TOW#30: Letter to Future APELC Students

Dear Future APELC Student:

            I am sure that have heard a number of horror stories about this class throughout last year, and at first, they all seem to be true, but I promise you it is not as bad as it is made out to be. If you are solely in this class to get an extra .1 on your GPA I recommend that you don’t even bother. This class is not about boosting your GPA but about learning how to really improve your writing and get the most out of reading, not about how it will look on your transcript because it is not an easy course. You have to really work for your grade and keep your focus on the end gain, not the beginning struggle.

            When I entered this class I figured it would be easy, I mean how difficult can an English class really be? I warn you that it is not like honors English, you really have to put a lot of effort into your work otherwise you will not like the results. This misconception can break your morale as you enter this course. As a student who is used to getting straight A’s fairly easily, this was a HUGE wakeup call. Do not expect an A on your writing the second you enter this class, because chances are you will not receive that high of a mark, probably not even a B. But I promise you it will get better. Take all assignments seriously; put effort into your TOWs because these assignments and practice essays are not to keep you busy, but to help you practice what you have learned and grow as a not only a student, but a writer.

            I do not mean to scare you out of this class, but I want to give you a realistic and experienced viewpoint on the course. It is not going to be easy, you will not always received that grades that you would like, but you will grow and improve. The day that I finally received a 6 (adequate) on one of my timed essays was probably the highlight of AP English for me. Finally reaching the grade I had been striving for all year. It may not be easy, but I guarantee you that if you are interested in improving yourself as a writer this course is definitely worth it.

                                                            Sincerely,

                                                An experienced AP English student

                                                                 (Lauren Marolla)

TOW#29: Bully

Bullying is much more then a few mean comments from peers, it is more then being punched a few times by someone else, it is an emotionally draining, daily challenge to simply exist and lead a somewhat normal and happy life. The stereotype of bullying develops into widespread misconceptions that ultimately make it seem less extreme then it truly is. Bully was able to capture the diversity in causes and effects of bullying, from emotional to physical abuse and from causing suicide, illegal actions or depression. It is not an easy topic, it is not straight forward rather it is an intense emotional distress that is different for every victim. This major point to the documentary is evident in the everyday lives of people all around us, even ourselves.

            When I was in seventh grade, my school was faced with a tragedy; an intelligent and kind boy in my grade, Natan Leuhrmann-Cowen was killed after being struck by a car. The day that my Algebra teacher broke down and cried in front of my class, eyes fixed on Natan’s empty seat, as he told us what had happened was a day that I will never forget, a day that changed the face of my grade. The horrific accident was awful in and of itself, but it was not the only reason for the tears that filled my classmates eyes. While Natan was alive, he was not one of the popular kid rather he was the one that everyone picked on. As his locker neighbor I witnessed numerous bullying incidents, from words to physical abuse ranging from shoving into the lockers to being punched; serving as a bystander is a poor decision that I will have to live with for the rest of my life. As everyone surrounded his locker, the boy who had bullied Natan the most stated that he would never treat someone so poorly again for you never know when its too late to change your ways. Remorse was obviously prevalent the day we were informed of his death, but regret was equally as present. Natan did not take his own life, nor do I think he would have, but the bullying he endured during his life changed everyone around him, something that is not always portrayed when bullying is simply discussed.

            Numerous speakers have attended my school, yet none can really grasp the true devastation that is caused by bullying. Without any first hand experience it is difficult to see the true horrors involved in bullying because is it such a difficult concept. Those not exposed to it see bullying as a sort of “kids will be kids” type of activity when in reality it can destroy the life of an adolescent. This is the point that Bully tried to shed light on. Bullying is not to be taken lightly nor is it to be stereotyped because it is different and detrimental for each victim. Out of respect for those currently dealing with bullying and those who took their on life after being bullying we must go out of our way to not only help victims, but stop bullies and prevent the horror that they cause. 

URL: http://www.pinterest.com/explore/bullying-quotes/

TOW#28: Bully

The documentary, Bully, was directed by Lee Hirsch to capture the reality behind bullying, the horrific actions and effects involved in it as a way to educate children, parents and school administrators on how to prevent the life threatening truths of bullying. Most schools educate children on the harmful nature of bullying, yet it continues not only in schools but online as well. With suicide in the top three causes to adolescent deaths, the need to stop bullying once and for all is required. This documentary captures all victims of bullying, not only the individuals but their family and friends as well. It presents stories of a variety of severities; whether leading to suicide, illegal actions or depression, Bully portrayed it all. The victims of these terrible words or violent acts range from age eleven to seventeen, yet no one story outweighs the others. All stories of bullying are equal. This documentary carefully kept from alienating schools and blaming any individual for bullying by presenting the view point of an assistant principle and numerous parents to show efforts of all to stop bullying as well as demonstrate the complexity of the issue at hand.

            Bully is a well directed and edited film that captures the complexity and horrific truths of bullying through its organization and widespread prevalence.  The organization assisted in the effectiveness of this piece in two ways, the organization of the entire film as well as the organization of each individual story. The whole documentary began with the story of one boy, portrayed originally as the normal but shy child who went on to commit suicide at the age of seventeen after excessive verbal abuse by his classmates. A horrific but honest story that immediately grabbed the viewers’ attention and transitioned into the lives of other victims of bullying. From there multiple other stories were presented featuring a boy suffering from physical and verbal bullying but maintained shut off and viewed his bullies as friends, a girl who brought as gun onto the bus to defend herself against bullies but lead her to a juvenile detention center and an eleven year old boy that took his own life after repetitive bullying instances. The end of the film featured the families of the bullying victims, raising awareness to all on how to educate children on bullying and prevent the life threatening effects.

            As for the organization of each individual story, they each began with the introduction to the adolescent as a typical kid that did chores, went to school, and participated in what interested them. By introducing the children as normal kids, it allowed the audience to be even more sympathetic towards them. It is much easier to connect to a typical kid rather then a bullying victim, once connected to this seemingly normal child, seeing the terrible abuse they face on a daily basis is even more impactful. By slowly adjusting to the effects that bullying had on each child it allows for an increased appeal to pathos, the most prevalent tool in this documentary.

            It is not only through the organization that Hirsch is able to present that severity of bullying but he also harnesses the widespread nature of the issue. This documentary provided not only a variety of “causes” for bullying but also examples throughout the US. All across the country adolescents are being bullied for a variety of reasons whether it be their looks, disabilities, or sexual orientation. By presenting the audience with a variety of locations and “causes” for bullying the large scale of this issue is clear. Bully was an extremely well developed piece on the horrors of bullying that use the intense emotions involved in such terrible actions to educate and emphasize the prevention of bullying for the good of the youth and generations to come.

URL: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1682181/

TOW#27: TOW Reflection

After reviewing a variety of my past TOW posts my growth as an analyzer and writer has become evident. In my posts from the first two marking periods I did not include a clear, or effective structure, rather answered the questions of the assignment a limited amount of detail in one large paragraph. My more recent posts contain much more analysis and are far more organized as I use various paragraphs to separate my ideas. The blog post from the first marking period did not even contain any clear rhetorical strategies from the piece that I had analyzed that week. The second marking period improved as I actually identified the devices used by the author. In my most recent post I not only identified rhetorical strategies used by the author, but I used a few of my own and structured my post to be comprehendible.

            My ability to adequately analyze pieces has become a skill that I am extremely confident in. I have managed to recognize rhetorical strategies with ease as well as not only see their effect but also use them to improve my own writing. While my organization and thus comprehensiveness of my writing has improved I still struggle with awkward wording from time to time. My confidence in my own thoughts has left me with difficulty communicating my ideas clearly, something that I have grown toward but still need improvement.

            This assignment has been particularly beneficial in making me a more confident and well-rounded writer. Prior to this class my strengths in writing lay mainly in research papers for I never wrote and analytical piece to the extent of these TOWs or the essays we wrote in class. It is through this constant exposure to new genres, topics and ideas that I have become a more well-rounded individual. I would consider a new strength in my writing to be with analysis.

            Asides from the growth in my writing abilities, the TOW assignments have also cause me to have more confidence in as a writer, which is something that is very important in an AP class as well as in general. I feel that by practicing my analyzing skills throughout the year I entered the AP exam in full preparation for the analysis based writing prompt, all that is left is to hope that  my AP score reflects the growth that I see in myself. 

URL:http://www.clker.com/clipart-24923.html

TOW#26: Change

Homeless men and women, located near a busy walkway holding a cardboard sign or a cup, seeking change, but who is too say what form of change they seek? This image demonstrates that idea; that perhaps these men and women are not trying to get a few coins or dollar bills, perhaps they want something even more meaningful, true change. In order to illustrate this point, the image was created with a simplistic approach to effectively relay the message that perhaps change is more important that money.

            The frail people lining the streets that most encounter at some point in their life seem to be struggling to obtain what they need to survive, assuming money will solve all of their problems people will drop spare change into the homeless man or woman’s cup. This spare change realistically does not solve anything. Perhaps they are now able to purchase something off of a dollar menu and can eat that night, but the next day they will be right back to their spot on the busy walkway. Money is not what they seek for it only provides temporary life improvement. They want change. Something that will keep them from reclaiming their position on a busy street everyday, something that will provide for their needs, something that will do more then small change ever could. This is the purpose of this image, to demonstrate just how complex poverty is.

            This image is able to capture this purpose with one small piece of text, written on a ripped piece are cardboard reading, “keep your coins, I want change.” This quote is the only aspect of the message meanwhile everything else is simple, indistinct, and colorless. The setting consists of a brick wall, brick road, and window with nothing inside and a small strip of concrete where the wall and street mix. This simplicity allows the audience, more privileged adults, to see and focus only on the message portrayed on the cardboard sign that the man in the image is holding. This mad is wearing a black hooded sweatshirt so his face is hidden, by making him a faceless figure, the image again emphasis only the message.

            It is through the use of a simple setting and clear message that this piece of visual text is able to effectively demonstrate the complexity of poverty. Perhaps the next homeless man or woman you encounter will prompt you to think about what more you can do, rather than simply reaching into your pocket. 

URL:http://community.boredofstudies.org/475/old-focus-change/72803/texts-changing-self.html

TOW#25: Memoir vs Novel

When life takes an interesting turn, many people use their experiences to write a book, but the debate is should they write a completely true memoir or use the event as the base of a novel. Adair Lara wrote the article “10 Ways to Tell if Your Story Should be a Memoir of a Novel” in order to assist writers with their decision of which genre their life story should fulfill through successful examples and simplified list.

 The genre of a book is based off of the author’s personal preference; however, it is capable of success either way. In order to portray this message Lara provided specific examples of successful novels and memoirs that were written by authors who were unsure of which genre to choose. She used extremely well known examples such as To Kill a Mockingbird and The Liars’ Club in order to demonstrate the level of success that can be reached by either genre to encourage the audience to feel less pressure to choose the perfect genre.

Lara also provided a list of reasons why someone may question which genre to use in order allow the audience to personally connect to the article. The list is split into two separate sections, one categorized as fit for memoirs and one for novels (each with five bullet points).  This provides a simple way for the audience to identify with the article and easily categorize their story as either genre. The list effectively and easily assists the audience to accomplish Lara’s goal, help authors choose a genre or their story.

It is through the use of examples of success and simplified lists in order to effectively help authors choose a genre for their life events. By provided such a simple but encouraging form to her article, Lara was able to successfully achieve her purpose.

Article: http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/10-ways-to-tell-if-your-story-should-be-a-memoir-or-a-novel

Memoir vs Novel

URL:http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2013/07/01/ask-the-editor-memoir-or-novel-for-my-true-story/

TOW#24: A Story Lately Told

Anjelica Huston, who is the first half of the book lead a happy life in Ireland, was then moved to London for part two of A Story Lately Told. In Ireland she had mastered the art of hunting and horseback riding, but London was a much different story, it was where she struggled academically and began to feel great defeat. Her parents split up, which provoked this relocation; London was the city where she would live out some time with her mother and brother Tony as well as where her career in acting would begin. After her mother’s sudden death in a car accident she moved to New York where her career and internal development truly flourished. Through the Huston’s life events and resilience she demonstrated that success comes to those who overcome and aspire for better.

Born to a director, Huston seems to have been blessed with a privileged and perfect life. After reading this book one discovers just how far from perfect her life truly was. It is important for her to portray these struggles, including her parents’ separation and mother’s death, to demonstrate that her success was not caused by her father’s fame, rather her hard work, dedication and resilience. The transition to London was not easy due to the great transition in lifestyle, farm life to strict schooling, Huston admits that she was “miserable there” (113). Although she was unhappy she pushed through for the benefit of her family. But once that family fell apart following her mom’s death she moved to New York, without that family that was once so important to her showing the great effect her mother’s death had on her while illustrating her resilience to push forward.

This resilience shows that despite everything she is a force to be reckoned with, one that will rise above all to accomplish her dreams. Her purpose in writing this book is to encourage people to overcome issues, no matter how severe. She provided her story to inspire resilience. 

A Story Lately Told

IRB Intro #4: Overwhelmed

For this marking period I am going to be reading Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time by Brigid Schulte. I wanted to read something that was not specifically about any one person’s life and I already read a historical book so I decided to go for a topic more directly related to myself but still interesting. This book was written based on extensive research on stress and effective ways spending and enjoying the little free time one has in modern day society. As a student with plenty of stress and one that struggles with time management, this book will hopefully be able to give me some insight as to how I should use my time in the near future. I came across this book on goodreads.com in the popular adults section. Originally I was planning on reading a book about crime in general or a specific case because that is a great interest of mine, I will be majoring in forensic science; however, I figured that I would be reading plenty of those books in the future and it may be better to inform myself on something more useful to me right now, such as stress. Effective time management has never been my strength so I hope that this book will provide me with the tools I need to be successful. I am not exactly sure how the structure of the book will be or hoe the information will be presented, but all of the reviews I have read have been full of praise so I look forward to reading this book.  

 

TOW #23: American Hustle

            After incredible positive reviews from viewers, many were shocked to when American Hustle failed to win a single Oscar despite their ten nominations. The article, “So, Why Didn’t ‘American Hustle’ Win a Single Academy Award?” by Sophia Miskiw uses specific examples of people/movies who beat out American Hustle in order to make reason of their unsuccessful night.

            The explanation for the movies lack of winning was determined to be strictly due to the fierce competition they faced in each category, specifying only a select few. One of the most prestigious nominations it received was for

Best Picture, which was awarded to 12 Years A Slave. Miskiw points out the reasonable defeat due to the fact that 12 Years A Slave had been described as, “one of the most powerful movie of all time” and was being added to school curriculums as well. As a truly incredible film that will soon serve as an educational tool, American Hustle did not have a great chance of winning against it.

            Miskiw goes on to describe the specific losses in the categories of Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The presumed favorite for the Best Actor Oscar was Leonardo DiCaprio, however even he was shockingly defeated by Matthew McConaughey. With these two highly regarded and respected Actors in the category, Christian Bale had a slim chance of winning that award. Recently booming actress, Jennifer Lawrence also faced an upset in the running for Best Supporting Actress, which was won by Lupita Nyong’o, the favorite in this category from the premier of 12 Years A Slave.

            While the cast and crew of American Hustle may not have received any Oscar’s this year that will not hinder their growing careers in the film industry. They walked away empty handed but, as presented by Miskiw, the winners of all of the Oscars were worthy of the honor just as much, if not more than the American Hustle nominees. By using specific example of their defeat rather than large scale, Miskim was able to effectively establish the reasonable losses at the Academy Awards.

URL: http://www.contactmusic.com/article/american-hustle-academy-awards-jennifer-lawrence_4094591

URL:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1800241/

TOW #22: Pepsi

Coca-Cola and Pepsi are both internationally recognized soft-drink companies that are constantly debated over and use advertisements to rise above the other. In this particular ad, a Pepsi can is directly next to a soda can that is designed identically to that of a Coca-Cola can (without specifically providing the brand name) to juxtapose the quality of these two renowned brands. The Pepsi can contains a straw and condensation on the can to make the soda look cold, appetizing, and ready to be consumed. Meanwhile, the straw near the other can has been animated to be refusing to enter the can therefore suggesting that the other soda is in no way desirable. It is through this juxtaposition that Pepsi is able to visually represent that their product is better than Coca-Cola in order to accomplish their goal of appealing to consumers and selling more of their product.

This advertisement is an example of a euphemism; because the major premise is not clearly stated but it s understood that people prefer to drink the best soda. The minor premise, which was also not direct due to the incomplete Coca-Cola label, but was that Pepsi, is the better soda when compared to Coke. Therefore, consumers should purchase Pepsi rather than Coca-Cola (or any other soda). The juxtaposition represented by the straws illustrated the minor premise effectively. By giving the other soda can the same exterior design as that of Coke made their point obvious but not too direct.  

Overall, the means of comparing Pepsi to Coca-Cola was effective through the graphic designs. Pepsi was able to make the argument without overstating or being able to be seen as liable for directly insulting their competitor’s products. It is through the usage of a euphemism and visual juxtaposition that Pepsi is able to effectively advertise their product. 

URL: http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2008/07/11/20-brilliant-advertising-ideas/

 

 

TOW #21: W.E.B Dubois

In W.E.B. Dubois’s book, The Souls of Black Folk he describes his differing views from those of Booker T. Washington on the issue of how to properly and effectively integrate the black population into American society. This week I read a small exert from the book that covered the basis of Dubois’s argument. He uses reoccurring parallel structure in order to juxtapose his ideas with those of Washington’s and illustrate that his idea will have a greater and better impact on the lives of freedmen.

            Dubois was a Harvard graduate, the first African American to receive a doctorate degree from Harvard making him extremely well educated, but his lack of experience as a struggling freedman made his argument less accepted by those who were struggling at the time since Washington could actually connect to their situation as a fellow newly freed slave.  To represent the necessities which Washington’s plan neglects is listed as, “First, political power, Second, insistence on civil right, Third higher education of Negro youth” to illustrate that Washington’s plans do not incorporate these vital components of social equality but they are the most important parts of Dubois’s plan. He also describes the ideas of that Washington presents as well as the negative side effects that he overlooks.

            Washington advocated for industrial equality and planned for the blacks to receive an education based off of agriculture and other industrial fields in order to be able to achieve economical equality that will later develop into social equality. Dubois however, wants to formally educate ten percent of the black population so they gain political equality to then transfer to socially. He also uses the words of the constitution, “all men are created equally” to empower his point to any white readers as well as bring in an example of the political aspect his plan incorporates.

            As an advocate of a well-educated, politically influential black population Dubois presents his ideas and rejects those of Washington’s opposing plan through parallel structures, which provides juxtaposition. In a society developed from the premise that all men are created equal Dubois developed a radical plan in achieving true equality for all. 

W.E.B. Dubois: http://www.nps.gov/hafe/historyculture/w-e-b-dubois.htm

TOW#20: A Story Lately Told (Ireland)

Nearly half of A Story Lately Told, by Anjelica Huston is used to describe her childhood during her time in Ireland. Her family moved to Ireland when she was only one year old, so that is the setting of all of her early childhood memories. Huston incorporates relevant photographs and detailed character development to illustrate the complexity of her childhood caused by her father’s absence.

            At the beginning of every chapter she uses a back-and-white photograph from around approximately the same time period as the events in the chapter to visually illustrate her life as she recalls it in her writing. The pictures often include Huston, her brother Tony, and her mother in a variety of places suggesting that while her family moved often she still had a strong relationship with her mother as well as many playful memories with her brother. The absence of her father in majority of these images demonstrates that he was not that great of a figure in her life and while her brought many incredible people around and provided immense opportunities for her, their relationship was lacking and unable to flourish under his busy schedule and intense approach to directing. These unbalanced family ties influenced her childhood into being complex and seemingly incomplete.

            It is through her character development and descriptions that she alluded to the poor relationship with her father by emphasizing people who would generally be less influential has her father had a more active role in her childhood. Throughout the first section of the book she described smaller character, guests and household workers, in great detail through imagery, similes, and other rhetorical devices. In describing short-term maids at one of her many estates she said, “Josie, with fair hair and cheeks like roses, and Mary Margaret, timid as a field mouse” (59).  By using such poetic detail for these two characters who are virtually insignificant in the overall plot of her life Huston makes it evident that that due to her father’s absence she developed a need to make smaller characters in her life has a greater meaning to her in order to fill the void that was caused by the incomplete father figure she had.

            It is through her inclusion of images and development of characters that she illustrated the lasting affects of her complex childhood. Although seeming perfect, beneath the surface even the privileged, talented Anjelica Huston worked avidly in fulfilling the voids in her life that developed at an early age.

URL:http://www.amazon.com/Story-Lately-Told-Coming-Ireland/dp/1451656297

TOW #19: Visa's Olympic Commercial

Visa is known for producing multiple commercials during the Olympics to announce their support for Team USA and broadcast their services, amongst these commercials is one featuring Sarah Hendrickson that seems to stand out due to the incorporation of historical context and representation of a new event. The commercial opens with a quote from Amelia Earhart about women accomplishing that of man and that failure should be used as inspiration. While this quotation is being read in the background, Sarah Hendrickson prepares for her ski jump; this year was the premier of female ski jumping as an Olympic sport. By incorporating the historically recognized story of Amelia Earhart, Visa is appealing to not only fans of women’s ski jumping, but anyone that supports equality among genders and female athleticism. This approach causes a larger audience to be drawn into the advertisement. Immediately following the quote, Hendrickson executes her jump therefore appealing to any ski jump or Olympic enthusiast and thus broadening the audience even further. During her time in the air, Hendrickson states, “Now women get a chance to fly” which connects back to Amelia Earhart solidifying the use of her quote and proving its relevance. At the end of the commercial she said, “This is my everywhere. Visa, everywhere you want to be” the famous line that concludes all of Visa’s Olympic advertisements. This line illustrates that Visa is an international financial service corporation and an excellent choice as a credit card service. Majority of the commercial is focused on presenting the new Olympic event and the fact that Visa is a sponsor of the Olympics to draw attention from the audience. At the conclusion of the advertisement Visa presents itself as an international credit card that Olympic athletes that are constantly travelling around the world trust. It is through the development of a large audience and presentation of the desirable aspects of Visa’s company that Visa is able to effectively market their services.

TOW #18: With Death Penalty

Due to our recent focus on argument pieces, I chose to read an article sharing a perspective on the controversial topic of the death penalty. The author of “With Death Penalty, Let Punishment Truly Fit the Crime”, Robert Blecker, argues that death by legal injection is unjust, these horrific criminals should be punished by much more extreme means, gunfire, to adequately create moral equilibrium. He argues this point by using current events and rhetorical questions to appeal to pathos and sway the audience to see his viewpoint. In regards to the terrible murderers existing in today’s society Blecker offers current events such as the Boston Marathon bombing and shooting in the movie theater in Aurora. By using such well-known and fairly current tragedies he is able to appeal to the audiences emotions and using extreme circumstances to justify his radical argument. Using rhetorical questions to test the validity of people who claim to desire punishment that fits the crime is also effective by putting ideas into reality. Many people would agree that punishment should be dependent on the severity of the crime, but Blecker twists this into saying that life imprisonment does not allow for variation once crimes reach a certain level of horror, therefore no longer fit to the individual crime. Blecker opposes lethal injection and believes that mass murderers and criminals that execute similar crimes should be killed by a firing squad, an extremely radical idea. He argues that lethal injection is too humane in comparison to the crime that the individual committed and that they also should be treated at a harsher level. Petty crimes put people in jail to be abused and possibly killed by a fellow inmate while those on death row comfortably await their execution where they lay on sheets and die by a painless IV-like injections surrounded by family. The description of an often-overlooked unjust system appeals to logos. Blecker finds this system extremely unjust and proposes a radical idea of execution by firing squad. Although he is an extremist, he effectively conveys his message through appeals to pathos and logos.

Article: http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/22/opinion/blecker-death-penalty/

Means of Execution
URL: http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/22/opinion/blecker-death-penalty/