TOW #9: Everything Comes to an End

     Death can be viewed as a horrible concept as many people have experienced unbearable effects from it. Following the death of a loved one can bring depression, anger and even the desire to see them just one more time. Eva Gabrielsson, the partner of Stieg Larson, got her wish but in a unique way. Stieg Larson, the author of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," passed away on November 9th, 2004 but wrote a letter in 1977 to Gabrielsson when he was 22 years old: just before his trip to Africa. This letter was marked "To be opened only after my death," which is exactly what happened when Eva read it for the first time in front of a crowd at Larson's funeral. In Larson's letter, he uses anaphora and the appeal to logos in order to convince Gabrielsson that death is a natural occurrence and that there is no reason to suffer because he is now gone.
     Repetition can be looked at as rather mundane, but Larson uses it in an effective way. He wants to confess his undying love to Gabrielsson by saying, "I want you to know that I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. I want you to know I mean that seriously. I want you to remember me but not grieve for me." The repetition of "I want you" is such an important line in his letter. He is expressing his dying wish and showing that he believes that even though they were in love, there is no reason for his death to completely destroy her life. Also, his appeal to logos can help convince Gabrielsson that death is natural and nothing to be horribly upset about. He introduces the idea by saying, "the stars die, the galaxies die, the planets die. And people die too." By describing the world around him and by explaining that it is completely okay that he died, Gabrielsson is more likely to realize that his death is an ordinary event.
     Originally, his letter was directly addressed to his Eva, but this was before Larson become a successful author. If he were to write this later in his life after his book became a best-seller, he would most likely have written to the public because his life would not have been as private. I completely believe that he achieved his purpose because his letter definitely made me realize that even though death can be extremely heart-wrenching, it is just the way of life.

IRB Intro Post #2

The book that I decided to read this marking period is called "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs. This book is a New York Times bestseller and is a personal memoir about Augusten growing up in a bizarre household when his mom is no longer fit to take care of him. I chose this book because it was recommended to me by a friend, but I have also read a few strange reviews that interested me. I have heard that this book is for mature readers, so I am excited for the challenge.

TOW #8: Eat, Pray, Love (IRB #2)

     When I finally finished reading Liz Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love," I decided that this has to be one of the most unique and inspiring memoirs that I have ever read. Traveling the world may not seem like a creative topic to reflect on, but once you learn about her experiences, you instantly realize why this book has impacted a numerous amount of people. Gilbert states that probably one of the most important things she learned because of her journey is that you must be focused on finding happiness for yourself. You must "fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it…you have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings." This, I believe, is her purpose.
     She was caught in a horrible situation and in order for her to feel better, she did something drastic. She traveled the world, she fell in love, she learned new languages, she meditated, and most of all, she learned that sometimes you need to be selfish. This is something that possibly everyone can relate to, which is why her book has been so successful. It is able to reach everyone. Her audience is so widespread and because of her fantastic writing abilities, she was able to form a fantastic book.
     An important aspect of her book is her powerful diction. Her choice of words immediately can change a person's mind, and this also brings the appeal to pathos. She uses words such as "relentlessly" and "fight" as a way to encourage people to find their happy place. This is inspiring, especially when you explore the heartbreak and sacrifice that it took for her to reach this conclusion. Some might say that the only way to enjoy your life is so find happiness and that it shouldn't take a genius to figure that out. Although this could be true, no one ever does it. It takes someone else's life to convince you that you need to take care of yourself. As stated before, this is her purpose and I definitely believe that she achieved it. She forces the reader to reevaluate their life which takes a truly powerful and talented author to do.

TOW #7: I Am Very Real

     It can be argued that no other profession has received more rejection than those involved in the arts whether it be with literature, entertainment, or physical artwork. Kurt Vonnegut, an American author and prisoner of war during World War II, had certainly felt the rewards of success, but when a school board in a North Dakota public school deemed his book "Slaughterhouse-Five" as being full of "obscene language," he decided to respond with a letter. Through the use of the appeal to pathos and ethos, Vonnegut effectively conveys his disgust and feeling of betrayal toward the school board that burned his book in their now "famous furnace." In October of 1973, a young teacher decided to use "Slaughterhouse-Five" as a teaching aid, but was immediately told to end these lessons because he was told that the book was inappropriate. When Vonnegut heard about this, he wrote to the head of the school board.
     The audience of this letter is only the head of the school board because he states to him that "no copies of this letter have been sent to anybody else." This is an important aspect of this letter because Vonnegut had no intention of making this issue public. Even though the news spread, he did not want to make it any bigger and make the school board think that he is taking advantage of the situation to sell more books. When speaking directly to the board, Vonnegut states that "books and writers are very unreal to you people." He adds in through the appeal to pathos by saying that he wants to show "how real I am." This is incredibly sad, especially when you know that his book is about him being a prisoner of war. He is making the board feel guilty because they are making his life and his experiences a joke. They are saying that his "work is evil" which Vonnegut said is "extraordinarily insulting" to him. He worked so hard on this book and he also endured so much pain which is told in this book, but the board did not even pay attention to it. 
     I think his purpose in this letter was really to show the board that there is a real person behind a book, especially when the book is based on a real experience. He hit the board hard, especially when he explained how qualified he is about him being a veteran and having a Purple Heart while these people in North Dakota or saying that he is inappropriate. Overall, this is, without a doubt, an effective letter that shows sophistication but also courage.

TOW #6: Global Warming Visual Text

          Global warming as become a worldwide phenomenon that has been labelled on both ends of the spectrum: as a myth and as scientific fact. Usually, an advertisement based on global warming uses a polar bear that is sitting on the top of a sheet of ice that has melted to the point where it can barely hold the bear. Although this can be heart-breaking at first glance, it has been used so often that it no longer has the same effect. A reason why this advertisement is so effective is because it shows an everyday scene. Unfortunately, when walking through an urban area, it is not uncommon to come across a homeless person sleeping on a bench. It has a greater effect because it is realistic and the animal on the bench is innocent.
     This advertisement appeals to pathos significantly because the audience sees the innocent animal and realizes that they (human race) are the ones that are the reason for this animal's suffering. Also, it is a extremely sad scene because the animal looks out of place and the colors are dark with the beat up bench along with the black graffiti. Also, this advertisement is definitely credible. On the bottom, it has a logo of a panda that says "WWF" which stands for the World Wide Fund for Nature and the advertisement provides a website that the audience can go to for more information. If this came from a random group that is protesting against global warming, I would not have trusted it. Their purpose would have been more along the lines of gaining followers and also funds for their protest. When it comes from a source that is known worldwide, it makes the advertisement a lot more trustworthy.
     The purpose of this advertisement is to make people aware and to create a change in their lives. On the bottom, the advertisement provides an incredibly easy solution which is to turn off your electronics whenever they are not in use. The author uses the appeal to ethos and pathos in order to simply change the minds of the audience.

TOW #5: The Minimum Wage - How Much Is Too Much?

     The federal minimum wage has been a topic surrounded by controversy for years, and ever since the change to $7.25 in 2009, Democratic politicians have been fighting for a change. Alan Krueger, an economist and writer for the New York Times, argued that although the increase of the federal minimum wage can be helpful, increasing the minimum wage too much can have harsh consequences. The topic of the minimum wage requirements is not an easy one to understand, especially if the reader is not involved in politics. An aspect of this article that is unique is how simple it is to understand Krueger's message. He adjusts the subject of his article to accommodate various audiences such as parents with teenagers, adult minimum wage workers, business owners, and the average American.
     Kruger effectively conveys his opinion by using ethos, diction and research in order to convince the reader to disagree with the proposed $15.00 minimum wage. Krueger uses ethos by referencing various politicians' opinions that he agrees with and includes that their opinions are "supported by President Obama and Hillary Clinton." No matter the opinion of the reader based on Obama and Clinton, the appeal to ethos is still present because these two people are extremely powerful in America. Also, Krueger changes from formal to informal diction that makes this article a lot more entertaining. Politics can often be described as a rather mundane topic, but Krueger effectively makes what he is saying more interesting to the reader because he does not use highly sophisticated vocabulary. This is more likely to encourage someone to read his article. Lastly, he includes a lot of research which supports his argument. He states that he has been studying "minimum wage for 25 years," so he knows many aspects of this issue. The reader is much more likely to trust him because of his knowledge and education.
     In conclusion, Krueger proved his argument and achieved his purpose by creating trust through reliable sources and making this loaded, political argument a lighter subject.

TOW #4: Eat, Pray, Love (IRB)

     Some might say that traveling around the world following a divorce may seem a little extreme, but in order for Liz Gilbert to keep her sanity, she felt she had to visit the 3 countries on her bucket list: Italy, India, and Indonesia. In Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love," Liz tells the story of her life as she sets aside one year, for the first time in her life, to enjoy some well deserved "me time."
     Although her story could be directed to people who may have been in the same situation as her, I believe that many people could find enjoyment through her work. There is a message in this book of taking care of yourself and always striving to be your best that can relate to everyone.  I cannot tell if she achieved her purpose because I have not read about her time in Indonesia, but based on how much I have read, I believe that she will by the time that I reach the conclusion of her narrative.
     An important aspect of her writing is her humor. Her story, in the beginning, is filled with depression and loss, but she lightens up the topic by stating that depression is "always the wise guy" and that loneliness is "the more sensitive cop" (Gilbert 47). If her story was filled with such sorrow and sadness, I would not find it as interesting. An important rhetorical strategy that is used by her often is also her ethos. As stated before, the beginning of her story is not a positive one, but she never hesitates to include personal details. She described a time of her life when she "was hiding in the bathroom for something like the forty seventh night... sobbing so hard that a great lake of tears was spreading on the bathroom tiles" (Gilbert 10). This is an aspect of her writing that I enjoy because it expands her credibility. She set out to write a book about her experiences, and she is not afraid to share everything which creates a sense of trust between her and her readers.