, and to get as many people on board with the mars one mission as possible. The author successfully reaches readers through the use of pathos. By including the stories of the two finalists, Alison Rigby and Clare Weedon, readers begin to understand that there are people who truly have hope for this to work. Upon first hearing the mission of Mars One, it just seems ridiculous as well as unethical; sending four people to mars, to never see their families again, and with no possible way of return. However after reading the inspiring stories of Weedon and Rigby, it is easy for one to change their mind. They believe they can truly help the world. Volunteering for this program for them is completely selfless. They believe that this is necessary for the longevity of human life, and that they will be the first to make history. Along with including these stories, the entirety of the article is written with a sense of urgency, creating an environment of necessity for this mission. After reading this article, although it may still seem questionable, it is understandable why people want to give up their life on earth for the colonization of Mars.


Weedon and Rigby's future home

They All Just Went Away

 The essay They All Just Went Away was written by Joyce Carol Oates. She has published over 40 novels, as well as plays, short stories, and poetry. She has won the National Book Award, National Humanities Medal, and many of her books were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her essay, published in 1995, recalls her childhood, when she used to explore abandoned houses. She focused mainly on a house that was behind hers, that belonged to the Weidel family. Before the house was abandoned, it was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Weidel as well as their six children. Mr. Weidel was a drunk who abused both his wife and his children, as well as sexually abused his two daughters. Mrs. Weidel was often seen with a black eye, and loud arguing was heard from outside the walls of their eerie house. After years of these obscenities, Mr. Weidel lost it and set his house on fire. Young Joyce took a particular interest in their family. For it was very different than hers. Their family was close-knit, and her father would never imagine of laying a hand on her. The author's purpose of this essay was to teach readers about broken homes, and to argue that not every house holds a home. The essay has a large range of audiences, for the haunting essay could have an effect on just about anyone. The advanced vocabulary suggests the intent for an older audience, no one younger than young adults. The most important rhetorical decive included by Oates was Pathos. She wrote, "Tales of Mr. Weidle's chasing his wife with a butcher knife, a claw hammer, the shotgun, threatening to 'blow her head off.' Mrs. Weidel and the younger children fled outdoors in terror and hid in the hayloft" (Oates 557). The pathos helped show the audience the horror that the Weidel family faced. It was clear how scary it would be to live in that house. This helped the author accomplish her purpose, for it was evident that a family like the Weidel's did not make a house a home. After the fire burned down the house, no one tried to fix it, and no one tried to move back in. All of the family members got split up; Mr. Weidel in jail, the kids in foster homes, Mrs. Weidel unheard from, etc. Therefore, it was easy to understand, that just because a family lives under the same roof, does not mean they have a home.

A picture of a burned down house, like what the Weidel's house looked like after the fire. Source: drmstream.com

Okinawa: The Bloodiest Battle of All

Okinawa: The Bloodiest Battle of All was written by William Manchester. Manchester is the author of 18 books, which have been translated into over 20 languages. He received both the National Humanities Medal, as well as the Abraham Lincoln Literary Award. In Okinawa: The Bloodiest Battle of All, he recalls his life as a marine and the many battles he has encountered. The essay showed how the life of war changed as time progressed. The main battle that was focused on was a fight between America and Japan on Okinawa. The essay was first published in The New York Times Magazine in 1987 on Flag Day, where both American and Japanese people met to honor the placement of a monument on Okinawa. The beginning makes it seem like it was easy for the Americans and the Japanese to meet together on Okinawa, and that they were able to put aside their differences in order to honor the battle. However, Manchester's purpose was to show the audience that two countries could make peace, but the individuals who fought still struggle. He argued that no one could understand the innerstruggle a veteran goes through. The deeper into the essay one gets, the more apparent it is that the people who fought in combat have an inner struggle long after the battle is over. The essay is mostly intended for adults interested in the life of a veteran, and people more interested in learning about American warfare. The most important rhetorical device used throughout the essay was Manchester’s use of anecdotes. The personal anecdotes used throughout the essay helped readers connect with Manchester as well as understand the hardships he faced before, during, and after war. The use of one anecdote in particular helped him succeed in getting his purpose across to the audience. The author wrote about an encounter with a Japanese businessman who volunteered as a kamikaze fighter in the 1940s, but was rejected last minute. The essay reads, "I had expected no difficulty; neither, I think, did he. But when we confronted each other, we froze. I trembled, suppressing the sudden, startling surge of primitive rage within" (Manchester 506). This anecdote demonstrated that even though America was at peace with Japan, William could not get over the war because he suffered through the battles against the Japanese. It showed that even though he was making an effort, he would never be able to overcome the anger he felt for his used to be enemy. Therefore, Manchester did achieve his purpose, for every reader could understand the struggle he continued to face, even after the war ended.

William Manchester's most famous quote, reflecting how he feels about war. Picture from azquotes.com.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, written by Maya Angelou, is an autobiography about the early stages of Angelou's life. Maya Angelou is a well-known American author and poet. She has written a total of 36 books, in addition to screenplays and poetry. Angelou also is an all around entertainer, including talents in dance, singing, and acting. In 2000, she received the national Medal of Arts. The essay included in The Best American Essays of the Century was adapted from the beginning of the Maya’s most famous book. The essay takes place in the 1930s, in Stamps, Arkansas where segregation and persecution of blacks was very apparent. The essay describes the struggles of what it was like to be growing up as a black child in the south. Young Maya Angelou, who went by Marguerite, grew up in a religious household, with her grandmother, crippled uncle, and her older brother Bailey. Throughout the beginning years of her life she struggled with accepting who she was in a society where blacks were not equal. The book reads, "Wouldn't they be surprised when one day I woke out of my black ugly dream, and my real hair, which was long and blond, would take the place of the kinky mass that Momma wouldn't let me straighten" (Angelou 343). This related to her purpose, which is to inform readers of her struggle with persecution as well as her struggle to find who she was. She argued that it is always hard for a teenager to find themselves, but growing up a black girl in the south made it even harder. Her writing was genuine, interesting, and reencountered a true struggle creating a large audience for young adults and older. The people that will find the most enjoyment out of the book are ones with an interest in the struggle with equality or ones with an interest in Maya Angelou. Angelou includes many rhetorical devices throughout her essay, however the most evident one is the use of metaphors and similes to enhance her imagery, as well as connect the audience with her characters. In the opening paragraphs of the essay she writes, "The truth of the statement was like a wadded-up handkerchief sopping in my wet fists, and the sooner they accepted it the quicker I could let my hands open and the air would cool my palms," (Angelou 342). This allowed readers to understand how desperately she wanted someone to understand what she was saying. Angelou’s succeeded in getting her purpose across to the audience, for she makes it very easy for the audience to understand the thoughts, emotions, and frustrations her character felt. It was easy to comprehend the struggle young Maya Angelou was facing.

A young, yet happy Maya Angelou, after moving away from Stamps, Arkansas and completing her education.  Source: mayaangelou.com