TOW #28 - Born A Crime (Part I)

In Trevor Noah’s autobiography titled Born A Crime, the comedian recalls his childhood and his life having grown up as the son of a white father and black mother during Apartheid in South Africa. This is where the title of the autobiography stems from, as a marriage between blacks and whites was strictly illegal at this time, technically making his birth a crime. In order to convey the struggles growing up in South Africa at this time, in the first half of his book, Noah utilizes personal anecdotes tied with informal diction.

In the opening chapters of the autobiography, Noah begins to explain the relationships and the people living around him during his early childhood. In addition to this, Noah speaks of the conditions within South Africa where he was living. He tells that “everyone in the township bought things in minute quantities because nobody had any money. You couldn’t afford to buy a dozen eggs at a time, but you could buy two eggs because that’s all you needed that morning.” (Noah 41). By including this information about the living conditions of the region where he lived, Noah reveals to the reader how difficult it was for people to survive on a daily basis. For many people living within the US today, we do not even bat an eye when we go to the grocery store to buy what we consider our essentials for the week or longer. Meanwhile, these people living within South Africa during this period could not even afford to buy eggs for more than a day.

Continuing on throughout the biography, Noah speaks to the reader in a way that seems informal. He uses short sentences with language that is not very complex, seen with “I ate like a pig. The way I ate I should have been obese.” (Noah 77). With such simple phrasing, Noah is able to tell his story to a wider array of readers as it easier for more people to read and comprehend. Another result of this informal writing is that it has a sort of friendly tone that allows the reader to connect with Noah better and ultimately be more willing to listen to and consider the struggles that he talks of.

Overall, so far I am very interested in Trevor Noah’s biography! It is ridiculous to think of all of the ways that life in this region differs from what I know and from what I grew up with. As a result, I have become more considerate of the many things that I take for granted in life. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy to read book that is definitely interesting. I cannot wait to complete the second half of this autobiography.

TOW #27 - iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in 107 Seconds

Following their usual schedule, the tech-giant Apple Inc released the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in early September. The device came filled to the brim with all sorts of new features that were brand new to Apple devices. As with all of their products, Apple’s marketing team released a series of images and videos in order to advertise the advancements. One video in particular titled “iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in 107 seconds” displays many of the new features in a creative and engaging way. In order to build interest for the product within this commercial, Apple employs a fast upbeat soundtrack, as well as quick moving text.

As soon as the advertisement opens, a fast paced percussion beat begins, roping the viewer in right from the start. While this music may seem on the surface to simply a song that the marketing theme thought was interested. In reality, this fast paced beat serves as an allusion to the world that we live in today. Due to the advancements brought by technology, society now thrives on speed and being able to transfer data and accomplish tasks quickly. The quickness of the music serves as a sign that the iPhone 7 will be able to deliver this speed that the public is attempting to achieve in their everyday phone usage. This ultimately will mean for more functionality for the user and will likely cause more viewers to want to try the device first hand with the chance of potentially purchasing it.

In addition to the choice in music, the ad is also able to grab the attention of the viewer through the inclusion of the very fast moving text. The text that does appear on screen includes all of the information that a potentially consumer may want to know, including new hardware features, new design choices, and of course new software features. Not only is the text informative to a viewer, it also works in a similar way that the tempo of the music does. The rapidity of the text with so much information shows the viewer that the number of features packed into such a small device seems to be nearly limitless. With so much information on what makes the product great according to Apple, the advertisement is able to convince a consumer to take a closer look at the new phone.

Overall, I do believe that Apple’s advertisement for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus was very effective in the way that it attempts to convince the viewer to seek more information about the device. I believe that Apple’s marketing team consistently does a good job with their work and they did not fail to disappoint here either.

TOW #26 - The French Disconnection

After the great controversy of the 2016 presidential election in the United States, France is experiencing a similar bout of controversy in the battle for leadership within their own country with many of the people split just like the American people. One of the candidates, Marine Le Pen, is a member of the far right National Front party. Le Pen’s campaign is also similar to Trump’s due to the vow to “make France free again” and considering a “Muslim travel ban”. Despite the great fear that exists surrounding the close-campaign, Kamel Daoud of the New York Times says otherwise.

On April 21st, the news source published an article written by Daoud in which he claims that Marine Le Pen will not become president of France. In order to support his view, Daoud reflects on the history of the National Front party and her tactics thus far.

In more recent years, the National Front has been associated with fear mongering among the French people and by supplying a voice to those who are in fear. Daoud rather boldly claims that “the National Front exists to arouse fear, not to govern.” (Daoud 4). Through the use of such a bold statement, Daoud attempts to sway the opinion of his readers, playing with the own fears that they may have about the government. In a time where political discourse is more prominent than ever, it is not difficult to believe that such a claim is true. While this may not be the most effective way to convince an audience, it certainly does work.

To go along with this idea of inspiring fears and playing on anxieties, La Pen has often spoken out about the rise of immigration and terrorism that has occurred in France. A sensitive topic around much of the Western world, the people who are living in fear within France are finding a voice to rally behind. While this would seem like a sure-fire way for her to secure the role of president, La Pen has spoken with many falsehoods in order to bolster her position. The mainstream politics within France completely go against this, believing that democracy will improve and that it does not need to be radically changed.

Overall, I did not find Daoude’s article to be very effective. It mostly seems to be personally opinionated with very little factual basis to reinforce his claims. I also cannot be sure that La Pen will not become president, seeing as the same thing happened with Trump. I do hope, however, that she does not.

IRB Introduction #4 - Born A Crime by Trevor Noah

For my fourth and final IRB of the 2016-2017 school year, I will be reading Trevor Noah’s, Born A Crime. The book follows actor and Daily Show host Trevor Noah and his growing up in South Africa towards the ending of apartheid there. The title of the book is derived from his birth being a crime as his father was white and his mother black - this was highly illegal at the time in South Africa. He tells the readers of his life in the time following apartheid and the struggles that he overcame struggling with the idea that in the eyes of the law, he was never supposed to exist. I believe that this sounds like a truly compelling story and I am excited to have the chance to read it!

TOW #25 - Recycling Electronic Waste Responsibly: Excuses Dwindle

Virtually everyone today uses electronics in some way or another, whether it be a cell-phone, a TV,  or a computer. But what happens when these electronics grow old and stop functioning correctly? Well, the user will replace them with newer tech, but where do the old electronics go? - Often times, they irresponsibly go to a landfill. On December 31, 2014, Molly Wood, frequent writer for the New York Times, wrote an article concerning E-Waste, its effects and ways to properly dispose of it. In order to inform the public of how to manage E-Waste, Wood employs relatable language as well as testimony from renowned sources.

Wood opens her article by explaining the issue as it exists, that is, explains what E-Waste is. In order to appeal to the reader, she uses unifying and relatable language stating, “maybe you replaced old electronics over the holidays or you’re just sweeping out the old and ushering in the New Year [...] For everyone’s sake, including Mother Nature’s try to get rid of your old technology the right way.” (Woods 1). Through her implementation of words such as “you” and by describing likely situations, Wood is able to show the reader how they can be contributing to this issue. Tying who is affected to this idea is more likely to make the reader brought to more attention. As a result of this, the reader may feel a sort of call to action to change the way they are acting, thus putting a stop to the production of as much E-Waste. Furthering these ideas, Wood includes statements from experts on the topic.

Through the inclusion of expert testimony on E-Waste, Wood is able to further describe the effects of the pollution. Speaking with James Kao, the CEO of a recycling company in California, called GreenCitizen, Kao said, “If you don’t know where the material goes, you could be thinking you’re doing the right thing, but it ends up being put on a ship and contributing to global dumping.” (Woods 6). By including statements such as those from Kao, Woods may cause people to realize that they are unaware of the ways that they may actually be affecting the rest of the world. For many, throwing something in the trash is a way of throwing away your problem, but this is not the case. In many cases, E-Waste is left in a landfill to deteriorate for hundreds of thousands of years, polluting the environment.

Ultimately, I do agree with Woods and that it is essential that E-Waste is correctly disposed of. Thankfully, many recycling centers and even stores like Best Buy now offer E-Waste recycling programs in order to properly dispose of this waste to reduce the environmental impact of getting rid of old electronics.

TOW #24 - Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disaster, and Survival (Anderson Cooper) Part II

In his memoir titled, Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disaster, and Survival, Anderson Cooper, a journalist having mostly worked with CNN, recounts the many times that he has been on the scene of, as the title says, war, disaster, and the struggle of people for their survival within these conditions. Writing in order to provide a new first person perspective of these major events to readers, Cooper was inspired to create his memoir after Hurricane Katrina. He is able to provide this perspective through his employment of testimony from others who have experienced the results of storms and personal anecdotes.

Cooper spends a large portion of his memoir talking about his experience surrounding Hurricane Katrina as this was a massive disaster that had major impacts on the lives of thousands of people. He writes of his interactions with a woman named Brandy Farris, a realtor for the company Century 21. She tells Cooper that following Katrina, there was a massive increase in the amount of people looking to buy property in New Orleans, sight unseen, even if the properties were underwater. “I’ve been doing real estate for twenty years, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” (Cooper 178).  Through his inclusion of the testimony from Farris, Cooper is able to show that some people unfortunately will take advantage of those who are affected. This is a side of a disaster that most people probably would not think of or consider. As a result, Cooper is able to provide an entirely new perspective to the reader, one that shows the destructiveness of storms and other disasters, not just to the physical world, but to the people there as well.

Nearing the end of the memoir, Cooper begins to wrap up his stories from Katrina. He speaks of walking through the streets and seeing the progress that had been made on the revival of New Orleans. He writes, “I head over to the house where a month ago they found the bodies of Edgar and Christina Bane and their two sons, Carl and Edgar Junior.” (Cooper 198). While this statement, may merely seem grim, it reveals a significant aspect of the results of a major disaster. Cooper obviously has been exposed to many disasters in his time as a reporter and this sort of occurrence, the discovery of dead, is likely a frequent occurrence. His nonchalant reaction to returning to the site however reveals that he has essentially been desensitized. This is why he is able to continuously visit the site of disaster. He shows the reader that these disasters also affect others indirectly through emotional damage, as seen with himself.

Overall, I very much enjoyed reading Cooper’s memoir as it provided me with a newfound perspective on major natural and manmade disaster in a sense that I would not have thought before. As a result, I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone that is interested in memoirs or autobiographies and especially anyone who is a fan of Anderson Cooper in particular. I am glad that I had the chance to read this book and am looking forward to my next IRB.

TOW #23 - Are We Raising Racists?

On March 14th of 2017, the New York Times published an article written by Jennifer Harvey, an op-ed contributor for the paper, on the ideas of racism in the growing youth of the world. The article comes at a time when racial tensions in the United States are at a seemingly all time high, with supporters of Donald Trump taking his messages to the extreme as seen with alt-right supporting groups. In order to display the effects of these messages on the youth, Harvey utilizes personal anecdotes and uses current world examples. In the opening sentences of her text, Harvey describes her daughter learning about George Washington in her elementary school. However, the school provides a very one dimensional version of history that paints men like Washington as completely peaceful and freedom loving heroes, which truly is not the case. When Harvey told her daughter that many political figures, including Washington, owned slaves, her thoughts changed completely. This is quite significant as it displays the ineffectiveness of education of the youth on historical topics like racism. It is absolutely essential that children are not only taught of the peace and freedom that people once fought for, but it is extremely important that children are also taught of the immense suffering that so many ethnic groups have endured throughout history. To complement the issues of racism within the youth, Harvey also explains the various sources that children are now exposed to. It unfortunately seems to be nearly everyday that news breaks about the vandalism of a Jewish cemetery, the burning of a mosque, or attacks against specific racial groups. With children today being exposed more and more often to these sorts of behaviors, it is possible that they will begin to believe that this is an acceptable form of behavior. For this reason, we cannot allow for these ideas to grow within the most influenceable minds in the world. We must show the youth that ideas of racism are absolutely NOT acceptable. Overall, I do believe that Harvey was able to effectively start a push for this idea as a parent in modern society. I also believe that is of the utmost importance that this message is continually spread.

TOW #22 - Want to Fix Schools? Go to the Principal's Office

On the 10th of March, 2017, Op-Ed columnist for the New York Times, David Leonhardt, wrote an article titled Want to Fix Schools? Go to the Principal’s Office. The article focuses on the importance that principals hold in a school environment and the steps that are being taken more recently to improve what they are able to do in order to make sure that schools are a better place for everyone. In order to do this, Leonhardt employs anecdotes from various students as well as principals and teachers. He also utilizes expert testimony.

The article opens with Leonhardt telling of Gregory Jones, the principle of Kenwood High School, which is located in Chicago. Jones had investigated after a fight at the school and found that a junior by the name of Maya Space had witnessed. After conferencing with her later, he realized that she was not on the track to graduate, and had ended up calling her mother. The three were then able to meet in order to discuss what they could do to improve Maya’s situation and increase the chances that she would graduate. This is only one example of a principal in one school, but it displays just how dedicated principals can be to their students. Jones wanted nothing less than for this one student in his school to succeed, so he went through the trouble of setting up meetings and studying up on her student record in order to figure out methods of improvement that would work for her. This is of extreme importance for students in a school, to have an elder who is looking out for the students, but this is only one example of how a principal can express their worth to a school environment.

In an interview conducted by Leonhardt, he received word from the mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, on his thoughts of the schooling situation and those similar to Maya Space. He stressed the importance of principals stating that “principals create the environment. They create a culture of accountability. They create a sense of community. And none of us, nationally, ever debate principals.” Through this statement, Emanuel is able to not only stress his opinion of principals to the public, but he also suggests a possible way to improve the condition of schools - by bringing the ideas that these school leaders present to a national level. This, as a result, will have the potential to improve schooling across the United States.

Overall, I do believe the Leonhardt was effective in showing that principals do have a very important role within schools in the United States and that more people should work to realize this. As a result going forward, I will be more considerate of the ideas that are put forward by my principal and school administration and will listen to what they say and think more before I make my own opinion on the subject.

TOW #21 - Declined With Thanks

Title of Political Cartoon: Declined With Thanks

The Antis - “Here take a dose of this anti-fat and get thing again!”

Uncle Sam - “No. Sorry! I never did take any of that stuff, and I’m too old to begin.”

During the late 19th century leading into the early 20th century, American imperialism was on a rise. The idea of American imperialism was one of the largest debates in American history; the anti-imperialists versus the pro-imperialists. In this cartoon titles, “Declined With Thanks”, the author is describing the time period of US imperialism and showing the true debate behind it. On the left, there are three people that are known as “the Antis” which clearly oppose US imperialism.  Then on the right we have America as Uncle Sam and the person altering his clothes is President Mckinley. The artist of the cartoon is not clearly on one side or the other, as the artist is merely contrasting the two sides.  This cartoon is geared toward an audience of politicians and people interested in this specific time period.  The use of symbolism and parallelism is quite evident in an attempt to contrast and reveal the opposing sides of this major debate on imperialism.

The symbolism is seen through the names that are written on Uncle Sam’s pants.  The names are treated as the added territories that US wants or has already gaines. Uncle Sam is clearly representing America in this cartoon.  But Uncle Sam is very large in this drawing as the US is gaining more and more territories.  Uncle Sam’s outfit is being altered by a tailor, but in this case President Mckinley.  As Uncle Sam gets bigger and bigger, he will have to come to the tailor to get altered once again which in comparison to the more territories added.  As US gains more territories, they will have to face more troubles and changes that the President will have to deal with.

The parallelism can be seen at the two quotes at the bottom, one where the Antis are saying, “Here take a dose of this anti-fat and get thing again!”  Then Uncle Sam replies with, “No. Sorry! I never did take any of that stuff, and I’m too old to begin.” When Uncle Sam replies, there is some parallelism to previous times of America.  By having Uncle Sam saying that he is too old to begin to start taking an “anti-fat dose” it is then given that America has been expanding its territories since the birth of the nation.  This statement by Uncle Sam also has some parallelism to the Manifest Destiny time period.  This rhetorical device helps to show just how America has always been expanding, and isn’t going to stop any time soon.

In my opinion, I believe that the artist successfully demonstrated the true debate between the pro-imperialists and the anti-imperialists.  Although I would side with the anti-imperialists, I am still able to see and understand both opinions from each side.

TOW #20 - Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disaster, and Survival (Anderson Cooper) Part I

In his memoir titled, Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disaster, and Survival, Anderson Cooper, a journalist having mostly worked with CNN, recounts the many times that he has been on the scene of, as the title says, war, disaster, and the struggle of people for their survival within these conditions. Writing in order to provide a new first person perspective of these major events to readers, Cooper was inspired to create his memoir after Hurricane Katrina. He is able to provide this perspective through his employment of similes and intense and emotional imagery.

Within the section of the text focusing on Hurricane Katrina, Cooper notes that, “I’ve continually volunteered to report on hurricanes. It’s not just the storm itself that I find compelling, but also the hours before and after.  There is a stillness, quietness.  Stores are shut, homes boarded up.  In many ways it feels like a war zone” (Cooper 125).” By comparing the time before and after a major storm, such as Hurricane Katrina, to that of a warzone, Cooper is able to show the reader the many ways that these events can affect a community, beyond what most people may see on a surface level. For those living within a region hit by such a powerful storm, life seems to come to a screeching halt, with everything being closed down. As a result, nothing happens, everyone takes shelter and waits. This is eerily similar to how people must react when they may find themselves in the midst of a war. Without Cooper’s writing, many people may have continued to see major storms as simply a major physically destructive force, not one that also affects the lives of many.

Continuing with this idea and Hurricane Katrina, Cooper goes on to tell the reader that. “It’s easy to get caught up in all the excitement, easy to forget that while you are talking on TV, someone is cowering in a closet with their kids, or drowning in their own living room” (Cooper 127). The words that Cooper delivers to the reader are grim in a bone chilling sense. His statement of imagining someone drowning within their own living room is horrifying and it continues to provide that sense of perspective that most people lack. For most, a storm is something that they will read about on their computer or phone in the comfort of their own home, safely. However, they will not understand the complete devastation that it offers to the people that are actually there. Cooper is able to provide this painful image to the reader in order to create this new idea, perhaps as an effort to motivate people to assist those in need in any way that they can.
Overall, I do believe that Anderson Cooper has effectively been able to accomplish his purpose in creating a new sense of perspective in his readers. I now think of events such as major storms as more than just something that can devastate the environment, but the lives of the very people living within it as well.

TOW #19 - Why Trump's Wall Won't Keep Out Heroin

On February 16th of 2017, the New York Times published an article by Sam Quinones, a writer that focuses on criminal justice and the US-opiate epidemic, that tells of the reason that Donald Trump’s proposed border wall will not be able to keep drugs like heroin from entering the country. Quinones is an expert on the many ways that drugs like heroin are able to enter the US and spread sporadically, having written many works on the subject including a book titled, Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic. In the article, Quinones is able to prove the ineffectiveness of “the wall” through the employment of personal anecdotes as well as powerful factual and statistical evidence.

Quinones opens his article by talking of an interaction that he had with a farmer living in Sinaloa, Mexico. During an interview with the farmer, he had told Quinones that “he was caught smuggling black-tar heroin in his shoes at the Tijuana-San Diego border crossing.” (Quinones). This is hugely significant as the US Mexico border is already patrolled day and night by border officers and drug enforcement officers. Despite the great amount of protection that already exists at the border, these substances are able to pass through. The plan to construct a wall at the border will not do anything to keep these drugs out. If those that smuggle them have found ways to transport them with the current level of protection, there is nothing to stop them from doing the same again.

Furthering this point, Quinones later discusses the incentives that these smugglers have to continue to their operations. In the case of the farmer that he was interviewing, “he put a little more than a pound and a half of heroin in his shoes, clearing as much as $12,000 in a single trip to the States.” (Quinones). Since people just like this farmer have the ability to make a massive amount of money without very much product, there is clearly great incentive for these people to continue their operations. A simple farmer, many of whom are poor, can gain great money from smuggling. With such an easy job at present with such a large return, the people who have been smuggling drugs across the US-Mexico border for as long as it has existed, will continue to do so and will continue to find new ways to do so, despite what Donald Trump does.

Overall, I do believe that Quinones does effectively prove that there is no way that a simple wall is going to be enough to quell the opiate drug epidemic that is growing within the United States. Afterall, it will only temporarily slow the transportation.

TOW #18 - How We Overcame Tyranny Before

On February 11th of 2017, the New York Times published an article written by professor of literature at Duke University, Ariel Dorfman, which speaks of the revolutionary period in Chile and how the themes of this time apply to the modern world. Dorfman begins her text by first describing the movement for revolution within Chile in a depth timeline beginning February 12th of 1817. Through her employment of unifying word choice and hopeful symbolism, she is able to demonstrate the timelessness of these revolutionary ideas.

Following the recalling of the history of the Chilean revolution for independence, Dorfman uses her article to tell how the ideas of needing to stand up for one’s beliefs exists today. Most important to note in the article is her usage of the words ‘we’ and ‘us’ such as in the statement “The mountains of Chile tell us that if we are brave enough, resourceful enough, imaginative enough, then nothing in this miraculous world is impossible.” (Dorfman). The inclusion of these words is significant to the message of the text as it shows the unification that the fight for rights garners. Just as people fought against tyranny in Chile 200 years ago, thousands stand together across the globe to fight government corruption and unfair treatment in countries such as Romania and the United States. This displays the relevancy of these ideas of unification as the world moves forward.

In order to achieve her purpose, Dorfman also creates powerful symbolism, such as comparing the army that fought for Chile to the people of the world fighting against the infringement of their rights today. She writes that “a group of men crossed these very Andes, impenetrable, colossal, majestic”. (Dorfman). By telling the reader that those that crossed the Andes mountains to come fight for the people of Chile overcame fierce opposition of the ‘impenetrable’ mountains, Dorfman shows that despite obstacles, it is possible to achieve results. This serves as a message for all of those struggling throughout the world that they CAN stand up for their beliefs and be successful. It only takes determination.

Overall, I do believe that Dorfman was able to effectively achieve her purpose. I do believe that it is extremely important that people stand up for their rights and for their beliefs and do not let any outside force take away their freedoms. This is essential for the modern world moving forward.

IRB Introduction #3 - Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival (Anderson Cooper)

For my third IRB of the 2016/2017 school year, I am choosing to read Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival written by Anderson Cooper. The book follows Anderson Cooper’s vast coverage of major events around the world, and as the title suggests, these include wars and disasters. I am choosing to read this book because it was recommended to me by a classmate as an IRB selection and also because I believe it will be very interesting to read a first hand account of many of the locations Cooper has gone to and the events that he has witnessed. For this reason, I believe I will greatly enjoy it and am excited to begin reading!

TOW #17 - Donald Trump: Day 15

On the third of February, 2017, the New York Times published yet another political cartoon by artist Patrick Chappatte titled “Donald Trump: Day 15”. The cartoon created by Chappatte, a repeating political cartoonist for the New York Times that has made cartoons nearly everyday focusing on the events of the election and the presidency of Donald Trump, aims to display many of the things that Trump has done as president within his first weeks of office. Through his exhibition of clever symbolism and allusion, Chappatte is able to show the destructiveness of Trump’s first days.

Most obvious to a viewer is that the White House oval office appears to be in shambles around Donald Trump. This unorganized mess symbolizes how Trump has been essentially “tearing up” Washington and the rest of the world with shattered glass on the floor, and a telephone tipped over. On a deeper level, the items such as the NATO poster with darts through it and the tearing of a European Union flag allude to Trump’s clear disdain for NATO as well as the EU. These feelings stir fear in the minds of many millions of people across the globe who are protected in some way or another under the provisions of NATO and those within the EU fear financial backfiring from the seemingly eventually disbanding of the organization. These feelings have only become more apparent as Trump continues his leadership.

Along with the items scattered about, Trump is seen speaking into a cell phone, uttering the words “give me another order to sign.” This is done in order to highlight how active he has been with in his first days in office, signing many executive orders, such as those that have removed the US from the TPP as well as the ban of thousands of refugees from entering the country. The backlash against these decisions is visible as there are many protesters outside the window into the oval office.

Overall I do believe that Chappatte displays some of the destructiveness of Trump within just his first days of office. Clearly, both his cartoon and my writing are biased, but I believe it is not difficult to see how much Trump has been changing the US, and as a result the world, in a matter of days.

TOW #16 - The Gilded Razor (Sam Lansky) 2

In Sam Lansky’s memoir, The Gilded Razor, Lansky recounts his almost lifelong struggle of dealing with severe addiction to multiple drugs. A rather talented writer for multiple outlets like Time and the New York Magazine, Lansky tells the reader of his story in vivid and explicit detail in order to show the true horrors of addiction and the devastating effects that it can have on a person. To do this, Lansky utilizes intense personal anecdotes.

In the final pages of the book’s eighth chapter, Lansky tells of a time that he had gone to meet up with an old acquaintance of his at his New York apartment. As he entered he wrote, “a pile of cocaine sat on a silver mirror. ‘Have some candy,’ he said. I did a line. ‘More,’ he said. I did another.” (Lansky 232). At this point in Lansky’s story, he has been struggling for many many years and he is quite aware of his struggles. However, despite this, he is unable to break from the peer pressure that he experiences when entering the apartment. This is only one way that Lansky’s intense addiction is displayed. It becomes more obvious just how affected Lansky truly is when he states that he chose to do another line of cocaine, showing that he could not tell himself no after doing one. He needed more. The struggles of his addiction are highlighted in more detailed images of his past.

Towards the conclusion of the memoir, disaster strikes Sam’s family when his father suddenly has a heart attack. Sam tells the reader how he felt at this time stating “I woke up every morning with a tunnel vision that I found perplexing but didn’t think to question. The only goal was to get high and change the way I felt, which was lonely and afraid.” (Lansky 253). Through this horribly depressing statement, it is clear how desperate Lansky found himself at this point. Because of all that he had experienced, all that he had to endure, he was broken. He did not care for his well being or anything else. All that concerned him was getting high. This truly highlights just how drastically the drugs had affected him.

Thankfully, Sam Lansky did eventually come clean and no longer suffers from the severe drug addiction that he experienced. His memoir not only shows readers how horrible addiction is, but it also shows that it is possible to get help and to improve if one is already struggling with addiction. Overall, I really did enjoy reading this book and would absolutely recommend it to anyone.

TOW #15 - JB Poster

On November 11th and 12th of 2016, Wissahickon High School held its performances of the annual fall drama. The show this year was titled JB and followed a successful, but god-fearing man who has everything taken from him in order for him to appreciate the things that he has in his life. In order to advertise the performances, the drama department hung posters for the show around the high school and the surrounding areas nearby. The posters use dull colors in order to show the dark tone of the show and also provide information about the performances to convince a viewer to come to see the show.

The most obvious features of the poster that can be easily seen from a distance, are the dull colors that it utilizes. The poster includes a black rectangular border that goes around the expanse of its edges. In the center, there is a grey/black radial gradient with the center being the brightest gray, and the edges being the darkest. The use of this dark to light transition is used in order to symbolize the dark and emotional tone of the play’s story. On the outside layer of the plot, it seems as though everything that exists in JB’s life is a horrible and depressing reality. However, as the story progresses, things begin to change for the better, primarily as his family returns to him. This is the metaphorical “light at the end of the tunnel” for JB. On top of this, the poster also features a large red calligraphic lettering of “JB” to symbolize the sophisticated nature of JB and how he was able to retain this nature despite how bad things got for him. This sort of symbolism could create an emotional response within a viewer that they may feel able to relate to, so they will feel more interested in coming to see the show.

In addition to these colors, the poster also features red lettering at the bottom of the poster with all sorts of information about the performance. This information includes the location, showtimes, and ticket prices. These are included obviously as it provides the essential information that an audience member would need in order to see the show. This ultimately convinces a viewer of whether or not they can go because they will be able to plan accordingly.

Ultimately, I do believe that this poster effectively convinced people to come see the show as there was a good turn-out of over 150 audience members each night.

TOW #14 - What the Muck of Walden Pond Tells Us About Our Planet

In What the Muck of Walden Pond Tells Us About Our Planet, frequent editorial author for the New York Times, Curt Stager, speaks of how the various layers of soil of Walden Pond in Massachusetts can reveal information about the way that human interaction affects the environment. Through his use of detailed facts as well as personal anecdotes, Stager is able to convince the reader that humans must be conscious of the ways that they impact the world around them to secure a healthier future. Stager begins his editorial piece by speaking briefly about the history of the pond and how it was made famous primarily by the famed philosopher, Henry David Thoreau. He then proceeds to talk about his own time spent at the pond writing that, “in 2015, two students and I lowered weighed plastic tubes through 45 feet of water near the center of the pond and hauled up several sediment cores [...] Tiny shells of diatom algae glittered like frost under the lens.” (Stager 5). By telling the reader of this specific type of algae cell that he and his students had uncovered below the pond’s bottom, Stager reveals that this type of algae has since been covered up by many layers of different types of sediment. This is hugely significant as diatom algae is most typically found in cool clean lakes, taking in sunlight. With this algae no longer actively appearing, it can be inferred that Walden Pond is no longer a cool or clear pond. And unfortunately, this is exactly the case, as Walden Pond has been subject to human development of boat houses as well as contamination from humans swimming in the waters. Not only did humans affect the pond through contamination by building but also, if you “thrust your hand wrist-deep into the mud, your fingertips would brush a layer that emits radiation. It is laced with cesium-137.” (Stager 9). This fact is not only somewhat terrifying, but a blatant display of how humans have been ignorant of the global impact throughout history. The reason this soil contains cesium-137 is because it is a byproduct of nuclear fallout that is created by the detonation of nuclear weapons during the massive number of tests that occurred through the 1960’s and later. The people of this time were more concerned with creating more and more powerful weapons without stopping to consider the adverse effects that they would have on the environment, which seems to be a general theme that is shared by all of mankind. Ultimately, I do believe that Stager was able to effectively display some of the ways that humans are able to impact the environment, and I personally hope that more and more people become conscious about their footprint on this planet.