TOW #11 - Taylor Strikes A Chord

In Taylor Strikes a Chord, Jack Dickey highlights the shocking success of the pop icon, Taylor Swift. Jack Dickey, a journalist for Time and Magazine, is known for his contributions regarding culture and music. Taylor Swift is one of the most successful musicians of this generations and Dickey not only portrays her as a role mode and symbol but as a successful performer. To Taylor's fans and just followers of the music industry in general, he emphasizes the mark that she has left on the world of music. Jack Dickey uses facts and statistics and quotes from various sources in order to illustrate Swift's success in the music industry. Her success in album sales has been a constant factor in her career. Dickey says, "… Swift was the nation's best-selling artist in 2008 and in 2010 and No. 2 in 2012, the last three years she released albums." His appeal to logos supports his attempt to prove Taylor Swift to be one of the most successful artists of the time. He also uses quotes from sources, including Swift, herself. She says, "I just struggle to find a woman in music who hasn’t been completely picked apart by the media, or scrutinized and criticized for aging, or criticized for fighting aging.. It just seems to be much more difficult to be a woman in music and to grow older. I just really hope I will choose to do it as gracefully as possible." His use of quotes from Taylor swift increases his credibility and helps support his argument. I believe that Jack Dickey definitely achieved his purpose. I am not a huge Taylor Swift, but after reading this article, I cannot deny the success she's had and her impact on modern music. Through his appeals to logos and ethos, Jack Dickey encourages all lovers of music to give Taylor a listen.

TOW #10: The Persistence of Memory

In the infamous painting, The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dali illustrates a dream-like scene of distorted clocks and this piece is considered a vastly important surrealist piece. Dali, a renowned Spanish surrealist painter, is considered one of the most prominent artists of the 20th century and his deformed and crazy images left a significant mark on the world of art. He appears to address the masses by illustrating his views on time and memory. In the painting, he utilizes subdued colors, distorted images and symbols, and irony to argue his view of the inconsistency of time and memory in the modern world. The fact that he painted 4 clocks melting away in a lonely desert and he uses the word persistence in the title is incredibly ironic. Melting does not symbolize persistency and this use of irony implies his views of how neither time nor memory are constant. Also, one of the clocks is covered with ants as a symbol of decay and how time can, in fact, deteriorate. The subdued and natural colors used in the painting give the piece a realistic flare, yet the deformed clocks and figure on the ground contrast with that flare and give a dream-like sense. The figure on the ground also has their eyes closed, possibly indicating that they are in a dream as well, where time passes even faster than in everyday life. This strategic juxtaposition was important to many surrealist painters, especially Dali, as seen in many of his other paintings and his use of very different images and symbols to display a common theme.  I believe that Dali achieved his purpose of proving the inconsistency of time and memory. His strategic use of symbols and irony support his argument that neither of these facets are constant and that time passes very differently when in various states of mind, like dreaming. The Persistence of Memory is considered one of Dali's most famous works, and rightfully so, due to the fact that it poignantly emphasizes his own perceptions of time and memory.

IRB Introduction #2 - The Omnivore's Dilemma

For my second IRB, I have choosen The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan. Throughout the book, he discusses american eating habits and the vast aspects of food and its effect on culture. I find this particular topic so interesting and I cannot wait to start reading!

TOW #9 - Coatesville by John Jay Chapman

In his address, Coatesville, John Jay Chapman discusses the importance of human morality and the need for equality throughout America. Very disturbed by the lynching of a black man that took place in the town of Coatesville, PA in 1911, Chapman travels to the town in 1912 to recognize and remember the tragic event by holding a prayer meeting. Although only two people attended, he speaks to the entire population of the town and America and addresses the serious issue that this event highlighted. In his address, Coatesville, John Jay Chapman uses personal anecdotes and metaphor in order to emphasize his beliefs on what America needs in order to become a better place, where these awful crimes do not occur. His use of personal anecdotes have a major effect on the entire piece. He says, "I will tell you why I am here; I will tell you what happened to me. When I read in the newspapers of August 14, a year ago, about the burning alive of a human being, and of how a few desperate, fiend-minded men had been permitted to torture a man… I seemed to get a glimpse into the unconscious soul of this country…I seemed to be looking into the heart of the criminal - a cold thing, an awful thing" (72). This recounting of how he learned of the situation explains how he realized the flaws of the American people and what was needed for change to ensue. He thus continues to explain how he believed that the issue was deeply rooted with the slave trade and that the only solution was new life, life in which the human disposition in hearts and souls will change. His strategic use of metaphors also plays a significant role. He says, "The people stood like blighted things, like ghosts about Acheron, waiting for someone or something to determine their destiny for them" (72). This quote paints a very vivid and horrifying picture of the lack of action that the bystanders took while watching the lynching. He explains that one of the central issues was not only the lynching, but the fact that there were hundreds of witnesses and that no one even attempted to stop it. I believe that Chapman definitely achieved his purpose. The personal anecdotes and metaphors made the address extremely powerful and I felt that it was a very important and revolutionary text of the time. In Coatesville, John Jay Chapman attempts to address the needs of America and highlights racial issues in an extremely revolutionary way.

TOW #8 - Blink TOW #2

In his bestseller, Blink, Malcom Gladwell digs deep into the human conscience and discovers the true reasoning for why we think the way we do. In his 2nd nonfiction book regarding psychology, he discusses the quick judgments that people make and why they occur. In response to his first novel, The Tipping Point, many people have wondered why the sociological changes in everyday life happen, and he addresses these people and enlightens them with facts, stories and questions to think about, dealing with human intuition and its effect on the world. He then wants his audience to act in response to their judgments, whether it be a change in mindset or a change in perspective. In order to educate his audience about "the power of thinking without thinking", Gladwell uses anecdotes and quotes from credible sources throughout the entire text. The anecdotes really made the entire book quite intriguing and he talks of a variety of different things, including marriage counseling, food tasters, and the seemingly never-ending Coca-cola vs. Pepsi battle. One towards the end of the book talked of gender equality in symphonies and how in the past, conductors believed that men just sounded better than women. He says, " Musicians were identified not by name but by number. Screens were erected between the committee and the auditioner… and as these new rules were put in place around the country, an extraordinary thing happened: orchestras began to hire women" (250). This is a prime example of how the snap judgments of others have a major effect on society, one of Gladwell's central arguments. He quotes various sources, thus appealing to ethos. Regarding the symphony anecdote, he uses quotes from established musicians, quoting, " 'The very first time the new rules for auditions were used, we were looking for four new violinists,' remembers Herb Weksleblatt, a tuba player for the Metropolitan Opera in New York… 'And all of the winners were women. That would simply never have happened before. ' " By using quotes from those with firsthand experience, he establishes his credibility and appeals to ethos throughout the entire text. I found this entire book very interesting, and I do believe Gladwell achieved his purpose. His countless examples made it easier for the reader to relate and I found myself reconsidering my intuition and snap judgments. Throughout Blink, Malcolm Gladwell encourages readers to consider their mindsets and discusses the importance of acting if a change needs to be made.

Tow #7 - "Meet Joko Widodo"

In the profile piece of Joko Widodo, Hannah Beech introduces the new leader. The recently elected 7th president of Indonesia, Joko Widodo or Mr. Jokowi for short, will be sworn into office on October 20th, 2014 and in this piece, is described in great detail. Hannah Beech, an established journalist and the Southeast Asia Bureau Chief for Time Magazine, appears to be introducing Mr. Jokowi to the entire world, in order for everyone to become familiar with the new leader and his practices. She uses direct quotes from the president himself and other credible sources in order to establish credibility and intense diction to emphasize the seriousness of the role that he is taking on. She uses these strategies to present the new president to the world. One important quote from the president was his description of his life with his family. Beech quotes, " 'My family, we worked very hard for basic human needs, like food, education, health care,' He says. 'That’s why I know from my experience that democracy must deliver a better life to the people.' " In this direct quote from the president, Beech illustrates his willingness to work hard and how he really understands what many of his citizens are going through, only increasing his want to help them and proving him to be a man of the people. She also quotes other sources, like Ernest Bower,   chairman for the southeast Asia studies at the center for strategic and international studies (CSIS). He said, " ' My gut tells me history is going to call on Jokowi to provide leadership and he will fulfill it.' " This powerful quote emphasizes the belief that Jokowi will be successful as president and displays the faith that many people have in him and his practices. Beech also uses very strong words, which constantly changes the tone of the piece. When describing many of the problems in Indonesia, she used words like, flustered, issues, challenges, aggressively, and vulnerable, giving that section a very tense and serious tone. These are just a few examples of her intense diction which affects the entire tone of the profile. I think that Beech definitely achieved her purpose. After reading, I felt much more educated not only about Jokowi, but about the entire archipelago of Indonesia and its economy and culture. This profile effectively introduced the new leader to the world and the world looks forward to seeing what he will achieve as the President of Indonesia.

Tow #6: "Asphaltisation" - visual text

In this powerful advertisement, titled "Asphaltisation", SAMU social displays the biggest struggle that homeless people face, trying to get off of the streets, in a very literal way. This French humanitarian emergency service company is active in cities all over France and the rest of the world, providing care and supplies to homeless people or those who are in "social distress". Through this advertisement, they address those who may be at risk of becoming homeless and those who have the potential to help people who are in living on the streets. SAMU social appeals to pathos and dark coloring in an attempt to illustrate the severity and the struggles of living life on the streets and to inspire people to lend help to these less fortunate people. Pictured in the ad are an old man and a dog, both embedded in the cement of a sidewalk, looking very depressed and tired. In the corner, it says in French, " The longer you live on the streets, the harder it is to get off it.", thus explaining why they are pictured, enveloped in the concrete. Both elderly people and dogs are groups that people tend to feel emotional towards and to see them struggling is very sad to look at. The elderly man is not wearing proper shoes and appears to be struggling to keep his eyes open. The image of them sinking into the soil is very powerful and quickly grasps people's attention. This strategic use of pathos is an attempt to evoke sympathy in those who see the ad and it makes them want to help the unfortunate man and dog. They also use very dark colors, giving the advertisement a gloomy and dark vibe. Both of these strategies used in the ad help SAMU social's attempt to achieve their purpose, by grasping the attention of their audience and by giving the entire ad a sad feeling. I think that the service company definitely achieved their purpose. When I saw this ad, I immediately felt bad for both the man and the dog and I wanted to help them, no matter what. In Asphaltisation, SAMU social effectively depicts a major struggle of the homeless and inspires people to lend help to those on the streets.