Sunday, April 27, 2014

TOW#25: Korean Ferry Accident Vice Principal Suicide Note

"Surviving alone is too painful while 200 remain unaccounted for. Please hold me responsible for all of this. I pushed for the school excursion. Cremate my body and spread my ashes over the ship sinking site. I may become a teacher again in the afterlife for the students whose bodies have yet to be found."
(http://www.thewire.com/global/2014/04/vice-principal-who-survived-ferry-accident-found-dead-in-apparent-suicide/360874/#disqus_thread)

Every year, a junior class from each school in South Korea goes to Jeju Island, the Hawaii of South Korea. After many years of rigorous and endless studying, students in the junior year go on this trip for one last fun before they take the dreadful college entrance exam. On April 16th, 2014, a Korean ferry sank in Jindo, South Korea with more than 400 passengers and crew members abroad. Of the few who survived, the Vice Principal, Kang Min-Gyu, hang himself on a tree. A suicide note was found in his wallet.

He felt guilty; he felt guilty for surviving while hundreds of other students did not. He proposed that he would teach in heaven to those who lost their lives. He could not bare to live and be happy while others lost their lives on his watch. Not only that, he took full responsibility because he suggested the trip. 

He felt that he has no right to live. He felt that it is his duty to go with his students. He appeals to pathos in his note because it shows his selflessness, courage, and morality. He is selfless in a sense that he gave up his own life when he could have survived. Courage plays a role because he was not afraid to give up his life. He was willing to take his own life to teach in the "afterlife". He even asked to be cremated so he could be spread into the ocean. He wanted to be with the students who remained in the ocean.

This tragedy affects South Korea immensely since South Korea is such a small country. The country will continue to mourn and grief for a very long time. This issue will remain in South Korean people's hearts for the rest of their lives. Guilt is the biggest issue. People like the vice-president was so overwhelmed with guilt that he couldn't bare to live. How will the rest of the families and country live on?  





Wednesday, April 23, 2014

IRB Intro: "Dawn" by Elie Wiesel

"Dawn" is the next book in the series of "Night" by Elie Wiesel. This book is about Elie's perspective of what he experienced during the Holocaust. This second book "Dawn" continues this treacherous journey to escape this horrible life and find freedom.

I chose this book because when I was in the 10th grade I read the prequel "Night". I was really moved by the authors writing, especially since all the events really happened. I am looking forward to read this book because I can see more insight of the Holocaust and a first person's account.

TOW#24: Abraaj Water Ad.


Fish Knows Best

How does one know what type of water tastes best? Just ask the fish. Fishes know the best type of water since they live, breathe, and swim in water their entire lives. Abraaj is a water company that produces purified water for people to drink. They appeal to ethos and use emphasis to show that their water is the best and everyone should buy it.

Abraaj has the best water in the world because the fish in the advertisement prefers it. In the ad, the fish is jumping from its bowl of fresh water to Abraaj's water. This shows that a fish would leave its spacious bowl of fresh water and go to a constricted space full of Abraaj's water. This conveys that Abraaj's water is so fresh and great, it is worth the restricting space that the fish is going to. If a fish, which knows water more than any human being, going to Abraaj's water, that means that their water must be fresh and clean. 

Abraaj effectively uses emphasis to show that their water is irresistible. Realize how the advertisement only contains a fish bowl, a glass of water, and a fish. It allows the audience to focus on the fish especially because of its bright color. The glass of water and the fish bowl is not as emphasized because it wants the audience to see what the fish chose. The two containers of water look exactly the same, but the fish can tell the difference because it is an expert at knowing water quality, hence the words, "who knows water best?" 

Although there are so many different types of water ads and the fact that all water tastes the same, Abraaj is unique from most water ads because it uses something other than a person to show how great their water is. Instead of using a celebrity to say how great their water is, they use the most obvious "expert" of water: a fish. Abraaj appeals to ethos and uses emphasis to show that their water is the best quality. 









(http://adeation.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/abraj-water-ad.jpg)