TOW #13 - Visual- Fish in the dark

On a recent trip into New York City, the train pulled up next to an advertisement that was strangely compelling and even provoked my friend to put a reminder in her phone to see the show. I took a picture of it as a reminder as well. The imagery was strangely captivating, the placement of the ad is clever, and the more detailed version of the show's poster is even more intriguing.

Why was this poster so eye catching? The contrasting coloring of blue and orange definitely added to the initial grabbing of the viewer's eye. The colors usually aren't seen together and make the poster something different than its surroundings. At first glance your eye is pulled to the seemingly glowing lit up bulb that contains a fish. Once again, the poster is striking in its originality. In font just as large and loopy as the title of the new comedy itself is the name Larry David. David wrote the show and plans to star in it, which brings a whole different audience to the theater world. Many would deem Larry David a household name, and to connect the lovable actor to a new show on broadway brings a whole different crowd to the production. Finally, the title itself is captivating. The image of a fish, more specifically the crazy looking fish positioned at the top of the poster sitting in the dark is quite hilarious. This not only makes the poster memorable but the title of the show sticks with you as a comedy.

What was also interesting about the advertisement was its placement. Where better to put the poster for a show that will be in New York City on Broadway, than on the very route to the city itself. Not only will it give city goers an activity idea, but those who are frequently going into the city are constantly reminded of the show's existence. Being at one of the middle stops along the ride, people from Trenton up to NYc may see this show's poster and fall suit to its provoking design.

Finally, when I looked up the show itself online, the poster was more detailed. Surrounding the fish was praise for Larry David that was easy to see on a small screen. The poster on the way to New York cleverly avoided including overwhelming text as it would be distracting and take away from the impact of the title and Larry David's name.

TOW #12- IRB Part 1- The Fervent Years

The Fervent Years is written somewhat dryly, it appeals to those who care about the subject matter. Written by Harold Clurman, the book reveals what it was like during one of the most influential times of American theater. Clurman has directed a plethora of plays including those by Arthur Miller and Eugene O'Neill.

For a gifted member of the theater society, Clurman is absurdly wordy. The man can really stretch out a subject. Despite some exaggerations and hypocritical tendencies, he works to stress what is important and delivers his message efficiently enough. The quality of confusion that ensues following a reading almost reflects what sorting out an approach to theater may have also possessed.

The difficulty in following Clurman's thoughts may also pertain to the reflective aspect of the piece. Yes, there is plenty of historical background information. But there is also the development of his friendship with the Lee Strasberg and Sanford Meisner. Clurman divulges into the process of his career. All of his personal growths, as well as those in the field, are clearly important pieces to his viewpoint of how theater should be.

That viewpoint is that theater should be valuable to people because it connects to them and opens their eyes to new or different things in life. Clurman consistently comes back to this idea. Without a solid purpose for revealing everything about his life, nothing he goes into such detail about would be so fascinating. Even his relationship with his love-interest, another big name, Stella Adler, plays into the development of Group Theater and its influence of a changed perspective.

An important part of how Clurman explains his process is his connection to the relationship between actor and director. In the first chapter, Clurman explains a lesson learned from Strasberg that how a play is portrayed is just as important as what is written in the play. Later, when developing their own shows, each director chose their own actors, in order to be sure they fit the show. So while some ideas may conflict with one another, there are consistencies in Clurman's actions.

TOW #11 - Jack in the Box (Visual)

Every Yom Kippur I realize how frequently food is advertised on television. Yes, because I am so hungry my senses are heightened to the beauty that is nourishment and every year I have have a craving. Unfortunately, it is never the bagel and lox that I end up with. This year it was tacos, and the actual taco I ended up with was not like the ones I saw on TV. 

It makes sense for advertisers to make food look better in their advertisements than what it is actually like. What makes even more sense, is for these faux portrayals to be revealed as such. In the advertisement "Jack in the Box" a simplistic approach to criticizing advertisers is achieved through use of juxtaposition and laconic sentences.

The visual is quite plain. The focus is the taco advertised versus the taco we all know and hate. The clear contrast between the two delivers the message intended without overwhelming the viewer. If the picture contained too much information the viewer could potentially lose sight of the intention. In addition to critiquing the advertisers, the image strives to inform the general consumer. While many people have encountered the scenario, (a lesser taco) they may not have realized the attempt the advertiser has made to manipulate. By juxtapositioning the tacos, the disappointment is made clear and relatable.

The public service announcement-esque image involves a short description above the limpy taco. Describing the actual food, the image writes, "Most attractive ends" and "largest pair of 4 tacos". These simple phrases lend to the emphasis of the horrid nature of the actual tacos. While assisting the creator in critiquing the tacos, they are not distracting and simply attempt to provoke to reader to be bothered by the scenario and relate to it.

TOW #10 - 'Gone Girl': Film Review (Written)

The Hollywood Reporter is well regarded for their reviews. The writer of the "Gone Girl" review, Todd McCarthy, has been a critic for over 30 years and he has the power to stamp a film with its reputation. For "Gone Girl", McCarthy reveals a credible opinion with his strong diction and well executed arrangement. 

When describing a movie it cannot be generic. Because each movie is special and specific, it must be described in such fashion. The words chosen to describe the movie must carry the perfect connotation that the critic wishes to give. McCarthy describes "Gone Girl" as "a sharply made, perfectly cast and unfailingly absorbing melodrama".  Right away, the reader is given an idea of where the review is headed. It clearly is a positive response, but references no generalities of the movie as a whole. Never describing it in entirety in any light gives McCarthy room to contemplate the negative aspects of the movie as well. 

The negative parts of his review never really translate as totally negative. For example, he comments on one part, "in which the images of the actors are often so softly lit that sometimes you can scarcely make out their eyes." Whether or not McCarthy really find this to be a bad thing is up to the reader's discretion, and that is just what he wants. It is his job to communicate what may be good or bad about the movie, but by never committing the low-lit images as something bad, he avoids making vast decisions for every consumer, when he is just one man.  

Before even beginning his review, McCarthy provides a trailer for the film and basic information about the cast, director, screenwriter, ect. This opening allows him to speak to an informed audience, without having to provide detailed context when shedding judgement. He also begins by focusing on the fan-base and how he thinks they would react. McCarthy addresses his primary audience by doing so, as the people most concerned with how a movie adaption is done, is those who are fans of the thing being adapted. Continuing, McCarthy reflects on different aspects of the movie, providing brief summary as he goes, and sparking interest as to how the movie will end. 

IRB Intro #2

For marking period 2, I have chosen "The Fervent Years" by Harold Clurman. A lot of my interests outside of school revolve around theater, and one of my goals for this year was to look into theories and ideas surrounding acting for my TOWS. More specifically, this book focuses on Group Theater, a very significant experiment in American theater. It was recommended to me by my sister, and I am very excited to read it.  

TOW #9 - 4 things Obama should do- fast (Written)

This past week were the midterm elections. The outcome was pretty clear, those who ran against Barack Obama's stances won. CNN, a typically left-wing and liberal news source reflects on the elections in the article, "4 things Obama Should Do- Fast".  Written by Jason Johnson, a professor of political science and frequent guest on CNN, this article successfully looks at the glass half-full rather than empty. 

Johnson is very optimistic in his approach. In his conversational tone he is able to communicate an opinion that some may object to, he writes, "First, let's be honest about what happened Tuesday night. The stock market is way up, unemployment is the lowest in six years and gas prices are way down. So, by most objective measures, the country is doing well." Rather than jump into the fact that our president has been deemed a lame duck, he looks at what is being done well. He also does not actually being by discussing the election itself. This helps remind the reader that while we did elect new people, the state of our nation as is may not be as bad as many think. By communicating with the audience in such a colloquial fashion,  Johnson effectively reveals his opinion, without being on the attack. 

The arrangement of the article also assists Johnson in giving validity to his argument. Before ever revealing what he believes, Johnson opens with a reflection on American politics since 2006 and continues with statistics. This establishes his credibility, making the reader more susceptible to his opinion. After this, he addresses the election's outcomes, also very factually, and recognizes why people voted against President Obama's policies, even though he wasn't up for re-election. Without critiquing any party aggressively, Johnson explains that despite the new, seemingly "impossible", congress, there can still be progress. He breaks them clearly into 4 basic categories and briefly addresses them, finally revealing his opinions. By laying the groundwork and not bombarding the reader with what he believes, Johnson creates an argument that is considerable and appealing.   



http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/07/opinion/johnson-obama-next-steps/index.html?hpt=op_t1 

TOW #8 (Cycle 7)- Blink (IRB)

Blink continued to inform and entertain me until its end.  The complexity of the brain is simplified so any reader can gain insight as to what is happening inside their head. Quite frankly, the whole concept sort of freaks me out, makes me very self aware, as now I cannot make a snap judgement without wondering why I was able to make it. Nonetheless, Malcolm Gladwell is successful in achieving his purpose, effectively explaining something complicated to the public so they can know when to "blink and when to think", through his use of arrangement and exemplification.

Without being boring in its formulaic approach, the book is split into six subjects (chapters) and each subject is opened with one example. This example is thoroughly explained and then Gladwell continues with three or four other ways of explaining the concept. By the end of the chapter, the original example is tied back to the rest and the reader is exposed to many versions of one idea. This may seem convoluted, but that's me, not Gladwell. An example of how he does this is Chapter 4, Paul Van Riper's Big Victory: Creating Structure for Spontaneity. Gladwell introduces why a team won in the Millenium Challenge, explains how improv works under the same idea, give the reader a chance to try out the concept, connects the idea to medical practices, and then concludes with the outcome of the Millenium Challenge and makes everything connect. By using so many examples and intertwining them with his main idea, Gladwell successfully gives each reader a way to relate to his material.

While the way these examples are arranged plays a role in connecting with the reader, the real feat is in the substance he presents. Personally, I began to understand the concept when he explained it through the improvisation activity, as I have participated in it before. Gladwell recognizes that his audience is full of different personalities and backgrounds, and not everyone will be able to understand his material in the way he may. Without the variety of examples, Blink would not be as "user-friendly" and the concepts Gladwell portrays would be lost.

TOW #7 (Cylce 5) - Keeping Ebola at Bay (Written)

            The New York Time’s article, Keeping Ebola at Bay, written by Brynn Anderson, effectively places the blame for the spreading of the epidemic and supports its argument for change with an appeal to ethos through factual evidence, repetition, and slicing diction.

            Keeping Ebola at Bay is an editorial that informs the audience of what is happening with the disease and what Anderson believes needs to be done in order to prevent more death. Specifically, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has faulted so frequently that they may be the reason Ebola has became such a nauseating thought for the average citizen.

            Anderson presents overwhelming evidence at the beginning of his piece in order to establish his credibility before stating an opinion. He chronologically presents the cases that have occurred already in the United States and how they have been handled. He then states how it is connected to a mistake made by the CDC, but does not fully present his argument. This helps his readers have an idea of where Anderson wants from them without being fully aware of it.

            Repetition is also used to sway Anderson’s audience to his side. In the middle of his editorial, each paragraph begins with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s acronym followed by what they did wrong and should’ve happened. This organizational technique is effective as it supports the author’s purpose with a clear means of supporting his claim.

            Anderson also molds his diction in order to create his image of the C.D.C as the problem. He describes their advice as “inadequate” and a thought process as “an incredible lapse in judgment”.  The connotation brought to the C.D.C is subtle yet slicing and helps him support his claim.

            Through use of these rhetorical strategies Anderson makes a very interesting and thought provoking argument as to who was to blame for the way Ebola has affected the nation. He gives good reason for the C.D.C to revisit some of their previous decisions and effectively achieves his purpose.

TOW #6 (Cycle 5)- Written (On Being A Cripple)

On Being A Cripple is written by a woman with Multiple Sclerosis named Nancy Mairs. The essay is designed to explain why she accepts her disease and achieves this through the interesting structure of her piece and her use of anecdotes to establish ethos.

Mairs begins writing by explaining while she calls herself cripple rather than a term like handicapped or disabled. This choice opens up her idea of what it means to be crippled. She is inviting the reader into a world that potentially lacks political correctness and grabs their attention with a view that counters the norm.

Mairs continues to explain how lucky she is. She feels that despite having MS bestowed upon her she has family and laughter and work that helps make her life happy. This anecdotal aspect fo her essay brings the reader into her life. She doesn't just say she is happy, but gives proof as to what is good in her life. This establishes ethos as it is easier to trust someone when what they say is supported and is placed well structurally in the piece as it develops her persona as a writer as someone amicable and open.

Following her happiness Mairs flawlessly introduces the one true hardship she fears, that everyone is faking around her. She doesn't want to be pitied and feels a need to please those around her to make up for the fact that she depends on them. This comes after the reader may support her as she has been strong in her efforts in life. By waiting to introduce her fear, Mairs establishes a connection with her audience before asking them to identify with her. She also makes it easier for the reader to connect with her by explaining how she cannot connect with the women in magazine. No cripples are in the magazines. However, many women feel distant from the image they are meant to fulfil and relate to Mairs.

The essay is concluded with Mairs' view on being a cripple. Before truly fleshing out what she initially started with, she is able to connect to her audience and likely have a better reaction to what she thinks.

TOW #5 (Cycle 2) - Visual (Same Sex marriage in Iowa)

This political from 2009 was created by Nick Anderson for the Houston Chronicle. He has won a Pulitzer prize for his cartoons and has appeared in over 100 different newspapers and journals. The Houston Chronicle is the largest newspaper in Texas and is not notably liberal or conservative.

The cartoon is an allusion, to the famous art piece, American Gothic. Interesting piece of trivia, While it is being depicted as a couple above, this does not parallel what is actually happening in the scene. The original piece depicts Grant Wood's, the artist, sister and their dentist.

Anderson is presenting a piece of art associated with Iowa adjusted to fit the news he is sharing. The cartoon is almost rewriting history. The legalization of gay marriage will not automatically bring change of mind in the population. By taking a well known cultural reference, Anderson is attempting to change what many may view as "normal'.

Anderson's purpose is to present the news of legalized marriage in a way that helps to alter the audience's state of mind and perhaps forward the legalization of gay marriage in texas. He does this with his parallelism in his allusion. Because the men in the image are together in stature almost how they would be in front of an officiant on their wedding day, it bring a clear connection to marriage. The two are in the image just the man and woman in the original are, which presents the legalization of gay marriage with nothing different except the gender of the two people in union.

Texas did not legalize gay marriage until February of 2014. Anderson may be using this cartoon as a way to convince readers that it is time for Texas to catch up. He presents the news using an ellipsis, signifying an exasperated tone. Anderson is telling his readers, "C'mon, even Iowa is doing it."

TOW #4 - Visual (No More)

The No More campaign is trying to change the way society is viewing sexual assault and domestic violence.  The posters have images of famous people along with a quote of how some people respond to rape. For example, Debra Messing's poster has, "He warned her" written, saying that this response is unacceptable. When you visit the No More website (http://nomore.org/about/all-organizations/) there are over 200 organizations behine it or supporting it. However the faces of this campaign are the actors found on popular TV shows and in movies.

This campaign is intended for those who witness and defend sexual assault encounters. An interesting aspect is how the male actors are presented. The men's quotes are more focused on bringing other men into the issue. The men are trying to explain how it is everyone's problem.

From its birth, media has always been influential in making change. By having the actors of the  characters people love to watch, the viewers are more inclined to listen and this appeals to ethos. The credibility of the people on the posters is already established. By varying the quotes on the posters there is a better chance that people will be able to relate to one of the quotes. This appeals to pathos.

The word choice of "no more" is important. It recognizes that these things exist and lets the viewer recognize it as well. Also, it is simple and memorable.

In smaller print to the side of each individual poster has a fact and for many, the fact pertains to the sexual abuse of men. This campaign is clearly steered towards the education of males who don't recognize it as a problem for their gender. The specificity of the facts allows male viewers to become more connected to the message.

TOW #3- blink (IRB)

blink is one of the most fascinating books I've read to date. Malcolm Gladwell teaches the "power of thinking without thinking" in a way that has totally reconstructed the way I view my thoughts. This book is interesting not just because of how Gladwell writes, but because I feel like I received a copy owned by the Half-Blood Prince. Someone has read and marked up the pages and connected his discoveries to her own life, and it makes the information even cooler.

Gladwell's writing is formal yet informal. He is scholarly but maintains a conversational aspect with his audience. When he discusses phenomena that occur unconsciously the readers get to experience some tests that allows them to understand the studies in a different way. Gladwell is trying to help the general public understand more about their brains.

Malcolm Gladwell appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos. Not only does Gladwell support his arguments by citing researchers, but by explaining why the researchers are credible as well. It adds another level of trust for what he has to say. Also, many of the tests researchers have done are logical in their execution so it brings logic to Gladwell's conclusions. Gladwell appeals to pathos when he explains how he is even mastered by his subconscious. It would be pretty easy for a reader to feel ridiculous for not being able to control his decisions, but Gladwell prevents that on numerous occasions. To name just one, Gladwell reveals his results when he took the www.implicit.harvard.edu Race IAT and he has "automatic moderate preference for whites".  Most readers want to be able to say they believe fully in equality, but Gladwell explains sometimes it isn't your fault that you unconsciously have prejudices.

TOW 2- A Law of Acceleration (Written)

In 1905 Henry Adams wrote, The Education of Henry Adams. This eventually won a Pulitzer Prize and an excerpt titled, "A Law of Acceleration" was printed in the Best American Essays of the Century. This essay captures the idea of progress through time and what the future may hold as seen by the past. I struggled through this read a little bit. It is heavier than previous texts and organized in a strange way. The first time I read through all I really was able to catch was Adam's purpose in writing it, to convince that motion continues and America accelerates in growth. After some research I discovered Henry Adams is the descendant of 2 United States presidents and that contributes to creating a broad audience for his work. He is looking to motivate the educated "New American".

Adams applies rhetorical strategies to support his argument. Extended metaphor is the most prominent technique. The Law of acceleration states, "The acceleration of an object as produced by a net force is directly proportional to the magnitude of the net force." In simple terms, the more force applied the greater the acceleration. This idea is applied to Adams' observation of coal-output growth, and the growth of his nation overall. By using an extended metaphor is keeps a consistent thread for the entire piece and allows the reader to piece all Adam's ideas.

Adams establishes ethos by being who he is. Like how the Language of Composition explained that a king has built in ethos, Adam's does as well with his familial connections.  But Adams also appeals to ethos when he explains his ideas in scientific fact. Many believe that science and fact are equal, so by taking a scientific approach, his thoughts appear to be fact. 

IRB Intro Post 1 (blink)

For this marking period's IRB I have chosen to read "blink" by Malcolm Gladwell. This book was recommended to me by a former AP English student and is about the brain's ability to assess something in about 2 seconds. From what I've seen so far, even in just 2 seconds, it looks like a really interesting read.

TOW #1 - How to Say Nothing in 500 Words (Written)

How to Say Nothing in 500 Words


This excerpt from Understanding English is informative and written in an interesting fashion that keeps the reader curious to learn. Paul Roberts teaches his audience how to properly write about something you might not care about. Through a theoretical student essay about college football, Roberts gives the dos and don'ts to approaching opinion papers. This essay is for students or any writer who struggles to reach the required word count, and does reach it by writing "In my opinion," or "it seems to me. Paul Roberts' works, such as English Syntax and Understanding English are prominent in the middle of the twentieth century and he treats composition as a science. Though written about fifty years ago, Roberts' maintains a commentary relevant to today's society. He does this with his diction and use of satire.

Roberts writes with a candid tone. He does not sugarcoat the truth for his audience. When explaining to avoid the obvious content he writes, "lf these are the points that leap to your mind, then they will leap to everyone elses too..." By being direct Roberts' keeps the purpose of instruction prevalent and efficient.

Roberts also uses some satire in his writing that creates humor. Along with his frank explanation Roberts also comments on societal norms. In discussion of the pat expressions he writes, "Some people like that sort of thing, but most modern readers would say, “Good grief,” and turn on the television." Despite being written in the 1950s, this comment still applies today and is still amusing.

Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying

Adrienne Rich was a feminist, writer, and poet. Many give Rich credit for helping women come out of the closet and accept their other rights. She is well educated and very influential in the emerging women's' rights movement. In her piece, Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying, Rich litters the pages with rhetorical techniques that create a fascinating read that convinces the reader of how much damage can be caused by women lying. 

Rich opens her piece with litotes . She explains the honors of a man and then how completely different the honors of women are. 

She also uses anaphora as a way to drive a point. On page 413 she repeats, "But the liar," on page 414, "It is important," on page 415, "Women have always," on page 417, "The liar is always" and "She is afraid". These are the points intended to drive home. And they do. 

Later, Rich uses colloquial writing and creates a new conversational aspect by referring to the reader as you. She writes, "It isn't that to have an honourable relationship with you, I have to understand everything, or tell you everything at once, or that I can know, beforehand, everything I need to tell you." This brings her more personally into my perception of her words and helps me feel even more connected to her. 

Rich ends her work with use of metonymy. She equates the ideas of truth and life by writing, "That we both know we are trying, all the time, to extend the possibilities of truth between us. The possibility of life between us." This captures what Rich wants the reader to leave with. Lying can damage you. She does an excellent job of achieving her purpose of teaching the audience this. 

The Truth Will Set You Free

You can cage yourself. 

John 8:32 http://dgillespi8034.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html 

The Future Is Now

The Future Is Now is written by Katherine Anne Porter and serves as a didactic piece in a time after bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The lesson taught gives a look into life from an optimistic standpoint. A human's hope is to live a long life and he/she should do what makes them happy in that time. As Porter puts it, "At the very least, he is doing something he feel is worth doing now, and that is no small thing" (195). In her explaining of this Porter also states her hopes that while the world may seem like it is falling to pieces, it may just be it figuring out a way to put them all back together. 

Porter establishes her ethos in a few biblical references as well as in historical events and personal experiences. This creates an audience who may match a similar mind as Porter describes for herself when referencing the seeming eternity in the continuation of customs. She describes herself as one who "can be soothed with large generalities of that nature" (195), which has similar qualities to what she tries to do for her reader. Porter also has established ethos as she is respected in the written works community being a Pulitzer prize winner and bestselling author. 

Porter's work is very strong. She is able to use an allegory in a literal connection between her personal encounters in life with what abstract ideas she sees in the world. She is stating an opinion on bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki while also explaining how it can relate to life existentially. This makes it easy to understand exactly what her view is. She is not as much persuading the reader to agree with her, but is attempting to inform of what she has discovered in her life. 

Putting the Pieces Together

Perhaps the world is not falling apart, but coming together.



http://www.gcsu.edu/engagement/studentresearch/docs/15th_GC_Student_Research_Conference_Schedule_2012___Quick_Reference_Program.pdf 

Life With Daughters

Life with daughters is a piece in which Gerald Early writes of how he views Miss America contests. It is written from the perspective of an African American man with a wife and two daughters. Early is a professor of Modern letters but also for African and African American culture. He is well renowned and writes from a perspective that is his own. 

Early utilizes the rhetorical technique of parallelism between the American Beauty Pageant and dolls in order to explain to a broader audience of how this affects people. By comparing the two, the idea is seen in a specific and general way which helps the reader to understand both the influences. His piece is extremely strong because of his ability to appeal to so many aspects of what may be deemed female culture and he manages to explain so many wisdoms of life unearthed just through a television program he doesn't even really like. 

This piece was written for anyone who may be under the influence of societal culture, meaning nearly everybody. Through his work, Early equates American Beauty pagents to the doll industry to show how it can influence young black children. He compares what it was like for his wife to see only white women on stage and feel a kind of agitation towards the tradition to how his daughters know the competition with a diverse set of "women on parade"(532) . He discusses how his wife and sister grew up with white Barbies and how it could stir race pride amongst them as well as a feeling of lessness. His wife would not allow his daughters to have white dolls because of this and he discovers that his children still felt self-conscious because of their appearances despite the ban on the dolls. 

Early's purpose is to try to give the wisdom he found his daughters had in their approach to a pageant or dolls. Rather than deciding a person couldn't win the pageant because someone of their race had won in the past years, as their mother declared, they picked who they thought was best. They did not watch with feelings of lingering animosity but because it was so meaningless it was funny. Gerald Early's daughters had their two black Barbie's have a white child because, "We're not racial...Aren't you tired of all that racial stuff?" Early uses his childrens' innocent wisdom to bring awareness to the fact that sometimes you are taught that "nothing is something" and recognizing whether something is really something is what is important. 

Innocence is Wisdom

Sometimes being blind to what hate is around you can bring betterness into your life.

three blind mice nursery rhyme: 

http://rap.genius.com/175696/Mellowhype-copkiller/Blind-mice