TOW 21 - Visual

Smoking is one of the most talked issues in America. Currently, only 17.8% of Americans smoke, but there are organizations that are trying to get that number lower. The visual I chose is an ad that encourages smokers to quit by arguing that their children will take after them and smoke if they see their parents smoking. This is displayed by showing crayons inside of a Marlboro cigarette box, and words across the ad saying "Do you want them to take after everything you do?" I think that this is one of the more effective ads that against smoking because it appeals largely to pathos. The majority of people with children are very protective over their kids and want what's best for them. In this day, there is no longer much debate over whether or not smoking is bad. Therefore, because even the smokers know it is bad, they don't want their children to smoke. I think by expressing this through crayons in a cigarette box is very effective because it makes people realize how their actions will effect their kids. Along with this, I think the argument is effective because it is one of the few that express how smoking effects others rather than just the smoker themselves. However, I think this can be a risky choice, because not everyone who smokes has children. Therefore, it greatly limits who the audience can be for this advertisement. If a large majority of smokers have children, then this ad will be very effective. However if the majority of smokers don't, then this ad may not be effective at all.

TOW 20 -IRB

The Glass Castle is an inspiring memoir written by Jeannette Walls. Her memoir takes us on an unbelievable journey through her life, beginning when she burned herself making hot dogs at age 3. Throughout the book, Walls takes us through the events of her life starting at early child hood through adult life. Her alcoholic father and mentally ill mother take her and her siblings all over America, causing Walls to face immense difficulties through poverty and neglect. What makes this memoir so interesting is the immense detail that Walls writes with which makes her memories read as if it were a novel. Through her incredible use of imagery and description, Walls is able to entertain her audience while still conveying her story.
The imagery included by Walls helps the readers connect and understand what had happened in her past In one scene, she describes an instance where her and her brother set fire to the house after playing with matches. She writes, "Dad had an arm around each of us. He said it was an incredible coincidence that he happened to be walking by. Then he pointed to the top of the fire where the snapping yellow flames dissolved into an invisible shimmery heat that made the dessert beyond seem to waver, like a mirage" (Walls 61). The imagery included helps readers be able to picture what happened during this scene which allows it to come to life. Being able to understand the scene fully helps Walls convey how the true events she writes about really happened and why they are important. Not only does she describe the actions of the fire, but also the actions of her father. This helps put the events that were occurring into context with how it effected her life. All of the imagery and detail helps the book flow smoothly, and create a moving story. This not only conveys her story but keeps readers intrigued as she tells it.
The immense description included by Walls effectively helps her tell her life to an audience. This memoir has an extreme importance to Walls, and her delivery of her story helps connect this importance with her readers.