Tow #13 :Sarah Palin Political Cartoon

This cartoon is due to the Republican elections going on in 2012, so it's not really recent, but I think it is pretty funny. Basically this cartoon is in favor of Republicans and it has Sarah Palin in it and someone handing a Fox Newspaper to her. It is really ironic because Fox News is really in favor of the Republicans. The purpose of this political cartoon was to create propaganda for the Republicans and to explain that Republicans basically paid off Fox News to be in such great favor of them.

The author is really credible because Adam Zyglis is a Pulitzer Prize Winner Cartoonist and he works for the Buffalo News of Buffalo, New York.

This cartoon uses a lot of rhetorics such as irony because it is really ironic how Fox News and Sarah Palin are replaced together since Fox News favors Republicans a lot. Also this cartoon uses propaganda to get people into the Republican party. This cartoon is also really amusing because Sarah Palin has become a Political laughing stock due to her various unintelligent comments.

I think that this political cartoon really achieved it's purpose because it explains why Fox News favors Republicans with the money signs and Sarah Palin signing the paper because she knows that Fox News is always in favor of Republicans. 

Tow #12: South Africa after Mandela

The Times Editorial board has composed an editorial about the legacy of Mandela and the effect of his passing on South Africa and what its going to be like. The editorial board consists of various journalists who write about a broad variety of topics. They are very credible and know a lot about their fields.
The purpose of this editorial was to idolize Mandela and to explain the legacy that he left on South Africa and to persuade the present leaders of South Africa to continue Mandela's legacy. This editorial was written in context of Mandela's death. It was a tragedy for many because Mandela helped the fall of apartheid peacefully and he stuck to his principles. He created many changes and reforms and transformed South Africa. His passing was really a huge tragedy.
This editorial calls for the leaders for South Africa to tend to the economical and racial problems going on. The editors want to call for a change in the crime rate and HIV infections. The editors just want to bring it to attention that Mandela has done a tremendous amount of work and the leaders of South Africa should continue that.
The editors use a lot of rhetorics such as comparisons, when they compare Mandela to other powerful leaders. The diction that they use is very powerful because all of the words praise Mandela. This editorial really appeals to emotions. The editorial also provides a lot of statistics.
Overall, I think that this editorial really did achieve it's purpose because it really showed people that something needs to be done now that Mandela has passed, it's leaders still need to continue making South Africa what he wanted it to be. This editorial was not only written for the people of the world, but for the African leaders who should continue Mandela's vision.

Tow #11:The Glass Castle

Jeannette Walls is riding in a taxi in New York City, and she looks out the window to see her mom dig through the trash. Suddenly she feels ashamed of her mom and she brings up memories of her parents and her childhood and how it affects her. She starts by talking about her childhood at age 3 and how difficult it was for her family. The purpose of this was to introduce herself and the book and her past and how it affects her today. Jeannette is very credible in doing so because she is writing about her own past.

Jeannette writes about her past in the beginning of the book in order to explain why her life is the way it is and how her past shaped her.

Jeannette writes for people who can relate to difficult childhoods and families. People who grow up in broken homes. She wants to share her story. In doing so, she uses many rhetorical devices. She uses a lot of imagery to show the audience what her life was really like. She also uses symbolism throughout the novel because the Glass Castle is really symbolic of what her father Rex wants for his family. One of the most important rhetorical devices she uses is irony because throughout the novel it seems as if the children are more mature than their parents.

Overall, I think this memoir is very descriptive and touching and I really think that Jeannette does a great job alluding to her past and tying it in with her present. 

Tow #10: Bad Mix

This political cartoon is very emotional because it causes so many problems in our society: drinking and driving. This political cartoon illustrates how wrong drinking and driving is. The context of this cartoon is drinking and driving and how problematic it is in our society. The author made this cartoon to depict how bad of a choice drinking and driving is and that it never ends well.
 John Pritchett is an award-winning cartoonist and this image is really credible because it uses rhetorics. The main rhetorical device in this cartoon is juxtaposition because it compares drinking and driving. It shows the outcomes of this are not good. The illustration of this cartoon is very creative because it has the car sinking into the martini glass. This is very ironic because it shows the consequences of drinking and driving and how they are never good. The red color in "Bad Mix" really brings attention to the eye because it shows emphasizes on how bad drinking and driving is.
I think that the author didn't do as well of a job illustrating the irony in drinking and driving because more could have been done to show the disastrous effects of drinking and driving instead of making it look like an ironic satire.

Tow #9: When Police Enter a Home

This editorial was about whether or not police are allowed to enter a home without a warrant, but with consent of the owner. It talks about the privacy of the home being the most important and police really should obtain a warrant.

This editorial was posted on behalf of a case in 2009, when police entered Walter Fernandez's home with the consent of his girlfriend. They found a shotgun, ammunition and a knife that Walter used in a robbery. This was evidence enough to arrest him. Walter appealed because he claimed that this was unreasonable unwarranted search. Well the purpose of this editorial was to show that when police search your home, they will most likely have a warrant with cause.

This editorial was written for people who object searches of their home when they know they are guilty of something. It was composed by the Editorial Board of the New York Times and it is highly credible because the Editorial Board is a group of many journalists who study various topics. Plus, this editorial had a lot of facts.

Facts was one of the rhetorical strategies this editorial used. Starting out this editorial, a reference to the 4th amendment was made and it automatically established ethos. Listing facts and providing evidence for this crime that was committed really provided a lot of evidence and established great ethos. Rhetorical questions such as ," But what if the police lawfully arrest the objecting tenant and remove him from the home may they enter then?" Helped appeal to the logic of the audience causing them to think on the subject of the matter.

I think that the authors briefly achieved their purpose by providing evidence,

but I feel as if they could have included more examples to show that most often of the times then not, the police have a warrant plus a reason to search a home.

IRB INTRO MARKING PERIOD 2

The Glass Castle, is a memoir by Jeanette Walls which recalls her childhood. Her parents had very different ideals and their stubborn noncomformity was what ultimately led to their downfall. It talks about the dysfunction of the family and how Jeanette and her other 3 brothers and sisters had to support one another in order to leave the family.
This book was written to show people about the struggles of life and how everything can collapse all of a sudden. It was written for people who need to learn and value life and understand how hard it may be. I chose to read this book because I feel like it has moral lessons in it and it sounds very interesting to me how kids could live and support themselves with the absense of care from their parents. After reading this, I hope to gain a better appreciation of what I have and how truly lucky and privelaged some people are and that they need to appreciate it more.

 

Tow #8: In Cold Blood

 In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, talks about the brutal murders of the Clutter family in 1959. Capote learned about the murders and he traveled to Kansas to write about these horrific crimes. He wanted people to know what had happened. Together with Nelle Harper Lee, his friend, they interviewed residents and investigators in order to put together this non-fiction piece about the tragic, unreasonable deaths of the Clutters.
Truman Capote was a very credible author, credible to many short stories, novels, and plays. Most of his works are nonfiction and literary classics. He is very credible because In Cold Blood was put together through interviews of people living near the Clutters, and through investigations done by the police.
Truman Capote is a remarkable writer and his way of writing is really what makes his novel stand out. The first chapter of the book introduces the characters and the situation. It is not very descriptive, but enough to get the reader informed of what the context is. However, throughout the novel, crucial evidence and imagery are provided so that the reader can get a good sense of the event and what happened. Reading this book gave me a lot of anticipation because Capote did such a great job of introducing the scene and making me anticipate of what was going to happen next.
Reading this book, there was a lot of foreshadowing and that, in my opinion, was a very successful technique because it helped me understand and to prepare me for what was going to happen next.
Overall, this was one of the most thrilling books I've ever read. It was also not like any other book I have ever read because it is so remarkably structured together with the diction and the following up to many events. Truman Capote did an excellent job.

Tow #7 : Beyond the Brethalyzer

This briefing, publiched in Times Magazine, talks about new medical advances that breath tests can now determine lung cancer, diabetes, infections, and more. This article was written by Alice Park. She has been on the Times staff since 1993 and reported on many health and medicine articles and new discoveries. She writes this report for people who are interested in medicine and also for those who have hereditary diseases and need to be tested for them. Her purpose is to educate on the new medical advances.
This report was written because a new medical advancement has been made and Alice Park uses many strategies to inform about it. She uses facts to appeal to the ehos. "As James Carey, a chemistry professor at the National University of Kaohsiung in Taiwan puts it, 'Breath is the most complicated mixture on the planet.' " This just shows the importance of the new advances in the medical field and how beneficial they are. Also in the beginning of the briefing, Alice appeal to the pathos of the audience by directly calling out those people who drink, " Anyone who's ever had a few too many drinks knows that a little exhalation can reveal a lot of information." She is connecting directly with the audience and establishing common ground on what she is going to talk about. She introduces a new shed of hope for those people who cannot afford some medical tests such as biopsies and tells them that these tests are less expensive, yet still accurate enough to diagnose and treat a disease..
I personally feel that her purpose was achieved because this article was very informal and yet it created so much hope for the medical industry and that there are so many advances yet to be made and it gave a lot of hope for those with medical conditions that they can now be diagnosed and treated.

Tow #6: Gov Shutdown

This political cartoon depicts Barack Obama being kicked by an elephant. The elephant is the symbol for the Republican party and since the congress and the President could not decide on an annual budget, they are trying to protest against Obama.
The context of this cartoon is the recent government shutdown. Our government cannot agree on a budget, so the Republican Tea Party in congress decided to shut down. The author's purpose was to depict the conflict between Obama and the Republican-dominated congress.
This cartoon comes from Dagbladet, which is Norway's second largest tabloid paper and the third largest newspaper. This is a pretty credible source because this was also republished in the New York Times.
This cartoon was created for people in America and the world to better understand what this government shutdown means and why it happened. The author uses many rhetorics to convey the conflict between the democratic president and the republican congress. Obama and the republicans are juxtaposed by being placed next to each other when they are part of two different parties and want different things. The author also uses vivid imagery to depict the president so it resembles him closely. The author also purposely colored in the president and the elephant to make them stand out from the whole picture. The author also purposely included a white tea cup at the bottom and it looks like the elephant is reaching it, but Obama is trying to stop it. That shows the new tea party movement that is thriving the shutdown.
I think that the author achieved their purpose because the problem was accurately depicted and this cartoon helps people better understand what the problem is with the government shutdown.

Tow #5: Electronic Devices on Planes

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/opinion/sunday/electronic-devices-on-planes.html?ref=editorials

This editorial pertains to the confusion about the technology policy on airplanes. Most people are confused as to why they cannot use technology during landing or takeoff, while other people choose to disobey most of these regulations. This article introduces new regulations allowing people to use technology as long as it is in "airplane mode."

The context of this editorial is the fact that some revisions are being made to the old technology rules. People are now allowed to use their devices during takeoff and landing. However, old rules of using cellphones before airplane doors close, and after landing are still in tact.

The purpose of this editorial was to inform about new rule regulations for technology usage on airplanes and express opinions on them. The whole piece was very informative. It was written for people who constantly travel, however another arugment suggests a second audience because the editors give their opinion on what they think technology regulations should be. That second audience would be the F.A.A. committee who create these regulations because the editors want their opinions heard.

 The editors
used irrefutable data about the percentage of people who break technology rules, also the editors use their voice and perspective, "It’s time regulators issued common-sense rules for their use aboard planes." It almost comes off as a persuasive and bias piece. "This sensible recommendation would allow passengers to read e-books, listen to music or watch movies without causing interference during takeoffs and landings." Reading this last quote really makes the voice and perspective of the editors stick out because it says "this sensible recommendation," so reading this you understand that the editors do not like the airplane regulations and this change that is being made to them is a positive factor for these editors.

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 clear evidence about airplane regulations "According to one private survey, as many as 30 percent of passengers left their devices on when they were not supposed to." So they do not just state opinions about people violating technology polocies on airplanes, but they give clear evidence by referring to a recent survey.

I feel as if the editors achieved their purpose, however, I think that more facts and information about airplane regulations with a more in-depth analysis would better help them achieve delivering information and giving an opinion on it.

Tow #4: The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell

The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell talks about what makes things "tip." It talks about how things become a hit in society. Gladwell really emphasizes on the three rules that start an epidemic: The Law of the Few, The Stickiness Factor, and The Power of Context. The purpose of this book was to explain how things become so popular in our society and what really makes them a hit. This book was written merely for marketers and advertisers who are interested in how to make things a big hit.

The context of this book was to explain how things become so important in our society. It was written to explain what makes things boil up to the point where they "tip."

The author, Malcolm Gladwell, is very credible because he is an English-Canadian journalist as well as bestselling author. He also has very strong speaking skills. I think that by referencing many allusions in the book, Gladwell really achieved his purpose. He alluded to Blue's Clues, The Stanford-Milgrim Experiment, Sesame Street, and many more. His examples that he used throughout the book really helped achieve the purpose. In the book he also gave many perspectives of highly successful people, which made him all the more credible. He used syllogism to deduct and investigate how things "tip" throughout the entire book. Gladwell uses analogy to compare things to explain why one was a hit and the other one wasn't.

I personally believe that this book was magnificently carried out and after reading this book, I really understand how things work. I understand how things become an epidemic and what makes them so popular in our society. I think Malcolm Gladwell is very educated on this subject and all of his analogies and deduction really make sense. I think the use of exemplification really helped Gladwell achieve his purpose.

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.