As I said in my previous blog post, The Color of Water by James McBride is his autobiography and a way for him to give tribute to his mother. James is one of twelve children and grew up in Brooklyn's Red Hook projects. Despite the fact the James and his siblings were living in dirt poor conditions and his mother was raising twelve children on her own, all the siblings felt equally loved and had great childhood experiences. His mom emphasized education and instilled the meaning of the word in them ever since they could hear. Although they lived a very challenged life, James' mother Ruth was able to put all of her kids through college and was able to watch them change the course of their lives.
The purpose of James McBride writing this story is to pay tribute to his determined and eccentric mother. James recognizes the rare breed his mother is, and he wants to let her know he appreciates the mother she was. This book is geared towards an audience of teenagers to late adults. They would be the age group that would best be able to grasp the impacting information this story has to offer.
Thus far, James McBride writes with great use of diction. For example, James writes words like "comin', Ma, ol', ain't, fixin', and 'nuff" throughout his story. Although these words are improper English and are deemed slang, they give the reader great insight into how James and his family talked when he was a child. To be grammatically correct he could right "enough" instead of "'nuff", but then James' writing would loose its flare.
James McBride also utilizes description throughout his book to get his point across. For example, James uses half of a page just to describe his sister Helen. He told the reader what she wore, how she wore it, what she stood for in life, and more about her character as a person and a sibling. Although this may seem a little boring to the reader, it actually is an effective tool because the reader can personalize with Helen. We feel as though we know her through the authors description even though we have never talked to or met her in our entire lives. He also uses description often to describe things that people may not be able to relate to, such as their shock toaster or living situation. This is a great way to get the reader intrigued and to make them feel like a part of his life.
He has absolutely conquered his goal through the first ten chapters. As I read this book, I can almost feel the internal struggle James is going through to find himself. He is both white and black which was very uncommon in the 1960's. All of his older siblings have chosen to indulge into the civil rights movement and fight for black rights, however James does not know what he wants to do. As I turn the pages I can also sympathize with Ruth as she is trying to raise twelve children with high moral and ethical values by herself.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
36 Hours in Philadelphia
http://travel.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/travel/36-hours-in-philadelphia.html?_r=0
Philadelphia, a bustling city with numerous shops and restaurants, has seen some eye opening changes in the past decade. The city has added world class museums, contains one of the best colleges in the world, and has new cultural energy. An event called 36 Hours took place in Philadelphia on Friday at 3 PM and ended on Sunday at 12 PM. The event consisted of attending exotic restaurants, a museum, and many places traditional just to Philadelphia.
The purpose of this article, by Freda Moon, was to inform readers of the event in hopes that the word would get out there and more people would attend. The audience of this article is adults who would enjoy attending this day and a half event. Te event started on January 4th and this article was published on January 3rd, so the exigence was that the event was coming up and people needed to be aware of the festivities.
The main rhetorical device used in this article was structure. Instead of writing the schedule of events in paragraph form, Freda Moon structured the article in chronological order. She would write, for example, Friday 3 PM 1. Start At The Beginning. Then under that heading she would explain the event and tell readers what they would be doing there. She did this all throughout the article up until the very last event. This technique was very effective in letting the reader truly see their itinerary for the event.
Yes, Freda Moon did achieve her goal. She made the event seem like an interesting and exciting thing to take part of. After reading this article, the reader is left wanting to attend something so special.
Philadelphia, a bustling city with numerous shops and restaurants, has seen some eye opening changes in the past decade. The city has added world class museums, contains one of the best colleges in the world, and has new cultural energy. An event called 36 Hours took place in Philadelphia on Friday at 3 PM and ended on Sunday at 12 PM. The event consisted of attending exotic restaurants, a museum, and many places traditional just to Philadelphia.
The purpose of this article, by Freda Moon, was to inform readers of the event in hopes that the word would get out there and more people would attend. The audience of this article is adults who would enjoy attending this day and a half event. Te event started on January 4th and this article was published on January 3rd, so the exigence was that the event was coming up and people needed to be aware of the festivities.
The main rhetorical device used in this article was structure. Instead of writing the schedule of events in paragraph form, Freda Moon structured the article in chronological order. She would write, for example, Friday 3 PM 1. Start At The Beginning. Then under that heading she would explain the event and tell readers what they would be doing there. She did this all throughout the article up until the very last event. This technique was very effective in letting the reader truly see their itinerary for the event.
Yes, Freda Moon did achieve her goal. She made the event seem like an interesting and exciting thing to take part of. After reading this article, the reader is left wanting to attend something so special.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Beyonce Ad for Perfume "Heat"
This advertisement, featuring Beyonce, is promoting the perfume known as "Heat". Beyonce, posing in a red provocative red satin dress, is seductively looking at the audience attempting to persuade them to buy this perfume.
The purpose of this ad is to convince women or men to buy the perfume "Heat". The audience of this advertisement is 18-35 year old women who are at the appropriate age to wear perfume, however, not women too old because the perfume has a scent that is geared towards the younger generation. The exigence of this ad is the need for more consumers to buy the product.
This ad has numerous rhetorical devices including pathos, by the color, and ethos, by the celebrity endorsement. This ad certainly does not lack red color. The red color draws the viewers eyes to the ad immediately and also serves to send a message of passion and power. The color makes the ad stand out among other ads and draws the reader to read the ad to see what it is about. The color scheme red is also appropriate considering the perfume name "Heat". When one thinks of heat the colors that come to mind are orange, yellow, and of course red. All of these little things having to do with the color help to persuade the reader to buy the perfume. Another thing that aids in the ads purpose is the celebrity endorser, Beyonce. Beyonce helps to establish ethos in this ad by showing viewers that if the perfume is good enough for her it is certainly good enough for them. Many women in this country look up to Beyonce and seek attributes that she holds. By them buying this perfume, they are coming one step closer to achieving her persona. She establishes trust within the viewer and the ad which further persuades them to buy the perfume.
Yes, I think that this ad achieves its purpose. The ad is attractive and appealing to the eye and by using the color red and the celebrity endorsement, the ad certainly persuade the viewer to buy the perfume "Heat".
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Setback for Kate Middleton as her condition takes turn for the worse
In this article, Gordon Rayner writes about Kate Middleton's pregnancy, her battle with morning sickness, and her progressively worsening condition. The Duchess, who spent three nights in hospital last week being treated for hyperemesis gravidarum, took a turn for the worse as she spent the weekend at Kensington Palace. The condition has gotten so bad in the past few days that Prince William had to back out of a committed engagement, something that is rarely seen by the Duke.
The purpose of this article is to inform the readers about "the pregnancy of the year" and to keep them up to date with everything new about Will and Kate's baby. The audience of this article is teenagers and adults world wide who want to be informed about the royal pregnancy. The exigence is Kate's battle with hyperemesis gravidarum and the infatuation with the couples pregnancy.
The rhetorical devices that Gordon Rayner uses in this article are very effective. The most important rhetorical device he uses is logos. He uses this through out his entire argument to gain his readers trust and approval. For example, instead of just listing facts, he quotes reliable people from the royal palace. One time this is seen is after Gordon Rayner writes about how Will talked about his wife's condition at a tennis Gala. He includes quotes from Will dispersed in his paragraph which shows the reader that what he is writing about is not made up and is instead so true that he can find direct quotes to prove it. He also includes exact dates, times, and places in his article which is very important to give the reader a sense of reality. They know exactly when something took place, where it took place, and when it took place.
Yes, I think that Gordon Rayner achieves his message through his article, however, this article is a bit redundant because there are hundreds of articles out like it. With this aside, I think with his use of logos and other rhetorical devices he conveys his message. At the end of reading this article, I was clearly informed about Kate Middleton and her battle with hyperemesis gravid arum.
The purpose of this article is to inform the readers about "the pregnancy of the year" and to keep them up to date with everything new about Will and Kate's baby. The audience of this article is teenagers and adults world wide who want to be informed about the royal pregnancy. The exigence is Kate's battle with hyperemesis gravidarum and the infatuation with the couples pregnancy.
The rhetorical devices that Gordon Rayner uses in this article are very effective. The most important rhetorical device he uses is logos. He uses this through out his entire argument to gain his readers trust and approval. For example, instead of just listing facts, he quotes reliable people from the royal palace. One time this is seen is after Gordon Rayner writes about how Will talked about his wife's condition at a tennis Gala. He includes quotes from Will dispersed in his paragraph which shows the reader that what he is writing about is not made up and is instead so true that he can find direct quotes to prove it. He also includes exact dates, times, and places in his article which is very important to give the reader a sense of reality. They know exactly when something took place, where it took place, and when it took place.
Yes, I think that Gordon Rayner achieves his message through his article, however, this article is a bit redundant because there are hundreds of articles out like it. With this aside, I think with his use of logos and other rhetorical devices he conveys his message. At the end of reading this article, I was clearly informed about Kate Middleton and her battle with hyperemesis gravid arum.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
The Color of Water
The Color of Water, by James McBride, is a black man's tribute to his white mother. James and his eleven other siblings live in Brooklyn, New York in an all-black neighborhood. James' mom is the only white person in the entire area and James knows his mom is different. One day, when James was very young, he asks her how she could love him if they were different "colors". The mom responds that "love is the color of water". This book touches on the issues of race, religion, and identity and gives insight into what family really means.
The purpose of James McBride writing this story is to pay tribute to his determined and eccentric mother. She raised twelve kids in a dirt poor neighborhood and managed to put them all through college. The exigence of this book is James recognizes the rare breed his mother is, and he wants to let her know he appreciates the mother she was. This book is geared towards an audience of teenagers to late adults. They would be the age group that would best be able to grasp the impacting information this story has to offer.
James McBride uses many rhetorical devices, but I think the most important one thus far is structure. The way he organizes his book is very interesting and keeps things fresh for the reader. One thing James does is every other chapter he adds a story about his mom from her point of view. For example, the first chapter is the mother speaking in first person about how she is dead to her Jewish family because she married a black man. The second chapter is in James' point of view and he described a distinct memory he has of his childhood. The third chapter is another story from the mom and the book continues in this pattern until the end. I think this is a successful way to organize the book because it allows the reader to gain insight into who the mother really is by the stories directly told by her. Then, it allows the reader to see James' thoughts and feeling towards the mother and the rest of his family through the stories told by him.
Thus far he has accomplished his goal. Through the first two chapters, he has established that his mother is one-of-a-kind. He makes sure the reader knows that his mother is different and that she made it her single most important job in life to raise her children right. She has a difficult time associating with the women around her because they looked at her like she was an alien. She was an outcast for her most of her adult life, but she did not let that stop her. James makes sure the reader knows this before the reading on. After the first two chapters, I already look up at James' mother with high regard, respect, and sympathy.
The purpose of James McBride writing this story is to pay tribute to his determined and eccentric mother. She raised twelve kids in a dirt poor neighborhood and managed to put them all through college. The exigence of this book is James recognizes the rare breed his mother is, and he wants to let her know he appreciates the mother she was. This book is geared towards an audience of teenagers to late adults. They would be the age group that would best be able to grasp the impacting information this story has to offer.
James McBride uses many rhetorical devices, but I think the most important one thus far is structure. The way he organizes his book is very interesting and keeps things fresh for the reader. One thing James does is every other chapter he adds a story about his mom from her point of view. For example, the first chapter is the mother speaking in first person about how she is dead to her Jewish family because she married a black man. The second chapter is in James' point of view and he described a distinct memory he has of his childhood. The third chapter is another story from the mom and the book continues in this pattern until the end. I think this is a successful way to organize the book because it allows the reader to gain insight into who the mother really is by the stories directly told by her. Then, it allows the reader to see James' thoughts and feeling towards the mother and the rest of his family through the stories told by him.
Thus far he has accomplished his goal. Through the first two chapters, he has established that his mother is one-of-a-kind. He makes sure the reader knows that his mother is different and that she made it her single most important job in life to raise her children right. She has a difficult time associating with the women around her because they looked at her like she was an alien. She was an outcast for her most of her adult life, but she did not let that stop her. James makes sure the reader knows this before the reading on. After the first two chapters, I already look up at James' mother with high regard, respect, and sympathy.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Health Eating: Avoid the sweets this holiday season
This article, by a dietician named Joan Endyke, addresses the issues of holiday weight gain. Everyone wants to show their appreciation during the holiday season by buying or making sweet treats. However, this could lead to weight gain and unhealthy eating habits. She gives readers unsweetened gift ideas for the holiday's that are just as appreciated but a little more healthy.
The purpose of this article is to show readers that giving cookies and candy is not the only holiday gift option. Instead, giving unsweetened treats is the better direction to go in. The exigence of this article is the holiday season has approached us which brings with it sugary, sweet, and unhealthy treats. The audience of this article is adults who are looking for better gift options this holiday season.
The most important rhetorical devices Joan Endyke uses are ethos, logos, and structure. She introduces herself as a dietician with a masters degree. This establishes a trust between the reader and Joan Endyke and the reader further believes what she is writing. Also, she cites several different studies that prove her point throughout the article. For example, she mentions that when candy is in the site of an employee, a study showed that they ate an average of nine pieces of candy a day, and did not realize how much they actually put in their mouths. Lastly, at the end of the article she lists many different unsweetened holiday gift ideas that will avoid unhealthy eating. By listing the gifts the reader is able to take a better inventory of the ideas in their minds. It also helps them to remember the ideas when they do not have the article in front of them.
I think that Joan Endyke achieves her message to readers in this article. Her point to stop giving candy and sweets as gifts during the holiday season is a valid one that I think many readers recognize; although they may not want to accept it or stop it. She cites studies and shows the reader that the holiday season can become very unhealthy if we do not watch what we put in our mouths. With all the treats that are going to be given through out the next month, Joan Endyke proves that her message is valid and should be taken into consideration when buying gifts.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Dettol Hand Sanitizer Ad
The visual I chose was a Dettol Hand Sanitizer ad from inspiration.com. The ad has a picture of a hand with many smaller hands on it holding things such as a teddy bear, a dog, food, bugs, and a coin. The hands holding the items on the larger hand are little kid hands. The ad then has the hand sanitizer and brand name on the right corner of the page reminding the reader to that this is an ad for Dettol hand sanitizer.
The purpose of this ad is for people to realize how many things they actually touch a day, and the pictures on the hand allow the reader to really grasp this concept. Hopefully this further convinces them to buy the sanitizer. The exigence of this visual ad is Dettol wanting people, especially parents, to buy their product and then to realize that sanitizer really does help. The audience of this ad is parents who have young children. This is shown through the small hands on the picture. A parent is always scared of what their young children are touching and putting in their mouths. This ad plays on that fear and illustrates it to parents. Through this ad parents realize how many things their kids really do touch in a day and it sways them to buy the product.
The most important rhetorical device used in this ad is logos. Through showing the picture of little hands touching bugs, coins, and animals it convinces the reader that the only logical solution is to buy the Dettol hand sanitizer. It is perceived from the picture that if you do not buy the hand sanitizer than your children will have germs on their hands that will eventually go in their mouths and get them sick. Unless you want them to be sick, it is better to buy this product to kill off the germs.
I do believe that the author got their point across in this visual ad. When the reader looks at it they are immediately intrigued to figure out what the ad is for because there are no words just pictures. Once they figure out it is for Dettol hand sanitizer, the visual ad does a nice job of showing the average person how many things kids touch in a day. Mother and fathers out there want their kids to stay safe so it convinces them to buy the sanitizer. The ad does a nice job of conveying its message to the average reader.
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