TOW #6 "The Lonely Death of George Bell" N. R. Kleinfield

         In the, "The Lonely Death of George Bell," N. R. Kleinfield uses a recount of the death of a New York man by the name of George Bell to reveal that only death can truly tell the secrets that went unknown in an individual's life. The author,  N. R. Kleinfield, gave a very unique perspective, as he has written for The Times since 1977, and is an avid member of the Metro department's investigation team. His high-level knowledge of the subject shone through, as well as his obvious talent and experience as a writer. In his piece, he describes the events before and after Bell's death, and in doing so reveals a message that goes far beyond the realm of traditional journalism. He uses his ability to accurately report to prove that while death is relatively easy to measure, on the contrary, measuring life is much more complicated.
        Through the use of anecdotes, imagery, and statements from other professionals alongside those who knew Bell, Kleinfeild was able to masterfully achieve his purpose, and teach his audience about how the events after one dies are a direct result of the way that one lived their life. He shows the importance of companionship, through anecdotes of friends Bell kept, as well as imagery to show the detrimental effects that mental illness can have on someone. He uses a vivid image of Bell's apartment to demonstrate this, and make his purpose resonate with the audience, "Hoarding is deemed a mental disorder... Amid the mess were a half-dozen unopened ironing board covers, multiple packages of unused Christmas lights, four new tire-pressure gauges," (Kleinfeld, pg. 1). This mixed with the testimonies of people who knew Bell before his mental disorder consumed his apartment, and his life, say something incredibly powerful. By employing these rhetorical devices, the author is able to achieve his purpose, and show that much of a person's life is revealed only after their death. I really enjoyed this piece, as it was insightful, well-written, and communicated a fresh and unique perspective.

I accessed this article The NY Times website: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/18/nyregion/dying-alone-in-new-york-city.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

The following image was included in the article, and was taken shortly after Bell was found dead in his apartment.

TOW #5 "Who Can Be Finished With Alice?" by Adam Gopnik

         Adam Gopnik has been writing for The New Yorker, since 1986. He is known for his critiques of artwork, humorous editorials, and book reviews. In his essay, Who Can Be Finished With Alice?, he shares his thoughts on Lewis Carroll's two Alice books, and details the impact they have had on society.  Although I have personally always been a huge fan of Carroll's works, Who Can Be Finished With Alice?, would also probably resonate with those who are not as fascinated by the series, and help explain why the two books are such significant pieces of literature. Gopnik utilizes a high level vocabulary, and several allusions to pop culture and politics, so a more mature audience can probably get more out of reading this particular piece. He begins by making connections to characters in the books and GOP candidates for the 2016 election, beginning with none other than Carly Fiorina put next to the Red Queen. He then switches gears, and talks about the composition and publication of several annotated versions of the Alice books, specifically Gardner's famous collection of analysis regarding the books. In doing so, he is able to show the importance that the books have in the connections that they make, but also in the connections that readers are able to draw from them individually. He references experts on the book series, such as Gardner, but also iconic celebrities such as John Lennon. He writes, "'I was passionate about Alice in Wonderland and drew all the characters. I did poems in the style of Jabberwocky. I used to live Alice,' John once said," (Gopnik, pg. 1). By showing the impact that the book had on particularly important people, Gopnik is able to show the scope that the books have had culturally. Through many references, metaphors, and allusions, he shows that no one can ever really be finished with Alice, as she is ingrained in our society and way of life. 

I accessed this essay virtually on The New Yorker's website: http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/who-can-be-finished-with-alice?intcid=popular

In 2009, Disney made another version of Alice in Wonderland featuring a star-studded cast, an updated storyline, as well as lots of cutting edge  technology to blend real actors with the surrealism that the series is known for. 

TOW #4 IRB "Don't Get Too Comfortable" by David Rakoff

        In his novel, Don't Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread Count, The Never-Ending Quest for Artisanal Olive Oil, and Other First World Problems, Rakoff writes in the style of several essays strung together by the common thread of the self-indulgence, a token of the American way of life. Although residing in New York for most of his life, originally coming to America as an immigrant, he has a refreshing outsiders take on the way of life that is thought of as common place. He admits to, while also picking fun at the idea of such excessive means of living in his autobiography. The tenth chapter in the book particularly caught my attention, as an exemplar of what, Don't Get Too Comfortable, is trying to achieve, as well as the rhetorical devices and strategies it utilizes in order to do so in such a meaningful way. 

       Humor is perhaps, the most important part of the book. Most of his audience participates in the lifestyle that he so adamantly mocks, so it is crucial for him to sugarcoat his criticisms with wit and sarcasm, in order to keep his audience entertained, rather than feeling attacked. After an encounter with the very rude Karl Lagerfeld on a trip to Paris, Rakoff describes, "His large doughy rump dominating the miniature piece of furniture, like a loose, flabby, ass flavored muffin overrisen from its pan, he resembles a Daumier caricature of some corpulent, inhumane oligarch drawn sitting on a commode, stuffing his greedy throat with the corpses of dead children," (Rakoff, pg. 143). Not only does he dazzle his audience with clever, yet vivid imagery and allusion, he also employs a humorously obscene vocabulary and diction. His disdain toward people such as the well-known designer could not be more obvious, yet in writing so wittily, he disguises his loathing in a matter that will cause readers to crack a smile at the very least. Although there is some disconnect caused by the fragmented manner in which the book is written, Rakoff is very successful in achieving his purpose, through the use of many rhetorical devices. 

The book's cover sets the tone for the clever, yet relatable, narrative that Rakoff's autobiography entails. The blade carving out a patch of the floor beneath the luxurious chair depicted prepares readers to be a bit uncomfortable, as the book addresses many things that are seldom included in American writing. 

TOW #3 Visual Text "Choose one"

         This public service announcement called, "Choose One," was published by an organization called Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense in America, in 2013. The non-profit began in 2012, as a response to the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. This particular PSA was published in print, as well as online, in order to reach as many people as possible. In their mission statement, Moms Demand Action explained, "We are organizing to effectively lobby and apply pressure that will result in stronger, sensible gun laws, and policies that will protect our children and families." As demonstrated through the campaign, members of this group feel very passionately,  and are striving to make change happen in America. Some bias is present as shown through the exaggerations that are being made. The depictions make it seem as though Little Red Riding Hood and dodge-ball are illegal throughout the country, when in reality, they have only been banned in a few different school districts. Even with this in mind, I still found this series of pictures to be incredibly effective due to the rhetorical devices that it employs, and the events that it was a response to. The add appeals to both ethos and logos, by playing off of viewer's emotions, in addition to basic logic. It is terrifying to think of children walking around with dangerous assault rifles, especially when thinking about the fact that specific candies, balls, and books have been banned for their own safety. The dramatic juxtaposition forces the audience to really evaluate why commonplace items have been banned, while life-threatening weapons have very little restrictions around them. This is a very controversial topic, as well as a much debated one. Although there is some hyperbole involved that works against the purpose of the campaign, in the heat of several devastating school shootings in America in the last decade, the message is well achieved.

I accessed this series of advertisements on the campaign's website:

http://momsdemandaction.org/in-the-news/choose-one-little-red-riding-hood-or-an-assault-weapon/  

There are several in the series, but I primarily focused on these three.

TOW #2 "The 3 Most Important Things in Life" (Section One)

       In Harlan Ellison's, The 3 Most Important Things in Life, he humorously communicates his opinion on the three most important things in life to a wide range of people in his audience. His take on a constantly pondered question is unique, witty, and a breath of fresh air. While making it very obvious from the beginning of his essay that the three things he chose as the most important were strictly his thoughts, he appeals primarily to ethos, establishing his credibility by writing as though he is a professor and the audience are all his pupils. He writes, "I have selected three examples of what I think are the most important things in life. Notes should be taken; this will count as sixty per cent of your grade," (Ellison, para. 7). He enables himself to play off of the Socratic method and create a dialogue within his essay. Throughout the duration of his piece, he asks the audience rhetorical questions in order to better their understanding of this very abstract topic, while formulating an opinion of their own. He is able to primarily build off of this due to the credibility he has established for himself as an acclaimed writer of short stories, novellas, and his work as a screenplay writer in the film industry. 

      In the first segment of Ellison's essay, he writes exclusively about one of the things he finds to be the most important in life, sex. In the two following sections, he writes about violence and labor relations. Rather than merely trying to explain its importance, he shares an anecdote. This is effective in illustrating his point, as well as helping him achieve his purpose in a very timely manner. The subject matter of the first section also helps to specify his audience as a more adult age-group. While I found his essay to be very effective, as well as witty, I found that I was most likely not mature enough to understand this section to its fullest. He achieved his purpose well in sharing his opinion, while also creating a dialogue in which his audience can takeaway a new perspective. 

This essay was recommend to me by a former AP ELC student, and I accessed it on this website:

http://harlanellison.com/iwrite/mostimp.htm

I included this cartoon of Snoopy the Dog to show the wide range of people (and perhaps, animals) who would be curious about the topic of this essay. 

TOW #1 "How to Be Polite"

         Throughout his article, How to Be Polite, Paul Ford uses a series of personal anecdotes to give a thorough explanation of the positive impact that having good manners can have on one's life. He writes from his own perspective, and maintains a rather informal sense of diction throughout the piece, while utilizing a very strong vocabulary. Ford is a freelance writer who primarily writes for A Medium Corporation but this piece was featured on The Atlantic's website. He communicates very openly with his audience, often sharing his opinions, as well as his wit. Prior to suggesting what to do when there is an awkward lull in a conversation, Ford embellishes, "I will share it with you because I like and respect you, and it is clear to me that you'll know to apply it wisely," (Ford, para. 9). Although it is rather obvious that he knows little about his audience and could not judge if they would really know how to wisely apply what he is saying, he includes details such as this to make himself seem more friendly and tap into the audience's emotions. In doing so, he makes himself a very likable figure. This is incredibly important to achieving his purpose. Ford is able to demonstrate that he is a master at using his eloquent manners to make connections with people that will help him in the future, even through the form of writing.

          In order to fully convince those who read his work of the value of manners, he shares stories, as well as insightful tips that can seemingly make a big difference for the better in terms of creating a positive first impression. He teaches his audience about simple things, such as not touching someone's hair without permission, but also about values, such as forgiveness. Regardless of age or prior thoughts that one has about being polite, How to Be Polite, is very difficult to argue with. This is  primarily due to the excellent examples that Ford shares to prove his point. His tone is established and informative, and is able to maintain his credibility while also playing off of emotions.

I accessed this article through the website it was originally published on:

https://medium.com/message/how-to-be-polite-9bf1e69e888c

In the article, Ford references this old fashioned guide to manners, which does not seem to be nearly as applicable to the twenty-first century as what he wrote in response to it.

IRB #1 Introduction

This month I will be reading, Don't Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread Count, The Never- Ending Quest for Artisanal Olive Oil, and Other First World Problems, by David Rakoff. I initially found out about this book while looking for a TOW. An excerpt from the book was included on a list of top essays of the century, and after a few paragraphs I was definitely hooked. I am really excited to peer into Rakoff's very unique perspective on American culture, as well as learn from the strong style he utilizes. I really admire the manner in which his book has elements of humor, while still being primarily a work of non-fiction.