TOW#13: Text "Boy Comes Out On Facebook, Mother Writes Incredible Letter Of Support" James Nichols

Coming Out

Imagine how terrifying it is for a person to "come out of the closet". Will they accept me, or will they kick me out of the house? A boy named Zach wrote on his Facebook that he was gay. His mother happened to see the post and wrote a letter in response to it. She stated that she completely supported him and that his sexual preference did not change who he was. The mother uses humor and supportive words to show that she completely supports and loves Zach no matter what.

Zach's mother uses humor to show that there are more things important than his sexual preference. In her letter she states, "The only thing that concerns me is the number of empty soda cups and tea bottles in your room. Throw them away before ants come inside." The way she mentions the messiness of his room shows that she does not care that he is gay and that there are more important aspects of life than which gender someone prefers. She also writes this to end the situation in a funny note so that her son knows that she is okay with his sexuality, thus showing that his sexuality does not change how she feels about him.

Zach's mother also uses supportive words to show that in any case she is always on his side. In the letter she emphasizes that, "I love you unconditionally. I love you with my actions, not just my words. I’m so proud of you. You are the bravest person I know. I’ll fight for you always." Her encouraging words truly show that she loves her son regardless of his sexual preference and that what he did was very courageous. She is not only accepting of the fact that he is a homosexual, but she is supportive of the way he had the courage to come out. This way she not only showed that she still loves him whether he is heteosexual or not but she showed that no matter what he does in his life, she will love and support him always.

People like Zach's mother are the ones who give people the courage to come out of the closet. Besides the fact that she showed her love for her son regardless of his sexual preference, she showed that the type of people he likes does not define who he is and that anything he does, she will support him. Yet there are others who are not as accepting as Zach's mother. One day, will people accept everyone for who they are?

The letter written to Zach

 (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/mom-beautiful-letter-gay-son_n_3867793.html)

TOW#12: IRB "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

This Can Happen

This is an amazing story about a girl named Jeannette Walls who has lived an unsteady lifestyle her entire life. Her dad constantly makes the family move every time he finds a new job and he is an alcoholic. When Jeannette was younger, her dress caught on fire when she tried making her own hotdog. After she was rushed to the hospital, her dad sneaks her out to avoid paying the bill. Imagine living life this way throughout your entire childhood.

The most fascinating part about this story is that it is real. All the events told throughout the story were not made up. They actually happened to a person. Walls in retelling her life in words the way she remembers it. The fact that everything is true allows the reader to sympathize with the author more and also Walls is able to appeal to pathos and ethos. This story makes people think, "Wow! I never thought a person could go through something like this!"

Walls most likely wrote this story to share the world with her unique adventure. Never in a million years would people think of a true situation such as this. She most likely took more than one try in writing this book. She knows that her life was embarrassing and pitiful. Her writing this books seems to be a very courageous move. It isn't easy writing about your entire life when every moment is pretty much a bummer.

Walls seems to understand that there are many children who struggle with the types of parents they have. She probably wanted to relate with those people and to show them that they are not alone. But she also knows that her type of situation is very rare. She probably wanted to encourage those to speak out and to not be afraid to talk about their lives.

Reading this book, I was able to see another viewpoint of another person's life. The things that Walls was able to overcome amazes me and also the fact that she endured this as such a young girl is crazy. The fact that she tells a true story of her life ables her to appeal to pathos and ethos, thus being able to connect with other people who have family struggles just like she does.

Jeannette Walls

(http://www.gradesaver.com/author/jeannette-walls/)

TOW#11: (Visual) "Meet Otis"

Buying Dog Food Saves Dogs

A dog is a man's best friend. Not Otis. Otis is a bulldog that lives in a shelter because he was abandoned by his former owner. He waits everyday behind a fence for his new best friend. Pedigree, a dog food brand, offered to donate money to shelters in order to help dogs like Otis into a new home. To convince people in supporting this cause, Pedigree creates an advertisement, in which Otis is the center of the picture behind a fence looking sorrowful. 

Pedigree appeals to pathos in order to attract people into buying their dog food. Otis's sad facial expression allows the reader to feel guilty for him and makes them want to contribute to the cause. The way Otis is behind the fence gives off the expression of being trapped. This also makes the reader feel extremely guilty, which would convince them to buy Pedigree dog food. 

This is not just an ordinary advertisement that a dog lover decided to make during their spare time; this was the actual Pedigree company itself that created this advertisement. By doing this, they appeal to ethos because the fact that they are a legitimate dog food brand allows the reader to believe the advertisement more and pay attention to it more than if this were just a random picture with words. 

This advertisement may have been made a little while ago, however, there are still abandoned dogs today. Otis should consider himself lucky because some dogs may not even be fortunate enough to be in a shelter. 

The overall feel of this advertisement is depressing and pitiful. The advertisement is able to manipulate the reader into feeling remorse as if they did not help, then something horrible would occur to the dog.

The advertisement brilliantly conveys the "sadness" of the dog and is able to convince the readers into buying their dog food. They appeal to pathos by using a small, hopeless looking dog and by focusing on the unhappy expressions on its face. They are also able to appeal to ethos because they are a huge dog food brand, which gives them trust about this situation and the understanding of how serious this state is. Who knew dog food saved dogs? 

(http://wallstreetjobreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Pedigree_Adoption_Otis.jpg)

The sad and lonely Otis.

TOW#10: "Chinese families still at mercy of officials despite announced easing of one-child policy"(Article) by Simon Denyer

When Will It End?

A woman named Lois, who lives in China, was excited to hear the news about how China was going to ease the "one child only" policy. So she decided to have another child. Little did she know, the policy was not actually at ease yet. If a child was born on a date before the policy was eased, it would be an illegal child and the parents could end up with a $50,000 fine.

Simon Denyer is credible because his profession is to write for foreign affairs in South Asia. He also uses statistics and quotes an actual person who has a dilemma dealing with this situation. He uses statistics by saying, "But China’s overall population level will not be affected much and will still peak below 1.5 billion in about 20 years, from about 1.3 billion now, officials said." (Denyer). This was used to theorize that even if the "one child policy" were at ease, the population wouldn't increase as dramatically as the Chinese government believes it would.

Denyer wrote this to show that this policy is still going on today and it has an impact on many people. As hard it as it may be to believe, many families are having a really hard time dealing with just having one child. Denyer is also trying to show that the fine for having another child is ridiculous. It is crazy to pay $50,000 just for having one extra child. But this also shows how serious the government is taking the policy. 

There was no specific intended audience. The article was to show the entire world the small things that are making life as difficult as they shouldn't. This article could also be used to cry out for help or notice so other countries may help get rid of this policy for good.

Denyer appeals to pathos because of his usage of quoting an actual "victim" of the situation. By quoting an actual person, it allows the audience to feel bad for the mother who is afraid to have another child because of the government's extreme consequences. 

Denyer was able to accomplish his purpose. He was able to use reliable statistics, first person accounts, and emotional attachments in order to show that the "one child policy" in China is ridiculous and it should be eased as soon as possible. 

("Simon Denyer/The Washington Post - Zhang Yufei, 42, left, his son Zhang Enlang, 13 months, his mother-in-law Li Zhihong and his wife Ma Yanyan, 30, pose for a photograph in their family home in Beijing, China on Nov. 20, 2013. After a relaxation in China's one-child policy, Zhang and his wife want a second child, but only after Beijing's heavily polluted air improves." (The Washington Post))

IRB Intro: "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

This book is about a girl named Jeannette Walls who had unconditional love for her family despite its ups and downs. I chose this book because many people have recommended it to me. Every single person who has read this book, as far as I know, loves it. So I decided to give it a shot as well.

I am looking forward to seeing life in another person's point of view. I've never had any major struggles in my life, compared to Jeannette Walls, so it will be interesting to be in another person's shoes, imagining what they saw, feeling what they felt. 

What I hope to gain from this book is another viewpoint of life. I feel that I am unaware of real hardships and struggles. So by reading this book, I feel that I will be able to read another person's life and see how they struggled and fought through it. My hopes are pretty high for this book, I can't wait!

TOW#9: "Ravaged Philippine City Ponders a Grim Road Ahead" by Andrew Jacobs (Article)

How Did This Happen?

Last Week, a typhoon hit Guiuan,Philippines. It has been said that there hasn't been this much activity since World War II. Now people are left with no homes, no food, no clothing, nothing. There were approximately 100 deaths, which may not seem like a lot, but the territory damages are massive. Everything was destroyed. "Not a single roof was left intact..."(Jacobs).

Although, Jacobs did not witness himself the actual typhoon, he quotes many people who saw it and have nothing now. He also uses many statistics like death rates. 

He manages to report the information without making it sound boring. He makes it sound like a story, especially by quoting of people. He also talks about people who are practically helpless like Ms. Bagores. She had neither insurance nor savings to begin with. How was she supposed to send her daughter to school now? 

By using people like Ms. Bagores, Jacobs appeals to pathos. He allows the audience to feel bad and want to contribute in helping them. He says, "Elenita Bagores, an unemployed teacher, put on her best face as she and her 15-year-old daughter, Rica, washed out blankets and school clothes in a pail. Behind them sat a pile of lime-green wood that had been their home" (Jacobs). He makes them appear pitiful, hopeless, and lifeless.

This typhoon was indeed one of largest catastrophes in many years. That is why this situation, in general, is so significant. By writing this article, Jacob is able to show how catastrophic this event truly was and the immense amount of damages that are left behind. 

Although the typhoon has occurred in the Philippines, Jacobs wants to share the situation with the entire world so that they can help people there. Doctors are needed, and supplies,like food and clothing, are needed. Right now the Philippines has nothing. They need all the help that they can get. And by getting this message through the world, Jacobs is able to convince outside countries to help them. 

Andrew Jacobs didn't just re-tell a happening; he told a story. But it wasn't a "once upon a time" type of story. It was a real story and it is still happening today. By using pathos and statistics, Jacobs is able to show the audience that the people in the Philippines are practically ruined and they need help. 

"A family in Guiuan outside a makeshift shelter they constructed after their home was destroyed.  The town bore the full brunt of Typhoon Haiyan." (Bryan Denton for The New York Times)

            

TOW#8: "A Stolen Life" By Jaycee Lee Dugard (IRB)

Who Knew?

At the end of "A Stolen Life", Jaycee Lee Dugard describes her freedom after 18 years of captivity. Oddly enough, it was her kidnapper, Phillip, who admitted that he kidnapped her. One day, his parol officer calls him down to the station and Dugard happens to be with him. The officer asks Jaycee what her name was. She had not said her name in 18 years. Finally, she writes her name down on paper instead. The parol officer did not recognize the name until Philip admitted that she was the girl that he had kidnapped. In that moment, Dugard was free.

How did Dugard write about such a story? Wasn't she afraid? She felt that she was protecting him if she had not told people her story. Throughout this horrifying journey, she remained sane. She said that if she got angry, then Philip would have won. Dugard is one of very few people who survive kidnapping and assault. This allows her to appeal to ethos because it shows that she is a very bold woman. No one can make any comments contradicting what she has to say because she lived through it. People do not know what she truly felt despite her detailed descriptions throughout her book.

Dugard wanted to show other that if she could survive something as horrible as that, then other people should be able to stand up to pretty much, everything. She is reaching out to people who are scared and intimidated of speaking out. She is also trying to show other people who may misunderstand what really happens when someone is kidnapped. People are deceived by hollywood movies because the kidnapping that occurs there isn't AS bad as what people are used to hearing. Now after hearing a real, tragic story, people see a new side of the idea of kidnapping.

Dugard appeals to pathos throughout the entire memoir. Since the story is in first person, readers can understand her feelings throughout the journey. She talks about how she is always lonely, which allows people to pity her. The fact that she was such a little girl when she was kidnapped makes people feel awful for her and saddened by her situation.

Dugard most definitely achieved her purpose. She appealed to ethos, pathos, and logos. Her purpose was to show a real story of a kidnapped person. By using all these strategies, Dugard was able to achieve her purpose.

( http://news.lalate.com/category/jaycee-lee-dugard/)

Jaycee Lee Dugard-Now

TOW#7: "Save Water, Save Life" (Visual)

Less is More

This here is an advertisement to encourage people to preserve water. In the picture is a fish in a fishbowl, which its water is leaking out. The only bright color present is the fish, which is a glimmering orange. The rest of the advertisement is black and white. A non-profit organization named Venfield sponsors this advertisement. This advertisement was not just an average civilian who decided to raise awareness of saving water. This was an advertisement that a large corporation created to spread their ideas about saving water. Thus, this makes them more credible than a regular person who makes a picture such as this for fun.

Many people who have access to clean, drinkable water everyday do not appreciate it. Most people waste water like how people keep the sink running as they brush their teeth. Water is an absolute necessity for living and most people seem to forget that idea and take water for granted. 

The purpose of this advertisement was to raise awareness of the importance of water. The advertisement is giving a "wake-up call" and saying, "Hey, water is really important! Stop wasting it!" It was also created to show that water can save a life, which is technically true. In the picture there is a small amount of water in the fishbowl for the fish. In people's everyday life, the amount of water in that bowl is nothing. But to that fish, the water gives it life. Without that small amount of water, it will die. 

This advertisement was used to reach out to everyone who has access to lots of water. People who do not have too much access to water most likely cherish every drop of water they can get. Others waste lots of water everyday not realizing how important it is. Those are the type of people that the advertisement is trying to get the attention of. 

The advertisement definitely appeals to pathos. The back round colors are black, but then it gradually lights up towards the fish in the bowl. This makes the fish look sad and hopeless, which makes the audience feel sympathetic for the fish. This would make people think to themselves and probably think, "That is so sad! I didn't know that water had that much of an impact."Also the way the advertisement has only 4 words in the center makes it really effective. It is simple yet provoking. If there was a whole paragraph about how water was important, most likely people would not bother to look at the advertisement. But since this advertisement is so short, it makes it dramatic. It draws people's attention to the picture and simple enough that people might actually look at the advertisement more. 

The author/sponsor accomplished his/her purpose. They used contrasting colors to allow other to focus on the important aspect of the advertisement: the fish. They also used simple yet powerful words to convey their message. They were able to appeal to pathos because the use of the colors and simplistic words, which would make the audience feel bad and guilty for the fish's life, thus making them think about how much water they waste and how they should be more aware about how much water they use in the future.

(http://www.indiaonrent.com/view/b/best-ads-save-water-save-life.html)

TOW#6: "Does Boiling or Baking Vegetables Destroy Their Vitamins?" By Tara Parker-Pope

Vegetables' Nutrients Depends On How They Are Prepared?

This article discusses the nutrients lost or gained depending on how they are prepared. Vegetables are good for people either way, except when they are fried. Nonetheless, it depends on what vitamins people want to acquire. For example, microwaved vegetables actually hold 90% of their vitamin C, while steaming and boiling causes a 22% to 34% loss of vitamin C. This may shock many people because usually people believe that microwaved foods are bad for people. In this case, vegetables are healthier if they are cooked in a microwave!

Pope is an expert of health as it explicitly states in NYTIMES. This means that she is very familiar with nutrition and other health related issues. Not only that, but she also uses statistics and mentions the source, "The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry" to back up her statements. This makes her appeal to logos and ethos; she is an expert with this subject and she uses credible resources to prove her research.

The idea of health has become a big issue throughout America. Thus, more people are beginning to watch what they eat. When most people think of "healthy" food, they think of vegetables. However, many people do not know that the way people prepare vegetables actually effects what nutrients are and are not present. This idea makes this article extremely important and relevant to current issues in life today.

This article was an "Ask Well" article, which means that people ask questions about health that they are not sure about, and then NYTIME health experts respond to them with an article about their question. However, the health experts answer questions that they think is important to discuss for the benefit of everyone. This article was to clear up any misunderstandings towards people who are cautious about what they eat and how they eat it. 

Tara Parker-Pope accomplished her purpose. She wrote about something that was relative to current issues and important to many people. She is also credible, which makes people believe all the things that she says. She is credible by being a NYTIMES writer and the fact that she used credible sources to backup her ideas. Because of all these factors, she was able to accomplish her purpose, which was to inform people about the different nutrient values of vegetables depending on how it is prepared. 

 (NYTIMES, http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/18/ask-well-does-boiling-or-baking-vegetables-destroy-their-vitamins/)

TOW#5: "Is Music the Key to Success?" By Joanne Lipman

What Do Musical Notes Have To Do With Success?

This opinionated article talks about how music has some relation with success. Lipman states that music teaches one collaboration and the ability to create new ideas. She also discusses how it teaches one to listen and to focus on the present and future all at the same time! She talks about very successful people like Steven Spielberg and how he played the clarinet and he is very successful. Now she mentions that being involved with music doesn't mean that one is going to be the next Bill Gates, but it is very important and could possibly lead one in another successful path.

Lipman isn't a musician so it may be hard to believe her at first. But she uses many examples of people to show the connection between music and success. This also makes her appeal to logos. She quotes Mr. Greenspan to show that an actual professional musician also believes that music has some relation to success. She uses people such as "The television broadcaster Paula Zahn (cello) and the NBC chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd (French horn) attended college on music scholarships..." (Lipman). This gives her credibility in a sense that she gives examples of actual people who are very successful and they were involved with music some time in their lives.

Music has been around for centuries and it still exists today. It has changed and still does change people's lives. Therefore, people are familiar with the subject of music and they can relate to this article because Lipman isn't talking about a subject that no one remembers or knows about. 

Lipman wanted to show the importance of music. She seems to have realized how people are taking music for granted and don't know how truly valuable it is. And to show that, she wrote this article. That's why she was reaching out to everyone. She wants people to appreciate music and to see it in another perspective, which is that music is not just some enjoyable tune but also educational is some ways. 

Although this was an opinionated article, Lipman achieved her purpose. Most importantly, she appealed to logos with helped her support her argument. She used people who were very successful and how those successful people played some type of instrument some time in their life. She explicitly states that it is not a consequence since it isn't just one or two successful people that have a connection with music but it is most of the successful people who have some relation to music.  

 (Anna Parini, credit)- Person is using music to walk towards success.

                 

TOW #4: "At CGI, a Commitment to Stop the Bloody Slaughter of African Elephants" by Bryan Walsh

35,000 African elephants are killed every year, which is around 96 elephants everyday. They are killed for their tusks, which is made of ivory. The tusks make a large profit around $1000 per pound. Wildlife trafficking is illegal, but since the punishment is not as severe as some, it is a popular way for criminals to make easy money. People in Africa have tried to fight against these horrible people, however, the Africans are not as "equipped" as those hunters are. 

Walsh did not see elephants actually being killed. But he did lots of research on this situation. He quotes multiple sources and gives many statistics to support his argument.

Shockingly enough, wildlife trafficking began long before 2013. It goes back as far as the 1980s. He uses the CGI, Clinton Global Initiative, who made a commitment to fight back the hunters. The worst part is, wildlife trafficking is still occurring. People are still struggling to stop it.

Walsh was appalled by the horrendous things he heard about the elephants. How could a human being kill another life without any emotion? He wanted to show that this is unjustified, and not just the killing.  He was frustrated about how long it took for people to start taking it seriously. If nothing is done about this, then thousands of innocent elephants will continue to suffer every year.

Walsh reached out to anybody who bothered to care. He doesn't care about who knows, but he wants someone to do something about this. He is hoping for everyone to come together and fight against those awful hunters. And he did his part; he published an article for the entire world to see, to see how precious wildlife is dying everyday. 

The usage of statistics, facts, and quotes shows that Walsh appeals to logos. He quotes several people like the CEO Peter Segilmann of Conservation International, "'Poaching has become an enormous problem and one of the most profitable criminal activities there is,'". This shows that Walsh is not making anything up. People are aware of the situation and are planning to do something about it. These types of quotes allow readers to find Walsh credible and go, "Wow, this is really serious". 

There is no doubt that Walsh accomplished his purpose. He not only presented his argument effectively, but also used factual information to support his argument. He seemed to use every effective source he could find. From reading this article, any reader would feel sorrowful yet angry at the cause. When will animal cruelty end?

A pile of Elephant tusks. 

Source: Jean Liou

Article- http://science.time.com/2013/09/26/at-cgi-a-commitment-to-stop-the-bloody-slaughter-of-african-elephants/

TOW#3: IRB Analysis, A Stolen Life by Jaycee Lee Dugard

                                                     How Did She Not Go Insane?
Imagine living as a prisoner for 18 years. And this isn't an actual prisoner, but it is an 11-year-old girl. Her name was Jaycee Lee Dugard. She was just an ordinary girl walking to school on a sunny morning when all of a sudden a man pulls up in a car for directions. Next thing she knows, she is grabbed and paralyzed from head to toe by a stun gun. There is no doubt about Dugard's credibility. She is writing her experience of the way she remembered it. This is from her point of view. It can't get any more credible than that.

Anyone who reads this story would have one word in the back of their minds: kidnap. Kidnapping has existed years and years before it happened to Dugard. People have tried to stop kidnapping for generations. Unfortunately, kidnapping still occurs today.

The mind-boggling question is, why did she write it? Most people would be embarrassed of sharing what they have been through. But not Dugard. She felt that keeping her story from the world would be protecting her kidnapper. She wanted to show the world that kidnapping isn't a joke, that it is nothing compared to how it is portrayed in movies.

Her intended audience was everyone. However, she wanted to reach out to those who have been in a tough situation before. She wanted to show that people should appreciate their lives and that a "C" on a math test doesn't matter. Throughout the memoir she conveys that if she can live through something that she did, then other people should fight through any of their struggles.

Dugard mostly appealed to pathos because everything she wrote in her memoir was true. Every emotion, every thought, every pain she had was real. She often says the word "lonely" in her memoir, which can bring people to think sadly about an 11-year-old girl alone for 18 years. The fact that every thing was true makes her appeal to pathos, because people could read it and think, "Wow, that is just awful! How did she live through that?" But no matter how people try to understand how she felt, they will never be able to explicitly comprehend everything she went through.

Jaycee Lee Dugard wanted people to see what she went through and that kidnapping is no joke. From reading this story, I was absolutely able to receive the message. It is amazing how she remained sane. She believed that if she went crazy, then her kidnapper would have won. She doesn't use any phony language to sound smart; she just wrote the way she would have told any story. Her goal wasn't to be pitied, but for others to see what a real kidnapping was. By being 100% credible, appealing to pathos, and writing in a first-person account, Dugard accomplished her purpose.

                                    11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard

TOW#2: "DOES IT REALLY ‘AD’ UP?" by Andrea Kempfer (Visual)

Power Over People: Advertising

68 million people consume McDonalds everyday; that is a lot of people! Everyone knows that McDonalds is awful for anyone’s health. But why do so many people eat from this place everyday? It is inexpensive and delicious. People drool all over their television when they see a McDonalds commercial even though they know that the food is not as “pretty” and clean as it seems. Advertisements are very manipulative.

Andrea Kempfer, the author, must be really familiar with McDonalds and their marketing system. She probably really disappointed with how different the real and advertisement burger looks like. The author is therefore credible because she has a picture of the advertisement and an actual picture of what a typical burger from McDonalds really looks like.

So why do people buy McDonalds despite all these lies? It is because it is a brand. Most people are familiar with the brand so they feel “comfortable” buying it. So it’s not because the food is good, but that the food is famous.

The context of the advertisement is that it is food brand-company that many people are familiar with, which makes the topic and situation in context of the current world.

Andrea wanted to know if people go into McDonalds knowing that the food is going to not be as good as the advertisement and if so, why? Her goal was to probably say, “Do you realize that this is what you think you are eating verses what you are actually eating?”

This was written to all the manipulated people who have ever consumed McDonalds. Andrea wanted to ‘wake people up’ and show them what they are putting into their systems. She believes that people aren’t even aware of how bad the burgers are because people have this pretty picture in the head of the burgers from the advertisements.

Andrea is very sarcastic. In the picture, under the “actual Big Mac”, it says, “Rotated to most attractive angle”. She is trying to show that the “actual Big Mac” burger was placed as nicely as possible to resemble the advertisement burger. Still, the burger on the left is completely unattractive compared to the advertised burger. So she shows that even if the actual burger is fluffed up to look as pretty as it can, it is nothing compared to the advertised burger. This proves that the advertised burger goes through a lot of photo shop and angle distortion to make it appear as delicious as it looks.

Andrea didn’t just compare in words about the two burgers. Instead she placed pictures two burgers side-to-side for others to truly see the difference. By doing this, she was able to achieve her purpose in showing people who eat McDonalds that the advertised burger is nothing like the actual one.

 

http://blog.lab42.com/does-it-really-ad-up#comments

TOW #1: NYTIMES- Myths Surround Breakfast and Weight by Anahad O’Connor; IRB Intro "A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Lee Dugard

           On September 10^th, 2013, Anahad O’Connor posted an article on New York Times about how eating breakfast has an effect of whether people may gain weight or not. He talks about how people skip breakfast in order to lost weight. In actuality, it causes people to not lose but stay the same or even gain weight. Why? He says that if people skip breakfast, they get hungry throughout the day and snack on a lot of things and eat much more than they would have if they had eaten breakfast. However, he mentions many contradictions that other researchers have point out, which was that breakfast might actually help people lose weight.

            The author is credible because he uses actual facts that he had researched. For example, he uses Dr. Allison as a source and quotes many of the things that he claims about eating breakfast. In the article, as one of the contradictions, the author mentions that Dr. Allison said “But of 72 subsequent research articles on breakfast and weight loss that cited the registry study, about half overstated its findings”.

            Several things mentioned in the article are out of context. For example it states that, “…then measured the effect on their body weight was published in 1992”. This is out of context because it mentions a trial that was published in 1992. Those trial results could be completely different compared to if that trial was redone in 2013. Basing other results on the trial in 1992 is inaccurate and the outcomes would be misleading.

            The author purpose of this article was to show two different sides of whether breakfast was a necessity or not. It wasn’t to argue a side but to analyze different views of eating breakfast.

            The audience for whom the article was meant for would probably be towards people in general who care for their health and want to know ways in which they can be healthy. Since the article is not fighting for one side, it is a more informational piece. Therefore it is intended towards people who want to know which route is the right way to go.

            The author uses personification in his article to achieve his purpose, which is emphasizing several points. For example he says, “…their findings drowned out by dozens of large observational studies that have found associations between breakfast habits and obesity but no direct cause and effect”. The large observational studies didn’t actually “drown” the findings. What he meant was that the observational studies overpowered the other findings. The studies were better than the findings that the findings are ignored for that reason.

            The author achieved his purpose because he used factual evidence from actual scientists who are reliable sources for his article. He showed both sides of an opinion in order to show the possible doubts of a thought. He uses rhetoric, like personification to show emphasis in what he is trying to say. As these examples of his strategies show, Anahad O’Connor accomplished his purpose.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/myths-surround-breakfast-and-weight/?ref=health&_r=1

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Lee Dugard

This book is about a girl named Jaycee Lee Dugard who write about her experience as an 11-year-old abducted and imprisoned for 18 years. I chose this book because I have always heard stories about little children being kidnapped and were never found. But this girl survived all those years and was able to retell her story of how she remembered it. I have always wanted to know what really happens to children who get kidnapped. I would always hear that a child was killed. So no one would be able to hear the child's story. 

I am looking forward to be able to feel the feelings that she felt and put myself in her shoes to get a better feel of the story. What I hope to gain is the truth. I want to know if crazy things do happened to kidnapped children like movies portray, or if it is all exaggerated and kidnapping isn't as "exciting" as it seems. I am very excited to read this book!

"The Bad Lion" by Toni Bentley

 There are explorers in South Africa who witness violent attacks between lions. The most aggressive and terrifying lion is “Satan”. Satan is a “serial-raping lion”. Unlike most lions that kill other males for territory, females, and food, Satan always tries to mate with a lioness. If the lioness refuses, Satan kills her. Ranger Alfie admits that the killing will not stop unless Satan wears out or the son of the dead lioness goes to fight against Satan.

            Toni Bentley is credible because she experiences a first-hand account of a safari adventure. She strengthens her essay by using imagery to describe what she sees such as, “...opens his jaws, showing huge bloody incisors” (24). This shows how Satan appeared right as about he was about to attack the other lions. The reader can understand Satan’s state of being in that moment.

            Normally, if one hears of a rape in the “human” world, the rapist goes to jail and so on; that is the law. In this case, that law is out of context. A lion cannot go to jail for rape.

            Toni Bentley’s purpose of this essay is to portray her frustration with the lack of concern for lionesses. She sees that in the “lion world”, females are unimportant. She soon realizes that the role of women has only changed recently. Unluckily for the lionesses, they are still worthless against lions.

            Seeing as how the author sympathizes for lionesses, Toni is reaching out to people who do not understand the negative status that women used to have.

            Toni speaks indirectly in order to achieve her purpose. She states, “…it would not be to avenge his murdered mother. It would be to protect his pride” (26). Toni is displeased with the fact that the lioness’s son cares for his pride rather than his own mother. She speaks sympathetically towards the lionesses.

            Toni Bentley accomplished her purpose; she wanted readers to understand that women’s roles have changed not long ago. She supports her opinion by describing her experience of vicious lions fighting with one another and the lions’ disregard for the lionesses.

Gender Equality-

Men and women are equal. No gender is superior to the other. (lantalanta.wordpress.com)