TOW #13 - The Whatchamacallit Economy

Despite its innumerable shortcomings, 2016 has opened the door to many new innovations. One of these innovations has been the usage and creation of a new economic platform known as the “sharing economy”. In a New York Times article titled The Whatchamacallit Economy, author Steven Greenhouse describes this new economy and how the adoption of its name is rather incorrect.

This “sharing economy” is based on the creation of services such as Lyft, Uber, and AirBNB. Soon after defining this economic force in the beginning of the article, Greenhouse employs the words of Rochelle LaPlante, a worker for an online platform known as Mechanical Turk that displays job info. In regards to these sharing services, LaPlante stated that “There’s an exchange of money. It’s not really sharing if a person’s paying for it.” (Greenhouse 4). Through the providing of expert testimony, Greenhouse is able to logically and effectively expose the flaws that exist in the naming scheme of these services. His logic is based around the idea that sharing means that neither side would be financially gaining in the situation, however this is just not the case with the use of these services as one party is being directly paid for their services.

Greenhouse continues with this idea of the sharing economy not really being based on sharing when he writes “If you’re living in San Francisco and you want to drive to Palo Alto and take a friend with you, that’s ride sharing. But if you take an Uber to get to Palo Alto, that seems more like a taxi ride.” (Greenhouse 5). This sort of logical processing of the naming behind these services is significant as it is why these services seem to face so much scrutiny. This becomes much more clear through the use of comparisons like those used by Greenhouse.

Overall, I do believe that Greenhouse was able to effectively show the flaws in the naming of this “sharing economy” and he even proposes a new name such as “crowd-based capitalism”. This is not to say that I do not value the existence of these services, because I do. I only believe that their naming seems to be too misleading and unfortunately this is a point that Greenhouse did not seem to touch on effectively.

TOW #12 - The Gilded Razor (Sam Lansky)

In his memoir, The Gilded Razor, Sam Lansky speaks truthfully about his life experience with drug addiction and the great impacts that it had on both himself and those around him. A writer for The Atlantic, Out, Esquire and also the New York magazine, and an editor for Time, Lansky has been writing for much of his life. In the opening pages of the book, Lansky vividly recalls the way he often feels when looking back at his life and what he would do differently. He writes, “I would flash back momentarily to a long-forgotten winter night years earlier and see myself, seventeen years old and spectral in the lamplight, stumbling out of a brownstone with a runny nose and my fly unzipped. My hair would have been too long, probably, from always taking the money my father gave me for a haircut and using it to buy drugs.” (Lansky 1). By so descriptively speaking of himself, the author is able to offer the reader the chance to see how he was directly affected by his various addictions. It is quite clear that his repeated use lead to various physical differences like his disheveled appearance. He also reveals how he had hurt those close to him. His addiction drove him to obtain drugs in anyway possible, in this case by lying about the way he spent money given to him. This would destroy his connections.

Later, towards the middle of the memoir, Lansky speaks of writing and makes an analogy to explain how it connected to his life experiences stating, “The was one difference between writing and drugs: with cocaine, after the first line, other lines followed whether I wanted them or not. When I wrote, I could control exactly how many lines there were, and when it all stopped.” (Lansky 62). By comparing his writing to his drug use, Lansky was able to display how little control he felt during this point in his life. By stating these differences, he reveals that he essentially had no way of bouncing back from his addiction because he had virtually no sense of control over his usage. This, as is unfortunately expected, would lead Lansky down a dark path of addiction, unbreakable for many years to come, affecting him both physically and mentally.

Overall, I do believe that in the first half of his memoir, Sam Lansky was effectively able to display the devastating effects that drug addiction has in hopes of dissuading others from using as well. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for something truly gripping to read. I cannot wait to continue with Lansky’s story!

TOW #11 - Rhetorical Presentation (Thomas Paine, The American Crisis)

In the late months of 1776, a new nation was struggling and fighting to survive. Having dealt with oppressive rule from the British mother country since the colonization of these new lands, the people of America had enough. In July of the same year, they peacefully, yet boldly, asserted their independence from British reign, however it was revealed that it would not be that simple. The country faced great opposition from both Britain and those at home that supported Britain. In response, editor for the Pennsylvania Magazine, Thomas Paine, wrote a series of articles in which he attempted to show that independence was a move of Common Sense. On December 23rd, the first installment was written and it aimed to unite the American people under the cause for independence through Paine’s emotional connection to the reader.

Throughout Paine’s writing, the most obvious detail to consider is not necessarily what he says, but how he says it. Compared to other pieces of colonial era-writing, Paine’s writings refrained from the use of overly complex diction as a great number of the population remained uneducated at this point. With the uneducated class having the ability to read and understand Paine’s information, they would likely have a sense of belonging that they were not able to find elsewhere. Humans naturally desire companionship and this sense of a belonging would aid in the push needed to drive the neutral and still-loyal American people to follow the American cause.

Paine also was able to connect to his readers on an emotional level through his recognition of the religiousness and appeals to these beliefs by making references to it. In regard to British rule in the opening of the text, Paine states “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” (Paine Par. 1). The religious population of America, no matter what side they fell on at this time, knew that the idea of hell was one of torment, and by comparing the British rule to this idea, Paine is able to show the intensity of the struggle that it creates. He continues by telling the people that they have the ability to overcome it, just as those that believe in a hell have the ability to avoid it. This would instill a sense of strength in the religious population of America and they would likely desire to help in the conquering of the British hell.

Overall, I do believe that Thomas Paine was able to effectively achieve his purpose in writing these documents as after-all, America did succeed in their battle for independence. On top of that, despite not necessarily believing in the ideas that Paine was able to play off of at that time, reading the text did create a sense of patriotism within me.

TOW #10 - Bulbs

On November 17th, 2016, Apple, the global technological giant, released a short promotional video for their new 2016 MacBook Pro. The video titled “Bulbs” displays various major technological advancements that have occurred throughout history set to a piece of classical music. Throughout the video, Apple exemplifies symbolism and organizes events in chronological order as a means to display just how advanced they believe their newest MacBook to be. Throughout the entirety of the video, lines of hundreds of a light-bulbs throughout an empty city are seen bursting. These light bulbs are displayed in between various technological advancements in history which aids in conveying their purpose. (Apple). The bulbs symbolize that as ideas come together and collide with one another, there is a chance for an explosion of a world of new ideas. Since these bulbs explode one after another, it is clear that Apple is attempting to show the audience that these new ideas work off of one another and are never stopping. These new ideas are then shown in the various chronologically arranged video clips. As soon as the video begins, a figure is seen creating a spark by hitting flint and metal together. This is then followed by an image of a man pushing a stone wheel, which is then followed by images of the first bicycle and steam trains and so on. (Apple). These images show how ideas are based off of one another. With the invention of the wheel shown early on, the bicycle and the steam train were able to be created. On top of that, with the invention of typewriters, keyboards would eventually be made for computers. The video concludes by showing off the new 2016 MacBook Pro, ultimately showing that this new computer is the product of centuries of innovations and new ideas. After watching this video, I do believe that Apple effectively showed off their latest computer. As a person that finds themselves interested in film-making, I believe that this was an outrageously effective presentation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROEIKn8OsGU

IRB Introduction #2 The Gilded Razor (Sam Lansky)

For my second independent reading book of the school year, I have decided to read The Gilded Razor, a memoir that was written by Sam Lansky. I have chosen to read this book net because it was recommended to my by a classmate who had showed me sections of the book that I found quite interesting. It follows Lansky throughout his life full of physical abuse and severe drug abuse. I believe that it will be very moving to hear the story of someone who had struggled so much throughout so much of their life. I am very excited to begin!

TOW #9 - America Elects a Bigot

On November 10th, 2016, NY Times political writer Charles M. Blow posted an article titled, “America Elects a Bigot”. This strongly-titled article was published in response to the events of the American election in which Donald J. Trump was chosen to be the President-Elect of the United States. Writing to the people of America, Blow aims to show that if America is to remain successful, then this man must be under constant pressure from the people. Blow is able to prove this purpose through his use of strong diction and repetition of phrases. Early in the article, he writes, “It is hard to know specifically how to position yourself in a country that can elect a man with such staggering ineptitude and open animus.” (Blow Par. 5). Through the use of words like ineptitude and animus, Blow attempts to show the people just how unfavorable of a President Mr. Trump is. These words, which most would consider to be quite sophisticated, are more likely to grab the attention of the reader and they highlight his lack of skill and his open disliking of many different types of people who he has spoken out against. This is all in effort to show that Americans cannot morally let him do whatever he wants. To drive his point home, Blow tells that, “Also, let me be clear: Businessman Donald Trump was a bigot. Candidate Donald Trump was a bigot. Republican nominee Donald Trump was a bigot. And I can only assume that President Donald Trump will be a bigot.” (Blow Par. 6). By repeating phrases calling Trump a bigot, the idea becomes more likely to be ingrained in the head of the reader. Like his use of diction, this also highlights his horrible treatment of many ethnic groups. Overall, I do believe that Mr. Blow was able to effectively prove his purpose as I do not believe that a man like Trump is deserving of representing the values of our country and that Americans must carefully watch him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/10/opinion/america-elects-a-bigot.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=span-abc-region&region=span-abc-region&WT.nav=span-abc-region&_r=0

TOW #8 - Sully (Chesley B. Sullenberger III) 2

In Chesley B. Sullenberger III’s autobiography Sully, he writes about the events of life that would eventually lead up to his emergency landing of Flight 1549 in the Hudson River and the effects of the event on his life afterwards. In the first half of the book, Sullenberger explains his lifelong interest in aviation and how he wanted more than anything else to become a pilot. Throughout the first half, it also became abundantly clear that Sully wrote his book, primarily to those that experienced the events of Flight 1549 with him, in order to help people find what really matters to themselves. This idea continues on through the remainder of Sullenberger’s account of his life. He is able to accomplish this by providing personal images and by discussing his values. After what could be considered the climax of the book when the plane is landed, Sullenberger provides a wealth of images. These images include pictures of the plane in the Hudson River, the crew at awards ceremonies, and even pictures of Sully with his wife and his kids. (Sullenberger 228). The inclusion of these pictures helps the reader to connect with Sullenberger on an emotional level as they feature those that he believes to be very important to himself. By displaying what the author finds important, a reader is more likely to begin to think of those that they love and value as well. Sullenberger continues this emotional appeal in the final pages of his book when discussing flying. He writes, “Just as I completely love Lorrie, Kate, and Kelly, I will never shake my love of flying. Never.” (Sullenberger 315). Despite having nearly faced death, Sullenberger’s passion has not faded. This is an attempt to inspire and motivate his readers that no matter what happens, you should never give up on the people and the aspects of your life that you truly value. Never. In the end, I believe that the message the Sully conveys is a very important one and he does so effectively by making his story personal. I would certainly recommend this book to others.

TOW #7 - Consider a Gap Year

On April 15th, 2011, the Huffington Post published an article written by David D. Burstein titled Consider a Gap Year. Burstein, a writer who focuses on young adults and millennials and took a gap year himself, writes to inform readers about the potential benefits that exist for those that take a gap year between high school and college. The article is clearly geared towards high school students who plan to attend college as it was published in the month of April that year, which is when many students across the country could expect to see the results of their college applications. To prove that a gap year could really be beneficial, Burstein uses personal anecdotes as well as statistics on the subject matter. Towards the middle of the text, Burstein writes, “The direction and perspective that my gap year gave me was far beyond anything my traditional educational experiences could ever provide. I made a film and started an organization dedicated to getting young people involved in politics.” (Burstein). Through his own personal example, Burstein is able to appeal to ethos and pathos as this not only displays his credibility, but it also is easy for a high school student to relate to the ideas of ‘not learning much’ from school. He goes on to talk about its profound effects for him, strengthening the emotional value. He also tells that “more than 3,000 students took gap years [in 2010]. This year that number is expected to go even higher.” (Burstein). By providing the reader with this statistic, the author is able to show his audience that taking a gap year is slowly becoming a more regular occurrence. With more and more people taking on this opportunity, the benefits will become even more apparent to the public. Overall, I do believe the author accomplished his purpose. I always thought the idea of a gap year was interesting, but this showed me that it was not simply a year off from schooling, but a year to learn more about who you are and what it really is that you want to pursue.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-d-burstein/consider-a-gap-year_b_849487.html

TOW #6 - First Look at Nintendo Switch

On October 20th, 2016, Nintendo, a Japanese technology and game company, published a short video titled First Look at Nintendo Switch. The video is quite simply the product reveal of the company’s new gaming and entertainment console that will be called the Nintendo Switch. In 1983, the company entered the video game scene with the Nintendo Entertainment System home console, however it has been quite a few years since their last major success. This video was published after many months of speculation following the release of the Wii U in 2012, which received a lukewarm critical response. Through the video, Nintendo tries to garner up interest in their new system across all ages through the use of stark repetition. Within the first 20 seconds of the video’s start, a bright red screen with the console’s logo animation appears on screen. This same animation is then repeated numerous times throughout the remainder of the advertisement. This repetition is used in order to appeal to the emotions of the audience viewing the reveal. The animation is featured after sequences where a person is disturbed during a gaming session by just everyday life occurrences, such as a dog barking to go outside. The animation then appears with two sides connecting together. The premise of the console is that it is both a home console but can be SWITCHED to be portable. By repeating this animation after seeing the a typical every day occurrence, Nintendo attempts to connect with viewers who constantly feel as though they are on the move and do not have time to relax. Not only this, but the animation also comes after segments that feature adults playing these video games, which attempts to demolish the stigma around video games ONLY being toys for children. Overall, I do believe that Nintendo was successful in their attempts to gain interest in their concept as I personally am now very intrigued. As a modern high school student, I am constantly on the run, but I love to play video games, and this seems to be an answer to this issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5uik5fgIaI

TOW #5 - There's Such Thing As Too Much Neuroscience

In his article, author John C. Markowitz discusses the current lack of funding toward mental health research in America and the importance of this research. Markowitz is a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University and is also a research psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and wrote this article in response to the election of Dr. Joshua Gordon as the new director of the National Institute of Mental Health. The former director of the organization, Dr. Thomas Insel focused much of its budget on neuroscience research. Throughout the text, Markowitz employs examples of mental health issues and provides data about the research into these issues in order to show that the funding of this research is immensely important and is a serious concern. Markowitz grabs the focus of the audience by introducing the symptoms of perhaps the most major mental health issue, depression. He states, “some criteria are low mood; wanting to die; and sleep, appetite, and energy changes. These are biological markers that neuroscience seeks to identify.” (Markowitz). By presenting these harrowing symptoms, Markowitz is able to pull at the emotions of the reader. Depression occurs in such a vast quantity of people in modern society that many readers can likely relate to the words being written. Markowitz uses these charged emotions to show that research into neuroscience could help to develop more effective treatments for these issues. After presenting how important this research is, Markowitz goes on to show how underfunded the research is writing that, “clinical research has slowed to a trickle, now accounting for only 10 percent of the institute’s budget.” (Markowitz). Through the inclusion of this statistic, Markowitz is able to show the public how underfunded this critical area of research is. Without proper funding, it will be more difficult and will take more time to find effective treatments for many mental health issues. Overall, I believe that Markowitz is able to effectively achieve his purpose. He finishes the article in a very moving way, stating that patients continue to commit suicide despite the best available treatments.

TOW #4 - Sully (Chesley B. Sullenberger III)

In his autobiography Sully, Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III writes about his life leading up to the emergency landing of Flight 1549 into the Hudson River in 2009. The book continues after these events for Sully to discuss the ways that these events have affected his life. In the beginning pages of his book, Sully introduces that he has always had a lifelong interest in aviation and even began to take flying lessons as early as 16 years of age. Since then, he pursued his passion and served as a member of the US Air-Force and a professional commercial pilot with over 19,000 hours logged. As per the dedication page, he wrote this autobiography for those that were affected by Flight 1549 as a means of remaining connected. On this same page, he writes that this book serves as a method of finding what really matters. To convey this message, Sully uses repetition and moving images. Within the first chapter, Sully sees the wreckage of a plane after a crash and notes to himself, “Flying a plane meant not making mistakes. You had to maintain control of everything. You had to look out for the wires, the birds, the trees, the fog. You had to be vigilant and alert.” (Sullenberger 11). The repetition of the words ‘you had’ reveals how truly important Sully finds these ideas to be. This idea of importance is a huge part of Sully’s purpose. He wants the reader to understand what truly matters and in this case, it is personal safety. Later on, Sully includes a wealth of personal pictures. These include him at lessons, his parents’ wedding, and even his own wedding. (Sullenberger 130). The inclusion of such personal images reveals to the reader what Sullenberger values as a human being. By sharing these pictures, he is opening himself up to his audience in hopes that it will usher in feelings of what a reader values within their own life. Overall, I believe Sully has effectively achieved his purpose through the personal touches mentioned above. I cannot wait to complete the book!

TOW #3 - Am I Introverted, or Just Rude?

In her article on introversion, KJ Dell’Antonia, a self-proclaimed introvert and writer for the NY Times, aims to show other introverts that they often exhibit that they care more about themselves than others through their border-line antisocial actions. The author chose to write the text after receiving a message from a close friend of hers about a T-Shirt that read, “sorry I’m late, I don’t want to be here”. As a result of seeing this shirt, Dell’Antonia realized that perhaps her introversion affects not only herself, but also those around her. Dell,Antonia is able to achieve her purpose through her appeals to both pathos and logos. She uses multiple statements from psychologists like Susan Cain to show how people do not realize the effects of their actions. In an interview Cain stated, “you have to consider the other person’s point of view instead of getting wrapped up in your own discomfort.” (Dell’Antonia). Since this statement is coming from a well-versed psychologist who actually wrote a book on introversion titled, Quiet, it is quite clear that her word is trustworthy. Cain brings to light that people often do not realize how others are feeling and only think of themselves. She aims to bring this idea forward so that introverts will realize this and think before they act. Not only is this appealing to logos, but also to pathos, as introverts will truly be able to connect with this idea. By considering the feelings of those around them, introverts may feel ashamed of themselves and will want to change their ways. I do believe that Dell’Antonia effectively achieved her purpose as I am a self-proclaimed introvert as well and this was a truly eye-opening experience for me. I now realize that all the times that I have chosen to stay home rather than go out with friends may have upset them. As a result, I will be more conscious of the feelings of those that are important to me instead of just my own.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/25/opinion/sunday/am-i-introverted-or-just-rude.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

TOW #2 - McCarthyism Political Cartoon

On March 29th of 1950, The Washington Post published a political cartoon created by Herbert Lawrence Block, an editorial cartoonist who created hundreds of cartoons on national domestic and foreign policy. The publishing was only a bit over a month after the creation of McCarthyism when US Senator Joseph McCarthy’s speech on the rooting out of communists within the US was given. This cartoon is constructed for the American people, Republicans more specifically, in response to this speech in order to show how unstable his logic for accusing potentially innocent people was. Block is able to effectively achieve his purpose through his repeated use of symbolism throughout the cartoon. The political cartoon depicts four men labeled Garbielson, Bridges, Taft and Wherry. Each of these men were US senators for the Republican party during the 1950’s. The four men are pushing an elephant towards a tower labeled “McCarthyism” which appears rather unstable. The people are represented by the Republican elephant being pushed toward the tower. By the elephant dragging his feet in the dirt and uttering the phrase “I’m supposed to stand on that?” it is clear that the American people were quite unsure of the argument that McCarthy presented and they had to be forced (pushed) into believing and following it. The people felt that the argument was unstable and that they would not be able to “stand on it”. I do believe that Block accomplished his purpose through this cartoon as it only has one line of text written on it, however I was able to discover and interpret a drawn out analysis of such a simple drawing. I was able to see that the people (the elephant) are scared of McCarthy’s ideas and that they were being forced into them. I believe that Block’s symbolism not only proved his purpose effectively, but efficiently as well.

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/herblocks-history/fire.html

TOW #1 - Headphone Companies: No Headphone Jack, No Problem

On the 9th of September, 2016, popular technology news site, The Verge, published an article on Apple’s choice to disclude a 3.5mm headphone jack from the design of the iPhone 7. The article was written by Vlad Savvov,  a senior editor for the organization, and throughout the reading of the piece it is clear that Savvov is trying to defend Apple’s rather controversial decision to rid the iPhone of the headphone jack by telling tech connoisseurs that this was a choice for the betterment of audio equipment. In many spots in the text, Savvod speaks with executives from companies such as Sennheiser, a popular German audio company, with its CEO stating, "Sennheiser has seen many different connection standards come and go in the audio world over the year [...] Apple's Lightning connector, will offer new opportunities to take a step forward and to further enhance the sound experience for the customer,” (Savvod). Through his use of logos by using the ideas brought to light by the head of an audio hardware company, one that would be directly affected by this great change, Savvod is able to show that companies are being forced to innovate in order to keep with the times. This is not the first time that companies have experienced major technological changes and consumers have no need to worry as these corporations are fully used to adapting. Savvod also compares the change to, “something like the HD-DVD versus Blu-ray wars of the past,” (Savvod). Years ago, a type of DVD known as HD-DVD emerged onto the market, however Blu-Ray turned out yield a higher quality and HD-DVD was phased out. Since the use of the lightning connector will produce a higher quality listening experience, it is likely that other manufacturers will phase out the old connector to provide consumers with the best experience. Ultimately, by showing that companies such as Sennheiser will be forced to develop new technologies to deliver audio on a higher level, Savvod is able to effectively convey that the removal of the headphone jack was actually not a bad idea despite its massive controversy.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/9/12859858/no-headphone-jack-iphone-7-reaction

IRB Introduction #1 - Sully (Chesley B. Sullenberger III)

For my first independent reading book of the school year, I have chosen to read Sully, an autobiography written by Chesley B. Sullenberger III with assistance from Jeffrey Zaslow. I am choosing to read this book because I remember hearing of Sullenberger in the news a few years ago and thought that the story was amazing. As a result, I feel quite inclined to hear his story from his own point of view. It focuses on the crash landing of US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River and the events that transpired in the pilot's life afterwards. I believe it will be very interesting to hear Sullenberg's own feelings and description of the event from his own mind. I cannot wait to begin reading!

Analysis of Graven Images

In the essay Graven Images, author Saul Bellow exclaims his thoughts on the media and how members of the media present information to the people. Bellow writes his essay to those who consume media in order to display that the media has control over the way that people think. The piece was published in 1997, which was the point in time where the Internet was truly beginning to expand in the consumer marketplace and more and more people had internet access. To aid in his explanation of the media changing the thoughts of people, Bellow employs repetition as well as imagery. Shortly after the writing begins, he speaks of photographers and the feelings that they create, stating, “broadly speaking, your amour propre is the territory invaded by the picture takers,” (564). In Bellow’s statement, he references ‘amour propre’ which, according to Google Translate, means ‘self love’ in French. Based off of this idea, Bellow is attempting to tell the reader that photographers, who are members of the media, cause people to change the thoughts that they have about themselves and cause them to question their self love through the apparent invasion of territory. He continues to repeat this idea of ‘self love’ throughout the entirety of the piece. Later in the essay, Bellow tells about a Time magazine article that was written about him, which ultimately creates credibility. He talks of the picture of himself in the article, writing, “But there was my dreary, sullen, tired, and aging mug. I was brought low by Blake’s words,” (566). The author uses his opinion of the Time article in order to further show how the media has caused him to question his own thoughts about himself. Since the article portrayed him as something that he is not, Bellow began to believe that he is lesser than he really is. In the end, I do believe that Bellow established his purpose efficiently as I now have a better understanding of how the media changes one’s own thoughts. In Graven Images, Saul Bellow illustrates how the media changes the thoughts of the people.

Media Control - The media is able to alter the thoughts of those who consume it without them even realizing.

Source: http://rebelultras.com/2015/04/16/10-strategies-of-manipulation-by-the-media/#prettyPhoto[gallery]/1/

Analysis of Pamplona in July (Ernest Hemingway)

In Ernest Hemingway’s Pamplona in July, Hemingway writes about his first trip to Pamplona, Spain where he attended his first series of bullfights. The essay was originally published in 1923, however it was not the first work that Hemingway had constructed. Prior to his trip to Pamplona, Hemingway wrote many short stories and news articles during his time as a journalist. Throughout his piece, Hemingway writes to inform of the fascination that he had with the city in hopes that he can recreate the magic that he experienced for the reader. In order to do so, Hemingway exhibits intense diction tied together in a first person narrative. When describing the entryway to the bullfighting arena, Hemingway writes, “It made a runway about two hundred and fifty yards long. People were jammed solid on each side of it. Looking up it toward the main street,” (100). Through the very short sentences that Hemingway uses to explain the entrance, he forces the reader to vividly imagine what he saw by providing very few details at a time. He continues to push the limits of the imagination by telling his tale as a first person narrative stating at one point, “All the carnivals I had ever seen paled down in comparison,” (98). By telling the reader of the elaborate carnival in a first person narrative form, the reader is able to put themselves into the shoes of the narrator as the author lays out the scene before them. In this case, the reader is likely to picture the most grand carnival that they possibly can since Hemingway uses ‘I’, which causes the reader to think like the author. After reading, it is clear the Hemingway wrote his essay for those that are familiar with bullfights by using terms such as, “encierro,” which is when the bulls run to the arena in the morning. Overall, I do believe that Hemingway effectively established his purpose, as I was able to quite visibly recreate the story in my own mind. In Pamplona in July, Hemingway clearly recreates the astonishment that he experienced during his first trip to Pamplona, Spain.


A reveler is gored by a Cebada Gago's ranch fighting bull during the running of the bulls - While he did find it exciting, Hemingway acknowledged the dangers of bullfighting.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/08/briton-among-those-injured-as-five-sufffer-gore-wounds-in-pamplo/

Analysis of Bop (Langston Hughes)

In the short essay Bop, Langston Hughes writes about a dialogue that takes place between two characters about Be-Bop in order to display discrimination against black people. Langston Hughes was an African American author and poet who stressed the importance of racial inequality throughout his lifetime. His essay is set during the mid-20th century when racial discrimination, especially against African American people, was running rampant. In order to show this discrimination to people that are unaware of it, Hughes utilizes allusions through the idea of police beatings, which occur simply, “for being colored,” (191). In reference to Be-Bop music, the character Simple states, “You must not know where Bop comes from [...] From the police beating Negroes’ heads,” (191). In the statement, Hughes uses the apparent origins of Be-Bop music to bring light to the greater issue at hand, which is the brutality that black people had to face from the police during this time period. He also uses onomatopoeia to further explain the intensity of the beatings that the people had to endure, writing, “Every time a cop hits a Negro with his billy club, the old club says, ‘BOP! BOP! … BE-BOP! … MOP! … BOP!’” (191). Through the addition of the sounds created by the beatings, the author is able to force the reader to create a vivid image within their mind in order to show how brutal these attacks were. The inclusion of these strategies allow for Hughes to convey his purpose with great ease. After reading the essay, I have obtained a greater understanding of the struggles that black people had to face during this time and how these issues truly affected them as a community. Through Bop, Langston Hughes paints a very clear picture to show how discrimination from society ultimately can significantly alter and shape culture.


Police Beating Young Male - The police would often beat black people "just for being colored."
Source: http://www.chocolatmag.us/uncategorized/the-law-is-not-the-law/