Leonid Afremov's Alley By the Lake

Source/Author:
Bron in 1955, Leonid Afremov is a Jewish painter who left Soviet Russia for the United States to pursue his passion for painting. He has been known to paint uplifting landscapes, cityscapes, and people using a palette and oil paint.

Context: 
Nothing has been written suggesting why Leonid chose to create this piece when he did.

Purpose:
This piece is very uplifting and aesthetically appeasing to the eyes. I cannot determine any reason, other than to be aesthetically appeasing and uplifting, to create such a simplistic painting. In portraying such an ordinary scene in a beautiful way, he suggests that there is beautiful in even the most ordinary of places.

Audience:
The painting does not indicate that it was created for a specific audience. I believe that pieces created purely for aesthetics are for the eyes of everyone.

Rhetorical Devices:
Juxtaposition and color contrast were the principle devices in this piece. The left hemisphere is certainly brighter and more cheerful than the dark colors of the right hemisphere. Part of this may have simply been to create a more realistic picture, as there would be more lighting on the sidewalk where there are street lamps than a river. This coloring also conveys the fact that the setting is at night. The blotchy strokes of the brush in the painting give off a mystical/magical feel to viewers which contributes to its romantic atmosphere. Lastly, the artist drew upon communal memories. Most people identify a romantic connection between two individuals walking together in a park-like setting a night. This memory further enhances the romantic vibes that the painting emits.

Author:
Dan Rottenberg is a historian, journalist, and, most recently, the editor of the Broad Street Review, an online newspaper. He has authored nine works thus far, ranging from sports history to the makings of wall street.

Context/Purpose:
In the brief introduction in the beginning of the piece, Rottenberg describes his reason for writing about Anthony J. Drexel. He contends that Pierpont Morgan is credited with the making of modern finance and most publications on the matter, minimize the impact that Anthony J. Drexel had on this young innovator and on finance itself. After reading various works that follow this description, such as The House of Morgan, he decided to create a book that highlights and examines the profound impact Drexel had on modern finance.

Summary:
This section only dealt with the life of Anthony J. Drexel towards the end (last 10 pages). In the rest of the section, Rottenberg describes the life of his father, Francis Drexel in great detail. He depicts Anthony's father as a adventurer and entrepreneur; he operated his own art school, sold his paintings in South America, and created his own "wildcat bank" in Louisville.

Audience:
This book was written for all Americans interested in finance. He successfully conveys his message with as little jargon as possible, making the piece accessible to all.

Rhetorical Devices:

• Arrangement: Process Analysis; sequential event-by-event telling
• Testimonies: The author implements direct quotes from the characters' memoirs, contemporary historical figures, and other historians
• Communal Memory: References Benjamin Franklin, Athens, Van Gogh, Voltaire, and many others
• Parallel Structure: The author uses parallel structure throughout the novel
• Use of semicolons: The author varies his sentence structure by using a combination of short sentences and lengthy sentences connected by various semicolons

Effectiveness:
So far Rottenberg has not really explained Anthony's influence on the making of Wall Street. However, he did examine the life of his father which helped readers to understand how Anthony became such a financial success in America.

'Breaking Dawn': Twilight gets older, wiser, better

Summary:
This article was a review of Twighlight's newest movie in the saga, Breaking Dawn. The title basically conveys all of the major points brought up in the article: "Twighlight gets older, wiser, better."

Source:
This article was found on USA Today's website. This news source is dedicated to describing and depicting monumental events occurring in contemporary America, therefore the article regards the Twighlight series as an integral part of today's pop-culture whether they find it enjoyable or not.

Context/Exigence:
Causal: This article was written on November 11, just fifteen days before the premier of Breaking Dawn Part 1, therefore this article was prompted by the release of the blockbuster.

Purpose:
Throughout the piece, the article both compliments and undermines the quality of Breaking Dawn. The article starts with the phrase "Let's face it: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1 would be a blockbuster if the film were about Edward and Bella watching an apple rot." This asserts the author's viewpoint that whether or not the Twighlight series got better (according to critics) would not have an effect on the the enjoyment level of its crazed fans. This implies that Twighlight's first couple movies were not particularly substantive or entertaining (according to movie critics). However, the article does make a point of saying that it has gotten better---to what extent however is unknown.

Rhetorical Devices:
Jargon that appeals to their audience: "Twi-hard fans"
Extended Metaphor: Watching the series=watching an apple rot; watching the movie = watching the apple being plucked (which is much more entertaining); "forbidden fruit taken"
Communal Memory: Makes comparisons to Gods and Monsters, Nosferatu, and the bible (forbidden fruit taken)
Use of Reservation: "But none of this will be unwelcome news to fans, who waited in tents for tickets this week to see the forbidden fruit taken." States that despite the lack of substance, people who love Twighlight will likely enjoy the film anyway.

Effectiveness:
Though this article may be crystal clear to those who understand his references, I simply lack the experience and reading repetoire to understand some of the specifics of what the author is talking about. I haven't watched Gods and Monsters, nor have I watched Nosferatu, so these comparisons mean nothing to me. While I am constantly told of Twilight's childish/simplistic plot of two teens who can't be together, I have not actually sat through a full showing of the films and therefore have no knowledge of where the series began in terms of substance. This lack of knowledge and experience makes it nearly impossible for me to then know how much the saga has improved, or how good Breaking Dawn is. While I have taken the opinion that Breaking Dawn has improved I still do not know by how much or if it is even a good movie now (according to my standards).

Unit 2 Reflection

Nkosi Jones 

Mr. Gabriel

Unit 2 Reflection                                                                                                                              November 27, 2011

            Chosen Prompt: Synthesis Essay-What is the individual’s duty to his government? What is the government’s duty to the individual? In an essay that synthesizes and uses for support at least 3 of the readings from this unit, discuss the obligations of individuals within a society. Remember to attribute both direct and indirect quotes. Refer to the sources by authors’ last names or by titles. Avoid mere paraphrase or summary.

The role of government and citizens in society has always been a widely discussed topic. Thousands of prominent, forward-thinking rhetors, politicians, visionaries, and philosophers throughout history have shared their ideas on the matter with the general public. Often times, it is these ideas that prompt men to both tear down their existing government and erect a new government, one that corresponds with these changing ideas; for men have always strived to create the perfect form of government, a government that provides a sense of security, fairness/equity, and general well-being for all of its citizens. However, as time moves forward, it is my opinion that humankind has become increasingly more aware of the roles that both citizens and government must play in order to create this perfect governing system. The most prevalent, contemporary idea on the matter has been dubbed the ‘social contract theory’: the idea that, to be successful, government has to be a two-way street in that all citizens, in return for the services the government provides, must abide by the law as long as it corresponds to the will of the majority.

Philosophers Locke, Rousseau, Hobbes, and the makers of the Iroquois Confederation have all advocated for the belief in this theory at one point or another. In addition, all seem to be in agreement with the idea that all men are created equal and “no one can be put out of this estate and subjected to the political power of another, without his own consent” (Locke). However, assuming the premise that all are created equal, one man lacks the power to assert his will if it should conflict with that of another. It is for these reasons that people who possess common interests and goals unite, to assume “new powers” with which they can assert their will (Rousseau). But these new powers prove to be successful only when the support of the masses is behind it, for without the will of the majority of the people who made this unification possible, these powers are significantly reduced. For these reasons, a government must act in accordance with the majority and rulers must rule selflessly. If a government or ruler should fail in this regard, it is the right of the majority to overthrow both the ruler and the government in order to construct new ones. (Iroquois Confederation/Locke).

Although the assertion of the will of the majority is a major role that governments must assume, it is by no means the only task that a government has. Governments must also insure order and promote the general well-being of its citizens (Machiavelli). Under the same premise that men are born free, it is impossible to effectively force all citizens to obey the laws, which were constructed to achieve a sense of fairness/equity, thus achieving order. Therefore,  “Whosoever…out of state of nature unite into a community, must…give up all the power, necessary to the ends…for [uniting]” (Locke). To further ensure the fairness and equity of the unification they established, citizens must abide by all laws, should the law be looked favorably upon by the majority. Though the citizen might be in the minority, in that he believes the law is unjust, if they should want to continue to reap the benefits of that unification, he/she must abide by the law anyhow. If even a couple refuse to obey the law, order and equity is then put into jeopardy making the government ineffective. For these reasons, it is imperative that regardless of their viewpoint on that specific item, all citizens obey the law.

Logically, it is both the responsibility of the rulers/government and the governed individuals to ensure the success of the government. The social contract theory, shaped by such influential thinkers as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, seems to be the most highly regarded and accurate theory about the roles of government and the governed. However, as history suggests, the forward-thinkers of tomorrow may in fact construct an even better principle upon which governments should be built.

Nolan's Cheddar Commercial

Summary:

A mouse is searching for cheese and then gets caught in a mouse trap. The mouse appears to be dead but then he starts "pumping" the mouse trap bar in order to get free.

Author: 

The author is most likely the makers of Nolan's Cheddar.

Context/Purpose:

Like most advertisements, the context is spatial. They are trying to convince the general public to buy their product.

Rhetorical Devices:

Pathos: The audience is a little disturbed at the sight of the dead mouse and the music adds to that disturbing image.

Irony: No home-owner wants mice in their homes yet that is this commercial's primary persuasive argument. This commercial seems to argue that because mice will go to such lengths for this cheese, it must be good cheese.

Hyperbole: Obviously, the determination of the mouse to get the cheese was a bit of an overstatement 

Humor: The image of the small mice lifting to the Rocky theme is quite funny, and it is this humor that, in my mind, made this commercial so effective.
Contrast: The mood in the beginning is very uplifting. The music is a fast-paced feel-good song. Then once the rat is trapped, the mood becomes somber. The music is a very slow, sad song.

Effectiveness: 
This commercial was the winner of the Best TV Advertisement Award in 2010. So clearly, this is a very effective commercial. The hilarious image of the mouse lifting to the rocky theme song made this commercial quite memorable and if a commercial is not memorable than it is not very effective.

A Very Powerful Commercial

Summary:
The video displays little children (ages 5-7) mimicking the horrible actions of their parents. It shows children smoking cigarettes, littering, beating women, and doing many more horrible actions.

Source:
I found the video on youtube. It was created and posted by ChildFriendly, an organization dedicated to inspiring parents to set a good example for their children.

Context:
Spatial- The video was constructed in response to the poor examples that some parents set for their kids.

Purpose:
The purpose of this video to inspire parents to revise their bad habits so that they may set a good example for their kids and prevent them from engaging in these harmful activities.

Audience:
This video targeted parents.

Rhetorical Devices/Effectiveness:
This video was entirely pathos. It is based on the assumption that children mimic the bahavior of their children. It makes use of the belief that children are and should be innocent beings. For those who hold this belief, the video is incredibly powerful, for it displays children who are not so and uses an antecendent relationship to convey that their parents' actions made them this way. This relationship was established by allowing the parents to act first and then the children, slightly delayed. Additionally, the video had a somber mood throughout. This was first established through the music that was playing in the background and the dark/drab coloring of the video. All of these elements, especially the antecedent relationship, make this video incredibly powerful.

The Man Who Made Wall Street

Author:
Anthony J. Drexel

Why:
I realized that I know nothing of economics, and what better place to start learning than a biography of the man who created Wall Street, the economic center of the world.

Sections:
Post 1 Due: December 11; pages 1-60
Post 2 Due: December 25; pages 60-120
Post 3 Due: January 8; pages 120-180

How to Fix No Child Left Behind: Time Magazine

Summary:
This article dealt with the controversial topic that I am examining in my research paper: No Child Left Behind. The author disagreed with many's assertion that it has been successful. He analyzed many studies, provided many quotes, and recounted many examples of the acts failings.

Author:
Alex Tehrani from Times Magazine. He/she clearly disagreed with the guidelines that NCLB puts forth. From his use of statistics and quotes, I can discern that he is clearly much more knowledgable about the act that most people (including many education professionals)

Context/Exigence:
Written in 2007, this article was prompted by the fact that NCLB needed to be renewed in a few weeks and many dis not want this to happen.

Purpose:
The author's purpose was examine how effective the act really was after 5 years of enactment and pursuade some supporters that it wasn't as effective as they thought it was.

Audience:
The author seemed to target commoners specifically. I make this claim because, he/she provided a very brief explanation of what AYP was and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and failed to address funding for the act at all. I feel that if he was writing for politicians voting on the legislation or educators lobbying for/against the education, he would have either neglected to say anything and just assumed his readers knew or provided an extensive summation of the act in order to convey to them that he is well-read.

Rhetorical Elements:
The author used a plethora of devices in his 4 page paper. The most frequently used were testimonies from teachers and other respected persons in the educational field, examples of schools and children who were affected, statistics to support his claimes and the use of headings to section off and arrange his/her ideas. The author also used nonsense words to stress his/her points (ex. "think-tank wonk").

Effectiveness:
I thought the author's argument was very persuasive. I was on the fence on this issue, but his carefully constructed arguments made sense and effectively refuted the oppositions' views. Their arguments, although strong, were not aggressive and did not allienate readers.

Final IRB Post: This I Believe II Pages 59-245

Summary/Author:This book is a collection of essays from Americans throughout the nation. The topic and "prompt" of this issue is: "What would you say in five hundred words to capture a core principle that guides your life?". The book includes around 75 different three to four page essays written by a diverse selection of people. The authors of this book range from the famous, such as: Pulitzer Prize winners, professional athletes and singer, to your ordinary diner waitress. In this section, I read essays about integrity, sexuality, memories, relationship, and what it means to be American.

Rhetorical Devices:

• Definition: one author uses the Random House Unabridged Dictionary to define the term "to settle," which essentially sets up the rest of her argument
• Communal Memory:
• NRA
• Liberal vs. Conservative
• the Gap
• Holocaust
• etc...
• Universal Analogies:
• "A bird in the hand is two in the bush"
• Personal Anecdotes: These were used in many of the essays to illustrate their point. These anecdotes ranged from being held up at a red light to being at the foot of her mom's deathbed
• Repetition: Some essays repeated a singular phrase or a word over and over again to stress its importance
• Climax
• Humor
• Contrast: Some authors used contrasting situations to accentuate the benefits of one situation
• Irony
• Anaphora: One essay, which dealt with our roots, used the phrase "each of whom came from" in three successive clauses
• Testimonies

Effectiveness
Each essay included in this book provoked a different response from me. As there were 70-some essays in this book, there was no way that each response was a positive one. In fact, I disagreed with many of the assertions made by some of the authors. There was an essay about settling, rather than pursuing your goals, which raised a red-flag in my mind; no matter how convincing their argument may be, I would have refused to acknowledge this as truth. Even though I disagreed with many of the mindsets reflected in this book, most, if not all, provoked me to either redefine or rediscover my own viewpoints on subjects that I hardly ever think about. In this way, all of the essays were successful.

Rhetorical Analysis of That Old Piece of Cloth:
Frank Miller makes use of contrast in this essay. He begins by introducing his original viewpoint of "that old piece of cloth," indicating that it stands for "unthinking patriotism." He then goes on to describe his newfound love for that piece of cloth, indicating that it now stands for "self preservation." The way in which the author describes the reason for this change of perspective, is what makes this such an effective essay. In this description, he uses pathos, vivid imagery, strong diction, and communal memories such as 9/11 to make the reader sympathize with his views. He states that "thousands of my neighbors were ruthlessly killed" and that terrorists "want us to die". He also creates analogies throughout the piece. The terrorists are like the bad guys he imagines when creating his comic books about Batman. These elements all work synergistically to suggest the idea that America is being targeted and in need of protection. After this idea is established, he proclaims that "you've got to do what you can to help your country survive."
The writer of this essay establishes his credibility early-on. He comes off as a thoughful, non-comformist who uses logic and "indestructible ideas" to formulate his opinions on certain matters. This is done through the brief narration of his childhood and upbringing. This helps readers to become more open to hear his argument. Furthermore, the mindset discussed in the beginning also help to convince the opposition to side with his views. He first offers the opposition's viewpoint and then, throughout the rest of the essay, refutes it, making the essay somewhat of a long refutation. Lastly, Miller ends with a testimony from Ben Franklin that basically asserts that we must all join together if we don't want to perish. All of these elements contribute to the success of the essay.


*I chose to rhetorically analyze just this one story because it's impossible to analyze the whole story considering its comprised of over 70 different essays, each with their own purpose and message

Allegory of the Cave

Plato packed a lot of information into this story. He examines what humans view as the truth and why that it so. The philosophical nature of the piece forced me to reread certain sentences and passages several times in order to follow his train of thought and grasp the concepts he is referring to. One claim he makes that strikes me as truthful is that whatever you are exposed to is your definition of reality. The people stuck in the cave viewed the shadows of the objects passing by as real objects, not the shadow of objects. Since they had no knowledge of the actual physical object, the shadow was more real for them than the actual object itself. I think this applies to a variety of things, one being stereotypes. For Example: If you are only exposed to one Native-American in your school, his actions, thoughts, words, behaviors, and being becomes the reality of all Native-Americans, simply because that is what you are exposed to. Once you meet another American-Indian who doesn't possess the same qualities an lives a different lifestyle, you may think of him as an exception, but he may in fact be more consistent with contemporary Native Americans. I feel that this is how the people who were brought out of the cave felt when they saw the objects in "reality." I'm sure that they considered these objects strange and exceptions, because for them, the reality was that most objects look like the shadows on the wall. This is essentially how stereotypes are built, a few peoples' experiences with a group becomes "reality" to them.

NYT Editorial: The HPV Vaccine is for Their Own Good

Summary:
HPV stands for human papillomavirus, which is associated with cancers of the vulva and vagina in women, the penis in men, and anal and throat cancers in both men and women. Each year it causes cancer in 25000 men and women in the U.S. There is a vaccination which can dramatically decrease a person's susceptibility to the disease, but the vaccination is most effective when given to females and males from ages 11-13. Right now there's a push to require states to administer this vaccination, though it has been met with much opposition. The author is advocating for the requirement.

Author/Source:
There is a certain credibility that comes along with the name "The New York Times." Many consider this to be a very credible source of information. However, this is an editorial, which is based upon the opinion (albeit informed) of the editor.



Purpose: 
 "Public health officials should focus on increasing vaccination rates."- directly stated in article

Audience:
Readers of the New York Times and those who are not currently supporting the push to require states to administer this vaccinations 
Rhetorical Devices:
Classical arrangement- Starts of by giving the history of the problem (introduction/narration), hard facts which back his viewpoints (confirmation), gives examples of the opposition's  opinions and refutes it (refutation): "Conservative politicians have railed against the vaccine and the efforts by some states to require it. Many parents are appalled at the notion of vaccinating youngsters against a sexually transmitted virus before most have even begun to think about sex"; and concludes by summing up why the vaccination would be beneficial (summation)

Use of Topics- The author uses the cause and effect relationship topic in order to undermine claims that the vaccinations would not be cost effective. He argues that if the recommended persons get their vaccinations now, it will reduce the burden of illness and hospital bills in the future.

Ethos- The title itself establishes the credibility of the author. The title implies that the speaker is concerned only with the well-being of those affected and not motivated by personal gain.

Effectiveness:
I thought this was a very successful argument. Its primary appeal was to logic which, as seen in "Crito," can be a much more effective argument than emotion based appeals.

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

  Summary:
This painting depicts many different females in erotic poses.

Artist
The artist is Spaniard Pablo Picasso, creator of Guernica and many other renowned works.  He is a pioneer of the cubist style (displayed above).

Context:
The title translates literally to "the young girls of Avignon." It is spatial since it is not prompted by any event nor created or thought-of spontaneously, but took years of drafting.

Purpose:
Given his title and piece, his purpose may have been to portray the seductive nature of females from the specific region of Avignon.

Audience:
I believe this work was made predominantly for the eyes of men, given its sensual and seductive nature. Additionally, its message would appeal more to men than females.

Rhetorical Elements:
Positioning: Females are all posed in erotic positions which emit a sexual vibe from the painting
Communal memory: In the story of Adam and Eve, Eve tempts Adam into tasting a forbidden fruit. Fruit is painted in the picture to further convey the seductive and tempting nature of the females.
Variety: The females in the painting have varying styles and looks. This may portray that Avignon is a heterogeneous place, in which many exotic females reside.
Color Contrast: The backdrop of the painting is painted different colors. This gives the painting a convoluted feel, as if many things are happening at once.

Arrangement: It seems as if one of them is coming out from behind a curtain. This tells me that the women are on display and meant to be looked at. Also prompts me to think whether Picasso was depicting all of the women in Avignon or the prostitutes in Avignon.

Police Fire Tear Gas As Protesters Riot in Rome. Foxnews

Summary:
All throughout Europe, protests have become commonplace as those who resent the capitalist system and the international banking system have begun to congregate in order to assert their opinions. In Rome, a group of tens of thousands of protestors began to violently display their discontent for their economic situation.

Source:
Foxnews is often criticized for its "biased portrayal of news". Critics claim that they lean far more towards the republican side than necessary. The republican stance on economics favors laissez-faire economics, which is essentially capitalism. These riots were based on the hatred for capitalism. And though they address multiple different riots towards the end of the article, their primary focus was on Rome's bloody riot, which portrays the opponents of capitalism to be very brutish and violent.

Context:
Causal: This article was in response to the Rome riot predominantly.

Purpose:
The main purpose of this article is to describe the turmoil going on in Europe due to the economic crisis. This was probably the reason for the focus on Rome's riot. It simply best serves the purpose of conveying this turmoil.

Audience:
There was no indication that the article was intended for a certain type of person or for a person from a certain place. No communal memories were included so I couldn't draw any types of conclusion from that.

Rhetorical Devices:
Imagery: The author described events we could picture in our mind to better understand the scene. For instance: "Clad in black with their faces covered, protesters threw rocks, bottles and incendiary devices at banks and Rome police in riot gear. Some protesters had clubs, others had hammers. They destroyed bank ATMs, set trash bins on fire and assaulted at least two news crews from Sky Italia."

Arrangement: The arrangement of this article was, for the most part, process analysis. They described how the events transpired in a step by step manner. First, the protestors were just marching through with banners. Second, a couple of more radical persons began igniting cars, bashing windows etc... Third, the police came and used water hoses and tear gas to break of the riot.

Testimonies: Towards the end of the article, they included quotes from persons from the rioters and others who opposed capitalist policies so that readers get a better sense of what caused such radical activity.

Effectiveness:
I think the article did a great job of conveying the state of Europe and its people. The use of testimonies helped me to understand the passion with which the opposition felt and the process analysis arrangement gave me a basic understanding of what the protests entailed.

Unit One Reflection

An effective Argument is one that you can support with evidence. However, not only does the content and subject matter make an Argument effective, the way in which it is presented is equally important. The way in which an author taps into the emotions, logic, and communal memories of an audience can make or break an Argument. Rhetorical devices such as diction, syntax, imagery, use of topics, etc... can be instrumental in achieving these desired effects. But first one must take into account the purpose and subject matter they are creating prose about, and selectively implement the devices which achieve this purpose in the most efficient manner.

The group literary analysis presentation helped me to better understand what rhetorical analysis was. The fact that I got to see and collaborate with others who worked on the same piece allowed me to expand the way in which I approached and saw rhetorical devices.

This I Believe 2: Pages 1-59

Summary/Author:
This book is a collection of essays from Americans throughout the nation. The topic and "prompt" of this issue is: "What would you say in five hundred words to capture a core principle that guides your life?". The book includes around 75 different three to four page essays written by a diverse selection of people. The authors of this book range from the famous, such as: Pulitzer Prize winners, professional athletes and singer, to your ordinary diner waitress. In this section, I read essays about integrity, sexuality, memories, relationship, and what it means to be American.

Context:
The title of this book comes from a segment on National Public Radio, in which people talk about their unique (and often not so-unique) life experiences. The overwhelming success of the segment led to the creation of the first edition of This I Believe, which became a New York Times' Bestseller. The positive feedback for first edition, probably allowed and prompted this second edition to be released.

Purpose:
The purpose of this book was to give an opportunity for people to express their own opinions and convictions about life, as well as for others to hear, reflect, and perhaps apply these teachings into their own life.

Audience:
All of the essays that I've read thus far were written by Americans. The use of communal memories, such as the U.S court system, typical family, and American born cliches indicate that these essays were written for Americans. However, in the introduction of this book, one editor claims that these essays are as much for the writers as they are for the readers, for they allow writers to explore an come to terms with some of the experiences they've had and examine its impact on their life.

Rhetorical Devices:

• Repetition
• Contradictory language
• Humor and Irony
• Every essay included pathos of some kind. One of which sought to explore the implications of the death of a child on their life, which is sure to provoke an emotional response from readers
• Strong diction which every American can relate to in some way (i.e Yankees, terrorists)
• Imagery. In an essay about applying the behavior of his dog in his own life, the author used vivd descriptions to allow the reader to imagine his actions.

Effectiveness:
I would say most of these essays had some impact on the way I see things making the strategies they used effective, some more than others. The ones that were most inspiring/thought-provoking placed a strong emphasis on pathos and the use of humor and irony though.

Family, Friends, Advocates remember Troy Davis

Summary:
This article is about the death of Troy Davis, a young male from Georgia who was executed on Sept. 21. In recent years, there has been debate as to the morality of his sentence and the morality of capital punishment in general.

Source:
This article was written by the staff of msnbc and The Associated Press, both of which have a respectable reputation in the domain of reporting.

Context:
Causal: This article was created in response to the execution and feuneral of Troy Davis

Purpose:
The author focused more on the public's response to the execution of Troy Davis, than the emotional distress that his family might be going through.

Audience:
The author only briefly discussed the reasons behind the controversial execution of Troy Davis, which leads me to believe that he wrote to an audience already knowledgable about his situation.

Rhetorical Devices:
The authors used powerful words such as "matyr and foot soldier" to describe the impact Troy Davis' death had on the community. Quotes were an invaluable piece of this article. The authors quoted many prominent persons in the community to demonstrate how inspired people were to demolish the death penalty after his execution. Additionally the author uses the "future fact" strategy discussed in chapter 2 of Everyday Use. Since Davis was executed, you will see in increase in the amount of activist activity in regards to the death penalty. He then goes on to support this claim with testimonies from church officials and other activists.

 Summary: 

Political cartoon that criticizes our the western world's focus on Middle Eastern countries' weapons of mass destruction and overlooking Israel's.

Context:

Causal: The author created this after Vanunu (former Israeli nuclear technician) revealed secrets about Israel's plans to build nuclear arsenry. The U.S and other western powers neglected to act on his claims and continued to focus on Iran.

Purpose:

satire of American foreign policy. The author's purpose was to criticize the western world's focus on Middle Eastern Muslim societies when other, more prominent, issues arise in other parts of the world.

Audience:

Anyone who is knowledgable about American foreign policies

Rhetorical Elements:

  The size of the two bombs relative to each other, suggest that Israel is a much more prominent threat than Iran. This difference in size delivers the irony of the western world's attention on Iran. All of the Western powers are shown as old, obese, fat men. Typically these images connote greed. But the fact that the United States says "Can't you see we're busy," indicates to me that they are overlooking Israel not because they don't care, but because they aren't aware of their weapons of mass destruction due to their intense focus on the middle east. Though the person trying to get the U.S's attention (Vanunu), suggests that they aren't aware due to a lack of information, but because they refuse to heed the warnings of such persons such as Vanunu, and look into his claims, perhaps this may be because of personal reasons.

Gamers Solve Molecular Puzzle that Baffles Scientist

Summary:
Foldit is a new interactive online game in which gamers can try to solve many of the scientific problems that baffle scientists even today. Recently a team of gamers discovered the structure of an enzyme pivotal to the spreading of the AIDS virus. This information could potentially allow scientists to develop drugs that counteract this enzyme and stop the virus in its tracks.

Author:
The author of this article is Alan Boyle, a reporter from MSNBC's Cosmic Log, a site dedicated to educating the public about scientific issues and innovations. Since MSNBC's purpose is to inform viewers and readers of current happenings, I don't feel as though they possess any biases which could have altered the information presented.

Context:
Casual: The discovery of the structure of the enzyme linked to AIDS prompted the writing of this article

Purpose:
Inform readers of a new program called Foldit and its scientific accomplishments

Audience:
Since the article was posted on MSNBC's Cosmic Log which only writes about scientific events, the target audience is most likely scientists and others who enjoy science related news.

Rhetorical Devices:
Contrary to what many may think when reading the title of the article, the writer does not admonish or condemn the scientists who were "outsmarted" by the gamers; nor does he exalt the gamers who accomplished the goals. Instead, he examines the possibilities of Foldit. It is clear that the article is very uplifting and the tone can only be described as hopeful. He quotes the researchers who designed the program state only positive things such as, "These features provide exciting opportunities for the design of retroviral drugs, including AIDS drugs" and "Foldit shows that a game can turn novices into domain experts capable of producing first-class scientific discoveries." It is quite clear from the inclusion of these many quotes that the author is also hopeful that this program can solve many more problems which plague scientists. The usage of quotes by reputable persons in technological and scientific fields of study help to support his claim and hope that this program will do just that.

BBC News: Chilling Messages from 9/11 planes which Crashed into World Trade Center.

Summary:
 This video can be viewed as a tribute to the people who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It begins with the assumption that all viewers already know of the event, and so it only briefly sets the stage. It gives the time, the date, and a sentence or two about the hijacking of the planes. It then transitions into a phone call from one of the attendants on one of the hijacked planes. Shortly afterward, viewers hear the voice of one of the terrorists threatening the passengers on the plane. This never before released audio of the highjacking is accompanied by the voice of Ben Sliney, head of air traffic control, who conveyed his state of confusion when he was forced to react to the 9/11 crisis his first day on the job.

Source/Author:
The narrator of the video is Adam Brookes, a reporter from BBC News. BBC News is considered by most a reputable site. From the tone and perspective of the narrator, you can tell that they were pro-America though, which lends itself to its biased perspective. The video looks at the video from an American perspective and neglects to consider why this happened or the motives of the terrorists.

Context:
 This video was released just days before the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which definitely impacted or, perhaps, prompted its release.

Purpose:
 As mentioned in the summary, I feel as though this video served as a tribute to the victims of 9/11. The video didn't attempt to inform readers about any aspect of 9/11 or persuade them to think a certain way about it; the video simply introduced a new means of retelling what their audience already knows. The fact that the voices were those of the victims also seems to establish this commemorative/nostalgic tone.

Audience:
 The title and content of the video suggest that the video was intended for Americans who already know of this event.

Rhetorical Elements:
The use of the words "bafflement and disbelief" helped to create the 'chilling' effect discussed in the title of the video. The cadence, sentence structure, and even the accent of the narrator also lend itself to the suspense and dramatic nature of the video. The narrator's voice possessed no hints of humor or excitement, just remorse and reflection.

Effectiveness:
If the intent of the narrator was to commemorate and convey the confoundment of the victims and respondents to the 9/11 crisis, it succeeded. This was definitely a serious and depressing video, as most commemorative pieces are. The tone, mood, and diction all work synonymously to create that effect.