"You Owe Me" By: Miah Arnold

Accepting the struggles that take place in life is necessary to lead a happy life, but finding light in dark times is what brings true peace and prosper. Both recovering and growing from the unfairness of life was shown through the mindset of the narrator in “You Owe Me” by Miah Arnold. By working at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the narrator, who taught writing to the ill children, witnessed her students’ journey though cancer and majority to death. By growing close to these children, she questioned life’s purpose. Through realizing the honor of spending hours with children who had limited time left, the integrity of these kids and the joy brought to them through writing, the narrator was able to accept the struggles of life and fuel her work to brighten even more ill children’s days. The author used this story to help people in search of an explanation for horrific events understand and improve their lives as well as others around them. Using the intense pathos related to the subject of cancer, the author easily connects to many people and draws great emotional appeal. One particular device that stood out was the use of the anaphora in the beginning of the essay where the author, through the repetition of, “no matter how…” (Arnold 29), described the inevitable fate of her students.  This particular rhetoric strategy emphasized her personal acceptance of tragedy. Through flashbacks, she was able to place readers inside her experiences and provide a full understanding of the people and emotions she endured. Miah Arnold is an experienced writer with a Ph.D. in writing from the University of Houston where she currently works with all ages. She has been an editor at a couple places, received a few awards and has had work displayed in numerous texts. This particular piece is a nonfiction representation of her time working with sick children ay the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Through the emotional connection constructed by Miah and the depth of her writing, she taught her audience to accept and grow from struggle to find peace.

The Journey
Quote: Zion Lee
Image: Anonymous
URL: http://winterlyrics.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/everybody-wants-happiness-nobody-wants-pain-but-you-cant-have-a-rainbow-without-a-little-rain/