TOW 30: Letter to New APELC Student

Dear New APELC Student,

First off, I would like to commend you for being bold and deciding to take this course. Based on the reputation this course has, you have probably heard that it is tough. While the course truly was one of my more difficult courses, it really does a great job in preparing you for a life full of essay writing. This class, although quite challenging, provides you with the resources and skills to succeed in future high school classes, college, and whatever profession you intend on pursuing. This course, if you put in the work to truly improve your writing, can really help bolster your skills and help you in life. 

The first bit of advice I would give to you is to not get hung up on the grade. In terms of myself, I, like yourself, had aspirations of coming in and getting an "A" for the year. I felt as though a single "B" would ruin my college aspirations, and ultimately be the end of the world. However, in reality, it's not. One of the main lessons I learned from this course is to not let a grade define yourself. If you have not yet understood this lesson, this course will teach you that. In a self-evaluation of myself, while I may not have gotten the "A" I had aspired to obtain, my writing skills improved immensely and with college essays now staring at me this summer, I don't feel like a deer in headlights, but instead one who has already made it across to the other side of the street, ready to frolic with other smart deer. While it is important not to let a grade define you as a person, you also need to stay motivated, and not "accept a B" too early. I have seen students who started out with 84's and 85's rise up to get A's by the end of the year. So moreover, the moral of this lesson: Don't let grades define you, but in the same breath, don't be complacent with low grades.

In terms of a method to being successful in this course, one of my main suggestions would be to conference with Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko as often as possible. Some of my worst essays were ones that I wrote without discussing them with anyone, and after these setbacks I learned to always talk with both teachers to make sure I was on the right path. Both of them are extremely open to reading and discussing your essays with you, and the benefit of this is that they are the ones actually grading your work. So in essence, you are getting the grader's feedback before you even submit your essay. By the end of the year, I was writing much better papers simply due to the fact that I discussed my ideas and really fleshed them out with both Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko.

So while you have probably come into this course thinking it's going to be difficult, which it is, if you persevere, get help, be diligent, and be in it for the learning, you will reap the benefits of this fantastic course. This year if chalked full of fun times like TOGA DAY, heated class discussions, and of course the mock and final AP Exam! Reflecting on this year as a whole, while I may have gotten a "B" in the course, I thought I was extremely well prepared for the actual exam, which is really what matters. This year, while it will be challenging, is only helping prepare you for college and the world. Don't forget to have fun with Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko as they are truly great people and possibly know how to have fun :)

Now Senior,

Aayush Sanghrajka

TOW 29: Documentary- Jiro: Dreams of Sushi

      We are often told that if we work hard in what we do, we can achieve greatness. In the documentary, Jiro: Dreams of Sushi, we are shown a perfect example of this adage in action. Jiro, an 85 year-old sushi specialist doesn't want to even take a vacation as he thinks that he continually has to perfect and better his sushi. The taste, smell, presentation, and aesthetic of the restaurant are continually being assessed for future betterment. While Jiro has obtained the most honorable prize for a culinary artist with 3 Michelin stars, he continually sees room for improvement in order to become a better person and sushi artist. In our own culture, we can see this lifestyle is often overlooked however, in reality, if one sets their mind to something, anything truly is possible.
      In my own life, I have seen just how hard work and dedication can pay off. My family friends' son, Anshuman, was diagnosed with cancer at age 12 and while his leukemia did infact go into remission, he relapsed just one year later. At the age of 14, his family flew him to CHOP and had him taken care of. At the point of entry into the hospital, the doctors gave him a <1% chance of survival. The amount of heart he showed, determination, and drive to beat cancer showed through as if you had met him on the street, besides his glowing bald head, you wouldn't be able to tell that he had cancer. Anshuman was a trooper, and his doctors were generals. In an attempt to help Anshuman, the doctors tried a new process of curing cancer which was still untested, however with much drive and perseverance the doctors were able to cure Anshuman, send him back into remission, and give him his life back. His hard work, as well as the doctors' show us that hard work truly does pay off and while many people overlook hard work and think it is hopeless, it truly does pay off in the end.
     While there are several other less severe examples like riding a bike, learning how to bake a cake, and studying for the SAT hard work does actually pay off and a perfectionist mindset can be quite beneficial. Like Jiro, I am a perfectionist. While it may not show through my schoolwork and the mess in my room, when I make music through DJing, I do not accept subpar work. I picked up DJing last year and while I don't DJ large parties, I still put out mixes online for others to hear. Through my search for music, I am constantly sorting through music, making sure it's perfect for a mix. While it does take extra time to sort and evaluate every song, the methodical way of finding music and making sure it appeals to a crowd has allowed me to become a better DJ and closer to someone who can play large parties.
     Jiro: Dreams of Sushi truly showed that perfectionism, hard work, and dedication can help propel a person to a whole other level. So while hard work is often overlooked and categorized as luck, in reality, hard work is one of the main things that makes a project successful.

TOW 28: Documentary- Jiro Dreams of Sushi

      Food is what brings everyone together. Food, no matter what part of the world you are in, serves as the uniting ground for cultures, people, and ideas. The best food, however, doesn't always need to be in the fancy expensive restaurants that many visit to get their fill on special occasions. In the documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, we are shown that great food is art, and can be found in the smallest of places. In this film, viewers are taken to Tokyo where they are shown how an 85 year-old man has perfected the art of sushi in a small train station shop. Jiro Ono, the owner of this establishment has been working his entire life to perfect the art of his sushi, and as a testament to his creations he was awarded 3 Michelin stars, which is the highest culinary honor for any restaurant. The documentary delves into how Jiro is extremely hard working as to despise holidays because they are too long, displays the precision of creating each piece of sushi, and shows why this restaurant is truly a masterpiece. While the premise seems quite simple, this documentary opened my eyes as to how culinary masterpieces should be created and showed me that there is always room for improvement, no matter what field you are working in. This documentary was crafted for the common man who doesn't know much more about sushi than anyone else and by targeting this audience the filmmakers are able to provide much insight into the art of sushi. One of the main points the film harps on is the precision Jiro uses to make his sushi. Constant taste tests, quality assurance at the fish market, and serving his food at the correct temperature are all just some of the routine things Jiro takes into account when crafting his sushi. In the film, a man comes into the store to see if they have menus, and in response Jiro simply says that they only serve sushi and what is right on that specific day. Simple tasks like making rice even take a ten minute portion of the film as to show that something that in the US we take for granted with grocery-store sushi is, in other places, something that takes years to perfect. Even the interns who work at Jiro's work for 15 years with no pay, however once they obtain their training go on to make quality sushi in their own restaurants. Overall, this film takes the viewer through the daily life of Jiro, show how he crafts wonderful sushi through his precision, quality assurance, and drive to constantly improve.
      Sushi, while to some may seem a trivial topic, is documented in this film in order to show how hard work and accuracy can create greatness. Throughout the film, people around Jiro constantly talk about how he works non-stop, lives his life through his work, and doesn't serve anything subpar. This kind of mentality of one who works hard and doesn't take no for an answer is one of the main themes presented in this film. By using quotations from both close and distant people to Jiro ranging from his son to the fish market vendor, the film is able to truly show what people think of Jiro. Through quotations from the fish vendor saying that because Jiro is such a perfectionist he only sells the toughest rice that has to be cooked in a particular manner to Jiro, one is able to see just how much quality is important to Jiro. Therefore by using other quotations from various people in Tokyo, the film is able to show how through precision and accuracy, one is able to achieve much more than having substandard levels.
     While one message portrayed is one about perfectionism, one of the main challenges of the filmmakers is to show the audience how something is perfect. With food, the viewer cannot taste what is being shown, and therefore it is the film's job to portray flavor through images. In order to invoke taste, and even have myself drooling during the film, the producers use extremely high quality cameras, and whimsical music in order to take your taste buds on a journey through the TV. When each piece of sushi is being made, the filmmakers first show the process for each individual piece, and then once Jiro leaves it on the plate, the film takes roughly 5 seconds to zoom into and around each piece of art. By displaying each piece as its own masterpiece with high quality cameras, one starts to taste and feel the extravagance placed on the plate. In addition to zooming in to each piece of food, the film uses whimsical, classical music that picks up right when each piece is shown. So while the piece is being prepared, there is a build up in music and once the sushi is placed on the plate, there is an explosion of music that takes the viewer to a different musical state. Through the mastering of zooming, HD cameras, and musical supplements, the film is able to accurately make the reader taste the greatness and thus verify how hard work and precision pay off into a masterpiece.
     Overall, this film was a delight to watch as it told a great story about hard work and determination and showed that even at 85 years old, one can still make their life exciting and masterful. I highly recommend this film for anyone, and because of it, I'm going to go grab some sushi. While it may not be as masterful as Jiro's dream, I think it'll do for the moment. 

TOW #27- TOW Reflection

Through this course, I have not only grown as a student, but also a writer. Simply reading through my TOWs and seeing several of my boring, lackadaisical pieces of writing, I have truly seen how I have, "Started from the bottom, and now [I'm] here," (Drake the rapper). TOWs, although I originally thought they were mundane, truly have helped my writing grow. In terms of a progression of writing, through my TOWs I think I have substantially improved my introductions, as well as found my voice in my writing. Previously, I had thought of writing as formulaic, with a question-hook, thesis, and then 3 body paragraphs however through TOWs I have been able to intertwine my own style and rhetoric into a cohesive, much more interesting piece of writing. This progression of my own style is apparent in my TOWs as originally I had not really paid attention to style or opening statements, but now I spend a lot of time mastering my own rhetoric. In addition to improving my own style, I think that I have learned to be more concise with my writing as previously I would make the same point several times in order to get a point across. Through continual, weekly writing, I have been able to grow and work on my repetitious self. In terms of mastering skills, I am not one to believe that I have mastered something. In saying this I mean to say that there is always room for improvement, and I am continually using my skills to progress and grow as a writer and a student. However, if pressed to squeeze out an answer, I'd have to say that I have mastered the art of obtaining solid, relevant information. Often times, I try to shove too much information into a piece of writing simply because I think it is all relevant. However now, I've learned that the cliché that "less is more" truly holds true for much of my own writing. As noted, I feel as though I can continually improve my writing. More specifically I think I need to still work on my conclusions, and thesis statements. Throughout my TOWs I have continually ended them by saying that the piece helped changed my perspective, or gave me a new outlook on some aspect of life. While this holds true, in terms of style, these conclusions are mundane, and "cookie-cutter" as they didn't lead to further discussion or inquisition. Going along with the theme of junior year, there were many highs and lows with my TOWs. Quite frankly sometimes I just wrote without giving much thought to them simply because I had so much other work to get done. However, the other times where I put thought and effort into these TOWs, I was able to refine my comparatively crude style of writing. So while on one hand TOWs were, on occasion, simply done for completion, for the most part, they were a true aid to the growth of my writing and style. 

Get it? Its a TOW-truck

TOW 26 (Visual Text)- Apple's "Powerful" Commercial

Today, technology companies are always trying to get ahead. One of the main outlets through which companies like Apple and Microsoft utilize is the power of television. Last week I saw an advertisement called "Powerful" by Apple on TV and it really moved me as after watching I even said to myself, "Wow that was a really good commercial" and therefore I decided to write a TOW on it. In the commercial, Apple shows many musicians and artists using their Iphones to do very interesting things. One of which even includes taking a picture of a sign in Spanish and having the phone translate it into English! Apple nonchalantly shows the versatility of the Iphone by showing how people can all use it for whatever they deem important. Ranging from a microphone for a band to a camera for a child's playtime, Apple makes the Iphone seem extremely versatile and capable of empowering people to do what matters to them. While the commercial shows the versatility of the device through various scenarios, Apple does a good job in making it not seem like a commercial trying to sell you something, but rather just an interesting video. By not even showing any sort of text until the last 10 seconds of the advertisement, Apple allows for the viewer to just enjoy the video and not feel like they are being sold anything. It is only until a simple, "Iphone 5s" and Apple logo show up on the screen, making the viewer feel less pressured into buying the product. All Apple is trying to say through this ad campaign is that Apple devices help empower people to do what they love, and by writing "You are more powerful than you think" at the end, Apple shifts the focus to the consumer and not necessarily the product. With advertisements constantly "screaming" at the consumer through new offers and low prices, Apple just makes a subtle statement about their product that can be universally understood no matter who you are. In addition to the subtlety of the ad, Apple has music in the background in which the lyrics say "Gigantic" in order to send the message that the phone is important, empowering and in fact gigantic. This advertisement overall was able to silently show consumers the versatility and empowering capabilities of the Iphone by using minimal words, not hounding the consumer, and using lyrics to its advantage. As a result, this commercial is extremely effective as it shows users and consumers the greatness of the product. After watching the commercial, I didn't even know that the Iphone could do some of the things that were advertised, and even went out to buy some new apps. Overall, I think this ad was very effective due to its mastery of rhetorical devices. 

LINK TO VIDEO:
http://www.apple.com/iphone-5s/powerful/#video-power

TOW #25 (TEXT)- The Drinking Age Is Past Its Prime by Camille Paglia

Ever since the legalization of recreational marijuana in certain American states, the public eye has shifted from alcohol policy to that of pot. Following the public, many teens have also shifted from alcohol abuse to much harder drugs like "Molly", meth, etc. In her article, "The Drinking Age is Past its Prime" Camille Paglia discusses the bad effects of this shift and proposes that the drinking age of 21 in America should be reduced. In order to convince her audience that the drinking age should be changed, Paglia uses anecdotes, and the dangers of harder drugs in order to create a logical argument for the change in drinking age. Paglia refers to the fact that in other nations, drinking at 18 is normal because at this age, people are taught how to handle alcohol. She mentions how in her Italian-American culture, "children were given sips of my grandfather’s home-made wine. This civilized practice descends from antiquity," This personal anecdote shows readers how in other cultures, alcohol is not seen as complete taboo, but rather a part of growing up. In this way, Paglia tries to demonstrate how if children can sip wine, then 18 year olds should be able to drink responsibly. By using this anecdote, readers understand that alcohol is not as criminal as society has made it, and therefore we should reduce the age limit. One of the main arguments Paglia makes is the fact that with such an old age restriction on drinking, kids are starting to turn to much more harmful, untested drugs. She writes, " Club drugs — Ecstasy, methamphetamine, ketamine (a veterinary tranquilizer) — surged at raves for teenagers and on the gay male circuit scene." This quote shows that with the high alcohol age, kids are actually having a much worse effect on the "harmless" alcohol. I think that by showing the repercussions of the high alcohol age, the readers realize that the drinking age indeed has caused problems and therefore a change may be required. Overall, I think Paglia does a great job in forwarding her purpose in formulating a strong argument to change the drinking age from 21 to 18. By using anecdotes, and comparing alcohol usage to much harder drugs, Paglia appeals to the readers' sense of logos, and furthermore makes a valid argument. 

IRB Intro Post #4- Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

   For the next 4 weeks, I have chosen to read, "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. This book brings new light to somewhat boring topics and reveals hidden aspects about them. The book essentially targets how we study the relationships that underlie the events and problems that we encounter and hear about every day. The book is broken down into chapters in which the authors take topics such as comparing education to sumo wrestlers, and the economics of drug cartels and simply analyze them. I was recommended this book last summer and although I read the start of it a bit, I did not finish it because I didn't have the time to read it. Looking back, the book was very interesting and therefore I thought it would make for a great TOW. Since I am very interesting in business and economics, I think that reading about "Freakonomics" would be a great choice for an IRB. By reading this book I hope to gain a better understanding of the way the world works, get insight into economics, and expose myself to a different type of non-fiction book. Moreover, I hope to expose myself to a new genre, and learn about economics from reading this book.

TOW 24 (IRB): Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

Having just finished Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, I now understand the true way in which Gladwell crafts his books. Gladwell intricately bombards the reader with a plethora of examples and scenarios in order to get across his theory of "thin-slicing". Gladwell's entire purpose in writing this book is to forward his idea of "thin-slicing" and making it accepted amongst his readers. Since thin slicing is a relatively unknown theory, Gladwell uses his anecdotes and examples to make the theory as relatable as possible to the variety of readers that compose his audience. Gladwells examples range from commanding the US Marine Corps in Vietnam to diagnosing heart attacks at a hospital. Since most of the book is made of anecdotes, the main, if not the only, rhetorical device Gladwell uses is his utilization of various examples. Gladwell, in using a variety of anecdotes, is able to target all spectrums of his audience and not those who already understand the theory. By using examples, he makes the complex simple, and as a result a layperson like myself can understand his theory. In my opinion, I think Gladwell's style of writing makes his book very relatable and in-depth. As a result, I think Gladwell achieves his purpose of forwarding the thin-slicing theory, and persuading his readers that his theory has validity to it. While I have yet to read Gladwell's first book, The Outliers, since I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, I will be sure to check out his others. 

TOW #23 (TEXT)- Abstract Ideas Don’t Deserve Patents by The Editorial Board

This text, despite all the others that I have read, does not have an author. Instead it has "The Editorial Board" claim rights to the idea that Abstract Ideas Don't Deserve Patents. In this piece, the board uses examples and logical reasoning to defend its claim that patents should only be used on concrete ideas and not those that are the basis of science and nature. To start the essay, the authors directly jump into tying the piece to current day events by discussing how right now the Supreme Court is reviewing the case as to whether or not abstract ideas can be patented. By relating the current issue, the reader then acknowledges that the article is indeed relevant and not something mundane and not worth reading. The authors then jump into discussing the current problems of having people able to patent an abstract idea. In doing so, the authors are able to assess and counter the other side of the argument, thus allowing for a logical flow and sense of reasoning for the reader. In today's society, the number of patents are skyrocketing, and therefore, according to the authors, the patent department needs to have stricter laws regarding how and when a person/company can get a patent. By having a vague and conceptual idea patented, other people are not allowed to use that idea. If ideas are being patented, then that only slows down growth instead of spurring it. The Editorial Board argues that the laws need to be stricter in order to get a patent, and because of their logical argument and organization, I feel very convinced. After reading this article I think that there should definitely be stricter patent laws because otherwise people won't be able to use certain technologies. If the idea is not concrete, then it should not have a patent.

TOW #22 (TEXT)- The Lost Art of the Unsent Angry Letter By Maria Konnikova

What do people do when they get angry? Throw a tantrum? Punch a wall? Tweet about it? In generations before, people wrote what they called, "hot letters" in which a person would release their anger into paper and then throw it away. In The Lost Art of the Unsent Angry Letter by Maria Konnikova, the author discusses the downfalls of "subtweeting" and how today's generation is not able to release their anger adequately. By using chronological comparisons, as well as personal anecdotes, Konnikova is able to shed light on the fact that today's generation lacks a pressure release valve for anger. Konnikova starts her article off by referring to how past leaders like Abraham Lincoln, and Mark Twain used to deal with their anger. She describes how these "hot letters" helped such great leaders cope with pressure, deal with their anger, and therefore become better leaders in their respective fields. Konnikova, after establishing the positive effects of writing down one's anger, then shifts to our current generation. She writes about how in our current generation, people rather tweet about their feelings, and thus aren't releasing their anger in the right way. Since tweeting is for all to see, anger isn't able to be thrown away, but rather it lingers on the internet. Konnikova's comparison between the past and the present allow the reader to see that there is clearly a problem with our generation. Through logical comparison, Konnikova effectively convinces the reader that there is a problem, thus forwarding her purpose. In addition to comparing the past to the present, Konnikova uses personal anecdotes to exemplify how someone today should cope with their feelings. Being that Konnikova is aware of the problems with tweeting she writes that instead she uses the, "'track changes' feature in Microsoft Word for writing retorts to suggested editorial changes. I then cool off and promptly delete the comments — and, usually, make the changes." By showing how someone can use digital "hot letters" instead of tweeting about something, Konnikova allows for her readers to see a  proper way to deal with anger. Overall, I thought this article was well written, and makes me think about all of the "subtweeting" that goes on Twitter. I now think that I should try to control my anger, and possibly use a "hot letter" next time I get angry. 

TOW #21 (VISUAL TEXT)- The Princeton Review's "Best 378 Colleges 2014 Edition" (Analyzing the rhetoric of the front cover)

For this week's TOW I decided to look to my desk for some inspiration. For most, if not all of the students in the junior class, right now is the time in which we are all contemplating different colleges. Since there are so many colleges and universities out there, it can be a hassle to sort through them all. Although this is the case, many students look to buy books that rank schools and give a bit more information about every school. Since there are so many rankings out there, it is up to the ranking company to make their book stand out on the book shelves. When I went to Barnes and Nobles to buy my book, The Princeton Review's, "Best 378 Colleges 2014 Edition" stood out. Obviously the book is looking to attract students who are looking to go to college and its is also trying to promote itself as the best ranking book. In order to do so, the book utilizes several different rhetorical strategies and devices. What first stands out is the fact that the book is a bright yellow color. Amongst the other colors on the bookshelf, the yellow clearly stands out and thus makes it noticeable for all students to see. In addition to its bright attractive colors, the book utilizes capitalized fonts to draw in the shopper. On the front cover, the book has the words "best" and "colleges" capitalized. With the word best capitalized, the shopper associates best with the book, as well as the colleges. This subtlety brings the shopper in and draws their attention to the book. Besides simply just drawing in shoppers, the book also needs to establish its ethos as the best ranking book. In order to do so, the book utilizes testimony from CNN saying, "A great book...plus its a bargain" This testimony from CNN establishes the book's ethos as one of the more credible and affordable options. Again to try and bolster the book's ethos, the cover has highlighted the words "most popular" in order to show that the book is used by the most people. By both drawing the attention of shoppers, and establishing its ethos as the best book on the shelves, The Princeton Review's, "Best 378 Colleges 2014 Edition" definitely stands out. I personally thought the book was very credible and attractive and therefore I bought it. 

TOW 20 (IRB): Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

In today's society, everyone has to make decisions. The common pondering phrase, "Decisions, decisions..." is commonly used when contemplating what to do in a situation. However there are many instances when gut reactions have to be made. Everyone at some point has made a gut decision, but many have never realized why they occur, or even if they are better than thought out decisions. In "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" author Malcolm Gladwell uses various collections of scenarios and studies to analyze what he calls, "thin-slicing". Gladwell is a contemporary writer who studies things that are often overlooked but have a large impact on our lives. Since Gladwell's style of writing is so unique, if one is not interested, they have time to abandon the book right away as he states the purpose of his book in the opening pages. By stating his purpose and subject right off the bat, Gladwell sets the tone for the remainder of the piece, and makes the book much easier to understand and read. So far, Gladwell's writing style includes directly addressing the reader, and then expanding upon several examples. His direct diction such as "Imagine you are" and "We, as human beings" allow for Gladwell to connect with the reader through the book. Through his diction, Gladwell makes the book seem as though he is verbally teaching the reader and educating them on thin slicing. I personally really enjoy Gladwell's writing style as it is direct, and perfect for explaining a complex topic. So far, Gladwell's purpose is to educate the public and display his findings through this book. He wants to educate people on understanding such an integral part of our lives: decision-making. What makes his book so impressive is that it is scientific information catered to the average person. His writing style, diction, and direct approach allow him to be very effective and has so far made me thoroughly enjoy reading this book. 

TOW #19 (TEXT): Alfred M. Green’s Speech (1861) Document found from 2003 APELC Exam

Writing Goals:

• Thoroughly explain the rhetorical devices/strategies
• Make sure ideas are fleshed out
• Spending adequate amount of time prewriting

Reading Goals:

• Reading article several times to fully understand purpose
• Close reading and annotating for devices as well as their effects
• Read something from past APELC essays to improve from essay writing

Alfred M. Green’s Speech (1861)

Document found from 2003 APELC Exam

Just one month into the Civil War, Alfred M. Green, an African-American, delivered a speech in Philadelphia in an attempt to persuade fellow African-Americans to join the war effort. At this time during the war, African-Americans were not allowed to fight for both the Union and Confederate armies. Although this was the case, Green preaches that fighting for the Union army would be beneficial to African-Americans as it would allow for them to combat the slave-owning South. In his speech, Green instills a sense of patriotism, acknowledges the plight of African-Americans, and reveals the benefits of intervening in order to make his fellow African-Americans realize that fighting in the war will be beneficial to them.

Green starts his speech by proclaiming that, “The time has arrived in the history of the great Republic when we may again give evidence to the world of the bravery and patriotism of a race in whose hearts burns the love of country, of freedom, and of civil and religious toleration” (par. 1). Green’s first sentence of the speech serves to appeal to the audience’s sense of patriotism as it portrays America as a beacon of freedom and toleration. By making America seem like a symbol of freedom and democracy, Green instills a sense of national pride which in turn gives African-Americans more of a reason to fight for a great nation.

His opening statement, however, seems quite controversial as for most African-Americans, the United States wasn’t a symbol of freedom, but rather one of discrimination and inequality. Green later mentions the plight of the African-American as he discusses how both Washington and Jackson never gave them their rights, as well as many laws such as the fugitive slave act and the Dred Scott decision which both limited African-American rights. Through discussing the plight of African-Americans, Green unifies his audience, and establishes his ethos because by acknowledging that he too has suffered through discrimination, Green is not seen as an outsider, but rather one of the people (African-Americans). Once Green acknowledges the plight of his audience, he then states that even though they have been oppressed, “Our duty, brethren, is not to cavil over past grievances. Let us not be derelict to duty in the time of need… Let us endeavor to hope for the future and improve the present auspicious moment for creating anew our claims upon the justice and honor of the Republic” (par. 4). Essentially, Green is saying that even though African-Americans have been oppressed, fighting in the war is a step in the right direction for a future of equality. In making this claim, Green implants the idea that if African-Americans fight in the war, they will be seen as equal citizens and make strides towards the abolition of slavery. Although this claim is farfetched, the idea is still etched into his audience, and with that belief, African-Americans are more inclined to fight in a war where their self interests are involved. 

As a last attempt to persuade African-Americans to join the Union army, Green delves into the fact that the Union will be fighting the Confederacy. Since many African-Americans have animosity towards the South because of their insistence on the institution of slavery, this information is crucial as it backs fighting with anger. Green portrays the South as those who say, “Let us drive back the advance guard of civil and religious freedom; let us have more slave territory; let us build stronger the tyrant system of slavery in the great American Republic” (par. 5). This last point appeals to the audience’s sense of pathos as the idea of stopping slavery, or fighting against those who believe in the institution is very convincing to the constantly oppressed African-American community. Green even states, “Remember, too, that your very presence among the troops of the North would inspire your oppressed brethren of the South with zeal for the overthrow of the tyrant system”(par. 5).  Again, Green attempts to show that joining the army will help all African-Americans, and move towards the abolition of slavery. By joining the army, Green argues, southern African-Americans will be moved to overthrow their slave owners and therefore joining the army will help enslaved blacks. In Green’s closing statement, he appeals to pathos in order to get African-Americans to want to fight to end slavery.

Although Green’s speech starts with much praise of America, towards the end of his speech, Green appeals more to the African-American plight and desire to end slavery rather than focusing on why America is great. It is the idea that discrimination and slavery can be removed through fighting that is most impactful for African-Americans as these arguments were directly related to them. Moreover, Alfred M. Green instills a sense of patriotism, acknowledges the plight of African-Americans, and reveals the benefits of intervening in the war in order to persuade African-Americans to join the army.

TOW #18 (TEXT): The Big Business of Global Warming By McKenzie Funk

While there is no debate about the science of global warming, according to "The Big Business of Global Warming" By McKenzie Funk, many wealthy people intend to benefit off of the world's climate change even though it is threatening the world. In this article, Funk argues that exploiting climate change for profit is immoral as it results in a lack of awareness amongst the people. Funk's argument is that since people nowadays are more interested in making a profit off of climate change than actually helping to stop it, there is a huge moral dilemma in the world today. In her article, Funk discusses how companies like Bayer, a pharmaceutical company, as well as other businesses are already making profit off of climate change. Although large companies like Bayer are profiting off the increase in allergies and the lack of produce, Funk points out that some companies are actually helping by making mosquito nets to protect people from the rise of malaria. Throughout the text, Funk battles the idea of helping and profiting as many companies seem to be doing both. Although this is the case, Funk makes her final claim in the last paragraph where she writes, "There’s nothing wrong with selling mosquito nets, and there’s nothing wrong with buying them. But there’s something wrong if we ignore the true ethical stakes as an ever more imbalanced world keeps lurching ahead" In this quote it is seen that Funk's problem/argument is that the profiting from global warming is resulting in an ignorance of the damage we are doing. In order to further her point, Funk appeals to logos by using rational, sequential examples. In this manner, Funk is able to make logical sense and make her point easy to understand. She writes, "It happens that those largely responsible for the historic emissions that got us here — wealthy North Americans and Europeans — are the most likely to stay relatively prosperous, because we have our northerly geographies and we have enough money in our wallets for, say, high-performance polycarbonate building materials." This quote shows how Funk logically uses reason to back up her argument. In this case, she is demonstrating how the countries that are contributing to global warming the most are the ones who are most likely to gain from the climate destruction. This logical reasoning allows for the reader to realize that there is currently a problem that needs to be resolved. In addition to using logical reasoning, Funk uses a plethora of statistics to support her claim that help establish her ethos as well as appeal to logos. These statistics make her argument more reliable and stronger. Overall I think that Funk's use of logical reasoning and statistics made her argument stronger, and ultimately made me question the morality of profiting off of global warming. 

IRB Intro #3- Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking By Malcolm Gladwell

     For the next 4 weeks, I have chosen to read, "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" By Malcolm Gladwell. This book takes a scientific look at how we think without thinking, and how we constantly make split-second decisions. I have been recommended this book by many people including teachers, peers, as well as my parents, and since I don't often read scientific books, I thought reading one for my TOW would be a great way to expose myself to a new genre of reading. I think that reading about human intuition, and how our brains really work in different situations is very interesting and connectable. Since I am coming to the point in my life where I will have to make a lot of important decisions (college, jobs, etc.) I think understanding how to master the process of decision making will be a great tool in my life. In the book, Gladwell sheds light on the fact that the best decision makers aren't those who spend the most time thinking about something, but rather those who have mastered the art of "thin-slicing". Gladwell describes thin-slicing as the process of filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables. Moreover, I hope to expose myself to a new genre, learn about decision-making, and gain new information about the brain from reading this book. 

TOW #17: (Visual Text) T-Mobile Super Bowl Ad Tim Tebow By T-Mobile

Since today is the night of the Super Bowl, I thought I would rhetorically analyze a Super Bowl advertisement from T-Mobile. In this advertisement, T-Mobile satirically uses the fact that Tim Tebow doesn't have a contract to promote T-Mobile's no contract feature. Tim Tebow, a previous NFL quarterback who has failed to get a job in recent years, is used in this commercial to show what someone can do without a contract. T-Mobile uses not having a contract in a dual manner. Meaning that not having a contract references Tebow's lack of an NFL contract, as well as the fact that T-Mobile doesn't make its customers sign contracts. Although one would think that Tebow doesn't enjoy not having a contract, T-Mobile hyperbolizes the situation by showing Tebow delivering babies, throwing footballs on the moon, and even discovering Bigfoot. These hyperboles  are used to satirically demonstrate that not having a contract leads to positive things. What T-Mobile does well in this advertisement is that they cater to the average NFL fan. This is very important because in order to understand the joke, you have to understand football. In order to guarantee that the audience understands the joke, T-Mobile made sure to make this a Super Bowl commercial. Since the commercial is catered towards NFL fans who are watching the game, T-Mobile appeals to their audience, thus making the advertisement more effective. In addition to being cognizant of their audience, T-Mobile uses a celebrity to promote their brand. This celebrity endorsement of the product will make some people want to buy T-Mobile products more because they see it's sponsored by a well-known celebrity. T-Mobile also uses a variety of examples in order to appeal to all types of customers. For example, Tebow delivers a baby in one scene, thus appealing to the medical profession, but then also captures bigfoot, which appeals to more Southern US. T-Mobile uses a variety of examples to appeal to all audiences watching the Super Bowl. Since Super Bowl commercials cost so much, it is imperative that T-Mobile makes the most of the time given, and in this commercial through humor, endorsement, understanding its audience, and appealing to a variety of people, T-Mobile creates a great and interesting commercial for all to view. 

TOW #16 (IRB): Bin Laden: The Man Who Declared War on America by Yossef Bodansky

Through the second half of "Bin Laden: The Man Who Declared War on America" author Yossef Bodansky discusses Bin Laden's plans for attack, and his motivations for them. In comparison to the first half of the book, the second half is much more about the terrorism Bin Laden has caused and the events leading up to these acts. Again, like the first half of the book, Bodansky writes in chronological order of Bin Laden's life story, which makes it very easy to follow. One of the strategies that Bodansky uses to make complicated terrorism easy to understand, is he uses cause and effect to explain things. Since in the real world, we know that there is always multiple causation, Bodansky makes sure that he makes the reader aware that Bin Laden doesn't just do things for one reason, but rather a plethora of influences. I found the whole recruitment process interesting, as people volunteered their lives to become a terrorist. When Bodansky explains this process, he includes all of the reasons as to why someone would join Al-Qaeda. This makes the text very easy to understand, and that much more interesting. In the second half of the book, Bodansky's purpose is to try and tie Bin Laden's early life to his terrorism, and by doing so he tries to shed light on why this man did what he did. One way Bodansky is effective at achieving this purpose is by writing the book as a narrative. Instead of boring the reader with a list of facts about Bin Laden, Bodansky takes the reader through the events as though they are actually happening. This effect makes the reader more engaged in the book and provides for a much deeper understanding than just raw fact. As opposed to being a boring non-fiction book, Bodanksy's rhetorical devices engage the reader and make them feel like they are in the time period instead of reading a list of facts. Overall I thought the book was really interesting as it gave a different perspective on why Bin Laden did what he did.

TOW #15 (TEXT): Are e-cigarettes dangerous? by Harold P. Wimmer

In this article, author Harold P. Wimmer discusses the implications of a new phenomenon, e-cigarettes. Because e-cigarettes are such a new product, Wimmer says that there needs to be regulations on them. Since there is currently no regulation on the e-cigarette, people believe that it is a healthier alternative to the cigarette. Although this is the case, Wimmer argues that the lack of regulation actually makes the e-cigarette more dangerous. In his article Wimmer lists all of the possible effects and dangers of e-cigarettes. What his purpose in writing this article is that Wimmer wants to make people aware of the e-cigarette's health implications and also propose that there be regulations on them. In order to get his point across, Wimmer appeals to the reader's pathos by discussing how e-cigarettes are affecting children. What makes readers' cringe is the fact that a new wave of nicotine addicts are being born from the e-cigarette. Since there is no actual smoke, e-cigarettes create a falsified sense of safety and thus 1 out of 10 high school students have tried an e-cigarette. By using these statistics, the reader's ethical code comes into play as they feel bad that kids are smoking. Wimmer also tries to get readers to feel shocked by using statistics. These eye-opening lab studies make the reader feel, again, more inclined to feel skeptical about the e-cigarette. Wimmer even compares the e-cigarette to the way the original cigarette was first advertised: with attractive women, etc. This parallelism shows that history is going to repeat itself in that e-cigarettes are now going to generate a new wave pool of nicotine addicts. Wimmer's article makes a great point that e-cigarettes are not safer, not regulated, and is just another way for our generation to get hooked onto nicotine. I personally think this article resonated with me because being a high school student, I see many kids getting hooked onto things like e-cigarettes just because they seem safe, when in reality they aren't. 

TOW #14 (Visual Text) Old Spice Momsong Commercial

In this commercial, Old Spice, a deodorant manufacturer, takes a comical route in advertising their product. The commercial is essentially a bunch of mothers singing about how Old Spice turned their sons into men. The mothers sing and complain about how their "little boys" turn into men and during the commercial they list all of the "bad" things their sons are doing like attracting women and being "naughty" with them. What Old Spice is effectively doing is making the mother's problem a selling point to customers, who are mostly teenage boys. These boys that are being targeted are usually the ones who haven't yet chosen their brand of deodorant that they are going to use for the rest of their lives. Since most people stick with one deodorant brand for the entirety of their life, Old Spice is targeting people who have not yet made up their mind. In this commercial, Old Spice uses comical rhetoric in order to get their point across. Scenes like having moms hold on to the bumper of a car, and turn into a janitor to spy on their sons is comical and makes the viewer laugh. However the comical scenes are just the support for the main claim, or purpose of the commercial. The main selling point is how Old Spice essentially gives boys the ability to turn into manly men who attract women. I think that Old spice does a great job in slipping in this selling point without being as obvious as they usually are in their other commercials. Overall I think Old Spice made a hilarious commercial which got its point across by using comical rhetoric and slipping in the main purpose. I personally use Old Spice, and I changed over from Axe to Old Spice much because of their advertising.