#20 - Paris To The Moon #1

In Paris to the Moon, Adam Gopnik compiles various journal entries and short stories from his time of living in Paris. Gopnik, a staff writer for The New Yorker and a Philadelphia Native, had been infatuated with the City of Paris for a majority of his life and finally moved there with his wife and son, Luke in 1995. To his readers, in various instances he uses humor and imagery in order to tell his story of life in Paris and experiencing their culture. His use of humor makes his writing more relatable and enjoyable. On page 20, he writes, "For most of those months in fact, Juppé has probably been the only person more preoccupied with apartments on the left bank more than I was, though he and I approached the matter from opposite ends. I was trying to find one, while he was trying to explain to the French people why he had so many and what all his relatives were doing in them." This strategic use of humor, regarding the French prime minister of the time, Alain Juppé, shows the fact that Gopnik has a lot of knowledge of French Culture and was really involved in what was going on while he lived there. Humor also has the tendency to make writing more enjoyable and its various quips like this that help make his writing more entertaining. Gopnik also uses imagery throughout the book, in order to describe his life in Paris and to seemingly bring the reader along with him. On page 17, he writes, "..when I think of Paris, I think of Them: Martha and Luke in matching fur hats at the Palais Royal; waiting with Luke in the courtyard of our building for Martha to come downstairs; waiting with Martha in the courtyard of an odd building on the boulevard Raspail for Luke to come from his gym class, peering through dirty windows and the cage like grill, one child among many, and then getting a Coca-Cola, five francs from the machine." Throughout this excerpt, he uses imagery in order to provide some examples of experiences he had with his family, while also experiencing French culture. In a sense, it brings the reader with him and helps them truly grasp what happened to him. So far, I think that Gopnik has done an excellent job in attempting to achieve his purpose. There are so many instances that I feel as though I am right there next to him in Paris. Although I am not too far into it, I already love this book and so many of the author's thoughts are similar to mine. In Paris to the Moon, Adam Gopnik does an excellent job describing the true essence of the amazing city of Paris.

TOW #19: The Lives of a Cell By Lewis Thomas

In the essay, The Lives of a Cell, Lewis Thomas discusses the importance of nature and its role in the survival of the human race. An incredibly successful researcher, essayist and teacher, Lewis Thomas relates the importance of cells in humans and also in plants and other various aspects of nature. To the public, he uses asyndeton and scientific jargon, to make a point of how deeply embedded nature is in the world and to attempt to quell the irrational belief that humans are superior to nature and the earth. At various points throughout the essay, Thomas utilizes asyndeton, or the process of eliminating conjunctions between words, phrases or clauses. When talking of the independence of the cells within his own body, he says, " I like to think that they work in my interest, that each breath they draw for me, but perhaps it is they who walk through the local park in the early morning, sensing my senses, listening to my music, thinking my thoughts." This use of asyndeton emphases the possibility of increased individuality of cells within every person, thus showing Thomas's attempt of highlighting the importance of nature within every person. There are also many examples of scientific jargon and vocabulary throughout the essay. He says, " My centrioles, basal bodies, and probably a good many other more obscure tiny beings at work inside my cells, each with its own special genome, are as foreign, and as essential, as aphids in anthills. Thomas's use of intellectual science vocabulary increases his ethos, making him a more credible and believable author. This helps him while presenting his overall argument because it makes him seem more educated about his subject. This strategic use of implementing scientific jargon helps him get his point across of the omniscience of nature in human lives. Overall, I believe that Lewis Thomas did achieve his purpose. At the beginning of his essay, while describing the human belief that they are superior to nature, I knew exactly what he was talking about and I definitely saw his point while describing the importance of cells within the human body. I think that The Lives of A Cell was one of the most fascinating pieces I have ever read and Lewis Thomas is an incredibly talented writer.

TOW #18 - Un Homme et Une Femme

Vogue, one of the most famous magazines in the entire world, is incredibly well known for the models featured on the covers of their sought-after issues. They have developed multiple branches, including Vogue America and Vogue Hommes International and their messages and ideas reach millions of people worldwide. On this particular cover of Vogue Hommes International, from the fall 2012 issue, two models, a man and a women are pictured, along with the title, Un Homme et Une Femme, meaning a man and a women. Using this picture, Vogue sheds light on the serious issue of domestic violence and the dynamics of men and women using black and white coloring and dramatic poses. The photo is in black and white, which increases the serious and drama  of the content. The text used on the cover is printed in white, and the title, Un Homme et Une Femme, is printed in red, to emphasis the subject matter and its importance. The models are also positioned in dramatic poses. The man has his hand wrapped around the women's neck, referencing the issue of domestic violence. This positioning sheds light on the current dynamics of men and women, and the dramatic poses signify the seriousness of the issue. The fact that vogue printed this picture shows how domestic violence is a prevalent issue, and this will reach the masses due to vogue's undeniable popularity. Overall, I believe that the magazine achieved their purpose. They definitely emphasized the modern issue of domestic violence and I felt that they pictured it appropriately, without extremely offending anyone. Through their use of black and white coloring and dramatic poses, Vogue sheds light on the current dynamics of men and women, and the issue of domestic violence.
http://www.thefashionspot.com/runway-news/439187-controversial-vogue-covers-published/
 

IMAGE CREDIT: EBOOK3000.COM VIA TFS FORUMS

TOW #17 - Summer Bummer

In Summer Bummer, an essay that appeared in the New York times, Joe Queenan discusses the treacherous obligation that almost every high schooler faces: summer reading. This piece was similar to the piece, I Know Why the Caged Bird Can’t Read by Francine Prose, due to the fact that they both discuss the pitfalls of what schools are requiring their students to read and how certain students react to such requirements. However, their purposes have slight variations. To both parents and students alike, Joe Queenan emphasizes the importance of summer reading by using personal anecdotes and extremely eloquent diction. He talks much of his son and his experiences with books he was required to read. He says, “Even my son, now a classics major in college, seemed to realize that summer reading was, on balance, a valuable experience. “I hated ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ until I got to the end,” he told me recently. “I wasn’t interested in the characters, and I didn’t believe the history. But then when I got to Sydney Carton up there on the scaffold, I thought, ‘Wow, what a great ending.’ I really liked it the second time I read it.” “You reread ‘A Tale of Two Cities’?” I gasped in disbelief. “Yes,” he replied. “It wasn’t as good as ‘Great Expectations,’ but those last 25 pages were amazing.” This admission impelled me to re-evaluate everything I’d ever believed about summer reading.” Queenan’s experience with his son helped him change his perspective about the overall benefits of summer reading. This use of a personal anecdote emphasizes its importance and how it can really help students. His use of eloquent diction also helps Queenan to achieve his purpose. For as long as anyone can remember, well-meaning pedagogues have been sabotaging summer vacations by forcing high schoolers to read “Lord of the Flies,” “All the King’s Men” and “A Separate Peace.” By using big, complex words like pedagogues, Queenan establishes credibility as an author in order to emphasize the importance of summer reading. I believe that Joe Queenan did an excellent job of achieving his purpose. Through his use of anecdotes and complex diction, I felt much more convinced of summer readings importance. In Summer Bummer, Joe Queenan proves that summer reading is not a bummer and is very beneficial for all students.