IRB CHANGE

Tuesday's With Morrie was not a bad book as I started out reading it, however, it was more about moral lessons and it was not really the non-fiction book that I was looking for. It was also very sad so I decided to abandon it. I decided to change my IRB to Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell. In this book, Gladwell talks about "the boiling point" of what makes things tick. This book is for any audience who is interested in how things become so popular amongst our culture. I want to read this book because I think it is so interesting how Gladwell narrows down the three ultimate rules to make things "tip." I hope to understand how things become so popular and what the "tipping point" really is.

Tow #3

Everyone Loves a Loser, by Liza Mundy is an article about how America loves to embrace failure. In America, failure is not something to be ashamed of, but rather it should be embraced. They ultimate key to success is to fail and learn from your mistakes. "The failure fetish," as Liza calls it, is evident in almost everything-even parenting. Children are encouraged to fail and learn from their mistakes in order to succeed. Even politicians come to embrace "pro-failure."

The context of this text is how failure has become so impactful in order to reach success. The purpose of this article is to explain how failure came from being hated to being the most accepted because if you fail, that means that you have learned a lesson and grew from it. This text was written for people who feel like they fail at everything all the time because it encourages them to embrace their failure and learn something from it in order to succeed the next time.

"As the historian Robert Dallek pointed out to me, overcoming failure-bankruptcy, addiction, dissolution, defeat-is part of the quintessential American success story" (The Atlantic 14). This quote really appeals to logos because all of these things happened in America and we have been overcoming them and overall our country is successful despite having many problems. However, this statement can also be highly controversial because some people may feel as though we have had only minor success/ This statement also appeals to ethos because a Historian is saying this and it proves his credibility because these are all things that have occurred in our country. This also appeals to pathos because our country has come a long way and failed many times in order to succeed.

This article uses many rhetorics. A big one would be irony. This whole article seems so ironic because failure is not supposed to be a good thing. After all, it is called failure. However, ironically, you need to fail in order to succeed. An epiphany is used in this article because it suddenly makes sense that so many of the people that have failed but learned from it, have then succeeded. Juxtaposition is evident in this article because it brings up examples of people who failure before success and people who fail after success. The author does a good job giving examples and explaining why you need to fail before you succeed, not after.

Liza Mundy is credible because she has written for many publications including The Guardian, The Atlantic, and the Washington Post, etc. In my opinion, she really accomplished her purpose in expressing America's "fetish" for failure. She really showed what failure does and that people embrace it in order to learn and grow wiser.

TOW #2

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/opinion/sunday/the-quest-for-a-lyme-vaccine.html?ref=editorials&_r=0

"The Quest for a Lyme Vaccine," is an editorial published by the Editorial Board of the New York Times.The editorial focuses on a medical necessity: vaccination for Lyme's disease. It talks about the efforts to develop this vaccine and why previous attempts have been unsuccessful. However, this editorial offers hope, that effective vaccines against Lyme disease can be developed.

This context of this editorial is the new hopeful future for people who love being outdoors. A lot of people want to be outside walking their pets, playing in the grass, or even in the woods. However, this is hard to do with many ticks around that can cause Lyme disease. This editorial was written to shed a new hope in the foundation of the prevention of Lyme's disease.

The authors of this specific piece are on the New York Times Editorial board. It is composed of 17 journalists who specialize in different fields. The editors seem highly credible due to the fact that they provide intricate facts about the vaccination for Lyme disease, " The study found that the bioengineered Baxter vaccine produced substantial antibodies against several species of the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.." (New York Times). Not only do these editors prove their credibility in the knowledge of the vaccine, but they also prove their insight in this area of expertise, giving their audience the mere light of an optimistic future.

The editors use a variation of rhetorical devices. They give their perspective on the development of the vaccination and state that it is very possible an effective vaccine will soon be produce.They use syllogism and deduct that if a vaccine for Lyme disease was already once developed, a new an improved version will soon be seen. The editors use a lot of imagery that pertain to the emotional appeal. "People who spend time outdoors in wooded or grassy areas where black-legged ticks are abundant would welcome a vaccine to protect them from Lyme disease..." (New York Times). The diction of words and the tone the editors use really appeal to the pathos and invoke a strong emotion amongst the audience who are in desperate need for this vaccination.

I personally believe that the editors have achieved their purpose tremendously because I love the outdoors and taking my dog for a long walk, strongly believe in the need for a Lyme vaccination. The editors do a great job in giving me hope for this vaccination and they state a great deal of facts about previous attempts at this vaccination. After reading this editorial, I have a lot of hope for a vaccination that could be years away.

IRB INTRO

Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom is a memoir of newspaper sports columnist Mitch Albom recounting the time he spent with his 78-year-old sociology professor Morrie Schwartz. Morrie was dying from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and after seeing his professor on Nightline, Albom travels to Massachusetts to visit him. They meet every tuesday to listen to Schwartz's lectures on life and experiences.
This book was written for people who take things for granted because it talks about the values of life and teaches many moral lessons. I choose to read this because this book can teach how important and valuable life is. After reading this memoir, I hope that I have a different outlook on things in my life and learn not to take things for granted.

TOW #1

For most of the United States' history, same-sex marriage has been illegal. The Fence Walker, by Steve Breen conjures on same-sex marriage.The topic of same-sex marriage has always been controversial and while some states allow it, Supreme Court cannot make the decision of whether same-sex marriage would have a positive or a negative effect on the country. The cartoon illustrates Supreme Court's indecisiveness on the matter.

The Supreme Court has made a historical decision by allowing same-sex marriage in California. The ruling meant that the federal government has no choice but to recognize gay marriage in the 12 states where it is legal. Breen draws this editorial to explain that the Supreme Court still cannot decide whether this ruling that they passed is beneficial or negative.

 Breen uses a metaphor to examine Supreme Court's stance on the matter. The cartoon shows a judge walking on a fence and holding a balance pole, not to fall on either side. The two sides are "Affirmative action good" and "Affirmative action bad." Supreme Court is "on the fence" about whether same sex marriages would be beneficial or not. The title of this editorial cartoon is a metaphor as well because Supreme Court is referred to "The Fence Walker." Supreme court has been "on the fence" for a while and even though they decided that California along with 12 other states allows same-sex marriage, they are not sure if they made the right decision. The cartoon is an allegory because it contains the literal meaning of the supreme court being "on the fence" and the symbolic meaning taking on the effect that same-sex marriage will have on religion, politics, and in the social aspect of American culture.

Steve Breen is the artist of this cartoon and he is very credible. He attended the University of California, and he earned a bachelor's degree in political science. There he drew editorial cartoons for his school paper, The Highlander. He won the Pulitzer Prize twice in1998 and 2009. Steve Breen illustrated this editorial for the Americans who are questioning the same-sex marriage ruling by Supreme Court.

In my opinion, Steve Breen did an excellent job defending his purpose in this cartoon, because it was an allegory and could be taken literally and symbolically. I love how he used a huge metaphor to describe the condition the Supreme Court is in right now and the effects that their ruling has had.

Topic of Cancer by Christopher Hitchens

            Topic of Cancer by Christopher Hitchens, is a memoir of the author and his ongoing battle of cancer. He woke up one morning and could not even get out of his bed. He struggled to get up and call 911 because he knew that he was diagnosed with cancer, he just couldn’t come to terms with it. He had just launched his best seller the night before, and now he was going to have to be in the hospital. The author describes that he has not been in denial about cancer and he writes this in order to explain the life of someone with cancer. He wants to show the reader the struggles that a cancer patient faces. This essay was written for people who have cancer because the author is very courageous while writing this. It is also written for people who do not have cancer, but know someone with cancer and can understand what they are going through. The author knows what is going to happen to him, so instead of denying it, he is just upset that his life is going to waste because he has so much he wants to do.

            The author does a good job with his diction describing how powerless he feels when he receives treatment, “I feel upsettingly denatured” (Hitchens 88). The tone is also portrayed really well because the reader can sense Hitchens’s attitude. The author also uses vivid imagery to describe what he looked like during his cancer treatments and the way he felt about it.

            Hitchens is very credible because he is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and a visiting professor of liberal studies at the New School.

            I believe that the author did a great job achieving his purpose because his work is very personal and touches the emotions of the reader. The reader can understand how the author is feeling and how hard it is for those with cancer.

This image from The Southern News symbolizes the things that cancer patients need to win the battle against cancer.

What Really Happened by Madge McKeithen

What Really Happened, by Madge McKeithen describes the steps that a woman is taking in North Carolina, in order to visit a convicted murderer. As the story moves along, memories and thoughts that are related to the tragedy that the author experienced keep occurring. The victim is very special to the author and the author decides to visit the murderer to find out why he did what he did. The purpose of this work is for the reader to determine what is going on in the story by deciphering the symbolism in the author’s work. This essay is written like a puzzle portraying many feelings and emotions to the reader.           

The author does a great job portraying her mood and the reader can feel it. The writing is indirect and this story is also an epigraph because the author is doing all of this for the praise of the woman that died because she was very dear to her. The style of this story really appeals to emotion and the author does such a great job with style that the reader feels as if they are thinking like the author is.           

            This essay was written for people who have had a similar occurrence, or for people who love reading crime investigation.

            The author is somewhat credible because she is born and raised in North Carolina, and she began teaching in the Writing Program at the New School in New York in 2003. However, the fact that this is not a personal recount makes it less credible.            

            I do think that the author achieved her purpose. She made this essay a mystery so that the reader would have to determine what was going on. However, I feel that the author made this essay too puzzling and left the reader wondering if they really understood it.

 This picture from Government Gone Wild is a man in a prison, similar to the one the author wrote about.

Long Distance by Victor LaValle

Long Distance, by Victor LaValle, the author recounts his love life during his early twenties when he was obese. He had formed a two-year relationship with a 50-year-old woman named Margie, on an adult chat line. It was very hard for Victor being so overweight and having to hide behind the phone. He was embarrassed of his body. Later in life, Victor lost all his weight by dieting and exercising and he finally had some real interactions with women. He went on real dates and had actual sexual contact. The author is credible because he recounts his own love life.

 Victor LaValle is also a 2010 Guggenheim Award winner and an assistant professor at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. The author was writing about his life after he lost weight, but he kept recalling how unhappy he was when he was overweight. He wrote this essay to show how he is still affected by his past and how hard it was for him to overcome it.

This essay was written for those struggling to overcome a confidence problem to show them that it is possible to change and be happy with themselves. The author uses many metaphors to describe what he looks like and how he feels. Humor and sarcasm are also used. The tone and mood of the story really stick out and people that do not even have an obesity problem, or a confidence problem, can relate and understand what the author is feeling because of the descriptive language he uses. I think that the author did not really achieve his purpose because he wanted to show people that it was possible to overcome a confidence problem and be happy, however, he was not happy and cannot get on with his life because the obesity will always be a part of him.

This image from Hartford represents Victor's obesity and how it affected and scarred his whole life.

After the Ice, by Paul Crenshaw

            After the Ice, by Paul Crenshaw is a story about how the author’s nephew, Keith, was killed by his stepfather when he was eighteen months old. This all occurred at the time of an ice storm which Crenshaw vividly remember because of his nephew’s death. Paul writes this story while recalling memories of him interacting with his nephew, days before he died. One moment sticks out when Keith was at the grocery store with his stepfather, visiting Paul, “…When I handed him back to his stepfather he started crying again, though it would have been impossible, I am sure, to have known the reason why” (Crenshaw 41). Crenshaw wrote this essay because he wanted to explain that as he grew older, he started to forgive the stepfather and himself. He was angry that he did not notice any signs that Keith was abused, and that he could not save him. He wrote this story to show how one single event can affect and alter one’s life. This essay was written for people who have had a traumatic event impacting their lives, and ways to let it go.

            Crenshaw proves to be really credible because his stories appear in many reviews such as The Best American Essays 2005, South Dakota Review, and many more. Crenshaw also teaches writing and literature at Elon University.

            Reading this essay a sense of nostalgia is portrayed because the author feels that he should have been more receptive during the time that his nephew was alive and that he should have sensed something. It also shows how one former event affects his whole life. In a way, this essay is an epitaph because the sole purpose was to write about how Keith’s death affected his whole life.

The author does a really good job writing this essay because it gives off his mood during the whole story. Whether he is feeling gloomy, sad, or forgiving, you can follow the emotions due to the author’s tone. While you are reading this essay, you experience everything Crenshaw feels. The author achieves his purpose on showing how Keith’s death affected him for the rest of his life.

This image from Wilderness Survival Techniques represents death because winter is symbolic of death.

Lucky Girl, by Bridget Potter

Lucky Girl, by Bridget Potter, is a memoir from 1962, during a time where abortion was illegal. Bridget was 19-years-old, and an illegal abortion was the only option for her unwanted pregnancy. Bridget accounts her hardships that she faced trying to acquire an abortion. She was rejected everywhere she went and finally, at some small village in Puerto Rico, with no anesthesia, the abortion was done. "Three years after my trip to San Juan, illegal abortion officially accounted for 17 percent of all deaths attributed to pregnancy and childbirth in the U.S." (Potter 154). Bridget writes this essay to recount a time in her life where she was extremely lucky. Prior to the Roe v. Wade in Supreme Court, abortions were illegal and many women took the risk to have them done. To have an illegal abortion was very dangerous because they could lead to infections, incomplete abortions, and in worst cases, death. Bridget was a very "lucky girl" that her abortion was complete and did not have any tragic effects. She was one of the few women that survived this procedure.

Bridget Potter earned a BA in cultural anthropology from Columbia University in 2007 and she is an instructor at the University Writing program. Potter is very credible because this is a memoir of a time in her life. No one can recount this story better than she because this happened to her. She was 19-years-old at the time, and till this day, it she will never forget it. 

This essay was written to raise awareness for women on how dangerous abortions were before and it is also written for the general audience to show what measures women were willing to go through to get an abortion. Also, this essay achieves a personal purpose for Bridget to recall a time in her life that she felt very lucky.

I believe that Bridget Potter accomplished her purpose in writing this essay because she wrote a memoir of something that occurred in her life. This story has a lot of pathos and takes an emotional appeal to the audience because you could really feel what Bridget went through and the hardships she took in order to get an abortion. You also sense how lucky she is that her abortion went well and that she is even alive. Bridget Potter has a very interesting way of writing this essay and uses many rhetorical devices.

            There are many rhetorical devices that Potter uses in order to make this essay achieve its purpose. Potter uses ethos to describe her actions that she takes in order to get an abortion. She does not describe her thoughts on whether is it wrong or right, but rather her actions that she takes. This essay is also very didactic because it teaches about life decisions and how risky they can be. Potter also uses her “voice” that lets us follow the story that she is telling. Finally, this essay is written in Potter’s perspective. Many years after the events, Potter gives her view on the events that transpired.

           

This picture from Guernica Magazine represents the women who allowed illegal abortions to be performed on them.